[X] Talk to the individual students about their thoughts, wishes, requests, and proposals
One thing we could do next time is test this whole increased strength thing that seems to be happening. We don't know if it's gonna stop there, or if mutations will continue, or if or how it will affect our nutrient intake.
And we gotta find it's limit as well, cause sure, Hiratsuka can crush a zombie's head while wearing loafers, but that's not a hard number.
And the virus doing weird things to people's bodies and having no clue what's gonna happen next is not good for morale.
This is most likely Zero merging gameplay feats into story form, and Hiratsuka just happened to be calm enough to notice.
In game survivors are capable of insane physical feat, especially in the second game, but that takes place around two years after outbreak. In the first game, they're weaker. Much weaker, in fact.
However the quest does use the second game system, so Zero might have their own take.
One thing we could do next time is test this whole increased strength thing that seems to be happening. We don't know if it's gonna stop there, or if mutations will continue, or if or how it will affect our nutrient intake.
This is most likely Zero merging gameplay feats into story form, and Hiratsuka just happened to be calm enough to notice.
In game survivors are capable of insane physical feat, especially in the second game, but that takes place around two years after outbreak. In the first game, they're weaker. Much weaker, in fact.
You know, I'm intrigued by the idea that the "something" that is causing the apocalypse is making the living stronger as well. I know in the games they don't really try to hide the fact that this was a weapon constructed to kill humanity.
I think it was the first game DLC when a CIA guy outright says that the special zombies are too uniform to be anything other then premade templets.
I also recall the survivors can singlehanded wipeout a small town of Zombies singlehanded. They can do this with a shitty melee weapon or even their Bare Fucking Hands if the player is skilled enough. That is obviously completely impossible in real life.
That's actually the common part of Chinese and Korean apocalypse stories.
I think the difference is zero gave us a relatively low cap on what can be achieved instead of going full Shonen superpower.
Shizuka decided a more subtle approach was more important for the moment. She thought a quarrel could break any moment because the entire group was split into two cliques.
The first is the Hayato clique: Hayama Hayato, Miura Yumiko, Tobe Kakeru, and Ebina Hina. The second one is the Hachiman clique, which is Hikigaya Hachiman, Hikigaya Komachi, Yukinoshita Yukino, Totsuka Saika, and Zaimokuza Yoshiteru.
The other people in this group are much more nuanced in their relationships.
Kawasaki Saki and Kawasaki Taishi are independent, especially since Saki is an unflappable loner. Although Taishi is close with Komachi, the meek boy will not take sides in most conflicts because he's out of the loop.
Yuigahama Yui is close with both cliques. Or rather, she's often torn between their interest. If conflicts were to break out between the two cliques, she would be the key to resolving it, and Shizuka would try her best to support the girl.
Right.
In terms of personality, the Hayama group is the more spoiled.
"We could really use some entertainment, Sensei," Tobe said. "Come on, there's no television, movies, or video games here. Not like we can use the internet either, with the entire network down."
"I think the base is good. We have a kitchen, toilet, and bathroom. We have everything, even an air conditioner." Yumiko said. "But I really want proper beds. Preferably separated from others."
"Do we even have enough room for thirteen of us? The base is big, but not that big to have thirteen separate bed spaces." Shizuka sighed. "Let's think up a better solution."
"I think loft beds might be useful to save space." Hayato proposed. "We can also build partitions to divide us into a few shared spaces."
"Partition huh." Yumiko was thoughtful. "Let me think..."
"I think it is a good compromise," Hina said. "Four bedspaces for the twelve of us? We can afford it. And Sensei can have a smaller one on your own."
Shizuka is alright with the hammock, to be honest.
"True," Tobe said. "But we don't have the skill, tools, or material to make furniture, don't we?"
"Skill issue, that's not something to be solved immediately, but if it's tools and material..." Yukino rubbed her chin. "I had a solution."
"You do?"
Because internet maps no longer function without a cellular network, they had to unfold a somewhat old city map. Thankfully, these paper maps are available wherever tourism is the heart of the economy. And Minakami, Gunma, is no different..
"This is our position, and these two places are important to us. This place here is the woodcutter repository area. Trucks would pick up the woods here to be transported elsewhere."
"And now we go southwest." Yukino circled a building. "This is a small construction company that accepts renovation contracts, as well as making furniture by order or creating DIY kits and instruction."
"The tools we need should be here because I doubt anyone is willing to use traditional tools for woodworking," Yukino said. "I know this because I've read my family business report before."
"Yeah, man, just boarding the front windows killed mah back." Tobe shuddered. "Power tools might be dangerous, but they should be helpful."
"That second water filter was so annoying to make with hand tools," Yumiko whined. "I don't want to do any more manual labor!"
"So, I figure you guys want to stay here instead of moving out?" Shizuka concluded.
"Even if we want to, we don't know where to go." Hayato shrugged.
"There's a villa very close to us. It was small. However, it was not a bad place to stay." Yukino said as he pointed at the map, less than a hundred meters from the camp. "Not to mention it has an observation deck so people who stand guard can have a greater line of sight."
"Now that you said it, this administration office has a poor line of sight," Hayato mumbled. "Not to mention... too many glass windows and doors. The entire left wing of the building is vulnerable."
The left side of the administration building is basically a store. Almost half of the walls are made of glass. The right side is much more secure but also occupied by men's and women's hot spring baths and a small office they repurposed as an infirmary.
"Are you saying we had to move?!" Yumiko asked in disbelief.
"Either we move, or we work our way to cover them. All of them." Hayato said. "We gotta work hard no matter what."
"I'm so sick of this survival game nonsense!" Yumiko huffed and walked out angrily. "Don't follow me!"
"Ah, Miura-san!" Tobe called. However, he was too distracted when Hina started crying. It's easy to guess where his concerns lie the most.
Hayato took a deep breath and followed Yumiko to talk with her, but Shizuka stopped him. "She needs alone time. I'll watch her from a distance."
Was it ever a surprise that the extrovert group fell apart first? Hachiman's group, composed of introverts, was never particularly close with each other. That's why they're good at giving each other's space. On the other hand, these outgoing kids only meet each other in prosperous, peaceful times.
Real friendships are forged in fire.
As Yumiko walked outside, she was greeted by the sight of Zaimokuza Yoshiteru splitting the pile of thick firewood into usable pieces. Zaimokuza must have done this for a while since he already produced four bundles of firewood beside him.
"Why didn't you use the sledgehammer and splitting stand?!"
A splitting stand is a static wedge-shaped axe blade on a solid mount. You put the wood on a mounted splitter blade and drop the short sledgehammer to push it down. It was effortless because you don't have to care for accuracy, and the sledgehammer is powered by gravity.
"Miura-dono, the decadence of modern Japanese is the reason for our downfall," Zaimokuza said. "I am out of shape, and being sick made it worse. Sometimes, the easy path will make your life harder."
It was harsh of Zaimokuza to say that, but he was not wrong. He was obese, plain and simple. And the infection must have taken a toll on his body and mind.
Right now, Zaimokuza is more conscious of himself than anyone else.
"Do we really have to do this?" Yumiko barked. "Can't we just, I don't know, go to the evacuation center and get out of this hell?"
Zaimokuza ignored her and continued with woodcutting.
"There's no such thing." Hachiman suddenly said. "And I'll be honest: I'd rather be squatting alone instead of joining the shelter."
Yumiko grimaced and held her mouth when she noticed Hachiman's right hand was covered in blackish liquid. Although the colors were different, the smell was not unfamiliar.
It was blood. Zombie blood.
However, other than that, Yui was beside him with a concerned look.
"Chiba, Tokyo, Gunma, there's no safe space," Hachiman said. "But still, I am going back."
"You think you can return to Chiba, even knowing that?" Yumiko grabbed his collar in anger. "And why did you get Yui involved with your stupidity?!"
"No! Yumiko! You're mistaken!" Yui grabbed her arm, trying to calm her. "Hikki was trying to keep everyone safe!"
"What do you want, Miura?" Hachiman grinned. "Do you not want to go home?"
Yumiko was shaken. Of course, she wanted to go home. But the fact that her parents told her NOT to come home was traumatizing. She knew it was for her own good, but it still hurts to hear.
"Of course I do!"
"Then stay alive and stop being a selfish bitch." Hachiman called her out. "No one will bend their knee to your whim."
Shizuka noticed that while Hachiman's eyes were full of anger and resolve, his entire body shook. He bluffed his way out because, in reality, he did fear Miura Yumiko.
He had always been a liar and a pushover, at least, until things went south, and he would willingly throw himself into danger.
Yumiko had to let Hachiman, though. No one is willing to call the bluff of a person with a bloody hand.
"...Did you go and attack one of the zombies?" Zaimokuza handed Hachiman a small bucket of water and hand soap.
"One of them strayed away from the resort," Hachiman said. "While they retain vision and hearing, their overall senses are dull. Nevertheless, they're faster than you think they are. They have infinite stamina. They WILL chase you to the end of the earth unless you can fool them."
"I was able to kill one by luring it, hiding in the bush, and stabbing the back of its head," Hachiman said as he washed both his bloody hand and a big screwdriver. "Aim for the cerebellum. Instant death. Or should I say, re-death?"
"You say that, but aiming for the back of the head in a direct confrontation would be very difficult." Zaimokuza sighed. "Probably easier to beat their heads off."
"Hey, never said I'm that courageous of a person." Hachiman snarked. "I'm not Sensei, Kawasaki, or Tobe who's willing to punch people in the face."
"You're all crazy." Yumiko huffed.
Yui rushed so she could catch up with her angry friend.
"Am I the only insane person here?" Yumiko asked, distraught. "Am I such a baggage that everyone gave a stink?"
"Uhh... I don't think of you as a baggage." Yui said. "You were the one taking care of the sick people the most. You pay a lot of attention to our comfort and safety. Even Yukinon feels indebted to you."
"It's just that... I think... people don't want to be reminded how bad our situation is." Yui sadly smiled. "Even Hikki only grumbles to himself when no one else is looking."
In other words, they don't need to hear Yumiko's complaints and tirade.
"In other words, I had to quietly suck it up?"
"No. Please talk to me anytime you want. I will listen to what you say." Yui waved her hand. "But also, please listen to what we say."
Yumiko sighed.
Their awkward silence didn't last long when they heard infrequent but continuous thuds nearby.
"Saki-chan?" Yui asked. "You should not strain yourself too much! You're still wounded!"
Saki was punching and kicking a tree barehanded. Granted, she used a roll of a thick sleeping bag as padding, but that's still not going to be overly pleasant.
"I'm fine. I'm just doing some warmups." Saki coldly said. "Would be awful if we got attacked and I got hurt from a sprain."
"...That doesn't sound like a warmup to me." Yumiko crossed her arms. "...Fighting those zombies, are they that scary?"
"The fact that they're zombies doesn't scare me," Saki said. "The fact that they WERE people was."
Yumiko and Yui grimaced.
"Sometimes, I was thankful we're not in Chiba. Because I would hesitate a lot if I saw someone close to me being turned into a living dead. And probably got killed freezing." Saki said. "But all things considered, I was thankful Sensei was there."
"Sensei... Hiratsuka-sensei is super strong, right?" Yui asked.
"Superhuman," Saki bluntly told Yui. "We fought twelve of them, and Sensei could fight against half of them alone. Without Sensei, the survivors will likely die or be scattered away. I'm too weak to make a difference by myself."
"At that moment, I realized something important. With that kind of strength, Sensei doesn't need us. She could leave anytime, anywhere she wanted." Saki looked at her tightly bandaged arms, which she used as a replacement for sports tape. "I hated it. I hated knowing I had to rely on someone who could abandon us on a whim."
Kawasaki Saki wanted to get stronger.
"And also, let me tell you something," Saki said to Yumiko. "Some of us have people we wanted to protect. But even if you don't have one, at the very least, find a way to protect yourself."
"People I wanted to protect, huh?" Yumiko scoffed.
Of course, she has them. That would be her clique members, Ebina Hina and Yuigahama Yui. Yumiko was just too embarrassed to admit it.
Hiratsuka smiled and decided to come out of her hiding.
...
"What does Komachi really want? Hmm." Komachi muttered. "Komachi thinks we need fresh food, but that seems to be a pipedream for now. For now, Komachi would say any vegetable or fruits would do."
"Right," Shizuka said. "Finding vegetables in a farming town like this would be easy. Keeping them fresh could be a challenge, though. We don't even have a proper refrigerator."
"We can use one of the drink fridges to keep them longer." Komachi pointed out. "The bottled drinks can survive room temperature just fine."
"Huh, true."
"If I may." Taishi coughed and raised his hand. "I might be able to gather wild vegetables. We are lucky this camp is at the foot of a mountain. And Zombies are unlikely to be here."
"Are you sure?"
"I could try catching fish from the rivers. I could also gather vegetables from abandoned farms and check if they're ripe." Taishi pointed. "Granted, I'm not knowledgeable enough to deal with mushrooms yet. That would be very unsafe."
"Sasuga, Taishi-kun. It's always the quiet ones that surprise people the most." Komachi patted the sick boy. "You can help us once you get healthy."
Kawasaki Taishi
Quirk Skill: Foraging 1
Gather a small amount of fresh food whenever he's idle and roaming the woods or farmlands. "Living off the land when cut off from the supply chain, the spirit of a Boy Scout."
"Oh, and another thing. Because cooking can be a pain, Komachi also wanted a stockpot, maybe a slow cooker too." Komachi said. "With these two tools, our lives will be much easier."
"What do you want, Kawasaki?" Shizuka asked. "I know you want better weapons, but what else?"
"Bread yeast and artificial preservatives," Saki said. "Sodium benzoate, potassium sorbate, citric acid, anything of that sort in bulk."
"I think we can get a few in the Konbini, but how much do you really need?"
"As many as you can get," Saki said.
What the hell is this girl's planning? Shizuka wondered.
"Oh, and several empty water bottles, the gigantic multi-gallon ones. We need them to store clean drinking water, among other things." Hayato said. "What use of a water filter if we can't store leftovers?"
She kinda understands the last part, though. Clean water is their lifeline.
They were so used to drinkable tap water that when civilization collapsed like this, they got worried that the water would get contaminated. A realistic concern, all things considered.
"Speaking of water filters... why are we building them instead of getting them?" Saki asked.
"...Ask Hayato about it." Yumiko coughed. "Don't they sell faucet filters in the stores?"
"Most faucet filters sold in Japan are tailored to Japanese needs. They only remove iron dust and rustic taste with crude zeolite pebbles." Hayato said. "We can steal a water purifier machine, but between the bulk and the cost, I'll leave it to Sensei to decide."
"But if Sensei can find bulk zeolites, we can improve our filter." Hayato pointed. "And get cleaner water in higher quantity. So that's what I wanted right now. Maybe UV lamps as well, but those are hard to find."
How does Hayato say the craziest thing, and somehow those were the most sensible arguments they heard? His charisma is too raw to comprehend.
"And where do you think we can find those?"
"Daiso. And if that doesn't work, pet stores." Hachiman said. "You know, cat litter sand. Make sure they're unperfumed."
The girls all looked at Hachiman with disgust. This doesn't help his self-esteem issues in the slightest, making him shrink away.
"I... I want to stay here. The bathroom is too good to get away from." Yumiko said. "But to be honest, if either the electricity or the hot spring dies, this camp loses a lot of value to me. I guess we could really use proper bed space."
"I guess I want to reinforce camp defense somehow. But we also need to prepare a secondary base." Saika added. "I think we could use a nail or roofing hammer. They're useful tools if we want to build stuff. And well... they make handy weapons."
"Automotive and power tools will be helpful." Tobe pointed himself with his thumb. "I might look dumb sometimes, but I worked in a junkyard before. I know a little bit about tools and machines."
"Can you do a carjack?" Shizuka asked. "I know it's technically a crime, but sometimes, you just have to do it."
"Well, in theory, yes. Obviously, I never do that. So it would take time and careful consideration." Tobe said. "I can also make weapons from broken car parts."
Tobe Kakeru
Quirk Skill: Junker 1
Can steal working cars (1 turn). Salvage weapons and parts from ruined cars (1 turn). "The art of dismantling a vehicle is very delicate, though not as hard as bringing them back into service."
Traits:
Worked in a junkyard (Quirk Skill: Junker)
"So we need better hammers and axes. What was the term again? Something about lever? Physics isn't my forte."
"You mean leverage." Hiratsuka sighed. "I understand. You want longer handles for the hammer and axe, right?"
Increasing leverage would make the weapons even better at causing damage. Simple physics from a fourth-grade science lesson.
"The wood axes aren't that good, either way," Saki said. "The heads are too thick and designed to split wood. Only good if you aim for the zombie's neck, and that's a luxury with a handle this short."
Indeed. While there are plenty, axe designs can be divided into two core forms: chopper and splitter. Splitter axes tend to be thick. Designed to cut vertically, following the wood grain as a wedge. Chopper axes tend to be thinner and sharper, designed to cut horizontally through tree limbs.
Felling axes and fireman axes are examples of chopper axes. They're long, sharp, and deadly.
"If we can get a sewing machine and a bunch of clothes, I can make you guys better clothing for fighting and survival," Hina said. "I can do it with hand, but that takes an unreasonable amount of time. Also, I can't make armor pieces yet. So get them in the sporting goods."
Ah, so Ebina Hina wanted a sewing machine, huh?
Ebina Hina
Quirk Skill: Sewing 1
Makes clothes more durable. Reduce damage from enemy attacks by 10%.
"Craft more suitable clothing for trying times, tailored to the person and situation."
"Just more books," Hachiman said. "Not just for entertainment. But with the internet down, we need to learn and adapt. Also, we could use ranged weapons, but guns are out of line."
"You mean..."
"Bows and crossbows," Hachiman smirked. "They aren't considered weapons, but I am certain they can kill almost anything that walks on land."
This guy is really witty, isn't he?
"I want a Katana!" Zaimokuza shouted. "...Is what I want to say, but it's unrealistic. A suburi bokuto would be nice as a weapon!"
Suburi bokuto is a type of bokuto (wooden sword) used for strength training. Their weight and size vary but are at least as heavy as steel Katana.
Hmm.
"What about you, Yukinoshita?"
"A maguro knife," Yukino said. "I'd also like a Katana if we can afford it, but that's impossible. Not in Gunma."
A tuna knife? Did she intend to use these oversized knives to kill zombies?
"Getting tuna knife in the middle of a mountain, are you nuts?" Hachiman asked. "They're probably harder to get than a katana!"
"Tch." Yukino clicked her tongue. "Then, an ordinary bokuto is fine."
"Other than this, does anyone object to staying here and reinforcing the base?" Shizuka asked. "Does no one here want to join the evacuation site?"
"You may not realize this, but there is strength in numbers. And they also have armed police. If we stay here, we fight tooth and nail to survive. No one will come to help."
There was a heavy silence.
"I mean..." Hachiman mumbled. "Even if we go there, we'll still be strangers."
"Right," Yumiko said. "I understand it would be safer, but thinking about it... will they even accept us? Beyond courtesy, anyway."
"Besides, the last time we talked to our parents, we told them we were staying," Saika said. "Even if the hope for a rescue is vain, I want to hold onto it for a while."
The other teens nodded in agreement.
"Right. We can think about that after we check the condition of the evacuation shelter. For now, we're staying here. And I'll try my best to fulfill your wishes."
Whatever long-term goal this community needs can be decided later. At least these kids used their brilliant heads to think about survival.
Members' Demands:
Hikigaya Komachi:
Fresh vegetables and fruits (Luxury): Massive luxury in the apocalypse that doesn't last without refrigeration. Obtainable in a restaurant, grocery store,supermarket, or farm.
Stockpot (Tools) x2: A high-capacity cooking pot usually used for school or business use. Obtainable in a restaurant, supermarket, or hardware store.
Slow cooker (Tools): An electric appliance that cooks dishes over hours. Obtainable in a supermarket or hardware store.
Kawasaki Saki:
Bread Yeast (Material): A yeast strain often used to cultivate bread dough base. Obtainable in a convenience store or supermarket.
Food Preservatives (Material): Various chemical salts to preserve food and cosmetics. Obtainable in a convenience store, supermarket, or beverage factory.
Chopping axes (Weapon, Tools): A tool to cut wood. Very effective against flesh and bones. Obtainable in a contractor building or hardware store.
Hayama Hayato:
Sack of zeolites (Material): Mineral sand and stones for filtering purposes. Absorb odor and contaminants. Obtainable in a pet store, convenience store,hardware store, or supermarket.
Water gallon jugs (Material): These PET bottles can contain over 10 Liters of drinking water. Obtainable in a supermarket.
Water Purifier Machine (Tools): A water pump with a ceramic microfilter. It can turn almost any water into clean water. Heavy and requires a truck to carry. Obtainable in a supermarket or hardware store.
Tobe Kakeru:
Power Tools (Tools): Various electric-powered tools are used for craftsmanship and construction. Obtainable in a contractor building or hardware store.
Heavy toolbox (Tools): Various wrenches, pliers, screwdrivers, and other hand tools are used to assemble, fix, or disassemble machinery. Obtainable in a contractor building or hardware store.
Miura Yumiko:
Mattress (Material) x6: A simple bed that can be used as it is or on top of something else. Very light but requires a truck to transport. Obtainable in a supermarket or hardware store.
Loft bed (Furniture) x6: A DIY raised bed platform with sizable space underneath. Not particularly heavy, but needs a truck to transport. Obtainable in a supermarket or hardware store.
Totsuka Saika:
Nail hammer (Weapons, Tools): Impact tools for construction and maybe bashing some skulls. Obtainable in a contractor building, hardware store. or smithy.
Sack of bolts (Material): Huge pile of bolts and nuts. Vital in modern construction. Obtainable in a contractor building or hardware store.
Sack of nails (Material): Huge pile of nails in a bag. Vital in modern construction. Obtainable in a contractor building or hardware store.
Yukinoshita Yukino:
Bokuto (Weapons): A wooden sword carved from hardwood into the shape of a katana. Useful to train swordsmanship but could be lethal in the right hands. Obtainable in sporting goods.
Maguro knife (Weapons, Tools): A knife that could be mistaken for a sword. Used to fillet large fish with a single slice. Obtainable in a smithy, a fish market, or a big sushi restaurant.
Katana (Weapons): The quintessential traditional Japanese swords. Regulated and expensive. Obtainable in a smithy.
Ebina Hina:
Portable Sewing Machine (Tools): A small, electric-powered sewing machine useful to make clothes and mend torn ones. Obtainable in a hardware store.
Sports gear (Armor): Various types of protective equipment in sports, might be useful even in surviving an apocalypse. Obtainable in sporting goods.
Hikigaya Hachiman:
Skill Books (Item): Books containing advice and techniques on self-reliance are important to survive as the civilization collapses. Obtainable in the library and bookstore.
Sporting bow (Weapons): Synthetic bows and arrows. Although dangerous, they're not considered weapons by Japanese law. Obtainable in sporting goods.
Crossbow (Weapons): Synthetic crossbows and arrows. Although dangerous, they're not considered weapons by Japanese law. Obtainable in sporting goods.
Zaimokuza Yoshiteru:
Suburi bokuto (Weapons): A thick wooden sword for strength and fitness training. Also an effective bludgeoning weapon. Obtainable in sporting goods. (Zaimokuza)
Katana (Weapons): The quintessential traditional Japanese swords. Regulated and expensive. Obtainable in a smithy.
Community Demand:
Working gloves (Armor): Prevent needless injuries while doing labor. Obtainable in hardware stores.
Working boots (Armor): Resilient, industry-standard footwear. Obtainable in hardware stores.
That is a lot of demand. However, they all have their argument on why they request it.
The problem is the transport. It would be impossible to carry some of them around with our current car. Miura's demand is the most damning, as we might need to make multiple trips even if we have a kei truck.
"Right. I need to make a decision."
CHAPTER 3 END
[ ] Find a truck today and depart tomorrow
Borrow, steal, charter. However the method used, we need a truck.
[ ] Depart immediately before the sun starts to set
Just carry what we can today and come back again later when we need it.
[ ] Loot the restaurant, convenience stores, and contractor building (Easy?)
They're close to the camp or located in sparsely populated places.
[ ] Loot the area around the countryside (Medium)
We don't know what we will find. Density of zombies: concerning.
[ ] Loot the supermarket (Medium-hard?)
A fairly hot place. But they have things that could not be obtained elsewhere.
[ ] Loot the hardware store (Medium-hard?)
A fairly hot place. One stop for most of our needs. Can we even carry all of them?
[ ] Visit the evacuation shelter for more information about places to loot
Yumiko is predictable but relatable tbh
[X] Depart immediately before the sun starts to set
[X] Loot the restaurant, convenience stores, and contractor building (Easy?)
Take it easy. This is literally just day 2. Gotta prepare before big haul.
Is this a group activity, Zero? How many people will join?
Yes. Up to 3 following survivors. They will be chosen based on their interest and expertise.
Low fighting members will hesitate to enter yellow zones, for example.
They use everything as narrative demanded, because there's no gameplay limitation in that regard.
Speed matters a lot though, and high wit character will find the target item quicker. High cardio characters will carry more items instead.
I kind of find it a bit funny that Bows and Crossbows aren't considered to be weapons by law, one of my acquaintances uses a Crossbow and a Recurve Bow for Deer and Elk hunting and he says that they can work even better than a Hunting Rifle in the right circumstances.
Yeah, a lot of people, especially in the developed countries have gotten pretty used to our creature comforts. Having to suddenly give those up, especially when they're all that you've ever known, is going to be hard for everyone. That's one of the advantages of the campground/resort the party currently staying at, the Hot Spring baths are a much needed luxury.
On a completely unrelated note, once Kukinoshita has fully recovered we should probably encourage her to get working on her endurance, since she's very much not an athletic person. Hopefully Sword practice, once we can get some Bokuto will help, but otherwise she's probably going to be limited in what activities she can do.
[X] Depart immediately before the sun starts to set
[X] Loot the restaurant, convenience stores, and contractor building (Easy?)
I kind of find it a bit funny that Bows and Crossbows aren't considered to be weapons by law, one of my acquaintances uses a Crossbow and a Recurve Bow for Deer and Elk hunting and he says that they can work even better than a Hunting Rifle in the right circumstances.
Crossbow did get regulated in 2020ish? But it was only after a certain murder. Also, bow and crossbow hunting is illegal in Japan, only guns are allowed. So until that law passed, crossbow were considered sport equipment and toys.
Bows are still unregulated btw.
Of course Hachiman would know this loophole lol. The quest is set in 2013. Also, leave it to Archer God to think about bows and arrows.
I kind of find it a bit funny that Bows and Crossbows aren't considered to be weapons by law, one of my acquaintances uses a Crossbow and a Recurve Bow for Deer and Elk hunting and he says that they can work even better than a Hunting Rifle in the right circumstances.
"It's decided," Shizuka said. "We're looting the closest place to the camp first."
"The resort?" Yumiko blinked.
"No. We go southwest until we can reach the contractor buildings Yukinoshita mentioned. "The first stop is the catering and bento restaurant south of this camp. That place should have a lot of useful things, especially food."
"Hmm, but isn't the resort pretty much similar?" Saki asked. "There should be a lot of food there."
"Unlikely." Hachiman shook his head. "Ryokan resorts like to keep their food fresh and top quality, so they get ingredients delivered before dawn."
"In other words, they don't very often keep a big supply of pantries," Komachi added. "A catering restaurant that produces bento, naturally, serves food in bulk. It's a gamble. Either we get everything, or we get nothing."
"I see." Yui clapped her hands and smiled. "We should raid them together!"
"...you're weirdly gung-ho about this." Yumiko got weirded out. "But either way, we can take turns carrying the goods. The sick ones aren't going to defend themselves."
Other than Zaimokuza, the other four were unable to do anything. Yukino couldn't even walk unassisted.
"Alright. Let's clean up these motherfuckers." Shizuka clenched her hands and grinned. "Tobe, you'll be part of the vanguards. Any complaints?"
"Hell nah, Sensei." Tobe cracked his fingers. "Let's beat them to the pulp."
"I'll also be part of the advance party." Saki raised her hands.
"No, Kawasaki. You'll retake a night shift, right?" Shizuka told her. "Save your strength. We might need it in a pinch. Besides, who will deal with the zombies in the resort if they break out of infestations?"
"...Alright."
Shizuka wasn't very accustomed to this rebellious girl being so obedient. But then again, Saki knew firsthand the horror of fighting against the zombies.
Hiratsuka Shizuka couldn't relate. She literally couldn't. Even though the zombies were fast and had limitless stamina, she could face several of them and get away with minor injuries. Saki could overpower most grown men, and she struggled to keep up.
Hiratsuka Shizuka isn't an average woman. No, she's not even an average human being in the first place. And if Saki's gut feeling was correct, she's only growing sturdier since the pandemic began two days ago.
It doesn't mean Shizuka didn't have a sense of fear. However, she doesn't have the same feelings of dread and horror as everyone else. To their credit, her students were holding up much better than the vast majority of people.
"The rest of you, don't rely on Kawasaki too much. Anyone fit and able, take up your arms." Shizuka told everyone with a serious face. "And remember..."
"Crush the head or cut their neck." Tobe made a decapacitation gesture. "You can stab them through, but it's hard."
Although you can disable the zombies by destroying all their limbs, that takes so much effort. And you created a landmine that bites unsuspecting people.
"Komachi will join the advance party." Komachi raised her hand. "Well... technically, Komachi will try Komachi's best not to get in the way. Don't count on Komachi to fight at all."
"You'll just be a deadweight." Hachiman chastised her. "Stay put."
"Tsk, as if Onii-chan can be relied on or anything." Komachi rolled her eyes. "No, we could use someone skilled in cooking to pick the ingredients. Your little sister is much better, no?"
Hachiman frowned.
"I'll go," Hayato said. "I don't like to boast, but I'm very fit and no slouch in fighting. I'll protect your little sister in your stead."
Hachiman looked at Hayato in distrust. However, he was too afraid to say anything. Hikigaya Hachiman is way too meek for someone cold-blooded and calculating sometimes.
"I'll hold onto that." Hachiman scowled.
Shizuka was sure Hachiman would murder Hayato if the worst-case scenario happened. So she will make sure nothing of the sort happens.
Although Komachi was on the younger and petite side, at least she was not a child anymore.
She has to contribute somehow. They all do if they want this camp to survive without outside help.
Hachiman is rational enough to understand this, even if he's uncomfortable.
"Komachi," Hachiman said. "You need to protect yourself."
"Of course," Komachi said as she raised a sharpened screwdriver. Similar to the one Hachiman had. "Stab the cerebellum, right?"
"And the side of the temples. The pterion bone." Hachiman pointed the part behind his eyes. "The weakest part of the human skull."
A stabbing weapon is very effective against living humans who die from blood loss. More knights died to knife stabs than they did to swords, lances, and war hammers. But against zombies, the skill ceiling required is very high. It has to be very precise.
Can Komachi do it?
If she were as cold-blooded as Hachiman, she probably could. Shizuka knew that Komachi acted childish on purpose, even exclusively addressing herself in the third person.
Hayato and Tobe carried a spare water pipe they obtained from the tool storage. The pipes are stuffed with cloth to prevent ringing. Just like aluminum baseball bats, pipes are loud when used to strike something because of the hollow cavity.
Or someone.
They're not as deadly as a hammer, but the reach of the pipes gives them leverage.
"Are you sure just the cloth is enough?" Hayato asked.
"We gotta fill it with rubber or resin if we wanted the pipes to be quieter and deadlier," Tobe smirked. "But at least we're not announcing it's dinner time whenever we cave their head inward."
Okay, that was funny.
"I am ready to stand guard," Zaimokuza said as he held the rusted sledgehammer one-handed. It was one of the rare times the other teens found him menacing. Usually, he has always been goofy and clowned by others due to his personality.
Shizuka thought that this tall, overweight boy probably had the strength of at least two people his age.
"Alright," Shizuka said. "First, we use the car noise to draw them out. Hikigaya siblings should sneak in and sort the items that we need."
"Hikigaya's sister can rejoin us once we clean up the restaurant. If there are too many zombies, we lure them southward and run them over with this car. I already disabled the airbag and duct-taped the front windows just for this."
Even if it damages the car, cleaning up zombies around the camp would be worth it.
"Let's go."
The restaurant was part of a complex in a bend from the main road. The complex comprises at least three shrines, two glamping facilities, and a small private farm. In terms of distance, it was 100 meters from the campsite, opposite the Ski Resort.
In such a quiet area, the sounds of a car are noticeably loud. Shizuka didn't spare anything, though. She smacked the horn and held a second worth of noise.
Then, she shut down the engine and paid attention to her surroundings.
Nothing.
There were no zombies in the restaurant's vicinity.
"Get out and stay quiet."
Shizuka had Hayato and Tobe, who calmly jogged toward the restaurant. She raised her hand to make them stop.
They heard faint banging, not from this building, though.
"There are zombies in the other buildings," Hayato said. "Most likely one of the glamping houses or the residential area."
"Let's sweep inside. Then get out and check the other buildings." Shizuka said as she entered.
"Careful, and look at the floor closely. If you see a corpse..."
"Yes, Sensei."
They checked every nook and cranny of the catering restaurant.
It was an extensive kitchen facility. There was a separate area to serve the dine-in customers.
"This is a good place. Honestly, I feel bad looting this." Tobe whistled. "It's exposed, though."
"A lot of cooked food. Some unfinished." Hayato checked. "I wonder if they're still edible."
"Bro, why are you acting like a miser?" Tobe gawked. Hayato was one of the most wealthy kids in the group. Only Yukinoshita Yukino can compare to him.
"We ARE living the miser life right now," Hayato argued. "That said, I am not risking food poisoning. We need to dispose of them later."
"The restaurant is clean. Let's move elsewhere."
They cleaned the Glamping house nearby. And no zombies there, either.
"Sensei, I think Yumiko would like this place," Hayato said.
The glamping house was smaller than the administration building but had similar amenities. Better yet, it has a heavily isolated bedroom.
"I do think so. Aside from the cramped space, this is better suited for us than the camp administration building." Shizuka nodded. "Let us move to the next place."
Sweeping through the complex was tedious but not difficult.
What was most disheartening was when Tobe and Hayato were forced to wipe out several elderly zombies in many houses here. They all shared the same attribute to them.
They all lived alone. Most likely, they became sick, and no one could help them. And they died and got zombified while being trapped in their own house.
"...Sensei." Hayato looked at Shizuka. "Can we give them a proper funeral later?"
Looking at those eyes, it was full of guilt.
"We can. But for now, let's arrange the bodies where we can see them the best." Shizuka said. "The Ministry of Health was clear that we should not bury the dead or dump them in the water because it may cause environmental contamination. Even if we filter and boil water, that doesn't mean we can be reckless."
"Understood."
They managed to secure some big trash bags and sleeping bags as body bag replacements for the taken-down elderly zombies. The bags were labeled with their respective names and put on the sidewalks, allegedly part of the instruction given through the various emergency broadcasts.
Supposedly, it was so the authorities could do a proper cleanup. But with the sheer scale of death and devastation, they doubt they have the luxury.
"The proper funeral is cremation, but we're neither their families nor we're Buddhist priests. We have no right nor qualifications to do so." Shizuka said.
Hayato clapped his hands to give a short prayer. Shizuka and Tobe did the same.
"I'll have you two realize we would do this for a while. If we are lucky, this crisis will not last longer than two weeks, but..." Shizuka looked at the neatly arranged bodies. "If we are not, we're looking at months of surviving at least."
"What do you mean, Sensei?" Tobe asked.
"In a normal situation, in the middle of a humid summer season like this, dead bodies decay very quickly," Hayato explained. "However, with the dead coming back to life like this, we can't be too sure anymore."
"Did you not notice the unnatural lack of rotting smell from these zombies?" Shizuka asked. "It was as if they were freshly killed and not being dead for at least few hours if not more than 24 hours."
"I did notice," Tobe said. "They smelt of stale, bloodless meat. I can smell the fishiness but not the iron or rotting."
"Most likely, the virus held back their state of decay." Shizuka closed her eyes and lit a cigarette. "Depends on how slow the process became, the zombies may last from weeks to years."
"Can they survive the winter?!"
"We don't know." Shizuka shook her head. "Can WE survive winters? We can think about that later. For now, survive the deadly Summer first."
Komachi and Hachiman inspected the restaurant kitchen facility. They found it a waste to loot it.
"When you think about it, we don't exactly have extra fridges." Komachi winced. "It's better to leave the fresh ingredients in the cold storage here and use the facility as required. We can haul off the imperishables elsewhere, though."
Hachiman was inspecting the windows.
"Sensei, the windows already came with safety bars installed. If we can strengthen this, it might make for a more secure base than the camp building." Hachiman told her. "I could sleep my ass off here."
"Then we have two places to check for. Including the Glamping house over there." Shizuka pointed at the building in question. "Ask Miura if she likes either place better. If no one objects, start moving all the resources from our camp."
"Oh!" Komachi widened her eyes.
"I'll tell her that." Hachiman nodded.
"Every building within 50 meters is clean, but still, be careful," Shizuka warned Hachiman. "We don't want you to get ambushed."
"Right."
"Hoho!" Komachi found a square knife that was unusually long. "I bet Yukino-san like this one."
Although the knife has no tip, it might cut well. Now, Shizuka was doubtful it could be used as a sword substitute. Just the weight distribution alone would be wack.
"Hmm, we can give it a longer half-tang handle." Hayato figured. "That way, it can be used with two hands. But we need good wood and carpentering tools. And even then, there will be limits on how much abuse it can take."
"If we can find a welder, I can help with tang extension." Tobe raised his hand. "Probably not as good as full forged tang, but better than nothing."
...Shizuka wasn't sure if she was relieved or terrified by how creative these students could be. Is this what happens when geniuses are forced to use 100% of their processing power?
Bento and Catering Restaurant Searched:
Loot Pending discussion
While the cleanup of the complex was easy, the same could not be said about cleaning up the area around the renovation contractor building.
There were, to put it simply, too many zombies. There were at least twenty of them roaming around the area.
This area was covered in houses, and most were multi-family residents. Even sneaking would have been impossible.
The only saving grace was half of them were elderly. It was sickening but also relieving.
"You boys ready?"
Shizuka rushed ahead soundlessly, but her heavy steps betrayed her and alerted the zombies. Nevertheless, it was too late, as Hiratsuka grabbed its head and smashed it to the pavement with the combined force of her arm and body weight.
An instant kill.
More zombies came in her direction. It was like a tide of teeth and claws trying to tackle her into submission. She had to roll aside because that many going at once would screw her no matter how strong she was. Fortunately, this was a mistake on these zombies' part, as Hayato and Tobe were there, presented with an easy target to bash with their stuffed metal pipes.
Wham. Wham. Wham. Wham. Two zombies down.
Shizuka could not afford to be lenient, however. The zombies attacking her are the youngest and the fittest. They're fast, and in the case of adult males, they have the mass to overpower her should she lose balance.
Even though she was tall for a Japanese woman, she was still shorter than most adult males and late teenagers. And she was fit and toned but not musclebound.
"Shit!" Shizuka coughed when a relatively muscular zombie tried to claw her by the stomach. She was thankful that the zombie had a short nail, or her clothes and skin would be badly shredded.
She managed to block half the impact force but was thrown off balance.
Komachi came in a clutch. As if appearing out of thin air, the fourteen-year-old girl stabbed the side of the zombie's head before he could lunge at Shizuka. The muscular male zombie croaked.
Komachi was already gone when the body fell, sprinting around and running behind the houses. Hayato masked the noise by hitting the metal poles beside the road, ensuring Komachi stayed unnoticed.
"Come here!" Tobe howled like a beast and smashed the knee of a zombie to make it kneel before beating the back of the head.
Tobe was about as strong as Saki, if not a little stronger. How he delivered the pipe was perfect. This boy was rumored to beat 100 people in middle school.
It might not be a rumor. Perhaps distorted truth. But Shizuka knew an experienced fighter when she saw one.
She needed to pick up her pace and start beating them into mush.
Hayato was nowhere as refined, but he boasted an unrivaled physical fitness and athleticism. Hayato got bitten or grappled but got away with minor injuries, usually taking down the zombies with him.
He can hold on his own, indeed. As expected of the Demon Prince of Soubu.
"Oh God!" Hayato held his shoulder. "That hurts."
Komachi popped from hiding and pulled her screwdriver from the zombie she had taken down. "Nothing else is left. There might be more zombies in the area, though."
"Let's go and start hauling. We cannot afford a second fight of that scale." Shizuka huffed. "Hayama, are you alright?"
"Yep, shallow wounds, not much bleeding." Hayato nodded. "We really ought to protect our neck better. There were a few close calls, but the collar helped."
"The makeshift protector we have barely worked. But it worked, nonetheless." Shizuka nodded. "We really need a sewing machine."
Hina had helpfully made padded collars for them to wear. However, the choice of materials and hand stitching limits the effectiveness.
However, it was still better than nothing. Infection or not, a bite to the carotid artery would be fatal without emergency surgery.
"The workshop is abandoned." Shizuka half-shouted. "Move it. Haul everything."
Tobe licked his lips and secured himself a workbelt, in which he shoved various tools that would be useful.
Despite the capacity and weight, it looked surprisingly easy to move around.
"I love this! Who needs a toolbox?" He asked. "Anyway, take that drill... this toolbox here... that angle girder... that rotary saw, that-"
Tobe was a bit slow on the command, but at least it was clear that he knew what he needed. He also took spare parts for the tools, which Shizuka was unfamiliar with. So it would take more time for her alone to sweep around, even with a guide.
Unfortunately, while quite a few materials were lying around, they could not carry them. They need a truck. Shame.
Those would be useful to reinforce their base.
Contractor Building Searched:
Material left: Metal pipes, refined lumber, planks, steel rebar, furniture parts
"We carried so much stuff. Should we continue, or should we return?" Komachi asked as she tended to the wounds on everyone in the car. While the other three had minor injuries, she was pristine.
"I can still fight," Hayato said once he got patched up. "Our last stop is the convenience store, right?"
"Bring it on." Tobe wiped his nose.
Other than getting a few bruises, Shizuka was fine, too. Her old wound from last night is stinging a bit. The one she worried about the most was Hayato, though. He took quite a few bites.
Tobe Kakeru
HP: 160
Stamina: 160
Reputation: 0
Basic Skill:
Cardio: 8/8
Wits: 2/6
Fighting: 8/8
Shooting: ?/8
Quirk Skill: Junker 1
Can steal working cars (1 turn). Salvage weapons and parts from ruined cars (1 turn). "The art of dismantling a vehicle is very delicate, though not as hard as bringing them back into service."
Traits:
Worked in a junkyard (Quirk Skill: Junker)
Can Sleep Anywhere (-1 bed needs)
Big oaf (Wits maxed at 6)
Yeah, partial debuff at 50% HP or less
Full debuff at 25% HP or less and chances of moderate injury that takes time to heal
These debuff precedes Morale effect, instead of being negated or stacked.
