I'm Female Lead In Their World: Living in the High School of the Dead

"Hey guys, did you hear something?" one of Kazu's classmates asked, her gaze fixed on the window.

"Huh? I didn't hear anything," her friend replied, walking over to check. She peered out cautiously but saw nothing, then turned back and shrugged.

Meanwhile, Niikaz stood surrounded by Kazu's friends, their curious eyes on her. She stayed silent, distant, while the others tried to befriend her. No one knew what was going on inside her mind.

The time limit is over. The main event has started, the familiar voice echoed inside Niikaz's head. Her eyes flashed with awareness. Without a word, she grabbed Kazu's collar and pulled him away from the crowd.

Startled, Okada noticed this, jealousy flickering in his eyes as he watched Niikaz whisk Kazu away. He frowned and followed quickly.

"Niikaz, what's wrong?" Kazu asked, his voice uncertain.

Niikaz remained silent, her expression unreadable, just waiting for what she knew was coming.

"Hey, Niikaz, are you oka-" Okada began, but the announcement interrupted him.

"Attention, all students and teachers! There is a violent struggle occurring on the premises. Please stay with your teachers and follow their instructions!"

Okada blinked, bewildered. "What's going on?"

"Where's Nishinoya?" Niikaz asked suddenly, ignoring his question.

"He went to the toilet... why?"

"Damn it," Niikaz muttered. Her instincts told her she couldn't save everyone, but some, like Nishinoya, were beyond saving for now.

She turned to Kazu and Okada, her eyes cold and sharp. "Listen, you two. Stick with me, and I'll keep you safe. But if you don't follow my lead, I'll leave you behind. Do you understand?"

Kazu's brow furrowed. "What do you mean? Niikaz, this doesn't make any se-"

Suddenly, the PA system blared again, but this time, the sounds were horrific: a mixture of screams and desperate pleas for help.

"Stay away! No, no-get off me! Help! GAAHHHH!"

The crackling announcement ended with a sharp, disturbing silence. Then, a low humming from the speaker was the only sound left in the room.

The students stood frozen in shock. Fear began to creep through the air as reality set in. Panic broke out moments later-screams and chaos erupted as students bolted for the doors, trampling each other in a desperate bid to escape. Friends shoved friends aside, betraying their bonds in the frenzy to survive. Desks and chairs were overturned, bodies piled up as they rushed out.

Niikaz held Kazu back, pulling him away from the stampede. She reached for Okada too, but he was knocked down in the chaos, his head slamming hard against the edge of a desk.

"Okada!" Kazu gasped, rushing to his friend's side, horrified to see blood streaming from his forehead.

"Are you okay? Can you stand?" Kazu asked, panicked.

Okada winced, touching the wound. "I think I'm fine... just a little dizzy."

"We need to get you to the nurse's office. Now!" Kazu said, helping him up.

Niikaz blocked their path with her arms outstretched. "No. You can't take the stairs. There are too many people. You'll get crushed in the stampede."

Kazu's eyes were wide with concern. "But I can't leave him like this. We'll head to the administration building-it's farther from the gates, so there'll be fewer people there."

Niikaz looked at Kazu, considering his plea for a moment. (It was the right choice to pick him,) she thought. Then, she nodded. "Fine. Lead the way. I'll protect you both."

They quickly made their way down the hall, moving against the frantic flow of students heading for the main exit. Niikaz's eyes flickered toward the windows, and she spotted three students struggling against one of the creatures. A girl wielded a sharpened stick, while a boy swung a metal bat, desperately fighting it off.

"They're heading for the roof," Niikaz muttered to herself, knowing their chances were slim.

"Niikaz, what's going on?" Kazu asked, noticing her hesitation.

"Hold on," Niikaz commanded. She reached behind her back and closed her eyes, visualizing a weapon. Within moments, a gun materialized in her hand, formed from shimmering light.

Kazu and Okada stared, mouths agape.

"Is that... a real gun?" Okada stammered, pointing in disbelief.

"I'll explain later. For now, trust me," Niikaz said, her voice firm.

She leveled the gun at the creature attacking the students below. The boy, Hisashi, was grappling with it, trying to fend it off.

"Hisashi! Let him go! Wakisaka isn't normal!" Takashi yelled from nearby.

Hisashi struggled against the creature's unnatural strength, cold sweat trickling down his face as its jaws opened wide, ready to bite into his arm.

Then, a single, silenced shot rang out. The creature's head exploded, and it collapsed lifelessly.

Hisashi fell to his knees, panting, eyes wide with disbelief. He glanced up, searching for the source of the shot, only to see Niikaz standing at the window above.

Niikaz smiled slightly and turned away, pulling Kazu and Okada along. "Let's go."

They hurried to the nurse's office, Niikaz shooting down any creature that came too close. The gun in her hand was unnervingly quiet, each bullet hitting its mark without fail.

When they reached the nurse's office, Niikaz immediately shot an infected student that had been creeping toward Marikawa-sensei.

"Sensei, are you alright?" Kazu asked breathlessly.

Marikawa nodded, though her expression was shaken. "Yes, yes, I'm fine. But... what's happening out there?"

"No time to explain," Niikaz replied coldly, taking position at the door to guard it. "Tend to his wound," she added, gesturing to Okada, who was now pale from blood loss.

Marikawa quickly moved to help Okada. "Come here. Let me see," she said softly, guiding him to sit on one of the beds. She carefully examined the gash on his head. "It looks worse than it is. Head wounds tend to bleed a lot, but it's not too deep."

She grabbed some gauze and antiseptic, tending to the wound with quick but gentle hands. "This might sting a little," she warned as she cleaned the area.

Okada winced as she applied pressure to stop the bleeding. His face flushed when she leaned in close, her ample chest pressing against him as she worked. He tried his best not to stare, feeling a blush creep up his neck.

"Take this," Marikawa handed him a pill. "It'll help with the dizziness."

Okada swallowed the pill with a glass of water, wiping his forehead. "Thanks, Sensei."

Marikawa smiled at him. "You're welcome, but be careful next time"

Okada nodded sheepishly.

From the doorway, Niikaz kept her gun trained on the hallway. "Are you done yet? We need to move. This place will be swarming soon."

Marikawa stood, grabbing a bag and stuffing it with medical supplies. "I just need a minute to pack. I can't leave without these."

"Make it quick," Kazu urged, glancing nervously at Niikaz. She seemed calm, too calm, as if she had done this a thousand times before.

Once packed, they headed for the door, but before they could leave, a familiar voice called out to them.

"Marikawa-sensei! I'm glad you're safe!" It was Busujima Saeko, a third-ye

ar student, her wooden sword gripped tightly in her hand.

"Busujima-Senpai!" Kazu exclaimed, suprise to see her.