Chapter 56 - The Emperor. The First Step

We quickly entered the territory of the port, meeting a couple of patrols along the way.

Rika was sleeping sweetly and peacefully in my arms. Her body has already defeated the virus.

Her purple hair danced in the wind... Her cute, swarthy nose sometimes wrinkled from dust... Alluring, vulnerable lips, shining in the sun…

I like Rika, romantically… Although who wouldn't like it.

In general, as you can guess, I'm going to invite her to my big family. And I have to succeed in this business, because if she refuses, my relationship with Shizuka will get confused and even be in question, because I do not intend to share her with someone else, be it a man or a woman.

Yes, it's hypocritical… Yes, selfish… And yes, I'm an asshole and I live with it calmly now…

From the third person

The car slowly stopped at the door of the main building.

A lot of people paid attention to this, because Shiro came "on horseback". Yes, not alone, but with a beautiful, dark-skinned woman. This could not but attract attention, the crowd of onlookers slowly grew.

Thirty seconds later, Hasegawa ran out of the building, out of breath from running fast. – You're back, sir! – with a flattering smile, he sang, and then looking puzzled at the women, he said – And this…–

– The new ones. Hasegawa, gather all the people, I need to make a statement. – the hero said calmly, carefully getting down from the car, holding Rika in his arms.

– It will be done! Let me ask you, gather all the people, then return the patrolmen with the guards, right? –

– Yes, you got it right. Shiro replied, walking to the back door of the car.

– And this ... – he said again, puzzled, when he saw how Shiro opened the door of the hummer, pulled Sayu out and put him on his shoulder, as well as Riku.

– Wounded. I'll take them to the infirmary, while you gather Hasegawa's people and don't delay. – he replied in a "light" tone and holding the ladies on his shoulders by their asses, disappeared around the corner.

And even though Shiro's hands were on elastic peaches right now, his thoughts were busy trying to explain to Yuriko what had happened to her daughter.

Of course, you can just say that he warned her about the danger, and she herself insisted on it, so the fault lies not only with him… But we all know that this has never stopped and will not stop women… Especially mothers…

While Shiro was leaving with the girls on his shoulders, he was bombarded with envious glances from both men and women…

Hasegawa also looked at the boss, envious, until he was interrupted by the voice of one of his subordinates.

–Hasegawa-san, what should I do?" –

– A-a-a... wait… Mm-m so, start gathering all the people and call all the patrolmen on the radio... there will be something serious..." he said anxiously, wondering what Shiro wanted to say.

Some time later

Twenty minutes have passed. During this time, all the inhabitants of the port managed to gather near the hummer.

The huge crowd, surprisingly, behaved quite quietly, allowing themselves only a loud whisper.

People were excited, or rather very excited, because now they have no access to information.

At a time when every breath may be the last, it is very, very difficult to remain in ignorance.

There is no hope for tomorrow, however, as well as for today. Therefore, people tried to think as little as possible and work helped them in this, because going to work you can abstract from troubles, fears, anxiety.

It certainly had a good effect on productivity, productivity, but this improvement can be called "turning into the undead."

Just because people have become literally like the undead. Without fire in his eyes, without motivation, without hope. Just strict, measured performance of work and nothing more. Is it good or bad? Now, at a time like this, it's more good than bad, but who wants to get one by losing the other? Of course it's better to take everything at once.

As already mentioned, a lot of people were whispering, waiting for Shiro to appear. All these conversations were very similar to each other. For example, take one of them.

On the outskirts of this huge crowd, two young guys, about twenty years old, were standing and talking.

– I wonder what the boss wants to say? Hopefully something good. with a small smile, he said.

–Well, hope it's no use, then..." he answered gloomily.

– How sullen you are... We should be more positive..." he said with a smile, slapping his friend on the shoulder.

– Yes, what a positive here! Are you kidding? All my loved ones have probably already died. Here, we don't have enough provisions, not enough materials... but there's not enough of everything! But the most "beautiful" thing is that while we are digging in the shit here, like dung cockroaches, these creatures, monsters, call it what you want, are getting stronger and stronger... – "exploding", he said irritably, sadly, clenching his fists tightly… The comrade next to him also became noticeably sad…

– And what about us?! And we think how not to starve to death, but not to freeze at night, because otherwise the disease is all, kirdyk. How can I be positive!? Is that how you tell me?! What should I look for a positive in?! What should I look for hope in?! Tell me what?! – in a sad, sad voice, he "exclaimed" in a whisper. Small, wet tracks ran down his cheeks, from the corners of his eyes.

A friend nearby did not know the answer to these questions, did not know how to cheer up a friend, because he himself clung to this very positive only by the fact that he has a younger sister to take care of. For her sake, he had to remain strong, both in body and spirit.

– You know Kio, I am increasingly visited by thoughts of suicide ... – he whispered to his friend in a calm, broken voice.

Such a statement from a friend shocked Kio and knocked him out of his rut for a few seconds…

– What are you saying to Iyasu! Don't you dare even think about it, do you hear? Don't even think about it, you son of a bitch! – recovering from the shock, he exclaimed, shaking his friend by the shoulders.

– Come on… We're going to die anyway… If not this week, then next..." he said calmly while he was being shaken…

– You can't do that! You can't! I need you as a friend! Don't you dare leave me! In the end, if you kill yourself, you will only please your enemy! On the contrary, it is better to keep their teeth for this fucking life for the evil of all enemies! For the evil of this whole fucking world! He spoke loudly with tears while shaking Iyasu

– Kyo... waiting for death is worse than death itself… This torture… What did I do to deserve it… What did you do to deserve it… What did we all deserve it for..." he said, looking into the void without any emotions…

– I don't know… I don't know Iyasu... I... I'm just walking while there's a way… Do you understand? I'm just going with the flow, trying not to think about all this..." he said softly, with melancholy in his voice…

– Lucky… I wish I could do the same... oh… The boss has arrived… Will you let me go?

– Yes, I'm sorry. – he said and let him go.

At that moment, Shiro left the building and, like an icebreaker, began to move through the crowd to the hummer.

– Shiro-sama! –

– Boss! Come on in boss! –

– Leader…–

Shiro was like Moses. The crowd parted to give him passage to the car.

Approaching her and climbing to her roof, he looked at the crowd with a thoughtful look.

People, in turn, waited with bated breath for what the leader would say.

– Have you ever heard of the life force that flows in the bodies of every living being? He asked calmly, scanning the crowd.

People were surprised by such a question, absolutely not understanding what it meant at all…

– No? Well, at least something? Nothing at all? Shiro asked, looking into people's eyes.

Almost everyone was shaking their heads, saying "no" and yet one guy plucked up the courage and shouted out.

– Boss! Are you talking about the mystical energy from martial arts movies!? –

– Yes, you guessed it. Many films and books talk about some kind of energy that can strengthen people's bodies, bringing their strength to a new level… But these are just feature films, just the author's fantasy and nothing more, it's stupid to believe in the existence of some mythical energy that can bring a person's life to a new level ... – the hero spoke in a calm but loud voice…

At this point, people finally lost the thread of conversation, meaning… Almost everyone began to think that their leader had a little roof from the tension and enormous pressure…

– What if I tell you that this mythical energy... exists? – he asked calmly, in turn, people looked at him like a fool…

The crowd quieted down. Everyone had only one thought in their heads. "The boss has gone off the rails."

A lot of sympathetic, pitying looks from people rushed to the hero.

He couldn't help but notice it, however, he didn't expect anything else, so far everything was going according to his plan…

Shiro – You don't believe and this is normal, it would be strange to expect another… Therefore, I will prove to you the existence of this energy..." he said with a sweet smile on his face and began to take off the top of his clothes…

– Iyaya! blushing, almost all the female representatives squeaked, covering their eyes with their palms… But absolutely everyone saw that they left big holes between their fingers for peeping…

The guys only looked away in embarrassment, shamefacedly, reluctantly admitting that their boss was too cool…

Next, the hero with a bright, kind smile on his face pulled the Nodati out of its scabbard…

People were alarmed to see how a half-naked "madman" with a kind smile pulled out his huge sword…

Many were afraid that now he would jump into the crowd and with the same kind smile start mowing people like grass… They wanted to get away from here quickly, but they were afraid to provoke a "psycho" with this.

Shiro, ignoring the crowd, pointed the blade horizontally at his stomach…

Seeing this, bad, disturbing thoughts began to creep in on everyone… And the sharp movement of their leader with this sword confirmed the fears.

With a quick, precise movement, Shiro cut open his stomach… People could see his insides and bones perfectly. Almost everyone felt sick from this demonstration…

– BOSS! – Sir! – Shiro-sama! they all exclaimed at the same time in a fit of fear, shock.

They all wanted to rush to Shiro's aid, but what they saw stopped them…

The flesh of their leader, magically, began to heal right before our eyes, until after five seconds there was nothing left of the former wound except a small amount of blood that reminded us of what we had done…

There was a deathly silence… People with bulging eyes looked at Shiro and pinched themselves in an attempt to wake up.

Shiro – Do not be afraid, what you have seen is not a dream, not an obsession, not the fruit of your madness. All this is reality. – he said, getting down from the car, and then lifting this heavy fool over his head, again plunging everyone into shock.

Those present forgot how to breathe from what they saw. Their bodies seemed petrified, taking away the opportunity to even move, and their eyes watched the hero tirelessly, fascinated.

– The world has collapsed. There are monsters that are constantly evolving. We don't have enough supplies, resources… But with this energy, everything will change. I will teach each of you to use it and with its help we will fight back against monsters. We will take our lands back from the monsters. Shiro spoke firmly, with fervor, looking at the people in front of him.

Shiro's words captured everyone's hearts, making them beat very fast to the rhythm. Adrenaline, excitement and enthusiasm overwhelmed the listeners' bodies, the extinguished, empty eyes were inflamed with incredibly bright hope, faith.

From the once stunted crowd, an impulse broke out, impending mountains… But Shiro didn't stop... "If you need hope, I'll give it to you. If you need faith, I will give it to you. If you need a future, I'll give it to you. – he continued to bombard the crowd…

Everyone who surrounded the hero was ready to explode from the energy overflowing them. They were ready to go tear up zombies with their bare hands…

– I believe in you, in your potential, in your will. I am ready to carry the flame of your hopes, gnawing a passage into our common future…

His words seemed to resonate with the hearts and souls of people, synchronizing them together into one machine, into one organism.

– I believe in you… But do you believe in me? He finished with a question in a calm, firm, majestic tone.

There was complete silence for ten seconds. Not a sound, not a rustle. But then the following happened.

At the end of ten seconds, the people in front of Shiro at the same time, as a single, well-coordinated organism, slowly and calmly knelt down and bowed their heads…

On this day, for the first time, so many people knelt before Shiro, it was the first, but far from the last time.

In the future, this day will be marked as: "The First Step of the Emperor of Mankind."