Editing BlazBlue:Bloodedge Experience Part 1 Chapter 1 (section)

===Part 3===

After school was over, Naoto was walking alone on his way home from Shinkawahama First High School to his apartment.

Haruka, who usually walked home with him, had hurried off first. The reason he hadn’t accompanied her was due to a trivial errand he needed to run.

On his way home, Naoto stopped by the staff room. His goal was Isa. He wanted to check the number above his head one more time. However, by the time Naoto arrived, Isa had already gone home, and he was nowhere to be found within the school.

Without a valid reason, it was unlikely that a student could just ask a teacher for their address or their route home. More than that, Naoto thought about whether it was worth going to such lengths, and reluctantly decided to give up, leaving through the school gate a little later than usual.

He walked slowly toward the bustling area along his school route. The sun was dyed a reddish hue, as if the western sky had been painted. Compared to just after the start of the second semester, the days felt just a bit shorter.

However, Naoto's mind was not focused on the length of the days drifting away from summer or the vivid sunset; it was captured by something else entirely.

'''“925.”'''

Normally, he tried his best to ignore that number. But today, he couldn’t shake his curiosity about it. Because it was simply impossible. Such a number couldn’t exist.

It was unbelievable that someone could stand calmly, yelling at students, for forty-five minutes in that state, unable to even maintain their consciousness.

“Seriously, this is ridiculous... But there's no way to confirm it. Ugh, what’s with Isa? Why did he have to go home?”

As he muttered his dissatisfaction, he felt more frustrated, his mouth twisting into a frown. He instinctively ran his fingers through his hair, tousling it messily... but he stopped, halting in his tracks.

Thoughts of Isa’s abnormality vanished from his mind in an instant.

What he saw beyond the shadows of the street was something even more unusual.

It was a shadow of two people running away with incredible speed. One was a man, hunched over in an unnatural posture. The other was a small girl... or so he thought.

Yet, the abnormality that instantly caught Naoto's attention was neither the presence of the figures nor their stature. It was the same number.

He couldn't clearly see the appearance of either of the two who had run past. However, the abnormality of the numbers was burned into his mind at a glance.

The number that appeared above the girl’s head had far too many digits. Normally, no human, regardless of who they are, exceeds five digits. However, above that girl, there was at least an eight-digit number. In contrast, the number above the hunched man's head was—'''“0.”'''

While the girl was one thing, there was no mistake about the man. Naoto saw it clearly.

'''“0.”''' It signifies the dead.

There was no way he should be able to run... no way he could move.

“... Am I just tired?”

He had seen numbers that were impossible to comprehend. His eyes might be playing tricks on him. It would be best to hurry home today and rest. Just as he thought to quicken his pace—

“No. No, no, no, wait, wait, wait!” he hurriedly stopped himself.

What he should focus on wasn’t the numbers, but the situation. Right now, a girl was being chased by a suspicious man. With this realisation, Naoto sprang into action, pursuing the two figures he had seen.

It was surprisingly easy to figure out which way they had gone. The place Naoto rushed into looked as if a localized disaster had swept through. Utility poles were broken, the asphalt of the road was torn up, and twisted guardrail sections were carelessly thrown in the middle of the street.

Ah, that makes sense. A strange sense of understanding settled in his chest. It looked like the aftermath of the two with the abnormal numbers.

People passing by were staring at the horribly scarred landscape and recording it on their mobile devices. Countless videos would probably be uploaded to the internet later. Glancing at the busy photographers searching for their next target, Naoto sprinted through the path marked by unusual destruction. Since when had his heart been pounding so fast? It wasn’t tension or fear. It felt like a troubling excitement was building within him. Was he worried about that girl? No, that wasn’t it. There was something urgent, something that quickened his pulse.

(That girl...)

Wasn’t she similar to...?

The girl he had seen in a daydream this morning. The blonde girl who had appeared in the empty shopping district and stared at him with her cool yet sorrowful, tearful crimson eyes. He felt compelled to find her. He couldn’t afford to lose sight of her, and though he was already out of breath, his legs rushed forward. Driven by instinct— or perhaps by some sensation— he ran and ran, occasionally leaping over rolling debris.

Finally, Naoto reached his destination.

It was a dimly lit place.

An abandoned apartment complex.

It had been developed as a bedroom community, but due to an incident that had occurred a few years ago, the plans had been halted.

The area was a construction site that had been interrupted and left abandoned. Numerous square buildings, almost completed, stood in disarray, having become ruins without electricity. Here and there, streetlights without bulbs stood alone, casting elongated shadows of silhouettes in the deserted corners. No one willingly approached this place. Even those who fancied themselves outlaws or delinquents looking for a hangout wouldn’t choose this as their refuge.

The abandoned apartment complex, built for people but now unwelcoming, had a suffocating, oppressive atmosphere. It felt more nauseating than eerie, more uncomfortable than terrifying.
Naoto’s feet, which were about to rush in, halted just before entering the premises.

“Is this... it?”

Staring at the “No Trespassing” sign on the fence, Naoto bitterly spat out his words.

It was obvious that the man and girl had entered here. The flimsy fence was bent inward, the sign twisted unnaturally along with it.

It looked as if someone had forcefully driven a vehicle through. Yet there were no tire marks; instead, strange, deep scratches marred the ground as if made by something sharp.
Beyond this point was dangerous. An ominous vibe hung in the air. From deep within the dark, shadowy apartment complex, a sound echoed as if a building had collapsed, causing Naoto to sharply inhale.

Before him lay a desolate scene, sharply divided by the sunset's crimson and the darkness of the shadows. There were no moving figures. If it weren’t for the earlier loud noise, he wouldn’t have even considered searching for signs of life. However, he heard another crashing sound, this one slightly louder than before, and Naoto instinctively kicked off the ground. He slipped through the gap in the mangled fence, stepping into the dark, empty domain.

If the girl and the man had entered here, then the sound must have been caused by one of them. Either way, it was surely a warning of the girl’s peril.

The sound had come from straight ahead. Naoto sprinted along the paved sidewalk toward that direction. The atmosphere felt as if time had stopped. The buildings stood solid enough to be usable, yet there was no warmth of human life anywhere. Only empty apartments and forgotten debris remained. The stagnant air lingered, and the shadows seemed to cling to the surroundings.

It was no wonder so many ghost stories originated here. As scenes flitted past the edges of his vision, Naoto felt a chill run down his spine.

Why had that girl come to such a place?

(Weren't they being chased? If that was the case, wouldn’t it be safer to flee toward a more populated area...?)

She could have even dashed into a store. A scream in the shopping district would attract a crowd. If she had been driven here against her will, it was already an emergency situation with no time to spare. He needed to find her quickly and contact the authorities.

The abandoned apartment complex, having been left untouched immediately after construction, continued on endlessly with similar scenery, quickly disorienting Naoto like a maze. None of the buildings had any distinctive features to serve as landmarks. How could a housing complex not have a single map sign?

"Damn it... which way did they go...?"

The path he had been following came to a dead end at a row of withering trees, and Naoto hurriedly stopped. The road formed a T-junction, splitting off to the left and right. He quickly checked both paths, but no sounds were coming from either. The area was eerily silent. It put him in a bad mood. The deep colors of the setting sun seemed to seep into the deserted complex, casting sharp shadows that gave the illusion of being trapped in darkness. The sound of the collapse that had guided him earlier was gone. The noise of his own ragged breathing felt deafening in the oppressive silence.

"...Did they escape?" Naoto muttered, as if trying to confirm with someone. 

Thinking back, these were the two who had been playing tag, breaking utility poles along the way. There was no guarantee he could catch up with them even if he ran desperately. It was entirely possible the girl had managed to escape before he arrived.

(What am I doing...?)

This was recklessness at its finest. Shouldn’t he have contacted the authorities first?

As the thought weighed on him, he let out a deep sigh, his eyelids heavy. The girl might no longer be in the apartment complex. He had no idea where to go next; maybe it was best to turn back. Or perhaps he should search the vicinity a little longer.

Just as he was about to turn on his heel, he heard a sound.

"Ki-chi-chi."

"Wh-...?!"

It came from nearby. Naoto turned around reflexively. To the left of the T-junction, in the shadows, stood a man.

(When did he...!)

There had been no footsteps, no presence. Naoto instinctively braced himself and checked above him.

''''0'.''' No doubt about it, it was the man he had seen earlier.

The man was wearing a tattered, ill-fitting dark navy suit. The striped tie was frayed and ragged, making his appearance look especially shabby. He had a lean frame that seemed unnaturally hunched, with his arms hanging limply at his sides. Through his disheveled bangs, he was staring intently at Naoto.

Upon meeting the man’s gaze, Naoto held his breath. A chill ran down his spine.

The man's eyes were not human. His eyeballs had swollen to the size of clenched fists, protruding out of their sockets. The dark part of his eyes was unnaturally large, glistening with a wet sheen that could be seen clearly even from several meters away. He could see it.

The black eyes suddenly moved up and down, left and right, as if checking the surroundings. It wasn't a sequential glance; the right eye faced the right side, while the left eye turned to the left, both looking simultaneously. The man moved his eyes around like a chameleon, then fixed his right eye directly on Naoto.

“Ugh...” A strained voice escaped Naoto's lips involuntarily. Before he could feel fear, he was overwhelmed by a sense of disgust.

What is this guy? He was clearly not human. First of all... the number above his head is '0'. It was hard to say he was alive. So why is he moving and looking this way?

“Ki-chi-chi-chi.” The strange sound came again. But this time, he clearly understood where it was coming from. He realized it. It was from the man in front of him. With his mouth half-open and drooping, a sound like a beetle wriggling was coming from inside. It was a horrifying sight. Driven by sheer revulsion, Naoto took a step back.

Perhaps that small movement invited him. The man turned his swollen left eye towards Naoto and dragged his tired suit closer.

(This is bad...!)

He should run. Clenching his teeth against fear, Naoto tried to back away. Then, a voice passed by him.

“...You're in the way.”

“Eh?”

No, it was the wind that passed. Black and golden—wind. 

The wind rushed forward in the form of a girl, and with the same momentum, she kicked off the ground and leaped into the air. Her quick jump was like a gust of wind. The gust kicked the suited man away from Naoto and slammed him against the wall of the apartment complex looming behind. The man's body flew easily through the air, creating a thunderous sound as he crashed through the concrete wall, collapsing inside. Dust billowed up like it was released from years of tension, forming a thick gray curtain.

It happened in an instant. Naoto was left bewildered, unable to comprehend what just occurred.

The girl, who had rushed in like a whirlwind, turned back to look at him. In the deserted complex, where the sunset burned with gold and shadow, she shimmered.

She was a beautiful girl. Her radiant golden hair was tied up high, adorned with a black ribbon standing upright at the base. Her skin was translucent white, glowing with the reflected hues of the setting sun. Her eyes were golden. More extravagant than her hair, they exuded an indescribable nobility even with just a fleeting glance.

She looked just like the girl he had encountered in his daydream that morning, her hair tied in two bunches of golden locks. However, the girl standing in front of Naoto, with her golden eyes tied in a single ponytail, seemed to be a few years older. She was probably around Naoto's age. She had a delicate appearance and a slender frame. Much shorter than Naoto, she slightly tilted her chin down, causing her large eyes to look up at him. Dressed in a long black cloak that reached down to her feet, her slender body was completely free of any scars, and her skin was a flawless white…

She was completely exposed.

“... Huh!” Unable to comprehend what he was seeing, Naoto let out a bewildered yell and thrust his chin forward, staring intently at the girl. His mouth hung open, unable to close. He couldn't find the words to respond.

Clothes. There should have been clothes under the black cloak that wrapped around her slender body… but there were none. Not even a blouse, a skirt, or panties— no underwear whatsoever. The only thing she wore was the black cloak. Without any shame about her appearance, the girl placed her hands on her bare hips and snorted softly.

“What are you staring at with that stupid face?. Are you...a pervert?” Her tone clearly had a condescending ring to it.

I don’t want to hear that from you, you exhibitionist. Naoto tried to respond, but the words caught in his throat. His eyes caught the numbers floating above the girl's head. While her appearance was shocking enough, he was even more astonished by the numbers lined up above her. The “abnormality” he had briefly noticed earlier was indeed a reality.

“E… eighty million!”

It's an outrageous number. No matter how many times he counted, it had eight digits. He never expected to see such a high figure above her. However, it was clear that she was an anomaly. This was evident not only from the visible numbers but also from the extraordinary strength she had just shown when she kicked a man away.

“... What? I don’t understand.” As Naoto stared wide-eyed at the numbers above her head, the girl raised her perfectly shaped eyebrows in confusion. It was a natural reaction. Even though someone was right in front of him, and he was looking directly at that person, his gaze was inexplicably focused on an empty space.

Drawn back to her eyes, Naoto searched for words to deflect the situation. He didn’t think that even such an extraordinary girl would accept something as absurd as the numbers above her head. His mind, frozen in shock, couldn't come up with a good excuse, and Naoto’s mouth involuntarily spilled out his true feelings. Naturally, Naoto's gaze dropped slightly. Translucent white skin. There was a feminine line to it… The soft bulge that formed a shadow... was a bit hard to see. For a moment, he thought he heard a short intake of breath. 

Before he could understand what it was, the girl thrust her fist into Naoto's face.

"Naive!" A moist voice leaked out. She hit him between the eyebrows.  The punch was too powerful for a rebuttal, and Naoto stumbled back, covering his face with both hands.

It's annoying. She's not wearing any clothes, but she's still concerned about the size of her breasts. He wanted to hit her with all his might, but he wouldn't be able to win if he got blown away to the apartment complex behind her like the man in the suit from before, so he decided not to.

The girl seemed completely unconcerned, and her artificial face returned to a blank, doll-like expression as she looked at Naoto.

'You're just getting in the way if you wander around here. Get out of here quickly." 

"Go away? Who the hell do you think you are…”

"Ah, but..." Just as Naoto was about to retort with dissatisfaction, the girl cut him off and turned her head. Her golden eyes were fixed on the pile of walls of the apartment complex that had just collapsed. Her gaze was fixed Squinted. "It's too late now."

The sound of something hard being crunched echoed over the girl's nonchalant words. The man in the suit from before appeared, pushing up the pile of concrete. Naoto was left speechless. The man's face had been transformed into something inhuman.

In a word, it was comparable to an insect. His enlarged, protruding eyeballs were freed from their cramped sockets and transformed into dark red eyeballs that bulged out from his face. His nose was gone, replaced by the eyes of ants. A mouth with jaws for crushing like a gnat takes up the lower half of the face. When the jaws are opened wide in a threatening manner, countless fangs wriggle inside as if beckoning. there was…

"You've got to be kidding me... What the hell is this?" He wondered if he was having a nightmare. If it was a daydream, he preferred the boring dream where he was staring at a strange girl in a deserted downtown area. 

"As you can see, I'm a monster."

"What a calm thing to say! This is dangerous, we'd better run away..." Naoto's advice was suddenly cut off as he pulled away. 

For a moment, something whizzed by in front of Naoto with incredible speed and wind pressure. A moment later, the wall of the apartment complex behind him burst into pieces as if it had exploded. A thunderous noise was heard, and the blast, along with sand and dust, blew into the side of Naoto's face.

"No, uh... what?" What had just happened?

He glanced sideways at the exploded apartment complex, then, urged by a premonition, turned his head in the opposite direction. Standing with a suit against a gouged-out apartment complex is a bug man. His arms are stretched more than twice their original length, bending at unnatural angles. The strangely stiff arms easily lifted the freshly crumbled wall of the apartment complex behind him, despite their slender and frail appearance. As his crimson eyes locked onto me, he moved his jaw, producing an unsettling clicking sound, and hurled a chunk of concrete.

"Whoa, this isn’t a joke!" Naoto cursed as a girl tugged at his arm, forcing him down. A flat piece of debris was thrown over his head, crashing into the wall of the apartment complex, causing it to crumble further. The weight of the debris, combined with the speed and force behind the throw, was extraordinary. If the girl hadn’t pulled on his arm, Naoto’s head might have been severed from his body, crushed beneath the rubble.

“Great, thanks to you, I’ve given him extra weapons,” the girl said, rising and tossing her long blonde hair.

“W-What? It’s my fault?!” The "weapons" she referred to must have been the piles of debris stacked there. If that’s the case, she was the one who created them. But now wasn’t the time for complaints; there were more pressing matters at hand.

“Um, sorry about this. I’ll pretend I didn’t see anything and go straight home to sleep, so could you let me off this time...?” His words trailed off. The girl suddenly turned and kicked Naoto in the chest, sending him flying backward. 

As the air was forced out of his lungs, Naoto hit the ground hard. Whether by luck or the girl’s control, his body unexpectedly landed lightly on the dirt, just off the paved road. Some soil got into his mouth when he rolled, but he soon realized how gentle the damage was when he looked up.

A sharp piece of debris was embedded where he had just stood, like some meaningless sculpture in a park. However, this was not meant to evoke art or provoke thought; it was born from a desire to kill in a crude and violent manner.

A chill crept into his temples. He reflected on his recklessness for stepping in so easily. This was bad. This was far too dangerous. He had no clue what was going on, but he knew he shouldn’t have gotten involved. When he heard another dull thud, he looked to see the girl gracefully dodging the debris, leaping away with elegance that was incomparable to his own. For a brief moment, he felt like she glanced his way…

(This is…?)

She might be trying to tell him to escape while he drew the attention. No, she must be wanting to say that for sure. With a complete self-interpretation, Naoto dragged his aching body upright. He felt there had to have been a better way for her to have kicked him, but to her, it was probably a way to protect him at that moment. What a kind-hearted girl. Although his entire body was in immense pain. He should respect the girl's wishes and escape. Surely, that was what she wanted... or at least, it should be.

“Alright, I’ll call for help right away...!” He stood up, turned around, and tried to run. However, as Naoto was about to look back, he froze again. A heavy gust of wind sliced through right next to him again. He didn't even need to check what had flown by. Just a few meters ahead, a streetlamp was snapped in half, with a white concrete wall embedded into the ground.
This time, there were no arms to pull him back or legs to kick him away. If Naoto had started running just a few seconds earlier, he would have been hit directly.

“W-What is that…?” Naoto turned around. What happened to the idea of escaping while he had the chance? He realized it was a selfish interpretation, yet for a moment, he genuinely thought that.

The girl was still there. However, rather than protecting Naoto, she seemed to be waiting for an opening against the bug man.

“I can’t focus on you right now. Take care of yourself.” The bug man made another unsettling clicking sound with his mouth, swinging his long arms back. Ignoring the direction of his joints, he grabbed a piece of rubble piled behind him.

“W-Wait a minute, I can’t believe you’re planning to…!” A dreadful thought came to him, almost naturally. The bug man’s crimson eyes were fixed on Naoto. With the piece of white rubble still in his elongated arms, he raised it high without hesitation. He swung it down powerfully, and the rubble soared toward Naoto with a menacing growl.

“Ahhh!” Letting out a pathetic scream, Naoto desperately jumped to the side, throwing himself to the ground and crouching low. Immediately afterward, a sound like an explosion erupted nearby. He instantly recognized it: the sound of the wall of the apartment complex collapsing, creating a massive hole.

A sixth sense compelled Naoto to lift his head in a panic. He spotted the girl immediately. With her long blonde hair fluttering, she raced like the wind—not toward Naoto, but toward the back of the building where she had slammed the bug man. He understood the logic. He understood the meaning. She was trying to get behind that monster.

But that meant...

“I’m really the decoy!?” Naoto shouted at the top of his lungs, momentarily shelving his earlier intention to flee. The bug man hurled another piece of rubble at Naoto. Fortunately, this time the debris seemed fragile, crumbling as it was thrown, so not much mass came flying at him. Even so, if it hit, it wouldn’t end well. Naoto rolled on the ground, trying to escape.

“Ow...” He pushed himself up against the hard sidewalk. In that moment, he heard a sharp, scream-like sound as someone inhaled sharply. He reflexively turned around. The bug man's arm had stretched further, bending like a whip, and had caught the girl's leg as she tried to sneak around behind him.

Right, Naoto clicked his tongue. He could see in all directions even before the bug’s face fully changed; he could check to his left with just his left eye while still looking at Naoto. The man pulled strongly on his arm, lifting it. The girl’s body was thrown up, and the man swung his arm down in one swift motion.

“Stop it!”

“Ugh...!” Naoto’s shout and the girl’s groan were drowned out by a powerful gust of wind. Moments later, the girl’s small body was slammed down to the ground with a dull thud. Fortunately, it landed on the overgrown grass. If she had been just a little off, she would have hit the concrete wall. Even so, she was struck down with enough force to bounce slightly. Though she struggled to move, she knew she couldn’t afford to lose consciousness.

Was the bug man feeling triumphant, having captured his prey? He casually turned away from Naoto, facing the still-down girl. As he forcefully yanked his arm, her body slid effortlessly along the ground, crashing into the withered street.

“Ugh…!” The dull impact sound and the girl’s small cry of pain filled the air. At that moment, Naoto took off running. He swiftly changed direction and began to run away from the girl.

(This is the only chance… the only chance!)

For these few seconds, the bug man’s attention was completely focused on the girl. Naoto had intruded here as an irregularity; the man’s original target was the girl. It shouldn’t matter if someone like Naoto tried to disappear. He ran and leaped over the bushes, sliding into one of the collapsed apartment buildings that had a large hole in it. Inside, surrounded by thick walls and ceilings blocking out the sunlight, it was gloomy and dark. The deep shadows quickly concealed Naoto’s figure. The sound of his footsteps running straight away soon disappeared into the darkness.

...The girl watched this from the corner of her eye.

Once Naoto’s figure had completely vanished into the building, she remained on the ground, a faint smile appearing on her face. It was a smile that carried a hint of self-mockery, yet at the same time, it felt like relief. It was a look that carried a mix of emotions. Not long ago, someone had told the girl that humans are weak and cowardly. Now, she remembered those words and understood them deeply.

The hand gripping her thin ankle tightened. It was that dreadful monster's hand. Even though it was already losing its shape as a human, it still had five fingers that gripped the girl firmly and wouldn’t let go. The elongated arm lifted her body into the air again. Her small frame seemed to float up, cutting through the air. The girl twisted her body to escape the persistent grip, but the fingers digging into her ankle wouldn’t release her.

Swinging his arm high and large, the man aimed once more. The grotesque eyes were fixed on the wall of the crumbling building that had initially embedded his body. He cracked his jaw and flexed his entire body as he swung his arm down in one fluid motion, still holding onto his prey.

And then...

“Whoa!!!” Naoto burst out from behind the rubble and struck the bug man’s head with a heavy, hard object. A dull, metallic sound echoed. Using the recoil, he swung again. This time, he struck the side of the man’s head, feeling an unpleasant sensation as something seemed to shatter in his hand. The bug man’s deformed head slightly distorted as he tilted his body and began to fall slowly. With his falling body, the fingers gripping the girl’s ankle released their hold. Freed from the air, the girl’s body plummeted toward the ground, her long cape billowing noisily in the wind.

Chasing after her, Naoto stretched out his arms. Their eyes met— golden eyes. As Naoto braced himself in front of the partially collapsed building, the girl’s body fell into his outstretched arms.

“Ugh... uh, uh...” The weight was less than he had prepared for, and Naoto looked at what he had caught with a puzzled expression. He could feel the luxurious texture of the cape against his skin, and sensed the softness of her slender body. There was nothing odd about her shoulders, arms, or legs. Only a bit of dirt on her cheeks and cape; there was no bleeding, not even a small scratch.

“You okay?” Naoto asked the girl he was holding, intending to check on her condition. There was no way she could be unscathed. He thought she should have been injured, but he set that doubt aside for the moment. After all, it was far more unrealistic for a human face to become insect-like or for a small girl to kick a man hard enough to shatter a concrete wall.

The girl remained silent for a while, not moving. She wasn’t unconscious. Since being thrown into the air, her large, jewel-like eyes had been fixed on Naoto.

“Are you okay?” Seeing her so silent worried Naoto, prompting him to ask again. Finally, after blinking once behind her disheveled bangs, the girl moved her lips slightly.

“...Why?” Her response was a whispering question. Naoto paused for a moment, furrowing his brows.

“What do you mean?”

“I thought you ran away. But you came back.”

“Well...” 

So that's what it was. Naoto slumped his shoulders in defeat.

Ignoring his reaction, the girl shifted her gaze to the side. What she saw was a red object thrown to the corner of the sidewalk. It was the fire extinguisher that Naoto had carried and used to strike the bug man’s head with force.

“There’s no way I could leave a girl behind. After all, you’re my lifesaver.” Naoto replied with exasperation, looking at the girl who stared at the fire extinguisher in confusion.
Her golden gaze returned to him, blinking once more. Naoto thought her eyes looked doll-like—large and vibrant, yet somehow distant in warmth and emotion.

“You say strange things. I haven’t done anything that warrants your gratitude,” the girl said in a tone that was somewhat flat and emotionless, mirroring the emptiness of her eyes. It sounded somewhat dismissive, and Naoto felt a slight irritation.

“Don’t say strange things yourself. Do you think I didn’t notice? It was the same from the beginning, and it’s still true now.” 

The fierce kick she delivered when she jumped in had completely stopped the man’s attack against Naoto. Even after that, during the subsequent close-range attack, she had pulled his arm and ultimately kicked him away, protecting Naoto from direct hits. The rubble that fell after she moved away was something Naoto couldn’t have dodged with mere reflexes. Yet, miraculously, not a single piece had struck him because their trajectories had been diverted by something. Naoto couldn’t comprehend how such a thing was possible, but there was no one else who could have saved him but this girl.

Ignoring Naoto’s observations, the girl turned her gaze away again. Was she embarrassed? If so, it made her seem more like a typical girl, which Naoto found somewhat admirable. However, if she wanted to display her femininity, she should first reconsider her current clothing situation.

Following her gaze and looking up, Naoto furrowed his brows again. This time, not from confusion, but from discomfort. Next to the piled-up rubble lay the figure of the fallen man. Above his rolled head...

The number floating in front of him was, as expected, '0.'

As if he had finally remembered this fact, a noise ran through the man's body. Lines, like those on a malfunctioning TV, crossed over him, and his entire body flickered a few times like a dying lightbulb. Then the transformation began. Just as white paper is dyed, the man's body turned black from the edges inward. A sound like sand being gathered could be faintly heard. In just a few seconds, the man's body had transformed into nothing but a black mass. This was complete death.

No longer was this anyone. No longer a human being with a name or a birthplace. There were no fragments of such information left—just a mere black object. This was the form of a human that Naoto recognized as having become '0.'

In this state, only Naoto could see him. The eyeball that sat in the eye socket. The crystalline lens that sparkled behind it. The 'Hunter's Eye' made the corpse appear as nothing but a solid black object to Naoto.

And this scene, this utterly disgusting scene... pulled a forgotten memory from the depths of Naoto's mind, like pulling on a thread. That distant yet close memory was always accompanied by fear.