In this modern society, though it was clear that it wasn't the world Altair had once lived in, returning to a modern environment still made him feel great.
After all, as a modern man who had come to a world of swords and magic, no matter how well he adapted to that life, he still preferred the convenience of advanced technology.
Don't ask why... because going to the bathroom was a real hassle in the other world.
Now that Altair had finally arrived in a modern society, it felt fantastic. Everything was familiar.
"I wonder if I'll be able to return to this world later."
Of course, he had to go back eventually... after all, his Hestia was waiting for him in Orario. But it would be great if he could travel back and forth between the two worlds. If Altair could repeatedly enter and exit, he could do a lot of things in this modern society.
Unfortunately, at the moment, Altair didn't know whether he could return to this world.
Not knowing if he could come and go freely, he decided to make the most of the time he had here and grab as many resources as possible. Since he now had a 4D Pocket, he could take a lot with him.
The ability to store things in his 4D Pocket had arrived at just the right time.
"Well then, let's figure out the settings of this world."
Considering it was likely an anime world, Altair thought he could probably identify the world by finding a few key clues. Once he knew, he could better understand the situation. Since the task window hadn't popped up yet, he didn't know what he was supposed to do. Perhaps there were some trigger conditions.
For now, he focused on the school he was currently in.
Altair jumped down to the rooftop, opened the entrance, and prepared to explore. At the very least, he needed to find out the name of the school. In modern anime settings, once you know the name of the school, you can often deduce the world.
It was during class time, and as Altair descended the stairs, he didn't encounter anyone. But through the classroom windows, he could see students sitting inside, attending lessons... a typical, peaceful school life.
"I'm a little envious. All they have to do is attend class, with nothing to worry about. Especially in anime, where even school isn't that big of a deal."
Everyone knows that in anime, high school students can do everything except study.
Even if their grades are terrible, as long as they cram at the last minute, they'll get through... anime logic.
Altair walked down to the first floor and arrived at the school's courtyard. Here, he found a bulletin board. From it, he learned the school's name, Fujimi Academy.
"Fujimi Academy? This name... sounds familiar, but... I can't quite place it."
Altair felt a strong sense of déjà vu. He was sure he had encountered the name before, but he couldn't remember where.
"Could it be from some obscure anime? Why can't I remember?"
"Um... excuse me, what is it that you can't remember?"
"I can't recall where I've heard the name of this school before."
A voice broke through his thoughts, and Altair replied automatically.
"Oh, Fujimi Academy is quite famous in Tokonosu City. It's known for its high academic standards. Our school clubs are also very well-known, especially the Kendo Club."
"Huh?"
Her response made Altair pause. Someone had approached him. He turned and saw a beautiful woman with long blonde hair and glasses smiling at him.
"And you are...?"
"I'm Fujimi Academy's school nurse. My name is Shizuka Marikawa."
"Shizuka Marikawa?"
Altair was puzzled. That name... it felt familiar again. He had definitely encountered it in an anime he'd watched before. His mind racing, Altair stared at her, looking her up and down.
Hmm, her face is nice. The glasses, combined with her slightly airheaded expression, made her seem adorably clumsy. She was wearing a white blouse, and her chest strained against it, looking impossibly large. She wore a black pencil skirt and nude-colored stockings, this image...
"Excuse me, what are you looking at?"
Noticing Altair's direct gaze, Shizuka seemed confused. She had already been wondering why someone in light armor was standing in the courtyard during class time. Now, with him staring at her, her confusion deepened. Was there something wrong with her?
Curious, she tilted her head to the side, and her chest swayed slightly with the movement.
Seeing the swaying motion, a lightbulb went off in Altair's head... a golden exclamation mark appeared!
"I remember now!"
Altair suddenly shouted excitedly, as if he were an anime protagonist.
"I finally remembered."
Fujimi Academy, Tokonosu City, Shizuka Marikawa... these clues connected, and the name of this world finally came to him.
Highschool of the Dead!
It was an old series, one that had aired more than a decade before Altair had come to Danmachi. He hadn't thought about it in ages.
It wasn't until Shizuka Marikawa shook that everything clicked into place. Sometimes, you remember a person's nickname but can't recall their actual name.
As for Highschool of the Dead, its setting involved a sudden zombie outbreak, with the world overrun by the undead. The story follows a group of students from Fujimi Academy and their efforts to survive. Unlike the Resident Evil movies, there were no terrifying bio-weapons... just simple zombies.
So, while the group faced danger, the survival crisis wasn't as dire. Instead, the story was filled with various... fanservice moments.
In short, it was a fanservice-heavy harem anime.
So, what would be the mission here?
As Altair connected the dots, a window suddenly appeared before him.
[World Savior / World Destroyer]
[You have arrived in this apocalyptic world. Will you choose to save it or destroy it? Based on your decision, you will receive different rewards upon completion.]
At last, the main quest had arrived.
***
Keeping a precious item like the Power Stone is hard, so for your own sake, drop the Power Stone here, otherwise I can't guarantee your safety!