Last Bell: Requiem

The night before everything ended, Ryo Kisaragi lay awake, staring at the ceiling. The hum of the city beyond his window felt ordinary, yet uneasy, as if the world itself were holding its breath. Memories flickered through his mind—childhood promises with Aika Fujimoto, small competitions with Daichi Morita, quiet reassurance from friends who had always been there. He wondered how fast comfort could vanish.

A faint siren wailed somewhere in the distance. Ryo turned over, restless. Nothing seems wrong… he thought. Yet a small unease tugged at him, a whisper that the world he knew would soon crumble.

Morning — Before the Outbreak

Ryo leaned against a hallway window, watching the school grounds. Daichi caught up behind him.

“Skipping class again?” Daichi asked, shaking his head.

“Boring classes don’t exactly inspire me,” Ryo replied, smirking.

Aika Fujimoto walked past, her bag bouncing with each step. She glanced at Ryo, raising an eyebrow, then rolled her eyes, muttering something about slackers. The three of them laughed lightly—unaware how fragile normalcy had become.

Ryo’s thoughts drifted back to a promise Aika had made as children: “I’ll marry you one day.” It had seemed like a silly, harmless vow back then. Now, staring at the empty hall, it felt strangely weighty.

In another classroom, minor students whispered about news reports. “Did you hear about that man attacked downtown?” one asked nervously. A small flicker of unease passed through the hall. Ryo noticed it, his pulse quickening.

Chaos Breaks

By mid-morning, the world shifted.

Ryo, Aika, and Daichi sprinted up the school stairs, lungs burning, hearts hammering. Screams echoed from below. Aika stumbled, yelping as one of “them” lunged from a hallway. Ryo moved instinctively, but Daichi shoved him aside and swung his baseball bat. The creature crumpled, and together, they scrambled to the rooftop observatory.

From the stairwell, other students’ screams cut through the chaos. Imamura, smoking behind the building, mistook a lumbering figure for a friend—and was bitten instantly. Takayama fought desperately, his PE whistle still clutched in his hand, but even his strength was no match. Toshimi Niki and Misuzu Ichijou ran down a hallway, only to vanish, pulled into the nightmare.

On the roof, Ryo, Daichi, and Aika dragged furniture to reinforce the barricade. Aika rifled through a nearby supply closet and found a few bottles of water and snacks, rationing them carefully. Ryo tried calling emergency services; the line only offered a recorded message. Blackhawk helicopters hovered overhead, their blades slicing the wind. Fires flickered in the distance, smoke curling toward the clouds. From above, they could see Takayama hesitating on a neighboring rooftop before leaping into the chaos below.

Aika trembled, clutching her broom. “We can’t… we can’t stay here,” she whispered.

Daichi held her close. “We survive, Aika. We have to.”

Ryo felt a cold weight settle in his chest: their world as they knew it was gone.

Flashback — Earlier That Morning

Moments before the outbreak fully hit, Ryo had been leaning against a classroom window. Daichi approached.

“Skipping class again?” Daichi asked, shaking his head.

“Boring classes don’t exactly inspire me,” Ryo replied, smirking.

Kyoko Hayashi and other teachers approached a strange man outside—unaware he had already been infected. The teacher reached for him, was bitten, and moments later returned as one of “them,” attacking anyone in sight.

Ryo bolted to warn Aika, but Daichi grabbed his shoulder. Emi Kanzaki, ever observant, asked what was happening. Ryo explained frantically. When Aika yelled, panic in her voice, Ryo slapped her lightly—not to hurt, but to convey the gravity of the moment. Daichi’s eyes widened. They had to move.

They scavenged quickly:

Ryo: baseball bat.

Aika: broom handle.

Daichi: martial arts, relying on his body.

Attempts to call the police were useless. The PA blared an evacuation notice. Students flooded the hallways, panicking. Emi found Renji Okabe and urged him to flee with her.

Administration Office and First Confrontation

They ducked into the administration offices. Wakisaka, a teacher now transformed into one of “them,” blocked the hallway. Aika stabbed with her broom, but the creature kept advancing. Daichi tried to restrain him, only to be bitten. Ryo’s heart sank, but he swung his bat decisively—Wakisaka’s head crumpled. They fled, hearing screams from below, retreating to the rooftop observatory.

Inside, the door lock was broken. Daichi coughed blood, confirming infection. “Ryo… I don’t want to…” he choked.

Ryo’s chest tightened. “It’s okay, Daichi. I’ve got you.”

Daichi begged him to let him fall. Ryo obeyed. But when Daichi rose again, Ryo swung, ending it. Aika nearly collapsed, whispering she wished she could join him. Ryo held her tightly. “He wouldn’t have wanted that. We survive. That’s what he’d want.”

Hetziel and Ayame — Calm in Contrast

Far from the school, Yuna Tachibana monitored distant communications. She thought briefly of her childhood friends—the nurse, Dr. Hana Mizuno, and Coach Ayame Kuroda. Soon, the fates of all these people would collide.

Behind the gym, Hetziel leaned against a storage shed, calm and observing. Years on the streets had taught him caution, how to move without drawing attention, and how to protect himself when no one else would. Everyone he had met seemed to have a problem with him—until Ayame Kuroda. She had been the first adult to see him as more than trouble, to treat him with respect. Her presence steadied him now, even in the calm before chaos.

He muttered a quiet prayer, not for himself, but for the ones who couldn’t fight—the ones he might have to carry through the chaos.

Coach Ayame Kuroda approached.

“Skipping class again, huh? Lucky I like you,” she teased.

“Lucky, huh? Or maybe I’m just good at avoiding boredom,” he replied, smirking.

A small commotion in the gym caught their eyes—a stray ball rolling. Hetziel adjusted his stance, scanning, yet remained relaxed. Without moving, he radiated competence. Ayame smiled subtly, placing a hand on his shoulder—silent acknowledgment of his protective instincts.

End of Chapter Setup

The morning bell rang. Students shuffled into classrooms, laughing, chatting—completely unaware that their world had already begun to collapse. Fires burned, helicopters patrolled, and “them” moved through the streets.

Ryo, Aika, and the remnants of the rooftop survivors stared out over the city. This was no longer their world. Survival, trust, and the harsh lessons ahead were about to begin.