Yukino leaned against the cold iron door, gasping for breath.
In her trembling hands, she clutched a table leg wrapped in duct tape.
"What is this...?"
Her heart pounded violently.
Moments ago, she had encountered a classmate and fought off a monster. Then, she was dragged into this twisted Doomsday Game—hunted not only by zombies, but also by people.
When the system prompted her with a choice, she had clicked "Yes."
And then—she was here.
At first, she wasn't alone.
A blond-haired thug had been beside her.
But soon, they were ambushed by zombies and forced to flee.
The two of them barely made it to an old warehouse, hiding inside.
And that was when the gangster broke.
He started muttering nonsense.
Then, as if possessed, he lunged at her with a knife—his eyes crazed, his intention clear.
"He wanted to humiliate me… as his dying wish?"
A shudder ran down her spine.
Luckily, she had reacted in time, using the table leg to block his attack and barely managing to escape.
But she had been running ever since.
Dodging zombies.
Narrowly avoiding death at every turn.
Her legs ached from exhaustion.
Her arms, weak from constantly swinging her makeshift weapon, trembled uncontrollably.
She leaned against the iron door, her breath ragged.
She had seen the worst of humanity today.
Yet, she hadn't lost her mind—not like him.
That thug had gone insane in under an hour.
"That man… he's completely lost it."
Just thinking about it made her stomach churn.
And the zombies still lurking outside only made things worse.
"Hellooo~! You in here?"
A twisted, sing-song voice echoed from the next room.
CLANG!
The iron door was kicked open.
"Tsk. Not here."
!!!
Yukino's breath hitched.
"It's him!"
The madman had found his way here.
Her fingers, raw and bleeding, tightened desperately around the table leg.
She held her breath.
She listened.
His footsteps passed by the door.
Then…
They faded.
Gone.
Yukino exhaled, pressing a trembling hand to her chest.
She had no strength left to fight.
If he found her—
She would die.
CRACK!
The sound of shattering glass split the air.
Yukino's eyes snapped wide open.
She spun around—
And there he was.
The blond thug stood atop a broken desk, his bloodshot eyes gleaming with lust.
His smirk sent ice down her spine.
"Found you."
!!!
Panic surged through her veins.
"No—!"
She lunged for the door, trying to escape.
But—
BANG!
His right hand slammed against it, blocking her exit.
In his left hand—
A knife.
Pointed straight at her.
"Don't come any closer!" Yukino shrieked, swinging her table leg in desperation.
Her arms—weak, shaking—barely had any strength left.
The attack was sluggish.
Pathetic.
The thug caught it effortlessly.
With a cruel chuckle, he ripped it from her hands and tossed it aside.
His gaze roamed over her body, eyes filled with predatory hunger.
"Damn, what a beauty." His voice dripped with amusement. "Didn't think I'd get the chance to enjoy such a top-tier high school girl before I die. Hahaha!"
"You disgusting criminal!" Yukino spat, her voice trembling with rage.
Her insult only excited him further.
His grin widened.
"Hahahaha! I like that fire. But too bad, sweetheart—there are no laws here. Only the strong survive."
His fingers twitched as he reached for her.
"Don't worry. I'll make you feel real good… Then we can die here together."
Yukino's body froze.
Tears pricked at the corners of her eyes.
No… No…!
She clenched her teeth.
She refused to die like this.
She refused to let this monster touch her.
"Somebody… anyone… please…!"
In that moment—
A vivid image surfaced in her mind.
A figure shrouded in lightning.
Golden eyes piercing through the darkness.
But suddenly a familiar voice—steady, and cold sounded.
"I won't allow anyone to harm my club members."
A shiver ran down Yukino's spine when she hears it and thought she was hallucinating.
And then—
"Huh?! Who the hell—?! Let go of me!"
The thug's outstretched hand was suddenly caught.
By a stronger one.
Yukino turned her head and met that familiar pair of golden eyes, their expression unreadable.
"You bastard! I told you to let go!"
The yellow-haired thug roared in fury, swinging his left fist at Nanashi's face.
"Watch out!"
Yukino panicked and instinctively kicked her right leg upward—
"HISS!!!"
A direct hit!
The thug collapsed to his knees, clutching his groin in agony.
"…"
Nanashi watched in silence. He could only imagine how painful that must be.
Without hesitation, he reached out and pulled the dazed Yukino to his side.
"You… you two… bastards!"
The thug staggered to his feet, trembling with rage. He grabbed the discarded table leg and swung it at Nanashi.
"A scumbag like you deserves to die here."
Nanashi shook his head. Without sparing him another glance, he took Yukino's hand, stepped past the thug, and walked toward the door.
"What the hell?!"
The thug's eyes widened in horror—he couldn't move!
A black, viscous, swamp-like substance had wrapped around his body. It was cold, damp, and sticky, clinging to him like a living thing.
A wave of weakness washed over him as his vitality was slowly drained away.
It was the Five-Elements Lightning-Dharma.
A yin-based energy, corrupt and relentless. It slithered into every crevice, coiling around his bones, eroding his strength, and corroding his very soul.
Apart from its deadly Black Thunder, the Five-Elements Lightning-Dharma also had the power to corrode and devour life itself.