Authors Notes:
Hey yall! I'm back. I took a short break. As unbelievable as it sounds, pumping out 14 chapters in less than a week drains you. But I'm back now to continue Naoto's and Nagatoro's crazy antics in this Zombie-Infested City.
Another detail you might've noticed is that chapter 6 felt rather rushed. I wrote it as quickly as I could, since I wanted to get it released along with chapter 5, so I cut a lot of corners. I'll attempt not to make the same mistake again, but i can't promise shit.
Anyways, Enjoy!
The group readied their weapons, surrounded by the Zombies. Gamo was wielding a bat, which they had previously found lying in one of the Supply-room lockers, while the others simply had broken wood scraps, apparently made from the broken shelves and benches in the Art room.
"Where did you come from?" Nagatoro asked Gamo, who swung her bat straight at a Zombies face. "We heard footsteps heading this way, and we assumed it could only be because of you two."
Naoto swung the Axe in his hand wildly across the Room, repeatedly getting it stuck on walls as well as the floor. As efficient as the Axe was, Naoto still had no idea how to wield it.
The others in the group weren't faring much better, their wooden weapons not having nearly enough range to efficiently keep the Zombies at bay.
The Zombies were coming closer, as Haru and Sakura grabbed stools from the floor to keep the Zombies away while Gamo and Naoto continued to swing.
While the four kept the Zombies at bay, the unarmed Hana and Nagatoro were desperately brainstorming ideas to get out. They were encircled by Zombies, and getting to the Art room would be dangerous, as it might risk the Zombies breaking the door.
Suddenly, Nagatoro had an idea. She grabbed a chair and attempted to push a hole trough the Zombie horde. Sakura and Haru quickly noticed what she was trying, getting next to her and pushing away the Zombies to her side. They were creating a small opening for them to get trough.
Naoto, Gamo and Hana followed along, holding the Zombies back with their weapons while helping to open the gap.
Eventually, the Gap was wide enough for everyone to dash out, as everybody threw the chairs at the Zombies, pushing many of them on the floor.
Still unable to reach the third floor, they rushed downstairs. The Zombies were getting back up, ready to give chase. "Follow me!" Nagatoro said, leading the group to the bottom floor.
The Zombies had already gotten back up, and were currently giving chase as the group ran their way down the stairs to the bottom.
A Zombie suddenly jumped in front of them, as Nagatoro stopped right in her tracks. Naoto quickly ran past her, smashing the Axe into the Zombies head, splitting it like a melon.
They continued to run before turning a corner and being met with a massive door, which they opened and entered. The door lead them to the massive P.E room. Naoto and Nagatoro quickly turned back, shutting the door behind them closed.
"Is this the P.E. room?" Naoto asked, looking around the massive room they had huddled up in. The entire room was empty, seeming almost untouched by the infection. Apparently they were the first ones with the idea to hide here.
"We should be safe in here, at least for a while." Gamo said, to which Yoshi replied, although in an unenthusiastic tone.
"Safe..."
Haru approached Naoto, who was looking around the tool-room for things they could use. "Need some help?"
Naoto and Haru were looking around the room for tools while Nagatoro and the others simply sat on the floor in the centre of the room, waiting for them.
"Say, Hachioji." Haru turned to Naoto. "What's your deal?"
Naoto gave him a confused stare. "M-my deal? What do you mean?"
"Before all of this started, you just seemed like a typical loner to me. I never thought of you as the guy to take initiative and start chopping down Zombies with an Axe. And yet, here you are." Haru responded.
Naoto pondered. He hadn't though that he had such a drastic change, so he struggled to get out an answer. "I-I don't know what you mean. I don't feel any different. I'm still the same person."
He thought about it for a few more seconds. "But if you ask me as to why I took initiative first, I'd say it's because I felt responsibility. Nagatoro and the others needed someone to take lead and act rationally, and as the oldest I felt responsible to do so." He turned to Haru. "Don't you feel the same?"
Haru nodded. "I guess. We are the oldest, after all. And as the oldest, it's our duty to protect our underclassmen."
Naoto turned to Haru. "You're right." He reached his hand out to him. "Let's make a promise to protect our friend before anything else."
Haru looked at him, before chuckling to Naoto's dismay. "You're quite the weird guy, that's for sure, Hachioji." He held his hand, shaking it. "But yeah. Promise."
He gave another small chuckle, before hearing rustling behind a giant shelf full of footballs.
"What is that sound?" Naoto asked, as they both slowly approached the sound. Haru slowly shoved the shelf to the side, when a small group of Zombies crawled out of the gap he had made, tumbling onto the floor as they wiggled around in an attempt to get back up.
Somehow, a small group of Zombies had gotten themselves stuck behind a shelf in the Gym. They didn't have time to think about the reason behind their presence, as they quickly got up and attempted to tackle both Naoto and Haru.
Naoto managed to get out of the way while a Zombie got Haru to the ground. Naoto reacted instantly and swung the blunt side of his axe towards the Zombie, knocking it off Haru as he got up and ran towards the others.
Naoto followed and ran, screaming at the others. The group got back up, grabbing their stuff as they rushed to the exit. Naoto and Haru were behind, making sure the Zombies were held at bay.
They quickly opened the door leading to the bottom floor. The Zombies seemed to have just cleared the way, but the footsteps had attracted them back. They hastily made their way up the stairs, a bigger horde of Zombies now giving chase.
As they ran, a Zombie jumped out of one of the classrooms they were walking by, tackling Haru to the ground. Naoto quickly grabbed the Zombie from its shirt, tossing it aside before slamming his axe into its chest.
Naoto helped Haru up as they continued running up the stairs. As they reached the third floor, the group of Zombies was right behind them. Naoto and the others quickly dashed into the Art Room, closing it.
The group shook in horror as the Zombies banged and trashed against the door, their groans audible from the other side. "Th-The door isn't going to hold!" Sakura cried out as Naoto frantically tried to think of anything to do. What was there to do? There was nowhere else to go and they couldn't exactly fight off such a big horde of Zombies. There was no way out.
"...Gamo. Give me that bat." Haru turned to Gamo, extending his hand. Gamo looked at him in confusion, not understanding what his plan was. "Why?"
"Just do it." Haru said. Gamo could do nothing but oblige, handing him the bat. Haru slowly approached the door, as the groans of the Undead got louder by the second. "Wait a minute. What are you planning on doing?" Naoto yelled at Haru.
"What do you think? I'm saving your asses." Haru turned back, giving him a smile. "There's no way you can get out alive from such a massive horde!" Naoto replied, before getting a proper look at Haru's face. His face looked exhausted and distressed, almost as if he knew he had nothing left to lose.
It...couldn't be, right? Naoto though to himself. I got that Zombie off of him in time, right? Naoto's worry was confirmed when Haru pulled up his sleeve, revealing the bite of a Zombie, seemingly the same Zombie that had just tackled him.
Sakura was looking at the wound. It was the same wound that had taken her other upperclassman from her, Riku. "Senpai. W-what are you doing? Please don't leave!" She tried to pull him back from the door, but he didn't budge.
Naoto witnessed as Haru's body shook. He obviously had no fear of dying, but rather a fear of leaving behind his favorite Kouhai. Naoto grabbed Sakura, pulling her back as she trashed and kicked, attempting to get her Senpai to snap out of it.
Haru turned back to Naoto, giving him his last wish. "Take care of the others. Especially Sakura." Naoto silently nodded his head, not able to utter a word as Sakura was now screaming and sobbing at her Senpai as he opened the door.
Haru quickly swung his bat at one of the Zombies, before using his entire body to tackle the Zombies back as he ran out of the Hallway, screaming his lungs out to distract the Zombies. It apparently worked, as the Zombies left the group alone, deciding to chase after the screaming boy as Nagatoro shut the door.
Naoto finally let Sakura go, as she desperately tried to open the door, which Nagatoro was making sure to hold shut. She kicked and slammed her hand against the door, trying to open it. "Please! We need to save Senpai!"
Naoto and the others simply looked at her, unable to say anything. Obviously they were also upset. How couldn't they be? They wanted to save their friend as much as Sakura. But there was nothing they could do but stare as Sakura slowly gave up on trying to open the door, kneeling to her feet as she sobbed relentlessly, with Nagatoro by her side trying her best to calm her down.
Meanwhile, Haru was heading upstairs to the rooftop as the Zombies followed. He opened the metallic door to the roof, quickly getting to an edge as he looked down at the ground bellow. If he turned, he'd just become another inconvenience for his fellow survivors.
Looking down, he noticed the same spot that his friend, Haru had fallen to back during the start of the Outbreak. He looked behind him, seeing that the wave of Zombies had reached him.
I hope they're okay.
I hope Sakura forgives me.
I hope Naoto forgives me for being such an asshole to him.
His whole life flashed before him as he took a step forward, tumbling down from the balcony and towards the same spot his best friend had fallen to, as the Zombies followed him, jumping from the balcony as they fell alongside him.
Riku... I'll see you soon.
In less than a few seconds, Haru's body, alongside the horde of Zombies, splattered against the ground, the sound of their bones and meat slamming against the concrete floor clearly Audible.
Naoto looked outside the broken window in reaction to the sound, seeing the aftermath of the fall on the floor. The amount of Zombies that had fallen was too much for him to even recognize Haru's body amongst them all.
"And as the oldest, it's our duty to protect our underclassmen."
Naoto couldn't help but respect the fact that the person he used to think was nothing but a bully could keep his promise to such an extent.
He looked back at his group, who had failed to notice the sound from outside, being too busy comforting the broken Sakura.
"I will keep my promise just like you kept yours, Haru." He looked back down at the carnage, knowing that his friend died as nothing short of a hero. He couldn't help
"You were truly a great person." He thought to himself, as he turned back to the others, joining in on comforting his Kouhai he promised to protect.