「We need to speak immediately, Mr. Natsuki... --」 (Rin)
「Kaiser ATM... no, I mean the PMC mercenaries have declared war on Kivotos and are attempting to destroy Abydos High School... is that correct?」 (Subaru)
「... Where did you get that information?」 (Rin)
「I wasn't just counting stars in the night sky and sleeping soundly for nothing. A rumor like that was bound to reach me.」 (Subaru)
「Very well, allow me to introduce myself... --」 (Rin)
「Skip that, too. Rin... please, can you take me to Schale immediately? I have urgent business with the Shittim Chest, and there is something very important I need to discuss.」 (Subaru)
「... Just as I expected --... Very well. You truly behave exactly as described in the message left behind, Mr. Natsuki.」 (Rin)
Thanks to the repeated cycles of Return by Death, Subaru had refined his actions following each reset.
Furthermore, he had acquired a wealth of information through the successive loops.
First: The message left behind seemingly indicates that Subaru would obtain surprising information or results—essentially, skipping the process. For this reason, Subaru's reckless requests are generally accepted as coming from "the intended individual."
Second: The secret vault where the Federal Student Council's message is kept. Opening it requires the approval of the Federal Student Council's section heads. Currently, due to the lack of a vote and the refusal of the Head of the Defense Section, Subaru cannot view it.
Third: The road leading to Abydos High School is swarming with the Helmet Gang, hired and coerced by Kaiser, in addition to Kaiser's special forces. Using any available means of transport, the furthest Subaru can reach as a human is death by heatstroke, or being shot upon detection.
「However... please stop removing the IV drip. Your body is not yet in perfect condition.」 (Rin)
「This situation demands dragging this battered patient along, doesn't it? I believe you realize that as well, Rin.」 (Subaru)
「...」 (Rin)
「Allow me to be reckless; that is all I can do.」 (Subaru)
So far, he had obtained only this information. He had not even managed to reach the so-called Abydos High School.
The more he died, the deeper his sense of helplessness grew. The more he died, the more wretched he became.
Whether he stopped or kept running, there was no future where Natsuki Subaru did not die.
Yet, this was far better than surrendering...
「I will handle it all; I will solve everything.」 (Subaru)
「---」 (Rin)
In those moments when he uttered such beautiful promises he could not keep... he felt as though the pain clutching his soul eased just a little.
●○●○●
「Welcome back, Natsuki Subaru-sama.」 (Arona)
「...」 (Subaru)
「I have been awaiting your return for the fifty-fifth (55th) time.」 (Arona)
「---」 (Subaru)
「... Haha, alright... Show me the Mapping, please.」 (Subaru)
「Understood.」 (Arona)
To conquer that desert, Natsuki Subaru needed to determine his route and identify the enemies appearing in the maze-like streets.
He had decided on this course of action following the Kaiser attack on the hospital; it was marginally better than dying and Returning by Death without making any progress.
First: The paved road (vehicle route) is fundamentally rejected... even an armored vehicle would be insufficient, as the limited mobility on the roads makes piercing the Helmet Gang's blockade impossible.
Second: He attempted the aerial route once, but it is impossible unless he procures a stealth aircraft.
Third: The two realistic options are walking or cycling. The bicycle, in particular, is less likely to be detected than a car and carries a lower risk of death by heatstroke compared to walking.
As for walking, he wants to attempt it at night. He will try that as well.
-- He has no choice but to try; that is all he can do. Even if he dies for it.
Not giving up was the only choice granted to him.
The moment he chose anything else, Natsuki Subaru would be killed, haunted by the past. He would fall into an irreversible darkness.
「... This time, for sure.」 (Subaru)
「This time... I will survive... without dying...」 (Subaru)
He did not accept death even once, nor would he forget the worlds that had passed.
Ultimately, he stood in place because he had reached no conclusion regarding the current situation. His apologies, serving as an escape from reality, had no effect. Perhaps Subaru was doing nothing but destroying the very world he wished to save with his own hands.
No matter how much he emphasized his vow not to die, his life in this world was lighter than a feather.
Excuses, deception, and arrogance—these were the components forming the current Subaru... yet what drove his steps were remorse, guilt, and... that phrase:
『Please save me.』
The escape route that should have been available was the very path he had abandoned himself at the beginning.
「If I go by bicycle at night, I can... Alright, can you also plot the patrol routes on my mobile phone?」 (Subaru)
「Understood.」 (Arona)
「Thank you. I wanted to say something friendlier, but I'm not in the mood for jokes. That's a deduction from Subaru points (my points)... even though they are points only for me!」 (Subaru)
「... Subaru-sama.」 (Arona)
「-- Alright... anyway.」 (Subaru)
「I'm heading out.」 (Subaru)
The weight of the guilt and remorse binding him grew heavier.
The voice pleading for help turned into a shackle (a curse), and the lost worlds transformed into a curse.
With Natsuki Subaru's determination...
-- Return by Death accelerates.
●○●○●
「... If the sun isn't out, does the temperature drop this low?」 (Subaru)
Subaru pedaled furiously down the silent, night-shrouded street.
After eating lunch and taking a brief nap, he had been transported to the nearest location undetected by Kaiser along the route to Abydos High School. Mounting the bicycle he had requested, he gazed out at the Abydos desert from an elevated road that offered a panoramic view of the city.
In previous cycles, he had always approached in broad daylight. This was his first attempt at night, however—
「... -- I'm going to freeze to death at this rate...!」 (Subaru)
The cold was so intense that had Rin not provided him with a scarf and gloves, he would have lost the ability to steer the bike long ago.
He recalled hearing something on a show like World Wonders: ordinary soil contains moisture, and this water stores the sun's heat, converting it into ground heat... but in a dry desert, heat is not retained through water vapor.
They say the true terror of the desert is not the day, where sunlight can be blocked by clothing, but the night, which threatens death by freezing.
「No need to rush... but, perhaps... --」 (Subaru)
One particular problem had caused him the most agony throughout the repeated cycles of Return by Death.
It was the sensation of killing intent he felt distinctly the moment he mounted the bicycle—the presence of pursuers trailing him from behind.
Had this been a secret Subaru fan club formed after hearing his announcement—enthusiastic and devoted, with feelings reaching the manic levels of the Federal Student Council President, turning them into "Yandere fans" seeking to detain him—he would have felt welcomed, albeit whilst refusing them. He might have even offered them a few charming lines.
This fleeting, comforting delusion did not materialize; the reality was simply a group harboring pure murderous intent.
「Ah, that's right. It is you. You are my enemies, and I am yours.」 (Subaru)
Kaiser Corporation. Ultimately, the mercenary company (PMC) might not be independent; rather, it stands on the front lines solely to facilitate Kaiser's occupation of Kivotos.
The Kaiser Corporation itself is the enemy of Kivotos and the enemy of Subaru. This war will not end simply by destroying the mercenary company.
It seems they have been monitoring Subaru's discharge from the hospital; they shadowed him in every timeline, attacking only when he exposed a clear and definitive opening.
In the fiftieth (50th) cycle, he died because of them, and they likely came to collect the corpse even after he had perished from heatstroke.
●○●○●
「... That is Abydos High School.」 (Subaru)
He slowly, carefully closed his eyelids, trembling from the cold, in an attempt to warm them.
With the sensation of faint warmth, he opened them again, and the hazy world—reality—was reflected in Subaru's eyes.
It was the objective he had to reach and save—the "Next Stage" in gaming terminology. Subaru had not intended to save that school out of calculation, but the situation had forced his hand.
「The destruction of a single high school, caused by a terrorist organization targeting Natsuki Subaru.」
The impact such a statement would carry is immeasurable. Conversely, if this problem could be resolved, Kivotos would rally under the banner of the Federal Student Council.
「...…」 (Subaru)
「My legs hurt...」 (Subaru)
He usually only walked to the convenience store, so how long had it been since he rode a bicycle like this? He used to ride one to high school, but...
「We covered hundreds of kilometers via transport; if I hadn't been dropped off, biking this would have been sheer stupidity! How many times must I say that everything in Kivotos is absolutely too massive?... And thanks to this struggle, I've been pedaling for nearly three hours!」 (Subaru)
「Of course things deteriorate! In a deserted, sand-filled wasteland like this with not a soul in sight!!」 (Subaru)
The fool who would consider moving here must be kin to a Sand Golem or a Sand Scorpion.
He never expected the aerial route to be choked with sand, the land route to be buried in sand, and the trains to be immobilized by sand—a situation unchanged from before the activation of the Sanctum Tower.
Consequently, Subaru was forced to ride a bicycle for nearly three hours. What an ordeal just to catch a glimpse of a high school!
「But if I descend this slope --!!」 (Subaru)
Suppressing the urge to pop a wheelie, he headed toward the mountain-like decline. It awaited him in front of the school gate. He doubted anyone would be there in the middle of the night, but this was a massive step forward compared to his previous attempts where he could not even reach the school building.
As he neared the school, the intensity of the pursuit from behind escalated, and Subaru slammed down on the pedals in response.
「I'll die if I get caught, I'll die if I get caught, I'll die if I get caught! Struggle, you stubborn weed!!」 (Subaru)
「Show some guts!!」 (Subaru)
Despite the repeated Returns by Death, his muscle strength and physical fitness did not increase. All that accumulated in his body were somatic experience and mental fortitude.
Nevertheless, his body somehow remembered how to draw out immense power at critical moments—hysterical strength in the face of danger.
「--- Permission to fire granted. Bring him down before he reaches it.」 (Machine Voice)
「Understood.」 (Automaton Soldier)
「You bastards...! Yeah, yeah! You guys always resort to brute force when you're in a pinch!」 (Subaru)
The fired bullets grazed his temples. Blood trickled down, marking Subaru's trail on the road as the struggle between predator and prey commenced.
Subaru was on a bicycle; Kaiser was on motorcycles.
「That hurts...! Whether I get hit or not is entirely up to RNG! Smile for me, Lady Luck!」 (Subaru)
「Damn it... Aim properly!」 (Automaton Soldier)
「You lousy shots! Hit me if you can!... Even though you actually did hit me! Just try to hit me!!」 (Subaru)
The steep slope paid off; a chase that should not have been a contest was actually working. If the motorcycle riders did not reduce their speed, their front wheels would lift into the air.
The heavy equipment and weaponry proved to be a hindrance; they could not overtake the lightly burdened Subaru.
However, the steep slope was nearing its end, and reaching flat ground would strip Subaru of his advantage. 15 km/h versus 40 km/h. The outcome of this confrontation was painfully obvious.
「Damn it, did I fail --!?」 (Subaru)
「Natsuki Subaru, you should have slept peacefully in the infirmary... -- Wait...? What a fool, he's doing this while moving...!」 (Automaton Soldier)
「Huh!?」 (Subaru)
Only a few hundred meters remained to the school gate...!
But the sight of a gun barrel light aimed directly at his eyes, reflecting from the side, forced him to turn his face away.
-- In the darkness, with his eyes closed, he heard the sound of something slicing through the air.
「What are you lot doing?」 (Hoshino)
A sweet, soft voice, yet it carried an undercurrent of severity.
「... Kaiser... and also... -- No, you first.」 (Subaru)
That sweet voice was drowned out by emotions resembling sludge, filled with hatred and malice.
「You damn... Takanashi Hoshino!!」 (Automaton Soldier)
「Quiet.」 (Hoshino)
The sound of explosions from both sides reached Subaru's ears. An attack by something invisible destroyed everything except Subaru with stunning skill and precision, simultaneously shielding him from the blast of the motorcycles.
The eyes he had closed in acceptance of death returned to life and the freedom granted to them, and opened. She had a prominent cowlick and pink hair, an appearance that should have been shrouded in an air of mystery... yet in his current state, Subaru realized she was a girl who carried "something" in her eyes, like those who bear a heavy burden.
Eyes that were "brave" rather than merely "strong." Eyes seeking something, seeking forgiveness and dignity by achieving a goal. The eyes of someone who has "struggled" for the sake of another.
This girl with Odd-Eyes, possessing a color deep as the dawn and a hue bright as the sea, should have been of the same stature as Hina...
-- She is terrifying.
A sensation invoking death welled up from the pit of his stomach. It was akin to being attacked by wolves, only to be saved by a lion.
「I-I survived...」 (Subaru)
「Oh, I see some bad delinquents crept in during the middle of the night. That's no good, is it? The area around Abydos is very dangerous right now.」 (Hoshino)
「I'd like to say thanks, but you look suspicious too... It's natural for anyone to abandon someone like me upon seeing that situation, right?」 (Subaru)
「Well, since I'm a student at this high school... if something dangerous happens in the vicinity, I have to act.」 (Hoshino)
「A student at this high school... that means you're a student at Abydos High!? ... Are you at school even in the middle of the night?」 (Subaru)
「That's right. Lately, there have been many suspicious characters like you guys... We have to guard the place; who knows when they might attack?」 (Hoshino)
The two conversed lightly.
It had become normal for people to disregard the gruesome scene that had just unfolded, but this girl, holding Subaru in her arms, gave off a slightly different impression.
-- There was no vehicle she had ridden. She had destroyed the motorcycles while on foot.
She is like Hina. Just like Hina, this girl is also a "Monster."
Subaru's observant eye, knowing that Hina was not merely an ordinary girl but one of the supreme beings of this world, judged this girl to be an existence on par with her.
「Well then, next.」 (Hoshino)
「-- Who are you?」 (Hoshino)
Subaru ceased drawing oxygen into his lungs, breathing with difficulty like an asthmatic due to sprinting at full speed on the bicycle.
「... You... mean...」 (Subaru)
「Who are you? What is your purpose in visiting Abydos High School, and will you cause harm or not?」 (Hoshino)
「Can you answer --?」 (Hoshino)
「Ugh!」 (Subaru)
Her expression was gentle, her voice carried no tone of threat, and her appearance suggested nothing more than a small girl... and yet,
She was terrifying. The sensation of imminent death pricked at his skin, a feeling far more intense than merely having a weapon pointed at him.
「Ah... Oh, I'm a somewhat famous person; haven't you heard of me?」 (Subaru)
「Unfortunately, the communications network is down... Kaiser is serious about their work, aren't they?」 (Hoshino)
「-- That, well...」 (Subaru)
「Very well. Natsuki Subaru, what is your business at Abydos High School?」 (Hoshino)
「!!」 (Subaru)
________________________________________
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