In the end, it was decided that those who stayed would be Alice, Miku, Yui, Saya, and Nakaoka Asami, Kohta's newest crush. Asami, despite being a former police officer, wasn't fit enough to be of much use at the moment. She was better off resting and dealing with any issues that might arise within the mansion's territory. The mansion itself was fortified, and there were plenty of weapons inside for them to make use of if something truly did happen.
Saya was half evolved as well, so there was that.
The rest of them would be the ones venturing outside. "If anything happens, anything, shoot the flare. We'll be in the immediate vicinity, so we'll definitely see it." Tysone ordered, and Saya nodded, holding a flare gun in her hand. "Take turns guarding the perimeter, and don't let your guard down just because you think the area is secured. Most importantly, always be with someone. Keep the lights to a minimum, and be quiet at all times."
"Idiot, you think I don't know this already?" Saya clicked her tongue, but still listened intently. "Sheesh, it's not my first time being left behind."
"I know. Just... making sure." He offered her a reassuring smile, then the smile turned somewhat teasing. "We'll be back before you know it. I might need lots of love when I come back." He finished with a wink.
"Idiot." Saya repeated, cheeks burning.
Tysone chuckled, then stepped back. He got inside the reinforced truck, with Saeko right beside him, her katana resting across her lap. She was observing the front yard with sharp eyes. Shizuka climbed in as well, along with everyone else. The truck was probably at its limit with so many people inside.
"Everyone ready?" Tysone asked. His eyes swept across the group. The survivors had a nervous, determined expression. Rei was sitting near the back, her spear resting against her shoulder. She gave a single nod.
Kohta, meanwhile, was fiddling with the straps of his rifle, his glasses glinting maniacally. "Is this finally my time to shine? The king of destruction has arrived!"
"Keep it down, you otaku!" Marin whispered-shouted, elbowing him in the ribs. Kohta let out an exaggerated "Oof!" and rubbed his side.
Tysone rolled his eyes, a small grin tugging at his lips. "Let's get moving."
With that, the truck's engine roared to life, and they began moving.
"We'll head northeast, then circle around back to the mansion." Tysone stated. "The priority is securing the immediate vicinity. We can't have surprises popping up at our doorstep. Afterward, we'll move further out." Tysone said.
Shizuka nodded. "Got it! Northeast. Circle around." She gave a thumbs up.
Saeko was silent, her gaze fixed on the passing scenery.
Tysone glanced over at the quiet survivors, some of whom were looking pale. "Don't look so grim. Stick with the group, listen to orders, and you'll be fine. This is as much a training exercise as it is a scavenging mission. Your first real test."
Haruto, the perpetually nervous teenager, fidgeted with the hem of his jacket. "Y-yes, sir."
Tanaka, a middle-aged salaryman, as far Tysone remembered, tightened his grip on the spear he was holding like a security blanket. "We won't let you down."
As for Kenji, another older survivor of the group, simply nodded firmly. "We'll follow your lead."
Tysone nodded, before turning his gaze towards Yumi. "How's your ankle?" She had sprained it during that dangerous pursuit before they managed to make it back from the city.
"I-It's better, thank you." Yumi stammered, shifting her weight subtly from her injured ankle to her good leg with practiced care. She had a knife in her hand, its blade glinting under the truck's interior lights. It was all she could handle with a degree of ease due to how light it was, the simple leather-wrapped hilt fitting comfortably in her palm. A sword required more technique. And a spear required more strength than her current body could muster. Overall, a knife was the simplest thing to use. And the most versatile. A good choice.
"Good." He faced forward again.
The truck rumbled through the desolate streets. It didn't take long before the adjective 'desolate' became outdated. Zombies began appearing. Crowding the pavements. Their eyes were dead, blank, as if whatever force animating their shambling corpses wasn't strong enough to grant them life beyond the basest of instinct.
Their truck continued on, the engine's roar a grim lullaby for a dying world.
As minutes went by, more and more of them appeared.
"There are many more zombies than usual." Tysone remarked quietly as he kept his hand on the window.
Shizuka nodded firmly at the wheel, her knuckles white on the steering wheel. "Want me to run 'em over?" She chirped, her voice far too cheerful.
"No need, Shizuka. We'll find a good spot for the newcomers to rack up some experience and kills. For now, focus on not getting us into a crash."
The vehicle sped past the hordes of zombies, swerving occasionally as they moved. Saeko stood right beside him, her katana held at the ready and her eyes constantly scanning the environment. "I've never seen so many of them in one place before. Is something happening nearby that's attracting them?"
"Maybe the new mutant fire-breathers are the reason why they are migrating." Tysone said, his hand tightly gripping his halberd. "Or maybe there's another player we don't know about in this area."
Takashi had his spear ready. The guy had finally dropped his stupid bat for something better.
Rei was next to him, spear held at her side and her eyes focused. "Whatever the reason, they're definitely heading in a specific direction. Maybe we should see where they're all going?"
"It's too risky." Kohta, ever the strategist, interjected. "Going into the heart of a horde without knowing what's waiting on the other side? That's a recipe for disaster. I'd rather live to shoot another day than become zombie chow because I was curious."
Tysone considered this. Kohta had a point. As much as he wanted to understand what was happening, risking the lives of his team for information wasn't worth it. Not yet, at least. "Kohta's right. For now, we focus on clearing the immediate area. We need to establish a secure perimeter before we even think about investigating further." He turned towards Shizuka. "Park somewhere nearby. We're getting down." The survivors stiffened at Tysone's words.
Tanaka swallowed hard, his grip on his spear tightening even further. He'd never fought these creatures up close before.
Kenji placed a hand on Tanaka's shoulder.
Haruto, especially, was the worst of them. He was visibly trembling, teeth chattering. His already pasty white skin had somehow managed to lose a few more shades of color. Still, he tried to reassure Yumi as best as he could. "I-It's okay, Yumi-san. I'll protect you!"
"T-Thank you..."
Marin rolled her eyes at the sight. In a way, this quivering mess of a boy reminded her of Gojo, the latter of whom hadn't managed to muster a big enough spine to deal even with the lowest of the lowlife zombies. Not anymore. He'd gotten eaten by one. In contrast, the one leading them, Tysone, had begun hunting big games. Evolved zombies. Mutants. And all sorts of threats that had managed to establish themselves as monsters in the new world. That was a clear sign, in her mind, that he was the one she should stick with.
And she did.
It was the best decision of her life, that of getting in front of that worn-down school bus, that day.
"We'll make this quick and simple." Tysone's voice was calm. "Kenji, Tanaka, Yumi and Haruto will take the frontline and deal with the common zombies—so far that's the only type of zombie we've seen on our way here, so it shouldn't be difficult. We'll limit the use of ammo; there's no need to waste bullets on these fuckers when a good blow to the head will suffice. Any questions?"
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.