Chapter 5 (200): Return by Death! A Confused Crowd
[In the chat group.]
[Kushida's pupils shifted from disbelief to explosive fury. Her breathing refused to calm. She had witnessed everything in the video, and the death of the person she loved: "Hi… Hikigaya…"]
[The others were no better off. At the final moment, Karuizawa had shut her eyes tightly, yet when the tearing sound came through the video, her heart still froze solid.]
[Everything… was over. And despair was not limited to a single person. Sakura felt her breathing grow heavy, only realizing later that tears had already streamed down her cheeks.]
[Ichinose collapsed weakly to her knees. No one nearby even had the presence of mind to help her up. Her lips trembled as she clutched her head, murmuring, "How could this… how could this happen…"]
[Kamuro, Horikita, and Sakayanagi stood frozen as well, the light completely drained from their eyes.]
[Kamuro grabbed Sakayanagi's hand as if clinging to a lifeline, not even realizing how tightly she was gripping her: "Princess… he'll be okay, right? He will be, right?"]
[Sakayanagi looked at Kamuro, who would never normally show such an expression, and could only shake her head helplessly: "I don't know… this is already beyond anything I can control."]
[Hearing those words from Sakayanagi, Kamuro felt her last shred of hope crumble. Her legs went weak, and even Sakayanagi herself wore an expression of pain she had never shown before.]
[Asahina, Kiryuin, even Chabashira-sensei and Hoshinomiya-sensei were utterly stunned. He had only been in that world for a short time, yet he had lost his life there already.]
[There were still so many things he hadn't done, so many promises left unfulfilled. The scene was burned into their minds, so vivid that more than a few people couldn't help but vomit.]
[Yukinoshita and Yuigahama stood motionless, as if stripped of the ability to move: "That's impossible… something like this…"]
[After saying that, Yuigahama immediately rushed over to Hikigaya, desperately checking his condition.]
[Miura and Hayama were also filled with worry, hearts pounding as they stared at the scene before them.]
[Totsuka: "Hikigaya… you must have been so desperate back then…"]
[Indeed, just imagining it from outside the video was enough to make one's legs shake. Hikigaya, who experienced it firsthand, truly felt that reality with his own body.]
[Yukinoshita cast him a worried glance, her voice full of concern: "Are you okay? Just think of it as a dream. It'll get better."]
[Hikigaya calmly shook his head. Watching the video, he didn't know how deep the wound left on his past self truly was. The dead do not return. Perhaps the pain was only momentary, but what was certain was that he must have regretted not doing better, because his own mistakes had led to the deaths of those around him.]
[Puck: "Lia… I never imagined that in this future, we'd end up like this."]
[Emilia's heart trembled. She didn't know what to say. Deep down, what she felt most was regret: "I killed Hikigaya-kun… I really did kill him… I…"]
[Puck let out a helpless sigh. Watching Emilia crouch on the ground, crying uncontrollably, he gently perched on her shoulder: "Lia… even now, you're worrying about others. You're the one who should be cared for."]
[Emilia sobbed: "No… Puck, I don't have that right. You know it, Hikigaya-kun died because of me. He could have lived a good life. There were so many people who cared about him… and yet I got him killed…"]
[Emilia cried even harder, and all Puck could do was gently pat her shoulder. Beyond that, there was nothing he could do.]
[Crusch exhaled softly: "What a shame. Such a brilliant mind, yet he died here. In the end, without power, nothing has meaning."]
[Anastasia: "Thrown into it suddenly, with such outstanding talent… but he met the wrong people and joined the wrong side. Otherwise, he would've had far more chances to survive."]
[Priscilla toyed with her fan and glanced at the video in displeasure: "It ended without entertaining me at all…"]
[The chat group seemed completely unrestrained now, everyone pouring out their true thoughts.]
[And it was at this moment… that they slowly realized something.]
[Everything… wasn't over yet.]
---
As suffocating pressure rose in his throat, instinctive reactions and nerve pain surged together. His vision replayed like a revolving lantern, continuing onward.
Whether this was a dream or a place beyond death, Hikigaya felt as though everything around him was illusory, without any sense of belonging.
'What… just happened?'
'Why is it so dark…?'
'Did I… fall asleep?'
As time passed, his senses dulled further and further, until he could feel nothing at all, until everything went pitch black.
'So… this is death…'
Unable to reverse anything, Hikigaya quietly waited. Whether this was repentance before death or the destination afterward didn't matter. His instinct simply wanted silence, to think of nothing at all.
Then, black hands gently wrapped around his body, slowly reaching his heart.
'Live…'
Time seemed to stop completely. Hikigaya's eyes, which had been tightly shut, suddenly opened again as if answering a call.
A beam of light fell upon him, the sign of rebirth through flames.
The noise of the world flooded back into his ears. Everything felt strangely familiar, as though nothing had happened, yet everything had.
The bustling crowd and dragon carriages were still there. Only Hikigaya stood dazed in the middle of the street. Because of his strange clothing, he quickly became the center of attention.
Hikigaya felt it all. He raised his hand. There was not a single trace of blood on it, yet the sensation was vividly real.
'What… exactly happened?'
Even someone as sharp as Hikigaya couldn't make sense of the situation. Ever since arriving in this other world, his mind had been running at full capacity. But one thing he was absolutely certain of, What had happened before was not a dream.
Memories surged back like a tide, and only now did Hikigaya fully understand.
Three people had truly died before his eyes.
Old Man Rom.
Felt.
Emilia.
And Elsa the Bowel Hunter.
If this wasn't a dream… then what was it?
Hikigaya pushed through the crowd and ran forward without thinking. The logical monster had lost its bearings, where was he supposed to go now?
Only when his body finally reached its limit did he stop. Hands on his knees, he gasped for breath.
"Hey, kid, wanna buy an appa?"
A familiar face, yet with a completely different attitude.
"I already told you, I don't have any money."
"Tch, broke trash. Dressed all fancy, I thought you were some rich kid. No money? Get lost, don't block my business."
Hikigaya didn't respond. Without awareness, he kept walking forward. To anyone watching, he looked like a walking corpse, a puppet stripped of its soul.
Without consciously choosing a path, he wandered back into the alley. Perhaps only a place this quiet could allow him to regain his sanity.
'What… is going on…'
The nausea surged again. Hikigaya crouched down and vomited.
'Everything was so real… so why am I still here? Where is Emilia? Where did she go?'
"Urgh…"
---
[Seeing this, the people who had fallen into despair suddenly felt hope rekindle. Though they didn't understand what was happening, one thing was clear, Hikigaya had reappeared in the video.]
[Yukinoshita: "What's going on?"]
[Yuigahama: "I… I don't know… Isshiki, do you?"]
[Isshiki spread her hands, clearly just as clueless.]
[Hayama: "I'm certain that what we saw wasn't fake. And Hikigaya in the video seems to understand that too."]
[Miura frowned in thought: "Then maybe… maybe it's some kind of superpower? Think about it, sending him to another world without giving him something special would be way too cruel. No matter how smart Hikigaya is, he's still just a normal guy."]
[Yuigahama: "I think so too!"]
[Hikigaya: "As much as I'd love to shoot laser beams from my eyes and mouth like you say, if I had that ability, I'd probably have used it already."]
[Yukinoshita hesitated, unsure whether to retort or not, then spoke with forced composure: "Giving you a power doesn't mean turning you into a superhero, Hikigaya-kun."]
---
Outside the alley, the sound of retching seemed to draw the attention of a certain swordsman.
His movements and expression carried noble etiquette. His fiery red hair and blue-and-white knight's uniform stood out brilliantly, like a protagonist stepping straight out of a novel. The contrast between him and the destitute-looking Hikigaya was striking.
"Excuse me, sir. Do you require assistance?"
Hikigaya lightly shook his head. Already bad at social interaction, he wanted to avoid unnecessary contact even more right now. The noble air the man exuded made him uncomfortable. To be honest, Hikigaya disliked this kind of false politeness.
Seeing the disgust on his face, the red-haired man flinched slightly, then quickly replaced it with an even gentler smile.
"I believe I can still help you, if only by sitting beside you."
'What a self-righteous guy… he's just like Hayama.'
[Hayama: "Why am I getting dragged into this again… Hikigaya-kun, your hostility toward me is way too strong."]
[Hikigaya: "It was just a sarcastic remark."]
---
Hikigaya had no way to deal with the man who stubbornly stayed by his side. His body still reacted with bouts of nausea, but gradually he regained some control. Even so, his face was visibly pale.
"May I hear your story?" the red-haired man suddenly asked.
Hikigaya let out a self-mocking chuckle.
"To be honest, even now, I don't understand what's happened to me. All I know is that everything I just experienced felt like a nightmare… one that's still clinging to me."
When fear finally appeared in Hikigaya's eyes, the red-haired man no longer pressed him to speak. He simply sat quietly beside him, like a guardian deity standing watch.
No one knew how much time passed before a voice sounded from outside the alley.
"Boss, it's here. There was a guy just now who looked really rich."
"Oh? Let me see how much this guy's worth."
"Heh heh, if this goes well, we won't go hungry tonight."
…
For some reason, even though Hikigaya hadn't seen their faces yet, their voices felt vaguely familiar.
Strangely enough, Hikigaya felt as though he had lost his last bit of strength. He stood up lightly, yet had no desire to leave at all.
'Judging by their tone… probably muggers again. Looks like my luck has really run out today.'
Hikigaya sat back down. The red-haired man's gaze, however, never left him for even a moment.
"You're not leaving?"
"Saying that to someone who's sick is a bit rude, don't you think?"
"Sorry, I didn't mean it that way. If you want, I can take you away at any time."
"No need. With someone who looks this strong, and who's carrying a sword, those guys probably won't dare do anything."
The red-haired man chuckled softly and said nothing more.
As they neared the end of the alley, the leader's voice rang out again.
"Trying to leave? None of you are getting away today."
When the light finally fell on the three men's faces, Hikigaya's body jolted as if struck by electricity, trembling violently.
"Looks like my luck is really awful today. I've already run into you guys twice."
Hikigaya spoke helplessly.
The white-haired youth immediately retorted, "You can insult us, but don't slander us. This is our first job today."
"But I've seen you before."
"Bullshit! I've never seen you in my life."
Hikigaya was certain his eyes weren't deceiving him, and there was no way three people could look exactly the same. Yet the things they were saying now…
The burly middle-aged man leaned close to the white-haired youth and whispered, "Boss, look at that guy. This job's not easy."
"What are you scared of? Just the guard unit!"
"No… Boss, something's wrong. That guy is Reinhard."
The short leader finally realized it, and his legs began to tremble.
"Huh? What did you say?"
"That guy… he's the Sword Saint."
In an instant, the situation flipped. Hikigaya finally got a clear look at the red-haired man beside him.
Reinhard wore a gentle smile: "Ah, I've been recognized… but you're not getting away today."
Hikigaya: "Wait. Before you start fighting, I just want to ask… have you really never seen me before?"
The white-haired youth dropped to his knees with a thud, followed immediately by the other two.
"How would I dare lie to you? You've got the Sword Saint right beside you! I might misjudge once, but do you think I'd misjudge twice?"
Hikigaya: "Then have you seen a girl with silver hair, who looks like an elf?"
White-haired youth: "No, no! Please don't add more charges to me. I really give up."
Without any resistance, Reinhard didn't even need to draw his sword. His sheer presence alone subdued them.
After putting them in handcuffs, Reinhard smiled once more.
"I'm glad to see you've finally returned to yourself. Unfortunately, I have to go back to work. If you ever need my help again, feel free to find me. Oh, and it's nice to meet you. My name is Reinhard van Astrea."
Hikigaya glanced at the red-haired young man. He didn't think too much about it, only confirming internally that his skills were extraordinary, though just how extraordinary, he couldn't say.
At the moment, however, Hikigaya had something far more important to confirm.
"My name is Hikigaya Hachiman. If possible, I hope our lives never intersect again. I'm just an ordinary person."
Reinhard smiled faintly: "Sometimes, life doesn't let us choose."
...
'Everything really happened… yet in this world, it's all been erased. According to the fruit vendor, according to those three muggers, this was my first time here. If all of this is an accident… then finding Emilia would prove everything.'
'But how do you find someone who's already dead?'
'Is my judgment correct?'
'If so… was what I experienced before a glimpse of the future?'
'No. That level of realism couldn't be precognition. And if I could see the future, I wouldn't be plagued by these questions now.'
'More accurately… did I return to the past?'
'Returned to the past? But only I have these memories.'
'What else can I think of? What else can I do? I have to use my brain!'
'Time. Place. People.'
'Previously evening, now noon, and this same old alley. Was everything decided from the very beginning?'
'Was I being controlled? No…'
Dragging his exhausted body, Hikigaya continued walking down the street.
Just like the first time he wandered this road, his terrifying memory allowed him to perfectly recreate the helplessness and novelty he'd felt upon arriving in this world.
Everything he saw now, he had seen before.
The demi-human couple with a child.
The housewife with the red headscarf.
The merchants' dragon carriages.
And then,
That silver-white cloak.
Wait…
Silver hair. Blue-and-white cloak.
Everything seemed to intertwine like fate itself, and at this moment, hope was finally reborn.
Without hesitation, Hikigaya followed closely behind her. When he finally reached her, he lifted her cloak.
As if struck by lightning, the girl froze in place. The gazes of the passersby all converged instantly.
"Look, she's exactly like the Witch of Envy."
"That's Satella, isn't it?"
"Satella, what a disgusting name. Stay away from her."
"..."
The nonstop abuse made Hikigaya realize just how grave a mistake he had made.
The girl turned around angrily, her violet eyes, like they could peer straight into one's heart, locking onto him.
"You…"
Hikigaya was about to apologize when he noticed a familiar blonde girl rapidly approaching.
He reached out, trying to warn her.
"Protect your insignia!"
"Don't touch me!"
The next instant, the blonde girl appeared right in front of her. In less than a second, she deftly stole the insignia.
The silver-haired girl tried to chase after her, but the crowd closing in blocked her completely. She became trapped at the center of it all.
Watching the thief leap across rooftops until she vanished, the girl finally understood that catching her was impossible.
She glared furiously at Hikigaya and demanded, "You're all working together, aren't you?! This was planned from the start, wasn't it?!"
Hikigaya felt utterly helpless. He was about to say everything he knew when a crushing pain seized his insides.
The suffocating sensation forced him to gasp for air.
"Move!"
The girl stopped wasting time on him and tried to leave.
In that moment of desperation and helplessness, Hikigaya tightly grabbed her wrist.
"Emilia, please believe me!"
(End of this chapter)