Half an hour earlier.
After Kiryu and the other two left, the classroom on the 3rd floor was filled with oppressive low pressure.
The situation for the girl named Yumi seemed to be getting worse.
She was developing a high fever, constantly murmuring deliriously.
Her skin was as red as if scorched by burning charcoal.
Just looking at it made one feel the heat emanating from her.
“Waaah, Yumi…”
Stifled sobs echoed in the empty classroom.
The girls huddled in a corner, each crying with red, swollen eyes.
They wept as they looked at the one-armed girl who occasionally cried out in pain and sometimes twitched.
Any normal person could see…
This girl was about to turn into a mindless zombie.
“Enough, Hayato.
Let me just kill Yumi!”
Kakeru, who had been crouching on the ground, released his tightly clenched fists and stood up abruptly.
He spoke to Hayato, who also looked grim, with obvious irritation.
Just moments ago, he had proposed more than once that they kill Yumi, who had been bitten by a zombie.
Once the girl turned into a zombie, it would be even harder to do.
Regarding his proposal, some of the students in the classroom thought it was too cruel and couldn’t bear to do it.
Others believed that better an end than pain without end and agreed with his action.
After a heated vote, the count was temporarily in the lead for those against taking action.
With no other choice, Kakeru and the others had to endure it for the time being.
Although Hayato’s personality was indecisive, he also knew that they couldn’t just passively stay in the classroom forever.
With so many people trapped together without food or drink, bigger problems would arise sooner or later.
“Kakeru, I want to form a team to go outside and survey the situation.
Are you willing to join?”
Looking at his friend’s earnest eyes, tinged with a hint of expectation, Kakeru’s pupils wavered a few times.
He instinctively wanted to avoid them.
“Well…
Hayato, you know how dangerous it is out there.” He stammered, his dry, chapped lips moving hesitantly.
“That bastard Kiryu hasn’t come back since he left…
Yukinoshita and Yui are probably both already…”
At that point, he sensed something was wrong and stopped.
I believe she won’t die.”
“…”
Kakeru was silent.
He understood why Hayato was reacting this way.
This friend of his had actually harbored feelings for Yukino’s older sister, Yukinoshita Haruno, since childhood.
That was why Hayato didn’t want that ice-cold girl to die in this apocalypse world, leading to his own inability to account to Haruno in the future.
The proud, ice-cold Yukino was a well-known “flower on the summit” in the high school division, possessing a cold, aloof aura that kept people at a distance.
For people she wasn’t interested in, she wouldn’t even spare an extra word.
Not even someone as outstanding as Hayato could make the proud Yukino so much as glance his way.
But that woman had resolutely trusted Kiryu and followed him out to take risks…
A flicker of subtle envy arose again in his heart.
Kakeru closed his eyes, and clenched his fists tightly.
As he took a deep, deep breath, his heartbeat, in the quiet room, grew increasingly intense.
‘Am I, Tobe Kakeru…
really that worthless?’
‘If that Kazama Kiryu can muster the courage to go out and take risks, am I really inferior to him?’
The next second,
The young man suddenly opened his eyes and said to Hayato in a low voice, “Hayato, I’ve made up my mind.”
“There are so many of us.
We must find enough resources to continue surviving.”
“If that guy Kiryu can do it, why can’t we?
I’m willing to lead a team out to search for resources…”
“Good man, Kakeru.
I knew I wasn’t wrong about you.”
Hearing this, Hayato quickly turned around, pressed his hands firmly on Kakeru’s shoulders, his eyes showing emotion.
“Don’t worry, I’ve already thought about the team members…
Ooka, Yamato, you, me, plus those boys from the sports club.”
“We have sharp melee weapons and several decent ‘Newcomer Gifts’ in hand…
As long as we’re careful, we can definitely gather enough supplies.”
“If we’re lucky enough to find firearms, those walking corpses won’t stand a chance against us!”
“Firearms…
guns?” Enjoying the story? Read on at g.com.
Dangling carrots was a basic skill for a qualified leader.
Hayato clearly understood Kakeru and the others’ personalities well.
Highly lethal firearms would undoubtedly ignite the boys’ fighting spirit and suppress the fear of harsh reality in their hearts.
“Yeah, as long as we gather enough weapons, we can become heroes like Kiryu-kun too!”
Hayato’s eyes narrowed slightly as he fanned the flames.
“Heroes, huh?”
Remembering the scene of Kiryu indifferently swinging his sword, saving Yumi’s life at a critical moment, Kakeru and the others felt their blood surge with excitement.
They instinctively puffed out their chests.
They scanned the entire room.
The girls had evidently heard their conversation as well, Casting looks of expectation their way.
‘As long as we survive, survive…’
The boys’ hot gazes swept over several of the prettier girls in the crowd…
“Yumiko, come here.”
Hayato gripped the fire axe in his hand and called Yumiko over.
“Listen carefully.
When Yumi turns into a zombie, chaos will inevitably break out.
I want you to kill her yourself.”
“Hayato, I…?!”
Yumiko’s head shot up, somewhat shocked as she looked at the expressionless Hayato.
Her moist, wide eyes were filled with helplessness and fear.
“This is not a request, it’s an order.
We’ve already wasted too much time.”
Hayato sighed slightly, somewhat disappointed as he looked at Yumiko.
Her performance was truly hard to evaluate.
“If you can’t do it, I’ll stay here.”
“No, I can do it.”
Yumiko caught the meaning in his eyes.
Angrily, she snatched the fire axe from his hand, then walked towards the back without looking back.
“Let’s go.”
Hayato shook his head, said no more, and led Kakeru and the others out of the classroom.
The hallway outside was, unexpectedly, eerily quiet.