The day the world changed started just like any other.
Kai Ren, a striking red-haired man with a handsome face, sat in the back row of his classroom, staring blankly at the whiteboard. The droning voice of his math teacher faded into the background as he idly spun his pen between his fingers. Around him, the class was abuzz with whispers, the kind that came before an impending storm. Even the teacher's tired eyes betrayed a hint of worry.
"Have you heard?" one student whispered to another across the aisle. "They say something's going on in the city. My dad works at the hospital—people are getting sick, but it's… different this time."
Kai heard the whispers, but he didn't care. It was just another distraction. Whatever it was, it didn't concern him. At least, not yet.
His phone vibrated in his pocket. Glancing down, he saw a news alert on the screen: "BREAKING: Unexplained Viral Outbreak in Central District, City on Lockdown."
Kai's eyes flickered with mild interest. He scanned the room, noting the tension in the air. Most of the students were focused on their phones, exchanging worried looks. But Kai wasn't one to panic. Instead, he smiled faintly. Panic made people predictable, and predictability made them easy to control.
That's when the announcement came over the loudspeakers.
"Attention all students and faculty. This is a mandatory evacuation. Please remain calm and proceed to the gymnasium in an orderly fashion. Do not leave the school grounds."
The teacher stammered, trying to organize the class, but the panic had already set in. Students scrambled from their seats, some rushing toward the windows, others trying to call their parents. Chaos was setting in, and Kai observed it all with calculated indifference.
Then, he stood.
As he moved toward the exit, a familiar voice called out to him.
"Kai! Wait!"
Turning, Kai saw Rina Sato rushing toward him, her face pale with fear. Rina had always been one of the more athletic girls in class—captain of the track team, with a reputation for being strong and determined. But now, she looked like a frightened animal.
"What's happening?" she asked, her voice trembling. "Do you think it's serious?"
Kai hesitated for a moment, gauging her reaction. Rina had always been easy to manipulate—naive, trusting, and desperate for guidance in times of uncertainty. The perfect follower.
"It's probably nothing," Kai said, his voice calm and reassuring. "But it's better to be prepared."
Rina's shoulders relaxed slightly at his words, and she fell into step beside him as they made their way through the hallways, dodging panicked students. Kai noticed a few teachers trying to maintain order, but they were fighting a losing battle. No one was listening anymore.
As they approached the stairs leading to the gym, Kai's phone vibrated again. Another news update. His eyes narrowed as he read the headline: **"Outbreak Spreading Rapidly: Violent Attacks Reported, Military En Route."**
He pocketed his phone, his mind already calculating the next move. Whatever was happening, it was getting worse. The school was no longer safe.
"Kai," Rina whispered, her voice trembling. "Do you think we should really go to the gym? What if—"
Before she could finish her sentence, a blood-curdling scream echoed down the hall.
It came from behind them.
Kai turned sharply. Several students were running in the opposite direction, terror etched into their faces. And then he saw it—one of the teachers, covered in blood, staggering down the hallway toward them. His eyes were wild, and his skin was gray, almost decayed. His mouth was twisted in an unnatural snarl.
"What the hell…" Rina gasped, stepping back in horror.
Kai's mind raced. This wasn't just a viral outbreak. This was something far worse. The teacher lunged at a nearby student, sinking his teeth into the boy's shoulder. Blood sprayed across the walls, and the boy's screams filled the hallway as he was dragged to the ground.
This wasn't an infection. It was a massacre.
"Kai, we have to go!" Rina grabbed his arm, her voice shaking with fear.
For the first time, Kai felt a strange surge of adrenaline. But not fear. No, this was something different. Something... thrilling.
He yanked Rina toward the stairwell, forcing her to move faster. The infected teacher wasn't far behind, and the hallway was rapidly filling with more students running in blind panic. Kai's mind worked quickly, calculating the best route of escape.
Ding!
Suddenly, a strange notification appeared in his field of vision. It was as though it had popped up in the air itself—a translucent window with bold text.
---
[Military System Activated]
- Name: Kai Ren
- Rank: Private
- Abilities Unlocked: Tactical Awareness, Combat Proficiency (Level 1), Leadership Insight
---
For a brief moment, Kai froze in place. His eyes widened as the words hovered before him, glowing faintly in his vision. It was as though he had suddenly entered a game—but this was no game. He could feel it in his bones, in the air around him. This was real.
"What the hell is this…?" he muttered under his breath.
"Kai, what are you doing?!" Rina screamed, pulling him further into the stairwell.
But Kai wasn't listening. His mind was racing. The Military System? What did that even mean? He didn't have time to figure it out, but the information was already flooding into his brain. Tactical Awareness. Combat Proficiency. Leadership Insight. It was as though his instincts had been heightened, sharpened like a blade.
"Rina," Kai said, his voice cold and commanding. "Follow me. Now."
Rina blinked, startled by the sudden change in his tone. But she obeyed without hesitation, following him down the stairwell.
As they reached the bottom, Kai glanced around, quickly assessing the situation. His new Tactical Awareness kicked in, and everything seemed clearer now. He could see the patterns in the chaos—the way the infected moved, the blind spots in their attacks, the opportunities for survival.
"We need weapons," he said, scanning the area.
"The gym storage room," Rina stammered. "There should be some equipment there. Bats, maybe—"
"Good. Let's go."
They sprinted toward the gym, dodging past more fleeing students. Kai's eyes were constantly on the move, analyzing every corner, every exit. His mind was clearer than it had ever been, as if the system had unlocked a part of his brain he hadn't even known existed.
When they reached the gym, it was nearly empty—most of the students had either fled or were trapped in other parts of the school. Kai headed straight for the storage room, yanking the door open. Inside, he found what he needed: metal baseball bats, sturdy and reliable. He tossed one to Rina.
"Can you fight?" he asked, his tone cold and pragmatic.
Rina hesitated, gripping the bat with trembling hands. "I-I don't know…"
"You'll have to learn fast."
Before she could respond, another scream echoed through the gym. Kai turned to see more of the infected stumbling through the doors. Their eyes were blank, their movements erratic, but they were fast—faster than the infected Kai had seen in movies.
No time for hesitation.
With a surge of newfound confidence, Kai swung the bat at the first infected to reach him. The impact was brutal—bone cracking against metal—and the creature crumpled to the ground. Blood sprayed across the floor, but Kai didn't flinch. His Combat Proficiency had kicked in, guiding his movements with precision and efficiency.
"Stay behind me," he ordered, his voice icy.
Rina obeyed, her eyes wide with fear and admiration. She watched as Kai dispatched the infected one by one, his movements fluid and controlled. It was as though he had done this a hundred times before—like he was born for this.
The gym was soon littered with bodies, the infected lying in pools of blood at Kai's feet. He stood over them, his chest heaving, but his expression was calm. Collected.
Rina stared at him, her hands shaking. "How did you…?"
Kai wiped the blood from his face, his eyes cold and calculating. He glanced at the system notification still hovering in his vision.
"This is just the beginning," he said quietly, more to himself than to her.
Rina didn't respond. She didn't need to. In that moment, she knew something had changed. Not just in the world around them—but in Kai.
And as for Kai, he couldn't help but smile.
For the first time in his life, he felt alive.