『──May I ask you one thing, Natsuki-san?』 (Black Suit)
『You claimed the Shittim Chest's power is a form of pseudo-predictive future calculation, didn't you?』 (Black Suit)
『Yeah. What about it?』 (Subaru)
『When you intend to lie, you really should hide your hand a bit better.』 (Black Suit)
『That box possesses no such power. Out of respect for the situation you've engineered, Natsuki-san, I will stop prying into the true nature of the ability you so carefully conceal.』 (Black Suit)
『However, remember that to me, you are a useful contract partner—and also merely a child. I pray you don't burn yourself out until you fade away in your current state.』 (Black Suit)
『For I know all too well the end of someone who was exactly like you.』 (Black Suit)
"...──" (Subaru)
The moment I stepped out of Black Suit's car, the roar of explosions and rising smoke shattered the previous silence. I hadn't noticed the chaos while inside; the car's soundproofing was elite. "Just how much luxury can these adults afford?" I muttered to myself, feeling the sheer weight of their financial power.
I tightened my sneaker laces, stretched my limbs, and rolled up my sleeves.
If I asked anyone about the sanity of what I was about to do, they would likely call me a fool or a madman.──But for Subaru, this move was a gift from fate, the result of relentless, painstaking effort.
Accumulated effort. Yes, I had accumulated so much.
──After that specific Return by Death, the number of times Subaru had looped reached ■.
Even if the number remained invisible to others, I kept count from that point onward.
"Alright." (Subaru)
To reach Black Suit and convince Hoshino, I had to dig into the internal affairs of Highlander Railroad Academy. I had to understand Suou Asahiri's existence to find an "ally," unravel the tragedy within the Nefthys Board, and prepare to crush the Private Investment Fund.
Through all of this, I realized that while Abydos sat at the heart of this story, it also didn't.
──There was something else. The true core of the narrative lay in the 『Thunder Emperor's Legacy』—a superweapon capable of obliterating Hoshino and the others from a distance. This weapon was the primary reason I had to arrest the Kaiser Director immediately, and it was the Fund's ultimate prize.
──It was also why Nefthys withdrew Nonomi from Abydos. The school hid seeds of misfortune that surpassed even my imagination.
『Ownership rights to the Desert Cross-Country Railway? What is this…──? Was this from when Yume-senpai was still here…?』 (Hoshino)
『That letter…──』 (Hoshino)
Before Nonomi's withdrawal, Hoshino had received a contract allegedly signed two years ago by the Abydos Student Council. It stated they would purchase the Desert Cross-Country Railway from Nefthys, bearing the signature of the Council President, Yume Kushigami.
Securing that right meant securing the 『Thunder Emperor's Legacy.』 This was because the legacy was, in fact,
──A train.
More accurately, it was a "Railway Gun"—a weapon of mass destruction mounted on a train that patrolled the tracks. I had seen it repeatedly during my loops. With such a weapon at his disposal, it was only natural for the Director to become arrogant.
A mobile weapon with destructive power exceeding a nuclear strike, capable of firing from vast distances. Since the Director was a chatterbox, extracting this information from him across cycles had been easy.
『Kaiser once held your debts, and though that's over now...』 (Kaiser Director)
Abydos controlled the operating rights for that train, which linked the railway issue directly to Nonomi's situation. Officially, the weapon still belonged to no one. This legal vacuum was why Private Military Companies (PMCs) had turned into terrorist organizations—to use the weapon without legal accountability.
In short, a desperate race to seize the Railway Gun was unfolding right on Abydos's soil.
Regarding the contracts, once the two-year term expires, all rights to the train—including Abydos's debts purchased jointly by the Private Investment Fund and Nefthys—will become their shared property.
Should Abydos continue to exist, it retains those rights. However, if Hoshino admits the "Abydos Student Council" never truly existed in the first place—rather than simply terminating the contract—those rights transfer immediately to Nefthys.
Interests have become dangerously intertwined: the Helmet Gang wants Abydos as their base, Kaiser seeks unrestricted use of the Railway Gun, and Nefthys covets the weapon by using Nonomi Izayoi as leverage to force the "dissolution of the Abydos Student Council."
『The Private Investment Fund, aiming to seize the Railway Gun through joint ownership of the debt after the contract expires, has seemingly struck a secret deal with Suou Asahiri, whose own goals align with theirs.』 (Black Suit)
『Besides stalling for time, Kaiser has also tasked her with hijacking the Railway Gun. She is currently acting as a triple agent to ensure Nefthys officially installs Nonomi Izayoi as the Board President of Highlander Academy.』 (Black Suit)
『Finally, Suou Asahiri's personal desire is a direct confrontation with Hoshino Takanashi. To ensure she can fight at full strength...』 (Black Suit)
『──Estimates suggest she has made a pact with the Arius Branch, the paramilitary group under Mika Mizuno, the current Host of Trinity General Academy.』 (Black Suit)
It didn't stop there. Someone seemingly connected Suou to the Arius group, and that "Host" appears to be meddling in Abydos's affairs or targeting me. Even the mortar fire from the "Momo Friends Association" wouldn't have moved without her permission...
"...Damn it. No matter how many times I hear this story, the threads of fate seem hopelessly fractured." (Subaru)
"And that bomb that destroys Halos...── to hell with it." (Subaru)
I fought tooth and nail to learn the truth about those girls in gas masks.
They were as enigmatic as the "Underground Dweller"—figures appearing out of thin air. Where did they come from? Which organization did they follow? Who ordered them to carry those bombs, and why? They brought a mountain of mysteries and left not a single answer.
Their infiltration of Abydos, their alliance with Suou, and the nature of their relationship were all puzzles. No matter how I phrased the questions, I don't have Sherlock Holmes's mind. I paid terrible prices just to extract a single piece of information, and all I got was a solitary answer.
[We were ordered to].
That was it. They were told to cooperate with Suou, nothing more. Those girls, subjected to harsh military training, were more like a swarm of ants than human beings. They had no individual attachment to life; they were mere robots who wouldn't stop until the mission was complete. A real army, trained to work with a total disregard for emotion.
"..." (Subaru)
Yet, no one can kill their emotions entirely. Anyone facing death must show a flicker of their heart's true feelings. In a world where a suicide attack isn't considered suicide, someone stripped these girls of their will and made them hurt themselves as a matter of routine orders.
That same "someone" linked Suou to the Arius Branch. A member of Gematria used this chance to strike at the students of Abydos... no.
He came for me.
"I might be a little late." (Subaru)
But one day, I want to see those hearts thaw from their cold apathy. I'll do it after I reclaim the "youth" those bastards stole from you.
"Alright, alright... dear Arona-chan, is the train on schedule?" (Subaru)
"Negative. The train is currently passing through 'Student Council Valley.'" (Arona)
"What? It won't arrive on time?! If it's late, I'm a dead man!" (Subaru)
"I don't think there's any need for concern. The train's speed now exceeds 270 km/h; it is well ahead of schedule." (Arona)
"──" (Subaru)
──Isn't that just a death sentence?! Natsuki Subaru wondered, feeling a lethal sense of dread about what was coming next.
Subaru's face contorted in a grimace, but Arona continued in a calm, detached tone, despite knowing the sheer recklessness of the operation he was about to undertake.
"I want you to prioritize your own life above all else, Subaru-sama." (Arona)
"However, I know that doing so would prevent your wish from coming true. So, if you intend to keep gambling your life on what comes next..." (Arona)
"──Then you must never look back." (Arona)
"Because every gaze fixed on your back will only cause you more pain." (Arona)
Whether those gazes held affection or pity, once others began to feel "pain" watching the tragic sight of Natsuki Subaru running with all his might, it would turn into a shackle. If Subaru sensed someone else was suffering because of him, he would inevitably try to hide even the wounds on his shredded back—and that was exactly what Arona wanted to prevent ──.
"...Am I allowed to look at you, at least, Arona?" (Subaru)
"Yes." (Arona)
"Because I am the only support AI dedicated solely to serving Natsuki Subaru-sama." (Arona)
"... ──" (Subaru)
The mechanical voice cut out. Subaru stepped forward into the sand-swept desert. The echoes of battle still rumbled on the horizon; a single slip-up now meant instant death.
Subaru had a troublesome trait; he didn't know if he sought it out or if things just always ended up this way, but he always led by putting his life on the line. While every risk was necessary, his survival each time wasn't because the "Destiny" he constantly defied was finally smiling on him. It was because ──.
"Man... Hoshino is ridiculously strong, isn't she? She's practically crushed everything in her path." (Subaru)
"Hoshino-san and the others have already reached the evacuation route toward the High School. However, a military force the size of a battalion is approaching. You need to reach that point within two minutes." (Arona)
"Got it! Then let's go for a quick sprint!" (Subaru)
The more Subaru struggled and fought, the greater his chances of saving what he wanted to save. He truly didn't know what the General Student Council President was thinking when she entrusted him with all of this.
But regarding the rescue of the students, it was a blessing she chose the one man who didn't know the meaning of the word 'surrender.'
Did it have to be Subaru specifically? Yes, it had to be him.
Did things fail because it was Subaru? Or was Subaru the only one capable of the save?
"Please, slow down just a little...? You'll do that for me, right? You two annoying brats... ──" (Subaru)
Only now could he say it. Because he was Subaru, he had failed often and stood helpless many times.
And because he was Subaru, he would manage to save everyone.
"Subaru-sama, you have an incoming call." (Arona)
"Hm?" (Subaru)
"It's from your partners for this operation. I'll patch them through." (Arona)
Left with no other choice, Subaru answered those two troublemakers who radiated an irritating level of energy.
"Big bro, we're almost there, so get ready~!" (Nozomi)
"Pahahaha! It's an express train meant just for you, so don't miss this chance~?" (Hikari)
That unique, unrestrained laughter belonged to the two mischievous children whose voices were famous to anyone connected to Highlander Academy.
"If you really think that, can you slow down a bit? If you drive that train by your standards, my body is going to be torn to shreds." (Subaru)
"Don't worry! We'll cut the rocket boosters early!" (Hikari)
"And where exactly is the safety in that? Is "mercy" in the Nozomi-Hikari dictionary as thin as a sheet of plywood?" (Subaru)
"Since you're the one who proposed this plan, we think you have a very brave heart." (Nozomi)
"...F-fine. Anyway, I've prepared various rewards for you both, so once this is all settled, come visit me at Schale." (Subaru)
"Yay!" (Nozomi)
"Are we allowed to play at Schale? Pahahaha! Awesome!" (Hikari)
"...Are we really going to be okay…?" (Subaru)
●○●○●
It seemed the Underground Dweller was watching Subaru the entire time. Arona had told him as much, and the thought was both chilling and disgusting.
"I'll crush the Underground Dweller... I'll crush him... the Underground... Dweller... ── I'll absolutely demolish him!!" (Subaru)
Subaru kept muttering those words like a mantra while drenched in sweat. Every horror he was enduring, every reckless move he was forced to make, and everyone's misery—it all rested on the Underground Dweller's shoulders.
I don't care about Kaiser, or Black Suit, or Trinity Academy, or the Investment Fund. Every misfortune is the Underground Dweller's fault alone.
Subaru's parched throat, his insatiable hunger, his headache from lack of sleep, his body's lack of fitness, and even his annoying bedhead when he woke up—it was all, most likely, because of the Underground Dweller.
"Uuggghhh... ──" (Subaru)
Dragging his heavy bag, Subaru continued to flee from the approaching footsteps of death. His face flushed with nausea, he kept moving, his breath coming in ragged heaves.
──My arms will be completely shot by tomorrow. My muscles feel like they are about to tear, yet the bones remain firmly attached, making me imagine my limbs turning into pure rubber from the sheer strain.
"Arona! Where's my fight song?!" (Subaru)
"...D-Do your best, do your best, Subaru-sama! Don't give up, don't give up, Subaru-sama!" (Arona)
"I want a cheer that overflows with adoration for my greatness—give me all the sincere love you've got!" (Subaru)
"You really are incredible. Your efforts and sacrifices deserve such reverence. I want you to look only at me; when you return, please come into the Shittim Chest and show me some affection—maybe a pat on the head?" (Arona)
"...My apologies, but let's dial back the emotion and keep it strictly pro-bono. Otherwise, this desert is going to turn into a sea of tears." (Subaru)
"Understood." (Arona)
Arona's overflowing affection had started to drown me lately. As long as I could still crack a joke, I should probably teach her a lesson or two so she doesn't fall prey to some wicked man in the future. I felt like her father; it wasn't my imagination that her emotions grew and evolved with every "Return by Death." In a way, I was the one who raised her. I didn't know if Arona, as an AI, could ever gain independence from the Shittim Chest, but I worried she might fall for a man just like me someday.
"Heave-ho! I'm back in action thanks to you, Arona!" (Subaru)
I hoisted the bag onto my back and broke into a run. When I asked myself why I was going through all this trouble, the answer was simple: hold on, because what's in this bag is essential. I can't let it go.
To defeat the "Underground Dweller," victory lies in forcing the absurd and the illogical. Even in the previous loop, he was slow to react. This meant that the Underground Dweller—much like Black Suit—remained a mortal human despite his strange appearance. He sat in an untouchable space, watching the world through a wide-angle lens while interfering from afar──and that was it.
"You shut-in old man, rot in your basement. You're no superhero... your laugh is revolting, and your reflexes are as sluggish as a geriatric's. Do you really think you can catch me?" (Subaru)
The Underground Dweller's countermeasures always arrived a step too late. He wasn't choosing to be late; he simply couldn't keep up with actions that defied all expectations. A committed killer works with more sincerity than their victim, but if he was an "adult with a child's mind," as Black Suit described, he would unravel the moment things didn't go his way. To that end, I would continue to outpace his thinking with a rapid-fire strategy that ignored all common sense. Even enlisting Highlander Railroad Academy—supposedly my enemy—was fair game.
"──H-He!" (Soldier)
"We found him! It's Natsuki Subaru!" (Soldier)
"Crap!" (Subaru)
Soldiers' shouts echoed in the distance. Without a way to fight back or any hope of backup, I was at my most vulnerable. One could say I was in a state where dying was incredibly easy.
I sprinted over a sand dune and tumbled down the other side, clutching the bag. I had one goal: the station where the train driven by Nozomi and Hikari would pass. They had originally worked on maintaining the Abydos tracks through a partnership with Nefthys, but Kaiser's sudden pivot into a terrorist organization forced them to stop. Knowing they existed was a stroke of luck—and the fruit of my own tireless, daily efforts.
"Collaboration" was a mere formality. I simply sent a notice under my name, promising to evict the Kaiser organization from Abydos so they could resume work, in exchange for a single train run. I wouldn't board the train officially; instead, I would sneak on to ensure Nozomi and Hikari bore no responsibility for the fallout. They agreed only after I set strict conditions to guarantee their safety.
"Surround him! Hold your positions! Block every escape route!" (Kaiser Soldier)
"How meticulous of them!" (Subaru)
──But fortunately for me, you are the ones guiding me toward safety.
Subaru sprinted toward his destination, with Kaiser soldiers advancing in tight ranks behind him, forming a human wall. Naturally, my speed was no match for theirs. Entering their firing range was only a matter of time...──but my escape was just as inevitable.
Sand kicked up around me as the roar of gunfire erupted. A surge of panic hit me; the impacts were too close to be mere warning shots. Still, I pressed on until I reached the edge. I stood with my back to a sheer cliff. When I turned to check my surroundings, the enemy had closed in, with only dozens of paces separating us.
I was backed into a total dead end, like a cornered rat. Unfortunately, I wasn't the kind of rat that bites back when trapped; I was just a pathetic, helpless one.
"You have nowhere left to run, Natsuki Subaru." (Kaiser Soldier)
"Run? That's disappointing. Do you really think Natsuki Subaru-sama would tuck tail and run from scum like you?" (Subaru)
"...… Hoh. So you're saying you won't?" (Kaiser Soldier)
"──No, you're absolutely right!" (Subaru)
"Ha...──What!?" (Kaiser Soldier)
While they stood there in shock, Natsuki Subaru vanished from their sight. In pure disbelief, the soldiers leaned over the cliff where Subaru had just hurled himself...
"Cough, cough...──Farewell! Let's meet... again! But next time, it'll be behind cold iron bars!!" (Subaru)
"────Chase him! Don't let him get away... Ever!!" (Kaiser Soldier)
The soldiers could only stand and watch as Subaru waved his hand at them, lying flat on the roof of the speeding train.
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