Red and the ApocalypseChapter 25 – The Arrival of Ragnar Kuroshin
The battlefield had gone silent.
Dust floated through the broken air. Rubble cracked under shifting weight. Burnt vehicles still smoked faintly.
Hoshina lay unconscious on the ground, his body barely rising with each breath.
Nezuko held the injured Natsuki, struggling to keep him steady.
Tokita stood nearby, carrying the unconscious Kaito over his shoulder like dead weight.
And Aoi crouched beside Hoshina, checking his pulse.
"He's alive…" she muttered.
A brief silence followed.
Then—
"What do we do with him?" Aoi asked coldly. "We kill him… or we take him?"
Nezuko immediately shook her head.
"We don't kill him. We question him first."
"I disagree," Aoi snapped. "He's dangerous."
Their voices clashed.
Both Kaito and Natsuki were unconscious—no vote from them.
So all eyes slowly turned to Tokita.
He looked at Hoshina… then at them.
"…We keep him alive," Tokita said calmly.
"He still has answers. And if he tries anything… I'll handle it."
That was enough.
They trusted him.
Aoi sighed and pulled out a rope.
She stepped forward—
About to tie Hoshina.
Then—
Tokita's eyes snapped wide.
His instincts screamed.
"AOI—MOVE!!"
Too late.
A hand had already touched her shoulder.
Aoi froze.
Cold sweat poured down her face.
Slowly… she stepped back.
A figure stood behind where she had been.
No one saw him arrive.
Not even Tokita.
He stepped forward casually.
Black designer jeans.
Red sneakers.
A fitted red shirt.
Piercings glinting faintly.
And red hair.
He crouched beside Hoshina.
"…So you lost, huh?"
No response.
Still unconscious.
The man gently tapped Hoshina's head.
"Well… I guess we underestimated them."
He stood up slowly.
Then turned.
His eyes locked onto Tokita.
Slitted pupils.
Like a dragon.
A smirk spread across his face.
Ragnar Kuroshin.
Silence.
Then Nezuko stepped forward first, raising her gun.
"Who are you? How did you get here? Are you with him?"
Ragnar blinked.
Then smiled brightly.
"Oh wow… you must be Nezuko."
He clapped softly.
"The immune girl. The one everyone's talking about."
His tone was cheerful.
Friendly.
But—
His aura…
It was wrong.
Killing intent flooded the entire area.
Oppressive.
Heavy.
Suffocating.
Tokita and Aoi felt it instantly.
Ragnar wasn't here to talk.
He was here to kill.
Suddenly—
A distant rumble.
Then—
SCREEEEEEEECH!!!
Hundreds of infected poured into the street.
Not dozens.
Not hundreds.
Almost a thousand.
Swarming toward them, probably because of the previous battle between Natsuki,Hoshina, Kaito And Tokita.
Ragnar didn't even look back.
He just smiled.
Then—
Tap.
His foot touched the ground.
BOOOOOOOOM!!!
A massive explosion erupted.
Flames devoured everything.
Bodies incinerated instantly.
Limbs blasted apart.
Shockwaves tore through the street.
In seconds—
The entire horde was gone.
Reduced to ash.
Silence.
Again.
Tokita stared at Ragnar.
Damn…
Even Kaito's destructive capacity…
Didn't feel like this.
Ragnar glanced at Tokita and smirked slightly.
So… he noticed.
Nezuko tightened her grip on the gun and aimed again.
Ragnar raised his hands casually.
"Hey, hey… relax."
Then—
Snap.
BOOM!
The gun exploded in her hand.
Fragments scattered.
The weapon was destroyed instantly.
"Girls shouldn't play with guns," Ragnar said lightly.
Then his expression darkened.
"Come with me quietly…"
His smile widened.
"And I'll make their deaths painless."
Nezuko froze.
Her fists trembled.
Before she could speak—
Tokita stepped forward.
"Nezuko. Aoi. Take Kaito and Natsuki… and run."
"What?! No!" Aoi snapped. "We fight together!"
"Listen to me," Tokita cut her off sharply.
"You two are exhausted. They're unconscious. They need treatment."
His voice hardened.
"If we fight here… you'll die."
Silence.
Then—
"…What about you?" Nezuko asked quietly.
Tokita gave a small smile.
"I'll be fine."
Aoi stepped forward.
Placed her hand on his shoulder.
"…Don't die."
Tokita nodded.
Behind them—
Ragnar clapped slowly.
"Wow… so touching."
His smile vanished.
"Who gave you permission…"
His eyes sharpened.
"…to leave?"
His arm extended.
Flames erupted violently—
Like a dragon's breath.
A massive wave of fire surged toward them.
Tokita didn't move.
His fingers twitched,he swung his right arm sideways,a huge gust of wind filled the area--
The flames—
Stopped.
Collapsed.
Dispersed instantly.
Like they never existed.
For the first time—
Ragnar looked surprised.
"…Whoa."
Then he grinned wider.
"I knew it."
"You're the strongest one here."
Tokita didn't respond.
He just spoke without looking back—
"Go."
"Now."
Aoi and Nezuko hesitated—
Then moved.
Carrying Kaito and Natsuki away.
Tokita stepped forward.
Facing Ragnar alone.
Ragnar's grin widened.
"Well… well… well…"
His aura exploded outward.
"Looks like this trip…"
"…won't be boring after all."