Sup, new chap! Sorry that I didn't posted yesterday, I fall asleep the moment I get home from Uni.
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POV Isao Tsumugi
After some time, Mom eventually calmed down. She began to loosen her embrace, signaling that it was okay to let go, and I followed suit.
K-imoto sat down on Mom's right, while I slowly took my seat.
"Are you all right?" My tone was soft, meant to convey the tenderness and love I felt for the person I was addressing.
"Yes, Isao-chan. I'm sorry I burst into tears like that out of nowhere… it's just…"
"No need, Mom. I understand." I kissed her on the forehead, then held her in a light embrace for a few more minutes.
"That's enough, really… I'm fine. You can let me go." She slowly withdrew from my arms, took a breath, and stood up. "Well then, I'd better go and help out. The food court will likely need my assistance."
"..." I nodded silently, watching her slowly leave the office. Finally, once the door clicked shut behind her, I turned my gaze toward K-imoto, who was sitting nearby.
"What? Honestly, I'm in shock too… the stress of these last two days of the Apocalypse is probably taking a heavy toll on Mom…" She bit her lower lip slightly, looking down and clenching her fist. Then, with a sigh, she stood up, walked over, and simply sat on my lap, wrapping her thin but—thanks to her new powers—strong arms around me.
"..." I remained silent as she clung to me. Her tail coiled around my right arm. I simply hugged her back.
K-imoto often did this when she didn't know what to do or how to react to something; she simply sought the warmth of those close to her to think while in their embrace. Usually, I was the one providing that much-needed comfort, but sometimes, when Mom was free, K-imoto would go to her instead.
Seeing Mom break down like that had clearly unsettled her, as she almost never saw that side of our mother. Mom only allowed herself to show weakness around me, knowing I would comfort, hug, and support her—and I was glad for that.
Everyone, regardless of gender or age, deserves someone ready to listen and provide moral support, to lend a bit of inner willpower… at least, I think that's better than having people sit before your tombstone, crying in grief when they were "just acquaintances."
So… yeah, I provided the moral support in my family, and I didn't mind. Technically, if you add my age from my first life to this one, I'm well over thirty.
I gently stroked K-imoto's head. she had rested it on my chest so she could listen to my heartbeat, and at the gesture, she pressed herself even closer.
"Ani…" I hummed questioningly as she called out, and then she asked her question. "Do you think we'll always have to live like this now? Moving from one place to another in search of somewhere safe and free?"
Her question… honestly, I was sure she wasn't the only one in the Mall asking it. "Will we have to keep moving in search of safety?" Such a simple question, yet so incredibly complex.
But…
"I'll make sure we don't have to." My voice was confident, as was the look on my face, even if internally I wasn't entirely certain. Yes, I have powers I can awaken in others, but the zombies aren't standing still either. Still, I'll do everything to make life comfortable for everyone. "Once we reach the Island, it will be the beginning of humanity's restoration. From there, we'll start rebuilding everything."
"…I hope we succeed." She looked up at me, and I felt a pang of affection for her sweet expression. She gave me a quick kiss on the cheek and stood up. "Well, all right… I'm going to go help Mom, Ani." She gave a broad smile, waved, and headed for the exit, her tail swaying slowly from side to side.
I exhaled exhaustedly the moment the door closed. I sat back and closed my eyes, weighing various scenarios that might unfold over the next few days. At some point, I felt my thoughts begin to drift, as if I were floating away…
A sharp creak of the door forced my eyes open, pulling me back from the world of sleep to the world of the living. Through that door—which creaked way too loudly—came Yuriko and Soichiro, followed by sixteen people. These were the ones whose powers I was to awaken.
"Well, welcome, friends. I hope Yuriko has explained everything to you." They lined up right in front of the desk, and I noticed with relief that there was enough room for everyone without it being cramped.
"Yes, sir!" In one fluid motion, all of them, including Soichiro, dropped to one knee with their fists over their hearts—all except Yuriko.
I was honestly surprised. I hadn't told them to do anything like that, so it was likely Soichiro's doing, judging by Yuriko's slightly strained expression and the look she shot her husband.
"Then I'll warn you in advance…" I quickly swapped one of my abilities, Flashlight, for Despair Aura. Using it, I exerted a slight pressure on everyone before me. Feeling the weight manifest out of thin air, their faces went pale. "Know that anyone who uses the powers given by ME to go against ME, or to do anything that harms the survivors—including MY loved ones—will meet a swift end." The tension spiked, making some of their bodies tremble. "I am giving you these powers so that you work for the good of OUR community, not so you can do something stupid thinking you can challenge me. Get that through your heads, understood?" Yuriko stood off to the side, her face completely pale but her back straight, much like her husband, Soichiro, who had also paled but kept his expression as void as it had been since we left the Estate.
"Yes, Master! We pledge our total loyalty to you!" Soichiro, kneeling in the very front row alone while the others knelt behind him, spoke first. Then, those who were once his subordinates followed.
"We pledge our total loyalty to you, Master!" Their voices rang out like a single person speaking with a dozen throats, after which they bowed their heads deeply.
A heavy silence followed for a few moments while I weighed my next words. The pressure from Despair Aura slowly ebbed—slowly, not instantly—so most of them were still a bit pale until they finally calmed down once I deactivated it entirely.
"Then… come forward one by one, and I will awaken your powers."
Then the real business began. Soichiro stepped forward almost immediately, stopping a few paces from me, but not to receive power first. Instead, he organized his men into a queue, sending them to me one by one, which I acknowledged with an encouraging nod.
It became a bit of a routine. I would simply touch the person's head and awaken their powers using the Special Ticketsobtained from the Gacha due to the rising world danger level.
Some received average abilities, but most? They were strong. The ability to cause Misfortune, literally draining the luck of those nearby. Or how about the ability to Teleport medium distances within line of sight? Or the ability to transform into a Shark, either fully or partially?
Generally, the abilities were good. There was even one for Organ and Limb Duplication. When I saw that, the man who received it looked at me with slight fear because… dammit, the thoughts that crossed my mind made even me look at myself with shock. I took a sharp breath and collected myself.
The Traits were good too… well, at least some of them. Most were things like Chronologist, which allowed one to know the exact time, or traits that granted enhanced agility, strength, and so on. There was also Breathless, which allowed the user to not need to breathe at all. Both I and the recipients were satisfied.
But one thing struck me like lightning: with every awakening, the fanaticism in their eyes grew. They felt the warmth that accompanied receiving power through me, and they felt and knew things they shouldn't have. They would fall into a stupor for a moment and then look at me with a touch of religious fervor.
And that was good. It meant they'd spend less time thinking about foolish things, and I'd gain more authority… yeah, yeah, I know how that sounds! But still! The more power and loyalty I have among the people, the better it is for me and for everyone else.
Exhaling, I let go of the penultimate guy, who was now staring at his hands in shock. He was stronger now thanks to his Trait and was capable of creating metallic wires. His eyes shone as he looked at me, then he bowed deeply in gratitude and stepped back to join the line. The men began looking expectantly at Soichiro as he approached me.
"..." We shared a moment of silence. Our relationship was… awkward, to say the least, especially after his defeat in the duel. But honestly, it was his own fault. You should only underestimate an enemy when you've accounted for ALL possibilities, not when you've just met them for the first time.
I reached out and placed my hand on his head, then triggered the Gacha. Before my eyes appeared:
[Oni]
Rare Ability
Allows you to transform into an Oni, either partially or fully. As an Oni, you possess enhanced physical stats and a minor healing factor but are vulnerable to holy.
[Venomous]
Uncommon Trait
You are venomous, and your bite contains paralyzing venom. The power of the paralysis scales with your physical abilities.
I stared in amazement at what he'd pulled, while Soichiro looked equally surprised—likely receiving the compact but informative data packets regarding his Ability and Trait.
Damn, he got lucky… especially with that Trait.
He let out a breath of relief, then looked me in the eye. For a split second, I thought he was going to bite and poison me, but instead, he bowed deeply, nearly falling to his knees.
"Thank you, Master, for this gift!" Seeing his actions, the men standing in rows behind him bowed as well.
"Thank you, Master, for this gift!" They repeated his words verbatim, making me chuckle quietly at the sight. They were like boys repeating the words of their most respected leader.
"All right, men. You have your powers. Now go get ready. In half an hour, we'll see you off for your mission." They lifted their heads at my words, turned, and marched out—all except Yuriko, who remained standing to the side before starting toward me.
[Awaken powers in more than 25 people.]
[Silver Ticket Received]
"It seems everything went well, Isao-sama." She seemed… encouraged that it had gone smoothly. Seeing that I had gained a ticket, I shrugged.
"You could say that, Yuriko." I headed back to my desk. As I walked, I could hear and even feel—through my Sensoryskills—Yuriko following me. Once I sat down and turned toward her, she spoke.
"I wanted to say… I'm grateful to you for trusting my husband enough to awaken his powers…" She said this with her eyes slightly lidded, leaning forward just enough so that her bra-clad chest strained the fabric of her white shirt. "Any other man in your position wouldn't have done it, because…"
"Yuriko." I raised an index finger to interrupt her, then let out a tired sigh. "I'm doing this for the sake of our small community of survivors, so that we grow larger. You know we'll grow once we save the people at the evacuation point and the airport. There's no need to thank me for what is the most logical decision at the moment. Soichiro isn't an impulsive fool, and I also believe he truly cares about people. That's why I didn't hesitate to awaken his powers, just as I awakened yours." My finger, which had been raised the whole time, pointed toward her.
Yuriko's expression was a bit awkward for the first few seconds, then it smoothed out into a look of gratitude.
"You really are a good man, Isao Tsumugi." She nodded to me, and… god, she really was something when she showed positive emotion.
The way her purple eyes lit up with joy and gratitude, the way her full red lips curved into a smile, the way her eyelids lowered slightly—her expression was incredibly seductive, making me wonder… how would she look if I used the Kama Sutra skills I got from the Gacha on her?
How depraved would she look? Would she still look like the proper woman she is now? Or would her face take on that mindless expression from the manga and hentai common in this world?
I realized I'd been staring at her face for several seconds because Yuriko averted her gaze and her cheeks flushed. I coughed into my fist to break the awkwardness.
"Right… thank you for the praise. You can go, Yuriko. Get ready and find out who has which abilities. You leave for the mission in 40–45 minutes." My voice was a bit shaky because… holy shit! I was staring at my own girlfriend's mother! If it had been Hayashi-sensei or Shizuka, I wouldn't have been so nervous, but this is Saya's mom!
"Yes… Isao-sama…" She said it with a deliberately sultry voice! I'm a hundred percent sure! After speaking, Yuriko headed for the exit, swaying her hips slightly as she walked, making me watch her in a trance… then she stepped out and clicked the door shut, which brought me back to my senses. Yeah, I definitely need to blow off some steam. I should wait a bit and spend some time with Saeko.
In the meantime, I used the Silver Ticket and received:
[Taming specialist]
Uncommon Trait
You are skilled at the art of turning a wild animal into a domesticated one.
Hm, not bad. We'll likely need a lot of dogs soon, and I'll be able to tame them all with confidence.
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