In the moonlit sea, a pathetically struggling hero and a disturbingly nihilistic woman faced off against each other.
"You… you're defiling what's meant to be a beautiful moment!!" Kara angrily spat, getting up from the sand and clenching her fists with such intensity that they turned a hot white.
"Eh? C'mon, is it really beautiful? Someone being driven to suicide… it's not beautiful. I don't think it ever can be."
Basing it off his own experience, Riley had assigned that as the truth to suicide. Not once, in all his attempts, could they ever be described as "beautiful."
"Even if it's surrounded by beauty, the act itself defiles that beauty. —In short… no, suicide… suicide is not beautiful."
Weakly lowering his arm, Riley kept both eyes open, his soft smile vanishing. He had tried to come here and show off a bit, trying to strike a heroic pose with a nice cape in the aesthetic scenery.
Yet, at the end of the day, it was an incompetent teenager trying his best to talk someone out of taking their own life.
"...Fine, then," Kara admitted. "Of course it's not beautiful. So what? Don't try to stop me. Unless you're here to repeat the other night, you'll just end up drowning. Even if you pull me out by force—you'll just end up being weak as I pull you under the water with me."
Riley nodded his head, crossing his arms as he felt the gentle breeze run over him. His blanket fluttering in the wind, he felt her words.
"That's right. You're objectively stronger than me, with your power-nullifying ability. And, I also don't want to drown. I don't think I'll ever forget the sensation of being without the air my body desperately needs."
"...Then go away. You have a family to turn to. Since you've changed your stance on it so quickly, I can only imagine that there's at least some kind of hope for you. Get therapy, maybe find a way to solve your problems. This is all I can turn to, no matter how many times you tell me there are better options."
"Mhm… yeah, I do have a family to turn to. But, Kara… I won't stop trying."
"Then you'll die with me."
Turning her back, Kara began to head out to sea. Riley gave pursuit, following behind her with his footsteps.
"Kara! I gave it thought. Y'know—your ideals. You said that, well, the world is worthless, isn't it?"
"I did."
"That's right. We all die in the end. Everything in this world is pointless. It's fleeting, worthless, vain and meaningless," Riley affirmed.
Stopping in her tracks, the water which had risen to Kara's chest ran through her. She turned around, glaring at him.
"So you agree?"
"I do. I accept that. Everything of the world is worthless. I won't argue with you there. In the end, we'll die. All of our money, our memories, our loved ones and cherished time—all of that will be inconsequential before the ultimate fate which is simply 'death.'"
"..."
A pained smile on her face, Kara snickered.
"Then if you accept that, then either come drown with me, or let me die. You're spoiling the mood."
"—That's where you're wrong."
"...?"
"This world—it's all pointless. I'm not arguing. However, when I gave it some thought. When I really did my best to consider what actually had any value in this world—I came to my conclusion."
"Oh?"
"—It's you."
His words spoken, there was a long silence. No further words spoken, the only thing the two sensed was the cold waters of the midnight sea. The gentle breeze, the sound of the waves, and the scent of the night air.
"...Me?"
"Yes, you. You, and the rest of humanity. That's what matters."
Snickering, Kara earnestly laughed as she held her hand over her mouth.
"Really? The same people that inevitably die? Yes, yes—we matter. The people in this meaningless world, who are made from stardust and return to stardust—we matter. Of course."
Not expecting to be so openly mocked, Riley's determined gaze hesitated. Glancing away, his smile wavering, Riley looked at the water.
"But, it's the truth. Human beings matter. All life matters. Yes, we inevitably die. Yes, in the end, it'll all amount to practically nothing. When the sun explodes and humanity lets out either a roar or a whimper—it'll be nothing."
Continuing, Riley looked up, seeing the stars. "But in the present, what matters isn't our pleasure, or our convenience. It's our kindness. The love of and for humanity is what makes our brief existence meaningful. And I won't stop fighting until—"
"Corny. You're just corny."
Speaking with disdain for the boy before her, Kara's half-lidded eyes reflected her malice and spite.
"—I won't be swayed by words. No matter how many times you tell me the same thing but phrase it differently, our values are too different. Go away; you're not the man I dreamed of."
Riley Woods was not a superman.
Before they met, she had envisioned him to be a living symbol for escape and relief. There was no one better than him to die with.
Unlike the human beings who could not understand her, her family who did not listen, and the other servants who did not know of the longing for death—Riley was meant to be the only one who understood her to her core.
It was the perfect death, the last bit of hope for a lifetime of despair.
Yet, Riley Woods had, time and time again, shown himself to not be the man she dreamed of. Short and below-average looking, immediately antagonistic of her, and having not been able to follow through on the imaginary promise, she had lost hope in him as a savior.
"That's…" Riley said, slightly hurt before Kara leapt into the air. With her strength which had been enhanced to even surpass most other servants, she easily soared high into the air, falling backwards through the sky.
Plunging into the abyss below, her actions had spoken for her.
—She would not be swayed with words.
Then, if that's the case…
Swallowing his spit, as Riley submerged himself deeper and deeper into the waters, that familiar sensation overtook him.
Drowning, unable to breathe, the cold water around him—it came rushing back. The horrific experience he'd had in trying to end his life, it was repeating itself bit by bit.
And yet,
I won't stop.
Absolutely, I won't stop…!
Holding onto [Hanging], Riley flew through the air, using his sixth sense to find Kara. Hovering over the water, Riley looked down.
"This world is worthless?" "None of it matters?" Maybe. But you, everyone else—I could never look at the people of this world and say that their lives are worthless.
If you won't be swayed with words, then I'll topple you over with my actions. I'll butcher your ideals to pieces; just watch me.
Breathing frantically, repeatedly, again and again—then, one large inhale. The noose drove him into the water as he flew down into the darkness.
Cold. Icy to the touch, it caused his body to immediately inhale. He forced the water out, continuously going down into the sea.
She reached her hand out to me. Even now, I don't know what I'll do with my life. Even now, I still can't imagine a future without wanting to die. Even now… even now, there's a part of me that wants to drown with you.
But, even if that's the case, I won't stop fighting. Not yet.
Surrounded by darkness, Riley lost the sensation of hearing. Only hearing the movement of water as he flew down through the sea, his sixth sense was the only one he could rely on for finding Kara.
Then, to figure out yet another layer to my abilities…
Reaching Kara, he used [Hanging] to get a general sense of where the surface was. Getting rid of hanging to use another method,
[Drowning]. Help me.
Utilizing [Drowning], Riley manipulated the water around his mouth to create a small air pocket. The water pressure was strong, however [Drowning] was able to maintain it.
Of course, having created it here, then it wasn't exactly a full breath. But, he made use of it regardless, inhaling and then reaching his hand out to grab Kara's.
If there really are other options, then I want you to take them with me.
Grabbing her hand, Riley pulled her unconscious body. She'd been gently falling down, having exhaled upon plunging into the water. Riley looked up, seeing where "up" was, as he picked her up and began to swim.
Her ability was a direct counter to Riley.
Ghira, in response to her feelings of powerlessness against her father, had given her physical strength which surpassed most servants, as well as the ability to subjugate those she idealized.
With just a mere touch, Riley's connection to Ghira was severed. No longer able to cling to [Hanging], [Bleeding], [Drowning], or even use his enhanced physical strength, he swam upwards with the woman as he held his breath.
Cold, dark, wet. A pitch-black abyss, as he waved his arms in the water, kicking his feet upwards. His right arm around Kara's waist, he continuously exerted his muscles, swimming towards the surface.
Soon enough, however, Riley's muscles fatigued. His skin and bones body was too weak to carry on through the depths of the ocean without oxygen.
Letting go of her momentarily, Riley Woods healed using his own blood. Instantly replenishing the body's muscles with oxygen, removing the lactic acid buildup of fatigue, Riley's brain had a "reset" in regards to oxygen. As if he'd just taken a full breath, Riley was able to grab hold of Kara and continue swimming.
Moving, moving. Continuously pushing upwards through the surrounding abyss of water, Riley's weaker body moved up slower and slower.
Then, he saw the light. Very faintly. He had reached a point in the water where the light was visible.
Exerting himself, his body grew weaker and weaker. He accidentally inhaled, water pouring through his throat. The fear of drowning became worse.
The sensation of drowning filled his mind once more. The pain. The gagging, the flailing of his limbs, his body screaming at him for air—it rushed back. Unable to do anything else, Riley swam upwards to save them both.
No matter what.
Heaving her upwards, Riley continued pushing.
—I am going to save you.
Because in all this worthless world, surrounded by the vanity of the human heart, the social pressures, the value of money and appearance—the only thing that had any value was that of "life" itself.
Then, swimming upwards, pushing towards the top, Riley Woods reached his hand out. His finger pointing towards the sky, Riley broke the surface.
Sticking his neck above water, Riley gasped, inhaling and coughing as he lifted Kara up, her mouth inhaling once more, he felt the relieving sound of breathing.
Yet, she had leapt so far out that Riley still had to swim towards the shore.
Grunting, breathing heavily, Riley was tossed around by the waves as he weakly pushed forward.
Come on. Lift me up.
Trying to use [Drowning] to be pushed, Riley found that the amount of water under his control was incredibly limited.
Weaknesses. Riley's body was being overcome by his weaknesses.
Pathetically swimming forward towards the shore, his grip on her was fading. Lifting her up, he readjusted his hold of her, struggling to breathe.
"Hgh, huh, hah… huff, huff…"
Just, keep moving.
Exhausted. Kicking his legs, clawing with his free arm, Riley struggled.
Inching closer and closer to the shore, Riley's weak heart began to hurt. Sweating, exhausted, running out of strength.
Please.
His grip weakened. He pushed her up, once more keeping his hold of her as strong as he could.
Cold, his nose sniffled, snot streaming down his face. Barely able to keep above water, he stopped swimming forward, breathing hard. Looking out to the moon and the stars, Riley felt their beauty upon him.
Even if I die, I want to save anyone I can.
Unwilling to compromise even a single life unless absolutely necessary, that was the person Riley wished to be.
Letting go of Kara to once more heal his body at the cost of his blood, Riley quickly grabbed onto her once more and swam forward.
Dizziness overtook him, as he'd sacrificed a lot of blood. Lightheaded and weak, Riley continued to swim, his rapid breaths drowned out by the waves of the ocean.
Finally, his toes could touch the sand. Moving closer and closer to the shore, Riley was able to gather stable footing, stopping his energy exertion by a plentiful amount.
Wrapping Kara's arm over his shoulders, he lumbered across the sand with her as her body reflexively breathed.
Slowly. One step. One step after the other, he pushed forward with strained weakness, eventually reaching the drylands and collapsing to the ground, dropping her with him.
Coughing, wheezing, Riley's wet clothes, blanket and hair dripped onto the sand.
Wait, isn't there…
"Agh, shit…!"
Hovering his hand over her chest, Riley used [Drowning] to manipulate the water still in her lungs, forcing it out and away from her body. He repeated the process to himself, finding and uncomfortable amount still inside him.
Then,
"Oof!"
Falling backwards, laying like a starfish on the beach, Riley looked up to the sky, softly breathing in exhaustion.
A soft smile curved across his lips, he began to shed tears.
I did it. I saved someone.
All I need… I just need to make sure she doesn't hurt anyone—or else this will have all been in vain.
I don't think Ghira's servants can be caught on camera if it incriminates us, so maybe we could break into prison and satisfy ourselves that way?
His smile slowly fading, Riley's gentle breaths became steadier.
That's probably only a last-ditch thing. I still don't want to kill even criminals.
"Teehee."
Their lives matter too, don't you know?
Closing his eyes, Riley relaxed.