A Silent Retreat
After the chaotic events in the school courtyard, Hayden's group decided to withdraw quietly. The principal's humiliation, the confrontation with Sol and Léna, and their own grueling battles had left a bitter taste in their mouths.
Katie was still unconscious after her fight, and Flora, though awake, gritted her teeth to endure the pain from her fractured ribs and broken arm.
— "We have to move before someone comes asking questions," declared Hayden, his voice deeper than usual.
William nodded, wiping a bead of sweat from his forehead.
— "The infirmary is our best option."
Without another word, they left the scene of the chaos and headed to the infirmary as discreetly as possible.
A Temporary Hideout
When they arrived at the infirmary, they made sure it was empty.
The nurse was on maternity leave—a stroke of luck.
— "Lock the door," whispered Mary.
William obeyed, while Flora and Hayden laid Katie on one of the available beds. Flora sat on another, breathing heavily from the pain.
Mary used some sheets to cover the windows from the inside, so no one could see what they were doing.
They could finally breathe.
The Moment of Rewards
As each of them tried to recover, system notifications appeared before their eyes.
Hayden:
+200 EXP
Weapon Mastery: 30%
Body Level: 15%
New Skill Unlocked: The Way of the Samurai (Optimal focus during combat)
Katie:
+100 EXP
Weapon Mastery Unlocked: 30%
Body Level: 10%
New Skill Unlocked: Combo Rush (explosive chain of punches, elbows, knees, and kicks)
William:
+100 EXP
Weapon Mastery: 20%
Body Level: 10%
New Skill Unlocked: Constriction (grapples the opponent like a python)
Flora:
+100 EXP
Weapon Mastery: 10%
Body Level: 10%
New Skill Unlocked: Drill Spin (a quick, piercing staff attack based on rotation)
A Bitter Victory
Despite these improvements, the atmosphere in the room was somber.
They had survived—but at the cost of serious injuries.
William, sitting on a chair near Flora's bed, crossed his arms.
— "Even with these new skills… it was close."
Mary, checking her drone, shrugged.
— "We may have leveled up… but we're still no match for Sol and Léna."
Hayden looked at his hands, feeling a deep shift within him.
— "This is just the beginning," he said calmly.
Then, in a barely audible whisper, as if speaking to himself:
— "A blade without sharpening is useless. We've been forged… but we're not sharp yet."
Silence fell over the room.
Everyone understood this fight was only the beginning.
In Search of a Cure
After taking in the events of the day, the group focused on a pressing problem: treating Flora, whose pain was growing harder to bear.
Katie, still unconscious, lay on one of the infirmary beds.
— "There must be something to ease the pain," murmured Mary as she opened a cupboard.
Hayden searched the drawers with William while Flora tried to breathe calmly through the pain.
— "Nothing better than paracetamol," William muttered, holding up a pill bottle.
Flora gave a forced smile.
— "Great… just enough to fix a headache."
— "We need better," Hayden said, clenching his fist.
He looked up and spoke clearly:
— "Blue."
A soft beep echoed in the air, and a synthetic voice, calm but slightly amused, responded.
— "Did someone call me?"
A New Resource System
— "We have a problem, Blue," explained Mary. "Flora's injured and we've got nothing effective."
— "I see… Would you like to use your system points?"
They all looked at each other.
— "System points?" asked William, intrigued.
— "They're the experience points you earn through combat or progress," explained Blue. "You can save them to level up… or spend them in the shop."
Hayden remembered.
— "Oh yeah, that's right, there's a shop tab."
A virtual screen appeared before their eyes, with different categories. One of them was labeled Medical & Healing.
Flora, still short of breath, looked at the screen.
— "So… how much to get me back on my feet?"
Blue displayed the list:
Bandages and Disinfectant: 10 points
Advanced Care Kit: 50 points
Regenerating Serum: 150 points
Instant Recovery Potion: 300 points
William grimaced.
— "300 points? That's robbery."
Mary scrolled through the options.
— "We have 500 points in total… If we take the regenerating serum, we'll still have some left."
Hayden nodded.
— "We'll take that."
A Miracle Treatment
A bluish glow suddenly appeared before them, materializing a small vial containing a silver liquid.
— "Just apply to the affected areas, and recovery will begin in minutes," Blue announced.
Mary carefully opened the vial and applied it to Flora's ribs and broken arm.
A gentle warmth spread through her body, and the pain began to fade.
Flora sighed in relief.
— "Wow… it actually works…"
William crossed his arms, impressed.
— "We just used experience as currency. This system's going to change everything."
Hayden stayed silent, analyzing the situation.
Now, they had a way to progress faster—but also a new responsibility: knowing how to spend their points wisely.
A Plan for Tomorrow
The atmosphere in the infirmary had lightened a bit after Flora's treatment. She cautiously moved her arm and ribs, testing her mobility.
— "I feel way better. At least, better than earlier," she said with a smile.
— "Good, 'cause we weren't gonna carry you all night," said Hayden, leaning against the wall, arms crossed.
Flora stuck her tongue out.
— "Such a gentleman, aren't you?"
William, sitting on a desk, observed the system screen thoughtfully.
— "This system… It's quite something." He looked at Blue. "And about Katie? When will she wake up?"
The virtual interface glowed briefly before Blue responded.
— "Katie should wake up in about three hours. Her body just needs rest after the intense effort."
Mary nodded.
— "In that case, we stay here for the night." She adjusted her glasses and leaned against a cabinet. "Too risky to go back to our rooms now. Too many eyes on us."
Hayden sighed and stretched.
— "Sleeping in an infirmary… I didn't think the apocalypse would make me homeless so fast."
Flora, sitting on a bed, patted the space beside her.
— "If you need a human pillow, I'm here, Mr. Grumpy," she said, laughing.
— "Pass," he replied instantly with a teasing smile.
Mary ignored the exchange and continued, pragmatic.
— "What matters more is what we're going to do tomorrow."
William raised an eyebrow.
— "Oh? You have an idea already?"
Mary nodded.
— "We learned something important today. Sol is willing to do anything, and he won't hesitate to repeat what he did today."
Flora crossed her arms.
— "So… we need to get stronger."
— "Exactly," replied Mary.
Hayden, still leaning against the wall, stared at the ceiling thoughtfully.
— "Do you really think he's a threat?"
— "We can't ignore him," said Mary firmly.
William nodded.
— "Agreed. So… what's the plan?"
Mary looked at Hayden.
— "Tomorrow, we go on an excursion."
A silence fell over the room, then Flora lit up with excitement.
— "Oh! Finally some adventure! Feels like we've been trapped in here for ages."
Hayden sighed, hands in his pockets.
— "Great. As if fighting super-powered zombies today wasn't enough."
— "You want to stay weak?" Mary shot back, her gaze sharp.
— "Tch. Touché."
William crossed his arms.
— "So, where exactly do we go?"
Mary pointed to the system interface.
— "According to Blue, there are several points of interest outside the school. We need to scout a place that could offer us new resources and experience. We'll narrow it down tomorrow morning."
Flora raised her hand like a student in class.
— "Will we be able to find some cute clothes too? 'Cause seriously, I feel like I've been wearing the same thing forever."
William smirked.
— "You do look like a homeless person, to be fair."
— "Say that again, Brit boy," Flora replied, mock-offended.
Hayden watched them, a faint smile on his lips. They had all brushed with death today, and yet, they could still joke around.
Mary tapped the system screen.
— "Get some rest. We leave early tomorrow."
The group nodded and each one tried to find a comfortable position to sleep.
The night would be long.
But tomorrow… would bring another challenge.