Bio Defense ~A City Built in a World That Has Ended~

Chapter 2-4

Kanata and his group arrived at the Nishina residence shortly after he returned. As Haruka had described, all the doors appeared to be firmly shut.

Haruka’s parents, both police officers, had confirmed their safety via radio communication and were informed of their situation.

As the truck pulled up to the entrance, Haruka got off first, with Kanata accompanying her. As usual, Tachibana had followed them unnoticed. Kanata now considered her a capable woman.

They approached the gate cautiously, trying to make as little noise as possible. Once inside the premises, Haruka stopped abruptly.

“Ah!”

Kanata immediately stepped forward to protect her, holding the wooden sword Haruka had brought. Gripping it tightly, he cautiously observed the area and noticed several human-like figures lying near the dojo entrance. They showed no signs of movement or getting up.

“They seem fine.”

Speaking softly, Kanata assured Haruka. He couldn’t stop his hands from trembling as he gripped the wooden sword repeatedly.

Kanata had once trained at this dojo under Haruka’s grandfather, Haruyoshi, for a brief period. The training was rigorous, and he was never allowed to handle a Japanese sword, which initially was his goal. He gradually lost motivation and stopped attending, but now he regretted not taking it more seriously.

In a fair fight, Haruka would likely be far superior to him. Still, Kanata couldn’t let her go ahead emotionally. Taking a deep breath, he approached the bodies.

All the corpses bore bite marks, suggesting they were likely infected. However, they all seemed to have been taken down with a single strike. Only a skilled fighter could achieve such a feat…

As unpleasant memories began to resurface in Kanata’s mind, the sound of the dojo door opening interrupted his thoughts. Both he and Haruka turned to see an elderly man standing there.

“Are you both safe, Haruka? You gave me quite a scare. It’s been a while, Kanata. If you had hidden behind Haruka, I would’ve made you start training from scratch!”

Haruyoshi, Haruka’s grandfather and the head of the Nishina Dojo, stood there, having pushed open the sliding door.

“I see… After you left, I was at a loss since Hinata and Haruka were gone. I couldn’t follow without knowing your destination, and Koji was unreachable. I was at a loss for what to do, but then Amane and Kizahashi came by. They bravely walked here through the roaming monsters. You must have seen those bodies outside.”

Haruyoshi was referring to the infected bodies by the entrance. Kanata realized that the powerful strikes he had witnessed were likely from his seniors who had once guided him at the dojo.

“Amane-san and Kizahashi-san were here? Are they okay?”

Haruka asked, concerned. Kanata, however, believed it was an unnecessary worry. Amane Rui and Kizahashi Takeru, the top two at the Nishina Dojo, had always treated Kanata with great kindness.

Even after Kanata stopped attending the dojo, they would occasionally force him to train, which he perceived as bullying. Knowing the two of them, Kanata couldn’t imagine them being defeated by the infected.

“Yes, they must’ve been worried and came to check on you. They left after hearing about Hinata and Haruka. Didn’t you meet them?”

“No… I wish I had.”

Haruka looked disappointed, while Kanata heaved a sigh of relief. If they had met, he shuddered to think of the fate that would’ve befallen them. Kanata knew that his seniors would’ve put him through their rigorous training, something he didn’t want to experience again.

“In any case, I understand. Please take good care of my granddaughter and Kanata.”

Haruyoshi bowed to Tachibana, who was sitting a little apart from them.

“What? You’re not coming with us, Grandpa?”

Haruka, who had risen to her feet, spoke up.

“I can’t leave this dojo; it’s my life’s work. Besides, having such a place for those who come later is a good idea. Kanata, when your parents or Hinata arrive, hide them here. I’ll try to contact you and have you come pick them up. Tachibana-san, this area has many farms, and there’s no shortage of water. We can support a decent number of people with self-sufficiency. Our dojo, though old, is well-built and can withstand those monsters and troublemakers, even if they come in droves. If you have people like that, have them come here. I won’t refuse your support, either.”

Tachibana looked slightly surprised as Haruyoshi laughed, adding that he had reliable disciples. Tachibana bowed again.

“I understand. We’ll provide some food and daily necessities, though it won’t be much. Thank you for your kind words; it’s a great relief. I’ll instruct those who are slow to escape to head for your dojo. The chairman, who unfortunately isn’t with us, would be very grateful. As for your granddaughter, I promise to do my best, though I can’t promise that she won’t face any hardships.”

“Nonsense! These young ones are grown up now. It’s time for them to start thinking for themselves. My dear disciples, In this world, surviving is the priority. It’s okay to stray a little; you might be hated by others for having different views. But you must take responsibility for your actions and not do anything that would make you feel ashamed when you meet me again.”

“Yes!” Haruka and Kanata replied, straightening their backs. Haruyoshi’s words carried such weight that even Kanata, who had given up halfway through his training, was pleased to still be considered his disciple.

“Alright then. We’ll be leaving now. We’ll take breaks occasionally, but other than that, we’ll head straight to our destination. Kanata-san and Haruka-san, please rest in your assigned spaces in the container. If you feel unwell or need anything, I’ll move to the passenger seat, so please let me know.”

After waiting for Haruka to prepare her luggage, they returned to the truck and were instructed to board the container. The truck was loaded with supplies, but they had created personal spaces for them. Although the space was not spacious, it was heartwarming to know that they had considered their comfort. A van bearing the name Hinotori was parked behind the truck, and several burly men from the construction division were aboard, carrying iron pipes and shovels. These were the same people who had been keeping watch near Kanata’s home.

Despite their intimidating appearances, the men accepted the light snacks and coffee flask that Haruka had prepared from items in her home with sloppy gratitude.

As soon as Kanata and his group boarded the container, the truck seemed to depart, and they could feel a slight vibration.

The space assigned to the two of them was divided by two cardboard boxes and had a curtain for privacy. The container itself had been modified, with lighting installed in several places and even a refrigerator stocked with drinks. In front was a door and a bellows-like passageway, similar to those on trains, which led directly to the driver’s seat.

Soon after their departure, Tachibana informed them that the truck carrying Subaru and Daigo had also left and would join them shortly. The trucks were in contact via radio.

In the same truck as Kanata’s group were a woman with a small boy, possibly her son, and the four of them were together. The spaces were arranged lengthwise along the container. The woman with the child had the largest and most forward space, followed by Haruka, and Kanata’s space was at the very back.

“I think I’ll take a nap,” Kanata said. “Me too, I’m a bit tired,” Haruka agreed.

Kanata and Haruka went to their respective spaces. Despite the limited space, having a personal area for the long journey was surprisingly comforting. He heard the sound of the curtain closing in the neighboring space, indicating that Haruka was probably resting too.

… As he tried to sleep, using his bag as a pillow, the intense experiences he had been through made it difficult for him to fall asleep. As he turned over repeatedly, he heard a voice and the sound of someone knocking on the cardboard from the neighboring space.

TIPS: Initial Member Settings

Name Height Weight Appearance

Kanata 175 cm 66 kg Black hair, slightly wavy, just reaching his ears

Haruka 165 cm 53 kg Chestnut brown hair, slightly longer than shoulder length, usually tied in a single ponytail at the back

Hinata 152 cm 46 kg Black hair, neatly trimmed to a short length, almost like a short bob

Subaru 164 cm 58 kg Dark brown hair, close to black, kept in a short buzz cut since his baseball days

Daigo 189 cm 108 kg Black hair with dark brown highlights, naturally curly and casually swept up