The next day unfolded exactly as Kanata had foreseen. Nozomi was taken by doctors from the hospital’s Special Treatment Department to another building for scheduled therapy, while Alessia was summoned by the Falling Cherry City council. Neither would return before noon—giving Kanata the perfect window.

Her spare clothes were already hidden in the bedside cabinet. By evening, nurses would relax during meal breaks, skip routine rounds, and with so many meal carriers moving through the halls, slipping out would be easy.

Perfect timing, location, and circumstance—everything aligned just right.

After swallowing a potent painkiller and waiting until the wound’s ache gradually faded to bearable, Kanata rose, changed in the bathroom, masked up, and melted into the hallway crowd, slipping past the hospital gates unnoticed.

The rendezvous point was an abandoned construction site on Falling Cherry City’s outskirts—a skeletal cluster of half-finished high-rises. Monsters had once plagued the area; the ley lines were blighted, poisoning soil and water until the zone was deemed uninhabitable and sealed off.

Remote and desolate, it required a long hike after the intercity train. By the time Kanata arrived, most members had already gathered—she was among the last.

Sunset light pierced gaps in the concrete frames, glinting off polished gear. A genuine thrill stirred in her chest. Exploration always did that.

S stood tall, her silhouette unmistakably that of a mature beauty—Kanata had initially mistaken her for a man. A black oni mask, fanged and horned, concealed her face; only jet-black hair was visible. She was the one organizing this outing for the “Young Master.”

“Are you K?” S asked, voice uncertain, eyeing Kanata’s plain white wooden mask.

Kanata deliberately lowered her pitch. “I am K. Sorry for the delay.”

Every other member towered over her—some nearing 180, even 190 centimeters. Among them, she looked like a child. Frail. Delicate.

“Hey, little girl,” a flippant young voice cut in. “This isn’t a playground. I’d hate for you to get scared shitless and start crying for Mommy.” The speaker smirked—he was the Young Master himself.

“Everyone hits hard times,” Kanata replied evenly. “You never said little girls couldn’t join. So here I am.”

Annoyed but pragmatic—*he* held the purse strings. Still, the Young Master wasn’t cruel. Sharp-tongued, yes, but unexpectedly thoughtful. He had the gear distributor hand Kanata the finest armor and weapons, plus extra ammunition.

“Girls deserve a little extra care. Keep your head up,” he said, patting her shoulder.

Kanata recognized the gear—premium imports from Leikedi, the world’s most advanced industrial city-state. Even the city-state’s Imperial Guard used inferior equipment.

*No wonder… Rich people really do live differently. Splurging like this without blinking.*

Envy. Just envy.

...

“If you’re ready, we move now,” S announced, racking the slide of her rifle. “Hunting ground: nearby wasteland. Gear up your night-vision goggles. Sunset’s fading—monsters lurk in the shadows. Stay sharp.”

Tension tightened the air, slow and sure.