In Terra, a Hunter and a Bad Woman

Maria lowered the brim of her hat without explaining.

But the sharp-eyed Texas sensed that something was wrong.

"Is there still something left unfinished?"

"...Being perceptive is a quality a hunter should possess. You have quite a talent for it."

Maria turned and glanced at Texas, offering her assessment.

That assessment was no different from confirming Texas's suspicion.

She decisively drew her weapon.

"I'm going with you!"

"No."

"But..."

"No."

"..."

Texas wanted to fight alongside Maria, but Maria firmly refused.

"If you leave, who will protect this place?"

"The people from Blacksteel International will..."

"Don't place your expectations in others. Learning to trust others is a lesson you need to learn, but learning not to trust them is also a lesson you need to learn... Keeping every variable under your control is what matters most, Miss Texas."

As Maria spoke, she turned around and silently lifted the girl's chin.

Their gazes met directly.

Texas could hear her restless heartbeat. That cold, sculpted face made it difficult for her to breathe.

"I don't trust that so-called Blacksteel International, but I trust you... As Sora's companion, you'll surely do everything in your power to protect her."

"Can you do that?"

"Miss Texas?"

Maria's eyes remained fixed on the girl.

The Battle Was Imminent

In the foul-smelling alley, people drifted about.

Every Infected person who had lost hope would gradually make their way here.

At first, this had merely been an ordinary, old residential district.

But no one knew when it had begun—more and more Infected had come here.

Here, they exchanged information, asked which places were still willing to hire temporary workers, and traded immense physical labor and energy for just enough resources to survive.

Yet even so, not everyone could live a life with barely enough food and warmth.

More people simply waited here to die.

And among that crowd, a large group dressed in grayish-white stood out starkly.

They all wore featureless masks and walked in silence.

The bloodstained weapons they carried made them seem particularly dangerous, but more terrifying than their weapons was the insignia on their clothes.

A strange symbol resembling DNA... the symbol of the Reunion Movement.

Though they could not obtain information through official channels like other Lungmen residents, as Infected, they had their own small network.

Quite a few of them knew what the Reunion Movement represented.

They were a group of lawless yet powerful, terrifying thugs!

They claimed to fight for the rights of the Infected, but within their ranks, Infected who refused to join them still suffered extreme violence!

That violence was even worse than the abuse healthy people inflicted on the Infected.

Ordinary people always had their concerns, so they chose to avoid contact with them as much as possible.

But these people, who had already been driven to a dead end, had gone completely mad.

As Infected themselves, they feared nothing. Once fighting began, it would truly be a fight to the death!

So even Infected who were waiting to die hunched themselves down when they saw these people arrive, unwilling to have much contact with them.

Yet the leader of this group was a small figure, barely five foot one.

They could not tell whether this small figure, wrapped tightly from head to toe and wearing a gas mask, was male or female, but they saw the weapons in his hands.

Two enormous, crudely made grenade launchers.

He was... Skullshatterer, one of the Reunion Movement's leaders!

"The target is approximately ten kilometers away. According to the intelligence, the concert will end in about an hour and a half, Captain..."

A man approached his captain. Though his own build and stature were more imposing, he treated his captain with profound respect.

"Should we pick up the pace?"

"...No need."

The voice beneath the gas mask was muffled, but the words could still be understood.

"Our task is mainly to cause chaos and make things easier for our other brothers... More importantly, have we received any news from the Yeti Squad?"

"...Not yet. The communications personnel we sent out may have run into trouble. We're considering sending another group over..."

The man shook his head.

Though they were all called the Reunion Movement, not everyone within it was truly united.

Aside from the supreme leader known as Talulah, the rest were split among several different leaders.

The so-called Yeti Squad was another force separate from theirs.

After hearing his subordinate's report, Skullshatterer hesitated, but after a moment, he shook his head.

"Forget it... Proceed according to the original plan. We only need to handle what we're supposed to do."

"What about those idle people we sent out earlier? How are they doing?"

"..."

"I see."

Without receiving an answer, Skullshatterer roughly understood what the other man meant.

Those squads had accomplished absolutely nothing.

It was bad, but more or less within his expectations... After all, those people had been forced into the Reunion Movement at the last minute. It was already good enough if they did not become a burden, let alone prove useful.

He had sent them out on missions partly to get rid of dead weight while making use of them, and partly to test Lungmen's situation.

After all, Lungmen was not Chernobog.

Its defenses were far better than that decaying city's.

He had been mentally prepared for the possibility that every team he sent out would be wiped out.

He just had not expected...

"Not a single one succeeded? Lungmen really is far more difficult than we imagined."

As Skullshatterer spoke, he tightened his grip on his weapon.

The Reunion Movement members following behind him also showed some dejection.

Clearly, they had begun to doubt whether they could complete the mission.

Seeing this, Skullshatterer understood that he had to step forward now.

He waved for everyone to stop where they were, then found a platform and climbed onto it.

From there, he looked down at his companions.

"After we go a little farther, we'll begin the operation."

"Everyone, I know you may be feeling all kinds of things... unease, fear, terror..."

"To be honest, I'm not sure whether we can accomplish this, or how many of us will be able to retreat safely if we do."

"But even so, we have to do it!"

"We gathered here because we have suffered discrimination and exclusion. We don't have many dreams—we only want to live properly!"

"Things have come this far, from Chernobog to Lungmen... Perhaps you can't understand why we chose this blood-soaked path, but I hope you'll believe in me, believe in our leader, Talulah."

"She is still honoring the promise she made to us... She will lead us in creating a nation where the Infected are no longer discriminated against!"

"There, we will no longer suffer discrimination. There, we will live the lives of normal people! And everyone has seen how this world rejects us."

"This is a road destined to be covered in thorns!"

"We will use our blood to make this world hear our voices!"

"We will use our own hands to create a homeland that belongs to us!"

Skullshatterer spoke sentence by sentence. His voice was not loud, but it was enough for every Reunion Movement member to hear.

They stood silently without saying a word, but the raised masks showed that they were all listening to their captain.

To be honest, even now, quite a few people still could not understand why everything had to be done through violence.

But... their hearts were still moved.

A nation... a nation for the Infected, where they would no longer be discriminated against, where they could eat their fill and live warm, peaceful lives!

Even if they did not understand how Talulah intended to make that happen, they believed in their captain. They believed in Skullshatterer, who had saved them.

If he believed in it so deeply, then they would follow in his footsteps!

Everyone held their breath and tightened their grips on their weapons.

Determined eyes shone through their masks, filled with resolve.

Above them, the sun slowly began to set...

Saving People Needs No Reason

Skullshatterer was not skilled at the art of public speaking.

He was merely painting an uncertain dream for his companions.

But... though it was illusory, it was enough for these Infected to lay down their lives for it.

Their demands were truly low. They did not even really expect to receive treatment equal to that of ordinary people.

They merely wanted to survive...

But unfortunately, in most nations of this world, not many people could achieve even that.

So the Infected began to fantasize uncontrollably.

They imagined what a nation belonging to the Infected might be like—a beautiful world.

Perhaps such a place would have all sorts of problems too, but for those who had not yet reached that world, its distant promise was enough to inspire all kinds of beautiful fantasies.

And those fantasies gradually became the courage that drove them forward...

If they acted according to their plan, setting aside whether the Reunion Movement could capture Lungmen—

At the very least, this riot would be unavoidable.

After all, their attack was extremely sudden. Even the Lungmen Guard Department would surely have no time to react.

But...

"This way is a dead end too, Captain."

"Mm."

Listening to another report from his subordinate, Skullshatterer frowned.