Extra Story: D (5/5)

Back to the Arena
“…because of that, I asked Kana and Raef to be one of the few people who gets their wish. Raef, well, because he was your other friend, and Kana…”
Sora looked at Kana and both smiled at each other.
“Kana is the same position as me.”
I tried to put two and two together.
“So your plan was to quickly finish the rest after I got my 10,000?”
“Yup. It was hard. We had to aim the stronger ones fast and quickly so that we would also have enough for ourselves.”
“With this new baby here, I used my magic simply to avoid hitting you, Sora and Kana. They fell like rain in front my baby.”
“I was amazed that Kana could actually get 10,000 so easily with her weapon.”
I noted about Kana’s gloves.
“Hahaha, that was easy.”
With a simple thought, a long chain that glowed yellow from the magical energy appeared in Kana’s hands.
“By changing this chain into a laser-chain, I easily cut down a lot of people when I aimed at head level. Obviously I took you off its targeting.”
Kana hastily added the last part in when I gave her a glare.
“Once we all had our quota, it was a matter of seconds to clean up. I’m surprised you didn’t notice all the noise around you.”
“Yea, like with Sora’s rain of swords or my Machine of Destruction.”
I sighed, I really had underestimated them.
“Then I’ll have to congratulate you. All four of you.”
The game master appeared in front of us. But this time we didn’t raise our weapons at him.
“Oh? No weapons this time?”
He noticed. That asshole.
“Anyway, as you can see, press the little red button and then you can use your wish.”
“You sure the little red button won’t blow us up when we press it?”
“Sigh, ever the joker, Raef Thade. Actually, the button summons me, and then you tell me your wish directly. So who’s first?”
I looked at Sora and Kana.
“Ladies first, isn’t it?”
“Hey, can’t I go first?!”
Raef was totally ignored as Sora looked at Kana.
“I wish that in no matter what reality, Kirdan will be with me and Sora romantically and legally.”
“You’re just saying you wish that you want Xana to be OK with threesomes aren’t you?!!”
Raef’s outburst and Kana’s wish made me and the game master opened mouth with shock. I had no idea Kana had liked me. But now with her wish, even after my wish, we will be together.
“My turn!”
Sora chirped totally ignoring Raef again. I feel sad for that guy. Even after being alive after all that, and getting a wish, he was now a shadow.
“My wish is that Kir, me, Kana, and Reyzar would be friends no matter what the other reality is.”
“Are you purposely forgetting me?! Is that it? Just because you don’t like me, you—“
“Of course Raef as well~ How could I forget after all the training you helped me with<3”
“Ah….Errr…. Thank you.”
I looked at Raef.
“You go first. After all that hard times with me and Sora, you deserve it.”
Raef became speechless.
“Man, thanks a lot. I didn’t think you’d be so kind to me as well. ALRIGHT! I want to have a beautiful girlfriend who loves me, lots of money, and—“
“Raef…”
The game master looked at Raef with a grave expression.
“Unfortunately there is only enough power for one more wish, and I’m giving that wish to Xanatos.”
“EEEHHHHHH??? You gotta be joking!”
“Yes I am.”
“After all that crap I’ve been thru—what did you say?”
“Yes, I am joking. You still get your wish Raef.”
“GAAAHHH!!!”
“Hahahahah”
The four of us laughed together. It was surprising to see that the game master was actually a nice guy that knew how to joke as well. My impression of him was definitely changing for the better.
“So which is your wish? Girlfriend or money?”
“Umm… ahhh… errr… girlfriend. After all I’ve learnt with being with Xana, it’s that love is important. I can live without money, but love is a must. Anyway, I know how to get rich quick legally. All you have to do is…”
Raef continued to talk to himself.
The game master looked at me.
“It’s been a long journey Kirdan.”
“Thanks to you…”
“I am truly sorry Reyzar had to die in this reality. After your wishes have come to pass, you will see him again. He was a really nice guy, that Reyzar. It’s easy to see why that you had feelings for him.”
“Feelings for him? Hey wait a moment, I didn’t have—“
““Kirdan?!””
Sora and Kana looked dangerously at me.
“Hold on! Sora! Kana! I didn’t do anything explicit with Reyzar!”
“Game master! You know my wish! Please let the wishes go into effect now!”
I desperately shouted at the guy who caused so much trouble for me.
Sora and Kana pounced and…
…The world as they had known faded away.
___
In a misty nothingness, the consciousness of Kirdan Dunamis floated alongside Otonashi Sora and Minami Kana.
“Good work to all of you. You will never see me again. Now I will head to another realm and start the game all over again. Maybe the new players will make the same choice as you. Maybe they won’t. Then again, that is another story. Farewell to all of you.”
The game master’s voice rang in their heads as they drifted into the new world their wishes have created.
___
“…Kir…Kirdan!”
A familiar voice called my name.
I slowly sit up and rub my eyes. I was back in my home with Sora shaking me on one side and Kana sleeping on the other. The gentle sunlight shone through the open windows, and a gentle breeze danced around the room.
“Oh, good morning Sora.”
I lean against the wall while hugging my pillow. There was something that was nagging in my mind that I should have remembered, but I couldn’t.
“I feel like I’ve just had a bad dream.”
Sora looked at me.
“Me too! It was a scary one where many people had died.”
I leaned forward and kissed Sora on her cheek, then brushed my hand through Kana’s hair.
“It’s over now anyway. So what’s for breakfast?”
Somebody knocked on the door at that moment.
“Who’s that?”
I had a feeling that I knew that person, yet I still called out to ask.
The door pushed open and Reyzar walked in wearing an apron and carrying a tray full of food.
“Morning! Did you have a good sleep?”
“Reyzar! I thought you were… In my dream I dreamt you died!”
“Is that so? That would’ve sucked. Here’s your breakfast. Raef hasn’t woken up though. He’s been coming home quite late these few days. Do you think…?”
“Yea, that guy has finally gotten himself a loving girlfriend.”
I said with a smile.
“Hahaha, not many people are as lucky as you to have two beautiful and devoted wives.”
Reyzar’s remark made me look at both of them again. I was indeed lucky to have such a wonderful family.
Reyzar, I’ve finally achieved your dream.
“What was that?”
“What was what?”
Reyzar and Sora looked around as if I pointed at something.
But it was a sudden thought that had arose in my mind. Something that I felt that I had no need to worry about anymore.
I dropped back down onto my bed and sighed.
“It feels great to be alive.”



January 11th 2021
“Somebody help me!”
I screamed, hopeful that somebody would come to my rescue.
Stupid, stupid, stupid! I knew I shouldn’t have walked through that park by myself.
I scolded myself but also knew it was of no use.
Several members of the fiercest gang from my school had seen me as I was walking alone, and cornered me in a quiet part of the park where nobody would pass by.
I had thought if I was quick enough, I could get to the train station earlier.
If only I hadn’t thought that way, I wouldn’t be like this now.
“Hehehe, nobody is going to save you.”
One of them grinned evilly at me. His eyes searched all over my body, all eager to do things he’s only read about.
“What do you want to do first?”
“First? Let’s just strip her first and then we’ll go with the flow.”
The thug holding on to my arms asked as another guy unbuttoned his pants and exposed his down there.
I squirmed and looked away, but the guy holding me twisted me around and slapped me. I fell onto the floor holding on to my skirt and clothes.
This couldn’t be happening to me! This couldn’t be happening to me! This couldn’t be happening to me!
That was all I could think of when they stripped away my skirt and ripped open my school blouse. With my breasts and panties exposed, my brain was about to shut down from fear.
“Tch, I can’t believe guys like you go to the same school as me.”
A new voice entered the conversation.
I looked up and saw a long-haired guy who was wearing a yellow hoodie vest. My dulled brain could barely remember where he was from. I recalled seeing him somewhere before.
With this person’s arrival, my heart started thumping quickly.
Was I going to be saved?
No, that wasn’t likely. It was only one guy against ten. There was no way this guy could handle them all at the same time.
“Who the fuck are you?!”
The leader of the group shouted at the newcomer.
He’s going to be killed along with me.
The long-haired guy yawned.
He yawned?!
All of us must be thinking the same thing. How could a guy yawn when facing ten armed and fierce gangsters?
“Asshole, you think you can save the princess all by yourself like some knight?!”
One of the other guys insulted the newcomer.
“That depends.”
“That depends on what?!”
“That depends on whether you are players or not. Which unfortunately you are.”
The leader suddenly smiled.
“You’re a player as well. Then we can use our magic on you.”
The newcomer sighed and casually walked over to me, walking through the middle of all ten of them. They let him walk in, then surrounded him.
Picking me up from the ground, he took off his hoodie and covered me with it.
“That was no way to treat a girl. Though, that wasn’t really my place to say.”
“If you know your place, then get ready to die you fucker!”
Then suddenly, something impossible happened.
Balls of blue, red, green energy appeared around the hands of the delinquents. My brain must be tired from all the shock.
“Such language. Is that all you have to throw at me? You made me dirty my hands, literally.”
The leader threw the ball of swirling light at the long-haired guy.
DODGE IT!
I wanted to scream at him. But another even more shocking thing happened.
The shadow at his feet seemed to come alive and formed a shield that protected him from the energy ball.
“So now I have to dirty my hands with your blood, metaphorically.”
The shadow shield dissipated back into the ground, while black shadows seeped from the surroundings and formed a short sword in his hand. It seemed to absorb the light and heat from the surroundings.
What was this guy?
The delinquents started to waver. But the leader shouted at them.
“Start attacking him!”
All ten of them jumped at the long-haired guy and swung their light-covered fists and weapons at him. With each attack, the long-haired guy blocked it all with smooth and graceful swings of his sword.
After realizing their efforts was useless, they stopped the assault and watched him wearily.
“The quality of players nowadays. Tsk tsk.”
He shook his head in dissatisfaction.
“For embarrassing and traumatizing this pure girl, I will embarrass and traumatize you first. Then I’ll kill you. Fair enough?”
Without waiting for an answer, he walked towards each one of them and swung his sword once for each step he took. The delinquents couldn’t even block the blow that they saw coming. Within 10 steps, all of them were dead and lying on the floor.
“Oh sorry, I forgot to mention. I hate long battles.”
As the sword in his hand vanished, the bodies also disintegrated into nothing.
He walked over to me.
“Can I have my jacket back?”
“…”
Who could answer such a simple question after seeing something like ten people dying and vanishing in front of you?
“Can I have my jacket back?”
He asked again.
I nodded and took it off.
“Thank you. Now for your clothes.”
“Ehhh?”
He wanted me to take of my clothes as well? But…I guess…he did save me after all…so I think I could…
I lifted my hand to take off the tattered blouse.
“Hey! What are you doing?”
“Didn’t you ask me to take off my clothes?”
I glanced at him.
In his hand was a similar light like the delinquents had. But instead of using it to destroy, he was using it to fix my clothes.
“Oh…uh…sorry. I didn’t mean it that way. I just wanted to fix it for you. People would look at you weirdly if you went back like that.”
The brave guy who killed ten guys without blinking was now blushing and stuttering.
How cute.
I thought as he quickly fixed it. With a smile and a wave, I was left sitting on the cool park bench as he walked off.
I think I’ve fallen in love with him.
Smiling to myself, I didn’t notice the slight burning feeling I had on my right arm.
Then an important thought crossed my mind.
“AH! I forgot to ask him his name!”

I found out the next day he was in the same school as me. We weren’t the same class though. I didn’t know whether to talk to him or not. Day after day of not talking to him, I lost my courage to speak to him.
But at least I now knew his name.
His name was Kirdan Dunamis.
I, Minami Kana, had fallen in love with Kirdan Dunamis.


Author’s Notes
Thank you for taking your time to read this novel. This would be my first finished work posted online. Though it may be short compared to most novels, I sincerely hope this has been an interesting enough read to while away some time.
Hmm, to talk about this story. I guess I was intrigued with the idea of a guy who had given up on saving the current world, and in the process find a true love. Sure, he still changed the current world. Sure it was cliché as heck(I think). His battle scenes were like the leaves falling of a tree: uninteresting. That shows the extent I have to practice as an author to write out those scenes for everyone to enjoy.
I used an alternate Japan(*ahem* Tokyo) as my setting, mainly because it was the most densely populated city and the fact it had four seasons. And thus the Japanese suffixes and names of some things.
There was originally a ‘H’ scene where Kirdan finds out the location of Sora’s mark when they were at Kamijou’s place. But because of the low quality of the writing, I decided to remove it, and that’s how Sora’s shirt was open when they finished. (If you really want to know, it’s on her inner thigh. That’s why Kirdan didn’t see it in his loft.)
Again, thanks for the time you have put in to read this.

■□■□■□■□■□
I wrote that extra "author's notes" a long time ago. Just left it in since it has some extra stuff

Extra Story: D (4/5)

December 25th 2020. Doomsday December
It was 6.45pm. I had suddenly thought to buy Reyzar a late Christmas present and hopped out earlier this evening to get one for him. Now I was walking on my way to the venue of the Christmas meet he had organized.
Snow was falling heavily and many couples stood under the enormous Christmas tree erected in the middle of the city. My breath puffed in mists as I moved nimbly, avoiding couples with a book under my arm. It was the latest book that came out today by his favorite author.
The venue, a large cathedral in the city, loomed ahead in front of me. I could feel the presence of many, if not all the players in the city all collected inside.
Then a chilling shiver went down my back.
It was an ominous feeling that I knew something bad was going to happen.
I tucked the book deep into my jacket and rushed into the cathedral.
[Whoosh, slam]
The two large doors I slammed apart and with it a cold draft rushed through the room.
The sight that met my eyes was burned into my iris, retina, and brain forever.
Every single person in the cathedral at that moment was a player, and all of them were focused on attacking one thing at the middle of the stage: Reyzar. He stood on the altar, fending off the waves of players like a human desperately fighting off zombies. And somehow, he had been injured very badly. A dagger stuck out the side of his abdomen, blood was streaming from different parts of his head, and his right arm was limp at his side.
His eyes lit up when he saw me.
I blinked over to Reyzar’s side at the same moment he lost his strength and collapsed. Reyzar landed on my lap and breathed heavily.
“What the hell happened here?!!!”
I furiously shouted at everyone. They all carefully backed off a few steps away from me.
“ *cough cough* They attacked me…because I was the…*cough*…the strongest player. S-Somehow, their tactics worked. They had a new player who had very good planning. *cough* So this is the result.”
Reyzar smiled weakly at me. I was about to speak, but Reyzar lifted his left hand and attempted to cover my mouth with one finger.
“Don’t. Don’t act all ‘You can’t die here, Reyzar!’ on me. *coughs blood* I’m entrusting my wish to you…Because I know you can do it…you’re the only one who *cough* knows…So finish me so that none of these bastards can get my dojo. Keep it clean for me, I’ll be watching…….”
He tried to raise his katana, but his arm lost strength halfway. I caught it in my hand.
“I’ll keep this katana too if you don’t mind. And I will help you with your wish.”
Reyzar gratefully smiled at me as materialized a black shadow dagger in my left hand. My right hand was clasped over his left hand which was gripping his katana. I wanted him to die with his precious sword in his hand.
Then my dagger fell through his heart.
“See you on the other side my friend.”
“Not so soon though. You’ll have to wait abit.”
Reyzar smiled at me as he faded into a million particles of rainbow colored light with a shimmering sound.
His katana remained in my grip. Its sheath was on the floor and I picked it up with my other hand. A small tassel on the sheath had the name of the katana written on it. ‘Eagle Slayer’ it said, written in kanji. Reyzar had told me its name before, so I didn’t need to look at it.
There once was a man foolish enough to try to attempt to hit a sparrow in flight. As the sparrow could sense the wind movement, it could dodge the attack. Eventually this man created the skill of ‘Tsubame Gaeshi’, three simultaneous strikes so that the sparrow had no way of escaping.
‘Eagle Slayer’ had a similar story. It was originally a huge sword forged for a man who wanted to bring down a giant eagle. This man not only did so, and he caught the eagle and made it teach him how to accurately bring down targets at a long distance at a fast speed, in other words the eagle’s dive. Eventually, this man became the strongest swordsman in the world, known for his strong and fast swordplay.
The ‘Eagle Slayer’ was one of two swords that made from the huge sword which was melted down and reforged. The other was ‘Falcon’s Strike’. Falcon’s Strike had the speed required to take down any prey. Eagle Slayer had the strength needed to bring down eagles. Together, they were two katanas that could bring down any enemy.
This was the sword that my friend Reyzar had inherited and I now held. Passed down through generations of the dojo that taught the skill of hunting eagles with swords, the Eagle Slayer-style was now no more.
Because of those players who killed Reyzar.
Because of the game which made Reyzar a player.
Because I wasn’t there to help him.
I stood up with Eagle Slayer in my hand. The players all tensed up again. Reyzar had said they had a tactician. But that tactician had no idea of my abilities.
“Defensive formation A7!”
One of them shouted and they all followed.
I closed my eyes and inhaled deeply.
I exhaled and opened my eyes at the same time. The world was now monochrome in color. But all the players were outlined with red. A bright crimson red. A beating pulsating red. And it filled the monochrome world with a color.
I didn’t like the color.
I placed the sheath in my belt and raised my now empty left hand outstretched with palm open and facing up.
“Brace yourselves!! Ranged casters throw whatever you’ve got!!”
The guy commanding them gave another order.
Defensive magic circles and spells appeared, along with the ranged attacks that flew towards me.
The fastest one was probably flying at the speed of a tennis ball hit by an amateur. It didn’t have time to reach me before I twisted my palm down and swung it hard to my side.
The attack spells all evaporated. They were all confused at first, but quickly started casting new spells.
Then the real hell broke loose.
The entire floor was covered with a large dark black shadow. Small wriggling tentacles with hands on the end started squirming out from it, waving like a kelp field in the ocean. These dark hands grasped onto every player they could find. And every player they could find were screaming and running in fear and terror.
“Hold your positions!! Hold your—“
The guy shouting orders stood his ground as long as he could. But he soon realized his troops were no more than a bunch of ragtag civilians. He looked at me straight in the eye and summoned a big ball of white-hot fire. It was the first time I saw white-colored fire. Or maybe it was simply the monochrome world.
With a grin, he tossed it at me.
I didn’t even bother moving. A shadow shield opened up and absorbed it, making him give a look of surprise on his face. Then he kept summoning everything he could and threw them at me. As much as I would have respected the guy, I didn’t care. He caused Reyzar’s death along with everyone else in the room.
I slowly positioned the katana for a slash, for dramatic effect. The room slowly quieted down looking at what I would do next.
All I said was one word with one calm slash of the sword.
“Die.”
The shadow hands started pulling them all slowly into the blackness below them. Screams and pleas of mercy bounced off my ears and echoed through the large cathedral.
In all, from me entering the cathedral, it took no more than half an hour. I kept their death slow, so that their fear would consume them.
But I kept that resilient bastard for last.
I walked up to him, his head the only visible thing remaining. He looked at me and conjured a small fireball in his mouth and spit at me. I blocked it with my foot and stomped straight down on him.
The red became no more and the world was monochrome again.

July 2022
“I’m so sorry. I didn’t know what you had went through for all that. It must have been…horrible.”
I finally told Sora the whole truth about Doomsday December. A few tears were streaming down her eyes.
I placed my arm around her as we sat on the patio. It was nearing sunset.
“It’s ok. I’ve long gotten over it. This dojo holds lots of memories of Reyzar and me in our few weeks together.”
Sora leaned up and looked at me in the eye.
“Then what are you going to do next? The game master wants us—no, you to do that again?”
“That’s what I am afraid of. Even though there will be many people there, I’m scared that you would be also become like Reyzar. No, not just only that. I had a reason to annihilate those players. Now, it feels like nothing but a mindless slaughter.”
Sora repositioned herself again and now lay using my lap as a pillow.
“Then I’ll ask you this. What about Reyzar? Aren’t you going to fulfill his wish?”
“That’s what I have been working towards. Slowly but surely, I was heading towards that goal. Until the game master came along.”
“I meant through Red September. Don’t you think you can end it earlier with that?”
She seemed eager about Red September, but I didn’t really notice.
“I guess it is possible. If I don’t win it early, others may also get it instead. It would probably be better that way.”
Sora smiled at me
“So are we going?”
My eyes now had a fire in it.
“Yea, we’re going.”

In that short time period until the 1st of September, I trained Sora hard during that time, including skipping school.
By the time we were finished, Sora could summon a whole array of light-swords and fire them off like arrows, shoot accurate and powerful magic balls infused with elements, and she grew another pair of wings, making a total of four.
“Wow! That’s cool!”
Sora had exclaimed when it happen.
“Hmmm, your wings increase in number when you ‘level up?’”
I mused as Raef applauded Sora.
“It makes her more and more angel-like!”
“Yea, well, angels with more wings are called stuff like Seraphim and Cherubim based on their role and have different number of wings.”
“Eeehhhh? I didn’t know that.”
Sora and Raef said together.
This was a happy moment that people took for granted.
Red September came all too soon.

1st September 2022
[Beep]
A magic screen appeared in front of me. It was the announcement that the game master said he would give. The time and place of the event would be at the City Arena at 7pm. The public version was that there was a concert going on.
Sora and Raef were also waiting for the message at my loft. When I looked up from the message, they also had finished reading the message.
“Here’s our plan. Aim as many of the original 1,500 players as quickly possible. The other 48,500 won’t really know what’s going on. So once we finish them off, clean up the rest and we can finally put an end to this game.”
““Alright!!””
Sora and Raef said together.
The City Arena was one of the smaller stadiums meant for high school and university sports that made it onto television or had some small reputation as well as other small events near the city. It was located near the main shopping center area, for ease of access.
The time now was 6.45pm, the same time as Doomsday December. But the outcome would be totally different.
The three of us were watching from behind the big screens on the south end of the Arena, as the people flowed in, both public and players alike. All oblivious to the oncoming massacre. I suspected some had plans of killing other players, but those plans would most likely crash and burn.
And then it was time.
The clock on the screens at the north and south ends showed 7:00. That’s when the attacking ban was lifted and everyone person in the Arena became a player. The City Arena literally became an arena for our carnage.
Sora and I flew down, like an angel and demon down into the screaming masses. Various players noticed us and started bringing out their various weapons and firing them at us and other players.
Raef stayed up at the screen playing sniper and picking off targets. His weapon of the night was a custom-made variant of the Russian Dragonov. Instead of the usual magazines, it now had a belt load and he fired them continuously. He probably had a M134 and an Israeli Galil when he ran out of ammo for the Dragonov.
I had tracked each of the 1,500 players, only 1474 turned up including us, earlier with a shadow marker I placed on them as they entered. Remember, I can blink to any shadow within my field of vision. And now I used it the pick them off. Since this time, it wasn’t a slaughter but a free-for-all, I used various blades to take down my targets.
Sora also knew the targets because I synchronized my markers with her magic and she elegantly flew over the screaming crowd.
Slash-blink to next target-slash-dodge.
My movements went along something of this order. Until—
[Clink]
“Well hello Xanatos, fancy meeting you here!”
It was the girl that had visited me to ask some questions. In the middle of the mayhem, I realized that I still didn’t know her name.
“Ehhhh!!! I’m so sorry! I don’t even know your name!”
She looked at me indignantly as she stabbed a player in the heart with her gloves that emitted magic and could be formed into weapons of her imagination. Something like a certain comic’s green ring but with gloves.
“Seriously?! Come on!”
She dodged my slash, which hit a player behind her and threw her small daggers into a player behind me. New ones reformed in her hand as soon as the previous two left.
“It’s Kana! I even attend the same school as you!!”
That was a surprise. I never actually noticed her.
“Then I’m so sorry for that. NAP for forgetting your name and being a part of my school?”
Kana backflipped and spun in a circle, killing three players.
NAP stood for Non-Aggression Pact, in other words a truce.”
“Haha! I never wanted to attack you in the first place.”
“What?!”
I must have misheard. Oh well, on to the next target.
“Then I’ll be going first. If you need help, give a call!”
“OK~!”
It was probably about three minutes when I opened my kill-count to check my score.
4,429 Kills.
And of the 1,474, there were 8 left. That meant Raef, Sora, Kana, me, and four others. That’s good for now.
Time to end this quick.
Even though I said I didn’t want it to be a slaughter, I didn’t like prolonged fights.
I opened a field of shadow expanding outwards from me on the ground.
10,000 – 4,329 = 5,571
Alright then, with simple math I summoned 5,571 large tentacle-hands and clamped them on to those 5,571 unlucky players and ended them in an instant.
The kill-counter now showed 10,000, and a small message appeared.
[You have now earned the right to a wish. Press the red button to use it.]
The red button was glowing a shiny red.
I finally had attained what I sought after and it was right in front of me. It was what I have nearly went insane over. It was the thing that Reyzar had died for. It was the only way for Reyzar’s dream to come true.
The euphoria of the achievement wore off, and I looked around to search for Sora, Raef and Kana.
Then I noticed the field was strangely empty.
Craters of explosions, burnt grass from various sources, patches of various aftereffects of spells, but it was void of people.
The only people left on the field were Sora, Kana, me, and….Raef. He was waving at me with some kind of weapon monstrosity. It looked like a whole bunch of M134s and machine guns wrapped around some kind of frame that also had RPGs and other weaponry that I knew no name for.
“What the bloody hell happened?”
“Well, you see…”
Sora was looking strangely kind of shy. The kind of shy that a child in trouble shows; The Oh-I-am-in-so-much-trouble face. Kana had mixed emotions and Raef was… dammit, he’s Raef, laughing like an idiot.
“So?!! There were definitely 50,000 people here just now.”
“Ummm.....”
Both Sora and Kana didn’t know what to say.
“While you, with your big headed strength and all, were emo-ing, Sora met Kana, that’s how they became friends. Then after the game master met you the last time at the dojo, Sora came up with this plan.”
Raef still laughing explained to me. Sora looked at me and spoke up.
“About that…”
Earlier at the dojo
It was a small stretch of rock in the middle of a raging sea and under a grey sky. Somehow, grass grew on the top of it, making it look like a crewcut. And standing on one end of this stretch of rock was Otonashi Sora.
“Where am I?”
She wondered aloud.
“A place that you needn’t worry yourself too much over.”
The voice of the game master came from behind her. Sora spun around and saw him standing at the other end of the rock.
“If I’m not wrong, I was in the dojo with Kir…”
The game master nodded once out of something that wasn’t politeness.
“I just wanted to let you know about something just before I go. You see, the wish is applicable to anybody who reaches 10,000 and I mean anybody.”
“So what are you saying?”
“So I’m saying, you could also have your wish come true. After all, you still have 9,999 more to go, and out of 50,000, that’s quite easy.”
Sora looked at the game master silently for a while.
“You know his wish, don’t you.”
A statement, not a question, to which the game master smiled.
“He wants the world to change. And the world will change when he wishes for it. It will totally and perfectly alter reality as you know it.”
“That would mean I wouldn’t meet Kir, is that it?.....You want me to wish to stay with Kir! Why would you want such a thing after all you’ve done to him?!”
The game master raised his hands to get Sora to calm down.
“Do you know what game masters do? They regulate the game, but have no true power over the game. They create events, help players, and never directly interfere with the results. Especially what the players wish for. That’s who I am. Doomsday December, Red September, and countless others, all these are simply events that I was tasked to create and I completed it well. I helped the players by giving them rewards from the events. And I still do have a heart you know. I want Kirdan to have you by his side no matter what he wishes for; it will be my reward to him.”
“So in other words—“
“In other words, I’d like you to wish that you two would stay together. Without his memories of this game. No wait, it is better for him to have it. He’d like something to remember Reyzar by.”
Sora smiled, as she understood something. The game master turned as if to leave, then seemingly remembering something, he turned back.
“There are 50,000 people. You only need 10,000 to have a wish. I think you’ll make good use of that, don’t you think?”
With a playful wink, the world vanished and Sora was standing behind Kirdan as he was furiously attacking the wall. She slowly walked up to him and asked.
“What were Reyzar’s last words?”

Extra Story: D (3/5)

I suddenly sat up on the sofa in my loft. The lights were on and it was night outside.
“Xana! Are you alright?”
Raef was sitting across from me. Sora was sleeping on my lap.
“What the hell happened?”
I had a ringing headache, barely remembering my conversation with that guy.
“You suddenly passed out. It’s been almost ten hours. I was planning to bring you to the hospital if you didn’t wake up by morning.”
I stroked Sora’s hair; she purred alittle and moved abit. By now, I already understood what people meant when they said their lover was the most beautiful person in the world.
“That’s all?”
The amount of time I spent talking to that guy couldn’t not have been more than thirty minutes. Was it just a dream?
November 2020
It was the first snow of the season. I don’t remember whether it was late or early. It just fell.
I sat in the middle of the city square, wearing only dark red hoodie and jeans. It was insane, considering the weather was 5 degrees. But I had magic to warm me up. I added a mere 10 degrees to it, still very cold, but I liked it.
Christmas was coming soon. People rushed by to do their shopping. Office workers were heading home. Young couples were on dates. I sat in the middle of normalcy and watched it pass me by.
200 players. 200 players died to my hands in a month. My ranking was now 2,600. It didn’t increase. It dropped.
It confused me of course. But I didn’t know I would find out in due time. All I cared was finding my next target.
That was the other lone guy sitting across the street.

June 2022
The amount of players was rapidly increasing. For every one I killed, three replaced him. Was it the doing of the game master?
Sora was noticing my distracted attitude.
“Kir, let’s go on a nice proper whole day date ok?”
“Hmm? Oh… ok.”
“Kir, a full date. Starting from breakfast, all the way to the bed.”
“Mmm OK, wait, what?”
“You agreed already~ No backing out!”
Sora giggled as I chased her around our penthouse. I think this would be good for me to distract myself from the game master guy.
We skipped school the next day.
Sora was dressed in a customized version of a school uniform. A white collared shirt un-tucked with a red tie tied to look abit like a ribbon. A short, but not too revealing black skirt finished the ensemble. A black cap went on her head, her brownish hair flowing around her.
“Now I look like a delinquent, don’t I?”
She said with a wink. I was determined to rival her.
I matched her clothing, but with a black tie rather than red. My hair I tied it higher up behind my head as a ponytail with a short red cloth.
“Now we look like a matching couple, don’t we?”
I made a lighthearted remark and we both laughed.
After breakfast, we went for a stroll in the nearby park, followed by usual date stuff like shopping, a movie, chatting, and arcade games. I won a teddy bear while Sora won a rabbit which we swapped later.
The enjoyable day was soon over and after a quick takeout dinner, we were in my loft.
We spent the night together.
It was a day of rest that I sorely needed.

December 2nd 2020
The massive aura came from the big warehouse by the harbor. I stood on one of the piers and watched it. There were around 20 people inside, none of which could dampen their aura one bit, unlike me.
Easy prey and a whole pack of them at once.
I had a gallon of gasoline in a makeshift shadow container with me. Placing a small cloth into it, I lit the end of the cloth.
Too easy, they wouldn’t even notice me.
I flew onto the roof. Opening a skylight, I dropped the gasoline into the warehouse. It exploded and set the entire place on fire.
They quickly came after me. They were extremely jumpy and the flaming gasoline didn’t help. They chased me, carrying a variety of firearms, all of which I had seen before.
No big deal.
“Tch, only one fella and he wants to take on the Flaming FireBirds.”
One of them spit out his spent cigarette onto the concrete floor of the docks.
Flaming firebirds, how ironic it was that I torched their base.
“Only twenty of you? That isn’t going boost my rankings at all.”
That got them really pissed. I was pissed too, these guys were boring, and there twenty of them was small compared to the hundred-strong armies in the streets these days. Their only redeeming quality was the strength of their magical aura, which was considered very strong.
Not strong enough for me.
“Go to hell you bastard!”
Different forms and colors of magic fired up and were shot at me. Bullets flew from many directions. All were blocked by my shadow shield.
“Bo-ring.”
I formed a blade, extending from above my right forearm.
“My turn.”
With each blink, I appeared behind each of them and sliced their heads clean off, blood spewing everywhere. There was some attempts at screaming, but it soon died out. Drowned by the occasional honk from a passing freight ship.
Only one was left.
He was cowering behind some crates and begging like many others before him.
“You.”
“Please! Please I beg you, don’t kill meeeee!!!”
“Count yourself lucky. Tell others that Xanatos is in town.”

December 5th 2020
“Hmm, I see.”
I had finished off a pair of players in an alleyway when a voice spoke behind me. I didn’t even notice him coming up behind me.
“Hahaha, don’t worry yourself too much. I also know about concealing auras.”
A young guy with swept back hair, probably no more than 3 years older than me was standing there in a black suit. I summoned a shadow handgun and pointed it at him.
“What.”
It didn’t feel like a sentence or a question when I said it. It was simply a word.
“I was thinking of asking you to join my group. It’s called—“
“No thanks.”
“Ara, I sincerely hoped you would join. You’re similar to me, you know? Your player symbol isn’t on your right arm, is it?”
I continued to stare at him. He gave a laugh.
“Mine’s on my back, if you wanted to know. So since you declined my first offer, then we’ll move to the second one. You are invited to a Christmas meeting at City Hall. All the players invited.”
“No.”
“Hmm, you are a tough one. Then my final request, let us have a friendly duel. No killing.”

June 2022
The current player count has increased to 1,000. It seems that the game master was serious about wanting to recreate Doomsday December. It was—
“Xana, Xana! You listening?”
“Hmm? Oh sorry. You were saying?”
“Sigh, you’re dreaming a lot these few days. Anyway, you want to take that group sitting at the café?”
“Nah, you take them.”
“Xana, you haven’t killed anyone in the past six days. If you don’t take them, your location would be week-casted.”
“Oh ok then.”
The group of 6 was sitting at a café from the shopping complex a few blocks down. They were leisurely drinking cold drinks.
I went through the usual motions and jumped off my loft.
But this time, I didn’t take notice of the aura in the area.
I landed and looked at all six of them before I realized my mistake.
They were in the top ten, all good players in their own right. On a normal day I could beat them all easily, but I was too distracted today.
“Shit.”
“Hahaha, you finally noticed didn’t you, Xanatos.”
One of them spit my name like an insult.
“It took us awhile, but we slowly found out your hunting ground. You took so many targets for yourself, we’re barely surviving here.”
Another pretended to cry. On a normal day I would have insulted them right back, but today wasn’t so normal.
Oh well, I’ve been through worse.
They weren’t top 10 for nothing. Even though they were all right arms, they had each had a unique and deadly fighting style.
But I wasn’t in the mood to finish them off.
“Sorry guys. I don’t feel like dying today, and I think neither do you. Have a pleasant day.”
I proceeded to slip into my shadow, when a familiar lightheadedness swept through me and disappeared. It caused me to almost fall to the floor before I quickly recovered.
What the hell was that?!
My time to think was quickly cut short as they dived for me, all eager to be the last hitter. I simply ducked under their weapons and disappeared into the dark afternoon shade behind them.
December 5th 2020
“If I decline?”
“I’ll kill you here on the spot. I don’t think you’ll like it. But I’ll let you walk away if you indulge me with a duel.”
He gave off a pleasant smile, as if this was everyday business for him. But somehow I could tell he was speaking the truth.
“What rules?”
He was clearly happy that I accepted. I would throw a killing blow if the opportunity arose.
“Rule one, no killing of each other. Perchance others attempt to interfere; you have the honor of killing them. In the process of killing them, I will willingly pause fighting with you until they are eliminated. Then we’d continue where we left off. Winning conditions, a killing blow that isn’t blocked but held before it does any damage. Like a slice that could decapitate.”
He gestured with a hand pretending to slice his neck.
“Scratches and bruises are fair play. Shall we begin?”
He drew his katana from its sheath, and dropped the sheath on the ground. I replied with forming two blades from above the back of my hand.
With no word to start the match, I blinked behind him and dropped down to perform a leg sweep, which he easily jumped over.
“Tsk tsk, I expected more for you first move.”
I haven’t truly started yet. But I didn’t say that to him. Instead, I blinked up, to the air-conditioning unit above him and cut its supports. Without waiting to see what happened I stabbed my hand into a shadow causing it to appear behind an emergency ladder and unlocked it, making it noisily drop.
He didn’t bother to look at the noise distraction and easily cut the air-con unit.
An effortless jump and twist then he landed behind me and swung his sword. I blinked a few more stories upward and shot arrows of shadow at him, before blinking horizontally next to him and crossslashed with both arms.
The slashes were blocked but he had to jump back from the arrows. I followed it with blinking behind him and drop-kicked his uncovered back. He took a few steps forward. I jumped up then I began flashing back and forth, from wall to wall, unleashing a furious combo of slashes.
Most of the slashes were parried, but some managed to get through, but only scratching his suit, doing no major damage.
Then it was his turn to go on the offensive.
He powered up his sword, making it glow red. With each slash, energy waves flew forth, easily dodged, despite its insane speed.
When he moved to his favorable position, his katana turned yellow and elongated in length as he started using various katana sword styles to hammer me down. I blocked with three huge shields which were light because they were shadows, one on each arm and one on the back.
I didn’t bother attempting to trap his movement with shadow, I knew he wouldn’t be caught. Instead, I slowly created a physical trap with the different objects in the alley way; all while I was dueling with him. Katana on blade, katana on shield, he didn’t notice the objects beginning to pile up one by one.
I changed my two blades into two irregular swords. One Chinese hooked sword in my left hand, and a bladed gauntlet and dagger in my right. His sword continued to change color and ability based on what he wanted to use.
And the fight continued.
I have no recollection of how long it really lasted, but we soon stopped at a stalemate. Supposed stalemate.
He held his sword by the right side of my head, with the sharp side of the blade pointing at my neck. My now Chinese jian was also pointed at his neck in the same position.
“So we have a draw.”
He broke the silence. But I shook my head.
Above were all the objects I had collected, in a black web of shadow, strung between the walls of the alley. I let it lose, and all shit rained down on him.
As expected, he changed his sword into the red form and blasted it all away. But with his guard down, I flashed behind him and placed him in a headlock, with my right arm, which had a grappling version of my bladed gauntlet.
“Your win.”

June 2022
I sat down on some cardboard boxes in an empty alley, breathing heavily. It has been a long time since I panted during a fight.
Footsteps approached. I didn’t need to look up because I recognized his aura.
“You did that didn’t you?”
The lightheadedness from just now was the game master’s doing. His presence here confirmed that.
“So?”
The voice of the game master replied. It pissed me off. Telling me to recreate Doomsday December then trying to kill me.
“So I don’t like it. What are you trying to tell me?”
He chuckled softly.
“What do you think?”
All of a sudden,the six players from before appeared around us. All bound with cackling blue magical chains. All unable to move.
And all had fear smeared on their faces.
“What I had thought was recreating Doomsday December. Now I have absolutely no idea.”
“Sometimes, things are exactly what they seem. I’m giving them to you.”
Their fear almost solidified into existence. I understood how they felt, but chose not to show it. After all, they did attempt to kill me just minutes ago.
“How nice of you. Is this your deluded way of saying sorry?”
I sarcastically asked.
“Now, now, that’s rude.”
He didn’t seem to bother about me insulting him, but said that in a singsong voice.
“Yea, that’s no way to treat the game master.”
The fear became shock and surprise on the six of their faces.
“Oho? This is your first time meeting him?”
I was in a bad mood and decided to play on their feelings. But this was only my second time meeting him.
“So shall you explain to them what’s going on? Just a little present before they cross over.”
“Sigh, Xanatos. You truly are a wonder. Are you going to take them or not? Otherwise I’m releasing them.”
One of azure colored locks broke off each of them. I didn’t really mind. I was totally warmed up now and ready to fight.
“You have until you-know-when to recreate Doomsday. I will be awaiting your response.”
A small flame appeared in midair. It seemed to burn away part of reality, like a fire started in the middle of a piece of paper and burned outwards. The game master entered through the hole created by the fire and the hole closed.
The six, who conspired to take me down, now loosed from their bonds collapsed on the floor. They didn’t even bother to raise weapons against me.
“By the end of December, I will guarantee your deaths. Live your lives however you wish.”
I walked off, leaving them to contemplate their next move.

December 5th 2020
I released him from the headlock. He applauded.
“Not bad. You used your surroundings much more than I expected. Much much more. But just to let you know, I wasn’t at my full power~”
“I know. You left your energy barrier defense skill and invisibility up your sleeve. But your offensive power was at its limit.”
He was speechless at me finding out his other abilities, all the more because this is the first time we’ve met.
“I’ve shown my energy barrier before, but nobody knows about my invisibility!”
“You made a mistake. When you approached me, you were using your invisibility. You actually don’t know how to truly hide your own presence.”
“And you figured that out all in just one fight? Impressive. I didn’t think…”
His voice faded for a moment, before resuming.
“You see, this is my first time meeting a non-right-arm. I was curious to see how strong others could be. In any case, thank you for the duel. And if you ever change your mind, join us for the Christmas dinner.”
He picked up his sheath and resheathed his sword and walked off.
“What’s your name?”
He turned back and politely bowed.
“Current number 1 with 8,211 kills, you can call me Reyzar.”

July 2022
I had no idea what to do. I now spent most of my days sitting around the chapel, thinking of what to do.
I had led my life normally up to the point when I became a player. Then I spent more than a year killing people. And now the game was about to end.
Sora had felt my mood, and knew I needed alone time, so she was studying with her friends instead.
I had explained about Doomsday December to Raef and Sora already. Raef had joined the game during the Doomsday Wars, but he didn’t actively play until after Doomsday December, so he never saw the true horror of that day.
Doomsday December was a cataclysmic day, where thousands of players had fought and died in a massive battle royal. From 4,000, the number dropped to 1,000 and even lesser in a matter of days.
That was the public version. I couldn’t bring myself to tell them the true events of that day. Not yet.
I had an unexpected visitor during the time I was being all emo around the safe zone.
“Hello, I think I can only call you Xanatos.”
Carefully approaching me was one of the six, I don’t remember which rank. It was a girl, closing, if not already a woman. She was dressed in light clothing, suited for the season.
I glanced at her. She quickly raised her hands in surrender position.
“I’m not here to fight. I just want some answers to my questions.”
I gestured at the tiled floor.
“Have a seat then.”
She sat down before she continued.
“Though I know it is not normal for anyone to say this, but thank you for not killing us when you had the chance to.”
“Is that all?”
“… No. Who was that guy? The one you called game master.”
“Exactly that. He created this game and watches us play it out.”
“Oh…”
She went silent for awhile. I repeated my earlier question again.
“Is that all?”
“What is Doomsday December exactly?”
“When did you become a player?”
“11thJanuary 2021.”
She didn’t hesitate to recall the date. She clearly remembered the day. For whatever reason, I didn’t know nor cared.
“So you haven’t met any of the older players? Not that there are any left.”
She thought for a moment.
“Come to think of it, everyone I’ve met in this game started mostly after me.”
“Because there are probably less than 10 players that were in the game during Doomsday December. There were more, but I slowly killed them off one by one. My legacy barely lives because of it though.”
“Your legacy, that would be your title, Death God Xanatos?”

December 7th 2020
I had no idea what to do.
That wasn’t accurate. I had nothing to do.
Snow had already made a constant layer on the ground. I wore a large black trench coat to blend in with the crowds. There was no real warmth in its cloth.
Christmas felt a long way off. Then there was the matter of who would show up.
They might have a Christmas truce or something. I heard that they had something like that during one of the World Wars. This may turn out the same. Stop fighting with each other for a day, then continue the carnage the next.
Nobody really wanted to stay in the cold for too long.
I didn’t bother. I was sitting on a bench somewhere in the city, with people jumpy from the cold. Weather reports said a blizzard or some kind of cold weather phenomenon was coming in. I probably had to stay in on that day.
Not like I needed to. My magic and shadow ability was more than enough to ward off any negative temperatures.
“Wow! This is seriously a coincidence!”
Reyzar was standing there, wearing some expensive looking coat, muffler and gloves, with a cup of steaming something in his hands. His invisibility concealed his presence, but left him still visible by the naked eye.
Like he said, it was probably a coincidence.
This was one of the busiest places in the city, and there were two large transport hubs within a minute of each other. Probably more than a thousand people passed through here every hour.
Reyzar walked over and stood in front of me. I didn’t like him and he noticed.
“Don’t worry. I’m not going to talk about the game. Would you like to join me for dinner?”
He extended the invitation as easily as extending his hand. I didn’t know whether to accept or not, it could be a trap.
“I’m not the type to invite you for something, then backstab you. It wouldn’t be very nice you see. Killing them straight in their face is much…better.”
Reyzar had contemplated using some other word before suddenly changing it.
“So that is how you reached your current rank?”
“Haha, no, that was not how I reached this rank. I’ve just been in this game far too long. I want to end it soon. Let’s continue this behind some dinner, shall we?”
I stood up without saying a word. He read my movement correctly.
“Thank you for accepting. Now let us be off.”
I had no idea why I accepted.
The restaurant was in the transport hub and felt like one of the slightly more expensive ones in the area. With my earnings from the game, I could have come here every day for my meals.
He briefly looked at the menu and placed an order and wine. I didn’t touch the menu and ordered the same.
“I have been in this game for a long time. I have every intention to reach the 10 grand kill mark and will reach it.”
There was a cold fire in Reyzar’s eyes that could give people chills down their backs. I didn’t feel much anymore, so it didn’t bother me.
“Then I can safely assume you know what you want.”
He looked startled, that I actually made casual conversation with him.
“Yes. Yes I do.”
The table became silent until the food arrived. It was steak with vegetables.
“Xanatos, what do you wish for?”
Reyzar looked at me, with none of the confidence that he had during our duel. He now looked like a war veteran, tired and scared of memories. I, on the other hand, was the equivalent of a recruit fresh out of boot camp and thrown into the war and hardened by it.
But I was also quiet. I had no answer to his question. Not because I didn’t have anything, it was that I had never thought about it. My life for the past two months was killing, killing and more killing.
“I honestly do not know.”
I felt like I had to give a reply. It was something you just knew you had to do, without knowing why.
“Is that so?”
Reyzar held the wine glass in his hand and swirled the wine around. He stared at the wine, preoccupied with the thoughts in his mind.
He finally sighed and took a sip.
“I guess I could tell you. You see, I grew up in an orphanage. My parents had died in an accident and there were no other relatives to take care of me. Unfortunately, the orphanage I was sent to wasn’t one of the better ones. I was bullied from day one. Somehow, I managed to live with it.
“Then one day, when I was in middle school, I saw somebody use kendo to fight off his many attackers and defeated them all. Even I, with no training could see that he used enough strength to hurt them badly but not injure them. It was something of beauty and it captivated me.
“I quickly sought a dojo that would accept me. Many turned me down because of various reasons. Eventually, I came across one that accepted anyone. The owner had various illnesses and could not hold the shinai. It was also my luck that it was an unorthodox division of kendo. It used tricks and taught skills that were normally impossible, but somehow I learnt them all.
“Because of kendo, I wasn’t bullied anymore. People that came, I simply fought them off. It earned me the nickname of the Ghost of the Samurai. Students and teachers alike were afraid of me.
“I trained with the old man until I graduated high school. That day after my high school graduation ceremony, the old man surprised me by saying I passed all the training and gave me a small graduation ceremony. He gave me a pair of katana and ownership of the dojo to me. Since I was now a legal adult, I left the orphanage and moved in to the dojo.”
We both finished our steaks at this point. Reyzar sighed and looked at his wine again.
“The old man died a month after I moved in. Of natural causes of course. I held him a small funeral and buried his body in the yard behind the dojo. It was his final wish to stay with his precious dojo.
“I don’t know whether it was by chance or what, but I became a player on that day. The mark burned my back a bit and I noticed it because of that.”
Reyzar downed his wine and refilled it.
“You should know what my wish is by now.”
At first I had thought it was strength, to be the strongest in the world, but as he went on, it didn’t seem so likely. Then I noticed his story.
“Is it really that simple?”
He looked at me, a mix of incredulous and respect. Incredulous because I called his wish simple, respect because I figured it out.
Reyzar nodded for me to give him the answer.
“Love. That’s all you ever wanted in your life. Your source of love was taken when you were young. Then when you finally found another source, he died.”
He applauded softly.
“Good. Very good. Or should I say it was expected of a non-right arm. My wish is for the world to be filled with love, and no more conflict. I was one of the lucky ones who didn’t wish for revenge. Who knows how many others who went through similar things like me. Kendo and the old man were my saviors. Without them, I would have gone crazy.”
I tasted my wine for the first time that night.
July 2022
I gave her the public version, like Sora and Raef, and she left. Picking myself off the ground, I stretched before heading out of the school, leaving her sitting there in horror. There was a place I wanted to visit.
“Hey Kir.”
Sora had been sitting at a table near the entrance studying. She was probably waiting for me all this while. I stopped and went over.
“You going somewhere?”
“Yes. Do you want to come?”
Sora’s eyes lit up. We haven’t spent much time together in a long time, or what felt like a long time.
“Let me pack my things.”
I helped her and we walked to the station without saying anything. The students that saw us started talking.
“What happened to those two?”
“I heard that Kirdan had been cold to Sora-sama lately.”
“Is that true?”
“Yea, I think so now. They aren’t even talking to each other.”
“If they break up…”
“Then probably we’ll have a chance at Sora-sama!”
Sora and I ignored them and walked on.
We stood on the platform waiting for the train to come. Sora took my head in her hands, and looked straight into my eyes.
“I know you haven’t told me the truth about Doomsday. And you haven’t been yourself lately. I already promised you that I will stay by your side, no matter what. You also promised that you will marry me, so I am your wife. You may not want to tell me the truth, but at least let me comfort you.”
I touched my forehead against hers, and petted her on her head.
“Sorry. I don’t really want to talk right now, but we can hold hands.”
Sora nodded.
“Sure, but remember to explain to me later ok?”
The train roared into the station. She hugged me and jumped aboard, I followed behind and we sat next to each other, hand in hand.
We alighted at a station near a part of the old town. There used to be and still are a lot of old traditional houses here.
With Sora still holding my hand quietly, I led her to an old building. It wasn’t rundown or dilapidated, but when you looked at it, the only word that comes to mind was old. The yard was neat, but it was nothing special like old man Kamijou’s garden. It had only one tree standing over a small pond.
I opened the door and entered. Inside was the dojo, with a layer of dust covering everything.
“This is?”
“A dojo that the highest number one trained at when he was younger. I used to come by here every once in a while.”
Sora looked at me with smiling eyes.
“Yea, go on. You said you’ll tell me.”
December 8th-18th 2020
I started hanging out with Reyzar.
I had no idea why. It was something I just felt. Besides, I had enough of alone time. It was good to have a friend.
That was probably my mind deluding itself.
But it was interesting watching him as a player. Reyzar held conversations with each player he met, even to the point of building friendships. So that, after he killed them, he’d take care of the people that were left behind.
I had asked him why.
“Why not? Isn’t it our responsibility? You have only killed players without knowing what happens to the people around them.”
Reyzar gestured around him.
“Every player had a reason to be in this city. And it was because they were in this city they became players. When they disappear, other people would notice. I try to help those with families to move on and even support them.”
“But you already have your wish—“
“That’s the thing! The wish takes too long. I want to help them. The game itself presents opportunities for me to help. But the irony is, they need help only because of the game. Even then, I can also use the earnings from the game to help people that are unaffected by the game. So even if I can’t get my wish, there is still something for everyone.”

July 2022
“Reyzar, the highest ranked number one ever, became my friend. Or I became his. We’d swing by this place once in a while to clean up and spar. It was a few rare hours where we could simply fight for fun. Then afterwards, we would go back being our player selves.”
Sora nodded in understanding.
“Ahh. Something like you and Raef?”
“Close but not quite. Raef is something more of a friendly rival. With Reyzar, it was much more…serious.”
“Oho. You are—“
I kissed on her lips, a short quick one. It made her stop in her words.
“No, I am not.”
Then we lay on the tatami.
“My my, how sweet.”
A sudden familiar voice called out in the empty room. Sora and I sat up and stood in a battle position. Sora with a light-sword in one hand, me with a shadow sword.
“Show yourself, game master.”
I called into the shadow that was cast on the far side wall of the dojo. I could feel him standing there.
No surprise when he walked out clapping.
“It really feels like a romance story. But how will our ending be like? Romeo and Juliet? Pride and Prejudice? Or something not so romantically tragic?”
“What do you want now?”
I shouted angrily at him.
“Hm. You should really change your attitude towards me. Anyway, I’m here to give you the new date of Doomsday. What do think of the name ‘The Hunt of Red September?’”
“Next month? That soon?”
Sora gasped. She would soon find out the real Doomsday, but the idea of an all-out war in her head was still shocking to her.
But the game master only smiled.
“Yes, October is way too long away, thus September. Today’s the 10th of July. I’d like the city to be dyed red on the first of September. The current player count is 1,500 exactly. I will keep it that way until the then. In other words, from now until September 1st, no one will be able to kill each other. But of course, the week-cast won’t be triggered. Yes, I will notify everyone, do not worry.”
But there left one more question for me.
“1,500? That’s nowhere near enough. Where are the others?”
The game master smiled again, a smile that I would describe as evil.
“On September 1st, there will be an event in the city arena. More than 50,000 people will be there…”
He dramatically left it hanging for me to understand his words, which I did far too well.
“You will make all 50,000 of them into players on that day. And at that moment, that’s Red September.”
“Hahaha, good. But I’ve arranged it that 1,500 of them would be the current players. So we would have 1,500 lesser deaths.”
“But that would be nothing compared to the number of dead people on that day!”
I roared at the game master. This guy was playing god with the lives of so many people. Memories of Doomsday December flashed through my head again.
The game master shrugged nonchalantly.
“Now you see, the thing is, this time, even if you can’t do it, there are more people who can. And there are 50,000 targets for the picking. So either you do it and be the first one to complete the game, or let somebody else waste your chance. Remember Reyzar’s last words to you?”
This guy was bringing up Reyzar in front of me?!
“Damn you bastard!!”
I screamed and teleported to him.
But he was already gone.
Sora slowly walked up from behind me.
“What were Reyzar’s last words?”

Extra Story: D (2/5)

I went back in after the sun had set.
“So how’s it going?”
Raef and Sora stood in the middle of an empty room which I hadn’t come to furnish yet.
“Very good! Sora has a natural aptitude for magic. Hmm, is one’s test scores and/or studying ability related to magic usage?”
Raef mused. He wasn’t much of a studying type, unlike Sora and I who were at the top of the school. By the way, Raef had quit school after becoming a player, not that anyone cared.
“So what’s Sora’s magic like?”
Instead of replying, Sora showed me.
A burst of light emitted from her back. It slowly concentrated itself and formed into two golden wings.
“An angel eh? The exact opposite of mine.”
“See, we make a good couple! Even our abilities match each other.”
“What else can it do?”
“I don’t know. So far she can create swords of light and fly. She’s already understood the basics of creating magic balls and applying magic to daily life.”
So she was a genius with an obsession with me. Great.
“Then let’s go home. Sora, you’ll be staying with me from now on.”
“Yay~! Oh, but why?”
“So I can protect you. We’re dating now, aren’t we? So I have the responsibility.”
“Damn you Xana! You’re dating her?!”
“There’s a Sora fan club in my school that hates me for kissing Sora. You can join them anytime I hear.”
“You’ve even kissed her already?!!! That means…just now in the room? NOOOOO!!!!”
I’m not gonna argue with him. It would waste too much time. Raef could imagine all he wanted. Nighttime was the preferred hunting time for most players, and I’d prefer not to show off Sora for today.
“Anyway, I’ll walk you home to get some of your stuff, and then we’ll head to my place.”
I led the two of them out and locked the loft.
Raef waved goodbye as we parted ways at the train station.
Sora and I were waiting on the platform with our hands interlocked, something she wanted to do since we were now officially dating.
“Kirdan, can I call you Kir?”
“Hmm, I guess so.”
“Then Kir, why are we taking the train, since now both of us can fly?”
“It’s more normal, and overusing your magic when you aren’t used to it yet can cause serious damage to your body.”
I unconsciously touched my abdomen. Sora didn’t notice my slight movement.
“Hahaha, so we can act like a couple?”
“You can see it that way if you want.”
“Fufu, really?”
Sora hugged my arm while beaming, her breasts touching. I stiffened alittle, not used to the physical contact. I looked around, and many people were staring. Not because of our lovey-dovey behavior but because of our looks, I surmised. I had my fierce loner look while Sora was very attractive.
Because of it, the crowded train parted enough for us to get on.
I sighed.

We soon arrived at the Otonashi house, a normal two-story house with a small garden in a decent neighborhood. Sora unlocked the door and led me upstairs to her room and packed her things while I waited on her bed.
I looked around at the room. It was quite normal, a study table in the corner, a bed and a closet. But her bed had many stuffed animals, like a small zoo, lying on the bed.
[Knock knock]
“Sora, dinner’s— oh my, I didn’t know you had a friend over.”
A beautiful lady that looked nothing like a housewife stood in the doorway. Dressed in simple home clothing, she looked very young. In fact, she looked young enough to be Sora’s older sister.
“Oh hi mom~ Where’s dad? Then I can explain everything at the same time.”
This was her mother? I wonder what kind of person her father is. He must be something to marry a woman like her.
Sora’s mother noticed the bag.
“Ara, you’re packing? Leave it for later, we can eat first , OK?”
“Yes mom. By the way, this is Kirdan.”
I stood up and politely bowed.
“Ara ara? Such a polite gentleman. Come come, let’s eat first before the food gets cold.”
We both followed her downstairs where three bowls of rice were set around several colorful dishes, and a very young-looking blond guy sat at one of the places.
“Sit down first Kirdan, I’ll get you another bowl.”
Sora said as she twirled gracefully around the kitchen, scooping rice and taking utensils.
I didn’t know what else to say and just quietly sat down. Sora’s mother sat down next to the young guy, so he must be Sora’s dad. Those two looked so young it was scary. What age did these two get married?!
Sora soon sat down next to me and handed me my rice.
“Itadakimasu!”
The family said together. I was quiet since I didn’t know the normal traditions for this family.
“So then, who’s your friend Sora?”
Her dad asked with a jovial voice.
“I’m Kirdan Dunamis, sir.”
The sir was normal because of my upbringing. But it seems like they took it in a different way.
“Oho? A polite one, and handsome too. Good job!”
He flashed a thumbs-up at Sora and a grin. I have a feeling Sora’s parents will be interested with what I was planning to tell them. They seem very eager for me to date Sora.
“So Kirdan, did you get her pregnant?”
Sora’s dad sudden question made me choke.
“Geh, what?”
“Not yet dad. Soon though, we’ve only started dating today, but I’m moving to his house later.”
I think I’m beginning to see why Sora became so intent on bed stuff. But then, she could have been normal, and my thoughtless kiss started this downward spiral.
The dinner ended with no more weird talk and instead, more of daily life stuff.
“Thank you for the dinner.”
I thanked Sora’s parents.
“Haha, you were brought up well Kirdan.”
“It’s nothing.”
“Hey Kir, I’ll finish up the rest of my packing myself. Feel free to chat with my parents~”
With a wink at me, Sora disappeared up the stairs, leaving me in the living room with her dad, while her mom was in the kitchen.
“Now then, let’s have some man-to-man talk.”
Uh-oh. I have a bad feeling about this. Come to think of it, I’ve had a lot of bad feelings recently. Wouldn’t that be bad for my health?
“My little Sora is going to be all grown up soon~! As for you, I’ve got some secrets about Sora that she doesn’t know I know.”
He leaned forward in his seat and beckoned me forward as well. He continued the conversation in a low voice.
“Sora has a few little, hmmm, interests. I’ve gotta be quick, before she comes back, so not too many details. She likes animals, and she sometimes dresses up as one. She also has a huge collection of stuffed animals, so if you want to give her a gift, there’s that option. Another thing is Sora’s ear—“
“Sorry to keep you waiting~”
Sora appeared from the doorway, with a huge suitcase at least 1.2 meters high, stopping her dad in his words.
“Oh hi Sora! Then we shall end our conversation here Kirdan. I’ll be leaving Sora in your care.”
I simply nodded and joined Sora in the corridor, where there was another 1.2 meter tall suitcase waiting. What kind of luggage was she bringing? And how did she pack it so fast?
“Then thank you again Mr and Mrs Otonashi for your hospitality.”
“Bye mom, bye dad!”
Sora hugged her parents then we left.
I could’ve sword I heard “Ahh, our Sora is going to be a woman tonight,” as we left.

The night air was refreshingly cool, as spring was leaving soon.
“Your parents look really young.”
“Haha I know right? Sometimes they like to pretend that they are my siblings, or other things.”
“Hmm, By the way, is there something with your ear?”
My casual question stopped Sora in her tracks. I turned to look at her, and she was blushing.
“Is there something wrong?”
“Ahem. No, there’s nothing wrong…”
She paused.
“Kir, if you want, I’ll tell you about it later is that ok?”
“Why not now?”
“It’s kind of embarrassing to say it in public…”
“Alright. I’ll let you off for now.”
Laughing it off, I pulled one of the two luggages in my right hand, and holding Sora’s hand in the other.

“So here we are, my home.”
It was a high-rise apartment penthouse behind the school. Spacious and clean, it had an excellent view of the surroundings as it took up the entire top floor of the building.
“So you like high places?”
It was a natural question, since my city loft was also very high up.
“Kinda. A lot of my money and property came from the players I killed. It’s one of the mini-rewards to encourage the fights. When a player dies to another player, all of the dead player’s assets gets transferred to the winner. If there are any debts, they are nullified. A nifty little thing really. This was bought with that money, since I need to keep a lookout for the safezone.”
“I see.”
“Let’s put down your stuff first.”
“Kir,” she interrupted, “Can I sleep with you?”
It’s only our first day and she wanted to go that far… Never mind, I have a plan that won’t break any barriers and placate Sora, for now.
“Yes, but no under the sheets stuff is to be done, ok?”
“Thank you Kir~”
She jumped up and gave me a kiss on the cheek. I think I’m going to be doing it with her before the week’s over, if this keeps up.
Sora’s things went into the closets and cupboards easily and we soon sat on the balcony, admiring at the night scenery. We both had untied our hair, and now it was flying with the night breeze.
“From today onwards, I’ll have to kill somebody every week.”
Sora quietly said. That was the inevitable sad truth of this game. I had to get over it quickly because of the circumstances more than a year ago. With Sora, it was different. She would have the luxury of time. Even the possibility of not fighting was available for her.
I took her hand in mine.
“Only if you find the need to. Otherwise I’ll protect you.”
“Thank you again Kir…and about my ear…”
“Umm, I, errr…”
I didn’t know what to say to Sora.
“It’s just that, my ears are really sensitive. So please be gentle.”
Sora looked at me with her beautiful eyes. One was gold, the other silver.
“I didn’t know you had heterochromia.”
“Wait, what? I don’t.”
“Ehh?”
Sora quickly rushed to the toilet with me following right behind her.
“Oh my god! What happened?”
She gasped as she looked at the mirror.
“What were your eyes’ original color?
“It was brown before.”
A sudden flashback reminded me of it. I quickly thought through all the possibilities.
“It could be because of your magic. That’s the only plausible reason I can think of right now.”
Sora looked slightly unhappy.
“But it looks great on you.”
“Really?”
“Really really. Now let’s go to sleep. It’s a school day tomorrow. Even though you are a player now, I think you’d still want to have good grades and attendance.”

October 2020
I awoke on my bed with a searing pain on my chest. It was still dark and I stumbled to turn on the light, struggling to take off my shirt at the same time.
[Click]
The light was on and I looked in the mirror. Right above my heart was an elaborately designed black symbol which the pain came from.
My heavy breathing sped up even more. I raised up my hand to lean on the wall and looked at the floor.
Wait a moment, my shadow was different than normal. It was much darker than it should be, with the lighting in my room. Way too dark. I leaned down to touch it.
My hand went into it.
Shocked by it, I tripped over backwards, expecting to hit my head on the wall.
The pain I waited for never came. I looked back at the mirror, but all I saw was the empty reflection of the wall. Starting to get nervous, I desperately looked around.
My phone! If I called somebody, they could help, right?
I tried to walk towards it, and flash, I was standing next to it. My phone was next to my bed, and it was on the other side of the room from the dressing table. I looked back in the mirror and I could see myself again.
What the hell was happening?!

May 2022
The school was in an uproar. Hmm, maybe chaos was a better choice of wording.
I had walked to school, hand in hand with Sora. The school’s legendary delinquent guy and the newest school idol and role model student were dating. Especially after the little show that I gave them only two days ago.
The teachers were quite horrified at the sight. They were probably scared for Sora, thinking I had somehow influenced her. On the other hand, it also could have been the other way around.
The student body had mixed emotions.
The largest, comprised of both guys and girls, was those that were depressed because their idol, Sora, had been taken. This group eventually dissolved and joined other groups.
There was the anti-Kirdan faction, which had most of the guys and some of the girls. They wanted Sora to stay the pure innocent girl that they think she was. I was some dirty outsider that would tarnish her purity.
Then there was the ‘All for love’ faction. Mostly comprised by girls, this group was happy that their two biggest idols had become a couple.
In class, Sora changed her seat to be next to me. The anti-Kirdan faction began preparing for war. I just shrugged it off. I’ve been in worse before.
Lunchtime was the final straw for the AKF(Anti-Kirdan Faction). Seeing us eat together on the rooftop with matching packed lunches of fried potatoes and beef patties, they began their assault.
“Kirdan Dunamis.”
Many AKF members stood around us in black cloaks covering their faces and a black aura hanging over them. I wanted to laugh.
“You have been charged with tainting Sora-sama’s purity. We will send heavenlyjudgment upon you.”
The gloomy atmosphere disappeared with Sora’s sunshine smile.
“Why? I like Kir and Kir likes me. He’s even promised to marry me in the future.”
“““WHAT?!!!!!”””
The AKF and I shouted together in shock. I have no memory of proposing to her. Oh wait, I did say I’d bed her in the future, which meant I would marry her.
I’m dead shit now. I’ve survived a year in a death game that had the Grim Reaper standing at every corner. I’ve killed 4,000 people in that game. And this was the first time I’ve ever felt this scared since I became a player.
Just joking. Even though this story revolves around a school, it doesn’t focus much on the school life. Sorry for not expanding the story that direction.
I guess I had already felt something in the first month when she just transferred. It made itself apparent when I kissed her. Somehow, she also felt the same way about me. Now we were both in a death game together. So I’d guess I was quite fortunate.
That sudden news of our eventual marriage sent a good many AKF members for counseling in the next few months. I couldn’t blame them, I just took away all of their hopes in just one sentence.
School was soon over, and the death game began.
A player came by, as soon as school finished. A young guy, probably from another highschool. He had somehow obtained my highschool’s uniform and used it to enter the school grounds.
Game on.
The school building, a five-story building, was shaped like a rhombus with the chapel on one of the more pointy ends. On the outside, it had a large clock that faced south toward the harbor. The school grounds sat on a hill with a main road leading straight to the harbor and the train station. My house was just north-northwest of it.
The hill the school sat was school property, so it was a very big school, having both middle and high school sections.
The other player, entered through the main gate, the closest one to the chapel and quickly made his way upwards, as he was led by his magic guide.
“Unfortunately for you, I won’t let you enter.”
I spoke as he cleared the last flight of stairs. He looked quite fit, barely breaking a sweat from climbing that many stairs.
“Tch. I didn’t think there was a player around here.”
“You have to consider yourself extremely fortunate today.”
“Why the hell would I care. Your magic aura is so small I didn’t even notice it. How would you even beat me, I, the great Karukawa who has 500 kills.”
“Ah, so you do know about the ranking system. So tell me, what rank are you?”
“31st.”
Karukawa puffed his chest out.
“Well then Karukawa the 31st, do you know how many kills the current number 1 has?”
“I do not need to care. That bastard shall soon be killed by me, and I shall be the new ‘God of Death!’ ”
“Hahaha, then I’ll have to applaud you for your courage. But you have proved yourself unworthy. I will no longer let you die by the Angel of Death.”
“Angel of Death? Who the hell is that?”
“Precisely. You do not deserve to die by her hand. Scum like you should just die quietly.”
“Says the poor fool who has no power.”
“Power?”
I released my concealment and let him know who he was up against.
“N-No… NO… There’s no way a guy like you could be…”
“You have no idea how many times I’ve heard that.”
His trembling was natural. After all, his magic identified me as number 1, Xanatos, the person who he had just insulted.
“Such a pity, that 31st place has only a score of 500. When I started, 31st had 5000. That guy is now simply a statistic on my score. Which soon, you will too.”
He tried to run, of course, but his shadow already rooted him to the spot.
“I don’t think I’ll give you a nice death.”
I appeared behind him. His head instinctively turned.
Too slow.
I placed one hand on his jaw and another on the back of his head and twisted it further.
He didn’t even say a word as he fell to the floor.

October 2020
I could control shadows. It could take the shape of anything I wanted, and I could move around, no more stuck to the two-dimensional background. It could become three-dimensional if I willed it.
Somebody had tried to kill me yesterday. I had unconsciously used it to kill him. His body disappeared after he died.
It wasn’t just one person. There were people all over the place. I could feel them, and they were watching. How did I know?
Somehow an aura emanated from each person. I figured that much out. After I had killed that first person, a screen appeared in front of me, saying I had increased my rank to 2,548.
By the end of the day, my ranking had jumped to 2,529, with 50 kills.
This was a death game. I knew that much.

May 2022
“Sorry Sora, I guess we’ll go hunt in the city to find someone who’s worthy of being your first kill.”
Sora fluttered down from the high ceiling of the hall before the chapel.
“Is it that important?”
“You are a pretty girl after all, and my girlfriend. I try to get the best if possible.”
“Awww, thank you Kir~ Then let’s go.”
We both opened our wings and flew off leaving Karukawa’s body to dissipate into nothingness.
With still zero kills. Sora was ranked at 209, a relatively small number. Back when I started, there were easily 5,000 players killing each other left and right, bringing their friends into the game, creating small armies. Casualty rates were so high, normal people had thought an epidemic of UFO abductions had occurred.
Of that 2,000, barely any of them remained in the game. Only a small handful remained, and only two others were in the top 10.
I guess my legendary reputation would barely survive if I kept killing them off as soon as they found me.
We were somewhere in the eastern side of the city, where the traditional Japanese homes were mostly situated.
“Well then, I think that guy would be perfect.”
I pointed to an old man who had been picked by the system probably only a few days ago. He was mildly sitting on his back porch drinking tea.
“But isn’t he just an old man?”
Sora timidly asked. She was really cute when she was shy.
“I doubt that he could last this long unless he joined within six days. There hasn’t been a week-cast for more than a month.”
Week-cast meant the broadcast after one week of not killing.
“He’s not some deluded or perverted character, so it would be much better. And if he was a soldier when he was younger, he’d be happy to die in battle.”
“Ok then.”
I watched as Sora gently fluttered down in front of the old man. The old man’s eyes lit up at the sight of an angel appearing in front of him.
“Hello oji-san. May I ask your name?”
“Hohoho, an angel has come to bring to heaven eh? I’m Kamijou Tomokazu, nice to meet you.”
Sora leaned forward and removed Kamijou’s right sleeve, revealing a small tattoo-like symbol that resembled the crest of the Sanada family that was clearly a mark of the death game.
“Ah that? I’ve had that for about a year now. Really irritating thing that, caused the death of many youngsters.”
“Oh I see, then you wouldn’t mind if I sent you to heaven now?”
“Hahaha, who would decline a beauty like you?”
Kamijou gave a hearty laugh, unusual for someone his age. Sora materialized a sword. The old man didn’t even bat an eye. Sora was on the verge of tears and couldn’t look at Kamijou.
“Don’t worry, I know you’re a player too.”
Sora suddenly looked up.
“I’m already very old. Then I got thrown into the game, and yet I still lasted a year. And I know Xanatos is watching. I’ve watched him from the beginning, so I know you’re in good hands.”
Sora looked really grateful. Hmm, I remember this guy. This guy had started at around the same time as me. But he didn’t bother playing. He just fought so he could live another week. The magic had helped strengthened his aging body, giving him a youthful vigor, and nostalgic memories of when he was young. He had no regrets from the extra year given to him.
This man, Kamijou Tomokazu was ready to leave this world.
“I have two requests. I have been living by myself all these years in this old house; please take care of it for me.”
Sora nodded as tears started to flow. I landed by her and held her hand.
“Ah, the legendary Xanatos. I doubt you even remember me.”
“Hehe, unfortunately for me, I do remember you. So I can guess your other request. I don’t have the authority to decline it, since it’s Sora that’s taking you.”
“Hoho, I see. Then Sora, a very nice name by the way, will you allow me to touch your boobs as you finish me off?”
[DONG]
Sora must have felt an iron pan drop on her head. I had fought with Kamijou about the decency of people once, long ago. It ended in a draw.
“So?”
I asked Sora while laughing.
“Ok, but these breasts haven’t been touched before, and I wanted Kir to be the only one to touch them. But since I want to let you leave this world happily, my condition is that Kir has to be the first one to touch them.”
[DONG]
That iron pan dropped onto my head, and now Kamijou that damn old man was laughing. Sora was blushing at the thought of me touching her. She finally got her way…
“Deal. You two can borrow a room to do your stuff. Don’t worry about me and take your time. Go all the way if you want to.”
Old man Kamijou laughed as he picked up the pot of tea and walked off to the kitchen.
“Well?”
Sora asked me with glowing eyes. She’s my girlfriend and she’s really too beautiful for me to refuse. But I didn’t want to go all the way just yet.
“Just touching is fine right?”
I blushed a little when I spoke. Come on, it’s my first time doing anything near like that, and I’ve been totally avoiding human contact for a very long time.
Sora on the other hand was overjoyed.
“Yay~! Thank you Kir! I’m going to make the most out of this.”
I wholeheartedly believe that my sweet girlfriend of barely two days is going to get the most out of it.
She did.

Part Three
It was the beginning of sunset when we finished.
“Hahaha, so did you have a good time?”
Kamijou was all smiles for a guy who was about to die. But he was going to die with a melon in his hand.
“Thank you very much for lending us the room.”
We said politely together.
“I already wrote a list of what you need to take note of in this house. It should be good enough, I hope.”
“Kamijou-ojisan, what’s the original name of this estate?”
Sora asked. A tear was welling up again.
“Hoho, there’s no need to cry Sora-chan. I would be dead in a few years anyway even if I didn’t become a player. This place was called ‘God’s Resting Place’ because of all the flowers that once grew here. For some reason, they had died. My wife and I redesigned the garden and now it is what you see here.”
He gestured to the calm traditional-like Japanese garden, but with more species of flowers and a larger variety of trees.
“She kept the name though. It felt perfect for this place. She died a long time ago, so there are no worries on that.”
Kamijou laughed again.
“Kamijou-ojisan, with your permission, I’d like to add your name to this place, if not, change it all together.”
“Fufu, what a nice offer you have there. Very well. What do you plan to name it?”
“God’s and Tomokazu’s Resting Place.”
“Wahahaha! A good name. This place is definitely in good hands now. I can rest in peace like this.”
Kamijou finally sighed. He looked up at the twinkling night sky.
“Now to keep your part of the deal.”
He rose to his feet and stood as proudly as he could. I could almost see him, younger and clad in traditional samurai armor. Like the young warrior that he once was.
Sora opened her wings and manifested a sword. The surroundings were bathed in a gentle golden light.
Sora hadn’t put much back on. Her shirt was hanging loose and her breasts were exposed. Kamijou boldly reached out and touched it directly.
He gratefully looked at Sora.
“Thank you Sora-chan, for granting a perverted old man like me his dying wish. Ahh, both skies are so beautiful tonight! I will hold this memory as I cross over into the other world!”
Sora’s sword went through his old body.
“Sora and Xanatos, thank you both very much.”
Kamijou Tomokazu wore his best clothes and his biggest smile as he died. The hand was the last to go as he disintegrated.
Otonashi Sora cried through the night.

We found his letter the next day, which had the list he had said earlier and a personal letter to Sora and me.
I let Sora to read hers privately while I took the one addressed to me and jumped onto the roof to read it.
“Xanatos, it has been fun watching you this past year. I feel sad to go so soon, since our argument would never be settled. I have left this home for Sora, but there is something in the house for you. In the old shed behind the great sakura tree, it is what’s left of my treasured collection that kept me company after my dear wife died. Make good use of it boy! Wahahaha!”
Ahem. I already know what the collection consisted of. I had a feeling it had increased in size and quality in one year. But I still went there anyway.
The shed’s door was surprisingly easy to open and the interior was barely dusty. Neatly arranged in rows of shelves were different sorts of ero-books going back as far as 20 years and several other things I prefer not to mention.
“Kamijou you damned old man.”
I didn’t know what else to say. I loved reading novels and books, but this was nowhere near the genre I read. If Sora came across this, she’d want to read through all of it with me. And I doubt this could be kept a secret from her.
I quickly closed the shed and went to Sora’s side. It was good to see her standing up and walking around.
“This place is now yours Sora. What do you want to do with it?”
I gently asked her. I hope she’s gotten over it already.
She looked up at me, eyes red from all the crying.
“Sniff, I’d like to take care of this place as well as I can. Kamijou-ojisan entrusted it to me after all.”
“Don’t worry about that. We can come here once a week to stay and clean it up.”
Sora hugged me tightly.
“Thanks Kir.”

November 2020
“Hey kid.”
A big musclehead Westerner with two slightly smaller but still as big goons next to him cornered me on the street. It was raining and there was almost nobody else around.
I tried to dodge and run away, but Goon A caught me by the shoulder and threw me against the wall. Hard.
I grunted from the impact. I glanced at their right arms, and all bore a similar symbol which gave off a magical aura. These guys were players. I didn’t dare reply.
“Hey kid, we’re talking to you.”
Goon B spoke in English, just like his leader. I pretended not to understand. I looked like some Asian teen that got himself dragged into the wrong place. Which I was.
“No. No English.”
I pathetically tried a false accent. No luck, I grew up speaking English as one of my main languages.
Leader guy punched me in the gut. Hard enough to make me lose my breath, but not hard enough to make me bleed yet. He wanted to play with me.
“You think you can pretend to be some jap kid?”
I was breathing hard and couldn’t reply. I had to wait it out abit more. Wait until they were in position.
“We’re talking to you, sonofabitch.”
The three of them started kicking me. I held on. It wasn’t time yet.
A bright slash of lightning flashed across the sky. It was blinding.
By the time thunder rolled, I was the only person left. The three of them disappeared.
Fools.
I laughed, but the sound was drowned by another roll of thunder.

May 2022
Our daily life together became something of a routine.
We’d attend school together, eliminating those that came our way. After school we would go on dates around the city. Then on weekends, we would stay at Kamijou’s place. Raef visited every now and then, and we went hunting together.
“There seems to be an increase in players recently.”
I looked up from my magazine and looked at Raef. We were in my loft. It was a rare occasion where Sora wasn’t around. She was with her normal friends on a girl’s day out or something of the sort. I didn’t have to care, so I was slacking.
“So?”
I didn’t really care. It was unlikely that it would reach the level of a year ago. And with more players, meant easily increased scores.
“Don’t you think somebody is creating an army again?”
Raef was after that era but had heard the stories of it. Doomsday December, the biggest war in the history of the death game. The few survivors were almost nonexistent now.
I just looked at him. He knew what I meant.
“Fine fine. I’m sorry for bringing that up.”
He took out his new baby, an old Winchester. I only knew its name because it came up in history lesson before. The gun that won the West. Raef had probably turned it into a sniper or assault rifle. I wonder where he got the supply for his guns.
Raef walked out to the terrace and began lining his sight.
I was back in my old mood, before I met Sora. I barely talked and just passed time however well I could.
[CRACK]
Raef fired a shot. Unsuppressed. Then again, you can’t suppress such and old gun. I sighed.
There was a bit of a commotion as usual. But it was so far away, the sounds barely reached us.
“New record?”
“Yup. Furthest with this baby. One kilometer, on the dot.”
The elevator dinged at that moment, and out came my lovely Sora.
“How are you Kir~ Did you miss me?”
She leaned over and kissed me on the cheek. I held her and gave a full five seconder on the lips. It was the scene of a loving couple, something that I would never imagine a year ago.
Sora hadn’t killed anybody since Kamijou. Every week, people would show up at our front door. Death delivery service, easier than shooting fish in a barrel. The fish were already in the barrel of the gun.
“So how was it? Fun?”
I made conversation with Sora.
“The best.”
I gave her a look. Sora laughed and continued.
“OK, not the best, but it was fun. I haven’t been out with them since I started dating you.”
“Hmph.”
I closed one eye. I liked to pretend to be jealous around Sora, the same way she liked to be my pet.
Then it happened.
The world spun around me. I tried to stand up but collapsed on the floor. As blackness took me, I heard Sora calling my name.

I awoke on a stone cliff, above a fierce raging ocean. It was nothing more than a 12 feet wide platform. I looked up, and the skies were grey and threatening.
In front of me was a guy who looked a lot like me. Long dark hair untied, but he was dressed in a red coat. His hair flowing in the wind, he stood facing me about five meters away.
“Kirdan Dunamis, also known as Xanatos.”
I slowly rose to my feet.
“Who are you?”
“You gave death, while I started death. Fair enough?”
Gears in my head slowly turned. I was the top player in the death game. That means this guy was the creator of the game.
“I see you figured it out. Well done.”
He clapped his hands a few times. It was drowned by the roaring winds.
“What do you want with me?”
“Hmm another question for me? Very well. This city has now easily a million people in it every day. If I increased the current 300 players to 3,000, what do you think we will see?”
I hated the way he asked me. It was like a child playing with his toy. A godlike figure.
“You want me to recreate Doomsday December? So what? Then I can easily become the first person to clear this death game?”
He shrugged.
“The rules of the game were simple enough, was it not? The conditions were slightly too flexible, but I had to have enough players to rake up 10,000 kills. You did something I expected, but earlier than I had thought.”
“Then you want to kill me off? Stop these stupid riddles!”
“It would be a riddle if I made it a puzzle. But so far, we’ve only had a normal conversation.”
He stopped talking. The lack of human voice suddenly became evident. I shivered, this guy must know what he’s doing.
“Sigh. 8,000. You really are something, Kirdan. Those people had struggled for years, and in just one day… What if I said I wanted to join the game at this point in time?”
“You wouldn’t dare!”
I shouted at him. I really hated this guy. He created a death game and caused so many people to die and mindlessly kill each other. And now he was threatening me with joining the game.
“True. I would have no reason to.”
“Then why did you bring me here?”
“One of the reasons, I guess, is to remind you that the game is still ongoing, and that there is still the reward of one wish.”
“So then what are the other reasons?”
“To speed it up alittle? You are one hell of an efficient bastard. The choice of giving you your shadow ability is always giving me a headache. With each person that joins, you finish him off just as fast. Up to the point where the rate of this game has slowed too much.”
“Then Doomsday December…”
I unconsciously let out. This guy, this game master had picked his winner, and was now giving him a way to win. It was a rigged game from the start?!!
“Exactly. You see where I am going, don’t you? That’s why I didn’t regret picking you.”
“I’m not exactly protagonist material.”
“Oh really?”
He cocked his head.
“I’m anti-social, kill off people way too quickly, and live way too simply.”
“Is that all? Then that is not much of a worthy argument.”
“So Reyzar, you also helped him to that level?”
“That guy? I guess so. He had a decent pace, but somehow, you turned tables so efficiently, that he became an unfortunate casualty.”
He shrugged again. People’s deaths didn’t matter to him. He only wanted the game to be interesting. Rage built up in me, I wanted to end this guy right now.
“Don’t bother.”
With just those two words I dropped to my knees, all my strength had suddenly disappeared. What kind power did this guy have to control so many people’s lives?
That guy turned away from me.
“Wait! I’ve got one more question for you!”
His head turned and looked at me.
“That wish, can I...?”
“A wish is a wish. Whatever you wish for, it can come to past. The amount of blood spilled for it to happen has far exceeded its required limit.”

Extra Story: D (1/5)

this is a rough story i *anyhow* wrote while i was bored. it's the only one which i managed to reach the end with. there might be some discrepancies in the information because i changed it a few times....(any questions, please ask)

これはちょっと変もかもなスーとリーなの。この物語は。。。は。。。お前，自分で読む！

◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇

April 2022
“That Kirdan. I heard he’s ...”
“Hahaha, I know right?”
The mindless chatter of the classmates buzzed around me. Some were even talking about me. There was no way around it. If I wanted to keep attending this highschool, I had to live with it.
Not that I wanted to. It was simply part of a life I had to live. Part of a battle that took place in this city.
Seventeen year old Kirdan Dunamis, sitting at his seat and staring out the window, as usual. A mysterious guy with many secrets.
I guess that was how people saw me. You can never truly understand the thoughts of the person on the other end.
I attracted a lot of attention from my classmates and the general public. Maybe too much.
The highschool I attended was something of a norm in this city. Everything had a standard.
Standard uniform consisted of a collared long sleeve white shirt, dark blue trousers and blazer for guys. Girls were the same, except the skirt. Ties were compulsory. Instead I wore short sleeved black collared shirt with a sleeveless dark yellow hoodie. Dark colored jeans and the occasional accessory just to rub it in the teacher’s face.
Standard classes. We had to have a 100% class attendance rate if we were in the school compound. I wandered the halls when I felt like it. Played some sports with the occasional teacher or joined whichever class I felt like.
Standard haircut. Girls could leave it to any length, provided it was neat, tied up at all times, and no dying. Guys had to keep it short, above the collar and above the ear and above the eyebrows. The usual for these kind of schools. I left mine long, tying it in a ponytail that draped over my shoulder. It’s beginning to touch my shoulders when untied.
But they didn’t complain. They wouldn’t dare. I had the best grades in the school. And if they came close, I’d just glare at them and they’d run off.
Attracted a lot of attention. I turned heads when I walked on the streets. It was as if some hot girl or celebrity passed by. Wait, screw the celebrity, people would ask them for pictures and autographs.
All this just to piss teachers off? That would be an easy life.
No, I was part of a death game, one which I had no need of running away from. People simply hearing my title would beg for mercy. That was how good I am at it.
The death game was simple. Kill or be killed.
No, that’s over-summarizing it.
But death games are like that.
This particular one consisted of a particularly irritating element: Magic.
Magic could do many things science couldn’t. And combined with weapons, well, you should know enough about the effects of magic.
One’s magic aura also reveals the presence of another player near you, so that we wouldn’t kill innocent bystanders. Through practice and training, one can conceal that aura, like I did.
Other than the aura, there was another way to identify a player. On every player, there was a symbol or marking that will appear somewhere on their right arm. It differs in design from person to person, but it was normally on the right arm.
There were a minimum of 100 players at any one time. These players could be anyone, from the average random person you see, or don’t see, on the streets, to the damned President himself. The minimum cap existed, so when the number drops below 100, some innocent bystander could just very well find his way into the death game, with no knowledge of how he got there.
Anyone in this city has the potential to become a player. That was how I started.
The means, and players have all been described.
That leaves the goal.
The wonderful little idea of a goal. It makes people do unspeakable things. And in the idea of a goal, is a small joke.
There was no goal. You fought so that you wouldn’t die.
Got you there, didn’t I?
There IS a goal. But nobody ever came close.
You not only had to survive, but rake in a kill count of 10,000. Then you’ll get a wish granted. That was the only way out. One could hide, but there’s a limit to how long you can hide.
I was well on my way there, somewhere around 4,000, in the one year plus I’ve been in this death game. All the higher rankers have been eliminated by me. The highest was around 8,000, before he was removed from play.
And now I was sitting pretty on the top of all the other players.
How would I know about my ranking? That’s the best part. Using the magic, you can conjure up the current rankings. Otherwise go to the only safe zone in the entire city to check.
Well, I sat on the safe zone, where none of the players is allowed to kill each other. Any attempts to do so will simply reflect back onto you.
The safe zone was the chapel in the school I was in.
Normal people would be kicked out by the school’s guards during daytime. I handled anyone during the night. It was easy pickings.
But the school was the reason I piqued that girl’s interest.

At varying points in time at this school, girls have been coming up to confess to me. Unfortunately for them, I had no reason to accept. I just passed my day in school, slowly building my ranking.
That girl kept looking me at first.
She was a ‘transfer student’ they said. She transferred in one week after the start of the school year.
I just ignored her glances. It was normal, I thought, she’ll get over it.
Through the next month, she showed she was a role model student, with grades second highest in the level. Her looks weren’t easily brushed off either.
Natural brownish black hair with hints of gold that she tied with a ribbon, and a model’s body; she was something that many students, both male and female, admired. She was clearly of mixed blood.
Then one day…

May 2022
“Damn!”
The unfortunate man standing in front of me spit. Literally, he spit his blood onto the already dirty floor.
“Like I told you. It isn’t worth it.”
I dodged as he lunged at me with the magically enhanced military combat knife. It was a pathetic job, one that only beginners do.
“You must be really desperate by now.”
I taunted him.
His eyes were bloodshot and he was clearly at his limit.
Oh wait, I forgot. If you don’t kill anyone within a week, your location will be broadcasted to every other player in the city. Then as usual, everything becomes free play.
But this guy was simply at his physical limit. I had slowly hunted him for the past hour. His military fatigues were proof that he was a soldier, along with the muscles. He was fit, no doubt about it, and yet he was already touching his limit in an hour.
That’s was when I play with them.
“Why are you chasing me?!”
He panted heavily, blood dripping from three different places. He stood there, cornered by the alley walls surrounding him. He definitely wasn’t going to give up soon.
I was just a few paces away from him, with hands in my pocket.
“I don’t like it when people enter my territory. You should have heard the stories about me.”
Shrugging, I took out one gloved hand, in the form of a fist, and pointed it at him. It was the first time in this battle I took my hands out from my pocket.
“Are you—?”
You could finally see the fear in his eyes now. But I have to commend the fact he was still standing strong.
“Xanatos.”
I finished him and his sentence with a single movement.
My ability, was that of shadow. I could hide in it, and turn it into weapons. And I also can teleport to any shadow in my field of vision. It was the result of long training, and perfected on those that had died to me.
His body, now with no will to control it, dropped to the floor with a dull thud.
A single strong punch into the head.
It was a relatively bloodless finishing blow. It would have been messy if he bled everywhere.
“Kirdan?”
That transfer girl stood at the end of the alley, which was about 15 meters away.
I glared at her, making her flinch. She was still wearing school uniform. I think school had just ended.
I put my hood back on, and walked past her.
She saw the dead body. Then she screamed.
By then, I was a block away while a small group of onlookers gathered.

[PAK]
I was early in class when she walked in, dropped off her bag at her seat and came straight to my table, and hit it.
The students in the class and corridor were shocked by the sound and looked at the source of it. It was almost start of homeroom, so there were a lot of students.
“Kirdan, can I talk with you privately?”
Whispers arose from the crowd.
Kinda natural, since the beautiful transfer student suddenly asked to talk with me privately.
A cliché scenario from a manga.
“You are?”
“I can’t believe you don’t know your own classmate’s name.”
She sighed.
“Otonashi Sora.”
“Hmm?”
“My name is Otonashi Sora you idiot!”
That got the onlookers roused.
“How dare that bastard Kirdan make our goddess angry!!!”
I ignored them. They were irrelevant no matter how you looked at it.
“The silent sky? Nice name.”
I looked back out the window.
[PAK]
She hit my table again.
“Kirdan, please come with me so we can speak privately.”
“Fine fine. The table has nothing against you.”
She took my hand and stormed out of the classroom. Almost every student in the corridor came out and watched. A good many of them followed us.
Sora led me an empty classroom and shut the door. The writhing mass of people struggled to get a view through the window. They couldn’t hear what we said, but they definitely could see.
“You killed that guy yesterday didn’t you?”
She accused me right in the face. I yawned.
“So what?”
“After you left, the body just dissipated. There was nothing left by the time anyone else arrived.”
“So you were the only who saw me?”
I slowly moved back. She unconsciously moved forward aggressively.
“You admit it then!”
“But it is your word against mine. And nobody here would give a damn anyway.”
Her flurry of emotions built up inside, and her face slowly had a slight pinkish hue. Then my back touched the wall. Perfect.
I suddenly grabbed her hand, spun her, and lightly spun her into the wall. I slammed my right hand over her left shoulder and leaned over her.
“If you don’t want to die, don’t get involved.”
I whispered into her ear. Her face gave up and turned bright red. Then for fun, I gave her a three second kiss on the lips.
“Kirdan you!”
Which ended when she shoved me hard then slapped me. A loud united gasp came from the crowd. Just like that, she stormed off.
I gave a shrug and followed her out of the room.
Just for fun, I watched Sora for the rest of the school day. Everytime she turned back and caught me looking, she’d turn bright red and face forward.
As expected, Sora’s newly established fan club was fuming. A whole bunch of them had the guts to walk up to me immediately after school.
“How dare someone like you taint our pure goddess’ lips!”
The leader, someone who didn’t look half bad did the talking. I didn’t bother to waste time on these fools.
“So?”
I put alittle force and a strong glare behind those words.
“Umm, never mind. Sorry we took your time.”
As expected of them.
Now then, it’s hunting time.
My territory was in a 2km radius with the chapel at the center. But I also left it when I wanted to hunt.
Like now.
My school was on the south side of the city, near the harbor. I headed to the big shopping district near the city center. New players would unknowingly step into public places and be easy pickings, while some others were there to hunt, like me. Those hunters were my targets.
I stood atop the tall skyscraper that was my usual perch. I used magic to scan the area, every now and then visually.
There! A group of five was standing on a balcony of nearby shopping mall, smoking nonchalantly. It was a big group. In this death game, every kill counts. Sharing kills with your team meant you really had to trust them. Passersby would think they were normal gangsters. But their magical aura said otherwise. Together, they created a dense aura, any player nearby would be wary of it.
And I thought they were pros. It seemed that they had recently become players and had not fully understood everything yet.
Too bad. They wouldn’t have the chance to.
“Kehhhhh. I’m too late, aren’t I?”
The rough voice came from a guy who had a few days’ worth of stubble on his jaw. His spiked short red hair looked like fire. Dark shades covered his eyes. He was dressed in an equally bright orange Aloha shirt and white bermudas. Something he didn’t wear often.
“I’ll let you have one, Raef.”
This guy was Raef Thade. It was his player name, just like mine was Xanatos. His name was an amalgam, Fear Death. He was the closest thing I had to a rival in this death game.
His magical ability was used in enhancing accuracy and power in guns. But instead of being a sniper, he chose to use a good old revolver, some Smith & Wesson. I didn’t care, I had no interest in guns.
Despite his lighthearted attitude, he was just as coldblooded as me when it came down to it.
“Hahaha, you really are in a good mood. Come on, what did you do today?”
“I kissed a girl and made her cry.”
I said dryly.
“Seriously? Wow, I didn’t think you’d ever get into a relationship.”
“She saw me kill off a player yesterday. I kissed her to stop her from prying. Now my whole school thinks she confessed to me, and then rejected me.”
“What a joke. Sigh, Xana, you know that now she has a higher likelihood of becoming a player?”
I flicked a coin at him. He caught it easily.
“My fault I got careless. I’ll protect her.”
“So gentlemanly, that’s unlike you. What’s your real motive?”
He flicked it back at me.
“It’s true. If she ever does, I can always use her as bait. Makes my life easier.”
“Ah! They’re moving. I’ll take that fat guy in the red shirt.”
“You sure you’re not talking about yourself?”
“Ha ha, very funny. Let’s go before someone else takes them.”
[Flap]
Two large black wings appeared from my back, while Raef strapped on a parachute.
“The hell is that for?”
“In case you drop me. Luckily we were near the ground and there was a tree.”
I remember that time. He was talking and moving a lot, so I lost my grip.
“By that height you don’t need a chute anymore…”
“It’s a long way down from here. I’m not taking any chances, since I’ve gotten this far.”
Raef’s kill count was about 1,000. Officially, he was currently 10th. The eight in between us could easily be killed off anytime. The sooner the better though, pros could easily diminish the prey population.
“Then you hold on tight. So in the chance that you do fall, it isn’t going to be my fault.”
We both stepped onto the ledge. Even with what I said earlier, I bear hugged Raef. It was a long way down. People were ants at this height. I didn’t jump. Instead, I leaned forward.
The wind screamed in my ear. Damn, I forgot to bring my music player. Heck, with those four, I’d probably buy a new one on the way back.
I flared my wings at the last possible moment, landing us in front of the gang of five.
“What the ****?!!”
The usual reaction when they see me use my shadow ability.
I smiled.
“SHIT!!!”
They hurriedly summoned balls of energy around their hands. Beginner’s tricks, I never had the time to play with it.
Too late for them. Their own shadow crept from their legs up, rooting them to the floor. The tendrils of shadow made its way to their neck.
And just like that, four of them were dead.
A silenced pistol shot hit the fifth at the same time. All five of them dropped at the same time.
I looked over at Raef. He never puts suppressors on his prized revolver. True enough, he was using some black pistol that looked like Government Issue.
“Tsk tsk, playing with new gear?”
I tutted, and Raef made a face.
“Ahhh, this? This is a—“
“Standard issue for several branches of military in America, the Beretta M9 semiautomatic is an excellent choice of weapon. But then I heard the military version jammed something awful.”
The voice of a young girl made us look up. Then I facepalmed.
The girl was Sora. She walked through the doors leading to the balcony, still wearing her school uniform.
“So you’re actually a gay who is into guys with guns?”
Geh, this girl was really irritating.
“So you must be the girl—“
“Shuddup Raef. Sora, I am NOT a gay. The fact I kissed you is proof of that. And I told you not to get involved if you value your life.”
“Fufu, I said that just to get back at you. I do value my life, but since you took my first kiss, I expect you to make up for it.”
I take that back. Irritating was an understatement. Now, it was closer to blackmailing schemer.
“So what do you want me to do?”
“Tell me the truth. I just saw you two kill off those five guys there like nobody’s business. The shadow trick you did was similar to what you did yesterday.”
“If you want to die so badly, then fine. I’ll tell you everything. But you must never ever regret it.”
“Deal.”
A fire was lit in her eyes. Maybe it could turn out well. Meanwhile, the bodies slowly dissipated into dust.
“Let’s go grab a coffee or something. We’ll talk after that.”
I bought two large iced mocha with whipped cream and handed one over to Sora. Raef had to pay for his own drinks if he wanted to watch.
I led her back to the lobby of the skyscraper I had perched on. We entered the lift, and I punched in the top floor.
[DING]
We stepped out into a place which had the furnishings of a house. Two walls were entirely made of glass, giving us a spectacular view.
“Wow! I didn’t know this place was a house.”
Sora had been politely quiet. Now came the task of explaining to her. Her funeral.
“This is my city loft. Please don’t mess it up too much.”
“You live here, Kirdan? It must cost a lot.”
“Not really. Make yourself comfortable.”
I gestured at the sofa in what could be called a living room. Sora placed her bag down gently by the side of the sofa and folded her school blazer. That was the end of her lady-likeness. She sat cross-legged on the sofa. Flashes of her pink panties could be seen.
She noticed me looking.
“You’re going to make up for that as well.”
What’s wrong with this girl? Were her parents gang bosses or something? She was so determined to squeeze every little thing out of me over one kiss. OK, it became more than one kiss.
“Whatever. The things I’m about to say, you will not repeat them to anyone else. I’ll explain as I go along.”
Sora almost interrupted. I took a deep breath before continuing.
“You are now part of a death game. The original name was in some other ancient language, but if you translate it into current day languages, the meaning would still be ‘death game’. There are three ways people join this game. First, they get randomly picked because of the lack of players. The second, is someone who is already in the game brings them in, something like what I’m doing to you now. Lastly, is what you would have become. Simply witnessing players killing other players can turn you into a player. Follow me so far?”
Sora nodded. Her relaxed attitude had gone, and her face was slowly paling.
“Drink some of your mocha, it’ll help abit.”
I advised her. It would be a pain in the ass if she fainted halfway during my explanation.
“The only condition to be part of this game, is to be in the city itself. There is no way out of it. And if you don’t kill people, your position will broadcasted via magic and people will come after you. But don’t worry on that part. Raef and I can handle those that come, so you can take your time to decide.”
I proceed to explain everything to her.
“There you have it. I don’t believe I owe you anything anymore. If anything, it will be you owing me for protecting you.”
“But what proof do you have that I am a player now?”
“You would have a mark or symbol somewhere on your right arm.”
As I spoke, she bared her right arm. It was clean of any markings. That would mean—
“Nothing! So I’m not part of the game~”
“Not so fast.”
I broke her happy mood with a serious face. This girl was really creating a lot of trouble, but she was just like me. Not in the trouble part, but as a player.
“There are a small minority of players who do not have the mark on their right arm. These players are elites compared to normal players. Since there are very few of these elites, they have no collective term.”
“So you’re saying I have to strip?”
“No, I’m saying the mark is somewhere else on your body.”
“You’re still asking me to strip~”
“Fine! If you wanna strip, go ahead.”
I said exasperatedly. Sora gave me a scary look. I started to brace myself for what had to come.
“You’ll have to help search my body. There are some places I can’t see.”
[Crash]
I dropped to the floor. I don’t think any amount of bracing an adolescent guy could do could stand against that.
“I could help—“
“No. I’m asking Kirdan, not you.”
[Crash]
Raef dropped to the floor as well. Probably in rejection unlike me.
“I’ll just go hide in the toilet…”
He cried as he crawled away. I doubt I would want to change position with him. He’d probably do something stupid with Sora.
In the middle of my thoughts, Sora stretched out her hand.
“Come on Kirdan, let’s go to your room.”
I had no choice but to follow.
[Click]
Now with the door locked, I was a prisoner to a very excited Sora. Might as well get this over with, I thought as I sat down on my bed.
She took off her blazer when she entered my loft; the shirt, ribbon, and skirt were what’s left on her. I suddenly had a very bad feeling.
Sora had a very seductive smile on her, her hands slowly but nimbly undid her ribbon and slowly made its way down through the buttons. I didn’t dare move. My mind was screaming for me to get out of there, while my body was totally oblivious to my mind’s shouting, and kept my eyes glued onto Sora.
Her shirt was now fully unbuttoned and hanging open. A matching pink bra was revealed in between the opening.
I couldn’t take it anymore. I jumped up and took her right hem of her shirt in my left hand.
“So you’re finally accepting me?”
Sora’s brown eyes looked straight into mine. I heard they called it soulgazing.
“Sorry.”
I had to apologize for what I was about to do.
With skillful hand movements, I spun her around clockwise, and at the same time taking off her shirt.
“It’s not here?!”
“Ehhh?? You weren’t going to do anything to me?”
She was surprised I wasn’t going to touch her.
I was shocked that the mark was not immediately visible. That meant it was in a very bad place for me to see. Just because I was a killer didn’t mean I was a pervert.
“Gah! Why would I? Because I’m a guy, and you’re a girl?”
“Isn’t it because I’m a girl and you’re a guy?”
“But we’re not in a relationship.”
“Yet.”
That was one word that easily countered many arguments.
“You can’t possibly be implying…?”
“Kirdan Dunamis, I like you very much, so would you go out with me?”
I had a lot of experience with confessions, but I had already done some things with her that I have not done with other girls before.
“Is there any way around it?”
“Nope~ You took my first kiss, and took my innocence. It is your duty to take care of me from now on~<3”
What the hell? Is this girl for real?
“Fine. I’ll date you. But no more trying any bed stuff until our relationship progresses. If it ever does.”
“Then what about the mark?”
“It’s in someplace that I will not see at this point in time. Get dressed, I’ll meet you outside and teach you about magic.”
I left the room as quickly as possible, leaving her to get dressed by herself.
I sighed as the door shut behind me.
“Hahaha, you really got yourself in big trouble this time Xana.”
Raef was now lying on the sofa that Sora had vacated earlier. His face was buried where Sora had sat sniffing her… smell.
“Xana? You mean Kirdan?”
Sora suddenly appeared behind me. She really dresses quick, unlike what I’ve heard about girls. Raef quickly sat up and acted nonchalantly. I think Sora already noticed.
“Ah yes. You can decide, and should use a player name. That way, it’ll be harder for others to track your real life and hunt you easily. So I’m Xanatos, while Raef has some boring real name.”
“Hey! Don’t call my real name boring! Wait, it is, but I don’t like it when you say that.”
“Anyway, for now, I suggest you practice with magic first. It’s something you have to get used to if you want to survive.”
I left the explanation of magic to Raef while I went outside to take a breather.
It was almost sunset and the sun’s rays were making beautiful colors in the clouds. It’s been a long time since I last looked at a sunset.
No, no, no. I shook my head. I can’t let Sora turn me into a mushy hearted killer. I have 6,000 more people to kill, and then I can leave this damn city behind.
My thoughts soon moved to the five slots that were opened and filled the instant those guys died. They’re probably confused about what’s going on. Maybe not even realizing it.
It will be a very long 6,000 people, I sighed.