Ugly Bastard System

Gojima shattered a window of the hallway of the 4th floor and opened it from the outside. He grimaced at the smoke and hot air he felt on his face. He also grimaced at the cut on his hand, but that was not a major issue now.

He stepped on the hallway of the 4th floor. He was having trouble breathing due to all the smoke. He barely managed to locate the room where the fire started. The Robotics exhibition room.

But, when he stood in front of the door he saw his path blocked by the flames.

Hm. Thankfully, your path is not blocked by anything solid. With enough speed, you would be able to run through the flames safely. Though I will recommend that you use the table outside to at least cover yourself. It would be bad if your eyes or nostrils get burned somehow.

Gojima noticed a chair and a table outside that was being used for selling tickets. He took the table and raised it as a shield in front of him.

Okay, I will be giving you a boost worth 1 AP. Go!

Gojima felt like his body blasted forwards. He instinctivly closed his eyes as they stung due to all the smoke.

There she is! On the floor!

Gojima spotted Sayuri lying on the floor, gasping for the almost nonexistent oxygen.

Her respiratory organs have not burned yet! She needs air! Hurry up and perform rescue breathing now!

Gojima did not waste a single moment and knelt in front of her. He brought his face close to Sayuri's.

Then their lips joined.

It was by no means anything romantic. Just someone trying to save a fire victim who was having trouble breathing due to all the smoke. It didn't matter that they were of different genders, or the fact that they were actually neighbors and one of them was married. The only thing mattered was saving a life.

Sayuri started to cough violently. Gojima put her head on his thigh.

"Hanazono san! Are you alright?!"

Hanazono, with her teary eyes, took a look at him. She weakly asked, "Go...jima san?" and then started coughing again. She was still having trouble breathing, and even Gojima was starting to have trouble now. The heat was increasing! 

She's not safe yet, and neither are you! Hold your breath at any cost, or the smoke will burn your lungs! You two need to get out of here as soon as possible! Like within a minute!

'That's impossible! How am I supposed to carry her out of here in such short time?!'

There is a way. You will have to jump out of that window. –0.52 AP.

'Are you crazy?! This is 4th floor!! Without something to cushion our fall we will both die!!!'

You do have a cushion, but only if you use that window. Now trust me and jump out of it! Use the table to break the glass first! –0.48 AP.

'...Fine! I'm trusting you! But if I die or end up in ICU again—'

Gojima took the table he used as a shield and threw it at the window UBS pointed at. The window that was covered by burning cloths and styrofoam shattered, with all the hazardous stuff being removed out of the way.

Now, take Sayuri and jump in the direction of that tree!

Gojima noticed a tree below the window that reached upto the second floor. It was quite a few meters away, but with enhanced strength, he could make the jump.

'Oh, so that's how it is...'

Gojima helped Sayuri ride onto his back.

"Hanazono san," Gojima gave her a reassuring smile, "hold me tightly, okay? Whatever happens, do not let go."

Sayuri gave a small weak nod. Her eyes were still glassy, she could only rely on Gojima's voice. She tightly hugged his back with whatever little strength she had left.

Gojima jumped out of the window with as much forward momentum he could manage.

Using Accel Thought now.

In midair, Gojima felt the world around him slowing down, as he approached the tree below him. He was about to clash with a branch—

He cushioned the impact with both of his legs and used his hands to vault over that branch, while making sure Sayuri was okay. He had all the time needed, after all. Things were much easier when you had enough time to think.

Sayuri was breathing in the fresh air like a fish that managed to finally get inside water after being outside for a long time.

Gojima used a number of branches as temporary footholds to control both his speed and momentum. By the time he exited the dense branches, his speed had decreased enough to survive the fall. Gojima braced himself for the landing.

Roll forward! Even though you've slowed down, the direct impact will be too much on current Sayuri!

Gojima used the last few seconds of his Accel Thought to take Sayuri in front of him, and tightly hugged her. When they hit the ground, Gojima rolled while holding her tightly, making sure she did not hit her head or something.

After rolling for a few meters, they stopped. Gojima let go of Sayuri, who was coughing and taking in the fresh air she was surrounded by. Life was slowly returning to her.

Gojima simply lay on his back. He could not feel his limbs anymore. And he was... having trouble breathing?!

You had to use Accel Though for a long period of time. It put too much strain on your brain, not to mention the toxic fumes. Also, you're losing blood from that cut on your hand. Calm down and control your emotions. Even if we have 0 AP's now, I still have the means to save your life, so do not panic. Just... bear with it for now, okay?

'Bear with it?! I can't even... breathe...'

 

---

 

Sayuri could feel strength returning to her limbs little by little. Her clouded eyes were starting to become clear again. She could see now!

She was alive!!!

She immediately broke into tears. She was alive, she was ALIVE!!!

'I will definitely apologise to Mama after this! Mama, I am sorry! Satoshi kun, I am— I am alive! If it wasn't for Gojima san, I—Gojima san?'

Sayuri looked at her side to see Gojima lying down on the grass like a dead corpse. She knee-walked towards him.

"Gojima san? Are you alright, Gojima san?!"

Sayuri shook Gojima, but he was not responding. His face looked extremely pale and his lips were blue! Sayuri checked his nose. He wasn't breathing! Sayuri then checked his pulse.

Thankfully, there was a pulse. So she only needed to help him breathe!

’Right! Gojima san also helped me breath back there! Now it's my turn to help him!!!' Sayuri brought her face closer to Gojima's face and—

The two lips joined again.

Again to be noted, this was not anything romantic. Just a person saving another person's life. Rescue breathing—was not the same as kissing.

...Not that it would not make things awkward between them later on. But that was an issue for the future.

Gojima finally started breathing again, and Sayuri felt a relief washing over her.

"P-please wait, I'll go get help!!!" But she could not move much further. She did not have any strength left to move either.

 

---

 

Not long after, the firefighters found two people covered in smoke lying on the backyard, both in serious conditions—and took them to the hospital.

After a few hours, the fire situation was brought under control.

There were no fatalities in the incident.