---
"That should be the last one, right?"
A calm female voice drifted into Takumi's ears as he stared out at the mass of undead.
"Did Hikigaya and Megumi finish their tasks without trouble?"
He turned away from the gruesome sight, swallowing the nausea that had become almost familiar.
Saeko Busujima stood nearby, her body still stained from head to toe. Blood clung to her uniform, and an unsettling flush colored her cheeks beneath it all. Yet she wore a bright, almost serene smile.
Seeing no rejection in his expression, her smile softened further before she answered.
"No problems. The plan was for them to call if anything went wrong. Otherwise, they stay silent."
Takumi nodded, wiping his face with a fallen student's jacket.
"Let's head back then."
Saeko glanced at the surrounding corpses with mild unease.
"The other students are handling cleanup," Takumi said, reading her hesitation without looking at her.
She exhaled lightly in irritation. "I didn't say anything."
"...Yet," he replied flatly.
They began walking back toward the gymnasium, dragging exhausted bodies across a field scattered with white, green, and red.
-----
"Tell me again why you thought hiding under a bed was a good idea?"
Takumi stared at the curvaceous nurse before him, wondering what kind of divine luck had allowed her to survive this long.
"I was wondering what happened to Marikawa-san," he continued. "But to survive this hell for over seven hours… by hiding under a bed."
Hiratsuka Shizuka stared at him in disbelief.
Shizuka Marikawa blinked her large eyes, then tilted her head toward the ceiling as if seriously considering the question.
One minute passed.
Two.
Five.
Veins throbbed on the foreheads of Saya, Saeko, Hiratsuka, and Takumi as they watched her begin to giggle to herself.
She looked completely unbothered—like a child lost in an adult's body.
[If I didn't know better, I'd think she was actually a child in an adult's body. Was Marikawa Shizuka always this… abstract?]
Takumi raised a brow when the others all nodded in silent agreement, their synchronized reaction making him feel briefly out of place.
They had come to retrieve medical supplies for minor injuries on the way back. Finding Shizuka hiding under a bed had not been part of the plan, but a trained medical professional was still useful... even if her intelligence was questionable at best.
"Take that box of painkillers," Takumi said, already familiar with the room. "And also—"
He began pointing out supplies with quiet efficiency.
Shizuka Hiratsuka and Saeko Busujima followed his instructions without question, ignoring the airheaded nurse watching them curiously.
"I think that's enough. We don't need to clear everything. This school is already our territory."
Takumi turned toward Shizuka Marikawa.
"Let's go to the gymnasium."
His tone was blunt—almost cold.
No one was surprised.
He had tried to hide it, but none of them were blind. They could see it clearly now.
Dark circles.
Hunched posture.
Forced humor.
Takumi was exhausted—physically and mentally. Fighting a tank V2, carving a path from home to school, and clashing with Takashi had taken its toll.
His growing bluntness was not indifference. It was fatigue layered over older burdens.
Shizuka Marikawa nodded and quietly followed.
The nurse's office door creaked open.
Takumi stepped out first.
The metallic scent of blood hit him immediately, thick and stale, clinging to the hallway like it refused to leave.
Behind him, Shizuka hesitated at the doorway, then peered out.
The moment she saw the corridor—
she flinched.
Blood streaked the floor in uneven trails. Broken glass shimmered under dim light. Shapes that once were students lay scattered along the hall.
"Ah…"
No one responded.
Saeko adjusted her grip on her bokken, scanning the corridor with cold focus.
Takumi did not speak.
He simply walked.
The others followed.
Their footsteps echoed through the empty school—too loud, too exposed.
Every sound felt borrowed.
At the far end of the corridor, Hikigaya and Megumi appeared, carrying bundled supplies and tools used to secure the building.
They stopped when they saw the group.
"You're late," Hikigaya said tiredly.
"You're alive," Megumi replied quietly.
Takumi gave a small nod.
"Any issues?"
Megumi shook her head.
"...None worth mentioning."
No one pressed further.
Haruno stood slightly behind them.
No introduction was needed.
She simply existed there now, like a shadow that had chosen to follow.
They moved on.
Classrooms passed in silence. Some doors were open. Others remained shut.
Inside, overturned desks and scattered papers told stories no one needed to speak aloud.
When they passed Classroom 2-J, Hikigaya slowed and glanced inside.
The room was almost untouched.
Morning light still streamed through the windows. The chalkboard still held half-finished notes.
For a moment, it looked normal.
"...Guess I won't have to worry about next week's math exam anymore." (AN: 😭😭 Envy!!)
Silence followed instantly.
Saya turned sharply. "...Are you serious?"
"What? That's just how it is," Hikigaya replied.
"This is insane," she muttered.
"It is," he agreed. "Still true, though."
A weak breath passed through the group—something smaller than laughter, more fragile than relief.
Saeko noticed it.
Her gaze shifted briefly toward Takumi. His posture loosened—just slightly.
They kept walking.
The school felt longer now.
Not because it had changed—
but because they had.
Eventually, the gymnasium doors came into view.
They opened.
Warm air drifted out.
And silence followed.
Hundreds of eyes turned toward them.
Relief spread almost instantly. Some bowed their heads. Others simply stared, too exhausted to react.
Takumi stepped inside without hesitation.
"...Medical supplies," Saya said quietly.
People moved immediately.
No discussion.
No hesitation.
Everything now existed for survival.
Shizuka Marikawa was quickly surrounded by injured students calling for help all at once.
"W-wait! One at a time, please!"
The gymnasium filled again with noise.
Not peace.
Just survival.
Takumi leaned against the wall near the entrance.
Only when he stopped moving did exhaustion fully catch up.
His arms felt heavy. His thoughts slowed. His vision blurred at the edges.
Around him, people whispered, cried, or stared into nothing.
Then—
a voice cut through the noise.
"...You."
Saeko.
The room quieted again.
Haruno stood near the entrance.
Still.
Saeko stepped forward.
"You still have the nerve to stand here after everything you said."
Tension returned instantly.
Yukino stiffened, turning her gaze to Haruno with slight tension
Haruno said nothing.
"You told him to stay away from your family," Saeko continued. "And now you're here."
"...Saeko."
Takumi's voice cut in.
Not sharp.
Just tired.
Silence fell.
Saeko clicked her tongue but stepped back slightly.
Takumi rubbed his temple once.
"...She stays."
Murmurs rippled through the room.
"She reached the school alone. That's reason enough."
Tired
Simple.
Final.
No one objected.
Eventually, tension dissolved back into exhaustion.
Night arrived without ceremony.
Students spread across the gym floor. Uniforms became pillows. Bags became blankets. Some slept instantly. Others stared upward, unable to close their eyes.
Occasional movement broke the silence. A quiet sniffle. Then nothing.
Takumi sat against the wall.
He did not sleep.
His eyes remained half-open, unfocused.
Breathing. Shifting. Murmurs disguised as sleep.
His thoughts slowed.
Then drifted.
Then stopped.
[Quiet…]
A pause.
[It's too quiet.]
The thought lingered longer than anything else.
Then even that faded.
End of Chapter 11