OM (hotd arc) ch1: The last hope of humanity. (Patreon)

'The night before everything ended, I stayed up late.' Thought Takashi Komuro as he saw hell break loose in front of him. 

THEY fed on people. THEY chewed on the flesh of any human They came across, and when the people who are bitten die... they come back from the dead as one of THEM.

It all started this morning, he saw a murder at the front gate... the teachers... they started killing each other, they became some kind of walking corpses. 

Like those zombies in the movies. 

He was shocked, bewildered. He didn't wait anymore and bolted to save the one he cared about the most in this world... His childhood friend and the love of his life, Rei Miyamoto. 

It didn't matter to him that the so-called love of his life, didn't see him the same way, at least not since she found someone who could pamper her more than him. 

Rei's current boyfriend was much better than Takashi, her previous crush. He was intelligent and athletic, and he just knew what she wanted. It was as if he could read her... that much how he loved her, at least that's what she assumed. 

Takashi stormed into her class and went straight to Rei, he pulled her hand, "C'mon, Let's get outta here."

"Huh?" Rei frowned in confusion.

"What's going on, Takashi?" A grey-haired boy went to him. He was Rei's current boyfriend and Takashi's best friend, Hisashi Igou.

Takashi turned to him, his eyes serious. He told him about the situation at the front gate.

Rei got irritated, she freed her hand. "BACK OFF! I never understand what you're thinking— *SLLLLLLLLLLAAAP* "

Her cheeks burned from Takashi's slap. Palm inadvertently went to her cheek to soothe the pain. She glared at him but didn't say anything. She understood that the matter was more serious than she had thought as Hisashi seemed to agree too.

They all went out leaving the whole class in a baffled state.

The trio after many struggles soon reached the terrace, but during one of the struggles against a walking corpse, Hisashi got bitten while trying to protect Rei. 

The terrace was empty quite empty when they first arrived but when the military helicopters flew past the air in their glory, the noise attracted quite a few of THEM from downstairs. 

THEM is the convention they've decided upon, to refer to these walking corpses.

Survival. A single goal in their mind.

They all darted to the observatory, Hisashi planned of blocking the stairs and remaining safe, at least momentarily. 

Takashi had just climbed up the stairs when he saw Rei struggling against one of THEM. Everything was happening too fast, it took him a moment to realize that he needed to move, to bash IT's head, to save her!

A moment of cowardice.

A moment in which he was pushed to the side by his best friend. 

Hisashi bashed the moving corpse's head and kicked another one that was approaching too close to them.

"Rei, Hisashi! Hurry!" Takashi yelled at his friends to move faster at the stairs, what else he could do than unnecessary yelling... "This way!"

He paused for a moment, looking at the disastrous state of the city — It was hell. The city was in chaos, different pockets of smoke could be seen everywhere, and houses were burning in some sectors, it looked like hell.

People were running around, and THEY were chasing them, grabbing and biting, increasing Their numbers. 

It was just like Hisashi had said, he was right as always. 

A sense of panic and anxiety crept upon his chest... "Jesus..." He shook his head, wanting to deny this reality. "What the hell is going ooooonnnn!!!!!" He yelled at the top of his lungs.

At that moment... 

Something happened...

At the top of the staircase, on the wall beside where Komuro was standing, the space distorted and a smoky cloud with a blue electric hue materialized. 

Takashi flinched but looked at it in bafflement, with slight wariness. No sound came from his mouth.

Whatever it was, it soon disappeared leaving a tall fair boy with jet black hair, donned in a black hoodie and dark grey pajamas with white stripes on the sides. He wasn't wearing any shoes or slippers, his feet were bare.

Takashi was standing to his right, quite stunned by what just transpired.

The boy opened his blue eyes and calmly looked ahead, at the city.

'Did- Did this guy just smile a little?' Takashi was bewildered.

First, the moving corpses and now a boy seemingly of about his age emerged from a portal...? Really, just what the hell was going on?

The boy turned his head towards him, and his eyes widened just for a moment before the calm look was back again.

"... Just what are you....?" Takashi asked in bewilderment.

"Hmm, I didn't notice you... the sudden change in surroundings takes a moment before all my senses are back to normal... Anyway, brown eyes and spiky black hair..." He squinted his eyes as if trying to remember him. "Takashi Komuro... right?" His tone was quite skeptical as if he was unsure, then he offered his hand for a handshake...?

Takashi nodded his head, it took him a moment to realize the gesture of the handshake. The fact that in Japan handshake wasn't all that common also caused him to take time.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Arthur, an Omniversal Mercenary." The blue-eyed boy firmly shook his hands. 

This guy, Arthur, was slightly taller than him, so Takashi had to look up to meet his eyes. 

Suddenly the boy spun around and threw his fist at a boy's face who had already turned into THEM, its face burst like a splattered tomato, and dark red blood sprayed all over as it slumped down on its knees, finally truly dead. 

The mysterious guy, Arthur, looked at his bloodied fist with a slightly amused face for a moment before shaking the blood off and proceeding towards the observatory and blocking the stairs with wooden desks and chairs. His footstep seemed a little off in the beginning but then they were fine. 

'Is he not used to walking?' Takashi thought as he proceeded to help Arthur block the stairs.

Hisashi and Rei were in slight confusion as they looked at the new addition. They were on the other corner of the wall, so they couldn't see how he appeared from that portal.

Who was he and why was he not wearing the school uniform...? Someone outside of the school, perhaps? He even didn't even look like he was from Japan. Hisashi wondered as he lay down, leaning his back against the metal grill as support. 

Rei rushed to him as soon as he coughed, gently supported him, and caressed his shoulder.

"Hey, just what are you? You just emerged from a strange cloudy portal, bashed 'HIS' head in a single punch, and are now acting like it was something all normal! Where the fuck did you come from? What's an Omniversal Mercenary!" Takashi slowly raised his voice as he moved a desk toward the entrance of the stairs.

Hisashi and Rei's eyes widened in shock when they heard Takashi, but the former's eyes relaxed in relief as some kind of realization dawned on him.

The new addition, Arthur, frowned and gently chopped Takashi's head, "Don't yell, I can hear just fine even if you simply whisper, okay? Yelling attracts THEM, they're sensitive to sounds."

"Huh? Really?" Takashi didn't mind the chop, it was like an older brother scolding, but he hated to admit that and frowned, "How did you know?"

"Listen to him, Takashi, if what you're saying is true and my assumption about him is correct... then he knows far more than any of us and is probably the last hope of humanity!" Hisashi spoke from behind, wincing in pain.

His state was getting worse as the seconds passed, the veins in his body were darkening and internal organs were failing him gradually.

Arthur turned to him and slightly raised his brow, "Why would you assume that, Hisashi Igou... I mean, I could also be the one who caused all this, don't you think?"

Arthur's tone wasn't skeptical this time, it was as if he was sure of Hisash's identity, unlike Takashi's.

 ----------------- 

Thanks for reading!