Shirakawa gave a casual glance at the pink-haired twin-tailed girl before him. He knew exactly who she was — Saya Takagi, the classic tsundere from the world of Highschool of the Dead.
A sharp tongue and a sharper mind, that was her reputation.
The fact that she had taken the initiative to approach and request to join their team — especially from someone as proud as her — only highlighted the gravity of their current situation. As for the "safe location" she spoke of…
It was likely the Takagi estate.
Shirakawa's feelings toward Souichiro Takagi, head of an ultra-right-wing political group, weren't exactly positive. But if he had to name someone in that world who actually piqued his interest?
That would be Yuriko Takagi.
The elegant and commanding matriarch, blessed with lethal beauty, perfectly fit the "devastatingly attractive mature wife" archetype. Combine that with the fiery tsundere daughter, and the idea of the two... living under one roof? Well, it was certainly a tempting image.
But leaving fantasies aside—
Faced with Saya's request, Saeko Busujima didn't immediately agree. She knew full well that getting out of Fujimi Academy alive, and finding a real shelter outside, was only possible because of one reason:
They had Shirakawa and Misaka Mikoto on their side.
She turned to the one who was clearly the most approachable in the group and asked in a calm tone,
"Shirakawa-kun, what's your opinion on this? Shall we team up?"
"No problem."
Shirakawa gave a relaxed nod. With his current power, it didn't matter how many zombies there were — they were just walking EXP bags. As for Misaka Mikoto? Her desire to uphold justice and protect the weak made her unlikely to turn down a plea like this.
Saya, meanwhile, sized up the boy who had become the center of the team.
Wearing a loose tracksuit, clearly not from their school, and carrying a wooden staff wrapped in gray cloth — at first glance, he looked more like some athletic, easygoing senior than anything else.
Why was Saeko-senpai treating him as the core of their group?
Saya didn't quite understand yet. But since he'd accepted her request, she wisely kept her usual sharpness in check. There was no need to fight for leadership — not now.
"I really appreciate you letting me join," she said sincerely.
Her voice was surprisingly genuine, without the prickly attitude one might expect from her. But as she looked around at the calm, almost unconcerned expressions of the group, a trace of anxiety crept into her heart.
They didn't seem to understand just how serious things had become.
After a brief pause, Saya spoke again.
"My family's home is very safe, but it's a bit far from here. With so many zombies in the streets, we'll need to find some kind of vehicle. It'll be way too dangerous on foot."
"The whole city… might collapse."
"Got it."
Shizuka Marikawa pulled out a set of school bus keys from her pocket—who knew where she got them from—and waved them with a radiant smile. "Then, shall we head out?"
With this, the team's rough formation was complete. Leading at the front was Saeko Busujima, who was the most familiar with the layout of the school, walking steadily with a wooden sword in hand.
Their primary objective now was to reach the parking lot.
Though most of the corpses in the vicinity had already been cleared out, the noise of students fleeing and screaming continued to attract new ones. And yet, even with just a wooden blade in hand…
Saeko Busujima remained completely fearless.
Relying solely on Shirakawa and Misaka Mikoto would not do. After all, their presence was only temporary—a dimensional chat group dispatch. Sooner or later, they would have to leave.
Saeko, on the other hand, was determined to see for herself—just how far her mastery of the Busujima-style swordsmanship could take her in the face of a zombie apocalypse.
Moreover...
As the world crumbled into chaos, and her classmates turned on one another, a certain impulse within her began to grow ever stronger in this extreme environment.
Turning toward Shirakawa, she said, eyes gleaming with anticipation, "Shirakawa-kun, leave these corpses to me."
In a way, Saeko was the combat pinnacle of a crossover world without supernatural powers. Her mastery of the Busujima-style alone made her a force to be reckoned with.
Shirakawa, too, was curious.
He wanted to see how her skills would play out in a real combat situation. Seeing her eager to test herself against the dead, he responded with a smile:
"Of course."
"…"
Watching the scene unfold, Saya Takagi's gaze shifted subtly. She couldn't help but wonder—was this guy Busujima-senpai's boyfriend?
But then again, seeing how he calmly let his "girlfriend" face so many of those things alone…
She scrutinized Shirakawa more closely—and suddenly, it all made sense.
"You there—aren't you going to help your girlfriend?"
"…"
Shirakawa didn't mind the way she addressed him, but he certainly didn't appreciate that suspicious look in her eyes. It was clear she had misunderstood the situation.
At that moment, Shizuka Marikawa stepped forward and suddenly wrapped herself around Shirakawa's arm, her voice sweet and bubbly as she spoke to Saya:
"Don't get the wrong idea, Saya-chan~."
"It was thanks to Shirakawa-kun and Mikoto-chan that we were even able to get downstairs safely!"
"…"
The soft sensation pressing against his arm momentarily scattered Shirakawa's focus. He looked ahead—at the violet-haired girl in the distance.
With both hands gripping her wooden sword, Saeko Busujima advanced.
Her swordsmanship was like a blooming red spider lily in the underworld—a deadly, mesmerizing beauty. Her slashes were swift as afterimages, cleaving through the zombies that rushed toward her like cutting through paper.
Her reaction speed, physical strength, and sword technique—everything about her was worthy of her reputation as a Shura Princess. The fluid and graceful battle scene was as breathtaking as it was brutal.
[Skill detected: "Busujima-Style Swordsmanship" available for Saint Sword User class. Learn this skill?]
"Yes."
A seasoned swordsman never has too many techniques in his arsenal. Shirakawa accepted the prompt without hesitation. As the battle stirred greater commotion—
It wasn't just the corpses from inside the school building anymore.
Even those from the outer perimeter of the academy were beginning to converge. Misaka Mikoto, already holding a game token, refrained from attacking.
She turned her gaze toward Shirakawa.
"I can't just let them think I'm a freeloader…"
Shirakawa shook his head lightly. He unwrapped the gray cloth around his staff, revealing a red magic gem suspended at its wooden tip.
With a crisp clack, the staff struck the tiled floor.
The sound drew the attention of Saya, Shizuka, and even Saeko—who had just finished off the last few corpses in the corridor. The staff began to radiate with a soft glow.
"Quicksand Ripple."
Under Saya and Shizuka's utterly stupefied gazes, Shirakawa calmly activated one of the basic skills of his [Arch-wizard] class.
The once-solid concrete beneath them—
—was corroded by overwhelming magical energy, turning into a massive quicksand trap capable of devouring all living things in its path. The zombies charging forward were swallowed whole, their struggles only hastening their demise.
"Wh-What…?"
Saya could only stare in shock as the very floor transformed into a devouring deathtrap. Her voice trembled with awe.
"Just what kind of… ability is this?!"