Jobless Man’s Zombie Survival Life - Chapter 92: Showdown! The Battle at the Used Bookstore (Contains Cruel Depictions)

Chapter 92: Showdown! The Battle at the Used Bookstore (Contains Cruel Depictions)

Lurking in the shadows, I peer through a gap at the parking lot.

Of the three trucks trying to enter from the main road, one’s tilted slightly.

Ooki-kun’s spiked trap must’ve shredded its left front tire.

“…!!” “~~~~!?” “!!~~!?”

The engine noise and distance muffle their voices, but they’re yelling up a storm.

Alright, what’s their next move?

Looks like they’ve given up on driving in.

No surprise—the front wheel’s tangled in that spiked mess.

Can’t move forward or back easily.

Men with weapons jump down from the truck beds.

Hmm, bats, iron pipes, wooden planks, a kendo sword…

The first truck’s crew is all melee weapons. What about the other two?

“Hey, you bastard! Get down here! I’ll kill you!!”

The trucks cut their engines, and voices carry now.

A guy with bandages wrapped around his face screams toward the rooftop, where Ooki-kun must be.

Is he the survivor who escaped?

Probably the leader, then.

“No way~ Why would I come down to get killed? Did your burn scars mess up your brain~?”

“You!! You jerk!! Stop screwing around!!”

“You’re the one with the screwed-up brain~ Talking with that Famicom-level CPU~?”

“Look at our numbers!! You think you can win!?”

“Unlike you, I can count, so I’m fine~ You probably can’t handle numbers bigger than three, though~”

“~~~~~~!!”

“Whoops, he crashed. Someone nearby, blow on him and reboot him~”

Oh, he’s poking the bear.

In a fight where you’re outnumbered, making the enemy lose their cool is key.

The bandage guy tries to retort, but it’s just animalistic howling now.

“I’m out of bombs, but I don’t need ‘em for you lot~ Come whenever you want~”

Hearing Ooki-kun, the group from the back two trucks joins up.

Let’s see… about twenty in total?

They’re grinning like idiots.

So dumb… falling for such an obvious lie.

Oh, five of them are holding tube-shaped objects… hunting rifles?

As expected.

Some are carrying a ladder too. Smarter than monkeys, I guess.

I pull something from my pocket and put it to my lips.

A deep breath, then I blow hard.

PIEEEEEEEE!!

The shrill whistle echoes, and the men snap their heads toward me.

It’s a whistle I nabbed from a home center.

Competition-grade, loud as hell.

The prearranged signal to start the attack.

“Gyaa!?” “Gi!?” “Agaa!?”

Gunshots ring out from the second floor, and the rifle-wielding guys drop one by one, flung back like ragdolls.

Kanzaki-san’s sniping has begun.

Her aim’s as precise as ever—impressive.

A guy scrambling for a dropped rifle gets shot and hits the dirt.

She’s thorough.

“Oh, right, I found one last bomb, so here ya go~”

With Ooki-kun’s carefree voice, a metal pipe lands in the panicking crowd.

A flash, a gut-punching shockwave, and a deafening roar hit at once.

Inorganic and organic debris spray into the air.

Whoa, the shelves are rattling.

That tiny thing’s got crazy power.

Alright, time to move.

I slip out from my hiding spot and start moving.

“Here’s seconds~”

Ooki-kun’s cheerful voice is followed by another explosion.

Screams and shouts grow louder.

I sneak from the barricade, circle through the narrow alley behind the store, and emerge by the trucks.

Man, it’s a total bloodbath.

The stench of gunpowder and burning flesh is brutal.

Guys are running around, yelling, completely disorganized.

Some try to flee, and I sprint toward a guy reaching for the driver’s door of the rearmost truck.

“Hey there!!” “Gii!?”

I greet him cheerfully, slashing his neck from behind.

Damn, what a clean cut.

As expected from my “Bamboo” grade sword.

Kicking the bleeding, collapsing guy aside, I jump into the driver’s seat, yank the key, and pocket it.

No escaping now.

“Hey! Hurry up and drive! Dri—gyun!?”

A guy climbing into the passenger seat mistakes me for an ally, and I slit his throat with my wakizashi.

Tight spaces call for the short blade.

I hop out, sheathe the wakizashi, and charge into the chaotic group, rattled by gunfire and explosions.

Tactics aren’t much different from fighting zombies.

Their panic makes it easier.

To avoid friendly fire, I’ve got a bright red scarf (nabbed from the store’s used clothing section) tied to my helmet.

But these guys, attacking in such light clothing?

Makes my job easier, though.

“Agi!?” “Ah!? Aagaa!?”

I slice the ankles of two sandal-wearing idiots and kick their backs.

A few others topple like dominoes.

Should make it easier for Kanzaki-san and Ooki-kun to clean up.

“What the hell are you!?”

A guy with cloth-wrapped iron pipe spots me and barks.

Finally noticed, huh?

You survived this long being that slow?

No point talking—you’ve gotta strike fast to win.

“Just your enemy…!!”

Grinning, I close in and slam my foot into his groin.

How’s the steel-toed safety boot feel?

He goes white-eyed, foaming, and I kick him again.

Domino set two, done.

Take one down, move on.

Gotta wipe them out in this chaos.

“You bastard—gyaaa!?”

A silver arrow pierces the shoulder of a guy swinging a plank at me.

Nice shot, Ooki-kun!

I step in, grazing his neck with a flat-blade thrust.

Blood spurts from the gash, and I move to the next.

Spot a distracted idiot.

I creep up, slash his back, and as he turns, I cut him down head-on.

No need for instant kills—just disable them.

Next.

Oops, locked eyes with two guys.

No sneak attack here.

Weapons: a metal bat and… some iron rod.

“You bastard!!”

The bat guy charges, swinging.

Obvious overhand swing—thanks!

I pivot to a half-stance, and the bat misses, clanging against the ground.

“Ow—gyo!?”

His hands numb, face twisted, I slash his exposed throat.

As he collapses, eyes wide, the rod guy swings sideways from behind.

Using his buddy as bait, huh?

Not bad, but the swing’s too high.

I spread my legs wide, stepping low, and slash, nearly severing his ankle.

“Giiii!? Aagaaaaa!?”

With a sickening crunch, his ankle twists beyond its limit, and he hits the ground.

When it comes to ankle cuts, few match our school’s technique.

Not great for matches, but in a fight, low slashes are hard to block and super effective.

Next—Whoa!?

A bad vibe makes me dodge, and a scythe spins through where I stood.

That was close!

I duck behind a truck, and a voice shouts.

“Don’t run! I’ll kill you!!”

Run? Obviously, idiot.

I drop flat, peering under the truck.

Four legs—two guys.

“Jouji! Circle around—da!? Aga!?”

A cross-shaped shuriken, thrown with a snap, embeds in the shouting guy’s leg.

Confirming the hit, I quietly climb onto the truck bed using the tire.

“You bastard, where’d you—gagagaga…”

From above Jouji, I hurl a rod shuriken at his head.

It misses slightly, hitting his nape.

Well, his speech glitched out, so good enough.

“Ow! It won’t come out!?”

I hop back to the front via the bed, landing hard on the gut of the guy writhing with the shuriken stuck in his leg.

He makes a “gobo” sound and passes out.

…The barbed shuriken I added experimentally worked.

Bit of a pain to make, but I’ll keep a few on hand.

What’s the situation?

Scattered flesh, reeking blood.

Mangled bodies, half-zombie-like.

Corpses with headshots or bristling with arrows like porcupines.

Some are still groaning, blown apart.

A real pile of bodies.

Still, about ten left.

Where’s bandage guy… There!

His earlier bravado’s gone, cowering behind the first truck.

He’s the leader, right?

Let’s disable him for questioning later.

“Gi…!? Iiii!!”

I nail both his legs with barbed cross-shurikens.

Bandage guy writhes on the ground.

Nagumo-ryu Shuriken Throwing Technique, “Kasane”

Throwing multiple shurikens held in one hand, releasing them one by one with precise finger control.

Requires strong fingers and perfect timing.

I’m capped at two, but Master threw four per hand, staggered—eight total.

That guy’s a monster.

Next—huh!?

Kanzaki-san, why’s she down here!? Out of ammo!?

Three guys, leering at her beauty, close in.

Horny in this situation? Impressive brain.

But I’m too far!

Damn it, make it!!

“Shi!” “Gyogu!?”

A bayonet thrust pierces one guy’s throat.

…He couldn’t react to her quick draw.

Dropping the rifle, Kanzaki-san pulls a knife and pistol.

“Stop—!?” “Kyu!?”

She slashes one guy’s arm, making him flinch, then spins, kicking another in the groin.

She aims the pistol at the last one, shooting his head.

…Too clean. My role’s already over…!?

Another guy’s behind her!

Arms spread to grab her!!

“Kanzaki-san, behi—”

“Haa!!”

“Ga!?”

Without turning, Kanzaki-san snaps her right leg up.

With insane flexibility, her boot’s toe smashes the guy’s face up to her shoulder height.

He hits the ground, nose bleeding.

…Kanzaki-san, unreal.

I relax, but a presence closes in from behind.

I dive forward, rolling to check back.

A guy with a kendo sword.

Silent attack—he’s experienced.

Standing to face him, he takes a seigan stance.

Hmm, trained.

His grip suggests skill.

No unnecessary tension.

…No other enemies nearby.

Alright, I’ll play.

I take a side stance after a breath.

My sword’s real; his is wood.

His attack options are limited.

A thrust or a downward neck strike.

With wood, he needs a heavy hit to do damage.

One shot to stop me, or I’ll cut him.

We close in slowly.

I half-close my eyes, hiding my focus.

Seeing without looking.

A tactic from that two-sword legend.

I stop just outside his range, waiting.

Come on.

He moves.

That arm motion… downward strike!

I step diagonally, thrusting my helmet into his swing’s path.

The kendo sword glances off, sliding toward my right shoulder.

I pivot, dodging the shoulder hit.

As his sword hits the ground, my upward slash tears through the left side of his neck.

“Gu… zo…”

Blood sprays, and he collapses forward.

Fatal.

He’ll die soon.

“Well done!”

“Your back kick was flawless, Kanzaki-san.”

“You saw… How embarrassing…”

Kanzaki-san runs to me.

No enemies nearby!

I shout to the rooftop.

“Ooki-kun… ‘Anyone left’!?”

“…‘Just corpses’!”

Nailed the line!

Some are still groaning or unconscious.

Let’s finish them and grab bandage guy.

※

Kanzaki-san and I split up, finishing off the living in the lot.

Wakizashi or ken-nata are handy for this.

“Giii… Stop… Stop!!”

We haul the surprisingly lively bandage guy, grabbing his collar and dragging him to the bookstore’s front.

Pathetic. It’s just shurikens buried in both legs.

“Gya!?”

I toss him into the first-floor barricade, slamming his back.

“Gah!? Cough!?”

I stand before the slumping bandage guy, smiling as kindly as I can.

A bright demeanor’s creepier in these situations.

“Got a few questions…”

“…Ugh! Shut up, you—GIIII!!”

I lightly kick the shuriken in his thigh.

“Whoops, my bad. Answer quick if you don’t wanna die, scum.”

“Ugh…”

He quiets down.

Good, listening’s key.

“Your crew—is that all of them?”

I shift, showing him the parking lot carnage.

“Ah… AAAAA!!”

Just noticing now? He screams, eyes wide.

“You bastards… I’ll never forgive you!! GIIII!?”

“Listen… you came to kill us, and now you’re whining about your buddies? That’s pretty dumb.”

I tap the other shuriken.

Whoa, almost hit my hand.

“You came ready to kill, but cry ‘unforgivable’ when your guys die? That’s just stupid.”

“Ugh… You demons…! Did you have to go this far!?”

(＾ω＾)…?

What’s this guy on about?

My head hurts…

Did he skip kindergarten?

Never heard of “you reap what you sow”?

“Good work~ Oh, mid-interrogation?”

Ooki-kun approaches, bow in hand.

He’s down, so no survivors left.

“You!! It’s your fault we’re—AAAAA!!”

“Wow, startled me. I’m not deaf, no need to yell.”

Bandage guy’s suddenly lively.

This isn’t going anywhere…

A gunshot.

Ooki-kun and I freeze as Kanzaki-san steps forward, pistol smoking, and presses it to bandage guy’s forehead.

A sizzling sound—ouch!

“Hot! Hiii!”

“How many more in your group?”

Crouching, Kanzaki-san grabs his collar, grinding the muzzle harder.

Her eyes are cold, voice flat.

This is terrifying.

Such presence.

“I ain’t sayin—!”

She shifts the muzzle and fires close to his face.

The bullet hits the truck with a ching.

“Hi… GYAAA!!”

“…How many more in your group?”

“GIII!!”

She presses the muzzle again, sizzling, and repeats.

“…How many?”

“Please, don’t kill m—”

Bang.

Bang.

Bang.

“…Don’t talk unless asked. Or you’ll get holes in your limbs.”

“Iiii!! Ah… hi…”

Scary.

Kanzaki-san’s scary.

Incredible intensity.

“(I’m never pissing off Kanzaki-san.)”

“(I’ve pissed her off plenty…)”

“(…You’ll be fine, Tanakano-san.)”

“(…So she’s just given up on me?)”

“(…Huh?)”

Ooki-kun, what’s with that “this guy serious?” look?

…Mondo-occhan gave me that look too.

※

Kanzaki-san’s intense interrogation spills the beans on bandage guy’s crew.

About ten members left, but their vehicles were the ones Ooki-kun wrecked this morning and these three trucks.

Plus, bandage guy didn’t tell his crew about this place.

Thought it’d be an easy job.

What a hotheaded idiot… Good thing, though.

No worry about the rest finding us.

Even if they did, they’ve got no transport.

And if they somehow show up, ten guys can be handled with Ooki-kun’s bombs.

For now, the immediate threat’s gone.

“Hey, that’s everything! I talked, so let m—”

A gunshot, and bandage guy’s head is blown open, dead instantly.

Kanzaki-san fired.

I was gonna finish him with my wakizashi…

“Kanzaki-san!”

“Oh, I won’t let you dirty your hands alone, Tanakano-san. Though we’ve both killed plenty.”

“No, uh, you’ve got blood on your face…”

“…Got a towel, Tanakano-san?”

Man, her pretty face looks intense…

I’ll grab an alcohol wipe later.

“Well, we pulled through, Tanakano-san, Kanzaki-san.”

“Good job, Ooki-kun. A building this solid’s bound to attract trouble.”

“Why not seal the main road entrance and hide the bikes elsewhere?”

Good idea. Or rig an explosive trap at the entrance.

“I’ll think about it… after we deal with this mess.”

The three of us slump, staring at the corpse-strewn lot.

We just cleaned this…

Back to square one.

“Let’s take it slow. I’ll help.”

“I’ll pitch in too.”

Can’t just bail on this.

Sakura, sorry, hang tight a bit longer.

“Sorry, guys. As thanks, take anything you want.”

Hell yeah!!

I’ll make this place sparkle!!

Rolling up my sleeves, I head into the hellish parking lot.