They eventually made it out of the tighter alley routes into a more open stretch of the colony.
"Outside" wasn't really outside in a normal sense—just a wider space where collapsed buildings left gaps of open sky between fractured structures.
Megumi slowed slightly.
"…We should keep moving through cover."
Takeru, however, had already reached into his pocket.
"…Quick resource break."
Megumi turned.
"…What?"
Hana glanced over.
"…Now?"
Angel stayed silent, as if already anticipating something unfortunate.
Takeru pulled out a small, innocent-looking candy packet.
Then another.
Then several more.
"…Field rations."
Megumi narrowed his eyes.
"…Why do you have those."
Takeru answered immediately.
"…Prepared for extended operations."
He handed one to each of them.
Megumi.
Hana.
Even Angel (through Hana's hand hesitation).
Then—
Takeru opened his own and popped one into his mouth.
A beat of silence.
Then—
"…"
Takeru froze.
His eyes widened slightly.
"…This is—"
A second passed.
Then his body snapped into motion.
"…NON-LETHAL CHEMICAL ERROR—"
Megumi blinked.
"…What."
Takeru's voice escalated.
"…SPICE LEVEL—NOT STANDARD—"
Hana took a cautious bite.
Immediately—
"…!"
She doubled over slightly.
"…That's not candy."
Angel's voice cut in sharply through her expression.
"…That is a concentrated irritant compound."
Megumi, meanwhile, had turned pale.
"…Why is this a thing."
Takeru was now pacing slightly in place.
Fast.
Controlled panic.
But still panic.
"…WHY WOULD THIS EXIST IN CONSUMABLE FORMAT—"
Sukuna's mouth suddenly appeared on Takeru's cheek again.
And immediately—
"…IDIOT."
Sukuna's voice was louder than usual.
"…YOU JUST ATE IT."
Takeru snapped.
"…THIS WAS NOT LABELED ACCURATELY—"
Sukuna continued, unimpressed.
"…IT'S LITERALLY RED. THAT'S A WARNING COLOR."
Takeru turned sharply as if arguing with the air.
"…COLOR CODING IS NOT UNIVERSALLY STANDARDIZED—"
Megumi, still suffering quietly:
"…Please stop talking."
Hana was breathing hard.
"…Water… or milk… anything…"
Takeru froze again.
"…MILK."
He immediately started patting his pockets.
Fast.
Increasingly frantic.
"…MILK SUPPLY—POSITIVE CONFIRMED—NO—WAIT—"
Sukuna laughed through the cheek-mouth.
"…YOU PACKED MILK FOR THIS?"
Takeru ignored him completely.
Now fully in survival mode.
"…FOUND—"
He pulled out a bottle, slightly squashed but intact.
Then another.
He threw one toward Megumi.
Then Hana.
Megumi caught it mid-pain reaction.
"…Why do you have multiple—"
Hana already opened hers.
Hands shaking slightly.
Angel's voice:
"…This is unexpectedly effective countermeasure."
Takeru didn't answer.
He had already started chugging his own bottle.
Very fast.
Very aggressively.
Like it was a life-or-death situation.
Sukuna's mouth still on his cheek:
"…I CANNOT BELIEVE YOU'RE LOSING TO CANDY."
Takeru, between gulps:
"…THIS IS A LOGISTICAL FAILURE—NOT A PERSONAL ONE—"
Megumi exhaled shakily.
"…We need better supplies."
Hana, recovering slightly:
"…Agreed."
Angel added:
"…And better judgment."
Takeru finally lowered the bottle, breathing hard.
Eyes still slightly wide.
"…Issue mitigated."
Sukuna gave one last amused scoff.
"…Barely."
A pause.
Then Megumi turned forward again.
"…We are never doing 'breaks' again."
Takeru nodded instantly.
"…Agreed."
Hana looked at them both.
Still slightly teary-eyed from spice.
"…You two are insane."
Takeru responded without hesitation.
"…Acknowledged."
And they kept walking.
Just slightly more cautious about anything labeled "snack" from that point onward.