Anime Crossover: Post-Apocalyptic Survival, My Stand is the World

His voice carried an unquestionable sense of command, yet strangely, it gave people an unprecedented sense of security.

"I will protect you."

Yukino looked at his outstretched hand, remained silent for a long time, and finally, slowly placed her cold hand on it.

Yui, as if she had found her pillar of support, grabbed his other hem without hesitation.

Su Chen nodded, his gaze passing over them and looking towards the distant, independent stadium that had not yet been invaded by monsters.

"First, we need a safe 'home'."

He paused, and a deep, unfathomable light flashed in his dark pupils.

"Then..."

"Go and find our comrades, one by one."

His voice wasn't loud, but it was like a vow, deeply imprinted in Yukino and Yui's hearts.

In this apocalyptic world where civilization has collapsed and monsters roam, this enigmatic man before them may be their only hope.

Chapter 4: Distress Signal and the Shadow of Toyonosaki

A day has passed since that crushing first battle.

Inside the gymnasium of Zongwu High School, the spark of civilization was carefully ignited.

Yukino Yukinoshita was holding a notebook she had found, meticulously taking stock of the limited supplies she had collected from the sports equipment room and the teachers' office.

"Twelve packs of compressed biscuits, with a shelf life of three months. Eight bottles of purified water, which should last about four days if consumed sparingly. One first-aid kit, with plenty of bandages and disinfectant alcohol..."

Her cool voice seemed to have a calming effect on the campus, which had become a monster paradise.

Yui Yuigahama, on the other side, was gently comforting two other ordinary female students who had been lucky enough to hide in the gymnasium. They were in very poor spirits, clearly terrified by yesterday's ordeal.

"It's okay, it's okay. With Su Chen here, we'll definitely be safe."

As Yui spoke, she subconsciously glanced towards the entrance of the stadium.

There, Su Chen sat cross-legged with his eyes gently closed, like a statue in deep meditation.

He had been standing there in the same position all night.

Yukino and Yui both thought he was on guard, but only Su Chen knew that he was racing against time to cultivate the [Perfect Reverse Rebirth Triple] technique.

As the apocalypse descended, the energy between heaven and earth became violent and chaotic, which was a catastrophe for ordinary people, but for him, the only "cultivator," it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

He could clearly "see" those invisible energy particles surging wildly into his body, being refined by the cultivation technique into the purest "Primordial Qi," constantly cleansing his limbs and bones.

The short day and night of practice was equivalent to a week of hard work in peacetime.

The progress of the first stage of the "Triple Rebirth" – "Reversal of Flesh and Blood" – is advancing rapidly.

He even felt that his five senses and spiritual perception had become more acute than yesterday.

It was precisely because of this keen perception that he "heard" something different.

In his perception network, three black mud monsters roamed within a hundred meters of the stadium, their movements monotonous and slow, posing no threat whatsoever.

Further away in the teaching building, a dozen or so remained, drifting like unconscious ghosts.

These are all background noise.

But just now, an extremely faint yet unusually "clear" thought, standing out like a crane among chickens, abruptly entered his perception range.

That's not the kind of chaotic and evil spiritual pollution that comes with monsters.

Rather, it is a human will to survive.

In his perception, the will to survive of ordinary survivors was like a flickering candle in the wind, dim and swaying.

But this will is different.

It is resilient and tenacious, carrying a pride that refuses to end here, and a creative desire that is almost burning.

What kind of strange combination is this?

Su Chen slowly opened his eyes, a hint of interest flashing in his calm gaze.

A person with such a strong will is by no means mediocre.

In such an apocalyptic world, any "talented person" is an extremely valuable resource.

"Yukino."

He stood up, stretched his limbs, and a series of crackling sounds came from his body.

"What's wrong?" Yukino put down her pen and looked up. A sleepless night had left a trace of fatigue on her delicate face, but this did not detract from her beauty; instead, it added a touch of pitiful charm.

"There are still survivors nearby." Su Chen's voice was calm, as if he were stating something insignificant.

"Survivors?" Yui immediately stood up anxiously. "Where are they? We have to go save them!"

Yukino, however, was much calmer. She frowned and asked, "How did you know? How far away? How many people are there? Are they friend or foe?"

A series of questions demonstrated her meticulous thinking.

“My intuition,” Su Chen replied succinctly.

He can't very well say that his soul can be used as radar.

"Intuition?" Yukino frowned even more. "Su Chen-kun, I admit you're very strong. But now is not the time to act impulsively. We know almost nothing about those monsters, and the gymnasium is our only safe zone. Going out rashly is too risky."

Her analysis makes a lot of sense; it's entirely from the perspective of the team's survival.

“Risk and reward go hand in hand.” Su Chen looked at her calmly. “My ‘intuition’ tells me that this target is worth the risk.”

“I object.” Yukino’s tone was firm. “As the team leader, I cannot agree to such a reckless and unplanned action.”

She paused, then added, "At least, not until a detailed reconnaissance and rescue plan is developed."

The atmosphere inside the stadium froze for a moment.

Yui looked at this and then at that, anxiously unsure of who to help.

Su Chen looked into Yukino's stubborn, icy blue eyes and suddenly smiled.

"Yukino, you've got one thing wrong."

"what?"

“In this team, you’ll be in charge of management and logistics, no problem.” Su Chen’s tone remained calm, but the words were filled with undeniable pressure. “But the actions and decisions will be made by me.”

"This is a notification, not a discussion."

After saying that, he ignored Yukino, whose face had turned somewhat ugly, and walked straight to the door.

"Su Chen!" Yui quickly chased after him, her face full of worry. "It's too dangerous for you to go alone! I'll go with you!"

Su Chen stopped, turned around and glanced at her, then shook his head.

"If you go, you'll only hold me back."

This statement is very direct, and even somewhat hurtful.

Yui's face turned pale instantly, and she bit her lip in grievance.

Seeing that she was about to cry, Su Chen's heart softened, and his tone became gentler.

"Stay here. Trust me, I'll be back safely."

After saying that, he raised his hand, intending to pat her bun like he would a puppy, but halfway through, he felt it was inappropriate and withdrew his hand.

He turned around, pushed open the heavy doors of the gymnasium, and walked into the campus shrouded in silence and death without hesitation.

Yukino Yukinoshita watched his figure disappear into the sunlight, her lips pressed tightly together, her eyes filled with complex emotions.

……

Leaving the stadium, Su Chen unleashed his full speed.

The powerful physical abilities granted by the "Triple Rebirth" ability allow his running speed and endurance to far exceed human limits.

He moved at high speed through the abandoned campus buildings, his figure like a ghost, easily avoiding all the wandering monsters.

As he moved, he locked onto the increasingly clear source of that "willpower".

Soon, he found himself standing in front of a teaching building.

Toyosaki Academy.

This is the teaching building of the school next door.

Memories of his past life flooded Su Chen's mind like a tidal wave.

Yes.

To be able to unleash such a strong will, a mixture of pride and creative desire, in this place...

I'm afraid it's only those two people left.

　Kasumigaoka Utaha.

Eriri Sawamura, Spencer.

A smile of interest curved at the corners of Su Chen's lips.

He looked up and gazed at the art room on the third floor.

The source of that will lies there.

But at the same time, he also sensed an extremely cold and ominous aura, like a venomous snake, slowly enveloping the art room completely.

"Looks like we need to hurry."

He muttered to himself, his legs slightly bent, and the "Primordial Qi" within his body erupted instantly!

"boom!"

There was a muffled sound.

The concrete beneath his feet cracked, and his figure, like a cannonball, shot up from the ground, hurtling straight toward the third-floor window!

Chapter Five: The Cage of the Art Studio

Dim and oppressive.

A faint smell of turpentine mixed with dust filled the air.

Toyonosaki Academy, third floor, art room.

Kasumigaoka Utaha and Sawamura Spencer Eriri leaned against a huge, unfinished canvas, huddled in a corner, deliberately suppressing their breathing to a minimum.

"...It's been twelve hours."

Shi Yu's voice was soft, yet carried a metallic calmness. Her dark eyes peered through the gap in the curtains, observing the deathly silent campus outside.

"There's half a bottle of water left, and as for food... all we have is the half-eaten pineapple bun you brought this morning, Eriri."

"Woo..."

Upon hearing the word "food," Eriri's golden twin tails drooped limply, and her stomach let out a soft rumble.

She was practically curled up into a ball, her deep blue eyes filled with fear and unease. She muttered under her breath, "It's all your fault, Shiyu! Why did you have to stay and rush to finish that manuscript... Now look what's happened, we're all going to get eaten by the monsters outside!"

"Shut up, you blonde loser." Shi Yu retorted mercilessly, but her voice lacked its usual sharpness and was filled with weariness. "What's the use of complaining now? You should use that energy to think about how to survive."

Her sharp tongue was her last line of defense in maintaining her composure.

Eriri choked for a moment, her eyes reddened, and she hugged her knees in grievance, no longer speaking.

The atmosphere fell into dead silence once again.

Just then, a strange "rustling" sound, like fingernails scratching a wall, suddenly came from the wall behind them.

The sound wasn't loud, but it was like a cold awl, piercing the eardrums of the two girls.

"Wh...what was that sound?" Eriri's voice trembled.

For the first time, Kasumigaoka Utaha's expression turned serious.

She knew very well that the door to the art room was blocked by them with easels and tables, and ordinary monsters couldn't get in at all.

But now, the sound is coming from the wall...