12th Episode: Searching for Trade Goods

"The deal with Kirioka Agricultural High School is settled."

Hayato reported the outcome to Yui after returning from Kirioka Agricultural High School.

"I’ll provide supplies. They’ll tell us about the vehicles. Might be tricky, though."

"Tricky? What does that mean?"

"It doesn’t just work by picking up a Battery from around here and swapping it with the one we already have. We’ll also need to secure gasoline. Seems complicated."

Hayato exhaled, recalling the complications.

"Complicated, but possible?"

"Yeah. I’ll give it a try."

Staying confined at Yui’s home isn’t sustainable.

Water is the most urgent issue. Currently, we’re drawing from stored space-secured water, but it will eventually run out.

Humans need water to drink. Water is also required to flush toilets.

Moving to a location with stable water access is mandatory. To safely relocate Yui, using a vehicle is essential.

"The first time I provided salt. But giving only salt feels awkward. I plan to look for additional supplies tomorrow. That’s the current situation."

"Where will you look?"

"I’m considering the shopping district in front of the station. There should have been a pharmacy."

The shopping district Hayato remembered was nearly a shuttered street.

But in front of the station, a night-time commercial district remained active. The pharmacy had not closed, likely due to ongoing demand.

After three years in this world, it didn’t seem likely to close now.

"Can I just wait here?"

"Sure. If a zombie approaches, run immediately—no need to hesitate."

"Should I meet you at your house if I run?"

"For now, that’s acceptable."

As a fallback plan, Hayato had instructed Yui to go to his home in case of emergency.

He did not expect to be forced to flee. Staying inside the house reduced the risk of detection by zombies.

Zombies possessed visual, auditory, and olfactory senses below human levels.

A human could not detect a person hiding inside a house from the street.

"Come back soon."

"I'll do my best."

Hayato heard the rare, flustered affection from Yui and made a promise to try.

◇◇◇◇◇◇

The early morning air in February was cold and clear.

Hayato felt the chill against his skin as he began pedaling the bicycle.

Along the route, he remained alert, especially wary of human presence.

If Hayato walked alone, he would be seen as someone capable of moving through this world independently. Others might approach him seeking new allies, information, or supplies.

If the other party was the group that had exiled Yui, that would be worse.

— Fighting back offers me no benefit, that’s clear.

Hayato moved early in the morning.

He passed a zombie he had spotted during his morning walk, then advanced until the shopping district came into view.

At the arcade entrance, cars were parked and abandoned, blocking further access by vehicle.

Pedaling past them, he saw most shops had their shutters closed. The few that did not were glassless, their contents long since removed.

In the clothing store, mannequins lay toppled and scattered, their garments stripped away.

It was fortunate the fallen bodies were not human. Still, the sight of mannequins stripped bare was unsettling.

A fitting end-of-the-world scenario.

Arriving at the pharmacy, Hayato felt relief upon seeing its shutter closed.

“First checkpoint cleared, at least.”

If the shutter had been open, the survivors would have already taken the supplies.

Stopping his bicycle in front of the pharmacy, two zombies approached from behind.

Reaching with hands soaked in virus, eager to infect.

Hayato stowed the bicycle and drew his spear.

"Namu Amida Butsu, or Namu Myōhō Renge Kyō."

Hayato did not know his family's sect well.

His father's and mother's sects differed. Neither parent had forced Hayato to choose, so he might belong to neither.

He recited both anyway, and slashed the nearest zombie with the spear.

The sharp tip pierced the zombie's head and drove it down into the ground.

Hayato pulled the spear free, stepped lightly aside, and swung it clear to the side.

The spear tip struck the second zombie’s neck, and a loud crack echoed as bone snapped.

The zombie was thrown backward, rolling into the wall of a shop across the pharmacy.

It collapsed and did not move again.

"Still, head or neck, that’s the only way."

Hayato confirmed no third zombie was nearby.

Fewer zombies than expected, but likely they had left the shuttered street for elsewhere.

Satisfied, Hayato slid the spear tip into the gap between shutters, prying it open.

He inserted a finger and pulled upward with force.

"Uraaah."

As Hayato called out, the shutter creaked and rose.

He grimaced at the noise—likely to attract more zombies.

But when the shutter rose above eye level, Hayato grimaced.

The pharmacy still held untouched goods.

"Oh wow, look at that—so much here!"

Hayato pulled the shutter fully open and slipped inside quickly.

He exhaled once, then scanned the dimly lit shelves.

It was a treasure trove.

The vehicle could not enter, and zombies had blocked access, preventing the shutter from being raised.

The goods were neatly arranged—evidence the storekeeper had not been able to remove them.

"Exactly what kind of things are kept in a pharmacy, anyway?"

Three years ago, Hayato had entered drugstores, but never pharmacies.

The first thing he noticed was the stack of nutritional drinks near the entrance.

"Maybe for energetic late-night flings with a lady?"

Hayato wondered if he had entered the wrong shop, then recalled the ingredients in the nutritional drinks.

The drinks contained various components.

Vitamins aiding energy metabolism, arginine promoting blood flow and aiding fatigue recovery, taurine supporting liver function, glutamine and ornithine assisting immune function, caffeine enhancing concentration.

Some drinks included ginseng for improved circulation, guarana for stimulant effects. Still, he judged the vitamins to be beneficial.

"Best before date—safe?"

The best before dates on the stacked nutritional drinks ranged from three months to about six months remaining.

Zombie outbreaks began three years ago. Japanese society maintained order two years ago. Civilizational collapse occurred one year ago. If the shopkeeper had been attacked by a zombie two years ago, some products might still be viable.

Hayato's spatial storage retrieved items in the exact condition they were stored.

Expiration dates and usage periods did not pass while stored. Labels marked expired could not be handed to others, but consuming them personally with Yui posed no issue.

Hayato stored every remaining packaged nutritional drink in his space. He then turned his gaze to the shelf.

Medicines lined the shelf—headache remedies, treatments for rashes and dermatitis, painkillers, fever reducers, nasal medications.

Checking expiration dates, some medicines near the front had expired.

Those further back remained valid.

—Even sacred magic isn't flawless.

Sacred magic operated by Hayato manipulating mana.

Without knowing the user's condition, proper healing could not be achieved.

Having medicine was welcome, and it could serve as trade material for Kirioka Agricultural High School.

Would it be alright to hand over items past their expiration date?

Hayato hesitated, unsure if that would be acceptable. He stored only the items still within their expiration period.

Next, he moved to the adjacent pharmaceutical section.

There, a row of products stood in neat order: performance-enhancing drugs, hair growth and regrowth agents, adult diapers, topical analgesics, and various supports for hands, feet, and the lower back.

The first item likely served for romantic interactions with an older woman.

The second was for an older man to maintain his own hair density.

The topical analgesics might indicate someone had overexerted themselves.

Headmaster Oomori’s hair had once been thick, Hayato thought, perhaps unkindly, as he considered the potential trade value of each item and stored them all.

"Small shop, but surprisingly varied assortment."

In the back of the store, shelves held powdered milk, baby formula, and baby food.

The baby formula had expired, but the powdered milk and baby food were intact. Hayato stored them.

Other shelves held protein supplement meals.

Protein was a nutrient-rich supplement high in protein. It could be obtained from meat, fish, eggs, or soy. All were currently unavailable.

Protein bars coated in cereal came in chocolate, white, and strawberry flavors.

Protein gel was labeled as mixed fruit flavor.

Powder to be dissolved in water came in coffee, cocoa, caramel, vanilla, muscat, and grapefruit flavors.

The tablets were lemon drop flavor. This was the protein corner.

"What was the purpose of this store, anyway?"

Perhaps they had wanted to form a muscle fire brigade using protein, in the shopping district.

Next to the protein corner were hair care, body care, and skincare products. All were collected.

Finally, a fish liver drop was found. Hayato tilted his head, wondering what this was, and collected it.