Rebuild World: Volume 1 Part 1 E-Book

Nahuse

• Herausgeber: J-Novel Club
• Kategorie: Fantasy und Science-Fiction
• Serie: Rebuild World
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2022

Seitenzahl: 363

Beschreibung

Rebuild World: Volume 1 Part 1

Leseprobe

Chapter 1: Akira and Alpha

The wild dog—if it was a dog—struggled to lock its jaws around its victim’s head. Pinned to the ground, the boy shoved a chunk of rubble between its fangs, forcing it in with all the strength in his left arm. Yet the beast did not back off—it bit down hard, as if to consume the boy and debris together. The tough rubble—all that defended the boy’s life—cracked beneath the fangs’ relentless pressure.

Grim and desperate, the boy fired the pistol in his free hand. With the beast at point-blank range, the bullets found their mark—but instead of dying, it attacked him in a greater frenzy. He fired shot after shot to no avail, until the firearm fell silent.

No ammo.

“Damn it!” He cursed, beating his empty gun against the beast’s face. Hanging on to the rubble, he shoved the creature away. To give up meant death, so on he fought, drawing on all his power.

The beast’s strength gave out first. Even as it died, it struggled to devour him. Finally, though, it collapsed and breathed its last. With what remained of his might, the boy heaved the beast off of him. Then he lay there and exhaled deeply.

Aloud, he wondered, “Aren’t I prepared to tackle this?” Then he shook his head, as if to scold himself for his moment of doubt. “No!” he cried out. “I was ready! Like hell I’m gonna give up and turn tail after a little danger!”

With a hard expression, the boy sat up, calmed his breathing, gathered his strength, and arose, determined that the deadly risks he had taken should not go unrewarded. He then emptied a plastic water bottle over his face and head, washing off the beast’s blood that had spattered on him.

When he finished, he reloaded his pistol and renewed his resolve.

“All right,” the boy muttered as he resumed his advance into the ruins of a sprawling city. “Time to move on.”

Rubble littered the ground between rows of half-destroyed buildings. There was no sign of human life. The surrounding silence had swallowed the sounds of the boy’s footsteps, of the pebbles his feet kicked up, and even of his earlier gunfire.

He was exploring the ruins with only his everyday clothes—heavily stained—and a handgun in a dubious state of repair. It was suicide. Only a fool would have run such risks in his gear—or someone in desperate need, like him. He knew this when setting out, and now his brush with death had given him a firsthand appreciation of it—or so he believed. Yet in truth, he was still quite naive about the dangers of these “ruins of the Old World.”

Autonomous weapons, no longer able to distinguish friend from foe, would attack targets indiscriminately. Mechanical guards continued to eliminate intruders, obeying the orders of their long-dead makers. Descendants of biological weapons had turned feral. In the harsh environment, plants and animals underwent one mutation after another. The people who lived in the East called them all “monsters,” making no distinction between the organic and the mechanical. And within the ruins of the Old World, those deadly creatures dwelled, including the predator that had attacked the boy.

He had known this, and yet he had still set foot in these same ruins of his own will, prepared to die. Something here was worth the risk, and his brush with death hadn’t changed that. So he pressed on, staking his own survival on his search for something far more valuable than the cheap life of a child from the slums.

His name was Akira.

◆

Akira stood on the outskirts of the Kuzusuhara Town Ruins—the closest ruins to his home in Kugamayama City and the largest within the city’s economic sphere. Not even his run-in with the monster could deter him from his search.

“Nothing but junk.” He sighed. “I can’t believe I risked my life to get here.” Musing, he wondered aloud, “Do I have to go deeper in?”

Akira lifted his head and stared into the heart of the ruins. Rows of skyscrapers filled the hazy distance, stretching to a horizon of more buildings than he could count. Even from that distance, he could tell that the buildings were larger and better preserved deeper among the ruins. Those distant structures stood in stark contrast to the dilapidated wrecks on the outskirts.

Could I get my hands on something valuable if I made it over there? Akira wondered. Tempted, he hesitated, then shook his head.

“No, I could never—that would be certain death.” He spoke as if trying to convince himself.

The difference between his run-down surroundings and the still-magnificent scenery in the distance lay in this: In the heart of the ruins, the advanced technology of the Old World still functioned, maintaining and repairing the distant towers automatically. Quite probably, then, the mechanical guards around the towers were also intact, deploying the staggering technology of the past against any intruders. A child like Akira had no chance of surviving the areas that the machines guarded.

“It’s hard enough hacking it here on the outskirts.” Akira continued arguing with himself. “Forget about going any deeper. I’ve got work to do.”

Shaking off his desire, he continued exploring the ruins for a while but found nothing worthwhile. Sighing, he noticed a set of bleached bones. He had already discovered and scavenged several similar skeletons, but without recovering anything of value.

Nothing on this one either, huh? Either someone had already stripped these earlier explorers of their valuables, or they had come as ill-equipped as Akira—and died in their recklessness. The thought weighed on Akira’s spirits.

The sun will set on me if I keep this up, he realized. That’d mean trouble. Should I head back for today? Making it back from a dangerous ruin alive is better than any treasure. I could end up as one of these skeletons if I stick around much longer.

Unconsciously, Akira grimaced: for all his excuses, he could not completely erase the desire for something—anything—to show for his trouble. He had already fought one monster and nearly died in the process. Even that brush with death would have been for nothing if he turned back now. His resolve to press on ran up against his desire for safety.

So Akira frowned, debating whether to press on or go back. As if weighing his choices on a pair of scales, his mind shifted back and forth between the two options. If he blithely continued his explorations and another monster attacked him in the darkness of night, he would die—and thus he hesitated. The scales began to tip in favor of retreat, though his decision was tinged with resignation.

Just then, a small, soft light floated across Akira’s field of vision.

What?

The light flickered as it passed through the air in the shadows of the twilit buildings. Like the pale lamp of some luminous bug, smaller than a fingertip, it floated on its own. At first wary, Akira soon relaxed—whatever it was, it didn’t look like one of the monsters that dwelled in the ruins. Following the gleam with his eyes, he spotted a stronger light spilling out from behind the ruined building up ahead. The faint spark flew along the street until it dissolved into the light just around the corner.

As Akira watched, curious, several more lights passed by his face from behind, disappearing around the corner of the building. He glanced behind himself but found only an expanse of darkness—and nothing else coming toward him. He looked forward, and once more saw the faint lights glide past him toward the corner. Akira didn’t know what to make of it all, yet the mysteriousness of the light in the shadows of the ruins stirred his curiosity.

He hesitated a moment, then began to advance toward the corner. Whatever caused the light, it might be something useful. He had risked his life to make it this far, and his desire to have something to show for his troubles won out.

Under the spell of his greed and curiosity, Akira cautiously peered around the corner—and froze, stunned by what he saw. His gaze fixed on the spot where the tiny lights converged, lighting up a section of the broad avenue. In the center of this fantastical scene stood a woman. She appeared mystical, of unearthly beauty—and she was utterly naked, with every inch of her fine features and gorgeous physique open to the eyes of any who might see.

No slum dweller’s skin could hold a candle to hers—smoother and glossier than what even the elite women of the city achieved with the help of wealth, obsession, and Old World technology. Her limbs seemed sculpted like a work of art, and the lustrous hair that hung to her waist showed not the slightest trace of age or wear. Her face, worthy of the adoration of men and women of all ages, wore a look of dignity that enhanced her appearance even more.

Akira was entranced, even bewitched. One glance at her completely transformed his standards of beauty. Her outstanding comeliness eclipsed the memory of every other woman that he had ever seen—or even imagined—in his short life.

A last pale spark flew from behind Akira and came to rest on the woman’s fingertips, where it vanished as if absorbed into her. The radiance about her brightened just a bit. Akira could not take his eyes off the sight.

Without warning, the woman shifted her gaze from her own fingertips to Akira, and their eyes met. Akira beheld every inch of her naked body, yet she only stared intently at him. Unable to break the enchantment, Akira returned her gaze.

The woman broke into a cheerful smile and stepped toward him. Instantly, everything changed for Akira. His rapt expression gave way to a tense, almost fearful, look. She was a stranger trying to approach him, and caution stirred inside him.

He raised his gun. “Don’t move!” he shouted.

Yet nothing about the woman was as Akira expected. The remains of the Old World, home as they were to deadly monsters, claimed even the lives of large groups that were highly trained and heavily armed, yet she stood amid the ruins alone and unarmed. And she wasn’t trying to hide—she didn’t even seem on guard. She wore no clothing, nor did she seek to conceal her exposed body. The wind, eddying around the buildings, stirred up sand and dust, but there was no trace of dirt on her hair or skin. And she didn’t bat an eye when a stranger pointed a gun at her, even though she could see he was shaking badly enough that he might pull the trigger by accident.

All at once, the mystical light around her vanished. She approached Akira, without a hint of caution or threat. As she drew near, naked and smiling, she seemed utterly out of place amid the backdrop of the ruins that had been stripped of fantasy and restored to mere gloom. Now Akira saw her in an entirely different light, as an extremely suspect and unknown factor.

As the smiling woman approached him, he shouted another warning: “I-I said, don’t move! Don’t come any closer, or I’ll shoot! I mean it!”

Normally, Akira would have fired without bothering to give a warning. Here, though, the woman was obviously unarmed, she gave no hint of hostility, and he felt confused in a situation so foreign to his experience. So he restrained his trigger finger. But his patience had a limit. When the woman kept advancing, despite his warning, his finger tensed on the trigger.

Abruptly, she was gone. He hadn’t even blinked, yet he saw no sign of movement. She vanished instantly, completely, and without warning. With his face twisted in confusion, Akira gazed around, but she was nowhere to be seen.

Don’t worry—I won’t hurt you. Impossibly, Akira heard her voice right beside him. He spun around instinctively, and there she was—so close he could touch her. Somehow she was clothed now. Crouching slightly, she looked Akira in the eye as she smiled at him.

So strange were the events of the evening that they already exceeded Akira’s power to cope with the unknown, and as his mind strained to its limits, he became aware of a strange terror that gnawed at his psyche. He gritted his teeth, teetering on the edge of a half-crazed panic; people who lost their senses were the first to die. But Akira’s experience of life in the slums held his consciousness together.

Akira aimed at the woman again, shoving the pistol in his right hand toward her at point-blank range. He should not have been able to completely straighten his arm—she was too close—but he did, burying his hands in the woman’s chest.

He felt nothing there. He could see her right before his eyes, yet he touched only emptiness. Overwrought, he froze, his mind blank, with his gun and hands still piercing her chest.

And no matter how hard the woman tried to get a response from him, speaking and passing her hand before his face, Akira remained still, with his eyes vacant.

◆

Once, in a forgotten age, an advanced civilization had dominated the world. So long ago had it fallen, however, that one could scarcely imagine its former wisdom and glory; all that remained were its ruined cities, buildings crumbling into formlessness, and damaged artifacts. The very rain itself had been altered and remade; over that vast expanse of time, it eroded the ruins that stretched as far as the eye could see. Yet it also nurtured the trees that towered into the skies and supported life.

That long-gone civilization was now known as the Old World, and its advanced technology had left behind many traces: unknown materials piled into mountains of rubble, clusters of crumbling skyscrapers that still floated in the air, medicines that could cure even the loss of a limb, and weapons so powerful that they made extinguishing human life seem like child’s play. These and other artifacts still littered the world, ages after the civilization that had wrought them was no more. Now they were simply known as “relics of the Old World,” fragments of bygone wisdom and glory.

People had gathered those fragments and, over the generations, rebuilt society. Whatever had destroyed the Old World—a civilization so evolved that its technology was indistinguishable from magic—had still failed to wipe out the human race to which that world had belonged.

The East, as it was called, formed one part of the area inhabitable by people. It was home to numerous cities under the rule of governing corporations. Kugamayama was one such city. Massive walls protected part of it, and although the districts inside and outside the walls were equally part of the city, one could find an unmistakable difference between them.

The walls housed the elite district, the sanctum of corporate executives and others who held wealth and power, and the middle district, home to a relatively well-off population. Outside the walls lay the lower district, inhabited by those who—largely for economic reasons—were unable to live within the walls’ protection. And finally, nearest to the desert wasteland and its dangers, sprawled the vast slums.

Here Akira lived, one of the countless children of the slums. Like all of them, he was physically unremarkable: no cyborg implants, no enhanced organs, no nanomachine augmentations or other subtler techs. Nor did he have any specialized skills or formal education. He had no parents, no guardian, and no money, and he never had enough to eat. The slums were overflowing with children like him. His death would attract little notice, let alone surprise.

The monsters of the wasteland sometimes attacked the city, and their first targets were always the slums and slum dwellers closest to their desert abode. Akira had survived three monster attacks. He had made it through the first and second solely by running erratically and hiding behind any cover he could find. Akira had survived because others, people whose names he didn’t even know, had bought him time—by being attacked, killed, and eaten in his place.

The third attack went down differently. Akira couldn’t shake the small, dog-like monster; in the end, he’d fought it to the death, with only a handgun he’d chanced to come by. Miraculously, he had landed three shots on the monster’s head. But his bullets hadn’t killed the beast, which raced toward him, mouth gaping, to devour its prey.

Before the monster’s jaws—abnormally large for such a small creature—could close around Akira’s arm, he instinctively thrust his handgun between its teeth and pulled the trigger. The bullet, fired from inside the creature’s mouth, avoided its tough outer skull and struck the head from within, destroying the brain and killing the beast. The monster took a few moments to die—long enough to sink its teeth deep into Akira’s arm. Even so, he somehow avoided losing either life or limb.

After that, Akira made up his mind to become a hunter, for the opportunity it offered to improve his state in life. He was vaguely aware of the risks professional hunters ran, but his own victory, unaided at that, gave him confidence and hope.

Hunters sought wealth and fame in the desert wastes outside the cities. True, the wasteland teemed with monsters and other dangers that made even the slums, short on law and bursting with cheap firearms, seem safe by comparison. But the desert also promised fabulous wealth and power, for it housed the ruins and relics of the Old World.

Even the hostile monsters themselves were considered valuable relics. Organic monsters were the fruits of advanced bioengineering; mechanical monsters served as treasure troves of valuable components. Both fetched considerable sums in the cities. Successful hunters sometimes earned fortunes large enough to buy cities of their own. And one who seized total control of an Old World ruin that remained functional—especially a military facility—could even found a nation.

A capable hunter gained wealth and power that were orders of magnitude greater than the average person ever dreamed of. Their fortune and strength grew with every precious relic they brought back, allowing them to set their sights on ruins still more dangerous—and lucrative. The most successful, carrying Old World armor and weapons, sometimes acquired authority and military might on a scale that not even cities could match.

That day, Akira had set out to become a hunter. So far, he had killed a monster without help, but that only meant that his chances of returning alive from the monster-infested wasteland were no longer zero. Those chances were still enough to gamble on, however: if he went on living in the slums, then sooner or later he would die there. If he wanted to crawl his way out, then gambling was his only option—gambling on a hunt for a tomorrow that was better than today.

◆

Overwhelmed by his encounter with the mysterious beauty, Akira remained in a daze. Unperturbed, the woman stood patiently and waited for him to return to his senses.

After some time, Akira stirred. Though he still felt confused, he became aware that nothing had done him harm. His eyes focused once more on the woman.

Seeing his awareness return, she smiled again.

Are you all right now? she asked. Can you see me clearly? Can you hear me? Where are we, and who are you?

A look of suspicion darted across his face. “I can see you and hear you. We’re in the Kuzusuhara Town Ruins, and I’m Akira.”

Thank goodness. She seemed delighted. I am Alpha, and it’s nice to meet you.

Akira began to warm up to Alpha, just a bit. For the moment, she seemed safe—enigmatic, it was true, but not hostile. Extreme caution was better reserved for monsters and other direct threats, he felt.

“Ms. Alpha, um, I can’t touch you. You’re not a...” he hesitated. “A ghost?”

No, I’m not, although I would be in trouble if you asked me to prove it. This is a somewhat misleading explanation, and I don’t expect you to fully understand it, but the me that you’re seeing is a type of augmented reality.

Still smiling, Alpha launched into a detailed explanation for Akira, though it was largely meaningless to him. Whether by nature or artifice, the boy’s brain could wirelessly send and receive certain kinds of data. By transmitting the right information into the neural processes for sight and hearing, Alpha caused Akira to perceive her as though she were actually present. What Akira thought of as conversation was really an exchange of signals between his brain and vocal cords, and audio data inserted into his sense of hearing, without any physical sound waves. A similar process allowed them to see each other as well.

When Alpha finished, she saw from his face that he had understood none of what she said. So she tried again, presenting him with only the most basic information. Only you can see me, and only you can hear my voice. So you’ll have to be careful, or people will think you’re a weirdo who talks to empty space. That’s all you need to know. Oh, and you don’t need to call me “Ms.” I’ll just call you “Akira” as well.

All this time, Alpha’s smile never left her lips. It was a smile with no trace of contempt, wariness, or pity for a filthy child from the slums. A smile, that is, that made Akira unconsciously feel more at ease around her.

“I see,” he said at last. “So, what are you doing in a place like this, Alpha?”

I need someone to do me a little favor, so I was searching for someone who can perceive me—someone I can at least have a conversation with. Her smile took on a rueful tinge. I would have preferred a hunter, but, well, I suppose that was asking for too much.

Confused, Akira reflected, then wondered aloud, “Why were you hoping for a hunter?”

Because you could say that the favor I need involves the kind of work hunters do. Oh, but it isn’t as though only a hunter could help me, so I hope you’ll hear me out. Would you please?

That perfect smile returned to her face, and she would have said more had Akira not, after a moment of indecision, hesitantly interrupted, “Well, I am technically a hunter.”

What? A hunter, at your age? Alpha started slightly. How long have you been in the business, Akira?

“O-One...”

One year?

Akira paused before replying. “One day. This is my first day as a hunter.”

Alpha looked doubtful, and a lengthy silence fell between them.

“Sorry,” Akira finally said. “Forget I said anything.”

Since he had already settled on becoming a hunter, he didn’t want to hide his chosen profession. Still, he realized he might not want to introduce himself as a hunter until he could back it up. Having retracted his claim, Akira turned to go, assuming that Alpha would have no business with a hunter who hadn’t earned the name.

Alpha, however, smiled again and called after him. Don’t say that. Would you at least hear me out? Fate brought us together: let us make the most of it.

He lacked the skill to call himself a proper hunter, and she knew it. But she also knew of no other humans who could see or hear her. And given enough time, Akira’s present lack of skill would not be a problem for her.

I want you to conquer a ruin I indicate—in total secrecy, she continued eagerly. In exchange, I’ll provide you with a broad range of support; you’ll get that part of your reward up front. Once you master the ruins, I’ll also present you with a completion bonus: highly valuable relics of the Old World.

“You mean it?!” Startled, Akira raised his voice in spite of himself.

The woman hid a sly smile; outwardly, she wore a look that said she had every confidence in him. I do, she replied. And if you will pardon my bluntness, it seems to me that you’ve exhausted a lifetime’s supply of good luck to get to this opportunity, so you’re going to need my help going forward. If you want to survive, anyway. What do you say?

The stubborn part of Akira demanded that he doubt her words, yet he saw no evidence that she was trying to deceive him.

Besides, what would be the point of tricking a kid like me? Akira wondered. She must see I’m broke by looking at me. Or is she just making fun of me? And even if she is telling the truth, should I really take a job from someone I know so little about?

Then Akira had a flash of insight that made him reconsider. No normal person would give him the time of day. Only because Alpha was a mystery, because she had something to hide, had she brought this offer to him. In which case, Akira determined, he should make the most of his opportunity.

“All right,” he agreed, surprising himself with how firmly he accepted his first mission as a hunter. “I don’t know how much I can do for you, but I’ll take your job.”

Alpha beamed at him. We have a deal. In that case, I’ll start your advance payment of support. Her expression abruptly became deadly serious. If you don’t want to die, dive into the building on your right within ten seconds.

“What are you talking a—?” Suspicious once more, Akira started to demand details, but broke off when he saw that Alpha’s grim expression brooked no argument.

Alpha was counting down. Eight, seven, six... Unless she was lying, he realized, he would die if he stayed there. A moment later, he was sprinting for the building as fast as his legs would carry him.

Alpha watched him go, dissatisfied. So slow. She sighed. His reaction time was not up to her standards. Still, they had only just met, and he hadn’t technically been late, so she gave him a passing grade for the present.

Exactly ten seconds after Alpha began her count, an artillery shell from deep within the ruins struck the spot. A fiery explosion engulfed her figure as debris scattered in all directions. When the dust settled, Alpha was nowhere to be seen. She had not been blown up, nor had she escaped at the last moment—she had never really been there in the first place.

◆

As Akira dove into the building, an explosion rang out behind him. The shock wave, mingled with smoke, blew past him. He turned, startled, and saw that the artillery strike had partially demolished the place where he had stood just moments before. Fissures scored the hard ground, and scorch marks disfigured the landscape. He had no doubt that, had he stayed there, he would have died.

More stunned than frightened, Akira came to his senses when Alpha appeared in front of him without warning.

“Wh-What was—?”

Once again, Alpha’s grim look cut his question short. She pointed to the stairwell. Next, run up the stairs. Eight, seven, six...

Akira raced toward the steps and clambered up desperately. Another explosion roared behind him, its shock wave blasting past him through the stairwell. When he reached the top of the stairs, Alpha met him on the landing. She pointed upward.

Hurry to the floor above. Five, four...

Ignoring his screaming lungs and legs, Akira sprinted up the stairs. Alpha watched him, a faint smile playing on her lips. The boy was acting much more quickly now.

◆

Akira continued to run as Alpha directed. He was out of breath by the time he reached the roof of the building. After a quick scan of the area, he spotted Alpha beckoning to him from the edge of the roof and went to join her without even pausing to catch his breath.

As he drew closer to her, he noticed that she no longer seemed as urgent as before. Slowing his pace, he allowed himself to refill his empty lungs. He sighed deeply when he reached Alpha’s side.

“Alpha,” he said, “what was that about?”

Alpha smiled at him from her position on the edge of the roof and pointed downward. It’s faster to see for yourself, she replied. Look down there—carefully. Keep quiet.

Puzzled, Akira obeyed—then grimaced. Below he saw monsters, the very beasts who had attacked him, prowling the ground as if searching.

They were canine in appearance, around two meters from end to end, but there the resemblance to large dogs ended. Small machine guns rose from their backs, and Akira even spotted some with what looked like rocket launchers or small missile pods. Together, the pack of creatures was patrolling the area in search of invaders.

Akira scowled, thinking how much the monsters resembled the one he had fought earlier, although that dog had lacked weaponry.

“What are they?” he wondered aloud.

Weapon dogs, Alpha replied. Artificial life-forms originally engineered to provide security in urban areas. Guns may grow from their bodies, but they’re still biological, not mechanical.

As Akira turned to look at her, she added, Those ones were probably created to police the town and assigned to guard this area. Each individual is different, but in general their weapons become more powerful as they age. I think that one with the missile pods is the leader of this pack.

While Akira supposed her information might be useful, this wasn’t the reward he was hoping for. Nevertheless, a number of questions occurred to him.

“How can a gun grow out of an animal?” he marveled. “It doesn’t make sense.”

Their organic parts also store and maintain nanomachines, Alpha replied, as though sharing a bit of trivia. They ingest metals and other raw materials, then generate the armaments on their backs. I’m guessing that they’ve already mutated into something far removed from their original design. Perhaps they altered themselves to suit their current environment.

These priceless secrets would have astounded a specialist, but Akira comprehended neither their value nor their meaning. What he did grasp—just barely—was that even a gun growing out of an animal had some principle behind it, something that could be understood.

Now that the attack was over, Alpha’s grim expression gave way to her original relaxed smile. This helped Akira feel safer, so he calmed down as well and sighed in relief.

Well? Aren’t you glad you had my support? Alpha asked with a proud grin. You would have died if you’d stayed down there, you know.

“I know,” Akira reluctantly admitted. “I wouldn’t have made it without you. Thanks.” His expression reflected a confused mix of sensations: lingering excitement and agitation from the monster attack, labored breathing from running for his life, stubborn distrust of this mystery woman, gratitude to her for saving him, resolve to collect his wits while he could, and more besides.

Alpha observed his face, probing his inner thoughts while she chipped away at his caution with her charming smiles. You’re welcome, she replied. Now that you’ve had a chance to taste what I am capable of, I’d like to talk about our future. May I? The tone of her voice suggested that she had vital information to share.

“Go ahead.” Akira looked her in the eye and gave a firm nod.

I need you to conquer a ruin. It isn’t this one here, and it poses quite a challenge. You couldn’t even reach it alive, let alone return again. To be blunt, you have no chance of success as you are now; even with my support, you would die before you finished. And so, to start, I’m going to help you gain the equipment and skills you’ll need to clear ruins. That will be our goal for the time being, so—

“Er, can I ask something?” Akira interrupted a little hesitantly, sensing that Alpha was preparing to speak at length.

Of course. Alpha flashed a friendly smile. If you’re having trouble understanding anything, don’t hesitate to ask.

Alpha’s strange friendliness took Akira slightly aback. “It’s not that,” he said, uncertain. “I mean, that’s important too—I get that—but could we worry about the future later and focus on how we’re going to get out of here alive?”

Alpha grinned, then stared at Akira in silence. Akira’s face stiffened a bit.

Not good, he thought. Maybe I shouldn’t have cut her off.

Yet the weapon dogs were still prowling around the building, and Akira couldn’t stay hidden on the roof forever. Unless he managed to escape, he wouldn’t have a future, and that made him nervous enough to interrupt Alpha. Only afterward did he realize that offending her might cost him his only means of survival.

Alpha detected the unease and panic creeping into Akira’s expression, and she smiled amiably. All right, she said. I have a lot of questions I’d like to ask you when we have more room to breathe, so let’s start by getting out of here and back to Kugamayama City. We can resume our discussion there, all right?

“Yeah. Thanks.”

Akira let out a sigh, relieved that he now had a better chance of returning home alive. But Alpha’s next order, delivered with that same smile, crushed his spirits once more.

Then go back downstairs now.

Akira spluttered and coughed. Recovering, he stared blankly at her. Unfazed, she walked off and, when he showed no sign of following, beckoned to him.

What’s wrong? she asked. Let’s go.

“Hold it!” Akira protested, snapping back to reality. “That’s where we just ran away from, remember?! Why would we go back down there?! It’s crawling with monsters!”

I’m happy to explain, but let’s walk and talk. Unless you don’t trust me, of course. Then there’s nothing I can do. I won’t force you.

With that, Alpha disappeared into the building, leaving Akira behind.

Akira remembered well how dangerous a single unarmed dog could be, and the pack below was bristling with firearms. Fear stopped him in his tracks. Still, when he saw Alpha vanish into the building, he gritted his teeth and followed her. He doubted he could make it back to the city alive by himself, and earlier he had survived thanks to her. All things considered, then, obeying her seemed his best chance for survival. So he hurried downstairs after the enigmatic figure.

Once Akira entered the building, he found Alpha right beside the entrance, smiling as if to say she knew he would come. Feeling embarrassed and, oddly, as if he had been defeated, he hurried after her down the steps.

His descent was quite peaceful compared to his earlier sprint up the stairs. Alpha signaled him to halt a number of times on their way down, and each time he stood still until she waved him on again.

At one point, Akira asked, “Why are we going back? Isn’t it dangerous?”

Extremely dangerous, Alpha answered without hesitation.

For a moment, Akira was silent, stunned. Then panic entered his voice. “Hang on a sec! You mean it’s not safe?!”

How could it be? Monsters are roaming the area.

“I-I know that, but that’s not what I mean. Give me a real explanation. You said you’d tell me your plan as long as we got moving, remember?”

If you want to return safely to Kugamayama City from the Kuzusuhara Town Ruins, you’ll need to escape this building first. Unless you can jump from the roof without dying, which I doubt, you’ll need to use the stairs to—

Akira scowled, annoyed and a tad suspicious. “Fine,” he interrupted with an edge to his voice. “Just tell me: can I really make it back alive if I do what you say?”

I think that you’ll have a better chance than you would trying to go it alone, Alpha replied seriously. As I told you up on the roof, I won’t force you. If you can’t trust my directions, I’ll withdraw my support. It would be a waste of time. She stared at Akira, waiting to see if he would end their partnership.

Finally, Akira hung his head. Seeming disgusted with himself, he said, “Sorry. I was out of line. I’ll do what you say, so please help me.”

Alpha smiled once again, her good mood apparently restored. All right, she said. It’s nice to be working with you again.

That was a close one, Akira thought, relieved but still uneasy.

“And, if you wouldn’t mind,” he asked carefully, “would you tell me your reasons for your orders—just the important parts, simple and easy to understand—so that I don’t get too nervous?”

I don’t mind, Alpha responded at once. She began rattling off an explanation.

Different weapon dogs followed different patterns of behavior. Some relentlessly pursued any enemy they found, while others remained within a fixed area. Some continued to search the vicinity after losing sight of an enemy, while others immediately returned to their posts. And so on. Alpha had identified all of those individual differences and determined that returning by the stairs at that time would minimize the number of monsters that Akira would encounter on his way back.

Weapon dogs, she went on, possessed a specialized internal organ that produced ammunition for their armaments, and their bodies could only store so much ammunition at once. When those internal stores were exhausted, they required time to manufacture more and to reload their weapons. During that time, Akira would run a much lower risk of being shot in the back as he ran, even if the weapon dogs spotted him again. They might try biting him, but at close range Akira stood a better chance of bringing them down, even with his weak handgun. Alpha had weighed these and numerous other factors against each other before telling Akira what to do.

Concluding her explanation, Alpha added, That was just a brief overview. Would you prefer more detail?

“No, that was plenty,” Akira answered. “And I wish you’d told me all that up on the roof.” He thought her explanation sufficiently long, though he also wished she’d told him earlier.

In a dangerous situation, we usually won’t have time for lengthy explanations, Alpha said slowly as if trying to convince a small child. If you’ll take a bullet between the eyes in three seconds, and I take the time to explain that to you, how many seconds would that leave you to get out of the way? The answer is zero.

“I-I get that, but—”

What if I just told you to get down, and you stopped to ask me why? I can’t touch you, so I can’t tackle you to the ground. If you can’t respond to my plain orders immediately, you will die.

At that, Akira fell silent.

By the way, Alpha added. I’m giving you an explanation now because I’ve determined that you’re relatively safe.

Akira hesitated before responding with a sheepish nod and a “Got it.” He understood Alpha’s reasons, but he also had a feeling that the more he asked, the more her answers would highlight his own rashness.

As he reached the first floor, Akira’s expression turned grim as he saw the marks of the earlier attacks, still fresh. He immediately scanned his surroundings. Once he determined that it looked safe, he sighed and his expression softened. His relief, however, vanished when Alpha looked at him sternly.

Akira, she began, we’re about to leave the ruins. From now on, listen closely to my instructions and follow them as closely as possible. Every time you do something that I don’t tell you to, your odds of dying increase. Is that clear?

“Y-Yeah.”

Within the next thirty seconds, run out of the building as fast as you can. Once you’re outside, turn left and then keep running along the street and don’t look back no matter what happens. Is that clear? Alpha’s tone was hard.

“G-Got it.” Akira nodded, his features taut with a mixture of fear and stress. Even he knew there was no time to ask Alpha for an explanation.

Alpha moved to one side as if making way for him, keeping her eyes on him as she pointed to the building’s exit. Akira looked outside and saw more signs of the earlier attacks. He leaned forward a bit, psyching himself up to dash into a place he had so recently fled in desperation. But his feet remained fixed to the floor. Understanding and acceptance were not the same as action. He understood Alpha’s reasons, and he had accepted them, but he still lacked the resolve to put that acceptance into practice.

Alpha began to count down the seconds. Five, four, three...

What would happen if he ran out of time? For a moment, Akira imagined the consequences; then he was off and running out of the building. He raced along the ravine between crumbling skyscrapers as fast as his legs would take him, his only thought to keep going, faster and faster. Soon, his breathing became ragged and his pace began to slow, but still he ran with desperation. His lungs and heart screamed, and his legs cried out in agony as they relentlessly pounded the hard, paved ground. Yet he ignored the pain, and on he ran.

He saw no monsters near at hand, nor did he hear any fighting. Perhaps it was safe enough to slow down now. The silence all about him seemed to say he was alone among the ruins. Heart, legs, and lungs all cursed him, begging for rest. Giving in a bit, he slowed his pace, though he kept running.

He saw no danger before him and heard nothing behind. He untensed and began to feel that he might already be out of danger. The growing pain and exhaustion became impossible to ignore.

He relaxed ever so slightly. It must be safe now, his mind whispered. Hesitant, he paused a moment to catch his breath, looking back to ensure no danger lay behind him.

Despite Alpha’s insistence, he had disobeyed her orders after all.

And he froze. His gaze fixed on a gargantuan monster not far off, standing erect. It was alone, but its massive bulk did more to intimidate Akira than the entire pack of weapon dogs.

The monster resembled the weapon dogs, with an enormous cannon rising from its back. Its canine portion, however, was unlike any that Akira had seen, and its whole appearance was twisted, an affront to elegance. Eight legs sprouted without regard for symmetry. A warped canine head sported two eyes on its right side, one above the other, and a single eye on its left. The eyes were all of different sizes and, mounted on the beast’s distorted skull, it was doubtful whether they even commanded a decent field of view. Despite that, all three eyes were fixed on Akira.

The behemoth gaped wide, howled, and fired its cannon. A shell landed close to Akira and exploded, sending rubble flying in all directions. Fortunately for the boy, scattered debris absorbed most of the shock wave and dispersed the rest, so he escaped injury and suffered only a strong gust from the explosion.

The monster shifted its bulk to fire again, but no shell came. No ammo. With another howl, it launched itself toward Akira on its imbalanced legs.

Still dazed from the sight of the beast, Akira couldn’t make himself move even as it charged him.

Run!

Alpha was nowhere to be seen, but her voice rang in Akira’s ears. He finally snapped back to his senses, breaking into a mad dash. Yet the monster had gained considerable ground. Disobeying Alpha had significantly increased his odds of dying, just as she had warned.

Akira ran on, once more ignoring the cries of pain from every inch of his body. The monster’s footfalls sounded steadily louder. Its twisted legs slowed it down, but the tremors and booms that thundered every time its paws struck the pavement left Akira with no doubt as to its immensity and power. He knew he stood no chance if those feet trampled over him. Every rumble or shudder mercilessly chipped away at his spirit.

Alpha suddenly floated beside Akira as he continued his frantic flight, gliding alongside him. She looked grim—and exasperated.

That’s why I told you not to look back, she said. Weren’t you listening?