Episode 29: Reverse

Hayato left the house where he had hidden Natsuki.

He moved along the residential area, bypassing the main gate.

He found a house surrounded by a hedge, positioned so he could look inside the main gate.

The house had no fence. Instead, low shrubs were densely planted to serve as a barrier.

— This will do.

Hayato crouched low and concealed himself behind the hedge, peering forward.

A high-end SUV still stood in front of the main gate.

Only two men stood there: one with a large tattoo on his neck, and another who looked young.

Kikutani, leader of the group that traded with the high school, and Ihei, a former classmate of Natsuki from middle school, who had graduated last year.

The men Hayato had seen during the third transaction and had learned about from Natsuki.

— The other two are inside the vehicle.

The remaining two were men Hayato did not know.

According to Hayato’s initial listening, Kikawa and Junpei had lured the teacher in, while the remaining two were to finish the job.

Those two might be waiting inside the vehicle.

A male student, bitten by a zombie, lay stretched along the barricade running beside the gate.

The student was chained to the barricade by a manacle on his left ankle.

Hayato listened closely. The voices of Kikawa and his group reached him.

"Blackhara seems to have awakened."

A casual tone, as if a cup noodle had just been poured with hot water.

Below, where Ippo looked down, the male student called Blackhara twitched his hand slightly.

"Students from the dormitory will wake up too."

"Yes, Mr. Kikawa. When the students awaken, they’ll head to the faculty dormitory based on memory. We’ll clear that side as well."

The teacher who failed the surprise attack will endure a little longer. I wanted to reduce them, but they didn’t come out.

If it drags on, it’ll be a bit troublesome.

Hayato listened calmly to the malicious exchange.

He did not feel anger based on justice.

Gaining food for survival is a natural act for living organisms.

In a situation where food production is difficult, acquiring food sources to ensure one’s own survival is not incomprehensible.

— Rather, it is expected.

Humans form groups to increase their own and their descendants’ survival rate.

A nation is the largest group humans can create.

Currently, the group known as Japan is not functioning. Smaller groups are operating independently.

This incident involves a group of Onigawara launching a war against another group known as Kirioka Agricultural High School. A large-scale group constitutes a nation. War between such groups is common among humanity.

Regarding this matter, Hayato’s group will likely adopt the stance: “We regret that you attacked our trading partner.”

To overlook this would mean Hayato’s nation continues to suffer harm.

A nation’s representative must appear ready to retaliate, or else be treated as weak in international society. Is this an issue of national ideology, political观念, or belief systems?

— Simply attaching a convenient justification to one’s actions.

While thinking this, Hayato stared at the vehicle ahead.

The opposing vehicle was a new model of a four-wheel-drive, off-road capable, and rugged-frame vehicle widely used by the Allied forces during World War II.

Armor was standard issue, but its mobility and durability were unquestionable.

Even ordinary vehicles could evade grizzly attacks and escape. Hayato might attack, but the same escape remained possible.

— Conceal the face. Burn it with fire.

He thought of the possibility of being observed from the faculty building through a telescope.

Inside the personal space of the spatial storage, a plate armor for Hayato was stored.

From it, he removed only the great helm, shaped to fit over the face.

Hayato took a firm breath, in and out.

With resolve, he moved from the house to the road, advancing with minimal sound, running along the pavement. His form was quiet, sharp—like a predator stalking prey.

His body cut through the wind. He pushed forward, driving into the earth.

At the side of the car, Hayato hurled several oil drums filled with high-octane gasoline from spatial storage. He jumped, landing atop the vehicle.

"What—!"

As Oniwa turned at the sound, Hayato was already on top of the car.

On the vehicle, Hayato tossed more oil drums filled with gasoline.

His body kept moving. He jumped from above without slowing, landing on the road.

Still hurling oil drums, he sprinted toward a house, leapt onto the wall.

Hayato turned, pulling two ignited oil lamps from his hands.

The smell of volatile oil altered the air around him.

"...Stop it."

"There's no stopping."

Hayato threw the oil lamps as he fell into the courtyard beyond the wall.

Oniwa and Ihei saw the motion and dropped to the ground in haste.

An instant later, a massive fire erupted around the vehicle, swelling to the size of an entire house.

At the same moment, a deep booming sound and violent shockwave burst forth, sweeping clean through the area surrounding the main gate.

The blast struck the wall of the house where Hayato had hidden, tearing through it and launching debris skyward.

The vehicle, directly hit, tumbled sideways multiple times before being violently flung aside.

Hayato rose to his feet, leapt onto the top of the wall, and surveyed the surroundings.

The main gate had been transformed into a scene from hell. The scent of gasoline and burned metal hung heavily in the air.

— Where are Oniwa and Ihei?

They had both dropped to the ground. Confirming their position.

If they remained low, the shockwave would pass over their bodies.

Hayato looked toward Ihei. There, Ihei and Kurohara, his ankles shackled together, lay pressed against each other, rolled by the blast wind.

Ihei was being bitten by Kurohara.

"Gyahhh— you, Kurohara, stop messing around!"

Ihei struggled to pull himself free, but could not generate force while lying on his side.

Meanwhile, Kurohara, newly infected, moved only as the virus directed, biting with full force.

Hayato saw the teeth sink into Ihei’s right arm. He considered the matter settled.

In the next instant, a sharp crack split the air.

The gunshot echoed. Hayato’s hearing dulled for a moment.

Then a dull impact shot through his left arm.

Hayato had leapt down inside the wall. He crouched for cover, turning his eyes to his left arm.

The fabric of his clothing split open. A red stain spread slowly.

A familiar sight in this world—his own blood.

—Armor. It should have covered his entire body.

The bullet was embedded in flesh.

The wound could not be sealed without first removing the bullet from the body.

Hayato pulled a lamp with his right hand and threw it over the wall.

Then, again, a sharp gunshot rang out.

"Come out, you bastard!"

A furious voice echoed from the road side of the wall—Kikawa.

Who would come out in this situation?

Hayato thought the man's words foolish, yet he considered a response.

"What the hell did you do!"

Pain shot through his left arm, but movement remained unimpaired.

First, seal the wound. Then reopen it and extract the bullet.

—Or, do not seal it. Deal with it quickly.

Hayato made the decision instantly. He donned a plate armor made of metallic plates that covered his entire body.

The armor's metal was spring steel—lightweight, yet offering high defense.

Layers of leather incorporated rare monster materials for superior shock absorption. Thin layers of tendons and ligaments were embedded between the metal plates.

Hayato, clad in his armor, hurled a lamp toward the edge of the wall. As the lamp struck the wall, he leapt over it.

The oni tile turned its rifle barrel toward the sound, hastily pulling it back.

Immediately after, a third gunshot rang out. The bullet struck the armor and was easily deflected.

Hayato raised his empty hand. As he did, a spear materialized from the void.

The oni tile’s eyes widened in shock.

"What—"

The spear tip struck the oni tile’s right hand with force, knocking the gun away. The gun arced through the air and rolled across the ground.

The spear tip did not halt. It traced a smooth curve and pressed against the oni tile’s throat.

The oni tile wore an expression of utter disbelief, as if all understanding had collapsed.

“What— are you”

“Asterial Empire Military, Demon Assault Reinforcement Division, Kumakura Special Officer”

The glowing spear tip pierced the oni tile’s throat with sharp precision.