"Run, run, RUN!"
Hana's voice was sharp and frantic as she yanked Taro by the wrist, dragging him through the decaying hallways of the abandoned school. The ground behind them exploded into splinters as the monster lunged forward, its claws tearing through desks and walls like paper.
"What the hell is that thing?!" Taro shouted, his legs pumping desperately to keep up.
"Does it look like I know?!" Hana snapped, vaulting over a fallen locker. She landed with cat-like grace, her combat boots hitting the ground with a thud.
Taro wasn't so lucky. He tried to mimic her, but his foot caught on the edge, sending him sprawling face-first onto the floor.
"Seriously?!" Hana groaned, skidding to a halt. She grabbed him by the back of his jacket and hauled him to his feet. "You're like dead weight!"
"Sorry for not being parkour-certified!" Taro wheezed as they took off again.
The creature roared behind them, its three heads snapping and drooling as it barreled through the hallway. Its grotesque form seemed to grow larger with every passing second, its glowing eyes locked onto the pair.
"We're not gonna make it!" Taro shouted.
"We're gonna make it! Shut up and keep running!" Hana growled, pulling him harder.
They burst into the stairwell, the beast hot on their heels. Without slowing down, Hana leapt over the railing, dragging Taro with her.
"ARE YOU CRAZY?!" he screamed, flailing mid-air.
"Better than being monster chow!" she yelled back.
They landed on the next flight down, Hana gracefully, Taro with a loud "oof!"
"Focus, Haruma!" Hana snapped as they kept moving, dodging debris and leaping over obstacles. The walls shook violently, dust raining down as the creature smashed its way after them.
Taro's lungs burned, his legs felt like jelly, but he couldn't tear his eyes away from Hana. The way she moved, the way she gritted her teeth and pushed forward without hesitation—she was incredible. For a fleeting moment, amidst the chaos, he thought, Maybe she's the one. My dream girl.
"Stop staring at me and run faster!" Hana barked, snapping him back to reality.
"Right, sorry!"
They reached the third floor, only to find themselves trapped. The hallway ended in a massive hole, the only way out a shattered window.
"Uh… any ideas?" Taro asked, gulping as he peered down at the three-story drop.
"Yeah," Hana said, tightening her grip on his wrist.
"Wait, no. No! Don't even think—"
Too late.
With a fierce yell, Hana dragged Taro toward the window and leapt.
"OH MY GOD, WE'RE GONNA DIE!" Taro screamed as they plummeted.
The wind whipped past them, the world a blur of chaos and noise. Hana held onto Taro tightly, her eyes blazing with determination. Taro, on the other hand, was too busy screaming to think straight.
They hit the ground with a bone-rattling thud, Hana landing in a perfect roll while Taro collapsed like a ragdoll beside her.
"I—I'm alive," Taro gasped, staring at the sky.
"Not for long!" Hana snapped, pulling him to his feet again.
The beast leapt from the shattered window, landing in front of them with an earth-shaking crash. Its three heads snarled, saliva dripping from its jagged teeth as it stalked closer.
Hana raised her hand, willing the golden hammer to appear. "Come on… come on!"
Nothing.
"Anytime now!" she yelled, shaking her hand as if that would help.
"Uh, Mikoshiba-san?" Taro whispered, backing away.
"What?!"
"It's… still coming!"
The creature crouched, ready to pounce. Its heads snapped in unison, letting out a guttural roar that made the ground tremble.
"Well," Taro said, his voice trembling. "I guess this is it."
Hana glanced at him, her eyes softening for a moment. "You're such an idiot."
"Yeah, well, I should probably confess something before we die," Taro blurted out.
Hana blinked. "What?"
"I accidentally touched your boobs earlier. I mean, it wasn't on purpose, but—"
"ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!"
"Hey, we're about to die! I don't want to go out with unresolved guilt!"
Hana opened her mouth to yell at him, but the beast lunged, cutting her off. The two of them clung to each other, squeezing their eyes shut.
A deafening BOOM filled the air, followed by a wave of intense heat that made their skin prickle. The force of the blast knocked them to the ground, their ears ringing.
"What the hell was that?!" Hana shouted, her voice barely audible over the fading echo of the explosion.
Taro peeked through his fingers, his jaw dropping. The beast's massive body lay crumpled on the ground, its three heads reduced to ash.
"It's… gone?" he stammered.
Hana pulled herself to her feet, staring at the scene in disbelief. "What just happened?"
"That," Taro said, pointing.
They turned to see three figures standing behind them. Each wore sleek, black suits with glowing accents and dark sunglasses. One of them held a futuristic weapon, its barrel still smoking from the shot. It didn't look like any gun Taro had ever seen—more like something out of a sci-fi movie.
"Who the hell are those?" Hana muttered, her voice low.