Mizuho Inada (Female Student No. 1) cautiously looked out from the shade of the bushes. Due to the relentless rain her neatly cropped hair stuck to her forehead.
Beyond the bushes there was a narrow farm field, and through the light sheet of rain she saw the back side of a school coat in the middle of the field. His slicked-back hair was also wet from the rain. It was Kazuo Kiriyama (Male Student No. 6).
Kazuo Kiriyama had formed what appeared to be two piles of branches. Now he sat arranging one of the piles.
Mizuho calmed her breathing. It was cold, and she was tired, but she didn’t really mind. After all, she was about to execute her most important mission…
…as a space warrior.
Are you ready, warrior Prexia Dikianne Mizuho?
In her mind, the God of Light Ahura Mazda asked her this. Apparently, this voice came from the spindle-shaped magic crystal (in fact the mail order item was made of glass but Mizuho believed it was crystal) she wore.
Of course, Mizuho responded. I saw that demon walk away after killing Yumiko Kusaka and Yukiko Kitano. I lost track of him, but just found him. And I saw him kill that other demon who killed Kayoko Kotohiki. I must defeat this enemy. And I have followed him this far.
Very well then. So you understand your mission?
Of course, sir. I received your message from the local fortune teller, that I would become a warrior destined to fight evil. I didn’t understand what it meant at the time. But now, now I understand completely.
Are you not scared?
No, sir. With your guidance I have nothing to fear.
You are a surviving member of the Holy Dikianne Tribe. You are a chosen warrior. The light of victory will shine upon you soon. Hm? What is it?
No, no. It’s just that, great Ahura Mazda, my fellow warrior, Lorela Lausasse Kaori was killed—in their former Class B classroom, Kaori Minami, who spent some time hanging out with Mizuho Inada, would restrain herself from yawning every time Mizuho told her, “You’re the warrior Lorela,” but whatever—She…
She fought to the very end, Mizuho.
Ah. Oh, I thought so. But, but, she was defeated by the evil forces.
Uh, well, yes. Well, that was because she was a mere commoner in origins. You are different. In any case, let’s not fuss over the details. The important thing is that you must fight for her sake. And you must win. All right?
Yes, sir.
Okay then. The light. You must have faith in the cosmic light. The light that engulfs you.
The light grew inside her. The great warm cosmic power that encompassed everything. Mizuho nodded again in her brief repose. Yes. Yes. Yes.
Then she pulled the double-bladed knife—when she found the weapon in her day pack she thought it most becoming for a warrior—out of its sheath. She held it up in front of her face. A white light covered the blue blade, and Mizuho looked at Kazuo beyond the light.
She saw Kazuo’s back. It was wide open.
Now then. You must cut down the enemy!
Yes!
In order to keep quiet, Mizuho dodged the bushes and dashed towards Kazuo. A light burst out from the short blade that had been barely fifteen centimeters in length, and it suddenly transformed into a legendary sword at least one meter long. This sword of light would pierce the evil monster with a single thrust.
As Kazuo Kiriyama adjusted the branches with his left hand, his right hand calmly pulled out the Beretta M92F. Without even turning around, he reached around and pulled the trigger twice.
The first shot hit Mizuho in the chest, stopping her, and the second shot went right through her head.
Mizuho fell back as her wounds burst into gently curved red lines drawn through the air. The rain immediately began washing away the blood. Then the warrior Prexia Dikianne Mizuho’s soul transmigrated to the Land of Light.
His back still facing her, Kazuo Kiriyama put away his gun and continued arranging the branches.
71
It continued to rain. Shuya was slouched against the wet rock wall as he watched the rain dripping off the edge of the thatched roof. He heard rapid gunfire. Then about five minutes ago he heard gunfire again, this time two single shots. Both times it didn’t sound too close, but it didn’t seem too far away either. It was probably somewhere in the northern mountain, where they were camping.
A large raindrop slid along one of the “roof” leaves and fell by Shuya’s stretched out foot wearing Keds sneakers, splashing against the muddy water.
“Maybe Hiroki likes Kotohiki.”
That’s what Noriko had said. “If I were him, I would have done the same thing.” She glanced at Shuya. “I would find the person I cared about.”
Was it true? Did Hiroki like Kayoko Kotohiki? Why, when he was so close to the prettiest girl in their class, would he be into a Plain Jane like Kayoko?
Well, maybe that’s how it was. After all, Billy Joel sang, “Don’t imagine you’re too familiar… I’ll take you just the way you are.”
Then who was involved in those rounds of gunshots he just heard? The second series of shots sounded like it was just one assailant shooting away. If he were to include the gunfire he heard immediately after leaving the lighthouse, it meant he’d heard guns go off three times since noon. (This wasn’t including what happened to Yukie Utsumi’s group.) It would be reasonable to assume at least three people had died. Then there were only five left? Which three got killed? Or maybe no one died at all, maybe there were just confrontations, and everyone managed to escape each other. Then eight students, including Shuya’s group, were left.
“Are you tired, Shuya?”
They were sitting next to each other in a row, but Shogo, who was on the other side of Noriko, asked, “Maybe you should sleep a little.”
Shuya looked back at them. “No.” He gave a smile. “I slept a lot until noon. I bet you haven’t had much sleep.”
Shogo shrugged. “I’m fine. But Noriko. She didn’t sleep at all waiting for you.”
Shuya looked over at Noriko, but she waved her palms at Shuya and smiled. “That’s not entirely true. I dozed off a little here and there. Shogo’s the one who hasn’t slept for my sake.”
Shogo chuckled and shrugged. Then he held his right hand up to his chest in a salute and said, “I shall always guard you, Your Highness.”
Noriko grinned, touched his hand, and said, “The honor is mine, Shogo.”
Shuya raised his brow and observed their interaction. It was odd how close Noriko and Shogo seemed now. Ever since the game began, Noriko seemed to speak to Shogo mostly through Shuya, but now things seemed different. They seemed like a good pair on their own. It was only natural though, given how they’d spent over half a day without Shuya.
Shogo suddenly pointed at Shuya and said, “Uh oh. Shuya’s getting jealous.”
Noriko opened her eyes wide and looked at Shuya. She smiled and said, “No…”
Shuya blushed a little. “I am not. What are you talking about?”
Shogo shrugged. He raised his brow and said to Noriko in mock exasperation, “He says he trusts you, out of love.”
Shuya wanted to say something, but he was speechless. Shogo began laughing. Clacking up, really. Despite the urge to protest, Shuya ended up going along with it and chuckled too. Noriko was smiling too.
It was a brief but wonderful moment. It was the kind of conversation and laughter you’d share with your longtime friends, hanging out with them after school at your favorite cafe Of course, looming over them was the feeling that they were all here only after attending a friend’s funeral.