Editing Hidan no Aria:Volume6 Chapter4

"Customer-han, since that is the case, wouldn't it be fine if ya switched ta one room? Ya can stay together with yer girlfriend."

"The hotel is the subject of the sentence, and the only other girl here is me. Therefore, the third person noun for such a situation would be 'she'."<ref>彼女 (Kanojo) means both 'she' and 'girlfriend'. Kinji misunderstood her the first time she said it, though she really meant to say "she", as explained.</ref>

The "Room of the Western Front" that we had been led into was a luxurious 8-tatami room, the tatami is completely new.

Aptly named, the walls of the room were decorated with vividly colored [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nishijin Nishijin], which looked like tapestries.<ref>Nishijin means 'Western Front'.</ref>

When I had strode into the ICBM hangar in I-U, I was completely unarmed...and now, this was like entering there naked.

After thinking about this and that, it was already 9:00 at night.

The ball's in my court now.

Apparently able to judge the opponent's location and gun model merely from the gunshot, Reki said those words calmly.

Well, in terms of a vague idea...it's not that I'm at a complete loss. The important thing is, this has something to do with I-U.

But if this is one of the remnants of I-U acting, it's too fast.

Each one burst into sparks in the air...afterwards, we could see the remote-controlled helicopters, leaving a trail of smoke, fall from the sky. <!--W/O modifiers: We could see the remote-controlled helicopters fall from the sky.-->

Although, it could not be Riko.

Also, she has no reason to attack us...after all, Riko and I are in what amounts to a truce. Furthermore, Riko's target is, "Aria and I", this partnership, not Reki and I.

Just now, for a moment, I had suspected that this was an assault from the remnants of I-U, but if it was them...their sights should be locked onto Aria, who was defending Kanzaki Kanae-san, who had been made their scapegoat, or perhaps the person who defeated Sherlock--me.

Because, in the battle with I-U, Reki was only support. I can't say that they bear absolutely no hatred towards her, however, as for the order of targets, she should be relatively low on the list.

"Judging from the hostile's location when he sniped us, I am estimating his current location--while searching for territory advantageous for my sniping."

The difference from me, who had been looking at a movie website with my cellphone while on the bus, was truly colossal. Apparently, Reki, who had been next to me, had memorized the surroundings' characteristics, a blank look on her face the whole time.

I don't know whether she had night vision, but Reki, moving lightly, crossed the river, almost like a water fairy. <!--My bad.-->

I walked to Reki's side, looking up at the enormous tree, which appeared to be a camphor.

Well, there isn't really a use for these in the coming battle--both the gun and me. <!--Clarity~-->

The enemy--is someone who holds the same level of skill as Reki, no even more skillful, an elite sniper.

That black dog...limping all the while...ran away.

Added to this, ringing out from inside the forest, as if reporting that it had already found us--a dog's howl. Probably the one from just now. It was vicious and chilling, a sound that easily inspired fear in people's hearts.

"...We should change our position, right? We've already been exposed, so it's pretty dangerous here."

Just about to move, I--

-had my belt,''Tug'', grabbed by Reki.

"You cannot move."

"...Why?"

My eyebrows furrowed.

Reki took out a box filled with Calorie Mate energy bars from her pocket...and with a click, she opened it.

Emptying its contents, she filled it with the earth by her feet.

"...What are you doing?"

Not turning towards me, Reki-''Fwoosh''

-threw the dirt-filled Calorie Mate box away from the tree.

--''Clank''--!!

The box burst open, the dirt inside showering down.

That scene made a chill run down my back.

It had been sniped. And, it was a box roughly the size of my palm.

"The moment we step to the right or left of this tree, we will be sniped. We cannot move."

...''Bang''...

Immediately after Reki's words, the sound of a gunshot reached us from afar.

"As predicted, the enemy has not left the location he was occupying when he first attacked the hotel. The distance is 2050m, and as such, he is in range."

"...From 2050 meters...he is a sniper that is able to snipe that box from such a distance, huh?"

There's nothing we can do. At least, there's nothing ''I'' can do.

In this battle, I can only be a burden.

"...He's really a powerful enemy. I have no idea what kind of person he might be."

"The enemy is certainly an expert in sniping. As for his personality, it is overflowing with confidence."

"...You can understand the enemy's personality?"

"Because, the enemy sniped the box. That is meant to express that, even if his position is known, he will not lose, a challenge to his opponent."

"..."

"At the same time, the enemy has shown that he puts a lot of trust in new technology. He is a very adaptable person."

"--I can't believe you know so much. But, what does it matter if you're able to deduce the opponent's traits? A battle of sniping is but a battle of marksmanship, right?"

"A battle between snipers is done by reading the opponent's characteristics, and using that as a basis, deciding upon the method of attack."

"Characteristics...?"

I have no idea what use that might hold in a battle...

And, not being clear about this point means that, for this battle, I cannot help in the slightest.

...I have no choice.

Then, Haimaki and I will sharpen our gaze, looking out, seeing whether that hunting dog returns.

I sighed, sitting down on the trunk--

"--This will become a drawn-out battle. Please eat."

Reki took one of the Calorie Mates which she had emptied just now, handing it over.

...I see. Now I know why Reki only ever eats these.

This is like a wilderness ration. For the sake of being able to respond to these wars of attrition, Reki carries this kind of nutritious food at all times.

As expected of a girl who is ready to fight whether she is walking, sitting, or even sleeping.

I started thinking outside the box, and I asked Reki whether we could escape, running directly backwards from the tree...but the words had scarcely left my mouth before they were denied.

But, that was normal, since this is a forest.

As long as I move left or right even the slightest bit, just for the sake of avoiding a tree or rock, my head will suffer the same fate as that box.

The safe zone only extends from this tree to the river. As such, Reki and I ate the Calorie Mates, scooping up some river water to drink....

Staying by the trunk of the tree, unmoving.

...10 minutes...30 minutes...1 hour...

Nothing...happened. We just waited. Both us, and the enemy.

2 hours...3 hours.

The time was 0:00.

Right now, it's the season of passage between summer and autumn, but as time dragged on, the forest air was becoming colder and colder.

Our body heat slowly being stolen by the frigid air, our strength was being sapped as well. And, not only was our body affected, but drowsiness soon fell upon us. Quietly sitting in the darkness, I felt exhaustion come upon me...and, forcing oneself to stay awake is a large test of willpower.

I understood, my own willpower was fading, along with the passage of time.

Until now--in all the battles that I had fought with offenders...

I had been able to see the enemy.

Even if the enemy hid himself, all I needed to do was to force him out of hiding with my pistol.

Although, the offender we're facing this time is a sniper. An unseen enemy. And, this isn't like the battle with Reki, where I had been running everywhere, but this was a war of attrition which had already been dragged on for several hours.

Humans cannot maintain a state of agitation for that long a period.

However, I needed to keep myself in that state.

Because, once that was interrupted--My life would be put in danger.

...Fuck.

(This too...is a battle, huh...)

I had never experienced this kind of battle before. To be honest, I was about to reach my limit.

And even now, I wanted to--test my luck, charging out of cover, running away from this place.

On the contrary, Reki...completely still, was staring at me, who was in this state.

Haimaki licked his wounds, his face fatigued.

We still can't act...We still can't act!?

Like this, when time had passed into the deep night--

"..."

Reki made her move.

She slipped the bayonet out from under her skirt, affixing it to the Dragunov...

And, she took off the scarf of her uniform, releasing a soft sound of rubbing fabric, placing it on the tip of the bayonet edge.

"...If you want to make a white flag, I'll lend you my shirt."

Reki glanced at me, who was struggling to keep his eyes open, joking...

''Rustle''...She extended the scarf to the side of the tree.

A gust of wind washed over it, and the scarf danced in the air, slightly outside the tree.

''Shhchh! Shhchh!''

The scarf had been torn past at high speed by something--by a bullet.

A few seconds later, the echo of two gunshots reached our ears from afar.

--The opponent fired.

The enemy's concentration was amazing, he had been staring this way for three and a half hours.

"...Did he fire from the same location?"

"Yes. He should not have moved from the location he attacked the hotel. I'm afraid that, securing the mechanical advantage of starlight scope and having set up several microphones, he has no intention of leaving that position."

"He doesn't care even if we know where he is? Then, he really is very confident."

"That is probably correct. The signal that I had released was returned to me unflinchingly."

"Signal?"

"The exhibition of technique. On each of that hunting dog's legs, I left a 3cm long, 3mm deep, 3cm high wound, exactly the same on both legs.

A-a completely identical wound...? Furthermore, she's able to control its shallowness to such a degree that the dog can still walk?

I can't do that even while in Hysteria Mode. Probably.

Al...although I've been shocked at your strangeness up till now...exactly how much of a genius are you?

''Rustle''. On the bulletproof scarf that Reki opened up for me to see...there was an X-shaped hole which was probably caused by the two bullets from before.

Those two obliquely angular lines...their length was exactly the same. Each one was about 30 centimeters long.

--"I can do even this."

The enemy is sending that kind of signal, right?

"What do we do? Do we just last till daylight...I don't know if they'll come, but should we wait here for the police to come up the mountain to investigate?"

Reki shook her head.

"We would not be able to do it. The enemy is in a hurry to decide his victory."

''Stare.'' She said, turning her eyes to the forest. It seemed...that there was something there again.

"Kinji-san. Please use me, and go into HSS--Hysteria Mode."

Wh...?

What...did you say?

"No matter what the result of this battle is, the you as of now cannot escape from this forest."

"...Wa-wait. Hysteria Mode...you...I don't know where you found this information, but seeing as you know, I'll tell you. If I am to go into Hysteria Mode, I have to..."

Suddenly telling me that crazy battle plan, Reki cut off my words.

"--I will not mind no matter what you do to me. Because it's you." <!--The Japanese version is a lot more touching, I feel.-->

She said, her grip loosening on the scarf in her hands.

The rouge colored scarf, fluttering in the midst of the darkness, seemed to imply some sort of deep meaning--and slowly, it fell towards Reki's feet.

"We are nearly out of time, are you able to do it?"

''Thud''...Reki pressed herself against the gigantic tree trunk.

Staying like that, unmoving, she stared directly at me.

"Time...?"

"After this, I will commence an exchange of shots with the enemy."

"...!"

"If I die or am injured, please leave me. If that time comes, please bring back the scope on this gun. Hidden inside this is a camera, it has already been set to record the scene at the instant that I snipe--You can use this to confirm the enemy's appearance."

"Hey..."

Facing Reki, who was able to state her purpose so coolly despite the fact that she knew she might die, I couldn't hide the tremor that ran through my body.

However, Reki, as if there was no time to answer, continued,

"On my body, there are 3 DAL for sniper rifle use."

--Butei Bullets.

Different from normal bullets, they are special modified bullets that are only circulated among elite Butei.

All of them are handmade by professional bullet craftsman, the price of one cannot fall lower than 1 million yen...Other than the Grenade and Flash that Nii-san gave me on I-U, there were many different types, such as Flare or Cannon.

But, Reki, you brought those kinds of things with you to travel?

"In a while, I will fire two DAL. For the third shot, I will use a [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/7.62x54mmR Russian bullet], and when I've finished--we will start to leave this place." <!--She doesn't say DAL, it only uses the furigana for the first time, but I think that Reki would use the more proper name, just as with HSS.-->

Scarcely telling me what I needed to know, Reki ejected the magazine from her Dragunov.

From its contents, she took out two bullets--''Click Click''

-and she slotted in two other bullets that she had taken out from her breast pocket.

They were probably attack-type Butei Bullets.

"Kinji-san. Quickly go into HSS...Hysteria Mode--We have no time left."

I hesitated.

A few seconds later...

Reki closed those wise eyes.

As if saying--that I was "useless".

"Then, we shall change our plan. We are already at a dangerous distance. I will definitely take care of the enemy. After that, please go into Hysteria Mode...running away from here."

Reki, not caring whether I approved of her plan, pressed her back against the tree--

"...I am a single bullet."

-she softly recited those mantra-like words.

"A bullet has no heart. As such, it does not think."

That voice is something that I had gotten used to hearing when she had acted as support, sniping--

"It just flies towards its target."

At that moment, I didn't know why, but a sense of unease sprung up in my chest.

--Reki---

''Flutter''--Her skirt fluttering, turning her Dragunov to the right, Reki--

-flickered out to the side of the tree, her gun held ready.

''Bang!''

She fired without a moment's hesitation, and immediately, Reki turned left, returning behind the tree.

As if grazing past Reki, ''Shhhchhh!'' , the bullet of the enemy's counterattack hurtled out of the darkness.

...!

I didn't truly understand what had happened in that instant, but...wh-what was that!

Just now, that was truly amazing.

The enemy had fired the instant he saw Reki.

The two sides are around two kilometers away from each other....the muzzle velocity of the M700 with 7.62mm NATO bullets that he was using, was 840 meters per second.

The time between the shot and its impact is around 2.5 seconds.

In that 2.5 seconds, Reki had aimed at the enemy, who was enveloped by the darkness, fired, and returned to the safe zone behind the tree.

As I realized what had happened, stunned--

''Pch...!''

Light glared out, coming from the direction of the forest. Almost as if lightning had struck.

(Flash...!)

Just now, Reki's attack--appeared to be the same as the one I had used in I-U, the bullet that brought a blinding light to life.

The enemy's surroundings have definitely been lit up like a day at the height of summer.

Continuing, Reki performed the same movement--flashing out to the side of the tree.

''Bang!''

The second shot...

--''GIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIN''--!!

"Uu...!"

From the depths of the forest, a high-pitched blast, which seemed to shake the ground even here, rang out.

--Cannon.

Normally used to disrupt the enemy's battle ability, it is a Butei Bullet that creates massive amounts of sound pressure. <!--Sound pressure...Doesn't really mean this. Some sort of sound with a large impact. Almost like a shock-wave.-->

(Reki...)

--I understand.

I understand what Reki wanted to do.<!--Kinji's talking in present tense here, so it should be understand-->

The first shot, Flash, was directed against starlight scope.

That type of night-vision attachment, amplifying the light of the stars umpteen times, was extremely weak against strong light.

A scope that faced that way would probably undergo 'white out'--or otherwise the safety function would engage, momentarily forcing a shutdown of all functionality.

With this, Reki followed through with her second shot, Cannon, firing at the enemy, who had lost his sight.

The enemy had used microphones, which amplified all sound, setting them up all around us. And, if he's wearing something like headphones to listen to their input, his hearing would definitely be damaged from the sonic-boom.

"--The enemy sniper has reached for his ears in pain. He is a solitary killer, he has no observers."

Looking into her scope, Reki reported these facts, like a scientist examining a guinea pig.

(...I see...)

--In a battle between snipers, the two sides read each other's personalities, deciding their method of attack.

That was what had happened here.

The overconfident enemy had responded to Reki's provocation. And, from that behaviour, Reki was able to recognize the enemy's position in an instant.

Additionally, the enemy is also someone who relies a lot on machines. Setting up a location which he could not move from easily, he put too much faith in them.

Reki specifically targeted this specific point--using light and sound, she assaulted the enemy's machine-heightened eyes and ears.

And now, she held the enemy's life and death in her hands.

We won...

"The enemy--is a little girl. Younger than me."

The sniper over there is a girl as well--and moreover, she's younger than you?

It's unbelievable, but...these are Reki's words. They must be true.

"Shoot to kill?"

Towards Reki, who was saying this as confirmation, I immediately replied with: "No, respect Butei Law."

"Then, I shall break the enemy's weapon."

''Bang!''

Immediately after Reki sniped at the enemy, her gun emitting a sharp muzzle flash--

(...?)

''Bch! BchBch!''

Small dots of light scattering about her, she seemed to be in pain, as if she had been struck. Reki's skirt, as if dancing in place, spun a semicircle, fluttering up, before it fell down.

''Drip, Drip'' The sound of a certain liquid falling to Reki's feet reached my ears.

"Reki...?"

...!?

What...happened?

Her appearance is extremely strange. Was she counterattacked?

No. The enemy should have had her battle ability ripped from her, she shouldn't be able to do anything.

Even if she had been sniped, I would have heard a gunshot, but none came.

"..."

Reki raised her gun again, aiming towards a location slightly different from before...and one step, two steps, she retreated.

"..."

Silently--she lowered her gun.

In that state, she placed the stock of her gun against the ground, and while she appeared to be using it to support herself...

''Scrape''...''Scrape''...

...she sat down, unable to move.

"...Ah...Hey...!"

I immediately crouched down, supporting Reki, whose head was drooping down--

"...!'

She's injured...! When!?

In the darkness, I fumbled around, trying to find Reki's wound, copious amounts of blood were flowing out.

Her upper head was heavily wounded, as well as her forearm and left thigh.

In that instant just now, what on Earth was she counterattacked by? I don't understand...

Pressing down on Reki's wounds with a frantic desperation, I, ''OOOOooOOoo...! UoOOOoooOO...!''

-suddenly heard the sound of several howls, all around us, continuously echoing out from within the forest.

Those voices were similar to the Shar-Pei's that came earlier. And...there were 10...No, 20 sets of them.

I see. It was because they were surrounding us, that Reki was so eager to decide the battle.

"Kinji-san. This..."

Reki handed her Dragunov and bayonet over to me.

''Drip, Drip''. Blood was still flowing down her forehead and elbows, dripping off of her.

"Regrettably, I have been injured. I no longer have the strength to drive those hunting dogs away, protecting you. After this, please protect yourself, and run away alone. The enemy will definitely regain her composure in short order...and she will come to perform the final blow."

"What are you saying? Since that's the case, it's even more clear that this is a path that we cannot take! How can I leave you here, alone and unarmed?"

I pushed the Dragunov back towards her.

"I have one more Grenade left. It can be detonated even without a gun."

Said Reki, taking the third, the final, Butei Bullet from her breast pocket.

Understanding the meaning of her words, I...clenched my teeth.

--Do you wish to commit suicide?

Do you wish to go down the path of killing yourself and the enemy!?

"Stop saying such idiotic things...!"

"Kinji-san, hurry. The enemy's net is closing in, and soon, you will no longer be able to escape."

Having lost too much blood, not even able to lift her head up, Reki--was still trying to hurry me, who was crouching there, not willing to stand up.

"I failed. I was weaker than the enemy. The weak will be devoured by the strong. This is the natural law of the world."

This...certainly, might be the truth.

"This is very logical, Kinji-san. If you linger any further, both of us will be killed. As such, it is better if you yourself live."

This too...might be the truth.

"Kinji-san...there is no need to worry about me. I live the life that the wind has determined, and I shall die in the same manner. That is of no importance to me."

People--whether they be few or many, live by the rules that have been determined for them.

Whether it be a delusion or something else, the "wind" is the rule in Reki's life. Just like a normal person's society, as well as their laws.

So, Reki has been respecting those rules since she was born, and it is certainly possible that she will follow them till her death.

--But. <!--Don't change this.-->

"Reki...dying in this kind of place, dying by the hands of an unknown person...Isn't this a worthless death...!? Don't always listen to the "wind's" orders, never laughing, never even crying...dying with no emotion, dying with no feeling, this is too...!"

I knelt by Reki's side. Reki--

''Rustle.''

Her hair shaking, she shook her head.

"Kinji-san. Yesterday...I said that I 'had no emotions'. But, actually...I do not know why I did not tell you then...I...once, had a very clear emotion..."

"...Reki..."

"The 'wind'...ordered me, it ordered me to take a boy...to take a powerful boy and bring him into Ulus. And when the 'wind'--ordered me to become Kinji-san's everything...in my heart...for the first time, I had my own...I had my own, true feelings."

Reki...

"--I'm so glad that Kinji-san is the one.--"

An emotion had sprouted within you.

You may not have been able to convey it through your expression or behaviour, but in your heart...an emotion, only belonging to you, had been brought to life.

''Drip, Drip'' Her blood trickling down without pause, Reki said,

"So, Kinji-san, I will not die without any emotion. You...don't have to feel sadness for me inside...the responsibility of keeping the line of Ulus eternal, now lies with my sisters."

Reki...!

"I, have no regrets. I can, with the person who first created emotion within me...eat a meal with you, I can travel with you, I can receive clothes from you. It may not have been long, I may not have been able to...express it within this period of time...but, that is definitely an emotion...I...am very happy...the last two weeks that I have spent with you, those days were filled with joy..."

Reki said, raising her bloodstained face.

That face--

Ahh, it was, for the first time...

--Smiling--

She smiled.

This is probably Reki wanting to make me relieved.

"Reki..."

That beautiful, unblemished face--made me feel as if, in an instant, I had understood Reki.

It isn't that Reki doesn't have emotions.

She just doesn't understand what emotion is.

Just that, her heart hasn't developed yet. Exactly like a child.

And, the reason it was so difficult to go into Hysteria Mode from Reki, was also because...in my heart, I had a faint feeling that she was still a child. <!--Coinc. doesn't work.-->

Reki.

The enemy is approaching. We will fight for an instant.

You cannot fight anymore. You yourself said very clearly for me to leave you behind.

And I...only have to run away. By myself.

"Kinji-san...please go...it's already..."

Reki's voice was losing all strength, but even in that state, she was calmly hurrying me on...

I slipped the bayonet into my belt, and I shouldered the Dragunov.

"Reki. As opposed to two people dying, it is certainly better for one to live."

Hearing my words--

Reki, as if relieved, lightly nodded.

You don't even have the strength to answer anymore.

"Yet--my math isn't very good, but at least, I can understand that that isn't the best answer."

"...?"

Reki's eyes, under her bloodstained locks, looked at me.

''Rustle.''

Putting strength into my arms, I lifted Reki's arm.

"Obviously, it is better if both can live."

I helped her stand up, and Reki's--

-almond eyes were slightly wider than usual, staring directly at me.

It was extremely slight, but she had an amazed expression.

[[File:Aria06 243.jpg|thumb]]

That's good, Reki. That's good.

Doing this, you have to find yourself.

From this moment onward, let your life be filled with more surprise. With more tears. And--with more, more smiles.

That kind of smile, shown to me while sitting in the midst of a puddle of your own blood--

-your first and last smile...That isn't fine at all!

"Reki. You cannot. You cannot die. I saw it. At this moment, you--smiled. You can smile."

Reki--this is the moment where you start to grow.

In this situation, where you've taken your first step, you cannot die.

From now onward. For what comes after.

You are no longer the wind's slave--you are a human, a new life.

Therefore, you cannot die!

Reki seemed to start trying to resist...but immediately, she lost all strength, and while standing, she swayed dangerously.

She can't. Reki can no longer walk.

The Dragunov slung around my back, I took Reki with my two hands before--holding her up, princess-style.

It's a relief that this girl is so light. Because of that, I'm able to run. Relying on the strength that comes when one is in the midst of a firestorm.

''Tap Tap Tap''...!

The hunting dogs had already reached a point where I could hear their footsteps.

While holding Reki, I wasn't able to fire off any intimidation shots, and I had no idea as to where to escape--when from my feet.

''Whisper''...

A white shadow flickered out.

--Haimaki.

Having been injured earlier in the fight with the Shar-Pei, Haimaki was standing up.

''Grrrrrrr''...Growling softly, Haimaki's fur was standing up, and although he was in the darkness, I was able to see that his fangs and claws were extended.

His back facing me, running towards the forest, Haimaki--is an extremely faithful wolf.

That blind faith was always there, a willingness to die for his master. Even when he had been struck by Patra's hideous golems, even when he was pursuing me, acting as the platform for Reki's ricochet, those positions of enormous danger.

And now, even now, he was like this.

Haimaki. You...

...are going to volunteer to be our bait?

By yourself, you're going to challenge that entire pack of ferocious hunting dogs?

You too--are a man.

It matters not whether you're a human or an animal. When in times of need, men...have no choice but to help women. Even if one is to die, it is something that one must do.

Only turning his head back halfway, Haimaki's eyes, gleaming in the darkness, looked at me.

Those eyes had faith in me--

Go. I leave Reki to you.

They seemed to be saying that.

"--Haimaki. When you survive and come back, I'll buy a box of fish sausages for you."

Saying that, I--

-turned my back on Haimaki, already surrounded by the countless gleaming eyes of the hunting dogs in the darkness by his side--

-I turned my back on Haimaki, who howled, bursting into the midst of the pack like a hurricane. <!--I can't keep this one in original Japanese sentence structure. Otherwise, it'd be smoething like: Saying that, I-- already surrounded by the countless gleaming eyes of the hunting dogs in the darkness by his side, -turned my back on Haimaki, who howled, bursting into the midst of the pack like a hurricane. The 'already surrounded...' is supposed to describe Haimaki without a pronoun or noun, but it doesn't work unless I put his name in.-->

Facing the hunting dogs which had bundled up, preparing to savage Haimaki together, I held Reki's delicate frame in my hands, rushing towards the river--

Run.

I have to run.

I have to run with all my strength.

Still holding Reki, who was completely still, in my arms, I ran. Into the forest. Recklessly.

The me as of now isn't in anything like Hysteria Mode. The me as of now is just a normal high school student.

However, I still have the ability to carry a girl in my arms, running away. I can still turn my back on the enemy, running away with all my strength.

Besides, Reki--I had run away from you during the "Manhunt", and normally, I run away from Aria as well. Running away is the only field in which I have a wealth of experience. So, don't worry.

Having crossed over a few muddy creeks, my limbs scratched as I hurtled through the dense branches, having slid down steep slopes, my body stained with mud, covered with wounds, I still ran, despite being in this state. I had emptied my mind of all thought.

In the midst of the mountain, Haimaki is probably still fighting with the hunting dogs, preventing them from going after us.

Or perhaps, because I had crossed through many rivers, it was hard to track me? The dogs--had not given chase. It seemed as if they had retreated.

Continuing to run deep inside, my breathing erratic, my vision suddenly opened--

-I exited into a vast field where [http://k-kabegami.sakura.ne.jp/onokosumosu/e.html cosmos] was growing abundantly.

Under the light of the stars, the pink color of the petals, all blooming simultaneously, seemed like a haze of pink.

"Reki...Reki!"

While entering into the midst of the cosmos in the field, parting their branches, I called out her name, trying to confirm whether she was conscious or not, but...

Reki could no longer answer.

I understood that the temperature in her limbs was already dropping.

"...Reki..."

Panicked, in an instant, I placed Reki into the midst of the cosmos--and pulling out the wire in my belt, I cut it with the cutter on my belt. Using it, I stopped the blood flow to her thigh and forearm.

Because I had ascertained that Reki was still breathing, I raised my head, looking around. There was not a single house around. Not even the tiniest home. At any rate, we cannot contact a hospital.

Aah, if my cellphone hadn't been damaged in the very first attack...

I could have called in reinforcements for support, called in ambulances, called in anything.

There were no lights around us. I had no idea where the city was. I had ran directly away from the enemy, but...it could be that I had ran in the opposite direction from the city.

At that moment--

''Flutter.''

''Flutter.''

A butterfly...flew into my field of vision.

Appearing to be a swallowtail butterfly, it flew in small circles before us, and as if guiding us--it started flying in a certain direction.

Heading in that direction, at the forest on the other side of the swamp--

''Shine.'' I saw a light. Squinting, looking closer, the lights...continued.

Most likely, that's a streetlight.

If I head over there, a car will probably pass. Then, I will be able to ask for help.

But, aahh...

It's so far...! To the point of despair.

(Reki...you cannot die...!)

Once again taking Reki into my arms, I stood up, focusing all the strength in my body into my legs.

Reki, you cannot die.

I have finally reached this point, I have finally understood you.

Just the slightest bit...I can understand you.

So--there is still something that I need to tell you.

Something I haven't told you yet.

So, you cannot die.

You cannot die, Reki!

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==Translator's Notes and References==

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