Chapter 13: Zombies! Future Doomsday! Doom Companion!
This afternoon's classes proceeded as usual, a strange island of normalcy in a world Ren knew was teetering on the edge. The only peculiar thing was that Yukino's behavior was still a bit strange, her usual icy composure occasionally cracking to reveal a flicker of vulnerability or a sudden, flustered blush whenever she thought he was looking. Ren found it endlessly amusing.
After school, he returned home. As soon as he lay on the sofa, he opened the Chat Group. The group was already in a heated discussion.
[March 7th: Saeko-san, how are things on your end? You went quiet all of a sudden!]
[Saeko Busujima: The school is quite chaotic. A few classmates are moving with me, and for now, it's relatively safe.]
[Exusiai: I think you should stay away from the school. There are too many people there. It's a death trap.]
[Saeko Busujima: I think so too. We've already planned to escape and look for a friend's parents along the way.]
"???" Ren was puzzled. It sounded like something had happened where Saeko was. Could it be a zombie outbreak? Her world's 4-star Future Doomsday...
[Ren: @Saeko Busujima, what happened?]
[Saeko Busujima: Ren-kun. It's just as you predicted. A zombie-like virus has erupted, turning people into those... things. Thanks to your warning, I had some preparations and wasn't caught completely off guard.]
[Ren: …] Alright, it really happened.
[Exusiai: Ren, do you have foresight?]
[Ren: Sorry to disappoint you, I'm not a fortune teller. I just have some simple information.]
[Ren: Don't talk about that. Saeko, if you need any help, just say so.]
[March 7th: Exactly! This Girl can buy another gun from Asta!]
[Ren: March-chan, thank you for the gun. It was very useful for a friend.]
[March 7th: Hehe, no problem!]
Ren still wanted to understand the situation when the Chat Group system suddenly appeared.
[The Doomsday Chat Group has detected a Future Doomsday outbreak in group member Saeko Busujima's world, initiating Doom Companion!]
[Doom Companion]: Three-person team
[Companion Time]: 5 days
[Companions]: Saeko Busujima, Ren, Exusiai
[Companion Mission]: Do your best to clear the 'Dead'.
[After starting, the Companions will be teleported to Saeko's world, and time in their own worlds will stop!]
[Saeko Busujima: This is...]
[Exusiai: Does this mean I can go to Saeko's world to help?]
[March 7th: !!! What a powerful function! Crossing worlds! It's even more amazing than the Astral Express!]
[Aqua: Huh? Why isn't it me going?! This Goddess is best at dealing with undead!]
[Ren: …]
[Do you want to cross worlds immediately?]
To be honest, Ren hadn't expected this. This was no longer a simple communication platform. It was a mutual aid platform.
[Ren: I'm going over now.]
[Exusiai: Oh, oh! I need to prepare more bullets!]
Ren chose to cross. A void, swirling black hole appeared before him. "A teleportation gate?" He walked into it.
After a dizzying spin, the world lit up again. Opening his eyes, he was no longer at home. He looked around. It was a rooftop, the sky above a sickly gray. Suddenly, another black hole appeared. A red-haired girl in a short skirt walked out. She held a submachine gun that looked like a Vector. The most striking thing was the glowing halo on her head and a pair of light-shard wings on her back.
"Hello, are you the boss?" Exusiai smiled and waved.
"Boss?"
"Haha, I got used to calling people that when taking commissions," she scratched her hair.
"Just call me Ren," he extended his hand. She naturally clasped it lightly. "Exusiai."
She curiously scrutinized him up and down. "No distinguishing features. Are you from Aegir?"
Ren gave a wry smile. "I'm not. Most humans from other worlds are probably different from the ones you know. In fact, many people in your world are considered anomalies to most humans. Like you, for instance. You resemble an angel."
"Oh, what a strange setup," she scratched the back of her head, but she accepted it easily. She looked out at the campus. "Wow, it's really chaotic." The campus was in ruins. Zombies were rampaging, blood and gore everywhere. Despite this, she showed no fear, but excitement.
"Ren-kun, should we ask where Saeko-san is?"
"No need. Follow me."
Under her shocked gaze, Ren flew into the air, simply manipulating the wind with his Vector Manipulation. Just as he was about to fly away, she urgently called out, "Wait, wait, wait!"
"Hmm?"
She pointed at herself. "I can't fly!"
"Huh?" He looked at the small light wings on her back. It only then occurred to him that she wasn't a real angel.
"Ahem, then, shall I carry you?" he asked awkwardly.
"Come on, come on!" her eyes lit up, and she nodded like a pecking chick.
He landed and picked her up in a princess carry. She wasn't heavy at all. She openly wrapped her arms around his neck, looking expectant. "Let's go."
He carried her into the air. "Oh, ho! Is this flying? So cool! I love this feeling! Let me take a picture!" she yelled excitedly. Ren just shook his head, chuckling. She was truly an optimist.
[Inorin Note:
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