Chapter 48

"Crushing... by the transfer..."

"Amazing... so there's still some time..."

Oono, who hadn't given up, turned his back on me and tried to launch a surprise attack with Otsuka and the others, but was crushed by the large amount of earth that had transferred.

Even with Oono, who had the ability to steal and recover, if he was buried in the earth at the cellular level, there was no way he could survive...

"..."

Only now did my entire body start to ache.

The pain was likely due to the excessive movements during the battle with Oono. I could feel my body crying out.

Even holding the Metal Turtle's sword was a struggle, and I almost dropped it.

"Ah... the stolen abilities... have returned...?"

The survivors of the combat group and those who had their abilities stolen at the base were relieved to find their abilities returning.

Some were even digging up Oono's body to confirm.

The result was something they hesitated to describe... a corpse that looked like a lump of flesh.

There was no way he could have survived.

My transfer ability, if it hit, could even take down a Metal Turtle.

If there was a living creature with earth inside every cell, it would be a monster.

"..."

The heat in my blood began to cool, and the numbness caused by anger started to fade.

The feeling after taking revenge was nothing but overwhelming regret and self-hatred.

What kind of transfer is this!

To act like a good person just because you made people happy with candy and chocolate!

To think you were a god looking down on everyone from a high place!

There had to be a better way!

"Kosei-kun!"

"Sorry..."

As I was about to reject Miki's attempt to heal me, I gently pushed her away.

"Kosei-kun?"

"Kosei, what's wrong?"

Everyone looked at me with puzzled expressions.

Of course, they would.

There was still a murderer among them, and it was impossible to be calm.

...I had been committing unforgivable sins for a long time.

"Everyone, listen to me."

"What is it?"

"What's wrong?"

"I've committed an unforgivable sin."

I said it as if confessing.

The classmates, both the combat group and the base group, exchanged glances and tilted their heads in confusion.

"Is it about killing Oono and the others?"

"That was... inevitable. Even if it wasn't Hahashi, someone had to do it, or everyone would have been killed."

"Yes, we girls would have been raped or killed. The boys would have been killed for sure."

"Right. They said they would kill the boys and easily killed Taniizumi and the others, so it's certain!"

Everyone dismissed it as inevitable.

I almost justified it myself.

But it couldn't be forgiven anymore.

I wouldn't forgive it.

"It was self-defense, of course!"

"Legally, it might be wrong, but Hahashi protected everyone!"

"Exactly! How many people do you think Oono killed?"

"This isn't Japan. No one would blame Hahashi, right?"

"Yeah, as long as Hahashi doesn't take over or kill more, it's not bad!"

I shook my head at their words.

Even if they forgave me, I couldn't forgive myself.

I had committed murder and, as a result, saved everyone.

But I had also concealed something equally terrible, and I knew they would never forgive me.

"Someone had to do it, or everyone would have been killed. It could have been anyone, not just Hahashi!"

"No, someone had to do it! For survival!"

Someone else repeated the same words.

"No... it's different..."

I decided to stop hiding for my own sake.

I was prepared to be killed by everyone.

The environment was already broken. I didn't know how many had died today.

So one more body wouldn't make a difference.

"My ability is transfer... everyone thinks it's a lower version of Meguru's teleportation. But it's different."

"Kosei!? You don't mean—"

"Hey... what are you going to say!?"

"Kosei-kun!?"

Mori, Hagizawa, and Miki's eyes widened.

Hagizawa and Miki were probably misunderstanding.

"My ability... is to return to Japan alone."

"..."

"Are you kidding?"

The surviving classmates were shocked.

There were no distinctions between the combat group and the base group.

"I can bring back evidence. I can show you that I can transfer."

I transferred myself, chanted, and instantly moved.

Then I brought back a magazine from the room.

It was physical evidence that couldn't be explained away.

"Hahashi, so you brought us MD Burgers...?"

Hagizawa took a step forward, as if he couldn't believe it.

"I just went back to Japan and bought them. I also brought sweets to avoid being detected by Taniizumi and the others, out of guilt."

"That's... impossible!"

"What's happening in Japan? This is a mass disappearance... a major incident!"

I shook my head.

"Everyone thinks I've been at the base the whole time. I did go out secretly, but not like that. You all have a mistaken belief that I was with you. Especially, I hardly ever took baths with everyone."

"What are you talking about?"

"Hahashi, you were with us, right? Weren't you?"

"You were there! Definitely there!"

"But... did you wash your body?"

"Wait... you took a bath... huh?"

Mori realized.

But unlike Meguru, he didn't resist the changes.

I finally understood how happy I was that Meguru had resistance to changes, and it made me feel sick.

"Yes, you all remember me being there, even though I wasn't. But the fact is, I was in Japan."

This was the result of my laziness and indulgence in a safe place.

And the truth I had to tell everyone.

"It's not even a case. Only my name is listed as returned in the class, and there's no trace of you all in the album."

"Liar!"

"Is this a lie!?"

They took the magazine and the room buzzed with more confusion.

"Then Hahashi should just ask for help from Japan, right!?"

"Think about it! A person who can't prove their existence is in another world and asking for help. Who would believe that!?"

"We treated you as if you weren't there when you were in Japan. What can we do!?"

"Hahashi might be lying!"

"If it's a lie, then who can prove this magazine!?"

"It's hard to believe... but we're fighting monsters with such abilities. We can't doubt everything!"

The voices of doubt grew quieter in the face of the undeniable evidence.

"That's why I can't be forgiven. I neglected to report and hid for my own safety. If I had properly explained my ability, this wouldn't have happened! So... I will receive my punishment..."

I held the Metal Turtle's sword and aimed it at my chest—

"Kosei!"

Mori grabbed the hilt of the sword, stopping my suicide.

Blood flowed from his hand onto my body.

"What—!?"

"Kosei-kun!"

Miki pushed me away, and I, weakened, dropped the Metal Turtle's sword.

"Hahashi! Calm down!"

Hagizawa then tackled me from behind, pinning me down.

"Mori—"

Miki treated Mori's bleeding hand.

Other classmates with healing abilities quickly tended to Mori's wounds, and his injuries were soon closed.

"Idiot!"

Mori, now healed, punched me in the face.

Guh...

"You don't understand Meguru's words at all! Meguru despised killing, and she would despise suicide too!"

"This isn't suicide! It's just punishment!"

Mori punched me again.

"Meguru died protecting you! Wasting her life is a desecration of her memory! Meguru would never forgive you for committing suicide!"