Chapter 4: Passing Each Other
Several days had passed.
Since that incident, he hasnât shown up again.
Of course, I asked around at school and did some investigating on my own, but my information-gathering skills were amateur at best.
I picked up a few minor rumorsâsomeone helping an old lady carry her bags, guiding a lost childâbut this city had events where people cosplayed while doing volunteer work. It was hard to say if any of those were really him.
Acts of kindness like that were something anyone could do.
I considered narrowing it down by height or voice, but his height was just average for a high school boy, and the only thing Iâd ever heard him say was âNow!â Not exactly a useful clue.
As a last resort, I even submitted a request to the higher-ups, but with so little to go on, the Military wasnât going to waste resources on a search.
Still, I held onto hope.
Maybe some irregularity had accelerated his awakening. Maybe the main story had started earlier than expected.
I didnât know.
But the protagonist was already here.
He was already moving for someoneâs sake.
And yet, here I was.
âD-donât kill me⌠donât kill me, donât killââ
âReproduction rate 18%, multipurpose knife manifestationâglass fiber-reinforced plastic.â
Another job.
The outskirts of the city. A moonlit, abandoned building.
I drove the knife into the supernatural creatureâs head.
It wasnât metalâjust a reinforced plastic knife Iâd recently learned to create. My reproduction rate was still low since Iâd only just started training, but it was enough.
The monster collapsed with a heavy thud.
It looked like a deformed crow, its body twisted, arm-like appendages growing where wings should have been.
Apparently, it was an experimental creatureâgenetic manipulation using radiation.
Lately, more of them had been appearing in the city, but their origin was still unknown.
Most went on violent rampages.
But some⌠some were intelligent. Some stayed calm.
Like the one I just killed.
Itâs really depressing.
âGaâŚahâŚâ
The monster groaned. It was still alive.
âŚAt the very least, I should put it out of its misery quickly.
I raised my knife, ready to deliver the final blowâ
ââThatâs far enough, Mass-Production Cutter.â
A voice stopped me cold.
I spun around, my muscles tensing. Iâd been on guard, but I hadnât noticed them.
A girl with blue hair. About my age.
She wore a visor that obscured her faceâjust like my hood.
I couldnât see her expression now, but I already knew what lay beneath.
A lively, dignified face that suited her usual vibrant demeanor.
She was dressed in a sleek, futuristic combat suitâcompletely different from the magically enhanced military gear I wore. Hers was pure science, hugging her figure tightly.
I knew her.
Not just as a game character.
Iâd seen her before. At school. In passing. And during missions like this.
ââŚRainy Arts, the Water Surveyor.â
Her real nameâNijiizaka Ameiro.
One of the main heroines of this world, just like Lady Misora.
In the game, she was the protagonistâs classmateâthe popular girl with a secret identity. Meanwhile, Lady Misora played the older, mentor-like senpai.
She belonged to the Corporation, an organization often at odds with the Military. But they shared the same ultimate goalâprotecting civilians.
Through countless clashes and missions, the two sides had come to respect each other. Once the protagonist arrived and the main story began, they even became allies, despite their ideological differences.
You could call their relationship a friendly rivalry.
But right now, there was nothing friendly about the way she glared at me.
âThatâs far enough⌠drop your weapon.â
I didnât respond. Instead, I drove my knife straight into the monsterâs skull.
A sickening crack.
The life beneath my blade snuffed out in an instant.
Nijiizakaâs face twisted in disgust.
Of course, it did.
She was part of the Corporationâthe side that opposed exterminating supernatural beings.
She was the kind of heroine who valued every life, who protected even the harmless entities others would kill without a second thought.
It was only natural that sheâd look at me like this.
âŚWith a relationship like this, how are we supposed to become friends?
The sensation of taking a life lingered in my hand, a phantom weight pressing down on my chest.
It was hard to breathe.
Still, if I wanted to handle this the way Lady Misora would, I couldnât show weakness.
I forced a bright expression. Forced a light tone.
âW-well, you know, this is my job too! Itâs not like I have a choice⌠Just bad timing, right? Haha, guess it was just bad luck I was hereâŚâ
ââŚâŚâŚâŚâ
No response.
She raised her Materializer in her right hand.
â...I want you to surrender quietly. I promise⌠I wonât let anything bad happen to you.â
âAh, youâre so kindâ! Rainy Arts-chan, youâre such a good person! We even have similar speech patterns, you know? If weâd met under different circumstances, maybe we couldâve been friendsââ
âReproduction rate 1000%âHâO, Manifest!!â
A rush of splashing water filled the air.
Droplets scattered like morning dew as she shaped a spear of water in her hands.
âHaaâhyaah!â
With a sharp breath, she thrust her arm forward.
The spear extended in an instant, transforming into a high-pressure water cutter that shot toward me.
I dodged at the last second.
But even as I evaded, another strike came. Then another. And another.
Relentless.
I parried with my utility knife, searching for an opening to retreat.
She was an elite of the Corporation. The higher-ups knew I couldnât take her head-onâand my mission was already complete. Retreating wouldnât affect my evaluation.
âSomeone like youâjust stop fighting already!â
But the intensity of her attacks...
She wasnât aiming to kill, but she was more than willing to take an arm or a leg.
In the game and spin-offs, Lady Misora and this girl had clashed beforeâbut they were always minor skirmishes. Both sides understood that a serious battle wouldnât end well. Even with their differing ideologies, they had no reason to fight to the death.
But this⌠was different.
She was coming at me with the resolve to risk her life.
...Why is it that everything I do always, always goes wrong?
I shook off my despair and refocused.
If I wanted to escape, I needed to shake her composure.
âReproduction rate 100%âBlade Manifestation!â
I materialized only the blade of a utility knife, wrapping it around my arm as makeshift armor.
Then, I charged forwardâstraight into a water slash.
âGuhâ!â
The attack didnât pierce through, but the impact exploded like a blast.
My arm didnât get blown off, but the bones inside were completely shattered.
Still, that was fine. Iâd taken the damage. That meant I could replicate her Water Cutter.
This time, I wrapped the blade armor around my torso.
Preparation complete. The angle and positioning were good.
Another torrential thrust came rushing toward me.
Maybe because she thought I could block it, this one was even more reckless.
That worked in my favor.
I took it head-onâwith my abdomen.
âWhaââ
âAnd in the next instant, I was impaled by the Water Cutter.
âŚOr so it seemed.
âGuh⌠Damage Bullet, Water ShotâŚâ
The moment her Water Cutter pierced my abdomen, I released my own Water Cutter from my back.
From her perspective, it must have looked like her attack had gone straight through me.
The force of my attack shattered the window behind me.
Taking advantage of her momentary panicâthinking she might have killed meâI leapt out of the abandoned building.
âWaitâ!â
I hit the ground and took off running.
Somehow, I managed to lose her.
I let out a breath.
And thenâ
ââUgh.â
Blood gushed from my mouth.
âŚI had defended myself, but my internal organs had likely taken damage.
Pressing a hand to my abdomen, I expelled the damage as faint light, healing the wound.
I didnât have to fire my ability as a bullet. At its core, my power was meant for healingâI had just modified it for combat.
The injury was severe, and it didnât heal completely⌠but at least I managed to retreat without fighting Nijiizaka.
I couldnât bring myself to hurt a girl.
And⌠I didnât want to see the heroines suffer because of me anymore.
I wanted to get along with them.
Sure, I was a guy, and of course, I liked cute girls. But even beyond that, both Lady Misora and Nijiizaka were dazzling, incredible people I admired.
Hurting themâcausing them painâwas unthinkable.
âŚBut then, why couldnât I handle things as Lady Misora did?
I had followed the interactions from the spin-offs faithfully. I had shown the strength befitting a rival. I had participated in all the events where we fought together for the sake of the citizens.
And yetâ
Every time I met Nijiizaka, her expression only grew harsher.
I didnât know what I was missing.
With my blood-deprived head spinning, I stumbled my way back home.
By the time I finally got home, it was past 5 a.m.
I didnât even want to look at the clock anymore.
I was exhausted.
If I wanted to, I could expel my drowsiness as damageâbut that would only delay the inevitable. It wouldnât actually give me any rest, just keep me awake a little longer.
I made my way to school, trudging along the familiar route.
When I reached the railroad crossing near campus, the barrier was already down.
...This crossing takes forever.
With a sigh, I leaned against a nearby utility pole.
It felt⌠surprisingly comfortable.
Just for a little whileâat least until the train passedâIâd rest my eyes.
Just for a moment.
âŚ
âŚâŚâŚ
âŚâŚâŚâŚâŚ
ââHey, Kiza⌠Arishiro! Wake up! The warning bellâs already ringing!â
"Huh�"
I opened my eyes.
The train had long since passed.
The school bell was already chiming in the distance.
In front of me stood a familiar male student, calling out in a panicked voice.
...Crap. Iâm going to be late.
If I sprinted at full speed, I might make itâbut my âfull speedâ was something like 50 km/h. If anyone saw me, the Military would definitely come knocking.
What do I do?
What should I do?
As I panicked, the male studentâoh, right, Moribe-kun, the guy who once lent me his gym clothesâgestured urgently.
âWeâll take a shortcut!â
"HuhâŚ? But even if itâs a shortcutâ"
With normal speed, even the most direct path wouldnât get me there in time.
Still, I followed him.
And somehow, before I even realized itâ
We were already standing in front of the school.
"Huh!?"
That wasnât⌠an illusion.
Nor was it a lapse in memory.
It was subtle, barely noticeable, but space had definitely warped. We had passed through somethingâsome kind of supernatural phenomenon that shortened the distance in an instant.
"Th-that just nowâŚ"
"Ah, I just happened to find it. This wayâs super fast."
âŚDoes he not realize itâs unnatural?
To him, itâs just a shortcut. There must be some kind of perceptual effect in placeâone that keeps normal people from questioning it. Even after stepping through it, the distortion was nearly imperceptible.
An ordinary person wouldnât find anything strange, even if they used it every day.
I should probably report this to the Military⌠but for something, this minor, memory processing might not be necessaryâŚ
"Th-thanks⌠but, um, maybe itâs better not to take that path too often⌠You know, itâs dim and kinda hard to seeâŚ"
"Hm⌠yeah, I guess. You should just leave earlier for school. And donât sleep in places like that. Though, Iâm not one to talkâŚ"
He rubbed his eyes tiredly. Now that I looked at him, he seemed just as exhausted as I was.
"âŚDid you stay up late too?"
"Huh? Oh, yeah. Had a lot to do⌠I was up until around five."
"Wow, thatâs rough."
"I-itâs not that big of a dealâŚ"
I lowered my gaze.
There was no point in saying this to someone unrelated. But even so, the words slipped out before I could stop them.
"I-itâs all stuff I have to do because of me⌠and even then, nothingâs going well. Yesterday, I couldnât make up for anything⌠Everything Iâm doing feels pointless⌠So really, itâs not impressive at allâŚ"
"Ah, no, thatâs not it."
He cut me off before I could sink any deeper.
"Itâs impressive that youâre working so hard despite all that. Forget about it being your fault, or something you have to do, or it feeling pointless. Thatâs not what Iâm talking about."
"â!"
It was such a simple thing to say. Something generic. Something anyone couldâve said.
But for just a moment⌠I felt like crying.
Thenâthe school bell rang.
Before I knew it, we were already standing in front of the classroom.
The boy from the class next door turned to leave, stepping toward his own room.
Just before he disappeared inside, he glanced back at me.
"If things get really bad, let me know. Iâll help."
And with that, he was gone.
âŚ
Thereâs nothing an ordinary person could do to help.
Going out of your way to achieve the impossible, risking your life to push through⌠thatâs the privilege of main charactersâsomething a background mob like me could never do.
So, the feelings of âhappinessâ or âwanting helpâ that just popped into my head⌠theyâre just empty hopes, fleeting thoughts from an exhausted mind.
But still⌠maybe itâs okay to ask for a little help.
At the very least, he probably has a wider social circle than I do. Even if itâs a long shot, I could ask him to look into the protagonist a little⌠There might be something.
Thinking this, I half-slept through the morning classes and waited for a lunch break.
I opened the door to the next classroom and scanned the seats for Moribe-kun.
There he was. Sitting near the front, on the hallway side.
I hesitated for a second. It felt awkward walking into another class uninvited⌠Wait, why am I thinking like a normal student?
"Um, Moribe-kun? I have a favor to askâŚ"
I pulled out the flyer Iâd prepared and asked for his help with the search.
He looked a little uncomfortable, but surprisingly, the conversation went smoothly.
Maybe heâs just a good listener⌠I donât know, but talking to him felt oddly easy, like chatting with an old friend.
"So, I was thinking of making about a thousand copies of this⌠I came up with a few ideas, but this âPlan Câ with the sticky note is the final versionâŚ"
"Youâre planning to hand these out to the whole school? No, I can make copies, but we donât need a thousand. Absolutely not. Ten is enough."
"Then letâs meet in the middle at four hundred ninety-fiveâ"
"Donât meet in the middle there. Iâll make the copies, so just sit tight, Arishiro."
"B-butâ"
Before I could protest, he grabbed the flyerâsticky note and allâand left his seat.
âŚWell, he had a point. Thereâs no way we could distribute hundreds of copies with just the two of us.
I waited.
And waited.
But⌠he didnât come back.
Whatâs going on? Did he get bored halfway through?
Curious, I went to check on him.
Outside the study room, by the student-use copier, I spotted him talking to someoneâa girl with her back to me.
"Iâm in a tight spot here! I donât have time to look for some random cosplayer!"
"But five thousand is way too many! Why do you guys always go to extremes!?"
"Uh, whatâs going onâ"
When I called out, the girl turned around.
Blue, medium-length hair. Sky-blue eyes.
A lively, cheerful face. A well-balanced mix of cuteness and dignity.
Her height was average for a girl, but her figure was more mature than expected. Paired with her boyish charm, it created a refreshing yet strangely alluring contrast.
Even without the visor, I recognized her immediately.
The other main heroine Iâd fought yesterdayâNijiizaka Ameiro.
âN-Nijiizaka-sanâŚâ
She blinked at me. âHuh? Do I know you? Have we talked before?â
âAh, noâŚâ
Of course, she wouldnât remember me.
During missions, we always wore recognition-blocking gear. While I knew her face from the game, she had no idea who I was.
âŚThis might be an opportunity.
For some reason, things always turn hostile between us during missions. But if she thinks this is our first meeting⌠maybe I can build some goodwill.
If we become friends in our daily lives, maybe our encounters on the battlefield wonât be so hostile either.
âAh, sorry, Arishiro.â Moribe scratched his head. âNijiizakaâs kind of taken over the copierâŚâ
âArishiro-chan? A friend?â Nijiizaka grinned. âAre you Moribe-kunâs girlfriend?â
â...No, thatâs not it.â
âAnyway,â Moribe cut in, âyou should stop printing soon. Youâre gonna get in trouble for using too much ink. Honestly, if itâs a proper search, you should just go to the policeââ
âI know, but itâs not like that! There are reasons I canât file a report, so I just have to ask aroundââ
âŚThey seem to get along well.
Not super close, just one of many friends. But it was completely different from how she treated me during our fight yesterday.
I felt envious.
I really wanted to be friends with Nijiizaka-san too.
I wanted a lively, cute girl like her to talk to me brightly and cheerfullyâŚ
"âŚâŚâŚâŚ"
In my first life, I never got to experience that.
I thought my second life would be different.
Nijiizaka reluctantly stopped the copier and picked up her stack of flyers.
She looked ready to leave.
I had to say something. But not in my usual wayâI needed to sound bright. Casual. But switching to âcheerful modeâ on command wasnât that easyâŚ
âWell, if I run out, I can always come back later!â She waved her flyers. âAnyway, I need to hurry and find these kids!â
âHuh? Youâre looking for someone too?â
âYeah, some elementary school kids I know⌠but itâs a special situation, so I canât go to the police. There arenât many people who can help, either.â She glanced at Moribe. âI was hoping you could help if you had time, but youâre busy too, right?â
âAh, well, sort ofââ
I swallowed, then blurted out:
âUmââ
At this point, I had no choice but to go along with the mood.
Cutting off Moribe-kunâs words, I somehow managed to call out to Nijiizaka-san.
âI-Iâll help tooâŚ! If thereâs anything I can doââ
âReally!? Thank you, thatâs a huge help! I love you, Arishiro-chan!â
âHuhâah, heheâŚâ
N-Nijiizaka-chan⌠The gameâs heroine⌠just said she loves me in real lifeâŚ
She probably says that to everyone, but stillâit made me happy.
I tried to suppress the grin creeping onto my face. Barely managing to respond to her bright, beaming smile, I took half of the flyer stack from her hands.
âLetâs go! The hallway near the courtyard is packed during lunch, so weâll do it there!â
âAh, y-yes!â
âHey, Arishiro, what about this?â
âHuh? Oh, thatâsââ
I turned around in a panic.
And in doing soâ
Bump.
My shoulder hit Moribe-kunâs hand, and the stack of flyers he was holding scattered across the floor.
âWhoa.â
âAh, s-sorryââ
I need to pick them upâ
âArishiro-chan, whatâs wrong? Hurry up, or lunch break will be over!â
âHuh? Ah, uhââ
Nijiizaka-san was already around the corner, calling out from a distance.
I need to hurry. I have to hurry. Butâ
At my feet, Moribe-kun was silently gathering the scattered flyers.
It was my request. They fell because of me.
I should be the one picking them up.
Butâ
âUghâŚâ
The main character from the story⌠and an ordinary male student.
No matter how you look at it, I should prioritize Nijiizaka-san.
At the very least⌠Iâll apologize properly later.
Compared to everything else Iâve been feeling, itâs just a small pang of guilt.
But even so, as I ran after her, I couldnât ignore the tiny thorn pricking at my heart.
In the dim light of early evening, Moribe Sabaki left the school with a sigh, still holding the stack of flyers he hadnât managed to hand out.
But his sigh wasnât just because of that.
(âŚShe didnât have to look so guilty about itâŚ)
The search had started because of his own actions.
It made sense to prioritize Nijiizaka, who had a more urgent situation. And besidesâ
ââIf you notice anything about these kids, let me know! Oh, but donât push yourself too hard, okay? Itâs not good if you get into trouble. Thanks so much for today!â
âAh, n-no⌠I hope theyâre found soonâŚ!â
Beyond the school gate, in the distance, he saw them.
Kizami, looking a little awkward but smiling happily at Nijiizaka.
Did she want to talk to Nijiizaka? Did she want to be friends?
Sabaki didnât know the details, but if it made her happy after looking so gloomy, that was what mattered most.
Still⌠his gaze dropped to the flyer in his hand.
Not the one with his cosplay.
The one Nijiizaka had given himâwith photos and sketches of the missing children.
ââŚThis is clearly connected to them, isnât itâŚâ
He muttered under his breath.
Heâd already suspected that Nijiizaka Ameiro was one of them.
Sabaki didnât know much about themâonly that multiple organizations existed, sometimes in conflict with each other. He didnât know which one Nijiizaka belonged to or what her role was.
But he was sure of one thing.
Heâd met her when he got caught up in supernatural incidents around town.
His memories of those events had been erased. But he still knew theyâd been erased.
Apparently, the devices they used could only alter memories from the last few hours.
That was probably enough for regular civilians who accidentally witnessed something supernatural.
But for someone like Sabakiâsomeone actively looking for the supernaturalâit wasnât enough.
There were more thorough, time-consuming methods that could remove more. But⌠so far, they hadnât used those on him. Probably.
He stared at the flyer again.
Sabaki had a habit of digging into supernatural occurrences, collecting information that ordinary people would ignore.
He avoided going too deepâjust enough to keep them from noticing himâbut even surface-level knowledge had given him some insights.
Looking at the flyerâs contents and piecing them together with what he already knew⌠a few possibilities came to mind.
Nijiizaka was probably already searching for the most likely locations.
Trying to cover every possible lead alone would be overwhelming.
If he had more information, he might be able to narrow it down.
But without knowing what the missing link was, there wasnât much he could do.
As he wandered home, taking his usual detours through suspicious areas, he spotted a man in a suit squatting on the side of the road, talking on the phone.
(Huh⌠that manhole�)
At the manâs feet was a gaping hole in the road.
At first glance, it looked like a salaryman reporting an open manhole to the city office to prevent accidents⌠but that wasnât it.
The manâs voice was oddly quiet, barely carrying over the phone.
Pretending to listen to music through his earphones, Sabaki discreetly aimed a homemade sound amplifierâsomething heâd prepared for moments like thisâtoward the man. If his hunch was right, this guy was one of them.
ââYes, yes⌠static⌠a hidden passage disguised as a sewer⌠connects outside the city⌠beyond our control⌠requesting support from the Militaryâs upper echelons⌠backup from Mass-Production Cutter⌠static⌠the extremist faction of the Society⌠the leader, the illegal stimulant Black Dope⌠her mission is to eliminate him⌠the supernatural entity believed stolen from the Corporation⌠enhanced in some way⌠termination of that supernatural weapon is also part of the missionâŚ? Yes, understood⌠âŚâŚâŚââ
The call ended.
The salaryman-like man tucked away what looked like a smartphoneâbut was clearly a specialized communication deviceâthen casually scanned his surroundings.
ââŚâŚâŚâŚâ
Sabaki kept walking, pretending he hadnât heard anything, though his heart was now pounding.
Mass-Production Cutter.
That was what the man in the lab coat had called Kizami.
âŚWas this guy part of the same organization as her? He mentioned the Military...
What should I do? Noâwhat can I do? Do I even need to do anything?
First off, that manhole is being watched. I canât just waltz in.
If theyâre calling Kizami for backup, sheâs probably stronger than this guy. But even so, heâs still one of them. It wouldnât be surprising if he had a gun hidden on him⌠no.
(Can I do itâŚ? That supernatural shortcutâlike the one from this morning⌠Right, the elevator in that building on Second Street⌠If you input a hidden command, sometimes it connects to a weird underground ruin outside the city⌠and I think the passage there leads toward this manhole⌠Last time, I ran away because it seemed dangerousâŚ)
Wait, wait, waitâhis rational mind tried to argue.
Even if he could get in, what could Sabaki possibly do?
Last time, he just got lucky.
Moribe Sabaki was just a high school student.
Sure, he was a little more athletic than average⌠but the soccer team guys were way better, and even Tanaka, the guy sitting next to him in class, was much stronger in a fight.
Someone like him, going up against the Society, extremists, illegal stimulants like Black Dopeâclearly dangerous peopleâwas out of the question.
He didnât have the strength for that.
He was just an ordinary background mob who couldnât even take down a single adult male with a gunâŚ
ââŚâŚâŚâŚâ
But first of all, he wasnât even sure if that underground facility was connected to this case.
If he checked it out and found something, he could pretend it was a coincidence and subtly pass the info to Kizami or Nijiizaka.
And if there was nothing? Well, then heâd just wasted some time.
â...5, close, 2, close-close-open-close, 4, 2, 3, 1, close, 1, 1, 1⌠there.â
The elevator doors slid open.
A dimly lit space stretched beyond. There were lights, but not enough. They only illuminated certain areas, leaving much of the surroundings shrouded in darkness.
The visible section was an underground cavern with exposed rock wallsânothing like a sewer or subway. Though he couldnât see the entire space, the sheer scale of it was clear.
âUghâŚâ
In the distance, the sound of multiple footsteps echoed.
He didnât know if it was related to what heâd overheard earlier, but⌠there were definitely people here. A lot of them.
At the very least, I should hide my face.
Sabaki pulled out his Materializer and sent a mental image into it.
(Reproduction rate 5%⌠cosplay outfit manifestation.)
A homemade suit and helmet silently materialized, covering his school uniform.
Heâd made some improvements since last timeâadded a bit more protection. âŚWell, mostly for peace of mind.
He checked the voice changer built into the helmet.
Just as he was about to move closerâ
ââHey, what are you doing there?â
âHuh!?â
He spun around.
Both of them stood in the shadows. It was too dark to see clearly, but he could make out the silhouette.
A soldier in an assault suit, wearing a full-face helmet like Sabakiâs and carrying some kind of firearm.
Sabakiâs breath caught.
But the voice that called out to him was calm. Flat. No tension.
âDidnât you hear the signal? All remaining units are to gather before the Bishop.â
ââAh, yeah⌠got it.â
The dim lighting and similar helmets worked in his favor.
It seemed heâd been mistaken for one of them.
The soldier walked ahead, stepping into the lit area, revealing his figure more clearly.
The general silhouette of his equipment was similar⌠but the design itself was different.
If Sabaki kept going like this, heâd be found outâ
(Reproduction rate 4%⌠cosplay outfit, re-manifestation.)
With this, he could tweak his current outfit to match.
Now armed with a fake gunârealistic in shape but completely non-functionalâhe moved forward.
Sabakiâs heart pounded wildly.
Other soldiers in similar equipment were gathering, but so far, no one seemed to notice anything off about him.
They entered a large hallâmore organized than the cavernous passageway before.
But the interior was far from scientific.
Dark banners hung from the walls, etched with eerie symbols. The dim lighting cast flickering shadows, and faint, ritualistic markings stained the floor.
It looked more like the sanctum of a cult than a military base.
The soldiers here werenât standing in strict formation. They clustered loosely around the center of the room, murmuring amongst themselves.
Sabaki kept his distance, positioning himself at the edgeâclose enough to observe, far enough to make a quick escape if needed.
Then, someone stepped into the center.
A tall man in priestly robes.
His face was gentle, his lips curved into a faint smile. His eyes narrowed, radiating an unsettling warmth.
Thatâs probably the Bishop.
Or maybe⌠the one behind Black Dope, that illegal stimulantâwhatever it was called.
But thenâ
Several children were led in behind him, their hands bound, their small bodies trembling.
Sabakiâs breath caught.
He recognized them.
âThey were the missing elementary school kids. The ones Nijiizaka Ameiro had been searching for earlier in the day.
(What do I doâŚ!? No, in this situation, thereâs no wayâŚ!)
Sweat poured down his back. His eyes burned.
He had no idea what to do.
As Sabaki remained frozen, the priestly man began to speak.
His voice was calm, almost soothing.
ââDo you understand now? Itâs unacceptable for children like you, with bright futures, to be locked away in the Corporationâs cramped laboratories.â
âNo⌠Iâm scared, let me goâŚâ
âYou simply possess supernatural abilities that set you apart. Thatâs something to be proud of, not something to be hidden or erased. Donât you want to be accepted by the world for who you truly are, without fear or shame?â
âHelp me, big sisterâŚ!â
Thenâ
The man reached into his robes.
A silver syringe gleamed in his hand.
âThatâs whyâyou have the right and the duty to rebel against this unjust world that oppresses you.â
Before Sabaki could even process what was happeningâ
The man moved.
Fluid. Effortless.
He pressed the syringe against a boyâs armâ
And injected the unknown liquid into his body.
"Ugh⌠gah⌠AAAAAHHHH!!!"
Right before Sabakiâs eyes, the boyâs body began to swell grotesquely.
Thick black fur sprouted from his skin, spreading rapidly like a living infection. Within moments, it covered him entirely, consuming his face until not a single trace of his human features remained. Then, with a sickening crack, two new arms burst from his sides. His limbsâboth old and newâstretched and twisted unnaturally, his entire frame bloating, contorting, shifting into something inhuman.
A monstrous fusion of bear and spider. A grotesque abomination.
"Magnificent."
The voice came from a man in a priestâs robe, watching the transformation unfold with something close to reverence.
"Today is a day to celebrate. Youâve now gained the power to seize your freedom. The previous test subjects were hardly useful in combat, but as expected, using ability users as the base makes all the difference."
"Guh⌠gah⌠g-g-giiiiiiiiâ!"
"Reproduction rate 50%âSyringe Manifestation."
A syringe materialized out of thin air. The priest plunged it into the monsterâs convulsing form.
Almost instantly, the creature stilled. A dazed calmness washed over it, like an animal drugged into submission.
The priestâs voice softened, his tone eerily gentle, as though he were truly concerned for the boy. But beneath the warmth lay a commandâan order, absolute and inescapable.
"Kill the intruders heading down the corridor."
With a ground-shaking rumble, the beast obeyed, its heavy steps fading as it lumbered into the darkness.
Behind them, the remaining children whimpered, tears streaking their dirt-stained faces. The priest turned toward them, placing a finger to his lips.
"Now, now⌠Thereâs no need to cry."
His smile was almost fatherly.
"I know it must be hard to play with someone that size. Youâd rather talk to him normally, wouldnât you? Here⌠I have one dose of the antidote. If youâre good children, youâll know what to do."
A hand clenched. Leather gloves groaned under the strain.
"I would have preferred to have that Electrocution girl cooperate as well⌠the one who fried herself like a hunted dog. But since we failed to rescue her from the Corporation, thereâs nothing to be done."
The priest exhaled, as though the matter were merely a mild inconvenience.
"Itâll take some time to prepare the next batch of the elixir. Keep the children hiddenâsomewhere far away. Two guards should suffice. The Military will likely attack soon, and Iâd rather allocate personnel there."
With that, he turned and left, taking several soldiers with him. The rest began to disperse.
A few stayed behind, murmuring among themselves before two of them grabbed the children and led them awayâtoward a cell, most likely.
"âŚâŚâŚ"
I should run.
Nowâs my best chance.
Iâd already infiltrated deeper than I ever intended. Staying any longer would be a death sentence.
Iâve accomplished my original goal.
Iâve confirmed what I needed to.
All thatâs left is to contact Nishizaki. That should be enough.
Once I do, the Military or the Corporation will send their combat units, and theyâll rescue the children. Just providing a direct route to the enemyâs base is already a significant contribution.
After all, Moribe Saibaki has no obligation to do anything more.
Butâ
"Thereâs only one dose of the antidote⌠and itâll take time to prepare the next batch of the elixir⌠but will that be after the children are already savedâŚ?"
âŚ
I have to do it, donât I?
I donât know if I can.
It might be completely meaningless.
Maybe I just donât want to blame myself later.
Even if I try, it might all end up being for nothing.
Maybe itâs fine to run away for reasons like that.
But even soâ
"If that guy⌠if Kizami isnât running away from things like this⌠if heâs still trying his bestâŚ"
Then I should too.
If Moribe Saibaki truly wants to understand Toki Kizamiâs feelingsâ
Even if Iâm just a background character, a disposable pawn whoâll meet ruin if I get too closeâ
I have to do everything I can.
I start walking, forcing my breath to stay even as I move toward where the children were taken. I keep my steps slow, careful not to draw attentionâ
Then, the world erupts into chaos.
Explosions shake the underground cavern. The sharp crackle of energy pierces the air. Screams echo down the corridors.
The Militaryâs Materializer users have launched an assault.
Kizami has arrived.
I have no proof, but I know it.
This is my chance.
I break into a sprint. Deep in the underground complex, past twisting corridors, I find a simple iron doorâtoo crude to even call it a cell. Two guards stand in front of it.
I donât slow down.
"Whatâs goingâ"
"The bishop is calling for you! One of you, go immediately! He wants to ask about the childrenâs condition! Iâll take over in the meantime!"
My heart pounds so hard it drowns out the sounds of battle.
The two guards exchange a brief, uncertain look. Then, to my relief, one of them leaves, stepping away from his post.
The key remains.
One left.
The tension is suffocating.
Can I keep this act up long enough?
The remaining guard glances at me, sensing my nervous energy.
"Donât be so tense. I get that the attack has everyone on edge, but weâve got the bishop on our side. Thereâs no way theyâll make it this far."
"Y-yeah⌠but what if they target this place directly�"
"Unlikely. All the direct routes are sealed off. Even if theyâve figured out the path to this base, no organization actually knows the exact location yet."
"âŚWhat about warp-based supernatural areas? Isnât that a concern?"
"Youâre such a worrier. Sure, those can connect by chance, but those kinds of supernatural phenomena take years of research to pinpoint, and even then, most are impractical. No organization has a firm grasp on them, and worrying about such low-probability scenarios is justâ"
Click.
The cold muzzle of a gun presses against the guardâs head.
"Thatâs a relief to hear⌠Drop your weapon. Take off your armor. If I see you making any suspicious moves, Iâll shoot."
"W-what theâŚ!?"
"Didnât you hear me? Hurry up."
"Tch⌠damn it, fine! I dropped it! I took it off! Nowâ"
Thud!
My fist crashes into his jaw, cutting off his words.
âŚIn an ideal world, that punch wouldâve knocked him out instantly.
But reality isnât that kind.
What follows is a messy, brutal brawl.
The guard is stronger than expectedâyears of experience over raw power. Saibaki barely holds his own, relying on quick thinking, dirty tactics, and sheer desperation. He manages to gain the upper hand thanks to his initial strike and the difference in equipment.
Finally, with one last heavy blow, the man slumps to the ground, unconscious.
"Ugh⌠damn, this is what it takes to take down an unarmed old guy�"
The inside of his helmet is slick with blood, warm liquid pooling around his chin from a nosebleed. Itâs disgusting.
Shaking off the dizziness, he grabs the keys and jams them into the iron door.
Thereâs a slight flinch from the other side.
Sensing their fear, Saibaki de-materializes his disguise, returning to his normal appearance.
"âŚAre you okay?"
"W-whoâs there!?"
"Donât worry. Iâm here to help you⌠no, to find you. Here."
He pulls out the flyer from Nishizaki and holds it up.
The moment they see it, the tension eases. They recognize it. They trust it.
After that, things go smoothly.
"Alright, letâs go together. I know a route that should keep us hidden, but we need to be carefulâ"
"âŚWhat about Tatchan?"
Saibaki freezes.
"âŚYou mean that boy who got injected with that weird drug?"
The children begin talking all at once.
About Tatchan.
How kind he is. How good of a kid he is.
How much he means to them.
How desperately they want him to be saved.
"âŚYouâve got to be kidding me."
Thatâs impossible.
No matter how you look at it, this is already pushing the limit.
Going any further would be suicide.
Thereâs a difference between risking your life and throwing it away.
The best course of action is to calm the kids down and get them to safety.
"UghâŚ"
Boom.
A deep rumble shakes the underground cavern.
Theyâre fighting.
Probably Kizami against that man in the priestâs robeâŚ
Or maybeâ
Kizami against Tatchan.
The boy these kids are so worried about.
No. Itâs not just them.
Nishizaki is worried too.
I remember how Kizami looked earlier todayâhow happy he was talking to Nishizaki.
âŚIf Kizami keeps fighting like this⌠If he ends up killing Tatchan with no way to avoid itâŚ
And if Nishizaki finds outâŚ
If Kizami finds outâŚ
If that happens, thenâŚ
Moribe Saibaki wonât be able to do anything.
But right nowâ
I did say Iâd help if things got badâŚ
Thereâs nothing more Saibaki can do alone.
No matter how much an ordinary person struggles, thereâs no way they can solve something on this level.
But even soâŚ
If he can just help the one person who canâ
Then maybe⌠just maybeâŚ
He can still make a difference.
The Supernatural Protection Association, commonly known as the Society, was founded to protect persecuted supernatural beings. A mutual aid organization built on solidarity, it once stood as a beacon of hope.
Like the Military and the Corporation, it was born from noble ideals.
But as it grew, so did the rot within.
Now, in a grand hall adorned with occult symbolsâa space devoid of any trace of scienceâa man in a priestâs robe places a crystal ball onto a pedestal.
His name is Illicit Stimulant Black Dope.
The crystal ball hums with power. Light flares from within, forming a projection in the air.
A magical hologram.
Focusing on his will, Black Dope watches a distant battlefield unfold.
"I see⌠Mass-Production Cutter."
A massive, monstrous spider, shrouded in thick black fur, rampages through the scene.
Facing it stands a hooded girl with cherry-blossom-colored hair.
"She wasnât supposed to be that high-ranking in the Corporation, yet sheâs proving tougher than expected."
His voice remains calm, almost admiring.
The image flickersâthe girl hesitates. Even as a soldier of the Military, she holds back, unwilling to kill the rampaging creature before her.
Black Dope smiles.
"How kind."
He shifts his gaze to a nearby soldier.
"Go and persuade her."
The soldier stiffens.
"Make it clear that the boy is still very much human, even in this state. If necessary, enlist the children. Let them plead for their friendâs lifeâ"
His smile remains gentle, unwavering.
"If she insists on following the Militaryâs principles after that⌠well, weâll simply have to accept it."
There is no malice in his tone. No doubt in his words.
The soldiers nod, unquestioning.
Just as the radical faction of the Society moves to carry out his ordersâ
A soldier bursts into the hall, panting heavily.
"B-Bishop! Another attack! Following the Military, the Corporation is launching an assault!"
Black Dope frowns slightly.
"Hmm⌠Troublesome. Are they here to reclaim the children? No matter. Weâll redirect Mass-Production Cutter toward them. The Military and the Corporation are like cats and dogs. If we stir things up, theyâll turn on each otherâ"
"N-no, thatâs not it!"
The soldier's voice cracks.
"Theyâre coming directly! The Corporation is coming directly here!"
What?
Before Black Dope can even process the wordsâ
CRACK.
A fracture splits across the cavernâs ceiling.
A deafening roar fills the hall.
Thenâ
A torrent of water surges down like a waterfall from the heavens, flooding the chamber in an instant.
The hall drowns in a surging deluge, sweeping away the soldiers in an instant.
âWhoaâ! I knew it would hit, but to take out the base so cleanlyâŚ!â
Amid the cascading water, a figure descendsâa sleek combat suit clinging to her form, a transparent water spear in hand.
A blue-haired girl lands gracefully, her visor concealing her features.
Rainy Arts, the Water Quality Investigator.
ââŚI see. So, the Corporation sent one of their top operatives.â
Despite taking a direct hit from the water assault, Illicit Stimulant Black Dope remains unscathed.
Annoyed yet amused, he shakes off his soaked priestâs robe, his gaze calmly fixed on Rainy ArtsâNishizaki Ameiro.
Though her eyes are hidden, tension crackles in the air. She grits her teeth, her voice trembling with fury.
âGive Tatchan backâŚ!â
âGive him back?â Black Dope chuckles. âHumans arenât objects. You Corporation types always treat supernatural beings like research materialâitâs a nasty habit.â
âShut up!â
Her spear morphs into a razor-thin water cutter, slicing toward him in a blur.
Butâ
âToo slow.â
âWhat!?â
Black Dope moves with impossible agility, dodging effortlessly before closing the gap.
In a heartbeat, heâs in front of her, three syringe-like claws stabbing forward.
âTchâH2O Manifestation!â
A jet of water erupts beneath her feet.
She barely evades, skidding backward to regain distance.
Black Dope smirks. âAs I thought. You wield a spear, but close combat isnât your strength.â
âYouâŚ!â
She retaliates with a flurry of thrusts, fast and relentless.
Any ordinary person would be skewered a dozen times over.
But Black Dope doesnât even flinch.
âLetâs kick things up a notch.â He raises his hand. âReproduction rate 550%âReaction Enhancement Ampule Manifestation.â
His syringes fill with a new drug.
Without hesitation, he injects himself.
âToo fastâ!?â
âIf you want to catch me, youâll need a strike I donât see coming. You shouldâve finished me with your first move.â
The tide shifts.
Nishizaki barely dodges as Black Dope launches a relentless barrage of strikes. Thenâa solid hit to her side.
âGuhâŚ! N-not yetâŚ!â
âYouâre holding up better than I expected,â Black Dope muses. âBut are you sure you can afford to focus just on me?â
A familiar sound rings outâ
The metallic clatter of guns being cocked.
The soldiers, recovered from the water blast, now have their weapons trained on her.
â...Damn it.â
Nishizaki curses under her breath.
This is bad. She could handle the soldiers aloneâbut Black Dope is on an entirely different level.
Right now, sheâs barely keeping up. Every ounce of her focus is locked on surviving. Thereâs no room for anything else.
Retreat? No. Thereâs no time to hesitate.
And while she wavers for a split second, the number of guns aimed at her only increases.
âAre you alright, Bishop!?â
âAs you can see, Iâm fine.â Black Dope brushes off the concern with a composed smile. âI could handle this alone, but your support will make things quicker.â
He steps forward, shielding one of the soldiers behind himâhis demeanor that of a benevolent leader.
âB-but to have the Bishop fighting on the front linesâŚ!â
âItâs fine. Step back. Worrying about hierarchy is a waste of resources.â His voice is patient, almost indulgent. âFeel free to use me as you see fit.â
ââŚThen I wonât hold back.â
âCRACK!
The same soldier who had just voiced his concern swings his rifle full forceâright into the side of Black Dopeâs head.
âHuhâ?â
âGuh⌠whaâŚ!?â
A direct hit to the templeâa perfect surprise attack, just as Black Dope had lectured moments ago.
For the first time, one of the Societyâs top operatives is caught off guard.
The soldierâs uniform shifts, morphing into a jet-black protective suit. He turns to Nishizaki and shoutsâ
âRainy Arts! Nowâs your chance!â
âEhâah! Got it!â
Whoosh!
A torrent of water erupts.
The water cutter strikes true, piercing through Black Dopeâs torso and launching him down the corridor beyond the hall.
âDid we get him!?â
âNo, not yet! That wonât be enoughâ!â
Gunfire erupts as the soldiers scramble to react. The sudden betrayal has thrown them into disarray.
âThis is bad! Do something!â
âOn it!â
A swirling barrier of water rises around Nishizaki, shielding both of them from the incoming bullets.
âYou think you can handle them and him at the same time!?â
âI can deal with the soldiers, but himââ Nishizaki grits her teeth. Then, she hesitates. âWaitâwho even are you!? Whatâs your affiliation!?â
âNo time for that. Focus.â
âTchâfine, if youâre a Materializer, tell me what constructs and tactics work best against him! I can adapt if we work togetherââ
âThen cover me. Iâll keep him busy. Donât let anyone through here.â
âWaitâhey! Listen to me!â
The black-masked figure vanishes down the corridor.
(If heâs going to hold him off, that makes things easierâ!)
Nishizaki swings her water spear.
A sweeping attack eruptsâa flood prioritizing suppression over raw penetration, drowning the battlefield in sheer volume.
The torrent engulfs the soldiers. Some manage to brace against it, but others are thrown off balance, momentarily stunned.
âReproduction rate 30%âAdhesive Shape-Memory Liquid!â
Liquid bullets fire toward those left exposed.
Upon impact, the fluid morphs, twisting into a viscous, slime-like restraint that locks them in place.
A few more calculated strikes, a few more expertly timed countersâjust as she claimed, Nishizaki Ameiro neutralizes the remaining soldiers with ease.
ââAnd thatâs the last one!â
Minimal effort. Minimal exhaustion. The battlefield is hers.
(Alright! I need to hurry and help that black-masked guyâ!)
She pivots sharply, ready to sprint down the corridor.
âBut the air trembles with a sharp, ear-splitting crack.
The walls groan. Thenâ
BOOM!
Stone shatters. Rubble explodes outward.
A monstrous figure is flung through the crumbling wall, its massive body colliding against the ground with a sickening thud.
A spider-like creature, its hulking frame shrouded in black fur.
âGuh⌠g-gii⌠iiâŚâ
Nishizakiâs breath catches. Her eyes widen in horror.
âTatchanâ!?â
Even as a supernatural being, heâs never looked like this. His grotesque, distorted form reeks of unnatural enhancement.
The Societyâs elixirâno doubt. Theyâve forced his abilities beyond their natural limits.
Yet despite his terrifying appearance, heâs struggling. His legs tremble, his body swaysâheâs hurt. Badly.
And thenâ
Footsteps. Slow, deliberate.
A figure emerges from the settling dust.
Theyâre unsteady, breath heavy. But theyâre still standing, still armedâa blade glinting in their grip.
âWait! Listen to me! Right now, heâs just being forced into this state by the Societyâs elixir! This kid isââ
The haze clears.
Nishizakiâs words falter.
Her pulse spikes.
The figure before herâa pale-faced girl clad in a torn military jacket and a sleeveless combat dressâ
A face she knows. A name she canât forget.
ââŚMass-Production Cutter⌠no, Toki KizamiâŚ!?â
âIt seems the diversion worked⌠The Military and the Corporation are now at each otherâs throats.â
Illicit Stimulant Black Dope murmurs, watching the unfolding battle through the crystal ball in his hand.
âMass-Production Cutter, Rainy Arts, and that boy⌠A perfect three-way struggle. None of them have the upper hand. Theyâre wearing each other down.â
Nishizakiâs earlier attack had barely fazed him.
Now, he stands completely at ease, speaking casually to the black-masked figure beside him.
âJudging by your cooperation with Rainy Arts, I assume youâre also with the Corporation? Are you sure you can afford to waste time like this? At this rate, youâll all tear each other apart⌠and Iâll be the one reaping the rewards.â
ââŚShut up.â
The black-masked figure steps forward.
âIâll take you down myself. With this.â
He brandishes a wooden sword, its surface glowing faintly.
Despite its makeshift appearanceâstill adorned with cheap plastic decorationsâit has been hastily modified, now embellished with feather-like ornaments.
Then, with a flick of his wristâ
Nearly ten identical swords materialize, forming a slow, ominous orbit around him.
But itâs all a bluff.
Beneath the full-face helmet and protective suit, sweat drips down his face. His breathing is uneven. His hands tremble.
His voice quivers ever so slightly.
Yet the helmet and the voice modulator mask his panic just enough to keep the illusion intact.
Black Dopeâs smile remains steady.
âThen come at me. Staying on the defensive wonât get you anywhere.â
ââŚArenât you the one whoâs stalling, Illicit Stimulant Black Dope?â
A faint click of the tongue.
Behind that composed expression, irritation flickers.
(Tch⌠If heâd just charged at me, I could analyze that bizarre weapon. But as things stand, I canât risk touching it carelessly.)
His opponentâs movements arenât particularly remarkable.
Yet even Black Dope hesitates.
Materializer users are always a threat.
Most belong to elite organizations. The few who donât? Theyâre outliersârogues who have stolen their power from the best.
(No trace of the supernatural⌠His movements are light, so the weapon isnât particularly heavy. Itâs not designed for simple slashing or brute force. Given his ties to the Corporation, itâs likely a scientifically engineered weapon. But⌠thereâs no heat. If it were a high-temperature blade or a laser, I could regenerate instantly. But if itâs something more insidiousâradiation, electromagnetic interferenceâmy drugs might not be enough to counter it.)
Black Dope specializes in close combat, enhancing his body with stimulants to push past human limits. But distance? Thatâs his weakness.
Sure, he can throw syringes.
But against a trained Materializer user? Useless.
His gaze flicks to the crystal ball in his hand. The projected battle in the hall is shifting.
Rainy Arts is gaining the upper hand.
Mass-Production Cutterâs movements are sluggish, her strikes lacking precisionâlikely the result of exhaustion from fighting through waves of soldiers and monsters.
If this keeps up, Rainy Arts will secure victory.
The black-masked figure knows this. Heâs stalling. Buying time until she can join him.
Once she does, theyâll turn their focus on Black Dope.
Even if one of them is spent, two elite Materializer users togetherâŚ
Black Dope would still hold the advantage. But thereâs a risk. A slim chance. And thatâs enough to be a problem.
If waiting means dealing with an unknown weapon, then maybeâ
He should strike first.
The instant that thought takes shapeâ
â...Here we go.â
"!?"
One of the glowing swords shoots forward.
But its target isnât Black Dopeâ
(âThe ceiling!? No, this isâ!)
Shatter!
The overhead lights explode, plunging the corridor into darkness.
The black-masked figure vanishes into the shadows, leaving only the faint glow of the floating swords.
Thenâ
The swords scatter.
âA transparent trickâŚ!â
Black Dope narrows his focus. The only thing guiding him now is soundâthe sharp whoosh of blades slicing through the air.
(I see⌠The plan was to show the glowing swords first, then summon invisible ones for a surprise attack! But his obsession with decorations gave him away. Even in the dark, I can track them by sound!)
He dodges instinctively, weaving between the unseen strikes.
The chaotic barrage continuesâuntil the swords abruptly stop.
âA crude strategy for an agent⌠So, whatâs next? If youâve got another trick, show meâ âŚâŚâŚâŚ âŚâŚâŚâŚ.?â
His vision slowly adjusts to the dark.
And thatâs when he realizes.
The black-masked figure is gone.
ââŚWhat?â
Hiding? Noâthereâs nowhere to conceal himself in this corridor.
Ran away? Used the chaos of the flying swords to mask his retreat? But why?
Even if he regrouped with the others, it would just turn the battle into a two-on-two-on-one. The odds wouldnât change significantly.
Unlessâ
ââŚNo way.â
His hand darts to his pocket.
The antidoteâgone.
âFrom the very beginningâŚ!â
I desperately dodge the barrage of water attacks closing in on me.
My body wonât move the way I want it to. My reactions are sluggish. Several strikes graze me, tearing into my skin, blood splattering against the corridor walls.
âPlease, stopâŚ! You helped me search earlier today, didnât you!? You canât do this⌠You shouldnât do this!â
But the real pain doesnât come from the attacks.
Itâs her words.
Words spoken out of genuine concern.
I hurriedly re-materialize my torn hood, but itâs too late. The damage is done.
She knows.
The names Mass-Production Cutter and Toki Kizami are now linked in her mindâfirmly, unshakably.
âB-but even soââ
âI know itâs the Militaryâs mission! But this isnât for you! You canât keep doing this! Iâve seen itâso many timesâduring missions⌠Even someone like me, just watching from the sidelines, can tell how kind you are!â
âUgh⌠ahâŚâ
I barely dodge the shape-memory liquid bullets she fires to pin me down.
Iâm not even thinking anymore. My body is moving on instinct, fighting purely on muscle memory.
But I canât keep this up.
My back hits the cold wall of the corridor.
Nowhere left to run.
Another attack surges toward meâundeniable, unavoidable.
But thenâ
The rampaging boy intervenes.
Even in his monstrous, mindless state, some part of him seems to grasp the balance of the battle. If one side falls too soon, heâll be left vulnerable.
And so, this unbearable fight drags on.
âIf itâs come to this, Iâll drag you away by forceâŚ! I wonât let you stay in this world of fighting! Because youâre kind⌠and youâre just⌠youâre just a normal girl⌠the kind you can find anywhereâŚ!â
âAh⌠ah⌠aaaaaahâ!!!â
No.
I donât want that.
I canât accept that.
I donât want to give up because Iâm not suited for this. Because I canât do it. Because itâs too much.
Because Iâm just ordinary.
I havenât atoned yet.
I havenât repaid my debts.
I havenât made up for my sins.
If I lose this fightâif I stop hereâitâs over.
Memories from my past life flood my mind. The careless words were spoken to me as I lay dying:
"Youâll get better soon."
"Letâs hang out again."
"Iâll visit you as much as I can."
Those voicesâthose empty reassurancesâecho now in my own voice. Toki Kizamiâs voice.
Replaying over and overâ
âUgh⌠gii⌠aaaaaaaahâ!!!â
The mental strain takes shape.
A sickly, shocking pink glow erupts from my back, stretching out into something like wings, dripping like blood.
The incoming water attack begins to dissolve upon contactâ
âBut then.
Something happens.
ââHuh?â
A figure steps in front of me.
A pitch-black coat. A full-face helmet. A glowing sword in hand.
The protagonist stands before me.
The water attack that was about to strike meâstopped.
âY-youâŚ!â
âHah⌠hahâŚâ Heâs breathing heavily. âI get how you feel, but thatâs enough⌠Rainy Arts.â
His voice is deeper than it was in the games. Deeper than in the anime.
He pulls a vial from his coat and holds it up.
âItâs an antidote⌠for the rampaging state. Thereâs only one dose. Hurry. Restrain him.â
âYou stole itâŚ!? What about Illicit Stimulant Black Dope!? Did you⌠defeat himâŚ?â
âNot yet.â He turns his helmet toward me.
âThatâs whyââ
I stop breathing.
My chest tightens. My heart pounds. My face burns. A surge of emotions rushes through meâtoo many to understand.
âIâI got it!â
I shout, and before I even realize it, Iâm sprinting.
My body feels weightless. My feet hit the ground faster than ever, propelling me forward.
âWaitâŚ! She canât take him on aloneâ!â
Nishizakiâs voice calls out behind me.
But I donât hear her.
My heart is racing. My legs wonât stop.
Iâm already gone.
Somehow, somehow, somehowâall the pain is gone.
All of it.
âMass-Production CutterâŚ! You underestimate me. To think youâd come at me with the same strength that struggled against Rainy ArtsâŚâ
Itâs as though the weight of everythingâthe pain, the heaviness in my heartâhas been expelled.
âDamage BulletâPain Damage Shoot.â
All the damage Iâve taken materializes.
A sword-like extension of light forms in my right hand, glowing with a vivid rose-red intensity, burning as though alive.
With a single upward swing, the heavens and earth split.
An explosion of crimson light erupts.
A tremor shakes the ground beneath me, the underground facility quaking like itâs about to collapse.
The ceiling cracks open, revealing a sliver of the starry sky above.
Illicit Stimulant Black Dopeâs body is sent flying, his form reduced to a twitching, barely breathing mess from just that one strike.
âYou were⌠this strong all alongâŚâ
Nishizaki murmurs softly, cradling the boy who has returned to his original form, breathing gently in his sleep.
âŚOriginally, my mission was to eliminate him. To end this boy who had been twisted into a supernatural weapon by the Society, but nowâŚ
âYour mission was to âterminate the supernatural weapon enhanced by the Society,â right? This boy isnât that anymore.â
His words land with the weight of truth. Heâs absolutely right.
Wait⌠how does he know that? But then again, it makes sense. Heâs the protagonist, after all.
âWeâll retreat for today⌠but still, youâŚâ
She starts to speak, but her voice falters. She shakes her head, as though swallowing her thoughts, and then mutters something under her breath.
ââŚNo, itâs fine for now. Weâll talk properly next time! See you!â
With that, she walks off, leaving me standing there.
Now itâs just the two of us. The Militaryâs cleanup crew will likely be here soon, but for now, the silence is almost suffocating.
What should I do? What should I say? Thanks to the combat dress, I manage to keep my usual cheerful demeanor, but even with that, the words just wonât come. And, wait⌠my tone just now sounded exactly like Nishizakiâs.
As I hesitate, I notice him turning to walk away.
âW-wait!â
I rush to him, and this time, Iâm definitely faster than before.
âUm, thank you! For today, and for before! Iâm really grateful, so please, let me do something to repay youâŚ!â
âAh, no⌠Itâs fine. I didnât do it for that. And you donât need to use formal speech. Weâre about the same age, after all.â
âOh, r-reallyâŚ? Then Iâll drop the formal speech, but still, let me thank you properly! Oh, and tell me your name! Letâs meet up again sometime!? I-Iâll do anything I can, okay!?â
I take his hand, pulling it closer to my chest. I can feel him fluster slightly through his mask.
âN-noâI mean, I really didnât do much.â
âThatâs not true! I donât know what wouldâve happened to me if you hadnât been here. You worked so hard to help me, and youâre saying itâs no big dealâ?â
ââYouâre the one who worked hard.â
His hand moves gently to rest on my head, giving it a soft pat.
âHuhâŚ?â
âI just helped a little. Not everyone can fight like you do. Whether I was here or not doesnât matter. Youâre amazing. I really mean that from the bottom of my heart.â
âEhâŚâ
Tears well up in the corners of my eyes.
Iâm happy. So happy, but I canât stop the tears from coming. What is this feeling?
I need to say something, but the emotions are overwhelming. My thoughts are a jumbled mess.
âAh, um, I, uh, wellââ
He waves his hand, signaling the end of the conversation, and turns to leave.
Just as Iâm about to lose my composure and tear up, something happens.
ââWatch out!â
â!?â
I swat the syringe flying toward him, but it grazes the pocket of his suit, tearing it open.
Itâs just a scratch, but blood sprays, splattering onto my combat dress.
âThis guy⌠he just wonât give up!â
I slam the hilt of my utility knife into Illicit Stimulant Black Dope, whoâs still half-buried in the rock, knocking him unconscious.
This time, I make sure to properly restrain him, tying him up tightly so he canât move.
âWait, this⌠ugh, seriouslyâŚ!â
But thenâheâs gone.
It seems he used the chaos to slip away.
I scan the area, eyes darting across every corner, and activate the Militaryâs detection devices. Still, thereâs no sign of him.
Whatever he used, he managed to vanish in that brief moment.
I sigh, frustration creeping in.
I shouldâve at least asked for his nameâŚ
âHuh?â
Something catches my attentionâan object fluttering in the air in front of me.
Snap. I grab it mid-air.
In my hand is a familiar sticky note.
âEh⌠Moribe-kun?â
Itâs the same note I wrote earlier today, the one labeled âPlan C.â The one I stuck on the flyer and handed to him.
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