Step Forward If You Want to Die! – Part 04
Step Forward If You Want to Die! – Part 04
Step Forward If You Want to Die! – Part 04
I wrung out the water hard in front of the shoe lockers.
Anderson and I sat shirtless, while Orito was pacing in circles along the wall for some reason. Did he want to turn into butter or something?[1]
The scene was so bizarre I asked the guy next to me, “What do you think Orito’s doing?”
“He’s probably trying to admire the soaked uniforms from every angle. I get it.”
“I’m glad you turned out to be just a normal guy, Anderson.”
“Aikawa.”
“Hm?”
Anderson’s handsome face turned deadly serious. His gaze was so focused, like a warrior ready to face death, it almost felt refreshing to look at.
“I want you to tell Eucliwood yourself.”
My face froze. Because right now, he had spoken Eu’s full name. I never told Anderson her name was Eucliwood Hellscythe. That only mean one thing.
“You’re not just an average joe, are you?”
“That’s not what you said a moment ago. But never mind. That’s not important.”
Man, I really wished he was a normal guy. He must be a Vampire Ninja or something, too.
“Fuck. Why isn’t there a single normal person around me?”
“Don’t you get it? It’s because Eucliwood is here. But that’s not important either. Anyway, I need you to tell her something.”
“Tell her what? Depending on what you say, I might hit you.”
“Tell her to take back the power she transferred to Miss Haruna.”
My heart thumped hard in my chest. Why did he say it like that? It sounded like Eu had willingly transferred her pesky ability to Haruna herself.
Anderson turned away from me and looked at Eu. He probably saw the thoughts written on my face.
“Eucliwood can share her power. If she wanted, she could probably transfer all of it to someone else.”
“Probably?”
“It’s a conclusion derived after running several experiments. It’s almost certain. But Eucliwood had never once done it. She couldn’t bring herself to make anyone suffer the same pain she endured.”
“That sounds like Eu.”
“But she did it this time. I can’t imagine why. Still, she did what tens of thousands had wanted from her, what she always refused.”
I couldn’t argue back.
“I wished that I could laugh and enjoy the school festival with you.”
That’s what Eu had said. She’d looked forward to this festival so much that even one with godlike power like her prayed to God herself.
Was that why she gave her ability to Haruna?
“Only Eucliwood can handle that problematic ability. If left as is, things would probably get even worse. Or maybe they already had.”
“You mean this typhoon?”
“If only it were just about the typhoon. I like this life, Aikawa. If the Magiclad Girls ever restarted their invasion and tried to destroy this world, I’d stop them with everything I have.”
“So you essentially just defend.”
“Yup. Guardians of this world, Underworlders—it’s our job to protect. But this goes beyond that. If Eucliwood’s power destroyed the world, there’d be no way to stop it. That’s fate.”
“If I told her to take the power back, would it return to her?”
“It should. The only reason she hasn’t done it must be that she really wanted to sing. That’s why I’m asking you now, revealing I’m an Underworlder and all.”
An Underworlder?! So Anderson was from the same world as Eu.
“All right.”
“So you get it?”
“I understand… but I can’t tell her.”
“Why not?”
“I know I should. I don’t want to leave Haruna like this either. But if Eu really could do something like that, and she isn’t doing it right now, then I’ve got nothing to say.”
“The longer this drags on, the bigger the damage will be.”
“When that time comes… I’ll deal with it.”
“Okay. I’m counting on you. You should totally join our basketball team!”
“Shut up.”
Anderson stood up and brushed the dust off his pants.
“Ah wait, Anderson. One last thing.”
“What is it?”
“Eu couldn’t have willingly transferred her power to Haruna. It’s impossible.”
“How so?”
“Eu’s the kindest girl in the world, and Haruna’s the dumbest.”
I was sure I looked ridiculously confident, even to myself.
“I see,” Anderson muttered with what sounded like admiration.
A sudden storm hit just as the school festival was ending. In effect, it marked the festival’s conclusion.
With nothing left to do, the students returned to their classrooms, ready to start cleaning up.
As the crowd thinned, Haruna, who had been eagerly trying to take charge, suddenly collapsed.
I rushed over. Sera and Tomonori’s group, who were nearby, came over too, surrounding Haruna.
“Hey, are you okay?” I asked.
“Got a little too excited?” Sera said.
“Looks like she’s at her limit,” Anderson said grimly.
“Her limit at what?”
“There’s only one person in this world—or the next—who can handle all of Eucliwood’s mana. If you’re already full but are forced to keep eating steak, you’re going to collapse eventually.”
I wondered what I should do. If I asked Eu to take her powers back, she probably would.
“Eucliwood Hellscythe.” Tomonori bowed her head. “Please fix my master! You can do it, can’t you?”
To Tomonori, Haruna was clearly more than just a mentor.
“Is that… even possible?” Sera looked at Eu in stunned disbelief.
Had Tomonori been listening to my conversation with Anderson?
“I… can,” Eu said, her voice filled with guilt.
Sera narrowed her eyes sharply. It might have been the first time she glared at Eu like that. “You could have saved Haruna from suffering, yet you didn’t?”
That was exactly it. Haruna’s mana siphon had caused the transfer. Eu did not willingly pass her abilities to Haruna. But she didn’t take it back. All so she could enjoy the school festival today.
“Sera.” I grabbed her shoulder before she could get too heated.
“I know. Don’t touch me with those gross hands,” she said, brushing my hand away. Her hand trembled slightly, probably from the cold.
“Just for today… I wanted to have fun with Ayumu.”
Sera and I understood that all too well. We knew Eu would say something like that. So neither of us felt any more surprise or anger.
“Anyway, just take the power back from my master. Please!”
“It’s fine. That was my plan all along.” Eu closed her eyes. “Ayumu, while I still can, there’s something I’ve always wanted to say, so I’ll say it now.”
“Yeah? What is it?”
Eu glanced at Tomonori and Sera, then stood on tiptoe and whispered in my ear.
“Thank you. Thank you so much for always being there for me.”
She smiled bashfully. It was the loveliest smile I had ever seen, a smile that made me want to hug her right then and there and shout my love at some tourist spot in Australia. When would I get to see that smile again?
Maybe I’d never see it again? The thought made me hesitate.
“All right then, Haruna. Come here.”
Like a newborn fawn, Haruna stood on trembling legs and quickly scribbled on her notepad.
The first page said in large letters: “What?”
She flipped to the second page. Again, large letters.
“Hell no!”
Then the third.
“This mana’s mine, so I’m never giving it up.”
Read the room, you moron!
I grabbed Haruna from behind, holding her tight as I dragged her over to Eu.
“All right, do it.”
Eu gave a nod and took Haruna’s gauntleted hand.
With a practiced motion she removed the gauntlet, slipped it onto her own arm, then pressed her forehead against Haruna’s. Their lips were so close they might touch, and Haruna blushed deep red.
Keep your emotions in check. You’re too innocent.
A blue light spread. Like dry ice, blue smoke poured from Haruna. Only a handful of us understood it was mana.
Eu’s silver hair shimmered softly. The mana smoke drifting around Haruna was pulled into Eu. Mixed among it were ruby-colored sparks, the mana Haruna originally had as a Magiclad Girl.
The process took only several seconds.
1. A reference to The Story of Little Black Sambo, in which four tigers kept circling around a tree until they eventually turned into butter.