[Edward POV]
Another week had passed since the meeting with the fallout shelter survivors.
A hundred people lived inside the fallout shelter—three of them were old men, and the rest were girls. There had once been a healthy number of men and women in there, until the tyrant slaughtered the men and the older women.
The only reason he spared the old men was because they were needed to keep the fallout shelter running. The older woman– well, he wasn't attracted to non-virgins, so he killed them all.
Tiga and Suna's mother were also killed by him. I spared his life for now since Tiga and Suna wanted to kill him by themselves.
The girls didn't have any father as the mother used an in-vitro fertilization to avoid the prospect of interbreeding in the fallout shelter. In fact, most of the people came from sperm donors– a pre-fallout genetic material storage.
"Try to control the two blades at the same time," I told Tiga as I taught her how to use her telekinetic power for combat purposes.
She picked up two helicopter-blade-sized weapons I had created for her powers—a three-pronged shuriken with a fidget-spinner-type inner handle.
She cuts off the trees around the research lab and the building too like tofu.
Sweat beaded on her forehead after three minutes. Her knees trembled, but she managed to lift both at the same time and kept the fighting going.
Each blade weighed around 200 kilograms, which also served as weight training for her ability.
"Here." I was satisfied and tossed another green core into her mouth. She snapped it midair like a snapping turtle and crunched it down.
"It won't be long until you can reach level 4," I said with a satisfied nod.
Tiga grumbled. "I would've gotten there sooner if you weren't so stingy with your cores."
I smirked. "Yeah… it's my core. I can do whatever I want with it."
She needed combat experience in order to handle her powers. If she just jumped up to level 4 without any training, she'd be like a loose cannon—maybe even hurting people inside the fallout shelter.
Suna flew in, carried by a whirlwind of sand. She landed next to us and said, "Captain, 300,000 army ants are heading in this direction. What should we do?"
"Three hund—what?!" Tiga's eyes widened in shock, almost losing her mind.
I yawned . "The ants aren't giving up, huh? We've seen all sorts of them coming around for days. I wonder if we'll finally see their leader now."
Suna's eyes were filled with worship as she looked at me. The entire fallout shelter had seen what I could do when 20,000 three-meter-tall bees, 1,000 humanoid beetles, and 5,000 army ants came marching toward us a few days ago.
They gave me a lot of EXP—not in the literal sense, but enough for me to finally realize why Sage said the agents liked to vacation in this type of dead world.
The fighting was endless, and every time I destroyed a wave, a sense of satisfaction washed over me. If my world hadn't been on the brink of destruction, it might have actually relieved some of my stress.
"No, we can't see any signs of the leader," Suna said, shaking her head slightly.
I tossed her a green core and said, "Good job, Suna. Have you managed to crack Desert Spada yet?"
She nodded furiously. "Yes! I've figured out how to make a sand blade—sorry, I mean Desert Spada."
I chuckled and gave her another core. "This is a bonus for growing up so fast."
She had risen from level 1 to level 3 in just a week. Her sister had only gone from level 2 to 3. It was safe to say that Suna was the strongest person in the shelter after me.
Although, in terms of combat ability, I was already around level 8 or 9.
I had reached level 5 and was currently eating the pink core. Just a little more, and I could finally consume the Myriad Color Core—the level 6 core—and put an end to this endless beast swarm.
"Bring the squad to the front line. All of you will join the battle with me," I told the sisters.
After gaining their trust, I had begun training many people so the fallout shelter could survive once I was gone.
I had to split my focus between researching the cure and training them all, but after breaking through level 4, I gained something I had longed for—an evolution skill: Duplicate.
Yup, I had gained the ability to duplicate myself—There's a total of 3 Edwards in this universe right now. One was studying the crops and rebuilding civilization– including creating a new defense line.
He took a couple of people with her to clear up the fishmen's nest up north, to clear up the area surrounding the river and to find the other fallout shelter over there.
The research lab had marked several fallout shelter places, and now I was thinking of bringing them all back here to rebuild civilization.
The other one was working on virus research. I was doing multiple things at once– creating a cloning lab in order to bring back normal animals into the world, teaching the people here how to increase their strength, and researching the zombie virus so that I could find the cure for this virus too.
"Finally, after all this time, I can use shadow clones… or at least something similar."
The duplicates weren't permanent, they would get reabsorbed after 24 hours. The more duplicates I made, the sooner it would be for them to be reabsorbed.
Like if I made 100, I could also contain them for 20 seconds before it would all be absorbed, giving me an intense headache.
One of my duplicates was working on studying why there's people who couldn't use the evolution core to survive the zombie virus.
However, a few days ago, we had a breakthrough. By combining the core and my esper serum, everyone inside the fallout shelter now could evolve and grow stronger.
"Ado-chan." I waved at the girl with scary eyes who just pulled out the iv bag from her hand. "You've done with your evolution to level 3?" I asked.
The girl nodded and said scarily, "Yeah. I'm done. Now, I understand there's a fight?"
"You know your roles right? Have you finished learning what I taught you before?"
"Yeah–Yeah." She answered lazily. "I understood my role as a support. I don't need you to supervise me." She said, pushing me away.
The girl with pink and white hair walked towards the instruments I have restored. The drums, guitars, piano, and many more.
The instruments floated up on their own, making her a one man band instead of her needing a bandmate to play.
I pursed my lips in jealousy and said, "Ado-chan. We should sing together later."
She held back a smile and then glared at me again, pushing me away by saying, "Go ahead and fight. I'll buff you."
"Understood." I chuckled and then went to the battlefield after wearing my armor and carrying my black sword.
I floated in front of the massive army using the armor's jet shoes. The ants screeched as they pointed their wooden spears at me.
Ado's eyes glowed green, and musical notes began floating from around her as the song started.
[Tot Musica– Ado]
Ado sang with a scream. "♫♪ Gah zan tak gah zan tat tat brak!!
Gah zan tak gah zan tat tat braaaaaaaaaaak!!♫♪"
"What is that nonsense?" Suna was confused.
"It's an ancient rune." Tiga replied.
(Ancient Furthark Possible reading: Using my gift of the mouth to bring forth chaos, I call on this power in my time of need. A warrior of destruction. I choose the path of destruction.)
Her vocal style changes into low, husky narration.
"♫♪ Ame utsu kokoro samayou izuko ♫♪"
(Where does this heart, struck by rain, wander?)
"♫♪ Karehatezu waku negai to namida♫♪"
(My bitter tears flowing out. They never dry up)
"♫♪Tokihanatsu shu wo tsumugu kotonoha♫♪"
(I let the words of a curse be my deliverance)
Tiga yelled out, "Ready your cannons!"
Ten weapons—long black metal tubes, hollow at the center, each manned by two girls—swiveled toward the incoming ants.
The girls placed their hands on the cannon bodies. With their electromagnetic powers, they flooded the rails with currents, charging them far beyond what normal technology could achieve.
"Railgun! FIRE!" Tiga shouted.
BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM—
Metal slugs screamed from the barrels at hypersonic speed. Explosions ripped through the ants' ranks; ten thousand fell in a single volley. Parts of the ant's bodies flew all over.
One large leg almost hit me in the air but I dodged easily by moving my head.
Ado continued singing the ancient rune, her voice echoing across the battlefield. The girls who heard it felt their strength return, as if their drained energy had been filled again.
"Second round!" Tiga yelled.
"♫♪Mie keg ok giek giek♫♪"
(POSSIBLE READING: I will freeze my humanity and become a stallion, a stallion of doom with this power. Bestow this power upon me. Freeze my humanity so I can destroy. Freeze my humanity so I can destroy.)
♫♪Kah phas tezze lah (Woah, hey, woah)♫♪
(POSSIBLE READING: The world will fall into darkness as chaos descends upon it, the sun hidden behind a cloud of ash. Brave warriors may rise and fight against this night stallion, but all that will be left is a sea of destruction.)
Ado vocal changed into a begrudging hope.
"♫♪Shi wo mo korogasu sukui no sanka♫♪"
(These ancient words like a hymn of reclamation)
Suna and Tiga began their assault too. Suna conjured up a sandstorm, and Tiga began harvesting the ants with her giant shurikens.
"♫♪Motomeraretaru meshia♫♪"
(Not even death will escape them)
"♫♪Inori no hazama de– madou♫♪"
(How to center these troubled thoughts?-- I pray!)
"♫♪Tada umi no nagu mirai– wo kou♫♪"
(Can the future bring calm to the sea? I beg)
The bombardment took too long to recharge, and the ants had almost breached the perimeter line.
Tiga, Suna, and the other front line girls were becoming suppressed, so I swopped in.
My eyes turned into a three tomoe sharigan, but they kept swirling– becoming faster and faster by the second.
"Hmm? Really? My eyes are evolving too?" I muttered in shock.
I held my blade with two hands and yelled out, "Whirlwind!"
It was Zoro's technique which I figured out. A storm of slashes appeared on the battlefield and it pushed the ants backwards while cutting them to pieces.
Ado screamed– a metal song type of scream.
"♫♪Sono gougan burei na doukoku wo♫♪"
(It's time for salvation to finally come.)
"♫♪Dasei naki urei ni wa boukyaku wo♫♪"
(I feel this rage and I'm feeling it strong)
"♫♪Saa konton no jidai ni wa shuushifu wo♫♪"
(This weeping and wailing has gone far too long)
"♫♪Iza muge ni blah, blah, blah!♫♪"
(Nothing left but to yell— blah, blah, blah!)
"Second bombardment ready!"
BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM
The ants were helpless against this tower defense. A lot of the girls hadn't grown up yet and had to be sidelined. Once they joined the rank of defenders, then the strategy would be much better.
"♫♪Mujouken zettai gekkou nara singing the song♫♪"
(I know you feel it too so keep on singin' this song)
♫♪ Ikansen bari zougon demo singing along♫♪
(Even when they abuse us, we'll keep singin' along)
Combining a sun breathing technique I learned with the fire chakra, I held off the army by myself as the girls took a breather.
♫♪Uzou muzou no big bang itsukushimi bukaku♫♪
(We'll start another big bang when we all sing as one)
"Tenth Form: Dragon Sun Halo Head Dance."
A fire dragon appeared behind me, which incinerated everything in my path.
I duplicated myself into ten, and then spat fires at the front line, killing over 50,000 army ants in a single blow.
[Fire Jutsu: Fire Wave]
♫♪Okore tsudoe utae hametsu no uta wo♫♪
(United, we're fighting, bring 'em down with our song of ruin)
"He… I think he can kill them all by himself." Suna commented, her eyes were filled with fanatical worship.
♫♪Mie keg ok giek giek♫♪
♫♪Kah phas tezze lah (Woah, hey, woah)♫♪
♫♪Chikai tateshi jiyuu te ni shite ouka♫♪
(We will rejoice when we get the freedom promised)
♫♪Hirefusaretaru meshia♫♪
(The freedom so many die for)
I kept the fire walls up as I harvested more ants with my fiery sword slashes. The ants shivered in fear as they saw my figure up in the air, staring at them with a cold, murderous expression.
They dropped their spears and ran in the opposite direction.
Ado sang with glittering eyes.
"♫♪Toubou no hate nozomu kibou♫♪"
(When there's nowhere to run we must find hope)
♫♪Wasureji no tomoshibi wo matou♫♪
(Left forgotten within the light, there it glows)
She sang using a scream technique again as I chased after the ants.
♫♪Sono mi ga tsukiru made kanade yo♫♪
(Keep making this music 'til you breath your last)
♫♪Yumemi utsutsu agame yo♫♪
(We dream but never lose sight of the past)
The bombardment continued. Suna yelled, "Desert SPADA!" And cut off 10 ant's heads with a single slice.
Tiga balled her fists and then threw the harvester towards the ants, slicing 100 of them on the waist.
♫♪Subete wo terashidasu hikari wo♫♪
(Illuminate hope and forgot all the rest)
♫♪ Iza muge ni blah, blah, blah! ♫♪
(Nothing left but to yell— blah, blah, blah!)
Suddenly, a huge, 10 meter tall flying ant with purple armors flew towards the battlefield.
"That's the commander huh?" I muttered as I flew to face him head on.
His claws and my sword clashed slightly before both of us were pushed away from the impact.
I widened my eyes as my hand shook from the test of strength.
"You… You're over level 6… Is this possible?" I muttered with a slight surprise in my tone.
"DIEE HUMAN!" He spoke using a human language and launched himself towards me.
I coated my sword with Haki– something that I didn't do before.
[Fire Breathing Tenth Form: Beneficent Radiance]
A twister of fire appeared and clashed with the purple streak in the air.
♫♪Sono gougan burei na doukoku wo♫♪
(It's time for salvation to finally come.)
♫♪Dasei naki urei ni wa boukyaku wo♫♪
(I feel this rage and I'm feeling it strong)
Both of us stood motionlessly as we passed by each other.
♫♪Saa konton no jidai ni wa shuushifu wo♫♪
(This weeping and wailing has gone far too long)
♫♪Iza muge ni blah, blah, blah!♫♪
(Nothing left but to yell— blah, blah, blah!)
Suddenly, fiery cracks began to appear on the ant's armor, and then he fell into pieces.
♫♪Mujouken zettai gekkou nara singing the song♫♪
(I know you feel it too so keep on singin' this song)
♫♪Ikansen bari zougon demo singing along♫♪
(Even when they abuse us, we'll keep singin' along)
"DESTROY THEM ALL!" Tiga shouted, fully motivated by the death of the commander.
♫♪Uzou muzou no big bang itsukushimi bukaku♫♪
(We'll start another big bang when we all sing as one)
♫♪Okore tsudoe utae hametsu no uta wo♫♪
(United, we're fighting, bring 'em down with our song of ruin)
"WHOAA!!!!" The girls screamed and began hunting the ants with primal expressions.
I chuckled and joined them, helping to fight off the waves. By dusk, we had wiped out 99.99% of the ants.
The sidelined girls collected the cores from the ants' bodies while I returned to the lab.
I patted Ado on her head and said, "You've done well."
She had no voice left, so she just brushed my hand away angrily. The battle girls were taking a break after the fighting, bathing in the onsen I had dug behind the research lab.
I had placed purification runes around the area so the water wouldn't be polluted by the virus. We also used that water for the farm I was building.
A field of corn and potatoes was almost ready for harvest now.
"How many cores do we have?" my research duplicate asked. He was wearing a lab coat and glasses. I gave him the ant commander core– which was a silver core.
"Including this one?... Around half a million."
"That's great," he replied, then showed me his design: an anti-zombie virus diffuser with a worldwide range, capable of eradicating any airborne strain.
"We cracked the zombie virus?" I looked at him in shock.
He nodded. "Yup. Thanks to the research data the original scientists left behind."
But there was a catch for worldwide disinfection to happen.
"We need around three million cores."
"Fuck," I cursed.
Suddenly, another one of my duplicates returned from his hunt, dragging with him a giant lizard's head that contained a level 6 core. His bare body was covered in scars; a golden bracelet gleamed on his bicep, and he wielded two swords instead of one.
"Add my 250 thousand," he said. "We're a quarter away from the finish line."
During the battle, I finally completed my evolution to get to level 6. And as I ate the cores we found, something happened to my eyes.
"It's evolving… into an Eternal Mangekyo?"
A mangekyo appeared in both of my eyes. It has seven points, all connected together like the sun had appeared in my eyes.
…
[General POV]
-ZomWorld-
"So, an other-worlder has come… again," a humanoid Queen Bee gritted her teeth.
A humanoid golden beetle said, "He killed the commander so easily."
The two level-8 creatures turned to the one sitting at the head of the table.
A humanoid King Ant, whose only similarities to a real ant were his antennae, regarded them silently.
The level-10 creature grinned. "Otherworlders may be strong, but they are also… idiots who trust far too easily."
He pulled out the weapons he had scavenged from the other-worlder he had killed before: an adamantine katana, a vibralume headgear, and a set of obsidian gauntlets etched with glowing runes.
–Edward's World–
The death rate kept climbing at an unprecedented pace. Cities fell silent as hospitals overflowed, and entire regions became quarantine zones.
The World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations (UN) convened an emergency meeting, broadcast globally through Edward's quantum communication network.
Virtual delegates from every nation glared at one another, their faces etched with fear, anger, and disbelief.
A WHO representative, sweating under the strain, spoke first. "Based on current projections, if this virus continues unchecked, we estimate over a billion fatalities in the next two months. It would take at least six months to develop an effective cure."
Silence followed. The magnitude of the statement froze everyone in their seats.
Then the delegate from Boravia—the nation that had launched the unauthorized strike in the middle of the pandemic and had their entire nuclear arsenal dismantled—spoke up with indignation.
"This… this is unacceptable! How could the virus have spread so fast? How could this happen to us?"
Panic rippled through the assembly. Messages from the public flooded in. Markets crashed. Hospitals reported mass casualties.
Some called it doomsday. Others pointed fingers at the U.S. government for their unethical biological weapons research.
Governments scrambled for emergency responses. International news channels broadcast images of deserted streets and overrun morgues. Fear became a contagion of its own.
From somewhere in the chaos, Edward's voice cut through the static. Calm, sharp, and unflinching, it rang across every feed. "You're all idiots."
Everyone watching the WHO program was stunned.
"Especially you," Edward continued, "the Boravian president who told people to inject bleach into patients to kill the virus. How a dumbfuck like you could ever become president is beyond me."
Edward's words left the assembly flabbergasted. Even the Queen of England raised an eyebrow at his rudeness.
The popular teenage popstar who had cured HIV and diabetes had rudely interjected himself into the WHO meeting—and cursed everyone there.
Robin, disguised as Edward, had already reached her peak irritation. She wasn't polite at all when she saw the stupidity of the WHO guy who declared the world was basically doomed.
"At most, a month," Edward/Robin said decisively.
"Hold on just for a month. Maybe even less. It's not going to be a billion in two months. At most, 300 million. Your calculations didn't account for us—the actual humans—making an effort to contain the virus."
"In a month, maybe 40 million will die. It's still a high number, but I can deliver a cure within a month. I have created a new type of antibiotic. I will share the formula with every country here, and you can keep the patients alive with these antibiotics for longer than a couple of days. Give them a fighting chance."
"Don't bill the people for these antibiotics since they aren't at fault. Some of you here decided to unleash the virus on your own population as a means to silence the opposition—yes, I'm looking at you, Boravia's president. So if you don't want the evidence to come out, make all healthcare free for the patients."
"So don't do anything stupid. Believe in me, and sit your asses down in your houses. If you do something reckless—like invading your neighbor—I'm going to slither down your throat while you sleep."
Robin ended her threat and cut off the call. Everyone remained stunned.
The public suddenly burst into laughter when they saw the politicians getting cursed out.
"Oh my fucking god," Alex was astonished when she saw the cussing live. Phil, Claire, Haley, and Luke were also shocked.
For the first time ever, the public saw the bad side of Edward—his temper—and they loved it.
The President of the United States– who was in the meeting, finally snapped out of it and he chuckled slightly.
The Boravian President fumed. He turned to the US President and said, "Your citizen just threatened to kill the leader of Boravia– We have close relationship with the United State–"
"Shut the fuck up." The President cursed with a calm, smiling face.
The Boravian president was stunned again. "Excuse me?"
"Shut. The. Fuck. Up." The President enunciated every word. Then, he turned and addressed everyone there.
"You heard him. Go make the antibiotics now. Save as many lives as you can. And then, wait for the cure. Don't fearmonger and instead, focus more on containment for now." He said before he left too.
Soon, the other presidents followed suit and left the virtual meeting one by one.
(Can you help me vote for my other story? I missed out on the initial chapter dump, so I lost momentum there. It's a major mistake on my part. And please help me review it too.
The story is titled, 'My 10th Transmigration. Destination, Hollywood' . It's in both the original novel section and the fanfic section.)