Why had it become like this?
Takezo and Hirano lamented, thinking about how they had only walked around the suburb even though they had spent two days and nights on their journey. As they walked, it felt like they were inside a forest or a labyrinth with no way out and dangers as they kept meeting with those "things."
Initially, they had some numbers, but then their numbers kept decreasing further, and a few of them died.
The confidence they had disappeared, and what was left was only terror. Even worse, Takeshi had run away, leaving the three of them.
Not two, but three since they found a little girl who was being left behind by her parents.
When they meet this little girl, while Takeshi tells them that it might be hard for them to save her, Hirano and Takezo decide to save her. Even though they knew that it was dangerous, if they gave up, then what was the point of the struggle they had?
If it was like this, then they might as well stay on the estate, living there peacefully.
Inwardly, they felt regret, but there was nothing they could do. If there was something they could be happy about, it was the fact that they were close to the Takagi estate. As long as they were able to escape from those "things," they would be able to save themselves by going back!
"Come on, run!"
"Don't look back! Hurry up!"
So, Hirano and Takezo quickly ran with a little girl, Alice Maresato, who also came with a dog.
No matter how fast they were, it was impossible for them to run away from those "things!"
"O-Onii-chan..."
"Woof! Woof!"
Alice and the dog were frightened.
However, Hirano and Takezo weren't much better.
They thought that it was over and they were about to die. At the same time, when they were about to die, the thought of Takashi running away before they crossed their minds.
'If I run away?' 2x
Neither of them looked at each other and kept their dirty thoughts on their minds, but there was no escape. They couldn't run away like Takashi, and there was no chance of them doing so, especially when they didn't have a protagonist's luck. They had never been the protagonist, and their fate could only become those "things."
"NOOOOOO!"
"DON'T GET CLOSE!"
Their resistance was futile, but when despair was about to swallow them—
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The heads of those "things" were smashed one by one, especially those who were close, and they knew they had been saved.
"IINUMA-KUN!" 2X
Hirano and Takezo cried when they saw Isao. They felt so happy that their snots came out, and they wanted to hug him tightly. At this point, they swore that they wouldn't cause trouble and they would be obedient to Isao.
"Did you forget what I told you? Be quiet. Don't attract them."
"—!?" 2x
Hirano and Takezo quickly shut their mouths and covered their mouths with their hands.
Alice and the dog didn't know when they kept quiet, but they also shut their lips.
As expected, those "things" didn't approach them, and they even moved so far away after Isao threw something in the distance, causing a noise and attracting their attention.
Watching this, even if Alice was a small girl, she understood why Isao told everyone to keep quiet. She even held her dog tightly so it wouldn't make a noise, and it also understood its master's purpose, so it also stayed quiet.
On the other hand, Hirano and Takezo fell silent with a strange expression, wondering why they had always screamed like pigs about to be slaughtered whenever they encountered those "things."
Yes, when they started their journey to pick up their families, whether it was Takeshi, Hirano, Takezo, or others who had followed them, they had been screaming, shouting, and making a lot of noise when they thought those "things."
Unlike Isao and Saeko, who were quiet, this also made them wonder why they did this.
Frankly, after they left the estate, it seemed as if they forgot about many things.
Was it due to panic?
This was probably the only reason why this happened.
If Isao knew what they were thinking, he would say that they were experience points for the protagonist to grow. It was impossible for the protagonist to grow without sacrifice. Many had to be sacrificed if Takashi wanted to grow, and then he had to see many dead before him.
Hirano, Takezo, and the people who followed Takashi were those people.
Isao was also part of them before, but he was different since it seemed that he had replicated Takeshi's DNA, which consisted of Takeshi's luck as a protagonist, too.
When two lucks collided, naturally, the stronger would be the winner.
Isao, who had the combination of luck and the fate of many after he replicated their DNA, naturally blew Takeshi's luck away, causing Takeshi's plot to be like this.
Still, Takeshi was a good object of observation for him, and Isao wanted to see what Takeshi's fate would be after all of this, so he was happy that Takeshi had returned.
Yes, Takeshi might have caused a lot of problems, letting many die and even losing his childhood friend whom he loved dearly. Even though the virginity of that childhood friend was taken by Isao, Takeshi was still alive.
When many died, Takeshi was still alive, as if the world didn't want him to die.
So, at that moment, Isao wondered what kind of role Takeshi held and what the world wished this guy did. He was sure that it would be interesting, and this fun definitely had nothing to do with the fact that he wondered how Takeshi's expression would be when he knew his childhood friend was with him.
As a good person, Isao didn't have such a bad hobby.
Still, after he saved Hirano, Takezo, Alice, and a dog, Isao quickly led them away. "Come on. Let's go back."
"Yes!" 2x
Hirano and Takezo answered happily but with a quiet voice.
Alice and the dog also nodded, feeling happy with their chance to stay alive another day.
Meanwhile, Isao glanced at the dog on Alice's side and wondered whether he should visit a zoo before he returned to another world.
Still, with Isao and Saeko, even if there were a swarm of those "things," everything was peaceful. However, during that peaceful moment, a problem sometimes occurred.
While Isao peacefully smashed the heads of those "things," Saeko felt excited and wet when she smashed the head of those "things." The feeling of battle and fighting was amazing. It made her head high, and her body was full of adrenaline, making her feel like she could do anything.
However, at that moment of highest happiness, a group of those "things" appeared before her.
Yet, the wooden sword in her hand couldn't move toward a group of children that had become those "things." Faced with this group of children, unlike before, she felt frightened and loathed, disgusted at herself for getting excited by killing all of those "things."
However, when Saeko stayed in a place, those "things" never thought to stop, and they were ready to jump into her, turning her into those "things."
Fortunately, Isao was there and smashed all of them to peace. "Saeko-senpai!" He held her arm while shaking it with force, feeling slightly annoyed since this woman told her that she wouldn't be a burden, yet what was this?
However, Saeko didn't answer him and just lowered her head. She had no intention of moving, as if she was ready to let those "things" bite her.
Isao was speechless and picked her up on his arm, carrying her like a baby.
"Eh?" Saeko was startled, but Isao ignored her and then looked at Takezo and Hirano. "The estate is close. Hurry up and go there. I will take care of them."
"Iinuna-kun!" 2x
The two were shocked by Isao's words.
"You are all a burden to me. Hurry up and go!"
Isao ignored them and continued to fight, causing Takezo and Hirano to cry, but they knew that they were all just a burden for him, so they picked Alice and the dog before they ran away toward the estate.
While Alice and the dog wanted to say something, they knew a voice would attract those "things," and they knew it was impossible for them to express their gratitude and hope for the safety of this handsome older brother. Sadly, staring at Isao's direction, they could only look at his back longingly.
On the other hand, Isao didn't care about Alice since he liked an older woman more. Still, he wondered what was wrong with Saeko and thought to scold her first before they returned.
Yet, Saeko, who was being hugged by Isao, thought that someone like her shouldn't be saved and she wasn't worthy of him, so she tried to struggle, trying to leave his arms.
"What the fuck are you doing?!"
Isao asked in anger. His voice was quiet, but the anger in his voice couldn't be hidden. He tried to help, yet someone just wanted to mess around.
However, Saeko didn't answer him and kept struggling.
Still facing Isao's strength, she couldn't escape, and her body pressed against him tightly. Her breathing turned rapid, and her face turned red.
Isao couldn't see her face, but if he saw her, he thought of her as a slut. However, to solve this troublesome woman, he entered one of the random houses that he knew had no people inside with his sense of smell and perception, entered it without hesitation, and then threw Saeko in the corridor.
"Do you want to die?!"
Isao asked this question harshly.
The pain in her body from being tightly hugged and thrown to the hard ground made Saeko sober. "I am sorry." She knew that she had trouble with Isao, and she apologized.
"I am not asking for your apology. I am asking you why you act like that so suddenly. Do you want to die so much?"
However, Saeko didn't answer Isao and just lowered her head.
"Oi, answer me!"
Isao knew that he was being harsh, but being gentle wouldn't solve a problem, especially when he felt that this woman wanted to die. If they died when she was a stranger, then he didn't care, but this woman had tickled his heart, and if she died, then she would give him a nightmare and a bad taste on his lips. Moreover, even if she tried to kill herself, she didn't want to pull him and had been quiet, trying to throw herself alone toward those "things."
Facing such a woman, could he just ignore her and let her die?
No way!
Yet, her silence made him even more annoyed.
"Look at me."
This time, Isao asked with a softer voice.
Saeko didn't answer him and kept lowering her head, but suddenly, her chin was held, and she was forcefully lifted and then kissed by him. Her eyes widened, and she was shocked, yet the softness and warmness on her lips were real. She was kissed by him, and her first kiss was gone, taken by this young man.
Still, Isao didn't kiss her for long and quickly parted when he saw a reaction from her. "Finally, you show a reaction..."
However, he didn't know his kiss made something snap in Saeko.
"Wa-Wait! This is the entrance!"
Yet, as if being possessed, Saeko ignored him, and Isao was attacked.
While sighing, Isao thought that a good person had always been a victim.
---
Alice is saved, but Isao is attacked.