Outside, thunder rolled without end. The blood rain came down in sheets.
On the TV, Sakura Nation's news anchors spoke with practiced calm.
The content, of course, was all about soothing the public.
A polished set of lies.
As for the apartment owner group chat…
Because this was still the early stage of the apocalypse, panic was quickly "managed."
Everyone stayed holed up inside, praying the disaster would end soon.
Natsuki Yuu paced back and forth in his room.
He was thinking.
Which heroine should he take first?
The widow next door was the first one he crossed off.
She was close, yes. But Mrs. Yukinoshita was no ordinary woman. She belonged to the supernatural, the kind that didn't play by human rules. With his current strength, it was not something he could handle safely.
Of course, Natsuki Yuu was no longer completely ordinary either.
After receiving the beginner pack, his body had been enhanced.
Not only had his overall constitution improved, the biggest change was that the constant fatigue was simply gone. From head to toe, he felt packed with strength, like his energy had been reset to full.
Seven times in a night?
Not even a stretch.
"Fuyuto Yukinoshita, Yukino Yukinoshita, Karen Inukai, Megumi Katou, Mashiro Shiina…"
The names churned through his mind over and over.
Sure, with the apocalypse here, brute methods might be the most straightforward.
But the dependence value still mattered to him.
And right now, it was only the beginning. Morality had not fully collapsed yet. His power had not grown enough to ignore consequences.
He had to be careful.
"Among these heroines… only Mashiro Shiina comes from that kind of adult work."
A target snapped into focus.
Mashiro Shiina was completely different from the others.
She was special.
The most suitable to start with.
Maybe the way her dependence increased was tied to that "development," exactly as the system hinted.
Natsuki Yuu could not help but speculate.
"I still need to confirm it in person. I have to see her information panel face-to-face."
With that thought, he grabbed his lockpicking kit, left his unit, and headed downstairs.
Even now, there were still a few people running up the stairwell.
Most of them were soaked by the blood rain.
Like drenched chickens dyed red, they looked frightening.
Natsuki Yuu deliberately kept his distance, avoiding any contact.
"Don't go down, it's dangerous outside!"
"Get back to your room. Don't go out in this weather."
"The front door downstairs is already locked. They're not letting anyone out now."
"Careful, don't let the blood rain touch you. No one knows what it is, it sticks to your skin and won't come off."
"If you've got nothing urgent, stop wandering. Curiosity gets you killed, foreigner."
People who passed him offered warnings.
Natsuki Yuu thanked them.
The apocalypse had only just begun. Morality had not fully broken down. Most people still carried a trace of kindness.
As for the fact that the downstairs entrance had already been locked…
Natsuki Yuu could only say one thing.
Fast reaction.
He reached the second floor and found Mashiro Shiina's unit.
He looked left, looked right. No one was around.
He picked the lock without hesitation.
Click.
A light flick.
Less than two seconds.
The latch released.
For Natsuki Yuu, it was effortless.
"It's not even deadbolted. If it were, I'd have to spend a little more effort."
He stepped inside.
Shiina's layout was almost identical to his. Same building, same structure.
He casually scanned the entryway.
A pair of small, cute leather shoes sat neatly by the door.
Natsuki Yuu smiled at once.
She's home.
There's a chance.
His eyes shifted. He moved quietly and slipped deeper inside.
…
Splash. Splash. Splash.
In the steamy bathroom, warm water ran over the girl's well-shaped figure, but it brought her no comfort at all.
If anything, she looked more and more anxious.
Her fingers turned pale around the towel as she scrubbed hard at the bloodstains on her skin.
But no matter how she washed, the grime clung stubbornly, as if it had fused with her.
"What is going on…?"
Mashiro Shiina's eyes reddened, tears threatening to spill.
Just a little earlier, while she was on her way home, the sky had suddenly erupted into a rain of blood.
She had not been able to dodge in time.
From head to toe, she was soaked.
Her long purple hair, once glossy and vivid, was now stained in ugly blotches of red and dark.
Her pale skin was dotted with patches of sticky crimson.
If Tsukino-sensei, the person she admired, saw her like this…
What would she do?
Her hand tightened, scrubbing harder and harder, until even the clean parts of her skin flushed hot and red.
Her breathing grew uneven with panic.
"I can't get it off… I can't get it off!"
At the bathroom door, Natsuki Yuu heard the rush of water, and beneath it, the girl's choked, hurried sobs.
At the same time, a panel flashed before his eyes.
[Congratulations, host. Heroine Codex has been triggered.]
[Name: Mashiro Shiina.]
[Beauty: 92/100.]
[Figure: 90/100.]
[Traits:]
[Innate Allure: As a heroine from adult content, Mashiro Shiina is extremely sensitive. Even minor contact may provoke intense reaction. (Desire +100%, Charm +100%, Stamina +100%)]
[Rigid Justice: A troublesome personality in the apocalypse, with a high chance of turning into an overly self-sacrificing "saint."]
[Awaiting Development: You know, I know, everyone knows. (This trait is linked to dependence value and affects it mutually. The higher the development, the higher the dependence.)]
[Untaken: Has not been claimed. (If the host is the first, the host gains one free draw.)]
[Hidden Feelings: Holds feelings toward Tsukino-sensei. (If the host kills Tsukino-sensei, the host gains the title "Stealing Another's Love." If the host kills Tsukino-sensei after reaching 100% dependence, the host gains an ability.)]
[Dependence on Host: 0%.]
[Status: Contaminated by blood rain. Time until mutation into a Blood Corpse: 12 hours.]
It was the heroine panel the system provided.
Natsuki Yuu's gaze stopped on the final line.
As expected.
Being stained by the blood rain caused mutation.
And not just any mutation.
A Blood Corpse.
Only twelve hours?
That made things difficult.
Of all people, his first target had to be the one in immediate trouble.
With only twelve hours, even if he forced a breakthrough, how much dependence could he possibly gain?
And if he did not solve the blood contamination first…
If he got close, would he be infected too?
Natsuki Yuu did not dare imagine how deadly the blood rain really was.
"Tch…"
For a moment, he hesitated at the door.
Then the system chimed.
[Ding!]
[Host need not worry. The host's body has been modified by the system. Upon the host's first successful conquest of a heroine, all negative statuses on the heroine will be removed.]
"Oh?"
Natsuki Yuu's expression lit up instantly.
That was perfect.
If that was true, he did not need to hold back anymore.
He could take her and save her at the same time.
What could be better than that?
His eyes shifted, and a new plan formed.
He would change his approach with Mashiro Shiina.
Before, he planned to go hard.
Now, he could mix soft and hard.
He would use the looming mutation as leverage.
"Heh…"
Natsuki Yuu smiled with ill intent.
He stopped hesitating.
And pushed the door open.