March 7th: "I'm so jealous of you guys! Not only do you get to visit Saeko's world, but you also gain all these amazing benefits. Meanwhile, I'm stuck on this space station... [crying.JPG]!"
Aqua: "…"
Haha. She simply smiled and kept working hard.
Saeko: "@Nanashi, we have a new plan."
Nanashi: "Let's hear it."
Saeko: "With my sudden increase in strength, I no longer need to fear the zombies."
Saeko: "After seeing what I'm capable of, everyone agreed to follow me and establish a safe haven. We've found a villa and are using it as our base."
Their decision was unexpected.
But no one opposed it.
Nanashi: "That's a solid choice. Large crowds increase the likelihood of conflicts and unexpected dangers."
Lemuel: "Agreed. You can never fully trust human nature."
March 7th: "Ugh, big-brain strategies from the elites—totally beyond my comprehension."
Saeko: "I feel reassured hearing your support."
Saeko: "@Nanashi, I also found something important! I can now earn Doomsday Points by killing zombies—1 point per 3 corpses. There's also a special mission called Doomsday's End."
Nanashi: "Doomsday's End?"
Curious, Nanashi opened the group functions and noticed a newly added module—Doomsday Companion Journey.
Clicking on it, a prompt appeared:
[Doomsday Journey]: The End of Doomsday
[Travel Duration]: Unlimited
[Travelers]: Unlimited
[Companion Mission]:
Kill zombies to earn Doomsday Points.Eradicate the world's zombie virus to receive additional rewards.
"!!!"
There was actually a mission like this?!
Nanashi: "Then Saeko, do your best to grow stronger."
Saeko: "The most important thing, Nanashi-kun—Everyone is all looking forward to your return… including me."
Nanashi: "…"
Nanashi wasn't clueless.
This was as direct as it could get!
But—
"Why didn't you say this when I was still there?!"
Nanashi felt a headache coming on.
Suppressing these emotions was exhausting.
Next time, he was bound to pay the price—
To endure the wrath of man!
Aqua: "That's a strange convo!"
March 7th: "Yeah, it's super weird."
Lemuel: "..."
Lemuel wasn't sure what she was feeling.
She recalled being carried, flying through the air—
And having her bare body seen.
Her mind felt hazy.
Nanashi: "Don't worry. If I get the chance, I'll definitely return."
It was an unspoken promise.
And more than that—
A silent declaration:
"You guys belong to me now."
Saeko: "I'll be waiting."
With their conversation winding down—
Tring!*2
Nanashi's phone rang.
He glanced at the caller ID.
It was Yukino.
A contact he had only recently added.
"Calling at this time?"
Raising an eyebrow, he answered the phone.
As soon as the call connected, Yukino's voice came through, urgent and direct.
"Nanashi-kun, could you please come to my house? My address is... [Community Name]... Unit... Number..."
She paused briefly before adding, "Please hurry. I'll be waiting."
Then, without another word, the call ended with a beep.
Nanashi stared at his phone, a question mark practically forming above his head.
"Yukino? The most popular girl at school?"
He glanced outside. The sun had nearly set, and darkness crept in.
Calling me over at this hour?
For a fleeting moment, his mind entertained a less-than-pure thought, but he quickly dismissed it. Yukino wasn't that kind of person. If there was one thing he was certain of, it was that she was far from impulsive or careless.
Thinking back, her voice had sounded slightly anxious.
Something must have happened.
Either she was scared, or—worse—she was in danger.
No hesitation.
He grabbed his coat and stepped outside.
Activating his vector manipulation and wind control simultaneously, Nanashi took off.
With both abilities boosting his speed, it was as if he teleported. The reflective layer ensured he wasn't affected by wind resistance, and to passersby, he was nothing more than a sudden gust of air.
The apartment complex where Yukino lived wasn't far.
In less than three minutes, Nanashi was already in the elevator, heading up.
Reaching her door, he pressed the doorbell.
"Ding-dong!"
Inside, he heard hurried footsteps approaching.
A brief pause.
Through the door, he imagined Yukino peering through the peephole, verifying it was really him.
Then—click—the door unlocked and swung open.
Yukino exhaled softly, visibly relieved.
"Looks like my guess was right. Did something happen?"
Nanashi started to speak, but then his words caught in his throat.
Because right now—Yukino's outfit was... a sight to behold.
Her long, dark hair hung loose, still damp from a bath.
Her shoulders and arms were bare, glistening under the soft apartment lights.
And the only thing covering her body?
A towel.
Just a single, precariously wrapped towel.
Nanashi's eyes flickered with heat before he forced himself to look away.
Sensing his gaze, Yukino instinctively tightened her grip on the towel, wrapping her arms around herself.
Though usually composed and cool-headed, her face was now tinged with both embarrassment and irritation.
Her eyes narrowed, and she snapped, "Don't look at me like that, you pervert. I'll call the police."