The road stretched endlessly, framed by burned hills and thin morning light. The fog had finally lifted, replaced by the smell of ash. Every breath carried the faint taste of smoke.

Ichika leaned her elbow against the window, half-awake, staring at the distant plumes of orange. "That's not sunrise," she muttered.

Riku kept his hands on the wheel. "No. It's fire."

Suzune glanced through the scope of her rifle toward the horizon. "City ruins maybe. Could be a fuel depot burning."

"Or another fight," Riku said.

Hana sat in the backseat, wrapped in her blanket. "Are there… people there?"

"Could be," Suzune said softly. "But we'll stay out of it for now."

The truck rolled onward, tires crunching over broken asphalt. The morning was quiet—too quiet for comfort. No birds. No wind. Just the dull hum of the engine and the clatter of gear shifting in the back.

Ichika yawned. "How long have we been driving?"

"Four hours," Riku said.

"Feels like days."

Suzune adjusted the map spread across her lap. "We're near Nagano Prefecture now. If the roads hold, we can reach Matsumoto by dusk."

Ichika frowned. "You really think anything's left there?"

"We'll see when we get there," Riku said.

They passed the remains of a gas station, half-collapsed. The roof had caved in, and the pumps were stripped clean. Someone had been there before. The walls were covered with graffiti—Japanese words scrawled in soot and chalk.

Suzune squinted to read them as they passed.

"RUN WEST."

"THE SKY BREATHES."

"DON'T SLEEP."

She felt a chill crawl down her spine. "Whatever happened here, people tried to warn each other."

Ichika gave a small laugh without humor. "And it still didn't matter."

Riku slowed the truck. "We'll check for supplies."

"Here?" Ichika said. "Looks empty."

"We'll make sure."

He parked by the side, engine idling. The three adults stepped out, leaving Hana inside with the windows slightly rolled up.

The station was silent except for the soft hiss of the wind pushing through broken glass. Empty shelves, scattered cans, and melted plastic littered the floor. The stench of old fuel lingered.

Suzune moved carefully, her rifle sweeping corners. "Looks picked clean."

Riku checked the counter drawers. "Nothing but old receipts and rat droppings."

Ichika kicked a can away. "Perfect."

Just as she turned, something rattled behind one of the shelves.

They froze.

Riku raised his weapon. "Movement."

Suzune flanked right, rifle aimed. "Behind the rack."

Riku gave a nod and stepped forward. "Show yourself!"

A faint sound answered—soft, high-pitched. Whimpering.

He frowned, lowering the muzzle slightly. "That's not infected."

Suzune moved first, pushing the shelf aside. A small figure huddled there—thin arms wrapped around its knees. A boy, no older than ten. His clothes were filthy, his face streaked with ash.

He flinched at the light, raising a trembling hand. "Don't shoot…"

Ichika lowered her shotgun. "Holy crap. A kid."

Suzune knelt down, voice calm. "It's alright. We're not going to hurt you. Are you alone?"

The boy nodded slowly, eyes wide. "They… took everyone. I hid."

"Who took them?" Riku asked.

"The black men." His small voice shook. "They wear masks… and they burn everything."

Suzune glanced up at Riku. "Raiders."

"Or something worse," Riku said.

He crouched to meet the boy's eyes. "What's your name?"

"Ken."

"Ken, we have a truck. You'll ride with us. Can you walk?"

Ken hesitated before nodding.

Suzune offered her hand. "Come on. You're safe now."

He took it weakly.

They brought him to the truck. Hana's eyes went wide when she saw him. "Another kid?"

Ken climbed in silently, sitting across from her. He held onto an old water bottle like it was gold.

Ichika handed him a small snack bar. "Here. It's old, but edible."

He bit into it like someone who hadn't eaten in days.

As the truck started moving again, Suzune leaned toward Riku. "You think he's telling the truth?"

Riku nodded slightly. "About being alone? Maybe. About the black-masked men? Definitely."

"Why?"

"Because I've heard of them before," he said quietly. "Back near Shizuoka. Survivors called them the Burners. They torch anything they can't use."

Ichika frowned. "So, psychos. Great."

"Organized ones," Riku said. "They move in groups. Wear filters and gas masks. They burn bodies after raids—say it stops infection."

Suzune glanced at the boy in the rearview mirror. He was staring out the window, eyes empty.

Hours passed.

By afternoon, the smoke on the horizon had thickened into a wall. They could hear distant cracks—like thunder, or explosions.

"Fire's spreading," Suzune said.

Ichika looked uneasy. "You still want to go toward it?"

"If the Burners are there, so are supplies," Riku replied. "They scavenge before burning. That means stockpiles."

Suzune sighed. "And corpses."

They followed the road uphill until the trees opened into a ridge. Below them lay a valley—once a small town, now a field of ruins. Entire blocks smoldered. Columns of smoke rose into the gray sky.

Hana covered her mouth. "It's all gone…"

Ken's small voice broke. "That's my home."

Riku said nothing for a moment. Then quietly: "I'm sorry."

Ichika bit her lip. "What now?"

"Circle the outskirts. We'll stay high and scout from here."

Suzune took out binoculars. "Movement. Northwest quadrant. Several figures near the fire line."

"Raiders?"

"Could be. They've got torches and masks."

Riku adjusted his scope. The figures moved with purpose, spreading fuel from cans, lighting abandoned houses. Among them were others—bound survivors being dragged behind trucks.

"Burners," he said flatly. "And they've got prisoners."

Ichika hissed. "We can't just watch that."

Suzune's tone was sharp. "We're outnumbered. Charging in is suicide."

"Maybe," Riku said, eyes narrowing, "but if they're moving through this area, they'll find us next anyway."

Suzune didn't argue this time.

He studied the terrain. "We'll wait until nightfall. Then we move."

By dusk, the valley burned like a sea of embers. Ash drifted through the air like black snow.

They left the truck hidden under a collapsed bridge and crept downhill through the smoke. Riku led the way, rifle raised. Suzune covered the rear. Ichika carried extra ammo strapped across her chest.

Hana and Ken waited behind in the truck, both instructed not to make a sound.

As they neared the outer street, the heat grew unbearable. Flames licked at nearby walls, and the air shimmered. Through the smoke, shapes moved—four men dragging a woman toward the fire pit.

Suzune whispered, "Two left, two right."

Riku nodded. "On my mark."

The first shot cracked through the smoke, hitting one of the Burners square in the chest. He collapsed instantly.

The others shouted, spinning around. Suzune fired next, dropping the second. Ichika stepped out from cover, pumping her shotgun once. The blast sent a third man crashing into the wall.

The fourth ran. Riku caught him before he could reach the truck, slamming him into the ground and driving his knife through the filter mask. The body went still.

Suzune hurried to the woman. She was trembling but alive. "You're okay. We're not with them."

The woman sobbed, coughing from smoke. "They killed… everyone. Burned the school."

Riku pulled her to her feet. "You can cry later. We need to move."

More shouts echoed in the distance—dozens this time.

"Company," Suzune warned. "A lot of it."

"Retreat to the ridge," Riku said.

They moved fast, sticking to alleys. Flames followed behind, the heat chasing their heels.

When they reached the truck, Hana gasped in relief. "You're back!"

Riku shoved open the back door. "Drive!"

Ichika jumped into the seat, slamming the pedal. The truck roared forward just as figures began appearing behind them—black silhouettes in the firelight.

Bullets cracked against the tailgate. Suzune leaned out the window and returned fire. Sparks burst from the metal, glass shattered.

"Hold it steady!" she yelled.

"I'm trying!" Ichika shouted back.

Ken screamed as a bullet tore through the back panel. Riku pulled him down. "Stay low!"

They tore up the hill, tires spitting dirt. The flames below grew smaller, but the sky glowed red behind them.

After what felt like an hour, they finally reached the top of the ridge. Ichika cut the engine, chest heaving.

Suzune scanned the valley below. The entire town was a sea of fire. The Burners moved like shadows between the flames, methodical, unhurried.

"They're cleansing everything," she said bitterly.

Riku wiped soot from his face. "And they'll keep moving north."

Ichika looked at him. "Then what's next for us?"

He turned his gaze westward, where the sun had vanished behind distant mountains. "We head for higher ground. Less people, less roads. Maybe we'll find a place they haven't touched yet."

Hana looked up at him, voice small. "Will they follow?"

"Maybe," he said. "But they'll burn slower uphill."

Suzune sat beside him, eyes on the burning valley. "We saved one life today."

He nodded. "For now, that's enough."

The truck sat silent against the backdrop of fire. The world below continued to burn, but above them, the stars began to appear—dim, faint, but still there.

For the first time in weeks, Hana whispered a small prayer before closing her eyes.

And as the flames roared in the distance, Riku kept his rifle close and his eyes open, waiting for whatever would come next.

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