Chapter 256: Looming Threat

Breathless and shaken, Kazuichi staggered away from the clearing, heart pounding with the adrenaline that coursed through his veins. Each footfall echoed in his ears, a rhythmic reminder of the chaos he had just escaped. As he pushed deeper into the dense woods, the shadows loomed around him, whispering secrets of the battle that had unfolded just moments before. Fear mingled with determination, each step drawing him closer to the stronghold he called home.

Thoughts raced through his mind, a tempest of questions and fears swirling like the storm he had summoned earlier. How had the mindless Hybrids become so organized? What lay behind their sudden surge in coordination? Each recollection of the battle sent chills down his spine—their relentless charge, the monstrous Bulwark Hybrid that had nearly crushed him. Breathing heavily, Kazuichi pressed onward, the weight of uncertainty hanging heavily in the air.