‘What’s happening there?’ Mawi thought curiously.

Although he felt an ominous feeling that something not good was about to happen, he embraced himself and walked down the stairs with utmost caution. The world has changed. He doesn’t know when something perhaps suddenly popped out of thin air.

Thus, he must be vigilant at every moment because once carelessness meant death. That was what he believed.

Putting his hand on the hilt of his dagger on his back, seemingly prepared at any given moment, Mawi slowly poked his head to the hallway.

The hallway of the 3^rd floor was in much mess compared to the 4^th floor. There were broken doors and even chairs were lying on the hallway…

A foreboding feeling slunk into Mawi’s heart when he saw the pool of blood on the floor!

He somewhat expected that the building was caught in a terrible situation. However, it was truly breath-taking when he followed the trail of the blood and discovered the pile of mutilated dead bodies in a classroom.

Around those bodies were pitch-black humanoid monsters without distinct feature munching and gnawing some parts of the body of dead students. Those monsters had a height of a grade-schooler, approximately 1.5-meter tall. Their mouth was sharp and savages similar to their claws that digging and cutting the students body.

Mawi blocked his mouth to prevent himself from making a sound and to vomit everything he eaten this morning.

If his guessed was right, these monsters appeared when the students fell asleep like the fellow students he across at the 4^th floor. Strangely, the moment the explosion occurred, it seems like everyone else fell asleep while he, on the other hand was wide awake the entire event.

The moment he saw the horrible situation in front of him, thoughts crossed through his mind. His mind works in a rapid speed.

If he saw it accurately, there were four ‘black monsters’ inside that room.  And if he to fight them alone, that would be foolish. What could he do? He never fought back despite being bullied. Even though he received the ‘Joker’ job, he had no experience about fighting.

So, the wisest choice would be escaping. But how?

He was certain that a simple wrong-step would alarm them and it would be disastrous. He couldn’t imagine what those monsters could do to his frail appearance. That was what he thought.

However, for some reason, he felt a surge of confidence from his ‘Joker’ Job. He felt that everything was going to be well.

Unbeknownst to Mawi, after he received the title ‘fate-holder’ it slowly changed his entire being. His view of the world and even about himself, it began to change. Although it was still faint, in the future he would realize that he changed so much.

With a rapid thought, Mawi conclude a plan. For all the time he was alone, no one other than him knew the capabilities of his mind. He could be claim as one of the geniuses if he didn’t keep it to himself.

While still hiding in the corner of the staircase, Mawi suddenly heard an incoming footstep from above that made him tense.

‘I thought I was lucky now. But why they’re coming at the worst time…?’

Before he could even make a move, all could he do was to blame his bad luck as someone’s scream echoed in the hallway.

Kyah~!

Mawi let out a sigh when the scream immediately alerted the ‘black monsters’. Strangely enough, despite being nervous, he was not too much afraid.

“W-What are those!?”

“M-Monsters..!”

“No way... It can’t be real dead bodies. This is not real!”

As the students were still in shock, instead of making a quick run they began to get hysterical. That was the normal reaction for a normal human being. Mawi was the one who was being strange.

Hence, upon seeing this, Mawi hurriedly shouted that took them back to their senses.

“Run now if you don’t want to die! Go upstairs and hide.”

Upon realizing their situation and as the one of utterly suspicious about the entire situation, the student council president urged the frozen students with tense voice as she made a run herself.

“Run… run! Go to the laboratory room. Hurry!”

“Shit. Shit. What are those monsters!?”

Tap! Tap!

Their footsteps echoed in the hallway along with the ragged breathing of them.

“Go, go… go. Take a left turn, second room!”

The student council president guided that confused one of the running students.

“B-But why are need to hide in the lab!?”

“I’ll explain it later just run!”

Mawi, who was also running in the middle of the horde, took a glance at the back and discovered the quick approaching monsters. They were truly creepy to look at!

After a short moment, they finally reached the laboratory. Then, without anyone voicing out, the male students quickly pushed the long white tables and chairs behind the door to acts as a barricade.

They truly moved like an experienced zombie apocalypse survivor. Mawi was certain that nowadays, youths had already somewhat integrated in their minds about apocalypse movies they had watch in their life. Despite closing and barricading the door, no one felt relax at all. No one could!

“Thank God, it’s here!”

While standing few distance away from the door, Mawi heard the sudden exclamation of the school council president. When he reflexively turned around, he found her holding a size of 2 liter white gallon. Then someone asked in curiosity, saying.

“Pres. What is that?”

Instead of answering, the student council president took off the cap of the gallon, causing a familiar scent gushed out and filled the entire laboratory room.

“Kerosene!”

The school council president nodded her head in affirmation and spoke, saying. “You’re right. Now, is there anyone here have a lighter?”

The student’s eyes lit up when they realized the president’s intention of coming here. However, before could anyone answer her, a haughty voice interrupted their thoughts.

“Miss President. I am afraid your idea will be useless.”

Student council president and her fellow schoolmates frowned at this voice as they immediately turned to the owner of that voice. Strangely enough, on the corner of the laboratory room, 4-male students has actually begun to form a group.

Swish!

“With this given weapon, we should kill those monsters!” The male student in the forefront spoke as he casually waved a 1.5-meter long sword that was basically given to all survivors. The other three behind him were also familiarizing the daggers in their hand.

Mawi silently watched the sudden turn of the atmosphere between his fellow schoolmates.

“Yes. President, Jacob is right. You all should check the System’s reward.” One of Jacob’s lackeys added after he brought out his own sword and equipped the basic leather items.

While the student council president side went silent, a loud bang interrupted their thoughts as they realized the monsters already discovered them.

Bang! Bang!

‘It’s too late…’

Mawi thought and prepared himself while keeping himself aware of his surroundings.

The shocked students began to panic,

“Oh shit. Shit!”

“T-They are here!”

“What are we gonna do now!?”

Amidst the panic and worried voices, a furious one gave a loud yell, saying. “Shut the hell up!

“If you’re afraid, hide in the corner and keep your mouth shut. Otherwise, don’t blame me for cutting your tongue for you!

“What a bunch of pussies…” Jacob murmured in the end which was apparently still heard by the students.

Amongst the 11 students in the laboratory room including Mawi, Jacob had the biggest frame of body. Since, mostly of them were girls. They were easily intimidated by Jacob’s attitude. Although furious, they could clench their teeth silently as they were afraid to fight those monsters that killed their fellow students.

Nevertheless, Jacob’s last words were meant for those guys cowering in fear. Only one of the guys caught Jacob’s attention. It was Mawi who had tense expression but clearly had no intention to run.

“Yo. I guess you’re gonna fight as well, right?”

Mawi, who was tensely keeping his guard high, heard Jacob’s question that had walk close to him along with the other three male students.

Mawi stared at Jacob for a moment before he slightly nodded his head.  And he was astonished at Jacob’s response, “Good. Let’s help each other for a while.”

Surprisingly, contrary to Jacob’s appearance which somewhat could be compare to a school bully and his attitude earlier, Mawi felt Jacob wasn’t that a bad guy or maybe he was just acting as a bad guy? Mawi doesn’t know.

Bang! Bang! Crash~!

!!!

“Get ready!”

Jacob exclaimed as Mawi and others unsheathed their weapons upon seeing that the monsters finally broke open the door!

Mawi and others, who were standing before the door, had a tense expression, while the other students began to shake in fear. They were clearly afraid for their safety.

Screech~!

The ‘black monsters’ let out an earsplitting screech when they’d finally found their preys. Black drools could be seen dripping down from their creepy mouth.

Fortunately, the laboratory’s door wasn’t wide. It could only allow two ‘black monsters’ to enter at the same time.

Jacob, who was standing at the forefront, tightly clenched the sword with his both hands then yelled.

“Now!!!”