"H-Hachiman… I don't think this is a good idea."
Standing on the rooftop of the apartment, Rumi and I gazed down at the streets below, where dozens of the infected wandered aimlessly. I crouched low, my backpack full of supplies pressed against my chest, while I held my arms back.
"What? Why not?" I asked.
"I don't think this is safe," Rumi said nervously.
"It may not look safe, but traveling from rooftop to rooftop is our safest option for getting through the city. Besides, I promise I won't drop you, and I'll slow down so you won't get dizzy. Let's see, uh, oh! It'll be just like an amusement park ride at Destiny Land," I said.
Suddenly, a blur of a memory flashed in my mind.
It was of Yukino, Yui, and me, but our faces were indistinct. Yui was holding onto both Yukino and me, while another girl with short brown hair and glasses took a picture of us. The image quickly faded, leaving me with a somber feeling.
"This isn't the same!" Rumi exclaimed, stomping her foot and snapping me out of my thoughts.
"It's going to be okay, Rumi… Trust me."
Rumi squirmed under my gaze. Carefully, she looked down at the ground and gasped at the large number of undead below. After several seconds of contemplation, she nodded to herself and moved behind me. She leaned forward and wrapped her arms around my neck while I adjusted my grip on her legs.
I stood up and tested how her weight would affect my balance. It didn't. It felt as if she wasn't there at all.
"Don't drop me… okay?"
"I wouldn't dream of it," I said and prepared myself. "Hold on tight."
Rumi closed her eyes tightly, her fingers wrapping around my neck with a fierce grip that could have easily choked someone weaker. Without a moment's pause, I took a step forward and launched into a sprint across the rooftop.
As we approached the edge of the building, I concentrated the power in my legs, feeling the muscles coil with energy. In one fluid motion, I propelled us into the air, leaving the rooftop behind. We soared gracefully, the wind whipping through our hair, a wild freedom washing over us.
I looked out from the corner of my eye and saw Rumi with her eyes clenched shut. Her loud scream rang through my ears, causing me to wince slightly.
Eventually, gravity reclaimed its hold on us, and I instinctively shifted our weight, adjusting my legs to prepare for landing. With precision, I absorbed the impact, cushioning Rumi from the jolt so she felt only a gentle pull as we touched down.
A surge of satisfaction coursed through me — I had executed the landing perfectly. Without slowing my pace, I charged ahead, the rhythmic thud of my feet echoing on the concrete as we traversed from one rooftop to another.
Slowly, I sensed Rumi beginning to relax. The tension in her grip on my neck softened, and eventually, she opened her eyes, the world around her gradually coming into focus. We neared a large intersection, where the distance between buildings was larger than before. I decided to go bigger this time; with a powerful push from my legs, I launched us into the open air once again.
As we glided through the sky, Rumi gasped in awe, her eyes wide as she took in the swirling streets and tall buildings around us. The exhilarating sensation of weightlessness filled her stomach with butterflies, and I could see a radiant smile breaking across her face.
"It's like… we're flying," she said in disbelief, her voice barely above the rush of wind. "Hachiman… you're amazing."
I couldn't suppress the smile that crept onto my face, but I chose to remain silent, savoring the moment as well. As we landed, I expertly slid across the pavement to mitigate the impact, springing back into a run without missing a beat. I focused on the simplest pathways, avoiding any walls, allowing speed and direction to guide us toward our next destination.
Sobu High School.
The school I had attended, according to Rumi.
With no other clear direction to find Komachi, Yukino, and Yui, heading to Sobu was my best option for now. Maybe I could uncover a clue about where they might be.
"Hey, Hachiman. How are you even doing this? You're like a character straight out of a manga," Rumi asked as she now enjoyed being carried through the city.
"I... I don't know. I just woke up with these abilities," I replied. Rumi's question made it clear to me that I hadn't always had these superhuman feats.
"Oh, I see," Rumi said, sounding slightly disappointed. It didn't take long for her to lean in closer, her arms squeezing my neck. "Hachiman? I'm... really happy you found me."
"Yeah... me too."
x x x
"This must be it," I said as I placed Rumi down.
We walked to the edge of the rooftop and looked out at the building of Sobu High—my high school.
However, much like everywhere else, the streets and school campus were littered with the undead. Most of the infected wore the school's black-and-white striped uniforms. Blood and body parts were scattered throughout the campus, and the school's metal gate was destroyed, blocked by an overturned charred bus.
Pulling my hood over my head, I set my backpack down on the ground. "I'm going inside to take a look," I said as I walked toward the only door on the rooftop that led into the building.
Spotting an HVAC unit, I wrapped my arms around it and ripped it off the ground. I carried it effortlessly to the door and positioned it so opening it would be impossible. "There. Now nothing can get up here."
As I approached Rumi, she had a scared expression on her face. I knelt down and ruffled her hair. "I need you to stay here while I take a look. I might not find anything about where my sister is, but I could find some clues to help point me in the right direction."
"Okay," Rumi replied, gripping her hands tightly. "You're... you're coming back, right?"
I nodded. "I will. I'll be in and out before you know it." Reaching into my bag, I pulled out a bottle of water and some snacks. "Here, I'm sure you're hungry."
Rumi nodded and accepted the food. Standing up, I walked over to the edge of the rooftop. Pausing, I turned to Rumi and offered her a smile. With a jump, I cut through the air and landed in the front courtyard of the school.
The impact of my landing drew the attention of several infected individuals, who roared and rushed toward me. I approached the ruined front gate and tore off one of its metal bars. As two of the undead lunged at me, I pulled my arm back and swung the metal bar. It sliced through the air, taking off their heads with ease.
With little regard for the approaching undead, I continued my walk toward the school.
"Okay, let's see what's inside."
x x x
Despite my memory loss, strolling through the corridors of Sobu brought a wave of nostalgia rushing over me.
It felt as if years had passed since I last walked these halls, each step stirring echoes of hallway chatter and whispered gossip. But a quick glance at the surrounding classrooms and bulletin boards reminded me that it couldn't be true. The last recorded date had been over four days.
Turning a corner, an infected student ran around the corner and tried to tackle me. Without much effort, I reached out and grabbed it by the neck. Lifting it up, I slammed it headfirst into a wall, crushing its head. I looked down at its expression and felt nothing familiar. He was most likely a stranger.
I stepped over his body and continued forward, taking down more and more infected with my bare hands.
The more I fought the undead, the easier it was becoming. I barely blinked at having to crush an undead's head into mush with my foot. As I moved through the building, I killed dozens of infected. Leaving a trail of corpses behind me.
While the school felt familiar, I had no clear idea of where to go. For now, I'd roam around until I reached the administrative office or faculty rooms.
Eventually, I did find the faculty room. Stepping inside, I saw that the room was empty. Moving through the room, I saw a corpse on the ground, not of an undead, but of a teacher. The teacher's expression was frozen in terror as his head lay halfway removed from his body. With nothing I could do for him, I stepped over his body and began searching all the desks for any paperwork related to the student body.
After a minute of searching through desk after desk, I paused. The desk before me was no different from the rest, but oddly enough, it felt familiar. I looked down at the small ashtray and felt a dull ache in the back of my head.
"...Sensei," I whispered before I knew it. "Sensei? Who's that?"
I tried to bring out the memories deep inside me, but ultimately, I failed. With a sigh, I continued my search. After a few minutes, I finally located my student information. A picture of myself stared back at me with the same lifeless eyes as I read my details. The paper contained my full name, address, family information, and birthday. After committing everything to memory, I placed the paper back where I found it.
Rifling through the folders, I soon discovered another document with Yui's information. After memorizing it, I searched for Yukino's details. However, it seemed she was in a different class than Yui and me. After sifting through the entire second-year information, I eventually found her paperwork as well.
"Okay, I have some addresses to check out now. Hopefully, I'll find someone at one of them," I said as I left the room.
Just as I was about to exit the campus, my body froze. I looked to my left and noticed a stairwell.
As if on instinct, I allowed my body to lead the way and made my way through the school. After crossing several halls, I eventually stood in front of a classroom in the school's special building. Looking up, I saw several stickers on the nameless doorplate.
"The Service Club."
The words slipped from my mouth before I realized it.
Slowly, I laid my hand on the door and slid it open. Stepping inside, I scanned the room and noticed it was mostly bare except for a long table in the center with three chairs. Two chairs sat close together at one end, while a single chair sat alone at the other end.
In the back of the room, a small table with a red teapot and snacks was set up. I walked over to the table and stared at the three cups on its surface. My head began to hurt as I forced my brain to recall what I needed to know.
One was a plain, traditional teacup. "Yukino's."
Another was a mug adorned with a dog graphic. "Yui's."
The last cup was black, featuring a strange panda with piercing eyes. "My… cup."
I gazed at the cups for a while, lost in nostalgic feelings. My hands tightened into fists as I tore my eyes away.
"I'll find them. I will," I muttered, now even more determined to find my club mates.
Turning around, I was about to leave the room when I froze.
I thrust my arms skyward just as the wall beside me erupted in a shower of concrete and debris, the sound deafening. A massive figure barreled into the room, its silhouette cutting through the dust cloud like a thunderstorm.
In a heartbeat, he pulled back a colossal arm, muscles coiling with power. Before I could comprehend what was happening, the figure unleashed a punch that connected with my guard, launching me out of the back wall and crashing violently into the ground outside from the second floor.
I rolled across the concrete and dirt, coming to a harsh stop, gasping for air as I coughed up dust. My arms were trembling.
Whatever had struck me had hurt me.
"What the hell?" I managed, still reeling, and I glanced back at the wreckage of my club room, which was now left in ruins.
"Hikki… I really love this club."
I growled, feeling enraged at the sight.
Emerging from the ruins, a towering man loomed—at least 12 feet of sheer intimidating power, shrouded in a long black trench coat and fedora. His lifeless, grey eyes, much like his wrinkly skin, bored into me. Beneath that trench coat, his physique screamed of muscle, a fortress of brutality.
"What the hell? Where did you come from!?" I shouted, fury mixing with disbelief as I glared at the monstrous man responsible for the destruction of our clubroom.
Fueled by anger, I rose to my feet as the Tyrant stepped forward, his weight causing the ground to quiver beneath me.
He landed with a resounding thud, a tremor rippling through the courtyard. My heart raced as he towered over me, sizing me up, his eyes devoid of emotion. Without warning, he shot forward, moving at a speed that defied his massive size, his arm pulled back like a slingshot poised to release.
I barely rolled out of the way as his fist shot past, smashing into the ground with explosive force. The concrete shattered around us, fragments raining down like lethal shrapnel.
No matter how tough I am, there's no way I can take a hit like that!
Before I could even think to escape, his enormous gloved hand clamped around my arm with a grip like a vice.
With a powerful heave, he tossed me across the courtyard with brutal ease.
I crashed through a wall and landed amidst a sea of musical instruments, the cacophony of shattering wood and metal mixing painfully in my ears. A piano clattered atop me, its keys playing a random and chaotic melody.
With a hiss, I threw the piano off. Standing up, I dusted myself off as I walked out of the music room to stand outside where the Tyrant awaited, a cold, emotionless expression on his pale face.
"Okay… you asked for it," I growled.