The morning came with pale sunlight filtering through shattered windows. Dust motes drifted like lazy snowflakes, and the smell of mold clung to the air.
Riku Yamato groaned awake on his makeshift futon, stiff as a frozen corpse. "Ugh… so this is my glamorous new life. Teacher, farmer, zombie babysitter."
Beside the cracked window, the little Companion Seedling hummed cheerfully, leaves swaying to some silent rhythm. On the floor, the zombie from last night sat cross-legged, gnawing on what looked like a chair leg.
"…Are you seriously eating wood?" Riku he asked, rubbing his eyes.
The zombie paused. "…Breakfast?"
"That's furniture!"
"…Still crunchy."
Riku buried his face in his hands. "…Kill me again."
The System chimed in. [Correction: You already died once. Recommend avoiding repeat.]
"Not helping," Riku muttered.
After a "meal" of stale rainwater and questionable tomatoes, Riku forced himself up. "Alright. Time to assess the damage. If I'm stuck being Headmaster, I need to know what I'm working with."
The zombie tilted its head. "…Tour?"
"Yes. Tour. Of this disaster zone."
The System displayed a glowing checklist.
Exploration Mission: School Grounds
– Survey classrooms
– Inspect cafeteria
– Evaluate gymnasium
– Locate storage areas
– Discover hidden resources (Optional)
Reward: +10 Knowledge Points
"…Optional?" Riku muttered. "That's code for 'it'll try to kill me.'"
[Correct.]
"…Thanks for confirming."
The first classroom was a graveyard of broken desks and shattered windows. Torn posters of multiplication tables fluttered on the walls. A skeletal hand poked out from beneath a pile of rubble, still clutching a pencil.
Riku froze. "…Uh. System? Please tell me that's not what I'm thinking it is".
[Deceased. Two centuries old. Low threat level.]
"…Low threat level?! It's a skeleton!"
[Correct. No muscles to move. Therefore, harmless.]
"…That's… one way to put it."
The zombie shuffled closer, peered at the skeleton, and patted its skull. "…Student failed exam."
Riku nearly choked. "Don't say it like that!"
The next stop was the gymnasium. The roof had caved in, leaving half the basketball court buried in debris. Rusted hoops sagged, one bent in half. Weeds sprouted through cracked flooring.
Riku whistled. "…Wow. This place hasn't seen a dodgeball in centuries."
The zombie perked up, pointing at a half-deflated ball wedged under rubble. "…Game?"
"Later. When the ceiling isn't threatening to crush us."
As if on cue, a loud creak echoed overhead. Dust rained down. Both of them froze.
"…Run?" the zombie suggested.
"Run," Riku agreed. They bolted out just as a section of the roof collapsed, sending a deafening crash through the gym.
Panting, Riku leaned on the wall. "Yeah. Gym class is officially canceled forever." Riku shouted .
The System chirped: [Update: Gymnasium rating—0 stars.]
"…Why do I feel like you're building a Yelp page for me?"
[Correct. Public reputation system initializing.]
"WHAT?!"
The cafeteria was worse. Tables overturned, kitchen equipment rusted solid, ovens melted into shapeless lumps. Old lunch trays littered the floor, each still holding petrified remains of food.
The zombie's eyes lit up. "Cafeteria…"
Riku Yamato slapped its hand. "No! That food is older than your rotting corpse!"
"…Still better than chair leg."
"…Fair point, but still no."
The System chimed: [Cafeteria requires renovation. Recommend staff recruitment: Cook.]
"Cook? From where? For who? Everyone's dead!"
[Incorrect. One potential candidate located nearby.]
"…Nearby?!"
[Affirmative. Two kilometers east. Status: Dormant AI unit. Occupation: Culinary Assistant.]
Riku blinked. "…Wait. You're telling me there's a ROBOT CHEF just lying around?"
[Correct.]
His eyes widened. "That's… actually useful!"
[Warning: Unit currently half-drowned. Probability of malfunction: 84%.]
"…Of course there's a catch."
They continued exploring. The library was buried in rubble, but a few shelves still stood, their books rotting and fused together. The smell of mildew was overwhelming.
Riku pulled a half-burnt textbook from the pile. The cover read: "Education for a Better Tomorrow."
He ran a finger over the charred edges. "…Guess tomorrow never came, huh?"
For a rare moment, silence filled the room. The zombie shuffled forward and placed its bony hand on Riku's shoulder. "…Tomorrow… now?"
Riku blinked, stunned. Then he smiled weakly. "…Yeah. Maybe now."
The System chimed softly. [Emotional Bonding Detected. +1 Compassion Point.]
"…Don't ruin the moment, System." Riku Yamato said.
The final stop was the faculty archives. The doors groaned as he pushed them open. Dust blanketed everything inside, but the structure was more intact here. Filing cabinets stood in neat rows, most rusted shut.
On the desk lay a cracked plaque: "Headmaster's Office."
Riku touched it with reverence. "…Headmaster. Me. Really?"
The zombie clapped slowly, like a broken applause machine. "…Headmaster Riku Yamato".
He laughed weakly. "That sounds so wrong. And yet…"
The System's interface pulsed again.
[Optional Discovery Objective Located.]
"…I knew it. What now?"
[Underneath desk—unregistered compartment.]
Riku crouched, ran his hands along the wood, and found a hidden panel. With effort, it creaked open, revealing a dusty metal box. Inside were stacks of journals bound in cracked leather.
He opened the first one.
"To the next who carries this burden. We taught knowledge, but forgot compassion. If you are reading this, perhaps it is not too late. The System chose you for a reason. Don't make our mistake."
Riku's breath caught." I guess …This… this was left by the last Headmaster."
The zombie peered over his shoulder. "…Homework?"
Riku chuckled softly. "…Yeah. Homework from history itself."
He stared at the journal, heart pounding. Somewhere deep inside, the dream he thought had died with him flickered back to life. He had failed on Earth. But maybe, just maybe, here—he could succeed.
The System chimed one last time.
[New Quest Unlocked: Restore the School.]
And as the pale light of dawn spilled across the ruined campus, Riku Yamato the failed teacher reborn as Headmaster stood at the threshold of a broken world, holding the legacy of those who came before.
He whispered to himself, a shaky smile tugging at his lips:
"…Guess class is back in session."