SWNOVELXO Chapter 72: Chapter 072 - High School Of Dead
The Next Morning
Reuel and the girls were still fast asleep. The previous night had thoroughly exhausted all of them. No one showed any sign of wanting to wake up early.
It had been a long time since Reuel spent quality time with these women.
They only woke up close to noon—not because of any urgent matter, but simply because they were hungry.
After getting up, Reuel, Claire, and the others enjoyed a late lunch. As soon as they finished eating, the girls went out, preparing everything needed for the upcoming expedition to another world with Reuel.
And just like that, the week passed by almost without notice.
Meanwhile, Alice and her group had nearly wrapped up all the logistics and administrative tasks that had been assigned to them.
With no pressing matters at hand, Reuel invited Angie to walk with him through the capital of Terra Aeterna and around the Imperial Palace district. The city was now busier than it had ever been.
Children from various educational institutions of the Imperium roamed everywhere—Schola Progenium, Navigator House Schools, Inquisition Ordos Training Cells, Scholastica Psykana, Officio Prefectus Training Grounds, and the Administratum Bureaucratic Colleges. These were the future generations of the Imperium of Man.
Ship girls bustled about, carrying containers full of construction materials to the Imperial Palace development project. Even the Universal Bulins were hard at work, enthusiastically following instructions from the on-site Tech-Priest Mechanicus.
Elsewhere, the Manjuus—small chick-like creatures—carried out their duties: delivering milk and newspapers, managing traffic, and operating Mechanicus-designed mini-vehicles spread across the streets.
The Imperial Guard was boarding combat vehicles like Chimeras, Leman Russ tanks, and other heavy ground transports, en route to military barracks. They were escorted by units like Terran Marines, Firebats, Marauders, Medics, Goliaths, and various other elite troops that filled the capital's main roads.
Everyone was preparing for the large-scale expedition to the High School of the Dead universe—a mission that would be led directly by Supreme Commander Ursarkar E. Creed.
---
That day, Alice and her entire group of women came to meet Reuel. Something about them seemed serious.
Reuel, who had just finished his lunch, raised an eyebrow, curious.
"What's going on? You all look serious."
Alice stepped forward and looked Reuel straight in the eyes.
"Reuel, we've thought about it. We won't be going with you this time," she said calmly but firmly. The others behind her nodded in agreement.
Reuel frowned. "Why? Didn't you all agree to come before?"
Alice replied, "There's still one major thing we need to handle here."
"What? Why didn't I know about this?"
"Richelieu and Belfast can't handle all the Imperium's administration on their own," Alice said seriously. "So we've decided to stay and help them."
Reuel rubbed his temples. Shit. Why did I forget to ask about this? Maybe they never even got the chance to say no...
"So you're choosing to handle the Imperium's internal affairs?" he asked.
"What else can we do? We're not fighters like you," Jill replied with a shrug. "But we can deal with that mountain of growing paperwork."
Reuel took a deep breath.
"In that case... hold on. You can ask White Queen for help. She's an expert in administrative work."
"Alright, we'll contact her later," Alice said, looking at him with gentle understanding.
Reuel tried to smile, though he felt a small pang of disappointment inside.
"Since you've got things to take care of here, I'll head to the other universe first. Once I'm done, I'll come back to get you."
"Then be careful."
"Don't worry, you haven't even seen the full extent of my power yet," Reuel said, thumping his chest with confidence.
"So when are you leaving?" asked Ada Wong.
"Tomorrow."
Alice and the other women stayed at the Imperial Palace with Reuel that night, saying nothing more.
---
The next morning, Reuel had breakfast with his women. After that, he said his goodbyes, promising to return soon.
Reuel made his way to the spaceport, where the Gorgon-class battlecruiser had already been prepared.
As Reuel departed, Alice just stared blankly at the sky from the palace balcony.
"He'll come back," she whispered. The other girls simply nodded in silence before leaving the balcony one by one.
Three months ago, Reuel had summoned his monthly allocation of system troops. He received 30 Hercules-class dropships, 10 Behemoth-class battlecruisers, 10 Dominion-class battlecruisers—each complete with supporting staff for every ship.
Today, that fleet would be commanded by Admiral Gerard DuGalle, with Ursarkar E. Creed overseeing the ground military operations. Reuel himself would board the Gorgon-class battlecruiser, the flagship of this mission.
Reuel ordered the entire fleet to move toward the dimensional portal. Their target: the universe of High School of the Dead.
Seventy spacefaring vessels lined up in front of the dimensional portal, which resembled a massive Webway. Multicolored lights danced across the surface as the space-time distortion stabilized.
"All units, hold your positions," Reuel ordered. He opened the digital star map and selected the coordinates for their destination reality: High School of the Dead—a universe whose technology level still sat in the early 21st century.
In that world, the story centered on a country called Japan. Their society had just entered the digital age; they hadn't even ventured into space. But the world was slowly collapsing under the weight of a mysterious zombie outbreak of unknown origin.
Note: Highschool of the Dead was never completed. Its author, Daisuke Satō, passed away on March 22, 2017. As a form of respect, the project has never been continued by any involved party.
---
Interdimensional Power Comparison:
Technology Level: Primitive — Early digital era, not yet exploring space.
Military Power: Regional — Limited to planetary-scale operations.
Economy: Closed — Entirely dependent on local resources.
Diplomatic Access, Time Travel, and War Declaration
"Open the space-time channel. Imperium of Man — declaration of war — against the universe of Highschool of the Dead."
Swish.
Reality split open before them. A glowing portal emerged, revealing a swirling multiverse corridor, vibrant with energetic colors—like a web of cosmic nerves tearing through dimensional boundaries.
Reuel stared into the portal with an icy gaze.
"Let's annex the Highschool of the Dead universe."
Admiral DuGalle nodded firmly and began issuing commands. Seventy massive ships moved forward, entering the rift in reality one by one.
From afar, the ship girls who had remained in Terra Aeterna waved from the central square of the Imperial Palace, sending off their commander.
Bzzzzzt—
A sensation of weightlessness and dizziness swept over them for nearly ten minutes. Once the effects subsided, the crew's vision adjusted, and their sensory systems stabilized.
The seventy-spacecraft fleet had now arrived in orbit above Mars in the Highschool of the Dead universe.
"God Emperor, Admiral, Supreme Commander—our fleet has arrived in Mars orbit," reported the communications officer aboard the flagship battlecruiser. "We detect that this world is still in the second millennium. No signs of the zombie virus outbreak yet, as previously anticipated."
Reuel received the report calmly. Without further discussion, he issued a firm command.
"Destroy all satellites in Earth's orbit. I'll be the first to descend."
Soon after, he also instructed Admiral Gerard DuGalle and Ursarkar E. Creed to deploy across the planet with ground forces. Their mission was clear: save as much of the human population on Earth as possible—except for Japan.
Japan was Reuel's primary target. That's where he would personally land, accompanied by three Inquisitors: one senior veteran and two newly recruited members who had survived the brutal re-education process of the Inquisition.
Those two recruits bore names that once shook the criminal underworld of the old world: Pablo Escobar and Al Capone.
After being brainwashed and thoroughly trained by the Inquisition, they now stood as loyal figures of the Imperium—or so it appeared on the surface. They were undergoing their final field trial: if they failed to show absolute loyalty or displayed even the slightest trace of betrayal, they would be executed without hesitation. If necessary, the Inquisition would not hesitate to drop a nuclear bomb on their position.
The reason for recruiting them was crystal clear—exceptional intelligence, mastery of underground networks, and unrelenting brutality. These traits had now been weaponized in service of the Imperium.
Meanwhile, Alice's Legion Forces, led by Chris Redfield, remained aboard the battlecruiser—on high alert as an assault reserve, ready to descend to Earth if needed.
Reuel and the three Inquisitors boarded a Medivac transport ship en route to Japan—specifically Fujimi High School, the starting point of the Highschool of the Dead storyline.
The Medivac had been modified by the Tech-Priests and was now equipped with stealth camouflage technology—comparable to the systems used by Banshee-class stealth ships. In complete silence, the craft pierced through the atmosphere and began descending toward the school—a place that seemed calm for now but held the potential for biological disaster.
The Medivac landed quietly on the roof of Fujimi High School. Thanks to stealth tech, it went undetected by everyone below.
As the ramp opened, Reuel and the three Inquisitors stepped onto the rooftop, setting foot into a world untouched by crisis. The scenery around them featured traditional Japanese architecture—curved tile roofs, open corridors, and the unmistakable structure of a Japanese high school.
Reuel stood at the rooftop's edge, looking down. Not a single zombie in sight. The school was still operating, its atmosphere undisturbed. Only a silence lingered—an omen of the chaos to come.
"This should be Fujimi High School," Reuel muttered quietly.
He turned toward the three Inquisitors standing sharply at attention behind him.
"Spread out. Protect this place from the shadows. Watch from a distance."
One of the Inquisitors—the veteran—immediately stepped forward.
"But God Emperor, we were assigned to guard you directly. We can't leave you alone."
Reuel shot him a sharp look, his voice calm but radiating absolute authority.
"No need to worry. There's not a single creature here capable of killing me. Focus on training those two recruits. If they betray us, you're responsible."
The veteran instantly bowed his head.
"Understood, God Emperor."
Without further objection, the three Inquisitors scattered, slipping into the shadows of the school. Reuel now stood alone on the rooftop, observing a world on the brink of change.
---
DUG! KLANG! GRAAAHHHH… DUKK! KLANG-KLANG!
A loud crashing noise echoed from below. Reuel turned and saw an adult man slamming his head against the school's iron gate. The teachers nearby looked confused.
A large male teacher stepped forward and grabbed the man's arm while shouting, but the reaction was unexpected—the man bit the teacher's hand.
"ARGHHH!"
The teacher collapsed. Several other teachers rushed in to help, but chaos erupted instantly. One of the female teachers got caught and was bitten in the neck by the previously bitten male teacher.
"AAARRRGHHH! A-AAAAA!! HELP! HELP ME!!"
The sound of flesh tearing—
"CRUNCH! KRAK!"
—was followed by panicked sobs, ragged breaths, and agonizing whimpers:
"Ngghh—hurts… aagh… why… wh-what is…"
Then, it was all swallowed by more screams and terrifying growls from what were once humans:
"GRAAAAHHHH!"
"HELP! HELP!!! CALL THE POLICE, NOW!!" the panicked teachers screamed.
Some of them began to run into the school, trying to escape. But it was already too late. The zombie virus in this world spread far faster than the one in the Resident Evil universe. It only took a few seconds after being bitten—victims turned into zombies almost instantly.
---
Reuel watched it all from the rooftop with a blank expression. He wasn't shaken. To him, this was merely the beginning of a plot he already knew by heart.
The story has just begun, he thought to himself.
Suddenly, someone came running down from the rooftop. Reuel recognized the figure: Takashi Komuro—the main character of the story. But he ignored him. Right now, he was more interested in another location.
He turned to the other side of the school and focused on a particular room.
That should be the nurse's office… the one where that ridiculously busty female doctor, Shizuka Marikawa, works. Go and check it.
Down the hallway, an announcement began echoing through the school's PA system:
"Announcement to all students! Violence is currently taking place in the school! Students are instructed to evacuate immediately under the guidance of teachers! I repeat, violence is occurring in the school!"
Student screams echoed from every direction. Dozens of them burst out of classrooms, panicked, tripping over one another, shoving, and screaming hysterically:
"AAAAARGHHH!! AAAAAARGHHH!!"
Inside the nurse's office, Shizuka Marikawa was surrounded by a group of zombies. Someone beside her had already been bitten and looked seconds away from turning.
Just as one of the zombies lunged at Shizuka, the ditzy woman stood frozen in place, screaming in panic without even attempting to run.
"Don't come any closer! Stay away!!"
VRRRRRRRRT—KRRRRAAAANG!!
CHAK-CHAK-CHAK—VRRRRAAAARRRGH!
Growls mixed with the brutal roar of a chainsword echoed from outside the room.
SKRRRRRTCHHH!! KRAK-KRUNCH!! GRAAAHHHH!!
The zombies outside were cut down completely. Then—
BRAAAKK!!
The infirmary door slammed open. Reuel stepped in quickly, drew his Bolt Pistol, and without hesitation, shot the three zombies in the room straight in the head.
BOOM-THUMP!!
He pointed the muzzle at the bitten male student and executed him without a flicker of emotion.
After that, he turned to look at Shizuka Marikawa, who still stood there dumbfounded.
How the hell did this girl survive all the way to the end in both the anime and manga? Reuel thought, shaking his head slightly.
"What are you looking at? Let's go."
Without waiting, Reuel stepped out of the room first.
BOOM-THUMP!! BOOM-THUMP!!
Every zombie that blocked his path was shot in the head without pause.
As he was about to lead Shizuka out, he spotted a woman with long purple hair walking calmly while wielding a bokken (wooden sword). Her face was beautiful but firm, full of resolve.
Saeko Busujima.
The dream girl of every Highschool of the Dead fan.
"Let's go now. More zombies will be coming."
Reuel wasn't afraid of zombies. His main focus now was to follow how the story unfolded. The system had not yet displayed any check-in notifications from the previous universe—Demon Slayer—which meant no new mission had been activated.
Soon, the school PA system came alive again:
"Violence is occurring in the school. Students are advised to follow teachers' instructions and proceed to a safe area immediately. I repeat: violence is occurring in the school. Students are advised to follow teachers' instructions."
Then came more screams from outside the room:
"AAARRRGHHH! A-AAAAA!! HELP! Don't—AAARRRGHHH! Save me!!"
Without hesitation, Reuel cleared a path toward the rooftop. In his right hand, the Bolt Pistol. In his left, the roaring chainsword, ready to shred. Saeko and Shizuka followed close behind.
BOOM-THUMP!! BOOM-THUMP!!
BOOM-THUMP!! BOOM-THUMP!!
Every zombie that appeared was shot straight in the head before it could react.
Throughout the school corridors, zombie corpses lay strewn across the floor, blood and skull fragments flooding the tiles like a red carpet welcoming destruction.
Saeko watched the back of the strange man with curiosity and awe. His movements were cold, efficient, and never missed. She had no idea what kind of weapon Reuel was using, but its accuracy and firepower were clearly no joke.
Meanwhile, Shizuka Marikawa, unaccustomed to running, began to lose her balance. Her body swayed and nearly collapsed.
Reuel saw her from the corner of his eye, but didn't slow down. He sidestepped and let the girl fall on her own. Shizuka tried to hop forward to maintain balance, but still stumbled due to her tight skirt.
"Ow, that hurts..." Shizuka sat on the floor, holding her knee. She looked like a little girl who'd just fallen and was about to cry.
"Sensei, you can't run in a long skirt like that," Busujima Saeko said, shaking her head slightly. She crouched in front of Shizuka, and without a word, tore the bottom of the black skirt, exposing the nurse's pale, flawless thighs.
"Ah! Busujima-san, what are you doing?! That's a designer skirt! It was super expensive!"
Shizuka tried to cover the torn area with her hands, looking like a child whose favorite toy had just been broken.
"What's more important—your life or your clothes?" Saeko looked over her handiwork with a satisfied nod.
"There. Now you can move easier."
"Both are important," Shizuka pouted as she stood up, still sulking.
Reuel simply let out a long sigh. Watching the antics of these two women suddenly gave him a headache.
"AAARRRGHHH!"
A sudden scream shattered the moment. Reuel immediately ran toward the sound, Bolt Pistol in his right hand and chainsword in his left. Saeko and Shizuka rushed after him.
Along the way, Reuel saw two students running in panic, dashing into a classroom.
When he entered, he saw them surrounded by zombies.
BRAAAKK!!
BOOM-THUMP!! BOOM-THUMP!!
Bolt rounds tore through zombie skulls one by one.
VRRRRRRT—SKRRRRRTCHHH!! KRAK-KRUNCH!!
The chainsword shredded through rotten flesh mercilessly.
In moments, seven or eight zombies lay sprawled across the classroom floor.
Reuel turned and saw the two students sitting on the ground. One was a chubby boy with glasses. The other was a pink-haired girl with twin ponytails.
Takagi Saya.
The tsundere girl glared at Reuel sharply, as if displeased at being rescued.
"What are you looking at? I could've handled them myself! I'm a genius!" she shouted in a high-pitched tone.
Reuel just stared at her blankly, then turned and walked toward Saeko and Shizuka, who had just arrived—pursued by a group of zombies.
Without hesitation, Reuel raised his sword and wiped out their pursuers.
VRRRRRRT—SKRRRRRTCHHH!! KRAK-KRUNCH!!
BOOM-THUMP!! BOOM-THUMP!!
Rotting bodies were torn apart, their heads destroyed before they could get close.
When everything went silent, Reuel pressed a button on the hilt of his sword. The chainsword's motor began to slow.
VRRRRRRRRT-KRRRRAAAANG…
CHAK-CHAK-CHAK…
Then silence.
Blood dripped from the chainsword's teeth, marking the end of another massacre.