Thunk!
Thunk!
Two sharp shots rang out from the nail gun Kohta was holding, piercing the air before landing with astonishing precision in the middle of the heads of two zombies charging toward the group.
The skulls shattered, and the two bodies collapsed, motionless.
Kohta's marksmanship wasn't just good… it was undeniably exceptional.
Despite the slight tremor in his hands, his eyes remained steady, sharp, as if they were born knowing exactly where to place a fatal shot.
But Kohta wasn't the only one who moved.
At almost the same moment, Saeko raised her foot and delivered a powerful kick to the stair railing.
The iron dented with an audible thud, while she had already lunged forward with deadly grace, as if the sound of the impact was merely the announcement of the beginning of a dance of death.
Swish!
The Mugenjin sword cut through the air like a silver thread, and before the zombies realized she was upon them, the heads of the four closest to the cornered group were flying from their shoulders, hitting the ground with a dull thud.
And in the background… Haru quietly raised his hand.
There was no need for words or commands.
From between the fingers of his clawed gauntlet, nearly invisible wires shot out, stretching at lightning speed toward the remaining zombies.
The wires severed their necks with surgical precision, their heads falling one after another, like puppets whose strings had been cut.
As for Takashi and Rei, they stood behind the others, their grips tight on their weapons, muscles tense.
It was clear from their eyes that they were ready to spring into action at any moment…
Yet, neither of them moved a single step.
They were tasked with guarding the rear.
If they left their positions now—even for a second—the group's back would become a blind spot… and a blind spot in this place meant only one thing:
Death for everyone.
And so… the fight lasted only a few seconds, but it was enough to completely turn the tide.
"…"
The cornered group didn't utter a single word at first.
They were still staring at Haru and the others in genuine shock, as if their minds hadn't yet processed that the situation which, seconds ago, had been a death sentence… had ended with such overwhelming ease.
Their breaths were ragged, their faces pale, and the shock was clearly etched on their features.
The first to regain her composure was a pretty girl with short black hair. She took a few unsteady steps forward before bowing slightly and whispering,
"Th–thank you… really…"
But Saeko calmly stepped closer to her, raising a finger to her lips in a clear gesture:
"Don't speak loudly…"
She lowered her voice further as she continued,
"Has anyone been bitten?"
The girl's head shot up, her eyes wide with worry, then she shook her head firmly,
"No… n–no one's been bitten. We're okay."
She, too, had lowered her voice, as if the fear she'd heard in Saeko's tone was enough to remind her that danger still lurked everywhere.
The atmosphere calmed slightly, but the tension remained suspended in the air…
"We're leaving now, heading into the city. Would you like to come with us?"
Haru asked in a low voice as he descended the stairs, the others following him quietly and cautiously.
And although he tried to keep his tone neutral, he couldn't prevent a slight frown from appearing on his face as he looked at the new group.
He didn't know them… he didn't even care to learn their names.
But what truly bothered him wasn't their presence—it was the way they acted.
The man who seemed to be their leader was wandering around nonchalantly, a towel wrapped around his neck as if he'd just stepped out of a warm bath moments ago, not from a near-death encounter.
And the other young man, carrying a large metal pipe, had almost just struck the metal railing without even noticing how much noise it would make…
Enough noise to attract half the zombies in the school right to them.
For a brief moment, a heavy regret seeped into Haru's chest.
He wished he hadn't offered to let them join him in the first place.
He knew well that some people… their presence was more dangerous than their absence.
But what's done is done.
He'd said his piece, and as they say: an arrow, once loosed… does not return.
Yet, he couldn't help but feel annoyed.
Their carelessness didn't just endanger their own lives…
It endangered his entire group—and that was something he wouldn't easily forgive if they caused any disaster.
"Y-yes…"
The short black-haired girl nodded again, but this time her face clearly showed a mix of relief and reassurance.
Just having Haru and his group near them was enough to make the idea of survival seem less impossible.
"Good… but—"
Haru said, walking with steady steps toward the young man carrying the long metal pipe.
He reached out and suddenly grabbed the pipe, causing the young man to freeze in place.
Haru continued in a calm tone, but one that carried a clear warning:
"You'd better be more careful. Wearing unnecessary things will hinder your movement…
And holding a metal object like that, without paying attention, could mean your end."
He lifted the pipe slightly with his hand and pointed to the nearby iron railing:
"Just one hit on the metal… a simple clang… and its sound will reach every zombie in the area.
You know the rest."
At that moment, almost all the faces in the group paled.
None of them had noticed how close the pipe had been to the railing just moments before…
So close that one wrong move would have brought a living nightmare down on them.
"S-sorry… I'll be more careful."
The young man said in a slightly trembling voice, genuine shock on his face.
He gripped the pipe from its middle instead of the end and bowed his head toward Haru with a discipline that hadn't been there a minute ago.
As for Haru… he just let out a small sigh.
Not out of anger, but because he knew that the smallest mistake—no matter how trivial—could cost all of them their lives.
"Good… let's go."
Haru nodded slightly, then began descending the stairs again with steady steps, maintaining his calm despite the tension filling the air around him.
Unfortunately, this external staircase led directly to the school's back courtyard, while the bus was in the front parking lot.
Therefore, to reach it, they had no choice but to enter the school first, then exit through the front door… a route that, at this moment, seemed like a gateway to danger in itself.
The risk was obvious. Every corner and every door could hide a zombie or a deadly surprise behind it.
But Haru realized that the other option—going around the school from the outside—was far worse.
The distance was much too long, and traversing it would put immense strain on the group, especially with the tension and anxiety already weighing them down.
...
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