Beta read by Shigiya
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-Tokonosu-
The existence of firearms had always piqued Cu's interest, particularly the modern ones.
In his time, becoming a true warrior meant years of training and hardship; reputation was measured by how many opponents one had bested. Those same feats that once required a lifetime of skill and endurance could now, it seemed, be replicated by almost anyone who could lift and aim a simple metal tube. The thought struck him as odd and practical at once… not exactly despising the change, nor did he admire it with sentiment. Humanity had always pushed forward, and the pace of its progress only accelerated. Gods or mages could not hold that back, and there was a kind of quiet acceptance in how useful the new tools could be.
Now, of all time, that usefulness mattered to him.
Aside from two members, the rest of the group were not fighters, and even those with some training, are quick to freeze at the sight of blood. Cu had seen how quickly shock could ruin an otherwise competent person, and he could not risk that for any of them. For the better part of several minutes, he sat in the Humvee they had found in the garage earlier before taking it with them, driving across the empty streets without the wind hitting his face and hair. Turning the pistol over in his hands while Igou, grinning, kept his foot light on the accelerator and nudged the vehicle across the broken road now and then — the engine itself roaring each time he pressed on the accelerator. Outside, a handful of the undead shuffled past the edges of the street, their movement lazy as usual.
Bam!
Until they ran over one of them, splattering blood on the window, yet the vehicle's front did not crumple at flesh slamming into metal. "Oi, careful there, lad. I haven't even used any runes to reinforce the damn thing."
"Sorry," Igou answered with an awkward smile. "Still trying to get a handle on this thing. Who the hell buys such a large car to be driven on Japan's narrow roads!? It's a miracle that whoever that woman managed to get this thing inside that garage of hers without scratching some of the paint job."
"Must be a smart one."
"Or another mage who used magic?" Cu shrugged. As unlikely as it was for this Rika to be a Magus, it would still be surprising for a mage to use their spells in such a manner. He met weird people in his life. "An M9 Beretta?" The Irishman read aloud as he traced the stamped letters on the slide with a fingertip. "Nine millimetres… That'd be the bullet size? So this little guy…"
Just looking at the little bit of metal loaded with some gunpowder, it felt almost ridiculous just how lethal such things could prove themselves to be. The slide snapped back and forward with a metallic click when he worked it, a plain mechanical noise. Playing with the item for a few more seconds and getting familiar with the overall mechanic hidden within, it definitely possessed its own form of beauty.
"Don't accidentally shoot that thing," Igou said without glancing away from the road. "We don't want to damage our latest asset. And please don't point the barrel at me. I don't feel comfortable. Better yet, just put that thing down,"
"Ah, my bad," Cu said, noticing his mistake, and he set the muzzle toward the floorboard. The pistol was not loaded, but nothing beats cautious over a dumb, avoidable mistake. "Never actually used one properly, so I'm not different from a kid getting a new kind of toy. Who would have imagined something so small could take out several people with a single well-placed shot? Humanity goes far, so it does."
The boy snorted, half-amusement and half disbelief. "Says the man who can use magic. How are you amazed by a gun when you can make exploding pebbles with your runes? Doesn't help that you can throw your spear like a fucking missile itself. Compared to those, a piece of metal is actually quite tame."
"Just because magic exists doesn't mean I'm blind to getting impressed by other things," Cu answered. "I didn't grow up around firearms… though probably got fired at by one at some point." The Holy Grail War system in Fuyuki scrubbed a lot of memories from past summonings. It didn't wipe everything fully clean, since specific moments were enough to trigger a moment of deja vu at best. It wouldn't be surprising if, during one of his summonings, a Master of Servant had used such a weapon against him.
"For some reason, I am not surprised."
The Humvee shifted as Igou found a smoother line through the rubble. Cu's attention continued to wander around the weapon in his hand. He rolled the pistol in his palm, feeling the textured grip and balanced weight. The metal and polymer were practical in how they fit together.
"Kohta will be foaming from his mouth when he sees the goodies we brought back," he said with the small smile of someone picturing an obvious reaction.
"Kohta?" Igou asked. "Who is that again?"
"The big kid with the glasses. Real gun nut, from what I learned, and he'll know how to handle this better than I ever will." Cu flexed his fingers around the grip once more, testing the weapon. The material felt solid; the slide moved smoothly enough. For him, the pistol was unnecessary. It belonged to someone who would rely on it to survive rather than as a curiosity.
He flipped the gun over, holding it by the upper slide, then passed it back toward the people sitting behind. "You take it," he said.
"You didn't like it?" Rei asked. From the rearview and the side mirror, where he saw the back seats, Saeko and Rei sitting separately yet close enough to catch each other's expressions, an awkwardness hung in the small space between them. Takashi stood further back, peering through the roof hatch to check their immediate surroundings, and Alice was almost acting as a barrier, sitting between both girls.
Hands reached for the pistol and took it back. "That is a good weapon to use in case you end up in a tricky situation and don't have access to magecraft like me or any other weapon. It'll be more useful to you than it will ever be with me." Also, he recalled the words Takashi shared with him that night, and he intended to take them seriously.
"You do not trust my skills?" The orange-brown haired girl asked with a slight frown on her face.
"Heh, I do. I just really don't have any uses for it." He answered with a small chuckle. It might have sounded arrogant if overheard by any of the other individuals, but it was the truth. There was no point in pretending otherwise or showing false humility. His natural reserves of magical energy were plentiful, a result of his lineage. And should he ever find himself in trouble, his runes were more than capable of helping. Some even allowed him to gather magical energy through the existence of naturally found ley lines underneath. Of course, all of this assumed that nothing ridiculous happened, like someone feeding him dog meat again and breaking his sacred vow.
Though he doubted that Geass remained active even after being reborn or as a Servant back then… not that he was willing to test it out anytime soon.
"This is quite the collection," Saeko remarked as she examined the assortment of weapons crammed into the back of the vehicle that they had found in the house. Her expression briefly softened, a flicker of thought passing across her face before she sighed. "It seems firearms will never suit me after all. I'm simply more comfortable with what I already have."
"I'm all for you being confident with your sword, lass," Cu advised, his tone even as he looked ahead. "But just like what I said to Rei, it's best to keep at least one gun on hand in case of emergencies. Staying alive is worth more than pride, bringing you an early death."
"Says the guy who only uses his spear," she replied, arching a brow at him.
"I already told you my reasons," he said simply. There was no need to explain further. Whether they used the firearms or not was their own choice. His role wasn't to command, only to advise. He trusted that none of them would be foolish enough to let pride cloud their judgment.
A few minutes passed, and soon, a small yawn escaped Rei's mouth. The former Servant of the Spear caught the movement from the corner of his eye, seeing her resting against the door. Her head leaned against the window, forehead touching the cool glass, eyes slowly closing as sleep threatened to take her.
"You look tired, Rei," Saeko said softly, glancing sideways. "You don't seem to be in the best condition since we left the house."
"It's nothing," she replied, not noticing the faint smile tugging at Saeko's lips. "I'm just exhausted and sore because someone went too far with his… training, as usual."
He wanted to argue his innocence, to point out that she had only herself to blame for trying that reckless stunt last night. He might enjoy good fun, but she had practically been begging for trouble with how far she'd pushed it.
Saeko chuckled, "Heh… must have been quite the sparring session."
In return, she got a narrowed-eyed glare, "Jealous? I can spend as much time with him as I want. Perhaps this outbreak must have fogged up your mind, but I'll remind you that we're together and you two only met one another recently… he considers you as a good friend, knowing him." It did not take long for an awkward atmosphere to settle in the car, with both Igou and Cu just looking ahead without feeling the need to butt in on their conversation.
"Why would I feel jealous?" Saeko asked with genuine curiosity. "I am happy you two are getting along. But from my understanding, you two only knew each other for less than two months at best, and that is not a lot of time. Many things can change, and in the end, I know we get along quite well. As for Cu here, I know how he sees me. Fufufu~ I already got my answer last night." She replied with a small smirk, her finger gently gliding across her lower lip.
"A-argh! Cough! Cough!"
"Ah! Watch out!" Takashi shouted as soon as the car started to jerk sideways.
"S-Sorry!" Igou choked on air, quickly apologising before sending a stunned look towards his friend after hearing what Saeko mentioned. Only for the blue-haired man to make an X gesture with his arms, shaking his head vigorously at what the boy had misunderstood. This, thankfully, made Igou release a sigh of relief.
Takashi remained oblivious of the conversation with the sound of wind and the car's engine filling his ears — Alice had long since fallen asleep.
As for Rei, her previous smug look immediately disappeared and was now replaced with pure frustration. Eyes lingering on Saeko's body, the woman was sitting perfectly relaxed within the car and showing off a figure that few could not admire. Biting her lips, she whispered low enough that only two people in the car overhead could hear, "Stay in your lane. Or else, next time, I'll leave the door open so you can get the message loud and clear."
Not backing down, Saeko returned. "And I'll make sure to mine lock for any unwanted intruders."
Okay, this was getting scary real quick.
"Cough! Cough!" Now it was the Irishman's turn to let out several coughs, "Well, would you look at that, it feels like we've nearly arrived at our destination. Stand ready, you lot!"
He didn't even need to look back to know the purple-haired swordswoman was giving him that strained, half-playful smile and, Rei, one with suspicion despite how far he went yesterday to prove her otherwise.
"Look out for anything unusual," he said again, cutting through the growing tension that had settled over the two girls. "We'll be reaching Saya's house soon. Did you finish mapping the route, Takashi!?"
Takashi climbed back down with a notebook, a map with several lines drawn on it, and a pen in hand. "Everything's noted. Can't say it will remain the same after we bring the others here." He confirmed. "Also, it looks like the number of undead is rising the closer we get. Must be drawn by all the noise and the gunfire in the distance."
He gave a small nod at that, his eyes narrowing slightly as he focused on the road ahead. Having long since picked up the sounds of gunshots as well, several of them in fact.
"Seems like it," muttered the man while stretching his neck, spotting what Takashi had seen earlier. A growing number of undead were moving in the same direction, their movements sluggish. Just as Takashi mentioned, the density of the horde increased the further they went. It wasn't overwhelming yet, but it was clear that things were starting to build up.
"—!"
"Shit!"
Then, from out of the blue, came a thunderous explosion in the distance. Fire erupted in the distance, a plume of dark smoke rising into the air as the shockwave followed soon after, rattling the armored vehicle hard enough to make the metal groan.
"That must be it! Quick, let's go!"
Igou slammed his foot on the pedal, the engine roaring as the vehicle shot forward toward the Takagi estate. The humming deepened into a furious growl as the car tore down the road and some walking corpses, cutting through the air at breakneck speed. It didn't take long for him to understand what was going on or to see the reason for the chaos ahead.
"Shit, things are looking bad!" Igou shouted.
At the far end of the road leading to the estate, the sight was grim. The grounds were swarming with undead, nearly a thousand of them crowding near the walls. Most were drawn by the fires and the sound of gunfire echoing from inside rather than focusing on the armored vehicle. A few lunged toward them, but the reinforced frame made their efforts useless.
"Doesn't look like they've breached completely," Takashi said while peering through a pair of binoculars. "Only the front line's gone down so far."
"What should we do?" Rei asked, worry etched on her face. Her earlier discomfort had long vanished, replaced by alert focus.
"What to do…" Cu repeated softly before giving a brief nod. "Move back a bit, Takashi. I'll handle it."
He reached for a small leather pouch beside his seat, the faint sound of pebbles shifting inside it. As he stepped out through the back, Rei moved aside to give him space, but Saeko didn't. She stayed seated, her calm gaze fixed on him as she pressed her palm against his chest, stopping him momentarily.
"What are you planning to do?" she asked, her tone firm. "I hope you aren't going to once again go ahead without anyone covering for you. Magic or not, I can still be useful."
Cu looked back at her with a small, restrained grin. "Well, I'd hate to see Saya in tears if she found out her family died while we stood here watching. And we kind of need that estate standing for everyone's sake, don't we?"
"That's not what I asked," she replied, voice sharp.
"Just sit back and enjoy the show," he said simply. "You'll know when to join."
Saeko held his gaze for a moment, then gave a quiet hum before pulling back. Takashi had already retreated inside the car, sitting with Alice beside him. The little girl clutched Zeke tightly until the dog wriggled free and climbed up onto her shoulders, barking once before settling down. The small scene made Cu chuckle faintly before he turned away.
"Alright then."
With a light grunt, he climbed through the roof hatch and emerged on top of the car. He pulled his spear free, its polished head glinting faintly under the sunlight. From up there, he had a clear view of the road and the wall of undead blocking the bridge.
"Hey, how tough would you say this car is compared to the one you used yesterday to ram through that horde?" he called down.
"Well, it's not exactly a tank," Igou shouted back, "but it's close enough to take a hit or two! Just like earlier!"
"That's good enough. Just make sure it gets there and doesn't die halfway."
"I was planning to anyway!" he replied, gripping the wheel tighter.
The engine howled again, and Cu planted his boots firmly on the roof to keep balance as the vehicle surged forward towards the vast number of zombies. Just before the impact was immediate, he quickly traced a few runic characters along the metal hull of the vehicle, a quick usage of strengthening the frame since they still needed the car for later use. Bodies slammed against the steel frame, bones cracking and blood splattering across the hood. The armored beast plowed through the horde like a knife through wet clay, the undead crushed under its weight or thrown aside or into the air.
Cu's spear moved in a blur, thrusting, spinning, slashing anything and everything ahead. Every swing tore through rotting flesh, every strike clearing another patch of road. "Keep driving! Don't stop until I tell you!" he yelled.
He continued cutting down anything that came close, his movements efficient and unbroken. As they neared the mansion, he saw what the fire had done—flames had trapped several survivors behind the burning gates, leaving them no way out. Cu reached into the small pouch again, pulling out a handful of runed stones.
"Ansuz," he whispered.
The runes pulsed faintly as he hurled them skyward. In an instant, the sky above them gleamed white, the stones flashing like falling stars before they exploded one after another. The ground shook as several dozen undead were torn apart by the blasts, their remains scattered amid spreading fire.
The vehicle burst through what was left of the barricade, clearing a path for those trapped inside. Cu leapt from the roof, jumping ahead of the car by a good distance. Smoke rolled past him, the stench of burning rot filling the air.
As he straightened, his eyes caught sight of someone standing at the far end of the yard. Recognition flickered immediately. He hadn't seen this person in quite some time, and of course, the guy had his sword nearly unsheathed like last time… he wondered if this was going to become their way of greeting each other as he pushed the katana back inside the scabbard with his foot as soon as he landed.
"Yo, old man," he said with a small grin, spear resting on his shoulder. "Long time no see. Still got that sharp frown on your face, I see, and still looking as uptight as ever. Anyway, came here to help ya out."
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(A few minutes later)
"Barricade the opening! Keep our defenses tight and make sure there are no gaps for these creatures to exploit! Don't fire all at once; only Kyo's squad is cleared to shoot! Avoid aiming toward the center! Everyone, focus on closing up the hole as fast as possible and reinforce our defences after you've put out the fire!"
Soichiro Takagi had never been a believer in miracles or luck. In his eyes, everything worth achieving came through hard work and persistence. Miracles were for the desperate, and relying on them could easily cost lives. When the first breach occurred, he had been prepared to give his own life if it meant protecting others, fully ready to leave command in his wife's capable hands. He hadn't expected the tides to shift, nor for hope to return in such a way. Yet here he was, shouting orders while watching the heir of his swordsmanship master's clan carve through the undead like it was second nature.
The young woman's swordplay was a perfect display of the Busujima fighting style, clean, efficient, merciless. Even in the raging fire, he found himself pausing to admire her technique for someone so young. She reminded him of her Master Busujima in his prime, every movement a testament to the training and discipline passed down through generations.
But despite her ferocity, she was not the one who drew every eye. There was another anomaly among them, a man whose presence felt nothing short of unnatural. Watching him fight stirred a cold unease in Soichiro's chest. If Saeko's style were to be graceful and merciless, it could be compared to nothing less than a blender. The way the spear moved in his hands was terrifyingly fast, as if it weighed nothing. No wasted energy, no unnecessary flair, just raw, overwhelming power. With a single, smooth swing, he could tear through several undead at once, heads flying before anyone had time to blink.
"He doesn't even feel human," Soichiro muttered under his breath, unable to look away. The man lifted his spear mid-swing, bodies already skewered on it, and held it effortlessly in one hand as if it weighed nothing. When he ran out of targets, he simply grabbed one of the undead by the neck, hurled it into a cluster of others, and sent them scattering like bowling pins — yet he smiled the entire time. Soichiro's eyes struggled to keep up. By the time he caught a glimpse of the man again, dozens of corpses already littered the ground, all cleanly cleaved apart. Not a single trace of blood clung to him.
But that previous pure steel coloured spear, every inch of it, dyed pure crimson with the blood practically clinging to it stubbornly, regardless of how fast he swung it.
"Do you know him?" his wife, Yuriko, asked, standing close beside him. Her voice carried both curiosity, looking a bit haggard after running around helping the others to put out the fire.
"I… I don't," he admitted quietly. He had once planned to have his men gather information about this mysterious figure after a brief encounter at the shrine, but the outbreak had erased all such plans. Now, watching the man fight, Soichiro realized he had severely underestimated him and should have continued his endeavour.
"They look like high school students," his wife observed, eyes drifting toward a parked Humvee where two others were stepping down, followed by a young girl who couldn't have been older than ten. The sight didn't bring comfort; if anything, a chill crept deeper into his chest when the person he hoped to see was not amongst them.
"Takashi is with them," Yuriko whispered under her breath after noticing the son of her close friend.
With him, Soichiro's first instinct was to rush over, grab the young man by the collar, and demand answers about his daughter, where she was, whether she was still alive, but duty chained him in place. His men needed him here; the others were still fighting, and he couldn't abandon them for his own worries.
Grinding his teeth, he pushed forward, ignoring his wife's call behind him. Drawing his blade, frustration and fear fueling his movements, and cut down the nearest zombie with a clean strike across its neck.
"Ha!"
At least the sensation of executing a few of them managed to keep his negative emotions in control, allowing some of the lost calmness to return with each swing.
"Joining the fight, old man?" a voice called out nearby, eyes twitching at repeatedly being called old man. While not young anymore, his still held enough vigor and muscles to fight all day if needed. "Sorry to tell you, there aren't many left. My runes earlier kind of killed most of them. Your people have nearly finished setting up the first defense line."
Runes? He was curious as to what kind of grenades were capable of delivering such a high charge; the shockwave alone was enough to rattle his bones. But runes… this was the first time he had such a weapon. How had the boy gotten hold of such dangerous items? Perhaps the same place he got that Humvee… the American military veteran in Tokonosu never made mention of such a dangerous weapon being brought into his home.
He'd have a word with her later.
"I know," he replied, keeping his focus on the next wave. Every motion of his sword followed the teachings of the Busujima school and his master's guidance. His eyes, however, betrayed him, drifting toward the young girl again. She fought with a wooden weapon, but her stance and movement mirrored the same discipline. Had it been a real sword, she would have been formidable.
Just as he was about to ask more questions, a hand patted his shoulders.
"Don't make that face," the spear-wielding man said, walking past him with a calm face. "Your daughter may not be here, but she's alive. Probably screaming someone's ear off with her nagging back at school." He paused, resting the spear on his shoulder. "Oh, by the way, my name's Seth, but you can call me Cu. I just realized we never properly introduced ourselves."
"Soichiro… Takagi Soichiro." He answered as they slowly retreated, keeping one hand on the hilt of his sword. He shoved the tip of the blade into the face of one of the last undead, then pulled it free and wiped the metal on a cloth he kept at his belt. Around them, the last sandbags were laid, and the metal wire and wooden barricade were being secured with several men adding more bricks and cement to reinforce it further.
Tch, not just ammunition, they were also running out of such resources. But that was a problem for another time.
"We did it? The walls are secured?"
"Fuck yeah they are!"
"I really thought I was gonna die back there! Hahahahaha!"
"Stop celebrating and keep working!"
Many of his men shouted simultaneously. Their words soon broke into a unanimous cheer that rolled over the big compound. People jumped and some fired bullets into the air in short, careless bursts — only to be punched in the face by others to avoid attracting more of those zombies. The front-line men, who had stood ready for death until that minute, let out laughter that sounded less like triumph and more like relief, and their joy spread quickly. Soichiro felt the urge to scold them for wasting ammunition and making noise, but he had more important matters to attend to right now.
"Honestly, you say you can maintain your calm, and then you still have moments where you just throw that tantrum." His wife stepped forward, a napkin in hand. She brushed the sweat and a smear of blood from his temple with an exactness that made the motion look almost routine. He smiled as she cleaned him; he could not deny the comfort in her hands.
"I'm not afraid when you're here," he said.
"Do that again and I'll be the one sticking a sword in your guts." She said it gently, but the threat was plain. A laugh threatened to come free from him, but he kept it down. He let his shoulders relax for the first time in hours. "Our daughter is alive."
"Of course she is." She rolled her eyes, not at all surprised by the news. "She is my daughter. I have told you a dozen times that a small thing like this will not kill Saya. If she is not with the main group, then she is with another. She probably told them to regroup or to take supplies. I know that girl better than anyone, even better than you do."
"She is stubborn," he conceded. Only his wife would describe a literal outbreak that brought the world on its knees 'a small thing'. "So it seems."
He let her finish and adjusted his stained clothes. He turned toward the newcomers, heading over, wanting to say several things on his mind but then he paused. The sight of the blue haired boy who he now knew was Seth, among the new arrivals, took his attention. The person bent to a purple-haired girl and, without hesitating, smoothed a handkerchief across her cheek, removing flecks of blood and a smear of dust. That contrast surprised Soichiro; the newcomer had been in the thick of the fighting and had killed more of the creatures than any of them, but he wore almost no blood. The lack of gore on his clothes just ended up making him feel more of a monster than his initial impression.
Not everyone liked the man's actions. An orange-brown haired student with a familiar face stepped forward, the Takagi patriarch could not place the face at first but she definitely felt familiar… She pushed both the man's hands and her own aside, grabbed the handkerchief, and wiped the girl's face with a rougher motion. Cu only smiled at the interference. The orange-brown student muttered something under her breath as she worked.
The blue-haired boy nearby laughed, and the other one beside him joined with a quieter chuckle. Takashi, who had been watching at the edge of the group, simply shook his head.
"Welcome to the Takagi estate," he said, finally walking over and bowing slightly, a tired, formal movement he seldom offered. "First, I want to thank you for your help. If not for you, I would have lost a dozen good men who have families inside these walls. Not only did you save lives, you kept this place standing until more help could arrive. Second, thank you for the news about my daughter. I am glad to see all of you alive."
The bow was simple. He was not a man given to public displays, but the students, as he kept thinking of them, had earned the gesture. He no longer cared for the maintenance of image.
"No. Don't worry, old man," one of the newcomers replied, waving a hand as he wrapped the tip of a spear in cloth. "Saya wouldn't want to see her family die. But, we will ask you for help in return. Think of this as an exchange for saving your people's skin from turning into rotten undead. Consider it an advance payment from our end… also it's a favour I want to cash in right now."
The way Cu wrapped his spear and secured it in the back of a vehicle told him more about their plans than words would have. They were not staying long.
"I understand," he said, nodding toward the estate behind him along with all his personnels. "The entire Takagi estate is at your disposal."
A few moments earlier, he would have taken a different course. He would have stepped forward to die for the men who sheltered here. He would have thrown himself into a gap and held it with his body. These people might be the ones to find and bring back his daughter and the others. That possibility left no room for hesitation. He would do whatever it took to let them go and return with her.
{Break}
(A few hours later)
-Fujimi Academy-
"Is it just me, or have we been getting less food lately?" Kohta asked as he and the rest of the students sat inside the gymnasium, their makeshift shelter since the outbreak began. The wide space had turned into their base of operations, with desks, blankets, and classroom furniture scavenged to create crude beds, small dividers for privacy, and even a corner that served as a dining area. It was far from comfortable, but it gave them something to hold on to, something to keep their minds away from the outside and the constant worry about their missing families.
"Half a melon bread and some water from the faucet that hasn't even been boiled, for goodness' sake," Saya muttered beside him. She took a reluctant bite of the stale bread, her expression twisting in disgust, yet she kept chewing. After a few bites, she washed it down with several gulps of lukewarm water. "I miss the existence of convenience stores and ready made food that can at least be warm."
"Melon bread can stay good for several days."
"Shut up!" She snapped at him, making the boy shrink back. "I know for a fact we have more food that will perish earlier than melon bread! That is what we should be consuming rather than this! How the hell did our supplies drop this fast? It's barely been two days, and we should still have enough left," she continued, glancing toward the storage area marked by overturned tables and stacked crates.
"I… I still don't think that the bread is so bad," he added with a small pout, actually liking the taste, trying to sound casual as he bit into his portion. The flavor was not that bland, the texture still soft, he just felt that the girl was perhaps a bit too spoiled with expensive stuff. "At least I might lose some weight this wa—Ouch!"
The comment earned him a light smack on the head from the pink-haired, twin-tailed girl sitting across from him. Her glare was enough to shut him up before he dug his own grave any deeper.
"When are those five going to be back already?" she said, clearly irritated. "They were just supposed to check if the road to the Takagi estate was clear. It's almost noon the next day now, and I don't like leaving this place under those idiots' watch."
Her eyes flicked toward the back of the gymnasium, where another group of students sat together, chatting in low tones. Their numbers had grown lately, and most of them seemed to have drifted away from their side of the group. Kohta noticed something off about them. The food on their side looked more plentiful: sandwiches, snacks, and what smelled suspiciously like yakisoba bread. They looked far too energetic for people supposedly running low on supplies.
Shido, as usual, was nowhere to be found. Kohta didn't particularly care to know where that man had gone. He had more pressing things to handle, like making sure the tension in the group didn't explode into something worse. Picking up a paper bag with the other piece of melon bread he managed to sneak out, then making his way over to Kyoko, who was talking quietly with both Fumiko and Momo.
"Sensei, you haven't eaten since yesterday evening. At least have something," he said, holding the bread out to her.
Their once composed and confident teacher looked tired. Her usually neat hair was now a little unkempt, and the dark circles under her eyes stood out. Even so, she still carried herself with a kind of natural grace that hadn't faded despite the exhaustion. It didn't help that she had taken off her bloodied suit and put on just a shirt borrowed from one of the girls that emphasized her assets. He was no pervert, but it was hard not to have his eyes end up lingering over her chest from time to time.
No wonder half the male teachers in this school were pursuing her.
"Oh, Hirano, that's kind of you, but I'm not hungry," she replied softly. "You should eat it yourself. You're still a growing boy, and it's important to have proper meals, even in times like these. Missing a day for someone my age isn't the end of the world, and I've been meaning to cut down a bit anyway."
She tried to make light of it, smiling faintly, but the attempt only made him feel worse. He wasn't particularly close to her, and he remembered how few teachers had ever bothered to help him when he was bullied — the woman herself barely did much outside of having him report this matter to the dean. Yet now, she was thinking about her students before herself. It kind of changed the image he had of her earlier on, perhaps she did not ignore him deliberately…
He sighed quietly. "Aren't teachers supposed to get a bigger portion? Or at least something better than this?" he asked, though he already knew the answer.
The brunette shook her head. "No, it's just... I told them to redistribute my share to those who might need it more. If I get hungry, I can always ask later, but for now, I'm perfectly fine." It wasn't exactly a mystery on why she acted this way, especially after watching how often she glanced toward the gate, just like she used to during the first days of the outbreak, waiting for a certain someone to return.
"Sensei," he continued, "I may not have known Cu for that long, but I feel like he's more than capable of handling himself. Maybe they had to take a break and hide inside one of the abandoned houses to avoid trouble during the night. Or maybe they already reached their destination and are helping the Takagi group."
The woman managed a faint smile. "I'm glad you think so. Yes, he is capable, but in times like these, no one can ever be fully prepared. I'm starting to regret letting students go outside on their own and risk their lives like that. I should have stopped them... I'm a failure as a teacher."
"It's not your fault, and we still need to—"
"WHERE THE FUCK IS AIMI!?"
The sudden roar interrupted him. The shout came from the behind, followed by the sharp crash of glass breaking. An entire desk came flying into the gym, smashing into the floor and splintering apart. Students screamed and scrambled for cover, narrowly avoiding the shards and debris scattered across the ground.
Kyoko, Kohta, and several others turned toward the entrance, their expressions frozen in disbelief. A familiar figure with a large frame, dark-skinned stepped into view, muscles tense beneath his sleeveless shirt. His arms were covered in tattoos, a bandana tied tightly around his head, and his eyes burned with fury.
"Yoshito?" Kohta muttered, recognizing him as one of the survivors Cu brought along and someone that he had gotten along with in recent days. Now that he thought about it, the man had practically disappeared since earlier this morning, he had been searching for him to see if he could help out with finishing his project but couldn't find him.
"What the hell is your problem!?" Takayama, their gym teacher, barked as he stepped forward. "Making a scene like this will only fucking attract more of those things and put everyone here in danger! What the hell are you thinking, brat!?"
For someone like Kohta, that man had always been intimidating. His opinion of him was far from good, given that most of the students who bullied him were the very same ones Takayama often got along with. Even when he had tried to report them, the teacher's response had been nothing short of humiliating — a look of disgust followed by words that still rang in his head; they weren't wrong, they were just trying to make him lose weight for his own good. From that day onward, Kohta had done everything he could to avoid the man, skipping gym whenever possible. And now, faced with the teacher's anger, he had no idea what was going to happen.
"I don't give a crap about the zombies, and don't you dare try to change the subject! Where the hell is my sister?" Yoshito ignored the shouts and glares aimed towards him. "I know you bastards took her! I searched the whole damn night, and a few of those idiots said the last place they saw her was down the hallway after I beat the truth out of them. So if you don't want to see your insides and have your entire body turn black and blue — you better spill the beans, fucker."
"Eh, Aimi?" The name sparked a memory. Kohta recalled assigning her a small errand yesterday, though it wasn't her who had returned with the supplies. Another student had come instead, saying that the girl had stayed behind to help elsewhere. At the time, he hadn't thought much of it with both him and Yoshito taking the story as it was given. Now that he thought about it, she had not even arrived at the gymnasium to get her rations… "Damn it, how did I miss that!?"
At that moment, he wanted nothing more than to bash his head for having overlooked something so important. He even spoke with their grandparents earlier! Now, seeing how Yoshito was behaving, there was no chance this thing was going to end peacefully any time soon. Immediately, he held out an arm to stop Kyoko as she started to step forward.
"What is it?" she asked, startled by his sudden action.
"Please don't go there," he said quietly. "You'll only make it worse."
"How could you say that? Those people are arguing and there is a child missing! As a teacher I can't just ignore it." She insisted, only for him to shake his head once more with a difficult expression soon coming over.
"I'll… I'll find a way to deal with this." He said, seeing how some of the boys who used to believe him started to surround the sole Yoshito. And he knew full well that these people were not the type to talk, and given the overall atmosphere, he doubted it would get better anytime soon. "Just stay here, I'll be back in a second, please. You two, please keep an eye on her!" He said while heading out of the building with Momo and Fumiko weaving at him.
"Don't worry, we've been babysitting her all day after all." Momo exclaimed, much to the dismay of the brunette who looked in disbelief at the young girl who just made a small mischievous face.
As for the argument, it kept turning uglier by the second.
"I have no idea where your sister is!" Takayama shouted back. "It's your job to look after her, not ours! And you actually dare to raise your hands on my students? Are you looking to die, punk!?"
"Save the intimidation for another sucker, I know you're kind, the type who likes to talk all day!" came the enraged reply. "I am doing this for Aniki's sake or else I would have long since bashed your head against the wall. Where. Is. Aimi?"
Before the shouting could go any further, Saya of all people stepped in. "Honestly, I was willing to overlook the fact that you've been hoarding supplies and using them to buy people's favor, while leaving those you dislike with barely anything. I tolerated it because this is supposed to be temporary, and I figured I'd never have to deal with you again once help arrived. But kidnapping a child? That's beyond stupid even for you."
"You're accusing us without any proof!" one of the boys snapped, his tone defensive. Another stepped beside him, taking Takayama's side. "Ask anyone here. We were just helping out to keep things organized. We wouldn't do something like that! The only reason we give others more food is because they are doing more work around here, unlike you."
She scoffed, "What work? We already brought all our supplies from the cafeteria to here. None of you have the balls to stand even ten meters near the gate outside and the only work you've been doing is showering Shido with praises while he goes god knows where. Just tell us, where is the girl."
"What's your tone, Takagi!" Takayama shouted, only for her to roll her eyes. "Are you honestly trusting a random stranger over your fellow students and teacher? This is below you, aren't you ashamed?"
"I told you, she's just salty that she is not the one in charge. Such a control freak." One of the girls whispered at the back.
"She's always been like this and now is even turning her back against her fellow students."
"It's all because of Rei, she's the one who influenced them to become like this and now left us to deal with the issue by ourselves."
Hearing each and every word that came out of their mouth, only fuelled the anger in Yoshito's eyes and the frustration with Saya who couldn't help but massage her temples. "Are we seriously going through this again? Just how desperate can you all be to no longer have any capability for critical thinking when you need it the most? We already have a plan to move somewhere safe and you all are already losing your minds."
"Please step out of the way, Aneki… These people aren't going to talk. Maybe a few punches to the skull will make them. I am not leaving till I see Aimi."
Some of the students flinched and backed away from his obviously intimidating presents, but others stood their ground and were prepared to confront him physically.
Before anyone could respond further, a calm yet mocking voice echoed from the corridor. "What is this commotion? You all know it's dangerous to make so much noise. We wouldn't want the already weakened gate to give out and let the monsters join us inside our precious school, would we?"
The moment that voice sounded, the tension shifted. Many of the students visibly relaxed at the sight of the lanky man walking in with now another girl aside from Miku clinging to his side. Both girls with which he walked along calmly, without even caring how wrong the image looked… especially when Saya's eyes immediately zoned in on the roughness of their clothing and the clear signs of sweating on all three as if they had ran a marathon.
Her face scrunched up upon realising the truth. "Disgusting bastard."
Miku herself had the reputation of using her body to get what she wanted in school for quite a while, so that did not surprise her. But rather at how nonchalant the guy looked walking in, holding two girls without any attempts to hide it.
Furthermore, most of the students in his group did not even seem to care. Some even looked at him with admiration much to her disbelief.
"Oh, it's the hoodlum that our friend Seth took in," Shido said smoothly, pushing his glasses up with a polished smile. "Causing trouble for innocent students who were only trying to stay calm during these trying times. Have you no shame?" He sighed, shaking his head before turning toward Saya. "And you too, Takagi Saya. I expected better from someone of such a well-known family. Throwing baseless accusations around and making others uncomfortable... disappointing, truly."
Saya's eyes narrowed. "You've gotten awfully comfortable with the students, haven't you?" she said sharply, her gaze flicking back toward the two girls practically clinging to him on either side, their expressions sickeningly adoring. "Some teacher you are. What, gonna start your own little harem?"
"Don't speak like that to sensei!" Shouted Miku sharply. The other girl, whose name escaped Saya, only nodded and smiled.
"If it were not for him, I would have lost all the hope and given up on life. But he has shown me the truth and helped me relieve the burden within my mind when others couldn't. Ever since this started, he has spent countless hours and sleepless nights just to make us feel better and at ease, you have no idea what you're saying."
For a long breath neither she nor Yoshito answered. "Urgh, you're one of those… huh. We are not doing this again," she said after a few seconds of silence.
"You do not know what you are saying," Miku replied, annoyingly having her voice sound softer than it usually sounded. "You are starting to behave like Rei. I know you are better than that."
"You do not know me," Saya shot back. "And do not pretend you do. Do not pretend to be understanding. Do not think I do not know about how you are sleeping with him behind people's backs to become his mistress and get everything. Now he got another to join in through lies and your manipulation, most likely. Stupid slut."
"—!"
The accusation landed like a stone. Outrage rose at once from the group, louder than the words required, a chorus of shocked voices and angry shouts. Yoshito stepped forward, palms open, trying to put himself between the woman and the others. "Back away," he said, but his voice was swallowed by the noise.
"How dare you?" one of the boys cried. "You are accusing Yuki!?"
"Look at yourself," someone answered. "Who put you in charge anyway? Are you accusing her of such things because you're also guilty of doing it yourself? I saw you go over to the rooftop all by yourself the night before he left, sure must have been worth it to sleep with him just so you can put you in charge for no reason whatsoever!"
"Look in the mirror yourself!"
"I always couldn't stand her, bossing everyone around as if she's some sort of big deal just because of who her family is."
"There is no guarantee that they even survive this outbreak when the military itself failed! So she has nothing backing her up, why are we even listening to her?"
"Yeah, she should just shut the fuck up!"
Yoshito moved to step in, having reached his limit dealing with these people and immediately pushing several people to the side with all his strength before grabbing onto Shido by the collar with enough strength to practically lift the man up from the ground. "You bastard," he snarled. "Tell me where my sister is, cause I swear I am this close from just smashing your head to the ground."
"Have you any idea what you are doing!?"
"Oi! Pull him away, you idiots! What are you all waiting for!?"
Several hands grabbed onto him, trying to pry them away.
Shido let out a short, contemptuous laugh. "You act like I would have some reason to harm her or have any interest whatsoever in a girl who is not even from this school. Someone like you, who could not keep an eye on his own sister, I even received words that she tried to steal what little food we have left and nearly starved the others. If one of my students had not come by, we would not even have caught her in the act. Unfortunately, as far as I know, she ran away."
"Liar, you do know where she is," the man shot back. Only for Shido to lean in and whisper silently to his ears.
"It is my job as a teacher to make her learn her lesson and to maintain control," Shido said. "And I am certain that trying to antagonize everyone here will not lead to the best outcome. You would be wise to not ignore me and not get in my way… perhaps your sister might just end up coming back after seeing things have calmed down finally. Think carefully."
"You!"
At that the shouts rose again, Yoshito's hands going for Shido's throat and practically strangling the guy. Leading the rest of the students to panick and use every desperate way to pry him off. With one even grabbing a chair and slamming it against Yoshito's back.
"Argh!" The pain alone was enough to make him release his hold of Shido.
"Pull him away now!" someone shouted. More boys pushed toward him, and their combined hold of his limbs and many going so far as to continue kicking him made it hard to breathe. He raised his arms to shield himself and the few people closest to him. The blows came, not hard but constant, enough to wear him down.
"H-Hey, stop it!" Momo called, moving forward. "Are you crazy!? You're going to kill him at this rate! Stop it! Get off of him!"
Of course, the others were not going to sit idly by and let it happen. Momo tried to pull the crowd into reason; Fumiko and Kyoko edged in beside her. For a few seconds their words had no effect, but Kyoko's presence still had some weight and that moment of hesitation was all that Momo needed to pull Yoshito away with Saya's help.
"You have gone crazy, Shido," Kyoko said, voice low. "Violence like this cannot be tolerated. What is this about his young sister and what do you know about this matter?"
Shido paused, surprised. For an instant his anger lost its shape. He breathed out, slow while massaging his throat. "You are right. This cannot continue," he said, and then he turned his attention back to the students as if addressing an assembly rather than a mob.
"My dear students," he began, voice carrying now and clear, "it has become obvious that some people will take drastic actions to get their way, whether we want it or not. Seth has clearly made a mistake, allowing not only a street rat but also a gangster to have a place to stay and sleep here. Eat our food and then accuse us of things we have not done. Then becoming violent upon not getting the answer he wants before going so far as to attempt at ending my life. Will you allow this to continue?"
"No!" they shouted in unison.
"Then if you wish to remain safe and whole, we must take control before things fall apart further. In such trying times, making a harsh decision is a must if we have any hope of surviving together and making our way back to our loved ones. I know many amongst you all miss them dearly, not a day goes by where I feel your burden and the need to fix this issue." A few already started to cry, his words triggering their emotions they kept bottled up. "But for us to reach this goal, we must continue to remain in control and not let random strangers tear all our hard work apart. To not let this place be plunged into anarchy ruled by an iron fist."
Many of them cheered, especially Takayama and his group agreeing with the teacher. Immediately, Saya had a bad feeling Bout this… especially when several students surrounded them. With Yoshito barely managing to get back on his feet, when saying while holding his stomach from the attacks earlier.
"Get away from him, Takagi." Said the coach, "He's dangerous to keep around."
"Dangerous? What are you planning on doing?" She did not budge, even though her instincts were telling her to not pursue this matter for her own sake.
"Something that should have been done long ago. Why are we allowing a dangerous individual here when we can barely take care of ourselves? And now this person even tried to kill Shido… He is actively endangering the students' lives by staying here. We have to make a difficult choice and this will also help us extend what little rations we have left."
"Endange—that's pure nonsense!" She argued back, starting to realise what these people were aiming to accomplish and being completely horrified by that idea. "Are you seriously thinking about throwing him out!? He was just worried about his sister!"
"That does not give him the reason to try and strangle a teacher! If he behaves like that with them, then what stops him from doing so with the rest of us?" One of the students exclaimed from the back, several others soon voicing out the same worry. Even those that kept their silence already made their stands by just looking away. The very few who did not agree with it, were helpless to make any sort of changes.
"Help from ny family can arrive at any moment, we don't need to plan for several days like many of you are thinking! All of you are just being hysterical! H-Hey!" Whatever she was about to say next was left unheard when Takayama just pushed her to decide, the young girl falling to her knees and watching in disbelief as they made their way towards Yoshito. Pushing away Momo and Fumiko as well.
"Get your hands off me! You won't get rid of me until I find my sister!" Yoshito tried to fight back, but in his current state, couldn't put up much of a fight. His prior bruises flaring up and making it impossible to hold his own. Especially against several dozens of men ganging up on him and willing to use force.
Just as Saya felt like she had no options left to turn this situation around, a faint whistling noise came from nearby.
"A-argh!"
A sudden cry cut through, with Takayama staggering to the ground, hand pressed against his right hand. "W-Wha—hngh! Aah!" A nail had driven through his palm, a jagged piece of metal sunk into flesh. Blood welled slowly, dark and wet.
"Kya!" For a few seconds no one could process what had happened before pure chaos erupted and everyone that was near Yoshito immediately put some space between them and him. Some even fainted or tripped to the ground in pure panic.
"Everyone back away!"
Heads turned as one and all of them found Kohta standing at the entrance, with his makeshift nail gun held steady in his hands.
"Ah!"
He aimed and fired again, several projectiles this time punching through the wooden floor and scaring everyone away to the back of the gymnasium with Shido and Miku who remained stunned in place. The chamber had already reloaded with a soft, mechanical click. He raised the weapon again with little effort.
"All right, now," Kohta continued. "I will shoot another one if you keep this up. If you thought that Cu put Saya in charge, then think again. Until he comes back, none of you are to move or try anything funny."
The group stood frozen, slack-jawed, with Takayama still struggling from the shot. "A-A gun! He shot me! He shot me! Help! I don't want to die!"
"He's going to kill us!"
"Mommy!"
"Put the gun down, Hirano." Surprisingly, Shido was the one to talk, raising both hands up with a smile on his face. "I must admit, it is quite the surprise to see you get your hands on something so dangerous. Did you make it yourself? I am impressed, this is truly something that needs to be praised and an excellent tool that will help us be set free from our current predicament. We just had a small disagreement, there's no need to fire any more shots and hurt your fellow students and teachers. We can talk this out peacefully."
"W-What are you saying!? He shot me! He is working for that gangster! They will kill us all!" Takayama shouted, only to be completely ignored.
"I said don't move," much to the bespectacled teacher's disappointment, Kohta had no plans on lowering the weapon. Having barely been able to rush to the room on the third floor of the school building and return with his creation, expecting to just use it to scare a few into compliance but instead met with the horrifying sight of these people planning on throwing Yoshito outside.
"You would threaten your classmates and teacher with a weapon?"
"This is just for our safety. I didn't have any plans on using it, but you all kind of forced my hand." He spared a couple of glances at the coach, "and he won't die. Just removing the nail and disinfecting the area will be more than enough. None of the ammunition is rusted for him to catch tetanus… I think."
Shido said nothing in return.
"You okay?" He asked the man, wincing when he saw the amount of bruises on his body while keeping his gun aimed at the group just in case anyone tried anything funny. "Sorry I was a bit late."
Yoshito shook his head, groaning while he clenched his teeth. "Just… just ask him where Aimi is… please… I searched everywhere… but couldnt… find her…"
To be honest, that was his goal from the beginning. So he brought his attention back to the teacher. "You heard him. Where is she?"
Again, Shido remained calm and shook his head. "I… have no idea."
"THIS FUCKER!"
"Ah!"
Kohta did not have enough time to react, the person next to him enraged and reached the end of his wits, getting back up through sheer will and pushing back against the pain. Immediately snatching the gun away from his grasp and aimed straight at Shido…
And then pulled the trigger.
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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.