Undergo re-calibration

"I'm back... Ah crap!" (Zeimachi)

Zeimachi had finished his business.

He who no longer wants to mess with the flow of time then returns to the time and place where he was before. However, when he returned through the portal he had created, he realized that there was no place for his feet to step on.

"Hmm? Where is she?" (Zeimachi)

Luckily he managed to grab the edge of the building so he didn't fall and turn into a mashed tomato.

After he found a safe position for his footing, Zeimachi then peeked while continue to hanged on the edge of the building. He looked left and right to find the remains of Cera who had stole his bag, but as he could see, Cera isn't there.

Convinced that the girl he was looking for wasn't there, he then went up and sat on the edge of the building with his gaze constantly on the cityscape below his feet.

There, he could see a dark foreboding that slowly blooming.

The atmosphere in the city begun to change because a virus that can turn humans into the undead which has spreaded throughout the city.

Not only did it result in chaotic conditions, but a lot of violence occurred from the survival instincts of individuals who were more selfish than other people.

"..." (Zeimachi)

Nevertheless, Zeimachi who saw many lives about to fall in front of him didn't show any response or concern at all.

Deep inside he felt there's something wrong with letting someone's life to fall without any meaning when he had the strength to help them, but on the other hand he also thought that other people's lives were none of his business as their death is the result they have sown.

Not long after that, he shifted his eyes and Zeimachi raised his right arm.

From the hand he raised, a bright red feather appeared while continuously giving off a calming luster. The thing that was hovering on top of his palm was a tool that he got in one of his journey, a feather he had obtained from the person who had helped him in the past.

Originally, the feather was part of The 8th Divine Key which was called as Fenghuang Down or Key of Consciousness from Honkai-verse. As the name suggests which is the Key to Consciousness, this feather is capable of being used to manipulate one's consciousness.

However, the current 8th Divine Key is not the same feather that could only affect consciousness of other sentience being at all.

The feather had undergone many modifications and was finally able to store a whole world within it, similar as to how The Bodhi works. A thing that wouldn't make sense if the maker knew of this fact.

For now, the feather that was on top of his hand was the Feather that held the『Original』of this world's「Copy」.

Although the meaning of「World」for each person is different, the meaning of that word alone still have a deep meaning regardless of the fact whether they're just artificial or fake creations.

The『Original』and the「Copy」.

Both of them are "World".

A general name that is used to refer to the entire human civilization, human experience, human history, the general human condition throughout the earth, or about everything that is in it.

So it's doesn't matter which one is best whether its the original or the faker. The weight of a "World" is not that light after all. The [Feathers] holding them were of the same quality as well, which makes neither one superior to the other.

There're many kind of treasures, noble phantasms, magical cards, cursed boxes, and many other types of humanity wildest imagination which has been contained in each of those「World」that existed in Zeimachi's past adventure.

'...How are they doing I wonder?' (Zeimachi)

The feather was still floating on his palm.

Looking at the feathers that's softly shone on his palm, it seems some memories related to the world he's in right now has began to resurfaced again in his mind. The main casts' face, what he has done to them, what he has received from his actions, and others.

Those few memories made him feel so many emotions in such a short amount of time.

As he gazes at the object on his hand and contemplating about the scar in his past, Zeimachi didn't notice that someone had sneaked from behind in order to surprise him.

The figure came from the sky and slipped from his back because she saw the silent Zeimachi staring at the feather on his hand.

"Whaaat are you daydreaming about Zei?" (Cera)

Then the figure that was none other than Cera pounced on Zeimachi from behind using all of her body weight.

"..." (Zeimachi)

"Ah?! Could it be! You feel lonely! Hey hey~ You're feeling lonely right?? Right?? Geez what can I do about this lonely introvert~" (Cera)

It wasn't hard for her to know what Zeimachi was feeling when he looked so pathetic as he feel the guilt of his past, which was why Cera kept teasing him while poking his back with a smug look on her face.

On the other hand, Zeimachi just closed his eyes and removed the [Feather] on his hand.

He didn't have the perfect energy to reply at Cera's sarcasm at the current moment. The thing he wanted to do right now is a way to get rid of his growing drowsiness and hide his recuperation from her.

"..." (Cera)

Perhaps feeling a bit furious, Cera didn't wait for a response from the man and then sat on his right side while resting her head on his right shoulder.

"Hey... you know both of us are a liar right? That's why you can told me Zei. Even though its only a lie I can still catch your meaning." (Cera)

"... I see." (Zeimachi)

"Those girls not only they're very cute, but the friendship they've made feels very admirable. Why don't you look for one Zei? A friend I mean~ Ufufufu~" (Cera)

"..." (Zeimachi)

Zeimachi still closed his eyes and didn't give any response despite feeling a little annoyed. Cera who knew his feelings then looked at his face to make sure whether his eyes were really closed or not.

"You still sleepy? Even though I already let you in the void." (Cera)

"... Just a few more nap could fix it. Did you already met them?" (Zeimachi)

"Yep, when you travelled to the past I scout their surrounding and many more~" (Cera)

Hearing her words that seemed to hide a lot of things, Zeimachi was slightly surprised when Cera mentioned that she had met them.

"... You know what I did?" (Zeimachi)

"How can't I? This is a「Copy」which means a world created by me, don't tell me you forget about that?『Original』is created by you, and「Copy」is for me." (Cera)

"...Ah, sorry. I'm thinking bout something..." (Zeimachi)

"Those who got corrupted are indeed『Original』, but I trapped those pest in「Copy」, right now we're in「Copy」so you can be at ease for those girls well being... come here." (Cera)

Looking at Zeimachi who is still trying to hide his daze and only spoke if there's something important to, Cera pulled his body and let him rest his head on top of her lap. Zeimachi struggled at first, but then Cera forcibly grabbed his hair and forced him on her lap.

"We got a few minutes left before the outbreak, what do you want to do. I'll it leave to your decision." (Cera)

Zeimachi who was resting on her lap then noticed that Cera's clothes and appearance had changed again. Cera isn't wearing her wet clothes anymore, and now there's a calming scent emanating from her that radiates from her new clothes.

Zeimachi wanted to ask Cera from whom she got the uniform she is now wearing, but he felt that it's better to not know the answer.

"... We need to keep moving, I could get a few wink after we finished what we came for. For now let's move separately, I'll go to that uhh Nakugawa? Grade school? Ah what is it?" (Zeimachi)

"Namekawa, okay got it. What can I do?" (Cera)

With every second that passed, Zeimachi know if his body becoming more and more anguished as he continued to push his limits even though he's still in the adjustment phase after gaining core memories and remembering his past.

However, he only knew that his body was in pain, and that didn't mean he could feel it. With his eyes still closed, Zeimachi then got up from her lap and rose on his leg while facing the direction he intend to go.

"Next... I leave the school club to you. You already met them right? Make sure to protect them till we regroup in the mall." (Zeimachi)

"*Sigh*... So you really don't want to meet them. Alright I will. Hurry up and go, that way you can take a rest for your recuperating body~" (Cera)

"..." (Zeimachi)

The two of them were still on the edge of the building and continued to stared at each other.

Zeimachi wondered how could Cera knew what he was hiding regarding his current state, meanwhile Cera just stared back at him with a face full of smug aura.

In that moment.

The wind grew stronger and brought a gust which made the earrings on her ears swayed a little. The gust of wind also swept the bangs of her hair so she had to tuck them back behind her ears.

"Roger." (Zeimachi)

And when Cera finished fixing her hairdo, Zeimachi has gone from her sight.

"... Are you really that scared to meet them, Zei..." (Cera)

That's how, Zeimachi leave her alone just like a vigilante.

Cera who was alone sitting on the edge of the roof of the building, for a few seconds kept looking at where Zeimachi was going and hoped that the plan she made would be able to produce the results she wanted.

"Ah yes ▀▀▀▀. Do I need to rewind the time and tell the "Strangers" about my previous encounter? I forgot if I told you to focus on Zei." (Cera)

She talked onto the air with some of her words can't be heard completely as if something is blocking that one word.

"Umm...▀▀▀▀ you can hear me right?" (Cera)

She's still trying to speak with the wind brushing her hair, please note that Cera's hair isn't very long, so it's not as pretty as other shampoo ambassador commercials.

"My hair? I used to styled it in this get up. Are you perhaps thinking about women hairstyles?" (Cera)

She brushed onto her oxblood hair which had several streaks glistening from the sunlight shining on her head by using her hand. Even so, the scene below where many residents were screaming in fear wasn't as beautiful as one thought.

"Hey ▀▀▀▀ stop ignoring me. Is this perhaps related to your statement before? Even though no one are complaining about it?" (Cera)

Cera continued to speak into the air in front of her and didn't care if many lives were lost in front of her.

"Hey... Stop treating me like a villain even though I'm not a human... why don't you answer my question?!" (Cera)

...

"You're now becoming silent huh ▀▀▀▀? Fine I don't need your help. Hmph! I wonder~ Where is the dislike button~ Oh?! I found the review section~ Hey hey~ ▀▀▀▀, how many stars do you want~?" (Cera)

...

You don't need to rewind them, you only see their faces from afar and didn't made any communicate with them in the first place.

More importantly, stop reading the narration. Those stranger will be weirded by what you did.

"Oh there you're~ What the "Stranger" thinks is none of my business. By the way busway ▀▀▀▀, anything I can help for you? Looks like... you can't get into this story?" (Cera)

Everything need time, but not everything will be meaningful. Maybe in the future or maybe never. Nonetheless, you need to remember what your capabilities are Cera, remember what you're looking for.

"Alright alright... but... who are you? ▀▀▀▀? If you're really what your "Title" said, then are you some kind of our creator or maybe author and something?" (Cera)

I'm nothing more than a "Writer", I only write stories and have never been your creator neither author. For now you better do what his bidding.

"Uhmmmm... Well he'll be sad if his ex-wife turned into zombie right. I'm not really sure though, if you're not Author and Creator... But I'll keep this thought for myself to figure out." (Cera)

After Cera finished her conversation with the air, she then got up from her spot and patted the back of the uniform she's wearing. She then started to walk and entered the same door as the one she used earlier that connected her to the lower floors of the building.

"Since you said I don't need to rewind, does that mean there'll be re-cap at later stories?" (Cera)

Just before she entered the lower floor of the building, her footsteps stopped right after she grabbed the doorknob. She looked behind and realized that no one was there.

"Humu-humu... Naruhodo, so I take it as a no. Could it be because of when I cleaned up those pest in the Void that made you didn't want to?" (Cera)

If you really want to, then I can tell your stories of how you get rid of those Cosmic entities.

"Yeah... nope, I'll just follow what my heart tell me to do. So where'll this story went?" (Cera)

Who knows.

"Che..." (Cera)

Cera who didn't want to say anything else then continued on her way to use the stairs from the exit, but instead of going down, she turned her back towards the roof and jumped off the building after seeing the Zombie that appeared in front of her.

"..." (Cera)

Cera is really afraid of those walking dead.

"Shut up." (Cera)

She jumped from one roof to another and headed towards Megurigaoka Middle School. As she enjoyed the view before the last few seconds of outbreak occurred... smoke, screams and chaos began to appear everywhere.

The girl who gazed down on them let out a few snicker since her first plan has now begun.

-----------------

*In the void*

Back to the void where there're many [Feathers] filled its section, there's a snake grumbling about something in a tone only it could hear.

"What am I?! A watch-snake?!" (Yjor)

In front of the snake is a figure that looks disgusting but has a very strong impression.

Its body is shaped like a vortex, it is dark in color and decorated with asteroid dust. The creature also has an object-looking-eyes, but it cannot be distinguished whether the round object is truly an eye or maybe some asteroid dust that continues to surround its body.

[^%&**%###$&*()|}*&@@??]

"That's, ENOUGH." (Yjor)

The creature spoke in a language that was difficult to understand, but Yjor could clearly understand what the creature was saying. After the snake felt offended and irked, Yjor then transformed into a Draconic Serpent with its voice echoing to the creature's core.

"YOU SHOULD KNOW WHAT WEAKNESS IS." (Yjor)

The serpent dragon vent its rage to the unknown entity which step its foot into this void. Their fight ended quickly with no chance for the creature to show its strength.

[!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!]

With just the outcrop of his eyes, Yjor turned the creature into dust and blew the dust off so it wouldn't contaminate the snake's domain.

"FEEBLE... Never come again." (Yjor)

After finishing its prey, the snake returned to its small form and slithered to a certain feather which personally belong to the snake. Yjor had place it somewhere between other feathers so Cera and Zeimachi couldn't found it.

"Madam should've told me if she wanted to leave this plane unguarded. And that damn human... how could he even forget the importance of this place?! Idiot." (Yjor)

The feather stored the snake memories when its first meet the human or Zeimachi. The snake kept it in this place carefully and when no one was watching, Yjor would take and sleep beside the feather which the snake considered as a memento which made Yjor remember his old past.

"What a damned human, you better grateful that I'm here to protect this place." (Yjor)

In the void there's a dark snake coiled around a certain feather. It keep mumbling about something but there's no one who can hear it beside the snake itself.

--------------------

On a foreign street that was placed in Megurigaoka city.

"Ehehehe~ Yjor is really a cutie ain't am I right~?" (Cera)

There stood Cera who was just one step away from entering Megurigaoka High School.

Due to the situation of the school which has become chaotic and the emergence of infected from the zombie virus, Cera really contemplated about her choice in arriving at this place.

As she checked her outfit, Cera then stands up while hiding her face behind the bushes.

"Umm... Uniform okay. I hope Megu-nee didn't suspicious of me, but that Yuki girl she's really a cute bun. I can imagine Zei showing off his cute daughter, well… that's just imagination though." (Cera)

She sneaked into the school, and went to check every floor to see if there was an anomaly that would mess up her plans.

And as it's turned out, she didn't really care about the pests that were the reason of their arrival, because for her it was very easy to reverse whatever happening in that world.

"Zei better keep those girls safe on his side." (Cera)

Different from Zeimachi, Cera didn't used any type of concealment in her current state. Cera thought that just with her uniform alone, it would be enough for her to sneak in as a female student of the school.

She also didn't limit her powers like how Zeimachi did because she thought it would only be troublesome for her, that's why she's adept at controlling her powers in her current vassal.

"Why're you still here ▀▀▀▀? Being spied by many eyes is not a comfy thing you know..." (Cera)

She's really good at it, but right now she looks very silly with tree branches that she used as a mean to hide her eyes from glancing at those zombies.

"I mean... just take it like Doraemon, that robot is afraid of mouse even though he could obliterated them. I won't tell you, but just take that as an example- Huauaaaaaaa!!!" (Cera)

Cera ran past the hordes of zombies that're trying to bite her, and as expected they couldn't even touch her because she kept dodging them and escaped to the next floor.

More sounds of distress appeared every time she passed the classrooms on each floor. Unfortunately, the one they met at that time was Cera. So no matter how much they begged to be saved, she wouldn't just help them out of goodwill.

"I'm not a hero, ▀▀▀▀. My life and my purposes are not going to be sacrificed for others. Though... Didn't I told you if I could reverse every creation in this world?!- Haaaa?! Stop coming closer!" (Cera)

She keeps running and dodging while looking for the girls in case they get left behind or experiences the butterfly effect, and in case some of you forgot Cera really doesn't like zombies. That's why she just runs and avoids them.

"Uwaah... It's really crowded in here. I don't want to touch them~" (Cera)

Not long after that Cera had reached the top floor and found a door that led to the roof of the school, but there're a lot of zombies trying to break down the door on the stair, so Cera just stood quietly behind the horde of undead.

"Ugghhaaaahhhh."

"Aaaaauuuhhhhg."

"Graaaaaghhhhhh."

"Ye ye enough with that, Hoi Hoi no Ack, I gotta stop with reference. Follow the line please!." (Cera)

Since Cera also doesn't want to come into contact with these creatures, Cera uses the easiest way to get rid of all the zombies that are blocking the stairs leading to the door to the school roof which is none other than to let them fall from the stairs.

*BrukBrukBruk*

All of them who realized Cera's presence then fell one by one from the stairs and Cera slowly backed away so that no one would soil her new clothes.

After all the zombies fell down the stairs and needed some time to get back up, Cera jumped over them and circled in the air before landing in front of the bloodied door.

"Ughh... there's blood all over it... Sumiimaaseen~ *Knock-knock-knock* Uber drive desu~ I mean, excuse me could you please open the door?! I want to stay alive~!" (Cera)

She then tried to push the door but there's already someone who's holding it. Perhaps because of the silence she made some of their sound could be heard.

*Knock-knock-knock*

"Excuse me... can you open the door? Anybody? I'm also a student." (Cera)

She politely knocked on the door and acted like a frightened high school girl. Actually Cera could have walked through the door and bust through it, but instead she chose to politely knock on the door because she felt if this choice was actually more fun.

Coupled with the fact that the schoolgirls in this world are not the type to finish off zombies with guns or kendo swords, but rather the type to finish off zombie's heads with a shovel.

"Takeya-san,Wakasa-san let me open the door. Both of you stay back from it!" (???)

"Megu-nee... Be careful." (???)

"I'll watch over them sensei." (???)

"Thank you Wakasa-san." (???)

On the other side of the door there were several voices discussing whether to open the door or not, their voices sounding gloomy and restless maybe because of the situation they had just seen and experienced.

Luckily for Cera they chose to open the door for her to enter.

After the door opened, there Cera was faced with a young woman with pink hair who seemed childish whether it was seen from the shape of her face, her hairstyle, or the clothes she was wearing.

'Don't you know ▀▀▀▀? Woman didn't dress up to temp man, they did that because they want to. Looking at Megu-nee, I doubt she's the type who used clothes to bait some fishy male, but more than that she's cute! So what's wrong with that?!' (Cera)

But unexpectedly, Cera who was standing in front of Sakura Megumi was silent and lost in thought as she nodded her head after she saw the figure of the female teacher.

"What are you doing?! *Grab* Hurry and step inside! We don't know when they'll get up again!" (Sakura Megumi)

"Hueeehh~" (Cera)

Sakura Megumi grabbed Cera's wrist and dragged her to the roof before she locked the door again. After Cera convinced Sakura Megumi that she was okay, it was there that Cera crossed paths with the other main characters.

Takeya Yuki, the girl with pink hair and a cat-like hat.

Wakasa Yuuri, the girl Zeimachi had met before. Back then she put her hair in pony tail, but now she let loose her light brown hair.

Ebisuzawa Kurumi, the shovel girl but right now she's still being consoled by Takeya Yuki after she killed her senpai.

And the teacher she had seen before, Sakura Megumi. The teacher who has been worried about the safety of her students, while also trying to endure these terrible times so to not bring a shame as a teacher.

'...' (Cera)

"..." (Cera)

'Wait...Could Zei read my mental thought? Because our connection is a kind of that.' (Cera)

Cera was very shocked and could not say anything because she couldn't imagine what would happen if what she feared is true.

'... ▀▀▀▀, don't tell me...' (Cera)

Seeing the students who were silent and didn't say anything, Sakura Megumi started to get worried and thought that Cera was in the middle of experiencing a trauma.

"Excuse me? Did you hear me, student? Are you okay? Do you have any injury on you?" (Sakura Megumi)

"I'm very fine! Thanks for your concern and also for opening the door!" (Cera)

"*Sigh* Thank goodness...I have many things to ask you but for now, but as long you're fine then that's all I can hope." (Sakura Megumi)

"...." (Cera)

"Now that I think about it, I don't know about your name. What year are you in?" (Sakura Megumi)

"Uhh I somehow knew about your name as a teacher Megu-nee sensei, although... I don't think right now is the time for introduction, but you can all me as..." (Cera)

Hakusei Rosoku.

"Hakusei? Rosoku?" (Cera)

'What name are you giving me now ▀▀▀▀ ??!! Don't just enter those name inside my mind!!' (Cera)

Cera gives Sakura Megumi a fake name to hide her identity in this school, meanwhile when Sakura Megumi heard how Cera called her as "Megu-nee" instead of "Sakura-sensei", that pink haired woman seemed got something to say for Hakusei Rosoku.

Although it seemed like even Sakura Megumi herself acknowledged her nickname which was always used by her students.

"It's Sakura-sensei. Then Hakusei-san could you please guard this door, I'll be back soon and don't push yourself if it's hard to hold them, I and the students will also help you when they came back okay!" (Sakura Megumi)

Sakura Megumi reprimand her to call her sensei and ask her to guard this door while she intending to approach Takeya Yuki, Ebisuzawa Kurumi and Wakasa Yuuri to ask them about each student's condition.

It's not that Sakura Megumi doesn't really care about the students she just met, it's just Sakura Megumi felt that the student named Ebisuzawa Kurumi who had killed her infected crush, and was lying still covered in blood was more worrying for that teacher.

The teacher was also panicked, confused and frightened. After all Sakura Megumi is a young teacher who moves to the city and lives alone away from her parents, in other words... She is just an ordinary civilian.

'...' (Cera)

However Sakura Megumi forced herself to keep moving after she saw Cera who was the only person there who could still smile as usual. Sakura Megumi felt that she couldn't lose her face as a teacher at the school, and intends to fulfill her responsibility to take care of the other students.

"Yes Megu-nee, I mean Megu-nee sensei! Holding back is my middle name." (Cera)

"... Thank you very much Hakusei-san, but please alert us when they get back again alright." (Sakura Megumi)

Sakura Megumi who was a little tensed because of the situation she had to face then becoming slightly relaxed when she heard that her student was still able to entertain others.

Sakura Megumi then runs toward the other girls. She then asked and reassured them with words of comfort, just like... "Are you fine?" "It's gonna be okay." "Yuki-chan! Are you okay?!" "Ebisuzawa-san can you hear me?" "Wakasa-san can you help me to bring both of them over there."

'That's sounds a lot ▀▀▀▀.' (Cera)

Don't read the narration.

'Well now that I've done with my part, can't I know about how Zei's condition right now? Knowing from your narration proved to be quite effective with that idiotka.' (Cera)

Maybe later, let's settle this part with a cliffhanger.

'Wait... don't-' (Cera)