The time was afternoon.
Without any warning, Fujimi High School was attacked by 'them'.
And those who were attacked died and then resurrected, becoming 'their' companions.
Suddenly, the entire school became chaotic.
Disorderly fleeing groups, once targeted by 'them', saw more 'them' increase with scream after scream.
The once peaceful campus instantly turned into a bloody hell, with cries of anguish echoing endlessly.
And those terrifying Corpses, just like in movies, were called 'Corpses'.
'They won't stop moving unless their heads are destroyed,' survivors who knew this picked up weapons and began to fight for survival.
Saeko Busujima, the ace of Fujimi High School's kendo club, was one of them.
At this moment, she stood in a corridor, temporarily free of 'Corpses', cautiously looking towards the main gate through a window.
Due to the previous attacks and riots, in addition to the infected and mutated students and teachers, more Corpses were attracted by the commotion here.
It was clear that leaving through the main gate was impossible.
"Help! Someone save us!!"
Saeko Busujima suddenly heard cries for help.
"How foolish."
The girl cursed first.
In the eyes of outsiders, Saeko Busujima, as a descendant of a traditional Japanese family, was a very excellent traditional woman, skilled in cooking, humble and gentle, and well-versed in the way of a wife.
If anyone heard her crude words, they would mostly not believe it.
But now was not the time to focus on these formalities.
Saeko Busujima pondered whether to help.
However, new footsteps interrupted her thoughts.
A group of 'Corpses' in tracksuits appeared in her sight.
They seemed to be attracted by the cries for help and discovered Saeko Busujima as they passed through the corridor.
"I remember this is very close to the back mountain, which leads to the parking lot that will soon be repaired."
Saeko Busujima made a judgment.
Unable to help the callers, she decided to prioritize escaping the scene.
If she went directly, she would surely be surrounded by more Corpses.
"Come on."
Exhaling, Saeko Busujima looked at the group of Corpses appearing directly in front of her, her expression tense, but the corners of her mouth slightly lifted.
She was excited.
In middle school, Saeko Busujima encountered a pervert on her way home from school, but because she always carried a wooden sword, she deliberately allowed him to approach her.
The moment before he touched her, Saeko Busujima used her wooden sword to severely injure him, breaking his leg and shoulder blades.
Although it constituted 'excessive self-defense', considering the circumstances, the police did not pursue charges against Saeko Busujima.
However, after this incident, Saeko Busujima realized she had a strong violent tendency; she felt immense joy and excitement when she struck the pervert.
And it was the same now—!!
Saeko Busujima charged towards the enemies in front of her with a slight smile!
Her swordsmanship was as fluid as flowing clouds and water, each swing accompanied by a flash of blood, as Living Dead fell under her precise attacks.
However, the numerical disadvantage made the battle extremely difficult.
Even with her national championship-level skill, facing such a dense horde of enemies, her stamina was rapidly depleting.
One, then another, and another!
Saeko Busujima, who had smashed the head of an enemy with her wooden sword, completed her breakthrough, but then another group of Living Dead appeared directly in front of her!
She adjusted her breathing; despite being drenched in sweat, she had no intention of giving up.
As the battle deepened, Saeko Busujima felt her arms beginning to ache, and each sword swing required more effort.
But she knew this was no time to give up.
So, she gritted her teeth and continued her desperate struggle against the Corpses.
"Get out of my way!!!"
Saeko Busujima swung her sword again, shattering the shoulder of a Corpse, which then fell to the side, blocking the path of several other Corpses.
A gap appeared!
Without hesitation, Saeko Busujima, no longer entangled with the enemies, rushed through!
She ran, panting, to the back mountain, where the cool air of the trees and grass filled her lungs, invigorating her spirit.
Saeko Busujima then leaned against a tree, trying to regain some stamina.
Just as she was still catching her breath, she suddenly heard a whooshing sound.
Looking up, at the end of the back mountain path, in the platform area with benches, she saw a blonde girl moving as elegantly as a dancer!
The longsword in the girl's hand lightly cut through the air, instantly slaying five Living Dead!
So strong!
This was Saeko Busujima's first thought.
Not only that—
Behind the blonde girl, another person looked to his left.
Two Living Dead crawled out from the bushes; Saeko Busujima remembered them as truant delinquents.
Boom!!
Just as Saeko Busujima recognized the two, she heard the terrifying sound of flames erupting and compressing the air.
"What was that... magic?!"
The flames seemed to possess a will of their own, devouring the two Living Dead without affecting the surrounding plants.
What was going on?
Was she too tired, seeing things, hallucinating?
Saeko Busujima rubbed her eyes with her hand, then met the gaze of the blonde Sword Princess.
Oh no!
The other party was strong and of unknown identity; Saeko Busujima did not intend to make contact.
After all, the Living Dead were so frantic, yet they calmly annihilated them; they definitely weren't ordinary people!
For her own safety, Saeko Busujima decided to flee.
But the blonde girl closed the distance with a whooshing sound!
Saeko Busujima instinctively raised her wooden sword to block, only to realize the other party was using her scabbard.
"Who are you?"
"Shouldn't I be asking that?"
Saeko Busujima pushed the other person back with force.
But the blonde girl's figure flickered, moving behind her.
So fast!
Completely unseeable!
This time, the blonde girl didn't hold back.
Saeko Busujima felt a sharp pain on the back of her right hand; after her wooden sword dropped from her grasp, her arm was immediately seized, and she was pinned to the ground.
"Calm down, we are not your enemies."
"?...You are...?"
"My name is Chen Hai, and the person sitting on you is Asuna, Ais Wallenstein."
"Foreigners?"
"Now, I'll give you a choice."
Chen Hai looked at the subdued Saeko Busujima.
"Take us to the school to clear out those things, or rest here obediently and wait for us to return."
"Are you... here to help?"
"You could say that, but to be precise, it's to 'eliminate unstable factors affecting Dungeon Adventurers'."
This answer gave Saeko Busujima hope.
She recalled the scenes she had witnessed earlier.
Asuna effortlessly slaying Zombies;
Chen Hai casually incinerating monsters.
No matter who they were, their strength was, at least, beyond doubt.
So, for Saeko Busujima at this moment, the Chen Hai + Asuna she had just encountered equaled saviors!