Chapter 42 - Humanoid
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**Greater Yamato Central Command – Armory Prep Room**
Colonel Hasegawa stood in front of an open locker—black combat gear laid out neatly, rifle already slung over her shoulder. She checked the blade edge of her sidearm once. Twice. Precise. Silent.
The door hissed open.
A young officer—short hair, urgent eyes—entered quickly.
"Colonel. We received drone footage from the Western Peninsula."
Hasegawa didn't turn.
"Show me."
The officer activated a wrist projector.
Hologram flared to life—grainy night vision.
The city was dead.
Buildings gutted—roofs collapsed, windows shattered like broken teeth.
Streets empty.
Apartment doors hanging open—furniture spilled out like entrails.
Some lights still flickered in upper floors—lonely, dying.
The drone glided forward.
Then—something moved.
A silhouette.
Human-shaped.
Walking calmly through the ruins.
No rush. No stumble.
Night swallowed details—no clear face, no uniform, no monster spikes.
Just… a person.
It stopped.
Turned.
Looked directly at the drone.
The feed cut—static snow.
Hasegawa stared at the frozen last frame.
The silhouette's eyes—two faint purple glows.
She exhaled—slow.
"How can this be possible… they're walking like us."
The officer swallowed.
"Ma'am… it may be the lights. Shadows playing tricks—"
Hasegawa didn't answer.
Her mind flashed back.
**Medical ward. Day earlier.**
Rei lay in bed—bandages around her stomach, face pale but eyes sharp.
Hasegawa entered—grinning wide.
"Hahaha! Ahh, this joke never gets old!"
She wiped a fake tear.
Rei glared—disgusted expression she rarely showed.
"At least let me sleep properly."
Hasegawa laughed louder.
"Hahahahah! You shouldn't be so cold with your teacher!"
Rei rolled her eyes.
"I never saw you as a teacher. You just threw me into a cave and called it training."
Hasegawa cackled again—holding her stomach.
"Old days! But because of that, you're this strong."
Rei shook her head—still disgusted.
Hasegawa's laughter faded.
She looked at the bandages.
"That wound… the monster must have been huge."
Rei shook her head.
"No. He was my height."
Hasegawa laughed again—loud.
"Hahahaha! What? You got injured by a small monster?!"
Rei didn't smile.
"Yes. And he walked on two legs. Like us."
Hasegawa's laughter died instantly.
No smile.
Tone shifted—cold, serious.
"What happened there?"
Rei looked at her.
"He was like a human. Walked like us. Even dodged my attack by spinning—full rotation, using my momentum against me. And there was something else… but I don't think it was related to him. If it is… then we're done."
Hasegawa stared.
Then—quiet.
"Don't worry. Humanity always survives."
Rei looked at her.
"And how have we survived?"
Hasegawa opened her mouth—
Stopped.
Something clicked behind her eyes.
She stood.
"Rest well, Rei."
Her voice was different.
"Because this isn't the end."
She turned.
"It's just the beginning."
Door closed behind her.
**Flashback end.**
Hasegawa stared at the frozen drone image.
The silhouette.
Walking like us.
She clenched her jaw.
"Inform the team. We're leaving for the Western Peninsula. Now."
The officer saluted.
"Yes, ma'am!"
She hurried out.
Hasegawa stood alone.
Behind the door—
A shadow listened.
Silent.
Still.
The lights dimmed once.
Then went dark.
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*End*