The entrance was choked with corpses, a wall of rotting flesh pressing forward without end.
My men emptied their weapons into the horde, yet the tide didn't break.
Pierce's voice grated at my ear. "Kid… this isn't working. We need another way in."
I raised my hand.
The guns went silent.
Only the groans of the dead filled the truck.
I just slid on my gloves, flexing my fingers. "John… you got a rope?"
John unzipped his pack and handed over a coil. "Here, Captain."
I fastened it to my belt and glanced back. "Wait here."
Confusion flickered in their eyes, but I gave no explanation.
Then I scaled the wall with effortless precision, chakra biting into stone beneath my palms and feet. Moments later, I stood on the rooftop without breaking stride.
Below, the team froze, staring.
Slade whispered, voice raw with disbelief. "The hell… he just did that?"
Idris shook his head slowly. "Yeah… he just did."
...
From above, two walkers by the floodlight dropped before they even stirred—my blade cut them down in silence.
I tied the rope to the post and let it fall to the team below.
"Take it. Get up here."
Hands gripping tight, they climbed, one after another, muscles straining as they reached the rooftop. I caught John first, hauling him over even as my kunai pierced a walker lunging at the edge.
As soon as he landed, John raised his SIG Sauer P226, taking out walkers with crisp, controlled shots.
"I've got this—get everyone up," I told him, firm but steady.
He nodded and moved fast, hauling the others onto the rope.
I tore through the walkers with deadly precision—blades cutting, shuriken snapping, ripping anything that got too close.
Once the team reached the rooftop, I gave the order, "Line up tight!"
The team advanced, guns blazing, moving in sync as the horde closed from every direction.
Walkers in shredded security jackets and tattered civilian clothes lurched toward us, but relentless fire tore through them, thinning the swarm just enough to give us a clear shot at the rooftop door.
"Pierce! Seal it!"
Without hesitation, Pierce slammed his shoulder into the metal, grunting as it held, then yanked the railing across the handles, locking it tight.
"Now! Wipe them out!"
Bullets tore through the walkers, my blade shredding anything that dared to close the distance as we methodically cleared the area.
...
An hour later, silence claimed the rooftop.
My men sprawled across the concrete, gear smeared in blood and sweat, their breathing ragged.
I flicked my blade back into its sheath.
"You all good?"
Brick coughed, wiping streaks of blood from his jaw. "Barely, boss… just a minute to breathe."
I gave a curt nod and stepped to the railing. The wind tugged at my hair as my gaze swept the stadium below—torn tents flapping, overturned medical posts scattered, rusting trucks half-buried in a sea of corpses. The walkers pressed tight, a writhing tide of decay.
What had once been a sanctuary was now a grave.
Idris struck a match, smoke curling from his cigar as he joined me. "Hell of a sight, huh?"
"…Hn." My eyes stayed on the ruins. "Where are the supplies?"
He pointed with the glowing tip. "Food and water—under the collapsed bleachers. Weapons near the trucks. Medicine…" His gaze shifted to the far gate sagging under the dead. "…stacked out there."
I clicked my tongue.
"Worst place it could be."
He exhaled slow. "Yeah. When it all broke loose, medics stacked the crates close to the gates—patch the living quick… or deal with the ones they couldn't save."
Arms crossed, I frowned. "…So that's why the bodies piled at the entrance."
Idris flicked the cigar away. "Mm. They meant to burn them. Never got the chance."
Silence stretched. I let it hang, then exhaled steady. "Tell the others—thirty minutes. Not a second more. Then we sweep this place, every corner."
Idris gave a slow nod and slipped off to pass the order.
I leaned on the railing, eyes sweeping the writhing mass below. Supplies had to be secured. Walkers had to be thinned. If this horde ever spilled from the stadium, the city wouldn't just burn—it would drown in corpses.
My radio buzzed sharply.
[Kzzzzt… bzzz…]
"Kid, do you copy? Over."
I lifted the radio, asking clearly.
[Crackle… ssshh…]
"Copy, old man… why the sudden call? Over…"
[Bzzzt… krrshh]
"Just checking how you and the team are holding up, kid. Any problems so far?"
[Ssshh… crackle]
"We're up on the rooftop. Situation's quiet for now, old man. No hostiles in sight yet."
[Bzzz… krrshh]
"Good. Keep your eyes open. And remember—don't get too comfortable up there."
[Zzzz]
"Ha… thanks. You're starting to sound a lot like my old man."
[Crackle]
"Gurarara! So… is that a compliment or an insult? Want me to officially adopt you?"
[Ssshh]
"Appreciate it, but I'm good flying solo."
[Krrshh]
"Fair enough. Offer still stands… if you ever change your mind, kid."
[Bzzz]
"Not happening, old man. You need anything? Over."
[Crackle]
"Just a drink, kid. Oh, and Candace and the twins are awake—they're safe."
[Ssshh]
"Good to hear. No issues with them?"
[Bzzz]
"None so far. Sith checked them thrice, and the vaccine seems stable."
[Zzzz]
"Glad it's holding up."
[Crackle]
"Yah… speaking of which, kid—I need a favor."
[Ssshh]
"Sure… what's up?"
[Crackle]
"Keep an eye on Slade and Brick. Those two… always up to something, like a pair of brawlers."
[Zzzz]
"Heh… got it. I'll make sure those two don't make a mess."
[Bzzz… krrshh]
"Appreciate it. And the stadium… you've got eyes on all entry points?"
[Crackle]
"Yeah. We've got the perimeters secured, and all entry points locked."
[Zzzz]
"Good. Any movement on the lower floors yet?"
[Bzzz]
"Not at the moment, but John is running a sweep. Should catch anything that pops up."
[Ssshh… crackle]
"I see…"
[Crackle]
"Old man, bye for now. We'll start scouting the stadium, and I'll call you back once we've made progress."
[Krrshh]
"Copy that. And kid… be careful. Don't rush anything—you'll stay safe."
[Zzzz]
"Always, old man. Safety first. Out."
I slid the radio into my pocket, exhaling slowly.
Let's hope nothing goes sideways.