The Mountain Dogs had retreated and reorganized their units.
They were now ready to attack again.
Takano was furious at them for not being able to bring R back to the clinic, even though they had her in their hands.
She gave an order to capture her with all the Mountain Dogs' forces put together.
Their vehicles were at the clinic, and they were all standing by for the order to attack.
Takano wasn't the only one who was furious.
Okonogi was as angry as her.
That rookie policeman from five years ago had grown. He even made Okonogi yield!!
He couldn't accept that he was defeated, so he was bent on revenge.
The reason why the order to attack was held off was because the signal from the transmission device on Irie was momentarily interrupted.
They interpreted it to mean that Irie had gone even farther down into the basement.
The Mountain Dogs assumed that the club members would go even further underground and try to escape by using some kind of secret passageway.
That passageway couldn't be that long.
They'd have to come up to the surface eventually.
...The Mountain Dogs were planning to catch them as soon as they surfaced.
The villagers were too busy with finishing set-up for the festival, so they had no idea what was going on.
By this time, the Mountain Dogs had shut down the telephone network.
They were afraid the club members would call the police.
The only way into the town was being watched by the blockade unit, so the club members couldn't escape that way.
R and her friends had to come up to the surface.
They couldn't be thinking of staying underground until things settled down.
Their lifeline, Tomitake, was in captivity.
They couldn't be stupid enough to think of attacking the clinic to rescue him.
More than likely, they would try to escape from the village on foot.
They would probably call the police to help them.
The patrol unit had several cars driving around the village, their eyes peeled for the signal of the transmitter or those on the run.
It was time to wait patiently.
The battle had returned to the starting point, and the balance of power was even again.
"Scheduled report from Skylark 2.
All clear."
"...They can't stay quiet for that long.
We have to be patient. They'll turn up...!
By the way, where's the Princess?"
"I believe she's interrogating First Lieutenant Tomitake.
She's trying to talk him into joining our side."
"......At this point, that may be the only way to settle matters peacefully.
......Good thing we captured him alive.
Heh heh heh heh.
With the Princess gone and no phone calls from Tokyo,
I can finally enjoy this cool air-conditioned breeze."
"Commander, there's a radio call from Tokyo.
It's from Nomura-san, and it's for you, not for the Major."
"Good grief, if the phone's no good, they'll use a radio, huh?
Well, I wonder what the Queen in Tokyo wants from me now...
Okonogi of the Mountain Dogs here.
Over."
Tomitake was being held in a small meeting room.
He was shoved under a desk.
He was restrained so tightly that he couldn't even turn around.
Takano was sitting in a chair next to the table, staring at a whiteboard.
It outlined the research plan that was to be shut down.
...But Takano wasn't really reading it. She was just staring.
Neither of them said a thing. Silence filled the meeting room.
"It's almost eleven AM.
What a long day.
I was woken up so early, and it's not even noon yet."
"..............."
Tomitake didn't reply.
"......Jirou-san.
Do you think you can help me?"
"..............."
"......I don't need the Mountain Dogs.
...I only want you.
The Mountain Dogs can't comfort me.
......I've finally realized that your insensitivity is the only thing that can.
...Jirou-san, you knew that, right? That was why you acted that way, right?
......You thought there was no use in trying to sympathize,
and you tried to comfort me.
That's what you thought... right? You only pretended to be insensitive...
...to help me enjoy myself, didn't you...?"
"..............."
"I'm not speaking to you as Major Takano.
I'm speaking to you as Miyo Takano.
You still won't talk to me?"
"...A hostage may only give his name, rank, and identification number."
Takano hung her head...
"......I don't have the key to those handcuffs.
Sorry."
"...That's fine.
I didn't ask you to remove them."
"...Would you like
a cup of coffee...?"
"No thanks.
...I don't want you to have to help me go to the bathroom in this position."
It was hardly a conversation, but Takano was happy that Tomitake had finally replied.
However, that wouldn't solve any of their problems...
"If you must kill me, I'm alright with that.
I made my peace when I was caught."
"............Yeah.
...I was planning to kill you tonight.
...I'm glad you're prepared for that."
"...Good.
Then my resolve won't go to waste."
".........Hey...
don't you want to live?
...If you promise to join me, you won't have to die.
...My superiors say there's no point in keeping you alive,
but I'll work something out."
"......Who are
your superiors?"
"I don't know.
...The person who contacts me calls herself Nomura, but I'm sure that's not her real name.
I really don't know."
"...But you must have talked to her before you decided to do this, right?"
"I only talked to her a few times.
......When I think back, she probably just wanted to use me.
But,
at the time...
I thought she was the only person...
who could understand me."
"......I understand.
I knew there was a time when you needed someone to help you."
"..............."
"...I wish
I could have been there for you."
".........Yeah.
...If you were there, that would have been so nice."
"............Nobody...
has died yet."
"...But I'm going to kill them."
"You have your masterminds, but there are other masterminds in Tokyo who oppose them. Most of them want to hush up this issue.
You may think it's too late to do anything about it, but you're wrong.
There is still something you can do.
You can make this whole thing disappear."
"...And
my grandfather's research on the syndrome will disappear, too... won't it?"
".........Takano-san...
What do you want to happen?"
Takano closed her eyes for a bit, while she came up with an answer.
Her grandfather's research had been insulted.
...She wanted those with higher positions of authority to take it seriously.
...Nomura could make that happen.
...When the final operation was enacted, the higher-ups of the country would have to read the article, and they would have to believe what's in it.
They will authorize the execution of the emergency manual.
...And yes, that would create an irreversible disaster.
But at the same time, the disaster would prove that her grandfather's article had merit.
"...Will you be satisfied with that?"
"......Sure.
I'll be satisfied.
......That is
the purpose of my life."
"I asked you before...
You're going to disappear after this operation, aren't you?
...Miyo Takano's purpose will be fulfilled, and she will vanish from the face of the Earth.
...You'll return to being
Miyoko Tanashi.
...That's your real name, isn't it?"
How long had it been since she heard that name...? Takano closed her eyes slightly.
"......Yeah, that's right.
...Soon enough,
I will return to being Miyoko Tanashi."
"Tanashi Miyoko lost her parents... and was sent to an orphanage as a little girl.
......She died after being tortured.
...That's what you said, right?"
"...Yes, I did.
I'll have to go back inside of that metal fence.
...Have you experienced something like that, Jirou-san?"
...Takano told Tomitake
about her horrible experiences,
which were simply unimaginable
for normal people.
"...I am going to return to that place, and this time, Grandfather won't come help me.
......So, I will die.
...If I was dead... I wouldn't exist here.
...If I wasn't here, then there wouldn't be an Irie Institute.
...I wouldn't be stuck living out such a bizarre fate."
".........You...
you're planning to die, aren't you...?"
"...I'm supposed to be rewarded after the operation,
but I don't believe that.
...I might be suddenly killed one day."
"Don't you have someone... who you can trust?"
"My clients are just clients.
They're not my allies.
......But the Mountain Dogs are.
I paid them more than enough."
"...But you can't truly trust them, can you?"
"..................
...They are my allies.
They caught you, and they're trying to catch R and her friends as we speak.
They're helping me."
"...But,
that's not the kind of ally you need right now."
"...You're right.
They aren't the kind of ally I need right now."
Takano paused.
She paused because Tomitake had just said exactly what she had been thinking.
......Since the day Tomitake disappeared, she had been feeling restless.
...Takano had to admit
that she needed
Tomitake.
"......Jirou-san.
...I paid the Mountain Dogs a few hundred million yen to be on my side.
...I have a little more than a hundred million yen left.
How much do I need to pay you?"
"......You should think about how much it really costs to get what you truly want."
".........That's rather a pretentious thing to say in this situation.
...You want me to say it's something I can't buy with money, right?"
".........Why don't you give up?
You may be able to tame the Mountain Dogs with your money, but that won't work with me."
"But I want you on my side.
If you want,
I'll give you everything,
not just money.
You can do whatever you want to do with me.
If you want me to lick your shoes, I will.
...Isn't that enough?"
Tomitake didn't reply.
...It wasn't affirmation by silence, but...
...a signal to Takano that he had already told her everything he meant to say,
...and the most saddening form of silence for her.
"...I'll make you breakfast every morning.
...I'll show up before you when we meet.
...I'll never make you wait just to test you.
......Isn't
that enough?
......Jirou-san..."
Tomitake... didn't say a word...
...He couldn't see her face under the desk.
...But he could sense it.
This wasn't the time to say anything to her.
...Remaining silent was the only thing he could do.
Suddenly, the phone rang.
Takano sniffled once and picked it up.
"...This is Takano.
.........I see.
Understood.
I'll be right there."
Takano stood up as she put down the phone.
"The Mountain Dogs found R.
We found Irie's signal too.
They must already know the roads are closed, and are trying to escape through the mountains on foot.
It won't be easy to hunt them there, but we're actually at an advantage, since there's nobody else around.
.........See you, Jirou-san.
...I think this will be our final conversation.
...I wish I could have heard you say something at the end of it all."
And still... Tomitake stayed silent.
Takano ran out of the room.
...She didn't look like she was hurrying back to work.
"It appears that they came out above ground in the mountains.
They might have tried to get some help from the villagers, but a patrol vehicle found R and some of her friends and started tailing them.
For a time, R and the transmitter were operating separately, but they rejoined at the mountains on the map."
"...Are you saying they split up then met back up?"
"They must have planned their escape route, I guess.
...I'm sure they're confident that they know their way around the mountains well enough.
...If there are too many trees, or if the bushes are too high, our weapons won't work as well as they should.
That's what the karate guy would think, at least."
Okonogi was determined to catch them this time. He kept saying how he was simply caught off-guard before.
"They can't escape this time.
We must catch them before they get to Okinomiya."
"Yes, yes, I know!!
Since they know the mountains better than we do, we'll have to get serious.
All our units will besiege and overrun them.
All units, did you hear that?
Think of it like a soccer game.
Our opponents are gonna try and score a goal.
That goal is Okinomiya!!
Don't let them get there!!
The karate guy's mine though.
I will absolutely bring him down!!!"
"Phoenix here, roger that."
"Nightingale here, roger that."
"Skylark here, roger that."
"Heron here, roger that."
"All units, move out!!!
If we fail, it's game over!!"
"Quite so!
We cannot fail. I'll take command of the corps from here!
...Do you think it'll be alright to leave Tomitake behind?"
"Sure.
We're leaving eight armed security guards behind.
Even if the enemy came at them with double that number, they'll be fine.
That karate guy will be more of a problem.
We simply can't underestimate him."
The security unit guarded the basement of the Irie Institute, which was the heart of the organization.
Therefore, they were armed more heavily than anyone else in the Mountain Dogs.
Okonogi's confidence in the security unit, and his newfound obsession with defeating Akasaka, made the diversionary plan a success.
But at the same time, that meant the decoy club members would have to deal with the full force of the Mountain Dogs.
The Dogs' white vans ran through the village.
While they couldn't fire shots outside, all members were carrying stun guns that fired electric needles.
While poor on range, they could subdue a target instantly.
With the flip of a switch, they could change between merely stunning or killing their target. The perfect weapon for people like the Mountain Dogs.
The vans separated into groups and headed for the mountains.
...They were planning to surround their enemies and then smoke them out.
"Commander, all units are standing by in position!"
"Very well.
Major, please give the order."
"...This is Takano.
Make sure you capture R alive.
I don't care if you kill the rest!!
Don't let them escape!
Finish it right there!!"
"Nightingale, Skylark, Heron, start hunting.
Phoenix will be the goalkeeper and we'll be the reserve.
Be ready for anything!"
"This is Phoenix 7, roger that."
"Let's begin!!!"
The Mountain Dogs started marching, spreading out in a line with a few meters between them.
This mountainside was a savage land where not even the villagers would dare tread.
There were some trails, but no paved roads for human beings.
It required an enormous amount of diligence and patience to hunt on a mountain like this.
All the Dogs were very nervous.
They were told that most of their enemies were children, but there were a few well-trained adults with them as well.
In addition, they were supposedly armed quite heavily and they knew the layout of the terrain quite well. It was obviously going to be a tough battle...
"...Okonogi,
how many people do you usually need to search a mountain?"
"It's hard to say, but I'm sure that the more people we have, the better the position we'll be in.
But all the Mountain Dogs put together won't be even close to enough."
"...But our enemies are just a small group of people. Don't you think we're at an advantage?
Well, you know what people always say.
It takes thrice the forces to break a defense.
We have twice more than that on our side."
"Well, that theory works if we're talking about thousands of soldiers.
It doesn't work in smaller scale battles.
The U.S. Armed Forces proved that in the Vietnam War."
"...Then, in this case,
how great of a force do you think you need to search this mountain, Okonogi?"
"Heh heh heh heh.
Whatever works, I guess."
"I don't know what you mean by that... what would be an appropriate military force?"
"Considering what happened this morning, we have to conclude that their commander is extremely brilliant.
They also have at least two weapons experts,
and at least one close combat expert."
"...Okay, I see that, but the rest are all kids, aren't they?"
"That's what I'd think too, but we're in their territory.
One kid who knows an area well can be equal to a finely-trained patrol unit.
...They are more troublesome than you think, Major."
"...Then... then tell me how great of a force you'll need to actually suppress them."
"We'll need one division.
Ah, let me explain what I mean by that. Three or four Mountain Dogs make a battalion, and three or four battalions make a regiment.
And finally, three or four regiments make a division."
"A-Are you saying we need thirty times as many people?!"
"Of course, that alone isn't enough.
We'd need to get in touch with an artillery base and request an advance bombardment.
If we could get help from the air, I'd want a Phantom to drop napalm bombs."
"You've got to be kidding me! We don't have that much force at our disposal!
...What do you think would happen if we tried to chase them down with our current manpower!?"
"Well, it won't be easy, that's for sure.
Heh heh heh heh, hahahahahahahaha...!"
Okonogi laughed boldly.
...He said it wouldn't be easy, but he also seemed to be implying that he was the only one capable of doing it.
"Although this is their territory, they just got there a little while ago.
They don't have a base, and they didn't even have time to set up traps.
I don't think they've had enough time to use their knowledge of the mountain to their advantage."
"..............."
As Takano listened to Okonogi's explanation, she felt a little anxious.
...When
she pretended to be friendly with Satoko a long time ago,
she used to tell Takano all about her mountain.
Takano remembered how Satoko told her about all kinds of traps she'd set up,
but she couldn't recall...
which mountain Satoko was talking about...
"Skylark to base. We've located some of the targets.
We can't see R.
We're still searching!"
"...We can use them as hostages!!
Capture them even if R isn't there!!"
"Nightingale, did you hear that?
Gather up the nearby units and block their escape route!!"
"Roger. We'll back you up."
"Heh heh heh heh heh heh heh heh!!
Well, of course.
They'd want to cut off our escape route, wouldn't they...!"
Some fallen trees were leaning against a much larger pine tree, forming a natural scaffold.
A small hut made out of plywood had been built on top of them.
...It was one of Satoko's many secret bases.
It was in a perfect spot, since Mion could see the foot of the mountain well.
"Wow...
This went just as Mii-chan expected!!"
"Well then, we'll see what they've got, huh?"
"C-Can we win?
Can we?"
"Heh heh heh!
What are you talking about?
Our enemy's commander is worthless.
They'd need at least one division!
But they're trying to attack us with just a single company.
What are they thinking?!
We'll see just how many of them will be able to go back down the mountain in one piece today."
"Damn it!!
...This is Skylark 4, we've been attacked!
Shit, don't let them get away!!
They let loose tons of logs!!
Skylark 6 sprained his ankle. Unable to pursue.
We'll go on without him!"
"Heh heh heh heh, don't let them escape.
Keep chasing them until the end. Don't even give them a chance to rest!!"
"This is Skylark 11, we've encountered a trap!
Skylark 12 and 13 probably have concussions!
We would have been dead if we weren't lucky!!"
"Th-This is Skylark 16,
a trap got me.
I'm tangled in steel wires. Unable to escape.
I can't cut them with my knife.
Somebody bring a wire cutter!!"
Chaotic radio transmissions came in, one after another.
...Obviously, Okonogi had been wrong about the Mountain Dogs being in an advantageous position.
"Nightingale 10 to base!!
Those bastards changed a well into a pit trap!!
Two members fell in. Unable to rescue them!!
We need help!!
Huh?
Whaahhh, stop!!!"
"What's the matter, Nightingale 10?
Come in, Nightingale 10!!"
"......Th...
This is Nightingale 10, I've been hit...
I was pushed from behind...
Nightingale 9 through 11 are in the well now.
We're unharmed, but unable to escape. Shit!!"
"Base to Nightingale, your backup has been attacked.
The enemy can see your movements!!
Watch out!!"
"This is Nightingale 1.
I have a question. How can they see our movements?
There's no UAV in the air or anything!!"
"Skylark 1 to base. We failed in our pursuit!
We lost them!
This is impossible. This mountainside is full of traps!!
We've already had a lot of injured men, and only covered a short distance!!"
"Heron 1 to HQ. We found R and some of her friends.
We're going after them.
We need assistance immediately!!"
"...Heh, heh heh heh heh heh!!
They split up, huh?
Their plan is to confuse and entangle us with traps...
Heron 1, be careful!!
They're luring you into a trapped area!!
They're splitting up to divert us and are planning an ambush!
This is an extremely advanced tactic!!
There have already been many injuries in the other units due to those traps and ambushes.
Be careful!!
Be prepared for anything, Heron 1!!
...Heron 1?"
"...H-Heron 2 to base!
Heron 1 is trapped!!
Come on, somebody cut the rope!!
The rest of you, keep going, don't let R escape!!"
"Nightingale 1 to base.
Nightingale 7 and his team have gone silent.
It's very possible that they've been attacked.
Allow us to send assistance!"
"This is Heron 5, three of our unit members have been knocked out by falling drums!
What the hell is this?!
Are there more of those ahead of us?!"
"...Th-This is Skylark 13.
...I was down...
...Ah!!
There's one of them now!!
I'll chase them down!!!
Dammit, I'm going to get you!!!"
"St...... stop, stop Skylark 13!!!
You can't take them down by yourself!!!"
"Oh ho ho ho ho!!
Come out, come out, wherever you are! Come on, this way!!!"
"Damn kid!!
Wait right theeeeeere!!!"
Skylark 13 chased Satoko with an enraged snarl on his face. But Satoko ran through the woods effortlessly.
Small branches scratched his body all over.
But he continued to chase Satoko.
...Satoko ran like the wind.
To her, she was simply running in her own backyard.
Who would get injured in a place like that?
As Skylark 13 ran after her,
he passed many Mountain Dogs who couldn't even move because of Satoko's traps.
The more of his trapped fellows he saw, the more he wasn't sure if the girl he was after was really a girl.
She was just something that looked like one!
He reached an area where logs were stacked up in piles. It seemed like the trees in the area were being chopped down.
It was a rather strange scene.
On his way there, Skylark 13 saw a member from a different unit hanging upside down from a tree, and he also saw feet sticking out of a pitfall.
There was a member whose foot was tied to the root of a tree with a device that looked like a pair of handcuffs.
He reached this area after seeing all of them.
He suddenly started sweating all over his body.
For Skylark 13 realized that he had been lured into a trap.
He had been caught in a snare.
She had tricked him...!!
The girl was standing in the middle of the open area, calmly balancing on a stump. She was simply looking at him.
...Shit, he thought. She's trying to lure me in!!!
"This is Skylark 13...!
I chased one of them to an open field!
I'll catch her, I'll get her!!!"
"This is Nightingale 7... I'm the one hanging behind you...
That isn't a girl. That's a demon...
If you chase her, you'll end up in Hell!!"
"Base to Skylark 13!
That's enough!
Wait for assistance!!
Some nearby members are on their way!!"
"Oh ho ho ho ho.
What's the matter, huh?
If you want to catch me, you need to step forward about ten meters."
It was only ten meters.
...If he walked about ten meters, he could catch that bratty little girl!!
How many steps did he have to take to walk ten meters?
If he took ten steps to walk ten meters, that meant there would be ten more chances of stepping on a trap.
But... it was only ten steps.
...He can catch her after taking just ten steps!!
"Well, if you really want to catch me, then why not take your first step?
Come on."
"......Sh-
Shiiiiiit!!!"
How was he going to take his first step?
That area with weeds looked suspicious.
But the bare ground looked suspicious, too.
What if he jumped onto a tree stump?
No, no!!
That was what she wanted him to do!!
Cold sweat was dripping off of Skylark 13's body...
He only needed to take ten steps.
So why was he so nervous about taking the first one?
"...Skylark 13, from what I can see, the tree stumps look okay.
You can jump on them."
"...Don't, Skylark 13.
This is Nightingale 8, the one tied to the tree root.
The tree stumps must be traps.
There are too many stumps there, and that's just too suspicious!"
"Can you hear me, Skylark 13!
Don't go into any bushes, it's dangerous!
Don't step on the weeds!
The open ground is dangerous too!!"
"Sh-Shit...
Then where should I step?
Do you want me to fly?!!"
"What on earth are you doing?
I'm growing bored waiting for you.
Oh ho ho ho ho!"
"This is Nightingale 9, the one who's tied up...
My head is...
being patted
by one of the targets.
She says that it's a trap field...
...Eh?
Supposedly,
that girl's magnum opus is set up there.
You should be extra careful..."
Y... You've got to be kidding me... Did he say 'magnum opus'?
What does he mean by magnum opus?
Then what about all the other traps? Weren't they her magnum opus?
We Mountain Dogs are professionals! We're paid to engage in battle!!
Yet this little girl is playing us like fools! Can we not beat her?! Can't we beat that brat?!!!
This must be a bluff!!
How is it possible for a trap to exist that's worse than what I've seen so far?
That's a bluff, that must be a bluff!!
Now I'm definitely going to get her!!!
Sh... Should I start with my right foot,
or my left...?
The girl suddenly lifted her hand and thrust it at me.
...Is she... trying to tell me to stop?
"...Five steps."
"What...?"
"If you can take five steps without stepping on a trap, you win."
"I... I see.
You're confident, aren't you...
If... I take five steps safely, what are you going to do?"
"Let's see...
I'll admit my loss and surrender. How about that?
My brain is as sharp as ever today.
I'll get you before you take your fifth step!!!"
"Stupid... fucking kid!!!!"
"Calm down, Skylark 13, don't let her provoke you!!"
"...She's a demon. Don't let her appearance fool you.
She can read your mind. We can't defeat her...!"
"Base to Skylark 13!
Don't go any farther!
That's enough!!
Nightingale is almost there.
Just stay in position!!"
"...B-
But that would mean I'd lose...
Five steps?
Five steps, you say?!
Dammit, I'm in then! Five steps, right?!
Just five steps, right?!"
"How many times do you need to repeat it?
A man should only say things once, unless he's whispering words of love."
"Damn you, kiiiiid!!!"
"Skylark 13!!!
She's going to read your mind!!!"
"Calm down.
That's right, I'm Skylark 13.
I'm cool-headed, just like Golgo.
...So I need to keep a level head and think.
...Right. She's already onto my thoughts.
...She can see how I'll think if I have to take five steps towards her...!!"
"...Hmmm?
Whatever do you mean by that?"
Heh heh heh heh, haaaahahahahaha!!
This is what it means!!!
"I won't go forward... I'll take five steps backwards!!!"
I did it, I did it!!
I was certain it was a trick.
If I take five steps, I win!!
She didn't say I had to move forward.
I can go backwards, too!!
"...And that's why you're done with those five steps!!"
"S-Skylark 13 down!"
"That fool... He let her mess with him!!"
Satoko's remarkable performance wasn't just her own effort alone.
Mion had mastered the geography and the enemy's formations while instructing Satoko.
Satoko marked all of her traps on the map.
When that map and Mion's ability to command combined, the club was simply unbeatable!!
Rika and Hanyuu, who knew about the mountain almost as well as Satoko, relayed orders from Mion to Keiichi or Rena. They then prepared for the ambush.
The traps didn't always activate when they were stepped on.
Sometimes Keiichi and the others were setting them off at the right moment.
Keiichi and Rena continued to fight everywhere according to Mion's orders. Sometimes they'd hide, and sometimes they'd attack. One by one, they eliminated their enemies.
Satoko's traps had been taking down most of the enemies, but Keiichi's surprise attacks with his bat had worked out successfully too.
Not even the well-trained Mountain Dogs could respond to attacks after being stunned by these traps.
Humans need a little time to react.
According to the research done by the U.S. Armed Forces, the average reaction time is fifteen seconds.
In other words, any soldier is powerless during the fifteen seconds following a surprise attack.
Shortening those fifteen seconds is one goal of their training.
But no matter how much they train, it will never become zero!!
Their radio communications had actually made things much worse for them.
The more they heard about damage done to the other units, the more worried they got. That slowed them down, and made them think less strategically.
At that point, as far as Mion was concerned, the Mountain Dogs were no longer a force to be reckoned with.
"Mii!
Keiichi was successful.
He bundled them all up nicely together, nipah~☆."
"...Au au!!
Satoko did it too!
She finished off all of them!!"
"Got it.
Looks like we got five more points with this one, huh?
Heh heh heh!
Okay, my lovelies, what are you going to do now?
About thirty percent of your southern army has dropped out.
At least one or two men have to respond to calls from injured soldiers.
And what that means is that they hardly have anyone left.
Any decent commander would order a retreat around now!"
"This is Skylark 1... we have too many injured men in our unit.
We don't have anyone to continue the pursuit!
We have no other choice but to give up!!"
"Skylark 1, we might have been badly damaged, but we're definitely narrowing the enemy's range of action.
You may not withdraw.
Maintain the front with what you've got!"
"...Sh-Shit...!!
Skylark 1 to all units!
The commander is basically telling us to die.
Check your supplies once more, and we'll resume the march!!!"
"...Heh heh heh!
Takano-san is so mad that she won't allow it.
The morale of the unit commander is down, because his request to withdraw was denied, and they have to resume the march.
Here's our chance!!
Rika-chan!
Meet up with Rena and lure them into Section Z!!
The traps there are something else!!
Hanyuu, tell Kei-chan to move on to Section X!!
Heh heh heh, what a fun game, heh heh heh!!!"
"Au au au!
Mion's in perfect form."
"...If she was born in a different era, her name would have been in the history books."
"Heh heh heh heh!!
If you ask me, Nelson and Togo are both mediocre!!
It's like I can see this mountain inside and out, heh heh heh!!!"
Mion was the type to display exponential ability.
...When she's down, she's at rock bottom... but when she's in perfect form, it's just terrifying...!
That was the blood of the head of one of the Three Families of Hinamizawa!!
If Mion had been around for a historical battle, she would have changed history.
...If she were to join Napoleon, Siberia would be French territory.
If she were to join Hitler, Europe would belong to the Third Reich!!
And even with all that, the battle in the mountains was simply a diversion.
Just as Mion had expected, everything had collapsed into chaos.
If the Mountain Dogs could think calmly, they could have realized they hadn't seen any adults.
But they didn't notice, confused as they were by all the attacks they were suffering.
Of course, that too, was part of Mion's plan.
The scale of the diversion would hide the fact that there was a rescue unit going to get Tomitake. Therefore, the more chaotic the battle grew on the mountain, the better it was for the rescue unit.
That was why she chose such an ostentatious method of fighting.
But at the same time, that was exactly the kind of fight Mion that preferred.
She didn't intend to let it be just a diversion.
She was planning to destroy the Dogs' main force on these mountains.
Yet... most frightening of all was our home advantage.
It wasn't exaggerating to say the theory that defenders have thrice the advantage over assailants is heavily due to their advantage of location.
In that case, how was the rescue unit doing?
Were they at a disadvantage because they were on the offense?
The four rescue unit members, led by Irie, were hiding in a bush next to the clinic.
"Let's go.
The security camera on this side of the clinic is broken, so it's safe."
"...You want to attack from this side?
Are you sure...?"
"Our enemy is completely dependent on the security system,
so it should be alright."
"Okay, let's go, then.
Should we head along the wall to the back of the director's office?"
"Yes.
I didn't close the window when I left, so it should still be open.
When you go in through the window, there's a back door and a security camera, as well as the security room for the first floor. There should be two guards in there.
The entrance to the basement is being observed by a security camera, so they'll find us right away."
"...Okay, then we have to take those two guards down on the first floor, right?
It's a basic rule to secure an escape route."
"We'll go in through the office, and then to the security room on the first floor..."
They moved forward, walking against the wall so that they'd remain in the blind spot of the security cameras. They soon reached the window of the director's office.
...If any village kids saw them, they'd assume they were playing around, pretending to be spies.
...Irie was glad that the clinic was closed on Sundays.
Irie peeked into the room. It was exactly the same as how he left it.
The window was open, too.
The four of them snuck into the room through that window.
Akasaka put his ear against the door to the hallway.
Then he signaled the others to let them know that there was nobody on the other side.
Since the clinic was closed, the Mountain Dogs were the only people around.
...It being Sunday really was fortunate.
It was very quiet in the clinic.
The chorus of the cicadas was the only thing that could be heard.
There was a clock on the director's desk. It was almost 11:30 AM.
...Shion was surprised to find herself getting hungry, given all that was going on.
Kasai and Akasaka checked over their weapons.
Irie brought out a book of blueprints from a locked bookcase. The title said "Construction Plan for the Irie Clinic".
"...This is the director's office.
This is the security room for the first floor.
It's right next to the office.
These red marks are the security cameras."
"The security room on the first floor shouldn't be a problem at all.
...The basement will be a lot more difficult."
"...This is the underground research section.
This is the entrance to it here.
It appears as a stairwell to the second floor on the blueprint we gave to the regular workers, but there's actually an entrance to the basement hidden there.
And this is the staircase to the basement..."
"That's quite the basement.
It's actually bigger than the section above ground."
"...That proves the basement contains the real identity of this clinic."
"And this is the door that requires Coach's security access card to open, huh?
...Is it possible for them to revoke your access card?
Is there a way to break through the door, just in case we can't use it?"
"It's a strong door... When destroying all the evidence, we're supposed to shut the door and pump water into the place."
"...So it's an air-proof door, huh?
If it can endure that much water pressure, it must be strong."
"So there must be no other way in other than by using the access card."
"It's possible to block individual cards, but the access cards that Takano-san and I have are special ones for commissioned officers.
These special cards require an eight digit password set by the owner, so in practice, they can't block my card."
"...In other words, they don't expect commissioned officers to use them with ill intent, right?"
"But if that doesn't work, we'll have the guards in the security room on the first floor open it.
Their cards should work fine."
"I doubt they'll let us use their cards, though..."
"Heh heh heh,
if they don't want to help, all we need is a card and a finger, right?"
"...I'd... rather not do that...
Let's just hope my card works."
"Where's the security room for the basement?"
"It's located right next to the door.
That room has air conditioning and a TV. So basically, it's where all the security guards end up gathering.
After we take down two guards on the first floor, there should be six left."
"Six guards, huh...?
Then we'll have to get them all at once.
If we don't, they'll set off an alarm.
Unless we can cut the wires for it?"
"...I'm not sure where, but they must have both reserve power and reserve wiring."
"Then that's a no-go...
It'd be more realistic to take out everyone in the security room.
Are the guards armed?"
"The guards on the first floor aren't armed, but I've heard they keep guns in the security room just in case.
All the security guards in the basement have guns, though.
I think they have more powerful guns in their security room, too."
"Since those guns are for indoor use, I bet they use machine guns of a lower caliber.
They won't be accurate when used at long range, but they're extremely powerful and dangerous when used in close quarters."
"They had an MP5 earlier.
...It won't be good for us if they have several more of those.
But if we can take them out, the basement is ours.
...Coach, where's Satoshi-kun?"
"...I'd rather not move him,
but we can't leave him in the enemy's hands either.
Let's move him somewhere safe.
I need to be with him too."
"Which room...
is Satoshi-kun in?"
"...He's in a confinement room down here.
He's been staying there since last year."
".........Satoshi... kun..."
The look in Shion's eyes made clear her determination...
The security guards who chased after Irie were in the security room on the first floor. They had resumed their game of poker.
They knew that the Mountain Dogs were combing the mountains, and they were well aware that the Institute continued to be in danger.
But their job was to stay in that room.
...And besides, they were working hard on their poker game.
Of course, they weren't really concentrating on the game itself.
They were still both chatting about the recent car chase, and both seemed proud about what they had done.
They were ordered to shoot at the tires, but they wished they had been ordered to shoot at Irie himself.
They definitely would have caught him then. They talked and laughed like that.
...When people stopped being on edge, that left them all the more vulnerable.
This was a perfect example.
That was why it took only two seconds to suppress them.
"...Put your hands on your heads."
The security guards were professionals.
They immediately realized the guns Kasai, Akasaka, and Shion were holding weren't toys.
They'd already heard there was a gunfight in the basement of the Sonozaki residence.
The security guards knew they weren't dealing with amateurs.
They also knew they wouldn't hesitate to fire.
...That was why they surrendered so quickly.
They had handcuffs on them already, so it was easy for Kasai and the others to restrain them.
The security guards had never thought they'd be wearing the cuffs themselves.
They had especially never dreamed of being locked up in a toilet.
Their hands were cuffed to pipes behind them as they sat on the toilet seats.
Their mouths were stuffed with hand towels, then covered with duct tape.
Shion, clearly amused, remarked on how she always wanted to do this to someone. Kasai couldn't help but laugh.
"So far, so good.
The real challenge is the basement.
They'll see us on a security camera."
"Is the camera black and white?
And is the screen divided into four sections?"
"I think so.
It's one of those typical screens for a security camera."
"Hmmm, that means its resolution isn't that great, huh?
In that case... Heh heh heh heh heh, I have an idea."
"...Shion-san, maybe they've already suffered enough..."
"Hmm, hmmm...?"
The Mountain Dogs weren't only locked in the bathroom, but had to go through extra humiliation...
Radio calls continued to come in from the Mountain Dogs who were fighting up in the mountains.
The security guards listened to them intently over the speakers.
From what they could hear, it was obvious the Mountain Dogs weren't doing well at all.
They kept falling into traps, suffering heavy losses, all of which they had never expected...
It was clear that the Mountain Dogs were trapped, but they even started to think that they were being lured into something bigger than a simple military maneuver.
...The Mountain Dogs had made a mistake.
They assumed the club members went to the mountains to escape from Hinamizawa.
But they were wrong.
They were simply being lured into their enemy's carefully-prepared territory.
The panicked voices of the Mountain Dogs,
Takano's yelling,
and Okonogi's reprimands could be heard through the speaker.
...It certainly sounded like a war zone.
"......Zzt...
Phoenix 1 to Phoenix.
Break time is over. We're moving in! We'll take over Heron's positions.
We've already suffered critical casualties on our side, but the enemy has steadily retreated and we almost have them surrounded.
We're almost there.
We'll use Phoenix to overpower them!
The Major will take command.
I'm going in too. We'll finish them off!!"
"Hey, the commander is going as well!
Phoenix is going in too! It's an all-out attack!!"
"I can't believe this.
Have most of our units been defeated?"
"Who are we up against, anyway?
What kind of special unit are they?"
The security guards listening to the battle reports over the radio fluctuated between dismay and rejoicing.
A cute chime rang suddenly.
It was a warning chime that rang automatically when someone went through the entrance to the basement.
When the chime rang, the guards were supposed to check the screen to see who was coming through.
The one who looked at the screen needed a moment to comprehend what he was seeing.
"H-Hey!
It's Director Irie!"
"What?!"
They could see the two security guards on the first floor restraining Irie and some girl.
"This is... Director Irie, right?
What's going on?"
"I get it.
The unit fighting against the Mountain Dogs are a diversion. Those two are here to rescue Tomitake..."
"Call the Major and let her know we have the director...!
Hmm...?"
A buzzer sounded and a computer panel displayed information about the card being used to enter.
Commissioned officer pass:
ID0001 (Special grade 1)
Lieutenant Colonel:
Kyousuke Irie (Director)
Password:
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
Match
Fingerprint Confirmation:
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
Match
".........?"
How strange.
The security guards brought Irie down.
That made sense.
But why were they using the director's security access card?
They were even using his fingerprint.
Why were they having him do that?
Wouldn't it be quicker for the guards to do that themselves?
"Ah!!!"
One of the guards figured it out, but it was too late.
The door to the basement was open, and the four newcomers forced their way inside!!
They ran through the security camera screen and were headed straight for the security room.
...They had them...!!
As soon as the door opened, the security guards started firing!!!
Akasaka realized that if it had taken him a second longer to pull back, he would have been riddled with hundreds of bullets.
One of the guards pushed the desk onto its side!
The paper cups on the desk fell to the floor, spilling coffee everywhere.
They used the desk as a barricade!
The other two guards started to shoot at random.
As long as the guards were shooting at the rescue unit, they couldn't counterattack.
One of the guards activated the emergency alarm, and another picked up the submachine gun off the wall.
The other one picked up a gas mask.
It was impressive that they got their act together so quickly.
A situation like this would result in a fierce gun battle, meaning that it would take quite a while for the rescue team to suppress the guards.
The emergency alarm sounding in the basement reminded them that their surprise attack had failed.
"......Shit!
We couldn't do it...!"
"But they're stuck in that room.
While they're there, we can rescue Satoshi-kun and Tomitake-san!"
The Mountain Dogs outside would definitely hear that alarm.
If they took too long, the enemy would come to block their escape route.
Then they'd be trapped inside.
"...I...
...Right...
I think there was something about dealing with intruders in the security system...
...Uhh..."
Irie started to speak while he tried to recollect it.
...Shion told him that he should have remembered something like that before they came in.
Before Irie remembered, a voice came on over the speakers.
"There has been an emergency in the entrance block.
There has been an emergency in the entrance block.
All areas in the research center will be shut down as an emergency measure.
All entrance area staff are to gather in the security room and put on gas masks.
Please follow the security guards' instructions.
The gas will be disseminated automatically in the entrance area within two minutes.
I repeat..."
"...So we'll have to take them down and cancel the alarm within two minutes, or we'll be in big trouble..."
"What kind of gas are we talking about here?
Is it poisonous?!"
"I-I think it's diphenylcyanoarsine.
If you inhale a lot of it, it's dangerous, but it's not deadly.
It only takes a few seconds to take effect.
There are many symptoms, but the most common one is to sneeze for about thirty minutes."
"Isn't that also called Red Agent?
The military used to use it to secure enemy territories."
They either had to run out of there immediately or take over the security room, but since the area had been sealed off, they couldn't escape.
But there were armed guards in the security room, and if the rescue unit members even peeked around the corner, they'd be shot at mercilessly.
"...Damn, this won't work!
We can't aim and shoot in this situation!"
"The basics of indoor combat... grenades, huh...
Shit, we don't have any!!"
"If we rush in, we'll be shot at...
...What can we do?"
"......Satoshi-kun is finally within my reach...
Damn it!!"
Shion pressed her forehead against her gun, gritting her teeth in frustration...
As Kasai analyzed the situation, he stood up and spoke.
"Everyone,
let me handle this."
The guards in the security room were on edge too.
Once the gas was flowing, everything would come to an end, but the guards knew their enemy wouldn't just sit and wait for that to happen.
They'd come rushing in, regardless of the counterattack they'd face.
Although the guards would still have the upper hand, it'd be a point-blank gunfight.
They wouldn't come out of it unscathed.
Therefore, as the deadline approached, their tension increased.
The guards never even considered
that the door they opened
would be shut again.
They fired at the door, leaving many small holes in it.
After that... it all went quiet.
...What were they thinking?
There was nowhere to hide.
The gas was about to be released. Why did they close the door?
For what reason did they do that??
That was when a loud explosion punched a hole in the door the size of a fist.
Not only the door, but the wall in the security room had a similar hole!!
"...I-Is it a magnum?
N-No, that's a slug!!"
A calm voice echoed from the other side of the door.
"......Correct.
This weapon isn't meant to be fired at a person.
You know how powerful it is, right?"
"............Shit...!"
The power of a slug bullet is limited to extremely close-range battles, but it is also incredibly powerful.
...After all, it's fired from a shotgun, but it doesn't scatter.
...A shotgun is meant to fire scatter shots, but it can be used to fire only one, huge, incredibly powerful bullet.
That's the slug.
It's usually used for hunting.
It's used to shoot at animals, not humans.
If it was to be used on a human, their arms and legs would be shattered, and nothing would be left of the head.
It shouldn't even be called a bullet. It should be called a cannon.
It would easily pierce through
the door,
the desk they were using as a barricade,
and any guards hiding behind the desk before slamming into the wall.
The guards understood very well just how powerful it was.
The kind of guns they had shot out many small bullets. Therefore, they didn't work as well through a door.
...But their enemies didn't care about the door at all!!
Their weapon could easily pierce through anything!
Hiding behind a desk didn't mean a thing!!
"...You understand how powerful my weapon is, correct?
If you don't want to die, please turn the alarm off."
".........C-Calm down.
The gas will be released any minute.
We have to hang in there just for a few more seconds..."
"...Don't you realize your guts will be scattered all over the floor before that happens?"
Kasai's voice was extremely intimidating.
Only one who truly understood the power of the shotgun could talk that way.
"We don't have time.
I'll give you five seconds.
If that alarm isn't turned off in five seconds......
well, be prepared for that."
"...H-Hey, what do we do?
There are about sixty seconds left before the gas is released...!"
"Calm down, he's nervous too.
Don't let him take control of the situation..."
...That was when a deep voice rang out, reverberating through the pit of their stomachs.
"Hey.
...I've been nice up until now, but didn't ya hear what I just said...?"
...It must have been coming from the same person.
But it had changed so much so quickly.
"I, Tatsuyoshi Kasai, am giving ya the chance to live.
...Aren'cha a bit grateful for that, you pieces'a shit?
...You don't think I'm serious, do ya?!
...Huh?
...............
Answer meeee!!!"
A roar and an explosion sounded at the same time. The upper half of the door disappeared.
Numerous lead balls bounced around in the room, breaking the lights and ricocheting off the walls. Shattered glass fell onto the floor.
The shotgun had turned the security room into Hell.
The hurricane of lead balls blew violently through the room as it shattered, scattered, and destroyed everything.
The guards could only cover their heads and pray.
They prayed the lead balls wouldn't hit them, and endured the falling glass!!
Before they had a chance to recover, Kasai jumped in through what was left of the door and kicked the desk aside. He stepped onto one guard's head, and yelled at the others.
"Alriiiiiight, who wants to be minced first, huh?!
Is it you?!
What happened to that attitude just now, huh?!"
"N-N-No!!
I give up!!
Don't shoot!!!"
"Don't waste my time, ya shithead!!
Do ya wanna die?!
I've dealt with far more dead people than any of ya!!"
"Waaah!
S-S-Sorry, please don't kill me!!"
They dropped their guns voluntarily, and got on the floor with their hands on their heads.
Even Shion couldn't believe what just happened.
There were several of them, and all had been amply armed.
Kasai had a weapon, too... but it was his presence that defeated them.
Even the Mountain Dogs couldn't equal what Kasai once had to go through!
"What the heck are ya taking a nap for?!
Do ya wanna inhale the gas?!
I can easily rip your masks off, you know! Turn the fucking alarm off already!!"
"O-Okay, I'll turn it off, I will, don't shoot, don't shoot!!!"
One of the guards got up in a hurry and switched the alarm off.
...Kasai stood there calmly, but they were only seconds away from the gas releasing.
Shion and Akasaka came to their senses and quickly moved into the room to help Kasai subdue the guards.
"......Kasai...
...you are...... eep..."
"...I never wanted to do something like that again,
...but it was an emergency.
Please forget about it."
That was the Kasai Shion knew.
...But in the end, Kasai hadn't killed anyone.
Shion remembered Kasai telling her how terrifying shotguns were in the basement of the Sonozaki residence.
That was
"Shotgun Tatsu\
whom all the people in Shishibone were so afraid of...
"Let's hurry.
The alarm has gone off already.
We can't stay for long."
"You're right.
Let's hurry."
Akasaka and Kasai pulled out the guards' handcuffs and restrained them.
"......S-Satoshi-kun...
where is Satoshi-kun?"
Now that the security room was under their control, Shion realized there was nothing keeping her from seeing Satoshi. She was getting anxious.
Irie had shown her the map.
He must be down here, she thought.
Shion had already started to run.
"I'm going too...
We have to evacuate Satoshi-kun and Tomitake-san..."
"Alright, go ahead."
"......?!
One,
two,
three,
four,
five."
Akasaka felt a chill running down his spine...
Irie said there were six security guards...!!!
Shion wasn't paying attention to anything else.
She was only thinking about her reunion with Satoshi.
And she still can't hear in her left ear.
To make things worse, the security guard is waiting on the left side of Shion...!
Shion had to regret letting her guard down just a bit too early.
The Mountain Dog jumped out and grabbed Shion. He choked her neck with his thick arm!!
There was no way Shion could get out of this situation alone.
Irie saw what had happened.
Fortunately, their backs were turned towards him.
Here was Irie's chance to attack the enemy.
But
today,
Irie had lost a lot of confidence in himself.
He felt he hadn't done anything right all day.
Fighting wasn't his expertise, so there really wasn't anything he could have done, but he was disappointed in himself for not being able to help just the same.
...But, in that moment, he was the only one who could do anything...
If possible, he wanted to go get Kasai or Akasaka.
They were both very reliable.
They could take out this man in an instant.
But there was no time for that.
Only in this moment was his back facing Irie.
And if Irie didn't do anything, the Dog was sure to take Shion hostage, creating a deadlock.
Enemy backup could arrive at any moment, so being in a deadlock would mean death.
Therefore,
Irie couldn't depend on anyone else.
He had to resolve the situation himself.
He only had one chance.
Once the unit member turned around, the deadlock would begin.
...But was there even a way for Irie to knock him down in one shot?
No, he had to...
He must.
There had to be something that only Irie could do!!
...Irie took a mechanical pencil out of his pocket.
...It was probably the strongest weapon he had.
"Whaaaahhhhh!!!"
"Gyahh?
Owww...
Damn it, Director... owww!!"
Irie stabbed the man's neck with his mechanical pencil, but it only scratched him a little.
...What was he thinking?
The man drew his gun, pressed it to Shion's head and created a stalemate, just as Irie predicted.
"S...... Sorry......
I was... only thinking about
Satoshi-kun......"
Shion's eyes were filled with tears.
"Okay, Director, could you please tell your friends to get rid of their weapons?
Going by that huge sound before, one of you has a pretty big gun.
I don't want to get shot with that."
Come on, Irie, remember Kasai-san from earlier.
You can do it!!
"Heh heh heh heh heh heh.
Don't make me laugh.
Do you really think you can deal with me?
Here? In this basement of the Irie Institute?"
"...Wh-
What?"
"Don't assume this is a regular mechanical pencil. This is actually a syringe that Takano-san developed.
Do you want to know what was in it? Heh heh heh heh... do I need to explain?"
"Wh-What......?"
If a regular person had said that, it wouldn't have worked.
But Irie was wearing his white coat, and the basement was his territory... What he just said sounded very believable!!
He wanted to believe that Irie was lying!
But he started to feel an itch on the back of his neck.
"H178 is a drug Takano-san created. It's the masterpiece of the 170 series.
There is no treatment, and symptoms such as confusion, delusion, headaches, runny nose, stuffy nose, constipation, and many other things will start within a few minutes. In the end, you will scratch your butt so hard you'll bleed to death.
The only cure is...
to take the antidote within one minute!!"
"That's a lie!!!"
"...Hmmm.
Thirty seconds have passed.
It's going through your heart by now, and soon it'll be everywhere in your body.
Don't your lymph nodes itch yet?
Do you snore or fart when you sleep?
Heh heh heh heh heh!!"
Shion could only watch this pathetic act in silence,
but for the Mountain Dog, who worked at such a shady research center, what Irie said sounded totally believable...!
"Shit,
o-okay... I give up.
Hurry up and give me the shot..."
"Hmm, is that the correct way to ask someone to do something for you?"
"Tch... okay, I give up, Sir.
Please give me the shot..."
"No, that's not good enough.
That's not how you talk to your master.
I'll tell you one more time. Are you ready?
I have to inject you in the butt.
Get on your hands and knees with your pants down.
After that, stick your butt up by putting your shoulders on the floor.
Bite your right thumb nail and turn around, there you go!!
Shake your butt and beg me to give you the antidote.
What, you can't do that?
That's sad... Ever since ancient times, maids vowed complete loyalty to their masters. Their selfless devotion has created the virtues and culture we enjoy today!!
But look what is happening to that wonderful Japan nowadays!
Youngsters have forgotten the spirit of maids, tanned their skin,
started wearing loose socks,
and flashy Hawaiian fashion!!
Ahh, what happened to Japanese women of the good old days!!
Be careful of excessive tanning, and take care of your skin to keep it smooth!!
Socks must be knee-high, of course, but garter belts are wonderful, too!!
But, once in a while, high socks are okay, too!!
And cultivate the spirit of a maid!!
Come to think, Japan has forgotten all about its wabisabi aesthetic and maids.
The low birth rate and the aged society are a result of that!!
The population continues to age, and it's only a matter of time before moe media accommodates to that!!
Up until now, older women's series were treated as a niche in porn shops, but eventually they'll occupy a huge corner!!
Middle-aged women and maids are just like different kinds of toilet detergent. They're dangerous to mix!!
If you mix them together, then you get housekeepers, not maids,
and housekeepers will be the series of videos people watch!!
That would mean the extinction of maids!!
When that time comes, the moon will shatter into a sad rain upon the world, and an asteroid belt will cover the earth!!
That is the Judgment Day prophesized in Revelation!!
When the great maid headbands cover the entire world, the true King of Maids will revive!!
Ha ha ha ha, listen carefully, you stand before the King of Maids!!
Kneel!!
Take back the stone from that kid!!!
Here are the magic words.
Leetay
Latoparita
Maid!!
Whoooooooooahhhhhhh!!!"
"Are you okay, Shion-chan?"
"Yes, thank you.
Coach...?
Akasaka-san and Kasai are here. They got him."
"What?
But I'm not finished teaching him about maids yet!!"
"...You can continue later, Doctor."
"S-Satoshi-kun!!"
There really was nobody left to stop her.
Shion ran down the hallway at full speed...
It was right there...
There was a huge window in front of Shion that allowed her to look inside.
Shion threw herself at the window.
Satoshi was there, lying on the bed... He was sleeping with an IV connected to his arm.
There were some wires attached to his forehead and chest to observe his brain waves. The waves of light displayed on the machine they connected to proved that he was at least still alive.
But he might be sleeping very deeply.
His face was pale, and he looked like there was barely any life left in him.
"...He... is alive, right?
Satoshi-kun is alive, isn't he?"
"Calm down...
Dr. Irie, hurry...!"
Irie brought in a stretcher to load Satoshi onto.
Kasai opened it up.
"Hurry, put Satoshi-kun on it...!"
"Shion-san...
Before we take him out of here, there is one thing I want you to promise me."
Irie gave Shion a condition.
What is he saying now, Shion angrily thought.
"I'm going to move him onto the stretcher... but don't try to wake him up.
Do you understand? I want you to promise me."
"Wh-Why?
Why can't I wake him up?"
That was the first thing Shion wanted to do.
She wanted to tell him personally that he was free!!
But Irie was telling her that she couldn't do that...
"I know it's hard... I'm going to tell you the truth quickly.
...Satoshi-kun suffered serious emotional damage on that day.
Fortunately, he's alive, but he can't tell his friends from his enemies, or truth from fiction.
...He is suffering from a serious delusion of persecution and fear... To escape from that, he would attack anyone.
In fact, one of the clinic staff was seriously injured last year, so much that she had to go through facial reconstruction surgery.
...He would even attack you..."
Shion finally noticed it.
...While Satoshi was covered in a blanket on the bed... there were two belts over that blanket,
holding him down on the bed.
...And that he also had leather straps around his arms.
He was restrained to the bed.
...The belts had some marks on them.
".............But...
Is he ever
going to get better...?"
"..............."
The silence that followed was cruel.
Irie wanted to tell her that he would be cured.
But he was a doctor.
He knew he shouldn't say anything irresponsible.
...And so that was why he couldn't say anything...
"Wh-
What is it?
......What
the heck is it?
Are...
are you saying
Satoshi-kun
will never
say anything
anymore?
He will
never rub my head... ever again?
Why?
...Why?!"
Shion cried as she pounded on the glass.
"Stop...
If you really care about him...
Please don't wake him up...
That's what he wants, too.
...If you wake him up,
he will likely...... hurt you.
...He
doesn't want you
to see him like that, either.
...So please,
...try to understand..."
"......
Why?
......Ahh.
...Oooh...
Whahhhhhhhhhh...
Whahhhhhhhhh......
Whahhhhhhhh..."
Shion slid down the window and hit the floor, crying uncontrollably.
She scratched at the floor... the sad reunion and her anger made her claw at the tiles.
If Satoshi's smile was there under the floor, Shion would scratch until all of her nails were gone.
But...... Satoshi wasn't under the floor... He was right there.
...He was sleeping on the bed.
And he wasn't supposed to be woken up.
"....But there is some good news, too.
It was a very small change,
but his brain waves have improved just a little in the past year.
...Human bodies are strong.
The same can be said about their brains.
There have been cases of people who received fatal injuries to their brain, yet recovered completely.
......Satoshi-kun is trying very hard to come back.
...He's continuing to fight.
I won't give up, either.
I'm doing my best to bring Satoshi-kun back to our side.
...And I will bring Satoshi-kun
back to Hinamizawa!"
...The brain is what moves people.
...But the brain is only a part of a body.
If something happens to the brain, the person will end up changing.
That change hurts the person himself, as well as the people around him.
And hurting others hurts that person even more.
Irie recalled his parents.
The abnormal change in his father... His mother was not able to understand that it was caused by a brain disorder.
...That... was enough. That was sad enough.
That was the reason why Irie became a neurologist!
Right now, there was a young boy before him.
...And a young girl.
Before him was a fragment of the sadness from that day.
...A fragment...
of that day's regret.
After his father's death, Irie learned that he was misunderstood, and that it was due to a brain disorder.
...But it was all too late by then.
He regretted not getting into the study of brains five years earlier, but it was too late.
But now he had studied and experienced so much. He had achieved things, and he had confidence.
But he still had regrets about that day.
Irie holds his fists tightly and spoke without hiding his tears.
"...I promise!!
I bet my life on it.
I will bring Satoshi-kun back to Hinamizawa!!
I promise you.
Satoshi-kun is trying to come back!!
If we reach out to each other, it will happen!!
Shion-san,
please trust me and wait.
I promise you!!
I will bring him back to Hinamizawa!!"
Irie vowed this from the bottom of his heart.
And he realized something.
Irie realized that everything he had done was in preparation for this day.
The two people in front of him weren't his parents.
But...
...he was going to rid himself of his regrets, and devote himself to that promise.
"R... Really?
Are you sure...?
Is Satoshi-kun
coming back...?
Really...
Whaah...
whahhhhhhh..."
"Yes he is.
I bet my life on it. He is coming back to Hinamizawa.
So, Shion-san,
please wait until that day.
And we'll welcome him back together.
Do you think you can wait until that day comes?
Can you keep this a secret from Satoko-chan?"
".........Yes...
If Satoshi-kun is coming back...
I'll do anything.
I'll endure anything..."
"Please...
look over there."
"......Ah..."
There was something
in the corner
of that dark room.
It was...
the giant teddy bear
that Satoshi had bought that day.
"He worked so hard and saved a lot of money
to buy that for Satoko-chan's birthday.
......Can you imagine Satoshi-kun leaving without giving it to Satoko-chan?
...No, you can't, can you?
...Satoshi-kun will come back to you and Satoko-chan with that teddy bear.
...Please... just wait until the day comes..."
"...Ugh... hic...
....Can I
come visit him
though?"
"Of course."
"...Can I sit next to him,
and read a book to him?
And... and...
Oooh..."
"Absolutely.
I'm sure he'd like that, too."
"................Oooh..."
Shion started to cry again.
Akasaka came in with Tomitake, but he couldn't say anything to her...
"I'm glad you're safe.
Once you call the Bloodhounds, everything will be okay."
"Well... it won't be that easy...
That gunfight earlier destroyed the radio equipment in the security room.
The Mountain Dogs must have cut all the communications leading out of village, so the only way to get in touch with Tokyo would be to leave."
"...If that's the case, we'll have to break through in a car.
...Mion-san and the others are doing a great job gaining some time for us.
But they will be cornered eventually.
We have to take Tomitake-san out of the village so he can call the Bloodhounds."
"We have a problem.
If they've already cut the phone lines, they must have closed the road to town too.
They're also supposed to carry one High Explosive Anti-Tank weapon in case a vehicle tries to break through."
"......An RPG-7, huh?
They aren't expecting a tank, so I guess they will be using high explosives... Even if they don't hit us directly, they might flip the car...
They're not easy to deal with..."
"But unless we use the highway, it would take too much time.
We can't take any detours.
They're all doing great, but I don't think they'll last until sunset.
...We have to hurry."
"......We don't have any time to waste, huh.
We've gotta take Mr. Tomitake to Okinomiya immediately.
Coach, head to a safe place with Satoshi-kun.
Let's get out of here quickly.
It's only a matter of time before they show up."
Shion's eyes were swollen from crying, but she had calmed down.
Satoshi's safety depended on their victory.
They had to win for his sake too.
Although this is a very sad situation,
Satoshi was alive, and he would be back someday.
Shion understood that, but yet more tears poured from her eyes.
Sis, everyone,
thank you.
We've succeeded over here...!