"Nanashi-kun, what are we going to do?"
Saeko followed Nanashi out the door, voicing her curiosity.
Nanashi glanced at her and smiled.
"Do you remember our Doomsday Companion Mission?"
Saeko nodded.
"Hmm, it looks like it's trying to let us clean up the zombies here," Lemuel remarked, deliberately raising his hand with a playful smirk.
Nanashi's eyes gleamed with thought.
"That's right. I have a feeling that Doomsday Companion Mission works similarly to the Doomsday Game. If we kill enough of the undead, we might receive a reward."
Saeko processed his words before responding.
"I see. Let's go, then."
Lemuel's eagerness was apparent.
"Understood. I'll do my best."
Saeko clenched the hilt of her samurai sword.
She briefly considered whether switching to a firearm might help her clear out the corpses more efficiently.
But ultimately, she dismissed the idea.
Firearms weren't her specialty.
But as Saeko gripped her sword, a hint of hesitation flickered in her eyes.
Nanashi, ever perceptive, noticed it immediately.
"Are you struggling with your desires?" he asked, cutting straight to the heart of the matter.
Saeko's eyes widened.
"Nanashi-kun… you…"
He saw through me?
Nanashi remained calm.
"Your eyes are filled with confusion and hesitation."
Silence.
Saeko lowered her head, her bangs casting a shadow over her expression.
Lemuel, unaware of the tension between them, chose to remain silent, watching without interrupting.
Time passed.
Finally, Saeko lifted her head.
Her slightly crimson eyes locked onto Nanashi's unwavering golden gaze.
Her lips parted as she slowly revealed her past.
"When I was in junior high, a pervert tried to assault me on my way home from school."
"I had my wooden sword with me. I deliberately let him get close, then struck him down—breaking his leg and shoulder blade. In the eyes of the law, it was excessive self-defense."
"But considering the circumstances—a middle school girl defending herself against a predator—the police didn't hold me accountable. They even escorted me home."
"Yet, I knew the truth."
"I did it on purpose."
Saeko's voice grew quieter.
"That was when I realized… I have a strong tendency toward violence."
"When I struck him down, I felt joy. Excitement. It was… intoxicating."
She raised her hands, staring at them as if the memory had stained them.
A bitter smile crossed her lips.
"There's a darkness inside me that I can't justify."
Her voice trembled.
"Am I still… normal?"
".."
Nanashi met her gaze and spoke with calm certainty.
"Saeko, you don't need to condemn yourself."
His words carried weight.
"Your personality is yours alone. Don't let it control you—learn to control it instead."
With that, he took her katana on her waist and placed it into her hands.
His expression was firm.
"There's nothing wrong with enjoying the fight. As long as you know who your enemy is… As long as you use your blade to protect yourself and those you care about… even if it's violent, it is not wrong."
"Besides… this is already a world of ruin."
Lemuel scratched her head, her usual carefree demeanor slipping away.
"I don't have the answers for that. I like shooting things, but I'd never point a gun at my friends."
Her playful tone was gone.
Instead, her eyes gleamed with an unshakable resolve.
"So swing your sword at your enemies."
Those words echoed in Saeko's mind.
A moment passed.
Then—
She tightened her grip on her sword and lifted her head.
Her crimson eyes burned brighter.
But this time, the confusion and distress were gone.
"I understand now."
"This is who I am… and I will accept myself."
She bowed slightly.
"Thank you."
The hesitation within Saeko had vanished.
Now, her movements were sharper, more decisive.
Each strike was executed with ruthless efficiency—every swing aimed to kill in a single blow.
As for Lemuel, there was no need to worry about her.
Her agility allowed her to leap onto rooftops with ease.
Even when surrounded by zombies, she remained unfazed.
Saeko, too, was perfectly capable.
Most of the undead she struck down were those that Nanashi had already weakened. The risk to her was minimal.
Nanashi himself had the easiest time of all.
With a single stomp, the ground ruptured beneath him.
The earth split apart, impaling undead with jagged rock formations.
Shattered stones shot out like arrows, piercing through the heads of the zombies.
Defending himself?
Unnecessary.
A reflective aura formed naturally over his body, repelling any undead that dared to approach.
And with a palm filled with thunder, he unleashed his power without restraint.
By the time half a day had passed—
The roads remained intact, but the surrounding areas were almost completely obliterated.
Lemuel and Saeko, standing amidst the destruction, shared a look.
'Nanashi's battles are truly something else.'
Their opinions were the same.
…
It was getting dark.
The three of them returned to Minami Rika's home.
As soon as they stepped inside, Saya couldn't help but ask,
"What were you guys doing this afternoon? It felt like an earthquake outside."
Saeko, wiping the sweat from her body with a towel, chuckled.
"You might want to ask Nanashi-kun about that."
Nanashi simply spread his hands.
"Just cleaning up the zombies around."
Then, as if shifting the topic, he glanced at the dining table.
"Hmm? Is dinner ready?"
The table was already filled with an assortment of dishes. Fortunately, the water and electricity hadn't been cut off yet.
"Almost. Just one last dish left," Rei called out from the kitchen, her apron-clad figure half-visible from the doorway.
Shizuka was also there, smiling cheerfully.
"It would be a waste if we didn't use up the food here. We're leaving in two days, so we might as well enjoy it while we can."
She beamed. "Besides, we're grateful for everything you, Nanashi-kun, Lemuel, and Saeko have done. Cooking a big meal is the least we can do to thank you!"
"Sounds good to me," Nanashi nodded.
Saeko, however, caught onto something.
"Leaving in two days? Saya, did you manage to contact your parents?"
Saya's face lit up with relief.
"Yes. My father has established a gathering place. It still needs to be stabilized, but in a few days, it should be safe for us to go there."
Safe…
Nanashi had his doubts. He wasn't sure what condition that so-called gathering place was in, but if history was anything to go by, it would likely end in disaster.
"The last dish is ready! Everyone, wash your hands and eat."
Rei placed the final plate on the table.
Her mood seemed noticeably better.
After Dinner
Everyone took turns showering.
There were only two rooms.
Due to her unfamiliarity with the group and her unique circumstances, Lemuel was given a room to herself.
The rest squeezed into the second room, while a few ended up sleeping on the living room sofa.
With the nearby area nearly cleared of zombies, there were no immediate safety concerns.
For once, they could sleep in peace.