The night had fallen over Hyosan High, the sky painted dark blue with streaks of cold moonlight cutting through broken windows. The barricaded gymnasium had served its purpose, but the group couldn't stay in one place for long. Supplies were low, energy fading, and the distant groans of the infected were growing louder with each passing hour.
Cheong-san gathered the group. "We need a vantage point," he said. "The rooftop could give us a clear view of the surrounding area, and maybe… a safer path out."
Nam On-jo shivered but nodded, clutching Su-hyeok's hand tightly. Ji-soo adjusted the bag of supplies they had scavenged, while Seok-yoon scanned the hallways with a wary eye. I flexed my kagune beneath my skin, feeling its pulsing energy. Hunger tugged at me, stronger now, but I forced it down. Control… now more than ever.
We moved cautiously through the hallways. Broken lockers, shattered glass, and overturned furniture made progress slow. My enhanced senses picked up heartbeats and faint movement—the infected were everywhere, but so were humans, panicked and desperate, some wielding makeshift weapons. Fear had twisted them into unpredictable threats.
As we approached the stairwell to the rooftop, a larger horde blocked our path. At least ten infected, some fast, some lumbering, groaned and shuffled in the corridor. My kagune twitched with instinct. Hunger pressed at me, sharper this time, but I clenched my teeth, forcing the urge down.
Cheong-san gestured for us to split strategically. "I'll take the lead with Su-hyeok. Seok-yoon covers the rear. Everyone stay tight. We can make it if we coordinate."
The first wave of zombies lunged. My kagune struck instinctively, clumsy at first, but each lash grew more precise. The second strike, fueled by adrenaline and focus, sent one stumbling. Cheong-san struck another, breaking its neck with brutal efficiency. Nam On-jo and Ji-soo guided the younger students behind cover. Each motion, each swing of my kagune, was a lesson in control, a test of my growing power.
The horde pressed closer, and hunger surged, whispering for blood. My body trembled, and for a moment, I almost lost control. But the faces of my friends—their fear, their trust—kept me grounded. My kagune flared, responding fully to my will, striking down three zombies with a single, sweeping motion. The shadowy appendage pulsed beneath my skin, stronger than ever before.
Finally, we reached the rooftop. The doors creaked open, and we emerged into the cold night air. The city sprawled below, eerily quiet, with flickering lights and overturned cars scattered like toys. The infected groaned below, pressing against the barricades, but from above, we had a clear vantage point.
Seok-yoon crouched near the edge, pointing toward distant buildings. "The government… they're moving. Helicopters, armed vehicles… experimenting. There are humans out there with powers like yours, but they're unstable. Some attack anything in sight."
I nodded, feeling the weight of responsibility. My kagune pulsed faintly, hunger simmering but under control. Slowly, unpredictably, the power in me responded to my will, learning from every strike, every dodge, every heartbeat in the night.
Cheong-san looked at me, determination in his eyes. "We survive this together. One step, one fight at a time. We protect each other."
Nam On-jo held Su-hyeok's hand tightly, whispering, "We'll be okay… if we stick together."
But I knew the danger wasn't over. The rooftop gave a momentary reprieve, but the world outside Hyosan High was collapsing. Zombies, humans with ghoul-like powers, and government experiments loomed like shadows over every decision. My kagune twitched again, hunger whispering, but I clenched my teeth. Slowly, I was awakening. Slowly, I was mastering a power that, one day, could surpass anyone—infected or human alike.
Every moment on that rooftop was a trial, every shadow a reminder of the fragile line between life and death. The adventure of survival had only just begun, and with each swing of my kagune, each controlled burst of power, I felt myself growing closer to the strength I would one day wield—a strength strong enough to face the infected, the unstable humans, and a world spiraling into chaos.