Kohta hadn't turned into a zombie from eating tainted food. Rei, after crying in her boyfriend's arms, had regained her composure. Saya was inexplicably energized. And Liz's neck ached from sleeping on grass (in his hub world) and couches (in this shack).
The chaotic first day ended, giving way to a blood-soaked second morning.
"Seriously, who designed this party system? It's just an excuse to grope girls!"
Rei—whose temporary party buff expired at noon—had to refresh it by kissing Saya (whose buff lasted until afternoon) and then Hisashi (same). She was the one unintentionally running a harem, not Liz.
"This 'game' was made for me. Of course the mechanics favor my interests." Liz's definition of "me" carried layered meanings, but no one could decipher them. "Breakfast? Done. Buffs? Refreshed. Time to farm zombies for EXP. Here's the plan:"
Rei: Dismantle the shack (salvage materials, ignore furniture). Then, mine underground for stone—no surface scavenging.
"Block the entrance. If zombies sneak up behind you, that's on you."
"STOP PHRASING IT LIKE THAT!"
Hisashi/Saya: Zombie cleanup.
"They're not our classmates anymore." (Hisashi, somber.)
"Putting them down is mercy." (Saya, enthusiastic.)
Kohta: Ammo conservation.
"No party, no EXP share. But save nails—this hill has light zombie traffic."
"Sir, yes sir!" (Kohta saluted. Gamer-military solidarity.)
"Move out!" Liz drew his stone sword and charged toward the school.
The shack stood just beyond the school's backyard. His first target? A shambling male zombie.
"Weapons change everything!" Liz's slash staggered the creature. A second strike dropped it. A final thrust—EXP acquired!
"Too eas—"
He turned.
Saya's decapitations and Hisashi's two-hit takedowns littered the ground.
"...Maybe I'm the noob here?"
So much for protagonist privilege.
Midday Assessment
"Fewer zombies than expected..."
"Looking back, Takashi's rooftop plan wasn't optimal. Most students flooded out during the initial chaos."
"Still better than being trapped inside with a horde."
They ate lunch on the cleanest perch they could find, overlooking streets swarming with undead.
By noon, the school was mostly cleared—they weren't conducting a government sweep. If a classroom had no standing zombies, they moved on. Corpses on the floor? Not their problem.
Fujimi Academy's hilltop location proved a natural fortress. The zombies here couldn't climb stairs, let alone slopes. An ideal survivor base... after Liz's purge.
"Next stop: downtown. But first—iron." Stone swords worked, but armor? Minecraft had no "stone plate mail."
"There's a construction site nearby. I pass it every day." Rei raised a hand. (Liz knew nothing about this world—he'd only just learned the school's name.)
"Destination after?" Saya deferred to Liz. Leader's call.
"Anywhere's fine. Zombies are everywhere~" No combo bonuses meant no need to dive into dense hordes.
"I'm sticking with you. At least until we confirm the Self-Defense Forces' status."
"Same. I'll find a safe zone eventually. Till then, you're my best bet."
Saya and Kohta had no local ties. Rei, however—
"I... want to check the police station. Dad's probably there. Mom too..." Guilt laced her voice.
"Police station it is!"
"But it's far... Hisashi only rides motorcycles, and Nurse鞠川 left..."
"I can ride." (Chubby biker.)
"I've... dabbled." (Kendo girl on a motorcycle? Yes.)
"I ride horses."
"......" x4
The Cavalry
"Cut me slack! I'm a freshly spawned player character! No 'driving' skill—horseback only works because Minecraft hardcoded it!"
"WHAT DOES THAT EVEN MEAN?! You're clearly not a newborn!"
Three bikes roared toward the streets:
Hisashi (driver) + Rei (clinging)
Saya (driver) + Liz ("This feels wrong")
Kohta (solo, nail gun ready)