“Welcome. We are glad that you made it back.”

“Hey,” Aurum stood in the meeting hall of Takagi Estate, seeing the man with muscular build carrying a stern, serious, and confident expression, sitting on his knees. He had short black hair, carrying a Katana as the weapon of his choice, his shoulders board and proud.

This wasn’t the first time that they saw each other. They were used to standing together during the parties. People always surrounded the man and had Aurum was used to following him since that helped him in not talking. If he didn’t know better than he would have assumed that they were training him as their successor or something.

None of them were men of many words. For Aurum, the only time he blabbed on and on was when he was around Eve. Or he had to speak. Otherwise, he was happy to live in his head.

 “What are you wearing?”

“Well, things happened,” Aurum put his arms behind his back. Unlike the Japanese, he wasn’t used to sitting in the position that they sat, and putting his hands in his pocked felt too disrespectful. Souichiro Takagi was one of the rare people he found respect for.

“Ok. You dropped a building?”

“I got a spear like weapon with drill on top of it. I hid it in the ruins of the fallen building. Takashi and others are bringing it over.”

“A spear like weapon with a drill,” Souichiro narrowed his eyes, “that’s a good idea. Many of my subordinates have saved their boxes. So have I.”

“I tried asking it for big things like the cure as a weapon or knowledge or things like those. It’s impossible. What it can build are conventional weapon. But above Level 11, weapons gain some type of ability so you can make small customisation, like weapons that wouldn’t be possible to make.”

“The Drill I got has technology far advanced than anything possible with our current technology. It’s solid, while still having an intricate technology that uses metal engraved like a circuit and uses that to absorb physical energy, stamina from the wielder to run the drill, and the more stamina it absorbs, the stronger it gets,” Aurum narrowed his crystal blue eyes, “It seems like growth type. Was it because I pulled it out after Level 11 or something else? I can’t be sure.”

“No, that is good to know. After things settle down, I plan on putting good minds together to come with ways to get us the most powerful weapons from the Weapon Box,” Souichiro Takagi raised his palm to stop him from talking.

“Now, I heard about your lightning powers. What is that about?”

Aurum thoughtfully lowered his eyes, nodding, having decided he took a deep breath, “Right. There is something you need to know.”

He slowed down, making his voice clear as possible, “I, met. God.”

Even Souichiro Takagi, who could say that he had many experiences under his belt, that not even the zombie apocalypse was able to perturb him—this left him stunned, unable to process the information, “You…met…God?”

“Right, I should begin from the start,” Aurum told him everything that had happened. Leaving out the part that Floor Manager guy only got curious because he wasn’t of this world.

It took a little while to inform everything that had happened and he knew a few people in this world could actually listen to it all and not go crazy. It was a risk, one that he could only take because he was confident in his ability to erase his memories if things went sideways.

Souichiro Takagi tried not to react, but Aurum could tell the man had a headache from hearing everything, “Then you have the cure?”

“I have the theoretical information,” Aurum scratched his head, “when I got my memories back, they were a bit jumbled. All I got focused on was Eve, and getting the information. I didn’t even bring the physical copy of the cure. In hindsight, that was more than just stupid. I spoiled everything I worked towards. Since they are different worlds…I am not even sure we can recreate the virus.”

“I doubt anyone would blame you,” Souichiro closed his eyes with a smile, “Rather I doubt there is another man or woman alive who could remember and come back when they don’t even know what to remember.”

“Well, if I hadn’t chosen Saya’s ability, then I could have searched for another decade and not found a way,” Aurum shook his head, “no, that world will soon face the Apocalypse. With the Appearance of Temples, I would have probably found it another year.”

“Humble as always, I see.”

‘No, I don’t think I was being humble. Was that sarcasm? From this guy? Did I come back to the right world?’

“Aurum,” Souichiro closely looked at his face, “Are you alright? You did do something crazy.”

Aurum glanced towards the side, seeing the holographic image of Red Queen, who held his palm, telling him, “You are in perfect health. Physically.”

“Right, Aurum shrugged, “I am as good as I can be. Once I came back, I lost Eve and Saya’s powers that I borrowed. In turn, I have a Red Queen, which could be called an ability in itself. With her help, I can recreate some of Saya’s abilities.”

“Saya’s ability,” Souichiro lowered his gaze, “Aurum, I heard from Yuriko that zombies around us have been acting strange. Whatever happens to us, we will defend this place. And if you need anything, then I will provide for you. The only thing I ask of you…”

“Don’t worry about it,” Aurum rubbed the back of his neck, giving him an awkward look from the corner of his eyes, “I’ll protect her.”

‘It’s not like I plan on letting anything happen to you or others in this settlement. Ever since I was a child, I have prepared every day to protect Eve…to me…that was the end of the world scenario. If front of the evil and master plans that humans are capable of, mindless zombies are child’s play.’

“Anyway, old man, don’t worry about it so much. If anything happens, I’ll handle it. If I can’t, then I’ll take Saya with me and leave.”

He turned around, “I am tired, so I am going to go rest.”

‘Phew, I should leave before he realises that I actually did things to his daughter that he’d kill me for,’ Aurum hurriedly left the room. Since he was done with giving his report to the owner of the settlement and the man with the most power around them, he had other things to do. Like confirming what Saya’s powers were.

When he predicted what Saya’s powers could be, he assumed something more along the lines of intelligence enhancement or scientist related. What he wasn’t expecting was electronics and hacking. He stopped thinking, making his way to his room, wanting nothing more than to see Eve. Though, when he opened the door, his eyes went straight to the bed, seeing the golden-haired girl with ruby eyes sitting in the middle of the bed wearing a scarlet, two-piece lingerie.

Though right now, there was a steamy scene going on the bed. Eve sat there alongside Saya, who wore her school uniform, her shirt open, showing off her purple bra. He felt the rush of swirling lust, watching the two of them, when the door to the attached bathroom opened.

“Who is it?”

Aurum shifted his gaze towards the attached bathroom and dressing room, seeing Kyoko in a black lingerie, and Shizuka Marikawa with her white blouse and only that. He covered his mouth and nose, closing his eyes. He stepped in the room, closing the door before turning his attention towards Saeko, finding her sitting on the chair, “You didn’t join.”

Saeko glanced towards him, looking at him from the corner of her eyes. She didn’t say anything, but that look told him everything he needed to know. Aurum climbed on the bed, pouncing on Eve, who squealed, laughing. He hugged her like a pillow, asking Saya, “Others are back?”

“Seriously? All of us got dressed for you and that is what you ask first!” Saya gave him an exasperated look.

“Sure, sure, they are still getting ready,” Aurum pointed at the door behind him. Kyoko had closed it since they were still getting ready, “and Saeko’s being a turnoff.”

Saeko nibbled her lip, shooting him an angry glare, which he ignored, “Right, Saya. You awakened an ability, right? What is it exactly?”

Saya ground her teeth, giving him a flushed and angry look. She turned, opening the drawer of beside the drawer, taking out a card which she threw at him, “Here! Asshole!”

Aurum caught the card, not looking at her. He was worried she would see the teasing look in his eyes, though Eve knew right away he was ruffling Saya’s feathers on purpose. He looked at the card, directly swiping to her ability part.

[Neural Impulse Mastery (S) – The power to control Neural Impulses and Synapses inside the Body]

‘It’s there, but it doesn’t seem like psychic power or have enough force to interact with the outside world. Like I thought, her power reacted to some power inside this body.’

“Is this really so important,” Eve seductively whispered.

“Yeah, well,” Aurum murmured when he felt a push from his back, feeing soft boobs pressing on his back, and blonde hair brushing his cheeks.

“Aurum-chan, welcome back.”

“Why are you here, Marikawa-sensei?”

“Because Aurum is a good child…good children get good rewards,” she whispered in his ear, “and I don’t want to be left out.”

‘Um…this is not exactly a party,’ Aurum helplessly smiled when he felt a palm on his shoulder, pushing him on the bed. His eyes met with Saeko’s, who opened the button of her shirt, her chin raised as she looked down on him, “You said something about me being a turnoff?”

“You know, this is lovely and all. But I don’t think I can handle all of you.”

“We know,” Eve chuckled, “Saya.”

Saya curled her lips, taking the other thing out of the drawer. It was like one of those potion bottles that were found in games. The liquid was purple, pink, making him raise his eyebrows.

“That is an ominous colour. What is that?” Aurum backed away when Saeko pushed him down.

“Nothing. A Stamina Potion. Only, it’s an S Ranked One,” Saeko muttered, giving him a sadistic look, “with this, you can go on for three days straight.”

“That’s a lot of chafing,” Aurum retorted.

“Don’t worry,” Eve devilishly smiled, “I got a healing potion, too.”

“I swear, this feels like a punishment!”

“Big brother,” Eve gave him a disappointed look, planting a kiss on his lips, hugging his head, “Stop talking already.”