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  "Fufu, as long as it's something I've taken apart before, the theory behind it can be easily known!"

  "Well, although Coron figured out the theories....Like before, she is stil ignorant in the process of manufacturing it."

  Under Simon's guide, Riku walked up the stage.

  There was a dug out spacious workroom next to the cave——in the center,

  there was an insignificant and cylindrical item.

  About a year ago——the item that was looted from the Dwarves' chariot, was an

  ultra-long-range telescope.

  On its return journey back, it snapped into two. It was supposedly useless——

  Riku asked.

  "Is it operable without Elemental particles?"

  "Un, rest assured. This is a modified version of what Riku previously made. If

  needed, it stil can be combined with more round glass. Even the lens can be

  adjusted oh?"

  "——I see. Two of us died to retrieve this. We had better utilize it wel ."

  When retrieving this, Coron was also present.

  Coron who discovered it proposed it to be taken back, Riku agreed as wel .

  Then——they met Werebeasts on their way back, causing two humans to be

  sacrificed in the process of fleeing.

  However, Simon's hearty voice came back.

  "With this thing, the need to go out for investigation would be reduced——this

  way, they can finally rest in peace right!"

  "——ahh, yes."

  ——this was a lie.

  Riku knew Coron used a lot of effort to fix this telescope.

  But——this was a momentary consolation. No matter how carefully transferred

  this was, as long as those guys had the brains to carry out an investigation, this

  place would immediately be found.

  No, even at this moment, a stray bullet may even blow up this entire place.

  ——just like before, their [Birth place] as well as——the [Place of growth].

  But, Coron who understood Riku's worry said cheerily.

  "It can put someone at ease to be able to detect the attack right. Having prior knowledge of the danger, escaping should be easy ♪. As for the route, just

  slowly think about it when the time comes! Okay, let's go!"

  The two of them left the workroom. Walking in the direction of his room in the

  area, Riku asked.

  "Those guys who were out investigating?"

  "They safely came back. Riku and your team went the furthest, so basically

  everyone has already came back. ♪"

  "Ahhh, yes, so only we were the only ones faced with problems."

  Looking at Riku's unchanging self-depreciative face, Coron hesitated.

  "Bu...But! Since you are in this position, there must be some harvest right?"

  "In the fallen battleship of the dwarves——we found the latest map of the world."

  "——! Really!? Isn't that a big harvest!"

  Riku nodded his head in reply towards Coron's surprised voice.

  "Enemy forces on the map, strategies written in Dwarven language, mingled

  with some codes. I'd like to interpret and solve these messages——can you

  leave this to me alone?"

  Hearing this, Coron had a complex expression.

  "...Un. But first, take a niceee bath okay? Because you are suuuu—pper smelly."

  Seeing Coron pinch her nose close while saying those words out, Riku sighed

  and agreed.

  ——Riku walked into the narrow room and closed the door.

  It was originally dug out from the cave, that's why it was narrow. The

  accumulation of numerous books and items made it even more narrow.

  There was a small table in the middle for eating. A drawing table was also

  present deeper into the room, standing next to a pallet bed.

  Placing the hanging lamp onto the table, the items that were in the pack were

  taken out and placed onto the table.

  The most attention grabbing items were three——three overlapping maps

  copied by three individuals with their hand. Using the light, Riku confirmed that

  there was nothing missing nor were there any stains. This meant that Ivan's

  death was not in vain.

  ....Taking a deep breath, Riku surveyed his surroundings.

  Nobody. The distance between this room and another room was considerably

  far, the door was also thick enough.

  Done with the [Routine checks], Riku inhaled deeply and touched his chest——

  ——with a Kacha——the [Lock] opened.

  "——what do you mean by————NOT IN VAIN! YOU BASTARD

  HYPOCRITE!!"

  While eating, Riku waved his fist around, scolding himself.

  The newest world map. The diagram of the enemy forces. The Dwarf's

  strategies.

  Ahhh! Yes very important! A very big harvest. This could very well determine the

  entire fate of the colony!

  It can be used to speculate the position of bases and resources. Furthermore,

  we can prevent ourselves from straying into some other race's territories.

  And to get all these, dangerous [Investigation] activities had been ongoing for

  more than five years.

  The earliest began from the nearby area, and then a rough map of the world

  was plotted.

  The location of dangerous zones and resources. The map had to be constantly

  updated with newer information. Only until recently has it been extremely handy.

  And adding the intelligence brought back today, the credibility of our map will

  greatly increase.

  ——but, for this map, how many people have died?

  Riku knew this answer——their looks, their names.

  It could be said that he even remembered when, where and how they died.

  47 people——no, an increase, 48 people.

  ——for every one of them, Riku had asked al of them to [Go and die].

  Riku didn't inform all of them directly, there were some who indirectly understood

  his intention.

  But regardless of which, the person who gave the command of [Death] was

  undoubtedly Riku.

  ——sacrificing one person to save the others, sacrifice the minority to save the

  majority.

  ——if a situation where others would be harmed and suffer, suicide would be the

  best.

  This rule was developed.

  In this desperate situation, even if it's little, conveying to everyone of the final struggles——

  Couldn't be anyone else except for Riku himself. But——

  "——even if this continues, then....What can...?"

  For two people, a person gets kil ed.

  For four people, two people get kil ed.

  This endless cycle has repeated until the final result, where 48 people died.

  Continuing to live under these sacrifices, the population of the colony now——

  was not more than 2000 people.

  ——hey, Riku, answer this: When wil this continue until?

  It would end one day right——until the day where [For 1001 people, 999 gets

  kil ed] happens right?

  Or maybe——until the day where only [One man is left] right?

  "....Ha——ha, hahahahahaha————!"

  To tell a child who lost his father that [This is mankind's victory] with such a

  vicious look!

  Deceiving everyone with the guise that the sacrifice couldn't be helped, then I

  began to rely on these lies, hanging a lock on my heart to abandon these

  negative feelings.

  ——vomit. The sense of disgust for himself started to burn his throat.

  Am I clueless abou
t what shame is, or have I forgotten about it?

  How low am I going to stoop until I am satisfied——you bastard!!

  ........

  "Ha......Ha, ha...."

  .....When he realized it, the table was cracked.

  The fist he has been using to punch the wood was embedded in the table, with

  blood starting to spil out.

  The gushing blood that headed into his head started to cool down.

  Where did all those cold thoughts go——he asked his heart.

  Satisfied?——ahhh, how can I be satisfied.

  Feel like crying?——ahh, how can crying change anything.

  Then is it enough——ahh, of course it's enough, asshole.

  I don't have the right to cry, if it must flow——then blood shall fulfil its job.

  Bloodshed is compatible for someone despicable, disgusting, jerk, and a lying

  bastard like me.

  ——compared to tears which were on a higher level, bloodstained hands were a

  better fit.

  Closing the eyes, the hand was brought unto the chest——thoughts began to

  form.

  ——kacha.

  Accompanied with a heavy bang, the [Lock] was hung——this completed the

  process.

  Like usual, the demands remained the same, the cold, calm and thorough

  person was forged out.

  Never forget the person who gave everyone hope, the [Adult] with the heart of

  steel——[Riku], is complete.

  Closing the heart, the mind cooled down and Riku slowly opened his eyes.

  Then——looking at the horrifying scene of broken table and scattered blood,

  Riku sighed.

  "......Wood is obviously not a cheap resource.....Ah, asshole....What are you

  going to do."

  Riku pulled out his hand stuck in the wood and wearily complained.

  No pain——just like the calm heart, feelings were also frozen.

  "....There is no excuse for this——no, wait, turning it into firewood can destroy the evidence while also adding the resource count. Two birds one stone. Eating

  directly on the floor should be fine——"

  ——outside the door.

  Backed up against the door and closely listening was Coron.

  .....This was customary. The reason to allow him to be quiet was for this reason

  alone.

  In order to allow Riku to adjust his heart, to allow Riku's heart to accept the fact that Ivan was sacrificed——the necessary procedure.

  It was important to that little brother of hers. If not.....He would surely be broken.

  ——or maybe, he might already be broken.

  "....."

  Coron couldn't say anything, like this——aside from listening, she couldn't do

  anything else.

  Only 18 years old——it wouldn't be weird to call him a teen.

  But to place the lives of 2000 people in the colony under his jurisdiction——no

  matter what, was too much to handle.

  However——there was no one capable of doing it except for him.

  The guide of two thousand people who lost hope, the mentor that makes the

  most appropriate choice when necessary.

  Carrying such power, as well as the will of the people. He stil could move

  forward without falling——

  The only person who could steel his heart——in this world, was Riku.

  If someone like him was lost——everyone would be trembling [Preys] waiting for

  death to come.

  ——like this, they would become meaningless and useless organisms——even

  Coron was sure of this point.

  ——continue the [Endless] great war.

  This wasn't a metaphor. The war was at a stage where no one remembered

  when it began.

  Human developed their culture, while also being cleared out like weeds.

  It was sil y to even call that kind of thing history, it was just too miserable.

  It was casually written facts that was handed down generations....

  The world where the stars are smothered, the earth is cracked and the red sky

  that had no day nor night.

  The common history books were lost, the meaning of the passage of time——

  couldn't be understood.

  With the era stagnating, the sky fil ed with [Black ash(Death)], turning the world

  to be more violent——but humans were powerless against it.

  Taking one step out of the colony, the scythe from the grim reaper would've

  already reached their necks.

  Even facing against wild animals, if they charged headfirst, death would only

  await.

  Meeting against gods and their dependents——the [Different race], just by a

  glance, destruction would've already rained upon.

  Just by coming into contact with a stray bullet, the colony, the city, the culture

  would get destroyed.

  .....No end.

  No end, no end.

  No end no end no end no end no end——the repetition of death and destruction

  in this world.

  If hell existed, it would be here, Coron thought——but even so, mankind must

  live on.

  ——nobody wanted to die without a reason.

  ——because of one's own [Heart], nobody would accept dying without a reason.

  In such a world, to maintain such a thing as if it was normal——can it even be

  called normal in the first place.

  ——five years ago.

  The colony took in Riku and Coron from their home because the exchange

  between the Flügels and the Dragonias ended.

  Those who were previously the leaders al got struck with despair and death,

  continuously sobbing until they found a new cave.

  While all the adults were lamenting on one side, the 13-year-old child saw the

  cave and said.

  "Here, is a convenient habitat, it can be used for the colony."

  Everyone who lost everything a couple of hours before, naturally said [Next].

  The sound of a roar resounded.

  ——what could that do.

  ——that way, those guys would deem us as inexistent.

  Facing against this theory produced from the despair and lamentation, the teen

  boy frowned and answered——

  "Yes, we do not exist——we are not the same as those who [Don't exist], we

  literally [Become inexistent].

  Afterwards, the teenage boy said out the methods to achieve that.

  "We do not exist, we cannot exist, so we cannot be perceived——we shall

  become [Dead]."

  His eyes were even darker than the depths of the deep cave.

  "Using all kinds of possible means to escape and hide our presence——

  because someday, someone wil see it——the end of the war."

  Since if nobody could do anything, at least inherit the powers.

  Since if nobody could do anything, at least do it for the successors.

  "Swear upon the commands, and for all those who would follow me——follow

  me!"

  ——thirteen-years-old.

  The words of the child whose hometown was destroyed twice, heavily echoed in

  the cave.

  With his soulless and truthful eyes. However, he gave the people who lost their

  reason of existence their reason of existence——as well as the meaning of

  death.

  It has been five years since the thirteen-year-old Riku was appointed as the

  leader of over a thousand lives.

  The number of deaths in the five-year period was——48 people.

  Coron's feelings——were incredible small.

  But Riku didn't understand. Eve
n if he did, it would stil be crushed due to his

  responsibility of commanding people to their death.

  The death of 48 people——was all due to the [Expeditions].

  If the colony increased to more than 2000, because of the lack of food,

  Infanticide(kil ing newborn babies) would occur, leading to the increment of the

  number of deaths.

  Moreover, if they were discovered by other different races, hundreds or

  thousands of people may get kil ed off like foam.

  The fact that only 48 people died in the last five years, was no doubt due to

  Riku's achievements.

  ——so, everyone believed in Riku.

  ——so, everyone would entrust their lives on his shoulders.

  But——sometimes everyone forgot about this. Then when they remembered it

  they would feel remorseful before apologizing and thanking Riku.

  And now, he said it out because he remembered all of this.

  ——Riku was the same, the scythe of the grim reaper was pointed at his neck.

  And on that neck——an addition of 2000 people was also hung.

  ——......

  Riku came out of his room. Coron tried her best to pretend that she didn't notice

  the injury on his fist.

  "Riku sure is amazing.......Very hardworking. Nee-san can guarantee...."

  "————save the comforting words. I'l be heading to the bath."

  Looking at Riku's lightless eyes——Coron who couldn't hold back hugged him.

  The limit was reaching. In this world, to continue living a normal life while also

  maintaining the existence of two thousand people that was like a bonfire——

  was impossible. At this rate, little brother, Riku, would definitely break!!

  "Hey——Coron."

  "....Didn't I ask you to call me Coron-Nee-san right...What?"

  "When wil it end——this era."

  In the past, someone said that there wil never be [Rain that doesn't stop] and

  [Dawn that never comes from the night]——

  How long would they have to wait before a human would see the day

  aquamarine ash stops falling down?

  How long before the sun could be seen?

  Yes, it would end one day——it's not perpetual, that was supposedly the case.

  But....

  In a human's perspective, this war.....it feels as if it wil cease to end.

  "So they then asked. When will——it, ah, Awhoaaaaaa!? Whaaaaaaaat's

  wrongggg?!"

  Tet who was playing the game while looking at the distance and saying the story

  frantically shouted.