The morning light filtered through the curtains, casting a warm glow across the room. Ryuichi blinked against the brightness, his body still aching from the events of the night. He had stayed up as long as he could, watching over Aiko and ensuring their barricades held firm. Now, as the new day began, the weight of what they had to do next settled heavily on his shoulders.

  Aiko was already awake, sitting at the kitchen table with a cup of tea, staring into the steaming liquid as though it held all the answers they needed. Ryuichi approached her, trying to offer a reassuring smile.

  “Good morning,” he said softly.

  Aiko looked up at him, her eyes tired but determined. “Morning. Did you get any sleep?”

  “A little,” Ryuichi lied. “We need to talk about our next steps.”

  Aiko nodded, setting down her cup. “What’s the plan? Do we stay here, or do we try to find somewhere safer?”

  Ryuichi sat down across from her, taking a deep breath before he spoke. “I’ve been thinking about that. We can’t stay here forever. The supplies we have won’t last, and this building isn’t secure enough to hold off a larger horde. We need to gather as much as we can while things are still somewhat manageable.”

  Aiko’s brow furrowed. “You mean go out there? But it’s dangerous…”

  “I know it is,” Ryuichi agreed, “but it’s our best shot at surviving long-term. I’ve prepared for this… I’ve been preparing for this ever since I… ever since I knew what was coming.” He hesitated, almost revealing too much about his knowledge of the apocalypse. “We need supplies, and I have a way to gather them without putting us at too much risk.”

  Aiko looked at him, curiosity and concern mingling in her gaze. “What do you mean? How can we gather supplies without drawing attention?”

  Ryuichi leaned in closer, lowering his voice. “I have a special ability, something I haven’t told you about. It’s called spatial storage. It lets me store items in a kind of… pocket dimension. I’ve been using it to gather supplies without anyone noticing.”

  Aiko’s eyes widened in disbelief. “Ryu, that’s… incredible. But why didn’t you tell me sooner?”

  Ryuichi shrugged, a little embarrassed. “I wasn’t sure how to explain it, and I didn’t want to scare you. But now, with everything that’s happening, it’s our best chance. I can go out, gather what we need, and bring it back here without anyone—or anything—seeing me carry it.”

  Aiko seemed to mull over his words for a moment before nodding. “Okay. I trust you, Ryu. If you think it’s our best option, then let’s do it. But please… be careful.”

  “I will,” Ryuichi promised, standing up. “I’m going to make a list of everything we need. Food, water, medical supplies, weapons… anything that might help us survive. Once I have it, I’ll go out and gather what I can. In the meantime, I need you to stay here and keep an eye on things. If anything happens, you know what to do.”

  Aiko nodded, her expression serious. “I won’t let anything happen to this place while you’re gone. Just… come back safe, okay?”

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  Ryuichi smiled and squeezed her hand. “I will. I promise.”

  He spent the next hour carefully planning his route, identifying the locations where he could find the most useful supplies. There were several grocery stores, a pharmacy, and a hardware store all within a few miles of their apartment. He also noted a few places that might have been overlooked in the chaos—small convenience stores, a hunting supply shop, and a gas station that might still have fuel.

  With his plan set, Ryuichi prepared to leave. He strapped on his reinforced jacket, checked his weapons, and ensured the crystals he had harvested were secure. They were his trump card, the key to unlocking even greater power when the time came. He just hoped that time wouldn’t come too soon.

  Before heading out, he turned to Aiko, who was watching him from the doorway. “I’ll be back as soon as I can. Stay safe.”

  “You too,” she replied, her voice tight with worry.

  Ryuichi gave her a final nod and stepped out into the hallway, closing the door behind him. The building was eerily quiet, the usual sounds of city life replaced by an oppressive silence. He moved quickly but cautiously, avoiding any areas where zombies might be lurking.

  Once outside, he stuck to the shadows, using his knowledge of the city to navigate the streets without drawing attention. The devastation was everywhere—cars abandoned in the middle of the road, buildings with shattered windows, and the occasional distant scream that sent chills down his spine. But Ryuichi remained focused. He couldn’t afford to be distracted by the horror around him.

  His first stop was a grocery store a few blocks away. The front windows were shattered, and the inside was ransacked, but Ryuichi knew there would still be useful items left behind. He moved quickly through the aisles, grabbing non-perishable food, bottled water, and anything else that hadn’t been taken. As he gathered the supplies, he focused on his spatial storage, mentally sending each item into the pocket dimension without physically carrying anything.

  It was an efficient process, and within minutes, he had cleared out most of the remaining useful items. From there, he moved on to the pharmacy, which was in a similar state. He collected medical supplies, bandages, painkillers, antibiotics—anything that might be necessary in the days to come. Again, everything went into his spatial storage, leaving his hands free and his movements unencumbered.

  At the hardware store, Ryuichi gathered tools, nails, ropes, and other materials that could help reinforce their apartment or create makeshift defenses. He even found a generator and some fuel, knowing that power outages were inevitable.

  As he worked, the city seemed to grow quieter, the sounds of human activity dwindling as the reality of the apocalypse set in. The streets were mostly deserted, but Ryuichi remained vigilant. He knew it was only a matter of time before the zombies started to spread throughout the city, drawn by the scent of the living.

  Finally, with his storage nearly full and most of the items on his list gathered, Ryuichi made his way back to the apartment. The return journey was uneventful, but he couldn’t shake the feeling of being watched, as though something—or someone—was tracking his movements.

  When he reached the apartment, Aiko was waiting for him, relief flooding her face when she saw him unharmed. “You’re back!”

  Ryuichi smiled, letting out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding. “Yeah. I got everything we need.”

  Aiko’s eyes widened as he began to pull items from his spatial storage, setting them on the table. “That’s… incredible, Ryu. You got all this without carrying anything?”

  Ryuichi nodded. “It’s the advantage of my ability. We’re better prepared now, but we still need to be careful. This is only the beginning.”

  Aiko nodded, her expression serious. “What’s our next move?”

  Ryuichi thought for a moment. “We’ll fortify the apartment further with what I brought back. Then, we’ll wait and see how things develop. If the situation worsens, we’ll need to consider finding a more secure location, but for now, we’ll stay put.”

  As they began to unpack the supplies, Ryuichi’s mind was already racing ahead, planning for what might come next. The apocalypse was unfolding rapidly, and every decision they made could mean the difference between life and death.