[Yuzuki POV]
I looked down at the carnage below. The courtyard was a nightmare of blood and shattered bodies, beasts tearing through everything in their path. From the top of the rift, they poured out endlessly, and I stood above it all, knife in hand. So much blood so much panic so much fear, in one place it was hard to imagen but somehow easy to see. It filled the air like mist, coated the ground like water, stained everything.
A cold thrill ran through me. was I enjoying this or something deeply wrong with my brain but one thing I was sure about all these people… all these weak, screaming humans… they needed to feel pain like I had. Every ounce of suffering they felt would echo mine.
"Alright," the doctor's voice cut through my thoughts. I barely noticed him approach, his calm presence contrasting with the chaos below. He looked down at the scene a small child pinned by a monstrous hybrid, part dog, part horse, its jaws tearing through it flesh.
"You can go down now. But be safe, alright? If you succeed, I'll give you more of my medicine," he said, almost casually uncaring about the chaos below us.
I nodded, the thought of more medicine making me happy. After all… who doesn't want to live longer? And then he was gone, as if he had never even been there. I still didn't fully understand the kind of power the doctor wielded, but it was strong undeniably so.
I should start moving. Staying here wouldn't get me Hiro's head.
Looking down, I jumped off the rift and plunged toward the ground below.
Thump.
I landed in the midst of the carnage.
I tightened my grip on the knife. A monster charged at me, claws reaching out like a living blade. I stepped backward just in time, the claw grazing my chest, before swinging my knife in a clean arc—severing its head.
Easy, I thought. The monster shouldn't have attacked me; that's what the doctor had said.
But it didn't matter.
I walked through the courtyard, which looked like an incarnation of hell itself. Bodies lay scattered all around some were beasts, but others were children, and even a few of the teachers. Blood and gore coated the ground, the air thick scent of death and nothing else.
I stepped over a torn body, ignoring the screams and chaos around me as I made my way toward the centre of the courtyard. The beasts that tried to attack me were easily killed like cutting wheat from a scythe.
Nothing could stop my advance.
Or so I thought.
A child stumbled into my path, crying out as he looked up at me. One of his hands was missing, and he clutched the bleeding stump tightly, trying to stop the blood loss.
I paused just long enough to glance at him. Fear was frozen on his face.
Before I could say or do anything, monsters swept in, tearing into him.
its blood splashed against my black boots painting it red.
I didn't move.
I tightened my grip on my knife until my knuckles whitened.
"They deserve it," I whispered.
My voice sounded hollow.
"They deserve it."
But the image of his eyes pleading, confused didn't fade.
It lingered.
And I hated that.
After all, why was I feeling something for someone I didn't even know?
No.
I had to move.
I had to kill Hiro.
I had to.
I had to.
I pushed forward with renewed determination, ready to end this—
Fsssh.
The sharp whistle of something cutting through the air reached my ears.
I reacted instantly, raising my knife to the side. Clink. The arrow struck the blade and deflected away.
I turned my head.
A girl with green hair and sharp green eyes stood a few distance away, a bow already drawn in her hands, aimed directly at me.
Fsssh.
She let loose another arrow.
I didn't even bother to deflect it.
I simply tilted my head slightly, letting it slice past me.
The arrow whistled through the air and vanished behind me.
Her green ember-like eyes widened in surprise.
I glanced back to where the arrow had vanished, then turned my gaze to the girl again. She had lowered her bow slightly.
I smiled.
Slowly, I raised my knife and pointed its tip toward her.
Her fingers tightened around the bowstring.
We stood there for a single breath.
In that silence, there was a mutual realization—whoever moved first would decide who walked away alive.
The courtyard seemed to hold its breath with us as it silenced any other sound then of our breathing
Then—
A heavy thump echoed somewhere nearby, shaking the ground beneath our feet.
And in that instant—
Our battle began.