High School of the Dead: Zombie World with a Gacha

Our escapade looks like an infamous thriller in many ways. All we can do is run and practically dance with the zombies... the sun has fallen and the roads are dark with but flickery lights around us; behind us are Shizuka and Kyoko running with lanterns. Lucy and Kouta have it difficult to aim while running; it is mostly Saeko, Takashi, Rei and me clearing the path ahead for us in the middle of the darkness.

We're tired and there are zombies everywhere, the only thing I need is somewhere where we can stay and barricade ourselves for the night.

The situation couldn't be worse and all thanks to that bitch. Her screams have long ceased and I know she ceased to exist together with who I presume was her boyfriend, as for the survivors... they were unlucky enough to be in that bus.

All around us, there is a highway of around a mile; it is the passage from the school to the main street as I remember from all the times Shizuka has driven us away. We only need to run for these two miles and we will reach an avenue; there should be a building there to secure ourselves for the night.

"Ugh!" I heard a grunt behind me, it was about time someone ran out of resistance, it was Kyoko who had begun staggering, helped by Shizuka.

She, Kouta and the other senpai with the table stick weren't faring well... I thanked Sonasha and all gods for giving me the idea to train Saya and Shizuka, but even they are tired at this point.

"Brand-kun..." Kyoko looked at me with a resignated gaze as if wondering if I was going to discard her for this, I wasn't going to... at least not now, we haven't reached a despaired spot in which I'd say that we absolutely need to discard her. If it was just me and Saeko however... then there would be no chance, but there are plenty of people behind there to help her, Shizuka and Saya.

"No need to worry Kyoko. We have to keep running! Shizuka and Saya; you two help Kyoko! I'm sorry Hirano, but you will have to resist".

"Hai!" The fatty said, still running as fast as he could, he was the one setting the speed at which we were running, I also can't discard him, he's too much of a good shooter to discard.

I think after tonight the boy will surely start working out... you can't survive in this world with that complexion, Hirano.

"Saeko, how are you doing!?" I asked my girlfriend, she had been panting, slowing herself down but never leaving that maniacal smirk of hers, she was enjoying this more than most.

"Don't worry about me..." I heard her cold and focused gaze as she sliced a zombie's neck, splashing blood everywhere before going for the next one; these must be the sharpest katanas in all of Japan. I too have been slicing heads as if they were oranges.

"Takashi!" I then asked the other boy who surely had it rougher than most together with Rei, using a brunt weapon meant more resistance and hence, more fatigue.

"I'm good!" He said nonetheless.

"Rei!"

"I can still go on!"

They're all liars, we aren't good... but our survival instincts are to the maximum and the zombies won't stop coming to us... stopping to kill them all is no longer an option. If I were the boss and they the employees... they all would have gotten a raise, they're doing wonderfully to be a group of civilians.

I didn't even bother asking Lucy; my pretty babe has the most stamina in all training we do; that's not to mention that she's only using the crossbow.

It took us a whole half an hour before we finally reached the avenue, we were all bloodied, tired and sweaty... Saya and Shizuka were already panting carrying Kyoko instead of helping her while Takashi was released from the frontline to help Kouta.

"Brand, look!" Saya took me away from my focus.

The first building I spotted was a bank, then there was a convenience store and lastly an apartment building; but all the gates were closed... every single one of the shops without exception.

"Saeko, Saya... Lucy and I are going to distract them; I want you two to try to get into any of those buildings; shoot the locks if necessary!"

"But Brand!-" Saeko was about to reject my notion.

"Do what I'm saying!"

"..."

I yelled at her face, I know she wants to come with me and help me; but she was too tired and I don't want to find myself in a situation where I have to carry her in a stupor... Lucy is tired as well but since she has been using the crossbow, she has more energy.

In the end, she bit her lips and nodded, pulling a reluctant Saya along with her, "Be careful!" the pinkette told me and I nodded, smiling her way.

"Brand-chan, be careful! you must come immediately!" Shizuka uttered followed by all of the girls, Takashi and also the senpai.

"Sure!" I said, running away with Lucy before proceeding to do something none of them expected. I took out my gun and began shooting!

*PA!*

*PA!*

"You gonk~ tonight you will be my joy toy. I don't care what the chooms say~" Lucy giggled while tailing me; I sliced a few zombies and rolled my eyes; why are you giggling, psycho? I just made things more difficult for us, but also... easier for them.

"Come, Lucy!"

The zombies immediately came for us and Saya regarded me with a disbelieving gaze as we both departed the group, I had no intention to leave them for long, but they need room to find a safe spot without the zombies being on their butt; I'm willing to take the bullet so long as they find such a place.

I threw my sword towards Lucy and she caught my meaning right away; throwing me back the crossbow.

I pulled the strings and told Hollow to put back all the arrows that she left scattered back in the inventory. I loaded the crossbow and began firing while Lucy cleared a path for us along the pavement. The scanner was telling me that we had at least forty zombies chasing after us, but at least... there were none chasing the group and that's what I desired.

As we ran with Lucy to the front, we saw many open shops but all of them had zombies inside them.

"We can't get into any shop, it will be a dead end," I told her, if both of us run inside we will be cornered.

"Just keep running, always to the left side of the street; look for the next block where we can run and get back to the same intersection where we left them" My plan was simple, keep running forward but in circles. I have been in this block a few times before so I know what road to take.

She heeds my instructions like the sweet baby she is; if it is her and Saeko, I know I can trust them with my life.

We killed more than thirty zombies along the way... every single shop was closed and I could see in the scanners there were survivors inside, but... none of them was going to open their doors for us, in fact... some of them even threw bottles down; I'd say they're trying to kill the zombies if one of them hadn't fallen almost right above me.

*BAANGG!!*

A big ceramic pan fell by my side, urging curses out of me, I looked up to see no one in the window but clearly, that wasn't a zombie.

'These bastards!'