Shiro || Zombie Apocalypse

A month had passed. Yet Shiro still had not found any trace of his daughter.

The surrounding regions of Fukuoka had been swept one by one. Nearby villages such as Hoshino and Itoshima were successfully cleared and reclaimed. Several civilians were found alive—rescued from abandoned houses, storage buildings, even basements that were nearly out of supplies.

Despite the obstacles they faced, under Shiro’s command, every expedition ended in victory.

From those explorations, they also discovered items that had never existed before the apocalypse:

A meteor fragment obtained after defeating a Sovereign-level zombie in Itoshima.

And a large number of essence crystals collected from mutated plant-type zombies in the tea fields of Hoshino.

The value of those crystals rose rapidly. Gradually, they began replacing conventional currency—especially after an unexpected incident:

A child accidentally dropped an essence crystal into a well contaminated by spores. The water cleared and safe for non-Evolved to drink.

From that moment on, essence crystals became a strategic resource.

As for the meteor fragment? Shiro kept it. He had contributed the most in that battle. Even though he still did not know its true function.

That night, Shiro stood on the balcony of Fukuoka’s defensive fortress. Inside the walls, the city looked peaceful. Ordered. Alive.

If one ignored the outside world, it was almost possible to forget that the apocalypse was still ongoing.

Civilians continued their routines. Visitors from other regions arrived, drawn by the city’s stability and the Ascend Breathing technique Shiro had begun teaching.

But his thoughts remained on a single name. “The world has changed... strange creatures have appeared... and I still haven’t found you, Mirai.” He closed his eyes briefly.

“I hope you’re safe out there. I’ll keep expanding the expedition zones. I’m certain... one day we’ll meet again.” He did not cry just simply steadied his breathing.

Ascend Breathing—the technique he had discovered unintentionally while trying to calm his mind during those early nights after stabilizing the city.

The noise of the market caught his attention. At a ramen stall, a young woman paid with several essence crystals. Two rough-looking men approached her. That girl... Looks about the same age as Mirai.

“Hey, sweetheart. Eating alone?”

“Paying with essence crystals? Fancy. You must be Evolved too, huh?”

“How about you hand over everything you’ve gathered. We’ll spare your life.” They drew knives, and they activate the Axiom pattern in their bodies. They were about to use their power against another human.

The girl merely looked at them and calmly set down her bowl of ramen. Her hand moved behind her back, ready to counter.

But before the two men could lunge— A large figure moved like a shadow.

Two swift strikes, both men collapsed in a single second. Silence fell over the stall.

Shiro stood behind them.

“My apologies for this incident, Miss. It was my oversight that allowed behavior like this to grow in Fukuoka.”

People nearby whispered in awe. The city’s leader had enforced justice with his own hands.

“Hima.” A woman appeared almost soundlessly.

“Take them to detention. Educate them. If necessary, assign them to the front lines.”

Shiro’s gaze hardened. “I teach Ascend Breathing so humans can protect one another. Not to oppress the weak. If they wish to wield power, they will learn how to use it properly.”

“Yes, Commander.” Hima disappeared with the two men.

A Speed branch user. Yet notably— Shiro himself, despite his large and solid build, had moved just as fast.

He turned back to the young woman. “By the way, what is your name?” He extended his hand.

“You look unfamiliar. I assume you’re not from Fukuoka.”

“My name is Takeda Shiro. You can call me Shiro.”

A faint, calm smile formed on his face.

“I hope you won’t judge Fukuoka harshly because of a small incident like that.” His hand remained extended.

Steady. Measured. Like a commander confident in his city— Yet still vigilant toward the world beyond.

A month had passed. Yet Shiro still had not found any trace of his daughter.

The surrounding regions of Fukuoka had been swept one by one. Nearby villages such as Hoshino and Itoshima were successfully cleared and reclaimed. Several civilians were found alive—rescued from abandoned houses, storage buildings, even basements that were nearly out of supplies.

Despite the obstacles they faced, under Shiro’s command, every expedition ended in victory.

From those explorations, they also discovered items that had never existed before the apocalypse:

A meteor fragment obtained after defeating a Sovereign-level zombie in Itoshima.

And a large number of essence crystals collected from mutated plant-type zombies in the tea fields of Hoshino.

The value of those crystals rose rapidly. Gradually, they began replacing conventional currency—especially after an unexpected incident:

A child accidentally dropped an essence crystal into a well contaminated by spores. The water cleared and safe for non-Evolved to drink.

From that moment on, essence crystals became a strategic resource.

As for the meteor fragment? Shiro kept it. He had contributed the most in that battle. Even though he still did not know its true function.

That night, Shiro stood on the balcony of Fukuoka’s defensive fortress. Inside the walls, the city looked peaceful. Ordered. Alive.

If one ignored the outside world, it was almost possible to forget that the apocalypse was still ongoing.

Civilians continued their routines. Visitors from other regions arrived, drawn by the city’s stability and the Ascend Breathing technique Shiro had begun teaching.

But his thoughts remained on a single name. “The world has changed... strange creatures have appeared... and I still haven’t found you, Mirai.” He closed his eyes briefly.

“I hope you’re safe out there. I’ll keep expanding the expedition zones. I’m certain... one day we’ll meet again.” He did not cry just simply steadied his breathing.

Ascend Breathing—the technique he had discovered unintentionally while trying to calm his mind during those early nights after stabilizing the city.

The noise of the market caught his attention. At a ramen stall, a young man paid with several essence crystals. Two rough-looking men approached him. That boy... Looks about the same age as Mirai.

“Hey, sweetheart. Eating alone?”

“Paying with essence crystals? Fancy. You must be Evolved too, huh?”

“How about you hand over everything you’ve gathered. We’ll spare your life.” They drew knives, and they activate the Axiom pattern in their bodies. They were about to use their power against another human.

The boy merely looked at them and calmly set down his bowl of ramen. His hand moved behind his back, ready to counter.

But before the two men could lunge— A large figure moved like a shadow.

Two swift strikes, both men collapsed in a single second. Silence fell over the stall.

Shiro stood behind them.

“My apologies for this incident, sir. It was my oversight that allowed behavior like this to grow in Fukuoka.”

People nearby whispered in awe. The city’s leader had enforced justice with his own hands.

“Hima.” A woman appeared almost soundlessly.

“Take them to detention. Educate them. If necessary, assign them to the front lines.”

Shiro’s gaze hardened. “I teach Ascend Breathing so humans can protect one another. Not to oppress the weak. If they wish to wield power, they will learn how to use it properly.”

“Yes, Commander.” Hima disappeared with the two men.

A Speed branch user. Yet notably— Shiro himself, despite his large and solid build, had moved just as fast.

He turned back to the young man. “By the way, what is your name?” He extended his hand.

“You look unfamiliar. I assume you’re not from Fukuoka. My name is Takeda Shiro. You can call me Shiro.”

A faint, calm smile formed on his face.

“I hope you won’t judge Fukuoka harshly because of a small incident like that.” His hand remained extended.

Steady. Measured. Like a commander confident in his city— Yet still vigilant toward the world beyond.