"Aaaaaaah━!!"
The scream gradually drew closer.
And.
Boom boom boom boom boom━!!
The colossal vibrations grew louder as well.
As the tremors, large enough to be mistaken for an earthquake, intensified, we all realized what they were.
"It's not an earthquake…."
"W-what is it?"
Edric's murmur and Sierra's flustered voice.
I knew its identity, and Chris was glued to my back in a panic, so she said nothing.
A short while later.
"Help meeeee!!"
The source of the scream appeared before us.
It emerged from the corner directly ahead on the path we were taking.
The person frantically running out from there was, of course, an academy student.
He clutched the practical training's objective, a gem, tightly in his hand and ran towards us.
"What's wrong? Why isn't he using his bracelet?"
Sierra questioned his actions, and I replied.
"He has the gem. He can't return while holding the gem."
"Ah, right."
It was to prevent cheating, such as using the bracelet to return immediately after obtaining a gem.
"But what is he being chased by…?"
Sierra's question followed.
The answer to her question appeared immediately, not long after.
Boom boom boom boom boom━!
"Wooooooah━!!"
"W-what is that…."
"What do you mean, what is it━! We need to run too!"
At the sight of the giant monster that appeared, Sierra's body froze for a moment.
I grabbed her and Chris's hands and started running in the opposite direction.
"W-wait!! Come with me!!"
Edric frantically chased after us.
'As expected, it appeared.'
"Wooooooah━!!"
What appeared was this dungeon's boss monster, referred to as a boss monster in the game.
Its enormous body filled the interior of the cave-type dungeon.
With that body, the creature charged through the narrow cave, seemingly crawling on all fours.
It was a large monster resembling a bison, called Gramos.
"Kyaaaah━!!"
"Woooooah!!"
CRASHHHH━!!
Thuuud…!
Immediately after we turned a corner at the end of the path we were running along, Gramos charged and slammed its face into the wall.
Thanks to this, the earthquake-like vibrations reverberated even more loudly throughout the dungeon.
"O-oh no, what do we do, what do we do, what do we do━!!"
Sierra, looking back, yelled, her eyes wide open as I had never seen before.
"Just run! There's a large passage just a little further!"
I yelled at Sierra and led the group in one direction.
At the same time, I tightly gripped Chris's arm, who was following behind me.
"Woooooah!!"
Gramos didn't stop after hitting its head; it was still chasing us.
The student who had been chased earlier seemed to have disappeared, perhaps having taken another detour.
Or maybe he abandoned the gem and used his bracelet to return.
'Looks like we're almost there.'
And I prepared myself as the exit of the narrow passage, a large passage, drew near.
"Wooooooah━!!"
Gramos appearing in this joint practical training was consistent in all playthroughs.
Even the student being chased was the same.
It was probably that student who woke the sleeping beast while searching for the gem.
Anyway.
Since encountering Gramos was the same in all playthroughs,
I was familiar with all of its behavior patterns.
And.
"Scatter━!!"
The moment we broke out of the narrow passage into the large one.
I yelled that, dodging in the opposite direction from Sierra and Edric.
Then I hugged Chris, who I was holding, and rolled on the ground.
"Ugh…!"
"Kyaaaah━!!"
At that,
"Wooooooaaah━!!!"
Thud-thud-thud-thud-thud!
CRASHHH!!
Gramos, who had burst out of the passage we just exited, didn't stop and slammed its head into the opposite wall.
Gramos stopped moving after hitting the wall.
However.
Rummmble….
"Kyaa! What is it this time?!"
Due to the monster's impact on the wall, ominous vibrations continued to echo through the large passage.
Rummmble….
As soon as I heard that sound, I yelled to Sierra and Edric on the other side.
"Run to the opposite side!"
"What?"
"Don't ask questions, just run to the opposite side━!!"
"Ah, alright!"
After yelling, I also picked up the fallen Chris and sprinted in the opposite direction from Sierra.
"Emil…."
Chris, held in my arms, looked up at me with strange eyes.
Her face seemed relieved, but unfortunately, it was too soon for relief.
Rummmble━!!
The vibrations echoing inside the passage grew even louder.
'It's coming…!'
And as planned.
CRACKLE-CRUMBLE━!!
The ceiling began to collapse, burying the entire area under piles of rocks.
***
Rummble….
The swirling dust and fading vibrations.
"Cough! Chris…. Are you okay?"
"I'm okay…. You?"
"I'm not hurt either."
After checking Chris's condition, I looked around.
'This is the same as before.'
We were neatly surrounded by rock piles.
It looked exactly like an arena made of boulders.
Was this really an event that happened in the original game?
I didn't recall it, but the scenery was identical to the 4th playthrough, which made me suspicious.
'The rock piles neatly avoided us, centered around the two of us, too.'
Of course, I knew the location where the rock piles wouldn't fall because I had experienced the 4th playthrough.
It was a coincidence back then, but this time, I intentionally threw myself into this spot.
"This is bad, we're blocked off."
"Yeah."
Chris, who was looking around with me, said that.
"Nothing we can do…. Use the bracelet to return…. Uh, uh oh?"
"...."
"My bracelet…."
A magical escape tool provided by the academy for safety.
The bracelet was not on her wrist.
Of course, it wasn't on mine either.
"It seems it came off when we plunged in."
"I guess so…."
Chris assented to my words and nodded.
"Th-they'll come soon, right?"
She then quietly moved closer to me and sat down on the ground with me.
"If Sierra and Edric are safe, they'll definitely call the professors, so don't worry."
"Yeah, you're right…."
She hugged her knees and glanced at me.
Her cheeks were slightly flushed, as if she was conscious of being alone with me.
"But are you okay?"
"Uh, w-what?"
"About the dark places. You don't like places like this."
"Ah…."
At my question, Chris's eyes darted around in a flustered manner before she finally looked at the ground and carefully opened her mouth.
"I think… I'm okay."
"Really? You seemed to have a really hard time last time."
"Back then, I was alone…, and it was darker than now…. And…"
Chris's cheeks flushed faintly as she glanced at me.
"E-Emil is with me…, so I guess I feel a bit more at ease…."
At her honest words, I let out a small laugh.
"That's good."
"...."
And for a moment, we were silent.
I considered saying something more but quickly stopped myself.
'It's almost time for it to begin.'
I just waited for the start of the main event that would soon occur, tightly gripping the hilt of my sword.
Just then.
"Um, Emil…."
Perhaps the silence was awkward, as Chris cautiously spoke.
"Hiss hiss hiss hiss━!!"
At the same time, a sound that wasn't from either of us came from the surroundings.
"There's something…."
Hearing that sound, I stood up as if I had been waiting.
"Emil…?"
Chris tilted her head, looking puzzled by my sudden movement.
And.
Whoosh━!!
"Kyaaaah━!!"
Chris screamed in surprise as I suddenly swung my sword.
Normally, she wouldn't be so startled, but in the dark, she was utterly like a child.
"M-monster…?"
But she quickly collected herself and then realized why I had swung my sword.
A severed corpse lying on the ground.
A bat-shaped monster that fed on blood.
"Chris."
"Uh, uh…?"
I looked at Chris, who was sitting, and said quietly.
"Get up and stick behind me."
"What…?"
And after those words.
Kiiiiiaaah━!!
Hiss hiss hiss!!
Hee-kyahhh━!
Various types of monster cries echoed around the rock piles.
'Ah…. This is going to hurt again….'
I recalled the last 4th playthrough and secretly wore a tired expression, hidden from Chris.
The last 4th playthrough.
At that time, I was genuinely devoted to Chris, so I fought as if my life didn't matter.
But now it was different.
I didn't particularly want to risk my life for her now.
In fact, if I were truly going to die, I even thought it would be fine to abandon her and run away.
However.
I had to fight.
'Alright, come on….'
Everything was…
"Emil…."
To complete Chris's capture.
***
"E-Emil━!!"
"Ugh…!"
Chris cried out to Emil, her face filled with terror.
Because a moment ago, a snake-shaped monster had bitten his wrist.
"Chris━! Don't move!"
"But…!"
Slash!
"Gasp…, gasp…."
Emil severed the snake that had bitten his wrist with his sword and violently tore its fangs from his arm.
Drip drip….
Another wound on his wrist began to bleed.
But that wasn't the only injury.
Arms and legs, waist and chest, even his nape and face.
Emil's condition, covered in minor wounds, could hardly be called unharmed, even at best.
Only his back.
The back protecting Chris was clean, without a single wound.
"I-I too…! I'll fight too…! Emil…!"
"Stop, it's okay, just hide. Chris…."
"But…!"
Tremble tremble tremble tremble….
Seeing Emil battered and bruised to protect her, Chris drew her sword and held it in her hand.
'Why now, of all times…!'
But her hand trembled with fear, unable to move properly.
Why was that?
Was it the sudden smell of blood?
She vividly recalled the moment she was in the closet when she was about ten years old.
That's why she wanted to help, but couldn't.
"Gulp━!"
"Kiiieeeek!!"
Slash!
If she stepped forward now, she might only hinder Emil.
"Don't worry…. Chris…."
Emil cut down a centipede-shaped monster that had charged at him and called out to her, breathing heavily.
Over an hour had passed since the battle began.
He was exhausted, and his eyes were unfocused.
He was in a state where he could collapse at any moment.
But.
"Because I'm here…, don't worry…."
"Emil…."
He didn't collapse; he held onto his legs, sustained only by the willpower to protect her.
Gripping the hilt of his sword with all his might.
"Hwaaaah━!!"
Whoosh━!!
He let out a battle cry like a final death rattle and swung his sword.
"Splat━!!"
A rat-shaped monster that had circled to attack Chris was cut in half with a single strike.
Thunk…!
"Gasp, gasp…."
But as if he could no longer bear it,
Emil plunged his sword into the ground and breathed heavily.
"Emil…."
Chris just watched his back, tears streaming down her face.
'He mustn't die….'
In a situation where she herself might die,
Chris was solely worried about his well-being.
'Why do I have to be like this, of all times….'
And she resented herself.
Tremble tremble tremble tremble….
At a time like this, she should overcome her trauma and help him.
If she helped him fight, he wouldn't be struggling like this.
"Sob, Emil…."
Chris looked at Emil, who was protecting her useless self, with a tear-streaked face, resenting herself.
And finally.
"Hwaaaaaah━!!"
Towards the last monster that appeared, a scorpion-shaped one.
Emil let out a great battle cry and swung his sword.
Slash━!
His sword, swung with an exhausted body, cut the monster with unbelievable sharpness.
"Cough…."
He had finally defeated all the monsters, but.
"Emil━!"
Emil also simultaneously lost his balance and collapsed.
Because he had already sustained too many injuries.
"Emil…! No…! Wake up━!"
Chris desperately called his name, watching Emil's eyes slowly close.
'Damn, this is excruciatingly difficult….'
It was a battle that lasted for an hour.
Even knowing it beforehand, it was a truly hard fight to endure.
'What state of mind was I in to do this last time….'
At least this time, I had the benefit of consistent training, easy mode, and the power of my traits.
Without even that, survival in the talentless 4th playthrough was truly a miracle.
'Anyway, with this….'
But having finally succeeded, Emil smiled faintly.
"Ch-Chris…. Are you hurt…."
And he repeated the same words he had said in the 4th playthrough to Chris.
"Sob, not, not me…. Look at your own condition…."
But Chris reacted slightly differently than in the 4th playthrough.
Back then, she had clearly said,
'Yes, sob, I'm okay…. Thank you, Emil….'
But now.
"I-is anyone there━!!"
After that, Chris laid the fallen Emil on her lap and tightly gripped his hand.
And she cried out towards the surroundings.
"Help us━!!"
Worried that Emil might die, she shouted loudly.
Disregarding the trauma rising from the darkness.
'They'll come in a bit even if she doesn't shout like that.'
But unlike Chris, Emil calmly closed his eyes.
He remembered all the steps anyway.
'Just ten more counts, and the professors will be here….'
He closed his eyes and counted silently in his mind.
"Please, sob, please help us…!!"
And at a miraculous timing from Chris's perspective.
Rummmble━!
"Here! Students are here━!!"
The academy's supervising professors appeared, their faces frantic, as they cleared away the rock piles.
'Finally…, it's over.'
Emil relaxed his body as he saw the light magic from the professors.
With this, Chris's capture was complete.
The most physically demanding capture had ended.
Feeling relieved, he was now, as an injured person, helped out of the rock piles by the professors.
However.
"What…?"
Emil could not rest yet.
"Si-Sierra is…."
While moving out of the dungeon.
Edric, who had rushed over, said that with a pale face.
"E-Emil━!!"
Immediately upon hearing those words, Emil forgot his pain, got up from the stretcher, and ran out.
He heard the voices of a flustered Chris and a professor from behind.
'Damn it━!!'
Emil just ran forward with a frantic expression.
Everything until now had been like a show, part of his plan.
But.
A real situation had unfolded.
"Emil…."
Chris stared blankly at Emil's back, her face filled with unease.