Vol 1 Chapter 2 (1/2)
Chapter 2 - The Lesson in Killing the Girl
The lesson froirl has finally started
No one in the classroo with joy
Naturally
Once we invade the labyrinth, ill be facing the danger of dying
Furtherirl, be it wherever it is, tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands of people around the girl with her as the radial point, will die
Thus, there are two things that are of utmost importance
The level of difficulty in clearing the labyrinth
The number of people in the area of the labyrinth
I turn to the first page of the docue This is what it says
Her name is Asahi Momoka
Fourteen years old
Third year in Miyasaka Middle School
Family members --- father, mother, little sister
Quite popular in school
No boyfriend
Location of disease onset --- at this moment, my expression stiffens a little for the first ti my back
Location of disease onset ---
『Kanagawa Prefecture, Yokohaawa Ward』
A tight smile surfaces on my face and I say
” haha, don't screithht in the middle of a city with three million people?”
In other words, if we fail, at least tens of thousands of people will vanish If the effective radius is large, at most more than three million people could die
Dohn, Honjou-sensei taps on the blackboard
”Who said you can start reading the docuht now!”
I look up and shrug my shoulders I can tell that even Sensei is nervous
The other students indeed have yet to start flipping the pages of the docuress of the lesson
After ascertaining that I have stopped reading, Sensei continues
”First, as always, I'll give an overview of the overall situation
The discovery of the girl having an onset of the labyrinth disease took place three hours ago
After the scouting corps had sent out their o by the tiirl is an age-limited labyrinth
Aah wait, we have a transfer student shi+nnosuke, do you understand the e-limited labyrinths?”
Of course, there is no way I would not know that
An age-limited labyrinth is one with a rule that only allows people who are below a certain age to enter That is why an organization like 《Metropolitan Kichijouji High》 where kids are gathered to risk their lives exists
I acknowledge with my hand to show that I do not not need any explanation on that, and Sensei continues
”Then, I shall continue
The task of externed to us, 《Metropolitan Kichijouji High》, who are unsurpassed in clearing age-limited labyrinths in japan, and the collation of inforo
And, the tiirl turns into an 《Eternal Labyrinth》 is six hours
In other words, we'll learn about the labyrinth brought forth by the girl in the first five hours, and efficiently kill the girl in the re hour, which is ays do Is everyone following so far?”
Gunjou then raises her hand
Sensei then asks
”What is it? Mizuiro Gunjou”
Gunjou replies
”I think this is a waste of tienius likeTherefore, we'll definitely succeed in killing the girl anyway”
”Ah-ha, as usual, you're bri with confidence Well, you did earn the place of the best labyrinth raider twice though But, this time round, we have a transfer student ---”
Gunjou shoots a glare in aze, she turns away Is she a kid?
”I don't think that piece of newly transferred trash will be of much use!”
”Ah-hahaha What's with that? Did so happen between the two of you?”
”Nothing happened!”
”You'll die if you don't get along, you know ~? If you relax for even an instant”
”A genius like uard down!”
Sensei looks at Gunjou and nods
”Well, we don't have ht between kids At any rate, the time limit is six hours Let's continue with our class Well, turn to the first page of your documents I'll say this first The level of difficulty of this labyrinth isn't high --- according to the investigation, it's about rank 04 So if you keep up hat you guys have been doing, you should be able to clear it easily As long as you don't let your guard down and be full of yourself like that idiot Gunjou, it'll be a walk in the park”
”Hey, Sensei! Who are you calling idiot Gunjou!”
Gunjou raises her voice again, but Sensei ignores her and continues
”Understand? Please keep that in e”
In order to quell the students' fear at the fact that the location of the disease onset is right in the middle of a city with threethem on the low level of difficulty of the labyrinth
By the way, for so labyrinths has been low in ation has been properly done, and the raiders have a rasp of what can be found inside and their respective locations, then it will not be difficult to deal with it
As such, the probleirl is a matter of the time limit
Because of the time limit problem, there were cases where even easy labyrinths were not cleared in time
That being said, when investigation was not properly conducted and the raiding took place right away, things such as taking the wrong route, or getting hindered bythe diseased girl, all led to the loss of time
The problem has to be the time limit
And running out of ti in failure to clear a labyrinth is inexcusable
As the impact of such a failure is coic technology fro 《Eternal Labyrinths》
Things such as all the raiders dying and unable to thus clear a labyrinth, or when the raiders escaping because they cannot clear it in time due to the hindrances, are not allowed
If they fail, the people in that area, which can number from tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands, will all die
This is no laughing matter
That is why the sequence of 'labyrinth investigation → education → infiltration + raiding' is treated with importance
Even if only one hour is left for the raid, if the raiders have a good grasp of the infor it, then the success rate of clearing it will be iven sequence is a result of the experience accu countless diseased girls in the past
By the way, if a diseased girl turns completely into an 《Eternal Labyrinth》, then the difficulty of raiding it will be upped by at least ten times
In other words, if the target girl this time were not killed, she would probably become an 《Eternal Labyrinth》 with rank 4
But well, that does not matter
Right noe are in the irl, for the sake of saving the lives of three million people
As expected, a buzz began in the classroom the instant the documents were turned
”Yo-Yokohama? Seriously?”
”I-If we fail in this”
Started the students a themselves, but at that ht hand twice
”All right everyone Don't get swayed by just this, will you? It's only rank 04 right? You guys know that I have raided a rank 10 《Eternal Labyrinth》 and brought back its ht? This is below a tenth of that We can clear it before we've even finished breathing If you all would follow me, no one will die, so rest assured”
With that, the classroooes quiet
It seems like Gunjou is really well-trusted by the class Only someone like Hishi+ro shi+ro is unhappy with her
Well, if what Gunjou said was true, that she had succeeded in raiding an 《Eternal Labyrinth》 of rank 10, then she is a pretty high levela rank 04 labyrinth will be a walk in the park
As if to flaunt about her charisrins and says
” now, rest easy and let's continue with the lesson This tiirl!”
She sits down in her chair triumphantly
With that, once again, our lesson resumes
『First Hour ---
Please learn about the profile of the girl』
The lesson was a simple one
We learned about the identity of that fourteen year old girl
Who her first love was
The friends she hung out with, teased around with
She knew that the world became what it is today as a result of strife and that she should not be living with a carefree attitude
But in the end, whatever she did, she was able to live a quiet, daily life in this peaceful country called japan
Provided of course, that she never got tangled up with the 《Labyrinth Disease》 However
No one knew the reason behind how she contracted the 《Labyrinth Disease》 While there is a research paper saying that there are many children who let a darkness from another world seep into their hearts, nobody kno true that is
At the very least, Saki --- my little sister, did not appear to have any kind of darkness in her heart She was always s around, always tagging along with me
But still, she got tangled up with the 《Labyrinth Disease》
Of course, the rest of the surviving faht about it Was there so inside her that they did not notice? If they had noticed it, maybe she would not have come doith the disease perhaps? And blamed themselves for it
The target girl this time, 『Asahi Momoka』, loved school
She was a popular person in school
She loved soft toys and had a collection of them
Thus, the labyrinth she created has a form that resembled a 『School』
A gigantic closed down school with multiple levels
The nuround are still undergoing investigation
But, it appears to look like a school
As expected, a great nu the school; those soft toys appear to be diseased, and would probably attack any infiltrators they find in order to protect their mistress
There are also a lot of other data about the girl Like theat a certain age, or the father's nickname in his workplace, and so forth, data like these that do not matter have been made public to us
However, she was apparently ht up in a happy environment
And thus, while h the documents that contain all these private inforhts, the first hour passes by quickly
♦
We got a ten minute break
Some went to the toilet
So the material they studied in the first hour
So their friends
””
But everyone shares a thing in co me
Probably on Mizuiro Gunjou's order
Gunjou shoots a glance at me ”Now you know? You know huh? How is it how is it?” is written all over her face ”It's about ti to me and prostrate to me” Her expression is really easy to read
That easy-to-read face is a little adorable
I slaring at ry Really just a kid
Well, that does not matter anyway
I sigh out, then rest my chin in my hand as I stare vacantly out the
And then, a voice calls out from behind
”Hey, the kid who's being bullied”
The voice of Hishi+ro shi+ro
I did not turn around
”Don't ignore me”
Gahn, -in-hand form breaks
”Oh my”
I turn around and look at shi+ro with half-opened eyes
His cold, sharp, red eyes are looking down at me
”Isn't it horrible to kick the desk of the bullied kid? You et suspended from school, you know?”
shi+ro takes up the seat besideat the blackboard, he tilts his chair
”What the hell do you want?”
I ask, to which shi+ro says
”What're you going to do?”
”Like I said, about what?”
”Once you enter the labyrinth, you won't be able to survive on your own, you know? Those who have no friends die”
”Oh, I see So?”
”Since you have no friends, you will just die like that”
”Eh? You're kidding h ~”
”Shut up, moron”
”Ah-haha, ha”
I laugh
After glaring at me with his sharp, red eyes, shi+ro holds out his hand in slight embarrassment and says
”I'll protect you, so join me”
I look down at that hand and say
”Is that a request from a friend? Oh ht at it”
”Like I said, shut up There's no time for jokes There are only four hours before we invade the labyrinth”
”Yeah, that's right”
”Right now, my team has three people If you join, we'll have four people, and we'll be able to kill the diseased girl before Gunjou”
”Ah ~, I see You're losing because you don't have enough people? So, even when the fate of the world hinges on it, you guys are co for some foolish pride?”
However, shi+ro did not bite on my provocation
”No It's because we'll probably get a bonus payout for killing the diseased girl With that, we'll be able to get better equipy as well The strong get stronger, the weak ones die Thus, there's a need to win”
It is as he said
In this peaceful japan, this place, a school that battles with the 《Labyrinth Disease》, is a stark contrast
I look at shi+ro with half-opened eyes and ask
”But why are you trying to beco?”
””
”You can go on with life even if you don't becoht? See, look at the schoolyard Look at the ordinary guys and girls who're experiencing things like romance and fun times in their PE lessons And yet, what is it that you seek beyond power? Why did you enroll into this school? Into this, school where you ht just die”
Normally, one would not enroll into such a school
Most of the people who enter such schools generally fall into a few categories
As a form of debt repayment
Since their parents happen to part of the JDSF or military-affiliated personnel, they just happen to enroll
A desire for power no matter what
A desire for money no matter what
Wanting to save the world no matter what
Basically these
And, those ill survive to beco to save the world' category
When they have such an aberrant goal, they will be able to find an exceptionally strong willpower that is not normally found in others Thus, usually, the ones who have ambitions which others
What Honjou-sensei said during the intervieas the truth People with impure motives are, after all, weak in their wills and thus unable to survive
I wonder which is the case with shi+ro
”Do you want to save the world that much?”
I ask, to which shi+ro's eyes narrow
”How about you?”
”Why should I babble about er like you?”
”Huh? Then, there's also no need for me to tell”
Cutting him off, I say
”You want ht? And you want to beat Gunjou Then, you should just start with revealing about yourself for now”
””
shi+ro throws lare
” all right, very well But you are going to join et it?”
I smirk
Then, shi+ro gazes at ins
”My big brother went to this school To repay my parents' debts”
One of the common reasons
”My big brother died, and the debts were absolved Our fa used in some kind of experiment”
””
”I h》 to find out what it was about, but they never came back to me They didn't even return his body to us Well, if he had died in a labyrinth and if his body was lost as result, then it couldn't be helped But, there were ation”
” he?”
I ask, and shi+ro looks back at me
”Who knows? Well, let's just start with that Without power, I can't protect anyone”
I agree with that And then, a sht comes to me I wonder whether what shi+ro had experienced and is seeking for could be the same as mine The part where we both had a family member as at the mercy of the 《Labyrinth Disease》
That is of course provided that everything shi+ro had said was true, but
shi+ro says
”Well, is this enough? Now you can join me”
”I don't want to”
”Huuh?”
I then say with a grin
”I find those who are talkative annoying, and I don't like it”
shi+ro raises his hands Speedily And grabs my collar
”dahtly, I'll kill you”
I got dragged down, off from my chair The other students in the classroom turn to look at us If this were a normal school, it would have co place
But, with a stupid grin on my face, I look up at shi+ro
” oh myyy, shi+ro, you're really violent Frankly, I'm really scared and don't want to be friends with you”
”Aren't you the one at fault here, fck? You were the one who asked reement?”
But, I cock my head to the side and say
”Agreements aside, weren't you the one who didn't keep your end of the bargain? Your story is a lie, right?”
”Ah?”
”I wonder whether that big brother of yours really existed”
”Of course”
”It's a lie You have no big brother assu you really did cooes about shooting his mouth off about that probably has an empty skull but I just don't see how you can be such an idiot Therefore, there's only one conclusion You were lying”
At that ers straight towards shi+ro's eyes, with enough force to pierce through them
shi+ro reacts right away
Releasing my collar, he draws himself back
”WTF are you trying to do?”
I smirk
”I wonder what's the truth behind those red eyes At the very least, a norht? In other words, the person who brother don't tell me it's actually you? shi+ro”
””
”If your lie is too big, you won't be able to deceive me, so you made some subtle allowances and inserted some truth inside, I supposed, but well nohich is which, I wonder Your desire for revenge is true The part on experih you have a desire for revenge, it's not towards this school --- that would be my conjecture”
””
”But, if so, why did you come to this school? Because you desire power? No, that's not the only thing It would be too inefficient otherwise Then, if that's the case, an affiliated company of the school, the co would be ---”
Taikou Pharmaceuticals --- I was just about to say the na at, but shi+ro snapped his fingers, and I thus kept quiet
shi+ro is activating his 《Headphone Fuzz》 Like a different person from before, he is now filled with murderous intent
A sword that looks like a huge knife appears in shi+ro's hand It is a knife so large that it would be unthinkable for a noric
The depths of his red eyes are giving rise to soht at me
” you are pretty talkative yourself huh, hey”
Said shi+ro in a rational, cold voice Seems like this is the real him Despite the fact that he is an emotion-type ears his headphone in his left ear
I too snap ers thrice and point at shi+ro
”You'd kill off anyone who's talkative? Fine Let's do it But I'er one”
”Hah, if you are really that strong, I would want you to join uys”
”You just repeated my words earlier”
”A dead person's words are voided”
”No, those words should be used in a different situation”
”Shut up, disappear Penitence Severance switch”
A cursed song is being let loose in shi+ro's brain matter
His ic has been activated
He raises his knife
While I do not know fro that weaponized erous power
Should I dodge it? Or should I attack before he does?
I must make my choice in an instant
Should I dodge it with ic?
My finger dances, tracing a trail of light in the air I then select the cursed song used for activating the ic in my 《Headphone Fuzz》
And, in the moment when I have made my selection, shi+ro raises his knife --- but,
” kidding From your reaction speed alone, I could tell that you are pretty skilled”
His knife that was born out of ic disappeared
I look at shi+ro with half-opened eyes, and say
” were you testing me?”
”Yeah I no that you have some ability”
”If ent at it for real, you'd just be put to shah”
”I wonder We won't know until we fight it out”
”No, I can tell”
”Is that so? Then, lend me that power of yours in the labyrinth”
Once again, shi+ro holds his hand out to me
And says
”I won't do anything bad to you Our interests should be aligned So, join me”
I look down at that hand with half-opened eyes This school is really strange Kiryuu Kiri also did the sah, is it fashi+onable to hold out one's hand, I wonder You guys are not even Americans who are so fond of their handshakes
I say
”But, you never told me what I wanted to hear”
”You want round? Ah ~, I see Just as you said I'e”
”Smells like a lie”
”It's true, I'e But I can't tell you who I want to take revenge on, and I won't want to tell you either If I'ht?”
Indeed
But, shi+ro is mistaken Whether one were loose-lipped or not, I have no intention of following anyone I have no intention of trusting anyone else
The only things I believe in, are myself, and money
I hold out my hand Clasp shi+ro's hand, smile and say
”All right I know that you have to get ainst Mizuiro Gunjou That's why I shall become your friend”
”Heh, you are unexpectedly a great guy”
But, I cut him off and say
”But can you pay ht with money”
”Huuh? Are you saying that for real”
Thebell started ringing again
It is signaling the start of the second hour
shi+ro looks up at the bell, then glowers at me and says
” you are a real piece of trash”
I smirk
”I' to buy o negotiate with Gunjou She looks like she's rich, and will surely buy me And if that happens, you will lose Oh e looks questionable to me, huh? Well, let me just quote you e will be six million, how's that?”
””
”No good? Too high? Why, so you're just a broke guy I have no business with broke guys Well then, the deal's over, goodbye ~”
As I ao of shi+ro's hand, he returns with a stronger grip, and says
” I'll pay, just once for now”
Seems like he can afford it
No, I know that he can afford it At the very least, the people who are risking their lives actively at this school, should be able to afford this much
After all, they are getting paid by the school with this kind of money, and besides, the maintenance of 《Headphone Fuzz》 requires lots of ets, in ic, insane aic is dependent on h expending money
It is thus as such, I need a limitless amount of money more than anyone else
Partly for the sake ofseveral of the powerful 《Headphone Fuzz》 that I have in ic technology, though, that is all just part of the process
There is only one reason why I need money
I needthe devices needed to invade the most difficult eternal labyrinth --- 《Apocalypse Alice》
Right now, I have employed the help of a certain researcher for such development, and every month, I have to pay out hundreds of millions of yen Thus, I ah
At any rate, I need money
I need fame
I need power
I do not need anything else, nor do I believe in anything else
Buddies, friendshi+p, a purpose in life, romance, love, youth, I have no tis
The only things I need to believe in, are myself and money
To save my little sister Saki ill not be saved by anyone else in this world --- to protect what is important to me, no matter how h
Therefore, I need money
I need ic
I need money
I need ic
I need ic
I smile frivolously, and say
”Yaah, if you can pay me, then ill be friends I have a principle of never betraying my friends”
shi+ro brushes away my hand and says
”I can't really trust you”
”For real? Well, I' as you pay me”
”Trash”
”Ah-haha, like I said, I have often been called that”
shi+ro glares at lares
shi+ro says
”Fine I'll pay You will be under my command Follow my orders”
”Oh my, aren't we supposed to be friends?”
”Shut up trash”
shi+ro turns around and returns to his desk At the same time, Honjou-sensei enters the classroom
”All right, we're starting the second-hour period! We don't have much time, so sit down! Now!”
And with that, the second hour starts
『Second Hour ---
Lesson on irl』
The lesson in the second hour, is to focus onthe scans done from the outside, by the researchers of Taikou Pharirl
According to the intel, the labyrinth takes the form of a school
It is made up of rooms like classrooms, teachers' office, infirmary, home-econs room, etc etc
But, it is a large place with twelve levels above and fifteen levels below On top of that, all the corridors are corasp the architecture fro lost and slowed down as such will prevent the labyrinth fro cleared before the time limit is up
If the time is used up, then there is the possibility of threetheir lives this time, thus, failure is not allowed
It is therefore necessary to go straight to where the girl is and kill her without getting lost along the way
The girl is on the eighth level underground
In a cubicle of the toilet at the end of the corridor
It is not knohy she is in the toilet
But, the location is known
We memorized the route
The talk about it having a low level of difficulty ht indeed be true The irl
In that case, it will be easy to kill her, I suppose
With that, the second hour comes to an end
『Third Hour ---
Lesson on the girl's weakness』
The third-hour period is even easier
It is a lesson on the girl's weakness
The girl is weak against water If a bucket of water were poured onto her, it would be like corrosive acid to her and her body would be covered in burns
A cubicle in the toilet
Water
If the thing about 'girls contracting the 《Labyrinth Disease》 is because of a darkness they carry' were true, then one could irl
The part about her being popular in school --- is it really true?
Perhaps she is actually a target of bullying?
Or, like getting shut inside the toilet and having water poured onto her?
””
But, to irl, 『Asahi Momoka』, is not my little sister
She is a stranger
It is not my concern
Her life and death is none of my business
Therefore, there is only one thing that matters
That is, I no her weakness
♦
Break-time
I have left the classroom and am on my way to the toilet
In this school, you can find a toilet at the end of the corridor after passing by a number of classrooms, but since I did not want to visit a toilet that has been packed by the other students, I went two floors above, to the toilet that is on the floor where the AV roo room are at
There are no other students Naturally No one would come to a toilet that is this far
More i a diseased girl There is probably no student ould stay too far away from the classroo the corridor have not been switched on
I look hard at the toilets with half-opened eyes
The gents is on the right
The ladies on the left
Without hesitation, I head towards the ladies
There is only one reason for that
And it is because I have never seen the inside of a female toilet
And the diseased girl that we are going to kill is said to be inside a female toilet
I want to avoid the stupid situation whereby I would fall behind while fighting just because I do not know the layout of the place that I will be in Thus, I a its layout
” uuw, uuuw, uoh-ueeeh”