The hulking figure of the Elite Zombie Boss loomed menacingly, its grotesque form illuminated by the flickering lights of the hallway. It let out another bone-chilling roar, the sound searing through the stale air and rooting us momentarily in place.

My heart thrummed against my ribs, its rhythm a chaotic drumbeat as the Elite Zombie Boss’s screech echoed down the corridor. Fight or flee? The options bounced within the confines of my mind, each pressing for dominance. My companions looked to me, with an unspoken question clear in their wide, terror-stricken eyes: what do we do?

As the Elite Zombie Boss hurtled toward us, with no time to think, a visceral force awoke within me — an instinct honed by countless narrow escapes. Time seemed to dilate, and in that expanded moment, my decision was instinctively made.

"Go back to the classroom where I found you guys!" I shouted over the growing rumble of the Elite's approach. "I'll lead it away!"

"No, Kei!" Sara protested, her voice almost lost in the chaos. "We can't just leave you — "

"Do it!" I insisted, throwing every ounce of command I possessed into the word.

The others hesitated, their faces a mix of conflicting emotions. Yet, Tim was decisive. "We have to go!" he yelled quickly, his voice cutting through the air.

"Meet me there," I yelled back at them, "I'll be right behind you!"

Sara hesitated, her eyes meeting mine briefly, filled with sadness and worry. Tim without hesitation, grabbed Sara and Lily's arm, and together they retreated, leaving me to face the monstrosity alone.

I turned toward the Elite Zombie Boss, brandishing my trash can like a shield. I steered it toward an intersecting corridor, my shoes squeaking against the floor as I pivoted, hoping my speed would be enough to draw its focus.

The Elite was close now, so close I could see the grotesque details that made it so terrifying — the remnants of what it once was, and the unholy hunger in its eyes. I could hear the guttural resonance of its throat, and feel the tremors of its heavy footsteps resonating through the floor and up into my bones.

I threw my trash can with all the force I had, aiming for its head. The metal clanged against the skull with a sound that echoed down the halls, but it did little to slow the behemoth down. I turned on my heel and ran, my breaths coming in sharp gasps, my mind alight with both fear and strategy.

At that moment, an almost hysterical thought bubbled up through the terror: why had I thrown my only weapon? Was it a knee-jerk reaction born from panic, or had I truly lost my mind in the face of this abomination? The clatter of the trash can still rang in my ears, mocking me, a soundtrack to what could very well be the last foolish decision I ever made. I could almost laugh at the absurdity of it — me, the self-proclaimed leader, now sprinting through the dim corridors unarmed, my strategy as tattered as the clothing on the undead monster at my heels.

But I couldn't give up. I needed to be quick, to be smart. The sound of my allies' footsteps faded as they followed my instructions, and I was left with only the sounds of the Elite's pursuit and my own desperate breaths.

Every second counted, every decision was a gamble. I darted through the hallways, taking turns at random, hoping to confuse the creature, to give my allies time to get to safety. I could feel the Elite's presence like a storm at my back, its every step a thunderclap driving me forward.

I spared a quick glance behind me, just in time to see the Elite Zombie Boss rounding the corner, its eyes fixed on me with an intelligence that belied its undead nature. It was then I realized its pace had quickened; it was gaining on me.

Then, abruptly, I felt a tug at my sleeve, a sudden jerk that threatened to undo me. My feet faltered, my balance wavering, and I felt the cold grip of fear squeezing my heart. But it wasn't the Elite that had caught me — it was a piece of jagged metal protruding from a locker I had brushed against in my flight.

I freed myself with a desperate yank, the metal tearing a piece from my sleeve and grazing my skin. The sharp sting of it told me that I was still alive, still fighting, and that I had to keep moving. Ahead, the hallway forked, and I made a split-second decision, veering left with the hope that it would lead me back around to safety.

In the midst of my frantic escape, a random thought cut through the haze of my panic. The 15 unallocated stat points that I received from my most recent level-ups flickered at the edge of my consciousness. With a thought, my status window sprung forth, its familiar blue glow lighting up the shadowy corridor. My eyes darted to the bottom of the list: Unallocated Points: 15.

Running out of time, with frenzied swipes, I quickly funneled all the unassigned points into agility, the numbers increasing swiftly. I didn't have time to read the updated stats — I just felt it. The immediate rush of newfound speed was intoxicating. My muscles responded with explosive power, my strides lengthening, and my pace quickening to a blur.

Race: Human

Gender: Male

Name: Kei Sato

Level: 13

Health: 300/300

Health Regen: 0.03/Second

Mana: 100/100

Mana Regen: 0.01/Second

Stamina: 300/300

Stamina Regen: 0.03/Second

Strength: 20

Dexterity: 20

Agility: 35

Vitality: 30

Intelligence: 10

Luck: 10

Damage Reduction: 3%

Critical Chance: 1%

Unallocated Points: 0

The world seemed to slow down around me as my enhanced agility kicked in. My heart pounded in my chest with excitement, and the electric charge of my augmented speed. The Elite Zombie Boss's growls were fading behind me, its steps no longer thunderous but distant rumbles, losing ground.

I darted around another corner, my newly increased agility a shock to my system. I was not untouchable, not by any stretch of the imagination, but I was undeniably faster. The narrow escape from the Elite's clutches a minute ago would have been a close brush with death if not for those points now coursing through my veins, quickening my pace.

The corridor stretched on, and with each step, I could feel the distance between myself and the Elite Zombie Boss grow. The relentless growls that had chased me through the twisted hallways dwindled, becoming less threatening and more like a distant echo.

Finally, I skidded to a halt, the absence of the creature's pursuit settling over me. I bent forward, hands on my knees, drawing in lungfuls of the musty air. The act of breathing itself became a lifeline, pulling me back from the brink where adrenaline met exhaustion.

My ears strained for any sign of the Elite, but there was only silence — a heavy, expectant silence that seemed to hover around me, a thick curtain of quiet in the aftermath of the chaos. As the last shreds of danger receded, a surge of relief washed over me.

I straightened up, my chest swelling with deep, victorious breaths. The Elite Zombie Boss was nowhere in sight. "I did it! I escaped! I'm the best, the strongest in the world! Hahaha!" I exulted, a surge of triumphant energy coursing through me. I had evaded the clutches of death once again.