HOTD part 1:the ugliness of humanity.
"talking"
[System]
<thoughts>
*actions*
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today is just a normal day for the world. blue sky with white clouds drawing a peaceful picture that relax anyone looking at it, but nobody had time to admire the nature now.
all humanity now is facing the threat of extinction by there own kind reviving from the dead as monsters.
few hours passed after the apocalypse struck and 80% of humanity became zombies that only desire human flesh.
all Transportation network stopped immediately by the zombie killing the humans or the accidents in the road.
fire started in a lot of places as the humanity exposed to the biggest threat in history forcing it to release something hidden in its genes...survival instinct.
if the zombies are the obvious threat to humans life then the humans are a threat to themselves.
somewhere in Japan specifically Fujimi highschool. students and teachers are running away from their friends, classmates even lovers as they turned into zombies.
everyone had expressions of fear and panic even disbelief from the situation around them except a boy walking normally in the hallway.
the boy looked different from any student around because his clothes that consist just from black decorated by red color.
the boy had a red hair matched well with his clothes and his eyes that had different colors even pupils are different.
his pupils that looked like snake eyes make everyone doubt if he is even a human.
the boy expression was calm even with all these screams and death around him as he was walking except what was going around him even with the zombies around.
the boy held a revolver in his hand, but the weird thing is the knife floating around the boy.
the boy walked as no zombie noticed his existence, but as long one of them get closer to him they got their head chopped off by the floating knife even some of them bizarrely got their heads crushed.
the boy stared at the people dying around with no emotions except his clutched hands.
<humanity...as long it for surviving will do anything> Akashi thought while looking at the students pushing each other.
<some of them will run> Akashi thought while looking at a running student before he got bitten by zombies.
<some of them will give up> Akashi thought as a girl dropped on her knees while crying as zombies caught her.
<they will refuse to accept this reality> Akashi thought while looking at a guy with a mop pushing zombies away.
"This isn't happening this isn't happening right?...right?...WAIT!! AHHHHH!!!" the guy said as his dead friend behind him turned into a zombie and bites him.
<some will even try to escape this reality> Akashi looked at a girl throwing herself from a window.
<but most of them... will get violent and do everything it takes to survive> Akashi witnessed friends pushing each other towards zombies just to escape a couple of times already.
<they will kill if it necessary even...enjoying it> Akashi saw a boy slashing his friend neck with a glass shard while laughing maniacally before zombies even his dead friend started eating him.
<when the world we know is broken and all the reality that keeps our instincts hidden vanish... humanity will show an unbearable ugliness> Akashi thought while controlling D4C arm to strike another zombie.
[player killed a zombie and got 1 coin]
[task progress (23/200)]
<they will betray, steal and kill without mercy even enjoy the process sometimes> Akashi controlled D4C and brought the knife back to his hand looking at it covered in blood.
Akashi waved the knife removing some blood from it as he moved forwards.
Akashi would be lying if said he is feeling normal with everything going around as Akashi didn't witness a lot of death especially in this gruesome way.
<maybe I was going to be one of them if I didn't have the strength...another reason why this world revolving around power...the weak perish and the strong remains> Akashi looked at a student running towards him with a couple of zombies behind him.
<I am also...not even better than them nor in a position to judge them... after all> Akashi saw the student running towards him while trying to push him towards the zombie so he could run.
but before the student put his hands on Akashi, D4C arm caught his head and threw him towards the zombies chasing him.
"...I am also surviving in this world" Akashi muttered as he watched the zombies eating the student before D4C crushed their heads.
[task progress (27/200)]
Akashi took a deep breath as he threw all these ideas from his head and focused on the important things now.
<those guys from before...was they really a team from ascendant academy?> Akashi thought.
<it was too easy to manipulate them with just a few words... why did the academy even put people with such big and obvious weakness together as a team> Akashi dodged a zombie while thinking about the hidden meaning.
<the game and this second task putting the new player together...if the opposite team had one old player he could destroy them easily> Akashi opened his mission interface and started reading it all over again.
<even the penalty low makes the one wonder if these tasks are obligatory...no, it obligatory but not in that meaning> a thought flashed in Akashi head as he put his hand on his face.
<cruel... really cruel game space...also the ascendant academy> a grin formed in Akashi face as he understood what going on.
<this is a losing task from the start...the game and the academy didn't expect them to succeed in the first place> Akashi laughed as he walked forward.
<baby birds can't learn to fly on their own if they are protected...and if they don't understand that truth then... the parents will push them off the nest> Akashi controlled D4C to kill another zombie as he slashed another one.
[task progress (29/200)]
<the academy students even the new players most of them go through a stupid test to enter the game, but that doesn't mean they are ready>akashi dodged few zombies and students while walking.
<this is the real test from the academy and the game for them...they need to learn how cruel this game and what better way from losing even... dying once> Akashi thought.
[player No.4567893 please go back to your team to complete the team battle or your task will be announced as failure] the game space voice sounded in Akashi head as he smiled.
<it funny game space... you didn't even mention protecting the protagonist, but you went straight to the team battle> Akashi smile grew wider.
<the academy understands the way how the game works better than me, they must have known about this kind of mission, this is a very cruel way of teaching, but they didn't give them an impossible mission> Akashi thought while noticing something in the end of the hallway.
<it just because they don't understand a simple truth> Akashi looked at the hallway as he felt something before smiling and moving towards a class in his left.
this class doors were closed so there was no zombie around.
"The truth was always in front of us" Akashi went towards the window as he looked at the cherry blossom petals and people dying outside.
[player No.4567893 this is your final warning]
"This task...no, this mission wasn't about people here nor the zombies even those protagonist were just some chess pieces" Akashi caught a petal from the window.
"is between us... a player to another" Akashi said as the game sounded again in his head.
[player No.4567893 your task failing count down is starting] Akashi looked at the air as a light screen appeared with numbers on it.
[10]
"you know game space...there once was a great man explained the concept of our world just by who picked the first napkin...it doesn't matter what you chose after that person because everyone will follow him... in the condition that person is a leader or an idol" Akashi said looking at the sun covered with clouds.
[9...8...7]
"I am not a great person to pick first and certainly won't choose to be the second and fellow that person" Akashi said as he let the petal in his hand fly.
[6...5]
"I am the kind of person that will go and buy a third napkin" Akashi said as he looked at the count down.
[4...3]
"game space...I refuse to do the second task" Akashi said as the count down stopped.
[2... the player No.4567893 failed his second task and lost 1000 coins...remaining coins are 980] the game space said before returning to silence leaving only Akashi looking at the cherry blossom outside.
"cherry blossom is really pretty don't you think... sneaky guy" Akashi said as he slowly turned towards the door.
a man appeared from the door, he had a big build of an athlete and a mask covering his face.
"to think a new player was able to notice me" the man said as he was looking at Akashi.
"Everyone has one or two tricks up their sleeves, but aren't you too big to be in school?" Akashi smiled and said.
this is Akashi application of the energy manipulation skill. that skill allows Akashi to sense the energy around him especially the players that use their mental energy for their skills making it great sonar ability.
"Yeah, it doesn't really matter...now tell me where your team location or you will be dead here new guy" the man said as two gauntlets appeared on his hands.
"although I really want to tell you, but how do I put this...I am not the type of guy who listens to threats" Akashi said raising his revolver and fire towards the man head.
*clang*
the man raised his gauntlet and blocked the bullet before dashing towards Akashi at a very high speed.
<fast... but not enough> Akashi thought as his eyes and zone activated dodging the strike by jumping sideways leaving a red electric current in the air.
*CRASH*
the window that Akashi was leaning on got smashed by one punch of the man.
"oh? very violent" Akashi said as he fired another bullet towards the man head.
*clang*
this time the bullet got blocked by a white aura around the man without even leaving a scar.
<defense type skill or talent...this is annoying> Akashi thought as the man turned and grabbed a desk throwing it towards Akashi.
Akashi moved sideways while backing off dodging the desk.
*CRASH*
the desk smashed almost every other desk in the class before hitting the wall and breaking down.
the man rushed again towards Akashi with a fist but Akashi was able to dodge every hit while shooting sometimes without doing any damage.
"STOP DODGING!!!" the man screamed as Akashi was forced to lean his back against a wall.
"I got you now... DIE!!!" the screamed as he punched with all his force towards Akashi face
but he didn't notice Akashi was smiling as he watched the fish slamming towards his head.
*BOOM*
the position in the wall behind Akashi head got smashed as the man smiled for a moment until he saw something impossible.
"as I said... you are a very violent person" Akashi smiled with what left from his face.
in the place where the man hit Akashi. half of his head disappeared leaving only trace of a cube in its place.
before the man understood anything D4C arm appeared from Akashi shoulder and punched his hand.
*click*
that the sound of the man hand bones getting crushed by D4C punch.
"AH-" before the man completed his scream D4C punched his face and crushed the mask before sending him flying across the classroom.
*smash*
the man hit the wall but he didn't get hurt that much except his broken hand as he stood up and watched Akashi vigilantly.
Akashi didn't say anything to the man. he only moved his hand and swept the empty spot of his face.
"TA-DAH~~" Akashi said in the surprising eyes of the man as his head returned to normal without any injuries.
"bastard...ARE YOU MAKING FUN OF ME!!??" the man said as his aura skyrocketed became more visible.
"...you guess" Akashi smiled as the man rushed towards Akashi at a higher speed than earlier.
Akashi smiled as his bracelet flashed and a flag appeared covering most of his body as he was leaning his back towards the wall.
*BOOM*
this time the man smashed the whole wall with only one hand and ripped the flag to shreds before it disappeared into light spots, but Akashi was nowhere to be seen.
the man raised his head in confusion before he felt a pain in his shoulder after he heard two gunshots.
turning around he saw Akashi sitting on a desk while aiming his revolver at him and smiling leisurely.
"Just a flesh wound...should I change my weapon after this" Akashi said looking at his gun before turning towards the man.
"space ability...you surprised me newbie, but your luck ends here, there no way you can use it continuously with those poor stats of your" the man said as Akashi grinned at him.
"so that how...you must be the guy who thought he could take on all the new players along without listening to his temporary leader in the other team" Akashi said towards the man.
"so what, I can kill you and the newcomers at any time I want so...WHY THE WAIT!!! " the man said as he rushed again.
Akashi shook his head before jumping backward and dodging the strike.
the man didn't give up and jumped towards the air above Akashi and attacked.
Akashi didn't care about him as his bracelet flashed again with a flag appearing between him and the ground.
*CRASH*
the man hit the floor with his hand almost crushing it completely but he wasn't able to destroy the flag on the ground.
"where did he g-" before the man finished his words a hand appeared from the flag and shoved a revolver up his mouth before shooting three times instantly.
*bang* *bang* *bang*
the man head with some of his brain got blasted towards the ceiling covering it with blood.
the hand removed the revolver as the man fell to the ground dead.
"it seems your turtle shell isn't that hard from the inside" Akashi said as he started to appear from the flag before standing on the ground and looking towards a red small chest in the man's place.
[player No.4567893 killed player No.3175993]
the game sounded in Akashi head but he didn't care about it and picked the red chest from the ground while the bracelet took back the flag.
"like I said, this isn't between any zombie or protagonist it just a killing game, you could even call it a war between us...players" Akashi said as a light screen appeared in front of him.
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side task: the best defense is a good offense.
description: the player finally realized who the real enemy in this mission.
kill all other players team in any way.
task progress (1/6).
task rewards: increased the final evaluation and other rewards according to the performance.
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Akashi stared at the task with a frown in his face.
"I thought it will be something like the last man standing...*sigh*...well I guess this is okay too" Akashi said before looking at the zombies coming towards him as he created a flag on top of his head.
"should I take a look at our protagonist" Akashi smiled as the flag landed on him while he disappeared from his place.
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