These past twenty days have been hell.

Perhaps Serika-chan was thinking something like, "Even if I die worst-case, I'll just come back to life, so it's fine."

…No, she definitely was.

Still, I couldn't just die, so I pushed through with every ounce of strength, nearly vomiting from the strain.

Of course, to active soldiers, this probably seemed like a trivial ordeal.

But for me, who never exercised much in my daily life, it felt like an endless cycle of torment.

Even now, my bones and muscles are continuously screaming in agony.

...Still, I was genuinely amazed that my body could change so dramatically in just about twenty days of training. My body fat, which used to be around 30%, has now dropped to 24%. According to Serika-chan, this level of training carries a high risk of lasting side effects, so it's normally impossible and would even be counterproductive.

(But that's finally over today.)

At first, I didn't really feel much desire to go to another world, but now things are different. My beloved childhood friend, Hii-chan, has already gone in my place.

I don't want to wait any longer—otherwise, I might miss the chance in more ways than one—so I really want to transfer over as soon as possible.

"Sister, you've worked so hard. The instructors said you've become unrecognizable in strength."

"Sure you're just flattering me. In about twenty days, they'd barely be able to potty-train, right?"

"Just being potty-trained is impressive. In that case, they probably won't die right away over there, huh?"

　

I won't know for sure until I actually go, but I definitely gained some confidence in these twenty days.

I was made to run excessively, carry heavy loads, fight repeatedly, shoot guns nonstop, and then run again—climbing mountains too—but I survived.

Apparently, "being able to run" is the foundation of everything, and during these twenty days, I ran hundreds of kilometers. I probably covered more distance than I have in my entire life so far.

At first, it was just running around the field nonstop, but gradually more options were added. Two days ago, I was even forced to cross mountains and hills while carrying a backpack and holding a gun. The terrain was bad, the gear was heavy, and it was truly exhausting.

Even when I couldn't keep anything in my stomach, I had to eat high-protein, high-calorie meals eight times a day. That was painful too, and in the beginning, I vomited several times.

While running, I studied information about the other world through earphones.

I was given adequate sleep time, but it felt like just a blink.

Even now... no, actually for about the past 19 days, my entire body has been in pain.

When I cried out that it was absolutely impossible, I was injected with a mysterious drug. My physical pain decreased significantly, but it was definitely a dangerous substance. They say my body will be in perfect condition when the transfer happens, but even so, I wish they wouldn't just inject something like that without hesitation.

Serika-chan is a demon.

But if you think about it, she's doing all this to survive in that world.

If I imagine myself teaming up with a demon, preparing to head into that world teeming with monsters, I can almost forgive her.

"Only two hours until transfer. So, to boost motivation one last time, how about I show you the latest footage of your big brother?"

"Motivation? Did you just say something about me?"

"Hehe... I wish that were true..."

Serika-chan smiles enigmatically.

During the 20 days I was training, I hardly got to see any programs from the other world.

I was taught various pieces of information from there, but no one explained anything about Hii-chan, nor did I learn much about the other transferents.

It's true that, at the time, such knowledge wasn't necessary—but apparently, Hii-chan's situation has changed over these past 20 days.

While watching the video edited by Serika-chan and Karen-chan, I have my final meal in this world.

The two of them are saying goodbye now.

Still, we had already said our farewells before the previous transfer, so to me it's only been about a month ago, and I don't feel particularly emotional about it.

Rather, right now, I'm focused on Hii-chan.

Around him, girls have gathered again, and they've even started living together.

Even that girl Refreia has come back, and as for Jeanne... I've met her before, she's a good girl, but I never in my wildest dreams thought she'd become a love rival.

Her name never came out of Hii-chan's mouth.

Well, he doesn't know I was chosen again as a transfer, so it's only natural he wouldn't mention me, but still, I didn't want to see him distracted by another girl.

Serika-chan has a bad personality.

She knows full well that if she shows me this, I'll be driven by jealousy and push myself harder over there.

Indeed, just as she expected, I ended up having no choice but to reunite with him.

"...It's about time. Sister Nanami, it's strange of me to say this after showing you this footage... but please don't push yourself too hard. Meeting up with your brother can wait. What matters most is your life. Don't forget that."

"I'll be fine. I don't want to die twice. After these twenty days of training, I've learned just how precious it is to simply be alive."

"Really? You don't seem very believable..."

"That's harsh. I do know how to handle myself."

Yes, I answered while thinking of something else entirely.

In that world, risking one's life is just part of how people live.

Valuing life is natural for any living being. What truly matters is how you use that life once you have it.

'Use it with care.'

That's my stance toward this life of mine.

Because it's a life given to me by Hii-chan. I have to use it for him.

For that very reason, I absolutely must make an effort to regroup, even if it means pushing myself too hard.

"Nanamim is stubborn, you know~. Anyway, do your best not to die. I'll be backing you up with Serikan, so that both Nanamim and her viewers can stay safe."

"Thank you, Karen-chan. Take care of yourself too. Try not to stay up too late."

"I'm fine. I sleep during the day since I'm awake at night!"

Karen-chan understands me better than Serika-chan does.

She even secretly gave me practical advice on how to distribute my points.

I won't know exactly how it'll work until I see it in the white room, but in any case, reuniting with Hii-chan is my top priority.

"Then, this one. It's brand new, and fully loaded with shells. I think you've got the handling down perfectly, but be sure to keep a close eye on how many rounds are left. And absolutely make sure no one steals it."

Serika-chan hands me a brand-new custom tactical shotgun.

It feels heavy in my hands, a bit too much to wield comfortably with one hand, but most of that weight comes from the ammunition—after all, it's crammed with a full thirty-five rounds.

I've already been thoroughly trained in every aspect of this firearm: how to handle it, how to shoot, its range, power, recoil, and maintenance. As long as there are rounds left, you won't be easily taken down by monsters.

Serika-chan apparently discussed the design with the manufacturer. At first, they'd considered a high-powered assault rifle, but after careful consideration, they concluded that a shotgun would be more effective overall.

In the end, it seems long-range capability isn't necessary, since in most cases you'd only be using it against opponents nearby.

Well, honestly, it's hard to imagine a situation where you'd actively attack a monster far away that could easily escape.

To avoid wasting these 35 rounds, I fired over 2,000 rounds in just these 20 days.

At first, I practiced with a recoilless rifle, aiming to hit my target, and then moved on to practicing with a shotgun.

The gun prepared for me is a type of shotgun that fires large, heavy single projectiles known as slugs, said to have enough power to take down a grizzly bear.

"Thank you. I'd prefer not to have to use it at all, if possible. But I suppose that's not really an option."

"You're right. Whether it's a robber or a monster, don't hesitate when you have to shoot."

"I'll keep that in mind."

I'm not sure if I can actually shoot a human.

My gun is designed to take down even powerful monsters with a single shot, so creatures from the dungeon where Hii-chan is hiding—something like a troll, for instance—would fall with just one hit. Maybe even a Garden Panther could be killed in one shot.

That's exactly why shooting a human is so difficult. Even if I only hit an arm or leg, the damage would be so severe that the limb would vanish completely. In other words, if you shoot, you must be ready to kill.

(Well... it'll work out somehow.)

In reality, there are probably other ways to handle it. I could just run away, or use a barrier stone. There's also the option of using a spirit magic scroll.

As long as we keep the key points in mind, there should be plenty of ways to handle things.

"Well then... it's time. Once I catch up with my older brother, please take care of things like the message and what I've been doing."

"I understand. Leave it to me, big sister!"

"Still, when the older sister takes on too much responsibility, that's kind of worrying... I've said this before, but we still don't fully understand how the 'transfer location' will be chosen this time, do we? The most important thing is just surviving."

Even Serika-chan can't predict how the gods will change the 'character creation' process. That's why she speaks this way.

In the end, we just have to wait and see. It might end up being completely different from the first time.

Still, I'm a gamer too.

I don't plan to make any major mistakes.

Still... it's strange that this is our final farewell. Take care, Soreka-chan, and Karen-chan—don't push yourselves too hard. Hii-chan, I'll make sure I protect you no matter what."

After our final embrace, we stepped back just one pace, waiting for that moment to arrive.

All we had was a crude shotgun.

I sincerely hope the second wave will be a little easier.

"Just one more minute, sister. We can't send any information from our side until your message comes back online, so please be careful. I believe in you!"

"Tell the older brothers I said hi! Do your best—just don't die!"

"Yeah! Thank you both! Leave Hii-chan to me!"

With those final words of encouragement, I was enveloped in white light.