Koushun Takami - Battle Royale

Shogo’s cheeks began to tremble. “You’re insane,” he said, “You’re out of your mind! How can you be like that?” He was nearly sobbing, “A government is supposed to serve the needs of the people. We shouldn’t be slaves to our own system. If you think this country makes sense, then you’re insane!”

Sakamochi let him finish. Then he said, “Hey, Kawada. You’re still a kid. It looks like you guys had some talks, but I want you to think a little more. This is a marvelous country. It’s the most prosperous country in the world. Well, you might not be able to travel abroad much, but its industrial exports are unsurpassed. The government’s slogan is telling the truth when it claims our per capita production is the best in the world. The thing is though, this prosperity only comes as a result of unifying the population with a powerful government at the center. A certain degree of control is always necessary. Otherwise… we’ll decline into a third-rate country, like the American Empire. You know, right? That country is in turmoil from all kinds of problems like drugs, violence, and homosexuality. They’re living off their past glory, but it’ll only be a matter of time before they fall apart.”

Shogo remained silent. He clenched his teeth. Then he spoke quietly, “Let me say one thing.” Sakamochi raised his brow. “What? Go ahead.”

“You guys might call it prosperity, but…” Shogo’s voice sounded tired, but still dignified, “…it’ll always be phony. That truth won’t change even if you kill me now. You’re doomed to be phony. Don’t forget that.”

Sakamochi shrugged his shoulders. “Are you done with your speech?” He pointed his gun at him. Shogo tightened his mouth and glared at Sakamochi, ignoring the gun. He seemed ready to face the consequences.

“Later, Kawada.” Sakamochi nodded as if to bid him farewell. Then his finger began pulling the trigger when—

BRRRATTA the tapping, typewriter-like sound pierced through the room.

Sakamochi’s finger stopped for a moment. He glanced at the door for a split second—long enough to be distracted. By the time he looked back Shogo was right in front of his face. Even though there was a table in between them, he was only ten centimeters away. He’d moved instantly, like a magician, as if he’d teleported.

The rattling sound continued outside the room.

Shogo’s left hand held down the gun in Sakamochi’s right hand. Sakamochi froze up and looked up at Shogo’s face, now within kissing distance. His long hair wasn’t too messy. He didn’t try to swing his hand loose from Shogo. He merely looked at Shogo with his mouth closed.

The rattling sound again.

The door opened. “An attack—” Nomura stopped once he grasped the situation and attempted to lift his rifle.

Still holding Sakamochi’s right hand down with his left hand, Shogo spun Sakamochi’s body around as if dancing a tango. As he turned, he squeezed Sakamochi’s index finger on the trigger and began firing away. Three shots pierced Nomura right above his heart. He groaned and collapsed. The rattling sounded louder now, with the door open.

Shogo looked into Sakamochi’s eyes again. Their bodies still entwined, he drove his right fist under Sakamochi’s chin.

Sakamochi coughed out blood. His eyes stared up at Shogo. The blood spilled from his lips, dripping down to his chin and onto the floor.

“I told you, it was a waste of tax money.” Shogo twisted his fist further into Sakamochi’s chin. Sakamochi’s eyes rolled away from Shogo. Then they slowly rolled upwards.

Shogo moved away from Sakamochi, and Sakamochi crashed onto the sofa. His throat was now exposed. A brown stick poked out of his windpipe like a strange ornament. Closer up, the gold logo, “HB,” on its butt-end was visible. This was one of those pencils that everyone, including Shogo and Shuya, had written, “We will kill each other,” but Kinpatsu Sakamochi probably had no idea.

After glancing down at Sakamochi he tucked the gun into his belt. He dashed over to Nomura, who was lying face up, and picked up his rifle. He took the extra magazines from his belt and left the room. He opened the two doors down the corridor on the right, but there were only rows of bunk beds. No one was inside.

The rattling was approaching him. A soldier came tumbling down the stairs beyond the narrow corridor. It was the soldier Kondo, now dead. He had a gun in his hand but wasn’t wearing and body armor—maybe he’d thought he was safe now that the game was over.

Shogo stepped around Kondo’s body, entered the staircase, and looked up.

There was Shuya Nanahara (Male Student No. 15) holding an Ingram M10, standing next to Noriko Nakagawa (Female Student No. 15). They both looked down at him. They were soaking wet.

“Shogo!”

Seeing that Shogo was safe, Shuya cried in relief. Upon hearing the gunfire besides his shots, he thought they might have been too late.

Shogo ran upstairs’ with a rifle he’d taken from one of the soldiers.

“So you’re all right?”

“Yeah.” Shogo nodded. “Sakamochi’s dead. Did you get rid of everyone?”

“We got everyone on deck. But we couldn’t find that one called Nomura—”

“Then that’s everyone. I got rid of Nomura,” he said. He passed by them and ran to the bridge where the pilothouse was located.

There was one body lying in the corridor leading to the pilothouse, then two more inside and outside the briefing room under the pilothouse. One of them was the soldier Tahara, the others were the ship’s naval crew, but Tahara was the only with a gun, and it was only a pistol. Shuya had blown them away with the Ingram. There were two others lying on deck, the first naval soldiers Shuya killed.

After glancing at Tahara’s body, Shogo grabbed the railing that led up to the pilothouse and said, “You were merciless, Shuya.”

“Yeah.” Shuya nodded. “I was.”

Once he was up in the pilothouse, there were two more of Shuya’s victims, crew members sprawled in the corner. In the dark window were several holes formed either from stray bullets or shots that had torn through the crew members.

The ship passed an island lit up with residential lights, probably Megijima. Shuya wondered whether the gunfire could be heard over there or even further into the sea around them. Well, it wasn’t that uncommon to hear sudden gunfire in this country, so he wasn’t too worried.

Shogo looked straight ahead. Shuya and Noriko looked in the same direction and saw what looked like a gravel carrier approaching them on their right. Shogo held the steering wheel and shifted the bar next to it methodically.

“I hope you didn’t catch a cold,” Shogo asked.

“I’m fine.”

“And you, Noriko?”

“I’m okay too.” Noriko nodded.

Shogo squinted ahead as he said, “I’m sorry. I did the easy work this time.” The gravel carrier was approaching.

“That’s not true,” Shuya responded as his eyes shuttled between Shogo’s hands and the ship ahead of them. “I wasn’t in any condition to take on Sakamochi. He was armed. You were the right man.”

As he kept watch, the carrier loomed larger and larger. But… they managed to skim past each other. The carrier’s lights receded.

“Phew.” Shogo took a deep breath and then let go of the steering wheel. He began pressing the intricate rows of buttons on the nautical instruments. He gazed at the panel for a while, and after seeing one of the diodes go out, he took the radio transmitter. A voice came through the speaker, “This is the Bisan Seto Inland Sea Traffic Advisory Service Center.” That’s what it sounded like.

Shogo responded, “This is Defense Patrol Ship DM 245-3568. We need you to confirm our location.”