Instant Death

Chapter 13 - If you want to die so much, then go die by yourself

“But, what about the side dish of that happy time?” (Carol)

“The real is in the vicinity, so imagining it is easy, and there’s no troubling things in particular, I guess.” (Yogiri)

“Don’t misrepresent it like that!” (Tomochika)

Tomochika, in a state of desperation, forced her way into Carol and Yogiri’s conversation.

“Delicacy! Think about delicacy! Why is Takatou-kun frank like that!? And Carol, aren’t you hitting it off with him as well!” (Tomochika)

“Well, apart from explaining stories like that to each other, I wonder if can I hear about the current situation? If you know about my circumstances, then it’s also easy to talk.” (Yogiri)

When trying to listen to the story while hiding Yogiri’s circumstances, there was an indirect part. In that point, if it was these two, then he would listen without hesitation.

“Heeeeyyyy! What is this!? A stupid-like situation where only I’m in a hurry!” (Tomochika)

“Sorry~. It’s just, Tomochika’s reactions are amusing.” (Carol)

Carol said while laughing. Perhaps it was even more absurd to react more than that and give her delight, as Tomochika closed her mouth with a sullen look.

“So, what do you want to hear?” (Carol)

Then, Carol readily returned the conversation.

“About the current order, I guess. Things like the group division, and how you guys came until here?” (Yogiri)

“Ah, yeah. I was about to hear around that.” (Tomochika)

Tomochika said as she recalled. It seemed that her personality wasn’t one that sulked for long.

“How much have you heard?” (Carol)

“As far as that the three eroge aristocrats were the problem?” (Yogiri)

“Is that right~. ‘What we acquired were very strong powers, certainly useful for surviving in this world, but if the aim of those abilities are turned towards us, then what?’ Everyone thought that soon. So, the three eroge aristocrats were made into the victim. What was viewed as the biggest problem, was Munakata’s transparency.” (Carol)

“Huh? Setting aside the tentacles, isn’t the time stoppage more problematic?” (Tomochika)

Yogiri also thought that what Tomochika said was probably right. Stopping time was a really powerful ability.

“Ushio’s time stopping, huh? Stopping the time of objects he touches, it’s something fixated on that spot. Certainly, it’s a wonderful power, but there are ways of dealing with it.” (Carol)

“For example, my class is samurai, and Carol’s is ninja, but if it’s a battle-group class, then I can kill Ushio-kun before he invokes it since I can move faster than him.” (Ryouko)

Whether or not she regained her calmness somehow, Ryouko also came into the conversation.

“So, Munakata’s transparency ability. This, on top of that it can make any object the person himself holds transparent, even has an x-ray ability. What became the problem was this x-ray. To be looking through anything anytime and anywhere, and whether or not he is invoking it isn’t known by an outsider……” (Carol)

“Aah……certainly, being in the same place with someone like that is unpleasant.” (Tomochika)

Tomochika nodded. In this case, what the girls were worrying about was that their privates would be peeped at.

Yogiri thought that since it was a useful ability, he should pretend not to know some, but he didn’t mention that.

“Say. That ability, is it self reported?” (Yogiri)

Yogiri thought that as he had such power, it might be revealed to everyone honestly.

“Yes. Munakata-kun under-reported it. He was pretending that it was the ability to make only his weapons invisible.” (Ryouko)

“Well, ōtori-kun exposed it.” (Carol)

Ryouko spoke, and Carol added on.

There was a male called ōtori Haruto, and his class was consultant.

This class had many skills information analysis-type skills, and could analyze the skills of another person.

“That’s bad.” (Yogiri)

“Awful, right?” (Tomochika)

Yogiri and Tomochika looked at each other’s faces.

“Ah, as I thought, that you woke up to a gift was a lie?” (Carol)

“Well, yeah. We’re camouflaging it, but will ‘that’ be exposed?” (Tomochika)

“I wonder… what’s the rank of that camouflage?” (Carol)

“Rank?” (Yogiri)

“Aah, if you don’t have gifts, then you don’t know about the system, do you? It isn’t such a difficult thing, but everything that the system judges, like skills or items, have a rank, and the difference in rank is absolute. For example, if the camouflage is level one, then a rank two appraisal can see through it. If opposite, then it is impossible to.” (Carol)

“And if the ranks are the same?” (Yogiri)

“If they’re the same, then it’s according to the status, I think. A successful judgement in this case is complicated, and randomness will appear.” (Carol)

Yogiri stared at the ring attached to his finger. It was a simple ring with no ornaments, and it was extremely unlikely to know the rank from just looking at it.

“Mokomoko-san. Do you know the rank?” (Yogiri)

『Hmm. If it’s that ring, then it’s six.』(Mokomoko)

Yogiri spoke to Mokomoko, who was next to him

“It’s ‘six’.” (Yogiri)

“Who did you talk to just now?” (Carol)

Mokomoko was Tomochika’s guardian spirit, and she could be seen by Yogiri as well, but normally her figure couldn’t be seen. Carol wondering would be natural.

“A spirit behind Dannoura-san.” (Yogiri)

“Oo! That’s amazing, where is she, whereeee?” (Carol)

“Ah, you believed it normally.” (Tomochika)

Tomochika said to Carol, who was looking around relentlessly.

“Yep~. There’s a parallel world, there’s magic, and there’s something like Takatou-kun, why wouldn’t I believe in just spirits?” (Carol)

“Righttt? The spirit behind is a low rarity. There’s a ‘common’ feeling.” (Tomochika)

『Why did you expressly look at me and say that?』(Mokomoko)

“Well, setting that aside. If it’s six, then you’re 100% safe. Since it’s four from the top among the class.” (Carol)

Carol said that ten was the greatest rank.

It seemed that three was the limit for normal people. More than four was the area of an inhuman person, and more than seven was called a legend-class ability.

“Celestina-san, what kind of person are you……” (Tomochika)

Tomochika said seriously.

Celestina-who was working as a concierge at the hotel-made these rings, but as they knew this world, they understood its unknown bottomness.

“By the way, Fukai-kun is a person who was a rank four skill. Rank four instant death magic. There isn’t anyone in the class with a resistance skill more than four, so in terms of danger, it was a more serious problem than Munakata’s x-ray.” (Carol)

“Instant death……like Takatou-kun?” (Tomochika)

Tomochika’s complexion changed. Yogiri’s power had been done before her eyes, so being surprised at someone who held the same ability would be natural.

“Aah, it can’t even be a comparable thing. Since it isn’t something that will succeed reliably, it can’t be used unless the opponent is before his eyes, there are also things like instant death resistance skills, you can also deal with it with substitute-type items, and resurrection is also possible. Though, it doesn’t change that, if it’s us, then it’s a threat.” (Carol)

That said, Carol appeared to not be scared of Fukai all that much.

“Because of that, we were worried. There’s too big of a difference in the initial abilities, and most of us can do nothing but be yes-man’s of the people who have better gifts. Then, Akino-san proposed it. ‘How about prohibiting using gifts against your classmates?’.” (Ryouko)

“Certainly, it’d be fine if that could be done, but it’d just be prohibited, wouldn’t there be guys who use it still?” (Tomochika)

Though what Ryouko said was right, there were also skills where the actual uses couldn’t be grasped, like x-ray. Even if she said ‘Don’t use them’, there wouldn’t be much enforcement.

“Well, it’d be like that if it was normally, but Akino-san’s class-idol-had a tremendous power of ‘to fulfill wishes’.” (Carol)

“Then, it means that if she wishes ‘The gifts in my classmates will be made unusable’, then that will come true?” (Tomochika)

“It’s a bit different, I think. It’s a contrivance of ‘by making an oath and protecting it with the skill『Oath』, you can obtain power’.” (Carol)

“……Then if you break the oath, you’ll die, or be in an exceedingly handicapped state?” (Tomochika)

“Bingo! Yep, in this case, the part of the wish coming true didn’t matter, so it was something of ‘she tried to use this oath as a restriction’. The reparation in the case they broke the oath is according to the scale of the oath, so an oath of ‘gifts are not to be used on classmates’ was made on those who were regarded as dangerous in the class, and she ranked up her possession skill. It’s a big enough oath that they’ll die from the reparation of the rank up skill.” (Carol)

But, that wasn’t anything else but Akino Sora taking over the class.

The problem at first was the obstruction of tyranny of those possessing better gifts, so this wasn’t a solution, but most of the girls supported Sora being the leader.

At this time where the class was thinking ‘how do we put the class in order’, the number of girls already had a large number or people, so it was decided little by little.

“Ummm, I understand about Akino-san, but if it’s like that, then as I thought, we’re bad?” (Tomochika)

What Tomochika said was plausible, the skill was applied through the system to Yogiri and others, who failed to install the system originally.

So, when that oath was put to use, that they lied about their gifts would be exposed.

“It’s become a little bothersome……” (Yogiri)

“Hee!” (Ryouko)

When Yogiri muttered that, Ryouko’s face openly stiffened.

“I-if that’s the case, then I’ll go deal with Akino Sora!” (Ryouko)

“You’re hasty! Let’s go a little more peacefully!” (Tomochika)

Ryouko unsheathed her Japanese sword, and Tomochika stopped her in a story.

“Well, isn’t it all right if your gift camouflaging isn’t seen through? It isn’t that Akino-san can grant them limitlessly, there are limitations on the number of people. I think she wont use oath on people who don’t feel like much of a threat.” (Carol)

“Think about it when it’s exposed, is it?” (Yogiri)

It was Yogiri who thought optimistically around that.

“Come to think of it. Why did you link up with us, Takatou-kun and others? If it was to the point that you came until here with two people, then couldn’t you survive with composure even without going with your classmates?” (Carol)

“I wanted to talk to someone, the sage Shion. She’s the perpetrator who summoned us here, so I thought she might know something about the way to return.” (Yogiri)

“To return?” (Carol)

Carol and Ryouko’s faces became ones of being taken aback. They hadn’t considered that possibility, but he said it.

“Eh……aah, that’s right. I did think ‘let’s go home’, and ‘I want to go home’……” (Carol)

“……I, too, considered the premise of ‘we can’t return anymore’. That ‘there was no other way than to become a sage’……” (Ryouko)

『Hmm. It isn’t to the point of brainwashing, but it seems something like guiding their thoughts has been done.』(Mokomoko)

Mokomoko had said it before, that ‘With the system install, you become warlike, and your sense of avoidance towards violence is decreased’. If a thing like that could be done, it may be possible to turn the consciousness away from returning with the same trick.

“Hey, Takatou-kun. If we tell this to everyone and search for a way to return together……” (Tomochika)

“No, let’s stop that. There’s no other way than to achieve great exploits for now, but they’ll just be confused upon learning such a thing.” (Yogiri)

Yogiri denied Tomochika’s proposal.

The time limit proposed by Shion was one month. After all this time, it wouldn’t be the case that they’d spare their power to search for a way home.

“Now. There may be some conversation still, but can we do it at another time again? I have a feeling that the leader meeting might end any time now.” (Carol)

Carol proposed.

If the meeting ends, then there’d be an announcement about the objective after this, and they’d need to know about that first.

“I understand. For the time being, is it fine for us to have a cooperative alliance?” (Yogiri)

Yogiri asked just to be sure.

“Yep. I intend to do that.” (Carol)

“Please order me to do anything!” (Ryouko)

It was Yogiri who felt a little troubled, but if it was a person who knew his circumstances in advance, then he’d feel at ease without worrying.

Yogiri and Tomochika decided to return to the mansion for now.

***

After confirming that Yogiri and others went away, Ryouko was relieved.

Her cold sweat didn’t stop yet, but he was able to let them go past this place somehow or other, and he could also obtain clear words of forgiveness. First, it would be a part of ‘a passing mark’.

“Though, I don’t feel like he’s that much of an invincible existence.” (Carol)

“Wh-what are you saying!” (Ryouko)

Ryouko couldn’t believe that Carol said that calmly.

“But is he? He was dragged into a parallel world transition. Besides, you lived in the basement of the laboratory the whole time, didn’t you?” (Carol)

“That’s…right, but……” (Ryouko)

“In other words, if there’s no killing intent, then it’s possible to forcibly move Takatou-kun without his intention to, and isolate him, right? If that’s the case, can’t we also make him powerless?” (Carol)

“Is it okay? Please don’t consider unnecessary things.” (Ryouko)

“Besides, he appears to be attached to Tomochika, and his mental prowess has a feeling of a normal high school student’s? If it’s like that, then the effectiveness of things like a hostage strategy are--” (Carol)

“SHUT UP!” (Ryouko)

Just as she spoke, Rrouko became enraged, and grabbed the collar of Carol’s shirt.

“It’s fine? That’s the worst method. Think about what happened to the guys who did that!” (Ryouko)

She didn’t understand. Carol didn’t understand at all.

That no matter how much Yogiri Takatou looked harmless, they couldn’t be negligent for even a second, they couldn’t try to do it.

There mustn’t be anything-without exception-done towards Yogiri Takatou. Even thinking about things like ‘we can deal with him somehow’ was bad.

Carol and other’s『agency』should also know the threat of Yogiri, but that ideology would be different from the『laboratory』, which was an Orient organization.

The『agency』has a part that thought ‘No matter what kind of inexplicable phenomenon it is, there’s some kind of cause, and even if we don’t understand it now, then it’ll be clarified by the hand of a human eventually, and it’ll be possible to deal with it’.

But, the『laboratory』didn’t think that. Yogiri Takatou was perceived as some type of evil god. He was something that was too much for the hands of humans, there was no choice but to just accept that calamity, he was an existence where there wasn’t any choice but to quiet down, bow down, and pray.

“A hostage? Are you an idiot! It’s the opposite! It’s us from now on! Even if we substitute our lives, we can’t do anything but protect Tomochika Dannoura!” (Ryouko)

“Eeehhh? You’re saying a bit too much……” (Carol)

Carol tried to turn it aside lightly. Ryouko put power into her hands that were holding Carol and raised her.

“Don’t screw around! If you look at it from some time ago, you’re speaking carelessly! It isn’t just your problem! It’s mine, and the other people’s! If you want to die so much, then go die by yourself! Hold your sides with laughter now! ‘Cause I’ll help you suicide!” (Ryouko)

“……um, sorry.” (Carol)

Possibly scared of Ryouko’s too threatening attitude, Carol, who rarely apologized, apologized frankly.

***

As a result of the leader meeting, it was decided that the sage candidates would challenge hell below the royal capital.