Depths of the Otherworldly Labyrinth (WN) – Chapter 320

Memories of “Elementary School.”

A school building with regular, clear windows lined up against a faded beige concrete exterior.

It was the classroom at the far end of the fourth floor. Row upon row of elementary school desks, carved with graffiti, filled the room, with a teacher’s desk and a blackboard at the front. The setting sun’s orange glow streamed in through the side windows. Though it was supposed to be a fleeting memory, a profoundly nostalgic scent wafted through the air. Just one whiff was enough to unearth a multitude of old recollections.

Now, it brought back every memory tied to those scents.

Around this time, I was feeling defeated by my sister’s talent and was treated as an “invisible child” by my parents.

I had no friends back then. These memories were undoubtedly of a time when I was experiencing profound hardship and suffering, yet the fleeting memory shone with a bright radiance.

Inside the classroom at dusk, there were only two students.

Me and a girl. A lovely girl with slightly brownish hair that fell to her shoulders.

The two of us faced each other, tears welling up in both of our eyes.

The small girl held the hand of the crying, small me, encouraging me with a weak but determined resolve.

“D-Don’t cry! You won’t be alone anymore!”

“…Yeah. We’ll be together from now on. …I want you to be with me.”

“Yes. I won’t disappear from before you, Kanami… From now on, we’re ‘all together.’ So please, don’t cry anymore…”

When did this memory take place…?

Or rather, who is this girl, anyway…?

My friend…? No, this face… I think I know it.

Ah. She was my childhood friend, I believe.

She was the daughter of a certain conglomerate, with circumstances somewhat similar to mine. Though she was worldly, she had grown up differently from me, in a more straightforward way… or so I recall. I met her face-to-face many times… I think. She helped me out many times… I feel like she did. We played together often… I believe so.

Why had I forgotten her until this very moment…?

I don’t remember the names of everyone in my class, but I should at least have remembered her name…

Without a doubt. This is the memory of being saved from the depths of despair by her.

My childhood. It was a scene from the “conclusion” of a long and arduous battle.

The beginning of a brilliant, golden boyhood.

Yes.

I had one childhood friend, and with her—

The moment I recalled this completely, the scene in the classroom vanished like mist.

Stripped down to the bare facts, it moved on to the next memory.

Ignoring my will, the stream of memories flowed on with relentless speed—

—After “Elementary School,” it was “A Room in a High-Rise Apartment”—

This time, I was slightly older than before.

Probably around junior high school age.

I was at home—in that room filled only with the sound of rain.

I was facing my father in the living room with its glass walls.

Around this time, I had already given up on my own potential.

Without a doubt, these memories were also of a time of great hardship and suffering—yet, once again, a bright stream of memories rushed before my eyes.

Inside the living room, again, just the two of us.

My father and I.

My father, with the rain-beaten window behind him, was smiling at me.

I smiled back and desperately called out to him.

“—Dad, let’s all live together! I want us all to be together! From now on, forever together!”

“Yeah, that’s right… I want that too. I wanted that, all along… I have a family. Even a fool like me, as long as you’re here, Uzunami—that’s all I need…”

It was an unbelievable sight.

My father and I, with tears in our eyes, were smiling at each other, attempting to reconcile as a family.

My father was looking at me…?

He even looked as if he was about to embrace me. It seemed like a scene where years of estrangement within a family were resolved, and a single tragedy reached its “conclusion.”

Impossible…

This was impossible…!! This was why I had been alone for so long. No one helped me, and that’s how I ended up like this. Yet, this made it seem as if—

—The moment my heart cried out like this, the next fleeting memory had already unfolded—

As if to rush me along, without allowing even a moment of reflection, the scene shifted to a “Dense Forest.”

The scenery, which didn’t exist in modern Japanese cities, made it clear this was another world.

And there again, two people.

This time, I looked about high school age. I was dressed in clothing suitable for another world, but I looked not much different from how I did just now. Before me stood a girl who resembled Rustiara, but smaller in size.

This was likely me and Saint Tiara a thousand years ago, the two of us alone, as expected. The two of them were on the verge of death in an unknown forest. Saint Tiara’s injuries, in particular, were severe, but they didn’t seem to be unhealable, and the two of them were using magic to recover.

This, too, appeared to be the “conclusion” of a certain brutal battle. Tiara, having survived the battle, sat with her back against a giant tree and muttered as if she had realized something.

“—Ah, so… that’s why. That’s why Hidaki Sister entrusted this to me… This master’s principles… Does that mean Hidaki Sister was… for all this time, until someone fulfilled this role…? That’s… that’s just…”

“Tiara! Don’t talk! More importantly, hurry with your treatment! We decided to survive together, didn’t we?! You should think about surviving before thinking about all this!”

I declared that this was not the time for talking and tried to prioritize healing. Seeing my desperate state, Saint Tiara nodded.

“Yes, I understand… Master, I finally understand now…”

A girl nodded strongly, returning a sad smile. A boy desperately weaving magic, trying to save her.

Judging by appearances, this was the conclusion of a two-person journey that took place a thousand years ago. This was likely also the end of something important. Something very important—

—Three. I was shown three “conclusions” from the past.

There, the stream of memories ended.

And I was brought back to my current situation, my present “conclusion.” As if being told to compare those four, through this fleeting journey through time, I returned to the 45th floor of Fuziaze Castle—

◆◆◆◆◆

My consciousness returned to my body. However, my body wouldn’t move at all. I was still crawling on the ground. The time of the fleeting memories must have been truly brief. At least, it hadn’t taken long enough for all the blood to drain from my body.

However, Ragune’s position had shifted slightly. She had moved to where she could see my face, and she looked dreadfully pale. I could tell she was surprised from her open mouth. Her expression was as if she had seen something more monstrous than any “monster” and was utterly terrified.

But I felt the same way. More than pale, my face must have been the color of a corpse. The true meaning of the fleeting memories, which had rushed by like a torrent, dawned on me, and the little blood I had left drained from my body to its limit.

The “conclusions” of the fleeting memories were more important than Ragune, more important than my own death. Instinctively, I understood this. Therefore, my brain, which had already resigned itself to death, jolted awake. I understood that I couldn’t fall asleep now.

Connecting the “conclusions” I had seen, and the lines drawn between them, formed a truly grotesque shape. Finally, connecting this to my current “conclusion” of death, the truth—the backstage of this world—emerged faintly. —Approaching that point, I began to understand, in the sanity permitted only on the brink of death. Countless words swirled in my mind. As if truthful facts were tied together by threads, their true intentions were revealed in a chain reaction.

—”Original World,” “Skill,” “???”, “Aikawa Hidaki”—”Tiara’s Rebirth,” “Divine Magic,” “The country of Fuziaze,” “Revannism”—”Tiara and Reaper,” “Magic Body,” “Magic Stone Line,” “Magic Stone Human”—”Shaka Hōkan Jin a Thousand Years Later,” “Dialogue with Palinkron,” “The Conspiracy Behind the Proposals,” “Words Born of Foreknowledge”—”The Three Apostles,” “Thief of Principles,” “Aikawa Uzunami and Nosfy,” “Immortality”—

Memories and deductions flowed out like water, unstoppable. Though I desperately didn’t want to think of it, I was pushed forward and arrived at the inevitable. —A “speculation.” Of course, it was only a speculation. It wasn’t definitive. A possible truth. Just a possibility. One future. But somewhere in my heart, I had already accepted it as the only option. After all, my “Magic” was the magic to see the past and future. That’s how I could realize it. —The “truth” of Aikawa Uzunami’s life. Realizing its true absurdity, I trembled with fear from the depths of my chest. Even though I had lost my limbs, was dying, and was crawling like a worm, writhing and unable to make a sound, an inarticulate wail burst from my throat, and I couldn’t stop it.

“—AAAARRRRGHHHHH—, —,————!!!! ——————, ——————!!!! ————————, ————!!!!”

I wailed. I wailed as if spitting out my saliva, stomach acid, organs, and soul. Gradually, the wail turned into groans, the groans into sobs, and the sobs into whimpers. But my body couldn’t keep up. My abdomen and lungs were gaping holes, and I didn’t even have the strength to make a sound from my throat.

Now, I might be able to find answers to things that had long puzzled me. The reason Hidaki’s illness couldn’t be cured. The reason Saint Tiara gave up. The reason Noi, the master of the Apostles, hadn’t appeared on the ground. But even if I realized it now, I couldn’t stop it. It was right before death. No matter how monstrously strong I had become, the resilience that defied human limits would eventually falter. My vision was becoming increasingly blurry. Dyed crimson by blood, it no longer functioned properly. However, within that blurred red, I could still discern the outline of my objective. Rustiara. If I crawled a little further, I could reach Rustiara. The red vision thinned slightly. Tears streamed from both my eyes incessantly. We were just too pathetic. Tears flowed uncontrollably from a sense of patheticness and regret. Crying, I continued to stare at Rustiara. —At that moment, a question arose.

Had Rustiara already known…? Was that why…? Another hopelessly desperate speculation arose, and tears overflowed. It wasn’t about Rustiara anymore. All our encounters up to this point, our journeys, our memories, our battles, everything— It was truly as Ragune said. I could understand the feeling of wanting to go on stage and kill the actors. I could understand the desire to save Rustiara and Nosfy, who were treated as “stage props” to conveniently advance the play. That was precisely why today was the day. Ragune knew that everything would begin with Nosfy’s death. That’s why she attacked before Nosfy could disappear.

“—A, a, aaahhh…. O, Old Man… Because of me…—”

I caught Nosfy’s voice along with a ringing in my ears. Just as I was writhing on the ground, she, too, was trying to approach me. Finally understanding the situation, she shivered, her hands extended towards me from where she sat on her rear. Seeing that, the last flame flickered within me. With that heat, my heart wasn’t beating, but my supposedly dead body regained a sliver of strength. I extended my remaining left hand towards Nosfy. I wanted to leave a dying wish, to convey that this was absolutely not Nosfy’s fault— “Aa, aa… Nos—fy…. With Rus—tiara, ————!!” Before I could finish, a flash-like blade descended from above my vision. My remaining left arm was severed. A magic sword must have flown from the sky. And not just one. Over ten swords attacked, severing not only my arm but also both my legs. After all four limbs were severed, five swords pierced my torso, pinning me and stopping my dying wish. Seeing this unfold before her eyes, Nosfy let out a scream. Her tears scattering, she extended her right hand towards me, trying to crawl closer. But before she could, Nosfy was struck from behind. Ragune had bisected her with the “Aris Family’s Treasure Sword Rowen.” Nosfy fell forward. It was another surprise attack from behind, while my attention was focused on me. She was truly thorough with attacks from blind spots. Ragune approached me after confirming the severely injured Nosfy could no longer move. Naturally, she proceeded cautiously, step by step. She was deeply wary of a monster that would still move even after its heart was crushed and its HP reached zero. I could tell she was determined not to let me utter my final “incantation” or “half-corpse” transformation. However, I apologize for saying this, but I have no strength left. I have no trump cards. All I can do is look at the fallen Nosfy, as my currently very low line of sight directs me. Nosfy’s spirit had been utterly broken by the shock to both her body and her mind. She fell just like me, looking at me with a tear-streaked face. I doubt she received my previous dying wish. Naturally. In this state, and within that limited time, conveying it accurately was impossible. Insufficient. Words, time, everything was insufficient. I wanted to convey more. To Rustiara, to Nosfy. And to Ragune. I wanted to tell them what I had just realized— But I couldn’t speak. I couldn’t convey anything. I regretted that. I regretted it to no end. “Lingering Desire.” Honestly, I wanted to live from the bottom of my heart. But my flickering vision finally faded. The smell of blood pooling in my nostrils, the taste of blood in my mouth, I could no longer feel them. The tactile sensation in my remaining torso also disappeared. In that disappearance from reality, I still cursed inwardly. If I die now, everything will truly be ruined… That’s why I don’t want to die. Ragune, please… I understand you’re disappointed in me. It’s understandable that you’ve lost faith in me. But this is wrong. Even this is wrong. —I don’t want to die. There’s still something only I can do. So, let me try again. This time, I’ll deliver an answer that satisfies you, Ragune. —I don’t want to die, I don’t want to die. I won’t give a pathetic answer. I will fight. Please, let me fight. —I don’t want to die, I don’t want to die, I don’t want to die! I will not die like this. I absolutely will not die. Absolutely—!! Not yet. I haven’t given up yet. I haven’t won yet. I can still do it. Still— “You’re too stubborn…” The last thing I heard was Ragune’s voice, spoken with malice. And the sound of a cold blade piercing my flesh. Without touch or pain sensation, I no longer know where I was attacked. But I knew this was the final blow. At that moment, it all snapped. The sound of all life functions being cut off, the continuity of self that makes life, life. My vision of black, my metaphysical thoughts, all ceased. And my consciousness drifted to the distant future. Arriving in a place of nothingness. It was vast, yet my throat felt constricted; it was all darkness, yet I could see infinitely. My fingertips were frozen, yet I felt no cold; though I had no body, my soul continued to scream. The world beyond death. I would never return to my original place. All that remained was to drift here forever. Forever, alone here— —Or so I should have thought, but I could hear that sound. It was the sound of rain hitting the window. The sound of so many things falling from a great height and splattering apart. Intertwined with it was—Hidaki’s voice, so familiar. Words I had heard only once before. Echoing endlessly amidst the sound of the rain. “—Just the two of us. Let’s live just the two of us. Big Brother—” I don’t know when I heard it. I don’t know why I’m hearing it now. Of course, I don’t understand its meaning, its reason, anything. Ah, I don’t understand. I don’t understand anything anymore. I don’t understand. I don’t understand. Don’t understand. Don’t understand. Don’t understand. Don’t understand don’t understand don’t understand don’t understand don’t understand don’t understand— Is this reality or magic? Is this the Original World or another world? Is it the past, present, or future? Am I dead or alive? —I don’t want to know. That was Aikawa Uzunami’s end. I’m publishing this without much thought. This concludes chapter 7-2. After a few more epilogues, chapter 7-3 will begin. I’ve decided to do that part all at once. And next time, the true Nosfy arc will finally begin. Since it will span four parts—7-1, 7-2, 7-3, and the final chapter—I apologize for the incredibly slow development of the Nosfy arc. Also… honestly, I really want to revise this chapter 7-2. I have dissatisfaction, the first time since chapter 4… Go, Nosfy. The real battle starts now. Ragune-chan, you too, do your best. Perform a thorough death confirmation.