Senior Drill officer Melia

Just then, the door opened, and a few students stumbled in.

"Run... it was a trick. This monster—" one began to warn, but before they could finish, Jennifer felt the creeping sensation of vines wrapping around her legs.

"What's this?" she thought, as the vines rapidly snaked up her body.

"Everyone, run!" she screamed, but it was too late. More students were overtaken by the vines, some being completely cocooned, their screams echoing in the room.

"What in the world is going on here?!" Jennifer thought, as she too was swiftly enveloped in a cocoon. "How many survivors are still in the academy—or left in the world?" she wondered, her consciousness fading. "I hope Poco's team hasn't fallen victim to this monster's deceit."

**************************************************

Meanwhile, Drill Officer Melia slammed her fist against the wall in frustration.

"I can't believe this!" she exclaimed aloud after finishing a call with her commander.

Watching the news on her phone, she saw that the president had ordered an absolute lockdown until the chaos was resolved.

"We promise to resolve this issue as soon as possible," the president's voice echoed from the screen. "After all, we have the mightiest heroes in the world, and I'm sure we will emerge victorious from this mess. So please rest assured, our servicemen and women are not to be underestimated."

"And in the meantime, please adhere to the lockdown rules. If you don't have essential matters to attend to, please remain safely in your homes. Thank you!"

At that moment, reporters began pressing the president with questions.

"Mr. President, how can we be sure that we'll handle this effectively? After all, these are our citizens being transformed into monsters."

"We may not have all the solutions yet," the president replied, "but identifying the root cause is our top priority. Whether it's a virus from the plants or something entirely different, we're working diligently to find answers and address the issue before implementing further solutions."

"Mr. President, regarding the lockdown, what about our food supplies? How can we survive?"

"Is it better to risk becoming victims of these monsters and vines, or to sustain ourselves on water alone for now?" the president retorted.

"Of course not, sir."

"Well then, in the meantime, as we address this situation, we'll explore ways to distribute supplies to the citizens."

With that, the president departed.

"Thank you, Mr. President."

As the reporters began their broadcast, detailing the current situation, the scene abruptly shifted as vines surged into the room, swiftly enveloping them.

"Aghhhhhhh!" their screams echoed, the camera shaking violently before cutting to static.

Meanwhile, Drill Officer Melia clenched her jaw in frustration, her gaze fixed on the news feed. She surveyed the five soldiers she had managed to gather, each armed with a pistol and a knife.

"We need to assess how many students are still unaccounted for," she stated, her voice steady despite the chaos unfolding outside. "And I'm particularly interested in the individual—or creature—that's been mimicking my voice."

"Yes, ma'am!" the five cadets responded in unison.

Stepping outside, Melia covered her head with her uniform cape.

"Make sure any other students we save are taken to the auditorium. Got it?"

"Roger that, ma'am!"

The five cadets said, moving out behind her.

"Mister President is right. After all, we're the most powerful military in the world!"

She thought.

"The more we save, the stronger humanity's resistance will be."

She thought casually, slashing at the vines coming her way.

"Keep your eyes peeled. Understood?"

She commanded.

"Yes, ma'am!"

One of the students immediately moved in front of her, clearing the vines as they walked

**************************************

Entering the women's restroom, Melia and her team were taken aback to find a monster admiring itself in the mirror.

"You're so pretty..."

"Stop it, you're flattering me."

"Come on."

The monster teased its reflection.

"You're a pretty girl; you look more beautiful..."

"Well, what do you think, my Romeo?"

Melia, maintaining composure, pointed her pistol at the creature.

"Cover your ears," she instructed her team.

Without hesitation, she fired three precise shots at the monster's temple. The creature let out an enraged roar as vines surged toward Melia and her squad.

"Jane, Raines!" Melia called sharply.

Jane and Raines immediately engaged, hacking at the encroaching vines with their knives, creating a path for Melia.

The monster lunged toward Melia, its movements swift and aggressive.

"Y...youuuuuuuuuuu!" it bellowed.

With practiced agility, Melia sidestepped the creature's outstretched arm, seized it, and twisted forcefully, breaking its limb.

"She's quite weak compared to the other monsters." Melia thought, moving behind the creature.

She positioned her pistol against its chest and fired, unleashing an unrelenting barrage of rounds.

"Let's see if you'll recover with a damaged heart." Melia mused, her focus unwavering as she slashed with her knife, driving it into the monster's heart.

"Ahhhhh!" the creature howled in agony, desperately turning to strike at Melia's face before collapsing to the ground.

"Ahhh... Ahhh..." it gasped weakly, its regenerative process slowing as its heart struggled to heal.

Melia's eyes widened in shock as the monster's faceless appearance began to shift. Slowly, its features reformed into those of a human.

"I'm sorry, Drill..." the voice whispered, faltering as the words trailed off. The monster's eyes closed, and it breathed its last breath.

As the vine attacks ceased, Melia's mind raced. "I see... so the vines are alive because of the monster..."

She quickly moved away, her thoughts shifting rapidly.

"What should we do with her, ma'am?" Jane inquired.

Melia sighed, her gaze lingering on the fallen creature.

"As it stands, there's nothing more we can do than leave her here." She turned and walked out of the bathroom, her footsteps echoing in the dimly lit hallway.

"Besides," she continued, "now we know the vine attacks cease once her face reverts to its human form." She paused, slicing through a vine that obstructed their path.

"I wonder," she mused, "how many students have been transformed into monsters, and how many are truly in the process of monstrosification."