Suddenly turning left, the zombie-lizard began to circle around Saeko, hoping to attack her by surprise. Seeing him do it, Saeko stayed completely still and only moved her eyes as she followed the lizard's outline. Trying not to panic, she was surprised to perceive the slightest of his movements, when they had been impossible for her to follow, a few days ago.
" When you stop being afraid, you can perform miracles! " Zoro had warned her.
Then curving her legs, she tightened her grip on the handle of her new saber, before exhaling fully. So she froze, waiting for the lizard to take the first step. The monster, seeing her do nothing, while Robin did not seem to be about to help her, jumped in her direction and rushed towards her, running on all fours. Seeing him coming, Saeko prepared to slice him with her sword, when her gaze fell on the creature's legs. Taking smaller and smaller steps, they were flexing, showing that the monster was about to jump and not attack it head-on.
" No, not now." She thought, stopping to move.
Suddenly doing a pirouette in the air, the zombie jumped above her, before landing behind her back. With his jaws wide open, he was about to bite her on the shoulder, before stopping dead. Turning to him, Saeko thrust her sword into the location of his stomach, stopping his run and preventing him from going any further. However, her weapon was stopped the moment the lizard managed to grab it. Despite the fact that part of his fingers were cut under the edge of the blade, he managed to keep it under Saeko's frightened gaze.
"No, no, not possible. " She thought, starting to tremble with fear.
Taking a step back, thinking about her last fight against the lizardmen, she was about to drop her weapon, when she heard.
" Beat him ! "
" What ? " The schoolgirl wondered, hearing Zoro's voice.
Continuing to fight the huge spider, the swordsman cried out.
" You have no interest in giving up, do you hear ? Because if not, I promise you that it is against me that you will fight in a fight to the death! I will never consider you a fighter again if you back down again. "
Her eyes widened, hearing those words, the girl finally let out a fearful moan, seeing the fingers of the lizard's good hand reaching for her face. Growling, he was about to scratch her, when Saeko had no idea but to bite her hand violently.
" I would not lose." She assured, tightening her grip on her weapon.
Trying to move forward, the zombie was surprised to feel Saeko's sword sink deeper into the flesh of his arm.
" No, I would not lose. " Saeko repeated.
This time, the zombie's hand was cut in half as Saeko sent the blade in the direction of his second arm.
" Yes, I do not have the right! I'm going to beat you. "
A sudden stream of blood showered him, as the zombie found himself with one arm missing. But when the limb didn't even have time to fall to the ground, Saeko aimed her blade at her opponent's throat and managed to pierce it.
" You will never scare me again." She assured him, seeing him gesticulate to move towards her. " Yes, I would never be afraid of creatures weaker than me again. "
Suddenly placing her foot on his abdomen, she exerted pressure there which allowed him to release her weapon. Taking a step back, as a stream of blood flowed from his wound and only had half a hand left, the zombie lizard groaned, before resorting to Saeko, zigzagging. Suddenly imitating him, Saeko pointed her sword at him again, before whispering.
" Cut in one move. "
The three remaining claws of the lizard man shot up at the high school girl's face, as Saeko's blade slid past the monster's throat.
" GRRRR ! "
" THE WARRIOR'S BLADE ! "
Passing one in front of the other, the two adversaries doubled before turning their backs. Standing still, the two made no move… until three scratches split open and crossed Saeko's face entirely, diagonally. Wincing in pain, as blood trickled to her chin, Saeko tucked her sword back into its scabbard, before turning to her opponent. It was only then that she began to smile before asserting.
" Thanks to you, I conquered my fear! Rest in peace ! "
Suddenly leaping into the air, the Lizardman's head was separated from his body, which suddenly collapsed to the ground. Breathing heavily then, Saeko smiled a little, before running her hand over her face, in an attempt to remove all the blood that covered it. Grimacing again, touching her wounds, she hoped wholeheartedly that they weren't infected.
"Hey, are you alright, Saeko?" Takashi asked her.
"Yes!" She assured, trying to smile at him. "I'm just tired."
"Th ... there are too many." Kohta suddenly noticed, seeing the huge wave of zombies approaching them.
With almost no one left to kill, the zombies quickly heard the sounds of their fighting and were now all heading towards them.
" Get on the bus." Robin ordered, starting to back away towards the transport.
Pulling one last time, Kohta began to follow Takashi and Saeko, towards the means of transport, which Franky was starting. Preparing to leave in turn, Robin saw Zoro still in the middle of a fight against the giant spider. His sabers created sparks as they struck the blades that served as the spider's legs.
" Zoro, leave there ! We must go. "
" As if I was going to give up." He retorted.
" But we … "
Robin suddenly fell silent, hearing rapid footsteps, before seeing a figure running away from the zombies following her.
" Wait… Wait for us ! " A female voice pleaded, running towards them.
" To… Toshimi ? " Robin wondered, seeing the young girl, holding Chopper in her arms, as zombies began to stand in her way to stop her.
Surprised, too, to see them in this situation, Zoro lost his concentration for a moment. Seeing this, the spider directed the tip of her abdomen towards him before sending purple gas to his face. Breathing it, Zoro began to cough before dropping to one knee. Seeing it in a weak position, the spider took the opportunity to lift one of her legs before slicing it down on his chest to slice it.
" AHHHHHH ! " Zoro yelled, coughing up blood.
Taking advantage of this, his opponent leapt out of the garage and rushed towards Toshimi. However, managing to stay upright, Zoro turned to the spider.
" You little … " Zoro started, putting his sword back into his mouth.
No sooner did Robin hear him than she saw him concentrate while glaring at the spider. Understanding what he was going to do, the young woman made wings grow behind her back, before flying out of the garage.
" Prepare to die. " Zoro raged, continuing to stare at the spider.
Suddenly spinning his sabers, he unleashed a horizontal tornado, which rushed straight towards the spider.
" DRAGON TWISTER ! "
Suddenly turning around, the spider felt a draft cut through her face. Another cut off her leg while the rest of her body was covered with wounds. Finally carrying the body of the creature, the sharp tornado continued to charge towards the garden of the manor, while cutting, in the passage, the zombies which were unfortunate to be in its way.
Hearing her coming, Toshimi stopped and began to scream in fear, seeing the attack rush towards her.
" But what ...? "
" Go away ! " Chopper shouted at her.
Trying to jump to the side, the poor girl felt her legs paralyze, as she saw the attack approaching her.
" Toshimi ! " Suddenly called Robin.
Flying above her, the pirate revealed a chain of hands that moved towards the high school girl.
" Grab my hand. "
Without waiting a second, the young girl grabbed her arm, just as the attack was about to hit her. Pulling her towards her, Robin allowed her to end up on top of the deadly cyclone, while the body of the spider lay below her.
With a final hiss, the creature felt her head separate from her body, before her brain split in two. Feeling her presence disappear, Zoro put his sabers back in his scabbards and rushed towards the bus, which started at that moment. Jumping over the machine, he landed on the roof of the vehicle as he left the garage. Dashing towards him, Robin made her wings disappear and gently dropped Toshimi, who was still shaking.
" You could have gone more slowly. " Robin remarked.
" Hey, I saved her life. " He retorted. " A little more and the spider would have killed her. "
" Zoro, you're just a bully. " Cried Chopper, shaking too.
Seeing the bodies of the zombies fall, near the bus, being entirely cut off, Toshimi whispered.
" Thank you for saving me. "
" No, thanks to you for taking care of Chopper. " Muttered the swordsman.
Inside the bus, Franky cried out.
" Thanks to Zoro's attack, the number of zombies has decreased again! We will be able to pass the portal more easily. "
" It's good news ! " Usopp agreed.
However, he suddenly heard Luffy cry out in pain, before coughing up blood.
" Hey, Luffy ! "
" Luffy! Hold on ! " Brook begged him.
Looking at him shabby, Nami wanted to know.
" Where is the nearest hospital ? "
" He is three kilometers from here. " Morita told her.
" In this case, let's go ! Come on, Franky ! "
Wanting to say something, Saya finally bit her lip, as she glanced around the mansion garden. Filled with corpses, she saw zombies devouring those of the last survivors. However, she saw no one else, still alive. She didn't even see her father or mother. Feeling a tear run down her cheeks, she tried not to be heard, until she felt a jacket cover her head.
" Eh ? She wondered.
" With that, no one will see you. " Kohta assured her, seeing her on the verge of sobbing.
" Koh… Kohta ? "
" But you don't have to worry about your parents! Your dad must be out there fighting zombies or helping other people out of here! Remember, he is someone considered immortal. "
Suddenly bursting into tears, Saya finally pulled the garment down in front of her eyes before mumbling.
" Th ... Thank you, idiot. "
Suddenly opening the hatch leading inside the bus, Robin let Toshimi pass with Chopper under her arm, before seeing Zoro looking at what was left of the mansion. Passing the gate, the bus left, leaving the old villa in ruins and in flames.
" Are you coming, Zoro ? " Robin asked him.
Continuing to look into the distance, the swordsman suddenly asserted.
" If we had left earlier and decided to leave them there, they would never have been able to survive in the face of this. "
" Indeed ! " Robin agreed.
As the silence fell, Zoro wanted to know.
'' Do you think I have a heart of stone ? "
" Listening to you, I have this feeling all the time ! Nevertheless, you have saved lives today, proving that you have at least some semblance of a heart. "
Smiling, hearing this, Zoro finally dropped onto the roof of the bus, before taking a deep breath.
" Spider dirt ! " He growled as the gas she threw at him still hurt.
" You are hurt ? "
Trying to appear healthy, Zoro walked over to the trapdoor, before declaring.
" No ! But your slap from earlier, she hurt me. "
" I wouldn't say sorry. " Robin told him. " You deserved it. "
" However you want." He sighed, landing in the middle of the bus.
" So there, it's a miracle. " Cried Yamada. " We're all alive. "
" And how ! At one point, I thought we wouldn't get out of it. " Taniuchi rejoices.
" Perhaps but we just need to explain to me what we do with them now. " Tsunoda remarked, pointing to Alice, Mary and Aaron.
" We are taking with us." Cried Miura, staying close to her sister. " Now we have proof of one thing! No normal human can survive in this world. "
" It's clear." Kurokami approved. " There, I think we were born under a lucky star! I thank god for making it so that we can meet these pirates. "
" No time to debate this. " Sanji retorted, giving Luffy a heart massage to stimulate his heart a little more. " Come on, hold on Luffy. "
Remaining inert, his captain looked even paler than before. With his mouth open, he let streaks of blood smell from it, as the skin on his neck where he was bitten turned black. As for his heart, it only made a single beat, every five seconds.
" Even his antibodies can do nothing to save him. " Chopper sobbed.
" Come on, hurry up, Franky. " Nami ordered him.
" I am thoroughly." He assured her, crushing the accelerator.
Seeing them panicking, Takashi preferred to keep his tongue in his pocket as he wanted to ask, "What will you do, once in the hospital ?" ''. It was true, indeed, that nothing could save their captain, so what was they really hoping for, taking him there.
" Come on Luffy ! Come on Luffy. " Sanji encouraged him, kicking him, level with his heart.
" Faster ! Faster ! "
Suddenly, the bus passengers saw the landscape around them suddenly change. As the road disappeared, the bus found itself, much to everyone's surprise, on the roof of a building.
" But that … ? " Franky wondered, who was so surprised that he didn't think, for a moment, to take his foot off the accelerator.
However, the bus didn't move more than a single centimeter. And for good reason, its wheels were stacked, one on top of the other, just in front of the hood of the vehicle. Wanting to know what was going on, Robin walked to the front of the bus, before her eyes widened in surprise.
" You ? "
Smiling, seeing her in turn, a man was sitting on the stack of wheels he had just removed from the bus.
" It had been a while since we last saw each other. "
Advancing in turn, Nami and Brook opened their mouths when they saw the newcomer.
" What are you doing here ? "
" Who is it ? " Rei wanted to know, trying to catch a glimpse of the man.
Suddenly shaking his hand, the man began to mumble.
" ROOM ! "
In an instant, he disappeared, before finding himself in the bus, very quietly seated in a seat.
" Hello to you, Mugiwara's crew ! "
" Law ! " They cried, recognizing him.
Still wearing his cap on his head and his dark circles under his eyes, Trafalgar Law was well and truly before their eyes, with his sword in hand.
'' Who is this guy ? " Morita wanted to know, almost falling out of her seat.
" Is he a friend of yours ? " Yuuki wanted to know.
" Him ? " Tsunoda wondered, recognizing him. " Wait, you're the guy who was on the roof of the mansion earlier when the zombie was executed. "
" Indeed ! " He approved. " I wanted to be discreet but, after seeing the fight of Strawhat-ya, it seemed to me that I had to show myself in a hurry. "
" What ... What are you doing here ? " Asked Usopp. " How did you get into this world ? "
" We will talk about it later. " The man retorted, glancing at Luffy. " First, there is something I must do. "
Suddenly taking the sword out of its scabbard, he aimed it at the body of the dying man, before screaming.
" ROOM ! "
Seeing him do it, Takashi suddenly fell to the ground, noticing that he had just severed Luffy's head in a flash.
"But that…?"
Instantly pointing their guns at him, Kohta and Saeko prepared to beat him when the man grinned broadly.
" Don't worry, everything will be fine now. "
Shaking his hand again, he made a sphere appear that surrounded the bus before muttering again.
" ROOM ! "