chapter 2

The awful ringing in my ears didn’t settle down .

My vision was distorted, but I could still see people walking the streets moments ago, then collapsing towards the ground .

I propped my body on a street light pole that was close to me, as I was trying to stand up .

With all those terrific sounds, I could still barely hear and comprehend the contents of the warning announcement .

It seems an ability user manifested their power .

Most likely, this awful ringing is that ability user’s fault .

A subject of forceful elimination, above the norm……It’s the first time I’m hearing this……

I must leave this place fast… . . !

Staggering and covering my ears, I was walking towards my house .

This buzzing in my ears started to loosen up a bit .

However, at this point, I realized I could hear that someone was approaching me from the sky . It was the sound of flying .

I looked up and saw a SDF soldier flying towards me .

Did they come to save those citizens who couldn’t find shelter yet?

I thought and waved my hand in order to make my presence known .

The ringing was completely gone now, but I didn’t know when it’d start again .

Having done so, the soldier noticed me and flew down to stand in front of me . On his chest he had a second-lieutenant badge .

“Gr… . . great… . . Please, save me…… . What is going on?……”

With staggering steps, I walked towards the second-lieutenant .

Then, I got blown away by a mysterious shock wave .

I hit my back on something and felt a sharp pain .

It all happened too sudden .

“What!? !?”

What? What just happened?

Eh? It hurts .

I realized that I was slapped into a wall and finally understood .

I was attacked .

Because I also hit my head, my vision was swaying .

I started to cough .

Despite my head being in a state of chaos, I desperately tried to think .

Why? Why did he attack me?

“…… . . Sorry kid, but your manifestation just now poses too much danger to us all .

It’s also because we don’t want to inflict even more damage on the citizens . You have to be eliminated… . . ”

The second-lieutenant really seemed to feel sorry about it .

His words were pretty clear though .

“What are you saying…… . ”

I started to speak, but shut my mouth the next instant .

I could clearly see the sign now .

‘Point B-56’

It was said in the warning .

That at point B-56 the manifestation of an ability user was confirmed .

That the danger level was above the norm . And that a forceful elimination is to take place .

And then, I was attacked by the second-lieutenant in front of me .

He also gave me the finishing blow with his words .

The ear buzzing…… . . When I think about it, it might have been a sign .

The manifestation of an ability user……Was it me?

Becoming aware of this, the first thing that assaulted me was fear .

The second-lieutenant in front of me was scary .

Normally, they’re the supporters of justice, the SDF that I deeply admired . But now they’re frightening me .

Thinking about it, for the SDF I simply got switched from a protection target to an elimination target .

“It… . can’t…be… . . ”

I looked around me and caught sight of the great number of collapsed people .

“This is all your doing, kid .

When an above the norm ability manifests lately, like in your case, it can’t be controlled anymore and things like this happen . It’s a certainty that people will die .

The SDF prefers to save the lives of the many against the life of a single individual .

I’m sorry……”

The second-lieutenant was drawing near me . I let out a short scream .

Then, I started running, trying to get away from him .

The tears piled up in the corner of my eyes, started to pour out .

I don’t want this . I don’t want to die……

Why? Why do I have to pay for this…… . . ?

Giiiiiiiiiin .

I heard another ear buzzing and felt an excruciating pain in my head, like something was breaking my skull apart .

I fell down on the ground .

“Argh… . . ”

And yet, I started to crawl on the ground .

I could hear the footsteps of the second-lieutenant, walking at a leisurely pace, steadily approaching me .

There were sounds in the air too .

When I tried to stand up and look above me, I could see the other SDF soldiers, who were flying towards me .

What? You’re all joining forces against me? No, I don’t want to die……

It’s unreasonable… . . I gave up the idea of being an ability user a long time ago……

If all it brings is death, no one would want such a power .

The second-lieutenant’s footsteps got closer .

I don’t want to die, stay away from me……

“STAY AWAY FROM ME!!”

A thunderous sound shock .

With me as the epicenter, all the concreted ground surrounding me had a great number of cracks in it .

The buildings’ walls were heavily impacted too, with huge cracks in them . The concrete fences were damaged as well, and started to crumble down .

The second lieutenant in front of me fell down, blood spouting out of his ears .

The other people of the Self-Defense Forces were falling head over heels into the ground, hitting it with a really nasty sound .

“…… . Eh?”

Did I… . . do this?

I cautiously approached the second-lieutenant in order to check him out, but I couldn’t hear his heart beating .

He was dead .

“…… . Ah, ah…… . ”

This wasn’t intentional .

I thought I was about to get killed……

I didn’t do this… . . !

I didn’t plan to… . .

I didn’t do……anything wrong . It was legitimate self-defense .

Wrong . I was saved . I am still alive… . .

I haven’t died yet .

“……!”

Suddenly, I heard the sound of someone else approaching me . Such incredible speed .

If they find me, I’ll surely get killed this time… . . !

I have to hurry and run away!

I stood up and forced my aching body to walk .

My house is really close from here .

I’ll run home . No, it’s no good . They’ll find me……

If it’s the abandoned building close to my house, maybe… . .

When I was pondering on where I should hide, I felt something grazing my cheek .

This ‘something’ directly hit a private house’s shutter; a pebble, which made a huge hole in that shutter .

“Found you . ”

It was a man’s voice .

I turned around, and saw a man wearing the SDF uniform, standing in the place where I fell down, moments ago .

I can’t see his face properly .

The street lights were shining on this man and I could see that he was surrounded by countless little stones, or something like that, floating in the air around him .

“I’m SDF’s lieutenant-colonel Nakai . I’m sorry, but I’ll have you dead .

If you don’t want to suffer, it’s better if you don’t struggle pointlessly . Reinforcements are coming anyway, and they’ll be here soon . ”

The SDF man pointed at me .

Then, the stones floating around him came flying towards me at a tremendous speed .

No, if I were to be precise, I couldn’t see them at all .

I only heard the sound of them charging at me .

“Aaaargh!”

I lied down on the ground, desperately trying to avoid the attack .

Having done so, the stones flew right above my head .

However, I heard another sound coming from behind me .

They come from behind too……!

Right at this point, my worn-out body stopped listening to my command .

Helpless to avoid it, I got my back hit by a stone .

“Gaah… . . !”

I felt an awful pain, like the skin on my back got split open .

At the moment of the impact, I hit my head on the ground and my forehead was now shedding blood .

I could barely maintain my consciousness, but I didn’t have the power to stand up anymore .

A violent pain was running all throughout my body .

Lying with my face on the ground, I rested my head on its surface and listened to the footsteps of lieutenant-colonel Nakai .

“Even though I don’t know your name nor your face, you were the one who manifested your powers moments back .

You stole the lives of many citizens, even my comrades .

In order to stop you from inflicting any more damage…… . in order to make you pay for your crimes, you have to die . ”

Pay for my crimes?

I felt great absurdity towards these words .

It’s not like I’ve done all this because I wanted to .

This is irrational .

It… . . it just can’t be .

You’re too cruel to say such words……You’re terribly cruel!

I realized that I was too worn-out; my tears fell on the ground .

Ah, so this is the moment I die?

Despite today being my birthday .

My birthday became my death anniversary… . . Such a ridiculous situation…… .

Will my family……feel sad, I wonder .

My father, my mother… .

After all, we’ve never done anything family oriented… . .

Is there anyone else? …… . . Did someone else ever died a death such as mine?……

I resent them……

I curse them all, I hate them all, I curse them all .

How can you call yourselves the Self-Defense Forces……?

Protect me too……!

“Even I…… . even I want to keep living!!”

Right after I spoke that, lieutenant-colonel Nakai got blown away at great speed by a shockwave .

“Huh……Ha…… . . ”

I could still hear the sound of lieutenant-colonel Nakai’s respiration .

Why can I even hear the sound of his breathing…… . . ?

My head hurt . And I felt sick .

If I don’t run away quickly, someone else will show up . … .

“Gah, haa…… . huh…… . ha……”

I somehow managed to stand up, leaned on the buildings’ walls, and walked out of the shopping street .

My forehead and my back were leaving behind trails of blood .

I have to run away .

My head was filled with determination .

Even so, I realized I had no place to hide .

Still, I averted my eyes .

Because that reality was irrational .

I was desperate to escape with my life .

The defenders of justice… . such a downright lie . They won’t save just anyone……

I just wanted them to think about me too!

I ran the silent back alley .

Once I came out, I would see my house .

“…… . . !”

However, it was all over .

Once I got there, I’ve been discovered .

I could hear sounds in front of me .

Not mentioning his face, I couldn’t even see his shape . He couldn’t see me either .

Still, I was sure I heard the sound of someone’s breathing .

“… . . Haa, Haaa… . . Haa… . . ”

“I am the SDF colonel Shikijima .

Stay put . It’s regrettable… . . but you must die tonight . ”

I heard this death sentence coming from the dark .

I can’t escape .

“Haaa… . huh… . . ”

At this point, all that was left for me was to desperately try to fight back .

The enemy is a colonel . I have no chances of winning .

But still…… . even though I don’t know how to use my powers, it’s better than quietly waiting to be done for .

I might as well struggle with all my might……!

It was at that time .

I could suddenly hear another sound .

“Wha?……You are……the Anonymous! Why are you he…… . . Gaaaah!”

And then, after I heard someone’s shriek coming from the dark, one breathing sound and heartbeat disappeared .

“This is unexpected…… . It seems it got it right this time . ”

“The Observer gets it right once in a while, it seems . ”

An Anonymous masks wearing pair showed up from the darkness, talking to themselves .

The evil organization, Anonymous .

The Anonymous masks are this organization’s trademark .

In short, these two people in front of me are Anonymous’ members .

They stopped before my eyes and I stood there not saying a word .

I could not hear the colonel’s breathing sound anymore .

The mask of the man walking in the front was soaked in blood .

He killed the colonel in an instant .

I took a step back .

A mysterious feeling of oppression made my heart pound .

Still… . . !

Even if this guy tries to kill me, I’ll resist him .

I want to keep on living……And for that……

I glared at him, and I could see his eyes through the Anonymous mask, looking down at me .

From behind that mask, his eyes entrapped me .

“……Hmm . ”

The Anonymous woman, hidden in the man’s shadow, let out that sound .

“I like those eyes, kid . ”

The man took a step towards me .

I wanted to step back so badly, but I somehow managed to stay still .

If I were to step back, I would give up my life .

That’s the feeling I got .

I must fight .

I could hear the loud beating of my heart .

“Huh……Haa……”

My breathing was wild .

I tried to endure the small ringing in my ears, manifesting at fixed intervals, while still glaring at the enemy in front of me .

My feet were staggering… . .

He could hit me any time .

Suddenly, he stopped in place and thrust his hand inside his jacket’s interior pocket and took something out .

It was an Anonymous mask .

I looked at him vigilantly .

Doing so, the man held the Anonymous mask out to me .

“……Sound kid, won’t you become our comrade?”

“Eh?”

I’m certain he asked me to become their comrade .

……I see . Because my powers are strong, the Anonymous would pretty much want to use them .

And if I turn them down, they’ll abandon me . In that case, the SDF will surely dispose of me .

“They are getting closer .

However, this is not a threat .

Even if you turn us down, I still intend to save you this time .

If you want to be our comrade, take that mask . ”

…… . Comrade . Their comrade?

An evil organization .

What do I ………

“Tell me… . . …… . What are you lot fighting for?”

The answer came immediately after I asked the question .

“The SDF will kill one man for the sake of the many .

However, we will kill the many for the sake of one man .

We’re evil, there’s no mistaking it . ”

I thought I saw the man smile behind his mask .

Then, I took that mask in front of me .