Chapter 51 : What happened to her husband.

[Yuriko Takagi's POV]

They always said Yuriko could make any man weak in the knees, and yeah... they weren't wrong. Even if things were spiraling into chaos, she still had a presence that could bring anyone to a halt. The mother of a tsundere and a hotshot in her own right, she wasn't just here to be eye candy like the original series dictated.

Her husband, Suichiro, had already sacrificed himself, all for some useless survivors who, in the end, repaid him by using him as a meat shield. The betrayal stung. Today, she had lost her home, her wealth, her dignity—and now her husband. If she couldn't stop this incoming horde of zombies, she would lose her daughter too.

Her bodyguards were gone, and the undead kept coming. A thousand strong, an endless wave, and no one left to stand with her... no one except two girls from her daughter's group. They fought fiercely, but Yuriko knew it wouldn't last. The situation was hopeless.

Just as she steeled herself to fall with the undead, fate twisted in the most unexpected way. A black SUV rolled in, roaring like some phantom machine, cutting through the sea of rotting corpses. Yuriko blinked in disbelief.

That car—how was it running?

The sunroof slid open, and a figure emerged. Kira Minami. A name she had heard whispered by Saya and her friends. As Saeko, Saya's friend and the daughter of a sword master, looked at him, Yuriko noticed something unsettling. The look in Saeko's eyes wasn't just admiration. It was predatory, primal—like a lioness spotting prey.

Yuriko's mind swirled. What the hell was going on? Moments ago, she was preparing for death. Now, it was like the very air had shifted, the scent of death blown away.

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[Kira's POV]

"Heh," I smirked as I saw Yuriko, Saeko, and Rei staring at me. 'Guess the OG group's been gossiping,' I thought.

They didn't look shocked—maybe a little dazed—but that didn't matter. There was no time to waste.

I hopped out of the sunroof, landing on the roof of the car, my pistols already drawn. Bullets flew into the skulls of the nearest zombies with precision. One, two, three… the tally racked up fast. The surrounding area cleared in less than two minutes.

But more kept coming. "Tch, how annoying." I wasn't here for experience points. These brain-dead corpses were beneath me. I needed to wrap this up fast.

"Hup!" I leapt off the roof, landing with a soft tap as my boots hit the ground, echoing in the sudden quiet. The groans of zombies were the only noise left.

"Yo, Saeko, are the three of you the only ones left?" I asked casually, not even glancing back as I fired another round into a stray zombie shambling toward the gate.

"Yes," Saeko replied, her sword still at the ready. "Saya and the others are trying to fix the car, but it's old—EMP fried everything."

That genius Saya was probably deep into some mechanics while the gun geek Hirano assisted her. But I wasn't waiting around. The clock was ticking. The EMP had already hit; it could get worse—a nuke might be next. Staying in this city was suicide, at least for normal humans. For them, these zombies were death itself.

"Alright. Go call them, or do you want me to drag their asses here?" I said, reloading my pistols in one swift motion.

The gate was wide open, fried from the EMP blast, so I strode over and gave it a solid kick.

SLAM!

The 200 kg metal gate flew off its hinges, sliding across the pavement with a deafening clang. I heard a soft gasp behind me and turned to see Yuriko and Rei standing frozen, dumbfounded.

"What?" I raised an eyebrow, amused at their reactions.

"Y-You just kicked a 200 kg metal gate like it was nothing!" Rei stammered, pointing at the mangled door.

"Eh? That thing was 200 kg? Who the hell needs a gate that heavy?" I scoffed. Even for a mansion this size, it was overkill.

"Who knows…" Rei muttered, clearly still in shock.

I waved it off. "Then don't ask if you don't know the answer." Seriously, these people.

Tap Tap Tap

The soft clink of heels echoed as Yuriko walked forward, her clothes stained with blood and torn from battle. Her skirt barely clung to her hips, revealing long, elegant legs.

"You must be the man my daughter spoke of—Kira Minami-san," she said, her voice sweet yet commanding. A delicate chain dangled between her cleavage, catching the dim light. 'Damn, I want to be that chain,' I thought for a split second.

"No need for pleasantries," I replied, brushing off her formalities. "I'm not a fan of that crap."

Yuriko gave a faint smile, but the tension returned to her face as she glanced at the car. She asked how it was still working, and I explained that I had modified it, thanks to some military connections. She nodded, seemingly satisfied, but just as we were about to continue, a zombie staggered out from behind a bush.

BANG

I didn't even need to aim—my bullet tore through its skull. Yuriko tried to fire, but her gun jammed.

"Out of ammo?" I asked, watching as she fumbled with the magazine.

"No—it's something else. Of all times for this to happen," she muttered, her frustration evident.

"Here, catch." I tossed her one of my pistols, which she caught smoothly. I liked how sharp she was—quick on her feet, no-nonsense. She was definitely a woman who knew how to handle herself.

As we exchanged a few words, the rest of the OG gang finally emerged from the mansion. The sun had set, and the darkness was swallowing everything. Flames flickered in the distance, casting an eerie glow over the ruins. It felt like the apocalypse had finally arrived.

Saya was the first to speak. "So, you came—"

"Save the reunion for later, princess," I cut her off. "We need to move, unless you want your ass gnawed off by zombies."

She gritted her teeth but followed, and I packed everyone into the SUV. The boys were crammed in the back, while the ladies managed to squeeze in, with Yuriko in the front seat next to me.

But before driving off, I needed to deal with that heavy gate. It wasn't going to open by itself.

I stepped out, heading to the trunk. Inside was a small arsenal—guns, grenades, even a rocket launcher. I grabbed two grenades and slammed the trunk shut.

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BOOM! The gate exploded in a cloud of smoke and twisted metal. As I climbed back into the driver's seat, a sly grin spread across my face. I revved the engine and plowed through the wreckage, running over a few undead in the process.

"Buckle up, ladies and gents. It's going to be a bumpy ride."

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[ Kira's POV ]

The SUV skids around a corner, tires screeching against the debris-strewn streets. The undead swarm the city like a rising tide, moaning, groaning— a tsunami of rotting flesh.

"Here they come!" I grunt, twisting the wheel with precision as we barrel down the highway.

Thud! Thud!

Zombies slam into the side of the vehicle, but it doesn't slow me down. My fingers drum the steering wheel, my mind already three steps ahead.

"Rei, Saya—guns from the trunk. Time to clear the road."

Saya fumbles at first, but quickly retrieves a firearm, the weight of the rifle foreign in her hands. Her pink hair whips as she glances nervously at the oncoming horde.

"D-Do I shoot now?"

"Do you want to die?" I smirk, glancing at her through the rearview mirror. "Shoot."

BLAM!

Saya fires off the first round, and her shot is clean, taking down a walker that was too close to the SUV. Her breath catches, but she quickly reloads.

BOOM!

The recoil from Hirano's rifle rocks the car, the nerd having perched his gun through the back window. He may not look it, but he knows his way around a gun.

"Nice shot!" I call out. Hirano grins like a kid in a candy store, eyes gleaming with adrenaline.

Takashi, on the other hand, just sits there, useless. His hands shake. The gun in his lap is untouched. Rei sneaks a glance at him, then at me. The doubt in her eyes is growing. I can see it.

Saeko, sitting next to her, is different. Calm, collected. She's been giving me that same smitten, predatory look for a while now—like a tigress circling her prey. But I keep my focus on the road. For now.

BAM! BAM! More shots ring out from the back as Rei finally joins in, shaky at first but improving fast. The girls are catching on. I need them sharp.

The road ahead is blocked—an overturned truck, flaming wreckage. I slam my foot on the gas and shout back, "Hold on tight!"

The SUV leaps over debris like a beast, the chassis groaning as it lands hard.

KA-THUNK!

Yuriko gasps, her hand gripping the dash. Her skirt rides up just enough for me to catch a glimpse of those long, toned legs. Her eyes dart to me—sharp, calculating. She's starting to see me for what I am. Not just some guy. Someone reliable. Strong.

Maybe more.

Her husband was nothing but a power-hungry nationalist, unable to protect her from the true dangers of this world. I can tell she's starting to realize that.

We plow through another wave of undead, bodies bouncing off the car's reinforced front. The vehicle shakes with the force of it, but nothing's stopping me now.

CRASH!

A horde closes in from the side. Hirano fires, his rifle popping the heads of three zombies like watermelons. Rei takes down a few more, her aim improving with each shot.

Takashi just sits there, eyes wide, frozen. He's useless. Rei sees it too. The way she glances at me now—there's something different in her eyes. She's starting to compare us, and he's falling short.

"More incoming!" Saya yells, her voice tinged with panic.

"Relax," I say, grinning. "I've got this."

I slam my foot on the brake, spinning the SUV into a controlled drift. The tires screech against the pavement, kicking up dust and bodies as we narrowly avoid another wreckage. Yuriko's hand instinctively grips my arm, steadying herself. I feel the warmth of her fingers, the way her touch lingers for just a moment too long.

"Sorry," she mutters, pulling back. But her eyes… they're telling a different story.

In the rearview mirror, I catch Saya watching me. Her eyes, wide with conflict, scream everything she refuses to say aloud. She's caught between her attraction and her pride.

The SUV tears through the last wave of zombies, and we burst out onto the open road. The city behind us is engulfed in chaos—fires raging, bodies littering the streets. But the road ahead is clear. For now.

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A/N : Oh! boy the Tension is rising, who are those strangers... Maybe 🤔?.