God has descended unto me.
Oh... May His raging spirit flow... Deus Ex.
✦ ✦ ✦
The sweet smell of grass. The strong wind blowing my hair. The sound of my horse galloping. The warmth on my cheeks. The dryness in my throat.
Mmh...? When did I fall asleep? I open my eyes. I see chocolate-colored hide and hair. Was I lying on my horse’s neck? In my hands isn’t the reins, but its mane. The world is going by so quickly... Green fields and a blue sky. It reminds me of my grandfather’s house up in Furano, Hokkaido. I haven’t been there in a while. Haven’t paid my respects at his grave, either.
I hear a great tumult getting closer. No, please, I hate crowds! People are always moving one way or the other in the city. Even if I withdraw into a corner, there’s no place for me; it’s only awkward. That’s why I liked work. While I was being helpful, there was a place for me to belong to. I like video games, too. In them, I only have to think about having fun, so it’s very convenient.
However, it’s hard to only have one or the other; I get restless. Living in the city is cold, which is why I need beer on top of those two things. Then, I can scrape by. Oh, but I’m not supposed to have alcohol. Gotta stay focused on DDR.
Right... Right. DDR. That weird, mysterious DX version. It required a special approach. And, last I checked, wasn’t I in a sticky situation?
“Oh... WHOA!”
Shit! What is this?! What is this sense of realism? I’m totally riding a horse—we’re galloping like the wind! Wah! The gear is different from what I know. The shaking of the saddle is making my crotch... What?! M-M-My body! It’s Kuroi! No way... VR is amazing! It’s like I’m in a parallel world. Soft cheeks, silky hair—they’re all mine.
Oh! No, no, no! This is just weird! Even the most expensive VR set couldn’t reproduce all this! This isn’t just cutting edge technology, this is science fiction—or just straight-up fiction!
Ack! The ground’s shaking? And I hear screams. Where’s this horse taking me... There! It’s the demon! That massive monster is raging among a retreating platoon. It smashes, crashes, and bashes... with accompanying screams. So many screams... It’s killing humans—so many humans.
“Ah... Ahhh...”
That’s so cruel. It’s just a massacre. It’s not right. Humans shouldn’t be treated like bugs!
“St... Stop...”
If this were a game, it’d be fine; it would just be numbers going up and down. I wouldn’t have to care, as long as the character I was controlling was fine. Even a game over can be fun once in a while. ...But I don’t understand. Something’s weird.
“Stop...”
There’s a burning deep in my chest. It’s hot. Hot. Hot! It hurts, and I can hardly breathe. What’s going on? There’s a saltiness... Tears? They’re streaming down my cheeks onto my lips.
I can’t let this continue. Logic and all that can wait! Demon, you have to be stopped! What you’re doing is unforgivable. Absolutely horrid. You must... pay.
You must pay!
“I SAID STOP!”
The rage boiling up inside me gathers in my raised right hand, burning as I steady my aim. I throw—a spear of fire. But not just one, dozens. They all fly forward simultaneously like a barrage of rockets, burning bright red as they fly straight to their target. Explosions ripple across the demon’s back and shoulders, followed by black smoke and a howl.
Did that hurt? It did, didn’t it? Your victims were in pain, too! That’s why, first, I’m going to make you hurt!
“Rahhhhhhh!”
I throw again—axes, spears, swords, sickles, knives, halberds, hatchets... every kind of sharp object I can think of, I hurl it. For every unique object I throw, a dozen more of the same follow in its wake. Hundreds upon thousands of flaming blades soar through the air. Fly straight and pierce, arc and slice—I don’t care. Just go! Make that thing hurt!
C’mon, Chocolate Pudding, faster! I need more speed. Much speed! You think it’s impossible? Not with that attitude! Maybe it’s not physically possible, but we’ve got to try. Feel the heat! Good, that’s the way, we’re almost there. However, at this rate, we might hit someone. Jump now! Wow, that wind pressure—what crazy speed! But we’re gonna make it; we won’t even need a second jump. Straight into the smoke we go! I can see the demon’s shoulder. There’s no soft landing, so let’s change tactics... Horse Kick! Hardly any damage, but that’s fine, the momentum is what’s important.
A few risky hops and look, the demon’s neck is right before us. Hey, demon! Name’s Kuroi. You’ve been a bad boy. It’s time to die!
I cast Accept Blade, summoning the thickest blade meant for piercing possible...
How did I even do that? It’s very weird that this is all happening just like I want it to... but now’s not the time to think about that. First, kill!
“Yah!”
Pierced! Now, pour mana into the blade! Just a little Flame Blade for flavor. I charge it with enough heat to instantly boil the demon’s insides. Starting to sweat? I bet it really burns like nothing you’ve ever felt before. This is the rage of tens of thousands of humans! Ah, the giant’s toppling; everything’s turning sideways. Run, Chocolate Pudding! From a vertical falling start, slowly we start to even out. Ugh, my stomach’s in my mouth! Gotta grit my teeth and bear it.
The landing! Behold Chocolate Pudding’s beautiful hoofwork—Agh! The ground is pulsing! Sinkholes and spires are appearing everywhere. Earthen Wall and Stone Shield are being combined to create Stone Storm, huh? In other words, this is magic, which means my Flame Blade can cut it! Yup, one slice and it turns back to normal dirt. But... Augh! There’s too many! Gotta do something about the ground itself... Hoo! Ha! Accept Blade! Swords and spears rain into the ground. Settle down, will you?
Oh, no! A spire just delivered an uppercut to Chocolate Pudding’s jaw! Aw, that whinny! It must really hurt... That’s enough! Come back! Damn, I pour all of my strength into the next Flame Blade and, with dual flaming swords, I pierce the ground. Phew, I somehow managed that. It sure had me sweating for a bit.
Where’s the demon...? Oh, nice, it’s down. What an annoyance, casting such heavy magic in its death throes.
My heart’s still beating like crazy... This is more like a rollercoaster than an action game. Plus, this body—
“Is that you... Kuroi?”
How the hell did I become Kuroi? What happens if she gets hurt?
“Ah, so it was you that defeated the demon...”
A faint, familiar voice. I spin around to find the remains of a carriage. Leaning on it for support is a woman covered in blood.
“Miss... Ange?”
“Why, that’s the first time you’ve said my name. Your voice is shaking; that’s not like you.”
Her normally tightly secured hair is in tangles. Her legs are bent at odd angles. A piece of lumber or something is stuck deep in her belly.
“I sense... Is that You, God?”
She’s looking at me, yet she’s not. There’s no sight in her eyes.
“Thank you... Not just for Your blessing, but for fighting with us through Kuroi.”
Bright red blood contrasts with her pale white face. Her life force... her HP... that thing I used to see only as numbers, it’s...
“Are You crying? So You can be angry and sad for our sakes? God... Humanity’s God... is so human.”
The warmth is fading from her cheeks, flowing out of her along with her blood. There’s nothing I can do. It can’t be stopped.
Is this a game? If it is, it’s sick. She’s human. She’s a singular, precious human.
“Take this...” Summoning the last of her strength, she reaches into her breast and produces... a dagger. “I’m not strong enough to fight, but please... At least take this.”
I have no option but to take it. There’s nothing else I can do.
“God, please... This world that was home to my daughter, my husband, and me... This world where Kuroi and Sira still live in...”
Her hand is losing its grip. Her life is disappearing. Ah...
“Please... bring hope... Deus... Ex...”
Ah... Ahhh... AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!