Episode 108: On a Journey of Adventure, Part 2
After returning to my burrow, I closed the automatic door and lowered the shutter, then slipped into my usual cardboard house.
As soon as I returned to my cramped little home, I let out a deep sigh. I could feel my tension melting away. My legs felt weak. I tossed the helmet I'd received from the woman by my pillow, turned on the light—just a portable flashlight hung up, really—and suddenly noticed my hands were soaked in blood.
(...Seriously. What a day.)
Wiping them with an alcohol wipe, I was instantly overcome by drowsiness.
Time to sleep.
Forget it all—just sleep it away.
I closed my eyes and pulled the blanket over my head.
Instantly, drowsiness spread throughout my mind.
▼
How long had I lain like that?
An hour? Two hours?
Maybe half a day had passed.
Since I started living underground, my sense of time had become utterly vague.
When I opened my eyes, I picked up the helmet the woman had given me.
"...So what the hell is this, really?"
I couldn't help but mutter that aloud.
It resembled a medieval knight's helmet—covering the entire face—yet its interior was made of soft, cushion-like material.
On top of that, the eye area had what looked like a display embedded in it.
…Certainly not just a decorative accessory.
Then I remembered that the person who gave me this had wielded some strange power,
(Could this be... some kind of magical item or something?)
I thought to myself.
Surely not.
Still, I get why you'd want to try it on, right?
After all, I’ve got nothing but endless free time right now.
So, I decided to put it on.
Over my head, with a soft click.
Then,
"——Whoa!"
I couldn't help but gasp in surprise.
The monitor right in front of me had just powered on.
Clear visibility. In the darkness, everything around me is distinctly visible.
(…Could this be some kind of night-vision device used by the military?)
Just as I was thinking that, a soft "brrr" sound echoed, as if something was being read.
Watching the monitor screen with a hint of excitement,
——YUSYA: ONLINE
the words appeared.
"Yusha…? Yuusha… the 'Hero'?"
ヒーローになりきれなかった俺が、……”勇者”、ね。
口元に皮肉な笑みが浮かぶ。
――スキル《不死Ⅰ》を認証しました。
――ＳＡＶＥ ＰＯＩＮＴ を起動します……。
――しばらくお待ち下さい。
ちょっとだけぼんやりタイム。
そして、
――起動完了。
と、その次の瞬間だった。
――おっそぉ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い！
A woman's voice echoed in his ear.
"U-uh!?"
——How long do you expect me to wait! I was given a mysterious item by that enigmatic beauty, so naturally I should try using it right away!
"What?"
——I thought I'd be able to revive immediately, but now I'm—
"What on earth is going on...?"
Even as he was confused, he could tell he was somehow connected to someone—on the phone, or something like it.
"Um, I'm Inugami Renji....What about you?"
--Me? My name is Amata Mitsuene.
"What exactly do you want, 'Mitsuene'?"
--Sorry, I don't have time for a long explanation.
"What are you talking about...?"
--You're in danger.
"Huh?"
--If you don't believe me, go out from this cramped, stinky den and take a look outside.
Grimacing, I do as told and step out from the cardboard house.
And then...
"U-uh...!?"
Despair sets in.
The underground, quiet just a moment ago—the far end of the long, endless hallway.
In my vision, distorted by the sudden brightness, I see them.
(A swarm of zombies... and so many of them!)
It's hard to tell exactly how many, given the narrowness of the hallway.
But one thing is clear: they're advancing en masse toward us.
There shouldn't have ever been this many "zombies" coming this far before.
— I guess I overdid it a bit just now. Definitely my fault. Sorry ☆
"Sorry... sorry...?"
I couldn't grasp the meaning of those words.
I was just frozen in place, utterly paralyzed.
The only fortunate thing was that they hadn't noticed us yet.
But it was only a matter of time. With that many of them.
This area will eventually be completely overrun by them.
Still, perhaps we can survive for a while if we stay silent and hidden.
But sooner or later, one of them will sense my presence hiding inside the convenience store...
And if that happens, it'll be all over.
They never tire, never show mercy. They'll relentlessly pursue their prey forever.
The security shutter of the convenience store won't hold for more than a few days.
For a split second, it felt as though the ground beneath him had collapsed, and he was falling into eternity.
But then he reconsidered.
"Could it be... you actually understand what's going on here?"
—Of course.
If that was the case,
(Perhaps she's watching us through a surveillance camera or something?)
"Then please, call for help."
The odds were slim, but there was nothing else he could do now but cling to that possibility.
——Help me, please... I'm sorry, but I can't do that.
"Why not?"
——Because we're together right now, aren't we?
"Together... where?"
He looked around. Of course, there was no sign of her anywhere.
——I'm a spirit right now.
"A, a, a, spirit?"
——Yeah, you could say ghost. Or phantom. Something like that.
"What kind of nonsense is that?"
――A while ago, you stabbed that girl with a shovel, didn't you? That was me....Or wait, can you tell it's me just by my voice?
The image of that female warrior, fighting with magic, flashes in my mind.
Now that you mention it, the faint voice I heard a moment ago... it does sound similar to the one from the helmet.
――I know it's hard to explain in detail, but it's like my soul, after death, is speaking through this helmet?
"What...? S-soul? The helmet...?"
There's nothing I can do but repeat it back.
That's right♪ I almost forgot to mention—thanks for coming to help earlier. It would've been better if you'd arrived in time.
(Am I really talking to a dead person right now...?)
Nonsense. Impossible....I never even thought of such a thing.
After all, there are countless people walking around right there, even though they're already dead.
"Alright, whatever. If it's come to this, I'll fully believe whatever you say....But if you could, just give me some way to turn things around and get myself out of this mess, that'd be perfect. How about it?"
——Of course I do!♪
Oh, goddess...
I was almost moved to pray to the heavens.
——Then, first things first, let me show you your equipment and stats.
"Wait, stats... what?"
Without even listening to my words, the voice continued.
Suddenly, the monitor before me displayed:
Name: Inugami Renji
Job: "Apprentice Warrior"
Weapon: "Warrior's Sword"
Head: "Silver Helmet"
Body: "Silver Armor"
Arms: "Silver Gauntlets"
Legs: "Silver Boots"
Cloak: "Gleam Mantle"
Status
Level: 1
HP: 36
MP: 13
Attack: 29
Defense: 28
Magic: 4
Agility: 19
Endurance: 6
Numerous, incomprehensible data points are listed one after another.
—Well, for now, it's pretty much like this. Hmm, not bad for level 1, right? The "magic" and "endurance" stats are a bit low, though...
No, no. Even if you say "it's pretty much like this,"
(Where exactly are the "weapons" or anything resembling them...?)
Muttering to myself, I glance down at my body and am stunned.
Before I knew it, I was completely covered in a silver, sparkling armor. I hadn’t noticed at all, as there was no sensation of wearing it.
I try jumping in place.
...It’s light.
It feels like it’s made of foam polystyrene or something similar. What’s strange, though, is that it hardly hinders my movements at all. It’s as if the armor was custom-made just for me.
Of course, "Hero's Sword" was there too—a fine blade neatly sheathed.
— Like it?
— Like it…? What’s that supposed to mean?
— Then let’s fight.
— Seriously? So that’s how it’s going to be?
I had a vague feeling it might turn out this way.
— You mean fighting that many?
— Yeah.
— Don’t be ridiculous.
— It’s fine, it’s fine! Those weaklings won’t beat me!
"I saw that guy who was just killed... by those 'weaklings'..."
— That's... well, it's a bit complicated. I got tangled up with a troublesome 'player'...
There seems to be some situation behind it all.
But there was no time to go into the details.
Sitting cross-legged right there, fully armored.
In the limited time available, desperately spinning thoughts in my mind.
"…Hmm"
No matter what, I definitely have to get out of here.
I wasn't oblivious to the possibility of this scenario, either.
(First off, trying to reach the surface is impossible—the number of "zombies" is far too great.)
Then, there was no choice but to move forward underground. Though advancing through the dark seemed risky, it was actually surprisingly manageable—because "zombies" couldn't see well in the dark. If luck was on my side, slipping through the midst of the swarm might not be impossible.
Moreover,
Whether it was fortune or misfortune, I currently had a helmet capable of serving as a night-vision device.
"...Alright. Let's go."
With that decision made, action followed swiftly.
I shoved my trusted Nintendo DS into the backpack I'd prepared for just such a moment, then slung it over my shoulders.
——A backpack over armor and a cloak... Seriously, how lame.
"Shut up."
For a brief instant, I glanced back at the place that had once been my home, lost in nostalgia for a moment... then, quietly, I stepped out of the convenience store.
——Now then, new "hero"! Go on, with spirit! For the sake of saving the world!
My face twisted into a deliberately bitter expression.
It seemed like an adventure was about to begin.