Clouds covered the sky, and it suddenly grew cool.

...It was going to rain a bit,

according to Okonogi's intuition.

He already knew that their enemy had broken through the blockade, but he hadn't told Takano about it.

By then, it really didn't make any difference if she knew or not, and he also wanted to reach the top of the mountain.

Okonogi was only thinking about one thing.

......He was thinking about the enemy's commander, who made the day so horrible for him.

...He just couldn't accept his defeat until he saw the enemy's commander face to face.

The battle was already lost.

...They just had a princess who didn't think they had yet.

With the rest of the Mountain Dogs fallen to the traps and ambushes, Okonogi had ordered all units except his own to fall back from the front line and into the vehicles.

The only ones left to go on were the very determined princess, Okonogi himself,

and a handful of exhausted members of the Mountain Dogs who could barely walk.

Eventually, the slope became a little more gentle.

Okonogi and his companions finally arrived at the storage shack of the forest service.

The club members were already aware that the Mountain Dogs had been almost totally annihilated.

Both the numbers and strength of the Dogs... had fallen far below that of the club members.

Therefore, when Okonogi saw his opponents lined up there to welcome them, he wasn't surprised.

It was all the kids who'd driven the Mountain Dogs to destruction that entire day.

They had also fought with everything they had.

Though they overwhelmed us from start to finish, they had used up all their stamina, and were on their last legs as well.

Still... their willpower kept them standing.

A will born of the victor's honor, which god granted only to the winners.

"There... there she is!!

It's R, Okonogi, capture her!!"

"Heh heh heh, heh heh.

Major, how can you even say that to us under these circumstances?"

"What?

Are you disobeying my order?!"

"...Oh, no.

I have no intention of doing that.

Heh heh heh, heh heh heh heh heh."

Okonogi removed his communication unit, his taser, and all the heavy equipment he had been carrying.

Then he unbuttoned his shirt

and told his men to stay put as he stepped forward.

He strode forward about half of the distance toward the club members.

".........I am Okonogi, also known as Phoenix 1 of the Mountain Dogs.

...I'm here to pay my respects to your leader.

May I have their name?"

The club members looked at each other.

One of them was a girl taller than the others.

She couldn't be that old.

But her hawk-like eyes were as sharp as a veteran soldier's.

Okonogi didn't know her circumstances, but only those whose lives were threatened on a daily basis had eyes like that.

"...I'm the leader of this club.

My name is Mion Sonozaki."

The girl stepped forward.

"......How old are you?

...No... your age doesn't matter.

......From the turmoil at the police station this morning, to this battle on the mountain,

were you responsible for it all?"

"............"

The girl didn't answer, but her silence confirmed it more strongly than anything she could have said.

"......You've won this battle.

...Heh heh, our Princess is the only one who can't understand that.

...There's nothing else we can do at this point.

Tomitake broke through the blockade.

I'm sure he's already called Tokyo.

...I don't know when the suppression unit will arrive, but it's just a matter of time, I'm sure.

If you want to laugh, go right ahead."

"Okonogi, what are you doing?

That's the enemy commander, take her down!!"

"......Don't pay any attention to her."

"...What do you want?"

"......You are a leader,

and so am I.

......You understand, don't you?"

"..............."

"Is... is he surrendering...?"

"...I can understand.

...He was in charge of the whole army.

And all his men are down.

...So he can't just nod his head and accept defeat."

"...So the defeated general can only requite himself by sacrificing himself, huh...?"

"......Fine.

Do what you need to satisfy yourself."

"...I appreciate it..."

Mion took a stance.

Okonogi took a stance, too.

Although Okonogi was nothing like Akasaka, he was still a close combat specialist.

Even when exhausted, there was no way Mion could defeat him.

Takano thought so too.

She thought Mion was underestimating Okonogi.

But Mion knew.

She knew that she was the only one who could put him at ease.

"...Are you ready?

...Take this!!!"

"......Huh...!"

Okonogi, readied, launched sharp from his waist, but Mion deflected it to the side with her elbow, wrapped her arm around underneath it, wrenching it back behind him, and forced it up into a hold.

And then she twisted his arm even further...

Okonogi was certain she was going to snap a bone.

It was an excellent technique.

She took his arm in one flowing motion.

It was clear that Mion's self-defense techniques weren't spur of the moment.

However, she didn't break Okonogi's arm, but instead threw him onto the ground.

She didn't deliver the final blow,

but rather chose to look down on him.

"...Heh... heh heh heh!

Not bad."

"Okonogi, what are you doing?

Hurry up and subdue her!!"

"Shut up!!!

You just shut up and watch!!

This is a battle between leaders of men!!"

Okonogi got up quickly, took a stance once again, and then swung his arm down.

But Mion avoided it effortlessly, and just like she did before, she grabbed his arm and turned it around.

They were in the same position as before.

And just like what happened then...

She didn't break his arm, but threw him onto the ground and looked down on him.

"A rotation throw, huh?

The way you move, it's not the Yoshin-kan technique, is it? Is it that classy Kobu-kan one?

By the way, when you take your opponent's arm, you can knee him in the face if you want."

"......I see.

I'll try that next time."

"Oh wow... Mion is incredible.

She's actually standing toe-to-toe with their commander."

"Okonogi, use your weapons!!

What do you think you're doing?!!"

"Here I come!!

Haah!!"

He had a stronger drive this time.

He tried to kick right through her from a step and half away!!

Yet, this time Mion stepped in to launch her own attack.

Jumping right towards the foot trying hard to kick her!!

Mion kept herself low as she entered close range with Okonogi, shutting out his leg trying to kick her.

So, of course, he went after her head.

Okonogi raised his right arm to elbow her in the skull,

but this time Mion rose up, using both hands to keep his arm from swinging down.

Unlike the flowing motions from earlier, this was simply a contest of strength.

...His physique was overwhelmingly superior to hers, so she couldn't win that test of strength.

But suddenly, Mion let go, and allowed Okonogi's elbow to come down.

Then she stepped to the side...

aah, aah, it's another repeat of before!!

Okonogi's arm was held to his back, and he ended up in the same position!

But what came after was different.

Okonogi's face lowered as Mion lifted his arm up high,

and then she swiftly brought her knee into his face.

It was exactly the technique that Okonogi told her about just earlier.

And once again, he was down on the ground.

"...That's it.

You learn quickly, don't you...?

You know

strategies,

tactics,

and combat.

You already have everything you need to be an effective commander.

...You should have been in my position...

You should have been the one to lead those shitty Mountain Dogs...!"

"Huh.

Sorry, I never want to be a leader of a shady unit like yours!"

Mion scoffed.

Okonogi took it with a smile too.

He wasn't trying be humble, it was just his pure reaction.

"...Heh heh heh, you're right.

You shouldn't waste your talent on Japanese unconventional warfare units...

I bet you could lead in the SAS, Delta, Spetsnaz... Whichever you joined, you'd be one of their best.

In any case..."

"Hahahaha, ahhhhahahahahahahahaha!!!

SAS?

Delta Force?

Lame!

All of that is just way too boring!!"

"Heeeh heh heh, hahahahaha!

Yeah, I guess you're right.

You're right.

Then tell me...

What kind of folks do you want be CO for?"

"I'm not interested in being in charge of any units at all.

Being a leader's fine."

"...A leader...

The leader of the British intelligence service, huh?

...Hmph. That's fitting."

"No, no, no, no way!

Listen, there's only one club I wanna lead!!

That's the club in our Hinamizawa Branch School!!

I'm not interested in games without penalties!

The Magician of Words, Keiichi Maebara,

Seeker of All Things Adorable and Cute, Rena Ryuugu,

Trap Master Satoko, and the Charming Enticer, Rika-chan!!

And last but not least, our newcomer, Hanyuu Furude!!

I'll never find anything more fun than playing with them, even if I searched this entire world!!"

"......No wonder...

No wonder we couldn't win...

With her as their leader,

there was no way we could have won...

Heh heh heh heh, hahahahahahahaha!!"

"O-Okonogi!!

Get ahold of yourself!!"

Takano yelled at him, but Okonogi didn't hear it.

"...Are we finished with the warmup?

This next one is for real.

...You're going to die.

Be ready for that."

"......Come on.

I'll give you a fitting end.

Something you've been wanting all this time!!"

"Good enough...

......Heh heh heh, here I coooooome!!!"

Okonogi took about five steps backwards and breathed deep... His body twisted as he gathered all his spirit into his right fist.

Just as he said, this next attack would be for real. He was putting everything he had into this one final blow...!!

Mion narrowed her eyes, preparing to parry the blow with her side.

The sky began to stir...

They both felt raindrops on their foreheads.

"...Here I go.

...I'm gonna kill you.

...So come get me, okay...?"

"......Whenever you're done praying, go right ahead."

...............That one tense moment

was suddenly brought to an end!!

"Whooooooooooaaahhhh!!"

He dashed forward from a low position,

just like a runner from a starting line.

...Then he added the twist from his body into the blow...

as his right arm roared with all his power...!!

A bolt of lightning punctuated that moment in time, burning the moment into our eyes.

In that moment... Mion's stance hadn't changed at all.

No, maybe she moved like lightning in the moment it struck.

...We had to recall the moment burned into our eyes to review the scene.

Okonogi had swung with his right fist... which had enough power to shatter Mion's bones.

...So what if 100% of his power was directed back at him in a counterattack...?

When the lightning struck...

Okonogi's body had been flying through the air.

It was a legendary technique in Japanese martial arts, passed down in Judo and Aikido...

...the air throw.

It looks as if one is being thrown without his opponent even touching him, a miraculous technique that occurs at lightning speed.

Of all the techniques Mion possessed... it was the most sublime, advanced technique she could administer on the defeated general Okonogi.

The feeling of freedom while flying in the air is more memorable

than the impact of hitting the ground... supposedly.

When Okonogi hit the ground behind Mion, a heavy rain suddenly began to fall.

And just as it did, a massive helicopter appeared from the other side of the mountain.

The helicopter's rotors stirred up the air and blew away the raindrops like in a tornado.

The rotor sounded much like a tornado too.

A rope uncoiled from the rear of the helicopter, and soldiers came sliding down it, one after another.

...The onlookers were stunned for a moment before realizing what they were seeing.

...It was the Bloodhounds.

The Bloodhounds that Tomitake had called in!!

Having realized how bad the situation had become, Okonogi returned to the other members of the Mountain Dogs.

Nothing was going their way anymore.

The Mountain Dogs ran down the slope and disappeared into the woods.

They dragged Takano with them, who couldn't understand what was going on.

A voice echoed from a speaker attached to another helicopter circling around the mountain.

"...To all staff of the Irie Institute!

Today at 12:30 PM, the Institute's independent authority was frozen, and is now under the control of the Bloodhounds.

As of the same moment, HQ has ordered complete disarmament of all Irie Institute staff.

All Mountain Dogs are to disarm themselves immediately and gather at the parking lot of the Irie Clinic, or at the storage shack at the top of the mountain!

Failure to respond accordingly will result in discipline under not only civilian law, but under Self-Defense Force rules as well!"

Bloodhound members continued to slide down the rope from the helicopter.

Even at a glance, they were very different from the Mountain Dogs.

...They were armed more heavily, and the guns they had were much larger. Such things clearly differentiated the two units.

"Does this mean

that we

have... won?"

"...I don't know...

I've

never seen this before,

so I don't know

if we really did..."

Satoko and Rika sat down and hugged each other.

They were both soaked in rain, but they still sat down in the mud...

Mion stood solemnly in the rain, as the leader of the winning team.

...The Mountain Dogs had abandoned the field.

They all ran away with their tails between their legs.

Keiichi and Rena ran over to Mion...

"......Mion..."

"...Mii-chan..."

"...It's... over..."

"...Yeah... our club activity

is over."

"Rika-chan is safe.

...Everyone else is safe.

...Mii-chan, it's our victory..."

"...You led us this far, Mion.

It's all thanks to you..."

But Mion didn't seem to be listening to Keiichi and Rena.

...Instead, she mumbled to herself.

"..........I...

like

punishments..."

"...Eh?"

"......Club activities can be cruel, huh?

We fight to decide who's the loser.

So that means everyone looks down on whoever does lose, right?"

"...We don't look down on anyone.

We just do the punishment, and that's it."

"Yeah.

We do the punishment, and that's it.

We all enjoy laughing at the loser

and then forget about it... that's why I like what we do.

We all laugh, including the one who came in last."

"...Nobody gets hurt.

We all laugh, and then we're done with it."

"......That Okonogi guy.........

thought he couldn't purify his sins

unless he was defeated by me...

I mean, sure, it got pretty serious.

We were almost killed, too...!

......But...

it's all over, right?

The game is over.

......And even though it is, there is no punishment for the Mountain Dogs......"

Mion might have realized something when she threw Okonogi.

...Keiichi didn't think anybody else could understand that...

"I don't know what you're trying to say, Mion.

Forget about him.

It's all over for them anyway..."

"......Yeah, you're right.

...Everything is all over now..."

"......We're all alive.

...Nobody got seriously hurt...

So,

let's enjoy our happy ending!"

"That... that's right...!

Nobody got hurt.

It really is a happy ending!!"

While they hadn't yet confirmed Shion and Kasai's safety, they were correct.

This was the happy ending that they had all been fighting for.

...However, Mion was still thinking.

She only understood the reason for that in the moment the thunder struck.

......But as soon as the flash of the lightning disappeared, her understanding vanished as well.

All she could remember was that she noticed something very important

and that shortly after, she completely forgot about it... she could only feel a great sense of loss.

The Bloodhounds soon surrounded the club members.

At first, they thought the club members were their enemies, but when Tomitake appeared, he explained the whole situation.

The commander of the Bloodhounds appeared to beg the club members not to say a word about anything, as it was a politically sensitive incident.

It was amusing to see a man like that beg while carrying all those weapons.

...Of course, they had no intention of talking to anyone about it.

...Once it had ended, it all felt like a bad dream.

If, on the following day, someone asked them what they had been doing,

they might not even remember it.

...This day was that unrealistic for them.

......So even if they were asked, they wouldn't say a word.

"Rika-chan!

I'm glad you are safe!"

"Akasaka!!

I'm glad you're safe too, meep meep meep!!"

"It all worked out great, too.

Are you all alright?

The clinic has been occupied by the Bloodhounds.

The Mountain Dogs are all surrendering, too.

Dr. Irie and a boy he was hiding with have been put under the Bloodhounds' protection as well."

"Coach is safe too, is he?!

I'm very glad about that!!

...Wait, a boy??

Hmm, I do wonder who that could be.

Perhaps Tomita-san or Okamura-san were injured."

"......Satoko...

...I'm very happy for you..."

Rika's smile made it clear on what she had gone through. Someone could only smile like that after a long and exhausting struggle.

Satoko had no idea what that smile meant.

...How much time would be needed to make her understand?

...Still...... Irie will do something about it.

...For certain...... he will bring Satoko's Nii-nii back home.

"...That's right, Satoko.

You haven't taken your shot today, have you?

You can't forget about that."

"Ah... quite true...

How troublesome that I can't forget about the shot, even in this situation...!"

...Satoko seemed to have no idea that her medication was connected to the syndrome.

......Perhaps she was already aware, but pretended not to be.

Rika vowed to herself that no matter how long it took, she was going to witness with her own eyes the moment her best friend finally parted with her tragic past.

"At least I only need to take this shot twice a day.

It was three times for the previous one!"

...Satoko also had no idea that Satoshi was involved in the development of her medication.

Irie had said that Satoshi, as a specimen, had contributed much to Satoko's treatment.

...Even while asleep... Satoshi longed to ease the burden on Satoko...

and those feelings must have influenced Satoko's medicine somehow.

Satoko had to inject herself in the stomach.

For privacy, she ran into the grove of trees to give herself a shot.

There was no danger in her doing so.

One after another, the Bloodhounds dropped down from the helicopters.

Each helicopter must have carried at least twenty to thirty soldiers.

There was one helicopter at the top of the mountain, and two more halfway down the slope. Troops were pouring down from all of them, leading to the impression that the entire mountain was under the Bloodhounds' control.

Nobody fired their weapons even once.

The Mountain Dogs had no choice but to surrender...

It wasn't raining hard at all.

...The sky should clear up after twenty or thirty minutes.

It was the volatile weather typical of early summer.

Satoko soon returned

and spoke to her best friend.

"Rika... I haven't seen Hanyuu-san around...

She was here a moment ago..."

"......Huh?

......Hanyuu?

.........Hanyuu?

Where are you......?!"

It was stupid of me to think that Tokyo had sent more support.

They're acting as if they've known of their loss for a while now.

...I was the only one who didn't know...

"What's going on?!

Tell me this minute, Okonogi!!"

"This is it.

They're the Bloodhounds. Tomitake called them in."

"The Bloodhounds?

I've heard the name before... but aren't they similar to the Mountain Dogs?

Why aren't you fighting back?!"

"You've got to be kidding me...

We Mountain Dogs are simply a counterintelligence unit.

On the other hand, the Bloodhounds are a real combat batallion.

There's no way we could defeat them."

The remaining three members looked at me in exhaustion.

"Why are they here in the first place?!

We captured Tomitake!!

Are there more spies?!

Who are they?!"

"...Major, the clinic was attacked earlier. Haven't you heard that First Lieutenant Tomitake escaped?"

One of the three spoke up timidly, but Okonogi signaled him to shut up.

"N-Nobody told me this!!

When did that happen?!

What's going on, Okonogi?!

Wasn't there a blockade exactly so that they couldn't escape the village?"

"..............."

They aren't even responding to me anymore.

I've been left behind.

I'm the only one who didn't know.

I'm being left out...

The members looked at Okonogi, waiting for his command.

Nobody is waiting for my order. Nobody even cares about my orders.

"Commander, there's a radio call from the command vehicle."

One of the members handed the intercom to Okonogi.

"...This is Phoenix 1."

"Commander, final orders from Cuckoo.

Execute 'CUCKOO'."

"...CUCKOO, roger that."

"The Bloodhounds have us surrounded.

We're being advised to surrender.

What should we do?"

"...Command vehicle,

no, Ohta and Adachi, good work.

You're cleared to surrender.

Disarm yourselves and follow the orders of the Bloodhounds."

"Roger that, commander."

"All units, listen up.

The command vehicle has been compromised.

The clinic is probably in the enemy's hands as well.

We've lost all our backup, as well as equipment.

All teams have been wiped out.

I'm sure everyone is disarming themselves.

The Mountain Dogs have been completely defeated."

"......N-Not yet...!

Get in touch with Nomura-san in Tokyo!!

The Bloodhounds? So what?

She'll send in units who can beat them immediately!!

R is still alive!

We can activate the final operation!!

I must let Nomura-san know that!

We have to restore communications with Tokyo!

We really shouldn't have cut the telephone connections.

But we did, so we'll have to recover the command vehicle!

We'll get in touch with Tokyo on the radio!!

Fortunately, the men in the command vehicle surrendered without resistance, so I'm sure the Bloodhounds' guard is down.

Okonogi, you and the other three will be enough!!

It's still the 19th of June!!

The operation starts on the... 21st?

Or is it supposed to be the 22nd?

We still have time!!

We'll manage, Okonogi!

Go recover the command vehicle immediately!!"

"............"

"........."

"...Wh...... Why can't you follow my orders?

I'm a Major!

I'm your superior!!

Why are you listening to Okonogi, but not me?!"

"......Major.

Didn't you hear what the helicopter said earlier?

We've lost.

There is absolutely nothing we can do anymore."

"What are you saying, Okonogi?!

Are you already giving up?!

You saw that R is alive, didn't you?!

What happened today was all because of the rumor that R was dead.

But she's alive!!

That means today didn't happen!!

We can still use the emergency manual.

As long as the queen carrier is alive, all we have to do is kill her, then we'll have 48 hours to execute the manual...!!"

"Major, it's far beyond that point already.

Tokyo doesn't care about the queen carrier or the 48 hours after death.

Our final operation is a complete failure.

Our clients must be running around desperately trying to destroy evidence.

Our job here is done.

I commanded the Mountain Dogs for about ten years.

It was a valuable experience.

But it's all over today.

...And Major, your job is over too."

"...What?!

What do you mean my job is over?!

What are you talking about...?!"

"Major.

Your job was

to rear that scrapbook in your hands."

"...What are you talking about?"

I didn't expect Okonogi to start talking about my grandfather's scrapbook.

"I don't doubt that there is a disease called Hinamizawa Syndrome.

But the whole village going into a panic 48 hours after the queen dies? Hehehehe, no one's ever seen that happen.

No one knows if that's true or not."

"Don't be ridiculous...!!

Look, look here... it's somewhere in here...

Wh-Wh-Where...? I know it's in here...

From the studies of other similar parasites in brains

that...

the statistics say

d-damn it, where is it...? Oooh...!!"

I flipped through the pages of the scrapbook in a panic.

I can't even remember which page I'm looking for...

Okonogi slapped the scrapbook aside, and it thudded... no, it landed in a muddy puddle, so... it splashed onto the ground.

The open pages of the scrapbook were facedown in the muddy water... and already turning color as they soaked up the mud.

"Wh-What are you doing?!

Th-This is the most important...!!"

As I crouched down to pick up the scrapbook, Okonogi stepped on it.

The splash of muddy water hit me in the face.

I had to witness my precious scrapbook being stepped on and covered in filth.

"Major.

I don't really care if what's in this scrapbook is true or false.

As a matter of fact, nobody does."

"...Wh... What...

do you mean

by that......?"

I tried to get the scrapbook from under Okonogi's foot, but I couldn't pull it out.

"The clients in Tokyo merely wanted to see how many people would actually believe what's in the scrapbook.

They didn't even care if it was the truth or lies, as long as it was believable."

"...They...

didn't...

care......?"

"No,

they didn't.

They just wanted some famous doctors to research the subject and come up with a report full of difficult terminology so they could deceive people.

That was your job."

"No, this isn't a lie...!!

My grandfather and I researched it for so many years...!

Come on, move your foot..."

The scrapbook is getting soaked through...

I'm trying my best so that it's not ruined, but it's no use...

"The queen dies, and the village must be killed.

All you had to do was convince the higher ups of that crazy story.

Nobody cared about parasites to begin with.

They only cared if it could be used for political gain.

You knew that, didn't you?

And at this point, nobody will ever pay attention to any of that nonsense again.

A lot of people bet on this scrapbook,

and they lost.

The Mountain Dogs lost too.

That's all there is to it."

"Th-Th-Th-Th-This isn't nonsense...!!

This scrapbook holds the truth! Everything in it is the truth!!

My grandpa researched it, I researched it, and this is the result!!

Everyone believed in it!

That's why they built such a beautiful research center, isn't it?

They believed in it, and that was why Nomura-san got in touch with me...!!

There must be other people who will believe in my work!

Because all of this is for the future of humankind... Aaah!!"

Okonogi got fed up and kicked me.

I don't weigh much, so I fell backwards and became soaked in the muddy water.

Okonogi walked over and looked down at me.

"......Fortunately,

there's still something the clients in Tokyo are expecting from you.

...Hey."

One of the Mountain Dogs handed a gun to Okonogi.

Okonogi checked the cylinder and then threw it over to me.

"...What,

what is

this...?"

"Major.

Why don't you use that to shoot yourself in the head?"

".........What...?"

I looked at the gun.

I'm used to seeing guns, working at the Irie Institute as I do.

I was never frightened by guns before.

But for the first time, I feel scared just looking at one...

"You know,

this happens all the time.

Major.

Please take responsibility as the leader of the defeated force, and shoot yourself."

"......Wh-

What are you saying...?"

Nobody has ever told me to die before...

Nobody has ever told me to kill myself...

"If you die, the clients can just blame you for everything.

Actually, Tokyo is already preparing to do that."

"D-D-

D-D-D-

Don't be ridiculous...

Why

should I

have to

do that?

...Ooooh..."

I'm starting to sob. My body is shaking all over.

"Well, you don't have to do it yourself if you don't want to.

Maybe that's too much to ask of you right now."

Okonogi pulled his gun out and pointed it at me.

The other members, having realized everything will work out if I die, just looked at me coldly...

"I'm going to say that I tried to talk you into surrendering, but you refused.

We shot at each other, and I had to kill you.

That's the scenario.

I gave you the gun so that you could kill yourself, rather than being killed by me. It's to show my appreciation for the time we've known each other."

"I-I-I don't want it to end like that...

no...

Who came up with this plan in the first place?

I don't want this..."

"It was your dearest friend,

Nomura-san from Tokyo."

"......Eh...?"

"They had a plan for damage control in case the final operation failed.

...Nomura-san's code name is Cuckoo

and yours is Baby Bird, isn't it?

Do you know where cuckoos lay their eggs?"

"...What...?"

"Cuckoos lay their eggs in other birds' nests. Once they hatch, they kill the young of the original owner by pushing them out of the nest, and then take it over.

The baby birds on the ground are left helpless,

and they usually end up eaten by mountain dogs."

I used the money I got from Uncle Koizumi

to pay the Mountain Dogs,

thinking I had gained a reliable ally.

I always thought that, although Okonogi was barbaric, he was very reliable...

But,

my nest......

had been taken over...

"Major...

You never had any allies to begin with.

All you had to do was exactly what the clients in Tokyo wanted you to.

But now it's over.

Now, you need

to exit the stage.

.......Take it.

It's your precious scrapbook.

Hold that in your left hand, and pick up the gun with your right."

The scrapbook was finally returned to me, covered in mud.

I held it with both hands

and cried.

"...Oooh...

...Oooooh..."

What a joke the entire life of Miyo Takano was...

...Right now,

right now

is when I should just go back inside that chain-link fence...

My shaking hands

held the ice-cold gun...

"There's only one bullet in there.

Sometimes a bullet can ricochet on the scalp,

so that's why people usually put the muzzle in their mouths.

...Come on, hold the gun, point it like this...

and die."

"...Oooh... oooh... ooooooooh!!"

...In the hills of the mountain, a single gunshot...

...echoed.

With that gunshot, members of the Bloodhounds rushed in.

Okonogi and the other men raised their hands in surrender.

"Heh, heh heh heh heh heh,

Major Takano was with us... but she refused to surrender.

She tried shooting at us, so I had to fire a shot to intimidate her."

"Retriever 7 to Leader!

We arrested First Lieutenant Okonogi and three other members of the Mountain Dogs!

Major Takano is on the run!

Her footprints are heading southwest, but the brush is too thick and we can't go any further!

Requesting backup!!

Major Takano is armed. I repeat, Major Takano is armed!"

"Retriever Leader to all units.

Major Takano is on the run.

She's armed, so be cautious.

Patrol the area, and force her out."

I'm running through the mountain, covered in dirt,

and still holding the muddy scrapbook.

I keep falling because of the mud,

and branches and tree roots continue to torment me...

......I lost one of my shoes, so I decided to get rid of the other shoe too.

This isn't the first time I've had to run like this...

This isn't the first time I've ran barefoot...

This isn't the first time I've felt such pain on the soles of my feet...

This isn't the first time I've cried like this...

...Oooh...

"I repeat.

Major Takano, disarm yourself and surrender.

You can't escape.

The Mountain Dogs have surrendered.

You have no more allies."

The helicopter above my head is calling out my name...

I crawled into a hollow tree. I held my knees and hid...

...The last time I ran barefoot like this

was a very long time ago.

My feet are bloody and swollen, and I can no longer walk...

...I can only cry as I bite the corner of my scrapbook...

Sadness and humiliation fight for dominance in my heart.

...When I feel sad, I cry, and when I feel humiliated, I scratch myself to calm my anger...

And

I still have the gun in my right hand, the one with a single bullet in it...

......I...

have to kill myself...

My death is the only thing that can bring it all to an end.

Killing myself is the only way to go back to that day...

But when I look at the scrapbook in my left hand, I'm assaulted by sadness and fear...

"...I don't want to die...

...Ooooh...

I don't want to die

...Ooooo...

hic...

whaaaaahhhhhh..."

'Just die.

Atone for your actions with your death.'

I recalled the look in Okonogi's eyes...

I know.

I know I have committed sins.

There are so many sins,

too many of them...

There are more sins than I can possibly atone for...

But,

do I

have to die for them...?

"No...

...I don't want to die

...Oooh...

Whaaaahhh...

Oooh."

I cried again... and then noticed someone standing nearby.

It's the girl.

The girl whom I met when I came to Hinamizawa when the Irie Institute was first opened.

I met this girl at the shrine when I declared war on God.

......This girl

is the god of this place.

That god looked at me and sneered, rather than sympathizing.

"Are you still trying to take God's place? Do you still deny that you're human, child of man?"

".........Long time

no see......

I lost...

I lost

this game.

This is what I get

for challenging God

I guess..."

"...Child of man.

Are you still after the position of a god?

Are you still willing to endure for the sake of opposing the divine?"

"...No way...

Taking a god's place...

really is impossible..."

"Child of man, listen well.

I will show you the way to godhood."

".........Eh...?"

"With the gun in your right hand,

end your life.

The position of a god requires no flesh.

Don't expect people to recognize your existence.

Being a god is lonesome.

You, foolish child of man, wanted to become one.

Is that still what you desire?"

"Are you

telling me to shoot myself with this?

Hee hee hee, hahahahahaha...

That's it? Something that simple would make me a god?

That's so simple...

Then, what is this?

What have I been doing all this time?"

"You shouldered the sins of many others.

You purified all their sins by sacrificing yourself.

Your courage will be praised, and you'll be allowed to take a seat among the gods."

"...What's that...?

You're telling me to be their scapegoat,

...to take responsibility for all of them, and die?!

F-Fuck you!

I refuse!!

I absolutely refuse!!"

"Why don't you want that?

To attain peace in the human world, there must always be one sacrifice for one sin.

Isn't that the truth of the human world? Isn't that the method for purifying sin?

...Didn't you want to sacrifice one girl for the future you desired?"

".........

What are you talking about?

I don't understand anything you're saying...!"

"You don't, because you are a human.

You don't even know how stupid you were to even want to become a god."

"I do.

I don't want to die for other people to become a god, no way...

I don't want to become a god at all...

I... am fine with being human...

I just wanted someone to forgive me for being that way...!

That's all!!

But,

but...

why is this happening?"

"Then how will you purify this stain?

How will you pay the price?"

"...Why? Why does someone have to take the blame?

They're all pushing responsibility onto other people!!

They maneuver this way and that... just so they don't have to dirty their own hands...

...Is that just what happens in the human world?

...No, that's not...

Because when my parents

and my grandpa were alive,

things like that didn't happen...!

We were all happy...

Nobody blamed anyone else...!

How did I fall out of that world?

Why am I wandering around in the mountains alone in the rain?

Why... why me...

...Oooooh!!!

This is the punishment

for my sins, isn't it?

I knew it.

I had noticed it...

I made a huge mistake,

but I didn't want to admit it,

and when it was too late, I regretted it for the first time.

So this is the punishment...

for my sins...

...Ooooh... ooooh..."

"The human world will want you to purify your sins.

They'll be purified when you sacrifice yourself.

...That's the way of the human world.

......However, I'm not a human.

I am a being above man... A being which fills in the missing gaps in harmony.

A being that forgives human sins.

Man cannot forgive the sins of man.

I am the one who forgives the sins of the children of men."

I forgive you.

Demanding a sacrifice be paid for sins isn't the way of the human world, it's the way of demons.

So this is not the world of man.

This is a world of demons, created by man and the demons infesting them.

Humans cannot end that way of their world.

So I became a god... to grant that end.

It was over a thousand years of pain.

I wanted to come down from this place.

I desired a world where God doesn't need to make peace.

And finally... after a thousand years' time, I have found that Fragment.

Come, child of man...

...I will forgive your sins in my name.

Kneel and repent.

Ask for forgiveness.

Then you shall receive it.

God will forgive you.

God will forgive your human sins...

The god in the form of a little girl walked up to me and reached out.

As I knelt and looked down,

she touched my head...

"Hanyuuuuuuu... Hanyuuuuuuuu!! Where are you?"

"Hanyuu-chaaan! Answer if you can hear us!"

I heard voices in the distance.

And then... I saw a girl standing in front of me.

She's one of Mion's club members, my most hated enemies.

...Shit,

she's found me...

The rain had already ceased.

...I decided to come out of the hollow tree.

After the rain, it had grown so humid. I was starting to sweat all over.

I'm soaked in sweat, mud, and rain... I feel filthy...

I've been bitten by mosquitoes, and my body is itching all over.

...Aah, this is why I hate the mountains.

"Don't say a word."

I pointed the gun at her.

The girl just looked at me calmly as if she didn't see it.

...At the very least, she did follow my order.

What should I do? Should I take her as my hostage?

...I only have one bullet.

How long can I keep running for...?

"Hanyuuu!!

Where are you?

Damn, she really is lost."

"Ah, there she is!

Hanyuu-san!!"

"......Hanyuu, where have you......

Ah...!"

"......I really am

...unlucky to the end...

Or maybe you could call this a kind of luck.

...At the end of it all, I managed to get some vengeance.

...Do you know what this is?

It's a gun.

Don't you dare move.

......Hee hee hee, the tables have turned now."

"......Damn it... why now..."

"Mion-chan, if you don't want anyone else to get shot, step forward."

"...No, don't do it, Mii-chan...!"

Mion stepped forward quietly.

...She certainly has a lot of courage. No wonder she's their leader.

"Thanks to you, I've been ruined.

Some scary men on the mountain want me dead.

......They won't forgive me.

...But I can't just go out like that.

...At the very least, I want some revenge.

...Hee hee hee."

"...Huh.

I know you only have one bullet in that gun...!"

"That's right.

But that one bullet could kill Mion-chan, couldn't it?"

"......T-Takano!

Are you going to shoot her?!"

"Don't move!

If you do, I really might just fire this gun.

Hee hee."

"Don't any of you move...

Just stay behind me."

"...How courageous.

Is this some spirit of self-sacrifice? Rather be shot yourself than letting your friends be shot?"

"...Well,

it's not that easy to kill someone with just one shot.

Of course, it depends on where you hit, though..."

"...I'm surprised.

...How can you be so brave...?

You want me to shoot you for all the others?

Just so you know, if you think that I'll hesitate to shoot because they'll rush over here once they hear it, you're sadly mistaken.

Hee hee."

"Go ahead, shoot me.

But after you do, my friends will rip you to pieces."

"...Hee hee.

Let them try.

They say you dig two holes when you curse another.

...Going down along with the great commander who made Okonogi surrender wouldn't be so bad."

"Go ahead and shoot me.

But make sure that it's me you hit.

If you shoot anyone else,

I'll put you through Hell!!!"

"......Oh my, I'm shaking.

Hee hee hee."

"No, don't, Mii-chan...

Takano-san is serious...

She really will shoot you..."

"Some... Somehow, we'll have to buy some time...

Someone from the Bloodhounds will come by for sure..."

"I'm sure they will.

But I'll shoot before I lose my chance.

Let's see, where should I hit her?

I'm not good at this, so forgive me for not being able to aim that well.

Hee hee hee!"

"......Mii,

you aren't... serious, are you...?"

"Don't anyone move...

I'm the leader of this club.

If I can protect you all, I'll be satisfied with that!

...If I don't make it,

haha, set up a shrine inside of my locker, and pray for me there!

...You'll be taking over my position, Kei-chan.

Help him out, okay?"

Mion is prepared to die.

I'm already cornered.

I won't accept any words of negotiation.

Mion understands that. She doesn't want anyone else to be killed. That was why she chose to be a shield for her friends.

...That was an easy decision to make for her.

Because none of her friends would end up hurt.

If she ends up just getting injured, that would be a stroke of luck, as far as she's concerned.

Even if she doesn't make it,

she thinks that's far better than seeing any of her friends die.

And that's why Takano will shoot.

...Even though she understands Mion's noble intentions painfully well... it's too visceral for her to accept,

...so she'll shoot.

I will pull the trigger...!

With all the absurdities of the human world riding on that bullet, I will shoot her...!

"......You all play games often, right?

....Have you ever played Old Maid?"

"...No.

We play Old Bachelor, though."

"Heh... they use the same rules.

The human world is just like a game of Old Maid.

Everyone's trying to foist the old maid onto someone else.

It's a game that seeks to determine not a winner, but a single loser, the sacrifice.

...You see, I picked the joker.

But there's nobody else to pass the card to.

That's why I'll shoot you, as my revenge.

...Fitting for this irrational world of man, isn't it?"

I'm preparing myself to shoot...!!

There's no hestitation left in me.

...I will shoot her! I'm serious!!

Mion closed her eyes and opened her arms to try and shield her friends as much as she could.

...And that was when Hanyuu stepped forward and placed herself in front of Mion.

"H-Hanyuu!!

Get back!!"

"...Brave Mion.

I've witnessed your courage. That's more than enough.

If the joker can't be passed to anyone else in this human world...

then it's my job to accept it."

"......Hanyuu... what are you...?"

"...Rika.

I had a lot of fun in this world.

...Thank you for letting me join the club.

It was so much more fun to be in it than just to watch...

...So thank you.

I enjoyed myself.

I was so happy spending time with all of you..."

In that moment, Hanyuu glared at me adamantly.

"Now, shoot me,

child of man,

with that sin you must foist onto another.

I will accept it."

"Okay.

Okay, okay, okay.

Fine, die!!!"

...The club members must have thought I was joking

or bluffing.

They didn't think

that I would actually shoot...!!

There was a noise like something exploding.

...In a world where time became as sticky as syrup,

we saw it happen.

The silver bullet hitting an invisible wall in front of Hanyuu...

As though the wall was protecting her.

The bullet wanted to pierce Hanyuu's chest, but it couldn't reach its goal.

...A bead of sweat formed on Hanyuu's forehead.

She had stopped the bullet with an invisible force.

".........Mmm..."

"......H-Hanyuu...!"

"......I'm okay.

I can do this, even in human form."

The silver bullet was being pushed back...

Takano was startled by this otherworldly phenomenon... but then she spoke one phrase...!

"...You...

...you...

The silver bullet...

smashed through that invisible wall.

There was no longer a wall at all.

There was no wall to protect Hanyuu from the bullet.

...The bullet

approached...

Hanyuu's chest...

Somebody let out a silent scream.

Nobody could stop it.

Nobody could stop that bullet...!!!

In that world of frozen time,

nobody could stop the bullet that was stopped just inches in front of Hanyuu's chest...!!

...Hanyuu's friends had seen this scene before...

The moment of checkmate.

No matter how much they screamed, there was no way to avoid this tragedy...

They knew that from their memories!!!

"Hee hee, heh heh heh heh, ha ha ha ha!!

You will die for sure!

Think about the good old times as much as you want.

When you're finished doing that, the bullet will pierce your chest! Drown in your own blood!!

Ahahahahahahahahaha!!"

"............Unless I was prepared to do so,

I wouldn't be here...!"

Hanyuu thought that this would take care of everything.

Hanyuu wasn't supposed to exist in the first place. She would leave the stage, and the rest of the cast would stay unharmed.

...This is

how it's supposed to be.

But, in that moment,

something happened to surprise even Hanyuu...

In the world of frozen time, in which nobody could move,

Rika

reached out

and put her hand on the bullet that was stopped in midair...

How could she move?

...Even Hanyuu couldn't move.

...Why...

could a mere human like Rika grab that bullet...?

"Don't be so surprised.

...You've already learned about that.

You've learned about how to make a miracle happen.

A lot of amazing things happened today,

but none of them were worthy of being called a miracle.

If we all believed in each other, it was supposed to happen.

...Therefore, I will perform a real miracle in this very last moment.

I am the reincarnation of Oyashiro-sama, after all, so let me make a miracle happen at the very end."

Rika

rubbed the frozen bullet

gently,

very gently...

and then held it,

and embraced it lovingly, her hands at her chest.

In that world where not even Hanyuu could move.

"......Now I realize that neither Takano nor Hanyuu listen when other people talk.

...Didn't you hear what Mion said?

We don't play Old Maid.

We play Old Bachelor instead.

Takano laughed and said they were basically the same game,

but they're totally different."

In Old Maid, a single joker, an unharmonized element, is added...

...to a full, harmonized set of cards, and people try to foist it onto another.

But in Old Bachelor, one card is removed from that harmonized world... and everyone foists the unharmonized Fragments on each other.

It's different than having a joker.

Because everything would be in harmony if there wasn't something missing.

Players try to get rid of something in both games,

but what they try to get rid of is very different.

"In our game,

the loser is left with one last card, too.

I can understand how Takano thought they were the same thing...

......But...

they are different.

Because in our game..."

If the missing card was added back in,

there would be no loser.

Hanyuu, the missing card in this world where someone has to foist their sins onto another, has joined the game.

So this game has no losers.

Yet you're still trying to take one card away? What a waste of a miracle.

"......This world

doesn't need a losing card.

...That is

the answer I finally reached after a thousand-year journey...

trying to find a miracle."

The answer has

always been there.

It was there in the very first game

of Mion's club.

There was always a loser because we were playing a game of cards with one missing.

If we could fill in for the missing card by believing each other and helping each other, then...

...it would complete a full deck of fifty-two cards.

A complete world without a loser.

A complete world where no one is left out.

Nobody has to stay out of the circle.

Nobody has to cry or be burdened with sins.

A world where everyone holds each other's hands, and forgives each other's sins.

When people live, there will be sin.

What's important isn't to avoid sins, but to forgive them.

A world can only become ugly and twisted when people try to stay pure.

Let us accept our sins.

Let us all forgive.

That's the answer Rika Furude reached... a complete world.

A world free from the sins of the human world... where one has to become a loser...

Rika reached that, as a human being.

...After an unbelievably long time, she finally reached it...!

...The frozen time had begun to thaw...

There was smoke coming from the muzzle of Takano's gun, so it was definitely fired.

However, nobody got hit...

Keiichi looked around fearfully to make sure nobody was bleeding.

...They were all fine.

Nobody had been shot...

"Heh,

heh heh heh,

you missed..."

"Serves

you right...

Heh heh heh heh..."

The tension lifted in Mion's body, and she began to sweat all over.

"H-How...

did I miss

at this distance...?"

All the club members thought the same thing.

It was a miracle

that the bullet

didn't hit anyone.

The club members had all felt the same way.

They were all thinking "if it's going to hit someone, let it hit me..."

However,

Rika Furude wished for a miracle that was far beyond that.

Rika wished for a miracle that was higher than self-sacrifice.

She wished for a world where the bullet wouldn't hit anyone.

She wished for a world where Takano wouldn't be hurt because she shot someone.

Footsteps were rushing towards them.

Takano tried to run, but she tripped over a root and the scrapbook in her hand scattered everywhere.

As she tried to gather up the papers, members of the Bloodhounds surrounded her.

All the Bloodhounds pointed their guns her way, and some even poked her with them, but Takano still didn't stop gathering up the papers.

Some of the men stepped on the papers, and Takano tried to pull them out from under them...

...She tried to pull them out,

begging them in tears not to step on her precious papers...

"Major Takano.

You are under arrest."

"............So,

it's all my fault, is it?

Hee hee hee...

Ooooh,

whahhhhhhhh..."

The club members, feeling bad for her, looked at the ground...

"Stand up!

Put your hands behind your back.

Hey, don't resist...!"

"No, no no no...

I want to take

my grandpa's scrapbook with me

no... no...!!"

Takano just wanted to pick up the pages of her scrapbook...

But the Bloodhounds, thinking that she was just resisting, pulled on her hair to try to make her stand up.

...Although this was her fate, it was too hard to watch her be treated that way...

...And then, a noble voice resounded among them.

"Wait!!"

Radiating with divine light... a man appeared.

They all knew this man very well,

but they had never seen him look so determined.

"...I'm First Lieutenant Tomitake from the research division!

I'll take it from here!"

"B-But, sir...

We've been ordered by headquarters to bring her back to Tokyo immediately."

"Can't you tell?

Just look at her!!

Look at all the scars! She's been scratching herself!!

She must have Hinamizawa Syndrome!!"

There were lots of horrible scars on her wrists, arms, and neck.

...Takano had scratched herself throughout the day because of all the stress.

...There was no way for anyone to be certain if those marks were symptoms of the syndrome.

But when Tomitake said that, it certainly sounded true.

"B-But, the Major must have been given medication to prevent her from contracting the disease.

There's no way she should have it."

"Haven't you read the report?

It says that the inoculation isn't 100% effective!!

If you'd read the report completely, you would know that these are symptoms of the terminal stage!!

The research division thinks that her treatment should take priority!

We must determine if this incident was truly her will, or if she became delusional due to the syndrome, leading someone to take advantage of that situation.

We have to be very, very certain, otherwise it'll be impossible to resolve this matter!!

Was it her fault, or was it the fault of her disease?

It's impossible to determine that right now!

To make sure, she has the right to receive treatment, and she is obligated to let herself be treated!!"

".........Jirou... san......"

"Take her to the Irie Institute so that she can be examined immediately!

Notify Lieutenant Colonel Irie so he can prepare to treat Major Takano!!

However, from here on, the Major will be placed under strict observation and all activities will be restricted.

The particular orders should come from Command through Colonel Oka, director of Investigations!!"

The Bloodhounds conveyed all this information over the radio.

Nobody had any objections.

Their job was to arrest her, after all.

Any interrogations or investigations after that were the job of Investigations.

So if those were the orders from Investigations, then that was that.

Tomitake walked over to the muddy figure of Takano...

"......Jirou-san...

Jirou-san...

whaaahhhhhhhh, oooooooh!!

Auhhhh, wauhhhh!!"

Takano buried her face in Tomitake's chest and cried...

Only Tomitake and Takano knew the meaning of those tears.

"...Sorry for being late...

I'm here for you."

"Whaahhhhh...

Jirou-san... Jirou-san... wahhooooooh...!"

"You... You're not as bad as you think you are.

You can start over.

You can start your life over as Miyoko Tanashi..."

"I can't... I can't...

I've committed too many sins...

I shouldn't be allowed to start over, I should be dead...

Otherwise, the weight of my sins will..."

"...Well, that's true.

Your sins may not be so light.

But don't worry.

I'll be with you.

We can atone together. Let's atone for Miyo Takano's sins.

And let's bring back Miyoko Tanashi together.

Until then, I'll be right here with you...!"

"Can I... continue to live...?

Can I... live?

Everyone tells me that if I die, things will work out...

But, can I still live?

Are you saying I'm allowed to live?

Can I be forgiven?"

"The world may not forgive you.

But, so what?

I'll forgive you.

So let's live.

Death can't atone for sins.

You must live, and ask the world to forgive you. And then start your life over.

Then you will remember.

You will remember what kind of person you used to be, and what kind of smile you used to have!"

...After a while, Takano was taken to the Irie Institute in handcuffs.

...She was, however, handcuffed with her hands in front of her.

She was holding the scrapbook. Tomitake had cleaned the mud off of it...

The downpour from the early afternoon had passed.

The cicadas began singing again, reminding everything that this was a normal June in Hinamizawa.

It was so hot, despite being June.

...And the sky was brilliantly clear.

Someone asked someone else the time.

She looked at her watch.

It was three PM.

The Watanagashi festival would be starting at five.

It was almost time...

Even from there, the Furude Shrine could be seen.

There were red lanterns hanging all over.

Once the sun went down, those lanterns would be lit.

It was almost time for the Watanagashi festival.

And with that,

everything would end.

When the higurashi cry.

The game that stretched across different worlds had ended,

and what the winner obtained after their victory......

is that...

the game ended

without a loser.

Hanyuu was prepared to leave after the game was over.

But she... was still there.

She was allowed to be there.

In other words, she wasn't the card that was taken away.

The card that was taken to play their game of Old Bachelor was no longer there.

The breeze rustled Hanyuu's sweaty, messed-up hair. She was dumbfounded.

Rika went over and stood next to her.

She didn't need to say anything.

She only smiled at Hanyuu.

That girl had pretended to be a bystander, but decided to step onto the stage.

And then she thought that was enough, and tried to step off of it.

...With those memories of her bright time on stage...

...she tried to step off... but someone grabbed her sleeve and stopped her.

She was told that she could stay.

Then she realized she was still on the stage,

and she didn't have to leave after all.

There was a spot for her on the stage,

and she was no longer a bystander...

And that... was an unbelievable miracle.

She didn't even exist in the script.

Nobody needed her to be there.

But the miracle had allowed her to stay.

"......You suffered so much during your journey.

This miracle isn't even enough to repay you for what you've gone through...

Nipah~☆."

"Ah... Au au au...

This is more than enough...

This miracle is more than enough..."

Rika smiled at Hanyuu one more time and passed her what was in her right hand...

Hanyuu felt something cold and hard.

What was it...?

Hanyuu slowly opened her hand and looked at it.

It was...

the bullet Takano had fired.

This was the proof of their miracle.

It was the proof that Hanyuu could exist there.

It was the proof that they could be together, forever and ever...

"It'll be dark soon. It's time for the festival."

"...Au."

"We'll have so much fun together.

You can't just watch us anymore.

I'm sure there will be plenty of punishments to torment the poor, poor newcomer."

"......I don't have to just watch the Watanagashi festival, huh?"

"That's right. Because you don't watch a festival... you enjoy it."