It's been 2 hours, 24 minutes, and 34 seconds since we left Rias's mansion. Since we escaped from… whatever that thing was. God… I still feel a chill down my spine every time I remember it.
I used the four grenades I had taken from the guards. Four direct explosions. And you know what happened? Absolutely nothing. Not a scratch. As if it were mocking us. As if nothing in this world could harm it.
I didn't have a clear direction after that. The mansion seemed like the last safe place we had left. But if I had to choose another destination… maybe the sea. Find a boat, gather supplies, and set sail to some remote island. Japan has hundreds of small islands around it. Maybe… just maybe, we could find something like a shelter there.
Don't take me too seriously. I don't really know what to think right now. The girls are in shock. Frozen with fear. And I don't blame them. The zombies were already enough to drive anyone crazy… but that. That giant abomination that doesn't respond to logic or weapons…
What the hell are we supposed to do against something like that? What does that thing, that entity… whatever it is that's throwing us these living nightmares, expect from us? Fuck it. Seriously. Fuck it.
Because there's no way. There's no human way to fight that.
Not with bullets.
Not with explosives.
Not with anything we have at our disposal.
And now…
My head hurts.
My soul burns.
And all I want is to wake up from this damn nightmare.
The engine hummed softly as the truck slid over the cracked road. The sky, covered by a thick layer of clouds, seemed to silently watch their journey. Two hours, twenty-four minutes, and thirty-four seconds since they left Rias's mansion… and that thing.
Rias kept her eyes on the road, but her fingers tightly clutched the hem of her skirt. Despite her calm facade, her breathing was slightly quicker than normal.
"Are you sure about this?" she asked without looking at him. "Looking for an island… isn't exactly a typical plan. But I suppose typical doesn't exist anymore."
"It's not about what's ideal," Osamu replied, keeping his eyes on the road. "It's just about what might keep us alive a little longer."
From the back seat, Ichika leaned forward with a half-smile, the hint of a joke on her lips… though her eyes betrayed her.
"A deserted island? Sounds more like a romantic date than a survival strategy… But if you're in charge, I could get used to the idea."
Miku, with her headphones hanging limp around her neck, murmured softly, looking out the fogged-up window.
"Thank you… for taking the wheel. I don't know if I'd have the strength to keep going if you weren't here."
Yotsuba nodded energetically, though her hands trembled slightly.
"We're heading in the right direction, I feel it! If anyone can handle this, it's you, Osamu!"
Her tone was full of genuine faith, the same faith that pushed her to keep going even when everything seemed to be falling apart.
Itsuki hugged herself, her gaze lost in her knees.
"I'm terrified thinking that thing could follow us... But if you think we have a chance, then I'll take it. I'd rather follow you than stay paralyzed waiting for the end."
Nino hadn't said anything until now. She sat with her arms crossed, but not in defiance, rather holding in an unease that burned inside her. Finally, she lifted her gaze and spoke firmly, though her eyes trembled just a little.
"I don't care where we go, as long as you're with us. Just… promise me you won't do anything crazy, okay? I don't want to lose you."
Osamu briefly looked at her through the rearview mirror. His expression was soft, sincere.
"I'm here, Nino. And as long as I am… I'm not going to give up."
In the back seat, Shizuka unfolded a somewhat wrinkled map, pointing at a spot marked on the coast.
"About twenty kilometers away, there's an abandoned fishing port. We might find a boat, hopefully one that still floats… and if not, we can try to repair it."
Rias turned her face slightly to look at her, nodding seriously.
"That's the most concrete thing we've had in hours. What do you think?"
"We're going to the port," Osamu replied, gripping the wheel tighter. "From there… we'll see."
The silence that took over the group wasn't from fear, but from determination. Even the sky seemed to relent a bit, allowing a few rays of light to filter through the clouds like a promise.
Ichika let out a long sigh, relaxing her shoulders.
"We set sail at dawn… sounds more poetic than I expected."
"As long as it's not the dawn of our end," Miku added, with a sad but real smile.
Yotsuba laughed, though her eyes were still red.
"It'll be the start of a new chapter, that's for sure!"
Nino, with her gaze fixed on Osamu's profile, thought aloud, not realizing she was making it audible.
"Just… stay with us."
And Osamu, without needing empty promises, let his presence say it all. He kept the wheel steady, his gaze resolute. If the world was coming down, he wasn't going to let them fall with it.
...
"Huh? Robin, look at this," said Nami, furrowing her brow as she passed some binoculars to her companion. The sun filtered through the gray clouds, reflecting faintly on the water.
Robin, elegantly leaning on the yacht's railing, took the binoculars without haste. From that distance, with a perfect view of the dock, she scanned the scene. Her expression didn't change… but her eyes caught every detail.
What she saw wasn't simple.
Hordes of zombies, yes… but they were organized. In front of them, monstrous creatures with grotesque bodies, misshapen muscles, and eyes full of intent moved. They weren't just mindless walkers. They were leaders.
"Curious," Robin murmured.
"Curious? That's terrifying!" Nami retorted. "Those zombies are organized! How the hell is that even possible?"
"The same way the dead rose from the ground without warning," Robin replied calmly. "Abnormality doesn't follow logical rules."
Nami grunted, crossing her arms.
"If those things are already coordinating, landing on land is going to be suicide. And if the sea stops being safe too, we're screwed."
Robin didn't respond immediately. Something else had caught her attention.
"Over there, on the coast. Look."
Nami took the binoculars again. A black truck was stopping near one of the abandoned warehouses. Several people were getting out. A tall man, several girls. They were armed, but they didn't seem aware of the danger approaching them just a few meters away.
"Another group of survivors?" Nami asked.
"That's what it looks like."
"Friends or trouble?"
"It depends," Robin replied. "If they have supplies, we could negotiate. We'll save time… and ammo."
"And if they don't want to talk?"
"Then we keep moving."
Robin straightened up and raised an eyebrow, looking beyond the dock. Her gaze sharpened.
"One moment…"
"What's going on?" Nami said, approaching.
Robin used the binoculars again, this time focusing behind the warehouse.
And there they were.
A massive horde of zombies was silently moving between the rubble, guided by one of those large creatures. The group on the coast had no idea what was coming toward them from the rear.
"Trouble?" Nami asked, clenching her jaw.
"For them… yes. And soon."
"What do we do? Leave them? Help them?"
Robin thought for a second.
"If we leave them, that noise might attract more hordes to this coastal area. But if we help them, they'll owe us something. And in this world… a debt can be worth more than gold."
"So… we go?"
"Yes. Get ready."
Nami quickly spun on her heels and headed for the helm.
"I'll start the engines. We need to get closer before it's too late," she said with determination, beginning to prepare the navigation system.
Robin didn't move yet. She stayed at the railing, watching with the binoculars as the horde moved like a living shadow behind the warehouse.
Robin threw one last glance at the coast. The truck group was talking calmly, unaware of the terror approaching behind the warehouses.
"Tick-tock…" Robin murmured. "The clock just started ticking."