Only I know that this world will end – 043 | Sousaku – 創作

Fifteenth Time

After being revived, Akira made numerous attempts to escape from the city.
He tried to flee not only to the city where the Orcs and Giant were present but also to other cities and towns that were connected by land, all with the same result.
In every city, there was a monster who ruled the city, and it would eventually find him and kill him.

And so, after experiencing death for what seemed like the umpteenth time, Akira gave up his escape.

And from then on, he tried as many things as he could think of, hoping to improve his chances of survival, if only by a little.
If there were monsters even if he ran away to another town, he tried to stay in his office instead of running away. At times, he tried to face the difficulties together with more people by telling them everything about the monsters, the skills, and the fact that the monsters would be further strengthened at noon.

But, as one might say, it went as expected. If he stayed in this city, he would always end up in the future being tracked down by the Minotaur, no matter what he tried to do.

(……Not good. The neighboring town is swarming with Orcs, and the adjacent city is ruled by that Giant thing or something. Of all the surrounding cities, this city's monsters are the weakest. If I want to survive, I still have to do something about that minotaur.)

Akira, having just been awakened by the Return from Hell, let out a heavy sigh.
The deaths he had experienced so far exceeded double digits.
As one would expect, after experiencing death so many times, his fear of death was numbing. His eyes had lost their light at the repeated sense of déjà vu, and before long, Akira was indifferently carrying out his Return from Hell.

(…………This is the fifteenth time, huh?)

Muttering in his mind, Akira covered his face.

(Maybe it's just going to be like this for the rest of my life……）

If a monster killed him, he would return to the past and start all over again.
The "now" as time continued endlessly.
A hell that just never ended in death.

――――I don't know what to do anymore.

While he lived and struggled through this repetition, Akira's overall level reached 25.
However, even if he raised his level further, the future that lay ahead of him was a world riddled with monsters that would continue to be strengthened endlessly.
Of course, as long as he could "Return from Hell" carrying over his level, skills, and status, he should be able to survive in the world after the monsters have been enhanced.

(……But even if I survive, then what will be left of the world?)

It was the voice of his heart that came from the loneliness he had experienced so many times in the more than double-digit number of deaths.
Akira learned in this repetition that all the people in this city would be killed by the minotaurs in half a day.
Not once or twice did he experience the ear-splitting silence of the city, where all human beings had died out.
Akira was already vaguely aware that even if he survived in such a world, the only thing he would find there would be a loneliness that could be called eternal.

"――――"

Akira was the only one. He imagined himself as a survivor in that world full of monsters.
In a sense of déjà vu that increased as he repeated his Return from Hell, he pictured himself in eternal solitude.

(Even if I survive in this world...... what is the point of it anymore?)

Just when Akira was muttering the words in his mind, he heard a voice from the other side of the room.

"Hey, Ichijou!! "

Akira's body shook violently when he heard his name called out loudly.

"I've been calling your name for a while now! Are you listening!? "

Akira already knew who the voice belonged to.

"――――Chief, Nanase."

Muttering, Akira turned to look behind him.
Then as her eyes met Akira's, Nao's body shook with a jerk.

"…………Ichijou? "

With trepidation, Nao opened her mouth.

"Is there something wrong with you? "
"……Something? Just what would that be? "
"What, you ask? …… Don't you even know yourself? What's with the face?"
"Face? "

When told, Akira reached for his own face.
Then he finally noticed.
Ever since he woke up, he had a broken smile on his face.

"Ichijou ...... you, why have you been smiling all this time?"

Nao slowly asked.
At these words, Akira covered his mouth with his hand and thought.

(Why? …………Why am I smiling?)

――No, I don't have to think about it.
Because the absurdity of this world, which he had realized over and over again, could no longer help but make him laugh.
The familiarity with death and the pain of déjà vu inflicted by repeating time gradually robbed him of his emotions.
What remained at the end of his fading emotions was a smile that came from resignation to this world.

"A reason…… for smiling?"
Akira muttered.

Then he turned his gaze to Nao and opened his mouth with an even deeper smile on his face.

"Because I can't help but laugh."
"Can't help but laugh? "
"Yeah, I can't help but laugh. No matter what, this world will be destroyed. I'll be killed by the monsters again, and I'll come back to this moment, anyway. That's already been decided."

Akira's words caused a deep crease to form between Nao's eyebrows.
This was partly because she did not understand the meaning of Akira's words, and partly because she did not like his tone, which was full of contempt.

"The world is going to be destroyed. You said you'll be killed by the monsters again―――― Ichijou, what are you talking about?"
That's what Nao said.

"I'm not lying!! In the next two hours, the city― and possibly the world― will be overrun with monsters!! Humans will be defeated by the monsters, and many will die!! There's no doubt about it!! "

Akira raised his voice, interrupting Nao's words.
Then he bit his lip hard as his expression quickly changed to one of consternation.

"――――……Sorry."

Reason and emotion did not mesh.
His emotional state was too unstable.
There is no ill will towards Nao. Anyone would react the same way if they were suddenly told something like that. Yes, he should have known that.

(……Not good. I don't have time to talk about this anymore right now.)

Akira closed his eyes tightly and exhaled.
Then, slowly opening his eyes, Akira turned his gaze to Nao and muttered.

"Well, I will be going………… If you'd excuse me."

This conversation would have never happened in the next iteration anyway.
With this in mind, Akira turned on his heel to leave.

"Ichijou! "

A loud voice echoed through the company as if to stall Akira.

"You're free after this, aren't you?" Come hang out with me for a minute."
"――Eh? "

Those unexpected words made Akira stop in his tracks and turn around.
Then his eyes met Nao's, who still had a grim crease between her eyebrows.
Nao stared at Akira.
Then she slowly let out a loud sigh and opened her mouth with her thumb pointing out the window.

"We haven't had a drink in ages."
"…………What? "

ToC