My youth story cannot be a knight war

[The fist and the "meteorite" collided, but no violent impact occurred—because all the energy was completely dissipated.]

Zaimokuza clearly felt the incredible power gathered in his fist dissipating at an extremely fast rate, like ice and snow encountering boiling lava. In the face of the opponent's power, his attack could not even be described as water flowing against rock, but rather as water pouring into a lake, being completely swallowed up.

[Gadoru even took away his own power the moment he touched him, integrating it into his own attack, and Zaimokuza could only watch helplessly, completely unable to stop it.]

[…Really? Is this all we can do?]

[Mingming, I haven’t finished writing the story I promised him——]

He sighed silently inwardly, and the next moment, red lightning completely engulfed Zaimokuza's figure, and an indescribable surge of power struck his chest.

There was no explosion, no hurricane, as Zaimokuza flew away, his body covering tens or hundreds of meters before crashing into a burning building. The building, already fragile under the blazing flames, finally collapsed completely, burying him inside.

As Zaimokuza fell into the building, a transparent shock wave spread from the floor. It was the aftermath of energy transmitted from his body as he fell to the ground, an energy flow completely undetectable to the human eye.

This energy surge spread across Tokyo in less than ten seconds, overloading and blasting electrical appliances wherever it passed. Amidst the wailing cries of the power workers, Tokyo itself was plunged back into the pre-Meiji Restoration era.

Then, an earthquake of at least magnitude 5 struck across Tokyo. High-rise buildings shook slightly, furniture collapsed, and paint peeled off the walls. All the animals living in Tokyo roared and ran wildly, venting the fear of natural disasters ingrained in their DNA.

"Damn it! Why is there an earthquake at this time?"

Saki Kawasaki held onto the door frame as the entire store shook violently, causing many cabinets to collapse. Without time to grieve over the losses, she anxiously turned around and called out to those behind her.

"Mikuru, Mio! Hide under the table! Don't come out!"

"Got it! Manager, you should hide too!"

"Akiyama-san—Aiya!!!"

Akiyama Mio hugged Asahina Mikuru and hid under a table. Asahina, with a panicked look on her face, was about to say something, but a chandelier fell on the table, turning her words into a scream. She could only hold her head tightly with her hands in tears.

"What a strong earthquake! What on earth is this..."

Akiyama Mio held Asahina in her arms, watching the shaking buildings around her with a bit of fear, and tightened her grip on her.

【--elder brother.】

「──Again, that voice again!?」

That confused whisper echoed in her mind again. Akiyama Mio covered her head with one hand, her inner doubts and fears reaching their peak.

【What do you want to tell me? 】

……

[Burning rubble slid down from the ruins. A hand pushed away the debris that was holding it down, and the figure staggered and stood up from the ruins.]

[That was Zaimokuza. He was holding his chest with one hand and using the other to support himself on the rubble, trying to stand up. However, just as he stood up, he fell directly from the top of the rubble and rolled downwards.]

【Om—】

[“Hmm…”]

His right hand, covered in scars and blood, grasped a stone. Zaimokuza, transformed back into human form, was drenched in blood, as if he had fallen into a pool of blood. Even his white hair was half dyed red.

[However, this horrifying appearance was nothing compared to the changes happening to his body at this moment.]

Glimmering cracks gradually spread from beneath his clothing, covering his palms, ankles, neck, and face. All of his exposed skin was now covered in these shimmering cracks. From a distance, Zaimokuza looked like a broken and then glued back together doll, a dreamlike, distorted quality.

The dim Yamadam spirit stone at his waist vanished within him at this moment. Zaimokuza raised his head with difficulty. His eyes had completely lost focus, but he still managed to stare at the figure standing not far away with his last breath.

But as these cracks spread to his eyeballs, the phantom-filled scenes in his eyes seemed to be cut by white lines, and endless darkness began to spread from the edges of these broken lines.

[Patter. 】

The broken right arm fell to the ground, and after it hit the ground, it emitted a cloud of various colored particles. Then, the entire hand gradually lost its form and dissipated into the air. As for Zaimokuza, he could no longer hold on and fell to the ground. His hollow, dim eyes remained open, not closed—but the glimmer of light that had once lingered in them had completely dissipated.

【And this time, he never stood up like before. 】

"..."

His pupils trembled violently as he looked at the figure lying on the ground in the dim light on the screen. Kousaka felt his heart stop completely and his brain went blank.

After a long while, a voice rang in my ears. It was a voice very similar to my own, yet more mature.

"——Taimu Seat!!!!!!"

26. Life Insurance (6K)

Beautiful pictures.jpg

Bungetsu Academy, second year, Class F.

"...The loss was even worse than expected."

Looking at "Zaimokuza Yoshiki" who fell to the ground and never stood up again on the screen, Sakamoto Yuji, who was covering one eye, no longer had the mood to continue playing. The heavy sigh echoed and woke up everyone in the stunned class.

"Hey, hey! Yuuji, that Zai-Zai Mokuza-san—"

"I have eyes, I saw it, I don't need you to repeat it."

Yoshii Akihisa, who was also covering his red and swollen face, spoke incoherently, but Sakamoto Yuji just rolled his eyes and spoke in an unusually calm tone.

"——So how can you still be so calm!!!"

Yoshii Akihisa excitedly reached out and grabbed his collar and shook him hard, his voice sounding so anxious that it was tearful.

"Zaimokuza-san lost! And his hand is broken! And it disappeared! Even his whole body seems to be changing like this! Do you know, if he died--Puwa!"

"Of course I know that! I don't need a science loser like you who only got an 8 on the math test to remind me!"

Sakamoto Yuji, who was dizzy from being shaken, could no longer bear it and swung a rising dragon punch, knocking Yoshii Akihisa out. He loosened his collar with his right index finger and said unhappily.

"Isn't it obvious that Zaimokuza-san lost? And it's not the first time, I'm used to it. But I don't think he's doomed now."

"Yuji, do you mean there's still hope for Zaimokuza-san?"

Kinoshita Hideyoshi, who was standing by, turned around after hearing his words when he was about to float the unconscious Yoshii Akihisa. His face, which was cuter than a girl's, was filled with visible worry and anxiety.

In response to his friend's question, Sakamoto Yuji's face visibly darkened, and there was an indelible gloom in his eyes.

"…There is hope, but only for now."

"What do you mean?"

Sakamoto Yuji turned his gaze back to the light screen, looked at Gadoru who walked in from the first-person perspective, and said with narrowed eyes.

"Although Zaimokuza-san lost this time, he still managed to survive, and that's thanks to Kousaka-san... I can't believe he was able to exploit this killing game in this way. It's a perfect example of 'killing two birds with one stone'."

"But he was still a little too late. The serious mismatch in intelligence between the two sides ultimately led to the worst possible outcome. Mr. Zaimokuza... his injuries this time were truly too severe, worse than any previous ones."

"Even if he can temporarily survive from the clutches of No. 36 this time, he probably won't be able to hold on any longer, unless..."

At this point, even Sakamoto Yuji himself couldn't help but sneer, but there was no mockery in his laughter, only disappointment and a sigh.

"Unless... a genuine 'miracle' occurs next."

Sakamoto Yuji never imagined he'd one day utter the word "miracle." He'd always believed that only hard work and reflection could change reality, and that miracles were merely an excuse for those unwilling to face cruelty and misfortune. In the past, he'd simply dismissed the concept.

But now he simply couldn't see any possibility of breaking out of the deadlock. No matter how he thought about it, the ending was just repeated despair... In this situation, he had no choice but to pray to the miracle that he had once rejected, praying that this thing could really appear and save the situation.

This was just an intuition that had not been verified, but Sakamoto Yuji almost blindly concluded that no matter what, "Zaimokuza Yoshiteru" must not leave here.

Because if even the man who started all the "stories" is gone, then the world's already precarious future will probably be completely swallowed up by darkness and despair.

[“Hmph, you’re still alive?”]

Looking at the fallen Zaimokuza, Gadoru was actually somewhat surprised. He was well aware of the strength of his attack. After enduring such a blow, Zaimokuza was not directly torn to pieces from the inside by the enormous energy, and he even managed to survive.

Although his body had been shattered into this horrifying state, his now all-seeing eyes could clearly see that within his completely destroyed body, a powerful energy was clinging to Zaimokuza's life. Therefore, even though he was as fragile as a dying candle, his life flame still burned tenaciously.

"The power of Yamadam? Never mind, that doesn't make any sense."

【Om—】

It reached out and plucked off a magatama inlaid on its shoulder armor. A dark red sword, identical in appearance but possessing a vastly different power, extended from its hand. Its blade, formed from congealed blood, gleamed palely in the sunlight, the light of death.

"As a sign of respect for the warrior, let me personally escort you on your journey and put an end to this suffering."

It slowly walked in front of Zaimokuza, looking down at its mortal enemy, who was already on the verge of death. It grasped the sword in both hands and slowly raised it. The blade, gleaming with an evil light, aimed at Zaimokuza's neck, intending to behead him with one blow.

【"--stop."】

[At this moment, a cold voice sounded. Gadoru paused, then lowered his sword and turned to look.]

"Why stop me?"

Dorudo flapped its wings and fell from the sky. Gadoru looked at the referee before him. Just as he was about to ask something, his eyes suddenly froze, fixed on something held in his right palm.

【“Counting corpses…”】

“That’s why.”

Dorudo's voice was as dark as an owl's. He held up the broken stone abacus in his hand and spoke.

[“The corpse counting disk has been destroyed by Lin Duo. Because of the loss of the counting tool, your game must now be paused.”]

"According to the rules of 'Kikiru', any actions you take to kill Linduo or other players during this period will be invalid and a violation of the rules."

[“…You’d better give me an acceptable explanation.”]

Instantly, the greatsword transformed back into its original magatama, and Gadoru's body began to glow red, gradually transforming within the light. When the light faded, it had left this unique form and returned to its original appearance.

[Hanging the magatama back around his neck, Gadoru's tone was cold for the first time, and there was a deep-seated anger hidden in it. His power was as terrifying as an iceberg collapsing before one's eyes.]

"I'll give you an explanation, but not here."

Dorudo raised his head, and a flock of black shadows, like a flock of birds, obscured his face. The overlapping sound of air tearing blew dust all around him. Dozens of helicopters converged above the Banqiao area, obscuring the sky over the central area.

When the mysterious particle stream dissipated, military helicopters were finally able to launch. Simultaneously, sirens could be heard in the distance. It was reinforcements arriving from outside Tokyo. The call for assistance from the Metropolitan Police Department headquarters completely alarmed the entire police force, and officers rushed in from all directions like an army.

"The Lindos have arrived. While there's no need to be afraid, you can't kill them now, and I don't have the authority to kill."

"So, let's go."

【“…”】

Listening to Dorudo's words, Gadoru ultimately resisted the urge to attack, even though he knew that if he could defeat all of the Lindo in front of him, he would be able to complete nearly one-fifth of his game progress.

But respect for the rules still outweighed his inner desire. The white scarf Dorudo wore around his neck stretched out in the wind, forming a long curtain that enveloped the two Gurongi figures and blocked the infrared rays focused on them.

[Inside the curtain, Gadoru, transformed back into human form, glanced down at Zaimokuza, who had fallen to the ground. He gazed into his lusterless eyes, which were filled with indifference and pity.]

It knew that even if it didn't kill him now, he wouldn't survive much longer. The previous attack had completely destroyed Zaimokuza's reinforced nerves and internal tissues. Now, Zaimokuza was barely surviving thanks to the power of the belt, but even the function of the Yamadam Reiji had been severely damaged by the previous attack.

Gadoru had seen clearly just now that the moment the belt disappeared from Zaimokuza's body, the central spirit stone had already begun to show several imperceptible cracks, a sign that it was beginning to be overwhelmed by the weight. And when even the spirit stone could no longer provide power to its host, Zaimokuza's barely surviving life flame would be ruthlessly extinguished.

The only regret is that although it finally defeated one of its long-cherished enemies, because the game was paused, the opponent's points will probably not be counted in the game. This is a huge loss.

"Take the power of Go-Gadoru-Ba, the King of Destruction, and die beautifully."

The white curtain suddenly shrinks, completely engulfing the two figures. Before their vision is completely obscured, Gadoru's final voice echoes through the curtain, reverberating across the ruins of the battlefield.

"With your current level of strength, you can't kill Daguba."

The curtain spun at high speed, its countless strips intertwining to form a structure resembling a Klein bottle. Then, as everyone watched, the curtain gradually dissipated into thin air, a miraculous phenomenon that left the police stunned.

[A blue laser bullet pierced the air, the heat burning the last wisp of fabric that was about to disappear. A figure quickly flew over from the distant sky.]

【"Damn!"】

Hanging from Sleipnir with one hand, Kousaka Kyosuke watched helplessly as the two Gurongi escaped in such an unimaginable manner. His face, drenched in blood, was filled with an unconcealable gloom and fury. He looked like he had just emerged from a garbage dump, his once shiny armor reduced to the appearance of scrap metal cobbled together from a waste recycling station.

This was Dorudo's "gift" to him. While the opponent was limited by the rules of the game and couldn't kill Kousaka, that didn't stop him from physically inflicting pain on him in the name of violating the rules. While Zaimokuza was fighting to the death, Kousaka was also struggling to hold on.

Unlike Zaimokuza, who was unilaterally crushed, the two were actually evenly matched in terms of combat awareness and skill, but their base stats were vastly different, with Omega's output completely inferior to G1's. So, despite Kousaka's best efforts, he was ultimately knocked to the ground and could only watch helplessly as his opponent left.

[“Arrived at – target – location –”]

Sleipnir let out an emotionless mechanical sound, slowly descending from the sky with Kousaka in tow. He released his grip about six meters from the ground and dropped directly. Upon landing, he stared at the soundless figure lying on the ground in front of him, his eyes narrowing.

【"Caimu Seat!!!"】

Kosaka quickly ran to Zaimokuza's side and just as he half-knelt down to help him up, his hand suddenly stopped after touching his shoulder.

[“What—what is this!?”]

Looking at the fine cracks covering Zaimokuza's face and palms, and the white dust that slowly rose from each crack, Kousaka felt his heart nearly stop. He had never seen injuries like these before. It was like gluing a broken plastic toy back together.

[Toys that have undergone such repairs often become extremely fragile, and even the slightest amount of force applied can cause their already fragile form to completely crumble.]

"Damn it! Don't touch him!"

[He waved his hand to stop the rescue workers who rushed over to lift Zaimokuza onto a handmade stretcher and put him in the ambulance. In a panic, he bit his thumb and ordered:]