Trigger Warning- This chapter contains suicide.

You can definitely skip this chapter. And I'll provide a summary at the end of the chapter.

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On the day the hell began, the day on which everything changed, and the day on which the end of humanity was set into motion.

That interdimensional entity came into this world, the first time he spoke to Takashi, he was a bit surprised and a bit unsure of Takashi's identity, it took him a few moments to remember the boy with spiky hair's name.

But when he talked with Hisashi, the person the world needed the most, the person who was chosen, there was no uncertainty in that Otherworlder's voice.

That was the first instance Takashi felt a bit uncertain of his significance in this world.

It may be a little thing, true. But he didn't like how he was mostly forgotten after that first meeting with Arthur.

And then, a few days later in Rika's apartment, he overheard Saya talking with Rei about the events of the day of the outbreak.

It turned out he was the reason Hisashi died.

Yes, on the first day... they were attacked by an undead, and Hisashi was struggling against him. Saya theorized that at that moment, had Takashi didn't freeze due to fear, or maybe if he had rushed to help Hisashi before he got bitten by that undead, he wouldn't have died.

Saya predicted that Takashi was supposed to die protecting Hisashi. She said that Takashi's death would have been some kind of motivation push Hisashi might've needed as the main character of this world.

It hurt Takashi deeply... Hearing that you weren't supposed to live really hurt. Perhaps that was why the Otherworlder kept forgetting his name and existence.

He wished he never heard those words...

After Hisashi died, Takashi didn't feel that bad... Instead, he found hope in his death, he thought that Rei would look at him at last! What a disgusting thought... The worst part was that it didn't happen!

Fucking Rei was fawning over Kazu! Someone who wasn't even in her class, that guy had no connection with her at all, and yet she chose him over Takashi!

All of this was just... too much for him. Dark thoughts were surrounding him, and he needed light. But one after the other, from one moment to another, from one day to another, it was the same, he was drowning deeper and deeper.

And then while they were searching for their parents in the whole city, while he saw everyone reuniting with their loved ones... he found that his mother had died. She didn't turn into an undead... she chose suicide instead of devouring her own kind in that horrendous form.

He then made up his mind to quit it. To quit clinging to this worthless life in this hellish world so much. To quit caring so much. Who he had in his life anyway to care? His mother was turned into an undead, his childhood friend and crush wouldn't even give a glance his way. And he was fucking useless and no one needed him in this world.

His thoughts started to become suicidal, yet he tried to live.

Deep down, he still wanted to become a hero, or he just... he just didn't want a lame death.

And that chance to not die a lame death presented itself today. Hoards upon hoards of undead were just in front of him. He spoke his mind to the people around him, his words did get interrupted by Kazu but it was okay, after all, he was taking up extra space.

During the battle just when he was surrounded by undeads from all directions, Saya's mom came and protected him.

And then that otherworlder arrived, he saved the day like it was just another small accident.

Later Takashi got to know that Saya's mom was bitten. He had caught a glimpse of it... when she was saving him from the undeads, an undead's mouth came really close to her hand. Maybe that one was the one who caused all this.

No.

'I was the one who caused it!'

'It happened because I went to that hoard away from everyone by myself. So, that I could get myself killed while trying to kill all of them...'

"No, it's because I am an anomaly..." Takashi muttered as he stepped up the stairs to the second floor, toward his room.

He thought that... if his existence wasn't of any use to this world then maybe he'd live his life without causing any harm to others, maybe help a few if possible.

'Haha, it turns out I can't even do that, huh?'

"Because I'm an Anomaly..."

"I tried..."

"I didn't have anything in this world yet, I really tried to live... It pained me every day, every moment.."

"Even though this world wasn't worth that struggle, I tried living."

"I thank you, Saya. You gave me a reason to die... I hope after I, an anomaly, is gone... It becomes how it should have always been..."

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For a moment...

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An eerie calm engulfed the world.

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And then the world resumed as if nothing happened.

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That night, someone discovered Takashi's lifeless body hanging down from the fan, with his neck tied down with a rope to the ceiling fan.

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There wasn't any note or anything that'd tell why he took such a step. Nonetheless, a few did understand. Those who had heard 'Her' words understood why he took such a step.

'Her' 'She'–– Saya

"It wasn't your fault Saya. What happened, happened." Arthur patted Saya's shoulder.

Saya just gave a nod without saying anything.

The girl hasn't said anything since yesterday... ever since she heard about Takashi's death. She regretted her small outburst at her childhood friend. And she blamed her harsh mouth for his death.

Soichiro had asked Arthur if Takashi could be brought back... He denied it. Saying that turning undeads back to humans was possible, as it was just a sickness but bringing back the dead to life was impossible.

The father knew that the death of his daughter's childhood friend was gonna impact her, more so, when she blames herself for it.

The survivors at Soichiro's house were being loaded in Valkyrie. It has been a whole day after that great tragedy. Many people lost their lives, many turned into undeads.

A brief moment of silence was observed for Takashi as well as for the people who lost their lives or got turned into undeads and were killed yesterday.

Takashi's death may or may not have given Saya a mental trauma. But in the grand scheme of things, that is for Arthur's mission, it didn't matter.

As...

"Mission!" Arthur called out.

[ Mission ]

Contractor: DeLeTeD__UsEr@52

World: High School Of The Dead

Objective 1: Survive in the Apocalypse without becoming Undead.

Reward: Self-Sustenance

Status: Ongoing

Time Left: 1445 days: 14 hours: 20 minutes: 29 seconds

Objective 2: Build a shelter that could last for at least 50 years. The shelter must contain at least four people from the main cast.

Reward: Undead Manipulation - Control limited unowned Undeads.

Status: Ongoing

Time Left: 1445 days: 14 hours: 20 minutes: 29 seconds

Objective 3: Kill Koichi Shido.

Reward: Unlimited access to the High School Of The Dead World.

Status: Accomplished

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Optional Objective: Change the Main Character of the High School Of

The Dead world.

Reward: ???

Status: Accomplished

[ ]

As...

The optional objective, the toughest of them all, was accomplished. All that acting, all the manipulation, all that cringe-inducing speeches, that edgy attitude.... and planting those bombs that blew up yesterday causing that massive tragedy were well worth it.

Yes, that wasn't an accident. It was a self-orchestrated event, planned and executed by none other than Arthur.

On the day he was leaving for the island, he was called out by Saya. She told him how she talked with Rei and 'found out' that Takashi was supposed to die on day 1 of the outbreak. She told him that for just the confirmation of 'her' theory.

For her, it was just a flex of her intelligence.

Arthur just told her she was right... After all, he was the one giving her subtle suggestions and hints for her to 'deduce' and 'formulate' 'her' theory.

And judging from Takashi's mood, his words, and his attitude, it was clear that he had somehow overheard Saya's 'talk' with Rei. Takashi didn't want her theory to be correct. That's why he asked Arthur about his worth in this world.

But... his expectations were thrashed when Arthur confirmed his doubts and told him that he isn't among one of the main cast.

That night Arthur made arrangements for an 'event'. A catastrophic event. An event that had a 50/50 chance of turning out favorably.

It was more of an experiment than anything.

And from the looks of it, it did, after all, turn out to be favorable. As Kazu had done it. He stole the stage from Takashi and made it his own. And after Takashi's death, it's most likely that he became the main character of this world.

'I still don't know much about the behavior of the World's Will, but one thing was clear about it. That it doesn't or can't influence much after it initializes a certain event.

It came to me when, during Alice's rescue mission, Takashi was entirely replaced by Kazu and others. That event was initiated by Kohta noticing the troubled pair of father and daughter and it was up to the main character to grab that opportunity to shine.

'I decided to conduct an experiment. An experiment to check whether I could 'create' an event or not. I wanted to check what kind of opportunity or opportunities the World would create for the main character, or how the World would back the main character in a time of a pinch. What kind of stage the World would create for the main character to shine upon...'

Kazu stealing Takashi's stage wasn't just a blind gamble on Arthur's part, Kazu's personality just gave off the feeling that he'd do something like that, plus with all the subtle mental suggestions Arthur always gave him while talking just ensured that if that kind of moment happens then Kazu would step up.

He had planned out so many more events like yesterday's until the World gave up on its current lousy main character and chose someone else like Kazu, if the first, most impactful, and one with the maximum chances of success didn't work but...

Sigh, the Objective mission that gave Arthur the most beneficial rewards was accomplished. One step closer to rescuing Luna!

Arthur smiled.

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Summary:

Takashi killed himself. And Kazu was assumed to be the new main character. They are all going to Arthur's little island now. Oh, Saya may or may not have gotten trauma from his death. It was after her outburst that Takashi killed himself after all.