The rooftop had offered a momentary reprieve, but the night air carried no comfort—only the distant groans of the infected and the eerie hum of the city below. Cheong-san surveyed the surroundings, his eyes sharp and alert. "We can't stay up here forever. There are students trapped in the lower floors. Some haven't made it to the gym or science lab. We need to go back."
Nam On-jo hesitated, gripping Su-hyeok's arm tightly. "Back down there? There are so many… they'll get us."
Cheong-san's jaw tightened. "We don't leave anyone behind. That's the rule. We move together, and we fight together."
I flexed my kagune beneath my skin, sensing its subtle pulse. Hunger tugged sharply now, a pressing reminder of my weakness. The metallic tang in the air called to me, but I forced it down. Control… focus… protect.
Descending into the darkened stairwell, the smell of decay hit us immediately. Broken lockers and shattered glass littered the steps. My enhanced senses detected movement—fast, uneven. Infected were everywhere, but so were other students, panicked and wielding makeshift weapons, their fear making them dangerous.
At the third floor, the first major horde blocked our path. At least fifteen infected shuffled toward us, groaning and snapping. I stepped forward, kagune flickering nervously. Hunger surged, demanding I feed, but I clenched my jaw, controlling the urge.
The battle began. My kagune lashed instinctively, clumsy at first, knocking one infected off balance. Cheong-san struck another, Su-hyeok and Ji-soo coordinated to block attacks, and Nam On-jo helped guide the younger students behind cover. Each swing, each strike, tested my control. My kagune pulsed, stronger with each attack, responding more precisely to my will. Hunger whispered sharply, threatening to overwhelm me, but I forced it down. Not now.
Suddenly, from the shadows, a figure emerged—human, but not like us. Their movements were erratic, kagune-like appendages flickering violently. Instability radiated from them. They lunged at the group, attacking both infected and humans indiscriminately. The unstable power was dangerous—uncontrolled, chaotic.
I stepped forward, instinct and strategy guiding me. My kagune lashed, striking with precision this time, countering their chaotic attacks. Cheong-san and the others fought the horde, while I engaged the unstable human. Hunger clawed at me, growing insistent, but I clenched my teeth. Control… I am still in charge.
The fight pushed me to my limits. The unstable human struck with raw power, but my kagune responded in ways it hadn't before. Each strike felt sharper, faster, stronger. Hunger pressed at the back of my mind, urging me to feed, but I resisted, focusing on survival and protecting the group.
Finally, the last infected fell, groaning, broken, and silent. The unstable human staggered, then retreated into the shadows, leaving a warning in its wake. My kagune pulsed faintly beneath my skin, exhaustion radiating through my muscles. I had survived, controlled the hunger, and protected my friends. Slowly, unpredictably, my power was learning, evolving, responding.
Cheong-san surveyed the group. "Everyone okay?" Nam On-jo nodded, Su-hyeok wiped blood from his face, and Ji-soo and Seok-yoon checked the younger students. I exhaled, feeling the weight of control I had maintained over my kagune and hunger.
Seok-yoon leaned close, whispering, "The government… they're behind all this. They want to see what humans can do when infected, when given unstable powers. And they're testing everyone… even those like you. That's why there are others with powers, but they're unstable. They can't control it… they're dangerous."
I nodded, realizing the truth. The infected weren't the ultimate enemy. The world itself—the government, humans experimenting with powers, and unstable ghouls—was the true villain. And slowly, I was awakening to a power that could eventually surpass anyone. Hunger simmered beneath my ribs, a reminder that control was everything, but I could master it, grow stronger, and protect everyone.
Cheong-san placed a hand on my shoulder. "We survive. We protect each other. One step at a time. One fight at a time."
I nodded, feeling the weight of responsibility settle in. My kagune flickered, stronger now, responding to instinct and will alike. The group moved forward, descending further into chaos, every hallway and classroom a potential battleground. The adventure had only just begun, but each fight, each survival, each controlled burst of power brought me closer to awakening fully—a ghoul capable of facing the infected, unstable humans, and the world that had turned against itself.
The shadows of Hyosan High stretched endlessly before us, but one truth was clear: survival wasn't just about fighting monsters anymore. It was about mastering the power within, resisting the hunger, and standing against a world that had become the true villain.