X weeks ago, the West Yamanashi Stronghold

The dense forest of West Yamanashi was home to many dangers, but for Natsuki Lea, it was a sanctuary. As a Bulwark Hybrid, her unique ability to cover her torso with impenetrable muscle made her a formidable hunter. She roamed the woods, her senses keen and her spirit fierce, taking down zombies that dared to threaten her peace.

Little did she know that her peace would be threatened once again, and this time, the undead wasn’t involved.

The sun was setting, casting a golden hue over the treetops, when Lea heard the unmistakable sound of footsteps—human footsteps. She tensed, her body instinctively hardening in preparation for a fight. But these footsteps were not the shambling gait of zombies; they were quick and purposeful.

A group of men emerged from the trees, clad in their usual shabby clothing. One look and Lea knew that they came from one of the Yamanashi Strongholds.

Lea eyes narrowed. She had heard rumors of their aggressive expansion, of their practice of capturing Hybrids to use as weapons.

"Don’t resist," the leader of the group called out, his voice firm but not unkind. "We don’t want to hurt you."

Lea’s response was a low growl. She had no intention of being taken. With a surge of strength, she launched herself at the nearest soldier, her fists like hammers. But these men were prepared; they dodged her attacks with practiced ease, their movements coordinated.

Before she could land a decisive blow, a net shot out from a launcher, entangling her. She struggled, her muscles bulging against the restraints, but the more she fought, the tighter the net became. Finally, with a frustrated scream, she collapsed to the ground, her body exhausted.

"We got her," the leader said, motioning for his men to secure her. "Let’s get her back to the stronghold."

As they carried her away, Lea’s thoughts were a whirlwind of anger and determination. "LET. ME. GO. You’ll regret this!" She blindly threatened.

— — — — —

Lea was taken to a holding cell, her captors wary of her every move. They had heard stories of her strength, of her ability to turn her body into a living shield.

Days turned into weeks as Lea adjusted to her new reality. Her cell was small but not uncomfortable, and she was given food and water regularly. But the walls pressed in on her, a constant reminder of her captivity.

Her only solace came from a small window high on the wall. Through it, she could see a sliver of the sky, a reminder of the world beyond her prison.

—

One day, a visitor came to her cell. It was the leader of the group that had captured her. He introduced himself as the captain, a high-ranking officer in the stronghold’s army.

"Natsuki Lea," he said, his tone almost friendly. "I wanted to talk to you."

Lea glared at him, her arms crossed over her chest. "What do you want?" she snapped.

The officer sighed, leaning against the wall. "I understand you’re angry. You have every right to be. But the truth is, we need your help."

Lea’s eyes narrowed. "My help? You captured me. You put me in a cage."

"Yes," The officer admitted. "And I regret that. But we need strong fighters like you to defend the stronghold. The zombie threat is growing, and our resources are stretched thin. Thus we created the defense force, and we’d like you to join it."

Lea was silent for a moment, considering his words. She had no love for the stronghold, but if the zombie threat was as serious as he said, perhaps she could use this opportunity to find a way out.

"I’ll help," she said finally. "But on my terms."

The officer nodded, and a hint of relief showed in his eyes. "Very well. What are your terms?"

"First," Lea said, her voice firm, "I want to be allowed outside the walls." It was a simple term, and yet both parties knew of its sheer importance.

Hesitating, the officer sighed, but he had no choice but to agree. "Agreed. Anything else?"

"Second," Lea continued, "I want to know everything about your operations. I won’t be a pawn in your game."

The officer smiled. "Fair enough. We have a deal."

In a flash, the officer opened the lock to her cell, giving her the freedom to go out. However, Lea knew well enough that her freedom was all but limited. After all, three Hybrids were positioned right behind her when she got out.

It was a clear suggestion that she shouldn’t make any wrong moves. One misstep and it could very well cost her her life. Gritting her teeth, she decided to play along with their little game, keeping track of all of their misdeeds so she could repay it to the fullest when the time came.

— — —

A couple of days later

Lea’s integration into the stronghold’s defense force was swift. She was given a uniform and assigned to a training squad. Her first day on the training grounds was a stark contrast to her days of solo hunting in the forest. Here, she was surrounded by other Hybrids, and they were not particularly friendly either.

’I could more or less guess why.’ Lea cursed in her mind, realizing that she wasn’t the only Hybrid who was unjustifiably captured.

The training grounds were a sprawling complex, complete with obstacle courses, sparring rings, target ranges, and even a small section wherein Aberrants were kept.

Adding to that, there were many different squads of Hybrids. One could tell that they were seasoned hunters, and Lea could only imagine how long they’d been kept as slaves of the West Yamanashi Stronghold.

"Natsuki Lea... so you’re the captain of this squad, huh." A man who was supposed to be their instructor called out to her, forcefully attracting her attention, much to her disgust.

"I heard you’re fighting style for a Bulwark is pretty good. Show me what you can do." He challenged.