New Dawn Chapter: 032

Tysone nodded. That was pretty solid advice, but it still didn't tell him what to do if he was surrounded by the living dead and unable to run away or find cover. And the undead were relentless and would not give up chasing you. "What else should I do in such a scenario? Is there some sort of specific strategy I could use to survive?"

Hiro scratched his chin, and his gaze turned distant once more. "I'd make sure to keep a cool head and stay focused on the task at hand. Panic and fear are your worst enemies in such a scenario. And I would try and find the quickest route out of the danger zone, and then run for it like hell." The old man paused for a second and then chuckled. "That being said, you'll never find yourself facing this kind of unrealistic scenario, kid. You should really stop wasting your time on these fantasies."

"Yeah, yeah." Tysone nodded absentmindedly.

"Anyway, I think we should get back to our lesson. Come on, I'll show you how to hold your pistol correctly." Hiro patted Tysone's shoulder.

Tysone, on the other hand, wore a pensive look throughout the entire lesson.

…

Saya and Mai's messages filled Tysone's phone. A downpour of concerned and suspicious texts. He didn't really disappear, like they audaciously claimed. Tysone still dropped by the Rage Room, still studied, learned, trained. 

It was not easy. Not having the free time to sit back for one moment, chill, watch some anime, play video games, or even take care of his more physical needs. 

But, as the saying goes, no pain, no gain. If he wasn't feeling like his body and mind were on the verge of breaking down, then it would be too easy.

If it were so easy to live in a fictional world where you were an average high school student and zombies didn't start eating everyone around you, then why would it matter what he did? Why bother?

Why not just go home, eat, and go to sleep, waiting for the end? That's all he was going to get. It was all pointless. There was nothing left to fight for, right?

No. No. There were things worth fighting for. Saya, his parents, his siblings, his friends… his dream. The idea of becoming something, to be able to stand at the top, with a big grin on his face and his head up high.

He'd be able to tell himself that it wasn't a waste. He'd lived a full life, and it wasn't a waste of his existence.

It wasn't pointless.

It wasn't a waste.

It was not in vain. His life, his efforts, and his goals.

He just needed a little more time to become stronger, to become better, and he would be ready for anything.

As such, even when he lifted weights, even when he ran laps, when his muscles toiled and ached from exertion, even when he wanted nothing more than to sit back and take it easy for the rest of the day, he didn't stop.

And every night, before going to bed, he'd check the Rage Room's earnings. They had to be in the black, not just because they needed it to live comfortably, but also so that they could invest the profits and keep the cycle of expansion going.

The business was doing very well, and they were expanding, thanks to Saya's efforts.

He didn't know where he found the energy to do it all, but he managed to keep up the grueling pace somehow. He just hoped it'd pay off soon.

...

Saya was unstoppable when she put all of that genius brain to good use. It was almost like the universe wanted her to succeed. It wasn't such a big surprise when she eventually tracked Tysone's location based on snippets of information. First of all, she knew that Tysone didn't own a car. At best, he used a bike.

That meant he had to frequent the same place, somewhere close to home and the Rage Room. He wouldn't travel too far away from the center of his operations, since he needed to be there to supervise everything.

As a result, she managed to narrow down the locations he frequented. It wasn't so much of a difficult task. All she needed was to check all the nearby gyms, shooting ranges, self-defense classes, and so on. It helped that she had a bunch of competent butlers and maids at her service.

So it didn't take her long to find out that he had been frequenting the same gym, the same shooting range, and a couple of self-defense studios in the vicinity of his apartment.

She couldn't understand why Tysone would be doing that.

They had a business to run, after all. Why waste so much time on physical fitness and training? Sure, it was admirable to want to improve yourself and all, but why do it now, at such an inappropriate time, and so intensely at that?

Tysone wasn't some slacker or lazy guy who'd slack off at the most inconvenient times. Saya knew him well enough. So she was a bit puzzled, but not worried. Maybe a bit suspicious. Did he have someone he wanted to impress?

Therefore it was exactly one hour and half of waiting until a very impatient Saya got to lay her eyes on Tysone, who lumbered out of some boxing club. He was clearly tired, and looked like he got one too many hits.

"You!" Saya shouted at him, running.

He turned, his expression a mix of confusion and curiosity.

She strode towards him, her pink hair flowing behind her like a fiery cape.

"Where have you been?! You big doofus!"

Damn, from so up close she almost didn't recognize him. When she tried to grab his bicep, she immediately backpaddled, feeling the velvety firmness of his muscles.

Tysone grinned at her. "Well, look at who finally found me."

"Are you trying to avoid me or something?" Saya demanded, her hands on her hips.

"Or something. But, I wasn't avoiding you in particular." Tysone shrugged indifferently, as if he hadn't gone almost an entire month without seeing either of them. "Just figured, now that I've built a business, I'd build myself."

She sighed, shaking her head in exasperation. "Well, I've found you. Now, let's head back. We've got work to do. And don't try and weasel your way out of this. We're in this together." She took a step forward, poking his chest. "You can't leave all that mess to me. Do you know how fucking frustrating it was having to deal so many calls? Aren't I supposed to be the boss as well, so why is it that you get to enjoy doing your own thing while I have to stay cooped inside an office the entire day and having stupid, old, perverted men belittling me because I'm a little girl; their words."

Tysone actually looked apologetic. He huffed sigh, taking the towel from around his neck and using it to dab at some drops of sweat that slid down his forehead. Saya was definitely not tracking their descent down his cheekbones. "Look, Saya." He started. "I am not trying to weasel out of anything. You know that."

She nodded, resigned. "Yeah. Yeah." She said, "But still. It's a lot of work to manage a growing company and make sure that the employees are doing what they're supposed to do. Not to mention all the financial stuff, which, by the way, is going really well." She said, as an after-thought. 

He nodded, crossing his arms over his chest and giving her a serious look. "I know, I've been keeping tabs on it. You've been doing an incredible job, Saya. Thank you, and I'm sorry for not doing more, but…this. I need this. I have to do this."

"Why…?" Was all she asked. 

It was not like she knew all of the things that would happen in 2 years from then. She wouldn't understand. So he had to come up with something credible, something only he would say. "Well, how am I supposed to find myself a cute wifey such as yourself if I look like a homeless blob?" 

"..."

A blush rose on her face as quickly as it faded, but only because she turned around with a huff. "S-Stop saying stuff like that, idiot. Who would want to marry you anyway?"

"Come on now…" Tysone coaxed her. "Besides, I've done my homework as well, so it's not like I've been idling. You know I'm not the type, Saya. I've worked so hard for this that I'm not stopping here."

"..."

Saya sighed, running a hand through her pink hair. "Ugh! I know… shut up!" She gave him a fierce orange-eyed stare. The moment it met his eyes, they melted like chocolate. "Anyway, we should probably go back. You're the boss too. I don't want you missing in action and leave me all alone. I'm sure Mai will want to see you too." She said, adding an odd intonation to Mai's poor name. She raised both eyebrows. "Or do I have to make you?"

He chuckled, and that sound made her heart beat faster for a moment.

"Don't worry, firecracker. I'll come with you." He ruffled her hair, causing her to swat away his much bigger hand with a glare. He laughed at her reaction. "But only because I can't have one of those stinky, old men stealing you from me."

"..."

Author Note: More chapters on P@treon.com/LordCampione.