8 green onion

A tune rang out from the Gantz ball, drawing us closer. As we gathered around the Gantz ball, I could feel the wariness emanating from the group, their eyes lingering on me with suspicion. The words displayed by the ball reminded us that our lives now belonged to it because of the second chance at life it gave to us. While the others joked around, Nishi was the lone voice urging seriousness.

"Nishi... that rat," I couldn't help but think, recalling the characters from the anime I disliked. Kei, Izumi, and Nishi. Among them, Nishi stood out as a cold, manipulative veteran of Gantz, solely focused on gathering points and indifferent to the lives of others. His demise early in the series had been almost comically pitiful.

As the Gantz ball opened to reveal racks of futuristic weapons, the group excitedly explored the arsenal. Amidst the chaos, my attention was drawn to a silver suitcase written with my name. 

The suitcase contained my lifeline: a sleek, black futuristic latex suit. Without it, surviving the alien attacks would be near impossible. This suit wasn't just gear; it was my shield, my strength, and my camouflage all rolled into one. Its importance far outweighed any weapon in my eyes.

As the mission appeared in the Gantz ball, I wasted no time. Snatching up the suitcase and a gun, I swiftly made my way to a secluded room in the back.

"I need to put this on before I get transported again," I muttered to myself in urgency. When the missions appeared, it meant the game would start soon.

Stripping down, I quickly slipped into the latex pants

As I hastily donned the last pieces of the latex suit, Kishimoto's sudden appearance caught me off guard. "Ah, sorry," she stammered, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment before she quickly dashed out of the room.

Ignoring the distraction, I focused on the task at hand. The panicked voices coming from the other room signaled that the transportation process had begun. With a sense of urgency, I ensured every part of the suit was in place, knowing that once the game started, there would be no time for adjustments.

—-

In the blink of an eye, I found myself in an entirely new setting, surrounded by the familiar faces of my fellow players. Gantz had a weird way of transporting its participants to the hunting site, a process that left me feeling disoriented and slightly unnerved.

One moment, I was in the room with the others, and the next, I was thrust into this new environment without warning or explanation. It was a sensation akin to being ripped from one reality and thrust into another in the span of a heartbeat. Gantz was full of mysteries and surprises.

Kei emerged naked, struggling to put on the costume in time, the group erupted into mocking laughter at his expense. His frantic reactions only fueled their amusement, leaving him flustered and embarrassed.

"Ten million yen!?" from Yamada caused a stir among the group.

"Aww, I told you not to say it out loud," Nishi chided Yamada, drawing suspicion towards himself with the whispered information.

"So is this a game show?" someone asked, seeking clarification amidst the confusion.

"Yes," Nishi lied smoothly, fabricating a tale about his father being the producer and influencing the minds of the crowds

But Kei remained skeptical, his doubts clear as he questioned, "Is it really a game show? You mean we weren't really about to die? I just can't accept that we were hypnotized or something…"

Nishi's smirk only added to the uncertainty, leaving the group to ponder the true nature of their situation.

"Have you ever been hypnotized?" Nishi probed, playing on their vulnerability. He knew the chances of the group having experienced hypnosis were low, setting the stage for his trap.

"It's easy to see hallucinations from being hypnotized. There were scouts all around town," Nishi asserted, maintaining a straight face. His facade of sincerity was convincing, masking his true intentions.

"Do you remember someone talking to you before you came to the apartment? Think hard," Nishi continued, planting seeds of doubt in the group's minds. Though it was merely a ploy, it was enough to sway them, their desire for the promised reward outweighing the oddity of the situation.

"We only have a one-hour time limit! Hurry!" Nishi urged, igniting a sense of urgency within the group as they hastily made their way towards the location of the alien threat.

—-

"What should we do, Kei-chan?" Kato asked, turning to Kei for guidance.

The only ones left behind were Kei, Kato, Kishimoto, an old man, and myself.

"This is silly... I'm going home," the old man declared, his decision made.

There was a boundary in this game, and crossing it meant risking your life, if you strayed too far, your head would explode. Togawa couldn't shake the feeling of pity for the old man. This wasn't like the 2D images he remembered; it was a real human being. The thought of allowing an innocent person to die for the sake of the future troubled him deeply.

As the old man walked away, I contemplated my own course of action. I intended to retreat and wait out the events from a safe distance. However, Kishimoto's unexpected presence behind me gave me pause.

"Shouldn't you be with them?" I gestured towards Kei and Kato, voicing my concern.

"Why?" Kishimoto tilted her head in confusion, her voice as sweet as the manga described, far surpassing the portrayal in the anime.

"Oh, right," Togawa mentally smacked his head. He had disrupted the chance for the main characters to properly introduce themselves to each other. While Kei seems fixated on Kishimoto since he keepted peeking glances at her,what about Kato ? Kato right now is a complete stranger to Kishimoto.

"No, I've got to fix this," I resolved internally.

"I'm Togawa. What is your name?" I asked Kishimoto, feigning ignorance to avoid suspicion.

"..Kei Kishimoto," she replied.

"Kishimoto-san, we should stay with the group, don't you think?" I suggested, hoping to steer her back towards Kato and Kei.

Kishimoto nodded in agreement as I approached the pair.

"What are you guys going to do now?" I inquired, catching Kato and Kei off guard.

"Uh... we were going to go after the group," Kato responded hesitantly.

"Okay, do you mind if we join you?" I asked, prompting puzzled expressions from Kato and Kei.

"Why is he asking?" Kei wondered.

"No clue," Kato replied.

"Okay, Kishimoto-san, this is Kei Kurono, and Masaru Kato," I introduced, determined to set things right.

"If the plot is a little messed up, then I'll fix it by force," I thought to myself as I introduced Kishimoto to the main characters.

"Kei? Same name as me," Kei remarked, a hint of surprise in his voice.

—-

Kishimoto walked closely by my side the entire time, drawing jealous glances from Kei, which I couldn't help but notice. Despite this, I chose to remain silent.

"Hah, Kei being so fixated all the time was one thing I didn't like about him in the anime," I sighed inwardly, feeling a sense of irritation at Kei's behavior.

The body of a kid came out of nowhere and flew right in front of Togawa's group. The kid landed face first into the concrete and green blood spilled out of it.

Kishimoto screamed and instinctively hid behind my back, while Kei and Kato jumped back in surprise.

"Hey, are you okay?" Kato asked in concern

"Onions are... enough," the creature uttered, lifting its head.

Kato was initially baffled by the sight but quickly regained his composure. It was a green onion alien, the target of their hunt.

"Hey! Don't move, you're hurt!" Kato rushed to support the injured alien.

Frightened, the alien attempted to flee again, prompting Kato to shout for it to stop.

Then, another group arrived from the direction the alien had fled, laughing as they pursued it.

"It's over there!" they shouted excitedly.

"What... the... hell?" Kei stood back, watching the chaotic scene unfold with a mixture of disbelief and confusion.

—-

As Kato and Kei chased after the others, I found myself unexpectedly alone with Kishimoto. Despite my initial feeling of waiting to part ways with her, she had chosen to stay by my side.

"What do we do now?" Kishimoto's voice broke the silence

I looked at her and offered a small smile. "I have no idea," I admitted honestly. I couldn't bring myself to leave Kishimoto alone, especially given the danger out ahead.

"Um... thank you for earlier. If it weren't for you, I..." Kishimoto began, her voice trailing off.

"It's nothing. I hate those kinds of people with all my being," I reassured her, patting Kishimoto's head gently. She seemed surprised by the gesture but didn't seem to mind it.

Suddenly, screams echoed in the distance, causing Kishimoto to tense up. Instinctively, she moved closer to me, seeking safety in my presence.

"It seems that the green onion alien's father showed up," I observed quietly, my senses on high alert as we braced ourselves for whatever came next.

In the anime the group that Kato had chased killed the alien child with no remorse and the father who had come back from shopping had seen his child blasted in pieces,it fell into rage and killed everybody. Only Kato had survived with a bit of luck.

"We should stay away from there," I said firmly, and Kishimoto nodded in agreement. Taking her hand, I led her in the opposite direction of the screams, intent on finding a hiding spot.

—---

-kato-

"Stop it!" I screamed at the group, my voice laced with disgust and horror.

They stood there, covered in green liquid, surrounding the green onion alien they had cornered and hunted like prey. I felt sick to my stomach witnessing their lack of remorse.

"We have to call an ambulance," I insisted, my features darkening with anger and sadness at the senseless violence.

But instead of listening, one of them responded by pointing a blaster at the alien, ready to deliver the final blow.

The alien's pleading gaze bore into mine, I could only stand there, paralyzed, as I watched the unfolding cruelty.

"Aaaaa..." I let out a frustrated cry, feeling the weight of my powerlessness.

"Stop! That thing was human anyways," someone from the group declared, their words adding to the turmoil swirling within me.

"What's with that kid? Is he crying?" another voice chimed in, noting my distressed state.

"Hey Kato, what's going on... oh, shit," Kei, who had just caught up, exclaimed as he took in the scene before him.

"Is this really a TV show? Look at the remains of the alien!" I shouted angrily, my frustration boiling over.

"Uh... right, of course," Yamada, a member of the group, muttered as he approached the alien's remains. His initial curiosity turned to horror as he realized the gruesome reality before him, prompting him to hastily step back, overcome with nausea.

"Poor thing," I cried, tears welling up in my eyes. "I couldn't save him... Damn it, I couldn't save him." The weight of my helplessness and failure pressed heavily upon me as I grappled with the harsh truth of the situation.

While the group began to reflect on their actions, Kei pointed out a child from a nearby balcony who seemed to be watching them.

"Someone saw us," Kei remarked, drawing the attention of everyone present.

The group paused, turning their gaze towards the balcony where the child stood.

"Hey, call the police!" Kato yelled, his voice filled with panic and urgency.

"Kato, are you crazy?" Kei interjected, his fear of consequences evident in his tone.

The group started to turn on me until they noticed something strange. It was as if the child didn't notice them at all. Instead, he ran back inside to fetch his mother, who also failed to acknowledge their presence, only seeing the damage to the property and not the group or the alien.

"They can't see us," someone murmured, the realization sinking in.

"Maybe we really are dead," another speculated, their words laced with fear and uncertainty.

In a sudden flash, an adult version of the green onion alien appeared before them, his anguished cries echoing incoherently. It was the wrath of a father who had just discovered his child's lifeless remains.

It was a massacre, and once again, I found myself standing by and watching as people were cut down one by one. It was evident that the alien had no intention of sparing anyone's life.

"Kato, we need to run," Kei's voice trembled with fear as he urged us to flee.

But I couldn't move, frozen in place as the alien loomed before me.

"I... I know how you feel," I stammered, my voice shaky with fear but determined to convey my emotions.

The alien made a loud, strange noise, trying to communicate its anger.

"Listen to me! I wanted to save him, I really did," I pleaded desperately, but my words seemed to fall on deaf ears. The alien's posture grew increasingly threatening, filling me with dread.

"What the hell am I doing?" I muttered to myself, realization dawning upon me. "I am going to die. Kei-chan, run. I'll hold him off."

With trembling hands, I drew my blaster and aimed it at the alien's face, bracing myself for the inevitable confrontation."Will everything go back to normal if I shoot?" I wondered aloud, while I hesitated, the alien launched its attack.

—---

a familiar voice called out. "Togawa! Kishimoto!"

I turned, my expression darkening. 'Kei, you bastard, why are you leading it this way!' I thought angrily, resisting the urge to punch him.

Behind Kei was the raging alien father, his vengeful gaze fixed on us. The alien screamed for our deaths, its voice echoing with fury and malice.

"Kyaa!" Kishimoto cried out in fear.

"Sorry, Kishimoto, but bear with this for a while," I said as I swiftly lifted her onto my shoulders and began to run, determined to get us out of harm's way.

—

"Kei, stop following me!" I yelled angrily. "Go do your protagonist stuff somewhere else!"

"No, don't leave me behind!" Kei shouted desperately, his voice filled with fear and desperation

I racked my brain, trying to remember how kei defeated this alien in the anime. Gantz had been my favorite, but it had been so long since I watched it that I couldn't recall all the details.

"Should I try to fight it?" I wondered, feeling confident in my abilities. After all, this alien was the weakest Kei had encountered, worth only 3 points. I wasn't afraid of it, unlike the more formidable monsters I knew would come later.

But then I looked at Kei, who was relying on me for guidance, and hesitated.

"Where is Kato?" I asked, my concern mounting.

"...He's dead," Kei replied, his voice filled with tears.

"Dead!?" Panic surged through me. "How?"

"H-he was clawed and pushed down the railing," Kei choked out, his voice trembling with grief.

"What is going on!?" I panicked, struggling to comprehend the situation. "He shouldn't have died so early! Kato is still needed for Kei's character development!" As the plot spiraled out of control

"Shit!" We ran into a dead end, and frustration boiled within me as I glanced between Kei and the alien.

I quickly put down Kishimoto, her pale face reflecting her unease at the situation unfolding before us.

"Kei, look," I said, my tone serious as I gestured towards the alien. "I'm going to take care of that alien, so get Kishimoto-san out of here."

Kishimoto gave a concerned look, and Kei, who had been silent until now, spoke up with a determined expression. "Don't worry, I'll protect her."

A tick mark formed on my forehead as I silently complained, 'You're quick to use me as a sacrifice,' but a sense of warmth filled me knowing that at least someone cared.

"N-no! Don't leave, it's too dangerous!" Kishimoto's voice wavered, tears threatening to spill over.

"It's okay, I won't die," I reassured her, feeling a twinge of discomfort at her concern for me.

I pulled her into a hug to offer comfort before reluctantly letting go and passing her to Kei, who wore a dirty look on his face.

"I'm counting on you, Kei!" I called out as I turned and ran towards the alien, leaving behind the cries of protest echoing in my ears.

—--

I aimed my gun at the alien, but it anticipated my move, dodging with lightning-quick movements. With a swift rush, the alien lunged forward, slashing its claws at me. I managed to duck and countered with a leg sweep.

The alien crashed to the ground, but before I could seize the advantage, I was met with a sharp kick to the stomach. Pain seared through me as I was sent flying towards a nearby wall, my suit absorbing the impact that would have otherwise ruptured my organs.

Despite the chaos of the battle, bystanders remained oblivious to our skirmish. The Gantz game's secrecy shielded our actions from public view, ensuring that the truth of our existence remained hidden. Anyone attempting to expose Gantz faced a dire consequence, their head would explode.

With determination burning in my eyes, I rose from the impact, my resolve hardened. "It's time to stop playing around," I muttered, ready to face the alien head-on.

The alien rushed at me again, and this time, I tapped into the maximum potential of my suit. With a powerful punch, I struck the alien, causing it to vomit blood and food. My fist went straight through its stomach and out the back.

The alien struggled to stand.

"I'll …give you..my green onions."

"Forgive…me" these were the only human words it and its child could speak.

I picked up the gun I dropped during the fight and aimed it at the alien's head. The head exploded. I didn't know how to feel

"It's all for the greater good," I whispered to myself, trying to reassure my own conscience. someone emerged from the shadows with a slow, mocking clap. "Wow, you're the best contestants I've seen so far," Nishi smirked.

"Where were you?" I asked, my tone laced with hostility.

"Close by. I've watched everything," he replied, his smirk widening.

'Right. Once a rat, always a rat,' I thought bitterly, choosing to ignore him and focusing instead on waiting for the Gantz ball to transport me back to the room.