Within minutes of Tysone's announcement, everyone diligently got to work. The reason why he didn't assemble a literal avengers team for the mission was to leave some reliable manpower in case something happened while he was gone. Kohta, Rei, and the evolved Saya should be able to handle most threats.
Saeko was indispensable for the mission; in fact, now that she was closest to him in terms of strength and evolution, he made a mental note of taking her wherever they went. He wasn't arrogant enough that he could face most challenges on his own. Just because he was with the main cast, didn't mean he had their own halo as well.
Plot armor or whatever they called it, what insurance did he have that he was blessed with it?
They all climbed into the truck, with Shizuka slipping into the driver's seat. "Ohhh~" She ooh'ed; it was obvious it had been a while since she last held the steering wheel. She blinked, a dreamy smile on her face. "I'll run them all down, hehe~"
Tysone ignored her random burst of giddiness and settled in. His eyes landed on his Vice Leader. 'Well, dayum.' Saeko was clad in a black, form-fitting leather outfit, the fabric hugging her toned frame, especially her generous assets. The leather's thickness provided protection from scratches, but it wasn't the kind of bulky protective gear that could withstand bites or strikes from the evolved ones. She'd have to rely on her sword skills and reflexes for that.
Marin, who was dressed similarly in a form-fitting black suit with a pair of dark blue spandex shorts that left little to the imagination, had her usual confident demeanor replaced by a mixture of apprehension and excitement.
She checked the holsters at her hips, each holding a pistol, beyond them a short dagger strapped to the belt and a metal bat.
A bandana with a cute cartoon cat printed on its side was wrapped around Marin's neck, and a pink, stylish jacket was neatly rolled and placed at her side, ready to be picked up.
Tysone sat quietly, his eyes scanning the rain-streaked windshield. Saeko sat beside him, silent and poised, her hand resting on the hilt of her katana.
"Alright, team." Tysone's voice was calm, cutting through the drumming rain on the roof. "Objective remains the same: secure a larger perimeter. We're establishing a safe zone. Prioritize any major threats or potential resources. And keep an eye out for anything… unusual. Beyond the usual unusual, I mean." There were hints of humor in his tone.
They drove around in a circle, mapping the area and trying to scout it out from afar. This area was relatively quiet compared to the rest, and there were many streets devoid of zombie activity. Just because the streets weren't filled with those undead freaks, though, didn't mean it was safe. They needed to secure a much larger territory to make this a reliable HQ and establish the foundation for their future plans.
There were other mansions a few miles away from them, some bigger, some smaller, with their own yards and such, which made Tysone wonder if there were survivors within. He promised himself that he'd go look into these other mansions another time, and see if anyone was left alive. He'd likely have to mobilize his entire force, just in case.
The area, at least from what they saw from a far, seemed relatively normal and untouched. Of course, that was assuming there were no mutations or anything lurking within. Tysone's reason for buying his home in this piece of land was because of its seclusion.
Less people meant less zombies to deal with.
It wasn't surprising that it hadn't received as much damage compared to more densely populated locations. At the same time, he doubted it would be the case forever. Sooner or later, they would have to face off against mutants and zombies, so the more preparation and scouting they did now, the better.
The truck rumbled, tires churning through rain and debris. For now, they wouldn't venture too far. Just a couple miles more, to check the area out and see if any zombies popped out.
The first few streets were empty, a silent, concrete labyrinth that once buzzed with life. The eerie stillness was broken only by the shushing of the rain. It was then that they stumbled upon the first zombie, standing there in the middle of the road, with a vacant look and grayish skin. The decay, the slow collapse of living flesh, had already set in.
The others looked at him, as if waiting for his go-to on this.
Then the truck rattled as infected blood splattered on the windshield and over the side of the truck.
The front bumper was stained a dark crimson as the now very much dead zombie was slowly crushed between the pavement and the car. "Eeee! I ran someone over!!" Shizuka cried out in dismay. "Oh wait, nevermind. It was just a zombie!" She chirped immediately afterwards, driving the truck over the mess of flesh, blood, and bone that it had just ran over. "That was fun~ Let's do that again sometime."
"..."
Even Shizuka had become... a little more ruthless, huh.
Marin seemed even a little scared.
"Keep driving." Tysone said. The sound of crunching bone underneath the tires sent a chill down the others' spine.
Along the road, a couple more zombies appeared. However, that was it. There weren't any large hordes or any other types of undead creatures. Just a couple zombies scattered here and there, with most of the place empty.
"What's that?" Marin suddenly pointed out the window. Following her line of sight, Tysone saw smoke billowing in the distance, the gray column rising against the muted backdrop of the overcast sky. "Could be anything—survivors, or a structure on fire." Tysone said, frowning slightly. "But there's no way we can tell from here." He glanced at Shizuka, and she gave him a quick nod.
The truck sped up, heading toward the smoke. It was as they got closer that a distant, muffled thudding and a deep, resonant sound grew louder. "That doesn't sound like any zombie." Saeko remarked.
Marin grimaced. "What is it?" Her voice wavered.
Tysone didn't answer.
The fire hadn't become so huge that it was visible yet, but the amount of smoke that it was giving out made that pretty much an inevitability.
As they got closer, a silhouette started to form amidst the rising grayish column. Tysone squinted, trying to discern anything. "Get as close as you can." He muttered.
The deep, heavy sound seemed to rumble from the silhouette, a rhythmic thudding that sent a subtle shiver through the ground. It wasn't like the sporadic moaning or growling of zombies—it was a sound with a different character.
Hellhounds then began to appear. They seemed to have caught wind of them, and started sprinting toward the vehicle at rapid pace. Tysone's eyes were still on the distant silhouette, standing there as if commanding the hellhounds itself. "Stop!" Shizuka slammed on the brakes as he swung the door open and flew out, his halberd spinning once in his hand before it came crashing down on one of the approaching beasts. There was a wet, tearing sound before it burst into fire and ashes, a wave of heat buffeting Tysone.
Saeko gracefully stepped down, and in one smooth motion, slashed at the creatures, sending a stream of red embers flowing in the air.
Her eyes narrowed at the incoming hellhound.
A scream, a flash of metal and leather. A hellhound lunged, its gaping maw dripping with black, acrid liquid, its body wreathed in fire. Saeko's sword was a silver blur as it cut through the creature, its form dissipating into ashes. Takashi didn't stay idle either and jumped in to engage.
Unlike Tysone and Saeko, though, he didn't have the strength to completely cut down these beasts' in a single strike, but his quick movement and technique allowed him to eventually finish them off.
Marin, after taking a deep breath, stepped out as well. She took a few moments to steel herself, but she managed. With a tremulous yet firm hand, Marin lined the sight with her target. With a deep breath, her finger squeezed the trigger.
BANG.
The bullet shot out at a blinding pace, and was true to its course. The hellhound was already well known for its durability against bullets, but the moment Marin drew its aggro, she froze a bit in fear. This wasn't a zombie; a walking dead, but something that went far beyond it. A monster. The hellhound leaped. Marin staggered back before she kicked it, the sole her foot burning slightly upon contact, still, she managed to knock the hellhound off its balance enough for her to take aim one more time.
BANG.
BANG.
BANG.
The creature burst in flames. Dead.
Meanwhile...
As the creatures exploded into embers one after another, the silhouette that had been distant began to emerge more clearly from the haze.
...
Author's Note:
If you're enjoying the story and want to read ahead or support my work, you can check out my P@treon at [email protected]/LordCampione. But don't worry—all chapters will eventually be public. Just being here and reading means the world to me. Thank you for your time and support.