"Jesus."
A man in black tactical gear sat in the cockpit of a Blackhawk helicopter, looking down at the ruins of New York City from high above. The city, once full of life and opportunities, now lay in destruction—a shadow of its former self.
But unlike a week ago, the once great city was now a shell of its former self.
Entire boroughs lay in ruins, reduced to nothing but a haunting landscape of ash and despair.
Once vibrant neighborhoods, filled with laughter and life, were shattered and destroyed, leaving behind echoes of memories that now seemed like whispers from a distant past. Streets that once bustled with pedestrians and the sounds of daily life were uprooted and cracked, resembling an ancient battleground more than a community.
Tall skyscrapers, which used to pierce the sky, now stood like broken giants, their glass facades shattered as if they had been toyed with by a careless child. Many were draped in grotesque, fleshy growths, a horrifying reminder of nature reclaiming what human hands built. The air was thick with the acrid scent of smoke and decay, mingling with the remnants of lives shattered.
Amidst the chaos, legions of biological weapons and monsters filled the blood-soaked streets. They ranged in size, from humanoid creatures that moved in erratic jerks to those with mutated bodies, large growths, and claws. As the size and lethality of the monsters increased, the most notable were the massive 20-meter-tall Goliaths that stomped across the island unchecked, destroying everything in their path.
["What's the situation, Chris?"] A voice spoke from Chris Redfield's headset.
"Not good, Jill... New York is lost," Chris said in a low voice. He turned to the helicopter copilot and signaled to him. The copilot nodded, and the helicopter began to pull away from the city. "There's nothing we can do to save it."
["Damn it. We're establishing a foothold in Jakarta, but it's a struggle to stop the Zombies from overrunning our strongholds,"] Jill Valentine said into the headset. She then spoke softly, ["How did it come to this?"]
"Umbrella. That's how," Chris growled as he lifted his FN HERSTAL M249 PARA CORE machine gun. He pulled the trigger, tearing apart an incoming wave of mutated vultures. Their wings produced a red haze as they flew, and their mangled forms fell into the ocean below.
["How's Claire doing in Seoul?"]
"Not much has improved. North Korea has succumbed to the infection, and she is doing everything possible to evacuate any remaining civilians from the peninsula," Chris said. "We are spread too thin to handle this situation. At this rate, we could lose three-quarters of the world's population within a month."
["Shit. What's Sherry and Rebecca's progress with a possible vaccine?"]
"Slow. Very slow. Whatever strain of the T-Virus they used has been retroactively engineered to the point that it doesn't resemble anything we've dealt with before. Fortunately, Sherry managed to find a lead. If her intel is accurate, we might uncover a clue about what started all of this and, hopefully, how to stop it."
["What kind of lead?"]
"Sherry discovered the name of one of Gentik's, or rather Umbrella's, scientists deep within their databases. A Wataru Watari. He's holed up somewhere in Japan. Leon is currently on his way to drag that weasel out of whatever hiding place he's in," Chris said. "Also, whatever new G-Virus strain they used in New York is by far the strongest I've ever seen. It makes the mold back in Europe look like child's play in comparison. Whatever this virus is, it's creating armies of Nemesis-class creatures."
["Hold on. Did you say there's an army of Nemesis-class bio weapons!? Chris, are you sure?"]
"Yeah, I'm certain. They've turned all of Manhattan into a massive parking deck. I've flown all over the island, and there's not a single sign of any survivors," Chris said, looking at the island of New York, which was now hundreds of meters away. "Jill... I can't let those creatures escape from the island. If they spread whatever infection they have to the rest of the world, there won't be a tomorrow to fight for."
["You don't mean…"]
"Yeah… I do. I have no choice," Chris nodded and lifted a walkie to his face. "Do it."
In the distance, three speeding fighter jets sliced through the sky toward New York. Expertly, each jet released its payload before quickly flying away from the area.
Chris watched the three missiles drop from the crimson sky. To him, they appeared to be harmless specks. He sighed and looked away, bracing himself for what was to come.
As the missiles struck the ground with precision, a blinding orb of light erupted, casting a brilliant glow that enveloped the entire island in an almost surreal brilliance.
The intense radiance illuminated the landscape, momentarily drowning everything in a ghostly hue. Just an instant later, a deafening explosion shattered the silence, sending a shockwave rumbling through the air. The force of the blast jolted the Blackhawk helicopter violently, causing it to sway and tremble as if caught in the grip of an unseen giant. The crew inside braced against their harnesses, their hearts pounding in rhythm with the upheaval outside.
Turning back, Chris watched a large dust cloud rise into the sky with a forlorn expression.
["…is it done?"]
"Yeah… it's done," Chris said as the Blackhawk flew across the ocean, the large pillar of smoke and fire now behind them. "We're going to stop this, Jill. I swear we are."
["I know we are. It's what we do."]
x x x
"Are these… permanent?" I asked, looking at my new clawed arms.
In a swirl of tendrils and flesh, my razor-sharp claws receded into my arms as if they had never existed. I inspected my original arms with a mix of curiosity and wonder, and with a thought, summoned my claws again within three seconds. With another thought, they retracted once more.
I sighed in relief and amazement at what I could do. However, remembering the disturbing expression I had after consuming the T-103, my amazement quickly turned to shame.
It was then that my worry began to grow.
Had Rumi and the others seen what I had done?
Did they watch as I brutally ripped the Tyrant in half and consumed his flesh into my own?
How about the sheer look of ecstasy I had on my face as I was covered in blood?
I looked around and noticed that the dust clouds and smoke from my earlier attack, when I dropped from the sky, still lingered. They made it hard to see the area where I stood.
Please don't let them have seen that.
I took a deep breath and focused on allowing my body to absorb the Tyrant's blood from all over my body. Once I was clean, I stepped out of the large crater and emerged from the slowly dissipating dust clouds. I looked up to where I had left my group and immediately saw their expressions of relief. Even from several meters away, I could clearly make out their shock, relief, and happiness.
Good… they didn't see.
I closed my eyes and sighed with relief. I wasn't sure what I would have done if they all looked at me with horror and disgust.
I'm not a monster. I'm not. I'm Hachiman Hikigaya.
Nodding to myself, I bent my knees slightly and jumped into the air. With a loud crack, I wall-ran up a building and sprang off the surface, crossing the street to reach another building. As I ran up its side, I leaped again and used my new ability to glide through the open air toward the rooftop.
x x x
Using just a small amount of strength, I pushed open the locked glass door to a large luxury penthouse, breaking the lock in the process. As I stepped inside, I scanned the impressive furniture and decor, searching for any signs of the infected. However, I didn't find any evidence of the undead.
Instead, I discovered scattered clothing and open safes. It was clear that whoever had lived here had packed their valuables and abandoned their expensive home to escape the outbreak.
"I wonder if they made it," I muttered as I picked up a family picture depicting the home's previous occupants.
After placing the photo down, I walked over to the front door and noticed it was ajar. Stepping into the private hallway that led to the elevator, I saw that the elevator doors were slightly open. I pushed them wider and looked down the elevator shaft. I could faintly see the elevator cab at the very bottom.
"It seems that the only way anyone could get up here is by elevator," I said as I reached out to grasp the hoist ropes. In a flash of flesh and tendrils, I swiped at them with my claws, and a loud snap echoed through the shaft. The hoist ropes slammed against the walls before falling down below with a crack.
Satisfied with my work, I closed the elevator doors and crushed them to the point where no one or any creature could open them easily.
I then walked back outside to the parked minivan, where Rumi, Minami, and Shigeo were waiting patiently inside the safety of the vehicle.
"It's safe. You can come out," I said.
"This is where we're going to be staying?" Shigeo said in awe as he looked around. "Even if I worked two lifetimes, I doubt I'd ever be able to afford a place like this!"
"Not bad, Hikigaya," Minami muttered as we stepped inside the main living room. Although it was dark due to power outages in the region, the moonlight provided enough illumination for everyone to see where they were going.
"Is this where we're sleeping for the night?" Rumi asked as she gently placed Kamakura down.
"Yes and no," I replied, gaining everyone's attention. "Until we can find the military, this will be our home base. It's high enough off the ground that there's no way any of the undead can reach you. I snapped the elevator wires and crushed the door shut. Unless they learn to fly, you'll all be safe here."
"But I thought we would travel together until we reached the JSDF?" Shigeo questioned.
"That was the plan," I said, "but after fighting the Tyrant, I realized that it's too dangerous for me to carry you all through the city with so many infected and other bio weapons in the streets. Not to mention those ugly creatures with exposed brains we saw on the way here. Also, I don't think your bodies can handle being jostled around in that van much longer." I noticed them all rubbing various sore spots on their bodies. "From now on, I'll go out and search for the military alone. When I find them, I'll come back for you all, and we'll travel to them together."
"Works for me!" Minami said as she plopped down on one of the couches with a contented sigh. "I don't think I could handle another day of travel like that."
"I suppose that makes sense," Rumi said. "Kamakura was starting to feel unwell from being moved around like that."
"If that's your final decision, then we understand, Hikigaya-san," Shigeo nodded, happy to do as I said. Weird kid.
I smiled and walked over to the open back door. "Great, I'm going to grab some supplies from that department store we noticed a block away."
They all nodded in agreement, taking their time to explore and acclimate themselves to the luxurious penthouse that would serve as their temporary sanctuary. Moonlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows, casting a white glow on the sleek modern decor, while they marveled at the panoramic view of the city below.
I stepped towards the edge of the rooftop, and without a second thought, I leaped off. As I fell through the open air, several stories down, I raised my arms slightly behind me, feeling the wind whip against my face, and I began to glide gracefully through the atmosphere.
After an hour of gathering supplies, I made my way back to the penthouse. I landed softly on the rooftop, and I placed down a massive storage unit I had carried over my shoulder, which weighed an impressive two tons.
Inside, I had meticulously packed an extensive assortment of supplies: oil lamps, stacks of clothing, and bathroom essentials were stacked high. Camping supplies were arranged beside a cache of non-perishable food and refreshing drinks, while ample gallons of water and several gas tanks were tucked neatly in the corners. This treasure trove of provisions was more than enough to sustain us for several months.
Minami and Shigeo stood in awe, their eyes wide with amazement as they blinked in disbelief at the sheer volume of resources before them. In contrast, Rumi wore a proud smile, glancing at me with admiration for my efforts.
"That's incredible… that's enough to supply a small army," Shigeo muttered.
"You carried all this all the way up here? Just how strong are you, Hikigaya?" Minami asked as she looked through the supplies.
"Mhm. As expected of Hachiman," Rumi said with a nod.
After they got over their surprise, we moved everything inside and organized the supplies in a way that made the most sense.
An hour later, everyone gathered around the dinner table and began to eat, while several oil lamps illuminated the penthouse.
As they ate, I stood near the back glass wall with my arms crossed, gazing out into the night sky. I replayed my fight with the Tyrant and the memories and power I gained from consuming him. I was lost in thought when a warm cup of ramen was pressed against my cheek.
"Eat," Minami said in a flat tone, continuing to hold the cup against me.
"It's okay. I'm not—"
"Eat."
I blinked at her, finally accepting the cup and chopsticks. I opened the half-closed lid and looked down at the broth and noodles.
"Thanks, Sagami," I said as she leaned against the glass beside me.
"Just call me Minami," she replied, eating some of her own noodles. "It'll get confusing if you call me that when my brother is around."
"Right, thanks, Minami," I nodded as I lifted some noodles to my mouth. The taste was familiar, and the sensation of eating was exactly as I remembered. I looked beside me and noticed a small, almost imperceptible red hue on Minami's ears. "How do you like the place? Is it up to your standards?"
"It's… acceptable," Minami replied, trying to sound confident. "Listen, Hikigaya, about what I said on the roof earlier. I… I meant it. I know you don't really remember what happened between us, but I don't hold it against you anymore. Compared to everything that's happened, being mad at you for what occurred at the Cultural Festival seems childish."
"I see. Thank you for forgiving me. I'm sure I must have been a jerk to you back then," I said, taking another bite of noodles. Even though I didn't have to eat anymore, it was still enjoyable to taste and savor food.
"You were a jerk. A creepy and heartless jerk," Minami nodded. "But… that's not you anymore. You saved my brother and me when it mattered and made sure we got this far safely. It's also thanks to you that we're no longer hungry. We… I owe you a lot."
"You don't owe me anything, really," I said as I finished my food. "I'm just happy to help."
"I guess you haven't completely changed," Minami replied, catching my attention. "Even after the Cultural Festival, when everyone began to badmouth you, you and your club still went out of your way to help others—Tobe, Ebina, Miura, and that new student council president. I never understood why you always went out of your way to get involved with others, but I get it now. Even after losing your memories, you're still that type of person."
I blinked, feeling a tug in the back of my mind at the mention of those names.
"It's getting late, and I'm exhausted," Minami said, getting off the glass wall. She turned to me and offered a small, cute smile. "From here on out, I'll be in your care, Hikigaya. Goodnight."
She turned around and threw her empty cup into a trash bin. After saying goodnight to her brother and Rumi, Minami walked up to the second floor and entered her chosen bedroom.
"Do you think my sister developed feelings for Hikigaya-san?"
"It's only natural to think so. After all, Hachiman came to her rescue just like a brave knight would save a princess trapped in a perilous situation."
"But he saved me, too, remember? So what does that make me in this scenario?"
"Well, that would make you the jester, I suppose."
"Hey, that's a bit harsh! And by the way, why do you refer to him by his first name? It's rude."
"Why wouldn't I call him Hachiman? He's my cousin, after all. It's perfectly fine!"
"What? You're actually related?!"
I rolled my eyes at Rumi and Shigeo's whispered conversation and walked outside to stare up at the crescent moon. Even now, I could faintly hear their conversation due to my enhanced hearing. I focused and eventually dulled my hearing. Now free of distractions, I tried to remember more about the names Minami mentioned.
"Tobe, Ebina, Miura, and Sobu's student council president… who are they to me?"
x x x
Off in the eastern shores of Japan, four mutated vultures covered in fleshy growths landed on an abandoned garbage truck. They cawed and looked around the area with their yellow, orange ringed eyes before finding a cluster of infected people feasting on the remains of what used to be an old man.
One of the vultures flapped its wings and flew above the group. Opening its maw, the vulture threw up a small amount of bio matter over the infected.
The effect was immediate. The infected individuals all stopped their actions and screamed. Jumping to their fear, their mangled bodies cracked and jerked violently as their bodies began to mutate and shift. Large muscle growths appeared, and long, sharp bones erupted from their skin.
The vulture cawed in satisfaction and flew deeper into the mainland, followed by its two companions, who had similarly infected two other groups of the undead.
One by one, group by group, town by town, the mutated vultures began to spread the Redlight virus throughout Japan.