Episode 126: Struggle

"…………………huh?"

"…………………w-what?"

Nanano Rintaro and Kuniyo Asuka both stared, eyes wide.

Standing directly in front of them, I stood firm.

Of course, fully clad in gleaming silver armor.

"………huh? What's this? What's going on here?"

It's no wonder they were confused.

One moment, the door suddenly swung open, and then a cosplay guy just burst out.

"Um, well..."

Asuka spoke in a tone carefully avoiding any provocation toward the suddenly appearing, utterly insane madman,

Who is it?

And he asked.

It was the dog that bit Renri.

Oh my.... You're quite the fashion statement, that outfit.

Even with her careless remarks, Asuka is sharp-minded.

She already had a shovel in her hand.

I don't really understand, but... if you're carrying a weapon, does that mean you're planning to do it?

Taro stepped forward a pace.

Asuka managed to hold it down.

In an instant, the hushed whispers of the two of them seemed to amplify and reach my ears.

"Wait," I think. If that person were here, they'd surely say, "Fighting should always be a last resort."

Hmm, I'm not sure. I'd probably say, "It's a hassle, so let's just get it over with quickly."

Something seems to be stirring up a bit of trouble.

After a brief exchange, Asuka turned toward us and said,

"First off, could you please tell me the reason you changed your clothes?"

"Actually, we've changed our minds. We're leaving this place."

"Is that so..."

"Sorry, but could you please not stop us?"

"We don't have the right to do so. But at least tell us why you've suddenly changed your minds?"

"Because we don't trust you."

Then, "Hah!" Rintaro laughed.

I don't think there's any group around here you can trust as much as us.

"Shut up for a moment, Tarou."

Asuka frowned.

Understood. We're here solely to help people. If you don't need our assistance, we'll simply leave.

Huh?

It went in more easily than I expected.

At this point, the conversation takes a different turn.

Maybe I could even avoid breaking up with Yohata-san.

"...Just one question, though."

What is it?

You're the "player," aren't you?

Inside the helmet, I frowned.

I didn't know what would be best.

There's no obligation to respond.

And so, I respond.

Is that so...

Then, Asuka gave Ryutarou a quick glance before pulling out a single photograph.

"We're currently looking for a person. I'm sorry, but could you possibly tell us if you recognize this person's face at all?"

There was a girl in a red tracksuit, wearing black-rimmed glasses.

She wasn't particularly distinctive, yet for some reason, she left no lasting impression.

"...Hmm?"

After briefly searching through memories, he concluded he didn't recognize the girl.

But then—

—Wait, that girl…!

Even if I don't remember her, it seems she remembers me.

"Hey, do you know her?"

—Yeah.

"When did you meet?"

—Not exactly friends, but we kinda crossed paths about two months ago.

"Is she an enemy?"

—Kind of a gray area.

I see.

We'll look into the details later, but for now—

"What should we do? If needed, I can pass on the girl's info to the others..."

For once, Hikone appeared to hesitate noticeably before saying,

"…Well, she didn’t seem like a bad girl to me… Then, will you tell it my way?"

"Got it."

She cleared her throat once.

Following Hikone’s words, she began speaking.

"…I’ve seen that girl before… No, I mean—"

At the same instant, both of their expressions shifted sharply.

"Two months ago, I saw her in the underground area of Ikebukuro... I'm not sure exactly, but it looked like there was some kind of conflict among her companions. She seemed to be arguing with a blonde woman—um, Rinkai Hana. She sustained a fatal injury from the woman's attack."

"A fatal injury... What happened after that?"

"I don't know. That woman, Hana, went wild, and the area around her became a complete mess. We were barely managing to escape, so I have no idea what happened afterward. But since there was a kid around middle school age with us, I think they're probably still alive... I hope."

"…I see."

"That's all I know. …Is that enough?"

Asahina lowered her gaze to the floor.

I'm just reconsidering the plan for what comes next. If they're not going to be hostile, then all we need to do is gather everyone and move to another location.

...I haven't decided exactly how to proceed yet, but I think we should head west if possible.

I've heard rumors that the Kansai region is still relatively safe.

"Then, we'll stay here—"

"No, wait."

Rintaro stepped forward once again.

This time, Asuka didn’t stop him either.

"Let me confirm... You were there, weren't you?"

"...Huh? Is that important?"

"Yeah. It is."

For a moment, he hesitated, unsure how to respond.

(Should I bring up Hikaru now?)

...No. I can't do that.

I want to minimize the risk of being targeted by other 'players'—as much as possible.

"No. I wasn't there myself. I heard this secondhand."

"That's contradictory. You said you 'saw' it, didn't you?"

"..."

I crossed my arms and furrowed my brow.

"‘Saw’ isn't my opinion. This helmet shares vision with a comrade, and that's what caused the confusion."

I'm not lying, right? Yeah.

"Is that so... Then let me speak with that 'comrade'."

"Sorry, can't do that."

"Why not?"

"He's not here right now. He's far away."

"Um... couldn't you just lend me that helmet? That helmet-like thing?"

"Even less possible. This gear is our lifeline. I can't give it to someone I can't trust."

"I see... "

The two, Rintaro and Asuka, lock eyes once more.

"Then, sorry, but I'll have to get the information by force."

It was an ordinary line, said casually.

It was like saying, "I'm just going to grab dinner somewhere and come back later."

"...What?"

I was shocked.

A human—

Could they really move so fast, launching an attack like that?

Before I could even blink, Rintaro and Asuka were closing in from opposite directions—

—Don't bite! I'm not letting you kill him!

"I know!"

Instinctively drawing "Shikanda," I responded.

Gakki! Sparks flew as metal clashed against metal.

With one hand, I blocked Rintaro's knife.

With my other hand (and "Shikanda"), I blocked Asuka's shovel.

Overpowered by both of their strength, I was sent flying, crashing through the hotel door and rolling inside.

"——gah!"

I tumbled head over heels.

Seeing this, Koichi let out a scream,

"Ah! The dog bit him!"

"I'm fine! I'll hold them off—get out while you can! Meet up at the usual place!"

"Y-yeah, got it!"

In that instant, I felt like this might be my final goodbye to Kōichi.

—Wait, what the hell am I doing?

What, am I setting up a flag all by myself?

I'll break that damn flag to pieces.

"You're backing down, Dog-Biter. That's the stance of someone who's no good at fighting."

"Shut up."

"Relax. I'm not gonna kill you."

With a piercing glare, Ritaro spoke.

"Just... let me hear your story. Hey, 'Dark Knight'?"

...What?

...Dark Knight?

What kind of misunderstanding is this?

But unfortunately, the chance of resolving this situation through words had already dwindled to nearly zero.

"Damn it... So this is how it ends."

The battle had already begun.