Hello people, and welcome back to Highschool of the Dead: Resurrection. Here's the grand finale of this arc, I hope you all get as much of a doozy out of it as you did the first 2 arc finales.
When the group got back to the neighborhood they claimed, and then had their lunch in Masato's house, they went over the map once again.
"According to this, there are quite a few points of interest, and not just the shops in the area." Masato said.
"Such as?" Rei asked.
"The canal for one thing. Who knows where it leads." Masato said.
"Or how it could be used." Saeko said.
"Exactly." Masato said.
"Outside of that, there's this park on this side path that looks pretty interesting, also that metal shop could hold some nice stuff." Rei said.
"First things first, we go see to that temple" Saeko said.
"Why are you hard up on that damn temple?" Itachi asked.
"Simple...it could hold something valuable, as in useful." Saeko said.
"Like a Buddha statue? Are you planning on literally beating the zombies upside the head with religion?" Itachi asked.
"I mean there could be a new weapon up there, or something else." Saeko said.
"Like armor?" Itachi deadpanned.
"We won't know unless we check...and I have a good feeling about it." Saeko said.
"Then it's settled. Temple here we come..." Takashi said, and the group left, got in the bed and drove off.
The group's first stop was the metal shop since it turned out to be the closest, and amazingly, not a single zombie was spotted, even though the bus was anything but quiet. When the group got out of the bus, they looked around...and there were still no zombies, or any Ghosts for that matter."
"That's strange..." Saeko trailed off before the group went inside and looked the place over.
"Well, someone's been busy." Kohta said as they looked over the chairs, miscellaneous decorations, and artworks.
"I can see why this place wasn't looted; there's not a single weapon to be found here." Rei said.
"But they could've taken the artworks to possibly make a quick pile of yen, or at least try." Saeko said.
"That is true, but then...who would they sell anything to nowadays?" Rei asked.
"They could know something we don't know." Kohta said.
"None of that matters. Keep an eye out for anything useful, otherwise, leave these items alone." Masato said.
"There aren't any weapons here, like I said." Rei said.
"But why aren't there any?" Alice asked.
"Maybe the Ghosts took them already." Takashi said.
"Ghosts?" Shizuka asked.
"The people who aren't soldiers but still live in the cities?" Saya said.
"Oh...right..." Shizuka said, and then Saeko went to another room.
"Hey! Where are you going?" Takashi asked.
"Maybe another room has something we can use." Saeko said.
"Here's hoping, because I can't find jack squat." Itachi said while rummaging through a series of cabinets. Rei then finished looking through the cabinet she was looking through, then went to check on Saeko in the other room.
When Rei caught up, she found an area that was practically a whole new place.
"This place has it's own blacksmith?" She asked as she eyeballed the smelters, molds, claps, and other smithing equipment. When she was done, she continued looking through the building and found Saeko eyeballing a storage room half full of bladed weapons while deflating.
"Rei?" Saeko asked.
"I wanted to see if you would find anything, or help you if possible." Rei said.
"Well, there's nothing here to find, but look" Saeko said as she pointed to an empty yet ornate storage case about eight feet long.
"What about it?" Rei asked.
"Think about it. These rakes are either empty, or completely full, but that case is the only one that shows any signs of having something taken from it, and I think I know what was in it." Saeko said.
"What?" Rei asked.
"A naginata." Saeko said, and Rei's eyes widened.
"Are you serious?" She breathed out.
"Very much so." Saeko said and Rei took a moment to think.
"I could really use that..." She said.
"My thoughts exactly. But the question is why was it the only thing taken?" Saeko asked.
"Maybe the person who took it was only interested in it. I mean, that case looks pretty decorative, so it may have been for a special client or something." Rei said.
"You know...you might be onto something. I've actually checked the craftsmanship of these other blades, and none of them hold any water compared to the gunto Mister Takagi gave me. That naginata must have been forged by a master...or it was brought the owner and saved for something. In either case, someone took it for a reason, and if it's important, we will find them." Saeko said.
"I just hope they let me take the weapon out for a spin." Rei said, and Saeko shared a smile with her.
"As do I..." Saeko said, and the two women rejoined the group.
"...and the rest of the weapons were hardly worth grabbing, so we just left." Rei said.
"Real convenient that a naginata of all weapons is the only thing that was taken; anyone desperate enough would take whatever weapon they could get their hands on." Itachi said.
"True, but that naginata is clearly special enough to draw in the entirety of it's current owner's attention, everything else be damned." Saeko said.
"Too bad we didn't find anything else in there." Alice said.
"Well, we know where to find a stockpile of blades if we need any." Masato said.
"Miss Shizuka? Do you still have the map?" Takashi asked, and Shizuka pulled the map out from in-between her breasts.
"You mean this?" She asked.
"I'd like to know how you took that map out of there without giving yourself a paper cut. On second thought, nevermind." Itachi said.
"Anyway, what other hotspots are around here?" Takashi asked as he took the map and unfolded it.
"Hey, there's a hospital not far from here as well." Rei said.
"Here's hoping the equipment there still works." Kohta said.
"Or it wasn't taken, and it's not too complicated." Saya said.
"Shizuka?" Masato asked.
"Well...I do know a thing or two, but I'm not a full-fledged doctor, let alone a surgeon." Shizuka said.
"All the more reason for us to be careful." Saeko said.
"What else is there?" Takashi asked, and the group looked over the map again.
"It looks like a few restaurants are nearby, but I doubt the food that wasn't already eaten is still good." Saeko said.
"There's also a police station near the hospital." Kohta said.
"There's that park as well...so where are we going after the temple?" Alice asked, and whole group started to think.
"I vote we go to the hospital first, grab whatever medical supplies we can carry, then hit the police station." Saya said.
"Or we could split up and hit multiple places at once." Itachi said and everyone stared at him.
"I hate to admit it...but that's an even better idea." Saya said.
"Then it's settled; as long as we're careful we'll be fine...which of course goes without saying." Rei said.
"Who's going where?" Alice asked.
"I could take you to that park, maybe teach you how to scout." Itachi said.
"Seriously...?" Saeko asked.
"What? It's not a bad idea, plus I'm perfectly capable of looking after a kid. Besides...I haven't forgotten the time I yelled at her, and she left me some food anyway." Itachi said.
"So this is your way of apologizing?" Saya asked.
"Hey, I've done alot of screwed up things, most of which I couldn't care less about, but Hell will freeze over before I add child cruelty to my list of sins, especially after they do me a solid." Itachi said seriously.
"Way to grow a heart." Rei groaned.
"I heard that!" Itachi snapped.
"Enough. Let's go to the temple, and see what we can find. Rei?" Saeko asked.
"Sure, I'll go with you." Rei said.
"Alright, we'll all split up while you're gone and meet back at the bus." Takashi said.
"Temple here we come." Shizuka said before driving off.
The group took their respective weapons before they left the bus, and Rei gave Takashi a quick kiss before the group finally parted ways, with Itachi taking Alice, Kohta, Saya, Takashi, Shizuka, and Masato taking the hospital area. Rei and Saeko of course went up the massive staircase leading to the temple on the small nearby mountain. Occasionally, the two ladies stopped to catch their breath, and take in the view of the twilight sky as well as the city below them.
When they finally reached the temple, they encountered something unexcepted: a lone figure was sitting in a pretzel in front of the temple's main structure...with a naginata resting in his lap.
"Look." Rei whispered.
"He must be the one who took that naginata..." Saeko said.
"So now what?" Rei asked.
"We go see if he's friendly, and maybe if he'll let us borrow it." Saeko said.
"Just like that? No worst-case-scenario plan, no...anything?" Rei asked.
"Well, we're both two halves of a different fighting style. We should be alright." Saeko said, and Rei nodded before the ladies approached the man.
"Get out...!" The man snarled and the two ladies stopped.
"We came to ask for help, and maybe see if we can help." Saeko said.
"There is nothing down there for me, nor do I have anything to offer. Now get out." The man said, and Saeko looked him over.
"Are you a Sohei monk?" Rei asked.
"In fact...I am." The man said.
"I've read about you; you're Buddhist monks who took up arms to fight against whatever threatens your religion, or your sect itself." Rei said.
"You read correct, I am Hamato, and I will defend this place to my last breath." Hamato said.
"Wait...you took that naginata from the metal shop didn't you?" Saeko asked.
"This is a sacred weapon! Far too much so for the hands of a normal man! Now, if you know what is good for you...you will leave at once." Hamato said.
"There is no way the Buddha would approve if you stay here doing nothing while others suffer, die, or both!" Rei snapped, and Hamato slowly stood up, and glared at them while pointing his naginata at them.
"You...come here...with the air of war about you...blaspheme the name of the Buddha, and demand help from me?! You will face the ire of Naraka itself for your insolence!" He exclaimed before twirling his naginata around and then taking a stance. Saeko then sighed and walked forward.
"What are you doing?" Rei asked.
"I'll handle him myself." Saeko said.
"What?" Rei asked.
"You stay here and make sure nothing attacks us from behind." Saeko said and then stopped several meters from her enraged opponent, who wouldn't stop glaring at her. Saeko then took a moment to compose herself, and look over Hamato's stance. He had solid footing, the way he held his naginata displayed that he was at least decently competent...although his rage made him uncoordinated during the display itself, so Saeko had to use her skill against Hamato's superior range and power. Then, once she composed herself to the fullest, she grabbed her scabbard, which as always was on the left side of her body, with her left hand, then popped her gunto out of the scabbard with her thumb.
Hamato then charged at her with a furious yell, and Saeko narrowly avoided getting impaled, then tried to slash Hamato, but he side-stepped as well and deflected Saeko's slash. He then threw an array of slashes at her himself, even one from a diagonal, both overhead head, and underhanded, or he back up, then rushed forward to cleave through Saeko's neck, only for her to duck and then try to stab him, but he once again side-stepped and forced Saeko to spin away from him as he brought down his naginata to behead her.
He then charged at Saeko and lunged forward to try and impale her, but she deflected the naginata upward, only to be required to block an overhead swing as Hamato recovered.
"You fight well...for an invader...!" Hamato snarled.
"It is you who attacked us first." Saeko said before pushing Hamato back, then threw a series of slashes at him, all of which were blocked, or deflected, or countered. At one point, Hamato locked blades with Saeko again, then twirled both their weapons around before deflecting her blade to the side, then went for her neck, only for Saeko to lock blades with him again, and snuggle against him once more.
"When I'm done with you, your friend will suffer twice what you do...!" Hamato said.
"She said the Buddha would want you to help us; what would he say if he saw you attacking a pair of travelers in a fit of blind rage?" Saeko asked, and Hamato started shoving her back.
"You are the blind ones!" Hamata yelled, before Saeko intentionally fell down, then used her legs to flip Hamato over, before she rolled back onto her feet and watched Hamato recover from the slam. Once he did, he picked himself up halfway, glared at Saeko while catching his breath, but Saeko simply stood there watching him with no fear expressed on her face. Hamato then charged at her yet again...then Saeko side-stepped and severed his arm at the elbow with an upward slice, making Hamato drop his weapon, and fall down while clutching his arm while screaming in pain.
Rei just stared at the mess Saeko made, while she simply stared at her vanquished foe with a disappointed scowl on her face.
"This did not need to end this way." Saeko said before looking at Rei, then motioned her to follow Saeko inside. Hamato then opened his shirt...then he ladies heard him pull a pin, then saw him charging at them with a belt of grenade slung over his chest.
"FOR THE BUDDHA!" He yelled, and Rei brought up her rifle and put a bullet through Hamato's face, and then the two ladies rushed inside and jumped onto the floor before the place shook from the force of the grenades exploding. When they finally picked themselves up, they saw the infamous pink mist that occurred when a body was completely annihilated by a massive explosion. When it finally cleared...they saw the naginata that was just clear of the explosion, then Saeko stood up and walked over to it.
She then looked it over, and ran her finger against the edge of the blade, and heard the scraping sound that signaled how sharp the blade was, she then lifted it up and down to test the weight, and then brandished it before throwing a downward slash, then stabbed forward with it, before pulling it back. She then smiled and tuned to Rei.
"This is a fine weapon...and is now in even more fine hands." Saeko said before handing it over to Rei, who slowly reached out to take it, before sucking in a breath as she looked it over.
"It's beautiful." Rei breathed out.
"You know these weapons weren't just used by the Sohei, but also the wives of the samurai, to defend their homes from invaders." Saeko said.
"I heard...I just wish I got this under...better circumstances." Rei said, and Saeko put her hand on Rei's shoulder.
"It was him or us, and we have far more to lose than he did. We have our own family, and he was a religious fanatic who was anything but in his right mind." Saeko said seriously, and Rei deflated.
"I guess you're right, and...you were pretty awesome." Rei said, and Saeko chuckled.
"Thank you very much. Now, let's go find your boyfriend so he can see how fine a woman you really are." She said, and the two looked at the city once again.
Hell of a way to get a new toy huh? And FYI, I was thinking that Rei should have a naginata for ages; considering her affinity for polearms, a naginata is a complete shoo-in for her to use. Another fun fact is that the game Ghost of Tsushima inspired the duel I wrote between Saeko and Hamato...and boy did that game give me ideas, although there's a bounty of things in the game that don't fit the same mold HSOTD does. I won't spoil them for obvious reasons, but yeah, LOTS of weapons do not work in a zombie apocolypse period, which is sort of ironic since if you recall Chapter 10, multiple zombies burned to death. Good luck getting that to actually work unless there's a huge fireball. Anyway, that's it for this chapter, and this arc, next chapter starts a brand new arc, so be sure to Rate, Review, and Share while I dig into my pile of ideas. Stay tuned.