Chapter 25

Let’s say we’re scrambling for the side dishes at dinner .

Let’s say that there’s only a slice of cake left during afternoon refreshments .

During those times―my older sister would say this,

“Ruri? No hard feelings, okay? Let’s decide this by the draw . ”

My sister would hide two sticks to draw from in the palm of her hand, and if I draw the one with a red line, then I would win .

If I draw a blank one, then my sister wins .

I was always the one who won in these scenarios .

I became aware of the trick behind it during my upper elementary school years .

From the beginning, my sister never added a losing drawing stick in the first place .

Takane Saori .

In the end, that was the kind of person my sister was .

Now back to the main subject .

Well, even though you could say we were bloodthirsty, we weren’t people who would particularly kill others day in and day out .

It was a decisive time, a decisive moment .

If it were not, then we wouldn’t be able to replenish our fading souls by retrieving and crushing the other’s heart .

―The environment at least guaranteed the bare basics for life .

Food as well, it was generally offered once entering the cafeteria, and you’d be able to get treated with recovery magic and the infirmary . As for reviving, such a thing is impossible .

According to Higure, to keep the purity of the soul, such things are necessary .

For an extended period of one month, in order to survive we suffered, we experienced hopelessness, and in the midst of it all we fought each other for a silver lining―all so that our souls would return bonus points with as much efficiency as possible .

The conversion to bonus points with as much efficiency as possible .

Yes, our lives were just mere numerical values for Higure .

When thinking about it, even in Japan, the lives of livestock were viewed lightly, perceived in terms of monetary gain . Meat yields calories and souls yield bonus points, the circumstances certainly don’t change here, but…to do this to those of the same kind…is too much .

No, there’s no use preaching morals or good-and-evil here, since in the first place my sister and I are participating in this shitty game .

At any rate .

It’s been two weeks since the game began . Three of our fellowmen have already perished, and there are still three more matches to go .

Getting close to the end of it, my sister had changed .

She was always agitated, and began to venting her anger on me .

But what hasn’t changed is that us two were still always fighting as a pair…

Even though I find it unpleasant, I’m forced to go with if it if I want to make it to the final round .

Sister…what do you intend do if it becomes just us two left?

At the very least, if it came to that, I wouldn’t know what action to make .

The ponytail-sisters were running among the mountains outside .

Ruri and Saori were armed for the first time since they came to this world .

They wore a long sword at their waist and chose a hakama for their war outfit .

During their journey to the Demon Lord, their statuses were overwhelming, and they would just revive if they died, so they carried a mood like they were having a picnic, all while having no armaments―but right now, even a few mistakes can be a matter of life or death .

The facility had an armaments section and using anything from there was fair game .

For that, their weapon of choice were Japanese swords, first-rate swords called Bizen Osafune swords .

They had on ancient martial arts attire that were closest to the training wear they were accustomed to from their dojo . Alszard seemed to have countries in the East with a Japan-esque culture, and so they selected outfits from there .

The top was white and the bottom was red .

It gave off the feeling of a shrine maiden’s attire .

Saori began speaking while running next to Ruri,

“Ruri? Are you fine with this? Our next opponent is a two-man group as well . Even if you make a naive blunder…I won’t be able to take care of it, okay?”

“I know…sister . ”

“Seriously, after being here, I’ve become aware of your weakness . This time, if you make another disgrace, I’ll sever our connection as sisters . ”

“I said I know…”

“No, you don’t understand anything . I could tolerate it up to this point because we’re sisters, but…I don’t have time anymore to look after some trash . ”

“Trash…”

―My sister really has changed .

Fundamentally, Saori was both a strict and kind person .

She was not the kind of person that would…cast people away for her interest…especially not her own supposedly useless sister…

―But, my sister now moves according her own self-interest .

During their first battle, in front of her opponents who were at death’s door, Saori crushed their hearts without hesitation while glancing at her sister, who was wavering .

Creeping up on the backs of an enemy, she sometimes brings them down with her sword like an assassin would .

―Cast away the leeway that the strong could have

Her sister had told her that so many times .

Indeed, she’s shown sympathy to the enemy many times before and got into a pinch because of it .

However, in regards to her hesitation in battle, even if she casts away the leeway the strong have, she would still have her dignity as a human being .

That’s not something easy to throw away . Or rather, that’s not something one should ever throw away .

―However, it seems that my older sister can easily toss away a variety of things .

To survive this game, she would throw away her kindness, humanity, and in the end even her younger sister .

Grasping the Japanese sword tightly, Ruri checked to ascertain that it was there .

―In the end, I can only rely on myself and my weapon now .

At that time, Ruri’s foot was caught onto something akin to a wire .

A wire was strung up between two trees .

It was a wire made of steel, but didn’t hurt her body which had its defense stat maxed out .

Instead, about 20 grenades fell from the sky .

*tongue click*

While clicking her tongue, Saori carried Ruri, who had lost her balance, while leaping sideways .

After a moment’s breath, there was the sound of an explosion .

“Can you promise me that you’ll continue to smile?”

“I can’t, I can’t smile . ”

In a gentle tone, as if speaking to a disobedient child, Saori spoke,

“You’re being set free . Isn’t it okay to smile? You should find happiness . You’ll encounter many sweet things, both around you and in yourself . Isn’t that nice?”

With blood spouting out of her mouth, Saori continued,

“I only wanted to die like a villain…but, nothing can be done about that anymore, can it? So, I’ll have to burden you with this . You’ll have to shoulder it . So, if you can at least―for our sake, make an effort to be happy . No wait, actually be happy . ”

“Sister, sister!”

Saori’s body temperature was getting colder, caused by her losing too much blood . Knowing that the end was near, Ruri painfully embraced her .

“…ugh…S, Si…Sister―!”

“Ruri? I beg of you . Please…be…happy…! It’s not…good…for you…to keep on…crying…”

While sobbing―and mixed with tears and snot, Ruri forced a stiff smile”

“My sister, Ruri…Ruri! With this, you’re smiling . So…even when I’m in the afterlife…you need to…keep smiling…okay?”

With a faint nod and the feeling of satisfaction, Ruri closed her eyes .

For some time, Ruri was trembling .

Emotions were pouring out from the bottom of her heart, emotions that she had to come to face with . She was trembling .

She had to carry out her sister’s wish .

Saori had protected her younger sister in this war, and made herself a villain to ease the load of her sister even just a little .

In order to follow through with the final thing she must do, she reached into Saori’s heart and crushed it .

“Please forgive me…sister . ”

Her tears wouldn’t stop .

Dark emotions began to creep out from the inner crevices of her heat .

There were feelings of fury that she couldn’t stop .

For herself and her sister―and for the circumstances that drove everyone remaining into a corner―her fury was directed at Higure .

Then, there was the sound of a dry clap .

“When thinking about who the victor would be…I suspected that this much would happen . ”

The mastermind behind this tragedy muttered so while letting out a faint smile .

“Hey, Higure? I have some questions for you . ”

“Ask away . ”

“Why did my sister die?”

Higure gave a carefree reply, as if he was asked about tonight’s supper,

“To become bonus points for me . ”

“For what reason are you organizing this game? Was it because of being tormented by Noranouk king?

Higure let forth a dry laugh .

“Certainly, I’ve been deprived of by the likes of him . However―”

“However?”

“Unbreakable, absolute defense . An ability that surpasses even the Demon Lord . It’s not something that one would easily let go of . So fundamentally, if you are a subordinate to that kingdom, even if only a guise, you will given freedom . ”

“…Freedom?”

“In short, you could have all the gold and women you want . I’ve been very much happier than I have during my dwelling in Japan . ”

Without hiding her overflowing rage, Ruri glares at Higure .

“I’ll ask you again . For what reason…are you organizing this game?”

“Huh?” answers Higure with a foolish face .

“This is just something I’ve done on my own accord…”

“My sister…and everyone else who died…what’s the meaning of this?”

As if suddenly realizing something, Higure hit his fist into the palm of his other hand and replied,

“Ah, come to think of it, I didn’t actually say it this time . You two sisters were quite the beauty, so you didn’t actually have to kill others . It was quite a waste to have one of you beauties be killed . After all, you two could also have just entered my harem . How unbefitting of me for not being able to properly relay this . ”

Ruri seemed like she was about to collapse from dizziness .

Entering his harem―becoming a plaything for that bastard…would mean that her sister could live .

The fighting to the death and the suffering she and her older sister had gone through―there was a still hideous alternative to that .

It seems that―to her sister, to everybody else…this bastard did not care a single bit about them .

In Ruri’s head, there was the sound of a snap .

“Higureeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

Falling into a half-crazed state, she brandished her Bizen Osafune sword .

However, the blade does not cut through him―Far from anything, the blade snaps off from the hilt .

Ruri, who now switched to her bare hands, continues by striking Higure with all of her force .

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAKLDFKAHWSKUAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!”

In a disorder, she continues hitting Higure . There’s no rhyme or reason to it as she vents out her anger .

After three minutes of this passed, Higure let out a yawn .

“Are you done yet? It’ll be a bother for you to keep this up . I have no time to spare…I’ve got women waiting for me in my room, you know?”

Higure says so while scratching his ears .

There was no damage at all .

Ruri, who kept on punching with all her might without pacing herself, collapsed as she was short of breath .

“So…in the midst of that tearjerker drama, there was something the Boss Gorilla said .

“…?”

“She said you were a gentle person . ”

While covering his mouth, Higure couldn’t hold in his laughter .

“Sorry but…I’m not buying it . Anyways, you’ve got some work ahead of you from this point forward . ”

“…Work…?”

“Recently, battle royals have gotten popular . And so, having just heroes isn’t enough anymore . ”

“…?”

“The kingdom sends the heroes to start assaults on the Demon Lord’s castle, right? However, there are people other than the heroes . Since they were useless, they were stripped of their possessions after being transported to this world and cast away . ”

“Don’t tell me…”

With a sneer, Higure laughed .

“Indeed . I want you to do some ‘rabbit’ hunting for me . Since they’re just small fries, they won’t yield many bonus points, but we’ll still gather them up to have them kill each other . ”

Ruri collapsed on the spot .

From now, on no matter what she does, what awaits her is only a terrible fate .

At the very least, she didn’t want to subject other people to what she and the others had to go through .

“Enough, enough already . Just kill me . Even if I have to die…I absolutely will not abide by your orders . ”

“Oh my, oh my, is that your response? Did you not make a promise with your sister? Everyone’s got to live out their life’s worth . ”

“…”

After he had said that…she at a loss for what to do .

No, she had no choice but to abide by him .

―My sister gave up her own life so that I could keep mine .

Ruri could not go against those feelings .

“Ah, that reminds me, your sword appears to have been broken . Perfect timing, let’s go to the armory . ”

Following Higure’s induction, she walked towards the facility’s armory .

He points to a giant battleaxe, which gives off a sinister aura, that has been enshrined .

“That’s a berserker axe . It’ll give you Confusion Magic . If you unleash it upon a group of enemies…”

Holding his sides, Higure burst into laughter .

“You can get them to kill each other in friendly-fire . A weapon that suits you quite well, does it not? Well, I find it interesting myself . ”

She grasped the axe . She got enraged a second time at the thought of being entrusted to assault somebody, but quickly did away with those thoughts .

She was put into thought .

From now on, she would be dragging innocent people into this facility .

It’s as if she was like a god of death .

She couldn’t end her own life…that very much went against her sister’s words .

Possibly, since she now had mana, she may be able to seize Higure, kill him, and release herself from her obligation to him .

However .

His absolute defense probably can’t be penetrated .

She’s been completely checkmated .

She can only think of the despair filling her field of view .

―I’m sorry, sister…you told me to keep smiling, but…from now on…I…won’t be able to smile .