The bus sped along streets filled with zombies, ignoring those chasing after it, until Tetsuya suddenly narrowed his eyes and shouted, "Wait! Shizuka, stop!"
The bus screeched to a sudden halt. Tetsuya, who was on the roof, was thrown backward by inertia, but he quickly adjusted his strength and landed steadily on the ground.
"Th-There! A little girl!" Shizuka, sitting in the driver's seat, focused her gaze far ahead and shouted in shock and panic.
Saya, Saeko, and Rei widened their eyes. Saeko hurried to get off the bus, but Tetsuya spoke first, "Guard the bus! I'll save the girl."
Saeko nodded and drew her katana.
Tetsuya rushed toward the little girl and her dog. At the same time, he fired a shot that rang out in the distance, drawing the zombies' attention away from her. He then leaped forward and landed right in front of the girl.
"Hey, little one, you're safe now. It's okay, come on, big brother will protect you, alright?" Tetsuya said gently as he crouched down.
The girl turned out to be Alice Maresato, with shoulder-length pink hair and matching eyes, along with her dog, Zeke.
"Really?" Alice looked at Tetsuya innocently.
"Of course," Tetsuya nodded, wiping away Alice's tears. He handed Zeke back to her and told her to hold him tightly, then lifted Alice into his arms and dashed back to the bus.
After seating Alice inside the bus, Tetsuya leaped back onto the roof. Everyone got in, and Shizuka drove toward the Takagi residence. Saeko opened the roof hatch and sat beside Tetsuya. As the bus approached an intersection, even more zombies began to appear.
Saya instructed Shizuka to take a detour. At first, there were only a few zombies, but the closer they got to the Takagi residence, the more numerous the zombies became.
The situation also grew increasingly strange. There were steel wires stretched across the road in seemingly random placements, corpses and zombies scattered everywhere. The area was heavily damaged, like decaying ruins, with zombies wandering about.
Rei noticed it too and said, "We're not in the wrong place… right?"
"That's impossible!" Saya retorted. "My house is here. There's no way I'm mistaken."
Tetsuya and Saeko climbed down through the roof hatch. Saeko frowned and said, "This looks like a gathering point and defensive position for survivors… but it's been destroyed by zombies."
"What?! Dad! Mom!" Saya screamed and rushed forward. If that was true, then... "No! I don't believe it!" she tried to charge into the horde, but Tetsuya grabbed her.
"Calm down. Acting recklessly will only get you killed."
"But my parents..."
Bang!
At that moment, a gunshot rang out. They immediately rushed toward the sound, and Saya saw her mother, Yuriko Takagi.
"Mom!"
The Takagi residence, which had become a refuge and gathering point, had been overrun by a massive horde of zombies. Many people were killed, including her husband, Soichiro Takagi, who died trying to protect her. Yuriko had escaped thanks to him, but she was now surrounded.
Her last bullet was fired, yet zombies still closed in.
"Is this… the end?" Yuriko dropped her gun to the floor and collapsed weakly to the ground in despair.
"Mom!"
It was her daughter's voice. Yuriko thought it was a hallucination before death. She lifted her head and saw a figure flash before her eyes. In an instant, the heads of the approaching zombies were severed.
"Mrs. Takagi, are you alright?" Tetsuya extended his hand. Instinctively, Yuriko grabbed it, and with a soft cry, the man pulled her to her feet.
Such incredible strength, Yuriko thought.
"Mom! Thank goodness you're okay!" Saya ran up and hugged her tightly.
"Saya!"
Yuriko was shocked and overjoyed to see her daughter safe. She hugged her back tightly. After a while, they released each other, and Saya asked what had happened.
Yuriko told her that the place had been breached. Soichiro, Saya's father, had turned into a zombie while trying to protect her, and Yuriko herself had been the one to kill him.
"Dad…" A wave of grief washed over Saya, and she began to sob.
Yuriko's eyes also filled with tears as she stroked Saya's hair, comforting her. Meanwhile, Tetsuya, Saeko, and Rei finished off the remaining zombies. The area was swarming with them because the people who had taken shelter there had been attacked by a massive horde.
Tetsuya approached Saya and Yuriko, who were still holding each other, as well as Shizuka, who was hugging Alice and Zeke. "This place isn't safe. Let's go somewhere else."
Everyone nodded. They returned to the bus and drove back to Shizuka's friend's house. Even though the zombies at the Takagi residence had been cleared out, the place was filled with corpses and blood, and even if they cleaned it up, it would take a long time.
Along the way, they stopped at stores to gather food, drinks, clothes, equipment, and fuel.
…
The next day arrived quickly.
That day was focused on training the women other than Saeko. Although they still had guns and knew how to use them, ammunition was limited, and no one knew when it would run out.
Therefore, Tetsuya and Saeko taught them swordsmanship. Saeko was a true kendo prodigy, before the zombie apocalypse, she had been the captain of Fujimi High School's kendo club, and her father was a genuine kendo master.
Tetsuya, meanwhile, had been a genius in his previous life, and swordsmanship was one of his specialties. Under the pressure of needing to protect themselves in a broken world, Saya, Rei, Shizuka, and Yuriko learned quickly.
…
It was the fifth day. The sound of a helicopter echoed from the sky, and everyone rushed outside to investigate.
From the helicopter came a voice: "There are still survivors! Stop! Lower altitude!"
A rope dropped from the helicopter, and a tanned woman with purple hair descended. She gave off a heroic, powerful aura, and when Shizuka saw her, she cried out, "Rika!"
She was the weapons supplier and owner of the house, Shizuka's friend, Rika Minami.
"Our team has been investigating and checking for survivors. I suggested coming to my house because I knew you'd be here, Shizuka," Rika said with a smile, removing her sunglasses.
Before anyone could speak, Tetsuya's and Saeko's expressions froze as a chat group notification appeared.
[Group Mission has ended!]
[Completion rewards will be distributed based on each participant's contribution!]
[Congratulations! Tetsuya Hiratsuji has obtained 60,000 Group Points! Congratulations! Saeko Busujima has obtained 40,000 Group Points!]
[Congratulations on completing your first Group Mission! Rewards doubled!]
[Tetsuya Hiratsuji has obtained 120,000 Group Points! Saeko Busujima has obtained 80,000 Group Points!]
[In 5 seconds, mission participants not native to this world will be forcibly returned…]
[5…]
"It looks like it's over," Tetsuya said. "Saeko, Rika's presence should improve the situation. Next time, I'll come back and resolve the problems in your world. Try to become stronger."
"I understand, Tetsuya-kun. I'll do my best," Saeko nodded with a smile. Amid the commotion, Tetsuya's figure vanished.
"!!!"
Everyone's eyes widened. Rika was the most shocked. "T-They disappeared? Am I hallucinating?!"
"I saw it too! Onii-chan just disappeared!" Alice rubbed her eyes innocently, looking utterly stunned.
Shizuka and the others turned their gazes toward Saeko. She was the first to know Tetsuya, and perhaps the one who understood what had happened.
"The time he had to help us is over. He's gone," Saeko said, still surprised, smiling softly.
"Then… will he come back?" Rei's expression turned strangely sad as she asked, biting her lip.
The others waited anxiously for the answer. Seeing Rei's expression and the unusual looks from several people, Saeko smiled meaningfully. "Yes."