Chapter 18 – The Name Red
Night had fully swallowed the ruined city.
Inside the old apartment complex where the old man had taken shelter, the atmosphere was tense. The dim basement lights flickered occasionally, casting long shadows across cracked concrete walls. Two of the old man’s remaining subordinates stood near the entrance, rifles in hand.
The old man paced back and forth.
His mind was restless.
“That brat… hanging up on me like that,” he muttered under his breath.
He clenched his fists.
“If they think they can just use me and walk away—”
Suddenly—
Headlights flashed through the broken windows.
The sound of engines roared outside.
The old man froze.
“…What?”
One of his men hurried toward the door and peered outside.
“Boss… there are trucks.”
“Trucks?” the old man repeated.
Before he could react—
CRASH!
The front entrance exploded inward as armed men stormed the building.
Gunfire erupted instantly.
“ENEMY CONTACT!”
The old man’s subordinates fired back, but they were completely outmatched. The intruders moved with terrifying coordination.
Within seconds—
Two men were gunned down.
Another was slammed against the wall and disarmed.
Heavy boots echoed down the basement stairs.
Then the room went silent.
A group of armed soldiers entered the basement, rifles raised.
Behind them…
A single young man stepped forward.
He looked no older than seventeen.
Black hair. Calm eyes. A faint smile resting on his lips.
The old man’s eyes widened.
“…You.”
The boy tilted his head slightly.
“So you remember me.”
The old man’s voice trembled with disbelief.
“Hoshina.”
The soldiers forced the old man to his knees and pinned him against the wall.
The young man stepped closer, hands in his pockets.
“Long time no see.”
The old man stared at him in shock.
“…You’re the vice captain now?”
Hoshina smiled.
“Something like that.”
He crouched slightly in front of the old man.
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“Let’s skip the reunion.”
His voice became colder.
“Tell me about the girl.”
The old man swallowed nervously.
“Y-You mean the immune one?”
“Yes.”
Hoshina’s eyes sharpened.
“What does she look actually look like?you know the wanted poster our organization posted about her was kinda blurry.”
The old man exhaled slowly.
“She’s easy to recognize.”
He began speaking.
“She has yellow hair… bright yellow. Almost like sunlight. Her skin is pale and smooth… and her eyes—”
He paused slightly.
“They’re strange. One looks blue. The other has a green tint.”
Hoshina nodded slowly.
“Height?”
“About 5’6… maybe 5’7.”
“Abilities?”
The old man shook his head.
“I didn’t see any. She might not have one… but she’s skilled with weapons.”
Hoshina hummed quietly.
“Interesting.”
He gestured.
“Next.”
“The scary chick with the katana,” the old man said.
Hoshina raised an eyebrow.
“The girl’s name is Aoi. Yellow hair like the first girl. Light skin. Tall… around 5’8.”
Hoshina leaned against the wall.
“And her ability?”
The old man hesitated.
“…Matter manipulation.”
Hoshina’s smile widened slightly.
“She can change the form of matter. Reshape objects. Turn one material into another.”
For the first time, Hoshina looked genuinely impressed.
“Now that,” he said softly, “is a neat ability.”
He waved his hand.
“Continue.”
“The boy who looks like the girl your after, I think it's her brother… Natsuki.”
The old man’s expression darkened.
“He’s more aggressive than the others.”
Hoshina noticed the tension.
“You’re scared of him?”
The old man flinched slightly.
Hoshina chuckled.
“Don’t tell me you’re afraid of some teenager.”
The old man clenched his jaw.
“You didn’t see him fight.”
Hoshina crouched closer.
“What’s his ability?”
“…Lightning.”
The word lingered in the air.
“Electricity manipulation.”
Hoshina blinked once.
Then he laughed quietly.
“Lightning?”
He rubbed his chin.
“That’s actually a bit of a counter to my ability.”
The old man glared at him.
“How the hell would I know that?”
Hoshina stood up again.
“Next.”
“The big one,” the old man said.
“Kaito.”
“He’s huge. Tall… around 6’3. Broad shoulders. Brown hair. Orange eyes.”
The old man frowned.
“I think he’s the oldest in their group.”
“And his ability?”
The old man hesitated.
“I didn’t see everything… but from what I witnessed…”
“…Gravity manipulation.”
Hoshina raised his eyebrows.
“Gravity?”
“He was controlling objects… pulling things down… crushing infected.”
Hoshina nodded slowly.
“Not bad.”
“Then there’s the last one.”
Hoshina tilted his head.
“The youngest looking kid.”
The old man squinted slightly as he remembered.
“Red hair. His bangs cover his eyes almost all the time.”
Hoshina frowned.
“What’s his name?”
The old man shrugged.
“I think they call him… Red.”
Hoshina blinked.
“…Red?”
He let out a short laugh.
“That’s a stupid name.”
The old man continued.
“He’s about 5’7. Lean build.”
“And his ability?”
The old man shrugged again.
“Nothing special.”
“Just physical enhancement.”
“He’s stronger than normal humans… faster too.”
Hoshina folded his arms.
“So he’s the most useless one in the group?”
The old man shook his head slowly.
“…Not exactly.”
Hoshina looked back at him.
“The more that boy fights…”
“…the stronger he becomes.”
Hoshina’s smile faded slightly.
“…I see.”
"So where are they headed to now."Hoshina asked.
The old man replied "I think I overheard them talking about heading to some lab in Tokyo."
Silence filled the room.
Then the old man glared at him.
“So tell me something.”
Hoshina looked down at him calmly.
“What?”
“Why the hell did you storm my place like this?”
For a moment…
The room became quiet.
Hoshina slowly crouched again.
“You really don’t remember?”
The old man frowned.
Hoshina’s voice dropped.
“In prison.”
The old man’s expression shifted.
“We were both death-row inmates.”
His smile widened slowly.
“You used to bully the f*ck outta me.”
The old man froze.
Memories flashed through his mind.
A weak boy.
Quiet.
Always alone.
Hoshina leaned closer.
“You thought I was pathetic.”
He whispered softly.
“But look at me now.”
The old man suddenly spat toward him.
Hoshina caught his face instantly.
His hand clamped around the old man’s jaw.
“…Bad idea.”
Water began dripping onto the floor.
Drip.
Drip.
Drip.
The soldiers watched silently.
Water slowly wrapped around the old man’s mouth.
Then his nose.
Then his entire face.
The old man’s eyes widened in horror.
He tried to breathe.
But the water suffocated him.
His body thrashed violently.
His hands struggled against the soldiers holding him.
But it was useless.
Seconds passed.
His movements grew weaker.
Weaker.
Then—
Still.
The water fell to the floor with a splash.
The old man collapsed lifelessly.
He had drowned.
Hoshina stood up calmly.
“Dispose of the rest.”
Gunshots echoed through the basement.
The old man’s remaining companions were executed instantly.
Silence returned.
Outside, the trucks started their engines.
Hoshina climbed into the front seat.
The driver looked at him.
“Where to, Vice Captain?”
Hoshina leaned back casually.
“The old man said they’re heading toward a lab in Tokyo...my guess it's a CDC lab located in Tokyo."
He smiled slightly.
“If we move fast… we might catch them before they reach it.”
The trucks began moving.
Engines roared as they pulled onto the dark highway.
Hoshina stared out the window.
“…Red huh,so his got the same color of hair as my Boss."
The name echoed in his mind.
“What kind of idiot calls himself that?”
Miles away…
Inside the military jeep.
Red suddenly sneezed.
“Achoo!”
Natsuki glanced at him.
“Did someone just curse you?”
Red frowned.
“…Did someone just say my name?”
He looked around.
But the highway stretched endlessly ahead.
Tokita kept driving.
And the night swallowed the road.
