Chapter 2: First Playthrough (2)
"Bourbon, I never expected you to be an undercover agent."
Gin's black leather shoes slammed down on Furuya Rei's wrist, preventing him from getting up, and then he used his knee to press Rei's chest down, shoving him back to the ground.
He had one hand around the blond youth's neck, and the other hand pressed a gun against his head, his wolf-like green eyes blazing with burning rage and chilling killing intent.
"Ha, policeman, I never thought someone like you would be a rat in the police force. A madman like you can be an undercover agent?"
Rei Furuya's light golden hair was soaked with sweat, and a few strands of golden hair, tinged with bright red blood and dust, clung to his dark tan skin. He was covered in wounds, and blood kept flowing from them, making him weaker and weaker.
Gin then laughed: "You look quite pleasing to the eye right now, Bourbon."
Despite being utterly exhausted and in so much pain that his limbs were almost powerless, Furuya Rei still stared intently at the assassin who was stepping on him with his sharp, smoky purple eyes, as if he could turn the tables and tear his throat apart at any moment.
He was shot five times; only two of the shots were from Rum, while the other three were from Gin.
A sniper shot from a distance pierced his chest right next to his heart, nearly killing him instantly.
If Gin hadn't suddenly fired a sniper shot, he might have killed Rum on the spot. But it didn't matter; he believed Rum wouldn't escape, and the organization would be destroyed tonight.
Just as the organization was about to be completely wiped out, Gin, the organization's number one assassin and the primary target of all major forces, did not run away. Instead, he dropped his sniper rifle, picked up his Beretta, and charged over.
This is the organization's core headquarters. The police haven't been able to completely break in yet. Only Rei Furuya, an undercover agent, has gone deep inside to gather intelligence and cooperate with those outside. Tonight, they will completely wipe out this international criminal terrorist organization.
But now he was the only one who had penetrated deep into the enemy camp. Furuya Rei had long been prepared for the possibility that he would die when everything was exposed. He would be torn apart by these beasts who had been chased to the brink of destruction.
[For the public good, I am happy to face death.]
Right?
So he just chuckled, slightly raised his chin, and met the gaze of those fierce green eyes above him.
"Gin, do you think you're any better off now?" Furuya Rei mocked back, as he was always adept at taunting Gin.
Clearly, Gin was already furious, otherwise he wouldn't have stayed behind and risked being caught to hunt down this undercover agent.
Gin was also shot twice, his hat, which he never took off, was gone, and his long silver hair was covered in dust and blood. His disheveled and furious appearance made Rei Furuya laugh.
"You're still being stubborn even when you're about to die." Gin reached out and suddenly grabbed Bourbon's hand, which was sneakily reaching into his pocket. "You dare to make such a small move under my nose after being shot by me. Your ability is really good, and your courage is really big, Bourbon."
Gin is a tall foreigner with silver hair, green eyes, and pale skin.
At that moment, when his pale hands gripped Furuya Rei's wheat-colored, blood-stained wrist, the latter couldn't break free at all. After Gin took the button that was obviously a bomb from his pocket, a cruel and insane smile appeared on his face.
He suddenly twisted his hand forcefully, snapping the wrist in two.
"Mere rats." Gin said through gritted teeth, seemingly unable to bear the anger of being deceived for so many years.
Rei Furuya couldn't help but groan in pain, his whole body trembling slightly. He gritted his teeth and endured it, even managing to raise his eyes and continue his mockery after catching his breath.
“You can only be arrogant for a little while,” he said. “Gin, the organization is finished. I can’t wait to see you handcuffed, dragged out into the sunlight for trial, and spend the rest of your life in prison.”
"I won't be caught, but you will die, right now, by my hand." Gin sneered, his green eyes, filled with violent killing intent, looking down at him.
"Bourbon, how does it feel to fall in the darkness before dawn?" Gin suddenly asked him maliciously.
"Hahaha, feels great." Rei Furuya laughed wickedly. "Gin, how does it feel to see the organization you've poured your heart and soul into maintaining about to be destroyed before your very eyes?"
He continued laughing, pushing the other man's neck harder, "Gin, sometimes I really wonder if you've gotten over your chuunibyou phase. You just spout off some ridiculously chuunibyou-ish words. Do you think you're some kind of bard? I suggest you try writing light novels. You'd definitely be popular with young people."
Gin stopped laughing, his face darkening as he pressed the gun hard against Bourbon's temple: "You're asking for it, Bourbon."
“I’m not Bourbon,” Furuya Rei abruptly interrupted him.
Then Rei Furuya suddenly smiled, his eyes resolute and filled with a sharp light, like the sun he could no longer see.
"I am Rei Furuya, a police officer," he said.
"Is that so?" Gin sneered and raised his gun. "Then, esteemed officer, you may die here with your ideals and justice."
“Yes, I will die here. I’ve been prepared for it for a long time.” Furuya Rei stared at him expressionlessly. “But you will die with me, as well as everything in this organization that shouldn’t exist in this world. You will all disappear from this world with me.”
Gin frowned slightly, but quickly recovered amidst the deafening explosion that followed.
"You planted a time bomb all along?!" Gin exclaimed incredulously. "Is this how the police operate?"
"I'm sorry, but we police are best at doing illegal things. I'll do anything for the safety and interests of the people."
“Some research and data must never be restarted,” Rei Furuya said firmly. “I will never underestimate the allure of immortality and rejuvenation to humanity. These sinful materials and experiments will be destroyed along with the organization.”
Before the intense heat of the final explosion could reach the two and take their lives, Gin, with his back to the towering flames and his eyes filled with cold, furious killing intent, pointed his gun at Furuya Rei's head first.
"Bang--"
*
"Who are you?"
"Bourbon."
"Who are you?"
"Toru Amuro."
"Who are you?"
"Falling valley zero."
"Bourbon, be careful not to die."
"Mr. Amuro, please take care of your health."
"Mr. Furuya, please be careful. Safety is the most important thing."
"Rei Furuya, don't do anything reckless."
"Zero-kun, Doctor, I'm going to a very far place. Take good care of yourself."
"Zero, you must live on."
Ah, I will live well.
Until the day the mission is completed.
But now that the organization has been destroyed, and I have finally completed my mission, can I finally rest?
"Zero, you're too slow."
Sorry to keep you waiting, everyone.
I am coming.
*
You're going to die.
I am already dead.
So I can die too.
Why do I say that?
Because... to the world, Zero may truly have become a non-existent organization, and I, too, have become a non-existent person.
So no matter how crazy I got, death couldn't take me away, and I became the only one who survived.
Sometimes I can't help but think like that.
But you are going to die.
It's okay, everyone is waiting for me, I'm not afraid of death.
【Reduced Valley Zero. 】
Do you want to be resurrected?
Do you want to turn back the tide of time?
Do you want to bring the dead back to life?
Sign a contract with us, and all your wishes will come true.
Who are you? What do you want?
We are both God and the devil, for we seek to reverse the flow of time and bring the dead back to life.
I don't believe you.
I refuse.
[Refusal was ineffective; we are satisfied with your response.]
What? Are all the Grim Reapers this unreasonable these days?
[Contract Established]
[Start Game]
*
Rei Furuya opened his eyes.
He stared blankly at the familiar yet unfamiliar ceiling above him, lost in thought.
It was familiar, of course, because this was the police academy dormitory that left a deep impression on him.
It's understandable that he feels unfamiliar with the place, given that it's been seven years since he graduated from police academy.
He was not Rei Furuya, who had just entered the police academy at the age of 22, but Rei Furuya, a public security police officer who died at the age of 29 during an undercover mission.
Rei Furuya truly served his country and people as a police officer until the very last moment. He gave everything, and ultimately, the organization was indeed dismantled.
However, beneath the layers of masks, the fact that all the important people around him had died still left him with a scar that could never be erased for the rest of his life.
Unspeakable grief and anger tormented him throughout the night, preventing him from sleeping. He was often awakened by nightmares, and then sat alone in the dark, recalling the past.
Thoughts like "If only I had..." occasionally pop into his mind. He dreams of going back in time to save everyone, but when he's rational and clear-headed, he never thinks that such a thing could actually happen.
Has he actually managed to reverse the flow of time, return to the past, and bring the dead back to life?
The blond youth covered his eyes with his arm and remained silent for at least ten minutes before slowly getting up and glancing at his phone.
It's 5 a.m. now. He's only slept for 90 minutes, and there's still an hour until the police academy students have to get up.
After leaving Hiro's dorm last night, he only took a quick look around his own dorm before leaving again.
Rei Furuya had observed and studied the area around the school, both inside and out. No matter how he looked at it, it was definitely the police academy from seven years ago; he had truly returned to the past.
He was in disbelief and in a state of confusion. Even though his rational mind had prepared him to live a good life in this world as a 22-year-old and vowed never to let anything happen to anyone again, his emotions were still surging and raging within him.
Before returning to school, Rei Furuya bought a bottle of bourbon.
When he couldn't sleep or his thoughts were in turmoil, he would stay in his small room and slowly drink, swirling his glass in his cramped and dark personal space while thinking about those things and those people.
He rarely gets drunk; he only uses alcohol as a pastime and a way to help him sleep.
However, Furuya Rei forgot that his body belonged to a 22-year-old police academy student, not the battle-hardened Bourbon, and actually fell asleep slightly tipsy.
Then I woke up from a nightmare.
Upon waking, I will have to face this absurd reality again.
Rei Furuya knew nothing about the thing that sent him back to the past.
That was probably a game between God and the devil, a cruel joke of fate, an existence that human beings could not understand or defy.
But Rei Furuya will not back down or give up. No one can destroy this world where everyone is still alive.
He will definitely protect everyone this time and will not let anyone die.
After Furuya Rei cleaned up the mess of empty bottles and his own chaotic state, he had completely returned to normal.
The blond youth looked just like a real 22-year-old freshman at the police academy. The smell of alcohol on him could be explained as the smell of medicinal wine. However, the wound on his face from last night's fight with Matsuda would probably attract the attention of Instructor Onizuka, just like before.
"Zero? Zero, are you ready?" His childhood friend's familiar voice came from outside the door. He knocked and waited for him to go to class together.
"Coming, coming." Furuya Rei opened the door and gave the young man outside a happy smile.
“Hiro, good morning,” he said.
Such an ordinary thing as saying good morning to someone in the morning was something he never dared to dream of before.
"Good morning, Zero," Morofushi Kagemitsu said with a smile, looking at the injuries on Zero's face with concern. "With your face like this, what are you going to have for breakfast?" he asked worriedly.
"Hmm... how's the curry?"
"Huh? But you'll definitely add a lot of spice, which is bad for the wound."
Rei Furuya stepped out of the dark room and walked towards Morofushi Kagemitsu, which was illuminated by the sunrise.
He began to seriously consider what to eat with his childhood friend at the cafeteria on the first morning of his new life.
What suddenly interrupted his thoughts was that familiar voice in his mind.
Group chat functionality is now available.
[Note: Although this chat software is displayed on the player's phone, it cannot be seen by others and cannot be attacked in any way.]
Rei Furuya remained expressionless as he chatted with his childhood friend while taking out his phone, immediately spotting the unfamiliar app.
It was a distorted, unsettling black clock icon.
After pondering for a few seconds and confirming that Hiro next to him really couldn't see it, Furuya Rei finally clicked on it.
He needs more intelligence.
[—Rei Furuya has joined the group chat—]
[Online agent Shinpei: Huh? A newbie?!]
[Natsuki Subaru: What?! New people actually join this group?!]
Furuya Rei didn't speak first, but quickly observed the chat room, and the first thing he saw was the group member list in the upper right corner.
He clicked on it and zoomed in.
[1. Subaru Natsuki: From *Re:Zero -Starting Life in Another World-*, currently on his tenth playthrough, and has died ten times.]
[2. Shinpei Ami: From "Summer Revisited," currently on his third playthrough, already died three times.]
[3. Rei Furuya: From "Detective Conan," currently on his first playthrough, already died once.]
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