"..."
Zeroy suddenly realized something and looked down at herself.
Her clothes were already soaked through with blood, the crimson shade shocking to the eye. The Striker Unit in her hand was the same, as if forged from blood.
Her face and golden hair were also sticky… stained with gore.
She glanced back at the scene behind her—a mountain of corpses, a sea of blood, severed heads strewn across the ground.
'Hmm… maybe it is a little scary?'
But it's not that bad, is it? She'd only killed zombies, not people—was such an extreme reaction really necessary?
'…Forget it.'
She'd better change her approach.
Gradually calming these people down and earning their trust would take far too much time and energy.
She could save more people at that time.
Zeroy's expression turned cold.
With a casual swing of her Striker Unit, a razor-sharp arc of steel tore through the air, carving a deep gash over ten meters long into the schoolyard.
Dust flew—well beyond what common sense could explain.
"I don't have the patience to play games with you. Every minute you delay me is a minute I can't use to save more people."
"So I'll give you ten minutes. Everyone gathers in front of me—no one will be harmed."
Her tone was cold, commanding, leaving no room for doubt.
"Otherwise, you'll all die here."
"The clock starts now."
That ice-cold, emotionless voice left the teaching building in dead silence at first.
Then—a rush of hurried footsteps shattered it. The first person sprinted out from the corridor.
Then, the second, the third—like a chain reaction ignited, all survivors raced to the first floor.
Were they afraid? Of course. But it was precisely that fear, and the knowledge of Zeroy's strength, that made them realize the teaching building couldn't protect them. That's why they moved as if running for their lives.
However, the blood-soaked hellscape in the yard immediately made them drop to their knees, retching uncontrollably. The stench of blood was quickly joined by the sour tang of vomit.
Still, under Zeroy's death threat, a small group finally gathered at the front of the yard.
They stood dozens of meters away, trembling, eyes full of fear.
Their legs were so weak they could barely stand, yet many still clutched makeshift weapons—sticks, brooms, mops—as if to steel themselves, though it looked both laughable and pitiful.
Zeroy didn't care.
Looking over them, she sighed inwardly—too few survivors. The entire school now had only thirty-two people left.
If only the Main God had sent her earlier, she could have saved more.
A glance at her detection radar told her there were still two people hiding in the teaching building.
"I know there are two more hiding in there."
Her voice was cool, tinged with mockery. "Pathetic, laughable wishful thinking."
"—!?"
Her words hit like a thunderclap, sparking a mix of shock, fear, and panic among the students.
From their expressions, Zeroy could easily tell—some knew about the two hiding, others didn't.
"Doesn't matter."
There was no ripple in her gaze.
"If you don't want to be rescued, I don't mind sending you off."
The two inside realized the danger and bolted from their hiding place, trying to escape.
Too late.
A light swing of her blade, and two scarlet slashes of energy flew toward where they'd been hiding.
"Wait—!"
They had just reached the hallway, appearing in view, when the strikes hit.
The deafening blasts obliterated their location, like twin shells hitting at once.
In an instant, rubble flew, dust choked the air, and a corner of the building collapsed into ruins.
As for the two's fate—nothing more needed to be said.
"You… you killed them…"
A student collapsed, trembling, eyes wide with terror.
"That was their choice, wasn't it?"
Zeroy shot him a cold glance, her tone flat and merciless.
She had shown, in the most direct and shocking way, what defying her would bring.
The air was heavy with the scent of death; fear and helplessness were etched on every face.
Her gaze swept the group.
"Listen—this world has changed. If you want to survive, you must follow my orders. Defiance will not be tolerated."
"Everything I do is to help you survive this apocalypse. Any act of disobedience runs counter to survival. If some of you have no will to live and insist on dragging others down, then I will cut away those rotting tumors without mercy."
"Either accept it, or die. There is no other choice, and don't argue with me—I don't care if you think I'm lying or if you call me a dictator. It makes no difference to me."
She paused, her voice ringing with unshakable resolve.
"Every great work is forged with sacrifice. You may not understand, but you will obey."
...
A dead silence fell over the group, everyone shivering, the heavy air pressing down on them.
"Now… who's Shido? Step forward."
Her calm voice carried a chill that made hearts clench.
In this situation, the one named didn't have the courage to move.
Though it didn't matter—no one else had the courage either.
The moment Zeroy's words fell, she caught a subtle tremor in one student's body. Others instinctively edged away, leaving an invisible circle of isolation around him.
Noticing her gaze and the reactions around him, Koichi Shido's face turned deathly pale.
Panic, fear, and hatred twisted his once-handsome features into something feral.
"Damn… wait… you… how could you…"
His voice trembled as he tried to argue, but under Zeroy's icy stare, he only seemed more powerless—like a beast caught in a chokehold.
"You're Shido, aren't you?"
Highschool of the Dead—it was an anime Zeroy had watched years ago, the details long faded.
She could barely recall the protagonists' faces even after seeing them.
As for Shido, she'd forgotten his name and appearance entirely—only remembering he was a teacher, and thus looked more mature than the students around him.
...
If you want to support, please consider Patreon, and read advanced chapters! Your support keeps this series going!
[Patreon.com/RedZTL]