Part 242: Base
The advance team, led by Yasuhiko Hibiya, had established their base in the first floor of what used to be called "Urayasu Station." It was the space that had once housed a gift shop.
Inside the store, which seemed vaguely like an empty gift box, Yasuhiko found an odd sense of peace.
—This place is good.
No zombies. No monsters.
Despite being this kind of building, it was surprisingly well-maintained.
Although all the worthwhile supplies had been taken by the people of the "Imaginary Kingdom," remnants of a time when life was bustling and peaceful could still be felt in the wallpaper and small monuments.
"Hah…………"
Still, it was undeniably boring.
He had long grown tired of making origami from paper scraps printed with Fukuzawa Yukichi’s image.
The radio, reminiscent of an old video deck, remained silent for a while.
Asahina Asuka is hiding in "Avienia," while her father is hiding in "Grandelinia."
Likewise, Hayato, part of the留守番 group, was out searching for supplies—partly, too, because there was no one to talk to.
—No.
With this crew, it might actually be a relief that there's no need to talk.
After that incident, Asuka has developed a dislike for me, and sensing that atmosphere, Hayato has also stopped approaching me with conversation.
My father, who occasionally speaks to me out of the ordinary, has always been someone I've never been comfortable around.
"Hmm..."
Lately, I feel more stressed by human relationships than by killing zombies.
How much easier life would be if there were someone like Imano Rintaro—someone I could talk to without having to think too much.
But that's not the only reason I feel weighed down.
I just don't know what kind of face to show to my "senpai."
She’s lost her memory, so she can’t be scolded or lectured.
But that doesn’t mean it wouldn’t still feel awkward.
...Just thinking that far, the vague unease I’d buried deep in my gut resurfaced, once again tormenting Kousei, who’d recently managed to regain some peace of mind.
Maybe hara-kiri was just a surgical procedure to remove this very kind of fog.
...and such pointless thoughts drifted through his mind...
▼
To cut to the chase, the reason Kōda Rika broke up with him was infidelity.
Blaming it on the "slave" skill's influence... was no excuse at all.
As for the other person involved... frankly, he didn't even want to talk about it.
Now that I think about it, I can't help but wonder why I ever chose someone like that. A woman two years older than me, a former college girl—nothing more than large breasts. To a teenage boy, that was incredibly important. It was absurd to expect self-control when one knew perfectly well that those two breasts were within reach.
The first time, she invited me to her bedroom.
The second and third times, it was the same.
On the fourth occasion, it was outside. A night with falling mist. In the warm, damp air, we both got covered in mud, lost in the moment.
On the fifth occasion, we were inside a car near the barricade, motionless.
On the sixth, inside a girls' restroom in the school building, our actions grew increasingly intense...
And then, everything was exposed.
Worst of all possible scenarios. We were found—naked, drenched in sweat, muddled together on the tiled floor of the girls' restroom—by Rika, armed and accompanied by several other students.
Night after night, strange moaning echoes had filled the hallway, and rumors spread that even the legendary Toilet Girl had appeared, signaling the end of days.
No matter how eloquent a man might be, it seemed there was no excuse left to offer.
The timeless source of laughter across generations—mocking others' private matters, especially their lower bodies.
Ever since then, Kohei has been completely ostracized by every girl in the community.
The only one who showed him any sympathy was Nakata Hizuri, a friend who had been shunned by many girls in the past after having relationships with several of them.
"…………uguguguguu………"
Fukuzawa Yukichi stared at him with a cold, indifferent gaze.
Crushing the paper stamped with "Bank of Japan" into a crumpled ball.
At that moment—
"——oh... It's coming... "
He sensed the visitor's arrival instinctively.
This is the new power granted to the "liberated slaves" (though Kōsuke and the others call themselves "soldiers" on their own).
The skills currently possessed by Kōsuke and the others are:
《Hand-to-Hand Combat (Advanced)》, 《Marksmanship Enhancement (Advanced)》, 《Natural Healing (Strong)》, 《Skin Reinforcement》, 《Bone Reinforcement》, 《Strong Hunger Resistance》, 《Skill Assessment》
《Base Construction II》,《Weapon Crafting (Lower Grade)》,《Automatic Maintenance》,《Throwing V》,《Attack Power I》,《Defense Power I》,《Magic Resistance I》
and so on.
It was only after deciding to make Maebashi Station their temporary residence that they realized they possessed the ability《Base Construction II》, which allowed them to "fortify" a limited area.
Within the area that has been fortified, Kousuke and the others can gain several advantages.
First, their "mana" gradually recovers as long as they remain within the base.
Second, they can detect intruders entering the base.
Third, those within the base can share their location information with one another.
Fourth, the base becomes electrified.
And so on, and so forth.
All of these are recent revelations, information provided by that peculiar cross-dressing man.
He seems to have decided to finally share the details about his skills now, despite usually holding back information.
――Five people, then. A bit delayed, but they must be the "senpais."
Pushing myself up with effort, I stood.
I had practically fled from Sakaoka like a coward when I first signed up for this journey.
But in the end, I’ll have to settle things properly.
I need to apologize properly to Rika.
If you're going to reject a reunion... then, though it pains me, I have no choice but to respect your decision.
At that moment, suddenly—
—Hey, Kousuke. I think someone in a red jersey would suit you better than that little girl.
The thought surfaces again—those thoughtless words my father once said.
Idiot. This isn't the time to be thinking about such things.
I have to... go meet her.