The tower felt emptier after Daichi Moriyama’s death. Not physically. Emotionally. The lower floors still smelled like blood, smoke, and burned flesh while exhausted survivors moved through the hallways carrying supplies, wounded civilians, and dead bodies wrapped carefully in blankets. Soldiers stood guard near barricades with trembling hands and tired eyes, forcing themselves to remain alert even after fighting nonstop through the night. Some civilians cried quietly in corners while others sat silently staring into nothing, already mentally broken by the endless fear surrounding them.

And above all of it—The absence of Daichi could be felt everywhere.

Arata Kurozawa stood near a cracked window on the ninth floor staring down at the ruined city outside while cold gray light slowly spread across broken streets below. Infected wandered endlessly through abandoned roads while smoke rose from distant buildings swallowed by the apocalypse long ago.

[SYSTEM NOTICE]

[Host Emotional State Detected: Elevated Rage / Psychological Instability]

[Hidden Requirement Achieved]

[Survival Instinct Synchronization Increased]

[New Passive Skill Unlocked]

[Fear Resistance Lv.1 Acquired]

[Mental Interference Resistance Increased]

[System Adaptation Progress: 31%]

Arata’s eyes narrowed slightly.

The blue screen disappeared almost instantly.

"...So you’re still there," he muttered quietly inside his mind.

The system did not answer immediately.Then another screen appeared.

[The System Never Disappeared]

[Host Prioritized External Survival Over Internal Growth]

[System Activity Reduced During Stabilization Period]

[Current Condition Met For Reconnection.

For several moments Arata simply stared at the screen before it vanished again.

Behind him, the hallway remained unusually quiet. Airi sat beside several sleeping children wrapped in blankets while quietly treating a wounded civilian’s arm. Her eyes still looked swollen from crying, but despite exhaustion she continued helping people gently whenever someone needed her. Yuna leaned against the wall nearby spinning her metal bat slowly while looking unusually irritated today.

"...I hate this atmosphere," she muttered.

Reina crossed her arms slightly. "...Everyone does."Yuna clicked her tongue softly. "...Feels like this place is waiting to collapse."

Nobody disagreed.Kaede calmly cleaned her rifle near the far wall while Miyu organized remaining supplies through the system interface visible only to her.

And suddenly—Another blue screen appeared before Arata.

[Emergency Quest Generated]

[Quest Rank: B]

[Objective: Prevent Internal Collapse Of Survivor Tower]

[Condition 1: Stabilize Civilian Panic]

[Condition 2: Maintain Soldier Structure]

[Condition 3: Eliminate Hidden Infection Source]

[Failure Penalty: Survivor Tower Collapse Probability Increased By 87%]

[Reward: Skill Evolution / System Authority Expansion]

Arata’s eyes sharpened instantly.Hidden infection source?

"...There’s another infected inside," he thought immediately.

His expression darkened slightly.So the outbreak from yesterday wasn’t completely over.Footsteps suddenly echoed through the hallway before several soldiers approached carefully toward him. Their expressions looked tense. Nervous. The youngest among them finally stepped forward.

"...We need to discuss something," he said quietly.Arata turned toward them calmly. "...What?"

The soldiers exchanged uncertain looks first.Then one older soldier finally spoke.

"The civilians are panicking."

"...That already happened."

"No," the soldier answered weakly. "...Worse now." He hesitated briefly. "People are asking who leads the tower."

The hallway became silent instantly.Airi slowly looked up.

Yuna sighed softly. "...There it is."

The older soldier continued carefully. "...Some civilians want to abandon the lower floors entirely. Others want to split into smaller groups." His jaw tightened slightly. "Some are demanding evacuation from the tower."

"That would kill them," Reina said calmly.

"We know."

"But fear doesn’t care about logic," Kaede added quietly.The soldiers remained silent because she was right.Fear had started poisoning the tower from the inside.

Then the younger soldier looked directly toward Arata.

"...Captain Daichi trusted you."

Arata’s expression remained calm.But inside his mind—The system suddenly appeared again.

[Warning]

[Leadership Role Detection Increasing]

[Would Host Like To Establish Authority Route?]

[YES / NO] 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

Arata ignored the screen.

"...I’m not replacing Daichi," he said quietly.

The older soldier frowned slightly. "...Nobody can replace him."

"Then don’t ask me to."The hallway grew heavier instantly.

Arata’s eyes moved toward the civilians sleeping nearby. Then toward the wounded soldiers leaning against the walls. Then finally toward the secured room where Daichi’s body rested beneath a military flag.

"...Daichi carried this place because he believed he had to," Arata said calmly. "And it killed him."

Nobody could deny it.Because everyone saw it happen.

Yuna pushed herself off the wall before speaking suddenly. "...He’s right." Everyone looked toward her. "Daichi carried everyone alone until he broke." Her expression darkened slightly. "...That responsibility destroys people."

Airi lowered her eyes quietly after hearing that.Because deep down—She feared the same thing happening to Arata eventually.

Then suddenly—

[System Alert]

[Hidden Infection Source Active]

[Location Updating...]

[Floor 6 Detected]

Arata’s eyes sharpened instantly.At the same moment—A scream echoed from below.

Everyone froze.Then gunshots followed.

Yuna groaned loudly. "...Seriously?"

The soldiers reacted immediately while civilians nearby panicked again.

Another terrified survivor came running through the hallway moments later. "...People are fighting downstairs!"

Arata moved instantly.

The group rushed toward the sixth floor where chaos had already erupted near one of the supply stations. Two armed survivor groups screamed at each other while terrified civilians backed away from the confrontation. One side accused the other of stealing food while the other claimed soldiers were secretly hoarding supplies.

Fear had finally become anger, And anger spreads quickly.

"We deserve equal supplies!"

"My family is starving!"

"You soldiers only protect yourselves!"

Several civilians already pointed weapons now.One wrong movement—And the tower would explode internally.

But Arata’s focus shifted elsewhere immediately.Because near the back of the crowd—One man looked wrong, Pale skin, Sweating heavily, Eyes twitching unnaturally.

And most importantly—The system marker hovering faintly above his head.

[Infection Host Detected]

Arata’s eyes narrowed sharply.The infected had hidden itself among civilians.

Then suddenly—The man convulsed violently.Blood burst from his mouth while nearby civilians screamed in horror.

"Infected!"

Everything exploded into panic instantly.

The infected man transformed rapidly before lunging toward nearby survivors, but Arata moved first.His blade flashed once.

The infected’s head hit the floor seconds later.

Everyone stared.Arata slowly turned toward the crowd while blood dripped from his blade.

"If panic spreads," he said coldly, "...more people die."

Nobody argued, Nobody screamed.Because after yesterday—Everyone had already seen what Arata truly was capable of.And deep down—The tower had already started depending on him without realizing it.