7. Bloodied Classroom

In the university staff room, a warm and cozy space filled with the aroma of freshly brewed coffee, a lecturer named Mr. Tanaka looked at his colleague, Mr. Saito, with a mixture of surprise and concern. The soft hum of the coffee machine and the gentle chatter of the other teachers created a soothing background noise, but Mr. Tanaka's voice cut through the calm atmosphere.

"Aren't you supposed to be teaching Class 1-A right now?" Mr. Tanaka asked, his brow furrowed with worry.

Mr. Saito looked back at him, confusion etched on his face. He rubbed his temples, as if trying to remember something. "Ooh, I had forgotten about that," he admitted, his voice laced with embarrassment.

He glanced at his watch, and his eyes widened in alarm. "Only 25 minutes are left before my lecture ends!" he exclaimed, jumping up from his seat. He quickly collected his books and equipment, his hands moving with a sense of urgency.

As he burst out of the staff room, the door swung shut behind him, and he hurried down the long, empty corridor. The fluorescent lights overhead cast a sterile glow, and the linoleum floor creaked beneath his feet. Mr. Saito's footsteps echoed off the walls as he rushed towards Class A.

When he arrived, he was shocked to find that the classroom door was now replaced with a steel beam. The cold, grey metal seemed out of place in the otherwise ordinary university corridor. Mr. Saito's confusion deepened as he wondered how such a massive obstacle could have been installed without anyone noticing.

He stood there for a moment, his mind struggling to comprehend the situation. Then, with a sense of determination, he turned and headed towards the principal's office.

As he entered the office, he was greeted by the principal's stern expression. The principal, a tall, imposing figure with a thick beard, looked up from the papers on his desk.

"What is it, Mr. Saito?" he asked gruffly, his voice firm but with a hint of annoyance.

Mr. Saito took a deep breath and explained the situation. "Sir, I just got to Class 1- A, and the door has now been replaced by a steel beam. I have no idea what's going on."

The principal raised an eyebrow, his expression skeptical. "That's ridiculous," he said, his voice dripping with disdain. "You're not joking, are you, Mr. Saito?"

Mr. Saito shook his head emphatically. "No, sir! I'm telling you, the classroom is blocked. I don't know what's happening."

The principal sighed, his expression softening slightly. He stood up, his movements deliberate. "This better not be a joke, Mr. Saito," he warned, his voice firm. "Lead the way."

As they arrived at Class 1-A, the principal's face turned pale with shock. The steel beam door seemed to mock him, its cold, grey metal a stark contrast to the usual warmth and chaos of the classroom.

"What is going on?" the principal demanded, his voice trembling with confusion. "I passed by this classroom 50 minutes ago, and I'm sure there was a door here. Something must be off!"

He turned to Mr. Saito, his eyes wide with urgency. "Quickly, call all the lecturers here and call all the university emergency numbers!"

Mr. Saito didn't hesitate. He ran back to the staff room, bursting in and shouting, "All of you are to report in front of Class 1-A as soon as possible!"

He didn't wait for a response, dashing off to the principal's office instead. He burst in, grabbing the landline phone and dialing the police emergency number.

As the lecturer and university staff arrived at Class 1- A, they were all shocked by the steel beam door. The principal shouted, "Who did this and without my consent?" but the lecturers remained silent, their faces pale and worried.

Some students began to gather around the class, murmuring, "What's happening?" The principal shouted, "Okay, so where are the students of Class 1-A?"

One of the students commented, "Last we saw them, they were all in class."

The principal responded, "Okay, did you try to call them?" The students replied, "Yes, but their phones were unreachable."

As they spoke, the sound of sirens began to echo through the air, growing louder and more insistent. Red and blue lights flickered, casting an eerie glow over the scene.

The sound of engines roaring and tires screeching filled the air as a convoy of vehicles came into view. A police car, an ambulance, and a demolition truck were racing towards the school, their lights flashing and sirens blaring.

The vehicles sped down the street, weaving past other cars and pedestrians. They turned into the school driveway, their tires squealing as they took the corner.

As they approached the school entrance, the vehicles slowed, their sirens dying down. The police car pulled up first, followed by the ambulance and demolition truck.

The vehicles came to a stop in front of the school, their engines idling. The police officers, paramedics, and demolition team poured out of the vehicles, their faces set with determination.

The principal, Mr. Saito, and the other lecturers watched in stunned silence as the emergency responders rushed towards them, ready to face whatever crisis lay ahead.

One police officer stepped out of the car, distinguishable from the others by his lack of uniform. Instead, he wore a crisp, black suit, his badge clipped to his belt. His dark hair was slicked back, revealing a sharp jawline and piercing blue eyes. He seemed to scan the crowd before his gaze settled on one teacher, his eyes locked onto them with an unnerving intensity.

"Where is the principal?" he asked, his voice firm but polite.

The principal, who was standing behind one of the lecturers, stepped forward. "I am the principal, and who are you?" he asked, a hint of defensiveness creeping into his voice.

The officer smiled, but didn't respond. Instead, another officer spoke up, "This is Chief Lieutenant Drake, sir. I'm actually shocked that he's here, since he doesn't usually appear at scenes unless it's a very dangerous crisis."

Drake's smile never wavered as he turned to the principal. "So, what's the problem here?" he asked, his eyes scanning the area.

The principal explained the situation, and Drake listened intently, his expression unreadable. When the principal finished, Drake turned to the demolition team. "Follow me," he said, striding towards the classroom.

The rest of the crowd parted, creating a wide path as Drake and the demolition team approached the steel beam door. Drake pointed at the door, his voice firm. "I want that door opened, and fast."

The demolition team sprang into action, their equipment at the ready. They began to work on the steel beam, trying to create an opening. Drake turned to the crowd, his voice calm and reassuring. "Don't worry, everything is fine."

But suddenly the demolition team seemed to be in a hurry to leave. They packed up their equipment quickly, their movements efficient but urgent. Drake stopped them, his hand raised. "What's going on here?" he asked, his eyes narrowing.

The team leader hesitated, glancing at Drake before responding. But before he could say anything, Drake's expression changed, his eyes flashing with a mixture of surprise and concern.

The leader of the demolition team finally responded, "Every time we try to crack the steel, our machine suddenly loses power. It's shocking, since we recently bought this equipment and it worked fine when we tested it on our own steel. But it only loses power when it touches that steel beam covering the door. I think this is something supernatural, and I don't want anything to do with it."

The crowd began to gossip and murmur among themselves, their voices filled with a mix of fear and curiosity. Drake tried to stop the demolition team, but they ignored him, hastily packing up their equipment and fleeing the scene.

As Drake tried to chase after them, he found himself standing by the university gate. He stopped and took a deep breath, a slow smile spreading across his face.

"So, this is something supernatural," he whispered to himself, his voice low and menacing. "How fascinating. It seems I've finally found you, Death."

Just then, one of the officers came running up to him, looking frantic. "Drake, the steel beam suddenly disappeared and the door opened on its own, and you're not going to like what's inside."

Drake's smile grew wider as he sprinted towards the classroom, pushing through the crowd of lecturers and students. When he arrived at the door, he stopped dead in his tracks, his eyes widening in shock.

Blood-soaked walls, floors, and desks assaulted his senses. Body parts littered the room, and a headless corpse lay on the ground. Cole cowered in the corner, covered in blood and sobbing uncontrollably.

In the center of the room, three students - Taro, Ryota, and Akane - stood frozen, their eyes wide with terror. The class representative, Shin, and several other students huddled together near them, their faces pale and shocked.

A heavy, metallic scent hung in the air, mixed with the sweet, coppery smell of blood. Drake's gaze swept the room, taking in the carnage.

"I knew it, l have finally found you Death, and l know that this is just the beginning of the games," he whispered to himself.