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Chapter 5: Fractures in the Wall
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The atmosphere in the school grew heavier with each passing hour. The revelation of a man-made virus had unsettled everyone, casting a long shadow over their already fragile hope. Kaito Takeda sat at the edge of the room, his spear leaning against the wall beside him. His eyes lingered on the crumpled document he had found in the library, its words echoing in his mind: "Experimental Virus Zeta: Preliminary Trials."
Ayumi Sato sat nearby, sharpening her dagger with focused determination. Her silence mirrored Kaito's, though her sharp glances betrayed her restless thoughts. Across the room, Ryo Takahashi and Hana Yamamoto debated over their map, while Akari Fujiwara quietly tended to their dwindling medical supplies.
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Tension Among the Group
"We can't stay here much longer," Ryo said, pointing to their current location on the map. His tone was clipped, his frustration evident. "The infected are getting smarter. We barely made it back today, and this school is too exposed."
Hana leaned over the table, her fiery red hair catching the dim light. "I agree, but we can't just rush into the next fight. If we leave without a clear destination, we'll just be running blind."
Akari, her long black hair framing her pale face, glanced up from her work. "What about the train station? You said it might be fortified."
Ryo shook his head. "I did, but that doesn't mean it's safe. For all we know, it could be overrun now."
The bickering grew louder, their voices filling the room. Ayumi glanced at Kaito, who remained silent, his expression unreadable.
Finally, Ayumi spoke. "Enough. Fighting each other isn't going to solve anything. We need a plan, not arguments."
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The Proposal
Kaito stood, his voice cutting through the tension. "We're not going anywhere until we know more about the infected—and whoever caused this." He tapped the document on the table. "This isn't just some random outbreak. There's a reason behind all of this, and if we're going to survive, we need to figure it out."
"And how do we do that?" Ryo asked, folding his arms.
Kaito hesitated for a moment before continuing, carefully choosing his words. "The clues we've been gathering—they aren't random. It's almost like there's something guiding us. The title I earned, the missions we keep taking… they all lead us toward answers."
Ayumi raised an eyebrow. "You mean the title system you told us about earlier?"
"Yes," Kaito confirmed. "When I killed that first infected, something activated inside me. I didn't understand it at first, but it's like a… game overlay. It gives me missions, tracks progress, and offers rewards. I know it sounds insane, but it's been right so far."
The group exchanged uneasy glances.
"I can vouch for him," Ayumi said, cutting through the silence. "I've seen the notifications, too. If we follow this, we might actually get somewhere."
Ryo exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair. "So, we're basing our survival on a mysterious system? This just gets weirder by the day."
"It's all we have," Hana said quietly. "And so far, it's kept us alive."
Kaito nodded. "We follow the leads it gives us. Right now, that means figuring out who's behind this and how we stop it."
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System Notification
As if on cue, the translucent screen appeared before Kaito, its glowing text casting a faint light.
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System Notification:
Quest Progress Update
Mission: Investigate the Infected's Origin
Objective: Gather clues from key locations around the city.
Progress: 1/3 clues found
Reward: 20,000 Experience Points, ???
New Objective Added:
Search the Train Station for Key Intel
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Kaito shared the notification with the group, their expressions shifting from curiosity to determination.
"Looks like the train station's next," Ayumi said, her tone decisive.
"Then we move tomorrow," Kaito replied. "We'll need to be ready for anything."
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The Night's Watch
The group settled in for the night, though none of them expected much rest. The school, once a place of learning and laughter, now felt more like a tomb. Shadows danced on the walls, and every creak of the building sent shivers down their spines.
Kaito took the first watch, his spear resting across his lap. Ayumi joined him after a while, her presence a quiet comfort.
"Do you think we'll make it through this?" she asked softly, her gaze fixed on the darkened hallway.
Kaito hesitated before answering. "I don't know. But I do know we can't stop now. If we give up, everything we've done so far means nothing."
Ayumi nodded, though her expression remained troubled. "You carry a lot on your shoulders, Kaito. Don't forget you're not alone in this."
He glanced at her, surprised by the sincerity in her voice. "I won't."
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The Train Station Expedition
Morning came with a heavy fog, the air damp and cold as the group prepared to leave. They moved through the deserted streets, sticking to the shadows as they approached the train station. The journey was tense, every sound putting them on edge.
When they reached the station, it was eerily quiet. The once-bustling hub was now a skeletal structure, its walls scarred and its platforms littered with debris.
"Stay close," Kaito whispered, leading the way inside.
The group moved cautiously, their weapons drawn. The station's interior was dark, the faint light from outside barely illuminating the ruined benches and shattered glass.
They searched the area methodically, but it wasn't long before the infected found them.
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The Fight in the Shadows
The first infected came from the shadows, its glowing eyes giving it away. Kaito reacted instantly, his spear striking true.
"More incoming!" Ryo shouted, his voice echoing through the station.
The group formed a defensive circle, their movements coordinated despite the chaos. Hana swung her crowbar with practiced precision, while Ayumi darted around the infected, her dagger flashing in the dim light.
Akari stayed behind the others, her trembling hands gripping a blade. When an infected broke through their line, she managed to stab it, though the effort left her shaken.
Kaito's system chimed with updates, the notifications driving him to fight harder.
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System Notification:
Quest Progress Update
Mission: Kill 10 Infected
Progress: 8/10
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After a grueling fight, the group managed to clear the immediate area. They were battered but alive, their breaths heavy in the stillness that followed.
"We can't keep doing this," Ryo said, leaning against a broken bench. "Every fight drains us, and they just keep coming."
Kaito didn't respond. His attention was drawn to a strange object half-buried under rubble—a small device with a blinking light.
"What's that?" Ayumi asked, noticing his focus.
Kaito picked it up, turning it over in his hands. It looked like a recording device, its casing scratched but intact.
"This might be what we're looking for," he said.
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A Glimmer of Hope
Back at the school, the group gathered around the device as Kaito pressed play. The recording crackled to life, a man's voice speaking in clipped, urgent tones.
"This is Dr. Kuroda. The virus… it's worse than we anticipated. We've lost control. If you're hearing this, find the laboratory in District 5. Everything started there. The truth is buried in the data…"
The recording ended abruptly, leaving the group in stunned silence.
"The lab," Kaito said, his voice firm. "That's our next target."
The weight of the journey ahead was clear, but for the first time, they had a lead—a direction in the chaos.
"We'll be ready," Ayumi said, her tone resolute.
The group exchanged determined looks. They didn't have all the answers yet, but they had each other. For now, that was enough.