11 [Chapter:11][Event (III) !]

'Well, then, let's see what Author-san managed to come up with.'

Grace tapped the new icon, and even Dea-chan, who had sealed her 'All-knowledge', propped her little head in her hands while staring at it from atop his head.

And just as he tapped it, mentally of course, since he had learnt his lesson and didn't want to be seen as a fool by the readers, a new window appeared in his vision.

...

(Events!)

Completed Events : None

Available Events : [(Escape from the Dead!)]

On Going Events : None

...

Grace looked at the window along with Dea-chan, and mentally tapped '[(Escape from the Dead!)]'.

Another window popped up when he did so, covering the 'Events!' window.

...

[(Escape from the Dead!)]

Description : In the original, the group of six, along with members from one other group, run to a minibus. After another group is added to the count, they manage to escape the school in said minibus. However, several people die during this escape.

Objective : Deviate from the plot as much as you can to earn a good rating and, in turn, good rewards.

Note : Deviating from the plot too much could cause the succeeding Events to become non-existent. Thus, user is advised to think his actions during the Event through.

Would you like to participate in the Event (Y/N)?

...

'Oh? That's a pretty good one.'

(Indeed.)

Both Grace and Dea-chan unexpectedly praise Author-san's creativity, making him gloat.

(You can probably make the most impact by killing every male in the group, but since you won't do that, you can also save the ones that are supposed to die and kill the Trash while you're at it, like Shido or that delinquent looking guy, that spy guy, and that other guy too.)

'But then the next Event which is probably Shido trying to be the leader won't come, and I have the feeling being too greedy and missing an Event would result in a loss…'

The white haired youth and the tiny Goddess ponder for a moment, before Grace suddenly exclaims mentally,

'Now that I think about it, my Quest progress isn't as easy I thought it would be.'

(Hmm? What?)

Grace brought up the Quest window, and his count for the 'Fickle Fate' Quest was still at (5/10).

'2 for Misuzu and Toshimi, 1 for Student A, and 1 for Kyoko. Oh, right, 1 for Hisashi too. Looks like him surviving is counted as my action. But I still need 5 more.'

'I can get 2 for saving those two lovers that die, and one more for that glasses guy that Shido steps on and leave to die if I save them, and that's 3 so 2 more to go.'

Dea-chan thought about it, before shrugging.

(I guess you have no choice. The last two can go to Shido, and that delinquent guy. But how to kill them is the question. You can't just kill them openly, well maybe Shido, but not the other one.)

'…I'll do it in the chaos while we run to the minibus. I'll delay us as long as I can, so when the group starts running, Shido and his group will meet us midway instead. It'll be easy to kill them while everyone is running away from 'them'.'

Dea-chan merely nodded. She honestly didn't give a damn about life, as a Supreme Goddess she could wipe out entire worlds worth of population and recreate the same with a snap of her fingers. The only thing she cares about is her entertainment, and now a certain white haired youth was slowly yet surely making his way to her list.

'Well then, I guess I'll be giving up on that possible Event, but eh. Whatever.'

With a casual shrug, he mentally selected (Y) to begin the Event before opening his eyes to look at the Group.

Just as he was about to say something, though, he suddenly got another idea.

'Wait, that could actually work.'

(Hmm? What, what? Hey! Why are you closing your thoughts off?)

Dea-chan pouted as Grace closed off his thoughts before she could get a read on them.

'It'll be a surprise for you.', Grace said through his thoughts with a smile.

(Fine! Keep your secrets!)

The little loli snorted while turning her head to the side in mock anger, making him smile.

Looking at the group, Grace noticed that they were talking about 'them'. Well, that's pretty obvious.

"…might not be the case. After all, just the dead rising from the dead is already against everything we know. 'They' are a complete unknown to us, so 'they' might also not act or be effected by things like we assume 'them' to be."

(Ah, it's the scene where the pink head refutes the nurse's statement about the dead rotting due to the heat of the summer sun.)

Grace didn't feel like taking part in the discussion, so instead he merely stood up and stretched.

Almost instantly, the discussion stopped, as all pairs of eyes turned to him.

"What? Why are you all looking at me like I'm a newly discovered animal or something?"

(Probably because you took what they assumed to be a nap after all 'that'?)

Dea-chan quipped as those that had looked at him strangely, exactly for the reason mentioned above, looked away in a hurry.

And the ones that didn't mind were Saeko, who was looking at him in mild interest, Saya, who looked at him with a scowl, though whether it's because of him mocking her previously or because of him interrupting her 'great' speech is known only to her alone, the ever clueless and adorable airhead Nurse, and Student A.

'Good job, Student A, you're the only one I don't regret saving.'

Grace felt rather speechless at how even the two girls he had saved looked at him strangely, but sighed before shaking his head.

"Forget it, don't answer that."

Yawning lightly, as even though he no longer 'needs' to sleep, that wouldn't stop his mind from automatically inducing it when his biological clock ticks, he complains to Dea-chan through his thoughts.

'This is all your fault, you didn't even let me sleep before bringing me here.'

Dea-chan felt speechless.

(How is it my fault you died after an all-nighter and before you could take a nap!?)

Shaking the slight drowsiness off, Grace walks towards the door while Saya asked,

"Where are you going?"

Grace paused before turning around.

"You'll know quite soon. And I'll appreciate it if you wait for me, self proclaimed genius."

"Huh!? What's that supposed to mean!? And what do you mean self proclaimed!? I'm a real genius!"

Grace ignored her as he opened the door and stepped outside while locking it behind him.

As for whether or not they listen to him and wait? He honestly didn't care.

(You think they will wait?)

Since Dea-chan knew she wouldn't get an answer even if she asked him where he was going, she changed her question instead.

"Maybe, maybe not? After all, I only met them an hour ago, and though the two girls Toshimi and Misuzu probably have a little trust in me, they might go too if they are left alone."

Grace said out loud, more comfortable with speaking when no one was around than communicating through his thoughts.

A few minutes later, as Grace followed his memory of the school map he had seen in the staff room, Dea-chan finally realised his destination.

(The school announcement! That's where you're going, to use the speakers!)

"Bingo! Here's your prize!"

Grace smiled as he roughly rubbed her tiny little head with his finger.

(Hey! Stop it!)

Grace obviously didn't have the protagonist special 'Head Patting' skill or 'God Hands' ability, yet, so Dea-chan protested as she quickly escaped from his clutches.

(So?)

After swatting his finger away, Dea-chan asked in curiosity.

(What are you going to do with it? Attract 'them' to the places with speakers? Ask the other survivors to group up and approach the minibus since 'they' don't understand speech anyway? Or maybe both?)

"Nope~~! I'm going to make a business deal."

Grace merely smiled as he felt the little loli pound his head in mock anger at his vague answer.

...

Hell.

That was what they felt like they were in, at the moment.

Corridors through which they had once walked or ran or goofed around in, now covered in blood and innards, an occasional one of 'them' prowling around or feasting on limbs or worse torn apart.

Classrooms in which they had learnt and played now being the place of rest of their former friends, classmates, and some more than just that, no longer moving, or worse, moving even after death.

A school that they had been going to every single day, it having already become an integral part of their routine, now to them a horror house, one which, if they at manage to escape at all, will be the source of nightmares for nights to come.

These were what ran through the hearts and minds of every single student and teacher that had managed to survive till the present, fear and anxiety clear in their eyes, their minds shaken and bodies still trembling at the sight of their former friends and acquaintances dead, yet still moving towards them, moving as the corpses they are, to kill them. To eat them.

In one such group, one consisting of students alone, soft, muffled sobs continue to be let out.

"Naomi…"

"Don't!", the female voice cried out softly, as the owner of the voice refused to listen to the male speaker.

"I don't want to hear it!"

Naomi, a beautiful girl with rather short black hair, split to the sides in the middle, and a pair of brown eyes that were currently watery, damp with tears, felt angry. Sad. Helpless. But most of all, betrayed.

"I saw you! I saw you kissing her! I saw it with my own two eyes! And when I asked! You dodged the question! You refused to answer!"

Her boyfriend, no, former boyfriend, Takuzo, felt aggrieved.

He wasn't the one kissing, he was the one being kissed! He had slapped the thot that kissed him the moment he got his bearings back!

He loved her! More than anything else! And he would put his life on the line to prove it!

He wanted to shout, to convey his feelings to his girlfriend, that he hadn't cheated on her, that she was all he ever needs in this life of his.

And indeed, in another reality, in another timeline, he would succeed in doing so. He would speak to her, even as she screamed about not wanting to hear him break up, and nearly kill himself proving his sincerity.

He would prove that he loved her more than he valued his own life, and she, too, would prove her love, albeit at the very end of her life, as she walks towards the sea of 'them' that had taken him from her without a moment's hesitation.

In another timeline, their love would be rekindled, the thought of betrayal and the hatred in Naomi's heart that followed it all but swept away, and many readers(manga) and watchers(anime) would recall them as a pair of fools, that loved one another too deeply.

Alas, unfortunately for him, this wasn't that timeline.

The readers reading this book, want nothing more than for the poor guy, marked Gold for breaking an innocent girl's heart, to die a dog's death, no offence to dogs, and for the one whose heart he broke, for the beautiful girl Naomi, to become a part of one white haired and red eyed youth's harem, loving him and being loved in return, while also providing a fair share of word count to poor Author-san who definitely didn't forget about writing this chapter because he was too engrossed in binge reading a novel in webnovel he had seen in one of his readers' reading lists.

Yup, definitely not his fault. You should clearly blame the reader #LawWillOblivionK and the writer of the book in his reading list 'Levelling through Lust'. How was it poor Author-san's fault?

*cough*

Coming back to the scene…

Alas! It wasn't meant to be, not in this timeline, as before he could say anything to her, whose heart was filled with the pain of betrayal and hatred towards him, a school wide announcement interrupted his and her and every survivor's thoughts and words, and even actions of a few, causing them to die and some others to survive by a twist of fate.

...

[[Ahem! Mike testing, 1, 2, 3! Hey there, ladies and gentlefolk! How are you doing this fine apocalyptic morning? I'm your friendly neighbourhood survivor using the extremely loud speakers to attract 'them', who only seem to react to sound by the way, and give you all a literal once-in-a-lifetime chance as the kind guy I am! So if any of you is interested in going on a trip to the most probably zombie infested city outside the school gates, please remember to bring your ticket fare, one can of coke, and make your way to where the school busses are parked. Until then, adios!]]

[[Ah, also, those that bring chilled cans that haven't been shaken too much will be much appreciated!]]

...

As the eerily cheerful voice rang through the survivor's and 'their' ears alike, the latter clearly far more agitated as they rushed towards the multiple sources of the sound, either killing an unfortunate few or saving those fortunate, Takuzo force mid-word and instead took a deep and long breath before turning to Naomi.

"Naomi…after we leave…I will tell you everything."

Without another word, and instead sporting a sincere and determined expression, he turned around to speak with the other members of the group, while Naomi only felt her sadness and anger subside ever so lightly, yet still increasing as time passes by.

Alas, Takuzo, being the hateable 'normie' he is, didn't know that he had just planted a flag, one that Author-san who is delighted to have met the word count intends to do justice to.