Thanks to his "Exorcist" profession, Shirakawa was completely unfazed by tonight's encounter. In fact, he thought the whole scene played out like something straight out of Ip Man.
Even ten enemies wouldn't have been enough.
After the purification battle wrapped up, Shirakawa checked the time on his phone. It was close to midnight. Saeko Busujima, exhausted from the night's efforts, had already fallen asleep.
"Guess I'll check the chat group."
He had no intention of waking her just for the daily sign-in. Scanning the [Dimensional Chat Group], it seemed quiet for half a day—a rare occurrence considering members like the Mistress of the Butterfly Estate and Aqua were in it.
Surely there had to be some new chatter.
Mistress of the Butterfly Estate:I've started practicing the "Holy Sword Awakening Guide." I think I'm starting to feel something... I wonder what'll happen if I really become a Holy Sword User?
Aqua:That class doesn't even exist in my world. I'm already an Archpriest, so becoming a Holy Sword User seems kind of pointless to me.
Mai Sakurajima:I can't understand any of this!
Future Holy Sword Wielder:It takes time and effort to become a Holy Sword Wielder. Awakening isn't easy where I'm from.
Snow Queen:A new combat system? What's the power level like?
Blue Ribbon:By the way, chat points can now be exchanged for "world transfer anchor points." Anyone want to come to my world and become one of my followers?
Blue Ribbon:Forget about becoming a Holy Sword Wielder. I can bless you myself—boost your stats and make you stronger. Become my first follower!
Aqua:Wait—you're a deity too? What's your divine name? Maybe one of my juniors knows you. I'm the Goddess of Water, by the way.
Blue Ribbon:You may call me Hestia, the Goddess of the Hearth.
Just a glance through the chat was enough for Shirakawa to spot two new faces among the members. One of the quieter ones, the "Snow Queen," struck a familiar chord.
If memory served, that had to be Esdeath from Akame ga Kill—the Empire's strongest general, a ruthless fighter capable of freezing time.
With her joining, the average power level of the group had just skyrocketed.
As for "Blue Ribbon," she was a well-known character from the DanMachi universe—Hestia, the virginal Goddess of the Hearth. Judging by her messages, she hadn't yet formed a Familia.
"If I could get my hands on one of those 'Imperial Arms' from Esdeath's world, that'd be perfect... but if I'm not strong enough, going there would be suicide."
"Join Hestia's Familia, huh?"
"..."
Shirakawa was genuinely surprised. With Esdeath and Hestia joining, the dimensional group's potential had grown exponentially.
And the list of professions he could pursue had expanded too.
He glanced at the items now available in the chat shop. In addition to beginner, intermediate, and advanced body-enhancement scrolls and interworld travel scrolls, a new product had appeared.
And it was incredibly expensive.
[Surprise Mystery Box]
Price: 500 Points
Description: Open to receive a randomized reward from across the multiverse.
"A gacha box? That's just gambling!"
Back when he'd awakened the "Arch-wizard" class, he hadn't had time to register with the Adventurer's Guild. If his luck stat was decent, this gamble might actually be worth trying.
It was past midnight now. Remembering that points could enhance attributes and boost strength, Shirakawa turned to wake the girl beside him...
Only to find Saeko's gentle gaze locked onto his face the entire time.
As the chat group displayed a reminder to sign in, Shirakawa ignored the flood of notifications and tapped the prompt.
"High schooler has signed in. Earned 17 points."
Aqua:Shirakawa, your performance in today's battle was amazing! Have you thought about becoming a hero to save the world? I'll support you as your goddess!
Blue Ribbon:@Normal High School Student, would you like to join my Familia?
Aqua:Shirakawa's mine! No way he's joining anyone else's Familia!
"..."
Ignoring their bickering, Shirakawa exchanged a look with Saeko before stepping out of the room. He made his way up to the second-floor balcony of Rika Minami's house.
And stared down at the paralyzed city.
Killing zombies didn't yield much experience individually, but the sheer volume was staggering. Smiling slightly, he asked,
"Think we can find a loud enough speaker?"
"The school bus horn should do, right?"
Busujima Saeko looked somewhat puzzled. The school bus parked at the front gate of her home was the only thing nearby that could generate noise—and it didn't require any external power.
"Sound attracts the undead," Shirakawa explained. "My mana's nearly recovered. Might as well clean out this block while I can."
The dimensional chat group was a shared tool among members.
But the proficiency panel? That was Shiraikawa's personal cheat ability—his golden finger. Even after arriving in the world of Highschool of the Dead, he would still need to wait until the usual after-school hours to make a proper move.
Once the nearby corpses were cleared, it would give at least some level of safety to Takagi Saya, Marikawa Shizuka, and the others. Most importantly, the sheer number of corpses here made for a lucrative stream of experience points.
"Why are you doing this…?"
Busujima Saeko asked, despite knowing she shouldn't. Yet the question escaped her lips anyway, as if pulled by something deeper.
She understood he had a grand dream—some harem-like paradise in mind. Still, he didn't lack the emotional intelligence to be blunt. Instead, he offered a selective answer.
"I won't be staying in this world forever. I've got other responsibilities. Think of it as me helping you tie up a few loose ends."
"If you ever want to live in another world, save up 150 points. First, buy a limited-time teleportation anchor—then come to my world and set your marker."
"…"
She didn't say anything more.
Because in the next instant, Busujima Saeko leaned in and wrapped her arms around his neck. Her cheeks flushed pink, and her eyes shimmered with emotion.
Her lips brushed against his ear.
"Would you… take me with you?" she asked, her voice firm.
"I swear I won't get in your way. If possible… I'd even like to experience… that feeling we had… one more time."
"My body… I don't think I can hold back anymore…"