X-OVER: RIP and TEAR, Until IT IS DONE

CHAPTER 4: [Highschool of the Dead]

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A/N:

Shorter chapter for this one.

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The chaos unfolding in the news sure made the mood around the house a little somber... At least, that's what he'd say if it weren't for the drunk teacher that was smoldering her chest on top of his head.

They felt soft. Real soft, like marshmallows...

He palmed his face, slapping it to keep the blush down as he whispered.

"... Shizuka-sensei."

"Hauh? Oh, David-kuuuuun! I didn't seeeeee you theeeeere!"

The hug got tighter with her breasts pushing into his head.

"So the mighty Lee still had a weakness?"

Takashi gave a grin while Kohta simply stared at the ceiling with a nosebleed. Gently, David used his hands to push her slightly to create an opening as he quickly moved to the side, escaping.

Shizuka, rubbing her eyes, was only wearing a short towel around her body with nothing on at all. The sight only makes his blush more prominent as he coughs into his fist.

"I... I'll go count our food inventory."

His DEX stat proves to be useful once more as he easily dodges another hug from Shizuka before dashing down the stairs, passing by an almost-revealing Rei before finally being free from all the embarrassment.

Phew...

[You virgin.]

Hey! That's fucked up! He was only 17, you know?

[Most people your age have already fucked once or twice before.]

Well, excuse him for having some dignity! Besides, no one really caught his eye back then.

In his 17 years of existence, he never had a crush or fascination with a woman at all.

Wait a second, have you done it before, Tova?

[... Well, of course I did! I'm no virgin!]

Darn, well, at least one of them has some experience. How was it?

[Er-I think it was standard. Nothing much at all. Y-Yeah.]

On his way to the kitchen, where all their supplies were placed, he passed by an unconscious Saya, who was sleeping peacefully on the sofa with little-to-no clothes on. He stopped himself from taking a peek at a defenseless person before continuing on his journey, stepping through the door that led to the kitchen area.

"Oh, Yong Zuan-kun."

Saeko faced him with a smile, holding onto a ladle, cooking with the food available inside the fridge. See, she was at least wearing an apron over her clothes—

"Wha—!"

Holy fuck, she wore nothing but an apron! Granted she had underwear on, but as she turned to focus on her cooking, her entire back was exposed to his eyes!

He immediately tilted his head to stare at the ceiling. Saeko, who turned back and saw his actions, chuckled.

"The material on the clothes that you've brought wasn't really comfortable, so until the laundry for our school uniforms is done..."

His eyes flickered down just as she tugged at the apron, showing off more skin in the front, which prompted another look at the ceiling.

"I... You... Sorry!"

"Ufufu, so even you have such a side, Yong Zuan-kun. I rather prefer this side when we converse."

Covering his eyes, he raised a hand as he felt around the table to grab the duffel bags.

"I'm... going to count stock."

"Very well, dinner's about ready as well, so why not sit and count while we wait?"

... Breathe in, 3... 2... 1... Exhale.

The embarrassment that filled his mind cleared as he opened his eyes to meet Saeko, who smiled.

"Ara, you've turned back."

Keeping his eyes on her face, and her face alone, he hesitated before asking.

"Do you... want my shirt for now? It's comfortable enough..."

She just giggles as she steps forward to him.

"If you don't mind, then please."

Quickly taking off his shirt, he handed it over to Saeko and looked the other way. No more shirt, but at least he still had a tank top on. Behind him, he could hear a soft chuckle before the rustling of something getting removed and being worn.

"Thank you, Yong Zuan-kun."

He looked back and mentally breathed a sigh of relief. She was finally wearing a t-shirt now, though the droopy dragon now looked like a chubby, fat lizard from how her large chest stretched the fabric—

[BERSERK activated]

[BERSERK deactivated]

Breathe! 3, 2, 1, exhale! Fuuu, his mind is clear. Moving on!

His attention shifts to the stairs where... Takashi and Rei were making out.

Right, good for Takashi, then.

His attention then drifts to the ever-growing groans of zombies outside the premises... That was slowly getting louder due to the barking of a nearby dog.

His frown seemed to catch Saeko's eye as she asked.

"What's the matter?"

Standing up, he looked in the direction of where the barking originated.

"The barking, it's drawing them close."

Jogging up the stairs, passing by Takashi and Rei, who looked surprised at his sudden appearance and disappearance, his eyes met Kohta's serious expression as he handed a pair of binoculars over. He didn't need it anyways; his vision was 20/20.

"Lee-san, this is looking really bad. They're gathering in front of the house. A lot of them."

Looking down from the balcony, his eye twitched as he watched hundreds of zombies clawing at the duplex’s fence. Zombies he had already cleared earlier were still here.

How many people are even in this damn city?

Takashi soon ran up to the balcony, leaning out slightly as he winced.

"That's..."

"At least "they're" not trying to get in."

Kohta commented, still watching the mass of zombies below. Takashi raised the binoculars and hissed at the sight.

As the group witnessed the remaining survivors being mauled, David’s eyes caught a man in a tracksuit clinging to

Holy moly—A sawed-off shotgun.

The man did his best to fend them off, but the gunshots attracted more zombies to his location. He was quickly overwhelmed, and the shotgun dropped to the ground as he fell.

Tova, note to grab that for me.

[Noted. I'll remind you when you leave.]

The gruesome scene left the group on the balcony speechless. Saeko joined them moments later, coming in from the kitchen.

While David was drooling at the thought of owning a sawed-off shotgun, Takashi had the bright idea of helping the survivors below. With his Ithaca 37 in hand, he raised it, about to rain bullets down from the balcony, when Kohta stopped him.

"Komuro! You won’t accomplish anything by shooting at them."

"What?! But they—"

"Komuro, did you forget that sound attracts them?"

Saeko stepped toward the back of the room, where the controls were, and switched off the lights on the second floor.

"And the living will see the light and know we're here. We need to avoid drawing more attention and prevent a horde from coming."

It was true. More people meant more mouths to feed. David mentally counted; he hadn’t expected their group to get this large. The supplies he'd taken were enough for a week. Two, if they rationed properly.

"Get used to this, Komuro. The world has changed into a place where you can’t survive on chivalry alone."

"...Busujima-senpai, I could’ve sworn you felt differently than that."

She hesitated for a second before hardening her expression.

"Don’t get me wrong, Komuro-kun. I’m just saying that’s how it is... even if it is wrong."

David cut into the conversation, arms crossed.

"We need to survive. That is our main priority."

Takashi remained silent for a moment before clicking his tongue, his eyes returning to the chaos outside through his binoculars.

"I... Alright, I know. But still, it’s just—"

Suddenly, a shout rang out from a few blocks away—loud enough for everyone on the balcony to hear and turn toward the source.

"Open up!"

A man in a white shirt, holding a wrench, screamed as he pounded on a door, his child clinging to his side.

[That's the final main cast. The child, Maresato Arisu.]

"If you don’t open these doors, I’ll break them down!"

He paused abruptly as the door unlocked and the knob twisted. A flicker of relief crossed his face only for it to vanish the next second as a kitchen knife, taped to a pole, shot out from the door's opening and plunged deep into his chest.

His eyes widened in shock. He looked down, stunned by the sudden pain, then slowly raised his gaze to the figures inside.

The weapon was yanked out a moment later, and the door slammed shut.

Staggering backward, the man in white clutched at the bleeding wound in his chest as his child ran to his side. A moment later, the child let out a scream, holding onto the dead father's head.

Her scream echoed all over the neighborhood as all the zombies nearby started crawling towards the sobbing little girl.

... He's surprisingly calm after seeing all this.

[...]

"Let's rock and roll!"

A gunshot rang out beside him as the nearest zombie to the child dropped to the ground after taking a bullet to the head.

"I can't believe it; I scored a headshot on a gun I've never even tested out before! I really am a natural at these things, huh?!"

David looked to his right to see Kohta scoped in his SR-25 as he fired perfect shots to the head that dropped zombies instantly.

Takashi, standing beside him, couldn’t help but grin as he pumped his fist.

"Aren't we not supposed to be shooting? What happened to ignoring others for our own survival?"

"What? This is different; she's just a little girl!"

From behind, a soft chuckle. Takashi glanced toward Saeko. The faint relief in her eyes said more than words could.

At least they still had their humanity in check.

Takashi immediately left the balcony, rushing down the stairs with his Ithaca 37 in hand, while Kohta continued firing shot after shot to keep the zombies away from the little girl.

David’s eyes scanned the area, his attention now drawn to the growing horde converging around their duplex, drawn by the sound of gunfire.

They couldn’t stay here much longer.

"I'm going to clear the area. Get the Humvee ready."

David said, already heading toward the stairs. Saeko silently fell in behind him, following without hesitation.

At the front gate, Saeko and Rei stood guard, weapons at the ready, while he and Takashi prepared to head out.

Since Takashi needed to cover ground quickly, they chose to use the bike and revolver he and Rei had arrived on. David, meanwhile, carried only the weapons holstered at his hips.

Drawing his Nichirin Sword out, he let Takashi go first with his bike flying out the gates before moving out of the gated duplex himself.

"Stay safe, Yong Zuan-kun."

Hearing Saeko's voice as the gate closed behind him, he rolled his neck, popping the joints with a satisfying crack, before giving her a thumbs-up through the gates and walking forward to face the approaching zombies.

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Sidestepping a zombie that aimed to gnaw his head off, he backfist-struck its head off its body with his inhuman strength before using his other hand to slice the zombie in front of him in half.

The Humvee needed more space in order for it to move around, so he made the decision to run the opposite direction from Takashi and his rescue mission with his wireless speaker hanging from his belt.

[Playing : ♫ "Yeah! Break! Care! Break!"]

Tova had kindly supplied a nice tune to kill the time, so he was mostly vibing to the masterpiece that Takayoshi Tanimoto-sama crafted for his favorite series as he autopiloted with his brain turned off.

His skills with the sword in his hands were growing by the second, with his posture and line improving at a fast rate. Though [WEAPON MASTER] gave him the knowledge to wield the weapon, it doesn't give him the real-life experience needed.

It's like when you know that it works theoretically, but practically it wouldn't work unless more testing is done to fine-tune it.

He made another mental note to train his gunplay skills, but it should be simple enough: aim, then shoot. Easy.

[David, the sawed-off shotgun is about 50 meters to your right.]

Thanks, Tova.

There were so many zombies and corpses that it was hard to find an item on the ground, so he had Tova signal its location to him to make his life easier.

Eventually, he reached the weapon. Without hesitation, he stomped down hard, crushing its former owner's skull, then grabbed the shotgun off the ground.

And it was beautiful.

A sawed-off Stoeger Coach Gun, double barrel, single trigger, a beast of a shotgun that devoured 12-gauge shells for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

It was empty, of course. But he had come prepared. He'd brought shells specifically for this moment.

With a swift motion, he sliced through the heads of nearby zombies, clearing just enough space to breathe. Then, tossing the Nichirin Sword into the air to free his hand, he smoothly loaded two shells into its chambers with the other before catching his falling sword once his hand was free.

With his Nichirin Sword in his dominant hand and the sawed-off Stoeger in the other, he cocked back the shotgun’s hammer with a satisfying click before launching himself back into the never-ending fight.

As a zombie rushed towards him, he raised the shotgun at its chest before pulling the trigger.

The Stoeger roared as it tore through the zombie's upper body, sending a spray of gore and bone fragments into the air as the body crumpled lifelessly to the ground.

Without missing a beat, he spun to his right, decapitating another walker with a clean arc of his sword, the blade hissing through the air as it cleanly sliced through its flesh and bones with no resistance.

Firing another blast that blew a group of zombies straight to hell in a spray of blood and limbs, he hurled his sword like a javelin. It whistled through the air before driving itself clean through multiple zombies, impaling them like kebabs on a stick.

With his free hand, he cracked open the Stoeger’s chamber, loaded two fresh shells, then snapped it shut with a satisfying click and cocked the hammer back into place.

Striding forward, he yanked the sword from the grotesque cluster of flesh as he pulled. With a swift motion, he swiped the blade clean of blood and gore.

Then, without pause, he leveled the Stoeger at the skewered horde.

"Bon appétit, Stoeger."

The shotgun roared, and the impaled corpses exploded in a burst of flesh and blood.

Ohhh, baby. He's in love.

[GLORY KILL activated x42]

[You have killed 45 enemies and gained 460 Experience Points!]

[BERSERK deactivated]

Looking around the area, he actually felt disappointed at the number of zombies that he killed. Man, and when he was getting into it with his new Stoeger...

[Komuro has grabbed the child. They are starting their journey to the Humvee for departure.]

Noted. With the task of drawing the zombies' attention complete, giving the Humvee a clear path to move, he began jogging back toward their temporary base.

It only took a few short minutes, but he managed to make his way back to base without drawing much attention.

At the gate, Saeko and Rei stood watch, guarding Shizuka and Saya, who were outside helping with the final preparations.

Glancing at the Humvee, he saw they were nearly done loading up their supplies. Spotting Saya struggling with a heavy duffle bag filled with food near the boot, he moved to help.

He tapped her shoulder gently.

She nearly shrieked in surprise until his hand shot up to cover her mouth. Eyes shut in panic, she struggled for a moment before he let out a quiet sigh.

“It's me.”

She froze at the sound of his voice. Her eyes opened—then, in an instant, her face turned crimson.

Blushing furiously, she shoved him away, stammering.

"I… No, you—!"

"Calm down and stay quiet."

Together, they quietly loaded the duffles into the trunk, with Saya unable to stare him in the eye.

Out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of Kohta emerging from the building, his SR-25 in hand, Takashi’s Ithaca 37 slung over his shoulder, and bullet straps crisscrossing his body like he was marching off to war.

Everyone gave him a look.

Kohta paused mid-step, blinking in confusion.

"U-Uh, is something up?"

"You look like you’re enjoying this."

Saya muttered, but Kohta didn't hear it as his eyes suddenly locked onto the Stoeger in David's hand. They lit up with an almost childlike wonder.

"Gasp! That’s—"

He quickly raised a hand to cut him off.

"Later."

Kohta nodded, eyes still glued to the shotgun, but said no more. He'd let Kohta geek out once they were out of danger. Right now, there were still people to save.

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"M-Mister! I... I can’t hold it anymore!"

Arisu whispered urgently behind him as Takashi let out a sigh. He dreaded this more than the zombies closing in around them and the tight, narrow fence that barely allowed a foot of space to maneuver.

And yet, he made the call.

"...Okay. Just go where you are."

"Are you sure?"

"I give you full permission."

A single tear slid down his cheek as Arisu tightened her grip around his neck and relieved herself right onto his jacket.

At least it was his gakuran and not the t-shirt underneath; the spare clothes Lee had given him were still a bit too loose and uncomfortable.

Then, suddenly, the growl of an engine cut through the moans of the undead. He snapped his head toward the sound, eyes widening as a bright light beamed in their direction.

From within his gakuran, the little dog barked wildly, reacting to the sudden burst of noise and light.

Charging toward them was the massive Hummer that had been parked earlier outside Shizuka-sensei’s friend’s home. Standing upright through the sunroof was Lee, gripping a short gun, while Kohta crouched beneath him, Ithaca 37 at the ready.

They came for them! But Takashi glanced around at the countless number of "them" swarming the area. How were they going to get through all of that—?

The answer came quickly.

With a roar, the Humvee plowed through the undead like a battering ram, crushing them beneath its wheels. It skidded and drifted to a halt just a few feet from the base of the fence; the sharp screech of tires made the dog bark louder.

Takashi stared at the scene for a moment, a sweat drop trailing down his face.

"They sure went over the top."

"Are they your friends, Mister?"

Arisu asked curiously while staring at the large vehicle. Silent for a second, a smile donned his face before he nodded.

"... Yeah. They are very important friends."

Once the Humvee screeched to a halt, Lee sprang into action. Without a moment's hesitation, he raised his compact shotgun and took aim at the approaching horde of undead.

A deafening roar split the air as "their" heads exploded like melons. The blast made Arisu flinch, clutching Takashi tighter, while the dog in his jacket barked in alarm.

Kohta quickly followed up, bracing himself through the roof hatch with the Ithaca 37 as his shots rang out, dropping groups of "them" one after another as they closed in.

Takashi picked up his pace, carefully balancing along the narrow fence wall. He soon found himself at the end of the fence, just a few meters shy of the Humvee’s roof, and paused.

Lee fired another blast, then caught sight of Takashi preparing to jump. Raising his hand, he called out with a serious expression.

"Come with me if you want to live."

"You totally stole that from Terminator!"

Takashi shouted back out of instinct, but there was no time to argue.

He took a few quick steps back, braced himself, then sprinted along the edge of the fence. At the final moment, he launched himself into the air with a desperate cry, Arisu clinging tightly to him and the little dog buried in his jacket.

He stretched his arm forward toward Lee, who leaned out from the roof of the Humvee, hand outstretched. Just as Takashi’s feet began to drop, Lee’s fingers latched onto his wrist with a solid grip.

With his inhuman strength, Lee jerked them forward, hauling Takashi, Arisu, and the bundled-up dog closer in a single, fluid pull.

Takashi twisted his body as he slammed onto the roof, making sure to shield Arisu and the dog with his own body.

Kohta, who manned the roof hatch, quickly yelled to the girls in the car the moment they hit the metal.

"Go!"

The tires screeched as Marikawa-sensei floored the gas, the Humvee lurching forward with a powerful roar.

Takashi quickly helped Arisu and the little dog through the hatch into the safety of the vehicle, climbing in right after them. Lee and Kohta followed closely behind, sealing the hatch just as the horde of undead swarmed in their wake.

Collapsing against the soft cushion of the seat, Takashi let out a long breath of relief. Sweat clung to his brow, but a tired smile tugged at his lips as he glanced at Rei.

Mission accomplished.