Bursting through the classroom door, my heart still pounding with the lingering adrenaline of the battle, I was greeted by the surprised faces of Tim, Sara, and Lily. Their expressions ranged from shock to curiosity as they took in my triumphant demeanor.

Tim, always quick to react, was the first to speak. "No way, you actually did it? You defeated the Elite Zombie Boss?" His tone carried a hint of disbelief mixed with envy as he stared at me, his eyes narrowing slightly.

Grinning proudly, I nodded. "Yes, I did! And not only that, but I cleared the dungeon too. We're finally free to leave this place!"

Sara beamed at me with genuine happiness. "That's incredible, Kei! We were so worried about you, but I knew you could do it!" She stepped forward and pulled me into a tight hug, her excitement showing as she expressed her relief and joy.

"Thanks, Sara," I replied, feeling a slight blush creeping up my cheeks.

Lily, however, remained composed, her brow furrowed in thought. "It's impressive that you managed to defeat the Elite Zombie Boss, but how did you do it?"

Her straightforward approach brought me back to our current situation. Despite the victory, there was still much to discuss and plan for our escape. "Right, there's a lot to explain. Let's sit down and I'll tell you everything."

As we gathered around a table in the classroom, I launched into a detailed account of my battle with the Elite Zombie Boss. With my words, I started painting a vivid picture of my intense struggle for survival.

"I realized that I couldn't defeat the Elite Zombie Boss head-on," I began, my voice steady with determination. "So, I devised a plan to lure it in front of the restroom where it couldn't breach the invisible barrier."

Tim's eyes widened with awe as he listened intently, while Sara's soft gaze never wavered. Lily leaned forward, absorbing every detail with a keen analytical eye.

"I baited the creature, leading it in front of the restroom as well as I could," I continued, my heart racing with the memory. "Once inside, I launched javelins at it from the safety of the barrier, but it retaliated, throwing them back at me. Though I managed to evade some of the javelins, I wasn't able to avoid them all, and a few landed on me.”

A gasp escaped Sara's lips, her shock evident as she processed the danger I had faced. "Oh, Kei," she whispered, her voice filled with concern.

"But I refused to back down," I pressed on, recounting the moments of desperation and determination. "When the Elite Zombie Boss attempted to retreat, I chased after it, only to realize it was baiting me to come out into the open."

"In the end, it was a close call," I admitted, the memory of the narrow victory still fresh in my mind. "But I managed to defeat it just in time, before it could deliver a fatal blow."

After I finished recounting the battle, there was a moment of silence as they processed the information. Then, Tim let out a low whistle. "Damn, that sounds intense. I can't believe you took it down all by yourself."

Sara nodded in agreement, her eyes shining with awe. "You're so amazing, Kei. I'm glad you're okay."

Lily nodded slowly, and began to formulate a plan based on the details I provided. "It seems the Elite Zombie Boss was vulnerable to attacks aimed at its eyes. If we encounter similar enemies in the future, we can use that weakness."

Acknowledging Lily's strategic insight, I nodded in agreement. "Yes, Lily. Targeting weaknesses like that will be important."

But before we could delve deeper into planning our next moves, I interjected with a sense of urgency. "But first things first! Now that we've cleared the dungeon, we're finally free to leave! How about that? We'll finally be able to see what the outside world looks like and if anything has changed since we've been stuck here."

Excitement rippled through the group as the prospect of leaving the confines of the school filled us with anticipation. Sara, her curiosity piqued, voiced a question that had been lingering in her mind. "Do you think we're the only survivors of the school?"

I paused, considering her question carefully before responding. "It's possible. We didn't encounter anyone else during our time here. It's likely that most, if not all, of the other students and teachers were killed by the zombies the dungeon spawned at the start."

A hushed silence descended upon us, as we came to terms with our situation.

Tim, ever the skeptic, broke the silence with a hint of bitterness in his tone. "Great, so we're all alone. Just fantastic."

Sara, sensing the need for reassurance, offered a comforting smile. "While it's just us right now, we're not alone. We'll be okay."

Smacking my thighs hard with a sense of urgency, I exclaimed, "All right! Anyways, the dungeon is cleared, so let's just worry about seeing if we're able to leave the school now or not!"

With resolute nods from Tim, Sara, and Lily, we swiftly started to make our way toward the front door of the school. Our steps quickened as we finally approached the barrier that had confined us for so long.

"Is everyone ready?" I asked, the anticipation palpable in the air.

Tim, with a hint of impatience, replied, "Yeah, yeah, let's get out of this place."

Sara, her voice soft, chimed in, "Yes, I'm ready."

Lily, her expression determined, nodded silently, signaling her readiness.

With a steady hand, I reached for the door handle, my heart pounding in my chest. The moment had finally arrived. Gripping the handle tightly, I swung the door open, revealing the unknown world beyond.

But what awaited us on the other side was beyond anything we could have imagined.

Author's Note:

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