Akira and Kana fled the gymnasium, racing toward the staff room on the school's first floor. Their footsteps echoed through the corridors, mingling with the eerie groans of the building's straining structure.
Kana's breath came in shallow gasps, exhaustion etched into her face, but Akira's steady grip kept her upright. His left arm was now completely inert, leaving only his right blade as their defense.
As they neared the staff room, the air grew denser, thick with a foul stench.
Akira paused at the door, sensors humming. "Hostiles detected inside. Multiple entities. We proceed with caution."
Kana nodded, steadying her breathing. "What supplies are we looking for?"
"First aid, food, water—resources to sustain you. Be ready."
He eased the door open. The staff room was dim, desks and chairs strewn chaotically. Papers littered the floor, and flickering fluorescent lights cast an unsteady glow.
From the shadows, movement stirred.
A massive slug-like creature, dripping viscous slime, its antennae twitching erratically. Beside it, a humanoid shadow with unnaturally long limbs, joints bending backward in defiance of anatomy.
"Engaging combat. Kana, take cover behind a desk," Akira said, raising his blade and charging the slug.
It spewed a stream of slime at his feet, but he leaped clear, slicing through its body. The slime splattered, sizzling as it melted a nearby desk.
The reverse-jointed creature darted behind him, aiming for his blind spot. Akira spun, severing one of its elongated arms. It let out a shrill wail and crumpled to the floor.
"Threats neutralized. Securing supplies now," Akira said, beckoning Kana.
She crawled from her hiding spot and rummaged through a shelf, finding a first aid kit. She pulled out bandages and disinfectant. "This'll help. Can we do anything for your arm?"
"My damage requires mechanical repair. Human medical supplies are inapplicable. Keep them for yourself."
Kana nodded, clutching the kit.
Then, the staff room window shattered.
A bird-like creature burst in—featherless, its exposed bones glinting. Its elongated beak stabbed toward Akira.
He parried, slicing the beak clean off and piercing its torso. The bone-bird collapsed.
But more presences loomed outside. "Reinforcements detected. We abandon the staff room. Next, the home economics room—cooking tools can be weaponized."
Akira urged Kana out, and they fled.
In the corridor, distant footsteps grew louder. Glancing back, they saw a flock of bone-birds spilling from the windows, flooding the hallway.
"Run!" Akira shouted, pulling Kana's hand as they sprinted.
They reached the home economics room, diving inside. Akira slammed the door shut, barricading it with a cooking counter.
The bone-birds slammed against the door, but it held—for now.
The room was a mess of scattered utensils and ingredients. Kana, panting, grabbed a kitchen knife. "Could I… fight with this?"
"Too dangerous. I'll handle combat. Focus on staying safe," Akira said, arming himself with a frying pan and a chef's knife as makeshift weapons.
A rustling came from the ventilation duct.
Something skittered inside.
The duct's cover burst open, and small creatures poured out—cockroach-like, with jagged spines sprouting from their backs.
They scuttled across the floor, lunging at Akira and Kana.
Akira smashed one with the frying pan and cleaved another with his blade. Kana gripped her knife, but her hands shook, freezing her in place.
A spine-roach leaped at her feet. Akira crushed it under his boot.
"Kana, don't push yourself. I'll eliminate them," he said.
He dispatched the roaches, but the door's barricade began to groan. The bone-birds were relentless, the door buckling under their assault.
Akira met Kana's eyes. "We abandon this room. Next, the art room—we'll use its tools to fortify our defenses."
They slipped out the back exit, racing toward the art room.
Behind them, the door gave way, and the bone-birds surged after them.
The school had become an endless labyrinth, and their desperate flight continued.