Chapter 38: A World He Knows Too Well

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The SUV's engine growled as it tore through the empty streets. The time was already past 9, and the sky had fully given in to the night. In the distance, the moon glowed faintly, offering a weak light that barely touched the ground below. Streetlights flickered occasionally, struggling to stay alive in a city that was already dead.

Kira's fingers tightened on the steering wheel as he drove, the unsettling quiet of the night broken only by the occasional THUD as the front bumper slammed into a wandering zombie.

ドン! (Don!)

The body rolled over the hood, leaving behind streaks of blood, but Kira didn't flinch. His eyes were sharp, alert, taking in the scenery around him with an eerie calm. After all, he had seen this before—he knew exactly what was coming. Being reincarnated into this world had its advantages, but it also came with a heavy burden.

"This world… the plot is already shifting," he muttered, his gaze briefly shifting to the rearview mirror, watching the crumpled corpse of the zombie disappear in the distance. "Takashi and the others… they'll soon be knee-deep in blood. No more high school drama. Only survival."

Kira leaned back slightly in his seat, the leather creaking under him as his foot pressed harder on the gas pedal. The SUV roared forward, splashing through pools of blood and guts.

ズズズ…(Zuzuzu…)

The thick slush of what used to be human flesh was swallowed by the tires, leaving a crimson trail behind him.

"This… this is the world of Highschool of the Dead. I was born here, but even I can't help but feel a sense of déjà vu. How ironic… I know their fate, but they don't know mine."

He smirked slightly, recalling the moments from the anime he had once watched in his past life. The waves of zombies, the collapse of society, the chaos that consumed everything. And yet, now it felt different. More real. More terrifying.

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He let his mind wander back to the mundane lives of people that morning. Housewives, fathers, children—it all seemed so laughable now, in the face of this apocalypse. Just hours ago, they were living in peace, completely unaware that their lives were about to shatter. The world they knew was gone.

"Men go to work, women stay home, kids go to school… it's a joke. Everything they took for granted is crumbling," Kira said to himself, his voice barely a whisper. "The darkness is creeping in… and soon, there won't be any difference between a man, a woman, or a child. They'll all be dead or worse…"

He turned the wheel sharply, skidding around a corner, narrowly avoiding another zombie. The back of the SUV swung out slightly before straightening again, and Kira accelerated without hesitation.

ギュルルル!(Gyurururu!)

The sound of tires squealing filled the night air as the SUV bolted through the empty streets. The city lights were fading fast, with most buildings swallowed in darkness. A few scattered fires flickered in the distance, casting a hellish orange glow on the horizon. The smell of smoke and death clung to the air.

Kira's hand absentmindedly reached for the dashboard, brushing past the rocket launcher lying in the passenger seat. His prized swords rested behind him, waiting for their moment to shine. But for now, he was content to mow down the undead with the force of sheer horsepower.

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"This isn't just a collapse of society… this is the collapse of humanity itself." He paused, taking a deep breath. "Men like Takashi will have to grow up real fast. And those women…"

Kira's eyes narrowed as the thought crossed his mind. He knew how this world would treat women, especially now that societal rules were no longer in place. It was only a matter of time before they became victims, used and discarded by the scum that would rise in the aftermath of civilization.

"Those who believe they can rely on men to save them will be the first to fall. The real monsters won't be the zombies—they'll be the humans."

Kira's hands tightened around the steering wheel as he drove deeper into the outskirts, where the houses were sparse and the streets quieter. It was almost peaceful, in a way.

But the peace wouldn't last.

ザワザワ…(Zawazawa...)

The rustling of the undead echoed faintly in the distance, their slow, shuffling footsteps dragging through the silent night. Kira could sense their presence even before he saw them. It was a skill he had honed over time, surviving in this world as it continued to unravel.

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System: You know, for someone who knows the plot, you're awfully quiet. What's the matter? Cat got your tongue?

The system's voice cut through the silence inside the SUV like a bad joke. Its mocking tone grated on Kira's nerves, but he was used to it by now.

"Shut it. I'm thinking."

System: Thinking, huh? About how you're going to survive? Or are you worried about those high school kids who have no idea what's coming?

Kira scoffed. "I'm not worried about them. They'll survive… or they won't. Either way, I will do whatever I want."

System: Harsh words for someone who was once a high schooler himself. Then again, you're not exactly normal, are you?

Kira leaned his head back, staring at the roof of the SUV as the system's voice continued to poke at him.

"Normal? This world doesn't need normal anymore. The strong will live, and the weak… well, we know how that ends."

He let out a sigh, glancing out the window at the darkened homes and streets.

"The women here… they won't be able to play victim anymore. If they can't adapt, they'll end up just like the zombies."

System: What about you, Kira? What are you planning to do?

Kira's lips curled into a smirk. "What I always do. Conquer."

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The SUV continued to speed through the night, headlights cutting through the blackness. In the distance, Kira could see the familiar outline of his house. It stood isolated on the outskirts of the city, away from the chaos for now.

But he knew it wouldn't stay that way for long. Soon, the real disaster would begin—the attack that would send humanity back to the stone age.

Kira parked the SUV in front of the house, cutting the engine and stepping out into the cool night air. He stood there for a moment, staring up at the sky, the distant sounds of the undead still echoing faintly in the background.

"Let's see how this all plays out," he muttered, a predatory grin spreading across his face. "The darkness has only just begun."

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A/N:

With Kira now home, how will he prepare for the future chaos? Will he continue on his path of conquering, or will the darkness consume him too? Stay tuned for the next chapter!