"You were going to let us die!"

"You idiots were going to get us all killed!"

Rei and Yukki were on the verge of outright attacking each other. The two stood inches apart from their respective groups. Everyone was on edge. Their expressions varying from nervous to uniformly upset. If things were different, Kyoko would have spoken up, but the fact is that even she wasn't convinced they were in the right.

'You're the adult. These are children! They're more scared than you'll ever be! They're at each other's throats, do something!' A voice called for her to act, but she couldn't. Kyoko's head turned to the hall outside where blood trickled down onto the wet tile from the ceiling above, a necropolis of dismembered bodies.

Naruto Uzumaki. Eighteen years old. Blonde hair and blue eyes. Average grades, distant. Textbook delinquent in both appearance and attitude which prompted the rest of the student body to avoid him like a plague.

When he first strode into her office, Kyoko assumed she had him figured out on the spot. Time passed and she slowly came to realize that there was something off about him. She knew now whatever it was is beyond her guidance.

"Please! Calm down!" Shizuka pleaded.

They were too angry to listen. Rei knew nothing but fury coursing throughout her veins. She couldn't bear looking at Yukki's self-righteous face. "Shut up! What you say means nothing! You were going to let us die!"

"Don't act so high and mighty! Like you wouldn't have done the same!? If it were anyone but your precious friends you'd have locked the door!"

Yukki spat. "Face it, you're just acting brave! You all are! Well, guess what!? I don't give a shit about your needing to play the hero! This is life or death! You fucked up, not me!"

"Rei. They were just scared."

"Stay out this, Takashi! That's exactly what the problem is. If we're going to survive, we need people who aren't afraid!"

The teen flinched when that cutting glare landed on him. Weary eyes swept the room. Kouta and Subaru were giving their best to support their newly rescued friends. A hollow victory. There was no time to celebrate. Where would Rei find what she's looking for? He wondered, seeing it etched into each of their faces—fear.

"You're insane!" Yukki resumed, "Get over yourself! I'm not sorry for what I did. I'd do it again! You can't change the fact that we'd be dead right now because of you. Where's the apology for bringing those Things here!? I don't hear any of you taking responsibility!"

Silence crowded the room. The low hum of the television static and the rain beating at the window their only guise of peace.

Takashi grimaced. Yukki is right. He didn't know what to do when those beady, lifeless stares turned on them. Panic swept. A dread so primal he didn't have a chance to think about it. In short, he didn't want to die.

"Who cares," Saya said her first words since the near-death encounter.

"What are you on about?!" Yukki set her wrath on the younger girl, but for the first time since the outbreak started, she found no words on her razor-tipped tongue. The resolve in Saya's expression made her stop and think twice.

"We're alive. We made it...for now." Saya lifted a hand and pointed to the bloody hall outside. Where the bodies were cut in such a way that they resembled a path. "He gave us a chance. We should take it."

Kyoko found her voice. "Takagi-san is right." She fixed her glasses and leveled Rei with a firm glare. "You're mistaken, Miyamoto-san." Her eyes landed on Yukki next. "You are too. We are, each of us, very scared. That has led to some poor decision making, there's no denying that, but if we're to survive it's imperative we don't let it happen again. We can't let that fear take control of us! I know things are tough, but right now the people next to you are the only people you can trust! Forget about your friends and family for the time being! You can't help anyone if you're dead. Do you understand me?" She didn't intend to come off so bleak. Then again, they were conscious of the gravity of their situation.

"Well said. I agree." Saeko smiled. Misuzu and Nikki at her side. "We should focus our energy on leaving Fujimi Academy. As it stands, this school is one of the more hazardous places to be."

Rei and Yukki weren't pleased, but as the rest of the group voiced their approval they were left with little to no choice on the matter.

"Wait! D-Don't we need a plan?" Subaru voiced his concern and was met with somber gazes. Kouta put a hand on his friend's shoulder and gave what he hoped was a reassuring grin.

"Subaru. That is the plan."

Saya stood at the door, a cutting knife in her right hand and her left underneath a protective layer of rolled fabric.

"Move it."

Misuzu felt her stomach spin as she toured the aftermath of Naruto's gruesome display. She pressed a hand to her mouth to prevent herself from throwing up. 'Naruto...did this?' Guts flowed, entrails on exhibit for the world to see. Heads sat in pools of blood, jaws dangling and eyes wide. Bodies hanging from impacts made in the ceiling like decorations, thick trails of blood seeping down dirty footwear.

"What the hell? How is this even possible? This kind of strength isn't human. An adult at the peak of their physical wellness couldn't do something like this." Saya asked while carefully guarding her footing. The girl brushed against a torso on chance and visibly choked at the sight of torn strands of chewed and bloody meat dangling.

"What's that you said? Who cares? Don't think about it. They're not people. Not anymore." Yukki drove past her, eyes fixated on something else. Her words echoed in each of their ears. Was that true? Is she right? They. Them. Carcass. Monster. Anything and everything but human.

Naomi met her boyfriend's gaze and found solace in his weary smile. Together, they would make it, or not at all.

"You're not going to eat? Again? You're such a child."

Her voice rang in his ear. Sweet like honey. A far cry from when they were younger. He missed those times. Everything was simpler back then. Now the future felt uncertain, and so did he.

"I'm not hungry, Sakura-chan."

The sunset rested high above embracing the village in an ethereal glow. It looked beautiful, something worth fighting for.

"Not hungry? You've got to be kidding me! You were gone for a week. Kakashi-sensei told me you didn't eat then either!"

"He lied. I ate. The food pills—"

Sakura took a seat next to him, brow furrowed. "—are not real food! They're just a substitute and won't keep you going forever. I'm not leaving until I've seen you eat every single bite, Naruto. That includes the vegetables! Oh. Don't give me that look. I thought Sasuke was the team downer? When did you get so good at it?" She narrowed her eyes. "Take that stupid thing off your face too! I can't tell if you're ignoring me."

He came here after each mission. It brought him some semblance of peace. For hours he'd sit atop the monument as if the heads carved upon the stone would eventually speak to him. Why? To clear his head? He didn't know anymore.

"Fine." He unclipped the plain mask that obscured his features and pulled down the facemask behind it. "What is it this time? If it's vegetables, I'm not eating. If you make me, I'll jump."

She gave him a light shove at the play. "Don't say that." He let a smile break at the concern. Sakura gawked at him for a moment, wordlessly, then smiled in return. "Hm. You've gotten pretty handsome." She reached out and poked the grey chest armor strapped across his torso. "If you still want that date, I wouldn't mind now."

He fought down a blush. "Sakura-chan." There was a time where he'd jump at the chance. The ugly truth, however, was that those days were long gone. The further she was from him the safer she would be in the end.

Sakura giggled. "I'm just teasing. Although, it's nice to see some emotion come onto that pasty face of yours." There was a glimmer of something he couldn't quite place within those soft green eyes. "The rest of us were getting worried. Hokage-sama, he isn't giving you a break. I've read the reports. It's mission after mission with hardly a few days rest. It's not healthy. It's not right!"

How long has it been since they spoke? Weeks? Months? He wasn't sure anymore. Everything is a blur. "I'm fine. I have the Kyubi. I don't feel fatigued like everyone else." That wasn't what she wanted to hear.

"Naruto." Stopping him with a sharp glare just as he was about to dig into the broth, she spoke. "That thing inside of you. It doesn't make you any less human than the rest of us. You need to take care of yourself."

It felt like forever. She'd kept her hair short and grown strong. The jacket over her shirt proudly displaying the Leaf headband for the world to see.

A splendid Shinobi.

What did he become?

"Okay." He muttered a quiet thank you and ate his fill. Relishing the taste.

"There's plenty more where that came from. So be as greedy as you want!"

He trudged along the bloodstained garden, avoiding Them. Rain fell hard about him. Pelted at his skin, cold as ice. Thunder boomed in the distance, throwing Them into a wild frenzy.

'How stupid can I be?' Misuzu wasn't going to up and run away with him because he asked. Why would she? Especially given the circumstances. 'I'm a fool.' The thought crossed his mind a dozen times. Then again, it wasn't his fault. They don't know him. Hayate. Saeko. Misuzu. They don't know anything. Misuzu was a leech. He struggled as best he could, begged her to reconsider, but to no avail. The girl stomped her feet and held her ground every time. She reminded him so much of her. It was torture.

The imposing gates to Fujimi Academy stood before him. Tokonosu city burning behind them. This is freedom. He need only to take the first step. Thoughts of the future? Preparations? Pointless attempts. He had nothing and no amount of pretending would ever change that fact.

What sort of life is this anyway? A shallow attempt at what? He couldn't even follow the motions right. 'I tried. I did.' Where has he heard that before? How many times had he used that same excuse? Was it the truth or another lie he'd gladly tell?

The security guard posted at the main gate was a stubborn man with dark features and strict self-imposed guidelines he adhered too. The man never once let him pass no matter what Naruto bribed him with. Now that same man was a senseless monster, bleeding arms lurching at nothing from the broken panes of the box he spent most of the day in. He reached out and drove his blade through the eye, into the brain. The body slumped against the glass, dead. He reached inside and with a press of a button, the iron bars of Fujimi Academy cracked open.

Lightning flashed, brightening the courtyard. Within the remains of the splintered windowpane, Naruto saw everything. Mad animals with waxy skin and twisted bodies, limbs sticking out at odd angles. Relentless and ruthless. They wailed at the sky while devouring those who fought pinned onto the ground. Remains mounted high over evenly cut lavish grass. He saw himself, looking with emptied eyes. Dead like the rest.

"Aren't you tired?"

"I am. Everyone is."

"Then, why? Tell me why?! You don't have to do this anymore! I'm stronger! I can help! Please, let me help you!"

Naruto clenched his fists until the knuckles went white. The plastic grip of the knife in his hand broke from the pressure. 'It wasn't supposed to be like this...that stupid girl! She should have minded her business right from the start!' Hasn't he endured enough? 'I wanted to keep to myself! I wanted to be miserable by myself! I didn't want to drag anyone else down with me!' Her laugh racked his ear. That brilliant smile dazzled his eyes. The glow melted the ice enveloping his heart. She made him believe there was still a chance, and that hurt the most. 'I don't want to lose anyone else!' He grit his teeth, fists shaking, nails burrowing into his flesh.

In the closing moments of his life, as the combined force of their most powerful Jutsu pressed a hole in the fabric of space and that orb of light encompassed them, Naruto saw understanding dawn on Madara's face and unrestrained rage in those ruby eyes. Weaklings! Cowards! Curse after curse left the mans lips. Madara was mistaken. When he looked to Sasuke, who's glare was set on his ancestor. There was no terror, only one thing remained. That fluorescent star consumed them whole and of the three only one was afraid to die. Naruto didn't plan on waking up. He never intended to keep that promise.

"Live on."

An accident? A fluke?

'What was it that she used to say?

Whatever happens, happens...'

He hated himself.

Things inside the school hadn't gone as planned. They'd made it as far as the ground floor without any resistance, but that's only because everyone tried to run away. Upon reaching the first floor they realized the hallways and lobbies were packed with Them.

Misuzu spotted the end of the glass doors leading out to the courtyard and their consequent freedom through a small rift in between swarms of Them, jerking and caning against the exit, the torrent outside attracting Them to it.

"We don't stand a chance. There's too many. More than before!" Subaru whispered.

"W-We'll lose too many people." Bakugo winced out while resting against the wall, Naomi at his side. Her anxious eyes on him.

"Hey. Take it easy." Kouta helped his leaning friend stand upright. No doubt he was exhausted. "Takashi, some of us might make it, but we shouldn't take the chance. It's not worth it."

Saeko agreed. "The most efficient way to lower the chance of danger is to avoid the risk outright. We shouldn't take any chances."

Dark eyes watched the ravenous horde. They're right, even if he were to risk it for the sake of Rei's safety alone, there's no guarantee she's one of the people who would make it alive. If he did anything risky to save her life she'd no doubt hate him for it. Either way, the choice is obvious. "We'll make our way through the gym and reach the parking lot that way."

"Hayashi-sensei, are you sure this will work? Will that key even fit the bus we're about to risk our lives running too? What if it doesn't start? We'll be sitting ducks." Saya asked.

"It will work. If it doesn't, I'm prepared to put my life on the life so that you kids make it out of this in one piece. I swear."

"That's reassuring..." Rei added grimly. That decision didn't sit well with her. If she did live it shouldn't have to be at the expense of another life.

"Oh? Scared? Where's that daring at now, Red?" Yukki managed a venomous smile.

"Shut up! Your hair is red too!" Rei sputtered.

"Dyed. Unlike you. Your drapes match the carpeting, I'm sure."

"This not the time or the place!" Kyoko hissed. "We're going immediately. While we still can. Everyone, be mindful of your weapons and where you're walking. Remember, They react to sound. Keep it low, like we have, and we'll be okay. This storm is our advantage." A round of nods followed her declaration.

"Ah, do your best, everyone." Shizuka gave a small thumbs-up next to her colleague, "Let's survive."

'He's out there alone...' Misuzu thought, 'I've been a horrible friend.' She felt Nikki tug at her arm, pulling her along. Misuzu followed almost reluctantly. Her concern for the people around her waning. How could she assume to care about others when she wasn't there for one person?

"I'll ask one more time. Why are you doing this?"

"Because I think it's stupid. I think you're stupid for giving up before ever really trying. You walk around like there's a mountain on your back and a stick shoved up your ass. There's always something to look forward too, Naruto. You just have to look!"

"That's nice thinking, but, some things aren't worth looking for. Some things, Misuzu, are better left unsaid."

She felt another tug at her arm. The harsh sounds of Them shrieking and pounding rushed her senses. Echoes of the rain pounding outside. "Misuzu, we need to go." She turned to face Nikki and found the rest of the group watching her.

"Are you okay, sweetie?" Shizuka gently asked.

"Y-Yeah. I'm sorry. Lead the way."

Naruto wouldn't look back. There's nothing there for him. That's what he decided. What's important now? His only responsibility? Finding out what to do next. That's what he should concentrate his time and energy on, not stewing about a holier-than-thou girl who's life he'd already saved twice. She didn't matter. They were worlds apart. He'd just end up destroying whatever hope she had left. It's better this way for both of them. No more good morning texts. He hated them. No more homemade meals. He didn't need them. Exactly what he deserved.

'I shouldn't even be here. The people I called friends. My family. Gone. I won't even attempt to replace something irreplaceable. It's unforgivable. Yes! It's lonely! Yes! I wish I were already dead! That's my punishment!'

Melancholy eyes picketed the empty streets. Stranded vehicles left unattended in long lines set as far as he could see, their owners long gone. Lifeless bodies between the cars.

Years ago, Danzo once apologized for forcing his hand. He talked about duty and honor. Spoke to him about fate. Naruto didn't care for it. He wasn't obligated to do anything. Danzo would have just picked someone else. Naruto knew that. It's why he decided to volunteer. Danzo knew that too. In the end, he made that decision on his own accord with his own selfish intentions in mind.

The world despised this man and he wore their hate like it were armor. Danzo didn't care what they thought and Naruto respected him for having that strength—admired it. You could see it in that lone eye, there was a vision. Something no one but him understood. He believed. The moment he ceased to the only war that mattered was lost and that old man never stopped.

Naruto believed. He believed in anything and everything but himself. When the time came, there was no one to blame but himself.

Lightning flared. His reflection in the nearby window changed. A set of tired eyes peered back at him, one black the other red. An ugly scar adorning a masked face.

"You can't try?"

It flared again. He stiffened and stared at the stormy reflection. 'I'm seeing things...' It's one person. What did it matter? Thunder blasted in his ear. A bolt of light so fierce ripped in the sky, radiating light like the sun itself were still out.

"Giving up? Typical."

"Sasuke?" Naruto took a step back. "What the hell? Stop! Stop this! Why am I doing that?! It's not my fucking problem! It's just one fucking person! I don't belong here! I don't deserve any more chances!" He roared at the wind and shower. With a single kick, Naruto smashed the driverside door and shattered its window. The car swayed and the alarm trumpeted. He realized what he'd done and it only further served to stir him.

'Stupid! Who are you talking too!? What are you yelling at?! Stupid!Stupid!Stupid! I'm fucking losing it! I need to—'

"Naruto."

She looked exactly like he remembered, with eyes flowing with love.

"You're not scared?"

"Of what?"

Naruto watched the heavens. The light of the watchtowers crossed their path every so often. An obnoxious glare. He admired the sight nevertheless.

"Dying? Getting hurt? Hurting other people? None of that crossed your mind? This won't just be another mission. This is War. Who knows how long we'll be out there or if we'll come back. That's just scratching the surface! You're not afraid of any of that?" Sakura scowled. "Because I am. I'm scared shitless. I don't want to kill. I don't want to be killed either. Not all of us signed up for the program. We don't agree with what he's done to you..."

That little turn of her lip, the stress on her features. He wanted to ease the burden. "I didn't tell you back then, but, I'm stronger now too. You'll keep people safe and I'll do what's necessary." What little blood should stain her hands will be of a life saved, not taken. He would make certain of it.

Green eyes pierced through him. Thoughts like blades.

"...and what's that?"

"Whatever it takes."

The headlights of the car light flashed on and off. Annoying horn beating at his ear.

"You're not real."

"Go."

"You're not fucking real!"

He threw the knife in his hand at the specter with every shred of his strength. It sailed through the air and disappeared into the dark night. Naruto stood gasping, glowering at nothing.

'I'm...the worst.'

He only hoped it wasn't too late.

Misuzu was tired of running. Her legs ached in places she'd never felt before. A fire burned inside her lungs and flared with each breath taken. She wanted to stop, but if she quit now it would spell a fate worse than death. Thunder roared and flashes shot through dark skies. Rain poured, slapping against the dirt and flooding her feet. It was raucous, suffocating everything. She could hardly hear the screams of the people at her side.

"We're close! Keep running!"

Misuzu wasn't sure who said it but they were right. There's no chance of returning now. Legions of Them raced at their backs, They came from the garden, the halls—everywhere at once. The moment that one of their own had been bitten by what seemed to be a dead body, he'd screamed at the top of his lungs and shouted for help. It was there that They took quick note. Takashi tried to keep everyone calm but it was no use, the others ran away. What remained exploded through the emergency exit with one goal in mind, the same as the rest.

Survive.

'Nikki?! Where's Nikki?!'

Misuzu could barely see. The rain made it near impossible. An advantage? Hardly! Her best friend was nowhere to be found. She was alone. The horde of Them was advancing, a hazy bulk of limbs and moans moving faster than any person she'd ever seen. Frightening visages exhibited with each brief burst of lightning. They weren't terrifying because They were dead. They were terrifying because They resembled humans.

'I-I see someone! Is it...Nikki?!' Misuzu called out while she approached. A feeling she could only describe as dread filling her when she noticed the figures weren't moving. '...No. That's...Naomi!' The girl was kneeling. Someone was in her arms. Her shoulders trembled. She was crying and shaking her head. 'Oh no...' When she came near, Misuzu saw him. Bakugo was bleeding profoundly. His nose and mouth were crusted in blood. Another dark red stain over his gut where his hand clasped Naomi's own tightly. He could just barely hold his eyes open.

"N-Naomi-chan?"

She didn't hear her.

"...I-I should have noticed he was hurt. I...I'm so ashamed..."

"S-Shit! This is bad! He needs to see Shizuka-sensei! Help! Over here! Help us! Someone! Please, come! Bakugo! He's going to die! Please! Anyone!" Misuzu screamed to whatever distant figure she could see. They turned, craned their necks, and lunged in her direction. "We can't stay here! We can't! C-Come on, Naomi-chan! Let's move him! We'll move him! Come on!"

Naomi wasn't answering. Her head was pressed against Bakugo's, wet bangs obscuring their expressions. The monsters were closer. Close enough to overhear the shrieks and sobs over the pounding rainfall.

"Naomi-chan! Look at me. I won't leave you! Either of you! But you have to get up! We can't sit here! Naomi! Please, listen to me! Look at me! I don't know what else to do! We can't stay here!" Misuzu collapsed next to her and shook Naomi's shoulders. There was no response. She fought the urge to scream and instead tried focusing her energy on liting Bakugo. Her hands worked to lift him by his collar when Naomi's iron grip stopped her cold.

"Don't touch him!"

Misuzu bit her lip. "We don't fucking have time to argue! We're going to die at this rate! Why can't you see that! Let's stand him up and then we can—"

"—he's dead."

Her words felt colder than the rain or the fear of death. Bakugo's lifeless eyes gawked at the sky, drops of rain dribbled off of his bleached skin. Naomi buried her face into his chest again and wept. Misuzu wanted to say something, anything, but there's nothing to be said. She saw the Them just moments from lunging and pulled at Naomi, the girl wouldn't budge. Misuzu pulled and pulled but she wouldn't fucking move! With a sudden jerk, Naomi struck her hand away and glowered at her with so much hate.

"Run."

Misuzu watched Naomi's neck break when It took her. Teeth sinking into flesh. She clambered up, fingernails splitting against the concrete. They piled atop Naomi and Bakugo like locus. Blood sprayed, limbs soared in the air. She threw up over and hobbled away. Within seconds she was running again. They grew closer from each direction. The shadow of the bus loomed in the distance. She could see people climbing inside. With tears in her eyes, Misuzu begged for their help while practically falling over herself. The others ran to her but would they make it in time? The dead crowded around. There was no escape. She came to a standstill, and with a single trembling breath, accepted the end.

'I never got to tell him.

I never will.'

"Giving up? That's unlike you."

Misuzu's eyes opened wide. He gazed down on her with cool blue eyes and she'd almost presumed it were a dream. Her lips moved to say something, but he didn't give her the opportunity. Naruto slid his arms around her and pushed them close.

"Hold on tight."

She wasn't sure what she expected his plan of action to be, but she trusted him. Misuzu drove her face against his chest and held on for dear life, quietly savoring his warmth. The feeling of his arms wrapped around her. His frame. If she died like this...at least she wasn't alone.

Naruto took a knee, then, he jumped. Misuzu welcomed the wind rushing through her hair. Her viewpoint shifted. The violent monsters became distant specks in her eye. Further and further away with each passing second. She felt weightless as if she were floating.

"What...?"

"Don't let go. It's not over yet."

Gravity beckoned they return. She wanted to scream but knew better than that. He dropped with her in hand, down were crowds of Them waited. There was nowhere to land. No place seemed secure. Her grip tightened, but she would trust him—it's the least she could do. A damp crunch followed when his foot met the back of Its skull and turned to red paste. That didn't stop him. He sprang from one body to the other, using their heads as springboards.

"Naruto! There! That bus!" She pointed to where several people were waving them over. A set of headlights gleaming in the distance. She smiled despite the snot running down her lip. They would make it! Another impossible leap and they sailed through the heavens. Far away from Them. It was here she realized, 'I feel...safe.' Misuzu looked up at him. His eyes were fixed ahead, sharp and indifferent, but things were...different? She waved those thoughts away.

"You came back."

Naruto's gaze settled on her. He nodded, then brought her closer. Whether to prevent her from slipping or something else, Misuzu didn't know, and frankly, she didn't care—it was more than enough. She leaned her head, closed her eyes, and mourned.

"She's gone."

The grief surged with every expelled breath. Never sufficiently soothed by the long intakes of the damp air. Tears began to spill from his eyes onto the newly growing grass. At that moment the sure knowledge that life would go on without her undid him completely—any pretense of quiet coping was lost. The void in his heart, the pounding at his brain. Salty tears flowed unchecked from his eyes. His legs buckled, knees sinking into the sodden earth before the monument.

Her final resting place.

"Naruto..." He heard Kakashi's voice. "There's nothing you could have done."

He didn't get to talk to her one last time. Never even got to look into her loving face, the only thing that brought him any happiness. Waves of anguish washed over him. She was gone, her light consumed. All that was left of her was the memories. He pressed his forehead against the cold ground, as close as he could get.

"I could've been there."