The first scream came just after lunch.
It was faint—too far off to interrupt class, but loud enough that the window by my desk caught it. A shriek, sharp and panicked, slicing through the ordinary hum of school life like a warning bell only I seemed to hear.
Takashi stirred next to me. His head rose slowly from his folded arms. I saw his brow furrow, that vague unease crossing his face like static before a storm. Somewhere deep in him, he felt it too.
[Alert: Timeline Convergence Detected. Event Trigger – "The Gate."]
[System Note: You might want to get moving. The appetizer's here.]
I stood up.
The teacher turned, eyes narrowing. "Something wrong?"
"Bathroom," I muttered, already halfway to the door.
I didn't wait for permission. I bolted down the hall.
By the time I reached the front gate, the infected teacher was already pounding on it. The security guard had just opened the lock, muttering something under his breath. I watched from the top of the stairs as the old man stepped forward—
—and the teacher lunged.
Blood sprayed across the pavement in a bright, wet arc. Screams followed a second later. Students stopped walking. Heads turned. A ripple of chaos began spreading outward like a crack in glass.
[System Warning: Infection radius expanding. Population ignorance at critical mass. Recommend strategic withdrawal or immediate influence deployment.]
I didn't move.
This was the moment. The point of no return.
And Komuro was still upstairs.
I sprinted back through the halls, shouldering past stunned students. Some had noticed the screams. Others still laughed, oblivious. That wouldn't last long.
Third floor. Classroom 2-A.
I kicked the door open.
Takashi had already stood up. His instincts were screaming at him, even if he didn't know why.
"What the hell—?"
"You need to find Rei. Now," I said, out of breath. "Go to the front of the school. She's near the gate."
His eyes narrowed. "How do you—?"
"No time. Trust me or don't. But if you waste another minute, she dies."
Something in my voice must've struck the right chord. His hesitation lasted a second. Then he was gone, grabbing his bag and tearing out of the room like he already knew the answer.
[System Commentary: Well, look at you, nudging canon like a pro.]
[Reward: +1 Influence – Canon Divergence. Skill Fragment Unlocked.]
What the hell is a skill fragment?
[You'll find out. If you live.]
I didn't follow Takashi.
I had my own problems.
By the time I reached the stairwell, the infection had spread fast. A girl screamed just above me. Her boyfriend was clutching his shoulder, blood pouring through his fingers. She backed into a wall, sobbing, as his body twitched unnaturally. Then he turned.
He didn't even hesitate.
I yanked her down the stairs before he could bite her, catching a glimpse of dead eyes and jagged teeth. We hit the landing hard. She whimpered, wide-eyed and trembling.
"Keep moving," I told her. "Don't stop."
She nodded and ran. I didn't bother watching where.
I had one goal now—find Miyako. If she died here, my first contract shattered. And with it, my best chance of surviving the first wave.
I found her near the back entrance, standing frozen in the hallway as chaos unfolded just beyond the glass doors. A cluster of students were trapped against the fence. Screams. Blood. The wet, rhythmic crunch of something eating.
"Miyako!" I grabbed her wrist, dragging her into the side stairwell. "We're leaving. Now."
She looked at me, eyes huge. "What—what's happening—?"
"Do you trust me?"
"I—" Her voice caught in her throat. Then she swallowed hard. "Yes."
That was all I needed.
[Contract Stability Reinforced: 98%. Emotional Anchor Strengthened. Bonus Triggered – [Shared Escape].]
[Effect: If both parties remain within ten meters of each other, enemy detection range reduced by 40%.]
We moved fast.
The back hallway was a mess. Broken windows. Blood trails. A locker door bent inward where someone had slammed against it. A boy ran past us, shoes slick with red, eyes wild with terror. I didn't stop him. He was already dead—just hadn't caught up with the fact yet.
Miyako stayed close, clutching my arm. She didn't scream. She didn't break down.
Terror, yes—but she moved.
We made it to the faculty lot. Empty. Quiet.
For now.
[System Update: Initial outbreak reached critical spread. Casualty projection: 62% within three hours. Urban collapse: Estimated within twenty-four.]
[New Quest: Establish a Base of Operations. Optional – Recruit Survivors. Reward: Skill Unlock, Safe Zone Buff, Tactical Interface Upgrade.]
I stared at the message for half a second. Then looked at Miyako, breathing hard beside me.
We weren't safe. Not even close.
But we were alive.
And that was step one.