My youth story cannot be a knight war

Zaimokuza blinked, his grasp empty, and looked up at Kousaka, who had regained his feet, bewildered. The smile on Kousaka's face seemed an illusion. He glanced at Zaimokuza expressionlessly, his eyes revealing deep disdain.

[“—I refuse. You’d better come up on your own. If all else fails, you can jump in. The sea water probably won’t drown you anyway. I’m going to save someone now.”]

"Hey, hey!? Mr. Kousaka! Don't go! Wait! What is that? An octopus! A giant octopus's tentacles are wrapped around my legs! Mr. Kousaka! Help!!"

Although it wasn't entirely the opponent's fault, Kousaka still harbored resentment after taking that close-range blow. Now that his best punching bag had arrived uninvited, he, having been deeply victimized by the white-haired rabbit in every way over the past year, immediately decided to kick him when he was down, unleashing his deep-seated resentment on the opponent without hesitation.

Rolling his eyes upward, he simply turned around and ignored the desperate wail of the white-haired rabbit behind him. Holding the lifebuoy, Takasaka followed closely, heading towards the coast guards swimming towards the cruise ship in the distance.

Chiba Prefecture, Sobu High School, Service Club.

"Huh~ Finally got rid of No. 35. It really made me sweat."

Tobe Sho wiped the sweat from his forehead, let out a long sigh as he watched the battle end on the light screen, and at the same time couldn't help but pinch his left shoulder.

"To be honest, when I saw Zaimokuza's shoulder being pierced by No. 35's spear and then nailed to the pillar, I almost thought it was the end of him."

"Uh……!"

Shizuka Hiratsuka took the cigarette with teeth marks on it out of her mouth and nodded in agreement. Zaimokuza's expression suddenly stiffened when he heard her words. He subconsciously clasped his left shoulder with his hand and felt a soreness in his gums.

Recalling the scene he had witnessed earlier, even Zaimokuza, outside the light curtain, couldn't help but feel a phantom pain in his left shoulder, as if a bone spear had actually pierced through it. His heart nearly stopped when he saw his future self, in his Pegasus-ascended form, being pinned to a pillar by Number 35.

The perception of Pegasus form was already far superior to that of the other forms, let alone the enhanced power of the fifth element. Its perception in this state was thousands or even tens of thousands times greater than that of its human counterpart. A piercing wound to the shoulder was enough to send a person into shock and coma, but if it were Pegasus form that had received the same blow... Zaimokuza shuddered, not wanting to recall the memory.

It was truly an indescribable pain in life. The pain of castration that eunuchs in ancient times experienced when entering the palace was nothing compared to the pain that Zaimokuza Yoshiteru suffered at that time. There was no comparison at all.

Fortunately, they managed to get through this stage safely. Although it was the rule of the game, guy No. 35 was so arrogant that he directly posted a murder notice on the Internet, and even marked the crime scene in the form of a riddle. In the end, he was wiped out by the police ambush, which was his own fault.

Meanwhile, Yukinoshita noticed something else. She carefully recalled the number and names of the Gurongi that she had memorized before, frowned slightly, and spoke with a flickering look in her eyes.

"Including the 35th who was expelled this time, the only Gurongi left in the GO Group as far as I can remember is—"

"There are two left."

The voice beside her interrupted her thoughts, and a feeling of almost physiological displeasure subconsciously spread in her heart. Yukinoshita's brows, which had been slightly frowned, were now furrowed sharply, and she looked to the side with a cold face.

"Hayama-san, it's very rude to interrupt someone else."

"I'm sorry, I said that subconsciously after hearing you mumbling to yourself, Yukinoshita-san. Please forgive my rudeness."

"Humph~"

Hayama smiled apologetically, and Yukinoshita didn't say anything more. She snorted coldly and turned her head to the side. Yuigahama felt a headache when she saw the conversation between her two friends was so one-sided and tense.

"Xiao Qi, that..."

"Yeshan is right. There are indeed only two Gurongi left in the GO Group now."

She looked at Hikigaya for help, but Hikigaya had no intention of getting in on the atmosphere between them, which was obviously caused by old grudges. He shook his head helplessly to show that he could not help, and then took the opportunity to change the subject with what Hayama said.

"Aside from one other Gurongi whose true identity is still unknown, the only remaining GO Group player is Gadoru. The referee team can basically rule that he is not participating in the game."

"So, as long as there's no other higher-level group, then Kousaka and Zaimokuza only need to defeat these two Gurongis. The only remaining Gurongi they need to face should be... Zero."

"..."

As soon as Hikigaya uttered this codename, the previously noisy atmosphere in the Service Club suddenly quieted down. No one here would forget the scene they had witnessed earlier on the screen. Zaimokuza subconsciously clenched his fists, his eyes filled with extreme solemnity.

Including the previous battle in Waichang Village, Number Zero had only attacked twice, even including his initial resurrection. But it was in those two attacks that everyone witnessed his unspeakable and terrifying power.

After being strengthened by the fragment, Number Three's strength was almost uncanny. Even the combined strength of "Kousaka Kyousuke" and "Zaimokuza Yoshiki" had been defeated, yet it was powerless against Number Zero. Judging from what "Kousaka Kyousuke" saw at the time, Number Zero probably only used a single move.

With one move, the night was lit up and the atmosphere was burned. The number three who was hit was directly weakened to the point that he could be killed with just a few nerve-breaking bullets. The difference in strength shown by this was truly chilling.

Hikigaya watched the reactions of the people around him after hearing this name, sighing silently inwardly. The current situation seemed optimistic, but in reality, it had reached the brink of extreme danger.

If the fragment is actually the belt fragment of No. 0 as speculated, then after retrieving all the belt fragments, his strength will surely be able to reach a higher level, or in other words, he will be able to recover his true strength that he has never shown before.

Furthermore, a massive time bomb is buried at Kurodake in Nagano Prefecture. While the true strength of the sealed creature is unknown, according to what Number Three said during his sacrifice, the other party is the original king of the Gurongi clan, and like Number Zero, belongs to the "N" Group of Gurongi. Judging from this, it's likely that he will be no less powerful than Number Zero, who has recovered his full strength.

And with humanity's current strength, facing two monsters as powerful as the ocean... Honestly, the future isn't bright, but rather bleak. Hikigaya felt a heavy heart at the thought, so oppressive it was almost difficult to breathe.

In this situation, all he could do was take things one step at a time. He finished his thoughts, shook his head, and was about to speak.

The sudden flash of golden light interrupted Hikigaya's words. He looked at the light curtain in front of him that was flashing with light, and his pupils shrank slightly under the stimulation of the strong light. Not only him, but the light curtains in front of everyone began to flash with the same luster.

"This is—a new chapter!"

What happened when the light curtain moved suddenly flashed through his mind, and Ye Shan immediately understood the meaning of this abnormal phenomenon.

"At this time..."

Hikigaya's brows furrowed slightly as he looked at the square light curtain that was blooming with brilliance. Many thoughts popped up in his mind, but in the end he calmed down.

In any case, let’s first take a look at the classical Chinese text that usually opens each chapter and see if we can analyze anything from it.

But this time the scene that appeared on the light curtain was completely beyond his expectations. After the light curtain dimmed and lit up in an instant, what appeared was not the classical Chinese text full of superstitious atmosphere, but a familiar scene that seemed familiar.

Hikigaya Hachiman slumped exhaustedly in the service club chair, slumped over the table, and refused to move.

He once believed that Zaimokuza's writings had reached the pinnacle of mental torture, and that anyone who could endure the mental pollution and read them all was a true hero, a feat comparable to being able to eat a whole plate of cookies made by Yuigahama without passing out... But he was wrong, utterly wrong.

[The truth is, some people in this world are born with the gift of inflicting pain on others. This is God's ruthless test of them. They are either creating pain or on the way to creating pain, never stopping.]

[Faced with this brand-new "masterpiece," his spirit suffered an unprecedented blow, as if a thousand trumpets were blaring simultaneously in his ears. His mind went blank, and he almost forgot his own name. In his delirium, he almost confessed his sins from past and future lives.]

Yuigahama Yui was knocked over instantly, now sprawled beside him. Her massive front armor was compressed into a terrifying shape by her weight on the tabletop. Facing this scene, Hikigaya felt a rush of hot blood rushing to his nose and brain. Simultaneously, the rising blood pressure in his veins helped to revive his already fragile spirit.

Fortunately, the heavens have mercy on the culprit who caused all this. Looking up at the fat, white-haired man, whose body was as white as his hair, being criticized by Yukinoshita with a cold face and words as cold as the dead of winter, Hikigaya felt a sense of satisfaction in his heart that he had received the punishment he deserved.

"Xiao Qi! You actually—wait, this is…"

Yuigahama immediately blushed, crossed her arms over her chest, and glared at Hikigaya with her pink eyes that were about to drip with shame, but just as she opened her mouth, she thought of something and her expression froze.

Not only her, but also Hikigaya, Zaimokuza, and Yukinoshita, several other members of the Service Club were stunned. They all stared at the light screen with blank expressions, and the people around them cast strange looks at them because of their behavior.

"This should... be a memory like before, right? Why are you reacting like this, Hikigaya-kun?"

Yeshan looked at the reaction of the service club in confusion, while Hikigaya looked at the scene on the light screen in shock and doubt, his eyes gradually widening.

"No, this isn't a memory. This happened before, before light and video appeared!"

"At that time, we—"

“Wait, wait a minute…!”

The criticism finally ended, and Zaimoku fell completely silent under her extreme outburst. Seeing this, Yukinoshita Yukino let out a long sigh and tried to stand up with her legs, which were a little weak. She had to walk out slowly first.

But just as he stood up, Zaimokuza stretched out a trembling hand and pleaded with the voice of a seriously ill patient, almost taking his last breath. Yukinoshita's brows twitched when she heard it, and a sense of foreboding began to well up in her heart.

"...The evaluation I promised you has concluded, Zaimokuza-san. I've clearly explained the weaknesses of your work. Go back and reflect on it. We'll talk later if you need anything."

[“No! It’s not over yet!”]

Zaimokuza, who had been looking like he was about to end his life, suddenly stood up as if he had been injected with stimulants. Panting heavily, he reached into his windbreaker and pulled something out, speaking in a desperate tone.

"I, I still have a work to show! It's not over yet! Buchou! You promised me!"

【“!”】

Hikigaya, who was not far away, was shocked when he heard this. His upper body, which was lying on the table, immediately flowed under the table like a melting tom, and he sneaked towards the door of the club room.

"Where do you want to go? Hikigaya-kun."

[…No, I just wanted to check if the door handle was a little loose.]

Just as his hand was about to touch the doorknob, a slender hand suddenly slapped his shoulder. At the same time, a demonic female voice echoed from behind, causing Hikigaya to wilt. He could only turn around with a look of despair. Yukinoshita Yukino's face, a fake smile, appeared behind him, her other hand tightly gripping a sheaf of manuscript paper. From the excessive force applied, the paper was wrinkled, and the knuckles of her already pale fingers were so pale they looked like bones.

"Really? (You want to escape)? Then why don't you come with me and watch Zaimokuza-san's masterpiece (You want to leave me and Yuigahama-san behind)? I believe this will be a far more exciting work than the previous one, and it will shock you far beyond anything you've experienced before (We die together, don't try to escape alone)!"

“Of course… no problem.”

Like a sage facing death with equanimity, Hikigaya smiled at the girl's breathtakingly beautiful smile and raised, delicate fist. His smile was particularly hearty and relieved, with a faint Buddha's light shimmering behind him.

[Komachi, brother loves you~]

……

Looking at the stack of manuscripts in their hands, Hikigaya and Yukinoshita fell silent, while Zaimokuza stood aside, his hands nervously clasped, like a suspect awaiting the judge's verdict.

【“H-How is it???”】

[Face to face the question, Hikigaya removed the manuscript paper covering his face. At this moment, his DHA-rich eyes were actually overflowing with hot tears.]

"Hachiman, what's wrong with you?!"

[“…It’s okay, I was just too moved.”]

Zaimokuza looked at his best friend's reaction at a loss, while Hikigaya shook his head gently, wiped the tears from his eyes, and spoke with emotion.

"I can't believe you can actually write a story that doesn't make people faint, and the content is so normal—I'm so moved!"

【"Hello!"】

"Indeed... Zaimokuza-kun, isn't it possible to do it if you want to?"

Zaimokuza immediately shouted in dissatisfaction, and Yukinoshita put down the manuscript in front of her. The smile on her face was filled with compassion, like a bodhisattva who had attained enlightenment. Yukinoshita looked at Zaimokuza with a gentleness she had never before shown. However, he felt neither honor nor admiration at being stared at by such a beautiful woman, only extreme discomfort.

He didn't know why, but he always felt that the other person now made him feel like his own mother at home, so kind and tolerant.

"Is this story really as true as you say—okay? But this story is just based on a strange dream I had a while ago, and I wrote down what I remembered from the dream."

“Please write according to your dreams from now on!”

Hikigaya looked at Zaimokuza with a solemn expression, like that of a steely father, and spoke in an extremely serious voice.

"Hmm~ Although Zaimokuza-san said this work was based on your dreams, it's surprisingly orthodox. It's not at all like the previous work that was so unconventional."

Yukinoshita shook the stack of manuscript paper in her hand. It contained the first half of the story, while Hikigaya held the second half.

"And did you also write down this opening preface from your dream? Regardless of the content, it certainly has an epic quality."

[She opened the first page of the manuscript in her hand. On the first page, a line of poetry was written in a somewhat rough handwriting.]

After seeing this scene, Zaimokuza reached into the lining of his windbreaker under the gazes of the people around him, and hesitantly took out a stack of manuscript paper that was exactly the same as the one on the light screen.

"What did you write on the first page of this story, Zaimokuza-san?"

Yukinoshita focused her gaze on the stack of manuscript paper and asked softly.

"Well, I remember it was..."

Zaimokuza pinched the cover of the manuscript and opened the first page of the story. The two lines of preface written on the paper, one above the other, caught everyone's eye.

——Destiny once asked the world a question.

——And the "hero" gave the answer on behalf of the "world".

"These two sentences are surprisingly powerful, aren't they? Zaimokuza, they don't sound like something you could write. Did you copy them from somewhere?"

Hikigaya shakes the manuscript in his hand and teases Zaimokuza, which immediately draws a roar of dissatisfaction from the other party.

"It's not plagiarism, okay?! I still have the dignity of a literary creator! This general would never do such a despicable thing!"

"Well, then just treat it as if it was you who wrote it."

【"Hello!"】

"But Zaimokuza-san, your story is truly innovative. I never thought your writing would be so mediocre, yet your dreams are so imaginative... It's truly a miracle."

"Buichiro, even you... Uuuu~ Hachiman!!!"

"Hey! Don't go over there—Puff!"

Ignoring Zaimokuza, who threw himself into Hikigaya's arms, crushing him along with the chair, and Hikigaya's screams under the weight, Yukinoshita flipped open the first chapter of the story after the prologue with great interest, reading and reciting.

[“After a long time, the darkness dormant in the ancient times is ready to stir and awaken in the modern era.”]

"An ordinary young man gained an ancient power sealed away along with darkness. To protect the world, he fought tirelessly against the awakening forces of darkness. In the end, he—"

"Became a hero."

[These words have traveled through the wheel of time, long past, on the verge of decay and oblivion, and are ringing in my ears at this very moment.]

Yukinoshita Yukino sat quietly alone in the office, looking at the stack of yellowed manuscript paper on the table, her head lowered and she remained silent. Her beautiful black hair fell down, obscuring the color of her eyes.

I originally borrowed this manuscript from him because I found the story unexpectedly interesting, intending to take a closer look at it after returning home. However, I soon forgot about it because of a request from Mr. Totsuka regarding Kawasaki-san. Since then, the manuscript has been kept in a drawer in my room. Since then, many things have happened one after another, leaving Yukinoshita Yukino overwhelmed.

[Over time, even she herself had forgotten that there was such a story, sealed in a drawer in her room... until recently.]

[When the world-devouring disaster descends, all forgotten memories awaken.]

[And Yukinoshita, who had only just read this story, finally realized the truth. It turned out that the ending of the story had been in her hands all that time ago.]

【——But she didn’t see it.】

[And only now did she realize that the authority to change this outcome had always been in her hands.]