"Saeko? What are you..."

  *Crack*

  "ARGH!"

  "Shush. Don't. Be. A. Baby!"

  *Crunch*

  "Oh God. Just stop, I'll..."

  *Click, Click, Click, CRACK!*

  "YEOW! Hah, hah, hah..."

  "Seriously, Shizuka, what did you do to him?"

  "Ahh... Tee Hee."

  Sunlight filtered through the windows of John's bedroom, illuminating the crime scene for everyone to see. A broken chair y on its side in the corner of the room, its back snapped off the seat. Several legs on the coffee table beside it were also snapped, leaving the surface leaning at an odd angle. It was as if they both had been crushed by a great force. Several bnkets were on the floor beside the bed, piled in a tangled mess, some not so mysterious fluids soaking them all.

  Three women surround the bed where John was lying on his stomach, with Saeko seated on top of his back, giving him an impromptu chiropractic treatment. Saya was chastising Shizuka, and Rei was just watching Saeko fold him into a pretzel, tired bags under her eyes and a worried expression on her face.

  "It... it is fine, Saya. We just... AH! just had a little fun st night. OH! Damn it, Saeko! My spine doesn't-"

  *Crack!*

  "Oh... I guess it does... wow... that feels amazing. Thank you, Saeko." He said as all the pain in his back disappeared after that st crack.

  "You're welcome, John-Sama." She said, getting up off his back and bowing her head slightly to him.

  He rolled off the bed carefully, then stood before her, pcing a hand on her shoulder. "Seriously, this feels amazing. My back hasn't felt this good in a very long time. Whatever you did, I feel like a new man."

  "Thank you, John-Sama." She replied, her cheeks flushing as she looked downwards.

  Ahh... I didn't expect her to be shy about a bit of praise... wait a moment... why is it cooler in here all of a sudden?

  John looked down and realised the bnket he was wearing around his waist had fallen to the floor. The four women were looking at him now, the three younger ones blushing hard. Saya was even covering her eyes, though she was peeking through her fingers at him. Shizuka was just smiling, wrapped in a sheet that clung to her curves alluringly, with a healthy glow on her face.

  "Umm... has anyone seen my pants?"

  I really need to be careful with those pills. Letting Shizuka have one was a bad idea... or a really fun one.

  John mused to himself as they drove to the next location to check for survivors. They had been doing it all morning after he got up, well, once Rei found his pants anyway.

  After they left the bathroom st night, John decided he was going to take one of his Substance X balls to help him stay awake to sate the lusty nurse. When she saw them, she asked to try one as well. Seeing no harm in it, as they were like a health supplement that actually worked, he gave her one.

  He barely survived the encounter.

  "My pce is just down the next street, John. Can you stop out front?" Rei said behind him, pointing at a street coming up on their right.

  "Sure. Let's hope she is home. Everyone, get ready, there are a few zombies around." He said to the rest of them.

  Saeko was beside him in the front seat, taking Tsunoda's pce from earlier. His grandparents' pce was one of the first stops, and the two elderly people were relieved when their grandson kicked in their door. He was now with them in the passenger van that Lady Takagi and two of her men were driving, letting Saeko take her turn as his 'Honour Guard'.

  That left Kenzo filling the final side seat in the rear, the former bus driver coming with them in case they found a bus in good condition or another rger vehicle they might be able to use. They all had some form of melee weapon and a pistol strapped to their sides, along with Tsunoda's shotgun in case things went to hell.

  Saya remained behind at the Takagi manor with Shizuka, Kohta, and the remaining survivors, working on finding a suitable area where they could safely evacuate to. As much as John didn't like it, she was more suited than he was for such a task, knowing both the geography and infrastructure of Japan much more intimately than he did. His only input was that it needed to be defensible, have access to running water, and nd that could be farmed.

  "And a hot springs!" He had joked, trying to make her ugh. She had been glowering ever since she had barged in on them that morning, coming to wake him up so they could get started with the day. She just gred at him for the suggestion.

  He stopped the truck suddenly as he rounded the corner, the sight in front of him quite unexpected. A dozen people were outside, stacking furniture across the road.

  "Halt!" An attractive, middle aged woman shouted at him, brandishing a weird looking spear at them. She was taller than average for a woman, nearly five feet eight inches, with short brown hair and deep red eyes.

  Before he could reply, Rei stuck her head out the window, her earlier exhaustion disappearing. "MOM!"

  "REI! You're okay!" The woman called out, rushing to the side of the truck. Rei jumped out and embraced her mother, the two women reduced to a sobbing mess of tears. John smiled at them, happy to have yet again reunited another family. He got out of the truck then, stretching his back a bit. The chiropractic treatment was working wonders, but sitting behind the wheel for multiple hours was slowly wearing down its effectiveness.

  "What is going on here?" A man carrying a shotgun said, coming up to the side of the truck, looking down at the two women. "Did you bring Mrs Miyamoto's daughter home?" He asked John, not wanting to interrupt their reunion.

  "Better. I came to bring you all somewhere safe. My name is John, John Wayne." John said, offering the man his hand.

  He didn't take it. Instead, he stepped back and pointed the gun at John. "What is a round-eye doing here evacuating people in Japan? Your government wasn't happy just nuking us? Do they want to experiment on us with this new bioweapon too! You can get back in your truck and go back to wherever you came from!" He said, his voice rising to a near shout by the end. The man was practically shaking, anger and fear ruling his emotions, his finger twitching on the trigger.

  What the hell? Round eye? Oh... right... racism happens everywhere. I might have been the same if someone dropped the sun on my country too.

  He didn't know off hand what year it was here, but with the age of the man in front of him, he was probably born just after the war ended. He would have been through a lot in that aftermath, possibly holding a grudge against the Americans for it.

  A series of things happened then, all of them unfortunate.

  "Just shoot him! We can take their stuff!" A voice called out from the half constructed barrier.

  "Takeshi! What are you doing?" Rei's mother said, looking up in horror at her neighbour, aiming his gun at her daughter's saviour.

  "Put the gun down!" Yuriko said, getting out of the van. One of her henchmen was pointing his rifle at the man.

  Saeko drew her sword, rushing at the man from the side.

  GRAAAAHHHH!!!

  *Bang*The growl of the zombies was the st straw for the man's nerves, and he pulled the trigger just before Saeko made it to his side.

  The buckshot hit John, and the st thing he thought before bcking out was that he needed to escape.

  DEN Return!

  *Poof*John was back at DEN, clutching his chest. He ignored the fanfare around him as he cursed at himself.

  "God damnit it! I was too trusting of people! Fuck! You would think showing up with a truck and the daughter of one of them, offering to rescue them from that hell, would generate some goodwill. ARGH!" He said, then smashed his hand into the table beside him, sending the gss of whatever drink was poured for him flying across the stage.

  "Welcome back, John. I would ask how your dive was, but it appears that you are having some feelings on the matter." Alec said across from him, the man giving him his signature mocking grin. John growled and almost drew his sword on him.

  "Now, now, John. No need to get angry at me about it. I am not the one who shot you. I believe Saeko was about to behead him just before you returned, so there is that." The higher being said, then took a sip of a drink before continuing, "Honestly, that was a surprise even for me. Good work on changing the lore of that world. That asshole left Rei's mother for dead in the original canon, so the fact she is alive and he isn't is a great thing."

  "I guess. Not that it matters much to me now. I can't go back there anymore." John said sourly. "Fuck, Alec, it was rough, but things seemed to be going so well! I gathered a bunch of people and materials, felt where the canon was trying to draw me, and put myself in a position to be able to help a lot of people! Not to mention that Shizuka and I... damn it, Alec. I was looking forward to being a father again!"

  "Not even outside the city and safe, yet already pnning ahead. You will do well in that world, John. I guarantee it."

  "Do well? Were we watching the same thing? I just took a 12-gauge shotgun shell to the chest! I just died!" John roared at Alec, his anger overwhelming him.

  Shizuka, Saeko, everyone is now gone for me!

  He stood up, drawing the Sword of Truth at his waist. The weapon was nearly humming with energy, John's anger fueling its power.

  Alec raised a hand and snapped his fingers.

  *SNAP*

  The sound felt like it wasn't just echoing around the room, but through reality, shaking John's very core.

  He had taken two steps before he was frozen midstride, sword raised above his head, ready to deliver an overhand stroke on a seated Alec.

  Alec was unfazed, his grin never leaving his face. He stood up and started walking around John, talking as he went.

  "John, John, John, John, John. I did not misspeak. I think you will make a wonderful dictator there, mainly if you continue to learn from your experiences and lean on others. You are doing so much better than the original protagonist, and now that you are armed with magic, things will continue to improve. Don't let one nervous wreck of a man ruin everything you have begun.

  Now. As for dying. Did you forget what you were wearing over your leathers? I believe they are called level four ptes? Yeah, some buckshot isn't going to break that. In short, you didn't die, John... though with the amount of bruising and broken ribs you now have, when you wake up, you might wish you did. At least until you can cast your magic on yourself. Now take a seat, have a drink, and let's get on with the show." Alec said at length, then snapped his fingers again, teleporting John back to his chair, a rge gss of Westria in his hand.

  "I'm... I'm alive there still?" He said, shaking a bit, his rage faltering now that it didn't have an outlet.

  "Yes. Now drink, it will calm your nerves." Alec said, sitting back down.

  John did, and he had to admit, the smooth drink did indeed soothe his temper, bringing him back to normal.

  "Better?" Alec asked him, his smile never wavering.

  "Much. Listen, sorry about that... it is just-"

  "No need, John. It happens from time to time here at DEN. Emotions tend to be high when people return to DEN from different worlds. It wasn't like I was in any danger anyway." He replied, not minding John's outburst in the slightest. "Now that your impending death has been debunked, how was your second dive into Highschool Of The Dead?

  "Everything seems very fast paced there compared to the other worlds I have been in... I was only there a few days, yet I feel like it has been weeks. Despite that, I think we’re making good time, and a few of the people whom we saved seem to have skills I can use. One thing has been truly bothering me though. The girls… they all seem to be crazy... what is that all about?"

  "It’s a couple of things actually, though the fact that you saved them to begin with is the primary reason those four keep flirting so much with you. Your magic, your story, your magic leathers, not to mention your confidence.

  All these things py parts in making them all want a piece of you. Just keep doing what you are doing, we are enjoying every moment of these changes. Particurly Rei’s... oh, if you only knew what happened to her st night because she wasn't bedridden." Alec replied, then started chuckling at something that happened to Rei.

  "I assume you won't tell me what that was?" John asked.

  Why would she be bedridden?

  "Hah, accept her advances and you might find out... it is bound to be amusing for everyone involved," Alec replied with a chuckle. Laughter could be heard from around the stage, the sources invisible to John.

  "Right. By the way, thanks for the pistol. It was pretty handy."

  "You're welcome, John. Shall we see how your battle with the canon went this dive?"

  "Sure."

  [World - Highschool Of The Dead]

  [Canon Completion (By Manga) - 33%][Current Canon Integrity - 78%]

  **[Anomalies]**

  [Minor - Cured own Zombie Infection - 1%][Major - AU - Awakened ^#&(@^ from their Slumber - 5%]

  [Minor - Killed the Gangbanger Assaulting Rei - 1%][Minor - Reasserted Authority over the Survivors at the Gas Station - 1%]

  [Minor - Opened up the Apartment's wall to access the next one - 2%][Major - Revealed to the group that you have magic given to you by a Higher Being - 10%][Minor - Became 'More than Human' to the Survivors - 3%][Minor - Had Shizuka confess to you. Kissed Shizuka. - 1%]

  [Minor - Listened to and acted upon Rei's suggestions - 1%][Minor - Butterfly Effect - Bonded with both Tsunoda and Kohta over weapons training - 4%]

  [Minor - Butterfly Effect - Kohta received Positive Attention from his Cssmates - 2%][Major - Sex with Shizuka - 5%]

  [Minor - Rei confessed to you in this month's weirdest threesome - 1%][Major - Presented Saeko with a real weapon, earning her loyalty by the show of Honour and Respect - 5%]

  [Minor - Listened to Rei when she was expressing her feelings - 3%][Major - Organised and Executed the Rescue of Alice and her family - 5%]

  [Minor - Cured a Survivor's Zombie Infection - 1%][Major - Revealed your Magic to New Survivors - 5%]

  [Minor - Remained in the Apartment Overnight - 1%][Minor - Complemented Saeko's cooking/suitability to be a wife - 1%]

  [Minor - Did not name the Dog - 1%][Minor - Butterfly Effect - Found out Shizuka is serious about you - 1%][Minor - AU - Lit 128 Zombies on Fire - 2%][Minor - Rescued the Survivors that would have Killed Alice's father and left her for dead - 3%]

  [Minor - Had a serious discussion with Saya about the next steps for the Survivors - 1%][Major - Raided a Police Station Early, Arming the Survivors - 5%]

  [Minor - Raided a Grocery Store - 3%][Minor - Butterfly Effect - Kohta's team Defended your Vehicle - 1%]

  [Minor - Gained Saya's Interest/Increased Saeko's Interest with a Philosophical Conversation - 3%][Minor - Butterfly Effect - Called Kohta your General in front of an Audience, Improving his Image Further - 1%]

  [Minor - Healed Another Survivor at the Gas Station, Earning More Loyalty from the Survivors - 1%][Minor - AU - Discovered an Evolved Zombie - 1%]

  [Minor - Let Saya Drive - 1%] [Major - Butterfly Effect - Collected Multiple Vehicles to Aid in your Escape - 5%][Critical - Opened the Fence on the Tokonosu Bridge to Escape. Let the Zombie Hordes on the Peninsu have Access to the Mainnd - 25%]

  [Canon Colpsed][Lore Successfully Changed to Follow the New Canon]

  [Remaining Anomalies will be counted for Bonus Points]

  [Minor - Shizuka is Open to John having Multiple Partners - 1%][Minor - Caught Yuriko's Interest as a Potential Partner for Saya - 1%]

  [Minor - Received a Massage from Saeko - 1%][Minor - Canon Acceleration - Saya Discovers Kohta is No Longer Fixated on her - 1%][Minor - Courtesy of Yuriko, Rei Explores a New 'Hobby' - 1%] [Minor - Saeko's Loyalty Increases - 1%]

  [Minor - John Fshes all the Original Female Protagonists - 3%]

  [Minor - Butterfly Effect - Rescued Tsunoda's Grandparents - 1%][Major - Canon Acceleration - Rescued Rei's Mother Early - 5%]

  [Diversion from Canon - 126%][Canon Snapback - 48%][Total Change - 84%]

  [Canon Integrity - 0%] [Overage Bonus - 6%]

  [Rewards][Gatcha Tokens]

  [Percent Change - 8000][Second World Changed Bonus - 9000][Overage Bonus - 6000]

  [Total Reward - 23 000]

  [New World Bonus - Confirmed][Stat Points - +14][New Contestant Bonus Ended - Shop Cost Increased by 100%]

  [World - High School of the Dead - Closed - Evolving][World - The Great Cleric - Closed - Evolving][World - StarCraft - Open][World - Infinite Frontiers - Open][World - High School DxD - AU - Open]

  [Calcutions Complete][Would you like to allocate stat points now? Y/N]

  John read through the list, once again not really understanding what any of it meant. When he reached the end, he rubbed his eyes, trying to process what he just read.

  "Why did the prices go up?"

  Alec just ughed.