18

Chapter 8 - 2

As if there was some universal law stating not to pretend to act like a hero, the difficulty of the mission just took a huge increase. The blood red light pouring down from the sky has also reached THEM. The eyes of all the undead began to shine red and their bodies were all emitting a dark, dirty crimson colored miasma.

- *CRASH*!

The gate separating Alice and I from THEM was busted open like a sheet of paper. As if it was joke that it even lasted this long, and the undead came flooding in towards us fast. Without thinking I grabbed Alice and ran over to the brick fence and jumped for my life.

We were now safely on the on top of the fence and it should act as our bridge to safety through the sea of undead, or it should have, but...

Shin: You have to be kidding me...

The undead, probably due to their increased strength and speed, or the combination of the two now allowed them to do the one thing I feared most and what they couldn't do in the manga.

They now had learned to climb.

Not just pulled themselves over a wall, but pull themselves up and stand on top of the fence like I was.

Shin: What the hell!? Isn't the balance here too broken? This isn't one of the later Biohazard games. No one wants to mess with running and weapon wielding zombies!

I screamed at the top of my lungs all of that as I began running for my dear life. There weren't just the THEM behind me on the fence to worry about. The greater threat were the ones on the street trying to grab my legs and trip me and pull me down towards them for a late night meal I'll rather not attend.

It should have only been an increase in power and speed, but this coordinated attack from behind and to the side made me wonder if their intelligence wasn't increased as well. Whatever the case, I had nearly tripped three times from moving so fast while avoiding the hands from the ground and I wasn't allowed to slow down either thanks to the ones behind us.

Alice: Hey, are we going to be okay?

Shin: Who knows. At the very least, I'll make sure to protect you ( What MC was I? ).

Despite that promise, I had no hope about the situation at all. For one, I had no idea where I was going. I coolly said that I would voluntarily leave the group to save Alice, so I couldn't go back. The worst case is that they see the army of THEM that were following me back, and they shoot me in an attempt to stop me ( Kouta with a sniper rifle is no laughing matter ). Lastly, the immediate problem was that the fence I was running on top of was coming to a end. I had to either jump to the next fence across a sea of undead, or risk it on the streets and run for my life. Both options were BAD ENDS as far as I was concerned since I also had to worry about Alice.

Shin: Should I just risk climbing on top of a house and waiting this to end, or...

Alice: Hey, look over there!

Up ahead where Alice was pointing at were a pair of head lights began making its way down the street towards us.

It was tank looking car driving down the street and heading right for us and the crowd of THEM that had us surrounded. Riding on top of the military model Humvee were Seako and Kouta ( It looked like she had the time to get properly dressed unlike in the manga/anime this time around. Should I be glad that there wasn't an unneeded distraction for my eyes... But something felt missing in my heart ).

Shizuka: Wow, there are so many?

Rei: You say that like we have the option of running away.

Saki: Charge!!!

The Humvee caring the main characters recklessly charged into the army of undead and ran them over ( Some went flying ). God, seeing it up closely Takashi was right. They're insane ( But in a cool way ). Saeko then jumped down from the vehicle and began to attack THEM and Kouta backed her up with his newly found shotgun. Then Takashi (Who should be here), Hishshi (His fault I am here instead) and... Misaki (Why is he here??), they all came out of the Humvee to back Saeko up and clear a path for me to reach the vehicle.

Saeko: This will be the last ferry that will be crossing the river. Are you be coming?

Shin: Like I have a choice. Save a seat for me ( Getting way to caught up in this scene )!

Alice: Are they your friends?

Shin: Who knows, but they sure are dependable.

I jumped over from the fence and ran to the Humvee thanks to everyone clearing a path for me and Alice. I then handed Alice off to the girls in the vehicle so that I could speak to my two Player comrades who had come with the main characters to save my ass.

Shin: I thought you guys weren't going to help me?

Hikari: Who said that? It was you who just rushed forward like that alone like a fool without waiting for us. Once you left, we all came to the quick decision to help you and the girl. It was unlikely that we could return afterwards as well, so we quickly packed up and came to your rescue.

Snin: Thanks you guys, but I think it will be you guys who need the help now.

Hikari: What do you mean?

What do you mean?

There was a reason that I didn't even attempt to fight THEM who were coming after me besides their large numbers. This whole save Alice Quest Event forcefully made all the undead much stronger in power and speed. Just look. After that surprised attack just now, we were all being pushed back.

Misaki: Hey, what is wrong with these things!? They are much tougher them before!

Kouta: I've noticed! Anything other then head shots don't even stun them for more then a few seconds!

Saeko: Stop complaining and fight! You two are men, right!?

Misaki: Right!

Kouta: Right!

Still, despite Saeko's encouragement, the situation wasn't good at all. The characters of H.O.T.D didn't notice the red sky or the miasma surrounding THEM and it looked like only the players could, but they were still fighting against their effects. They used to be able to take them out in one blow to the head, but if you weren't using a gun then an undead might require an additional follow up blow for the kill. And with their increased speed, power and along with their unbelievable numbers it was too much of a task in this situation and we were all being forced back to the car.

Shin: Lets escape! There isn't any points for us to fight them, especially when we are so disadvantaged.

Hikari: Should we return to the apartment building!?

Shin: No, you all probably didn't close up the gate properly when you left right? They could have already gotten in and we don't have the luxury to clear them out while watch our backs from this crowd. You are better off driving off somewhere. Besides, it looks like for whatever reason they are targeting me.

Hikari: I-I see. Your right, we should... Wait, you don't mean to...

Shin: Yeah, I am not coming with you guys.

This event shouldn't last that much longer, but it is a fact that both Alice and I are targets to them.

Even if they don't hear or see us, I believe that they can sense the two of us somehow. Escaping by car is our best shoot at escaping, but a surprise attack from THEM on the way these numbers can easily flip over our vehicle. The only way I could think to overcome this situation... Was to split up their attention.

Shin: You guys take this girl Alice here and escape with the humvee. It you can make it to the water you should all be safe since this model can cross rivers and they can't swim.

Misaki: What about you?

Shin: I am going to run and then run some more till I lose these guys If I don't have to worry about Alice, then... I should be able to make it.

Takashi: No. It is too dangerous. Lets escape together.

Shin: That won't work ( It really won't work, you know. This isn't a plan for me to sacrifice myself for the group, but for me to offload half of these supercharged undead assholes onto your group. You guys who will both have Alice and a loud car will probably become the main targets for THEM for a while. And then, before the the event ends and I become the sole target I will find a crack to hide in till the mission is over and done with ). Also, the truth is that my house is nearby. I didn't bother to check it out since I didn't have any hope left, yet in the end I have to check it out, but if I go with you guys to escape... ( Dramatic effect ) who knows the next time, or if there will be a next time that I can ever come back here ( I am such a bastard ).

Now, give me an Oscar award, or its Japanese equivalent because my acting got through to them all in the end. Or maybe it was the fact we had no more time to argue as our weapons were breaking and we were running out of ammo. Whatever the case, they took Alice ( The saddest puppy dog eyes with tear were staring at me, making me feel like trash again ) and the main characters of H.O.T.D, High School of the Dead left in the humvee.

It was for a short time, but we were comrades and I was honestly sad to see them go, yet as I was running away from half the original army of THEM, the over half followed the main characters in the car, I was having another issue that I was upset about to deal with.

The main character of H.O.T.D left, but only the main characters left in the Humvee, and so for whatever reason I wasn't running away for my life alone. As I was shooting the undead that were getting closer with the handgun as we ran, I asked the question that has been on my mind.

Shin: Why are you two following me? Having more then half of THEM follow the Humvee was a part of my plan, but it wasn't like this was much safer either. You would have had that entire group at your side, so why?

Hikari: Well, despite being a genius hacker, I might be a idiot or that I caught idiocy from you, Shin. Take responsibility.

Shin: NO. WAY. IN THE SEVEN HEAVENS AND HELLS, will I ever take responsibility for you in my life time ( Which may end far too soon ). What about you Misaki?

Misaki: Well, I was feeling bad about having you do all the dangerous work even though it is obvious that I am stronger then you... But now looking behind me, I feel like I am an idiot as well for getting swept up in the mood.

Shin: So... We are all idiots in the end, huh? Oh my, it reall looks like our future survival rate will be even lower then I could have ever imagined.

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- *BANG*!

Shin: Damm, I am out of bullets! Just keep running!!

The three of us with no where to else to run to and out of bullets, so we unconsciously returned to the apartment complex. It didn't guarantee our safety, but it was better then nothing and we had nothing. Aqua herself said that THEM were unlikely to break in, but that assessment was before the power up. Who knows if the doors will hold, but...

Shin: There isn't any other choice, huh?

Hikari: What is it?

Shin: It was nothing. How are you holding up, Hikari?

Hikari: I am about to die from all of this running, but... The goal is just up ahead. Look!

Just up ahead was the apartment complex.

Once we get back to the room and barricade ourselves til the end of the mission, we'll win. We'll have survived all of this madness.

Hikari: Kyaaa!

Shin: Hikari!

Just as we had passed through the front gate of the complex not seeing any undead in the yard, one of THEM that was hidding in a blind spot grabbed Hikari by the arm. Frightened like I have never seen her before, she tried to free herself from it's grasp, but even if Hikari had a average man's strength she wouldn't be able to break free from one of THEM, not to mention a supercharged version. What bad luck was it to run out of bullets now? There was also an army of undead following behind us even now. We had no time for this crap.

Shin: Hikari, duck down!!!

I could only rely on my bat to quickly kill it.

Hikari did as I instructed and ducked down as much as she could, as my bat traveled just above her head and struck the undead. Damm, in my panic the bat hit the shoulder and not the head, but thankfully it had let go of Hikari.

Shin: Hikari, get up and lets go. They are-, ahhhhhhh!!!

HikRi: Shin!!

The the undead.

One of THEM.

One of THEM just bit my right hand.

The undead's teeth bit right through my protective gear that was supposed to help me stay alive.

I, I, I was...

Shin: Get the fuck off you bastard!!

With all my might, I punched the face of the undead that was still bitting down on my hand.

Whether because of my increased stats or that I didn't care if I broke my left hand in the possess, but I killed it in one blow.

Both of my hands were ruined in that confrontation, but the hand that Hikari and Misaki were looking at with pale faces was the right hand. The hand half devoured by THEM.

Misaki: Shin, you...

Hikari: Shin... Your hand. It, it is my-

Shin: Shut up all of you and run inside now! The mission is almost over, so we will deal with this later. Go!

My words, combined with the appearance of of the army THEM just outside the apartment complex gates woke them up from their thoughts, and we ran away. Running up the stairs, down a hall and slamming the door shut and locking it for good measure... We were safe, least for the moment. Tired, both physically and emotionally we sat down/fell to the floor in the living room.

No one said a word for a good ten minutes and all we did was listen to the sounds of THEM gathering around the complex and banging on the door of the apartment. Lucky they haven't broken in yet, or we would have been killed, but no one was in a mood to relax.

This included me. Time to time, the two of them would look at me, and then turn away with a hint of guilt. Hikari probably felt guilt since I was bitten and infected while saving her. It was my own decision at the time, so I have no intention of blaming her, yet I am not in such a great mood that I would try to console her. As for Misaki... He was most likely contemplating whether he should kill me before or after I am turned. I won't blame him either for such thoughts, and should be thankful that he hasn't done anything yet, but he was too dangerous of a factor here to let these thoughts become stronger... It wasn't like I was ready to call it quits yet.

Shin: Hey, Misaki.

Misaki: ...What?

Shin: Call Aqua on the communicator phone. There is something I have to ask her.

It was at that moment...

- HIDDEN SIDE QUEST COMPLETE!

TAKING THE PLACE OF THE MAIN CHARACTER AND SAVING THE LIFE OF ALICE MARESATO.

REWARDED 2000 POINTS AND RANK C REWARD!

Shinv ...Hahahahah! Thanks for the points, but will I ever get the chance to use them?

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