Staff...

(AN: Free chapter since it's my birthday today, Woo!)

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[W5, (HOTD)]

[Japan, Somewhere in Tokonosu city.]

"Is it true that she can hear us?"

"Hey, Mrs!"

"Hello!?"

"AH! I GOT STEPPED ON!"

"Quick, send the signals to the rest."

"Mrs! We know you're there!"

"THAT'S ENOUGH! YOU'RE TOO NOISY!" Kanae burst out, and her patience snapped. She turned towards the sound, her glare was directed downwards.

"She responded!"

"So it is true!"

"This one can hear us!"

"The old tree wasn't lying!"

The voices grew louder, and a cacophony of whispers and cheers came from those below, the green patches of grass, a long lawn that stretched beside the sidewalk.

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+ Kanae POV +

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She bit the side of her tongue gently to calm her outbursts. 'Ever since I received that ability, I could hear them speak. I can already tell it will be more of a curse than a blessing.' With a plant pot in one hand, she reached inside the pocket of her market garments to retrieve the device.

She scanned the mission in the task application. 'I have yet to rescue anyone from this world, and with that amount, it is best to look for a refuge site to complete it, I'll scout out for any nearby. Asking them for help wouldn't work either.' She attempted to seek assistance from the plants, but unfortunately, her efforts didn't yield the expected results. One of the challenges was that the plants lacked the ability to see, although they were capable of feeling their surroundings. She considered an approach that would involve tracking the target by following the footprints detected by the plants. However, this method comes with a dilemma, that there's an equal chance of encountering either an undead or a survivor.

Closing the device; it reflected a frown that crept onto her face. 'In the meantime, I'll see if I can gather input on her whereabouts.'

"HEY, MRS!"

"HELLO!"

A tick mark appeared on her forehead as she gritted her teeth again. "WHAT!" she snapped.

"We can sense something is moving!" called out a single blade of grass.

Kanae turned her gaze and saw a zombie shambling toward her, attracted by her outburst. She could hear the sounds of screaming from the plants as they were trampled underfoot.

"Not again," Kanae sighed, frustration creeping into her voice. With a pot in her hand, she called out, eyes fixed on the shambling figure. "Old tree."

"How may I assist?" the seedling replied in a calm, resonant voice as it sprouted from the dirt in the pot.

"Same as before, once you're on the target, squeeze as hard as you can and later detach a part of yourself," Kanae instructed.

"Your wish is my command, Madam Sato."

Kanae placed her thumb on the dirt, her hand glowing with a subtle green light. The plant responded to her power, growing rapidly inside the small pot. She guided the wood and vines to slither out of the pot, directing them toward the approaching zombie at an alarming pace.

In an instant, with the command to wrap around the person, she called out, "Now." The plant added pressure to the strangle with the help of Kanae's enhancement. The eerie sound of bones cracking filled the air. "Detach," Kanae ordered as the tree complied. The middle stem connected to the zombie tore off with a crack! With a loud thump, the zombie fell to the ground with thick wood and vines wrapped around its body, making it immobilized.

Kanae watched as the zombie groaned, trying to escape the tightening sensation. 'Hopefully, there's a cure within that place to reverse this transformation, but...'

"Yay!"

"A nutritious meal!"

"Let's dig in!"

The lawn of grass exclaimed excitedly as the body fell onto them. 'If I can save enough credits before they decompose,' Kanae thought. 

"Wait, can she hear us?"

"Took you long enough, you idiot; we've sent signals ages ago." Exasperated a blade of grass.

"Is it true that you took an essence from old tree to have him assist you?" Questioned another.

Kanae grumbled as a headache began to creep in. "Look, I have no time right now. I'm in a hurry. I have to go." She adjusted her posture, preparing to leave.

"WAIT!"

"MADAM SATO, TAKE ME WITH YOU!"

"NO, ME"

"YOU ALL SUCK, IM THE BEST PICK!"

"I NEED WATER!"

Kanae sighed as she paused in her tracks, trying to ease the growing pain in her head.

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[Shintoko Academy grounds.]

In one of the green fields on the school grounds, the sounds of shovels biting into the earth filled the air as dirt was thrown into a pit.

"You didn't have to assist me, I could have done all the labor myself," Toru said, noticing Yuko's ragged breaths as she shoveled alongside him.

"She was a close friend of mine. I have to," Yuko replied, wiping the sweat off her forehead before continuing to shovel.

Toru briefly glanced at her before he continued working in silence. The sun dipped lower in the sky, casting long shadows across the field. The pit gradually filled, the laborious task offering them a moment of quiet reflection. Yuko's resolve shone through her exhaustion, her breath heavy but steady.

Toru, feeling like he might collapse at any moment due to fatigue and lack of sleep, reached into one of his pockets and retrieved a capsule. The action of him swallowing a pill didn't go unnoticed.

"I know I shouldn't ask, but are you on any medication?" Yuko asked, concern evident on her face.

Toru pondered whether to lie or not, but considering Yuko, lies wouldn't go past her. "I'm not, but it should keep me energized until I find a place to rest," he admitted.

"You need to take better care of yourself," Yuko said softly. "Pushing too hard won't do any good. Especially for someone of your age."

Toru, lost in thought, remained silent after realizing that she was correct. With a resigned sigh, he decided to act on his impulse. Taking out his device, he deftly tapped its screen a few times, causing a shimmering door to materialize nearby. "We should head back," he said, his voice steady despite his weariness.

Yuko briefly glanced at the door and then back at Toru. "I've heard you can buy anything in that place," she said, a hint of hope in her voice. "are you... Are you planning on bringing her back?"

Toru turned the door handle but paused. "I... I don't know," he said quietly, not turning to face them as he stepped through the door, leaving it open for her.

Yuko's face fell slightly. She took a deep breath, casting a final glance at the filled pit and then at the disappearing image of the kid. She chose to follow behind, closing the door behind her.

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[W3 (Courage)]

[Kansas, middle of nowhere]

The orange sunset cast a warm glow over the old farmhouse, its light filtering through the windows and painting the room in a golden hue. Muriel stood anxiously beside the couch where Asahi and Akemi sat, "Are they going to be alright, doctor?" she asked, her voice tinged with worry.

As he examined the twins, the doctor hummed in thought, a strange tune of an Indian sitar playing in the background. "There's nothing to worry about, nothing at all. Just a few broken bones and slight damage to the nervous system. They just need to rest for a slow recovery," he said, his stethoscope seemingly providing this diagnosis.

"Is he even a real doctor?" Akemi whispered to Asahi beside her.

"Beats me," Asahi muttered back, wincing slightly as he shifted on the couch. Despite their doubts, the doctor's assessment was accurate; a couple of their limbs were partially paralyzed, and they also bore several fractures.

"Thank you, doctor." Muriel thanked him on behalf of the injured twins.

Eustace, grumbling, as usual, interrupted. "Any faster way for them to recover? They're taking up space in here."

"Oh, don't be like that, Eustace," Muriel scolded gently.

Dr. Vindaloo perked up at Eustace's question. "There is actually a faster cure, but I need the consent of my patients," he said, turning to the twins.

Akemi and Asahi exchanged glances, silently communicating their thoughts before nodding to the doctor. "Uh, sure, but what exactly is it?" Asahi asked cautiously.

With a flourish, Dr. Vindaloo retrieved two large yellow vials from his coat. "There's Nothing to worry about. Just drink the whole remedy, and it will ensure a faster recovery. Drink the remedy." he said, presenting the bubbling serums.

"Uh..." The twins hesitated, taking the vials reluctantly. The pungent smell hit them as they opened the lids, causing both to gag.

"Just what in the world is this stuff?!" Akemi exclaimed, covering her nose. At the same time, Asahi pulled the hem of his shirt to block his nose.

Dr. Vindaloo smiled serenely. "Nothing to worry about, it's just urine. Sacred cow urine, to be precise. Nothing to worry about."

""LIKE HELL WE'RE GOING TO DRINK THAT!"" they yelled in unison, their voices filled with disgust.

"Oh, grow up!" Eustace snapped, grabbing one of the vials. Before Asahi could react, Eustace forced his mouth open and poured the liquid in. Asahi struggled, but his weakened limbs couldn't fend off the old man's determined actions. The liquid spilled, drenching him and the couch.

"Asahi!" Akemi watched in horror as Eustace turned to her, unable to move quickly enough to stop him. She tried to resist, but he quickly overpowered her and repeated the process, dumping the contents of the second vial into her mouth.

Muriel gasped, her hands flying to her mouth in shock. "Eustace, stop! This isn't right!" she cried out.

Courage, who had been watching silently, whimpered in concern. He wanted to intervene but felt helpless against Eustace's brute force.

Dr. Vindaloo, unfazed by the chaos, simply nodded. "Nothing to worry about, nothing at all," he repeated.

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[????]

The abrupt knocks on the door roused the teen from his slumber. "Wake up, we've got another devil." He grudgingly and slowly woke up in his small rental. The room itself was a mess, with dust particles dancing in the light filtering through the sole window.

Yawning, he sat up, rubbing his eyes. "I so don't feel like it today," he muttered, still tired. His words were met with a bark from across the room. Adjusting his still hazy sight, he focused on the source of the sound. The teen had scruffy blond hair and a yellow eye, while an eye patch covered the other eye.

Seeing his companion, he managed a small smile. "Maybe you're right, Pochita. It is a step to a better life."

Pochita barked again, wagging his tail enthusiastically. The teen stood up with a sigh, ready to earn his keep by hunting down another devil. He grabbed his worn-out jacket, slung it over his shoulders, and headed towards the door. "Alright, let's go get that devil and make some money,"

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