I wrote this story in Japanese, and it was translated into English with the help of AI.
This is part of a series. If you haven’t read the previous chapters, please start with those first.
Episode 1⇒https://00m.in/NGWRT
Episode ２⇒https://00m.in/bivGd
Episode ３⇒https://00m.in/tXUwq
Episode４⇒https://00m.in/WwNCp
Episode5⇒https://00m.in/vXWRT
Episode６⇒https://00m.in/mbaRN
“Then die.”
Even in a world where every living being on Earth had been wiped out, I was still alive.
Just earlier, I could breathe underwater—then suddenly I couldn’t.
Had my body changed?
Or… was none of this even real?
“I shall be the one to kill you.”
That voice chilled me to the core.
My body tensed up instinctively.
“W-What are you—!?”
Suddenly, something enveloped me.
Pressure closed in around my entire body.
I—I’m really going to die?
With a loud pop, the pressure vanished.
“Just as I thought. You truly are troublesome.”
“W-Was that… me? Did I do that?”
“When you feel fear or face death, your power activates.
Now—what is it you desire?”
“My desire…? That’s obvious.
I want to go back—back to before the world ended like this.
I want nothing to do with any of this messed-up stuff.”
“Listen closely. You killed your parents. You killed your family.
You are a murderer who slaughtered all life on this planet.”
“Bullshit! That’s on you!
I don’t know what kind of influence or interference you’re talking about,
but I was the one who lost everything!
You gave me this power, and now you’re calling me the villain?
I’m the victim here!”
“Humans are easily led to chaos.
Your kind—your type—is the reason this happened.
Sure, perhaps our influence gave you that power…
But the one who unleashed it—
The one who destroyed everything until it ceased to exist—was you.”
“Don’t screw with me‼
I had this blinding headache that day—I didn’t know what was happening—”
I… I don’t want to know.
I don’t want to understand.
But…
“Yes. You understand now.
Because you were touched by us.
Unlike us—you cannot remain ignorant.
You are doomed to understand.”
Yeah…
It’s my fault.
Even though I didn’t want to know, I do.
Even though I didn’t mean to do it—didn’t wish for it—
I still did.
“Even if you didn’t wish it, you are still to blame.
That is why… you must die.”
He really wants me dead?
No… I don’t want to die‼
“Momoka! If I can see Momoka again, things will go back, right?!
Then let me see her! I’ll never use my powers again—just please!”
“You hold your strongest desire to protect her.
That is why… her existence remains.”
“Really?! Then let me see her!”
No way this thing’s going to just let me.
But I have to escape it—
I have to find Momoka.
“Even if you search for her, you won’t find her.
Her body is gone. Only her consciousness remains, trapped.”
“Her consciousness…? You mean… she’s suffering?”
“To you humans, that is what it would seem.
She is frightened… and has been crying nonstop.”
But—how?
How can a consciousness cry?
How can it suffer without a body?
I don’t understand.
But still—
I want to help her.
“To save Momoka… you must die.
If you die, she will be freed.”
“You… you really just want me dead, don’t you?
Like hell I’m going to trust anything you say.”
“Do as you please.
But deep down, you understand.
I’m offering you a way to die.”
Yeah…
I know he’s not wrong.
But maybe—maybe this whole situation is messing with my sense of right and wrong.
What if everything I feel, everything I think…
is already under their control?
Then—what part of me is still me?
What part of me is truly mine?
I don’t know…
But I have to trust the part that still feels right.
“So… I have no choice but to die?”
“If you care for Momoka.
Or if you cannot stand being alone for the rest of time.”
Alone…
Am I really doomed to stay alone forever?
Is that my only other choice?
“I don’t have to die right this second, do I?
Everyone dies eventually.
Just give me a little more time.
Let me think—sort myself out.”
“You won’t die so easily.
Not with our influence still in you.
That’s why I offered to kill you myself.”
“Then give me time! Even if I can’t do it myself—
At least let me think. Let me breathe.”
“Very well.
But I’ve no interest in wasting time on you.”
Suddenly, I felt the presence I’d been speaking to begin to fade.
Panic surged through me.
“W-Wait! Please, wait!”
I knew it.
If this presence disappeared, I’d be left completely alone.
Unable to die.
Unable to go mad.
Just existing. Forever.
I begged—screamed—
And the presence returned.
“Then die.”
The moment I heard those words—
my body floated up into the air.
A strange pressure built inside me, swelling from my core,
spreading until I felt like I was going to burst.
Still, I kept rising—higher and higher.
How far… how far was I going to float?
I don’t want to die!
I really, truly don’t want to die‼
Just then—
A vision burned in my mind.
My mom—
Engulfed in flames I had created.
I saw her burn slowly—so slowly—
even though it had only lasted a moment before.
My body swelled even more.
When I’d reached the height of a ten-story building, I suddenly plummeted.
Face down, I fell, fast and hard.
Was I really going to die on impact?
Just as I thought that, my body puffed up even more—
and then, with a loud bang, I exploded.
Even then—
I remained conscious.
I felt every disgusting sensation of my body rupturing,
splitting into fragments, splattering across the ground.
My fluids soaked into the earth,
slowly seeping away over time.
Even like this—
even when I had no body—
my consciousness remained.
Is this what it means to exist without a body?
An overwhelming loneliness—
a hollow despair—
filled me completely.
And then, even that sense of self began to fade…
“Taichi? What’s wrong? Are you okay?”
Mom’s voice, filled with concern, reached me.
“M-Mom…”
“You look awful. Did you catch your father’s cold?”
I was sitting in a chair in the dining room.
On the table before me: half-eaten toast, bacon and eggs, salad, and corn soup.
I glanced at the clock.
It was still before nine.
Wasn’t it almost nine-thirty just before?
Did I really come back?
I stared at my mom’s face.
“What’s the matter? You’re staring at me.”
She looked puzzled.
“Ah, no… Sorry. It’s nothing.”
No—
It wasn’t a dream.
I know it wasn’t.
Even though I don’t want to know—
I do.
If only I could believe it was all a dream…
But I can’t.
Not anymore.
“You look so serious today.”
She handed me a cup of coffee.
“Ah, no… It’s really nothing.”
I think…
I was told the same thing last time I returned.
I looked down at my breakfast.
Just earlier, I thought I’d never have a meal like this again.
I dug in, devouring the food that was still mostly untouched.
“Are you sure you’re okay? You’re dripping with sweat.”
“No, it’s not that—”
My voice caught.
A wave of emotion crashed over me.
“You feeling sick?
Maybe you caught your father’s cold?”
“No. But… I’m just glad I can still eat.”
“You’re acting strange today.
Well, if you’re enjoying your breakfast, that’s good.
Weren’t you going to hang out with your friends today?”
“Ah, yeah… I was. But…”
I have to see Momoka.
Maybe—just maybe—I can still reach her.
“I’m not meeting my friends today.
Where’s Momoka?”
“She stayed over at her friend’s place last night.”
“Right… I remember now.”
What’s going to happen next?
Before anything weird happens again—
I have to see Momoka.
“When’s she coming back?”
“This evening, I think.
They’ll contact us when it’s time to pick her up.”
This evening…
I don’t think I can wait that long.
Not feeling like this.
“Can’t she come home earlier?”
“What’s gotten into you? That’s not like you.”
She’s suspicious.
How do I explain this?
“I’ve got no plans today.
Remember the movie Momoka wanted to see?
I’ll take her—if she’s up for it.
Can you call her and ask?”
She’s only in second grade.
She doesn’t have her own phone yet.
I can’t contact her directly.
“Hmm… okay, I’ll check.”
Mom took out her phone and made a call—
probably to the friend’s parents.
I stayed at the table after finishing my food.
If Momoka didn’t want to go to the movie,
I’d just go pick her up anyway.
I couldn’t bear the thought of waiting around.
I felt more nervous than ever.
Soon, Mom’s phone rang.
She looked at the screen and answered.
“Oh, she wants to go!
And her friend’s going home this morning too,
so I’ll go pick her up.”
“I see…”
“You look really relieved. What’s up?”
“No, it’s nothing.”
“You’re such a strange boy sometimes.
But today you’re really acting odd.”
She gave a small laugh.
That smile—
somehow, it calmed me down.
I knew the place.
I’d go pick up Momoka myself.
Just waiting here would be unbearable.
“Mom, I’ll go get her.
Aren’t you taking Dad to the hospital today?”
“Oh, that would help. Thanks.”
“Alright, I’m going.”
I headed to my room to get ready.
The moment I stepped inside,
a wave of nausea and tears hit me.
I didn’t throw up, but I felt sick.
“I… I…”
Was I always like this?
Did all this change me?
No—it’s not me.
It wasn’t my fault…
But maybe it was.
I felt awful.
But I got dressed and left the house.
Outside, there were houses, plants—
everything looked the same as always.
I thought about running to pick up Momoka.
But I was scared.
Tense, I walked the path.
Her friend’s house was close,
so I arrived quickly.
Still—
my nerves didn’t ease.
If anything, they got worse.
“Big bro! I’m excited for the movie!”
She came out right away, smiling brightly, holding her things.
“Momoka…”
Did this mean—
I made it?
My heart thudded painfully.
And in that moment—
the world around me ignited.
Suddenly, darkness.
Momoka stood there—
bleeding, staggering.
Her skin was scorched,
parts of it peeling away.
Her right arm twisted at an unnatural angle.
Her beautiful long hair—burnt, matted, barely there.
Nothing else existed around us.
Just darkness.
Or maybe—
everything else had been erased?
“M-Momoka—”
Why?
I didn’t feel any danger.
Did I… use my power again without realizing?
A wave of dizziness hit me.
I blinked—just once—
And everything was back.
Momoka was in front of me, smiling again.
“Big bro, what’s wrong? Let’s go! Take me to the movie!”
“Y-Yeah… Let’s go.”
I’m probably going to see these visions again.
Over and over.
But I won’t use my powers.
I won’t lose anything ever again.
