章 215: Leaving the Group
As Yukino descended the staircase from the balcony, four or five "corpses" were already staggering towards her. The door to the rooftop had been pushed open by these corpses, and more were steadily making their way up from the outside.
Luckily, the scream from the rich girl earlier had only attracted the corpses near the rooftop entrance; otherwise, they would have been trapped up there.
Taking a deep breath, Yukino swung the long sword in her hand at the nearest corpse.
In the next instant, the male corpse's head was cleanly severed, falling to the ground.
Since these corpses were walking dead bodies with no functioning blood circulation, even decapitation didn't result in any blood spray.
Yukino, often referred to as a "walking encyclopedia," naturally knew how to kill zombies thoroughly. She wasn't foolish enough to attack their body parts. While cutting off limbs could disable a corpse, decapitation was a much more efficient method.
Seeing the gruesome aftermath of her actions, Yukino's hands trembled slightly, and her breathing became a bit ragged.
However, now was not the time to focus on such things. One mistake could lead to irreversible consequences.
So, she forced herself to suppress her discomfort and moved toward the next target, sword in hand.
These corpses moved slowly, their attacks sluggish. As long as one remained vigilant, even an ordinary student could easily kill a single corpse.
The true terror of these corpses lay in their numbers. If ten, or even dozens, of corpses attacked at once, the situation would become dire.
Before long, another corpse fell under Yukino's sword.
With her first experience behind her, Yukino gradually adapted to the gruesome scene.
Just as she was about to swing her sword at a third corpse, Taiyo Oga, who had followed behind her, suddenly stepped in and smashed the corpse's head with his baseball bat.
The corpse's head exploded, sending brain matter splattering everywhere. Yukino's expression changed instantly as she quickly stepped back, barely avoiding being covered in gore.
Turning around, Taiyo grinned at Yukino, showing off his teeth. "You alright, Yukinoshita-san? Don't worry, I'll protect you."
He swung his bloodstained bat with a proud look in his eyes, unable to hide his sense of accomplishment.
"Mind your own business," Yukino replied coldly, shooting him a disdainful glance. Her opinion of him plummeted even further.
Although she had already found him hypocritical before, as long as he didn't interfere with her, she hadn't bothered to say anything. But now, her feelings toward Taiyo had crossed into the realm of disgust.
Without acknowledging him further, Yukino turned and headed toward the next target.
Seeing her cold attitude, Taiyo's expression shifted briefly, anger welling up inside him. He didn't realize that his actions had caused trouble for Yukino; in his mind, everything he did was to help her.
But to maintain a good impression, he suppressed his irritation, forcing a smile as if nothing had happened.
By this time, the bearded man and the athletic young man, along with the rest of the group, had arrived. Apart from a few overly timid individuals, most had picked up their weapons and joined in taking down the remaining corpses.
Before long, with everyone's efforts, the rooftop was cleared of corpses.
"Yukinoshita-san, you're amazing!" Kei Karuizawa, who had been following Yukino closely, looked at her with admiration. Yukino's moves in dispatching the corpses had indeed been impressive.
Kei held an unsheathed katana in her hands, though the bloodstains on the scabbard suggested she had been using the sword like a club to bash corpses rather than cutting with it.
"Thank you," Yukino replied calmly. She didn't have any particular dislike for this girl, who, apart from being somewhat cute, was otherwise rather ordinary.
Yukino could sense that Kei was sticking close to her for a reason, but she also felt that the girl bore her no ill will.
Moreover, Yukino had taken note of Kei's actions earlier, which left her with a fairly positive impression.
What puzzled Yukino, however, was why Kei had chosen a katana as her weapon. From her earlier movements, it was clear she had no idea how to properly wield a sword. It would have been more practical for her to pick something like a metal pipe or a baseball bat.
Kei's pleased expression brightened when she heard Yukino's response. She hadn't expected Yukino to acknowledge her at all.
Changing her tone, she asked hopefully, "Yukinoshita-san, could you teach me a bit of kendo?"
Yukino gave Kei a strange look, finally understanding why she had chosen a katana.
She found it a bit foolish. How could Kei expect to learn kendo in such a short time, especially in the middle of an apocalypse? Yukino's own kendo skills had been honed through years of training with her twin sister, Yukina.
In this situation, choosing a weapon like the Excalibur of Physics would have been far more useful than a katana.
But now that the choice was made, Kei couldn't switch weapons.
"Maybe later," Yukino replied with a hint of exasperation. "For now, let's focus on surviving and getting out of this school."
Schools were densely populated, and at this rate, it wouldn't be long before the whole place became a haven for corpses. If they stayed in the school, it would only get harder to escape.
Yukino glanced at the group of people resting nearby, some panting heavily. She shook her head in disbelief. They were already this exhausted from fighting just over ten corpses—if they faced a larger group, casualties were inevitable.
Especially the flashy girl and Makoto Itou. They hadn't fought at all earlier, and now they looked like they were on the verge of a nervous breakdown. If they rushed out, one of them would be the first to die.
Yukino wasn't a saint. She had no intention of going out of her way to protect strangers. She only wanted to survive and return to her family.
Helping them within her abilities was already the most she was willing to do.
At that moment, the rich young lady in the group suddenly raised her hand. "It's too dangerous to go down with all those corpses out there. How about we block off the rooftop? Someone will definitely come to rescue us soon."
Though the young lady's face was pale, she still carried herself with a sense of superiority—a habit ingrained over many years that wasn't easily shaken.
"That's right," the athletic young man chimed in. "Since the apocalypse just started, the military will definitely send a rescue team to places like schools. I also think we should stay on the rooftop."
Their opinions were met with approval from most of the group, especially the flashy girl and Makoto Itou, who clung to the idea like a lifeline.
"Yeah, if the rescue team comes, we won't have to face the corpses directly. With the military's protection, completing this task won't be so hard," they said, grasping at straws.
However, Yukino quickly shattered their hopeful fantasy. Her cold gaze swept across the group, her beautiful face completely devoid of emotion.
"Staying on the rooftop will only make things worse. If you want to survive, leave the school as soon as possible. Waiting for an unknown rescue is the most foolish thing you can do. If the rescue never comes, it'll be too late to leave."
"If you want to leave, go ahead, but we're not going to follow you to our deaths," the flashy girl snapped, her emotions suddenly flaring up.
She had already been intensely jealous of Yukino, and seeing how strong Yukino was earlier only made her feel even weaker in comparison.
The stark contrast between their abilities fueled her resentment toward Yukino.
"Whether you leave or not is your business. It has nothing to do with me. I'm just giving you a heads-up—I never said you had to follow me. Don't flatter yourself," Yukino retorted sharply, not holding back.
Without waiting for a response, she turned and prepared to leave the rooftop, the scene eerily similar to before.
Once again, Kei Karuizawa immediately followed after Yukino without hesitation. Compared to the rest of the group, Yukino gave her a much stronger sense of security, and besides, Kei still hoped to learn kendo from her.
Yukino didn't mind having a follower this time. In a world like this, having a reliable companion wasn't a bad thing.
Though she couldn't fully trust Kei yet, of all the Reincarnators in this group, Kei had left the best impression on her so far.
Just then, a shrill voice from the group called out, "Yukinoshita, since you're so strong, you should stay and protect us! We're all in the same Reincarnator team, aren't we supposed to take care of each other?"
It was the rich young lady who had first suggested waiting for rescue. She wore an expression of self-righteousness as she spoke.
"You're being selfish, leaving us like this," she continued, her tone sanctimonious.
Before Yukino could respond, Kei jumped in to defend her.
"Why should Yukinoshita-san protect you? She's not your servant or bodyguard."
"Hmph, with great power comes great responsibility. Since she's so strong, it's only natural for her to protect us weaker ones."
"You—" Kei's face flushed with anger at the rich girl's twisted logic.
The rest of the group, meanwhile, knew that the rich girl's reasoning was flawed, but none of them spoke up to oppose her as Kei did.
They weren't stupid—they had seen how strong Yukino was. With a single strike, she could easily take down a corpse, far outstripping even the athletic young man. If following the rich girl's logic meant they could secure Yukino's protection, they were more than willing to go along with it.
Yukino's steps paused for a moment, her expression showing a mix of disbelief and annoyance. Then, with a perfectly calm tone, one blunt word escaped her lips:
"Retard."
Her words were like a textbook example of refusing to fall for moral blackmail. After delivering her scathing retort, Yukino continued her walk toward the exit without a second thought.
Watching Yukino and Kei's retreating backs, Taiyo Oga suddenly saw an opportunity. If he could spend more time alone with Yukino, he was confident he could win her over. If nothing else, he had ways to force the situation, and in a world without laws and social order, he had more freedom to act as he pleased. The thought brought a twisted smile to his lips.
"Ahem, I think Yukinoshita-san made a good point. I'll go with her," Taiyo announced loudly, as if to signal his intentions to the group, but in reality, he was trying to get Yukino's attention.
He jogged ahead to catch up with Yukino, positioning himself beside her with a grin plastered on his face. "Yukinoshita-san, since we're both teammates now, why don't we cooperate to complete this task?"
As he spoke, he tried to place a hand on her shoulder, but before he could make contact, a cold flash caught his eye. Yukino's long sword was suddenly inches from his throat, freezing him in place.
"I'll say this once: I don't know you, and I have no interest in teaming up with you. Keep your hands to yourself," Yukino said icily, her eyes glinting with an unmistakable warning.
For a few seconds, Taiyo stood frozen, drenched in cold sweat as Yukino slowly lowered her sword and continued walking with Kei.
Only after they were a safe distance away did Taiyo finally snap out of it. His initial shock quickly gave way to seething anger.
"That bitch... how dare she refuse me like that," he fumed internally, but he forced himself to calm down. He needed to play this smart, at least for now.
Back on the rooftop, the others remained silent, having witnessed the tense exchange between Taiyo and Yukino. Any thoughts of asking Yukino to stay and help vanished after seeing her swift and decisive response.
"Are you alright, Oga-kun?" one of the group members asked cautiously, noting Taiyo's shifting expressions.
Taiyo forced a smile, trying to regain his composure. "I'm fine. Sorry for worrying you."
At that moment, the bearded middle-aged man spoke up. "I think the young lady had a point. Maybe we should follow her and leave the school as well?"
However, his suggestion was met with hesitant looks from the others.
"Oga-kun, maybe we should stay put for now," one of the group members suggested, fear evident in their voice. "The school is crawling with corpses, and leaving might get us killed. It's safer to wait for the military to arrive."
…
Meanwhile, Yukino and Kei descended the stairs, moving cautiously through the school's corridors. The building was eerily quiet, though every now and then, they could hear distant shuffling footsteps or moans from the "corpses."
Kei kept a tight grip on her katana, still feeling the weight of everything that had happened. The tension between her and the group on the rooftop had only deepened her resolve to stick with Yukino. Compared to those people, Yukino seemed far more capable of surviving.
"Yukinoshita-san," Kei began nervously, "do you really think we'll be okay leaving the school?"
Without stopping, Yukino replied, "Staying in one place is a death sentence. This school will be overrun with corpses soon. If we don't leave now, we'll lose any chance of survival."
Kei nodded, though she still felt uneasy. "I trust you," she added quietly.
Yukino glanced at her briefly before focusing ahead again. "Don't trust me. Trust yourself and stay alert. That's the only way you'll survive."
Kei fell silent after that, but her determination hardened. She would follow Yukino's lead for now, but she knew that in this world, survival was her own responsibility.
As they neared the school's entrance, Yukino's senses heightened. The number of corpses in the area was increasing, and navigating their way out without attracting too much attention would be tricky. But Yukino was ready. She had already resolved to do whatever it took to survive.
With Kei at her side, she gripped her sword tightly and prepared to face whatever awaited them outside the school gates.
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