The cave was unusually quiet.
The supplies were stacked neatly against the stone wall. The strange green marble rested on a flat rock, reflecting the dancing light of the campfire.
Zero leaned against the wall with his arms crossed.
For a full minute...
He didn't say a single word.
Then...
He slowly turned his head...
...and looked straight ahead.
Not at Aira.
Not at the cave entrance.
Straight at the reader.
A long silence followed.
Then he sighed.
Zero: "Guys..."
Another sigh.
Zero: "I'm honestly tired of acting serious all the time."
He rubbed his forehead.
Zero: "I've been keeping this cold expression since Chapter One."
He pointed somewhere into empty space.
Zero: "I wanted to enjoy the apocalypse from the beginning..."
He narrowed his eyes.
Zero: "...but this annoying writer kept making me act like some mysterious, emotionless protagonist."
Aira blinked.
"...Who are you talking to?"
Zero completely ignored her.
Zero: "Seriously..."
Zero: "No more."
He stretched both arms.
Zero: "I want to live too!"
He picked up a dagger from the wooden table inside the cave and fastened its sheath to his belt.
Next, he grabbed the wrapped gun and secured it with the rest of his gear.
He smiled for the first time.
A genuine smile.
Zero: "From now on..."
He looked at the invisible audience again.
Zero: "We're exploring this world."
He raised one finger.
Zero: "Finding survivors."
Another finger.
Zero: "Destroying zombies."
A third finger.
Zero: "...and having fun."
Aira continued staring at him with a completely confused expression.
"...Is he... okay?"
Zero finally looked at her.
Zero: "Let's go."
Aira tilted her head.
"Go where?"
Zero: "To explore."
He walked toward the cave entrance.
Zero: "Before zombies appeared, life was nothing but studying, pressure, expectations..."
He shrugged.
Zero: "Now the world's already ended."
He grinned.
Zero: "Might as well enjoy what's left."
He looked at the invisible audience one last time.
Zero: "Guys..."
Zero: "From this chapter onward..."
He gave a thumbs-up.
Zero: "Expect comedy..."
Another thumbs-up.
Zero: "Action..."
He winked.
Zero: "...and lots of zombie hunting."
Aira whispered to herself,
"...I'm traveling with an idiot."
---
Hours later...
Kathmandu looked nothing like the city it once was.
Collapsed buildings.
Destroyed streets.
Abandoned vehicles.
Nature had already begun reclaiming the concrete.
A frightened girl ran through the middle of the road.
"HELP!"
"PLEASE!!"
Several zombies slowly surrounded her from different directions.
She backed away in panic.
"I-I don't want to die!"
A zombie reached toward her—
SHING!
A silver flash cut across the air.
A young girl wearing a wide Japanese straw hat stood between them.
Her katana completed a smooth arc before sliding back into its sheath.
She gave the frightened survivor a calm smile.
"You're safe."
But another zombie quietly approached from behind her.
Before anyone could react—
BANG!
The zombie collapsed instantly.
The girl turned around.
Standing on the roof of a nearby vehicle...
A young man lowered his rifle with a confident grin.
He raised his thumb.
"Nice timing."
The swordswoman smiled back.
She returned the thumbs-up.
Then...
A loud engine roared.
Another zombie charged toward the young man.
Before it reached him—
CRASH!!
A large truck burst through the street.
The zombie disappeared beneath the impact as the truck continued forward before stopping several meters away.
The driver's door opened.
A cheerful young man leaned out.
"Looks like I wasn't late."
Everyone laughed.
But before anyone could speak again...
The ground trembled.
They slowly looked ahead.
Standing in the middle of the broken road...
Was another young man.
Behind him...
A massive tank rested silently.
No one said a word.
The newcomer smiled confidently.
"...Looks like the party has finally started."