The distant rumble of thunder sends shivers down my spine.
Amidst a torrential downpour where raindrops splattered on the ground, three professional killers exchanged blows.
Shattering hand chops and piercing hands flew through the air, and as soon as fresh blood splattered, it was washed away by the shower of rain. Pushing her way through the sticky air, Reze threw in two outstretched fingers.
"Shhh!"
A textbook example of an eye-gouging attack pierced Santa Claus's eyeball.
However, the demon, having absorbed the dark flesh, showed no fear whatsoever. As if ignorant of pain, it continued its relentless offensive. But it must have lost its sight, because its attacks swung uselessly through empty air.
This is a fatal flaw.
The eyes of the demon Anastasia glow.
First, the jaw,
Next, the pharynx,
The attack then continued, targeting the liver.
The meniscus in my stumbling knee was crushed in an instant.
As if to deliver the final blow, the palm of his hand slammed down on her defenseless chest.
"Ugh, ugh"
With the very reasoning that stood for it shattered, the jet-black body began to slump to the ground.
In that instant, Reze thought:
It's relaxing to do this.
I'm used to it, and I don't have to decide anything myself.
With a thud.
Santa Claus placed one hand on the asphalt.
I was on guard.
Having absorbed fragments of darkness, she is an immortal being. She may be injured, but she will recover.
Even if your brain is shaken and you lose your sense of balance, or if your knees are destroyed and you can't stand, there's no guarantee that a counterattack won't come.
Reze was not letting her guard down.
Anastasia didn't have it either.
However, when Santa Claus calmly clenched his fist, the woman who had been the strongest during her guinea pig days showed no reaction at all.
Santa Claus's attack is about to hit the Red Demon.
Yet she doesn't move a single finger.
Therefore, Reze kicked her right heel into the ground.
"Hyu"
A cracking sound, as if the bones in the neck had snapped straight back.
Santa Claus's body pierced through the curtain of rain, and with the force of a cannonball, he bounced and rolled across the asphalt.
"Phew," Reze exhaled, still holding her palm out.
I released my stance. Looking over, I saw Anastasia beside me, staring straight ahead with a somewhat unfocused look in her eyes.
"What's wrong? Is the battery dead?"
"...Well, that's about it."
Anastasia finally began to move slowly. With a weary expression, she reached into her inner breast pocket with trembling fingers and pulled out a dull gray flask. It must contain some blood for healing. She opened the lid and brought it to her lips, but stopped there.
He tries to hand it to Reze without drinking it himself.
"You drink it..."
I gave it a light shake, and there was about one or two bites' worth left.
"Are you going to give it to me?"
"It's pointless for me to drink it."
"why?"
"My time has come..."
"Oh, I see," Reze thought.
I can't think of anything else in particular.
I slowly looked up at the sky.
Raindrops were splattering on my forehead. For a moment, I surrendered myself to the force of the downpour, which was so strong I could barely breathe.
Perhaps she doesn't want to hear any words.
"Huh? Where did Santa Claus go?"
It was supposed to be a straight road with good visibility, yet the hitman's body, which had rolled into the darkness of the night, could not be found.
I quickly scanned my surroundings.
Trees tower over both the right and left sides. There are no signs of life.
"They've probably hidden. There's no way they'll just retreat like this..."
I let out a sigh.
Let's first reconfirm the situation.
The enemy is Santa Claus. The friendly force is Anastasia.
Light is needed to break the deadlock, but it has already been eliminated. Environmental elements such as streetlights have been neutralized, and Polina, who was able to start a fire even in this rain, was the first to be eliminated.
In other words, there seems to be no chance of winning at this point.
I slowly turned my head and thought.
It's pointless to go any further than this.
You should run away.
I understand that all too well.
However, I can't shake the feeling that this isn't really okay.
Nothing has changed since the guinea pig days. They're still just human weapons, simply assessing the situation and environment and following cold, formulaic rules.
With another former comrade dead and yet another about to disappear, I can only think about what comes next.
Is there really nothing we can do right now?
Not for their sake, but so that I myself will not have any regrets.
"Hey... I'll let you hold out for about five minutes."
Anastasia had an awkward smile on her face.
"You, run away. If the situation is unfavorable, retreat and prepare for a counterattack...that's the gist of it."
"What? Are you trying to act cool?"
"Does this get through to you? 'Completing the mission is the top priority'... Your mission is... escort, right?"
"...Yes, but you see, I..."
"I just remembered."
I take a slight look around.
Santa Claus hasn't made his move yet.
Even the immortality of darkness might take time to heal after such extensive bodily damage.
"When I was resurrected as the Fire Demon... I was advised to try a path other than killing. Yes, I think it was... the Interview Demon."
"Huh? What's that?"
"Well... my memory is quite hazy. I've even forgotten what I answered."
"So what?"
Another thunderclap in the distance.
As I stand there, drenched in rain and wind, I think this might be our last conversation.
"I thought about it for a bit, but I couldn't figure it out. I'm a warrior. I don't know what else I could do. If I could do anything else... maybe a mercenary or a devil hunter... In short, I think I'd be something like you are right now. You were featured on TV, weren't you? For saving a child or something... So I thought I'd try to imitate you..."
"Just copying? Is that really okay?"
"What"
"Is it really okay for your last act to be simply imitating others? Aren't there other things you'd like to do...?"
"None"
"There must be something, something that's absolutely essential."
"No. I've just been... imitating those around me all this time."
"I didn't do it very well," Anastasia muttered, slowly turning back to face Reze.
Inhuman eyes, split vertically.
Her eyes, which showed she knew nothing, were as clear as the surface of a lake.
In her eyes, she sees the reflection of Reze herself, the one standing before her.
"You're different, aren't you?"
Reze gasped.
I opened my mouth, but no words came out.
"Polina said she wanted to see her family. She said she'd do anything to survive... And Veronica... she said she wanted to become a great warrior, right? So, what about you...?"
Anastasia continued speaking.
In the secret room, Reze was always the "righteous one."
The instructors praised him.
The guinea pigs called him the model student.
The fact that Reze strayed from the path of a warrior suggests that there must have been "something right" behind it.
" It must be a good thing, right...? Saving children? Protecting someone? It must be a more righteous, noble, and cool way to do things than being a warrior... Isn't that right...?"
I have no objections.
Japanese devil hunters are completely different from Soviet agents.
I won't commit assassination.
I won't kidnap anyone.
I don't engage in any crafting activities.
He actually works to protect civilians, and just recently he saved a little girl and was treated like a hero on TV.
It is a righteous, respectable, and helpful profession.
But then I realized that I didn't feel any desire to encourage Anastasia, who was trying to do the same thing.
Because... I don't want to be a hero at all.
"Rezz!!"
"--!?"
impact,
The view suddenly expands and floats.
A thick layer of gray clouds spread across the landscape.
expensive.
As the scenery rushed by, I could see a dense forest stretching out below me as I looked down.
On the dark, wet asphalt road stood Anastasia and Santa Claus, closing in on her. A little further away, Polina's corpse lay face down, and beside it, a headless Bomb Girl was kneeling, about to collapse.
Huh,
Is this my body...?
Only my body is below...?
7 seconds.
That's the time between being beheaded by guillotine and losing consciousness.
In a daze, with my vision spinning around, I realized that Santa Claus had chopped off my head.
As my consciousness slowly followed the force of gravity, tracing a parabolic arc, I was simply stunned.
Public security may have a sense of "righteousness," but
I don't particularly want to be a good person...
—My consciousness is falling into the abyss.
Thin, line-like beams of light converge.
White—
The world is becoming clearer.
(Where are we...!?)
The wind is blowing through.
A very slight awareness emerged, and something akin to self-awareness was grasped.
The boundaries of the world—just as their outlines began to become visible, that voice suddenly came from the edge.
"Hello, we've been waiting for you."
I lifted my head.
A businessman-like man was standing in front of me.
It has no face.
It's hidden by a messy brushstroke, as if it had been colored in with crayons.
The blacked-out areas, acting as a mosaic, changed shape every second, like flipping through a flipbook. Yet, the man's face remained invisible. This strange state of affairs sparked a doubt in my mind.
"Are you...a demon?"
"that's right"
"What kind of demon?"
"My name is the interview devil."
I couldn't help but blink.
I just heard that name a moment ago.
"Hmm, hmm... Interviewer?"
"Yes. I'm the interview devil."
"Oh, well, thanks. Thanks...?"
"Please have a seat."
Before I knew it, folding chairs had been set up.
I hesitated for a moment.
The interview demon. That information was in my knowledge.
This place... must be another dimension.
I was dragged in.
I can't get out unless I can talk to that demon and satisfy him...
The reality of the situation is slowly sinking in.
Even so, it took a few seconds to shift my mindset.
Take a breath.
I deliberately sit down slowly.
He straightened his back and stared straight at the demon sitting directly opposite him.
"nice to meet you"
"Nice to meet you. ...I'm always surprised by the reactions of the guinea pigs. You're the first one to respond so readily to a conversation. Do you perhaps know me?"
"I know. The interview demon. It has the ability to invade people's consciousness and attack their minds. ...But all you can do is hurl words at me. All I have to do is answer...right?"
"Yes, yes, that's generally correct."
"Look, I think you understand, but things are really chaotic right now. I wish you hadn't tried to make a move at a time like this."
"I am truly sorry. I am a weak demon, and I can only make contact when the target's consciousness is lost."
I looked around.
There are no walls, and no ceiling. A pristine white floor stretches to the horizon.
The sky was a simple, uniform blue, as if it had been painted over.
This is a fictional world, then.
"Don't worry. The time you spend here will be just a moment in the real world."
"So, what do you want to ask?"
A sharp edge crept into my voice.
In the outside world, I was beheaded. That's fine. Even without a head, I can pull the starter and come back to life. This is just repetitive training for that.
But the problem is Anastasia. She's currently fighting Santa Claus all by herself.
It's impossible to have a calm and rational discussion about this.
"...Phew..."
I took a deep breath through my nose and exhaled slowly.
Calm down.
I can always remain calm, assess the situation, and choose the best outcome. That's my specialty, isn't it?
"Shall we begin now?"
"Um, is it possible to end this interview and leave?"
"I can't do that. Please give up. ...So, let me ask you again—what is your name?"
"I was given the name Reze, and I still go by that name."
"Please introduce yourself."
"Yes, question."
"please"
"Who should I be introducing myself to, and what's the purpose of it?"
"Do you change your words depending on who you're talking to?"
"Of course."
"Now, address me. Just normally."
"What's 'normal'? There are all sorts of approaches, like wanting to build a friendly relationship on a personal level, or being businesslike, clearly defining terms and positions, and intimidating them by saying you'll crush them if they mess with you."
"Just be yourself, with your honest feelings."
"Well then... um, I, Reze, have two main career paths. In my previous job, I worked as an agent in the Soviet Union. My main duties included capture, undercover investigation, assassination, interrogation, and covert operations, and I have experience in a wide range of fields, and I am particularly skilled in combat against demons. I have a proven track record not only in solo combat but also in commanding troops. If given the opportunity, I am confident that I can demonstrate my abilities against you. Um, in my current position, I am a devil hunter belonging to the Japanese Public Security Bureau. I earnestly wish to swiftly eliminate damn demons that harm ordinary citizens and us civil servants, and protect the peace of mind of the Japanese people and myself, and I work diligently every day with this in mind. I intend to continue, or rather, especially at this moment, to use these skills to contribute to society."
"...Thank you very much. I appreciate your frank comments..."
"Really?"
"I definitely got your feelings across. Clearly and directly."
"That's good. Now, next question, please."
The devil cleared his throat.
"Is killing someone a bad thing? Please share your thoughts."
"That's a bad thing."
Immediate answer.
"No matter the reason, a situation in which someone's life is unilaterally threatened should never occur."
"But you have murdered many people. Even if you were in a situation where you had no other choice, it is an act that should not be excused."
"Of course. I have no excuse for the victims and their families. I deeply regret the irreparable actions I have taken... Is that okay? Hey, there's one thing I want to ask you."
"what do you want?"
"Does this question have any meaning?"
"...I don't think so. I understand that now."
The interview devil crosses and uncrosses his legs.
"I know I did something wrong. I'm not trying to justify it. I've just come to terms with it... but there's no point in digging any deeper now."
"Now, please ask your next question."
"Please tell us about your vision for the future."
"Hmm"
He works diligently as a public security devil hunter, earning the trust of both domestic and international audiences.
If recognized, they will be given a position and will contribute to strengthening the organizational structure by utilizing their past experience.
"That's about it, I guess."
"..."
"Any other questions?"
"No, nothing in particular."
"Hmm, is it over?"
The devil, seemingly out of nowhere, casually pulls out a piece of paper and stares at it in silence.
"What's that?"
"This is your life's resume."
"Oh, really? Let me see."
"No."
"Uh..."
"You are..."
The devil leaned back just a little and searched for words.
"You seem like a wonderful person."
I don't really understand.
"I have consistently avoided failure by searching for the best path from a limited number of options."
"Huh?"
"What a boring life. What's so interesting about living a life without regrets?"
"I was told something like that recently."
"I like people who lead unique lives. Because their way of thinking is distorted. The other guinea pigs, Denji, and many of those who lost their lives today, each had their own unique way of thinking."
"You have pretty good taste."
"...Securing safety, being accepted into the group, and eventually being recognized—even though we know that's the most efficient path, humans often stray off the beaten path. But you are different. You can move straight ahead."
"Well, thanks?"
"Is there anything you want to do?"
"here we go..."
"What are your dreams and goals?"
"I think it's still too early. I want to prioritize laying the groundwork first."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, I was practically a terrorist, you see. I need to gain more trust."
"Surely you still have some desires, right?"
"Hmm, I've been thinking about it."
"Is it really impossible for you to live any other way than to survive and blend in with your surroundings, following a manual?"
"I don't know, but..."
I've lived my life without cutting corners.
All kinds of skills, conversational techniques and facial expressions to build rapport, language acquisition... and so on.
That self-confidence is what has shaped who I am today.
Whether it's boring or not isn't important.
If you don't have the ability, you can't even survive in the first place.
This remains true even in relatively peaceful Japan. If you can't demonstrate competence, your life will simply be one of being eliminated.
"Generally speaking, it's normal not to have any dreams, right?"
For example, family. School. Friends. Romance. A normal life? We've only been taught these basic things.
But is that really so strange?
You can live your life even if you only know things through knowledge, and in fact, there are countless people like that.
For example, people who watch romantic movies and feel like they've experienced the ultimate love.
"A life with a sense of purpose only exists in dreams, right?"
"Hmm..."
The devil nodded once and rested his elbows on his crossed legs.
He rested his chin on his hand in an impolite manner and tilted his head.
"You're afraid to show your weaknesses, aren't you?"
I thought my heart had stopped.
"You're convinced you absolutely cannot fail. No matter how much you acquire excellent skills as an agent, no matter how much power you wield, you're still just one living being. You can't survive without the help of others... Perhaps that humility is what has kept you this far. But, what do you think? This isn't a secret room. Didn't you venture out into the world in the first place because you wanted to be freed from that environment and gain unknown possibilities?"
"Dah,"
that's why.
"I told you it's still time to solidify the foundation."
For some reason, those words just won't come out of my throat.
"...Anastasia only had a few minutes left to live, wasn't she? She'll end her life without ever grasping its meaning. You said that's normal, that it's a normal and acceptable life...but do you really think so?"
I can't say anything.
There's no way I can affirm it, and I certainly don't have the conviction to definitively deny it.
Dreams, goals, and a sense of purpose in life.
I didn't know a single thing.
Because I thought that's just how people are.
Dreams, goals, and a sense of purpose in life—these things are like lovers or assets; they're luxuries that only those with plenty of resources can afford.
But Anastasia will die in five minutes.
Can you really say to her, "You don't deserve to achieve anything. You're doomed to die a meaningless death"?
"You seem to think that dreams are something that naturally form as you live a 'normal' life. ...That's not true at all. Unlike demons, humans have no inherent reason for existence. You have to find it yourself. ...So, what do you think is necessary for that? Please answer."
"That's not..."
The interview demon is staring intently.
I can't look away, thinking that my own reflection is in the eyes that must be hidden behind that mosaic-like face.
"There's no right answer, is there?"
"That's right. There isn't. Therefore,"
He quietly rose to his feet.
"All we can do is struggle pathetically."
The devil wiped the dirt from his backside and shrugged his shoulders.
"It seems Denji is starting with sexual desire. Heh heh, a physiological need...the lowest of the low, you know? It's vulgar, shameful, and completely useless. He might be ridiculed and hated by the person he wants to be liked by. He might just be wasting his time. But it is precisely because he is honest with such desires that he will move on to the next step. To his own next step. It will gradually take on a clearer form, and eventually lead to a sense of purpose in life..."
His shoulders trembled. For some reason, I felt that a sinister, devilish smile was etched on his face, which was painted black.
The interview devil bows ostentatiously and leisurely.
"You are a wonderful person. Please continue to live a life that you can be proud of wherever you go, a life that is honest, righteous, and that no one will dislike, and grow old peacefully and healthily, immersed in safe days and a false sense of satisfaction. ...Heh heh heh heh."
It makes me angry.
I'm angry at myself for not being able to deny it.
I knew it deep down.
I live my life with limitations on myself.
You shouldn't do that. You shouldn't say that.
If you're considered unconventional, you'll be ostracized.
If you incur someone's resentment, it will come back to haunt you.
Therefore, I continue to live a safe, exemplary, and morally upright life, never showing any weakness.
That way of life is probably not wrong.
But so what if it's not wrong?
For example, if I were destined to die in five minutes today, would I have any regrets?
Wouldn't you regret not having done something—even if you never fully grasped its true nature, at least doing something, anything at all?
"Hmm, even after all this, your mental structure remains unshaken. It seems you've ingrained in yourself the belief that being swayed by emotions is foolish. How utterly boring."
"Is it really that boring?"
"Conversation yields no results. What I want to hear is not the grinding of gears, but the groans squeezed out from the distortions of human beings."
"I'm sorry I couldn't meet your expectations."
"...Further interviews would be pointless. It's unfortunate for me, but these things happen. Thank you."
"Is this the end?"
"Yes. Please return to the real world."
"I see. So it's over. Well, that's fine, but if this is an interview, shouldn't they ask if you have any questions at the end?"
"Oh, really? If you have some, then of course, please have some."
It's only natural to want to get revenge.
But there's no point in childishly arguing back here. That's the kind of thinking that's ingrained in me.
But is that really such a bad thing?
Being immersed in a mindset of deception and suspicion can also be a strength.
"What did Polina answer to the same question?"
The devil's shoulder twitched.
"You interviewed Anastasia and the people who died today, right? So that basically means you're targeting everyone who gathered in these mountains today, right? If that's the case, it would be strange if you didn't interview Polina as well."
I won't answer.
The unusual silence triggered my agent's instincts.
This is on hold.
They are putting the question on hold, indicating they don't want to answer.
"What? You haven't had an interview? But that's what you came here for, right?"
"...Well, what do you think?"
"Wait, wait a minute? You said it yourself, didn't you? That you like people who have led unique lives. I don't think there's anyone with a more twisted way of thinking than Polina, so why haven't you interviewed her?"
"That falls under confidentiality, so I cannot answer that."
"Huh? You were just talking about Denji, about his libido and all that. Isn't it strange that you can blurt that out, but then you can't even answer whether you interviewed Polina or not?"
also.
This guy definitely didn't interview Polina.
You don't want to?
That's impossible.
Polina's background and personality are a mouthwatering bait for this kind of demon.
But why?
It's not that I didn't do it...it was that I couldn't.
The interview demon invades the mind when you're sleeping, on the verge of death, or when your consciousness is fading.
In fact, in my case, they broke in at the moment I lost consciousness after my head was chopped off.
In other words, if Polina had died or lost consciousness, it should have been possible.
"You don't have to answer anymore."
"Ku..."
"I got the answer I wanted."
"...Why? How did you realize that the interview hadn't taken place yet?"
"It was just a hunch, but you brought up Denji-kun."
"What do you mean by that?"
"If you want to belittle me by comparing me to someone else, Polina is a more suitable choice. We grew up in the same circumstances, but what we're doing is the complete opposite."
"It all started with such a small feeling of unease...?"
"Let me give you one piece of advice. Even insignificant people are trying their best to live. Don't underestimate them."
"Heh, heh heh... You got me there. Thank you for the advice."
"I mean, I'm not a boring person. At least not from now on..."
He answered with his head held high.
"change"
The interview demon muttered, "Is that so?" and glanced at his watch.
Straighten your posture, bend at the waist at a right angle, and bow.
"In that case, Reze—I wish you continued success. Let's meet again then."
"I must decline."
—Consciousness rises from the abyss.
I glanced around.
Anastasia and Santa Claus were—right in front of me.
They are locked in a tight grapple, motionless, as if in a sumo match. The only difference from sumo is that a blood- and gut-filled piercing hand is protruding from one of their backs.
There was a hole in Anastasia's torso.
"...Are you alive?"
There was no response. But there was a slight tremor. It seemed that it was still conscious.
Santa Claus's head—from the nose up—had been blown off, as if he'd been shot with a rifle. I don't know how that could have happened, but I could tell it was close to a mutual kill.
However, there is no time to waste.
As for Santa Claus, the missing parts were slowly returning to their original shape, as if playing in reverse.
"Anastasia, I'll show you something nice one last time."
He thrusts his right arm out and begins generating as much explosives as he can.
The fuses come together tightly, forming the warhead.
"What are you... doing?"
"I'm going to take him down."
"Stop it...it's pointless..."
A demon that hunts humans, having absorbed fragments of dark flesh.
Without light, no attack is effective. It will revive immediately.
Yes, without light.
"I have a suggestion. How about trying this one last time? Try trusting someone else."
"what...?"
" Why don't you try going along with it, thinking, 'I 'll show you a dream that will make your heart race with excitement.' ?
All you have to do is keep him from moving."
Anastasia's eyes widened in shock.
"No way..."
Santa Claus is strong. His speed is astonishing. He might even rival Chainsaw Man. Half-hearted attacks won't hit him. He would easily dodge attacks from a dying Fire Devil, for one thing.
That's why he had been lying on the ground, waiting for the right opportunity.
"You're kidding, right...?"
I also thought it was a corpse all along.
The small woman's fingers twitched.
Clenching my grip on the asphalt,
Push up your arms
He lifted his head without making a sound,
My soaking wet body stood up.
His chest was slashed open, and his heart was split in two.
Its heart had been forcibly sealed together by burning with flames.
But even that didn't seem to work, so in an attempt to get that purely functional heart moving, he thrust his left hand into his exposed chest, grabbed it directly, and massaged it repeatedly in a steady rhythm, as if playing with a rubber ball. All so as to act as a pump to circulate blood throughout his body.
Is he dead or alive? He probably doesn't care about that.
His face contorted in a grimace, clenching his teeth as if to shatter them, blood gushing from his ears, nose, and mouth, yet there was a firm resolve in his eyes as he glared at the enemy who had mocked him.
The flames of anger are burning.
Polina's inhuman, vertically split eyes speak louder than words.
I will absolutely kill this guy.
Santa Claus is unaware.
The upper half of my head hasn't regenerated yet.
The sound of shuffling feet was drowned out by the torrential rain.
Santa Claus seemed completely unaware of Polina's presence, as she was neither visible nor audible.
Even as the avenger, enveloped in flames, approaches step by step, the immortal only maintains his composure.
The distance between us is approximately 10 meters.
Reze asked.
"Hey, Santa."
Santa Claus, with only the lower half of his face visible from the nose down, calmly replied.
"what do you want?"
"Why are you doing this job? For the money? For happiness? Do you have some kind of dream?"
"That's a meaningless question."
Polina was creeping closer from behind.
The distance is approximately 8 meters.
"Humans are simply beings that adapt to their environment, their neighbors, and the social systems they inhabit."
"Right? I understand. I totally get it. I was a 'model student,' so I know exactly how to get high grades..."
Six meters to go.
"Being trusted, praised, respected... if you're lucky, you might even be happy. If you put everything you've learned into practice and work hard, right? ...But wouldn't that be boring?"
"...What are you talking about?"
4 meters to go.
"Living your life to be judged by others is probably boring. I want to judge myself. I want to live a life where I can think to myself, 'I did my best, I did a good job.'"
"...Begging for your life? There's no way I'd listen to that."
"No, it's just a declaration of intent."
Two meters to go.
Santa Claus's eyes begin to form. First the eyeballs develop, then the optic nerves connecting them grow. Finally, the eye sockets that enclose them are formed.
I spotted Reze.
And when the distance between them narrowed to just one meter, it seemed they finally noticed the flames illuminating the darkness closing in from behind.he(・)woman(・)
"picture?"
When he turned around, the flames of hell were engulfing Santa Claus.
" Santa Claus, go to hell!!"
"Aaaah!? Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!?"
ah....
What kind of day will today be?
A hitman with a missing head, an old acquaintance with a huge hole in his torso, a former comrade whose heart is being forced to beat by sheer force...all of them are caught in a vortex of raging flames, burning and blunt, yet desperately clinging to each other.
"How do I survive, ah! Aaaahhh!?"
"You're underestimating me, hey, hey! Nastya! Be my fuel!"
"Ha, haha, ha!!"
The air was scorching. Polina's expression, more vicious than a cluster bomb, was seared into my memory, fueled by an intense murderous intent that seemed to boil over me, as if she felt she couldn't die in peace unless she retaliated here and now.
I'm thirsty. I swallow.
It's probably not just the heat. I even felt envious of Anastasia, who was glowing red all over and baring her canine teeth as she laughed. My heart was burning.
"Rezz!"
Clang.
At this point, the most powerful bomb was completed.
"Do it!"
It didn't need to be said.
With a grin on his face, he thought, "Serves you right," as Santa Claus groaned, "Stop!" and, letting out a scream he didn't even understand himself, he plunged into the vortex of flames.
Polina screams.
"Goodbye, mortal world! I'm never coming back!"
At the moment of the explosion, I felt like I heard a snapping sound inside my head.
That is the last memory of this battle.
In a quiet mountain town at the western edge of Tokyo, a faint sound echoed.
A few seconds later, the air vibrated, and an overwhelming roar spread to the neighboring town.
The residents saw.
A single, astonishing streak of white light.
Flames and light pierced through the rain clouds, illuminating the entire surrounding area with a dazzling light.
It was a massive explosion that seemed to foreshadow both an end and a rebirth.