ALL NOVEL Chapter 24: CHAPTER 24
Flashback Begins
Niikaz stood alone in the middle of a chaotic street, surrounded by a horde of undead that surged toward her, their grotesque faces twisted with hunger. The air was thick with the stench of decay, but Niikaz's determination burned brighter than the fear that clawed at her gut.
"Thirty seconds should be enough," she mused with a wicked grin, her eyes gleaming with anticipation as she assessed the approaching swarm.
With a swift motion, she raised her silenced machine gun, the barrel glinting ominously in the fading light. "Let's dance," she whispered, her voice low and dangerous.
As the first few zombies lunged at her, she pulled the trigger. The weapon emitted a series of muted thuds, each bullet striking its target with deadly precision. Heads exploded in showers of blood and bone, sending body parts flying. The ground became a grisly canvas painted in red as she maneuvered gracefully among them, her movements precise and fluid.
A zombie's hand clawed at her ankle, but she was quicker. With a deft kick, she sent the creature sprawling backward, its decayed body hitting the ground with a sickening thud. She vaulted over it, her body in perfect sync with her weapon as she continued her onslaught.
"I should hurry up and settle this!" she calculated, glancing at the swarm. With the undead still closing in, she needed a strategic advantage."Fufufu," she chuckled to herself, a hint of madness in her eyes.
In one smooth motion, she tossed a bomb behind her—a device designed to create chaos. It landed with a dull thump, and the undead, sensing a new target, turned away from her momentarily. Seizing the opportunity, Niikaz leaped onto a nearby wall, scaling it with the agility of a predator.
(This is getting fun.) She thought, feeling the rush of adrenaline course through her veins. From her vantage point, she could see the horde moving in erratic patterns, drawn to the sound of the bomb.
With a flick of her wrist, she conjured a glowing sphere of energy, its light pulsating with potential. "Time for the grand finale,"she declared, a sinister grin spreading across her face.
Niikaz aimed the sphere at the mass of undead below, letting it drift down like a shooting star.
The light sphere expands surrounding most of the undead that has gather into 1 point. This sphere has covered almost all the parts like a barrier between the inside and outside area.
As the barrier almost closing forming as a full sphere, one light drifts down again towards the centre of the undead before it detonated with an explosive force. The blast created a shockwave that rippled through the horde, ripping apart bodies and scattering them like leaves in a storm. Blood and viscera splattered against the surrounding barrier, and the air filled with the small of her laughter mingling with the dying groans of the undead.
The barrier she'd created around the horde absorbed the shock, but as it collapsed, she jumped out, landing lightly on the ground with a grace that belied the chaos she'd just unleashed.
She surveyed the devastation with satisfaction. The remaining undead staggered around in confusion, some still clinging to life despite their injuries.
"That's should do it!" she proclaimed, crossing her arms triumphantly. Her eyes sparkled with a mixture of thrill and bloodlust.
(Kazu said his house is on the 7th floor, huh?) she pondered, readying herself to join her friends.
With newfound determination, Niikaz turned her attention to the main gate, her next target in sight. Lifting her left hand, she concentrated, forming another shimmering sphere of energy. This time, she aimed it toward the fence on the 7th floor.
Several blue spheres shot forth from her palm, each one weaving a gleaming blue rope that connected to the fence, knotting tightly. With a single pull, she felt herself lift off the ground, effortlessly scaling the height as if gravity were merely an afterthought.
She landed on the rooftop with a flourish, looking back at the chaos she'd left behind. "What a warm-up," she said to herself, a smirk playing on her lips as she prepared to reunite with Kazu and the others.
Flashback Ends
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"Just what are you?!" Yamada shouted, still in disbelief.
Niikaz shrugged, dismissing his question. She focused on Kazu, who was approaching one of the bloodstained doors. His steps slowed as he reached it, and he froze, staring at the heavy stains covering the entrance.
Niikaz's eyes glowed again, allowing her to see into the room beyond. Her expression darkened, but she closed her eyes, holding back.
Kazu's hand trembled as he opened the door. The scene inside was worse than he had feared: a chaotic mess, blood splattered across the walls and floor. His voice cracked as he called out, "M-Mom… D-Dad?" He moved from corner to corner, searching desperately for any sign of life, hoping against hope.
But as he reached the bedroom knowing that this bedroom was used by his parents, his knees gave way. Hanging in the center of the room was his mother, her eyes half-dead, suspended by her neck. Her body was twitching searching for sound but didn't have energy to went rampant. Beneath her lay his father's body, a knife clutched in his hand, his throat cut in a final act of despair.
Kazu's sobs filled the room. Takuzo, Yamada, and Naomi joined him, each reacting to the horror in their own way—Naomi stifled her tears, Takuzo closed his eyes, and Yamada looked away.
"Takuzo...Yamada ...and Naomi, can't you guys guard the door. Soon, we will be there," Niikaz whispered to them, giving a sign to let her handle this. They nod, not giving many words.
As they go outside the room, Yamada whispered, "Why would his father…?" He trailed off, unable to understand.
Naomi looked down. "In a world like this, sometimes… dying together is easier than facing it alone." She wipe her tears trying to hold back.
Takuzo tightened his grip on his weapon, feeling her words too keenly.
Inside, Niikaz saw Kazu looking lifeless as there is no hope in his eyes anymore. She then knelt beside Kazu, gently pulling him into her arms.
She embraces him from the side, moves his head close to her chest. Kazu shocked at first but slowly let her be. His hands slowly crawl her back, hug her hard, crying without restraint. She held him quietly, letting him release his grief. "It's okay. I'm here for you," she whispered, even though words felt inadequate. Her only comfort was her presence, standing by him as his world fell apart.