It was a tranquil night, the sky filled with stars and moon, it was a good time to just lay and stare, enjoying the sound of crickets.

In the middle of the forest, there was a big clearing, at this moment, the smell that should not be appeared in this natural place spread throughout the area.

A man stood, short hair but a tall body, his eyes were sharp like an eagle, but there was endless sorrow in those lights, staring at three bodies that laid on the pool of blood before him.

"Brothers, we don't have to do this..."

The man said, although it sounded like a pleading, there was a hint of danger in his tone, making it more like a threat.

There were another 4 figures between him and the dead bodies, none of them were breaking eye-contact with the man.

"The order is clear," one of them said, he looked younger than a man, but just about 2 or 3 years, there was no fluctuation of emotion in his face.

The man no longer insisted, he nodded and waved his hand, clearly provoked the 4 figures before him to come and try.

Then 4 shadows lunged forward, taking out their dagger and attempted to stab the man, his eyes flicked with cruelty, taking out his own dagger, he ducked to avoid the first attack, then launched his foot to kick the hand of the second attack, blocking the last two daggers with his own dagger.

Four coordinated attack, these people were proficient and tactful, every strike aimed toward the man's vital spot, but he managed to handle all of them, the way he moved was like a demon, flickering from one side to side, skillfully handled the group attack.

*Splash*

The man slit one of his attackers' throat, reducing their number into three, then he followed up with another deadly strike, stabbing the back of one of his attackers.

The younger man gritted his teeth, his spiky hair drenched with sweat, he knew how skillful the person in front of him, but he didn't know he could take on four people at the same time.

But of course, regardless how terrifying it was, he was just a man, after killing the last person, the spiky-haired man could see he was about to out of breath, so he charged ahead, taking the account of the situation, he flashed the dagger in hand and aimed it toward the man's spinal cord.

*Puchi!*

It was a successful attack, his dagger jabbed on the man's flesh, but at the same time, the man swung his hand backward, he grabbed the spiky-haired man's arm and threw him onto the ground, a fierce dagger descended toward his chest.

In the nick of time, the spiky-haired man brought up his arm to protect his chest, as the blade of the dagger sank into his limb, the last person finally made his move, he leaped forward and stabbed the man's back, his red blood splattered.

The man gritted his teeth, he complicatedly looked at the person below him who defended his heart with his arm, he could remember the time they spent together, laughing and risking their lives, practicing and growing together.

He felt the dagger on his back went deeper, this new kid really didn't know how to be gentle, with a flash of craziness in his eyes, he turned his face around and stared angrily at him, he grabbed the kid's neck with his trembling arm, using the sharp nails, he tore off his neck, brutality this last person could have not ever expected.

The spiky-haired person rolled out from the man's side, dagger still jabbed on his arm, he looked at how this man killed that kid, it was a lie if he wasn't scared.

"What the hell have you turned into, Dani?"

"I don't know..." the man called Dani stood up, blood dripping from his back and hand, the stab on his spine should have enough to kill the man, or at least paralyze him.

"Then, the rumor about you is true? You are collaborating with those satanic worshippers?"

"I don't know..."

"Then why you have not died yet?!"

The spiky-haired man shouted, venting his frustration and disappointment toward Dani, it's only the reasonable explanation of why he could survive the attack this long.

Dani grabbed the dagger from behind him, and he took it out, looking at a spiky-haired man with deadish eyes.

"Rama... I don't know..."

"Buddy, you will soon enter the stage, wake up."

There was a kind tone resounded in his head, I opened my eyes and looked around, it's dark... where was this?

"I am sorry that I have to inform you were dead, right now you are in the bridge between the world, soon you will arrive."

I was dead? Right... Dani, we fought teeth by teeth, that guy just refused to go down, in the end, he managed to get me too, huh?

Hmm, but where was this? Underworld? Was I going to Heaven or Hell?

"Neither, it may be sound selfish, but it is the time for the selection of the New God, so every Gods in Heaven must decide for their champion to participate in the selection, and I pick you..."

There was a selection for a New God? I didn't know heaven was so... republicans...

What should I do, and what exactly in it for me?

"It's simple, you just have to survive 100 worlds, and in the end, you will have to fight against other competitors, if you manage to win, I will become a new God and you will become my envoy, you can live as you want."

What sort of danger I will have to face? I mean... 100 worlds, that's just too much.

"Every world has different object and mission you need to complete, and as long as you do, you can proceed into the new world, until you reach the last one."

"Also, if all the 100 competitors are dying and it is only left one standing, the competition will be put to stop and that person along with his or her Gods automatically win."

I see... I don't mind really to become your champion, my whole life, I spent it under people's order, it's not something new for me... but I do hope you will give me some kind of help, right? I mean as your champion, I have the right to be given a benefit.

"Of course, to survive and win the competition, any champions will be given a choice of a weapon of selection; Sword, Spear, or Dagger. These weapons will grow as long as you keep killing, it will eventually become a weapon that can kill God."

That strong? How could you give people a weapon that could threaten your people?

"Believe me, it's not easy to feed these weapons, not a lot can do it."

"Okay, you will soon arrive, you can only talk to me during this phase, oh, what weapon you choose to use?

Dagger... that's the only weapon I ever wanted to use...

Soon, a grey colored Dagger appeared in my hand, it was crude and simple, I sort of like it.

There was also new information that entered my head.

[Highschool of the Dead Objective: Kill 1,000 zombies, duration: 1 month]

[1st Tier: Grey Dagger, Level: 1]

"Good luck, Rama, and I am sorry for making you do this."

Afterward, the voice disappeared, and by the next time blink of the eyes, I found myself on a rooftop and wearing some kind of uniform. It seemed like my identity in this world has been decided, I was a Japanese student of Fujimi Highschool, 2nd year, I was brand a punk here, therefore I was in the rooftop despite it was supposedly the morning class session at the moment.

This was interesting, I had never been into school before... and when I did, it was all the way to Japan.

I walked toward the edge of the rooftop, saw many Sakura Tress, and the courtyard of the school was really vast, Fujimi Highschool was the number one school in this city apparently, not just covered a large land but also very beautiful, the wind carried the sakura petals and danced in the air.

At this moment, I saw a group of teachers gathered at the front gate, confronting a man beyond it, I could hear a vague complaining voice, then one of the teachers went forward, approaching the man, he stopped before the school's gate and extended his hand to grab the man's shirt, but what happened afterward, that teacher suddenly fell backward, seemingly grasping his hand.

He was screaming in pain, even I could hear it from this distance, then I saw the teacher no longer moved, he was dead? No... the teacher twitched, he rose up again but then, he attacked a female teacher.

I was stunned a bit, although I knew and remembered very well my mission here, it was still a sight to see, a zombie... one might only found them in a fictional story, but here I was, seeing them beforehand.

"So, all I have to do... is to kill 1,000 zombies in a month... otherwise, I fail? Sounds about right..."

I kept looking at the zombie teacher below on the ground level, I confirmed the way it moved was the same as the many sources from the movies I had watched before. They were slow, lack coordination, and seemingly didn't know other actions besides eating, grasping, and walking.

"To all school students, the school at the moment is under attack, please remain calm and do not-"

Before the announcement finished, it was suddenly cut off before followed with an agonized scream, the zombies seemed to have entered the school, perhaps from the different exit, or some of the staff or students had been infected before.

...

Good, the more people turned into zombies, the more they would benefit me.