Episode 411: The One Who Is Desired

— The "Rest Period" is humanity's time of rest.

— Accompanying this, players' status values will change.

— Players with Karma "Good": All status values will be enhanced.

— Players with Karma "Neutral": No change to status values.

— Players with Karma "Evil": All status values will be weakened.

— Rules concerning "Seizure" will be revised.

――Players with Karma "Good" who kill players with Karma "Evil" can now acquire additional skills.

――Players with Karma "Evil" can no longer steal skills from players with Karma "Good" (experience points can still be obtained).

――Due to phase interruption, the behavior of "hostile lifeforms" has mutated.

――Zombies' mobility and ability to detect humans have decreased.

――Some of the previously active "hostile lifeforms" have become inactive again.

――Due to the defeat of the "Demon Lord," the achievement reward system has been frozen.

――Except for achievements already obtained, no new achievements can be unlocked.

――As a replacement for achievement rewards, a "Quest Board" has been added.

――Please refer to the "Quest Boards" placed throughout various locations for details.

――Player-exclusive special equipment has been unlocked.

――Due to Phase 3 interruption, all advanced classes have been unlocked.

――Due to Phase 3 interruption, the following skills have been unlocked:

――Negotiation-type skills

――All unique skills

――All job-specific skills

――Due to Phase 3 interruption, additional skills that can be learned by meeting special conditions have been added.

――Due to the Phase 3 interruption, any unfinished quests presented during Phase 3 will be forcibly terminated.

――While the disadvantages from failing quests will be ignored, players will also not receive any quest completion bonuses.

"…………………………"

I listened silently to all the information.

Yet the words seemed to pass through my mind without truly registering.

Perhaps that's why.

I didn't notice when another intruder had already appeared.

"Hey there—miss."

Looking up at the voice, I recognized the man before me.

A man with a face like a boulder, wearing a worn-out work uniform—Mr. Ryusou.

His thick eyebrows, drawn in with a fat pen, looked even more prominent than before, and his skin had a sickly pallor.

No surprise there—he, too, had already transformed into a "Hungered One."

"Do you remember me?"

"Yes, I do."

We only had a brief encounter at Akihabara, that's all.

...He was quite the intense character, though.

"Ah, that's good to hear."

He lowered his gaze slightly toward the floor,

"May I ask you one favor?"

"…………What is it?"

"I want you to... kill me."

"…………………"

"As you know, the 'Demon King' is dead. Thanks to that, the connection with him was severed—my mind has returned to clarity....And that's when I remembered. Not long ago, I fought my younger brother."

Ah, I can't bear it. I can't bear it.

I wanted to cover my ears.

I don't want to know any more... cruel truths.

"And I... killed my brother, Ryuga. Not only that. I ate his heart! To become a tool of evil, to cause further harm."

Just as I feared.

…Now that I’ve remembered everything… I can’t go on living anymore. Please… I wish you’d end my life yourself.

I shook my head slightly, trembling.

My heart felt torn apart, and I had no strength left to do anything.

I wished, more than anything, that this person would vanish somewhere far away, somewhere I’d never know.

I was so utterly broken by the mistakes I had made.

I know this is an unreasonable request. But I can no longer forgive myself. …If I can't fulfill this desire… I don't know what I might do to myself.

I feel ten claws of the "Hungerman" pointed directly at me.

I furrow my brow and give a pitiful look.

Just… one night.

That’s all I need.

If I could just cry and sob into a warm futon, I'm sure I'd be back to my usual self by morning.

So right now—just for now—I wish you'd leave me alone.

But then again, can there really be any room for negotiation with a man who's eaten his own kin?

'I'm sorry, but if you won't come to me, I'll go to you... Just remember, if you die, don't you dare complain!'

He must be aware that his own logic is breaking down.

His eyes were serious.

I could feel it—his presence.

Overwhelmed by the guilt of his own actions, his mind is diseased.

He said he had returned to his senses, but that "sane" state is driving him to become a demon.

If I lose here, he will become a true murderer.

Even after understanding all that, I couldn't muster any strength in my limbs.

"Uuu…………"

『…………?』

"Uuuuuuuuu…………"

『………………………』

"I… I don't want to… fight anymore."

『…………I see.』

Kill intent flooded Ryusetsu's eyes.

As if to say, you're no longer of use.

The "Hungering One" slowly approached me.

I kept my head lowered, gazing blankly at the sword lying beside me.

That was when it happened.

A voice I'd never heard before spoke.

"……hey."

"Huh?"

"Pull yourself together. Don't give up hope."

I raise my head.

"Only optimists can—find opportunity in the midst of every hardship."

At that very moment.

Someone snatched my sword away from me.

The figure standing in the glare of the light walked toward the monster, completely bare and defenseless.

Of course, I knew her name.

I had just painstakingly written it down moments ago for resurrection.

"……Kamison, Yuki-san?"

"Yeah."

She gracefully drew her sword from the sheath,

"Frankly, I have no idea what's going on, but—"

Holding it with both hands in a strikingly elegant stance,

"——I'm always on the side of cute girls!"