'What is the most delicious part of a human? If possible, I'd really like to taste a human brain...'
As he watched the woman clinging to his upper body, Natsume couldn't help but think that.
But now wasn't the time for jokes. Natsume gave up on the idea and instead sprinted forward at full speed.
Behind him, the mechanical whirring of a Knightmare Frame grew louder. The artificial war machine closed in bit by bit, its metallic footsteps shaking the ground.
If they were caught here, there was a good chance he'd be killed on the spot. After all, his identity alone was suspicious enough.
While suspicion was a healthy habit, being on the receiving end of it was nothing but trouble.
Natsume's entire life– no, the past decade or so had been spent avoiding human interaction. Years as a NEET and a freeter left him utterly unprepared for something like crossing worlds.
Even if he appeared calm on the surface, inside, he was panicking.
But he couldn't show weakness in front of Roku. She'd never let him hear the end of it.
Just as his thoughts reached that point, an artillery shell came flying from behind.
"Dodge right!"
"I know! Why don't you get down and run yourself?!"
"I'm bad at P.E.!"
"Are you some kind of sheltered rich girl?!"
Holding Roku in his arms, Natsume kept an eye on their pursuers as he leaped sideways, narrowly avoiding the hail of bullets.
A stray shot grazed his clothes, slicing open his right arm. Blood dripped onto the grass.
"That hurts like hell."
Glancing at Guilford charging toward them, Natsume broke into another sprint.
He'd fought plenty of battles before, but only in virtual worlds. Reality was a completely different beast.
Situations could change in an instant, just like in a galge where one wrong move could land you a 'knife ending', turning you into the next Itou Makoto (from 'School Days')...
'Ah, thinking of that...' Natsume smacked Roku's butt and asked, "Hey Roku. Since I replaced Kururugi Suzaku, do I have his physical capabilities?"
"Of course you do! But… you're not planning to fight a Knightmare Frame bare-handed, are you?"
"Nah, just asking." Honestly, he was shocked he'd outrun a war machine while carrying dead weight (Roku).
The dense flower bushes around them released a fragrant scent carried by the wind, though the stench of gunpowder ruined the mood.
Knightmare Frames were undeniably faster than humans, but the terrain here worked in their favor.
Guilford hadn't caught up yet, probably because he'd realized protecting Cornelia was more important.
To Guilford; the knight known for his loyalty, chivalry, and strength... Cornelia's safety came first.
The stars still glittered in the sky, but the moon had hidden behind the clouds, leaving only scattered pinpricks of light.
Natsume surveyed the surroundings. Right now, escaping was the top priority, but without knowing the area, he had to rely on observation.
The only thing bothering him was the useless girl in his arms, "Hey! Get down already. You're completely useless. Are you a MADAO or something?"
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"It means you're hopeless at life, in other words, a total loser."
"Wha–! Calling me a loser? Are you picking a fight?"
Roku puffed up angrily, but Natsume pushed her away, bonked her on the head, and pointed behind them, "You wanna get turned into Swiss cheese?"
"No… So, what's the plan? I've got a great idea!"
"Let's hear it." Natsume leaned in.
Roku whispered, "Simple. Use you as a human shield to cover my escape!"
"Go die. Also, can't you just vanish whenever you want? Why not do that now?"
"Oh right, I forgot. Well, good luck getting shot in the ass! Bye~!"
"Roku, Wai–!"
Before he could protest, Roku slipped into a distorted space and disappeared.
Before Natsume could process being abandoned by the lunatic girl, three Britannian soldiers burst from the bushes, guns trained on him.
"Hands on your head and get down!"
"Isn't that just collapsing on the spot?" Natsume retorted.
"Shut up! Now!"
'Three enemies. An opening.'
In combat, the moment a gun is pointed at you, the enemy rarely fires immediately because they think they've already won.
That made things easy.
Using his enhanced agility, Natsume ducked. One soldier reacted instantly, adjusting his aim and pulling the trigger.
A muzzle flash lit up the night. Natsume's right fist connected with the nearest soldier's jaw–
*Crack!*
The sound of breaking bone as the man was sent flying.
His second move: sidestepping along the barrel's line, he kicked the submachine gun out of the second soldier's grip, twisted, and drove a knife from the man's belt into his throat before diving into the bushes.
Bullets whizzed past his ears as the last soldier panicked, spraying wildly.
'If they see my face, it's trouble. Leaving witnesses is a mistake...'
Natsume sighed and waited, flat on the ground.
The first time he'd killed someone was in a game. Some might argue virtual murder didn't count, but when you swing a sword or pull the trigger in-game, doesn't it still send a thrill down your spine?
That was the allure of virtual realism. Even in a game, Natsume had felt excitement from killing.
Soon, the remaining soldier leaned against a tree, radioing headquarters.
'Can't let that happen...' Natsume lunged.
The soldier spotted him and fired. The bullet tore through Natsume's left arm, blood splattering his face, but his coordination didn't falter.
His right hand seized the man's throat before slamming his forehead into the soldier's face.
Dizziness washed over him, but the enemy was worse off, flailing blindly with his gun and free hand.
Natsume wrested the pistol away and pulled the trigger without hesitation. Blood sprayed. Another enemy down.
'This body syncs well with my fighting style.' He noted.
Leaning against a tree, Natsume looked up at the night sky.
'Kururugi Suzaku joined Britannia to change it from within, didn't he? Trying to achieve peace with minimal bloodshed… What a naive dream...'
'But killing to save lives... maybe that was its own kind of justice...'
"If I had to kill a thousand to save ten thousand, what would I choose?" Natsume smirked... "Obviously, I'd kill the thousand."
That way, nine thousand more would live, even if the world would scorn him for it.
But then again, this world was rotten to the core. Britannia, Japan, even the Chinese Federation... all nations of hypocrites.
Natsume raised an imaginary gun toward the moon and fired.
The next instant, flames engulfed the administrative district. A full-scale bombardment had begun.
Beyond the alarms he'd triggered earlier, an even louder announcement blared:
~The Japan Liberation Front is attacking! The Japan Liberation Front is attacking! Mass aerial bombardment and ten Knightmare Frames detected!~
The 11th District's government offices were under assault. In the original timeline, this hadn't happened before the Battle of Narita.
'So the script is already changing... What a joke...'
Not only had his peeping failed, but he'd also stumbled into an enemy raid. Maybe this was the "Apocalypse's" way of forcing him to meet C.C.
Natsume punched the tree and shouted at the sky, "Hey! Pervert girl! Get out here! You just ditched me!"
"Bang! Bang! Bang!" With self-made sound effects, Roku popped out of thin air with a grin, "Not ditching! I was just helping you unlock your potential!"
"Sure, sure. Now, question."
"Shoot."
"Can you French kiss?"
"Wha–wha–WHAT?! You degenerate! I'm reporting you for harassment! Expect a court summons!"
"You're not even a legal entity."
"Hmph." Roku turned away, mumbling, "A pure maiden like me would never… do something like that."
"Wanna try?" Natsume smirked.
Roku had no chest... no, she had a tragically flat chest, but her face was undeniably beautiful. Shoulder-length black hair, cherry-blossom pink eyes, porcelain skin, and a snow-white neck.
Natsume didn't hate those features. But of course, he was just messing with her.
'If there's love, it's fine...' but he felt no love for Roku, only resentment if anything.
As explosions continued to rock the area, he asked, "You know what's happening?"
"Yup."
"Then talk."
"I can't. It's a test from the Apocalypse."
"A test?"
"Yep. As Kururugi Suzaku, you've gotta earn glory in this battle, one that shouldn't exist. Or rather, one that's all too real."
"You mean–"
"Exactly. Pilot a Knightmare Frame and take down the enemy, before the Battle of Narita."
Natsume nodded.
Then sighed...