The walk towards the gym was quiet, not because they had nothing to talk about, but because everyone was focused on survival as they moved towards the northwest side of the school. To get there, they had to pass through the main road of the campus.
Gabriel and Matthew walked at the front of the small group of students, while Grim stayed behind. Though they were scared of the wolf, they had no choice but to follow if they wanted to survive.
A few minutes into the walk, they heard low growls. Three zombies staggered out from the side of a cafeteria building, moving toward them.
"Finally, some action."
Matthew grinned as he stepped forward, swinging his hammer. The glowing weapon crushed the first zombie's head, sending it crashing to the side. It didn't get back up. The second came at him, but he didn't back down—he stepped forward again and brought the hammer down, smashing it into the ground.
With a final swing, he finished the last one. Turning back to the group, he smirked.
"That was easy, eh Gabriel?"
"Yeah… if you keep swinging like a barbarian."
"Oh, come on, man. Not on a normal day will you see me using a hammer," Matthew replied as they continued forward.
"Still can't believe it though," he continued. "One moment I was having the time of my life—which you, my friend, missed—and the next, I hear screaming and find zombies all over the clubhouse."
"Missed it because you didn't inform me," Gabriel said calmly. "And yes… the world changed faster than we all expected."
"We both know you wouldn't go. You always find a reason not to."
Gabriel just looked at him silently.
"Hey, don't give me that look. Anyway, during all the chaos, I got this baby." He glanced proudly at his hammer.
"How did you awaken it?" Gabriel asked. The students behind them also looked curious.
"Well… I don't really know. When the students at the club turned and started attacking others, I rushed toward the exit, but it was blocked. I thought that was the end of me… then suddenly I felt something inside me, and the hammer appeared—like it responded to my will to survive."
"So it responded to your will to survive…" Gabriel muttered. Then why is mine different?
"Yeah, I think so," Matthew said, adjusting the hammer on his shoulder.
"Was it just the hammer, or did something else happen?"
"Now that you mention it… yeah. I have a screen in front of me, like in a video game. It shows my stats."
So he has one too… Gabriel thought. But mine feels different.
"I'm surprised you didn't get one," Matthew added.
"Yeah… me too."
"Well, I think you got something better." He glanced at Grim behind them.
"Hey guys… I think we have a problem."
Before Gabriel could reply, the girl he saved spoke, her gaze fixed ahead. The other students followed her line of sight.
Gabriel and Matthew turned forward.
They had reached the main road.
And it was filled with zombies—crowding together, blocking the path completely.
"I think we should go back," Gabriel said immediately.
"Yeah… everyone move back slowly. No sudden movement," Matthew added.
Then—
A growl came from behind.
Everyone turned.
Insects.
Dozens of them rushed toward them at high speed.
"We're going to die!!"
"What is that?!"
"No—no—no please!"
The students panicked, screaming.
"Stop screaming before they hear us!" Matthew shouted, trying to calm them—but it was too late. The noise had already attracted the zombies, and now they were moving toward them.
"There's no way out," Gabriel said, looking around calmly. They were in an open area. No buildings nearby. No cover. The way back was already blocked by the insects.
"We move forward," he continued. "To the gym. That's the only way now."
He turned quickly.
"Matthew—you and Grim take the front. I'll handle the insects."
Then to the others—
"Move. Follow them forward."
"On it!" Matthew replied.
He charged forward with Grim, the hammer glowing brighter as it smashed into the zombies. Grim moved beside him, tearing through them with claws and fangs, creating a path.
Zombies were sent crashing into each other with every swing. Grim ripped through them without slowing down.
"Help! Help me!" a student screamed as a zombie dragged him into the horde.
"Damn it…" Matthew muttered, unable to reach him.
"Get out of my way!" he shouted, swinging harder, forcing a path open.
Behind them, Gabriel followed, his focus on the insects. A massive energy hand slammed down, crushing several at once—but more kept coming.
With his hand now healed, he formed two energy hands at once.
"Watch out!" he shouted as one insect slipped past him, heading straight for a student.
In panic—
The student pushed the girl beside him forward.
The stinger pierced her instantly.
She died on the spot.
Gabriel saw it, his eyes flashing with anger—but there was no time to react.
"Move! Move! We're almost there!" Matthew shouted from the front, his body covered in black blood, his expression tense. Their numbers had dropped—from many… to just five.
Finally, they broke through.
"Run! Move!" Matthew shouted.
They sprinted toward the gym.
Behind them, the insects and zombies continued closing in.
Suddenly—
The girl Gabriel had saved fell.
"Help…!" she cried, her leg twisted.
"Go! I got her!" Gabriel shouted.
He rushed to her side. "Come on, get up—we need to move."
"I can't… my leg is broken," she said, panic in her voice.
Gabriel didn't hesitate. He lifted her and placed her on Grim's back.
"Go!"
Grim dashed forward while Gabriel followed close behind.
Matthew and the others reached the gym first.
"Hey! Open up! Hurry!" Matthew shouted, banging on the steel doors.
No response.
His expression grew tense.
"Open up or I'm breaking it!"
Finally—
Click.
The doors opened, and they rushed in.
"Wait—my friend is coming!" Matthew said quickly as the doors started closing.
"We can't wait for him," the student at the door replied.
"Don't you dare," Matthew said, raising his hammer, still dripping with blood.
"He might already be dead."
"He's not."
"He's coming!" one of the students shouted, pointing outside.
Gabriel appeared—running forward with Grim, the girl still on its back.
"What is that?" someone inside asked, staring at Grim.
"We can't let that thing in here!"
"Close the doors!" another shouted.
Matthew stepped forward, blocking them.
"You can't."
"Move. Don't think you're the only one with a weapon," one of them said, summoning a spear.
"It's his beast!" one of Gabriel's group argued.
"I don't care—it's a beast. We're not letting it in."
"If you want to close that door," Matthew said firmly, "you go through me first."
Tension filled the entrance as both sides prepared to clash—
Just as Gabriel and Grim burst through the doorway.
The doors slammed shut behind them.
Gabriel dropped to the ground, exhausted, breathing heavily.
Looking up at the situation, he frowned slightly.
"Hey… what's going on?"