"Everything slowly collapsed the day that explosion flashed across the sky."
While resting in the living room of the house they were staying in, Kato began telling everyone what had happened before and after the EMP blast cut off the city's power and all forms of electronic communication.
After the barricades at Onbetsu and Tokonosu Bridges collapsed, what remained of city's police officers, firefighters, and medical personnel had been divided into two groups.
The first was stationed at the evacuation shelter near the hospital—Tokonosu Stadium.
The second was at Shintoko Third Elementary School, where Rei's father was.
With the help of civilian volunteers, the rescue group at Tokonosu Stadium managed to clear safe routes and even build outposts for survivors who wanted to leave their homes and evacuate to the shelter.
"As far as I know, there were supposed to be at least a thousand survivors at the shelter by now."
Kato's uncertain tone—and even his choice of words—made it clear he wasn't sure what had become of the shelter after he left a day ago.
As he continued his story, everything they had built began to collapse three days ago.
They lost contact with every outpost, and survivors stopped arriving at the shelter. The last one to make it there was a high school girl rescued by two civilian volunteers.
"I then assembled a group of about a dozen people to check the condition of each outpost. But what we found were either abandoned sites... or ones overrun by the undead."
Kato's group pushed forward, trying to determine how far the outposts had fallen—until they encountered a horde of undead wielding weapons capable of infecting anyone wounded by them.
Most of his team turned.
Those who remained were forced to kill their own friends—even lovers—just to survive. In the end, only Kato and two firefighters were left, stranded and unable to return to the shelter.
"After all, I don't have many bullets left in my gun." Kato said, ending his recap.
Everyone shared the same concern after hearing his story. They were worried about the road ahead—and for the safety of the people they hoped to find at the shelter.
For Rei and Nach, however, something else weighed on their minds.
"You said my dad is at the elementary school… but what about my mom?" Rei asked, her voice trembling at the answer she might hear.
"Don't worry about your mother. Tadashi told me that Kiriko is safe in your neighborhood shelter with other survivors," Kato replied, doing his best to reassure her.
"She should've gone with Dad to the elementary school…" Rei muttered to herself, relief mixing with confusion.
At that moment, Nach returned from the front yard after burying the two high school boys—the first casualties of their group—reducing their numbers to twenty-two.
"You said the last survivor to reach the shelter was a high school girl, right?" Nach asked as he stepped into the living room through the shattered glass doors.
To the others, it sounded like simple concern—perhaps wondering if she was a student from Fujimi Academy. But to Saya, Rei, and Shizuka, who had attended the meeting about Saki's body, the implication was far more serious.
"She was a bit small for a high school student, but she was wearing the same uniform as Rei. So she was probably one of your students," Kato replied, assuming Nach was a teacher.
"We need to hurry," Saya said, standing up. She didn't have anyone at the shelter, but for those who did, getting there quickly was the only help she could offer.
"That's kind of you, Saya."
"You really are a good person, Takagi-san."
Nach quickly understood what she meant and praised her as usual, patting her head—something Shizuka eagerly joined in on.
"Stop it, you perverted adults!"
Ignoring Saya's grumbling and her futile attempt to escape their affection, Kato suddenly cut into the conversation, surprised.
"I heard about the shelter at the Takagi estate. Don't tell me it also fell?"
"There's no way our mansion would fall as long as my papa and mama are defending it," Saya replied proudly, despite still being teased.
"That's good to know," Kato said with a sigh of relief.
Rei then explained their group's goal: to head to the hospital to obtain blood plasma for an elderly woman, gather supplies, and allow the other students to check on their families at the evacuation shelter—leaving out the part about studying Saki's body.
"Then I suppose we're lucky we ran into your group. With our numbers combined, we should be able to make it back to the shelter."
With Kato and the two firefighters joining them, their total rose to twenty-five.
***
After an hour of travel—carefully avoiding scattered undead and passing two more outposts—the group reached the third outpost closest to the hospital.
It was exactly three in the past midnight.
They were a bit behind schedule, but considering everything they had faced and survived, no one complained—at least not until the argument began.
"I know you're worried about us, Sensei, but we're going to the shelter first," Hisashi said. His suggestion to split from the group heading to the hospital quickly gained support from the other students, who wanted to see their families as soon as possible.
To be honest, you're the one I'm least worried about, Nach thought, resisting the urge to punch Hisashi for the first time.
Even Rei didn't argue this time with her original catchphrase "Hisashi is always right, we should follow him."
Still, she chose to stay with Hisashi.
None of the students siding with him knew about the possibility of half-undead girls. That was why they hadn't even considered that the shelter might have already fallen—or perhaps they simply refused to think about it.
Nach couldn't explain it without risking panic and distrust spreading through what little sense of safety they had left.
To make matters worse, Kato agreed with Hisashi.
"It's only one outpost away. There are fewer undead along the way. I'm sure the students can make it safely," Kato said confidently, especially after Kohta had shared some ammunition for his assault rifle.
Said the guy who died in the original story, Nach thought.
As Nach struggled to find a way to change their minds, Saya made the decision for him.
"If that's what you want, then go. But remember—you made this decision yourselves. Don't blame anyone else for what happens."
With that, the group split into two.
The first group consisted of Saya, Nach, Shizuka, Kohta, Hiro, and five bodyguards.
The second group included Hisashi, Rei, Ishi, Takuzo, Naomi, Yamada, three additional boys, three high school girls, Kato, and the two firefighters.
"Take this with you, Miyamoto," Saya said, handing Rei a flare gun and two extra rounds. "If something goes wrong at the shelter, fire it. We should be able to see it."
"Thank you, Takagi-san," Rei said, hugging her.
"I didn't say we'd come help you, so don't thank me."
"Worrying about us is already enough."
Setting aside the faint yuri-like tension between Saya and Rei, Nach approached Hisashi.
"Saya said no one is to blame—but you're the one who convinced them," Nach said, his tone intimidating enough to freeze Hisashi in place.
"Keep everyone safe, Hisashi… Mr. Kato," he added, masking the threat as concern.
Nach then walked over to Rei and gently patted her head, silently mouthing words for her to read:
Don't hesitate to abandon everyone and run back to me if something goes wrong.