Chapter 37 BOSS Battle: Cloth Man
"This should be from that time..."
"Yes, that's right."
"It seems that everyone should develop the good habit of keeping a diary, so that it might come in handy after death."
"...That sounds a bit like hell."
Several sheets of paper were spread out on the table.
They were currently in another classroom on this floor.
Unlike the previous classroom, which looked like it had been through a fire, the desks and chairs here were neatly arranged and exactly as they were, making it a perfect spot for the three of them to sit around two tables pushed together and discuss things.
Under the increasingly unfazed gazes of the other two, Tsukino and Chiya calmly took a small rechargeable desk lamp from their bag and placed it on the table. This way, they wouldn't need to free up a hand to hold a flashlight while examining the items on the table.
These papers were found by the three of them in some strange places in the classroom. Those in the desk drawers were relatively easy to find, but there were also papers rolled up in a ball and stuffed into a thermos, placed in the groove on the edge of the blackboard, and buried in the soil of a potted plant...
Well, although there are traces of the fire everywhere, there are also many items in the classroom that should not have been able to be preserved intact... but they are indeed still in the classroom.
In response, Tsukino and Chiya stated that there is no need to look for logic in spiritual phenomena. Whatever appears in a spiritual phenomenon, just investigate it. It is meaningless to think about how it came about.
In short, it wasn't easy for anyone to find all of these.
Not long ago, on the day Natsukawa disappeared, Hyuga Hajime found a notebook that Natsukawa had accidentally dropped on the ground.
The contents of the notebook were so badly scribbled that it was impossible to make out what was originally written inside. In addition, there were traces of several pages being torn out.
And those contents that were torn out...
"That's definitely it."
Tsukino and Chiya took out their phones and compared the contents with the handwriting on the crumpled paper, then confirmed it again.
"It's Yoshiko Morikawa's handwriting."
It's only been less than a day since I learned about Yoshiko Morikawa's name yesterday, and in such a short time you've even managed to find out what her handwriting looks like?
Hyuga Hajime was somewhat surprised, but he had no doubt about Tsukino and Chiya's confident statements.
After all, this was a matter of life and death for everyone, and Tsukino had no reason to lie in such a place. Besides, Hinata Hajime wasn't stupid.
He knew that Ohma Kokichi, as the "Ultimate Student," possessed extraordinary abilities. However, after working together for the past few days, he also vaguely realized that Tsukino Kazuya, his classmate, seemed to be more than he appeared.
That calm and composed demeanor alone is something not everyone can maintain in such a situation... Although he had never seen Tsukino Kazuya with any other expression since they met, seeing her calm appearance in this situation was indeed reassuring, and he couldn't help but calm down as well.
After all, emotions are contagious, and it's great that the two people working together don't seem to have any negative emotions.
"So this wasn't originally Natsukawa's thing, but Morikawa's."
Wang Ma Xiaoji looked at the papers arranged on the table in chronological order by date.
"In this way, we can rule out other people with the same name and officially confirm Morikawa Yoshiko's identity."
These torn pages from the notebook were all somewhat damaged, but compared to the completely unreadable notebook, the contents on these pages were still enough to piece together a rough outline of the original contents with some effort.
Tsukino and Chiya: "Hmm... While we can't say we know the whole truth yet, we've come close enough to be there."
As he read the contents, he made a summary in his mind.
Actually, this is a very simple story.
Yoshiko Morikawa, an ordinary... "high school student".
This is obviously inconsistent with the information that Shinmura Kou found out that "Morikawa Yoshiko is currently a middle school student who is still alive," but it is not important and can be ignored for now.
From the few words on the paper, it can be seen that she was in poor health since childhood, which prevented her from participating in many activities with her peers. She also stayed at home for many years, had few friends, and was awkward in interacting with others.
Later, she no longer went in and out of the hospital as frequently as she had when she was a child, but her lack of social skills and introverted personality still left her often alone. This made her yearn for and admire those who appeared dazzling, radiant, confident, flamboyant, and beautiful.
——Enoshima Shields.
That model girl, who was the same age as her, was such a figure in Yoshiko Morikawa's heart.
Since junior high school, Yoshiko Morikawa has admired Junko Enoshima and became one of her many admirers.
Then, in high school, she and Junko Enoshima unexpectedly ended up in the same high school—temporarily.
News spread quickly that Junko Enoshima was about to successfully enroll in Hope's Peak Academy and become an "Ultimate Student." Yoshiko Morikawa, however, lacked outstanding talent and couldn't afford the exorbitant tuition fees for the preparatory courses, meaning it would be difficult for her to see Junko Enoshima again.
While at school, Yoshiko Morikawa unexpectedly reconnected with Junko Enoshima through some school activities. Her interactions with Junko rekindled her long-dormant emotions; she wanted to become friends with her, and even…
But it seems she wasn't given the chance to experience the slow, gradual change.
Junko Enoshima, a model, already spent little time at school, and then news of Hope's Peak Academy came soon after. While Yoshiko Morikawa was happy for her, she also decided to take a gamble, at least to avoid any regrets.
...
Yoshiko Morikawa handed over the love letter in person. She didn't write much on it, as there were more things she wanted to say in person.
Junko Enoshima accepted, saying she would come.
Yoshiko Morikawa brought some homemade sweets and waited on the rooftop after school.
"But that person didn't come."
They found a few pages of notes and that was it. At least up to what the girl had written before her death, her mood was exceptionally sweet. Whether successful or not, she was clearly prepared and content.
"Junko Enoshima did not keep the appointment, and as a result, Yoshiko Morikawa met with misfortune on that day."
Although the contents of the notebook are limited, the strange cloth-covered man's words and actions the day before revealed a lot of information.
Based on that information, the three speculated about what happened after Yoshiko Morikawa waited for Junko Enoshima on the rooftop.
Hyuga Hajime: "Although we were waiting for Enoshima Junko on the rooftop, the place where Morikawa had her accident shouldn't be the rooftop. Otherwise, the sights we saw on this floor wouldn't be explained."
Tsukino and Chiya: "The incident happened on the top floor of the school building... but not the preparatory course building, but the high school she attends. Although it's unclear why the location of her incident is different, she was wandering around the preparatory course... but the fact that she was in the preparatory course doesn't change the fact that she didn't have an incident there."
Wangma Xiaoji: "The person who killed her should not be Enoshima Junko, but someone else. Such strong emotions, regardless of love or hate... If Enoshima killed her, then the cloth-wearing man's line should not be 'Why didn't you come' but 'Why did you kill me?'"
Tsukino and Chiya nodded: "And I think the person who killed her might be related to Enoshima Junko."
Hyuga Hajime was slightly taken aback: "You mean?"
Tsukino and Chiya shared their guesses: "The time she arranged to send the love letter wasn't early. She didn't want to attract attention, so she chose the evening. At this time, logically speaking, apart from Morikawa, who sent the love letter, and Enoshima, who received it, there shouldn't be anyone at school."
"Maybe some student was sneaking around the school late at night playing with foxes and raccoons when he ran into Morikawa, who was walking down the stairs from the rooftop looking dejected after waiting for someone, and just... well, even I think that sounds a bit far-fetched."
Wang Ma Xiaoji rubbed his shoulders.
"The classroom looked like it had been in the fire. With nowhere to escape—meaning she couldn't get out through the front or back doors—it's understandable that Yoshiko Morikawa, without water, would try to jump out of the window to survive."
“But she didn’t jump directly. Instead, she took an extra precaution… She took down the curtains and tried to tie them up as she went downstairs.” Tsukino and Chiya continued, “That’s why she was afraid of falling, and also afraid of the strips of cloth around her getting hurt… I see.”
However, the result was obvious.
If Yoshiko Morikawa had survived back then, they wouldn't be gathered here so late at night today.
"Even so, her obsession was not with the person who drove her to the point of jumping off the building, but rather with Enoshima Junko. Her obsession with Enoshima Junko's broken promise turned into something bizarre."
Wang Ma Xiaoji said with a smile.
"However, in a sense, from the perspective of revenge... she didn't actually make a mistake in targeting Enoshima Junko."
The next second, the light from the desk lamp suddenly went out.
*******
"It's almost time, but it's not midnight yet."
Tsukino and Chiya, who were pondering "why Morikawa Yoshiko, after becoming a monster, was acting in the preparatory course, and whether Aurora had done something," were interrupted by the sudden darkness.
Fortunately, the phone and flashlight still work.
Wangma Xiaoji, Tsukino, and Chiya turned on their flashlights, and then they heard Hinata Hajime, who had checked the time on his phone, say that it wasn't time yet.
"Hmm...maybe it's because today's situation is different from yesterday's?"
A splatter of blood, seemingly appearing out of nowhere, landed on the window near the back door. Then on the window in front, and then the one before that.
Wang Ma Xiaoji looked at the window on the side near the corridor that looked like it had been ravaged by blood, and his tone even carried a hint of serious thought.
"Logically speaking, even though an appointment has been made for a certain time, both the person sending the invitation and the person receiving it would usually leave early, right? So, arriving early is also normal. That's what's called politeness and showing respect."
As red liquid splattered onto the front window on the side closest to the corridor, the front door slowly opened with a creak, as if it had been in disrepair for years.
An inhuman figure entered the classroom.
Wang Ma Xiaoji's voice did not stop because of this.
"Unlike yesterday, today we have Enoshima Junko herself here!"
"So whether it's out of 'love' or 'hate,' it's normal to actively seek out one's beloved simply because of this instinct, right?"
*******
Why did I have to encounter something like this?
If Enoshima-kun, who clearly promised to come, does arrive as promised, then whether I agreed or refused, wouldn't I, having already left school, be spared this absurd situation?
That day should have been her happiest day...
Even if I get rejected, I'll still be happy. As long as I've conveyed the message well, I'll be happy.
But why?
Shield...Enoshima Shield. Enoshima shield Enoshima shield Enoshima shield Enoshima shield.
But even so, she still—
"I love it."
*******
Tsukino and Chiya, who were present as the "real" Enoshima Junko, remained silent.
When it comes to cosplaying Enoshima Junko, Tsukino and Chiya, who merely tied their hair into pigtails with the same hair tie, are definitely not up to par. However, the good news is that the "cloth strip person" actually falls for it.
“(&*#@￥％*+……”
The cloth figure standing in front of the lectern made indistinct sounds, which grew louder as it became more agitated, until they were finally loud enough to be understood.
It wasn't actually anything complicated; it just kept repeating the name of Junko Enoshima.
"Shield. Shield, shield! Shield! Shield! Shield!!"
Wrapped in strips of cloth, Tsukino and Chiya still couldn't make out the strange creature's true appearance. However, he could see countless strips of cloth surging towards him in an instant. These were far more numerous than before, as if they were enthusiastically wrapping him up and giving him a joyful embrace.
But the cloth strip man's enthusiasm was really too much for them to handle. Tsukino and Chiya had no doubt that the strange creature, who couldn't control its strength, could twist its body into a pretzel with those cloth strips.
That would be terrifying.
However, thanks to the quantity of fabric strips this time, there was almost no need to worry about cutting through them with a simple snip.
Tsukino and Chiya didn't make a move, but Hyuga Hajime and Ohma Kokichi used the scissors they had obtained earlier with remarkable coordination. Although it was just a seemingly insignificant cut, even one that made people doubt whether it had actually been cut, it was enough to make the strange creature, who was afraid of damaging the cloth strip, fearfully retract the cloth strip.
The cloth-covered man, who had been carried away by seeing his beloved, seemed much calmer than before.
At this moment, Tsukino and Chiya opened the bento box that he had taken away, which they had found in the trash can.
The cloth-covered figure approached slightly. Layers upon layers of cloth obscured the innermost figure, so Tsukino and Chiya couldn't see its face, but they could feel a chilling gaze upon them.
At this distance, one can vaguely make out a human-shaped figure surrounded by strips of cloth, seemingly wearing a uniform... but the rest is not visible for the time being.
While openly observing the cloth-striped figure, Tsukino and Chiya casually picked up a cookie from the bento box and took a bite.
Neither the taste nor the texture of this cookie seem like something that would make someone ignore the physiological nausea and swallow it.
However, Tsukino and Chiya ate the cookie without changing their expressions or stopping.
The strange creature that had been chanting "Shield" in an inhuman voice suddenly fell silent, as if it had been soothed by the action.
"..."
She ate it. She ate it.
Shield... she sensed my feelings.
Yoshiko Morikawa watched this scene quietly, feeling like she couldn't get enough of it. She couldn't think of much else; at that moment, only the thought, "She ate it," occupied her mind.
If... I still have a brain.
It wanted to see more clearly, so it followed its instincts and approached.
"Enoshima Junko" has also come closer.
She reached out and gently pushed aside the obstructing strip of cloth in front of her.
Can't.
Not allowed!
Even though they were just soft strips of cloth, the moment her hand touched them, several scarlet wounds suddenly appeared on Junko Enoshima's previously flawless hands. But she seemed completely unconcerned and continued to move the strips of cloth aside.
Finally, the strange true form that had been hidden under the strips of cloth was revealed.
Don't look.
Come here quickly.
Help me.
Don't touch them, or I'll fall if they break.
Chaotic thoughts filled the bizarre "brain." A strange urge to attack stirred by the fear of its past life and its current obsession, but before Yoshiko Morikawa could do anything more, it felt warmth emanating from its own "hand."
"Enoshima Junko" grasped its hand.
"Don't be afraid."
Then, it heard “Enoshima Junko” say.
"I've got you."
*******
From the perspective of normal human aesthetics, what was revealed after Tsukino and Chiya pulled back the strips of cloth was a rather terrifying appearance.
At first glance, it appears to be the body of a young girl still wearing a uniform.
Its head appeared deformed from a violent impact, with red liquid continuously oozing from its seven orifices, almost completely covering its distorted face. Its spine was unnaturally bent, causing its entire body to appear crooked, and its limbs were twisted outwards at angles impossible for a normal person, covered with a dense network of wounds. Its body was like a broken jar, constantly oozing a foul liquid, as well as some scarlet paste that wasn't actually liquid.
"...!"
This was the first time Hyuga Hajime had faced such a powerful and impactful presence from the supernatural, and he froze on the spot, his face deathly pale. After confronting such an existence, all his previous mental preparation proved utterly useless. He seemed to exert tremendous effort to suppress a scream, but perhaps he had already lost his voice for a moment.
Perhaps because he was in the same room as the cloth-covered man at the closest distance, the mark on his arm, which had been quiet for a while, started to throb with pain. Surprisingly, this helped Hyuga Hajime regain his senses and prevented him from getting lost in the fear brought on by the stimulating scene.
Wang Ma Xiaoji, on the other side, also remained silent.
Unlike Hyuga Hajime, whose expression changed instantly, Ohma Kokichi's face remained expressionless as he calmly gazed at the cloth figure whose human form was still roughly discernible.
It's impossible not to feel a little emotional, right? Whether it's a corpse or a monster, this appearance... no matter how many times it looks, it's impossible to get used to.
He doesn't want to get used to it either.
Wang Ma Xiaoji's gaze shifted to Tsukino and Chiya's hands.
Although she has a pretty face, it still looks a bit strange that Tsukino and Chiya tie their hair into pigtails without makeup or changing clothes.
However, the current scene is hardly something to laugh about.
Even when facing the terrifyingly strange creature up close, with blood streaming down its hands, the black-haired boy remained unfazed.
Wang Ma Xiaoji couldn't help but wonder, would Tsukino and Chiya be afraid? How could he remain so calm? Was it because this kind of situation was commonplace for him, or...?
His heartbeat, which had been slightly faster than usual, gradually returned to normal.
Wang Ma Xiaoji was fully aware of the entire investigation and had no objections to Tsukino and Qianye's handling of the situation. However, of course... facing such a dangerous existence as the supernatural, deep down he couldn't guarantee that things would be resolved completely.
but……
Perhaps it was their last chance. If they didn't deal with the anomaly now, even if they survived again, their fate would be the same when dawn broke.
Perhaps it was because Wang Ma Xiaoji had once risked his life at a crucial moment to set up a trap with someone he was least likely to encounter, a trap from which he would probably never know the final outcome.
Perhaps it was because he knew that Tsukino and Chiya were not as simple as he described them as "ordinary," "ordinary," or "unremarkable."
Or perhaps it's because this ridiculous situation of facing a bizarre life-or-death crisis is actually not as extreme as the infighting among humans. In this situation where everyone shares the same goal and there's no need for suspicion or distrust, the genuine feelings that were once felt from the members of DICE but were forced to be buried due to the extreme environment are gradually beginning to beat again.
Sometimes, premature celebration and blind faith can be fatal. But right now, more than rational thoughts like "What if we fail...", he was actually more concerned about...
Two bloody, mangled hands clasped together... no, to be more precise, Tsukino and Chiya took the initiative to firmly grasp the strange, equally broken hands.
The black-haired boy looked away from his hands, then raised his eyes to meet the strange gaze. Throughout, he seemed oblivious to fear and pain.
Is this person really alright?
*******
No problem.
As the people closest to the supernatural at this moment, Tsukino and Chiya's initially uneasy hearts gradually calmed down.
The pain in my hand is nothing compared to the life-or-death situation.
Perhaps because this is a spiritual barrier where "nothing is surprising," Tsukino and Chiya can sense the strange thoughts that were gradually becoming clearer in their minds, which should have been filled only with obsession and resentment.
……Yeah?
Oh, I see.
"Enoshima Junko" has arrived as promised.
The cloth-wearing woman's long-dormant brain began to function again—although she might no longer have a brain at all.
Yoshiko Morikawa remembered the events of that day in their entirety for the first time in a long time.
As a time machine, this seems a little too late.
Yoshiko Morikawa saw that the rooftop was empty except for herself.
She heard footsteps that had finally sounded behind her after a long wait. But when she turned around, she saw a complete stranger.
She saw a classroom on the floor below the rooftop that was splattered with blood, whether human or animal blood, she couldn't tell.
The man, as if performing some strange ritual, lit a fire and locked her inside the classroom.
We can't get out.
That person seemed to have gone mad, completely oblivious to the fear of being implicated, and simply stood outside the classroom waiting for her death... or rather, for their deaths.
If you force your way out, you'll be killed by the man with the gun.
Sooner or later, there will be no escape in the classroom. Even if you perish in the fire or smoke, you will only die faster than the other person.
The only way out, perhaps, is...
...
…………
shield.
Why didn't you come?
Didn't we already agree?
Did something suddenly come up and delay her? Yeah, she's such a popular model, it's normal for something to come up at the last minute, right? But she didn't send me a message... Does that mean she might still come over?
If Junko comes, I won't have to wait any longer, and I can leave. If I leave here in time, I won't die.
I really want to see her.
When will she be able to come?
And now—
She arrived as promised.
She found herself.
She caught herself.
So... there's no need to worry about accidentally falling, and those things won't happen again, right?
In that case, it really is—
"Very good."
The strange creature managed to squeeze out those words in its inhuman voice.
*******
This happened right after Wang Ma Xiaoji discovered the two hair ties.
Or to be more precise, at that moment, although it was only for a split second, he "saw" it.
A girl with a voluminous head of hair casually lay on the soft mattress, comfortably flipping through a magazine while eating fruit placed on the bedside table.
The phone, also placed on the bed, showed that it was in a call.
The sound came from the phone's speaker, and the two people on the other end of the call seemed to have been chatting for a while. Now their conversation was gradually shifting to other topics.
"By the way, Xiaodunzi," a strange female voice came from the other end of the phone, "didn't you say you had something else to do tonight?"
"Hey—you can do whatever you want with that kind of thing. You can't even start a conversation, you're such a spoilsport."
The girl lying on the bed rolled over and yawned. Without a doubt, that face belonged to Junko Enoshima, the currently popular middle school model.
"You're talking about the guy who sent me the love letter, right? What's his name again? Well, it doesn't matter. After all, I'm a super popular beauty, so I'm used to things like this."
"Anyway, it's just something I use to kill time when I'm bored... but I've tasted similar despair before. Sigh, thinking about it this way, this feeling of boredom to the point of despair without anything new is also a kind of despair."
"But, it seems someone found their way into the school? Seriously~ What kind of stalker is that? Heh, I accidentally messed with someone before, but whatever that broken stalker does in school tonight is up to them. Although I was originally thinking of going to observe and enjoy it, I've found something more interesting right now~ so I'll pass."
"This kind of despair, letting things develop unchecked and not being able to witness the final moment... isn't it good too?"
-----------------------
Author's Note: If you use fire to deal with the monster here, it will result in a destructive ending [covering face and peeking].
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