Vol 1 Chapter 3.4 (1/2)

Chapter 3 - The trickster G.o.d rules - Part 4

Then the night came.

June 28, Thursday. 0214H.

Even at this time, The neon lights near the station are alight. From Nanaobi Station north entrance towards the main street, no moving cars nor people are in sight.

Above the pedestrian deck, our meeting spot was below the famous clock tower; as I spot Akeno coming, I rushed over to her as I call her out.

”Sorry to keep you waiting. Did you wait?”

”No, I just arrived. I think about 5 minutes ago.”

”I see. It's good we met that quickly”

One look and you could say its a simulated scene of a date. Too bad, but the truth is different.

”Didn't you encounter monsters?”

”Lucky I didn't encounter any. Speaking of encounter rates, just because there are lots of monsters doesn't mean they swarm on us. How about you, Akeno?”

”I didn't encounter any but ... ”they” are in the school”

Akeno stared at the ground with a pained expression. ”They” ... it's Homura and gang.

”Striking them from the back is fine”

”Hey hey, no heroics. And at least stick with me at all time”

”Ara, I'm that unreliable”

”Well, it doesn't mean I especially want to slug it out against them. What I meant is do no rash actions on your own.”

Even on those words, Akeno only hmph'ed. Looks like she's really offended against Homura and gang.

”Even I can't forgive Homura and his gang. But in this dream there are more pressing matters than taking them down, right?”

”All right, all right. Let's go”

Akeno walked with a sullen look, and I followed her in confusion.

Leaving the Nanaobi station via the south exit, we looked around for abandoned bicycles, taking one each. Next we entered the convenience store, planning our next course as we ate, before we head out into the dark streets.

By the way this is the store where I talked with Saitou last night, where the Kerberos attacked last night. Proof of total devastation was nowhere to be found and the store was restored as before.

Also, this time I didn't pay at the counter. My heart pained for a bit, but as we were told by Teru-san that ”as game characters we are to raid it and take everything we need”, I gave in. Yeah.

In line with Teru-san's advice, we follow our course of action according to our objective. Our objective of course is to be not called into this dream again. Though, we don't have the slightest idea on how to go about this. For now our objective is to find it.

Then, our first stage of information gathering is to understand this ”field” called the ”Nightmare”. What are the extents of this ”field”?

How to approach the limits of this ”field”? It's virtually impossible to do that by foot. Who knows we might not hit the bounds, or we might hit a precipitous cliff, or we might actually be in the Jura.s.sic age. There are too many exits, but we can't just ignore them all.

With a map and a flashlight from the convenience store and stored in the bike's basket, we earnestly head south. With no running cars, traffic rules are useless, and we cycle on full speed.

If this happens normally it's exhilarating .... Too bad both Akeno and I are expressionless and exchange no conversation. Thoughts of Homura and his gang hover on our hearts. Within it is our boiling anger.

After the canteen incident, we continued our meeting with Teru-san at the SF clubroom. Simply put, Teru-san is being bullied by Homura and his gang. We heard rumors that special course students earning stipends from the school are the victims of toughies, but we thought we haven't seen that fact.

And now that was then. As Homura was from a prominent family, money was no problem for him. To probably amuse himself he resorts to threats. After extorting the money, he would even burn it in front of one's eyes, Teru spoke.

I rebuked Akeno a while ago, but should I encounter them alone I would probably attack them without fail. Teaching Homura and his gang a lesson in the real world is difficult. But in the nightmare, I have the power to oppose them. Also, it would not trouble me dealing them and inordinate amount of injury. Nothing would stop me from those evil thoughts growing within me ....

”Sakuya ...”

We must have been running for 1 hour. I was suddenly snapped awake by Akeno's voice. Trailing behind me, she stopped her bike once she pa.s.sed by me. I lined up beside beside her.

”We've been going through south, right?”

”True. We've been pa.s.sing through the same road from the station through and through without any turns.”

”That road, too, didn't bend or anything right?”

”Even if we stray from our direction a bit, we should be going southwest. At least this road does not go in a northern or easterly direction.”

”Well, what's that ... ?”

Akeno pointed ahead with a stiff face. The station's there, buildings cl.u.s.tered together, neons brightly alight. Ahead of the station the pedestrian deck extends, and the clock tower landmark ----

”Clock tower ... !? No way ... ... that's impossible ...”

Struck with terror I scan the buildings again. Their layout, together with the neon lights, I remember them all to well.

”It seems we've returned, all right ...”

No doubt about it. After biking hard, we arrived at our starting point, Nanaobi station.

”We left at the south entrance, went straight south, ... ... and arrived at the north entrance ... ?”

”Let's check the map”

Stopping below the pedestrian deck, we climbed the stairs. Sitting on the bench beside the clock tower, we spread out the map.

”Through prefectural road 2, we must have pa.s.sed by Hamada Denki. From there ...”

”Before we knew it we entered through the north national highway. Ah, I think I remember seeing the Home Center somewhere ...”

As we jog through our memories we mark our map with a red pen. Our marks may disappear when we wake up from this dream, but in this instant we don't think our memories were useless. Should we wake up the next morning I would check using a real map, and compare it with Akeno at school.

”We pa.s.s through the south end, we end up at the north end .... Very funny, it really is a video game. Likewise we pa.s.s through the east end and we might end up at the west end.”

”This means, we can't go outside the fixed boundaries.?”

”It's highly possible. But it's too early to say it.”

”If it were the case, then there is no way to escape from this dream ...”

”Merely pa.s.sing through the exits is not the solution. Instead, in most video games, taking down the 'last boss' is the clearing condition.”

”Last boss?”

”Something like the boss of the monsters. If we take it down, this game will end, and we would be released --- that possibility is very likely --- I think”

There are lots of games though without any last bosses (just like online games), and then there's the more worrying Battle Royal-type games (player-vs-player combat) .... As I was to inform Akeno both of those strong guesses,

”Correct”

Out from a nowhere a voice sounded. A male? A female? It sounded like neutral.

”Who's there ... !?”

I draw out my laser blade from my back and scan the surroundings. Akeno too draws out her handgun from her side holster ... and her skirt turns inside out! As her holster is partly hidden underneath her skirt, should she draw out her gun her skirt would partly turn inside out, no doubt about it ... but how distracting. I was almost enchanted by it ....

Regaining my control, I again search for signs of the owner of the voice. There! From behind the clock tower, out of the darkness, an almost dissolving shadow of a person comes walking along.

”It” was wrapped from head to toe with a pale red robe. We cannot tell from there ”its” face, physique or gender. Truth be told, it's a totally different outfit ....

”No need to stand ready. I have no intention of endangering you, you know.”

”It” addresses us in a good-natured tone. True to word, we cannot feel any hostility or intimidation from ”it”. Even as I calm down, I dare not take my eyes off on what could be hidden on the robe.

”Fine by me. But sorry, I'm not the type who trusts persons who doesn't show their faces.”

”Sorry, about this getup. I still can't decide on my face, you know”

”Can't decide your face ... ?”

”Yeah, right now my face is kinda featureless. So even if I show it to you, you wouldn't be able to see me.”

”... ... ... ...”

For this very erratic reason, I'm to embarra.s.sed to reply. I could barely make out the markings of its mouth from beneath the robe, but I wonder what was above the nose ... ?

”You may feel uncomfortable. But my face or name has no particular meaning, you know. In this world (Nightmare), only my role and power (status) matters ...”

That line ... it's the same at that of the Valkyrie. Just who the h.e.l.l ---

”My name's Loki. This game's 'boss'.”

It's tone is so casual, I almost childishly nodded back in a.s.sent. But, hey wait! I can't overlook this. Just what it's said now ... ?

”I really am the creator of this nightmare. You take me down, this game ends.”

”Are you seriously saying ... ?”

”I'm serious. It's up to you to believe me or not though.”

”If what you're saying is true ... what were you thinking? You to be 'taken down' ...”

”Normally, I just wanted to have fun with everyone. But it's an uninhabited town anyway, right? It doesn't mean though that no villager teaches the demon. ”When will you on your own power probably reach me?” --- that thought alone made me worry. Thus I went ahead and came up with this. Merely waiting is boring, you know.”

It looks like a friendly chat with a cla.s.smate. But I'm not into the mood. ”It” is saying something unthinkable.

”So you're the culprit of this nightmare? Why bring us into this?”

”Lately, I'm getting bored as h.e.l.l. I only wished for playmates. Well? It's should be quite enjoyable.”

”Too bad, but I'm not enjoying. Truth is, we're annoyed as h.e.l.l. Just let us go. And don't call us back again.”

I complain in earnest. If it's the master of this dream, it should be able to let us go on its own power. As I thought, Loki's answer is,

”Yada”

Just a single word.

And it's a resolute, sentimental answer. It's open mouth remained unclosed. As Loki swings its head, it points its index finger up.

”This is a game. I meticulously prepared its rules, so I don't want you usurping it.”

”So taking you down is fine?”

”If you can take me down.”

Loki left his mouth hanging. If that's the case, bring it on! The answer came from the boss itself. The chance right now is too good to pa.s.s up.

I concentrated my consciousness on the laser blade on my hand. Soon the plastic toy turns to metal, weighing on my hand. From the tip of the handle, a beam of light extends, forming a blue-green edge. The surrounding air crackles. Just as I had envisioned. Before meeting up with Akeno I practiced; that was the effect.

”Good. I'm thrilled”

As Loki laughed joyfully, it jumped softly! Flying lightly overhead, it descends in front of the station building, beside the pedestrian deck. With such mobile ability, it is no human ....

As we stood dumbstruck Loki snaps its fingers. Then, suddenly out from nowhere, the sounds of dry bone rustling began.

”What's that ...”

We scan left and right, but we can't find anything suspicious. ... ... no, below!

From both sides of the fence the source of the sound appears. It's crawling on the ground. One, two, three ... ... there's more of them ... !?

”..... !!!?”

As soon as the street lights illuminated their true forms, Akeno could only scream. They're as big as a grown man, flat, covered in a brown sh.e.l.l, and has six legs and two cylindrical things for sensing ------ to put it simply, giant c.o.c.kroaches! And there are more than 10 of them ... !!

*Sakuya s.h.i.+vering*

I know I'm getting gooseb.u.mps. And I'm still fine. But Akeno, even in the night, is trembling and her face turning pale. She's breathing roughly through her feebly opened mouth. ... ... she's showing some very bad signs.

”Akeno, calm ----”

*Akeno screaming*

My words are drowned out by her scream. Akeno was readying her gun, her eyes unfocused. s.h.i.+t! --- I reflexively hit the deck,

*gun blast*

Overhead, an ear-splitting roar resounded!

*gun blast* *gun blast* *gun blast*

Four, five, six shots in succession ... how many does she intend to fire ... !?

*Akeno screaming some more*

Akeno keeps on firing as she screams. The sound of gunfire keeps on ringing. Ten shots ... twenty ... thirty ... !? That's one bottomless clip! A real gun would have already been out of bullets by that time.

As it is, even I am pinned down. And I can't even raise my head. I cannot confirm what happened. Unless Akeno is not stopped ....

”Ake---”