[Chapter:31][A base(2).]
Taking the scrolled up maps from the fatty, who Echo decided to help train a little if he could, not because he was suddenly feeling generous of course, he opened it and spread it before him.
((Conditions met. Skill [Map Reading] learned.))
((Due to past knowledge and experiences, skill [Map Reading] updated.))
He paused and looked at the skill, which had suddenly levelled up to over level 70.
. . . . . .
[Map Reading(Lv-79)]
Type : Skill / Active
Description : The act of reading maps. Increase base accuracy of map reading by 79%. If destinations aren't set based on available maps, increase travelling speed by 79%.
. . . . . .
'Oh?'
Although he figured his past would slowly start influencing his skill set, he had to say, he was quite surprised with the second effect of the skill.
'Increase travelling speed…how convenient. And I doubt the increased speed will increase the stamina cost as well.'
((Skill [Premonition] levelled up!))
'I figured as much.'
Looking over the rather simple city map, and taking his surroundings which he had a near perfect grasp over thanks to his 700+ Senses, it didn't take Echo more than a few seconds to determine their location.
"We're here."
He pointed at a place somewhere near to the middle of the city, about half a kilometre from Fujimi High.
"And the closest supermarkets and department stores are…"
Bringing out a pen from his Inventory, which he had filled with all kinds of odds and ends and useful things before he used the 'Special World Ticket' to come to this world, he marked several places near their location.
"Nest are…hardware stores…police booths…petrol bunks…"
In the end, within a circle of about 3 miles, he had marked nearly 27 places.
"That should be enough."
Then, he stood up and walked to the driver's seat.
"Get up, Nurse."
"Hm~? Okay~~!"
Shizuka, while slightly nervous with Echo approaching close to her, still maintained her naive yet cutely clumsy act as she got up from the seat.
"Ah! My name isn't 'Nurse' you know~? Call me Shizuka~! Shi~zu~ka~!"
"Sure thing, Nurse."
She pouted cutely while her fear and anxiety lessened a little. Echo didn't really care about her hidden true emotions, however, as he held the steering wheel and stomped on the peddle heavily.
((Skill [Driving] levelled up!))
And with his 'Driving' skill on, the bus' engine rumbled as it practically zipped through the roads, making the faces of the group members pale.
"H-hey! Don't drive s-so fast!"
He ignored them, however, as his skill level increased every few seconds until it maxed out, letting him go twice as fast as the maximum speed the bus was already going at.
"S-stop the bus! St-stop damn it!"
"Hahaha! Go go go! Go faster!"
"I don't want to die! Mommy!"
"S-STOP!!!"
. . . . . .
"8-Twelve, huh?"
Echo looked at the supermarket / departmental store which seemed quite famous in this world, a cheap imitation of his own world's 6-Ten departmental store chain, he thought.
Looking back, what appeared in his eyes is the scene of several girls and two boys holding whatever they could grab onto with pale faces, though for some reason, a certain pink head's eyes were shining.
'…'
'Juicy Gossip.'
It was a perk he hadn't used for a while now, but he'd rather be annoyed by the hidden secrets of horny teenagers in puberty and mature women thirsty for young meat than be stabbed in the back for not knowing what their secrets are.
Well, with the emotion sensing of his '3 Tomoe Sharingan', that's practically impossible, but still.
. . . . . .
[Saya Takagi]
Affection : 43
Secret : Although she looks and acts like a egoistic nerd, she actually enjoys behaving like a typical 'bad girl' and her favourite activity is going street racing with her mother who shares her interests.
. . . . . .
. . . . . .
[Saeko Busujima]
Affection : 69
Secret : She's a sadist and enjoys inflicting pain to this she believes deserves the pain, but she's also a big softy and likes playing with kids. She volunteers in a nearby orphanage whenever she has time and even cooks for the kids.
. . . . . .
. . . . . .
[Shizuka Marikawa]
Affection : 58
Secret : She looks clumsy, and she is, but she's not naive. Growing up with her best friend who is now a soldier, she can see things in a way far different from ordinary people. Also, she likes drinking, though she can't hold half a glass without becoming dead drunk.
. . . . . .
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[Kyoko Hayashi]
Affection : 53
Secret : As a thirty year old virgin who never experienced love, she's secretly a pervert that has several bookshelves and pen drives worth of 'cultured material'.
. . . . . .
. . . . . .
[Rei Miyamoto]
Affection : 41
Secret : With both her crushes dead right before her eyes, she thinks she would never be able to like a man again, let alone find a loved one. She likes spears and trained in using them ever since she used a broom as a child to escape from a wild dog trying to bite her.
. . . . . .
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[Misuzu Ichijou]
Affection : 61
Secret : She hates herself for nearly abandoning her best friend and running away in the face of danger, and is determined to die than do so again. She has a secret role playing fetish. She also knows her best friend's secret, but doesn't know her own secret isn't as hidden as she thinks.
. . . . . .
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[Toshimi Niki]
Affection : 62
Secret : She hates herself for nearly dragging her best friend to death, and is determined to die than do so again. She has a secret bondage fetish. She also knows her best friend's secret, but doesn't know her own secret isn't as hidden as she thinks.
. . . . . .
. . . . . .
[Kawamoto Furichi]
Affection : 57
Secret : She loves her sister more than a sister should, but your appearance made her feelings complicated. She likes gardening.
. . . . . .
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[Taniuchi Furichi]
Affection : 56
Secret : She loves her sister more than a sister should, but your appearance made her feelings complicated. She likes reading contemporary works.
. . . . . .
. . . . . .
[Naomi Taneda]
Affection : 69
Secret : She loves her brother as a brother, but he's everything she has left, so you saving her made her affection for you sky rocket. She loves playing tennis and sewing in her free time.
. . . . . .
Looking at the list of screens, Echo sighed before shaking his head.
Turning around, he got off the driver's seat and walked down.
"Fighters, surround the bus and keep it safe. Those that can't or are too scared to fight, gather everything in the store in one place."
"Oh, purple hair…", he glanced at Saeko who looked at him with her ever-so-gentle smile, "You're free to do whatever you want. Just, if you get infected, come to me first. I'd rather collect your body as less harmed as possible."
'She is perhaps the strongest human in this world, and almost all of the corpses I collected till now have some parts missing…her body should be quite useful when I get the right skills.'
Echo's eyes flashed as he imagined an undead swords-woman, never tiring, never afraid of pain or death, ever loyal…
((For a reason beating the understanding of the [Game], [Saeko Busujima Affection : 69 —> 73].))
"…"
"???"
Echo blinked in confusion , but when he looked at the girl in question, she only flashed him a surprisingly affectionate smile before sprinting towards the store.
And soon enough, the sounds of growls, grunts, roars, skulls being crushed, and bodies falling to the ground, echoed from within the building.
'Whatever. I'll never understand women.'
Shaking his head, he looked back at the people in the bus who were still recovering from the terrifying, adrenaline pumping ride.
"We have over twenty more places to ransack, and I'm not giving any of you time to rest, so unless you plan on working sleepless till tomorrow, move it."
"E-eh? Ah! Y-yes!"
All those in the group hurriedly get down, and the combatants surround the bus as they look around vigilantly, killing any 'zombie' that approaches too close, while the non-combatants wait for a moment till Saeko exits the state with a bright smile and a bloody face before walking in.
"Oh, yeah, fatty."
"Y-yesh!?", Kohta hurriedly replied as he accidentally bit his tongue.
"See if you can find anything useful and pile them up separately."
"Y-yes sir!"
He gave a military salute, clearly nervous, before running into the building. As for what he would find…
'I wonder…'
Echo was deliberately vague with the short, plump young man, and was curious about what he would find 'useful'.
If he was only a weapons expert, then he wouldn't really bother with him, but if he had an innate talent in any field…
'What undead creature can retain its mind and sanity…Death Knights? Wraiths? Vampires?'
Poor Kohta, he had no idea the better he performed, the more a certain scary Necromancer would value his brain, and the greater the chances of him becoming something he would never imagine…
. . . . . .