Chapter 1: The First Move
The pieces clacked softly against the wooden chessboard as Hikaru narrowed his eyes, staring at the board like his life depended on it. Across from him, Kaito smirked, spinning a pawn between his fingers.
"Check," Kaito said confidently, tapping his knight forward.
Hikaru sighed, leaning back in his chair. "You're enjoying this too much."
"Of course. It's not every day I get to take 2,000 yen from you."
Around them, their classmates gathered, whispering bets and cheering for their favorites. The atmosphere was lighthearted—until it wasn't.
A scream. Then another.
The laughter and chatter died instantly as the sound of chaos erupted outside the classroom. It wasn't just one person screaming—it was dozens. The hallway was filled with the panicked echoes of students running, shouting, crying.
Hikaru exchanged a glance with Kaito. Something was wrong.
"What the hell…?" One of their classmates, Ren, stood up and moved toward the door. The others hesitated but followed. Hikaru's heartbeat quickened as he approached the door and pulled it open.
The sight made his blood run cold.
Corpses. Moving corpses.
Students and teachers, their eyes blank and bloodshot, their mouths twisted unnaturally, were limping down the hallway. Some were missing chunks of flesh. Some had broken limbs but still moved forward, their fingers twitching hungrily.
Zombies.
For a second, no one moved. Then, instinct kicked in.
"RUN!" someone screamed.
Panic exploded in the classroom as Hikaru, Kaito, and about ten other boys bolted out, shoving past desks and chairs. They didn't know where they were going—just away from whatever those things were.
"7C!" someone yelled. "It's the most remote class!"
Hikaru barely had time to think before his feet carried him toward the empty classroom. Doors were slamming open and shut in the distance, screams turning into gargled cries. They turned a corner—7C was right there.
They made it.
Hikaru slammed the door shut, chest heaving. The others collapsed around him, panting. For a moment, they were safe.
But safety never lasted.
A loud bang came from the other side of the door. Then another.
"What the hell?!" Kaito shouted.
Three figures stood outside. Takeshi, Kuroshin, and Tatsuya—the school bullies. And they were furious.
"Open the damn door!" Takeshi roared, slamming his fist against it.
"No way!" someone inside shouted.
Tatsuya scowled. "Fine. Then we'll do it ourselves."
Before anyone could react, Tatsuya let out a guttural yell and kicked the door down with brute force. The moment it swung open, chaos erupted.
Students inside screamed as the bullies stormed in, fists swinging. Tatsuya grabbed the nearest student and slammed him against the wall. Kuroshin threw a punch, knocking another student to the floor. It was an all-out brawl.
Hikaru and Kaito braced themselves, staying close. They weren't cowards, but they also weren't stupid. Fighting among themselves was the worst thing they could do right now.
"Enough!"
A new voice rang out, strong and commanding.
Everyone froze.
At the entrance of 7C stood Renji—a senior known for his wisdom and calm nature. He wasn't the strongest, nor the loudest, but when he spoke, people listened.
"Look at yourselves," Renji said, stepping forward. "Are we really going to fight each other when monsters are out there?"
Silence.
He looked at each of them, his expression grave. "Think about your families. Your parents. Your siblings. Do you think they'll be safe if we keep acting like this? If we tear each other apart instead of finding a way to survive?"
Tatsuya clenched his fists but said nothing. Kuroshin looked away. Takeshi kicked the broken door in frustration but didn't argue.
Hikaru swallowed hard. Renji was right. The real enemy wasn't inside this classroom—it was out there. And it was coming for them.
This was only the beginning.