The silence after the retreat didn’t last long, but it was enough. Enough for the tension to settle. Enough for decisions to form. Arata Kurozawa stood near the entrance of the complex, his gaze fixed on the empty street outside, but his mind was already moving ahead. The group that had just attacked them wasn’t broken. They were testing. Measuring. And now that they had seen resistance, they would return stronger, more prepared, and more aggressive.

Waiting for that would be the same as surrendering initiative, and Arata had already decided—that wasn’t an option.

Behind him, Reina leaned lightly against the reinforced barricade, her pistol lowered but not relaxed, her eyes occasionally shifting toward the outside. Yuna sat on top of a counter, spinning her bat slowly in one hand, though the casual motion didn’t hide the sharp focus in her expression. Airi had moved closer to the supply area, organizing items again, but her attention kept drifting toward Arata, waiting, expecting.

"They’ll regroup fast," Reina said finally, breaking the silence. "People like that don’t retreat unless they have a plan." Arata nodded slightly. "Exactly." Yuna tilted her head. "So we hit them first?" There was no hesitation in her voice, only interest. Arata turned slightly, his gaze moving across all of them. "Yes." The answer was simple, but it carried weight.

Airi looked up, surprised. "We’re...attacking them?" Arata met her eyes. "If we don’t, they attack us. Next time, they won’t hold back. They’ll bring more people. Better coordination. Maybe even force us out." Yuna smirked. "Or kill us." Airi swallowed, but didn’t argue. She had already seen enough to understand that this wasn’t a world where waiting made things safer.

Reina stepped forward. "We don’t know their base location." Arata’s expression didn’t change. "We don’t need exact coordinates. We track them." Yuna raised an eyebrow. "You think they’ll leave a trail?" "Not intentionally," Arata replied. "But people always do." There was a pause, then Yuna smiled slightly. "I like how you think."

Preparation began immediately. Weapons were checked. Supplies were minimized to essentials. The base couldn’t be left undefended, but it also couldn’t hold everyone. Arata made the decision quickly. "Airi stays." She looked like she wanted to protest, but the words didn’t come out. Reina glanced at her briefly. "It’s safer," she said. "And we need someone here." Yuna added casually, "Also, you’d slow us down." That was blunt, but not wrong. Airi exhaled slowly and nodded. "...I’ll hold it."

Arata looked at her for a moment, then said, "Lock the back exit. Don’t open for anyone unless it’s us." She nodded again, more firmly this time. "Got it."

The team moved out shortly after. Arata in front. Reina slightly behind him. Yuna on the flank. Two of her remaining men followed, quieter now, more cautious after what they had experienced. The city felt different during the day. Not safe, but exposed. Every open street was a risk. Every shadow a possible threat. Arata moved with purpose, his eyes scanning constantly, picking up small details—disturbed debris, faint footprints, broken patterns in dust. Signs most people would ignore.

"They went this way," he said after a few minutes, pointing toward a narrow street branching off the main road. Yuna glanced at the ground, then back at him. "...You’re serious." "Yes," Arata replied. Reina didn’t question it. She followed.

The trail wasn’t obvious, but it was there. Subtle shifts. Movement patterns. Occasional drops of blood from the earlier fight. They followed it carefully, avoiding unnecessary noise, keeping formation tight. Twice they encountered small groups of infected, but those were dealt with quickly and silently. Arata didn’t allow drawn-out fights. Every movement had to be efficient.

After nearly twenty minutes of tracking, they stopped.

"There," Yuna said quietly.

Ahead stood a mid-sized warehouse building, partially hidden between two larger structures. The main gate was closed, but not secured heavily. That alone was suspicious. "Too quiet," Reina said. Arata nodded. "They’re inside." Yuna grinned slightly. "Good."

They didn’t rush in. Arata observed first. Entry points. Weak spots. Possible ambush angles. Then he spoke. "Two entrances. Front and side. They expect us from the front." Reina nodded. "So we don’t go from there." Yuna’s smile widened. "Now you’re talking."

They moved around the side, keeping low. The secondary entrance was partially open, just enough for one person to slip through at a time. Arata paused, listening. Voices inside. Low. Controlled. Not relaxed. They were alert. Waiting.

"They’re expecting us," Reina whispered.

"Good," Arata replied. "That means they won’t run."

Yuna cracked her neck lightly. "Let’s see how good they really are."

Arata moved first, slipping through the side entrance silently. The interior was dim, but not dark. Shadows stretched across the open floor, broken by scattered crates and equipment. The air smelled of metal and oil. Perfect for an ambush.

A voice echoed from deeper inside. "Knew you’d come."

The same man stepped into view. Calm. Composed. Watching. Several others moved into position around him, forming a loose defensive formation. They weren’t panicking. They were ready.

Arata stepped forward into the open space. Reina and Yuna followed, spreading slightly to avoid clustering. "You left too easily," the man said. Arata replied, "You stayed too long."

A faint smile appeared on the man’s face. "Fair." His gaze shifted across the group. "You’re missing one." Arata didn’t react. "She wasn’t needed."

The tension built instantly. No more testing. No more negotiation. This was direct conflict.

"Then let’s finish this," the man said.

He moved first, Fast, The fight exploded.

One of the attackers rushed Reina, but she fired instantly, forcing him back. Yuna engaged another, her bat colliding with brutal force. Arata focused on the leader. Their movements clashed directly—fast, precise, controlled. This wasn’t like fighting infected. This was calculated.

The leader aimed for Arata’s blind spot, but Arata anticipated it. Burst Step activated, shifting his position instantly, countering with a direct strike. The man blocked—but barely. He stepped back, surprised.

"...You’re faster," he muttered.

Arata didn’t respond. He pressed forward.

The fight intensified. Every second mattered. Every mistake cost. Reina held her side with precision, Yuna dominated hers with aggression, and Arata pushed the center, forcing the leader back step by step.

The balance shifted again.

Then—A mistake.

The leader miscalculated distance for a fraction of a second.

That was enough.

Burst Step.

Arata closed the gap instantly and struck.

CRACK.

The man dropped, Silence followed.

The remaining attackers hesitated, Then broke.

Some tried to fight, Some tried to run.

None succeeded, Within moments, it was over.

Arata stood still, breathing controlled, his eyes scanning the space one last time. No movement. No threat.

Done.

Reina lowered her gun. Yuna exhaled slowly, a satisfied grin forming. "...That was cleaner," she said.

Arata looked around the warehouse.

Resources, Weapons, Supplies.

Another position, Another step forward.

"This is ours too," he said.

No one argued , Because now, it wasn’t just survival.

It was expansion, The hunter had already become the predator.