Chapter 2

The ringing in my ears wouldn't stop.

In my distorted vision, I saw people in the town collapsing.

I stood up, leaning on a nearby street lamp.

Even amidst the deafening noise, I could barely make out the content of the earlier warning.

It seemed a person with abilities had emerged.

This terrible ringing in my ears was probably due to that person.

A mandatory exclusion target, beyond regulation... I've never heard of such a thing...

No, I have to run...!

I stumbled towards my house, holding my ears.

The ringing was gradually subsiding.

But then, I noticed a sound approaching from the sky, the sound of something cutting through the air.

Looking up, I saw a member of the Self-Defense Force flying towards me.

They must have come to help the residents who were late in evacuating!

Thinking this, I waved my arms to get their attention.

The ringing had almost stopped, but it could come back at any moment.

Then, the Self-Defense Force member landed in front of me, a second lieutenant's badge on their chest.

"Thank goodness... Please help me... What's going on...?"

I staggered towards the second lieutenant.

Suddenly, I was blown away by a mysterious shockwave.

I hit something and felt a sharp pain.

It was a sudden event.

"Wh-what? What happened? Ow, it hurts."

I realized I had been slammed into a wall.

I had been attacked.

My head was spinning from the impact.

I coughed and choked.

Desperately trying to think through my confusion.

Why? Why was I attacked?

"...I'm sorry, but you've become too dangerous.

To prevent further casualties among the citizens, you must be eliminated..."

The second lieutenant said this with a truly apologetic look.

I could hear their words clearly.

"What are you talking about..."

I started to say, but then I closed my mouth.

I saw a sign in my field of vision.

"Location B-56"

The warning had mentioned it.

A person with abilities had emerged at Location B-56.

Danger level: beyond regulation. Mandatory exclusion target.

And I had been attacked by the second lieutenant in front of me.

Then, the second lieutenant's words hit me.

The ringing... maybe it was a sign.

The person with abilities... is it me?

When I realized this, the first thing that hit me was fear.

I was afraid of the second lieutenant.

The Self-Defense Force, which I had always admired as protectors of justice, was now terrifying.

Of course, to the Self-Defense Force, I had changed from a person to be protected to a person to be eliminated.

"No... way..."

I looked around. I could see people lying on the ground.

"You did all this.

When a person with abilities emerges at a late stage, they often can't control it, leading to this. It's certain that people will die.

The Self-Defense Force prioritizes the lives of the many over the one.

I'm sorry..."

The second lieutenant approached. I let out a small scream.

Then, I realized I was running.

Tears welled up in my eyes.

I don't want to die... Why me...?

The ringing in my ears started again, causing a splitting pain in my head.

I fell forward.

"Ugh..."

Still, I crawled on the ground.

The steady footsteps of the second lieutenant approached.

And the sound from the sky.

Looking up, I saw more members of the Self-Defense Force flying towards me.

What, are they all ganging up on me? I don't want to die... It's so unfair... I had already given up on having abilities... No one would want this if it meant dying...

The second lieutenant's footsteps approached.

I don't want to die, don't come...

"Stay back!!"

A loud shockwave.

Cracks appeared in the concrete ground around me.

Large cracks formed in the walls of buildings, and parts of the concrete fence collapsed.

The second lieutenant in front of me fell, blood gushing from their ears.

The Self-Defense Force members in the sky plummeted to the ground, making sickening thuds as they hit.

"...What?"

Did I... do that?

I cautiously approached the second lieutenant, but I couldn't hear their heartbeat.

They were dead.

"A... a..."

I didn't mean to.

It was a reflex. I was about to be killed...

It wasn't me...!

I didn't mean to...

I'm not bad. It was self-defense.

No, I'm alive. I'm still alive...

I'm not dead yet.

"!"

I heard someone else approaching, moving very fast.

If they find me, I'll be killed this time...!

I have to run!

I stood up and ran through the night streets, my aching body forcing me to move.

My house is close from here.

I'll run home. No, that's no good, they'll find me...

Maybe the abandoned building near my house...

As I thought this, something grazed my cheek.

It hit a shutter on a nearby house, leaving a hole the size of a pebble.

"I found you."

A man's voice.

Turning around, I saw a man in a Self-Defense Force uniform standing near where I had fallen.

I couldn't see his face clearly.

Around him, illuminated by the streetlights, rocks were floating.

"I'm Nakaumi, a lieutenant colonel in the Self-Defense Force. I'm sorry, but I have to kill you.

If you don't want to suffer, don't struggle. Reinforcements will be here soon anyway."

The man pointed at me.

Then, the rocks floating around Nakaumi flew towards me at incredible speed.

Or rather, I heard them coming.

"Ah!"

I threw myself to the ground.

The rocks passed just above my head.

But I heard another sound from behind.

They're coming from behind...!

But my battered body wouldn't listen to me.

I was hit by a rock on my back.

"Ugh...!"

I felt a tearing pain in my back.

The impact knocked me to the ground, and I started bleeding from my forehead.

I was barely conscious, but I couldn't stand up.

Pain was coursing through my body.

I lay face down, listening to Nakaumi's footsteps.

"I don't know your name or your face, but you've emerged.

You've taken the lives of many citizens and my comrades.

To prevent further casualties... and to atone for your sins, you must die."

Atoning for sins?

I felt a deep sense of injustice at those words.

I didn't do this on purpose.

It's so unfair.

This is ridiculous. It's cruel... too cruel.

I realized I was crying.

So this is where I die.

Today is my birthday.

It's ironic that my birthday will be my death day...

My family... they'll be sad.

Dad, Mom...

I never did anything to make them proud...

Is there anyone else who dies like this...?

I'll hate them.

I'll hate them, hate them, hate them.

What kind of Self-Defense Force is this...!

They should protect me too...

"I want to live too...!!"

A shockwave hit Nakaumi.

He was blown back without a sound.

"Ha... ha..."

I could still hear Nakaumi's breathing.

Why can I hear his breathing...

My head hurts. I feel sick.

I have to run before someone else comes...

"Ah, ah... ha... ha..."

I managed to stand up and stumbled through the shopping district, leaning against walls.

Blood dripped from my forehead and back.

I have to run.

That's all I could think about.

But I realized there was no place to run.

I was just avoiding the harsh reality.

I was desperate to live.

The Self-Defense Force isn't really on the side of justice. They don't protect everyone...

Think about me too.

I ran through a quiet alley.

If I get through here, I'll be at my house.

"!"

But it seemed to be the end.

I had been found.

I heard a sound from ahead.

It was too dark to see their face or even their silhouette. They probably couldn't see me either.

But I could hear their breathing clearly.

"...Ha, ha... ha..."

"I'm Shigekijima, a colonel in the Self-Defense Force.

Stay still. Unfortunately... you have to die."

The death sentence came from the darkness.

There was no place to run.

"Ha... ha..."

Now, I had no choice but to fight recklessly.

The colonel was a high-ranking officer. I had no chance of winning.

But... I don't know how to use my abilities, but it's better than being killed without a fight.

I'll go all out...!

Just then, a new sound appeared.

"Wh-what... are you... Anonymous! Why are you here... Ah!"

Then, a scream came from the darkness, followed by the disappearance of a breathing sound and a heartbeat.

"Unexpectedly... it seems we were right."

"Even observers can be useful sometimes."

With these words, two figures wearing Anonymous masks appeared from the darkness.

The evil organization, Anonymous.

The Anonymous mask is their trademark.

So these two were members of Anonymous.

Seeing this, I couldn't speak.

The colonel's breathing sound was gone.

The mask on the man in front of me was covered in blood.

He had killed the colonel in an instant.

I took a step back.

If they try to kill me, I'll resist.

I want to live... for that...

I glared at the eyes visible through the mask.

The eyes under the mask caught mine.

"Hmm..."

The woman in the shadow of the man let out a sound.

"Good eyes, boy."

The man took a step forward.

I desperately wanted to step back, but I held my ground.

If I stepped back, it would mean giving up on my life.

That's how I felt.

Fight, me.

I could hear the sound of my heartbeat.

"Ha... ha..."

My breathing was heavy.

I endured the periodic, weak ringing in my ears and continued to glare at the enemy in front of me.

I shifted my feet, ready to attack at any moment.

Suddenly, the man reached into his pocket and pulled out something.

It was an Anonymous mask.

I watched cautiously.

Then, the man held out the mask to me.

"...Boy of sound, would you like to join us?"

"Eh?"

He really said, "Would you like to join us?"

So, my abilities are powerful enough to be useful to Anonymous.

If I refuse, they'll abandon me. If that happens, the Self-Defense Force will kill me.

"They'll be here soon.

But this isn't a threat.

Even if you refuse, I intend to help you here.

If you join us, take off the mask."

...Join. Join.

An evil organization.

I...

"Tell me... Why do you fight?"

The answer came immediately.

"The Self-Defense Force kills one to save many.

But we kill many to save one.

We are evil, no doubt."

I could see a smile under the mask.

I took off the mask.