Chapter 35 Bridge Monster (Part Four)
On that day, we decided to camp on a plain a little away from the valley. Everyone is looking at me with curious eyes. They seem to be waiting to see how I will approach the situation. And Kondo Shuichi was the one who broke the silence.
"Why did you stop us from crossing the bridge earlier?"
I answered while nibbling on the dried meat roasted over the fire.
"The bridge monster only attacks one person per day as a general rule. So if we cross together, it's better to do it first thing in the morning."
After thinking for a while, Kondo finally asked the last question.
"So, what's the avoidance method that Akito-kun mentioned?"
I looked around at everyone. All of them are staring at me. Their eyes are filled with a mix of anxiety and anticipation, wondering what I will say.
"As I mentioned earlier, the bridge monster only attacks one person per day. So if two people cross the bridge at the same time, the monster will hesitate on who to attack. That's when we can pass through the bridge."
Morimura looked anxious.
"Can we really pass through using that method? Have you succeeded with it before?"
"No, I have never tried this method before."
"So, we don't know if it will be successful?"
"That's right. That's why tomorrow, I plan to cross the bridge with Fukui first."
Fukui jumped up.
"Why me?"
"We can't afford to lose Morimura, Tsubasa, and Alice. If I'm not here, I want Kondo to be there to lead everyone. We can't have Mizuno-san, Aoki-san, or Nemoto-san, who are girls, take on that role. That's why it's only me and Fukui."
But, Tsubasa strongly opposed.
"No, Akito doesn't need to take such a risk! Akito is familiar with this world. He is someone who absolutely must survive!"
Alice also followed suit.
"Y-yes. Isn't there another way for Akito-kun to avoid such a dangerous situation? It's not fair that he's the only one."
Fukui took advantage of their opinions and said,
"Yeah, that's right. Let's decide it fairly with a lottery or rock-paper-scissors."
I glared at Fukui.
"What a selfish guy. Are you saying that it's okay for others to suffer as long as you're saved?"
Fukui flinched at those words. In fact, this line was what Fukui said to me when I hesitated to cross the bridge as an experiment in the first loop.
"As I said before, there's a reason for this selection. To increase everyone's survival rate, it's best for me and Fukui to go."
"But..."
"If you disagree with my opinion, then do as you please. I won't help anymore, and I'll take a different course of action."
I intended to indirectly convey my message to Fukui, but everyone fell silent. It's a harsh way of saying it, but there's no other choice.
The next morning, as the sun rose, I headed to the bridge with Fukui. I asked everyone else to wait at the campsite. Tsubasa approached me with a worried expression.
"Akito, are you really okay going with Fukui?"
"Yeah, as long as the two of us cross the bridge at the same time, it should be fine. I don't think my plan is wrong."
"I'm not talking about that, I mean..."
Tsubasa glanced briefly at Fukui. I could guess what she was worried about. But I deliberately said,
"Don't worry, Tsubasa, you're worrying too much."
When I laughed, she leaned closer and whispered in my ear.
"Anyway, be careful and don't let your guard down."
"Thank you."
I said that and left the campsite with Fukui. Tsubasa and Alice looked worried about me until the very end.
On the way to the suspension bridge, Fukui asked me.
"Hey Akito, tell me. What kind of creature is the bridge monster?"
"It's just like I told you the other day. I don't know what it looks like. But when it attacks, only its mouth appears."
"Does it only attack one person per day?"
"Yeah, and it always appears in the middle of the bridge. So if two people cross the bridge from both ends at the same time, they should be able to avoid being attacked by it."
"So does that mean two people have to cross the bridge together from now on?"
"Yeah, that's how it's going to be. When you go back, it almost never attack human. It seems witches can't cross though."
As we were talking, the forest ended and we could see the valley. There was the suspension bridge in question. Fukui asked again.
"Akito, you said you were the first one to cross this bridge, right? Why were you safe?"
"This is just a guess, but I think the bridge monster is still asleep early in the morning. That's why I was safe when I crossed first. But the bridge monster woke up because of that and attacked the second person who crossed."
As soon as he heard that, Fukui started running. He ran straight into the suspension bridge.
"Fukui!"
I hurriedly chased after him. I was trying to stop him. But Fukui crossed the bridge without looking back.
"Fukui, come back!"
However, he didn't listen to my words.
"Just hearing that is enough! So, if I'm the first one to cross this bridge, there's no need to worry about being attacked by monsters, right?"
"Fukui!"
"And you said, right? The power of time leap was acquired from The Witch of the Valley. So if I get it first, it means I can go back in time!"
"Wait, Fukui! Stop there!"
"You're such a nerd, yet you're acting all high and mighty, giving orders! Since you came to this world, you've been getting carried away! You're more suited to be the prey of the bridge monsters. If you don't like that, then try crossing at the same time as someone else!"
Fukui continued to advance on the suspension bridge, saying so with a loud laugh.
(It's already too late...)
Thinking that, I stood at the entrance of the bridge and quietly called out.
"Fukui, you're always like this, aren't you?"
"Huh?"
While Fukui kept running, he turned back towards me.
"I've been giving you chances every time here. But you've never lived up to my expectations. Maybe that's your role."
Fukui stopped his footsteps.
"What do you mean?"
"When I was forced to cross the bridge as an experiment, do you think I crossed it running like you do now?"
Fukui's expression changed. I continued speaking.
"Of course not, I crossed the bridge carefully and quietly. And the person who crossed after me was devoured by the awakened bridge monster."
"No way..."
"That's right, the bridge monster woke up because of your footsteps."
I pointed behind Fukui and said, "There, only a giant human mouth had appeared."
"Ugh, ughh!"
Fukui panicked and started to run back, but the bridge monster was much faster.
"Help me!"
Fukui screamed.
"It's no use. The bridge monster is so powerful that it can trap The Witch of the Valley. There's nothing I can do anymore."
The huge mouth near the width of the bridge bit Fukui's fleeing leg.
"Ahh!"
Fukui let out a strange scream and collapsed on the bridge. The appearance of the bridge monster's mouth, while different in size, closely resembled a human mouth. Therefore, it lacked the sharpness to instantly kill a human like a beast's jaw. The bridge monster captured Fukui's leg and proceeded to swallow his body using only the movement of its mouth.
"P-please... help..."
Fukui reaches out, tears streaming down his face, pleading for help from me. But there is nothing I can do. All I can do is watch him until the end.
*Crack, crack, snap*
"Aaaah!"
A violent scream echoes from the bridge. This sound must be the sound of his bones being crushed underfoot. Like a human eating biscuits with just their mouth.
*Crack, crack, snap, thud, crack, crunch, crunch, crunch*
The monster on the bridge lets out a grand chewing sound, devouring Fukui.
(If only those teeth were the fangs of a carnivorous beast, he would have died with the first bite.)
The monster on the bridge, having swallowed Fukui whole, disappears as if satisfied. Only a bloodstain remains spilled in the center of the bridge. I am enveloped in guilt.
(Am I the one driving Fukui to his death every time?)
But if he had done as I said, it wouldn't have ended up like this. And... I knew how despicable he was.
When we were attacked by the first goblin, he intentionally tripped Egawa-san who was with us while he was running away, sacrificing her so he could escape. And inside the underground labyrinth, while Igaki was fighting the stone statues alone, he hid in the shadows and escaped by himself.
(He's the kind of person who only cares about saving himself. It's his own fault.)
I tried to convince myself with those words... but...
(What I'm doing is for my own sake too. I've let many people die, and I've even defeated those who attacked me. Everyone is selfish. The only difference is that I'm trying to save as many of my classmates as possible, that's the only thing.)
When I thought about it that far, I slapped my cheeks hard. To change my mindset.
(Anyway, with this, we can safely cross this bridge today.)
I turned on my heel and returned to where everyone was at the campsite.
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