Apocalypse: Building And Hoarding My Way Through.
Chapter 108: They’re Yours Now, Kato.

Chapter 108: They’re Yours Now, Kato.

As they walked, the sounds of chaos and destruction faded into the distance. The group moved swiftly, their footsteps muffled by the soft carpet of the forest floor. Scarlett led the way, her senses on high alert, her crimson eyes darting from shadow to shadow. Her enhanced strength allowed her to drag both Austin and Jones with relative ease, their struggles against her iron grip futile.

Austin and Jones squirmed, their faces twisted in frustration and discomfort. Scarlett had tied them together with a length of rope that seemed to tighten whenever they resisted. Realizing that their efforts were only causing them more pain, they reluctantly stopped struggling, exchanging defeated glances.

"Just stop, Austin," Jones muttered through gritted teeth. "Unless you want this rope to crush us both."

Austin sighed heavily but said nothing, his expression a mixture of anger and resignation.

Behind them, Ethan carried Maya on his back, his steps steady despite the weight. Garvin and Larry flanked him on either side, their faces shadowed with worry and exhaustion.

"The free citizens might actually die, you know," Ethan muttered under his breath, his voice barely audible over the rustling of leaves. His gaze flickered toward Larry. "What is Scarlett thinking? I thought she cared about people’s well-being more than anyone else. And now... now she just pushed everyone away."

Larry glanced at him, his brow furrowed. "Maybe there’s a reason for her actions," he replied, exhaling a weary sigh. "Maybe she has a plan we’re not aware of."

"Just maybe," Ethan said softly, his tone laced with doubt. He adjusted Maya’s weight on his back and stared ahead, his mind a swirl of conflicted thoughts.

As they pressed on, the forest seemed to close in around them. The trees grew denser, their gnarled branches intertwining overhead to form a thick canopy. The air turned cooler, carrying with it the rich scent of damp earth and decaying leaves.

Suddenly, Scarlett stopped abruptly, her body tense. The group froze, exchanging wary glances.

"What’s wrong?" Larry asked, his voice breaking the uneasy silence.

Scarlett didn’t respond immediately. They had reached the spot where she had left Louise and Kato, but the area was eerily empty. A deep frown creased her face as she summoned her crimson eyes to scan the surroundings. She searched every shadow, every hidden corner, but there was no sign of them.

"Where are Kato and Louise?" Ethan asked, his tone sharp with concern. His gaze fixed on Scarlett, waiting for an explanation.

Scarlett ignored him, her mind racing. She activated her "Echoes of the Past" skill, allowing the forest’s recent history to play out before her like a vivid recording. The events replayed in fragmented clarity: Kato pinning Louise against a tree, his sharp fangs at his neck, sucking blood, and then... Kato dragging Louise deeper into the forest.

Her fists clenched, her nails biting into her palms. Scarlett’s voice trembled with a mixture of anger and disbelief. "Did... did he eat him?" she whispered, her words laced with fury as her crimson eyes blazed.

The group stared at her, their faces a mixture of confusion and fear.

"Who ate who?" Garvin asked, his voice unsteady as he took a cautious step closer.

Ethan’s face twisted in rage as realization dawned. "Don’t tell me that monster killed Louise!" His voice rose, echoing through the forest. "I told all of you! I told you Kato couldn’t be trusted!"

Scarlett’s silence only seemed to confirm Ethan’s fears. Her crimson eyes flared brighter, scanning the ground for any overlooked clue. But there was nothing, no blood, no signs of a struggle, nothing to indicate where they had gone.

Larry swallowed hard. "Are you sure? Maybe Louise is still alive somewhere. We can’t jump to conclusions," he said cautiously, though his voice wavered with doubt.

"Alive?" Ethan snapped, his anger boiling over. "You think Kato left him alive?"

"Oh, come on now. Why are you all talking about me behind my back?" Kato’s voice rang out, startling the group. Scarlett and the others immediately turned toward the sound, their gazes locking onto Kato as he emerged from the shadows with Louise walking beside him.

"Louise?!" Ethan exclaimed, his voice a mixture of relief and surprise. Without hesitation, he rushed toward them and pulled Louise into a tight hug.

"Come on, man! You’re going to strangle me!" Louise said with a burst of laughter as he gently pushed himself free from Ethan’s grip.

"Where did you both go?" Scarlett asked, her voice calm but laced with suspicion. She didn’t move from where she stood, her crimson eyes narrowed as she focused on Kato. Then, using their mental link, she sent a direct message to him: I saw you pin your fangs into his neck. What exactly happened, Kato? Where did you take him?

Kato didn’t respond mentally. Instead, he broke the connection and walked toward the group, settling himself on a nearby rock. His gaze lingered on the others, his expression unreadable. "Yeah, I was terribly hungry tonight," he began, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "Felt like snacking on some human intestines and kidneys, so I attacked Louise."

Ethan, who had been standing protectively close to Louise, flinched at Kato’s words and immediately stepped back, his eyes widening in shock. "Wait...are you saying Louise is a monster now?" he barked, his voice rising with alarm.

"Are you dumb?" Kato replied smoothly, raising an eyebrow. "If Louise were a regular human and I’d bitten him, do you think he’d still be standing here, perfectly fine and in his right mind? Or do you think he’d be like other turned monsters, mindless and bloodthirsty?" A smirk crept onto his lips as he added, "For the record, I didn’t eat any part of him. I just... drank his blood. Which, in hindsight, I regretted."

"Yeah, he didn’t," Louise chimed in, offering a warm smile to calm the tension. "He suppressed his hunger and ate some life fish instead. Honestly, I thought I was done for, but then he stopped. After that, everything went blank."

"Blank?" Ethan questioned, his brows furrowing. "What do you mean by that?"

Kato stretched lazily, his smirk widening. "Since I couldn’t indulge in eating Louise’s intestines and kidneys, I transported both of us to the stream. The process was a bit... fast for him, so he passed out. He only woke up a short while ago, and that’s when we headed back here. I figured Scarlett and the rest of you would be waiting."

The tension eased slightly, though Ethan still looked unconvinced. Kato’s gaze flickered toward Austin and Jones, who stood silently, their expressions grim. "And who are these two?" he asked, his tone casual but his eyes sharp.

"Oh, they’re part of the leadership of the organization," Larry explained with a weary sigh. "One of their comrades was killed, but these two? They have powers."

"Interesting," Kato replied, a mischievous glint in his eyes. He turned back to the group with a sly smile. "And hey, I’m glad to see you’re all still alive. Scarlett here was really worried about you."

Scarlett didn’t acknowledge Kato’s comment. Instead, her gaze drifted toward Maya, who stood quietly beside Ethan. The sight of her triggered a fresh wave of fury as memories of how the men from Austin’s organization had violated her flashed through Scarlett’s mind. Turning to Kato, she asked, "You said you were hungry, right? Did eating the fish satisfy you?"

"I’m not exactly full," Kato admitted with a light chuckle, his eyes gleaming with interest. "Why? Are you suggesting...?" He trailed off, waiting for Scarlett to confirm his suspicions.

"Yes," Scarlett said coldly, her crimson eyes blazing. "These two are yours. You vowed to spare the innocent and only feed on the wicked. Well, they’re guilty beyond redemption. They’re your meal." Her gaze darkened as she added, "But first, I’ll cut off their manhood. I want them to suffer before they die. And when you do devour them, start slowly. I want them to feel every bit of it."

A wicked grin spread across Kato’s face, revealing his gleaming, razor-sharp teeth. "Oh, Scarlett," he purred, "you really do know how to spoil me. This is perfect. A reward for my patience in not devouring Louise."

Scarlett didn’t respond. With a flick of her finger, she stripped Jones completely naked and left Austin in just his pants. She dissolved the magical rope binding them, ignoring their terrified pleas.

"Please, spare us!" Austin begged, his body trembling violently. "I know we were wrong, but I didn’t hurt her, I swear! I didn’t even know what was happening!"

"I know what I did was horrible," Jones added, tears streaming down his face. "But I’ll make amends! I’ll take responsibility for her! Just don’t kill me, please!"

Scarlett’s expression didn’t waver. Summoning her fire element, she forged a blazing blade. Her eyes burned crimson as she locked onto her targets.

"No," she said simply, raising the fiery blade high. Austin and Jones instinctively moved to cover themselves, but Scarlett was faster. In one swift, merciless strike, she severed both their manhoods and the hands they had used to shield themselves.

Their agonized screams tore through the forest, the sound echoing in the still night air. Blood splattered across the ground, the trees, and even Scarlett herself. Louise turned away, unable to stomach the gruesome sight, while the others stood frozen in shock.

Scarlett wiped the blood from her face with the back of her hand, her voice calm and cold. "They’re yours now, Kato."

Without hesitation, Kato lunged forward, his monstrous teeth gleaming as he began his gruesome feast.