Leaving the AV room behind, Akira and Kana hurried through the school's corridors toward the chemistry lab. The tripod-spear in Akira's hand swayed slightly, and his partially repaired left arm sparked intermittently. Kana clutched the first aid kit to her chest, her face a mix of exhaustion and resolve as she pressed forward.
The distant creaking of the school's framework echoed, the night's darkness enveloping them.
Mid-stride, Akira's sensors flared. "Hostiles detected. Multiple entities approaching. Distance approximately fifteen meters."
Kana's breath hitched, and she edged closer to him. "They're coming again…"
"Affirmative. Combat preparations complete. We break through to the chemistry lab."
Akira readied his spear and deployed his right arm's blade.
From the corridor's end, two grotesque creatures emerged. One was a massive snail-like thing, its spiked shell dripping slime. The other resembled a centipede, but its head split open to reveal countless gnashing fangs.
Akira charged the snail, thrusting his spear into its shell. Cracks spiderwebbed across it, and slime sprayed as he dodged back, slashing its body with his blade.
The snail collapsed, but the centipede darted forward, aiming for his legs. Akira pinned its head with his left arm, shaky but functional, and drove the spear through its fangs. Black ichor splattered, sizzling as it ate into the floor.
"Threats neutralized. We proceed," Akira said, glancing at Kana.
She nodded, and they rushed toward the lab.
But a crash echoed behind them—shattering glass.
Turning, they saw a giant cricket-like creature leap through a window. Its metallic wings gleamed, and its legs struck the floor, sparking.
"Additional hostile detected. Engaging," Akira said, facing it.
The cricket beat its wings, unleashing a piercing sonic wave. Kana clutched her ears, and Akira staggered briefly.
He recovered in an instant, lunging to impale the creature's leg with his spear. It screeched, and his blade severed its head.
"Temporary safety secured. Five meters to the chemistry lab."
They sprinted, reaching the door. Diving inside, Akira barricaded it with a desk.
The lab reeked of chemicals, with lab equipment strewn haphazardly. Kana caught her breath, eyeing the shelves. "This is where we boost our firepower, right? Can we make something?"
"Correct. We'll use chemicals to create explosives, increasing damage output," Akira said, grabbing sulfuric acid and hydrogen peroxide from a shelf.
Kana followed his instructions, dropping a metal shard into a glass container. The mixture bubbled violently.
"Improvised explosive complete. Adjusted for throwing," Akira said.
Then, a scraping sound came from above—claws raking wood.
A ceiling panel gave way, and a massive earwig-like creature dropped through, its enormous pincers swinging toward Akira.
He hurled the explosive, sparking his blade against it. A deafening blast erupted, blowing the creature apart. Debris rained down, punching a hole in the lab's wall.
"Effectiveness confirmed. Explosive yield sufficient. Preparing for next hostiles," Akira said, grabbing more chemicals.
But the barricade groaned. Multiple presences closed in from outside.
Kana's eyes widened. "The boss's 'children'—there's this many of them?"
"Speculation: the entity controlling this anomaly continuously generates these creatures. We must reduce their numbers while identifying the mastermind," Akira replied calmly.
"So, where next?" Kana asked.
Akira glanced out the window. "The storage shed behind the school. Tools and materials can bolster our defenses. We move now."
They slipped out the lab's back exit, racing toward the school's rear.
Behind them, the door shattered, and a swarm of earwigs and crickets poured after them.