Day 6
10:14 AM
I wake up the next day with my mission already in mind.
Everything is clear to me. For now, all I have to do is wait for the right moment to attack Takashi. I head to the hideout in the morning so Ailiss and I can finalize the procedure details.
"Do you know how to shoot?" Ailiss asks as she hands me her silenced firearm.
"Actually, I've never even touched a gun before. However, I imagine it's not too complicated and is quite intuitive. Just unlock it, aim, and pull the trigger. Right?"
I see a look of dissatisfaction forming on her face.
"Don't assume you understand something because you've seen it in movies. Especially with your lousy physical condition," she pokes my arm. "And don't drop the gun from the recoil."
"Maybe easier said than done. Is there any advice you think is relevant for me to keep in mind?"
"Giving you theoretical instructions would probably confuse you more than help you at the moment. Ideally, I'd train you beforehand, but given the circumstances..." she sighs. "Well, since you plan to catch him by surprise, exceptional shooting skill might not be necessary. You just need to hit and kill him with a single shot. I'll position you close enough to ensure no mistakes."
I take the gun, extend my arm forward, and practice positioning it. I begin simulating how I'd aim at Takashi.
Fear is one of the emotions that comes to mind—fear of missing the shot and ruining everything. In theory, there's no glaring reason to fail, but in the moment of the shot, I'm sure I'll be nervous, and my aim might waver.
"Your stance is all wrong, typical of a complete amateur. It looks like your performance will be worse than I thought," she says, irritated, as she adjusts my arms and body.
Give me a break; this is my first time. Did she expect me to instantly become a cold-blooded assassin just by touching a gun?
"How about this? Is this better?" I ask as I simulate a shot.
"Awful, not to say it's just as bad as before. But we have no choice. At the very least, I believe you can hit him if he's not moving. In the worst-case scenario, you'll need to get closer and deliver a point-blank shot."
If I can kill him, it's still a win.
"Hey, but something is bothering me more than your stance. Do you really think you'll have the courage to shoot when the time comes?" she asks.
"As you can see, given my lack of experience, I can't guarantee the trajectory will be perfect. But you can be sure courage is the last thing I lack."
Fully motivated and armed, I await Keiko's signal to proceed with my mission.
11:04 AM
I didn't have much time to practice shooting, as Keiko soon alerted me that Takashi had left the student council alone and headed to the school's storage facilities. Apparently, the president assigned him the task of selecting necessary supplies from the depot. Since it's a time-consuming job, she assured me he wouldn't finish before noon, making this the perfect opportunity to kill him.
Despite this confirmation and the location's seclusion, I also need to ensure, as Ailiss recommended, that no third party interferes with the operation. I already know who can help with that.
I head to the courtyard, where I expect to find Miyu and Manabu. Upon arriving, I'm surprised to see Shou there as well.
Weren't they at odds? Based on his behavior during yesterday's lunch, I thought he'd completely lost it and didn't expect them to reconcile so quickly. Then again, knowing how scatterbrained these three are, it's not surprising they'd forget their own fight so soon.
"Shou's back to normal?" I ask as I approach.
"Oh, yes, he apologized last night. Everything's already settled between us," Miyu replies.
"You were there too. I'm sorry, Johann. I guess it just wasn't my day. I was losing it from the stress of this confinement," Shou admits.
I'm genuinely surprised he reflected on his actions so quickly.
"Alright, it's even better that you're here, Shou. I have a task to accomplish, and you might be able to help," I say.
"Help? You need help with what? Love advice, perhaps? If that's the case, don't hold back. Shimizu Shou, the great master of love, will gladly assist you," Shou jokes.
"Just obey. These are probably indirect orders from that sinister foreign girl, and trust me when I say you don't want to see her angry," Manabu interjects, trembling.
None of us would want to witness that horror movie again.
"That foreign girl?! What happened yesterday? Did you all become her slaves or something? As far as I know, slavery is illegal under current laws," Shou responds in panic.
Shou's reactions are usually ridiculously exaggerated, but accurate this time. The two were coerced into becoming her slaves, and my case is even worse since I'm willingly offering her my life, in a way.
"I need you to guard the entrance to the storage building. Ailiss and I will try to take down the killer, so I ask that you don't let anyone enter the premises."
"You can count on us!" Shou says enthusiastically.
"Johann-kun, won't you be in danger? Facing him directly sounds quite risky," Miyu says with concern.
"Don't worry. Remember my conditions in this game? I have certain advantages, and on top of that, I have Ailiss by my side. There's nothing to fear. Anyone who should be worried is someone who has her as an enemy."
"True, I can't argue with that," Miyu laughs. "But be careful anyway."
11:49 AM
"I'm counting on you," I say.
"Mission given is mission accomplished! We won't let anyone in, right, Manabu?!" Shou responds excitedly.
"You're right, but you shouldn't linger visibly near the building's entrance. In theory, there's no reason for anyone to be in this remote area, so it could attract attention if someone happens to pass by," I advise.
"Good point. They might think it's some kind of resistance against the council. We'll hide near the entrance," Miyu agrees.
"Let's camouflage ourselves like true ninjas," Manabu says as he fails to climb a tree. "Can you give me a hand, Shoucchi?"
This plan isn't ideal, but their vigilance at the entrance will be a decent backup.
With the three guarding the storage building's entrance, Ailiss and I cautiously enter the location. It's essentially a two-story structure smaller than the classroom blocks.
"Hey, hold on, Mistkerl," Ailiss calls out. "Listen."
I stop and focus on the sounds.
I hear a muffled, irregular pattern of thudding. From the rhythm, I'd guess it's someone hammering something. Why would they be fixing something now?
"It must be him. Let's go check it out," I whisper back.
"Yes, but since I have more experience, let me proceed. You cover the rear. Once I locate him, we'll switch positions."
It's a good suggestion. I feel safer following her lead.
"Alright, just give me the hand signal, and I'll be ready to shoot."
She tilts her head slightly but nods.
Did I say something wrong? Whatever it was, it seems insignificant since she didn't comment on it.
We proceed stealthily toward the noise source, which is likely Takashi. The thudding sounds are coming from upstairs, so we climb the stairs slowly and carefully to avoid any potential ambush.
We reach the second floor, and the noise grows louder. The floor consists of a single corridor with scattered boxes and six rooms designated for storing school materials and documents. Some doors are open, and at the end of the corridor, there's another staircase leading back to the ground floor.
She silently moves down the corridor, stopping near each room to ensure no one is hiding in the ambush. After confirming, she approaches the room where the noise is coming from. But as she nears the door, she abruptly stops and takes a few steps back.
She must have seen him.
She signals for me to move up to her position. When I reach her, I crouch and wait silently for further instructions.
Ailiss turns to me but avoids eye contact. She grips the gun tightly for a few seconds before breaking the silence.
"He's just around the corner to the left. Approach cautiously, and don't be alarmed by what you'll see," she whispers, handing me her gun.
What happened? She doesn't seem well. Maybe she's disturbed by what she just saw? I can't think of anything that could shake someone as tough and cold as her.
I nod and take the gun. I press myself against the wall and move closer to him. Slowly, I advance down the corridor until I can keep him within my line of sight.
Just pull the trigger. But the abrupt scene shocks me, and I lose focus. It's not hammering; I finally understand the pattern of sounds. He's wielding a baseball bat and a knife, which I thought I saw a few days ago when he followed me.
At the moment, he's brutally beating several students tied up, striking them all over their bodies.
It doesn't take much thought to connect the dots. These aren't just random students... I remember seeing them protesting against Mikoto in recent assemblies.
So this is where rebellious students end up? Apparently, he's not just the killer but also a complete sadist who tortures his political adversaries.
The students can't even scream, not even as they're being beaten. Their mouths are sealed with tape so tightly they can't be heard. This secluded location has served perfectly as a makeshift torture chamber.