Part 172: [continued]
VLR OST: [Consternation]
Listen in: [English/Japanese]
Check his pulse!
It was pointless to check his pulse—he was obviously dead—but I did it anyway.
Yeah... He's dead.
Then that means he...asphyxiated.
But...why?
Someone must have tampered with the pod and lowered the oxygen levels.
Who?
...
...
...
...
...
...
Come on! Let's go!
Without waiting for me to follow, Phi turned and ran off.
I took a deep breath and followed.
Phi and I burst into the lounge and ran up to K.
Something's happened!
When he didn't move, I grabbed him by the shoulders and shook.
He twitched and quickly sat up.
Listen in: [English/Japanese]
We explained about how we'd found Dio dead, and how it looked like he'd died of asphyxiation.
It appeared that someone had reduced the oxygen level of his pod to zero.
What...? But...why?
I thought that Dio was the one who killed the old woman, Alice, and Luna...
Then who killed him, if he was the murderer?
The only people who could have done it are Clover and Tenmyouji...
There's also Quark...
What? No! That's impossible!
Are you suggesting Quark woke up, opened his pod from the inside, killed Dio, and then went back to sleep?!
No, I'm just saying that strictly speaking, it's a possibility.
So just, you know, take it into consideration.
Well...
In that case, Phi, I hate to say it, but doesn't that mean you could have done it?
Me?
Yes.
You could have done it any time after Sigma and I left the floor B warehouse.
Don't give me that.
I was waiting for Clover and Tenmyouji to show up.
They never did, though, so I got impatient and went to find you guys.
Then I bumped into Sigma in front of the lounge...
She went on to explain about the sound we'd heard.
Then perhaps it is likely that Clover and Tenmyouji were at fault...
Were the two of you together the whole time you were investigating?
Yes, we were.
You never split up or anything?
Nope.
Hm...
In any event, we don't have a great deal of time to discuss it.
All right. Let's get back to the floor B warehouse.
Maybe Clover and Tenmyouji are already there.
Oh, where is Dio's bracelet?
His what?
Huh?
You didn't take it?
Dio was a green solo.
Phi and I are the magenta pair...
Shit. You're right.
Without Dio's bracelet we won't be able to open the secondary door.
I fear not.
Then we need to hurry! We'll drop by the treatment center on the way back and grab the bracelet!
All three of us don't need to go.
You two go on ahead. I'll get the bracelet.
All right.
Oh, one other thing...
I need to give you these.
Yes.
Without these, you would be stuck.
So...
Here you are. Please take them.
I grabbed the bracelets and shoved them into my pocket.
All right, let's get going!
[Music fades out]
Maybe they did go through the door, like K said...
With Quark's bracelet?
Or...
Or what...?
...
...
Oh come on, man.
You better not give me that "Maybe they're already dead" crap. I got enough of it from Dio.
...
...
You've gotta be kidding me!
This isn't funny, Phi!
If you're right, then you, K, Quark, and I are the only people still alive in here!
Hey, lay off. I want to believe they're alive too...
But...
We heard a noise and turned.
Did you get Dio's bracelet?
Well...
Technically, yes, but...
...?
...?
Best you just see it.
This is what I found in Dio's pod.
999 OST: [Trepidation]
What the hell!?
I assume whoever murdered Dio did this.
But why?!
There's no point!
I can't say for sure...
But if I were to guess...
Chromatic Doors have opened.
Five minutes remain until Chromatic Doors close.
That means K and I...will...
Oh no... Shit...
You're...you're gonna...
If anyone is left outside after they close, they'll...
They'll be penalized.
Whoever killed Dio wanted to use the game to kill me and K.
That's why they broke the bracelet...
I think so. It makes the most sense.
How can you be so calm?!
In 5 minutes you're gonna be...be...
...
...
...
...
You have those bracelets K gave you, right?
You should be able to get through the secondary door with those.
So just—
Fuck that! You know I can't just ditch you guys like that!
But if you stay here, you'll—
You think I don't know that?!
But what kind of a monster am I if I just leave you here to die?!
...
...
Argh! Goddamnit!
[Music fades out]
VLR OST: [Sinisterness]
Your bracelet also has a bunch of needles on the inside.
If you break the rules, those needles hop out and inject you.
My brother told me about that.
That means it's sort of an...antidote for tubocurarine!
Give it back! I found it, so it's mine!
[Music fades out]
"To Each According to His Needle"
The antidote...
The antidote...?
VLR OST: [Strain]
I didn't have time to explain.
I took off running toward the exit.
Stay here! I'll be right back!
I bolted out of the warehouse, toward the treatment room.
C'mon c'mon c'mon...
Please still have it...
Sweat was pouring down my face, but I didn't bother to wipe it off. There wasn't time.
I dug frantically through Dio's coat until—
...Oh...
...
...
There's only one dose.
The injection gun uses the whole bottle at once...
...
...
Shit...
I can't save both of them...
O-One minute?!
Shit!
I spun around and shot out of the treatment center.
[Music fades out]
Chromatic Doors closing.
No... You gotta be kidding me...
Sigma...
First would be the anesthetic Soporil...
VLR OST: [Divulgation]
K and Phi lay limp on the floor in front of me.
In my right hand I could feel the injector gun, with its precious cargo.
I could only pull the trigger once.
Who was I going to choose?
Phi? ...Or K?
...
...
No, what was I thinking?
There was only one answer.
I summoned up as much energy as I could, and dragged myself toward Phi.
After what felt like an eternity, I was finally within arm's reach.
With no time to waste, I pressed the gun to her arm and pulled the trigger.
Listen in: [English/Japanese]
S-Sigma... What the hell...did you...
I injected you with neostigmine... It's a type of cholinesterase inhibitor...
It's the antidote to the muscle relaxant...
Why did you...pick...me?
'Cause I can't use the injection gun on K. It'd never get through the metal.
Then...
Why didn't you...inject...yourself?
Heh... Guess you've got a point...
Honestly? Didn't even cross my mind...
You are...the biggest idiot...on the planet...
Hey, c'mon...
Is that any kind of thing to say to somebody who's about to die?
How about something more...tender...?
No... Screw this...
I don't want...to live if it means...being in debt...to you...
No...goddamn...way... I'm not...gonna...
Her words slurred and slowed, and her eyes fluttered closed.
She wasn't dead, of course.
I could hear the faint sound of her breathing, and see her chest rise and fall.
Good. Phi's gonna be all right.
But...K...
I looked over in his direction.
That was when I noticed it.
...
...
