Ryu caught a cold breath, his chest tightening at the sight before him. The once-bustling ground had turned into a nightmare.
In his line of sight, dozens of zombies were tearing into the bodies of the fallen students—gnawing flesh, and letting out low, animalistic growls. The smell of blood filled the air, thick and suffocating.
It was as if a scene straight out of a horror movie had come to life.
Kyle, the confident, smiling martial arts leader, lay sprawled on the ground, his face twisted in terror, eyes wide open and lifeless. His arm was missing, and one of the zombies was crouched over him, feasting.
Ryu's fingers tightened around his blade. He had been so focused on the strange, fast-moving zombie that he hadn't noticed what was happening behind him.
All the survivors the twenty-six who had followed him with hope in their eyes, were gone. Not a single one left breathing. Some were already standing back up, their heads twitching unnaturally, eyes turning pale white.
One by one, they opened their mouths and let out deep moans.
A chill ran down Ryu's spine.
The horde turned toward him—dozens of them, dragging their bloodstained limbs as they began to advance.
Ryu took a step back, his heartbeat pounding in his ears. The sight of people he'd tried to protect now shambling toward him was like a cruel joke.
Their slow, uneven steps echoed in the empty courtyard, growing louder and louder until it felt like the ground itself was trembling.
Ryu clenched his jaw, raising his long knife once more.
He adopted a defensive stance and ran towards the Auditorium.
'This is what you call a strategic retreat,' Ryu told himself.'This is what you call a strategic retreat,' he told himself, trying to steady his breath. He knew he could take on three or even ten zombies if he pushed himself, but this was too much.
His stamina was drained from fighting the zombie, and he knew he would be in trouble if he kept running.
Seeing their prey escape, the zombies roared and began to chase him.
But even while running, Ryu didn't stop fighting. Any zombie that appeared at him from the side met the edge of his long knife. He cut through them in quick, clean motions, never breaking his stride. Blood splattered the floor, and the sharp stench of death followed him like a shadow.
After what felt like hours, he finally saw the large double doors of the auditorium ahead. It stood eerily still in the distance.
He slowed his pace slightly, his breathing heavy, and frowned. The place was silent.too silent. There were no sounds of screaming or fighting, not even the faintest groan of a zombie. The darkness above the building was thicker than the rest of the sky, forming a strange swirling cloud that gave off an ominous feeling.
Ryu's instincts screamed that something was wrong.
He stopped a few meters before the gate and glanced back. The entire horde that had been chasing him just moments ago had halted. Dozens of them stood motionless, their bodies trembling as if terrified of something inside the auditorium.
"Hmm? Why are they… scared?" Ryu muttered, his brows furrowed.
The sight sent a shiver down his spine, but curiosity and exhaustion overpowered hesitation. Without wasting any more time, he tightened his grip on his knife, pushed the creaking doors open, and stepped inside.
The heavy doors closed behind him with a dull thud, echoing through the silent hall. The entire place was swallowed in darkness. The air was thick and heavy
Ryu tightened his grip on his knife and kept his guard up. Every step he took echoed across the empty hall, bouncing back from the distant walls. It was so quiet that even the faint sound of his breathing seemed too loud.
Slowly, he moved toward the wall near the entrance, where he remembered the light switch should be. His fingers brushed against the cold surface until they finally found it.
Click.
The lights flickered weakly for a moment before turning on completely.
What lay before him made his blood run cold.
The entire floor was covered in bodies. A mountain of corpses lay piled in the middle of the auditorium—students, teachers, and maybe even security guards. Blood had pooled into a dark red lake, glistening under the dim lights. Torn limbs, broken bones, and half-eaten faces were scattered everywhere.
Ryu froze. His stomach twisted, and bile rose to his throat. His whole body trembled as the horror of the scene sank in.
And then he saw it.
At the far end of the hall stood a massive figure, far larger than any zombie he had seen before. Its hunched form cast a long shadow against the wall. The creature's body was thick and twisted, its skin pale and covered in dried blood.
The monster, busy eating his food, was interrupted.
It slowly turned his head towards Ryu. It's glowing red-eyed, now focused on Ryu.
Ryu felt a chill crawl up his spine.
[Kill: 99]
"I'm fucked up," Ryu muttered under his breath, his voice trembling between exhaustion and disbelief. He tightened his grip on the long knife, staring at the enormous monster that loomed before him.
The thing was massive its arms thick like treee trunks, its face distorted into something that could barely be called human. Just standing before it made Ryu's knees feel weak. He knew it he didn't even stand a one percent chance against that thing.
And then he laughed.
"Hahahaha…"
The laughter started low and hollow, echoing faintly in the blood-soaked hall. Then it grew louder—madder—until his voice bounced off the walls like the cry of a lunatic.
"Hahaha… hahahahahaha!"
He clutched his stomach, laughing until his eyes watered. The corpses around him, the smell of blood, the monster staring at him—it all blurred into one chaotic nightmare.
"So this is i,t huh?" he said, his laughter cracking into a bitter tone. "First, you throw me into this hell… and now this? Is this your idea of fun, huh? Am I your entertainment!?"
His laughter echoed again, filled with rage and madness.
He looked up at the ceiling, at nothing in particular, his teeth clenched and his face twisted in a crazed grin.
"Come on then! Let's see how long your toy can last!"
The monster roreres, shaking the ground beneath him. But Ryu didn't back away. His eyes burned not with fear, but with something wild.
He raised his knife, still grinning like a man who had nothing left to lose.
"Let's dance, you ugly bastard."