"Shit..."
Sosuke Kitahara cursed under his breath. He kicked off with full force and darted down toward the ground. Behind him, the entire tunnel collapsed in a roar of destruction. Cracks spread like lightning, and massive debris chased after him, brushing just past his heels in a deadly race.
He twisted and leapt with agility, dodging falling rocks as a bloody gust of wind suddenly came for the back of his head. Sosuke gritted his teeth and sprang into the air, his foot stomping hard on the ground as he shot out like an arrow from a bow.
Boom
The pitch-dark tunnel finally collapsed completely. Like a beast clamping down its jaws, the crumbling passage sealed itself behind him just inches from his boots. Sosuke tumbled out, rolling over the dirt before planting his foot on a nearby tree to stabilize himself.
Nearby, Utaha Kasumigaoka was still firing at the remaining zombies when she spotted him and ran over. Covered in dust, Sosuke spat out the grit in his mouth and looked toward the newly formed pit behind them.
Crack
A giant, bluish arm burst from the eight-meter-deep crater, shooting straight toward the sky like a pillar. Utaha's face paled in horror at the sight of the clenched, towering fist.
Sosuke immediately shoved her aside and shouted, "Go! That thing's not dead yet!"
Dragging Utaha with him, Sosuke sprinted toward the battered airport bus. Once he confirmed that Haruno Yukinoshita and the others were on board, he slammed the gear into drive and stomped on the accelerator.
The front of the bus plowed through a horde of zombies before Sosuke stole one last glance at the crater through the rearview mirror. The Tyrant's massive, grey arm still stood motionless.
There was no way a monster like that died so easily.
But then… why wasn't it moving?
Sosuke frowned.
Still, there was no time to ponder. He floored the gas pedal, and the airport bus roared toward the rear exit. The area had once been a bustling, town-like space filled with traffic and chatter.
Now, it was nothing but a graveyard. The roads were eerily empty no signs of life anywhere.
But Sosuke didn't dare slow down.
Something was off.
Too many strange things had happened inside this airport. That Tyrant where did it even come from?
Woosh
As the airport bus disappeared over the horizon, a black figure landed silently at the edge of the crater.
Long, black hair fluttered in the night wind.
Standing atop the motionless Tyrant's clenched fist was a petite girl wrapped in black. Her presence was serene, almost ethereal. Zombies swarmed nearby, but not a single one dared approach.
The girl's face was covered by a mask, revealing only her closed eyes.
Her black cloak danced in the breeze, elegant and ominous.
She tilted her chin upward, as if relishing the feeling of the night air on her face.
Then her eyes slowly opened.
Crack. Crack.
She tilted her head with a soft sigh, a mysterious smile curling at her lips.
"Well, now... this is interesting."
A second-tier had appeared.
She stretched lazily, her white, delicate arms rising like those sculpted by a master artist. The sensual murmur that escaped her lips was as lazy and alluring as a succubus luring prey.
Suddenly, she let out a quiet "Hm?"
Roughly three kilometers to the right another first-tier.
"Which one to play with?"
She tapped her toe lightly on the Tyrant's knuckle, and with that, vanished into the wind, chasing after the bus.
...
The sun had long since set.
Heavy clouds cloaked the sky, and the moonlight was nowhere to be seen. The dilapidated airport bus rumbled along the empty highway. Its lone headlight barely pierced the darkness ahead. The world around them had lost its glow. There were no lights, no signs of civilization, just a silence broken only by the occasional groan of the undead.
The passengers, exhausted after a day of terror, had long fallen asleep. Even without Sosuke's command to rest, their bodies had reached their limits. Heavy snores filled the bus.
But even in sleep, their brows were furrowed.
Faces familiar and now forever lost still haunted their dreams.
They had once shared dreams, laughter, even silly arguments.
Now, they were nothing but memories.
"You're not asleep?"
Sosuke had handed the wheel to Kiichiro and was now seated in the back. He gently stroked Utaha Kasumigaoka's soft black hair as she lay curled up on his lap.
Utaha sighed softly and said, "Yeah. I can't sleep. I finally understand what people mean by life's unpredictability. So many died before we even learned their names. I used to think I had grown numb to it all... but the more I see, the more afraid I become."
"Afraid of what? I'm still here, aren't I?" Sosuke chuckled, "Even if we die, we'll be on the same path to the afterlife. At least we won't be lonely."
Utaha rolled onto her back and gazed up at him, her dark eyes shimmering with emotion.
Then, without a word, she threw an arm around his neck, her face full of affection.
Sosuke glanced at the rearview mirror, then pulled her tightly into his embrace.
Their lips met, deepening in passion, breath against breath...
"Kitahara... how much longer? I'm kinda hungry."
A voice shattered the moment.
Across from them, Haruno Yukinoshita sat up, yawning and rubbing her sleepy eyes. Her soft pink lips still carried the drowsiness of sleep.
Sosuke looked helplessly at Utaha, who huffed and sat upright, brushing her hair behind her ear.
"Tell Kiichiro to find a place to stop. Everyone's still wet we need fire or someone's gonna catch a cold," she said with a hint of irritation.
"Fine, fine."
Sosuke stood up and pinched Yukinoshita's delicate nose playfully before heading to the front.
"How's it looking?" he asked Kiichiro.
"No idea. No map, and the signs are all messed up. I'm just heading in the general direction," Kiichiro replied, glancing back. "Also... we're running low on fuel. We'll need to find diesel soon."
Sosuke nodded just as Kiichiro slowed down.
As if on cue, a silhouette appeared ahead.
An old highway gas station.
Sosuke's eyes lit up, slapping Kiichiro's shoulder. "Slow down!"
Squeal
The airport bus groaned to a stop.
Before them stood a large, half-ruined gas station. Beyond it, the adjacent lot was jammed with abandoned vehicles of all kinds.
Evidence of the chaos when the outbreak hit when terrified survivors had fled, abandoning everything behind.