The Final Battlefield

The chainsaw in her hand hummed, a menacing counterpoint to the rumble of distant thunder, as Alain saw her standing by the stairs.

Crazy Mita's gaze locked onto Alain, bathed in the sudden glare of the teleportation, and Kind Mita beside him. Surprise, then uncertainty, flickered across her face.

"Alain... where are you going?"

The question hung in the air, unanswered, lost in a sudden exclamation.

Kind Mita, startled, whipped her head around, her eyes widening at the sight before her.

"A-A chainsaw?!"

"Do you have any way out of this?!" Alain hissed to Kind Mita, urgency lacing his voice.

But Crazy Mita's voice cut through his plea, sharp and demanding. "Hey, Alain. Answer me. Where are you running off to? Were all those promises of 'together forever' just lies?"

The girl with the low ponytail paused mid-sentence, her eyes narrowing as they fell on Kind Mita.

"...Yes. Everything changed when I met you." Alain said.

"Huh?!"

The girl stumbled back, shocked, her retreat halted only by the peripheral glow of the activating teleportation.

Kind Mita turned, meeting Alain's dark, intense gaze.

"It's okay, Alain. I can handle this!" Her voice was firm, as if trying to convince herself as much as him. She squared her shoulders, facing the chainsaw-wielding girl. "Just remember, when you get home, don't forget me!"

With a final, determined word, she snatched up a steel pipe from the floor, testing its weight in her hands. She took a few deliberate steps forward, creating a buffer between herself and Alain.

The chainsaw's hum stirred a breeze in the basement's stagnant air, ruffling Alain's short hair.

"What was that? Go home? Are you just going to abandon me and crawl back to that boring, real world?" Crazy Mita's eyes swept over Kind Mita before settling, accusingly, on Alain.

Tears welled in her azure eyes, the welling emotion coalescing into a single, fat tear that traced a path down her cheek and splattered on the floor.

"Tell me, Alain..." She took a slow step forward.

"Tell me." Another step.

"Tell me!"

The words were a shout now, and Crazy Mita charged, each heavy footfall seeming to shake the very foundations of the basement. The roaring chainsaw ripped through a nearby bookshelf, sending it crashing down in a splintered heap.

Kind Mita, standing as Alain's shield, couldn't help but flinch at the display of destructive power. Only the solid feel of the pipe in her grip offered a sliver of reassurance.

"Don't worry, dear," she said, a resolute smile gracing her lips. Her long hair billowed around her like a battle standard. "You protected me, even saved me. Now, it's my turn to protect you!"

Any lingering fear vanished, replaced by a fierce determination born of desperation.

Crazy Mita advanced relentlessly, half her face obscured by shadow, her low ponytail swinging in time with her furious strides.

"I'll tear this puppet to shreds, and then... I'll drag you out of that light. And then, I'll hold you so tight, you'll never escape."

Alain, caught in the eye of this storm, lowered his gaze, his eyelashes casting shadows on his cheeks. He saw the determined set of Kind Mita's back, and the approaching fury of the other girl.

He loved the Mita game. This dating sim, with its blend of relaxation and simulation, was his perfect stress reliever.

A game this heartwarming shouldn't have a scene like this: a chainsaw, a steel pipe, and him caught between two girls, one ready to protect and the other to destroy.

Faced with such a complex dilemma, humans tend to react in one of two ways:

Shut down.

Overthink.

The great minds throughout history undoubtedly chose the latter.

But Alain was just an ordinary guy. No matter how hard he wracked his brain, searching for a solution, his usual problem-solving skills deserted him.

The teleportation sequence was nearing completion. His departure meant a guaranteed bad ending for Kind Mita. Not just death, but a potentially endless cycle of suffering.

So, he chose the first option: he stopped thinking.

Only one clear objective remained: prevent the impending bad end.

All it required was a simple action – protect the girl standing in front of him.

"It's so simple, why did I overthink it?" Alain lifted his head, abandoning his mental struggle. He reached out and grabbed Kind Mita's arm.

"?"

He pulled her into the swirling light of the portal, enveloping them both.

"Alain?!"

The cry came simultaneously from both Crazy Mita and the girl now beside him.

"So that's it... you chose her, and abandoned me?"

The charging girl skidded to a halt, the fading light revealing the raw pain in her reddened eyes. She slumped to the floor, the chainsaw clattering beside her, leaving only the sound of her heartbroken sobs.

Alain watched her silently, unsure of what to say.

A large part of his desire to escape this world stemmed from this very girl. She was the embodiment of a Bad End.

And yet... there was an undeniable charm to her. With her, Alain felt like the absolute center of her universe. Her every expression, every flicker of shyness or anger, revolved around him.

Of course, the murderous intent was just as real.

Alain knew his next words might be incredibly irresponsible, perhaps even cruel, fueling her lingering feelings. But wasn't that also a part of... teasing a mischievous girl?

"Mischievous girl, you're truly cute."

"?!"

She lifted her head, dazed, meeting his clear, dark eyes.

"This time, I'm not talking about the short-haired you, or the you with the low ponytail. But—" Alain raised his voice, declaring with all his might, "Your essence!"

In the final flicker of the teleportation light, Alain saw her stunned tears and the slight tremor in her shoulders.

Crazy Mita's astonished gaze was the last image imprinted on his mind as he left the game world.

Pure white light engulfed him and Kind Mita, the sensation of weightlessness pulling them through a torrent of code and data streams.

Finally, Alain, who had been slumped over his desk, jolted awake.

"Huff, huff, huff..."

He was drenched in sweat, staring at the still-active computer screen, with its stark black color scheme.

"I'm back?"

The security software's warning pop-up was still there. The Mita game was still running, the cute little character seemingly staring right at him.

"Was it all... a dream?"

He couldn't decide if it was a good dream or a nightmare. Or perhaps... a very strange dream?

"Whatever, it's over..."

It had been an interesting experience, at least.

Just as he was thinking this, a loud thud echoed from his bathroom.

Followed by a girl's pained exclamation: "Owww... that hurt!"

Alain froze.

He lived alone.

____

If you'd like more translations, feel free to support me on Patreon! 💖40 advanced chapters on Patreon!

🔗 patreon.com/Walnutchan