At the Takagi Estate
By now, both the youths and the adults within the Takagi compound had begun their training. As Soichiro Takagi had sternly warned them: If you don't train, you'll die the moment you face a zombie.
"WHUUMM—WHUUMM—WHUUMM—WHUUMM…"
The deep, rhythmic thrum of heavy engines echoed through the skies as twenty Valkyrie Sky Talon transport helicopters roared overhead. Moving in perfect formation, they hovered over the estate and began lowering massive cargo containers into the courtyard with mechanical precision—each one settling in place like a column of steel giants.
Moments later, three of the Valkyries landed on the far edge of the field. Squads of Astra Militarum soldiers disembarked in practiced, synchronized movements. Without delay, they began unlocking the containers.
As the reinforced metal doors swung open, men and women dressed in fine business attire slowly stepped out. Their faces showed a mix of indignation and disbelief, but none dared protest. The presence of heavily armed soldiers made resistance unthinkable.
Soichiro Takagi watched from the terrace above. He recognized them almost instantly: members of the National Diet, cabinet ministers, governors, CEOs, real estate tycoons, and the wealthy elite of Japanese society. One of the containers had a clear label—"Emergency Provisions"—a final act of pragmatism, or perhaps mercy, from Kenthelion. He understood that without food, sending just people would have only caused chaos.
Once their mission was complete, the Astra Militarum boarded their Valkyries and lifted off, their engines kicking up a storm of dust and dry leaves. In total, over 3,000 individuals had been delivered to the Takagi Estate.
A trusted aide stepped up beside Soichiro.
"Boss, these people... they're not going to be easy to control."
"I know," Soichiro replied, eyes narrowing as he observed the crowd of disoriented elites. He clenched his jaw. If they won't listen... then I'll make them.
"I am Soichiro Takagi. Where are you from?"
The man bowed respectfully before answering in a shaky voice.
"I am Senator Hiroshi Kawamura. We came from the coastal airport... Haneda Airport, Tokyo. It was a place where a group of unknown soldiers slaughtered zombies. After that, they forced us into containers... and sent us here, without explanation, without protection... then they left us there."
Kawamura choked up—his voice breaking, like a man who had just lost all his dignity and hope in a collapsing world.
"Haneda Airport, Tokyo? There must have been a massive force there."
"As for the number, it's estimated between 400,000 and half a million soldiers. They brought equipment we'd never seen before—armored vehicles, tanks, fighter jets—and they even built a barrier wall surrounding the entire coastal airport."
Soichiro Takagi fell silent, tears welling in his eyes.
"So many soldiers... Air and ground forces in overwhelming numbers."
He had never imagined Kenthelion could deploy the power of an entire Army Group.
"Arrange these people. The young and strong will be assigned to guard duty, and those who refuse will be expelled," Soichiro Takagi ordered his trusted aide.
After giving the command, he walked away, unwilling to face them again.
--------
Haneda Airport, Tokyo
After dinner, Shizuka Marikawa cheerfully took Alice to play in the corner of the room, leaving Saeko Busujima, Rika Minami, Yuriko Takagi, and Kenthelion seated at the now quiet dining table.
"How about a four-player card game?" Kenthelion suggested, glancing at the group, noticing their bored expressions.
"Aren't you busy?" Saeko asked, eyeing him curiously.
Kenthelion shrugged casually. "Not really."
Rika narrowed her eyes. "Your troops? Don't you care about them?"
"They already have their own commanders. They know what to do. I don't need to micromanage everything."
Yuriko Takagi chimed in, her expression a mix of confusion and awe. "And you're not worried about a rebellion or things going out of control?"
Kenthelion leaned back in his chair, a faint smile on his lips. "Relax. They're loyal. Even if I told them to stand still in a storm of bullets, they'd obey. They're not ordinary soldiers."
Yuriko let out a quiet sigh. It was hard to wrap her head around it—this man, a commander of who-knows-how-many soldiers, sitting there casually playing cards while the world was in ruins. Was he really human... or some kind of war god on vacation?
"So? What do you say? Let's play a few rounds. It's been a while since I held a poker deck," Kenthelion said, pulling a stack of cards from the small bag he always carried. "This world... kinda feels like a vacation spot."
No galactic strategy meetings.
No grand speeches before billions of citizens.
No orders to annihilate alien fleets, plunder starships, or capture strange creatures to turn into livestock.
Here, Kenthelion didn't have to think about ruling an empire.
No governments waiting on his word.
No high-stakes decisions that shaped the fate of civilizations.
For the first time in a long while, he could just sit back and enjoy a moment of peace.
And before the universe dragged him back into the chaos of the multiverse... he chose to rest—just for a little while.
Saeko Busujima and the other three beautiful women exchanged glances, letting out subtle sighs as they rolled their eyes. With a shared, amused silence, they decided to let Kenthelion indulge in his moment of peace, choosing not to respond further.
While they were busy playing cards, a soldier from the Astra Militarum knocked on the door and entered, his face full of anger.
Kenthelion looked up, raising an eyebrow at the soldier's expression.
"What's going on?" he asked firmly.
"Your Majesty, we've detected a primitive watercraft approaching Haneda Airport. Most likely from the local faction," the soldier reported, his voice tinged with restrained frustration.
"Primitive watercraft?" Kenthelion repeated, narrowing his eyes. "Alright, let's head to the command center."
Without waiting any longer, he strode quickly out of the room, followed by Saeko Busujima and Yuriko Takagi, who was now wearing her military jacket.
Their footsteps echoed down the corridor. Yuriko, who had looked restless from the start, finally spoke up.
"Hey, Kenthelion… ever since I got here, you've been using strange phrases. And everyone calls you 'Your Majesty, the Emperor.' So… who exactly are you?"
"Hmmm… if you became my woman, I'd tell you everything. So just forget about Soichiro Takagi," Kenthelion teased, flashing a playful smile at Yuriko.
"You… you're shameless! I'm not talking to you anymore!" Yuriko snapped, turning away with a pout and flushed cheeks.
Saeko Busujima, walking beside them, rolled her eyes and glanced at Kenthelion.
"This bastard… already has me, but he's still hitting on others. And she's the mother of my school friend, no less. Damn pervert!" she thought, crossing her arms and pouting as well.
Deep down, though, Saeko was just as curious about who Kenthelion really was—just like Yuriko. She was simply waiting for him to open up on his own terms.
As Kenthelion entered the command center with Saeko Busujima and Yuriko Takagi, all the soldiers immediately stood at attention and saluted him with the formal Imperium Caelestis greeting.
Saeko and Yuriko looked around, eyes widening slightly. The advanced equipment filling the room began to subtly reveal Kenthelion's true identity—it was impossible for such technology to exist on Earth in this era. The atmosphere felt like something out of the future, even though the command center appeared to be a temporary installation.
The military gear, while much larger and more intimidating than usual, still resembled modern equipment enough for them to accept it without too much suspicion. To them, it didn't seem too far-fetched.
After witnessing the technology firsthand, they felt they wouldn't even be surprised if Kenthelion suddenly claimed to have a massive warship floating in Earth's orbit.
But since Kenthelion still hadn't offered any explanations, the two women could only wait—wait for the moment he would speak and finally reveal who he truly was.
"Activate orbital surveillance. Show me the images from the sky—I want to see who's on those primitive watercraft."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Moments later, the screen flickered to life, revealing a fleet of about 60 to 80 large and medium-sized warships. These modern naval vessels—referred to as 'primitive watercraft' by the Astra Militarum—were slowly approaching the coastline. What shocked everyone was the sight aboard those ships: dozens of women in dreadful conditions, none wearing decent clothing. They looked like prisoners… most likely captured by the remaining Japanese military forces.
"Scumbags…"
"Trash…"
"Kill them."
Kenthelion glanced at the two beautiful women beside him, Saeko Busujima and Yuriko Takagi, sensing their pain and anger. He knew that if they hadn't met, things might have turned out fine. But if they had encountered those people on the screen, their fate would likely have been as grim as the women on those ships.
Without hesitation, Kenthelion summoned the legendary assassin organization—Officio Assassinorum—to carry out their mission. This secretive group was led by a Grand Master, also known as the Lord Commander of the Officio Assassinorum.
Under his command were four main temples, each headed by a Prime:
Callidus Temple, masters of infiltration and disguise, led by the Callidus Prime.
Vindicare Temple, deadly snipers with unmatched precision, led by the Vindicare Prime.
Eversor Temple, brutal killers specializing in mass annihilation, led by the Eversor Prime.
Culexus Temple, terrifying anti-psychic hunters, led by the Culexus Prime.
Kenthelion gave strict orders to each Prime to execute their tasks with precision and without mercy.
On the large screen, the remnants of the Japanese military indulged in their primal urges, unaware that death was already watching—cold, silent, and inevitable.
Kenthelion glanced sideways at Yuriko Takagi with a teasing smirk.
"These are soldiers from your country. Try not to be too disappointed."
Yuriko clenched her fists, her eyes fixed on the screen, visibly disturbed.
"I'm not just disappointed… I'm disgusted. I never imagined they'd stoop this low," she muttered, her voice heavy with bitter disbelief.
Kenthelion's expression shifted, his voice turning sharp and resolute.
"Then let me ask you this—did you ever think about what would've happened to you, your daughter, and her friends… if I hadn't come? If I hadn't brought my forces and secured this safe zone?"
Silence fell across the room. The weight of that question was suffocating. The girls from the Highschool of the Dead world—Saeko, Rika, Yuriko,—lowered their heads. For a moment, they imagined a reality without Kenthelion, and it sent chills down their spines.
The ships on the screen reflected the darkest possibility. If they weren't lucky enough to die quickly, they would've been captured… tortured… turned into Sex slaves . Death, in that scenario, might have been the kindest option.
Then, unexpectedly, Saeko Busujima spoke—her voice soft, but firm.
"Thank you… Kenthelion."
Kenthelion knew what she meant.
The Highschool of the Dead manga was never continued, after all—maybe it was because they never met anyone strong enough to protect them.
If they had… maybe their ending would've been even worse.
"You don't need to thank me," Kenthelion replied with a faint smile. "After all, you're my wife now."
The room froze. Saeko's eyes widened slightly, a blush spreading across her cheeks as murmurs echoed among the others.
Yuriko Takagi and Rika Minami exchanged glances, their gazes subtly tinged with envy. After all, no Japanese man would ever say something like that… at least, not in public.