Drifting… drifting in the everlasting darkness. Is this how dying feels? It feels… mysterious… Like some part of you feels scared and the other part of you feels like there is nothing to be done anymore.

Dark… dark… dark… dark… dark… dark… dark… dark… dark… dark… dark…

It’s just dark… I can’t feel anything. Not my limbs, not my body, anything. I hope Kayaka is safe.

Just as I was thinking about the wellbeing of my little sister, a bright light shone and descended on top of me. When the light subsided, I was surrounded by a familiar scene, a hospital bed, me recovering from injuries, and a crying Kayaka. This was just after the incident when Kyaka was just released from rehabilitation.

My surrounding turned pitch black again and was replaced by the burning orphanage. Kayaka was clinging to me tightly with tears in her eyes. The other kids were also crying, but luckily, there were no casualties.

Once again, my vision turned black and was replaced by a room. It had a bed enough for two kids to sleep in, a desk, a closet, and two children. The children were me and Kayaka. Kayaka, was again crying while clinging to me tightly, while I held her tightly in my embrace.

My vision was cut once again and was replaced by a corridor with two students hugging each other tightly. Those two were me and Kayaka, and this was the time before the transfer happened. After seeing those visions, my sight once again turned into pure darkness.

What was the meaning of that…? A revolving lantern…? But, something is weird… All of the visions had one thing in common, that is, me and Kayaka were always there. Kayaka was mostly crying and clinging to me tightly while I held her close.

Kayaka’s crying face and smiling face flashed through my head. Her crying face reminded me of the incident, while her smiling face, of the time when both of us were together.

Why did I give up when I rushed in to protect her? Should I not struggle to protect her, even in death?

Because I am her older brother, her only remaining family she can depend on, I must protect her! Even if I have to sell my soul to the devil!

Wake up! Wake up! Move! Move! Open your eyes! My promise! I will definitely fulfill it!!!

KOUTA!!! WAKE UP!!!

…

~ Kayaka POV ~

Rewinding time from when we first transferred to the dungeon…

Where is this? A cave? But why is it so noisy?

When I turned around, I saw a giant beetle monster and a familiar person who I will never forget.

“Kayaka?”

That person, called out my name with a familiar voice. Just as he called me, the giant monster charged at him with a speed unimaginable for its body.

“DON’T YOU DARE IGNORE ME!!!”

The man dodged to the side to avoid the charge off the giant beetle and lunged at it with incredible speed, striking its arm holding a little girl by the neck while spinning.

*Ting*

A sharp sound resounded when the dagger clashed with the shell. The dagger bounced off and the man immediately retreated.

“Kayaka!”

“Kouta-nii!?”

That man was my brother, Kouta-nii, who was left behind during a Demon General attack inside the 10th floor of the dungeon.

“There is no time, but please help me!!

“!? Unn!!”

Without a second thought, I began moving to support Kouta-nii. Even if it is just a little help, maybe we can turn the tides in this battle. I quickly called out to the students and the principal to help us fight, but most of the students were support types with no offensive power. The offensive types were to shocked to move and in this battle, every second counts, so I left them behind. They will just come to their senses later.

“Endou-san!”

Hyoudo, who was standing in a daze earlier, quickly responded to my call for help.

“Hyoudo-san! Let’s assist Kouta-nii!”

“Yes!”

Just as we were getting ready to fight, the giant beetle rampaged and trampled some knights to death, along with the knight commander. Luckily, there were no students included.

“THAT DAMNED TRAITOR!!!”

The giant beetle shouted in a rage and continued rampaging. I have been suspicious at the start, but this monster might be a high class demon.

“FUCKING BASTARD!!! I KNEW I SHOULDN’T HAVE TRUSTED YOU!!!”

With that line, I’ve drawn up three conclusions as why we were transported here.

One is, with the familiar voice I heard when we were teleported, this must be a falling-out between demons, and since the demon that teleported us was a Demon General, this beetle must also be a Demon General. This must be a deep-rooted grudge.

Two, this might be a coup to bring down a Demon General in a higher position, and since we were heroes, the Demon General thought that we might be able to kill this Demon General Beetle and finish its job without casualties to its army.

Three, this must be just for entertainment.

If the reason was number three, that Demon General must have a screw loose in its head, sacrificing its comrade just to entertain itself, such a sick hobby.

“Kouta-nii!! We’ll support you!!”

“That’s right senpai!!”

I and Hyoudo quickly ran to Kouta-nii’s side and readied our fighting stances.

“Kayaka, please rescue the girl and animal who are being held by that monster.”

After giving us instructions on what to do, Kouta-nii gave the signal to charge.

“GOOO!!!”

The three of us charged simultaneously to the giant beetle who was still rampaging about.

“Hey!! You students are forgetting what a teacher’s duty is!!”

The principal, Tani Tanura, was charging while holding her giant sword overhead.

“Hey!! You oversized insect!! Don’t you dare lay a hand on my students!!”

She timed her movements with ours to synchronize our movements.

First to reach was Kouta-nii. His speed was way faster than when we were together before. I wonder what happened to him.

Kouta-nii continued swiping at the shell of the giant beetle, not even denting it. There must be something happening that I am not aware of yet.

Hyoudo and Tanura-sensei was distracting the giant beetle. Hyoudo was supporting Tanura-sensei as she lands huge blows on the shell, causing massive cracks to form.

I jumped on its back and ran towards the arm strangling the little girl. For surviving this long, she is tough. I hammered the arm, causing it to bend in an unnatural direcetion and freeing the little girl.

“GUaaHH!! INSOLENT PESTS!!!”

Just as I set the little girl free from the giant beetle’s clutches, it rampaged and threw me, and the little girl off its body.

“DAMN INSECTS!!!”

“Who are you calling an insect!? Insect!!”

Tanura-sensei charged once more to the giant beetle with her sword overhead.

“Oryaaaa!!! [Dismembering Strike]!!”

She swung it down at the remaining arm grasping something like a furball and cut it away from the body. The furball was released and did a back flip upon reaching the ground while casting water blades towards the massive cracks on the beetle’s body.

“GAAHH!!

The beetle screamed a shout of pain while blood flowed through the cracks.

“DAMN BRATS!!!”

The beetle took a step back and surveyed the area before charging to a less protected area. In that area, there was the little girl I saved.

“Shit!!”

Kouta-nii dashed towards the little girl and pushed her out of the way. While the girl was saved, Kouta-nii was sent flying through the room and into the walls.

“Kouta-nii!?”

I felt something breaking inside as I hurriedly ran to where Kouta-nii was sent flying.

“Stu… pid..! Don’t… Bre.. .ak… the… forma… tion…!”

I was not able to hear what Kouta-nii said as I heard the tremors coming from behind. The giant beetle was charging at me with bloodshot eyes. Ahh, this is it. If I am hit by that, I will surely die. Sorry Kouta-nii, even until now, I still can’t repay my debt to you for always protecting me.

Just as I was steeling myself for the oncoming pain, Kouta-nii dashed out of the wall and pushed me out of the way!

“!? Kouta-nii!? STOP!!!”

No… No… Please stop!! I… Don’t want that to happen again! No… Don’t leave me!!!

“DIEE!!!

The giant beetle crashed into Kouta-nii’s body and split it in half. Intestines, organs, and blood splattered all about on the floor, and on my body.

“KEKEKE!!!! DESPAIR!!! DESPAIR!! ALL YOU HEROES MUST DESPAIR!!!”

“Ahh--- AAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

Something broke inside me. Feeling of rage, guilt, sorrow, and regret welled up inside my heart. Tears fell down my face as I stared at the body of my dead brother.

“SENPAI!!!”

Hyoudo too, had tears in his eyes as he stared at the half of a body of my brother. He quickly charged towards the giant beetle and kept hitting at it like there was no tomorrow.

“YOU DAMN INSECT!!!!”

Tanura-sensei was in a rage as she charged towards the giant beetle while swinging her giant sword, forming more cracks in the shell.

“Ahh… Nii-san…”

The little girl crawled towards the body with despair and sadness on her face. She had tears and snot flowing down as she slowly went to where my brother lies.

“Puuu~…”

The furball also went to the side of the body of my brother and tried applying water-cum-healing magic on the bisected half. If you look closely, you can see tears going down its face.

Why… Why did this happen… It was supposed to be me… Why did Kouta-nii… AGaIn… I aM aLL AlOne… No… DoN’t LeAvE Me… KOUTA-NII!!!

“UWAAAHHHHH!!!!”

Insanity swelled in my body. My body just moved on its own towards the giant beetle and automatically casted lightning magic to the cracks in its shell.

“DIEE!!! ALL OF YOU DIE!!!! FEEL THE DESPAIR!!! SCREAM LOUDER AND LOUDER!!! KEKEKEKEKE!!!!”

More knights fell victim to the giant beetle’s rampage. Only one knight was left, and it was the only knight who was kind to Kouta-nii during the whole trip.

Tears kept flowing down my face as I unconsciously kept casting electric magic to the cracks of its shell.

Die… Die… Die… Die… Die… Die… Die… Die… Die… Die… Die… Die… Die… Die… Die… Die… Die… Die… Die… Die… Die… Die… Die… Die… Die… Die… Die… Die… Die… Die… Die… Die… Die… Die… Die… Die… Die… Die… Die… Die… Die… Die… Die… Die… Die… Die… Die… Die… Die… Die… Die… Die… Die… Die… Die… Die… Die… Die… Die… Die… Die… Die… Die… Die… Die… Die… Die… Die… Die… Die… Die… Die… Die… Die… Die… Die… Die… Die… Die… Die… Die… Die… Die… Die… Die… Die… Die… Die… Die… Die… Die… Die… Die… Die… Die… Die… Die… Die… Die… Die… Die…

“DIE!! GIANT BEETLE!!!”

[Electric Magic 9] increased to [Electric Magic 10]

[Electric Magic 10] upgraded to [Lightning Magic 1]

“[Thunderstorm]!!!”

While tears fell down my cheeks, countless lightning strikes assaulted the giant beetle’s body.

“!? IMPOSSIBLE!!! HUMANS SHOULDN’T BE ABLE TO LEARN LIGHTNING MAGIC!!! GGGAAAAHHHH!!!???”

Lightning after lightning rained upon the giant beetle, turning it into charcoal. What remained of the giant beetle, was nothing but ashes.

I slowly walked towards the upper half of my brother’s body and knelt before it, before hugging it tightly.

“Kouta-nii… Kouta-nii…”

Tears never stopped flowing down as I grieved the death of my brother.

…

~ Kouta POV ~

A dazzling white room and a beautiful silver-haired girl appeared before me. She had a blue eye on her right and a green eye on her left. With her small, cute lips, she spoke her words that will forever change my fate.

“Welcome to the circle of reincarnation Kouta-kun.”

“Haahh???”