After all, it's 2:00 a.m. now, and even the bad guys are starting to think about going to bed.
It's funny that such a place is so bright at such an hour.
The name of the place is Aokigahara Sea of Trees.
Naturally, there is no artificial light in this place, and if there is, it's only the street lamps along the road.
Even viewed from above, it's pitch black as if the place seems to be nothing but darkness.
The residential area is far away.
Its light does not serve to illuminate this place.
There may be animals, but it's a space where no one has ever relied on civilization.
"I really don't know what they're doing here at New Year's.
Really, hey, it's hard to keep a secret in a place like this, and it's hard on your partner.
Mom, what are you impressed with? It's because of them that we got dragged into this place. Why do you look so happy?
"Do I look like a woman who cares about every single thing that happens? When you get hit, you pay back, that's all. Now we're going to go and pay our respects for that. It's a good opportunity to relieve your stress that you can't release every day. Don't look so sulky, have fun.
"Enjoy, dammit!
Us and our children watching that space from above.
However, there is a difference in the emotions that parents and children stare at, though.
You'll be able to see your mother happily, and I can't help but let out a sigh as if to say why this is happening.
I regret my actions a little while ago, wondering why I said that, even though it was to prevent it.
However, I resign myself to the fact that it's no use if it's already here, but I'll be ready for it.
I'm not like my mom who is just happy, but this won't interfere with my work.
The difference in emotions between my mother and me is great, but there is one thing in common.
Oh, there's a lot of you.
You're seeing things for granted. Well, I'm kinda seeing things too.
Wouldn't you make a gesture like putting your hand to your forehead when looking into the distance?
You'll hear your mother exclaim in admiration as she makes such a gesture, but normally there is only a sea of trees sinking in the darkness beyond.
But my mom says it as if there is something there.
Have you lost your mind? My mother would have beaten me to death if I asked.
Of course I had no intention of committing such a foolish act.
Above all, there's no point in doing it because I know what she meant.
So I too can see the light hidden in the dark, the scene behind my mother's eyes.
There's a corner so bright you'd think we were having a festival in the forest.
But the electronics on board the helicopter don't respond.
But we can see it.
That means the location is hidden.
Places that should be hidden and hidden by a special technology that shouldn't be seen.
At times, this was a statement that would be judged a painful person, but this is not the place for that.
Rather, it's the invisible that's the problem.
Our eyes are looking at one place in common.
Fuji side of the Sea of Trees.
Fuji, but not in the middle of the sea of trees.
Countless bonfires are visible in such an exquisite place.
And the countless people dancing there.
Yeah, I know what I'm going to say.
That some sort of ritual is going on there.
And now we're going to bust it up.
Well, don't tell me you're cheating.
"Who are you talking to, Jiro?
I've never seen it before in my life.
"That's a little late for that. The guy was trying to pick a fight. We just bought it. What's there to forgive?
Indeed.
I chuckle and agree with my mom's words.
Now, we can't keep looking at that bonfire.
Like I said before, we came here to destroy the ritual.
"It's the first time I've ever had a gun and it's surprisingly light.
But it's still a heavy category. Well, it's nice for a parent to know that their son is strong.
Taking the sniper rifle out of its case, you slowly and carefully lift it up, handling it for the first time.
You can feel a sense of mass in your arm, even though it is light, in its shiny black body.
The body is so long and severe that it's hard to see.
And is this guy Kirie's sarcasm towards me after I left home with this hecart thing?
PGM Heckert II.
It is a sniper rifle developed by the French company Precision.
Named after the Greek goddess Hecate, it is a modern-day weapon specialized for killing people.
I was impressed to see the day when you had such a thing, but my mother's expression is not good, as if my mother and I's emotions from earlier have reversed.
Sarcasm? What does that mean?
Apparently, you are unhappy with the guns provided, but they are the ones that seem to work fine and seem to have no problem with what we are about to do.
What's the complaint?
My family is a shrine. Why would you get a gun with the name of some other god's name on it?
That's what it's all about.
The question was quickly put to rest by my mother's words.
The point is that she was mentally dissatisfied, complaining about the roundabout harassment.
That's what I'm saying. What if she can't use me?
"Isn't it available?
I've used it. Drinking with the Foreign Legion guys.
"...... What are you doing?
You show a look of dismay without hiding it, but your mother doesn't even seem to care.
I don't know why you think that's a little late.
It's nothing new for my mom to be unconventional.
We're not exactly on the same page now that she fired or didn't fire her gun.
And I'm sure she'd think I did the same thing.
Only it wasn't a gun, and I'm used to this kind of rough stuff too.
I've cut down people and demons with mineral wood.
I've crushed their bones with my fists.
I've seen more than just people killed.
So it's too late for me.
If you ask me if I'm not sentimental about what I'm about to do, I'd say I am.
But if you ask me if I'm heartbroken, I'm not.
"Mother, have you ever shot in real life?
There's ...... . . to protect your husband.
"...... I see.
The sentiment also has strong implications for things I would never have imagined in the past, such as the day when parents and children would do such things together.
Even if they do not say anything to each other, you can smell and sense this fact from their behavior.
And I'm somewhere else on this earth that she doesn't know.
I think it's a really funny coincidence.
And maybe that's why we didn't talk much.
Okay, enough gloomy talk, let's get this over with.
"Oh, yeah.
That delicate atmosphere ends with this one exchange.
A father-son quarrel, not only verbally but also physically, between us and our son.
We have some idea of each other's intentions.
If it's to get the job done, that's fine.
The rifle is handed to me, and I follow my mother in swinging the hecart and preparing to make my own shot.
The preparations give me an idea of what the gun is for.
A picture is worth a thousand words, and although it looks ordinary, you can tell by the atmosphere in your hands.
This gun is not ordinary.
In fact, it was explained to me beforehand that this rifle is different from ordinary rifles in that it contains a special spell.
The gun itself and the bullets have been modified.
On the body, it has improved range and technical penetration.
The bullets have warding breaking and jamming effects.
No ordinary gun can reach that ritual with a bullet.
And they won't do justice to the bullets.
You must carefully prepare to break through the barrier and disrupt the opponent's ceremonial field to achieve this level of success.
"I doubt it'll work. Why did Kirie-san prepare this for me?
Don't complain, Jiro. It's not manly. And what were you thinking, sending off such a fragile woman all alone?
"Where's the frail one? Weak women don't jump and blow off big men. And that's one thing I would complain about. I wish I could give you these things and give you a quick explanation. I only know how to shoot. Don't underestimate the baby's mark.
Don't complain if you miss," he says, and looks through the scope.
Even veteran snipers can't succeed in sniping at night, on top of a stagnant and rocking helicopter.
The scope shakes, so does the scenery.
This is a long range anti-personnel shot that's almost impossible to hit.
But there's one exception that won't miss.
I don't care if it's a lobster or a cherry. You'd be crazy to miss such a big, stupid target.
It's a different story if the target is huge.
Me and my son with an objective rifle.
At the end of the two muzzle flashes is a dome-shaped ward visible through the scope.
This bullet is the one to break through it.
Well, are you ready, Jiro?
Anytime.
Stabilize your breathing and assume a really lightly described sniper's stance.
Get on your stomach and place the bottom of the gun against your shoulder.
Put on ear muffs to protect your ears and look through the scope.
A father and son shoot side by side in a spacious helicopter cabin.
You can vaguely feel each other's breathing.
Without a sign, we held our breath and gently reached for the trigger, then gently but forcefully squeezed it.
I felt a thud in my shoulder and a bullet was released.
...... Well, let's move on.
"Hey, hey, don't you need to see the bullets?
Not that I was leftover, but my mom stood up quickly without looking at the results after the shot.
I was taken aback by that action and said to her.
What are you talking about? I wouldn't miss.
Out of the corner of my eye, the bullet we fired shattered the warding.
Purple light surged, illuminating the sea of trees for a moment, and then a brighter spot appeared.
"You guessed it right.
It's called beginner's luck.
What do you think I should do next time to get some training from a guy in the Marines?
Give me a break.
Confirming this, we put on our gear and descend to the tree line with a rope from the helicopter.
If it had been in a comic book, this place would have looked like it was full of people with miko costumes and swords, but our equipment is completely modern.
Night vision goggles and bulletproof vests, dark colored equipment to blend in with the darkness.
We have a rifle in our hands, a handgun on our waists, and a knife in our spare magazines.
It's a pure Special Forces style.
I'll lead you in, just follow me.
"Copy that.
I guess my mother was used to this behavior.
We walked through the treeline in the dark of night on an unpaved road with the lightness of a beast.
I'm on a similar path in the dungeon, so I'm following my mother without any trouble.
It's about two kilometers away and the moonlight can't reach us in this treeline, so we rely on our night vision to reach our destination.
It would take about twenty minutes to complete the journey.
What's all the fuss about?
I guess so.
"You want to charge in there?
I won't.
I'm relieved.
Deep in the woods, at a distance that didn't require a night vision scope, we could see the lights and hide in the bushes.
The warhead was originally intended to disrupt the ritual.
Thanks to it, a group of people dressed like yin-yang priests are going around left and right.
The energy supply they had gathered from all over the region had been cut off and they were busy restoring it.
Watching the scene from a distance, the order was given to subdue it if possible.
I've sent out a call for reinforcements, but it will take time.
What do we do then? Do you want to wait for backup?
I don't think we'll have time to wait. I fired off a few shots to keep the ritual from being completed, but it will be back up in a while. I'd like to deal a fatal blow by then, though.
"We'll have to do it on our own. There's a shortage of people in this world.
You can't ask for something that isn't there, but you can use what you have.
"What are you going to do?
I can't just sit here and look at her with my fingers in my mouth.
But I've never experienced this kind of Special Forces behavior, so I have no idea what my mother will do.
Hey, hey.
I can't help but be amazed at what my mother has brought out.
Let them have a taste of karma.
Clay-like object.
That's something even I don't know much about.
The mother smiles, twirls it around and hums to me.
Now Jiro, I'm going to get ready right here, so kidnap two guys who are just like you and go steal some clothes.
He tells me to go through with the kidnapping, and I watch him and I think.
He's got a knack for it.
Word of the Day
I caught a glimpse of my own mother and was glad I didn't see her as a child.