Global Disaster: I Will Slay Gods In This Second Chance!-Chapter 74: Quietly, She Was Held

Ayase’s face lost all color, turning deeply pale. She clenched her hand tightly, her sharp nails piercing right through her face, dragging a line of blood.

"Si...sister... I’m sorry...!"

Feeling blood drench her face, Ayase crawled to her sister, hugging her legs as she pleaded.

"I’m sorry! I’m sorry! Reika-chan, I didn’t mean to..."

"Ayase-chan, it’s okay."

Reika replied kindly as she crouched down. She softly patted Ayase’s hair, gently caressing her hair like an older sister would.

Ayase fell silent, her hands stopping. She looked at her with a hopeful smile.

But then, Reika tilted her head, smiling wryly.

"It’s fine, after all, you’re much more important than me, right? Much more important than everyone else."

"The very special, unique Ayase-chan."

Ayase’s hopeful face lost all of its blood instantly. She shook her head, desperately denying it.

"No! That’s not true... that’s not true...!"

"But if that’s the case, why did you survive and not me?"

Reika asked softly, her words piercing through Ayase’s heart like a knife.

She continued gently.

"We’re the same age, we have the same face, and we have the same parents... but why was it that, that night, only you managed to survive? The whole village sacrificed themselves against that monster, Mom and Dad managed to escape..."

"... But why did they only bring you along?! Why couldn’t they bring me as well?! Why did everyone have to die but you?! Why?!"

Reika’s voice rose, causing the surrounding mist to shake. Her calm, soft voice had turned furious, filled with resentment.

"It’s unfair! Unfair! What do you have that I don’t?! Mom and dad left me alone in that village... but they ran away with you instead... why... why... do they love you more?! Why?!"

She cried out. Her face was ugly, tears sliding down her cheeks while her lips trembled incessantly.

At this moment, Reika wasn’t like a monster at all.

Like Ayase, she was just a mere child, questioning the unfairness of reality.

"Tell me, Ayase-chan?! Why?! What do you have that others don’t that you get to live?!"

Ayase couldn’t answer, her lips turning deep red from her tight clench. Her thin, frail arms clutched onto Reika’s knees, pleading desperately.

"So... sorry... so... sorry... I’m sorry..."

"Answer me!"

Reika shouted.

"I don’t know!!!"

Ayase screamed, biting her lips so hard that blood exploded on her mouth. Ugly tears slid down her cheeks, her beautiful face marred by sharp cuts from her nails.

"I don’t know!!!!"

"I don’t!!!"

"I don’t..."

Ever since she survived that night, not a moment passed that she didn’t question herself.

What did she have that made her more deserving to live than the others?

Nothing.

Ayase couldn’t find an answer.

Because there was no answer.

But if there wasn’t, how could she justify those who died for her?!

What did they think before sacrificing themselves just so she could survive?!

Ayase desperately wanted to know.

"I... don’t know..." 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮

"... I’m sorry..."

Reika sighed. She raised her hand, mist gathering above her.

"Since that’s the case, then it’s alright if you die, right?"

"..."

Ayase didn’t resist, fully succumbing to her fate. She wordlessly nodded, burrowing her head deep into Reika’s abdomen.

This was just right.

They were just correcting what happened that day.

Ayase shouldn’t have lived beyond that night.

Just as Reika was about to deal the finishing blow, someone suddenly walked out of the mist.

It was the yellow-haired man from earlier, wearing a hardened expression.

"Do you know why she deserves to live?"

Akihito appeared just in time, like a hero from a story.

But this wasn’t a story.

This was a reality where the person he wanted to save didn’t want to be saved.

Ayase looked at Akihito, feeling her blood run cold.

Possessed by something inexplicable, she screamed, full of resentment.

"Why?! Why did you have to come back?!! It was about to happen!! Disappear!! I need to die!!diediediediediedie...."

Akihito glanced at her, his gaze softening, his heart deeply hurt.

Beneath both her smile and loneliness was guilt. A guilt that devoured her existence day and night.

Reika stopped, turning her gaze to Akihito. Hearing his question, she laughed mockingly.

"Can you tell me? How could somebody like you even know? How long have you even met Ayase?"

"I don’t need to know her for longer to know the answer."

Akihito shook his head seriously.

Reika laughed even more, but she was only met with silence by Akihito.

He looked at her indifferently.

After a brief moment, her laughter died down, and her face turned ugly, looking at Akihito’s serious expression.

"... Why then?"

Reika asked in a low tone.

Akihito glanced at Ayase, smiling softly.

This time, he wanted to repay her.

"Isn’t it simple?"

He said slowly, his gaze turning solemn as he met Reika’s eyes.

"It’s because she’s Ayase-san."

""Huh?""

Reika and Ayase spoke out at the same time, their expressions utterly confused, as if they had heard the most absurd thing in the world.

But Akihito continued as he walked to them.

"That doesn’t mean she’s special. I think that Ayase-san is very ordinary. She’s weak, helpless, and lonely. Even if she tries to hide her pain with a cold expression, I could sense that she’s deeply hurt."

Ayase widened her gaze.

"... She’s not much more special than those that died, maybe she’s even less special than them."

Akihito continued, his tone turning soft.

"But she still deserves to live. For a person to live, they don’t need to be special. A special reason isn’t needed. If you try so hard to think of a reason, you won’t find anything because the reason is here."

Akihito pointed at his heart while staring at Reika.

"As long as a person loves someone, they would do anything for them, even if it means dying. Like right now, as long as I believe Ayase deserves to live, then that’s enough. It doesn’t matter what you think or what anyone thinks... she will live, and selfishly at that."

Reika’s expression turned into disbelief.

"Do you hear what you’re even saying?!"

But Akihito ignored her, turning his gaze to Ayase.

"Ayase-san, did your parents or people in your village hate or dislike your sister!?" He raised his voice, causing the twins to be startled.

Ayase was silent for a moment, but then answered.

"No..."

Akihito nodded slightly. He continued.

"Then, Ayase-san, did your sister hate you?"

Ayase raised her head, looking at Reika hesitantly.

Reika stared back with a hateful glare.

"Ayase-san! Don’t look at her!" Akihito suddenly shouted, anger evident in his tone. "Tell me, did your sister ever say or show that she hates you?!"

Ayase’s lips trembled soundlessly. Despite what she was seeing right now, she knew deep inside her heart.

Her gaze lowered, answering honestly.

"... No."

"...!

Reika’s expression turned ugly, but Akihito didn’t give her a chance.

Woosh!

Akihito immediately grabbed her, pushing her to the ground.

"Ayase-san, listen to me closely!"

"...!"

Ayase felt blood rush to her face. She met his eyes, his pupils glowing with resolve, so bright like the sun itself.

Akihito grabbed Reika tightly, covering her mouth.

"This person isn’t your sister! Your sister died in the village to protect you! You deserve to live as much as everyone else, and no one can take that away from you, not even yourself!"

"Do you think your sister would ever want to live knowing you would die?! Ayase-san, think of what you’re feeling right now!! Do you think your sister or anyone would be happier if you died instead?!"

"No!"

Akihito didn’t let her speak, answering that question by himself.

He paused, looking at her quietly.

Then, he asked.

"Tell me, Ayase. Do you want to live?"

Ayase’s expression froze, her eyes turning red.

At that moment, Reika struggled vehemently, looking at Ayase with a broken expression.

"Ayase-chan..."

"..."

But Ayase had closed her eyes, tears sliding down her cheeks.

A human-sized crimson flower emerged from behind her.

’I want to...’

Its petals were deep red, like the blood of those who died for her.

Maybe it’s selfish, she thought.

But yes, deep inside her, she felt relieved she escaped death that night.

Yet, that same relief was what haunted her, making her feel as if she were a horrible monster.

How could she feel happy to be alive when everybody but her died?

Ayase felt an insurmountable guilt.

What was a simple, innocent desire for life turned into a twisted feeling of self-hate and guilt.

Slowly, a crimson pollen was released from the human-sized flower. It mixed with the air, flowing inside Reika.

"... Reika... I’m sorry..."

"... I want to live too..."

Hearing that, Reika’s expression faltered, then her body slowly burned.

But before her body fully disintegrated, her lips curved, a soft smile appearing on her face.

She mouthed out a word.

A moment later, she disintegrated into ashes.

Ayase froze, but before she could cry, she felt a strong pair of hands hug her tightly, yet also comfortingly.

Then, unable to stop herself, she screamed.

Akihito held her quietly, letting her release all of her pent-up emotions.

Ayase burrowed her head into his uniform.

"Hick... Reika... I’m sorry..."

Her cries seemed to be full of sorrow, but at least now, it was less painful than before.

Akihito’s gaze lowered, his heart deeply pained.

’... Smile more, Ayase-san. You’re just a kid, too.’

Deep inside him, he vowed to never let her face have such a lonely expression again.