Clack!
As soon as the equipment room door opened, the club members rushed out ahead of me, forming a protective circle around me.
But the music room, which had just been the site of tragedy, was now deathly silent.
"…It's quiet."
"Good. Let's keep moving."
We advanced cautiously toward the exit, carefully stepping through the music room littered with pieces of human bodies. Some were students who had been shot. Others were body parts that had been absorbed by the creature and then spat back out by the gunfire. Everything was scattered chaotically across the floor.
All around us were only shattered chairs and splintered wood — the aftermath of a complete disaster.
Even so, the club members kept their serious expressions and escorted me all the way to the collapsed entrance.
"…Anything suspicious?"
"No. Seems clear so far."
We continued forward, careful not to slip on the blood soaking the wooden floor, until we reached the ruined doorway.
At that moment, Gyeongwon pointed toward the stage and shouted.
"There's a shotgun, Hyung!"
Lying on the stage that had been destroyed when the creature charged the teachers was a shotgun. It had probably belonged to one of the teachers and fallen when their body was absorbed.
"How the hell does something like this even exist in a school…" said Jinhee.
Sunah stared at it with a pale, frightened face.
I stepped closer, pushed aside the debris, and picked it up to examine it.
It was a long-barreled shotgun, the kind you usually see on TV — the type used for hunting wild boar in the countryside.
'Did they keep this here on purpose for emergencies?'
That must have been why the vice principal ran out earlier to get it.
This school serves nearly a thousand people every day. Now I understood why they kept something like this.
Though… I wasn't really in a position to comment, considering I was hiding a billion won inside the club room.
I quickly cleared the remaining wood and lifted the shotgun.
"Hup! It's heavier than I thought."
"Hey, hey—point the barrel away—!"
The barrel had accidentally swung toward Gyeongwon. He quickly stepped back, looking nervous.
I hurriedly turned the muzzle toward empty space and examined the weapon more closely. The wooden stock was dark brown, the barrel black metal. Exactly like the ones you see in news reports.
Holding it with both hands felt like lifting a long dumbbell. It was genuinely heavy.
'So real shotguns are actually this heavy…'
In games, characters swing them around while jumping and flying like they weigh nothing. But gripping the real thing filled me with an indescribable unease.
A terrible image flashed through my mind — what if I accidentally pulled the trigger and shot one of my friends?
I carefully held the shotgun and looked at the others.
"Anyone know how to use this?"
They glanced at each other, uncertain.
Deokhun stroked his chin with a serious expression and muttered,
"Hmm, this looks like… maybe an Italian S686? Double barrel, tight choke—"
"No."
Hayoon suddenly stepped forward, cutting him off with a cold stare.
"It's a Benelli M3 90. Holds five rounds. Give it to me."
"…Eh? Oh… okay."
I handed it over with relief, like passing someone a live bomb.
The moment the shotgun was in his hands, Hayoon smoothly pumped the action — clack-clack! — the sound crisp and practiced.
Hayoon narrowed his eyes and said,
"Five rounds left. One already chambered."
"Ah… yeah. Got it."
I could only nod stiffly, still a little stunned.
"Then you take it. Use it if you need to. I… can't handle it. Just holding it makes me feel unease."
"Understood."
Hayoon gave a short nod and held the shotgun ready, barrel pointed upward.
I glanced at Deokhun, who was now standing awkwardly to the side.
"…Hey. You just named a gun from 'Sudden Attack', didn't you?"
"Wha— No! That was from PUBG!"
"Shut up. Stop pretending you know everything and misleading people."
So he's one of those game gun nerds, huh?
I looked back at Hayoon. She stood perfectly still, shotgun raised, waiting for my next order.
'I don't need to doubt Hayoon's shooting skills. I've already seen what she can do during the Herobrine incident…'
For some reason handled firearms like she was born with them. I felt I could trust her.
A sudden, horrible image flashed in my mind — Hayoon spinning around and shot down the entire club member.
I immediately shook my head and pushed the thought away.
'…Of course Hayoon has no reason to do that. Besides, even back during the Kim Eun-jung case, when Hayoon killed me right after Ryu Jinah said " young miss"'
That had been something that needed to be resolved quickly at the time. And even if he was hiding something now and tried to silence me again…
I could just regress. Problem solved.
Hayoon's position was ambiguous — somewhere between the Church of the Void and our club. But no matter what she did, my regression ability still gave me control.
"Let's move."
"Yeah."
We set off.
Hayoon carried the shotgun. Sunah held the cutter. Gyeongwon, Jinhee, and Deokhun carried whatever makeshift weapons they had — drumsticks, chair legs — as we headed toward the collapsed music room entrance.
***
"Watch your step around the rubble."
"Got it."
"…Hear anything?"
"No. It's completely quiet."
We stood at the ruined entrance, listening intently.
From the floors below we could occasionally hear teachers shouting "Where's the monster?!" But aside from that, the school was eerily silent.
"…We just had total chaos and now it's this quiet? How?"
Jinhee frowned, scanning the surroundings warily.
"Where did all the seniors go?"
"It's dinner time."
Gyeongwon checked his watch and answered calmly.
"The chaos started right after the competition ended. They should all be in the cafeteria. The vice principal probably ordered the teachers to keep them there after he escaped."
"…Yeah, that makes sense."
Sunah and Jinhee both nodded.
The school was growing dim in the orange twilight, sinking into a tense, suffocating atmosphere.
Suddenly, the school broadcast system crackled to life.
[Important announcement. This is a real incident. There is currently a fire in the main building. All students currently in the cafeteria, please remain where you are even if you have finished eating. Students still inside the main building, please evacuate immediately. We repeat—]
'So they really are being held in the cafeteria.'
There was no way the school would let students in slippers who hadn't even grabbed their bags wander around and witness the horror outside.
The teachers had probably locked them in while they gathered weapons and returned here.
[We repeat. This is a real incident. Students in the cafeteria must stay in place—]
Most likely the teachers down there were repeating the announcement on loop while keeping everyone inside.
The entire school now sat in heavy silence beneath the blood-red twilight…
A monster creeping through the halls.
Teachers armed with shotguns hunting it.
And us — also armed — hiding in between.
The broadcast continued to echo softly through the building, wrapping everything in a strange, absurd atmosphere.
I stepped forward onto the stairs and listened.
From two floors below, several teachers were shouting:
"Where is it?! Still not found?!"
"There's no way we missed something that huge! Search properly!"
"Check every toilet! Every multipurpose room!"
I muttered while looking down,
"…We're on the 4th floor. Should we go down to the 3rd or up to the 5th?"
"No idea."
The others gathered around me, staring at the staircase.
Going down meant we could see what was happening directly… but if the teachers spotted us while they were seriously combing the building, things could get ugly fast.
Going up to the empty-looking 5th floor meant we could hide and wait for things to calm down.
"I'll follow the leader's decision," one of them said.
"Me too."
"Same."
I thought for a moment, then decided.
"Then we go up to the 5th floor. We'll hide in the club room for now. We can lock the door from inside — no one can get in."
"Okay."
"Yeah."
"Let's move, quickly."
We hurried up the stairs to the 5th floor.
Once there, we confirmed the corridor was empty and rushed toward the club room at the far end.
"Hear anything?"
"No. Dead quiet."
"Be careful passing the central stairs. Someone might be coming up."
"I'll check," Deokhun said.
He pressed against the wall like he'd learned from TPS games, ear to the surface, then slowly peeked around the corner.
Clack—clack—clack—
Suddenly, the sound of multiple guns being cocked came from the central staircase landing.
Deokhun's face went pale.
A group of teachers had already been lying in wait there, silently ambushing anyone who passed.
'Shit.'
I bit my lip and stopped dead. The others behind me froze instantly.
"Who's there? Why are you still wandering around on the 5th floor? Didn't you hear the evacuation announcement?"
A soft, gentle female voice came from around the corner.
Deokhun could only raise one trembling hand, sweat dripping down his face.
The gentle voice continued — soothing, almost hypnotic.
"Come out. Your friends mu hiding behind the wall too."
"...."
"You're not supposed to be here. Evacuate to the cafeteria with everyone else. There's a fire, remember? …Of course I'm lying. I know you're the Ghost Story Club kids. If you don't come out, I'll shoot your friend. Come out hurry."
The gentle tone was completely at odds with the fact that she was pointing a gun at children.
I knew exactly who it was.
'…If we turn and run and they chase us, we're all dead.'
We had weapons, but only Hayoon could actually shoot. Everyone else had junk.
I signaled the others with my eyes to stay calm, raised both hands, and slowly stepped out from behind the wall.
Ryu Jinah, the beautiful counseling teacher, stood there with a friendly smile. Flanking her were two unfamiliar teachers — probably from other grades — all aiming shotguns at us while smiling.
"Good. The rest of you, come out too."
"....."
"Put down whatever weird things you're carrying."
The three teachers raised their muzzles slightly, then slowly lowered them again — a clear order.
"Joon…"
"Prez.…"
"…It's fine. Just do what they say. Come on, out."
I have No choice.
I nodded for the others to follow.
Gyeongwon came out, pulling Sunah with him.
The four of us knelt and placed our makeshift weapons on the floor — drumsticks, percussion rods, the small cutter.
"Were planning on using this weapon, oh my"
"....."
"Honestly. Just like the elementary kids I used to teach."
Ryu Jinah chuckled softly, still pointing her gun at us.
The two other teachers had unfamiliar faces.
"Still one more. Come out. You're good kids, right?"
"....."
"If you don't come out, I'll shoot. Bang. Hurry up."
Finally, Jinhee stepped out from hiding and threw her weapon down roughly.
Clack—
"Yeah, you too. Kneel. Hands up."
"...."
"Eh? Wait— Jinhee? Is that you, Jinhee?"
Ryu Jinah's face suddenly lit up with delight.
"It really is you! Oh my god! You used to go to school here!?"
"....."
"It's been forever! How are we meeting like this?"
Even while holding a gun, she looked genuinely happy.
Jinhee gave a short, cold laugh and put on a cynical smile while keeping her hands raised.
"Yeah. Long time no see, Teacher."
"Yeah! So long! How have you been?"
"…Who knows."
Jinhee's smile was ice-cold, mocking the woman pointing a weapon at her.
"Same as always. Can't really call it good."
"Eeeh~? But you're a high schooler now!"
Ryu Jinah smiled sweetly, like she was teasing a favorite student.
"I never thought you'd get into an academic high school! Back in elementary school you were—"
"Shut your mouth, you bitch."
Jinhee's expression turned razor-sharp. She clearly had no interest in continuing the conversation.
"Or should we just end it here? I don't mind dying right now."
"...."
The air grew heavy.
Between Jinhee and Ryu Jinah, a strange, unexplainable tension crackled.
Jinhee knew everything would reset through the time loop. She had no hesitation saying whatever she wanted.
"Go ahead and shoot, bitch."
"Come on. Shoot."
Ryu Jinah kept smiling sweetly, gun still raised like nothing had happened.
The tension froze between us in the hallway and the teachers at the stairs.
Just as the counseling teacher opened her mouth again, still smiling—
"Jinhee, why are you—"
"Lower your guns. All three of you."
Clack!
Hayoon stepped out from behind the wall where he had been hiding and aimed the shotgun at the teachers.
".....!"
"....."
They looked genuinely shocked. They clearly hadn't expected this.
"Now."
Hayoon's voice was cold and steady, aim perfect.
The three teachers exchanged glances.
Then slowly lowered their weapons and raised their hands.
Clack! Krat—krak—krak!
"Done."
"....."
"We lower—"
BANG—!!
Suddenly a deafening gunshot exploded from outside.
We all ducked instinctively, thinking Hayoon had fired.
But the shot had come from the playground. Panicked screams could heard from here.
"Over here! On the outer wall!"
"Aaargh! Die, you monster!"
BANG— BANG— BANG— BANG—!
"Aaaaahhh—!"
Crash—!!*
From below the Glass shattered below as the monster forced its way back into the building.
Kunk— Kunk— Ujiiick— Ujiiick—
The entire building shook violently.
In the chaos, Ryu Jinah and other teacher grabbed their gun and bolted down the stairs.
"I'm going. See you later, Jinhee."
Whatever her real intention was, Hayoon kept her shotgun trained on her as she ran.
Once Hayoon lowered her weapon, we finally dropped our hands and exhaled.
"Huuuhh…"
"Thanks, Hayoon… for hiding back there."
"Thank god, Prez… my hands won't stop shaking…"
My friends felt saved because Hayoon had pointed the gun at the teachers.
I didn't feel the same relief.
'They obeyed so easily because she the cult leader daughter.'
Hayoon hadn't threatened them with the gun. She had only given them an unspoken message that we wouldn't attack each other.
Kunk— Kunk— Kunk—!
"Ughhh—!"
"Shoot! Shoot!"
BANG! BANG—!
Gunfire erupted from the floor below. I pushed my panicked friends forward.
"Run! To the clubroom!"
"Ugh, okay!"
We decided to take shelter in the club room and plan our next move.
But after running only about ten steps down the hallway, the monster from below came charging toward us at terrifying speed.
From the east-wing stairs came heavy *thud thud thud sounds — it was coming up.
"Shit— change direction! Fall back!"
"Aaaaagh!"
We skidded to a stop and turned around.
Before we could fully retreat, the creature smashed through the ceiling and burst onto the 5th floor.
"Ugyagagagagaga—!!"
"Side! Into the special reading room!"
"Uaaahhh!!"
I yanked open the reading room door and dove inside. The others tumbled in right behind me just before it could grab anyone.
Crash— Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!— Screeeeech—!*
"Grkagaggkkgguhhkgggghhh—!
A mass of flesh the size of a bus filled the hallway, destroying walls and windows as it charged past us into the opposite corridor.
Teachers chased after it from behind, firing wildly.
"Keep going! Don't let it escape!"
"Die, you monster! DIE!!!"
BANG— BANG! BANG BANG BANG!
Gunfire echoed. Their footsteps faded down the hallway.
Moments later, new screams and chaos erupted from the far end.
Several teachers had been cornered at the turn.
"Teacher! Shoot me in the head! Before it absorbs me! QUICK!"
"AaaaAAAGH!!"
BANG— BANG— BANG! BANG!
"Ugh… uuughh… ughhhhh…"
"Hehehe"
The creature laughed mockingly and stomped back down to the lower floor.
More teachers had died in the chase.
I no longer knew how many void cult teachers were left in school.
'…Damn it. I need to figure something out before we all dead.'
I wiped sweat from my forehead while hiding under a table in the reading room.
If this chase continued until every teacher was gone, while we play hide and seek like this.
I hadn't come here just to survive. I came for information.
'…What if I lure the monster to the cafeteria?'
The teachers were desperately trying to solve this with guns alone.
What if I created a situation that proved they couldn't?
What if I used the roughly 600 senior- and third-year students hiding in the cafeteria as bait… and let the monster absorb them all?
What would the the Void cult react?
Would they still try to fight it with guns once it had grown to the size of an entire building?
Or would they finally reveal the trump card they'd been hiding?
'What if I go down to the broadcasting room on the 2nd floor and force Teacher Choi Jeong-im to make an announcement… tell the monster there's more "food" in the cafeteria…'
The monster's brain was probably too damaged to think properly. It was just circling the same areas.
But if I could direct its attention through the broadcast… maybe it would obey.
"....."
My hands were shaking badly.
The thought of sacrificing hundreds more students as bait filled me with guilt and disgust.
The thought of making so many people Scapegoats again filled me with guilt and other uncomfortable emotions.
'B-but... if it has to be done, then it must be done.'
If that's what it takes to win.
Damn it.'
To have to do something this fucked up…
I bit my lips as I agonized over it, just as I was about to stand up to call the other members who were also crouched down in the same position.
"Don't do it, Joon."
Hayoon, who had been crouching
beside me, suddenly grabbed me with
the hand that wasn't holding the gun.
"You don't have to do something like
that."
Hayoon, still crouched, grabbed my arm with his free hand.
"You don't need to go that far."
"...."
"Don't."
Twilight light from the window cast a silhouette across his face. His long black hair partially covered his eyes as he looked down, still holding my arm.
I slowly sat back down.
I was grateful she stopped me.
But… if not that, was there any other way?
We stayed crouched in silence for a while.
Finally, Hayoon spoke first.
"Just wait, Joon. He'll come."
"…Who—"
"In Tae-sang."
Hayoon looked straight into my eyes, completely calm and certain.
"Tae-sang will come here. So just wait."
"Wait. Okay?"
Our eyes met through strands of his black hair.
In Tae-sang.
Among everyone I knew, there was only one person with that name.
A chill ran down my spine.
'…He's coming.'
The leader of the Church of the Void — Im Tae-sang.
Was he really going to come here himself?
To Nakseong High School?
I couldn't say anything.
I could only bite my lip in silence.
For a moment, I gently touched Hayoon's hand that was still holding my arm — a signal that I was okay now.
He slowly let go.
I turned to the others, who were still crouched and peeking outside.
"Alright ,Let's keep moving. Back to the club room."
"Yeah…"
Sunah, who had been anxiously watching out the window, answered first and carefully stepped out like a duck.
Listening to the distant commotion, I calmed the others and followed in a low crouch.
From behind, Hayoon covered us with the shotgun raised, moving like trained infantry.
We made our way through the cracked, debris-filled hallway until we reached the club room again.
Once everyone was inside, I locked the door tightly behind us.
We finally allowed ourselves to breathe.
"Okay, put down whatever you're holding. I'll get you better equipment."
I went to the corner and pulled out an old baseball bat from a previous role-playing event, then handed it to Jinhee.
For the others, I used points to buy proper defensive gear that could actually withstand the monster's absorption attacks.
[Captain America Replica 1:1 Shield — Plastic] – 1 Point
[Note: Items purchased with points cannot be returned, exchanged, or refunded.]
[Would you like to purchase 4 units?]
Click.
[Purchase successful.]
[Remaining Ghost Story Points: 715 → 711]
"Come on, take one each."
"Uwoooh…"
Deokhun accepted the Captain America shield with sparkling eyes.
"Even if it's just plastic… I never thought I'd actually get to use one in real life…"
"Hmm. It's pretty light too."
They swung the shields experimentally, making buzzz sounds as they cut through the air.
Of course, we weren't planning to actually fight head-on.
Offensive power was covered by Jinhee's baseball bat and Hayoon's shotgun.
I had focused on defense as much as possible.
'Now we just wait here.'
The 20th President of the Republic of Korea.
And at the same time… the leader of a strange, unknown sect.
In Tae-sang.
We would wait until that person arrived.
'…Damn.'
I gripped the shield tightly, trying to calm my pounding heart.
I wasn't ready for this at all.