That night, after a long, grueling training session, the group gathered in the living room for a rare moment of relaxation. Shizuka had managed to scavenge a deck of cards, and they were in the middle of a game of poker. Tysone, of course, was winning.
"How are you so good at this?" Saya complained, throwing her cards down in frustration. "You've been winning all night!"
"Just a talent, I guess." Tysone shrugged, a smug smirk on his face. "It's all about reading people." He said, glancing at the others. "And you, Saya, are an open book."
Saya's cheeks flushed. "Am not!"
"Are too." He teased, winking at her.
"Idiot." She grumbled, but there was a small smile playing on her lips.
Rei, who was sitting next to Takashi, looked at him, a thoughtful expression on her face. "You know, I feel like I can see things more clearly now. Like, everything is in high definition."
"That's only normal." Tysone replied, idly staring at his cards. "Your senses are being heightened. You'll have to learn to control it, though. At first, it can be a little overwhelming."
"Like x-ray vision?" Kohta chimed in, a hopeful look on his face.
"No, Kohta. Not like x-ray vision." Tysone said, shaking his head. "It's more like... enhanced perception. Your brain processes information faster. Your reflexes are quicker. It's not a superpower in the traditional sense. It's just... an upgrade." He then explained. "Based on what we've gathered, bigger cores should grant more... supernatural abilities. The fire zombie for instance."
Takashi nodded, a look of understanding on his face. "So, what we have is like... a basic package."
"Basically." Tysone confirmed. "But don't underestimate it. A basic package is more than what most people have in this world. And with training, you can unlock its full potential. Isn't Saeko the perfect example here? She's only had a Rank 1 core, yet she's still a formidable force to be reckoned with." Tysone gave her a look.
Saeko, who had been quietly observing the game, merely offered a small, enigmatic smile. "It's all about discipline."
Tysone then turned to Kohta. "Don't worry, though. When it's your turn, you'll get a core that'll suit your skills. Maybe a big one, if we're lucky." He said, a promise in his eyes.
"A Rank 1 core?" Yui asked, her voice a little shaky. "Are there different ranks?"
"Indeed." Tysone nodded, placing a few more chips into the pot. "The ones we gave to Takashi and Rei are Rank 1. The same as Saeko absorbed. The fire zombie that attacked us was a Rank 2, or maybe even 3. We have yet to determine the exact ranking system, but we're working on it."
He then laid down his cards. A royal flush.
"Again!?" Saya groaned, burying her face in her hands. "This is impossible!"
Tysone chuckled, raking in the chips. "Beginner's luck." He lied, of course. His enhanced perception gave him a huge advantage. He could see the subtle tells in their expressions, the slight tremor in their hands, the way their eyes darted when they were bluffing. It was almost cheating. Not to mention improved memory that allowed him to keep track of the cards that had been played.
The game continued for a little while longer, with Tysone emerging as the undisputed champion. But the mood was light, the laughter genuine.
Throughout the game, Rei kept mindlessly stealing glances at Tysone and then looking away, a hint of crimson in her cheeks. She couldn't help it.
Might've been the evolution itself that made the young girl more aware of his presence.
Even Saeko seemed to be watching him more closely than usual. Then again, she had always done that.
Tysone, eventually, stood up and stretched, his muscles rippling under his shirt. "Alright, that's enough for me. I'm going to get some exercise done before turning in for the night."
A chorus of 'alright!' and 'see ya' followed him as he made his way towards the balcony.
Saeko, as naturally as a silent shadow, followed him.
Rei's gaze lingered on Tysone's departing figure.
"Rei? What's wrong?"
Marin's voice snapped her out of her reverie.
"Oh, it's nothing." Rei forced a smile. She was not supposed to look after someone who belonged to Shizuka... and, well, Saya, and Mai?
Ah, it was all so damn confusing!
She looked around, sighing.
Kohta was flexing his rifle knowledge to Asami, who, even though she looked disinterested, still listened. She was actually kind of cute like this, wasn't she? And in a school uniform that suited her, she would actually be pretty. Except that she was one of the oldest around here. And... surprisingly, she looked coy as Kohta was showing her some schematics of guns.
Still, it was obvious to anyone who could rub two brain cells together that the gunman liked her. It was there in his tone and body language, his actions and words, all indicating the slightest affection to the young policewoman, who seemed to reciprocate on some level.
Kohta and Asami?
Rei couldn't even begin to wrap her head around it.
Then she turned to her left, where Takashi, whom she previously had complicated history with, was rubbing the back of his head in that awkward, boyish way of his as he engaged in conversation with Yumi, one of the latest additions to the group. The young woman, probably a little too old for him, was laughing at whatever he said. The look she was giving him...
The one Takashi didn't even notice, because he had always been dense.
They made an... oddly mismatched couple.
But who was she to judge? Even Kohta was dipping his toes in the waters. Age gap, in the apocalypse, was hardly something that concerned anyone anymore. Still, Rei found it hard to stay there. Despite all the harshness and danger of this world, teenagers still acted their age. She knew this was a necessary process, a much-needed venting after the life-threatening experience and near death encounters. It was human, wasn't it? To not focus on the worst of your problems for the sake of your sanity?
Romance still found a way to bloom.
All of a sudden, the cozy atmosphere felt a little suffocating.
Without a word, she stood up, startling those seated nearest her.
"I'm a bit tired." She said. "I'll head off."
Marin patted her on the leg. "Alright, take it easy, okay? Rest is also important!~" She said cheerfully.
Rei stared at Marin, the beautiful cosplayer who always looked immaculate and vibrant. Though, she knew that the latter had gone through her fair share of horrors too. Rei had seen her cry before. She, more than many others, knew how quickly despair could change a person's expression.
As expected, even someone as extroverted and boisterous as her needed breaks.
But all of them seemed to find something, at least.
As for Rei...
She found herself trailing behind Tysone, even though he'd been long gone. But she knew where to find him.
Tysone was a workaholic. His main drive was getting stronger, and it always made the guy do whatever it took to improve the chances of the group's survival. It had always been his 'thing', as far as she learned from some of the older members in the group. For as long as they knew him, he'd always been running around, training, learning, starting a business, making money and not once did he have a minute's rest.
Or even spend any of the money.
It was weird.
Like, Tysone's aura seemed to grow and grow and grow. His presence was steadfast and unwavering. He had changed them. Everyone in the group was a little different from what they were prior to meeting him. He could look into their eyes, say a few kind words, and watch the doubt fade.
A kind of man whose authority was built upon his personality alone. The people simply followed.
She found such life... enjoyable, despite her earlier misgivings of the man himself.
Wasn't he the one who killed Hisashi?
Yet right now he was the very same one her heart felt attracted to. It's like he flipped a switch on her. One she hadn't even known existed. She wasn't a child. The realization hit her hard. The problem was that the man in question was always swarmed by women. She knew of Shizuka; everyone had heard of their 'special relationship'.
Then there was Saya.
Mai.
Miku.
Not to mention Saeko, whose beauty was as deadly as her skills.
In all of this, Rei found herself lacking.
With a drawn-out sigh, she stepped out into the night air. The backyard was where Tysone would religiously spend his time. In fact, there he was, upper chest naked and muscles rippling, swinging his halberd, leaving traces of steam with each motion of his arms.
Not too far behind him, stood an arm-crossed Saeko, who seemed just content staying there, observing.
Then…
Saeko's eyes veered sharply from Tysone's back, and landed on the spying Rei.
She smiled.
"..."
Author's Note:
If you're enjoying the story and want to read ahead or support my work, you can check out my P@treon at [email protected]/LordCampione. But don't worry—all chapters will eventually be public. Just being here and reading means the world to me. Thank you for your time and support.