Beta read by Shigiya, Gamercrusher55 and Darklord331
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-Tokonosu-
The first thing to remember when travelling around the outside was to keep a keen eye out for everything.
"Don't make any noise. Don't try to rush into a situation you can't get out of by yourself. And by that, I mean if you see someone callin' out for help and screaming to be saved, don't just charge in blindly and expect the others to save you, or do it without a plan. Because if you do, there's a chance more lives will be put in danger in the end."
That was the bare basic training he decided to give the group. For some, it was mostly a reminder, since there were many among them already competent enough to survive against a group of zombies. Saeko, from what she had showcased yesterday, had taken care of several of the creatures with grace and minimal effort. She had proven not only that she could stay calm, but also that she wouldn't lose control or grow frightened at the sight of blood and death.
As for others like Rei, she had the potential physically, especially since he had trained her personally. But what worried him was her mindset. Mentally, she wasn't yet on the same level as Saeko, and that could get someone killed. The same could be said for Igou and Takashi as well, those two boys, even if they hung out in the past, were still civilians at the end of the day — regular students now forced to smash the skulls of walking corpses that were once human with a baseball bat just to stay alive.
"You underestimate us too much. We wouldn't do anything stupid like that without thinking it through," Igou said, arms folded, trying to sound firm. "By the way… why did the corpses in front of the gates have nails on their skull?"
That only earned him a helpless smile from the former servant of the spear.
"For the first part, it's not that I think none of you are capable of thinkin' with your heads or being cautious," Cu replied, "but there are moments where your body starts moving before your mind catches up. And those are the moments you need to watch out for the most. They're the most dangerous. As for the nails part, that was just Kohta and me playing with a neat little invention of his."
The group glanced at one another. Perhaps they didn't truly understand what he was trying to convey, but he hoped the time would never come when they would.
"All right now, I'll take the lead, and both Rei and Saeko will follow along and cover our left and right. Igou, you and Takashi keep an eye on our backs. Ye wouldn't want a zombie sneaking up on us… or worse, someone using us as bait. "
"Isn't Saya coming with us? We are making our way to her house, after all." Takashi asked, adjusting the bag on his back, which contained a handful of water bottles.
To that, Cu waved a small folded map in his hand.
"If you're worried about finding our way there, then don't be. She already showed me the location, and thankfully, I can read a map. Secondly, if there are too many of us moving together, that might attract to much attention."
"I see... Well, I doubt Saya agreed to that, knowing her."
Cu shrugged, "The young lady isn't as bitchy if you don't try to antagonize her too much, while stroking her ego from time to time. After that, she becomes fairly compliant. But honestly, I prefer to have someone like her to keep an eye on Shido. I don't want things to go too far and end up causing damage that can't be undone. So while I'm away, she'll be taking the reins and managing things to some extent."
That earned a worried look from Takashi.
"Is it all right to leave her handling him and all those people who are on his side all by herself?"
Cu gave him a slow side glance.
"Whoever said she was alone? She'll be fine."
Despite that answer, Takashi was clearly not satisfied with that answer. "Even if that new friend of yours, Yoshito, and even Kyoko-sensei are on her side, it's still just not enough."
"If you're that worried about her, then go back." At one point, Rei had heard enough and finally snapped, her voice sharp but still controlled without sounding too loud. "Cu already has plenty to deal with. You can't expect him to shoulder everything on his own. Some people need to pull their own weight."
"Saya is my friend. I can't just not worry about her while you're wondering out there and fighting those things. I should stay too, and so should you," he argued back.
The orange-brown haired girl scoffed, clearly unimpressed. Instead of being touched by his concern, her face twisted into visible irritation. Takashi only then realized that his choice of words did not go down well with the person in front.
"You make it sound like I can't protect myself. If you've known me all these years, then you should know I'm not some weak little girl who can't handle a weapon. And what help will you be? All you've got is a bat you've never even used properly!"
"Why do you have to be so angry? Just because you're worried about Cu doesn't mean other people can't care too—"
"All right, knock it off, you two." Igou stepped between them before things escalated further. He raised both hands and looked at each of them in turn. "Look, I know tensions are high. We're all worried about someone, but arguing like this won't help anyone. And if we get any louder, we're going to attract a goddamn horde. Rei can handle herself, no doubt, but Takashi's not wrong either. Just because she's skilled doesn't mean people aren't allowed to care. That's why I'm here, too. I don't want to lose either of you. Capiche?"
The effect was immediate, with both Rei and Takashi falling quiet, the heat in their argument simmering down as his words sank in.
Seeing the way the boy had handled it made the Irishman smile slightly from where he stood. It was always a blessing to have someone level-headed who could manage others without flaring things up even more.
"To answer your question from earlier, Takashi," Cu began as he looked back over his shoulder, "Kyoko and Yoshito aren't the only ones who'll help her keep things under control. You know Kohta, right? That kid has some fire in that belly of his when he has the right tools—trust me, he's more dangerous than he looks. With him around, Saya's got it covered. I know it's not much to go on, but trust me when I say — nothin' will happen to her."
Takashi stared at him for a second, hesitant, before turning his eyes away.
"All right. If you say so."
"Good. Now that we're all calm and collected, gather around."
Cu moved next to the hood of a burned-out car and opened the map, placing it flat against the metal for everyone to see.
"It's a good thing the town's not that big. Travelling to the Takagi estate with a large group would've taken too long," he said, tapping at a point near the top corner. The others gathered around, eyes scanning the map. "Since we'll be taking the most ideal route for a large vehicle, I don't want anyone thinking about taking shortcuts just because they're easier on foot," he added, recalling the roads he took around the town before the outbreak.
This outing wasn't only about getting to Saya's house. It was also a form of training, an opportunity to teach them survival, to sharpen their instincts while he was still there to help them get out any tough spots. Around him, they could afford to make mistakes. Not that he doubted them to be incapable even without him, but why take the risk?
"We should not take this path, then."
Saeko, who had remained mostly quiet up to that point, finally spoke as she pointed at the section of the map that marked the school's perimeter, then traced southward from the front gate.
"While Cu and I were outside searching for Yoshito and his family in order to bring him back, I observed the condition of this road. It's not ideal for a large bus. Even if it connects to the main street, it's blocked by abandoned cars, scattered bodies, fire, and who knows what else. It's dangerous, and we would be delayed to much."
She explained it plainly, and the others listened intently.
Cu scratched his chin, nodding in agreement.
"Damn shame. That was the closest route to the bridge. Still, it's not like we've lost much. There should be another way."
While travelling alone, almost any path would do. But things had changed. Now he wasn't just watching his own back. There were going to be several hundred students trailing behind him. A handful of people were manageable. Even a couple of dozen could be kept in check. But hundreds? That was a different beast entirely.
He wasn't about to risk all of their lives just because he let a bit of confidence get the better of him.
"We can take this road instead," Takashi said, stepping forward as he pointed at the map. His finger traced a route leading north, cutting through the lower residential area not far from where Yoshito's old house stood. "The roads are a bit narrow, but wide enough for a standard car. If we're careful, even the bus should manage."
Igou gave a thoughtful hum of agreement. "I forgot you and Takagi are close enough that you've been to her house before, given how she tends to scream at you at every opportunity, either of you crosses paths. Is this the same path you took?"
Takashi did not react to the screaming part of his friend's statement, not that Cu could fault him, given he had gotten somewhat of a grasp on the kind of person Saya was. "Sometimes. My mother used to drive through here whenever she wanted to take a longer scenic route around town before visiting Saya's mother. They're close friends… that's how we got to know each other, she wasn't like that before. She used to be much nicer back then, I'm… I'm not sure what happened."
"You sure the lass doesn't have a crush on you and gets angry because you aren't noticing it?" The little offhand comment earned the blue-haired man several stares, to which he looked completely unbothered. "Hey, just saying."
"No, there is nothing like that between us," Takashi answered confidently, while his gaze inadvertently glanced at Rei for a split second. All of this gave Cu the urge to shake his head. Given that the girl kissed him in front of the masses, he could tell things would become pretty complicated for the boy. Feelings such as love did not dissipate so easily and could lead a boy into messy situations… just as they had in his youth, so many times.
'This is reminding me of my actions with Emer…'
So many reckless problems that could have been prevented had he not acted like a reckless buffoon. As for Rei's case, did he feel bad? A bit, but also was not going to force the lass to change how she felt. Putting these thoughts to the side, he studied the map a little longer. The plan didn't seem far-fetched. In fact, it looked like one of their more reasonable options so far.
"Given it's a residential area, we'll probably run into a large number of those undead," Saeko pointed out. The comment, although simple, sent a ripple of unease through the group. Faces tightened with disappointment, and the idea of using that route quickly started to seem less appealing.
"No. We can use that path," Cu interjected calmly, prompting Saeko to turn and look at him, her surprise evident. "I'm not saying you're wrong. There's a good chance we'll find plenty of them there. But our goal isn't to clear them out or start a hunt; we just need to find a proper path. Besides, these things wander. They don't stay in one place. So even if we find a clear road today, that doesn't mean it'll stay that way tomorrow or the day after."
The others nodded, understanding the truth in his words. They had all witnessed the relentless nature of the undead, how they pressed against the school gates for hours without pause, as if the concept of exhaustion simply didn't exist for them. Given they were long dead, that was no surprise.
"In any case, we'll take the route Takashi pointed out," Cu continued. "We'll mark the areas the bus can get through and the ones where it can't. We'll note every road that's clear and see if there are alternate paths. We won't know where the hordes are unless we look at them ourselves."
There was another reason, unspoken, yet firmly in Cu's mind. He wanted these four to gain experience, real experience, against the undead.
"Alright. Let's go."
…
With their weapons in hand, a few half-full bottles of water, and some basic medical supplies hurriedly given to them by the nurse, the group set off. The streets around them lay still, unnervingly silent. A heavy, somewhat dreary air hung over everything like a curtain on some people. Saeko, walking next to him, did not seem bothered and instead had something else on her mind.
"Are you and Rei actually together?" She asked quietly, but the brunette and the two other boys did not hear it.
Cu gave it some thought, "I think so?"
"You don't sound so sure for someone who just got kissed in public and accepted it."
"Getting kissed by a fair maiden after coming back from a life-threatening mission, which warrior would not like that? It's a sweet reward." He answered back with a weak grin, "As for why I'm uncertain, well… guess I just thought one of the other lads was gonna go after her and kept my distance. I don't want to make it a habit of stealing someone else's love. Then again, I suppose it's too late for that now with what happened, and I do feel a bit bad. Could have sworn one of them was gonna make a move on her, so I kept my distance. They are my friends after all."
As soon as he said that, Saeko was not prepared for his honesty on the matter and couldn't help but chuckle. A genuine laugh she tried to suppress, but had a hard moment even while covering her mouth. "Y-you're quite the playboy, aren't you? Should I be worried?"
"Oh, I don't know~!" The purple-haired swordswoman stiffened slightly when his arm rested around her neck, his back hunching ever so slightly and his face drawing closer to her ears to the point she could feel his breath on her ears and nape. "Why don't we find out after another round of sparring? I promise I'll be rough and we can let ourselves loose all night on the school's rooftop. No one will hear anything, and you might bleed a bit."
Saeko's body visibly shuddered, for what proved to be a recurring sensation of being completely at a loss for what to do or say around him during such moments. Several emotions clashed within her eyes while her face remained composed through sheer force of will, but unable to stop a slight blush from making its way to her cheeks.
Blue eyes meeting crimson, his showing a hint of amusement as if he was finding her reaction entertaining.
"I'll… hold you onto that." She managed to push out those words, hating the fact that he was goading her so easily.
"What are you two doing?"
Then, an annoyed voice cut through the atmosphere between the two with both Cu and Saeko looking in front to find a clearly annoyed Rei staring at them, along with Takashi in the background looking over with a wide look. "You two barely have known each other that long, yet you're already so comfortable with each other, aren't you?"
A clear presence of an accusatory tone in her voice, one that Cu recognised, but rather than move away, just pulled a startled Saeko closer till the side of her face pressed against his. "Of course, we are close, Rei. Saeko and I were just bonding over our mutual interest in martial arts and some other miscellaneous stuff — right?"
"..."
Saeko just decided to keep her silence while Rei's eyes looked at her with clear suspicion and displeasure. So much so that she went ahead and grabbed the girl and pulled her away, walking ahead.
"We'll be heading ahead, keep up."
Ah, jealousy always was an interesting emotion that could be tricky thing to handle. Especially when it came to women who could come back to bite him ass later on. Thankfully, Rei was not as extreme as some of the people he knew in his past life. He had mostly done that as a joke to get a reaction out of Saeko, seeing that slightly flustered face was satisfying in a variety of ways.
Rubbing his neck, Cu just continued walking until he noticed Igou, who had remained mostly quiet for a good while. Looking down at each body, they encountered different emotions each time. It did not take an expert to figure out what was going through the boy's mind.
"Don't look at them too long, it'll make things harder for ya down the line." Nightmares, guttural moans, guilt, and despair were all emotions one was still new to this could go through. He worried Igou started to show signs— the beginning of walking down that path.
"So many dead," the boy murmured. His voice trembled with grief, tinged by the quiet horror in his eyes as they swept over the blood-stained pavement and the motionless forms littering the ground.
"You'll have to get used to it. It's not going to be pretty," Cu replied, his tone low but steady. He could tell Igou was scanning every face they passed, hoping not to recognize anyone but afraid that he might. "In such moments, it's better you keep your head straight and focus on the present and with those that are still living."
"... I guess. But it's hard to look away."
They walked in silence for a while until they passed in front of a small convenience store, and Cu suddenly stopped in his tracks. His eyes turned to look inside the store.
"Didn't think you'd still be here... Simon…"
Even as the words left his mouth, he ignored the looks from the others. He was staring at a man he recognized — the same one who had sold him a beer when he first arrived in town and a few times after that whenever he felt parched.
"What?"
The others peered through the dusty glass, their expressions filled with disbelief. Inside, standing behind the counter, was a foreign-looking man with a vacant expression standing behind the counter still wearing his uniform. He didn't appear injured or distressed, just... there. Like any normal day at work.
"Is that... maybe a mannequin?" someone muttered.
"Nope, that's an actual person."
"Are you serious?"
"You've got eyes, don't you? You can see as clearly as I do," Cu said, his tone flat but edged with disbelief. He had seen plenty of strange things in his life, battles between god-like beings, ancient monsters, fighting a monstrous old hag, magic gone wild, but this? This was new. "The outbreak started yesterday. Has this guy seriously just stayed inside the whole time and never stepped out? And if so... why keep working? I've got to see this for myself."
"Wait, Cu—"
He didn't listen. Without waiting for anyone to catch up, he stepped forward and pushed open the doors, which, to everyone's surprise, still worked perfectly with the bell ringing as he walked in. The outside stench of iron and burned plastic disappears in an instant. Cool air was hitting his skin, with some soft music playing in the background. The inside of the store looked untouched. No blood. No overturned shelves. No sign that the world outside was crumbling into chaos. It was as though they had walked through a portal into an entirely different realm.
The man behind the counter, a foreigner with tired eyes and a stiff posture, wore a name badge that read Simon. He stood as if nothing unusual had happened—like today was just another long, dull shift.
"Well, I'll be…"
Cu didn't bother greeting him. Instead, he strolled over to the fridge with the casual pace of someone browsing for snacks. The others followed more cautiously, their eyes scanning every corner of the strangely intact store.
"Are you seriously going to buy beer right now?" Rei asked, twitching slightly as she watched him open the fridge and pull out two six-packs of cold beer, his face lighting up with an exaggeratedly joyful expression.
"Oh sweet alcohol... I thought I'd never see you again. How I've missed you," he said, almost lovingly, as if greeting an old flame after years apart. He carried the two boxes over to the counter and set them down with a satisfied thump, then looked up to examine Simon more closely.
"..."
The clerk said no word initially, just scanning the items calmly without even acknowledging the outside. "2500 yen…," voice as steady and indifferent as if nothing were wrong in the world. His reaction and behaviour, or rather the lack of it, creep out the others behind Cu.
"You seem pretty relaxed, and dedicated to your job, despite there being an outbreak… Anyway, want to come with us?" He asked while actually going through his wallet and taking some cash to pay for the beer, which Simon took and put inside the register.
"Thank you for shopping at Nawson, hope to see you again." Barely any strength behind that voice, sounding no different to hearing a machine set to utter the same line over and over again.
"I'm a bit surprised any undead haven't made their way inside yet, given the door is not locked. Are you sure you want to continue and risk getting eaten? We can bring you somewhere safe."
"..."
Again, no response from the man who just continued to stare at the analogue clock on the wall behind them, ticking away.
"Cu… I don't think he wants to come." Takashi mentioned that he, just like everyone in the room, was unsure how to treat the man. "Maybe it's best we leave him to it."
"... Right."
Trying again a couple more times showed little reaction from him, who just continued staring in front lifelessly. One could almost call it creepy, and he was certain that the man in front did not seem to be infected from any bites and was definitely alive. But he still felt bad for leaving this man all by himself here, so grabbing a pen and a piece of paper from nearby, Simon did not even bother to stop him; he left him a small note.
"This is where we'll be staying for a short amount of time. If you come to your senses or have a change of heart, then come by. We have food, water, and possibly backstabbing snakes around… well, the food won't be as good as the food here though, so bring some of the food here with ya if ya can."
But still, no response came from the man.
With a shrug, the group walked out of the convenience store while Takashi and Igou stocked up on a few more items and even a few belongings from the manager's office, which Simon did not even seem bothered enough to stop.
"Is he even alive at this point?"
"Don't think so, Takashi, I feel sorry for him. "Well, guess it's time to hit the ol hay…" With that quick trip to the convenience store over and now resupplied with several fresh items, they all continued down the street.
The sun was still up with plenty of time to burn, the outside no longer being as chaotic as yesterday, though Cu figured the undead most likely converged in areas where people still resided, and that they were just lucky to not come across that many today.
His train of thought came to a halt as his ears picked up the sound of painful, almost inhuman-sounding moans and the sound of feet scraping against the asphalt.
"Cu?"
"We have company," he said, pointing ahead. Everyone, shocked in silence, turned to where he had been pointing.
A lone undead wandered into view, staggering toward them with a hollow stare and a slow, hungry gait. What had once been an elderly woman now dragged her feet through the dust of the street, her arm bearing the distinct imprint of a bite. Judging by the size of the wound, it looked like she'd been bitten by a toddler. Bullet holes dotted her stomach, yet none seemed to have done the job to end her suffering.
Saeko noticed his gaze and understood his intentions, yet made no move to deal with the creature herself. Instead, she glanced at Rei and the other boys, who had already raised their weapons, visibly unsettled and on edge.
"Ouch!"
Three small pebbles flew at their heads, striking their cheeks with a sharp flick. The impact wasn't strong enough to cause any injury, but it was enough to jolt them out of their little trance. They blinked and turned toward him in confusion. "Don't get tunnel-visioned. Just because you only see one doesn't mean there aren't more nearby. Look around first."
With that, his spear spun once in his hand and sailed past Igou's shoulder with a smooth, controlled motion. It struck another undead that had just begun emerging from behind a wrecked car, hidden in the shadows of an alleyway.
"Holy..."
His breath caught in his throat, having not noticed the second one at all, and nearly getting ambushed in the middle of an open street.
"Just because they're slow doesn't mean they can't sneak up on you. Focus is good, but never forget your surroundings."
He pulled the spear back with a fluid motion, glancing at the blood on its edge.
"I should probably start engraving some runes on this thing," he thought to himself, his fingers tracing a few of them on the weapon. The pattern glowed faintly until they sank within the metal itself. "Having to go over and pick it up each time instead of calling it back is going to get annoying... and I might lose it."
Meanwhile, Rei moved forward. She adjusted her stance, just as he had taught her, spear angled low with the blunt end up, gripping it tightly as she charged the shambling corpse. Her aim was high, going for the head rather than the heart, but the weapon she held lacked a proper tip. The blow struck the undead square in the face, knocking it to the ground with a splatter, leaving a bloody dent rather than a fatal wound.
"Shit," she cursed.
"I got it!"
Takashi dashed past her, bat clenched in both hands. With a loud yell, he swung. "Ha!" The crack of bone and the wet splatter that followed echoed through the street as the undead's head burst open like a rotted melon. Flesh and blood sprayed across the pavement, the body collapsing with a dull thud.
"That was good," Cu commented, finding no fault in the way Takashi had handled it. He turned to Rei to give her his assessment.
"Had you used a proper spear, that first strike would've been enough to kill. Since you don't, stick to blunt force for now." He turned his eyes forward. More were approaching, some crawling from the alleys, others emerging from buildings drawn by the sound. Not a massive group, but enough to require attention. "All right. Don't go off playing the hero. In a situation like this, we need to have each other's backs. Like I said, keep an eye out."
This time, they moved in coordination. Rei led the charge while Takashi and Igou split off to flank the sides, left and right, covering different angles as the girl pressed through the center. Using the longer ranged weapon to her advantage and keeping a safe distance between her and the bloody teeth out to bite her flesh.
Despite giving off the impression of being quiet and somewhat shy, Takashi proved himself to be a different person in battle. There was no hesitation, no restraint. With every swing of his bat, another skull was crushed. Blood splashing across his face, not even looking that winded after a couple of kills.
"Not bad. Not bad at all," Cu said with a grin, watching them work. "I was half expecting them to start throwing up or freeze at the thought of killing something that used to be human."
"So all of this was really just an exercise outing?" Saeko asked while walking beside him, leaning against the car left at the roadside. Keeping watch on them with her bokken in hand. "Any plans on revealing your secret as a mage? I didn't actually believe you were serious about me being the only one who knew about your little secret."
He hummed, scratching his chin. "It's not something I plan to keep hidden for long. Keeping it a secret in the first place would be impossible, given that sooner or later I'll end up in a situation where I need to use some runes."
He didn't seem particularly worried, neither about how the others might react when they found out, nor about putting them in danger because of it. This wasn't Fuyuki, and there was no Holy Grail War or the Mage Association demanding that such things be buried in silence. Here, secrecy was not a matter of life and death for those unaware of the supernatural.
"I just don't want to distract them for now. They seem to be doing quite well."
His eyes then drifted toward Igou.
Though the man wasn't as ruthless as Takashi or as quick and precise as Rei, he approached every encounter with a level of thought that stood out. He held his ground, targeting the undead closest to him first. His technique resembled Takashi's: skulls bursting under a well-aimed blow. But unlike the others, he didn't push forward recklessly. When facing two at once, he'd take a few steps back, using objects nearby to distract or block the second one and then focus on dispatching the first cleanly before pivoting to strike the second.
Rei, meanwhile, had clearly taken his earlier advice to heart. She faced two creatures ahead, adjusting her form and applying more weight into each swing. The first strike didn't burst the skull but caused it to stagger. Without missing a beat, she spun the spear in her hands and brought it down sharply on the creature's knees.
Her agility gave her the edge. As the second undead reached for her, she tilted backward nearly ninety degrees, dodging its grasp effortlessly. With one foot planted, pivoting and slamming the spear into the back of its skull, snapping its neck, and dropping it to the ground. Both creatures were still twitching, their limbs jerking aimlessly. Rei wasted no time. She brought the butt of the spear down with all her strength, crushing one skull, then the other, after two quick strikes.
"I really should find a way to get her a proper spear," he muttered. "Then again, a makeshift one will only last so long."
Much as he loved his own weapon, he had to admit that even unskilled fighters would be better off with long-range weapons like guns. Melee weapons were best left for training or emergencies. Though the problem was finding guns in the first place in a place like Japan, and those nail guns were only effective at close range. Another disadvantage is loading those nail guns, which requires a lot of time, and they only have a limited number of nails in stock.
Time moved quickly. Ten minutes passed as they continued forward, cutting down a few small pockets of undead along the way with Saeko and he joining the fray. They began mapping out sections of the town, noting blocked routes and circling around them when needed. If a street held only a few undead, they cleared it. If Cu spotted a horde gathering in the distance, they changed course.
"Alright. Let's try this."
Along the route, abandoned cars lay scattered across the streets. Some had been burned to a crisp, blackened shells of what they once were. Others had been left behind by panicked drivers who'd fled, or worse—fallen victim to the outbreak, their blood staining the interiors.
Perfect for repurposing.
"I'll drive," he said, stepping forward toward the vehicle. Unfortunately, before he could even touch the wheel, Saeko stepped in front of him, opened the door, and slipped into the driver's seat without hesitation.
He raised an eyebrow.
"It wasn't that bad, was it? I got us to our destination, didn't I?"
She simply smiled at him, a small upward tug at the corners of her mouth that was loud enough to tell him her real thoughts on the matter.
"And just maybe," she said lightly, "some of us prefer a calm and quiet ride more than your exciting ones."
"Do you even know how to drive?" He asked curiously, watching the girl get inside, grabbing the bloodied keys below, and starting the car without much issue.
"Get in."
He didn't bother replying. There was nothing else to add, and no point in pushing back. Instead, he stepped inside the vehicle along with the others, taking his place silently as the engine came to life. Amusement flashed across his face upon seeing the awkwardness going on behind, with Rei sitting in the middle with not much space to move, and both boys practically glued to the door.
"If anyone's hands touch something they shouldn't be in… I'll break it." The brunette threatened to, and both nodded quickly. "...We should find a bigger car next time."
"You can sit on my lap like last time."
"Shut up, Cu."
They drove slowly through the ruined town, weaving between stalled vehicles, crumbling storefronts, and patches of debris scattered across the road like the remnants of some forgotten parade. The further they went, the more ground they covered, much more than they ever could have managed on foot. The drive gave them a better perspective and a chance to chart out routes that could be used later, especially with the bus in mind. That larger vehicle would need space to maneuver, and this made it possible to take note of which roads could still accommodate something that big, even in the worst-case scenarios.
"Just how many of these things are there?" Takashi asked suddenly, his tone edged with growing unease as his eyes scanned another mass of undead lingering in the streets.
His face was beginning to tighten, becoming more grim with every block they passed. "How did the infection spread this quickly? It feels like we're the only ones who actually managed to escape. The only ones who are still alive and moving."
"They're probably others out there," Cu answered, speaking from the front seat without looking back. "But you won't see them outside, not now. Most are likely holed up in their homes, bases, or somewhere they think is safe. As long as they stay quiet and don't attract any attention, those things won't go after them. No noise, no movement, and they'll stay hidden."
"I just hope Mom and Dad are safe," Rei added, her words quieter than usual. Her eyes drifted across the window, watching the rising number of undead figures that littered the street corners and back alleys. "Dad keeps a gun in the house. He always said it was just in case, some emergency thing like a robber or some asshole that wanted revenge. He never talked much about it, but if they were ever in danger, Mom would've known where he hid it. She would've known how to use it, too."
"Just trust them," Cu said. "I know things don't look so great right now. But it's better to hold onto that thought. Unless you've got clear evidence, something undeniable, it's best to believe they got out and made it somewhere safe."
Though she didn't say it, Rei's shoulders relaxed slightly. The words helped, even if only a little, just like they did for everyone else in the car, except for Saeko, who did not look that worried about her family. Sensing his gaze, she glanced at him for a brief moment before looking back.
"That man won't die so easily."
The way she said it gave the Heroic Spirit a feeling that the relationship between the girl and her family was perhaps not as close compared to the others.
"Hm?"
The road ahead began to dip, leading downward into a wide descent. The car slowed as they approached the slope. From their higher vantage point, they were given a full view of the residential district of that side of the town in the distance. Safe to say, things had not calmed down over there in the least, with the scene being even worse than what he saw yesterday.
It was exactly what Cu had hoped they wouldn't see.
The area was packed to the brim with undead.
"Damn it," he muttered, poking his head out of the window to get a better look. "There are more of them here than there were at the bridge."
He scanned the crowd below..
"More than the number of students, probably a thousand or close to that. And I don't think a school bus could plow through that many without falling apart halfway in." Rei looked equally as horrified as the rest.
"And if the vehicle were to stall or malfunction in the middle of all that," Cu added, eyes narrowing as he leaned forward, "we'd be completely surrounded within seconds. They'd tear it apart, and us with it."
Seeing this path was no longer an option, and knowing full well that the odds of that horde scattering were next to none, Cu pulled out the map and drew a heavy black line through the road, crossing it out for good.
"Wait, I see something over there!" Igou suddenly shouted, slapping the hood of the car and pointing forward.
The others got out immediately, following his hand as he directed their attention to the deepest, densest part of the horde.
"Woof!"
A distant bark caught their attention.
"Wait a minute... is that—?"
"I didn't think these things go after animals," Takashi said cautiously. "We've not seen a single animal corpse or a zombie one at that."
Cu didn't answer. Instead, he reached into the back of the vehicle and handed Takashi a pair of binoculars they'd picked up earlier at the mini-mart.
"Thanks," the boy muttered, accepting them quickly and raising them to his face.
Cu didn't need them. His own vision locked in as he peered forward, narrowing his eyes. He saw what the others had missed. Just above the wall where the horde had gathered, a small white furred god barked furiously, pacing back and forth. And behind it—
"There's a kid over there!" Takashi shouted.
Both of them now saw her clearly. A young reddish-pink-haired girl, swaying where she stood atop the narrow brick ledge high enough that the others could not get to her that easily. Her arms hung limp by her sides, her knees trembling, her face was pale, the skin drawn tight and colourless, sunken with exhaustion and fear.
"Shit," Cu muttered under his breath. How long had she been up there? Since last night? Possibly longer? It was a miracle she hadn't fallen unconscious already, let alone keep her balance for however long that was. But that miracle was about to run out when her body started to show signs of weakness.
"Quick, get back in the car!" Igou shouted.
They rushed back toward the vehicle, but Saeko paused. She didn't move. Instead, she turned and looked directly at Cu, her eyes searching for him.
"What are you doing? You have to get there quickly!" Someone shouted from behind.
But Saeko didn't budge. Instead, she gave a sharp glare to the person speaking.
"We don't have the proper weapons, or even the means to reach her," she said coldly. "If I try to drive this car through that horde, it will break apart. We'll be stuck in the middle, and we'll die alongside her. This car wasn't made to ram through crowds like that."
"But we can't just leave her there to die!"
The woman hesitated, ready to turn to Cu for direction, only for her breath to catch as her eyes widened in disbelief… he was gone.
"Cu!"
Everyone else noticed it at the same time. A frantic scan of the area followed until Rei's voice broke through.
"There! He's down the hill!"
They saw him, the unmistakable flash of blue hair vanishing into motion. The man's figure, skidding down the slope, gravel flying behind him as he charged straight toward the dense street ahead, now writhing in combat with the undead.
"That idiot! You're the one who should follow your own damn advice!" Rei shouted.
There was no time to waste; all four of them piled into the car as Saeko slammed her foot on the accelerator. The vehicle lunged forward, tires screeching as it sped downhill after him, yet even as it raced forward, the gap refused to close that easily.
"How the hell is he this fast!?"
.
.
.
It didn't escape Cu how hypocritical his actions might have seemed to the others. Only moments earlier, he had warned them not to rush into danger blindly without a plan and trying to play hero. And here he was, doing exactly that. But it was a contradiction he had no choice but to live with.
'That lass is on the brink of exhaustion. How long did she stay up there?'
The thought burned at the front of his mind, overpowering any notion of strategy or restraint. His eyes had already spotted the signs. The body of a man lay crumpled near a house, older, probably a relative, with a stab wound gaping across his chest. The door to the home had been forced open, hinges cracked, and splintered wood hanging loose. Leaving no other place for the young child to escape to, and instead forcing them to stay up there for an unknown amount of time.
'Is that her house? Doesn't matter.'
The building was still a long way off. Between him and it all, with an entire street packed with the undead, shoulder to shoulder like sardines, every one of them focused on the same point, the girl atop the wall.
The barking of the dog had undoubtedly drawn them in.
"Fuck," he muttered under his breath again. Seeing her start to sway again left and right, with even a breeze being more than enough to push her off. The girl teetered forward, nearly losing her balance before jerking back upright. Her eyes had begun to close, the toll of fatigue pressing her closer and closer to collapse. The dog, sensing what was going on, tried to keep her awake by licking her leg, but its effort showed no sign of succeeding.
"Hey! Just hang on a little longer! I'm almost there!"
He shouted with all the force he could muster, but it didn't matter. Whether it was distance, exhaustion, or the roar of the infected below, the girl didn't hear him.
"Come on..."
He kept cursing, each word sharp and fast under his breath. His grip on the spear tightened, thoughts racing like wildfire. Continuing to shout as loud as he could, hoping she would hear him and endure for just a small while longer.
'Clearing the horde isn't that big of a problem. But I can't keep fighting like this forever, not while protecting someone else at the same time. I need to either blast a path through or clear enough of them to reach her. Or... maybe I could leap over the wall and—'
The train of thought stopped cold.
Her foot slipped.
Just for a second.
Her face twisted in panic, arms flailing with a strangled cry, leaving her throat as the motion jarred her awake, but not in time. The weight of her body tipped forward, momentum pulling her into the air.
She was falling, slowly, as if time itself had taken pity and slowed to a crawl.
All his planning vanished.
There were no calculations, no weighing of outcomes, no measured steps. Instinct alone guided him now. Every muscle in his body surged to life, as if flooded with a pure shot of adrenaline. He could hear the pounding of his own heartbeat in his ears. His legs slammed against the pavement, digging in. Then, in one explosive motion, he launched upwards, leaving behind a small cloud of dust.
The spear in his hand did not flare in response like the one gifted to him by his Shishou would have. No wave of crimson light burst forward. No dark aura swept across the area, nor the ominous sensation of death. The muscles on his arms bulged nearly twice their size, visible veins lining around his limbs with runes granting him great strength, no different from reinforcement.
Crimson eyes locked onto the girl alone.
Crack!
A faint sound came from the weapon he held, a small fracture that rang out where his grip tightened beside his heartbeat, but he ignored it completely.
"Ragh!"
With all his might, pulling every bit of strength this current body could muster with the perfected form painstakingly trained under the tutelage of the immortal witch, Cu threw the spear ahead along with a loud roar. The weapon transformed into practically a large, blurry projectile, closing the distance with great speed.
The weapon whizzed through the air, passing across the undead army, piercing through several skulls, which caused its speed to lower just enough to reach the young girl and catch her floral shirt.
"Hya!"
A cry of both fear and shock escaped her lips as the weapon pulled her body backwards and stabbed a phone pole on the other side of the street. Leaving her and the dog who was holding onto her by the hem of her skirt, dangling above the horde.
"Ah?"
Confused, the girl found herself at a loss for what had even happened. Feeling the cold touch of the steel on her face, with how close it had gotten, along with some blood splattered all over her face. A few seconds passed where she just tried to figure out what happened.
"Z-Zeke?" she called out to the dog, quickly grabbing him so that the latter would not fall.
Whatever she was about to say got stuck in her throat when the ominous sound of fabric tearing reached her ears. Her shirt ripped, unable to hold her weight. "No!"
Intending to grab onto the spear itself, the girl found herself incapable of doing so with both arms holding onto the animal.
"—ch out!"
Then she heard a faint voice in the distance, the next thing she realized was a pair of arms emerging out of nowhere, grabbing onto her as she fell downwards. The breath was being pushed out of her body by the force alone, and fear filled her eyes upon mistaking this to be a zombie that had gotten hold of her. She tried to break away but found herself incapable of doing so. Closing her eyes, expecting to be bitten and devoured, all she heard was a laboured breath from the person.
It… did not feel like a zombie.
Opening her eyes, she found herself staring back at a grizzly sight of a man covered head to toe in blood, chunks of flesh, and other bits sliding down his skin as if he had walked through a pit of gore. Breathing a bit haggardly, he showed a bright smile. "Got ya…Almost didn't make it."
The words barely registered in the young girl's mind, for all she could do was just stare at the horrifying image ahead. His face, not even discernible at all to her, resembled a monster with red eyes and sharp teeth.
"A-ah—!?"
Reaching her limit both mentally and physically, she just fell unconscious right then and there out of pure fear. Especially upon finding herself and this person now truly surrounded by the numerous zombies getting closer by the second, with no more brick ledge to keep her safe.
Crash!
All the while, the commotion continued, from the other side of the streets. Cu, not even having enough time to call back the spear, was faced with the ridiculous sight of more chunks of bodies flying everywhere. A beaten-up car pushes through the crowd at full speed, with Igou and Takashi reaching out and grabbing onto his collar before dragging him and their newest member off the streets.
The strong pull suffocated the former Servant for a bit, yet he did not loosen his hold on the girl.
Unfortunately, this stunt failed when smoke started to come out of the car, and one of the tires was punctured. Forcing it to drift to the side and crash through one of the gates of the houses nearby.
"Cough! Cough! G-Get inside the house, quickly!" Cu wasted no time in shouting, feeling his throat ache, but thankfully with no injuries. "There are too many of them, and more are coming."
The size had practically doubled by now, and the ones in danger were those around him, more than himself.
"We'll wait till their numbers lessen a bit before continuing."
{Break}
-Fujimi high-
A day had passed since she arrived in Fujimi, and the awesome-looking man had gone out on a trip to scout the area for somewhere better for them to move, at least according to her brother.
Aimi felt a sharp pang of disappointment upon hearing that news the moment she woke up. After everything that had happened the day before, all the absurd, terrifying events they'd been through, the young girl had become both mentally and physically drained. She had barely remained conscious for a few hours after they arrived at the school, just enough time to have something to drink and eat before falling into a deep sleep, clinging tightly to her brother and refusing to let go.
Now, the sound of students talking filled her ears as she stirred. The sun had already risen. She blinked, confused at first, before realizing she had slept through the night. And worse, she had missed her chance. The one her brother called Aniki had already left.
"I didn't even get to talk to him," she muttered under her breath, disappointment heavy in her chest. A mixture of emotions churned inside her: amazement, gratitude, and something close to fascination. He had saved her family in a way she knew she would never forget for the rest of her life. He had been so effortlessly cool that she'd found herself hoping for a chance to speak with him more. Maybe even prove she could be useful to him, just like how Yoshito helped him.
"You're not going to eat your breakfast, dear?"
"You can have it, Grandma. I'm not hungry," the girl replied, her tone subdued. The truth was, she hadn't really felt like eating even the night before. Her world had been turned upside down. The sight of blood, the screaming, the fear, all of it had dulled her appetite into nothing. Just the thought of food now made her stomach churn with nausea.
"Come now, Aimi. It's not good to be stubborn. You should eat. You're a growing girl, and you need your nutrition more than anyone else right now," her grandfather said, gently pushing the tightly packed yakisoba bread toward her—something that had gone stale and cold, not bad, but definitely not appetizing.
But the sight of it made her stomach twist once again. That rising discomfort returned with a vengeance, and she shook her head slowly, knowing her body wouldn't tolerate even a bite. "No, I ate too much yesterday… take it for yourself, you and grandma barely ate anything at all. Also, where is Yoshito?" she asked at last, her voice quiet.
Having only spoken to him for a brief moment when they arrived. Now, he was nowhere to be found.
"He told us he's helping one of those young men's friends and keeping the place organized. You shouldn't disturb him. He'll be back soon, I'm sure," her grandmother said softly.
"I just want to talk to him," she whispered, but the two elderly figures only sighed in unison.
"Child, you're not a little girl anymore," her grandfather said firmly. "In times like these, it's important not to wander into places where you could cause trouble for your brother. He would feel much more at ease knowing you're here, safe and sound, rather than outside where it's dangerous."
"But—"
"No buts. Stay with us. Or go speak to some of the students around here. I'm quite sure I saw a girl not more than a year or two older than you. Surely, you can make a new friend," he urged gently.
They were trying to console her, redirect her attention elsewhere, but she didn't like the idea. She remained silent, sitting beside them quietly for several minutes.
Then, a woman approached.
"I see you're finally awake. Are you feeling alright, dear?"
The Dark-red-haired teacher, whom Aimi recognized faintly from the day before, knelt down in front of her with a soft smile. She gently cupped Aimi's face in her hands, inspecting it with care as if making sure there were no hidden wounds. Satisfied, she patted her head affectionately.
"Don't worry. You're safe now. My name is Kyoko. I'm a teacher. If you need anything, if you're hungry or feeling unwell, come see me, or you can visit Shizuka, who is our school nurse. I've even got some candy with me if you'd like a treat."
From a distance, this woman had looked intimidating, stern even, but up close, her voice was warm, comforting. It surprised Aimi more than she'd expected.
"I'm fine... have you... have you seen my brother?"
"Your brother?" Kyoko blinked, confused at first. Then her eyes widened with surprise. "That man from earlier was your brother!?"
"Yes. Have you seen him?"
Aimi wasn't surprised by the reaction, having experienced it countless times before. Every time someone learned she and Yoshito were siblings, the disbelief was immediate. Some had even whispered behind their backs, wondering if one of them wasn't adopted. The most outrageous rumor she'd heard was that their mother had cheated. That particular one didn't last long — her brother had heard about it and ended up in a fight that got him into serious trouble.
"I think I saw him on the third floor, in the student council room with Shizuka," Kyoko said thoughtfully. "Do you want me to call him over for you? Don't worry, I'll go—"
"N-no!" she interrupted quickly. "There's no need for that. You don't need to disturb him. I was just curious, that's all."
Kyoko paused, blinking again, but nodded once Aimi offered a small smile. She rose to her feet, attention shifting back to the grandparents. The conversation soon turned to the same worries Aimi had heard them discuss last night: how many survivors might be out there, whether the police would regain control, and when help might arrive.
But the redhead didn't place much faith in those people. Not truly. To her, the police were never going to be the ones to save them. Quietly, she slipped away from the group while they were distracted, caught up in conversation with one another. She did feel a twinge of guilt for worrying her grandparents and the kind teacher who had been watching over her, but she needed to find her brother as soon as possible.
No one noticed her departure.
The students around her were silent, each keeping to themselves, many still glued to their phones, trying to contact their parents, while others quietly sobbed. The atmosphere in the gymnasium was far from what one would expect of a place that had, by some miracle, survived the chaos outside without a single casualty. Most of them were too afraid to even approach the doors, let alone step outside. Only a handful had dared venture past the building's threshold, and from what she'd overheard, some collapsed at the sight of the bodies, while others gagged at the stench of early decay creeping outside.
"I swear to you, he is planning something."
"Then what should we do, Momo? Should we inform Kyoko-sensei and Shizuka-sensei?"
"That won't work, Fumiko. Even if they knew, what would they do? Both of them are already swamped trying to stop everything from falling apart, and the other teachers aren't doing anything except kissing up to Shido ever since he left. God, I'm starting to understand why Rei hated that guy so much."
The redhead paused, hearing the voices of the two girls who had brought food and water to her grandparents earlier. She peeked carefully around the corner and saw them seated beneath a tree, shoulders touching, gazing out at the campus. They looked exhausted, likely taking a brief rest. But the content of their conversation caught her attention. There it was again, that name. Shido. Someone who apparently had a bad history with the person who had rescued her? She didn't understand all of it yet, but her brother had to be informed.
Slipping further away from the crowd, she made sure she wasn't seen and crept into the school's main building. Kyoko's earlier words echoed in her mind as she climbed the stairs to the third floor. She scanned the signs along the hallway, muttering to herself.
"Student council room… student council room."
She found it at last, eyes narrowing slightly as she heard voices beyond one of the doors. One in particular she recognized instantly.
"Is there anything I can do for you, aneki?"
A loud slap followed.
"I told you to stop calling me that! It's weird. Just call me Takagi! Say 'aneki' again and I swear, I'll fire that snail gun straight into your skull—though I doubt it'll hit anything, given how empty it seems to be! Either keep your mouth shut or go back downstairs and join the others. I'm sure there's something else more important to worry about."
"I can't. Aniki specifically asked me to look after you, too. Trust me, if anyone tries anything funny, I'll break their skulls wide open!"
Yup, that definitely sounded like her brother, alright. His voice being accompanied by the sound of a woman slapping and screaming at him, was nothing new.
"My god, you're…. Hah, I've never met anyone like you."
"T-Thank you."
"That wasn't a compliment, you idiot! And stop blushing!"
The girl, Saya, if she remembered the name right, shouted in frustration at her brother.
"Hey, you don't have to get so worked up. Just relax a bit. Want to try shooting at some of the zombies?"
That voice was different, more casual, laid back.
"I don't need your opinion on the matter. Just focus on your gadgets or whatever it is you're tinkering with, like I told you. I can't believe you're doing that out in the open. If anyone within Shido's circle finds out about this, we're going to have a serious problem."
"Well, not like anyone even bothers to come out of the gymnasium with how things are right now, and Yoshito here just looks way too scary for anyone to even think of approaching the room in the first place. He looks like one of those gangsters from those old action movies." The boy said earnestly, words that she was certain would sway her brother in an instant; her thoughts were proven right with the man's following answer.
"You don't exactly look harmless either, man. With the stuff you've built, I'm more scared of you than I am of those ridiculous kids who act like they're tough. You have all that it takes to be a dangerous looking fucker."
"R-Really? I never thought I looked that intimidating." Now Kohta sounded more bashful, giggling at the end even.
"I swear, if you just put on a few muscles and followed my training routine for a couple of weeks, you'd end up looking exactly like that actor from Dambo. You'd have girls lining up at your feet."
These strings of compliments further boosted Kohta's ego to the point he was no longer denying it. "Ahh, hehehe, that would be cool."
"Urgh, get a room, you two. I think I'm going to throw up with that image in my head now." From the small glimpse of the door, she could see her sigh while massaging her head.
"I can train you too, aneki."
"That's it, hand me the gun, Hirano!"
"Wait, wait, it's still fragile and dangerous—"
Suddenly, the door burst open, catching Aimi completely off guard. She hadn't even heard a single footstep coming close. She froze like a startled rabbit, caught mid-step like a child with her hand still inside the cookie jar. The only thing she could do was stand there, stiff and wide-eyed, as her gaze met her brother's.
Behind him stood the pink-haired, twin-tailed girl, who was currently struggling to snatch some strange, weird-looking nail gun from the hands of the pudgy boy named Hirano Kohta. The moment his eyes landed on Aimi, they bulged out of his head.
"Eeeeeh! A young girl! Here!?"
His outburst earned a loud groan and an openly disgusted look from Saya, who then turned to him with narrowed eyes.
"It's not what you think! I'm not being weird or anything! I was just excited because this is the first time a girl's ever willingly come to visit me!"
"Then what the hell does that make me then?"
Kohta froze, then slowly turned his head away and sagely avoided meeting her gaze, clearly realizing that any answer he gave would likely get him killed. This only served to make things worse with Saya, as his silence was louder than any words.
Yoshito, unbothered by the chaos around them, stepped over and gently picked up Aimi, pulling her into a quick hug. She leaned into it without a second thought. "It's good to see you're in better shape now. But what are you doing here? You should stay with Grandpa and Grandma. They'll be worried about you."
She hesitated at first, but then found the courage to say her thoughts. "I just wanted to come over and see if there's any way I could help out somehow. I don't want to just sit around doing nothing. Please?" Her voice softened as she looked up at him, her expression turning into the vulnerable, pleading one she knew he couldn't resist. It had always worked in the past, and now it was no different. His stern look wavered, the certainty in his posture faltering.
"It's still hard to believe she's your sister. You two look absolutely nothing alike," Saya commented, her voice more relaxed now. She had finally let go of Kohta, whose cheek now bore a small purplish bruise. He didn't seem to care much about it and simply waved at Aimi with a dumb grin on his face.
He reminded her of a teddy bear, soft and silly. If that handsome man she had seen earlier had the aura of a cool action figure — the kind her brother used to collect and line up neatly on his shelf, then this guy was more like one of the plush toys she still kept boxed up in her room from when she was still small enough to sleep with them.
Kinda like Mr. Tanuki if she was being honest.
"Well, I won't fault you for wanting to help. We always welcome extra hands, especially from people who aren't currently on the verge of a complete physical and mental breakdown," Saya said dryly, though her tone was noticeably gentler and less sharp than how she usually addressed the others. "I'll leave that decision up to your brother. After all, you're family, and it's his call."
Yoshito hesitated, clearly torn, until he felt Aimi gently tug at his sleeve. He looked down at her, then sighed, the weight in his shoulders sinking slightly.
"Just small tasks, please. Aimi's still quite young, and I doubt she's had enough time to fully recover yet."
"But of course, I'm not some cruel task-giver treating people like slaves."
"About that..."
"You shut up!" she snapped at the bespectacled boy without even looking in his direction. "We're still missing a few items, and several cartridges of nails, since this idiot, no — these idiots over here — went ahead and burned through half our reserve just for target practice. Can you go down below? There's a storage room. You'll see a carton box labelled with the exact same logo as the one on that nail gun. Just bring us a dozen cartridges from there. And if possible, make sure no one sees you carrying them, okay? You're small enough to go unnoticed."
At that moment, the girl felt a rush of energy coursing through her, thrilled at finally having a chance to be useful. She didn't waste a second. With a sharp nod, she darted off towards the stairs, only to hear her brother's voice behind her warning not to run in the hallway or on the stairs.
"Okay!"
She didn't really care what they were doing with the nails or the tools, but she knew they were friends of that "Aniki" person. Helping them felt like her small way of repaying the debt for saving her, her grandparents, and her brother's lives. Even if this task alone wasn't enough, she was certain she'd do much more for them in time.
She moved quickly but carefully, making her way down without attracting attention. Luckily, the place was vacant enough. The only spot she truly had to avoid was the cafeteria, where a few students occasionally passed through, and unfortunately, the storage room was nearby, so she had to make sure not to get noticed. With a light skip in her step and a grin blooming on her face, she turned the corner.
Only to freeze as several figures came into view.
"What?" she whispered, heart skipping. Without thinking, she ducked behind the nearest corner just as someone glanced in her direction.
"Is something wrong?"
"Nothing… Thought I saw something. Must've imagined it."
A few moments later, she peeked again. A group of students in uniforms she didn't recognize were walking in and out of the very storage room she had been heading for. Some were carrying boxes—heavy-looking ones.
"Should we bring this to the storage room inside the gymnasium?" one of them asked.
"Just stick to what Shido-sensei told us," another replied. "Load these up inside the bus. We'll carry the other boxes from the gymnasium storage room once we're done here. Just move fast. According to the sensei, those gates won't hold for long. If we don't hurry, we're all doomed."
"Got it."
Still crouched behind the corner, the girl watched in growing confusion. She didn't know what was going on, but her confusion turned to alarm when she spotted one of the boys walking off with the exact same box she had been sent to collect.
Realizing they were about to take it away, she steeled herself and carefully tried to sneak inside the room without anyone noticing. Making sure to wait until the first boy left before getting inside and grabbing a handful of those weird cartridges to stuff them inside her pockets. Then tried to sneak back upstairs to alert the scary-looking pink-haired woman. But just as she turned to leave, a wooden floorboard beneath her gave a sudden, sharp creak, followed by one of the cartridges falling loudly onto the ground below.
"You!" one of the boys shouted. "Stop right there!"
She didn't wait to hear more. Spinning on her heel, she ran for the staircase, "Ah!" only to crash straight into someone rounding the hallway from the other side. She tumbled back and landed hard on her rear.
"Ouch, ouch, ouch..." she muttered under her breath, eyes squeezed shut.
When she looked up, a tall man in a suit with glasses was standing in front of her, hands in his coat pockets and a faintly amused expression on his face. A blonde girl was following him, practically glued to his side and barely paying any attention to anyone else but him.
"Well, what do we have here?" Shido said smoothly. "Aren't you that delinquent's little sister? Now, it's not very polite to sneak around and eavesdrop on private conversations, is it?"
"I-I was just passing through," she added, trying to keep her composure, only for it not to last that long as soon as she saw him notice the nails and bend down to pick them up.
"Strange, why would a young girl want something as dangerous as this?"
Why? To bring them up to Saya, just as she was tasked to do. But telling that would reveal whatever they were doing up there, and she knew they wished to keep it a secret for now. So she instead just lowered her head, putting on a guilty expression. "I-I was just bored and wanted to see if there was anything interesting around her…"
"Tch, that's what we get having an annoying kid around." The blonde girl commented with a hint of annoyance. "We barely have enough food to feed everyone, and these people have already started snooping around where they shouldn't be. Ah~!"
A gentle squeeze from the person next to her and fingers tracing the contours of her face, Shido looked at her with a smile. "There is no need to worry about such things, Miku. Let me handle your burdens and those who wish to break free from these troubling times. I promise you, I promised everyone that it is only a matter of time before things get better. Okay?"
"Y-Yes…" she replied with a dreamy tone, her face showing nothing less than adoration and something else that made Aimi's stomach churn. "Shido-sensei… would you mind helping me with a small issue I have? Somewhere more… private~?"
"But of course, you and every student here, anything that's bothering me will find the right way to deal with it."
It seemed the two had forgotten about her, and the other students were just continuing on with moving the boxes like before. Seeing this as a window of opportunity to get away, she tried to quietly walk away. Not to mention the way these two keep looking at one another and how the man's other hand practically caressed that girl's butt made her uncomfortable.
"Eh!"
Only to have Shido's hand reach out and grab her hand.
"W-what, let go!" She tried to remove his hand, only for it to prove difficult.
Shido smirked, "Child, my father is a politician, and I have spent my whole life surrounded by liars. Do you think I would not see through the lies of a kid? Now tell me, what were you really planning on doing with those?"
"..."
Again, she said nothing; her stubbornness made irritation flash across his eyes.
"Is that so? Then, as a teacher, it is my duty to make sure you are taught a lesson for stealing." He said with a cold smile at the end that sent a shiver of fear up her back.
--------------------
The next 5 chapters of Snafu, and my other Fate fics (Fate Coiling Sword with 3 chapters, A Fake Familiar Reborn with 3 chapters, Steel Eyed Faker soon to be 3 chapters, Hound having 3 and To love a sword having 4 chapters) are already available on my P@treon. With 4 more Broly chapters at /NimtheWriter. Also, I post commissioned arts on each story, already posted a few on an Archer's Promise, Broly and Snafu.