Chapter 2,

In a certain place, there was a planet.

Creatures born on this beautiful planet evolved over many years, repeatedly advancing their civilization. Despite experiencing frequent wars, natural disasters, and pollution caused by their own environmental destruction, these mature life forms existed with faces that seemed as if they stood at the pinnacle of their planet's existence.

However, their ability to enjoy this position was, in the context of their history, a fleeting moment. This was because a fatal flaw manifested within their bodies: the loss of their reproductive capabilities. In other words, they became unable to leave descendants. Initially, this symptom was observed in only a small portion of the population, but it quickly spread. Despite attempts to artificially boost the population through chemical means, they found it impossible to keep up.

Realizing that the survival of their species was at risk, they abandoned the idea of further population growth. Instead, they sought eternal life, preserving their bodies while transferring only their consciousness to artificial bodies to ensure they wouldn't reduce their current population. Scientists from across the planet gathered, and the project progressed rapidly. By the time their desperate measures to combat population decline had exhausted all possibilities, and the concept of children had vanished from their world, they had successfully obtained nearly immortal bodies a little earlier than putting an end to their history. Since then, they've lived by keeping their organic bodies dormant in a facility called "The Bank" while sending signals to their artificial bodies. This was all about a hundred years ago.

With the development of this groundbreaking technology, they seemed to have regained peace and tranquility. However, this too proved to be temporary. The maintenance of their mechanical bodies required resources and engineers, which became a new source of conflict. Even with a lifespan nearing eternity, they were not devoid of organic bodies. Stripped of them, no matter how robust their containers might be, they became meaningless. Moreover, in this era's wars, while people might die, there were no new lives being born to replenish them. The outcome of such battles was clear as day. Due to conflicts that periodically erupted across their world, even with the promise of eternal life, they managed to decrease their population to just 60% of its original size. Despite being the architects of their own downfall, this led them to develop an even stronger aversion and fear towards “death” than before. This intensified sentiment evolved into something akin to a powerful belief, guiding them to a single conclusion.

Having achieved a life close to eternal, they realized that continuing such wars would ultimately render everything meaningless. Fortunately, they weren't entirely foolish. Leaders from fewer than fifty nations across the planet convened and, through discussions, established a non-aggression treaty, vowing never to engage in such conflicts again.

In this treaty, two crucial clauses were established: "First, those living on this planet shall not engage in conflicts with one another," and "Second, human life is the collective property of this entire planet and must not be lost under any circumstances." These became the cornerstone of their agreement.

The collective consensus was clear: no more precious lives could be sacrificed, and to prevent this, all conflicts that could lead to war had to be prohibited. However, with the existence of nations and disparities among them, some disputes were simply too complex to resolve through dialogue alone. The pressing question remained: how could they settle such disputes? Fortunately, fortune favored them. It was discovered that beyond their own planet, there were multiple other planets inhabited by intelligent life forms—albeit civilizations less advanced than their own.

Not wanting to waste any more of their lives, they decided to address these disputes through simulated wars where beings from other planets they discovered would battle each other. They termed this method "Bout.”

A third clause was added to the treaty: "Third, any territorial or human resource claims resulting from past conflicts shall be settled through Bouts." While it was essentially a diversion from the fact that they were still in conflict, everyone tacitly agreed to this arrangement.

Currently, starting with a Bout on one continent of their planet, large-scale Bout events are taking place across different continents. Nations invest significant time and resources in these Bout events, exploring other planets in search of more compliant and capable intelligent life forms.

Caroselo, the Defense Minister of the Ainque Republic, a continent composed of fourteen nations, walked down the corridor of the Prime Minister's residence. Due to security measures, the use of advanced technologies like teleportation travel within the mansion was prohibited, forcing everyone to traverse the lengthy hallway on foot. Even though one's physical body would never tire, Caroselo detested this tradition of inconvenience when a simple message could suffice. As he walked, he muttered complaints to himself. One gripe led to another, amplifying his irritation.

However, since wars had been prohibited, Caroselo's irritations never truly subsided; in fact, one could argue this state was his new normal.

Back when warfare was sanctioned, Caroselo had fought on the front lines of the national military, earning numerous accolades. Despite his humble beginnings, his innate talent and relentless effort honed his skills, leading him to victory time and again, making his name known throughout the nation. Eventually dubbed a hero, his rapid ascent through the military ranks was unprecedented. With his ambitious nature, he had even set his sights on the top political position of the nation. However, before he could make his mark, the peace treaty was signed, leading to the swift dissolution of the military.

To appease the disgruntled military higher-ups like Caroselo, the government established the Ministry of Defense. However, with the recent peace treaty binding all planets, their roles were reduced to mundane tasks like domestic patrols and managing the rare bouts. For Caroselo, who had always believed his place was at the front lines, this new role felt like a demotion. Even with the title of Minister, his frustration remained unabated.

For various reasons, Caroselo found himself irritable from the start of the day, just like any other day.

“It's Caroselo. I've arrived.”

Standing before the Prime Minister's office, Caroselo announces his presence. A camera beside the door scans him from head to toe. After a brief moment, his voice and identification number are verified, and the door slowly opens. The walls of the room are adorned with paintings and relics like books on paper, giving the impression that the room's owner values history and tradition. Perhaps due to his aversion to wastefulness or his disdain for the Prime Minister, Caroselo has never been fond of this room. If he were ever to become its owner—something he plans to do sooner rather than later—he would dispose of these items without hesitation.

The Prime Minister, seated behind a mahogany desk in the far left corner of the room, gestures for Caroselo to take a seat in front of him. Caroselo offers a brief nod of acknowledgment before sitting down. Even this chair and desk seem to be part of the Prime Minister's theatrical display of traditionalism, making Caroselo uneasy.

"Thank you for coming all this way," the Prime Minister begins.

Caroselo internally dismisses the statement with a "of course," but doesn't voice his thoughts. A series of trivial and unnecessary conversations ensue, ranging from recent health updates to recent purchases. After this obligatory exchange, the Prime Minister finally shifts to the matter at hand.

"So, how is... it doing? Has it settled down?" the Prime Minister asks, lowering his voice despite the absence of anyone nearby. "It" refers to a lifeform brought from another planet. While officially, the Prime Minister oversees its care, Caroselo is the one who handles all matters concerning it. Caroselo believes that one significant reason the Ministry of Defense is responsible for training bouts is that they can always provide plausible excuses if observed by outsiders.

"Yes, it's been challenging, but we've managed. We'll be ready for the next bout," Caroselo replies.

"That's good to hear... But it's still quite young, isn't it?"

"In my experience, younger ones are easier to handle. The older they get, the more difficult it becomes to gain their cooperation."

"I see. But remember, it's a living being. Try not to scare it too much."

"Of course," Caroselo responds, feeling a wave of disgust at the Prime Minister's feigned concern. The Prime Minister, always upholding an image of tradition and kindness, is adept at concealing his true intentions.

Ultimately, Caroselo believes the Prime Minister's concern isn't for the creature itself but for the risk of a costly tool becoming obsolete. Supporting this notion is the fact that the Prime Minister never delves deeper into inquiries about the creature. The questions are limited to training schedules and preparations. To meet the unspoken desires of the Prime Minister, Caroselo presents only essential information.

"...Which is why we plan to hold the next bout at the Ninth District ruins," Caroselo concludes.

"The Ninth District, you say..."

As the conversation about the bout began to wind down and shift towards the venue, the Prime Minister's words faltered. Caroselo momentarily didn't understand the reason, causing the conversation to pause. However, he quickly caught on. The unease plaguing the Prime Minister's mind was about the recent incident at the ruins of the Ninth District. Since no one lived there anymore, hence the name "ruins," there were no victims. However, there had been reports of suspicious figures. Several members of the Ministry of Defense had checked the scene, and while five figures were captured on the surveillance cameras, their container serial numbers had been cleverly erased, preventing their identification.

"Prime Minister, it's just a minor incident."

"Still, even if it's minor, it's not good if such things are known externally."

To reassure the small man who always seemed concerned about others' perceptions—without letting on that he secretly looked down on him—Caroselo tried to persuade him with a calm tone.

"Please rest assured, Prime Minister. Such minor issues are nothing to worry about. Even if something were to happen again, it's merely childish mischief. Besides, we are the victims. There's no need to hide anything just because other countries know."

Whether these words had any effect remained uncertain, but the Prime Minister seemed to regain some composure. Since the Non-Aggression treaty, every country lived in fear of conflict or anything that might spark one. Violating the treaty that encompassed the entire star would mean making enemies of everyone. While Caroselo understood the desire to avoid this, he felt there was no need to be so anxious when there had been no actual harm.

"Still, I always end up asking so much of you. I apologize. I'm counting on you."

"No, not at all."

The conversation should have ended there, but the Prime Minister seemed about to bring up another unnecessary topic. Sensing this, Caroselo quickly informed him that his next appointment was approaching and promptly stood up. Meetings with the Prime Minister always dragged on. After bidding the Prime Minister a polite farewell, he was scanned by the camera again upon exiting, just as when he entered. Caroselo couldn't understand why he had to undergo the same check when leaving as he did when entering.

Crossing the long corridor once again and exiting the Prime Minister's residence, Minister Caroselo immediately made a call to his subordinate. The call was answered promptly on the first ring.

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"Yes, Minister Caroselo. This is Kise."

The person on the other end of the line was Kise, the third secretary. He had entrusted her with the care of 'it'. His decision stemmed from the belief that as a minister, he shouldn't waste time on such matters. Therefore, Minister Caroselo hadn't laid eyes on 'it' since it arrived on this planet.

"Is everything going smoothly?"

"Yes. I've already provided a comprehensive explanation. All that remains is to get approval for its participation in the bout."

"Hurry up. That's why I let you into that room."

"I understand. I apologize."

Just after her reply, Kise quickly added another comment to avoid giving Caroselo a chance to cut the call. Caroselo disliked prolonged calls and knew well that it was nearly impossible for a subordinate of her rank to initiate contact. "Also, may I take him outside today for this purpose? I believe a bit of persuasion and appeasement might be necessary."

Rarely did Kise propose something to him, so Minister Caroselo was momentarily taken aback but deemed the suggestion acceptable. Even if 'it' tried to escape during that time, there would be no refuge for it on this planet.

"It's fine. Just make sure no issues arise."

"Yes, of course."

This time, Minister Caroselo ended the call and proceeded to his work. Of course, he wouldn't waste time walking. He opened the portable teleportation machine, a device reserved only for ministers.

Inside a room of the Ministry of Defense, there's a chamber that can only be unlocked and accessed from the outside. Surrounded by pure white walls, this room houses a specialized teleportation machine capable of interstellar travel. Mockingly referred to as the "abduction chamber" by some within the ministry, it serves as a containment chamber for extraterrestrial beings brought from other planets. Currently, Yae is held there. Two days have passed since Yae was brought to this planet. However, having never stepped outside and with a body that requires minimal sleep, Yae has no sense of the passage of time. Moreover, due to the difference in day length between Yae's home planet and this one, asking about the time could have caused confusion.

Yae's physical body is housed in a semi-transparent coffin-like structure within the "abduction chamber". Various codes are attached to the body, and while Yae couldn't fathom how they control his current state, seeing his body from an outsider's perspective was a profoundly unsettling experience.

The inhabitants of this planet have an appearance akin to grey, thin rubber encasing a sculpted human form. They wear skin-tight sportswear-like garments that never flutter or move, so there's little sensation of wearing clothes. While the components making up their appearance are not significantly different from Yae's own, several discrepancies like the lack of eyeballs and missing holes where there should be openings were disconcerting. This led Yae to sometimes feel suffocated, despite not needing to breathe.

Wondering how he could hear or speak without having mouth or ear openings, Yae sat on the floor trying to think rationally about his current situation when a woman's voice came through a speaker somewhere in the room. The meaning of the sound was unclear, but shortly after hearing her voice, Yae heard the same voice speaking in Japanese in his mind. According to her explanation, a machine was providing simultaneous translation.

"How are you feeling?"

"Not great, but not terrible."

Assuming his Japanese was being similarly translated to reach her, Yae responded. The woman named Kise, who was behind the speaker, had been the one to inform Yae about the situation on this planet and the reason for his abduction since he woke up. From her voice, Yae initially imagined her to be in her thirties or forties, but upon learning that all inhabitants of this planet were older than not just Yae but even Aoi, it felt strange. While he couldn't discern her true intentions, based on her previous interactions, Yae believed she likely harbored no personal animosity towards him.

"Today, permission has been granted to take you outside. Are you ready?" Kise's sudden announcement, filled with joy, surprised Yae. However, having grown tired of being confined indoors, Yae saw no reason to decline.

"Oh, yes. There's nothing to prepare..."

Perhaps due to still not being accustomed to this containment body, Yae took a moment before responding. "Alright, let's go right away," said Kise, and a previously wall-only corner of the room suddenly revealed a silent opening. Cautiously stepping outside, Yae found himself in a long corridor. A person stood a short distance away. Their appearance was almost gender-neutral, but Yae sensed it was a woman, likely Kise.

"Finally, we meet. Come this way."

As expected, it was Kise, and Yae followed in the direction guided by the body emitting her voice." After passing several turns and straight stretches in the sterile corridor, they arrived at a room with a device similar to the "abduction chamber." Kise explained it was a teleportation machine and positioned Yae at its center. It was here that Yae realized he didn't know why he was being taken outside, merely obeying Kise's instructions. Given the experiences of the past few dozen hours, it wasn't surprising that a fourteen-year-old boy had become this compliant, but Yae resolved to stay alert.

"Where are we going?"

"Just sightseeing, for now. We'll start with a view of the city. Since you'll be fighting for this country, it's good to know what it's like. After that, we'll scout the arena for the bout."

"The bout..."

"Anxious?"

"Well, yeah... I can't imagine I'd be able to do something like that."

When Kise explained, Yae was shown footage of a previous fight alongside the rules. Both competitors wore pointers on their bodies, and the objective was to destroy all of the opponent's pointers first. Weapons like guns and swords were provided at the venue. Watching their movements and the power of the weapons felt like watching a game screen while playing with Aoi. The idea of standing in that arena seemed unimaginable to Yae.

“Don't worry, they'll teach you how to fight properly. Besides, win or lose, once all the bouts are over, you can return to your own planet. So, just relax and give it your best shot.”

“Yes, you said that...”

“And if you win, there's a reward waiting for you.”

Yae thought even the promise of a reward, meant to encourage him, was problematic. He'd been told that if he performed well in the bout, he could have one wish granted by the advanced technology of this planet. From what he'd seen and heard in such a short time, the level of civilization here was beyond his comprehension, and he assumed they could grant almost any wish. However, Yae couldn't think of anything he truly desired. He briefly considered improving his relationships with others, but he felt that solving it through science would only bring emptiness, a realization he'd come to in his mere fourteen years of life. On the other hand, he was too young to desire wealth or fame. His lack of a clear desire was causing him pain.

Apparently sensing Yae's silence, Kise moved her fingers in the air as if writing something without speaking. Reacting instinctively to her movement, Yae lifted his gaze. The teleportation was already complete, and they had arrived at a different location.

That place was like a high observatory, surrounded by transparent walls that allowed a 360-degree view of the entire country. Whether it was generally open to the public as a tourist spot or not, Yae glanced around to see a few other inhabitants of this planet besides themselves. Though he understood, the sight of these people, who looked like rubber dolls with the same face as his, made Yae tense up. However, that fleeting tension was easily dispelled by the breathtaking view beyond the crowd.

"It's amazing..."

Yae's voice of admiration slipped out as he looked at the meticulously arranged buildings and beautiful nature spread out below him. The flawless, smooth material that made up the city, similar to the walls of the room he had been confined in earlier, drew beautiful straight lines and curves throughout the city. The scenery was so stunning that it made all the landscapes Yae had seen in Japan through teleportations blur in comparison.

"Amazing..."

He murmured once more. Hearing this, Kise let out a light laugh.

"I'm glad you like it."

"No I'm glad I like it."

Unaware that Kise was concerned about the malfunction of the translation software due to his strange Japanese, Yae was completely engrossed in overlooking the cityscape. He had been brought to this unknown planet against his will and had been on edge due to the fear of the unknown, but now he felt somewhat liberated from those feelings. He hurriedly circled the observation deck to see the other side. That's when he noticed areas that seemed out of place in the city.

From the building where they stood, even several tens of kilometers away, it was evident that buildings had collapsed and broken trees lay scattered in a sorrowful manner. Hidden in the shadow of beauty, such places were scattered even on the opposite side that Yae had been admiring earlier.

"Is that...?" Yae asked Kise, who was slowly following behind.

Kise, who had been enjoying herself earlier and showing a similar cheerful demeanor, suddenly restrained her emotions and responded with a solemn voice.

"It's a war memorial zone. Places that became battlefields or suffered significant damage before the Non-Aggression Pact was signed have been preserved as they were. It's a reminder to prevent the same mistakes from happening again."

"A reminder... Even so, it feels quite painful," Yae commented.

Yae remembered seeing something similar when he visited Aoi's hometown in the past. However, compared to that, these war memorial zones clearly emitted a vivid aura of negativity.

"That's right. One of the places where you will compete is also a war memorial zone, the remains of the Ninth Street. Look, over there," Kise pointed.

Yae looked in the direction Kise indicated. There was a circular void in the middle of the city. Within the beautiful cityscape, a strikingly pristine circular ruin stood out, as if intentionally designed that way.

Though Yae had decent eyesight to begin with, perhaps due to this body's capabilities, he could see the Ninth Street's details clearly when he focused. Even though considerable time had passed since the last war, something intangible remained distinctly visible. The realization that he would be forced to fight there brought an unexpected wave of anxiety, clouding his previously clear mood.

Deciding not to let his emotions sink further, Yae shifted his gaze to the inside of a nearby building. He noticed that the people who had been enjoying the view were now staring at them. Even though their words couldn't reach him, he could sense some negative feelings directed their way. Yae wondered if he had inadvertently committed some serious breach of etiquette.

"Um, about this..." Yae began, addressing Kise. At the same moment, he realized he was the only one speaking Japanese in this space. He wondered if perhaps he was disliked by the people of this planet, and his hand, which he had lowered due to this unease, was grasped by Kise. She murmured, "This way," and promptly led Yae towards the rapidly approaching teleportation machine.

Even as he was being led without understanding, Yae felt as though he was being watched by the people around him. Though they hadn't covered much distance, they finally reached the center of the teleportation machine where Kise shielded Yae from view and spoke.

"It's a bit earlier than planned, but next, we're heading to the remains of Ninth Street."

"Huh?"

"It would be good to see the venue for the bout up close. It should be helpful."

Though Yae wasn't particularly eager to go after his recent impressions, he nodded, deciding that escaping these stares was the more pressing issue.

Without needing to see Yae's reaction behind her, Kise moved her fingers in the air, activating the teleportation machine. In an instant, the breathtaking scenery they had seen just moments ago was replaced by a devastated cityscape.

The teleportation machine was positioned behind what looked like benches at the edge of the Ninth Street remains. Surrounding it were walls, with what appeared to be spectator seats lined up above. Seeing the venue, which looked even more luxurious than what he had seen in videos, Yae thought of international soccer matches. Perhaps, he felt, the bout was more of a festive event than an actual fight, which brought him some relief. However, being on-site, the buildings, fallen trees, and other debris seemed much larger than they had appeared from the observation deck. This new overwhelming sense of scale overshadowed his brief relief, filling him with renewed anxiety.

"Hey, you guys!"

At the sudden shout, Yae turns around before it can even be translated into Japanese. There, about five men and women stand surrounding another man. From a distance, Yae notices that while facial recognition might be tricky, there's a clear difference in their sizes. The one shouting at them is the largest among the group. Yae thinks that if this man were in his hometown, he'd stand out in any crowd.

"This area is off-limits to anyone not involved."

The massive man approaching them declares.

"We are involved."

Facing such pressure, Kise points to a mark on her left shoulder that could be either a drawing or text. The man tries to get a better look at it, but Kise ignores his gaze—or what she assumes is his—and confidently strides towards the group. Yae follows behind her.

"Minister Caroselo, we are currently guiding the participants to the arena for the match."

Kise addresses the man surrounded by the group.

Even Yae, who can't distinguish much about the man named Caroselo from appearance alone aside from his size, can clearly see that he holds a dominant position within this group. This isn't solely due to his positioning among the others but is inferred from his demeanor and subtle gestures that naturally exude an intimidating aura. Thinking Caroselo would reply to Kise, Yae stares at his face intently.

Then, as if he dislikes that gaze, Caroselo points his finger towards Yae and swiftly moves it.

Sensing that hostility, Yae raises both hands in front of his face in a defensive posture, expecting some kind of attack. However, nothing of the sort occurs. Seeing the surrounding people laugh at his actions, Yae realizes it wasn't an attack and feels embarrassed, lowering his defensive stance and bowing his head slightly.

Without even glancing at Yae, Caroselo speaks briefly to Kise.

"---, ---"

Even after several seconds pass without the words being translated, Yae understands that Caroselo's earlier action was meant to disable his translation function. While Yae can't understand any of Kise's responses to Caroselo either, from the tone, gestures, and the condescending attitude of those around him, he can somewhat grasp the situation: Kise is appealing something to Caroselo, who isn't listening.

Though Caroselo's occasional glances towards him suggest he might be part of their conversation, Yae feels helpless without understanding a word, standing behind Kise.

After about five minutes of this exchange between Kise and Caroselo, an irritated Caroselo suddenly moves his finger in front of Kise's face. Immediately, Kise collapses to his knees, letting out a scream of pain, having been composed just moments before.

Yae, upon seeing this, almost reflexively attempted to grab Caroselo to protect Kise. However, before Yae's hands could reach Caroselo, Caroselo grabbed his neck with one hand and forcefully lifted him up. Although not feeling suffocated by the constriction, Yae heard creaking sounds from his neck and feared it might break, prompting him to hastily grab Caroselo's left hand and try to pry it away from his neck. Unable to reach Caroselo's face to strike and release his grip, Yae couldn't think of any other way to resist. Ignoring Yae's struggle entirely, Caroselo moved his free right hand's fingers in front of Yae's face. It seemed like an attempt to reconnect Yae's translation function, but it was far from a pleasant experience for Yae.

"It seems you're being deceived by “that,” but you have no right to refuse the bout. Fight with the intention to die. Otherwise, we'll just destroy your main body that we're keeping. Understood?"

With an angry voice, Caroselo said so and once again moved his fingers in front of Yae's face before throwing Yae's body onto Kise's body.

Yae, lying face down, desperately tried to get up, but his body refused to respond. Furthermore, his vision gradually darkened, and he could no longer hear anything. Yet, his consciousness remained.

In the pitch-black world where he could sense nothing, Yae tasted despair, wondering if this was what death was like.