When Zuno awoke, the soreness that had plagued his body was gone.
Not reduced—gone.
His muscles felt light, loose, as if the strain from hours of marching and the impact from the earlier fight had never happened. Even his mind felt clearer, sharper. For a moment, he simply lay there, staring into the darkness of the hollow trunk, letting the unfamiliar sense of relief settle in.
Hours must have passed.
The cold, compact soil beneath him had done little for comfort, yet somehow it had been enough. Enough to reset him.
Zuno pushed himself up from his back and leaned against the inner wall of the trunk, brushing loose dirt from his sleeve.
The others were already awake.
Derrick sat near the entrance, one hand gripping the radio while the other adjusted its dial. His voice was low, controlled, reporting their earlier encounter back to base. Every word was deliberate.
Claire and Sarah sat closer to the back, quietly working. Their hands moved with practiced efficiency as they loaded bullets into magazines, counting under their breath. The small metallic clicks echoed faintly in the confined space.
They were running low.
Zuno reached for his bag and pulled it toward him, unzipping it with a quiet motion. Inside, everything was still where he left it. Four loaded magazines. A small cardboard box of spare rounds.
And beside them—
The black box.
His gaze lingered on it for a second before he looked away.
Not now.
He grabbed one of the magazines and slid it into his rifle, replacing the current one. It locked into place with a firm click, the sound sharp in the otherwise muted space.
"You're finally awake?"
Sarah's voice came from across the trunk. There was a hint of concern in it, though she tried to mask it.
Zuno leaned back, placing his hands behind his head as he stretched slightly.
"I saved your asses," he said casually. "I deserve some rest."
A smirk tugged at his lips.
Sarah's reaction was immediate.
"Saved us?" she shot back, pointing at him. "We saved you. Don't twist it."
Zuno shrugged, unfazed.
"If I didn't play bait, we'd all be dead."
His smirk widened.
Sarah's expression tightened, ready to fire back—
"He does have a point."
Derrick's voice cut in.
Zuno glanced over, catching the faint smile forming on Derrick's face as he set the radio aside.
Sarah stared at both of them in disbelief.
"…Fuck you. Both of you," she muttered, crossing her arms. "Next time, you can handle it alone."
She kicked Zuno's foot.
Not hard—but enough.
"Ow," Zuno said, clutching his side dramatically. "Careful. I'm still injured. Might need evac now."
There wasn't a mark on him.
Not anymore.
Whatever bruising he had felt earlier was gone. Completely. Even the dull ache from the impact had vanished.
It didn't make sense.
But he didn't mention it.
Claire stepped in, placing a hand on Sarah's shoulder.
"Alright, that's enough," she said gently. "He already got hit for it."
Sarah exhaled, tension easing slightly as she looked away.
Zuno let the moment pass, then shifted his attention back to Derrick.
"So," he said, "what's the plan, boss man?"
Derrick was already watching the entrance, fingers parting the branches just enough to let a sliver of light through. His eyes scanned the outside carefully before he answered.
"We wait until dark," he said. "Then we move."
Zuno adjusted his position, pulling his bag closer as he settled against the wall.
"Wouldn't that make it harder to see them?" he asked. "Their skin's basically black."
Derrick didn't look back.
"It doesn't matter," he said. "We can barely see them in daylight. At night, it works both ways. If we move smart, they won't see us either."
He let the branches fall back into place, sealing the trunk in darkness again before sitting down, rifle resting across his lap.
Zuno considered it for a moment.
Then shrugged.
The logic was simple enough.
And honestly—
He didn't want to stay in here much longer.
The cramped space, the lack of air, the constant pressure of the walls—it was starting to get to him.
"Alright," Zuno muttered. "Wake me when it's time."
He shifted onto his side, curling slightly as he rested his head against his arm.
"You're going to sleep again?" Sarah asked, disbelief creeping back into her voice.
"Better now than later," Zuno replied, already closing his eyes. "Rest before a long walk. Extends your lifespan… or something like that."
He paused.
"And it's not sleep. It's a nap."
Sarah scoffed quietly, but didn't push it further.
Zuno let his breathing slow.
Truthfully, he didn't need the rest.
But there was nothing else to do.
Time passed.
When Zuno opened his eyes again, the world had changed.
Darkness filled the trunk—not the dull dimness from before, but complete night.
Claire's hand rested lightly on his shoulder, giving him a small push.
"Hey," she whispered. "Time to move."
Zuno blinked, sitting up slowly as the last traces of sleep faded.
The others were already preparing.
Bags secured. Rifles ready.
Derrick stood at the entrance, carefully removing the branches he had placed earlier. He paused briefly, peering outside before stepping out.
A moment passed.
"It's clear," he said quietly. "Let's go."
Zuno grabbed his bag and rifle, pushing himself to his feet as he followed the others out of the trunk.
The jungle felt different at night.
Cooler.
Quieter—but not silent.
The air carried the constant hum of life. Insects chirped in layered rhythms, unseen creatures shifting through the undergrowth. The darkness stretched deep between the trees, broken only by faint traces of moonlight slipping through the canopy above.
Zuno stepped forward, boots pressing into the damp earth as he adjusted to the environment.
He tilted his head slightly, looking up.
Through the gaps in the leaves, the moon shone faintly.
For a moment, it almost felt… calm.
"I thought camping was supposed to be fun," he muttered.