Adam waved enthusiastically as Klaus and Annette got off the bus. Overarching behind him, Bella, and Chris was the balloon-covered sign to a newly opened amusement park.

No… That’s not the main issue right now. That man…was the man I saved in the river a couple of weeks ago. The man that shot himself… Did I…save a monster?

Alphonse McCain, CEO of McCain Industries… The man selling horrible weapons overseas… The target of the Soaker and the hidden terrorist group…is Bella’s father… He shook his head, causing sweat to crawl down his neck. No… That’s not the main issue right now. That man…was the man I saved in the river a couple of weeks ago. The man that shot himself… Did I…save a monster?

“I’m Bella’s father, Alphonse McCain.”

“I don’t believe that Chris would want to harm Maya in any way. There has to be something we’re missing…”

Klaus stood up. “Whatever Chris must have done was simply the last straw, right…?”

“What?” “We’ve been friends for almost our entire lives. And a majority of the time, she’s…been through hell.” Bella started shuddering at her recollections. “Her parents divorced when she was five. Her mother died when she was seven. Soon after her father took her in, he physically abused and almost raped her…” She fell into a squat, clutching her head. “She lived with her aunt before getting kicked out to live on her own during all of high school. I tried to bring food as often as I could, but she usually wouldn’t accept it. And her part-time jobs gave pocket change for ridiculous amounts of disgusting work…” “Bella…” “She finally stopped getting picked on at school when rumours of her killing her parents started to spread. Just because she lived alone and paid for everything herself, people made THAT kind of conclusion?! Could they not see how gentle she was?! How much strength was in her smile?! She…had to grin and bear it all…” Bella felt a hand drop on her head. Klaus gently stroked her bleached locks of blonde hair. “…That’s enough. You’re being too hard on yourself when you’re probably the only reason Maya lasted this long.” “What are you–” “During her rampage, she didn’t want to think about you. She knew that what she was doing would mean forsaking all the kindness you’ve given her over the years.” Bella covered her face with her hands as Klaus squatted down as well. “She wouldn’t want you to feel this burdened by her.”

“…There’s something you should know about Maya.”

“Y-your stab wound,” Bella stammered out. “The one that put you in a coma for like a week.” Klaus paused with a raised eyebrow before crossing his arms. “Right, I forgot about that…”

“They finished treating her wounds. She’ll be fine in about a week. Although she claims it’ll be shorter since she got those wounds from doing THAT…”

The main connection between this terrorist group and our city is the industrial

“Anyways, the Soaker’s habit of leaving the victim’s clothes drenched in blood was a reference to one of the combat uniforms developed by McCain Industries. Via remote control, the uniform can suddenly expand blades to stab the wearer, making it good for silencing troops before they’re tortured for info.”

“31 people including the Soaker died tonight, huh…?”

Klaus frowned. “…I murdered him, you know. I’m no hero.”

“I…could only barely undo your death tonight…while you saved dozens, maybe hundreds of people by stopping the Soaker tonight…”

killed in this exact parking lot.

Klaus sighed. “You should know. I woke up a few hours ago to a dream where I was killed in this exact parking lot. I knew that if I died, you two would probably end up killed as well. So I had to come, even if meant risking death again.”

Under the light of a stunned Michael’s flashlight was Natalia collapsed on the parking lot floor, covered in deep, bleeding cuts throughout her body. Her blood dripped from her fingertips to the concrete as the red stains on her dress slowly grew from the open wounds on her thighs and torso.

“NO!” Klaus shouted, staggering to stand up. “I can’t accept that! You have to arrest me!”

“NO!! I can’t… I can’t let another person die because of me… Even if he’s a serial killer, I…”

“Conveniently, you didn’t leave your fingerprints on the knife. I’ll report that you struggled with him briefly, got knocked out, and he killed his final victim over there before killing himself.”

“I guess…he really wanted to kill you, huh…? Haha…”

“…CHANGE EVERYONE’S FATES!!”

He was being held down by a young man wearing a hospital gown and a single green slipper

One person… If I can just save one person…

Her clothes suddenly felt heavier.

God-defying powers

“You cannot save everyone in this city.”

“Outside of a soul, you Renegades are nothing more than ordinary humans. Powerless, easy victims for a serial killer. What made you think you could do anything alone?”

“I don’t look that old, do I?! I mean, yes, my hair is naturally silver for some reason…”

“I’m under direct orders from the higher-ups. I have no time to search for a lost child right now.”

“Could it be used to climb buildings and swing around them?”

“Huh? Yeah, it’s like a claw with a chain attached. It shoots out and clamps onto whatever it hits, and can be pulled back automatically with a high-powered motor.”

“This…is the Soaker, isn’t it? So…this is how I die? As…just another random victim?”

“Can your knife block THIS?!”

Her glowing rapier grew to twice its size, resembling the shape of a longsword. I’ll fight to achieve my own desires.

I don’t need to be a puppet anymore.

The Afterdeath backed away from her growing radiance. Natalia shook her head and curled her lips up as her armour and sword turned completely white.

“…don’t want Annette to be sad…”

Natalia’s vision blurred.

“The armour’s size is relative to the weight of the Renegade’s sins, while the sword’s size represents their resolve to atone for them…” I don’t know what sins I could atone for.

She grazed her left hand along her right forearm where her old injury used to be.

Adam says as long as you stay in a bright area and not approach anywhere dark, you should be fine.

Apparently, the Soaker uses a special gadget that grabs people from a distance and pulls them in.

“Kinda. Although, you’re making it really easy with that face.”

“It’s just as Chris says. I’m a member of the police’s covert investigation unit. I’ve been attending this school for the last six months to investigate student and staff connections to criminal organizations.

“…But what if that was the point? What if his research into the secrets of this city was in fact his occupation? What if he shared his knowledge KNOWING people would share what they know?”

Oh boy.

“To begin, I’d like to tell the story of a curious young man.”

“Fine, fine,” Adam suddenly exhaled. “No need to continue beating around the bush.” …Adam?

REAL Soaker

“…All right, fine, FINE. Just…enough with the visual novel lines. Man, with your hair colour and this atmosphere…”

“Because I know…that the Annette in any timeline would be devastated if she lost either of you…”

but I don’t want you or Klaus to die in ANY timeline!”

“It’s a real world injury, though… I don’t know when he’ll recover from it…”

“…I’ve been scared for so long. He’s always in so much pain… I never know what he’s thinking… He’s just like my…” Images flashed in Annette’s head. Her mother in hysterics on the phone. The officers inspecting the roof of the townhouse. The white tape and large blood splatter on the pavement below. “Daddy’s in heaven now, dear…”

“Putting everybody else before yourself…”

…NO! I won’t imagine it! I won’t even consider it!

“If I became his girlfriend…he would have to treat me a lot nicer than that, right?”

unleash all of it on me

but also because he gets all creepy when he tells it.

“How did you handle it?”

Behind those lifeless eyes was great suffering, but behind THAT was a kind and reliable man.

now with a pink handprint.

“You’re putting Klaus in danger without fully understanding what you’re doing?!”

“No, of course not! I just…don’t know that much about the Renegades. Aside from what I learned in books and…personal experience.”

“If he’s not in critical condition, he’ll recover quickly. Injuries sustained in the Inner Purgatory heal much faster than ordinary ones, for some reason.”

“…I want to follow Klaus’s example.”

“I know who you REALLY are.”

“It’ll be okay. Klaus can survive anything. Even death since you’re around, remember?”

“…Maya… That’s enough…”

“Let’s see what your blood looks like~”

“That’s a shame…” she giggled. “I kinda wanted to pin this on the Soaker… But I suppose I can always get away with it by killing myself right after.”

“…Maya?”

A text tone rung.

“YOU’RE THE BEST KOUHAI EVEEEEER!” she shouted, sniffling and digging her face in his pajama top.

“Wait, you actually believe that lame story?!”

“…This kid is cuter than me, isn’t he…?”

Adam in pajamas

Annette gave him a bright smile. “Hey, you just said Klaus seemed more dependable earlier, right? There’s a good reason for that.” “And that is…?”

“…See, that’s the thing. They kinda happened…simultaneously.”

“If you don’t want your secret out, come alone to Sushi Kaze at 8 PM tonight.”

I…suddenly felt warm and safe…”

“Does this mean…I have a thing for older men?”

tipped his hat

“We’ll do an investigation around the areas you specified. If you want protection, seek out a bodyguard service. Your dreams are not within the police’s jurisdiction.”

“That’s where you’re wrong!” Chris shouted, standing up again. “I told you, I got messages telling me to go to those exact locations! The sushi restaurant and the jewelry store!”

Chris scratched the back of his head. “…See, that’s the thing. They kinda happened…simultaneously.”

With Annette still cowering behind him, Klaus stepped aside as the man in the overcoat stepped out the door, holding up a police badge.

“It’s the only explanation for why he was killed twice and no one else was.”

“Never…underestimate…me…”

In the middle of the alley before them, wearing clothes soaked in blood, was once again the corpse of Chris.

A loud metal clang suddenly rang between the alley walls. Klaus hunched over to grab his abdomen, directly inhaling the odor of rotten fish.

“Is that boy okay?” “Ah, young love~ Never underestimate women, kid.”

You’d make an exception for your friends, right?”

“No, I think…this time around, the Soaker had a greater intent to kill. Much more than he usually does…” “But why?” “I’m not sure… Does Chris have some connection to the Soaker?”

“The way you were talking seemed to me like you don’t consider Chris as your friend.”

“If you believe that I’m a good person…you’ll let me do this.”

“I told you; you’re a special ca-”

“How could I ask her to do even more for me? How could I ask her to commit herself to someone like me? It– …It pains me that I can’t even let her go right now.”

“These are called ‘purses’, right? The bags women carry their belongings in?”

“B-but… Your life is constantly in danger because of me…”

“…I knew it. You’re a coward, aren’t you? After all, you took the easy way out of your problems by killing yourself.”

But…didn’t I initially agree to be a Renegade so I can eventually die?

But if he killed himself…can I even undo it?

After sending the message, the blurred image of the girl he dropped ten years ago appeared in his mind.

“Is it possible to undo the death of someone who’s been dead and buried for years?”

in bright green grass.

“…I’m supposed to visit my dad’s grave today.”

Klaus had returned to the apartment building from the emergency room after receiving treatment for his burns.

Come to think of it, I haven’t heard from her since she threw me into that ambulance yesterday.

Please don’t take away the white, sticky stuff!”

“Enough misleading dialogue and get back under the covers.”

Is she an ACTUAL airhead? This whole Renegade thing was already difficult enough to believe without this moe bit…

“Ah, but I like this dress in particular since it has pockets! It’s more convenient than holding my belongings in my hands everywhere!”

So you’d fall for Klaus if he was a little more sociable, eh?”

“I’m gonna quit. Had a bad dream last night where I…burned down the school so…”

“You’re good-looking too. If you were only a bit more sociable, you’d be so popular with the girls. Who knows, maybe I would have fallen for you.”

“Yeah, well, you have that sensitive, emo aura.

“…Surprised that I’m a smoker?”

“What? What happened to his back?”

…I’m sorry, Bella. I let my pride take over. I prioritized killing that thing over saving your life.

Is that…a box of cigarettes?

“I need to get in the building so I can find her body and undo her death.”

“…I still have to…be there for Maya…”

“FIRE!” Adam yelled back, scrambling to hide under the desk.

“Love! You know, Chris X Maya?”

“But I’m surprised Bella is so okay with the way things are,” Annette continued. “Actually, doesn’t she have feelings for Chris too?”

let’s talk about love!”

Since he’s not here, everyone’s thinking the police must have kept him overnight for questioning.”

“The prof got arrested last night.”

in the backdrop!

“What is this class even for?”

…You didn’t fall for me, right?

Why is she fidgeting like that…?

IT’S ALMOST MIDNIGHT! BREAK UP WITH YOUR BOYFRIEND SOMEWHERE ELSE OR WAIT UNTIL MORNING!”

“I inhaled its last gas bomb and passed out long after the fight was over. If it weren’t for you and that doctor, I probably would have suffocated to death on the street. It would have been a pathetic way to go after vowing to save the city and all.”

…Heimlich?! But he wasn’t eating anything!”

“Is that…a flying PEANUT?!”

Don’t you get what’s going on?! The old guy took a bite of his muffin, and immediately fell to the floor dead! This is a classic poisoning case! Someone, perhaps his wife or lover must have wanted him dead, and after spiking his food, used the resulting chaos in the café as a cover to get away! Time is of the essence! We have to track her down and get her to face the music!”

“GAAAH!”

“Looks like the Liberation was a success. Have you explained things to Annette yet?”

“And when a soul is destroyed, any memories of that person are erased from everyone in the world. It becomes as if they had never existed. …It’s essentially a fate worse than death…”

The cold words that forsake his own humanity. The blank expression that knows nothing of salvation. The dull, lifeless eyes that fail to reflect any light.

“Klaus, you have to move on! It’s been over ten years! Why are you still trying so hard to punish yourself?! Are you planning to…?”

What is this, a JRPG come to life?”

Normally, he would have called the fire department and tried to calm the bystanders

…When a Renegade enters a soul, their own soul is temporarily merged with their physical body.

We were named ‘Renegades’ because our power effectively allowed us to defy the will of God. You see, simply put, Renegades have the power to undo death.”

You won’t learn anything about the Renegades in today’s history books since we really only existed in ancient times

“Why are you crying? I let a little girl fall to her death purely out of fear for my own life. That’s not something to sympathize with.”

right hand

“The flow of time is different inside an Inner Purgatory. Hours in here are less than a second outside.”

“YOU’RE WRONG!!”

“Klaus, don’t devalue your life like that! That girl wouldn’t want you to die out of remorse; she would have wanted you to live the life she died for!”

all creepy like that

“It was about 10 years ago…”

“There’s something you’re hiding from me, isn’t there? A reason you’re being so reckless with all this.”

Didn’t exactly help to have you diving into a river with a full set of heavy armour either.”

Who did you promise that to?”

It also explains the soft, round thing I felt on my arm.

Was she always such a crybaby?!

CPR… Wait, I’m…still alive?!

“I WON’T LET THE GIRL DIE!”

…A jellyfish. It’s in the form of a jellyfish!

tentacles of a kraken.

“The armour’s size is relative to the weight of the Renegade’s sins, while the sword’s size represents their resolve to atone for them…”

In fact, is that even armour? There’s hardly any plating.

She fell and drowned to her death… No one was around to save her… She was abandoned… Left to die… “DON’T LET GO!!”

She looked around to find Klaus and used him as a beacon to swim them both back to shore.

Liberation

“That’s very reassuring, thank you.”

“Sorry for the wait, Klaus. Are you ready to go?” Klaus kept a stern face. Annette’s eyes darted between Natalia and Klaus. “Go? Go wher— …Oh.”

A short silence was soon followed by several whispers and giggles.

Your roots are actually showing.