Episode 244: The Man with Bared Teeth

Inside the television, a character is in an utterly desperate situation.

He is an ordinary man, just like anyone else.

The man is nearly unarmed, surrounded by villains, a gun pointed at him.

There's no chance of winning. He can't even escape.

Most importantly, there's no hope of salvation—because this man is not the protagonist of the story.

He's going to die. Because the screenwriter decided it. For some reason like, "It's about time this story got a little more drama."

This isn't funny.

Whenever I think about the minor characters who die—like Hibiya Kōsuke—I always feel a deep emptiness.

They must have had lives of their own.

They must have had people they loved. Friends.

Favorite foods. Hobbies they cherished.

On weekends, they’d go out for sweets, laugh at pandas at the zoo, suddenly start doing sit-ups for their health, rearrange their rooms, or take a whimsical stroll on a pleasant morning after rain.

That’s how they lived—day by day.

Clenching their back teeth tightly.

Honestly, they felt like crying. It was lucky they hadn’t drunk much water. They managed not to pee themselves.

Of course, they didn't intend to die pointlessly.

Not like the last thing they did was cheating on her and making her angry.

That was something they absolutely didn't want.

—At the very least, at the very least, take as many with them as possible...!

That had to help their comrades somehow.

It would surely remain in their comrades' hearts as proof of their existence.

Kousuke desperately stared at the faces of the monsters that had appeared.

Even with ,

Job:???

Level:???

Skills: "Hunger Form," "??? (Advanced)"...

Only such a display appears, and its true nature remains unclear.

In that case, we'll have to rely on whatever memories they had before they became "this"...

Four of the six people who appeared were familiar faces.

Matsumura Wakahito: "Heritage User" Level 75

A man with a roguish, Edo-period style appearance.

Umeda Juzo: "Archer" Level 62

An elderly man with a thick, white beard that hung down like clouds.

Kono Kizuna: "Wizard" Level 28

A darkly mysterious girl, her face concealed by a purple robe.

These three were affiliated with the "Guild."

In addition to them, the older man who resembled the 'Liu from the Stooge' that the senior had mentioned once.

This man was likely Mr. Nagatsune.

According to rumors, Job is a "Guardian Knight." His level is unknown.

The other two, a man and a woman, both give the impression of ordinary-looking twenties.

What they have in common is their murky, deep-sea-fish-like eyes, crimson-black nails as if painted with polish, and pale skin reminiscent of stalactites.

—Among these people, the one most likely to be defeated by me... is probably Kono Kizuna.

Kizuna is a short girl, her face hidden beneath a loose, flowing robe.

At least, I recall she wasn't very talkative back when she was human.

I think I remember her being told something about not taking many defensive skills, or something like that… “Senpai” mentioned it once.

‘…………I cannot forgive. I absolutely cannot forgive.’

The young man murmurs, gazing up at the sky.

"Louis's scars won't heal anymore. Like melted ice cream... Ah, how utterly pitiful."

Yet he doesn't even bother to help her struggle weakly on the ground.

"What should we do with this guy?"

"Take only his heart and discard the rest. He's just a salmon's head."

While listening to the conversation between the young man and the unknown man, Ko Suke waits for his chance.

The gun—unfortunately, I dropped it during the earlier attack.

But honestly, that's not much of a problem. I now have the Throwing skill. In fact, it's far more powerful than firing a gun.

The 4-millimeter bullet I always keep in my pocket.

With this, I should be able to deliver a fatal blow to them easily.

'...You wouldn't hurt your own comrades, would you?'

'Idiot. This isn't a "player." It's a tin soldier.'

Reaching into the enemy's blind spot, I slip my hand into their pocket and gather the bullet into the palm of my hand.

I can do this.

They're off guard.

Using [Throw], I completely obliterate Kono Kizuna's head.

No matter what kind of beings they are, they'll likely die from that.

Clutching the bullet tightly... but just before the moment, doubt creeps in.

Is it really right to end things with Kizuna?

Isn't this choice just an act of cowardice?

If I were the "senpai" right now, she'd surely say this—

—Keep thinking of the best possible move to survive, right up until the very end.

That's how it must be.

At the very least, when she was the "captain" and went to save her family, she wasn't prepared to die. What happened was the best outcome she could achieve in the worst possible situation.

If that's true… then it's my turn now—to pull off the ultimate surprise.

I'll finish all of them right here.

If I'm thinking like this, it's certain I shouldn't aim for the weakest piece in a surprise attack.

"Relic User." Level 75.

Matsumura Wakato.

I'll put a hole right in the middle of that bastard's face...

Everyone, watch closely. Rika, watch closely.

I'm doing it.

Smirking at himself, Hibiya Kōsuke laughed bitterly.

That's who I always think of in moments like this.

I never had to hesitate from the beginning, did I?

I really am an idiot, aren't I?