I opened the message.

＜Can you stop lying about enjoying another world?＞

＜Why don't you just give Nanami a Created Undead too?＞

＜Running away to a place like another world—someone who kills people shouldn't be allowed to hide there. It's cowardly, seriously disgusting. Why didn't you die? Are you going to die soon? Just hurry up and die already＞

＜If I killed your family, I bet I'd feel a little better. Wanna do it?＞

＜It's especially infuriating that you look so harmless＞

＜Even if you end up killing yourself after reading this message, no one will feel any sorrow. After all, that's what the world wants＞

Is this the message box of Kurosé Hikaru, the boy who slaughtered his childhood friends' entire family over a trivial reason like wanting to be transferred to another world?

"Kuro... are you okay?"

"Ah, ah... yeah..."

As expected, the messages keep coming—terrible ones.

Even if I don't want to remember, I can't help but recall that moment, that feeling.

My legs tremble. If it weren't for the two of them supporting me, I'd have collapsed to my knees long ago.

There are still more messages ahead.

I'll keep going. I've made my decision to face them.

"It's Celica. In order to help my brother safely pass through the forest, I had to temporarily mislead the public into thinking I was the culprit. I'm sorry I delayed sending this message. I know terrible messages are reaching you. No matter how much I apologize, I can't make up for it. Please, brother... stay alive."

"……huh...? E-eh...?"

"What's wrong?"

"Are you okay? You're completely pale!"

<Serika here. I quickly figured out who killed Nanami-sister, but I decided that for you to get through the forest, you absolutely need a crystal based on viewer count. You'd understand, right? I actually planned to send this message before anyone else, even before the anti-fans, but I was too late. I'm sorry.>

<Karen here. Onii-chan, I'm sorry. I was slow to send this message. I never meant for you to suffer like that. I'm sorry. I'll make it up to you with my body. Come back alive, please.>

<Serika here. So I opened the message, but what good would it do to write "Onii-chan" here? I'm just as confused as you are. Anyway, don't worry about anything. Just stay alive. Please, stay alive.>

"Whoa, Hikaru!"

"Are you okay!?"

My strength suddenly drained from my entire body, and I could no longer stand.

All I could do was laugh.

There's nothing else to do but laugh, isn't there?

The message from Serika made sense right away.

That guy would definitely do something like that.

In truth, back in that forest, I had more viewers than anyone else among the full transmigrants.

Even more than Jeanne, who was standing right beside me.

The most out of a thousand. I always believed the reason was "because people thought I was the killer of Nanami," and it actually was true—but I never expected Serika to be behind it all.

That guy... he always goes to extremes...

"What should we do? Should we stop? Clo, I can't see what message you received. You decide for yourself. I won't stop you."

"Are you really okay? Hikaru, you look different from anything I've ever seen before."

"F-fufu... Thanks, Jeanne, Refreia. I'm fine now."

Then, I opened the next message.

What followed was mostly completely different from what I'd received at first.

<Hikaru, you can do it! Everyone believes you couldn't possibly have killed your childhood friend!>

<Since there's no knife anywhere, any reasonable person knows you're not the culprit.>

<Your sisters are so cute. I'm jealous you're loved like that!>

<It's terrible how you were suddenly thrown into danger with no preparation, wandering near death. Hikaru, you're really pitiful. Fight on, fight hard, fight with everything you've got—stay alive!>

<I love you, I love you, I love you!>

<The dark spirit magic is so incredibly cool—I'm totally obsessed with it! My

favorite!> <The reason you have so many viewers is simply because everyone is

cheering for you!> <The real culprit will be caught soon, so don’t worry, Hikaru. Just enjoy your life in the other world. That’s our wish for you!>

<I risked my life to get through the forest. After barely surviving, this kind of thing shouldn’t happen. Hikaru, please, open the message. Let’s enjoy the other world together while having fun interacting

with us.> <You’re already among the top in the viewer popularity vote, Hikaru. Everyone really

likes you!> Naturally, tears slipped

down. Words had wounded me

. Yet, in the same way, words could also bring such warmth to my heart.

There were some harsh messages sometimes, but as I got closer to the recent ones, almost all of them were messages of support.

"Everything... was just self-centered."

I'm an idiot.

I couldn't even trust my own sisters, always carrying that burden.

I doubted I was loved.

I never thought anyone would be cheering for me.

I really am a complete fool.

I'm actually lucky.

"You're so annoying... Kurosé Hikaru."

The real culprit—no, OZAWA Yūichi—stared at me coldly.

The details of the incident gradually became clear as I unraveled the messages.

Even knowing the name, I still couldn't place it. It's only natural I don't recognize him, even though we go to the same school.

"Zurii zo. Why... why is it you...? Why isn't it me there? Why wasn't I the one chosen...?" "No, you were chosen too. You're

here, aren't you? So why are you so obsessed with killing me?" This guy killed Nanami just to be

selected for the world transfer. Logically, that was his goal.

Regardless of how it happened, if he's been chosen to transfer to another world, he should just enjoy it. The reason he wore a mask

was probably because he was the real culprit and had to hide his face from the other transfer candidates. But if he could just live comfortably in this world like that, wouldn't taking such a risk be pointless? "My name..

." "Huh?"

"My name

... You didn't know it, did you?" "Of course

not. We never even talked about it."

"...I knew you. I was your classmate, and I remembered your face. And now you say you don't know me? ...Even though you're such a socially awkward loser... you dare look down on me?"

"I've been thinking, 'Some annoying guy shows up now and then...'"

"Damn it, mocking me like that. All of you...!"

Was that really the true reason he wanted me dead...?

Was it just because I wasn't remembered by name...?

No, that couldn't be. That's too absurd. Probably just a lie or something.

"...Even that bastard Fer was the same. All his so-called 'strategy' was a complete failure, wasn't it? Acting all big and tough, yet damn it..."

Either way, I have to settle things with this guy too.

The messages are too many—I haven't even opened them all yet—but I can deal with them after everything's settled.

I won't be fooled by this guy's lies anymore.

"Kuro... are you really going to do it? Should I take care of it for you?"

"Of course, I can do it too, you know?"

"...Thank you. But this is Nanami's revenge. I'll do it myself."

I stood up, sword in hand.

Those who die in the labyrinth don't leave behind their bodies—they become tiny spirit stones.

Or maybe that's for the best, with less guilt involved.

"W-wait, are you actually gonna kill me? Me, a fellow transmigrant! You're really gonna kill me?!"

"Ah. You killed Nanami... killed Nanami's parents. I can't forgive you. If the laws of this world can't punish you, then I have no choice but to do it myself. I was actually pretty close to Nanami's parents. Especially back when she was in elementary school, I can't even count how many times those kind-hearted people saved me. My own parents weren't the type to pay much attention to their kids, you see."

"B-But that doesn't mean... Hey! Stop him! You can't possibly be the kind to kill someone! It'll leave a lasting trauma! Stronger regret than any message could ever carry!"

"How disgraceful. You were the one who tried to kill first, weren't you? Just die quietly."

"If Hikaru gets hurt, I'll heal her, so no problem at all."

Can I really be a murderer...?

I thought that if you were traveling, you might have such an experience somewhere along the way.

In that sense, this might be an opportunity to gain that experience.

All that remained was to swing down this sword—

"W-what...?"

Suddenly, it appeared.

A massive cluster of spirit energy.

It had abruptly materialized within the labyrinth.

The distance—

It's close! Right near the entrance—

"Jeanne! Refrea! A massive cluster of spirit energy! It's heading this way!"

"What!?! A Great Spirit? But it wasn't supposed to be able to enter the labyrinth!"

"Great Spirits aren't supposed to enter! In fact, if it had come in, this labyrinth should have already started collapsing!"

"Then, it's the Demon King! It's bad! Jeanne, do you have the barrier stone? I don't have it anymore. Hurry! It's almost here!"

"H-hahaha! Don't know what's going on, but it's my chance!"

In the moment distracted by the sudden appearance, Dark Knight's summoning time had already expired.

Freed, Ozawa opened the status board.

He probably intended to escape via random teleportation.

"Not a chance!"

This guy wasn't getting away.

As he raised his sword,

"Aichan. Do it."

A voice that felt strangely familiar echoed.

At the same instant, a beam of light shot out from the entrance, severing Ozawa's right arm as he tried to manipulate the status board.

His arm dropped limply, spraying crimson blood.

"What? Gyahaaaaaaa!"

Ozawa writhed on the ground.

Ignoring his agonized form, both I and Jeanne and Reflair were frozen in place, staring at the figure appearing at the entrance.

In short, a giant eyeball.

A large pupil, glowing with a deep radiance reminiscent of the cosmos, fixed its gaze upon me.

A one-eyed monster, possessing immense spiritual power and covered entirely in tufts of purple, bristly hair.

Several long, drooping tentacles hung down from its form.

A true monster, without a doubt.

How could such a creature exist in the deepest layer?

That’s what anyone would think under normal circumstances.

Even Reflair and Jeanne, usually unflinching, stood ready, weapons drawn, in a state of combat readiness.

Such a formidable fiend.

Even if something like that appeared—

I was completely transfixed, not by a monster, but by the person standing beside me.

"Good girl, good girl. Now stay here until it's over, okay?"

The voice was the same as the one in my memories.

The gentle gaze was the same as the one in my memories.

A mix of disbelief—how could this be possible?—and pure, simple joy overwhelmed me, and I managed to force out just one word.

"Nanami... is it... you...?"

There was no way I could mistake her.