The Never Ending Market.

(AN: happy holidays)

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[W3 (Courage)]

 [Kansas, Middle of nowhere. 8:00 PM]

A gust of cold wind swept through the empty fields. The land was bleak and barren, just as Kazuhiro had anticipated from the world's description. He was now faced in the direction of the two story wooden shack.

'According to the directions given, this is the place,' Kazuhiro mused. The wind tugged at his clothing, sending loose dust swirling around his feet as the moon bathed everything in an otherworldly blue hue.

There was no hesitation as he stepped forward. The stairs creaked beneath his weight, the old wood groaning in protest, and he had to bend almost in half to avoid hitting his head on the overhang roof. He lifted his arm, his good arm, and knocked gently,

It only took a few seconds before the door creaked open, revealing a familiar pink figure.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGHHHHH!" 

The scream pierced through the night air, the little dog's eyes wide with terror. With a speed that defied its short legs, the canine slammed the door shut right in Kazuhiro's face, the force almost knocking loose a few splinters.

Kazuhiro stood motionless, slightly confused at the turn of events. 'How strange. From the description of this world, supernatural occurrences are a common phenomenon, particularly in such isolated places. I would have assumed its inhabitants to be more accustomed to unusual visitors... maybe I overestimated their tolerance.'

His thought were interrupted by the creak of the door once more, this time opening to reveal a different figure, an elderly woman, her face lit up with recognition.

"Oh my, aren't you that kind clerk from before?" she exclaimed, a warm smile spreading across her face as she stepped aside to let him in. "It's so nice to see you again! Please, come in, be our guest!"

Kazuhiro inclined his head slightly. He noted the pink dog cowering behind her, peeking out nervously from the folds of her dress. "Apologies for the unexpected visit," he began, his voice low and resonant. "I'm here for a different matter. My workers mentioned that they received treatment here during their previous visit. My arm is in need of medical aid."

He adjusted his stance, bringing his injured limb forward. The bandages were hastily wrapped, no signs of blood however it was still noticeable to how deformed it was.

Muriel's expression shifted instantly to one of concern. "Oh dear, that's a serious injury! Wait right here, I'll call for help." She turned, her voice rising as she called out to someone inside the house.

The small pink dog — Courage, if he remembered correctly — scurried back inside as if he wanted to be anywhere but near the giant figure standing on the porch. Kazuhiro remained outside, aware that his height would make it difficult to enter without significant contortions. He watched as the warm light from the shack's interior cast dancing shadows on the dry grass outside.

Just as he was contemplating whether to step away from the porch to avoid bumping his head on the ceiling, a peculiar sound caught his attention.

'Music?' he wondered, turning his head slightly to catch the faint, melodious notes of a sitar carried on the wind. Shifting to the horizon as he tried to discern the source.

There, emerging from the distant darkness, was a giant figure, a massive silhouette against the night sky. The ground beneath his feet trembled ever so slightly as the creature — a giant elephant draped in colorful, ornate garments — lumbered closer. Its rider, perched atop its back, was a man clad in medical attire. The sitar's music grew louder as they approached.

Kazuhiro observed in silence as the elephant halted in front of the house. The rider slid down with practiced ease, landing lightly on the ground before approaching Muriel, who had stepped out to greet him.

"You called?" The man's voice was thick with an accent.

"Yes, Doctor." Muriel nodded, smiling up at him. "Our guest here is in need of your expertise."

Kazuhiro inclined his head slightly in greeting as the man turned to face him. Dr. Vindaloo's sharp gaze assessed the towering figure, lingering briefly on the poorly deformed bandaged arm.

"Quite the unusual fracture, but there's nothing to worry about." Dr. Vindaloo remarked, his voice calm and steady despite the odd circumstances. "Remove your costume and let me have a proper look, will you?"

Kazuhiro had to clarify that even though he wore nothing but a short-sleeved shirt and pants, it was clear the doctor assumed his entire appearance, his shadowy form, elongated limbs, and obscured face was part of some elaborate disguise. In a pause unsure how he should clarify this information left the doctor to voice out before him after not receiving any response to his actions.

"Hm, I see. You must be shy, that's no issue, we can perform a quick surgery with the costume on." He said before turning to Muriel. "Is there a spare room we can use?"

Muriel clasped her hands together cheerfully. "Oh, of course! We have the guest room available at all times. You can use that."

"Perfect." The doctor nodded and with exaggerated motion, he reached into his coat pocket and began pulling out a large metal toolbox that seemed far too big to fit in the small space.

Having nothing else to add to that spectacle. Muriel urged them to come in as Kazuhiro followed suit and hunched over from the short doorway.

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[W5, HOTD]

 [Tokonosu, Nearing Tagaki estates. 5:45 PM]

The orange hues of the setting sun cast long shadows across the abandoned cars littered along the once-bustling road. Now, the wreckage lay scattered like a battlefield of shattered hopes—broken windows, dented doors, and bloodstained seats told silent stories of the chaos that had unfolded not long ago.

Kanae moved cautiously through the debris, her steps echoing softly in the hollow silence of early evening. Each step she took seemed to resonate with the weight of exhaustion that clung to her body. She could feel it settling into her bones, a relentless fatigue born not just from the physical exertion of the day but from the sheer emotional toll of navigating through this fractured world.

She gently rubbed her temple, her fingers pressing against the dull throb that persisted behind her eyes. A headache had been forming for the past few hours, growing steadily worse with each passing moment. 'Not now, Kanae. You can't rest now,' she reminded herself, steeling her resolve.

Her gaze swept over the road ahead. The number of abandoned vehicles increased the further she went, a grim reminder that the Takagi estate was nearby. There was an eerie quietness to the scene, broken only by the occasional creak of metal shifting in the wind or the distant, forlorn call of a crow. The corpses—decaying husks of the people who once filled these cars—were scattered like twisted art installations, grotesquely frozen in their final moments.

'According to what the kid mentioned,' she thought, her brow furrowing slightly as she navigated around a particularly mangled vehicle. 'The Takagi mansion is right up ahead. If I remember correctly, they were heading there. Not to mention, that missile from earlier what is the government even thinking?'

She paused briefly, glancing at the fading light in the sky. It was dangerous to be out here at night—when the infected became even more unpredictable.

Her thoughts drifted to those she had helped pass through the strange, golden gates of the market—a bizarre and fantastical place that seemed so out of place in this broken reality. Yet, she had found herself oddly comforted by its otherworldly nature. It was a refuge, a sanctuary for those who managed to stumble upon it, and she had taken on the responsibility of guiding those who needed it

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BANG!

The distant sound echoed across the otherwise quiet evening, reverberating through the broken-down cars and empty streets. Kanae's breath caught in her throat, her exhaustion momentarily forgotten as adrenaline surged through her veins.

'That... that should be near where I'm heading.' she realized, her heart pounding against her ribcage like a war drum.

The pot she carried jostled in her grip as she broke into a run, every muscle in her body screaming in protest. The path blurred before her as she pushed forward, the estate's outline gradually coming into view. Smoke curled up into the sky, and her breath hitched at the sight—something had crashed. Squinting her eyes, the colors and shape resembled a bus. Its frame was now engulfed in a rising column of smoke, the scent of burning rubber and metal sharp in the air.

Kanae skidded to a stop, panting heavily. Her eyes widened at the chaos unfolding in front of her. The fortified barricade now lay in ruins, and a horde of undead was surging through the opening like a relentless tide. In the distance, she could hear faint, blood-curdling screams—survivors caught outside the gates, being torn apart by ravenous mouths and clawing hands. Sporadic gunfire echoed from the mansion's defenders as they desperately tried to hold back the swarm.

"Damn it!" Kanae hissed, her breathe ragged. She scanned the battlefield, calculating her options, and her grip tightened on the pot's handle. "I need to act fast."

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The defenders stumbled back as the barricades and gates were swept away under the relentless assault of the undead. The air was filled with the deafening clang of metal and the loud groans of the dead.

"THEY'RE REACHING THE GATES! GET INSIDE!" a voice screamed, slicing through the chaos.

Civilians scattered, stumbling over each other as they scrambled to reach the safety of the inner courtyard. The outer gate was their first line of defense, leading into the expansive front courtyard that stretched out before the mansion itself. Beyond that courtyard, there was little to stop the advancing horde.

"Shut it! Shut the damn gate!" a man yelled, his voice hoarse and strained knowing damn well they couldn't save those that were left out. He and other men threw their weight against the iron bars, struggling to pull the massive doors closed as the undead pressed forward. The gate creaked and groaned, barely moving under the sheer weight of the horde pushing from the other side.

Gunshots rang out from above as more survivors stationed on the walls picked off zombies one by one. The high-caliber rounds tore through decaying skulls, splattering rotted brain matter across the cracked asphalt. But for every corpse that fell, ten more surged forward, pressing against the gate like a relentless tide.

"They're breaking through!" a young man screamed, eyes wide with terror as the undead clawed at the iron bars. "It won't hold!"

With a final, ear-splitting groan, the gate gave way. The iron gate buckled under the pressure, and then, with a thunderous crash, it flew open. The undead swarmed in, their collective roar drowning out the screams of the defenders.

They flooded into the front courtyard, stumbling over debris and each other in their insatiable hunger for the living. The defenders who had stayed too long near the gate were overrun in seconds, their screams cut short as they were dragged down beneath a sea of gnashing teeth and clawing hands.

On the upper landing of the main staircase, Kohta, Takashi, Rei and the rest of the gang had taken position. From their elevated vantage point, they had a clear line of sight over the entire front courtyard and the breached gate. The broad steps provided them a defensive high ground, but it was little comfort as they watched the horde sweep across the open space below, gradually closing in on the estate's entrance.

The sharp crack of gunfire echoed through the air as Kohta Hirano fired shot after shot, picking off the zombies that had made it past the fallen defenders near the breached outer gate. Brass casings clinked to the marble floor around his feet, the acrid smell of gunpowder mingling with the metallic tang of blood in the air.

"Damn, there just too many!" He voiced as he shot another only to reload after, getting assistance from Alice as she handed him another magazine.

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+Takashi POV+

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'This isn't working... we're going to get trapped here if we don't move soon.' Takashi felt the weight of indecision pressing down on him. His thoughts raced as he scanned the battlefield, taking in the horrifying sight of the overrun courtyard.

The undead kept coming. His jaw tightened as the noise and chaos overwhelmed his thoughts. He knew what had to be done, but saying it out loud was another matter entirely.

"No good," came a voice from behind him, calm but serious. Takashi turned to see, a girl they'd taken in on their way here. Her black hair was still neatly braided, despite the chaos, her glasses slipping slightly down her nose as she assessed the situation with cool detachment. "Staying here isn't an option. This place is about to be swarmed, and with the noise, more will keep coming. Our best shot is to abandon this place."

He knew she was right. Still, it didn't sit with him well to abandon the people here.

"We can't leave!" Rei's voice rang out, thick with emotion. "My dad is down there! We just met and you want me to leave him here?!"

Saeko stepped forward, her katana glinting by the sunset's rays. "We'll get as many out as we can," she said, her voice steady and sure. "But we need to act fast."

Just as Takashi opened his mouth to respond, Hirano's voice cut through the air. "Guys, I— I don't know if it's just me, but... what the hell is that?" He pointed toward the gates, his voice trembling with confusion.

Takashi followed Hirano's gesture, his eyes narrowing as he tried to make sense of what he was seeing. There, beyond the horde, something moved. At first, it was hard to distinguish, but then his eyes widened in disbelief.

Massive, thick roots snaked their way through the undead, like giant tendrils, they wrapped around zombies in groups, swiftly dragging them backward and out of the courtyard's gates. It was surreal, something out of a nightmare or myth

"Wait a second…" Saya muttered, her sharp eyes narrowing. "Something's off. Look over there, past the zombies and those roots." She pointed beyond the horde, her voice cutting through the tense atmosphere.

Takashi and the others followed her gaze, their eyes widening in unison as they noticed it. Towering over the chaos, stood an enormous tree. Its branches stretched high into the darkening sky, it's stem still growing soon puncturing the clouds.

"What… what is that?" Rei whispered, her eyes wide in disbelief as the tree's bark gleamed faintly under the dying sunlight, casting an ominous, growing shadow over the courtyard.

Saya's expression remained tense but analytical, scanning the ongoing situation. "Whatever it is…" She paused, narrowing her gaze. "it's not attacking us."

The roots twisted and coiled through the horde, snatching up zombies in clusters or dragging lone stragglers with frightening ease. The sound of groaning wood and ripping flesh filled the air as more and more of the undead were pulled into the mass of writhing roots. The numbers gradually dwindled down, as they dragged their prey backward, the horde was visibly thinning out in certain areas, leaving an eerie trail of destruction. One by one, the undead were lifted off their feet, limbs flailing in slow, futile motions as they were dragged through the debris, across the fractured stone of the outer courtyard, and pulled toward the enormous tree looming in the distance.

The people stationed at the gates and those who had been fighting closest to the breach were the first to witness the bizarre phenomenon.

One of the defenders watched in disbelief as a group of zombies, mere feet from tearing into him, were swept away by the roots as though they were nothing more than leaves caught in a gust of wind. His heart pounded and his breaths were ragged, but his mind, left him confused "What the hell…"

The others nearby hesitated, their weapons still trained on the horde, but they stopped firing. It was as if the battlefield had suddenly changed. Instead of being overwhelmed, they found themselves standing at the edge of something they didn't understand, and only now did they took notice of the thing casting a shadow on the mansion.

One of the men near the gate lowered his firearm, his eyes wide with disbelief. "Are… are you seeing this?!" he shouted to no one in particular, his voice cracking. The sight of the roots, now pulling clusters of undead back toward the distant tree, was too surreal to comprehend.

"This can't be real..." muttered a man, struggling to keep up with the bizarre sight before him.

On the other side of the courtyard, a sharp crack echoed as a gunshot took down a crawling zombie. Masaru, Takashi's father, lowered his pistol, his chest heaving as he watched the chaos unfold in front of him. His attention shifted from the lifeless corpse at his feet to the strange roots weaving through the sea of undead, pulling them away with an eerie efficiency.

"You think it's one of those?" A familiar voice brought him back. He turned to find Tadashi, his friend standing beside him with a look of wary confusion.

"I'm not sure," Masaru replied, his voice tight with tension. He wiped the sweat from his brow, his eyes briefly meeting his. "But whatever it is, we need to secure this place first. Then we can figure out what's going on." 

The former detective gave a nod as he readied his hand gun too, taking out any lone walkers nearby.

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On the other side of Tokonosu, far from the turmoil overtaking the Takagi estate, an unsettling stillness filled the home where Akemi and Asahi resided. Shadows stretched across the quiet rooms as the last hints of daylight slipped through the blinds.

"Dang. We came all the way here just for our phones to not work." Akemi pressed the buttons on her flip phone with growing frustration, her brows furrowing as though stubbornly expecting a response.

Asahi gave his own phone a half-hearted shake, sighing as the blank screen did nothing in return. "Same thing with me," he muttered.

Denji, leaning casually against the wall with Pochita at his side, tilted his head in mild confusion. "So, we're done here, right? Maybe we can just find 'em on foot." He glanced around, clearly itching to get moving. Pochita sat obediently beside him, tongue out, almost like he was waiting for a signal to go.

Asahi glanced his way, frustration giving way to a touch of worry. "That's not the case dude, we don't know on which base our aunt operates in, we'd be walking like headless chickens out there."

Akemi pocketed her phone with a resigned sigh. "Maybe it's just a temporary glitch. Let's just start the mission for now. I'm sure they're fine… right?" Her voice trailed off, concern flickering in her eyes as she looked to her brother. But Asahi didn't respond. Instead, he staggered suddenly, his eyes rolling back as his body crumpled to the floor with a heavy thud.

With a hard thud! It alerted the three in the room including pochita.

"What the—" Akemi stumbled forward, reaching out as a wave of dizziness washed over her. Her limbs felt heavy, her thoughts muddled, as if she was slipping under an invisible weight. Before she could shout, darkness claimed her vision, and she collapsed beside her brother.

Denji's instincts kicked in as he scanned the room, his vision beginning to blur. He clenched his fists, feeling his strength wane, a sudden sluggishness overtaking his body. Panic surged, and he glanced at Pochita. "Pochita, get out of here! Escape—"

But Pochita could barely stay upright, his little body swaying before he, too, succumbed, his tiny form going limp. Denji fought against the pull of unconsciousness, trying to crawl, but his vision faded, and he collapsed, his hand reaching out for his friend one last time.

Silence settled over the apartment once more as their bodies lay still. Then, the echo of footsteps sounded against the wooden floorboards. A figure emerged from the shadows, masked and heavy-breathing through a gas mask, glancing over their fallen forms. Bringing a gloved hand to his wrist, he pressed a button and spoke into his comm.

"Report. Suspects are secured."

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