Rumi sat at the last corner before the finish line.
She knew her task. When people passed by, she had to stand up, recite a line of script in a creepy voice, then point toward the finish. Very simple.
However, a very long time had passed.
She heard screams and laughter from previous groups as they passed, but they seemed not to see her and just ran right past. There was even one group that after seeing her, deliberately circled a bit away, as if she carried a plague.
They ostracized her. Using this method of ignoring—far more painful than direct insults.
Rumi buried her head deeper, her small body curling into one. Darkness and loneliness submerged her like tidal seawater. She began regretting why she had to join this boring joint camp.
Just then, the sound of rapid, rhythmic footsteps was heard from the direction participants came. Not panicked footsteps like previous people, but more like... a marching troop.
Rumi didn't look up. Anyway, they would also be like the people before; ignore her, then run away.
Those footsteps stopped a few meters from her. She waited for them to leave.
One second.
Two seconds.
Those footsteps didn't move away, instead there was a voice, carrying a bit of surprise as if discovering a new continent, echoing in the silent forest.
"Found one!"
Rumi was startled.
The next second, a hand wearing white rubber gloves—warm and powerful—gripped her wrist. She looked up in shock, meeting a pair of eyes radiating green light in the darkness.
It was the strange person who had poked her with a tree branch.
"Survivor! We found a survivor!"
Darius's voice was filled with joy as if just narrowly escaping death. He gripped Rumi's hand tightly, as if holding a lifeline.
Rumi was truly confused.
(Survivor? Survivor of what?)
"Commander! Thank goodness!" Yui also ran over, her face showing genuine happiness.
"Emergency situation, no time to explain!" Darius didn't give her time to react. He suddenly turned around, staring at the deeper darkness behind him with a "frightened" expression.
"Disaster! The zombie horde has caught up! Run quickly!"
He roared loudly, pulling the still-confused Rumi, and immediately dashed with all his might toward the finish!
"Eh?!"
Rumi was dragged by great force, her body pushed forward beyond her control. Wind roared in her ears, surrounding trees retreated rapidly. She briefly looked back.
Behind, Hayato's group happened to have just arrived. They heard Darius's tragic shout about "zombies coming," then saw his back pulling a girl while running fast. Instantly they all froze in place.
"Run quickly! They have no vision, they detect through sound!" Darius shouted at the people behind without looking back while continuing to run, "Don't make noise! Perform silent movement!"
Hayato and the others exchanged glances. Although not knowing what happened, Darius's apocalyptic demeanor was truly very contagious. Unclear panic began creeping into their hearts.
"R-run, let's run!" Yumiko said trembling.
Thus, a strange scene occurred.
Darius pulled Rumi running blindly in front. Yukino and Yui followed right behind, forming an escort formation. Behind them, a large group led by Hayato was also swept up by this tense atmosphere; they all held their breath, tiptoed, wanting to be fast but not daring to make noise while running along.
The entire Test of Courage event instantly transformed from a horror experience into a tense "Great Escape from Silent Village."
Rumi was pulled by Darius, running until her breath was ragged. Her mind was in chaos.
(Zombie horde? What's that? Why is everyone running?)
However, this sensation of running, the sensation of a pounding heart, the sensation of her wrist being gripped tightly—as if she was the most important person in the world... All of this felt so real.
She no longer thought about the people who ostracized her, no longer thought about the ignoring gazes. Her mind only left one determination.
(Run! Follow this strange person, and stay alive!)
Finally, the bonfire ahead got closer and closer.
"Safe Zone! I see the Safe Zone! Hold on!" Darius shouted, performing the final sprint.
The two became the first to exit the forest, bursting into the warm, bright light of the bonfire party.
Shizuka was chatting with several teachers at the edge of the bonfire. Seeing Darius pulling a girl and emerging like a madman, she was startled.
"Darius! What are you doing now?"
Darius didn't pay attention. He ran to the bonfire, made sure the surroundings were "safe," only then did he release Rumi's hand. He bent down, both hands pressing Rumi's shoulders, staring directly at the girl's face reddened from heavy exercise and her chest heaving with ragged breath.
His expression showed unprecedented seriousness.
"You successfully survived."
His voice wasn't loud, but heard clearly in Rumi's ears.
"In a desperate situation where everyone was infected and swallowed, you alone held on until the end. Until we found you."
He paused, then uttered word by word: "You are a hero."
Rumi panted, staring at the serious face before her.
(Hero? Me?)
All this time, she had always been "the extra person," "the weirdo who can't get along," "the hated child." This was the first time someone used such a word to describe her.
Absurd, strange, illogical. However... a warm current flowed from the deepest part of her heart, instantly collapsing all the dams she had built with coldness and loneliness.
Her eyes moistened beyond control. She stared at Darius, stared at Yui and Yukino behind him who were also panting, stared at the people in the distance emerging from the forest very carefully with confused faces.
Suddenly she felt, this world might not be that bad after all.
Rumi lowered her head, her shoulders slightly shaking. Then, under the reflection of bright bonfire light, on her small face that was always stiff without expression, the corner of her mouth—very, very faintly—curved upward. A smile from the heart that had long been lost, bloomed again.
◆━⊰✿✧✿⊱━◆
The bonfire party began. Students circled the fire, singing, and sharing food. The previous fear and chaos vanished, leaving only post-escape cheerfulness.
Rumi was surrounded by several curious girls, they chattered asking about the "great escape" experience. Although she still didn't talk much, she no longer rejected like before.
Yukino sat somewhat far from the crowd, her hand still gripping that wooden plank, her gaze vacant, wondering what she was thinking.
Yui enthusiastically told Hachiman about how fierce tonight's "battle" was.
Meanwhile Darius, sat alone on the other side of the bonfire, keeping distance from everyone. He didn't participate in any activities, only silently staring at the flames before him without moving.
The night observation device had been removed, but his gaze was far deeper than when wearing it. The dancing flames reflected thousands of small light points in his pitch-black pupils, as if there was a nebula burning there.
He was daydreaming. Or rather, he was receiving the next instruction from "Mother Planet."