Instant Death

Translator: Thy Unsus

Edit: Thy Unsus ƒ𝗿e𝘦𝚠𝗲𝚋n𝚘ν𝙚𝗹.𝑐o𝙢

There’s no way that I can sleep in a situation like this.

Tomochika had thought so, but it seemed that she’d fallen asleep before she knew it.

And, before she realized it, Yogiri was clinging to her.

“Wha!?” (Tomochika)

She awoke instantly. But, it didn’t mean that she became calm.

Certainly, she was able to understand the situation. However, nothing more than the reality of Yogiri was burying his face in Tomochika’s rich breasts was understood, and there was no way that she could become calm or something in such a situation.

Tomochika knew a few effective techniques even from her current situation of being glued together. It would be possible for her to make Yogiri feel severe pain and shake and untangle herself.

She was about to try to do so immediately, but Tomochika changed her mind.

Yogiri was sleeping. In other words, he was doing it unconsciously, and had neither ill intent nor lewd feelings.

There was just something soft, so he probably just snuggled up to it.

When she considered so, she hesitated to behave too roughly.

Under the faint light, she quietly checked Yogiri’s face.

As usual he had an innocent face, and it was becoming more and more stupid-ish to make a fuss over it.

Besides, Tomochika also had a feeling that Yogiri, who was sleeping well, might react using his power, and that, in other words, would be towards her.

Then, if she could give some sort of peace of this degree to Yogiri, wasn’t it fine? She reached such a feeling, but when she casually averted her gaze, her eyes met with something.

“KYAAAAAA!” (Tomochika)

Something was emerging from the wall. When she set into confusion, the something called out to her.

『It’s me! Don’t be surprised at each and every thing!』(Mokomoko)

“Mokomoko-san? You’ve been like that the entire time since then!?” (Tomochika)

『It’s like that.』(Mokomoko)

“……hm?” (Yogiri)

Whether or not she made too much noise, Yogiri woke up. Tomochika jumped back in a panic.

“I mean! When you look at it after you’ve forgotten, you’ll seriously be scared as you’re half-sticking out from the wall, so stop it!” (Tomochika)

『Well, actually. I cannot leave it to get out.』(Mokomoko)

“What do you mean?” (Tomochika)

『Hmm. I said that it was trying to absorb the spirit kind, didn’t I?』(Mokomoko)

“Aah, you did say that. You were full of confidence and said ‘If it is me, it’ll be fine’.” (Tomochika)

『It looks like souls are being gathered through the walls and floors of the tower. When it overlaps in the wall, there is a reasonable amount of suction power. Well, I was worrying about whether or not I could leave sooner or later, but it reached the point that I severely felt “This is bad”.』(Mokomoko)

“It was a short friendship, but I won’t forget it. I mean, it was an impact that won’t be forgotten, my ancestor.” (Tomochika)

Tomochika put her hands together at Mokomoko. Though it could be said that she was helpful once, she was a gloomy existence to continue to stay around for a while. She didn’t feel that much attachment.

『I want you to not abandon me readily!』(Mokomoko)

“But, it cannot be helped? You even said ‘it absorbs spirits’ or something like that.” (Tomochika)

『There’s the youngster, right!? Hey, please do something!』(Mokomoko)

“Hm……” (Yogiri)

It appeared that Yogiri was still half asleep.

“Hey. I think you’ll succeed in some way or another?” (Tomochika)

As one would expect, she’d have an uneasy conscience if she abandoned her as is. Tomochika explained to Yogiri the details on how it turned into a thing like this.

“It’s like that……I guess it’ll work out somehow if I kill that sucking feature-like thing. But, I guess there’s a reason it’s being done, and I think doing such a thing of my own accord might be……” (Yogiri)

Yogiri looked at Mokomoko. It seemed that he decided his resolution immediately.

“Well, I’ll give more priority to Mokomoko-san than those guys of this tower.” (Yogiri)

“Can you do it?” (Tomochika)

“I’m not being targeted, so it’s hard to narrow down the target……” (Yogiri)

Yogiri put his hand on the wall.

“Certainly, there’s a feeling like some kind of spirit is being sucked in. Then, how about this?” (Yogiri)

Just as he spoke, Mokomoko came flying from the wall.

『Oou! I thought I might die!』(Mokomoko)

“But you died a long time ago.” (Tomochika)

『You’re surprisingly cold-hearted towards your ancestor!』(Mokomoko)

“But, it’s become more and more awkward.” (Yogiri)

Yogiri looked a little disheartened.

“What’s wrong?” (Tomochika)

“On top of killing the Devil, I broke the function of the tower, though only a part, haven’t I? I think it might be better to leave this place quickly before they complain.” (Yogiri)

“That’s right. We came to a place like this for some reason, but we aren’t staying too long.” (Tomochika)

She looked outside through the window. The sun was rising.

‘I want to finish this quickly and leave during today’, Tomochika thought.

“We’re calm in this situation, shall we discuss about the matters after this?” (Yogiri)

“Really? Is this situation where we’re facing each other on the bed calm?” (Tomochika)

Tomochika said so dissatisfied for some reason.

Even if she said so, they slept soundly and their heads felt clear, and to Yogiri it seemed that this situation would be the most suitable for a discussion.

“Well, it’s fine. What is the ‘discussion’?” (Tomochika)

“First of all, I guess our big objective. To return to our former world. At worst, even if it’s just the two of us.” (Yogiri)

When he said ‘the worst’, Yogiri was thinking ‘if only Tomochika can return’. But, Tomochika would oppose if he said so.

“The medium objective is knowing how to return to our former world.” (Yogiri)

“We are aiming for the royal capital for that reason, aren’t we? We want to meet the sage Shion and ask her the story, right? So, we are aiming to link up with everyone. You said ‘even if just the two of us’, but would you do so if everyone in the class can return?” (Tomochika)

Their classmates were carrying out missions assigned to them by the sage Shion. If they could progress the missions successfully, Shion would reveal herself sooner or later. It was Shion who summoned Yogiri and others to this world. There was also a possibility they’d hear about the return method.

“I won’t go out of my way to do something like abandoning them. However, it won’t necessarily go smoothly ‘because we linked up with everyone’. That’s why I came to this place.” (Yogiri)

“Eh? Why?” (Tomochika)

“There’s no guarantee that we can meet the sages, and we won’t necessarily talk to her upfrontly. Besides, maybe we’re stuck being summoned and she doesn’t know the way to return. That’s why anything is okay, so it is necessary to gather information about this world for now. The Sword Saint is famous-ish and I thought it might be some kind of clue.” (Yogiri)

Yogiri, before they came here, had heard that the Sword Saint was an existence that was equal-like to the sages. He had thought ‘if I hear something’, but what was unfolding here was a killing in regard to the next era’s Sword Saint. He was beginning to think that maybe it wasn’t necessary to go along with it any more than this.

“Ah, is that right? But I thought it was surely for receiving instruction on how exit the canyon.” (Tomochika)

“I have a general guess about that. I could grasp the rough terrain because I could survey the canyon from the rooftop. How about you, Mokomoko-san?” (Yogiri)

『Yeah. I was able to fly even further in the sky and see it. I roughly know the path to exit the canyon.』(Mokomoko)

“Eh? Perhaps it was just me who was looking at the scenery in a daze on the rooftop? ……Ah, which reminds me, didn’t the robot say what it’d be like to return if we knew the coordinates?” (Tomochika)

Tomochika spoke as if to hide that she was astonished.

『To return to our former world, energy is needed in addition to the coordinates. That robot left a part of himself as an anchor in his world. For that reason, it is possible for him to return to his original world with minimal energy, but we don’t have that. For example, this place is the very bottom of the world, the bottom of the ocean. It is easy to sink, but enormous amounts of energy is required to rise.』(Mokomoko)

“An anchor like a ship’s anchor, right? Because it is like a cord, it’s connected?” (Tomochika)

Tomochika offered a guess. Certainly, even if she explained so, it was difficult to imagine.

『That’s right. This is metaphor to the bitter end, but that robot has something like a lifeline to its former world. And it is able to return home by pulling that.』(Mokomoko)

“Energy, huh? Even if you say so…” (Tomochika)

They didn’t know what amount was necessary, nor the way to prepare it.

『There may be a hint about it in the tower. I also wasn’t just burying myself in the wall. I was searching for the flow of power.』(Mokomoko)

“Eeeh? Something like that, it’s suspiciously postscript?” (Tomochika)

『You’re noisy! It’s in that. It seems that the spirits of the deceased are being gathered in one place. Perhaps they are using it to maintain the barrier. I don’t know what amount of power the Devil and so on have, but enormous amounts of energy would be necessary to continue binding time enough to where it seems to be stopped.』(Mokomoko)

“But, as one would expect, I don’t want to kill people and collect them.” (Yogiri)

However, if there was another way to amass or collect with a way like that, it may be something that can be used for something. Yogiri beared that in mind.

“As one would expect, huh.” (Tomochika)

“So, the small goal at present is to link up with everyone in the class, who are heading towards the royal capital still, but for that, we have to go down the tower first.” (Yogiri)

“It became the obvious, huh.” (Tomochika)

“So, I want you to be prepared. I’ll kill the people who seem to be enemies that we meet from now on without question.” (Yogiri)

“Isn’t that as usual?” (Tomochika)

As Tomochika’s face became one of looking blankly, Yogiri’s feelings were hurt a little bit.

“I always try to not kill whatever is okay to not kill as much as possible. But, those guys who are aiming for Sword Saint in the tower are brimming with the intent to kill the other participants. If you hesitate, you’ll be killed.” (Yogiri)

“It’s too late to say that. As for preparedness, I’m ready. ‘If Takatou-kun uses his power, it’s the same as me doing it’. I thought so from the very beginning.” (Tomochika)

『Yeah. Don’t make fun of a daughter of a samurai!』(Mokomoko)

This time, Yogiri’s face became one of looking blankly. No way, he never thought that she had that much preparedness.

“You’re saving me, I’m not a woman tasteless to the point of complaining about how you saved me, okay? Well, I think I’ll do it in moderation.” (Tomochika)

‘Still, it might not mean always positive’, Tomochika spoke as if to add that.

“……Come to think of it, I’m hungry. I haven’t eaten at all since yesterday.” (Yogiri)

‘Does that mean she trusts me?’, Yogiri, who got awkward as one would expect, said so as though to hide it.

“Um, it seems like an unreasonable story by nature to search for a person without any kind of clue in such a place.” (Hanakawa)

Around when the sun started to faintly glow light. Hanakawa Daimon was walking behind Aoi, who was walking full of confidence.

In regards to Yogiri Takatou and others, as far as what was known was conveyed inside of the flying saucer, but still he hadn’t been released.

The flying saucer landed in the middle of the canyon, and from there the two people were walking.

That Yogiri and others headed towards the canyon was something investigated in the town of Hanabusa, where they stopped by at on the way. She knew he would be here because not much time had passed from his departure.

However, even if that was said, the canyon was extensively complicated. At least, a clue couldn’t be found with just searching from the skies in the flying saucer.

“It’s all right. I know the general place where the event is likely to happen.” (Aoi)

“It’s an awfully meta story! Is your head all right!?” (Hanakawa)

『Oi. Don’t get too carried away?』(Knife)

That voice came from the knife pouch on Aoi’s waist. The knife inside was talking.

“Fu, fufun! Being threatened by a knife that can’t move by itself isn’t scary at all!” (Hanakawa)

“Well, if you say ‘meta’, then it’s a meta story. I can look down at fate. In other words, if ‘this world is a movie’, I can peek at the script.” (Aoi)

“No no no, then there wasn’t any need to listen to my story or bring me along or anything like that!” (Hanakawa)

“It’s not that simple either. If compared to a movie, I guess I should say there are several protagonists, and chaotic matters like various scenarios that are moving simultaneously. It cannot be read and understood simply like that, and the scenario changes its aspects complicatedly according to the situation. Look, it came.” (Aoi)

Aoi pointed to the sky. Within the very dim light, only that place was shining.

A huge dragon clad in lightning was floating there.

“What is that!? That is clearly wearing a ‘strong man appearance’!” (Hanakawa)

Hanakawa felt the difference in status the second he saw it.

There was no chance of winning.

If it breathed out even a breath, it was over with that alone. Judging from its appearance, it would do a thunder attack. It was impossible to even avoid such a thing, and with Hanakawa’s defensive power, him being instant killed was decided.

“Let’s run away! Aoi-sama’s ability won’t win against such a thing!” (Hanakawa)

It was difficult to run away when it was facing them at this range. But, even Aoi shouldn’t have a way or something to fight a battle against an opponent that was floating in the air.

“Eh? Why can’t it be won if it’s me?” (Aoi)

“With Aoi-sama’s ability, you cannot win against primitive creatures!” (Hanakawa)

Hanakawa had witnessed Aoi’s fight in the Forest of Demonic Beasts. Aoi had used the same power as the cheat rascal Rikuto then, and also negated it.

It would be something for opposing the power of postscript. He couldn’t imagine that it’d pass towards a creature that was strong from the start.

“Aah, you’re having some kind of misunderstanding. This sort of fellow is simple.” (Aoi)

And, Aoi spoke.

“Such a huge living thing doesn’t fly in the sky, now does it?” (Aoi)

Just as she spoke, the dragon began to fall. Even the dragon itself probably didn’t know what was happening.

The dragon glided in some way or another, and crashed into the cliff. It somehow avoided just falling below the cliff.

“My ability is simple. Balance Of Power is just the ability to change an event as I believe.” (Aoi)

“So you’re beyond a cheat!?” (Hanakawa)

Hanakawa couldn’t think of it as anything but an unreasonable ability. With that, it would be the ultimate ability of everything.

“It isn’t like that. What I cannot believe cannot be realized.” (Aoi)

“I, is that so? W, well, anyway, does that mean that this guy can be defeated?” (Hanakawa)

Hanakawa approached the dragon.

Its large build was somehow leaning over the path of the cliff edge.

Although its head was huge, to the extent that it looked like it could swallow the likes of Hanakawa in one gulp, whether or not it was turning its eyes, its mouth had opened loosely and its tongue was thrown out.

“Fu, fufun. Does that mean it’s nothing more than a gigantic lizard if it’s become like this?” (Hanakawa)

“Ah, it’s dangerous to approach carelessly?” (Aoi)

Munch.

The dragon suddenly got up and closed its mouth.

What was after Hanakawa’s right elbow disappeared instantly.

“GYAAA! Wh, what is it!” (Hanakawa)

But, Hanakawa was also familiar with this degree of injury. His experiences in passing through scenes of carnage as a healer weren’t just for show.

He immediately restored his right arm, and flew back right away.

“It’s as you said some time ago. It’s a gigantic lizard, but I think it is dangerous with just ‘a gigantic lizard’?” (Aoi)

“Then, do it with that ability somehow!” (Hanakawa)

“I can’t. I think that ‘it isn’t strange even if a lizard-like thing is about this big’. I cannot deny that.” (Aoi)

“Then what will you do!” (Hanakawa)

“There’s nothing else to do but fight straightforwardly. Well, even I am strong as is, so it’ll be all right.” (Aoi)

Saying so, Aoi drew out her knife.

He didn’t know how strong she was, but Hanakawa thought that it was a very unreliable figure.

But, Hanakawa wasn’t able to see her ability.

It was because, without Aoi even fighting, the head of the dragon was cut and flew off.

“Eh? Um, did you do something just now?” (Hanakawa)

“No. But, this is inopportune. It may be the worst situation for me.” (Aoi)

Something was standing where the dragon’s head was, and it was being showered in the violently spewing blood.

It was strange-looking.

It had the figure of a person.

But, its body that was wet with blood was covered in black metal, and things that were neither needles nor blades were protruding from the joints of its body.

It was hard to think that a person was inside of that slender body. In other words, it was an existence like that.

“Hedgehog……” (Aoi)

Aoi *whisper* muttered.

It was an existence that the sages called ‘an aggressor’.