3. Red Herring (66.5th Time)

 

(0/45)

 

Late at night, while riding a motorcycle. Yuuki and Akane converse.

 

(1/45)

 

Roaring loudly, the motorcycle sped down the night road. Gripping the handlebars was Akane Tsuwabuki. Clinging to her back was Yuuki. The two were in the midst of a rescue operation for Ramona. They had searched the location of the smartphone placed in the roof rack and were rushing to the scene.

 

"──Tomoki-san," Akane called out to Yuuki. Since they were both wearing helmets equipped with intercoms, they could talk even while riding.

 

"About the kidnappers who took Ramona-san."

 

"Yeah," Yuuki replied.

 

"Were they men? Or were they women?"

 

Hmm, which was it? Yuuki searched her memory. "...No, I couldn't tell. They were dressed entirely in black, and I couldn't make out their body shapes at all. But why?"

 

"If they were young women, I think they are our comrades."

 

"By 'our'... you mean <Red Bear>?"

 

"Yes." Akane answered. It was the first time Yuuki had heard her directly admit to being a member of <Red Bear>.

 

"I've heard there is a team that frequently commits kidnapping for profit. It is likely their doing."

 

"...Kidnapping for profit..." Thinking that was a lot of information, Yuuki asked, "Does stuff like that actually happen in reality?"

 

Kidnapping—the word itself was familiar, but as an event, it was a concept completely alien to her. Yuuki's perception was that it was a type of crime like bank robbery or airplane hijacking—famous in name but practically non-existent in reality.

 

However, "It happens," Akane replied. "Tomoki-san—when you hear 'kidnapping', you're probably imagining something grand, right? like snatching a millionaire's daughter and demanding hundreds of millions in ransom."

 

"Is that not it?"

 

"There are ones done more casually, you know. How should I put it... think of it like an enhanced version of a shakedown. The confinement lasts an hour or two, at longest maybe a few days, and the ransom is in units of hundreds of thousands or a million yen. Since the damage amount isn't huge, it rarely becomes a major case. It is an incredibly efficient way to earn pocket money. If you turn a blind eye to it being illegal, that is."

 

"...I see." So there are methods like that. Real criminals are far more cunning than those in fiction.

 

"Well, I think there's no mistake that it's their doing," said Akane. "It would be unbearable if there were tons of groups like that in the same area."

 

"True..."

 

"I am sorry. That my people did such a boring thing."

 

"There is no reason for you to apologize," Yuuki replied. "If you're going to say it, say it to Ramona-san later."

 

"...Right, exactly as you say." There, Akane moved her neck slightly. She looked at the smartphone attached to the bike's holder. Akane's smartphone—a map was displayed on its screen, and two dots were glowing. Their current location, and the location of Yuuki's smartphone—and by extension, Ramona's whereabouts. The two dots were already getting quite close.

 

"It is pathetic," Akane muttered. "Originally, our role was to beat up the despicable types like that... but now we are the ones doing it. It's pathetic. The current team is rotten."

 

──Hearing that. Yuuki remembered Hitomi's remarks at school. Interest reared its head. Since a member of the delinquent group was right here, she decided to ask about it.

 

"Hey," Yuuki opened her mouth.

 

"Yes."

 

"I might ask something a bit rude, is that okay?"

 

"...What is it?"

 

"You're delinquents from the start, right? So is there really a distinction between being rotten or not rotten?"

 

"........."

 

"Aren't you delinquents because you're rotten?"

 

Akane fell silent. She was silent for a long, long time. Only the sound of the motorcycle running continued for a while. Bad move. Did I anger her? Yuuki braced herself for a fistfight atop the vehicle, but,

 

"...I have no words," Akane answered. "Um... but, it wasn't like this in the past. We had more class, or something."

 

"A group with class wouldn't roar around on illegally modified motorcycles."

 

"No, that's...! Among us, that is acceptable! Because, we aren't hurting anyone, right?"

 

"I don't think you can say you aren't hurting anyone though..." There were several types of damage caused by <Red Bear> to the neighboring residents, but the foremost was noise pollution. Late at night, they rode around public roads making as much noise as possible. Yuuki had a nocturnal lifestyle so she wasn't too troubled, but the majority of residents must find it annoying. In terms of the residents' brain cells, there was an interpretation that they were being hurt.

 

"Maybe not 'not at all', but still, it is far better than kidnapping for profit, right?"

 

"Well, that is better, sure."

 

"We drew a line. A line that says if we cross this, it's bad. Sure, it might be misaligned with society's general lines, but we did draw it. But now, even that misaligned line is gone. Then we'll just fall endlessly. If that happens, it'll be even worse, right?"

 

"Well... I guess so." Although not completely convinced, Yuuki answered so.

 

"Anyway, I cannot overlook the misconduct of my own. I have to stop it." Hearing that line, there was one more thing she was curious about. "Is it okay for you to stop them?" Yuuki asked. "They're your comrades, right? Won't that make you a traitor?"

 

"...It might," Akane answered. "Next time, I might be targeted by them. If that happens, will you protect me?"

 

"Yeah," Yuuki said. "Since I'm getting your cooperation. I promise." It was a casual answer. However, for Yuuki, a promise was heavier than life.

 

(2/45)

 

The members of <Red Bear>—Suou and Sango—felt heavy-hearted.

 

(3/45)

 

The reason being, they had to report their failure. The two had received a summons from Nanahoshi Benitsuya, the Vice-President of <Red Bear>. There were four people involved in the kidnapping the other day, but since Azuki and Ebina were low-ranking members within the team, only Suou and Sango were called.

 

The designated location was a family restaurant within the city. The meeting time was midnight, but ensuring they would absolutely not be late, Suou and Sango went thirty minutes early and waited for Benitsuya at a table in the nearly empty restaurant. The relaxed piano background music, the overly bright lighting, the sound of dishes leaking from the kitchen—the various magical charms of a late-night family restaurant melted Suou's heart.

 

If only time would stop passing right now—Suou thought, but time is heartless. Along with the chime of the door opening, a tall woman appeared in the family restaurant. "Meeting a friend," she stated to the clerk in a clear, projecting voice, and walked toward them, her pointed boots clicking. "Sorry to keep you waiting," she said lightly, and sat in the seat opposite to where Suou and Sango were sitting.

 

"...Good evening, Benitsuya-san." Suou and Sango spoke in turn, looking at their superior.

 

Nanahoshi Benitsuya. If one were to express the impression of her in a single word—it would be 'a capable person'. A well-proportioned figure. Features that suggested high intelligence and strong will. The eyes behind her glasses always brimmed with a gaze that looked ready to shoot one dead. She had the appearance of an office lady working on the front lines of a foreign capital firm—no, until a little while ago, she actually was. If she hadn't caused an incident of violence, she probably still would be.

 

It was about a year ago that Benitsuya returned to <Red Bear>. It was the custom of <Red Bear> to leave the team upon deciding a path such as employment or higher education, but occasionally, those who failed at their destination returned. Benitsuya decided to live a second life within <Red Bear>. Wielding her shrewd skills inside the team, she successively put businesses that were somewhat freer in terms of compliance than her time as a corporate employee on track. Suou and Sango were incorporated into the team handling one of those: kidnapping for profit. She was, so to speak, their direct superior.

 

Benitsuya pulled a menu from the stand at the edge of the table. She slid one in front of Suou and Sango respectively. "Order whatever you like. I will handle the bill," she said.

 

Tension ran through Suou. Probably through Sango sitting next to her as well. Not because she said she would treat them. That was usual. However, this time, they were in the position of having blundered and submitting to reflection. They had to order with that in mind.

 

What should they do? As the two were dithering, "What is the matter?" Benitsuya asked. From her gaze, they knew it was a question directed at Suou. "Are you worried about my wallet? How kind."

 

"No, not at all..." Before Suou finished speaking—pain shot through her knee.

 

"──Gkh...!" She fixed her expression. She didn't lower her gaze. Even without lowering it, she knew the cause. She was kicked. By Benitsuya. Her legs were long, and it was no trouble to strike Suou's knee under the table. She was kicked continuously with thuds. Her toes were ground into her. Suou silently endured all of it.

 

"Kukuku," Benitsuya laughed. This person always laughed showing her teeth. All her teeth were white like a photo model. Was she caring for them diligently, or were they implants? She had never asked, nor did she have the courage to.

 

Being kicked—just because she was receiving violence didn't necessarily mean Benitsuya was angry. Because this was her norm. Regardless of necessity, if there was an opportunity, she enjoyed tormenting people. However, Suou's experience, having received numerous assaults on her body, told her that she wasn't that angry. Betting on that intuition, Suou decided to order one or two safe items as usual. She rang the bell to call the clerk and placed the order. Seeing that, Sango did the same. Regarding that decision, Benitsuya said nothing. Whether it was correct or incorrect, she didn't know. She didn't even know if there was a correct answer.

 

While waiting for the order, "Well," Benitsuya began. "I have heard the circumstances, but please let me hear it again, directly from your mouths."

 

"...Yes..." From Suou's mouth, she told everything. That they snatched the target with the usual procedure. But, because that Akane chased after them, they had no choice but to retreat. They didn't leave evidence and didn't injure the target, so the incident wouldn't come to light; she didn't forget to add that.

 

Having finished saying everything, Suou waited for the time of the verdict. Around the time her hands placed on her lap became sweaty, becoming soaked as if she had come out of the restroom without a handkerchief, "Well," Benitsuya said. "Very well. Regarding that."

 

"...Eh."

 

"I will not particularly blame you." Looking at her own nails, Benitsuya said. "Three days have passed since then, and I haven't heard of <Red Bear> being questioned... Akane hasn't given your names. She probably hasn't gone to the police either. Therefore, there will be no punishment for this matter."

 

Neither Suou nor Sango had words. They had thought—maybe she isn't that angry—but to receive such lenient treatment was unexpected. They didn't think this person would overlook a chance to legally torment her subordinates.

 

"What is it?" Benitsuya showed a faint sadistic smile. "Were you expecting punishment? Perhaps."

 

"Eh, no, nothing like that." Severe pain in the knee. She was kicked. Since it was a surprise attack, "Gwah...!" Suou cried out. Seeing that figure, Benitsuya grinned and, "For some reason, I can no longer contact the client." She said. "Well... we probably weren't expected to do much from the start. Although we are famous in the region, socially we are just punks. Even if we succeeded, it wouldn't have changed anything. ...It is a small amount, but there is an advance payment we already received. I will distribute just that."

 

Benitsuya took out two brown envelopes, slid them across the table, and sent them to Suou and Sango respectively. The two received them while saying "Thank you very much" in turn.

 

"...Now then." Then, Benitsuya leaned back in her seat and said, "Regarding this matter, that is fine... however, Akane's actions are a problem..."

 

Along with those words, whoosh, the smile vanished from Benitsuya's face. Suou knew that—that face was scarier. When this person is laughing, it is when she uses unnecessary violence; when she becomes expressionless, it is when she uses necessary violence. Suou knows that when this person fights someone, she doesn't smile at all. And, the moment the outcome is decided and all that's left is to torment the opponent, she changes to a broad smile.

 

"I hear stories of friction in other sections as well... Indeed. Shall we wield the big axe soon?"

 

"...Big axe?" The one who said that was Sango. She apparently didn't know the idiom <wield the big axe> (to take drastic measures/purge), and shortly after, she received punishment for that ignorance. Her hand placed on the table was pulled by Benitsuya, and the bony part was ground by a thumb nail. "Aaaaugh," Sango screamed. It was the voluptuous scream that Benitsuya liked best.

 

(4/45)

 

At a certain time, in a certain place. Yuuki was challenging her sixty-sixth game.

 

(5/45)

 

The sixty-sixth game—<Mine Forest>. The leading <Mine> is not the <My> (possessive) one, but the <Landmine> one. That is to say, it is an escape game from a minefield. The setting of the game is inside a thicket. Yuuki carefully advanced while probing the ground covered with layers of dead leaves using the provided mine detector.

 

Several hours had already passed since the game started. The sun, which was high at the start, was already slanting, and the sunlight had come to contain many red components. Eventually, it would become night. Before that happens, I must advance even one step further—while thinking so, Yuuki never rushed and kept maintaining high tension.

 

Perhaps because that tension was too strong, sweat dripped from Yuuki's chin. It fell onto her pink blouse and was absorbed. Yuuki lowered her gaze and looked at the clothes she was wearing. An outfit with a base of pink and black, giving an impression of being recklessly cute—so-called Jirai-kei (Landmine-type) fashion. It matched the game's title, but with this, wouldn't I be the one exploding? While harboring that doubt, Yuuki continued to advance.

 

As she did so, she spotted another player in the woods. From Yuuki's perspective, she was advancing slightly diagonally ahead. She was dressed in Jirai-kei fashion just like Yuuki, but she seemed to have run into an area with many mines; she pointed her detector left and right, but she seemed troubled as the buzzer indicating the presence of mines rang from every direction. While she was stuck like that, Yuuki advanced further, caught up to that player, and from a slight distance—a distance where she wouldn't be caught in the explosion even if she stepped on a mine—Yuuki looked at that player's profile.

 

Then— "...Geh..." A voice leaked from Yuuki's mouth. At the same time, the other party also looked at Yuuki.

 

"...Oh!" Unlike Yuuki, she made a delighted face. "We meet again, Yuuki-san."

 

It was the player named Shirou. A tall person with black and white mixed hair like a wolf. In a game a little while ago—<Royale Palace>—she had a one-on-one duel with Yuuki.

 

"You were alive, huh..." Yuuki said. "Yes, somehow," Shirou answered. "Let's see... The last time I met Yuuki-san was at <Royale Palace>, right? In that final battle, I believe you killed Tamamo-san, correct? Do you remember? Tamamo-san."

 

When the name Tamamo came up. Yuuki's heart leapt. But she was careful not to show it on her face.

 

"Thanks to that, I was able to survive. See, in that game, the rule was that losing by death was better than surrendering, right? Our team was on the edge with win counts, but thanks to Tamamo-san dying for us, it became advantageous for the tie-break. We were able to return safely."

 

"...Is that so." She had thoughts about Shirou's way of speaking, but since they were in a game, Yuuki killed her emotions. Taking her eyes off Shirou, she looked forward, stopped chatting, and returned to conquering the game.

 

But, "Let's talk more," Shirou pestered her. "What is it? Could it be you're holding a grudge? About that time."

 

"Not really," Yuuki answered while facing forward. In <Royale Palace>, having the weakness of her one-eyed vision exploited, and furthermore taking an attack to her left eye—she didn't particularly resent that. Aiming for weaknesses is natural as a tactic, and she doesn't think of it grudgingly.

 

However, Yuuki held an impression of dislike toward this girl named Shirou. Her choice of words, her tone of voice, her demeanor—somehow they made Yuuki's nerves crawl. If possible, she wanted to leave this place immediately, but in a minefield, that wasn't possible. For a while, she had no choice but to spend time together.

 

"How is it? Regarding your left eye, since then," Shirou asked.

 

"No problem," Yuuki answered as curtly as possible.

 

"According to rumors I hear, you are completing quite a number of games. How many times is this?"

 

"Sixty-six times."

 

"Heh...! That is wonderful."

 

Even after that, Shirou spoke to Yuuki about this and that. Yuuki wondered why she was pestering her so much. It didn't seem like she was trying to disrupt Yuuki's concentration and cause an accidental death. Although she felt an unpleasant feeling from Shirou's atmosphere, she didn't feel malice or hostility. However, she didn't look like a personality who simply enjoyed chatting either. There was a sign that she had a scheme behind it. What on earth is her aim—?

 

While thinking such things, Yuuki completed the sixty-sixth game safely without problems.

 

Since there were no major injuries in particular, she was put in the agent's car and sent home. Yuuki lying in the back seat of the car, put to sleep by sleeping pills—she doesn't know yet. There is no way for her to know. That at the exact same time, in a certain park in Harunire City, a large number of <Red Bear>'s red motorcycles are gathering. And, of the disturbance that would arise after that—.

 

(6/45)

 

Late at night. Akane Tsuwabuki straddled her motorcycle and headed for the park.

 

(7/45)

 

Tonight was the day of <Red Bear>'s regular gathering. They gather at a pre-arranged time and place, and ride side-by-side on matching red motorcycles. There were mandatory and voluntary participations, and today was voluntary. Akane Tsuwabuki—although it was after having trouble with her peers—rode her bike and went to the park serving as the meeting place.

 

"...Huh." A mutter leaked from Akane's mouth. The reason being, the number of motorcycles that had come was too few.

 

No—generally speaking, it was still plenty. There were about a hundred bikes, a hundred people in total. However, this was far fewer than usual. <Red Bear> was a team on the scale of three hundred people, and usually, the number exceeded a hundred and fifty even for voluntary gatherings.

 

Was there some kind of misunderstanding—a failure in communication? While thinking so, Akane parked her bike and exchanged greetings with the team members. Passing through the bikes parked everywhere and the crowd, she found the President, Sakura Shinozaki.

 

"Good work," Akane greeted.

 

"Yeah," Sakura answered briefly. Sakura Shinozaki—the Second Generation President of <Red Bear>. She is the most veteran person in the team.

 

"...Is this all for today?" Looking over the surrounding team members, Akane said.

 

"Yeah," Sakura answered while looking at her smartphone. "A few more are scheduled to increase, but it's about this much."

 

"........."

 

"To think it would decrease this much." Sakura said as if spitting it out.

 

The number of participants in gatherings was on a downward trend. It is a fact indicating that the team's original purpose of sharing the same time and rejoicing together is shaking. But even so, this decrease is abnormal. Does it imply something? Akane felt a sense of foreboding.

 

Eventually, the time came, and the gathering began. After receiving a general explanation from President Sakura about the patrol course and emergency responses, everyone departed all at once.

 

While feeling the wind of the ride on her body, however, Akane remained in a gloomy mood. Things like this didn't happen in the past. Even if it was the worst day of her life, if they gathered together and rode for three minutes, she could easily switch to feeling refreshed. Now, it seems like they are being chased by something. Akane remembered the sight of zebras running in the savannah she saw on some educational program once. If she recalled correctly, they were running from their natural enemy, cheetahs—. Who on earth is the cheetah in this case?

 

Just when Akane was thinking that—. The surrounding motorcycles stopped. Panicked, Akane also hit the brakes. Looking ahead on the road—she learned they had no choice but to stop. The wide public road Akane and the others were running on—from one end to the other, a group riding motorcycles filled it. Every single one had a red chassis as if splattered with blood, and about half were riding without helmets. All of those faces belonged to women who looked thoroughly rough.

 

If anything, there were many of Akane's acquaintances among them. With this much evidence gathered, no other possibility came to mind.

 

"──Good evening, Sakura-san." One person from the group called out to them. Akane had seen that woman's face. She was characterized by a large beauty mark under her right eye.

 

"...Sakura-san, you say?" Sakura said. Her voice clearly contained anger. "It's <President>, isn't it!! And what is this, this gathering!!"

 

No mistake. They are members of <Red Bear>. The portion that didn't come today had gathered here. Counting them, there were about fifty. The numbers matched perfectly. Strictly speaking, there is no rule against gathering behind the scenes of a meeting. There isn't, but this is clearly an act of betrayal against the team. It is no wonder Sakura is angry.

 

However, the person receiving the anger laughed through her nose, "You aren't the President anymore." She said.

 

"...Hah?" said Sakura.

 

"<Red Bear> will be reborn tonight." Returning to a polite tone, the woman with the beauty mark said. "As an organization, we must unite more powerfully—that is Benitsuya-san's thought. It is troubling if there are hindrances to our activities within the team. Therefore, tonight, we will take the plunge and purify it."

 

"What are you talking about?"

 

"Oh, haven't you heard? That... look." The woman with the beauty mark moved her gaze left and right, and stopped in the direction where Akane was. "There she is. It was Ishibuki, right? Haven't you heard anything from her over there?"

 

The surrounding gazes concentrated on Akane. Akane gripped the motorcycle handlebars tightly. Regarding the incident the other day, Akane hadn't told anyone in the team. She couldn't predict what the result would be, and she was scared.

 

"She over there interfered. Interfered with our activities, you see."

 

"...By activities, do you mean the usual worthless crap?" Sakura asked. It was already a known fact that a part of the team was dabbling in illegal business.

 

"Well, if you were to say it, I suppose it becomes that," said the woman with the beauty mark.

 

"Then—it's only natural you were interfered with."

 

At that time, Akane was nudged on the shoulder by a member next to her. Violence—it was not. It was a nudge of <Good job>. Akane looked around, but there wasn't a single gaze of hostility. She held back the urge to cry.

 

"We don't do despicable things. That should be the rule," Sakura said. "No matter how unblessed we are, how despised we are, even if we can't do well like everyone else and fall into ruin, we will never do as was done to us. That should have been the absolute law. Am I wrong?"

 

"...That is why reform is necessary." The woman with the beauty mark put strength into both eyes. Wrinkles formed on her face, which could be called beautiful, and it distorted. "We will do as was done to us. We will do it severely. We will make as many humans as possible feel what we felt. We will make the world know our regret. We will make that the absolute law."

 

"Is that so." Sakura answered. It was perfectly the tone of voice for someone she had determined to be an <Enemy>. "Then, do as you please. But don't use our signboard. And from now on, as soon as we find you, we'll make you stop."

 

"That is my line. Don't use our signboard to flatter the world. Don't suck up. The choices given to you are one of two. First, improve your consciousness and join us. Second, leave quietly. I will go around asking each person right here and now. Answer!"

 

"Don't underestimate me! You spoiled brat!!" Sakura projected her voice with the full width of her throat. "The answer is number three!! I will kick all of you out of this town!!"

 

(8/45)

 

Having finished the game, Yuuki woke up in her own room in the apartment.

 

(9/45)

 

She finished her prayers and the review of the game. While putting away the Jirai-kei fashion outfit placed by her pillow into the closet—she thought, maybe I'm participating at a bit too high of a pace. Two or three times a month was the normal pace, but this month she had already done three. Thinking she wanted to stack up the count while she was in good form, she had asked the agent to bring more invitations, but—getting too carried away might be something to reconsider. While considering slowing the pace a little, Yuuki closed the closet and stretched out fully in the room.

 

Then—she heard the sound of banging on the window. Yuuki looked at the window. Since there was no such fancy thing as a curtain attached, she could clearly see the figure of the person outside.

 

It was Akane Tsuwabuki. She was wearing a motorcycle helmet, but she knew immediately it was her. And, her expression—indicated that it was no trivial matter. It was that of a human whose nerves were taut. It was that of a human placing their body in a scene of carnage. Yuuki, who ate in a world of life or death, had the ability to quickly sniff out such signs. She immediately unlocked the window and opened it.

 

She—acted first. Silently putting a foot on the window frame, she jumped into the room. And clinging to Yuuki's arms, "Please hide me," She said. It was fast speech mixed with many breaths. "You promised the other day, right? Please."

 

Yuuki locked the window for the time being. Since she couldn't see the situation well, she asked Akane's request, "Is someone coming? You want to stay hidden?"

 

"They're probably coming. Please let me hide somewhere. Like in that closet..."

 

"No, the closet is a problem. Hide in the bathroom or something." Saying that, Yuuki ushered Akane to the bathroom. She was still wearing shoes, but since it seemed to be an emergency, she decided not to blame her. Just when Yuuki returned to the six-tatami living room,

 

The chime rang. Ding-dong ding-dong, it rang continuously. Thinking there was no need to be polite and answer—Yuuki ignored that chime. Wandering around the room, Yuuki made preparations. Specifically, she put her mobile phone, wallet, and mobile battery in her jersey pocket, put a large amount of cash in her wallet, and placed spare shoes by the window. She had no idea what was going to happen, but she thought there was no harm in being prepared.

 

Meanwhile, the sound of the chime stopped. And shortly after, the sound of knocking on the window was heard. Looking, a person wearing a motorcycle jacket stood outside, and their eyes met perfectly with Yuuki indoors. Unlike the front door, the option of <smashing it open> was conceivable here, so Yuuki responded obediently. She opened the window and said "Yes" to that person.

 

"I rang the chime, why didn't you come out?" The person said. It was a woman with rough skin like a shark.

 

"I make it a rule not to answer chimes I don't recognize." Yuuki feigned ignorance. "What is it? In the middle of the night like this."

 

"I'm looking for someone. I think one of my people came to this apartment... Did you see them?"

 

"No, I don't know."

 

"We're searching the apartment right now... could you cooperate? Could you let me see inside the room?"

 

Thinking they go that far, Yuuki answered "I don't want to." "It's not exactly a room I can show people..."

 

"I don't care about that. Excuse me." The shark-skinned woman put a hand on the window frame and tried to enter the room. Yuuki swatted that hand away. "Please stop," she said. "I'll call the police."

 

"You better obey quietly, sis." And there, another woman appeared. She had hair cut to a subtle shortness, the color was green, and her head gave the impression of a Marimo (moss ball).

 

"You know us, right?" The Marimo woman said. "I don't know you though," Yuuki feigned ignorance again. "Are you famous? I just moved here recently so..."

 

"...It's <Red Bear>. Remember it." The Marimo woman pointed backwards with her thumb. Right nearby, a red motorcycle was parked. "If you ride a red bike in this area, you're a member of ours. Keep it in mind."

 

Of course, she knew. She also knew that <Red Bear> monopolized the right to ride motorcycles in this land, and if a non-member rode one, they would be beaten up immediately. However, Yuuki said "Heh," as if she had learned something new.

 

"So that's how it is, will you let us inside?" said the Marimo woman.

 

"I don't want to though," Yuuki answered resolutely.

 

"If you don't let us in, you're gonna see some pain."

 

"Is that so. I don't think so though. Rather, I think it might result in the opposite." Yuuki tried her best to emit killing intent.

 

But, however—Yuuki wasn't very good at intimidating opponents with just atmosphere. She was laughed at through the nose by the Marimo woman. "You've got some nerve." She said.

 

At that moment, she knew the Marimo woman flipped her switch to <On>. These types of outlaws—Yuuki included—have a mental switch. Once turned on, they can commit any atrocity without expression. Few behave violently all the time; they consciously switch between on and off. Yuuki caught that sign quickly. Countering, she also flips her switch—

 

"Oi, wait." However, at that time, the woman with shark skin interjected.

 

"Ah? What?" said the Marimo woman.

 

"The locksmith arrived, apparently."

 

Locksmith? Instantly, fireworks went off in Yuuki's brain. But, she understood the meaning immediately. Clatter clatter, a sound was heard from behind. A sound like metal rubbing against metal—to be more specific, the sound of inserting something that isn't a key into a keyhole. Yuuki turned around. She hesitated whether to head there or not, but—soon there was no need. Because the door opened, and the light of the hallway shone into the room.

 

(10/45)

 

It's lock picking. It figures, Yuuki thought. After all, this apartment is thirty years old—no, is it older now—and getting old everywhere. The lock type must be old too. Does it mean someone with skill can open it immediately?

 

From the opened door, clamoring voices and thumping footsteps were heard. Several humans surged in. She knew immediately from their villainous faces that they were the group's comrades. Bad, I have to stop them—thinking so, Yuuki, Lowered her stance on the spot.

 

Turning around, she looked toward the window. The Marimo woman was stretching her arm toward her with a stupid look on her face. She probably tried to grab Yuuki's head, but she was dodged by Yuuki who sensed her presence, and ended up receiving a counterattack instead. A palm heel strike was unleashed on her chest, and she fell on her backside. In that gap, Yuuki closed the window and locked it.

 

And, she directed her feet toward the entrance again. The women who barged in with their shoes on—there were three in total. Since the first one attacked Yuuki, she put in a counter punch and made her faint in agony. The second one tried to check the closet, so she drove a high kick into her head and rolled her on the floor. When Yuuki headed to the bathroom, at that exact moment, the third one flung open the bathroom door but—

 

"──Die! Dammit all!!" Along with a scream, Akane, who had been hiding inside, jumped out. Beaten with the rolled-up bathtub cover, the third one was also taken down.

 

"Run! Run run run!" Yuuki said. "I'll guard you! Go anywhere you like!" It was a split-second decision. Harboring her had failed, so she thought it would be better to let her escape.

 

"I'm grateful!" Akane answered. She left the room with Yuuki.

 

In the hallway too, there were several women who seemed to be <Red Bear> members. Since it was a single-path hallway, there was no place to run. Defeating the approaching enemies like a belt-scrolling action game, Yuuki and Akane reached the vicinity of the apartment entrance.

 

And— "Geh..." ──While twitching their faces, both of them stopped.

 

Beyond the entrance—a large number of rough-looking women were lying in wait. She couldn't tell the total number from here, but the atmosphere suggested there were about twenty. Having received word that Yuuki and the other fled, they probably contacted each other and gathered here. Just how many people are chasing us, Yuuki ended up thinking.

 

No choice but to do it. Yuuki clenched both fists tightly but—

 

"──Kieeeeeeeee!!" At that time, the room closest to the entrance—Room 101's door opened. The Landlady appeared. Screaming strangely, hair disheveled, holding a kitchen knife in each hand—she had a terrifying appearance, truly like a yokai.

 

"Kieeee!! Kieeeeeeeeeeee!!" With a volume that made one wonder where in that body it came from, the Landlady charged into the horde of delinquent girls. "You lot! People like you! Looting, is it! As if I'd let you loot! You idiooooots!!"

 

Her words were disordered. But presumably, she thought <Red Bear> was planning a robbery. That is actually one of the group's activities. Attacking general facilities or cars in a group and stealing money and goods. However, to attempt to repel them without calling the police or running away—as expected of the Landlady. Yuuki even felt a sense of respect.

 

At the Landlady's excessive expression, the delinquent girls retreated sheepishly. They probably thought they couldn't deal with this. Taking advantage of the opponents backing down, the Landlady advanced further. Behind her, Yuuki and Akane followed secretly.

 

"Go home! Go hooooome!"

 

"Sorry for the disturbance!" To the rampaging Landlady, Akane called out from behind. "I'm the cause! I'll disappear! Sorry for the trouble!"

 

"Ugaaaaaaa" Did Akane's words get through? There is no time to confirm. She can only pray they got through.

 

Anyway, Yuuki and the other advanced through the path the Landlady opened up and left the apartment. What do we do now—Yuuki was thinking, when surprisingly Akane straddled one of the large number of motorcycles parked nearby. Not Akane's property—but likely the property of the surrounding delinquent girls. She intends to steal it.

 

At that act of plunder, "Oi! You—" one of the delinquent girls raised her voice, but since the Landlady was swinging kitchen knives around, she couldn't step in to stop it. Akane turned the bike key that had been left inserted, and started the engine. Yuuki also got on the bike and clung to Akane in the same posture as the other day— At that time, she heard shutter sounds continuously. Looking toward the sound, several of the delinquent girls were pointing their mobile phones this way. Yuuki's face was taken. But what on earth for?

 

Well, of course—it means a wanted poster. However, even knowing that, there were no moves left to make. Akane started the bike. While accelerating avoiding other bikes parked everywhere, Yuuki realized. ──That with this, she too had become a hunted person.

 

(11/45)

 

By the way, Yuuki and the other were also dabbling in crimes other than motorcycle theft. No helmets. Akane, the driver, was wearing her own, but Yuuki's head was exposed. There was probably a helmet in the rear box attached to the bike's butt, but she couldn't put it on while running. And, since they were in the middle of a desperate escape, they didn't have the leeway to stop temporarily. Akane ignored every single traffic light, and didn't slow down on curves either. It means they also dabbled in the further crime of dangerous driving but—well, nobody was hurt, so this much should be fine, Yuuki told herself. It was exactly the same excuse as Akane the other day.

 

While riding, Yuuki looked back several times. There was no sign of red motorcycles. It seemed no pursuers were coming. Perhaps thanks to the Landlady buying time, they couldn't pursue immediately. Yuuki felt gratitude toward the Landlady and also—wondered if she was safe. I hope she wasn't killed in retaliation—.

 

After riding for a while, a cluster of graves came into view on Yuuki and the other's right. It was a public cemetery. Akane slowed the bike and entered the cemetery. The area near the entrance was a small plaza, and furthermore, since it was surrounded by stone walls and trees, it was hard to spot people from the outside. It would be a perfect point to hide for a bit.

 

Akane brought the bike to a complete stop and exhaled, "Phew...". "Good work," Yuuki called out.

 

"...I'm an accomplice too, with this..."

 

"...I'm sorry..."

 

"No, it's fine... I promised..." Yuuki answered, and, "Or rather... in the first place, what is happening? We're being chased by <Red Bear>... is that correct?"

 

"Yes, that's right. To be precise, it feels like it's from half of <Red Bear>."

 

"Half," Yuuki repeated.

 

"Around there, it's become a bit complicated... umm." Akane put a hand to her chin. She was probably organizing the story in her head. "I talked before about how there's a team doing kidnapping in <Red Bear>, right?"

 

"Yeah."

 

"Besides that, there are guys dabbling in various shady jobs. Doing robberies, stealing materials from factories... anyway, various things. The one coordinating the whole thing is the Vice-President named Benitsuya-san, and if you combine them all, it comes to about half of <Red Bear>'s total number."

 

Benitsuya. Yuuki memorized that newly emerged name. "Yeah," she nodded.

 

"So, the remaining half are the bunch that don't do those things. There are guys like me who decided <I won't do it>, and there are guys who feel more opportunistic. The leader here is the President, Sakura-san, and the two factions were in a state of antagonism."

 

Akane continued. "Those two—clashed decisively today. The cause was the incident the other day. Benitsuya-san's side—the Vice-President's side's logic is that since things like this shouldn't happen in the future, they want to unify the team's will. Submit to us, or leave the team—they pressed us, the President's side members, to choose one. In response, we tried to kick them out instead. Because of that, it turned into a conflict involving the entire team."

 

Akane put her hand to her chin again. She must have confirmed in her head that she didn't leave anything out, "The current situation is roughly like this," She said. "If there's anything you don't understand, please go ahead and ask."

 

"...Somehow, the scale is bigger than I thought," Yuuki stated her impression. She had imagined the situation on the scale of—the kidnappers from before brought friends and came for retaliation—but the matter is bigger than she thought.

 

"How many people is <Red Bear>?"

 

"About three hundred and a bit."

 

Then it's about the same as <Candle Woods>, Yuuki thought. It's a fairly large-scale conflict.

 

Akane opened the bike's rear box and took out a helmet. She placed it on the ground and sat there herself. Taking various small items out of her clothes pocket, she began sticking them here and there on the helmet. She's probably attaching an intercom. Without that, they can't talk while riding. Yuuki also sat there and decided to watch over Akane's work.

 

"War broke out just about an hour ago," Akane said while moving her hands. "In the middle of the regular gathering, both factions ran into each other, and started fighting from there."

 

"Which side won? That one."

 

"Them. The general trend was decided immediately. So, including me, we chose to retreat temporarily."

 

"Heh."

 

"They brought out projectile weapons." Perhaps disliking being thought of as running away, Akane added in a strong voice. "There were some hiding in the shadows, and they shot at us relentlessly. If they do that, we have no choice but to retreat, right?"

 

"Eh. ...Shot at you, surely not real guns?"

 

"No, it doesn't seem like they were real. I took one shot too, but I got off with just a bruise... Modified gas guns or something, probably."

 

Yuuki felt relieved. It doesn't seem to be a context of many deaths like the <Game>. No matter what, she doesn't want such things to happen in the town where she lives.

 

"Naturally, with this the situation is bad, so we decided to retreat for a moment. But, even if we retreated, we haven't surrendered. The conflict is continuing. Right now, we're in a state of fighting sporadically all over the city."

 

Akane took her smartphone out of her pocket and placed it on the ground. On its screen, message notifications were being displayed in rapid succession. It was too fast to follow all the text, but words like <Repelled>, <Got beaten>, <Ambush> caught her eye. Probably, they are sharing information among comrades.

 

"It seemed like we were being chased by a crazy number of people, what was that?" Thinking of the twenty or so delinquent girls who came to the apartment, Yuuki asked.

 

"It feels like it turned out that way in the end... At first we were also moving with about ten people, but one, then another got beaten, and finally heavily outnumbered... that sort of sequence. Anyway, thinking I had to hide somewhere, I abandoned my bike and fled into Tochinoki-so but... seems I was seen. Sorry for involving you."

 

"That's fine, already." Yuuki said. Either way, it seems there is no path of retreat anymore.

 

"More importantly... how can this battle end?"

 

"I wonder. Since it's a fight that started suddenly after all..." Akane thought a little, "If one faction is wiped out, it should end at least."

 

"Can't one side yield? One faction leaves <Red Bear>, sets up another team, and operates independently..."

 

"No good. Two teams in the same region. There will definitely be fights."

 

"Then, operate in a different place or something."

 

"That's... personally, I think that would be fine. But neither the President nor the Vice-President will accept it. Both of them want the <Red Bear> flag."

 

"Is it that special?"

 

"Yes. A place where dropouts, outcasts, and the oppressed gather. That flag is special. That is exactly why I hate the team moving in a direction against my will. I cannot accept misguided people waving that flag around. ...You might not understand, but that's how it is. For us."

 

"...I see." Something no one understands, but is important to oneself. It wasn't that she didn't have thoughts on that.

 

"Conversely speaking, if either the President or Vice-President falls, it should get much closer to the end. Take a photo of their beaten figure, send it to the team members... seeing that, the majority of people will accept the victory and defeat. I think it will be settled in that way."

 

"I see. So we... umm... targeting the Vice-President."

 

"Benitsuya-san."

 

"Right. We target that Benitsuya-san. Where is she?"

 

"Who knows. I wonder where she is..." Akane looked at her phone. The time was 11:30 PM. "The date's about to change," she said. "In that case... mostly likely, isn't she poking at a convenience store ATM?"

 

(12/45)

 

At the same time. Nanahoshi Benitsuya was bathed in the night wind and the light of a convenience store.

 

(13/45)

 

She looked to the left. Several motorcycles were parked. All of them red. Receiving the light leaking from the convenience store, they shone like glossy lips.

 

She looked to the right. There were three humans. Two were women, and one was a man. Two girls, personnel of <Red Bear>, were holding the arms of a man in a suit. It was a so-called <Flowers in both hands> (a man flanked by two beautiful women) composition, but the reality was closer to <torment>. As proof, the man had a frightened face, and the girls wore smirking smiles.

 

"Wow...! You're amazing, mister." Saying that, one girl came out of the convenience store. It was Suou. Personnel of <Red Bear>, and one of Benitsuya's subordinates. In her hand, she held a bundle of bills. Obtained from the convenience store ATM—using the cash card and PIN stolen from the man. Withdrawing right up to the daily limit.

 

"You have tons of money. Even though you don't seem rich at all. Could you be that 'bachelor aristocrat' thing?" Suou looked at the man. Since the man didn't speak, "Well?" Suou said, and slapped the man's face with the bundle of bills slap-slap. "Ah... yes, single, I'm single," the man answered. "And, since I don't have any particular hobbies... it's just saved up..."

 

"Hmm, is that so," said Suou.

 

"Um, I withdrew the money, right? I would be happy if you let me go..." the man said.

 

"No. Not letting you go yet." The girl holding the man's right arm said. Taking out a smartphone, she showed the screen to the man. "Look, the date will change in a little bit, right? Then, the ATM limit resets too, right? We can withdraw money one more time, right?"

 

"We'll have you stay with us for about another thirty minutes," the girl holding the man's left arm said. "But it's fine, right? You're happy being stuck to young girls like this, right? Mister."

 

"Right~, since he's single." The girls laughed cacklingly.

 

The man looked at Benitsuya with eyes seeking salvation. That face was too funny, and Benitsuya ended up bursting into laughter. She couldn't bear to watch, so she took out her smartphone and looked at it. She opened the messaging app. Reading her comrades' posts, she learned the course of the currently ongoing conflict. It was moving in their favor—confirming that they were successfully reducing the enemy numbers, Benitsuya smiled. She has also properly captured the whereabouts of President Sakura. If it goes at this pace, victory will eventually roll into Benitsuya's hands.

 

Killing people of the same team. Even for Benitsuya, it was an option she didn't want to take if possible. But, this is a necessary ritual. For the team to become stronger, bigger, and to convey our grudge to many people—.

 

(14/45)

 

One day when Benitsuya was working as a corporate employee, the train was late. Someone jumped onto the tracks and was run over, apparently.

 

"...Geez, if you're gonna die, die alone..." Hearing a colleague who arrived late mutter that, the string of Benitsuya's heart snapped.

 

She doesn't know why it was at that moment. She had heard insensitive speech of this kind often before, and each time Benitsuya had suppressed the impulse of violence within. However, for some reason, Benitsuya snapped at this time, and punched the colleague until the eyes and nose were crushed and they looked like a different person. She hit with the full intention of killing, and thought she had achieved that objective by the time third parties stopped her, but according to what she was told later, they hadn't died. It's a shame.

 

During the series of legal procedures imposed on a human who used violence, Benitsuya held deep dissatisfaction. The human who arrived at the choice of jumping from the tracks—the human who chose the most painful one among all ways of dying—what was inside their heart? For that person whose name she didn't even know, Benitsuya felt limitless sympathy and empathy. Because she once thought of the same thing. She thought the colleague who spewed insensitive words deserved to die. She couldn't help but be dissatisfied that the heart of a human who stepped off the rails, their regret, was so misunderstood. She remembers that what was commonplace in <Red Bear>—that place where the weak gather—does not exist in the outside world.

 

Eventually, dissatisfaction turned into a sense of mission. If they don't understand, let's teach them until they can understand. Let's dedicate a lifetime to that. Let's make the sadness and anger of the voiceless known to the ends of this earth. Let's grab the ears of the people of the world who seem uninterested and tell them. Let's steal, hurt, and sneer without reason. Let's create a way for outcasts to collude, hold power, and convey it. <Red Bear> is the place for that.

 

(15/45)

 

Yuuki and Akane got on the motorcycle and resumed moving.

 

(16/45)

 

The objective was decided. To end the conflict, there is no choice but to defeat Benitsuya. But, since they don't know her whereabouts, they have to search on foot (by travel). Yuuki and Akane straddled the motorcycle—this time with both of them wearing helmets—started off, and left the public cemetery. Riding around aimlessly, they search for a person looking like Benitsuya.

 

Nanahoshi Benitsuya—it was the first time hearing that name, but since she was shown a photo by Akane, she knew her appearance. If Benitsuya's figure was in the scenery flowing by at the same speed as the bike—even if it was the size of a bean—Yuuki had the confidence to definitely spot it. If it's the current Yuuki—the current Yuuki with her switch firmly turned on, she can do it.

 

Yuuki looked at the holder attached to the motorcycle handles Akane was gripping in front. Akane's smartphone was attached, and a map app was open on the screen. The entire area of the land where Yuuki and the other were—Harunire City—was displayed. Although there were absolutely no clues about Benitsuya's whereabouts, fortunately, the range to search was limited. Benitsuya is inside Harunire City. Not outside.

 

Removing her gaze from the smartphone, letting her eyes run over the scenery left and right, Yuuki remembered. About the exchange with Akane earlier—.

 

(17/45)

 

"<Red Bear> is a group based in Harunire City." She was told that by Akane at the public cemetery. "At least, Benitsuya-san should be inside this (area)."

 

"...Is that so?" Yuuki expressed doubt. "Is there no possibility she fled outside? I would do that."

 

"There isn't. To flee outside means bringing internal trouble to the outside. Since there are teams basing themselves in other regions too, if she did that it would be terrible. It would result in extra trouble."

 

Is that how it is, Yuuki thought.

 

"Even limited to inside the city, there is sufficient area. She wouldn't go out of her way to risk escaping. ...Hey, or rather Tomoki-san."

 

"Hm?"

 

"Somehow, it's turned into you participating like it's natural but... There is also the move for only you to escape, Tomoki-san, you know? Since the range of the conflict is limited to inside the city, if you go outside you can avoid getting involved."

 

"No, that won't do." Yuuki shook her head. "Even if tonight is fine, it'll become troublesome later. Especially, well, in the case that Benitsuya-san's side wins."

 

Yuuki remembered the case of Hitomi the other day. Retaliated against by a group, covered in bandages all over her face—. Setting aside the bandage part, regarding the first part, there is a high possibility it will befall Yuuki later.

 

"Well... I guess so," Akane said.

 

"Since it's come to this, I'll go with the spirit of 'in for a penny, in for a pound'. You don't have to worry, it's fine. As I said before, I'm used to rough stuff."

 

"...I suppose so. You clearly have that atmosphere." Akane said. Just as Endori was, she seemed to sense some kind of non-daily presence in Yuuki. Or rather, if not, she wouldn't ask her to hide her—.

 

(18/45)

 

The motorcycle goes. Yuuki searches for Benitsuya's figure, but cannot find it. However, she could spot red motorcycles here and there. None of them were groups. They were riding alone. Yuuki interpreted that they were doing reconnaissance. Just like Yuuki and the other are doing right now, probing for the enemy's location. According to the story heard from Akane, both armies are fighting sporadically all over town, but in the first place, they can't fight if they don't know where the opponent is. They must divide combat units and reconnaissance units, and coordinate.

 

That means—probably, if it goes on like this, the President's faction will lose. The side that picked the fight—the Vice-President's faction had time to rehearse this beforehand. They had time to decide each person's role, keep in close contact, and learn to move in coordination. They had time to train pitting large units against small enemy units, or pincer attacks. The enemy general Benitsuya seems to be sharp, and she is undoubtedly doing such things. This difference is unspeakably large, and also, it's not something that can be managed by making moves starting now. Therefore—it's a tactic Yuuki doesn't like much, but they have no choice but to go for a one-shot aim. Find Benitsuya no matter what, and surely take her down. There is no chance of winning other than that—.

 

Akane stopped the bike. Because the road ahead was blocked. Red motorcycles lined up sideways formed a barricade. In front of them were girls equal in number to the bikes. A group of <Red Bear>—probably the Vice-President's faction bunch. Akane turned the bike and tried to return the way they came—but, at that moment a motorcycle group came from the rear as well. At a distance of a few meters from Yuuki and the other, they stopped sideways as if to form a barricade here too, and got off one after another. In short, it was a pincer attack.

 

(19/45)

 

It probably wasn't a coincidence. They were seen by one of the motorcycles passed so far. Since it's just one, maybe they'll overlook us—she had thought, but it seems it was reported diligently. Yuuki quickly counted the number of enemies walking silently towards them from front and back. Nine each, a total of eighteen—within visible range. There might be fellows hiding in shadows, and a situation where reinforcements come later is also conceivable. But, at least, it is eighteen people.

 

"...Come to think of it Akane-san, are you strong in a fight?" Yuuki asked. In that voice, unavoidably, tension was included.

 

"I have decent confidence but... but, it's not about strong or weak, right, in this case." In a similarly tense voice, Akane answered.

 

That's true, Yuuki thought. Yuuki has been a pro at murder games for a long time, but she has no experience fighting nearly twenty opponents. Even if split with Akane, nine each. A nine-on-one fight is no longer a fight. It should be called a gang lynching.

 

However—they had no choice but to do it. Yuuki and Akane got off the bike. Naturally, they took a back-to-back stance. That they would each take on the nine in front and back respectively, Yuuki—and probably Akane too—understood without exchanging words. When the opponents came close enough to reach, The battle began.

 

The fists of the nine facing Yuuki approached all at once. Dodging them, Yuuki counterattacked. Grabbing the lapel of the motorcycle jacket worn by the woman who came out furthest among the nine enemies—a woman with bleached white hair—she pulled her in, and with the other hand showered a palm heel strike on her face. In the gap where the white-haired woman flinched, Yuuki tackled that woman using her whole body, and furthermore keeping the woman's body as a shield, rammed into the remaining eight. Involving two more women, falling onto the asphalt ground together with Yuuki, the frog-faced woman pinned at the very bottom groaned "Gweh."

 

When Yuuki stood up and looked back—perhaps thinking <This woman is dangerous>, one of the remaining enemies had taken out a weapon. A sinister-looking knife. That woman with goggling eyes like a bird slashed at her with a coincidentally ominous bird-like scream.

 

But—far from thinking <Bad>, Yuuki felt even <This makes things faster>. Yuuki dodged the knife thrust as a matter of course, grabbed the bird-eyed woman's wrist and squeezed hard, taking away her grip strength, and caught the knife spilling from that hand with her other hand. And— She slashed the bird-eyed woman's wrist, just strictly one layer of thin skin. Yuuki swung the knife through—and red drops pitter-patter wet the road. Blood.

 

Yuuki stared intently at the bird-eyed woman who was stunned at having her wrist cut. She imbued the message <You're the one who pulled it>—but it's doubtful if it got across. However, since at least that woman seemed to have lost the will to fight, Yuuki shifted to other targets. The remaining five also took out weapons as they pleased, but when she cut them shallowly, up to four of them became quiet. Since there was one who continued resisting alone, she executed a splendid throwing technique and slammed her onto the ground. By that time the white-haired woman and the two who were pinned underneath had revived, but perhaps because Yuuki's final throw was too splendid, they hesitated.

 

Yuuki turned her eyes to Akane—to the nine she was fighting. It was already quite a pinch. Akane was being held in a full nelson by one enemy, and was in a state of barely resisting by swinging both legs around. Yuuki—discarding the knife concerned about the possibility of accidentally stabbing Akane—joined Akane.

 

Noticing that, the nine fought back normally without being particularly scared of Yuuki. Did they not see the throw just now—. "That one's dangerous!" "Go in a group! In a group!" Jeers came from the nine defeated earlier, but they didn't mention the throwing technique. On the contrary, perhaps seeing the situation as good, the first nine also joined in later. Total eighteen people—about fifteen excluding the ones dealing with Akane—dealing with that simultaneously was tough no matter what. If her arm was grabbed she twisted around to tear it off, if hugged from behind she rolled forward to forcibly break free, if her hair was pulled she used that momentum to put in an elbow counter; she managed to keep avoiding the situation of being caught and beaten unilaterally, but she took blows here and there and her whole body hurt. Abusive language leaked from Yuuki's mouth, "Dammit...!"

 

"This kind of thing! Is not my territory!"

 

By the way, Yuuki imposed a restriction on herself not to kill outside of games. One shouldn't force a player's style onto ordinary people, and it's a felony in the first place. However, Yuuki at this moment no longer had the leeway to care about such things. Before she knew it, she was using brutal tactics like mercilessly poking opponents' eyes, breaking arms, and slamming heads onto the asphalt. Yuuki doesn't remember much about the second half of the fight, and was in a state of moving almost unconsciously, but she thinks she defeated more than half of the eighteen using such means. She prays, please let it not have reached serious injury.

 

Anyway, Yuuki, who knocked everyone out, ran to Akane. The degree of damage was slightly heavier than Yuuki—to be more specific, she was lying limply on the road covered in bruises all over her face.

 

"Akane-san, are you okay?" Yuuki called out.

 

"...I'm okay..." Saying that, Akane got up while putting in spirit like getting out of a futon in midwinter. Pain must have shot through her whole body; Akane made an expression one shouldn't make in public.

 

"...Can you drive the bike?" Yuuki asked.

 

"...I can. I'll show you." Akane answered.

 

I wonder if she's okay, Yuuki thought, but she had no choice but to have her do it. Yuuki alone, unlicensed, couldn't even start the engine. Yuuki and Akane straddled the stolen motorcycle parked nearby. Just when she put her hand on the helmet,

 

"You, traitor..." One of the enemies who was still conscious threw words at them. The white-haired woman—the woman upon whom Yuuki first unleashed a counterattack.

 

"Must be nice, for you. Since you have a place to go..."

 

"Hah...?" Although it must be painful to speak, Akane answered dutifully. "What are you talking about, you."

 

"Don't play dumb. ──You got into college, right? I heard from Sango."

 

Akane did not answer. It didn't seem like it was because it was painful to speak.

 

"The path opened up, right? You're leaving <Red Bear> soon too, right? Then isn't it fine. Let us do as we please. Don't interfere! If you're leaving, leave silently! Don't get in the way of the have-nots!"

 

There, the white-haired woman turned her eyes to Yuuki. "Oi, you!" she said. "Shall I tell you! I heard it a long time ago! What she was called by her parents──"

 

Almost reflexively, her body moved. Yuuki wound up and threw the helmet she was holding in her hand. It struck the white-haired woman's head hard, swiftly reaping her consciousness. She collapsed limply like a puppet whose strings had been cut.

 

"............" Akane was speechless. She looked at Yuuki with a stunned expression. Seeing that, Yuuki also made a bewildered face.

 

"...Would it have been better to let her talk?" she asked.

 

(20/45)

 

Yuuki retrieved the helmet. There was a crack in the shield because she had thrown it so hard, but she thought, well, it’s stolen goods anyway, so whatever. Yuuki put the helmet on her head and sat on the tandem seat of the bike, and then Akane started the motorcycle. The wind from riding hit the helmet's shield, and a draft came in through the crack. Yuuki felt a slight breeze on her face, but other than that, there didn't seem to be any functional problems.

 

"Did you... get into college?"

 

Wait for the right moment, Yuuki tried asking.

 

Upon hearing that, Akane let out a strange sound, something between an "Eh" and an "Oh," like she was choking on a rice cake. That voice reached Yuuki's ears through the intercom. There didn't seem to be any particular problems with the function of this device either.

 

"...You're asking that, now...?" Akane said.

 

"Sorry... I was just a little curious..."

 

Of course, it was a question based on the white-haired woman's remark earlier. Regarding what her parents called her, she intended never to ask since it was probably better not to dig into it, but Yuuki judged that it might be okay to ask about college.

 

"Yes, well..." Akane answered.

 

"And into a relatively good one, too. A national university in the neighboring prefecture."

 

"Heh, that's impressive. You're smart."

 

"No... it feels like I slipped into a department where the competition wasn't that high, so it's kinda subtle... but thank you."

 

She got into college—which means she is probably a high school student. Why she is living alone as a high school student, and whether there is a connection between that circumstance and being given some disgraceful name by her parents, Yuuki didn't know. She didn't know, but surely, she must have gone through extraordinary hardships.

 

"So, how should I put it, I'm in a carefree position," Akane said.

 

"Just like she said, I have a place to go. My temperature is different from theirs. They have nowhere to go but the team. To them, <Red Bear> isn't something you leave."

 

Yuuki listened in silence.

 

"What do you think?" Akane asked.

 

"Is it strange after all? For a human who is already leaving to say this and that about the team's future policy... Honestly, I don't really know myself. What do you think, Yuuki-san? Putting aside interests, if you could give me your frank impression."

 

Yuuki thought for a few seconds and answered. "But."

 

"You hate it, don't you? The team becoming like a criminal organization."

 

"Yes."

 

"Then, you have to crush it."

 

Yuuki said further.

 

"No matter how much you are resented by whom, you should crush it."

 

(21/45)

 

Sakura Shinozaki delivered a headbutt to her opponent.

 

(22/45)

 

Among all methods of attack, she liked the headbutt the best.

 

At the moment of execution, she felt her brain shake, and it made her feel good. At the same time as attacking, she felt a sensation as if she were being attacked as well. Sakura believes that the real thrill of a fight lies not only in hitting but also in being hit. Communicating pain, the common language of humanity, to each other, and gaining a deep connection. That is a fight. It is the best way to taste that essence in a single blow.

 

The opponent who was showered with the headbutt—one of the <Red Bear> Vice-President faction—staggered. In that gap, Sakura launched a fierce attack. She showered her with a body check that felt like collapsing onto her, knocking her to the ground. Beating her black and blue without distinguishing between face and body, she stopped her hands only when she confirmed the opponent had fainted.

 

Sakura looked around.

 

It was a public road. A multitude of motorcycles were blocking both directions of the road to prevent cars from entering. Inside the ring created that way, there were girls equal in number to the bikes. Many of them were sitting or lying on the asphalt, and without a single exception, they appeared to be injured. Looking around, there was no one still fighting. The fight between Sakura and the girl stretched out beneath her crotch seemed to be the last one.

 

This was the third time engaging with the Vice-President faction—those siding with Benitsuya. The first time, they felt at a disadvantage and retreated. The second time, they were pincered on a public road and fought. In the same manner, their escape route was blocked the third time, and they were forced to fight.

 

Sakura stood up unsteadily. Whipping her considerably exhausted body, Sakura walked around the ring and called out to each of her allies. Only about half seemed able to move, and the rest were either stretched out on the ground or in a state where speaking was their limit. She would have to leave those ones here. Retirement.

 

Just as she gathered the remaining members, the sound of police sirens could be heard from afar. A passerby who saw the fight must have reported it. Since it was the turning of the day, there wasn't much pedestrian or car traffic, but it wasn't zero. If dozens of girls were beating each other up, it was only natural for the police to come. The officers tonight must be having a hard time. Because such engagements were constantly occurring all over the city.

 

"Let's go."

 

Sakura gave instructions to the members.

 

And they dispersed from the scene on their matching red bikes.

 

As soon as they started running, Sakura noticed that the noisiness of the bikes' running sound had diminished. The number of bikes had decreased—because the number of members had decreased. In three engagements, they had reduced their numbers considerably. During the first engagement, Sakura and the others split into groups of about ten and fled in scattered directions. After that, she ordered members who hadn't come to the gathering to participate as well, and after merging with them, they became about thirty. But now, only about ten remained, including Sakura. She definitely felt that they were being slowly cornered.

 

She would never say it out loud, but Sakura had already vaguely realized.

 

If things continued at this pace, she would probably lose to Benitsuya.

 

<Red Bear> would fall into Benitsuya's hands. It was frustrating, but she had to admit it. She had far more popularity and leadership capability than Sakura herself. That guy was much smarter than the dim-witted Sakura.

 

Acknowledging that fact—no—precisely because she acknowledged it, she thought.

 

Why did it have to turn out like this?

 

Why does she use that power for something like this?

 

(23/45)

 

When Benitsuya joined the team, she was still a high school student.

 

When asked, she said she couldn't fit in at school. It was a famous private school competing for the top one or two spots in the region, but apparently, she couldn't accept the high-society atmosphere. For <Red Bear>, a gathering of idiots where most members couldn't sit at a desk for five minutes, a guy joining for such a reason was rare, but no one opposed welcoming her.

 

<Red Bear> is a place for that. A place for those who strayed from the path, those who couldn't adapt, those who were unfairly disparaged, those who were unblessed—those who received all sorts of terrible treatment to heal their wounds.

 

At the time of Benitsuya's enlistment, Sakura was already in <Red Bear>. The whole team played various games. Sometimes they played chicken runs toward a wall, sometimes they fought late at night to feel alive through pain, sometimes they got dead drunk on mysterious pills obtained from shady dealers. Thinking they wanted to do something more useful than just playing, they started imitating chivalrous thieves. They put the <heat> on local civil servants who caused scandals, attacked flashers if they knew there was one and covered them in bruises, and if a team in a neighboring area was doing evil deeds, they immediately went to beat them up. It probably wasn't socially acceptable behavior, but they tackled it while questioning the meager class that certainly existed within them. If someone within the team did something lacking in class, they reprimanded that too.

 

Eventually, Benitsuya became a third-year student. By that time, she seemed to have come to terms with the atmosphere of the school, her rebellious spirit naturally calmed down, and incidentally, her grades seemed to improve. Benitsuya passed the entrance exam for her desired school safely and left <Red Bear> upon graduation. When the reason to be there is gone, you leave the team. That is the rule. With the hope that she could become like that someday too, Sakura saw Benitsuya off.

 

But, however—she came back.

 

With a despair far deeper than that time.

 

And, the returned Benitsuya began to dabble in shady work. Of course, Sakura tried to make her stop such things, but Benitsuya didn't give up—on the contrary, she began to eagerly preach that this was meaningful. The humans of the world do not understand our suffering. We must make them understand. For that, we must raise <Red Bear> to be strong, big, an existence that makes everyone tremble. That is the supreme method.

 

There, Sakura learned of her charisma, of which she hadn't shown even a glimpse during her high school days. One, then another, swayed to Benitsuya's words. The Vice-President faction gained power before her eyes, and by the time a year had passed, <Red Bear> had fallen into a state where it was safe to call it a criminal organization. Even if they strayed from the path, something they were supposed to have protected carefully was lost.

 

Why did it turn out like this? Did <Red Bear> fail to heal Benitsuya completely? The day she left the team remained in Sakura's memory. What on earth was that parting smile? Was it nothing more than a deception after all? Was it nothing but a temporary healing for her?

 

Therefore—are we to be destroyed?

 

(24/45)

 

Yuuki and Akane continued patrolling Harunire City on the bike.

 

The wind hit their bodies. The fresh wounds just made earlier were stimulated and hurt. Enduring that, they continued the search for Benitsuya.

 

Perhaps because of the pain, her neural circuits were revitalized—.

 

At a certain moment, Yuuki got an intuition.

 

"──Stop the bike."

 

Yuuki muttered.

 

So, Akane stopped the bike on the roadside strip right nearby. "What's wrong? Bathroom?" she asked.

 

"No, wrong. She was there."

 

"Eh..."

 

"Over there."

 

Saying that, Yuuki pointed in that direction. At the tip of her finger, there was only the night view past midnight. There was neither the figure of a red motorcycle nor the figure of a young girl looking like Benitsuya.

 

However, Yuuki knows. She is in that direction.

 

"Over that way, I recall there was one large convenience store, right?"

 

Yuuki said. Yuuki, whose hobby is late-night walks, generally has the map of the city in her head. "Probably, she's hanging out there with her comrades."

 

"How do you know?"

 

"Laughter drifted over on the wind. And that of young girls."

 

"...Is that so?"

 

"...I, think."

 

When questioned face-to-face, she isn't confident. But she thinks she heard it. It was faint, but she definitely should have heard it—considering the time of day, it would be reasonable to see them as <Red Bear> humans. If they have the composure to laugh, they are likely personnel of the Vice-President faction. And the possibility that it is the faction containing the leader, Benitsuya, is high—.

 

Putting it into words, it's a deduction full of holes, Yuuki thought. But she intuited it. Yuuki strongly believes in vague intuition. Especially recently. That trust made Yuuki get off the bike.

 

"I'm going."

 

Yuuki said. If they headed to the convenience store on the bike like this, even if Benitsuya was there, she would hear the running sound and flee. Approach on foot and ambush.

 

"I'm coming too."

 

Akane also got off the bike, and the two ran into the darkness.

 

Soon they arrived at the convenience store. Yuuki and Akane moved quietly from the back of the store as if sticking to the wall, and looked at the parking lot in front of the store. Just as thought, red motorcycles and a group of young girls were hanging out.

 

And, among them—.

 

She found a girl who was exceptionally tall and had a confident look.

 

Even if she hadn't seen the photo beforehand, Yuuki would have intuited that she was the general. Like the girl she fought in <Bloody Pirates> the other day, or the high-handed young lady Gojou she met once—humans who want to stand above others, humans who want to dominate, possess a unique atmosphere. No mistake. She is Nanahoshi Benitsuya.

 

Yuuki took one, two breaths, and quickly calmed her mind. She simulated the steps to ambush Benitsuya in her head many times.

 

And—

 

(25/45)

 

At the same time.

 

In the middle of a public road, one girl stood up unsteadily.

 

(26/45)

 

That girl—named Botan—is a member of <Red Bear>.

 

In the intra-team conflict currently taking place, she belongs to the President faction. She had been accompanying President Sakura ever since the regular gathering—but in the third engagement with the Vice-President faction, she hit her head hard on the road and fainted.

 

However, that fainting was temporary, and Botan woke up shortly. The battle was already over—girls covered in wounds were scattered on the road like trash. Looking around, there were fewer people than in Botan's memory. About half of the friendly forces, including Sakura, were missing. They must have already left this place. Botan had been left behind.

 

The sound of police sirens was ringing fan-fan. From very close by. It would be unreasonable to think the police wouldn't come after fighting this flashily. Botan somehow moved her aching body and escaped with her life. Leaving the public road that was the scene of the fight, passing through several back alleys—at that point, her stamina ran out and she collapsed. With a body that wouldn't move like a lie, Botan thought. In this state, she probably can't fight anymore tonight. Can't ride a bike either. Retirement.

 

However—there was a consciousness that she couldn't just sleep like this.

 

Because, they were about to lose. Botan felt the sign that her faction was at a disadvantage. She couldn't sleep peacefully. She had to do something. Is there nothing she can contribute, even in this state—?

 

"........."

 

To tell the truth, there was just one thing.

 

But, she hesitated to execute it. Because it was extremely uncool.

 

सिंपली put, asking the first generation President for help. Her, the founder of <Red Bear> and a mighty warrior worth a thousand—she left the team several years ago, and no one knew where she was or what she was doing now, but if she came back, there would be a chance of winning. She was a terrifying person, but since she was definitely not a bad person, if anything, she should side with this side rather than the Vice-President faction.

 

But—she hesitated to execute. Please help me to a human who left the team, what would that person think of such behavior? Botan couldn't predict. She might be yelled at. In the worst case, she might be killed. Even assuming she agreed to help, does that person even still live in this area in the first place? Is she in a place where she can rush over immediately? She didn't even know that. But, other options were—.

 

After much hesitation, Botan decided to make a call. Since that person left the group on the messaging app along with leaving the team, she couldn't contact her via the app and had no choice but to call directly. Luckily, the number remained in Botan's mobile phone book. She forgot what the occasion was, but she recalled calling once—was it the timing when that person changed phones? Botan dialed that number. She worried about what to do if the number had changed, but it connected safely.

 

"──Hello."

 

Botan heard a voice from long ago.

 

It was a voice with strength, consistent with Botan's memory.

 

"...It's been a while, President..." Botan said.

 

"That voice, is it Botan?"

 

It was a contact after several years, but she seemed to remember the voice. It was something to be grateful for.

 

"Or rather, I'm not the President anymore. Call me by my name normally."

 

"...Yes..."

 

Botan answered. She wanted to call her name following that, but because she was fatigued to the point where speaking was painful, she couldn't do so.

 

"Your voice sounds rough, what happened? A fight?"

 

She was asked. Seeing as she jumped to A fight? there, Botan felt relieved that this person hadn't changed.

 

"Yes, well..."

 

Answering that, Botan then explained the circumstances. That Benitsuya came back to the team. That she is trying to turn the team into an illegal group. That tonight, it developed into a large-scale conflict over the team's policy. That the situation is disadvantageous, so please come to help.

 

While explaining, Botan began to feel pathetic about herself. Getting hold of a human already unrelated to the team, what kind of talk am I giving? I never—never wanted to do this, but tears gradually began to mix into Botan's voice. Having finished the explanation, the next words that came out were, "I'm sorry."

 

"I'm sorry... telling you such, such a stupid story..."

 

"──No."

 

However, the person on the phone answered so.

 

"You did well to tell me, Botan."

 

"...Eh..."

 

Did I mishear—Botan thought for an instant it was a mistake for How dare you tell me, but,

 

"I didn't know—that the team was in such a state. This responsibility lies with me, who gathered those guys into a team. I will settle it properly."

 

From the other side of the phone, the sound of opening a closet could be heard. She is getting ready.

 

"I'm heading out now. Immediately."

 

(27/45)

 

Maguma hung up the phone.

 

She immediately went outside.

 

(28/45)

 

A scenery with much nature welcomed Maguma.

 

Maguma—whose real name is Sayuri Shakuma—has a home located on a hill with a good view. There isn't a single house in the surroundings. For Maguma who loves solitude, this suburban dwelling was truly a utopia, but—however, right now it is detestable. Why on earth did I end up living in a place like this? On the phone, she said I'm heading out immediately, but practically, that won't make it instant. She has to have them be prepared for a certain amount of travel time. The fact that this home isn't that far from Harunire City is the only saving grace.

 

Maguma straddled the motorcycle parked under the eaves. Now that she had left <Red Bear>, it wasn't red paint. It was repainted in safe colors of white and black. Maguma started the bike and raced down the country road at a speed incomparable to when she usually went out—for example, when going to the supermarket in the urban area to buy groceries.

 

"...Dammit..."

 

Maguma cursed.

 

She didn't really like that kind of behavior, but she ended up doing it.

 

Basically, Maguma is an individualistic human. She wouldn't extend a hand even if others were in trouble. However—regarding <Red Bear> alone, it was an exception. No, would saying it seemed to be an exception be the accurate expression? She didn't know she was this attached to that team. As Maguma thinks, the reason is probably—because the self from when she was in <Red Bear> wasn't this kind of personality. Since it's about the past, she is being pulled by her past persona.

 

A while ago, she received a call from a number she didn't recognize. When she answered, it was Botan. Come to think of it, had she called once before? She must have saved the number then. From her, who seemed to still remain in the team currently, Maguma was told everything. The power struggle between Benitsuya and Sakura. Benitsuya claims she will make <Red Bear> a place for outcasts to wield power, while Sakura says she will make it a place for outcasts to heal their wounds—.

 

Stupid, Maguma thinks.

 

She didn't form the team for such things.

 

For Maguma, <Red Bear> is—not an organization for anything.

 

(29/45)

 

There is no philosophy. There is no founding significance. <Red Bear> started from a relationship of just a few like-minded friends riding together.

 

One day, while riding as usual, a delinquent group that had taken root in Harunire City picked a fight. They said disgusting things like only they were allowed to ride bikes in their territory, so she turned the tables on them. At that time, Maguma wasn't a player yet but just Sayuri Shakuma, so she had never been in a fistfight, but since she already possessed a bear-like huge body, she won with ease. Since they kept picking fights frequently after that and it was annoying, this time she conversely attacked the group, wiped them out, and instead, Maguma and her friends reigned over Harunire City as <Red Bear>. That is the reason for the team's formation. She definitely didn't form it for such grand reasons as healing the weak or giving them power.

 

The name <Red Bear> was given by one of her friends. It was a naming that was intensely conscious of Maguma's name (Shakuma) and her beloved machine, the red motorcycle, and honestly, it was quite embarrassing, but she thought well, fine if they could ride in peace with that.

 

Anyway, after they started hanging the team signboard, girls asking to be let into <Red Bear> appeared incessantly. Perhaps because an all-female team was rare, delinquent girls gathered not only from Harunire City but also from neighboring regions, and <Red Bear> increased its scale before her eyes.

 

And—just from around that time, the team started steering in a strange direction. Making the bikes matching red coloring, attacking if non-team humans were riding bikes, starting to imitate chivalrous thieves—. It was at that timing that Maguma left the team. She felt on her skin that the team was starting to go crazy—that it was ceasing to be a place for herself. She realized the shadiness that a group possesses. Maguma, even though originally only she rode a red bike, went out of her way to be considerate to the team and repaint it a different color, and withdrew—half-pushed out—from the team that bore her name—the team she was supposed to have created.

 

However, that might have been somewhat irresponsible behavior.

 

Rather than leaving, maybe she should have taken the reins so it wouldn't go in a strange direction. Or maybe, she should have disbanded the team. Because of the halfway response Maguma took, <Red Bear> started hoisting doctrines that bore no resemblance to the initial atmosphere, and has reached internal strife.

 

Maguma feels responsible for that fact.

 

Toward that responsibility—though several years late, she thinks she must swing her fist.

 

(30/45)

 

Maguma arrived in Harunire City.

 

Since leaving the team, she hasn't visited here even once. It's been several years since she even saw the townscape. While slowing down compared to when she was riding on country roads, Maguma went around the city on her bike.

 

After about fifteen minutes, she saw a group of motorcycles ahead. They were stopped sideways against the road, forming a barricade. The rider girls stood lined up in front of them. When Maguma counted the total number with her eyes, there were twenty-two in all.

 

It's an ambush—Maguma had already predicted that it would come. Because she had seen small numbers of bikes that looked like reconnaissance several times. Knowing it, she purposely fell into the trap. Contacting humans of <Red Bear> is Maguma's objective. If they come from their side, it's convenient. Maguma gradually slowed down and stopped the bike in front of that group.

 

Taking off her helmet with a flowing motion,

 

"Yo,"

 

She called out to the group.

 

"How many years has it been, since I met you guys?"

 

The reply didn't come back immediately. The group of <Red Bear> delinquent girls looked at each other's faces. They seemed to be probing for who would answer.

 

Eventually, one stepped forward. It was a woman with hair cut short like a Marimo.

 

"It has been a long time, Shakuma-san," she said.

 

"Yeah," Shakuma—Maguma answered, "Were you lying in wait? For me?"

 

"Yes."

 

"I thought so. Since I was seen by recon-like types a few times... But, how did you know it was me riding? You can't see the face with a helmet, and the bike isn't red either."

 

"...It's obvious I would know. Is there any other huge woman riding around on such a large motorcycle? There's no way we could forget even after many years."

 

Maguma looked at her beloved machine. It's a large one suitable for Maguma's huge body.

 

"True enough," Maguma answered, and,

 

"I heard the story. Seems there's infighting. ...I want to ask early on, which camp are you guys?"

 

"........."

 

There was no answer. Rather than ignoring, it was a silence with the nuance of considering. Are they plotting that if they lie well and deceive Maguma, they might be able to get her on their side?

 

"Needn't ask," Maguma cut off that hope.

 

"You're sticking with Benitsuya, aren't you?"

 

Maguma remembered every single one of the group there surprisingly well. Their names, and their personalities. With these guys' personalities, they are probably sticking with Benitsuya; she knows without even asking. She knew, but she just tried asking to gauge the opponent's reaction.

 

"We would like to ask you one thing too," the Marimo woman said.

 

"Shakuma-san—frankly, whose ally are you?"

 

"Neither."

 

Maguma answered. That voice was honed by the various emotions swirling in Maguma's chest, becoming sharp.

 

"I don't give a damn about the ideologies you guys are hoisting. I'll destroy it all. I came here for that. Tonight <Red Bear> dies. I kill it, and it will never be reborn. I will take responsibility for the thing I created, and destroy it."

 

Maguma continued.

 

"If you want to gather again, do as you please. I won't stop that. But, I'll have you take down the <Red Bear> signboard as of today. I won't let you use my name to resolve your complaints and dissatisfaction. Giving the team a meaning that didn't exist and starting to rampage, all of that is my target. I'll drop a fist fairly on both sides, and end it with that. It's a fitting ending for a brat's quarrel, right?"

 

By the time Maguma spoke that far, the delinquent girls also began to emit an unsettling aura. About thirty percent anxiety and—seventy percent hostility.

 

The Marimo woman looked back. Looking over the twenty-one people who were her allies, she returned her gaze to Maguma.

 

"...Do you understand the situation?" the Marimo woman said.

 

"Even for you, Shakuma-san, this number..."

 

"I understand," Maguma answered immediately.

 

"Also that there aren't just twenty-two of you, but more."

 

Maguma looked to the right. She turned her eyes to the shrubbery on the side of the road.

 

"Behind the shrubbery there, there's someone, right? Hiding and lurking, do you have guns ready? It's totally obvious."

 

She returned her gaze to the front. The color of the delinquent girls' faces had increased the ratio of anxiety.

 

While advancing her feet toward those girls, Maguma said.

 

"Is there anything you don't understand? If there is, tell me."

 

(31/45)

 

She wiped them out in fifteen minutes.

 

Sure enough, several girls showed their faces from behind the shrubbery and shot bang bang. Real guns—it didn't seem so, but since they couldn't be just toys, Maguma started running so as not to be shot, and jumped into the group of delinquent girls. By bringing it into close combat, the gunshots ceased, but in exchange, she had to engage with twenty-two people head-on.

 

But however, that is Maguma's greatest area of expertise. Twenty-two people—if it were the Maguma of the <Red Bear> era, it would indeed be a tough number, and that's exactly why the bunch could remain bullish, but they don't know what the current Maguma is doing. They don't know she is diving through far more death matches than in the past as a player in murder games. They don't know she can handle attacking hands stretching from all directions as if she has eyes in the back of her head. They don't know she has academic knowledge of where and how to strike the human body to disable the opponent. They don't know she has the ability to sense the presence of humans hiding in shadows. Even if she is slashed at with a knife from behind, they don't know she can even perform the stunt of blocking it with her elbow protector and transitioning directly into an elbow strike to deliver a counterattack. They don't have the slightest idea that Maguma even has the leeway to care not to kill or cause injuries leaving aftereffects, even while tormenting every single one of them until they can't move.

 

Taking fifteen minutes, the delinquent girls ended up receiving the retribution for that ignorance. All twenty-seven people, the twenty-two plus the five ambushers hiding in the shrubbery, lay on the ground in individual postures. Maguma, standing alone in the center of that heap of corpses, remained almost unscathed.

 

Now, shall I beat someone awake and ask the location of other members—just as Maguma was thinking that and evaluating the choices from the heap of corpses,

 

"──Wonderful! You are strong, sister!"

 

Along with applause, a single man appeared from the shadows.

 

He was a strange man. At a glance, he was a dull salaryman-style man, yet he faintly exuded a strange atmosphere. It might be a little similar to the aura emitted by the management's agents.

 

She knew the man was lurking. He didn't seem to be a person related to <Red Bear>, and she left him alone thinking he was just an onlooker but—jumping out at this timing when the engagement ended, what on earth is his intention?

 

"Who are you," Maguma asked honestly.

 

"No no, someone like me, I'm not a person worth naming..." The man waved his hand in front of his face, "More importantly. I heard, you're going to disband <Red Bear> by force."

 

"Well, that's my intention."

 

"Then, you will punish that woman called Benitsuya too, right?"

 

He seems to know about Benitsuya. "Well, that's the intention," Maguma answered.

 

"I have a souvenir for such a you!"

 

Saying that, the man held out both hands in front.

 

On those hands, a smartphone was placed.

 

"I secretly attached a transmitter with a bugging device so that woman wouldn't find out! You can receive location information and audio with this smartphone!"

 

The man continued.

 

"That woman...! She swindled a large amount of money from me! Threatening me in a group on my way home from work, making me withdraw up to the ATM limit... and two days' worth! It is unforgivable! Please punish that wicked woman!"

 

On the screen of the smartphone the man held, a map was displayed. A dot is blinking in the center. That is probably Benitsuya's location.

 

"When the matter is done, please dispose of this device, or if you like, put it in a coin locker at Harunire Station! Detailed handover procedures are in the memo pad! Now, please accept it──"

 

"Wait."

 

There, Maguma interjected.

 

"Your story is strange. Why were you carrying something like this around?"

 

Even if not Maguma, one would notice the strangeness of the story. Threatened by Benitsuya and her group on the way home from work, and at that occasion, attached a transmitter as at least some resistance—. That means this man was carrying a transmitter usually. Isn't it as if he knew he would be threatened?

 

Receiving Maguma's point, the man's expression changed. He withdrew his excited attitude in an instant, and a thin smile remained after.

 

"──Now now, isn't it fine," the man said.

 

"Whatever the circumstances, you can know Benitsuya's location. Now, here. Take it."

 

Maguma observed the man intently.

 

He's trying to set me up—it doesn't seem so. Although the man emits an enigmatic aura, at least components of malice are not included in it. This smartphone probably truly points to Benitsuya's location.

 

But however—she didn't think the man's narrative was all truth either. He is hiding something. What on earth is the man's aim? What is he trying to make Maguma do?

 

"........."

 

After hesitating for a few seconds.

 

Maguma accepted the smartphone.

 

(32/45)

 

The Supporter saw off the bike of the person who seemed to be called Shakuma running away. Making a gesture of cracking his neck crack-crack,

 

"Well then,"

 

He said.

 

The Supporter returned to his own car parked nearby. While getting into the driver's seat, "Sorry to keep you waiting," he spoke to the person in the passenger seat.

 

Of course, it is Yashiroi Endori.

 

"Good work," she answered him.

 

"...Hey. Supporter-san."

 

"Yes. What is it."

 

"I was watching from the car when you went to hand over the transmitter but... wasn't your acting too terrible?"

 

"Was it? Maybe it was a bit over-dramatized."

 

"I thought you were the type to handle anything flawlessly... You have things you're bad at too, huh."

 

At Endori's harsh words, the Supporter laughed vaguely to cover it up.

 

Certainly, it might have been a bit clumsy but—anyway, the objective was achieved. In the initial plan, he intended to hand it to someone in the President faction, but that person will surely do it well too.

 

(33/45)

 

Let's try going for the time being, Maguma thought.

 

If it's a trap, it's a trap, and that's fine. Even if she went to the point the transmitter indicated and enemies were lined up there—that possibility was assumed, but even if so, for Maguma it's just what she hoped for. Because punishing everyone is Maguma's true intention—. Attaching the smartphone received from the man to the bike's holder, Maguma started her beloved machine.

 

During the move, although it's really not good, Maguma fiddled with the smartphone and wirelessly connected it to the helmet's intercom to try listening to the sound picked up by the bug. Deafening noise flowed in. It must be the sound of a motorcycle. The location information shown by the transmitter is also constantly moving. Benitsuya is probably moving.

 

When Maguma rode for a while and approached the location of the transmitter, that conjecture was confirmed. In the distance, Maguma was able to discover the figure of a biker thought to be Benitsuya. She was far ahead on a public road with good visibility, and her figure looked only the size of dust, and her features were hardly recognizable due to the helmet and jacket but—still, Maguma could clearly identify that it was Benitsuya. Even on a night road at a long distance, one can distinguish an acquaintance as an acquaintance. Considering the transmitter's location information, there is no room for doubt. That is Benitsuya. Maguma increased speed further and aimed at that bike—.

 

Then—at that moment.

 

From a side road, another bike came out.

 

It's a red bike. Riding two-up. Which camp is it—to see the situation, Maguma pulled up next to that bike, and the two machines ended up running side-by-side. When Maguma used her peripheral vision and reflected the figures of the two in her eyes, the two were doing the same. For an instant, their gazes met.

 

The profiles of the two peeking from under the helmets.

 

Seeing the one riding on the back—Maguma was astonished.

 

"...You... what are you doing in a place like this?"

 

Even though she couldn't possibly be heard, she accidentally voiced it out.

 

It was Yuuki.

 

(34/45)

 

Maguma was riding on the adjacent bike.

 

Yuuki was incredibly surprised.

 

(35/45)

 

Yuuki and Akane, having discovered Benitsuya at the convenience store, launched a surprise attack on her.

 

However, the enemy wasn't foolish enough to be conquered by just that—while Benitsuya's comrades stalled Yuuki and Akane, Benitsuya herself fled on a motorcycle. Just as they had done at the apartment, Yuuki and Akane stole another motorcycle and chased after her.

 

But, since they were on a bike and the opponent was also on a bike, they struggled to close the distance, leading to a frustrating stalemate. A chase between cars is called a car chase, but what do you call it between motorcycles?—while thinking about such things, Yuuki watched over Akane's driving from behind.

 

Then—at that moment.

 

She noticed that there was another motorcycle chasing Benitsuya besides them.

 

It wasn't a red chassis. It was safe colors, white and black. Yuuki's first impression that it was a civilian was, however, betrayed. Yuuki checked the face of the person who had come to ride parallel to them out of the corner of her eye and—

 

"...Ugh..."

 

Instinctively, a sound like retching leaked out.

 

"M... Maguma-san!?" Yuuki said.

 

"P... President!?" Akane said.

 

At Akane's words, Yuuki fell into further confusion. President? Her? So the President, Sakura, referred to her? Wait, but in the previous game, there was talk about how she <used to be bad>—

 

Yuuki looked at Maguma. The other party must have also noticed the presence of an acquaintance running next to her; Maguma was moving her mouth and speaking something. However, being on a motorcycle running at full power, the voice didn't reach. The engine noise, the wind noise, and the barrier of the helmet drowned out all sound.

 

She wanted to stop temporarily and hand over a communication device, but that wouldn't be wise. Currently chasing Benitsuya, they wanted to avoid slowing down even for an instant. In the end, the two motorcycles continued to run side-by-side without exchanging words, chasing Benitsuya.

 

It was then.

 

The screen of the smartphone attached to Akane's bike moved.

 

Contact came from a comrade via the messaging app. From Yuuki's perspective, she couldn't read the content but—a sign of agitation was transmitted from Akane, who must have seen it. It was a strong agitation, palpable even through the helmet.

 

"The President, was beaten...?"

 

Akane said.

 

Hearing that, Yuuki furrowed her brows. The President—if it's her, isn't she right next to us?

 

(36/45)

 

Benitsuya stopped the bike.

 

(37/45)

 

It was the outskirts of Harunire City.

 

In front of an abandoned hotel. It was a place Benitsuya and her group often used when kidnapping people, and they had used it in the incident the other day as well. Considering that incident ended in failure, it was an ominous place, but no other place to go came to Benitsuya's mind.

 

Parking the bike in the old parking lot, Benitsuya looked back. The public road with good visibility stretched on forever—and far in the distance, two dots were glowing. Motorcycle headlights. Both of the two bikes had captured Benitsuya. It seemed she couldn't shake them off.

 

"...Tch..."

 

She clicked her tongue.

 

At the sheer persistence of Akane Tsuwabuki and the weird ghost woman who seemed to be lending her a hand.

 

Moreover, one more vehicle had been added along the way. According to the report she received, it seems Shakuma, the former President, had joined the war. Someone from the President's faction probably cried to her for help. She had thought there was no way she would get involved at this late stage, but—. Annoying, Benitsuya thought. She wanted to say, don't butt in now after leaving the team.

 

However, anyway, Benitsuya judged that escaping completely seemed difficult. Instead of running—she would intercept them. Plotting that, Benitsuya ran into the abandoned hotel. She had already contacted people everywhere and completed the appropriate preparations. As Benitsuya walked quickly through the old parking lot,

 

"Good work."

 

Voices called out one after another.

 

Several girls came out of the hotel and greeted Benitsuya.

 

"Good work," Benitsuya answered.

 

"Is everyone gathered?"

 

"Yes. Everyone is here already. Roll call has been taken."

 

Benitsuya stepped into the hotel's entrance hall. Electricity didn't run in this building, but lights were placed here and there on the floor, so although it was dim, visibility was sufficient.

 

There were figures of a large number of girls, enough to almost fill that entrance hall. Benitsuya's comrades. It was difficult to know the number at a glance, but if everyone was present, there should be sixty-five people.

 

All of the fighting power remaining under Benitsuya was here.

 

Whether it was that ghost woman or Shakuma, she had received reports that they seemed to have repelled groups of about twenty. That number of people isn't enough. We must gather more. Crush them by throwing an overwhelming number of people exceeding their capacity.

 

Benitsuya walked through the entrance hall. Weaving through the crowd of people, there was a person lying on the floor with her whole body restrained by ropes.

 

Seeing that figure, "Oh my, oh my," Benitsuya said.

 

It was Sakura Shinozaki.

 

The pitiful figure of the current President of <Red Bear> was there. Since she was wearing a jacket, the extent of her injuries wasn't exactly known, but countless scars could be seen on the exposed parts of her skin—meaning just her face. Benitsuya kicked that face further, adding one more wound. Perhaps unconscious, Sakura didn't react. Boring, Benitsuya thought. She wanted to provoke her with a word or two.

 

Benitsuya knew beforehand that she was in this state. Because she had received a report with photos. That photo has already been transmitted to the President's faction as well. For the time being, it could be said that the conflict has seen its end with this. Remnants might attack somewhat, but such things are nothing. <Red Bear> belongs to Benitsuya.

 

But however—that <Red Bear> is about to be destroyed.

 

Moreover, by the hand of none other than the founder.

 

Dammit. It's irritating. Why does it always end up like this, Benitsuya thought. It's always like this when I do something. Weird hindrances appear and hold me back. Even though I am showing them the correct direction, they won't obey. Why don't these types of things disappear from the world?

 

Benitsuya kicked Sakura's head away once more.

 

There was no reaction. Just then, the sound of motorcycle brakes could be heard from outside.

 

(38/45)

 

In front of the abandoned hotel, two motorcycles stopped.

 

It's the same hotel where Ramona was snatched the other day—Yuuki realized immediately. The path they came was the same, and the dilapidated state of the building hadn't changed at all. It would be unreasonable not to notice.

 

Maguma got off the bike. Ignoring Yuuki and Akane cleanly as if another bike didn't exist, she stomped forward through the old parking lot—.

 

"...Wait! Please wait!"

 

Yuuki hurriedly called out to her back.

 

"Maguma-san! Meeting! We need a meeting!"

 

While speaking, Yuuki looked at the hotel. Heat was already drifting out thickly. She felt numerous presences from inside the hotel, and there were several people sticking their faces out from broken windows and the entrance. Probably, all of the remaining Vice-President faction is gathered here. They intend to gather numbers and strike Yuuki and the others.

 

That means Benitsuya probably won't run anymore. There should be time to talk a little. Or rather, we have to talk. I won't let us enter the final decisive battle without a meeting.

 

Maguma seemed to be aware of that situation too—"Hmph," she snorted.

 

"What a coincidence," she greeted.

 

"Hello," said Yuuki. "Good work," said Akane.

 

"Also, call me Shakuma here. Got it?"

 

Ah, that's right—Yuuki thought. She had heard her real name was Shakuma. While riding, she couldn't talk to Maguma even if she wanted to, but she could talk to Akane—so she had heard the general circumstances from her mouth, such as Maguma being the first President of <Red Bear>, that she had already left the team, and that her first name was Sayuri.

 

"Why are you here?" Maguma asked Yuuki.

 

"Well, various things happened... I'm fighting on the President's faction side."

 

"I am also with the President's faction..." Akane followed. "Are you the same, Shakuma-san? Since you're chasing Benitsuya-san..."

 

"No, I'm neither." Maguma shook her head. "I'm the enemy of both. I came intending to drop a fist on everyone and disband the team."

 

It was an unexpected answer. "Eh... w-why?" Yuuki asked.

 

"I wanted to settle the past. ...What will you do? Will you fight here? If you wish—"

 

"W-Wait wait, please let me think a little."

 

Yuuki thought. Suppose <Red Bear> disbands. Then naturally, the hand of retaliation against Yuuki will also cease to exist, so—

 

"...That's fine too," Yuuki muttered. "I am okay with that. I won't oppose Shakuma-san."

 

"Me too," Akane followed. "If the team doesn't become a criminal organization, then... It's fine if it disbands. Though it's lonely."

 

"Then, we can face the same direction."

 

Saying that, Maguma looked at the hotel. Yuuki and Akane also looked at the hotel.

 

"I'll take on the small fry single-handedly," Maguma said. "You two target Benitsuya alone."

 

"The basis for the formation?" Yuuki asked.

 

"You guys aren't that strong in a fistfight, are you?"

 

Maguma pointed at Yuuki and Akane alternately. Both were battered and injured from the battles so far.

 

"...You understand well."

 

Yuuki answered.

 

"Even so, she hasn't changed, that Benitsuya..." Maguma said.

 

"Indeed..." Akane agreed.

 

"Was she a person who did this kind of thing since long ago?" Yuuki tried asking.

 

"Yeah. Since high school days, she caused trouble regarding everything. ...Be careful. She's a woman whose gut is twisted to a degree that compares favorably even to you or me. If you think of her as just a leader of delinquents, you might get hurt."

 

Is that so, thinking that, Yuuki answered, "I'll be careful."

 

(39/45)

 

The three walked toward the hotel entrance.

 

Since faint light was leaking from inside the building, they knew the situation inside. Numerous girls were lying in wait for the three. Every single one of those faces already had a villainous look, but because they were lit from below by lights likely placed on the floor, they looked even more vicious. It looks tough to defeat all of this—Yuuki thought, while looking toward Maguma who was in charge of that job.

 

Then—just at that moment, Maguma reached out and grabbed something.

 

It was a banner.

 

A flag for advertisement like those standing in front of restaurants or real estate agencies was also in this old parking lot. Originally it probably said <Open> or <Dining Place>, but the flag itself had deteriorated and turned into a rag. However, the pole supporting it and the concrete flag-stand block securing it to the ground were both intact.

 

Maguma grabbed that pole—and then, lifted it as if it were natural.

 

There wasn't even time to be surprised.

 

Swinging her arm widely to give it centrifugal force—Maguma threw it forward.

 

That thing, which should have weighed tens of kilograms in total, flew while rotating as if it were a natural duty, and plunged into the building through the open front entrance door of the hotel. The vicious girls illuminated by the pale light, however, couldn't stand the assault of a concrete lump, and quickly pulled back to yield the way to the banner.

 

Through the path opened in that way, Maguma strode into the hotel heavily.

 

"I'm intruding."

 

Saying quietly, Maguma lifted the banner once again. Swinging it around with a whoosh whoosh, she didn't let the delinquent girls approach within a certain distance. There were some who jumped in with courage, but all were struck by the concrete lump and either blown away or crumbled on the spot.

 

Witnessing that spectacle—Yuuki even felt moved. This person is a monster after all—while harboring that unwavering impression, Yuuki stepped into the hotel together with Akane. Ducking under the banner Maguma was swinging, they advanced to the back of the entrance hall, letting their eyes race around to look for Benitsuya's figure—.

 

And, at that moment.

 

Yuuki saw the shadows of several people climbing the stairs at the back of the hall.

 

She couldn't see the figures clearly, but she intuited it was Benitsuya. Yuuki and Akane chased it. Proceeding along the path Maguma opened up, they put their feet on the stairs and climbed with quick steps.

 

When they went up to the second floor, there was no light. Not only was the ceiling lighting not functioning, but there were no brought-in lights either. It was complete darkness.

 

However, in the darkness, Yuuki felt the presence of multiple people. They intend to attack from the dark. Knowing that—Yuuki dared to take out her mobile phone and used the light function to give light to the surroundings. And, without telling Akane anything about the ambushers, she proceeded down the second-floor corridor.

 

Eventually, they came upon a corner where someone seemed likely to be lurking.

 

When she advanced, sure enough, an ambusher came out. Yuuki used the momentum of the person jumping at her vigorously holding a bat to throw her, rolled her on the floor, and ignoring the voice groaning in agony after hitting her head on the wall, she proceeded forward.

 

(40/45)

 

Benitsuya opened the door to the innermost room on the second floor.

 

It was a room that was originally one of the guest rooms. The lock was broken, and entry and exit were free. The interior of the room illuminated by the moonlight streaming in from the window still barely retained the atmosphere of a hotel room. Benitsuya sat on a chair, one of the furnishings. Since Benitsuya had used this room in these ruins often, she knew the chair wouldn't break even if she put her weight on it.

 

She ran both arms along the armrests of the chair and leaned her weight on the backrest.

 

And, she thought.

 

Just in case, she had hidden several assassins in the darkness but—they'll probably be beaten, Benitsuya realized. Akane and the ghost woman will eventually come here. And, Benitsuya herself probably won't win either. Pushing with numbers was the keystone of the strategy, so the moment that was overcome, it was over. Benitsuya could already see her own ruin as a probable future.

 

The back of her head emitted a prickly, unpleasant heat.

 

She is about to snap. Benitsuya suppresses the impulse of inner violence.

 

Benitsuya isn't bad at patience. If anything, she is a human who has walked the elite course, and whether studying or working, she intends to be able to endure most things better than average.

 

However, no matter what, there is just one thing she cannot tolerate since childhood. Simply put, she hates idiots—when she hears the foolish remarks of foolish humans, it sometimes becomes impossible to bear and her hand shoots out. There are several times she put it out in situations where she shouldn't have.

 

Because of this bad habit, Benitsuya's life took several detours. For example, in elementary school, she was scolded unreasonably by a dirty, chubby female teacher, and in retaliation, she slashed her face to ribbons with a box cutter. Since her parents demanded she go apologize, she rejected it and ran away from home for about a week. She took a lodging plan that seems dangerous in hindsight, becoming friends with a stranger man she met in the park and staying at his house. Another time, just after entering high school, a classmate in the seat behind her treated Benitsuya with a coercive attitude. Guys who want to bring subordinates along anytime, anywhere exist everywhere, and since it seemed she chose Benitsuya as the target, she beat her black and blue with a chair to make her understand the hierarchy of power. Benitsuya received a short-term suspension, and that became the trigger for meeting <Red Bear>. And then one time during her working days—. This time, Benitsuya was fed up from the bottom of her heart. Wherever I go, it's just idiots. Thinking so, she decided to return to <Red Bear>. If it's here, I should be able to do well this time—.

 

She had thought so, but it seems it was a misunderstanding.

 

Benitsuya bent forward. Clasping both hands, she placed her head on them.

 

She breathed. She breathed in a way as if spewing out anger, but even so, the portion she couldn't vent accumulated. Anger fills Benitsuya's whole body. She feels anger at everything. At herself. At society. At <Red Bear>. At Akane, the ghost woman, and Shakuma. Even at this chair she is sitting on.

 

And, at a certain stage, the thread snapped.

 

She opened the drawer of the table placed nearby roughly as if tearing it off.

 

Stored there was—a six-shot revolver.

 

(41/45)

 

Fwoosh.

 

Light leaked from the back of the hallway.

 

(42/45)

 

It was a light source different from the mobile lights Yuuki and Akane were using.

 

That light flowed from the back of the hallway. It indicated that someone had turned on a light.

 

"........."

 

Yuuki and Akane nodded to each other silently.

 

And they headed toward where the light was shining. As they proceeded, among the doors of the guest rooms lined up in the hallway, the one located at the very back was open. Yuuki's perception was that most hotel room doors have door closers and close automatically, but it seemed to be broken; the door remained fully open without a stopper, not moving an inch. Light was leaking from beyond the door.

 

Yuuki and Akane stepped into the room while being cautious.

 

"──Good evening."

 

A voice was heard from the back of the room.

 

The impression of that voice—resembled Shirou from the other day a little. A voice that somehow made one's skin crawl. A voice peculiar to humans possessing charisma.

 

"Please, come in."

 

Since she was told so, Yuuki and Akane did just that.

 

The inside of the room—except for the fact that it had become a ruin and was tattered—gave the impression of an unremarkable hotel room. By the wall, there was a person sitting on a chair. Her features illuminated by the light placed beside her were colorless as if artificial. An impression lacking humanity. She had already seen that face in photos, and had seen the real thing at the convenience store, but seeing it up close like this, the inhuman impression was felt even more strongly.

 

This is—Nanahoshi Benitsuya.

 

"Good evening," Benitsuya said again.

 

"Hello," Yuuki answered. Akane bowed silently.

 

At that time, there was something that hit Yuuki's right foot. Hit—or rather, saying she hit it might be more appropriate. Because she had, of course, recognized beforehand that it was lying on the floor. Yuuki took her eyes off Benitsuya temporarily and picked it up.

 

It was.

 

It was a revolver handgun.

 

"What is this?"

 

Lifting the handgun lightly, Yuuki asked.

 

"It is a tool for a game," Benitsuya answered.

 

"Let's have a final match. Russian Roulette—you've at least heard the word, right?"

 

Of course she had. Pressing a gun to one's own temple, taking turns pulling the trigger until one dies, that thing.

 

"What is your intention?" Yuuki asked further.

 

"As if we'd do such a thing. We came here to defeat you. Not with bullets, but with bare hands..."

 

The Vice-President faction led by Benitsuya seemed to be using modified gas guns—but this gun in Yuuki's hand is real. If they played a game with this, by the nature of the rules, one of them would lose their life. Yuuki wants no part of killing or being killed. She didn't come here for such a thing.

 

But, "No, I will have you do it," Benitsuya wouldn't yield.

 

"If you don't, everyone will just die."

 

Benitsuya reached into the desk drawer beside her. From inside, she took out a small remote control about the size of a car key.

 

"I planted bombs in several places in this hotel."

 

She said.

 

"With one remote, I can activate them anytime. Then the building will collapse. Not a single person will survive. There is no means to bring down the curtain peacefully other than going along with my game."

 

Yuuki moved her eyebrows and answered, "Don't lie."

 

"You didn't have time to plant something like that. Because there were only a few minutes from when you arrived here until we came. And where did you get those bombs? Besides, generally, blowing up and collapsing a building isn't something easily done. Precise power calculations should be necessary. You just brought out a car key or something and are spouting nonsense, aren't you?"

 

"I had installed the bombs from a long time ago," Benitsuya didn't flinch. "Because I use this building for things like the kidnapping business the other day, you see... I made it so I can erase it anytime when push comes to shove. Explosives can be made if you master university-level chemistry. As for power calculations and such... that is strictly a story for demolition work, right? It just takes time and effort to minimize the cost of explosives and ensure no damage to the surroundings; if it's just destroying it, it's not that difficult."

 

Yuuki looked intently into Benitsuya's eyes.

 

Don't lie—she had said with her mouth, but there was a part of her that couldn't quite measure the truth or falsehood. Considering the situation, she thinks it's ninety-nine percent a bluff, but she can't fill that remaining one percent gap. Even with Yuuki's sensory abilities which are in good form recently, she couldn't probe inside Benitsuya's gut. How to put it—the presence feels muddy. Truth and falsehood, righteousness and evil, eternal life and extinction, probably all melt together inside her. Just as Maguma said. As far as Yuuki knows, she is the most troublesome type of opponent.

 

Yuuki lowered her gaze to the handgun in her hand. A revolver-type gun—it wasn't her first time touching one, so it was easy to touch the latch on the side and swing out the cylinder. Looking inside, indeed, one bullet was loaded.

 

"Don't you consider the possibility that I will shoot you with this?" Yuuki asked. "I think the situation would be settled amicably even with that."

 

"Please feel free. If you can," Benitsuya answered.

 

Yuuki looked at Benitsuya once more. Benitsuya also looked at Yuuki. She had captivating eyes with a slightly childish sparkle—Yuuki closed her eyes as if lowering shutters, forcibly cutting off her gaze.

 

"Understood. Let's do it."

 

She answered.

 

"Wha..."

 

Akane next to her gasped,

 

"Please wait, Yuuki-san. In that case, let me take your place."

 

"Don't say weird things," Yuuki said with a bitter smile, "I'll do it. You don't have to worry, it's fine."

 

While conversing, she casually returned the cylinder. Yuuki thrust her left hand into her jersey pocket, raised the handgun lightly with her right hand, and said, "I'll spin the cylinder, is that okay?"

 

"Yes. I leave it to you."

 

Yuuki flicked the cylinder with her finger, again and again. Amidst the rotation sound of clack-clack-clack-clack—which was too light for the preparation of a life-staking game—"First move or second move, which will you go with?" Yuuki asked Benitsuya. She knew at least that there was no difference in winning probability.

 

"I shall take the first move."

 

The rotation of the cylinder stopped. Yuuki tried to walk up to Benitsuya to hand over the gun but—

 

"Oops," she was stopped.

 

"Please, throw it from that spot."

 

Yuuki thought throwing a gun might be somewhat dangerous, but she did as told. She threw it while being careful not to point the muzzle at anyone. Benitsuya caught it with both hands—

 

Without hesitation, she pressed it to her temple.

 

She pulled the trigger.

 

There was a click sound, of just the hammer falling.

 

Safe. Benitsuya smiled thinly—and threw the handgun back to Yuuki. Yuuki caught it with her right hand while keeping her left hand in her jersey pocket, pressed it to her own temple just as Benitsuya had done earlier, and—

 

"──Bang."

 

Just at that timing, Benitsuya mimicked a gunshot with her mouth.

 

It wasn't a loud volume by any means, but at that voice containing a plosive sound, Akane flinched her shoulders. Yuuki was not surprised.

 

"Kukuku," Benitsuya laughed.

 

"You aren't surprised. Impressive."

 

"Child's trick," Yuuki answered coldly.

 

"It seems you are used to such scenes. I surmise, you are surely not a person of upright background...?"

 

"Who knows."

 

Yuuki feigned ignorance and pulled the trigger. There was only a click sound.

 

And, she handed the handgun to Benitsuya. Benitsuya, who caught the gun with both hands, however, unlike before, didn't shoot immediately. While toying with the handgun in her hands,

 

"I wonder why I'm doing this...?"

 

She said.

 

"Why did it turn out like this, I wonder. Hey?"

 

"You're the one who started saying you'd do it," Yuuki answered.

 

"No, not about this game... it's a more fundamental story. I wonder why I was driven into this kind of situation...?"

 

While speaking, Benitsuya pressed the gun to her temple and pulled the trigger. There was only a click sound.

 

"Hey. Don't you think there are too many idiots in the world?"

 

While throwing the gun over, Benitsuya said.

 

"What is it this time,"

 

Yuuki answered while receiving the gun.

 

"It's small talk. They're everywhere, right? Whenever they open their mouths it's just abuse and cursing, their heads are full of prejudice and discrimination, their viewpoints are distorted one by one, they love walking around dragging subordinates, they don't seem to have a fragment of shame, they attack surrounding people selfishly, yet for some reason, people who remain without receiving major punishment... What are they, I wonder? Even though things like that live carefree lives, I am ostracized and driven to the dark path... I can't accept it. Why is it, I wonder? Why don't they die?"

 

"Who knows."

 

Yuuki answered and pulled the trigger. There was only a click sound.

 

"Maybe that means they unexpectedly know where the line is. Unlike you right now."

 

"...I can't accept it."

 

Benitsuya showed a complex expression fusing anger and a smile. With that face, she put both hands forward and took a posture to receive the handgun, but,

 

"...? What is the matter?"

 

She released a voice of doubt. Because Yuuki didn't throw the gun over.

 

"........."

 

While staring at the handgun in her own hand, Yuuki said.

 

"About Russian Roulette."

 

"Yes."

 

"There isn't a rule that you can only shoot once per turn, right?"

 

Yuuki didn't wait for an answer.

 

Immediately pressing the gun to her temple, she pulled the second trigger.

 

There was only a click sound.

 

And Yuuki—threw the handgun back as if slamming it. Although Benitsuya had a bewildered face, she didn't commit the blunder of failing to catch the gun and caught it with both hands.

 

But, after that, she didn't bring it to her own temple. Without even gripping the handle of the handgun, she just simply stared at the revolver resting on the bowl made by her hands.

 

Seeing such a Benitsuya, Yuuki smiled. It might be a slightly foul play, but it shouldn't be completely deviating. The confirmation item earlier—Yuuki doesn't know if multiple attempts are allowed in Russian Roulette. But, it should be possible. Even if she did so, probability-wise, it doesn't become advantageous for herself.

 

In any case, with this, the trigger has been pulled five times.

 

The revolver loads six shots. What this means is, in short—.

 

Yuuki predicted two future actions Benitsuya would take. One is to obediently say <I surrender> and give up. The other is to fly into a rage and put her hand on the bomb activation button. Preparing for the latter case, Yuuki solidifies her mental preparation to jump at her immediately but—

 

However, Benitsuya took an action that was neither.

 

Without changing a single expression—she pressed the gun to her temple.

 

She pulled the sixth trigger.

 

The bullet did not fire.

 

(43/45)

 

Twice, three times, four times, Benitsuya pulled the trigger.

 

But, the bullet did not fire. Furthermore, Benitsuya pulled the trigger and rotated the cylinder a full round, but still, the bullet did not fire. Benitsuya touched the latch of the handgun and swung out the cylinder. Dropping her gaze to the contents—

 

And, she laughed showing her teeth.

 

At the same timing her gaze was directed at Yuuki, Yuuki pulled her hand out of her jersey pocket and opened it.

 

On her palm, a single bullet was rolling.

 

"Well, that's what it is," Yuuki said.

 

"........."

 

"I pulled it out. When I opened the cylinder."

 

That time when Yuuki opened the cylinder and checked the bullet inside—there was a timing when Benitsuya's consciousness deviated from the handgun. In that gap, Yuuki quickly performed a little manipulation and removed the bullet. Simply put, that's all. A simple magic trick.

 

In short, it was make-believe play from the start.

 

"What was your intention?" Yuuki tried asking.

 

"Did you want to die? Did you want to commit handgun suicide? If so, that's no good. Having the bullet removed right in front of your eyes and not noticing at all means disqualification. You can't die in a place like this."

 

Yuuki looked at Benitsuya.

 

As usual, her aura is muddy. She doesn't know what she is thinking. But, at least it probably isn't normal thought. If it were, she wouldn't have done a contest like this in the first place, and she should have pointed the muzzle at Yuuki and fired the sixth shot. If she sought victory, she should have done so.

 

From the time she first saw her face, somehow Yuuki had sensed it.

 

Probably, already, this person is broken.

 

She is seeking a place to die.

 

The next moment, Benitsuya moved.

 

She thrust her hand into the desk drawer beside her, grabbed several bullets, and tried to load them into the cylinder—at that moment, Yuuki also moved. Treading on the deteriorated carpet floor, running without sound, just a moment faster than Benitsuya pressing the gun to her own temple and putting strength into the finger on the trigger,

 

Yuuki's fist reached Benitsuya's face.

 

She put a severe punch into her face.

 

And—a gunshot roared. The fired bullet passed a few centimeters in front of Benitsuya's face as she leaned back from being punched, passed a few centimeters above Yuuki's thrust-out fist, flew to the wall of the hotel guest room, and hit a painting hanging just there. The glass on the surface of the frame shattered into pieces and fell with a crashing sound.

 

In that interval, Yuuki snatched the gun from Benitsuya. Pulling out the bullets along with the cylinder, she threw the gun body onto the bed, rendering it unusable no matter what.

 

"...Let me die..."

 

Benitsuya muttered.

 

She had overturned along with the chair and was lying on her back. Perhaps because her face was punched, her speech was slightly slurred.

 

"I am tired already. In this world, everyone, everyone is just an idiot..."

 

Yuuki doesn't know with what feelings she spat those words. She probably doesn't have the right to say she understands either. Yuuki, however, searched for words—and came up with just one thing she could say. She doesn't know if it will get across, but she tries saying it.

 

"If you want to do it for real, come to the game world."

 

Yuuki whispered in Benitsuya's ear.

 

"If it's there, I'll kill you properly."

 

(44/45)

 

Yuuki and Akane returned to the first floor of the hotel.

 

It was a picture of hell. Dozens of girls were battered and rolling on the floor. Discovering the only person with a safe figure among them—of course, it's Maguma—Yuuki called out. "Good work."

 

"Yeah," Maguma answered.

 

"Are you finished on your end too?"

 

"Yes."

 

"How was it, that Benitsuya."

 

"She was a troublesome person..."

 

While answering, Yuuki held up the empty revolver.

 

"She even had something like this prepared. Somehow, I took it without letting her use it though."

 

She had retrieved the revolver. Because there was a fear Benitsuya might use it after Yuuki and the other disappeared. She'll throw it away somewhere on the way home.

 

"Is that so," Maguma answered.

 

"...By the way, Shakuma-san. You haven't killed them, right, this?"

 

Saying that, Yuuki looked at the girls collapsed around. It seems everyone is unconscious. Are there not some girls who have no life?

 

"Who knows. I didn't intend to kill, but I can't guarantee they're alive. With this number, naturally."

 

"I sympathize with you..."

 

Yuuki tried saying that somehow.

 

However, "Sympathize with what?" she was retorted by Maguma.

 

"Eh... because, wasn't it a painful choice? Beating former comrades, disbanding the team you made yourself..."

 

"Not really," said Maguma. "I thought it was natural for this to happen, so I just did it. I'm not having any conflict."

 

This person is dry, Yuuki thought.

 

Yuuki and the others left the hotel and walked. When they came in front of the bikes parked in the old parking lot,

 

"Ah,"

 

Akane started saying.

 

"That's right, Shakuma-san."

 

"What is it."

 

"I haven't been punched by you yet."

 

"...Ha?"

 

Maguma made a puzzled face.

 

"The talk was that you'd drop a fist on everyone, wasn't it," Akane said. "But, look. I haven't been punched yet."

 

"No, that's a figure of speech..." Maguma answered mumbling. "It was simply a statement of determination, not that I'd really do it... There are many guys other than you I haven't punched directly, and besides, you're already battered. That's enough already."

 

Maguma piled up logic, but it didn't get through to Akane.

 

Akane silently closed her eyes. It was an expression and posture like waiting for a kiss.

 

Maguma exhaled loudly and,

 

"...Clench your teeth."

 

She said.

 

As if thrusting up from the left, she punched Akane's face away.

 

Akane certainly floated in the air for an instant, fell to the asphalt ground, and rolled over. Did she die—Yuuki worried quite seriously, but soon, Akane got up while staggering.

 

"Thank you very much!!"

 

She said in a loud voice and bowed to Maguma.

 

──I really don't understand delinquent vibes, Yuuki thought.

 

(45/45)

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