Chapter 4: Stop Sign. Beast_Body,_Human_Heart.[Part 3]

The moment she landed inside the dark hole, Kazakiri Hyouka's feet let out a terrifying sound.

It was an underground rail track, and the depth of the hole was a lot deeper than expected, and because of the tracks on the floor, the floor was extremely uneven, so it was hard to cushion the impact. If Kazakiri were just a normal human, the bones in her ankles would have been crushed and she would be rolling on the floor in pain.

That was right, if she were a normal human.

But even though Kazakiri's feet had let out such a terrifying sound, even though she felt some pain, the pain disappeared after 5 seconds. She tried to tap her toes as if she was trying on new shoes. The injuries were already healed, and an incredible strength filled her up as if the spinning gears were finally connected to each other. That gear that she once lacked should be called 'her real identity'.

Kazakiri ran within the darkness.

It wasn't a place that was originally designed for humans to walk in, so it was a lot darker than the underground streets, and dirty. There was a row of concrete pillars dividing the path into two, one going up and one going down. Following the lights that looked like they would be extinguished at any time, she continued to move forward. She was aware of where she should head towards. There was a set of visible footprints on the floor, like those imprinted on a snowy land. Those were likely left behind by that heavyweight stone golem.

As if she was trying to rip the polluted air apart, Kazakiri continued to run forward.

Every time she saw a rare source of light illuminating the place, the fragments of her memories appeared within her mind.

She wasn't a human.

On a certain day 10 years ago.

When Kazakiri Hyouka had finally gained consciousness, she was already standing in the middle of the 'city'.

The 'city' didn't mean Academy City. But in terms of coordinates, the location was completely identical to Academy City. It was a place built by the AIM diffusion field released by the 2.3 million espers within Academy City, the invisible 'City of Shimmers'.

'The City of Shimmers' had no shadows, no weight, no air flow, it was extremely thin, there was no sense of existence. Once the wind blows, the towers, trees on the road and pedestrians would be blown away like the flame on a candle wick, and let out a grey visual signal that looked like a bug that mistook the camouflage color.

If there was anyone who could visualize an AIM diffusion field, the person would find that the 'City of Shimmers' completely overlapped Academy City.

The things that the AIM diffusion field created didn't just include Kazakiri Hyouka. It included buildings, streets, trees, vehicles, crowds, everything. Kazakiri Hyouka was just someone created by the AIM diffusion field, residing within the city created by it.

—Her memories were like fragments peeling off, recovering, bit by bit.

—At the same time, the bonds restraining her were being released, one by one.

Even now, she didn't know why she stood there within the 'City of Shimmers'.

Sometimes, Kazakiri Hyouka would find herself standing on the road as if she had just woke up from a daydream. Looking at the things she had on her, she knew her personal particulars like her name, address, telephone number.

Other than that, there was no way to understand the current situation.

The passers-by around her wouldn't tell her anything.

In truth, these passers-by were rather mysterious. Basically, these people's looks would change according to the setting, like when the shop attendant of a convenience store was about to wipe a glass window, the shop attendant would instantly change into a cleaner. And after wiping the window, the cleaner would change into a child taking an ice cream to the cashier. After that, the child would change into a housewife taking out her purse.

—Maybe it was because the 'humans' she knew of had become 'monsters'.

—Like a limiter being removed, or rather, she could use all her power, all her strength rose up within her.

Everyone in the city was like that. The appearances, personalities and memories would change according to the setting. In truth, when Kazakiri had walked up to the mailman to talk to him, the mailman had changed into a traffic policeman. Even if it was an office woman or a female high school student, they would become middle-aged policemen. Also, everyone's replies were rather blank.

Seeing these people that would change 'just to answer Kazakiri Hyouka's question', Kazakiri started to feel afraid. It was as if her actions would affect these people's flesh and souls.

—BOOM! Every step she took, there would be a shockwave spreading on the floor.

—It was no longer a weight a human should have, and the muscles controlling this weight had already exceeded what the ordinary human could do.

In the beginning, Kazakiri didn't understand why she was the only one without any 'changes', but after a while, she slightly understood the reason. The people in this city would change their appearance in order to do their 'duty'. On the other hand, if they didn't do their 'duty', they wouldn't do anything, and the entire city would stop functioning.

And Kazakiri's identity was that of a source. For example, when she walked into a convenience store, intending to buy a bottled beverage, the convenience store attendant would start to work, the beverage would start to run, the electric generator would run, allowing the ice box to create ice, the factory producing the beverage would start, and the bottle recycling company would start to work. The people in this city were all 'gears', they could only link together with the power of the 'source', Kazakiri, before finally causing this huge intricate machinery called the city to run. Kazakiri herself wasn't the master of this system, just a source. In other words, she was also a part of this system.

Kazakiri Hyouka was scared.

Because these people weren't puppets without life, but humans who really had lives.

No matter whether she went forward or backwards, she would completely change other people's lives. Understanding this, Kazakiri couldn't move at all. To her, the duty entrusted to her was too heavy.

—BAM! Her head collided against a pillar in the subway.

—However, she was unscathed. In contrast, the concrete pillar let out a cracking sound before collapsing.

Because of fear, she had wanted to escape from the 'City of Shimmers'.

But if she took any action, it was likely that she would get others involved as well. Thus, Kazakiri could only stand around like a phantom, using her eyes to observe that same city that she couldn't touch—Academy City.

The people in Academy City couldn't sense her presence. Even if she was to stand in front of the students in Academy City and reach her hand out, she would pass through them. No matter how close the smiles of these students were, Kazakiri was unable to join in with the students.

Kazakiri understood that. However, she still continued to try and talk to the people of Academy City. Once she could escape into the 'outside' of this same place, Academy City, she wouldn't affect the people in the 'City of Shimmers'. So even though she knew that she couldn't do it, she still tried all sorts of means to do it.

Even though she wouldn't get a reply, even though no one would realize it.

Even though it may end up in sadness.

Because of that, when she had managed to touch the shoulder of the white nun in that school successfully, she had been surprised.

—In this originally hollow body, there seemed to be something rising up within her.

—Right now, she wouldn't lose to a train on the railroad tracks in terms of speed.

In this place that she didn't know of, who knew how many coincidences overlapped to allow her to interact happily with others.

To her, this was already the most precious thing to her, even if she had to seal her memories of being a monster.

But right now, Kazakiri Hyouka had released this precious thing.

In order to protect something even more important that she couldn't lose.

Kazakiri Hyouka dashed down the tracks like a bullet.

Anyone would be scared if they saw her run at this speed.

Of course, fighting against that monster was something really scary. It wasn't a prediction, but a real experience. The pain of her arms and legs being cut off, her body felt like a rag cloth being twisted. She couldn't die even if she wanted to, the sense of weakness she felt when she rolled about on the dirty ground.

But more importantly, Kazakiri was afraid of the fear that her good friend Index would have when she saw her as a monster.

(It's alright even if it's like this…)

Kazakiri didn't stop at all, her eyes looking in front.

The first and last moment when she had spent time together with Kamijou and Index after school made Kazakiri feel really happy.

So happy that she wanted to cry. If possible, she wanted to continue staying in that world forever. Just thinking about the fact that she wouldn't be able to stay with them together again made the warmth in her fingers disappear. She had finally managed to leave the 'City of Shimmers', and right now, it seemed meaningless.

(…I…)

But, because she was afraid of losing it, she wanted to protect those important to her.

Even though she knew that she wouldn't be able to see the smiles on her friends' faces,

Kazakiri Hyouka still wanted to protect their world.

(I must…!)

She abandoned her identity as a human, turned into a monster, and continued to run within the darkness. Inside that hollow body, there seemed to be something invisible rising within her.

I must go, Kazakiri Hyouka made this determination.

I must go protect my most important friends.