Chapter 39 - "Eight Limbs"
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**Training corner. Late afternoon.**
Colonel Hasegawa stood with arms crossed, watching Riku stretch—careful, pained movements. Bandages still wrapped around ribs, but the girl refused to stay in bed.
Riku finished—straightened up.
"Please… teach me more. How to fight."
Hasegawa sighed—short, tired.
"You don't need to learn *more*. You need to master what you already have."
Riku clenched her fists.
"I'm a sniper type. I can't fight anyone who gets close. I have to keep dodging, running… always running."
"That's your role."
Riku's voice cracked—just a little.
"I don't care about roles. I want to learn—at least enough to fight until I get high ground. Proper distance."
Hasegawa studied her for a long moment.
She reached up, her fingers catching the brim of her military cap and pulling it low, casting a sharp shadow over her tired eyes.
She muttered the words—low, gravelly.
"Yare yare daze..."
Then exhaled.
"Okay. I'll teach you Muay Thai."
Riku blinked.
"Muay Thai?"
"Thai fighting style. Uses eight limbs—fists, elbows, knees, shins. Brutal. Efficient. Perfect for close-range survival."
Riku tilted her head.
"I thought it would be boxing… or karate… or CQC or something."
Hasegawa laughed—dry.
"Kid… CQC is not something you 'just learn.' It's military-grade. Special forces only. And you're sniper type—you should focus on distance. Besides…"
She paused.
"We don't teach CQC to anyone anymore."
Riku frowned.
"Why?"
Hasegawa's eyes darkened.
"Because there was one special agent… who went rogue."
She didn't elaborate.
But the air felt colder.
A silhouette flickered in memory—black kimono, red spider lilies blooming across the sleeve, same pattern tattooed on exposed shoulder. Face hidden in shadow. Minimal expression. Dangerous.
Hasegawa shook it off.
"But I don't know Muay Thai myself. One of our team members does. She'll teach you."
Riku nodded—determined.
"Okay."
Hasegawa jerked her thumb toward the door.
"Go. She's waiting."
Riku walked out.
Met another team member—short-cropped hair, athletic build, gloves already on.
The woman cracked her knuckles.
"Okay. Warm-up first. Then I'll teach you."
Riku smiled—small, fierce.
"Let's do this."
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**Western Peninsula — Residential area. Quiet afternoon.**
Sunlight filtered through cracked windows.
Women moved through daily life—peaceful, ordinary.
One slept on a futon—soft breathing.
Two girls laughed in VR headsets—virtual festival lights flickering across their faces.
Another leaned out a window, gossiping with a neighbor.
"—and then she said—"
Laughter echoed.
On a rooftop above—
A lone man stood.
Phone to his ear.
"I'm at location 38."
A woman's voice—early thirties, elegant, authoritative—came through.
"Okay. Wait for next orders."
He looked down at the women below.
Smiled—thin, cold.
Started walking.
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**Western Peninsula — Military HQ.**
A girl in military uniform sat alone.
Screens glowed—CCTV feeds from inside the caves.
Nothing.
Black void.
Only faint blue light from mana crystals embedded in walls—pulsing slowly, like dying stars.
Horror in stillness.
No sound.
No movement.
Just endless dark.
She sipped coffee—cold.
Report into mic.
"Another day. No movement."
Her eyes drifted to a photo taped to the console.
Two girls—smiling, arms around each other.
She touched it gently.
"Don't worry. Your sister won't die here."
Red light flickered on screen.
She froze.
CCTV feed glitched.
Then—movement.
Too many.
Small shapes. Large shapes.
Swarming.
She slammed the alert button.
"It's here!"
Alarms screamed.
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**Medical room. Evening.**
Kaito sat beside Rei's bed—apple in hand, half-eaten.
Rei lay propped up—bandages fresh, face pale but stubborn.
"I pity myself. Even Riku's getting better and I'm still stuck here."
Kaito took another bite.
"You're saying it again. Comparing."
He offered her the apple.
She didn't take it.
"Riku didn't get stabbed in the stomach. You did. Core of the body—every jump, every twist needs power from there."
Rei looked away.
Kaito chewed slowly.
"My mother told me something once. I failed exams. Cried all night. Kept comparing myself to some kid in class who always topped."
He smiled—small.
"She said: 'Everyone's different. You're better at something that someone else may not be. If you just compare… you'll never live your life. You'll live as someone else wants.'"
Rei stared at him.
"You should become a motivational speaker. Or start a cult. You'd get followers."
Kaito grinned.
"I'm thinking about it. First order: make you happy, I guess."
Rei laughed—soft, surprised.
"You're really flirty."
Kaito blushed.
"I was just trying to be cool."
Both laughed—quiet, warm.
The room felt lighter.
For a moment.
Outside—sunset painted the windows gold.
Inside—two people, healing.
Slowly.
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*End*