The morning was eerily calm, a deceptive tranquility that masked the impending chaos. Ryuichi stood by the window of his fortified apartment, staring out at the bustling city below. It was a scene of normalcy, a bustling world that had no idea it was on the brink of collapse. The memories of his previous life weighed heavily on him, and his heart raced with anticipation and dread. He knew what was coming, but the knowledge only deepened the sense of foreboding.

The sun was beginning its descent, casting long shadows over the city streets. The evening rush had begun, with people hurrying home from work, eager to unwind from the day’s grind. But Ryuichi knew that this would be the last evening of their ordinary lives.

His sister, Aiko, was in the kitchen, humming softly as she prepared dinner. Ryuichi had convinced her to stay the night, using the excuse that they hadn’t spent enough time together lately. In truth, he needed her to be safe. He had already told her what was coming, sparing her none of the harsh realities. The end of the world was only hours away, and he couldn't bear the thought of her being unprotected when it happened.

As Aiko stirred the noodles in the pot, she glanced over at Ryuichi, who was pacing near the window. "Ryuichi," she called softly, "are you sure about all of this? I mean... it's just so hard to believe."

Ryuichi paused, turning to face her. "I wish it weren't true, Aiko. But I’ve seen it. I’ve lived through it. We need to be prepared for what's coming."

Aiko nodded, her expression serious. "I believe you, Ryu. It's just... hard to wrap my head around it, you know? One minute, everything's normal, and the next..."

"I know," Ryuichi interrupted gently. "It's going to be terrifying. But we have to stay strong, stay smart. We'll survive this, Aiko. I promise."

She offered him a small, grateful smile before turning back to the stove. "I'm glad I’m here with you. I can't imagine going through this alone."

As they finished dinner, an unsettling tension filled the air. The apartment, once a place of warmth and comfort, now felt like a fortress preparing for a siege. Every creak, every sound from outside, set Ryuichi on edge, his senses heightened by the knowledge of what was to come.

After they finished eating, Ryuichi began to move methodically through the apartment, double-checking the barricades and making sure everything was in place. Aiko watched him silently, sensing his unease but knowing better than to question it. The trust she placed in her brother was absolute.

Night fell, and the city outside grew quieter, the usual bustle of evening life slowly dying down. Ryuichi could feel the tension building, a tangible force that made his skin prickle. The time was close.

"Aiko," Ryuichi said, his voice low, "stay away from the windows. Keep to the center of the apartment."

She nodded, already moving toward the living room, where they had set up a safe space. "What do we do when it starts?"

Ryuichi grabbed a baseball bat that he kept by the door, one of the many weapons he had prepared. "We stay quiet. We don't draw attention. And if anything gets in here, we fight."

The minutes ticked by, each one feeling like an eternity. And then, as if on cue, it began.

A low, distant rumble reverberated through the air, growing louder with each passing second. Ryuichi tensed, his grip tightening on the bat. Aiko froze, her eyes wide as she listened to the sound.

"Is that...?" she began, but Ryuichi cut her off.

"Yes. It’s starting."

The rumble turned into a roar, a cacophony of screams and crashes, shattering the silence of the night. The city was being consumed by chaos, just as Ryuichi had known it would be.

Aiko’s face drained of color. "Oh my God, Ryu..."

"Stay calm," Ryuichi ordered, his voice steady despite the turmoil outside. "We’ve prepared for this."

Suddenly, there was a loud crash from the hallway outside their apartment. The unmistakable sound of something—or someone—slamming into a door. Ryuichi’s heart raced as he heard the low, guttural groans that accompanied the noise.

"They’re here," Ryuichi said, his voice barely above a whisper.

Aiko’s eyes were wide with fear, but she nodded, moving to stand beside Ryuichi. She gripped a kitchen knife in her hand, her knuckles white. "I’m ready."

The door rattled as something heavy slammed against it again, the groans growing louder, more insistent. Ryuichi knew they didn’t have much time.

"Stay behind me," he instructed. "If anything gets through that door, I’ll handle it."

Aiko nodded, positioning herself just behind him, her eyes fixed on the door.

The door shuddered violently as the creatures outside threw their weight against it. Ryuichi’s heart pounded in his chest as he readied himself for what was to come.

The door burst open with a splintering crack, and the first zombie lurched into the room. It was a grotesque sight—gray, decayed skin stretched tightly over its bones, its eyes glazed over with a milky film. It let out a low, guttural moan as it staggered toward Ryuichi, its hands reaching out for him.

Ryuichi didn’t hesitate. With a grunt, he swung the bat with all his strength, striking the zombie’s head with a sickening crunch. The force of the blow sent the creature reeling, but it didn’t go down. Ryuichi swung again, this time aiming for its temple. The bat connected with a sharp crack, and the zombie crumpled to the floor, its skull caved in.

"Ryuichi!" Aiko cried out, pointing to the hallway where more figures were shambling toward them—four, five, maybe six zombies, their eyes locked onto the scent of the living.

"Get in the bedroom and lock the door!" Ryuichi shouted, his voice filled with urgency. "I’ll handle this!"

Aiko hesitated for a moment, but the sight of the advancing horde spurred her into action. She ran into the bedroom, slamming the door behind her.

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Ryuichi took a deep breath, steeling himself for the fight. The zombies were slow but relentless, their hunger driving them forward. He knew he had to end this quickly before they overwhelmed him.

The first zombie reached him, its hands grasping hungrily for his flesh. Ryuichi sidestepped its lunge and brought the bat down on its head with brutal precision. The skull shattered under the impact, and the zombie dropped lifelessly to the floor.

But there was no time to catch his breath. The next zombie was already upon him, and Ryuichi barely had time to swing the bat again. This time, the blow wasn’t as clean, and the zombie stumbled but didn’t fall. It reached out with decaying hands, its fingernails digging into Ryuichi’s arm.

Gritting his teeth against the pain, Ryuichi swung the bat upward in a desperate arc, smashing the zombie’s jaw. The creature’s grip loosened, and Ryuichi pushed it back, delivering a final, crushing blow to its skull.

As the zombie fell, Ryuichi heard the others approaching. He backed up, positioning himself near the bedroom door. He couldn’t let any of them get past him.

The remaining zombies advanced, their numbers intimidating. Ryuichi’s muscles ached from the exertion, but he couldn’t afford to stop. He swung the bat again and again, each strike fueled by desperation and determination.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the last zombie fell, its head a pulpy mess on the floor. Ryuichi stood over the fallen creatures, his breath coming in ragged gasps. His arm throbbed where the zombie’s nails had dug in, but he didn’t have time to worry about that now.

He knelt down beside one of the fallen zombies, his stomach churning as he reached for the knife he kept strapped to his leg. With practiced precision, he plunged the blade into the creature’s skull, slicing through the bone until he reached the brain. He felt a small, hard object beneath the knife and carefully pried it out.

A small, glowing crystal emerged from the zombie’s brain, pulsating with a faint, eerie light. Ryuichi held it up, examining it closely. This was the key to survival—the energy contained within these crystals could be harnessed for powerful magic, something he had learned all too well in his previous life.

He repeated the process with the other zombies, extracting their crystals and storing them carefully in a small pouch he kept on his belt. Each one was precious, a resource that could mean the difference between life and death in the days to come.

When he finished, Ryuichi wiped the blood from his hands and stood up, his body aching from the exertion. He walked over to the bedroom door and knocked softly.

"Aiko, it’s over. You can come out now."

The door opened slowly, and Aiko stepped out, her face pale but determined. "Are you okay?"

"I’m fine," Ryuichi replied, forcing a smile. "But we need to stay alert. This is just the beginning."

Aiko nodded, her eyes flickering to the bloodied bat in his hand. "I can’t believe it’s really happening… all of it."

Ryuichi placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "I know it’s overwhelming, but we’re going to get through this. Together."

She looked at him, her eyes filled with determination. "What do we do next?"

Ryuichi took a deep breath, thinking through their options. The crystals he had just extracted were crucial. In his previous life, he had learned how to harness their power, though it was dangerous and unpredictable. The crystals could be used for everything from creating protective barriers to healing wounds, but they required careful handling.

"First," he said, his tone measured, "we need to secure the apartment. We can’t risk more of them getting in here while we’re resting. Then, we’ll figure out our next move. I’m not sure how long we can stay here."

Aiko frowned. "But this place is safe, isn’t it? You’ve reinforced everything."

Ryuichi nodded. "It’s safe for now, but we don’t know how many more of them are out there. And we can’t survive on what we have here forever. Eventually, we’ll need to find supplies, maybe even other survivors."

Aiko glanced at the pouch on Ryuichi’s belt, where the crystals were stored. "And those... how do they help us?"

Ryuichi hesitated, choosing his words carefully. "They’re a kind of energy source. In the right hands, they can be used for magic—powerful magic. I’ve seen people do incredible things with them, but it’s dangerous. If we’re going to use them, we need to be very careful."

Aiko looked uneasy but nodded. "I trust you, Ryu. Whatever we need to do, I’m with you."

"Good," Ryuichi said, giving her a reassuring smile. "For now, let’s focus on securing the apartment. I’ll take the first watch tonight. You should get some rest."

"But what about you?" Aiko asked, concern evident in her voice. "You need sleep too."

"I’ll be fine," Ryuichi insisted. "I’m used to this kind of thing. Besides, I need to stay alert tonight. Tomorrow, we can figure out our next steps."

Aiko hesitated but eventually nodded. "Okay, but wake me up if you need anything. I don’t want you to do this alone."

"I won’t," Ryuichi promised. "We’re in this together."

As Aiko retreated to the bedroom to try and get some sleep, Ryuichi moved through the apartment, reinforcing the barricades and setting up makeshift alarms using pots and pans—anything that would make noise if disturbed. His mind was racing, thinking through possible scenarios, trying to stay ahead of whatever might come next.

The night outside was filled with distant screams, crashes, and the occasional, haunting moan of a zombie. But for now, their apartment remained untouched by the chaos outside. Ryuichi positioned himself by the window, watching the street below. The city he had once known was changing, descending into madness and destruction.

Time passed slowly, each minute stretching out into what felt like an eternity. Ryuichi’s thoughts drifted back to the crystals he had collected. They were more than just a source of energy; they were the key to survival. In his previous life, he had learned that those who mastered the use of these crystals could hold unimaginable power. But that power came at a cost—using the crystals drained life energy, and without the proper techniques, it could lead to death.

He pulled one of the crystals from the pouch, holding it up to the faint light coming through the window. It glowed softly, its energy pulsing in rhythm with his heartbeat. The knowledge he had gained before his death was still fresh in his mind, and he knew he could tap into this power if necessary. But for now, he would keep them safe, reserving their use for when it was truly needed.

As the hours dragged on, the noise outside gradually subsided. Whether it was because the zombies had moved on or the survivors had all been killed, Ryuichi couldn’t say. But the silence was almost more unnerving than the chaos had been.

Just before dawn, Ryuichi heard a faint noise—a soft, shuffling sound coming from the hallway outside their door. He tensed, his hand tightening around the bat. The sound grew louder, and he could make out the unmistakable groan of a zombie.

He moved quietly, positioning himself near the door, ready to strike. The shuffling grew closer, and then, with a loud bang, something slammed against the door. Ryuichi’s heart raced, but he held his ground, waiting for the creature to either force its way in or move on.

But the banging continued, relentless, and Ryuichi knew he couldn’t ignore it. He couldn’t risk the door giving way.

He opened the door a crack, just enough to peer through, and saw the source of the noise—a lone zombie, its face twisted into a grotesque snarl as it pounded against the door with what little strength it had left.

Ryuichi didn’t hesitate. He threw the door open and swung the bat in one fluid motion, connecting with the zombie’s head and sending it crashing to the ground. With a quick, practiced motion, he retrieved his knife and plunged it into the creature’s skull, extracting yet another crystal.

As he stood over the fallen zombie, Ryuichi’s mind raced with thoughts of what lay ahead. This was just the beginning. The world was falling apart, and they were only just beginning to see the extent of the horrors that awaited them.

But as he pocketed the crystal and closed the door, Ryuichi felt a renewed sense of determination. He had been through this once before, and this time, he was better prepared. This time, he had Aiko by his side, and he would do whatever it took to protect her.

They would survive. They had to.

With the first light of dawn beginning to creep through the windows, Ryuichi leaned back against the door, his exhaustion finally catching up with him. But even as his eyes began to close, he remained vigilant, listening to the silence outside, knowing that it wouldn’t last.

The apocalypse had begun, and there was no turning back.