Vroom-vroom (before battle)
Episode S0_1
Verg.
Blockage ahead. Permission to vroom-vroom?
The chatter was what finally got me to open my eyes.
After all, nothing beats blocking out your sight when you want to keep boredom at bay.
Not that there was much else to do on a bus whose destination was unknown to me...
My lack of head and memories certainly didn't help, either.
……
Alright, let's proceed.
Ok. Here come bumpity-bumps.
Expensive washer fluid. Verg said he paid a fortune.
The clumps stuck to the window gently dissolve, letting light through.
Most of the people seated on the bus - Sinners - fix their gaze ahead with varied expressions in their eyes.
It felt like a pretty gruesome scene, but based on the others' reactions, maybe this kind of violence is to be expected in the City.
<Hey...>
It felt rather awkward to try to get another shut-eye again now that I was wide awake. Just then, a man with conspicuously overgrown stubble drew my attention.
<Bu― I mean, Glasses. Know where we're going right now?>
... A feature far more conspicuous than his stubble made me slip.
... You almost called me "bug guy," didn't you?
Once again, my name is Gregor.
The same way you're called Dante and not clockface.
... I couldn't find any excuses so I just gave back a light nod.
Say, Bus Girlie. Where are we headed?
Once again, my name is Charon.
The same way you're called Gregor and not "bug guy."
……
<She got you there, Gregor.>
Haha, she really did.
... Verg said:
"The Sinners will go to District 4."
Whaaaat ho?! Did the name "District 4" fall upon my ears?!
That place is known to be the home of the Grass Maiden! 'Tis the origin of the heroine's journey. And 'twas the...
Bloody hell, you're rattling on and on and on...
Can't you just shut up and let us have some peace and quiet?
Why, I had remained silent unto mere moments ago!
Don't you bloody argue with me!
... Hey, do you even realize you're the louder one here?
... Lass, pain is pain whether it kills you or not. Now flap that gob of yours again and see what happens.
I make a valid point and you jump straight to violence? Real classy of you.
... Ha.
For a moment, I found myself contemplating:
Should I step in? Is this the part where I exercise my authority as the manager with dignity and grace? A faint memory urges me to do something.
<Now now, guys, it's inadvisable to lose your c―>
Ngh...
Hrrk...!
TRANCHES.
To Right Against Noisy Crying Hogs Entails Scragging.
……
Senseless violence shan't be forgiven! I will bring about justice!
Aw~ I knew this would happen - ya got blood on my clothes. Look, do you guys really have to fight next to me?
<This... is just crazy...>
We haven't even reached our destination and three people are dead already. And all because of infighting, too.
Can't even look away for a minute without things going sideways, can I.
You four. Cleaning duty for the next month.
Such unfairness! I merely sought the hand of justice!
Hang on! Tell them to do my laundry, too. Bloodstains don't wash off as easily as wine. It wasn't cheap, you know, this getup...
No one bats an eye at the lifeless janitors-to-be littering the floor.
Maybe they're already taking their unlimited revivals for granted.
Problem is, I don't even know how exactly I'm supposed to bring them back...
Dante, I'd like you to turn the clock back.
<Turn... the clock?>
*sigh*
So that's what you look like when you're puzzled. I'll keep that in mind.
Miss Faust.
……
Vergilius gives Faust a tired nod and gestures to me.
She let out a small sigh but still came to my seat, probably out of a sense of obligation.
It's the same thing you did the day we first met, Dante. Though I suppose that was more of an instinctive reaction.
Now, let's try again. Close your eyes.
Though I have no eyes to close, blocking out my sight is something I've done.
I had no reason not to follow Faust's instruction here.
In fact, the door is everywhere.
However, only you can see it. For the stars in your sky have not fallen.
At that, I felt a sliver of light easing into my sight.
I let it come to me the same way I'd open my eyes.
And then... an expanse of space laid itself out ahead.
There, I was alone...
... with a massive door that stood before me.
It wasn't a pleasant sight.
Waves of suffocating heat and cries of agony escape through the gap.
My mind almost blacks out at the sound of the incessant lamentations and wailing.
However, I find myself approaching the door still, grasping at its handles as if it's the most natural thing to do.
Despite appearing rather ponderous, the door opens without much resistance.
I run my hand along the inside of the door. Thousands upon thousands of cacophonous wailings lie within.
And reaching further inside, I grab a few outstretched hands.
I can feel the histories of different sins, each bearing a brand of its own, crawling along my hand and up my arm.
Art thou prepared to share the pain?
Could that have been a question? Or rather, pressure to comply?
With all my strength, I yank out the Sinners clinging to my hand from the door.
<... RAHHHHGH!>
A terrible pain spreads through my neck and head.
A torture so unbearable I'd have taken death over it - and it refused to let up.
The sensation of bones and muscles twisting and entangling with each other goes on for what feels like an eternity.
My untrained legs buckle under the unbearable pain, and I drop to my knees onto the pool of blood.
And then I see it:
The vibrating surface of the red, viscous liquid bubbling and spattering as the pain grows even worse.
Soon, the blood soaking the ground coagulated and fused into three separate masses.
Then the pain that seemed to go on forever disappeared just like that.
Mmgh...
... Hrrk.
As the lumps of blood rose into the air and flew off, the terrible red haze cleared from my vision, and I was once again returned to the rumbling bus.
Keh... What's it like, coming back from a decapitation? Did your heart race?
As soon as Heathcliff comes to, he rubs his neck, hisses out a few curses, and stomps toward Ryōshū.
<Hold on, I just brought you back and you're going straight into another fight?>
Heathcliff whips around to glare at me, eyes blinded with fury.
It's your job to bring us back anyway, innit?
If that's done, then piss off before I smash in that bloody clock you call a head.
P-please, wait! Dante looks like they're in a lot of pain. We really should sto -
Heathcliff does not wait for Sinclair to finish his speech, and slams his steel bat into the young man's skull.
Kurgh... Grk...
The bus filled with Sinclair's choking, unintelligible gurgles as he lay dying.
Next time, Clockface, it'll be your noggin getting bashed. That clear enough?
Guess you really are as much of a scumbag as you look.
... Dying once not enough for you?
Heathcliff tightens his grip on the bat while Ishmael readies to swing her mace.
... How did I end up managing a bunch of people who stay the same wrecks even after literally coming back from death?
As my mind wandered, a sinister chill swept in and froze the tension in the bus into total silence.
... Ah. It seems we are overdue for some proper discipline.
...!
……
The Sinners, who'd been seconds away from jumping at each other's throats, came to an immediate standstill...
... as a pair of red eyes raked over them with a freezing, merciless glare.
Rule number one:
Do not let me hear weapons clashing inside the bus.
Any of you break this rule from this moment on...
You will be begging me to kill you before I'm done.
I'm sure you're aware that I am capable of far more than just that, yes?
Sinclair's death throes were the only sound that broke the silence.
Heathcliff glowered at Vergilius, but didn't dare argue back.
Apologies, Dante. I need you to rewind the clock again.
<Again...?>
I quickly shook my head - there was no way I was putting myself through that again. It hurt so much that death seemed downright merciful.
The ghost of a smile on Vergilius's face evaporates as his expression hardens.
... Best open that door while I'm still feeling generous enough to ask you nicely, Manager Dante.
Oh, and if it is the pain that you fear... If that is why you are shaking your head, I will gladly help you with that.
The agony of rewinding won't even make you bat an eye once I'm finished. A surefire way to boost your pain tolerance, don't you think?
Did I hear you correctly? Our manager clearly declined your request.
You... This interruption is ill-timed.
I was informed when I joined the company that the Executive Manager would be my superior, not you.
I would say that the manager has made themself perfectly clear by shaking their head.
I see, so the aide has decided to step in now, is that it?
Then let me make myself perfectly clear to you as well.
Vergilius's eyes turned a deeper shade of red, sharpening that bone-cold stare.
I don't really know what I'm meant to do as the manager, or if I even deserve to take this role...
... but I felt that I should at least stop things from spiraling into an even bigger mess.
Bringing back one Sinner should hurt less than reviving all 12 at once...
<Outis... I'll rewind the clock. It's okay.>
Vergilius caught me frantically gesturing for Outis to stand down, and the red gleam in his eyes faded.
A wise decision.
... As you wish, Executive Manager.
Outis looked like she had more to say, but quickly backed off and snapped into attention.
The red door greeted me again, bringing with it the sickening sensation of my bones and muscles churning and contorting against one another.
I decided to stop describing the pain to myself going forward.
It's not the sort of torture I could ever put a name on, anyway.
... Th-thank you...
Sinclair stood up with a pained moan and bowed in appreciation before tottering back to his seat.