ã€ŠHigh School Girl Warrior: How to Save an Apocalyptic Worldã€‹


 CH 1

    Chapter 1 ¨C The Morning of Awakening

    -You must survive for a certain reason.

    -I will guide you until the day there¡¯s no longer any need for your existence.

    ¡°-Myah?¡±

    It was a winter day when I woke up with a shriek.

    It seems I¡¯ve fallen asleep with my legs beneath the kotatsu while holding the video game controller.

    I stayed just like that, for around ten seconds.

    ¡­Was that an auditory hallucination?

    After concluding it as such, I went to the world of the comfortable second nap¡­

    As I was about to fall asleep once again.

    *knock**knock**knock knock*

    I heard annoying knocking sounds.

    I got up thinking it was probably a delivery, after I wore my glasses with sluggish movement, I noticed that the game I was playing before falling asleep (A game where you kill zombies) was still open.

    What¡¯s displayed on it was,

    [YOU ARE DEAD]

    That kind of ominous message.

    Ah, not good. Such an ominous thing in the morning.

    For the time being, I turned off the game machine.

    With the word ¡°grumpy¡± plastered on my sleepy face, I crossed the 1LDK room to open the door to the person who was persistently knocking on my door.

    It¡¯s probably a delivery man.

    I casted aside my maiden¡¯s shame and opened the door with a drowsy look.

    And then,

    ¡°-Oooo. ¡­Ooooooooooo¡­¡±

    The person in front of me was dressed as a Zombie.

    ¡°¡­Oh dear.¡±

    I gently closed the door.

    I thought that maybe I saw it wrongly, and looked through the peephole to confirm it.

    ¡°Ooooooooooooooh!¡±

    There, I saw a Zombie that looked more energetic than before.

    I wondered if today was Halloween.

    I wondered if I had any neighbours who would dress up in such a crazy costume.

    That¡¯s what I absentmindedly thought about.

    ¡­Hmm.

    It¡¯s possibly Tanaka from next door.

    Not wanting to join an early morning costume party, I secured the door chain just in case, and returned to the living room while yawning.

    Even though the knocking further escalated, I¡¯m sorry but I¡¯m not in the mood for trick or treating.

    Goodbye the stranger at my door. Please go elsewhere.

    And then I returned to my lovely kotatsu once again to warm myself up¡­

    -Please pick up your weapon.

    Another auditory hallucination.

    Oh, oooh.

    What happened to my head?

    But what about it? Depending on how you look at it, even auditory hallucinations can be wonderful.

    Even if I live alone, it¡¯d be fun if there¡¯s someone that talks to me.

    ¡°Then, I¡¯m going to take a second nap~¡±

    I said so, even if nobody would hear it.

    -Please pick up your weapon.

    Well, aren¡¯t you persistent?

    Ignoring it, I slipped my legs into the kotatsu.

    And then I had an uncomfortable feeling.

    Before I realized, the kotatsu¡¯s power was cut off.

    Even if I put my feet in it, what I feel is empty chilliness

    Not lovely. This kotatsu isn¡¯t the slightest bit lovely.

    I checked to be sure, but it seems the breaker has tripped.

    However, I wasn¡¯t anxious.

    It happens often in run-down apartments like mine.

    I operated the breaker in a familiar way¡­ But

    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±

    I raise and lower the switch, but nothing changes.

    ¡°You¡¯ve got to be kidding me.¡±

    My unfamiliar Kansai Dialect came out of my mouth.

    It doesn¡¯t seem like the power outage only happened to my room.

    It seems like power won¡¯t be restored for a while.

    ¡­

    Hmm.

    If that¡¯s the case, what should I do now?

    -Please pick up your weapon.

    No no.

    I¡¯ve had enough with this auditory hallucination.

    I replied to my head like so.

    So, thinking I¡¯d do laundry in this free time I suddenly have, I pulled the curtains up for the first time in a few days and entered the balcony.

    ¡°Oh wow.¡±

    I doubted my own eyes.

    It¡¯s not impossible, but it seems like while I was fully enjoying my consecutive holidays, the world has come to an end.

 CH 2

    Chapter 2 ¨C Goodbye Tanaka

    I could see black smoke billowing out of the sky a few kilometers away.

    Even though the apartment building I live in is worn-out, it has a fairly good view of the city.

    I can see the park in front of me completely.

    However, the people in the park are wandering around unsteadily¡­ How should I put it?

    ¡­Hmm.

    Is it okay for me to say this?

    Please don¡¯t laugh at it, okay?

    ¡­They look like zombies?

    Or rather, are they exactly zombies?

    They are munching on it. (Guro warning!) The white thing.

    Huh? Are you guys the type to do cannibalism?

    Since when is Halloween an event restricted to only those above 18 years old?

    Well, that was what my first impressions were.

    Oh yeah.

    By the way, it wasn¡¯t just zombies that I saw.

    ¡­Hmm.

    I¡¯m sure people will laugh at me when I say this.

    Please don¡¯t laugh at me, okay?

    It¡¯s something like¡­ a Dragon?

    Something like that¡­ a fantasy creature? But that¡¯s right.

    I can see dozens of them flapping their wings and screaming in the sky.

    It¡¯s too wild, isn¡¯t it?

    I wondered if movie advertisements had come this far.

    I escaped from reality for a few dozen seconds.

    For the time being, I rub my eyebrows as hard as I can.

    Yes, I understand.

    However laidback I may be, there¡¯s no way I can¡¯t tell the difference between a movie promotion and reality.

    ¡­Even so.

    This kind of crisis, even if one of them happened, it would¡¯ve been enough of a problem.

    Both Zombies and Monsters.

    Even if only one of them happened, it would¡¯ve easily been able to wipe out humanity.

    With both¡­

    At least the Dragons look really far away. Should I say that it¡¯s relieving that they are not a danger for now?

    ¡°Ufu¡­ Ufufufufu¡­¡±

    I don¡¯t know why, but I smiled for a little bit.

    It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m not crazy. Probably, not yet.

    I took deep breaths at once.

    Just because I woke up a short while ago, I can¡¯t assume this situation is a dream.

    Did I wander into the world of the game I was playing I wonder?

    Even though I thought of that, when I turn back, it¡¯s my familiar home.

    When I was thinking of what I should do now, I heard some loud noises nearby.

    And when I looked to my side, I saw my neighbour Tanaka on the other side of the partition board of my house.

    Tanaka was a fifty years old salaryman that¡¯s living away from his family due to work, and although his head was partially bald, he was a gentlemanly nice man.

    He also hosted numerous barbecue parties.

    And on the neck of such a gentlemanly middle aged man¡­ How should I put it?

    There are teeth marks on his neck.

    I¡¯ve heard Zombies multiply by biting other humans. It¡¯s a famous trope after all.

    Hmm. I see. It¡¯s like movies to this extent.

    Now that I think of it, even in the game I was playing, there was such a description.

    The middle aged gentleman had someone else¡¯s blood stuck on his lips

    Even though he¡¯s a little bit overweight, Tanaka would always eat in moderation.

    That kind of person is now looking at me with a vacant gaze, and was desperately holding his hands out to suck on the soft skin of a high school girl (me).

    ¡°Kaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhh!¡±

    Tanaka, who never raised his voice during his life, is now ferociously growling.

    I felt like he was saying; ¡°Let¡¯s get together and have fun.¡±

    Now then, it seems like I¡¯m in a little bit of trouble.

    As some of you may know, on the partition board, there¡¯s a note that says ¡°In an emergency, please break here and evacuate to the next door.¡±

    In other words, these boards are weak enough to be broken if you have the guts.

    And judging by appearances, the Tanaka right now seems to have more guts than anyone else.

    -Please pick up your weapon.

    Then, I heard another auditory hallucination.

    Good grief.

    ¡°It seems I got dragged into a troublesome situation.¡±

    I said out loud.

    Here the female version of a hero who says ¡°good grief¡± was born.

    From now on, I plan to lead a popular life as a seemingly ordinary high school boy with hidden powers together with a naturally tsundere heroine.

    Glancing at Tanaka once more, I return to the living room and sigh loudly.

    -Please pick up your weapon.

    ¡°Ah, yeah. I understand.¡±

    While responding to the auditory hallucinations, I pick up my grandfather¡¯s keepsake japanese sword. (It has a national registration certificate, you know?)

    And then,

    -Please exterminate the nearby ¡°hostile lifeforms¡±.

    What the auditory hallucation was saying changed.

    At that time, I started speculating that this wasn¡¯t an auditory hallucation, and that it was speaking under some kind of will.

    *thud* *clang*

    When I hear the dangerous sounds coming from behind me, I realize I don¡¯t have any time to relax and think about it.

    When I turned around, I saw Tanaka looking at me with a pale and disturbing face.

    I didn¡¯t notice it until now because of the partition board, but his internal organs that were supposed to be in his abdomen were gone. He was walking like that.

    This is the kind of situation where our relationship, which should have been good so far, can never be repaired.

    Tanaka hit the window of my balcony.

    His power was stronger than I imagined, and the window of the balcony was easily broken.

    Tanaka entered my house as if he was falling on a bed of shattered glass.

    ¡°If this is a bad joke, please stop immediately.¡±

    I pulled out my japanese sword and warned him.

    ¡°If you get even a little bit closer, I will kill you.¡±

    I warned him again.

    Tanaka was a crawling zombie, not caring about being injured by the broken glass.

    He seems to have left the feeling of pain behind somewhere far away.

    ¡°This is my last warning.¡±

    I said, just in case.

    Then, my memories of Tanaka flashed through my mind.

    I should accept his death as solemnly as possible.

    ¡°Goodbye, then.¡±

    Tanaka boasted that he loved his wife and children above all else.

    But I noticed he brought other women to his house on the nights of his days off.

    I wondered if love and lust were two different things.

    I wanted to hear it directly from him one day.

    I¡¯ll thrust the tip of my sword to Tanaka¡¯s forehead.

    I could feel the flesh and bone being cut through my palm.

    Tanaka could no longer move.

    ¡°To his soul-¡±

    As I was about to say lines such as ¡°May he rest in peace,¡± I heard the sound of a trumpet echoing in my head.

    -Congratulations! Your level has risen!

    Said the auditory hallucation.

    ¡­Oh, this game is level-based. That was what I was thinking with my dizzy mind.

 CH 3

    Chapter 3: Selecting skills

    ¡°Congratulations! Your level has been raised!¡±

    It certainly sounded like it.

    Then.

    ¨CChoose a skill to acquire.

    ¨C1 Sword Technique (Weak)

    ¨C2 Martial Arts (Weak)

    ¨C3 Hunger Resistance (Weak)

    ¨C4 Natural Healing (Weak)

    I utter the simplest of lines that someone in the same situation would probably say.

    ¡°What is happening¡­?¡±

    ¨CChoose a skill to acquire.

    ¨C1 Sword Technique (Weak)

    ¨C2 Martial Arts ¡­

    ¡°No, no, no! I understand that, but! What¡¯s with this all of a sudden!¡¡Sword Technique (Weak)? Skill?¡±

    The auditory hallucination (?) continues in a flat tone, as if it were a mechanical woman on an automated telephone desk.

    ¡ª  <Sword Technique (Weak)> is a skill that immediately allows you to acquire skills that one would gain after about three years of training in an average Japanese Kendo dojo.

    I tapped my temple with my index finger and tried to regain my composure.

    ¡°Then, how about¡­ <Martial Arts (Weak)>?

    ¡ª <Martial Arts (Weak)> is a skill that immediately allows you to acquire skills that one would gain after about five years of training in an average Japanese Karate dojo.

    ¡° <Hunger Resistance(Weak)>?¡±

    ¡ª  <Hunger Resistance (Weak)> will allow you to go more than a week without eating or drinking.

    ¡°And the last one?¡±

    ¡ª  <Natural Healing (Weak)> allows you to recover from minor injuries within a day.

    ¡°Huh!¡±

    Well, I guess that¡¯s about it.

    Wiping the bloody end of the katana with a curtain, I accepted the situation easily.

    This is what a maiden¡¯s tolerance is all about. Maybe.

    What the hell, though.

    I thought to myself, ¡°Was I chosen or something?¡±

    I don¡¯t know what it is, but it¡¯s a supernatural being.

    Or maybe the world has completely changed while I¡¯ve been holed up playing games, and a similar phenomenon is happening to all the people around the world.

    Well, I guess it¡¯s up to me how I see the situation.

    This is the world we live in. In any case, wouldn¡¯t you like to think of yourself as the hero of your own story?

    ¡ª Choose a skill acquire¡­

    ¡°Well then, please give me the <Sword Technique (Weak)>.

    I was given this Japanese katana by my grandfather.

    This is the only thing that my evil relatives (excuse the pun) left for me and I didn¡¯t get a penny of the rest of my inheritance, but it is a memento. I could sell it to gain a little money.

    Well, I¡¯ve used it (in a meaningful way), so it won¡¯t sell it anymore.

    A female swordswoman who slays zombies with her grandfather¡¯s memento.

    What do you think?

    Don¡¯t you long for it?

    ¡ª Affirmative. Assimilating skill effect.

    At the same time.

    From within my body, I instantly felt that I had changed.

    ¡°Huh¡­!¡±

    An unaccustomed whistle leaked out from my mouth.

    Apart from that, nothing else change. My arms are same without any muscles. It is a typical gamer¡¯s thin arm.

    It¡¯s already, how can I put it¡­ amazing.

    It¡¯s an odd feeling.

    It¡¯s so amazing (sudden loss of vocabulary).

    I swung the sword to test it, and the blade flashed through the air with such speed that I could not believe was my own.

    I guess this is the ¡°three years worth¡± of skills.

    The girl who was holding the sword with a hefty hand is nowhere to be seen.

    And¡­

    With that thought, I regained my composure.

    So what am I supposed to do?

    Since I was given mysterious powers, there must be a purpose.

    At least that¡¯s what it seemed like to me.

    ¡°Hey, Ms. Auditory Hallucination. What should I do next?¡±

    That¡¯s why I asked the question to the sky. From a distance, I may have looked like a dangerous girl.

    A moment later, nothing happened.

    I was wondering if I wouldn¡¯t get a response because I called her a hallucination.

    I was not expecting such an answer.

    In short, it was easy to see that it was just like a video game.

    This is a common type of role-playing game.

    You can raise your level by defeating demons and completing quests.

    Hmm.

    I want to stay indoors somewhere and play games all the time.

    However, it is certain that I will be plagued by power shortages everywhere I go until this fiasco is over. In fact, there is a possibility that no new games will be released at this time. I have to avoid such a situation.

    ¡°Well, let¡¯s give it a try, shall we? To save the world.¡±

 CH 4

    Chapter 4: To the Adventure Trip

    So, I scavenged the room and got ready to go.

    Equipment check

    Weapon: Grandfather¡¯s Katana (+255 Attack)

    Armor:     School Jersey (+62 Defense)

    Sports Shoes (+57 Speed)

    Others:   Black-rimmed Glasses (+100 Vision)

    Rubber hair-band (+9 Speed, +5 Accuracy)

    Well, the parameters in bracket are random.

    I¡¯m in the mood.

    Incidentally, the contents of the backpack are:

    Item:        Delicious water (Recovers HP when consumed)

    CalorieMate (too good)

    All-purpose knife (dismantles ingredients)

    Flashlight (Ghosts are not scary!)

    Spare Clothes

    It was like this.

    I¡¯m all set to go, and after grabbing the doorknob to go out, I take a moment to look back at my house.

    Thanks to the late Mr. Tanaka, the smell of death is already spreading throughout the house.

    Hmmm, no regrets.

    Now, let¡¯s go outside.

    As I opened the door, my eyes met with a zombie (the first one I saw) who was still hanging around.

    ¡°Ugw¡­¡±

    Before he could finish what he was saying.

    ¡°Ha¡­¡±

    I stabbed the tip of my blade between the ¡°zombie¡¯s¡± eyes with minimal effort.

    It was as if a switch had been flipped, and the zombie lost its power beneath its feet.

    It was easily neutralized successfully.

    Mmm-hmm. I guess zombies are not as big a deal as I thought.

    But I didn¡¯t have any time to spare.

    A female zombie with long hair and glasses jumps out from behind the first zombie.

    ¡°Ok.¡±

    This time, with a little more force, I destroyed the woman¡¯s brain with her entire pair of glasses.

    And another one.

    From the far end of the corridor, I see a man walking towards me with a tottering gait.

    So I came up with a little experiment.

    I wondered how much damage kills the zombies.

    ¡­Oh, just so you know, this is not an outburst of some hidden cruelty hobby or anything like that.

    I thought it would be very important and reasonable to study their ecology now, as I plan to engage in a back-and-forth battle with the zombies in the future.

    I don¡¯t want it to be like ¡­, you don¡¯t learn about the biology of zombies until you¡¯re in trouble.

    The only time to do this kind of thing is while you can afford it.

    ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    ¡°Kooooo¡­¡±

    Now that you¡¯ve confirmed your identity, let¡¯s get started.

    For example, zombies are often seen in movies as dying only when their heads are destroyed.

    I stabbed the Japanese sword as hard as I could into the heart of the zombie that was wobbling a few meters away.

    I can feel its ribs cracking and the flesh ripping. The reddish-black blood splashes on my cheek, but I don¡¯t care. The bad feeling I had when I stabbed Mr. Tanaka has already disappeared. I¡¯m a highly adaptable girl.

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    As I twisted my wrist with the sword still in hand, blood spread slowly across the zombie¡¯s chest.

    What is it?

    ¡°Uoooooooo!¡±

    Too bad, he looks perfectly fine.

    ¡°So long,¡± I say, drawing my sword.

    I then cut off both arms that were stretched out toward me with a single slash of my sword.

    With a poof, the zombie¡¯s arms fly and fall to the floor.

    ¡°Once more.¡±

    Muttering, I flicked both his legs in front of me.

    Losing his knee, he lied in a pool of blood, spattering the area with a messy red color.

    ¡°Fumu¡­¡±

    I waited in a daze for a few minutes.

    ¡°Uo¡­ ubo¡­¡±

    I think its losing energy.

    However, it seems that he won¡¯t die until I destroy the head.

    I felt sorry to leave him alone, so I thrust my sword into his head.

    Then, the wriggling caterpillar-like zombie simply stopped moving.

    Thank you for your cooperation in this experiment. Unnamed zombie.

    The other thing I¡¯m curious about is the conditions for mutation.

    I don¡¯t want to do an experiment where I get bitten on purpose, and I¡¯m sure I¡¯m the type that would pass out if bitten. It seems that Mr. Tanaka also mutated after one bite.

    The problem is the type that can become airborne.

    If that¡¯s the pattern, there¡¯s nothing I can do about it. There is no way to prevent it.

    If I were truly a person ¡°Chosen by God¡±, I would have been born with antibodies or something like that, and I wouldn¡¯t have to worry about it.

    But, well, there¡¯s no point in dwelling on this.

    Let¡¯s try not to think too much about this, shall we?

    For complete peace of mind, though, it would be better to show up at a place where people gather and share a lot of information.

    Hmm.

    Then I could narrow down where I should go next.

    And so I left my ramshackle apartment in a hurry.

    Farewell home. I¡¯ll be back when I feel like it.

    You know, to clean and stuff.

 CH 5

    Chapter 5: Let¡¯s Go To School

    The first place I headed for was the school I go to everyday.

    The reason was simple. It was close by, and it looked like a safe place to be.

    I lost both of my parents in a car accident, and as a result of being shunned by all of my other relatives, I ended up formally enjoying the free spirited-ness of living by myself living alone. After the accident, I decided to live in the same apartment as I have always lived, with it being ¡°close to school¡± one of the deciding factors.

    Rather than spending more time commuting, I¡¯m more of the ¡°wants to sleep for as long as possible before heading out to school¡± type.

    The Miyabigaoka High School was less than five minutes away from home on foot.

    Fortunately, most of the zombies along the way seemed to be busy with fresh, steaming raw meat, and didn¡¯t even look at me. Still, two of them came up towards me.

    After I finished killing the attacking zombies, the fanfare rang in my head once again.

    ¨CCongratulations! Your level has increased!

    Another level up, huh?

    If I was ¡°Level 2¡± up until now, I suppose I¡¯m ¡°Level 3¡± now¡­

    I seem to be going well.

    But still, it¡¯s not surprising¡­

    After all, it seems that I needed to defeat more enemies to increase my level from 2 to 3 than what I needed to increase from 1 to 2.

    This really felt like a game.

    ¡ª Please choose the skill you would like to learn.

    ¡ª 1 ¨C Sword Technique (Intermediate)

    ¡ª 2 ¨C Auto-Maintenance

    ¡ª 3 ¨C Martial Arts (Beginner)

    ¡ª 4 ¨C Hunger Resistance (Weak)

    ¡ª 5 ¨C Natural Healing (Weak)

    Hm?

    I had to think about it for a little, despite the road ahead being filled with zombies.

    ¡°I think I can understand what ¡®Sword Technique (Intermediate)¡¯ is, but what about ¡®Auto-Maintenance¡¯?¡±

    ¡ª ¡°Auto-Maintenance¡± is a passive skill that will restore your deteriorated gear to 60% durability over time.

    I tilted my head to the side once again.

    ¡°When you say ¡®gear¡¯, you mean things like this sword? Or will it restore things like expired food to normal?¡±

    Though I asked him, Mr. Hallucination (a nice pet name I came up with for the voice in my head) was like¡­

    ¡ª Please choose the skill you would like to learn.

    ¡ª 1 ¨C Sword Technique¡­

    He started again from the top.

    So he seemed to be the ¡°relatively inflexible¡± type.

    Either way, my intuition as a gamer was whispering words into my ears. The ¡°gear¡± the skill might be referring to could very well be the Japanese sword I had right now.

    So in short, this would be like a Skill Tree, like the ones commonly found in RPGs.

    If you strengthen one skill, it will start to branch off into several other skills, allowing you to steadily strengthen the skills from that line.

    First, I had acquired a skill called ¡°Sword Technique (Beginner)¡±.

    That¡¯s why now I had two options that each allowed me to specialize in fighting with a sword.

    Then, the skills that I have not chosen could be divided into lines as well.

    I imagined it would be something like¡­

    ¡°Martial Arts (Beginner)¡± would lead towards something like a ¡°monk¡± class that would have skills for specializing in bare-handed combat?

    ¡°Hunger tolerance (weak)¡± would lead towards a ¡°survivalist¡± class of sorts? I don¡¯t know.

    ¡°Natural Healing (weak)¡± would lead towards a class that improves vitality, and maybe other healing skills?

    Or something like that.

    I heard groaning around me. There were enemies all over the place.

    I¡¯m the type of person that can¡¯t choose well under these circumstances.

    Whenever I make decisions like these in a hurry in a game, I would later check a walkthrough for it and go ¡°Aw, I should have chosen this other thing instead¡±.

    Ah, I¡¯ll be darned!

    Frustrated, I decided to just say ¡°eeny meeny miney moe¡± and be done with it.

    As a result¡­

    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go with ¡®Auto-Maintenance¡¯.¡±

    This Japanese sword is a keepsake from my grandfather. I want to be able to use it for as long as I can.

    ¡ª Understood. Applying Skill effect.

    Then¡­

    ¡­

    What is this?

    ¡­To my surprise, this time, there were no dramatic changes.

    It made me wonder if the skill had bugged out or something like that.

    Then again, this might be one of those skills that will come into effect later¡­ maybe?

    Now that I think about it, 60% isn¡¯t all that great¡­ is it?

    Oh well.

    *sniff*

    Still brooding over it, I finally reached the school gate.

    ¡°Whoa.¡±

    The first thing I saw was a lot of zombies vigorously roaming through the school¡¯s playground.

    The school gate seemed to be only halfway closed. Apparently, they tried to prevent the invading zombies from entering the school grounds by closing the gate, but it seems that didn¡¯t go as planned.

    I then noticed two unfamiliar students of our school had become lunch for the zombies in front of the school gate.

    You poor things.

    Since they were students from the same school as I was, their deaths had weighed on my mind, if only a little.

    So I resolved myself to avenge their deaths.

    With a quick swing of the sword, I sliced through the back of the zombies¡¯ necks, completely eliminating them.

    Fortunately, the zombies seemed to be too immersed in their meal, so they didn¡¯t bother to defend themselves.

    The next thing to do was¡­ that.

    The students that were being eaten just now.

    I¡¯d have to deal with them as well.

    I thrust the tip of my sword into their foreheads, so that they wouldn¡¯t rise again from the dead.

    Were they alive?

    Were they dead?

    Was I just preserving their dignity?

    I didn¡¯t want to think about such complicated things.

    The entire operation was completed in a matter of seconds.

    There was no point in staying here any longer.

    The school gate made a rattling noise as I closed it, blocking the access to the outside.

    After I locked the gate with a click, the next thing that I had to do in order to finally feel safe was to exterminate every zombie left in the school grounds.

    Then I felt another groan, but this time, it came from my belly.

    Ah.

    That¡¯s right.

    I haven¡¯t had lunch yet.

    Let¡¯s go take care of that quickly.

 CH 6

    Chapter 6: The Beginning of a Legend

    ¡°Haah, haah, haah.¡±

    Kousuke Hibiya was running out of breath.

    He wasn¡¯t going to make it. There was no saving him from death.

    He had four of them chasing after him. Four of those things.

    They were things. They were no longer human. They couldn¡¯t be human.

    Anyone who could still walk around as if nothing happened while their guts were dragging on the floor, or their hearts pierced through, or their jaws crushed, or their arms missing¡­ could no longer be called a human being.

    They simply couldn¡¯t die.

    The four that were chasing him were by no means too fast.

    By running with all of his might, he would be able to get away from them easily enough.

    But they¡­

    They would never get tired.

    They would never give up.

    And they would never, ever, stop chasing someone they had set their eyes on.

    No matter how much he could run.

    No matter how much he would try to escape from them.

    They will eventually catch up to him.

    It was just like a bad dream he had when he was a little boy.

    He thought this was the end of the world.

    ¨‹

    The world broke apart three days ago.

    At the intersection of Shibuya.

    Everyone seemed to think that the first one of those ¡°things¡± was drunk or something.

    ¡°It¡± walked around, grabbed a nearby man¡¯s arm and started biting it.

    The brave young man who tried to separate them also got bit.

    And thus began the outbreak.

    Since then, infected people started to appear in cities around the world.

    No one knows the details of when, where, and how the disease ¨Csimply called ¡°zombie disease¡±¨C originated.

    Some say that God had created it to destroy humanity. That the trumpet signaling the end had been blown.

    The buddhist Kousuke didn¡¯t believe in those things at all, but he realized that the world was heading towards its end regardless of who had blown the trumpet.

    And, even before the whole world ends, his own demise was approaching him a mere meter behind him.

    He sprained his ankle.

    That had undoubtedly been a fatal mistake.

    He felt ¡°their¡± fingers grazing against the back of his head.

    ¡°¡­Eeek!¡±

    He had seen many people killed by them.

    Not just killed. Eaten alive.

    He felt an instinctive horror.

    He didn¡¯t like zombie movies. He remembered watching a single scene on TV once before, and changing channels immediately after.

    In the scene, a man surrounded by zombies took his pistol and shot himself on the head. It was a gruesome suicide scene.

    Kousuke remembered thinking that it was stupid.

    The man had a gun. He should have made an effort to stay alive until the very end. He should have resisted.

    That¡¯s what he had thought on that day.

    Only now he could know how wrong he had been.

    It¡¯s much easier to hit the reset button of life by blowing your own brains out before you can feel the pain of being eaten alive by those things.

    If only he had had a pistol at hand, he would have gladly pulled the trigger and ended his own life right then and there.

    Unfortunately, in Japan, which was not a gun society, there was no easy way to get a pistol.

    With his face messed up by his own tears and dripping nose, Kousuke stumbled and fell rolling on the school playground.

    Something warm started to spread around his crotch area.

    His entire body had given up.

    ¡°At least, be gentle when you kill me.¡±

    He begged for a merciful death, but the next moment¡­

    ¡°Okay¡­¡±

    A girl appeared, muttering in a relaxed tone of voice.

    A red jersey. A third grade student.

    He noticed the ¡°Miyabigaoka High¡± emblem on her chest.

    The way she was fighting¡­

    ¡­He couldn¡¯t really describe it.

    It made him feel as if an actual monster hunter had come out of a game.

    With an almost mechanical movement, she thrust the tip of a Japanese sword into each of the zombies¡¯s skulls.

    That was it.

    With that alone, all four zombies died like a bug.

    ¡°¡­Eeh, aah?¡±

    The only words that managed to get out of his mouth were utter nonsense.

    The girl extended her hand towards him.

    Then, smiling, she said,

    ¡°That was close! Are you okay?¡±

    That was the beginning of a legend.

 CH 7

    Chapter 7 ¨C The Survivors

    ¡°Ah¡­ Yeah. I¡¯m fine.¡±

    To tell you the truth, he didn¡¯t seem to be very okay.

    His face was a mixed mess of tears and a runny nose.

    And he seems to have peed himself?

    As I deep down regretted reaching out to him¡­

    ¡°S¡¯okay, I can get up by myself¡­¡±

    Seemingly having sensed the mood, he stood up on his own.

    I looked around while trying my best to shift my attention from his drenched crotch.

    There were no enemies on sight.

    ¡°How many entrances did this school have?¡±

    I know I have been attending this school for 3 years now. But I can¡¯t help that I don¡¯t know what I don¡¯t know.

    ¡°¡­There are two gates at the back.¡±

    ¡°Are they locked?¡±

    ¡°I think¡­ one of ¡®em has been locked since the weekend. The other one¡­ is still open.¡±

    ¡°Ok, then I¡¯ll go make sure they¡¯re both closed.¡±

    When I said that, the boy stared at me with a surprised look on his face.

    ¡°Wait. It¡¯s dangerous to go alone.¡±

    ¡°Hmph.¡±

    Well¡­

    The reason why I was able to easily deal with those zombies just now was because they had gone completely nuts about the prey in front of them, that is, Mr. Leaky Pants here (tentative name).

    I don¡¯t have to worry too much about losing when fighting them one-on-one, but things could easily get out of hand if I end up in a situation where I¡¯m faced against several zombies at the same time. I can¡¯t handle such a thing with my current abilities.

    So if that happens, I¡¯ll have no choice but to turn tail and run away.

    But if someone were to draw the zombies¡¯ attention, that¡¯s a different story.

    They don¡¯t seem to be able to keep an eye on two goals at the same time, so in that case, I should be able to safely get rid of several zombies in one go.

    ¡°But your leg hurts, right?¡±

    When I turned my gaze to his right foot¡­

    ¡°¡­ Yeah. I can¡¯t keep up with you.¡±

    He easily admitted that.

    ¡°But if you were to ask someone else ¡­¡±

    ¡°Someone else?¡±

    After turning my face towards where he was pointing¡­ Ah, yeah.

    Someone else was definitely there.

    Actually, there were quite a lot of people staring at us from the school¡¯s second floor, where the second grade classrooms are located.

    Perhaps¡­ they had all seen my little action scene just now?

    That made me feel a bit embarrassed.

    It was a mix of 20 or 30 people of all ages.

    And they were all staring at me with an anxious look on their faces.

    For a moment, I felt like a gorilla in a cage.

    ¡°Who were those at the front gate?¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­ Yojiro and Takada-kun¡­¡±

    The moment he called their names, he remembered that they were no longer in this world, which brought tears to the eyes of Mr. Leaky Pants (tentative name).

    ¡°We were trying to close the front gate¡­ but we got surrounded¡­ I¡¯m the only one who managed to escape.¡±

    ¡°Hmph.¡±

    To summarize his words¡­

    Three courageous students from those who had taken refuge in this school were trying to close the main gate.

    As a result of failing to do so, two of them seem to have become prey to the zombies.

    Rest their souls.

    ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go.¡±

    We went to the school¡¯s entrance, towards where the shoe rack was.

    The glass door was tightly locked, and there was someone there.

    It was a short girl with a face that reminded me of a hamster.

    ¡°Kou-chan¡­¡±

    A fragile voice came out of Hamster Girl¡¯s mouth.

    Mr. Leaky Pants AKA ¡°Kou-chan¡± leant towards the girl, who seemed to be about to fall on her knees.

    ¡°I tried to help¡­ I tried to help¡­ But dad wouldn¡¯t¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I was planning to do that from the beginning.¡±

    The next moment¡­

    They started kissing fervently, almost as if my existence there was no different than a pebble by the roadside.

    Whoa.

    They¡¯re really giving it their best.

    I gotta get out of here. These guys are about to explode.

    Under the pretense of looking around, I started to look away.

    Then they hugged each other for about ten seconds or so.

    The girl then finally turned towards me.

    ¡°And you are¡­ Umm¡­ Are you a third-grader?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for helping Kou-chan.¡±

    ¡°Well¡­¡±

    ¡°Come on, get in quickly.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡±

    She unlocked the door, and I entered the school building as prompted.

    Took a deep breath¡­

    Then I took a drink out of my canteen.

    ¡°I¡¯m Asada Rika. Please call me Rika.¡±

    Rika-chan. I see.

    ¡°Ah, I totally forgot. I¡¯m Hibiya Kousuke.¡±

    Kou-chan. Alright.

    ¡°And your name is?¡±

    Instead of answering that¡­

    ¡°Let¡¯s leave the chat for later. We should make sure it¡¯s safe for everyone here first.¡±

    Then, some of the grown-ups appeared from the stairs behind the shoe rack.

    Some faces I knew. One of them was Mr. Sasaki, who was in charge of English during the year. Although he is a man, he had this high-pitched, almost womanly voice, and I also remembered that he was the type of person to get serious cases of hysteria whenever there was a chance.

    ¡°Hey, are you guys okay? Have any of you been bitten or scratched?¡±

    Mr. Sasaki asked us with his usual high-pitched voice.

    ¡°We¡¯re fine.¡±

    ¡°Rika! Don¡¯t act so rashly, you¡¯re gonna give me a heart attack¡­!¡±

    The one who scolded Rika-chan just now was a middle-aged gentleman wearing a stylish waistcoat.

    From his words, I guessed he was her¡­

    ¡°So, would you have had me leave them to fend for themselves, dad?¡±

    The remaining one was a woman wearing sportswear. She looked like she was in her mid-twenties. Apparently, she was also a teacher at this school, but I couldn¡¯t say for sure since I have never been in any of her classes.

    They seemed to have been arguing about how they shouldn¡¯t have gone out to close the main gate in the first place.

    Of course, their earlier conversation didn¡¯t have anything to do with me.

    ¡°Anyway, I¡¯ll go close the gates in the back, so if anyone could show me where they are¡­¡±

    I completely disregarded the flow of the conversation, and said that instead.

    That created an awkward silence, just like when a comedian stupendously botches a quick one-liner.

    Rika-chan¡¯s dad spoke in a heavy tone, saying¡­

    ¡°We just lost two people trying to close the main gate. It¡¯s too dangerous.¡±

    I stared at him with a blank expression.

    ¡°But¡­ If we leave those doors open, it¡¯ll only become even more dangerous than it already is.¡±

    To be honest, I didn¡¯t think it was a good idea to leave the gates open.

    I hadn¡¯t fully read the behavior patterns of those zombies yet, but for now, they seemed to be quite busy searching for corpses to suckle on.

    Though there was no telling how long that would last.

    At the very least, the ¡°zombies¡± from the movies tended to find their prey by sniffing the signs of the living from miles away.

    If that were to happen here, the zombies would eventually invade through the windows around the school building.

    By all accounts, our first priority should be blocking their intrusion routes.

    ¡°We all thought about it. We can use the classroom desks and chairs to create a barricade on the stairs and just stay put on the second floor. As you know, they won¡¯t notice us as long as we¡¯re quiet.¡±

    ¡°But ¡­ We can¡¯t stay in the school building forever.¡±

    ¡°We were able to endure spending last night here. I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll be able to continue to manage somehow from now on as well.¡±

    To me, that plan was way too optimistic.

    ¡°That¡¯s right. Besides, a rescue team might arrive earlier than expected.¡±

    That was the English teacher, Mr. Sasaki. I expressed my disagreement with him.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think so. I think we¡¯d better start getting ready to get used to living here for quite some time.¡±

    At that moment, I thought, ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we be prepared to face the worst possible scenario?¡±

    After all, we weren¡¯t dealing with only zombies here.

    I had seen several ¡°dragon¡± like creatures flying in the sky from the window of my apartment building. To me, the whole situation was so incomprehensible it seemed too risky to be relying on others for help.

    ¡°Still¡­¡±

    I understood what they were trying to say.

    Just now, two of them had fallen victims to the enemy.

    No one wanted to be the next victim.

    ¡°Okay, then please just tell me where they are. I¡¯ll go by myself.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t say such nonsense. It¡¯s too dangerous.¡±

    C¡¯mon, Rika¡¯s dad.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go.¡±

    That display of chivalry came from Hibiya Kousuke.

    ¡°No!¡±

    Rika-chan went pale. Then she continued.

    ¡°If you go anywhere with that sprained ankle, you¡¯ll just become a burden.¡±

    Ë½¤â¡¢Å¬¤á¤ÆÀä¾²¤ËÑÔ¤¤¤Þ¤·¤¿¡£

    I also tried my best to say my piece as calmly as I could.

    ¡°But¡­¡±

    ¡°S-So I¡¯ll go instead.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not going anywhere, young lady. You¡¯ll get your father sick with worry!¡±

    Ah.

    To be honest, I was starting to feel that this whole conversation was just a big waste of time.

    I decided to just keep quiet and wait for about 30 seconds.

    If we couldn¡¯t come to a conclusion, I would snatch the key from Rika and get a move on.

    ¡°Okay then, I¡¯ll go with her.¡±

    The one who had raised her hand right now was a person who hadn¡¯t spoken much up until now.

    It was that mysterious female teacher (let¡¯s call her Mrs. A for now), who spoke in a perfectly natural Kansai dialect.

    She had long, black hair, and sharp eyebrows that made her look like someone with a strong sense of responsibility. She also had a very muscular and firm body for an adult woman.

    ¡°I-I see¡­¡±

    No one seemed to disagree with the brave lady teacher¡¯s kind offer.

    After all, maybe they were just looking for an excuse not to go themselves. I could understand that feeling quite well, so I didn¡¯t comment on it.

    For the most part, I¡¯m a bit stubborn since I know that there are ways to deal with these zombies.

    We could kill them by simply crushing their heads. How hard could it be to smash a human skull, after all?

    In that regard, this sword was truly something else. It could pierce through a zombie¡¯s skull with effort.

    I couldn¡¯t thank my grandfather enough for leaving me this sword.

    ¡°Alright, no time to dawdle. Let¡¯s go. Rika, the key, please.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­ Sure.¡±

    Rika-chan quickly handed her the key.

    Though her hand couldn¡¯t stop shaking.

 CH 8

    Chapter 8 ¨C The First Achievement

    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go¡­ Heave-ho!¡±

    The door opened along with the nameless lady teacher¡¯s shout of encouragement.

    I had already confirmed this, but there were no enemies on the school¡¯s playground.

    I left my keys, backpack, and sword scabbard with Rika-chan¡¯s dad, and then started walking lightly.

    Led by the teacher, I moved on to a place I have never set foot in for the past three years.

    ¡°This way.¡±

    We walked through the playground towards the back of the school building. After getting past the gymnasium, I saw a beautiful courtyard.

    Oh, so there was something like this over here¡­

    ¡°You¡¯re a third-grader, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    She asked me as she stared at my jersey.

    The jerseys at our school came in different colors depending on the student¡¯s grade, so I guess that¡¯s how she could tell.

    ¡°Yeah, well¡­¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve been here for three years, but you¡¯ve never been to the courtyard?¡±

    She said that with a somewhat intruding tone of voice.

    ¡°My house is just a few minutes away from the main gate, so¡­¡±

    ¡°Yeah, but still¡­¡±

    The teacher was about to say something, but our conversation was suddenly interrupted.

    ¡°Uuuoooooohhhhh¡­¡±

    Two zombies were walking from the other side of the courtside.

    ¡°Here they come¡­!¡±

    Her breath had been taken away, and her voice was oozing with fear.

    Each zombie had different movement speeds.

    One of them seemed to be sprinting while the other one was heavily dragging its feet.

    That was something that was easy to notice by remaining calm.

    Holding my sword, I turned towards the faster of the two zombies.

    ¡°What are you going to do?¡±

    When she asked me that, all I could answer was ¡°Stay back¡±.

    I took a deep breath.

    I waited for my opponent to approach me, and then¡­

    A crunching sound.

    The sword pierced deeply between the zombie¡¯s eyebrows.

    The corpse immediately collapsed as if it had been switched off, so I kicked it aside and quickly repositioned myself.

    With a quick flash, I sliced through the slower zombie¡¯s forehead as if it had been made of butter. He too stopped moving as quickly as his friend.

    It was a little too easy.

    ¡°Amazing¡­¡±

    Those were the words of the teacher, who had seen it all from the back. She seemed to be truly impressed.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s okay to praise this kind of thing, but you don¡¯t seem very concerned.¡±

    ¡°Concerned? Concerned about what?¡±

    ¡°That¡­ the way they feel to the touch. Doesn¡¯t it gross you out?¡±

    ¡°Nah, I¡¯m fine.¡±

    I was telling it as it was.

    ¡°Is that so? ¡­I¡¯m really no good at dealing with the grotesque.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m already used to it.¡±

    Also, I really wasn¡¯t into thinking too much about it.

    After walking through the courtyard, we arrived at our destination.

    True to its status as a ¡°back gate¡±, it was a little smaller than the school¡¯s main gate.

    There was a small guard cabin near the gate, and I could see a convenience store on the other side of the road.

    ¡°Should we go to the convenience store while we¡¯re here?¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about? Don¡¯t you see what¡¯s going on?¡±

    I thought it was a smart idea, but I was scolded instead.

    ¡°Besides, there¡¯s no clerk in that store. How are you going to buy anything anyway?¡±

    Ah.

    Going shopping?

    To procure necessary supplies?

    To take them without permission?

    To put it bluntly, to steal?

    Still, it seemed that the idea of ??¡±stealing¡± itself was missing from this young lady teacher¡¯s mind.

    Either way, people here seemed to think that rescue would come soon, and in fact rescue may really come at some point, so I can¡¯t say they¡¯re wrong or anything.

    ¡°Alright, then I guess I¡¯ll close the gate now.¡±

    Fortunately, the entrance itself was narrow, so it seemed that there weren¡¯t many ¡°zombies¡± invading the premises. To put it in concrete numbers, there were only five of them.

    It just makes me feel uncomfortable, so I won¡¯t bother explaining their characteristics in detail.

    Let¡¯s just say that the oldest seemed to have been people in their sixties, and the youngest looked like they were in their teens.

    Of course, at first glance, all of them simply looked like ¡°people who are walking even though they¡¯re dead.¡±

    ¡°Can I do anything to help?¡±

    Her series of encounters with the zombies seemed to have caused the teacher¡¯s tone of voice to become calm once again.

    ¡°Ah, if you can, please raise your voice and clap your hands to draw them in.¡±

    I could see the word ¡°regret¡± writing itself on the teacher¡¯s face after I so casually asked her to do that.

    She seemed to have offered to help since she was an adult, but to be honest, she didn¡¯t want to be involved in the killing.

    ¡°¡­Got it.¡±

    Still, the teacher replied with bravery.

    ¡°Okay¡­ Here goes.¡±

    After saying that, the teacher turned around, and¡­

    ¡°Okaaaaay! Atteeeeen-tion!¡±

    She had raised her voice way louder than I had expected.

    ¡°Everyoooone! Over heeeere!¡±

    There I realized that I was familiar with this teacher¡¯s voice.

    That¡¯s right. She was a PE teacher.

    I hadn¡¯t really seen her face seriously before since she was in charge of another grade, but I remember hearing her cheerful voice from the playground during class.

    ¡°Heeeey! Look over heeeere!¡±

    However, her familiar voice really came in handy.

    All of the five zombies turned their attention to her. I was sure that I, who was usually low-profile, had become as invisible to them as possible.

    I approached the back gate, getting myself behind the zombies and away from their line of sight.

    A hand appeared from behind the guard cabin and touched the steel gate.

    ¡°Hmph. Hmm!¡±

    That¡¯s where things got a little tricky.

    A female zombie jumped into the steel gate just as I slammed it shut.

    She seemed to have been drawn in by the teacher¡¯s high-spirited voice.

    Her hand briefly let go of the steel gate before she grabbed it again and started rattling it.

    ¡°Uoooooohhh¡­¡±

    The female zombie growled in dissatisfaction, probably because she had almost gotten herself crushed by a considerably heavy steel gate.

    But I wasn¡¯t flustered by that.

    I took a bit of distance from the zombie and took up my sword.

    Then I calmly pierced through the zombie¡¯s forehead with it.

    After that, I shoved the zombie away with my foot, and glanced over at the convenience store across the street, thinking about how it was a shame that we couldn¡¯t go there to get some supplies.

    However, after noticing that there were at least four or fifty or more zombies on the other side of the road, I quickly reconsidered. Having to deal with that many at this point would¡¯ve been too much for me.

    ¡°Uooooooooohhh¡±

    ¡°Ooooooohh¡­¡±

    ¡°Guuuuuuuuhhh¡±

    A few zombies outside noticed this, and started groaning.

    As a result, a small flock heard them and started to move towards the gate.

    Huh.

    So they seem to be able to communicate with each other to some extent.

    Oh well, I won¡¯t be dealing with them, though.

    That must be why the convenience store was empty. Hope everyone¡¯s okay.

    After making sure the gate was tightly shut and locked, I went back to the teacher¡¯s call for rescue I could hear behind me.

    Sword in hand, I turned back to the teacher.

    I didn¡¯t have that big of a job waiting for me.

    It was just a simple task to get rid of a group of zombies who were too obsessed with chasing the teacher like fans before their idol, one after another.

    Then, when I finished killing the last one¡­

    The usual fanfare.

    ¨CCongratulations! Your level has increased!

    And again.

    ¨CCongratulations! Your level has increased!

    Then, another fanfare, which was a bit more like ¡°Pam parapam pam pam paaaam~¡±, making it way more extravagant than usual.

    ¨CCongratulations! Achievement ¡°First Safe Area¡± unlocked!

    That¡¯s what it said.

    To me, it sounded like nonsense.

    C¡¯mon, achievements?

    What is this, a western game?

 CH 9

    Chapter 9 ¨C A Pleasant Skill

    ¡°Oh¡­ thank you. You saved me.¡±

    The female teacher bows her head down, fearfully looking at the ¡°zombie¡± that I killed.

    I nodded a little to her and then turned my back.

    ¡°What should we do now?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll check if there¡¯s anything else, just in case. If you want to, you can go back first.¡±

    When I moved a distance from the teacher, as I expected, I heard the voice asking if I want to get a skill.

    ¨D1, ¡¶Sword Technique (Intermediate)¡·

    ¨D2, ¡¶Super Maintenance¡·

    ¨D3, ¡¶Martial Arts (Beginner)¡·

    ¨D4, ¡¶Hunger Resistance (Weak)¡·

    ¨D5, ¡¶Natural Healing (Weak)¡·

    ¡°¡­ Well, what does  ¡®Super Maintenance¡¯ do?¡±

    ¨DBy acquiring ¡°Super Maintenance¡±, the deterioration of equipment will be automatically repaired up to 80% over time. It also increases the repair speed over time.

    It¡¯s easy to understand at least.

    It was the higher tier version of the skill I previously acquired ¡¶Auto Maintenance¡·.

    I put my hand on my chin and thought for a while.

    Earlier, I heard a voice saying that I had acquired the achievement ¡°First Safe Area¡±.

    In other words, it seems safe to think of this as a safe place for a while (although I have no idea how long it guarantees ¡°safety¡±).

    Safe area.

    And, in the vicinity of the school, there is a convenience store.

    ¡­Hmm.

    At least, ¡¶Hunger resistance (weak)¡· is going to be excluded from my options.

    When it comes to that, the remaining candidates will be combat skills or << Natural Healing (weak) >>.

    Well, so far, I¡¯m not inconvenienced by my combat power.

    Then, I decided to emphasize the stability of my own life.

    ¡°I choose the fifth one ¡®Natural Healing (weak)¡¯.¡±

    ¨DThen, please choose the skill you want to acquire next.

    ¨D1, ¡¶Sword technique (Intermediate)¡·

    ¨D2, ¡¶Super Maintenance¡·

    ¨D3, ¡¶Martial Arts (Beginner)¡·

    ¨D4, ¡¶Hunger Resistance (Weak)¡·

    ¨D5, ¡¶Natural Healing (Middle)¡·

    ¨D6, ¡¶Skin strengthening¡·

    So that¡¯s it.

    It seems that it was not my misunderstanding that I heard the voice  say level up twice earlier.

    Certainly, a while ago,

    ¨DYou can act freely for a while. It is recommended to raise your level by helping people or defeating enemies.

    I remember being told that.

    It seems that ¡°raising the level¡± is also possible by ¡°helping people¡±.

    Furthermore, there is one more thing I learned.

    Since I came to the school, I have dealt with a considerable number of ¡°zombies¡±.

    And in this case, my level went up by two at a time.

    The ¡°level¡± rule can be inferred from this.

    ¡°Helping people¡± gives more experience than killing ¡°zombies¡±.

    ¡­Then.

    In short, the more difficult the trouble I help with, the more experience I earn.

    Well, it¡¯s not surprising when compared to games, though.

    ¡°What are the effects of the 5th and the 6th ones?¡±

    ¨DIf you get ¡°Natural Healing (Medium)¡±, you will be able to recover from moderate injuries (fractures, dislocations, etc.) within a day.

    ¨DObtaining ¡¶Skin Strengthening¡· will increase the strength of your skin and make you less likely to get injured. Also, you will be able to withstand a certain amount of cold even if you are naked.

    Wow.

    It¡¯s already getting to superhuman levels.

    I don¡¯t have any plans to run around naked even if you say, ¡°It¡¯s not cold even if you¡¯re naked~¡±.

    I was worried.

    Personally, I also want to increase the defense power with <<Skin Strengthening>>. But as a result, I don¡¯t know if any changes will happen to my body.

    What if my body gets really rugged?

    When I give my important [censored] to the prince on a white horse who may appear in the future, wouldn¡¯t he be put off by how my skin feels to the touch?

    Well, such a person will not appear for the time being, I do not know if it will appear at all in the first place, and it is unavoidable to think about the future.

    I hesitated once before after all,

    ¡°Please give me natural healing again.¡±

    I chose the one with relatively little physiological disgust.

    ¨DThen, the skill effect is being applied.

    The next moment, a strange feeling is born inside me.

    Should I say that I am full of vitality? Or should I say it feels like my cells are being activated?

    I thought when I acquired ¡°Sword Technique (Beginner)¡±, but this feeling is a little difficult to explain.

    However, I was convinced that something had changed in my body.

    If you thought that this was the end of the level-up process¡­

    ¨DPlease select the reward for the achievement ¡°First Safe Zone¡±.

    ¡­Hmm?

    Apparently there is still more.

    ¨D1, Medicine.

    ¨D2, Antidote.

    ¨D3, Holy water.

    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±

    When I asked that,

    ¨D¡°Medicine¡± recovers minor injuries immediately by drinking.

    ¨DWhen you are bitten by a ¡°zombie¡±, ¡°Antidote¡± neutralizes the poison when drunk.

    ¨D¡°Holy water¡± can be sprinkled on your body to make it difficult for ¡°zombies¡± to be attracted to you for a few minutes.

    The voice answered everything in a lawful manner.

    Ah.

    Somehow, it increasingly becomes like a game.

    ¡°Achievements¡± are probably titles or trophies that can be obtained by satisfying specific conditions.

    Apparently, ¡°achievements¡± can be canceled by satisfying some conditions.

    And by canceling the ¡°achievements¡±, you can get a specific reward.

    So that¡¯s it.

    When it comes to that, I¡¯m worried about the conditions for acquiring that ¡°achievement¡±.

    It may be possible to confirm it somehow, but for now, it may be better to feel like ¡°I¡¯m lucky to get something¡±.

    After thinking for a little while, I gave my answer.

    ¡°Then, with the ¡®Antidote.¡¯¡±

    And after a few seconds of waiting.

    ¨DThen, the item will be supplied.

    The moment after I heard that voice, a small bottle jumped into my chest with a blunt feeling like ¡°Let¡¯s do it.¡±

    I caught it in a hurry.

    It is unknown where it came from.

    From outside the field of view, it flew as if it had fallen and sprung up.

    The size of the vial is a little smaller than an energy drink.

    ¡°Wow¡­¡±

    I let out a dumb voice.

    The existence that appeared in front of me, ¡°Antidote¡±, had two meanings to me.

    First of all, the mysterious voice that I¡¯ve been hearing since this morning.

    The voice is not a kind of delusion that exists only in my mind, but something paranormal that has a physical effect.

    For the me who has played lots of games, I noticed the mysteriousness of this when I was able to swing the katana dexterously, but in this case, I got a solid proof.

    And one more thing. This is important.

    Apparently, ¡°something paranormal¡± speaks to me.

    And it has some sort of causal relationship to this situation that is happening now.

    Otherwise, there is no way it can prepare a convenient item such as ¡°Antidote¡±.

    ¡­It¡¯s troublesome.

    While looking at the bottle of ¡°Antidote¡±, I was filled with bitter feelings.

 CH 10

    Chapter 10 ¨C Feeling of Relief

    After locking the back gate, I and the female teacher went around the premises just in case, and then returned to the entrance.

    As a result of that, we found that our high school is surrounded by fences, and sturdy iron gates, therefore the possibility of ¡°zombies¡± invading is quite low.

    It seems that many schools are basically designed to block outside invasion, and it seems that choosing this as the first destination was the correct answer.

    ¨‹

    Well, that¡¯s why.

    I will introduce the survivors!

    Though well, no one is so weird.

    According to the story, the total number of people who have evacuated so far is 43.

    There are many people from children to the elderly who have managed to avoid danger, but it seems that there are many students and their families at this school.

    It may be natural, but everyone seemed exhausted and many were injured.

    The most seriously injured was an old man sitting in a wheelchair. As a result of falling down the stairs along the way, he seems to have hit his body, and blood is oozing from the top of the bandage.

    Fortunately, thanks to his caring son and wife who take good care of him, it seems that he managed to come this far¡­

    Well, I can¡¯t introduce all 43 people one by one in such a condition, so I will introduce only the main people here.

    First, Rika-chan¡¯s dad, Asada Gouzou.

    Mr. Asada, who I have a slight impression of, is still a police officer.

    For the time being, it seemed that the leader of this group was Mr. Asada.

    Next, Professor Sasaki You.

    The teacher was at the school from the beginning. Thank you for coming to work on the weekend.

    It seems that it was Mr. Sasaki who invited the people seeking help to the school.

    And it was Mr. Asaka Suzuki, a female teacher, who went to close the back gate with me.

    At that time, the reason why we did not share our names with each other was because I was ¡°not very interested¡±.

    Though the other side said, ¡°I thought you knew my name.¡±

    Apparently she thought all the students knew her name.

    ¡­A little excessive self-consciousness?

    Well, that¡¯s fine, though.

    For the time being, these three people played a central role, and this community seems to be in order.

    Mr. Sasaki is an adult advisor.

    Mr. Asaka is a consultant for children (more than half of the people here are teenagers).

    It was Rika¡¯s Papa, Mr. Asada, who arranged it.

    ¨‹

    Everyone didn¡¯t seem to have the courage to go out of the school building yet, but it seemed that they were quite relieved because they were able to secure safety on the premises.

    After finishing my job, I started to eat the calorie mate (chocolate flavor) I brought with me in the corner of the classroom of the 2nd year and 3rd class, which was a temporary meeting place.

    It¡¯s too delicious.

    Ideally, I¡¯d want milk too.

    Originally, I wasn¡¯t a big eater, but it seems that I was quite hungry because I moved my body a lot today.

    Two packages disappeared in an instant.

    If you eat something, you start to feel sleepy.

    ¡°Soon. I think it¡¯s a few days at the longest¡­ Anyway, it¡¯s not that much of a fuss. It should be settled soon. Soon¡­¡±

    I was dozing off when I noticed that there was an uncle nearby who was telling his family such things as trying to hypnotize them.

    Then,

    ¡°Er¡­¡±

    I heard someone¡¯s voice.

    When I raised my head to look, there was a little girl in front of me.

    ¡°Sister, are you strong?¡±

    Her gaze was focused on the keepsake sword I was holding.

    When I was wondering how to respond,

    ¡°I apologize.¡±

    Her mother appeared and grabbed her little daughter away.

    I finally noticed it.

    Apparently, I¡¯ve distanced myself from the surroundings.

    Well, because I have a real sword, I think it¡¯s a reasonable action.

    I intended to keep my breath shallow so that I wouldn¡¯t get much attention from the others, but it seems I¡¯m conspicuous here.

    As soon as I start to be conscious of it, others¡¯ gazes start to hurt.

    I pretended to go to the bathroom and decided to sleep somewhere where I could be alone.

    I was wondering where to go, and it was my class, 3rd grade, and 3rd class that I naturally went to.

    Climb the stairs to the top floor.

    The class was right in the middle of the school building.

    When I went inside, there was a classroom that I was used to seeing, but looked a little different.

    I was wondering what was wrong with it, but it seems that it was the first time I came to the classroom with my outdoor shoes. It doesn¡¯t really matter now though.

    I sat down for the time being.

    It is quiet.

    It was so quiet that I could see the entire city at once when I opened the window to kill some time.

    Black smoke is rising from some places. It seems that the fire is rising in the distance, but I can¡¯t see the source.

    When I turned to the road, ¡°zombies¡± were wandering around as a matter of course.

    The figure of living people cannot be seen anywhere.

    Only dead people are walking.

    I thought again that it was an unrealistic landscape.

    My hand still has the feeling of cutting off flesh and bones.

    In some respects, it seemed like I was in a dream.

    ¡°Um¡­¡±

    And then.

    From the door, I heard Rika¡¯s voice.

    When I looked at it, I could see Kousuke too.

    A normie couple appeared in front of me.

    ¡°Are you in trouble?¡±

    Rika shook her head, and sprinted around, moving her desk and lining up her contents there.

    A box of chocolate and several cans of juice.

    ¡°Mr. Sasaki said that he found a lot of sweets in the staff room. Why don¡¯t we eat them together?¡±

    ¡°With pleasure.¡±

    Although I had just finished eating, I was hungry again for some reason.

    Maybe this is a side effect of the skills I got.

    Rika laughed and told me.

    ¡°Senpai, did you eat Calorie Mate in front of everyone?¡±

    ¡°So what?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why everyone finally realized. They¡¯ve escaped here and haven¡¯t eaten anything yet.¡±

    ¡°Huh.¡±

    While responding casually, I felt a little gloomy as if the gluttonous character had already taken root.

    ¡°Though eating right after killing zombies, you¡¯ve got strong nerves, Senpai.¡±

    It was Kosuke-kun who said that.

    ¡°Jeez. Kou, choose your words.¡±

    Even though I smiled outside, I was having cold sweat in my mind.

    Now that I think about it, it may have been a little insensitive behavior.

    In the summer of my second year of high school, as a result of playing too many games without drinking and eating, I had the experience of being overworked and overwhelmed.

    It was the result of not making the same mistake¡­

    I take a moderate amount of food and eat.

    ¡°Where did you get that sword?¡±

    Kosuke asked with interest. I don¡¯t have to hide it, so I¡¯ll tell you what it is.

    ¡°It¡¯s a memento from your grandfather huh¡­ It¡¯s cool¡­¡±

    It is unclear which part of my story he found ¡°Cool¡±, but he seems to be impressed.

    ¡°See, sure enough. Who said she stole it from the yakuza again?¡±

    Rika pouted.

    ¡°Wait a minute. Did I look like a yakuza?¡±

    When asked, the two shook their heads in a hurry.

    ¡°No, no. I just thought you weren¡¯t an ordinary person. Besides, your ability was too professional¡­ Asaka-sensei said.¡±

    That female teacher, doing that kind of thing behind my back¡­

    Well, that¡¯s fine, though.

    It¡¯s not unreasonable to think as such.

    ¡°I¡¯m a very ordinary high school girl who likes games.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±

    Rika nods as if she had seen it.

    Well, I¡¯m starting to become inhuman since this morning though.

    Therefore, I remembered the original reason for coming to school.

    Information gathering.

    Why is the situation like this?

    What is the cause?

    How is the country dealing with it?

    How soon will the situation be settled?

    Unfortunately, none of the questions gave me a satisfactory answer.

    After all, they also seemed to be greatly surprised.

    I hear that things started three days ago, but I¡¯m just surprised at how carefree I am.

    Although the world was ruined outside, I didn¡¯t notice it while I was absorbed in the game for three days.

    However, it seems that the situation reached this area relatively recently¡­ around yesterday evening.

    A terrifying number of ¡°zombies¡± rushed in from the direction of Ikebukuro like waves, and by the time they passed by, the city seemed to be messed up.

    I hear that it was like a sudden storm in the city.

    The two evacuated to the school quickly when the ¡°zombies¡± appeared in Shibuya, so they seemed to have escaped the difficulties somehow.

    Immediately after the outbreak, not few people believed that the ¡°zombie¡± case was a TV project with bad-taste and doubted it.

    In fact, until around noon yesterday, there was a program where the entertainer made fun of the existence of ¡°zombies¡±.

    The feelings are painfully understandable.

    Speaking of ¡°zombies¡±, they are generally seen as fictitious creatures that exist only in the world of American movies or games.

    The prejudice was stronger than I had expected, and when I saw ¡°zombies¡± with my eyes this morning, I couldn¡¯t believe it for a while.

    ¡°So that¡¯s it¡­¡±

    After listening to the story, I was deeply convinced.

    ¡°But according to Rika¡¯s father, I heard that the Self-Defense Forces were starting to move as of the day before yesterday. It shouldn¡¯t stay like this for long.¡±

    There is a reason.

    It is a ¡°zombie¡± that even I can deal with. Self-Defense Forces armed with firearms will easily get rid of it.

    However, there was only one thing I was interested in.

    ¡°¡­What about the ¡®dragon¡¯?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    The two looked at each other.

    ¡°Did you mention the ¡®dragon¡¯ in the news?¡±

    Kousuke¡¯s facial expression became strange. It¡¯s as if he doubts my sanity¡­

    ¡°Do you mean the ¡®Dragons¡¯ that appear in ¡®Dragon Quest¡¯?¡±

    ¡°Hmm. It looked a little more rugged than that¡­ If I had to say, I think it looked more like Rathalos in ¡®Monster Hunter¡¯.¡±

    ¡°That¡­ are you serious? This isn¡¯t a joke?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I saw it from my apartment this morning.¡±

    There are ¡°zombies¡± that were considered to be fantasy until now.

    Even if there was a ¡°dragon¡±, it wouldn¡¯t be strange.

    It seems that the two people in front of me were finally able to accept that fact.

    Their expression was frozen very quickly.

    This case is not about to end.

    I¡¯m sure it¡¯s just started.

 CH 11

    Chapter 11 ¨C School Exploration

    The place had an awkward atmosphere.

    I chose the desks of my classmates who seemed to use them as cleanly as possible (prejudice) and lined them up in the corner of the classroom.

    Pull out the blue sheet from the disaster prevention bag that was handed in advance.

    Put it on the desk¡­

    The bunk was completed in no time.

    It¡¯s okay to sleep on the floor, but I just felt like doing this.

    Even so, recent disaster prevention goods include travel pillows (the ones that inflate with air), eye masks, and even earplugs.

    By the way, the blanket is the one stored in a vacuum pack. Surprisingly fluffy.

    In this case, I miss the futon in my house, but let¡¯s put up with it.

    Looking out, the sun is already going down.

    How many ¡°zombies¡± can be seen from the school? ¡­Hmm, I feel like they¡¯re gradually increasing.

    I wish I was imagining things (escaping from reality)!

    Now that I have secured a bed, let¡¯s explore the inside of the school building while it is as bright as possible.

    I emptied my backpack and then left the classroom with my sword just in case.

    When I returned to the second floor, the adults seemed to be busy.

    Apparently, they were collecting desks to make a barricade.

    It seems that many people have already noticed the low athletic ability of ¡°zombies¡±.

    In fact, they said that it was difficult for them to even climb the stairs.

    It didn¡¯t seem difficult to prevent their invasion just by stacking desks.

    As an evacuation route, ropes and ladders for human climbing and descending will be placed near the barricade.

    There is a bit of a problem, there are about 6 elderly people in this community.

    Two of them are people who have managed to come here with the help of wheelchairs and other people.

    Because of that, if ¡°zombies¡± manage to reach here, the retreat for them will be cut off.

    However, rather than that, everyone seemed to want a place where they could lie down without any anxiety.

    For now, it seems that I am the only one who is convinced of the safety of this site.

    ¨DYou have won the achievement ¡°First Safe Zone¡±!

    Auditory hallucination certainly said that.

    I don¡¯t know how much I can trust it¡¯s words, but for the time being, I think that there is no danger to this place for the time being.

    I suggested that it would be better to collect the food in the cafeteria and the medicines in the infirmary before completing the barricade, but Mr. Sasaki seemed to be a little indecisive.

    To summarize his story,

    ¡°There are a lot of emergency equipment, so you can use any of them freely, but I don¡¯t know if you can take out anything else.¡±

    Indeed, it seems that this school has a sufficient amount of preserved food and disaster prevention equipment, including drinking water, biscuits and cup noodles.

    This is not a small amount, and it seems that if there are about 40 people here, they can spend a month with plenty of time.

    ¨E.Well, I don¡¯t think this case will be settled in a month though, it seems that everyone else, including myself, has a common understanding.

    Without having to say anything myself, Rika¡¯s dad and Mr. Asaka told me that I could use the equipment in the cafeteria and infirmary.

    ¨DElectricity is no longer available since this morning.

    ¨DSome of the stored food will go bad anyway.

    ¨DIn that case, you should use it.

    ¡­They said those.

    A curry party will be held in a hurry.

    Although our high school cafeteria is in the annex, you can enter it by going down the corridor from the second floor.

    The cooking seemed to be done by all the wives consisting of more than a dozen people.

    When I searched all over the school building for supplies, the smell of curry drifted around.

    At that time, the contents of my backpack were full.

    I¡¯ve looted a large amount of sweets.

    As expected, I couldn¡¯t go around all the rooms, but I can find a lot by just searching the places that I noticed.

    As a self-proclaimed person with high morals (laughs), I haven¡¯t tried to imitate them (because when I go home I could eat all I want without worrying about it from my stockpile), but unexpectedly everyone hides sweets secretly.

    In particular, the cultural club room was a treasure trove.

    Because I found so many sweets, I ended up going back and forth three times.

    ¡°¡­If the case is settled, I need to inspect my belongings again ¡­¡±

    That is the words of Mr. Asaka when he saw a pile of sweets spread out on his desk.

    I¡¯m sorry everyone.

    With that out of the way, I would like to thank you for the sweets.

 CH 12

    Chapter 12 ¨C Victim

    It¡¯s past 6 pm.

    In my sense, the dinner started a little early.

    Curry has a stable taste, probably because there was an aunt who had worked in an employee cafeteria somewhere among the refugees.

    The rice was cooked softly in consideration of people in old age.

    There was potato in it, I was dissatisfied with only that, but I am satisfied because I received a large serving of pickled vegetables.

    ¡°Huff! Huff! Delicious! Delicious!¡±

    When I noticed, I was eating the third plate of refills.

    It was at this moment that I was convinced of the changes in my body.

    I¡¯m originally a person with a thin diet, you know? Really.

    For rice, half a bowl was enough for me before.

    It changed this much.

    Everyone was watching me as if they were looking at a rare beast¡­

    I¡¯ve had enough.

    From now on, I will live as a gluttonous character.

    ¡°After all, do people who exercise eat more?¡±

    Rika giggles when she sees me eat.

    ¡°I wonder about that?¡±

    ¡°Ufufu¡­ Isn¡¯t it about yourself?¡±

    I wonder about it, really.

    I don¡¯t think I can see any boys who have four plates of curry.

    ¡°After all, have you been doing kendo since you were a kid?¡±

    Next, Kosuke was curiously asked.

    I somehow looked away,

    ¡°Ah, about that. Maybe about three years?¡±

    I answered.

    Even if he was looking at me with respect like that, it was something that I obtained without much effort.

    It feels a little awkward.

    Lunch ended with a cheerful atmosphere from beginning to end.

    It seems that everyone¡¯s smiles are coming back even if just a little bit.

    The wives seemed to be particularly energetic.

    Are women that strong? The experience of collaborative work may have helped the refugees to get to know each other.

    When I woke up in the morning, I wondered if the lid of the cauldron of hell had opened.

    Unexpectedly, there were no major problems, and it would be impossible for everyone to survive the situation.

    I thought that way.

    Of course, it was an irreparable and sweet outlook.

    ¨‹

    Early morning of the next day.

    I woke up in the unpopular 3rd year 3rd class.

    There are too many rooms here for the number of people who have evacuated. So, at night, everyone was divided into families and all the classrooms were used.

    Of course, I am lonely for the rest of my life, and I occupy the classroom by myself.

    When I looked out from the classroom, the sun had just begun to rise.

    While washing my face, I decided to take a walk, so I went downstairs with my sword and a plastic bottle.

    The barricade was already completed from the second floor down. Perhaps some of the survivors were good at that kind of work. Desks and chairs tightly packed with wire and tape provide complete protection from downstairs. Perhaps it is difficult for even humans to climb from the front.

    A ladder was placed beside the barricade, and in an emergency it seemed like a strategy to climb up and down between the first and second floors with this ladder.

    I thought something was weird shortly after I finished preliminarily inspecting the retreat path.

    The girl and her supposed mother were standing in front of the classroom.

    At this early in the morning.

    They shouldn¡¯t have anything to do either.

    The faces of the two were familiar.

    Yesterday,

    ¡°Sister, are you strong?¡±

    That girl who asked that simple question.

    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±

    I casually called out.

    ¡°¡­Nothing ¡­Noth-¡­¡±

    She replied with 5 seconds intervals.

    Mom looks to be in a stupor, and looks in weird directions.

    At least, I understood that it couldn¡¯t be ¡°nothing¡± as she says.

    I looked at the classroom. The sign says it¡¯s the 2nd year 5th class.

    The inside of the classroom at my alma mater cannot be seen from the corridor.

    When I listened to the door out of other options,

    I could hear splattering sounds.

    Ah. This is bad.

    Thinking so, when I was about to open the door, the mother grabbed my hand.

    And she shakes her head, ¡°No,¡± she says, like a little child.

    ¡°Excuse me.¡±

    After saying that, I gently pushed the woman away.

    How about then? The woman falls down as easily as a broken doll.

    ¡°Mom!¡±

    The girl watching it hugs her mom.

    She looks like she¡¯s facing a robbery.

    While thinking so in the corner of my heart, I entered the classroom.

    There was a picture from hell.

    There are two human silhouettes I can see.

    Probably the woman¡¯s husband and one of her relatives.

    One is an old man with white hair.

    The other is a middle-aged man.

    The middle-aged man is lying in the center of the classroom, in a position that looks like he tried to escape from something.

    The mouth of the old man who was bending over him was dyed bright red.

    A kitchen knife is stuck in his chest.

    Probably, after the middle-aged man resisted the old man who mutated into a ¡°zombie¡±, he thrusted a knife into him. It was like that.

    The muddy-eyed old man is still carrying meat to his mouth calmly, suffering a wound that would otherwise be fatal.

    ¡°¡­Ah.¡±

    Even though I faced the reality that I had expected, my heart could not accept the facts.

    I was flabbergasted.

    The hallucinations that I heard yesterday certainly said,

    ¨D¡±Safe Area.¡±

    I ruminate over the word.

    At that time, you must have heard the word ¡°safe zone¡±.

    That¡¯s why I was relieved. That¡¯s why I was off guard.

    That¡¯s why I slept like a log last night.

    If I think about it now, I have to say that it was imprudent of me.

    Indeed, when the back gate of this school was closed, at least it might have been possible to prevent the invasion of ¡°zombies¡± outside. At that moment, the inside of this school building may have been a ¡°safe zone¡±.

    However, after all, it is only temporary. The situation is constantly changing. Just because it was safe just before it doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s still safe.

    I had completely forgotten such a natural fact.

    ¡°When¡­ was he bitten?¡±

    I asked so that they could hear it outside the corridor.

    There is no reply.

    Of course, I didn¡¯t need an answer either.

    Probably, he got bitten before he arrived at the school.

    And that was hidden by his family here.

    I had seen an old man with an injured shoulder.

    I heard he got injured by falling.

    I was relieved with just that excuse.

    ¡°-My father-in-law is¡±

    When I turned around, the woman I mentioned earlier turned her crying and swollen eyes toward me.

    ¡°My father-in-law is ill¡­¡±

    I see, he¡¯s sick.

    Is it a human-eating illness?

    Well, it¡¯s not wrong.

    ¡°I¡¯ll get rid of it, so keep your child far away.¡±

    ¡°Wait!¡±

    The woman screamed.

    ¡°It will get better! It will definitely get better!¡±

    Hmm.

    I¡¯m at a loss for words.

    Because there was no material to argue.

    If it was said that this was some kind of ¡°illness¡±, I couldn¡¯t say that ¡°treatment¡± was impossible.

    I would like to have an illness that allows me to survive even if my hands and feet are cut off.

    Well, I wonder what I should do now.

    ¡°Ooooooooooooooooooooo¡­¡±

    When I was hesitating, the old man noticed me, and turned his hollow eyes toward me.

    He probably smelled fresh meat. He stood up and slowly began to walk towards us.

    One sigh.

    With the sword still in its scabbard, I stabbed his chest.

    The old man ¡°zombie¡± who lost his posture collapses into the sea of ??blood.

    I thought for a while on what I should do.

    I decided that it was dangerous to decide on this case at my own discretion.

    I turn my heels and leave the classroom.

    ¡°That¡¯s right. However, leaving it as it is is a risky act, so let¡¯s make a conclusion together.¡±

    I intended to say it as brightly as possible, but the woman¡¯s facial expression remained dark.

    ¨‹

    After a short while.

    You can hear an irregular knocking sound from the closed classroom door.

    The sound was from two different people.

 CH 13

    Chapter 13 ¨C To kill or to spare

    I wonder why I feel so sick. I didn¡¯t feel this bad when I killed my neighbor Tanaka¡­ Nor at the day my grandfather died.

    While trying to sort out my feelings, I ended up rummaging through my pockets, and as I did this, I found it. The source of those unpleasant feelings was right here¡­ Antidote. The item I got yesterday was on my pocket all along.

    If I had been a bit calmer. If I had thought more carefully¡­ I could have prevented this situation.

    As I started to think about what could have happened, a terribly unpleasant sensation took over my body, and I could not hold it back for long before all sorts of things flew back from my stomach. I vomited it all out. I let it all fall out of the window¡­

    This isn¡¯t like me. I¡¯m sorry that I didn¡¯t think of a solution when I had the opportunity to help them out, but I shouldn¡¯t be worrying about what has already passed¡­ Let¡¯s use this as a lesson. I will not make this kind of mistake again.

    As I made this decision, I turned around to leave the classroom that I was resting at, but then I saw Rika standing right in front of the door, she said, ¡°Uhn¡­¡± Understandably, she was looking a bit troubled right now

    ¡°You need something?¡± I asked her.

    ¡°We¡¯ll be discussing how to handle the situation of the Mizutanis¡­ Dad would like your opinion on it, senpai.¡± Rika answered¡­ Mizutanis though? Who are the-

    Ah¡­ Must be those two men who became zombies, as well as the rest of their family, ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll be right there.¡±

    As soon as I said that, I hurriedly drank a bit of water from my bottle before spitting it out through the window again.

    After that, we both left the classroom and started walking together. I felt a bit awkward, but eventually managed to say, ¡°Sorry that you had to see that¡­¡±

    Rika however, smiled a bit and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m glad I could see it actually.¡±

    ¡°You were what¡­?¡± I couldn¡¯t help asking her.

    ¡°You¡¯re also a human. You also have weak points. That¡¯s important on its own right.¡± She explained.

    ¡°I¡¯m not that different from everyone else¡­ I¡¯m also pretty worried about this whole situation, you know?¡± I told her.

    ¡°I know, right!? Yet I¡¯ve been hearing some people say some horrible things like ¡®she has no feelings¡¯ or ¡®she¡¯s just like a robot, she has no fear¡¯ and the like, you know!?¡± She replied.

    ¡°Ah¡­ I see.¡± Was all I could give as an answer. I was trying to lay low and be as inconspicuous as possible, but I guess it was a bit too much to ask for after calmly swinging my sword to kill zombies like I did a small while back¡­

    Well, I suppose I¡¯ll just have to worry about this later, for we were about to reach the meeting point. The third classroom of the second years.

    ***

    Me and the adults were all sat together in a circle. Everyone was using chairs, though one old man in particular was in a wheelchair. Though this one had no wound on his shoulder at least¡­ We were 17 people total, and were discussing what would be the fate of both Mizutanis. Mrs. Mizutani was, of course, also present.

    ¡°It¡¯s too dangerous!¡± Mr. Sasaki, the English teacher, exclaimed that.

    ¡°But¡­¡± Mrs. Mizutani still didn¡¯t seem to accept what we needed to do now.

    Rika¡¯s father, Asada Gozou, decided to intervene, ¡°I have known you and your family for quite some time now, Mrs. Mizutani, and I¡¯d really like to help you out in any way that I can, but¡­ I¡¯m afraid we cannot call someone who is still moving after being stabbed on the chest, a human.¡± He told her.

    ¡°B-but¡­¡± She still had a hard time accepting it.

    ¡°Look, we don¡¯t know much about your husband¡¯s condition, but if we go by what is in movies, there is no way to turn back once you have become one of them.¡± Mr. Sasaki said plainly.

    ¡°Wait, how can we just go assuming that the things we saw in movies is how those things behave in real life!?¡± The PE teacher, Suzuki Asaka, intervened.

    ¡°What other choice do we have? So far everything we saw is consistent with what we¡¯ve seen in movies¡­ At this point, it wouldn¡¯t surprise me if this was caused by some biological weapon made to replicate the exact experience of the¡­ Of those things we know of.¡± Mr. Sasaki told her, refusing to budge, though also avoiding to say the word ¡®zombie¡¯ out loud, even though we all knew what he meant.

    In more peaceful times, I¡¯d probably have laughed at someone seriously talking about biological weapons making zombies, but¡­ After seeing what we have seen so far, nobody dared laughing at his comment.

    Though I wonder if there is any merit into thinking about why this is happening¡­ Does it really matter if this was someone¡¯s plan or not?

    At this point, Mrs. Mizutani was already crying and trembling non-stop. There was a woman hugging her and trying to comfort her, but Mrs. Mizutani still tried to cling to hope somehow, ¡°Forever¡­ Can¡¯t we just¡­ Keep them there?¡± She asked.

    Mr. Sasaki was clearly feeling horrible right now, but still, he made his reply, ¡°I¡¯m deeply sorry for your husband, but¡­ It¡¯s too dangerous. Everyone already saw how strong someone that was bitten is. Even if they¡¯re slow, they can still tear people apart with their bare hands¡­ There is no way to guarantee that they won¡¯t be able to break the classroom¡¯s door and endanger everyone inside the school.¡±

    ¡­ Coming to think of it, I didn¡¯t try worrying about it much so far, but the zombies¡¯ power is definitely out of the ordinary. I really should be more careful when handling them from now on.

    ¡°C-can¡¯t we lock down that area and stop people from getting near¡­?¡± Mrs. Mizutani asked.

    ¡°How? Their movements are unpredictable, we can¡¯t be sure they¡¯ll act according to our plans¡­ Moreover, we can¡¯t be sure that no children will move closer to that place. I understand how you feel, but we must make sure that no one else is hurt by this now.¡± Mr. Sasaki seemed to be hurt by every word that he spoke, but he made sure to deliver the message.

    The room became silent. Nobody tried arguing any further. Everybody understood that Mr. Sasaki was right after all¡­ But he was the one willing to take the hateful role of being the bringer of bad news. It was quite courageous of him.

    If only he was as good at teaching English as he was at convincing others of his point¡­ Maybe I wouldn¡¯t hate English if he was.

    ¡°Then¡­¡± Mr. Asada, who was our leader of sorts, took a deep breath before continuing, ¡°I understand that it won¡¯t be of much help, but¡­ Mrs. Mizutani, I¡¯m sure that your husband wouldn¡¯t want to continue living the way he is right now.¡±

    Mrs. Mizutani just started crying even more than she was before. As she sobbed, the women near her hugged her and tried to calm her down¡­ There wasn¡¯t much more that they could do aside from comforting her.

    ¡°Then¡­ Regarding the fate of Mr. Mizutani¡­¡± As Mr. Asada said that, everyone¡¯s eyes turned towards me at once, ¡°It¡¯s hard to say it, but¡­¡± well, I thought it would come to this, ¡°It¡¯s alright if you don¡¯t want to do it. You¡¯re still a student after all¡­ But¡­ I mean¡­ You just¡­ Seem used to this. I think.¡± He seemed to be having a really hard time saying it. He seemed to be desperately trying to find the right words for this.

    I¡¯m not used to this though. It just dealt with the zombies because I needed to. But it seems that this act alone ended up automatically having me decided to be the executioner, because I am the only person to have handled them so far.

    It made me remember a time back in elementary, where I was forced to erase the blackboard because nobody else wanted to do it¡­ I hate this feeling.

    ¡°I can do it.¡± I told them. But then I continued, for I was not going to let them push all the work they don¡¯t want to do on me, ¡°However, I think everyone should start getting ready to do this sort of thing. For I¡¯m sure that it will be necessary for others to act in the future.¡±

    Nobody replied for a while. They did not seem to think I was wrong¡­ but they did not seem willing to dirty their hands either.

    Mr. Asada decided he needed to break the silence, ¡°If you ever end up being charged for murder because of this, you have my word that I¡¯ll testify for you. I promise that I¡¯ll tell anyone that asks, that it was me that ordered you to do it.¡±

    I think he was trying to make amends and trying to offer me some relief, but unfortunately those words provided me no comfort.

 CH 14

    Chapter 14 ¨C Executioner

    From what I have heard. Humans are usually unable to kill other people. Even during World War II the firing rate was lower than 15%, and even less of those shots were actually aimed toward enemy soldiers.

    Most people are simply unable to do such extreme acts of violence. And it was easy to notice it here, with the fact that nobody else that evacuated to this school has killed zombies yet.

    However, zombies are not people. They are dead, they have no personalities, there is no humanity left in them¡­ They can be seen as an ¡®enemy of mankind¡¯ of sorts. There is no other option on how to deal with them. We have to get rid of every zombie that is a danger to us.

    ¡­ Perhaps I am a weirdo for being able to separate things this cleanly.

    ¡°Senpai¡­ I heard of it.¡± Rika said. She seemed to be very worried.

    Kousuke was right next to her and said, ¡°It doesn¡¯t feel right¡­ Why is it that you are the one that has to do all the killing?¡± He seemed to be indignant.

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s alright. This might have never happened if I had noticed the situation a bit earlier anyways, so I was planning on taking responsibility regardless.¡± I told them.

    ¡°T-that¡¯s not your fault at all! None of us noticed anything until it was too late! It makes no sense for you to take responsibility!¡± Kousuke exclaimed. His point made sense in a vacuum, but I did have the antidote in my pocket¡­ If I had paid more attention, nobody would have died.

    I don¡¯t get why I have this mysterious power, but with it I can save not only myself, but also the people near me¡­ and I made a mistake on the way I exercised this power, therefore, I am fully responsible for this outcome.

    I didn¡¯t tell them about it though, it would just confuse them more if I did.

    ***

    I could hear the noises from the two zombies hitting the door. From the old man, and from his son that was bitten by him.

    In front of the door, Mr. Asada and Mr. Gozou were both positioned in a way that they could open the door for me as soon as I was ready.

    Almost all remaining survivors were watching us. I¡¯m not used to being the center of attention, so I was quite nervous right now¡­ However, everyone felt like they had to see what is it that, in the future, they may need to do themselves. I had no right to deny them this.

    As I held my sword up high, I started hearing an old woman reciting some Buddhist prayers. I figured I shouldn¡¯t pay attention to that.

    ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re alright? I can replace you if needed.¡± Ms. Asaka told me.

    I was happy to hear her offer, but, ¡°You¡¯re not good with grotesque things though?¡± I told her, to which she shook her head¡­ Besides, I think it wouldn¡¯t be a good idea to ask someone else to do it this late down the line. It¡¯s better if I do it.

    ¡°Well¡­ I guess¡­ We¡¯ll open this then¡­¡± Mr. Sasaki said as he unlocked the door.

    ¡°You ready¡­?¡± Mr. Asada asked me.

    ¡°Ready when you are.¡± I answered.

    Then, he opened the sliding door in one go.

    As soon as he did that, a zombie fell down the floor. Mr. Sasaki screamed on the spot as he saw the old man fall on the ground in front of everyone¡­ This was Mizutani Ichirou.

    I quickly pierced the back of his head. He was an easy target that wasn¡¯t moving much, so this was quick. As soon as the sword pierced his head, he immediately ceased to move. First one down.

    Then, without giving me any room to breathe, the other one jumped at me, the middle-aged man who had a red thing popping out of his abdomen¡­ This was Mizutani Kounosuke. Husband of Mizutani Tadako, who basically looked soulless right now, and father of Mizutani Rui, who is currently holding her knees while shivering in a classroom that is far from here.

    I jumped away from Kounosuke¡¯s attack while taking the sword out of Ichirou¡¯s head, and after taking a moment to catch my breath, I beheaded Kounosuke.

    His head flew off and rolled around the corridor¡­ For a moment, there was silence.

    Then, the Buddhist prayers became louder and faster, not to mention the sounds of some people hitting the ground as they fainted at the sight.

    And then, Mr. Sasaki screamed as he looked at the head that had stopped rolling by now. Everyone looked at it too, and then noticed that¡­ It was still moving. His mouth keeps opening and closing, trying to bite something, yet being unable to reach anyone¡­ Seems like they don¡¯t stop moving until the brain is properly destroyed.

    ¡°Please excuse me.¡± I said as I pierced Kounosuke¡¯s head with my sword, who now stopped moving for good¡­ Good night, Mr. Kounosuke, may your soul rest in peace.

 CH 15

    Chapter 15 ¨C Training

    I could see a large number of zombies below me. If it weren¡¯t for their obviously dead appearance, they would actually look like a group of fans cheering for their idol¡­ Which would be me, as I stood on top of the school¡¯s gate.

    After finding an easy target among them, I quickly stabbed my sword into its forehead, killing the zombie.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t this dangerous, senpai?¡± Kousuke asked me.

    ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± I told him as I stabbed another zombie. I made sure that the zombies¡¯ hands would be barely out of reach, so they can¡¯t harm me here. It was a simple and efficient way of getting rid of zombies, and it even gave me a level already.

    I was kinda forced to obtain ¡®Super Maintenance¡¯ on that level up though. My sword was starting to get dull, so it was necessary to get this skill to make sure it remained usable¡­ It truly was quite useful to have a backwards compatible maintenance skill, I wouldn¡¯t believe this was possible if I hadn¡¯t seen it happen myself.

    ¡°Can you watch us practice today?¡± Kousuke asked me.

    I turned around and saw him and three other people on school uniforms looking at me.

    ¡°I don¡¯t mind it, but¡­¡± I sighed, ¡°I really don¡¯t have anything else to teach you, you know?¡± I told them.

    ¡°That¡¯s no good!¡± A third year girl exclaimed, ¡°Everyone will be unmotivated without senpai around!¡± As always, she called me senpai even though we were on the same year.

    Is that so¡­? I jumped off the high fence and carefully looked at everyone. Two first years, one second year, one third year, ¡°Is nobody else coming?¡± I asked Kousuke, though I already expected his answer.

    He shook his head, ¡°Maybe we should try dragging them here forcefully?¡± then asked me this.

    ¡°No good.¡± I instantly replied, ¡°The deal was that nobody would be forced to come here, remember?¡±

    Kousuke sighed, but nodded.

    With this, the five us moved into position and started our preparatory exercises.

    It¡¯s been one week since the Mizutani incident.

    ***

    After I killed Ichirou Mizutani and Kounosuke Mizutani, the attitude of the community towards me was roughly divided in two types¡­ Avoidance and Devotion. The ones that looked at me as a terrifying executioner, and the ones that saw me as a hero who would destroy all evil¡­ The latter one was kinda laughable, but I honestly didn¡¯t care too much about people¡¯s opinion on me, I knew it couldn¡¯t be helped that some impact would come after such a flashy performance.

    That said, the day after both Mizutanis were buried, about twenty students from our school gathered in front of the classroom I was sleeping at and, with Kousuke serving as their speaker, said, ¡°Please teach us how to fight!¡± they all bowed to me at once as Kousuke asked me that.

    There were no adults near them though. I understood that they most likely came on their own, so I rejected their offer by saying, ¡°Shouldn¡¯t this be done after getting the consent of an adult?¡±

    Truth be told though, I just felt like it was going to be really bothersome, so I thought that this would be an easy way to make them give up.

    ¡­ However, even though they did retreat that morning, at the night Mr. Asada himself bowed to me on their behalf and asked me to teach them¡­ I don¡¯t know what kind of amazing thing they did to convince him to bow to me, but I couldn¡¯t really deny his plea. I ended up giving in, though only on the condition that the only people I¡¯d train were those that volunteered to it.

    And like that, I started teaching them how to kill zombies. I didn¡¯t want to do it at first, but it was probably for the best that we started doing this, as they did need to learn how to handle those things in case I ended up falling at some point.

    So, on the following day, I gave a simple task to the twenty students that gathered near the gates for training. They just needed to kill a zombie, it was not a particularly hard task.

    I was using a knife to show them how it was supposed to be done, since they didn¡¯t have a sword available. At first I tried to stab the forehead of a zombie that was sticking his head through the school¡¯s fence, but it didn¡¯t pierce. As expected.

    ¡°The trick is to aim at their eyes, you can kill them without having to worry about hitting a bone like this.¡± After saying that, I stabbed the knife at the zombie¡¯s eye. The feeling of crushing an eyeball and tearing through skin was quite unpleasant, but the zombie was killed either way, which was all that mattered.

    I thought it was important for them to get used to this feeling from the get go, as they needed to feel that they had the power to kill a person in them.

    And so, I told them, ¡°Alright, everyone. Your turn now.¡±

    Over half of them dropped out on the first day, and a few more left with each passing day. And now, one week after we started, there were only five of us, me included. The remaining students were:

    Hibiya Kousuke, the courageous first year who acts as a leader of sorts to the students. That paired up together with his devotion to Rika ends up making him look like a hero character of sorts.

    Konno Rintarou, a first year boy who laughs a lot. He is a good pretty good natured person, so he feels like the kind of person that would make a last stand and die protecting his friends.

    Tada Ritsuko, a second year girl who was part of the track and field club. She is very agile while also giving off that cool and quiet aura. Also, she seems to be the most capable one of the group.

    Kimino Asuka, a third year girl who has an anime-like voice. She keeps calling me senpai even though we are of the same age. She smiles a lot and doesn¡¯t hesitate to kill zombies, so she seems quite promising¡­ Though she seems to be a bit of a nerd, so she¡¯s probably the kind of character that would die due to some unreasonable circumstances.

    They really weren¡¯t many, but it was nice that they were trying their best to get used to handling zombies. Because I really don¡¯t want this community to crumble in case I end up needing to leave.

    ¡­ Though I sincerely hope that such a day won¡¯t ever come.

 CH 16

    Chapter 16 ¨C Reliable (?) Comrades

    As usual, we put a barricade of desks surrounding the school¡¯s back gate, and after confirming that everyone was in place for our zombie hunting practice, I said, ¡°Then, Kousuke, please go ahead.¡±

    ¡°Alright¡­ Go!¡± As he said this, he opened the gate a little and allowed one zombie inside. We have been using this technique for a week now, so we are pretty used to it by now.

    ¡°Over here.¡± I told the zombie as I poked its belly with the scabbard of my sword. Once it had noticed me, it tried jumping in my direction, but I dodged it with a quick backstep.

    And in the next moment, a survival knife was stabbed on the back of the zombie¡¯s head, ¡°Take that!¡± Rintarou exclaimed as he twisted the knife that was still inside the zombie¡¯s head, spurting a lot of blood on Rintarou¡¯s face, ¡°Die! Die! Die!¡± He was laughing out loud as he shouted that.

    ¡°Rintarou, how many times must I tell you? Just use the minimum amount of force necessary when killing the zombies¡­¡± I told him while sighing.

    ¡°Oops, sorry! I¡¯ll be more careful next time!¡± He said that, but he was smiling with his bloodied face, he¡¯ll most likely do it again next time.

    Everyone, except him, sighed at once as we realized that.

    ¡°Just how many times will you give this same reply¡­?¡± Kousuke asked, he seemed to be really depressed at how careless Rintarou was.

    ¡°Ah, come on! Don¡¯t mind it too much! Don¡¯t mind it!¡± Rintarou replied.

    ¡°Look, just hitting the brain is enough. You don¡¯t need to destroy it thoroughly. Spending too much time with one zombie will leave you open to the attack of other zombies¡­ And making lots of noise will attract them too.¡± I tried to give him a reasonable explanation to why he shouldn¡¯t act like that anymore, but I had low hopes that it would actually work.

    Either way, Rintarou seemed to give up on arguing for the time being, so I decided to move on with the practice, ¡°Alright then, your turn now, Asuka.¡±

    ¡°Leave it to me, senpai!¡± She happily exclaimed with her anime voice as she got in position.

    ¡°We¡¯re the same age, please don¡¯t call me senpai¡­¡± I told her.

    However, she just giggled and said, ¡°But senpai is senpai!¡±

    It was the same exchange that we had every time. Perhaps I should give up on telling her this.

    Sighing in resignation, I said, ¡°Kousuke, please go ahead.¡± who then opened the gate to let another zombie in.

    Then, I repeated the luring process just like last time.

    ¡°Take this!¡± Asuka exclaimed as she got behind the zombie and slammed its head with a shovel that she got from the Janitor¡¯s office¡­ It might honestly be a better weapon than a katana, as it won¡¯t deteriorate nearly as quickly¡­ Though I do have the ¡®Super Maintenance¡¯ skill, so I guess this is somewhat irrelevant for me.

    ¡°I did it!¡± Asuka cheerfully said as she pulled the shovel out of the zombie¡¯s head. It¡¯s a bit surprising that it got stuck as deep as it was, but it¡¯s good that there were no issues removing it.

    Things seemed to be going quite well. It¡¯s good that we were able to learn quite a bit about zombies on this past week, like¡­

    They move in different ways, some walk slowly and others can move faster and jump at you.

    They don¡¯t sleep nor rest.

    They continue moving until their brain is destroyed.

    They are extremely strong and can easily tear human flesh with their bare hands.

    They only care about eating human meat, as they don¡¯t try to eat animals like cats and dogs.

    Their growls can attract more zombies.

    And lastly, their attention span and their thinking ability is about as high as an insect¡¯s, if not lower.

    Some of those things I learned on my own and told them, but others we learned together during those practices. It was quite useful to understand them properly, as it made it easier to plan out how to best deal with the zombies.

    The most important thing we decided on, was that it was too risky to face them head on. It was better to sneak behind them and destroy their brains with a single blow¡­ Sure, there was more resistance there than there was on the eyes, but it was much safer nonetheless.

    In any case, it was close to midday, so, ¡°Everyone, let¡¯s wrap it up for today.¡± I told them. I figured it was better to end practice still in the mornings, as it was safer for us to not spend too much energy practicing, as later in the day some emergency might occur¡­ Though I think I¡¯m the only one saving my energy, as the other four seem to be doing some physical training of their own afterwards.

    Either way, everyone seemed to be relieved once we ended, ¡°Phew, I survived another day!¡± Rintarou exclaimed.

    Everyone seemed to be smiling a bit as he said that, I guess they were thinking the same thing¡­ It¡¯s not a bad thing, I suppose.

    But then, ¡°Hey, everyone!¡± We heard the voice of a glasses-wearing student that was running towards us from within the school grounds, ¡°Listen, listen!¡±

    That was Takenaka Isao. He was so skinny that it made me wonder if he lived on the basis of only water and vegetables. He often stayed at the school¡¯s rooftop watching the surroundings to warn people of anything noteworthy that he may notice.

    ¡°What happened?¡± Kousuke asked him.

    ¡°At ¡®captain¡¯, you know, the nearby supermarket!¡± He started saying. It was the nearby supermarket chain that I often bought pork at before the world became like this, ¡°Your family is on top of a truck near it, Kousuke!¡± He exclaimed.

    ¡°Wait, what!?¡± Kousuke was wide-eyed. I wasn¡¯t aware that his family wasn¡¯t here because I didn¡¯t really ask each people about their family situation, but it¡¯s not surprising that some were separated from their loved ones, ¡°Is everyone there? Are all three of them safe!?¡± Kousuke asked him.

    ¡°Yeah! Your parents, your sister and one more person are there! I¡¯m really happy for you!¡± Isao seemed to be as happy as if he was talking about his own family there. I suppose it¡¯s a miraculous situation to find out that one¡¯s family is safe and sound after being separated in such disastrous conditions.

    However, Isao immediately changed his expression to a gloom one, ¡°And I¡¯m sorry to say it, but their situation is pretty terrible¡­ Come on, everyone.¡±

 CH 17

    Chapter 17 ¨C To help or to abandon

    It¡¯s been about ten minutes since Takenaka Isao saw Kousuke¡¯s family near the ¡®Captain¡¯ market. The man that accompanied them seemed to be a member of the Self-Defense forces and had an automatic rifle with him. He¡¯s probably the one that protected Kousuke¡¯s family so far.

    Isao said that he could see them driving a truck of the self-defense forces that was headed our way, but their path was cut off by the zombies, so they had to escape to the top of the truck.

    Right now, the zombies are surrounding the ¡®Captain¡¯. It seems like it¡¯s only a matter of time before things become unrecoverably bad.

    ¡°I¡¯m going. Immediately.¡± Kousuke said as soon as we were briefed on the situation. His tone gave no room for rebuttal.

    We were inside the school building right now. Isao didn¡¯t brief just us on this, but also the adults that are usually in charge of managing things here in the school.

    ¡°Wait! I get how you feel, but wait!¡± Mr. Sasaki immediately said once he saw Kousuke getting up to go save his family, ¡°Think a bit about the current situation! There must be like, a hundred zombies there, just what are you going to do by yourself!?¡±

    ¡°I get it, but¡­¡± Kousuke was biting his mouth, ¡°I just have to go. You understand this much, right?¡±

    ¡°I do understand! But going there without any plan is too reckless!¡± Mr. Sasaki told him.

    ¡°Then what, teacher?! Are you telling me to just¡­ Let my family die!?¡± Kousuke exclaimed. With the way he was saying it, it wouldn¡¯t surprise me if he had added a ¡®I¡¯ll kill you if you try to stop me!¡¯ at the end of this sentence.

    However, even though Kousuke was understandably flustered right now, Mr. Sasaki was actually looking fairly normal. I guess he must be used to students that lost their cool.

    ¡°Just try calming down a bit, Hibiya.¡± Mr. Asada said, though he seemed to be about as flustered as Kousuke right now.

    ¡°Look, if you think of any strategy that might work, we¡¯ll go with it right away. But you can¡¯t just go there without thinking, you¡¯ll just waste your own life! It would be just like an insect flying towards a fire!¡± Mr. Sasaki told Kousuke.

    ¡°Huh!? How can you be sure of that without trying!?¡± Kousuke really seemed to have lost his capability of thinking clearly right now. I don¡¯t quite blame him, but perhaps Mr. Sasaki could have been more careful with his words, maybe this could have been avoided then.

    I sighed. I suppose¡­ That maybe¡­ I might have been empowered by that mysterious paranormal existence for this kind of situation. I don¡¯t like the idea, but this is probably where I¡¯m supposed to intervene.

    It can¡¯t be helped. I raised my hand and said, ¡°May I make a suggestion?¡±

    Mr. Sasaki stared at me for a moment when I said that, then he started frowning and said, ¡°Uhn¡­ What was your name again? No, never mind that. If you have something to say, then say it.¡±

    This guy¡­ Let¡¯s ignore his pointless comment and focus on the matter at hand, ¡°I¡¯ll be a decoy and attract the zombies. In the meantime, how about sending a separate team to rescue Hibiya¡¯s family.¡± I told them.

    ¡°Huh!?¡± Kousuke didn¡¯t seem to believe his ears.

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ Way too dangerous.¡± Mr. Sasaki said. Just like Kousuke, it seemed like he couldn¡¯t believe what he just heard, ¡°I know you¡¯re good at handling them, but there¡¯s no way you can deal with this many zombies at once.¡±

    His point made sense. It was risky to face even a single zombie from the front, so facing a hundred of them by myself would be extremely reckless to say the least. After all, zombies aren¡¯t threatening just because of their physical strength, but also because they can attack without caring for their own lives.

    In all honesty, I ain¡¯t confident enough in my skills to deal with more than three zombies at once. To kill a single zombie I need to first position my blade, pierce its head, then take my blade out of its head¡­ It¡¯s an operation that requires three movements each time. That¡¯s way too much time when facing over a hundred zombies.

    I may not be worried about losing to a zombie in single combat, but handling a large number at once is a completely different story¡­ And therefore, this plan was basically suicide.

    However¡­ The only one who has any chance of helping the Hibiya family right now is me. Right now, I need to embrace the rumor of me being ¡®fearless just like a robot¡¯ and cut off my worries, so that I may act without hesitation.

    ¡°It¡¯ll be alright. I have a good chance of winning.¡± I told them calmly¡­ I lied to them calmly.

    ¡°Really¡­?¡± Mr. Sasaki seemed to be unsure about my statement, but I couldn¡¯t show weakness right now.

    ¡°Yes. Though I¡¯ll be the one to decide who will be part of the rescue team¡­ For as long as they are okay with it themselves, of course.¡± I replied.

    Mr. Sasaki and Mr. Asada both stared at each other before nodding. Judging by their expressions, it seems like they made a decision on the basis of ¡®if she says so¡¯ or something¡­ Seems like my capabilities are vastly overestimated right now, though this ended up working out on my favor this time.

    I wonder what they think I am though, am I seen as some kind of slaughter demon?

    Well, it doesn¡¯t matter, let¡¯s just make sure to get their approval on this, ¡°In this operation, I¡¯m the only one that will have a high chance of being sacrificed. Thinking about it carefully, losing one life for the sake of four others should be a no-brainer.¡± I told them.

    Besides, even if I do end up falling, there is a member of the self-defense forces with Kousuke¡¯s family. His expertise will definitely be far more valuable for this community than me.

    Mr. Sasaki seemed to give in, ¡°Who will you take with you?¡± He asked me.

    ¡°A small team of trained personnel. The two people that will be on the rescue team will be Konno Rintarou and Kimino Asuka. Everyone else will wait here.¡± I replied.

    ¡°Eh?¡± Kousuke was clearly surprised by this statement, but I ignored him.

    ¡°I won¡¯t accept objections from anyone other than Rintarou and Asuka. We don¡¯t have any time to waste, so if you have anything to say, do it now, or at most in a few minutes.¡± I told everyone.

    The room went silent. Will they brush away the hands asking for help? Or will they risk their friends¡¯ life for the sake of others? It was not an easy decision to make.

    After some long twelve or so seconds, I got a reply. It was, as expected, from the man that seems willing to be hated for his words. Mr. Sasaki sighed, then said, ¡°Alright. Get ready to go.¡±

 CH 18

    Chapter 18 ¨C For Now, Farewell

    ¡°Yeah! I can be a hero!¡± Rintarou jumped up and down on the spot while saying that.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be sure to meet your expectations, senpai!¡± Asuka said. Even though she¡¯s usually quite laidback, she seems to be somewhat tense right now.

    I smiled at her and said, ¡°We¡¯re the same age, please don¡¯t call me senpai.¡±

    She was a surprised for a moment, but then she giggled, ¡°But senpai is senpai.¡± and said that. I¡¯m glad she could relax a bit with this.

    ¡­ Let¡¯s hope this is not the last time we can have this exchange.

    ¡°Senpai¡­¡± Kousuke, who was quite disheartened, started saying, ¡°I want to-¡±

    I didn¡¯t let him finish, ¡°Foot.¡± I pointed to his foot, ¡°It hasn¡¯t healed yet.¡±

    He didn¡¯t hide his surprise, ¡°It¡¯s not-¡±

    I didn¡¯t let him finish this one either, ¡°Don¡¯t try hiding it.¡± It has just been one week since he had sprained his ankle, and he kept on doing unreasonable self-training during the time he should rest¡­ And even if he hadn¡¯t done that, his ankle would probably still take a while longer to heal.

    Moreover, Rika herself told me directly that he has been overworking himself. He pushes himself to the limit because he blames himself for the loss of his two friends that died when trying to close the school¡¯s main gate¡­ Because apparently, their deaths were not unrelated to him spraining his ankle.

    This kind of pattern, following someone that carries a heavy burden with them¡­ It would totally be a death flag, wouldn¡¯t it? Therefore, we had no choice but to exclude Kousuke from the operation. He will have to stay here and see us off.

    ¡°Senpai is right. You should stay, Kousuke.¡± Ritsuko, the girl from the track and field club, told him. Her words carry a lot of weight because she doesn¡¯t speak much. It was hard for him to keep trying to go even after she told him to stay.

    ¡°Ritsuko, I¡¯ll leave the rest to you.¡± I told her.

    ¡°¡­ Alright.¡± She replied.

    I felt a bit more comfortable going when knowing that she would be here. After all, if it wasn¡¯t for my paranormal help, she¡¯d definitely be a lot stronger than me.

    ¡°Though before that, senpai¡­¡± Ritsuko started saying this as she approached me.

    ¡°What is it?¡± I asked her.

    ¡°May I hug you?¡± She asked back.

    ¡­ Huh?

    Before I could answer, she was already hugging me tightly. She was a head taller than me and quite strong¡­ I didn¡¯t feel like I had much way of resisting.

    ¡°Come back to us, alive.¡± She whispered.

    I looked at her face, and she was blushing a bit¡­ Eh? Could she be¡­ On the yuri side? I¡¯m confused.

    ¡°Ah! No fair!¡± Asuka complained¡­ Is she¡­ Also on that side? This isn¡¯t a yuri character bargain sale now, is it?

    As I wondered what was happening, Rintarou seemed to be extremely excited while looking at us for some reason.

    ***

    After leaving the school, we could hardly see any zombie in the nearby area. Probably because we had been clearing them up on training and on my solo leveling. Because of that, we could head straight to ¡®Captain¡¯ as soon as the gate was closed behind us.

    The journey was mostly peaceful, but the number of zombies surrounding ¡®Captain¡¯ was quite high.

    ¡°This is giving me the shivers¡­¡± Asuka commented as she saw the zombie horde.

    I did feel quite nervous too, but we had no time to waste, ¡°Please follow the plan, alright?¡± I told them.

    ¡°Got it.¡± Rintarou said.

    ¡°Senpai¡­ Is it really okay for you to be by yourself?¡± Asuka asked me.

    It¡¯s not okay at all.

    But well, it¡¯s not like the odds of winning are zero either.

    I tried giving her a reassuring smile and said, ¡°It¡¯s no problem, I have divine aid on my side.¡±

    She didn¡¯t seem to get it, but she seemed to be reassured by my falsely confident statement.

    And like that, we kept on moving. It wasn¡¯t long before we got close enough to ¡®Captain¡¯ to the point that we could be in real danger¡­ And as such, we started our plan.

    ¡°Everyone, please hide and wait until my signal.¡± I told them.

    ¡°Understood.¡± Rintarou said.

    ¡°¡­ Okay.¡± Asuka said.

    I took a deep breath and quickly went through my knowledge on zombies once more. Their attack priority is first on the ones that harm them, then on people that they can see, then on people that they can smell, then noises.

    It will be fine. As long as I can attract their attention and make them see me, they won¡¯t go after Rintarou and Asuka even if they happen to be in their smelling range. As long as they¡¯re hiding, they should be safe.

    By now, Rintarou and Asuka already finished hiding, so I rushed towards ¡®Captain¡¯.

    As I got closer, I finally found the surrounded truck. I was wondering why it had stopped where it did, but I understood it now. There were zombie remains smashed on the tires¡­ The truck most likely became unable to keep turning its wheel around due to excessive dead zombies stuck to its tires. Escaping to the top of the truck seems to basically be their last stand now.

    I thought it would be nice if we were able to search the truck to get some weapons, but that is definitely impossible right now. Moreover, I don¡¯t even know how to wield a gun, so my katana is definitely ideal for this situation.

    By now, I could hear the gunshots from the member of the self-defense forces. He really is doing his best to hold them back¡­ I gotta hurry.

 CH 19

    Chapter 19 ¨C Sorry for the wait!

    There were a lot of zombie corpses near the truck, yet there were even more zombies surrounding it. Even though the member of the self-defense forces certainly did a lot, it didn¡¯t seem to have been enough.

    Right now, the zombies weren¡¯t able to reach them, but there were also some zombies trying to push down the truck¡­ Normally this would be a fool¡¯s endeavor, but considering the zombies¡¯ strength, it was only a matter of time before it was turned over.

    Or rather, I could already see the truck shaking a bit. The member of the self-defense forces was shooting the zombies that seemed to be pushing the truck the most, so it¡¯s probably why it didn¡¯t fall yet¡­ But he probably doesn¡¯t have enough bullets for them all.

    The three people hiding behind the member of the self-defense forces looked terrified right now. They all had some resemblance to Kousuke, so I guess they must really be his family¡­ And they¡¯re visibly exhausted. All four of them were clearly exhausted actually.

    I suppose even trained people have their limits¡­ And this current situation must have pushed even the member of the self-defense forces to it. Not surprising though, I guess nobody would have expected the world to take this kind of shift in a single week.

    It¡¯s honestly a lot easier to just shoot yourself with a pistol than to live in this kind of world. It¡¯s admirable that even in those circumstances they all kept on trying to live though.

    Well¡­ It¡¯s my turn now, right?

    I took a deep breath. I¡¯ve always tried to be as inconspicuous as possible, but today I must do the exact opposite¡­ Let¡¯s do this.

    ¡°Everyone! Crouch down and stay out of the zombies¡¯ sight!¡± I shouted as loudly as I could.

    The four of them instantly looked at me as I said that. A handful of zombies also looked my way, but that was not important right now, ¡°Do as I say! Hurry up!¡± I shouted again.

    Our rescue targets ended up complying this time and tried their best to get out of the zombies¡¯ line of sight. They surely can still be smelled at this point, but this is fine, because zombies aren¡¯t smart, if they don¡¯t have a specific target, they¡¯ll just go for whoever is calling the most attention.

    ¡­ Which is my job now. As long as I can grab their attention, they¡¯ll go my way and let the Hibiya family escape in peace.

    I took another deep breath. I couldn¡¯t scream anymore or I could end up hurting my throat, so instead, I was going to rely on the portable radio with speakers that I borrowed from Rintarou.

    I turned it on, and a loud western music started playing. I had asked him for a song that was as loud and conspicuous as possible, and he certainly didn¡¯t fail to deliver. It was a very flashy song with extremely noisy vocals that I doubt even English speakers would understand.

    Almost all the nearby zombies had turned towards me by now. A shiver ran down my spine¡­ Is this what it feels like to be a rabbit being stared at by its predator?

    I stabbed the head of the first zombie that came near me. Then, I took my sword out of its head and beheaded the next one.

    Its head flew away, and fell right in the middle of the zombie horde¡­ It felt like they saw this as a signal, as the entire group started moving my way at once¡­ They prioritize those that harm them after all.

    ¡°Yeah, come here, you monsters.¡± I murmured to myself. My voice was certainly drowned out by the song chosen by Rintarou, but that was fine. Nobody needed to hear it.

    I turned around and started moving. Slowly getting away from the zombies. Fast enough to not get hit, slow enough to not lose them. I slowly walked around to make sure that the horde was after me and not after the Hibiyas.

    I then started moving through the shopping district, making sure that I was always at the main street.

    I couldn¡¯t take the shortest route back to school, as that was the path that Asuka, Rintarou and our rescue targets would take, so I was taking a long detour instead. I could try taking some shortcuts, but that involved moving through narrow roads with too much of a risk of being surrounded¡­ It was way too dangerous, so I had to stay at the main street.

    And so, I kept on walking. Slowly enough to keep the zombies near me. For enough time so as to let everyone evacuate safely to the school before I went back myself¡­ Until then, I must keep on drawing the attention of the zombies.

    ¡­ This is gonna be a long day.

 CH 20

    Chapter 20 ¨C Fangless

    (Kousuke¡¯s PoV)

    ¡°Incredible¡­ It¡¯s really working!¡± Isao exclaimed.

    Almost all refugees were at the school¡¯s rooftop right now. We were watching the rescue operation that senpai came up with.

    ¡°It¡¯s really¡­ Amazing.¡± I said.

    She¡¯s truly amazing¡­ She may be powerful and skillful, but that was not the really amazing thing we were witnessing right now¡­ It was her courage. The courage to remain calm while facing such a gigantic zombie horde.

    Of course, Rintarou and Asuka were also amazing to go out in that rescue mission though. It¡¯s honestly still hard for me to comprehend that this incredible Rintarou is also the same energetic weirdo that everyone in class avoided¡­ I wish I could be as reliable as he is.

    Sure, I did want to help my family out as soon as I heard that they were in a crisis, but when Mr. Sasaki said those hateful words that were a telling me to give up on a roundabout manner¡­ I was actually a bit relieved. I was afraid of going. I didn¡¯t want to die, I wanted to live¡­ Even if it meant abandoning my family.

    ¡­ I¡¯m really a coward.

    Though at the same time, that might very well be the normal behavior actually. Risking one own life for someone else¡¯s, even if it¡¯s my own family¡­ It¡¯s not normal to be able to do that.

    I¡¯m remembering this past week of training with senpai. It was so hard to keep up with everyone else, and that was not just because of my sprained ankle, it was just¡­ Tough. Even thinking about the sensation of killing a zombie already terrifies me, it sends a horrible shiver down my spine.

    I¡¯m just¡­ Fangless. I simply can¡¯t do the kind of thing that senpai does. To be able to just jump into those dangerous situations like she does is absolutely abnormal¡­ And yet, I was saved by that very abnormality. I admire that abnormality of hers.

    Suddenly, my hands were gently embraced by some small lovely hands¡­ Rika was here, she held me and whispered, ¡°Thank you for staying.¡±

    Only now I realized how much I was trembling¡­ If it wasn¡¯t for the fact that everyone was around us, I¡¯d probably start crying on her chest now.

    Holding myself back from giving in to this urge, I just nodded at her words, and tried to smile a bit. It really was a relief that Rika was here with me.

    ¡°It¡¯s working, everyone! They just got off the truck and are running here! Go meet them, Kousuke!¡± Isao suddenly shouted.

    I silently thanked this childhood friend of mine for warning me about it when I wasn¡¯t paying attention to the very cause of my current anxiety, then started running downstairs to the gate.

    Once I got there, I saw Mr. Sasaki and a few other adults who were waiting for the good news, ¡°Teacher! They¡¯re coming! Unlock the gate!¡± I told him.

    ¡°Okay!¡± Mr. Sasaki was clearly relieved to hear that everything was going according to plan.

    Before long, I could see the faces of my friends, Asuka and Rintarou, coming¡­ And right behind them, the faces of my family.

    There were also a few zombies behind them, but they were slow, so they weren¡¯t really a threat. By the time they reached the school¡¯s gates, my family would already be inside, and we¡¯d have already locked everything up again.

    ¡°Dad!¡± I shouted as he got close enough to probably hear me. My voice was shaking right now, but that was fine, I didn¡¯t care for that.

    ¡°Kousuke! It¡¯s really you!¡± Dad shouted back.

    Those people that I have been worrying so much for during this past week¡­ They were so close now. Only a few more seconds and we¡¯d be together again.

    I started crying even before they got here¡­ They¡¯re really safe.

    Mr. Sasaki finished opening the gate.

    Rintarou, Asuka, dad, mom, sis¡­ They were all here. Nobody was injured.

    I sent a prayer to the heavens, thanking whoever was there for protecting them¡­ This truly was a miracle. There weren¡¯t many people who had the luck of having their whole family together in those troubling times.

    Everyone rushed inside. Mr. Sasaki started closing the gate¡­ And dad gave me the tightest hug he ever game in his whole life. ¡°Are you hurt? Are you okay?¡± Dad asked me.

    You know¡­ That should be my line, dad.

    I didn¡¯t say that out loud though, I just enjoyed his hug for a while, and let the relief wash over me.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to interrupt your reunion, but I need to ask something.¡± Mr. Sasaki suddenly said, ¡°You were together with a person that seemed to be of the self-defense forces, right? Where is he?¡±

    The joy of our reunion was cut off, and dad suddenly got into a gloomy mood, ¡°Mr. Kobayakawa¡­ Separated from us. He said he was going to help out the girl with the red jersey.¡± Dad explained.

    That was senpai. The man from the self-defense forces gave up his chance of reaching a safe place to rescue senpai¡­

    I wiped out my tears. It¡¯s not over yet. The joyful reunion will only happen once senpai comes back to us.

 CH 21

    Chapter 21 ¨C Death approaches

    Well, this is a crisis alright.

    The plan was going well at first. I had escaped from the surroundings of ¡®Captain¡¯ while attracting as many zombies as I could. I didn¡¯t have an opportunity to confirm how many were left, but I¡¯m sure Asuka and Rintarou didn¡¯t have to deal with many of them.

    However¡­ I might have overdone it a bit. I didn¡¯t attract only the zombies near ¡®Captain¡¯ but also other zombies in the vicinity, and now, I¡¯m surrounded.

    I was supposed to go through the main street and eventually go back to the school¡¯s gate, but there are zombies in front of me, on the main street, right now¡­ Nonetheless, facing those was better than trying to go through the horde that came from ¡®Captain¡®.

    I took a deep breath and threw the radio with speakers that Rintarou lent me to the middle of the ¡®Captain¡¯ horde. It should hopefully distract them for a while and buy me a bit of time.

    Then, I ran on the opposite direction, towards the path that would eventually lead me to the school. I tried killing the minimum amount of zombies possible in order to save time, and kept on running through. One zombie held my sides for a second, but I was able to shrug it off before it did anything¡­ That was scary. I started trembling.

    Somehow though, I was able to pass through this group¡­ Only to find another group of over a dozen zombies in front of me.

    This is bad¡­ Zombies in front, zombies in the back¡­ Can I really do this?

    ¡­ I can¡¯t. I can¡¯t run through this many.

    I had no place to escape to though, so I climbed on top of an abandoned wagon that was nearby¡­ The zombies quickly surrounded it. They couldn¡¯t reach me, but the wagon was shaking a lot, they¡¯ll soon turn it over.

    ¡­ Is this it? Is this how it ends?

    Just as I thought that, I heard a shout, ¡°Bow down, monsters!¡±

    The voice came from behind me. It was the exemplary member of the self-defense forces who came to save me¡­ So cool! Can I fall in love with this amazing hero!?

    As he shot his rifle, many zombies ended up losing their heads¡­ A gun is so incredible!

    ¡­ Or so I thought for a second, before I saw that many of the zombies that were hit were still moving¡­ I guess it¡¯s hard to aim at the head when faced with this many enemies, there were quite a few shots that ended up hitting their bodies, which wasn¡¯t enough to stop the zombies¡­ At most it will buy some time.

    ¡°Come on! Try and eat me!¡± He shouted. This¡­ This is bad. I have a really bad feeling about this.

    This man¡­ Is he planning on dying here? He is shooting non-stop without aiming properly, he is shouting to grab their attention¡­ He is not stepping back to gain distance from them even as the zombies move closer to him.

    The zombies that were surrounding my wagon are now going on his direction. He tried shooting at those too, but his rifle didn¡¯t shoot¡­ Probably out of ammo.

    He threw the rifle away and took out a pistol. Now he was aiming more carefully and each of his shots were hitting the heads. He is truly skilled at this, but¡­ Still, there are too many. There is no way he can handle all those.

    ¡°Please run away! I¡¯m fine now!¡± I shouted as I slashed a nearby zombie that hadn¡¯t gone after him yet.

    However, he did not do what I hoped he would.

    Instead, with a face filled with resolution, he kept on shooting as the zombies started closing in¡­

    The zombies reached him. They started biting him, there were so many that I soon couldn¡¯t even see him anymore¡­ And yet, I could still hear him laughing as he desperately fought them off when faced with his inevitable death.

    ¡­ Damn it.

    I jumped off the wagon. The way was clear now¡­ Because of him, the way was clear.

    I won¡¯t waste his sacrifice. I have to go¡­ Run.

    But just as I took my first step the world was turned upside down. I thought I had tripped on something, but then I sharp pain ran through my calf.

    I looked at my leg, and was horrified to see¡­ A female zombie, who was crawling out from under the wagon, had just bitten my leg.

 CH 22

    Chapter 22 ¨C A Buddha in hell? (Translator¡¯s Note: ¡°Finding a Buddha in Hell¡± is an idiom that means ¡°In my hour of need I found a true friend.¡±)

    I only felt the pain for a moment. After that, a strange disgusting feeling ran through my entire body, it was as if my whole being was being licked¡­ It made me remember the one time that I met a molester on a train, only this was several dozen times worse.

    ¡°Hiii!¡± I shouted as I reflexively kicked the zombie that was biting my leg. Right now, I was going crazy from hatred and despair.

    And at this moment, that annoying exaggerated loud fanfare rang.

    ¨CCongratulations! You earned the achievement: ¡®Sacrifice¡¯!

    ¨CCongratulations! You earned the achievement: ¡®Deadly Disease¡¯!

    There¡¯s nothing to congratulate here¡­

    ¨CChose a reward for the ¡®Sacrifice¡¯ achievement.

    ¡°Shut up! Not now!¡± I yelled at the paranormal voice¡­ By now I was already crying.

    I ran. My leg hurt horribly, but I couldn¡¯t afford to fall right now¡­ I hate this. I don¡¯t wanna die. I shouldn¡¯t have done this in the first place¡­ Just what kind of savior can I be if I can¡¯t even protect myself!?

    No. Calm down. I can¡¯t lose my heart here. I need to find a way out of this¡­ Let¡¯s keep running. Let¡¯s run while dragging this barely functional leg.

    Ah, the Antidote! I have it!

    I quickly took it out of my pocket and drank it all in one gulp¡­ Damn it, this is actually delicious. Tastes like strawberry.

    I threw away the empty bottle and, while still running, tried looking at the wound on my calf¡­ It¡¯s bad. The bite dug deep. I don¡¯t wanna look at this again.

    ¡­ I¡¯m gonna need to change my plans. I won¡¯t be able to escape the zombies like this. I need a place to rest.

    Right now I¡¯m in the shopping district, so maybe there¡¯s an abandoned store available? The ¡®Natural Healing (Medium)¡¯ skill did say that a ¡®moderate wound¡¯ should be fully healed in a day, so I should be able to go back to school if I am able to find a place to recover.

    Somewhere¡­ Anywhere would be fine. A place that wasn¡¯t taken by the zombies yet.

    As I thought of that, I heard a voice shout, ¡°Over here!¡±

    An elderly man was waving at me from a drugstore that was only a dozen meters away. I never talked to him before, but I did remember this man. He was the manager of this drugstore that I went to from time to time to buy snacks, since he sold them for less than the supermarket did. It was a relief to see a known face at this predicament.

    ¡°Hurry up!¡± He shouted.

    ¡­ This is what they must mean by finding a Buddha in hell.

    While still dragging my leg, I rushed to the drugstore. As soon as I got there, the owner quickly closed the shutters.

    ¡°There we go.¡± He said.

    I sat down on the spot and left out a sigh in relief, ¡°Thank you, you saved me there.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, yeah, got it.¡± As he said that, he loosened his belt.

    ¡°Can you lend me some bandages for now?¡± I asked him. I was really lucky to have escaped to a drugstore of all things, he seems to have quite a few bandages here.

    ¡­ Wait a minute. Did he just loosen his belt? Why does it look like he is taking of his pants?

    ¡­ Eh?

    ¡°You were bitten, weren¡¯t you?¡± He asked me.

    ¡°Huh¡­?¡± Was all I could say for a reply.

    ¡°You¡¯re not gonna make it anyways. You understand it, don¡¯t you.¡± He said.

    I tilted my head, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I don¡¯t know what you mean with-¡± Suddenly, he pushed me down. And I could see that his lower thing was out in the open now, ¡°H-huh!?¡± I had a hard time believing my eyes.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it will all be over soon¡­¡± He said.

    Ahahahaha, I see, I see! Right after escaping zombies, I¡¯m now gonna get raped!? Ahahahahha! I just can¡¯t stop laughing! Ahahahahhaah!

    He was leaning over me¡­ I just can¡¯t keep up with things anymore¡­ Right after escaping from certain death, I¡¯m now going through an erotic manga development!?

    No way!

    I jumped out from below him with an agility that should honestly be impossible with my injury. I kept my distance from him and held out my sword.

    ¡°It¡¯s alright, it¡¯s alright¡­¡± The man said¡­ He¡¯s surely insane by now alright.

    I also hadn¡¯t realized before, but he actually had a knife in his hands.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay to stab in this situation.¡± He said.

    I felt a bit sad right now¡­ I¡¯ve met this man quite a few times before, and he shouldn¡¯t have been an evil person. If the world didn¡¯t take the turn it took, he probably would have never done any wrong to anyone for the rest of his life.

    ¡­ And yet, I stabbed my sword through his heart. As he fell down, his blood spurted out and stained my jersey. He died with almost no resistance.

    Only now did I notice, that he had a bite mark on his upper arm¡­ Probably from a zombie.

    And then, the fanfare rang.

    ¨CCongrulations! Your level has risen!

    And then the louder fanfare.

    ¨CCongratulations! You earned the achievement: ¡®Murderer¡¯!

    ¡­ There really is nothing worth celebrating here.

 CH 23

    Chapter 23 ¨C Murderer

    Ah. I really did it¡­ Murderer.

    I¡¯m not that phased by it though. My feelings have been kinda numb since I killed Mr. Tanaka who lived next to me at the start of this whole world shift¡­ I think that, for better or for worse, I have become thick-skinned.

    As I thought of that, the corpse of the man I just killed started getting up while letting out some groans¡­ He really resurrected fast, didn¡¯t he? He is now a zombie with a bare lower body¡­ This is no sight for a maiden, so let¡¯s get rid of him quickly.

    Alright, with this out of the way, the store should be safe enough for now. Let¡¯s bandage up this wound first and foremost.

    ¡­ The pain isn¡¯t as big as I expected. Did the recovery process already begin? Considering how bad the wound was, I thought it would be hard to walk for a whole month¡­ And yet, I feel like I¡¯ll be able to run again in half a day.

    The ¡®Natural Healing (Intermediate)¡¯ skill is surely incredible.

    ¡­ Well, that is that. Let¡¯s hear the things that the Auditory Hallucination was trying to tell me before.

    ¨CChoose a reward for the ¡®Sacrifice¡¯ achievement.

    ¨CMicrophone of the interview with the dead.

    ¨CSong of the Death God.

    ¨CCorpse vacuum cleaner.

    Those are¡­ Quite different from the last ones. It¡¯s hard to know what they do without an explanation though, so let¡¯s go through the hassle of checking them all.

    ¨CMicrophone of the interview with the dead: If you point the microphone to a dead body and ask a question, you¡¯ll receive one answer. Single use item.

    ¨CSong of the Death God: A music sheet that has a song with the power to destroy the brains of nearby zombies that hear it. Once you sing the song, it will lose its effect forever.

    ¨CCorpse vacuum cleaner: A portable handheld cleaner that can instantly inhale up to thirty corpses.

    Huh? They¡¯re all pretty interesting, aren¡¯t they? That said, in my current situation, the choice is a bit too obvious, ¡°Please give me the ¡®Song of the Death God¡¯.¡±

    ¨CItem supplied.

    A music sheet floated down from the ceiling, it was titled ¡®Song of the Death God¡¯, as expected. I ended up reading up the lyrics in my head and¡­ ¡®Luululala, lulalula, die die die and fall into hell, everyone please drop dead!¡¯

    This is¡­ Terrible! Was this written by an elementary school student or something!?

    Ignoring my comment, the Auditory Hallucination continued.

    ¨CChoose the reward for the ¡®Deadly Disease¡¯ achievement.

    ¨CCoward¡¯s glasses

    ¨CPopular glasses

    ¨CSpare glasses

    So this one is glasses-themed? Seems like all achievements will give three items that have something in common¡­ Let¡¯s see what those three do.

    ¨CBy wearing the ¡®Coward¡¯s Glasses¡¯, you¡¯ll be able to understand what others feel about you. The lens do not have a vision correcting function.

    ¨CBy wearing the ¡®Popular Glasses¡¯, others will start liking you more easily. The lens do not have a vision correcting function.

    ¨CThe ¡®Spare Glasses¡¯ are ideal for correcting your current eyesight. They¡¯re also extremely tough and cannot be destroyed even by nuclear weapons.

    Oh my¡­ Those sure are worth almost dying for. This reward is really good.

    Let¡¯s ignore the ¡®Spare Glasses¡¯ though. The unbreakable part is attractive, but my current glasses work well enough as is, and I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be careless enough to step on them, so I don¡¯t need spares¡­ I didn¡¯t raise a flag now, did I? Let¡¯s hope I didn¡¯t.

    The remaining options are the ¡®coward¡¯ and the ¡®popular¡¯ ones then¡­ Well, I think ¡®coward¡¯ is best. I¡¯d rather be able to tell if ¡®Mr. Rape¡¯ is near me in advance on future occasions, ¡°Give me the ¡®Coward Glasses¡¯, please!¡±

    A dark-grey glasses case flew to my hand¡­ Let¡¯s open it up.

    ¡­ Wow. This is¡­ I may not care much for appearances, but this is definitely too much. I¡¯ll lose something as a girl if I try putting those on. Those glasses are about as ugly as they can get.

    ¡­ Well, there¡¯s nobody in the immediate surroundings, so let¡¯s at least try them out, I suppose.

    Nothing¡­ I guess it has no use when nobody is nearby.

    This is troublesome¡­ Well, the utility comes first, so I guess I¡¯ll just have to put up with its appearance when a time where I need them comes.

    ¡­ And maybe test it out once I¡¯m back at school¡­ Maybe.

    For now, let¡¯s go to the next reward, please.

    ¨CChoose the skill you want to acquire.

    ¨CSword Technique (Intermediate)

    ¨CPerfect Maintenance

    ¨CMartial Arts (Beginner)

    ¨CHunger Resistance (Weak)

    ¨CNatural Healing (Strong)

    ¨CSkin Strengthening

    Oh yeah, I did gain a level¡­ Let¡¯s take a look at the skills that I haven¡¯t checked yet.

    ¨CBy acquiring ¡®Perfect Maintenance¡¯, your equipment will always be repaired to perfect condition after a certain period of time. It also increases the repair speed.

    ¨CBy acquiring ¡®Natural Healing (Strong)¡¯, you¡¯ll be able to completely recover from serious injuries (such as brain damage or heavy damage to the body) within a day.

    Well, both are appealing, but what I need when isolated from everyone else like I am right now, is the ability to fight my way out and survive, so my top priority right now is, ¡°Give me ¡®Sword Technique (Intermediate)¡¯ please!¡±

    ¨CSkill effect is being applied.

    Suddenly, my sword felt lighter than it ever had¡­ This is what I needed alright. Then, let¡¯s check what else was there to finish dealing with this annoying Auditory Hallucination.

    ¨CChoose the reward for the ¡®Murder¡¯ achievement.

    ¨CHoly Sword, Excalibur

    ¨CArtemis¡¯ Bow

    ¨CDivine Spear, Gungnir

    ¡°Huh!?¡± I couldn¡¯t help exclaiming. Aren¡¯t those super strong weapons!? Is this my cheat item at last!? Did I finally win at life!?

    I¡¯m suddenly very excited¡­ ¡°Effect, please.¡± I was even trembling while waiting for their descriptions.

    ¨CHoly Sword, Excalibur: A miniature replica of the magical sword that King Arthur supposedly had. 1:10 scale, made of plastic.

    ¨CArtemis¡¯ Bow: A miniature replica of the bow that was supposedly used by Artemis, the goddess of the hunt. 1:10 scale, made of wood.

    ¨CDivine Spear, Gungnir: A miniature replica of the spear that was supposedly used by Odin, god of war and death. 1:10 scale, made of PVC.

    Wow! They¡¯re all worthless! What a disappointment!

    I guess this means the world isn¡¯t that sweet? Or maybe this disappointment is actually a penalty for getting an achievement as disgraceful as murderer? It seems like this system can truly give any kind of item¡­

    ¡°Just give me anything.¡± I told the Auditory Hallucination.

    ¨CItem supplied.

    The toy that I got was the ¡®Holy Sword, Excalibur¡¯. It was just the right size for a miniature¡­ I considered throwing it away, but I guess it is pretty well-made, so let¡¯s keep it as a souvenir.

    That¡¯s enough of dealing with the Auditory Hallucination though, let¡¯s move on with things.

    ***

    Right now, I suppose my priority should be to make sure that this building is safe. I wasn¡¯t worrying too much about it while checking the Auditory Hallucination¡¯s rewards because that man was here, so the probability of this store being safe is high.

    However, he did get bitten. Maybe he got bitten outside and escaped here, but maybe he was bitten by a zombie that is still inside. I had no way of knowing that, so I would need to check the store myself.

    Slowly, I walked around, carefully checking the surroundings¡­ For now, everything seemed to be clear.

    Except the area behind the counter that is. I could see from outside that this drugstore had a second floor, so there should be some stairs leading there. Maybe there is a waiting room up above.

    Carefully, I opened the door and got behind the counter. There was, as expected, a somewhat steep staircase leading to the second floor there.

    As I climbed the stairs, that kept on making noises with each step I took, I eventually reached another door¡­ And from behind this door, I could hear noises. There was someone there.

    Was it a living person? I knocked to find out.

    ¡­ Groans came from the other side. What a cheerful reply that was! Surely it must be because of a stomachache, right?

    I sheathed my sword and got a knife from my bag. It was a bit hard to use a sword in narrow spaces, so the knife would be safer here.

    The groans got louder. I took a deep breath and opened the door.

    There was a female zombie inside it. She seemed to be a few years older than me¡­ Did the store owner go crazy because of his daughter¡¯s mutation? Or did he try hosting a girl from outside, just like me, that was bitten by a zombie, which ended up leading to him getting bitten by her later on?

    Either way, I¡¯m sure some tragedy happened here¡­ Well, I grabbed this zombie¡¯s hair and quickly stabbed my knife through her eye, which made the hands around my neck let go¡­ It¡¯s okay now.

    After laying down her corpse, I looked around. This seemed more like a living area than a waiting room. It even had a bed and a kitchen here. That was a nice surprise.

    I threw the female zombie¡¯s corpse out the window, and saw her quickly being surrounded by other zombies. Then, I went downstairs, opened the shutter a small bit, pushed the old man¡¯s corpse outside by using a mop, then closed the shutter again. I also wiped out the blood that was on the floor after that.

    Okay, this place is clean now.

 CH 24

    Chapter 24 ¨C Living by myself

    After getting rid of the bodies, I checked the building one more time just to be extra sure that it was safe, and I came to the conclusion I shouldn¡¯t need to worry about attacks from outside. The shutter on the front door should stop zombies from entering, and the back door is made of sturdy steel, so zombies most likely won¡¯t be able to destroy it.

    So, for now, I decided to stay at the living area on the second floor. I¡¯m sure the owner won¡¯t mind, and I need to wait for my injuries to recover.

    I laid down on the bed and took a deep breath. The pillow was a bit old and smelly, but I didn¡¯t mind it at all¡­ It¡¯s been a whole week since I last slept at a comfortable place, hasn¡¯t it?

    Now that I covered myself with the warm blanket, the tiredness of the day washed over me. The pain of my foot disappeared from my mind in the blink of an eye.

    Good night.

    ***

    By the time I realized it, six hours had passed. I slept like a log, and it felt the best. It was as if my whole body was melting¡­ I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever slept this comfortably, not even before the zombie outbreak.

    ¡­ I¡¯d like to stay here forever, if possible.

    It was kinda dark though¡­ Getting up with a yawn, I turned on the light switch, as usual.

    ¡­ Eh?

    It turned on¡­? Is this a divine blessing? Did God descend and give me electricity?

    I hurriedly looked around the house after seeing this inexplicable phenomenon¡­ And found out that there was a solar-powered generator installed on the building¡¯s roof¡­ Wonderful! This is way too wonderful!

    I went to the kitchen and, trying to lower my expectations, opened the refrigerator¡­ It was cold. It was cold and had ingredients inside¡­ My stomach rumbled.

    Even by my standards, my following actions were unusually fast. I put a large amount of rice in the rice cooker, boiled some water in an electric pot, put two slices of butter in a frying pan.

    Then, I put the frying pan on the stove and turned it on. Added bacon and enjoyed the scent for a bit before breaking four eggs and putting them on the pan as well.

    After that I sprinkled a bit of salt and black pepper to finalize this part.

    By now the water was already boiling, so I put some cup noodles in it. The rice was also done, so I put it all on a bowl, then added some vegetables to top it all off.

    And there it is! All done! A full-course meal that is the specialty of someone who lives alone! I wouldn¡¯t have been able to eat all this by myself one week ago, but I¡¯m confident I can easily finish this meal right now.

    Amazing¡­ It really feels great to be able to eat some delicious food again. I ate it so fast that it was almost as if a vacuum cleaner got rid of the entire food¡­ That¡¯s the kind of sight that it would be better if other people didn¡¯t see. It¡¯s good that I¡¯m alone right now.

    Being completely satisfied, I returned to the bed and started thinking¡­ What to do now? It would be nice if I could just live here forever, wouldn¡¯t it?

    Ah, there is an electric blanket in this bed¡­ Let¡¯s try it out, and¡­ It works. It feels nice¡­ It¡¯s fine to sleep again, isn¡¯t it?

    This feels like home right now¡­ I miss home.

    ***

    A few hours later I woke up.

    It seemed like I was back to full strength now, I could barely notice my leg injury anymore.

    So now¡­ I guess I should try getting in touch with everyone at school. My relationship with the people there is kinda weird, but I¡¯m sure some of them are worried for me, so I¡¯d like to reassure them if possible.

    It was still in the middle of the night though, so going back there wasn¡¯t an option. Let¡¯s search around the building to see if there is anything that I can use.

    It didn¡¯t take long to find it. Some fireworks with an exaggerated name of ¡®Sagittarius¡¯ Arrows¡¯¡­ This must have costed a few thousand yen each.

    They were a little dusty, so they¡¯ve probably been here for a while. I guess the store¡¯s owner must have bought it for some summer and ended up never using it.

    For a second, I worried about their expiration date, but then I remembered hearing that, for as long as they don¡¯t get damp, fireworks should be fine for at least ten years, so I guess there isn¡¯t anything to worry about.

    I wonder why they were bought though. Did the owner want to give a show to his grandchildren¡­?

    Ah¡­ I¡¯m thinking about the intentions of the man I killed a small while back. That¡¯s kinda rude, isn¡¯t it?

    Though well, I suppose it¡¯s also fine. Let¡¯s make use of this now that he can now longer do it.

    I climbed to the roof of the building while carrying the ¡®Sagittarius¡¯ Arrows¡¯ and lit it.

    The fireworks flew high and made a golden light flash high up in the sky. A bright light illuminating the night. Feels even brighter than usual because the whole city is dark right now.

    This really was quite an expensive and flashy thing, definitely not what I¡¯d expect to be used at someone¡¯s home¡­ Well, it served a good purpose. Hopefully this was enough to communicate to the people at school that I¡¯m well.

    ¡­ I¡¯m still sleepy though. Let¡¯s go back to bed.

    ¡°Good night.¡± I told to the zombies below before going back inside the building. Laying down on the bed, and covering myself with the electric blanket, I slept once more.

 CH 25

    Chapter 25 ¨C Just for today, let¡¯s have a slow life

    This is troubling¡­ What do I do now? It¡¯s a bit past dawn, and I¡¯m covered by the electric blanket¡­ My movements are sealed.

    This is so bothersome. I don¡¯t wanna go anywhere. I want to stay here forever¡­ I really felt that from the bottom of my heart.

    I stayed on the bed as if I was tied to it¡­ This is all due to the electric blanket! It¡¯s not my fault!

    And because it was too warm right now, I couldn¡¯t expose my skin to the cold morning air¡­ Yeah, it can¡¯t be helped. I can¡¯t get up right now, I¡¯ll have to stay on this bed reading some detective mangas that I found on the house.

    And like this, many hours passed.

    Truly, even when the world is ending, reading manga is still fun. I hope the author is still safe, so that they can eventually finish this story.

    By now, my stomach was complaining a lot, so I figured I had to get up to eat something. I went to the kitchen and opened the refrigerator, taking out the items that seemed like they¡¯d spoil the fastest.

    Eggs, vegetables and¡­ Let¡¯s have beef too. I don¡¯t plan on staying for long anyways¡­ Maybe.

    And now, to show the secret technique of someone who lives alone. Anything can have a decent side-dish taste if you stir-fry it and use the sauce of the grilled meat as seasoning!

    Though I also made some miso soup and rice to accompany the rest of the meal. It felt like a bit too much for breakfast, but my body really demanded a lot of nourishment right now. I wonder how does this much food even fit inside me, must be the fault of the Auditory Hallucination.

    Still¡­ Happiness. This simple meal is the very definition of happiness. I really want to stay here forever after all.

    After finishing my meal, I went back to bed, napped for a bit, read a bit more of the detective manga, then had a wild idea. An absurd bold idea that would be blasphemous when considering the current state of the world.

    ¡­ Let¡¯s take a bath.

    While the school still has a fair amount of water, the supply was cut, so everyone is saving. I was only allowed to shower twice this week, and it was a cold shower¡­ We¡¯re right now at the end of February, so everyone was almost crying while having to shower in this kind of weather, while at the same time being happy for being actually able to shower for the first time in a while.

    In those circumstances, doing something as extravagant as taking a bath would be absurd, but¡­ All the more reason to do it. There¡¯s enough water in the store, even if it was supposed to be used for drinking, so¡­ Yes, I¡¯ll do it.

    I used the cassette stove and an electric kettle to heat up the water, then threw my clothes in the washing machine, covering myself with only a towel.

    It took a whole hour to prepare everything. The bathtub was filled with hot water at the same time that the washing machine finished.

    While still half-naked, I put my clothes to dry, then went to the bathroom to take my bath.

    Ah¡­ This is bliss. This is the kind of luxury that I might never have access to again. This happiness is irreplaceable.

    And then¡­ There was some strange noise and the lights were turned off. I must have used too much electricity, because trying to flick the switch yielded no results.

    Well, that¡¯s alright. It¡¯s the push I needed to get out of here.

    Once I finished my bath, I made one last lunch with what was left on the refrigerator, wore my clothes, as they had finished drying by now, then secured water, food and whatever other essentials that were available and that weren¡¯t bulky.

    It¡¯s been a whole day since I entered this drugstore¡­ Let¡¯s come again at some point. Deep inside my heart, I decided to do that.

    But now, I should go back to school. If I take too long, some people might try risking themselves to rescue me, and I¡¯d rather avoid that¡­ Kousuke in particular, who has a strong sense of responsibility, might come even before his foot finished healing.

    I took a deep breath. My mind and body were refreshed, and I was glad I was able to stay some time here to rest. Could this be the bliss reserved to the true allies of justice?

    While giggling at this silly thought, I climbed to the building¡¯s roof and unsheathed my sword.

    Below me, about a dozen zombies were groaning and trying to find a way inside.

    With my free hand, I took out the music sheet with the ¡®Song of the Death God¡¯¡­ I felt that I might actually be able to defeat those zombies even if I didn¡¯t use this now, but I¡¯d rather not. I want to go back to school while being as clean as possible.

    Because¡­ Well, I¡¯m a girl, that¡¯s why.

    And so, I took a deep breath, spread my hands out as if I was a sword-wielding idol that was standing on a stage, and said, ¡°Everyone, please listen! Luululala, lulalula, die die die and fall into hell, everyone please drop dead!¡±

    ¡­ Huh? Why did nothing happen? Did I get the lyrics wrong? Or did it not count as singing because I¡¯m too bad at it?

    Absurd! I¡¯m very proud of my loner karaoke singer skills! I sing to myself all the time, there¡¯s no way that this doesn¡¯t count as a song!

    Then, the ears of the zombies started exploding. Lots of blood spurted everywhere, and the drugstore¡¯s signboard was all dirtied up. Nobody would like to enter such a dirty drugstore.

    ¨CCongratulations! You earned the achievement: ¡®Terminator¡¯!

    An achievement? Is this because I killed too many zombies in one go?

    Well, I can check what this means later. Right now I should prioritize going back to school, so let¡¯s choose the rewards later.

    I¡¯m going!

 CH 26

    Chapter 26 ¨C I¡¯m home

    As I ran out of the drugstore and moved through the market district, I found four zombies in front of me. However, this time, I didn¡¯t feel scared of them¡­ Instead, I felt like I could keep moving.

    My katana, which was a memento from my grandfather, felt extremely light. It was almost as if it was part of my body¡­ I intuitively knew its range, and felt as if I was touching whatever it touched.

    I swung it with the minimum force necessary, swiftly stabbing the brain of the zombie in front of me. Then, I pulled it back and made an upwards swing, swiftly cutting the next zombie in half.

    Without stopping my motions, I stabbed the eyeball of the third zombie, then did a horizontal swing with the sword, cutting the last¡¯s zombie¡¯s head in half too.

    And with this, they were down. Now that I have the ¡®Sword Technique (Intermediate)¡¯ skill, it seems like zombies aren¡¯t really a threat to me anymore.

    No, I can¡¯t think like that. Zombies¡¯ bites can instantly kill anyone. No matter how strong I get, I cannot get cocky.

    Let¡¯s keep moving, I have to go back to school.

    ¡­ The path doesn¡¯t feel like it¡¯s that big though. Yesterday I felt as if the road was a thousand miles long, but now it¡¯s nothing more than a light stroll.

    However, I did not try to actively kill the zombies on the way. What I wanted to was getting back to school, and I am not going to risk getting surrounded, so I was avoiding as many unnecessary battles as possible.

    Luckily enough, the number of zombies in the city doesn¡¯t seem to be that big. There were a lot near ¡®Captain¡¯, but that was probably the largest group in the city, and they¡¯re now scattered, so I didn¡¯t find any large groups on my way.

    I did find groups though, for the zombies seem to be aware that there are people at the school, so their numbers got larger and larger as I approached my target.

    By the time I could see the main gate, there were over a dozen zombies behind me.

    For now though, I quickly killed the two zombies that were stuck at the school¡¯s main gate and shouted as loudly as I could, ¡°Is anyone there!?¡±

    ¡°S-senpai!?¡± Takenaka Isao exclaimed from behind the gate. He was so surprised that he even dropped the book he was reading, ¡°I can¡¯t believe it! You¡¯re amazing, senpai! I saw the fireworks yesterday, you know!? I¡¯m so glad you¡¯re safe!¡±

    ¡°Talk later! Open the gate!¡± I told him, as the zombies were closing in on me.

    ¡°W-w-w-w-w-wait just a minute! I¡¯ll get it!¡± As he saw the approaching zombies, he hurriedly started searching his pockets for the gate¡¯s key, ¡°We kept watch over the gates throughout the night so that senpai could come back at any time¡­¡± I appreciated the consideration, but I¡¯d appreciate it even more if he could hurry up and open the gate, ¡°There! I found it! Wait a bit, I¡¯m opening it!¡±

    However, the zombies were already on me by then¡­ Too late! I¡¯m tired of waiting!

    I stabbed the head of the nearest zombie, then beheaded it. As it started falling down, I used its body as a trampoline to jump over the gate, before the other zombies could reach me.

    The gate was over 3 meters tall, but I still jumped over it just fine.

    As I landed inside, Takenaka looked at me with an absolutely stunned expression. His hands were still holding the key that he had just inserted into the gate.

    ¡°I¡¯m home.¡± I said.

    ¡°Eh? That was¡­ High¡­ Uhn¡­ Welcome back, senpai!¡± It was a bit of a troubled reply, but he seems to have recovered after that small stutter, ¡°We were all really worried for you, you know? I even pulled an all-nighter to keep watch!¡±

    ¡°Oh my? You did quite the naughty thing.¡± I joked.

    ¡°Eh!? Come on, I can¡¯t fight like you and Kousuke, so let me at least do this much!¡± He exclaimed. Seems like he took my comment seriously.

    ¡­ Though he really stayed up all night waiting for me, while I spent my time reading manga. I felt a bit guilty for that.

    Well, let¡¯s leave it at that, ¡°How is Kousuke¡¯s family?¡± I asked.

    ¡°All three of them are safe! And please go meet Kousuke, he¡¯ll surely be overjoyed to meet you.¡± Takenaka replied.

    In the end, I just did what I felt like I was supposed to, then ended up resting and enjoying myself with a bath, but it seems like I caused a lot of worries for everyone¡­ And also saw the private parts of an unfamiliar old man.

    Let¡¯s not think about that, ¡°Did anything happen while I was gone?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Ah, well, nothing big, just¡­ Do you remember Nakata?¡± Takenaka asked.

    ¡°Nakata? Can¡¯t say I do¡­¡± I replied.

    ¡°Well, he is a bit of a tall and handsome guy who likes flirting¡­¡± He explained.

    ¡°What about him?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Well, there were three girls who were getting annoyed at him, so they took it out on him.¡± He said.

    ¡°Took it out¡­?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Yeah, like, beat him up?¡± He answered.

    ¡°He was lynched in front of everyone? This seems troublesome.¡± I replied.

    ¡°Oh no, nothing that big! They just slapped him hard and the like. Basically, they openly called him an annoyance.¡± Takenaka explained.

    ¡°Oh, so that¡¯s what it was.¡± I was relieved.

    ¡°I mean, the boys are just laughing at it, but Nakata seems to be quite down because of it, you know?¡± He told me while giggling.

    So this was the incident? I guess things really are quite peaceful right now.

    ¡°Though should you really be badmouthing him in front of me?¡± I asked him.

    ¡°Ah, I mean, it¡¯s just that you give an easy to get along aura of sorts, kinda like how I¡¯d feel around other boys of my class, I guess?¡± He hurriedly explained.

    ¡°A boy¡­?¡± I asked in disbelief.

    ¡°I-I-I-I mean! Senpai just feels a little mentally boyish!¡± He seemed to be panicking a bit.

    ¡°B-boyish!?¡± Though I too was panicking now¡­

    ¡°Ah, no, I mean¡­ Senpai is really charming, just like¡­ I mean, behaves a bit like a boy? Ah, oh no¡­ Why did I even mention this¡­?¡± He seemed to be lost on how to fix things¡­

    That was quite the low blow. I was harmed by an unexpected attack.

    ¡°A-anyways, senpai is easy to talk to and I like staying with senpai! And everyone else also thinks so!¡± He tried to deliver some comforting words while diverting the topic a bit, but it didn¡¯t help much.

    I heaved a sigh, then turned towards the school building. Better end this conversation here before it gets any worse.

    Though before I started walking towards it, I saw the cover of the novel that Takenaka was reading¡­ ¡®No Longer Human¡¯. What a fitting title.

 CH 27

    Chapter 27 ¨C The imminent giant monster crisis

    As I moved towards the school¡¯s building, three students rushed towards me at a tremendous speed.

    ¡°Senpai!¡± Asuka shouted as she hugged me. Ritsuko then hugged me too and Rintarou stopped a bit farther than the other two.

    ¡°We¡¯re the same age, so you shouldn¡¯t call me senpai.¡± I told Asuka, as usual.

    ¡°Senpai! I love you! I love you! I love you! Don¡¯t ever stay away from me again!¡± Asuka exclaimed while hugging me even tighter than before.

    ¡°Senpai¡­ I¡¯m glad you¡¯re safe.¡± Ritsuko said.

    I was being sandwiched by the strong hugs of two beautiful girls. They had a nice smell even though neither of them had bathed in a while.

    Though I¡¯m not that happy about it since I¡¯m straight¡­ And why are Asuka¡¯s lips moving closer to mine!?

    I hurriedly put my hand in front of her face, and then my palm was deeply sucked by her¡­ What is this sudden yuri development!?

    ¡°Oh, wow! Me too, me too-!¡± Rintarou suddenly exclaimed, but he then got his belly hit by Ritsuko¡¯s elbow.

    ¡°You deserved it, idiot.¡± She told him¡­ And yet, even while crouching down in pain, Rintarou didn¡¯t stop smiling, ¡°Anyways, where were you, senpai? Everyone was so worried!¡± Ritsuko asked me.

    I then briefly told them about what happened after I left ¡®Captain¡¯. Like how I injured my leg and had to hide in a drugstore to rest.

    ¡°You injured your leg?¡± Ritsuko was worried when she heard that.

    ¡°Ah, I just tripped a bit, nothing big.¡± I lied, but it couldn¡¯t be helped. There¡¯s no way I could explain how I got an antidote.

    ¡°Ah, I¡¯m glad.¡± She heaved a sigh of relief, ¡°Then please go meet Kousuke. That idiot has been worried sick about you, he didn¡¯t sleep a wink since yesterday even!¡±

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll do that.¡± I told her.

    I did expect that he¡¯d do something like that anyways. He really has a troublesome anime-protagonist-like personality¡­

    ***

    After parting with Ritsuko, Asuka and Rintarou, I went to the 3rd class of the 2nd grade, where a meeting was being held.

    As I opened the door, I could hear an unfamiliar man speaking to everyone, ¡°I¡¯ll say it again. If we don¡¯t start moving as soon as possible, we¡¯ll be dead. There¡¯s no-¡±

    ¡°Senpai!¡± Kousuke suddenly exclaimed, cutting the man¡¯s speech. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever seen Kousuke this happy before, ¡°I¡¯m so glad you¡¯re okay¡­¡±

    Not only him, but it seems like everyone in the room was relieved to see me back¡­ It¡¯s a bit embarrassing.

    However, the sweet mood didn¡¯t last long, because the unfamiliar man spoke to me, ¡°So you¡¯re the rumored girl.¡±

    Only now, after paying proper attention to him, that I recognize who this man was¡­ He was Kousuke¡¯s father, who I only got a glace of back when we were at ¡®Captain¡¯.

    ¡°You must be Kousuke¡¯s father?¡± I asked him just in case.

    ¡°Indeed. I¡¯m Hibiya Norio, a pleasure to meet you.¡± He told me as he shook my hand. His palm was very rough and powerful.

    At that moment, the usual fanfare resounded.

    ¨CCongratulations! Your level has risen!

    ¨CCongratulations! Your level has risen!

    What timing to get this. I guess it¡¯s because I was able to safely return to the school after a dangerous situation while properly finishing the rescue operation?

    It was nice that I gained two levels from it, but let¡¯s leave the choice of rewards for later and focus on the conversation for now.

    ¡°From what I¡¯ve heard, it¡¯s because of you that we were saved.¡± Mr. Norio said.

    ¡°Well¡­ I suppose that isn¡¯t wrong.¡± I replied.

    ¡°I¡¯m thankful for your help¡­ However, where is Mr. Kobayakawa?¡± He asked me.

    ¡°Kobayakawa?¡± I asked him back with a frown.

    ¡°You¡¯ve met him at ¡®Captain¡¯. He¡¯s the member of the self-defense forces that brought us this far.¡± He explained.

    ¡°Ah, so that was his name¡­ He¡­¡± I then explained his heroic sacrifice, where he saved my life when I was in a desperate situation, and ended up falling prey to the zombies.

    Mr. Norio was visibly disheartened to hear that, ¡°I see¡­ So he too¡­¡±

    ¡°If I were to say something, I think he didn¡¯t have much will to live. He did not try to flee from the zombies at all, so perhaps he was fine with how things ended for him.¡± I told him. I didn¡¯t expect it to be much comfort, but I figured I should at least try to say something about it.

    ¡°He was a very responsible man for his age. However, he lost a lot of his companions after the incident at the camp¡­ It must have taken a toll on him.¡± Mr. Norio explained.

    However, it didn¡¯t make things clearer to me at all, ¡°Incident at the camp? Could you perhaps tell me about it? Is this related to why you were saying we had to leave the school?¡± I asked.

    Before Mr. Norio had a chance to reply though, Mr. Sasaki ended up interrupting us, ¡°Before that, I just want to ask you something¡­ Did you really see a dragon?¡± He asked me. It seems like it was hard for him to actually say those words, he probably has a hard time believing that I saw one.

    ¡­ I wonder how he got hold of this information though. I¡¯m pretty sure I didn¡¯t tell him.

    Well, it¡¯s fine either way, ¡°I saw one.¡± I told him.

    When I did, all adults on the classroom became restless.

    ¡°When?¡± Mr. Sasaki asked me.

    ¡°About a week ago, from my apartment¡¯s window, before I came to school.¡± I explained.

    Mr. Sasaki heaved a sigh and said, ¡°Well, if she is saying it, then I think I¡¯ll believe it.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m kinda lost here, can you tell me the story from the beginning? Where did this question even come from?¡± I asked him.

    It was Mr. Norio, who had a very bitter expression, that replied to my question, ¡°A pig appeared.¡±

    ¡­ That wasn¡¯t a very good explanation, ¡°A pig? Was it edible? Or maybe pretty?¡± I asked him. I actually like eating pork quite a bit.

    ¡°Not this kind of pig.¡± He said, then spread his arms out, ¡°A gigantic pig monster.¡±

    I had a blank expression as he said that¡­ And at the same time, everyone¡¯s eyes seemed to be focused on me for some reason.

    It felt as if they were asking me for my opinion on what Mr. Norio had said so far, but¡­ It really wasn¡¯t much.

    So I nodded and said, ¡°Alright¡­ Please continue.¡±

    He then explained his story properly.

    About 10km from here, there was a factory that was surrounded by a sturdy fence. After the zombie outbreak started, the military used that factory as a refugee camp. The Hibiya family stayed at that camp for a while, being under the care of the members of the self-defense forces.

    Things seemed to be mostly stable at first. However, one day a loud trumpet resounded throughout the camp. A sound that signified that the defenses had been breached.

    A thing attacked their camp and broke the fences. It easily tore through the self-defense forces and started spreading death everywhere.

    Mr. Norio was able to see the thing¡­ it was a giant pig monster who was over 3m tall and had two huge fangs growing from its mouth.

    After the pig breached the defenses, chaos issued. While soldiers were busy handling the pig, the zombies invaded the camp. The refugees were defenseless at this sudden attack, especially without many soldiers available to protect them.

    At that moment, under the command of Private First Class Kobayakawa, Mr. Norio and his family escaped on a military truck, aiming towards our school, hoping to find out if Kousuke was still alive.

    And now they¡¯re here.

    ¡°I see¡­ So it was a giant pig¡­¡± I mused.

    Kousuke, who probably thought I wasn¡¯t believing the story, said, ¡°Senpai, my father isn¡¯t a liar.¡±

    ¡°I believe him. There are zombies, there are dragons, and there are giant pig monsters. That¡¯s all there is to it.¡± I gave him my honest opinion.

    ¡°I-I see¡­¡± Kousuke seemed to be surprised by my answer. I guess most people didn¡¯t believe Mr. Norio¡¯s story at first.

    ¡°By the way, how many pig monsters were there?¡± I asked Mr. Norio.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I only saw one, but there may be others.¡± He replied.

    ¡°The members of the military were surely armed. Were their guns able to wound it?¡± I asked him.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ As soon as I saw it, I ran towards my family, so that we could escape that place.¡± Mr. Norio answered.

    ¡°I see, then it¡¯s possible that the members of the self-defense forces might have actually killed it, isn¡¯t it?¡±

    ¡°Maybe they did, maybe they did not¡­ Either way, when thinking of the possibility of being attacked by threats like that¡­ It is better to get out of here as soon as possible.¡± Mr. Norio said.

    After thinking for a few seconds, I sighed, ¡°We don¡¯t have any guarantee that there is a better place to go to though? This might be the safest option available, so I don¡¯t think it¡¯s ideal to move away.¡± I explained.

    ¡°That¡¯s exactly what I was thinking.¡± Mr. Sasaki complemented, ¡°We¡¯ve seen hell on Earth over the past week. I understand that the world was turned upside down, and I can accept that we may also have a giant pig monster on top of zombies, but¡­ Mr. Hibiya, what you¡¯re saying is unreasonable. We have elderly here. Even if you can somehow escape the zombies and find a different place to reside at, you can¡¯t seriously expect everyone to be able to.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t expect everyone here to agree with me. I only expect those who are capable of to do so.¡± Mr. Norio said.

    The one who was mostly shaken by those words, was none other than his son, Kousuke, ¡°What are you saying, dad!? You¡¯re telling us to just abandon the people here!?¡±

    ¡°Kousuke, shut it.¡± Mr. Norio ordered.

    ¡°I¡¯m not leaving! I¡¯m staying with everyone!¡± Kousuke exclaimed.

    ¡°We¡¯ll talk about this later. Leave this to your father for now.¡± Mr. Norio said.

    ¡°Don¡¯t talk to me as if I was a kid!¡± Kousuke shouted.

    Ignoring their arguing, I butted in and asked, ¡°Mr. Norio, what is the weakness of the pig monster?¡±

    Mr. Norio was visibly confused by my question, ¡°Weakness?¡± He asked back.

    ¡°Yeah. You said he was 3m tall, but how thick is its skin? Do you think a katana would be able to cut through it?¡± I asked him.

    ¡°J-just what are you talking about?¡± He seemed to be even more confused by this last question, so I clarified.

    ¡°I just wanted to know if I would be able to kill it in a fight.¡± I explained.

    Mr. Norio seemed to be in disbelief, ¡°Are you¡­ Always like that?¡± He asked.

    ¡°Like what?¡¯ I asked back.

    ¡°No¡­ Never mind that.¡± He ended the conversation with those words.

    Did I make a mistake on his route? Could I have lost likeness by giving a wrong answer?

    While I distracted myself by thinking of our relationship as if he was a visual novel character, Mr. Norio said, ¡°Anyways, I¡¯ve found Kousuke, and I¡¯m only staying here to care for him for a short while. All I wanted to say, was that I¡¯m not going to refuse anyone who wants to come with me once I leave.¡±

    The classroom went silent at this statement.

    Everyone had already said their points, so it seemed like there wasn¡¯t much point in continuing the meeting, so Mr. Asada Gozou ended the conference.

 CH 28

    Chapter 28 ¨C The birth of an arcane warrior¡­ Lol

    Once the meeting ended, I returned to my usual spot, the 3rd class of the 3rd grade. I sat down on a desk, heaved a sigh, then decided to forget all my problems for the time being.

    For now, it¡¯s time to choose my skills! Please give me some cheaty overpowered skill, Auditory Hallucination!

    ¨CChoose the reward for the ¡®Terminator¡¯ achievement.

    Oh yeah, there was this thing. The achievement I got when I killed a bunch of zombies with the ¡®Song of the Death God¡¯¡­ What is available for it?

    ¨CLevel Booster

    ¨CSkill Booster (Fighting)

    ¨CSkill Booster (Magic)

    I don¡¯t really know what they do by looking, but they seem interesting¡­ Description, please.

    ¨CLevel Booster is a small glass ball that you may break to instantly gain a level.

    ¨CSkill Booster (Fighting) is a small glass ball that you may break to gain the effects of the ¡®Martial Arts (Advanced)¡¯ skill and of the ¡®Special Move I¡¯ skill for five minutes.

    ¨CSkill Booster (Magic) is a small glass ball that you may break to gain the effects of the ¡®Fire Magic V¡¯ skill, of the ¡®Water Magic V¡¯ skill and of the ¡®Thunder Magic IV¡¯ skill for 5 minutes.

    Wait a minute¡­ Magic? D-did I just hear the word ¡®Magic¡¯?

    ¡°Re-repeat it please!¡± I told the Auditory Hallucination.

    ¨CLevel Booster is a¡­

    ¡°N-no! Just the last one!¡± I exclaimed.

    ¨CSkill Booster (Magic) is a small glass ball that you may break to gain the effects of the ¡®Fire Magic V¡¯ skill, of the ¡®Water Magic V¡¯ skill and of the ¡®Thunder Magic IV¡¯ skill for 5 minutes.

    It really is magic¡­ ¡°Hey, uhn¡­ Is Fire Magic like¡­ That you¡¯d say ¡®Fire¡¯ and then a fireball would come out!?¡± I asked, but there was no reply¡­

    Still, this really is magic¡­ I started running and jumping around the classroom in joy! It¡¯s magic! It¡¯s really magic!

    Sure, the skills are amazing alright, but this is magic that we¡¯re talking about! I¡¯ve always loved being an arcane warrior in games, even if they tend to be less efficient than pure fighters or pure mages, there¡¯s just something special about them¡­ And now the Auditory Hallucination is saying that I can become one too!? This is amazing!

    I can imagine meeting the giant pig mentioned by Mr. Norio and just burning him to a crisp with a gigantic fireball, and then making a barbecue with it later on¡­ That would be so cool!

    It¡¯s decided! I can¡¯t turn back now! Arcane Warrior is the only way to go!

    That said¡­ How do I get magic skills? I should definitely be able to use them without the consumable, since there were even multiple tiers for it shown.

    Let¡¯s think carefully about this¡­ I took out a notebook and a pen, then started scribbling the skill tree I know of, and what would be the possible ways it would branch out.

    _Sword Technique:

    __Known Skills:

    ___Beginner, Intermediated and Advanced levels.

    ___Auto Maintenance, Super Maintenance and Perfect Maintenance.

    __Future Skills: Unknown.

    _Martial Arts:

    __Known Skills:

    ___Beginner level.

    __Future Skills:

    ___Intermediate, Advanced levels.

    ___Special Move I, Special Move II, etc.

    ____As the skill booster mentioned ¡®Special Move I¡¯, it¡¯s safe to assume that there will be more levels of it as I increase this skill.

    _Hunger Resistance:

    __Known Skills:

    ___Weak Level.

    __Future Skills:

    ___Medium, Strong Levels.

    _Healing:

    __Known Skills:

    ___Natural Healing on Weak, Medium and Strong levels.

    ___Skin Strengthening.

    __Future Skills: Unknown.

    I filled my notebook with this information while being far more enthusiastic about writing something than I had ever been back when I was going to classes.

    So well¡­ Which of those skills would be more likely to branch out to the Magic Path?

    I made more scribbles and theorycrafted for a while, until I eventually decided on what will I choose for now.

    I can¡¯t be sure that I made the right choice, so I might end up getting a skill that won¡¯t get me to my goal¡­ However, all skills are useful in one way or another, so even if I don¡¯t get the Magic just yet, the skills points I spend won¡¯t be wasted.

    Taking a deep breath, I decided to move forward, ¡°Please give me the Level Booster.¡± I said.

    ¨CItem is being supplied.

    A golden glass ball appeared in my hand.

    Ignoring it for now, I focused on the next things that the Auditory Hallucination said.

    ¨CPlease choose the skill you want to acquire.

    ¨CSword Technique (Advanced)

    ¨CPerfect Maintenance

    ¨CMartial Arts (Beginner)

    ¨CHunger Resistance (Weak)

    ¨CNatural Healing (Strong)

    ¨CSkin Strengthening

    As expected, ¡®Sword Technique (Advanced)¡¯ really was there. I don¡¯t plan on taking it just yet, but I decided to check its effect regardless.

    ¨CSword Technique Advanced will make you as good with a sword as someone that spent their whole life training in a kendo dojo.

    My whole life? That would be eighteen years¡­ I suppose it can¡¯t be helped that the number is this high when considering that the ¡®Sword Technique (Intermediate)¡¯ skill made me as good as someone that trained for ten years.

    Nonetheless, this is not my goal for now. I don¡¯t want a sword skill, I want magic! Let¡¯s choose a skill which will hopefully open a path to a brighter future!

    ¡°Give me ¡®Hunger Resistance (Weak)¡¯!¡± I exclaimed.

    ¨CSkill effect is being applied.

    ¨CPlease choose the skill you want to acquire.

    ¨CSword Technique (Advanced)

    ¨CPerfect Maintenance

    ¨CMartial Arts (Beginner)

    ¨CHunger Resistance (Medium)

    ¨CSelect a Magic Skill

    ¨CNatural Healing (Strong)

    ¨CSkin Strengthening

    I started laughing out loud. I did it! I did it! I can¡¯t believe I got it right on the first try! Even though I¡¯m usually calm, I just couldn¡¯t stop laughing!

    After a few seconds like that, I took a deep breath to calm down.

    To think that choosing Hunger Resistance by elimination was the right choice, that was quite lucky.

    I quickly disconsidered the Sword Technique and Martial Arts paths because they seemed to be the very opposite of magic, so I looked at the other options.

    The Healing tree was a likely candidate, but I already had two levels in it and didn¡¯t unlock anything related to magic, so¡­ Hunger Resistance was the last option.

    I didn¡¯t expect it to lead me to magic right away though. I first thought I¡¯d get some survival-related skills, like learning how to make fire, or extract water, and even eventually generate electricity, but¡­ I got something much better than that.

    This is definitely my lucky day, ¡°I¡¯ll select a magic skill.¡± I happily said.

    ¨CPlease choose which magic skill you wish to acquire.

    ¨CFire Magic I

    ¨CWater Magic I

    Oh my? Just fire and water? The Skill Booster was also going to give Thunder though?

    Well, Thunder was of a lower level in the Skill Booster, so maybe it has an extra unlock requirement for it.

    For now, let¡¯s check the effect of each magic skill.

    ¨CFire Magic I: Allows you to use magic by casting a spell.

    ¨CWater Magic I: Allows you to use magic by casting a spell.

    That¡¯s disappointing. I was hoping to learn how powerful they were¡­ Guess there is no choice other than acquiring it and finding out then.

    ¡°Give me Fire Magic I, please.¡±

    ¨CApplying Skill Effect.

    ¡°Wait a minute! I want more!¡± As I exclaimed this, I threw the Level Booster on the ground. I¡¯m not going to keep the strong items with me until I reach the final boss, let¡¯s keep those strategies for games only.

    As the glass ball broke, a white smoke rose and enveloped me.

    ¨CCongratulations! Your level has risen!

    ¨CPlease choose the skill¡­

    ¡°Fire Magic II!¡± I exclaimed, not waiting until the Auditory Hallucination finished speaking.

    ¨CApplying skill effect.

    Huh? I don¡¯t feel as big of a change as I felt when I got the Sword Technique skills¡­ Well, I did get some knowledge on how the magic worked though.

    For now, I just whispered, ¡°Fire Magic I.¡± a small flame appeared on the tip of my finger, ¡°Whoa!¡± It¡¯s really magic! Real genuine magic!

    I don¡¯t care if the output is smaller than what I thought it would be! This isn¡¯t a trick, but actual magic!

    I happily ran around the classroom while turning the fire on and off, playing with the magic a bit. By doing this, I ended up finding out that I can actually decide on a keyword to active the spell. There are no restrictions for the keyword, so for Fire Magic I, I decided on the English word, ¡®Fire¡¯.

    And now¡­ ¡°Fire Magic II¡± I exclaimed. A fist-sized fireball appeared on the palm of my hand, ¡°Wh-whoa-whoa!¡±

    It was a bit scary to see it suddenly appear like that. I didn¡¯t know how to manage a fireball that big, and I was worried that I might start a fire if I lose control of it, so I ended up throwing it out of the window, towards the ground.

    It instantly disappeared when hitting the soil, but it left a burn mark there¡­ Amazing.

    ¡­ A bit too dangerous to use indoors though. Let¡¯s practice at a safer place later on, somewhere that nobody would see.

    As for the keyword, I¡¯ll go with the English word, ¡®Fireball¡¯.

    And just as I finished deciding that, I heard a knock on the door. I quickly recomposed myself, since I didn¡¯t want people to see me look as flustered as I was just now, then told whoever was outside to come in.

    The ones behind the door were Rintarou, Ritsuko and Asuka.

    ¡°We¡¯re gonna go eat dinner now. You coming?¡± Rintarou asked.

    ¡°Yes, gladly.¡± I answered.

    However, just as we were about to leave the room, Rintarou suddenly sniffed, then asked, ¡°Senpai, did you burn something here?¡±

    ¡°No, how would I!?¡± I instantly replied. My voice was way louder than I wanted it to be though.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m just smelling something burnt.¡± He said.

    ¡°I think you¡¯re just imagining things!¡± I wanted to say it calmly, but I was still panicking so much, that I couldn¡¯t help exclaiming it¡­ Guess I¡¯ll just be glad I didn¡¯t stutter.

    ¡°Well, I guess that¡¯s fine then. Let¡¯s go eat then! I¡¯m not giving up my shrimps to anyone!¡± Rintarou exclaimed, then we left the classroom.

    That was scary. Rintarou truly has a terrifying sense of smell.

 CH 29

    Chapter 29 ¨C New Rules

    As we ate dinner, I learned something new about magic¡­ It makes me hungry. Very hungry.

    I understood now why the ¡®Hunger Resistance¡¯ skill was a pre-requisite for magic, it¡¯s because magic makes me need far more food than I ever needed before.

    I was already eating a lot when compared to everyone else, but this was on a whole new level. Even after eating three times more than what everyone got for dinner, I was still hungry¡­ I wanted more.

    I¡¯d rather avoid standing out by eating this much, but I couldn¡¯t help it right now, for I simply needed too much food to fulfill my body¡¯s needs.

    However, the food supply is limited. I just couldn¡¯t eat as much as I wanted in the current situation.

    To think that there was such a demerit to acquiring magic¡­ This night, for the first time in my life, I cried due to hunger.

    ***

    In the next morning, we were told that a serious meeting would be held, so everyone gathered on the usual place. The 3rd class of the 2nd year.

    Mr. Asada Gozou, who called the meeting, told everyone with a heavy expression, ¡°The convenience store behind the school¡­¡± He started saying. It seemed like it was really hard for him to continue speaking, that saying those words hurt him¡­ And yet, he continued, ¡°I¡¯m going there to gather supplies.¡±

    Most people seemed to be surprised at this statement. Ms. Suzuki Asaka, the PE teacher, ended up speaking what was probably on most people¡¯s minds, ¡°Are you serious¡­? Did we really fall that far?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think falling is the right word¡­¡± Mr. Asada started saying, but he was cut by Ms. Suzuki.

    ¡°I understand that we¡¯re on an emergency situation, but isn¡¯t that even more of a reason for us to follow the law? Isn¡¯t this exactly what we teach our students? Isn¡¯t this our duty as educators!?¡± She exclaimed.

    ¡°I understand your point, but¡­¡± Mr. Asada tried to make a counterpoint, but she stopped him again.

    ¡°I get that there are laws for emergency evacuations that allow us to do this kind of thing in desperate situations, but we didn¡¯t reach that point yet. We have enough food to last, so if we wait for rescue, we may-¡± As Ms. Suzuki said this, Mr. Asada tried to interrupt to make his point.

    ¡°But¡­¡± This was the only word that Mr. Asada was able to say before she continued.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to be surrounded by stolen goods while waiting for rescue¡­¡± Ms. Suzuki said.

    ¡°Listen, Ms. Suzuki¡­¡± Mr. Asada once more tried to make a point, but this time he was cut by someone else.

    ¡°Naive!¡± It was Hibiya Norio, Kousuke¡¯s father, who exclaimed this, ¡°Ms. Suzuki, you are too soft! Help is not on its way! It might take them half a year, a whole year, or maybe forever to come! We can¡¯t wait! We cannot let the law constrain our actions in this situation!¡±

    The room went silent. For a small while nobody spoke, but eventually, Ms Suzuki said, ¡°But¡­¡±

    However, I figured I should intervene, so I cut her off this time, ¡°You know¡­ Yesterday, when I was being chased by a large flock of zombies, I ran inside a drugstore in the shopping district.¡±

    Everyone¡¯s eyes were turned towards me. I immediately regretted opening my mouth, because I¡¯m really bad at speaking in front of everyone¡­ No use worrying about it now though.

    I took a deep breath and continued, ¡°The one who invited me inside was an old man. I had known him for quite a while, and he must have been over fifty years old.¡±

    Ms. Suzuki seemed to be confused by what I wanted to get at, so after one more deep breath, I said, ¡°I desperately ran to the store, hoping for relief and safety when I was in a seemingly doomed situation¡­ However, once I got inside and the shutters were closed¡­ The old man tried to assault me.¡±

    Ms. Suzuki opened her eyes wide and let out a gasp.

    Kousuke and Rintarou stood up with a loud noise. They were so angry that even I flinched when looking at them, ¡°Where is that guy!?¡± Kousuke asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m gonna kill that man!¡± Rintarou exclaimed.

    ¡°Ah¡­ That man is no longer in this world¡­¡± I told them.

    They seemed to get an idea of what might have happened there, so they calmed down a bit and slowly returned to their seats.

    And so, I concluded my line of thought by saying, ¡°Ms. Suzuki, I understand your point, and I think it¡¯s very noble, but¡­ From now on, I believe we might need new rules that are different from what we followed so far¡­ Or at least, that¡¯s how I feel about things right now.¡±

    As I finished my speech, Ms. Suzuki lightly rubbed her eyes, exhaled a sigh, moved closer to me, then embraced me in a hug.

    Ah¡­ This is¡­ I wasn¡¯t asking for this kind of comfort, you know? I actually got some good memories from that drugstore, like eating delicious food, taking a bath, sleeping well, and watching beautiful fireworks¡­

    Still¡­ It seemed like my words had an effect, as the new policy was apparently agreed upon by everyone.

    ¡°Let¡¯s eat food as close to the expiration date as possible.¡± One person said.

    ¡°We should try getting a truck or a bus into the school grounds, so that we can evacuate everyone in an emergency.¡± Another said.

    ¡°Let¡¯s also put buckets on the roof, so as to store rain water.¡± A third person said.

    ¡°We might also need water filters and purifiers then. There are probably some in the neighboring town¡¯s supermarket.¡± A fourth person said.

    Everyone seemed to be thinking about whatever might be needed to stay here for as long as possible.

    ¡°We should also strengthen the barricades in case the gates are broken.¡± One person said.

    ¡°Yeah, we can disassemble the desks and reinforce the first floor¡¯s windows too.¡± Another one said.

    ¡°Can¡¯t we find a place to grow vegetables as well?¡± A third one asked.

    Once people warmed up to the new policy, lots of constructive ideas started appearing.

    ¡°Then¡­ Who will go get supplies from the convenience store?¡± Mr. Sasaki asked, as nobody seemed to be against the idea anymore.

    ¡°I suggested it, so, of course, I¡¯ll go.¡± Mr. Asada said.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go too.¡± Mr. HIbiya said.

    ¡°Me too! Me too!¡± Rintarou excitedly exclaimed.

    Following him, Asuka, Ritsuko and Kousuke all said that they were going too.

    And then, all eyes were turned to me¡­ This isn¡¯t really a place where I may say ¡®no¡¯, is it?

    I sighed, then said, ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll go too.¡±

    To think that I used to be more of an indoors person¡­

 CH 30

    Chapter 30 ¨C Adult Work

    ¡°There¡¯s a small truck that I¡¯ve been eyeing, it¡¯s probably abandoned. Let¡¯s secure it first, then stop at the back gate of the convenience store, put as many supplies inside it as we can, then return to the school. If there are too many undead gathering, then we go to the convenience store on another day, is this alright?¡± Mr. Norio asked us when we were about to leave the school. We all nodded to his suggestion, as it seemed pretty sensible.

    Seeing that we had no objections, he continued, ¡°Also, Mr. Asada, here.¡± He took out a pistol and gave it to the surprised Mr. Asada, ¡°Mr. Kobayakawa gave it to me, but I don¡¯t know how to shoot. You¡¯re from the police, aren¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­ Well, yes, but I was in the general affairs section, so in all honesty, I¡¯m not very used to wielding one.¡± Mr. Asada said as he looked at the gun.

    ¡°Should still be better than me anyways.¡± Mr. Norio said.

    ¡°¡­ Alright.¡± Mr. Asada picked up the gun after saying this.

    ¡°Though do remember that the gunshots attract the undead, so use it more as a last resort.¡± Mr. Norio said this then.

    As we heard their conversation, Asuka whispered to Kousuke, ¡°Your dad is really cool, you know? He looks like one of those really tough novel protagonists.¡±

    Kousuke just groaned at hearing this.

    ¡­ Coming to think of it though, Mr. Norio said he wouldn¡¯t stay here for long, but now he was participating in this operation to secure supplies. Did Kousuke convince him to stay? I don¡¯t know if this is why, but there seems to be a real tension between the two of them.

    ¡°Mr. Asada and I will go secure the truck. Then, we¡¯ll drive to the convenience store and the rest of you can work on getting the supplies. That¡¯s it. No need to overdo it though, the store is nearby, so in the worst case scenario we can always try again later by doing multiple trips.¡± Mr. Norio said.

    ¡°About that¡­¡± I raised my hand, ¡°May I accompany you two? Just in case.¡± I asked them.

    Mr. Norio laughed at my comment, ¡°I don¡¯t need the protection of girls and children.¡±

    Ah¡­ That¡¯s no good. This is a total death flag. This is definitely the kind of comment that would lead to him dying.

    ¡°Dad!¡± Kousuke exclaimed.

    Father and son stared at each other for a small second, which seemed to let them reach some sort of agreement, as Mr. Norio said, ¡°¡­ Alright.¡± giving up on his previous position.

    I didn¡¯t understand why that single word from Kousuke was enough to persuade him, but it¡¯s better like this.

    That said, the area we¡¯re going to should be relatively safe, so we probably won¡¯t face any big threats¡­ Though it¡¯s no good to relax. Zombies are too dangerous after all.

    It may feel like a walk in the park to me right now, but I still have to take them seriously.

    Like this, me, Mr. Asada and Mr. Norio left the school and walked towards the location where the truck was spotted.

    It didn¡¯t take long for us to spot the first zombie.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take care of it.¡± Mr. Norio said as he held a shovel in his arms.

    ¡°Want me to bait it?¡± I asked him.

    ¡°No need.¡± He replied, then quickly jumped towards the zombie and smashed its head with the shovel.

    Oh, nicely done.

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t planning on saying this in front of her, but¡­ Mr. Asada, this is the kind of work that should be done by adult men. It¡¯s too irresponsible for you to be leaving this kind of thing to children.¡± Mr. Norio said.

    ¡­ What an annoying topic to choose.

    ¡°¡­ It¡¯s not as if we haven¡¯t had those thoughts ourselves. It¡¯s a topic of discussion that came up a few times, but¡­¡± Mr. Asada started saying, but Mr. Norio cut him off.

    ¡°What you¡¯re doing is basically like strangling a fish you just caught¡­ You ever went fishing?¡± Mr. Norio suddenly asked in a weird change of topics.

    ¡°No¡­¡± Mr. Asada replied.

    ¡°What a pity. You¡¯re losing the best enjoyment life can offer.¡± Mr. Norio said.

    ¡­ Asuka was right. He is like those tough protagonists alright¡­ And he shares all of their annoying traits too.

    Either way, he did seem to know how to take care of himself at least, so I wondered if my presence here was really necessary.

    But just as I wondered that, Mr. Norio said, ¡°The truck is just ahead, so¡­ Ah, damn it.¡±

    Five zombies were in our way. The truck seemed to be just after them.

    ¡°There are too many of them. We might need to rethink our strategy.¡± Mr. Norio said.

    At this point, I was a little conflicted.

    I wouldn¡¯t have much trouble getting rid of five zombies at my current state, but I was unsure if it was a good idea to show off right now. Mr. Norio didn¡¯t seem to have a good impression of me, and it would probably get worse if I was too flashy. It might be a better idea to let him recognize my prowess with the sword little by little.

    However¡­ He did also say that there are more monsters than just zombies in this city. In that case, the demerit of holding back and coming here another time is bigger than the merit gained from trying to increase my favorability with him.

    It can¡¯t be helped, ¡°I¡¯ll go.¡± I said.

    ¡°He-hey, wait, you!¡± Mr. Norio said that, but I ignored him and unsheathed my katana.

    Then, I ran towards the zombies and did a quick horizontal slash, cutting two heads in half. A vertical slash took care of the next one, and the last two were taken care of by two stabs.

    It took less than five seconds total. It¡¯s not too had after all, is it?

    While thinking that, I looked back towards Mr. Norio and Mr. Asada with a smug¡­ Though I only kept it for a second, then started wiping out the blood from my sword, and sheathed it after that.

    ¡°Ah¡­  Ah¡­¡± Mr. Norio was flabbergasted and didn¡¯t seem to know what to say.

    ¡°About what you were saying before, Mr. Norio¡­ I think you can now understand why we have been relying on her.¡± Mr. Asada commented.

    ¡°Let¡¯s¡­ Let¡¯s hurry¡­ Before the undead, or worse, gathers.¡± Mr. Norio said, ignoring Mr. Asada¡¯s comment.

 CH 31

    Chapter 31 ¨C Planned Theft

    After getting the truck, things went surprisingly smoothly. On the way to the convenience store, we didn¡¯t find any group of more than three zombies, and each time the undead got in our way, I quickly got off the truck and killed them with my katana. Once I was done with that, Mr. Asada and Mr. Norio took them out of the way.

    We hadn¡¯t really agreed on this division of roles, but it just naturally happened at some point.

    ¡°Damn it, our positions really should be reversed¡­¡± Mr. Norio grumbled as he cleaned up one of the corpses.

    ¡°And to think I even wrote a letter to my family in case I didn¡¯t come back.¡± Mr. Asada commented.

    ¡°Huh? You did that too?¡± Mr. Norio replied.

    As they both looked at one another after this exchange, they started giving out a strained laugh.

    Meanwhile, I started wondering what could be the connection between otaku culture and homosexuality. Perhaps that could shed some light on Asuka¡¯s excessive attraction towards me.

    And in this peaceful manner, we arrived at the back gate of the convenience store. By now Kousuke, Ritsuko, Asuka and Rintarou were already there, and they had not only cleaned up the zombies in the area, but also opened the store¡¯s door.

    While Kousuke waved at us, Mr. Norio muttered, ¡°What reckless kids¡­¡± he didn¡¯t seem to be annoyed though¡­ Instead, he actually seemed to be proud of how much his son has grown.

    Then, Mr. Asada parked the truck right next to the door. We couldn¡¯t see any zombies nearby, so it should be safe to move forward with the operation.

    ¡°The penalty for this would be imprisonment of 10 years or a fine of up to 500,000 yen¡­¡± Mr. Asada murmured.

    ¡°Things get even worse when it involves police officers, since it becomes a giant scandal, so¡­ This should remain confidential.¡± Mr. Norio responded¡­ Was this his attempt of lightening the mood? Can¡¯t say it was very successful.

    Mr. Asada sighed, then said, ¡°Well¡­ Let¡¯s get started.¡±

    And so, the looting began.

    ***

    ¡°Let¡¯s focus on getting lunch boxes first and foremost. Even if things don¡¯t look great in them, we should still be able to eat what¡¯s inside if we cook it.¡± Mr. Asada said.

    ¡°Hey, look, Kousuke! The ice creams are all melting!¡± Rintarou exclaimed.

    ¡°Leave that alone¡­¡± Kousuke replied.

    ¡°Oh wow, I love those sweets!¡± Asuka exclaimed while looking at some candies.

    ¡°Maybe we should get some magazines? They could be burnt if necessary.¡± Ritsuko commented.

    ¡°I¡¯m gonna get a few books, alcohol, coffee and cigarettes. Entertainment is also important.¡± Mr. Norio said.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much about the expiration dates, everyone. Let¡¯s get everything that seems usable.¡± Mr. Asada said.

    ¡°This is so fun! I can get as many games as I want!¡± Rintarou said while laughing out loud.

    ¡°For what? We don¡¯t have energy nor consoles at school¡­¡± Kousuke replied.

    ¡°Such delicious bread¡­ Though is the cream still safe to eat?¡± Asuka was eating one already as she wondered that.

    ¡°Ah¡­ Now I¡¯m finally able to change my socks.¡± Kousuke commented as he grabbed some.

    ¡°I think I¡¯ll try bringing some dolls for the children¡­ I don¡¯t know which ones they¡¯d like though. Nor who are the characters in them¡­¡± Ritsuko mused while going through the toys section.

    ¡°Frozen food¡­ I¡¯m not sure if we¡¯ll be able to do anything with it, but I¡¯ll bring some back. It might be possible to cook it.¡± Mr. Asada commented.

    ¡°Oh, anime T-shirts! I really wanted those!

    ¡°And I bet it would be worth a fortune if I put the anime miniatures up for sale too¡­¡± Rintarou mused, though I don¡¯t think there is much use for money right now.

    ¡°Oh, I wanted to try this juice out! Lucky!¡± Asuka was drinking something right now¡­ She was surely enjoying herself.

    ¡°Don¡¯t forget to get some basic necessities, Asuka.¡± Ritsuko reminded her.

    ¡°New pants and things for shaving¡­ Yeah, I¡¯ll need those alright.¡± Mr. Norio said.

    And like that, the truck was quickly loaded with a wide variety of things. I didn¡¯t get anything myself, because I stayed outside to keep watch, just in case.

    No zombies approached though, so I couldn¡¯t even try out my new skills while everyone was busy shopping.

    Though I can¡¯t say I¡¯m unhappy about the stay here being mostly peaceful.

    Eventually, when about half of the truck¡¯s capacity was filled, Mr. Norio said, ¡°I think this much is enough. We¡¯ve basically gotten everything that is close to expiration date, so we can always come back for the rest later¡­ Mr. Asada, what are you doing?¡±

    ¡°Ms. Suzuki asked me to.¡± As he said that, he put a large amount of 10,000 yen bills next to the cash register.

    ¡°She¡¯s a very serious teacher after all.¡± Mr. Norio commented.

    ¡°It¡¯s good that she is like this. Otherwise, we¡¯d be no different from beasts in the end.¡± Mr. Asada replied.

    Mr. Norio snorted at that, then shouted, ¡°Kousuke! Hurry up! We¡¯re leaving!¡±

    Kousuke was the last person inside the convenience store, and he quickly ran towards us after being yelled at by his dad.

    ¡­ Not before hiding a condom in his pocket though. I guess it can¡¯t be helped when considering his age, though I wonder if Mr. Asada, who is Rika¡¯s father, noticed it.

    ¡°Everyone, I don¡¯t care about how much stuff you can fit in your pockets! We have enough, so we¡¯re going! We can come back for more next time!¡± Mr. Asada exclaimed.

    ¡­ Yeah, let¡¯s just assume he doesn¡¯t know. Absolutely. I saw nothing, he saw nothing.

    ***

    And then, once the truck came back to the school, I heard the usual fanfare.

    ¨CCongratulations! Your level has risen!

    Ah¡­ I guess that¡¯s because I decided to help other people?

    ¨CCongratulations! You acquired the achievement: ¡®Emergency Supplies¡¯.

    And an achievement too¡­ Let¡¯s tell them that I¡¯m going to the bathroom so that I can check the rewards from this trip.

    For now, I first checked the Magic Skills available.

    ¨CPlease choose which magic skill you wish to acquire.

    ¨CFire Magic III

    ¨CWater Magic I

    ¨CThunder Magic I

    Oh? I don¡¯t really know why, but I fulfilled the conditions for Thunder Magic apparently.

    Well, let¡¯s check their effects just in case.

    ¨CFire Magic III: Allows you to use magic by casting a spell.

    ¨CWater Magic I: Allows you to use magic by casting a spell.

    ¨CThunder Magic I: Allows you to use magic by casting a spell.

    I guess I really have to keep getting the spells if I want to see how effective they are.

    ¡°Fire Magic III¡± I told the Auditory Hallucination. Let¡¯s keep trying to master the Fire Magic tree for now.

    Though I won¡¯t practice it indoors, since it might be dangerous.

    ¨CPlease choose the reward for the ¡®Emergency Supplies¡¯ achievement.

    ¨CSteel Sword

    ¨CSteel Spear

    ¨COak Staff

    Now that I think about it, I didn¡¯t even test out the effects of the Cowardly Glasses yet¡­ Though it¡¯s not like there is anyone I want to see the intentions of right now, so I guess it can¡¯t be helped.

    Regardless of that, let¡¯s just look at the description of the rewards of this achievement. They seem fairly intuitive, but it doesn¡¯t hurt to check.

    ¨CSteel Sword: A steel sword.

    ¨CSteel Spear: A steel spear.

    ¨COak Staff: An oak staff that will increase the effectiveness of your spells by 10% while you hold it.

    Oh, those are pretty nice. Definitely better than the Excalibur I got a small while back.

    Though I wonder what¡¯s the connection between those rewards and the achievement¡­ Is there some rule to what determines which rewards I get?

    Well, I suppose that doesn¡¯t matter much. Let¡¯s just choose a reward and get this done with.

    The staff does seem appealing, but I think it¡¯s better to get a backup weapon instead of something to enhance the spells, so¡­ ¡°Please give me the Steel Sword.¡± I told the Auditory Hallucination.

    ¨CItem is being delivered.

    A steel sword appeared in my hands. It was the standard western sword that you often see in RPGs, but¡­ It had no scabbard.

    Am I supposed to make one myself? It¡¯s kinda hard to use the weapon like this.

    Perhaps it would have been a better idea to get the Steel Spear and give it to Ritsuko then¡­ Well, too late now, so let¡¯s not worry about it.

    For now, let¡¯s put the new sword on the corner of the classroom, it will serve as decoration.

 CH 32

    Chapter 32 ¨C Supper Time

    It was a bit past midnight. The school was completely silent, and not even a candle was lit.

    There wasn¡¯t any rule about it, but because zombies are attracted by light and sound, everyone slept on the dark while making as little noise as possible.

    It was in this dark silent night that I woke up at. I didn¡¯t use any alarm, but I woke up at about the time I wanted to.

    While making as little noise as possible, I left the classroom that I slept at with my katana and a flashlight that was turned off.

    Carefully, I went through the corridor, went down the stairs, crossed the barricade, gently opened the window of the first floor, then left the school¡¯s building.

    Then, in order to avoid the gaze of Takenaka, who might be watching from the roof, I avoided crossing the courtyard and instead stayed as close to the school¡¯s walls as possible, until I eventually reached the gates.

    I climbed over the gates and went to the road outside. There were no zombies in front of me.

    The full moon was high up in the sky, so I didn¡¯t feel like I needed my flashlight right now. I just walked freely towards my goal.

    On the way there, I found one lone zombie. Since it was a good opportunity, I decided to do an experiment.

    Holding my breath, I sneakily walked towards it. Carefully, one step at a time¡­ The zombie was not noticing me. Seems like they don¡¯t have good eyesight and mostly find us by sound and smell. Though lights also attract them of course.

    It was good to know that it would be harder for them to notice me in the dark at least¡­ However, just as I thought that, the zombie made a loud groam and started moving towards me. Seems like he became able to smell me once there was only a distance of 5 meters between us.

    Quickly jumping away from it, I started my next test, ¡°Fire Magic III.¡±

    ¡­ Eh? Why is no magic coming out? Fire Magic II had quite a bit of firepower, so I thought that Fire Magic III would be quite flashy, but¡­ All that¡¯s happening is that my hand is letting out a strange liquid. Is this sweat? Did I learn Water Magic I instead? No, I did use Fire Magic III, I¡¯m sure of it¡­

    I don¡¯t get what¡¯s happening, but I guess I¡¯ll just have to give up on it for now, ¡°Fireball.¡± This time the magic did work and the fist-sized fireball appeared in front of my hand.

    ¡°Go.¡± As I said this, I threw the fireball towards the zombie that was walking towards me.

    Its clothes caught on fire and the zombie staggered for a second¡­ But then, it continued moving in my direction.

    As expected, the Fireball isn¡¯t enough to kill a zombie¡­ Well, thank you for your cooperation on my tests.

    I then swiftly cut its head in half with my katana.

    And now that my experiments were finished, I continued moving towards my goal, as I didn¡¯t go out in the middle of the night just to do some tests.

    It didn¡¯t take too long to get there. The ¡®Captain¡¯ supermarket was right in front of me.

    I started giggling. I was sure that I had a wicked smile on my face right now, one that definitely wouldn¡¯t fit any shoujo heroine ever.

    In front of the building, there were over a dozen zombies. It was a big number, but not much when compared to large flock that was here back during the rescue operation¡­ It¡¯s a relief that they dispersed already.

    I might be able to kill them one by one right now, since they have bad eyesight, but I had a better idea, ¡°Fireball.¡±

    I threw the spell towards the direction that the sun would rise. The zombies noticed the light and started going after it.

    And now, there was only one zombie in front of ¡®Captain¡¯. Seems like this one is slow to react, so I just sneaked behind it and killed it.

    Finally, no more zombies in front of the market. With the area cleared, I entered the half-opened automatic door and closed it afterwards. It was a bit hard to do it due to the lack of electricity, but I managed.

    Then, I looked around for a small bit and saw that there were five or six zombies inside the building¡­ ¡°You¡¯re in the way.¡± I said.

    I didn¡¯t really need to talk to them, but I was really at my limits here¡­ I needed food. My stomach was rumbling like crazy and I just couldn¡¯t get anything close to a good night of sleep.

    Sure, I did get more food than everyone else, but I¡¯m just too hungry! Since I obtained Magic, the food I got never felt like it was enough! Even if Rika made sure I got extras when she helped prepare the meals, I just needed more!

    However, I still have some decency inside me, so I¡¯m not going to steal from the school¡¯s storage¡­ And therefore, I have no other choice but to get some extra nourishment from the food inside ¡®Captain¡¯!

    Just from imagining the meal ahead of me, I started giggling¡­ It felt like an evil villainous laugh, but that much was fine, I don¡¯t need to care about the impression that the zombies have of me after all.

    Also, they seemed to have heard the noise I made, so they¡¯re now coming in my direction. Not only the first ones that I saw, but also some extras that I hadn¡¯t seen at first.

    This was fine. I held my sword up high, looking at the demons who dared invade my paradise.

    Humming a lullaby, I started it¡­ I started the slaughter.

 CH 33

    Chapter 33 ¨C Feast

    Once I got rid of the zombies, I pushed all their corpses towards the fresh food section¡­ Or rather, to the expired food section¡­ It was saddening to see so much wasted food, but it couldn¡¯t be helped.

    More importantly¡­ My stomach couldn¡¯t stop rumbling. Now that I had food right in front of me, it just wasn¡¯t holding back at all¡­ Let¡¯s dig in!

    I quickly moved through the empty supermarket while appreciating the 100% off, all you can eat sale.

    I first put a bunch of chocolate on my shopping cart. Next were three bags of potato chips, and after that¡­ I just put a bunch of snacks in, not caring too much about which ones I was taking.

    Then I picked some grapefruit juice. The 100% pure juice though, those that I could never afford to buy for myself.

    ¡­ Yeah, this should be enough for an appetizer, let¡¯s go eat before I go crazy.

    I swiftly ran to the office room on the back of the market. There were no windows inside it, so I turned on my flashlight for the first time.

    Then, I threw all the documents that were on top of the desk on the ground. And after that, I filled the desk with all the snacks I obtained¡­ ¡°Thank you for the meal!¡± I said to no one in particular.

    ¡­ The pile of sweets disappeared in an instant. It¡¯s almost as if I¡¯m a black hole¡­ Even though the amount I ate should definitely be too much to fit into my stomach, I was still hungry¡­ It¡¯s not enough. I thought it would be fine if I ate a ton of snacks, but I just need more¡­

    Oh, I have an idea. Let¡¯s do this.

    I quickly moved to the cooking utensils section and got a cooking pot and a frying pan¡­ Now let¡¯s see if this work.

    ¡°Fire Magic III.¡± I murmured. Once again, the strange liquid flew out from my fingers.

    However, now that I was paying more attention, I realized that it was actually flowing from a few millimeters away from my fingertips¡­ I let the weird liquid fall on top of the frying pan.

    ¡°Fire.¡± I ignited the liquid, ¡°Whoa!¡± That was unexpected. A huge fire pillar came from the pan, going as high as the ceiling¡­ So ¡®Fire Magic III¡¯ creates a flammable liquid¡­ How unintuitive!

    It now makes sense that it¡¯s still in the Fire Magic skill tree though¡­ And on the current situation, I can definitely attest to the usefulness of this skill.

    This time, I gathered a few more ingredients, and decided to prepare my next meal. I first let a few drops of ¡®Fire Magic III¡¯ fall on the cooking pot, then used Fire to light it up¡­ It wrapped the office¡¯s insides in a bright orange light.

    Then, I put some water on the cooking pot, and it started boiling in the blink of an eye. Nice! This is way better than expected!

    ¡­ I wonder what name I should give to this spell though. Fire Oil? That seems kinda bland¡­ Well, I can work on that later, for now, let¡¯s start preparing the cup noodles.

    Then, after waiting three minutes, I put soy sauce, miso, pork, salt, ramen, and even a bunch of bread as well. I mixed up a bunch of sweet and spicy foods without a care in the world. It doesn¡¯t matter if people say that Ramen doesn¡¯t go well with bread, or that this many carbs will be bad for my health¡­ For now, all I care, is satiating my stomach, so¡­ ¡°Thank you for the meal!¡± I exclaimed once more, before happily attacking my new meal.

    Following that, I also drank a bit of green tea and¡­ Well, it disappeared. All the food in front of me was gone. Only now did my stomach start calming down.

    I think¡­ This should be enough. I could eat more, but getting my stomach too full before going home might make me sluggish, so it¡¯s better not to.

    Instead, I decided to finish my feast with drinking more tea and some peach juice.

    And at this moment, just when I was about to leave, I ended up noticing something¡­ The cooking pot that I used had no burn marks on it at all. I thought that this was just because it was of a good brand, but the price tag that I forgot to peel off hasn¡¯t burned either¡­ Could this be some special property of ¡®Fire Magic III¡¯? Could it add fire attribute to an item instead of simply being some fire oil?

    To test that, I decided to use ¡®Fire Magic III¡¯ and ¡®Fire¡¯ on a small piece of paper and¡­ It didn¡¯t burn. Or rather, it was burning, but the paper itself wasn¡¯t being consumed by the fire at all¡­ It still looked just like any other piece of paper.

    This really is quite magical¡­ In that case, the only proper name for ¡®Fire Magic III¡¯ can be¡­ ¡®Enchantment¡¯! This is awesome! I¡¯m really getting closer and closer to my dreamy Arcane Warrior!

 CH 34

    Chapter 34 ¨C The Birth of an Arcane Warrior

    While carrying a bag of sweets, that wasn¡¯t very bulky, I left ¡®Captain¡¯ through the employees¡¯ backdoor, in order to avoid letting more zombies inside the market. I was in a pretty good mood right now, since I finally felt like my stomach was full.

    However, right outside the door, there were five zombies waiting for me¡­ I guess this is the debut of the Arcane Warrior!

    ¡°Enchantment.¡± I muttered, letting the liquid fall over my katana¡¯s blade, ¡°Fire.¡± Then, my blade was lighted up. The fire went so high that it was almost as if my sword had doubled in side¡­ And now I¡¯ve created the Fire Sword!

    ¡­ Somehow the name felt a bit embarrassing, but let¡¯s not mind that. If you think carefully about, it¡¯s actually quite the cool name, right? Right!?

    Well, the zombies won¡¯t answer my internal monologue, so let¡¯s just get this started. I can think a bit more on the sword¡¯s name after I get back to school.

    And so, I swung my katana against the nearest zombie, and its head flew off¡­ Only, there was almost no resistance from its body. It was almost as if I was cutting a rag doll.

    Immediately after that, I could smell the carbonized meat¡­ Still, I didn¡¯t mind that and focused on the next zombies. One after the other, they fell with extreme ease¡­ This Enchanted Sword is really strong, isn¡¯t it? I could even cut a zombie in half with a single vertical swing¡­

    Without realizing it, I became absorbed into testing the sword, and ended up killing all the zombies in the surround area¡­ This is definitely an amazing power. Even with the added risk of luring more zombies nearby, since they¡¯re attracted by the bright light of the sword, it¡¯s still well worth it to use this. I¡¯m happy I raised my skills to this point.

    But that¡¯s enough for today, let¡¯s go back home¡­ Oh wait, not yet. There¡¯s still one more thing to check.

    The truck that Mr. Kobayakawa was driving. The one that he used to bring the Hibiyas to the school¡­ I wanted to check it before, but didn¡¯t have the opportunity to. Let¡¯s go back there now, there might be something worthwhile inside it.

    First, I checked the truck¡¯s back, and saw a bench there¡­ I guess it was there to help carry people? I also saw a doll on the bench. I recognized it as being a character of a children¡¯s anime¡­ Must be from Kousuke¡¯s sister. And since she brought it with her all the way here, she must treasure it quite a bit¡­ Let¡¯s take it back with me.

    Also, I noticed that there was bag hidden below the bench. And inside it there were¡­ Guns!? Three pistol and quite a few cases filled with bullets too¡­ I guess those must be from the self-defense forces, since there¡¯s no way the Hibiyas would have those. Especially when Mr. Norio said that he didn¡¯t even know how to shoot.

    This is quite the lucky find. I don¡¯t have a use for them myself, but I¡¯m sure that the people at school will be helped by those.

    What a wonderful harvest that I got today. Let¡¯s hurry back to the school now¡­ I guess I¡¯ll put this all away for the time being, then give it to everyone later. Maybe I can say that I picked those up when I was coming back from the drugstore, but I was so nervous at the time, that I forgot to actually give the guns and doll to them or something.

    While thinking of that, I happily climbed the school¡¯s gate as I hummed the ¡®Song of the Death God¡¯ that I got some time back, even if it had no use anymore.

    But then, as soon as I jumped inside the school grounds, I heard a chilling voice coming from behind me, ¡°You¡¯re in quite the good mood, aren¡¯t you?¡± my whole body froze at those words.

    Slowly, I turned towards this terrifying voice, and saw Ms. Asaka looking at me with the scariest smile I have ever seen¡­ she¡¯s definitely angry.

    And behind her, was Takenaka Isao¡­ How though? I was sure that I avoided his gaze while moving out¡­

    ¡°Takenaka saw a bright light at Captain, so he warned me about it.¡± As if reading my mind, Ms. Asaka explained it.

    Ah¡­ Of course. He can see the market from the school¡¯s rooftop, that was how he found Kousuke¡¯s family in the first place¡­ That was a real blunder on my end.

    ¡°You best be prepared for quite the scolding, as soon as I hear why you went there in the first place.¡± Ms. Asaka told me.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± I replied. Not much that can be done now other than accepting that I¡¯ll have to hear quite the sermon¡­

    But then, I heard Takenaka whisper at my ear, ¡°Sorry, senpai. I didn¡¯t know it was you there¡­¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s alright. You just did your job there.¡± I replied.

    Though I was actually quite worried about this. If he saw a bright light, he most likely saw me using magic¡­ Will I be okay?

    Takenaka eased my worries without me even needing to ask about it though, ¡°Though why were you using fireworks, senpai? It really was quite bright at Captain.¡± he asked me, this time loud enough so that Ms. Asaka could hear us.

    Oh, fireworks! Of course, that makes sense, it¡¯s more reasonable for him to come to that conclusion than to expect me to somehow be able to use Fire Magic.

    ¡°Oh, that¡­ To attract zombies, I guess¡­? It was the idea behind it at least¡­¡± I replied. It was the best answer that I could come up with.

    ¡°I see¡­¡± Ms. Asaka replied.

    ¡°Can you keep this a secret¡­?¡± I asked them.

    ¡°Of course!¡± Takenaka instantly replied, ¡°Though don¡¯t put yourself in too much danger, senpai. Everyone relies a lot on you, after all.¡±

    Ms. Asaka, on the other hand, just sighed¡­ Is she counting on me too? I suppose I¡¯d do the same if I was in her position.

    Although¡­ It makes me feel guilty. As if I¡¯m betraying everyone, because I¡¯m hiding my powers¡­

    But then, a girl that gets stronger the more she kills zombies? In this incredibly messed up world, I somehow was able to even get an item as convenient as an Antidote¡­ In this kind of situation¡­ Wouldn¡¯t I be forced to leave this community if they found out about my powers?

    ¡­ I¡¯m fairly sure that might actually happen.

 CH 35

    Chapter 35 ¨C Sermon Time

    I was taken to the third class of the second years, and had four people looking at me sternly¡­

    ¡°So you picked this up?¡± Mr. Sasaki asked, while lifting this pistol that was on his desk.

    ¡°I did¡­¡± I answered.

    ¡°And my daughter¡¯s doll too.¡± Mr. Norio said while holding the doll.

    ¡°I did¡­¡± I answered.

    ¡°Thank you for that. She hasn¡¯t been able to sleep properly since she lost this.¡± Mr. Norio told me.

    I¡¯m glad I could help at least.

    ¨CCongratulations! Your level has risen!

    ¨CCongratulations! You have earned the ¡®Armed Group¡¯ achievement!

    ¨CCongratulations! You have earned the ¡®Things More Important Than Life¡¯ achievement!

    Yes! I did it!

    ¡­ I escaped reality for a second with those words from the Auditory Hallucination, but I couldn¡¯t focus on that for long, since Mr. Asada, Mr. Sasaki, Mr. Norio and Ms. Asaka were all staring at me. Not to mention how they all seemed to be in a bad mood, probably because they ended up waking up in the middle of the night because of my actions¡­

    ¡°A 9mm pistol from the Self-Defense Forces and with quite a few bullets¡­ It¡¯s a good weapon alright.¡± Mr. Sasaki commented while he examined the weapon.

    ¡°Sasaki, it¡¯s dangerous for an amateur to handle those things.¡± Ms. Asada reprimanded him.

    ¡°I¡¯m not a complete amateur. I went to shooting ranges before, back when I visited the United States.¡± Mr. Sasaki replied, ¡°But more importantly than that¡­¡± He stared directly at me. Everyone else¡¯s eyes also went my way, ¡°Are we really that untrustworthy for you?¡± Mr. Sasaki asked me. His tone was harsh¡­

    ¡°Ah, no, it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t trust-¡± I started replying.

    ¡°You sneaked out of the school to do dangerous activities without telling anyone, and you tell me that you don¡¯t trust us?¡± He asked.

    ¡°I mean¡­¡± I tried saying something, but how can I even explain my actions? It¡¯s not like I can tell them about magic or the Auditory Hallucination¡­

    ¡°We all know how strong you are. You¡¯re stronger than any of us, and you¡¯ve helped us quite a bit¡­ Still, that doesn¡¯t mean you can do whatever you want.¡± Mr. Sasaki told me.

    ¡°I-it¡¯s just that-¡± I tried making a reply, but he didn¡¯t let me.

    ¡°You said that we needed new rules, and you were right. We¡¯re in a completely different world now. A world where some people have power, and others are powerful. A world where those that can¡¯t protect themselves are doomed to die if they can¡¯t find someone stronger than themselves to protect them.¡± He continued.

    ¡­ I didn¡¯t know how to reply.

    ¡°We are civilized people. We are not monsters like the things we see out there¡­ We have to show that, no matter how much we are pushed, we cannot give in to violence or to our impulses. Those are our new rules.¡± Mr. Sasaki told me¡­ His words pierced my heart.

    ¡°You understand what I¡¯m saying?¡± He asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± Was all I could say as a reply.

    He was right¡­ And he was also quite serious, and convincing too¡­ I wish he was half as good at teaching English as he was at giving sermons, because I¡¯d have an amazing English by now if that was the case.

    ¡°It¡¯s good that you understand, but¡­¡± Mr. Asada sighed before finishing his sentence, ¡°Why did you go do such a dangerous thing all by yourself?¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­¡± This was bad.

    ¡°Ah¡­?¡± He asked me¡­ I couldn¡¯t lie here, could I?

    ¡°I was hungry.¡± I told them honestly.

    ¡°Huh!?¡± Mr. Asada was, understandably, in disbelief.

    ¡°I was way too hungry¡­¡± I told him again.

    ¡°But you eat three times more than anyone else¡­¡± He said.

    ¡°I know, but it just wasn¡¯t enough¡­ I really wanted to eat until I was full¡­¡± I replied.

    I was really embarrassed. I was sure that my face was beet red at this point¡­ It was just like Mr. Sasaki said. I lost to my instinct. I lost to my instinct and jumped to the pile of food that was available in Captain, selfishly making everyone worry about what was happening there.

    What I did wasn¡¯t really that different from what the old man of the drugstore did after all¡­ They were just different instincts that were given into¡­ I¡¯m really sorry. I¡¯m sorry and I¡¯m pathetic¡­

    For a small while, there was an awkward silence in the classroom.

    ¡­ Until Mr. Norio started laughing out loud that is, ¡°Because you were hungry!? You went to that dangerous hell hole, at midnight, without any help, because you were hungry!?¡± He started laughing even louder after this, ¡°You really are quite the unique girl!¡± He exclaimed.

    ¡°Ah¡­¡± I couldn¡¯t even make a reply to that.

    Then, Ms. Asaka sighed, ¡°Truly¡­ You¡¯re quite the child.¡±

    Mr. Asada and Mr. Sasaki seemed to be sharing Ms. Asaka¡¯s and Mr. Norio¡¯s thoughts, if their expressions were anything to go by.

    Then, Mr. Norio said, ¡°In this messed up world, you must be the only person that can be this carefree¡­ Oh well. Is the area around ¡®Captain¡¯ safe now?¡± He asked me.

    ¡°Ah, probably. I did clean it up.¡± I answered.

    ¡°Then let¡¯s retrieve the military truck soon. One of the tires may not be working anymore, but I¡¯m sure there is a spare somewhere.¡± As Mr. Norio said that, he got up from his chair.

    ¡°Hibiya, we aren¡¯t finished here.¡± Mr. Sasaki told him.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine, isn¡¯t it? She got scolded, she understood that she was in the wrong, she understood why we were angry at her, and she is ashamed at her conduct. This much should be enough.¡± Mr. Norio replied.

    Nobody made tried continuing the discussion after he said that, so the late night sermon was ended with the pretext of collecting supplies from Captain¡­ What a surprising development! I didn¡¯t expect to be rescued by Mr. Norio of all people!

    As we left the classroom, Mr. Norio grinned at me and suddenly asked, ¡°By the way, how about you marry Kousuke?¡±

    What¡­? What did he just¡­?

    ¡°No thank you!¡± I exclaimed as loudly as I could.

    Please let¡¯s not trigger the NTR flag. I don¡¯t want to be stabbed by Rika.

    As I made this reply, I noticed that the sky was just starting to brighten up¡­ Guess a new day is starting.

 CH 36

    Chapter 36 ¨C The Girls¡¯ Talk

    ¡°Let¡¯s go, everyone!¡± Mr. Norio took the lead of our group, just like a teacher would in a school trip. Behind him are me, six other students, and three adult men, totaling eleven people, ¡°And don¡¯t let your guards down.¡±

    When he said that, everyone got tenser¡­ After all, even if most zombies near Captain were cleaned up, we still have no way of knowing how many have come since, or if more will come.

    Nonetheless, everyone that came here was aware of the risk. To choose to come here, instead of staying at the school, or going together with the other group that is getting supplies at the Convenience Store near the school, means that they wanted to come to the more dangerous location for the sake of helping out.

    And I was the same on that regard. Me, Mr. Norio and Ritsuko all came here to make sure that the other eight people would be able to help out with getting supplies from Captain safely¡­ After all, the outside world was synonym to hell for most of those people now, yet they were still courageous enough to come here¡­ The minimum we could do would be to do our best to keep them safe.

    Still¡­ Suddenly thinking that their lives were all on our shoulders was¡­ A bit too much. I think the pressure is starting to make me feel unwell¡­

    ¡°Senpai, you okay?¡± Just as I thought that, Ritsuko asked me this. She seemed to be worried, so I guess my thoughts were shown on my expression.

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m alright.¡± I told her.

    ¡°We¡¯re here too, okay? It will be fine. Don¡¯t take it all on yourself.¡± She tried soothing me¡­ I didn¡¯t want to have her worry about me in this middle of this dangerous mission though.

    ¡°Over there!¡± Mr. Norio interrupted our conversation by saying this and pointing towards Captain.

    ¡°Amazing¡­¡± Ritsuko said as she saw the pile of dead zombies in front of the market. I hadn¡¯t paid attention yesterday, but I think there are over twenty bodies or so there? I really got quite into it¡­

    Everyone started talking about it once they saw the pile¡­ It felt a bit embarrassing.

    ¡°All of this¡­ You did by yourself?¡± Mr. Norio asked me.

    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± I replied.

    ¡°You¡¯re definitely reliable at killing those monsters¡­¡± He told me, ¡°Though they look kinda weird. What are those burn marks?¡± He then asked.

    ¡°Ah, that¡­ I tried burning the corpses, but I wasn¡¯t able to do it right, so it ended up having this half-baked result.¡± I gave him the response that I prepared in advance, which he seemed to buy¡­ After all, it was far easier to accept that, than to imagine that a Fire Sword cut through the zombies.

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s fine, but we still need to properly burn the corpses of the undead. Who knows what kind of plague they¡¯ll spread otherwise.¡± Mr. Norio told everyone.

    ¡°Understood.¡± We replied.

    ¡°Then let¡¯s get this started. On both this, and on getting this annoying thing¡­ Out of the military truck.¡± Mr. Norio sighed as he said this. He was looking at the zombie that was still stuck to the tire of the truck¡­ The zombie that forced them to make a final stand here¡­ And that made them lose Mr. Kobayakawa.

    ***

    ¡°Senpai, over here!¡± I was called.

    ¡°Got it!¡± I went there and killed some zombies.

    ¡°There are some more over there, Senpai!¡± I was told.

    ¡°I¡¯m on it!¡± I went to the next location.

    ¡°Three zombies over there!¡± I heard another call.

    ¡°No problem!¡± I killed three more zombies¡­

    ¡°Senpai, senpai, senpai! Th-that way! There were a lot, like, six zombies!¡± Another distress call¡­

    ¡°I¡¯ll take care of them!¡± I got rid of another batch¡­

    And like that, quite some time passed. I did have a few minutes of rest in-between the waves of zombies, since they were quite slow, but by the time I could take a proper break, it was already past noon.

    ¡°Thanks for the hard work, senpai.¡± Rika said while giving me a bottle of tea, ¡°Doesn¡¯t it seem like the number of zombie attacks is starting to slow down?¡± She asked me.

    ¡°Yeah, about time¡­ How are things going on your end though?¡± I asked. Since I wasn¡¯t able to pay much attention to their effort so far.

    ¡°We¡¯ve loaded quite a bit of supplies already, but we¡¯re probably going to get a bit more before it ends¡­ Still, I think we¡¯re going home soon.¡± She told me.

    ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡± I said, then drank the 500ml of tea in one gulp. Finally relaxing a bit.

    ¡°Also¡­ Uhn¡­¡± Rika seemed to be having a hard time saying something.

    ¡°What is it?¡± I asked.

    ¡°You see¡­ Well¡­¡± She was particularly cute when she struggled like this. Probably because she is small and looks fluffy, ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ There¡¯s something I need to talk about with you, senpai¡­¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡± Could this finally be the day that my juniors consult with me? Am I finally going to behave like a proper senpai? ¡°But wouldn¡¯t it be better to talk after we go back to school?¡± I asked her¡­ After all, this area isn¡¯t safe right now, even if there are no zombies in the immediate surroundings, it¡¯s better to be careful.

    ¡°N-no, that would be too late¡­ It has to be now, if possible¡­¡± She replied¡­ What is it that is so important, that it can¡¯t even wait until we¡¯re at a safe location? ¡°W-what do you think about Kou¡­ S-senpai¡­?¡±

    ¡°About Kousuke?¡± I asked just to be sure.

    ¡°Yeah¡­ Like¡­ Like that¡­¡± She nodded.

    ¡°I think he is a good person?¡± I replied.

    ¡°No, not like that, like¡­ A-as a boy.¡± She explained.

    ¡°Huh¡­?¡± Wait, is she actually¡­? ¡°No thank you!¡± I exclaimed¡­ Never thought I¡¯d have to say this twice in the same day. Goodness¡­

    ¡°I see¡­ I¡¯m glad.¡± She heaved a sigh of relief.

    ¡°But¡­ Why this sudden question?¡± I couldn¡¯t help asking her.

    ¡°It¡¯s just that¡­ Kou¡¯s dad really likes you, and like¡­ If Kou went out with senpai, then the Hibiya family would be safe, so¡­¡± She started explaining.

    ¡°¡­ Did that stupid old man say something?¡± I asked. I¡¯m sure she knew I was talking about Norio here.

    ¡°Ah, no, it¡¯s just¡­ Kou seems to really look up to senpai¡­¡± Then, she suddenly got angry, ¡°Even though I¡¯m doing my best at work! How can he only look at you!? I-I¡­ I may not be able to fight like, you, nor be as reliable as you, but, but still¡­¡± Rika now seemed about to cry¡­

    ¡°You¡¯re definitely reliable though? There¡¯s no way I¡¯d be able to properly manage the food like you do. Managing the supplies within the school is a very important task, and I¡¯m very glad you took it upon yourself.¡± I replied¡­ And I really meant it. I doubt I¡¯d be able to hold myself back if I was the one in charge of the food. I¡¯d just get rid of our stocks in the blink of an eye¡­

    Rika however, just bit her lip at my words, ¡°Plenty of men out there don¡¯t value it as much as you do though¡­¡±

    ¡­ She looks cute when she¡¯s pouting like this. I wanted to stroke her head¡­ But that would be rude, wouldn¡¯t it?

    As I thought of that, RIka suddenly grabbed my hands, ¡°Senpai!¡± she exclaimed.

    ¡°Y-yes!?¡± I replied.

    ¡°So uhn¡­ A small while ago¡­ Kou¡­ Kou did¡­ Uhn¡­ Well¡­ He¡­ He¡­ He invited me¡­ Invited me to, to, to¡­ To do it¡­ With him¡­¡± She told me.

    ¡°Ah¡­¡± I was reminded of the time he put a condom on his pocket¡­ How was Rika worried about him going out with me when he just asked her about that¡­?

    ¡°But I¡­ I don¡¯t know what to do¡­¡± Rika started crying, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡­¡±

    ¡°A-a-a-a-a-a-a-a-ah¡­¡± I tried thinking of how to calm her down, but I was panicking myself! How am I supposed to give advice in this kind of situation when I have no experience in this kind of matter myself!?

    Rika tried to recompose herself and wiped her own tears even without me doing anything¡­ However, her voice was still shaking, ¡°Senpai¡­ What should I do¡­?¡±

    ¡°Can¡¯t you do what you want to do?¡± I asked her back.

    ¡°But I¡­ I like Kou, but I¡¯m not sure if I¡¯m ready to do that¡­ It¡¯s scary¡­¡± Rika told me.

    ¡°Ah, yeah, it¡¯s definitely scary¡­¡± I replied, but¡­ I¡¯m really not the right person to consult with on this kind of matter¡­ But it¡¯s not like I can tell her that right now either, ¡°Then maybe¡­ Isn¡¯t it better if you decline it? I don¡¯t think you should force yourself to do it¡­¡±

    ¡°But what if Kou hates me then¡­ He doesn¡¯t dislike senpai, so¡­ So what if this makes him give up on me and go after senpai!? Th-then I¡­¡± She started crying even more after saying this¡­ No! How did that idea even come to her! I just said that I wasn¡¯t interested in Kousuke!

    I¡¯d rather deal with a hundred zombies than to be caught up in this kind of thing¡­

    But then, ¡°I heard your tale.¡± Ritsuko appeared, and with gentle eyes that would fit a loving mother, she put a hand on Rika¡¯s shoulder, ¡°It¡¯s alright. Even if things go wrong with Kousuke, you can always stay with other girls instead.¡±

    ¡­ Never mind the loving mother. This is just brainwashing a weakened and fragile girl.

    Ritsuko then wiped Rika¡¯s tears and said, ¡°You see, in this crazy world, only people of the same gender can truly understand and rely on each other. You understand it, right, senpai?¡± Don¡¯t pull me into this!

    ¡°Eh? Is senpai on the yuri side¡­?¡± Rika asked me.

    ¡°I¡¯m not.¡± I instantly replied.

    ¡°I see¡­¡± Rika blushed as she said that¡­ Why!? I just denied it! Aren¡¯t things somehow just getting more and more complicated!?

    ¡°The door to a new world is always open. You can take it easy and relax. Think about it at your own pace.¡± As Ritsuko said that, she hugged Rika and gently caressed her back.

    The usually quiet Ritsuko can get really talkative on this kind of matter, huh? Not to mention how persuasive she can be when she wants to, as even Rika seems to be seriously considering the possibility of going the yuri route¡­ Please stop. You have a boyfriend already.

    And in the middle of this extremely confusing girls¡¯ talk, we heard Mr. Norio said, ¡°Alright, everyone! Time to go!¡±

    It¡¯s probably for the best that this was stopped now, before Ritsuko convinced Rika that it was better to break up.

    However, as I took my first step towards the truck, my sleeve was pulled by Rika, ¡°Senpai¡­ I¡¯m still not sure about it, but¡­ May I call you ¡®sis¡¯ from now on?¡±

    ¡­ Give me a break.

 CH 37

    Chapter 37 ¨C Auditory Hallucination

    (Kousuke¡¯s PoV)

    Me, Rintarou and Asuka were right outside the school¡¯s back gate, seeing our friends bring in a lot of supplies from the nearby convenience store.

    Mr. Asada Gozou was in charge of the operation and instructing everyone on what they needed to bring, but¡­ It felt a bit troublesome that me, Rintarou and Asuka seemed to have gotten the easiest part of the job¡­ We were waiting to see if any zombie came near, so that we could take care of them if needed.

    I understood that it was important to have some combat-ready personnel on the area, but things seemed to be pretty safe right now, so we were actually quite idle.

    ¡°I wish I had gone with senpai¡­¡± Asuka sighed as she said that.

    ¡°Don¡¯t complain about going to the safer place¡­¡± I told her.

    I did understand her being bored here, but being near ¡®Captain¡¯ and all the zombies that must have been in that area¡­ It¡¯s definitely a lot more troublesome than being close to the convenience store, where we could always retreat to the school and kill the zombies from inside the safe area, even if a large number of them attacked us.

    Besides, there were a lot of things that people had to bring back from the convenience store, so it was important to have the three of us here for safety¡­ Going from dismantling shelves of the store to improve our barricades, to getting expired milk, so that we could try processing it and make it still safe to drink.

    ¡­ I honestly wanted to help everyone on doing those things too, but they all declined my help, saying that me, Rintarou and Asuka were their safety line, so they wanted us to save our energy in case anything happened¡­ I understood their point, but it was also frustrating, because I knew how much they were overworking themselves, since they wanted to make up for the fact that they were unable to fight the zombies on their own.

    And well¡­ It¡¯s boring to stand around doing nothing.

    ¡°I wish I had brought a manga with me¡­¡± Rintarou commented. He was probably as bored as me.

    ¡°And then you¡¯d get so caught up in the manga that you wouldn¡¯t even notice if zombies were approaching¡­¡± I told him.

    ¡°Ah, yeah¡­ I just¡­ Guess I wanted to have gone with senpai too.¡± Rintarou commented.

    ¡°Well¡­ I guess I also wish that we had something to do¡­ Just don¡¯t get careless, okay?¡± I guess I really shouldn¡¯t be saying things like ¡®don¡¯t complain about going to the safer place¡¯ when I too am bored.

    ¡°We¡¯ll be fine. We all prepared for this kind of thing by training with senpai, right?¡± Asuka commented.

    And then¡­ Silence again¡­ This duty is boring.

    ¡°Hey, wanna make a bet? Will the next zombie we see be male or female?¡± Rintarou suddenly said.

    I sighed, then asked, ¡°What are we even going to get if we win?¡±

    ¡°A kiss from senpai!¡± Asuka instantly replied.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think she¡¯d agree to that¡­¡± I told her.

    ¡°Maybe she¡¯d give in if we asked a lot¡­?¡± Asuka said.

    ¡°She will definitely reward us if we ask her enough times.¡± Rintarou eagerly said.

    ¡°Definitely, definitely!¡± Asuka nodded as she said those words.

    ¡°¡­ I guess the winner can give a bubblegum to the loser?¡± I decided to try making a sensible proposal.

    ¡°I¡¯m in.¡± Rintarou instantly said, ¡°I think it¡¯ll be a female.¡±

    ¡°Then, I¡¯ll bet on the next zombie being male, I guess?¡± Asuka said.

    ¡°Do you two have any reasons behind your bets?¡± I asked them.

    ¡°Well, men in general are stronger than women, so in our current circumstances, I think it¡¯s safer to assume that more men will end up surviving.¡± Rintarou explained his line of thought.

    ¡°We have a lot of strong women in our school though.¡± Asuka giggled as she said that.

    ¡°That we do.¡± I giggled a bit too as I replied.

    To think that we are having such a silly conversation on the street while being on the lookout for zombies¡­ If it wasn¡¯t for senpai, I doubt we¡¯d ever be this carefree in such horrible times.

    ¡°Hey, Kousuke.¡± Suddenly, a voice called out to me from behind.

    When I turned around, I saw Hidetoshi Nakata, a 3rd year senpai, ¡°What is it, Hidetoshi?¡± I asked him.

    ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ Can you try telling people to like, ease up a bit? It¡¯s being kinda hard to endure working with everyone¡­¡± He asked.

    He must be talking about the fact he is often being made fun of ever since some girls openly badmouthed him a small time back.

    I mean¡­ It was actually kinda funny to see it happen though, so I understood why people were mocking him because of it¡­ But I guess it must have been taking quite the toll on him when considering we basically spend the whole day at school now, ¡°Maybe try understanding them a bit? Everyone is trying their best to relax in some way, so having an easy ¡®thing¡¯ to mock is probably being quite good for the others.¡± I tried telling him.

    ¡°I get the idea, but it¡¯s just too much¡­¡± Nakata replied.

    ¡°Well, those jokes tend to die out in a few months.¡± Asuka tried telling him.

    ¡°I can¡¯t wait a few months!¡± Nakata exclaimed.

    Rintarou giggled a bit at that¡­ Which just made Nakata even angrier, ¡°Look, I tried my best to try not minding it, okay? But I have to deal with it at basically every single moment! It¡¯s too much!¡± Nakata told us.

    I guess¡­ There really needs to be a limit to this kind of thing, doesn¡¯t it? Even if it¡¯s good for everyone to loosen up a bit, it¡¯s no good if it¡¯s at the expense of someone else.

    I took a deep breath and told him, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll try seeing if I can do something about it.¡± this is what senpai would have done if she was in my situation too, I think¡­ I want to try being a bit as useful as she is.

    ¡°Ah, thank you, I¡¯m saved¡­ If the hero, Kousuke, tells people to stop it, then I¡¯m sure it will be fine.¡± Nakata suddenly told me something really weird.

    ¡°I¡¯m no hero¡­¡± I murmured that to myself before going to the convenience store and talking to everyone about how Nakata was feeling about the current situation. They seemed to understand that it was too much and promised to stop bothering him with that.

    It¡¯s a good thing everyone here has their head in the right place and have a good heart in them. Things end up working out if we talk about our issues calmly.

    Then, with this done, I heaved a sigh and returned to the lookout spot¡­ I feel like people are asking me for help more and more often these days.

    ¡­ Like how some couples asked me to sneak out some condoms from the convenience store for them in the last time I had gone there.

    I ended up doing it, because well¡­ Having a teen pregnancy in the school during our current circumstances is something we should avoid at all costs. They too understood that, which is why they asked for help, after all.

    ***

    A few minutes after I reunited with Rintarou, Asuka ended up going to the bathroom¡­ And while she was out, we heard a scream.

    It wasn¡¯t from the direction of the convenience store though. It was from the direction where Isao should be on the lookout.

    I ran towards him with all I had¡­ And before long, I got there. Isao had fallen on the ground, and a female zombie was on top of him.

    Without stopping my spring, I jumped towards the zombie and kicked her face, not caring for how I¡¯d land after that.

    As the zombie was forcefully pulled apart from Isao, Rintarou quickly approached the zombie and killed it with his survival knife. It was something we could only do due to the training we did with senpai.

    ¡°I won the bet!¡± Rintarou exclaimed. Even in this kind of situation, he is still as carefree as always¡­

    Meanwhile, I fell on the ground somewhat clumsily, but did not get any injuries, so I hurriedly approached Isao and asked, ¡°Hey, you okay!?¡±

    All strength seemed to have left his body now that the danger had passed, but he was able to say, ¡°Sorry, sorry¡­¡±

    ¡°Are you injured!? Were you bitten!?¡± It hurt me to ask him those questions, but I had to be sure of it.

    ¡°Ah¡­ No, I¡¯m alright¡­ Though that was dangerous¡­¡± Isao managed to make a proper reply this time around. He seemed to be recovering his breath a bit.

    His clothes were torn at some points though¡­ He¡¯d probably have been bitten if we were a few seconds late.

    ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m late, what happened here!?¡± Asuka, who arrived just now, asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m okay¡­ I¡¯m okay¡­¡± Isao muttered.

    I looked around a bit and saw nobody else¡­ Isao was alone, then?

    ¡°Hey, what¡¯s going on in your head? Why are you being so careless while being alone!? You¡¯re putting everyone in danger by being this reckless!¡± I exclaimed.

    Even if we were close friends, this just wasn¡¯t something I could let slip¡­ How did he seriously not notice a zombie approaching while he was in such a wide, open road?

    ¡°Sorry¡­ I¡¯m really sorry¡­¡± He repeated¡­ There¡¯s something really strange about him right now.

    ¡°Did something happen?¡± I asked him.

    ¡°No, nothing happened, really¡­ Just¡­ Just¡­ So noisy! Shut up!¡± He suddenly shouted that out of nowhere¡­ I don¡¯t remember him ever behaving like this before, ¡°Ah, no, sorry¡­ I¡¯m okay¡­¡±

    Rintarou and Asuka were showing obvious concern in their expressions though¡­ And I¡¯m sure I was too.

    ¡°You don¡¯t¡­ Look okay.¡± I told him.

    ¡°Ah, sorry¡­ It¡¯s just¡­ I heard a voice.¡± Isao told me.

    ¡°A voice?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Yeah, like¡­ An Auditory Hallucination of sorts? I don¡¯t get it, but¡­ I can¡¯t hear it right now, so it¡¯s okay.¡± Isao explained¡­ Though that just made me even more worried.

    Isao then sat on the asphalted ground and held his head, ¡°I think I must be going crazy¡­ ¡®Take a weapon¡¯, ¡®Take a weapon¡¯, ¡®Take a weapon¡¯¡­ I kept hearing it. Over and over again¡­¡±

    ¡°You must¡­ Be really tired.¡± I told him. I didn¡¯t know what else to say.

    ¡°Ah, I guess that might¡­¡± He started saying this, but then he stopped his sentence midway, and opened his eyes wide, ¡°Hey, Kousuke¡­ I think I¡¯m really going crazy.¡±

    ¡°What happened?¡± I asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s ¡®Your level has risen¡¯ now¡­ I heard it loud and clear.¡± Isao told me.

 CH 38

    Chapter 38 ¨C Under Attack

    After that troubling talk, the rest of what we needed to do during the day, was organizing and cataloguing all supplies that we had collected.

    ¡°Sorry for asking sis to help me with such a troubling thing.¡± Rika told me.

    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s alright¡­ Though please stop calling me ¡®sis¡¯.¡± I replied.

    ¡°Your embarrassment is so cute!¡± She poked my forehead with her index finger as she said that.

    ¡­ I feel like the conversation at ¡®Captain¡¯ made she lose a lot of respect for my personal space.

    ***

    Later, in the evening, we had a small banquet to celebrate the successful completion of the scavenging work. We closed the blackout curtains of the audiovisual room, then lit a candle there to set up a nice mood.

    ¡°This might be the smallest toast in history, but cheers!¡± As Mr. Sasaki said that, everyone raised their favorite drinks, then the dinner started.

    Soon after, I sneaked out of the audiovisual room and went back to my usual classroom.

    Well, time to raise my level and collect my achievement rewards. I had one level from what I did in the early morning, and another from when we finished the job at Captain, so let¡¯s see what I can get now.

    ¨CPlease choose the skill you want to acquire.

    ¨CSword Technique (Advanced)

    ¨CPerfect Maintenance

    ¨CMartial Arts (Beginner)

    ¨CHunger Resistance (Medium)

    ¨CSelect a Magic Skill

    ¨CNatural Healing (Strong)

    ¨CSkin Strengthening

    Let¡¯s check the effect of ¡®Hunger Resistance (Medium)¡¯ for now.

    ¨CHunger Resistance (Medium) allows you to work for over a month without eating nor drinking anything. Also increases the ratio at which you recover energy, and reduces the amount of energy you consume by using magic or skills.

    Oh? So not only magic, but skills too make me hungrier. That does explain a lot.

    ¡°Then, ¡®Hunger Resistance (Medium)¡¯ please.¡± I told the Auditory Hallucination. After this morning¡¯s sermon, there is no way I can keep going without this skill¡­ Otherwise I¡¯ll just be a bother to everyone, ¡°Also, tell me the effects of ¡®Hunger Resistance (Strong)¡¯, please.¡±

    ¨CHunger Resistance (Strong) will make it so that you no longer need to eat, except for when the energy consumption is caused by the use of magic or skills.

    So¡­ No needing to eat at all on normal circumstances? That¡¯s so strange. Does this mean that I¡¯ll never need to go to the toilet again? Wouldn¡¯t that be the dream of any idol?

    ¡­ Well, I¡¯m no idol, but this is still a very useful skill, so, ¡°Please give me ¡®Hunger Resistance (Strong)¡¯.¡±

    ¨CSkill effect is being applied.

    ¨CChoose the reward for the ¡®Armed Group¡¯ achievement.

    ¨CIron Armor

    ¨CNinja Outfit

    ¨CDancer Costume

    So this time they¡¯re armor-like items? What do they do?

    ¨CIron Armor is a sturdy armor made of iron.

    ¨CNinja Outfit is a black outfit that is easy to move in.

    ¨CDancer Costume are clothes that expose a lot of skin.

    So¡­ All three of them are cosplay? It would be nice if they had nice effects, but since they seem to just be clothes¡­ Well, I don¡¯t want to fight in a heavy armor, nor do I want to expose too much skin, so, ¡°Ninja Outfit, please.¡±

    ¨CItem is being supplied.

    A black costume appeared in my hands¡­ I don¡¯t know what to do with this.

    ¨CChoose the reward for the ¡®Things more important than life¡¯ achievement.

    ¨CStrength Seed

    ¨CMagical Seed

    ¨CCharisma Seed

    They¡¯re seeds now? I guess they will improve my abilities in some way when consumed? Let¡¯s check the effects.

    ¨CStrength Seed slightly strengthens your muscles when eaten.

    ¨CMagical Seed slightly increases your magical power when eaten.

    ¨CCharisma Seed makes others have a slightly better impression of you when eaten.

    Well, they¡¯re fairly simple¡­ I guess I¡¯ll go with, ¡°Strength Seed, please.¡± because it seems like the easiest one to make use of.

    ¨CItem is being supplied.

    A small seed fell from the air, and I caught it with my mouth¡­ It was actually quite tasty. It was a nice sweet that would probably go well with green tea.

    Although¡­ I don¡¯t really feel any stronger?

    Well, let¡¯s just trust the words of the Auditory Hallucination.

    With this out of the way, just as I finished putting the things away at the classroom and left it, I met up with Kousuke, who looked a little pale.

    ¡°Senpai, are you not going to participate on the banquet?¡± He asked me.

    ¡°Ah, I will. I just wanted to put something in my room first.¡± I replied, which wasn¡¯t exactly a lie.

    ¡°I see¡­¡± Kousuke seemed to be a bit troubled by something. I¡¯m not sure if he even heard my answer, ¡°Say, senpai, can I consult with you about something?¡±

    ¡°¡­ What is it?¡± I asked. Though it most likely was going to be about how he wanted Rika¡¯s chastity¡­ This hungry wolf, I¡¯m not sure I can forgive him for that.

    ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ Isao seems to be a bit¡­¡± He started talking about a topic that I didn¡¯t expect to hear about.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with Takenaka?¡± I asked him.

    ¡°You see, he¡­¡± But as Kousuke started trying to make his point, Takenaka ran down the stairs.

    ¡°Everyone! Trouble!¡± Takenaka shouted as he ran.

    ¡°Hey, Isao, you need to rest.¡± Kousuke tried to stop Isao on his tracks.

    ¡°I know, but there¡¯s big trouble!¡± Isao exclaimed.

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Mr Norio¡¯s¡­ The pig that Kousuke¡¯s father talked about! The pig monster is coming!¡± Takenaka exclaimed.

    ¡°What!?¡± Both me and Kousuke exclaimed together.

    ¡°It¡¯s not a hallucination! Both me and Ms. Asaka saw it! Warn everyone, because he is almost here!¡± Takenaka told us.

    And almost immediately after he finished saying that, the fence that surrounded the school was torn apart by a roaring sound that would change our world forever.

 CH 39

    Chapter 39 ¨C Choice

    That definitely was a giant pig monster alright.

    ¡°What is he doing?¡± Kousuke wondered.

    ¡°He seems to be¡­ Smelling something?¡± Takenaka replied as the pig wandered around the school¡¯s playground, ¡°Isn¡¯t that where we¡­¡±

    ¡°Bury the burnt corpses of the zombies we killed.¡± Kousuke finished Takenaka¡¯s sentence.

    ¡°Could he be attracted by the smell of roasted meat?¡± I wondered.

    ¡°Maybe? Father said that the zombies near the camp of the defense forces were also burnt, yet that base was attacked by the pig anyways.¡± Kousuke replied.

    And as we talked, we could see over a hundred zombies slowly moving towards the school¡­ They must have been attracted by the noise made by the pig.

    At the very least though, neither zombies nor pig seem to have noticed us yet¡­ It¡¯s troublesome that they seem to show no hostility to one another, however.

    ¡°I wish we could leave it alone¡­¡± Takenaka sighed as he said that.

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ Unlikely to happen. Animals have a sharp intuition.¡± Kousuke muttered.

    At that moment, as the pig moved around the playground, I felt like our eyes met, so I took my eyes off the window.

    ¡°I understand what you¡¯re saying, but I don¡¯t think even I can beat that thing.¡± I told Kousuke.

    Because that pig was not only twice my height, but its total body volume was probably larger than the volume of my room back at my apartment¡­ It¡¯s too much.

    That said¡­ Maybe I might be able to cut his head off with my enchanted sword. I did learn magic specifically to deal with those monsters, after all.

    Nonetheless, it would still be best to avoid fighting. It¡¯s safer to just pray that the pig will go somewhere far away and leave us alone.

    However¡­ ¡°Uhn¡­ This¡­ This is bad.¡± Takenaka, who was still looking at the window, said this.

    This made me look at the window again, and what I saw, was a woman walking towards the zombie horde.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that Ms. Mizutani?¡± Kousuke commented.

    ¡°Ms. Mizutani¡­?¡± I muttered. Her surname was familiar¡­

    Ah¡­ The zombies among the refugees. Mr. Ichirou who had already been bitten, and Mr. Kounosuke that ended up dying while trying to contain his zombified father.

    The two people that I executed¡­ The head that flew through the air¡­ The mouth that still kept on moving even after being disconnected from its body¡­ Those events flashed back to my mind.

    That woman who was walking towards the zombies was definitely the wife of Mizutani Kounosuke,  Mizutani Tadako.

    ¡°What is she doing!?¡± Kousuke bit his lips as he said that.

    ¡°She¡¯s¡­ Trying to die.¡± Takenaka was crying as he said that, ¡°Ever since she lost her husband and father-in-law, she seemed to have lost her will to live¡­ She often wandered aimlessly during the nights, but¡­ We should have paid more attention to her, damn it!¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t be serious¡­ She still has her daughter¡­ How is Rui going to handle losing her whole family¡­?¡± Kousuke muttered.

    I remembered it¡­ Rui asking me if I was strong¡­ Back before she had lost her father¡­

    ¡°Hey, senpai!¡± Takenaka exclaimed that, but I ignored it. I jumped through the second floor¡¯s window and landed on the playground.

    Quite a few zombies were already in the area, but I quickly cut through them, ¡°Out of the way!¡± I shouted as I rushed towards Ms. Mizutani.

    It was pointless to yell, it might even attract more zombies, but still¡­ I could hardly hold myself back as I ran after Ms. Mizutani, who had an open path ahead of her, leading directly towards the pig monster.

    I didn¡¯t understand why she wasn¡¯t attacked. Maybe the way she was walking was so lifeless, that not even zombies noticed that she was there¡­ But still¡­ I had to stop her¡­ Somehow¡­ Somehow reach her¡­

    ¡°Ms. Mizutani! Please live! For Rui¡¯s sake!¡± I exclaimed.

    She stopped walking¡­ She turned around and looked at my eyes¡­ Her gaze was lifeless. There was no joy in the smile that she gave me. There was only the pain of the loss of her husband and father-in-law.

    Then, she gave me a small nod¡­ A single nod¡­ It was all that it took.

    ¡­ For her upper body to be blown away, scattering a red rain throughout the playground.

    The pig monster roared. Having taken his first victim in this school, he raised his fangs and turned towards me next.

    And the lower body of Ms. Mizutani was trampled over by the pig¡¯s feet.

    An intense emotion filled my body¡­ ¡°Enchantment.¡± I applied liquid to my sword, ¡°Fire.¡± The sword was ignited.

    The monster glared at me. It prepared its charge.

    Enemy. Those are ¡®the natural enemies of mankind¡¯. Those words came to my mind.

    It was 8pm right now¡­ In the middle of this beautiful moonlight night¡­ ¡°I¡¯ll kill you.¡± I said as I raised my flaming sword.

 CH 40

    Chapter 40 ¨C One-on-one

    The flames illuminated the dark night.

    As I face the monster, I can see that it is intimidated by the flaming sword.

    However¡­ I did not have the opportunity to take the initiative against the pig, for the zombies were swarming me¡­ Perhaps it was a mistake to use the enchantment so early, the light is attracting them to me.

    Nonetheless, I kept my eyes on the monster while dealing with each zombie that got within range¡­ How to break this stalemate?

    I needed to be careful about my approach, but the pig itself was also careful, so there was no obvious opening that I could exploit.

    Also, not only did he have two huge fangs growing from his mouth, but he was able to blow away Ms. Mizutani way too easily and way too quickly. He seems to be far more agile than what you¡¯d expect from that huge body¡­ If I get hit, I¡¯ll be dead with a single blow.

    I should aim for the head. A single stab on the brain with the enchanted sword should be enough to end this.

    The pig roared, not giving me any time to think about how to safely approach his head. He rushed towards me.

    It was fast¡­ There was no build-up to that movement. At one moment he was standing still, and on the next he was running at a crazy high speed. I could barely dodge that physics-defying charge.

    But then¡­ The sound of rubble being scattered echoed. Behind me was the school, so¡­ When I dodged his attack, he broke through the wall of the building¡¯s first floor.

    ¡°Damn it!¡± I bit my lips.

    It was good enough that he only broke a part of the wall instead of actually making the whole school fall down, but still¡­

    ¡°Get out!¡± I exclaimed as I stabbed my sword at the pig¡¯s butt. His skin was extremely tough, but the enchanted sword could pierce it.

    Immediately after that, the pig convulsed, so I reflexively jumped away from it¡­ A second later, he started jumping around like a rabbit, until it turned towards me once more. That was dangerous, that jump could have killed me.

    I couldn¡¯t relax though, there was no time for that¡­ Because not only the pig was looking at me, but also because the zombies were making their way towards the hole in the wall that the pig just opened¡­ This is bad. I can¡¯t deal with this monster while also stopping over a hundred of zombies from entering the school.

    But then¡­ A military truck moved past me and blocked the wall. The driver¡­ Hibiya Norio.

    ¡°Leave the zombies to us! Get the big guy, senpai!¡± Kousuke exclaimed.

    ¡°Let¡¯s fucking go!¡± Rintarou shouted.

    ¡°I¡¯ll do my best to not let anyone die!¡± Asuka exclaimed.

    ¡°Get out of our home!¡± Ritsuko shouted.

    And immediately after that, I heard gunshots, ¡°Take that! And that!¡± Mr. Asada, Mr. Sasaki and Ms. Suzuki were the ones with the guns.

    I took a deep breath, ¡°Fireball.¡± and then throwed the fireball at the pig¡¯s face. It didn¡¯t do much aside from angering him, but that¡¯s all I wanted right now.

    ¡°Come on, just you and me¡­ Let¡¯s have some fun.¡± I told the pig as I readied my sword.

 CH 41

    Chapter 41 ¨C Cliched Reason

    (Takenaka Isao¡¯s PoV)

    ¡°Beautiful¡­¡± I unconsciously muttered as tears dropped from my eyes¡­ I finally understood it.

    -Please pick up your weapon.

    Those words that I thought were a hallucination, now feel like a mission given to me.

    ¡°Hey, you okay?¡± Nakata senpai asked me. Both of us were asked to stay inside the school, away from trouble.

    ¡°I¡¯m alright¡­ I¡¯m alright¡­¡± I replied.

    -Please pick up your weapon.

    It finally makes sense. This world is perishing, the human race is facing its doom, but¡­ There is a girl fighting against that. She and her fire sword seem to have come out straight out of a legend.

    I like her. I want to be with her. To kiss, hold hands, to have children together¡­ It¡¯s unfair to wish that of her, but I still want it.

    ¡°Perhaps we should go rest? And leave everything to the people capable of fighting?¡± Nakata senpai suggested. He was probably worried for me.

    However, I couldn¡¯t do that. It would be a waste of my life. A waste of this opportunity¡­ I understand it now. A life without her has no meaning.

    -Please pick up your weapon.

    What I need to do is clear¡­ ¡°Nakata senpai¡­ Please listen to my request. It¡¯s the most important thing that I¡¯ve ever needed in my life.¡± I asked him.

    ¡°What¡¯s up with you¡­?¡± He was understandably confused, but that¡¯s not relevant right now.

    ¡°The gun¡­ Please lend it to me.¡± I asked.

    ¡°This?¡± He took out the pistol that Mr. Norio lent him, ¡°I don¡¯t even know how to use it, so I don¡¯t mind, but¡­¡±

    He was worried for me¡­ He was probably even doubting my sanity at this point.

    Nonetheless, ¡°Please, Nakata senpai¡­¡± I asked again. I don¡¯t want to try taking it by force¡­ Besides, I don¡¯t think I¡¯d even be able to.

    He stayed silent for a while. It wasn¡¯t long, but it felt like it took an eternity¡­ But eventually he said, ¡°You persuaded Mr. Asada to ask senpai to train the others, didn¡¯t you?¡±

    ¡°¡­ Yes.¡± I answered honestly.

    Nakata senpai sighed, ¡°You really prioritize everyone else over yourself, don¡¯t you?¡± then gave me the gun.

    ¡°Thank you.¡± I picked it.

    ¡°So, what are you going to do with it?¡± He asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m gonna help senpai.¡± I instantly answered.

    ¡°Eh? But your health¡­¡± Nakata senpai was worrying¡­ I understood it. Since elementary, I¡¯ve never been able to do much in sports. I was once taken to the infirmary just because I tried too hard at sprinting.

    I know that I¡¯m useless at exercising. I know that I¡¯ve always been a dead weight in any sort of competition¡­ I know that I spent all my time reading, gaming and talking with my friends, but¡­

    I still need to do this.

    -Please exterminate the enemy life forms in the vicinity.

    I was trembling in fear, but¡­ I want to protect my special person¡­ For this simple cliched reason¡­ I¡¯ll do it!

 CH 42

    Chapter 42 ¨C Never Again

    This situation was bad¡­ Not only would I be dead if I took even a single blow, but I was also hungry. The hunger slowed my whole body down, and it made it hard to properly focus on the battle¡­ The magic really does drain my stamina far too quickly. it¡¯s not suited for long battles.

    However, I had no chance of winning without ¡®Enchantment¡¯, so I had to keep at it. I clenched my teeth and stared at the pig monster¡­ I needed to pierce its head. One blow to the head was all that I needed.

    Staring back at me, the pig roared. Its shout attracted even more zombies, but Mr. Norio¡¯s truck-barricade was holding them back to some extent.

    ¡­ To some extent. There was still a large number of zombies inside the school grounds already, and I couldn¡¯t afford to focus on them, or the pig would kill me. I could only trust Kousuke and the others to take care of them.

    The pig roared once more¡­ What will happen if I lose here? Will the world be taken over by it? Will this become a pig world? This is no joke¡­

    I got distracted. This momentaneous distraction was all that it took for the pig to start rushing my way.

    However, I was still able to react in time, so I jumped away from its charge.

    Only, something grabbed my leg¡­ A female zombie that had lost half of its body. The upper half of her body was holding me¡­ Was this the pig¡¯s intent all along? Is it actually capable of doing carefully planned attacks like this?

    This was bad¡­ If things remain like this¡­

    A gunshot. I heard a gunshot, and then the zombie¡¯s head exploded.

    ¡°Senpai!¡± I looked towards the voice that just shouted this, and saw a trembling Takenaka Isao holding a pistol, ¡°Are you alright!?¡±

    ¡°Ah, yes!¡± I quickly took my leg off the zombie¡¯s hold and regained my posture, ¡°But why are you-?¡±

    ¡°Not now! Talk later!¡± Takenaka cut me off, then shot his gun at the pig¡¯s head, though it barely did any damage, ¡°Damn it, this is one tough guy.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s enough! Go back to safety!¡± I exclaimed. Takenaka wasn¡¯t fit enough to fight this monster¡­

    ¡°It¡¯s not as if you¡¯re any bulkier than me, senpai!¡± He exclaimed¡­ He exclaimed while his legs still trembled non-stop.

    This is frustrating¡­ And it is no time to make jokes either¡­ I have to kill this pig before it harms Takenaka, for there is no way he¡¯ll be able to dodge a direct charge from this monster.

    However¡­ My sword¡¯s fire flickered. Like a gas stove that is almost out of gas¡­ Am I close to my limit? This is really bad¡­

    ¡°You know, seeing senpai¡¯s witch-like powers, I ended up figuring it out.¡± Takenaka muttered something weird¡­ No time to focus on that. Gotta kill the pig fast, ¡°I¡¯ll stop the pig, so¡­ Get rid of it, senpai.¡±

    ¡°Huh? What are you¡­?¡± I tried asking.

    ¡°No time to talk, leave it to me!¡± As Takenaka exclaimed that, he shot the pig again. Just like before, it didn¡¯t have much use aside from angering the pig.

    ¡­ And this monstrous enemy seemed to realize that the skinny trembling guy was probably an easier target than me, so¡­ It turned towards Takenaka.

    ¡°Wait, no!¡± I shouted.

    But the pig rushed towards Takenaka with an incredible speed. And Takenaka didn¡¯t even try dodging¡­ He instead, waited for the pig to get close, then shot two bullets directly at the pig¡¯s eyes.

    His movements were fast¡­ His movements were precise¡­ And his body was sent flying, like a ragdoll that was thrown away.

    And the pig fell down, squirming in pain from the shots¡­ ¡°This can¡¯t be¡­¡± I murmured¡­ No, no time to feel helpless. I need to make use of the opportunity that Takenaka created.

    I ran towards the pig, and stabbed the sword into its forehead¡­ Like this, its body stopped moving, like a toy that had its switch turned off.

    And the completely out of place extremely loud fanfare rang.

    ¨CCongratulations! You achieved the ¡®Monster Hunter¡¯ achievement!

    ¨CCongratulations! Your level has risen!

    ¨CCongratulations! Your level has risen!

    ¨CCongratulations! Your level has risen!

    ¨CCongratulations! Your level has passed a certain threshold, so job change is now possible!

    ¨CCongratulations! Your level has risen!

    I ignored the Hallucination and ran towards Takanaka, ¡°Takanaka!¡± I shouted.

    Before he was able to make a reply, he spit some blood first, ¡°I¡­ I did it¡­ Senpai¡­¡± He then spit more blood.

    ¡°Why¡­? Why do something so unreasonable¡­?¡± I asked him.

    ¡°It must be a joke¡­ I heard it so many times in one go¡­ ¡®your level has risen¡¯¡­ This game is going overboard¡­¡± Takenaka told me.

    ¡°Huh¡­?¡± For a moment, I was lost, but¡­ In the next second, I was screaming, ¡°Natural Healing! Take Natural Healing! Quickly!¡±

    ¡°Natu¡­?¡± He asked.

    ¡°It¡¯ll be okay! Just do it!¡± I exclaimed.

    ¡°More than that¡­ I¡­ Senpai I¡­¡± He didn¡¯t finish his phrase.

    His eyes lost their vitality¡­ And then¡­ From now on¡­ They¡¯ll never again regain it.

 CH 43

    Chapter 43 ¨C Words of Farewell

    ¡°I-Isao¡­? This can¡¯t be real¡­¡± Kousuke knelt next to Takenaka¡¯s corpse.

    We had spent the entire night eradicating zombies. The sky had already started to brighten up.

    And I¡­ Hadn¡¯t told anyone about Takenaka¡¯s death until now. I thought they¡¯d be troubled by it, and would maybe be unable to fight properly if they were aware that someone was sacrificed in this battle.

    ¡­ His corpse felt a lot neater when compared to the ones of zombies.

    Kousuke cried as he held Takenaka¡¯s hand.

    ¡­ Everyone was visibly affected by it.

    Rintarou was averting his eyes.

    Asuka was holding back her tears.

    Ritsuko¡¯s face had no semblance of emotion in it, as if she was holding everything in, in order to not crumble down right here and now.

    Mr. Asada looked up at the skies.

    Mr. Sasaki averted his gaze as well.

    Ms. Asaka covered her face with her hands.

    And Mr. Norio¡­ broke the silence. He crossed his arms and said, ¡°He was a good boy, he deserved more.¡± Then, he took a deep breath and continued, ¡°But we cannot stay here forever. We need to fix the barricade¡­ Kousuke, stand up.¡±

    ¡°Shut up!¡± Kousuke exclaimed, ¡°At a time like this¡­ Why are you so¡­?¡±

    Mr. Norio stood still for a small while, but then he said, ¡°I see¡­¡± and turned around.

    ¡­ I decided to move closer to Kousuke and tell him my thoughts on it too, ¡°Don¡¯t you think there might be different ways for mourning the dead for each person?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, senpai, but¡­ For now¡­ Just for now¡­¡± Kousuke replied.

    ¡­ I guess he requires time. I suppose that can¡¯t be helped.

    Then, since there was no way around it, I decided to get up and move after Mr. Norio.

    After I got close to him, Mr. Norio said, ¡°You know¡­ I really wish you could become my daughter-in-law.¡±

    ¡°This is not the time for that. Also, please don¡¯t bring it up ever again.¡± I replied bluntly.

    ¡°¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡± He apologized. It seemed frank.

    Then, he went to the school building to pick up his tool box.

    ***

    While Mr. Norio got the necessary tools, I ate three bags of instant noodles as a breakfast substitute, but still wasn¡¯t satisfied¡­ Well, it can¡¯t be helped with the current situation, so I¡¯ll just have to endure it.

    Then, once he was ready, we headed to the fence, which luckily enough, wasn¡¯t torn too badly, so it seemed like it should be possible to fix the torn wires¡­ Though there were still quite a few zombies near the torn fence.

    ¡°So uhn¡­ Are you going to bring it out again? The fire, I mean.¡± Mr. Norio asked me.

    To that question, I averted my eyes, ¡°Ah, well¡­¡± I guess I can¡¯t hide it at this point, so I used ¡®Enchantment¡¯ and ¡®Fire¡¯ on my sword, then quickly wiped out the nearby zombies.

    And with them out of the way, Mr. Norio repaired the fence in the blink of an eye.

    ¨CCongratulations! You earned the ¡®Repair¡¯ achievement!

    ¨CCongratulations! Your level has risen!

    ¡°You¡¯re skilled at this.¡± I told him.

    ¡°Ah, I used to make stage props, so I¡¯m good at doing this kind of work in a rush.¡± He replied.

    ¡°Wait, like, for plays and stuff?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Yeah, for quite a few plays too. The ones that make the most money are those aimed at youngsters, by the way.¡± He told me.

    ¡°Oh my.¡± I commented.

    ¡°I even helped with the play involving an idol, and I was hoping it was going to be a job that would end quickly, but the customers kept on returning, so it ended up lasting quite some time.¡± He explained.

    ¡°Amazing¡­¡± I muttered.

    It was nice to talk like this. About the things of the civilization that we haven¡¯t seen in a while. It healed my heart, perhaps.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯m done here, so let¡¯s go back, there is still a lot of work to do.¡± Mr. Norio said as he got up.

    ¡°Okay.¡± I replied.

    ¡°¡­ And we have to make a funeral too. We can¡¯t bury him together with the immortals.¡± Mr. Norio said.

    ¡°¡­ Okay.¡± I replied.

    Then, we both went silent for a while.

    Only our footsteps were heard as we slowly moved back to the school.

    But eventually, Mr. Norio asked, ¡°Are you¡­ Actually an Esper?¡±

    ¡°Come again?¡± I asked back.

    ¡°I mean¡­ What else would you be?¡± He asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t really understand it myself in all honesty. One day, this just started happening to me.¡± I told him truthfully, though I don¡¯t know if he actually believed it.

    ¡°Well¡­ Alright then.

    ¡°Above all else, I want to tell you that no matter what you are, I¡¯m very grateful. I mean it.¡± Mr. Norio replied.

    I nodded to that statement, but¡­ It somehow felt like words of farewell.

 CH 44

    Chapter 44 ¨C It¡¯s not your fault

    Then, a whole day passed.

    We prayed for Takenaka¡¯s and Ms. Mizutani¡¯s souls.

    We burned the corpses of the zombies.

    And during that time, and on the time after, nobody talked to me¡­ A somber mood had spread throughout this community.

    However, I already told everyone what I needed to¡­ What was left, was for them to decide what they thought of me.

    ***

    Early on the next day¡¯s mornings, I was at the school¡¯s flowerbed, wondering if there were any good flowers to put on the graves.

    But then, ¡°Hey!¡± I heard a shout, ¡°It¡¯s against the school rules to pick those flowers!¡± Mr. Sasaki exclaimed.

    ¡°Oh¡­¡± I muttered. I didn¡¯t know if he was seriously bothered by it, or if he was just messing around, but¡­ Mr. Sasaki came to the flowerbed and crouched down next to me.

    ¡°Even in this messed up world, those flowers still bloom beautifully, don¡¯t they?¡± Mr. Sasaki commented.

    ¡°Ah, I suppose¡­

    ¡°Teacher, have you perchance been the one that has been watering those flowers?¡± I decided to ask him.

    ¡°Yes, for ten years now. I¡¯m actually the one that planted those flowers in the first place.¡± He replied.

    ¡°Oh, wow¡­¡± I was surprised. I didn¡¯t expect Mr. Sasaki to have such a side to him.

    ¡°You know, it¡¯s just¡­ I end up being able to maintain a much longer relationship with these children, than with you all who leave in three years.¡± He told me.

    ¡°Ah¡­¡± I couldn¡¯t give a good reply to that¡­ It¡¯s kinda cold for him to tell that to a student though.

    ¡°And well¡­ What about that?¡± He asked me.

    ¡°What about what?¡± I asked back.

    ¡°You know¡­ That mysterious power. How do you use it?¡± He asked.

    ¡­ That was a really clumsy way of changing topics.

    ¡°Well¡­ Like this. ¡®Fire¡¯.¡± I lit up the small fire on my fingertip.

    ¡°Impressive¡­¡± Mr. Sasaki looked over it. He seemed to be surprisingly interested, ¡°I¡¯d love to have the chemistry teacher see how that works, but unfortunately, they aren¡¯t at school right now.¡±

    Oh, right, we did have a chemistry teacher¡­

    ¡°By the way¡­¡± Mr. Sasaki started saying.

    ¡°I know nothing.¡± I cut him off with this reply.

    He frowned, ¡°What is nothing?¡± then asked that.

    ¡°Everything. Why did the world change like this? Why do I have this kind of power? What influences does this power have in the world¡­?

    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll understand if you don¡¯t believe me, but I really know nothing.¡± I replied.

    The teacher just smiled at my reply though, ¡°That was not what I was going to talk about though.¡±

    ¡°¡­ Then why did you come here?¡± I asked him.

    As I asked that, I saw a sparrow fly down onto the flower bed for a second, before flying up again¡­ Birds sure are nice.

    They¡¯re free.

    ¡°I just wanted to tell you one thing¡­ It¡¯s not your fault.¡± Mr. Sasaki told me, calling my attention back to the conversation.

    Is this¡­ An attempt of comforting me? He is kinda clumsy at it¡­

    ¡°Even if you say something like that¡­¡± I started replying.

    ¡°It¡¯s not your fault.¡± He repeated.

    ¡°I know.¡± I told him.

    ¡°It¡¯s not your fault. Understand? It¡¯s not your fault.¡± He said once more.

    ¡°Huh?¡± I was getting a bit confused.

    ¡°The thing that happened¡­ It¡¯s going to happen again.¡± Mr. Sasaki said.

    I frowned, ¡°Now what are you¡­?¡±

    He cut me off, ¡°What happened to Takenaka. What happened to Ms. Mizutani¡­¡± I stayed silent at his words, ¡°There are a lot of monsters out there. Many people outside this school might be dying as we speak.¡±

    ¡°That is¡­¡± I had a hard time coming up with any reply.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to take responsibility. It¡¯s not your fault.¡± He said once more.

    ¡°I¡­¡± At that moment, a strange feeling started coming out from deep within me. Something that I couldn¡¯t quite understand.

    ¡°It¡¯s not your fault.¡± Mr. Sasaki repeated.

    ¡°But I¡­¡± I started saying.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to take responsibility.¡± He said once more.

    ¡°If I did better¡­¡± I muttered.

    ¡°It¡¯s not your fault.¡± He told me.

    ¡°If I had chosen a different skill¡­ If I had killed more zombies and raised my level further¡­ If I¡­ If I had done better, then¡­ Then Takenaka and Ms. Mizutani might still¡­¡± I didn¡¯t know if I was saying this to him, or to myself at this point.

    ¡°What happened, happened.¡± He replied.

    ¡°But what if¡­ What if me being here is what attracts the monsters? Maybe if I leave, then everyone will be safe¡­?¡± I murmured.

    ¡°Don¡¯t start acting while relying on baseless speculation.¡± He told me.

    ¡°I¡­¡± Once more, I had no words.

    ¡°You really don¡¯t have to try carrying all this burden by yourself, do you understand?¡± He asked me.

    ¡­ There were no tears in my eyes. They had already dried out by now.

    I was just¡­ Holding my hands in front of my eyes¡­ To protect them from the sunlight.

    Mr. Sasaki put his hand on my shoulder.

    ¡°Teacher¡­¡± I said.

    ¡°Yes?¡± He asked.

    ¡°That¡¯s sexual harassment.¡± I told him.

    He laughed, ¡°Now come on, don¡¯t be like that!¡±

    I too, giggled a bit.

    ¡°Let¡¯s have breakfast. Everyone is waiting¡­ Everyone.¡± He told me.

    ¡°Alright.¡± As I looked up, I saw a sparrow flying high, returning to its flock.

    ¡°By the way, I¡¯ve been wanting to hear it for a while now.¡± Mr. Sasaki said as I got up.

    ¡°What?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Well¡­ What¡¯s your name?¡± He asked.

    Ah¡­ This guy is truly no good.

    I just gave him a bitter smile and said, ¡°Well¡­ That¡¯s a secret.¡±

 CH 45

    Chapter 45 ¨C Phase 1 End

    After eating breakfast, I was walking around the rooftop when suddenly¡­ An announcement rang.

    ¨CThe necessary conditions have been achieved. Phase 1 will now end.

    ¡°Eh?¡± I muttered as the Auditory Hallucination said something quite strange.

    ¨CThe following skills are going to be unlocked with the end of Phase 1, though you still need to fulfill their prerequisites in order to acquire them:

    ¨CSkill Appraisal

    ¨CKarma Appraisal

    ¨CSpecial Move Skills above level III

    ¨CMagic Skills above level IV

    ¨CSome Unique Skills

    ¨CSome Job Skills

    ¡°What the¡­?¡± I muttered to myself at this development. The timing seems weird¡­

    Without really letting me think more and try understand what¡¯s happening though, the Auditory Hallucination continued.

    ¨CWith the start of Phase 2, some changes will occur to the Enemy Life Forms.

    ¨CThe ability of zombies to detect humanity has increased.

    ¨CThe athletic ability of certain zombies has improved.

    ¨C¡¯Hiding¡¯ has now been added to the behavioral pattern of zombies.

    ¨CPreviously inactive Enemy Life Forms have been activated.

    ¡°W-wait a minute! This is way too much information to keep up with!¡± I exclaimed, but the Auditory Hallucination just ignored me.

    ¨CEach player has now received a personalized quest. Players who fail their quest will permanently lose all skills they have acquired.

    Ah¡­ I wish I had some pen and paper in hand¡­ Guess I¡¯ll need to somehow remember all this in my head.

    ¨CA player may now steal skills from other players by killing them.

    ¨CSpecial effects of achievement rewards may now be used by people other than the player who obtained them.

    ¨CIt¡¯s now possible to permanently change your race.

    ¨CAll players will get the ¡®End of Phase 1¡¯ achievement.

    ¡°What the¡­?¡± This was way too much information, and all of it seemed too important to be forgotten.

    ¡­ There were no more words from the Auditory Hallucination, ¡°You finished¡­?¡± I asked, though there was no reply.

    Then¡­ I rushed to the 3rd classroom of the 3rd years. I need to note down as much of this as possible.

    ¡°Senpai, how are you doing?¡± Asuka asked me, but I passed by her without answering. Sorry, can¡¯t spend time talking right now.

    I quickly got to the classroom, took out my notebook and started writing.

    Let¡¯s see¡­ Skill Appraisal and Karma Appraisal¡­ What would those even do? I already know the effects of my own skills¡­

    Wait, first, let¡¯s keep on writing everything, before I forget some important information, then, we can analyze the information that the Auditory Hallucination gave.

    ¡­ After a small while of writing as fast as I could, I took a deep breath. Alright this should be everything¡­ Now let¡¯s see¡­

    First things first, the Hallucination mentioned ¡®players¡¯. I guess that would be me, and other people with skills? Takenaka did talk about levels before passing, so I suppose he too must have been a player.

    Also¡­ A player can now steal skills of players they kill. So other people with skills won¡¯t necessarily be allies¡­ Well, I suppose not everyone will be hostile though, there might be players with a conscience out there, like me!

    And well¡­ There are now more skills available? I don¡¯t get what most of them might be, but I suppose Skill Appraisal might allow me to get information about the skills of other players? Or maybe it can give detailed information on skills I have yet to obtain?

    Then there are also unique skills, so¡­ Well, they¡¯re unique, so I don¡¯t quite know what they are.

    ¡­ Guess I can think more on this one later. There is a higher priority thing I need to take care of¡­ The quest.

    If I fail the quest, I¡¯ll lose my powers¡­ Without this power, I can¡¯t protect anyone.

    I just can¡¯t go back to being a normal girl at this point¡­ It¡¯s too dangerous.

    I took a deep breath and asked, ¡°So¡­ Hallucination, what is¡­ What is my quest?¡±

    Then the answer immediately came back, as if it was waiting for me to say those words.

    ¨COn the Tokorozawa Aviation Memorial Park to the northwest, there is an Evil Slave Master. Either kill or subordinate him.

    That is¡­ I have been to Tokorozawa before. I often ate noodles on the store near the station there¡­

    But right now¡­

    I took a deep breath. I guess I can¡¯t go there to eat noodles anymore.

    And I also¡­ Will need to leave this place, after all.

    I expected I¡¯d need to do it, but this was still a heavy order¡­ To either kill or subordinate a stranger. An evil stranger to boot¡­ An evil Slave Master.

    That¡¯s definitely a hostile enemy, isn¡¯t it? Just when I thought we were finally securing an ideal place to live safely at¡­ Guess I¡¯ll have to keep on struggling for a while longer.

 CH 46

    Chapter 46 ¨C That Girl Whose Name Is Unknown

    (PoV of a new character)

    ¨CThe necessary conditions have been achieved. Phase 1 will now end.

    I sighed at the announcement, then looked at my pocket watch¡­ That was two days later than expected. I wonder what are the necessary conditions for the end of Phase 1.

    As the announcement kept on ringing in my head, I lazily moved my legs back and forth while sitting on top of the steel tower that overlooked this entire city.

    ¨CIt¡¯s now possible to change your race.

    ¨CAll players will get the ¡®End of Phase 1¡¯ achievement.

    And that¡¯s the end of the announcement, I suppose. No new information on this one.

    While I wondered what to do next, I saw some dragons flying my way¡­ 3 of them.

    ¡­ Just three?

    So another one was killed. There must be a pretty strong player somewhere¡­ It¡¯s probably an enemy, but I don¡¯t know why they¡¯d even bother with fighting my dragons, as there shouldn¡¯t be much merit in going against other players in Phase 1.

    This feels troubling¡­ Still, not much use worrying about it for now. Instead, let¡¯s just praise those lovely pets for their hard work, while gently caressing their head.

    ¡°Well then, please ¡®Share¡¯.¡± As I used my skill, the memories of the dragons I was touching flew to my head.

    ¡­ No good again. The memories from their recent reconnaissance didn¡¯t give me any clue to where she might be. I¡¯m getting a bit impatient.

    ¨CCongratulations! Your level has risen!

    ¨CCongratulations! Your level has risen!

    ¨CCongratulations! Your level has risen!

    Oh? That was unexpected¡­ I wonder if the dragon that didn¡¯t come back ended up killing the hostile¡­ You did a good job.

    ¡°I want Time-Space Magic IV, Beast Tamer III and Beast Tamer IV.¡±

    ¨CSkill effect is being applied.

    ¨CItem is being supplied.

    A small bottle fell on my hand.

    The leveling is going well, I suppose. I took out my notepad, my strategy guide, out of my pocket and checked its contents once more. To make sure that my next step is the right one.

    It¡¯s good that I already know what skills and items I want, but it sure is troublesome to have to do this all again¡­

    I looked up and thought back on everything that happened so far¡­ With Time-Space Magic X, I was able to turn back time and re-do my life. I lost all my skills, but my memories were kept¡­ This time, things will go right.

    I got rid of my hesitation, and drank the ¡®Elf Potion¡¯ I just got. It tasted a bit like apple juice.

    And then¡­ My body started changing. My ears sharpened, my long black hair became a beautiful golden, my eyes turned blue, and my skin color became pale¡­ I suppose I¡¯m no longer human.

    Well, it¡¯s a bit scary to have my appearance changed, but at least this should greatly enhance my magical power.

    Now then, I suppose I should keep moving¡­ Alright, let¡¯s jump!

    Falling from the tall steel tower, I could see over a hundred zombies were in the immediate surroundings¡­ I wonder when this many got here.

    Oh well, ¡°¡¯Pause¡¯.¡± Both me and the zombies froze in place now¡­ ¡°And¡­ ¡®Restore¡¯.¡±

    With this, I was able to finish the fall from a safe height, and landed on the ground without trouble, while the zombies were still frozen in place.

    ¡°Then, everyone, please continue searching for ¡®that girl¡¯ while raising my level whenever possible.¡± I asked my dragons. The three of them growled affirmatively, and left out on their search.

    I really can¡¯t take it easy here¡­ I took out a chocolate bar and ate it to replenish my magical power. Let¡¯s increase the pace, ¡°¡¯Fast Forward¡¯.¡±

    I then ran ahead, far from where the zombies were¡­ Let¡¯s keep on searching. I need to find ¡®that girl¡¯ with a red jersey who holds a sword¡­ That girl whose name is unknown¡­ I have to find her as soon as possible.

    So as to save this apocalyptic world.

 CH 47

    Chapter 47 ¨C Level Up Time

    Phase Two ¨C The Start of the Death Game

    Phase 1 ended, huh? Then I guess¡­ We¡¯re now on Phase 2? I¡¯m not quite sure.

    I¡¯m kinda lost right now, so I guess I¡¯ll finish leveling up for the time being.

    ¨CChoose a reward for the ¡®Monster Hunter¡¯ achievement.

    Oh, right¡­ There was this thing. Some 5 levels and 3 achievements as well.

    This is¡­ A bit hard to take in.

    ¨CHunter¡¯s Meat Grilling Set

    ¨CHunter¡¯s Trap

    ¨CHunter¡¯s Whetstone

    Effects, please.

    ¨CHunter¡¯s Meat Grilling Set allows you to grill meat without needing to drain its blood first. It also releases a cool background music while it does the grilling.

    ¨CHunter¡¯s Trap is a versatile trap that can catch a wide variety of animals. However, a creature with a certain degree of intelligence can easily free itself from the trap.

    ¨CHunter¡¯s Whetstone lets you restore the sharpness of a blade to make it as good as new, though it can only be used once.

    Those feel like parodies of game items alright¡­ I don¡¯t know if there is any purpose behind that, but I suppose the best option might be¡­

    ¡°Give me the Grilling Set.¡± I told the Auditory Hallucination without thinking too much on it.

    ¨CItem is being supplied.

    In the middle of the classroom, something akin to a messy barbecue set appeared.

    This is¡­ Doesn¡¯t it just get in the way? It¡¯s way too bulky.

    Though I suppose it came at a good time, since we might be able to make use of it¡­ But still, in the future, I should probably consider taking items that aren¡¯t hard to carry around.

    Next up, let¡¯s get some levels.

    ¨CPlease choose the skill you want to acquire.

    ¨CSword Technique (Advanced)

    ¨CPerfect Maintenance

    ¨CFighting Technique (Beginner)

    ¨C<Choose a Magic Skill>

    ¨CNatural Healing (Strong)

    ¨CSkin Strengthening

    ¨CSkill Appraisal

    Hmm¡­ Seems like I reached the cap of Hunger Resistance¡­ For the time being, let¡¯s check the effect of ¡®Skill Appraisal¡¯.

    ¨CSkill Appraisal allows you to check the skills of players other than you.

    Wait, I can get this kind of thing? Well¡­ For now, let¡¯s put it on hold.

    I¡¯ll have to go on a journey now, so it¡¯s better to take things that will help me on my travels.

    When taking this into account, the ideal options are limited.

    Until now, I have hesitated to take Skin Strengthening, but now that I¡¯m gonna have to leave the school, it might be necessary in case a zombie tries biting me again¡­ Especially because the Auditory Hallucination said that the zombies have become a bit stronger too.

    Just in case though, let me check its effects again.

    ¨CSkin Strengthening will increase your skin¡¯s strength and make you less likely to get injured. You¡¯ll also be able to withstand the cold even if you are naked.

    ¡­ It truly is quite scary, isn¡¯t it? But¡­ I suppose it¡¯s better than dying.

    Let¡¯s just pray it doesn¡¯t make me look like a rock, ¡°Skin Strengthening, please.¡±

    I then waited for a bit while wondering what would happen, but nothing happened¡­ I guess the effects of the skills will be applied all at once.

    Then, let¡¯s check the next ones.

    ¨CPlease choose the skill you want to acquire.

    ¨CSword Technique (Advanced)

    ¨CPerfect Maintenance

    ¨CFighting Technique (Beginner)

    ¨C<Choose a Magic Skill>

    ¨CNatural Healing (Strong)

    ¨CBone Strengthening

    ¨CSkill Appraisal

    It¡¯s bone this time¡­

    ¨CBone Strengthening will make all bones of your body become as strong as steel. You¡¯ll become much less likely to suffer fractures and other similar injures.

    Bones of steel¡­? Like a terminator of sorts?

    Ugh¡­ Yeah, let¡¯s get it, ¡°Bone.¡±

    I wanted to put around half the points earned from the level ups on defense, after all, so it couldn¡¯t be helped.

    ¨CPlease choose the skill you want to acquire.

    ¨CSword Technique (Advanced)

    ¨CPerfect Maintenance

    ¨CFighting Technique (Beginner)

    ¨C<Choose a Magic Skill>

    ¨CNatural Healing (Strong)

    ¨CSkill Appraisal

    ¡°Natural Healing, please.¡± I got next.

    And now¡­

    ¨CSince you passed a certain level, you may now change jobs.

    The Auditory Hallucination said those strange words¡­ Though I think they were also said them when the pig was defeated.

    ¨CYour Karma is ¡®Neutral¡¯.

    ¨CYour Job is ¡®Citizen¡¯.

    ¨CYou may choose the following jobs.

    ¨CWarrior

    ¨CGunner

    ¨CBeastmaster

    Oh my¡­ This is¡­ I don¡¯t think I get it.

    ¡°What is Karma?¡± I asked the Hallucination, but I got no reply.

    Then¡­ Well, if we¡¯re working with game terms, I suppose Karma is a rough guideline for what is good or bad.

    And I guess that is what decides what kind of jobs can be taken?

    In that case¡­ ¡°Can you tell me about the characteristics of each job?¡±

    ¨CWarrior is an orthodox combat profession. It has many skills that enhance defense and survivability, and also has some ways of nullifying magic.

    ¨CGunner is a combat profession that specializes in shooting. It has many skills that increase hit rate and dodge rate. It also increases your legs¡¯ strength.

    ¨CBeastmaster is a profession specialized in subordinating animals and even ¡®Hostile Life Forms¡¯.

    Oh my, oh my! Those are quite something! I¡¯m not sure which one to get!

    Wouldn¡¯t it usually be ¡®Warrior¡¯, ¡®Monk¡¯ and ¡®Witch¡¯ instead? Maybe there could also be a ¡®Martial Artist¡¯ or a ¡®Thief¡¯ in there, but¡­

    Ah, my gamer brain was really hoping there would be a ¡®Witch¡¯ class for me to choose, I was totally planning on getting that.

    Maybe it¡¯s because of my Neutral Karma, so it¡¯s not an option for me.

    Or maybe there is no Witch job in the first place? It¡¯s too hard to be sure.

    I guess I¡¯d need to give upon that idea in this case¡­ At times like this I really wish I had a strategy guide¡­ I can¡¯t help groaning a bit about it though.

    I suppose it can¡¯t be helped. Let¡¯s choose the second-best choice then, ¡°I¡¯ll go with Warrior.¡±

    ¨CYour title has changed. The ¡®Wandering Citizen¡¯ is now the ¡®Wandering Warrior¡¯.

    Huh? Wandering?

    ¡­ Why wandering?

    Ah well, whatever.

    ¨CPlease choose the skill you want to acquire.

    ¨CSword Technique (Advanced)

    ¨CPerfect Maintenance

    ¨CFighting Technique (Beginner)

    ¨C<Choose a Magic Skill>

    ¨C<Choose a Job Skill>

    ¨CSkill Appraisal

    All right, I guess I reached the cap of Natural Healing now.

    And there are also job skills available as well.

    But before I make a decision, let me check the magic skills just in case.

    ¨CPlease choose a magic Skill

    ¨CFire Magic IV

    ¨CWater Magic I

    ¨CThunder Magic I

    ¨CHealing Magic I

    Oh? Healing Magic was now added? Is this because I reached the cap of Natural Healing?

    For a moment, negative thoughts like, ¡®If I had acquired this spell back then¡­¡¯ passed through my head.

    ¡­ I took a deep breath.

    Stop it. Don¡¯t do that. Nobody will benefit from those thoughts.

    ¡°¡­ Show me the Job Skills, please.¡± I said.

    ¨CPlease choose a Job Skill.

    ¨CAttack Power I

    ¨CDefense I

    ¨CMagic Resistance I

    Oh, those are easy to understand alright¡­ And I guess they also unlock other skills.

    Agh! There are too many choices available! My head seems about to explode!

    For now, let¡¯s put the job skills on hold. What I need right now is a stable fighting power that can help me through the long journey ahead of me, ¡°Please give me the ¡®Sword Technique (Advanced)¡¯ skill.¡±

    ¨CPlease choose the reward for the Repair achievement.

    ¨CBuckler

    ¨CGauntlet

    ¨CWarrior¡¯s Shield

    ¡°Effects, please?¡± I asked, already being used to this kind of thing.

    ¨CBuckler is a small and easy to use shield.

    ¨CGauntlet is a steel gauntlet that you may wear on your arm.

    ¨CWarrior¡¯s Shield is a heavy round shield. Due to its weight, it¡¯s not suited for weak people.

    ¡°Gauntlet please.¡± As I said that, a black sturdy gauntlet appeared in front of me.

    I just had the idea of maybe baiting a zombie into biting the arm with the gauntlet, so that we could kill said zombie with our free hand. I should suggest that to everyone later.

    Then, for the next skill¡­ ¡°Perfect Maintenance, please.¡±

    With this, I should have acquired all sword-related skills.

    And after a small tense pause¡­

    ¨CSkill effects are being applied.

    Now how effective is Skin Strengthening¡­?

    I looked at myself in the mirror, while being scared of what I¡¯d see.

    Ah¡­ My appearance doesn¡¯t seem to have changed.

    As a test, I tried biting my own arm, but I didn¡¯t feel much difference there¡­ Is this alright?

    Should I try cutting myself with a kitchen knife next?

    ¡­ It¡¯s too scary, so maybe at another time.

    ¨CPlease select the reward for the ¡®End of Phase 1¡¯ achievement.

    This is the last one.

    ¨CHobbit Potion

    ¨CElf Potion

    ¨CDwarf Potion

    What are those¡­?

    ¨CHobbit Potion will change your race to Hobbit. Your height will shrink considerably, but your magical power and your strength will increase considerably.

    ¨CElf Potion will change your race to Elf. Your magical power will increase and your strength will decrease. You¡¯ll also get long ears, paler skin and blond hair.

    ¨CDwarf Potion will change your race to Dwarf. Your Strength will increase and your magical power will decrease. You¡¯ll also become a short red-faced Caucasian person.

    ¡­ I¡¯m not surprised by anything that those achievements give at this point.

    Hobbit, Elf and Dwarf though? All three of those seem troublesome¡­ I just don¡¯t want to stop being human.

    But if I have to choose one¡­ ¡°Elf.¡±

    It¡¯s the one that changes my image the least, and if I were to become a pretty elf, I guess it wouldn¡¯t be that unpleasing for a possible romantic partner.

    ¨CItem is being supplied.

    A small bottle appeared on my hands. It was similar to the bottle of the Antidote.

    For now, let¡¯s gently put it on my desk and close it. So that I don¡¯t accidentally drink it.

    Then I sighed¡­ With this, I finished this part. Thank you for the hard work, me.

    Now¡­ What should I do next? I was able to take it off my mind while I was busy with leveling up, but¡­ Right now, I suppose I¡¯m at a loss.

 CH 48

    Chapter 48 ¨C Let¡¯s cook this

    Well¡­ I can¡¯t take immediate action either way. After thinking about it for a while, I kinda figured out that ¡®Evil Slave Master¡¯ must be the title of the person that the Auditory Hallucination pointed me towards.

    Then, let¡¯s check something with the Hallucination first and foremost, ¡°Hey, Hallucination, what is my title?¡±

    ¨CYour current title is ¡®Wandering Warrior¡¯.

    Yeah¡­ This title is definitely organized as Karma + Job.

    So, for the person I need to deal with¡­

    Karma¡­ Evil.

    Job¡­ Slave Master.

    This is pretty bad alright.

    Moreover, regardless of what conditions one needs to fulfill in order to become ¡®Evil¡¯, there is yet another problem there. By the time the announcement of ¡®End of Phase 1¡¯ was released, this person had already acquired the job of ¡®Slave Master¡¯.

    By my calculations, job changes become available at level 15, so the Evil Slave Master must be at least at this level, possible higher.

    Whether I negotiate or fight with him, I should at least be on the same strength level or higher.

    Though of course, it¡¯s too dangerous to just leave them be, as the quest might fail in that case¡­ So, I need to get levels as quickly as possible, then head west. That¡¯s my immediate goal.

    And well, the most efficient way of leveling seems to be helping people out¡­ But I don¡¯t think it would work if I just imposed kindness on others, though the judgement of what is ¡®helping people out¡¯ seems to be kinda ambiguous, so I¡¯m not that sure about it.

    I do remember getting a level from bringing guns here though, so transferring what I already own may be a good way of quickly earning experience.

    I glanced at the Sword that I got from an achievement a while back¡­ It was standing on the corner of the classroom. A completely useless decoration.

    Then there was the gauntlet I just got.

    ¡­ And the grilling set that takes way too much space.

    Ah, and there is also a ninja garb as well.

    ¡­ Whom should I gift those things to?

    ***

    While I wondered about the gifting, I suddenly heard a loud voice echo through the hallway, ¡°You¡­ You must be kidding me!¡±

    Oh my¡­ It is not a calm voice at all.

    ¡°Wait, Kousuke, why are you angry?¡± The other person asked.

    I recognized both voices there¡­ They were Kousuke and Rintarou.

    I went out the classroom to look, and saw that there were about a dozen students gathered around those two.

    ¡°Why else¡­!? It killed Isao!¡± Kousuke exclaimed.

    Those words made me suddenly start worrying about the worst, but¡­ I don¡¯t think that this conversation is about my current worries.

    ¡°Hey, look, I¡¯m not going to force anyone¡­¡± Rintarou avoided Kousuke¡¯s eyes as he said that.

    ¡°That¡¯s not the problem! Why are you going to bake the pig!? Just feed it to the zombies instead!¡± Kousuke exclaimed.

    ¡°Because we can¡¯t eat zombies in the same way that we eat pork. Did you forget such an obvious thing?¡± Rintarou replied.

    ¡°Shut up!¡± Kousuke exclaimed.

    He then started raising his hand, so I decided to intervene and held his hand in place, ¡°So¡­ What is this all about?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Se-senpai¡­¡± Kousuke muttered.

    Rintarou then calmly explained it, ¡°You know that pig monster? We were thinking of eating it.¡±

    ¡°I see¡­¡± I muttered.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know how it got so big, but pork is pork, so we should be able to eat it.¡± Rintarou said.

    ¡°Well, that makes sense.¡± I replied.

    Truth be told, I was thinking of the same thing when I got the Hunter¡¯s Meat Grilling Set. It is a pretty big pig after all, wouldn¡¯t it be a waste to not eat it?

    ¡°We don¡¯t know if it carries any illness¡­¡± Kousuke muttered.

    ¡°Nobody will be forced to eat it. It¡¯ll also take quite some time to dismantle the whole thing, so we can get a few people to eat a small part first as a test group of sorts.¡± Rintarou said.

    ¡°I¡¯ll help you out, and I¡¯ll eat it too.¡± I said.

    ¡°Se-senpai?! Th-that is¡­¡± Kousuke rose his voice for a bit in response to my words. As if he was doubting my sanity.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it fine? It¡¯ll feel better than octopus or squid at least.¡± I told him.

    ¡°That¡¯s not the problem¡­¡± Kousuke muttered.

    On my end, I¡¯m just happy that I¡¯ll be able to give a use to the grilling set¡­ Well, that, and the fact that this will probably be judged as helping people out, so I may get a level from it.

    Not to mention that eating is good for replenishing magical power too, so¡­ I¡¯d say this is a pretty good deal for me.

    ¡°Let¡¯s cook it!¡± I exclaimed.

    Therefore, Evil Slave Master¡­ Please wait a little bit longer.

 CH 49

    Chapter 49 ¨C Unlimited-time All-you-can-eat-pork

    ¡°Then, Senpai, please!¡± Rintarou exclaimed.

    I glanced once more at the pig dismantling procedure memo that Rintarou drew, before squeezing the grip of my steel sword tightly.

    I don¡¯t think it would be good to dismantle the pig with a sword that has killed zombies, so I decided to use the steel sword instead.

    ¡°Enchantment¡­ Fire.¡± A weak flame started illuminating the steel sword.

    ¡°Incredible! It¡¯s really magic!¡± Rintarou shouted just like an elementary schooler would.

    Around us, there were over a dozen refugees gathered, and they were all amazed at the fire sword¡­ I¡¯m not used to being stared at by this many people, after all.

    ¡°Well then¡­ Let¡¯s do this.¡± As I said that, I lifted my sword.

    It¡¯s now time to show off the full power of ¡®Sword Technique (Advanced)¡¯!

    Then, I started cutting it all out. Unsurprisingly, the scene was very bloody.

    If the world wasn¡¯t like it currently is, then people might have gotten sick at this sight, but everyone was just taking the scene of a giant pig being dismantled as something normal.

    After all, zombies are a hundred times more grotesque than the internal organs of a pig.

    ***

    After the disassembling was done, we started grilling the pork with the Hunter¡¯s Meat Grilling Set that I got from the achievement, and a nice smell started emanating from it.

    Moreover, as explained by the Auditory Hallucination, a fun music started ringing too.

    ¡°Alright! It was roasted properly!¡± RIntarou exclaimed as he held the meat up high.

    It was easy to cut this meat into pieces and serve it on plates, so it would now be time to eat, I suppose.

    This will most likely be quite tasty¡­ Or rather, there is no reason for it to be anything other than delicious.

    However, not many people have volunteered for tasting it. In fact, only six people, me included, were going to taste test the ¡®monster¡¯ meat.

    ¡°It smells good, Senpai.¡± Asuka told me.

    ¡°We¡¯re the same age, so stop calling me senpai.¡± I replied, as usual.

    ¡°But Senpai is Senpai.¡± She said. Same as always.

    Asuka was another that was willing to eat it.

    ¡°You¡¯re having a fairly easy time cutting it, aren¡¯t you?¡± Asuka asked Rintarou.

    ¡°I learned it from my grandpa. I helped him drain a bear¡¯s blood before.¡± He proudly replied. It was unusual for him to talk about his past, ¡°Alright! Then let¡¯s get this started! It¡¯s monster pig eating time!¡±

    Quite a bit of meat was lined up on the simple dining tables that were on the schoolyard. Next to them, there were also many seasonings that one could use.

    But well, I decided to first put the meat in my mouth without any seasoning in particular.

    ¡°Hm?¡± I muttered, then stayed silent for a while.

    ¡°Senpai?¡± Asuka worriedly looked my way.

    Instead of answering though, I just started throwing more slices of meat from the plate into my mouth, one after the other.

    ¡°How is it, Senpai?¡± Asuka asked me.

    ¡°Good.¡± I gave only a single word for a reply.

    It was greasy and thick, but it was good.

    Even Rintarou seemed to be a bit surprised by my behavior though, ¡°She seems¡­ Quite focused.¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­ Focused.¡± Asuka nodded.

    ¡°Then¡­ It¡¯s really good, I guess?¡± Rintarou commented.

    ¡°Possibly¡­¡± Asuka replied.

    ¡°Then I guess¡­¡± Rintarou started picking one of the slices of meat up himself.

    It was strange¡­ This felt like the tastier meat I have ever eaten. It¡¯s too unusual.

    I thought that this meat would be very stiff when considering this pig was strong enough to tear an iron fence apart, but this is not the case at all¡­ I can¡¯t quite explain the exact feeling, but this feels like meat that was made for humans to eat.

    Rintarou seemed to agree with my thoughts, ¡°This feels like pork from a farm. I thought it would be more like wild boar meat.¡±

    Seeing us eating the ¡®monster¡¯ meat, Asuka decided to also try one slice of it out, ¡°Wow¡­ It really is delicious!¡±

    We both nodded to her frank impression.

    Then, some people who were still hesitant about it started putting it in their mouths one after the other.

    ¡°Wow¡­ It¡¯s truly tasty!¡± One person said.

    ¡°This is incredible¡­ Just what is this meat?¡± Another commented.

    ¡°This meat is so tender that it kinda melts on your tongue¡­¡± A third one said.

    These types of words were gradually spread to everyone who was here.

    We were all eating the meat of the ¡®monster¡¯ who had attacked us just a small while ago.

    And of course, I ate more than anyone else.

    ¨CCongratulations! Your level has risen!

    ¨CCongratulations! You earned the ¡®Gluttony¡¯ achievement.

    Noisy¡­

    After a while eating, we started putting the remaining pieces of meat into bags.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to go to where Kousuke is.¡± Rintarou suddenly said.

    ¡°Why?¡± I asked.

    ¡°He didn¡¯t eat the meat. I think he should have a bite of it.¡± Rintarou plainly replied.

    ¡°¡­ You sure that¡¯s a good idea?¡± I couldn¡¯t help asking.

    Only about half the people at the school were willing to eat the ¡®monster¡¯ meat, even after the taste testing guaranteed it was safe.

    Kousuke was kind of the leader of the people who didn¡¯t want to eat it.

    ¡°Even if there are bad memories associated with it, it¡¯s still okay to have a bite! So, I¡¯m going!¡± As Rintarou said that, he started running off.

    ¡°W-wait¡­¡± I tried telling him, but he didn¡¯t stop at all.

    Would it be okay to just leave them to their own devices¡­?

    I¡¯m a bit worried¡­

    ¡°Ah, Asuka, here.¡± I gave her the meat that I was carrying.

    ¡°Eh? O-okay.¡± She said as she held the meat for me.

    Then, I started going after Rintarou.

    ***

    ¡°Kousuke! Eat this meat!¡± Rintarou exclaimed while trying to push the meat towards Kousuke.

    ¡°Get lost!¡± Kousuke replied.

    By the time I caught up with Rintarou, this kind of conversation was already going on, as expected.

    ¡°Why not? It¡¯s good, you know?¡± Rintarou asked.

    ¡°You don¡¯t know¡­?¡± Kousuke was in disbelief.

    ¡°I don¡¯t.¡± Rintarou plainly replied.

    ¡°¡­ That¡¯s just like you, I guess.¡± Kousuke sighed.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, so eat it because it¡¯s delicious.¡± Rintarou said.

    Kousuke seemed to be having a hard time trying to explain his feelings to Rintarou.

    ¡°If the meat is dangerous, nobody will be able to fight.¡± Kousuke tried giving an explanation that Rintarou could understand.

    ¡°Ah, I see¡­¡± It seemed to have some effect on Rintarou, ¡°When I was a kid, I didn¡¯t mind eating earthworms, so I didn¡¯t think about this kind of thing.¡±

    ¡°Wait, for real?¡± Kousuke asked.

    ¡°Yeah. When I was suddenly thrown in the mountains, I remember eating, nuts, mushrooms, worms and any other thing I knew nothing about.¡± Rintarou replied.

    ¡­ I don¡¯t think anyone had heard about this before. Rintarou really didn¡¯t talk that much about his past.

    ¡°Wast that done by your grandfather?¡± Kousuke asked.

    ¡°Grandpa is crazy, but that was not him. It was done by dad, but he went somewhere else after that, so I don¡¯t remember much about him.¡± Rintarou explained.

    ¡°I see¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡± Kousuke said.

    ¡°Why are you apologizing?¡± Rintarou asked.

    ¡°Well, I ended up reminding you of a painful experience.¡± Kousuke replied.

    ¡°Well, then.¡± Rintarou tried to push the meat towards Kousuke again.

    ¡°But I really don¡¯t want to eat it. So, excuse me.¡± Kousuke turned around and started leaving.

    Well, I guess they weren¡¯t quarreling at the very least.

    ¡°You know, I have been thinking¡­¡± Rintarou started saying.

    ¡°Hmm?¡± Kousuke stopped moving after hearing those words.

    ¡°I think this world sucks. And I don¡¯t mean just its current state. I have thought about it for a long time now.¡± Rintarou said.

    ¡°¡­ Maybe you¡¯re right.¡± Kousuke replied.

    ¡°But still, I think it¡¯s good to find something that can bring joy to life. It¡¯s the best kind of revenge we can have on all the things that this world throws upon us.¡± Rintarou continued.

    I guess I didn¡¯t really need to do anything, after all.

    ¡°That¡¯s why, you should eat it if you feel like it, Kousuke. It¡¯s really good.¡± Rintarou said.

    There was a small while of silence, until eventually, Kousuke said, ¡°Okay.¡±

    Then, he put a slice of meat on his mouth, and silently chewed on it for another small while¡­ Until eventually, he muttered, ¡°Thank you.¡±

 CH 50

    Chapter 50 ¨C A New Journey

    ¡°And because of that, I¡¯ll be going on a journey.¡± I told them.

    It was early on the morning. We were in the third classroom of the second grade.

    Surrounded by adults, I made such a declaration.

    ¡°¡­ I see.¡± Mr. Asada Gouzou groaned.

    I already told them all that I needed to, so there should be no room for rebuttal.

    ¡°A voice in your head¡­ It¡¯s hard to believe it.¡± Mr. Sasaki commented.

    ¡°Same here.¡± Mr. Norio said.

    ¡°Well¡­ I think. If you want to, you can still stay here.¡± Mr. Asada said.

    ¡°But¡­¡± I started replying.

    ¡°We have all acknowledged that you¡¯re quite special, and we have relied way too much on you, who are still a high school girl.

    ¡°But rest assured. Even if you lose this special power, we¡¯ll still accept you, just like before.¡± Mr. Asada explained his reasoning.

    ¡°I see¡­¡± I folded my arms while muttering that.

    Well, even if I pretend to be thinking about it, I¡¯ve already made my decision.

    At this point, Mr. Norio raised his hand, ¡°It¡¯s just my opinion, but I think that if you are faced with some kind of trial, you should face it head on.

    ¡°Until now I never thought that there might be some kind of god ruling over this world, but¡­ After hearing all this, don¡¯t you think it might be for the best to follow the will of this god?¡±

    ¡°Hold on, we don¡¯t know if there is any divine will at hand here.¡± Mr. Sasaki replied.

    Mr. Norio just shrugged at that, ¡°It¡¯s fine to just call it an alien or whatever. The important part is that some type of force is changing this world and giving instructions, so I think it might be better to follow its instructions¡­ For now.¡±

    There were some implied feelings behind his words¡­ It was easy to notice it. The hatred towards whatever created the current situation¡­

    Isn¡¯t this the kind of punch line that eventually leads to confronting god itself¡­? I don¡¯t want that. I want to live quietly.

    Haa¡­

    ¡°Well, in any case, the choice is still yours to make.¡± Mr. Sasaki concluded.

    In that case, ¡°Then I¡¯ll be leaving right away.¡± I told them.

    ¡°Already? That¡¯s so sudden.¡± Mr. Sasaki commented.

    Our supplies have already been replenished though, so there is no reason for me to stay here.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what are the exact conditions for a quest failure, and zombies are not a real threat to me anymore, so it¡¯s better to leave already.¡± I replied.

    ¡°Well¡­ Let¡¯s have a farewell party then?¡± Ms. Suzuki suggested.

    I shook my head though, ¡°No need.¡±

    This kind of gloomy event is no good.

    Then, after a moment of silence, all adults stood up at once.

    First, Mr. Asada Gozou came in front of me and held my hands tightly¡­ He didn¡¯t say anything in particular.

    After that, I started holding each person¡¯s hands one by one¡­ Is this an idol¡¯s handshake event?

    Finally, Ms. Suzuki Asaka hugged me tightly, ¡°I can¡¯t really articulate my thoughts process, but¡­ Don¡¯t lose, okay?¡±

    ¡°Roger that.¡± I replied.

    ¡°Let me also give you my contact information in case we need to leave the school.¡± Mr. Asada said.

    After that, Mr. Norio and Ms. Suzuki also gave me memos with addresses and maps on them.

    ¡°This is a family home of the Hibiya family in the Shiga prefecture. It¡¯s not impossible to live a self-sufficient life there, and it should be possible to prevent the invasion of immortals in that location.¡± Mr. Norio told me first.

    ¡°My parents¡¯ house is in Osaka, and it¡¯s a pretty luxurious mansion. It also has a shelter in the basement, which is probably tough enough to survive even a nuclear war¡­ If you need to, feel free to use it, whenever you want.¡± Ms. Suzuki said that.

    I nodded, then stood up.

    The necessary items have already been put in my backpack.

    ¡°Then, I¡¯ll be off.¡± I told them.

    ***

    As soon as I went out into the corridor, I met Kimino Asuka.

    ¡°Hello, Senpai.¡± She said.

    ¡°We¡¯re the same age, so stop calling me senpai¡­¡± I replied.

    ¡°But Senpai is Senpai.¡± The same exchange as always.

    Asuka smiled, ¡°Are you leaving?¡±

    ¡°Oh¡­ You heard that?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Of course. I overheard everything.¡± She didn¡¯t even try to hide it.

    Good grief¡­ The meeting was held early in the morning exactly to avoid this kind of trouble.

    ¡°Then, please try finding a nice way to explain it to everyone for me?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Eh? That¡¯s a seriously responsibility. Ritsuko will strangle me even.¡± Asuka replied.

    While we talked about that, we kept on moving towards the main gate.

    ¡°Oh yeah. There is a steel sword in my room, so please use that.¡± I told her.

    ¡°Ooh! I¡¯m the heir to the legendary sword!¡± She exclaimed.

    ¡°It¡¯s not that much of a big deal¡­ It¡¯s just an ordinary sword. It¡¯s double-edged though, so be careful when handling it.¡± I replied.

    ¡°It¡¯s still an unexpected gift! Getting up early was well worth it!¡± She said.

    Well, I still did write down at my usual classroom who would receive each gift, so she¡¯d get it anyways.

    ¡°There is also a steel gauntlet for Kousuke, the Meat Grilling Set for Rintarou, and some Ninja clothes for Ritsuko. Can you deliver those to them?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Got it.¡± As soon as Asuka said that¡­

    ¨CCongratulations! Your level has risen!

    Oh? This was lucky¡­ Does this also count as helping others?

    We ended up not talking about anything else, and by the time I realized it, I was already at the main gate.

    ¡°When will you be back?¡± Asuka asked me.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but I¡¯d like to get back home as soon as possible.¡± I replied.

    After staying that, I was about to start climbing over the main gate, but¡­

    ¡°Just stop for a moment!¡± Asuka exclaimed.

    ¡°¡­ Yes?¡± I stopped.

    ¡°It¡¯s a big deal, alright? I just¡­ Need a bit of a talk before saying goodbye.¡± Asuka told me.

    I tilted my head at that, ¡°Even if you say that¡­¡±

    Asuka seemed to be searching for the right words to say for a bit¡­ For like, dozens of seconds even.

    Eventually though, she seemed to have found them, ¡°Don¡¯t die.¡±

    The words that came out of her month were simpler than what I expected.

    ¡°Of course. I have no plans of dying.¡± I replied.

    Asuka shook her head before continuing, ¡°Not that, Senpai. When I say ¡®don¡¯t die¡¯, I don¡¯t simply mean that.

    ¡°I¡¯m telling you to prioritize your life over the lives of others.¡±

    ¡°The lives of others?¡± I asked.

    ¡°If necessary, kill someone and live.¡± She stated, ¡°I¡¯m sure there are plenty of decent people among the survivors in this city, but there might also be some crazy people out there.

    ¡°If you are attacked, kill them without hesitation. I will forgive you no matter what.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll forgive me¡­¡± I gave a troubled smile to those words.

    ¡°Perhaps we have always been like this even before the world became this messed up¡­ Tens of thousands of people die around the globe all the time, and we don¡¯t even think about it.

    ¡°But the death of someone close to us is much sadder¡­ When we weight our lives against the lives of others, ours always end up winning, doesn¡¯t it?

    ¡°What matters above all else is the life of the people I care about. I don¡¯t care about how many lives of others you have to take. Don¡¯t lose.¡± Asuka¡¯s feelings were coming out one after another¡­ It seemed hard for her to say it, ¡°So¡­¡± Her eyes looked really sincere right now, ¡°Please remember that there is a friend who wants you survive even a million of lives are lost in the process.

    ¡°They don¡¯t matter as much as you. That¡¯s it.¡± Asuka heaved a sigh after saying all that, ¡°I thought hard about what to say to you as my goodbye, but in the end, it was all improvised¡­ Still, I¡¯m sure everyone else feels the same.¡± Then, Asuka winked and raised her thumb up, ¡°Have a good day!¡±

    I nodded, then jumped over the main gate, ¡°Then, I¡¯m off!¡±

    Our parting words were said with the same ease as what you¡¯d say to someone who was just going to the convenience store for a bit.

    ¡°Ah, I forgot to ask for the goodbye kiss!¡± Asuka exclaimed.

    Then, without replying to those words, I left the Miyabigaoka High School.

 CH 51

    Chapter 51 ¨C The tempo of the story¡­

    After having my goodbye exchange with Asuka, I left the Miyabigaoka High School and hurried towards Tokorozawa.

    However¡­

    ¡°Oh, Senpai! Welcome back.¡± Asuka, the gatekeeper, waved her hand.

    To think we said goodbye less than an hour ago¡­

    ¡°Uhn¡­ I brought those people here because they were in trouble.¡± I told Asuka.

    ¡°Got it! Welcome, all of you.¡± As Asuka said that, she opened the main gate.

    The four families who were behind me hugged their loved ones, then went inside the school.

    ¡°Thank you very much for your help, kind and strong lady!¡± One of them told me.

    ¡°Ah, no problem.¡± With a stiff smile, I waved at them until they were inside the school.

    Seems like they were all standing inside their homes and waiting for rescue.

    It¡¯s definitely true that staying home does guarantee temporary safety, but that method doesn¡¯t help if one needs shelter for longer periods of time.

    However, they couldn¡¯t escape because their homes were surrounded by flocks of zombies, so they had no way around it.

    I ended up seeing the situation and easily wiped out the zombies. I also couldn¡¯t really leave them alone when they asked me for help, so I took them to the safe zone that Miyabigaoka High School had become.

    ¨CCongratulations! Your level has risen!

    ¨CCongratulations! Your level has risen!

    Well, I also got levels from helping them out, so it¡¯s two birds with one stone.

    ¡°Thank you! Thank you!¡± They told me.

    But with this out of the way, it was now time to get back to my goal. Onwards, to Tokorozawa.

    But after a few dozen minutes¡­ ¡°Hey! You there! Help, please!¡±

    With this scream, I ended up finding a group of about eight people stranded inside a small market.

    After a bit of zombie slashing¡­

    ¡°Thank you, we¡¯re saved¡­¡± They told me.

    ¡°There is a safe place just a small walk away from here.¡± I said.

    ¡°Really!? Please take us there!¡± They asked.

    I internally sighed at that request¡­ Again?

    ¡°Oh? Again?¡± Asuka¡¯s reaction was quite similar to mine, ¡°Well, welcome!¡±

    ¨CCongratulations! Your level has risen!

    Yay.

    Alright, now, let¡¯s go!

    ¡°Someone! Please help!¡± I heard a shout¡­

    Oh dear¡­

    I hadn¡¯t noticed until now, but it does seem like there are quite a few people who survived.

    The house this time was surrounded by about twenty zombies, so I rushed against them without any hesitation and succeeded in rescuing the stranded people.

    Seems like the zombies are truly not a threat to me anymore now that I have Sword Technique (advanced) and Perfect Maintenance. I don¡¯t even need Enchantment to take care of them.

    It¡¯s also good for my mental health that I can kill the zombies with a minimal amount of slashing¡­ I mean, they may be zombies, but they were originally humans, so it doesn¡¯t feel good to cut them too much. Not to mention that the blood can also dirty my clothes.

    According to the Auditory Hallucination, some of the zombies have gotten stronger, but I haven¡¯t really noticed much difference from before. I was being a bit cautious on the first battles, but I was probably overworrying.

    ¡°You cleared those things in an instant! You¡¯re amazing!¡± A person exclaimed.

    ¡°Ah, yeah. Please come to the Miyabigaoka High School which is not far from here. It¡¯s a safe place.¡± I told them.

    ¡°Ah¡­ O-okay¡­¡± They replied.

    ¨CCongratulations! Your level has risen!

    I took a deep breath¡­ So, basically, the events of this day so far were¡­

    Depart from school -> Help someone -> Return to School -> Depart -> Help -> Return -> Depart -> Help -> Return <- Currently here.

    Goodness. I was trying to start a journey here. Can¡¯t you please think about the tempo of the story a bit?

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you stay here for today, Senpai¡­?¡± Asuka asked me.

    I rejected Asuka¡¯s suggestion with a laugh, then departed once more.

    Though if this pattern occurs again, I might just take on her offer.

    Fortunately though, it seems like I was able to keep on moving this time around.

    There may be still more people in need around this area, but in the current situation, it¡¯s not possible for me to find each and everyone of them, so I guess I¡¯ll limit the rescuing only to people in danger that I actually end up finding.

    I ended up walking for about four hours while clearing the zombies that were blocking my way¡­ I should be more or less on the midpoint of the road towards Tokorozawa now.

    However, the sun was already setting by now, so I suppose I¡¯ll stop here for the time being.

    After all, right in front of me was the splendid Ekoda station.

    I remember seeing an ad about how it was renovated using ideas from a famous art university, so, right now, this place was about as good as heaven.

    I crossed my arms and thought about the necessary elements for today¡¯s sleeping.

    First, a bed.

    Next, food.

    If possible, a manga.

    Heating would also be nice¡­

    And a bath.

    This is a one night stay at the special ¡°Ekoda inn¡±, so no compromises are allowed.

    After all, I may be dead by this time tomorrow.

 CH 52

    Chapter 52 ¨C The Doomsday Gourmet

    The bed was easy to find. It was in a three-story general store which was occupied only by a handful of zombies.

    The second floor of the general store was a bedding corner, so it unsurprisingly, had a lot of beds.

    I quickly wiped out all the zombies inside that floor, before exclaiming, ¡°I request for the best bed in this store!¡± I then changed to falsetto, ¡°Of course, young lady. It will be arranged.¡±

    If I¡¯m here, I might as well get the fluffiest feathery bed, of course.

    Next comes food. There was a supermarket nearby that had some of its products already looted, but there was still plenty left.

    I crossed my arms and thought for a while¡­ I¡¯m honestly sick of pre-made food. I wanted to cook something.

    However, fresh food was also no good, as those were already taken over by the flies¡­ What to do?

    While thinking carefully about it, I killed three zombies.

    Cooking¡­ Cooking¡­ Curry¡­ Hmm?

    I felt like a light bulb lit up above my head¡­ That¡¯s it!

    I picked up a pack of medium spicy curry and some seasonings.

    While praying that this inspiration will bring me good luck, I also got some snacks.

    During this process, I used some magic to burn the zombies along the way. Thanks to Hunger Resistance I no longer feel hungry enough to cry, but I still need to eat enough to replenish my magical power.

    Next up I went to a bookstore.

    I spent thirty minutes wondering which mangas to pick up, and in the process, I also killed six zombies.

    With my current mood, I guess the best choice is a 4-koma manga of cute girls doing cute things. Nothing murderous, just some fulfilling light-hearted fluffy manga.

    Next, a heater¡­ I guess I should give up on that one. Gasoline-powered generators are too hard to carry, and I don¡¯t feel that cold right now, probably because of Skin Strengthening.

    Therefore, stacking up enough futons should be enough.

    Finally, let¡¯s take a bath.

    It wasn¡¯t hard to get this one. I could just use a sample bathtub from the general store.

    I then got, a large pot, a cassette stove and a large amount of water. I¡¯m now ready to go.

    Then, let¡¯s get started. I filled up the large pot with water and heated it up to make the curry. Then, once it felt like it was at a good temperature, I put all ingredients on.

    ¡°Become delicious, become delicious.¡± I said in a bit of a singy voice.

    But please, do become delicious.

    The expiration date seemed fine, and I did find things that could be used as curry ingredients, so¡­ Come on, Doomsday Gourmet! Make delicious food!

    I took the first bite and¡­ Well, it tastes like curry alright. It¡¯s surprisingly not bad. I thought the ingredients chosen could end up killing the taste, but they ended up working well together.

    Ain¡¯t I pretty good at making doomsday curry?

    While thinking about this kind of thing, the pot was emptied up in no time.

    I giggled to myself.

    I think I opened up to a new world of tastes¡­ One day, I should open a curry shop to spread the love of doomsday curry.

    Thank you for the meal, old world civilization.

    Now, with this out of the way, I carried the cassette stove and the bathtub to the rooftop while humming.

    After reaching the roof, I started heating up the water, and after several minutes waiting, I filled the bathtub with the hot water.

    I then looked up to the sky from the building¡¯s roof. Lots of stars were looking down on me.

    ¡°Alright!¡± I exclaimed to myself.

    Let¡¯s go, no holding back!

    I wanted to enjoy a relaxing bath in this open space.

    In this world without any living in sight, I do not need to keep an eye out, so I got inside the bathtub.

    Ah¡­ This is wonderful. The bath I took at the drugstore felt nice, but this is way better than that.

    I blankly stared at the starry sky¡­

    Played with the hot water¡­

    The only drawback of this situation, was that I could hear the zombies¡¯ growling, but¡­ I felt like I could stay here forever.

    In fact, I probably stayed for over an hour.

    ***

    After refreshing my body and soul, I found a pajama of Pika Nyan, a bizarre anime character who insists that animals brainwashed to obey their commands is a friend¡­ Well, I wore those pajamas and laid on the bed.

    Then, I started reading manga while under the light of a candle.

    During, this process, I started thinking of the future¡­ I should be reaching Tokorozawa tomorrow at around noon time. What will I do then?

    But while I thought of that, I felt like I vaguely heard someone¡¯s voice from far away¡­ ¡°Certain Death Technique: Explosive Hundred Fists!¡±

    Huh? Was there someone nearby.

    One moment after I thought that¡­ A loud explosion took over my peaceful space.

    ¡°Wh-what!?¡± I exclaimed.

    I hurriedly jumped out of bed with my sword in hand¡­ At that moment, a strange event happened.

    I don¡¯t know how, but the lamps of the general store suddenly made a crackling noise, then lit up¡­ Right now, the entire building was enveloped in the light of civilization.

    While still confused, I looked at the place where the explosion occurred.

    There was a silhouette covered by the smoke there¡­ And then, the person jumped forward.

    Laughing out loud, a lively girl with boyish hair, that was probably a middle schooler, entered my sight.

    ¡°You are the Wandering Warrior!¡± She exclaimed.

    ¡°Huh¡­?¡± Was my reaction.

    ¡°Now that I have come, this will be the end of your wrongdoings!¡± She exclaimed.

    ¨CThe Justice Martial Artist is showing hostility.

    ¨CKill her or make her surrender.

    ¡°That¡¯s too sudden¡­ Eh? Eh? Eh?¡± I said out loud.

    ¡°Come on, come on, come on! Jab!¡± She punched the air while saying that.

    ¡°Ehh!?¡± I exclaimed.

    I really don¡¯t get what¡¯s happening, but¡­ For now, can you at least let me change out of those Pika Nyan pajamas?

 CH 53

    Chapter 53 ¨C In Battle

    ¨CThe Justice Martial Artist is showing hostility.

    ¨CKill her or make her surrender.

    Calm down, calm down¡­ Let¡¯s calm down while thinking of prime numbers. The poor lonely numbers that can only be divisible by 1 and themselves.

    Give me courage¡­ Give me courage to get through these troubling battle times¡­

    Just what is this situation though!? Justice!? Martial Artist!? Showing Hostility!? There are too many terms there that I didn¡¯t see before! Please give me an explanation!

    ¡°Let¡¯s go! Exploding Hundred Fists!¡± Something like a golden wave came out of the girl¡¯s hands.

    I¡¯m not sure why, but I felt like it would be very dangerous to stay in front of her, so I hurriedly dodged sideways.

    Then, the high-class bed that I was in just a small while back exploded. The feathers flew all around.

    I couldn¡¯t see it that well, but I think the girl created an energy wave of sorts, and that is what caused the explosion?

    ¡°W-w-w-wait a minute!¡± I exclaimed.

    ¡°Hah!? What for?!¡± The girl replied.

    ¡°Just why are you attacking me!?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Listen to your own heart for that! Lightning-!¡± The girl started saying.

    ¡°Wait!¡± I said again.

    She frowned and stared at me, ¡°Just what is it?¡±

    ¡°Let me just prepare myself for the battle first.¡± I told her.

    ¡°Prepare?¡± She asked.

    I used a string to tightly tie my sword to its handle, ¡°There, it should be okay now.¡±

    ¡°Huh? What are you even doing?¡± She asked next.

    ¡°I¡¯m making sure I won¡¯t kill you.¡± I replied.

    ¡°¡­Huh?¡± The girl seemed in disbelief.

    Hopefully this can reach her heart and stop this¡­ I really hoped for that result from this action¡­

    ¡°D-don¡¯t look down on me!¡± She exclaimed.

    Seems like it had the opposite effect¡­

    ¡°Lightning Bullet!¡± As the girl said that, a dozen or so balls of light appeared in front of her palm.

    I have a bad feeling about this¡­

    ¡°Go!¡± As she said that, an almost unavoidable amount of lightning bullets pierced through the store¡¯s window.

    I tried deflecting some of them with my still sheathed sword, but I still took some damage.

    ¡°Next up¡­ Hungry wolf¡¯s thousand fists!¡± Before I realized it, the girl was right in front of me.

    A dull pain went through my abdomen. Each of her punches hit me with a bullet-like speed.

    Suddenly, I was falling through the window of the second floor of the store.

    Luckily enough, there were a few zombies down there that served as cushion. That, paired together with Skin Strengthening and Bone Strengthening made the damage not be too high.

    ¡°Thanks for saving me.¡± I told the cushion zombies, who only groaned in response, of course.

    It felt like they were saying something like, ¡®Don¡¯t worry. Are you injured, young lady?¡¯ though of course, this was just my imagination.

    In any case, I brushed the dust off, stood up, then looked at the second floor of the store.

    ¡°How about that!?¡± The girl laughed out loud as she said those words.

    ¡°I¡¯ll surrender, so please forgive me.¡± I said honestly.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll do something wrong again, so no! I¡¯ll hit you a hundred more times!¡± The girl exclaimed.

    There seems to be some serious misunderstanding here¡­

    ¡°A hundred times¡­¡± I muttered.

    I don¡¯t like this, but¡­ I guess it can¡¯t be helped.

    Let¡¯s then spend the level ups I had saved up for the fight against the Evil Slave Master.

    ¨CPlease choose the skill you want to acquire.

    ¨CSpecial Sword Skill I

    ¨CFighting Technique (Beginner)

    ¨C<Choose a Magic Skill>

    ¨C<Choose a Job Skill>

    ¨CSkill Appraisal

    I went inside the first floor of the store and hid.

    ¡°For now, show me the job skills.¡± I told the Hallucination.

    ¨CPlease choose the Job Skill you want to acquire.

    ¨CAttack Power I

    ¨CDefense I

    ¨CMagic Resistance I

    ¡°Effects, please.¡± I said.

    ¨CAttack Power I will increase the attack power of all your actions.

    ¨CDefense I will reduce the power of all attack actions you receive.

    ¨CMagic Resistance I will reduce the effectiveness of some magical effects you receive.

    As expected, the description is about as useful as Magic¡¯s description.

    There aren¡¯t many options in this case though. I can¡¯t get Attack Power because I don¡¯t want to kill that girl.

    I do have some six levels stored, so should I put everything in defensive skills?

    ¡°Defense I. And can I postpone acquiring Achievement rewards?¡± I told the Hallucination.

    ¨CPlease choose the skill you want to acquire.

    ¨CSpecial Sword Skill I

    ¨CFighting Technique (Beginner)

    Oh, so I can do that! I hadn¡¯t tried it before because I never needed it.

    I guess I should separate getting level and achievement rewards from now on¡­ Or well, I¡¯ll do that if I can overcome this situation at least.

    In any case, let¡¯s keep on getting Job Skills.

    ¨CPlease choose the Job Skill you want to acquire.

    ¨CAttack Power I

    ¨CDefense II

    ¨CSteel Clothes

    ¨CMagic Resistance I

    Ah, a new skill appeared¡­ For now, let¡¯s ignore it and get Magic Resistance I though.

    ¨CPlease choose the Job Skill you want to acquire.

    ¨CAttack Power I

    ¨CDefense II

    ¨CSteel Clothes

    ¨CMagic Resistance II

    ¨CSilence

    ¡°Effects of Steel Clothes and Silence, please.¡± I told the Hallucination.

    ¨CActivating Steel Clothes will make your clothes have the same defensive power as a steel armor for one minute.

    ¨CIf you successfully land an attack with Silence active, you¡¯ll be able to paralyze your opponent¡¯s vocal cords for a few minutes.

    I see, so one temporarily increases my defensive power and the other seals magical chanting.

    Neither of them seems too hard to use at least.

    But well¡­ How do I win this?

 CH 54

    Chapter 54 ¨C Hakui Iroha

    I, Hakui Iroha, wanted to a be hero of justice.

    In fact, since this apocalypse started, I have been fighting for the sake of the people and the world.

    I have always been doing what I believed to be right so far.

    Zombies weren¡¯t terrifying at all. They were just bad, and I never heard of a hero who forgave the bad guys.

    The only problem was that they left a really bad smell after being killed.

    Still, I helped everyone I could and guided them to a safe zone, a supermarket in Nerima.

    It was for only one month, but many people thanked me for my help. It was something completely unprecedented in my life.

    But then¡­ All my efforts ended up being in vain.

    Among the people I rescued, there was one man who had a weird way of thinking. He thought that the right ¡®way to live¡¯ was to have everyone become zombies.

    So, one day, I left the supermarket to gather some supplies¡­ When I came back, I saw that the market¡¯s door had been opened by someone, probably the uncle.

    I became desperate. The safe zone that I had cleared was now a zombie nest.

    Everyone who I had rescued had now scattered, and I had no doubts that plenty of them ended up being bitten by the zombies.

    And after all this mess¡­ I became disheartened. I aimlessly wandered through the city without any goals or dream in my heart.

    In those circumstances, on the day before yesterday, a woman called out to me.

    She was wearing some truly tattered clothes and was begging for help. She said that she escaped from a horrible woman.

    She did not know the name of the horrible woman, but she knew that the evildoer wore a red jersey and had mysterious powers.

    It immediately clicked in my head. This evil person must have the same powers as me.

    The tattered woman said that the evildoer reigned as the queen of the nearby Miyabigaoka High School and treated everyone there as slaves.

    As I listened to her tale, the flames of anger began to burn within my heart.

    I thought I had lost the capacity to have such strong feelings after the incident with the man in the supermarket, but this anger had now filled me whole.

    Those powers are a gift from God to let us save others. It¡¯s not something that can be used to oppress the weak.

    By the time I realized it, I was already running. I wanted to satisfy my thirst for justice.

    And also¡­ After I lost everything I had worked for, I really needed a new goal.

    ***

    I found the woman with the red jersey. It was easier than expected.

    In this world where the dead roam freely, the living end up standing out quite a bit.

    That woman was boiling water on the roof of a store by using a cassette stove.

    I was wondering what she was doing, but then the woman suddenly got naked and started taking a bath.

    Insane¡­ She didn¡¯t know who could be looking at her, but she still started taking a bath¡­

    ¡­ I want a bath too.

    Annoying¡­ Her joyful expression bothered me.

    I was planning on attacking tomorrow morning. Maybe after we talked a bit, but¡­ Let¡¯s just do it today. After she lays down to sleep, I¡¯ll do it!

    ***

    But now¡­ Something is wrong.

    I was wandering around the store while searching for the woman.

    This wasn¡¯t like what I heard before. That woman with the Pika Nyan pajamas was nothing like a shounen manga villain.

    She said that she didn¡¯t want to kill me even after I attacked her. I don¡¯t get what that means. Is this some secret plan from her? A strategy to make me lower my guard?

    I couldn¡¯t mess up then. I had to help everyone at the Miyabigaoka High School and make that bully pay for her sins.

    So, I used another Thunder Magic III. The convenient spell that supplied electricity to all electric appliances nearby.

    It may not be useful for attacking, but it¡¯s still very convenient¡­ Especially when chasing a villain that is hiding within a building.

    I found her.

    Though that woman put her sword on the floor and stared straight at me.

    Nonetheless, I attacked her right away. Even without her weapon, this woman can still use magic, so I won¡¯t lower my guard.

    ¡°Eat this! Hungry Wolf¡¯s Thousand Fists!¡± I exclaimed.

    It was the Special Skill I of Fighting Technique. I don¡¯t quite understand how this works, but I know that this strengthens my fists with a mysterious energy, and it¡¯s an absolutely deadly technique when used against zombies.

    However¡­ ¡°What!?¡± I exclaimed.

    It was too strange. Even though I hit her heart with my Special Skill, the woman with the Pika Nyan pajama stood still.

    She giggled, ¡°So that¡¯s the effect of carefully picking my skills. Look at the toughness provided by this simple Pika Nyan pajama!¡±

    ¡°W-what did you do!?¡± I exclaimed.

    Until now my attack had never failed. I thought it was impossible for it to fail.

    If I had hit a zombie, it would have surely been blown away while falling apart, but¡­ That woman just raised her thumb.

    ¡°You said you¡¯d hit me a hundred times, right? Then do it!¡± She told me.

    What is she even saying!? Is she a masochist!?

    ¡°However, if I¡¯m still standing after one hundred hits, then you¡¯ll have to listen to me!¡± She said next.

    Those words sent a shiver down my spine¡­ There was something very wrong about this woman.

    ¡°Come on!

    ¡°Though I¡¯d like it if you could avoid hitting my face, if possible.¡± She added.

    I didn¡¯t understand what was happening, but there must be a meaning behind this.

    I¡¯m not going to kill her, but¡­ I want to hit this evildoer with all my might.

    ¡°Then, take this! And this!¡± My furious wave of blows started.

    1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10¡­ 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16¡­ Seventeen, eighteen, nineteen, twenty¡­

    ¡°Damn it! Why, why, why!?¡± I exclaimed.

    The woman laughed out loud, ¡°It doesn¡¯t even hurt!¡±

    Her smile was twitching as she said that. So she was definitely bluffing. My attacks are definitely having some effect.

    Still, my fists should be hitting with enough strength to bend iron, so how¡­?

    ¡°Th-then how about this!? Blowing Wave!¡± I used next.

    That was Special Skill II. A skill that generated a mysterious energy wave from the palm of my hands.

    I also didn¡¯t understand how it worked, but I knew it was strong.

    The golden energy moved towards the woman with great momentum¡­ But then, I heard her mutter, ¡°Steel Clothes.¡±

    At that moment, I heard a sharp sound, like iron colliding against iron. My skill was dispersed on the spot.

    ¡°I knew it! So you were using skills, after all!¡± I exclaimed.

    ¡°You¡¯re using them too, so it¡¯s only fair.¡± She replied.

    Ugh¡­ She¡¯s right.

    I clenched my teeth and resumed my angry rush.

    My attacks were definitely working, but¡­ I felt like I was the one being cornered here.

    I could hear my stomach rumble. I was hungry¡­ This was bad.

    I once pushed myself too hard and ran out of magic¡­ It was a horrible experience.

    Once the magical power runs out, the skills that are activated automatically like Fighting Technique, Natural Healing and Skin Strengthening all stop working.

    At that moment, even a single zombie was incredible dangerous to me¡­ If this happens, then the battle will be over.

    ¡°Ora ora ora ora ora ora! Dorarararara!¡± I exclaimed as I punched the woman.

    I didn¡¯t even know how many hits I had already delivered anymore.

    ¡°Twenty more¡­¡± That woman seemed to be counting though.

    ¡°Damn it¡­¡± I muttered.

    I don¡¯t have any choice then. I have to use my ultimate skill, ¡°Exploding Hundred Fists!¡±

    That was Special Skill III. It allowed me to shoot mysterious energy bullets from my fists.

    ¡°You know, since you already have the ¡®Hungry Wolf¡¯s Thousand Fists¡¯ as one of your skills, don¡¯t you think it would be better to change the name of the stronger skill a bit? Thousand is more than a Hundred, after all.¡± That woman commented. *

    ¡°S-Shut up!¡± I exclaimed as my light bullets started piercing the woman.

    ¡°Ugh¡­¡± She groaned.

    This woman was really testing my patience¡­ But this time, she spit blood.

    Good! Another shot! Let¡¯s do this!

    ¡°H-hey, that was the hundredth blow.¡± She said as she saw me prepare my next attack.

    ¡­ Was it really?

    ¡­

    ¡°Explosive hundred Fists¡­?¡± I tried using again, but¡­

    I was feeling dizzy, ¡°Ah, ah¡­¡± I muttered.

    No way¡­ This feeling again¡­?

    I¡¯m out of magic¡­ I kneeled on the spot. I was unable to stay up any longer.

    ¡°Damn it¡­¡± I muttered.

    ¡°Well, I guess that¡¯s the end of it, right?¡± The woman said.

    I just groaned in response.

    Still, the woman picked up her sword from the ground, and while still keeping it within the scabbard, she touched the sheathed sword on my neck, ¡°This is my win.¡±

    I really wanted to retort, but my stomach was groaning really loudly¡­

    ¡°Oh my.¡± The woman said.

    And after hearing those words, my consciousness faded and everything went dark.

    ¡ª¡ª

    *Translator¡¯s Note: What¡¯s actually said in the raws is pretty different. The Exploding Hundred Fists on the raws is ¡°±¬ÁÑ?°ÙÁÑÈ­¡±. What the MC suggests is that the name should be changed because it uses ¡°ÁÑ¡± twice on the name¡­ This was completely lost on the translation, so I adapted it for a comparison with the weaker skill.

 CH 55

    Chapter 55 ¨C Two Gluttons

    I heated two large pots on a cassette stove. The content inside them was the same curry I made before, and I had already secured all the necessary ingredients to make it again.

    It¡¯s been about two hours since the girl attacked. Zombies were now gathering around the store due to her flashy rampage, but it seemed like this area was still safe enough to be used as a bed for today.

    Though the finest bed ended up becoming a mess.

    ¡°Uhn¡­ Ah¡­¡± The girl muttered.

    ¡°Good morning.¡± I told her.

    ¡°Uh¡­ Ah¡­¡± The small raider groaned just like a zombie.

    I didn¡¯t experience running out of magic yet, but that¡¯s probably what it feels like¡­ I must be careful with that.

    ¡°Mm¡­¡± The girl sniffed, ¡°¡­ Curry?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I prepared some for you too.¡± I told her.

    After hearing those words, the girl jumped out of her bed, ¡°Uh¡­ Curry¡­¡±

    She really felt like an animal driven only by her basic needs right now.

    That girl, who was supposedly my enemy until just a small while ago, was now defenselessly approaching me.

    I filled a large plate with the curry and offered it to her.

    ¡°Mm¡­? What¡¯s this?¡± She asked me.

    ¡°It¡¯s curry. I made it.¡± I replied.

    ¡°Sis¡­¡± She looked at me with a disappointed expression, ¡°What a terrible thing to do with curry.¡±

    Huh? Is she saying that she doesn¡¯t like my cooking?

    ¡°Picky children won¡¯t be allowed to eat.¡± I told her.

    ¡°Sorry.¡± She instantly replied.

    Then, immediately after that, she started eating the curry at a tremendous speed, ¡°I can eat anything when I¡¯m hungry!¡±

    ¡­ That child is extremely rude.

    I¡¯m not going to lose at eating though, so I too started devouring the curry in front of me.

    I had just eaten a small while back, but I was quite hungry right now.

    I guess food-related common sense doesn¡¯t apply to me anymore. It¡¯s like my stomach is connected to another dimension or something.

    On a side note, the skills that I got to face this child were¡­ Defense I, Magic Resistance I, Steel Clothes, Defense II, Defense III and Defense IV.

    Essentially, I went all-out on defense.

    I wasn¡¯t sure if this was the best idea, but since her title was Justice Martial Artist, I couldn¡¯t imagine that she actually wanted to kill people.

    So, in order to convince her to parley, I figured the quickest way to go about it would be to let her hit me 100x, then talk afterwards.

    And now, the two of us were silently eating curry while being side by side.

    ¡°More!¡± She exclaimed.

    ¡°Yes, yes.¡± I replied.

    I¡¯m not one to talk, but this girl really eats a lot¡­ I guess everyone who have the power of skills are gluttons.

    After quickly emptying the large pots of curry, we began to eat potato chips as our snacks.

    ¡°Crispy! I love this crispiness!¡± She exclaimed.

    ¡°After plenty of research, I found out that consomm¨¦ is the best kind of soup, by the way.¡± I told her.

    ¡°I love consomm¨¦ too!¡± She replied.

    ¡°¡­ Would you like a cup of tea?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Drink!¡± She instantly replied.

    The two of us gulped down plastic bottles with two liters of tea in them in no time.

    It¡¯s truly a strange scene, isn¡¯t it?

    The girl took a deep breath, ¡°I finally feel alive again!¡±

    ¡°By the way, what¡¯s the level of your Hunger Resistance?¡± I decided to ask her.

    ¡°Mine? I stopped at the second one.¡± She replied.

    So she¡¯s only at the medium tier?

    ¡°No wonder you ran out of magical power. Wouldn¡¯t it be better to put another level on it on your next level up?¡± I asked her.

    ¡°Eh? Not really. Food is easily available everywhere.¡± She replied.

    ¡°That way of thinking is way too dangerous. It¡¯s why you lost to me, you know?¡± I told her.

    ¡°Is that so¡­?¡± She tilted her head.

    ¡°I mean, it wouldn¡¯t be strange if you were killed at that moment¡­ Consider yourself lucky for facing me, who am a kind girl.¡± I continued.

    She pouted a bit, then without looking me in the eyes, opened a new 2L plastic bottle and gulped it down in one go.

    Then, she exclaimed, ¡°Sleep!¡± and started moving to a bed.

    ¡°Uhn¡­ What about the promise to talk¡­?¡± I asked her.

    ¡°I¡¯ll do it properly tomorrow! I¡¯m sleepy today, so I¡¯ll go sleep!¡± She exclaimed.

    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you go to the bathroom before sleeping at least?¡± I asked her.

    ¡°Shut up, shut up, shut up!¡± She replied.

    Yelling like a rebellious daughter, she crawled into the bed.

    Good grief¡­

    And now, she¡¯s going to sleep right next to the person she had a fight with¡­ Ain¡¯t that way too bold?

    Though I suppose I¡¯m also quite bold myself.

    ***

    After saying goodbye to my Pikanyan pajamas and changing back to my usual red jersey, I drank a cup of tea for breakfast.

    I wasn¡¯t hungry even after sleeping a whole night, because I haven¡¯t used any magic since then¡­ As expected of Hunger Resistance (Strong).

    While I was thinking of that, I saw that the girl got up and started rubbing her eyes, ¡°Good morning¡­¡± She muttered in a bad mood.

    ¡°Good morning.¡± I replied.

    After saying that, the girl started looking left and right.

    Then, after thinking for a while, she asked, ¡°Huh? Where is this place?¡±

    Seems like she is half-asleep right now¡­

    I sighed, ¡°There is still some hot water left here, so we could go take a bath. Do you want to?¡±

    ¡°Yeah¡­ Let¡¯s go in¡­¡± She muttered.

    Differently from her rebellious attitude of yesterday, today she seemed to be downright depressed¡­ Is this because she lost?

    While pushing the unsteady girl, the two of us headed to the roof of the general store.

    With a dazed expression, the girl took off her clothes and soaked in the bathtub.

    ¡°Is the water temperature good?¡± I asked her.

    ¡°Mm¡­ It¡¯s not bad¡­ Or rather¡­ It¡¯s nice¡­¡± She muttered.

    ¡°Then, I¡¯ll go wash our clothes, okay?¡± I told her.

    ¡°Alright¡­¡± She replied.

    It feels like I¡¯m a maid that is serving this girl¡­

    I picked up our messed up clothes and threw them in a bucket of detergent.

    ¡°By the way, if you want your clothes back, I¡¯d like you to answer my questions.¡± I told her.

    ¡°What is it?¡± She groggily replied.

    ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Hakui Iroha.¡± She answered.

    ¡°And your goal?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Various¡­¡± She muttered.

    Is she still half-asleep?

    I guess it can¡¯t be helped¡­ Let¡¯s focus on washing until she comes to her senses.

    And like this, thirty minutes passed.

    ¡°Uhn¡­?¡± Suddenly, Iroha muttered, ¡°Hey, what am I even doing right now¡­?¡±

    ¡°Taking a bath.¡± I replied.

    After hearing my answer, Iroha suddenly stood up and looked at her surroundings, ¡°What the¡­?¡±

    I just tilted my head in response.

    ¡°Just what the hell is thiiiis!?¡± She exclaimed.

    ¡°What are you even talking about?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Uwaaa! G-give me back my clotheeees!¡± She exclaimed next.

    ¡°I don¡¯t mind it? But I¡¯m doing laundry right now. Do you have a change of clothes?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Those are my only ones, you idioooooot!¡± She exclaimed.

    I sighed, ¡°Then, I¡¯ll go look for some clothes. Please wait for a bit.¡±

    Luckily, there were quite a few pajamas in this store.

    ***

    After that, it took another thirty minutes for Iroha to calm down.

    Then, after another hour, she finally told me about her circumstances.

    ¡°I see¡­ So you were deceived by that mysterious woman?¡± I commented.

    ¡°Maybe I was tricked, maybe it was true.¡± She replied.

    She turned her face away from me and refused to acknowledge her mistake.

    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t care what you think of me, but in that case do you want to go to Miyabigaoka High School for now? You¡¯ll be able to see for yourself that I¡¯m not as hated as she said.¡± I told her.

    ¡°Well¡­ I guess you don¡¯t look like that much of a bad person, sis. And now that I think about it, there was something suspicious about the behavior of that woman¡­ Or rather, she felt kinda weird.¡± Iroha replied.

    ¡°What do you mean by ¡®feeling weird¡¯?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Kinda like her heart wasn¡¯t there? I was in a hurry at the time, so I thought it was just because she was being chased by zombies, but maybe¡­¡± Iroha explained.

    I can¡¯t say I¡¯m sure of it, but¡­ I might have an idea of who the culprit is.

    I mean, there should only be one person who has a reason to attack me right now.

    The Evil Slave Master.

    Of course, it could be someone else who is lurking behind the scenes, but I don¡¯t think they¡¯d want to attack me?

    I guess¡­ I should probably start thinking of this as if the battle has already started.

    I hate this. It¡¯s too troublesome¡­

    I really don¡¯t like fighting.

 CH 56

    Chapter 56 ¨C Travel Companion

    Before I realized it, it was already past noon and I was still talking to Iroha.

    That¡¯s a flag telling me that I¡¯ll need to spend another night in some random place.

    Still, I have to move forward, so I once I became aware of the time, I hurriedly decided to leave the general store

    The zombies that had accumulated near the entrance during the night were quickly exterminated, and so I rushed on ahead.

    And then¡­ I heard some humming coming from my side.

    Iroha was right next to me.

    ¡°Oh? Are you actually going to come with me?¡± I asked her.

    She shook her head, ¡°We¡¯re just kinda going the same way, I guess?¡±

    ¡°I see. What is your destination, then?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Nowhere in particular.¡± She replied.

    She has no destination?

    Well, I don¡¯t mind having someone to talk to along the road, so it¡¯s not like she¡¯s a nuisance or anything.

    Besides, we can exchange information with one another too, which can be pretty useful.

    So, the two of us started walking by the Ikebukuro Line while eliminating the zombie hordes one by one.

    There are no trains passing by, so all we have to do is walk along the tracks. It¡¯s just a single road ahead of us, so we don¡¯t have to worry about getting lost.

    ¡°Ah!¡± Suddenly, Iroha, who had just kicked a zombie¡¯s head off, raised her voice, ¡°I just leveled up¡­ I wonder what skill should I choose? Number two perhaps? But maybe the number three¡­¡± She happily muttered.

    It was quite surreal to look at that from her side.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to get Hunger Resistance (Strong)?¡± I asked her.

    ¡°I wonder if that one is really a good idea¡­¡± She muttered.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t want to run out of magic and die, it is.¡± I told her.

    ¡°I guess so¡­ Alright! I¡¯m a woman who learns from her mistakes! I¡¯ll take Hunger Resistance!¡± She exclaimed.

    It felt a bit strange¡­ To think I can talk to someone about this strange power¡­

    I guess it can¡¯t be helped that a small sense of camaraderie was born between us¡­ Because I could never have a proper talk about this with anyone else up until now.

    I think she too was feeling the same way that I was.

    ¡°Hey, sis! Did you see that zombie that flew away just now!? Don¡¯t you think it had an amazing pose!?¡± She asked me.

    Before I realized it, I had opened up to Iroha.

    Though I feel like this child¡¯s morals are a bit disturbed¡­ But well, she¡¯s still on the right track, probably.

    ***

    Then, after we walked through the railroad tracks for a few dozen minutes¡­

    ¡°Hey, sis, can we stop at Nerima for a bit?¡± She suddenly asked.

    ¡°Sure, why though?¡± I asked back.

    ¡°The woman that called sis a bad person, she was hiding at my house.¡± She replied.

    ¡°House?¡± I asked.

    ¡°I said house, but it¡¯s actually a supermarket. It¡¯s below the elevated train station.¡± She explained.

    ¡°Well¡­ I think that person wouldn¡¯t be there anymore.¡± I told her honestly.

    ¡°Ah, well¡­ But even then, maybe some of the people I rescued might be there again¡­¡± She muttered.

    ¡°I see.¡± I replied.

    I had a rough idea of what happened to Iroha.

    She told me that there was a traitor among those she rescued.

    She may be a light-hearted girl, but I¡¯m sure this has hurt her deep inside her heart¡­ Probably.

    On the other hand, everyone at Miyabigaoka had common sense and they were all quite helpful.

    Perhaps it was because we were at a relatively comfortable space?

    After all, in a stressful environment, humans might panic and become unsure of what to do.

    ***

    We stopped by the Nerima station and looked at the supermarket where Iroha used to live at.

    As expected, no one was there.

    ¡­ Iroha looked at the empty stores with an extremely disheartened expression.

    I stoke her head, ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m sure some of them survived.¡± I tried encouraging her.

    ¡°¡­ Yeah.¡± She muttered.

    ¡°Shall we get going?¡± I asked.

    But right after I said that, the area shook, and dust fell from the ceiling.

    ¡°Huh?¡± Iroha said.

    ¡°What was that?¡± I said.

    The two of us started looking left and right.

    Then, as soon as we left the store, a deafening screech resounded from right next to me, ¡°Sis, that!¡±

    Iroha¡¯s seemed to be quire startled.

    Understandably so¡­ Because what stood in our way was a giant tiger monster that was as tall as a two-story building.

    It started groaning¡­

    Really now¡­ After a pig, a tiger?

    Couldn¡¯t there be a more gradual progression? Why am I being thrown against the killer panther right after killing the little smile?

    I mean, this monster is huge, like¡­ Way too big! Its head alone is as tall as I am!

    ¡­ It groaned louder.

    The tiger monster glared at us with its terrifyingly sharp eyes.

    This must be how a frog feels when it is stared at by a snake¡­

    ¡°Hey, sis¡­¡± Iroha muttered.

    ¡°Yeah, Iroha¡­?¡± I muttered back.

    The two of us looked at one another.

    ¡°Run away to not die!¡± The two of us exclaimed in unison, then started running away as fast as we could.

    The monster roared loudly and jumped after us.

    What even is its goal!?

    Well, I guess it must be looking at us as snacks¡­

    ¡°Wah-wah-wah-wah-wawawawawa!¡± I exclaimed.

    ¡°No way, no way, no way, no waaaaaaay!¡± Iroha exclaimed.

    And so, our dramatic escape began.

 CH 57

    Chapter 57 ¨C Escape Route

    The monster roared again.

    It¡¯s really amazing. Its mere roar makes the ground start shaking.

    Fighting against it is completely out of question.

    ¡°Si-si-si-si-sis, w-w-w-w-w-what do we do!?¡± Iroha asked me.

    ¡°To the narrow alley!¡± I exclaimed.

    We started running through the streets near the Nerima station.

    The body of the tiger monster was wider than the road¡¯s width, so we should be relatively safe here.

    As such, it actually stopped moving once we entered the alley.

    ¡°Yes, we did it!¡± I exclaimed.

    For a moment, I raised my fist, thinking that it was a successful escape.

    ¡­ I should not have risen that flag.

    A huge, dark shadow covered us, just as we started to feel relieved.

    When we looked up, we saw the tiger monster jumping up with tremendous power, deftly climbing over the buildings of the shopping street and approaching us.

    ¡°Ugh, take that! Explosive Hundred Fists!¡± Iroha¡¯s fists emitted light, and a rain of energy waves pierced the tiger monster.

    However¡­ The monster just groaned a bit at that.

    No good, it¡¯s not working!

    ¡°The power decreases too much when aimed at a far-away target¡­¡± Iroha started calmly analyzing the situation, ¡°I think I want to get closer, it would work out better like that.¡±

    ¡°¡­ Let¡¯s save that as a last resort.¡± I replied.

    And while we had this exchange, I was desperately trying to think of what the best place to run to was.

    Nearby buildings, perhaps?

    No way. I don¡¯t think any shopping street building could withstand the attack of this monster.

    A sturdy building somewhere, maybe?

    Also no. I don¡¯t think we can keep running from this monster for long.

    The underground path below the Nerima Station?

    Sadly not possible. It would be the ideal solution, but the path there is blocked by the very monster we want to run from.

    Therefore, the only possible escape route is¡­

    ¡°Iroha! Over here!¡± As I exclaimed that, I unsheathed my sword and plunged it on a manhole cover.

    I used my sword like a lever, and forcefully opened the entrance.

    But then, a moment of hesitation came.

    I mean, it must be stinky down there¡­

    It must also be dark¡­

    And filthy too¡­

    Do we really need to jump there¡­?

    Once more, the monster roared loudly. Perhaps because it realized that its ¡®prey¡¯ was about to escape.

    ¡°L-let¡¯s go!¡± I exclaimed.

    Encouraged by that roar, the two of us jumped into the manhole.

    ***

    It was dark¡­

    ¡°Enchantment. Fire.¡± I created a fire with my sword.

    From the corner of my eye, I could see a black thing running away, but I decided to ignore that and not accept the reality in front of me.

    The sewers were filled with a putrid smell that made me dizzy.

    I suppose it can¡¯t be helped when the flow of water has stopped for quite a while now¡­ I don¡¯t think I can keep up with this for long though. We might even run out of oxygen if we don¡¯t leave soon.

    ¡°What should we do¡­?¡± Iroha muttered out loud.

    ¡°We should get out of here on the next exit, the tiger probably won¡¯t be able to keep track of us while we move underground.¡± I replied.

    ¡°No good.¡± Iroha shook her head.

    ¡°No¡­? Why?¡± I asked.

    ¡°We gotta kill it.¡± She told me.

    ¡°No way¡­¡± I muttered.

    That proposition astonished me¡­ I mean, how can we even fight that gigantic monster? I can¡¯t even imagine it.

    ¡°If that thing keeps roaming around, then the townspeople will definitely end up being killed by it. There are surely many other people alive, so we have to kill it to protect them.¡± Iroha told me.

    ¡°But¡­¡± I started replying.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure our power exists for times like this, so that¡¯s why I have to go.

    ¡°You don¡¯t have to come if you don¡¯t want to, sis.¡± She explained her line of thought.

    That was unexpected.

    Honestly, I underestimated Iroha. I thought she was just a dumb kid, but that doesn¡¯t seem to be the case.

    At the very minimum, her will is genuine. She has decided long ago that she was willing to give up her own life if needed.

    ¡°You¡¯re certainly someone who can be proud of yourself, kid.¡± I told her.

    She just giggled in response.

    Well, when faced with this kind of answer, then I guess that, as the older sister, I can¡¯t really abandon her.

    ¡°Then, let¡¯s beat it together.¡± I told her.

    ¡°Thank you.¡± She nodded, then rubbed her nose embarrassedly.

    ¡°We gotta think of a strategy though. Let¡¯s get out on the nearest exit so that we can think in a non-stinky place.¡± I said.

    ¡°Alright.¡± She replied.

    We then started walking through the sewers.

    Even now, we could still hear the monster¡¯s roars, who was probably frustrated for letting its ¡®prey¡¯ escape.

    The sound was so loud that it made the sewer water reverberate and splash around.

    Seriously¡­ If you¡¯re going to eat us, then please don¡¯t play with the food, alright? I¡¯m asking this much of you.

 CH 58

    Chapter 58 ¨C Monster Hunt

    Escaping from the sewers was surprisingly easy.

    There was a manhole near the safety zone that Iroha used as a base, so after crawling out of the sewers, we hid back inside the Nerima station.

    We then started our strategy meeting while replenishing our magical power by eating sweets.

    The first thing we did was to share what skills each of us had.

    Iroha skills were like:

    ¡ª¡ª¨C

    Basic Skills:

    Fighting Technique (Advanced); Special Skill I-III

    Natural Healing (Strong); Skin Strengthening; Bone Strengthening

    Hunger Resistance (Strong)

    ¡ª-

    Magic Skills:

    Fire Magic I

    Thunder Magic I-III

    ¡ª-

    Job Skills:

    Quick Step I

    Iron Fist

    ¡ª¡ª¨C

    As for my skills, they were¡­

    ¡ª¡ª¨C

    Basic Skills:

    Sword Technique (Advanced); Perfect Maintenance

    Natural Healing (Strong); Skin Strengthening; Bone Strengthening

    Hunger Resistance (Strong)

    ¡ª-

    Magic Skills:

    Fire Magic III

    ¡ª-

    Job Skills:

    Defense IV; Steel Clothes

    Magic Resistance I

    ¡ª¡ª¨C

    ¡°So Iroha is level 20, while I¡¯m at level 23.¡± I commented.

    But then, Iroha rubbed her temples with her fingers, ¡°Uhn¡­ I don¡¯t think so? I¡¯m fairly sure I¡¯m at level 19.¡±

    ¡°Huh? But you have 20 skills total¡­¡± I replied.

    ¡°Ah, but I had Fighting Technique (Beginner) since the start.¡± She explained.

    ¡°Oh? I didn¡¯t start with anything¡­¡± I said.

    ¡°Well, I didn¡¯t know a Sword Technique skill existed.¡± Iroha replied.

    ¡°Eh? So it wasn¡¯t available to you?¡± I asked just to be sure.

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t.¡± She nodded.

    Mmmm¡­ I don¡¯t have the time to think about it carefully right now, but it seems like there are some individual differences on what skills each person can acquire.

    And coming to think of it, it would be a bit weird if everyone had access to a Sword Technique skill when not everyone has a sword.

    Well, whatever. For now, the priority is to think on how to kill that tiger monster.

    ¡°Coming to think of it, I don¡¯t know what this Quick Step skill does.¡± I told Iroha.

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s like this.¡± Then, Iroha kicked the ground.

    Immediately after that, she disappeared and reappeared five meters behind her initial position.

    ¡°That¡¯s basically it. I took it because I thought it was kinda cool, but when I think about it carefully, there isn¡¯t any reason to use it against zombies. It¡¯s totally unnecessary.¡± Iroha explained.

    ¡°Ooh¡­ Can you pass through walls with it?¡± I asked.

    ¡°That¡¯s impossible. If something hard is on the way, then you stop right in front of it.¡± She replied.

    I see, I see¡­

    ¡°So, what strategy are we going to use?¡± She asked me.

    I folded my arms and thought for a small bit, ¡°¡­ I have three ideas.¡±

    ¡°Oh, amazing! Three!?¡± Iroha exclaimed.

    ¡°One is high-risk and very cool, another is just high-risk, and the third one is an uninteresting, solid, low-key strategy.¡± I replied.

    ¡°Since we¡¯re going at it! Let¡¯s win in a cool manner!¡± Iroha instantly said.

    ¡°By the way, the cool idea was to get swallowed by the tiger monster, then to blow it up from inside.¡± I told her.

    ¡°Solid and low-key strategies are the best!¡± She exclaimed.

    ¡°They are, aren¡¯t they?¡± I replied.

    And so, let¡¯s start our monster hunt.

    ***

    In the end, I couldn¡¯t think of any extraordinary idea to beat up a monster, so the plan we are going to go with is a simple surprise attack.

    Iroha and I will split up and walk through the shopping district. Our goal is to get a pincer attack on the tiger monster.

    If I find the monster first, then Iroha will attack from behind, and if Iroha finds it first, then I¡¯ll attack from behind.

    And if something goes wrong, we escape through the manhole entrance that we left half-open in advance.

    That was the gist of it, so we started carefully moving towards our raid boss.

    While walking through the mostly-deserted shopping street, I was killing the occasional zombie that got in my way, then kept on moving forward.

    We already roughly knew the location of the monster, as we could see it from an apartment building that was right next to the station.

    The tiger monster seemed to have given up on chasing us, so it was lying down on the ground, seemingly bored, on a three-way intersection.

    So, by using only narrow roads as our path, we steadily moved towards our hunt target.

    Animals are supposed to have a pretty sharp intuition, but this area has limited visibility available, and most of the noises come from zombies, so I think it won¡¯t be easy for it to notice us¡­ Probably.

    Nothing in particular happened, and after proceeding along the planned route for a while, I saw it. The tiger monster was here.

    Luckily, it seemed to be asleep, so I carefully and slowly moved forward, trying to be as quiet as possible.

    The target is¡­ The head.

    With my enchanted sword, I might be able to kill it with a single blow.

    Meanwhile, the monster was carefreely snoring.

    That¡¯s it¡­ Almost there¡­

    Sleeping animals tend to usually be fairly cute, but this monster isn¡¯t cute in the slightest¡­ Or rather, it gives off something akin to murderous intent even while sleeping.

    It¡¯s scary¡­

    But I¡¯m getting closer¡­ I might really be able to kill it with one blow.

    However, as soon as I thought that, a silhouette moved towards the tiger with an incredibly fast speed.

    It was Iroha. She stood on the head of the tiger and screamed, ¡°I got it! Exploding Hundred-¡±

    Her fists started emanating a golden light.

    But at the same time, the tiger monster opened its eyes wide.

    It groaned and threw Iroha up in the air just by lifting its neck.

    ¡°Aah!?¡± She said.

    Oh dear¡­ Her half-activated Special Skill III was now raining down upon the area. The surroundings were quickly swallowed by the flying lights and quite a bit of destruction was caused.

    I crouched down to dodge the dust that was raised by it.

    And when I looked up, I could see that the monster had positioned itself on the location where Iroha, who was still up in the sky, was going to fall at.

    The monster seemed to be wondering if it should kill her with its claws or fangs.

    It will probably decide on the ¡®weapon¡¯ of choice on a whim.

    ¡°Whoa, whoa, whoa, dangerous!¡± Even when faced with death, Iroha didn¡¯t stop screaming.

    If she lost her life here, it would be nothing short of a tragedy.

    Of course, I¡¯m not let that happen.

    I Enchanted my sword, then ran straight towards the monster.

    It noticed my presence and seemed to be quite surprised by the appearance of a new ¡®prey¡¯.

    Especially because I had a fire sword in my hands, and animals seem to naturally fear fire. Even the pig monster was no exception.

    Iroha is coming from above, and I am coming from the ground.

    Can you dodge this attack!?

    ¡­ I feel like a side character that is getting too full of herself.

    And then, what happened next was, at least for a moment, beyond my comprehension.

    But to put it simply, the monster suddenly jumped up and knocked down the airborne Iroha like a fly.

    And in the direction that Iroha was sent towards¡­ Was me.

    ¡°Agh! Sorry, sis!¡± Iroha exclaimed.

    I couldn¡¯t react in time, so both of our heads clashed, and for a few seconds, I was knocked unconscious.

    I knew I woke up quickly, because I¡¯d otherwise already be inside the belly of the monster.

    ¡°Ugh¡­¡± I groaned as used my sword as a cane to force myself to get up.

    As for Iroha¡­ She was muttering some incomprehensible things. She was right by my side, but seemed to be completely out of it.

    I probably took less damage due to my Defense IV skill.

    And now, in the midst of my confusion, the tiger monster landed right in front of me.

    I looked up at it.

    Iroha was unconscious.

    The monster was groaning. It was almost as if it was laughing in joy.

    I can¡¯t run away from it while also carrying Iroha with me.

    So¡­ There¡¯s no other choice.

    The time has come for the riskiest strategy that I thought of.

    A head-on combat.

 CH 59

    Chapter 59 ¨C Head-on confrontation

    The monster started groaning.

    I felt something similar to what one would feel when a building was collapsing right in front of them.

    I had to directly confront my instinctive desire to run away first and foremost.

    Thinking about it, humans would probably be forgiven for doing most things if it meant that it would save their lives.

    For example, abandoning a younger girl that you just befriended.

    No one would see it. No one would blame me if I turned back my back on the monster and ran.

    Though of course, whether or not I¡¯d be able to escape from my conscience would be another story altogether.

    ¡°¡­ Steel Clothes.¡± I used the skill, then raised my enchanted sword.

    The monster roared and rushed forward with enough strength to blow anything that stood in its way.

    It stretched out its right front leg with a speed that could hardly be seen.

    I was able to react to it though, so I stopped his attack with my sword.

    An unpleasant noise resounded, and both sword and claw bounced away from each other.

    The monster groaned¡­ It was an unusual situation. Something that clearly defied the laws of physics.

    The difference between our volumes is far bigger than just double or triple. I was supposed to be a small mouse who was facing a giant cat.

    But the small mouse¡¯s fang was able to deflect the cat¡¯s claws, which were supposed to surely kill it.

    There¡¯s no doubt that this is the power of Defense IV.

    Also, once I looked at it, it seems like the tiger¡¯s claws took more damage from the collision than me. Part of its nails had melted into a muddy mess.

    In that case¡­ Is there a possibility of¡­ Me actually succeeding?

    I clang to the sliver of hope in front of me and raised my sword again.

    The monster seemed to no longer underestimate me, so it calmly kept its distance.

    ¡°Iroha! Wake up! Do you want to die here!?¡± I exclaimed, trying to get her to get up before it was too late.

    ¡°Uh, uuuh, mu¡­¡± Iroha just groaned something incomprehensible in return though.

    It doesn¡¯t seem like she¡¯ll be able to stand up any time soon.

    Also¡­ It was probably a bad idea for me to show an opening, even if it was just for one moment.

    With its sharp claws and superhuman strength, the monster destroyed a part of the building next to it, showering us with a pile of rubble.

    I¡¯ll become a cat¡¯s snack!

    That¡¯s hard to dodge¡­ It¡¯s basically a shotgun of bullets coming my way.

    The rubble was pouring down like a hail that was way beyond the level that a sword could deflect.

    So, minimize the hit area and defend yourself!

    ¡­ If I could, I¡¯d be happy to do that, but all I could do right now was to take it head on.

    ¡°U-ugh¡­¡± I fell to my knees as the debris rained down on me.

    Just like that, I dropped my sword besides me, and of course, the tiger monster did not miss it.

    With a roar, the monster started running towards me.

    It was probably going to pierce my head with its nails.

    Exhausted, I had no choice but to take the blow¡­

    Just kidding!

    In one swift motion, I picked up my sword again and moved towards the running monster, which seemed to be quite surprised by my sudden movement.

    Defense IV is truly amazing! Nicely done, Steel Clothes!

    That attack would surely be enough to kill me five times over if I didn¡¯t have those skills, but it seems like it wasn¡¯t powerful enough to threaten me in my current situation.

    Also, while the monsters do seem to be somewhat intelligent, it wasn¡¯t able to see through my acting abilities.

    No wonder. After all, ever since I watched the Tiger and Bunny anime back when I was in middle school, I have wanted to be an actress¡­ For at least three months that is, but I still wanted to be an actress back then!

    I brandished my flaming sword and slashed the left front leg of the tiger monster.

    It roared loudly in response, loudly enough to make me feel like the whole world was shaking.

    And then, the half-cut leg of the monster started squirting an unbelievable amount of blood, turning the city red.

    Of course, I can¡¯t afford to let it escape with those injuries. I cannot forgive it.

    I don¡¯t know what caused such a creature to be born, but all monsters that attack humans must be exterminated.

    I moved around the injured monster¡¯s leg and slashed the place that would correspond to a human¡¯s Achilles tendon¡­ Though I don¡¯t really know if feline creatures actually have it.

    Nonetheless, a terrifyingly bad smell of a beast and its blood reached my nostrils.

    My jersey was already in a state where I wasn¡¯t sure if it was red from its original color or from monster blood.

    Still, I grabbed the fur of the monster, which was incredibly hard and prickly, and jumped on its back.

    The monster was so big that it looked almost like a mountain.

    But its life was now on the palm of my hand.

    The monster started groaning and twisting its body around as a form of making a last resistance.

    How troublesome. It would be much easier to kill it if it has just begged for its life.

    However, this last resistance is going to buy time at the very minimum, as I desperately had to grab onto the back of the struggling monster to not be thrown away.

    After all, one of my hands was holding my sword, so it was hard to finish it off when it was moving this much.

    But at that moment, ¡°Explosive Hundred Fists!¡±

    From the direction of the monster¡¯s head, I heard Iroha¡¯s voice.

    At the same time, the rampaging monster slowed down.

    ¡°Now, sis!¡± Iroha exclaimed.

    Roger that.

    I ran with all my strength through the back of the monster and reached its head.

    Aiming at the back of its head, I thrusted my enchanted sword, ¡°Die monster, die!¡± I screamed out all the violent urges that were inside me.

    And surely enough, I felt my sword go through its skull and reach the brain.

    I felt like a huge life had just been taken away by my own two hands.

    Farewell, tiger monster, may you rest in peace.

 CH 60

    Chapter 60 ¨C Victory. And a bath

    ¨CCongratulations! You obtained the ¡®Co-op¡¯ achievement!

    ¨CCongratulations! You obtained the ¡®Man-eating Tiger Subjugation¡¯ achievement!

    ¨CCongratulations! Your level has increased!

    ¨CCongratulations! Your level has increased!

    ¨CCongratulations! Your level has increased!

    ¨CCongratulations! Your level has increased!

    The usual ¡®congratulations¡¯ rush, huh?

    ¡°Wow! So many level ups!¡± Iroha cheered.

    Seems like she already recovered from the damage that the monster gave her¡­ We¡¯re really getting farther and farther from what a human is, aren¡¯t we?

    ¡°Ah¡­ I don¡¯t wanna do anything more today.¡± I muttered.

    ¡°Huh!?¡± Iroha exclaimed.

    ¡°I wanna take a bath¡­¡± I told her.

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s a good idea! We¡¯re heroes, so it¡¯s fine to indulge in some extravagance!

    ¡°Ah, but you should wash your body first before entering the bath, sis, you¡¯re covered in blood and you¡¯re smelling a lot.¡± Iroha told me plainly.

    ¡°Okaay¡­¡± I replied.

    Dizzily, we returned to the supermarket that Iroha used as a base.

    It probably felt cramped for many people to live together there, but it was way too big for just the two of us.

    In this deserted store, we prepared the things for the bath.

    We carried the bathtub from a section called ¡®Single Life Support¡¯ and took it to the kitchen to get some hot water for it.

    We were pretty used to it by now, and in no time, the bath was filled with hot water.

    After thoroughly cleaning up the monster blood, I plunged into the bathtub.

    I breathed out a sigh of relief, then started checking the results of today¡¯s battle while bathing, since Iroha said she was fine with me bathing first.

    I guess I¡¯ll save the leveling skills for the battle against the Evil Slave Master, as I¡¯ll be able to choose what is needed on the spot according to the situation.

    So instead, let¡¯s look at the Achievements.

    Though if the items received are too big, I¡¯ll probably need to leave it for later, as it would be hard to carry them around.

    Well, let¡¯s see what we got.

    ¨CChoose a reward for the ¡®Gluttony¡¯ achievement

    ¨CPredator¡¯s Knife

    ¨CPredator¡¯s Shield

    ¨CPredator¡¯s Armor

    ¨CPredator¡¯s Knife can make any animal meat edible.

    ¨CPredator¡¯s Shield imitates a human¡¯s head. Feeding food to it increases its resilience.

    ¨CPredator¡¯s Armor is heavy and difficult to move in, but you can eat anything while wearing it.

    ¡°Mmmm¡­¡± I pondered out loud.

    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Iroha, who was cooking on the other side of the kitchen, asked me.

    ¡°Iroha, did you get the ¡®Gluttony¡¯ achievement?¡± I asked her.

    ¡°Mmm¡­? Ah, the one with the predator items?¡± She asked back.

    Oh, so she did get it already.

    ¡°I got the knife. It lets you eat rotten meat, so it can be quite convenient.¡± Iroha told me.

    ¡°Ohou!¡± I exclaimed.

    It¡¯s the kind of thing that I could take back to the Miyabigaoka high school.

    Besides, a shield and an armor would both be too hard to carry, so¡­ ¡°Knife, please.¡±

    A knife wrapped in bandages fell near me.

    For now, I¡¯m happy with getting things that are easy to carry.

    Then, next one.

    ¨CChose the reward for the ¡®Co-op¡¯ achievement.

    ¨CFriendship Ring

    ¨CLove Ring

    ¨CBetrayal Ring

    ¨CWearing the Friendship Ring at the same time as your partner player lets the two of you share one of your skills with the other.

    ¨CIf you put the Love Ring on the finger of your partner player, you may transfer two of your skills to that player.

    ¨CIf you put the Betrayal Ring on the finger of your partner player, you may forcefully steal one of their skills.

    Mmm¡­ ¡°Hey, Iroha.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± She asked.

    ¡°Can I trust you that you won¡¯t betray me?¡± I asked back.

    ¡°Uhn, sure?¡± She replied.

    ¡°Will you trust me too?¡± I asked next.

    ¡°What¡¯s up with you all of a sudden?¡± She asked.

    ¡°You¡¯ll understand if you go choose your achievements.¡± I told her.

    ¡°Mmm?¡± She then stayed silent for a small bit, ¡°Ah, so that¡¯s what you mean?¡± Iroha then stopped cooking and moved closer to me, ¡°Here, Friendship Ring.¡±

    She gave me a ring that had a sparkling blue gem in it.

    Even if she shows it to me like that, I have no way of knowing if it is or isn¡¯t a Friendship Ring, but¡­ I think I understand Iroha¡¯s personality by now.

    I don¡¯t think she¡¯ll betray me here¡­ Alright, let¡¯s trust her.

    I selected the Friendship Ring option, gave it to her, and put the ring that she gave me on my little finger.

    ¨CChoose a skill to share with the Justice Martial Artist.

    Guess I was right to believe her, ¡°So¡­ Are there any skills that you want?¡±

    After some discussion, we decided to share Defense I and Quick Step I.

    Ideally, I¡¯d have liked to share Defense IV with her, but apparently, we can only share the first level of backwards-compatible skills.

    Now then, onwards to the last achievement.

    ¨CChoose a reward for the ¡®Man-eating Tiger Subjugation¡¯ achievement.

    ¨CProof of Tiger Hunting

    ¨CTiger Mask

    ¨CTiger Cloak

    ¨CProof of Tiger Hunting gives you a badge that allows you to scare weaker feline creatures by wearing it.

    ¨CWearing the Tiger Mask strengthens your Martial Arts and allows you to specialize in grappling techniques.

    ¨CWearing the Tiger Cloak makes you intimidate others to some extent. This doesn¡¯t affect Players.

    ¡­ I don¡¯t need any of that.

    I¡¯m not planning on taking Martial Arts to begin with, and while the Proof of Tiger Hunting is probably the easiest one to carry, there isn¡¯t really any benefit in scaring cats away.

    Or rather, it would just be a net loss.

    For Iroha the Tiger Mask might be useful, but wearing a mask all the time would be really silly.

    And just as I thought that, ¡°Hey, sis! Look at me! This cloak is so cool!¡± Iroha came close to me to show off her new cloak.

    ¡°Eh? Iroha, you chose the Tiger Cloak?¡± I asked just in case.

    ¡°Yeah! It makes me look like a hero!¡± She exclaimed.

    Well¡­ Whatever she takes is up to her, I guess.

    ¡°Though this seems to intimidate others, so you shouldn¡¯t be wearing it willy-nilly, or you¡¯ll scare people that you don¡¯t really know.¡± I told her.

    ¡°I know, I know!¡± Iroha answered with a hearty laugh.

    I just sighed at that, then climbed out of the bathtub and put on my bathrobe, ¡°So, Iroha, after you have a bath, should we go eat dinner?¡±

    ¡°Okay!¡± She replied.

    So, what should we eat for dinner today?

    Just when I started thinking about that, ¡°Uhn¡­¡± A small, frightened voice echoed in the kitchen, ¡°Excuse me, but who are you?¡± the voice asked me.

    ¡°Aah!¡± Iroha jumped in place, ¡°Aunt Satonaka!¡±

    A slightly overweight middle-aged lady entered the kitchen.

    ¡°You¡¯re alive!¡± Iroha ran towards the woman and hugged her.

    ¡°Iroha!¡± Miss Satonaka smiled as she hugged Iroha back.

    Meanwhile, I just watched them from afar, as I had just gotten out of the bath.

    I guess she is one of the people that Iroha helped while they lived in this supermarket?

    ¡°I¡¯m so glad! I¡¯m so glad¡­!¡± Iroha exclaimed and buried her head on miss Satonaka¡¯s chest.

    ¡°As expected of you, Iroha. Auntie knew that you wouldn¡¯t die so easily. I believed in you¡­¡± Miss Satonaka gently caressed Iroha¡¯s hair.

    It was quite the touching reunion.

    ¡­ Ah, but Iroha was still wearing the Tiger Cloak.

    ¡­ Should I point her blunder out? I guess I shouldn¡¯t¡­

    The two of them kept on hugging each other for quite a while.

 CH 61

    Chapter 61 ¨C In the supermarket

    Aside from miss Satonaka, there was also a family of five, the Takadas, joining us for dinner.

    Though well, we were just eating ready-made food.

    ¡°Today¡­ I got something that I thought you¡¯d like¡­ Here, Iroha.¡± Miss Satonaka took out a package of canned food that was apparently a special gift.

    ¡°Whoa! It¡¯s canned pudding!¡± Iroha was delighted.

    Mr. And Ms. Takada smiled at seeing how happy she was at that.

    ¡°We found a warehouse filled with canned goods not too far from here. This was the last canned pudding there, so we thought we could save it for you.¡± Miss Satonaka explained.

    ¡°Ooh! I love you!¡± Iroha happily opened the can and immediately started eating the pudding, even though this was supposed to be a dessert.

    ¡°Well, to celebrate our reunion today, is it fine if I have a drink¡­?¡± Mr. Takada asked his wife.

    Ms. Takada giggled, ¡°Well, if it¡¯s just for today¡­¡±

    ¡°Eh!? Dad is cheating!¡± One of their sons exclaimed.

    ¡°It¡¯s still too early for you.¡± Mr. Takada replied.

    I watched them chat from a bit away.

    In the current state of the world, I can relax and smile just by looking at people being happy.

    It feels like I¡¯m right outside a mosquito¡¯s net, in a way¡­ But well, I¡¯ve always been in this kind of position even before the world became like this, so this doesn¡¯t bother me.

    ¡°But why are you back now?¡± Iroha asked.

    Miss Satonaka answered, ¡°Ah, you see¡­ A while ago, an outrageous monster appeared here!¡±

    ¡°A monster?¡± Iroha asked.

    ¡°Yes, a huge tiger monster! It was as big as a mountain and it was loitering around while roaring day and night! We were too scared to stay here, so we ran further north¡­ But then I thought I might see you again if I came back, so I decided to try it.

    ¡°And then, once we arrived, we saw that the zombies had been wiped out, and I heard a girl¡¯s voice come from the kitchen! At that time, I almost cried even if I¡¯m already at this age!¡± Miss Satonaka¡¯s machinegun-like talk was quite impressive.

    Mr. Takada frowned a bit after hearing all that, but then he continued, ¡°When faced with a monster like that, even a reinforced steel building wouldn¡¯t be able to resist, but¡­ Now, that monster that kept on roaring day and night seems to have gone somewhere else, so things became quiet again.¡±

    ¡°Aah¡­ So that was it¡­¡± After a longer-than-necessary wait, Iroha said, ¡°That was taken care of.¡±

    ¡°¡­ Huh?¡± Everyone else in the room seemed to be surprised.

    That was quite the reaction. I guess the wait was worth it.

    ¡°You beat it¡­ Iroha?¡± Miss Satonaka asked.

    ¡°Yeah, me and that sis over there did it!¡± Iroha pointed towards me.

    The eyes all focused on me.

    ¡°Maybe¡­ You too have mysterious powers?¡± Miss Satonaka asked me.

    ¡°Indeed! Sis fights with a sword! She¡¯s really cool!¡± Iroha replied in my stead.

    Seems like her memories of fighting me yesterday night have completely disappeared already.

    ¡°So it wasn¡¯t just Iroha¡­¡± Ms. Takada muttered.

    ¡°Hey, so can you use magic too, sis?¡± A small girl that was about ten years old asked me. Her eyes were sparkling, ¡°Show me, show me!¡±

    ¡°Alright.¡± I then raised my finger a bit, ¡°Fire.¡± and lit a small fire on my fingertip.

    ¡°Ooh¡­ Ooh¡­¡± The people watching said.

    But somehow, they didn¡¯t seem to be too surprised¡­

    ¡°It¡¯s the same as Iroha.¡± Miss Satonaka said honestly.

    Ah, right. Iroha does have Fire Magic I too. I guess they won¡¯t be too surprised after already seeing it once.

    How disappointing¡­

    ¡°I can use something cooler! Electric Switch!¡± When Iroha raised her voice, all lights in the supermarket were turned on.

    Everyone applauded her.

    ¡°Well, Iroha¡¯s magic can be really convenient!¡± Miss Satonaka said.

    ¡°As expected of Iroha!¡± Mr. Takada said.

    Iroha giggled, ¡°It¡¯s not much.¡± she was clearly quite happy with the praises.

    Just what is this development?

    For a moment I actually considered acquiring some magic skills just to brag here, but I stopped myself at the last minute.

    I-I¡¯m not particularly frustrated at their lack of reaction to my magic or anything!

    ***

    After we finished eating, I immediately went to bed.

    Iroha seemed to be really attached to miss Satonaka though, so they kept on chatting until late in the night.

    I think I heard Iroha start crying several times during that conversation.

    Seems like not many people who had taken refuse in this supermarket survived.

    And now, I¡¯m also starting to worry about the safety of everyone who I left behind at the Miyabigaoka high school¡­ Well, let¡¯s not think about things that I can¡¯t do anything about. It will just make me feel sick.

    These past two days have been quite hectic¡­ I mean¡­ Why did I come here again?

    Well, it¡¯s fine¡­

    While I was absent-mindedly trying to look back on my memories, I ended up falling asleep.

 CH 62

    Chapter 62 ¨C Friend

    On the next day, I naturally woke up as soon as the sky started to brighten up.

    Today I have to go to the place where the Evil Slave Master lies.

    I went to the supermarket¡¯s side door so as to not wake up everyone who was still asleep.

    But then, ¡°Are you leaving?¡± I was stopped by Ms. Satonaka.

    I thought nobody was there, so I was startled by her.

    ¡°I couldn¡¯t sleep much¡­ After talking to that girl.¡± Ms. Satonaka told me.

    ¡°Oh, right, I do remember you two talking a lot last night.¡± I replied.

    ¡°Did you hear all that?¡± She asked.

    ¡°No, I went to bed early.¡± I said.

    ¡°I see¡­¡± Ms. Satonaka let out a heavy sigh, that seemed to take all the air out of her lungs, before continuing, ¡°I have a request.¡±

    ¡°Well, I can hear it at least.¡± I replied.

    ¡°That child¡­ Can you take Iroha with you?¡± Ms. Satonaka asked.

    It was an unexpected request. I¡¯m sure that Iroha¡¯s presence was very important for the people here.

    Otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t have risked their lives to come back.

    Surely Iroha was a symbol of safety for them. With Iroha here, they would not need to fear zombies anymore, and they could try moving to a better place.

    So, I couldn¡¯t understand why Ms. Satonaka would want to push Iroha away.

    ¡°You say that, but do you think Iroha would actually want to leave?¡± I decided to ask.

    ¡°I am unsure. That girl is very kind, so¡­ Maybe she would become our goddess again.¡± Ms. Satonaka said with a heavy tone.

    A goddess, huh¡­?

    ¡°But that¡¯s no good. We¡¯re not like you two. No matter what we do, we can¡¯t stand right by that girl¡¯s side. She needs a friend who she can tell her true feelings to. A friend like you.¡± Ms. Satonaka said.

    For a while, there was an awkward silence as I processed what I had just heard.

    Eventually though, I replied, ¡°If she feels like it, tell her to come after me. I¡¯ll be burning the zombies I kill along the way, so she should be able to catch up.¡±

    ¡°Okay, thank you.¡± Ms. Satonaka gave me a tired smile.

    It was an expression that she hadn¡¯t shown even once yesterday, back when she was in front of Iroha.

    ¡°By the way¡­ Are you scared of the zombies?¡± Ms. Satonaka asked me.

    ¡°No, not at all.¡± I replied honestly.

    ¡°I see¡­ I¡¯ve gotten used to this too, recently. I killed a few people before I got here. Zombies and¡­ A human too.¡± Ms. Satonaka said some heavy words.

    ¡°A human?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Yes, he was a violent guy. I had called him husband in the past, but he tried putting not only me, but also the Takadas and the others in danger.

    ¡°At that time, I just happened to have a kitchen knife in hand, so¡­ Well, I just wished we hadn¡¯t had to suffer for as long as we did.¡± Ms. Satonaka explained.

    ¡°I see¡­¡± It was all that I could say in response.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t feel anything. We were together for fifteen years, but when it was done, all that I thought was that taking care of the zombies was much harder.¡± Ms. Satonaka said next.

    I felt like I could understand what she was getting at.

    ¡°You know, two months ago I wasn¡¯t even able to kill an insect, but now I have already stabbed a man that I used to love.

    ¡°You seem like a smart kid, so I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll understand. The horror behind the zombies is not their strength, but the fact that, little by little, they are completely destroying our common sense and driving us crazy.

    ¡°¡­ Don¡¯t forget it, alright? You and Iroha may be able to use magic and are also much stronger than us, but¡­ Your heart is still the same as ours. And once it¡¯s broken, it will never be repaired.¡± Ms. Satonaka slowly and quietly said all that.

    It was hard to believe this was the same person who talked like a machinegun just yesterday.

    ¡°Please get along well with that child.¡± Ms. Satonaka told me.

    It seemed like she was already sure of what choice Iroha would make.

    ¡°Got it.¡± I nodded, then left the supermarket.

    ***

    About two hours after that conversation, I heard a voice come from behind me, ¡°Heey, sis!¡±

    I turned around and saw Iroha running my way and waving her hand, ¡°¡­ Oh, you¡¯re here.¡± I replied.

    It was not particularly surprising.

    ¡°Yeah, everyone is okay now. They got plenty of food, have a good idea of where are the other survivors, and they also said that they¡¯re planning on building new barricades.¡± Iroha told me.

    ¡°I see.¡± I replied.

    ¡°Besides, if there is a bad guy around here, then I have to beat him! After all, if the two of us are together, then we¡¯re invincible! Not even a giant monster can defeat us!

    ¡°So¡­¡± At this point, Iroha lowered her gaze and the tone of her voice too, ¡°Well, can I follow you, sis? I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll cause you any trouble.¡±

    Of course, I had no reason to refuse.

    Just like she needed me, I too, needed a friend.

 CH 63

    Chapter 63 ¨C Messiah

    ¨CHead to the Tokorozawa Aviation Memorial Park to the north. There lies the Evil Slave Master. Kill him, or subjugate him.

    I remembered the task I was given a small while back.

    ¡°We¡¯re here.¡± Me and Iroha said together.

    We stopped at the Tokorozawa Station to replenish our supplies. After getting some portable food and water bottles, we walked along the Tokorozawa Street.

    There were quite a few zombies here, probably because this area was quite busy, originally.

    But even a zombie horde like this one didn¡¯t trouble us much.

    ¡°Certain Death Technique: Explosive Hundred Fists!¡± Even if zombies weren¡¯t much of an enemy to us, Iroha still used Special Skill III against them.

    After that, all we needed to do was the simple task of burning down the zombies.

    So, we headed to the Tokorozawa Aviation Memorial Park leisurely, while also getting some cute key chains at a game arcade, and also stocking up on extra underwear at a clothes store.

    ¡°Oh my.¡± I commented.

    ¡°Ooooh¡­¡± Iroha commented.

    What impressed us was a big barricade with many layers to it. It was a bit of a mess composed of all sorts of things, including even an abandoned truck.

    I could see several zombies trying to get past the barricade, but being unable to move forward. They seem to have gotten stuck at the junk that composed the barricade.

    It was like the whole barricade was constantly growing, swallowing up the zombies that came to it.

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t this look like an evil lair?¡± Iroha commented.

    With those few words, Iroha summarized my long-winded internal monologue.

    ¡°It does.¡± I replied.

    Then, the two of us started climbing the barricade.

    There was another wall on the other side of the barricade. We could feel how they really didn¡¯t want to let a single zombie go inside their territory.

    And so, after crossing the layers of the barricade, we arrived at a lush green park.

    We moved through the area that, back in the day, was often filled with people jogging, until we eventually reached a part that was clearly occupied by humans.

    Surrounded by a wire mesh, we could see dozens of camper-vans.

    Without hesitation, we stepped inside it.

    We then saw two women who seemed to be in their twenties. They were standing guard and held bows and arrows in their hands.

    ¡°Oh? Is something the matter?¡± One of them called out to us.

    There didn¡¯t seem to have any malice on her words, so I wondered if she was thinking of us as lost children or something.

    ¡°Well¡­ I heard there was someone with mysterious powers living here?¡± I replied.

    ¡°So you came to see the Messiah?¡± The woman asked me.

    A Messiah, huh?

    ¡°Are they offering a silent prayer to the Messiah?¡± The other woman asked.

    A silent prayer, huh?

    ¡°Uhn¡­ I¡¯m sorry to bother, but could you tell us more about those powers of the Messiah?¡± I asked them.

    Then, the two women chuckled.

    ¡°You¡¯ll be amazed! The Messiah is a real wizard!

    ¡°Do you happen to be injured, perchance?¡± One of them asked me.

    ¡°No, not really.¡± I replied.

    ¡°How unfortunate¡­ Ah, I mean, it¡¯s just because that person¡¯s magic can heal any kind of injury.¡± The woman explained.

    So he has Healing Magic¡­ Should I get the Silence skill, maybe?

    Well, let¡¯s leave that for later. For now, this is too convenient, so let¡¯s try getting as much information out of those women as I can.

    Or so I thought, but I didn¡¯t need to ask anything, because they started spilling it out on their own.

    ¡°He can also bring out water out of nowhere.¡± One woman said.

    ¡°And create fire.¡± The other said.

    ¡°He can make electricity work near him.¡± The first woman said.

    ¡°It¡¯s truly the work of miracles.¡± The other said.

    ¡°Indeed.¡± The first one said.

    Without a care in the world, the two kept on spoiling the details of the Messiah¡¯s skills to me.

    ¡°Oh, and then¡­ There is also that.¡± The first woman said.

    ¡°Wait, Sanae, that¡¯s a bit too much.¡± The other woman said.

    ¡°Oh, come on, it¡¯s just a bit of gossip.¡± The Sanae woman said.

    ¡°I guess it might be fine, I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll become part of the group anyways.¡± The other woman said.

    They then started whispering to one another.

    ¡°What is it?¡± Iroha tilted her head and asked.

    At this moment, the Sanae woman whispered to us, ¡°It¡¯s really a secret, alright?¡±

    ¡°Real secret.¡± The other woman whispered.

    I wished they would just go ahead and tell us.

    ¡°He is really good, you know?¡± Sanae said.

    ¡°Good? What do you mean?¡± I asked.

    ¡°On that, you know? Sex, sex.¡± Sanae said.

    ***

    After obtaining the necessary information (and some useless information), we entered the premises of the place that was said to be run by the Messiah.

    The people inside seemed to be thinking of us as new companions, as we didn¡¯t get anything more than curious glances coming from here and there.

    ¡°Hey, sis¡­ Did you notice?¡± Iroha cast a sharp glance towards me.

    ¡°Yes.¡± I nodded.

    This place¡­ There were only young women here.

    A ¡®kingdom¡¯ filled only with women, who are ruled by their Messiah¡­ The Evil Slave Master.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure what I was expecting, but this certainly leaves a bad taste in my mouth.¡± I commented.

    ¡°Oh, really? Because I was smelling a delicious stew here.¡± Iroha replied.

    At this moment, I almost fell down at her stupid comment.

    ¡°Ah, I see¡­?¡± I managed to make this reply.

    ¡°Mmm¡­ Did you notice anything else?¡± Iroha asked me.

    ¡°No, not really.¡± I replied really stiffly.

    Let¡¯s simply allow Iroha to keep her heart pure.

    And so, after walking a bit more, we reached the most luxurious camper-van, which was probably where the Messiah lived.

    At this moment, we were stopped by a woman who was wearing a maid outfit, ¡°Hello, Wandering Warrior. The Messiah is waiting for you.¡±

    This woman had a pretty purple-dyed hair. Usually speaking, this kind of purple would feel oddly out of place, but it actually suited this woman well.

    However, when I was about to follow the woman in maid uniform inside, Iroha suddenly exclaimed, ¡°Aah!¡±

    ¡°What happened?¡± I asked her.

    ¡°That¡¯s the woman who lied to me! The one who said that you were a bad person, sis! I didn¡¯t notice it right away because her hair color changed since that time!¡± Iroha exclaimed.

    I then looked back to the maid woman with a troubled expression.

    ¡°¡­ You figured it out? I was going out in disguise on that occasion.¡± The maid woman said.

    ¡°I get it! You, you¡¯re a liar!¡± Iroha exclaimed.

    ¡°I was truly discourteous on that occasion.¡± The maid replied. She didn¡¯t seem to feel guilty about that in the slightest.

    ¡°Was that what the Messiah commanded you to do?¡± I asked her.

    ¡°No. I did that on my own.¡± The maid woman said.

    ¡°¡­ How come?¡± I asked.

    ¡°I heard that master was in danger, so I decided to take the initiative and get a better grasp of how the Wandering Warrior acted.¡± The maid woman replied.

    ¡°Is that so? Then what did you think about ¡®how the Wandering Warrior acted¡¯?¡± I asked her.

    ¡°Regarding this matter, I think you should hear about it directly from master.¡± The maid woman said.

    Mmmmmm¡­ I guess that¡¯s alright.

    We then followed the maid woman and were taken to a mountain made of rubble.

    And on the top of that mountain, laid a chair that looked really comfortable.

    I guess¡­ That¡¯s supposed to be a throne?

    There was a man sitting on the throne too, he wore a splendid cloak and was holding a cane made of oak in his hands.

    When he noticed us, he stood up, and with slow steps, came down the rubble mountain.

    The Messiah was a boy who seemed to be of the same age as me, or perhaps a bit younger. His face was a bit too shallow too, so it felt like he was a bit unwell, or maybe that¡¯s just what he normally looked like.

    He is definitely not handsome, and he doesn¡¯t even give the impression of being vulgar¡­ Overall, he feels like a normal person.

    But well¡­ How should we go about this?

    1) Hello! How are you doing? Would you like to become friends? Or should I maybe kill you instead?

    2) Tell me why I shouldn¡¯t kill you, right now.

    3) That¡¯s a nice outfit! Let¡¯s dye those clothes in bright red! [Attack]

    Mmmmm¡­ It¡¯s a bit hard to decide, but I guess I should go with the second option? It¡¯s probably better to take the initiative on this kind of situation.

    ¡°Tell¡­¡± I started saying.

    But then, without letting me finish, the Messiah jumped forward.

    I thought he was trying to go for a preemptive strike, so I took a step back, but¡­

    The boy slammed his forehead against the ground with tremendous force and exclaimed loudly, ¡°I¡¯m truuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuly soooooooooooooooooory!¡±

    ¡°¡­ Huh?¡± I had a hard time reacting to that.

    ¡°Please, please! Don¡¯t kill me, pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeease! I¡¯ll do anything! I¡¯ll do anythiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiing!¡± The boy exclaimed.

    Wow¡­ A desperate begging that seemed to come straight out of a sitcom.

    ¡°Uhn¡­¡± I tried saying.

    ¡°I swear! I swear!¡± He exclaimed.

    ¡°Well¡­¡± I tried saying.

    ¡°I have no ill will towards yoooooooooooooooooooou!¡± He exclaimed.

    I briefly glanced at Iroha, who seemed to be completely dumbfounded by this development.

    So, I heaved a deep, long sigh, then said, ¡°For now, just explain the situation.¡±

    The boy seemed to be sobbing.

    ¡°If you exaggerate too much, you¡¯ll just look like a liar, you know?¡± I warned him.

    At this moment, the Messiah (haha, good joke) managed to somehow make a reply after wiping his face with his cloak, ¡°Okay, okay. I¡¯ll answer anything, but¡­¡± The Messiah blew his nose before continuing, ¡°If you ask me about the circumstances, I¡¯m sure the two of you will want to get involved.¡±

    For a moment, the boy finally looked serious, ¡°If you¡¯re okay with that, I¡¯ll explain.¡±

 CH 64

    Chapter 64 ¨C Evil Slave Master

    ¡°Well, let me start by introducing myself. I¡¯m the Evil Slave Master, Amamiya. It¡¯s fine to call me Ama, if you want. Either way, I¡¯m 18 years old.¡± The boy said.

    18¡­? So we¡¯re about the same age. Though I¡¯m still 17.

    ¡°I¡¯ve prepared a meeting table, so let¡¯s go there.¡± We followed Amamiya for a small while, then sat down at a splendid wooden table that was a little too good to be placed outdoors.

    On one side sat me and Iroha.

    On the other side was Amamiya and the maid who had a smug face.

    ¡°Well¡­ Where do I start from? If you don¡¯t have time, I can skip to the conclusion.¡± Amamiya said.

    ¡°I¡¯m not in a hurry, so start from the beginning.¡± I replied.

    ¡°Okay¡­¡± Amamiya then took a deep breath, and his already pale face seemed to become even paler.

    Then, he started his tale, ¡°I awoke to my powers about one week after the zombies appeared.

    ¡°At first I thought I had gone crazy, but I realized that was not the case at all.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure you two also had a similar feeling. When you realized you had truly amazing powers that allowed you to fight the zombies.

    ¡°Honestly, I was pretty excited about it. I thought I¡¯d become a hero and save the world, just like the protagonist of a shounen manga.

    ¡°But that didn¡¯t work. It didn¡¯t work at all.¡±

    At this point I crossed my arms and interjected, ¡°What do you mean by it not working?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m really bad at fighting. I don¡¯t have any talent, and I get extremely scared when seeing monsters¡­ In fact, I haven¡¯t killed even a single zombie with my own hands.¡± Amamiya replied.

    ¡°Haaaaa!?¡± Iroha was clearly surprised by that statement.

    ¡°Okay, so how have you survived thus far?¡± I asked.

    ¡°It was only thanks to my comrades. I¡¯ve acquired all sorts of support skills that I could, so as to be able to help them out. I leave the fighting to them.¡± Amamiya explained.

    ¡°Alright. Then, one question¡­ Why are there only women here?¡± I asked.

    At this point, Iroha¡¯s eyes widened, ¡°Eh?¡± and then she looked around for a bit, ¡°It¡¯s true¡­¡± She was clearly disgusted at him, ¡°Hey, sis. I think we should kill this guy.¡±

    ¡°W-w-wait a minute! I didn¡¯t mess up with anyone, alright!? I-I mean. I promised to answer you properly, so to tell the truth, I actually did think I could make a harem. I thought it would be good to do that, because like, I¡¯d be able to leave as many of those super-powered genres for mankind and the like?¡± Amamiya panickily replied.

    ¡°It¡¯s better to not say this kind of thing out loud. You¡¯re making me nauseous.¡± I told him.

    ¡°I think so too now. I¡¯m reflecting on it, okay? I did say I didn¡¯t mess up with anyone, didn¡¯t I? And like, after being attacked by a zombie the first time, I couldn¡¯t really get my dick to go up again at all, you know!?¡± Amamiya now explained the circumstances of his lower body.

    ¡°Besides, it¡¯s too difficult for a virgin like me to even try taking advantage of my position and force someone to do it, you know? That¡¯s not how sex works, and like, I wouldn¡¯t be able to do it if I¡¯m not proper relationship with someone, you know?¡± Amamiya said next.

    Even if he says ¡®you know¡¯, I don¡¯t actually know¡­

    ¡°And that¡¯s why I haven¡¯t really touched anyone here. Even if there are some weird rumors about sex skills and stuff.¡± Amamiya said.

    ¡°Okay, I get it¡­ But what about the people who aren¡¯t women? You aren¡¯t simply abandoning them, are you?¡± I asked.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t! There¡¯s a safe place for men too! It¡¯s just a bit farther away from here.¡± Amamiya replied.

    Mmmm¡­ Honestly, he is a different type of bastard than what I was expecting.

    It would be easier to solve this if he already had a killing spree on his hands and the like.

    ¡­ Wait no. My heart is becoming more barbarian-like. This is no good.

    ¡°So¡­ Back to the topic. I told you that I only took support skills, and that I can barely fight, right?¡± As Amamiya said that, he winked towards the maid, who seemed to understand his intention, ¡°I think this will be the quickest way to let you believe me.¡±

    ¨CThe Evil Slave Master wishes to be your companion. Do you accept his subordination?

    ¡°Huh?¡± I tilted my head when hearing these unfamiliar words come from the Auditory Hallucination.

    ¡°I have applied for subordination. If you accept it, I won¡¯t be able to attack the Wandering Warrior in the future.¡± Amamiya told me.

    ¡°¡­ You okay with that?¡± I asked him.

    ¡°Of course. I can¡¯t win in a fight, after all.¡± Amamiya replied.

    ¡°Even if you can¡¯t, you should have still be able to escape, shouldn¡¯t you?¡± I asked.

    ¡°That would be no good. My quest is to either kill or subordinate the Wandering Warrior. The only way to survive without receiving the penalty of losing all my skills is to apply for subordination.¡± Amamiya told me.

    I see¡­ So our quests mirrored each other.

    ¡°So, I asked Tsuzuri¡­ I mean, I asked the purple-haired maid who¡¯s next to me¡­ I asked her to keep an eye on the two of you.¡± Amamiya told us.

    ¡°So that¡¯s why she told me those things?¡± Iroha asked.

    ¡°Ah, right.¡± At this point, Amamiya stood up and bowed down to Iroha, ¡°I¡¯m really sorry about that. But please understand that Tsuzuri did it with good intentions.¡±

    ¡°Muuu¡­¡± Iroha was pouting.

    ¡°I hope you can understand it. Tsuzuri did not want anything bad to happen, and I won¡¯t be the only one in trouble if I die. Everyone in this community relies on me and on my Healing Magic.¡± Amamiya told us.

    ¡°I guess that¡¯s alright. Please continue.¡± I told him.

    Amamiya then went back to the matter at hand while showing an apologetic attitude, ¡°The Slave Master ability allows one to create a special relationship with people who aren¡¯t players. With that, you can maintain a telepathic communication, so I was able to keep watch on the actions of you two for a long time now.¡±

    ¡°I see¡­¡± I muttered.

    ¡°So, I know you two aren¡¯t the kind of people who abandon the weak. You¡¯re good people. That¡¯s why I thought I¡¯d bet on the two of you.¡± Amamiya said next.

    I sighed when hearing those words.

    And then, Amamiya took a deep breath, and his expression became serious, ¡°This is where the real story begins.

    ¡°There¡¯s a university to the northeast of here. And it¡¯s filled with some seriously troublesome people.¡±

    ¡°Troublesome?¡± I asked.

    ¡°As in, real scoundrels.¡± Amamiya leaned forward, ¡°Those guys are serious about kidnapping women and treating them like toys. The kind you¡¯d see in erotic manga. They¡¯re armed with guns they stole from a carrier of the self-defense forces or something, so they even have things as absurd as rocket launchers.¡±

    A rocket launcher? Well¡­ Yeah, that would definitely kill me instantly.

    ¡°People who live near them are quite terrified of those scoundrels. And one of our lookouts saw that three women were taken away last night and brought to their base¡­ You understand what I¡¯m getting at, right?¡± Amamiya told me.

    I sighed again, ¡°So, instead of becoming subservient to me, what you actually want is for me to lend you a hand, right?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡± The Evil Slave Master nodded, seemingly satisfied.

 CH 65

    Chapter 65 ¨C Subordination

    ¨CThe Evil Slave master wishes to be your companion. Do you accept his subordination?

    ¡°¡­ I guess I¡¯ll accept it.¡± I decided.

    Then, on top of the usual fanfare, I heard some tremendously flashy sounds with a drum roll too.

    ¨CCongratulations! Evil Slave Master has become your companion!

    ¨CSubordinated players are unable to act hostile towards you until you dissolve the relationship.

    ¨CYou may now share quests, skills, some experience points and other things with your subordinated players.

    Immediately after that, some information started flowing into my head.

    It took me a few seconds to realize that those were the skills of the Slave Master.

    ¡ª¡ª¨C

    Job: Slave Master

    Karma: Evil

    Level: 22

    ¡ª-

    Basic Skills:

    Fighting Technique (Beginner)

    Natural Healing (Strong); Skin Strengthening; Bone Strengthening

    Hunger Resistance (Strong)

    ¡ª-

    Magic Skills:

    Fire Magic I-II

    Water Magic I

    Thunder Magic I-III

    Healing Magic I-III

    ¡ª-

    Job Skills:

    Enslave

    Slave Reinforcement III

    Sex Technique (Beginner)

    ¡ª¡ª¨C

    ¡°Ohoh¡­?¡± I crossed my arms as I parsed through the information.

    This feels quite interesting, alright.

    Although¡­ ¡°You have a Sex Technique skill¡­¡± I muttered.

    ¡°I told you. My lower body is useless. I thought getting this skill would allow it to get erect again, but it was no good. Specifically, this skill, at night¡­¡± Amamiya started replying.

    ¡°Okay, stop. No need to elaborate.¡± I told him.

    ¡°Alright.¡± Amamiya said.

    And then, suddenly, Iroha butted in, ¡°Oh, come on! Why is this involving only the two of you!? I wanna join in too!¡± She seemed to be angry.

    ¡°There¡¯s no need.¡± I replied to Iroha, ¡°Subordination is probably more of a last resort thing. I don¡¯t think we should use it lightly.¡±

    ¡°¡­ The Warrior is right.¡± Amamiya nodded before continuing, ¡°I don¡¯t think I can even half-jokingly tap the Warrior¡¯s shoulder anymore. If I try going against the restrictions, I¡¯ll immediately lose all my skills.¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­ That¡¯s kinda troublesome.¡± Iroha agreed.

    And just as she said that.

    ¨CCongratulations, your quest has been completed!

    ¨CCongratulations! Your level has increased!

    ¨CCongratulations! Your level has increased!

    The Auditory Hallucination chimed in.

    ¡°Oh? My level seems to have gone up too. Did this count as if we completed the quest together?¡± Amamiya commented.

    ¡°Please hold back on learning new skills for now. And don¡¯t take Sex Technique (Intermediate) without permission.¡± I told him.

    ¡°Got it. I won¡¯t act out of line.¡± Amamiya replied.

    For the time being, I wanted to try out the skill sharing with subordinated players.

    It seems like I can steal and give skills to the Slave Master now, so¡­ As a test, let¡¯s take the Water Magic I.

    ¡°Water Magic I.¡± As I cast the spell, a small water gun came out from the tip of my finger.

    ¡°This is mainly useful to helping someone who is thirsty. You can also change the water temperature to some extent, so it can be convenient for making things like cup noodles.¡± Amamiya explained.

    Let¡¯s try playing with it and-

    Oh, the water gun spilled hot water this time.

    ¡°Mmm¡­¡± I muttered.

    ¡°I don¡¯t mind you keeping that spell forever. I don¡¯t really use it.¡± Amamiya told me.

    Then, we heard the sound of bell being rang.

    When I started wondering what was going on, I saw the women all start gathering in one place.

    ¡°Seems like it¡¯s time for dinner. Would you like to join us?¡± Amamiya asked us.

    I made eye contact with Iroha before replying, ¡°You do know we eat a lot more than the average person, right?¡±

    ¡°I know that.¡± Amamiya chuckled, ¡°That¡¯s why I asked everyone to make plenty of food today.¡±

    I see¡­ Well, wasting good food would be blasphemy, wouldn¡¯t it?

    I also don¡¯t think he¡¯ll try poisoning us, so, ¡°Well, I¡¯ll take you up on your offer then.¡±

    ***

    While enjoying a nicely boiled stew, the bloody topic continued.

    ¡°As for dealing with the kidnappers. I have two plans in mind.

    ¡°One is fairly simple. The two of you simply beat all the scoundrels to death.¡± Amamiya looked at our eyes, then hastily added something after seeing our expressions, ¡°Of course, I wouldn¡¯t recommend this one, as their numbers are large, and a single bullet might be all that is needed to kill you.

    ¡°¡­ As for the other option. You could infiltrate their base, then use the Enslave skill on their boss.¡±

    ¡°Reshujowythitheratte (Let¡¯s go with the latter)¡± I replied while devouring the stew.

    ¡°What was that?¡± Amamiya asked me.

    I gulped the food in my mouth before replying this time, ¡°The latter.¡±

    ¡°I see¡­ I figured you¡¯d say so. Though you might end up changing your mind once you see what they¡¯re doing.¡± Amamiya said.

    ¡°I will decide once I¡¯m there.¡± I told him.

    ¡°I guess that¡¯s fine¡­ Thanks for the meal.¡± Amamiya said, then put his plate aside.

    Surprisingly, he seemed to have eaten about as much as the other people here.

    Then, in an elegant gesture, the maid woman collected the tableware.

    ¡°Let me ask you just in case. You¡¯ve used the Enslave skill on her, haven¡¯t you?¡± I asked Amamiya.

    ¡°Mm? Oh, yes. By the way, she¡¯s currently my only slave.¡± Amamiya bluntly replied. Naturally calling her a slave.

    ¡°Can you release her?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Huh?¡± Amamiya seemed to be dumbfounded by my request.

    Iroha seemed to be annoyed by his attitude, ¡°You¡¯re forcing her to do something naughty, aren¡¯t you!?¡±

    Amamiya seemed to be even more dumbfounded by our words, and he stayed silent for a second before replying, ¡°Ah, no. It¡¯s not like that. We¡¯ve been together since we were kids and like¡­ Well, once you understand the specifications of Enslave, you¡¯ll realize I can¡¯t really ask people to do whatever I want.¡±

    He didn¡¯t seem to be lying, but¡­ ¡°So, basically¡­ You¡¯re telling me that she is acting like a maid voluntarily?¡± I asked.

    I suppose we¡¯ll inevitably find out if this is true or not sooner or later.

    ¡°Also, the benefits of being under the control of the Slave Master are fairly high. The word ¡®slave¡¯ there causes a lot of misunderstandings¡­ Isn¡¯t that true, Tsuzuri?¡± Amamiya turned his gaze to the purple-haired maid.

    They made eye contact for a short while, then she mechanically replied, ¡°It is as master says.¡±

    ¡°You get it now?¡± Amamiya asked me.

    Oh, wow¡­ ¡°I feel like this just made me more suspicious¡­¡± I muttered.

    I mean, who says ¡®master¡¯ in a normal friendship?

    ¡°Well¡­ You¡¯ll understand once you see the details of the Slave Master¡¯s skills.¡± Amamiya seemed to be quite confident about it.

    But¡­ I really don¡¯t like this.

    He is currently subordinated to me, so I don¡¯t think he can directly harm me though.

    So¡­ I guess it¡¯s fine for me to play along with his agenda for now.

    At least for now.

 CH 66

    Chapter 66 ¨C Slave Master¡¯s Skills

    Amamiya took out a notebook, ¡°I kinda expected something like this to happen, so I compiled the rules of Enslave in this notebook in advance. Please try giving it a read.¡±

    The book was titled, ¡®Summary of the Slave Master¡¯s Skills¡¯ and was written with very cute letters.

    ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­¡± I muttered.

    ***

    Summary of the Slave Master¡¯s Skills

    -Conditions to activate Enslave:

    ¨CIn order to activate the skill and turn a human into a slave, you have to touch their head for a whole minute! [star emoji]

    ¨CDuring this time, the other party must be awake. You can¡¯t enslave those who are sleeping, okaaaay? [star emoji]

    -About Slaves

    ¨CThe player with Enslave and their slaves will be able to communicate with each other telepathically regardless of the distance between each other! [star emoji]

    ¨CAnd guess what! A human who became a Slave can be forced to carry out any order you want! [star emoji]

    ¨CThough the order is only valid for five minutes, so if you want to keep your Slave under control, you¡¯ll need to give a new order after five minutes, okaaaaay? [star emoji]

    -Liberation of Slaves

    ¨CA person who becomes a slave can be freed from the player¡¯s control either by receiving permission from the player, or by killing said player! [star emoji]

    ¨CSo, just because someone is a slave, that doesn¡¯t mean you can treat them too badly. Otherwise they might attack you on your sleep and things will end badly, okaaaay? [star emoji]

    -Slave Reinforcement

    ¨CAfter reading this far, it might seem like there are no advantages to being a slave, but that¡¯s not actually true! Slaves can become stronger and use magic if affected by the Slave Reinforcement skill! [star emoji]

    ¨CThe strengthening effect depends on how many levels you got for Slave Reinforcement, so I wrote you a breakdown of what the bonuses look like, okaaaaay? [star emoji]

    ¡ªSlave Reinforcement I grants: Fighting Technique (Beginner); Natural Healing (Weak); Fire Magic I and Water Magic I. The player can own up to three slaves total with this level of the skill.

    ¡ªSlave Reinforcement II grants: Fighting Technique (Intermediate); Natural Healing (Medium); Fire Magic I and Water Magic I. The player can own up to five slaves total with this level of the skill.

    ¡ªSlave Reinforcement III grants: Fighting Technique (Intermediate); Natural Healing (Medium); Skin Strengthening; Fire Magic I-II; Water Magic I-II; Sex Technique (Beginner). The player can own up to seven slaves total with this level of the skill.

    ¨CAnd that¡¯s everything about the Slave Master¡¯s skills! Did you get it all? If you don¡¯t, then feel free to ask any questions you might have! [star emoji]

    ***

    ¡°Eh? What is this writing¡­ It¡¯s so annoying¡­¡± I muttered. Why did everything end with a star?

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t it look friendly and easy to approach?¡± Amamiya asked me.

    ¡°It only gave me murderous intent¡­¡± I replied honestly.

    Still, it did explain how the Slave Master¡¯s skills worked.

    ¡°In any case, while that other group may be filled with scoundrels, they¡¯re still a proper organization. The guy at the top also seems to be pretty smart, so if you Enslave him and order him around, it shouldn¡¯t be too hard to dismantle their group.¡± Amamiya told me.

    ¡°I understand this much, but I need to put my hand on his head for a whole minute¡­ That¡¯s kinda hard.¡± I replied.

    ¡°Of course, I already have a plan to take care of that.¡± As Amamiya said that, he took out a whip that was about thirty centimeters long, ¡°This is the Slave Tamer Whip. It¡¯s the reward from the achievement I got when enslaving Tsuzuri.

    ¡°It paralyzes the target for a whole minute while still keeping them conscious. Players are immune to the effect though.¡±

    I see. I guess that item can only be obtained by Slave Masters.

    ¡°Ah, and one more thing. You need a way to infiltrate their hideout.¡± Amamiya told me.

    ¡°Infiltrate?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Yeah, like. They have plenty of people there and also no shortage of hostages at all. And real life isn¡¯t like that one old game where you can use a cardboard box to sneak upon the boss¡¯ room, so you¡¯ll need a better infiltration method.¡± Amamiya explained.

    I suppose trying to infiltrate without a proper strategy would be quite unrealistic.

    ¡°So, there is this item¡­¡± Amamiya took out a wooden cane that had some carvings on its handle¡­ The top of the cane also looked like a cat head, ¡°This is a reward from the achievement¡­ Uhn¡­ When did we get this one again, Tsuzuri?¡±

    As usual, the maid woman replied mechanically, ¡°About a week ago, master. When I killed a cat-shaped monster.¡± Tsuzuri replied.

    ¡°Right, right! This is the-¡± Amamiya then made a weird sound with his mouth. He was probably trying to replicate the sound that that weird cat from an old anime made when it took an item out, ¡°Magical Cat staff! It has the power to change your appearance for a whole day!¡±

    ¡°Mmm¡­?¡± I tilted my head, ¡°Is there anything wrong with my current appearance?¡±

    ¡°I told you, didn¡¯t I? They treat women like objects.¡± Amamiya replied.

    ¡°Huuh?¡± I was having a bad feeling about it.

    ¡°Therefore, it would be inconvenient for you to keep your ¡®Warrior¡¯ appearance, you¡¯d get caught immediately.¡± Amamiya added.

    ¡°Mmmm¡­¡± A really bad feeling¡­

    ¡°However, that scoundrel is always looking for new recruits to do zombie hunting, so¡­¡± Amamiya continued.

    ¡°Uhn¡­¡± I really wanted him to stop talking.

    ¡°Well, so, you know¡­ You get the idea, right?¡± Amamiya asked me.

    I get the i¡­ dea?

    Eh?

    I had a really really really bad feeling about it, so I made eye contact with Iroha, who was next to me.

    She gave me a thumbs up, ¡°Do your best, sis! It¡¯s for the sake of justice!¡±

    Those were powerful, and horribly irresponsible, words.

    Amamiya then smiled, ¡°With this, the Wandering Warrior may disguise herself as a man.¡±

    After hearing that, I kept on closing and opening my mouth for a short while.

 CH 67

    Chapter 67 ¨C Gender Change Time

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ What?¡± I managed to ask.

    ¡°The staff will let you, Warrior, become a man.¡± Amamiya repeated.

    ¡°It will let you become a man.¡± Tsuzuri said.

    ¡°Eh?¡± I replied.

    ¡°Become a man¡­¡± Amamiya said.

    No, I already understood that.

    ¡°Man¡­ I mean¡­ Like¡­ Growing that? Between legs?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Yes. If you use the Magical Cat Staff, it will only take a moment for you to transform, and there are no aftereffects. I tried it out myself a while back, and it was pretty cool.¡± Amamiya replied.

    Eh? What¡¯s up with this development? This isn¡¯t good at all.

    I mean, becoming a man¡­ That¡¯s a rare genre even in lewd manga, isn¡¯t it?

    ¡°Would you like to give it a try?¡± Amamiya offered me the Magical Cat Staff.

    ¡°Uhn¡­ Hold on¡­ Let me just¡­ Prepare myself mentally.¡± I replied.

    ¡°Warrior. I do understand you may be reluctant to do it, but please understand that women are treated like toys over there. Some of the women kidnapped yesterday were even younger than the Martial Artist.¡± Tsuzuri stared at Iroha as she said those words.

    ¡°Uuh¡­¡± I muttered.

    ¡°I¡¯d rather not use too much foul language, but those people are beasts. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s acceptable for good people to be tainted by them. The more you hesitate, the more tragedy will be spread.¡± Tsuzuri said next.

    Ugh¡­ She isn¡¯t holding back at all¡­

    ¡°Hey, sis. There¡¯s a bad guy there, so let¡¯s beat him up!¡± Iroha too was ready to go.

    Pressured by the atmosphere, I picked up the Magical Cat Staff, ¡°How do I use it?¡±

    ¡°Just think of what you want to become and lift the staff. That¡¯s it.¡± Amamiya replied.

    Well¡­ ¡°I¡­ I got it.¡± I reluctantly agreed.

    So, just like I was told, I rose the staff upwards, imagined some fun BGM in my head, then thought ¡®I want to become a man¡¯.

    At that moment, a stereotypical smoke enveloped me, and I could sense some magic affecting me.

    And after that¡­

    ¡°Ohh¡­ Oh!?¡± Iroha exclaimed, ¡°You didn¡¯t change much. You¡¯re a girlish man.¡±

    ¡°Sure, but¡­ Well, the build is solid. It¡¯s manly enough.¡± Amamiya commented.

    I nervously touched my face¡­ It didn¡¯t give me any sense of discomfort.

    My shoulders¡­ A bit bony.

    Breasts¡­ Hard.

    And then, without touching I just¡­ Noticed it.

    Between the legs¡­

    ¡­

    ¡­

    A¡­ A long¡­ Between my legs a¡­

    A stick.

    At that moment, my whole body started trembling with a mysterious physiological fear.

    ¡°Huh!? Sis? Hey, sis!?¡± Iroha exclaimed.

    Even though I¡¯ve already killed hundreds of zombies by now, I never experienced any fear like this one.

    I fell over and fainted.

    ***

    ¡°Hey¡­ Hey! Are you okay, sis!?¡± Iroha¡¯s voice woke me up.

    ¡°Ugh¡­¡± I held my head as my sight was still spinning, then I drank a bit of a water bottle that was offered to me.

    ¡°Oh¡­ I can see your throat moving¡­¡± Iroha replied.

    After hearing her words, I put my hand around my neck and tried talking, ¡°Ah¡­ Ah¡­!?¡±

    Oh, wow. It¡¯s almost like there was a sudden change in voice actor for a given character.

    ¡°Uuh¡­ Why is this happening?¡± I muttered.

    ¡°¡­ The Warrior is surprisingly na?ve.¡± Tsuzuri commented.

    ¡°Shut up.¡± I told her.

    ¡°You can keep the staff for the time being. Remember to re-use it if too much time passes.¡± Amamiya told me.

    And so, using the staff for its original purpose, I managed to stand up by leaning on it.

    ¡°Then¡­ Let¡¯s work out the details of the plan.¡± I told them.

    ¡°Regarding the follow up, you can just leave it to us. Whether we kill them or let them live, we will take care of the survivors.¡± Amamiya told me.

    ¡°¡­ I guess you¡¯ll just free the kidnapped people, but¡­ What are you going to do with the ¡®scoundrels¡¯?¡± I asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m not too happy with it, but I¡¯ll take their weapons and distribute them to the people in the memorial park.

    ¡°As for the scoundrels themselves¡­ They¡¯ll be receiving a trial.¡± Amamiya replied.

    ¡°A trial?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Yes. This community has its own rules, so I won¡¯t go above them just because those guys are scoundrels¡­ Though I can¡¯t promise you that there will be no discrimination at all.¡± Amamiya told me.

    Well, I guess that is fine for now. I can¡¯t really think too far ahead when feeling this much discomfort with myself. It¡¯s distracting.

    ¡°So¡­ Well, is there anything else we have to decide upon¡­?¡± I muttered.

    Then, after thinking for a small while, I shifted my gaze to Iroha and asked, ¡°What are you going to do?¡±

    ¡°Oh, I have a good idea.¡± She then stuck out her hands in front of me, ¡°Tie me up.¡±

    I opened my eyes wide at her request.

    ¡°Ah! You, see, like¡­ I was caught by sis, I mean, by bro and like¡­ Bro will take me as a gift to offer them for the sake of joining their team¡­ Kinda like that?¡± Iroha explained.

    ¡°Mmmm¡­ That seems too dangerous.¡± I replied. Getting Iroha caught on purpose was way too risky.

    ¡°It¡¯s alright. I did tell you that I got a level before, didn¡¯t I?¡± So, with a smile on her face, Iroha held the edge of the table.

    On the next moment, I heard an explosion-like sound come from that table.

    ¡°And that¡¯s the superhuman strength skill.¡± Iroha told us as she moved her hand away from the table.

    And in the place her thumb was holding, there was now a hollowed-out part¡­ That definitely seemed like a much harder trick to pull off than to simply break the table.

    ¡°¡­ Amazing, Martial Artist. I¡¯m really glad that we didn¡¯t have to fight¡­¡± Amamiya muttered.

    ¡°It¡¯s good to become stronger, but make sure to think before using your powers, alright?¡± I told Iroha.

    ¡°Got it, got it.¡± Iroha giggled.

    Then¡­ I guess that¡¯s how it will go.

    After all, I don¡¯t want to let those ¡®scoundrels¡¯ act as they please, but I also don¡¯t want to participate in a massacre.

 CH 68

    Chapter 68 ¨C Slave and the Master

    (Amamiya¡¯s PoV)

    After that, things proceeded smoothly.

    The Wandering Warrior got the Enslave and Slave Reinforcement skills, then made the gatekeeper woman, Sanae, become her slave for the sake of telepathic communication in case of an emergency, then she went to the hideout of the kidnapping group.

    At that time, I told the Warrior that she should take Healing Magic with her just in case, but she refused it by saying that ¡®This magic is relied on by everyone here, isn¡¯t it?¡¯

    And so, the Warrior did not take this magic with her¡­ For someone who lives in this messed up world, she is truly ridiculously good-natured.

    She certainly painted a good impression on me, though I also feel like her views are dangerous.

    From now on, the rules of this world will keep on changing. If one drags the ethics of the old world with them, then they¡¯ll surely get stuck at some point.

    And so, I sighed, ¡°For now¡­ We did it.¡±

    Tsuzuri, who was right next to me, nodded, ¡°Yes, we were walking on a tight rope there though.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, but at least we weren¡¯t found out.¡± I replied.

    ¡°It was a good gamble. It was worth the shot.¡± Tsuzuri stated.

    I agreed with Tsuzuri, and could finally smile a bit, feeling at ease at last.

    ¡°If things keep going like this, then we probably won¡¯t have any trouble¡­ Let¡¯s continue following this strategy.¡± I commented.

    ¡°I think this is only a temporary solution though.¡± Tsuzuri told me.

    ¡°In that case, then we should just give her an honest apology. After all, they do have the subordination, so like¡­ Even if she finds it out, she probably won¡¯t lose the trust on us.¡± I replied.

    ¡°But can we trust the Wandering Warrior?¡± Tsuzuri asked.

    ¡°Most likely¡­ She does seem to be a pretty kind person.¡± I told Tsuzuri.

    ¡°Mmmm¡­¡± Tsuzuri started thinking.

    For now, it¡¯s safe to say that things have been progressing smoothly. Just like how that strange girl who called herself a ¡®reincarnator¡¯ predicted.

    That was eerie enough in its own right.

    ¡°But¡­ Was this alright, Master?¡± Tsuzuri asked me.

    ¡°What is ¡®this¡¯?¡± I asked back.

    ¡°I think you described the scoundrels way too lightly.¡± Tsuzuri stated.

    My expression became troubled at those words, ¡°What else could I say, though?¡±

    ¡°You should have said it more clearly. That they¡¯re absolute garbage and that the Warrior should kill every single one of them.¡± Tsuzuri replied.

    ¡°The Warrior and the Martial Artist were wary of us. I couldn¡¯t use such one-sided language.¡± I told Tsuzuri.

    ¡°Even then¡­ Shouldn¡¯t you have at least mentioned Yuki?¡± Tsuzuki asked me.

    I lowered my head at those words.

    Kamizono Yuki¡­ Before the world became like this, that girl was our best friend.

    And now, she was ¡®decorating¡¯ the entrance of those scoundrels¡¯ hideout.

    ¡°Master?¡± Tsuzuri asked.

    ¡°¡­ No. We shouldn¡¯t need to appeal to their emotions. We should leave the rest to them.¡± I told Tsuzuri.

    ¡°What kind of judgement do you think that the Warrior will deliver to those scoundrels though?¡± Tsuzuri asked.

    ¡°If the Warrior and the Martial Artist have a human heart, then the conclusion is already decided.¡± I replied.

    ¡°Certainly.¡± Tsuzuri agreed, and with arms now crossed, continued, ¡°The question is, do they have a human heart?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Up until now, I have killed many zombies under Master¡¯s orders and¡­ Sometimes, I too start losing sight of what is right and what is wrong.¡± Tsuzuri replied.

    ¡°You¡¯re talking about something that I don¡¯t really understand.¡± I told Tsuzuri.

    ¡°That¡¯s fine, Master.¡± Tsuzuri uncharacteristically smiled.

    It would be nice if Tsuzuri could smile like that to more people.

    ¡°In any case, I¡¯ve been meaning to ask you¡­ Why do you call me ¡®Master¡¯ anyways?¡± I asked Tsuzuri.

    ¡°Oh, you want to know that?¡± Tsuzuri asked.

    ¡°Yeah? I mean, a lot of things happened over the past month, but this is the one I don¡¯t understand at all.¡± I replied.

    ¡°That¡¯s because Master saved my life.¡± Tsuzuri said.

    ¡°¡­ It¡¯s the other way around no matter how I look at it.¡± I told Tsuzuri.

    ¡°Now that Yuki is gone, you¡¯re the only reason I can keep on living in this world.¡± Tsuzuri stated.

    ¡°Don¡¯t say something this embarrassing¡­¡± I scratched my nose as I said that.

    ¡°Are you going to sleep with me tonight?¡± Tsuzuri then smirked, ¡°Just kidding.¡±

    These half-joking words have been exchanging since we were in middle school.

    ¡°You know, my plans have been completely ruined due to the strange rumors you spread¡­ Just who is good at bed?¡± I asked Tsuzuri.

    ¡°I mean, you have the appropriate skill, so you¡¯re probably good at it, you know? Even if you haven¡¯t tried it yet.¡± Tsuzuri replied.

    ¡°People don¡¯t get close to me at all because of it though! There¡¯s no pretty girl who considers sitting next to me now!¡± I grumbled.

    ¡°You always have me, Master.¡± Tsuzuri stated.

    ¡°Heh.¡± I replied.

    The two of us kept on chatting¡­ If someone looked at us from the sidelines, we might probably look like a couple.

 CH 69

    Chapter 69 ¨C The Right Way to Live

    Me (as a man) and Iroha headed to the northeast of the Tokorozawa Aviation Memorial Park, to a branch school of an art university, the Ihongei University.

    On the way there, while we were walking through a residential area without going through any problems in particular, I suddenly heard a voice, ¡°Hey you¡­ You two!¡±

    The person spoke in a warning tone. I looked up and saw an elderly man on the second floor of a house.

    ¡°Ah, nice seeing you-¡± I replied as if I was just a girl going to school who happened to be called out by someone.

    ¡°Run away! Don¡¯t stay here!¡± His voice sounded kinda desperate.

    Mmmm¡­ I focused my gaze on him, and soon enough, the old man started glowing yellow.

    ¨CStatus: Wary.

    I see¡­

    The item I¡¯m currently wearing are the ¡®Coward¡¯s Glasses¡¯, which I got as an achievement reward back when I was bitten by a zombie some time ago. It lets me understand how others are feeling towards me.

    However, it doesn¡¯t have a vision-correction function, so I¡¯m using contact lenses right now.

    Until now, I¡¯ve let these ugly glasses rot in the bottom of my backpack, but now that I look like a completely different person, I felt like it was a good time to use it.

    After all, being able to read people¡¯s emotions in this kind of operation will be very helpful¡­ But at the same time, not having a vision-correction function stinks, so I feel like this item is kinda underwhelming.

    Oh well, it¡¯s still useful right now, so let¡¯s leave it at that, and focus on the old man in front of me instead.

    Therefore, I decided jump high up, use a fence as a foothold, then jump up again to grab the handrail of the second floor of the house that the old man was at. Now, I could peek at him directly from the window.

    ¡°W-woah!¡± The old man got up as he saw that.

    ¡°Oh, sorry, did I startle you?¡± I asked.

    ¡°A-ah¡­ No, it¡¯s alright¡­ Though that was amazing. Do you do gymnastics or something?¡± The old man asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m from a Chinese Acrobatic Troupe.¡± I whimsically decide to tell a pointless lie to him. It might be good practice, since I¡¯m about to go tell a big lie to the ¡®scoundrels¡¯.

    ¡°I-I see¡­ I guess the only people who can still survive in this world are either from a circus or are crazy.¡± The old man took a deep breath, then continued, ¡°It¡¯s too dangerous from here on out.¡±

    ¡°Dangerous?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Crazy people are living over there.¡± The old man gestured towards the branch school that me and Iroha were walking towards until just a small while ago.

    ¡°Oh?¡± I raised an eyebrow at that.

    Scoundrels, beasts, crazy¡­ I really heard nothing good about that group. That¡¯s certainly interesting, alright.

    ¡°The dead have started raising since a while back, and yet, there is no sign of any rescue coming our way¡­ All the decent people must have died already.¡± The old man sighed.

    ¡°So, how are they ¡®not decent¡¯?¡± I asked.

    ¡°One, they¡¯re armed. Two, they prey on women¡­ Do you understand? Your cute little sister is in danger.¡± The old man looked at Iroha, who was boredly munching on some rice balls while on the side of the road.

    My ¡®little sister¡¯? I don¡¯t think me and her are particularly similar though.

    Well, never mind that.

    ¡°Do you know how many people are in their group?¡± I asked, as this old man might have some useful information to share.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but I once saw what looked like to be forty or even fifty people in a single fight. There might be even more, and their boss seems to be really cunning and a horrible womanizer.¡± The old man replied.

    ¡°But Iroha, no, I mean, my little sister, she¡¯s still a child, you know?¡± I told him.

    Somehow, Iroha seemed to realize we were talking about her, so she happily waved her hand at us.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. Mr. Yoshida, who lives a bit far from here, said that those guys took his daughter. She¡¯s still in elementary school, but she was taken away¡­ I pity them.¡± The old man muttered.

    ¡°Oh¡­¡± I muttered.

    ¡°They say it¡¯s a ¡®safety fee¡¯, they kill the zombies to keep us safe¡­ But that only applies to half of us.¡± The old man was basically spitting those last words.

    Then, a door to the old man¡¯s room was slowly opened.

    ¡°Grandpa?¡± A young boy said.

    ¡°I¡¯m glad that he is a boy¡­¡± The old man sighed, ¡°What has our world come to?¡±

    The boy walked up to his grandpa¡¯s leg and hugged him.

    ¡°Mmm¡­ Alright, I got it.¡± I crossed my arms before continuing, ¡°Just have a bit more patience, okay?¡±

    ¡°More patience?¡± The old man repeated.

    ¡°As long as you stay alive, good things will certainly come your way, so¡­ Just tell Mr. Yoshida to wait a bit longer, okay?

    ¡°Well then.¡± I then jumped off from the second floor, then started moving forward again, together with Iroha.

    ¡°H-hey¡­!¡± The old man exclaimed as he saw the direction we were moving towards.

    We didn¡¯t respond, and instead kept on moving.

    ***

    ¡°Hey sis, shouldn¡¯t it be about time to tie my hands?¡± Iroha asked me.

    ¡°Regarding that¡­ I think it would be too unrealistic for me to try tying your hands and taking you with me in this situation, so why don¡¯t we go with a setting that I deceived you and brought you there instead?¡± I replied.

    ¡°Deceived me?¡± She asked.

    ¡°Yeah. Basically, just pretend you¡¯re an idiot.¡± I told her.

    ¡°Pretending to be an idiot¡­? That might be hard¡­¡± Iroha replied.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay if you just act normally.¡± I said.

    ¡°C-come on-!¡± Iroha exclaimed.

    But then, as we were talking about that.

    ¡°Hey!¡± A voice exclaimed.

    For a moment I thought it was being directed towards us, but it seemed like whoever yelled that, had yet to notice us.

    ¡°Hey! Agh! Come on! Fuck off! Damn it!¡± I saw a man screaming at a zombie.

    ¡°Hurry up, or you¡¯ll get killed!¡± A different man started laughing out loud.

    ¡°Do it! Do it!¡± A third man shouted.

    ¡°Hey hey hey, you gotta finish this quickly, or things will turn bad real soon!¡± A fourth man shouted.

    Several cheerful voices were coming from the direction of the art university¡¯s branch school.

    Me and Iroha quietly hid in the shadows to see what was going on. There, we saw six men who seemed to go from their twenties to their forties surrounding a zombie.

    ¡°Hii! Hii!¡± And then, there was one more man. He seemed to be on his early twenties, and he was facing off against the zombie.

    His hair was died brown, and he had a crowbar in his hand.

    ¡°Good luck, or you¡¯ll get bitten!¡± One of the other men said.

    Seems like they intentionally created a one-on-one situation. I¡¯m not sure what kind of ceremony this is, but it looked bad for the brown-haired guy.

    And then, the zombie got on top of the brown-haired man.

    ¡°Hiee!¡± The brown-haired man exclaimed.

    ¡°Oooh, seems like Sakata will join ¡®their¡¯ ranks soon!¡± One man exclaimed.

    The brown-haired man, who was probably Sakata, was desperately trying to keep the zombie¡¯s head away from him.

    ¡°Sis!¡± Iroha said sternly.

    ¡°Leave it to me.¡± I immediately ran towards them.

    I quickly crossed the distance of a dozen or so meters in one go, then stabbed the zombie¡¯s head with my sword.

    ¡°Whoa! What the hell!?¡± Everyone, including Sakata, let out a surprised shout.

    At the same time, their status turned to red, indicating hostility.

    The Coward¡¯s Glasses are color coded with Red>Yellow>Blue, so you can roughly understand the other person¡¯s mental state by looking at that.

    Though well, it was obvious that those people were angry even without the help of the glasses, as some of them were pointing their guns at me.

    And some of those guns looked like real submachineguns, so it was a bit scary¡­

    ¡°The hell are you!?¡± One of the men exclaimed.

    Oh¡­ Did I put myself in a bad situation?

    After a moment of hesitation, I muttered, ¡°Uhn¡­ Bullying¡­ Not cool.¡±

    A few seconds of silence passed.

    Then, the people around me burst out laughing.

    Their status also quickly changed from red, to yellow, then to a greenish blue.

    I don¡¯t quite get what happened, but let¡¯s help this Sakata guy who is on the ground.

    ¡°Damn it!¡± He slapped the hand I offered him, then stood up on his own.

    At this moment, from among the people who were laughing, a man who seemed to be their representative stepped forward, ¡°Seems like there is a misunderstanding here.¡±

    I tilted my head at that.

    ¡°This is an exam. To join our ranks.¡± The guy said.

    ¡°An exam¡­?¡± I asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s what you just broke into. To kill one of them is the condition for passing.¡± The representative explained.

    ¡°So¡­¡± I glanced at Sakata.

    ¡°Well, this guy failed.¡± The representative said.

    At this moment, Sakata jumped up, ¡°Hey, come on! I can join! Let me in!¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­ I dunno about that. Or rather, I have an even better idea.¡± As the representative said that, everyone¡¯s eyes gathered on me, ¡°You still look like a kid, but you¡¯re pretty good at it, aren¡¯t you? And this sword is pretty impressive too.¡±

    ¡°Collecting these was my grandfather¡¯s hobby. I just use it as I please.¡± I replied nonchalantly.

    ¡°This looks like more than a simple hobby sword.¡± The man looked at my blood-soaked sword with great interest, ¡°You have a good chance here. Why don¡¯t you join us? We¡¯re looking for someone who can work as a hunter.¡±

    ¡­ Oh? Did things just¡­ Somehow go according to plan?

    ¡°That was my goal all along.¡± I replied.

    ¡°Is that so!? Then I guess I don¡¯t need to bother with explaining things.¡± The representative replied.

    ¡°Yeah¡­ Also, I have a souvenir.¡± I then looked at Iroha¡¯s direction, ¡°Hey! Come here!¡±

    Once I called her out, Iroha replied, ¡°Hieeey!¡± and started moving closer.

    ¡­ What was that reply?

    ¡°Who is her?¡± The representative asked.

    ¡°I heard you were collecting girls.¡± I replied.

    ¡°¡­ What¡¯s your relationship with her?¡± He asked.

    ¡°She¡¯s a girl who comes when I call her.¡± I told him.

    ¡°Mmm¡­¡± The representative stroke his chin as he evaluated Iroha, who was leisurely walking our way.

    ¡°Si¡­ Broo? Whaat¡¯s uuup?¡± Iroha asked me.

    Oh, this girl¡­ I told her to pretend to be stupid, but that¡¯s a bit too much.

    Inwardly, I was worried.

    ¡°Is. This. Where. We. Are. Going. To?¡± Iroha asked.

    ¡°Most likely.¡± I replied. Hoping that we weren¡¯t gonna get caught with this.

    ¡°Well¡­ Alright. Even if she¡¯s kinda stupid, there is still work that she can do.¡± The man smiled, then offered me a handshake, ¡°Nice to meet ya. I¡¯m Oda, just like the warlord Oda Nobunaga¡­ Welcome to ¡®The Right Way to Live¡¯.

 CH 70

    Chapter 70 ¨C Don¡¯t oppose the boss

    ¡°Broo, wheere are we gooing?¡± Iroha asked me.

    ¡°Good question. But please stop talking like a complete idiot¡­ Just stop it.¡± I replied.

    Iroha just giggled in response, but the way she was speaking was really getting on my nerves.

    I wonder if the people near me realized that I was kinda annoyed.

    ¡°We¡¯re almost there, so don¡¯t worry too much about it, Swirly Glasses.¡± Oda told me.

    Swirly Glasses was the nickname they gave me, probably because of the horribly lame design of the Coward¡¯s Glasses.

    Either way, the Ihongei University was only a short walk away from where we were.

    Surrounded by walls and wire mesh, the place had become a splendid fortress that barely looked like a university anymore.

    There were also plenty of sentries on its perimeters, probably to counter not only zombies, but also any human who tries looting the place.

    As expected, it¡¯s a well-defended place. I¡¯m glad I didn¡¯t try challenging them to a head-on match, as I¡¯m sure I¡¯d be turned into a beehive in no time if I tried.

    At the entrance, which had discarded buses stationed on its side to limit the paths you could approach the university from, there were three people armed with guns.

    Oda raised his hand and casually greeted them, ¡°Oda team returning!¡±

    Then, one of the sentries, who had a pirate-like beard, asked, ¡°How did it go?¡±

    ¡°One promising guy, and one stupid kid.¡± Oda replied.

    ¡°And the young man, Sakata?¡± The pirate asked.

    ¡°Well, he¡­¡± Oda looked behind himself.

    Sakata had been right behind us this whole time.

    ¡°I¡¯m begging you¡­ In this world, you can¡¯t live alone¡­¡± Sakata muttered.

    ¡°Ah¡­ Well, whatever. This one is joining our ranks too.¡± Oda told the pirate.

    ¡°For real!? Damn, Oda! Thanks!¡± Sakata exclaimed.

    Oda smiled wryly at that, ¡°Geez¡­¡±

    And so, being led by Oda, we entered the university.

    And immediately after entering, the first thing we saw¡­ Was a zombie.

    A young female zombie greeted us. She was chained to the wall with a collar on her neck, so she couldn¡¯t reach us.

    She must have been about as old as me.

    Her mouth kept on opening and closing, she tried reaching us, but her hands slashed through the air in vain.

    Her groans were saddening.

    ¡°This is¡­?¡± I asked.

    ¡°The boss¡¯ pet.¡± Oda sighed, the continued, ¡°It was a woman we caught near the beginning¡­ What was her name again? Kamizono? She¡¯s young, but quite pretty, isn¡¯t she?

    ¡°She was the boss¡¯ mistress for a while, apparently, but she somehow ended up being bitten by a zombie and¡­ Hey, hold on, what are you doing? Hey!?¡±

    Without waiting for him to finish, I grabbed my sword¡¯s handle and moved closer to the pitiful zombie.

    Then, with the fastest unsheathing technique I knew of, I destroyed the zombie¡¯s brain.

    Everyone, except for Iroha, looked at me with a dumbfounded expression.

    ¡°Wha¡­ Idiot. Swirly Glasses, didn¡¯t you hear what I just told you!?¡± Oda exclaimed.

    ¡°I heard it, and made a decision based on that. Having a zombie in here would do a lot of harm and no good, am I wrong?¡± I replied.

    ¡°You¡¯re crazy¡­¡± Oda shook his head, ¡°I¡¯ll have to report this one to the boss.¡±

    ¡°Alright.¡± I said.

    ¡°There¡¯s a room for new recruits not too far from here.¡± Oda pointed in a direction for us, ¡°It¡¯s over there, and there¡¯s a sign reading ¡®clubhouse¡¯ in front of it. You guys should stay there for now.¡±

    ***

    I was surprised by the lineup of people in the premises.

    I had heard that only young girls were being kidnapped, but in this place, I saw men and women of all ages, just like how things were in the Miyabigaoka High School.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on¡­?¡± I muttered.

    A person named Akai, who was acting as our guide, approached me as I muttered that.

    ¡°Ah, well¡­ I mean, there are a lot of ordinary people here.¡± I told him.

    At this point, Akai grinned, ¡°What? Did you think there were only scoundrels and young girls here?¡±

    ¡°Well¡­¡± I didn¡¯t know how to reply.

    ¡°Then that means the strategy is working.¡± Akai told me.

    ¡°Strategy?¡± I asked.

    ¡°What was it again? The boss used some difficult works¡­ Information manipulation, I think?

    ¡°Basically, if the people outside think of us as a bunch of crazy murderers, then others will be scared of us. That¡¯s important to keep this place safe.¡± Akai explained.

    ¡°I see¡­¡± I muttered. It definitely seemed like a reasonable explanation, ¡°But is it true that you kidnap women?¡±

    ¡°Partially. There are some stupid people who talk a bit too much on the moment they¡¯re left alone.

    ¡°What¡¯s important, is that if we left those women alone, they might have already been killed or worse, you get it?

    ¡°The boss may like women, but he can¡¯t hold dozens of women per day, you know?¡± Akai replied.

    ¡°Is that how it is?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Yeah.¡± Akai grinned, ¡°You see, the women who have been kidnapped are actually grateful for it. Compared to a life of shivering in one¡¯s house each day while staring at a stain in the ceiling, what they have here is quite luxurious, you know?

    ¡°They¡¯re glad to exchange what they had to what they have now¡­ The boss understands what everyone needs, and provides the things we require. It¡¯s this kind of relationship that exists over here.¡± Akai blushed a bit after saying all that.

    What¡¯s up with that¡­? I¡¯m astonished.

    ¡°It¡¯s here.¡± Akai led us to a building with a ¡®clubhouse¡¯ sign on it.

    It was probably a place for clubrooms originally, but right now, it was filled with several middle-aged and old women happily chatting and making porridge.

    ¡°Oh, Akai, you brought a new kid?¡± One of the old ladies asked.

    ¡°Not sure. You see, one of them killed the boss¡¯ pet zombie¡­¡± Akai replied.

    ¡°Oh my? That¡¯s quite nice. There were children who couldn¡¯t sleep peacefully due to that zombie. Thank you for that.¡± The old lady replied.

    ¡°Just don¡¯t say that in front of the boss.¡± Akai smiled wryly, ¡°Though well, I guess it might be fine. Even Oda had once tried to stab the boss with a knife back when they first met, but he is now one of the executives.

    ¡°The boss is generous with promising people, and as far as I could see, you definitely count as a promising person.¡± Akai looked at me as he said those last few words.

    ¡°Well, thank you for that.¡± I replied.

    ¡°On the other hand, you better work hard, Sakata. If it wasn¡¯t for Oda, you¡¯d have already been thrown outside, you got it?¡± Akai told Sakata.

    ¡°Y-yes! I¡¯ll risk my life if I need to!¡± Sakata exclaimed while going into an upright and frozen stance.

    ¡°And¡­ What about that girl?¡± I looked towards Iroha.

    Akai stared at her too, and smiled wryly, ¡°The boss is no pedo, and he doesn¡¯t like idiots either.¡±

    ¡°Ehehe, I was caalled an idioot.¡± Iroha giggled.

    Iroha, you can drop that acting now, seriously. It¡¯s okay.

    ¡°¡­ What will you do? Will you stay with her?¡± Akai asked me.

    I shrugged. For the time being, it would be nice if we could get permission to stay together, ¡°If that¡¯s allowed, certainly. We have been together for a while now, and we have established a good relationship already.¡±

    ¡°Got it. I¡¯ll tell Oda about it then.¡± Akai said, then turned towards one of the oldest ladies in here, ¡°Auntie, can you give this child any work? I dunno, like chopping vegetables or something?¡±

    ¡°Of course. We¡¯re always understaffed here.¡± The old lady replied.

    ¡°Then, it¡¯s decided. I¡¯ll leave the rest to you.¡± Saying that, Akai turned away.

    And so, we were about to enter the ¡®clubhouse¡¯, but before that, Akai stopped, ¡°Ah, that¡¯s right. I have one more thing to tell you.¡± He took a small pause, then said clearly, ¡°Don¡¯t oppose the boss.¡±

    His expression was quite serious, and for a moment, I started wondering if my true identity had been revealed.

    ¡°He is not an idiot like me, you know? The boss is smart.

    ¡°You may have heard bad rumors before you came here, but forget all about them. Everything he does is necessary to protect our comrades¡­ And well, you two are already our comrades too¡­ You get it?¡± Akai explained what he meant.

    I was about to try giving a vague reply to that, but before I had a chance to¡­

    ¡°G-got it! Understood!¡± Sakata said with sparkling eyes. The kind of look that a freshman who just got a job at a prestigious company would have.

    ¡°Alright, see you later then.¡± Saying that, Akai waved his hand at us, then left.

 CH 71

    Chapter 71 ¨C Civilization

    The old lady of the ¡®clubhouse¡¯ led us to a small room within the building, then told us, ¡°Please wait here for now¡­ And are the three of you hungry?¡±

    ¡°Yes! I¡¯m hungry!¡± Sakata exclaimed.

    He is quite energetic, isn¡¯t he?

    ¡°Well, then here, they are the leftovers of yesterday¡¯s hot pot.¡± The old lady then gave us bows with rice gruel in them.

    ¡°Whoa! Thank you! I love eating the leftovers from hotpots!¡± Sakata exclaimed.

    I actually agree with him on this one.

    ¡°Do you smoke, by the way?¡± The old lady asked.

    ¡°You have cigarettes too!? Please give me one!¡± Sakata asked.

    ¡°After dinner.¡± The old lady replied, then left.

    And so, me, Sakata and Iroha ate dinner in a small room that was a bit too cramped for the three of us.

    ¡°Delicious¡­ Seriously now, I haven¡¯t eaten anything since yesterday. I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m eating something so good¡­¡± Sakata commented as he ate.

    ¡°Since yesterday¡­? Couldn¡¯t you have gotten some food from the station?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Idiot. That place is a nest for ¡®them¡¯.¡± Sakata replied.

    Oh, right. There used to be zombies there, though me and Iroha took care of them already.

    And while I was thinking about that¡­

    ¡°Hey, you.¡± Sakata bowed his head to me, ¡°Thank you for what you did earlier.¡±

    ¡°¡­ What happened earlier?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be silly. You saved me from ¡®them¡¯.¡± Sakata replied.

    Oh yes, that happened.

    I didn¡¯t tell him, but I had genuinely forgotten about it.

    ¡°¡­ Though that help was unnecessary. I was about to break the neck of that zombie.¡± Sakata commented without looking me in the eyes.

    ¡°Ohou!¡± Iroha said.

    ¡°¡­ You don¡¯t believe me.¡± Sakata muttered.

    ¡°I don¡¯t!¡± Iroha replied.

    We all knew that, if I was just a few seconds late, he would have been bitten on the neck, so Iroha¡¯s reaction made sense.

    ¡°You brats are way too impertinent.¡± Sakata grumbled.

    ¡°Does age matter?¡± I replied.

    As far as I could see, it seems like ability is prioritized over age and background in this place.

    Otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t have taken me in after I suddenly appeared.

    Besides, Oda is already an executive, and he seemed to be about the same age as Sakata.

    At this moment, Sakata sighed and looked away from me.

    Then, I got up from my seat, ¡°Bathroom.¡±

    ¡°Aah, theen I wiil go tooo!¡± Iroha also left her seat.

    So, the two of us went to the bathroom together.

    Even now that we were alone though, Iroha kept on making that dumb face.

    She giggled.

    ¡°Enough of this act, alright?¡± I told her.

    ¡°It¡¯s aactually preetty fuuun.¡± She replied.

    ¡°Don¡¯t overdo it and try being real.¡± I sighed.

    Iroha just giggled at this request.

    ¡°Soo, whaat aree we doiing noow?¡± Iroha asked me.

    She really seemed to have no intention of stopping¡­

    ¡°For now, let¡¯s wait until it¡¯s night. Once we figure out where the boss is, we can go there¡­¡± As I said that, I put my right hand on my chest.

    Then, my hand was enveloped in a white light. It was the light of the Enslave skill that I borrowed from Amamiya.

    ¡°And use Enslave on him.¡± I told Iroha.

    ¡°And then?¡± She asked next.

    ¡°I¡¯ll first order him to release all captured women, then we can go back to the memorial park and talk to him about what comes next.¡± I replied.

    ¡°Talk?¡± She asked.

    ¡°I will make him swear that he won¡¯t threaten the people on his surroundings in the future.¡± I said.

    ¡°Mmm¡­¡± Iroha seemed to be thinking, ¡°Will thaat woork?¡±

    Just when I thought she had stopped¡­

    I¡¯m not sure if it will work or not though.

    ¡°What if he doesn¡¯t listen to you no matter what?¡± Iroha asked, normally this time.

    ¡°In that case¡­¡± I sighed.

    I have a feeling that it might end up like that.

    ¡°It can¡¯t be helped. If it comes to that, I¡¯ll have no choice to kill him. The boss of this place.¡± I said.

    ***

    When we finished talking and left the bathroom, we bumped into Sakata.

    ¡°What are you two doing?¡± He rolled his eyes at us.

    ¡°Well, bathroom.¡± I replied.

    ¡°And you were both in the women¡¯s restroom?¡± He asked next.

    Oh¡­ I had completely forgotten, but I¡¯m on a man¡¯s body now.

    Sakata started laughing, ¡°You guys were having some fun, weren¡¯t you!?¡±

    ¡°T-that is¡­ That¡¯s not the case.¡± I replied.

    ¡°Sure, sure, just don¡¯t be having some premature ejaculations, alright?¡± Sakata laughed out loud.

    How uncomfortable¡­ Are men always excited about this kind of topic?

    Either way, we passed by Sakata and went back to our room.

    Just then, we met up with Oda, who seemed to have just arrived.

    ¡°Yo.¡± He greeted us.

    ¡°Yes¡­?¡± I replied.

    ¡°Can I ask you to do a job now?¡± Oda asked.

    ¡°Sure.¡± I told him.

    ¡°Burn that zombie woman you killed.¡± Oda told me.

    I stayed silent for a few seconds, but he said nothing else, so I decided to ask, ¡°¡­ That¡¯s it?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s it. Why do you ask?¡± Oda asked back.

    ¡°It¡¯s too easy.¡± I replied.

    Oda averted his gaze. It seemed like he was a bit troubled over how to talk about this.

    But soon enough, he continued, ¡°Certainly, this isn¡¯t dangerous, but you see¡­ This is a job that not many people are willing to do.

    ¡°Therefore, you do it, since it¡¯s your ¡®fault¡¯.¡±

    I just heaved a sigh in response.

    ¡°You can be happy about it though. The boss seemed to have also been thinking that that zombie should be disposed of, so he was happy when he heard about what you did.

    ¡°Depending on how well you work, you might meet up with him soon.¡± Oda told me.

    Even if says that, I still have mixed feelings about all this.

    After all, I might either make him a slave or kill him tonight.

    ¡°For now, just focus on doing work, alright? Over here you can get promoted much faster than in the previous world.

    ¡°After all, there are only a few humans available, and there¡¯s a lot of work to be done.¡± Oda told me next.

    ¡°I see.¡± I vaguely replied.

    ¡°You know, we¡¯re actually planning on using this place as our base to restore civilization in this country, so like¡­¡± Oda started saying.

    ¡°Don¡¯t oppose the boss?¡± I tried finishing his phrase for him.

    ¡°Oh¡­ Did you hear that from Akai?¡± Oda asked me.

    ¡°I did.¡± I answered honestly.

    ¡°Well, then you already know.

    ¡°In any case, the boss has a talent, you know? The kind of talent you need to create a strong country.

    ¡°I couldn¡¯t think I¡¯d be involved in something like this back before the world changed.

    ¡°This is a pretty worthwhile job, isn¡¯t it?¡± Oda asked me.

    I looked away from him after hearing this much. It was hard to meet his gaze.

    Oda laughed heartily at my reaction though, ¡°Actually, aren¡¯t you enjoying this too? This ¡®world end¡¯ situation?¡±

    I didn¡¯t know how to respond.

    I silently left, without looking back at him.

 CH 72

    Chapter 72 ¨C Flames

    I went back to the entrance, threw some borrowed gasoline on the zombie¡¯s body, then used a match to put the body on fire.

    Today¡¯s work in the Ihongei University ended quickly, and it felt a bit disappointing due to how easy it was.

    That said, the real work begins now. The infiltration mission.

    I don¡¯t really have anything to do until dinner time comes around, so for now, I just wandered around the university grounds.

    I felt a bit like a spy as I watched people come and go.

    And while I watched five or six elementary school children play, I sat down on a bench and started thinking.

    Honestly, I was in a bit of a loss.

    I did try acting like I knew what to do when in front of Iroha, but it wasn¡¯t as easy when I was alone.

    Of course, we can¡¯t overlook the evil deeds done by the boss here, but I also can¡¯t ruin the happiness of everyone who is living here.

    That said, it¡¯s still necessary to use Enslave on the boss at the very minimum, though I also need to talk to him at least once before that.

    ¡°Hey! Swirly Glasses!¡± Sakata shouted, then waved his hand at me as he moved closer.

    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± I asked him.

    ¡°Oda forgot to give you a ration ticket for dinner. Here.¡± Sakata gave me a ticket.

    ¡°Oh, thank you.¡± I replied.

    On the ticket, the words ¡®a set meal¡¯ were printed.

    They¡¯re probably reusing what this university already had.

    ¡°There¡¯s also this one, a treat from Oda.¡± Sakata gave me another ticket.

    This one had ¡®Coffee¡¯ written on it.

    ¡°If you show this ticked to the cafe near the cafeteria, you¡¯ll be able to drink some freshly brewed coffee! Isn¡¯t that awesome!?¡± Sakata exclaimed.

    It¡¯s certainly quite something.

    Essentially, this allows me access to a luxury good.

    Getting something like coffee was trivial back when the world was normal, but it now sounds like something amazing.

    ¡°So, let¡¯s go.¡± Sakata told me.

    For a moment, I considered refusing his offer, as I hadn¡¯t seen enough of the university grounds yet.

    However, before I could decide on a reply, Sakata continued, ¡°Oh, but before that. I got a map of this place, so let¡¯s explore a bit!¡±

    I nodded to his statement this time.

    After all, if we walk together, his presence will serve as camouflage.

    Seems like I¡¯m quite the lucky girl¡­ Or well, I guess a lucky boy now.

    ***

    ¡°Oh wow, this is amazing! Even if I don¡¯t know what it is!¡± Sakata was looking around the university with a childlike enthusiasm, touching the monuments in the university¡¯s grounds as we came across them.

    As expected of an art university, there were many strange things in the premises.

    Among them though, there were some that made you want to raise your voice in admiration.

    I had basically given up on going to a university myself due to lack of money, but seeing this place made me feel like I wanted to enjoy a campus life one day.

    ¡°Whoa! What a huge painting! Is that a robot!?¡± Sakata exclaimed.

    What was in front of us now, was a very large painting, that was done on a wall instead of on a canvas.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that from that old robot anime?¡± I commented.

    ¡°Huh? Do you know of it?¡± Sakata asked.

    ¡°Yeah, I know this one.¡± I replied.

    ¡°Oh. Could you be an otaku?¡± Sakata asked with a smirk.

    Do you need to be an otaku to know old animes?

    I crossed my arms while trying to think of what is the exact difference between an otaku and an ordinary person.

    ¡°Ah, you know. I also know a bit of otaku things. When I was younger, I liked watching some of the more popular animes.¡± Sakata smiled wryly as he said that. I guess he thought his comment hurt me, ¡°So, don¡¯t make a such a scary face, alright?¡±

    Does the male version of me look scary when I¡¯m silent? ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not angry. That¡¯s just what I look like.¡±

    As soon as I said that though, a strange thing happened.

    Above our heads, on the other side of the wall with the robot painted in it, I could see a strange blueish-white light rising in the sky.

    ¡°Mmm¡­?¡± I instinctively strained my eyes. It seemed too early to be shooting fireworks.

    The light of the flames that rose to the sky stayed there for a while, then slowly descended to the ground while circling around in the air.

    I have never seen flames orbit in that way before.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Sakata asked me.

    ¡°That¡­¡± I pointed towards the flames.

    ¡°Huh?¡± Sakata tilted his head, ¡°What are you seeing?¡±

    ¡°Eh? You can¡¯t see it?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Oh¡­? I do have confidence in my eyesight, so¡­ Ah, is it that crow over there?¡± Sakata asked.

    What an idiot. How can he not see it when it¡¯s so bright and high up in the sky?

    Unless¡­

    This is bad.

    I messed up badly here.

    ¡°Mmm¡­ I really don¡¯t see anything strange.¡± Sakata commented.

    ¡°Oh, is that so? Then I guess that¡¯s fine.¡± I replied and pulled my pointing hand away, trying to fix my mess, but it seemed like I was too late.

    I could see the flames slowly descend towards us. It went down a few meters, until it stopped directly in front of Sakata.

    I need to say something. Quickly, ¡°Ah, my bad. I thought it was a rare migratory bird, but it was just a crow.¡±

    ¡°For real?¡± Sakata shrugged his shoulders in disappointment. He didn¡¯t seem to notice the flames that were directly in front of his eyes.

    I tried to avoid looking at it.

    ¡°Rather than that, Sakata.¡± I tried coming up with any small talk I could think of, ¡°To tell you the truth, I¡¯m actually a big otaku.¡±

    ¡°Oh, is that so?

    ¡°Well, you certainly look like one.¡± Sakata replied.

    ¡°For a while, I was really into robot anime, and I¡¯ve watched all episodes of the more famous series.¡± I told him.

    ¡°Oh, I see¡­?¡± Sakata said.

    At this moment, the flames moved, and now stood right in front of me.

    I froze in place when I noticed that the flames had eyes, and that they were staring directly at me.

    There¡¯s no doubt about it. This is magic, or perhaps some other kind of skill.

    ¡°By the way, my favorite robot is that one that is super cool and can fire missiles from its shield. I bet that, if it had been mass produced, the nation that made them would have been victorious in the war.¡± I frantically came up with anything to talk about while my palms and back were sweating profusely.

    Sakata averted his eyes from me, ¡°Ah¡­ Well, let¡¯s go get some coffee!¡±

    He made a wonderful proposal right now.

    ¡°Sure, let¡¯s.¡± I smiled, then followed him.

    And the fire, after it hovered in place for a small while, disappeared into the sky.

    Did I manage to deceive it?

    I¡¯m not sure, but I hope I managed to, somehow.

 CH 73

    Chapter 73 ¨C Spirit Tamer

    (Hello? Testing, testing. Can you hear me?) I asked telepathically.

    [Yes, yes! Older sister Sanae is listening!] I got a reply.

    (Ah, I¡¯m glad it¡¯s working.) I said.

    [Nice talking to you again! Can I call you Warrior?] Sanae asked.

    (Ah, sure.) I told her.

    After witnessing those mysterious flames, I went to the bathroom and made a telepathic call to Sanae, a gatekeeper from Tokorozawa that is currently under the effects of the powers of the Slave Master.

    [So, what happened? Is there anything you want me to ask the Messiah about?] Sanae asked.

    (There is.) I said.

    [Then I¡¯ll be taking notes from now on¡­ Please continue.] Sanae told me in a lighthearted tone.

    (The question is: ¡®At level 15, you must have chosen a job. Please tell me what options were available other than Slave Master.¡¯) I said.

    [I see, I see. Level 15¡­ Job¡­ Options¡­ I honestly have no clue what this is all about, but if I tell the Messiah that, he¡¯ll understand, right?] Sanae asked me.

    (He will.) I replied.

    [Roger that!] She exclaimed.

    And that was the end of our telepathic call.

    Next, I went to Iroha.

    Iroha was in the kitchen on the back of the cafeteria, where she was chopping vegetables with tremendous momentum.

    ¡°That¡¯s incredible, Iroha! With this much speed, you could harvest the whole world! You¡¯re cabbage shredding champion!¡± One of the aunts next to her said.

    ¡°Leave it to me!¡± Iroha exclaimed as she kept on cutting them.

    Next to her was a mountain of cabbage that made me wonder, ¡®Who is going to eat all this?¡¯

    Well, let¡¯s not mind that. I moved closer to them and asked, ¡°Uhn¡­ Can I have a minute?¡±

    ¡°Oh! You¡¯re the newcomer, Swirly Glasses, right?¡± Seems like the nickname is quickly spreading, ¡°You brought us a once-in-a-decade talent, you know?¡± The aunt told me.

    ¡°Oh, is that so?¡± I asked.

    ¡°She¡¯s so young, but she¡¯s amazing! She¡¯s a lot stronger than some clumsy boys that sometimes help out, but even though she looks like this, she still handles kitchen knives delicately.¡± The aunt explained.

    I wryly smiled at those words¡­ I figured something like this would happen, but let¡¯s not mind it, ¡°Can I borrow her for a while?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Of course.¡± The aunt turned towards Iroha, ¡°Iroha, why don¡¯t you take a break now?¡±

    In response to the aunt¡¯s words, Iroha¡¯s hands stopped moving.

    After we left the kitchen, we moved to a place where we could talk privately.

    ¡°Phew! Working hard was fun!¡± Iroha exclaimed.

    ¡°Please don¡¯t stand out too much.¡± I told her.

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s fine if it¡¯s just a bit, isn¡¯t it?¡± She replied.

    ¡°That¡¯s not how this works¡­¡± I sighed.

    ¡°Mmmm¡­?¡± Iroha just tilted her head at that.

    ¡°Never mind. Iroha, you selected a job when you reached level 15, didn¡¯t you?¡± I asked her.

    ¡°Of course!¡± She exclaimed.

    ¡°Can you tell me what were the other options available? Other than Martial Artist, that is.¡± I asked her next.

    ¡°Huh? Why?¡± She asked back.

    I paid a bit more attention to my surroundings before replying, making sure nobody was overhearing anything, ¡°There¡¯s someone, other than us, with skills in here.¡±

    For a moment, Iroha opened her mouth agape without saying anything. It took her a second to recover and reply, ¡°For real?¡±

    ¡°For real.¡± I stated.

    ¡°Well¡­ That¡¯s kinda bad.¡± Iroha commented.

    ¡°The person seems to use a strange technique that I don¡¯t understand. If we can figure out the name of their job, then we should be able to get a hint of what they were doing.¡± I explained.

    ¡°Got it.¡± As Iroha said that, she took a notepad out of her pocked.

    She flipped through the notepad that had all sort of miscellaneous information, such as a location of a garbage dump, or curry recipes.

    ¡°Here!¡± She handed me the notebook after reaching a specific page.

    At that moment, [Hi hi, it¡¯s older sister Sanae again!] I got a telepathic call.

    ***

    And so, I was told the name of the jobs that are available based on karma once you reach level 15.

    I don¡¯t know if there are some hidden jobs that require extra conditions other than karma, but those are the ones I know of for now.

    Good Karma ¨C Jobs: Guardian Knight; Martial Artist; Miracle Caller; Spirit Tamer

    Neutral Karma ¨C Jobs: Warrior; Archer; Beastmaster

    Evil Karma ¨C Jobs: Bandit; Assassin; Sorcerer; Slave Master

    Seriously¡­ So there was a Sorcerer job after all.

    I wanted to be a Sorcerer¡­ If only I had a strategy guide for this¡­

    Either way, Iroha and the Slave Master also gave me the brief explanation of the jobs that the Auditory Hallucination provided to them.

    ¨CGuardian Knight is a combat profession specialized in defense. It has a lot of skills centered on using a shield, and it can reflect most spells with its shield.

    ¨CMartial Artist is a combat profession that is specialized in fighting with your bare hands. It has plenty of skills that increase one¡¯s physical abilities and it can sometimes land critical hits on enemies.

    ¨CMiracle Caller is a profession specialized in Healing Magic and on skills that strengthens others. Its mere presence already strengthens the natural healing power of nearby allies.

    ¨CSpirit Tamer is a profession that makes use of beings that are normally invisible, such as Shinto Spirits or Spirits of the Deceased.

    ¨CBandit is a profession focused on stealing. It has many skills that excel at hiding, and you can become translucent by crouching down.

    ¨CAssassin is a combat profession specialized in assassination. It has many skills that are centered on the usage of blades, and the attacked opponent has a low chance of being instantly killed.

    ¨CSorcerer is a combat profession specialized in offensive magic. A bonus is added to the power of your magical attacks, and it has plenty of skills that decrease magical power consumption.

    ¨CSlave Master is a profession that can ¡®Enslave¡¯ humans and strengthen their combat capabilities.

    I see¡­ That makes it easy to understand.

    The floating flames I saw earlier, I thought they would be something exclusive to the Sorcerer job, but after looking through those descriptions, the conclusion is obviously different.

    Someone in this community is able to use skills. And their profession involves invisible beings, so, they¡¯re most likely¡­ ¡°A Spirit Tamer.¡± I muttered.

    ¡­ Seriously. Of all jobs, it had to be the that we have the least information available on.

    How troublesome.

 CH 74

    Chapter 74 ¨C Skill Appraisal

    [Hi there! It¡¯s older sister Sanae here! The one and only!] I got a telepathic call, [I¡¯d like to tell you some extra information that the Messiah shared with me!

    [This information is¡­ Uhn¡­] It seemed like she was reading a memo, [About the increase and decrease of Karma!

    [Karma is a rough classification that determines if a player is good or evil¡­ But the way the judging works is a bit arbitrary!

    [For example, getting supplies from a convenience store seems to have a negative impact on your karma! Whoever manages the system must still care about old world values!

    [And then there is murder. Murder seems to always be judged as tremendously evil, regardless of the circumstances in which it occurs. Killing even one person with your own hands means that your karma will quickly fall to evil and even a lot of good deeds might not be enough to offset it.

    [And well, to put it simply, that¡¯s what the Messiah experienced. He didn¡¯t tell me what exactly caused it, but it was apparently in Self-defense.

    [Well, I guess this kind of thing just happens in this world at times, right?

    [In any case, that¡¯s all that I wanted to convey. Please keep on doing your best! See you later!] With this, we ended the telepathic conversation.

    ***

    I heaved a sigh.

    I was currently in the bathroom, holding my head while sitting on the toilet seat.

    It was not because of the quick-paced dialogue of Sanae, but rather because I needed to rework my strategy.

    I had to deal with someone who could use skills now¡­ Or, to use the words of the Auditory Hallucination, a Player.

    The Slave Tamer Whip doesn¡¯t work on Players.

    Furthermore, Amamiya told me through Sanae that he doesn¡¯t know if Enslave can work on players either.

    That¡¯s understandable though. Until a small while back, each of us thought that we were the only Players in the world.

    So, to test it out, I had a small experiment with Iroha and¡­ Unfortunately, the result was a failure.

    It was expected though. The Auditory Hallucination refers to us as Players, and refers to everyone else as Humans.

    The Enslave ability only works on Humans, so it can¡¯t be helped.

    So, let¡¯s try thinking on the main issue.

    I need to identify who is the Player of this community¡­ My first idea was that the boss was the Player, but there is no way to be sure of that, and it would be dangerous to act on this assumption without any confirmation.

    Therefore¡­ Let¡¯s make use of the level ups that I had set aside for this kind of situation.

    If I recall correctly, I should have four levels stored up, so¡­

    Auditory Hallucination, are you listening?

    ¨CPlease choose the skill you want to acquire.

    ¨CSpecial Sword Skill I

    ¨CFighting Technique (Beginner)

    ¨C<Choose a Magic Skill>

    ¨C<Choose a Job Skill>

    ¨CSkill Appraisal

    Well, it has to be the last option, hasn¡¯t it?

    ¨CSkill Appraisal allows you to see the skills of players other than yourself.

    With this, I¡¯ll be able to figure out who is the player without trying to play detective.

    So, I got it.

    Next.

    ¨CPlease choose the skill you want to acquire.

    ¨CSpecial Sword Skill I

    ¨CFighting Technique (Beginner)

    ¨C<Choose a Magic Skill>

    ¨C<Choose a Job Skill>

    ¨CKarma Appraisal

    Oh? Do the appraisal skills also have their own skill tree?

    For now, let¡¯s check what this new skill does.

    ¨CKarma Appraisal allows you to check other players¡¯ Karma. It also lets you know some of their past good and bad deeds.

    Mmm¡­ I¡¯m not sure if there is much use for this.

    That said, there might be more skills that can be unlocked after taking Karma Appraisal, so, once this is taken care of, if I have some points to spare, I¡¯d like to acquire this later.

    Well, I¡¯ve never been in a situation where I had leftover skill points though.

    Unfortunately though, my next skill has already been decided.

    ¨CPlease choose the Job Skill you want to acquire.

    ¨CAttack Power I

    ¨CDefense V

    ¨CBlade Clothes

    ¨CMagic Resistance II

    ¨CSilence

    And another new option appeared¡­

    ¨CBlade Clothes makes your clothes reflect some physical damage you take back to the attacker. Lasts 1 minute.

    Oh? This is a bit of an RPG staple, isn¡¯t it? Armor with a damage reflection effect?

    For now though, let¡¯s leave this one for later.

    For my next skills, I want to take the ones with the most obvious effects first.

    And since I¡¯ve already come this far, let¡¯s raise the defensive levels as much as possible.

    Therefore, ¡°Defense V.¡±

    Now what to pick next?

    ¨CPlease choose the Job Skill you want to acquire.

    ¨CAttack Power I

    ¨CAegis Shield

    ¨CBlade Clothes

    ¨CMagic Resistance II

    ¨CSilence

    Oh my. The Defense skills disappeared, and new options are now visible.

    Defense maxed out at level 5, then. And replacing it, the Aegis Shield skill appeared.

    Is it okay to assume something similar might happen to other skills?

    ¨CAegis Shield creates a magic shield that has high defensive power.

    Ohoh! A magic shield!

    This is the first skill that triggered my desire sensor in a while.

    A flaming sword and a magic shield¡­ Isn¡¯t that the coolest?

    My heart started beating faster¡­ ¡°Aegis Shield.¡±

    As for the last skill point¡­ I guess I¡¯ll take Magic Resistance II, so as to prepare myself better for the battle against the Spirit Tamer.

    That¡¯s the end of the leveling session.

    ¨CSkill effects are being applied.

    ¡°Then, let¡¯s test it. Aegis Shield.¡± As I said that, a blue translucent shield appeared near my left hand.

    ¡°Ooh¡­¡± It¡¯s so cool. It feels like a total waste to use this while sitting on a toilet.

    Either way, when I tried touching the shield, I noticed some interesting things.

    First, it felt a bit warm.

    Secondly, my hand actually moved through it. It seems like my body can slip through the shield.

    In that case, it might be possible to fight in a way that prevents my opponent from hitting me by using the shield, then piece said opponent from the backside of the shield¡­ Though I don¡¯t know how usable this is in practice.

    I heaved a sigh, then left the bathroom, with a feeling of a job well done.

    ¡°Oh, Swirly Glasses, what¡¯s up? You look good! Did you bring the brat with you again?¡± Sakata appeared and instantly made a terrible joke.

    ¡°That¡¯s not it.¡± I gave him a blunt reply.

    Is this how conversation between men usually goes like?

    When I looked at the clock, I saw that it was about time for the sun to set.

    Let¡¯s resume the investigation.

 CH 75

    Chapter 75 ¨C Boss

    I resumed my search while trying to act as much like a harmless young man as possible.

    However, even though this is a branch school, the university grounds are still fairly large.

    In the end, the sun had now set, and I still had no idea who the Spirit Tamer was.

    The efficiency of the survey also wasn¡¯t that good due to how Skill Appraisal works.

    Sure, the ability of knowing if someone is a Player just by using the skill is great, but my eyes glow light-blue when I use this skill.

    Even while wearing the Coward¡¯s Glasses, someone should still be able to notice it if my eyes suddenly start shining.

    That was quite troublesome.

    As long as I don¡¯t know where the Spirit Tamer is lurking, I have to hide myself whenever I use Skill Appraisal.

    And now, shortly after the sunset, I heard someone exclaim, ¡°Everyone, it¡¯s time to eat!¡±

    Several of the ladies form the cafeteria were ringing a large bell too, so as to call people¡¯s attention. They probably prepared this one specifically for this purpose.

    ¡­ Wouldn¡¯t it be troublesome if zombies were attracted by the sound of the bell, though?

    Well, regardless of whether or not this attracts zombies, the bell¡¯s sound made almost everyone inside this community, save for a few sentries, started gathering in droves.

    This is my last chance to use Skill Appraisal today. If I try using it after it gets too dark, I will stand out too much.

    On a side note, I was a bit surprised that the interior of the dining room was actually powered up by electricity.

    I thought someone might be using Thunder Magic to make this work, but they apparently had a generator instead.

    ¡­ Coming to think of it, I haven¡¯t heard anyone mention any sort of mysterious powers since I arrived at this community.

    Therefore, the Player here is most likely hiding their powers.

    When you consider that, it makes sense that the Player was attracted to the power of using beings that should normally be invisible.

    I positioned myself in a place where I could overlook the entirety of the dining room, and then, while slowly eating the food that was distributed to me, I used Skill Appraisal whenever I had the chance.

    Oda, Akai, Sakata, the ladies of the cafeteria¡­ I had to be careful with where they were looking at, so as to make sure they weren¡¯t staring at me when I used the skill.

    As a result, I was able to not be detected so far, but no matter how many times I activated the skill, I couldn¡¯t find the Spirit Tamer either.

    Could it really be the boss then? In that case, I definitely need to meet the boss to find this out.

    ¡­ He doesn¡¯t seem to be here though.

    But just as I was thinking that¡­

    ¡°B-boss!¡± Oda and the other executives suddenly left their seats and stood up.

    In the direction they were looking at, I could see a man standing tall in front of them.

    He was probably around his mid-thirties, and he looked like an office worker of sorts, which was fairly unusual for this post-apocalyptic world.

    His hair was well-kept, and he gave of an elegant impression overall. The kind of person that would appear on TV commercials as the ideal salesperson or something.

    He definitely doesn¡¯t look like a gang boss. I was imagining him as a fat little man holding a cigar or something like it.

    ¡°Boss¡­ What is it¡­?¡± Oda¡¯s voice was drowned by the hustle and bustle around him.

    Mmmm¡­ The location wasn¡¯t great. They were too far away, so I couldn¡¯t hear the conversation.

    The boss seemed to be giving order to his subordinates while holding his stylish glasses.

    Still, this seems like a good opportunity. Let¡¯s use Skill Appraisal-

    Or so I had thought.

    But then, everyone, starting with Oda, turned their gazes towards me.

    Seems like the boss gave them some instructions¡­ What¡¯s gonna happen now? I have a bad feeling about this.

    At this moment, Oda walked towards me with a solemn expression in his face.

    Is a battle about to start? I¡¯d prefer if that didn¡¯t happen¡­

    For the time being though, I kept on eating the meal in front of me.

    ¡°Hey, Swirly Glasses, boss is calling.¡± Oda told me.

    ¡°Huh? Why?¡± I asked, feeling as if I was the idiot of a comedy duo.

    ¡°Dunno the specifics, but there is certainly something he wants to talk to you about.¡± Oda replied.

    ¡°Really? Why?¡± I asked.

    ¡°¡­ Have you already forgotten what you did?¡± Oda asked with some disbelief in his tone.

    I averted my gaze from him.

    ¡°You killed the boss¡¯ ex-lover, you know?¡± Oda told me with an exasperated expression.

    Oh, right, there was that¡­

    ¡°Wasn¡¯t that already taken care of though?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s not like he wants to blame you for it¡­ Or rather, it¡¯s the opposite.¡± Oda¡¯s tone made me feel like there was a bit of jealousy in his words, ¡°He seems to have been amused. You should go have a drink with him.¡±

    ¡°Alcohol¡­? I¡¯m underage.¡± I replied.

    ¡°Do you care about that these days?¡± Oda laughed, ¡°Then just sip a bit of it and try to not get crushed by the boss.¡±

    ¡°Haah?¡± I replied.

    Apparently, this is not as bad as I had thought.

    Or rather, it¡¯s an opportunity for a one-on-one meeting.

    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go.¡± I decided.

    ¡°Hold on a second.¡± Oda stopped me.

    ¡°What is it?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Leave that sword.¡± Oda told me.

    ¡°Mmmm?¡± I stared at the sword I have been carrying with me from the moment I got here, ¡°Don¡¯t wanna.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s safe here. You don¡¯t have to carry a sword with you all the time.¡± Oda replied.

    ¡°This is my life. I¡¯ll let go of it when my life has ended.¡± I told him.

    This much was true. These days I can¡¯t even sleep well without holding my sword.

    ¡°¡­ I guess it¡¯s alright, but it¡¯s rude.¡± Oda sighed.

    ¡°It¡¯s like a talisman. I have no intentions of attacking the boss.¡± I replied.

    Of course, that was a lie.

    ¡°Obviously, because if you try that¡­ I¡¯ll kill you.¡± Oda told me.

    Good grief¡­ He is certainly loyal.

    ***

    ¡°Nice to meet you. This is who I am.¡± The boss skillfully pulled out a business card from his pocket with an elegant gesture, and handed it out to me. It seemed like something he had done many times over the years.

    -Ikegami Commercial ¨C Sales Department

    -Section Chief: Akechi Mitsuya

    A sparkling name that doesn¡¯t fit his age at all. *

    ¡°So, Akechi, you¡¯re¡­ The sales manager?¡± I asked.

    At this moment, Akechi smiled, flashing his white bright teeth at me, ¡°That¡¯s just my status in the old world. Don¡¯t worry too much about it.¡±

    He seems to be very humble person¡­ It¡¯s hard to know what this kind of person is thinking though, which makes them kinda scary.

    Hold on¡­ Couldn¡¯t that apply to me too? Didn¡¯t I just make a self-deprecating joke of sorts just now?

    ¡°Well then¡­ Before that, how should I call you anyways?¡± Akechi asked me.

    ¡°Swirly Glasses is fine. Or just Glasses Guy or anything like that.¡± I shrugged.

    Akechi smiled gracefully at that, ¡°Then, come with me, Glasses.¡±

    Mmm¡­ I wasn¡¯t sure how to say it, but I felt like each and every one of his movements gave off an impactful aura.

    I left the cafeteria while being sandwiched between Akechi and Oda.

    Akechi¡¯s residence was in a building not too far from there.

    It was in a school building where filming-related classes were held. Classic cameras, projectors and various movie props were there.

    ¡°Ooh¡­?¡± I looked at it with a dazed expression.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it interesting? I actually graduated in this university.¡± Akechi told me.

    ¡°Really?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Yes, I wanted to be a movie director, but I didn¡¯t have the talent for it.¡± Akechi explained.

    He then started talking about how this was why he chose this location for his base, and both him and Oda were staring at the room while Akechi talked.

    This was the perfect timing. An opportunity had arrived, so I quickly activated Skill Appraisal while they weren¡¯t staring at me.

    ¡°¡­ Huh?¡± I accidentally said out loud, them immediately erased the skill.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Akechi asked this right after I had finished using the skill.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing.¡± I shook my head.

    Akechi had a puzzled expression on his face, but he proceeded without minding it too much.

    As for me, I couldn¡¯t help frowning.

    Because neither Oda nor Akechi were the Spirit Tamer.

    Or rather, they weren¡¯t even Players. They were just ordinary people.

    Then¡­ In that case¡­ What¡¯s going to happen next?

    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C

    * Translator¡¯s Note: The boss¡¯ name is written by using the following kanjis: ¡°bright¡±, ¡°wisdom¡±, ¡°light¡±, ¡°evening¡±, hence why the MC made this comment in her internal monologue.

 CH 76

    Chapter 76 ¨C Wretch

    ¡°Here we are.¡± Akechi said.

    We were currently at a space that was originally used by the higher ups of the university.

    Me and Akechi were the only people in this room.

    ¡°We can talk privately here.¡± Akechi told me.

    So, Oda stayed outside.

    We sat while facing one another.

    Once I sat down on the sofa, two elegant women came inside, brought some snacks on plates, as well as alcohol and apple juice. Then, they left.

    ¡°You cool with sake?¡± Akechi asked me.

    ¡°No.¡± I replied.

    After my honest answer, Akechi nodded and poured apple juice in my cup.

    Now how to start this conversation¡­

    Before I could say anything, Akechi chuckled and smiled at me.

    ¡°What?¡± I asked.

    ¡°You look calm. It¡¯s almost as if you weren¡¯t facing the boss of this place.¡± Akechi told me.

    ¡°I¡¯m still inwardly nervous.¡± I replied.

    ¡°Is that so¡­?¡± Akechi muttered, then ate some snacks before continuing, ¡°I called you here because I think you might have some questions for me.¡±

    ¡°Questions?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Yes. I¡¯m sure you heard a lot of stuff before you arrived. If there is any misunderstanding, I¡¯d like to clear it up now. After all, according to Oda, you¡¯re a great killer, so you¡¯re worth the trouble.¡± Akechi told me.

    ¡°I¡¯m not that great.¡± I replied to the compliment and decided to not comment on the rest for now.

    I instinctively understood that careless remarks would be dangerous here.

    ¡°Still, you should have one or two things you want to say, don¡¯t you?¡± Akechi asked.

    ¡°Well¡­¡± I decided to try using a tone that made it look like I wasn¡¯t criticizing him, ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal, but if I have to choose something¡­ Is it really true that you¡¯re kidnapping women?¡±

    Akechi quickly drank down his whiskey, then replied, ¡°Of course it¡¯s true.¡±

    ¡°Young girls too?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Sometimes.¡± He replied.

    ¡°Why?¡± I asked next.

    I knew that the women who brought the drinks must have been some of them.

    The scent of women was extremely strong in this room. It almost made me choke.

    ¡°There are many reasons. The personal one are my own tastes.

    ¡°A few years back I witnessed my wife sleeping with another man, and since then I¡¯ve never been satisfied with just one woman.¡± Unapologetically, he continued, ¡°And also, this is an attempt to bring back polygamy by having myself being an example.¡±

    ¡°Polygamy¡­?¡± I asked.

    ¡°You might be thinking of how it¡¯s a male dominance structure, but that¡¯s not what this is. Polygamy is a rational rule to handle a harsh environment.¡± Akechi told me.

    ¡°Huh?¡± Was all that I could say as a reply. It felt like I was listening to a history class.

    ¡°This is already happening in this community, and it¡¯s only going to keep going¡­ In the future, the mortality rate for men is gonna be many times higher than that of women, due to the fight against the monsters.¡± Akechi¡¯s tone made he feel like a prophet, ¡°In such a world, the conventional monogamy system is disadvantageous.

    ¡°Think about it, if men keep on dying in battle, what will happen to all the women left behind? They¡¯ll have to raise their children alone in a society where workers are lost all the time and where they may be discriminated against.¡±

    It didn¡¯t feel like he was simply arguing for the sake of justifying his own preferences. He seemed to genuinely be thinking that this world would change like that.

    ¡°The idea of polygamy is not about women being subservient to men, but about a system where society can withstand its current environment.¡± Akechi told me.

    ¡°So¡­ You¡¯re taking the initiative to make this change?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Yes, but I can¡¯t suddenly change everyone¡¯s mindset. So, I figured I¡¯d set a precedent myself, and then my ideals could be carried on by future generations.¡± Akechi stated.

    ¡­ Mmmm¡­ I see¡­

    Wait, hold on!

    No good, no good!

    Somehow, I was almost convinced.

    ¡°Hold on, but that¡¯s not really the problem. The problem is that kidnapping by itself is no good.¡± I told him.

    ¡°Is that so? But according to Oda, you yourself kidnapped a woman.¡± Akechi replied.

    Ah, he means Iroha? That was the setting we went with, I guess.

    ¡°As for her¡­ Well, I got her consent and asked her to accompany me. I didn¡¯t bring her by force.¡± I explained.

    ¡°In that case, we¡¯re following the same procedure. If someone can¡¯t protect themselves and asks for protection, then it should be fine for them to become my mistress.¡± Akechi replied.

    Ugh¡­

    Uuuugh¡­

    This is a problem¡­ I can¡¯t find a reasonable counterargument.

    I didn¡¯t expect to be defeated in a battle of words, instead of in a clash of strength¡­

    So this is the difference created by a gap in communication skills¡­

    This would have been easier if he was like a shounen manga villain that laughed maniacally while proclaiming his love for young girls and how he¡¯d kill all that got in his way¡­

    ¡°E-even then¡­¡± I tried to come up with something in my desperation, ¡°Well, what about the zombie girl at the gate¡­?¡±

    At this moment, Akechi¡¯s expression darkened, ¡°That one¡­ You see, even if you are extremely rational with your policies, you still aren¡¯t able to convince everyone.

    ¡°I knew she was troubled about it, but I didn¡¯t know the extent of it¡­ The result was a tragedy.¡±

    His expression made it clear that this pained him.

    ¡°Could you be related to her?¡± Akechi asked me.

    I opened my mouth agape, wondering what made he think of that.

    ¡°Or maybe you¡¯re an assassin who was asked to come here by someone related to her.¡± Akechi said next.

    ¡°What are you¡­?¡± I started replying.

    ¡°I hear rumors about the Tokorozawa Aviation Memorial Park all the time. They say that there is a cult there that worships a strange man¡­ Did you really think we weren¡¯t keeping an eye on such dangerous people?¡± Akechi asked me.

    Ah¡­

    So, basically¡­ ¡°I had been caught from the very beginning?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Yeah, but I didn¡¯t really know who you were or what you came here for, so I decided I wanted to hear your honest opinion first.

    ¡°That¡¯s why I didn¡¯t take away your sword.¡± Akechi stated.

    ¡°I see¡­¡± I replied.

    And then, with a wry smile, Akechi pulled out a small pistol from his jacket¡¯s pocket, ¡°I prepared this just in case, but I knew you weren¡¯t stupid enough to cause a rampage here, as you won¡¯t be able to come back alive if you do.

    ¡°We don¡¯t need to go that far, right?¡±

    ¡°Well, sure.¡± I answered with a wry smile of my own.

    He was surprisingly calm about all this¡­ Even if I looked at him with the Coward¡¯s Glasses, I could see it¡­

    -Status: Calm.

    He truly isn¡¯t faking it.

    To some extent, I¡¯m relieved, but¡­

    ¡°Mmm¡­ By the way, I want to ask. What are you planning on doing in the future?¡± I asked him.

    ¡°Nothing much? It wouldn¡¯t be a terrible idea to try killing you here. It would strengthen the image of me being a ruthless man, but¡­ Honestly, I¡¯m considering the possibility of having you become my companion instead.

    ¡°As you¡¯re surely aware, in this world, people who can fight zombies are extremely worthwhile.

    ¡°So, investing on someone like you is something that is worth putting my life on the line. Just like what I¡¯m doing right now.¡± Akechi replied.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but¡­ That¡¯s impossible.¡± I told him honestly.

    ¡°Mmm? Why?¡± He asked me.

    ¡°I understand what you¡¯re saying, and maybe your methods are not entirely wrong, but¡­ I¡¯m not gonna be a part of it.¡± As I said that, I carefully put my sword on the table, ¡°But if it¡¯s really true that you aren¡¯t hurting anyone¡­¡±

    I have no intentions of harming you.

    That¡¯s what I was about to say.

    But then, the back door of the room was opened, and a small girl appeared in front of us.

    ¡°Lord Mitsuya¡­?¡± The girl asked.

    ¡°What? I said you shouldn¡¯t come in without permission.¡± Akechi replied.

    ¡°But Yuzu went¡­¡± The girl replied.

    ¡°What? Yuzu¡­? Good grief, that was uncalled for¡­¡± Akechi sighed.

    At that moment, a memory came back to my mind.

    A man named Yoshida, who lived not far from here, had his elementary schooler daughter taken away.

    It was the safety fee.

    ¡­ I had a horrible feeling about this.

    ¡°Uhn¡­ Could you be a Yoshida?¡± I asked the girl.

    ¡°¡­ You know me, mister?¡± The girl asked.

    I turned my gaze towards Akechi, ¡°Is she one of your concubines too?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong. I¡¯m no pedo.¡± Akechi said with a bitter expression, ¡°However, taboos must be broken now. Marriages between younger people will become more common in future generations.¡±

    ¡°But¡­¡± I started replying.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you try it yourself? Surprisingly, it¡¯s not that bad.¡± Akechi stated.

    At that moment, my blood started boiling.

    ¡°You wretch-¡± I muttered.

    Before I realized it, I was kicking the sofa with all my might.

    ¡­ And a golden flash of light came from the muzzle of Akechi¡¯s gun.

 CH 77

    Chapter 77 ¨C Continuing the Conversation

    A dull pain ran through my abdomen as I was hit by two shots in quick succession. The sound of the gunshots also hurt my ears, but I ignored all that pain and jumped forward.

    Akechi was visibly startled at that, which created a fatal gap.

    I used the Slave Tamer Whip that I had hidden until just now and hit Akechi on the cheek. In an instant, his body shook, as if he was hit by an electric current, and then he stopped moving.

    Without hesitation, I grabbed his head and activated Enslave.

    ¡°Wh¡­ What is¡­¡± Akechi muttered.

    Seems like he can speak a bit.

    ¡°Don¡¯t be scared, I won¡¯t kill you.¡± I told him.

    Of course, he isn¡¯t stupid enough to take these words at face value, so he tried resisting, and his struggle made his face get drenched in sweat.

    It was futile though. His body was abnormally tense and didn¡¯t even twitch.

    ¡°A¡­ A¡­¡± Right next to us, the small girl was crouching down and holding her head. She looked completely frightened.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I won¡¯t hurt you-¡± I started telling her.

    Immediately after that though.

    ¡°Boss! What¡¯s wrong!?¡± Oda, who had heard the gunshot noises, burst inside the room.

    And then, his eyes widened in astonishment.

    For a moment, our eyes met.

    ¡°Wh-what are you doing, you bastard!?¡± Oda exclaimed.

    ¡°Tsk.¡± I clicked my tongue, let go of my grip on Akechi, then approached Oda while kicking the sweets on the table and swinging the Slave Tamer Whip.

    ¡°Damn you!¡± Oda exclaimed.

    His reaction was quick. As soon as I let go of the boss, he pointed his gun at my forehead and pulled the trigger.

    ¡°Guh-¡± I groaned as I felt the impact on my head.

    Suffering from the blow, my body instantly arched backwards and fell on the table, shattering some dishes.

    Am I dying for real now¡­?

    A moment after thinking that, I recovered my senses.

    Regardless of what just happened to me, as long as I can move my body, I must fulfill my obligations.

    ¡°M-monster!¡± Oda was astonished.

    Well, understandably so.

    Still, I was able to hit him with the Slave Tamer Whip on the chest with this opportunity.

    ¡°¡­ Damn it!¡± Oda exclaimed.

    Just like Akechi, he too was unable to move anymore.

    ¡°Ah¡­ Gah¡­ Go¡­¡± He muttered those incomprehensible words.

    I silently grabbed him by the back of his shirt, then hid him in a blind spot behind the sofa.

    After that, I resumed the Enslavement of Akechi.

    ¡°S¡­ To¡­ P¡­¡± Akechi muttered.

    Ignoring his protesting words, I successfully enslaved Akechi.

    (Once you can move your body, clear the table. Act as if nothing happened.) I told him telepathically.

    ¡°Gu¡­¡± Akechi¡¯s expression was horrified as he received this order that he was unable to refuse.

    After that, I used Enslave on Oda.

    The tension in the air sent shivers down my spine, but I kept going anyways.

    Before long, Akechi slowly sat up, then began carefully throwing the scattered sweets and broken tableware on the table into the trash can.

    He was clearly dissatisfied about it, but he couldn¡¯t resist the order.

    That said, even if I was prepared for it, it still doesn¡¯t feel good to forcefully give orders to people.

    ¡­ And as I was thinking about that, Oda¡¯s enslavement was completed too.

    Justice prevails!

    Though I can¡¯t act triumphant just yet. I still can¡¯t be sure I¡¯ll survive this situation.

    After all, Oda and Akechi shot their guns three times total in this short confrontation. More people should soon come to check, to see what caused the gunshots.

    For now though, I reached out to Yoshida, who was still crouched down, ¡°Are you okay?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Ye¡­ I-I-I¡­¡± Yoshida tried replying.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for frightening you, but I won¡¯t do anything rough, so could you keep quiet for a while?¡± I asked her.

    She then immediately shook her head with an expression of absolute submission, even if I hadn¡¯t used Enslave on her.

    Next, I quickly checked my face on a hand mirror.

    If I¡¯m not mistaken, I should have been shot on the head, but¡­ The wound is far from fatal. It at most needs a band-aid.

    Just to be sure though, I also looked at my abdomen that was shot twice, and the wounds there were about as light as the one on my head.

    That¡¯s definitely only possible due to Defense V. Before I realized it, I became tough enough to withstand bullets.

    ¡­ I don¡¯t think there is anyone who would want to marry me after that.

    Well, for the time being, let¡¯s just lightly wipe the blood with a handkerchief. With this, almost all traces of the shooting were gone.

    And just as I finished doing that, I heard the footsteps of multiple people coming from outside the door.

    (Speak as if nothing happened. Deceive them.) I ordered, then sat down on the sofa where I was originally at.

    This is it.

    While waiting for them, I started eating some of the snacks that I didn¡¯t stomp on.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, boss!?¡± The people burst inside, and one of them asked.

    ¡°We heard gunshots!¡± Another one exclaimed.

    ¡°Hey, Oda! What are you doing!?¡± A third one asked.

    Three flustered executives had come inside.

    Pretending that nothing had happened, I threw a salami into my mouth.

    Oh, this is delicious. I want to put it on bread and make a sandwich.

    Meanwhile, Akechi started demonstrating his surprisingly amazing acting skills, ¡°Nah, you don¡¯t need to worry about it.¡± He said with a soft smile, ¡°I just got a bit too drunk and decided to have some fun. Everything is fine.¡±

    Everyone seemed to be a bit puzzled about that, but their expressions soon changed to relieved ones, ¡°A-aah, Is that so? Seems like we were worried for no reason then.¡±

    Oda, who currently had an emotionless expression in his face, seemed to want to say, ¡®What are you so convinced of, you idiots?¡¯

    ¡°Yes, but thank you for the worry. Close the door and go.¡± Akechi told them.

    Then, they left.

    Now that¡¯s a relief¡­ Seems like I won¡¯t need to cause a massacre here.

    Of course, I still need to be vigilant and keep on giving them orders, (From now on, do not call your friends or do anything that will endanger me. If I see any such behavior, I¡¯ll immediately order you to suicide, understood?)

    ¡°Understood.¡± Akechi nodded.

    ¡°¡­ Same.¡± Oda nodded.

    The order is only valid for five minutes, but they don¡¯t know that. If I tell them this, they won¡¯t do anything that harms me for now.

    So, I can finally relax a bit.

    Therefore, I smiled as broadly as I could and told them, ¡°Well then, shall we continue? Both the meal and¡­ The conversation as well.¡±

 CH 78

    Chapter 78 ¨C Akechi and Oda

    Akechi and Oda. Two people with surnames of famous warlords from the Sengoku period now sat in front of me, frozen and motionless.

    ¡°¡­ Can I ask some questions?¡± Akechi asked.

    ¡°Go ahead.¡± I replied.

    ¡°What are you doing to us now? Some form of hypnosis?¡± He asked.

    He was clearly wary of me, but his question seemed to be genuine.

    ¡°Then, you two have never encountered this kind of mysterious power before?¡± I asked them, (Don¡¯t lie, answer truthfully) then ordered just in case.

    ¡°Of course I haven¡¯t.¡± Akechi stated.

    ¡°Y-yes¡­¡± Oda stated.

    Both of them seemed to be surprised by how their mouths moved on their own.

    In that case, the existence of the Spirit Tamer becomes even more mysterious.

    Did I miss someone with the Skill Appraisal? It¡¯s not impossible, since I haven¡¯t appraised everyone here yet.

    ¡°What about the Messiah in Tokorozawa Aviation Memorial Park?¡± I asked them.

    ¡°I heard he uses a strange technique, but that¡¯s about it.¡± Akechi replied.

    ¡°I see.¡± I commented.

    Seems like they really don¡¯t know anything.

    ¡°A¡­ Are you going to kill us?¡± Oda asked me.

    He seemed to be extremely worried about what answer he¡¯d receive from this question.

    Well, understandably so. I felt sorry for him, so I decided to give a reassuring answer.

    ¡°I won¡¯t kill you.¡± I told them.

    ¡°I-I see¡­¡± Oda muttered.

    ¡°However, from now on, you will no longer be able to disobey my orders. If I order you to die, you will die. And you cannot run away either, because I can contact you telepathically.

    ¡°Therefore, please do not take any unnecessary actions from now on.¡± I explained the facts to them in a straight-forward manner.

    Perhaps that wasn¡¯t the best way to go about it though¡­

    ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Because Oda started puking out all of his dinner into a nearby trash can.

    And then he¡­ Started crying.

    ¡°Sorry about that, but please understand that you two can¡¯t go against me anymore.¡± I told them.

    ¡­ My conscience was hurting from doing this.

    But then¡­ ¡°Oda, be silent for now.¡± Akechi told him, and cast a sharp glance in Oda¡¯s direction.

    ¡°Uuh¡­¡± Oda somehow stopped his tears and went silent.

    ¡°I understand what you¡¯re saying¡­ Now what? What are we supposed to do? You can kill us at any time, yet you¡¯re keeping us alive, so there is something you want us to do, right?¡± Akechi asked me.

    I nodded, ¡°From now on, please stop threatening your neighboring residents.

    ¡°Also, you should start cooperating with the people on the Tokorozawa Aviation Memorial Park to try helping as many people as possible.

    ¡°As for your mistresses, you should give them the right to be with who they want.¡±

    ¡°Hmph.¡± Akechi¡¯s expression was bitter, ¡°Such nonsense. So you¡¯re just one of those dumb humanitarians.¡±

    ¡°Say what you want, but you cannot disobey your orders. You get that, don¡¯t you?¡± I told him.

    ¡°Yeah, I know. I¡¯ll do what you want.

    ¡°Though a lot of people come here, you know? Some that are pretty crappy too. There are a lot of things that are out of my control in this place.¡± Akechi told me.

    ¡°Then you¡¯ll have to be a different kind of leader, so as to create a different kind of order here¡­ In the first place, if you were a better leader, things wouldn¡¯t have come to this.¡± I replied.

    In response to me words, Oda shouted, ¡°Boss is¡­! Akechi is not a bad leader!¡±

    I couldn¡¯t back down here though.

    I glared at Oda, ¡°Whoever binds someone else¡¯s freedom cannot complain about having their own freedom bound, got it?¡±

    The words came out naturally.

    Am I in the wrong, or are they in the wrong? I quite frankly don¡¯t know.

    However, I don¡¯t want to lie to myself, so I will do what my morals tell me is right.

    ¡°In the future, if I hear you have acted in a way that harms others¡­ Well, just remember that I can order you at any time. I can make you suffer something worse than death.¡± I told them.

    ¡°¡­ Guess we have no right to refuse.¡± Akechi sighed.

    ¡°It¡¯s nice that you understand things easily.¡± I replied.

    Akechi glared at me with defiant eyes. Which was basically the only way he could fight back, ¡°Can I ask you one more thing?¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡± I said.

    ¡°You¡­ What are you? Some kind of divine messenger or something?¡± Akechi asked.

    ¡°Divine¡­?¡± I was stunned for a second.

    But I guess I understand where he is coming from. It was just about a month ago that the world turned into its current hellish state, which is now filled with monsters.

    And now, someone like me, who has mysterious powers, appeared out of nowhere. His conclusion is an understandable one.

    But it¡¯s wrong, ¡°Nothing of the sort. I¡¯m just a high school girl who happened to get strange powers.¡± I told them.

    ¡°A girl? You¡¯re a girl, Glasses?¡± Akechi asked.

    Oh, right. I¡¯m in a man¡¯s form right now.

    Oh well, I guess it doesn¡¯t matter, ¡°I am. My current appearance is just a temporary one.¡±

    ¡°So you can change your form too¡­? You¡¯re basically a wizard¡­¡± Akechi commented.

    ¡°Well, something like that.¡± I replied.

    My job is Warrior though.

    ¡°Then, one more question¡­¡± Akechi said.

    ¡°Yes?¡± I replied.

    ¡°Are you people¡­ Playing with us, humans?¡± Akechi asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m a human, just like you.¡± I replied.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think so. You don¡¯t seem to be in the same kind of circumstances that we¡¯re at.¡± Akechi told me.

    Then, he slowly brought his face closer to mine.

    And something about this movement made me, for the first time, feel scared of him.

    He¡¯s truly an ideal salesperson, isn¡¯t he? He is able to convince people of things that they have no reason to believe in.

    No wonder he is the boss of this gang.

    ¡°Someday, I¡¯ll bite into your throat. I¡¯m sure of it.¡± He told me.

    Even with his life in my hands, he can still make a face like that one.

    This guy is surely something.

    But this is enough. I gave a sarcastic smile to Akechi, then left my seat.

    I was wondering if I should take him to the Aviation Park to talk things out, but he doesn¡¯t seem willing to listen, so I guess I¡¯ll just order him in case I forgot anything.

    But then¡­ ¡°Wait.¡± Akechi called out to me, ¡°I¡¯m not gonna be surprised by anything else I see, but¡­ What is that?¡±

    ¡°That? What do you mean by ¡®that¡¯?¡± I asked him.

    Akechi snorted, ¡°You kidding me? This thing right outside the window.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± I muttered.

    Both Akechi and Oda were looking at me with strange gazes.

    ¡°What is-?¡± I frowned and looked outside the window.

    There, I saw a bluish-white flame¡­ A googly-eyes fireball.

    ¡°Damn!¡± I exclaimed.

    The words ¡®Spirit Tamer¡¯ came to my mind again.

    And then, barely giving me any time to react, a scorching heat covered this room.

 CH 79

    Chapter 79 ¨C A strange man

    ¨CThe Cruel Spirit Tamer is showing hostility.

    ¨CKill him or make him surrender.

    I was swallowed by the light¡­ And by the time I could look around again, the room had been reduced to a deplorable state.

    As soon as my vision returned, I grabbed my sword, but the flying flame was nowhere to be seen.

    Seems like it just wanted to deliver one blow, then it disappeared from the scene.

    ¡°¡­ Damn it!¡± Akechi exclaimed.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on¡­?¡± Oda was confused.

    They both obtained Skin Strengthening due to becoming slaves, so they didn¡¯t suffer big injuries.

    However¡­

    ¡°¡­ Nori!¡± Akechi ran to her while he screamed that.

    ¡°U¡­ Uuh¡­¡± She was muttering.

    Apparently her name was Nori, and from her height, she was probably on the third or fourth grade of elementary school.

    And right now, she was seriously injured. Probably because she was standing by the window.

    I hurriedly sent a telepathic message to Sanae, (Sanae!)

    [Yes, yes? It¡¯s-] She started replying.

    (I¡¯m borrowing the Healing Magic from the Messiah!) I cut her.

    [Huh? O-okay?] She said.

    Without bothering with explaining anything else, I held my hands over Nori¡¯s body and used Amamiya¡¯s skill, ¡°Healing Magic III.¡±

    Both of my arms and Nori¡¯s body were wrapped up in a green light.

    I don¡¯t know its exact effects, but it seems to be recovery-related, as Nori¡¯s wounds were being healed.

    ¡°What is this¡­? It¡¯s amazing.¡± Oda let out a voice filled with admiration.

    ¡°Will Nori be saved?¡± Akechi asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m working on that.¡± I replied.

    And then, [Hello, hello! It¡¯s older sister Sanae!] I heard this cheerful voice.

    (Can you read the mood this time?) I replied.

    [Okay. Focus on what you¡¯re doing and don¡¯t worry about replying, alright?

    [Considering how panicked you seem to be, I assume someone there was seriously injured, right?

    [The Messiah said that Healing Magic III might not be enough for that, so he picked Healing Magic IV too.

    [He also said he currently has no plans of using this magic, so feel free to take it.] Sanae explained.

    (Good job! Pass that to him!) I told her.

    [Roooger that!] Sanae replied.

    Let¡¯s use it right away, ¡°Healing Magic IV.¡±

    This time, my arms started glowing even brighter, and mine, Oda¡¯s and Akechi¡¯s bodies were all wrapped up in the light.

    ¡°What the¡­?¡± Akechi muttered.

    They both seemed to be anxious.

    ¡°It¡¯s alright. This is just healing the injuries.¡± I told them.

    They seemed to be convinced by my words.

    Then, once all burn marks had disappeared from Yoshida¡¯s body, I stood up, and turned towards Akechi, ¡°Just in case, I¡¯ll ask you again. This is the first time the two of you have seen that pale flame, right?¡±

    ¡°First time I saw that piece of shit¡­ That thing wasn¡¯t your companion?¡± Oda answered me with a surprised expression.

    ¡°No. If it was a friend, it wouldn¡¯t attack me.¡± I replied.

    Akechi had a bitter expression on him right now.

    So, the Spirit Tamer truly wasn¡¯t from this community¡­

    And then, I heard a tremendous explosion, and the earth shook for a second.

    ¡°What!?¡± Akechi looked out the window, ¡°This is bad. That¡¯s the building we store weapons at.¡±

    I looked out too, and could see that fires were rising all over the university grounds.

    And I could also hear it. The screams of all sorts of people.

    I looked up, then I saw the bluish-white flames spinning around the night sky, sending fires downwards.

    ¡°What the¡­?¡± Akechi gritted his teeth as he saw his own kingdom being burned down to the ground.

    ¡°You two, get everyone to safety.¡± I told them.

    ¡°Sure, but what about you?¡± Akechi asked me.

    ¡°I¡­¡± I frowned, ¡°I¡¯ll find who is the person that created this situation, and solve the problem.¡±

    Akechi and Oda looked at one another, then nodded.

    We then kicked down the charred door and ran out the room.

    ***

    ¡°Everyone, calm down! Go to the central plaza and bring only minimal luggage with you! Those with weapons should secure the entrance!¡± Akechi started organizing the panicked people, who were currently running away from the flames.

    ¡°Sis! What the hell is going on!?¡± Iroha ran my away as she asked that.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. But the Spirit Tamer doesn¡¯t seem to be from here.¡± I replied.

    ¡°Not from here? What do you mean by that?¡± She asked.

    ¡°Someone¡­ Someone has a reason to attack this place.¡± I muttered.

    ¡°Who is it? Who?¡± Iroha asked.

    ¡°If I knew that, I wouldn¡¯t be having such a hard time¡­ Do you have any ideas?¡± I asked her back.

    ¡°Mmmmm¡­¡± Iroha had an unusually serious expression on her as she thought, ¡°I don¡¯t!¡±

    ¡­ Figured as much.

    ¡°But I have a good idea!¡± She exclaimed.

    ¡°What is it?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Let¡¯s do our best to find them!¡± Iroha said.

    ¡°Oh¡­¡± I muttered.

    Well, I agree. It¡¯s a good idea.

    And then, we heard the sound of an automatic rifle.

    Immediately after that, a bright light flashed three times in a row.

    ¡°Over there!¡± Iroha exclaimed and started running.

    I couldn¡¯t keep up with Iroha¡¯s speed, but I ran after her, ¡°Hey, hold on!¡± I told her. It was better for us to stay together.

    But then, we quickly arrived there. At the place I had killed the zombie of an unknown girl a small while back.

    There was a man near the main gate of the Ihongei University.

    It¡¯s easy to know that he is not a normal person, for his body was stained with blood.

    At first glance, he looked like a boy, and he is short enough to be considered one. His eyes also seemed to have a pure brilliance of sorts.

    However, he had too much white hair to be called a boy, and his face looked strangely old.

    He was a man who seemed to be at his teens, twenties and forties at the same time.

    And, this man, was single-mindedly stabbing a knife at the pirate-like uncle who was on lookout.

    The white-haired man was mumbling something¡­ I paid attention to it, trying to understand what he was saying, ¡°Villains, villains, villains, villains, villains, villains¡­¡±

    As the white-haired man said that, he stabbed the sentry over and over again. Not just on the torso, but also on the face, hands and feet¡­

    Iroha seemed to be completely dumbfounded at that sight. Like a girl who first learned where babies come from.

    ¡°Wh¡­ What is he doing?¡± She asked with a trembling voice.

    Then, the man stopped thrusting the knife, stood up, then started moving in a strangely ritualistic manner and¡­ Started peeing on the sentry he had just stabbed to death.

    It was a completely absurd scene, yet the white-haired man seemed to be completely calm.

    ¡°Aaah¡­ Ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah¡­¡± He said in an ecstatic voice.

    Yikes. I don¡¯t think I can be friends with this one, like¡­ Who does this kind of thing? Even in this messed up world, this is way too crazy. What could even make someone go this mad?

    For now, I used Skill Appraisal on him.

    ¡ª¡ª

    Job: Spirit Tamer

    Level: 29

    Skills:

    Madness (Medium)

    Natural Healing (Strong); Skin Strengthening; Bone Strengthening

    Hunger Resistance (Strong)

    Fire Magic I-V; Healing Magic I-V

    Spirit Summoning V; Spiritual Presence I; Will-o-Wisp; Fairy; Ghost

    ¡ª¡ª

    Ugh¡­ He¡¯s pretty strong.

    Seriously, where did this guy even come from? You should at least introduce yourself first.

 CH 80

    Chapter 80 ¨C Bad guy

    ¡°What¡­ What the hell are you doing, bastard!?¡±

    The person who shouted that wasn¡¯t neither me nor Iroha.

    It was Akai, who seemed to have rushed here under Akechi¡¯s orders.

    Visibly emanating anger, Akai pointed his rifle at the Spirit Tamer.

    That¡¯s bad!

    Before I could stop him, the Spirit Tamer raised one hand, ¡°Extremely Hot Fire.¡±

    Whoa!

    A giant fire pillar rose from below Akai¡¯s feet.

    ¡°Geaaaah!¡± Akai screamed as his body was charred.

    ¡°Healing Magic-!¡± I stopped my words midway¡­ It was too late.

    I could vaguely see Akai¡¯s body, who was within the fire pillar.

    The part that seemed to be the head fell apart, like a doll that just crumbled.

    A few seconds later, the fire pillar disappeared¡­ By then, Akai had already become charcoal.

    ¡°Whoa¡­ A¡­¡± Iroha, who didn¡¯t seem to understand the meaning of fear, was clearly frightened right now.

    ¡°Hey, hey, hey!?¡± One person exclaimed.

    ¡°Wh-what¡¯s going on!?¡± Another exclaimed.

    ¡°Akai! What happened to Akai!?¡± A third person shouted.

    ¡°Did that guy do it!?¡± A fourth person asked.

    People who noticed the situation started rushing in one after the other.

    This is bad¡­ If the chaos spreads, more damage might be done.

    I took a deep breath, then raised my voice as loudly as I could, ¡°Everyone, don¡¯t interfere!¡±

    They quieted down.

    It certainly wasn¡¯t just because of the words of a newcomer though.

    They instinctively understood it¡­ This bloody man was dangerous.

    ¡°Tell me your goal.¡± I told him.

    ¡°Go, go, goal¡­?¡± The Spirit Tamer seemed to be confused. As if the question was beyond his comprehension.

    ¡°I¡¯m asking you why you¡¯re attacking this community.¡± I said clearly.

    ¡°Eh?¡± The man titled his head, ¡°Comyuni¡­?¡±

    ¡°The group here¡­ Why are you attacking the people who live here?¡± I broke it down as simply as I could.

    ¡°Because they¡¯re all bad guys, aren¡¯t they?¡± The Spirit Tamer replied.

    ¡°Well, maybe some of them are¡­¡± I said.

    ¡°I heard that there are a lot of bullies here.¡± The Spirit Tamer said.

    Bullies? It¡¯s a bit of a strange word to be used in this context, but I guess it might fit?

    ¡°So, I¡¯m gonna kill them all.¡± The Spirit Tamer said.

    I frowned at such an extreme decision, ¡°Just because there are bad guys here, it doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯re allowed to do anything you want to them.¡±

    ¡°Huh!?¡± The Spirit Tamer stomped the ground angrily, ¡°Why!?¡± He seemed like a child who had his toy taken away from him, ¡°Bad guys need to beaten! Isn¡¯t that the right thing to do!?¡±

    Ah, this sucks. I chose the wrong replies.

    Let¡¯s try changing the direction of the conversation, ¡°Did someone ask you to do this?¡±

    ¡°Ah¡­ I forgot who it was, but there were people. People talking about bad guys.¡± The Spirit Tamer replied.

    ¡°People near here?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Seriously¡­¡± Iroha sighed.

    ¡°I heard the rumors, and was driven by righteous indignation.¡± The Spirit Tamer said.

    ¡°Say what!?¡± Iroha was in disbelief.

    ¡°Uhn¡­ So, you came here to do something good¡­?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Seriously¡­¡± Iroha sighed again.

    ¡°But don¡¯t you think it¡¯s bad to attack indiscriminately? You see, among the people you attacked, there was actually a girl who was still an elementary schooler¡­¡± I explained.

    How about this? This should convince him, right?

    I was thinking that at least, but the Spirit Tamer just had a blank expression on him.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that fine?¡± He replied.

    What a crude reply.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t a child in a bad guy¡¯s place a bad guy too? Isn¡¯t it better for her to die?¡± The Spirit Tamer said.

    Wow¡­ I don¡¯t know what this is, but there is a terrifying feeling running through my back.

    Anyways, I shouldn¡¯t let that interrupt the conversation.

    I¡¯m not sure if this will work, but it¡¯s all that I got, ¡°There are good people here too.¡± I told him.

    ¡°That¡¯s a lie!¡± He exclaimed.

    I really can¡¯t like this guy¡­ He¡¯s throwing a tantrum now. He seems about to cry even.

    ¡°In the first place! You¡¯re one of the bad guys too!¡± He exclaimed.

    ¡°I just got here.¡± I replied.

    ¡°Lies, lies, lies!¡± He exclaimed.

    If that¡¯s how he is, then there is no way to convince him¡­

    This man, whose age is unknown, was screaming while fully expressing his frustration with his whole body¡­

    ¡°Come, Will-o-wisp!¡± He exclaimed.

    In an instant, a blue-white flame appeared in front of him.

    My eyes met up with two hostile eyeballs.

    ¡°Sis¡­¡± Iroha turned her gaze towards me.

    She seemed to be asking me what will I do. Asking if I wanted to fight.

    I shook my head. Once this starts, it won¡¯t end until one of us dies.

    Solving things through combat should be a last resort.

    ¡°I¡¯m gonna beat a lot of bad guys and get tons of compliments¡­ Don¡¯t get in my way¡­¡± The Spirit Tamer said.

    As long as we can communicate, there should surely be a way for us to understand one another¡­

    ¡°Then, send these feelings towards someone else¡­¡± I tried telling him.

    But then, I heard a clicking sound on my side, and a weight was dropped on my pocket.

    When I looked towards it, there was something like a winged doll attached to my pants.

    ¡°Whoa?¡± I thought it was an insect, so I brushed it off.

    But then, the doll-like creature raised its hands angrily and flew into the sky.

    ¡°Oh, sorry about that¡­¡± As I said that, I put my hand on my pocket.

    What I took out was something that looked similar to a small pineapple.

    A shape that I had only seen in movies.

    I know what this is.

    ¡­ Grenade.

    ¡°Hyah!¡± I exclaimed and hurriedly threw it away.

    Immediately after it left my hand though, the hot air burnt through my whole body.

    The explosion must have ruptured my eardrums, for I could barely hear any sounds.

    However, the pain was tremendous¡­ A normal human would have surely died instantly from this.

    I don¡¯t know what¡¯s currently going on, because I¡¯m deaf right now.

    I just laid on my back and looked up at the night sky.

    ¡­ What would happen if I pretended to be dead?

    It certainly felt like an appealing idea.

    But no¡­ For now, I have to do something, even if I¡¯m in pain.

    ¡°Healing Magic IV.¡± A warm green light filled my surroundings.

    The pain quickly disappeared, as if it had never been there.

    At the same time, I started hearing voices again.

    It was the voice of the Spirit Tamer¡­ He was laughing, a maddened laugher, ¡°Do you see that!? Such a silly face! So uncool!¡± He exclaimed as he laughed.

    I slowly got up, coughing.

    The Spirit Tamer laughed more, ¡°I¡¯m the strongest!¡± he exclaimed.

    Well¡­ It seems like there is no way to save him¡­ As expected.

    ¡°Iroha.¡± I called out to her while looking around.

    I quickly found what I was searching for. The katana that was a memento from my grandfather. It was blown away by the explosion and was currently in tatters.

    ¡°What?¡± Iroha asked.

    I briefly looked her way, just to be sure that she was safe.

    ¡°Can I ask you to buy me a few minutes? I¡¯ll repair the sword.¡± I told her.

    ¡°Sure.¡± Iroha replied.

    Her expression was filled with determination for the first time in a while, ¡°But I may kill him, alright?¡±

 CH 81

    Chapter 81 ¨C Cheat

    As soon as I grabbed the sword that had been blown away, the effects of Perfect Maintenance immediately started being applied, and I could see the blade gradually regenerate.

    Perfect Maintenance should make sure that the sword is completely restored, and it should restore the sword faster than the previous levels of this skill too, but¡­ It still seems like it will take a while before I can use this weapon again.

    This is the first time that my sword has been damaged so badly.

    If it¡¯s just a small dent on the blade from slashing a zombie, then it¡¯s usually repaired in no time, but¡­ This time it was hit by a grenade blast.

    Right now, its blade is particularly bad, and parts of the sword have been completely broken.

    It¡¯s honestly hard to believe it will be fully repaired, but I guess I¡¯ll believe in the effectiveness of the skill.

    ¡°Hey, you!¡± Iroha loudly stated while standing in front of the Spirit Tamer, ¡°A guy like you is no good, so I¡¯ll punish you! Prepare yourself!¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± The man raised his eyebrows and began to open his mouth to say something.

    ¡°Dialogue is futile!¡± Iroha kicked the ground and charged forward.

    As expected of her, she has no intention engaging in useless dialogue.

    ¡°You annoying¡­!¡± The Spirit Tamer raised his hand.

    I thought this was going to be dangerous for Iroha, but¡­

    Iroha disappeared.

    That was the Quick Step skill, I think? It only covers a short distance, but it allows the user to teleport.

    As such, she appeared on the blind spot of the Spirit Tamer and thrust her fist, like a bullet, onto his abdomen.

    It was supposed to be a direct hit, but¡­ The sound of the punch was strange. It was not what I expected to hear when two bodies collided.

    ¡°Whoa!?¡± Iroha flinched, ¡°What¡¯s this!?¡±

    In front of Iroha¡¯s fist, a white and vague thing was floating in the air, as if protecting the Spirit Tamer.

    I¡¯m not sure what it is, but¡­ It seems to be shaped like a person holding a shield.

    ¡°Alright. Guess I¡¯ll just have to beat this up too.¡± Iroha stated while staring at the white blur that moved erratically.

    Iroha frowned a bit while remaking her stance, ¡°I don¡¯t really get what this is, but¡­ Blowing Wave!¡±

    Seemingly want to test how the blur handled special skills, Iroha shot a golden energy bullet.

    If it was against a zombie, this attack would be absolutely deadly.

    ¡°Ghost!¡± As the Spirit Tamer shouted that, the white haze took Iroha¡¯s Special Skill II head-on.

    And with a strange sound reverberating to our surroundings, the energy of Iroha¡¯s skill was dissipated too.

    ¡°What the¡­? So skills don¡¯t work either? Then let¡¯s see¡­¡± Iroha got no reply to her words, so she decided to continue, ¡°Explosive Hundred Fists!¡±

    That was her Special Skill III. As far as I know, it¡¯s her most powerful attack, and it unleashes a series of golden energy balls against the enemy.

    The Spirit Tamer seemed to be annoyed at that, ¡°Ghost!¡± but he took it head-on without hesitation.

    I don¡¯t quite get how it works, but the white haze took all the damage again.

    ¡°Mmm¡­ It¡¯s not working.¡± Iroha seemed to be troubled about it.

    When she fought me, she just rushed forward and unleashed as many special attacks as she could without thinking it through.

    ¡°Does this mean that direct attacks don¡¯t work?¡± Iroha pondered.

    Does this mean that she has grown up? I¡¯m so proud of her.

    ¡°Well, then I guess I just need to hit you a hundred times until I succeed!¡± Iroha exclaimed.

    ¡­ Please return my excitement.

    ¡°Explosive Hundred Fists!¡± Iroha used Special Skill III once again, but just like in the other times, it was blocked by the white haze.

    However, Iroha didn¡¯t seem to want to stop there.

    She charged forward, as if chasing her energy bullets, ¡°Take that!¡± She shouted and slammed her fist in the area with the white haze.

    ¡°A-ah! W-what the hell is this!? Will-o-wisp! Hurry up and get rid of her!¡± The Spirit Tamer exclaimed.

    Immediately after that, the flying blue flame turned its eyes towards Iroha.

    ¡°Iroha, be careful! It shoots something like a beam!¡± I told her.

    ¡°Got it!¡± Iroha seemed to have noticed the approach of the Will-o-wisp, so she avoided it by using Quick Step.

    The Will-o-wisp chased after Iroha, but its attacks weren¡¯t hitting her at all.

    ¡°One more time! Exploding Hundred Fists!¡± Making use of the opening, she used her Special Skill III again.

    That girl¡­ She keeps firing Special Skills left and right. What will she do once she runs out of magic?

    I glanced at the degree of restoration of the sword, but it seemed to only be 20-30% repaired¡­ It would be helpful if this battle could be prolonged for at least another minute or two.

    When thinking of that, perhaps it is convenient that the battle between Iroha and the Spirit Tamer seem to be at a stalemate of sorts.

    ¡°Damn, damn, damn, damn, damn! Annoying, annoying, annoying, annoying, annoying!¡± The Spirit Tamer hysterically yelled as he couldn¡¯t catch his opponent.

    Iroha kept dodging all of his attacks while jumping around like a ninja, ¡°Try and hit me!¡± she said while laughing out loud.

    That girl is really getting carried away, isn¡¯t she? I hope she doesn¡¯t trip or anything.

    ¡°Damn it! Take her out, Will-o-wisp!¡± The Spirit Tamer shouted.

    Coming to think of it, isn¡¯t this guy pretty amazing? Will-o-wisp is a pretty hard to say word, yet he didn¡¯t bite his tongue even once while shouting this name over and over.

    Oops, I shouldn¡¯t get absent-minded like that, I¡¯m focusing on something unnecessary.

    But then, by staring at him, I noticed something that seemed to be a winged girl perched on his shoulder.

    That was the doll-like girl that threw a grenade into my pocket, wasn¡¯t it? That must be the Fairy.

    The white blur should be the Ghost, and the blueish-white flame should be the Will-o-wisp.

    Those were the only skills with strange names I saw on the skill list of the Spirit Tamer, so those are probably all the spirits that he uses.

    I kept on paying attention to how things moved¡­ The Spirit Tamer did shout at times, but the spirits were often times moving without his actual shouts. The Spirit Tamer can probably give orders to the spirits telepathically then.

    In this kind of situation, Iroha suddenly stood upright and made a declaration, ¡°Alright, that¡¯s enough playing around. It¡¯s time to get serious!¡±

    No, Iroha. Don¡¯t do that. This is the kind of declaration that always bites the speaker back¡­

    ¡°Let¡¯s do this! My new Special Skill! Peerless Heavenly Wolf¡­ Huh? Eh?¡± Iroha was going to attack, but¡­ She fell to her knees.

    ¡°Honya¡­?¡± Iroha looked at her hands, letting out a mysterious cute-creature-like voice.

    At this moment, as if he was waiting for this, the Spirit Tamer shouted, ¡°Uaraa!¡± ran towards Iroha at full speed and kicked her solar plexus.

    ¡°Ugeh!¡± Iroha exclaimed.

    Just like a normal girl, she helplessly fell down while clutching her stomach.

    ¡°Villain! Villain! Villain!¡± The Spirit Tamer mercilessly kicked her body.

    I was lost. I didn¡¯t comprehend what was going on.

    I did understand that Iroha ran out of magical power, but it was way too soon. From my own experience fighting Iroha, there should be no way for her magical power to disappear this quickly.

    The Spirit Tamer laughed maniacally, ¡°Good! Good! That¡¯s how it is! I¡¯m the best!¡± with a cheerful smile on his face, he kept on kicking her.

    Iroha wasn¡¯t even reacting anymore. She seemed to have fainted already, yet the kicks didn¡¯t stop¡­

    Stop it¡­

    ¡°Stop it!¡± I instinctively stood up.

    My sword was still only about 50% restored, but even if I¡¯m not fully ready for battle, this was not the kind of situation where I could just stand by and leave this be.

    ¡°What? You?¡± The Spirit Tamer glared at me with a bored expression.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be your opponent.¡± I told him.

    ¡°Hah!?¡± The man started laughing out loud with a mocking expression, ¡°Stop it!? You¡¯re useless! I¡¯m the best!¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± I asked.

    ¡°I have the Madness skill!¡± He exclaimed.

    ¡°What is that¡­?¡± I didn¡¯t actually expect a reply to this one.

    But the Spirit Tamer happily spoiled me with the details, ¡°Don¡¯t you know!? I guess you don¡¯t know! This is the greatest power that God gave only to me! All the bad guys are losing their skill powers!¡±

    Mmmm¡­ Considering his meager vocabulary, I guess this is a skill that automatically absorbs the magical power of nearby players, then?

    ¡°I know what you want to say! It¡¯s a cheat! It¡¯s a cheat skill!¡± The Spirit Tamer laughed out loud, ¡°That¡¯s why! You villains can¡¯t do anything! It¡¯s useless! You¡¯re useless!¡±

    I see¡­ It truly does feel like a cheat-like skill.

    It¡¯s troublesome, but I can¡¯t really run away just because of that.

    I readied my sword and answered him, ¡°Well, let me try handling this cheat of yours then.¡±

 CH 82

    Chapter 82 ¨C Madness

    Well, I¡¯ll be damned¡­ Madness is the problematic skill, then?

    The drawback of Skill Appraisal is that it doesn¡¯t really tell me what the appraised skills do, I suppose.

    But well, the plan for this battle should still be simple. It¡¯s a short-term showdown.

    However, the Spirit Tamer does have a very powerful defense, the Ghost. I need to first find a way to handle it.

    ¡°Ah, enough! You too should hurry up and die!¡± The Spirit Tamer raised one of his hands towards me, ¡°Extremely Hot Fire!¡±

    Hot air appeared below my feet, so I quickly dodged sideways, right before the fire pillar appeared.

    Fortunately enough, the Spirit Tamer¡¯s attacks are not hard to avoid if I¡¯m careful.

    The troublesome part though, is that I could already hear my stomach rumbling.

    Seems like I¡¯m already being afflicted by his Madness skill.

    Because Iroha kept on fighting in this situation, she ran out of magical power.

    However, I can¡¯t simply rush forward and attack him¡­ So how do I beat him?

    The Spirit Tamer seemed to have noticed that attacking me was a waste of magical power, so he instead put all of his spirits around him, solidifying his defenses.

    So he wants to buy time until I¡¯m worn out¡­

    I sighed.

    It¡¯s not like I can¡¯t think of any plan at all, but I had too little time.

    I was trying to think as fast as possible, trying to find a solution.

    But then, I heard gunshots come from behind me.

    A series of unpleasant sounds started echoing as the bullets were repelled by the white haze.

    ¡°What the!?¡± The Spirit Tamer shouted.

    When I turned around, wondering what was going on, I saw Akechi quickly sending instructions to his companions.

    ¡°Surround him! Pay attention to his hands¡¯ movements!¡± Akechi exclaimed.

    (Please don¡¯t interfere unnecessarily. There will be deaths.) I told him telepathically.

    [Says the idiot.] Akechi scolded me, [This is our place. Outsiders have no reason to stop us.]

    (But¡­) I tried replying.

    [We are not children in need of protection. Everyone here is prepared to die.] Akechi told me.

    Mmmm¡­ When he says it like that, I guess I can¡¯t force him to stop.

    ¡°What the!? No way! Don¡¯t look at me like that!¡± The Spirit Tamer yelled and retreated a little, ¡°I¡¯m doing this for everyone¡¯s sake, damn it! Will-o-wisp! Burn them down!¡±

    As soon as the Spirit Tamer said that, I started running his way.

    And then, a bright hot light started illuminating the surroundings.

    ¡°Watch out for the light under your feet! Leave the afflicted area immediately!¡± Oda shouted to his comrades.

    It seems like the Will-o-wisp is only visible to normal people when it¡¯s about attack.

    I don¡¯t know what skills it can use, but compared to me who can always visualize it, it must be extremely hard for everyone else to dodge it.

    If we don¡¯t settle this as soon as possible, the casualties will only increase.

    However, as I ran towards the Spirit Tamer, the familiar white haze, the Ghost, stood in my way.

    Aiming at it, I swung down my sword.

    I heard the sound of metal hitting metal, and the sword was stopped.

    Now that I was facing it directly, I could clearly understand what I only had a vague notion of before.

    There is a real mass to this white haze. I can feel a huge shield stopping my sword.

    However, if it needs the shield to stop my attacks, then its main body must be vulnerable.

    ¡°Fireball.¡± I manifested a fireball in the palm of my hand and aimed it slightly behind the shield, where the body was probably at, ¡°Take this!¡±

    ¡°Guo¡­ Goooo!¡± The spirit shouted.

    It worked. I don¡¯t know if the spirit can feel pain or if it just happens to be vulnerable to fire, but the power holding the shield has weakened.

    ¡°Fireball!¡± I started shooting more Fireballs in quick succession towards the place that the Ghost¡¯s body must be at.

    Each time, the body shook and its power lessened, it won¡¯t be able to hold back my sword for long. I can push through!

    That thought probably made me lower my guard.

    I was a moment too late to notice the Spirit Tamer approaching me from the side.

    ¡°Stop it! Stop it! Stop it! You worthless scum!¡± He grabbed me by the hair and slammed my head on the ground.

    That blow might have been strong enough to crack a normal person¡¯s skull open, but from what I saw from Skill Appraisal, he didn¡¯t seem like too much of a threat, physically speaking.

    Then, some of his spirit-related skills must be aiding him right now¡­ Or maybe a hidden part of the Madness skill.

    On the next moment, I saw myself being lifted by the Spirit Tamer, who had a knife in his hand.

    ¡°Support him!¡± Akechi shouted.

    Immediately after, the Spirit Tamer was thrown backwards. He seemed to have been shot by someone.

    By the time I regained my balance, bullets were already raining down on the spirits, who were protecting the Spirit Tamer.

    ¡°Do it now! Finish him off, Swirly Glasses!¡± Oda shouted.

    ¡°Damn it¡­ What¡¯s going on¡­? What the hell¡­?¡± The Spirit Tamer said. Like a child who couldn¡¯t get his parents to buy him what he wanted.

    Even if you make this kind of expression though, I won¡¯t pity you, nor will you gain any more levels to keep fighting. It¡¯s futile.

    I moved forward, and tried thrusting my sword into his throat.

    ¡°Damn it! Swirly Glasses! Be careful!¡± Akechi shouted.

    A blue-white flame blocked my vision. It was the Will-o-wisp.

    Perhaps it was trying to protect is master, so it stood in my way.

    Well, what happens if I cut through it?

    Let¡¯s try it out.

    I slashed at what seemed to be the centerpiece of the flames.

    And¡­ Nothing. I didn¡¯t feel any response. It was like I had cut through air.

    However, ¡°Gyeeaaaah!¡± The Spirit shouted.

    Seems like slashing it was quite effective.

    Then, one more time.

    With the next slash, the Will-o-wisp disappeared into a fog.

    ¡°Ah¡­ Aah¡­¡± The Spirit Tamer seemed to be shocked, ¡°It¡¯s a lie¡­ It¡¯s a lie¡­ Will-o-wisp! Hey! Where are you!? Don¡¯t go! Don¡¯t go!¡±

    The area was enveloped in silence.

    ¡°Why¡­ Why¡­¡± Large tears spilled from his eyes, ¡°Why!? Whyyyyy!?¡±

    I flinched for a moment due to the shock, wondering if he would suddenly awaken to a new power due to anger.

    ¡­ But no such thing happened. His screams just disappeared into the vast sky.

    I pointed the tip of my sword to his face and said clearly, ¡°Surrender.¡±

    I said just in case, but I¡¯ll most likely have to kill him here.

    I wonder if the Spirit Tamer is aware of this¡­

    ¡°Shut up! Shut up! You villaaaaaaain!¡± The Spirit Tamer showed a hot rebellious spirit, spread his arms, and tried to grab me.

    At this moment, I imagined something akin to a game choice appearing in front of me.

    Stab him and finish him off.

    Don¡¯t stab and forgive him.

    If I was the protagonist of a shounen manga, I might have just chosen the second one here.

    But that¡¯s not me. I¡¯m sorry, but since this past month, I have stopped caring about killing people.

    Honestly, I do want to hear about the circumstances of this guy, but¡­ He is too dangerous to be kept alive.

    ¡°Well, goodbye.¡± I stabbed my sword at his head.

    There was a bang, and his forehead was cracked open.

    ¡°Guzoooo!¡± He shouted in pain.

    Huh? I was sure that I was going through it in one go, so as to not make him suffer.

    And just as I thought that, my body lost all its strength.

    This is bad¡­ Does this mean that I¡¯m running out of time?

    The sword, which felt light as a feather until just now, suddenly felt extremely heavy.

    It felt as if I was holding a lump of iron¡­ Or rather, I was doing that.

    I staggered. The blade of my sword touched the ground.

    ¡°Guh¡­¡± I groaned.

    Seeing this, the Spirit Tamer smiled creepily. He must be thinking that he won.

    However, this is already over. My body may feel incredibly heavy and sluggish, but unlike Iroha, I didn¡¯t faint.

    Therefore, what I have to do is simple.

    I simply took a few steps back, moving away from the Spirit Tamer.

    That much was enough.

    A gunshot echoed through the night air of the university.

    The bullet grazed my ear and landed on the already cracked forehead of the Spirit Tamer. It pierced through the vulnerable spot and went through his brain.

    And then, the Spirit Tamer stopped moving. Cerebral fluid erupted from the hole in his forehead.

    The Spirit Tamer¡¯s life has been ended.

    When I turned around, I saw smoke coming out of Oda¡¯s gun.

    Looking at him like that, I gave him a weak thumbs up.

    I didn¡¯t expect a reaction, but unexpectedly, he smiled sarcastically and gave me a thumbs up too.

    Night had already fallen, and the smell of burning filled my nostrils.

    ¡°Then, bring the injured people here. I will heal then-¡± I tried saying.

    However¡­ I felt my consciousness leaving me.

    Suddenly, I could no longer see anything.

 CH 83

    Chapter 83 ¨C God¡¯s toys

    ¨CCongratulations! For killing the Cruel Spirit Tamer, you can steal up to three of his skills!

    ¨CCongratulations! You obtained the ¡°First Step Towards the Sacred Realm¡± Achievement!

    ¨CCongratulations! Your level has increased!

    ¨CCongratulations! Your level has increased!

    ¨CCongratulations! Your level has increased!

    ***

    I woke up on a bed within a room that I had never seen before.

    I stared at my arm and saw that I was being given intravenous drip.

    ¡­ What happened after all that?

    I looked at a clock and saw that it was a bit past 10pm, so only two hours have passed since then.

    My clothes were the same as what I was previously wearing.

    By same, I mean the clothes that were completely tattered after being hit by a grenade blast.

    There is basically nothing covering my upper body, though I suppose it¡¯s not too embarrassing for a man¡¯s body.

    Though I also noticed some slight discomfort on my face, so I tried touching it and¡­ Seems like I¡¯ve lost the Coward¡¯s Glasses.

    I suppose it must have happened in the middle of the battle against the Spirit Tamer, and I only realized it now.

    Mmmm¡­ I stayed silent for a moment, trying to think of what to do next.

    For now, I think I can¡¯t stay here like this.

    I roughly pulled out the intravenous drip and got up.

    As expected, my body still feels heavy. It¡¯s like I¡¯m a car who is almost out of gas.

    So food. I need food. Anything is fine, but I need to eat something.

    I walked around the room, looking for something that might be nutritious, but I couldn¡¯t find anything.

    Mmmm¡­ Without many options available to me, I reluctantly pulled out a flower from a nearby vase and started chewing on it.

    It didn¡¯t taste good, but I ignored that and kept on eating.

    At that moment, I heard a voice, ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    I looked towards it and saw a shocked face.

    There were two people who had come inside the room.

    One was Oda, who had just been completely shocked by my actions.

    The other was Tsuzuri, the maid girl who stayed by the Slave Master¡¯s side.

    I put the flower, that was only a stem by now, back in its vase.

    ¡°What am¡­ What do you mean¡­?¡± I asked him.

    Seeing my confusion, Oda gave me a wry smile, ¡°At least I now know you aren¡¯t an all-knowing and all-powerful God.¡±

    Is that sarcasm, I wonder?

    ¡°Well, what about Iroha?¡± I asked them.

    ¡°She¡¯s safe. She¡¯s receiving intravenous nourishment, so she should be able to recover soon.¡± Tsuzuri calmly explained.

    ¡°Why are you here?¡± I asked her.

    ¡°It was master¡¯s order. We were aware that things had started to move here, but we hesitated too much in coming. Had we taken action sooner, I might have been able to help out in the battle against the Spirit Tamer¡­¡± Tsuzuri explained.

    I took a deep breath after hearing that, then turned towards Oda, ¡°Please answer me honestly.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡± Oda asked.

    ¡°How many died?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Eight.¡± He stated plainly.

    ¡°And injured?¡± I asked next.

    ¡°None. People either died instantly, or came out miraculously unharmed. Fortunately, nobody has suffered for long.¡± Oda answered in a sullen tone.

    ¡°I see¡­¡± I muttered.

    ¡°What? Do you feel responsible?¡± He asked.

    ¡°A bit.¡± I replied honestly.

    ¡°Then please remove the curse you put on me and Akechi.¡± Oda told me.

    ¡°Impossible.¡± I stated plainly.

    ¡°Damn it.¡± Oda clicked his tongue and averted his eyes, ¡°You know, I only helped you because Akechi told me to. I was against it.¡±

    ¡°Is that because I threatened to order you to suicide if you tried harming me?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Well, there is certainly that¡­¡± Oda grumbled.

    ¡°I can¡¯t trust you guys.¡± I told him honestly.

    Oda let out a deep breath. He didn¡¯t seem to want to get used to this situation either.

    But well, I suppose this kind of relationship with the people here might be just fine.

    ¡°Well, you know. Akechi told me that I shouldn¡¯t worry too much about what you¡¯re gonna do in the future.¡± Oda told me.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Well, until just now, I really wanted to kill, but I have since changed my mind a bit.¡± Oda replied.

    ¡°Oh?¡± I said.

    ¡°You see, for a long while now, I thought there was some god-like being who had scattered zombies and monsters throughout this world and started laughing out loud when seeing the chaos. I thought we were this mysterious bastard¡¯s toys.¡± Oda said.

    A god-like being, huh? I think Mr. Norio also said something similar to that a while back.

    When considering what the current state of the world is, I suppose it isn¡¯t strange to consider the existence of a God.

    ¡°Then, when I met you, I thought you were like, a herald of this god-like being, but¡­ I think the reality is a bit different.¡± Oda told me.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± I asked him.

    ¡°We are not the toys of this divine being. You guys are.¡± Oda explained.

    Mmmm¡­ That¡¯s one way of looking at it.

    Oda turned his back to me. Seems like that was all that he had to say.

    But just as he was about to leave the room, he started speaking again, ¡°Ah, I forgot to mention it. This is a room that is for the use of the executives, but since you¡¯re a ¡®super-promising newcomer¡¯ or a ¡®superhuman¡¯ or a ¡®guardian of humanity¡¯, you can use it however you like.¡±

    Then, Oda gave me a cynical smile, and left the room.

 CH 84

    Chapter 84 ¨C Case closed?

    After Oda left, me and the maid girl were left alone in the room.

    I wondered if she had anything to tell me, but¡­

    There was nothing.

    Plain and absolute silence.

    She did not seem to want to talk to me about anything¡­ It felt awkward.

    ¡°Uhn¡­ Do you have any food?¡± I asked.

    She handed me a chocolate bar that seemed to be high on calories, ¡°From now on, I recommend you to always carry as many emergency snacks with you as you can. For a Player, there is nothing more dangerous than running out of magical power.¡±

    That¡¯s certainly true.

    And then¡­ Silence again.

    ¡°Uhn¡­¡± I was trying to think of what to say next.

    ¡°I have a personal request.¡± Differently from her usual indifferent tone, this time she seemed to be a bit worked up.

    ¡°What is it?¡± I asked.

    ¡°To that guy named Akechi¡­ Can I do what I want with him?¡± She asked me.

    ¡°Whatever you like¡­?¡± This is not an erotic request, is it? ¡°What do you want to do?¡± I asked back.

    ¡°Kill him.¡± She said calmly.

    ¡°Why?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Because he¡¯s an enemy.¡± She told me.

    Ohou?

    Let¡¯s take a moment to reflect on my interactions with those two and try finding an answer for this.

    ¡°Mmmm¡­ Could this be related to a girl named Kamizono?¡± I asked her.

    That was probably the name of the zombie I first slashed when I came here.

    ¡°Yes, Kamizono Yuki¡­ The only person I loved.¡± She stated plainly.

    Wait, hold on, did she just say Love!?

    I heaved a deep sigh, ¡°So, the purpose of all this was to clear out your personal grudge¡­?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, pretty much.¡± The maid girl said without any hesitation, ¡°So, the answer?¡±

    ¡°No good.¡± I told her.

    ¡°Why?¡± She asked.

    ¡°Because he is still useful.¡± I said.

    Oh wow¡­ I¡¯m saying he must be kept alive due to being useful. I feel like an evil boss or something.

    ¡°Because the world has become like this¡­ Even if there are some troublesome circumstances, the worthy will live, and the worthless will die. And Akechi is still worthy.¡± I told her.

    On the other hand, that Spirit Tamer was worthless.

    ¡°So, regardless of your personal feelings, that man shall be kept alive.¡± I said.

    ¡°Then¡­ What if that man becomes worthless?¡± She asked me.

    ¡°At that time, do as you please.¡± I replied.

    ¡°I see.¡± She smiled, as if she heard some wonderful news, ¡°Revenge is a dish best served cold¡­¡±

    Oh wow¡­ Scary.

    ¡°¡­ Please cooperate properly, alright?¡± I told her.

    At this point, Tsuzuri pinched both ends of her skirt and made a graceful curtsy, ¡°Leave it to me.¡±

    ***

    After Tsuzuri left, and I was alone in the room, I muttered out loud, ¡°I¡¯ve given enough support. The rest is up to you.¡±

    Shortly after, [Guess I was caught?] Akechi¡¯s reply was just as expected.

    (Eavesdropping is unfair, you know?) I told him.

    [It was a bit of an experiment. I wanted to know if I still had some free will in myself or not.] He told me honestly.

    (The next time you do something strange, I¡¯ll make you dance naked in front of everyone.) I replied.

    [Please don¡¯t do that. I prefer to be awe-inspiring to the people here.] He said.

    In this empty room, I sighed heavily, (I gotta say it though, Tsuzuri is tough to handle.)

    [I owe you for that, so let me just say that I¡¯m thankful for what you told her.] Akechi replied.

    (Just don¡¯t mess up and make me regret my decisions, okay?) I told him.

    [There is a reason I call this place the Right Way to Live Association, you know? I believe that, one day, we¡¯ll come to understand each other.] Akechi said.

    (I can¡¯t imagine thinking that the ¡®right¡¯ way to do things, is to imitate the sort of cruel behavior you and your people have shown so far.) I told him.

    [I will admit that my ways have been wrong at times.] Akechi said that, but I could hear no remorse in his voice.

    I sighed again, (For the time being, you should at least kneel down and apologize to Yoshida.)

    [Let me tell you that this is one of the many misunderstandings that exist between us. Nori Yoshida was being heavily abused and was close to dying when we took her.] Akechi told me.

    (You can say anything you want, but you also need to prove those things.) I replied.

    [Of course. I intend to create opportunities to clear out the misunderstandings with that maid girl. We never intended to treat Kamizono Yuki badly.] Akechi said.

    (But that doesn¡¯t change the fact she took her own life.) I replied.

    [The issues of sex are¡­ Well, it sometimes causes things to go horribly awry. You don¡¯t understand it because you¡¯re still a child.] Akechi told me.

    (If you keep on thinking like that, you¡¯ll probably get stabbed in the back eventually.) I said honestly.

    [I¡¯ll keep that in mind.] Akechi said that, but I don¡¯t think he meant it.

    (In any case, don¡¯t forget that Tsuzuri will be there, always watching you.) I told him.

    [Sure.] As Akechi said that, we cut off the telepathic connection.

    With this, I tiredly laid on the bed and let out a long sigh.

    This case is settled now, right?

    If there was a way to save everyone in this world, I would gladly do so, but right now, I already have my hands full.

    What happens from now on is their story. They will face their problems in their own way.

    So, what should I do tomorrow¡­?

    I guess I¡¯ll finish some errands, then go back to Miyabigaoka High School.

    Yeah, that¡¯s a good idea.

    This is not my home.

    This bed is soft and comfortable though¡­

    That was what I was currently thinking about, from the very bottom of my heart.

 CH 85

    Chapter 85 ¨C Sakata

    I slept like a rock, and was awakened by the sound of knocking.

    ¡°Hey, Swirly Glasses! You there?¡± Sakata called out from the outside the room.

    I quickly stood up and opened the door, ¡°Hey¡­¡±

    ¡°Uh¡­ Eh¡­¡± Sakata was frozen in place for a second, ¡°S-sorry! My bad! Wrong room!¡± then he, seemingly panicking, tried to close the door shut.

    I stopped it, ¡°Huh? Sakata?¡±

    At this moment, I noticed something strange in my voice.

    It was¡­ A bit higher.

    I didn¡¯t have a male¡¯s body anymore.

    I looked at my body fearfully¡­ Breasts.

    Then I looked at Sakata¡¯s tense expression and¡­ ¡°K-kyaaaaaah!¡± slammed the door shut with a completely girly scream that would easily come out of an anime character in a fanservice scene.

    I could also hear Sakata¡¯s voice come from outside the room, ¡°Huh? But I¡¯m sure that this was the room¡­ Huh?¡±

    I quickly grabbed the Magical Cat Staff and prayed to become a man again.

    Then, after confirming that my body had changed, I threw my tattered jacket in the trash, then opened the door again, ¡°Yo!¡± with a smile on my face.

    Sakata pressed his forehead, ¡°You¡­ Can you really change your appearance with magic?¡±

    I gave him a questioning look, ¡°Oh, did you hear that from someone?¡±

    ¡°Oda told me to¡­ Not be deceived by the appearances.¡± Sakata scratched the back of his head.

    ¡°Ah¡­¡± I muttered.

    ¡°Damn it, don¡¯t make me go crazy.¡± Sakata said.

    ¡°What can I do for you?¡± I asked, trying to change the topic.

    ¡°Oh, right, well¡­ This.¡± As Sakata said that, he pushed a shirt meant for adult men onto me, ¡°I think it¡¯s necessary.¡±

    ¡°Oh, thank you.¡± I replied.

    That was definitely helpful. Even with a man¡¯s body, I wouldn¡¯t want to walk around half-naked.

    ¡°And, uhn¡­ Well¡­ Lunch? I mean, I thought we could go together¡­¡± Sakata turned bright red as he said that.

    I looked at the clock, and saw that was already past 11am.

    I hadn¡¯t noticed until just now, but I surely slept in today.

    ¡°B-but I¡¯ll understand if you don¡¯t want to¡­¡± Sakata muttered.

    Now where was that pushy and cheerful Sakata that I met yesterday?

    I guess it really is bad that my identity was revealed.

    ¡°Sure, with pleasure.¡± I told him.

    ¡°I-is that so¡­? Ah, I mean, just¡­ D-don¡¯t overdo it, okay?¡± Sakata replied.

    He was clearly very conscious of what had just happened¡­ Honestly, that¡¯s a bit disappointing, especially after we had just become friends.

    I changed into the newly-received shirt and left the room.

    As we walked side by side, Sakata seemed to have recovered his strength.

    ¡°By the way, I have decided on a job that I want to do in here. I want to take care of everyone¡¯s clothes.¡± Sakata told me.

    ¡°Clothes?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Yeah, I used to work on a laundry before¡­ Though I don¡¯t think this is a very helpful type of skill these days.¡± Sakata muttered.

    ¡°I disagree. I think this is a wonderful job.¡± I replied.

    ¡°You really think so?¡± Sakata asked.

    Yeah, I mean¡­ There were days where I didn¡¯t change my clothes for a while, and I kept on feeling like I constantly wanted to scratch all over my body. It was really uncomfortable.

    ¡°I do.¡± I told him.

    With a perfect smile, Sakata laughed, ¡°I guess it¡¯s true that I really did like that job.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the most important part.¡± I replied.

    ¡°By the way, what happened to your glasses?¡± Sakata asked me.

    ¡°I lost them.¡± I told him.

    ¡°Then what should I call you then? Can¡¯t really call you Swirly Glasses now.¡± Sakata said.

    ¡°Go ahead. Call me whatever you want.¡± I replied.

    ¡°Well¡­ I don¡¯t know your name though. What is it?¡± Sakata asked me.

    I averted my eyes a bit, ¡°¡­ Gonbei.¡±

    ¡°Liar. That¡¯s a man¡¯s name, and you¡¯re not really one.¡± Sakata replied.

    ¡°Well, it doesn¡¯t really matter.¡± I told him.

    ¡°Why? Just tell me-¡± Sakata said.

    Well¡­ I just don¡¯t like my name.

    ¡°Please keep calling me Swirly Glasses.¡± I used this to avoid answering.

    ¡°Well¡­ Alright then.¡± Sakata pouted a bit and sighed, ¡°What are you going to do after this?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll go to the aviation park for a bit, then go home afterwards.¡± I replied.

    ¡°Where is this home?¡± He asked.

    ¡°Well, some place.¡± I replied like that, but the place that came to mind was the Miyabigaoka High School.

    ¡°Is that so¡­?¡± Sakata seemed to be a bit disappointed, ¡°Since phones have stopped working, I won¡¯t be able to contact you for quite a while, then.¡±

    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll come here again in due time.¡± I replied.

    After all, it would be irresponsible to leave this place be.

    ¡°You will? Then, in that case, be sure to come talk to me again when you do!¡± Sakata replied.

    ¡°Sure¡­¡± I muttered.

    From now on, it should be possible to exchange supplies and personnel between this place, the Tokorozawa Aviation Memorial Park, and the supermarket filled with people that Iroha helped.

    If everyone cooperates, I feel like we might be able to build a counter-offensive against the zombies.

    If we just stay cooped up inside a given location, we will inevitably end up running out of resources.

    So, we need to fight back.

    Yeah, just like that¡­ If we keep doing our best, it might not be long until I can achieve my dreamy gamey life.

    As I was thinking about that, Sakata murmured something that I couldn¡¯t quite understand.

    ¡°Huh? What was that?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Eh? No? I said nothing.¡± Sakata replied.

    Is that so? Then I guess it¡¯s fine.

    ¡­ Honestly, looking at him like that, doesn¡¯t he look quite cute?

    ¡­ Some really weird words just came out of my mind, didn¡¯t they?

    I must be imagining things. Surely.

 CH 86

    Chapter 86 ¨C Amamiya and Tsuzuri

    ¡°I heard all about it, Warrior! You beat a bad guy to a pulp!¡± One of the women at Tokorozawa exclaimed.

    Beat to¡­ A pulp?

    ¡°And I heard that you reformed another bad guy too! That¡¯s amazing!¡± Another woman said.

    Reformed¡­?

    I don¡¯t think either of those statements are right, but it was a bit hard to argue against it.

    Me and Iroha were currently a bit confused, as we received way more hospitality at the Torokozawa Aviation Memorial Park than we were expecting.

    ¡°You¡¯re so amazing! Even if you¡¯re this small, you¡¯re as strong as a superhero, aren¡¯t you!?¡± One of the ladies here patted Iroha on the head as she said that.

    ¡°Oh¡­ Ooh¡­¡± Iroha had a hard time replying.

    She looked a bit down, actually¡­ I guess she still had the last fight on her mind.

    After all, Iroha didn¡¯t really get close to winning that battle, so it¡¯s understandable that she is feeling down about it.

    That said, once we saw an especially thick steak right in front of us, Iroha¡¯s mood seemed to instantly get better.

    ¡°This is so good! Another serving please! Give me more!¡± Iroha exclaimed.

    It¡¯s sure nice to recover that fast.

    The meat was cut with the Predator¡¯s Knife and prepared with a Hunter¡¯s Meat Grilling Set, as Amamiya apparently also had those two items.

    And well, as we had been completely exhausted before, our bodies currently needed ten times more food than ordinary people, so we were very eager to eat all that.

    So, I drank a non-alcoholic root beer (my secret personal favorite) and munched on the meat.

    We ate, ate, then ate some more.

    ¡°Ah¡­ Sorry, but I¡¯ll have another serving.¡± I told them.

    From the beginning until the end of the feast, Amamiya seemed to be in a pretty good mood.

    ¡°Alright! Eat as much as you want! Do you want some sake too!?¡± One of the ladies asked.

    ¡°No thanks.¡± I replied.

    I might get sleepy if I drink, after all.

    So, instead, I moved to the seat next to Amamiya and started talking, ¡°By the way, about the skills I took the other day¡­¡±

    He seemed to have anticipated the question I was going to ask, as he smoothly answered, ¡°I don¡¯t mind if you keep Enslave and Slave Reinforcement for a while. If I, by any chance, need them here, I can ask Sanae to contact you about it.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s certainly helpful.¡± I answered.

    Truth be told, I was planning on using Enslave a bit more.

    I want to ask the people at Miyabigaoka to see if they¡¯re willing to accept being targeted by Enslave.

    It¡¯s just as Amamiya said the other day. The benefits of becoming a Slave are nothing to scoff at.

    ¡°That said, the Healing Magic¡­¡± Amamiya started saying.

    ¡°Oh, right.¡± I immediately returned the Healing Magic to him, ¡°There. It¡¯s yours.¡±

    ¡°Thanks.¡± Amamiya then let out a deep sigh, ¡°I¡¯m really glad that I met you, Warrior. I can¡¯t thank you enough for all this.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± I then stopped eating the meat in front of me and stared at him seriously, ¡°There¡¯s one thing that I want to confirm though.¡±

    ¡°What is it?¡± Amamiya asked.

    I took a deep breath, trying to get the courage to bring up such a troublesome topic in the middle of the current festive mood.

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t your fault that the Spirit Tamer appeared, was it?¡± I asked him.

    He was not upset by it.

    Or rather, it¡¯s only natural that I¡¯d ask this.

    ¡°No, I swear on heaven and earth¡¯s name, that I had nothing to do with it.¡± He told me.

    Though well, whether or not those words were true is another matter entirely.

    ¡°But it¡¯s a bit suspicious, isn¡¯t it? The thing you and Tsuzuri wanted was revenge, after all, so¡­ Wouldn¡¯t it be natural to send an assassin other than me?

    ¡°Especially because, if everything went well, you¡¯d also be able to eliminate the player that has subordinated you.¡± I told Amamiya.

    ¡°It¡¯s about Yuki, huh¡­? I certainly do have mixed feelings about all that, but my feelings aren¡¯t as strong as Tsuzuri¡¯s.

    ¡°In the end, what I really wanted was to get the situation with the people in the university solved. That much was enough to me.¡± Amamiya replied.

    Well¡­ I guess I can believe him on that.

    ¡°That said¡­ You still are hiding something, aren¡¯t you?¡± I asked him while staring directly into his eyes.

    Amamiya¡¯s eyebrows twitched a little at that, ¡°Ah¡­ Uhn¡­ What do you mean¡­?¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t forgotten the incident where you deceived Iroha. I know that there is something suspicious about your actions.¡± I told him.

    ¡°Oh¡­ Uhn¡­ Do you¡­ Want to eat more meat?¡± He asked me with a terrible attempt of diverting the topic.

    ¡°If you want to deceive me, that¡¯s fine. But in that case, as soon as I find evidence that you lied, I¡¯m gonna immediately take away all of your skills.¡± I told him plainly.

    Amamiya bowed his head at that, ¡°I apologize for that. Guess I was caught¡­¡±

    ¡°And¡­?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Perhaps you¡¯ve already reached the right conclusion. This is the final secret though.¡± Amamiya told me.

    I then took a deep breath, and told him my conclusion, ¡°You¡¯re not the Slave Master, are you?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡± Amamiya nodded.

    ¡°Then who is it?¡± I asked.

    Depending on the answer, I might have to cut ties with him.

    ¡°It¡¯s Tsuzuri.¡± Amamiya told me.

    ¡°She¡­?¡± I asked.

    ¡°That¡¯s right. And I¡¯m her slave.¡± Amamiya replied.

    ¡°But why¡­?¡± I asked next.

    ¡°We didn¡¯t know how you¡¯d act once you came, so we needed a backup plan. If you tried attacking me as soon as you arrived, then I was planning on sacrificing myself and let Tsuzuri take revenge.¡± Amamiya explained.

    Oh¡­ That makes sense.

    ¡°The weak have to rely on tricks and plans to win, that¡¯s just how it works¡­ Of course, I trust you now, Warrior.¡± Amamiya told me.

    ¡°Then, I guess that¡¯s fine.¡± I said.

    ¡°If you still can¡¯t believe me though¡­ Well, please take this. It¡¯s a sign of my trust.¡± Amamiya then gave me the Magical Cat Staff that I had just returned to him.

    ¡°Mmmm¡­¡± I muttered.

    I suppose that I should receive it. Refusing would mean that I don¡¯t trust him.

    ¡°Alright. Thanks for that.¡± I took the staff.

    ¡°I appreciate your patronage.¡± Amamiya had a cheerful smile on him at this point, as if he was a sociable worker of a grocery store, ¡°By the way, here is a small trivia for you. Amamiya is actually Tsuzuri¡¯s surname, that I used as a pseudonym to talk to you.

    ¡°My real name is Senkouji Ryouhei.¡±

    Oh? So it¡¯s Amamiya Tsuzuri and Senkouji Ryouhei then?

    ¡°Mmmm¡­ I still have one question though.¡± I told him.

    ¡°What is it?¡± He asked.

    ¡°The Auditory Hallucination said that the Evil Slave Master was a ¡®him¡¯, but¡­ Tsuzuri is a girl, right? How did you manipulate the Auditory Hallucination?¡± I asked him.

    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Ryouhei started laughing, ¡°No¡­ We didn¡¯t do anything to it.¡±

    ¡°Then how¡­?¡± I asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s simple. Tsuzuri has always been a man.¡± Ryouhei said in-between his laughs.

    ¡­ Eh?

    ¡°Eeeeeeh!?¡± I exclaimed.

    At that moment, the maid girl¡­ No, the maid boy, arrived, ¡°Master, I have returned.¡±

    I was in utter disbelief, and I¡¯m sure it was showing in my face.

    ¡°The people at the university don¡¯t seem to be reluctant at cooperating with us for the time being, but at least for now, they don¡¯t want to exchange supplies and personnel¡­ What is it?¡± Tsuzuri was giving a report, but he stopped once he saw me staring hard at him.

    ¡°W-w-weell¡­¡± I instinctively got up from my seat and started stuttering.

    Tsuzuri seemed to understand what was happening from this alone, ¡°Oh, did you find out?¡± and gave me a mischievous smile.

    ¡°Y-you¡­ You really look like a woman.¡± I told him.

    ¡°If you doubt it so much, would you like to see it?¡± This maid, with a provocative smile, lifted the front of his skirt.

    ¡°A-a-aaagh¡­¡± And I just¡­ Stayed stuck there. Unable to move.

 CH 87

    Chapter 87 ¨C Discussing the spoils

    Honestly, I was planning on returning to Miyabigaoka High School right away, but¡­

    ¡°Why don¡¯t we share everyone¡¯s skill information with one another?¡± Tsuzuri suggested.

    We decided to do just that, but since it could take a while to discuss everything, we figured that it would be better to stay at the aviation park for the day.

    So, inside a neatly cleaned up trailer, in front of a table filled with tea and sweets, me Iroha and Tsuzuri talked.

    Tsuzuri then wrote down all of our skills in a notebook, using extremely cute letters.

    ***

    Wandering Warrior

    Level: 32 (Has 5 leftover Skill Points)

    ¡ª¡ª¨C

    Basic Skills:

    Sword Technique (Advanced); Perfect Maintenance

    Natural Healing (Strong); Skin Strengthening; Bone Strengthening

    Hunger Resistance (Strong)

    Skill Appraisal

    ¡ª¡ª¨C

    Magic Skills:

    Fire Magic I-III

    ¡ª¡ª¨C

    Job Skills:

    Defense V; Steel Clothes; Aegis Shield

    Magic Resistance II

    ¡ª¡ª¨C

    Shared Skills:

    Quick Step I <- Martial Artist

    Enslave; Slave Reinforcement III <- Slave Master

    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-

    Justice Martial Artist

    Level: 26

    ¡ª¡ª¨C

    Basic Skills:

    Fighting Technique (Advanced); Special Skill I-IV

    Natural Healing (Strong); Skin Strengthening; Bone Strengthening

    Hunger Resistance (Strong)

    ¡ª¡ª¨C

    Magic Skills:

    Fire Magic I-III

    Thunder Magic I-IV

    ¡ª¡ª¨C

    Job Skills:

    Quick Step II

    Iron Fist

    Superhuman Strength I

    Mind¡¯s Eye

    ¡ª¡ª¨C

    Shared Skills:

    Defense I <- Warrior

    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-

    Evil Slave Master

    Level: 25 (Has 2 leftover Skill Points)

    ¡ª¡ª¨C

    Basic Skills:

    Fighting Technique (Beginner)

    Natural Healing (Strong); Skin Strengthening; Bone Strengthening

    Hunger Resistance (Strong)

    ¡ª¡ª¨C

    Magic Skills:

    Fire Magic I-II

    Water Magic I

    Thunder Magic I-III

    Healing Magic I-IV

    ¡ª¡ª¨C

    Job Skills:

    Sex Technique (Beginner)

    ¡ª¡ª¨C

    Note: Enslave and Slave Reinforcement III are lent to the Warrior [star emoji]

    ***

    ¡°¡­ Hey, Iroha, when did you pick Fire Magic?¡± I asked her.

    ¡°Oh, that? I saw you use it before, sis, and I thought it looked really cool.¡± Iroha replied.

    She really takes her skills very impulsively as soon as she levels up, doesn¡¯t she?

    On the other hand, I prefer to hoard my Skill Points, so I guess our personalities are quite different on that aspect.

    ¡°By the way, how do you spend your New Year¡¯s gift money?¡± I asked her.

    ¡°Of course, I use it all up on the day I receive it!¡± Iroha exclaimed.

    As expected¡­

    ¡°On the other hand, you¡¯re quite cautious, Warrior. Leaving 5 leftover Skill Points¡­¡± Tsuzuri commented.

    ¡°I prefer to have options for when I need them.¡± I replied.

    After all, compared to before, I¡¯m not really dissatisfied with my current fighting power.

    ¡°Besides, I prefer to save the Mega Elixir until the very end of the final dungeon.¡± I told him.

    Though it might not be that bad of an idea to follow Iroha¡¯s example and actively acquire skills in the future.

    ¡°Well, let¡¯s get to the point.¡± Tsuzuri clapped his hands to call our attention, ¡°I¡¯d like to discuss what to do with the skills of the Spirit Tamer.¡±

    ¡°Aah¡­¡± Iroha muttered.

    If I recall correctly, the Hallucination said I could steal up to three of his skills.

    ¨CPlease select which skills you wish to steal from the Cruel Spirit User

    ¨CThe currently available skills are as follows:

    ¨CMadness (Weak)

    ¨CFire Magic IV

    ¨CHealing Magic I

    ¨CSpirit Summoning I

    ¨CSpiritual Presence I

    ¡°Well, for now, let¡¯s check the effects of Madness, Spirit Summoning and Spiritual Presence.¡± I said.

    ¨CMadness (Weak): Absorbs magical power from the surroundings and converts it into offensive and defensive power for you. However, your intelligence decreases.

    ¨CSpirit Summoning I: Lets you summon low-level spirits, such as a Fairy.

    ¨CSpiritual Presence I: Lets you obscure the presence of up to one spirit, though the strength of this effect varies depending on the spirit.

    ¡°Really now¡­ This Madness skill that the Spirit Tamer got is certainly something.¡± I commented.

    Though its downside is also immense. Lowering one¡¯s intelligence is¡­ That¡¯s way too scary.

    I wonder if he took it because he was desperate?

    ¡°And it¡¯s such a cheat too. It would be a waste to leave it there.¡± Iroha commented.

    ¡°So, will you take it, Iroha?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Mmm¡­ No, thank you!¡± Iroha quickly decided.

    I guess everyone felt the same about that.

    Then, after a few dozen minutes of discussions, we ended up coming to some conclusions.

    First of all, if you don¡¯t have the backwards-compatible skill, you¡¯ll acquire it from the lowest level. Essentially, you can¡¯t take Healing Magic II without having Healing Magic I first.

    Also, a stolen skill cannot be acquired by other players. As in, both me and Iroha can¡¯t steal Healing Magic I at the same time.

    We also ended up deciding what skills each of us wanted to take.

    Me: Spirit Summoning I; Spiritual Presence I; Fairy (derived from the previous skills)

    Iroha: Healing Magic I-III

    Tsuzuri: Healing Magic V; Fire Magic IV-V *

    ¡°Seems like we were able to distribute those nicely.¡± Tsuzuri commented.

    I agreed, as the discussion went fairly smoothly. Each of us just got the skills we wanted. We didn¡¯t need to decide using rock-paper-scissors or anything like it.

    ¨CSkill Effects are being applied.

    Alright, now to test it out¡­ ¡°Hello, Fairy?¡± I spoke to the skies.

    ¡­ No response.

    ¡°Hey, if you can, please reply.¡± I said next.

    ¡­ No response.

    Mmmm¡­ Could there be some specific conditions that I need to fulfill in order to summon the fairy?

    ¡°Hey, hey, Fairy! Come on, fairy!¡± I exclaimed, but¡­ No response, again.

    ¡°Hey, sis, you look like a total moron right now.¡± Iroha giggled as she said that.

    If even Iroha is saying that¡­

    Well, it¡¯s fine. I think the Fairy will answer me eventually. Let¡¯s go to the next topic instead.

    ¡°So, about the First Step Towards The Sacred Realm achievement¡­ Well, before anything else, did you get this one, Iroha?¡± I asked her.

    ¡°Yep.¡± She replied.

    ¡°Then the condition to unlock it was probably to kill other players.¡± I muttered.

    ¡°Most likely¡­¡± Tsuzuri crossed his arms as he thought, ¡°Does that mean that we need to keep on killing other players to reach this Sacred Realm?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure, but I think it¡¯s dangerous to take it too seriously. The way that achievements are named is¡­ It seems like it¡¯s messing with us at times.¡± I replied.

    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Tsuzuri commented.

    ¡°Yeah.¡± Iroha nodded.

    Then all three of us are in agreement on this topic.

    ¡°Then, let¡¯s check the rewards, for now?¡± I suggested.

    ¨CPlease select the reward for the First Step Towards The Sacred Realm Achievement.

    ¨CBugging Gun

    ¨CInvincible Badge

    ¨CPrototype Duplicator

    More things that seem to be straight out of animes¡­

    ¨CBugging Gun is a non-lethal pistol that automatically refills its bullets.

    ¨CInvincible Badge protects the wearer against any kind of attack, but only once.

    ¨CPrototype Duplicator is a machine that allows you to infinitely duplicate items obtained from Achievements. However, as it is a prototype, some particularly rare items may not be duplicated. Also, the time it takes to duplicate an item varies from item to item.

    We looked at one another for a second, then instantly decided to tell what items we wanted at the same time.

    ¡°Bugging Gun.¡± I said.

    ¡°Invincible Badge to me!¡± Iroha said.

    ¡°I¡¯ll try to increase the Badge numbers with the Prototype Duplicator.¡± Tsuzuri said.

    ¨CItems are being provided.

    Each item appeared in front of us.

    The Bugging gun that was in front of me, looked like a toy laser gun drawn by a child, and had a strangely wide caliber. Like, about 3cm of diameter.

    In front of Iroha, a pink badge that was about as big as a ten-yen coin appeared. It had ¡®Invincible¡¯ engraved on it.

    And in front of Tsuzuri, a machine that looked like an old-fashioned typewriter appeared. A pedestal was installed at the top of it, and it seemed like we could duplicate items by placing them there.

    ¡°Well¡­ Let¡¯s try increasing the number of badges then.¡± I told Iroha.

    She nodded, put the badge on top of the pedestal, and then¡­ The machine started making a really strange noise, that I wasn¡¯t sure if it was a good or bad thing.

    Before I could figure that out though, a timer appeared on the Prototype Duplicator.

    ¡°Fifteen days and six hours¡­¡± I muttered.

    That¡¯s about half a month¡­ Can¡¯t say I ain¡¯t disappointed by this result.

    I suppose it¡¯s impossible to quickly obtain many copies of strong achievement items.

    ¡°Seems like the more powerful items take longer to duplicate¡­ What should we do then?¡± Tsuzuri asked.

    ¡°For now, I think we should keep on duplicating the Invincible Badges anyways.¡± I told him.

    After all, it is a strong consumable item. We might need to use it as a trump card one day.

    ¡°Oh, and let me give you this.¡± I handed the Bugging Gun to Tsuzuri.

    ¡°Eh? You sure?¡± Tsuzuri asked.

    ¡°The community here doesn¡¯t have enough weapons to protect themselves. The bows and arrows that Sanae and the others have might not be enough to protect this place, so this should help.¡± I explained.

    ¡°Thank you, that¡¯s very helpful.¡± Tsuzuri gave me a deep bow, ¡°This, as well as the matter with the university¡­ I¡¯m sure this kindness of yours will reward you one day.¡±

    Well, I really didn¡¯t ask anything in return for doing all that, but¡­ Well, I won¡¯t keep my hopes up, but it would be nice if this paid off eventually.

    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-

 CH 88

    Chapter 88 ¨C Chatting and going home

    Phase Two ¨C Second Arc ¨C Learning how to spend the world-end life with a reincarnator

    Healing Magic I ¨C A spell that instantly heals scratches. If you use it on a child that scraped their knee, you¡¯ll be referred to as a hero by the next day.

    Healing Magic II ¨C A spell that removes weak poisons and illnesses from one¡¯s body. It¡¯s effective against mild colds, but it cannot cure the illness inflicted by a zombie¡¯s bite.

    Healing Magic III ¨C A spell that emits a green light from your hands and heals whatever injuries that it touches.

    Healing Magic IV ¨C A spell that emits a strong green light from your hands and heals you and any nearby allies.

    Healing Magic V ¨C Effects of this spell aren¡¯t certain yet, but it seems to gradually heals allies over a large area. Trying to use it made people say things like, ¡®My stiff shoulders have healed¡¯ or ¡®My chronic hernia has improved¡¯.

    Fire Magic IV ¨C A spell that creates a fireball that is twice as big as the one from Fire Magic II. If you throw it on the ground, it will burn for a while, so it can be used as a firewood substitute.

    Fire Magic V ¨C A spell that the Spirit Tamer referred to as ¡®Extremely Hot Fire¡¯. It raises a pillar of fire at a specified location, but it¡¯s a bit telegraphed, so it¡¯s easy to avoid if you know it¡¯s coming.

    Water Magic I ¨C A spell that fires a water gun from your fingertips. It can fire hot water too, so it¡¯s very useful for making cup noodles.

    Thunder Magic I ¨C A spell that inflicts a shock on anything that it touches. About as powerful as a stun gun, maybe?

    Thunder Magic II ¨C A spell that the Martial Artist refers to as ¡®Lightning Bullet¡¯. It fires various lightning balls at the enemy.

    Thunder Magic III ¨C A spell that the Martial Artist refers to as ¡®Electric Switch¡¯. It supplies the necessary amount of power to nearby electrical appliances for about ten minutes.

    Thunder Magic IV ¨C A spell that makes lightning strike down from the skies on a given location.

    Superhuman Strength I ¨C A skill that increases your muscles¡¯ strength. Its difference from the Warrior¡¯s ¡®Attack Power I¡¯ is currently unknown.

    Mind¡¯s Eye ¨C A skill that lets you sense your surroundings even while your eyes are closed. Useful for fighting in the dark.

    Special Skill IV ¨C A skill that unleashes a powerful blow as you rotate your whole body.

    ***

    While we walked alongside the railroad tracks, I looked at the skill notes that Tsuzuri copied on a notebook for me (at least for the skills I haven¡¯t learned myself).

    No monsters and almost no zombies got in our way, so the journey was fairly peaceful.

    Perhaps that¡¯s because we passed through here very recently, so there are almost no zombies in this area right now.

    As for the occasional zombie that gets in our way¡­

    ¡°Strike: Lightning Strike!¡± Iroha dropped a thunder on the zombie, quickly taking care of it.

    She was using them as test subjects for the newly-required Thunder Magic IV, which turned the zombies into charred bodies one after another.

    We didn¡¯t have to go out of our way to burn them when she killed them with that spell, so this was certainly quite convenient.

    ¡°With this name, you¡¯re saying Strike twice¡­¡± I told Iroha.

    She groaned as she started thinking of a new name for her skill, ¡°Mmmm, Thunder attack? No¡­ Lightning Bolt¡­ Lightning Bolt Strike¡­¡±

    She seemed to be really struggling with it.

    If it was me, I¡¯d just call it Thunder and call it a day.

    When I told her that though, her reply was, ¡°Then its name wouldn¡¯t fit in with the names of the other skills.¡±

    So that¡¯s why she is troubled about it¡­ Though well, I can understand why she¡¯d be particular about this kind of thing.

    ¡°Are you really okay with not staying with Ms. Satonaka though?¡± I asked Iroha.

    ¡°Mmm?¡± Iroha looked back to the supermarket we just passed through.

    Apparently, more people started gathering there now that we cleared it out.

    Everyone seems to be trying to work together to overcome this situation.

    ¡°If I stay there, everyone will keep on relying on me. I don¡¯t think that¡¯s good.¡± Iroha told me.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± I asked her.

    ¡°Back then, I kept on trying to do everything myself, you know? I thought it was natural for me to do it when I had these powers, but it¡¯s not good if everyone just has to rely on a single person.¡± Iroha explained.

    I guess this must be something that Ms. Satonaka told her.

    I could tell from looking at Iroha¡¯s expression though, that she wasn¡¯t really pushed out of that community or anything like it.

    But even then, maybe it¡¯s just my imagination, but¡­ Iroha seemed to be a bit lonely.

    You¡¯ve grown, haven¡¯t you, Iroha?

    I stared at her with the kind of gaze a mother would give to her children.

    ¡°Sis, you look weird right now.¡± Iroha told me.

    ¡°Alrighty, alrighty.¡± As I said that, I started ruffling her fluffy hair.

    ¡°W-whoa!? What are you doing!?¡± Iroha asked me.

    ¡°Let¡¯s do our best together.¡± I smiled at her.

    ¡°Oh¡­ Ooh¡­?¡± Iroha seemed to be stunned for a while, but, eventually, like a cat receiving a massage, she closed her eyes and seemed to feel comfortable from my touch.

    ***

    ¡°By the way, Iroha.¡± While we were eating some snacks and drinking orange juice, I remembered to ask something to Iroha, ¡°What about your quest?¡±

    ¡°¡­ Quest?¡± She seemed to be a bit confused at first, but she answered it, ¡°Oh, do you mean that thing that came together with the ¡®Phase 1 End¡¯ announcement?¡±

    ¡°Yes, that.¡± I nodded.

    ¡°I¡¯ve long finished that.¡± Iroha replied.

    Oh, is that so?

    Well, we haven¡¯t talked about it until now, so I did expect that she might have already finished it.

    ¡°By the way, what did you need to do?¡± I asked her.

    ¡°It was pretty easy. I just needed to create a Safe Zone, then evacuate someone to it.¡± Iroha replied.

    ¡°Eh?¡± I said.

    For real? Mine had me struggle so much¡­

    Well, I guess that¡¯s fine. Perhaps the difficulty of quests varies from person to person.

    I wonder why though¡­ Perhaps it has to do with one¡¯s daily behavior?

    ***

    A few hours later, we were getting close to Miyabigaoka High School.

    ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to it. How many companions do you have there, sis?¡± Iroha asked me.

    ¡°There were about 50 people there back when I left.¡± I replied.

    By now, I was starting to see the roads that I was quite familiar with already.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure everyone will be surprised to see your incredible powers, Iroha.¡± I told her.

    ¡°Oh yes!¡± Iroha started giggling, ¡°Though it¡¯s more fun to show it to people who don¡¯t know. They always get totally astonished.¡±

    Well, on my end, I remember seeing Akechi¡¯s astonished face when I didn¡¯t die after being shot. He seemed to be looking at a herald of the end of the world.

    And while the two of us Players were talking about this kind of thing and giggling, I saw something a bit unfamiliar.

    ¡°Oh?¡± Iroha said.

    This was quite the memorable road to me. It was here that I became a decoy to save the Hibiya family. This was the main street that I barely escaped with my life.

    But on the sides of this street, vans and trucks were lined up, not letting any gap past them.

    Many cars also seemed to have had their tires pulled out, and then were then lined up directly on the ground.

    Essentially, they were using cars and tires to create a sturdy wall. Any path that zombies could try crossing were blocked, which ended up creating a straight safe path leading directly to Miyabigaoka High School.

    They probably created this defense so as to make it safe to go to and from the shopping district.

    ¡°Ooh?¡± I couldn¡¯t help muttering.

    It was definitely done with the hard work of everyone at Miyabigaoka, but¡­ To think they¡¯d build such a huge barricade in just a few days¡­

    ¡°Your companions are amazing, sis!¡± Iroha exclaimed.

    ¡°Y-yeah¡­¡± I muttered.

    I guess it must have been Mr. Norio¡¯s idea to build all this, but¡­ It must have required a lot of effort and manpower to build all this.

    Is it even possible to create such a nice barricade in the short period of time that I was away?

    We climbed the barricade.

    A bit to the side, we could see a pile of zombie corpses that had been carefully burned away.

    Then, we entered the clunky, but safe road, and passed by the Captain supermarket.

    ¡°H-hey!¡± Iroha¡¯s eyes widened.

    She was looking up, towards the roof of Miyabigaoka High School.

    When I looked at the same direction, I saw something flying in circles above it.

    ¡°H-hey, sis!¡± Iroha exclaimed.

    I didn¡¯t stop to reply. I was already running at full speed.

    Dragons.

    Just like the ones I had seen from my room at my apartment that day¡­ Dragons were flying above Miyabigaoka.

    Has the raid already begun or¡­ Is it too late?

    ¡°Wait, sis! Dealing with that number is¡­ It¡¯s really bad!¡± I had a feeling that Iroha was shouting something behind me, but¡­

    I didn¡¯t stop.

 CH 89

    Chapter 89 ¨C Chance Meeting

    Suppressing my feelings, I ran along the barricaded road and jumped over the school¡¯s main gate.

    And then¡­

    ¡°Check.¡± I heard Mr. Gouzou say.

    Mr. Sasaki and Mr. Gouzou were carefreely playing shogi. When I saw that, I almost collapsed from the shock.

    ¡°A¡­ Ah, how did you even get to this Check? Come on!¡± Mr. Sasaki exclaimed.

    ¡°Your time is running out.¡± Mr. Gouzou had a cheerful smile in his face.

    ¡°I give up¡­¡± Mr. Sasaki sighed, ¡°Then, uhn¡­ Let¡¯s see¡­¡± At this point, he looked around and seemed to notice me, ¡°Oh, you¡¯re already home? That¡¯s surprisingly early.¡± Mr. Sasaki waved his hand to me.

    ¡°You look fine. Though well, I wasn¡¯t really that worried.¡± Mr. Gouzou told me.

    ¡°Ah¡­ Well¡­ I feel like I just crossed the line between life and death as I arrived here¡­¡± I muttered.

    ¡°What¡¯s up with that? Do you want me to give you a huge and a head pat for encouragement?¡± Mr. Sasaki asked me.

    ¡°No, there¡¯s no need.¡± I replied bluntly.

    ¡°Is that so¡­?¡± Mr. Sasaki seemed disappointed.

    This¡­ Didn¡¯t seem like Mr. Sasaki¡¯s usual behavior.

    I then shifted my sight to the shogi board in front of Mr. Sasaki and Mr. Gouzou.

    ¡°Oh, this? Since we got some supplies from the neighborhood¡¯s toy store, our school has experienced an unprecedent shogi boom.¡± Mr. Gouzou explained.

    ¡°Is that so¡­?¡± I muttered.

    Does this mean that everything was peaceful while I was gone¡­?

    ¡­ Wait, hold on! That¡¯s not the problem!

    ¡°That thing! The monsters flying in the sky! What about those!?¡± I exclaimed.

    ¡°Mmm? Do you mean the dragons?¡± Mr. Sasaki asked.

    ¡°I mean¡­ Yeah?¡± I replied.

    ¡°They¡¯re pretty cool.¡± Mr. Gouzou stated.

    They were so calm, that I wondered if they went crazy due to fear.

    Perhaps because such thoughts appeared on my face¡­

    The two of them started giving out a childish laugh.

    ¡°I really wanted to see what expression you¡¯d make! You never fail to disappoint!¡± Mr. Gouzou exclaimed.

    ¡°Huh¡­?¡± I muttered.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, they¡¯re not dangerous.¡± Mr. Sasaki told me, ¡°Or rather, they¡¯re protecting us.¡±

    Protecting?

    The monsters are¡­ Protecting people?

    I¡¯m so confused¡­

    ¡°As soon as you left, a girl appeared here.¡± Mr. Gouzou told me.

    ¡°A girl?¡± I asked.

    ¡°She¡¯s been looking for you the whole time.¡± Mr. Sasaki told me.

    ¡°Looking¡­?¡± I asked.

    ¡°When I told her that you would be back soon, she helped us with a lot of things to make our life easier.¡± Mr. Gouzou said.

    ¡°Huh¡­?¡± I said.

    ¡°Well, there¡¯s no need to tell you all the details, but she¡¯s an acquaintance of yours.¡± Mr. Sasaki said.

    I tilted my head¡­ I have no idea who they¡¯re talking about.

    ¡°Well, just go meet her anyways. She should be in the rooftop right now.

    ¡°Yesterday she spent the whole night helping make the barricades, by the way.¡± Mr. Gouzou told me.

    ¡°But¡­¡± I started saying.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, she¡¯s a good girl.¡± Mr. Sasaki said.

    Well, if Mr. Sasaki has really given her his stamp of approval, then¡­

    ¡°What¡¯s going on, sis? What are you doing?¡± Iroha, who seemed to have just caught up with me, asked.

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s my new friend.¡± I was about to introduce Iroha to them, but¡­

    ¡°So you¡¯re Hakui Iroha?¡± Mr. Gouzou asked.

    ¡°Huh?¡± I was so confused. How did they know Iroha¡¯s name?

    Mr. Sasaki then waved his hand and hurried us, who were very visibly lost at this whole situation, ¡°I will just leave all the explanations to that girl. Just go meet her for now.¡±

    I guess I have no choice but to do what Mr. Sasaki said¡­

    ***

    As soon as we reached the rooftop, we found a dragon resting its wings right in front of us, and our blood started freezing.

    ¡°Uhyah¡­¡± Iroha muttered a strange noise.

    Without letting my guard down, I quickly looked at our surroundings and found a total of four dragons.

    One of them had some lava-like scales and seemed to be their boss.

    ¡­ And I could see a girl standing right in front of the mouth of said dragon.

    ¡°Mmm?¡± I muttered

    She looked familiar.

    ¡­ Mizutani Rui. The pitiful girl who lost her father and grandfather to zombies, and then lost her mother to the pig monster.

    ¡°Rui¡­?¡± I called out to her.

    She seemed to be a bit surprised, and stopped stroking the dragon¡¯s scales once she heard my voice.

    ¡°Are you¡­?¡± As I muttered that, just in case, I activated Skill Appraisal.

    ¡­ But that guess was wrong. She is a normal person.

    Rui stared at me for just a second, before she quickly walked away.

    So then¡­ Who is this player that we¡¯re looking for?

    And their job¡­ Beastmaster. That must be the only job who is capable of taming a dragon.

    ¡°Hey, sis¡­¡± Iroha said with a strange voice.

    Like an animal who was instinctively scared of something.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t that person¡­?¡± Iroha pointed towards a girl.

    Iroha has a keen intuition, so she seemed to find the player before I did.

    I turned my gaze towards the person she pointed to and activated Skill Appraisal.

    She had blond hair, blue eyes, long ears¡­ She was someone who didn¡¯t look to be Japanese at all.

    An existence that should only exist in a fantasy world¡­ An Elf.

    And her skills were¡­ *

    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-

    Job: Master of Divine Beasts

    Level: 108

    ¡ª¡ª¨C

    Basic Skills:

    Fighting Technique (Advanced); Special Skill I-III

    Natural Healing (Strong); Skin Strengthening; Bone Strengthening

    Hunger Resistance (Strong)

    Skill Appraisal; Karma Appraisal

    Achievement Condition Consultation

    ¡ª¡ª¨C

    Magic Skills:

    Space-Time Magic I-VIII

    Fire Magic I-V

    Water Magic I-IV

    Thunder Magic I-IV

    Healing Magic I-VIII

    Light Magic I

    Dark Magic I

    ¡ª¡ª¨C

    Job Skills:

    Luck III

    Magic Eye

    Magic Control VII; Magic Barrier VI

    Beast Taming VIII; Dragon Taming; Divine Beast Taming VIII

    Animal Training VIII

    Whip Technique (Advanced); Carrot and Stick

    Nebula

    Divine Beast¡¯s Blessing III

    Summoning X

    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-

    ¡°Le¡­ Level one hund¡­ 108?¡± I muttered.

    That¡¯s terrifying.

    My level is 35, so¡­ Isn¡¯t she over three times my level!?

    What¡¯s more, what is a ¡®Master of Divine Beasts¡¯!? I never heard of that job before!

    There¡¯s no way I can win this.

    I immediately started wondering if I should kneel down to try avoiding a battle.

    But then, ¡°I kept on thinking about what I¡¯d say when I met you¡­¡± The girl opened her mouth and burst into tears, ¡°But surprisingly, the words just won¡¯t come out!¡± and then, as if she was completely overwhelmed with extremely strong emotions, the girl hugged me.

    ¡°Eh-eh-eh-eh!?¡± Was all I could say.

    ¡°It¡¯s been so long¡­ It¡¯s been so long, Teacher.¡±

    Huh?

    Teacher? Tea-cher?

    Is she mistaking me for someone else? I mean¡­ I¡¯m fairly sure I don¡¯t know any elves.

    Ignoring my confusion, the girl said this, ¡°Please lend me your strength. I need you. To save this world.¡±

    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

    * Translator¡¯s Note: Actually, Skill Appraisal never separates skills into categories like this. Skill Appraisal just gives a plain list of the skills. The skills are separated into categories only when the MC writes them down in a notebook and the like¡­ I usually keep things separated when using Skill Appraisal too, simply to make it easier for the readers to parse through the skill list¡­ However, in this case there were a lot of skills that I wasn¡¯t sure where to put (like, is Luck III a job skill or a basic skill? I dunno), so I might have made a few mistakes on placement here and there. I figured I¡¯d mention this now, in case it comes up later.

 CH 90

    Chapter 90 ¨C Reincarnator

    ¡°You¡¯re Hakui Iroha, right? Could you leave the two of us alone, for now?¡± The elf girl asked Iroha with a gentle smile.

    ¡°Eh¡­? Uhn¡­¡± Iroha tilted her head, ¡°Have we met before?¡±

    Iroha too seems to think that it¡¯s strange that this elf girl knows her name.

    ¡°Sorry, I¡¯ll explain it all later, but¡­ At least for now, can you give us some space?¡± The elf girl insisted.

    ¡°I don¡¯t mind it, but if you mess with sis¡­¡± Iroha started saying.

    The elf girl giggled, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I care as much about Teacher as you do.¡±

    Ugh¡­ This is so frustrating. She seems to know a lot about us, but I have no idea who she is.

    Explain the situation already, alright!?

    ¡°For now, can you tell me your name?¡± I asked the elf girl.

    ¡°¡­ Ah, sure. From your point of view, this is still the first time we¡¯re meeting, after all. I understand that, but it still feels weird.¡± The elf girl¡¯s words just made me more confused, ¡°I¡¯m Koikawachi Momoka. I may look like this, but I¡¯m Japanese too.

    ¡°When Phase 1 ended, you got an achievement that gave you the Elf Potion, didn¡¯t you? I drank an Elf Potion myself.¡±

    Oh, there was an achievement like that indeed, but¡­ ¡°How do you know I got the Elf Potion¡­?¡± I asked.

    For a second, Momoka did not reply, but then she looked me in the eye and said, ¡°Since we¡¯re here, why don¡¯t we fly a little?¡±

    Huh? Fly?

    On the next moment, I noticed that my body started floating, ¡°W-w-what is this!?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I just borrowed the power of the Divine Beasts a bit.¡± Momoka replied.

    Though the words ¡®don¡¯t worry¡¯ were not very effective when paired up with ¡®borrowed the power of the Divine Beasts¡¯¡­ It certainly didn¡¯t get rid of my uneasiness at the very minimum.

    But at the same time, when faced with this kind of overwhelming power, trying to resist would surely be futile, so I just went along with it.

    We stood over a hundred meters above the rooftop.

    ¡°The wind is a bit noisy¡­ Pause.¡± Momoka then stopped the flow of the air around us, by using magic that seemed to be as easy as breathing, ¡°Now we can talk in peace.¡±

    ¡°Why did you even go this far?¡± I asked her.

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s the kind of thing that would be troublesome if other people heard it¡­ Though Iroha doesn¡¯t seem to have acquired skills that enhance the five senses just yet.¡± Momoka explained.

    ¡°You were wary of Iroha eavesdropping¡­?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Of course, though she¡¯s not the only danger. You never know for sure if there aren¡¯t other players lurking in the surroundings.¡± Momoka replied.

    I don¡¯t get why she needs to be this cautious though¡­

    ¡°Well, I¡¯d like to go straight to the point, alright?¡± Momoka took a deep breath, sat cross-legged mid-air, and stated plainly, ¡°I¡¯m a reincarnator.¡±

    ¡°Reincarnator¡­?¡± I had a hard time understanding what she meant, ¡°Like, someone who has reincarnated? For real?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡± She replied.

    Wait, so that means that she¡­ What¡¯s going on here?

    ¡°To put it simply, I experience this ¡®world-end¡¯ situation once. That should make things a bit clearer to you, right?¡± Momoka explained.

    ¡°I see¡­¡± I feigned calmness, but I was about to drop my sword from the shock.

    ¡°The Space-Time Magic X spell allows you to reset your life and restart again from when you were a baby. That¡¯s how I started over.¡± Momoka told me next.

    ¡°Is this why your level is so high?¡± I asked.

    ¡°I wish that was it, but Space-Time Magic X seems to reset my level too. The reason my level is currently this high is because I used a hyper-efficient leveling method.¡± Momoka replied.

    Hyper-efficient? For real? To this extent?

    ¡°Of course, I plan on teaching it to you too, Teacher. After all, you were the one who figured out this leveling method in the first place.¡± Momoka told me.

    ¡°So¡­ The reason that you call me ¡®Teacher¡¯ is because¡­?¡± I left the last words of my question unsaid.

    ¡°Of course. We met in our previous lives.¡± Momoka nodded.

    ¡°Ohou?¡± I said.

    ¡°Though it was already Phase 4 by that point, and I had no memories of my previous life back then¡­ It was a very different situation when compared to what things are like now.¡± Momoka told me.

    Ugh¡­ She just casually dropped the ¡®Phase 4¡¯ words¡­

    ¡°¡­ So, I suppose this situation is gonna continue getting worse, right?¡± I asked her.

    ¡°Yes. Things are calm right now, but once Phase 3 starts, things will get tough again.¡± Momoka replied.

    ¡°Care to be more specific?¡± I asked her.

    ¡°Many of the powerful ¡®hostile life forms¡¯ will become active and start attacking people once Phase 3 starts. The zombies scattered around the city will also start gathering near the center.¡± She explained.

    ¡°Ugh¡­¡± This seems bad.

    ¡°Do you remember the announcement about the start of Phase 2, that mentioned zombies that were hiding? There are still plenty more of those, and they¡¯ll start moving all together once Phase 3 starts.¡± Momoka said next.

    ¡°Uuugh¡­¡± This seems really really bad.

    ¡°And the most troublesome part are the flying monsters, as those can easily bypass barricades.¡± Momoka concluded.

    ¡°Goodness¡­¡± The future seemed to be filed with nothing but despair¡­ ¡°By the way¡­ When are we getting to Phase 3?¡± I asked.

    ¡°In about three months.¡± She replied.

    ¡°What date, specifically?¡± I asked next.

    ¡°That¡¯s something I can¡¯t say for certain. I don¡¯t get why, but this world is slightly different from the one I experienced.¡± Momoka told me.

    ¡°Different?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Yes. The time that Phase 1 ended was slightly different from last time, so talking about a specific date for the end of Phase 2 is impossible.

    ¡°Instead, we should just work with the assumption it will happen roughly three months from now.¡± Momoka replied.

    Mmmm¡­ I folded my arms and pondered.

    The content of her tale was so far-fetched, that I didn¡¯t even care that I was floating in the sky anymore.

    ¡°So, in other words¡­ You¡¯re here to avoid a future crisis?¡± I asked her.

    Momoka tilted her head a bit, seemingly troubled about my question, ¡°Of course, there is that too, but¡­ There is something even more important than that.¡±

    ¡°More important?¡± I asked, parroting her words back to her.

    ¡°I want to solve this situation on a fundamental level. To do that, we need to raise our levels and become stronger.¡± Momoka told me.

    ¡°Oh? So there is a concrete fundamental solution to this problem that can be achieved by leveling?¡± I asked her.

    ¡°There is. That¡¯s why I came back in time.¡± Momoka replied.

    Oh my. That¡¯s reassuring alright.

    ¡°In order to save the world, there are people who must be killed.¡± Momoka stated.

    She clearly used the word ¡®kill¡¯ there¡­

    Not ¡®knock them out¡¯, nor ¡®make them submit¡¯¡­ Kill.

    ¡°One of them is the one who manipulates the hostile life forms in this city. The person whose job is Demon Lord.¡± Momoka told me.

    For real¡­? A Demon Lord¡­?

    ¡°The other is a Player who has perfected the good karma. A Player who will receive the job of Hero.¡± Momoka said next.

    Huh? ¡°Wait, hold on a minute. I get needing to kill the Demon Lord, but we¡¯ll have to kill the Hero too?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Yes.¡± She replied plainly.

    If we think of RPGs, a hero should be an ally of justice¡­ And in here, the hero will be someone who has perfected good karma¡­

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t this make us the bad people?¡± I asked her.

    ¡°Unfortunately, there is no other choice.¡± Momoka sighed, ¡°The Hero and the Demon Lord have a unique skill called ¡®Immortality¡¯. As long as one of them is alive, they¡¯ll forever keep on reviving in a special space called the ¡®Save Point¡¯.¡±

    A Save Point¡­ This is just like a game, isn¡¯t it?

    Well, it¡¯s not like it matters much at this point.

    ¡°And the only way to finish off someone who has the Immortality skill, is to use the Special Sword Skill X. Teacher, you¡¯re the only one who can do it.¡± Momoka told me next.

 CH 91

    High School Girl Warrior

    Chapter 91 ¨C Doing what we can, one step at a time

    ¡­ Save Point.

    ¡­ Special Sword Skill X.

    ¡­ Demon Lord.

    ¡­ Hero.

    I took a deep breath¡­ That was a lot of information, and it was starting to overwhelm me.

    Oh, and we were still floating, even if we weren¡¯t talking anymore.

    I guess Momoka is waiting for me to finish parsing through the information?

    Then let¡¯s see¡­

    The hostile life forms are being manipulated by a player that has a unique job, the Demon Lord.

    So, to make the world become peaceful again, the Demon Lord has to be killed.

    However, the Demon Lord has the Immortality skill, which is paired together with the Hero¡¯s Immortality. As long as one of them is alive, the other will keep on getting resurrected.

    So, we have no choice but to kill both the Hero and the Demon Lord.

    I sighed after a while of thinking about that, ¡°¡­ If this is what needs to be done to save everyone¡­ Then I guess we have no choice but to kill them.¡± I told Momoka.

    It was the conclusion I reached after thinking hard about all the information she shared with me.

    ¡°So, where are the Hero and the Demon Lord then?¡± I asked.

    ¡°That is¡­¡± Momoka heaved a sigh, ¡°Under investigation.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t know? Even as someone who has reincarnated?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Yeah¡­ As I told you before, the situation here and in my previous life have some differences, so I can¡¯t say for sure what has and hasn¡¯t changed from what I remember.¡± Momoka explained.

    Well, this much is understandable. Just she coming here at this time has already changed the environment of Miyabigaoka quite a bit, after all.

    ¡°What I do know though, is that by the time Phase 3 starts, an announcement with the whereabouts of the Demon Lord will be released, and a Hero will be chosen amongst the Players with Good Karma.¡± Momoka told me.

    I see¡­

    Wait, chosen amongst the players with Good Karma? ¡°Doesn¡¯t that put Iroha in danger?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Yes, she¡¯ll need to do some evil deeds in the future, in order to avoid the risk of becoming the Hero. Something like robbing a bank or setting buildings on fire should do it.¡± Momoka replied.

    ¡°Mmmm¡­¡± I groaned as I thought about all this.

    This is really a lot¡­ Way too much information.

    But there is still one fundamental question that needs answering¡­ ¡°So, why is this happening? Why are there zombies, a Demon Lord, a Hero, Levels and all that? How did all this happen?¡±

    Momoka looked downwards as she heard my question, ¡°Sorry, but that is something that we just couldn¡¯t figure out.¡±

    ¡°So even in the future, the mastermind was still unknown?¡± I asked.

    ¡°That was something people debated a lot in my previous life¡­ Personally speaking though, I think this is all a whim of God.¡± Momoka replied.

    ¡°Mmm¡­¡± I muttered as I thought.

    If that¡¯s really what it is, then it¡¯s quite the frustrating situation, isn¡¯t it? We¡¯re just being forced to dance on the palm of ¡®God¡¯¡­

    ¡°So¡­ We¡¯ve talked about a lot of things¡­ Do you believe me?¡± Momoka asked me.

    ¡°¡­ I¡¯m not sure. There is a chance you¡¯re making all this up.¡± I told her honestly.

    After all, it would be dangerous to take all her words for granted.

    Surprisingly though, my words seemed to make Momoka happy, ¡°Yes! That¡¯s just what I expected! You¡¯re definitely the Teacher I know of!¡±

    I see¡­?

    It really is weird to meet up with someone who knew me in a previous life¡­

    ¡°Oh, one last question.¡± I suddenly remembered something that I wanted to ask her.

    ¡°What is it?¡± She asked back.

    ¡°You¡¯re¡­ You¡¯re a real girl, right?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Of course. My mental age may not match my appearance, but I¡¯m a proper woman. Why?¡± Momoka replied.

    ¡°Ah, don¡¯t worry about that.¡± I told her.

    I was a bit relieved at this answer.

    She was using masculine pronouns, and when remembering the whole thing with Tsuzuri, and the existence of the Magical Cat Staff¡­ I just wanted to be sure of it at this point. *

    ***

    After that, we softly landed on the ground.

    ¡°Umumu!¡± Iroha made a weird sound with a bright red face, ¡°What¡¯s going on!? Come on! Explain it to me!¡±

    ¡°Momoka is a reincarnator, and it seems like there are some people we need to defeat in order to save the world.¡± I explained to Iroha in very simple terms.

    ¡°I see! I get it now!

    ¡°Yeah, like¡­ A reincarnator and¡­ Mmm¡­ Mmm¡­?

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s all good then!¡± Iroha exclaimed.

    I appreciate the adaptability of the youth.

    ¡°So, what do we do now?¡± I asked Momoka.

    ¡°First, we gather allies.¡± Momoka replied.

    ¡°Allies?¡± I asked.

    ¡°If we¡¯re gonna act while preparing for the future, then we should start meeting up with strong players now.¡± Momoka told me.

    I sighed as I felt a bit of a weight in my stomach¡­ I really don¡¯t like chatting with people I don¡¯t know¡­

    ¡°At the same time, we will also do some leveling. From my experience, the higher one¡¯s level is, the higher the chances of negotiations with other players going well.¡± Momoka told me.

    Oh, is that so¡­?

    ¡°In that case¡­ What do we need to do to make your efficient leveling work out?¡± I asked her.

    Do we need to start hunting for metal slimes or something?

    Momoka smiled, ¡°Not too far from here¡­ The place we need to go to is Ikebukuro.¡±

    ¡°Ikebukuro?¡± I asked.

    ¡°You probably don¡¯t know about it yet, Teacher, but there is a special location in Ikebukuro, a Dungeon.

    ¡°In it, we can keep on killing all Monsters that are created there and level quickly.¡± Momoka explained.

    Oh? ¡°That¡¯s a¡­ Fairly straight-forward approach.¡± I muttered.

    It was honestly a bit disappointing. I thought there was some secret leveling trick that she knew of.

    ¡°Well, there is no better way than to attack monsters directly.¡± Momoka smiled, as if she could read my mind, ¡°However, with the current levels of Teacher and Iroha, it will be hard to kill the enemies in the Dungeon, so before that, we need to do some preparations.¡±

    At this moment, Momoka¡¯s eyes glowed blue¡­ She is probably using Skill Appraisal.

    ¡°¡­ Alright. You do have the Enslave skill. Did you kill the Slave Master, perchance?¡± Momoka asked me.

    ¡°Huh? No, I didn¡¯t kill him. I just subordinated him.¡± I replied.

    ¡°Oh, I see.¡± Momoka said.

    Right now, her expression was a bit strange. As if some complicated thoughts and feelings were running through her head.

    ¡°Would it be better to have killed him?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Oh no, definitely not. Between killing and subordinating, the latter is overwhelmingly better.¡± Momoka replied.

    Mmmm¡­ I wonder if something might have happened with Tsuzuri in Momoka¡¯s past?

    That¡¯s a bit worrisome¡­

    ¡°Anyways, the important thing is that, with the Enslave skill, you can increase the number of Slaves in Miyabigaoka and help everyone here out.

    ¡°Also, deeds done by a Slave will automatically give experience points to their master, so that will be quite helpful.¡± Momoka told us.

    Oh, is that so? Tsuzuri hadn¡¯t explained this much to me, so this is the first I heard of that.

    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s up to you, Teacher, to decide who you want to strengthen by using Enslave, but please choose your companions carefully.

    ¡°Whoever is chosen must be prepared for it, as it¡¯s gonna be a life-threatening job.¡± Momoka said next.

    As I heard that, I started thinking about everyone in Miyabigaoka High School.

    There are certainly people that I can think of that I¡¯d like to give the bonuses of Slave Reinforcement to, but¡­

    This skill has the disadvantage of forcing them to always obey me no matter what.

    ¡°Well¡­ For now, let¡¯s get started. We¡¯ll do what we can, one step at a time.¡± I decided.

    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C

    * Translator¡¯s Note: Japanese has three different words that are commonly used that mean ¡°I¡±. ¡°Watashi¡±, ¡°Boku¡± and ¡°Ore¡±. ¡°Watashi¡± is more formal and a bit feminine. ¡°Boku¡± is a bit more informal and a bit masculine. ¡°Ore¡± is very informal (even a bit rude, at times) and very masculine. Momoka refers to herself using ¡°Boku¡±, hence why the MC said that Momoka¡¯s pronouns were masculine¡­ Though it¡¯s not like it¡¯s unheard of for women to use ¡°Boku¡± or anything, it¡¯s just a pronoun that is more often used by men than by women¡­ In any case, a character¡¯s way of saying ¡°I¡± is something that is almost always lost in translation, hence why this Translator¡¯s Note exists.

 CH 92

    Chapter 92 ¨C Raise your hand if you wish to become a slave

    We were currently at a meeting room for school staff.

    This room was previously covered in dust, but it was now the venue used for regular meetings.

    ¡°So¡­ That¡¯s all I wanted to say.¡± I told them.

    I had just finished reading a memo, on how the Enslave skill works, to everyone.

    Then, I started looking at the expressions of the people in front of me.

    Almost everyone who lived in this community was gathered here.

    ¡°The Enslave skill, huh¡­? And Slave Reinforcement too¡­¡± Mr. Sasaki frowned as he muttered these words.

    The other adults all had similar expression.

    ¡°Why does it have to be a name as wrong as slave?¡± Ms. Suzuki asked.

    ¡°Even if you say that¡­¡± I muttered.

    ¡°Superhuman or Supersoldier¡­ Wouldn¡¯t those give out a much better feeling?¡± Mr. Gouzou said.

    ¡°Well, if you want to rephrase it to a softer term, that¡¯s fine too.¡± I told them.

    Everyone¡¯s bitter expressions were affecting my mood¡­

    ¡°¡­ In any case, both the advantages and disadvantages are as I explained.¡± I told everyone.

    ¡°Essentially, we need to submit to you if we want access to the mysterious power¡­ It¡¯s almost like a devil¡¯s deal.¡± Mr. Norio muttered.

    ¡°Yes. So I won¡¯t force anyone. Do it if you¡¯re willing.¡± I told them.

    ¡°There is one thing you forgot to explain though¡­ How many people can become slaves?¡± Mr. Sasaki asked.

    ¡°Oh, right¡­¡± I muttered.

    I had gotten in touch with Tsuzuri earlier and suggested him to increase the level of his skills, and he readily agreed to it, so right now the level of Slave Reinforcement was V.

    Slave Reinforcement V grants: Fighting Technique (Advanced); Natural Healing (Strong); Skin Strengthening; Fire Magic I-II; Water Magic I-II; Thunder Magic I; Sex Technique (Beginner); and allows ten slaves to be employed at the same time.

    Currently speaking, I have Oda, Akechi and Sanae enslaved, while Tsuzuri has Ryouhei enslaved.

    Therefore, the number of people that can be enslaved are¡­ ¡°Six people.¡± I replied to Mr. Sasaki¡¯s question.

    Then, one person immediately raised his hand, ¡°Me! Me! Me! Me! Me! I wanna use magic too!¡± Konno Rintarou said that.

    Three friendly hands were raised right after that.

    Hibiya Kousuke¡¯s.

    Tada Ritsuko¡¯s.

    And Kimino Asuka¡¯s.

    ¡°¡­ Then me too.¡± Hibiya Norio said and raised his hand, right after seeing his son raise his own hand.

    Five people? That¡¯s¡­ A lot more than I thought.

    But then, the next thing that happened completely blew my expectations.

    Almost everyone else in the room started raising their hands one after another, exclaiming things like, ¡®Me too!¡¯ or ¡®Choose me!¡¯

    Among them, even Ms. Suzuki and Rika had raised their hands.

    ¡°Eh? Eeh¡­?¡± I was dumbfounded.

    I was hoping I¡¯d get one or two people to agree, but what happened was¡­ Unbelievable.

    ¡°J-just to be sure¡­ You¡¯re all aware that you¡¯d become my slaves with this, right? You¡¯ll have to obey my every order.¡± I told them.

    Mr. Sasaki gave me a wry smile in response, ¡°I can¡¯t really imagine you ordering someone around.¡±

    I opened my mouth agape at that¡­ Is everyone looking down on me or something?

    Well¡­ I guess that¡¯s fine.

    ¡°Alright¡­ Mmmm¡­ I can¡¯t really draw lots for this kind of thing, you all okay with that?¡± I asked everyone.

    ¡°Of course.¡± Mr. Gouzou replied.

    ¡°Then, I¡¯ll take the first five that raised their hands. The last slot will be on hold.¡± I decided.

    As I said that, Rintarou exclaimed, ¡°Yes!¡±

    Well¡­ I suppose I¡¯ll just be happy that things ended up better than I expected.

    ***

    After that meeting, a fair number of people came to me and said stuff like, ¡®You could give the last slot to me, you know?¡¯

    It was like they thought that being chosen would guarantee their safety.

    However, the slaves would actually be the ones putting themselves in danger the most.

    I¡¯m unsure if everyone understood that properly¡­

 CH 93

    Chapter 93 ¨C Love Confession

    Later, on that day¡¯s night.

    I was in my nostalgic nest. The third classroom for the third years. I was sorting the items I had obtained, like the Magical Cat Staff.

    Then, I heard someone discretely knock on the door.

    ¡°Coming.¡± I said that, then opened the door shortly after.

    ¡°¡­ Good evening, senpai.¡± Ritsuko was the person who was on the other side of the door.

    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± I asked her.

    ¡°Well¡­ Uhn¡­ Would you like some tea?¡± Ritsuko asked me.

    In her hands there was her favorite food, a box filled with octopus-shaped chocolate.

    ¡°I don¡¯t mind it, but won¡¯t you gain weight if you eat before going to bed?¡± I asked her.

    Ritsuko gave me a meek smile, ¡°It¡¯s okay¡­ I don¡¯t get fat, so¡­¡±

    ¡°Oh, how envious.¡± I told her.

    This was unexpected. Ritsuko wasn¡¯t usually this assertive¡­

    Well, in any case, I pointed her to a desk for visitors (sort of), then sat on my usual desk.

    ¡°Thank you, senpai¡­¡± Ritsuko muttered.

    She seemed to be quite nervous for some reason. She couldn¡¯t even open the box of chocolates that she brought.

    ¡°Uh¡­ Uuuuh¡­¡± Ritsuko muttered.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± I asked her as I brewed some tea.

    ¡°Se-senpai¡­¡± Ritsuko took a deep breath, then asked, ¡°Well, you see¡­ Just¡­ What kind of relationship do you have with that girl that came here together with you, senpai?¡±

    ¡°Together¡­? Oh, do you mean Iroha?¡± I asked back.

    ¡°Yes.¡± Ritsuko nodded.

    What kind of relationship though? ¡°We¡¯re friends.¡± I replied plainly.

    ¡°Really¡­? Isn¡¯t it more than that?¡± Ritsuko asked me.

    Why is Ritsuko this obsessed with me? And what does she mean with ¡®more than that¡¯? What is this ¡®more¡¯ that she is referring to?

    I suddenly imagined Iroha, who was probably sleeping sprawled out on the ground, in the room right next to this one.

    ¡°Why do you ask that?¡± I decided to ask.

    ¡°Because¡­¡± Ritsuko dropped her gaze to her teacup, ¡°Matching¡­¡±

    Matching¡­?

    I was confused for a second, but then I remembered the Friendship Rings that has basically become a part of my body.

    ¡°Oh, this? That is¡­¡± How do I explain it¡­? Honestly, I haven¡¯t used the shared skill even once¡­ ¡°It¡¯s not really a big deal. It¡¯s just reassuring to have it on me.¡± I told her.

    ¡°Ah¡­ Reassuring¡­?¡± Ritsuko muttered.

    Oh dear, did I make a mistake on my choice of words?

    ¡°Hey, can I ask you something?¡± Ritsuko stood up and squeezed my hands tightly. As if she couldn¡¯t back down after coming this far, ¡°To you, Senpai, what am I to you?¡±

    ¡°What can I say? You¡¯re one of my closest juniors, I guess?¡± I replied.

    ¡°Uhn¡­ When you say closest, do you mean close enough to get married!?¡± Ritsuko suddenly asked.

    W-whoa!? W-wait, ¡°H-hold on a second! Same-gender marriage isn¡¯t even legal in this country!¡± I hastily replied.

    ¡°Please don¡¯t try to avoid it like that. The law doesn¡¯t matter anymore.

    ¡°Senpai, you really left without telling me anything¡­ I had a really hard time these past few days¡­¡± Ritsuko muttered.

    ¡°A-ah¡­¡± I didn¡¯t know how to reply.

    The way this was going was worrisome¡­

    ¡°I want to hear it clearly. Your feelings, Senpai.¡± Ritsuko told me.

    For a moment, I didn¡¯t even know how to answer.

    And then I noticed it¡­ Ritsuko¡¯s hands were shaking.

    I can¡¯t try avoid answering by making a joke here¡­ I wish I could just get through this by having a sudden hearing loss, like what the dense protagonist of a novel would do.

    But unfortunately, I heard it very clearly.

    ¡°Well¡­¡± I started trying to answer.

    I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯m heterosexual.

    I was about to answer that, but¡­ At the edge of my line of sight, I could see the Magical Cat Staff. A staff that can change one¡¯s appearance at will.

    With this kind of thing existing¡­ Isn¡¯t the gender barrier mostly meaningless?

    That thought made me hesitate¡­ Even if it was only for a short time, I walked around in the form of a man before. And the experience definitely left an impression on me.

    Then, maybe, would this kind of relationship¡­?

    I started feeling dizzy.

    In this world filled with hardships, wouldn¡¯t it be very reassuring to have someone that could spend the lonely nights right by my side?

    ¡°Senpai. If you nod here¡­ I¡¯m not leaving this room tonight.¡± Ritsuko told me.

    ¡°Wait¡­ That means¡­¡± I muttered.

    ¡°Tonight. I will sleep with you, Senpai.¡± She stared deep in my eyes as she said those words.

    I wonder how much preparation it took her, who was usually so silent, to say those words to me.

    ¡°Senpai¡­ Please answer it¡­ Am I¡­ Am I no good?¡± Ritsuko asked.

    I had a hard time processing it¡­ A world that I couldn¡¯t have even imagined a few days ago, was now opening up right in front of me.

    Silence filled the room¡­ The mood here was very tense. A mood that didn¡¯t allow me to leave the answer for later.

    ¡°¡­ Uhn¡­ Well¡­¡± I finally opened my mouth. My voice was surprisingly loud, ¡°¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    I knew that if I included even a hint of a joke in my reply, I would be insulting Ritsuko right now. I had to be serious.

    ¡°I have a duty to fulfill. To save as many people as possible.¡± I told her.

    ¡°So, you don¡¯t have time to go out with me?¡± She asked.

    ¡°Yes.¡± I replied.

    ¡°Is that so¡­?¡± Ritsuko seemed to be absolutely dejected.

    This is troublesome¡­ What kind of face am I supposed to make tomorrow when we meet again?

    On top of that, I also need to use Enslave on her and the others tomorrow¡­

    ¡°¡­ However!¡± Ritsuko lifted her face up with such momentum, that she made my heart skip a beat, ¡°It¡¯s okay! I still love you, Senpai! And I won¡¯t ever feel bad by being by your side, no matter what!¡±

    I was stunned.

    Ritsuko really¡­ She really thinks of me like that¡­

    My face suddenly turned bright red. A feeling that I hadn¡¯t felt before suddenly filled my chest. Something that I couldn¡¯t quite understand.

    ¡°Of course.¡± Before I realized it, I was already holding Ritsuko¡¯s hand.

    And then, I did something wild. Something that would surely make me freak out on the next day and make me wonder, ¡®Why did you do that!?¡¯

    ¡­ I kissed Ritsuko¡¯s cheek.

    ¡°We have to get up early tomorrow, so let¡¯s have a good night¡¯s sleep today, alright?¡± I told her.

    Ritsuko nodded stiffly. Like a slave who had just received an order.

    She drank her whole tea in one gulp, then left the classroom with mechanical movements.

    Ugh¡­ Did I just¡­ Make everything a lot more complicated?

    ¡°It¡¯s surely hard to be popular¡­¡± I muttered to myself.

    ¡­ What the hell did I just do!?

    About one minute after the cheek kiss happened, I started banging my head against my desk.

 CH 94

    Chapter 94 ¨C The start of the Grind Levels by Rescuing People operation

    After that night, we gathered at a classroom for the second years.

    ¡°Just to confirm it¡­ You all sure about this?¡± I asked them.

    ¡°Yes, please do it.¡± Kousuke replied.

    ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to it!¡± Rintarou exclaimed.

    ¡°I¡¯ll gladly hear any requests you have for me, Senpai.¡± Ritsuko told me.

    ¡°It¡¯s all good.¡± Asuka said.

    ¡°¡­ No problem.¡± Mr. Norio said.

    Everyone gave their confirmations.

    Therefore, I started using Enslave at them in order, starting with Kousuke.

    ¡°Mmm¡­ My body feels¡­ Light?¡± Kousuke said.

    Then, suddenly, he jumped up and did a backflip, ¡°¡­ Yo!¡± He said.

    And then another, and another¡­

    ¡°W-whoa! W-what¡¯s this!?¡± Rintarou exclaimed as he saw Kousuke execute a series of consecutive backflips.

    ¡°M-my body is definitely light!¡± Kousuke exclaimed.

    Oh wow¡­ To think the usually chill Kousuke reacted to the Slave Reinforcement like that¡­

    Oh well¡­ Let¡¯s keep going. Next is Rintarou.

    ¡°Whooooooooa! What¡¯s thiiiiiis!?¡± Rintarou was extremely hyped once he finished getting enslaved.

    While he screamed, he¡­ Jumped out of the window!?

    ¡°Hey, Rintarou!¡± I exclaimed.

    We¡¯re on the second floor¡­

    But well, when I looked outside the window, I saw Rintarou happily running around the playground with a big smile on his face.

    ¡°¡­ I guess it¡¯s fine for as long as he is safe.¡± Ritsuko commented.

    Then, I used Enslave on the rest of the people here.

    ¡°¡­ It doesn¡¯t feel bad.¡± Said Ritsuko.

    ¡°Ooh! I certainly feel a surge of strength in me!¡± Said Asuka.

    ¡°It¡¯s disgusting to think that this kind of power can be brought about by a supernatural entity¡­¡± Said Mr. Norio.

    ¡°Then, everyone, I¡¯d like you to put your all in helping other people from now on.¡± I told them.

    ¡°Sure. And as we do that, your¡­ Level, will increase?¡± Asuka asked.

    ¡°Yep.¡± I replied.

    ¡°Tsk. I guess that¡¯s why that Momoka girl was so eager to help us out in here¡­¡± Mr. Norio said.

    ¡°¡­ Oh, that makes sense¡­¡± I muttered.

    ¡°Well, I can¡¯t complain much, since her help greatly sped up the process of making the barricades.¡± Mr. Norio sighed.

    On a side note, the much-talked-about Momoka was going to be away from Miyabigaoka for a while.

    She flew towards Tokyo with her dragons this morning. Apparently, she is going to be searching for players to join us, while me and Iroha work on our leveling.

    Suddenly, I felt like I wanted to hear my elders¡¯ opinion on Momoka, so, ¡°By the way, what do you think of Momoka, Mr. Norio?¡± I asked him.

    ¡°She said she was a reincarnator¡­¡± He sighed, ¡°I don¡¯t like it.¡±

    As always, he is one who gives his opinions frankly.

    ¡°You probably noticed it, but she most likely is hiding something.¡± Mr. Norio told me.

    ¡°Oh?¡± I said.

    ¡°If we take her words at face value, then this is the second time she experiences this ¡®world-end¡¯ situation¡­ That¡¯s strange enough as is. If she knew it was going to happen, then couldn¡¯t she stop it before things got this far?¡± Mr. Norio said.

    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s a bit suspicious¡­¡± I nodded.

    ¡°If she¡¯s really living through a second life, then she should have been able to twist her fate in a way that suited her at the very minimum¡­¡± Mr. Norio concluded.

    Seems like he also agrees that it¡¯s better to be cautious around Momoka then.

    ¡°Well, in any case, at least for now. There¡¯s nothing better for us to do, than to help other people, so¡­ Shall we do some good deeds?¡± I told everyone.

    Mr. Norio nodded. Seemingly having no objections to this plan.

    And so, we headed to the main gate.

    ***

    The search started on the apartment building I used to live in.

    ¡°There might still be people here, and I saw people¡¯s silhouette come out of a balcony once. I hope I haven¡¯t mistaken zombies for people though.¡± I told everybody.

    Kousuke then moved forward while looking visibly tense, preparing himself for anything that might come his way.

    He was currently equipped with the Steel Gauntlets that I gave him some time back.

    ¡°Zombies might sometimes be hiding, ready to lunge at you, so be careful.¡± Kousuke told everyone.

    Oh, right, there was that¡­ On the way to Tokorozawa, I only got rid of the zombies who attacked me, so I didn¡¯t really pay attention to that.

    And then¡­ A zombie that was sneakily watching us, jumped in our direction from the blind spot around the corner.

    Kousuke quickly reacted to that though, and pushed his gauntlets forward, slamming the zombie against a wall.

    The zombie¡¯s head was crushed with the impact, so it stopped moving.

    ¡°Oh¡­ Wow!¡± Kousuke exclaimed, ¡°This can¡¯t be real¡­ It was so easy¡­¡± He muttered next.

    Seems like he was astonished by the power provided by Fighting Technique (Advanced).

    ¡°It¡¯s like it isn¡¯t even my body moving¡­¡± Kousuke muttered.

    ¡°Well, you¡¯ll get used to it, little by little.¡± I replied.

    I certainly still remember the time I learned Sword Technique (Beginner), and how surprised I was by how easy it was to handle the sword. It¡¯s no wonder that Kousuke was dumbfounded by suddenly having access to Advanced level of Fighting Technique.

    ¡°Hey! Over here!¡± Rintarou exclaimed.

    Differently from Kousuke, Rintarou seemed to have easily adapted to his new powers and did not seem to mind zombies being gathered by his shouting.

    But well, in the room that Rintarou pointed to, there were two boys that seemed to be elementary schoolers. They both seemed to be very weak.

    We gave them some food, guided them to the safety of Miyabigaoka, then continued moving on ahead.

    It¡¯s really frustrating to find people that are starving to death¡­ And it¡¯s hard to find them too.

    By the end of the day, we were only able to rescue four people.

    Maybe it was a bad idea to focus our searches on the neighborhood¡­

    But well, the results were decent. Both me and Iroha gained one level, and we helped people out as we did that.

    This will be a slow, but steady process it seems. We have no choice but to keep doing our best.

    ***

    On another note, Momoka told me that Healing Magic is quite convenient, because healing people can also give you experience points, so she recommended it to me.

    With her advice, I decided to take Healing Magic I-V, and Special Sword Skill I with the six skill points I had available.

    For now, I will continue acquiring levels on those two skills until I max them out.

    Hopefully the Special Sword Skills might help me out on the next time I need to fight a monster.

 CH 95

    Chapter 95 ¨C Day-to-day rescuing

    It was now the second day of rescuing (and leveling up) activities.

    ¡°Who¡¯s there!?¡± One person shouted.

    ¡°Who!?¡± Another shouted.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take you to a safe zone!¡± I told to the people who called out to me.

    But then, I heard a zombie groan.

    ¡°Not you!¡± Rintarou quickly stabbed his knife into the zombie¡¯s head.

    ¡°O-o-ooh! I¡¯m here! Help me!¡± The person shouted.

    This time, we got a pretty good harvest.

    It seems like quite a few people have been living near the shopping district.

    We faced no drama in particular, and succeeded in rescuing thirteen people today.

    I got three levels, and Iroha got two.

    ***

    On the third day of rescue activities, we went to a residential area located behind the shopping district.

    ¡°Kimino Asuka¡­? No way¡­¡± A girl said as she saw us.

    For the first time since we started those rescuing activities, we found a student who went to the same school as us.

    ¡°Oh my, it¡¯s Katou. It¡¯s been a while.¡± Asuka replied as she decapitated three zombies.

    ¡°Are you really Kimino¡­?¡± Katou muttered.

    ¡°I am.¡± Asuka replied.

    In about three minutes, we wiped out all the zombies surrounding the mansion.

    ¡°It¡¯s dangerous here, so why don¡¯t you come with us to the school?¡± Asuka told Katou.

    ¡°Eh? Uhn¡­ Is it really safe there¡­?¡± Katou asked.

    ¡°It is. And you can also shower there at night, so I recommend it.¡± Asuka replied.

    We had heard that there was a well in the temple within the shopping district, so we created a barricaded road connecting it to the school.

    Due to that, the water problem, which was previously quite worrisome, has now been mostly solved.

    ¡°U-uhn¡­ Okay, I¡¯ll go. I¡¯ll persuade my family too.¡± Katou said.

    ¡°Alright, then prepare your luggage in thirty or so minutes, okay?

    ¡°Ah, you don¡¯t need to bring a wallet with you though. Even if you bring one, we¡¯ll probably just burn the money anyways.¡± Asuka replied.

    That was not a lie. People at Miyabigaoka have started playing a game of burning 10,000 yen bills, to see which ones burned the brightest.

    ¡°I-I understand¡­ I¡¯ll do as you say, so¡­ Please don¡¯t leave me¡­¡± Katou said.

    Then, when we were on the way home, Asuka told me, ¡°You know¡­ I was actually bullied by that girl before.¡±

    Oh¡­ ¡°Well, I¡¯m not sure if I need to say it, but getting revenge for that now would be¡­¡± I gave her a troubled reply.

    But Asuka didn¡¯t seem to mind it. Or rather, she smiled brightly, a smile that seemed to come from the bottom of her heart, ¡°Revenge¡­? Aha, to be honest, I didn¡¯t even consider it, you know?

    ¡°I think you might understand it, Senpai. What happened back in those days right now just feels¡­ I don¡¯t know, like such a faraway memory? It¡¯s almost like an event that happened in a dream to me.¡±

    And that was the end of our conversation on this topic.

    As for Iroha, Mr. Norio and Kousuke¡¯s team, they discovered a community of about thirty people hidden inside the station¡¯s basement.

    Those people were on a really rough spot, to the point they had to kill the elderly and babies just to reduce the number of mouths that needed to be fed.

    When they were offered to come to the school for safety, they gladly accepted our offer.

    Thanks to this, both me and Iroha got five levels at once.

    We got some great results today!

    ***

    Not much happened on the fourth day of rescues.

    We might have already found most of the survivors in this area.

    So, after we finished the usual search in the morning, we decided to spend the afternoon carrying supplies that were scattered around, instead of doing more rescuing.

    I hadn¡¯t really noticed it before, but the city¡¯s center is really packed with supplies.

    According to the teachers¡¯ rough calculations, even if logistics were to stop completely, we should still be able to survive for ten or so years, just from using the supplies available in Tokyo.

    Of course, it depends on how many people are alive, so it¡¯s a rough estimate in the end.

    On another note, some people have recently started saying that they were now living a richer life than what they lived before the world became like this.

    But even if they say that, there is still a long way to go before we can go back to our old lives.

    Electricity supply is insufficient, we don¡¯t have access to fresh vegetables anymore, the shower water is cold¡­

    On another note, thanks to the fact that many of the refugees were used to this kind of work, we were able to strengthen and extend the barricades.

    For the time being, our immediate goals are to connect the school to the station with a safe road, then use the underground space below the station as an emergency shelter.

    Things seemed to be progressing well, and the situation was fairly stable.

    Of course, we never know when things might go awry though.

    As for levels, both me and Iroha got one.

    ***

    On the fifth day of rescuing, a clash between refugees occurred.

    The more I listened to it, the more ridiculous the story was¡­ Basically, it was a fight between drunken people.

    They felt that they had no motivation to do anything in this apocalyptical world, so they decided to go violent in their drunken haze.

    I can understand where the thoughts might have come from, but it¡¯s no good to have a fistfight over that. Especially in this case, where they actually used broken beer bottles to fight.

    Kousuke ended up having to intervene, and he ended up getting stabbed by one of the broken beer bottles on the stomach.

    Of course, I was able to immediately recover him by using Healing Magic IV, but¡­

    ¡°To think I have to rely on your magic even for this kind of thing, Senpai¡­ I-I-I-it hurts! It hurts! Be a bit more gentle! It hurts!¡± Kousuke said as I extracted the glass shards.

    As for the two people that quarreled, Mr. Gouzou said that he gave them some severe punishment.

    Apparently, Mr. Gouzou also got a reputation for giving tearful sermons to people who mess up, sermons that involve saying stuff like, ¡®Those children are doing their best for us!¡¯ or something.

    On a side note, I didn¡¯t even remember who were those people who got on the drunk fight. Had I seen them before?

    Well, in any case, we were able to rescue three people today, but my level didn¡¯t go up.

    ***

    We decided to take a bit of a break from doing rescue operations.

    We had looked around here and there, but we were finding basically nobody in a ten-kilometer radius from the school.

    Still, since we knew that there could still be more people seeking help, we put out some posters pointing people to the school, saying that it was safe there.

    Also, public order was starting to reach a good state now, so even ordinary people were able to walk outside the barricades to some extent.

    The people making the barricades were also planning on expanding the walls soon.

    Basically, they want to create a second safe area, to let people have a place to evacuate to, even if the first layer of barricades is breached. Similarly to that famous anime involving titans.

    Also¡­ We ended up stealing a bunch of plastic models from a local toy store, the kind that you need to assemble yourself.

    Probably because of that, building plastic models ended up becoming a fairly popular hobby inside the school.

    As a result of this new fad, a formerly unemployed man, who was incredibly knowledgeable with the methods of building plastic models, ended up becoming quite popular.

    The school building started smelling of paint though, so a rule was quickly established, allowing people to only build plastic models on the roof.

    ***

    And today, we decided to take a short trip to try finding more people.

    We were using two light trucks for transportation.

    Mr. Norio was driving the car ahead. The passengers were me, Iroha and Kousuke.

    The car behind us was driven by Mr. Gozou. Rintarou, Ritsuko and Asuka were its passengers.

    At one point we found a car blocking our way, but, after we drained its gas, Iroha blew the car away with a single punch.

    She seems to have maxed out Superhuman Strength, so Iroha must now be more powerful than the monsters, never mind the zombies¡­

    ¡°I hope we can find some people today.¡± Iroha muttered while lightly rocking on the truck¡¯s seat.

    ¡°Yeah, hopefully so. I also want to try leveling Healing Magic and Special Sword Skill to the limit, like how Momoka asked me to.¡± I replied.

    Furthermore, I also want to start improving the Attack Power skill.

    The Defense and Magic Resistance skills are quite helpful, after all, even if I¡¯m not actively aware of what they¡¯re doing for me. Attack Power will probably feel similar.

    I was quite relaxed as I thought of those things¡­

    ¡°W-what the?¡± Mr. Norio muttered, ¡°Damn it! This is bad!¡±

    It was then, that the incident happened.

 CH 96

    Chapter 96 ¨C Hello, robber

    An unpleasant, deafening sound came out from ahead of us.

    ¡°Everyone, get out of the truck!¡± Mr. Norio shouted.

    What¡¯s happening¡­?

    ¡­ I think I¡¯ve become overconfident in my Defense skill.

    My reaction to it was slower than everyone else¡¯s.

    A truck was rushing straight downhill, towards us.

    I caught it at the edge of my gaze.

    ¡°Orya?¡± As I made this weird noise, I noticed that the ground was above my head.

    Ah, this is bad¡­

    On the next moment, I was helplessly crushed by the overturned trucks.

    ¡°Hey¡­! You alright!?¡± Mr. Norio exclaimed.

    ¡°Senpai!¡± Kousuke exclaimed.

    ¡°Sis!¡± Iroha exclaimed.

    Seems like all three of them escaped danger.

    If I was in a movie, I would have been instantly killed by this without a doubt, but¡­ I don¡¯t even have a scratch on me right now.

    However, there is something bothersome¡­ I¡¯m stuck.

    The weight of the two colliding trucks was piled up on top of me, making me unable to move.

    I¡¯m confident in my defensive powers, but my physical strength isn¡¯t really above the one of an ordinary person, so I can¡¯t really do anything right now.

    And just as I wondered what had caused this sudden crash, I heard a voice from outside, ¡°You guys! Don¡¯t move!¡±

    I was barely able to peek outside from a gap in-between the trucks, and I was able to see several men armed with light machineguns.

    Oh dear¡­ My carelessness was now giving us quite the headache¡­ We were being attacked by someone.

    Well, I thought that there would be people like this out there, but as everyone near the school was polite, I ended up being caught completely off guard.

    ¡°Hey, you little lambs! The wolves are attacking!¡± One of the armed people gave a very interesting self-introduction, ¡°Everyone gather in one place, and lay out what you have on the ground!¡±

    Apparently, there were four attackers total.

    All of them were covered in soot, and their clothes were not only ugly, but also ragged in a few places.

    ¡°What did you just say!?¡± Iroha exclaimed while swinging her arms around.

    ¡°Shut up! Silence the brat or I¡¯ll kill you!¡± One of the attackers shouted.

    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t want to shoot here, would you? Gunshots would attract zombies, and that¡¯s not something you would want to do either, right?¡± Mr. Gouzou intervened.

    I mean, it¡¯s not like attracting zombies would be particularly troublesome for us¡­

    That said, Mr. Gouzou isn¡¯t strengthened by Slave Reinforcement, so it would be troublesome if the attackers started shooting us right now¡­

    So I guess we should go along with what the attackers are saying for now.

    ¡°Alright! We¡¯ll do as you say!¡± Mr. Norio answered on behalf of everyone.

    ¡°Oh! Ooh! So you tough old man can be smart at times too! You¡¯re not a circus clown at least!¡± The attacker was¡­ Praising (?) Mr. Norio?

    ¡°I have acted in that kind of stage too in the past.¡± Mr. Norio fearlessly smiled, going along with whatever it was that the attacker said.

    ¡°Well, whatever! We¡¯ll take your women and food! If you comply, we won¡¯t kill you!¡± One of the attackers exclaimed.

    ¡°We don¡¯t mind sharing the food, but we will not give our companions away to you.¡± Mr. Norio replied.

    ¡°Wrong answer!¡± One of the attackers kicked Mr. Norio between the legs.

    ¡°Father!¡± Kousuke exclaimed, with murderous intent welling up in his eyes.

    ¡°It¡¯s alright, Kousuke.¡± Mr. Norio said. And his eyes seemed to indicate that it was not time yet.

    ¡°¡­ It would be a problem to take the stumpy one too, so¡­ Just bring those two! Come on!¡± The attackers pointed to Ritsuko and Asuka.

    As for Iroha, who was left out, ¡°Hey, uncle, what does stumpy mean?¡± She asked Mr. Norio in a low voice.

    ¡°¡­ It means small and cute.¡± Mr. Norio replied.

    ¡°I see¡­ In a good way?¡± Iroha asked next.

    ¡°Just stop talking, for now.¡± Mr. Norio replied.

    Before I realized it, those two seemed to have become friends. Perhaps because they have been acting together in our rescue missions.

    ¡°Come on! Hurry up!¡± The attackers seemed to be angry at us, who clearly lacked a sense of tension in this situation.

    The man, who had just shouted, grabbed Asuka¡¯s shoulder.

    ¡°Oh no¡­ Help me¡­¡± Asuka replied with a voice that clearly did not fit the situation¡­ She¡¯s certainly no good at acting, is she?

    Mr. Gouzou then, with a wry smile, started speaking to the attackers, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s stop the violence here. I¡¯m a man too, so I understand that you may be swayed by this kind of feeling at times, but let¡¯s solve this problem through adult discussion.¡±

    ¡°Too bad, we¡¯re eternally teens! Tough luck for you!¡± The attackers replied.

    Ugh¡­ For real, is this how pitiful those guys are? Even their sense of humor is bad.

    ¡°But you can¡¯t live like this forever. Why don¡¯t you join us instead?¡± Mr. Gouzou suggested.

    ¡°WhY dOn¡¯T yOu JoIn Us InStEaD?¡± One of the men did humorous gestures while repeating Mr. Gouzou¡¯s words.

    ¡°Yeah, no way!¡± One of the attackers exclaimed, then all four of them started bursting out laughing, ¡°We¡¯re having a lot of fun right now! And it¡¯s gonna be even more fun with food!¡±

    And at this moment, one of the attackers grabbed Asuka¡¯s chest.

    Oh¡­ They¡¯re signing their death sentence.

    ¡°Whoa! It doesn¡¯t even feel that good!¡± The suicidal attacker said.

    At this moment, I could visibly see blood vessels start appearing on Mr. Gouzou¡¯s head¡­ As someone who has a daughter around Asuka¡¯s age, it is understandable that he is incredibly angry right now¡­ Even if Asuka¡¯s anger surely dwarfs his.

    ¡°Stop¡­ I¡¯m speaking to your conscience.¡± Mr. Gouzou told them.

    ¡°Oh? Are you stupid?¡± The attacker replied.

    They really won¡¯t listen, will they?

    Asuka was also pleading with her eyes. Seemingly saying, ¡®Can we fight back already?¡¯

    Mr. Gouzou heaved a heavy sigh.

    He was trying to solve things peacefully, because he hoped that those guys could be brought to the school, but¡­ His patience had clearly reached its limits.

    ¡°¡­ I may look like this, but I used to be a police officer, you know?¡± Mr. Gouzou stated.

    ¡°Oh? And what does being of the police even matter now!?¡± One of the attackers exclaimed.

    ¡°To put it simply. I have the models of the guns available in Japan well-ingrained into my head¡­ And yours? Yours are just models, aren¡¯t they?¡± Mr. Gouzou told them.

    ¡°W-what?!¡± An attacker exclaimed.

    This was a signal.

    Not to the attackers though, but to everyone else in our team.

    ¡°A-Agh!?¡± The man that was touching Asuka was now shouting, for Asuka started crushing his hand.

    The sounds of bones being crushed resounded through this area.

    Suddenly, the complexion of the attackers started changing.

    In the next moment, Kousuke¡¯s straight punch, Ritsuko¡¯s high kick, and Norio¡¯s chop quickly knocked the other three attackers unconscious.

    The only one still awake, was the one who had touched Asuka.

    ¡°W-w-what is¡­ What are you¡­!?¡± The man exclaimed.

    ¡°That¡¯s right, you¡¯re a lost lamb.¡± Asuka wryly smiled at him.

    ¡°Do you have any other companions?¡± Mr. Gouzou asked him.

    ¡°N-no! It¡¯s just us!¡± The man replied.

    ¡°Asuka, please.¡± Mr. Gouzou said.

    In response, Asuka put even more strength into her grip, mercilessly crushing more of the man¡¯s hand.

    ¡°I-I¡¯m serious! Truly! It¡¯s just us!¡± The man shouted.

    ¡°Then, do you know anyone else alive?¡± Mr. Gouzou asked.

    ¡°N-not as far as I know!¡± The man exclaimed.

    ¡°¡­ Asuka?¡± Mr. Gouzou said.

    The man immediately started talking after that, ¡°O-okay! I Know one place! Under the overpass straight ahead of here! It was a bicycle parking area! We were kicked out of it!¡±

    ¡°How many people?¡± Mr. Gouzou asked.

    ¡°F-fifty¡­ Maybe more¡­¡± The guy muttered.

    ¡°You said you belonged to the group, so you should know a bit more. Who is the leader?¡± Mr. Gouzou asked next.

    ¡°Old man Okita! He used to own a bicycle store!¡± The man replied.

    ¡°I see. You don¡¯t seem to be lying.¡± Mr. Gouzou extracted information in such a way, that it made it hard to believe he was just on the general affairs section before, ¡°Then, let me give you one last warning. If we hear that you¡¯re doing evil deeds in the future¡­ No matter how far you escape, we¡¯ll hunt you down, and feed you to the zombies. You get that?¡±

    ¡°G-g-got it¡­¡± The man hung down his head on the spot, as if his spirit was completely crushed.

    Mr. Gouzou then muttered, with a bitter expression on his face, ¡°Then, have a good world-end life.¡±

    ***

    Well¡­ I¡¯m glad that the situation seems to have calmed down, but¡­

    Can you help me soon?

 CH 97

    Chapter 97 ¨C Herd

    ¡°Sorry. I don¡¯t think I can fix it without the right tools.¡± Mr. Norio commented while looking at the light truck I was previously stuck under.

    Everyone seemed more concerned about the truck than about me¡­ It was a bit frustrating.

    ¡°Would you like to just drain the truck and turn back?¡± Mr. Gozou asked him.

    ¡°No. According to that guy from earlier, there is a community nearby. Why don¡¯t we try going there and seeing if we can borrow some tools?¡± Mr. Norio suggested.

    ¡°Sounds like a good plan.¡± Mr. Gouzou said, then turned towards me, ¡°By the way¡­ I¡¯m sorry, but can you use Enslave on me too?¡±

    ¡°¡­ Is that alright?¡± I asked him.

    Until now, Mr. Gouzou had been eliminated as a possible candidate for Enslave, because he is the leader of our community in MIyabigaoka. We thought it would be bad if the leader was under the command of someone else, so it was better to not Enslave him.

    ¡°Yes, at least temporarily. Apparently, this place isn¡¯t as safe as we thought it would be, and I don¡¯t want to be a hindrance for everyone here.¡± Mr. Gouzou replied.

    ¡°Got it.¡± I nodded, then put my hand on his head and activated Enslave.

    ¡°I used to think that Japanese people would respect morality even in the worst possible crises¡­ It is sad to see what the cruel reality has brought out.¡± Mr. Gouzou muttered with a bitter expression.

    And now, the number of slaves has been maxed out.

    ¡°That man said that the large group was under the overpass ahead.¡± Mr. Gouzou muttered once the enslaving process was finished.

    Back when I got to Miyabigaoka High School when all this started, there were about fifty people there. The number in this community seems to be about the same, so it¡¯s definitely a relatively large community.

    And wherever people gather, we can hear them cry for help.

    The more we help people, the more experience points we get.

    So, we loaded our supplies on the surviving light truck, closed it up, then hurried our way to the community on our feet, so as to check it out without making too much noise.

    And then¡­ ¡°Hey, everyone!¡± Rintarou, who was on the front, bounced back our way, ¡°It¡¯s bad! They¡¯re surrounded by zombies!¡±

    Iroha was the first to jump out at this call.

    Like a monkey, she dexterously climbed a telephone pole to get a better look of the situation, ¡°Oh dear. This is gonna be tough.¡± She told us.

    A few seconds after that, I moved to a position where I could see the situation.

    ¡°Wow¡­¡± I could see it¡­ A gigantic horde of zombies. A truly overwhelming number of them.

    I can¡¯t really count them, but¡­ There might be over a thousand zombies there? This herd is on a completely different scale than anything I¡¯ve faced before.

    ¡°What even is this¡­?¡± Kousuke muttered.

    ¡°Look. There is a human community over there.¡± Asuka pointed out.

    After staring carefully at it, just like the man that attacked us had said, there was an area protected by a strong barricade under the overpass.

    ¡°Unlike the school, there is nothing to block the sight of the immortals over here. As a result of being attracted by the humans here, more and more immortals gathered, who called for even more immortals¡­ I guess that¡¯s how this happened.¡± Mr. Norio commented.

    That sounds like a reasonable assumption.

    ¡°So, what are you going to do?¡± Mr. Gouzou asked me.

    I folded my arms in thought.

    As one would expect, dealing with that humongous number would be tough. They will attack us one after another.

    ¡°I think we can¡¯t face them head-on.¡± Iroha made a surprisingly calm and level-headed comment, ¡°With this many opponents, we¡¯ll surely run out of magic in the middle of the fight, right? We won¡¯t be able to do anything then.¡±

    Ah, I see¡­ Iroha has already been defeated twice due to running out of magic¡­ It¡¯s no wonder that she is cautious about that now.

    However, we couldn¡¯t really hold back here. We don¡¯t know how long it¡¯s been since that community has been surrounded by this zombie herd.

    Depending on how long it has been, they might already be running out of food.

    So at the latest¡­ I¡¯d like to clear out these zombies by the end of the day.

    ¡°Did you think of a strategy?¡± Mr. Norio asked me.

    Perhaps he knows that I¡¯m already set on taking the initiative and risking my life on this.

    ¡°Yes. It¡¯s gonna be a pretty uncool way to fight though.¡± I replied.

    ¡°Can¡¯t say I ever cared about solving my problems in a cool way.¡± Mr. Norio told me.

    Well then, ¡°First, we should find a nearby convenience store. One that provides an advantageous ground for a defensive battle.

    ¡°Specifically, a place that restricts how many zombies can enter it at a time, and that has plenty of food stockpiled in it.¡± I explained.

    ¡°And then?¡± Mr. Norio asked me to continue.

    ¡°The rest is simple. I¡¯ll first kill all the zombies that come our way, and then when I¡¯m hungry, I¡¯ll pass the baton to Iroha while I retreat to where everyone is, so as to eat a lot of food.

    ¡°Once I¡¯m done replenishing, I switch with Iroha while she goes eat while I go back to killing zombies¡­ And then we repeat this process.¡± I told him.

    ¡°I see¡­ Then our duty is to¡­¡± Mr. Norio started saying.

    ¡°Prepare a lot of food for both me and Iroha.¡± I finished his sentence.

    ¡°I see.¡± Mr. Norio smiled wryly, ¡°It¡¯s certainly not a cool plan.¡±

    It really isn¡¯t.

    ¡°But there seems to be no other way to go about it, so¡­ Let¡¯s get started.¡± Mr. Gouzou stated.

 CH 98

    Chapter 98 ¨C Checking the Special Sword Skills

    So, we decided to secure a pristine magic supply station (as in, a place full of food).

    The ideal location was surprisingly easy to find.

    It was a convenience store called Famina, which was not too far from the community under the overpass, who was surrounded by zombies.

    Most of the food here was left untouched, probably because of the zombie siege.

    Moreover, after climbing the attic, we found out that the store has a solar-powered generator installed.

    Apparently, more convenience stores have started using those for the sake of being eco-friendly, so¡­ Hooray for the eco boom!

    ¡°Good. This is the kind of thing that is fun to work with.¡± Mr. Norio grinned as he fiddled with the generator. Perhaps he might even bring it back to Miyabigaoka later, ¡°With this it shouldn¡¯t be hard to turn on the light on the store¡¯s signboard.¡±

    If we use it well, we should be able to divert the attention of the zombies.

    After that, we decided to solidify the defenses of the convenience store, though that wasn¡¯t a particularly hard task.

    Iroha, with her superhuman strength, brought cars and iron fences from all over the place, creating a very sturdy barricade.

    ¡°¡­ No matter how many times I look at it, I can¡¯t help feeling that this is completely against the laws of physics¡­¡± Asuka commented as she saw Iroha smash a telephone pole with a single chop.

    ¡°So, what are we doing?¡± Kousuke asked.

    ¡°Cook.¡± I briefly answered, ¡°Don¡¯t let me get tired of eating, alright?¡±

    ¡°Can you even get tired of it¡­?¡± Kousuke asked.

    ¡°I might not chug the food fast enough if I¡¯m sick of it, so please take good care of me.¡± I replied.

    Kousuke gave me a strained laugh in response, but my wish was sincere.

    I can eat anything if it means replenishing my magical power, but if I get too tired of the taste, I might start taking longer to swallow it¡­ In that case, there is a possibility that I wouldn¡¯t be able to replenish my power quickly enough, so as to deal with the zombies that were coming one after another.

    We need to be able to quickly kill and replenish in this mission. This is definitely not my desire to eat delicious food speaking. Definitely not.

    ¡°Alright, Senpai! I finished preparing all the seasonings!¡± Rintarou enthusiastically (well, he is always enthusiastic) showed me an array of condiments.

    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you this now, but don¡¯t try making any prank concoction that you do when ordering drinks from restaurants. Senpai will throw up if you do.¡± Ritsuko told him.

    Rintarou seemed a bit confused at that, ¡°I don¡¯t really get what you mean, but tabasco goes surprisingly well with any dish! I always use a bottle when going to Italian restaurants!¡±

    I almost choked at his words.

    Ritsuko picked up the seasonings from Rintarou¡¯s hands, ¡°¡­ I will take care of adjusting the taste. Rintarou will just make one spicy hot food after the other.¡±

    Please do.

    ¡°Ah, by the way. It would be a problem if you only served sweets, as I might get tired of the taste, so please alternate between sweet and salty food.¡± I told them.

    ¡°Got it.¡± Kousuke replied.

    ¡°Also, I have a sensitive tongue, so don¡¯t make the food too hot.¡± I told them next.

    ¡°Understood.¡± Kousuke said.

    ¡°Furthermore, I don¡¯t like things with shiso in them.¡± I stated.

    ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡± Kousuke replied.

    ¡°Wasabi is fine to me, but not enough to the point it irritates my noise.¡± I said next.

    ¡°Leave it to me.¡± Kousuke nodded.

    He really took all my directives seriously¡­ What a good boy he is.

    Well, at least this should ensure that we won¡¯t be annihilated due to being unable to eat the food fast enough¡­ I really don¡¯t want to die for such a stupid reason.

    ***

    And now¡­ I guess I should finish leveling up before the battle starts?

    There is a mountain of zombies that we need to take care of, so I decided to start picking up skills that could be used for long-range attacks.

    For that, I got Special Sword Skill II-V, as well as Fire Magic IV-V and Attack Power up to III.

    So, to summarize my current skills¡­

    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-

    Wandering Warrior

    Level: 42

    ¡ª¡ª¨C

    Basic Skills:

    Sword Technique (Advanced); Perfect Maintenance; Special Sword Skill I-V

    Natural Healing (Strong); Skin Strengthening; Bone Strengthening

    Hunger Resistance (Strong)

    Skill Appraisal

    ¡ª¡ª¨C

    Magic Skills:

    Fire Magic I-V

    Healing Magic I-V

    ¡ª¡ª¨C

    Job Skills:

    Attack Power III

    Defense V; Steel Clothes; Aegis Shield

    Magic Resistance II

    Spirit Summoning I; Spiritual Presence I; Fairy

    ¡ª¡ª¨C

    Shared Skills

    Quick Step I

    Enslave; Slave Reinforcement V

    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-

    As for the skills I got from the Spirit Tamer, well¡­ Surprisingly, I have yet to figure out how they work.

    From time to time, I still try calling out to the Fairy, but it hasn¡¯t worked out at all.

    Maybe I got some worthless skills here.

    Well, let¡¯s look over Iroha¡¯s skills anyways.

    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-

    Justice Martial Artist

    Level 35

    ¡ª¡ª¨C

    Basic Skills:

    Fighting Technique (Advanced); Special Skill I-V

    Natural Healing (Strong); Skin Strengthening; Bone Strengthening

    Hunger Resistance (Strong)

    ¡ª¡ª¨C

    Magic Skills:

    Fire Magic I-III

    Thunder Magic I-IV

    Healing Magic I-III

    ¡ª¡ª¨C

    Job Skills:

    Quick Step V

    Iron Fist

    Superhuman Strength V

    Mind¡¯s Eye; Clairvoyance I

    ¡ª¡ª¨C

    Shared Skills:

    Defense I

    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª-

    Hers were like that.

    I think it¡¯s a perfect setup for beating a zombie horde.

    ***

    While leaving the cooking to my friends, I decided to test out the Special Sword Skills.

    I was outside the barricade, and made sure that there were no people, other than zombies, around me.

    ¡°Special Sword Skill I.¡± The sword shone golden as I said that.

    As a test, I slashed a zombie that was walking around, and I cut it in half with splendid sharpness.

    I guess I can think of it as one-use version of Enchantment? It should be more cost-efficient magic-wise, but it¡¯s also kinda hard to use.

    Next up, ¡°Special Sword Skill II.¡±

    As expected, the sword shone golden again. It¡¯s a similar effect to the Special Skills of Iroha, but I wonder what causes these phenomena. Is it an energy surge of sorts?

    In any case, when I tried swinging the sword, the golden blade stretched out and became three times its size.

    Mmmm¡­ Let¡¯s note this down.

    Seems like it¡¯s a technique that temporarily extends your attack range. That will surely be useful when facing zombies.

    Let¡¯s keep it up, ¡°Special Sword Skill III.¡±

    Mmmm? What is this one doing? It feels like the sword is shaking with tremendous force.

    As a test, I slashed a zombie that was idly basking in the sun.

    Eww, eww, eww, eww! This was terrible.

    The zombie¡¯s body was shredded in an instant. This skill apparently makes an effect of me landing multiple sword strikes at once with a single swing.

    It¡¯s a total overkill against zombies and¡­ Now, even before the battle started, I was already showered in blood¡­ Seriously. That¡¯s depressing.

    Oh well, next, ¡°Special Sword Skill IV.¡± I forced myself to say it in a cheerful mood.

    A strong golden energy enveloped my sword this time.

    Mmmm¡­ It doesn¡¯t feel that different from Special Sword Skill I.

    Let¡¯s try swinging it.

    Whoa!

    With a wind cutting sound, an energy wave was sent away from the sword. It only disappeared after it collided with the wall of a building several dozen meters away, and it made a huge gash on the wall of said building.

    Now this is what I was waiting for! Like a game attack that can wipe out many enemies at once! A seriously strong ranged attack with my sword!

    With this, we can surely win.

    I¡¯m satisfied with having this much, but since I¡¯m at it, let¡¯s finish the test, ¡°Special Sword Skill V.¡±

    Now what is this? It feels a bit different from Special Sword Skill IV¡­ The sword is being coated in a mysterious silver light of sorts? A surge of energy or something?

    Could it be a similar effect? Maybe a stronger version of Special Sword Skill IV?

    With this idea in mind, I pointed my sword at the building and swung it sideways.

    And then¡­ Something completely unexpected happen.

    With a tremendous sound, the building was hit by the energy wave and collapsed¡­ It was almost as if it was punched by a giant monster.

    ¡°W-what¡¯s going on!?¡± ¡°What happened!?¡± ¡°What did you do, Senpai!?¡± Everyone who was working on the convenience store was surprised by this, and looked towards the collapsed building.

    ¡°Ah¡­ Well¡­ You see¡­¡± I muttered.

    Oh dear, this is bad¡­ There is no doubt that the zombie herd heard this tremendously large sound.

    I forced a cough, then raised my sword up high, ¡°Come on, everyone! Now is the time to fight!¡±

    ¡°Eh? But you said we¡¯d start after it got a bit darker¡­¡± Kousuke muttered.

    ¡°The situation changes with every passing moment! They¡¯re coming! Come on! Come on!¡± I exclaimed.

    I could see everyone staring at me with a cold gaze.

    I can¡¯t help feeling a bit discouraged at that¡­

    ¡°¡­ Seems like play time is over! Come on, everyone! Let¡¯s go!¡± Mr. Norio shouted as he saw the zombie horde approaching us like a giant wave.

 CH 99

    Chapter 99 ¨C Magical Power Recovery Time

    It was a bit before sunset.

    We were in battle stance, standing in front of an incoming horde of zombies.

    ¡°Turn on the signboard! It will divert the attention of the zombies!¡± Mr. Gouzou exclaimed.

    ¡°It¡¯s done!¡± Mr. Norio replied.

    ¡°How is the cassette stove?¡± Asuka asked.

    ¡°All good!¡± Rintarou replied.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go in the order we planned. Save the seasonings to change taste only as a last resort!¡± Kousuke exclaimed.

    ¡°Got it!¡± Ritsuko replied.

    I¡¯m very grateful to have such reliable companions.

    ¡°Sis, go inside! I¡¯ll take care of them first!¡± Iroha told me. She was already standing in the designated position.

    The original plan was to have me deal with the first wave of zombies, but I think it¡¯s better to let Iroha take care of those.

    Truth be told, I¡¯m already running out of magical power. Probably because of the tests with the Special Sword Skills.

    Special Sword Skill V is very strong, but it seems to also drain a lot of magical power¡­ I¡¯ll need to be careful with it.

    So, I went back inside to get my magical power replenished, and left things outside to Iroha.

    ¡°First things first, let¡¯s go with the authentic Russian soup borscht!¡± Rintarou poured down a red soup.

    Its fragrant smell raised my appetite, so I gobbled it up in a single gulp.

    ¡°Next is a canned product, castella with a nice soft texture. Here you go.¡± Rintarou gave me the next meal.

    This one was quite delicious. It was the first time I ate canned castella, and I usually ate it crispy instead of soft, but I ate it quickly anyways.

    It being split into various small pieces was also a nice plus.

    I think it would go well with tea.

    ¡°¡­ Next. An improvised seafood bowl with various types of canned seafood!¡± Rintarou gave me the next meal.

    It had octopus, tuna, mackerel, and shrimp. All flavored with soy sauce.

    The only disappointment was the lack of canned salmon.

    ¡°Next up, the premium version of Senpai¡¯s favorite octopus dish!¡± Rintarou gave me the next meal.

    It really was my favorite dish, and¡­ It¡¯s kinda bigger than usual? It¡¯s a pity that I can¡¯t take my time tasting it.

    ¡°Carbonara pasta and corn soup!¡± Was the next dish Rintarou gave me.

    Ohou? The former is packed food, while the latter is canned food. They¡¯re mixing those up.

    Both were at a level comparable to what I¡¯d find at a restaurant even.

    ¡°Emergency canned bread! I chose the one with chocolate chips and raisins!¡± Rintarou gave me the next one.

    Tasty¡­ As long as we have this kind of food, humanity can sure keep on fighting!

    I looked at its expiration date and it seems like this bread can last for five more years¡­ I hope the zombies will have been wiped out by then.

    ¡°A salad made with canned food, friend rice and spam¡­ How much more are you going to eat, Senpai?¡± Rintarou asked me.

    ¡°A bit more.¡± I replied as I drank a whole glass of cola in one gulp.

    The salad had asparagus, corn, mushrooms, tomatoes and bamboo shoots.

    It wasn¡¯t bad, but I missed the usual lettuce and cabbages.

    ¡°A can of peaches next. They¡¯re a bit cold, but they¡¯re quite tasty.¡± Rintarou said.

    Those were quite juicy¡­ The more I ate them, the more the juice spread in my mouth.

    ¡°Here, beef bowl and cup noodles. Eat it.¡± Rintarou gave me the next dish.

    So, the cup noodles finally came¡­ I eat those a lot, so I¡¯m a bit bored of them, but¡­ What is this?

    ¡°Tomato juice¡­?¡± I muttered.

    Apparently, they put warm tomato juice instead of water on the cup noodles.

    And what¡¯s more, it also has other toppings¡­ Is this cheese?

    It was quite the unusual combination, but it went surprisingly well with cup noodles.

    ¡°Leave it to me if you want to arrange cup noodles. I often came home late at night from work, so I ate simple meals alone.¡± Mr. Norio gave me a thumbs up as he said that.

    ¡°F-father¡­¡± Kousuke looked at his father with a very confused expression.

    And finally, I took a quick gulp of black coffee, ¡°Alright!¡± then stood up and slapped my cheeks.

    Refueling complete.

    ¡°Iroha, I¡¯ll take your place!¡± I shouted as I climbed the barricade.

    Then, I saw Iroha hitting the zombies with a technique I hadn¡¯t seen before, ¡°Take that! Secret technique, Galaxy Star Crush!¡±

    Oh? Galaxy Star Crush? That attack uses English words in it¡­ Did she give up on standardizing all her skill names by using Japanese words?

    Well, everyone can have their own naming sense. It¡¯s fine as long as she¡¯s content with it.

    As for the skill itself, it seems to create a mysterious energy wave that moves forward for over a dozen meters, blowing any enemy in its range high up in the sky.

    The swarming zombies were being quickly torn apart by this skill, just like stars floating high up in the sky¡­ I guess the name fits.

    Though this is also a very dirty constellation that Iroha is creating¡­

    ¡°Then, I¡¯ll be back soon.¡± As Iroha said that, she jumped inside the barricade with a relaxed expression.

    Thank to her, the number of zombies seems to have decreased considerably.

    However, there were still plenty of them coming.

    The zombies crowded through the narrow passage, creating a nightmarish sight.

    It would surely take a while to finish them all off while fighting normally.

    I took a deep breath and emptied my mind.

    The internal organs scattering blood¡­ The smell of carrion that is stuck to my nose¡­ The zombies¡¯ meaningless empty growls¡­

    If I am conscious of those things, my swordplay, which should be precise, will end up getting disturbed.

    ¡°Alright then¡­¡± I muttered to myself.

    Then, let¡¯s do this. The task of repeatedly using Special Sword Skill IV at the zombies begins!

 CH 100

    Chapter 100 ¨C Haku

    (Okita Rinne¡¯s Point of View (New Character))

    It was almost by a miracle that I was able to keep my virginity intact.

    Of course, it was largely due to the protection of my grandfather and leader of this community, Takashi Okita.

    But more importantly than that, it was because of men keeping each other in check.

    ¡®Whoever lays a hand on Rinne will be beaten by others.¡¯

    There was this kind of unspoken rule in our community.

    ***

    I am a beautiful girl. I am aware of this much.

    Many men get speechless when looking at me. Sometimes even men who are a lot older than me.

    At one point I thought men had a total lack of intelligence.

    And that ended up influencing my personality quite a bit¡­ Honestly, it just couldn¡¯t be helped that I at some point started thinking of myself as a queen.

    ***

    We were currently living in a community that was located right in front of my grandfather¡¯s bicycle shop. Right under an overpass.

    This was originally a bicycle storage area, surrounded by a sturdy fence.

    My grandfather swiftly responded to the start of the apocalypse, and he tried to be as helpful as he could to the people living nearby. It was just like him to be a humanitarian, I suppose.

    He dismantled his bicycles and used them to build a barricade around his own home, the bicycle shop.

    By connecting the bicycle parting lot and the store, we created a safe zone where many people could evacuate to.

    On top of that, he also allowed everyone to use his own personal shallow well, letting everyone have access to water, which was becoming scarce.

    I didn¡¯t tell it to him, but I honestly thought that this was a stupid move.

    Humans are creatures who flock to others¡¯ kindness.

    And as a result of this kind of thoughtless action, tragedy was born.

    ***

    After a while, I also ended up learning something.

    People are truly unable to be violent easily.

    They don¡¯t want to hurt others if they can avoid it. They don¡¯t want to wield blunt weapons or blades.

    The wall of ¡®common sense¡¯ that society has built is too strong.

    Many people were unable to participate in the act of disposing of the zombies that stuck to our barricades. To them, killing zombies was an abominable task.

    Only a small handful of people were able to do it. The people who were stupid, who had no morals, who could ignore the emotions of others without hesitation.

    ¡­ Before this whole apocalypse started, those people were the ones that we referred to as ¡®people who couldn¡¯t read the mood¡¯.

    And once, while I was walking near the barricades, I heard one of them say some troubling words.

    ¡®If I pin you down and take hold of your crotch, you¡¯ll become obedient, right?¡¯

    He said those words while killing the zombies outside the barricade.

    From that moment on, I had a really bad feeling about him.

    Two days later, I was almost raped. It was the worst experience I ever went through. It was much more horrifying than even my worst nightmares.

    The only reason I was saved, was because some elementary schoolers that I had befriended had quickly noticed the situation and alerted others.

    Many people were angered by the situation. They talked about how they couldn¡¯t forgive those men, they talked about killing them or beating them.

    Many said those words¡­ And yet, that was not what happened.

    Those unsalvageable and stupid men were expelled from our community.

    ¡­ Because nobody had the will to become the executioner.

    ¡­ I really think that those men should have been killed.

    ***

    And now, a cruel ending was just around the corner.

    The number of zombies that gathered around our barricade has only been increasing.

    Normally, we should have been killing them as they started clinging to our barricade, but¡­ This community did not do that.

    They couldn¡¯t take on the role that was previously fulfilled by the men that we banished.

    Sometimes I wonder¡­ Wouldn¡¯t this community be much safer if we had forgiven those men, and allowed them to remain here?

    Well¡­ I suppose I¡¯m also responsible for the fact that this place is being surrounded by zombies¡­ As I¡¯m not killing them either.

    ¡­ After coming to this realization, after realizing we would be better off with those disgusting men here than without them, that I was useless without their help¡­ After understanding this much, I could no longer hold food in my stomach. I started puking every time I tried eating.

    ***

    The team that was searching for supplies, which was our last hope, has not returned.

    Were they attacked by zombies on the way and died? Or did they just give up on this community in its entirety?

    In any case, the only people left in this place are now old people, women and children.

    ¡°I have ¡®sleeping¡¯ pills.¡± My grandfather told me this morning. He was visibly exhausted, ¡°We can use a whole bottle of this¡­ Mix it with this yogurt that we saved until now, and then it will end.

    ¡°It will be just like eating cornflakes for breakfast. That will make it easier for you.¡±

    It was my grandfather¡¯s way of showing kindness, I suppose. He wanted his beautiful granddaughter to pass away while remaining beautiful.

    But that¡¯s not how this works¡­ Death is never beautiful.

    We just rot and start spreading a horrible smell around us. We become a lump of flesh that is covered by flies and maggots.

    The beautiful things of this world can only be created by living people.

    Therefore, even with things like this, I am still determined to survive.

    ***

    The sun was about to set.

    ¡°Miss, it seems like the barricades are about to be breached.¡± A boy named Aoyama Ryouji called out to me. He is eleven years old, looks a bit goofy, but is also quite cute.

    ¡°¡­ I suppose.¡± I sighed heavily.

    I have resolved myself to this a long time ago. This was not the time for us to die.

    ¡°Ready your weapons. We¡¯ll fight.¡± I told him.

    ¡°Fight¡­? Just us?¡± He asked.

    ¡°Of course. Who else is there? What are you expecting? For a superhero to come save us?¡± I asked him back.

    ¡°To tell you the truth, I¡¯m kinda hoping for it.¡± He replied.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay to cling to the hope of a miracle coming, but I¡¯m sure that this kind of thing only comes to those who work hard, those that put their utmost into doing what they need to do it, those that keep trying even when they are sure that they can no longer go on¡­ It¡¯s only for those people that miracles may come.¡± I told him.

    Ryouji averted his gaze and sighed¡­ He seemed to be skeptical.

    Well, I suppose it can¡¯t be helped. After all, his uncle won the lottery after spending twenty years living at his parents¡¯ house. Until this apocalypse happened, said good-for-nothing uncle was living a comfortable life with all the money he won. He got his miracle without doing anything.

    But well, now is not the time to worry about that.

    I left my grandfather¡¯s bicycle store and walked close to the barricades, reuniting with everyone else.

    I lifted my sword, which was actually just a decorative sword, a thing that my grandfather collected as a hobby.

    Nonetheless, with this sword in hand, I spoke loudly and clearly, ¡°Ready yourselves everyone, it is now our time to fight!¡±

    I was hoping they¡¯d gather and respond to my voice, as if I was their Jeanne d¡¯Arc, but¡­ Almost nobody reacted to my voice.

    They seem to have already given up. They¡¯ve come to terms with the fact that they¡¯re dying soon.

    Only a few people here are willing to fight. Only a few responded to my words and gathered in front of me.

    Two nerdy middle schoolers who were previously on the team that gathered supplies, but that were now stuck here with us.

    Eight elementary school students, including Aoyama Ryouji.

    And one adult¡­ A single old man.

    ¡°Our plan is simple. We¡¯ll purposefully let the zombies destroy the barricade and let them come inside.

    ¡°Then, when the time is right, and enough zombies came inside and spread out within this bicycle storage area, we¡¯ll break through their numbers and escape the barricaded area.

    ¡°Our destination is the Miyabigaoka High School. If we¡¯re lucky, every single one of us can be saved.¡± I explained to them all.

    ¡°But¡­ Even if we manage to break through this zombie horde, there is no guarantee that there will be people in Miyabigaoka¡­¡± Ryouji said.

    ¡°Fireworks were set off some time ago near the school, some of you saw them too, remember?

    ¡°If there are people shooting fireworks, then there are people out there who are still alive.

    ¡°Believe in it. Believe in me.¡± I replied.

    ¡°However¡­¡± Ryouji started saying.

    ¡°Stop it with the ¡®buts¡¯ and the ¡®howevers¡¯. Accept the situation and embrace the will to see through this. Those who survive will carry on the will of those who died.¡± I cut him off.

    It was starting to get dark.

    The barricade was creaking, and it shouldn¡¯t last much longer.

    Whether you¡¯re young or old.

    Whether you¡¯re a man or a woman.

    Whether you¡¯re beautiful or ugly.

    Death was equal to us all¡­ And it was right around the corner.

    ¡°Ah¡­ Miss Rinne.¡± A boy wearing thick glasses stepped forward.

    ¡°Mmm? What is it?¡± I asked.

    ¡°This¡­ Please take it¡­¡± He presented me a golden rosary.

    ¡°I¡¯m Buddhist though¡­¡± I replied.

    ¡°I know, but this is the only thing I can give you¡­¡± He muttered.

    ¡­ I suppose this is his way of showing his feelings.

    ¡°Thank you.¡± I took the rosary.

    I wonder¡­ Even if I don¡¯t believe in it, should I pray to God for protection?

    Well, for now, I need to do what I can. As a way of showing my gratitude to the boy, I smiled as brightly as I could. It was all that I could do to help morale right now.

    ¡°Y-you¡¯re welcome!¡± The boy said.

    And at the same time, the creaking of the barricades became noticeably louder.

    I thought that the defense lines had finally been breached.

    ¡°¡­ Time is running out¡­ Soon, everyone¡­¡± I started saying.

    I had just made up my mind for real. I had made my decision.

    And then, an enormous sound roared from a building not too far from here.

    I looked in its direction and saw a large hole in the building that used to be there. It felt like something straight out of a movie, as if giant monster had punched through the house and broken a large portion of it.

    ¡°Wh¡­ What is that?¡± I muttered.

    At least for now, even if just temporarily, I¡¯m currently in charge of this community. I must ascertain what was this abnormality that I have just seen.

    Is it a new threat?

    Or have we maybe¡­ Been truly blessed with a miracle?

    And then, I noticed that something was sending the zombies flying.

    ¡°It¡¯s a tank! The self-defense forces must have come to help!¡± Ryouji shouted, ¡°My uncle was right, after all! Even if you live a completely mundane life, if you trust your luck, you¡¯ll manage somehow!¡±

    ¡­ What was that?

    ¡­ I feel like his uncle has served as a really bad example for him¡­

    ¡°It¡¯s too early to feel relieved, everyone. The number of zombies surrounding us is far too large. Even the self-defense forces might lose to this.¡± I told them.

    However, these concerns quickly disappeared.

    Whatever it was that was fighting the zombies, didn¡¯t seem to be having any trouble with this battle. Whatever this is, it is not being pushed back by the zombies at all.

    ¡°Amazing! The number of zombies is steadily decreasing!¡± One middle schooler commented.

    For the first time in a while, the faces of the people present here seemed to be filled with emotion.

    I suppose this is hope. They are hopeful now. They can realistically hope to survive another day.

    And eventually¡­ We found out that there were only 2 people handling the zombies¡­ Two young girls.

    One is a girl about my age, the other seems to be a small middle schooler.

    ¡°That is¡­¡± I muttered as I remembered something I once heard from the men in the supply-gathering team.

    They said that they saw a swordswoman who was as strong as a demon.

    I thought that it was just a bad joke at first. Or maybe an attempt to instill hope in everyone in these tragic times.

    But apparently, that was not the case.

    ¡°A hero¡­!¡± Ryouji excitedly muttered.

    ¡°Mmm?¡± I muttered.

    ¡°There was a rumor about it, wasn¡¯t there!? That a woman who called herself a hero had appeared! I¡¯m sure those people must be them!¡± Ryouji exclaimed.

    Good grief¡­ Zombies alone are already crazy enough, but now we have a hero too?

    ¡°Uooryaaa!¡± The swordswoman screamed. She was close. Close enough for us to hear her.

    I squinted my eyes and tried getting a better look of her.

    ¡­ It can¡¯t be!

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Miss?¡± Ryouji asked me.

    ¡°I¡¯ve seen that jersey before¡­¡± I couldn¡¯t help laughing at the absurdity of the situation, ¡°Just why is one of my classmates the hero!?¡±

    ¡°A classmate? As in¡­ She¡¯s a student of Miyabigaoka?¡± Ryouji asked.

    I nodded, then kept staring at the girl. She was surrounded by too many zombies, so I couldn¡¯t see her face.

    ¡­ Do I know her though?

    I need to know. I jumped on top of the barricade to better see this girl¡¯s face.

    ¡°Hey, miss! It¡¯s dangerous!¡± I ignored Ryouji¡¯s shout.

    Suddenly though, I saw several zombies coming my way, surrounding me.

    ¡°Aah¡­!¡± I heard the voices of the people inside the barricade.

    They were dismayed. They seemed to be thinking that this was my end.

    But in the next moment, the swordswoman leaped through the skies while using a single zombie as her foothold.

    The moon was right behind her as she flew¡­ And for a single moment, my eyes crossed with this girl¡¯s. This girl whose body was completely stained with black blood.

    I opened my mouth wide open¡­ I couldn¡¯t help doubting what my own eyes were seeing.

    My will. My determination. All those feelings that had filled me until a small while ago¡­ Those feelings were now greatly shaken.

    Why, of all possible people, it had to be that girl¡­?

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, miss?¡± Ryouji asked me.

    ¡°¡­ I know that girl.¡± I was still stunned, but I managed to mutter a reply, ¡°We were in the same class.

    ¡°Her name was¡­¡±

    ¡­ I can¡¯t remember it. I can¡¯t remember her real name.

    She had a nickname though. A pretty widespread one.

    ¡°This girl, we called her Haku.¡± I stated.

    And then, in complete unison, the heads of all the zombies that surrounded me were separated from their bodies.

    It was a truly quick move. Far too fast for my eyes to keep up with.

    ¡­ I see.

    She is the real monster. The zombies were so weak that they couldn¡¯t even compare to her.

    She has surely saved us alright.

    But right now, I could feel nothing but the clouds that were completely taking hold of my heart.

 CH 101

    Chapter 101 ¨C From within a dream

    ¡°Mapo Curry! A mixture of mapo tofu and curry! Eat up!¡± Mr. Hibiya Norio said.

    Oh, delicious!

    ¡­ But I¡¯m getting tired of different curry types. This is already the fifth one.

    I can see the fatigue on everyone¡¯s faces though. It seems like their creativity is running out at this point.

    Mr. Norio sighed, ¡°For how much longer will we have to keep on doing this¡­?

    ¡°It¡¯s not like we don¡¯t have good ingredients available, but I simply ran out of ideas on how to make good combinations with the ingredients we have.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it should be over soon¡­¡± I replied.

    At this moment, Iroha came and told us, ¡°I think the next wave should be the last!¡±

    Those are some wonderful news.

    ¡°Oh, really¡­!?¡± I could see hope in Mr. Norio¡¯s expression.

    ¡°Well, we¡¯ll still need to burn the defeated zombies, so we¡¯ll have to go back and forth a few more times.¡± I told him.

    ¡°If that¡¯s all that¡¯s left to do, then we can help you out.¡± Mr. Norio replied.

    ¡°Thank you, it will be a big help.¡± I nodded to his words.

    It was completely dark already.

    Iroha has the Mind¡¯s Eye skill, so she has no issues fighting in the dark, but the same isn¡¯t true for me.

    Though well, it¡¯s not like I suffer any real damage from being bitten¡­ Still, there is something mentally disturbing about it anyways, and I don¡¯t like having my clothes torn either.

    ¡°Enchantment. Fire.¡± I muttered as I readied my sword.

    Instead of torches, I used Fire Magic to quickly kill and burn down the remaining zombies at the same time.

    The zombies surrounding the community were almost completely wiped out.

    I hummed a song as I slashed through the last few remnants.

    And then, after I crushed the last one of those insects¡­

    ¨CCongratulations! Your level has increased!

    ¨CCongratulations! Your level has increased!

    ¨CCongratulations! Your level has increased!

    ¨CCongratulations! You earned the ¡®Hope Within the Zombie Nightmare¡¯ achievement!

    ¨CCongratulations! You earned the ¡®Saviour¡¯ achievement!

    Along with the level up fanfare, I got two achievements¡­ It¡¯s truly been a while since I last got any of those.

    Though only three levels? After killing this many zombies and making the conscious decision of helping these people?

    I suppose zombies are the equivalent of slimes here. Even if we kill a lot, they just don¡¯t give much experience.

    Momoka said that the zombies were basically empty beings, vessels to bodies that once held a soul within them.

    They¡¯re annoying, but they don¡¯t help you gain levels.

    Essentially, they¡¯re a nuisance.

    ***

    ¡°Hey, everyone. You¡¯re safe now.¡± I climbed over the barricade and called out to the people inside.

    They looked at me with a gaze that seemed to be both frightened and hopeful at the same time¡­

    ¡°Ah¡­ Thank you very much.¡± An elementary school boy, seemingly trying to speak up for the rest, thanked me.

    I looked around for a bit, and noticed that the community seemed to be entirely filled with only women, children and elderly.

    ¡°Uhn¡­ What about the adult men?¡± I asked.

    ¡°They¡¯re all gone.¡± The boy replied.

    Ah¡­ I see.

    I don¡¯t know what happened, but a tragedy of sorts probably occurred.

    Well, then-

    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Iroha came. She must have realized that the zombies were wiped out after getting the levels and achievements, so she reunited with me.

    ¡°Is there any leader of sorts here?¡± I decided to ask the boy.

    The children looked at one another after hearing my question.

    ¡°A leader¡­ I guess it has to be the Miss?¡± The representative boy muttered.

    Oh? ¡®The¡¯ miss?

    ¡°And where is she?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Uhn¡­ On the bicycle shop. Over there.¡± The boy pointed to it.

    I looked in that direction and saw that the bicycle shop was in the center of the barricades. It was probably where this safety zone under the overpass started.

    ¡°Well then, let¡¯s go say hello-¡± I started saying.

    But then, ¡°S-someone help!¡± I heard a scream come from within the bicycle shop.

    ¡°It¡¯s the Miss¡¯ voice!¡± The boy exclaimed.

    Me and Iroha immediately rushed towards it.

    We entered the deserted store, took a quick glance around, then climbed up the stairs to the second floor, where a living area existed.

    There was a girl with her head down there.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± I asked.

    ¡°G-grandpa¡­¡± She muttered.

    I looked up and saw an old man, laying on a bed, blowing bubbles from his mouth.

    Right next to him, was a bottle with sleeping pills and a bottle of yogurt.

    With this combination, he must have munched on it like he was eating cereal¡­ Oh dear.

    I¡¯ve heard that suicide attempts with sleeping pills often fail though, therefore¡­

    ¡°Iroha, Healing Magic II.¡± I told her.

    ¡°Got it.¡± She nodded, rolled up her sleeves, and starting shining a soft light over the old man¡¯s body.

    ¡°W-what the hell are you doing¡­?¡± The girl asked.

    ¡°Leave it to us.¡± I replied with the confidence of a first-class doctor.

    Of course, I didn¡¯t sit back and watch either. After contacting Tsuzuri, she temporarily gave me her Healing Magic skills, so I started casting Healing Magic together with Iroha.

    It didn¡¯t take long before the old man started coughing, seemingly regaining his consciousness.

    ¡°I-it can¡¯t be¡­¡± The girl muttered. Her disbelief seemed to be mixed with pure happiness.

    Yeah¡­ I guess it feels nice to do good acts.

    ¨CCongratulations! You earned the ¡®Life-saving Detoxification¡¯ achievement!

    And I got an achievement to boot.

    ¡°Uhn¡­ This place is¡­¡± The old man muttered.

    His complexion has improved considerably. We cast so much healing magic on him, that he was probably looking better now than he was before he took the sleeping pills.

    ¡°Grandpa!¡± The girl exclaimed and hugged the old man tightly.

    ¡°I-I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m still alive¡­?¡± The old man muttered.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay! It¡¯s alright now! Help is here!¡± The girl told him.

    ¡°I-is that so¡­? I-I¡¯m so sorry¡­¡± The old man replied.

    It was quite the moving scene.

    Me and Iroha read the mood and left the place.

    However, after we passed through the living area and entered the bicycle shop proper again¡­

    ¡°Wait a minute, Haku!¡± The girl from earlier caught up to us.

    ¡°¡­ Yes?¡± I tilted my head to her words.

    Throw up? I¡¯m not feeling like puking right now¡­ *

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I think you got the wrong person?¡± I asked the girl.

    ¡°Eh? Uhn¡­ Did you not know your own nickname perchance?¡± The girl asked me back.

    ¡­ Huh?

    I was really confused here. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if question marks appeared on top of my head after hearing those strange words.

    ¡°Maybe¡­ Do you not recognize me either?¡± She asked next.

    At this point, I tried seriously staring at her face.

    Mmmm¡­?

    Mmmmmmmmmmm¡­

    A-ah! ¡°You¡¯re Okita Rinne?¡± I asked.

    ¡°That I am¡­ I mean, I kinda figured this was the case, but you really only noticed it now?¡± Rinne asked me.

    Now that she has said it, I feel a bit stupid, but¡­ Well, I just didn¡¯t expect to meet one of my classmates here. And I didn¡¯t recognize her because she was wearing plain clothes right now.

    ¡°That hurts a bit. I¡¯m pretty sure I was kinda popular in class, you know?¡± Rinne smiled wryly before continuing, ¡°There are a lot of things I want to talk to you about, but¡­ At least for now, let me do this.¡± Rinne bowed to me, ¡°Thank you very much. You really saved everyone.¡±

    Hearing those words from Rinne, made me remember something that Kimino Asuka told me a small while back.

    What was it again? The life from before the apocalypse¡­ It feels like something that happened a really long time ago. Like events that happened within a dream.

    That¡¯s basically it.

    Right now, I felt as if a character from my dream had appeared before me.

    That¡¯s how it feels.

    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª

    * Translator¡¯s Note: Depending on how you write ¡®Haku¡¯, it can mean to ¡®throw up¡¯, hence why the MC made this comment¡­ This was inevitably lost in the translation, as there is no English word that is read as ¡®Haku¡¯.

 CH 102

    Chapter 102 ¨C Misunderstandings

    Okita Rinne was, by far, the most beautiful girl in our class.

    How beautiful was she¡­?

    She was the kind of person that people naturally turned around to watch whenever she passed near them.

    Basically, she was akin to models and their altered photos that portrayed an unrealistic beauty.

    Moreover, on top of being extremely beautiful, she was also a very nice and sociable person.

    In other words, the shady me and the bright her stayed in directly opposite positions within our class.

    ***

    ¡°Then, tomorrow, after sunrise, we will repair the truck, then start working towards transferring everyone to Miyabigaoka High School.¡± Mr. Gouzou stated.

    ¡°Ah, I¡¯m sorry for the trouble¡­ And thank you for your help. We¡¯ll be in your care.¡± Mr. Okita Takashi answered, on behalf of this community.

    From his expression, it was clear that he was completely out of energy.

    Well, it¡¯s understandable. He did attempt to end his life not too long ago.

    It would be strange if he was energetic right now.

    ¡°By the way, do you have any spare beds¡­?¡± Mr. Gouzou asked.

    ¡°There should be a surplus of tents from those who left this community. You can use whichever ones you want.¡± Mr. Takashi replied.

    ¡°Then, it¡¯s settled.¡± Mr. Gouzou nodded.

    Like this, we decided to spend the night in this community.

    We received a modest welcoming party.

    Now that they know they¡¯ll be leaving the community after tonight, the people here seemed to have decided to make good use of the food they have been saving up until now.

    ¡°Hey¡­ You really don¡¯t mind if I drink?¡± Mr. Norio asked Mr. Gouzou.

    ¡°Yes, go ahead. If something happens, I¡¯ll take care of it.¡± Mr. Gouzou replied.

    ¡°But¡­¡± Mr. Norio started replying.

    ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± Mr. Gouzou stated.

    Mr. Norio seemed to really want to have a drink, but he was showing restraint.

    ¡°Then, my thanks to the goddess!¡± Mr. Norio exclaimed.

    This was¡­ An unusual attempt to flatter me?

    Either way, I already finished replenishing my magical power, so I don¡¯t really need to eat.

    So, I was planning to leisurely spend the night looking around the barricades.

    ¡°¡­ Wow, did you see it? The chest of that Rinne person is huge.¡± I heard Rintarou¡¯s voice.

    ¡°She looks like the kind of person you¡¯d see on TV.¡± I heard Kousuke reply.

    Just as I approached the barricades, I heard those two boys talking as they stood guard around the crumbling barricades.

    ¡°Will she let me rub her chest if I ask her kindly?¡± Rintarou asked an absurd thing.

    ¡°Of course not, stupid.¡± Kousuke replied.

    ¡°I mean, we¡¯re the heroes, aren¡¯t we? I have a feeling I¡¯d be forgiven if I tried asking that at least once.¡± Rintarou said some nonsense.

    ¡°I don¡¯t get what¡¯s going on in your head, but¡­ That¡¯s no good.¡± Kousuke told him.

    ¡°But think about it. Why can¡¯t we touch girl¡¯s chests?¡± Rintarou asked another absurd question.

    ¡°Why¡­? Well, it¡¯s just¡­¡± Kousuke started replying.

    ¡°Hands, shoulders and things like it are fine, but when it comes to the butt and the chest, it¡¯s immediately no good. Why?¡± Rintarou asked something with an obvious answer.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t it because it feels like something sexual?¡± Kousuke replied.

    ¡°But it¡¯s not like I would be asking to have sex or anything like it.¡± Rintarou said something irrelevant.

    ¡°I guess women just don¡¯t like being looked at in this kind of manner.¡± Kousuke shrugged.

    ¡°Is that how it is? But girls admire idols, don¡¯t they? And idols are people who are looked at by an unspecified number of people.¡± Rintarou commented.

    ¡°Well, I guess?¡± Kousuke replied.

    ¡°¡­ Sometimes I wish I was a woman.¡± Rintarou mused.

    ¡°¡­ I suppose most men must have imagined what it must be like at least once.¡± Kousuke said.

    ¡°If I was one, then maybe, if a friend asked me if they could rub my chest, I think I¡¯d allow them to.¡± Rintarou said more nonsense.

    ¡°Mmmm¡­ Well, sure. I guess in this kind of situation, I would be able to volunteer to let someone feel mine.¡± Kousuke now joined up on the nonsense.

    ¡°I know, right? Though well, I wouldn¡¯t want to have sex.¡± Rintarou commented.

    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s different when we are talking about lewd things.¡± Kousuke nodded.

    ¡°So, fundamentally speaking, I think girls are too stingy with their chests.¡± Rintarou said some nonsense.

    ¡°Oh¡­?¡± Kousuke tilted his head.

    ¡°They shouldn¡¯t mind having them be rubbed.¡± Rintarou spouted another absurdity.

    ¡°I guess?¡± Kousuke shrugged.

    ¡°Then it would be okay if I could touch them a bit.¡± Rintarou kept on saying nonsense.

    ¡°Mmm¡­¡± Kousuke seemed to have given up on making replies.

    ¡°Instead of a handshake, to greet a girl by rubbing her chest¡­ I think it would be nice to live in such a world where this was natural, don¡¯t you think so, Kousuke?¡± Rintarou asked another absurd question.

    ¡°Even if you ask what I think, I don¡¯t really know how to reply to that¡­¡± Kousuke muttered.

    ¡­ Just what is this conversation?

    Because they had their backs turned to me, they were unaware of my presence.

    Now, how should I approach those two¡­?

    ¡­ Ah.

    At this moment, I could notice someone running under the moonlit night.

    The face I saw for a moment was familiar.

    It was Okita Rinne.

    I started moving.

    ¡°I think chests are¡­ W-whoa! Senpai¡­!¡± Rintarou exclaimed as I passed by him.

    I ignored both him and Kousuke as I ran after Rinne.

    There was something off about her, even if I couldn¡¯t say what exactly it was.

    ***

    When I caught up to her, Rinne was puking out her dinner.

    ¡°Good evening. Are you alright?¡± I asked her.

    Rinne panted for a few seconds without replying.

    Then, with tears in her eyes, she looked at me and responded, ¡°Do you think I look alright¡­?¡±

    Well, she certainly doesn¡¯t hold back with her words.

    ¡°I brought you some water. Please rinse your mouth.¡± I offered her a bottle of water.

    Rinne shook her head, ¡°I don¡¯t need your help.¡±

    ¡°Why is that?¡± I asked.

    ¡°I cannot trust a straw that I had to grab while I was drowning.¡± Rinne replied.

    I tilted my head to that response. I really have no idea about what she meant with that.

    ¡°Don¡¯t play dumb with me¡­ You all can¡¯t play heroes without getting something in return.¡± Rinne told me.

    ¡°Even if you say that¡­¡± I started replying.

    ¡°Just what do you want? Tell me.¡± Rinne cut me off.

    Mmmm¡­

    I see.

    I suppose it can¡¯t be helped if she thinks of us like that. It¡¯s not strange when considering the circumstances.

    ¡°You¡¯re well aware of the fact that the only people left in this community are children, women and the elderly. There are very few benefits to making us become your comrades.¡± Rinne stated.

    ¡°So, what do you think our goal is?¡± I asked her.

    ¡°You want a woman that your men can hold.¡± She said.

    ¡°¡­ Huh!?¡± I doubted my ears for a second.

    ¡°I¡¯m not stupid. I know what my appearance makes men feel.¡± Rinne told me.

    Her expression was dark. She did not seem to be joking.

    I could hardly believe that the person saying this was the same Rinne who treated everyone in class without discrimination.

    Unless¡­ ¡°Did you overhear Rintarou and Kousuke¡¯s conversation?¡± I asked.

    ¡°That¡¯s not relevant.¡± She replied.

    Seems like she did.

    Then, she probably misunderstood something.

    They, most likely, didn¡¯t mean anything bad with that conversation. It just wasn¡¯t an appropriate topic to discuss while near people who have been under extreme stress for quite a while.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯re feeling really good about those mysterious powers that God gave you. You are thinking that you can do whatever you want to ordinary people, aren¡¯t you?¡± Rinne asked me.

    It seems like there are many misunderstandings that must be solved here.

    I let out a deep sigh.

    ¡°¡­ I promise you. Our goal is to help people. We won¡¯t do anything to hurt you.¡± I told her.

    ¡°As if I can believe that!¡± She exclaimed, ¡°Besides, Haku¡­ You must hate me.¡± She continued.

    ¡°Eh?¡± I said.

    ¡°Do not dare to try telling me that you forgot¡­ Tsk.¡± Rinne clicked her tongue.

    ¡°¡­ Mmm?¡± I muttered.

    I couldn¡¯t figure out a way to make a reply.

    ¡­ Because I really had no idea what Rinne was talking about.

    While I was trying to dig through my memories, Rinne got up and turned her back on me.

    ¡°Ah, wait a minute¡­¡± I said.

    Rinne did not reply, and instead walked away, towards the bicycle store.

    ¡°Ah, uhn¡­ Senpai, what was¡­?¡± Kousuke, who seemed to have chased me, finally arrived and muttered that.

    Rintarou was also with him, and the two of them had very awkward expressions on their faces.

    I remained silent, but I flicked the forehead of them both.

 CH 103

    Chapter 103 ¨C Secondhand words

    Early in the morning of the next day.

    With Mr. Takashi¡¯s help, we succeeded in repairing the overturned light truck.

    Then, a group of refugees entered the truck, so the first round trip to Miyabigaoka started.

    It seems like they¡¯re planning on bringing a bus for the next trip, so everyone should be able to be moved to Miyabigaoka with the next trip.

    ***

    And I haven¡¯t been able to talk to Rinne since then.

    She seems to have locked herself in her room.

    According to Mr. Takashi, she agreed to move to Miyabigaoka, but¡­ Well, it¡¯s troublesome if things remain like this.

    In any case, I was left behind as an escort, so I decided to take a walk around the safety zone under the overpass, where there were far fewer people around, since most of the refugees were seeing off the light truck go away with the first batch of refugees.

    ¡°Uhn¡­ Ms. Haku?¡± I heard a boy talk to me.

    I looked in his direction and saw the boy that I first talked to after I arrived at this community. An elementary schooler called Aoyama Ryouji.

    ¡°Is something the matter?¡± I asked him.

    Honestly, I¡¯m not used to this Haku nickname.

    ¡°If possible¡­¡± The boy seemed to be hesitating, but after a few seconds, he continued, ¡°Could you stop bullying the Miss?¡±

    ¡°Bullying¡­?

    ¡°Did Rinne tell you that I was doing that?¡± I asked him.

    ¡°No. I just thought that this was a possible reason behind her recent actions. I have never seen the Miss being this down before.¡± Ryouji told me.

    Even if he says that¡­ It¡¯s not bullying.

    Or rather, considering our positions, it would be much more likely for her to bully me than the other way around.

    ¡°The Miss is everyone¡¯s idol over here. It was not that uncommon for people to act against her due to jealousy.¡± Ryouji told me.

    Jealousy, huh?

    He is very smart for an elementary schooler.

    Though well¡­ I guess beautiful women have their own share of worries too.

    Even amongst the first groups of people who evacuated to Miyabigaoka, there were some people who caused trouble due to being way too popular, so¡­ I guess I can understand it to some extent.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure about what exactly caused this misunderstanding, but I like Rinne.¡± I told him.

    I¡¯m not lying.

    Rinne may have been the person at the center of our class, but she did not tolerate the bullying of the weak.

    She was kind to everyone, even to an otaku like me.

    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then it¡¯s fine.¡± Ryouji put his hand on his chin before continuing, ¡°Actually, I feel like the problem might lie with the Miss this time around.

    ¡°She is normally very bright, but when she gets dark, she goes deep within the darkness.¡±

    I sighed. I don¡¯t like where this is going.

    ¡°If possible, could you try making up with her, Haku?¡± Ryouji asked me.

    ¡°Ugh¡­¡± I groaned.

    ¡°For all of our sakes, please. We would like to be able to start a new life without any reason to get overly anxious about the place we¡¯re going to.¡± Ryouji told me.

    ¡°Anxious¡­¡± I muttered.

    ¡°So, I would appreciate it if you could give some consideration to my request.¡± He said.

    Whoa¡­

    This boy really is way too smart for an elementary schooler.

    ***

    Some time passed after that conversation.

    By noon, the bus arrived to pick us up.

    ¡°Ah, we ran into a small zombie herd on the way here.¡± Iroha, said as she chewed on a high-calory chocolate bar.

    As she was the one in charge of escorting the bus, she probably took care of the zombies.

    ¡°So, what about your friend, sis?¡± Iroha asked me.

    ¡°Friend¡­? You mean, Rinne¡­? We aren¡¯t close enough to be called friends¡­¡± I muttered.

    ¡°Mmm? But you were in the same class, weren¡¯t you?¡± Iroha asked.

    ¡°Well, yes¡­¡± I replied.

    ¡°Then, you two are friends.¡± Iroha stated.

    ¡­ I feel like the hurdle to become Iroha¡¯s friend is a bit too low.

    ¡°Rinne¡­ Seems to still be locked up inside her room.¡± I told Iroha.

    ¡°Then, why don¡¯t you call her out?¡± Iroha asked.

    ¡°Me¡­? Uhn¡­ Can I ask you to do it for me instead, please?¡± I asked back.

    ¡°Why?¡± Iroha asked.

    ¡°I think Rinne might hate me.¡± I replied.

    ¡°Then that¡¯s all the more reason for you to go, sis.¡± Iroha stated.

    I frowned at that comment.

    ¡°We can¡¯t sit around in a place like this, you know? We don¡¯t know when the zombies will gather again.

    ¡°So, since we need to leave soon, don¡¯t you think it would be much better for you to solve the problem already? This way we can ride the bus together without having any awkward mood between us.¡± Iroha told me.

    She does have a point.

    After this apocalypse started, the more I met up with people, the more I realized that dealing with human relationships is much harder than dealing with zombies.

    ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll go.¡± I decided.

    It felt strange to be going along with Iroha¡¯s suggestion of all things.

    ¡°Before you go, let me give my clumsy sis some words of advice.¡± Iroha stopped me.

    ¡°¡­ What is it?¡± I asked.

    ¡°That person is similar to you, sis.¡± Iroha told me.

    ¡°Similar? Where?¡± I asked honestly.

    Iroha narrowed her eyes, ¡°Neither of you want to involve yourselves with others much.¡±

    Oh¡­?

    ¡­ Since when was Iroha this rude?

    ¡°Being kind to everyone means you don¡¯t need to care too much about anyone. If you don¡¯t make enemies, then you don¡¯t need allies. Isn¡¯t that how you usually think?¡± Iroha asked me.

    Ugh¡­ Once again, she said some words that were hard for me to refute.

    Although¡­ ¡°Well, I must say that¡­ I may have used to be like that, but I don¡¯t think that¡¯s how I feel anymore.¡± I told Iroha.

    Or at the very minimum, this feeling isn¡¯t as strong as it used to be.

    ¡°Then, it seems like the problem has already been solved.¡± Iroha smiled brightly.

    Just what is¡­ This?

    It feels like our roles have been reversed.

    I mean, in the first place, Iroha isn¡¯t supposed to be the kind of person that gives advice to her companions.

    This feels like the kind of thing that Kimino Asuka would be saying.

    Hold on a second¡­

    ¡°Could be repeating something you heard from somebody else?¡± I asked Iroha.

    After hearing my question, Iroha cutely showed me her tongue, ¡°Only half of it was repeated.¡±

    Damn¡­ To be able to pull off this kind of tehepero move. *

    She¡¯s cute, alright.

    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¨C

    * Translator¡¯s Note: It¡¯s a cutesy pose you sometimes see in anime. I don¡¯t know how to explain it any better than ¡°cutely showing her tongue¡±. You should be able to recognize it if you google for images of ¡°tehepero¡±.