Part 49: Beast and the Beauty

_{content warning: violence, depiction of bodily harm}

BGM: Impatience


I make my way out to the hallway, which is as lively as ever. There's even more people than before, which leads to an even bigger line to get into the classroom.

Where's Naomi...?!

I don't see them anywhere. Yu should stand out regardless of how many people there are, so they must not be on this floor. Immediately after that, something I could never expect unfolds.

A thunderous roar bursts down the hallway. The whole building shakes. It's a bit too short- too weak- to be an earthquake, though. Unrest starts to spread through the students and visitors, though. None of them expected something like this to occur. Worry and confusion take hold. A sharp headache follows soon after. It's similar to the one I experienced when I first met Yu in person.

Wait- That's right. Our meeting in front of Shigetsugu's house wasn't our first. My memory is still fuzzy, but my psyche is sending me warning signals. Either way, all I can do is head toward the source of the noise. I dash through the crowd, who have already begun to settle back down. It isn't until I am on my way to another floor that an evacuation order gets issued.

…...

BGM: Intel Investigation Underway


Naomi finds herself in pursuit of a young boy. She doesn't know his name, but the look in his eyes was familiar.

While the class leader has to make sure everything runs smoothly, she decides to go with some friends to stock up and ensure they don't miss anything, as well as to take charge in the off chance that what they need is sold out. As expected, they couldn't find the exact same things they needed, but she was able to pick out suitable replacements. Fortunately, she expected that things might become hectic on their first day. She did everything she could to make sure things would go well, but it's rare for that to happen when doing such things for the first time. Curious about how things are going, they make their way back to school.

Everything is fine until Naomi notices a boy with white hair among the students. And he's wearing the Amecha uniform. The most striking thing about him is that he would be easy to mistake for a regular student thanks to his gender-neutral appearance. However, Naomi is aware of his true nature. He is a participant in Divine Selection. He could very well be Rinka's enemy.



…...

He looks all around as he explores the school. Naomi can only surmise that he is searching for someone. Most likely Rinka. At first, she considers getting in touch with Rinka, who's probably still at school, but her phone's battery has died. Out of all the things to forget, it had to be charging her phone.

…...

Naomi has already convinced herself to take charge of the situation. She makes up an excuse for her friends and then begins to tail him.



Something's different...

He resembles a predator searching for its prey. This isn't the same person she saw at the station the other day. Her gut is telling her that he's planning something here. Her heart races. Every thump is palpable. Just then, a sharp headache overtakes her. Her mind flashes back to the dreams she had of Rinka's death- dreams she had told Rinka about. Those were memories of an event that had been undone. There are still too many question marks surrounding it, though. Why it happened, how it happened, and the perpetrator behind it.

The perpetrator...?

Her memories begin to catch up with her as she tails the boy. Why is there suddenly a perpetrator involved? The answer is simple. She recognizes the look in that boy's eyes.

This isn't just about Rinka anymore... I'm as involved with him as she is...!

The worse her headache gets, the more she comes to realize that her dreams are, in fact, reality.



…...

He makes his way to a less crowded area, despite seeming to be in search of someone. It makes tailing him much more difficult. But Naomi refuses to back down.

…...

Eventually, he makes his way into a certain classroom.



One not being used by any class for the culture festival. It's serving as the storage area for unused chairs and desks. Naomi is able to find an appropriate hiding spot thanks to that. However, her hopes of remaining hidden are quickly shattered.

There's no need to keep hiding.

Waugh!

She can't stifle her surprise at being called out to.

BGM: WARNING
Her exclamation may be silly, but she is aware that this is no time to be embarrassed over such a minor thing. While she is unsure what to say, he opts to carry the conversation forward.

I know that you're dear to Numeral I. She died after protecting you from the blast on that train, after all.

Those dreams are real, then...?!

A chill runs straight down her spine. Her every nerve fires signals of fear upon confirmation that her dreams are reality.

I bear no ill will toward you, but regardless, I need you to become a sacrifice. It's her duty alone to kill me.



What in the world are you talking about...?

BGM: Silence
She spared my life before, and as a result, awakened my true self. I only know one way to live. That's why I need to be erased, no matter the cost.

A light flashes through the room before Naomi can process what the boy means. A massive roar thunders alongside the light.

*BOOM!*



The windows in the classroom crack under the atmospheric pressure of the blast. And Naomi is blown away without even a moment to scream. Once again, she has come face-to-face with a bomb. It is in this moment that she remembers her fate is inherently connected with the others.

BGM: Fall Into...


It... hurts...



I knew you were tailing me all along, but it worked out in my favor. I planned on bringing you to this room in the first place. I planted a number of bombs at the desks here. All of this, just to kill you.

Why... would you...?

Being in such close contact with the explosion has marred her entire body with third-degree burns, and worse. She has gotten pierced by several pieces of shrapnel that formed from the blast. The raw force of the blast has crushed her ribs. Her breathing is ragged, weak, and ready to fade at any moment.

It's ironic how things work for us participants. The explosion should have affected me just as badly, but all I get is this scratch on my cheek. The wind also happened to blow in my favor, while the desks simply happened to shield me. As for you... try not to talk anymore.



Fragments of objects caught in the blast are smoldering in every corner of the room. The cracked windows eventually give in and collapse, allowing a large supply of oxygen to flow in. In response, even the tiniest of flames spark up. Naomi can only lay there as the heat washes over her in waves. All this while her senses slowly... steadily... fade.

This should serve as more than enough to have her realize what's at stake.

Why...?

You're still able to talk? I'm surprised you'd even bother in your condition.

His frigid response is enough to douse the strongest of flames.

I told you already. I need to be erased, no matter the cost. But at the same time, I want to believe there's meaning behind my death. I'm positive that her being the one to do me in would supply such a meaning.



She lacks the will right now, though. That's why I'm going to give it to her.

Why...?

So persistent... You're about to die, but still... I'd rather not reveal too much. Don't worry. I'll make it quick.

The boy approaches and clasps his hands around Naomi's thin neck. Not an ounce of hesitation or worry is in his voice. And yet...



Why do you look... so... sad...?

Even on the brink of death, she can notice the grief lurking behind the fierce look in his eyes.

BGM: Silence
Shut up.

He crushes her throat before breaking her neck. The sound of her bones breaking gets muted by the wood crackling in the flames.



Hmm...?

He notices footsteps outside the classroom. His eyes focus on the door.



Naomi!

Good timing.

Even Rinka's cries are overwhelmed by the roaring fire.

…...



The fire alarm rings through the PA system, warning both students and visitors of the situation at hand. It isn't necessary for me to understand what is going on, though. I'm bearing witness to the sea of fire that caused it to go off. Inside the room are two figures cloaked within the flames.

Ahhhh....

I can't process the situation immediately.

Ahhh... Ahhhhh... Naomi...

The smoke bellowing from the room burns my throat as I struggle to speak.

Naomi... No....

I may have been better off not knowing what happened.



Naomi...!

BGM: WARNING
Her body is lifeless, like a puppet without its support. And her body is being held by a boy. Yu. He steps away from her and her body collapses to the floor. I dash toward her in an attempt to catch her. I have no chance to reach her in time, though. Just as her body touches the floor, the flames swarm all over her uniform. I press on, though. Nothing will stop me from getting to her.

Or so I think. Before I know it, I've fallen on my behind. It was Yu's doing. He approached and knocked me down without me noticing.

Did you.. Did you do this?!

I've been instructed to become a hero, ever since I can remember. The entire concept of becoming a hero is a cheap way for others to make you do their bidding. I knew that, yet I did nothing. It was all I knew.



I had no parents, no friends, and certainly no allies. The only thing my past self had were missions to accomplish. Everything about my life was meaningless. I simply carried out every mission assigned to me in order to live on.

I don't care! What have you done to Naomi?!

Your death was one such consequence. The only difference that time around was that I died along with you. I was meant to go out like a hero. The very image of a hero I recognized as worthless. Something in me changed, though.

I need to call an ambulance... Hang in there, Naomi...!

I learned what it meant to lead a worthwhile life. But now that my memories have returned, I have no right to desire such a thing. In its place, the very least I can wish for is a meaningful death. To go out as a person, not a hero.



I'm no hero, nor am I someone's puppet. I'm a human being, like everyone else. Kill me. Settle the score with your own fate.

Shut the hell up!

Nothing he's saying registers. Naomi is the only thing I'm concerned with. Not even the flames can distract me from that. Beating back the heat, I rise to my feet. I reach my hand through the smoke out toward her.

Fine. Do what you want. We can't die from this, anyway. Let me make one thing clear, though.

Give her back...

I have no intention of letting myself get killed so simply.



Give Naomi back...!!!

Yu is no longer in my line of sight. I don't care about that, though. There's only one thing on my mind. One thing I understand the moment I make contact with her lifeless body.

It is too late to save her.