Saving The Group

When we got close enough, I dropped Kohta off of my back and he set up a shooting point before starting to shoot 'THEM'.

Without worry that he would shoot me, I rushed at the horde in front of me.

Looking through the horde I could see that Saeko was the only one who was directly fighting the horde; everyone else was only clearing up the ones she left for them.

I don't know where they got their weapons from but I guessed they must have rushed to a storage closet before coming back to the Classroom knowing I'd head here for them.

Summoning two Kagune Knives into my hands this time I entered another dance of death.

Slash, slash, dodge, counter-slash, kick a few of 'THEM' away for Kohta to shoot at, repeat. I didn't care to slow my movements down or to dampen my power as I saw that Saeko was slowly wearing herself down.

If she was fighting on her own, this wouldn't be happening. But because she was having to protect the group behind her, she was having to burn more stamina and concentration which led to her wearing herself out quicker than she usually would have.

Fighting while protecting someone is incredibly hard, after all. Especially when your opponent was a horde of Zombies who were constantly trying to get past you to eat your friends.

Speeding up my movements even further, I didn't stop myself from entering my Red-Eyed Form as I lengthened my knives so I could hurt more of 'THEM' per slash.

So, under the united attack of me and Kohta, our side of the horde was thinned out enough that Saeko got a chance to relax, while the others could now help her fight due to the fact they weren't surrounded so heavily anymore.

Exiting the Red-Eyed Form, I shortened my knives and went back to a more 'normal' speed of attacking. Though, that normal was entirely relative as my attacks would still be blurs to whoever saw them.

Locking eyes I saw the utter relief in hers, while she saw the same relief in mine, mixed with an apologetic look that confused her.

But we continued to clear the horde. I looked back at Kohta and motioned for him to get closer to help deal with the other side of the horde.

He soon rushed over and we got to dealing with the other 10 or so Zombies that were left.

Mine and Saeko's teamwork was incredible. The reason? We fought every day before school for 4 months straight, and this led to us knowing each other's way of fighting like the back of our hands. Add Kohta to that and our backs were covered even more, his accuracy seeming to constantly improve.

Though, he should be getting low on Gas for that Nail Gun, right?

Thinking this, I realized we had to get a gun for him as soon as possible. Guess we'll have to go to Shizuka's apartment before we go to mine to stock up on food.

If you're not aware, Rika, Shizuka's roommate, has a bunch of high-grade (and very illegal) guns in a cabinet in their apartment. If I could arm the group with them, our ability to survive would increase incredibly. Especially when Kohta gets one of the guns.

When the horde had been cleared, Saeko finally lowered her Bokken and used it as an impromptu cane. But even then she nearly fell over.

Seeing her look so shaky, I rushed over to her and put an arm under her armpit to hold her up.

When she felt the contact she looked up to see who it was and when she saw it was me, a brilliant and dazzling smile appeared on her face, "Ryu...Words cannot describe how glad I am that you're okay," with this, she leaned her head across my chest and snaking her arms around my back, hugging me.

Feeling the emotions bubbling up inside me, I kept them under control and hugged her back, "Me too, Saeko, I'm glad you're safe as well..." planting a kiss on her head, I just stood there for a little while before something caught my attention.

Someone had walked up to me before tapping me on the shoulder; it was Hisashi.

"Ryu, can I talk to you?" his voice sounded pretty weak and had a slight bit of finality in it. Feeling the worst thing had still happened in this world, I separated from Saeko and looked toward Hisashi.

Scanning my eyes over his body I saw some blood coming from under his sleeve and I let out a sigh. I nodded at his question before looking at the others, "Can you all go into the classroom, I need to talk to Hisashi for a second."

Everyone was curious to why I had to talk to him but seeing the seriousness on my face, they all reluctantly complied before entering the now-empty classroom.

Letting out a sigh, I dragged my hand across my face in a futile attempt to drag the feeling of helplessness out of my head.

"Why'd you have to try and attack them with your bare hands, Hisashi?" feeling a burst of anger, I grabbed him by the collar and lifted him up a little, "Are you an idiot or something? Do you know how this will effect Takashi and Rei?!" in a hushed yell, I let go of his collar before turning around and pacing about in anger.

Hisashi just stood there with a wry look on his face aimed at himself. It was now mixed with a look of helplessness and he finally spoke up for himself, "I guess I was a bit overconfident in myself, huh?" he mocking laughed at himself before carrying on, "...But I had to engage them or they would've bitten Rei...she was frozen in fear and so was that idiot Takashi," he looked over at me, "Wouldn't you have done the same for Yuuki?"

Before he could say anything else, I let out a sigh and held up a hand to shut him up.

"Haah~ I'm sure you know what's going to happen to you, right?"

He had a sad smile on his face before nodding his head, "I'll become one of 'THEM', right? It's kinda like a Zombie Movie, huh?" his voice sounded a bit hollow as he spoke.

Hearing him like this, I shook my head and carried on, "So, why did you want to speak to me alone? Shouldn't the others have the right to know you're about to change and try to eat them?" my words seemed to bite sharply at his mind and he let out a sigh.

"...I'm going to tell them, Ryu. It's just...it's just that I need to know at least one of the group could...put me out of my misery when the time comes," he brought a hand to his face to wipe tears that were forming, "I know Takashi and Rei would hate themselves if they did it...but I know either you or Saeko could handle the burden, you're both incredibly strong in both mind and body,"

"...That's incredibly selfish of you to decide on your own, you know that right?" frowning at him, I stared into his eyes waiting for his answer.

"Yes, I know it is. But please, Ryu...Accept this selfish request of mine, I don't want to be like one of 'THEM' and simply wander around killing and eating," he out of nowhere bowed at me sincerely with his body bent fully forward.

Seeing a friend of mine like this, I felt my heart constrict a little when I thought of something: I caused this. If I had taken them all to the roof, Hisashi would be fine.

So, it was my job to clear up my own messes.

Pulling him up, I looked him in the eye, "I'll do it, Hisashi...but first, let's get to the roof, okay? Then you can explain to the others your...condition. And once you turn..." I looked seriously into his eyes and he suddenly smiled at me.

"Thank you, Ryu," he pulled me into a bear hug which I returned.

Man, I'm a real asshole, huh?

Thoughts like that sped around my mind but I forcibly suppressed them - I had to keep a clear mind for now at least.

Separating from Hisashi, I saw the tears in his eyes and let out a sigh, "Clean yourself up, and don't let anymore see the bite until we're on the roof...how's your condition feel right now?"

"I feel a light burning around the bite area...I can't feel exactly how long I have but if I had to estimate, I have around a solid 5 minutes before my condition worsens."

Hearing his estimate I had to agree, so I nodded, "Then, we best get to the roof quickly," with this, I entered the classroom and explained how we were going to have to get to the roof before we discussed any more plans.

Rei and Takashi asked about what Hisashi and I were talking about but I told them they'd know when we got to the roof. They could only reluctantly agree when Hisashi denied them with the same reason.

"Kohta, hurry up and get on," kneeling down in front of him, Kohta quickly got back onto his new sentry spot and I stood up.

When I did, I pointed his nail gun into the air before letting out a chivalrous cry, "Onward my trustworthy steed!" hearing what he said, Takashi let out a laugh while my eye twitched at being called a horse.

Though, his lightheartedness did make a small smile crack across my face.

We were soon all running toward the roof and because of mine and Kohta's earlier work, we didn't see many undead, only a few stragglers who'd wandered out of their classroom.

But I did see a troubling thing: Fewer and fewer Zombies were limping and they were getting a little more fluid each time we met them. Every Zombie in this school had a massive amount of food so it was only logical that they would evolve quickly but I didn't think it'd be this quickly.

I could only hope Artemis' Descendant would have the Breathing Technique from 'The Last Human' with her, otherwise, the others would have to rely on their natural rate of evolution, and no matter how talented they were, they would still fall behind the Zombies' evolution rate.

Still, these slightly evolved Zombies weren't a problem for us as a group as Kohta would still put them down instantly and if not, Saeko would crush their heads with her Bokken.

And before we knew it we were at the roof. Without 'THEM' being an obstacle we made it to the staircase for the roof within under 5 minutes.

I made sure to keep Hisashi's condition under my watch and he simply looked a bit paler than he usually did, nothing really too out of the ordinary. But it would be best if we finished this as soon as possible.

We rushed up the stairs and burst through the doors. I quickly looked around and saw the three girls I left here, huddled together and on the opposite side of the roof.

Despite my questions on why they didn't make a barricade, I was thankful that they were fine.

Saya was the first to react as she looked over at us with sharp eyes. But the eyes soon changed to relieved ones as she saw her friends coming back unscathed.

I quickly put Kohta down as Yuuki was the second to react and she sprinted and catapulted herself into my chest.

Her arms wrapped around me like steel wires and I returned her tight hug. It warmed my heart that someone could worry this much about me.

I felt immensely lucky that I had both Saeko and Yuuki; two girls who seemed to care for and love me to an incredible degree.

But knowing what I had to do now, I turned to Hisashi and saw his pale face covered in cold sweat.

"Hisashi, it's time that you tell them, or rather, show them," hearing my serious voice, Hisashi let out a sigh before a weak smile spread across his face.

He reached for his sleeve before speaking, "Back when we were fighting outside the classroom...I was bitten," he pulled up his sleeve showing a bite wound which had turned black around the edges and the veins surrounding the bite were incredibly pronounced and we pitch black themselves.

Everyone other than me froze solid. Rei was the first to react with a horrified gasp and her knees went weak and she collapsed to the ground - she knew full well what a bite from one of those things meant.

Takashi was simply frozen solid as he looked at the bite wound on his best friends arm/wrist.

Saeko looked incredibly serious and she had her hand on the handle of her Bokken as if she were ready to put him down if he showed any sign of being one of 'THEM'.

Shizuka and Saya were at a loss for words, but Saya spoke up first, "And why are you telling us this?" she had a look on her face which showed she already judged Hisashi to be a lost cause. It was cold but logical.

Before Hisashi answered her, I spoke up, "Because he thinks you guys deserve the right to know why he's about to die...and why I'm going to be the one who kills him," my words sent shock throughout the entire group, with all of them looking at me with different looks.

Takashi looked at me with anger and shock.

Rei looked at me with disbelief and more anger than Takashi.

Saeko and Yuuki looked at me with worry, with Yuuki even looking up at me shaking her head at me, hoping I wasn't being serious. That look from Yuuki especially hurt.

Saya looked at me with some complex emotions that I couldn't quite decipher.

Shizuka was looking at me with a very distressed gaze, showing intense sorrow at the fact one of her students had to lose her innocence when an adult like herself was here and should be shouldering the burden. Though, I'd never allow her to break herself by killing a friend of hers. Period.

Before any of them could speak, I let out a sorrowful smile, "Hisashi doesn't want to be one of 'THEM' and risk the chance of hurting you...he made the request to me outside that classroom; that I'd kill him when the times comes," letting out a hollow sigh, "And I plan to complete his wishes."

Rei instantly walked up to me before slapping me.

I could've dodged it, but instead, I let her slap me. I'd let all of them slap me if they wanted. Their emotions would be running at an all-time high right now, and emotional situations bring out the worst in people sometimes and the worst in people is sometimes very stupid.

"He's your friend, just as much as mine, Ryu...and yet you're going to kill him?!" through ragged breath, Rei practically screamed this at me.

Despite knowing this would attract 'THEM' she still did it. Remember what I said about the worst in people being very stupid? Case in point and proven.

But Rei wasn't done as she slapped me again, "Are...are you even Human if you can do this?!"

Ouch. Now that hurt. With the thoughts of my inhumanity still floating around my head, her words sparked something in me.

"...And what if I wasn't Human, huh, Rei? Would you hate me?" asking with a 'smile' I looked down at Rei before separating from Yuuki and walking over to Hisashi.

My words seemed to confuse just about everyone on the roof, and it gave me enough time to get next to Hisashi before someone could interrupt.

"...It's time, Ryu," Hisashi was lightly shaking and it wasn't due to fear, no, the Virus was thoroughly changing him.

Nodding my head grimly, I looked into his dulling eyes, "I'm sorry, Hisashi. I wish I didn't have to do this,"

"Haah~...I wish I didn't have to put you through this, Ryu...Uerghh!" he threw up some blood onto the floor in front of me and this brought Rei out of her confused state and she tried to rush over but Saeko stood in front of her, stopping her.

Putting my hand into my blazer I summoned a knife and made it look like I kept my knives inside my blazer as I pulled it out into the open.

"I don't do this because I want to, but because I have to...I take no joy in taking Hisashi's life and I hope you can all forgive me," speaking to the group, I felt that my knife was incredibly heavy all of a sudden but before I could stop myself from doing this, I looked Hisashi in the eyes and saw the dullness apparent in them, just like how it was for all the other Zombies.

Quickly slicing at the Zombie trying to bite me, I took it's head straight off. It quickly fell to the floor, just like its body.

Telling myself I did the right thing, I put my knife away. But despite how much I told myself I was right...it didn't stop it from hurting. He may not have been my best friend, but he was still a friend I talked to and went to school with for the past 4 months.

Haah~ I better resolved myself for the dangers to come in the future. I can't be weak when they come.

I turned to look back at the group and saw a myriad of emotions looking back at me. Ignoring them, I spoke up.

"You can all hate me later...for now, we need to escape the school. There's a minibus in the parking lot and we can use that to get out of here...do you know where the keys are, Marikawa-sensei?" my voice broke Shizuka out of her stupor.

She quickly answered me, "Uhh they should be in the Faculty Room," her voice trailed off and before anyone could say anything else, I spoke up.

"Okay, I'll go and get the keys. The rest of you should stay her and properly barricade the door up," with this, I started walking to the door and nobody stopped me.

I think both I and the group needed some time to come to terms with what just happened. At least I had an entire horde of Zombies to vent out my anger on.