Dead.
No, I wasn’t dead.
The Crimson-haired beautiful girl swung down her crimson sword vertically, barely grazing my shoulder――whoosh! The sword cut through the air.
A moment later, blood started to overflow from my upper arm. My heart, which had only ever seen blood when I'd fallen or scraped myself, thumped hard.
"--It seems you're not my enemy."
She muttered in a monotone voice and took a step back. Then she bowed slightly as if to apologize for her rudeness. "I'm sorry." If this was enough to be forgiven, there would be no need for the police. You'll be arrested for violating the Sword and Firearms Act and attempted murder.
"W-wait a minute. I’m definitely not your enemy, but… um, ah…"
"Yeah. I understand that."
Her sharp, cold eyes were fixed on me.
"……O-oh. …I see."
The current situation is so abnormal that I don’t even know what to say or how to talk about it.
I had fallen asleep in the park after cram school, and when I woke up, a Crimson-haired beautiful girl with a sword suddenly attacked me――.
I can’t think of any reason why I’d end up in such a predicament.
Sure, I might have been a bit of a troublemaker in elementary school, but I shouldn’t have done anything to warrant being slashed by such a dangerous beautiful girl, let alone having the police involved.
"Are you Japanese?"
I was shocked at my own stupid question. However---
"What’s this Japan you’re talking about?"
"Huh…? It’s the country we live in."
"Country――. Ah, in that case, I suppose I would be considered Stateless."
Stateless? I don't understand. It may have sounded like a silly exchange, but the beautiful crimson girl in front of me had a straight face the whole time.
"Uh…"
"Yes?"
"...C-can I have a bit of time?"
"――If my memory serves me correctly, we shouldn’t be so carefree like this."
"Yeah, I guess so."
"...Did you just make fun of me?"
The crimson-haired beautiful girl suddenly adopted a menacing expression and readied her crimson sword with a sharp click. Wait, wait, wait, wait, this girl is way too dangerous! I did make fun of her, that's for sure. Her every word and action was chuunibyou-esque, and she was carrying a real sword.
But I had already realized that all of this was not just some kind of joke to her; it was all very real.
My field of vision was dyed a digital green.
The summary displayed――a rough overview of data.
I took a breath.
Then, I spoke.
"Your name is… Aira Verfane Quatronix."
"――! W-why do you know my name…!?"
The crimson-haired beautiful girl took a step back in surprise.
I possessed a unique ability not found in ordinary humans, Telekinesis and the ability to Read a person’s summary if they are in my field of vision.
That’s why I already knew the name of the Crimson-haired beautiful girl was Aira Verfane Quatronix――……and I knew other details as well.
However, this fact was so extraordinary that I couldn’t help but doubt the very existence of this special ability.
I began to wonder if the summaries and information I had been reading about people until now were nothing more than delusions.
"So it really is like that, huh?"
"Tell me."
"Huh?"
"I don’t know how you managed to steal my name on our first meeting, but it’s unfair. You should tell me your name too."
Thinking about it from the other side, having only my own name known while not knowing the other person’s would indeed be unsettling.
"Before I tell you, can we agree that there are no more suspicions of me being your enemy… Aira-san?"
"Why?"
"Because I'm scared of swords."
"……I can’t imagine you being an enemy. You didn’t dodge my previous attack, and I don’t sense any hostility or murderous intent from you at all."
"I see. That’s a relief."
"Yeah."
But it seems there is still a hint of doubt remaining. As evidence, she still holds the sword in her hand.
The sword, like Aira’s hair, is crimson, and its light pulses constantly like veins. It’s clear that it is no ordinary sword.
"My name is Harima Yuki. I’m a second-year high school student."
"Yuki, is it? That’s a nice name."
"Oh… thanks."
"――Then, shall we discuss how you managed to steal my name?"
"……I guess I have no choice."
I have no idea what might happen if I refuse. There’s even a possibility this could become my final resting place.
"In return, I have a condition." "A condition?"
"Yeah. I’d like to hear a bit more about you, Aira-san, and――"
I looked over the entire figure of the Crimson-haired beautiful girl, Aira Verfane Quatronix, once again.
She had lustrous crimson hair tied at the back of her head in a refreshing ponytail.
Her face was delicately refined. Though her expression was currently stern and full of tension.
Her body line was very feminine. A large, rounded chest contrasted with a slim waist, all encased in a summer blouse.
Her legs, covered by black stockings emerging from a culotte skirt, were slender and smooth.
――With her otherworldly appearance, weapon, and name.
Considering these elements, I couldn’t help but feel a deep curiosity when I looked at Aira’s overview information again.
"I want you to tell me about what’s going to happen in this city… specifically, what you, Aira-san, will be involved in."
Is it curiosity—?
No, it may be something different.
Perhaps it would be more accurate to describe it as a sense of urgency.
"……Yuki, who exactly are you?"
In response to her comment full of tension, I responded with a line that felt straight out of a light novel.
"I’m just an ordinary high school boy, like anyone else."
"A high school boy?"
"Oh, so we’re starting there."
The worst future, visible only to me.
――War. A Decisive Battle.
It’s likely fate that I’ve come into contact with Aira like this. If that’s the case, then I have a duty to change the fate that lies ahead.
※ ※ ※
First of all, I'll say that I, Harima Yuki, am really just an ordinary high school boy. As a second-year high school student, I'm studying diligently, attending cram school twice a week in order to get into a fairly well-known university. --Except for one thing: I have a special ability.
And it’s likely that this small difference is what makes it possible for me to accept this outrageous and unrealistic event of meeting Aira Verfane Quatronix.
If it weren’t for me, even the existence of someone like Aira would likely be denied, and the sword would probably be dismissed as a mere toy.
Even the fate that I am about to learn would probably be met with disbelief.
"Given the situation, I guess I should reveal my secret first." "Yes. I'd be grateful if you did." "Yeah. Well, it's pretty simple compared to Aira-san."
As I said this while looking at the crimson-haired Aira, she responded with, "Just call me Aira."
For someone like me, who’s lived a life marked by social awkwardness, calling a girl I’ve just met by her first name only feels like a high hurdle.
"...Um. The reason I was able to say your name, Aira, is because I read it."
"I see――?"
"In this world, it’s called a Special ability. Since other people don’t normally have it, it’s considered Special."
"Is it the same as mine?"
Her white hand gently touched the crimson sword.
"...I’m not sure. I’d need to hear more about Aira to know."
"Then, how much of me can you read, Yuki?"
It’s quite a sharp question, considering I’ve only conveyed a compact amount of information.
The special ability in my eyes reveals different information depending on the person at the time. Sometimes I might only see a name, other times I can see everything from age to educational background, and occasionally even delve into traumas.
When I first became aware of my ability, it went out of control and my head felt like it was going to explode, but now I can control it.
"Name, age. And then――……"
I hesitated.
It was my own reluctance that caused the pause.
But I had to say it.
In any case, I would end up hearing it from Aira herself.
"That you’re a "Warrior" from another world――"
Aira exhaled a soft "Oh" from her pink lips, as if impressed.
As for me, I sighed in response.
Words carry weight. Even in everyday conversation, I believe people should be responsible for what they say.
A warrior from another world.
Did I hit my head somewhere and lose my mind…?
"――Is that all?"
"...Yeah."
"You suddenly seem less energetic."
"Don’t worry about it…"
By the way, this Aira Verfane Quatronix is apparently 19 years old, older than me. Certainly, her aura and breasts are impressive.
"――Thank you. So, it’s my turn now, isn’t it? However, the things I’m about to discuss aren't they irrelevant to you, Yuki?"
――Or rather, isn't it something that shouldn't be talked about?
In response to Aira’s puzzled look, I firmly stated.
"No, it is probably relevant."
I don't know the details of what she's going to say. But it's definitely something that concerns me.
"It’s about the war, isn’t it?"
"...Yuki, you’ve told a lie. You can read that much, can’t you?"
"...And I’m likely the Referee of that war."
"――What? That’s absurd. There’s no need for a referee in our upcoming conflict."
"That's what I was told. In a dream just now."
I recall the content of the dream that I thought I didn’t need to remember.
――You are the referee, with the right and duty to oversee everything.
――Or perhaps, you might also have the power to change something.
--You, the human, must remember the warriors' appearance. The words spoken by the black-clad figures were firmly etched into my mind.
"...Please, tell me, Aira."
For the first time in a while, my mind felt like it was about to explode.
Even though I had a special ability, I had been leading an ordinary and peaceful life.
I had thought that I would continue walking down the paved path laid out before me.
"――. To be honest, there are many things I don’t understand either. But if that’s alright with you, I’ll tell you――"
The night sky of May. The cool, deep green breeze.
From the crimson hair swaying beside me, a faint, sweet scent finally emerged, but it soon melted into the air.
First, I heard a deep sigh.
A sigh filled with the anxiety of a young girl.
And then――everything began to take on a new momentum.
"What’s about to start is, as you mentioned, a War, a Decisive battle. It’s a grim conflict involving us warriors――or rather, Criminals."
A few seconds later, Aira uttered the ominous phrase Decisive Battle of the Defiled Land.
Before diving into the details of the Decisive battle of the Defiled Land, she first told me about the world Aira lived in.
――For Aira Verfane Quatronix, it’s a The World.
――For me, Harima Yuki, it’s a Different World.
The name of that world is apparently Ivral. Apparently, it means the highest peak.
As a basic premise, the universe contains multiple worlds existing simultaneously. Aira's world, Ivral, the world I live in, and many others――thousands of worlds. These are commonly referred to as Parallel worlds.
Among the countless parallel worlds, Ivral is considered the most advanced in various respects.
In contrast, the world I inhabit is described as the most repulsive and contaminated. It’s called The Defiled Land.
"So, Aira was sent from Ivral to The Defiled Land…?"
"Yes. Not just me, but also other criminals chosen by the world government were forcibly transported to this land."
"The world government and criminals――?"
"There’s no need for further explanation. It refers to those who have committed crimes and are disliked by the world."
The conflict among the criminals forcibly transported from Ivral to The Defiled Land is called the Decisive Battle of the Defiled Land.
What could be the purpose or meaning behind such actions?
"The criminals sent there are not just any criminals. Including myself - they are Super Criminals who have committed grave crimes that can never be forgiven." "..."
"I think you understand by now, but… that’s correct."
Super Criminals. In other words, people who are unnecessary to the world of Ivral. People who are nothing but a liability. The word "Disposal" came to my mind. Even to me, it was a cruel word.
"I don’t know the exact reasons, but it seems the world government thought that merely executing us wasn’t interesting enough. They said they would make us fight and grant "Freedom" only to the victor."
"Freedom...?"
"Yes. Freedom."
What freedom is that?
There’s no one decent who would use the word "Freedom" while wearing such a vile smile.
"...This is absurd. The leaders of the world where Aira and the others lived... what do they think of you all...?"
"――They likely see us as "Trash on the side of the road." This might be a battle for their amusement, a spectacle for temporary entertainment. I’ve even heard stories from the past where criminals were made to fight underground, and their outcomes were used for gambling."
Aira, with a sad look in her eyes, gazed up at the starry sky.
What is she thinking? I wonder if she's angry at such a foolish act, born of an extremely childish and cruel idea, that just throwing out garbage is boring, so let's have a little fun.
Normally, I don’t get emotionally involved in other people's circumstances or situations. But… this time was different.
The reason was simple.
――To me, Aira Verfane Quatronix doesn’t seem like a criminal, let alone an evil person.
Yet, despite that, she’s been sent to a Different world and forced to partake in a War. It’s too cruel.
"Does Aira’s world have magic or anything similar?"
"Well, yes, it does."
"So, did they use magic for the Forced Exile thing? Like, some kind of space transfer…?"
"That’s correct."
"Then, can’t Aira do the same thing?"
Or, to put it another way, reverse it.
"Space transfer on a world level consumes a massive amount of magical power and is an extremely high-rank spell. Unfortunately, advanced magic… or sorcery, is difficult even for those pure-blooded witches. I have the same magical power as the average person and can use some magic... but... I can only mainly use This Sword."
Before I knew it, the crimson sword had been returned to its form as a pendant.
Even in its pendant state, its crimson color remained unchanged, and it still exuded a sense of presence despite its small size.
For a moment, my chest ached.
When I first saw that sword, my eyes had captured something――the fact that it had taken the lives of thousands of people. However, for now it's better not to ask about it.
"Does it have a name?" "...Yes."
Aira stood up from the bench――touched the pendant, and the crimson sword appeared with a swift motion.
A crimson ponytail. A body with a rugged curves. Black stockings gripping her juicy thighs.
From the sword held in her white hand, a madness overflowed. It was a pure, untainted madness.
"The Dragon Slayer Sword, Ashkelon. It was passed down to me by my parents――it is my treasure."
Her sharp yet gentle crimson eyes turned towards me once more.
She was smiling.
Illuminated by the white moon and golden stars, Aira’s captivating figure――
Everything about her, down to the finest details, was pure and unblemished. Not just her body, but surely her heart as well.
My heart pounded rapidly. It was a new sensation for me.
In that moment, I made a decision.
Before being a referee, I would act as Aira’s ally, and together, we would overcome the Battle of the Defiled Land.
I would defy the path imposed by those childish beings.
And if there were others who, like Aira, had been caught up in this situation, I would help them as well.
I should make it clear: I have no ulterior motives. I’m not thinking of asking to touch her breasts as a thank-you, not at all.
When I told Aira my decision, her expression looked complicated.
Chapter length 6799 characters.
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