The infirmary's white curtains partitioned a sterile space, lined with beds and sparse medical equipment. Akira gently lowered the injured female student onto a bed, setting his saw-sword and flamethrower on the floor. Kana placed her hammer aside, rummaging through a desk to unpack a first aid kit.
The other two survivors—the male student with the broken mop handle and the female student clutching a branch—stood anxiously by the bed.
"You two, rest here," Kana said. "Akira and I will handle this."
Akira examined the injured girl's leg. Blood oozed from her ankle, the deep wound red and swollen.
But his sensors flagged something worse. "Anomaly detected. Parasitic organism present in the wound. It has infiltrated her system."
Kana's eyes widened. "Parasitic?! What does that mean?"
"Scanning for details. A small parasite has entered through the wound and is active internally. Immediate removal is critical."
He pulled a scalpel and tweezers from the first aid kit, arranging them beside the bed.
The injured girl—her short hair damp with sweat—stirred, groaning faintly. "Ugh… it hurts… my leg…"
Kana grasped her hand. "You're gonna be okay! We're fixing this. Stay strong!"
Akira's voice was steady. "No anesthetic available. Surgery will proceed without it. It will be painful but necessary for survival. Prepare yourself."
Tears welled in the girl's eyes, but she nodded shakily. "Okay… do it… just make it quick…"
Akira lifted the scalpel, positioning it over the wound. Kana held the girl's shoulders, locking eyes to steady her. "It'll be over soon, I promise!"
But as Akira sliced into the wound, the girl's body jolted. "Aaaah!"
Her piercing scream filled the infirmary, her fingers clawing at Kana's arm. Blood welled as the incision widened, revealing writhing black threads—a parasite, its slender body twisting through her muscle, pulsing grotesquely.
Akira clamped the parasite's head with tweezers. The girl stiffened, teeth gritted, fighting the pain.
"It hurts! It hurts so much! Stop!" she wailed, her voice hoarse, sweat and tears streaking her face.
"A little longer. Extracting now," Akira said, tugging with the tweezers.
The parasite slid out with a sickening slither, its unnaturally long body dragging against her flesh. Her leg spasmed, blood dripping onto the bed.
"Gah! I can't—take it out! Hurry!" she screamed.
Kana's eyes brimmed with tears, but she clung to the girl's hand. "Almost there! You're so strong!"
With a final pull, Akira wrenched the parasite free—a wriggling, twenty-centimeter black horror. The girl's body went limp, collapsing against the bed.
"Hah… hah… is it… over?" she gasped, face ashen, breathing ragged.
Akira slammed the parasite to the floor, crushing it with his saw-sword. Black fluid splattered, and it stilled.
"Parasite removed. Disinfecting wound, stopping bleeding, and applying bandages."
He grabbed disinfectant and bandages from the kit, cleaning the gash. The girl winced, but the pain was bearable compared to the parasite's torment.
Kana wiped the girl's forehead, her voice soft. "You did amazing. Really incredible."
The girl fought back tears, managing a weak smile. "I'm… still alive, right? Thought I was gone for sure. Thank you."
The surgery complete, a fragile quiet settled over the infirmary.