Jujutsushi 275.1
Chapter 275: Collapse 1
TL : Cnine
ED/PF :
R1: [1-3], R2[4-5]
Part 1
Before I knew it, the sun had set.
After escaping the tower, we ran frantically through the forest. Should I call it fortunate that we all managed to get away safely?
It was fortunate that I had prearranged escape routes from the tower, like the second-floor windows. We managed to get away quickly, and my clash with Zagan in the hall was over in no time. Even in that brief moment, I felt the full force of his power all too keenly.
Furthermore, the smoke screen we used to conceal ourselves from their sight proved useful during our escape.
It was an item called a smoke bomb, made by Momokawa. It was left unused in the battle against Yamata no Orochi, but he said that during the long escape ahead, we might need it to flee from monsters. That’s why he had been steadily making things like this.
Even that painstaking effort was probably just a ruse to deceive us.
However, the smoke bomb he made proven to be effective. When thrown, a thick white smoke billows up, blocking all sight.
Thanks to the smoke bomb we were able to escape the tower smoothly and shake off their pursuit quickly.
After shaking off Goma’s pursuers, we continued moving through during the bright hours to put as much distance between us and them as possible — And eventually reached a cave carved into a sheer cliff.
This was a rugged mountain, marked by cliffs and steep slopes, with caves so numerous it seemed almost unnatural. We hid in one of them and decided to spend the night here.
「I’m starving. I'll whip something simple to eat..」
Futaba-san’s carefree voice echoed emptily through the cave. For just this moment, I envied her, having lost her mind and unable to recognise the reality of our situation.
「Uhm, Souma-kun...」
「I’m sorry, Himeno-san. Could you look after Futaba-san for me?」
「Got it. Either way, we still have to make dinner.」
With a wry, almost strained smile, Himeno-san took Futaba-san’s hand as she murmured, “What should I make for dinner?” and walked away from us.
Fortunately, the cave was spacious. A little further away, we should be able to light a fire and cook some food.
「I-I'll stand by to watch outside!」
「Alright, I’m counting on you, Minami. I’ll let you know when the meal’s ready, so until then, please take care of things.」
「Uhm, leave it to me.」
When Natsukawa-san volunteered to keep watch, I realised for the first time that a lookout was necessary. This was absurd— My brain couldn't think straight. Right now, I’m just pretending to be calm.
This was too much. I couldn’t take it anymore. I felt like I’m about to lose control.
「U-Uh...」
IA groan echoed in the dark, silent cave.
「JURY! HAVE YOU WOKEN UP?! PULL YOURSELF TOGETHER!」
「Yoshizaki-san, take care not to overstimulate her. Nonomiya-san, are you okay? Do you know who I am?」
On the sleeping bag lying on the cave floor, Nonomiya-san lies, gravely wounded.
As she woke, Yoshizaki-san was the first to lean in, followed by Sakura, who spoke to her gently.
Having lost both arms and bearing a deep wound in her chest, she couldn’t possibly walk by herself. I somehow managed to carry her this far, but…
「I-it hurts… It hurts so much…」
「Oi, Souma! What are you waiting for? Use healing magic quickly!」
「I’ve used all the healing I could use. The bleeding has stopped, and the wound has closed. There’s nothing more I can do beyond that.」
I couldn't bear to hear that.
I could feel how painfully distressing it was, for Yoshizaki, who was thrown into turmoil, and for Sakura, who had come to realise that no amount of healing magic could fully mend the situation.
No matter how much pain they endure, there was nothing I could do for them.
That’s because the point where I could do anything about it has long passed.
「... Mary... Are you there?」
「I'm right here, Jury! I'm right by your side!」
「It's cold, Mary... Please, hold my, hand...」
「Y-Yes, sure...」
With vacant eyes, Nonomiya muttered as if in a trance. Her request to hold her hand was unbearably sad and cruel.
I couldn’t even grant Yoshizaki-san something as simple as holding her hand.
After all, both of her hands were gone.
「Yoshizaki-san, please place your hands, on her shoulders.」
「Y-Yeah... Jury, I'm right here, can you feel it?」
Following Sakura’s advice, Yoshizaki-san, tears streaming down her face, gently touched Nonomiya-san’s shoulders.
「It’s so cold… So cold… Mom, Dad, where are you… It’s dark and freezing here…」
「JURY, NO! GET HANG IN THERE!」
A desperate cry. Yet no matter how loudly I called out to her, my voice would likely never reach Nonomiya-san.
Her dark eyes no longer reflected even the face of the friend standing before her.
「... Jury? Hey, no, don't scare me like that, wake up.」
「Yoshizaki-san, I’m afraid Nonomiya-san is already…」
「Shut up! This can’t real, it can’t be! Jury...... NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!」
For a while after that, Yoshizaki wept, holding onto her friend’s broken, pitiful corpse.
It was hopeless. No matter how much Sakura’s healing magic was used on her, the wound was too deep.
Deep down, I had known from the very beginning. I could see at once that she wouldn’t survive with that kind of wound.
Nonomiya-san had only survived for so long simply because of her 『Knight』 vocation. Her remarkable vitality may have, ironically, made her final moments even more agonising.
Even so, who could give her a merciful end? Ah, Momokawa… Maybe that’s something you could actually do.
「Let’s let Nonomiya-san rest peacefully. Yoshizaki-san, come over here.」
「Uuuuu...」
Sakura held Yoshizaki-san’s shoulders as she cried herself dry and slowly left the scene.
「Yamada-kun, Nakajima-kun, could you help carry Nonomiya-san over there? We’ll bury her at dawn tomorrow.」
「Uhm, got it.」
「G-Got it, Class Rep.」
Nonomiya-san’s body was carried by Yamada and Nakajima. As the Class Rep said, there was no way they could dig a grave in the middle of the night.
After that, the three of them returned, and before long, Sakura came back as well.
A heavy, almost suffocating silence dominated the cave.
No one spoke. What could be said at a time like this, just after a dear comrade has died?
「…Everyone, listen up. We can’t say this cave is completely safe.」
As expected, Class Rep was the one who broke the ice.
And now that it had been brought up, I suppose it was the high time I faced reality myself.
「Ah, indeed… We need to think about our next move.」
「What do you mean by "Our next move"?」
Ueda spoke with a sharp, barbed tone.
「What do you mean, "Our next move"’… Nakai’s dead… and Shimokawa’s gone too.」
We had just witnessed Nonomiya-san’s agonising final moments. Even so, she was still fortunate to have passed away surrounded by everyone.
Nakai, whose body had been cleaved in two by Zagan’s strike, couldn’t possibly have been retrieved at that time. Without a doubt, his corpse would inevitably be devoured by the Goma.
He was at least spared the agony of being eaten alive, dying instantly instead. I must think so, or I wouldn’t be able to endure it.
「…I’ll go tomorrow and try to find Shimokawa.」
「Hey, Ueda, don’t talk nonsense. The Goma have us backed into a corner right now.」
「Shut up! We’re going to find him! Shimokawa’s still alive! Yeah, that guy… He can be a bit scatterbrained sometimes, so he might be just got separated for a bit.」
「Ueda-kun, please — Whatever you do, don’t go off to search alone. I can’t allow another person to die.」
I’ve always felt that way, right up till now.
Even when Hiroki died, and even when I witnessed Reina’s death with my own eyes, I thought I had got through it.
Yeah… That’s right. It was nothing more than my own illusion. Those two died entirely because I wasn’t there.
But this time it was different. I was there — Right in front of them — And yet, I couldn’t protect them.
Two people died because of me. I couldn’t even blame Momokawa anymore.
「Let’s search for him, all of us… Shimokawa’s still alive. He wouldn’t abandon his friends, would he?」
「…I’m afraid there’s no hope for Shimokawa. Even if he had somehow survived, we simply don’t have the capacity to search for him right now. Ueda, you know that yourself, don’t you?」
Ueda furrowed his brow in anger at Class Rep’s remarks, almost cruel in her bluntness. He wanted to shout, yet in the end, no angry sound came out.
「Dammit... Why, why did this happen...」
Just as Class Rep had said, Ueda truly recognised reality. He couldn’t lash out in denial; all he could do was be crushed by the cruel truth of losing two friends in a single day.