Chapter6: The Chaos Begins
Before Kushina and Rudra could even reach the car, a strange noise cut through the evening air—a wet, slapping sound, followed by a sharp, agonized scream.
Rudra turned just in time to see one of the floating fishes darting toward a man who had been curiously watching the strange creatures. The fish's elegant, almost otherworldly form belied its deadly nature. In a single, swift motion, it latched onto the man's arm, its razor-sharp teeth tearing through flesh.
A large chunk of the man's arm was gone before he could even cry out. He collapsed to the ground, his body twitching, blood pooling around him.
Kushina screamed, her hand instinctively gripping Rudra's arm.
But the terror didn't end there.
The dark aura that had spilled from the crack in the sky began to swirl around the man's lifeless body. Rudra watched, horrified, as the aura seeped into the man's wounds. The blood flow ceased, and the man's skin turned ashen, his eyes clouding over.
Then, impossibly, he stood up.
His movements were jerky, unnatural, as if he were a marionette controlled by unseen strings. His head turned slowly, lifeless eyes scanning the area before locking onto the nearest living person—a young woman frozen in fear.
"No way…" Rudra muttered, his voice trembling. "That guy's... a zombie?"
Kushina was trembling beside him, her usual confidence and composure shattered by the scene unfolding before them. She could barely speak. "Rudra... what's happening?"
Rudra didn't answer. His eyes darted around, taking in the chaos spreading across the street. More of the fish-like creatures were attacking people, their once-elegant movements now terrifyingly predatory. Each bite led to the same result: death followed by resurrection.
He grabbed Kushina's hand, practically dragging her toward the car. "Get in. Now!"
"But—"
"Now!" he shouted, his voice more forceful than she'd ever heard.
Rudra shoved her into the passenger seat, slamming the door shut behind her before running around to the driver's side. His hands shook as he fumbled with the keys, but his mind raced even faster.
Rudra was calm on the outside, but inside, his thoughts were a whirlwind.
What do I do? he thought. This isn't a game. There's no respawning if I mess up. But... I have to protect her.
He glanced at Kushina, who was pale and clutching her seatbelt with trembling hands. She was scared, and for good reason. But Rudra couldn't let her see his own fear.
"I don't know what's happening yet," he said, his voice steadier than he felt. "But we'll figure it out. Just hold on."
The car roared to life, and Rudra slammed his foot on the gas.
As they sped away, Rudra couldn't resist one last glance at the sky.
The crack had widened further, spilling not only the vibrant, beautiful aura but also the darker, menacing energy. From it, larger monsters began to emerge—creatures that defied logic or biology.
He tightened his grip on the steering wheel.
Whatever this was, it wasn't going to stop anytime soon. And no matter how much he wanted to avoid fighting, Rudra knew one thing:
Sooner or later, he wouldn't have a choice.
The car sped along the winding mountain road, the hum of the engine blending with the faint rustle of trees outside. Kushina sat in the passenger seat, her face pale and her hands trembling slightly. She had calmed down somewhat, but her thoughts were a tangled mess.
What just happened back there? What were those things?
She glanced at Rudra, who was gripping the steering wheel tightly, his gaze focused ahead. His expression was stoic, but she could see the tension in his jaw and the way his knuckles whitened as he held the wheel.
"Rudra..." Kushina's voice was soft, almost hesitant.
"Yeah?" he replied, his eyes never leaving the road.
"I... I still don't understand. What were those creatures? Why did they attack us? What's happening?"
Rudra sighed, his mind still racing as he tried to piece things together. "I don't know, Aunt Kushina. All I know is that we were in danger, and we had to get out of there. That's all that mattered in the moment."
Kushina nodded, her thoughts shifting to what had just transpired. We were in life-threatening danger... and it was Rudra who made the quick decision. I froze. I hesitated.
She couldn't shake the image of Rudra pushing her into the car, his sharp command snapping her out of her fear-induced daze. He had acted with a clarity she hadn't expected, especially considering his usual laid-back demeanor.
"Rudra... you saved us," she said, her voice breaking slightly.
"Don't think about it too much," he replied, his voice steady but tinged with unease. "We're safe now. That's what matters."
Kushina fell silent, gazing out the window as the mountain road stretched before them. The scenery should have been calming—the trees, the cool air, the distant sound of birds—but everything felt wrong.
And then the car screeched to a halt.
Rudra slammed his foot on the brake, the tires skidding slightly on the road.
"What's wrong?" Kushina asked, jolted out of her thoughts.
Rudra pointed ahead. "Look."
In the middle of the road stood a massive black bear, its dark fur rippling unnaturally as it moved. Its sheer size was enough to make anyone pause, but what truly made Rudra's blood run cold was the unmistakable dark aura surrounding it.
The same aura he had seen back at the restaurant.
Kushina gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. "Is that... a bear? What's it doing here? There shouldn't be any bears in this area!"
Rudra's heart pounded in his chest. "It's not just a bear," he said grimly.
The bear growled low and deep, its eyes glowing faintly with an unnatural light. It took a lumbering step forward, its claws scraping against the asphalt, leaving faint marks behind.
Rudra tightened his grip on the wheel, his mind racing. A zombie bear? Are you kidding me?
The bear shouldn't have been there at all—this wasn't its habitat. And yet, not only was it here, but it had been corrupted by the same dark energy that turned people into monsters.
"What do we do?" Kushina whispered, her voice trembling.
Rudra took a deep breath, forcing himself to stay calm. "We wait. If it doesn't notice us, we'll back up slowly and find another way."
The bear stopped, its massive head tilting slightly as if sniffing the air. Then, it let out a guttural roar that echoed through the mountains, sending chills down their spines.
Rudra's jaw tightened. Of course, it noticed us.
As the bear took another step forward, its massive form blocking the road entirely, Rudra's mind raced for a solution.
The creature growled again, louder this time, its glowing eyes locked on the car.
Kushina clutched the seat, her knuckles white. "Rudra, what do we do?"
Rudra's gaze flicked between the bear and the rearview mirror. "We fight or we run. And I don't think running is an option anymore."
The bear roared again, and the dark aura around it seemed to intensify, pulsing like a living thing.