Chapter 42 — Ashes After the Star
Even after the laughter faded…
The atmosphere never fully returned to normal.
Because no matter how casually Tokita acted…
No matter how much he argued with Natsuki…
No matter how embarrassed he looked wearing nothing but borrowed boxers and half-burnt marks around his finger tips…
Everyone there still remembered what they had witnessed.
The boy who caught a star.
Even the civilians who had once trembled in fear were now slowly calming down, their eyes no longer filled with terror, but something else entirely.
Disbelief.
Awe.
Some even smiled awkwardly after seeing Tokita bicker with his friends like a normal teenager.
Maybe…
Just maybe…
He wasn't a monster after all.
He was just a kid.
A ridiculously terrifying kid.
The sun slowly lowered beyond the ruined skyline, painting the destroyed city in orange light. Smoke still drifted through the air from the earlier battle between Tokita and Ragnar.
The battlefield looked like the aftermath of a natural disaster.
Collapsed skyscrapers.
Burning roads.
Melted rivers.
Entire sections of the Touhoku region had been reshaped by the fight alone.
And yet—
They were alive.
That alone felt unreal.
"We need shelter before nightfall," Aoi said calmly while scanning the surroundings.
Her voice immediately brought everyone back to reality.
The civilians began murmuring amongst themselves nervously. Once night came, the infected would become more active again.
Kaito stretched his injured shoulder slightly and winced.
"Yeah… I'd rather not spend another night in the open after all this."
"That makes two of us," Natsuki muttered while adjusting the bandages around his arm.
Then—
Mira suddenly stopped walking.
"Hm?"
Her eyes narrowed slightly.
"In that direction…"
Everyone turned.
Far ahead, beyond several damaged streets and collapsed structures…
An estate.
Large.
Mostly intact.
By some miracle, that entire section of the district had avoided total destruction during the battle.
Aoi's eyes sharpened immediately.
"That'll work."
The civilians sighed in relief almost instantly.
Finally…
Somewhere safe.
As the group began moving toward the estate, Tokita's gaze slowly shifted toward Mira.
For a brief moment, he studied her silently.
Then he spoke casually.
"So that's the person I sensed earlier."
Nezuko blinked.
"…Huh?"
Tokita tilted his head slightly toward Mira.
"Her aura."
Nezuko suddenly widened her eyes.
"Oh! Right—I completely forgot to introduce you two!"
She scratched the back of her head awkwardly.
"Tokita, this is Mira. She's a nurse that helped us earlier."
Tokita nodded once.
"Yeah… I figured she wasn't normal."
Mira looked at him curiously.
"You can tell from aura alone?"
Tokita shrugged casually.
"More or less."
The group continued walking together through the ruined streets while civilians followed behind them carefully.
The atmosphere had calmed considerably now.
Until Aoi suddenly spoke.
"…Tokita."
"Hm?"
Aoi looked ahead while walking.
"What about Ragnar?"
The question immediately caused the mood to shift again.
Silence.
Tokita's expression didn't change immediately, but his eyes lowered slightly.
"…I don't know."
Everyone looked at him.
Tokita placed both hands behind his head casually as he continued walking.
"When I left to stop that attack, he'd already collapsed."
His voice remained calm.
"But before that…"
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"I damaged several of his internal organs during the fight."
Kaito whistled softly.
"…Damn."
Tokita continued.
"So honestly?"
He shrugged.
"I don't know if he survived or not."
The group fell silent again.
Behind them—
Hoshina overheard everything.
His tied-up body immediately tensed.
"You idiots…"
Everyone looked toward him.
Hoshina's expression darkened.
"You better pray Ragnar is alive."
Kaito frowned immediately.
"…Still talking tough after getting folded is crazy."
"Shut up," Hoshina snapped coldly.
Then his eyes locked onto Aoi.
"If Ragnar dies…"
His voice lowered.
"You're not getting a single piece of information from me."
Everyone's expressions changed slightly.
Hoshina continued.
"I won't tell you anything about the organization."
His glare sharpened.
"Not names."
"Not locations."
"Nothing."
Then his voice became even colder.
"If Ragnar dies…"
He smirked bitterly.
"…Then kill me too."
The civilians behind them became uneasy immediately.
Even Natsuki clicked his tongue.
"This guy's loyal as hell…"
Then suddenly—
SLAP!
The sound echoed sharply across the street.
Everyone blinked.
Mira stood there glaring at Hoshina after slapping him clean across the face.
Kaito nearly choked.
"DAMN."
Hoshina slowly looked back at her.
"…The hell is wrong with you?"
Mira's eyes trembled angrily.
"How can you say something like that so casually?"
Hoshina scoffed.
"Tch. Mind your business."
But Mira stepped closer instead.
"No."
Her voice shook slightly.
"You people nearly destroyed this entire region and you were about to commit mass murder."
Her fists clenched.
"And yet the only thing you care about is whether your captain survives?"
For the first time—
Hoshina hesitated slightly.
Then he looked away.
"…Of course I care."
His voice became quieter.
"He's my captain...and my friend"
Silence fell briefly.
Then Hoshina looked back toward Aoi again.
"I don't care what happens to me."
His eyes sharpened.
"But bring Ragnar back alive."
Everyone stared at him.
"Even if he's barely breathing."
"Even if he's broken."
"Bring him back."
Then his eyes shifted toward Mira.
"And have the nurse treat him."
Aoi crossed her arms slowly.
"…Or what?"
Hoshina's expression hardened again.
"Or you'll never learn anything about us."
Natsuki exchanged glances with Aoi.
Even Tokita quietly observed him now.
The resolve in Hoshina's eyes wasn't fake.
Aoi sighed softly.
"…Annoying."
Then she looked at Natsuki.
"What do you think?"
Natsuki shoved his hands into his pockets.
"…I think I hate that bastard."
A pause.
"But…"
He glanced toward Hoshina.
"If Ragnar really knows more about this organization…"
His expression darkened.
"…Then we need him alive."
Nezuko nodded in agreement.
Kaito groaned loudly.
"You've gotta be kidding me."
Aoi closed her eyes briefly before exhaling.
"…Fine."
Hoshina visibly relaxed slightly.
But Aoi immediately pointed at him.
"Don't misunderstand."
Her voice turned cold.
"If we find Ragnar alive, we'll only stabilize him."
"No full treatment."
"No recovery."
"If his injuries heal completely, he'll try killing us again."
Hoshina clicked his tongue.
"…Whatever."
Then he muttered quietly—
"Just bring him back."
The group finally entered the estate area while continuing the discussion.
The buildings there were surprisingly untouched.
It almost felt disconnected from the destruction outside.
As they moved deeper inside—
Tokita suddenly spoke.
"I'll go."
Everyone looked at him.
Aoi blinked.
"…Go where?"
"To find Ragnar."
Nezuko immediately frowned.
"Wait, seriously?"
Tokita shrugged casually.
"I'm the fastest one here."
"That's not the point!" Nezuko snapped.
"You literally just fought him!"
"And stopped that insane attack!"
"You need rest!"
Tokita laughed lightly.
"I'm fine, seriously."
Kaito stared at him blankly.
"…You're actually built different."
Natsuki nodded immediately.
"Yeah, honestly, this dude's stamina is ridiculous."
Tokita smirked slightly.
"Well…"
He stretched his shoulders once.
"I did beat the final boss already."
"Don't say it like we're inside a video game," Aoi said tiredly.
Even Hoshina looked annoyed.
Tokita grinned.
Then Nezuko stepped closer quietly.
"…Just don't overdo it."
Her voice softened slightly.
"…Okay?"
Tokita paused for a brief second.
Then smiled.
"Don't worry."
He turned around slowly.
The evening wind blew through the ruined streets.
Smoke drifted past him quietly.
Then—
Tokita lowered his stance slightly.
BOOM.
The ground cracked beneath his feet.
And in the next instant—
He vanished.
A shockwave exploded behind him as he sprinted back toward the destroyed battlefield where he and Ragnar had fought.
Toward the ruins.
Toward the ashes.
Toward the monster that had nearly destroyed the entire region.
And somewhere beyond the collapsing skyline—
The dying embers of Ragnar's flames still burned.