Happy new year, y'all!!!!

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"I know you can't disclose much but are there other threats like today? If yes, then how dangerous are they?" Saeko asked, her expression a bit tensed. 

Well, even though this time, the danger was dealt with without much trouble, the fact remained that its level was quite high. 

Saeko couldn't even imagine dealing with a nuclear missile even while using her clan's whole power, let alone on her own and a few other high schoolers.

She understood the fact that her world was as much real as Arthur's original world and that he was only shown the future events of this world in a form of anime to accomplish his mission.

But she was among the main cast as he told them, it meant they might be involved in more such dangers. And since Arthur is someone who knows about them, then obtaining a bit of that future knowledge might help prepare for it.

Arthur hummed, forming a response to her query. He could understand why would Saeko feel this anxiety. Dealing with a nuclear missile was a big deal... even for him. And honestly speaking, he couldn't have dealt with it if he didn't have what he did.

Still, there was no need for her to go through with such needless anxiety. The reason he took her along to this endeavor was for her to witness his abilities that he'll be revealing bit by bit till he builds the shelter. And one way or another, his 'good deeds' will reach others' ears as well.

"Well, don't worry too much, Saeko. This nuclear missile wasn't something that was meant to be dealt with by you all. This was something that 'I' decided to deal with and I did just that. We might still face problems in the future, as you know we have to survive in this world for a long time but unfortunately, I can't tell you much about them for obvious reasons.  Have confidence in yourself and trust in me, that's all I can say."

"Hn," Saeko looked at him as he piloted the aircraft, she tilted her head with a loving smile. She liked how he spoke 'we' while accounting the future problems.

Reaching back to the island, Arthur stored Valkyrie back into his inventory and took out a chopper, using which they flew towards Rika's apartment. 

He left the base as is because he will have to come back to this island in a few days.  

For some work.

By ten at night, they already reached the neighborhood of Rika's apartment.

He landed the chopper on the grassy banks of a river and then moved towards Rika's apartment in the Humvee.

While driving towards Rika's apartment Arthur wondered whether the plot had forced the cast to reach Saya's home, but the bus that he had left for them in the case of emergency was still parked in the garage... 

But... A few motorbikes were also parked beside the bus. What's more, while arriving here, he spotted scorched-up boundary walls of nearby houses.

'So, Kohta used 'it' huh, then Alice Maresato must've been saved just as in the original.'

'The question is if there were any butterfly effects generated or not. How much was Takashi involved in that event? I hope they didn't save that dog, Zeke...'

The reason Arthur didn't want them to save the dog was pretty personal really, not at all related to the mission. 

And that reason was quite simple.

Arthur hated dogs!

In his original world, it was a dog-like monster that had bitten him on his legs, causing an illness in him that gradually deteriorated his whole health, and slowly rendered his legs completely useless. That's why no matter how cute, fluffy or loyal these beasts were, they were never going to be in Arthur's good book.

Anyway, they entered the building and were welcomed by Saya, Kazu, Kohta... and Rie as well. 

Arthur pursed his lips when he saw Kazu, his whole left arm was bandaged.

"We're back!" Saeko announced and Arthur just nodded.

"Welcome back, both of you!" Saya spoke first and swung her head on both sides, looking for someone behind Arthur. "Huh? Didn't you go to bring Marikawa Sensei's friend? I don't see her, where's she?"

Saeko smiled, "Takagi-san, he shall answer your questions later, let us rest for a bit we're tired. I hope you understand."

Saya shrugged, "Sure." 

All of them went upstairs to the living room. 

"Wanna eat something, Arthur, Saeko-san? Fatty, bring them dinner?" Saya commanded without even waiting for them to reply.

"Yes!" Kohta saluted, not at all minding her tone, and trotted towards the kitchen.

Arthur sighed seeing him so eager to listen to Saya... but then again. He was the one who asked Saya to be the in-charge of the group till they could decide on the real leader of the group, these teenagers were slightly indecisive. And Saya didn't want to be the leader.

They took a seat at the dinner table, four of the six chairs were occupied by Arthur, Saeko, Saya, and Kazu respectively. Rei just told that she was sleepy and went upstairs.  

From the kitchen clattering sounds of utensils could be heard. Since it was pretty late and Saya didn't let them waste any food, there was no food left for Arthur and Saeko so, Kohta was making instant Ramen for them.

"Anything noteworthy happened while we were gone? You all didn't get into any trouble, did you, Saya?" Arthur turned his head to Kazu then, his fingers playing with the petals of the violet flower in the vase. "And how did you get injured, Kazu?"

"Well, he and fatty caused trouble on the same day you left, and what they did was pretty reckless and compromised the safety of the whole group." Saya humped and folded her arms under her breasts.

She wasn't exactly mad about what they had done. When she got to know what they were on to, she even helped them. But she didn't want them to just get away after that reckless stunt.

"Is that so," Arthur eyed Kazu. 

...But instead of looking down in nervousness or shame, Kazu looked back into Arthur's eyes with resolution. "Arthur, it may have been a reckless action. But Kohta and I didn't have the time to discuss it properly. We had to do it. Innocent lives were on the line,"

'Lives...'

"What exactly happened?" Arthur asked as he saw Kohta come back from the kitchen while holding a bowl in each hand.

"Uh, are we talking about how we saved Alice-chan and her father?" Kohta joined in after putting the bowls in front of Arthur and Saeko.  

"Yes, Kohta." Kazu sighed.

Kazu, Kohta, and Saya together told Arthur exactly what happened that day.

Kohta was watching the surroundings while chatting with Kazu when he spotted a pair of father and daughter begging for refuge in each house with his binoculars.

The father got desperate seeing the incoming undeads, he threatened the residents to break the door if they don't open. A bad move as the house owner stabbed him in his gut as soon as he opened the door. None was at fault, survival and panic made them do whatever they did.

But seeing the father nearly dead and the poor state of the crying little girl, Kazu and Kohta couldn't hold back anymore. Kazu was always a kind-hearted person and Kohta just didn't have the heart to ignore the helpless child. They did what as a human they thought was necessary. 

With a couple of guys from downstairs, Kazu rushed to the rescue while Kohta provided him cover from the balcony.

Before leaving for the Tokunosu Airport, Arthur had upgraded Kohta's sniper rifle. The upgraded rifle was powered by Tesseract's embers.

Using that gun, Kohta cleared Kazu's path to save the child.

When Kazu got there, he had the urge to check the father's pulse, he found him alive!

Kazu with the help of other guys brought both of them back on the motorbike. 

Oh, in the end, they did save the puppy, and just as in the original, they named it Zeke.

'So, Kazu somewhat replaced Takashi at the moment, huh...' Arthur mused.

"I see, how are those people doing?" He asked.

Saya adjusted her glasses, "Thankfully, Marikawa sensei patched him up on time. The father, Maresato-san, is now even able to move around a bit. And Alice is well too... She's a good kid." 

"So, what were others doing when these two were let loose?"

Arthur mainly wanted to know Takashi's contribution to that.

"Well," Saya scratched her nose, slightly embarrassed to say that she was asleep before someone else woke her up that too a bit late, "It was nighttime, so most of us were asleep. Ah, Yamada and Tsunoda down below were still awake and were the ones to back Kazu and Kurokami woke up all of us. Together we guarded the entrance of the house."

Arthur hummed and continued eating.

'It seems like Takashi did nothing 'special','

It had worked out quite well. No, this one was an ideal outcome but... still, this literal no involvement of Takashi bugged him a bit. 

It was supposed to be his moment, the protagonist's moment. 

And it got stolen just like that...

And since in Arthur's mission screen, his Optional Objective was still active, it meant Takashi was still the main character.

HOTD world's plot armor was one of the most insane. An example of that was a scene where a bullet shot by Takashi was passed harmlessly from between Saeko's jiggling boobs. 

Insane indeed.

But it seemed the world wasn't even trying to stop these butterfly effects... or had it planned much grander events... for the depressed Takashi. 

Arthur had very less knowledge of World's Will's behavior and his first mission made him more careful and paranoid. 

'But no matter what...'

"Aaarthur~~ you're back!" 

Arthur was just putting the emptied bowl on the table when from behind a pair of slender arms snaked around his neck and his head was ambushed by a couple of enormous boobs.