Chapter Text
I kept seeing lots of meaningless number series flowing past in front of my eyes.
The numbers that covered my entire line of vision seemed to form the whole world. Although it flowed too fast for me to see any content clearly, a dream-like awareness made out something like a ‘binary or hexadecimal’ before my thinking ability could recover.
…… Whether is it a binary, a hexadecimal or a chain of numbers formed by monkeys jumping on a number keypad, this should not matter, I think. The only thing I was concerned about was……
……
………….
………….?
What’s this?
Questions about my current situation streamed into my delayed and malfunctioning brain streamed into my grain for the first time. However, before these vague questions became clear thoughts, everything was engulfed by a flood of light.
Not knowing whether he awoke from a dream or a coma, Komaeda Nagito found himself lying down in southern style beach that should be unknown but weirdly familiar to him.
‘Did the ship… run into an accident…?’
Besides him, there were almost ten other people scattered about him that made Komaeda think about this possibility. Anyway, he already experienced the probability of a plane being hit by a meteorite, so there was no need to be surprised by a case of a boat colliding with a whale. However, he dismissed this possibility first. For now, whether he had memories of experiencing all these things, all the people on the beach did not have any sign of being wet from sea water. Also, there were no boat wreckages or remains, so the deduction that a boat running into an accident and sailed over did not make sense.
As he was seriously considering whether the possibility of being kidnapped by aliens or being involved in some time-space experiment was higher, new people appeared on the beach. At the same time, the other people on the sand also started to wake up one by one.
‘Eh? Where is this place?’
Someone asked a question that was completely expected.
‘This is… Ah, are you alright?’
A girl stood up and patted away the sand before making sure of her situation. She looks someone who is very concerned about others.
‘Ahaha! This is the southern island dream! Oh yeah!’
Another person woke up and was immediately full of energy while jumping around actively. He should not have any problems with his body but he should go and see a psychiatrist.
‘Oh, how worthy of the Four Dark Deva Lords of Destruction. Finally you even mastered time travelling…….’
There was also someone who was expressing his delusions. Nobody could figure if it was targeted at other people or he was saying this at the wrong timing.
‘Leave everything to me, my cute kitten. Let my fiery hot techniques melt you …’
People who say dangerous sleep talk before awaking do exist.
‘I-I’m s-so s-sorry! I f-fell again… uwaahhh…’
Is this some physics defying ability to fall down before even standing up?
‘Nidai… Nidai ji-saaaannn!!!’
‘What?! T-this is… wahahaha! This doesn’t look too bad, kid!’
A newcomer growled at the one of awake people with tears in his eyes. Afterwards, he went for a hug which most people expected, but a vicious flying kick came afterwards… the opponent managed to retaliate despite being surprised. This should be a special greeting method used by certain people.
‘Peko…’
‘M-master?’
The newcomers and the already awake group were now together. Not far away, there was a pair that looked like they were acting as long lost… what seemed like lovers but looked more like siblings in an extremely melodramatic reunion scene… It looked like something worth celebrating, but nobody probably wanted their happiness.
‘You peasants… come out if you can explain the situation.’
The calmest and most stressful response came. The response to that calm response came from the calmest person from the group that just came. But this relatively calm response was only at the level of the person barely controlling her tears.
‘Sorry… when everyone has calmed down, I will explain properly. Now… please wait… for a while…’
Three of them from the group which just came, they all seem to have weak tear ducts?
Although a peculiar situation led to another even more peculiar situation, it was unknown whether it was due to peace that people became lazy in the southern scenery or being used to unexpected developments. In a while, everyone calmed down, before introducing themselves.
The three-person group that just appeared on the beach: Super High School Level Princess – Sonia Nevermind, Super High School Level Gangster – Kuzuryuu Fuyuhiko, Super High School Level Gymnast – Owari Akane.
The people who were originally on the beach and woke up continuously at almost the same time: Super High School Level Heir – Togami Byakuya, Super High School Level Swordswoman – Pekoyama Peko, Super High School Level Coach – Nidai Nekomaru, Super High School Level Nurse – Tsumiki Mikan, Super High School Level Chef – Hanamura Teruteru, Super High School Level Animal Breeder – Tanaka Gundam, Super High School Level Light Music Club Member – Mioda Ibuki, Super High School Level Photographer – Koizumi Mahiru, Super High School Level Traditional Dancer – Saionji Hiyoko and myself, Super High School Level Good Luck – Komaeda Nagito.
Because there were 13 people, even if it was just a simple self introduction, when everyone finished speaking, they sat down at the dining hall of the hotel in front of them after moving from the beach.
‘……’
I can’t say for sure whether I’m unhappy with the total unlucky number of 13 people (I should not have this superstition by right), or there was some other reason behind this. This number of ’13 people’ could never make me feel relieved.
For some reason, I cannot accept the number of ’13 people. From my own experiences, it feels like that day when I felt weird for an entire day before I realized that I wore my sweater inside out? It’s like something doesn’t click but I cannot think of what went wrong.
‘…Hmm?’
Anyway…compared to these offending doubts, there was something weirder.
Besides this trash called myself, there were 12 more Super High School Level students here. I who was more obsessed with the hope that the geniuses held more than anyone else, did not feel anything about this and I could not believe it.
It was like there was not even a shard of hope on them… they were people I clearly met for the first time, I could clearly feel the special vibe that only geniuses have. But I was completely unable to express my fervent idolization.
What happened?
The explanation by the princess was still going on. For some unknown reason, the group led by the princess occasionally gazed at me in a complicated manner. Anyway, what I can only do now is to listen to explanations before thinking again.
Oh… if the appeasing words were taken away and the integrated explanation was left, the situation was probably… The 13 people here, no, with another ‘Super High School Level Mechanic’ who was doing something important somewhere else, there would be 14 students. All of them were classmates of Hope Peak’s Academy’s 77th batch. (Even if the number of people was changed to 14, it still did not feel right). As a school trip, they were to visit a certain research base on Jabberwock Islands. But on the way to the island, one of the boats met up with an accident. 10 students on that boat fell into a brain-dead state for a long time. They were still not about to wake up after being rescued, so as a last resort, the remaining 4 students took risks to use of the experimental technology from the research base in order to bring the memories of the comatose people into a virtual world...
Honestly speaking, it was an explanation that was very unbelievable.
… but even if one wanted to counter, there was no counterargument.
The light music club member with drills on her head was already over there nodding her head by herself (although it was obvious that she did not understand anything at all). The traditional dancer who looked like an elementary school student showed a scorning smile and a venomous tongue that could break the cute appearance. The plump chef was mumbling something about avoiding reality. Everyone accepted or denied this incredible explanation in their own way. Within them, I can’t even decide whether I ‘believe’ or ‘not believe’ this as an exception.
Whether is it a situation beyond common sense or the 12 Super High School Level geniuses, before the questions about reality, what is more important is…
‘Huh?’
What is this disheartening feeling from nowhere about? I did not do anything, but I felt like I wagered everything I had in my life and lost. I feel like completely burnt ashes that could not be lit again… Hmm, although I am already trash in the first place.
I always felt that it did not matter whether the explanation was real or not… Although I still minded the number of people and the mysterious doubts, but I completely had no motivation to do anything.
If the reason was that I experienced a certain incident which leads to this situation, probably, I must have lost something like a life goal in that story.