The underground station exploded into chaos as the Apex Mutation charged forward like a living nightmare. Broken concrete shattered beneath its massive claws while infected flooded endlessly through the surrounding railway tunnels. Emergency lights flickered violently overhead, bathing the entire station in flashing red light that made everything feel even more horrifying.

Arata stood directly in front of Akari while blood slowly dripped from his injured arm onto the cracked station floor beneath him. His breathing remained steady despite the exhaustion tearing through his body. The mutation roared again before rushing toward him with terrifying speed.

BOOOOOOM!!

Its claw collided directly against Arata’s blade, sending shockwaves throughout the station. The force cracked the ground beneath his feet instantly while sparks exploded across the darkness around them.

Akari’s eyes widened.He blocked it again. Even injured, Even exhausted, Even while bleeding.

The mutation roared furiously before attacking repeatedly now. Massive claws tore through the station platform violently while Arata barely dodged each strike by inches. Every impact destroyed more concrete around them while infected screams echoed endlessly throughout the tunnels nearby.

Akari forced herself to stand despite the pain burning through her body. Her broken ribs screamed painfully with every movement, but she ignored it immediately.

Because Arata was getting overwhelmed.The mutation evolved again.Its movements became faster, Sharper, More intelligent.

Arata dodged another strike before slashing across the creature’s arm hard enough to spill black blood across the railway tracks. The mutation screamed furiously before grabbing a broken concrete pillar and throwing it directly toward him.

Too fast.

Arata barely crossed his arms defensively before the pillar smashed against him violently and launched him across the station platform again.

"ARATA!"

Akari sprinted toward him instantly while infected flooded closer around them. She grabbed his arm before pulling him behind a destroyed maintenance barrier moments before the mutation’s claw tore through the area where they stood, Concrete exploded everywhere.

Arata coughed heavily afterward while wiping blood from his mouth.

"...You okay?"

Akari stared at him like he lost his mind. "YOU are asking ME that?!"

"...Fair point."

"You’re literally coughing blood!"

"I’ve had worse."

"That sentence is becoming psychologically disturbing."

Despite the situation, Arata almost smiled again.

Akari immediately narrowed her eyes.

"There!" She pointed accusingly. "You did it again."

"...Did what?"

"That almost-smile thing."

"You’re hallucinating."

"You keep denying your own facial expressions."

Another roar interrupted them instantly as the mutation smashed directly through the maintenance barrier.

"MOVE!"

Both jumped aside immediately before the creature’s massive claw ripped through the metal structure violently. Infected flooded toward them from behind while the station itself continued collapsing around them.

Akari grabbed a fallen emergency axe from the ground while breathing heavily.

"...Okay." She tightened her grip. "I officially miss my baseball bat."

Arata glanced toward the axe briefly. "...That actually suits you."

"What does THAT mean?"

"You look aggressive."

"I AM aggressive right now!"

"Fair."

The mutation suddenly charged again.Arata intercepted instantly while Akari circled behind the creature. The station erupted into chaos once more as infected rushed toward them endlessly from every direction.

Akari smashed the axe directly into one infected’s skull before kicking another off the platform violently. Blood splattered across her clothes while emergency lights flashed endlessly overhead.The mutation roared furiously before swinging toward Arata again.

Too fast,The claw cut directly across his shoulder this time, Blood sprayed instantly.

Akari’s expression changed immediately.

"...Arata!"

The mutation attacked again before he fully recovered.Akari moved without thinking.

She sprinted forward before slamming the emergency axe directly into the creature’s damaged eye again.

CRACK.

The mutation screamed violently while stumbling backward across the tracks.

Akari immediately pulled Arata away before another infected lunged toward them from the side tunnel.

The station became pure madness now,Screams, Roars, Gunfire echoing faintly somewhere distant underground.

Collapsing concrete, Blood everywhere.

And somehow—Despite everything—Akari’s focus remained entirely on one person.

Arata, She noticed every injury immediately now, Every time he hid pain.

Every time he forced himself to keep moving despite exhaustion.

And honestly—It scared her.

Because she already understood what kind of people destroyed themselves first during apocalypse situations.The ones who carried everyone else.The ones who never stopped.

The ones who forgot their own limits, People exactly like him.

The mutation roared again before smashing directly through another station pillar. The ceiling above them cracked loudly afterward while debris rained endlessly across the platform.

"We need another route!" Akari shouted while dodging infected.

Arata quickly scanned the station surroundings before spotting an old maintenance stairway partially hidden behind broken railway equipment.

"There!"

Both immediately sprinted toward it while the mutation chased them directly through the collapsing station.

Akari’s breathing became heavier now, Pain spread through her injured body constantly.

But she refused slowing down.Because if she slowed down—Arata would stay behind to protect her, And she already knew that.

Somehow—That realization made her chest ache strangely.

The stairway led upward into narrow maintenance corridors filled with rusted pipes and old electrical systems. Emergency lights flickered weakly above while steam escaped through damaged vents across the walls.

Behind them—The mutation crashed violently into the stairwell entrance while roaring furiously.

"It’s STILL FOLLOWING US?!" Akari shouted in disbelief.

"You stabbed its eye twice."

"That feels like a reasonable reaction!"

"Apparently not."

The corridor ahead split into multiple maintenance routes. Arata immediately grabbed Akari’s wrist before pulling her toward the left path moments before the mutation’s claw ripped through the wall behind them.

Concrete exploded across the hallway.Akari nearly lost balance before crashing directly against Arata’s chest . Both froze briefly, they are Too close, Much too close.

Akari’s violet eyes widened slightly while looking up at him. Arata’s arm instinctively remained around her waist from stopping her fall.

For one brief second—Everything else disappeared.The infected, The monster, The collapsing station.

Only their breathing remained inside the narrow corridor.

Then suddenly—The wall behind them exploded again.

"MOVE!"

Both instantly separated before sprinting deeper into the maintenance tunnels again.

Akari’s heart strangely refused calming down afterward.

And honestly—That annoyed her more than the monster chasing them.

The narrow tunnels eventually opened into an abandoned underground control room filled with old railway monitors and rusted equipment. The heavy steel door remained partially intact unlike most areas underground.

Arata immediately pushed the door shut behind them before locking it using a broken pipe through the handles.

Silence finally returned.Only heavy breathing remained afterward.

The control room itself looked untouched for years. Dust covered the old monitors while emergency backup lights dimly illuminated the small room.

Akari leaned heavily against the wall while trying catching her breath.

"...Please tell me that thing can’t break steel."

Arata remained silent briefly.

"...You hesitated."

"That wasn’t hesitation."

"That was absolutely hesitation."

Another massive crash echoed outside the control room instantly.Akari stared at the door in horror.

"...I hate this apocalypse."

Arata finally sat against the nearby wall afterward while holding his bleeding shoulder quietly. Blood continued dripping through his torn jacket steadily now, Akari noticed immediately, And her expression darkened.

"You’re injured worse than before." she said.

"I’m fine." he replied

"That’s objectively false."

"It’ll heal."

"You’re literally bleeding across the floor."

Arata looked down briefly.

"...Oh."

"...OH?" Akari stared at him in disbelief. "That’s your reaction?!"

He looked genuinely confused afterward.

And somehow—That annoyed her even more.Akari walked toward him before crouching nearby angrily.

"Move your arm."

"I said I’m fin—"

"Move."

The tone immediately silenced him.Arata slowly obeyed afterward.

Akari carefully opened the damaged portion of his jacket before revealing the deep claw wound across his shoulder and chest.Her expression changed instantly.

The injury looked horrible.Much worse than he admitted.Black infection-like veins slightly spread around portions of the wound from the mutation’s claws.Akari’s breathing stopped briefly.

"...Arata."

"It’s not infected."

"How do you know?!"

"The system would warn me."

Akari blinked slightly. "...Right." She exhaled quietly afterward. "I keep forgetting you have game mechanics inside your head."

"Pretty much."

"...That sounds so stupid when said aloud."

Despite herself—She smiled faintly.Then immediately focused again while cleaning the wound carefully using emergency supplies nearby.Arata watched her silently.

"You know," he spoke quietly afterward, "you’re surprisingly bossy."

Akari looked offended instantly. "Surprisingly?"

"I expected colder personality."

"I AM cold."

"You threatened a vending machine earlier."

"It surrendered successfully."

"...Fair."

Akari carefully wrapped fresh bandages around his shoulder afterward while trying ignoring how warm his skin felt beneath her hands., Which became increasingly difficult.

Especially because Arata kept staring at her quietly now.

"...What?"

"Nothing."

"You’re staring."

"You noticed."

"That’s how staring works."

"...Interesting."

Akari narrowed her eyes slightly.

"You’re doing that thing again."

"What thing?"

"That tiny almost-smile."

"No."

"You literally have emotions now."

"Unfortunately."

Akari stared at him silently for several seconds afterward.Then unexpectedly—She laughed.A real laugh this time.Soft and Tired, But genuine.

Arata froze slightly after hearing it.Because somehow—Hearing Akari laugh felt strangely nice.

The atmosphere inside the control room slowly changed afterward, Warmer now.Less tense.Outside, distant roars and infected screams still echoed through the underground tunnels. But inside this small control room—For the first time since meeting—They finally felt like two normal people instead of survivors constantly running from death.Akari eventually leaned quietly beside him against the wall afterward.Their shoulders almost touched.

"You know," she spoke softly while staring toward the dusty control monitors ahead, "earlier... when you talked about your parents..."

Arata stayed silent, Akari lowered her eyes slightly.

"...I think they’d still be proud of you."

The room became quiet immediately afterward.Because deep down—That sentence hit harder than any injury tonight.

Arata stared toward the floor silently.

"...Maybe."

"No maybe." Akari glanced toward him quietly. "Definitely."

For several moments—Neither spoke.Then suddenly—

BOOOOOOOOM!!

The steel door bent inward violently.Both instantly stood, Another massive impact shook the room afterward, The mutation found them again, Akari stared toward the bending steel door in disbelief.

"...Okay." She grabbed the emergency axe tightly again. "This thing officially has separation anxiety."

A third impact cracked the door violently.

Arata immediately scanned the room before spotting a narrow ventilation maintenance tunnel above the control systems.

"There."

Akari looked upward. "...You seriously want us to crawl through horror movie vents now?"

"We don’t have options."

"...I hate when you’re logical."

The steel door finally began tearing apart behind them while black claws slowly ripped through the metal violently. The mutation roared, Closer now, Much closer.Arata climbed first before reaching down toward Akari afterward.

"Come on."

Akari grabbed his hand immediately.And for one brief second—Neither let go right away.

Then suddenly—The mutation burst through the control room door completely.

"NOW!"

Both disappeared into the narrow maintenance vent moments before the creature destroyed the entire room behind them violently.

The cramped ventilation tunnel barely gave enough space to crawl through. Rusted metal groaned beneath them while hot steam moved through nearby pipes endlessly.

Akari crawled behind Arata while trying ignore how absurd this entire situation became.

"Just so you know," she muttered quietly, "if we survive this, I’m demanding therapy."

"Reasonable."

"And food."

"Also reasonable."

"And maybe an actual bed."

"You’re becoming ambitious."

"I nearly died six times tonight. I earned ambition."

The ventilation shaft suddenly shook violently.

Both froze instantly.Something slammed against the outside of the vent system.

The mutation followed them.Akari slowly stared ahead in horror.

"...You’ve got to be kidding me." she said.