Chapter 77: Outbreak in Shibuya

Haneda International Airport.
The heart of Japan’s travel hub had turned into a fortress.

Armed units patrolled every corridor, mana-scanners whirred beside immigration gates, and loudspeakers repeated the same warning every ten minutes.

“Attention: All arrivals must undergo bio-mana inspection. Please remain calm and follow security procedures.”

Commander Itsuha walked past the security checkpoint, headset pressed to her ear.

“Team A reporting. Situation stable.”

For now.

Tokyo’s government had officially cancelled all Halloween events—
but of course, people still tried to celebrate.
The terminals were full of travelers in half-finished costumes, trying to take selfies beside soldiers in hazmat suits.

Itsuha exhaled deeply.
“Why do I get the feeling this is only the calm before the storm…”

Her partner, Anya, approached with a report.
“Commander, one of our spotters saw someone behaving strangely near Gate 5.”

Itsuha’s eyes narrowed.
“Then let’s move.”

They hurried through the corridor, boots echoing on polished marble.

Ahead—
a figure stood swaying in the middle of the hall.
Its face hidden behind a cracked zombie mask.

“Hey! You there—stop!” Itsuha shouted.

The figure kept moving forward, ignoring her order.

A nearby security officer stepped in, grabbed the man by the shoulder, and yanked off the mask—

“Wait—!”

The man blinked, terrified.
“It’s just cosplay! I’m not a zombie!”

The guard sighed, hand still on his gun.
“Sir, you can’t run around scaring passengers at an airport.”

Itsuha pinched the bridge of her nose.
“Another idiot…”
She turned to her team. “Make sure he’s cleared and then escort him out.”

She started to relax—

Until a shout came from the next terminal.

“Commander! Over there!”

Another man—same tattered clothes, same strange walk.
The guard moved in again, reaching for the mask.
And the moment he touched it—
the figure lunged forward and bit deep into his neck.

“—Code Red!” Itsuha roared, drawing her pistol.

Gunfire erupted across the terminal.
The first infected dropped instantly.
But the bitten guard screamed, convulsed—
and before anyone could react, his skin turned gray, his veins black.
He opened his mouth to snarl—

Itsuha didn’t hesitate.
Bang.

Silence returned, broken only by the faint echo of boots and the dripping of blood.

She holstered her weapon, crouched near the fallen bodies, and examined the corpse.
The mana contamination was spreading faster than any record she’d seen before.

That’s when a calm, commanding voice echoed through her comms.

“Aine Kisaragi here. I’m on-site.”

Itsuha looked up.
Through the glass wall, Commander Aine approached, surrounded by a platoon of armored soldiers.

“We’re declaring this a confirmed infection zone,” Aine said.
“All units are to remain on high alert. If any individual resists inspection—authorization to fire is granted.”

A soldier raised a trembling hand.
“Commander, what about civilians in costume? There are hundreds of zombie cosplayers out there—”

Aine’s crimson eyes hardened.
“Stun them first. If they still move after thirty thousand volts, shoot for the head.”

Her voice left no room for argument.

Meanwhile, on the other side of Tokyo—
Reiga and Vice Commander Kobayashi led a sweep through the shipping district.

The air smelled of salt and iron.
Containers were stacked high like metal tombs.

“Movement, sector D-12!” shouted a soldier.

Reiga spun, twin pistols drawn.
Figures stumbled out from behind the cargo piles, their silhouettes jerky and inhuman.

“Undead confirmed. Open fire!”

Gunshots cracked the air.
Muzzle flashes lit the docks like lightning.
The first wave fell—but more kept coming, crawling out from the shadows, from the water, from the ships themselves.

Kobayashi reloaded, sweat running down her neck.
“How many are there?!”

Reiga smirked grimly.
“Enough to ruin my morning.”

He fired again.
Bang. Bang. Bang.
Each bullet a burst of light that tore through rotting flesh.

For a moment, it seemed they’d contained it.
Then Reiga’s communicator blared.

“—Shibuya! It’s Shibuya! They’re turning in Shibuya!”

His face went pale.
“You’ve got to be kidding me.”

Downtown Tokyo, 2:45 p.m.

Crowds filled the famous Shibuya Crossing, still half-decorated for the cancelled Halloween parade.
People laughed, filmed, posted photos online—
until the sky filled with a strange, shimmering mist.

A single man stood at the center of the crossing.
A long black coat.
A porcelain mask carved with a twisted smile.
And in his hand—
a small silver sphere pulsing with dark mana.

“Let’s see how your world screams,” he whispered.

The sphere shattered.
A black magic smoke bomb exploded outward, devouring the entire intersection in seconds.

People screamed.
Then coughed.
Then fell silent.

One by one, their eyes turned pale gray.
Their skin split like paper.

Shibuya had become hell.

Back at Haneda, Aine’s earpiece shrieked.

“Commander! Multiple outbreaks downtown! Shibuya’s overrun!”

Aine’s eyes widened.
“Damn it… It was a distraction. Pull everyone out—focus all units on Shibuya!”

Sirens wailed across Tokyo as convoys rolled out.
Helicopters thundered over the skyline.

Within minutes, M.R.S.U. strike teams landed at the edge of the crossing, rifles raised.

“Are they still savable?” asked a young soldier, his voice shaking.

Aine looked at the horde of twitching bodies in the mist—
and shook her head.

“No. Aim for the head.”

Gunfire echoed across the city.

Smoke, fire, and screams filled the streets of Shibuya—
the neon lights reflecting crimson on pools of blood.

And as the last bullet left her gun,
Aine whispered to the sky above.

“When will this nightmare finally end…?”