New Dawn Chapter: 63

As the group frantically searched for anything useful, Takashi, Kohta, and Rei returned.

"Any sign of 'em?" Tysone asked, now donning a black jacket, along with a pair of riding gloves and black riding boots. He made sure that the fit wasn't too tight and restrictive. A helmet was tucked under his arm, completing his newfound style, much more suitable for surviving in a zombie apocalypse.

"Nothing." Takashi answered. "Not a trace."

That put the group at ease, for the most part.

"Maybe the city isn't as bad as I thought." Takashi said thoughtfully. "We made it here relatively unscathed. And no sight of them around the area, either."

"We might not have to worry about zombies, but..." Tysone trailed off, glancing at the decaying corpses on the floor. "We might have to look out for other survivors."

Takashi clenched his fists, looking down. He likely had just come to the realization that humans could be just as bad, if not even more dangerous, than mindless, walking husks.

"Either way, go grab an outfit and a helmet and get changed. We won't be staying for long." Tysone motioned to the others. "Everyone, be quick!"

"Aye, aye~"

Shizuka had changed into a simple riding outfit, though she still lamented her fashion choices being ruined by the whole ordeal. It was worth of note that the nurse's busty assets added a dangerous strain to her skintight outfit.

Miku's attire was entirely black, in stark contrast to Shizuka's white riding suit. Mai opted for a similar black outfit, which surprisingly highlighted her physique. The only difference was that her helmet had bunny ears sticking out of them.

Saya wore a pink one, to match with her hair. Saeko, on the other hand, stayed relatively the same. When Tysone glanced at her, she shrugged. "Too much weight. I need to be able to move."

"Fair enough."

Saya smiled cheekily. "You know, a pink bike wouldn't have gone amiss right now."

"Oh! Now, that would have been marvelous~" Shizuku readily agreed.

Takashi, Rei, and Kohta donned on their own outfits. Tysone nodded. 'Now we look like a proper group.'

"If you're all done." He addressed everyone, including Shido and his student's group. "It's time to depart."

Shido, now clad in a biking jacket, held up a hand.

"If I may make a suggestion."

Tysone and Rei simultaneously made a face at his faux friendly demeanor. "Sure." He motioned impatiently. "Out with it."

"It appears that this area is already claimed. Are you sure we'll be safe moving forward in an armed vehicle through the city streets? We will no doubt alert every..." He smiled. "Survivor."

Tysone narrowed his eyes. "What do you suggest, then? Go by foot?"

"My point stands. We wouldn't want to alert survivors to our location. Some survivors might see us and try to steal our vehicle. Even worse, survivors might mistake us for a hostile force, and attack in self-defense."

"Is this more of your pacifist, moralistic crap, or are you proposing something that's actually practical?"

Shido kept his tone diplomatic. "How about a vehicle with a smaller engine? Something with a quieter exhaust system and less weight. That could make for easier mobility in case the roads are blocked or worse."

"There aren't any vehicles with enough capacity for everyone. This one here can fit all of us. That is what I consider a priority. Nothing short of an armored vehicle is worth stopping the bus for." Tysone simply shook his head.

Shido's smirk barely wavered. "That is true, but consider this—why limit ourselves to one? If we split into smaller groups, taking multiple bikes or compact cars, we increase our maneuverability and reduce the risk of losing everything if one vehicle is compromised."

Tysone scoffed. "You mean split up the group, make everyone more vulnerable, and risk losing people just because you think stealth is more important than firepower?"

Shido spread his hands, raising his voice slightly. "It's not about sacrificing firepower. It's about options. A convoy with multiple smaller vehicles provides escape routes, adaptability. If one group encounters trouble, the others can divert or circle back. We wouldn't all be caught in a single ambush."

Tysone crossed his arms. "And who decides which group goes where? You?" His tone dripped with sarcasm. "Because I can already see how that ends—people getting picked off, confusion when things go south, and a divided force that's easier to exploit."

Shido kept his smile, but the glint in his eye sharpened. "Trust is the key here, Tysone-san. You don't have to lead alone."

Ah, that's what he wanted to achieve? The bastard knew Tysone's position wasn't easily shakable, so he wanted to coax his way into the hierarchy? 

Tysone let out a dry chuckle. "Trust? From you? That's rich." He tilted his head toward the bus. "Let me remind you why we're still alive—it's because we're together, covering each other's backs. You start spreading people out in smaller vehicles, that coordination breaks. You think some of these kids can handle themselves if they get cornered away from the main group?" He gestured toward the more timid students lingering near the bus. "They're not trained soldiers. Their most pressing concern until this morning was a math test, not a fucking apocalypse."

Shido made a soft tsk sound, shaking his head as if disappointed. "I see. You'd rather gamble everything on a single move than give yourself contingencies."

"No, I'd rather have control over the situation than let some wannabe cult leader fracture the only defense we have."

For the first time, Shido's jaw tightened. His smile faltered—just for a second.

Tysone leaned in slightly, his voice dropping just enough for only Shido to hear. "You want options? Here's one—shut the hell up, follow orders, and maybe, just maybe, I won't throw you off this bus the second you become dead weight."

Silence hung between them for a beat too long. Then, Shido's lips curled again into his ever-pleasant, ever-infuriating smile. "Well, I suppose democracy is dead, then."

Tysone smirked. "It died when the world ended. Get in the damn bus."

Without another word, Shido turned on his heel and climbed inside, his students hesitantly following.

"He's going to become a problem." Rei said, bedecked in a flamboyant, crimson riding suit. She looked good.

"He is." Tysone sighed. "He's a slimy one. Give him an opportunity to feed his own agenda, and he will take it. People will rally behind him eventually. So, I guess the trick here is keep the momentum and not give that smarmy fuck a chance to grow. On top of that, it'll be up to me to make sure we don't encounter any dangers. I am not letting anyone risk their lives in pursuit of Shido's philosophy."

Rei closed her eyes, sneaking a glance at Takashi. A conflicted expression came over her. "You know..." She hesitated. "I thought Takashi would be a fitting choice. To lead the group, I mean."

"Well, he hasn't given me a reason to consider him a contender as yet." Tysone shot a sly glance at her. "If you have that sort of expectation, I guess you should nudge him a bit, yes?"

"No, no!" She waved her hands, sweat-dropping. "What I wanted to say is... that I'm actually glad it's you. Takashi is my childhood friend." She grew nostalgic at those words. "He's a bit of a blockhead but he means well. However, in that situation, I doubt he'd have handled Shido the way you did. In fact, I think that bastard would have already taken control of the group."

"As long as I'm here, Shido won't have any influence over the group. Let me handle him. And you handle your boy."

Rei mumbled softly. "He's not my boy..."

Tysone, however, had already walked past her. 

Tysone quietly nudged Shizuka. "How are you holding up? Tired? Thirsty?"

She pouted. "Mentally exhausted, actually."

Tysone shook his head and placed a water bottle into her hands. "Here, that's the best I can do."

"Can I take some alcohol, next time?" She joked.

Tysone patted her shoulder, leaning closer and whispered into her ear. "Keep up the good job and I'll treat you to the most expensive wine there is. For the time being, stick with me and you'll get through this. If the zombies weren't enough of an issue, we now have an even more dangerous enemy sitting a few rows away."

She shot a furtive glance towards the back.

"You know he's going to make our lives hell?" She pouted.

"It's okay, I wouldn't mind if you make the ride bumpy and harsh. Shido will no doubt get thrown around."

"That does cheer me up." She said, chuckling. 

His expression turned serious. "Keep an eye out on the roads. Zombies aren't the only thing we have to watch out for. Don't stop for anyone unless I say so. I'll sit back and keep everyone under control and you, meanwhile, be on the lookout."

She beamed a bright smile at him.

"Okaaay~" She chimed cheerfully. "I can't promise anything!"

Well... better than nothing. 

The bus began to roll forward, their next destination: the firing range.

Unfortunately, Tysone's concern came to pass not even a few minutes into the drive. 

Author's Note:

If you're enjoying the story and want to read ahead or support my work, you can check out my P@treon at P@treon.com/LordCampione. But don't worry—all chapters will eventually be public. Just being here and reading means the world to me. Thank you for your time and support.