Chapter 27: Yuri Kumoyama—

Something’s not right. I can see Nagisa-kun and Kisa.

They shouldn’t have arrived this early.

And more importantly… my body isn’t as broken as I expected. I had set things up so I’d turn into Abaddon earlier than in the original story.

Originally, I was supposed to fight the hybrid type without overusing my skills, defeat it properly, and then transform into Abaddon during the battle against the swarm of Deep Calamities afterward.

But I postponed that.

And yet… the blood on my chest has already stopped.

What happened?

My body wobbled. Ah… I guess I’ve hit my limit after all.

Well… maybe that’s fine.

From here on… I’ll leave the rest to Nagisa—

At that moment, my vision went dark.

When I opened my eyes, I found myself in a world where something pitch-black writhed endlessly. The mountain of rubble from before was nowhere to be seen.

Where is this? Was there ever a place like this—something like a mental landscape?

No… for a mental world, there’s nothing here. Just that black thing, endlessly twisting. I can’t see anything else.

"It feels like the abyss."

—I thought I heard a familiar voice.

A voice from a friend I lost long ago.

It reminded me of that moment, when the wind rushed through the backyard and brushed against my cheek.

"Long time no see, Akegami."

"...No way."

Yuri Kumoyama was definitely standing there.

"Seriously, this place makes no sense."

Why is Yuri here?

And he looks completely calm… Could it be he knows something?

I tried to suppress my rising emotions and ask him—

That was the plan, but—

"Yu…ri…"

What came out was a hoarse whisper. No more words followed.

Because… it’s been so long since I last saw him. In my dreams, it’s always the moment he disappears. And just when everything was finally about to end… he appears again—

"Hahaha."

He laughed.

"What’s with that face? You look like you’re about to cry."

"...Shut up. What is this situation?"

Throwing out a snarky reply helped me regain my composure—just a little. …That’s how I always talked with him anyway.

"Well, you know how Curse Seekers and Deep Calamities supposedly share the same source of power? Feels like this place is that source."

"That’s…"

…That’s something only briefly mentioned in the game’s lore.

There’s supposedly a place like the “backside” of the world—Curse Seekers draw power from it, and Deep Calamities emerge from it.

Could this place be something my mind created?

Like a convenient illusion you see when you’re on the verge of death.

"That look—you’re wondering how I know, right? Well… I’ve been inside you this whole time."

"What?"

My brain refused to process that.

…Inside me?

"You know, I died while you were holding my hand, right?"

"...Yeah."

"At that moment, our Connect Link was really strong. Part of me stayed inside you."

"A part… stayed?"

That kind of ability shouldn’t exist in Connect Link. Sure, it can show memories without permission, but—

…Or maybe it can? Maybe something like that happens if you’re connected at the moment of death.

"So yeah, I’ve been watching you this whole time. You’ve been pushing yourself way too hard. I kept thinking… if only I hadn’t died back then."

The place was dim, making it hard to see his expression. I wonder what kind of face he’s making.

…Even after dying, he’s still worrying about someone else. What an idiot.

"Then you shouldn’t have died."

"Wow, that’s harsh."

"Don’t go dying on your own, idiot."

"Well, I already did, so…"

"Moron. Idiot."

"Is that all you’ve got for vocabulary?"

My emotions were overflowing. There were so many things I wanted to say, but I couldn’t organize them.

"...After you died, I didn’t know what to do. But I thought I had to follow the original story… though I guess that doesn’t make much sense."

"No, I get it."

"Huh?"

"This is the world of the game you used to play, right?"

"Wait—hold on."

"I told you, part of me stayed inside you. I know everything about your past."

…Seriously? I mean… what?

Why are you acting so normal about this? Shouldn’t you be more surprised?

No… I guess you’ve already gone through that phase and processed it.

Wait—you said my past?

"Yeah, I was surprised at first. Reincarnation, this world being a game—it’s all pretty confusing."

"...And you just accepted that?"

"I mean, people show up exactly how you expected them to. Like that guy, Shinozaki Nagisa. Though honestly, it was rough watching the girl I like cling to some guy I don’t even know."

"S-shut up… I needed that. Otherwise it was kind of unbearable."

To be honest, I didn’t really need to stay that close to Nagisa.

But ever since that day when Yuri hugged me… being close to someone else somehow made me feel at ease.

That’s your fault.

It felt like the wounds in my heart closed when I did that.

…Though I might have gone a bit overboard once I got used to the feeling.

"Still, using my name as an alias? I don’t even know how to react to that."

"What? Sorry for borrowing it without asking."

"Nah… it actually makes me kind of happy. Like you really love me."

"You—"

…From the outside, I guess it does look like that. But it’s not. I just wanted to stay with my friend.

"So what, is it like taking my name the way someone takes a surname after marriage?"

"That’s not it, idiot."

I lightly jabbed him. I couldn’t feel anything. Figures—there’s no physical sensation here either.

Still… it felt comforting. For the first time in a while, I could relax and talk. I’ve been pretending this whole time.

"Can I ask you one thing?"

"What?"

"I like you."

"...Yeah."

"You act all cold, but you always come closer when we talk. And those little smiles you show sometimes—they’re ridiculously cute. I really like them."

"Wait—what are you talking about?"

"I like how you act like you’re fine on your own, but you actually get lonely and end up coming to find me. And how you avoid being seen with me in public, yet when I’m in trouble, you ignore all that and come help anyway—that’s what I like about you."

"That’s way too long! That’s embarrassing, you idiot!!"

"I like that side of you. So… what about you?"

I involuntarily held my breath. By chance, I could see his face clearly.

Our eyes met—his serious gaze fixed directly on me.

Don’t say all that so seriously. I thought you were just joking, like always.

"—I like you."

"Hahaha, you’re the only one who’d lie at a time like this."

"So you caught me."

I do like him—as a friend. He’s a good guy, and he even went out of his way to like someone like me.

But there’s nothing more than that. Maybe there could have been, somewhere down the line.

Even so, since this is the end, I tried to cover it up with a convenient lie.

"Looks like it’s about time."

My vision started to blur slightly.

I still have a role to fulfill. At the very least, I need to see it through.

"Hold on."

Suddenly, he grabbed my hand. I couldn’t feel it, but still.

"What?"

"You’re giving off this whole ‘I’m about to die’ vibe."

"...You know it too, don’t you? Curse Seekers who become Abaddon die."

"I’m not letting you die."

"What?"

What is he even saying?

My death is unavoidable. There’s no way to prevent it. It’s fate.

…And yet, the blood that had been flowing from my chest had stopped. I should’ve been on the verge of collapse from my body failing—so why…?

"Connect Link works on the Abaddon state, right? I’m a remnant connected to you through it—I can do something similar."

"...Wait. That means—"

That’s right. Abaddon can be partially suppressed through Connect Link. That’s why Curse Seekers returning from the Abyss can use their power safely while connected.

Originally, Nagisa was supposed to arrive after I had already become Abaddon—too late to save me.

But… Yuri, who had been inside me, stopped it before that?

What is that?

Then… does that mean I won’t die?

"Well, I’m just a remnant. So if I do this, I’ll disappear."

"Why?"

"Isn’t it natural to want to save the person you love?"

He grinned.

That’s not fair… My eyes burned.

"Yuri, wait—"

"Sorry. Guess this is really goodbye. See you, Akegami."

"...At least call me by my name at the end, will you? You’re the one who always made me use yours."

"I wanted to do that after we started dating."

"Idiot."

"See you, Sora."

"…………Goodbye, Yuri."

—Goodbye, my best friend.

…Ahh. So I’m the one who survives.

But… if a friend pushes me forward like this, I guess I don’t have a choice.

"So, do you like that guy—Shinozaki Nagisa?"

"Hey. Didn’t we just say goodbye?"

"Yeah, but I can’t disappear without asking."

"...Honestly, I don’t know. Stuff like that is confusing. Because—"

"Oh right, you used to be an old man in your past life, huh? Well, whatever. Right now, you’re a cute girl."

"Shut up. If I don’t know, I don’t know."

What’s that supposed to mean? That I should just fall for Nagisa?

He really is impossible to understand until the very end.

…Honestly, I didn’t want him to know much about my past life.

My vision blurred more and more. This really is the end.

I closed my eyes for a moment. When I opened them again, Shinozaki Nagisa’s face was right in front of me.

Now then… what should I do?

It seems this empty version of me isn’t allowed to end just yet.

Nagisa… will you be the one to save me?

Though I won’t make it easy for you.