Thunderous footsteps echoed, followed by heavy shallow breaths
Five figures dashed through the tight hallway, their legs running as fast as they could. Blood curdling cries seem to follow from behind them
Ike looked behind him, his face previously pale seemed to lose the last bit of colour it still contained
"What's the plan!? Yotsu-bro! That thing isn't stopping, it's actually catching up"
Akira, trailing behind Kei Karuizawa, looked towards the direction they were fleeing from
A dark abyss was enveloping the path they were leaving, the 'students' who had been screaming had already been consumed by the shadows catching up
'Did we trigger something? But I really felt like we were heading in the correct direction '
Those were his honest thoughts. Akira may have had more experience with the supernatural and higher composure then the majority of his peers but he wasn't omniscience
He too, regardless of how much preparation he had, had times where he was completely helpless and confused
Such as now
'This dungeon!'
Akira's steady breath did littel to hide the tense expression on his face, despite the screaming teammates running besides him, his expression showed that he wasn't focused on his current situation
Sakura grabbed his arm and continued pulling him, after noticing his dazed expression, she immediately understood the situation
Still running, she turned towards Ike and Karuizawa, just as she was about to yell at the two 'Best singers'
"—fuuck! Is this the second game!?"
Ike's words struck like thunder, no one tripped over the statement, yet their breathing, which became even more erratic showed that they heard him loud and clear
"Akira-kun?—"
"Now I'm seriously wondering whether your IQ increases when your near danger?"
Akira smiled as he felt slight relief, Ike's words gave him a concrete explanation and a understanding of what was going on
He turned towards the brown haired boy with a condoscening smile
"Ike Kanji right? Are you from a government facility which trains abstract beings?"
Ike caught himself stumbling, his expression turned sonewhat frantic as he heard those words
"Fuckin bastard! Do you think this is the time to joke!"
His voice cracked with fear and anger, his previous attitude of submission was completely absent
Akira simply smiled disdainfully
"Relax! You already pointed out what's happening. If you, the person who came up with an answer, is less composed then us...."
He briefly looks at the darkness that had been chasing them, strangely enough it seemed a bit slower then he'd felt it was...
He turned to sakura and gave her a silent thank you, preparing to raise his voice once more to attempt to calm them the group
Ike Kanji cussing him out was a one of the biggest signs that these guys were getting a bit too close to desperation
If Ike, a coward was already showing the characteristics of 'Courage!'
Ichinose had an expression of despair
And if the blonde gyaru's breathing continued to become erratic
'Red fuckin Flags'
This was a tragedy waiting to happen! He needed to regain their trust, even superficially, to avoid any 'betrayals in a dangerous time like this
'Why did I bring them along again?'
He looked towards the pink haired class rep and clicked his tongue when an annoying chipmunk that followed him his whole life popped into his head
'Mako Amikuro! You really enjoy making me suffer for you huh?'
"Though the situation's not exactly 'safe' I thin—"
Akira couldn't finish his attempt to claim control of the situation, he grabbed ichinose and Karuizawa, one who was ahead and the other to his left and jumped straight into the window of a closed classroom
Airi and ike, who had been dragged like a chicken followed right next and not even a second later—
BOOOOOOOOOOOM!
Akira felt his next prickling, the familiar feeling of blood flowing down his face, his forehead burning faintly
He was bleeding. The glass from the window
Right where they were heading appeared another figure dressed in a professional suit
Crimson vapour seemed to eminate faintly from it's figure, as it's imposing figure radiated menace
His right hand held a briefcase, it's two hollow eyes scanning they're group
Kei Karuizawa struggled to breathe
NO SHE COULDN'T BREATH
'IDONTWANNADIEIDONTWANNADIEIDONTWANNADIEIDONTWANNADIEIDONTWANNADIEIDONTWANNADIEIDONTWANNADIE!'
Her bloodshot eyes landed on the new figure to their right. The words 'fear and despair' were painted onto her pale face as she slowly crawled
The next second the briefcase, previously in the hands of the entity in front of them disappeared
Akira stared at the headless body that was pushing karuizawa in a daze
His head was buzzing with insesent ringing and his heart—
....he couldn't feel his heart
"Aaaaaaaah!"
The screams of four students rang out with a startling intensity
All of them looked at the body of the fallen student in front of the
The headless body of 'Akira Yotsuya'
The entity, it's hands already holding another briefcase locked it's gaze onto the remaining students
Before they could react
"Squelch!"
".....Dont run ....
5 bodies fell to the ground, besides their decapitated heads were the five red balls , each with a briefcase lounged into it
"...in the hallway "
The entity looked sternly at the fallen players
"Go back to class!"
The bodies twitched, at the command
The last thought running through Akira's thoughts before everything went black was.....
"...why is this dungeon difficulty so high?..."
End of chapter 9