"Classmate Inaba is really dependable. If it weren't for Classmate Inaba, we don't know how much longer we would have stayed on the Rooftop."
Sakura Megumi said with emotion while cleaning the third floor.
She had previously felt that Inaba Tsukiyo was a problematic student, but after learning Inaba Tsukiyo's true nature, she thought she was a good student.
As a good teacher, Sakura Megumi wanted to build good relationships with her students, but every time she wanted to talk to her, the real sword she carried made people afraid to approach.
"Yes, if it weren't for Tsukiyo-chan. I probably would have turned into a monster like those people. We never realized before that Tsukiyo-chan is actually a very kind person."
"Hmm? Actually, I've wanted to ask since earlier, but because Classmate Inaba was also here, I didn't speak up. Classmate Ebisu, you've been calling Classmate Inaba 'Tsukiyo-chan' since earlier. Are your relationships very good?"
Sakura Megumi's words drew the gazes of Wakasa Yuri and Takenouchi Yuki.
"Uh... Actually, before Tsukiyo-chan came to save me, I hadn't even spoken to Tsukiyo-chan. Originally, I didn't know how to face Tsukiyo-chan either, but she actually asked me: [Are we friends?] Such a question?"
Thinking of this, Kurumi's tense face couldn't help but show a slight smile, and for some reason, her mood also lightened considerably.
"She's feared at school, but she seems to have completely failed to notice her own problem. She even asked me why everyone was afraid of her? Really..."
"Eh? So, every time Classmate Inaba sat in her seat, she was waiting for others to talk to her? And when others talked to her, was it because she was nervous that she emitted that kind of aura?"
Takenouchi Yuki had also intended to talk to Inaba Tsukiyo back then, but Inaba Tsukiyo's aura was simply too powerful, like a monster. Before she could say anything, she was scared away.
Could it be that her demeanor at the time was just because she was too nervous and didn't know what to say?
"Perhaps so. In the teacher's file, Classmate Inaba actually skipped grades. According to her real age, she's actually just a middle school student. And she can't even see."
"I can't believe Classmate Inaba can't see. She talks to us every time, and when she deals with zombies, she can accurately find their positions. Also, is it really okay to let her deal with those guys alone?"
Can she really face these terrifying zombies without being able to see? Wakasa Yuri was a little worried.
"Maybe she's used to it. Tsukiyo-chan told me that although she can't see, her other senses are very keen. She can 'see' places that her eyes can't."
To alleviate their unease, the four of them chatted and laughed.
Some of them didn't even know each other before. Although they were all third-year students, because they were in different classes, this was their first time talking.
Although they hadn't known each other before, their world had suddenly become unfamiliar, and they were all very fragile girls. They eased their inner anxieties while getting to know each other.
But because they were all girls, they quickly bonded, and their moods gradually relaxed.
At this moment, Takenouchi Yuki suddenly remembered something she had seen on Inaba Tsukiyo earlier and couldn't help but ask.
"Did anyone else see a ring on Classmate Inaba earlier?"
"Hmm? A ring? I don't know... Because I was too nervous, I didn't pay too much attention to what was on Classmate Inaba."
In such a tense situation, there was no time to relax and observe the people around her.
As a teacher, Sakura Megumi also had to care about everyone's emotions, so she didn't notice the ring on Inaba Tsukiyo's hand.
"I saw it, and the ring was on her ring finger."
Wakasa Yuri raised her hand, and Inaba Tsukiyo was indeed wearing a ring, and it was on her ring finger, a crucial spot.
For some reason, when Sakura Megumi heard that Inaba Tsukiyo was wearing a ring on her ring finger, her body suddenly stiffened, and the smile on her face became rigid.
"Ring finger? I remember only married people wear rings on their ring finger. Could Tsukiyo-chan be... no way."
When Kurumi was at home, she saw her parents' wedding rings on their ring fingers. Inaba Tsukiyo wearing a ring on her ring finger could only mean...
"Married... no way, is Classmate Inaba married? She's still a high school student, right?"
Takenouchi Yuki's mouth hung open as she said in disbelief.
A high school girl getting married—although the legal marriage age in Japan is around that of a high school girl, it was her first time seeing it in real life.
"No, even though she's a high school student, don't forget she skipped grades before. That means she's not sixteen and hasn't reached the legal marriage age. And... Tsukiyo-chan still looks so petite."
"This is really... it seems Classmate Inaba has a lot we don't know about."
Wakasa Yuri covered her small mouth. She realized there seemed to be too many secrets about Inaba Tsukiyo that she didn't know.
While the four were discussing Inaba Tsukiyo's secrets, Inaba Tsukiyo had already hidden near the Second floor hallway.
Unlike the Third floor, there were slightly more zombies on the Second floor, with roughly a few zombies in each classroom.
Lowering her body, Inaba Tsukiyo approached the nearest classroom, took a deep breath, and abruptly opened the classroom door.
After pushing open the classroom door, Inaba Tsukiyo heard the low growls of at least five zombies.
The sound of Inaba Tsukiyo's appearance attracted the zombies' attention, and all of them lunged at Inaba Tsukiyo.
"...Lethal range."
When the zombies were about nine meters away from Inaba Tsukiyo, Inaba Tsukiyo gripped the hilt of the sword hanging from her belt and drew it instantly.
Inaba Tsukiyo mastered a sword technique called the Pill Self-Manifestation Style, the invisible magic sword—Un'yō.
Un'yō has many branches, and what Inaba Tsukiyo mastered was a one-hit kill drawing technique.
Although there were many zombies, each attack was a sure kill. In just an instant, the zombies were already decapitated.
After dealing with the zombies in one classroom, Inaba Tsukiyo silently walked towards the next classroom.
She had done similar things before, so she felt no psychological burden, or rather, she was already used to it.
Although these zombies moved very slowly, they were still only in the initial stage. No one could guarantee that these zombies wouldn't undergo any changes.
alaya had told her that the energy that had attacked her before had also come to this world.
If the culprit of this disaster was human research, then that energy might very likely worsen this disaster.
As for how it would worsen it? Perhaps by allowing these zombies to evolve and gain stronger powers.
To prevent this from happening, Inaba Tsukiyo had to ensure there were no zombies in the school, otherwise, if the Third floor was suddenly breached by zombies when they were resting, it would be over.
Soon, the zombies on the Second floor were mostly cleared, but their numbers weren't particularly large.
Earlier on the Rooftop, everyone had considered the safety of the school building.
Sakura Megumi also suggested closing the main gate of the school building so that zombies couldn't get in.
But this was impossible. If these zombies acted based on their subconscious, then the school building doors would definitely be broken. Unless wooden boards were added, the glass on the main door was just for show.
Even if those zombies couldn't get in, by habit, a large number of zombies would surely block the entrance. At that point, the main door would definitely be pushed open by the sheer number of zombies, ultimately serving no purpose.
So, it would be better to seal the passage between the Second floor and the Third floor, which would prevent the zombies from below from running upstairs.
However, if the iron gate on the First floor could be closed, then there would be no need to worry about zombies breaking through.
It's just that the keys to the iron gate are usually with the school's security guard. Without the keys to the iron gate, there's no way to close the door.
'It seems I need to go back and discuss it with the others. If the iron gate can be closed, then the passage won't need to be sealed. The key is to find the security guard.'
For some reason, when mentioning the school security guard, a scene suddenly popped into Inaba Tsukiyo's mind: a student appearing in the school building at night, encountering a patrolling security guard, and being beaten to death by the security guard with a club.
This confused Inaba Tsukiyo. She didn't understand why she would see such a strange scene. What world's security guard would treat students so brutally?
Even if a student violated regulations by going to school at night, there's no need to beat them to death, right? And the situation was made to look like a horror movie.
After night fell, Inaba Tsukiyo no longer heard the sounds of zombies. It seemed that the zombies outside had all left the school.
This was good. During this period when the disaster first broke out, everyone's mood was very tense. A night's rest would also be beneficial for them.
When she returned to the Third floor, Kurumi and the others quickly rushed over.
"It's already night, and most of the zombies have left. I solved all the zombies I could hear and then came back. How are things on your end?"
"Hmm, it's already cleaned up. But the passage here hasn't been sealed yet. Everyone decided to make do on the Rooftop for one night and seal the path tomorrow morning."
"No, tomorrow I'm going to close the iron gate. Before that, I need the security guard's key. Sister Megumi, do you know who keeps the key to the iron gate?"
"Honestly, I told you to call me Sakura-sensei when we're at school."
Sakura Megumi sighed. Although she said that, she had pretty much accepted the address.
"Hmm... the key to the iron gate, I remember Mr. Tanaka kept it. He's the school's security guard, and he usually holds the keys to the classrooms."
"Are there any spare keys?"
"I don't know. Although I'm a teacher, I don't handle keys, so I don't know if there are any spare keys."
She was just a modern language teacher; she didn't handle key matters.
Although she didn't get the answer she wanted, Inaba Tsukiyo wasn't disappointed.
If the zombies truly acted according to their subconscious, then the security guard who turned into a zombie should return to the school tomorrow.
At that time, she could just check if he had the key. Once the iron gate was closed, there would be no more problems.
Wakasa Yuri found a mat on the Third floor, and the five of them lay on the mat, spending their first night.
It was a difficult night to sleep. Everyone except Inaba Tsukiyo was scared. They hugged the person next to them for comfort, and finally, driven by drowsiness, gradually fell asleep.
The next day, Inaba Tsukiyo was awakened by a terrified voice.
"Tsukiyo-chan! Something's wrong!"