"IAmNotAPsychopath: @President Ryujin, are you there yet?"
"Eriri: We're here! Where are you? We'll come find you!"
"IAmNotAPsychopath: The President is here too? I'm inside the school—fifth floor, infirmary, tallest building. Just find the highest building and you'll find me~."
"The tallest building…?"
Utaha raised her head, glanced around, then slowly lowered it again.
"…Isn't that the one we're standing on?"
"…So we spawned right above her?"
Eriri blinked, letting out a slightly awkward laugh.
"…That's… surprisingly convenient."
Asuna didn't waste time. She turned and walked toward the stairwell.
But just as she reached the entrance—
A low, guttural growl echoed upward.
Everyone froze.
They turned toward the sound.
At the bottom of the stairs, several zombies were crouched over a student's body, tearing into it. The boy's arm was still stretched upward, fingers stiff, as if he had been reaching out for help—
But he was already dead.
"…Zombies…"
Eriri swallowed hard, her face turning pale.
"They didn't feel this bad in movies… but in real life…"
Her stomach churned.
"…They're disgusting."
Linglong shivered beside her, instinctively stepping back. Even though she tried to stay brave—
This was far beyond anything she had ever experienced.
Ryujin remained calm.
His Mangekyō Sharingan slowly rotated as he observed the zombies.
He wasn't looking at their appearance—
But something deeper.
He wanted to confirm something.
Would zombies… still have "lines" like humans?
They weren't alive—
But they weren't completely dead either.
The answer came quickly.
Yes.
They still had them.
After all, zombies were still part of this world.
"Grrr—!"
The zombies suddenly turned, drawn by the sound.
Their hollow eyes locked onto the group—
And they rushed forward.
Eriri and Linglong instinctively stepped back. Their first reaction wasn't to fight—
But to avoid.
This was their first time facing something like this.
The zombies still looked human.
Killing them—
Felt no different from killing people.
Even Asuna and Utaha, who were mentally stronger, hesitated for a moment.
They had learned ninjutsu—
But in that instant—
They froze.
Ryujin stepped forward.
Calmly.
He raised his hand.
"Lightning Style… Chidori."
A sharp, piercing sound filled the air—
Like a thousand birds crying.
Lightning gathered in his palm—
Violent.
Unstable.
In the next second—
He moved.
A flash.
Too fast to follow.
The lightning tore through the zombies instantly.
Clean.
Precise.
Their heads separated from their bodies—
Almost effortlessly.
For a moment—
The corpses stood still.
Then—
They collapsed.
Silence.
"…That…"
Linglong stared blankly.
"…That was incredible…"
Even Eriri and the others were stunned.
One move—
And everything was over.
Utaha took a deep breath, suppressing her discomfort.
"…As expected of the President…"
Ryujin glanced at them.
"This is an apocalypse."
His voice was calm.
"If you can't adjust your mindset—"
"You'll be bitten."
"And you'll become one of them."
The words hit hard.
Not anger.
Not pressure.
Just reality.
"If you can't do it, you can leave."
"There's no penalty."
Silence fell.
They understood.
If they couldn't fight—
They were just a burden.
Asuna stepped forward first.
"…I understand."
She took a deep breath.
"I hesitated… but not anymore."
"Boss! I'll fight too!"
Eriri clenched her kunai tightly.
Fear still remained—
But she didn't step back.
Utaha and Linglong also steadied themselves.
They had come this far.
They wouldn't run.
"…Good."
A faint smile appeared on Ryujin's face.
"Remember—destroy the head."
"That's how you kill them."
Another wave of zombies rushed forward.
This time—
Asuna didn't hesitate.
"Fire Style… Great Fireball Jutsu!"
A massive fireball exploded forward—
Burning a zombie's head instantly.
Utaha followed.
Body Flicker activated—
She dashed forward with precision.
Eriri and Linglong joined in.
Fear still existed—
But it no longer controlled them.
This time—
They fought.
Because this wasn't a game.
Not a story.
This—
Was survival.
And the real battle—
Had just begun. 🔥