I Reincarnated as Drag king in Another World

hapter 15: Whispers of the Lost

The night was heavy with silence, a suffocating kind of quiet that seemed to echo louder than the howling wind outside the crumbling gas station. The faint flicker of a single lamp cast long shadows that stretched across the broken tiles, its dim glow doing little to ease the tension in the air. Kaelith stood by the entrance, her back straight and her gaze fixed on the endless horizon. Every movement, every gust of wind, felt like a warning. The wasteland beyond was a place that didn't offer rest—just the false promise of safety before the storm.

Asuka sat on a splintered stool near the counter, her fingers absently tracing the edges of a chipped porcelain cup. Her eyes were distant, staring at nothing in particular. The weight of the day pressed down on her like a mountain. Her thoughts drifted, shifting between the fight with the corrupted, the eerie silence that followed, and Ryo's sudden appearance. She hadn't known how to read him yet. There was something about him—something buried just below the surface—that intrigued her. But Asuka knew better than to trust easily.

"Do you think we're safe here?" Asuka's voice cut through the stillness, startling herself at how fragile it sounded.

Kaelith didn't turn around, her stance unwavering. "Safe?" she echoed. "There's no such thing anymore."

Asuka's fingers clenched around the cup, the cold ceramic offering little comfort. "Then why do we keep going? What's the point?"

"Survival," Kaelith replied simply. "It's all we've got left."

But even as she said it, there was a depth to her words that didn't quite match her usual stoicism. Asuka could sense the unspoken layers beneath them—the fatigue, the weariness, and something darker that Kaelith never let show. Something that spoke of battles long fought and promises made to people who no longer existed.

Ryo's voice broke through their quiet exchange, low but steady. "What's your plan after this? Once we're out of here?"

Asuka glanced at him, noting the way his gaze lingered on Kaelith before shifting back to her. There was an unspoken question hanging between them—one that neither of them had addressed directly.

Kaelith shifted, glancing over her shoulder briefly. "We head east. There's a settlement there. If it's still standing."

Ryo nodded slowly, his face unreadable. "And if it's not?"

"Then we move on."

The simplicity of her words didn't make it any easier. The road ahead was uncertain, and they all knew it. Asuka could feel her chest tighten, the weight of the unknown pressing on her. It wasn't just the corrupted or the raiders that made her uneasy. It was the loneliness that seemed to grow with each passing day, like a shadow that stretched longer and longer.

"So, what's the real reason you're out here?" Ryo's question was casual, but Asuka could sense the weight behind it. He wasn't just making small talk.

She met his gaze for a moment, considering how much to reveal. "I'm not sure anymore," she said finally, her voice soft. "I'm just trying to survive."

Ryo tilted his head, studying her. "Just survive?" he repeated. "Seems like there's more to it than that. People don't travel like you do unless there's something they're fighting for."

Asuka didn't know how to answer that. She wasn't sure what she was fighting for anymore. She had lost so much. Her family, her friends, the life she once knew—it all felt like a distant dream now. But she couldn't afford to linger in the past. Not now.

Before she could respond, Kaelith's voice broke through the heavy silence. "We're not here to have a heart-to-heart. We're here to survive, and that's all that matters."

There was no argument in her tone, just the cold reality of their existence. Asuka nodded, though her heart felt heavy. She longed for something more—something beyond mere survival. But Kaelith was right. They couldn't afford to get distracted by what could never be again.

Ryo was quiet for a moment before he spoke again, his voice softer this time. "I've seen a lot of people out here. Some of them just trying to survive, others… looking for something. But you two, there's something different about you. Something… driven. You're not just wandering."

Asuka looked away, uncomfortable under the weight of his observation. She didn't want to think about it—about the way she had clung to the hope of finding something, anything, that could make sense of the world they lived in.

Kaelith's sharp eyes flicked to Ryo. "Don't make assumptions. You don't know anything about us."

"I'm not trying to," Ryo said quickly, raising his hands in mock surrender. "I'm just saying. People like you don't survive as long as you have without a reason."

For a long moment, Kaelith didn't respond. Instead, she turned her gaze back to the darkness outside, her expression unreadable. Asuka could see the subtle tension in her shoulders, the way she carried the weight of her own history like a burden. The woman was a fortress—impenetrable and cold—but Asuka had seen glimpses of what lay beneath the surface. The cracks in her armor, the moments when she wasn't the fearless leader, but just another person trying to hold it together.

Ryo's voice pulled Asuka from her thoughts. "I get it," he said quietly. "No one wants to talk about the past. I won't push."

Asuka didn't know if she believed him, but she appreciated the sentiment. The past had a way of haunting people, reminding them of what they had lost, of what they could never get back.

And then, just as the weight of the conversation began to settle, a distant sound broke the stillness—the unmistakable creaking of metal.

Kaelith's hand shot to her weapon, her eyes narrowing in the direction of the noise. "We're not alone."

Ryo was already moving, his dagger drawn. Asuka's heart leaped into her throat. In the silence of the wasteland, even the smallest sound could mean danger.

"Stay close," Kaelith ordered, her voice low but commanding.

The three of them moved as one, a practiced trio forged in the fires of survival. They slipped into the shadows of the gas station, their movements fluid, precise. The noise grew louder, closer—a rhythmic scraping sound, like the sound of something dragging across the ground.

Kaelith signaled for them to stop, her eyes flicking toward a gap in the wall where the shadows seemed deeper than they should be. Something—or someone—was out there.

Ryo crouched beside her, his breath steady despite the tension. "What do you think it is?"

Kaelith didn't answer immediately. Her senses were alive, attuned to the slightest disturbance in the air. She'd lived through too many ambushes to let her guard down now. "It's too quiet," she muttered. "Could be scavengers, or worse."

Asuka's mind raced. Scavengers could mean anything—raiders, other survivors, or worse. It could be another corrupted, driven mad by the land. Whatever it was, they needed to be ready.

The scraping sound stopped abruptly, and in that silence, Asuka's pulse quickened. The air felt charged, heavy with expectation. Then, from the darkness, a figure stepped forward—sluggish, disoriented, its movements uncoordinated.

Asuka's heart skipped a beat. The figure wasn't human.

It was one of them.

A corrupted.

The creature was limping, its once-human form twisted and contorted. Its face was half-covered by the ragged remnants of what had once been a helmet. The skin that was visible was sickly and gray, its eyes empty pools of darkness. The thing paused, as though sensing the presence of the trio hidden in the shadows.

Kaelith's grip tightened on her weapon. "We don't have much time."

Without warning, the corrupted lunged forward, its movements wild and unpredictable.

As the corrupted creature lunged toward them, Kaelith reacted immediately. Her blade flashed in the dim light, cutting through the air with a deadly precision. She met the corrupted head-on, her movements quick and practiced. In one fluid motion, the creature's grotesque arm was severed, and it staggered back, a guttural growl escaping from its twisted mouth.

Asuka's heart raced, the adrenaline surging through her veins. She could barely process what was happening as Kaelith stepped forward, her feet moving like lightning, ready to finish the job.

But before Kaelith could strike again, a voice broke the momentary chaos.

"Well, well, what have we here? A girl trying to play with the big boys?"

The voice was mocking, coming from behind the shadows. Asuka's instincts flared, her hand instinctively going to her weapon, but Kaelith remained unfazed. Her eyes, sharp as ever, flicked toward the source of the voice.

A man, tall and rough-looking, stepped into view. He was unshaven, wearing scavenged armor with a scar running across his face, and his eyes were full of challenge. The grin on his face was one of amusement, but it didn't mask the condescension that dripped from his words.

"I've seen some strange things in this wasteland, but never a girl leading a group like this," he continued, his gaze now fixed on Kaelith. "You sure you're cut out for this? Looks like this job's for men, don't you think?"

Kaelith didn't flinch. Her expression remained stoic, though her grip on her weapon tightened ever so slightly. Asuka could sense the tension in the air—the way the man was trying to provoke Kaelith, trying to undermine her. It was something she had seen before, but never from someone who was so audacious.

Kaelith stepped forward, her eyes narrowing slightly as she measured him up. She didn't say a word at first. Instead, she glanced at Asuka and Ryo, signaling them to remain quiet and alert.

The man seemed to take her silence as an opportunity to continue his verbal assault. "What's the matter? Afraid to speak? Or maybe you're not as tough as you look? I've heard rumors of women trying to survive, but they're just baggage to hold us back. You don't belong out here. Leave the fighting to the real warriors, sweetheart."

That was the last straw.

Kaelith's eyes flashed with a dangerous intensity, and in a blink, she closed the distance between them. Her movements were a blur, and before the man could even react, she had him pinned against the wall, her blade at his throat. Her grip on his collar tightened as she pulled him up slightly, lifting his feet off the ground.

"I don't recall asking for your opinion," Kaelith's voice was low, a dangerous calm in her words. Her gaze bore into his, unyielding and unrelenting.

The man's eyes widened in shock, clearly taken aback by her strength and speed. His earlier bravado faltered as he struggled to breathe under her grip.

"I don't care if you think I'm a woman," Kaelith continued, her voice cutting through the tension like a sharpened knife. "This wasteland doesn't care about your expectations. It doesn't care about who you think is fit for survival. It cares about one thing—strength. And right now, I'm the one standing here. You're not."

The man swallowed hard, realizing just how close he was to death. The cocky smirk had disappeared from his face, replaced with the recognition of who truly held the power in this moment.

Kaelith tightened her hold for a moment longer, then released him with a swift motion, pushing him away with enough force to make him stumble. He caught himself on the wall, his hands trembling as he took a step back, his pride shattered.

"I'm not here to prove anything to you," Kaelith said, her tone hardening once more. "But I will remind you that survival doesn't give a damn about gender. You want to challenge me? You'll need more than a few insults to back it up."

The man didn't dare speak again. He looked at her, then at Asuka and Ryo, realizing that this wasn't a group to be messed with. The silence that followed was thick, charged with the weight of unspoken respect, and a grudging acknowledgment of Kaelith's strength.

He gave a reluctant nod, backing away slowly. "You're lucky I'm not in the mood to die today." With that, he turned and disappeared back into the shadows, his retreating footsteps fading into the night.

Kaelith stood tall, her eyes scanning the area for any more potential threats. She didn't need to look at Asuka or Ryo to know they were both processing what had just happened. But she didn't need their approval. She never had.

Asuka was the first to speak, her voice breaking the tense silence. "I… didn't know you'd do that."

Kaelith didn't look at her immediately, her gaze still fixed on the horizon. "Don't underestimate me," she said simply. "There's no room for weakness out here. And if that man wants to think he's better because of his gender, that's his problem. The wasteland doesn't care about who you are or what you were—it only cares about who's left standing in the end."

Ryo, who had remained silent through the whole encounter, let out a low whistle. "I think we can all agree now that messing with you isn't the smartest idea."

Kaelith's lips curled into a small, dangerous smile. "Good. Let's keep it that way."

The silence that followed Kaelith's brief but intense confrontation was thick, almost suffocating. Asuka was still processing the way Kaelith had handled herself. The way she stood unflinching in the face of a threat, the calm precision with which she had taken control of the situation—it was... awe-inspiring.

Ryo, who had been watching the whole exchange with a mix of admiration and wariness, leaned in closer to Asuka.

"She's something else, huh?" he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper. "You think he's gonna come back with a bigger group?"

Asuka shook her head, still watching Kaelith. "I don't think so. He saw her strength. A man like that doesn't challenge someone who could snap him like a twig." She paused, glancing at Ryo. "But that was a dangerous move."

Ryo nodded, though there was a subtle grin on his face. "Yeah, but that's Kaelith. She doesn't back down, no matter who or what stands in front of her."

Asuka's thoughts swirled. She had seen Kaelith fight before, but this was different. The way she had stood up to the man, the way she had effortlessly put him in his place—it was a reminder of just how dangerous she truly was. But it was also a reminder that in this world, survival wasn't about strength alone. It was about knowing when to hold back, when to show mercy, and when to push forward, taking advantage of every opportunity.

Kaelith, sensing the lingering tension, finally turned her gaze back to the group. Her eyes softened slightly when they met Asuka's.

"You alright?" she asked, her tone no longer the hard edge it had been just moments ago. There was a flicker of concern, though she didn't allow it to linger.

Asuka nodded, swallowing the tightness in her throat. "Yeah... I'm fine."

Kaelith gave a small nod of acknowledgment and then turned back toward the path they had been walking. "Let's keep moving. The further we get from here, the safer we'll be."

Ryo adjusted his pack and shot Asuka a look, one that said he was just as eager to get moving. "Lead the way, Kaelith. We'll follow."

The group continued down the ruined streets, the distant echoes of the confrontation now nothing more than whispers in the wind. But Asuka couldn't help but feel that a shift had happened. Not just in the way the man had retreated, but in the way they all viewed Kaelith. She wasn't just the leader because she held the strength to protect them—she was their leader because she could handle the darkest moments of the wasteland with the kind of fearlessness that made others second guess their own convictions.

And in a world like this, that kind of fearlessness was invaluable.