Evangeline stood before the entrance.
Silent.
Motionless.
Its petal-like arms slowly unfurled.
The translucent heart embedded within its elongated neck pulsed rhythmically.
THUMP.
THUMP.
THUMP.
The hymn continued outside.
Countless voices.
Countless worshippers.
Countless victims.
Singing beneath the moon.
Then the Nightmare moved.
CRASH!
The glass entrance shattered.
Moonlight flooded the hallway.
The creature enter the field.
Slithered.
Slowly.
Then another.
It's stitched eyes remained closed.
Yet Kai felt watched.
Observed.
Judged.
[System Notice]
A Child of Corruption Evangeline has entered the area.
Countless Small Blooming Human Carcass within the area helps it maturation.
Time Limit: Before dawn - 6 hours
Objective:0/1 Eliminate Evangeline 0/? Eliminate Small Blooming Human Carcass
Reward:+1,000 Experience2x Beginner Wooden Box 1x Advance Silver Box1x Moon Dust2x Beginner Skill Enhancement1x Advance Skill ???
Failure: Area Enrichment; Enlightened Moon
Kai's pupils contracted.
"Area Enrichment?"
"What thus it mean?"
[System Notice]
Area Enrichment - Area that is specifically buff the Nightmare of it's affiliation, it Corrupt the ground and the air within it radius; debuff will be given to enemies who enters here. It twisted the surrounding vegetation, animals, and grounds into it own corrupted world.
That thing could become far worse.
_______
Outside.
The choir continued.
Unaffected.
Uncaring.
As if the Nightmare's arrival was simply another part of the ceremony.
"We bloom beneath the silver gaze..."
"We bloom beneath the endless smile..."
The monster continued forward.
Slow.
Patient.
Almost reverent.
Then it turned toward the athletic field.
Toward the singing Blooming Human Carcasses.
Toward its congregation.
Kai felt nauseous.
A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.
"No..."
The Nightmare wasn't here to hunt.
It was here to corrupt area.
Kai whispered.
"Lets go back"
Raze immediately followed.
The two retreated into the classroom.
The door quietly closed.
The hymn continued beyond the walls.
For several moments neither spoke.
Then Kai extended his hand.
"My name is Kai."
Raze blinked.
The sudden introduction caught him off guard.
"...Raze."
Kai nodded.
"I won't trust you completely."
The words were blunt.
Honest.
Necessary.
"I know you also received the notification too."
"And I'd rather survive with someone than die alone."
A faint smile appeared on Raze's exhausted face.
"Fair enough."
Kai shook Raze's hand.
"I'm hoping we'll get along."
For the first time since they met—
The tension eased slightly.
Only slightly.
______
Kai sat near the window.
Thinking.
Planning.
Analyzing.
The Encyclopedia suddenly appeared.
[Nightmare Encyclopedia Updated]Nightmare: Blooming Human Carcass (Juvenile)
Weakness: Pulsating Heart
Located within elongated neck structure.
Warning: Regeneration capability.
Kai stared at the entry.
Kai's heartbeat accelerated.
"A weakness."
"A real weakness."
"Raze! its weakness is the heart within its neck."
"The problem was reaching it."
"That thing stood over three meters tall."
"Its arms alone were longer than a human body."
"A direct fight would be suicide."
Which mean—
"We need to set a trap."
Kai explained to Raze about the Encyclopedia.
Raze nodded immediately.
"There's a maintenance storage."
"Science laboratory."
"Janitor closets."
"And a workshop room within this building."
Raze thought carefully.
"We could get ropes, chemicals, hammers, metal pipes, nails, wood planks, and more."
Kai's mind raced.
Slowly.
A strategy formed.
______
"Here's the plan."
Kai stood at the chalk board.
"Phase One; Lure."
"Where going to lure the monster inside the school building. "
"To limit its mobility from closed space."
"To attract the Nightmare toward the academic building."
"Lets use any possible distraction."
"Phase Two; Restrict movement."
"Using wire, desks, ropes, etc."
"Will Create obstacles for it to tangle with."
"And Force it into a narrow hallway."
"Phase Three; Sneak attack."
"Drop any heavy cabinets from above the staircase."
"Slowing the Nightmare."
"Phase Four; Kill Zone."
"Drive the Nightmare toward the central staircase."
"Creating a bottleneck."
"Force its neck into a predictable position."
"Phase Five; Heart Strike."
"One person distracts."
"One person attacks."
"Directly into the pulsating heart."
"No hesitation."
"No second chances."
Raze answered.
"You realize this is insane and impossible to be true, am I right?"
Kai nodded and smiled.
"It is."
"If we fail?"
"We die."
"If we succeed?"
Kai glanced toward the moonlit field.
"We live."
The answer was simple.
Brutal.
Honest.
Almost childish.
______
For the next two hours Kai and Raze worked together.
Dragging desks.
Tying ropes.
Setting wires.
Breaking furniture apart.
Turning classrooms into fortifications.
Turning hallways into traps.
Turning a school into a battlefield.
The hymn never stopped.
Not once.
Sometimes loud.
Sometimes distant.
Always present.
A constant reminder that hundreds of people were no longer human.
_______
Eventually—
The preparations were complete.
The hallway had become a maze of death.
The staircase had become a kill zone.
The final spear—a sharpened metal pipe reinforced with wire and duct tape.
Heavy.
Crude.
Deadly.
Raze carried a hammer and a chain.
Neither looked confident.
Neither felt ready.
But readiness no longer mattered.
Because outside.
The Juvenile Blooming Human Carcass continued its procession across the field.
Toward whatever terrible purpose awaited it.
Kai tightened his grip.
The Encyclopedia hovered before his eyes.
Reviewing.
The weakness the heart pulsed.
THUMP.
THUMP.
THUMP.
A reminder.
A target.
A weakness.
A chance.
Kai slowly exhaled.
Then looked at Raze.
"Who die first is a bastard."
"Even if we survive, you're a bastard." Raze answered.
Playfully.
No hesitation.
No fear.
Only determination.
Together they stepped into the dark hallway.
Toward the Nightmare.
Toward the battle.
Toward survival.
4 Hours before maturation.
To Be Continued...