"Flowers wilt, the throats of birds grow parched until they can neither fly nor sing, and the roses have turned to dry husks. The sky remains forever grey." (Subaru)
"But that gloom—that habit of hanging your heads in despair—it ends today! From this very moment, a life of overwhelming hope and certain victory begins, all thanks to me! Because of my invincible self, your every day will be──" (Subaru)
WHACK!
Serika cut the man's boastful display short with a violent strike to his head. Subaru doubled over in agony, letting out a sharp yelp. "Ow! That hurts!!"
"Who in the world are you?!" (Serika)
"And more importantly, where are Hoshino-senpai and Shiroko-senpai...──!" (Ayane)
"I'm... I'm fine, I told you... ow, that really stings..." (Subaru)
"Do you require an ice pack?" (Black Suit)
"Why are you suddenly being so considerate?" (Subaru)
Subaru vaguely realized that "Black Suit" tended to lean toward a strange sort of rationality at times, yet he still felt annoyed that this particular entity was the one showing concern for him.
This was the second time Serika had struck him. He couldn't help but marvel at her terrifying accuracy; she seemed to land a "critical hit" every single time.
While cooling his head with the ice he had been given, Subaru began introducing himself to the two girls—who were still unable to hide their fear—hoping to end the days they had spent looking down in defeat.
"My name is Natsuki Subaru. I was born into an ordinary family who showered me with affection, and I am the rebel who arrived from beyond Kivotos." (Subaru)
"Natsuki Subaru... Natsuki Subaru?! Ah... so you're the one...?" (Serika)
"None other. The omniscient, the almighty, the billionaire whose wealth never fades... Natsuki Subaru! Alright, enough jokes. Black Suit! Get these bombs off them!" (Subaru)
"Understood. If you'll excuse me." (Black Suit)
The name that reached the girls' ears was the same one the soldier had mentioned earlier—the ally of Abydos. Looking at it now, it made sense; they had been turned into "human bombs" specifically to be sent to "Natsuki Subaru," so his presence inside this car was hardly a coincidence.
Subaru motioned for them to sit on the sofa. Black Suit began meticulously removing the explosives wrapped around their bodies. As the girls trembled at the possibility of a remote detonation, Black Suit reassured them. "Do not fret. The vehicle is shielded by full-spectrum jamming waves."
"I've instructed Hoshino and Shiroko to come here as soon as we've cleared these charges. A smoke screen will deploy around us shortly. Put your trust in your seniors and run as fast as you can! ──Understood?" (Subaru)
After the bombs were removed, Subaru checked them for injuries to ensure they were fit for the coming struggle. He earned himself a second blow to the head for being a bit too thorough in his inspection, but he felt a wave of relief knowing they were still capable of running.
"T-this is all so sudden! So, you're basically our ally...──an ally, right? Since you risked your life to come here..." (Serika)
"...Are you two really Abydos students and Hoshino's comrades? I'm glad you believe me, but you're so naive it actually makes me worry." (Subaru)
"Do you want another hit? ...If you want us to believe in you, all you have to do is ask, right?" (Serika)
"──That's exactly right." (Subaru)
Subaru acknowledged the simple truth in her words. He re-evaluated the basics of the situation and then extended his hand to Serika, offering a handshake as a gesture of trust. In truth, after suffering countless betrayals, Subaru usually felt uneasy around hearts that trusted so easily. Yet...
That spontaneous honesty looked beautiful to him in that moment.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Serika. And though this is sudden, I'm asking you to put your faith in me. Lean on me." (Subaru)
"I came here to save you! Believe me!!!" (Subaru)
"...──Fine. It's nice to meet you, Subaru... I'll trust you. Deal?" (Serika)
"Definitely. No doubt about it." (Subaru)
"...Also, I haven't showered in a while, so don't get too close." (Serika)
"Don't you worry! You smell wonderful! Truly wonderful!" (Subaru)
"──As I thought, let me give you ten more hits." (Serika)
●○●○●
Subaru finished shaking Serika's hand and turned his gaze toward Ayane. She remained despondent, her eyes fixed on the floor. He took her hands; guilt etched her features, and she seemed to be trembling, resigned to some invisible fate.
"Still worried, as I thought?" (Subaru)
"Ah... n-no..." (Ayane)
She averted her eyes. Because she did, Subaru leaned in, refusing to let her look away. If she sought to escape something, he would meet it head-on for her. Subaru had people to lean on and a heart that found it easy to pour out its troubles, but she...
"I know you've been sending messages and calling for help this whole time, Ayane." (Subaru)
"Ignoring those pleas for help must have been agonizing. I heard from Hoshino and Shiroko that you were the one holding Abydos together and managing its affairs, right?" (Subaru)
"It's not like that. I just..." (Ayane)
"No one will deny your efforts. No one in Abydos would dare tell someone struggling as much as you that they should "suffer more."" (Subaru)
"..." (Ayane)
"Or is it something else? Is it because I don't seem reliable...?" (Subaru)
"N-no, I'm fine! Really, I'm perfectly fine. I'm sorry, Natsuki-san..." (Ayane)
Her heart struggled to voice its secrets. Even with the bombs gone and help arrived, would a technical explanation about his plans for Kaiser calm her? No. This required a different approach. Subaru didn't know the exact nature of her pain, but he recognized the self-loathing and resignation in her every gesture. He lived through the same thing; he had been exactly where she was, and in many ways, he still was in his daily life.
"Hop." (Subaru)
"Ah." (Ayane)
Subaru gently lifted the hands he held until he cupped Ayane's cheeks, forcing her to look him directly in the eye.
"── You have the same eyes." (Subaru)
"...?" (Ayane)
"Don't worry, I don't mean my own murderous, narrow-eyed gaze." (Subaru)
"I don't think they're that scary, but..." (Ayane)
"Thanks for the comfort. I'm aiming for a look that doesn't make toddlers burst into tears on sight." (Subaru)
With Black Suit nearby, Subaru felt a flicker of embarrassment before trying to say something profound. He cleared his throat with a small "Ahem" to reset the mood, then spoke the words that only he could offer.
"I don't understand exactly what you're suffering through. In the end, only the person experiencing the pain truly understands it." (Subaru)
For Subaru, who could never speak of his "Return by Death," suffering was something no one else could truly grasp. He had no desire to force his burden onto others; he was content to let his own pain remain misunderstood. It was fine to be misunderstood, so long as one could keep moving forward. But when that pain dragged someone back toward resignation, that was when a hand had to be extended.
"Even if I don't understand the specifics, suffering is a tangible reality. And then there is this wretched situation that never seems to change." (Subaru)
"...! ──Are you the same way, Natsuki-san…?" (Ayane)
"No. I belong to the category of 'Let fate do its worst; I'm ready to face it.'" (Subaru)
"..." (Ayane)
"If reality won't change, then I'll change it myself. I'll keep fighting and struggling until "Fate" gives up and is forced to grant me the happiness I demand." (Subaru)
Return by Death granted him that opportunity, but it was merely a chance. It offered no protection from the agony that followed, nor did it shield him from the world's cruelty or its arbitrary laws.
"──That... but I believe there are times when nothing truly changes, no matter what we do. That has been our reality for a long time." (Ayane)
"The world doesn't change for us; it stays exactly as it is. I feel like that is the only truth waiting for us in the end…" (Ayane)
"…That might be true. While you've been giving your all to change things, Ayane, fate has refused to smile on you. Honestly, I think the "adults" are also to blame for that." (Subaru)
Subaru pointed his finger toward Black Suit. Children live in this world, but adults are the ones who build it. Here, in this confined space, both sides had finally met.
"But... reality isn't just a collection of tragedies, Ayane. You know that, don't you?" (Subaru)
"Not just tragedies…?" (Ayane)
"Pain and injustice certainly exist. If you look only at raw, naked facts, you'll find them filled with sorrow and stagnation." (Subaru)
"But that isn't the whole story." (Subaru)
"──I believe that envisioning a happy future and imagining joy is also a "reality" of this world. Have you ever felt that suffering while everyone at Abydos was by your side?" (Subaru)
"…No, I didn't." (Ayane)
"There's your answer. No one ever said there's only one truth in this universe. Every day, we choose what is "real" and what is "right" for us." (Subaru)
Simply stating the obvious was enough. Ayane possessed the strength to resolve her internal conflict; Subaru only needed to help her find what she had lost in the haze of despair.
Truly, Subaru could not change the fact that the world was full of pain. Life, after all, remains a one-way street from birth to death.
He struggled for a moment to find the right words for this "path." If he searched through human dramas or web novels, he would find endless phrases describing it as "burning through life" or "a passing meteor." Swayed by those descriptions, he spoke.
"Since you're in the prime of your youth, Ayane, that is more than enough reason to hold on to hope." (Subaru)
Youth—those living the springtime of their lives.
A person in their youth is like a star racing through chaos, burning bright. This was the description Subaru had gathered from various stories, and he felt it suited them best. Because those stars shine so intensely, they cannot truly see or understand the nature of other stars; they only see the glowing trail left behind.
It wasn't about how one lived, but rather something children and adults could both understand equally ──.
"Still, when the pain gets so sharp that you want to hang your head..." (Subaru)
"You can lean on someone. Trust them. Tell them, "Help me, because I can't stop looking back." Say it to someone you trust." (Subaru)
"And right now... it looks like Natsuki Subaru has nothing better to do than watch over you." (Subaru)
"…──Natsuki-san... then why... why do you go to such lengths for us..." (Ayane)
"That is also something we don't need to mutually understand. All that matters is that I want to help. Whether you want to receive that help, and whether you'll put your trust in me—that's all there is to it." (Subaru)
"......And yet…" (Ayane)
Ayane murmured "And yet," feeling conflicted. Was it really alright to forgo deep mutual understanding and settle for the word "trust" to end the matter?
"Well, if there's a reason... you might not fully get the meaning, but..." (Subaru)
"──Maybe it's just because I am "Natsuki Subaru."" (Subaru)
Because he was Natsuki Subaru, raised with the love of his parents, having walked his path until he arrived here for this mission; this Natsuki Subaru still felt an uncontrollable, irresistible urge to save someone.
There were no grand or complex reasons. If asked "Why go so far for no reason?", he would surely answer: "Because this is something only I understand."
Subaru looked at Ayane, who stood dazed and speechless. He suppressed a laugh and let it soften into a steady, composed smile.
He patted her shoulder. "See?" he said, restoring her courage.
"Can you trust me and run forward, Ayane?" (Subaru)
"…Yes!" (Ayane)
"Countdown starts in twenty seconds! Jump when I say 3, 2, 1, then run in a straight line through the smoke. The other two will handle the retrieval!" (Subaru)
"──I will definitely get Nonomi back. So just give it your all for now, Serika, Ayane." (Subaru)
●○●○●
I didn't intend to be cruel by making two girls that exhausted run, but they recovered more quickly than I expected. My motor-mouth still has its uses, it seems.
"Now! Run!!" (Subaru)
I sank into the plush sofa, feeling my mental and physical energy hit zero. Black Suit, sitting across from me, offered a drink—a small "condolence for my exhaustion," perhaps. I found myself in a bizarre situation; it was strange that someone who had put Abydos through such hell was now showing me such polished hospitality.
"Everything boiled down to Hoshino, didn't it?" (Subaru)
After my conversation with her, I scrapped my original plan. Waiting for nightfall would have been a massive waste of time. To pull off a lightning-fast rescue, hitching a ride in Black Suit's car was the quickest way to reach the site.
During the drive, he asked me for details about Hoshino's rampage. I didn't remember everything clearly; I could only describe the blinding lasers, her frenzied state, and how the world seemed to warp around her──.
"A 'Lightning Beast,' you say?" (Black Suit)
The monster seemed to be what interested Black Suit the most. Simply mentioning it had earned me this special treatment.
"Keke... wouldn't it have been better for you to escape with them?" (Black Suit)
"It's fine. I have the strongest partner imaginable, so I'm not worried. You don't need to involve yourself in that." (Subaru)
"Hmm. The 'Shittim Chest,' then." (Black Suit)
"You know its name?" (Subaru)
"Indeed. Quite well, in fact." (Black Suit)
A strange atmosphere filled the car—a cold relationship that felt like a rivalry yet maintained the distance of close acquaintances. Still, Subaru's heart remained full of hostility toward him.
"Regarding the nature of that bomb... it was crafted by a member of Gematria named 'Decalcomanie.' It is a weapon specifically designed to destroy a 'Halo.'" (Black Suit)
"...To destroy a Halo?" (Subaru)
"Mr. Natsuki, do you understand the truth behind those 'Halos' floating above their heads? Or the effect they have?" (Black Suit)
"Not at all. I just know they're the rings you see above deities—a 'Holy Halo,' so to speak." (Subaru)
Come to think of it, even after arriving in another world, my brain had treated the Halos as a perfectly normal sight. They floated in the sky and above every student's head; I had never once stopped to consider what they actually were.
"Precisely. You can consider the Halo a manifestation of what we call 'Divinity' or 'The Sacred.' Their bulletproof bodies and the unique skills each student displays are all results of this 'Divinity.' Haven't you seen them perform feats that defy physical reality, Mr. Natsuki?" (Black Suit)
"──I've seen plenty." (Subaru)
Thinking back, I had seen wonders: Hina's jumping power, or the way Sena performed perfect medical miracles despite her abrasive bedside manner.
"Simply put, the Halo is their 'Proof of Existence.' Naturally, destroying it directly is a monumental task, but..." (Black Suit)
"Huh? But you just said 'Halo-destroying bomb'..." (Subaru)
"Decalcomanie built this weapon based on the 'Duality of Divinity' within the Halo: the 'Mystic' and the 'Terror.' Within this sacred essence, students lean heavily toward the 'Mystic,' keeping the scales tipped in their favor." (Black Suit)
"This bomb forcibly flips those scales toward 'Terror.' By losing their original proof of existence, the result is the loss of their lives." (Black Suit)
"..." (Subaru)
So that was the truth of the bomb that could kill Hoshino and the others without leaving an external wound.
Did that gas-masked student, who was supposed to use the bomb, know this? Did she really intend to blow herself up, fully planning to die?
"Is Gematria the only one who knows about this…?" (Subaru)
"──Yes." (Black Suit)
"───" (Subaru)
Ah, dammit.
I was starting to see things I shouldn't have.
"Hell... Alright, what about the 'Underground Dweller' (Chikaseikatsusha)?" (Subaru)
"He is...... ah, explaining him is... somewhat difficult..." (Black Suit)
"The Underground Dweller was expelled from Gematria for being unfit. He hides in a private dimension, treating the chessboard like a collection of toys. He is someone willing to shed even the skin of an 'adult' to achieve his ends." (Black Suit)
"I was surprised to hear his name from you, Mr. Natsuki. I thought we were the only ones who knew he existed after his trace was erased..." (Black Suit)
"──When Gematria began to lose hope in 'Kivotos,' one of our members released him." (Black Suit)
"So it's your fault in the end!!" (Subaru)
"I apologize. We haven't been able to track his movements since his release. The only one capable of sensing the space where he hides is...──" (Black Suit)
Black Suit's gaze drifted toward Subaru's chest pocket, where Arona was still running calculations for his escape route.
"...I see." (Subaru)
If we can sense him, it means he can sense us. The glitch that hit Arona back then... that was his doing.
"What he is doing does not align with Gematria's goals either. Therefore, we would like to offer what help we can." (Black Suit)
"......" (Subaru)
"...Phew." (Subaru)
"Hah." (Subaru)
"Ah...... about that." (Subaru)
"Thanks, Black Suit." (Subaru)
"───!!" (Black Suit)
"Keke, kekekeke... keke... Well, I have simply fulfilled my duties according to our contract. Consider this a 'complimentary service.'" (Black Suit)
"But I haven't forgotten what you did to Hoshino and the others. I'll make you take responsibility for it one day, you hear me?" (Subaru)
"That is fine. We shall have another round of 'productive discussions' then." (Black Suit)
"──I wish you luck in your battle, Mr. Natsuki." (Black Suit)
▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎▪︎
[100 Power Stones = 1 Bonus Chapter]
[Read 40+ chapters ahead on Patreon: patreon.com/Raven737]