Chapter 62

RATATATATATAT!! A rapid burst of gunfire rang out. I kept low and blocked the stray rounds with Shield Pieces.

(The energy isn't infinite. Time to move.)

The shooting stopped.

(G-AGE!)

I rose and slipped my finger onto the G-AGE's trigger—but—

"...!?"

I froze with my finger still on the trigger.

"Shiki-ccho...?"

(What is this feeling... My skin's prickling. A stagnant pressure...!?)

A different kind of pressure from Ms. Tsukigami or Tsubasa-san... It isn't the attacker. Who is it?

"Huh? Who the hell're you?!"

The attacker's eyes snap toward us. At that instant—

"... Disturbing my sleep is a grave offense."

Kweeeeeen!!! A shrill metallic screech came from the luggage rack. By the time everyone turned toward the sound, nothing was there—only a figure dropping in front of the attacker.

"That's..."

The figure was the person who'd been sleeping on the rack moments ago. Only, she'd ditched the sleeping bag and now wore a white lab coat, a whirring, bladed weapon in hand—a chainsaw.

"You—!?"

Two flashes.

The first slashed the attacker's prized submachine gun to pieces; the second severed her right arm at the shoulder.

"Dammit!!"

The attacker staggers back two steps, only to have the chainsaw carve off her left arm in a follow-up strike.

(This isn't an ordinary chainsaw. A physical blade spins beneath another layer of spinning laser edges. Brutal power. From what I can see it's a very idiosyncratic weapon, yet she wields it flawlessly. Who is she?)

I studied the chainsaw-wielder.

Black knit clothing under a white coat, a miniskirt bristling with tools. She still wore her eye mask even after ditching the sleeping bag. She looked like a scientist or researcher.

Her hair was black with lime-green inner highlights in a bob cut. She wore a permanent grin, radiating something unknowable.

"Damn it! A chainsaw...!? What kind of joke weapon is that!!"

The fight was already over. The attacker stood squarely in the woman's range, both arms gone, no longer able to hold any weapon.

Yet the woman in white didn't finish her off. Instead she carved off the attacker's legs.

"Guh—!?"

Unable to stand, the attacker collapsed to the floor. The woman seized her by the hair and sat her on a seat.

"A joke weapon, sure. It's loud, heavy, delicate—its only real merit is destructive power. Wondering why I picked it? I chose it to make death heavy. In this game there's no pain, and death is just a respawn. Death has no weight. For scum like you, simply killing you is too light. But if I split you from the top of your head to the tip of your crotch with this chainsaw, you'll come away with some serious trauma. I can't physically harm your body, but this way I can corrode your mind."

"Ah, ah...!?"

With theatrical relish the woman revved the chainsaw—vrrm, vrrm.

"I love this sound. That ear-splitting shriek. When I shave down Space Girls it makes an even sweeter noise—one that echoes in the soul."

"I-I'm sorry... I'm sorry! I just wanted to try my new weapon and got carried away. I'll make proper amends for killing the passengers—"

"Hold it. Don't get the wrong idea. I'm not blaming you for killing the passengers. Do whatever you like. The only reason my brain's pumping out noradrenaline and adrenaline is because you interrupted my deep sleep."

The chainsaw's roar filled the car.

"Well, you can't actually lose consciousness in-game, so I was just lying down with my eyes closed."

"Th-then it wasn't deep sleep...!"

"Hmm, true. Ahaha! Who cares? You ticked me off, so I'm killing you. Simple."

The train came to a halt.

(Have we arrived? If so, the police will be here soon. Buy time.)

I stepped closer, pressing the G-AGE against the back of the woman's head.

"P-please stop. Leave the rest to the police. She's already lost the will to fight..."

"So? If I'd lost, she'd have killed me without hesitation. Even if I'd lost the will to fight and begged through tears, she'd have killed me. Yet when I win, you expect me to show mercy? When she loses the will to fight, you expect me to go easy? I've always thought this world is way too soft on crazy people."

"Um... I'd have stopped whoever was winning. It's not about being soft on anyone. If I'm soft on crazy people... then I'm not stopping you either."

"Oho. Cute face, sharp tongue."

The woman twitched her left hand slightly.

"M-move and I'll shoot."

"Is that so? Then I've no choice."

She raised both the chainsaw in her right hand and her empty left.

While feigning surrender, she instantly spun and slashed at me.

(Just as I thought.)

One, two, three swings. I evaded the chainsaw, and she flashed a grin and halted her attack.

"Nice! You read me perfectly!"

(The chainsaw should be heavy, yet she's fast. Some hidden mechanism—)

"Then how about this?"

She aimed her left hand—empty a moment ago—at me.

From beneath the long hem of her coat, a gun barrel peeked out.

(A hold-out gun!!)

I fired the G-AGE, blasting the hidden pistol apart.

"—Fast. I'm not a fan of quick-draw, but that's the first time I've ever lost the draw."

Judging by the shape, it was a shotgun. Had I reacted even 0.01 seconds later, I'd be dead.

"... If you don't stop, this won't end at play."

"!?"

When I let my bloodlust show, the woman quickly leapt back.

"You're interesting. I'm sure of one thing: you didn't stand in my way to protect her. You simply chose someone worth fighting."

Heavy footsteps echoed from the rear cars.

Hearing them, the woman relaxed her stance.

"Pity. I'd like to play with you more, but the noisy crowd's almost here. I'll take my leave."

She carved a hole in the train wall with her chainsaw.

"You are...?"

"I'm Rosetta. If you live in this city, we'll meet again."

Calling herself Rosetta, the woman slipped through the hole and vanished outside.

(Interesting person...)

Almost immediately, women in military uniforms entered our car. Chacha-san and I explained the situation, the attacker was arrested, and the incident was closed.

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