Dimensional Codex System: I'm really not a cultist!

What to do with the people in this world, Fang Zheng was truly at a bit of a loss.

From Fang Zheng’s perspective, whether it’s Enoshima Junko or those remnants of despair, they should just be killed. After all, many people died because of their evil deeds, so it’s only natural for these people to be sentenced to death and then burned as a consequence.

But Fang Zheng couldn’t do that, because the ”rules” of this world aren’t like that.

This world, when you get down to it, is a battle between ”hope” and ”despair”, and more importantly, ”despair” as an emotion is much harder to control than a mere virus. This is actually quite similar to the Hinamizawa Syndrome in the Higurashi World, which silently eats away at you, making you paranoid and eventually breaking you down completely.

This world is the same; if you kill them, it signifies that you hold no hope for them but instead feel despair. Once you begin to feel despair, you’ll be corroded, then transformed, and ultimately collapse and go insane.

Simply put, it’s a choice of two: either fight despair with hope, or become despair yourself.

This made Fang Zheng, who relishes in chivalric vengeance, quite upset. How frustrating it is that when Laozi disapproved, he couldn’t just kill them; this left Laozi in despair, okay?

However, fortunately, Fang Zheng wasn’t completely without a solution...

Especially with someone like Enoshima Junko, whose looks are as hideous as a sow and personality as twisted as a pretzel, refraining from killing her was really difficult for Fang Zheng. But luckily, Fang Zheng had already thought of how to deal with Enoshima Junko. Even if he didn’t kill her, he had other ways to hold ”hope” for her.

Mere despair, did they really think he couldn’t handle it?

Naive!

But right now, Fang Zheng was more concerned, not with Enoshima Junko, but with Nanami Chiaki.

”To be honest... when I first woke up, I was quite confused.”

Fiddling with a handheld console she had dug out from somewhere, Nanami Chiaki spoke in a low voice.

”To me, it was just a dream, but that dream was so vivid it felt like I was truly fighting alongside everyone in some death game for two years. I can even clearly remember everyone’s names, how they look, and the challenges and creatures we encountered. There was even a period of time when I genuinely believed they lived in the same world as me. But... obviously, that wasn’t the case.”

Saying this, Nanami Chiaki’s movements slowed a bit, and her voice became much deeper.

”It took me a long time to convince myself that it was just a dream, not reality. However... on the day I was supposed to join the Academy of Hope Peak, I found this card in my backpack. This really puzzled me; I didn’t know what was going on. If it was just a dream, then why was there this card? I wanted to find out the reason behind it. So, I ultimately decided to attend the Academy of Hope Peak, hoping to investigate and see if I could find any clues from this card... to figure out what I had previously encountered... what it truly was.”

Nanami Chiaki looked up at Fang Zheng with a smile.

”Even though back then I wasn’t sure if it was a dream or reality, I clearly remembered that it was you, President, who led us step by step to the end. So, I also thought about wanting to be like you, President, to unite everyone together for a common goal. Hence, I chose to become the class representative, facilitating better communication through games and forming friendships among everyone... even when facing Enoshima Junko.”

Saying this, Nanami Chiaki lowered her head as if trying to hide her shyness, continuing to look at the screen of her handheld console.

”So, even when Enoshima Junko dragged us into that death game labyrinth, I didn’t give up, because I remember how you, President, led us through 100 floors to escape that death game. But......”

Nanami Chiaki gave a wry smile.

”Reality really is different from games. If only I had the ’Shield of the Mountains’.”

The ”Shield of the Mountains” that Nanami Chiaki mentioned refers to the equipment name she used in the death game. Of course, she was merely saying this now.

”If you want it, I can give it to you.”

Fang Zheng extended his hand to pat Nanami Chiaki’s hair.

”In fact, there’s something I need to ask of you, Nanami.”

”What is it, President?”

”You remember what happened when I rescued you back then, right?”

”...Yes, I remember.”

At this point, a shadow finally appeared on Nanami Chiaki’s face.

”At that time... I had a Game Over.”

”No, you could say there’s still a chance.”

At this, Fang Zheng gazed intently at Nanami Chiaki.

”Nanami, if I gave you one more chance, would you be willing to try again?”

”Huh?”

Upon hearing Fang Zheng’s words, Nanami Chiaki’s eyes widened in surprise as she looked at Fang Zheng.

”President, do you mean...?”

”I can send you back to that previous point in time, to the moment you opened that door and walked into the room and got attacked. This time, I want you to use your own strength to break through Enoshima Junko’s death game, rescue your classmates, and then come to rescue us.”

”Rescue... President? Can’t you leave on your own?”

”Currently, no. Because this world has some kind of rule, if I forcefully break it, it would endanger the entire world. At that point, it’s hard to say whether my actions or Enoshima Junko’s would be more harmful to this world.”

Fang Zheng shook his head, as this was the solution he thought of upon seeing Nanami Chiaki. There were others he couldn’t fully trust, but Nanami Chiaki’s abilities, Fang Zheng was absolutely confident in. After all, she was the Sea-stabilizing Needle of the Dark Moon Sword, having saved fellow guild members from danger more than once, so Fang Zheng believed she would surely be able to do it here too.

”But... in reality, I don’t have the powers I had in the game......”

”You don’t have to worry about that.”

Hearing Nanami Chiaki’s words, Fang Zheng chuckled and then pulled out a ring, handing it to Nanami Chiaki.

”Put it on.”

”...?”

Nanami Chiaki took the ring and slipped it onto her finger.

”Feel its power, and think ’activate’ in your mind......”

Following Fang Zheng’s instructions, Nanami Chiaki nodded and then closed her eyes. Soon, there was a flash of radiance, and in the next moment, a pure white armor appeared on Nanami Chiaki’s body. In her hand was a gigantic, wing-shaped shield resembling a tower shield, along with a longsword.

”Huh? Isn’t this the equipment I had in the game......”

Opening her eyes and looking at the equipment and armor in her hands, Nanami Chiaki was taken aback.

”That’s right, it’s called Hard Light Armor. The principle... you wouldn’t understand even if I explained it. In a nutshell, you just need to know that it can fully restore the attributes and equipment abilities you had in the game.”

That’s right, this is the plan Fang Zheng thought of after finding Nanami Chiaki. If he remembered correctly, the 77th class seemed to have despaired after watching the video of Nanami Chiaki’s execution. If he sends Nanami Chiaki back to that point in time, she might be able to save the other members of the 77th class, preventing them from falling into despair. This way, not only can he prevent Enoshima Junko from gaining a few more helpers, but he can also strengthen his side’s combat power.

Of course, this is not without risk.

”You need to carefully consider. I can only send you back this once. Once time starts flowing again, I won’t be able to pull you back. At that point, you’ll have to rely on yourself, and dealing with Enoshima Junko won’t be easy. Even with the Hard Light Armor, she might find a way to target you. If you stay here, at least you can ensure your personal safety, and we can seek other ways to leave.”

”.........”

Hearing Fang Zheng’s reminder, Nanami Chiaki fell silent for a long time. She looked at her armor and the weapon in her hand, closed her eyes, then opened them again, gazing at Fang Zheng.

”I’ve made my decision, President.”

”I see......”

”Yes, Yukizome-sensei entrusted all the students to me, and I won’t give up. I will definitely save everyone, just like you once led us out of the Death Game; I too hope to use my strength to bring hope to others!”

”You need to think it over, some of your companions have already been brainwashed by Enoshima Junko.”

”......I know.”

Upon hearing Fang Zheng’s reminder, Nanami Chiaki’s complexion turned somewhat pale. She certainly hadn’t forgotten that it was Mikan Tsumiki who pushed her into the Abyss, and it was her most respected Yukizome-sensei who led her into the deepest despair. But even so......

”Even so, I believe there must be a way!”

Seeing Nanami Chiaki’s resolute expression, Fang Zheng smiled.

”Alright then, since you have decided...... let’s start.”

Soon after, Fang Zheng once again led Nanami Chiaki to the previous underground passage. Looking at the dim, dilapidated, bloodstained door and floor ahead of her, Nanami Chiaki’s expression visibly stiffened.

”There’s a passage over there, but it’s already buried. I don’t know the situation on this side, in any case......you’ll have to rely on yourself, are you ready?”

”Ready, President.”

Upon hearing Fang Zheng’s inquiry, Nanami Chiaki vigorously nodded. Fang Zheng then raised his hand and forcefully waved forward. Soon, the surrounding space shattered in an instant, and at the end of the shattered space, blades shooting toward them could be seen, along with spikes erupting from all directions.

If Fang Zheng hadn’t saved Nanami Chiaki in time, she would likely have died from piercing by now.

”......Nanami?”

”I’m going, President.”

Upon hearing Fang Zheng’s call, Nanami Chiaki took a deep breath, standing at the entrance of the time-space cavity, smiled at Fang Zheng.

”Wait for me to return......well, I’ll be going.”

”Be careful on your way.”

Upon hearing Fang Zheng’s response, Nanami Chiaki smiled at him again, then turned around and leaped into the time-space cavity.

At this moment, underground, Nanami Chiaki’s classmates could only stand there, looking at the screen in front of them in despair. They watched as countless spikes shot towards Nanami Chiaki’s body; in an instant, they could entirely pierce the girl’s body, reducing it to a bloody mess.

However......

”Clang————!!”

A brilliant Radiance flashed by.

At the next moment, the dazzling pure white Radiance illuminated the darkness before their eyes. The crowd stared wide-eyed, in disbelief at the scene on the screen.

On the screen, Nanami Chiaki still stood there, but unlike before, she now wore a set of pure white armor. Her left hand tightly held a giant Tower Shield, and her right hand held a Longsword. A pair of wings emitting white Radiance appeared behind Nanami Chiaki. Those spikes originally aiming at her seemed to hit an invisible barrier, breaking and shattering.

”What, what, what is this!!!”

Upon seeing this, Enoshima Junko’s expression suddenly became extremely stiff. Just a moment ago, she was waiting to revel in the absolute despair that came from Nanami Chiaki’s descent into death. But at this moment......

What happened?

What’s going on?

Am I seeing illusions?

”What is this? What is this! What is this? What is this! What is this?”

Enoshima Junko desperately held her head. Despite everything, she could not comprehend what was happening. On the screen, Nanami Chiaki already raised her head, focusing on the screen, she lifted the Longsword in her hand, pointing at Enoshima Junko.

”I know what you want to do, Enoshima Junko, but I’ll never let you succeed. I will return to everyone’s side, protect them, just like before! If you want to continue playing this Death Game with me, then I will accompany you to the end, because...... I am the Ultimate Gamer, Nanami Chiaki.”

”Ahhhhhhhhhh!!!”

Upon hearing Nanami Chiaki’s proclamation, Enoshima Junko immediately screamed, clutching her head. Her legs struggled violently, and urine mixed with feces came out from beneath her skirt, emitting a foul stench.

”What is this, what is this, what is this, what is this, what is this?! This isn’t despair, what is this?! Why? Why did it become like this? It shouldn’t be like this, it shouldn’t be like this ahhhhhhh!!!”

As she screamed, Enoshima Junko crazily rolled on the floor, letting her body be covered with yellow excrement. She frantically tore at her hair, her eyes bulging like a frog’s, revealing a manic expression.

”This isn’t the despair I wanted, nor the hope I wanted, what exactly is this ahhhh!!! This kind of thing, this unreasonable thing ahhhhhhhh!!!”

Yet, at the same time as Enoshima Junko’s frenzy, the 77th class members, who had been watching the despair video on the screen now, had their originally cloudy eyes slowly clear up.

”Nanami-san...........”

”Nanami-san is waiting for us...........!”

”We definitely cannot delay here any longer!!”

”Ohhhhhhhhh!!”

Accompanied by angry shouts, a tall male student suddenly raised his fists and slammed them into the ground. Immediately, the whole floor trembled and then, the surrounding screen instantly turned to snowflakes. Now, those members of the 77th class who couldn’t move for some unknown reason were also trembling, returning to normal.

”Quick, let’s go find Nanami-san!!”

Next moment, the crowd swiftly rushed out of the room, heading toward the end of the passage.