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Hound of the Dead Chapter 14: Schemes Part 1
🕑 Added 2025-06-21 12:30:04 +0000 UTCBeta read by Paragon of Awesomeness, Shigiya and Gamercrusher55
Thank Lord Belly for the extra chapter đ
Next update is Toloveru.
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-???-
Ever since heâd kicked the bucket, taking on the toughest of the tough had become his whole damn purpose, no, his obsession.
Despite the number of enemies he had made, the regrets he carried, and the many moments he might have wanted to change â never once did he answer the call of the Grail to alter the past. To the Heroic Spirit, such a way⊠while not a cowardâs way out, just never sits right with him.
He had accepted every scar and every failure as they were his to bear and learn from. With no greater desire left than to meet a worthy opponent, he chose to live on in the beyond, carrying that wish proudly like the crest on his back.
This thirst for worthy battle had followed him his entire life. He remembered the day the Conchobar mac Nessa had summoned him, speaking of an opponent that no warrior had bested. A youth, they said, one who defied various expectations with power that should not belong to someone his age. The words had caught his interest, not because it was the Kingâs order, but because it stirred something inside him.
The moment was as clear as day, how the boy had walked out before him, still so young yet holding himself with such presence. There were signs then, warnings even, signs that whispered of something familiar, something he should have seen.
Even Emer begged him not to answer the King's summons.
That woman, perhaps given the gift of foresight for all he knew, what with how true her words always tended to be.
Yet he ignored her.
Perhaps, just this once, the hunger for challenge had silenced the voice he normally trusted. Not just her, but also that gut feeling, always there, always right, had been smothered under the weight of anticipation.
"Whatâs your name and lineage?" he had asked. A question born from instinct, almost as a form of greeting between warriors to make their names known.
But he got no response, not that he minded; everyoneâs desires differed, and so did their goals. Not all wished for fame; regardless, rumors had not lied. The boy was a natural with the spear, a prodigy in every sense that would even make his Shishou proud. He had speed nearly matching his own, a strength that could break stone, and movements that slithered like a serpent, dodging every thrust in advance as if seeing the future itself, every slash, answering with strikes of his own. The duel had been a blur. Sparks flew, and eventually, blood was drawn. Wounds opened along both their bodies. But not once did the boy show fear, not once did he flinch or lose himself to fear.
For the first time in what felt like forever, Cu felt that old fire again. His grin had spread freely, wild, and unrestrained, for he had found someone who could truly keep pace with him. Their roars filled the air, laughter, and fury clashing with the sound of steel. He had given himself over to the feeling, his spear dancing faster, his strikes hitting harder. Every movement became a blur of intent, more beast than man. But the boy never let up either, pushing past the limits of pain and exhaustion just to stay even.
But all good things eventually came to an end.
Bit by bit, the tide had to turn. One mistake. That was all it ever took. Whether it was arrogance, fatigue, or simply the dulled edge of a warrior who had been too long away from the land of shadows and had not gotten his ass kicked by that scary woman, Cu faltered. And the boy struck.
The spear found flesh. A small, sharp, piercing wound to the shoulder. Not fatal in the least, but close enough to shake the Hound of Ulster. That slip-up became the only thing the young warrior needed to change the tide of combat, pushing his opponent to a corner. His moves were clean, reminding him of Ferdiad to a certain extent.
With Cuâs eyes widening, every scrap of rationality gave way to pure lust for battle. Magical Energy surged through him, flooding his limbs, pouring into the spear, and releasing a wave of crimson.
No more holding back.
With full intent, he unleashed GĂĄe Bolg, the attack that struck without fail, pouring everything into it â the barbed weapon that pierced with death.
And the boy, brilliant as he was, had not been prepared for what came next. Before the attack had even fully reached him, a faint voice slipped into Cuâs ears like a whisper from across a great divide.
"She did not teach me that."
He blinked, the words not making sense at the moment, confusion flickering across his face. However, it was too late to stop and his spear struck the heart. The sound of the piercing blow echoed across the field but he just kept facing the boy with disbelief at first.
In the quiet that followed, when the thundering pulse of combat ebbed and the thrill drained from his limbs, Cu stepped closer. Rationality began to settle in where excitement once lived. His eyes fell to the young manâs chest, to the faint glint of gold circling his finger that he had given to Aife long ago.
Everything clicked.
It was then that everything fell apart.
The ring. He recognized it.
The adrenaline of the fight drained from him in an instant. What shouldâve been a victory now felt like a gut punch. He looked down, his hands trembling, the warmth of battle replaced by a cold, sinking dread.
"Why didnât you tell me?"
The words escaped him like a plea. He wasnât sure who he was speaking to anymore.
The boy, despite the mortal wound blooming across his chest with no way of saving him anymore, gave him a soft smile, one lined with pain yet still proud.
"I wanted to impress you," he said. "I wanted you to acknowledge me⊠for my skill."
His sonâŠ
Connla.
He had chosen the name long ago, before leaving the land of shadows, before ever laying eyes on the child. He had departed without seeing the boy born, without being part of his life. And now here he was, lying at his feet, cut down by the very spear that should have protected him.
Sent on a journey with three cursed rules handed down by his mother. Bound by promises that sealed his fate.
Even as the light began to fade from Connlaâs eyes, Cu knelt beside him, a weak smile formed across his face. In the fleeting moment they shared, he tried to give him something, anything, even if it was just the comfort of a name with all the warriors and his friends gathered around.
"This is my son," he said, barely able to keep his voice stable. Presenting them to Connla one by one and vice versa. "My blood, my kin⊠one of the strongest warriors I have faced in my life, if not the best."
He watched the boy go still, seeing the embers that now reminded him so much of his own, slowly die out.
He could not remember the last time he had felt this weak.
This⊠furious.
This disgusted at her⊠and with himself, for he was just as responsible for this sin.
"If you wanted me to regret, if this was your vengeance for leaving, I would have welcomed any knife, the flame, the curse. Anything. But why⊠why him? How could you set our son to such a fate, Aife?"
His voice cracked, not directed at anyone living, not meant for anyone who could ever answer. With molten rage streaming within his veins at the three rules imposed on Connla by his mother and her clear intentions. She wasnât there. She wouldnât hear itâbut she had won.
There was no pride now. No honor. Just blood on his hands and silence in his arms.
He held his son close, soaked in the weight of his own failure, for a time he couldnât measure.
{Break}
-Fujimi High-
With the sound of leaves rustling in the trees and a few distant gunshots echoing from the still-burning city, even this late at night, Cu's groggy eyes opened. Staring upward at the deep black sky littered with faint stars, his body resting on a makeshift bed placed at the top of the roof. Having chosen to sleep outside in the cold, unfortunately, keeping watch in case anything unexpected occurred. The irony of his role here was not lost on the man, but then again⊠it was for the best.
Some of the other students had taken similar measures, using what they could find to create crude bedding arrangements inside the gymnasium.
From his earlier visit, books lay scattered beneath them, flattened into uneven mattresses to keep their bodies away from the ground, while others had stacked their clothes into piles to soften the cold gym floor. A few had dragged out the pole vaulting landing club's mats and were curled up together in quiet clusters. None of it looked comfortable, but comfort wasnât the goal. Rest, even a sliver of it, was a rare luxury during such moments.
Many still had no idea if their families were even alive. Some already assumed the worst and started mourning in despair, a few continued to hold onto hope and the rest just tried to keep themselves together.
Cuâs eyes wandered around, with a faint sigh, he pushed himself upright, shifting silently off the bed and taking a moment to massage his temples.
âI ainât even a Servant anymore,â he muttered, voice low and coarse. âWhatâs the bloody point in rememberinâ shit like that?â
He spoke to no one but himself, his tone weighed down at the fragment from a life long gone but not forgotten. Regrets that would never truly disappear, memories that had not faded in the least. Even now, years and worlds away, the memory refused to let go.
It had been ages since that nightmare crept into his head, not that he thought it was because he was tired or anything like thatâjust his brain being a bastard and dragging up shit heâd rather leave buried.
âFeckinâ useless to mop around now,â he grunted, reaching up to brush his fingers through his hair. âNo sense in lying here waiting for dawn, sleep won't be coming back anytime soon.â
There was no point trying to sleep again. He knew himself well enough to know that once that sort of memory woke him, it would take a while for him to just forget about it. The only remedy he could think of was walking it off with a bit of fresh air.
The tap of his boots against the rooftop echoed softly through the dark. As he reached the edge, leaning against the metal rails, he gazed downwards at the schoolâs main gates, his eyes landing on the twisted remains of Yoshitoâs car, shoved against the entrance as a makeshift barricade. Most of its parts were gone or in places, they should not be, like the engine now stuffed inside the passenger seats to add more weight. Crude for sure, but it held the gates in place⊠better than nothing.
Not much could be done today.
The students were rattled beyond words, some crying and others vomiting from stress or from the mere sight of those undead â they needed time to adjust. Expecting them to do more than gather supplies already scattered throughout the school would be pointless. The cafeteria incident from this morning according to Rei already showed signs of trouble brewing with troublemakers getting ideas and taking advantage of those in weak spirits.
âThat Shido⊠putting all the food inside the gym storage room with Teshima holding the keys. Kinda obvious what he's planning to do, but I'm more surprised how barely anyone caught onto what is going on.â
Even the teachers were too occupied to notice it. Kyoko was more worried about him and calming those who would get panic attacks. That deadly airheaded nurse, on the other hand, seemed like she was a step ahead and already secured all the medical items and fully focused on taking care of Yoshito's and his family's wounds and making sure they were not infected.
The principal on the other hand lost all his authority and became a mute existence who just kept following his colleagues around.
As for the other teachers⊠they had already clearly allied themselves with the four-eyed guy. The scene almost made Cu chuckle, like watching a child play king and gather loyal subjects with ridiculous promises and kind words.
âBest I keep him in line, killing is off the table, or that will backfire on me. The students already don't trust me that much, forcing order through fear will only bite me in the ass during the most inconvenient time. Better save that when the snake shows its fangs. But then again, I'm the only one with a proper weapon, that alone should tip the scales even a tiny bit on my side.â
Part of him was curious to see what trouble Shido was planning. While a snake in disguise, the guy could not compare to the likes of Kotomine and did not pose any threat to him. But lowering his guard around that man would be foolish and a mistake that even his Shishou would bash his head against a mountain for making.
All of this made him scratch at his chin and muttered, âDammit⊠I need a bloody beer.â
Only that could take the edge off. He could already taste it in the back of his throat, the kind of drink that dulled the thoughts and settled his nerves. Too bad there wasnât any at school. His own supply was locked away in his apartment, a place far from here. Really not worth the long trek if he was being honest.
He glanced down the street. âLetâs see⊠the nearest convenience storeâs two blocks down, wait, no. That place went up in smoke this morninâ. So Iâd have to go even further.â
âThen youâd be a bigger idiot to even try,â said an irritated voice beside him.
He turned, a smirk already forming as he spotted the familiar girl standing with her arms crossed. Saya had pink hair slightly messy, no glasses, and an expression that told him exactly what she thought of his plan. She stood there in silence, the moonlight catching the sharp line of her jaw.
âCanât sleep?â he asked, raising an eyebrow.
Saya scoffed as her arms crossed beneath her rather large chest. "Iâm honestly surprised anyone can even sleep through a night like this. The sky is practically on fire and half the cityâs still screaming. Besides, Iâd rather we have multiple eyes keeping watch than relying on a single eccentric transfer student who barely anyone knows and has only made friends with a handful of people at best. I should also be asking the question as to why you're not sleeping, even Saeko looked visibly tired after coming back."
âA bad dream I guess,â he said, not going into further details. âWant to hang out a bit? You clearly have a lot on your mind as well.â
ââŠFine.â
"Thanks for keepinâ me company then," Cu replied, tone calm but laced with genuine appreciation. Though her prior words were harsh, there was no actual spite behind them, and her expression remained neutral. He gave her a quiet smile, one that barely lifted the corners of his lips, before his gaze turned again toward the blazing cityscape in the distance.
"Going back to our earlier talk, you're not seriously thinking of heading out again just to grab a damn pack of beer, are you? In fact, you shouldn't even be drinking those things at your age anyway!â Saya said with irritation.
"Does the law still apply when the city itself has ceased to exist, and what remains is nothinâ but scorched ruins and broken glass?" He shot back, one eyebrow raised. Much to his surprise, she didnât stammer or backpedal. Instead, she doubled down.
"Laws were never just about the city or the government. They were also for the people in general. They're meant to keep us, or those who can't think with their brain, civil. Even if there are no police officers left to enforce them, as long as people believe in them, and feel their weight, theyâll still hold some power. Useful against people who can't be trusted to hold onto their own personal morals in the first place."
He blinked, momentarily caught off guard by how well she articulated her point. She wasnât just spitting out rhetoric for the sake of it. She believed every word she said.
"Well Iâll be," he said, lips curling into a crooked grin. "Thereâs more to you than just a bonnie face and a short-stack body."
Her jaw dropped, a furious red blush of embarrassment filling her face. "Excuse you!?" she gasped, stepping back as her arms instinctively folded across her chest. Her stare sharpened, not realizing that her actions made her already prominent chest look even bigger. "That is literally sexual harassment!"
"Iâm just being honest, lass. Itâs a compliment, really," he said, shrugging with a look that suggested he meant no harm at all.
"You could have complimented me differently," she snapped. "The way you phrased it makes it sound like you thought I was some kind of airhead whoâs only worth noticing because of her looks!"
"You're wrong," he said, and this time his voice held a more grounded tone that caught her attention for a bit before she ended up regretting after hearing his next words. "I thought you were just a hot-headed girl with a bonnie face and a body to match. Now I know you're also quite smart and wise.â
âWhy you!â
He continued without paying any attention to her murderous face, âThat was my first impression, and I wonât pretend otherwise. You have to admit, you didnât exactly roll out the welcome mat for me when we first met."
"And you didnât exactly come off as someone trustworthy," she countered with a huff. "You looked like some kind of delinquent the moment I laid eyes on you."
Cu chuckled, and his shoulders relaxed.
There was something oddly comforting in the way she kept butting her head against him. Kinda reminding him of his ma, fiery as ever, flinging a slipper straight at his head whenever he got cheeky â hopefully, the girl would not do the same thing to him.
Thinking about his parents, his mood slightly soured once more, who would have expected that he'd grow so attached to this world, to new parents, and to this new home. Despite everything, he was grateful.
"Let's set the whole beer stuff aside for a minute, I still need to go out for supplies. The food stockpiled in the cafeteria might look like a feast now, but give it three days with the number of mouths we have, and weâll be scraping the bottom of every can. Maybe we stretch it to four if we start rationing, but thatâll just heighten stress and anxiety among the students. As for water, the faucet is still running and we also have an inventory of fresh water that will easily last a week. Still, better to keep our inventory stocked whenever the opportunity shows itself. Sitting still and hoping for the best wonât cut it."
Saya didnât speak right away, simply walked up beside him and leaned against the cold metal railing, her arms crossed beneath her chest and her gaze fixed on the moonlit schoolyard.
"While I do admit resources should be our number one priority," she said at last, her voice cool and measured, "thereâs one major flaw in your plan."
He didnât interrupt. From the look on her face and the pause she gave, he already had a good idea of what she was going to say.
"Even if you find plenty of convenience stores around here and bring back all the canned food and snacks you can, it still wonât be enough to sustain everyone. Not for long, at least. Unless you can somehow get your hands on a large truck, fill it to the brim with supplies, and make the trip back without alerting any of the undead in the area that will keep swarming the place."
Saya lifted her hand and pointed toward the gates. They were still holding, for now, but beyond them lurked scattered figures with rotting flesh and hollow eyes.
"I counted at least twelve of them earlier. More showed up after your dramatic entrance, but these ones havenât left. If you keep using the school bus for runs, going back and forth like clockwork, sooner or later there will be too many of them and something will go wrong. One mistake is all it takes. One of those things gets through, and everything weâve built here collapses into chaos."
"I can always kill them," Cu replied calmly. Though his tone wasnât dismissive though since her points were valid. "Even if a dozen made it through, I can take care of it. So can Saeko and even Rei, I'm not the sole protector here."
But she had made a point. The gates were holding for now, and even with the reinforcement he had carved using his runes, they wouldnât last forever. Heâd need more material, more time, and more hands if they wanted to make the walls truly secure. Not to mention most of the people here wanted to reunite with their loved ones, hoping that at least one of them survived.
Telling them everyone they knew died was both ignorant and generally a bad idea. He himself did not find the idea of staying holed up here that attractive.
"Yeah, we canât stay locked up in here forever either," he added, scratching the back of his head. "Even if I could somehow fix everything from the inside, it wouldn't be enough."
"Exactly," Saya said with a firm nod. "Itâs only a matter of time before we lose both power and access to drinkable water. This school, despite how lavish it looks, wasnât built with survival in mind. Thereâs no emergency generator that runs on fuel â even having that around would just attract more of those creatures from the noise alone. The fact that we still have power at all means only one thing."
"That there are survivors," he finished for her, eyes narrowing. The idea wasnât far-fetched. As much as he liked to think he and the others had made smart moves, he wasnât arrogant enough to believe they were the only ones still breathing. Humans were frustratingly resilient, and where there was even the faintest chance of life, someone would claw their way toward it.
"We can go to my parentsâ house," she said suddenly, catching him off guard.
He turned toward her, raising an eyebrow. "Your parents?"
The pink-haired girl nodded, looking in the distance, most likely towards where her home was located. "Yes. The Takagi estate is large enough to house this many students temporarily. If needed. My father has housed plenty of his men for training purposes amongst other reasons. We make do with a few frame beds and mattresses, it could work â better than sleeping on books and curtains. And both my mother and father have trained security personnel. If anyoneâs still alive out there, itâs them. Thereâs no way they would have gone down in a mess like this."
Takagi. The name echoed in his mind for a moment before a vivid image snapped into place, a stern-faced man with a scowl so intense it could make even Archer seem tame in comparison. The memory of that encounter back at the shrine hadnât left him, especially the sheer presence the man radiated.
"Well, would you look at that," Cu muttered with a grin tugging at the corners of his mouth. "We got ourselves a princess, huh? The surprises never stop with you."
"Ah!" he exclaimed, grinning when Saya tried to hit his side only to stop midway. Taking a moment to breathe and push down that anger of hers.
"Donât start getting cheeky with me," Saya warned, narrowing her eyes. "You can throw around that fake weird charm with Rei or Saeko all you like, but try that smart-ass attitude again with me and Iâll make you regret it."
âSo you do find me charming! That's good to know.â He chuckled under his breath. The girl might have had her pride and her sharp tongue, but he could see it now. Beneath all that, she was someone who took every single life around her seriously, even if she pretended not to care.
âIndeed, quite the firecracker,â Cu thought with a wry grin.
"Alright then, so the good news is that we won't have to figure out how to live off this school for that long. Not needing to turn half the campus into farmland just to keep stomachs full," he said, arms crossed as he leaned back. "Bad news is, we'll have to move around several hundred students across the bloody town to your manor.â
He let out a quiet chuckle, the kind that carried more fatigue than amusement.
"I wonât lie to you, girl. This planâs a fair bit riskier than me headin' out on a solo run to scavenge for tinned food and clean water. I suppose that's the kind of thing one must do when you have to save the lives of so many."
"Does that mean you wonât do it then?" Saya asked, arms folded and eyes narrowing.
"Nope. I will," he replied without hesitation. "But before we go rushing to load every student into the bus and march off like sheep, weâll need to make a few preparations first. For that, you'll need to provide me with directions to your house and I can scout the routes we need to take and clear them out.â
Saya hummed, clearly not in disagreement but making no effort to hide her impatience.
"Whatever works, I'm all for it, just do it quickly before things start slipping out of your hands⊠but also don't push yourself. I don't want to deal with a resentful Rei in case you die."
A laugh escaped his mouth, âHahahaha! It may be hard to imagine, but I am quite hard to kill, lass! Besides, I made a promise to Kyoko earlier on, and I'm not dying until I've accomplished that at least. If I were to die then it would either be of old age or at the hands of a worthy warrior.â
She rolled her eyes.
âYou've been watching too many movies lately, ugh, you sound like an otaku. Still, I prefer you more than that person.â She grumbled, glancing at the gymnasium in the distance.
Cu followed her gaze and instantly understood. "Oh, him."
"Of course, him! I'm not as daft as the rest of them. Itâs obvious the students are warming up to Shido, and heâs taking full advantage of that⊠you weren't there to listen to that obscenely fake speech of his. I donât know what heâs scheming, but I donât like it. I donât trust him leading anyone, least of all me."
Seeing how she spoke about that particular teacher, part of him wondered if there was also some bad history between them. But he heard nothing about that from either Rei or Kyoko since Shido appeared to be well-received by most of the students except for Rei of course.
As if reading his thoughts, she added, âI met his father before⊠or rather my mother did. Slimy politician, the way Shido talked and conducted himself earlier reminded me a lot of that man.â
Ah, that made sense. She had a good intuition at least. He never met the father she spoke of, only seeing small appearances on the news from time to time and having no real opinion of him.
"So with you telling me all this, does that mean you just approved of me as the leader?" Cu asked with a crooked smile, tone teasing.
In response, she lifted her hand and gave him a firm middle finger, spun on her heel, and marched away without another word.
"Not going to keep me company tonight then?" he called after her. âI've been told that my body is quite warm and pleasant to hug.â
The sharp sound of a door slamming shut was answer enough.
With a shake of the head, Cu figured it best to return to bed. The cold air had done its work. His headache had dulled somewhat, the sour taste in his mouth had faded, and the pressure pressing against his skull had eased.
As he was making his way back, a faint noise reached his ears from the floor below. Curious, he went to check through the dim corridors, catching the faint clatter of movement and the low sound of a male voice talking to himself in the only lit classroom.
He approached quietly, glancing into one of the classrooms where a table had been turned into a workbench. Piles of assorted junk cluttered its surface: staples, wooden planks, duct tape, bits of wiring, and metal scraps. All the while a short and slightly overweight boy with shoulder-length hair tinkering with⊠something.
"Kohta?" Cu asked, stepping into the doorway.
âAh!â
The other boy looked up, startled, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly as it hit a wooden shelf on the wall. âOuch ouch ouch⊠O-Oh hey! I wa-was just⊠you know, looking around. Found some things in the club rooms and figured Iâd try to make something useful."
Cuâs eyes swept over the makeshift workbench filled with an assortment of tools and bits of several materials. "And what exactly are you buildinâ this late at night?"
"Well, it struck me that besides your spear, we donât really have any actual weapons," Kohta said, gesturing to him to approach the table which the Irishman did out of curiosity. "I mean, sure, weâve got some baseball bats, sticks, bokkens, and hockey sticks, but theyâre hardly reliable. So I thought, why not improvise? You know, like MacGyver!"
Before Cu could mention he had no clue who MacGyver was, Kohta spun around with surprising enthusiasm and thrust forward what looked like the unholy offspring of a nail gun and a failed science fair project.
"Check this out! I modified this nail gun I found in the supply closet," Kohta explained, eyes gleaming behind his glasses. "Not a real gun, obviously, but I reinforced the frame and cranked up the pressure mechanism. Added this grip from an old tennis racket and rigged up this sight using a bent paper clip and some wire. It's not pretty, but it's functional. Way more reliable than those cheap Lorcin L380s. Point blank? This baby will punch right through zombie skull, guaranteed!"
Cu stepped forward and took the prototype in hand, examining the strange contraption. It had a strange feel to it, covered in duct tape and planks of wood, but overall solid. He tilted it slightly, honestly a bit uncertain how to even judge it.
"Aye⊠itâs crude, but itâll do in a pinch, I guess?"
Kohta grinned, pride flickering behind his glasses. "This is just the prototype. Iâve got a few other ideas I want to test once I get more parts."
Looking back and forth between the boy and the makeshift weapon in his hands, Cu was more than impressed.
"How did you even make this?" he asked, eyebrows raised in honest curiosity.
"It's nothing, really," Kohta replied, rubbing the back of his neck with an awkward smile. "Just picked up a few basic tricks from an American private military contractor in the States I went to over spring break. Give it a try, maybe you'll like it�"
His tone was hopeful, clearly eager for Cuâs approval. The Heroic Spirit stood still for a moment, weighing the contraption in his hands before letting out a quiet hum and giving in with a shrug. Though guns were never his forte, he raised the weapon, aimed at the wooden board in the center of the room â now marked with a hastily drawn bullâs eye â and pulled the trigger.
A sharp hiss followed. The compressed air shot from the barrel, launching a nail that zipped clean across the classroom and struck dead center on the board. A respectable hit, but his grin slowly spread, mischief tugging at the corners of his mouth.
"Wait⊠Iâve got a better idea. Follow me."
"Eh?" Kohta blinked, confused, but obeyed without protest.
They made their way through the quiet corridors, emerging into the moonlit courtyard. Cu led him toward the main gates, where the undead still clawed and shuffled, banging against the metal, mindless in their persistence.
"Here." Cu stopped and, with a casual toss, handed the nail gun back to Kohta.
"Whoa!" Kohta barely caught it, stumbling slightly. "Whatâs the plan?"
"You made this thing with the idea of takinâ down the dead, yeah?" He said, eyes fixed on the groaning silhouettes beyond the fence. "Then whatâs the point of testinâ it on a bit oâ wood? That won't tell us how well it actually works against them. Weâve got proper targets right here. Go on. Try it."
"Me? Are you sure you donât want to do it instead? I mean, youâre the one who's always charging out there. Would make more sense if you use it."
Cu shook his head and gave him a firm pat on the shoulder. "I appreciate the thought, lad. But Iâm better with a spear than any gun â I will not be able to properly use it. And like it or not, youâre all gonna have to learn how to fight for yourselves. This is your tool. See what it can do."
Despite those words, Kohta hesitated, but the words settled in his mind like a spark lighting dry tinder. He looked down at his creation again before a similar small grin to Cuâs made its way to his face. "Alright then⊠Iâll show you what this babyâs made of. The tip needs to be pressed down to set the safety off, which can make it a pain to use, but well, I'll manage.â
Poof!
The sound was more hiss than anything else, similar to before, a pressurized pop that barely echoed in the courtyard. Compared to a real gun, it was quiet. The nail zipped through the air and lodged cleanly into the forehead of one of the nearest zombies. It collapsed immediately, crumpling like a puppet with its strings cut.
Cu blinked, surprised at the precision. Back home, heâd only ever used hammers for his woodworking projects when dealing with nails, having never used a nail gun. This was something else entirely.
Poof!
Poof!
Poof!
More shots followed, and each one was fired with a similar accuracy to the last one. Every nail buried itself between the eyes of its target or the forehead. In a matter of seconds, half the undead crowd had dropped like dominoes, motionless on the ground. Only one shot missed so far, even then it jammed itself into the throat of an undead with blood gushing from it.
"Whoa," Cu murmured, watching with raised brows.
He had assumed Kohta was just the clever type, shy, a bit nerdy, and good with tools. But this level of accuracyâŠ
"Youâve done this before," Cu said, watching him with a knowing glint in his eye. "Thereâs absolutely no chance this is your first time unless you're some kind of fucking prodigy. Which, to be fair, would make perfect sense at this rate."
"I did have some training," Kohta replied, rubbing the back of his neck with a sheepish grin. "I did more than tinkering with tools with Blackwater USA. I enrolled there for a month and learned to handle firearms, among several things. It was actually a lot of fun, and I picked up quite a bit! Never thought Iâd use them like this, though."
"Thatâs amazin'," Cu said with genuine enthusiasm, giving Kohtaâs shoulder a hearty pat. "You're definitely the kind of lad Iâd like to have around. Someone who can help keep things steady. Shouldâve told me this sooner. Iâd have scouted around town to gather materials for you, help build more of those."
"Haha, I wanted to," the boy admitted. "But I was also a little overwhelmed by everything, y'know? Wait⊠does that mean you actually want me to make more? Like, to hand them out to the other students?"
"Are you mad?" Cu shot him a wide-eyed stare. "Half of those folk in there can barely wrap their heads around what's happenin' or keep themselves together, let alone hold a weapon without accidentally shooting someone in the back or shooting themselves in the foot. Give them something like that and I promise you, theyâll let fear take over and start shooting anything that moves, assuming they can even point it the right way. And do you even have enough nails for the whole bunch? Think about it. Itâd be like givinâ a loaded pistol to a toddler, and to top it off youâre tryinâ to figure out how many bullets each little shit should get."
Kohta winced, clearly disturbed by the image. "Yeah⊠yeah, I see your point. And you're right⊠Some of those people will definitely use it forâŠstupid reasons." A hint of vitriol escaped his lips, one that Cu noticed immediately and figured that he was most likely thinking of those who bullied him.
"But that doesnât mean there arenât a few people I do trust with one," Cu continued, his voice quieter. "So letâs keep this between us. If you can, make one or two more in secret. If you run short on materials, let me know. Iâll see what I can scavenge when I head out again."
"Will I⊠do you want me to come along?" Kohta asked, his tone uncertain but not hesitant.
"Do you want to?" Cu asked back, his brows raising slightly. "I wonât lie, lad. It's not pretty out there. Blood, death, and the smell of rot in the air. It's grim, and it will get worse long before it gets easier. I wonât force you into it. Are you thinkingâ of finding your parents?"
"No. Theyâre not in town right now. They left on a short trip to America, actually. If theyâre still near the camp where I trained, theyâre probably safe⊠assuming the virus hasnât spread that far. And, well, it feels unfair makinâ you handle everything alone. I heard your chat with Takagi, so yeah, I want to help in any way I can."
"You're a good man, Kohta," The former Servant of the Lance said with a nod of approval.
"Hehehe⊠D-Donât mention it."
"Haha, are you blushinâ?" Cu grinned. âNot used to compliments or something?â
"Canât help it. Not used to being praised like that."
"Itâs not for nothin'," he said sincerely. "Wanting to face this madness and help me out, takes guts. And the fact you can still smile in times like this shows youâve got a strong head on your shoulders. Honestly, how the hell did someone like you end up bullied for so long?"
Kohta winced at that remark. "To be fair, I only went to military training last summer. They didnât really teach me hand-to-hand combat, just basic self-defense. I was a lot more interested in guns, which the guy training me was all too happy to indulge. I⊠I tried to stand my ground at first, but it's hard doing so when faced with more than a single guy. Man⊠those movies make it look so easy!"
Cu hummed in agreement, remembering the state of the boy the first time he met him locked in a closet. Then, an idea came to mind. "So⊠Do you want me to teach you?"
That took Kohta by surprise, turning his head around and looking at him with confusion. âYou know CQC?â
"If by that you mean knowing how to not get your ass handed by several people then yes. Spent a large part of my life trying to survive Shishou's assaults, so I learned a thing or two. In an apocalypse, relying on a gun every timeâs goinâ to get you killed sooner or later. Thereâll come a moment when youâve got nothinâ on hand but what nature gave you. Thatâs when grit matters more than firepower. And in those kinds oâ situations nothing beats good old-fashioned hard work and your preferred melee weapon."
"I-I guess you're right," Kohta said, taking a deep breath. âThen sure, I want to learn!â
âThat's the spirit! Now⊠still have any nails left?â
The two of them stayed where they were, talking and occasionally firing at any of the undead that got too close to the school gates. Cu even took a turn with Kohtaâs weapon, practicing his aim and even getting tips in return on how to properly handle the weapon. It was, oddly enough, fun. Hours passed without either of them noticing, and whatever frustration had been lingering in Cuâs mind from earlier had vanished entirely. He felt lighter and strangely content.
{Break}
(Next morning)
The morning came soon enough, the outside carnage having somewhat silenced with the stench of burned materials and acrid fumes having somewhat subsided.
With the students waking up feeling both hungry and thirsty, the teachers tasked themselves with distributing provisions. Shizuka went around doing regular checkups on those who felt off and to monitor for any unexpected changes. Currently checking on Yoshito who had been the most injured out of everyone present. While Kyoko kept looking around â trying to find someone.
"Ah, Tanuichi-san, Kawamoto-san, have you two seen Seth?" Kyoko called out as soon as she spotted the two girls across. Having seen the way they acted around the boy â closer than most at least â and hoped they might know where he had gone off to. Both the redhead and the blue-haired girl were in the middle of distributing food rations when they turned their heads to look at her.
"I went up to the rooftop to check on him, but heâs not there," Kyoko continued, her tone sharpened by frustration and the faintest trace of worry. "That stubborn boyâŠI told him not to sleep out in the open like that. Itâs too cold, and heâll catch a fever if heâs not careful. Now heâs vanished, and I canât find him anywhere inside either."
A part of her feared the worst, that he had gone back outside without telling anyone, armed with that ridiculous spear heâd gotten from that criminal. Sheâd seen the glint in his eyes the day before, the kind of confidence that made her uneasy. As if having that weapon gave him the right to face danger alone.
No, he had the same look even without that weapon which was worse!
âNo, we were just going to ask you that ourselvesâŠâ Fumiko said, her answer making the brunette sigh.
"Itâs bad enough that the military hasnât shown up yet to rescue the remaining survivors," she added, her voice lowering slightly, "but now even the students are beginning to lose hope. Some of them donât even believe theyâll get out of here alive, let alone be reunited with their families."
"Youâre being too harsh on yourself, teacher," Fumiko continued gently. Putting on a bright smile for her. "From what Iâve heard from Cu, the situation outside is far worse than anything weâve had to deal with here. The fact that weâre still alive, all of us, thatâs already a miracle. Iâm sure there are a lot of people who wouldâve traded places with us without a second thought."
Momo nodded in agreement beside her, eyes bright. "Besides, weâre in good hands, arenât we? Did you see that spear of his? Itâs incredible. With that thing, he can take down any zombie that comes our way!"
"Do not entertain such a reckless idea, young lady!" Kyoko snapped, her face going pale as the mere suggestion of Cu going out alone again to face those⊠things made her stomach twist. "I understand heâs well-trained in sojutsu, but that doesnât mean he should be burdened with protecting everyone by himself. That responsibility shouldnât fall on him, or anyone else just because they can hold a weapon. It should be our duty as adults to carry that weight."
The two girls exchanged a look, eyebrows raised. This time it was Fumiko who spoke, her tone more hesitant, though not disrespectful.
"Um⊠Kyoko-sensei, I donât want to be rude, but⊠can you even kill one of those things?"
The question hit harder than she expected. Her mouth opened slightly, but no sound came out. She crossed her arms, holding onto herself as though trying to shield her thoughts from the truth. Her arms trembled faintly.
She remembered what she saw the last time she got close to the school gates, those pale, sagging faces with eyes that stared without seeing, and that awful smell of death clinging to their rotting skin like a suffocating fog. She hadnât even tried to fight. She couldnât. The thought of getting near one, of striking it down, made her stomach turn.
"I⊠I canât just stay here and do nothing," she whispered, her voice breaking just a little, barely audible.
"But you are doing something, Sensei."
The voice came from behind, prompting the nurse to turn her head as Igou approached, with Takashi beside him. The former looked visibly worse for wear, the skin beneath his eyes darkened by sleep deprivation. Saeko arrived a second later, though she looked much better than everyone with her pristine looks.
"Keeping the students calm is just as important as everything else. Seth canât exactly help us if everyoneâs panicking, so youâre actually doing him a huge favor by maintaining order. Oh, and donât mind my appearance," Igou added, giving a tired grin. "Couldnât get a proper nightâs sleep with Rei bugging us to keep watch on Shido."
He lazily gestured across the gymnasium where the man in question stood, surrounded by students from the track club. Shido spoke to them with all the pleasant charm of a practiced politician, even managing to win over some of the teachers with a few laughs echoing. Teshima was among them as well.
The most eye-catching sight was of Miku Yukki hanging around the bespectacled teacher with her loosely worn uniform showing a large amount of cleavage as she practically clung to Shido's arm looking at him with a face that made several boys feel jealous.
On the opposite end of the room, Rei sat rigidly with bloodshot eyes, her entire posture bristling like a wolf stalking prey. Her gaze never once left the man.
"Sheâs been like that for hours," Igou went on. "I donât think she even slept a wink all night."
"I tried to tell her nothingâs going to happen and that weâd let her know if anything did, but she just wouldnât listen," Takashi muttered, yawning as he glanced around the room. "Speaking of which, whereâs Takagâ"
"I'm here."
The sudden voice made them all jump slightly. Takagi stood before them with her usual aloof expression, a large map held under one arm and her phone pressed against her cheek. Walking behind her was Cu, waving at them with a faint grin.
"Are you heading out again today?" Saeko asked, stepping past Saya without so much as a glance, which caused the pink-haired girl to twitch in annoyance at being brushed aside.
"Yep. Our little princess here gave me a decent idea that might actually help the people in here."
"I said to stop calling me that!" The pink-haired girl snapped, glaring up at him.
"You're not exactly making it easy with that attitude of yours," he replied dryly. Their bickering was short-lived before he turned back toward Saeko, his tone shifting to something more serious. "Anyway, we agreed that staying holed up here forever isn't an option."
"I agree," she answered firmly without hesitation. "At best, you're just buying time. I was about to talk to you about the same thing, it's good that you also reached this conclusion. I take it she told you about a more secure location? Somewhere we can move the students to?"
"Spot on," Cu said, then glanced around, noticing a familiar absence. His eyes quickly found Rei still planted in place, glaring daggers at Shido. "So sheâs still watching him. Did she sleep at all?"
"Just compare her face to ours and youâll know the answer," Igou said with a snort. "I swear, if someone handed her a knife right now, sheâd march over and stab him without a second thought."
"Obviously," Momo chimed in, arms folded. "Do you not remember what almost happened yesterday? Heâs over there smiling and chatting with the same people who were mocking Rei and spreading lies about you being dead. Then they all went completely silent once you came back. Even I didnât feel safe sleeping with them nearby. Fumiko even had a nightmare that one of them tried to force himself on her."
"That wasnât a nightmare," Fumiko said flatly, her tone dry. "You were⊠g-groping my breasts in your sleep⊠again."
The bespectacled girlâs comment that the brunette was acting like a serial groper in her sleep was promptly ignored by Momo, who carried on without missing a beat.
"In any case," Cu said, stepping forward, "Iâm going out today. Hopefully, we can get a handle on this before things get worse. But first, I need to address everyone."
Without waiting for a reply, he strode toward the center of the gymnasium and clapped his hands together sharply, the echo bouncing across the walls and drawing the attention of nearly everyone present.
"Alright, everyone gathers here! If anyoneâs still asleep, get them up, itâs already seven in the morning! Daylight is precious and we should be using every bit of it efficiently!â
The crowd stirred with mixed reactions. Some blinked away the remnants of sleep, rising from their makeshift bedding. Curiosity and hope flickered on the faces of a few, especially Fumiko, Momo, and the students who were closest. Others wore unreadable expressions, more neutral and cautious. Yet another minority remained visibly displeased, including a few of the teachers who seemed uncertain about him being the one standing at the podium like this.
But a few still continued to ignore him which amused the Irishman when he realized most of them just happened to be on the track team. âShould I just scare them a bit?â
Before he came to the decision to bring out the spear, a familiar hulking figure rushed onto the stage. He jumped next to the podium top bare-chested and shouted at the top of his lungs. âEVERYONE FUCKING LISTEN!â
Yoshitoâs voice was basically as loud as a megaphone, even making Cuâs ears ring a bit. Thankfully, the pain was worth it as now everyone's eyes were on him.
"Good, thanks for the help, Yoshito. I hope you all got a good nightâs sleep and that your heads are clear," Cu continued, his voice firm but composed. "Because from here on, things are going to get tougher. Iâll be direct. Our next course of action is simple: we all need to find a way out of here, and we need to do it fast before our supplies run dry.â
That immediately made several murmurs rise within the group of students who were not sure how to feel about that.
âI know it sounds scary to go out there where it's filled with those nasty undead. But if things go well enough, you won't actually be moving by foot, but instead with the school buses.â He gestured Saya to come forth which she did, placing her hands on her hips.
âWe'll be going to my family's place. The Takagi estate is just as big, if not bigger than the whole school itself. On top of that, we have several emergency power generators and even a water filtration system in case of an emergency, and emergency rations to match. Between the supplies and security, it will be far safer and more habitable there. Through that, we should also be able to contact the outside world for help to come evacuate us, and hopefully get everyone in touch with your loved ones.â Just like him, she went straight to the point and spoke her words as clearly as possible for all to hear. Some of the students looked convinced, but others had a different expression.
âCollins, Takagi,â both of their heads turned to see Shido walk along the podium. With Miku reluctantly letting go of his arm while throwing the man a flirtatious look, the latter just smiled but gave no response to her actions. âWhile it is commendable you two are thinking up solutions for us â both of you are overlooking some major issues that make these ideas unfeasible.â
âWhat?â Saya frowned, about to argue, but stopped when Cu tapped her shouldersâgesturing to her to let him continue speaking. Not exactly happy about it, she still followed them rather begrudgingly.
Shido paid no mind to that and continued. âI may have misunderstood things, so please forgive me for that. But from the sound of it, you're making it sound like we will be out of food tomorrow, which is not the case. Teshima here has kept an inventory; he can attest to my words. As long as we keep rationing it, we have at least a week before needing to find a solution. So there is no need to move things along so quickly.â
âNeither of us made any mention of it ending tomorrow. But sure as hell don't have enough for a whole week.â Cu replied calmly.
"But that's quite the dramatic interpretation of what we said," Shido replied with a practiced smile, adjusting his glasses slightly. "In these uncertain times, clarity is essential, we can't afford misunderstandings that might cause panic." He shook his head with an air of paternal concern. "Please don't mistake my caution for opposition. I want nothing more than to reach somewhere secure where basic necessities aren't a constant worry. But my primary concern remains the safety of every student under our care. Rushing into danger without proper preparation could cost lives."
His arms opened, looking at the people in front of them. This time, plenty of students and teachers agreed with him and even thanked him with a smile on their faces.
âTransporting several hundred people at once is risky. We cannot be sure of the state of the roads, let alone if our place of destination is still a saââ
âJust say what you really want, Shido.â Cu cut him off, starting to feel his patience wearing thin. This over-the-top speech made him remember a certain fake priest which left a nasty taste in his mouth. âLet's be honest and just come out with what we truly mean.â
Shido's smile died down ever so slightly as his eyes opened with both of them gazing at one another. A moment of silence passed between them till the teacher spoke with a deeper voice almost. âI believe you should let us adults handle this matter, Seth.â
ââŠâ
âYou are making decisions on a whim without discussing it with us first. Doing so blindly will only invite further trouble on our way, while I admire your courage â it's better to tread carefully.â The black-haired man explained. âYou are still a student from a foreign country. There are many things you may not know about this city, unlike us. And putting yourself in danger just because you want to play hero is not an action I can accept. It only takes a single mistake to endanger everyone's lives.â
More murmurs spread across the room, with some agreeing with Shido while others continued to keep their silence.
Rei, who had silently watched the scene, realized how similar this felt compared to before. Shido took the same approach and gained more favors from the students who were slowly leaning on his side the longer this argument went on.
"Especially when you're wielding that weapon from who-knows-where," Shido continued, his voice taking on a performative concern. "Several students have expressed their discomfort with it. For everyone's safety, I believe someone with proper authority should be the one toâugh!" His speech cut short as the crimson spear materialized in Cu's hand with startling speed, slicing through the air mere centimeters from Shido's face. The gymnasium fell silent. A thin line of blood appeared on the teacher's cheek, a perfect shallow cut that beaded red. Cu held his position, eyes cold and unblinking as he stared at the man, his expression betraying nothing.
âI don't know what exactly you're trying to pull off here, nor do I really care, honestly. But you actually want to take this away from me? Now youâre just being an idiot.â He shook the spear, swirling it around until the pointed butt of the shaft tapped Shido on the chest. The move startled the man enough to make him stumble backward.
âI'll say it now and not a second time. Only way you're getting this weapon from me is if you beat me and earn it. Honestly, the only person I'll give away the spear to is someone who could use it better than myself. This will be my first and last warning to you, don't try anything funny. Don't think I haven't noticed your actions from yesterday just because Rei was giving me a welcome back smooch.â
He then turned his attention to the others.
âI'll be heading outside again. This time, make sure the path to the Takagi estate is safe and clear up any undead creatures on the way. Don't get too comfortable staying here, we're on the clock, and the faster we get somewhere safer, the faster you all can focus on finding your families. If anyone is interested in risking their asses by going outside for the day, then come with me.â
He said nothing else before jumping off the podium and walking away outside, Saeko following him along with Rei, who was blushing at being reminded of what she did yesterday, Igou, and the rest with several different emotions on their faces.
âHe's going to try something new, just look at him,â Rei said with a worried face, with Saeko agreeing.
âPretty sure the track team is planning to kill you after cutting that guy's face,â Igou added, holding a bat he kept with him since yesterday. Takashi was holding something similar as well. âEven some of the teachers are glaring at you. Shido will definitely not just sit this one down.â
Their responses made an almost feral grin appear on Cuâs face.
âI know,â he said with a grin. âI'm hoping he does something really stupid. Gives me a good excuse to get rid of him.â
Comments
SeigZeon22
such a big cast we need to cul the numbers :D hope if they leave shdo stays with all the dumbases and just takes the smart ones thats if you don't kill him off before then
Biazar Lockhart
Kill him
Dav
Canât wait for the day when Cu beat the f out of anyone that oppose him and his friends. Especially canât wait when Cu really beat up Shido
Arlos
Rip Alice I guess x)
Kevin L
The opportunity will come đ
Gerardo HernĂĄndez SĂĄnchez
Thanks for the chapter!!! Suppose the cut was similar the one that kota made in cannon.
Alissandro Andres
Man, lowkey hope Miku gets smitten by Cu. Would probably be Shido abandoning her and Cu comes in for the rescue.
TV
Patience in time he shall die a painful death
Dchu007
Finally a plan to somewhat reasonable kill the slimeball without too much issue if these kids and sheep adults know betterâŠ.
Orchamus
Fucks sake can we please just kill the cultist slimeball already? Please đ„șđđŒ
