Also Human

*Kei Machida's POV*

//July 22, 2040//Sunday//

Everyone was surprised by what I just said. Were they surprised because they haven't thought about it yet? Or they still couldn't believe in the possibility that Ichi is also human?

"But that doesn't make sense. If Ichi really is a human being, then how come he can teleport, make clones of himself, and sent this place that is unknown to the outside world?" Raku asked.

Of course, I know that someone is going to ask that question, and that will be answered by the third clue that I got from Asahi earlier.

"Don't you think it's weird that even if we are participating in a death game, we still get to do this stuff with one another? It doesn't make sense at all."

"What do you mean by that, Machida?" Megumin asked.

"Let me ask all of you a question. If you are the mastermind behind all of this, what would you do to drive the people participating in it to kill each other?"

After my question, no one answered the thing I asked for a while.

"If I were the mastermind…"

Suddenly, Kiyoko spoke, and all of our attention went to her.

"Placing all of my participants in one place isn't enough for them to kill each other. Family, friends, and the person's loved ones, I am going to destroy everything that the person cherishes that will drive them insane to the point that they want to get out of this place immediately, and they don't have any other choice, but to dirty their hands just to escape."

"O-Oi! You're scary, Sasaki." Raku said.

"Wait a minute! But there was a huge sum of money in the line when you get out of this place. People will surely be on the edge when they heard about that prized money just like what I did, right?"

"Two Billion Yen is not a huge amount of money, Ichika."

"HAAAH?! What are you talking about, Hyakuzawa?!"

"I know what I am talking about. If you are aware of how powerful people really are, two billion yen is nothing for them."

I looked at Hyakuzawa after he said that, and it looks like he remembered some of the memories from his past.

Hyakuzawa was right. Two Billion Yen is just a small amount for the people who have power in this world.

After all, Hyakuzawa is the person who knew this the most since he was offered Ten Billion Yen by the Yamazaki family when his little sister died.

"What are you guys talking about? Money is not just the only thing you can give to make someone else go insane."

"What are you talking about, Kiyoko?"

"For most people, money isn't even that worth it. The lives of someone close to you is something worth more than a measly amount of money."

Chills suddenly went down my spine as we hear what Kiyoko is telling us.

"A-Ahh! I'm sorry! I was just sunk into the role of being a mastermind because of what Kei just asked us to do if we are in the mastermind's position."

Honestly, this girl is something else.

"No, it's fine, Kiyoko. I believe that what you said made sense to these people."

"Ahahaha… I hope so… I'm really sorry about that." Kiyoko said while scratching her head.

"That's right. Just like what Kiyoko said, if Ichi wants to drive us into desperation, then he should have done more to do that. But you may ask, why didn't he? It's because he couldn't touch someone related to us in the outside world."

Everyone started to get the hang of what I am saying.

"A God is someone who can do anything he wants. If Ichi is really a God, then how come he couldn't do some things like involve the people in the outside world in this mess with that powers of his? It's simple. It's because Ichi is a human being."

"Then what can you say about those disintegrations, and teleportations that Ichi can do?" Raku asked.

"You guys don't need to overthink it. Supernatural things can't happen in real life anyway."

"B-But those things he did-."

"I don't know how Ichi is doing it, but what if those things are man-made as well as how he can disintegrate our limbs and regenerate his own wounds?"

"That's impossible!" Ichika shouted.

"It can be done. We are living in a year where technologies are evolving, and are getting advanced slowly as time passes by. With the resources that humanity has in today's time. Sometimes, the impossible can be possible."

I glanced at Kanade and pointed my finger at her.

"Just look at Kanade. Her rabbit ears are proof enough that the impossible can be done."

"E-EEH?! Aaaah… This is embarrassing."

Besides, her medicines are one more proof that anything can evolve in this period of time.

It's just that those who excel in those specific fields are the ones who have created them.

And that was my answer to who Ichi really is based on the three clues that I got.

But because of that reason, one more mystery inside Saitei University can now be solved.

"But because Ichi is a human, I now have an idea of where we are exactly."

"Exactly where we are?" Ichika asked.

"We are not in another dimension when Saitei University disappeared in Tokyo. We are in an unknown place but we are still on Earth."

It's also impossible for other worlds to exist. We may be missing, but it's not impossible to find us.

"Well, that's a relief… We'll just hope that someone can find us."

"Don't worry, Kanade. I bet the government is working their asses right now just to find us."

I hope that you are trying your best out there to find our location, Shinohara.

"Then if Ichi really is a human being just like us, who is the one behind all of this?" Megumin asked.

"I might also know who has done this."

That one crucial piece of information that I got earlier is the one that concluded to me that Ichi is a human. And that information also gave me an idea of who was the person behind all of this.

But I think that I need to tell them this first.

"But before that, I have to apologize, and confess something to you people."

Everyone was confused at this point except for Kiyoko who probably knew right away what I was going to say.

I was nervous to tell them about this.

But just like what my deal with Kiyoko is, I need to get along with these people as well.

And if that is the case, sharing with them my past life, and why I am exactly here in this place is enough for them to understand what my intentions truly are.

Only the prime minister, Shinohara, and Kiyoko know about my intentions in this place. I am afraid of how these people will react.

But I must say it.

"I have captured a lot of criminals before just to capture a certain person, and that is why I went to this place in hopes of getting clues about the one who I am looking for. The reason why I went to this place, the reason why I became Japan's Greatest Detective who couldn't stop catching criminals, I only have one sole purpose why I did those things. "

"And that is?" Megumin asked.

"It's because I want to capture the person who was behind the Ruination of Kanagawa."

I got a lot of mixed reactions from the people around me, but all of them are feeling the same thing when I mentioned the Ruination of Kanagawa that happened 11 years ago.

It was fear…

"All of you probably have heard about that incident. Some of you might have witnessed it, and some of you were a victim at that time."

"But isn't the person who did this already dead? If I remember correctly, his name was Akihiko Nakajima, and he committed suicide when he surrendered."

When I heard what Raku just said, my blood started to boil, and I clenched my fists firmly.

It's the same as what the government used to say when I bring this topic up.

It's stupid… IT'S FUCKING STUPID! THOSE FUCKERS ARE TURNING A BLIND EYE TO EVERYTHING THAT I AM SAYING ABOUT THAT INCIDENT!

But I can somehow understand what these people know about that incident. I need to explain this to them clearly.

"Please believe me… The person behind that incident is still alive…"

I said that while I was bowing my head down like a kid begging for mercy to be believed by the people around him.

"Why wouldn't we believe you? You are Japan's Greatest Detective, Machida."

"W-What?"

When I heard Kanade say those words, tears suddenly fell from my face.

How many times have I gotten the same response in the past?

"YOU'RE TALKING RUBBISH, MACHIDA!"

"DON'T OPEN UP THAT INCIDENT EVER AGAIN!"

"WHY WOULD YOU BRING UP SOMETHING THAT TERRIFIED A LOT OF PEOPLE IF IT HAS BEEN SOLVED ALREADY?!"

Every time I was trying to convince anyone that the leader behind the Ruination of Kanagawa, all of them were in denial, and they didn't care about what I just said.

I thought that Kiyoko was the only one who believed me.

But I was wrong…

"OI! OI! Stop crying, Machida! It's not like you to be crying at us. Of course, we believe what you just said right now."

"W-Well it is terrifying if that is the case. But just like what Raku said, we also believe in what you just said since you are Japan's Greatest Detective."

"You guys…"

"Machida, there will be an investigation where you will need the help of others. Not because you want to use someone for your own benefits just like how you think, but it's because you just really need their help."

Damn it, Shinohara. I get it. I get it, okay? I have underestimated these people. I don't want to lie to myself any further. I was late to realize it, but I have been doing it already.

I started relying on these people ever since they saved my life back then.

******** TO BE CONTINUED ********