Chapter 3: That Guy

The situation outside the school was no better—perhaps even worse. Pools of blood were everywhere, with bodies scattered randomly, some no longer even retaining their form, adding to the eerie atmosphere.

The once-bustling streets had turned desolate, leaving behind only traces of what once was. Bayu's eyes fell upon a wrecked car, then another. Everything had changed in an instant.

Everything had been destroyed.

'Ah, right! Grandma!' Bayu's mind jolted, remembering his grandmother still at home. Worry gnawed at him. What if she didn't make it?

Bayu turned to Syafina, who was gazing at the sky. "Syafina," he called, making her look at him.

"I… I want to check on my house. Do you want to come with me, or would you rather part ways?"

Syafina fell silent, not answering immediately. Her expression clearly showed she was deep in thought.

"Okay," she nodded. "I'll come."

Bayu stared at her in disbelief for a moment before quickly masking his expression. "Don't regret it," he said. His eyes swept the surroundings, taking in the remains of the monstrous, terrifying creatures.

He was still curious. Who had done all of this?

Bayu shook his head—he'd think about it later. For now, he needed to focus on his goal.

And abortus that mysterious voice… he'd investigate it later.

With determined steps, Bayu began walking down the road leading to his home. He hoped—prayed—that nothing had happened yet.

---

[ West ]

Again.

Bayu stopped, glancing up. That voice had appeared suddenly once more. But this time, it spoke a different word.

'What does it mean by "west"?' he thought, immediately turning westward. But there was nothing there.

[ West ]

'What? Do you want me to go west?' Bayu wondered.

[ West ]

"Bayu, why did you stop?" Syafina looked at him, puzzled.

"Ah, nothing. Let's keep going." Bayu resumed walking. 'I'll check the west later.'

---

Time passed as they walked, following a path littered with human corpses. A few remained intact, but most were barely recognizable.

"Kkiek!"

Bayu swung his sword, slicing through a leech-like creature blocking their way.

Continuing their journey, they were met with an eerie silence, corpses scattered everywhere. The whole place felt abandoned—like it had never been inhabited.

"Bayu," Syafina called, raising her bow toward a creature similar to the one that had wreaked havoc in the cafeteria.

Bayu steadied himself. He wasn't a skilled swordsman, nor did he have any real combat experience. He had only observed and learned.

'At the very least, I know how to do this,' Bayu thought, tightening his grip on his sword.

The creature let out a shriek, but this one was far more piercing than the one in the cafeteria—sharper, more unbearable.

"Ugh!" Bayu winced, his ears ringing painfully.

An arrow shot through the air, cutting through it with precision before piercing the creature's head.

'…Wow, Syafina's accuracy is impressive,' Bayu thought.

The creature roared in fury and lunged toward them. Bayu quickly dodged, running in circles around it.

Unexpectedly, the creature didn't move from its spot. But then, something terrifying happened—its neck suddenly extended, its head lunging at Bayu like a striking serpent.

"What the hell? Why is this turning into a horror movie?" Bayu muttered, picking up his pace before turning and swinging his sword high.

He severed the creature's head in a single strike, sending it tumbling to the ground. Bayu wasted no time stabbing it, destroying it completely.

But that wasn't enough to kill the creature's body.

Its neck retracted, returning to its torso.

A strange mass began forming where the head once was, pulsating as if searching for life. The flesh twitched, convulsing wildly before slowly taking the shape of a new head.

Bayu's eyes widened, his breath catching at the sight of the head regenerating from nothingness. He leaped back, standing beside Syafina, his chest rising and falling rapidly.

"Regeneration, huh?" he muttered in disbelief.

"Horrifying," Syafina whispered, her fingers steady as she drew another arrow, ready to shoot.

"Before it's finished, Bayu!"

Bayu needed no second command. He kicked off the ground, darting forward like a fleeting shadow. The air seemed to part for him as he swung his sword, the blade slicing cleanly through the creature's reformed neck.

A deafening shriek tore from the half-formed throat, sharper, more excruciating.

Bayu's ears rang, heat creeping into his head, nearly making him falter. But he endured. With a swift motion, he pulled his sword free and swung again—this time from the side.

The blade flashed through the air.

The neck was severed.

Black blood gushed out, the stench of iron and sulfur thick in the air. The creature's body convulsed violently before staggering forward.

And before it had a chance to regenerate again, an arrow shot through the air, striking its heart with the force of a lightning bolt.

The creature convulsed once more—then finally collapsed.

Bayu and Syafina locked eyes, their breaths ragged. Bayu winced, dropping to the ground. He had forgotten how weak his body was—how easily it ran out of energy.

"Bayu!" Syafina rushed to him, checking his condition. "Are you okay? Any injuries?"

Bayu shook his head. "No."

It would be a lie to say he was fine. His chest felt tight, heat spread through his head, his breath was shallow, and dizziness clouded his mind.

But physically, he was unharmed.

"Kkieek!!"

The sound immediately drew their attention. A swarm of leech-like creatures was heading their way, accompanied by others resembling the one they had just fought.

"Shit," Syafina cursed, raising her bow again, trying to pick off as many as she could.

"Syafina, we can't hold them off." Bayu slowly stood, his body aching but not too badly. "Let's run."

Syafina glanced at him. "Okay."

They sprinted away, dodging and cutting down any creatures in their path.

But the situation quickly worsened. More of those creatures appeared—this time from the front.

They were surrounded, with no escape.

"Damn it, the same thing again?" Bayu recalled the time he and Syafina had been cornered by the leech-like monsters.

"There's no way out," Syafina muttered, eyeing the closing circle of creatures. Cold sweat dripped down her temple—a sign of the fear she tried to suppress.

Panic crept in. Bayu looked around frantically. It would be a lie to say he wasn't scared—to say he wasn't afraid of dying at the hands of these monsters.

Then, something happened.

The oppressive air suddenly turned cold, as if the atmosphere itself had shifted.

The ground beneath Bayu and Syafina was suddenly covered in a thin layer of ice. Bayu stiffened, staring at the frozen ground. The ice encased the creatures' limbs, but not them. A thin mist also began to shroud the area.

"What the hell…?" Bayu murmured in disbelief.

Then, someone shot forward—moving at incredible speed, a sword in hand.

The figure swung their blade with precision, displaying undeniable skill.

One by one, the creatures fell effortlessly, black blood soaking the frozen ground. Their agonized screams echoed—then faded into silence.

Bayu's eyes widened. So did Syafina's.

The sheer speed and ability of this person were beyond comprehension.

The cold mist slowly dissipated, revealing a guy standing among the fallen creatures. His sword was plunged into one of the bodies.

Bayu's gaze met his.

Blue eyes—deep, piercing, as cold as the ice around them. Blond hair stood out amidst the destruction. His stare was like the abyss—hiding secrets untold.

"…Who?" Syafina whispered warily, tightening her grip on her bow.

Bayu remained silent, still locked in eye contact with the stranger. He couldn't tell if he was an ally or an enemy.

The guy studied them for a moment, his expression unreadable.

Then, he simply turned away and walked off.

…Just like that?

Bayu didn't lower his awareness. He doesn't know if that guy was an ally or enemy, but he's willing to find out.

"Hey, wait a second–"

Too late. The guy already disappeared behind the cold mist.

Questions swirled on Bayu's mind. Who is that guy? Why did he help them and what is his intention?

Just as he thinks about the possibility of intention that guy may had, a hand on his shoulder snap him back to reality. He turned to Syafina.

"Let's go," she said. "Before more of those creatures show up."

Bayu nodded. Without another word, they continue their journey.

---

Black smoke billowed high, swallowing the sky until the sun could no longer be seen. The air felt hot and stank, a mixture of burning wood and something worse.

The fire raged violently, its tongues dancing wildly, devouring everything in its path. The crackling of burning wood mixed with the roar of the flames, creating a tragic symphony of destruction.

Bayu stared at the burning house before him, every part of it consumed by the raging fire.

A tear trickled down his cheek, the tightness in his chest choking him as if refusing to let air into his lungs. His eyes widened, his body tensed.

No words escaped his lips; he was silent. His body felt rigid, as if frozen in place.

He… He was too late.

Was his grandmother already dead? If only, if only he had come sooner, maybe he could have saved her.

Guilt gnawed at him, overwhelmed by profound sorrow. This... It's my fault.

His body moved toward the raging fire, pushing aside rational thoughts, letting his emotions take over. One step, then another, closer to the fire.

"Bayu!"

Bayu stopped, a hand gripping him tightly to pull him back. Syafina yanked him away. "Snap out of it, Yu! Snap out of it!"

Bayu flinched, stepping back.

"What are you thinking? Look what you done, Bayu! You almost killed yourself!" Syafina said, trying to snap him out of his reckless action that put his life in danger.

Bayu remained silent, not answering. He stared at the fire with a vacant expression, as if gazing at something unreachable.

"My grandmother... She's inside, Syafina," Bayu whispered, his voice weak. "And I... I have to go in—"

"Bayu." Syafina cut him off, grabbing both his shoulders firmly. "I know, I know what it feels like to lose someone. I understand, I really do. But please, don't let your grief drive you to endanger your own life."

Bayu went silent again, not responding. His mind processed Syafina's words while his emotional side continued to torment him.

"Don't keep mourning, Bayu. Remember, your grandmother wouldn't want to see you like this, stuck in grief."

Hearing Syafina's words, Bayu nodded. Even though he still felt the tightness from the sudden loss, Syafina was right. He couldn't remain in mourning forever.

"…Let's go."