[Chapter:18][Supermarket and the Gas Station (II) .]

"Sevensons Departmental Store…"

"It looks so…different than how it did this morning…"

A rather solemn mood descends onto the group as eighteen plus 1 pairs of eyes, Dea-chan still asleep, fall onto the building before them.

What would usually be a clean and nearly speckles departmental store, with all the items within carefully categorised and the store itself air conditioned, was currently no where to be seen.

Instead, the store had several severed limbs and innards strewn wherever, something that made the stomachs of several present churn. Indeed, Grace noted to himself once more, that this wasn't the original anime or manga which was mostly for the fan service.

Even if Author-san wrote this as a harem focused fanfic with an OP MC as a side dish, and to the readers beyond the fourth wall, this may just be another figment of their imagination, a piece of fiction, to Grace, this was his reality.

And Author-san did a pretty nasty job detailing it.

*step* *step* *step*

The tense silence of the group was broken by Grace, a faint smile still present on his lips, as he walked down the bus with his trusty rod drawn and erect and ready to pierce through mouths at a moment's notice.

((A/N : *wink* *wink* 'Lenny face here'))

"Saeko-chan, can I bother you to help me clean the store up? Rei-chan, Takashi-kun, Hisashi-kun, and Yamada-kun, please keep guard outside. As for the others, wait till one of us comes out and then come over to carry stuff alright? Mostly food that will last a while, and womanly needs that I don't know much about."

Wordlessly, Saeko follows behind, though she makes sure to hide the slightly sadistic and excited smile that threatened to break her otherwise elegant image.

Rei, who blushed slightly at being called so intimately (Japanese standards of intimacy, handholding is sooo lewd you know?), Takashi, Hisashi, and Yamada get down as well, their respective weapons ready, and surround the four sides of the bus.

The fatty Kohta thinks for a moment before he gets off too, and somehow manages to get his chubby body along with his modified nail gun and his ammo box onto the bus' roof, settling there and keeping watch around.

As for the triplets, Eei Bee, Cee Bee, and Eee Bee, they too get off but wait near the store's entrance, ready to head in and do the heavy lifting the moment they are called.

The rest of the group, that is, the 'currently useless for anything but being an eye candy' group of girls, stay in the bus, but only for a moment before they get off as well.

Well, Kyoko remains to man the driver seat, and the air headed nurse Shizuka keeps her company, but everyone else, including the self proclaimed genius Saya and orange haired Yuuki stand by the store entrance.

Though, Yuuki seems to maintain a fair distance from Yamada. A plot point for a later chapter.

...

While the outside was relatively peaceful, the same cannot be said about the inside of the departmental store.

*slick!*

In but a moment's notice, Grace's trusty rod pierces right through a female zombie's mouth and goes in all the way to her throat, making her freeze in place.

*smack!*

A sexy purple haired sword chick's wooden bokken ruthlessly crushes zombie skulls, making them cave in with a single hit each, showing incredible strength and accuracy.

In mere seconds, the smiling duo slaughtered several of 'them', and in the two short minutes that follow, nearly thirty two formerly moving corpses now lay permanently unmoving.

The two, communicating wordlessly with just their eyes and smiles alone, nod at each other before going to the store rooms, offices, and even the basement, cleaning them all up.

Meanwhile, something which Saeko had failed to notice is that Grace's expertise in wielding his bloody metal rod had all but improved immensely suddenly and within a short few seconds alone!

...

(Light Sharp Weapon Mastery : D)

Type : Skill / Passive

Description : Understanding of and mastery over light sharp weapons, including but not limited to, swords, blades, daggers, knives, short spears, etc… .

...

It was the skill Grace had 'borrowed' from the purple haired beauty when he ranked up his 'Card Extraction' to rank F, thus using up his last Golden Point.

Of course, he also recalled Dea-chan's advice about looking at Shido, and he was glad he listened since though the guy was Trash, he certainly had good skills.

Even that delinquent had good skills!

To that end, he was rather sad he didn't bother looking at what skills those two Trash he killed in the school or even that PE teacher had.

But anyway, Grace realised that while he had to see them up close to extract their cards if they are still alive, if they die, just a strand of hair is enough.

Glancing at the two strands of hair he had hidden in his pocket, Grace recalled the skills that had attracted his attention.

...

(Deception : D+)

Type : Skill / Active

Description : Use your words, actions, and even the surroundings to deceive your targets.

...

...

(Psychology : D)

Type : Skill / Passive

Description : Read, predict, as well as direct through your knowledge and understanding of your target's psychology their thoughts, actions, etc… .

...

...

(Stealth : E+)

Type : Skill / Both

Description : Passively reducing your presence while actively concealing your tracks will allow you to conceal yourself and sneak around unhindered.

...

The first two were obviously from Shido, and the last was surprisingly from the delinquent. Grace was honestly rather surprised that he had that skill, and at such a high rank at that, but he was also quite glad since that meant he had one of the very basic needs of every OP MC nearly fulfilled.

Every OP MC needs to be able to peek unnoticed after all.

'That's just you pushing your degenerate tendencies onto me, Author-san.'

((A/N : *cough* *cough*))

But anyway, Grace decided to take in a combat skill first, since Skills, unlike abilities, still need to be practised a little to get used to, and Grace would rather be better at fighting during a zombie apocalypse than being good at deceiving people or predicting their actions.

What was he supposed to do, deceive a zombie into becoming his lackey? Or maybe predict its actions? He didn't need knowledge about psychology to know if he made a sound while standing right before one, he would get pounced upon.

Well, it's not like he's in a hurry.

Grace was sure he'd get quite a few GP by the time he reaches the Takagi estate, not to mention the Trash that are in there, more than enough to get his 'Card Extraction' ability to at least C- as at that rank, he can freely extract Cards from mortals without any limit.

'8 more GP…I think I'll make it. Probably.'

With a shrug, he exits the basement and meets up with Saeko who was waiting for him with a smile that seemed pretty out of place, What with the blood and corpses and all.

Well, Grace didn't really mind though. On the contrary, he thought that made her look more beautiful.

"Wait."

Grace called Saeko, who was about to turn around as she saw him come, making her pause and look back at him questioningly.

Grace approached her and took out a handkerchief before gently wiping away the drops of blood that had somehow managed to splatter onto her face yet not on her uniform.

"There, now you don't look sexy enough to arouse me."

Saeko blushed as he crossed her, while Dea-chan, who had just woken up, whistled.

(Smooth~~!)

Grace shrugged lightly.

'I won't actively pursue them like a harem seeking virgin idiot, but I don't mind grinding affection points. Besides, I wasn't exactly lying.'

He glances down to see Grace junior waking up, and shook his head with a sigh.

'No matter what, I'm still a healthy man with a healthy sexual drive, and the sight of Saeko smiling sadistically with blood splattered on her face is really too hot.'

He exits the departmental store and looks looks at the group waiting for him outside.

"Boys will bring the food and water, and you girls discuss what you all need among yourselves please."

He looked at the four that were guarding the bus, with a corpse or two underneath them.

"Good job, I'll take over now so go pick your own choice too."

"Ah, good job to you too Kohta-kun."

Grace didn't forget to thank the obedient fatty, who blushed and nodded awkwardly while getting down seven nails lighter, clearly not used to being praised.

'Poor fatty…in memory of Author-san, I'll be sure to train you well, even if I'll end up cucking you not once but twice in the end.'

((A/N : Oi! What do you mean 'in the memory of'!? I'm not dead yet bastard!))

'Well now…'

He looked back at the Group that entered and busied themselves raiding the store, then at Kyoko and Shizuka talking in the bus, and then at the sun that would set in a few more hours before sighing.

'So much happened in less than half a day…'

He leaned against the bus and closed his eyes while sighing again.

'Well…I'll take the serum after we go to Rika's house…and I have to save that adorable loli Alice…and take care of the future gay couple since I'm starting to get bad vibes at how Hisashi is looking at me…and take care of Yamada…and see what the issue is with Yuuki who's looking at me like I'm her saviour or something…and then the Takagi mansion…to be cucked #2 and his gang of Trash…not to mention the sexy MILF Yuriko who I'm sure Author-san will make me seduce one way or another…not that I'll mind…the nuclear blast and the hoard of 'them'…Rei's hot mother Kiriko…the mall…the cute yet naïve police girl Asami…more Trash…the tanned beauty Rika…man my schedule's tight for the next few days...maybe even weeks.'

Shaking his head, he recalls the next plausible Event, meaning another possible 9 GP if he does well.

(The guy in the Gas Station that tries to rape Rei-chan~~)

'Ah, right, thanks for reminding me Dea-chan.'

Grace nodded as he saw his Events function glow, and indeed, there was another new Event.

...

(Events!)

Completed Events : [(Escape from the Dead! : SSS)] | [(Democracy under the Dead! : SSS)]

Available Events : [(Assault under the Dead!)]

On Going Events : None

...

...

[(Assault under the Dead!)]

Description : In the original, Takashi and Rei, who become separated from the Group, approach a gas station on a mother bike. When Takashi enters the inside of the station, looking for supplies, a man assaults Rei and holds her hostage, and goes as far as groping her right on front of Takashi's eyes. The two somehow, thanks to their plot armour, manage to turn the tables on him and 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)?

...

Tapping 'Y', Grace wondered for a brief moment what would happen if they just ignored the station and drove to the apartment instead, but quickly scrapped that thought.

'I have a much better idea…'

He thought for a moment, before the Quest icon began to flash.

(Looks like you're getting a hang of the System~~)

'Yup.'

Grace grinned as he opened it to see his new quest.

...

(Quests)

Quest : New world, new Laws!

Description : Make the group understand that their world has changed, not for the better, and that as it changed, they, too, should adapt to it and to the new Laws of the world, the Law of the Survival of the fittest.

Completion : Kyoko (0/1) Misuzu (0/1) Toshimi (0/1) Shizuka (0/1) Eei Bee (0/1) Saeko (0/1) Saya (0/1) Kohta (0/1) Rei (0/1) Takashi (0/1) Hisashi (0/1) Yuuki (0/1) Naomi (0/1) Kawamoto (0/1) Taniuchi (0/1) Cee Bee (0/1) Eee Bee (0/1)

Reward : 1 GP and 1 SP per completion

...

'17 GP and 17 SP. More than enough for me to put in a little effort.'

Grace pondered on how to go about this one. Since it didn't have a time limit or anything, he had all the time in the ending world to go about it, or at least till he goes to another world.

Then he recalls the man that started this train of thought.

'Yeah, that will do.'

For a moment, Grace grimaced over being too hasty and extracting 'Light Sharp Weapon Mastery', but he ultimately shrugged lightly.

'Well, I don't need knowledge of psychology to do that.'

Dea-chan, who had been reading Grace's plans as he thought them up, nodded her little head.

(That's a good plan, and even better since I'll get more SP to spend.)

'You didn't learn at all, did you?'

Grace sighed before shaking his head.

'Forget it, it's better if you don't change. You'll lose half your charm if you suddenly become obedient and submissive.'

(Hey! What's that supposed to mean!? Are you telling me I'd become ugly if I change!?)

Grace smiled. He liked bantering with the little firefly like this once in a while, especially since he wasn't even allowed to feel tired or bored with his 'No Fatigue : SSS+'. It was honestly a little depressing to him, to know that he would never feel the pleasure of working till one is completely exhausted.

But then again, he couldn't complain.

He liked this new life already, even if it had begun just a few hours ago.

Especially since he even had the hope now, hope of getting her back.

'And this time, even if you try to cut off your own arm, I won't let you go.'