"Forget about that. When I came over just now, I saw several [Hospital Ward]s on fire. The way things are now, I'm afraid no one can put out the fire. Let's escape first."
[Amamiya Rin] endured the noise of the [Tomie]s cursing each other in his brain and the phantom pains transmitting from all over his body as he spoke to the surrounding nurses.
The nurses were mostly panic-stricken and out of their wits. Hearing someone propose a plan, they immediately looked over.
After a brief hesitation, the senior nurse, [Miyu], was the first to agree.
"This gentleman is right. Although we don't know what happened, we must leave here first. Once the fire spreads to every corridor, we'll be burned alive in here."
Another nurse, [Yoshino], looked at the smoke filling the air outside the window, gritted her teeth, and nodded. "Okay! Let's go via the side emergency channel. There should be fewer people there!"
With the plan set, the remaining five or six nurses in the nurse station immediately sprang into action.
[Yuko] and another sturdy nurse, [Miko], flanked [Amamiya Rin] left and right, supporting him as he had difficulty moving. [Miyu] pushed open the door, and the group swarmed out.
The air in the corridor was filled with the stench of burning flesh. The lights flickered on and off due to short circuits. In the distance, a [Hospital Ward] spewed thick black smoke and blazing firelight. Two security guards were raising knives to chop off a [Tomie]'s head, throwing the corpse into the burning room.
The scene was like a living hell, scaring the nurses so much that their legs went soft. [Amamiya Rin] felt it difficult to breathe for a moment, the scorching sensation searing his skin.
[Amamiya Rin] clenched his jaw, concentrating his mind to filter out the insane thoughts and various phantom pains coming from the [Tomie Network], placing all his attention on observing the surrounding environment.
The group stuck to the base of the wall, trying their best to avoid the crowd brawling in the center of the corridor, moving toward the emergency exit.
Just as they were about to turn into the side path leading to the emergency channel, a man wearing a bloodstained patient gown rushed out from a [Hospital Ward] with an open door!
His face was maniacal, and he held an IV stand stained with blood at the top, stumbling as he ran toward them.
"Hehehe! Kill the fake [Tomie]! Miss [Tomie], look at me more!"
The nurses screamed in terror at this sudden attack. [Miko], who was supporting [Amamiya Rin]'s right side, subconsciously let go and retreated in panic.
Losing support on one side, [Amamiya Rin]'s body lurched violently, losing balance and tipping to the right.
But his reaction was extremely fast. He immediately adjusted his center of gravity, his left leg acting as a pivot and exerting sudden force, forcibly stabilizing his swaying body.
A wave of sore, weak protest came from his leg muscles, but the perseverance he had honed over twenty-one years in the [Dream World] transcended the limitations of the flesh.
Watching the man who held the IV stand and had already rushed close, showing no intention of going around, [Amamiya Rin] narrowed his pupils, locking onto the opponent's throat.
In that instant, [Amamiya Rin] poured all the remaining strength in his body, along with his body weight, into his right arm gripping the crutch. His waist and abdomen engaged simultaneously, thrusting the crutch forward violently, accurately stabbing the man in the throat.
"Urk!"
The man's movements froze instantly. The maniacal expression solidified on his face, turning into intense pain and a sense of suffocation.
He let go of the IV stand, clutching his chest with both hands. His eyes bulged, his mouth opening but unable to produce a complete sound. His body went limp as if his bones had been removed, and he collapsed, curling up on the ground motionless.
[Amamiya Rin] panted heavily, retrieving the crutch to support his body. This burst of exertion made his arm tremble slightly, and his breathing became rapid.
"Did you... kill him?"
[Miko]'s eyes widened as she looked at [Amamiya Rin] with fear and trembling.
"Not dead. Just triggered the vagus nerve reflex, causing cardiac arrest."
[Amamiya Rin] didn't want to be saddled with a murder charge. His control over force was extremely high; even attacking a vital point like the throat, he was confident he would only knock the target out rather than kill him.
"Stop dawdling, let's go!"
[Miyu] was the first to react, her face pale as she urged everyone: "Quick! Go! Keep up!"
[Miko], still in shock, moved closer again. With guilt and lingering fear on her face, she supported [Amamiya Rin]'s arm once more. The group accelerated their pace, turning into the corridor leading to the emergency exit.
The chaos was escalating linearly. Along the way, they encountered several more bewitched males, but all were rendered immobile by [Amamiya Rin] using the Kendo techniques executed with his crutch. They stumbled down the stairs, encountering many patients and nurses who hadn't been bewitched along the way, everyone fleeing in panic.
Finally, they rushed to the first floor, pushed open the last fire door, and burst out of the hospital's main building.
Fresh air flooded into their lungs. The survivors of the disaster slumped to the ground, faces blank, gasping for large mouthfuls of air.
[Amamiya Rin] was also nearly exhausted. Sitting beside a flower bed, he looked up at the main building of [Morita Hospital].
Rolling thick smoke poured out from multiple windows, transforming into pillars of black smoke rising upward. Firelight flickered behind the windows, casting twisted human shadows. Even across the distance of the open ground, [Amamiya Rin] could hear the screams coming from inside the building.
Just then, he caught a glimpse of an impressive figure out of the corner of his eye.
[Kawakami Tomie] walked over from not far away, wearing an expression of leisurely indifference, as if the surrounding chaos and tragedy were merely a joke.
She walked straight toward [Amamiya Rin], the corner of her mouth curling into a faint smile.
"Yo, we meet again, handsome. You're not hurt, are you?"
[Tomie] asked with concern.
"Don't come near me..."
The crutch acted as a sword, pressing against [Tomie]'s chest. [Amamiya Rin]'s eyes were filled with killing intent, his chest heaving violently.
"You did this, didn't you?"
"Oh my, why so fierce? Did I do something?"
Hearing this, [Tomie] covered her mouth with her hand, her eyes widening slightly. She tilted her head, looking the picture of innocence, but a glint of cunning flashed in the depths of her eyes.
"Don't put on an act with me. You should know that I won't be bewitched by you."
[Amamiya Rin] closed his eyes and spoke coldly.
"Hehe, I still don't know your name? My name is [Kawakami Tomie], and yours?"
[Kawakami Tomie] pushed down the crutch pressing against her chest, leaned in close to [Amamiya Rin], and asked with a beaming smile.
"[Amamiya]... [Rin]."
[Amamiya Rin] did not hide his name anymore, as it was meaningless.
"[Rin]-kun, it's all your fault, you know. I went over yesterday specifically to kill [Mitsuo Yukiko]. The doctors here transplanted my internal organs into that ugly woman. Although I don't know why so many fakes popped up, if you had helped me yesterday, today's chaos wouldn't have happened."
This bitch [Tomie] was truly thick-skinned and shameless, directly pushing her crimes onto [Amamiya Rin]. [Amamiya Rin]'s eyelid twitched as he listened, wishing he could stab her to death with one strike.
Through the [Tomie Network], he kept a constant watch on the movements of the other [Tomie]s. So far, only three [Tomie]s were dying, while as many as ten [Tomie]s were being born. The mutated cranial nerves and flesh on the faces of several slashed [Tomie]s were gradually growing, turning into newcomers who were naturally part of the [Tomie Network]!
This despairing world brought [Amamiya Rin] not a single shred of good news.
____
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