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Chapters ahead: 4
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The little girl, whose name they learned was Hana, clung to Momo's side like a limpet. Her silence was more unsettling than any scream. She hadn't spoken a word since they rescued her, her eyes wide and vacant, staring into the middle distance. The trauma of witnessing her parents succumb to the Quirkfall Virus, a scene Kendo tried desperately *not* to imagine, had clearly taken its toll.
They found temporary refuge in a dilapidated convenience store, its shelves stripped bare save for a few dusty cans of expired peaches. The air hung thick with the smell of decay, a constant reminder of the horrors outside. Boarding up the shattered windows with whatever they could find – pieces of plywood, overturned shelves, even stacks of magazines – provided a fragile sense of security.
"We need to ration these," Momo said, holding up one of the peach cans. "It's not much, but it's something."
Tetsutetsu, his usual boisterous energy subdued, nodded. "Anything's better than those… things." He shuddered, the image of the mutated Kamui Woods still fresh in his mind.
Tokoyami sat in the corner, Dark Shadow wrapped around him like a protective cloak. The darkness seemed to offer him solace, a refuge from the harsh reality of their situation. He'd been unusually quiet since the encounter with the giant, the strain of using Dark Shadow in daylight evident in his pale face.
Kendo watched them, her heart heavy. She was the oldest, the de facto leader of this ragtag group. The responsibility weighed on her, a constant pressure in her chest. She had to keep them safe, had to find a way out of this nightmare.
"Tokoyami," she said softly, approaching him. "Are you alright?"
He looked up, his eyes shadowed. "I… I am merely conserving my strength, Kendo," he replied, his voice low. "Dark Shadow… he is not at his full potential in this light."
Kendo nodded, understanding. Dark Shadow was a powerful Quirk, but its strength was inversely proportional to the amount of light present. In the bright daylight, it was a mere shadow of its true self.
"We'll find somewhere safer tonight," she promised. "Somewhere dark."
He gave a small nod, a flicker of gratitude in his eyes.
As the last rays of sunlight faded, casting long, eerie shadows across the ruined city, they ventured out again. The streets were even more treacherous at night, the darkness concealing the lurking horrors. But it also offered them a tactical advantage. Tokoyami's Dark Shadow, now emboldened by the darkness, became their vanguard, scouting ahead, disabling stray zombies, and guiding them through the labyrinthine streets.
They moved slowly, carefully, their senses on high alert. The silence was broken only by the shuffling of their feet and the occasional guttural moan from the darkness. The tension was palpable, a tight knot in Kendo's stomach.
Suddenly, Dark Shadow recoiled, flickering nervously. "Something's coming," Tokoyami whispered, his voice strained.
Kendo raised her spear, her heart pounding. A low growl echoed from the darkness ahead. Then, a pair of glowing red eyes appeared, followed by another, and another. A pack of feral dogs, their fur matted with blood, their eyes burning with a hungry gleam, emerged from the shadows.
The dogs, infected with the Quirkfall Virus, were larger and more aggressive than normal, their teeth elongated and razor-sharp. They lunged, snarling, their movements swift and unpredictable.
Kendo and Tetsutetsu met the attack head-on, their weapons flashing in the darkness. Kendo's spear pierced through the flesh of one dog, while Tetsutetsu's steel fists sent another flying. But the dogs were relentless, their numbers overwhelming.
Momo, despite her fear, managed to create a few flashbang grenades, the sudden bursts of light and sound momentarily disorienting the pack. Tokoyami's Dark Shadow lashed out, snatching and tearing at the dogs, but even he was struggling to keep up with their ferocity.
One of the dogs lunged at Hana, its jaws snapping. Momo screamed, throwing herself in front of the girl, her arms wrapped protectively around her. The dog's teeth sank into Momo's arm, tearing through her flesh.
"Momo!" Kendo cried, lunging forward. She drove her spear through the dog's skull, freeing Momo from its grip.
Momo slumped to the ground, her face pale, her arm bleeding profusely. Hana, her eyes finally showing a flicker of emotion, began to cry.
"We have to get out of here," Tetsutetsu said, his voice urgent.
They retreated, dragging Momo with them, the snarls of the dogs echoing behind them. They found refuge in a deserted apartment building, barricading themselves inside a small apartment on the third floor.
As Kendo bandaged Momo's wound, her heart ached. They were losing ground, their resources dwindling, their hope fading. How much longer could they survive in this hellish landscape?
She looked at Hana, the little girl huddled in the corner, her eyes filled with a terror that mirrored Kendo's own. She had to be strong, for Hana, for her friends, for herself. She had to find a way out, a way to survive. Even if it meant facing the darkness head-on.