Episode 5: A Story of the Night

"Gyaaaaaaaaaaaah!!"

We were running for our lives.

"RYSHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA—!"

What echoed from behind us was a gigantic ostrich-like creature with dozens of snake heads. It kicked at the ground with its enormous hooked talons and closed in on us at terrifying speed.

"Danae! Danae! Can you still not transform!?"

"Hehe... I can't anymore... ♡ My heart's power is completely empty... ♡"

"Why do you sound so happy about it!?"

Having emerged from the forest, we were crossing a vast plain. The Land of Bonfires was just ahead — we could see the city walls stretching along the horizon. But a "Broken Fire Creature" had been lying in wait, and now it was chasing us down.

"Hehe. It's okay, Kotoha-kun. Leave it to me."

"Aimée-senpai!"

She raised her silver cutlass toward the sky.

"— Meteorite! Fall and crush that thing's skull!"

The Slash "Covenant of Orléans" raises all miracles to 50%. Even the miracle of a meteorite happening to fall from the sky and strike something is nothing but a mundane occurrence before her blade.

"......"

"...Aimée-senpai?"

"Hmm. No good. Hehe, six losses in a row."

"Your luck is way too bad—!"

Ever since we'd entered the Land of Bonfires, every one of Aimée-senpai's Slashes had failed. Her Slash was a tremendous ability that rendered miracles mundane, but ultimately it still came down to luck.

"RYSHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA—!"

Those enormous hooked talons were closing in. The creature had no Anti-Reality properties whatsoever — it was just big, and just strong. But that alone made it a clear threat.

"Kotoha... It's okay."

"Danae! Do you have some kind of secret plan?"

"Even if our lives are snuffed out, they'll take on new forms and circulate through the cosmos. There's nothing to be afraid of."

"Please just shut up, forever."

The Broken Fire Creature — its roar shook the ground. Aimée-senpai's cutlass flashed. Thunder roared and instantly scorched the giant beast. But still it didn't stop.

No good, no good. Lightning is the bonfire's domain.

If you're going to aim, go for its belly. The soft part.

— Suddenly, I thought I heard something.

(What was that just now?)

But it was true: while the giant monster's entire body was covered in hard-looking scales, its belly alone was wrapped in fluffy feathers. If I could strike there, maybe somehow—?

"Danae! The katana!"

"...Yeah. ...Bleeeeeggghh."

Danae vomited out the katana. With some of her vomit splashing on my back, I gripped the blade and broke into a sprint. Aimée-senpai moved to stop me for a moment, but there was no time for discussion.

"Raaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhh!!!"

I knew the monster's vision had been dazzled by the lightning. I dodged its massive hooked talons and slipped under its body, then thrust upward with all my might.

"GYYYYYYYYYYYYYY—!!"

The sensation of slicing through flesh. I definitely felt the blade rupturing blood vessels one after another. But the tip of the sword was stopped by a massive bone. The wound hadn't reached the internal organs.

(Crap—)

By the time I thought that, the monster's enormous hooked talon had already kicked me in the stomach.

"Kotoha-kun!"

The impact sent me flying several meters. A considerable number of bones had broken — I was sure of it. Blood poured from my stomach like a burst water balloon. This was bad.

"Hehe, death."

Danae laughed. The enraged monster was charging toward me. I was going to die. I felt it instinctively.

"That's why I told you. You're such a handful, you know that? ♪"

A voice rang out, along with a cherry-blossom-colored radiance. Appearing at a speed that seemed to slice through sound itself, she held her favorite guitar like a bat and grinned at the giant monster.

"Ace and cleanup hitter! Koito Hikari at the plate! Here's the big windup—"

"RYSHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA—!"

TWANG! The guitar screamed, and it caught the giant monster dead center. The monster was sent flying in a home-run arc, its bones and flesh rupturing from the sheer impact.

"...Ah... Ah! K-Koito... senpai...!"

"Geez! Kotoha. The moment I take my eyes off you, you start falling apart. What is wrong with you!"

Koito-senpai laughed. Just that alone made the fear and tension I'd been feeling vanish in an instant. She gently stroked my head, then pinched my cheek.

"Anyway! You rest. I'll be lecturing you later, so don't think you're off the hook."

The bleeding still wouldn't stop. In the distance, an even larger swarm of Broken Fire Creatures was appearing. We were far from out of danger.

(Yet somehow... I'm completely sure it'll all be fine...)

Feeling like I was falling asleep in a cradle, I lost consciousness.

I woke to a pleasant weight on my chest.

"...Haa... haa..."

Silver hair was draped across my cheek. It was probably nighttime. The golden light of the moon shone through the window, faintly illuminating her face. Outside was lively. Was there some kind of festival going on?

"...Where am I?"

A clean room. Probably a hospital room. A strange machine I'd never seen before — several glass tubes filled with various liquids attached to it — hummed steadily away.

Work, work!

Protect lives!

I thought I heard voices coming from inside the machine.

"...Léa?"

"Haa... haa..."

My best friend — Léa — was using my body as a pillow, sound asleep. She had been sitting in a wooden chair, watching over me while I was unconscious.

(What...? I should have been pretty badly injured, but now I feel completely fine.)

"Awake, are ye?"

A voice called out, and I turned to look. Standing there was a small girl wearing a jet-black robe and an oversized hat. Under her robe, she wore only a bikini and shorts — quite the liberated look.

"This be the palace infirmary. I am one of the Ten Heroes, the 'Sheep Witch.' How art thou feeling?"

Despite how serious my injuries had been, my stomach didn't have so much as a twinge of pain. My consciousness was perfectly clear, and it felt like a lie that I'd been so badly hurt just moments ago.

"I specialize in medicine, I do. I took the liberty of treating thee, but... I was surprised. Never have I met one so beloved by the 'Bonfire' as thee. ...For thy injuries to heal so quickly."

Apparently, even for her, the speed of my recovery was surprising.

"Art thou not interested in witchcraft, perchance? I shall make thee my first apprentice in a hundred years."

"N-no. I'm extremely honored, but given the circumstances..."

The Sheep Witch laughed and said that was fair enough.

"If thou hast come for the Fire Ritual, we shall meet again. Let us talk properly then."

She padded barefoot across the marble floor and left the room. At the last moment, she smiled softly and said, "Take care."

"Haa... haa..."

Left behind were just me and the soundly sleeping Léa.

"Hehe, what a cute sleeping face. I know! I'll kiss her. Mmwah."

"...Could you please stop adding the weird commentary?"

Apparently we weren't alone after all. Grinning and watching us from the corner of the room was — Kanna Nana. She gave a wry smile.

"You should've seen Léa. When Kotoha-san got brought in all injured, oh man, she totally lost it. She's been at your side the whole time, nursing you. Was crying pretty much the entire time. Seriously, it was rough."

"That much? But why?"

"...Well, stuff happened. I think she got a little scared."

Nana told me about it. How she and Léa had met the masked version of me together. How they'd heard various things from him. That he'd overcome tremendous tragedy and was still fighting against despair.

"I see. He's... that kind of me."

The masked Kotoha — had enrolled at Chaos Institute, gained precious people and an everyday life, and in the end lost everything. What a pitiful, wretched, unforgivable existence.

"One: Masked Kotoha is playing a game with the 'Static Man.' Two: Masked Kotoha's victory condition is 'destroying Azure Academy.' Three: To achieve that, Masked Kotoha wants to revive the 'Static Man' and is trying to sabotage the 'Fire Ritual.' That's pretty much it."

Nana held up three fingers as she murmured.

"If the 'Static Man' is revived, the fundamental science of this dimension will be destroyed. Naturally, humanity will be annihilated, or suffer equivalent damage — and Azure Academy will take a massive blow too."

"Wow. So he's trying to destroy the whole world just to destroy Azure Academy. That's brutal, Masked Kotoha."

Nana laughed as if joking. But there was a shadow in her expression. Hearing about Masked Kotoha's circumstances must have given her a lot to think about.

"When I heard that story, I couldn't help thinking something."

"What?"

"...I thought, how sad."

She clenched her fist tight.

"Because that person loves us, you know? Or rather, loves the other-dimension versions of us. But still... he can't even bring himself to hurt this version of me. ...He lost everything. Everything that was precious to him."

Nana gazed at the lively night outside the window.

"The 'Traitor' is probably cooperating with Masked Kotoha for that reason."

"...You mean, sympathy?"

"That's kind of a harsh way to put it. But... yeah. I just thought... it's unfair. I want this person to be saved. If possible, I want to help him."

Someone at Chaos Institute wanted to help Masked Kotoha. — That had to be someone noble, and kind.

"So then. What did you learn on your side, Kotoha-san? During your journey so far."

"Well... Danae probably isn't the traitor. That's just not... her nature."

"Ahaha. Yeah, I figured."

I couldn't imagine Danae being capable of scheming behind the scenes. That person's vector was constantly pointed toward gradual death and decay. "Scheming" was something only desperate people did.

"Aimée-senpai has protected me by putting herself at risk multiple times. ...She's an admirable person."

"Well, of course. The noblest and most fair person at Chaos Institute. Her nickname's the Silver Knight. As far as I know, there's no one more admirable than her. Kind, cool... everyone's prince."

"...Which is exactly why."

If I combined my profiling with hers, one path became visible.

"Aimée-senpai is noble to the point of being too noble. ...And if someone like that encountered Masked Kotoha—"

"...Oh."

"I still don't know her deeply. What do you think would happen, Nana?"

If it were Aimée-senpai, she should have been able to easily shelter Masked Kotoha at Chaos Institute. Nana closed her eyes and thought deeply. After a while, she quietly spoke.

"...I don't think even she would go that far."

"Really?"

"She's definitely a kind person, you know? But... she's pretty biased toward family — like, a total sister-LOVE type... Even if she sympathized with Masked Kotoha, I can't imagine her prioritizing him over Léa — over family or friends. That's her priority order, I think."

Lending a hand to the masked me meant releasing the "Static Man's" Seal, which would mean our universe would collapse with high probability. If Aimée-senpai really had firm priorities as Nana said, then that wasn't a choice she would make. Mere sympathy wouldn't move her. Nana continued.

"If Masked Kotoha's goal is to interfere with the Fire Ritual, then the traitor should be here in the Land of Bonfires too."

"What's your reasoning?"

"One: Security for the Fire Ritual is tight. Just two people trying to sabotage it seems unlikely. Two: The preparations are probably thorough. That means having an inside person is essential."

That made sense. We should assume the traitor had come to this country.

"At the very least, I'd like to apprehend the traitor before tomorrow's Fire Ritual begins..."

"...If I could take off these glasses, I could easily identify the culprit."

"That'd be tough, wouldn't it? If you force the glasses off, it sends a notification, and your guard-slash-monitor Danae would capture you. I can't move openly either."

Against a serious Danae, you'd need someone on Koito-senpai's level to stand a chance. With Danae being close to the "Traitor," it would be impossible.

"The 'Sight-Dampening Glasses' are packed with Chaos Institute's cutting-edge technology. At least not even the Three Great Academies should be able to break through their security."

"...Then what about a country with a higher technological level than the Three Great Academies...?"

I pointed at the cord connected to my blood vessels — the medical equipment from the Land of Bonfires.

"Right, the witches! Their bonfire-based technology is unknown to Chaos Institute. Maybe... just maybe, a witch might be able to do something...?"

Nana frowned, turning it over.

"But even for me, I don't have any connections to the witches—"

"...Actually, about that."

I told her about the Sheep Witch. For some reason she'd taken a liking to me and had even invited me to become her apprentice. With her, there might be room for negotiation.

"That might... actually be a shot, yeah."

Even if we failed, the worst case would be me getting restrained by Danae and being taken out of the fight. It was worth trying.

"Let's go with that plan for now. I'll snoop around and see what everyone's up to."

"Got it. Be careful, Nana."

She gave a small nod and walked toward the door. But halfway there, she stopped and stared straight at me.

"...You don't have to call me that formally. Just 'Nana' is fine. And like... you don't need to use polite speech with me either."

"Huh? What's gotten into you all of a sudden?"

She scratched her cheek a little.

"...Apparently, you and I... get along really well? Maybe even well enough to become best friends."

"Ah..."

"So. You know. ...We might as well get along. ...It'd be beneficial... or something? ...That's all."

After mumbling that, she hurried out of the room as if fleeing. Could it be she wanted to be friends? That made me incredibly happy. It was almost embarrassingly nice, and I couldn't help but smile.

(Okay. Now I need to deal with... that one.)

Outside the window, against the night sky, a girl was scattering cherry-blossom-colored light alongside the fireworks, making the crowd below laugh. I waved my hand at her as she did acrobatics while riding her guitar.

I had common sense too, you know.

"Koito-senpai."

In the moonlit corridor of the guest wing in the Land of Bonfires' royal palace, he stared at me with an exasperated look.

"What is it, Kotoha?"

"Honestly... How did you even get here?"

When I heard Kotoha was going to study abroad at Chaos Institute alone, I immediately contacted one of the Vice-Chairs of Chaos — Chaos has three Vice-Chairs, including Aimée — and told them I'd graciously agree to be a guest at the Fire Ritual. I pretty much demanded it, actually.

"I never would have guessed you'd be in the Land of Bonfires too, Kotoha. Hehe, what a coincidence."

He smiled in that troubled way of his.

(What's that supposed to mean? You could at least be a little happier about it.)

This great Koito Hikari-sama went out of her way to make time and come here. The proper response would be crying tears of gratitude and prostrating yourself. He should be so grateful he wets himself. And yet.

"There's no way that's a coincidence."

"Nuah! You read my mind again, didn't you?"

"I can't read minds right now, circumstances and all... Also, anyone could tell."

Oh, right. Now that I looked, he was wearing some mysterious glasses that gave off a strange aura. The Land of Bonfires severely weakened Anti-Reality effects like Parallel Law, so those had to be some seriously specialized glasses.

"I didn't need to worry about you at all. That's what I wanted to say, but... sigh."

"What's wrong? Why the sigh?"

"...I thought I'd grown a little, you know? I've gotten some decent experience. I figured I could handle things on my own. But... without Gunscar or Apocalypse powers, I'm... really just useless, aren't I?"

I was a little surprised. I had fully expected to get lectured for chasing after him just because I missed him too much when he was gone.

"...This injury too — if Koito-senpai hadn't been here, who knows what would have happened."

"Kotoha..."

"Haha. This is no good, is it? I... need to try harder."

That was one of the things I liked about Kotoha. He could properly voice his weaknesses. He understood what he lacked. And yet he desperately reached for the things he didn't have. That was a good trait, but it always looked exhausting to me.

"Geez. You dummy."

I took his hand and pulled him into a tight hug.

"...!"

"Not being able to fight without a weapon is perfectly normal. They knew that when they hired you for this mission, right? You're just some dumb kid — you shouldn't push yourself too hard."

He still didn't have much immunity to physical contact with women, so his face went red and he didn't know what to do with his hands. It was kind of cute, and I couldn't help but smile.

"Am I... a kid?"

"Obviously! From the perspective of someone with a mental age of one hundred million like yours truly, you're basically a newborn baby... No, more like a freshly fertilized egg."

"...Pfft, what's that even supposed to mean?"

He had seemed down, but he laughed, and I felt a little relieved. Honestly, what a high-maintenance kouhai. I just couldn't take my eyes off him.

(Right. That was all it was. It had always just been that. And yet—)

Lately, I'd been feeling like it was more than just that. Ever since he saved my life during the Tokyo Defense Battle... Ever since he left for space. Somehow. Just a little. Just a tiny bit. Being with him made my heart race. Only a tiiiiiny little bit, okay?

(I mean... It had been so long since anyone protected me.)

The universe's strongest, that's what Koito Hikari-chan is. But that day, that moment, that instant — this beat-up boy was overwhelmingly stronger than me. Not in terms of power, but in spirit.

(If I had been the one to challenge the Star Whale... I definitely would have lost.)

That was a battle Kotoha won because he was Kotoha. Because he had formed a strong bond with Luna-san, and because he could honestly transform through the song mALEEa delivered. If it had been me, I was too headstrong — I would have just rejected the power of Collective Illusion entirely.

Maybe Kotoha was actually stronger than me. I thought that sometimes. And every time I did, my body got all fidgety, and I found myself wanting to see him.

(W-Well, whatever! This is just a protective instinct!)

Like wanting to bury your face in a pet cat's belly. A natural desire to dote on cute things. I wanted cats to be more affectionate with me. I wanted them to eat treats from my hand. Everyone feels that way, right?

These feelings were different from what all those flighty, lovesick people in the world called... you know, that thing.

"So. Is there something troubling you? Something you want me to do?"

I let go of him and smiled. He looked bashful but murmured his answer.

"...Is that okay? Getting help from you?"

"Of course! You're my kouhai, after all♪"

I wanted to help this kid. To be relied on by him. To protect him from all the painful things that came his way. In exchange, just let me pet his head once in a while. That was all I needed.

"Oh right. Here, this. I got a new Slash. But I don't know how to use it."

What he pulled out was a small ring. I thought it was so like Kotoha. This kid really hated it when people got hurt. That was why his Gift didn't even take the form of a weapon.

"I tried putting the ring on myself, but nothing happens."

I fell silent for a moment.

(I mean... a ring? Doesn't it only have one use?)

Rings weren't meant to be worn by yourself. They were meant to be put on by someone else. But somehow that felt loaded with meaning, and it was embarrassing to suggest. Still, this was necessary for the mission, so there was nothing weird about it. That was the excuse I made to myself.

"A-ahem... Then how about I put it on for you?"

"Is that okay?"

"...Well, it's an experiment, right? Just trying things out. Nothing for it."

I held out my hand, and he took it. He placed the ring on my pinky finger. He could have used my ring finger, you know. That thought crossed my mind.

"..."

But nothing happened. I just ended up wearing a pretty ring.

"Maybe there are more conditions. I'm sure you'll figure it out when you need to."

"I guess..."

He muttered, looking disappointed. I was a little disappointed too. Not in a weird way or anything.

"So? How's your mission going?"

"Oh right. Let me give you the rundown so far..."

He told me everything. About Masked Kotoha's existence. About the battles he'd been through. That his goal was to interfere with the Fire Ritual and revive "The Static Man."

(Just as I thought. This kid had been going through all that while I wasn't watching.)

He didn't show it, but he had to be shocked. A version of himself from a parallel world had lost everyone precious to him and was trying to destroy the world. That meant — that potential existed within him too.

"Kotoha."

"...Huh?"

I placed my hand on his head. Call it an advance payment on my reward.

"You did your best."

He looked blank for a moment, then got a bashful expression and scratched his cheek in that troubled way of his. But he seemed to like being petted well enough — he let me do it without resisting. Cute.

(So cute...)

As I petted him, my chest grew warm. But I ignored that budding feeling. Because I was his senpai. Because this was Kotoha. Because... Mef was there.

"Hehe, just leave the rest to this peerless, god-tier senpai♪"

When he smiled, I felt happy.

I remembered her smile when she accepted the ring.

"—Kotton. Until death eternal does us part. I vow to love you."

I remembered her smile when our daughter was born.

"I really... thought I was gonna die... But look! She's so cute..."

I remembered her smile as she gripped the chainsaw for the last time.

"Live! You have to keep living! You are hope!"

I desperately reached out my hand. But I couldn't reach her.

"Remember. Even in death — I will love you forever."

I remembered that smile. It was burned into my mind, never leaving for even a second.

Hehe. You're wearing such a cute skull mask and having such lovely dreams again today, Kotoha!

I opened my eyes within the dream. That unpleasant voice was proof this was a dream — he and I were connected through dreams. He was the one showing me that beautiful illusion and smirking about it.

I straightened my skull mask, which had slipped, and answered the monster.

"...The Static Man. What do you want?"

Oh my, what a terrible greeting! I appeared because I was worried about you, my friend. Here, I brought you a present.

This was a pure white dreamscape. Only I and that monster — The Static Man — were there. The Static Man's body was composed of infinite lines. Too much information density, so to us it just looked like a stick figure. A blank-faced stick figure wearing a pretentious coat and silk hat. That was this monster's appearance.

You're a boy, so I went with blue wrapping! I hope you like it.

An adorable blue gift box. I tore through the excessive wrapping and opened it. I had no idea what would happen to me if I didn't comply.

"...!!"

Inside was Léa's severed head. Bulging eyeballs, blood dripping and glistening. A tongue lolled in anguish, and her silver hair was tattered and matted. I jumped back reflexively and dropped the box.

Ahahahaha! The look on your face is priceless! You really are my favorite, Kotoyorozu Kotoha! Were you surprised? Come on, you were surprised, weren't you!

"Damn... What is this... Don't fuck with me!!"

Hey now. "What is this?" is a bit much, isn't it? This is the corpse of the wife you loved so dearly.

"...That's a lie. Léa has a mole on the back of her neck. This one doesn't."

A mocking clown emoji floated up on The Static Man's blank face.

Correct! That's Kotoha for you — excellent observation skills. A fitting protagonist for me!

"Yeah, thanks..."

And so, as a reward—

The stick figure snapped its fingers and vanished for an instant, then immediately reappeared.

Here. I went back to your dimension twenty years ago and fetched the real head for you.

The stick figure carelessly tossed a head with silver hair. I desperately caught it.

"You... YOU... YOUUUU...!!"

It was — this beautiful silver-haired girl was unmistakably Léa Cœur de Lumière herself. Still warm. This head, eyes peacefully closed, was the real her — freshly dead.

No need to thank me. Bringing physical matter from reality into a dream is such a trivial miracle.

"...Hah... hah...!!"

You never got to give your wife a proper burial. That was one of your regrets, wasn't it? Well, you've been working so hard. I need to reward you a little, or I'd be a failure as a boss.

I clenched my teeth with all my might. Hard enough that blood leaked from the corner of my mouth. I wanted to kill him. But the current me could never beat him. I couldn't ruin everything now.

(I'm sorry... Léa... I'm sorry...)

All I could do was hold her head — about the size of a bowling ball — tenderly, so tenderly, close to me.

So, how goes the progress? Do you think you can destroy Azure Academy?

"...No problems. I've successfully infiltrated the Land of Bonfires."

My game with The Static Man. —"Kotoyorozu Kotoha VS Azure Academy. Who will win?"

Hahahaha! I thought there was absolutely no way a small fry like you could take on Azure Academy alone, but I never expected you'd set your sights on my body!

"If you're revived, Azure Academy will have no choice but to focus all their forces on you. And since you're my game master, you won't attack me. Right?"

Hehe. This is the first time I've seen a piece try to manipulate its player. But it's true this puts me in a bind. You see, I prefer not to get involved in the game... Because if I try even a little bit, dimensions just break so easily, you know? That's boring.

"The Static Man" was literally in a different league. It wasn't about whether anyone could win or not. This was a monster that could blow away a dimension with a single sneeze, an immortal creature that had lived for tens of quadrillions of years. An entity beyond all rules, with nothing left to do but play the universe under absurd self-imposed restrictions after exhausting itself through eternal boredom.

"...Don't forget, Static Man. When I win — my daughter and—"

Of course! I vow to restore your entire dimension to how it was and give you the greatest happy ending, where everyone you love lives peacefully until they die of old age. I'm quite skilled at simulation games, you know. There aren't many beings who have brought as much chaos to as many universes as I have, or filled as many universes with peace.

"The Static Man's" one weakness — was that it was fair.

(This invincible, immortal monster is eternally in despair. Despairing at being the strongest. More bored than anyone. Fair games are the only precious thing left in the universe for it.)

Think of it like being locked in a room forever with nothing but a game stuck at Level 99, nowhere left to go. Every other game is too easy, too lukewarm to feel anything. The only way for this thing to stay sane was to play games under ridiculous self-imposed restrictions.

(I will win this game.)

And take back everything.

Kufufu. I really do love those eyes of yours.

"Huh?"

I've had 7 trillion, 860 million, 988 protagonists who became my pieces so far. So I know veeery well. Your psychology — better than you yourselves.

"..."

Your eyes are the color of someone standing against despair. —The radiant color of love and courage, dreams and hope.

A giant eye appeared on the stick figure's expressionless face.

Kufufu. I can't wait. To see that lovely expression crumble pathetically.

If there was a "God" who created the universe, "The Static Man" could kill that God with one pinky finger — boredly, as if it were nothing. That was the kind of monster he was. A man who had far surpassed gods, simply bored.

(I have to beat him.)

I was already prepared for a life-or-death struggle. I was already prepared for sacrifices. The decisive battle was drawing near.