Episode 100: Hakku

That Hitomi Rinne managed to remain a virgin was nearly miraculous.

Of course, this was largely due to her being under the protection of her grandfather, Okita Takashi, who was also the leader of this community.

But even more so, it was because the men constantly kept each other in check.

—Anyone who tried to touch Rinne would be beaten mercilessly by the others.

That unspoken rule had come to define the entire community.

▼

Rinne was a beautiful girl.

So beautiful that she couldn't help but notice her own charm.

Many boys became tongue-tied whenever she was near.

Even men significantly older than her, on occasion.

At one time, she had believed men were essentially creatures lacking in intelligence.

And that belief profoundly shaped her personality.

Before she knew it, she had come to see herself as a queen.

▼

The community where Rinon lived—just in front of the bicycle shop once run by her grandfather, located beneath an elevated railway.

It was a place once used as a bicycle parking lot, now enclosed by sturdy fencing.

After the "End" arrived, her grandfather had acted swiftly and compassionately.

She dismantled the bicycles and first erected barricades around her own bicycle shop, which served as her residence. Then, she connected the bicycle parking lot to the shop, creating a safe refuge where many people could take shelter.

On top of that, she opened up a rare, privately owned shallow well located in the city center, making it accessible to everyone.

Rinon secretly thought this was a foolish move.

People are creatures who flock to sweet nectar.

And so, the result of thoughtless people gathering in one place was tragedy.

▼

In the end.

What became clear in this situation was the fact that far more people than expected lack resilience to violence.

That one must not harm others recklessly.

That one must not swing blunt weapons or blades around.

The wall of "common sense" built by society up until now is immense.

Even the act of dealing with the "zombies" clinging to the barricades makes most people recoil, and killing "zombies" is considered a taboo task.

Those forced to perform such work are only the ones—low in intelligence and morality, utterly indifferent to others' feelings, people who, in the old world, would have been called "tone-deaf" and unable to read the room.

"Just hold 'em by the crotch, and they'll calm down. Right?"

As I was disposing of the "zombies" through the barricade, I suddenly recalled a comment one of the men had let slip.

Since that moment, I'd had a bad feeling.

Rinon was nearly raped two days later.

It remains the worst, most horrifying experience I still dream about.

I was saved only because the elementary school children I'd always gotten along with had quickly sensed the situation.

Many people were furious at their actions.

I can't forgive it.

"Kill" or something like that.

I'll wipe you out.

Many people spoke words like that.

But.

Even so.

In the end, those pitifully foolish men are simply expelled from the community.

Because no one was willing to take on the duty of carrying out the execution.

Rinon still thinks she should have killed those men back then.

▼

The cruel ending was drawing near.

The "zombies" clinging to the barricade were gathering in increasing numbers.

Normally, they should have been eliminated one by one upon sight, but Rinon's community had neglected to do so.

They had failed to prepare replacements for the men they had exiled.

Occasionally, Rinon would think this way.

— If only those men had allowed themselves to be taken, this community might have remained safe all along...

Thinking like this, she realized that the reason this place was now surrounded by "zombies" was partly her own fault...

After that, every time she tried to eat, she felt like vomiting.

▼

The supply mission, our last hope, failed to return.

They were probably attacked by "zombies" along the way and died.

Or did they give up on this community?

Either way, now only the elderly and women and children remain at that place.

"There's sleeping medication."

My grandfather said that, looking utterly exhausted, this morning.

"Take the whole bottle and mix it into this yogurt we've saved until the very end. Just swallow it all at once, like eating cornflakes for breakfast. That's how you'll find peace."

That was the kindness of her grandfather.

He wanted his beautiful granddaughter to pass away looking beautiful.

But Rinne knew.

Death was never beautiful.

It would just become a rotting mass of flesh, swarming with flies and maggots, stinking up the air.

Beauty in this world could only be created by living people.

Even now, she intended to survive.

▼

As the sun set.

"Miss, it looks like the barricade won't hold much longer."

The voice came from a boy named Aoyama Ryōji.

He was eleven years old, with a mop of unruly hair, quite a cute kid.

"Can't be helped, I guess."

A deep sigh. Resolve had been set long ago.

"Grab your weapons. We're fighting."

"Fight... just us?"

"Of course. Who else is there? Do you think superheroes are gonna show up?"

"To be honest, I'm kind of hoping they will."

"Believing in miracles is fine. But those kinds of things only come to people who've kept pushing, kept trying, even when they thought they couldn't anymore... only to keep going anyway."

"Huh."

Ryōji's expression was skeptical. He had an uncle who, after spending twenty years working hard for his family, finally won the lottery and now lived a carefree, comfortable life.

Rinon left her grandfather's bicycle shop, passed through the barricade, and returned to everyone else.

Holding aloft a sword (a replica sword collected by my grandfather as a hobby),

Come on, everyone! It's time to fight!

Scream like Joan of Arc.

The response was a weak, trembling voice.

Everyone had given up, accepting death.

Few were left who could still fight.

Before her stood two high school boys who looked like nerds, excluded from the supply-gathering team, and eight elementary school children, led by Yōji Aoyama.

And one old man, whose spirit alone was that of a true warrior.

"First, deliberately break through the barricade on the opposite side. Once the 'zombies' come pouring in, wait for the right moment and break through the center. Our destination is the Sagaoka area. If we're lucky, maybe one or two of us will make it."

"But... even if we manage to break through successfully, there's no guarantee there are people at Sagaoka..."

"Remember, someone saw fireworks go off a long time ago. There must be survivors. Have faith."

"Still..."

"Let's put aside 'but' and 'however.' Let's stay true to our own will until the very end. Those who survive will carry on the wishes of those who have fallen."

The surroundings were growing dark.

The barricade creaked, as if it might collapse at any moment.

Young or old,

man or woman,

beautiful or ugly—

death, equal to all, loomed just ahead.

"Ah, um... Rinne-san..."

A boy with thick glasses stepped forward.

"Hmm? What's wrong?"

"Please... take this."

He was handed a golden rosary.

"I'm a Buddhist, but..."

"I understand. But this is all I can offer..."

He thought this was a reflection of the boy's feelings.

Rinne accepted it,

"Thanks,"

though she mentally vowed she'd never pray to any god, not even if forced.

And as the greatest gesture of respect possible to oneself in the present moment, she offered a bright smile.

Y-yes...!

At the same time, the sound of the barricade creaking grew especially loud.

It seemed as though the defense had finally been breached.

...! There's no time left....I have to do it right away...

That was the moment I made my decision.

どっごおおおおおおおおおおおおおおおおおおおおおおおおおおん！

The roar of sound came from a building not far from here.

Looking up, I saw a massive hole in the building just ahead, as if Godzilla had punched through it with one blow.

"What... what the hell is that?"

As the temporary leader of this scene, I needed to assess what this anomaly was.

A new threat...

Or perhaps—blessed by a miracle?

Then I realized something was scattering the "zombies."

"It's a tank! The Self-Defense Forces must have come to rescue us!"

Yōji shouted.

"It's just as my uncle said! You can get by pretty well even if you live carelessly! Believe in your own luck!"

Hmm.

I have a feeling I just set a pretty poor example.

"Relaxing too soon. Take a look at how many 'zombies' have gathered around here. There's still a chance we could lose."

Yet, that concern gradually faded away, like smoke.

At least, there was no sign that whoever was fighting the 'zombies' was being overwhelmed.

"Amazing! The number of 'zombies' is really going down!"

A long-forgotten emotion began to bloom across the faces of everyone present.

Likely, it was something akin to "hope for survival."

Eventually, they realized that the ones battling the 'zombies' were just two humans... and even more shocking, a young girl barely past childhood.

One of them was about the same age as Rinne.

And the other was a petite girl around middle school age.

"That one...?"

Rinne recalls words spoken earlier by the men from the food procurement squad.

They'd said they'd seen a female swordsman as strong as a demon.

At first, he thought it was just a bad joke.

A way to plant hope in everyone amid the continuous stream of grim news.

But it wasn't like that at all.

"…'Hero'…?"

Rinne blurts out excitedly.

"Hmm?"

"Come on, you remember, right? There was that rumor before—about a woman claiming to be the 'Hero.' I'm sure those are the ones."

Sigh.

Just "zombie" is already enough to make a story, and now it's "Hero" too?

"Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat?!?"

The female swordsman's scream had gotten so close it was almost audible.

Squinting, she confirmed the figure.

"——!?"

"What's wrong, sis?"

"I've seen that tracksuit before... Haha! What kind of 'Hero' is that? That's definitely one of my classmates!"

"Classmate?...So you mean a student from 'Sakagahara High'?"

"Yeah...!"

She couldn't see the face clearly, blocked as she was by the zombies.

—Could it be someone I know?

Rinon suddenly leapt onto the barricade, trying to get a better look at the face.

"Hey, sister! That's dangerous!"

Ignoring the warning voice,

Suddenly, she saw a few "zombies" surrounding her.

"Aa...!"

A collective sigh of resignation from everyone, as if accepting their fate had come.

But in the next instant, the female warrior leapt high into the air, using one of the "zombies" as a stepping stone.

Backlit by the moon.

She felt their eyes meet—this girl, drenched from head to toe in pitch-black blood.

Her mouth hung open in disbelief.

She couldn't believe what she was seeing.

The determination she had just felt wavered, shaken to its core.

Why... why is she... that girl...?

"Is something wrong? Sister?"

"...I know that girl."

Stunned, she murmured.

"She's in the same class. Her name is..."

She couldn't recall her real name.

But her nickname was well known.

"She was called 'Haku.'"

At the moment of landing, the heads of the "zombies" surrounding her all snapped up in unison.

A blur of motion too fast to see.

Indeed, such creatures—'zombies'—were no match at all.

They were surely going to survive.

Yet strangely, Rinne's heart began to grow heavy and clouded.