Only I know that this world will end – 045 | Sousaku – 創作

At the Izakaya ②

The next time Nao opened her mouth was after she had slowly finished her cigarette.

"…………What happened to this world when the monsters showed up? "

Nao muttered as she pushed the butt of her cigarette into the ashtray.
Akira gave a small shake of his head at these words.

"I don't know. I…… Because I haven't survived past noon."
"Noon? Why?"
"Because when that time comes, the monsters that appear in this world will be strengthened. The most powerful monster in the city…… the Minotaur, finds me no matter what and kills me. If I am killed, I thus return to the past and start my life all over again. Killed but never died, all the time……"

Nao could not find the words to say to Akira, so she let out a small breath and pushed herself to silence.
Akira gazed at her and then let out a few more words that had been bottled up inside his chest.

"I don't know what to do anymore. Even if there are such things as levels and skills, if the monsters themselves are being strengthened…… It just doesn't make sense anymore."
"Wait a minute. Levels and skills? Don't tell me that the world from now on will be like a video game, where if you defeat a monster, your level will go up? "
"Oh, didn't I tell you? ……That's right. It's like what characters say in the novels, 『Isekai is here』. Nao-san, please give it a try and say 『status』 either in your mind or with your mouth."

At these words, Nao seemed to have decided to mutter in her mind.
After a while, Nao's eyes widened and swam around, while staring into empty space.
Akira quickly noticed that she was staring at the status screen that was displayed.
For a while, Nao stared at her status screen, but eventually, she let out a loud sigh and turned her attention back to Akira, and opened her mouth.

"………………I was surprised. It's like a video game."
"To me, it's just a shitty game."

Akira said, letting out a resigned sigh at Nao's words.

"Ichijou, are you on the same level as me, level 1? "
"Right now, I'm on level one. Well, although, my overall level is 25."
"Overall level? "
"I told you I'm reliving everything. Levels and status, they carry over from my previous life. That means my level inherited is 25."
"I see. I get it."

Nao seemed to understand Akira's explanation.
He returned a small nod and eventually let out a short, sighing breath.

"This, is not a dream, right? "
"Shall I pinch your cheeks? "
"No, thanks. In fact, I've already tried."

As she said this, Nao looked down at her own arms with a wry smile on her face.
Apparently, she was pinching her own arm under the desk.
Nao asked Akira as she looked at the bruised spot.

"How do I get rid of this screen? "
"It could be an arm, a hand, even your body if you want, it doesn't matter what. Regardless, the screen goes away with any motion."

Having said that, Akira waved his hand to erase his own status screen, which had appeared after he had just uttered the word 『status』 as if to demonstrate.
Nao saw this and moved her hand to imitate Akira.
Then she slowly sighed, as if she had seen the screen that had indeed disappeared.

"It's just unbelievable. But when you actually see it, you have to believe it."

Muttering, Nao gazed into Akira's eyes.
Then, as if to confirm, Nao slowly asked Akira.

"Ichijou. What happened to me in your experience, in the repetition, after…… the monsters appeared in this world? "

At these words, Akira dropped his gaze to his hand.

"…………I am sorry. Until now, I have been so occupied with myself that I haven't had time to pay attention to Nao-san as well. ...... I don't know. It's just, that guy――The Minotaur should have devoured every human being in the city. So, Nao-san, ...... perhaps."
"――――I see. No, well. Roughly, I can guess what happened to me."

Nao gave a slight smile at Akira's words.

"……Sorry."
Akira muttered.

At these words, Nao gave another small laugh,

"Why are you apologizing? Even I would think of myself first and foremost if the world came to that. It's not your problem."

With that, she sipped into the beer mug in her hand.

Nao then gulped down all of its contents and turned her attention to Akira, a grin on her face.

"It's just, well…… That's right. If I were about to be killed in front of you, I would be glad to have you help me, for the sake of an old acquaintance, a friend. Of course, I would help you if you were about to die, too."

Nao jokingly said in a teasing way.
Akira couldn't help but give a small smile at these words.

"I understand. I'll be sure to do that. ……I don't know if I'm capable of succeeding though."
"You keep repeating it, don't you? That's fine. If you want to help me, even if it's just when you feel like it, I'd be more than happy."

Nao then mumbled, "Also......" and continued her words.

"There's one thing that's been bugging me as I've been listening to you…… You kept saying earlier that the Minotaur would eventually kill you……Did you try it at least once? "
"Try it? Try what? "
"To defeat the Minotaur, you know. Let me ask, the monsters strengthen over time? That's inevitable, right? If so, have you tried to defeat this Minotaur thing before it was strengthened? "
"That ...... I haven't tried it yet."
"Why? "
"Because even if I tried, I don't see any hope for the world beyond that. ……The minotaur is not the only strong monster that has appeared in this world. The next town is full of Orcs, and the neighboring city is ruled by a huge, colossal monster. Even if I defeat the Minotaur, if those things kill me, I'll return.……I'll just repeat this world over and over again."
"So, you're just going to give up? "
"Yes…… That's right. Because there is nothing I can do about it!! Surviving doesn't mean anything anymore! Monsters everywhere, people dying in droves!! And even more so, the monsters will be strengthened over time!! Under such circumstances, what is the point of welcoming the next day safely?! All that's left in this world is the gradual doom that's to come!! "

Akira raised his voice as if he was about to slam on the table, but Nao said nothing and continued to stare into Akira's eyes.
Akira reached for the beer mug and downed its contents as if to escape her gaze. Akira's brow wrinkled deeply as the bitterness of the liquid, which was a bit too lukewarm, perhaps because it had been brought to him for a long time, stirred his throat.

"…………No matter how many levels you raise, no matter how many skills you get, it doesn't matter. That's the world we're going to be living in."

Nao said nothing in response to Akira's words, which were muttered after a pause.
Nao just kept staring at her hand, and eventually, she let out a few words.

"――――Don't give up on any project and say it's impossible before you do it. Saying it's impossible is proof that you still have room to spare."

At these words, Akira slowly raised his gaze.
Nao gazed into Akira's face and smiled, the edges of her lips lifting and curving into a smile.

"That's what our president used to say. That's very much something a black company would say, don't you agree? ……I hate that phrase."

Nao muttered and snickered as if the words themselves were ridiculous.
But she quickly changed her expression, let out a sigh, and continued her words.

"But at the same time, I think some of those words are right. ――Don't give up before you do it. That's the only part of it that I think applies to anything. Ichijou, if you haven't yet tried to defeat the minotaur in its unstrengthened state, do it at least once. If you're going to repeat this world, even more so, you can't just give up before you even try."
"Nao-san―――― Nao-san!! You can say that because you don't know! How painful, difficult, and agonizing it is to die……You can say that because you don't know how scary it is! "
"Yes, that suffering is something I don't understand. That is……Probably something no one but you will ever understand."
"Then――――!! "
"But I'm still alive in that world."

Nao dismissed Akira's words with a strong tone.

At that strong tone of voice, Akira couldn't help but keep his mouth shut and look at Nao.
She continued her words, her mouth gently parting as Nao met Akira's gaze.

"I am in that world. Compared to what you are doing now, I know I'm really not as dependable in that world when it comes to dealing with monsters…… Still, I can at least be there to listen to you when you are in pain like this. Ichijou, no matter how often you repeat it, don't forget it. You are not alone."
"――――."

Akira held his breath when Nao said those words.
Nao gazed into Akira's face and spoke more softly to him.

"The Minotaur is killing people in this city, right? Then you kill him at an early stage. That guy, you kill him before he kills anyone else in this city. That's something only you can do as you repeat this world."
"Nao-san…… Nao-san!! …………Are you asking me to die, again? "
"It's not that."

Nao slowly shook her head.

"You're wrong, Ichijou. I'm saying that you don't have to fight alone. If this world is going to be overrun with monsters, you need more than just one person in the fight, right? Compared to you, anyone would be unreliable. …………But hey, even they'll have your back. I can make a place for you to stop and rest when you are exhausted from dying and coming back to life. You don't have to do it alone. At least I'm on your side. If you fight to the death, I'll fight to the death with you."
"Why……? How can you be so sure of that?"
"What are you talking about? Isn't it obvious? You and me, we're on the same side."

Saying this, Nao gave a small smile.

"Ichijou. If this city is to be destroyed by the Minotaur, avoid that future first. If you defeat the Minotaur, I will survive. And let me, the survivor, hear this story again. Then I will also believe your story and try to work with you in that world after I have truly admired your feats, which no one will ever know."

When Nao said this, she instantly looked embarrassed,

"……Ahh. It's not really in character for me to say this outright."

She smiled wryly as she said so.

Akira stared at Nao's beaming face and slowly exhaled through his quivering lips.
Akira then became aware of his own emotions.

(Ever since monsters appeared in this world and skills and levels came into existence, I have been alone, thinking only of myself. I was so excited to level up, and take skills, it was like a game, and I was so excited to play it alone, like a fool…… Return from Hell, without even thinking about the real horror of that skill…… I thought I was the only one who could survive in this world.)

A small light was lit in a heart frayed by repetition.
The light became heat and ran through Akira's entire body.

(――――But it was different. That's not good enough. A world where I'm the only one who survives doesn't make any sense.)

Akira became aware of his own heart beating wildly as if time had stopped and started moving again.

(I……I wasn't afraid of a world of endless monsters being strengthened. It's not that I was afraid of that world where I had to keep dying. I didn't give up everything because I didn't see any hope in this world of monsters.)

His body was hot.
He felt as if the frozen emotional icicles were melting away.
The flowing blood turned his thoughts and made him clearly aware of what he was about to do.

(I am――――)

――I am alone. He was afraid of surviving in this world where monsters had appeared and the routine he had been used to had been shattered.

Yes, when Akira became aware of it.
The fire of determination flared again in Akira's heart.
Akira picked up the beer mug and downed its contents in one gulp, setting it down on his desk with force.

"……Nao-san. I'll give it another go."

Muttering, Akira stood up.
Seeing this, Nao put a smile on her mouth.

"……I see. Can you, you know, take down the Minotaur this time? "
"No, I still can't do it now. I need to raise my level more. To beat that guy, even my skills should be no good as they are now. So, a couple more times……I have to keep repeating this world."
"Well then, I guess this is where we part ways for now. ……Ichijou. Good luck."
"――Yes. Thank you very much. When I defeat the Minotaur, you will be the first person I tell everything to, Nao-san."
"Oh, do that. You have a set amount of time until the monsters are strengthened, right? Aren't you in a hurry? "
"Yes. Given that at noon, the monsters will be strengthened…… In effect, I have twelve hours at my disposal. In that time, I have to raise as many levels as I can."
"Well, I'll take care of the tab here. Now get going."
"I'm sorry, thank you."

Bowing his head, Akira left the izakaya in a hurry.
Nao saw him off from behind with a smile on her lips.
Then, when she was sure the figure had completely disappeared, she exhaled loudly and reached for the cigarette case.

"……Now, then. What am I going to do now? When you know you're going to die soon, it's hard to think of anything you want to do until then."

Nao gave a small laugh and lit a cigarette.
Then she let out a large puff of purplish smoke, and Nao slowly continued to wonder what she could do before the remaining time Akira said she had left.