Subaru begged his brain, which was starting to suffer from a sugar deficiency: "Endure it for now," demanding it work without energy supplies.
If it were just blustering, or shouting cool phrases, anyone infected with "Youth Syndrome" could do it. But when humans draw plans for the future, they often unconsciously mix reality with ideals, and thus fail.
And the surprise this time was that the request came in a "Super UDX" package (an ultra-difficult and complex task).
Even the "Corporate Drone" (Shachiku) persona inside Subaru's mind couldn't stop itself from banging the table in anger. He found himself forced to draw future plans on his day off, making him break out in a cold sweat.
"Return by Death," that special and exclusive power only Subaru possesses. He recalled the Mapping he had done until he reached the school, recorded thanks to that ability.
He asked Arona to project all information related to the Abydos district directly onto the blackboard. Only now did he realize the vastness and breadth of the area, and how he had managed to construct a precise map from which not even a mouse could escape.
Well, let's ignore how his old phone transformed into a Projector, displaying high-performance 3D maps disproportionate to being an obsolete device.
「── What is this?」 (Hoshino)
「It is a map displaying the status of Abydos in real-time, constantly updated.」 (Subaru)
「... I see, is this the secret of your strength?」 (Hoshino)
「Not exactly strength... but the credit for avoiding danger so far goes to my wonderful partner, Arona-sama.」 (Subaru)
「Nn, the partner is amazing. If you move as she says, things go exactly 'as she says.' Is that partner the legacy of the Federal Student Council President they talk about?」 (Shiroko)
「Exactly, she is my genius, lovely, all-encompassing partner, dedicated only to me. You're jealous, aren't you?」 (Subaru)
「Nn~, that's cheating.」 (Shiroko)
Shiroko pressed her head against Subaru like a real dog and began poking his side repeatedly to vent a slight, inexplicable frustration she felt.
「Oh, hey, stop! Shiroko-sama!?」 (Subaru)
「Nn.」 (Shiroko)
Seeing the two flirting, Hoshino cleared her throat loudly, "Ahem," to scold them.
「── So, what do you want to talk about?」 (Hoshino)
「Ehehe, heee... ── Oops, sorry, sorry... First, let's list the problems we must solve.」 (Subaru)
He returned to the teacher's podium and pointed his finger at the projected image. Arona manipulated the display, enlarging the visual documents according to his finger's movement.
The information Subaru had obtained until arriving here ranged from completely useless to excessively detailed.
「First, crushing the Kaiser mercenaries (PMC) turned terrorist organization.」 (Subaru)
「Second, exposing the complicity of the Saint Nephthys corporation and retrieving the girl named Nonomi.」 (Subaru)
「Third, retrieving Ayane and Serika by any means from the party contracted with Hoshino, 'The Black Suit'.」 (Subaru)
「Fourth, repaying the debt!!」 (Subaru)
Bam!, Subaru slapped the blackboard with his hand.
He slid his finger to enlarge an abandoned building in Abydos city displayed in 3D.
According to the explanation, a video-game-like icon labeled 『BOSS』 was pinned to the location.
「While I was sleeping in the hospital, there were those trying to kill me. Of course, they were Kaiser bastards...」 (Subaru)
「It was them, who came to attack... ── Those were Subaru's stalkers too.」 (Shiroko)
「What hated stalkers, seriously. Well, for that reason, and to avoid being killed, I recorded where they come from and which routes they take.」 (Subaru)
This was necessary to escape the hospital, and he had consumed half of the over one hundred Return by Death attempts to establish measures preventing his death at their hands.
In other words, the current Subaru has "Cleared" everything except Takanashi Hoshino. As a result of circling around routes for Hoshino's sake... he discovered every route existing in the meantime.
The displayed building is their base, and their starting point... and most likely, can be considered their headquarters. It can be assumed that the Boss resides in this building located in Abydos city.
「OK?」 (Subaru)
「── Truly amazing. To have your movements monitored unilaterally in real-time during an information war... even I don't see a chance of winning.」 (Hoshino)
(... Is it right for the person Arona classified as 'unpredictable' to say that??) (Subaru - Internal Monologue)
「Hoshino-senpai wouldn't lose over just this much.」 (Shiroko)
「Well said, Shiroko. I'm counting on you to handle the 'Tsukkomi' (retorts) for me in the future.」 (Subaru)
Regardless of the method, to crush the terrorist organization that declared the "Destruction of Abydos," capturing this Boss was essential.
Kaiser, set to attack Abydos in four days, must be suppressed by any means necessary.
「But Hoshino and Shiroko have students held hostage. If we dawdle for four days, we won't get Nonomi back. I want to retrieve the students as quickly as possible.」 (Subaru)
「── Then, what do we do?」 (Hoshino)
Hoshino peered into Subaru's face as if awaiting the answer to those words.
Shiroko also waited for the announcement with enthusiasm; as someone who had held his hand, she trusted him no matter how strange the answer might be.
「First, we will start a war.」 (Subaru)
「「Ehh ──?」」 (Hoshino & Shiroko)
「Not just Abydos, but we will create a 'Kaiser vs. Kivotos' situation involving all of Kivotos. We will throw Kaiser itself to the wolves of Kivotos, while we rely on my partner to retrieve all the Abydos students.」 (Subaru)
「The general plan is that I will face 'The Black Suit,' and you two will face Nephthys. We'll decide the details tomorrow, but the declaration of war happens today! ── Any objections?」 (Subaru)
「「... ──」」 (Hoshino & Shiroko)
「I've been thinking the whole time that it's strange. Why does everyone other than Abydos ignore this as if it doesn't concern them, like a fire on the opposite bank?」 (Subaru)
「Of course, those I know are worried, and some are prevented by circumstances from helping. However, Kaiser, having turned into a terrorist organization... will commit atrocities even against those who ignored the situation.」 (Subaru)
「── Let's share the responsibility, what do you think? Even if there were past issues between Hoshino and the others, they are now a terrorist organization.」 (Subaru)
「... That is ──...」 (Hoshino)
「... An objection, definitely exists, Natsuki Subaru.」 (Hoshino)
That is because we have faced our problems on our own all this time, and now you ask us to rely on those who abandoned Abydos? It is impossible to accept such a chaotic proposa──
「Hoshino-senpai.」 (Shiroko)
「...」 (Hoshino)
「I have the same feeling, but listen to what Subaru has to say.」 (Shiroko)
「... Very well.」 (Hoshino)
「Thank you, Shiroko... Phew... Right now, no matter how much I rack my brain, the available hands are not enough.」 (Subaru)
However, this does not mean I am asking you to manage things so that Abydos gets helped.
「The ones who must change regarding the issue of helping or not, is not Abydos.」 (Subaru)
「It is us.」 (Subaru)
── I exist.
I will extend my hand, I will ask for help using everything Subaru possesses.
I will bow my head as much as needed, charge the costs to Schale, kick the asses of all the stubborn people not moving in the Kivotos crisis, and make them share in the "responsibility."
── There is no other way; there are no adults in this world, and the burden is too heavy for five children to carry alone. So let's share it a little.
「Hoshino said the Abydos problem is Abydos's fault... ── but I don't think that's the only reason.」 (Subaru)
「Somewhere, by someone, no matter how trivial...」 (Subaru)
「I believe there was a moment when a helping hand was extended.」 (Subaru)
「───」 (Hoshino)
「If a child falls in front of you, you'd extend your hand, right? If someone is in trouble before you, you'd think of helping them even a little, wouldn't you?」 (Subaru)
「But that vanished the moment the distance increased slightly.」 (Subaru)
── The world does not stand upon a single individual. Nor even upon the scope visible to the eye.
Just as the accumulation of trivial good intentions happening on the other side of the earth might reach us someday, the good intentions that must not be forgotten are what build the world.
「Before coming here, I was a recluse (NEET), unemployed.」 (Subaru)
「The 'world' to me was a cramped space of a few tatami mats, and the maximum world I could perceive was just that. Even if I surfed the net or went out occasionally, my place was there.」 (Subaru)
「But, the one who made that world wasn't me, but my dad and mom. They didn't abandon me despite my filial impiety, supporting me the whole time so my place wouldn't disappear.」 (Subaru)
「Perhaps it's called parental responsibility. Adults, it is said, carry much on their shoulders. They carry a 'world' we children cannot imagine.」 (Subaru)
Subaru had a thought constantly haunting him regarding this world of Kivotos.
── Where are the "Adults"?
At least, the adults Subaru knows do not prey on children, nor do they steal youth from the children living it.
He thought they knew what awaited at the end of those malicious intentions.
── If responsibility accompanies adults, and if adults carry the "world," then they have the responsibility to bear the world.
And that is not something children carry. But if they realize that, yet still strive toward a world at the "end of malicious intentions"...
── Then we can't just stand by and watch because we are children, can we?
「There are no sensible adults; then, I must lay the foundation first.」 (Subaru)
「In a movie I watched once, children barricaded themselves in a factory because adults were too cruel.」 (Subaru)
He recalled the work that shook the values of his youth. Right now, adults treat children as their property, making the world belong to adults alone.
「To lay a foundation allowing children to hold each other's hands, and help those who fall before them... we must destroy the world adults are making now.」 (Subaru)
「── Therefore, Hoshino, abandoning you ends here.」 (Subaru)
「I... Can I help you?」 (Subaru)
── Subaru hasn't received permission yet.
Subaru wants Hoshino to help him, but does Hoshino want Subaru to help her? The answer to this question hasn't been issued yet.
And now, having arrived here, and heard the story ──
He believes, after all, that there is a time when someone can be helped.
「── You.」 (Hoshino)
「...」 (Subaru)
「... You, will save Abydos.」 (Hoshino)
「You, will save Abydos High School, the students, and me...」 (Hoshino)
「Will you save us?」 (Hoshino)
「Yes.」 (Subaru)
「... ── Natsuki Subaru.」 (Hoshino)
「You.」 (Hoshino)
「You will save us?」 (Hoshino)
「── Yes, but it's slightly different.」 (Subaru)
「Me, Hoshino, Shiroko too, and everyone who will help me—we will do it together.」 (Subaru)
「...」 (Hoshino)
「── I want you to help me. Will you... help me? Subaru.」 (Hoshino)
「Ah ──, of course.」 (Subaru)
「If Hoshino says she wants help, I'll do even the impossible for that sake.」 (Subaru)
●○●○●
「... ── This won't end with a simple 'I failed,' you fools ── !!」 (Former Kaiser Director)
A man—no, a massive automaton—shouted from where he sat on a plush chair at the pinnacle of an opulent building.
「My deepest apologies, but unless we separate Takanashi Hoshino from Natsuki Subaru at the very least, we have no hope of victory.」 (Subordinate)
「...Even if we use "That Thing"?」 (Former Director)
「That requires the Council's approval.」 (Subordinate)
「... Why are we still shackled by Headquarters? Damn it.」 (Former Director)
He reviewed the current situation quietly despite his rage, and without despair despite his disappointment.
The former Director of Kaiser PMC, now the leader of a terrorist organization, found his head aching because of the mysterious entity that had suddenly descended upon them: "Natsuki Subaru."
「If the President had authorized the use of "That Thing," we could have vaporized the school and everyone inside, regardless of Takanashi Hoshino's presence...!」 (Former Director)
「Most likely, he does not want to risk damaging "That Thing." Even if it is a super-class weapon, it remains a relic; no one can repair it or even understand if it is functioning properly.」 (Subordinate)
「Don't state the obvious; I understand that... ── But that is exactly why! The firepower of "That Thing" could crush an unknown enemy in a single blow! Why does he not authorize its use against an enemy more difficult than 'Gematria'—an enemy that can even face 'Gematria' head-on...!!」 (Former Director)
His rising anger did not subside; instead, it swelled.
Until now, no matter the opponent, he had used his skills to neutralize their strengths and climb to this position. Yet, the mere existence of Natsuki Subaru had cut off their path and reduced them to a terrorist organization.
── If I do not achieve total victory, I will be the next to fall tomorrow.
What was worse, Natsuki Subaru—just as in the prophecy—had come from somewhere without warning or data. Just as in the prophecy, he had seized the Sanctum Tower, and for some reason, he had antagonized Kaiser.
The President was not the type to be rattled by this much, and he realized that Natsuki Subaru's declarations were not entirely true. Yet, despite that, the Director could not accept the President's passive stance.
We controlled almost everything, to the point where one could say Kivotos belonged to us: logistics, lifelines, and weapons manufacturing.
Crushing a child like him required little effort; had we simply advanced step by step, Kivotos would have fallen into our grasp.
「...」 (Former Director)
Because we failed to take that step, Natsuki Subaru achieved even greater progress.
── He slipped through every search and siege operation Kaiser Corporation enforced and destroyed our forward base single-handedly.
「... Damn it.」 (Former Director)
Even that Takanashi Hoshino could not accomplish such a feat.
Judged solely by the results, we appear to be a group of "idiots" drowning in arrogance and sloth, having taken no measures or precautions against that entity.
── But that is not the case. That is not the case at all.
The "bizarre failure" began with the blunder of the Defense Office Chief.
We had taken every precaution to kill Natsuki Subaru while he lay bedridden on the second night, transforming that hospital into a "stage for his end."
We monitored the General Student Council's movements through the Defense Office Chief, shut down all surrounding transportation networks, severed outside communication through jamming, and dispatched our elite forces.
Yet, as I waited impatiently for the report of his assassination, what confronted me was "Natsuki Subaru's Second Announcement."
「My blood is boiling...! I will kill him; I will kill Natsuki Subaru without fail...」 (Former Director)
An impudent voice, impudent phrasing, and an impudent face. That man possesses only the qualities of the "weak"; he is weak, just as weak as those I have crushed until now.
Why does nothing go according to plan? Why does everything go as the weak desire? In the world I envision—where there is a reason the strong are strong, and the weak are exploited by the strong because of their weakness—this world of equality is...
── That fool from the Outside, that imbecile, infected with Hero Syndrome, incapable of prioritizing his own self-interest... Why, why... why, why, why ──
── Knock, knock, knock.
「Mm?」 (Former Director)
「Who is there? I said I was still in a meeting.」 (Former Director)
Clack, the door opened. Beyond the darkness floated darkness itself, and the person who should have opened the door was nowhere to be seen.
── No.
Dark, darker, and darker still.
In the center of that darkness, a contradictory flame of black and white danced and floated.
「Kukuku ──, I apologize for visiting while you are busy.」 (Black Suit)
「However... ── Kuku, I thought you might require another contract, former Director of Kaiser PMC.」 (Black Suit)
「...Y-You.」 (Former Director)
「── What is your business, 'Black Suit'?」 (Former Director)
「My business... My, how surprising. There is supposed to be no relationship between us other than the 'Contract.'」 (Black Suit)
「...Are you asking me to borrow your hand again?」 (Former Director)
When he asked, the other figure feigned surprise, spilling a laugh—"Kukuku"—devoid of any comprehensible emotion, and denied those words.
「No, no, this time I have come to borrow your hand, former Director of Kaiser. What I said at the beginning... was merely an inquiry about your current status.」 (Black Suit)
「... ──」 (Former Director)
「As an enemy facing Natsuki Subaru.」 (Black Suit)
「I... Well, yes, to act as an observer witnessing the end, how about re-contracting with you? Would you consider it?」 (Black Suit)
The magical hand of darkness extended.
Entities of unknown identity, seekers of the unknown, those who approach God.
── Gematria.
Seeking mystery is faith in God; deconstructing divinity is casting God down; and exploring the world is unveiling the truth.
In ancient times, God created Man, and in ancient times, Man was created by God.
In ancient times, Man created God, and in ancient times, God was created by Man.
Thus, what is reflected in the transcendence toward which the seeker extends his hand is human nature, not mystery.
── Because they approach God with the most human of actions simply by being human, what is reflected in that innocent blackness is themselves.
Gematria—they are the ones who approached Mystery the most, and walked closest to Divinity.
Gematria—they are the ones who strayed furthest from Mystery, and were abandoned by Divinity more than anyone else.
「Come ── I eagerly await a favorable repl— ───」 (Black Suit)
"Ah ──! Mic check, mic check! Since we have time, another mic check! We're starting today too! Natsuki Subaru's Exciting Daily Radio Broadcast, Episode Three~!!" (Subaru - via Broadcast)
「「... ──」」 (Former Director & Black Suit)
「Th-... This!? Impossible, all communication systems in the city are ──! Director, cut the company's power immediately ──」 (Subordinate)
「Shut up. I can't hear the voice.」 (Former Director)
A voice and manner of speaking utterly unsuited to a place steeped in darkness spread through the room.
Hearing that voice, a malicious smile crept onto the face of "Black Suit," while blue veins (hypothetically) threatened to bulge on the robotic face of the former Kaiser Director.
"This radio broadcast has become a regular tradition, but I'm worried Kaiser employees might be getting bored of it ── No, you're not bored! Alright, I'll start reading." (Subaru)
"To the honorable terrorist organization formerly known as Kaiser's petty subcontractor company: It seems a third-rate terrorist group has declared war on me, Natsuki Subaru, who has been appointed 'President of SCHALE.'" (Subaru)
"In response, I declare war from my side as well." (Subaru)
"As a preamble ──, should I stop speaking this way? Well, can you imagine the monster under the bed? Me too... when I was little, I was terrified of monsters existing not just under the bed, but in the pitch-black darkness." (Subaru)
"── What you lack right now is that childish fear. You think shining a light on the darkness is enough; you delude yourselves into thinking you drove away the monster without actually defeating it; and you misunderstand that you stand in the same ring as someone who has prepared himself (for death), while you haven't prepared at all." (Subaru)
"Listen well. In 3 days, I will crush all of you squatting in the Abydos desert, leaving none behind! Welcome to Total War!! Do you think I'd wait for your declaration, you idiots ──!! Wash your necks and wait~! (Prepare for slaughter). The meeting place is around the base I destroyed. Best regards~ ♡. And finally, former Director acting all arrogant: your location is exposed, so tremble while you sleep." (Subaru)
"And lastly, 'Black Suit'... I have words for you too. I don't know where you're hearing this, but make sure to show your face. Over." (Subaru)
「...」 (Former Director)
「Kukuku, kuku, kukuku. Well, what will you do?」 (Black Suit)
「── So be it.」 (Former Director)
「So be it!!! As you wish, I will use the entire PMC force! And I will crush you!! Totally and mercilessly!!!!!!」 (Former Director)
「Hey, 'Black Suit'! You lend me your hand too. Let's crush him, let's crush Natsuki Subaru...」 (Former Director)
「Let's make him realize he is a weakling who doesn't know his place ──!」 (Former Director)
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