My youth story cannot be a knight war

[Kousaka put his hands on the ground and tried hard to stand up.]

【Wow——】

His movements suddenly stopped, his body frozen in place as if under a witch's spell, motionless.

【“——”】

[Kousaka Kyosuke's throat moved, his eyes opened, and his irises suddenly shrank to the extreme.]

[A tattered cloak blew past the edge of his vision, covering his violently trembling eyes.]

63. Step into the End (5K)

[Ever since he became a police officer and worked on the front lines of criminal investigations, Kousaka Kyosuke has had many close calls with death.]

Especially since the day Gurongi broke free from his seal and revived at the Kuroyama Ruins, even his once-relaxed daily life had completely bid farewell to Kousaka. From then on, he was constantly trapped in a bloody battle with unidentified life forms. He had stared face to face with the God of Death so many times that even he couldn't count them. But perhaps even the God of Death felt that this man's fate was too tough for his scythe to cut, so he could only allow Kousaka Kyosuke to escape from under his nose time and time again.

[During these brushes with death, Kousaka Kyousuke felt a sense of oppression, as if death itself were a manifestation, from the many unidentified life forms he faced.]

Whether it was Number 22, Number 25, Number 26, Number 30, or even Number 3 now, Kousaka Kyosuke had felt a threat from them that he had never felt before. The sound of Death's footsteps ringing in his ears was so clear, just like the pressure they brought him in battle.

[However, Kousaka had never felt such a strong aura from them before.]

If the powerful enemies mentioned above were as ferocious as the representatives of the god of death, then at this moment, it was the god of death himself who had descended upon the world. A silent yet unparalleled aura filled the entire area.

The faint sounds of insects and running water disappeared, and even the ever-burning flames were extinguished without my noticing. The sounds of the entire world became silent, as if they had died.

A tattered cape, riddled with holes as if burned by flames, passed before his eyes. Kousaka Kyousuke looked at the tall, dark figure on the ground ahead, completely obscuring his own shadow, his pupils trembling slightly.

Even though it was just a shadow cast by the light, Kousaka Kyosuke instantly recognized the true identity of the shadow. There was no other reason. Of all the known unidentified life forms that have appeared so far, only one has a similar cloak decoration.

[It was this unidentified lifeform that was the first to awaken after the ruins investigation team broke the seal, slaughtering the entire team and subsequently awakening all the remaining Gurongi kin dormant in the ruins. As a result, they caused countless bloody massacres and funerals. It can be said that this Gurongi was the source of all disasters, all caused by it.]

This Gurongi wasn't the first unidentified life form to appear. At the time, people had no concept of the group. The term "unidentified life form" wasn't officially assigned until a spider-shaped Gurongi, codenamed "Number One," attacked the Nagano Prefecture police station. However, in terms of chronological order, this person was indeed the first Gurongi to appear in this era. To accurately distinguish them, the police used the "0" code, a designation never used before for individual criminals.

Unidentified life form, number zero, Gurongi No. 0—these are the many code names for the figure that now appears behind Kousaka Kyousuke. The zero also represents something from nothing, a metaphor for the beginning of this series of events.

[And this culprit of all the darkness now appeared before him. It was not as prepared as he had imagined. It appeared suddenly, without any warning.]

Even though they had never met face to face before, Kousaka would never mistake it. The aura he felt behind him was exactly the same as the one he had first experienced through the camera: a mixture of extreme oppression and violence, like a volcano on the verge of eruption. A living being's sixth sense for danger was frantically issuing warnings in an experience comparable to the might of nature.

The five fingers of his right hand trembled, and in his sense of crisis, he subconsciously wanted to press the G1 still worn on his waist, so as to transform and fight... But Kousaka Kyosuke restrained this impulse with his extraordinary willpower.

[No way. As soon as he sensed the other party's presence, Kousaka's heart understood this reality with unparalleled clarity. The proof was the handful of ashes before him, which had been blown away by the wind until there was little left.]

[The question of who was able to weaken the devilishly powerful Number Three to the point where he could be easily killed with just a few neurotomy bullets is obvious.]

Although Kousaka wasn't afraid of death, he wasn't the type to rush into a fight to the death without hesitation, without considering the difference in strength. Such a fate would only result in a meaningless death. However, not fearing death didn't necessarily mean a meaningless death.

[And...Kousaka Kyosuke glanced at the unconscious Zaimokuza beside him with difficulty, and chose to slowly lower his raised right hand.]

[Regarding whether he still has the strength to fight against Number Zero, who even Number Three easily defeated, he must at least not drag Zaimokuza down with him. As long as he's alive, he has a chance of defeating his opponent.]

Kousaka clearly felt a gaze fixed on him, and goosebumps spread across his skin beneath his clothes as the gaze touched him, and all his hairs stood on end. Just the sight alone made him feel the urge to turn around and take a defensive stance almost uncontrollably.

He gritted his teeth, letting the gaze sweep over him, but his clenched hands were ready at any moment. Ready to run.

If they were to fight, they would definitely not win. That pillar of fire that completely illuminated the night sky had completely changed Kousaka's definition of "power." He simply couldn't imagine that such power could be possessed by a living being. It was like a god or a demon, and it filled him with deep-seated fear.

[Now, one of our men is seriously injured and one is unconscious. The consequences of starting a war under such circumstances are obvious.]

【Snap.】

[Clear footsteps echoed beside him, and Kousaka Kyosuke's pupils suddenly contracted. He forcibly suppressed his body's subconscious reaction and stared straight ahead without moving.]

The hem of a tattered black cloak brushed against Kousaka Kyosuke's left arm. A tall, dark figure slowly walked past him and headed forward. Kousaka's eyes followed the figure's movement, and for the first time, he saw its appearance clearly.

The general appearance was the same as that seen in the camera before, a black cape covering most of the body from the shoulders, messy black hair obscuring the other party's face, making it completely unclear, a pair of scarlet eyes faintly visible through the hair.

The only difference was that the other party's body color was different from the black that had been expected. Instead, it was pure white, completely different from the body color of any Gurongi before.

Number Zero walked towards the handful of ashes that Number Three had turned into, bent down, and stretched out his white hand to pick up the golden fragment from the ashes.

Is it also after that fragment? Kousaka closely watched Zero's every move, memorizing each one. At the same time, he felt more and more that the golden fragment was not simple.

Suddenly, Number Zero, who had picked up the fragment, turned and looked behind him. His bloodshot eyes met Kousaka Kyosuke's gaze head-on.

[“——Hmm!?”]

The moment their eyes met, an indescribable aura materialized and rushed towards him. Kousaka felt as if his spirit had been struck by a heavy hammer, and the entire scene before him turned blood red.

Amidst this blood-reddened scene, he watched from a first-person perspective as a raging fire erupted from his body. The searing flames instantly transformed him into a human-shaped torch. His body, like Number Three, was reduced to a pitch-black charcoal in the flames. Then, swept away by the strong wind, it slowly turned into dust...

His heartbeat seemed to stop. Finally waking from his reverie before losing consciousness, Kousaka suddenly lowered his head, his forehead covered in sweat.

[Actually——just one glance!???]

A crisp cracking sound was heard in the living room, and rich tea overflowed from the cracked teacup on the floor, soaking the right foot that was only wearing slippers and was close at hand. The temperature of the boiling water, which had not yet completely dissipated, was transmitted to the brain through the contact of the skin nerve endings.

But Togashi Yuuta could not feel the temperature of the boiling water at all. He just felt as if he was thrown naked into an ice cellar. The bone-chilling coldness came from every part of his limbs, and the blood flowing in his veins seemed to have turned into ice chips under this chill.

He and the "Kousaka Kyosuke" in the light curtain moved in sync at this moment. He suddenly lowered his gaze to look at the light curtain, hugged his body with one hand, and trembled violently uncontrollably.

He covered his mouth and lowered his head, his drooping bangs covering his extremely pale face, and his eyeballs were trembling violently, with such a high frequency that anyone who saw it would think his eyeballs were about to fly out of their sockets.

Drops of sweat trickled down his pale face, gathering at his chin before dripping down. Cold sweat broke out uncontrollably from his forehead, a shudder emanated from deep within his body, and his limbs felt as heavy as lead.

"W-What is that!!!"

Every word that came out of his mouth was filled with fear and coldness. Togashi Yuta's eyes seemed to still be imprinted with the scene he had just seen - that was him being completely engulfed by the flames raging on his body.

The skin burned black in the scorching heat, then melted, and the bones turned brittle... The pain was so vivid that just as Togashi Yuuta was about to open his mouth and scream, the scene before him suddenly changed to the pair of bloodshot eyes in the light curtain. He saw the same scene as "Kousaka Kyousuke".

Even though he had broken free, Togashi Yuuta had a rough idea of ​​what was going on. Everything that had just happened was just an illusion, a vision created in his mind by the pressure of the other person's naturally radiating aura.

But... he just really experienced the feeling of death.

The burning heat that penetrated the bone marrow, the terror that life and death could be decided at any moment, the sluggishness of the suppressed heart, the pain of the flesh being burned, the despair of the soul being devoured, were all completely remembered by the body.

And all this is just because I saw the other person's eyes.

"..."

He let go of his left hand that was covering his mouth. His empty palm was shaking uncontrollably, ignoring his desire to stop and just shaking on its own.

"This is... the unidentified life form, number zero?"

For the first time, Togashi Yuuta truly understood what true fear was. All his previous indignation towards the darkness and hatred towards Gurongi were so insignificant in the face of the horror of close contact with death. All his lofty words were shattered.

He suddenly felt how ridiculous he had been before. Through the first-person perspective of the light screen, he placed himself among the protagonists, Zaimokuza Yoshiki and his companions. He felt that those Gurongi were nothing special. Although every time a powerful enemy appeared, a tough battle was inevitable, they would eventually be eliminated by them, representing the side of justice. But these feelings were essentially just the arrogance of an observer outside the "story."

Therefore, Togashi Yuuta only saw the battle process of "Zaimokuza Yoshiki" and others, and felt their joy and pride every time they defeated Gurongi, but he had no idea what the other party felt when they really faced these monsters.

There is a specific name on the Internet for people who hold ideas and thinking like him: keyboard warriors.

Its most notable feature is that normally people say "I can do it too!", but when it comes to real action, they say "Please come this way, Madam~".

Zero, however, shattered his false courage with a single glance. This made Togashi Yuta truly realize how weak he truly was, not only physically but also spiritually. He was, after all, just an ordinary person, not the "Dark Flame Master" he'd believed himself to be during his chuunibyou years.

I clearly claim to have graduated from chuunibyou, but why did I only understand this truth now?

At the same time, he had never before understood how powerful Zaimokuza Yoshiki and Kousaka Kyosuke, the protagonists of this "story," were. Not only in terms of physical strength, but also in terms of spiritual strength. Perhaps it was precisely because of this that they were able to become the one-in-a-million protagonists among so many people in this world.

Is this the feeling you have now, what you have always felt in battle?

The scene on the screen changed again, but Togashi Yuta's expression seemed a little distraught at this moment. Looking from behind, the original youthful back seemed to have suddenly disappeared, replaced by maturity and stability.

Human growth is a very metaphysical issue. Some people may not be able to grow throughout their entire lives, while others may complete this process in an instant when they realize the existence of a certain reality.

[As the white soles of the feet came into view, Kousaka Kyosuke's entire body trembled for a moment. This was an instinctive reaction, unrelated to the strength of his will.]

He didn't know what Number Zero was planning to do, but he was fully prepared to fight. If the other party wanted to attack, then he would fight!

Even if the outcome of the battle is already determined, at least... Kousaka glanced at the unconscious Zaimokuza's profile beside him and secretly made up his mind.

[At the very least, we must leave hope for the future of this world. Even if the price is sacrificing ourselves.]

"I'm really looking forward to it~"

A clear and innocent voice suddenly sounded, like a child who knew nothing about the world, filled with innocence and joy.

[Kousaka Kyosuke, who had already decided to fight to the death, suddenly felt his brain was a little confused. Who else is here besides him and Zaimokuza? ]

【“——!?”】

[But when he realized what was happening, his eyes suddenly widened and he looked up in astonishment. What he saw was a beautiful and refined face.]

A black-haired boy, dressed entirely in pure white, stood before him, a faint, heartwarming smile on his face. His eyes were like round, warm black gemstones, revealing no trace of malice, only pure curiosity and joy, like a child who had seen a toy they loved.

In a split second, the demonic, godlike monster vanished, replaced by a handsome young man, as handsome as a fairy tale. Only the white, yet ferociously ferocious, stag-beetle-like totem on his forehead revealed his true identity to everyone who knew him.

As someone who knew the truth, Kousaka looked at the totem on the other person's forehead, and his brain went into a state of panic.

【"you……!"】

[Every Gurongi has his own human form, he knows that...but this is Zero!]

[The unidentified life form, Number Zero, who single-handedly caused endless disasters, possessed unfathomable strength, and whose Gurongi form looked terrifyingly like a demon. His human form is surprisingly a handsome boy who looks no more than fifteen or sixteen years old? Does this youthful appearance mean he's in high school?]

The difference in appearance and temperament between the two is so stark that it's impossible to imagine them being the same person. The resulting contrast is undeniably shocking, and Kousaka is no exception.

"I'm so happy~ Kuuga is starting to regain his former strength."

N-Daguba-Zeba, the leader of the unidentified lifeforms, the current king of the Gurongi clan, and one of the only two Gurongi in the N Group, turned his gaze to the unconscious Zaimokuza, who stood beside the stunned Kousaka Kyousuke. His eyes narrowed slightly as he looked at his face, but the smile on his lips widened even further.

"However, this alone is not enough. I have become stronger than before, so he must also become stronger. Only then can he fight me with all his strength."

"Gooma quickly completed the final steps of the ritual for me."

Daguba looked behind him, at the mountain shrouded by the pyramid of light. His gaze penetrated the pyramid and saw the stone coffin within the mountain.

[“It will come soon~”]

[“Ultimate Darkness.”]

新年 快乐

Sorry, I just got back now. I was visiting and wishing New Year's greetings all day and had no time to update.

But when I think about it, this volume has been basically finished, and I can start the next chapter. I need to think carefully and write this last volume well. Also, I have to rest for a few days at the beginning of the year. I am really tired.

I'm taking two days off today and tomorrow. I'll use this time to sort out the plot of the last volume, and then start writing.

Happy New Year, fellow book lovers!!!

64. End of a Long Day (5K)

Chiba Prefecture, Sobu High School, Service Club.

"It's him! It's really him!"

Zaimokuza's palms trembled, then he clenched them into fists and stabbed directly into his palms, using the pain to bring himself back to his senses from the shock caused by the illusion, and spoke with an excited tone that could not be concealed.

His eyes were fixed on the handsome young man in white clothes and smiling on the screen, and passionate emotions were lingering in the depths of his eyes.

"In the future, when I was seriously injured by Number 25 and hospitalized, Hime—Ebina-san went to visit me and saw the boy in white on his way back! It was really him! He really is Number Zero!"

"and……"

Looking at the totem on the other's forehead that was so glaring at the moment, a totem that was almost identical to Kuuga's, Zaimokuza clenched his teeth.

The truth was clear: the totem on each Gurongi was a signature of their identity. And Zero's totem was the same as Kuuga's.

Yukinoshita Yukino's speculation was correct, they might really be——"brothers".

The hero who protects humanity is of the same kind as the monster who slaughters humanity, and is also a brother of the other side's leader. This may be one of the funniest things in the world, but it is completely unfunny.

"Is it really that boy?"

Recovering from her shock, Ebina, standing behind him, also stared motionlessly at Daguba, who had revealed his human form on the screen. Her hands gripped Zaimokuza's shoulders tightly, her fingers so tight that her windbreaker wrinkled. She now needed him for support to steady herself.

Even with her state of mind, similar emotions such as horror and relief surged in her heart at this moment. Her slender thighs in socks swayed gently, reflecting her inner fear at the moment.

It's no surprise Ebina reacted this way. Remember, that was Unidentified Lifeform No. 0, responsible for a series of bloody tragedies in the future. The fact that she didn't collapse immediately after learning of her future self's close encounter with this monster was a testament to her good attitude. After all, she was only a sixteen or seventeen-year-old schoolgirl, not the mature scientist she would become.