The sky was a bruised shade of purple, slowly dissolving into the cold grasp of night as the sun vanished behind the distant horizon. The world had changed long ago. What was once a thriving city now stood as a trembling shadow of its former self — hushed, broken, and forgotten.
Somewhere deep within the towering walls of Verdantia — the last safe zone on Earth — a boy stood alone, watching the final threads of daylight disappear. His eyes were sharp, forged in fire, and far too serious for someone only seventeen.
His name was Rai Tenma.
Dressed in a worn black jacket, his long, messy hair caught the dying sun's glow. The wind blew cold against his skin, whispering secrets through the bio-organic forest that surrounded the sanctuary. Machines hummed faintly. Guards paced in the distance. Leaves rustled quietly.
But to Rai, the silence was never peaceful.
It was a cruel reminder. A ghost that refused to fade.
He remembered his parents — brilliant scientists — who had left Verdantia five years ago in search of the final ingredient for the cure. The cure that could save humanity from VX-97 — the virus that had turned people into monsters.
They never came back.
His mother's last words haunted him, echoing like a lullaby etched in pain:
> "Rai, promise me... never forget who you are. We're fighting for a future where you can live free."
His fists clenched.
That promise… it was all he had left.
Just then, his wrist communicator beeped sharply.
> "Squad 9, report to the training hall. Immediate briefing," came the stern voice of Captain Akiro, the commander of Verdantia's Defense Force.
Rai took one final look at the glowing green barrier surrounding Verdantia — a shimmering wall of bio-energy powered by the unique plants of the forest — and turned toward the base.
---
Inside the briefing hall, the atmosphere was tense.
Squad 9 was already assembled, their faces grim and restless.
Arika Maeno, the cold-eyed sniper, sat in the corner with her rifle propped beside her. Arms crossed, she stared at the floor as if trying to shut the world out.
Leo Kazuki, the fiery swordsman, leaned casually against the wall. His smirk was confident, but his eyes betrayed unease.
Yuna Serika, the squad's genius medic, tapped her tablet as she scanned incoming data. She glanced at Rai and offered a slight nod.
Kota Renji, the silent heavy-gunner, cleaned his weapon with robotic focus.
Rai stepped forward.
Captain Akiro entered, his expression darker than usual.
> "Squad 9," he began, "the Flora Pulse Barrier is weakening. We estimate less than four months before it collapses."
A cold ripple passed through the room.
> "We can't wait any longer," Akiro continued. "The cure is incomplete. The final ingredient is located at the abandoned research lab… beyond Verdantia's borders. This mission is critical. If we fail—Verdantia dies."
Rai's heartbeat quickened.
This was it.
> "I volunteer to lead the mission," he said firmly. "I know what we're looking for."
Captain Akiro studied him. Then nodded.
> "You'll take Squad 9. But this isn't a drill. The undead outside have evolved. Faster. Smarter. More vicious. Stay alive. Bring the ingredient back."
---
Later, as the squad prepared for departure, the pressure mounted.
Rai tightened his gloves and checked his blade.
He glanced at Arika, who briefly met his gaze. A silent understanding — maybe even a challenge — passed between them.
No fear. No weakness.
Under the veil of night, they moved out. The gates of Verdantia hissed open. The green barrier flickered behind them, casting one last shimmer of hope.
---
Outside was a graveyard of the past.
Cracked roads choked with weeds. Burnt-out cars littered like skeletons. Towers crumbled, windows shattered. All was still — except for the distant growls that echoed through ruined alleyways.
Rai led from the front.
Leo's blades gleamed faintly under the moon.
Yuna checked vitals.
Kota kept his finger on the trigger.
Arika scanned rooftops through her sniper scope.
Then came a low growl. A twisted figure lurched from the shadows — faster than anything they'd seen before.
> "Contact!" Rai yelled.
Arika fired without hesitation — one clean shot to the head. The creature dropped.
But more followed. Dozens. Crawling. Screeching.
The squad scattered into formation.
Leo danced with blades, slicing through rot.
Yuna sprinted between teammates, injecting stimulants.
Kota unleashed heavy rounds.
Arika rained precision from above.
And Rai — he moved like a storm. Every strike held fury. Every step, purpose.
But the undead didn't stop.
Then — a figure appeared in the distance. Walking calmly among the chaos. A man with glowing red eyes and black veins crawling up his neck.
Kael Nibori.
The one they feared most.
---
The battle ended with the squad exhausted but alive.
Kael had vanished, but his message was clear.
Something worse was coming.
Still, they pressed on.
---
That night, around a flickering campfire, silence filled the air — until Arika spoke.
> "You lead us, Rai. But out there… we're not just fighting monsters. We're fighting ourselves."
Rai met her gaze.
> "We don't have the luxury of doubt."
Leo scoffed.
> "What about love? Hate? Do they even matter anymore?"
Yuna's voice was icy.
> "Emotions are a liability. Logic is survival."
Kota remained silent. But his eyes told a different story — sorrow.
Rai looked at them — his squad. Broken pieces of a shattered world.
> "We finish what our parents started," he whispered.
"For Verdantia. For the cure. For the future."
---
The journey had only begun.
The real war was just beginning.
---
End of Chapter 1