Episode 4: The Fire Trial

There was a man. Coughing up clots of blood, he moved through a dusty warehouse, searching for something. The vivid skull mask he wore narrowed his field of vision. He kept walking, desperately scanning his surroundings.

"Perhaps you should rest a little longer."

The one who spoke to the skull-masked man with concern was a large man with narrow eyes and a gentle expression. He had once been called Maestro by the people who respected him.

"...There's no time. Without the painting, we can't enter the Land of Bonfires."

"I'm afraid I'm skeptical about that from the very start. I cannot believe that a painting by the famous 'Aslan Holbart' would be found in a run-down warehouse like this. We should head to the British Museum instead."

"It's a weekday. Do you have any idea how many people would be there? Do you not care if people get hurt?"

Masked Kotoha glared at Maestro. But the man's expression didn't change in the slightest.

"For a greater purpose, you see."

"...I'm sick of this. Working alongside scum like you."

"I'm quite pleased, myself. I like weak people like you."

The two had come to the "Warehouse of Words," which quietly occupied floor B1087 within the Chaos Institute campus. The place was filled with nothing but junk and discarded furniture, ignored by everyone at Chaos. It was a space with the property of Information Jamming.

"It should be here. Somewhere around here."

The "Warehouse of Words" was an Anti-Reality with the property of collecting "discarded memories that Chaos students never want to look back on." When Masked Kotoha had been just an ordinary student, he used to visit this place often.

"And yet Chaos's security is top-class among Anti-Reality organizations. I'm surprised you managed to get us this far."

"...I'm a top-level executive at Chaos, with authority above even the chairman. Even Chairman Cheuxs's Slash probably couldn't restrain me within the campus. Because in this institution, fairness is absolute."

Hiding here, then, hadn't been difficult. Getting onto the campus grounds alone had been challenging, of course, but thanks to his collaborator, he had managed.

"—Found it."

Between pieces of rubble was a picture frame he recognized. Masked Kotoha picked it up with great care and blew the dust away with a gentle breath.

"...How beautiful."

A painting of a girl walking along a shore, a large lion beside her. Maestro's gaze was captivated. He knew "Aslan Holbart" well, yet he had never seen a painting like this. But the bold, vibrant brushwork told him unmistakably that it was genuine.

"............"

Masked Kotoha felt his chest tighten. He had once visited this room with Léa to search for treasure. Without knowing the true value of this painting, they had displayed it in a prominent place simply because it was beautiful. He had precious memories here. A beautiful past, already lost.

"However... can we enter through this? It seems rather small for grown adults to fit through."

"It'll be fine. We used to use this painting to visit the Land of Bonfires every year."

"Oh. So you're familiar with that place as well?"

"More or less. But don't forget, Maestro. The bonfire despises Parallel Law and the old gods."

"...Heh. So I'll be practically unarmed, is what you're saying."

"I don't know how well I can protect you either. ...The bonfire is far too capricious."

Maestro laughed. He didn't fear death. What he feared more was continuing to live as a slave, controlled by something. He feared a world without freedom.

"Heh, but Kotoha-san. Won't you tell me soon why you're cooperating with me?"

"I've told you many times. It's to grant your wish."

Maestro stared into Masked Kotoha's eyes, trying to read his true intentions. But the man's ice-cold eyes revealed nothing. When it came to hiding his thoughts, Kotoha was far superior to most.

"Hmph..."

But it didn't matter to Maestro. Kotoha had been the one to bring him information about the Tower of Babel, and having lost everything, Maestro had no one else to rely on.

(He's probably thinking he'll use me to his advantage... Maestro is a shrewd man.)

But Masked Kotoha had decided that was fine. Better to fight alongside someone he despised than with someone he loved. Because even if they died, it wouldn't hurt his heart.

"Now then, dawn is coming. Get ready."

The small painting by "Aslan Holbart" had begun to wrap itself in a faint light.

To travel to the Otherworld known as the "Land of Bonfires," the easiest method was apparently to pass through a painting by an artist called "Aslan Holbart."

"Give it your best, Kotton!"

In a vast hall lined with thousands of paintings—the Chaos art room—Léa smiled. Meanwhile, I was gripping a thin paintbrush, my hands trembling with nerves. The brush was coated with colorful blue ink.

"There's nothing to worry about. Just carve your own story into the painting. That's the condition for opening the door."

Aimée-senpai made it sound so easy, but there was no way I could relax.

(I mean, they're telling me to scribble on a painting worth hundreds of billions of yen!?)

I couldn't help being nervous.

"...What you think. ...What you want to do. ...Just draw it."

Danae murmured. Kanna-san was watching me panic and smirking. Having four girls staring at me while I drew was another source of tension.

(But I have to do this...!)

I steeled myself and gripped the brush. I had no artistic talent. I couldn't even draw straight lines, and with wobbly, embarrassing strokes, I drew with all my effort. What should I draw? I didn't even think about it. Maybe that too was part of this painting's Anti-Reality nature.

"Kotton. Is this... an angel?"

"Huh—..."

When my brush left the canvas, there was a wobbly angel painted there. An angel with massive wings, pure white. Strange. I was sure I'd been holding blue paint.

"It's wonderful! I won't lose to that!"

Léa began to draw with confident strokes. But she was even worse than me, and I couldn't tell what she was drawing. It looked like two creatures snuggling together, doing something.

"Then I'll go too—"

What Aimée-senpai drew was a white tower. Large, dignified, and simple.

"Okay okay! My turn, my turn!"

Kanna-san drew lots of cute animals, like she was at a purikura booth.

"Heheh... m-my drawing... is bad, so... don't look too closely, okay...?"

Despite saying that, Danae looked pleased as she drew lots of falling people. That's scary.

When everyone finished drawing, the painting—which should have been worth hundreds of billions of yen—now covered in doodles, began to glow faintly.

"Now then, the contract is complete. The trial begins! Everyone, don't let your guard down for even a second!"

At Aimée-senpai's words, everyone readied their weapons. I'd been told nothing about what would happen next because it was classified information, so I just stood there stunned. ...Why was everyone in such a combat stance!?

"...The fire festival is... a grand celebration by the bonfire. We are merely pieces on the board."

"Huh?"

"People die every year. I'll do my best to protect you as your escort, but don't leave my side."

Danae gripped the hem of my clothes. When someone who usually acted so carefree showed tension in their expression, it was terrifying. And then the trial—began suddenly.

The painting was engulfed in flames.

Before I could even scream, the pillar of fire rising from the painting scorched our bodies.

"Gyaaah! Fire! Fire—!?"

By the time I screamed, my body was engulfed in flames. That wasn't all. The roaring sound of fire drowned out our voices. My body, wrapped in flames, began to crumble to ash bit by bit. Seeing my body disintegrate, I screamed even more desperately.

"...——"

My throat was seared by fire, and I lost my voice. Smoke destroyed my eyes, and I lost my sight. My brain was scorched by flames, and I lost even the ability to think. I lost the world.

—The next time I opened my eyes, it was an endless blue sky.

"...Huh?"

I looked around in confusion. It was the sky. Blue sky. We were in free fall at tremendous speed. Below us was a vast forest. Our altitude was probably... around 2,000 meters?

"Whaaaaaaaaat!?"

Just a moment ago, I had been burning in flames in that room with the painting. But my body was completely unharmed, and instead I was being assaulted by tremendous wind pressure, slowly spinning as I plummeted headfirst toward the ground.

"Nyaaaaaa!! This is way too insane—!!"

I turned toward the scream. Léa was holding down her skirt while falling toward the ground just like me. Apparently this was unexpected for her too.

"Léa—! Are you okay—!"

"Kotton! I'm fine over here!!"

I reached out desperately, but the distance between us kept growing. In free fall, we couldn't choose where we fell.

"Maiden of Gévaudan!"

She used her chainsaw that "wears humans" to slice through Kanna-san who was nearby, then spun around and slipped inside her.

"Nana-chan! You can figure something out, right!?"

"I can, but stop slashing me out of nowhere!?"

"Everyone—! Meet at the palace!"

Leaving behind Kanna-san's shout of "You're ignoring me!?", the two of them fell in the opposite direction from us.

(You say meet up, but!?)

What was I supposed to do? If this kept up, I was just going to fall and die.

"—It's okay."

The one who murmured in my ear was Danae, still gripping the hem of my clothes.

"I'll protect you. So relax."

"D-Danae...!"

"...Heh, heheh."

"...Danae?"

The fist that had been tightly gripping my hem suddenly loosened and let go.

"Crap... got dizzy... Feel sick..."

"W-w-wait!?"

"Also, now that I think about it, my grip strength is only like 8 kg. I'm at my limit."

"That's not a joke, right!? That way of living!!"

Danae's face went pale as the violent wind swept her away, increasing the distance between us. I reached out desperately, but I couldn't reach her. Danae had this blissed-out look on her face, and was slightly throwing up.

"...Completely hopeless. Hilarious, huh."

"Danaeeeeeee!"

Danae was tossed around by the wind and blown off into the far distance. Of course I was worried about her, but honestly my own life was more precious at the moment. Damn it, what should I do!? I—

"—Your hand!"

The one who called out was a girl like a prince—Aimée Cœur de Lumière-senpai. I desperately grabbed her outstretched hand. Even in this situation, her composure didn't crack.

"It's okay. Don't be scared. I'll protect you."

She pulled me in and held me tight, gently stroking my head. Despite the circumstances, her overwhelmingly compassionate touch soothed my tension and fear.

"And don't think badly of Danae. Her Slash is inconvenient to use."

She smiled and looked at me. That prince-like face was right before my eyes, and for a moment I was overwhelmed.

"Now, do you know this story? Kotoha-kun. Once, high above a plane flying from Sweden to Serbia, a passenger aircraft broke apart in mid-air."

"Huh!? What's that out of nowhere!?"

"The altitude was 10,160 meters! An utterly hopeless situation. And yet, just one person!"

A silver cutlass materialized in her palm.

"Just one girl survived the fall, even after hitting the ground!"

It was a cutlass that radiated noble brilliance. Unlike Léa's rough chainsaw that cut through everything, this weapon was so slender it seemed fragile, almost beautiful—specialized purely for slicing its target.

"In other words, the probability isn't zero! And if it isn't zero! Then there's room for a miracle!"

Her Slash carved through the miracle.

[Covenant of Orléans] — Slash

A Slash that "selects miracles." It raises the probability of any phenomenon observed by Aimée Cœur de Lumière up to 50%. Due to concerns that certain uses may cause severe reality breaches, its usage is strictly monitored by Chaos Institute.

She was trying to bring about the miracle of surviving a fall from the sky—with 50-50 odds.

"Amazing...! An ability that causes any miracle with 50% probability!?"

It was truly a miraculous power. I'd seen plenty of Slashes and Gunscars by now, but this ranked among the most incredible. Truly worthy of a vice-chairperson of one of the Three Great Academies.

"...Wait a minute? 50%?"

I mean, it was amazing, right? An incredible ability? But still, maybe, just maybe!

"There's a 50% chance we just fall and die, isn't there?"

"It's like the question of whether you see a half-full glass as still having water, or already run out."

I was speechless and tried to protest immediately. But the ground was already right before our eyes, and my attempt to scream was smothered as her larger body held me tight.

"—Now then. Let's go kill ourselves a miracle!"

"Mmph! Mmmmmph!!" (Gyaaaaaaaaaaah!!!)

We plummeted headfirst.

For the first time in my life, I may have actually felt grateful to god.

(I thought I was gonna die! I thought I was gonna die! I thought I was gonna diiiie!)

My heart was still pounding like crazy. My legs had given out completely and I couldn't even stand.

"To think our landing zone would be a colony of mushrooms several hundred meters tall."

Having fallen toward the ground at roughly 200 km/h, we'd plunged through countless fluffy mushrooms, decelerating as we went, ending up covered in scrapes but basically unharmed.

"Wh-what was that just now!? Why did we catch fire!? Why did we fall from the sky!?"

In the gloomy forest where tower-like mushrooms grew in abundance, Aimée-senpai answered.

"The fire was just a portal reaction. That's not unusual. But the arrival point being the middle of the sky—that's the Bonfire Trial. Its prologue. An annual tradition."

"Trial? Who's giving us trials?"

"The bonfire, of course."

I tilted my head. The way she said it made it sound like the "bonfire" had a will of its own.

"The Land of Bonfires operates on different principles than our world. Every single phenomenon is made of a constituent substance called 'bonfire.' Wind, gravity, action and reaction, thermodynamics, even the structure of matter itself."

"What does that mean...?"

"In our world, the smallest unit of matter is the 'elementary particle,' right? Weight comes from the curvature of space, and some scientists even theorize that time might be a particle or similar form of matter. In the Land of Bonfires, it's much simpler... the smallest unit of everything is 'bonfire.' The origin of every phenomenon in this world is 'bonfire.'"

I only sort of understood, so she continued.

"Bonfires have will. They think and communicate like humans. In other words, wind, gravity, flame—even complex equations and phenomena like time—all have will here."

"E-eeek! Doesn't that get completely chaotic?"

"Exactly. It's best not to measure this world by our logic."

In our world, the speed at which an apple falls from a tree is constant. But in the Land of Bonfires, that speed changes depending on the bonfire's mood. Fire, water, the birth of life—everything is apparently ruled by whim.

All phenomena in the universe having will. That was this world's fundamental science.

"What makes it particularly troublesome is that bonfires love mischief. Every year, they throw absurd trials at the outsiders who gather for the 'Fire Ritual' to block their path."

So that was the "Bonfire Trial." What an incredibly annoying concept.

"The opening right after entering the country is especially elaborate every year. Last year we were thrown into the middle of the ocean, and the year before that, giant dragons blocked our path. This year is still pretty easy, honestly."

"There was a fifty percent chance we would die though!?"

"...Huh? No, that's—"

She thought about it for a moment, then smiled a little.

"Well, whatever. Let's regroup with everyone for now. I have the map."

Still a bit curious, we started walking.

We found Danae, unable to get down from a tall mushroom, about ten minutes later.

"A-am I... going to starve to death up here...? Ehehehehe..."

Sorry to interrupt while she was drooling in ecstasy, but we were in the middle of a journey. The nimble Aimée-senpai climbed up the mushroom smoothly and immediately brought Danae down on her shoulder.

"Haah... how boring."

Despite having failed her escort duty and being rescued from starvation, she was sighing. I decided not to say anything anymore.

"According to the map, we should reach the kingdom after a day's walk. However, one problem has come up."

Aimée-senpai smiled with plenty of composure despite calling it a "problem."

"We only have the minimum amount of food."

Léa had been managing the food supplies. With her Slash "Maiden of Gévaudan," she could stockpile any amount of food in any location she wanted.

"Even if we plan on a one-day march, unexpected circumstances are entirely possible. I'd like to secure more along the way."

I looked up at the mushrooms standing like buildings. They'd been quite soft and fluffy, but I had a feeling they weren't suited for eating. Suddenly, Danae tugged at my sleeve.

"Kotoha. If I'm about to starve to death... just strangle me... the neck... okay?"

"Aimée-senpai. Why did you save this pervert?"

My verbal abuse only made Danae feel even better. I really wanted to do something about her.

"Now, now, don't say that. When she gets serious, this girl is amazing."

Aimée-senpai looked at Danae with a gentle gaze.

"She's the only student at Chaos who might beat Koito Hikari-chan in a one-on-one fight."

"Huh!? Beat Koito-senpai!? No way, that woman is seriously insane!"

She was someone who could catch head-on a whale that crushed universes while moving far beyond the speed of light. Having experienced being Koito-senpai firsthand, I knew her terrifying power better than anyone.

"What the—!?"

Suddenly, the ground shook with a thud.

"Kotoha-kun, behind me!"

Crows scattered into flight. The presence felt seriously bad. Aimée-senpai stepped in front of me to shield me, since I had no combat ability whatsoever. A tremendous roar echoed, and the ground shook even harder.

This thing is bad news~!

Run! Run! Heave-ho!

For a moment, I thought I heard voices in my ear. They resembled the voices I used to hear in people's hearts so often, but... my ability was currently suppressed by the glasses. But there was no time to think deeply about it.

"Wh-what the hell is that!?"

There was a bipedal monster with massive empty sockets where its eyes should be. It was hideously huge—over five meters tall, maybe. Some kind of reeking liquid dripped from its many tails, and countless bones covered its body. Its mouth, lined with countless shark-like fangs, leaked breath in a hissing wheeze.

"! A Broken Fire Creature! This is the first time I've seen one this size!"

"It's huuuge! What even is this thing!"

"...A creature evolved by 'bonfires' that have been consumed by destructive impulses for various reasons. Their only purpose is to kill living things, nothing more!"

Looking closer at the creature, among the many bones wrapped around its body, there were several corpses with flesh still rotting off. Unlike animals in our world, this thing didn't kill to survive. It lived to kill.

"Gu-gu-gu-gu"

The creature made a rhythmic sound in its throat. Anyone could tell it was some kind of buildup.

(This is bad!)

Because of the glasses' effect, I couldn't read exactly what it would do. Aimée-senpai had her cutlass ready, seemingly prepared for any contingency, but that creature was utterly confident in its kill.

(Poison? No—acid! Aimée-senpai is standing guard to protect me, so she can't dodge!)

I grabbed Aimée-senpai's arm.

"Eep... What—"

"Get down!"

I pulled her body close and covered us with my removed uniform.

"GU-GO-GO-GO! EEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!"

In that instant, the fire creature spewed a tremendous amount of liquid. It spread across the entire area, dissolving everything within several meters around us. Trees whose bases had been melted through with a sizzling sound toppled immediately.

"That was close...!"

Azure Academy uniforms are resistant to various toxins. The uniform that had been doused in massive amounts of acid hadn't dissolved in the slightest. Though my fingers, which had been gripping the uniform, had already dissolved down to the bone. It hurt like hell.

"Thank you! You saved me!!"

Aimée-senpai dashed across the ground like the wind, leaped high, and thrust her cutlass into the fire creature's forehead. But the moment the tip touched its squishy forehead, a massive arm easily swatted her away.

"Kh, misfired...!"

For all its bulk, it was far too fast. When the attack connected, I'd seen Aimée-senpai's cutlass glow. She'd probably activated her ability, "Covenant of Orléans." But it must have misfired.

"Aimée-senpai!"

"This is a bit bad. I'll buy time somehow! Meanwhile, Danae!"

Aimée-senpai looked at Danae while making her cutlass glow again. Danae nodded.

"Kotoha. Verbally abuse me."

The sudden, out-of-place request made me freeze.

"Tell me what you honestly think. All of it. Be harsh. Say cruel things. The kind of abuse that would make people question your character if they overheard."

"Why are you going full pervert at a time like this!?"

"I'm not joking. I'm serious. Please, believe me..."

Despite her words, she couldn't hide the excitement in her voice. But I could see in her heart a complete lack of panic, an unwavering confidence. She probably wasn't lying. I shouted while watching Aimée-senpai fight desperately.

"Uh... From the moment we met, you've been looking at me with lust in your eyes, and it was disgusting!"

"...Ahhh..."

"And that weak act you put on? It's because you want people to look down on you, right? Because it's easier that way. Getting off on being insulted is probably because you're happy when how others see you matches how you see yourself? Or maybe you're just a masochist, but either way, do that crap alone in your room!"

"Haa... haa... This precise abuse... is a first. First real talent since Magina-senpai...!"

"And when you were vomiting earlier, showing it off to me like that—I genuinely hated it!"

"...~~~~!!"

She trembled violently and curled up on the spot.

"O... o... o... O... BLEEEEEEGH!!"

She scattered vomit everywhere. Amidst her groans, a silver blade emerged from Danae's mouth. It was a katana. The blade was about 80 cm long. Including the handle, it was over a meter. Danae desperately regurgitated the katana while tears pooled in her eyes and blood-mixed saliva dripped to the ground.

"...Urp. ...Phew... phew... Thanks, Kotoha. I've built up enough power."

She smiled, and I stared in shock. Her hair was gradually turning black. And not just her hair. Her body, even her clothes, were slowly transforming.

"Ah... ah... ah... AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!"

An overwhelming mass of energy erupted from her scream. A mix of black and crimson—an unmistakable aura of violence that inspired primal terror.

"Phew... Now then, let's begin. A true duel!"

When her scream subsided, the person standing there was no longer the Danae Whitmore I knew.

"...No way."

First, she was much taller. Close to 190 cm, probably. Her golden hair had turned completely black, and a large crimson cape fluttered in the wind.

"Thank you, Aimée. You fought hard. Leave the rest to me."

Danae's timid eyes now gleamed ferociously like naked blades. The eyes of a confident warrior. Her bearing was dignified and imposing—the complete opposite of Danae.

"...Danae. You took your time."

Aimée-senpai smiled slightly. But danger was approaching her.

"GOOOOOOOOOOO!!"

The fire creature swung up its massive tail. To strike Aimée-senpai down.

"...Oh?"

But the impact was deflected by Danae's blade. She'd blocked the force of a large truck traveling at several hundred kilometers per hour as if it were nothing. I hadn't even seen her move.

"Aimée. You're still lacking in training as always. Want to practice? Just the two of us. I'll teach you everything personally."

"Fufu... That's quite an honor, such an invitation."

She was still making borderline sexual harassment comments, yet somehow they came across as refreshing and not creepy at all.

(Th-this is Danae's Slash...!)

[Maji Sword (Seriously SSS)] — Slash

A Slash that "converts to violence." A katana that converts Danae Whitmore's emotions into violence and transforms her. If her emotional value is below a certain threshold, she cannot transform. When transformed, Danae gains the Anti-Reality property of "becoming stronger than any opponent she engages." Transformation duration: approximately three minutes.

The fire creature raised both fists to smash Danae flat.

"A contest of strength? Nice. But—I'm stronger."

Danae caught the fist with one hand, not even using her sword. She hadn't broken a sweat or sustained a single scratch, but the ground beneath her feet had been gouged deep.

"Haha. The battle begins. Let's enjoy this to the fullest. Fair and square!"

When Danae grabbed the fire creature's arm, she threw it to the ground in a tomoe-nage. With that single impact, the countless bones wrapped around the fire creature shattered to pieces.

"GOOOOOOOOOOO!!"

The fire creature spewed dissolving liquid from its mouth like a waterfall.

"Watch out!"

I shouted instinctively. Because Danae hadn't even made a move to dodge.

"...Heh."

Covered entirely in dissolving liquid, Danae was smiling.

"Magnificent evolution. You must have developed this technique through a fierce survival competition. Thank you. That was impressive. So I'll show you something in return."

Danae vibrated at high speed for an instant. The dissolving liquid scattered around her, and she herself emerged without a single wound. She smiled as if genuinely enjoying herself, stabbed her sword into the ground, and positioned both hands at her waist.

"HAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!"

Black and crimson pure energy took form in her palms.

"Kanna-style laser strike art! Shadow Flame Wave!!"

Black light scorched the world.

"...!!"

I couldn't stay standing against the shockwave and rolled several meters. Her black and crimson light, accompanied by an impact that seemed to shake the world itself, had incinerated several hundred meters of mushroom forest. The fire creature, thoroughly burnt to a crisp, collapsed with a thud. The pleasant smell of roasted meat wafted through the air.

(H-holy crap...!)

Her power was certainly comparable to Koito-senpai's. And more than that—her ability of "becoming stronger than any opponent she engages" meant that no matter how much hidden power Koito-senpai unleashed, she would always surpass it.

"Aimée seems fine. Kotoha, are you hurt?"

"I-I'm totally fine, thanks to you two..."

I'd been treating Danae carelessly, but I found myself speaking politely now. That was how different her presence felt.

"Now, before my time limit... let me do one more thing."

"Huh?"

She readied her katana and closed the several-meter gap in an instant.

"Kanna-style sword art! Dice Crumble!!"

A tremendous slash cut the fallen fire creature's entire body into cubes roughly 50 cm across.

"There. That solves the food problem too, doesn't it?"

Wait, we're eating this?

We kept walking through the dense forest. Along the way we nearly ran into other fire creatures several times, but each time we hid and let them pass. Apparently Danae's ability couldn't be used repeatedly in quick succession.

"Let's camp here for tonight."

We'd reached the riverside, and started making camp. The temperature was comfortable. Lucky we didn't need tents.

"Starting next year, we'll need to prepare for long-distance travel. This is the first time it's been such a long journey."

"Huff... huff... I'm so tired... I'm gonna die..."

Exhausted from the long trek, Danae lay face-down on the ground, gasping for breath.

"...Why are you so tired when I was carrying you on my back the whole time?"

"Fufu. ...Being carried... takes talent too. I don't... have it."

I'd been carrying Danae and walking the whole way, so I was completely wiped out too. I wanted to rest immediately, but first we needed to get a fire going.

"I'll put the firewood I gathered along the way here. I'll set aside some kindling too."

"Nice assist. I've got a fire starter, so leave it to me."

Aimée-senpai aimed a metal rod—the fire starter—at the kindling.

"O spirits of bonfire that fill the earth, grant me the honor of sharing in your warmth."

(Huh...)

The air stirred softly somehow.

"C'mon. C'mon."

"...You're not getting a single spark?"

"...Mmm."

Seeing the usually perfect, prince-like Aimée-senpai pout her lips was kind of cute.

"I see... so fire doesn't just light on its own here, the way it does in our world."

"Yeah. Fire is especially sacred here. You need to connect with the bonfire's heart through incantations or prayers."

A world where all phenomena have will—huh. What a troublesome world. Aimée-senpai tried to light it again and again, but couldn't even get a spark. Watching her, I somehow felt... like she was doing it wrong.

"Could I borrow that for a moment?"

I took the fire starter from Aimée-senpai and gripped it gently.

(Probably—more gently. At a walking pace, not rushing. ...Not asking the spirits for a favor—more like treating it as a given—)

I struck the metal rod. In that instant, an enormous pillar of fire erupted.

"Whoa!"

Aimée-senpai was so startled she fell on her rear.

"Amazing! You didn't even chant a prayer. ...How did you do it?"

Woven through the air were tiny consciousnesses—far too many to count. But they weren't complex like human minds—they were more like pure vectors of will itself. That was the sensation I had.

"...Kotoha is... liked by the bonfires. ...Because he's someone who understands feelings."

Danae, still face-down on the ground, murmured softly.

"When we first fell from the sky. Kotoha, you survived because the bonfires liked you."

"Huh? No, that's not it. That was Aimée-senpai who—"

Aimée-senpai laughed.

"Well, actually, my Slash totally misfired back then. I used my ability four times today, and they all failed. Even by my standards, I'm on one hell of a cold streak."

"Seriously!?"

"We were close together, me and Kotoha. But the wind pulled us apart. I'm disliked by the bonfires, you see. I managed because my Slash worked for just an instant, but Kotoha, your landing zone was probably controlled by the bonfires."

Now that she mentioned it, that was true. When we fell from the sky, Danae had been holding onto my uniform. But fierce winds had buffeted us, and our landing points had diverged.

"Hehe. Kotoha, you're good at winning people over, aren't you...♡"

Danae laughed suggestively. It didn't quite click for me, and I quietly gazed up at the sky.

That night, I had a dream.

(Huh...?)

It was damp, and with every step my feet squelched wetly. But that wasn't all—there was a smell. A lonely scent, like a summer day before the rain, lingering endlessly.

"Sniff... hic..."

A great white sphere of wings was crying.

(Ah... this place...)

I'd been here before. Somewhere so familiar it made me want to cry.

"Why..."

The wings trembled and spread wide to either side.

Standing there was an albino girl.

"...have you come to a place like this again?"

(Because—)

I remembered her, vaguely.

(I promised, didn't I? That I'd come here again.)

One of her wings was half torn off. A sword pierced her chest. One eye had been gouged out by a bullet—I somehow knew that, instinctively.

"You mustn't come to a place like this so many times. Please, make this the last."

That was an impossible request. As long as I could come here, I would visit again and again. My heart was surely shaped that way.

(Me being here isn't a tragedy. You told me that. So I believe it.)

The wounded angel with her white wings was crying.

"Thank you. Thank you. I'm sorry. Because I—because I—am weak..."

I was hundreds of millions of times weaker than her—I didn't even have the right to comfort her.

"This is all I can manage. I can't even take the hand of the one I love."

(Huh?)

"He's writhing in pain and laughing bitterly. Screaming in the flames. And I can't save him."

She stared at me. Her eyes, blue as the sea, pierced my heart.

"Please, tell him this."

"...That I still love him. That I think of him, and cry."

Ah, I wanted to help her somehow. I reached out to her.

"—Ah."

But my fingers grasped only air, and instead, I woke from the dream.

(That dream again.)

All I could see was the thick forest of the Land of Bonfires and the night sky filled with unfamiliar constellations.

(That was definitely the Angel of Slashes.)

I looked beside my pillow. A small ring lay there.

(Is this... my Slash...?)

It was a simple platinum ring. I tried putting it on, but nothing happened. Same as always. My Gunscar and Slash were weird and I couldn't figure out how to use them.

(But I know what it's called.)

The new form of my Yearning, destroyed by "someone." Human Yearning never runs dry. It merely changes shape, existing eternally. My Yearning. My despair. Its name was—

("a Session.")

It felt remarkably similar to "noapusa." The fundamental nature of its roots probably hadn't changed. But compared to that pitiful little handgun, this one felt far more filled with hope.

(Thank you.)

Thanks to that girl whose name I'd forgotten, I'd obtained such a beautiful wish—one I could be proud of. It was all because of you. Truly, truly, thank you.

Thinking desperately of that girl, I gripped the small ring tight.

I—Léa Cœur de Lumière—was holding my breath in the nighttime forest.

(Someone's there.)

Nana-chan and I had landed near the Land of Bonfires and were walking through the dark forest, aiming to arrive during the night. Fortunately, the path to the country was lit by luminescent mushrooms, so even the deep darkness posed no problem.

(Bad timing.)

I'd heard footsteps and hidden inside the ground using my Maiden of Gévaudan ability. The problem was that Nana-chan and I had just split up—she'd climbed somewhere high to survey the area.

(Was someone tailing us? Was this timing planned?)

I didn't know. But there was no reason not to take every precaution.

(Now!)

The instant the footsteps passed directly above me, I reached out through a thin slit in the ground.

"Wah!?"

I grabbed an ankle, quickly rolled them over, and pinned them so they couldn't escape.

"Wh—"

"Ah... this is bad."

I was at a loss for words.

"...Maestro!?"

It was the man we'd been pursuing for years—the one who'd killed our comrades. His right half had been taken by Danae-senpai in the previous battle, and he was still one-armed. This was what you'd call a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

(Restraining him alone is impossible... I'll cut his tendons!)

Without hesitation, I moved to slice apart the giant man's ankles.

"—Wait."

"You... are..."

A man wearing a vivid skull mask, covered in wounds. He stood behind me, gripping a crude handgun, and with that hand he was restraining my friend—Nana-chan.

"Ugh... sorry, Léa...!"

"Let go of Nana-chan!"

The skull-masked man—the Kotton from another dimension—answered quietly.

"How about you let go first? I don't have any attachment to that man, but you're different."

Indeed, that was true. Nana-chan was important to me. Protecting her life was the top priority in this situation. But if he was different from Maestro, then we were at a disadvantage.

"That's awfully mean, Kotoha-san."

When Maestro said that in his easygoing way, the rage inside me nearly erupted. So many of my precious friends had been hurt because of this man. And yet he acted as though even this situation was no problem at all.

(Calm down, me. Think coolly.)

One wrong move in this situation, and it would become a disaster. That much was certain. I thought calmly. Observed calmly. Calculated the factors calmly. And quickly, I noticed.

"Nana-chan. Come over here."

"Eek! Come over here, what!? No no no, he said he'd kill me if I moved!"

"It's fine. That person can't hurt you."

It was obvious. Because he—his finger was trembling.

"...Huh?"

"Because that person is Kotton. If he's the Kotton I know, he would never hurt a friend, no matter what."

There was no way he could. If he was the Kotton who enrolled at Chaos Institute and married me, then he would definitely have known Nana-chan too. Or perhaps... they were even closer than that.

"Shut up. Don't move. Not if you want to live."

The skull-masked man murmured in a low voice. But that voice trembled, ever so slightly. Nana-chan was sensitive to people's emotions. She noticed immediately and, confused and frightened, began to walk.

"......"

The skull-masked Kotton couldn't shoot Nana-chan.

"Kotoha-san!?"

Meanwhile, Maestro—suddenly thrown into crisis—shouted in panic. The skull-masked man watched us in silence. My chest ached with an inexplicable sadness.

"Give Maestro back. I don't... want to hurt you."

(Such a soft-hearted person...)

I knew that about him. Because that was who he was. Endlessly kind, hypersensitive to others' pain, and willing to throw everything away for those he loved.

"Very well."

"Léa!?"

The surprised one was Nana-chan. Of course. I was about to release a hostage when I had the overwhelming advantage. Just as soft-hearted as him.

"But please—tell me. What your goal is. Why your Chaos Institute was destroyed. ...What happened to you."

"......"

"If you tell me everything, I promise to return Maestro. I swear on my honor."

This wasn't even a negotiation. Any normal person would dismiss it outright. But if it was him and me—if he had truly married me—then surely he understood the weight of these words.

"...Alright. I'll talk. In exchange, don't harm that man. I need him."

"Then we have a deal."

"What happened to Chaos Institute, you asked."

"No. The main topic should be what happened to you, if you please."

Behind the mask, his eyes wavered. He nodded. And then he began to speak—the tale of the tragedy that befell his dimension, the story of his journey thus far—in a low voice, struggling to suppress his emotions.

"My dimension... let's call it the Mask Dimension for now."

The dimension where the skull-masked Kotton came from—the Mask Dimension—was a parallel world located extremely close to our dimension, the Cherry Blossom Dimension. He said it was a dimension where only some slight choice had been different.

"In the Mask Dimension... did Kotton and I... get married...?"

When I asked, he nodded as if it were nothing. For me, it was a fact that nearly made me lose my composure, but for him, it must have been natural.

"...It happened on our daughter's first birthday."

They even had a daughter. I fidgeted a little.

"Azure Academy released a statement. Hijacking media across Fructus, the surface, everywhere."

He said it was a video created with an eerie synthetic voice. Against a pure white background, a laughing man stood there.

"To all of humanity. We are Azure Academy. An organization that has long protected the universe by stagnating the Apocalypse. However, we have been compelled to change our policy."

The Apocalypse Stagnation Committee's activities were kept hidden from the people on the surface. Because the Apocalypse and anti-information shouldn't be seen by ordinary people. They ruined all of that.

"—We have concluded that humanity must be eradicated. The Apocalypse begins now."

The moment that video, sent to every nation and organization, finished playing, the many Apocalypses that Azure Academy had been researching and operating were unleashed upon the surface—with placements and timing calculated for maximum efficiency in annihilating humanity.

"Mexico's Sonora Market was destroyed by tens of thousands of artificial Angels. The Eiffel Tower Snail grew rapidly, and all of France was plunged into chaos. In Japan, all the divine foxes were syncretized into a single vessel, creating the most terrifying Anomaly in history."

The surface fell into chaos. But that wasn't all. Tragedy had begun in the skies as well.

"Tens of millions of Seals were scattered across Corporations' sky. The moment they fell to the ground, they caused massive explosions. In an instant, the cities of Corporations were destroyed, and the few survivors fled. But they were slaughtered to the last by Chalquiruq—the giant warship floating in the sky."

"That can't be... surely not."

"Corporations was annihilated in a single night."

An unbelievable tale of tragedy. That was his reality.

"We at Chaos Institute fought against Azure Academy. Along with many Anti-Reality organizations and minor academies. But Azure Academy's power was overwhelming. Their Gunscars far surpassed our Slashes and Half-Wings. We figured there had to be some reason... so Nana and I infiltrated Azure Academy."

"Wha... me, you mean?"

Suddenly finding herself in the story, Nana-chan's eyes went wide.

"...Yeah. The Nana in my dimension and I were... well, close. ...To me, if Léa was the one I loved, then Nana was... my best friend. We did all sorts of stupid things together."

"Wha... what... Seriously."

While she stood there in shock, I thought: I knew it. Kotton and Nana-chan would definitely get along. Because they were both people who always tried their hardest for someone other than themselves.

"...Stealing the Angel of Gunscar from Azure Academy was our objective. At the time, we were both in our early twenties, and both Nana and I had lost our Slashes."

Even retired students could return to the front lines if they could use the Angel of Gunscar. And if they could steal the Angel, Azure Academy couldn't increase their forces any further. It must have seemed like killing two birds with one stone.

"...The operation was doomed from the start."

"...Ahaha... right, I figured."

The clever Nana-chan caught on immediately. Sure, it was a two-birds-one-stone idea. But... there was no way it was sane. Just two people infiltrating the enemy's headquarters—it must have been a suicidal mission, and things must have been desperate enough to require it.

"...Azure Academy was hell."

His hand trembled slightly.

"There's an ability called Four Fierce Beasts—Megalomania. Everything that enters Azure Academy is transformed into a monster. We successfully infiltrated, lost consciousness, and—"

He gritted his teeth, forcing his mouth open.

"I was the only one who survived."

His masked eyes trembled as if about to cry, staring at Nana-chan.

"I don't even remember. What happened. Why I alone survived..."

Despite not remembering, he murmured with conviction.

"Probably... I was saved by Nana."

"By... me...?"

"Though I don't remember anymore, the emotion remained in my pocket. That Nana... desperately manifested an ability, and somehow got me—transformed into a monster—out of Azure Academy."

And then—Nana-chan died. He was protected by his best friend, and lost even the memory of it.

"...When I woke up, this was in my hand."

The skull-masked Kotton gazed at his crude handgun, "Bard and Poetry." That ability to limitedly resurrect the dead—surely, it was originally created as a power to save Nana-chan.

"...The situation was dire. Ninety-nine percent of the surface population was dead, and Chaos was on the verge of annihilation. Defeat was certain. There was nothing to be done. I was going to go to the battlefield and kill at least one Azure Academy bastard—when I was stopped."

"...By whom?"

"...Aimée-neesan..."

Ah, I see. It all made sense. My sister—that most noble and kind person—loved us even in another dimension.

"She called my newly manifested ability 'Bard and Poetry' a hope. Because it could preserve the memories of the people from Chaos. ...So she told me to live... and tried to... protect us..."

"......"

"...It was just a pretext to let our family escape. That's all it was. ...Aimée-neesan... she always... always thought of us..."

My sister was my sister, no matter where. That made me happy. But also sad. I cried a little. But I never looked away from his expression.

"We headed for the Cape of Good Hope in Cape Town—the Apocalypse called 'Great Mouth of the Cape of Good Hope.' The world was in ruins. In a world overflowing with monsters, gods, and what had once been humans... just traveling was the best we could do..."

Azure Academy's goal was the eradication of all humanity. Naturally, Kotton trying to escape must have made him a target. Even with "Bard and Poetry," that journey couldn't have been easy.

"...Danae and Magina-senpai fought until the end at Chaos Institute. To draw Azure Academy's attention. Aimée-neesan... escorted us along the way... She always intended... to die... somewhere along the way..."

How many wounds had been carved into this man's heart? I hadn't lived a long life, granted—but I had never seen anyone this sad.

"...We reached the Great Mouth of the Cape of Good Hope. Just three of us."

The "Great Mouth of the Cape of Good Hope." It was a massive portal owned by Chaos. Said to lead to another dimension, but since it was one-way, no one knew where it went. ...It must have been a last resort, grasping at straws.

"Countless Apocalypses, monsters, and things that had once been human blocked our path."

He clenched his fist. Blood seeped from his hand.

"Léa asked me something. —Protect our daughter."

I understood that feeling clearly. Because Kotton would surely try to protect both me and our daughter. That wouldn't work. The one to protect wasn't me... it was our precious future.

"Léa... she had lost her Slash... but at the end, she manifested her Endpoint and—"

"...Yeah."

"—Protected us through."

I'm glad. I thought that from the bottom of my heart. Surely, the me from the Mask Dimension felt the same way. Because she protected those she loved. There was nothing more important than that.

"And so I survived. Protected by so many precious lives. This... this useless... incompetent me, in everyone's... place... Even though there's no value... there couldn't possibly be... I should have been the one to die..."

How many nights of regret had this man endured? Surely, he'd wished to die countless times. But protected by the lives of those he loved, he wasn't even permitted to choose death. He had to live to accomplish something.

"But... something doesn't add up...?"

"...What doesn't?"

"You weren't the only survivor, were you? Your—daughter?"

The masked man hung his head slightly, then spoke.

"...It was a game."

His voice couldn't hide the hatred and anger.

"Huh?"

"A game to manipulate Azure Academy and slaughter all of humanity."

"...A game? That can't... what do you mean...?"

Not just us. Before I knew it, even Maestro was listening intently. Apparently, he didn't know this part of the story either.

"...There exists... an Apocalypse called the Static Man... No, it's not just an Apocalypse... A real monster that has destroyed hundreds of millions of dimensions... A f-fucked up... creature..."

The Static Man. Of course I knew the name. The giant sealed in the Land of Bonfires. We had come to this country to complete the Fire Ritual and ensure that seal remained intact.

"The Static Man was playing a game of eradicating humanity. I survived. That means I won. I won the damn thing. So that creature took a liking to me—and proposed another game."

The masked Kotton who had escaped from the Mask Dimension was caught by the Static Man. And it spoke to him, between dimensions, taking his hand.

"If you can win the next game—I'll undo all the tragedies that befell you."

I couldn't believe my ears.

"What!? That has to be a lie! Because it's simply impossible!"

"...It can be done. By that thing. The Static Man has an ability."

Just a game—an existence that could destroy dimensions and laugh. Its ability was—

"—It manipulates the past. It interferes with the past and twists the present however it likes."

What a... grotesque ability that was. An atrocity that made all value meaningless.

"...I... foolish me... made a contract."

Who could possibly blame that decision? The masked Kotton had lost everything. To reclaim his precious people, the only being capable of doing so approached him with an offer. ...Even knowing it was the root cause, he couldn't help but cling to it.

"What is this game you're participating in?"

"You should already know. —Destroying Azure Academy."

"!"

"Destroy Azure Academy and obtain the Angel of Gunscar. What I once failed to do, that monster set as the victory condition. I don't know why."

If he destroyed Azure Academy, the Static Man would manipulate the past and return those precious to him. That was the game he'd entered. The reason he fought. And the reason he was here.

"But I didn't know. ...That the game required an entry fee."

"Huh?"

"...That thing. To bind my soul. It took... the last precious thing I had left."

His most beloved daughter—the one he and his wife had protected together. Wagering her was the condition to enter the game. By the time the masked man said he hadn't heard about that, the game had already begun.

"...I came here to 'reclaim the Static Man's body.'"

"Reclaim its body...?"

"The current Static Man is just a spiritual entity. A conceptual lifeform hiding within language. Its body is sealed here, in the Land of Bonfires. ...I'll use that thing to win the game."

The Fire Ritual of the Land of Bonfires was a ritual performed every year to keep the giant called the Static Man from awakening. And the masked man's goal was to make the ritual fail.

"Crushing Azure Academy alone would be difficult. But if I use the Static Man, it's not impossible."

His eyes held a determination stronger than anything I'd ever seen. Of course. He was more desperate than anyone. He had despaired more deeply than anyone, and reached for hope more earnestly than anyone.

"......"

Neither Nana-chan nor I could say anything. Because we couldn't tell him he was wrong. We didn't know anyone this sad. Because he... for our sake... all alone... was struggling so desperately...

"That's everything about why I'm here. Now, release Maestro as promised."

He watched us quietly. I swallowed hard. I simply didn't want this person to be hurt anymore, but I couldn't think of any concrete way to achieve that.

"...Léa. Don't."

Nana-chan looked at me and shook her head. But that was impossible. I had sworn on my honor. He had spoken honestly. So I had to keep my promise.

"Go ahead. Leave."

I released Maestro. He walked briskly toward the masked Kotton with a complicated smile. Nana-chan, the realist, twisted her expression in frustration.

"Kotoyorozu Kotoha. My mission is to see the Fire Ritual through to completion."

I declared to the masked man. He simply watched me.

"If you interfere with that. If you try to destroy this world. I—Léa Cœur de Lumière—will never forgive you!"

He looked at me and smiled slightly.

"Yeah. You would. I know. ...That's exactly what you'd do."

"...!"

"I can't stop walking. —Everyone entrusted their wishes to me. I will take back everything."

The despair in his gaze easily surpassed everything I possessed.

"Even if it's you, next time I'll kill you."

He murmured, and turned his back. He vanished into the darkness of night along with Maestro.

Neither Nana-chan nor I could even move.

So sad, so sad, so sad.

All we could do was watch him go.