Capítulo 57: vol 15 PT 4
ARIFURETA SHOKUGYOU DE SEKAI SAIKYOU (WN)
C147
The Foundation of A Hero
"Haha, my apologies. The backlash of being serious for too long made my pathos leak out for just a little much."
"… A little?" X2
The light of regeneration magic that Tio exercised enveloped Suzu and Ryuutaro, illuminating the passage. The words that Tio said while smiling during that time were tsukkomi-ed by them with scornful eyes.
The nobility of Tio that was usually unseen, her elegance that was mistaken as royalty, her refinement, the recoil from all those that caused Suzu and also Ryuutaro's hearts to be palpitating thoroughly made the gazes that were directed at Tio colder than usual. Especially Ryuutaro, it felt like his pure heart was toyed with, even though he understood that it was just an outburst of anger, his mental state couldn't help but lower the temperature of his gaze.
Drifting inside such a strange atmosphere, after the light of healing that had enveloped the two had vanished, their bodies were in perfect health without even a single injury. It was just a few seconds since Tio exercised her regeneration magic.
"Even though it was amazing… it was amazing but… but Suzu cannot honestly praise it now. But, thank you Tio-san."
"Me too, I wonder just why this kind of pervert is like this but… thanks anyway."
"Thou art welcome. Also Ryuutaro. Even if thou insulted me, I won't feel happy you know? I won't wag my tail to anybody except master. I'm truly sorry."
A vein appeared on Ryuutaro's temple. Inside his heart he cursed "It's like I'm trying to attract her but getting dumped instead, isn't it". He didn't say anything out loud because there would be no end to it.
Once again, unspeakable rage that shuddered welled up from inside him against Tio who was calmly using two exact opposite aspects, the dignified beauty just now and the perversion that conveniently converted any kind of attack into pleasure. At the same time…
"… Just as I thought, Nagumo is amazing, huh?"
"Suzu doesn't think that Nagumo-kun needs that kind of praise though."
Thinking about Hajime went along with Tio's everything, Ryuutaro saw the depth of Hajime's magnanimity as a man, no, as a human and raised his praise to him. Surely it was just as Suzu said, if Hajime heard that he would surely have a vein appearing in his forehead saying that it was not the case.
Like that, Suzu and Ryuutaro were fed up by Tio's perversion that she naturally emitted. During that time, the end of the passage became visible ahead. It was the next room.
"Hmm, there art multiple presences on the other side. It seems there are members who have already linked up there."
"Nagumooo, please be there. I won't be able to hold back if you don't take her off our hands soon."
"Please god, make it so the owner is there."
Suzu and Ryuutaro murmured in prayer after hearing Tio's words. And then Suzu also nonchalantly said something cruel. It seemed that since she passed her trial, she had learned to punch straight with her words.
Like that, the ice wall the three approached melted and vanished and what was at the other side of the wall was…
"MuuIIIii, Yue you bhird braiiiinn!!"
"… Shut hup. Closeht phervertt"
"Aah geez. You two, stop it alreadyyy…"
There straddling above the lying down Yue, Kaori was pulling Yue's cheeks *gyuuuuuuu*, and toward Kaori who was doing that, Yue similarly pinched up Kaori's cheeks *muniiiiii*, and then, Shia was mediating those two in a dither.
"What's this…"
"Cat fight?"
"This is their usual quarrel. They really have a good relationship."
Suzu and Ryuutaro were dumbfounded. Tio's expression was smiling peacefully. Looking at the figures of the two that were pulling the other's cheeks with teary eyes while striking each other like pawing cats, surely it couldn't be helped that their expression turned like that. The two girls were merely running out of magic power due to the huge fight just now and so this quarrel was the most that they could do.
"Eh? Tio-san? Also both of you. So all of you safely overcame the trial then. I'm glad. Come now Yue-san, Kaori-san, Tio-san and others have arrived hereee! Stop fighting alreadyyy! Come on, release your hands from the cheeks, don't keep hitting at each other! Ah, over there, don't kick! Please calmly… I said stop it alreadyyy!"
Shia snapped toward Yue and Kaori who wouldn't stop quarreling childishly. Two reinforced fists were striking down on the heads of the two, a *GOKIN!* sound that shouldn't have rung out reverberated. Yue and Kaori crouched down while holding their heads. "My headd-, my headd~" They groaned like so.
"Hmm, it seems that the position of Shia and Yue strangely got reversed since we came to this labyrinth… I wonder if Yue also slightly received the influence of the great labyrinth? Well, it's interesting to look at anyway."
Tio tilted her head while murmuring her guess that was half correct. Yue was also exhausted because she recalled various memories of the far past. She even let out a weak-hearted remark against her better judgment. Rather, with how large her past trauma it was strange that it ended with just this much.
And then, the unconscious reliance that was created from the weakness of Yue's heart… that was naturally directed at her lover Hajime, but even Shia who had remarkable growth since she was acknowledged as lover by Hajime was also not just a handful little sister anymore and turned into a reliable partner that Yue was apt to rely on. In other words, in addition of Shia's growth, her distance with Yue was also shrinking further.
"Fuu, my apologies, we made you wait. The new passage is over there, so let's advance forward."
"… Thou art really reliable right now."
Shia urged them ahead while carrying Yue and Kaori at both sides under her arms. Tio nodded at that while looking fondly.
The party advance through the passage once more. The people who they hadn't found were three people, Hajime, Shizuku, and Kouki. They were walking forward while praying so that they could link up at the next room.
Like that now, they suddenly stood still in front of the ice wall that was at the end of the passage they had reached. Shia's rabbit ears were twitching around while she was making a complicated face. Right after that, her eyes widened in shock.
"Eh… tho, those two too?"
The sudden words and attitude of Shia who had sharp senses caused the other members to look at her wondering what was going on. Yue, Kaori, Tio, the three of them immediately concentrated and reached out their senses at the other side of the ice wall. And the result, they understood what made Shia surprised and they looked at each other.
"Nothing will begin even if we just stand here. We can only confirm the situation directly."
"… Nn. If he is Hajime's enemy, I will beat him up."
"Err, Yue? That's a little… "
"Anyway, let's go."
While her cheek was twitching at Yue who was narrowing her eyes dangerously, Kaori could only pray that she wished it was just a quarrel like her and Yue.
But, that prayer didn't reach.
Ahead of the ice wall they passed, at the next room, storm of killing intent and hatred was blowing violently.
Yes, Hajime and Kouki were currently in mortal combat.
Amanogawa Kouki.
He who was born as the only son of an ordinary household had someone who he respected and idolized from the heart even now. That someone was Kouki's grandfather.
The name of that grandfather was Amanogawa Kanji, he was a skilled attorney famous in business world. It was established custom for the family to go play at their grandfather's house when it was a long holiday, but Kanji's wife?because Kouki's grandmother had passed away early, the grandfather that was living alone was very affectionate toward Kouki.
For his age, Kanji's back was straight and his muscular body was overflowing with ambition, nevertheless, he wasn't scary, but a gentle person. Kouki idolized dearly such a grandfather as his, that was to say he was a grandfather's boy.
What Kouki liked the most from Kanji was Kanji's story of his experiences. The experiences that Kanji obtained from his work as an attorney were told to Kouki as though he was reading from a picture book so that the small Kouki could easily understand them. Realistically speaking, the stories were also considerably arranged to not breach the duty of confidentiality, but even so, the eloquent stories of his grandfather were full of human drama that caused Kouki's heart to dance many times.
Helping the weak, crushing the strong, reaching his hand to a troubled person without hesitation, accomplishing the correct thing, always being fair… in the end, Kanji's stories were a thing that included that kind of teaching. A hero's tale that personified ideal and justice. A common story for young children.
Because of that, for Kouki, his grandfather Kanji was exactly a hero. Just like how other children of his age idolized a certain masked rider or the space alien that defeated space monsters even faster than instant ramen could cook, Kouki idolized Kanji like that. It could be said that because his target to idolize was nearby that Kouki's idolizing was even stronger than other children. He wished "someday I will be like grandfather".
But, naturally, the real world couldn't be like Kanji's story where truth and justice defeated the evil and unreasonable, and the righteousness of ideals could be realized without end. In the occupation of attorney, even if they held justice and fairness, their foremost mission wasn't to pursue the truth or impeach the guilty but to protect the interest of their client.
To be called as 'competent' attorney, it wasn't enough with just having excellent skill as an attorney, it was also because Kanji was a human who could realistically think with good and evil at the same time. He thoroughly knew about the dirty part of society and also how it was insufficient to just carry ideal and justice in hand.
But, before he could teach that to Kouki he passed on to the next world. It was before Kouki entered elementary school. The cause was an acute heart attack.
Kanji's death left behind a large influence on Kouki.
The thinking that it was okay for a young child to only think of beautiful things was something really normal, Kanji couldn't be blamed because of that. Someday, when Kouki grew up, he was planning to also talk to Kouki about bitter experience that included reality when things wouldn't go as you expected.
The death of the hero he idolized was a shock for Kouki. He thought of his beloved grandfather, the more he soaked in his memory of Kanji the more he beautified his image of Kanji as a hero, putting a deep root of 'the ideal righteousness' into the deepest part of young Kouki's heart.
That righteousness was following the teaching of his grandfather that sounded pleasant to the ears of children, at the same time it was righteousness that didn't recognize the 'impure' part inside the minority or good and evil at all. To further say it, Kouki came to think that what the majority of people thought as right was the absolute right.
Although it wasn't like that was something peculiar. Children everywhere always watched the hero from television or comics that held the ideal righteousness inside their heart.
And then, those children would pile up days of living, repeating many failures from crashing into the wall of reality. Sometimes, they would experience setback, learn how to give up and compromise. They would naturally study the way to sail the storm of reality skillfully.
They would keep their aspiration as just aspiration, ideal as just ideal, storing all those inside a treasure box that they put at the corner of their heart while looking at reality. That was the natural course of events. Kouki too should be like that. If that happened, then there would be no problem at all.
However, Kouki was too prodigious to ride the natural course of events. His high specs allowed him to overcome the wall of reality while following his ideal. Without any failure or setback, he pushed through every situation with his own strength. His ideal of children completely passed through.
As a result, without realizing it, Kouki came to not doubt his own righteousness. He was cautioned many times about the danger of that by several people close to him, especially by his parents and Shizuku, but Kouki only heard that advice with a smile. He didn't listen seriously or reform himself. In the first place, he had charisma and his principle was solely based on good intention, so not including those several people that cautioned him, everyone else supported Kouki and that was also one factor that caused Kouki to not change.
Of course, there was no way everything went well without anything wrong at all. Several problems cropped up in places that Kouki wasn't aware of. The envy at Shizuku was also one of those.
But, Kouki who didn't doubt his own righteousness maintained it by his convenient interpretation. That was also helped along by the people who adored Kouki blindly pushing his back. So as expected, Kouki didn't notice his convenient interpretations. Even though he received warnings, he also didn't try to notice.
Such 'ideal righteousness' of Kouki had distorted even though it was overflowing with good intention. It began to crumble in this another world. Different from the peaceful Japan, in another world that ran rampant with killing intent and hatred, supernatural and absurdity, his spec and convenient interpretation didn't work. The prime example was the devil woman he faced in the lower floors of Orcus, and Hajime who went under a change of heart.
For the first time, Kouki saw the wall of reality before his eyes. He experienced painful failure that exposed the 'child' inside his heart.
And then…
{She was taken away. Right?}
"No! She is not taken…"
The false image of Kouki with ashen hair clad in black armor was staring with those reddish black eyes while ridiculing Kouki, who was breathing roughly while sweating like a river, immediately objected.
"It's just as Shizuku said, from the beginning Kaori liked Nagumo… that's why I…"
{You don't need to lie to yourself. I am you. I know you better than anyone else. You pretended to accept what Shizuku said, but deep in your heart, you are thinking that she is taken from you. You are still thinking that Kaori should be together with you. You two had been together all this time since elementary school. I don't know about the meeting at middle school or anything, but even though she has been with me longer, even though I believed that from now on we will always be together too, even though Kaori is the heroin of me the hero…}
"Shut up. I'm not thinking anything like that! Don't say whatever you want- you labyrinth monster! You won't lead me astray!"
Kouki glared at the false image with bloodshot eyes and let loose a blade of light with all his strength. Several streaks of slashing light rushed toward the false image.
However, the false image let fly light blades with exactly the same trajectories, neutralizing them all. No, far from that, several of the lights didn't stop and attacked straight towards Kouki. It was the proof that he lost completely in strength.
{You say that but in contrast you are shaken really bad, huh. Even the holy sword that Nagumo especially upgraded, like this it's just throwing a pearl before the swine. Or else exactly because it is created by that hateful Nagumo you envied, that you don't want to use it properly, perhaps?}
"That's irrelevant! I, don't hate Nagumo or any…"
{Come on, it's because you immediately averted your eyes from reality like this… that I'm strengthened again here.}
An extra large 'Soaring Heaven Sword – Quake' was unleashed by the false image. Its might was obviously different compared from before. His own signature move that was gouging the ground while approaching him made Kouki shudder and he immediately dodged to the side. His instinct told him that he couldn't block that.
{Not just Kaori, you also cannot stomach Yue and others adoring Nagumo, right? Girls that are that cute, strong, and charming, aren't they worthier to be together with a hero like me? You cannot accept they adore someone like Nagumo who can easily cut down a human. right?}
"Cut it out! Those girls seriously love Nagumo… that's something those girls decided themselves… that's why-"
{Nagumo's strength is also irritating. That strength originally should be mine, isn't it? Rather, Nagumo's everything is just vexing yeah.}
"Wrong-. Certainly, Nagumo likes to act as he pleases, but he saved us many times… that kind of guy…"
{You said you don't hate him? You mustn't lie. Even when you were saved, you felt jealousy instead of gratitude, didn't you? Even though gallantly rushing to save someone is my role, you envied him like that, didn't you?}
"There is no way that's true! Such a thing…"
{Oi, oi, just how much you are going to strengthen me until you are satisfied?}
That wish of his to be a hero, the envy to Hajime that was nearly a hatred, and then his desire to monopolize Kaori along with his desire for other people's good will… having those shoved to his face, Kouki objected with the large part of himself believing his own words. Like that, because he was unconsciously avoiding recognizing it, the false image was strengthened endlessly.
The false image of Kouki lifted his black holy sword to the sky. Right after that, a dazzling surge of light burst out from there and the light split open near the ceiling, it became several streaks of meteors that began to bomb Kouki.
Kouki avoided those with 'Shrink Ground' while looking for the chance to counterattack, but the color pasted on his face was obviously one of fluster. Cold sweat couldn't stop flowing from the strength of the false image.
The meteors that were attacking from the air were equipped with homing functions to some degree and Hajime's impact conversion so there was nothing more troublesome than this. Even if he waited until they almost hit before evading instantly, if he was late in the timing even for just a little the storm of shockwaves would swallow him. Having said that, only neutralizing the attack like this without being able to counterattack would only turn this into a war of attrition.
'Because Hajime put those functions'… for a moment such thinking was whirling inside his chest. Kouki wiped that thought away in a fluster. That was because such thinking wasn't 'right' toward the person who lent his hand to him. That was why right after that he sealed the memory that he even had such a thought in the bottom of his mind.
"Fly and turn, 'Soaring Heaven Sword – Storm'!!"
Kouki somehow slipped through the explosion and started counterattacking. Kouki's slash was added with wind blade, the slash of wind that was hard to see even in the best of times slipped into the light and magic power and became even harder to perceive. The visible slashes were ten, but actually slashes in thrice that number were launched in a spread to block any escape.
{That's pointless. Assemble, 'Heaven Claw Flowing Rain – Quake'.}
In response, the false image was wearing a cool face. The light bullets that became meteors flew wildly and instantly converged on the black holy sword, converted into a streak of bombardment. There was no need to escape or anything, he just needed to smash Kouki's attack from the front.
That plan came to fruition. And it was extremely easily on top of it. The countless blades Kouki launched were scattered with just a single flash. The bombing of light charged at Kouki without stopping.
"block, 'Light Armor'!!"
The holy armor that Kouki was wearing shined, countless rings of light extended in front of him and produced a barrier. Immediately after, the light bombing hit and scattered with a severe flash and impact. 'Heaven Claw Flowing Rain' originally was a technique that didn't have that much power, but Hajime's demonic remodeling and the strengthened power of the false image were combined and sublimed the technique into one with might that wouldn't be an exaggeration to be called a sure kill technique.
Therefore…
"Guwaa!?"
Kouki's barrier was smashed and he was grandly blown away. He rolled all over the ground and finally stopped moving when he crashed into the ice wall. Blood was trickling down from his temple.
{You want to overwhelm him, right? That Nagumo. You want to make that guy kneel and beg for forgiveness. After that, you will take back Kaori, Yue and the others will direct their favor to you, save the world, bring everyone back home, showered in admiration…}
"SHUT UPPPPPP!"
While feeling the black emotion that was fished out from the depth of his heart, Kouki drove his flaming hot body forward following his violent fury. Vast amounts of magic power from that body became a bursting out a torrent, it was 'Limit Break'.
Kouki himself understood that it wasn't the right time to use it, but he couldn't listen to the words of the false image more than this. He didn't want to notice the emotion that shouldn't be harbored by himself who should be righteous. That was his whole heartedness.
Kouki stepped in with terrific speed that should even be called god speed. He swung down the holy sword that was shining pure white with brute force. That was easily blocked with a scoff by the false image of Kouki whose body was clad in reddish black magic power before he realized. The false image was also using 'Limit Break'.
The pure white holy sword and the ominous jet-black holy sword clad in reddish black aura clashed, in that instant violent impact rushed out and a crater was created under the false image.
The moment Kouki understood he was blocked, he twisted his wrist and changed into a sweep of the sword. The wood chopping attack transformed like a lie into a neck mowing attack. However, even that attack which was like a sudden flash was easily blocked by the false image.
{Isn't murder of humans evil?}
"You are not human!"
The teasing words of the false image made Kouki gritted his teeth while accelerating his sword even more. The sword left behind a trail of light while *zurararara-* creating countless after images. The sword that should be just one piece looked like several swords at the same time with its abnormal speed.
The storm of sharp swordplay that continuously swung in circle motions never stopped, as expected from the person that was supposed to be praised as a hero. That strength could be quickly ranked from above even in this world.
But, the enemy before his eyes perfectly responded with similar swordplay that left behind after images with his composed expression still unbroken. On the contrary, the false image saw an opening and let out a counterattack that created a shallow wound on Kouki who couldn't dodge.
"UOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH!!"
{What's the matter? You are smeared in that much killing intent… huh, hero?}
Kouki yelled while exhausting the martial arts that he possessed, but his heart that was totally disarrayed even if he didn't recognize it made him unable to display his strength except as a paltry shadow of his original strength. Naturally, with that, there was no path to win against the likes of his false image that was gradually turning stronger, his uneasiness was also growing violent when he thought about the time limit of 'Limit Break'.
There, the false image further talked with words that shook Kouki's mind. That wasn't Kouki's negative part that was brought up from the past, but words that incited his anxiety about the future.
{If you are like this, you might have more things taken away again.}
"What are… "
{Let's stop with your pretense of not noticing. After all, something that I noticed is also something that you notice.}
"That's why-! What are you talking about-"
The false image sent Kouki an exasperated gaze as though he was looking at an idiot. And then, he easily said the thing that Kouki feared the most.
{Just who is Shizuku looking at… that's what I mean.}
"?!!"
Kouki felt like the blood all over his body was boiling. He screamed soundlessly, and when his mouth couldn't go further he launched a shockwave from close range that might swallow himself too.
The false image easily withdrew from that using 'Shrink Ground' and he continued with mocking words toward Kouki's desperation.
{So you don't even want to think about it? After Kaori was taken away, on top of it, even Shizuku will… }
"DIEEEEEEE!!"
{Oi, oi, that's not a line of a hero, you know? Besides, no matter how much you shout, it's the truth that Shizuku's heart is leaning toward Nagumo. It might even be understandable, yeah? She was saved by him several times already, and Shizuku is unexpectedly girly.}
"ZEYAAAAH!!"
Kouki shrieked. The swung holy sword increased in brightness, but the black holy sword was increasing even more than that in the thickness of its ominous magic power. Inside Kouki's heart, he was trying to deny Shizuku's feeling and throw away the reality with all his might, which in turn raised the strength of the false image endlessly.
Therefore, the unsightly attack that although was done with all his strength but no different than throwing a tantrum, was easily repelled from the front.
"Gaah!?"
Kouki screamed and he was blown away towards the wall once more. Although the magic power convergence ability of his holy armor lengthened the lasting time of 'Limit Break',if he recklessly exhausted himself then even that benefit would be pointless. The time Kouki had left was only a little.
{I see. You even deny Shizuku's matter.}
The false image was walking to Kouki with clacking footsteps, he was shaking his head while sending a cold gaze at Kouki.
Kouki somehow stood up using his holy sword as a stick while his breathing was blocked from the impact, he returned a bloodshot gaze to the false image.
"Wr, wrong. Toward Nagumo, Shizuku… such a thing… no way it could possibly…"
{Venting her anger, sulking, showing a smile from her heart… you noticed all those, right?}
"Something like that… she did that to every…"
{Even though when she saw Yue and Shia close with Nagumo, she was making a sullen face?}
"… That's just… because they didn't know the place… that was displeasing for…"
{And the awkward face she made when looking at Kaori approaching that guy?}
"… Shizuku… she is also not recognizing… Nagumo from her heart."
{Ku-ku-ku, that's just extreme even if I say so myself huh. You don't want to believe it that much?}
In front of Kouki who was on his knee while supporting his body with the holy sword, the false image was chuckling while pointing his holy sword. The false image sneered even further at Kouki who was glaring murderously.
And then for a moment, "Oho?" the false image faced at ice wall where there was nothing with a surprised expression. He sensed the familiar presence approaching from the other side of the ice wall with 'Presence Detection'. Although it seemed Kouki didn't even have the composure to notice that.
{This is… what good timing.}
"Don't act composed!"
Kouki leaped up and slashed up his holy sword at what he saw as an opening. Without even looking at that the false image blocked the sword into sword locking contest while grinning widely, and then he passed down words that sounded like a death sentence.
{Now, the reality is coming here, you know?}
"What are you saying-"
Right after that a part of ice wall of the room where the two of them were at melted, a new passage appeared. Kouki twitched in surprise and while being cautious of the grinning false image in front of his eyes, he slightly moved his gaze at the direction of the passage.
And then, his eyes widened looking at the scene ahead of his gaze.
"Still in the middle of trial huh…"
There was Hajime carrying Shizuku on his back there. Kouki's gaze was drawn into Shizuku. More accurately, at the sleeping face of Shizuku who looked happy while sweetly entrusting her cheek on Hajime's shoulder in relief while breathing peacefully.
Something snapped inside Kouki.
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ARIFURETA SHOKUGYOU DE SEKAI SAIKYOU (WN)
C148
Child's Retribution
Pure white radiance became a large waterfall that poured down from overhead.
That was the scene that Hajime witnessed upon passing the ice wall while carrying the pleasantly sleeping Shizuku on his back.
Hajime understood the true meaning of what happened. Because if this was just a misunderstanding made because he was confused for a monster or something using a 'Yaegashi Barrier', then the attack would surely be stopped desperately.
But no matter how he looked at it, there was no sanity in the eyes of the opponent, so he reluctantly performed an evasion from the spot using 'Ground Shrink'.
Immediately after, the spot where Hajime was just at was struc by a brutal slash, a deep crack being created on the ice ground and wall followed by a thunderous roar.
Although the crack was repaired instantly, looking at the destruction mark, it was easy to see that the attack was not a joke – but was created with the intent to kill. And above all, the killing intent just before and the amount of magic power put into the attack showed the true seriousness of it.
Hajime sent a glance at the false image that was grinning widely in a slightly distanced spot, then he fixed the position of Shizuku on his back while narrowing his eyes at the culprit of the act of violence.
Shizuku didn't succumb even to the thunderous roar of the attack and only twitched for a moment before continuing her sleep. Was she really that tired? Or perhaps she was so in peace that she wouldn't react to a danger of this level? There was also the possibility that she was just merely being shameless, though…
"… So? What are you doing, Amanogawa?"
Yes, exactly as Hajime said, the culprit of the attack was Kouki. It wasn't the false image, but the real one without any doubt.
That Kouki tightly gripped his holy sword that was still half-buried into the half-crushed ground while grumbling something. His bangs hung low, hiding his eyes so his expression couldn't be seen clearly, but he was obviously not in a normal state.
"… ga…da. … de, u… ra" (TN: I don't know if Kouki here is totally broken already or it's me that cannot catch what the author means.)
"Haa? I cannot hear that. Anyway, your opponent is not us, it's over…"
"… Us?"
Hajime frowned because he couldn't really catch Kouki's murmur while directing his gaze at the false image. He did that while implicitly telling Kouki to attack the enemy without mistake next time.
However, Kouki showed an excessive reaction to a part of Hajime's words. Piercing eyes peeked out from between his bangs, then his stabbed holy sword was forcefully pulled out.
"The way you say that is like you and Shizuku are one set, isn't it? Eh? What, the way you are talking is like she belongs to you? Are you screwing around?"
"… Just what are you saying? Don't say such a stupid thing, finish this quickly."
Kouki directed the attack at Hajime's bloodshot look while dragging the holy sword. The unclear meaning of Kouki's words made Hajime feel an unpleasant premonition while he urged Kouki to clear the trial.
However, as expected, Hajime's words couldn't get through to the current Kouki.
"… Ah, I'll end it now. Even without you telling me every little thing, I'll end everything!"
The moment he yelled that Kouki faced Hajime with a gaze that emitted madness from his opened pupils while charging forward. His figure hazed using 'Implosion Ground' while he pressed hard in one go and then unleashed a slash of light filled with enormous magic power.
"Tch, so you fell. You stupid bastard."
"Shut up! Everything will return to before if you die-! DIE RIGHT NOWWWW!"
Hajime guessed the cause of Kouki's eccentricity. Surely this was the result of his false image cornering him so much. Then, Hajime looked over his shoulder at Shizuku who was entrusting her body on his back, "So I'm the finishing blow…" he murmured in a small voice while frowning about his bad timing.
Kouki completely ignored that murmur of Hajime and he only recklessly held his holy sword at full power with a seething killing intent and hatred. He was obviously trying to kill Hajime. Regardless of Shizuku who was on Hajime's back, Kouki attacked without holding back and Hajime concluded that he wasn't sane.
"Nn, nmuu, what? Let me sleep a little mo…"
"You idiot! How can you sleep talk in this situation! If you don't wake up right now, then I'll make you into a human cannonball, just so you know!"
Looking at the half-asleep face of Shizuku who was peevish like a spoiled child, Hajime made a violently irritated look and yelled angrily. If she didn't wake up in one second, then he was seriously planning on punching Kouki.
Hajime's angry yell, the thunderous roar, and a flash of the cannon of light that was released right after that finally made Shizuku open and widen her eyes in shock. Hajime deployed the barrier using cross bits so the attack didn't reach them, but the scenery in front of her eyes finally made her notice that they were in the middle of battle, and she dejectedly got down from Hajime's back.
"You slept too much, like a log just now. What a shameless fellow."
"I'm not shameless or anything. It's just that Nagumo-kun's back felt so…"
"Well, it doesn't matter about you, Yaegashi. Putting that aside, do something about it."
"Doesn't matter what you say… or rather this situation, what happened… eh?"
Shizuku got teary eyed from quite the shock that she received by Hajime's exasperated expression and words. However, after the flash settled down she saw the figure of the opponent that seemed to be the one who unleashed that attack. This caused her to leak out a dumbfounded voice while her body turned rigid.
That surely couldn't be helped, because the opponent who unleashed the attack with an obviously high chance of casualties was a childhood friend she was familiar with.
"It seems that he fell, see? It feels like he's thinking that I am exactly the root of all evil."
"That's…"
Ahead of her gaze was the false image of Kouki. He was sending them an amused look.
Shizuku who guessed the general situation filled her gaze with strength and then raised her voice at Kouki who was looking at them with clouded eyes.
"Kouki! Don't do this! You mustn't lose to your other self! Come back to your senses, overcome yourself!"
The gaze of Shizuku who was looking at Kouki was colored only with worry. Even though there were various troubles with him, he was still a good childhood friend of hers who was overflowing with good intention. He was an acquaintance of hers, including his family, from when they were children to now. He was like her important family. And now his expression was warped with killing intent and hatred that she had never seen before.
She really couldn't look at him like this. Both her hands clasped as though she was praying, trying desperately to rouse up Kouki's heart.
However, toward such a Shizuku, Kouki smiled and said something outrageous.
"… It's fine. I swear that I will save Shizuku without fail."
"Kouki? What are you saying…?"
"You are brainwashed by Nagumo, right? It's okay. You will be freed if Nagumo is defeated…. Nagumo, even though you are my former classmate, don't think that you can get off scot free after hurting my important childhood friend. I'll defeat you, and release all your brainwashing of Kaori and the other girls too! And then, I'll save the world together with them!"
Shizuku was dumbstruck at Kouki's outrageous declaration.
The current Kouki, so to speak, could be considered like the Kouki had Shizuku not spoken with him the night when Kaori departed with Hajime's group previously. At that night, the weight filled inside Shizuku's words stopped Kouki from running wild.
He couldn't immediately change the way he thought since there was also a lot of aspects in Hajime he was bothered with. That was why he bumped against Hajime over and over again, but even so, because he had the words of Shizuku, he wouldn't say anything about Kaori too, as long as there was no complete separation between her and Hajime.
However, to put it in other words, it could also be said that Kouki could do that only because Shizuku was at his side.
Kouki's sense of value and thought were perhaps included with 'childishness'. He kept carrying the 'ideal righteousness' that was planted in his infancy without any wall of reality standing in his way, and he kept it like that until his current age, so perhaps this was only the logical development.
For such a childish Kouki, if the last female childhood friend where he directed his desire to monopolize was taken, then it would also seem natural that his 'temper' would explode.
Although, the temper of Kouki who was holding the power of a hero wasn't a laughing matter at all…
Furthermore, Kouki who held a 'childishness' that wasn't eager to recognize one's own fault was thoroughly cornered by the reality that was shoved on his face by his false image. The emotion that wasn't fitting for a hero like him was overflowing from inside his heart, carving into him like a slashing blade.
He desperately denied it. He averted his eyes. And when he just barely held his ground, his last fortress that was Shizuku was entrusting her body with a happy expression that obviously wouldn't be shown to a man that was nothing to her. Even the thickheaded Kouki could guess just what the meaning of that was. And then exactly because he could guess that. his fortress crumbled. Kouki's bad habit coupled with his cornered heart manifested in the worst way.
That was to say, Nagumo Hajime was the root of all evil who brainwashed his childhood friends and multiple other girls, who then became a hindrance for him who was trying to save the world. That was the impression his heart was set on. A really convenient interpretation without holding back.
"Kouki! Get a hold of yourself! I don't know what was told to you, but don't go astray!"
"Shizuku…"
"Listen, Kouki. Facing your own disgusting part is really painful. I understand that well because I also almost died from that. But if you don't accept and overcome it, then you won't be able to move forward. If you want to become strong and save a lot of people, then you must not cling to convenient thinking here. Your enemy is yourself. It's the other smirking Kouki there! Open your eyes!"
Shizuku's desperate persuasion echoed inside the space. It seemed that the false image intended to observe the current situation silently in amusement.
And then Kouki who was being told by Shizuku using words from her heart smiled widely at Shizuku. That was a smile that was done a lot when they were in Japan, a smile that charmed a lot of girls. However, right now it felt distorted somewhere in it.
"Thank you, Shizuku. Shizuku, you always become serious like that for my sake, don't you?"
"Kouki…"
Shizuku's expression was dyed in joy thinking that he had opened his eyes.
But…
"I'm really happy. Even though you are brainwashed, even so, you still think of me."
"… Kouki?"
"It's fine. I'll defeat that man and that monster with the same face like me, and I'll save you from Nagumo too. You don't need to snuggle close to a man that you don't even like anymore. I swear I'll let Shizuku return back to the place where you should be at."
"…"
Shizuku's expression fell hearing out Kouki's words. Shizuku silently asked back…
"… The place I should be at? Can you tell me where this place is that you mean?"
"I see. … So now you cannot even understand that. How pitiful. What Nagumo is doing is really unforgivable."
"Kouki. Answer me."
"Aah, that is of course, at my side. Just like all this time until now, and from here on out too."
Shizuku breathed out a long sigh.
"… Kouki. I wonder if you remember about that night? That day Kaori departed when we talked on the bridge."
"Yeah, of course, I remember. That thing about doubting my righteousness, right? It's fine. I thought that Nagumo was dangerous guy since the beginning, but because of Shizuku's words, I was looking thoroughly at Nagumo until now. But, as expected, he is nothing more than the worst betrayer."
"Kouki, stop…"
"There is no use arguing. You don't understand because you are brainwashed Shizuku, but this is something 'righteous'."
Kouki cut down the words of Shizuku that was going to keep arguing vehemently without hesitation. He was putting everything under the convenient interpretation of 'being brainwashed', in order to obtain the most desirable future for himself.
At the same time, Kouki directed those eyes which were cloudy like slime and dropped his stance. The radiance of 'Limit Break' that he intentionally weakened while he was talking with Shizuku recovered its brilliant radiance as though regaining a second breath.
"Kouki. Stop it!"
Shizuku raised her voice to stop him with impatience coloring her tone but… naturally Kouki didn't stop.
He charged with a fierce momentum while leaving a track of light behind. His eyes already didn't reflect Shizuku at all, he was only seeing the figure of his hateful enemy Hajime.
Having a fierce killing intent directed at him, Hajime who was until now looking aside as though what happened wasn't a concern of his now returned his gaze at Kouki. His eyes were quickly narrowing. The face of Shizuku's face went pale because she believed that it wouldn't end well for the opponent when they directed a serious killing intent at Hajime. At this rate, her childhood friend would be killed!
"-, if I don't stop him-"
In front of the charging momentum of Kouki who was in the 'Limit Break' state, the likes of Shizuku was just like a leaf. But even so, there was no way she could just leave this alone, and Shizuku immediately cut in between Kouki and Hajime to try to stop him.
However…
"Yaegashi, to your right."
"Eh? -!?"
Almost at the same time as Hajime's warning, she suddenly heard the false image of Kouki clad in reddish-black magic power attacking Shizuku. It was literally like the phrase of thrusting a spear from the side, and the false image commenced a tackle right from the side with terrific momentum. (TN: The phrase had the meaning of interruption in Japan.)
Shizuku immediately held up her black katana and braced herself for impact. At the same time the fast-approaching Kouki that could be mistaken as a reddish-black cannon was noticeably grinning disgustingly.
But just before the fake Kouki touched Shizuku, a shadow suddenly erupted between the two…
That was, a cross clad in wrong magic power similar to the false Kouki. It was a crossbit that contained a really vivid red radiance. It activated 'Vajra' and became an improvised shield.
Immediately after, Shizuku and the false image with the crossbit shield between them vanished from between Hajime and Kouki. It was as though the false image had kidnapped Shizuku.
The dregs of the reddish black magic power drifted like a lingering cloud between the two people glaring.
{I'll be Shizuku's opponent. You, you can fight your hateful enemy to your heart's content.}
"Guh, you-. Let go of me! This is not the time for something like…"
{Now now, this is not related to me and Shizuku, is it? Let's enjoy a sideshow while those two are dancing. Rather than self-destruction, getting possessed with his own desire is more fitting for that guy's trial.}
"Doing as you please-"
It appeared that the false image made the trial for Kouki similar to Ryuutaro's, where it incorporated the factor where he needed to win against his own desire. Whether Kouki could accept reality and return to his sense while fighting Hajime or not… that was the trial. It was a real nuisance for Hajime to be treated like an examiner as the labyrinth pleased.
"Is it fine? Your important childhood friend is being attacked there."
"… That thing is also me. He won't kill her. Some wound will surely be a lesson for her to get so easily brainwashed by a man like you."
"… Just now, didn't you say that thing was a monster?"
"It is a mimicking monster that copies my emotion, right? Then, even though it's a monster then it won't kill Shizuku."
"That's just absurd."
That was too much of a convenient interpretation. While he concluded that it was a monster unrelated to himself, he said that it wouldn't put Shizuku into danger because it was something that copied himself. It was really absurd.
Most likely inside his heart, Kouki understood that the false image was made up from his negative emotion already. That was why he subconsciously understood that Shizuku was safe because the negative emotions wouldn't aim at her.
But, if he recognized that then it would mean that he recognized what the false image said as the truth. That was why, in order to throw away everything else other than Shizuku as bullshit, he concluded that it wasn't his false image but a monster. It was a crooked logic that was too forceful, but it seemed that it had become a truth inside Kouki.
Kouki gave a glance at the false image as it unfolded a fierce swordplay with Shizuku while his killing intent was bloating up.
"Prepare yourself. I won't let you do as you please any more than this. Shizuku and Kaori, then Yue and the others too, I'll release everyone from you!"
At the same time as that proclamation, Kouki released the energy he gathered and explosively charged forward. He let out a wood chopping strike from the front without any hesitation.
*GOU!* Along with a terrific sound of cut wind, the holy sword that looked as though it was made from light itself attacked Hajime violently. However, in front of such a lethal attack, Hajime didn't take even a step back and he only raised his arm.
That hand was holding Donner, *GOKIN-!* the sound of metals clashing and sparks scattered, Kouki's full strength attack was easily blocked. Even more, it was blocked by the gun point of Donner.
"Wha-!?"
Kouki was shocked and leaked out a voice reflexively, Hajime directed a cold gaze at Kouki and opened his mouth.
"There is nothing more meaningless than insulting a true idiot as an idiot… But, I'll just say this much… Asshole, who permitted a bastard like you to name my woman so casually? Huh?" (EN: Kouki used their first names, which is being a little too familiar in Japan)
"-!?"
Immediately after, a torrent of killing intent was overflowing. The pressure was like the pressing of a great waterfall. It was too vast to be called human, a presence of overwhelming 'strength' that was too terrifying. Kouki's body that was struck with the serious monster's coercion from close range was unintentionally stiffening.
*DOPAN!*
The trigger of Donner was pulled and an electromagnetically accelerated bullet flicked off the holy sword, plugging the muzzle as though it was insulted that it was in the way.
Unable to endure the fierce impact, the holy sword slipped from his hand and danced in the air in circles.
And then, toward Kouki that was making a banzai posture with only one hand, a black shadow from lower region?Hajime's sure-kill yakuza kick lunged.
"Gahah!?"
The yakuza kick that struck Kouki's stomach with a dreadful sound of impact made Kouki's body double into a sideways 'V' shape while floating him in the air like that.
Without a moment's delay, Hajime rotated on the spot and added a back-spinning kick filled with a lot of centrifugal force.
A sound of impact resonated once more. Kouki's body was blown far away as though a large truck was running over him. Kouki that flew horizontally like a cannon had his back struck by an ice wall like that. One could only wonder just how great of an impact that was. The ice wall on his back was largely pulverized into a radial shape.
Kouki fell on the ground after that, he was on all four while coughing. Blood splattered out from his vomiting mouth.
With just a kick without a weapon or 'Limit Break', the internal organs of Kouki who was wearing an armor artifact of national treasure class was damaged. That fact made Kouki grit his teeth while groaning painfully.
But, there was no way Hajime would give him time to be frustrated or anything.
*DOPAN-! DOPAN-! DOPAN-!*
Consecutive sounds of gun discharge roared, and red flashes assaulted the crouching Kouki. Perhaps he noticed Hajime's killing intent. Kouki leaped aside almost at the same time Hajime pulled the trigger, but it was as though even his dodging direction was read, that the moment Kouki jumped, the third bullet shot through his shoulder.
Furthermore, one of the bullets that Kouki evaded earlier seemed to be a normal bullet that was only clad in red magic power without being accelerated electromagnetically, when it impacted the broken ice wall behind Kouki it ricocheted, and red light attacked
Kouki was shot behind through the knee which passed through his armor's gap.
"Gua… co, come, holy sword-"
While rolling all over the ground with blood flowing from his shoulder and leg, the collapsed Kouki reached out his hand at the falling holy sword at a slightly distant spot. The holy sword responded to Kouki's calling voice and flew at him.
However, it didn't settle into Kouki's hand. Just before it reached, Hajime stepped on the sword. The holy sword struggled to return to its master, but such resistance was meaningless as the stepping foot didn't even twitch.
"How unsightly. If you can skillfully use this new ability then surely you will be able to fight better."
Hajime murmured with a cold tone. He was just speaking to himself without intention for Kouki to hear it, but it seemed Kouki heard it completely. He glared at Hajime with an expression warped in hatred as though he was trying to kill him with his gaze.
Donner was pointed at the temple of Kouki. Hajime's killing intent wasn't settled yet. He was maintaining the gruesome thickness of his intent that might stop the heart of a normal person. No matter who saw it, it appeared that Hajime intended to deal the finishing blow.
But, a desperate voice resonated at that timing.
"Nagumo-kun! Please, stop! I'll persuade Kouki, so-"
It was Shizuku. While locked in a sword fight with the false Kouki, she begged for him to spare Kouki's life with a look colored by fretfulness. But it became a fatal opening, and the development that Shizuku wished wasn't something that the false image wished for.
Therefore…
{How about Shizuku leave the stage for a little bit?}
"Agh?!"
The shockwave from the false image launched and assaulted Shizuku. Shizuku was struck like that on her whole body, and she was blown away altogether with her consciousness until she hit the wall and collapsed powerlessly while sliding onto the ground.
Because a crossbit interfered between the two just before the attack hit and became a shield, it seemed that Shizuku was rescued from a direct hit, but for Shizuku who had a low defensive power even in the best of times, furthermore the might of a hero's pure output, added by Kouki's thorough rejection of his own negative emotion that strengthened the false image into something far stronger than the real one, just a glancing blow turned into a sufficient enough telling blow. Different from a pure slashing attack, it was a shockwave that induced cerebral concussion, so without taking a recovery measure she wouldn't open her eyes for a while.
The false image of Kouki floated a satisfied smile from his success of skillfully making Shizuku faint, he then turned on his heel and faced Hajime. And then, with a really natural motion, he thrust out his black holy sword and launched a strong bombing of light.
The approaching flash that was drawing in a spiral was on a course that would swallow Kouki with certainty too. Was the false image trying to bury the both of them altogether?… Anyway, Hajime withdrew from that spot. He left Kouki behind.
"UWAAAAH!"
Kouki reflexively screamed and took a defensive stance, but just before the light bombing hit, it curved and began to chase after Hajime.
Hajime discovered the cover of the bombing with his magic eye stone and easily succeeded in pinpoint sniping that dispersed the attack. However, the false image successfully managed to distance Hajime from Kouki just as planned.
The false image walked toward Kouki's side and he whispered something into the ear of the laid-down Kouki. While his mouth split apart into a grin that looked like a crescent moon, his figure that was likely whispering sweet words looked like a demon. There was no way that Kouki could admit that figure was his other self anymore like that.
Before long, Kouki's bloodshot gaze was looking alternately at Hajime and the false image, and he then nodded reluctantly.
Right after that, the figure of the false image thinned down like mist and in exchange reddish-black particles of light began to whirl.
{Now you. It's hero time. Let's rescue the heroines from the scoundrel!}
"Shut up-. I'm not doing your instruction. I'm only using you for now! After defeating Nagumo, it will be your turn, don't forget that-"
At the same time as those words, reddish black particles were entering into Kouki's body and Kouki's body began to pulse. *dokun dokun* A pulsating sound began to echo inside the room and pure white light that Kouki was clad in began to be mixed with a reddish-black color that looked like a blood vessel.
Kouki slowly stood up. Looking carefully, the wounds in his shoulder and leg were also healing. It appeared that the derivative ability Kouki had, 'Healing Strength Improvement' was explosively increased.
*DOPAN-! DOPAN-!*
There, a shooting without questions asked. Something like a kindness for reading the mood by a villain facing a hero, waiting for the transformation scene, was something that Hajime didn't have. And while he was at it, he also threw several grenades.
Red flashes gouged Kouki's shoulder and leg, making him unsteady on his feet.
Furthermore, the rolling grenades exploded in flame and he was swallowed in it.
"That's pointless."
But what came out from the flame wasn't what turned Kouki into tatters, but those words.
That voice sounded like it was including joy in it somewhere as if it was trembling in happiness. It seemed that not much damage was inflicted, the magic power that had changed colors from pure white into reddish-black burst up and blew away the flame.
There, the figure of Kouki who became odd-eyed with one of his eyes dyed reddish-black appeared. Even the scar from the shot just now had been mostly healed. The change in his appearance wasn't just his eye, his originally brown hair was mixed with white mesh, his holy armor was attached with several blood vessel thingies. Furthermore, at his hands, black and white, two holy swords were grasped.
"You combined?"
"It's not my intention, but yeah. If it's for defeating you, then I'll resign myself to accept it. Although later, I'll defeat this guy too."
"What are you acting like a good kid for? You are just losing to the temptation."
"You can insult me however you like. No matter what you say, you cannot win against me anymore. If there is this welling up strength then I can take back everything!"
"Why you are unable to notice that you got hit by loss because of that, I wonder."
"No more talk. Prepare yourself Nagumo-! 'Supreme Break'!"
Magic power burst up from Kouki in an even further scale of several times more. The last derivative of 'Limit Break' that raised up all his status by five times, 'Supreme Break'?the strength of Kouki who had taken in his false image had already reached the total of ten thousand. It was literally a rate of increase in monster level.
Kouki made a stance with his twin holy swords. In an instant his figure hazed.
"Haah!"
A yell of spirit could be heard behind Hajime. Kouki had circled at Hajime's back instantly. Two holy swords trailed behind white and reddish black magic power behind while carving a cross at Hajime's back.
Hajime didn't even look back.
(Got him!)
The moment Kouki was convinced of that, a familiar bursting sound resonated. At the same time, the two holy swords were snapped up together with a fierce impact, a red
flash pierced his torso that became defenseless. The defensive power of the armor that had been drastically increased and the 'Physical Resistance' skill as well as its derivative 'Impact Mitigation' made the attack not fatal, but an impact like a normal person receiving the serious body blow of a heavyweight boxer attacked Kouki and blew him away grandly backward.
'How? He should not be able to react.', even while his breath was blocked up, Kouki rearranged his stance in the air and landed. Ahead of his gaze, there was the appearance of Donner's muzzle facing behind with only Hajime's wrist turning back.
Looking at that, Kouki realized that it wasn't because Hajime couldn't react, it was that he didn't even need to turn back. Kouki's expression distorted in humiliation. He put strength on his feet, then he swung down his twin holy swords while screaming, ignoring the pain in his stomach.
"'Heaven Soaring Sword – Storm'!"
Like that, what he launched was hundreds of slashes scattered in a wide range. Just the visible blades of light had been already in a hundred, and nearly three hundred blades of wind were following, lurking at the shadow. The attack was already at a level of obliteration magic.
But such a storm of hundreds of slashes was evaded by Hajime with a swaying motion like a leaf fluttering in the wind, what couldn't be evaded was swept aside or averted.
Furthermore, while avoiding Hajime suddenly aimed Donner at Kouki with a natural motion and launched a counterattack that weaved through the gap of the storm.
The bullet that went through the gap like a joke stabbed under Kouki's feet and scattered grand shockwave, overturning Kouki from under his feet.
And then Hajime himself also slipped through the storm of blades and approached Kouki with speed equal, no, it was faster than Kouki, and he kicked Kouki as though he was a soccer ball.
"Guah!?"
Kouki who raised a groan while thrown to the air was aimed at with Donner & Schlag.
Kouki immediately kicked the air using 'Sky Force' to try to escape from the line of fire, but the two revolvers' muzzles didn't shift from Kouki even for a bit and aimed at his future spot. Kouki's expression unintentionally cramped.
The scene became slow as though Kouki and Hajime's senses were stretched out. Inside the world of dull color, just before Hajime pulled the trigger, he caught the figure of Shizuku at the corner of his sight. Her figure that desperately tried to persuade Kouki and her entreaty to spare his life flashed at the back of Hajime's mind. At the same time, he also recalled the figure of Kaori who was also this guy's childhood friend.
Hajime clicked his tongue 'tch' a bit, averted his gun muzzles a bit, and he pulled the triggers consecutively with blurring speed.
*DOPAAAAN!*
The sound of a single gunshot that was slightly stretched was the proof of the simultaneous shots. Like a reversely-restored meteors, red flashes cut through the air, showering Kouki in the air with blows. Like a marionette that was unsightly manipulated by children, *gakun gakun* Kouki's body shook while drawing a parabolic arc.
Kouki was scattering blood spray while he fell on the slightly distanced spot with a raw sound *dosha!* that resonated. Looking from the side perhaps it looked like a corpse that had been gouged by many bullets. But, that guess was denied immediately by the movement that came from Kouki. He wasted no time to stand up using the twin holy swords as support.
Blood was spurting out from his shoulders, both arms, and both legs, but those were healed in a moment. His bloodshot eyes were colored with madness, turning his look even more gruesomely. There was not even a trace of the hero who was stuffed with the dream and hope of the people anymore.
"You are holding back? Are you making fun of me?"
All of the places he was shot at weren't vital spots. It was an attack that was transparently tried to make the opponent powerless. Therefore, Kouki felt like he wasn't even seen as an opponent even though here he was fighting to kill. Inside his chest, a muddy black part was further welling up.
Hajime tapped Donner on his shoulder *ton ton* while answering easily as though it was nothing.
"Well, you who fall that far is just troublesome and it's better to kill you but… if I do that Yaegashi and Kaori will cry. I'll beat you up appropriately and I'll leave the rest to your childhood friends."
"-, don't screw with me-! I'll make you lose that composure right now!"
Once more Kouki brandished his twin holy swords while approaching closer. Hatred and jealousy were attached on his face.
It seemed that Hajime was thinking about the two girls more than himself, it made severe displeasure fill his chest.
Fierce swordplay assaulted Hajime, but everything was handled by him with a cold expression without any hurry, seeing that the black emotion was more and more seething in Kouki and he shouted, unable to bear it.
"You-, someone like you-, don't speak as though you understand! The one who really understand Shizuku and Kaori is me-. The one who treasured the two of them more than anyone is me-. I am the one that should be together with the two of them-. It's not the likes of you! It's absolutely not a guy like you!"
"… You are like a brat throwing tantrum."
Slipping through the twin holy swords Kouki brandished, Hajime's Donner & Schlag pierced his body from range zero. However, the current Kouki was unstoppable by something like that. Even though holes were opened in his body, it was healed with power that literally surpassed any limit. Kouki ignored the damage and recklessly charged.
That figure was exactly like Hajime said, a figure of a kid that was throwing a tantrum because the situation wasn't going as he wished it.
As though hailing Kouki's negative emotion, the spec of his flesh that had passed its limit a long time ago was forcefully raising even more. Most likely the possessing false image was strengthened and Kouki himself was also strengthened following that.
Looking at the spec, Kouki was already at the level that neared Hajime without 'Limit Break' activated. The storm of swordplay that was unleashed possessed speed and might that resembled the apostle of god 'Nointo', even so, his power was still increasing as though to say that it still wasn't enough.
"OOOOOOOOO-"
"…"
The shrieking of fighting spirit surged from Kouki's mouth. On the other hand, Hajime was… silent. Even with Kouki's spec raising to a level that wasn't inferior to Nointo even though it wasn't superior too, but Hajime didn't let loose the roar of fighting spirit like what he exchanged with Nointo once. And then as expected, he also didn't take a plunge into 'Limit Break'.
It didn't reach Kouki's attack. No matter how fast it became, no matter how strong it got, it didn't even graze Hajime.
The reason was simple. The user's mental area was inexperienced, on top of that it was dull. The attack was frenzied and lacked calmness, the attack was merely wanting to crush the opponent and soaked in joy. Something like that, against anyone, in any kind of place, would surely not reach.
And, at that time, a part of the ice wall behind Kouki melted and an entrance of a passage opened. Hajime sent his gaze there while warding off Kouki's war cry and vilification, there Yue and others, all the members came out.
Seeing Hajime and Kouki's fight, their eyes opened wide and they stood still with a dumbfounded look. However, Kouki didn't even notice them at all, he was merely scattering his hatred and killing intent earnestly in order to kill Hajime.
"If only, if only you weren't here, everything will go well! Kaori and also Shizuku would belong to me forever! I would have saved this world as a hero! You, you are the one that messed up everything!"
"…"
"Even though you are a killer-. Even though you easily abandoned others-. There is no way someone who is the worst can be liked by people!"
"… And so, I brainwashed them?"
"That's right! There is no other explanation except that! Kaori and Shizuku, and Yue and Shia and Tio too, everyone was brainwashed and played around by you. Sooner or later you are going to brainwash Ryuutaro and Suzu too, aren't you!? I won't let you. I am a hero. I'll save everyone from your hand, I'll take back everything, everything! You are not needed anymore-!"
That scream was also audible to Yue and others too. The eyes of Yue and Shia narrowed dangerously, and Tio frowned in displeasure. In contrast, Kaori covered his mouth with both hands from the shock she received. She didn't even have any word toward the absurd grievance of his childhood friend that was too egoist. Ryuutaro and Suzu were also the same, they were staring in a daze at Kouki while being completely stiff.
Hajime made a long sigh inside his heart thinking that this was really one troublesome guy while transmitting 'Telepathy' to Yue and others.
{Looks like you all are safe too.}
{… Nn. All good. Rather than that, what's with that idiot?}
{That's right. He is saying a really reprehensible thing.}
Yue and Shia returned back to a tone that felt angry. Their beloved person was cursed unfavorably and in the end was declared as unneeded. In addition, they inadvertently also couldn't stomach Kouki calling them without an honorific.
Hajime leaked out a small smile at the two.
{To explain it simply, he lost to his false image and now he is in the middle of venting his anger with his convenient interpretation in full throttle. He took in his false image and his strength was raised. Looks like he can clear the trial if he regains himself, but… that looks impossible. Even Yaegashi, she tried to persuade him but in the end, she ended up like that.}
Hajime threw a kick at Kouki's knee to make him flinch while sending his gaze at Shizuku's direction. Yue and others whose attention were lured by Hajime also sent their gazes there and discovered the fainted Shizuku.
{Shizuku-chan!}
{She wasn't hit directly. She shouldn't be seriously wounded, but for the moment, look at her Kaori.}
{Oh, of course! Leave it to me!}
Kaori who was petrified recovered her senses when she saw Shizuku's figure and she rushed at her in panic.
That motion finally made Kouki notice the existence of Yue and the others too. He took distance from Hajime while turning his gaze at them with wide eyes, next he smiled widely at them.
"Everyone, you all came. Wait a little for me. I swear that I'll beat this guy and release everyone right now."
Kouki's words made Yue, Shia, and Tio go past displeasure and now they directed a pitying gaze at him. In exchange, Ryuutaro and Suzu came back to their senses and they yelled desperately.
"Just what are you saying, Kouki? What the hell! Come back to your senses!"
"Kouki-kun, pull yourself together! The one that you must defeat isn't Nagumo-kun, it's yourself!"
Hearing those heartfelt yells of the two, instead of being happy, Kouki's expression turned into rage. As expected, the target of that rage was Hajime.
"… Nagumo. Don't tell me, you have even brainwashed Ryuutaro and Shizuku? Just how rotten are you? How much you are going to steal from me until you are satisfied?!
Ah, I see. I understand right now. Even Eri… that was your work, huh? I thought that it was strange that she changed like that. But, if that was because of your brainwashing, then everything makes sense."
"It doesn't make sense you know, idiot."
"Making excuses this late is just unsightly. I'll make you atone for your sin for sure."
"I think that idiocy to your level is already a big enough sin, though…"
Kouki screamed and raised his twin holy swords. A torrent of magic power fiercely whirled. The surrounding ground was blown away just from the waves and the ceiling was obliterated. It seemed that he planned to unleash 'Heaven Might' using the tremendous magic power.
"There is no way I'm going to wait for you, you know."
With an exasperated expression, Hajime took out a Bola from 'Treasure Warehouse' and threw it to Kouki. Because he was in the middle of charging, Kouki was late in dodging and he got splendidly entangled, he was fixed in place with both his hands bounded immobile in the air.
"Ugh, you coward. But, just this much-"
It seemed that a villain that couldn't read the mood was a coward. Kouki insulted Hajime while raising his magic power even more in an attempt to escape from Bola. But as long as it wasn't Nointo then it shouldn't be possible to escape from it in several seconds, in that time Hajime had finished charging.
Yes, in Hajime's hand a rifle with a shape that resembled Schlagen was grasped before anyone was aware. What was different from Schlagen was its caliber. Its firing mouth that could be filled with a basket ball smoothly was wide open.
A lump of red magic power shining brilliantly was converged in that large firing mouth.
Magic power cannon 'Grenzen'??a pure magic power bombardment artifact. From his experience in Merujiine Undersea Ruins, there was also some situation where a pure magic power attack would be useful, so Hajime learned and created this. Although until now, there was no chance to use it, so it was something that was shelved.
The derivative of 'Magic Power Manipulation' that was 'Magic Power Emission','Magic Power Compression', 'Remote Control', also 'High-Speed Magic Power Recovery' and its derivative 'Magic Source Absorption', all those skills were used as a base and included into the magic power cannon. It focused not just Hajime's magic power but also the magic power of the outside world, combined with gravity magic so it could compress that magic power. The more the compressed magic power was then the more the amount of magic power of the target would be blown away.
And then right now the amount of the focused magic power was in the amount that would easily surpass ten thousand if it was converted into a status number. No matter how much Kouki had been strengthened outside of the proper track, Kouki was continuously consuming magic power thoroughly with all his might. The result was something that could be easily understood.
"Even if you deny your own words, at the very least you should accept Yaegashi's words."
Hajime said that and aimed the focused magic power at Kouki who was opening his eyes wide in panic, and then the trigger was pulled.
"You-, if only you were not here-. I??"
The scream that was filled with Kouki's hatred resonated. The next moment, a red flash that resembled Schlagen traced a spiral, turning into a bombardment that rushed at Kouki, and his figure was completely swallowed without any spot spared.
Shizuku who was healed by Kaori had opened her eyes, and then Ryuutaro and Suzu gulped audibly. The silent bombardment that didn't make any roar or destruction dyed the spacious room with a vivid red, and the ice wall was sparkling like a garnet. In a certain meaning, it was a spectacle that could be called fantastical.
Before long the thick flash thinned down, it melted into the air and dispersed. After that, it was as expected there was no trace of destruction at all, and Kouki appeared without any wound. The binding due to the Bola had been released.
*karan-! karan-!*
The stiff sound resonated. It was the sound of Kouki dropping his two holy swords. At the same time, the black holy sword flickered while disappearing. Looking at it, Kouki's eye that was reddish-black also returned to normal, his hair also recovered its original color. Reddish-black veins also disappeared from the holy armor. It appeared that he had completely returned to normal.
"My, my strength is vanishing… uu, again, still again… I will take back, everything…"
Hajime's magic power cannon had blown away the factor of the false image nesting inside Kouki. Matching with his return to his original appearance, the magic power had also stopped welling up from inside. Right now, Kouki could only feel the slight magic power just before it dried up.
Kouki was desperately tying down his consciousness that even now was going to sink into darkness while repeating talk in delirium. And then he was trying to pick up his holy sword even while staggering.
There Hajime who had stored back Grenzen into 'Treasure Warehouse' approached, he grasped Kouki's collar and lifted him up. "Release me!" Kouki yelled angrily, but the clamping hand was too strong that he could only groan.
Seeing Hajime's dangerous look, Ryuutaro thought that Kouki was going to get killed and he was about to jump, but he was stopped by Tio. Tio smiled as though to say that it would be okay.
Hajime lifted up Kouki while he sent his gaze at Kaori and Shizuku who were cuddling close to each other. Kaori and also Shizuku were directing Hajime painful and pleading gazes. Hajime sighed deeply looking at those two and he shrugged his shoulders with an air of 'really it can't be helped'. The expression of the two softened gently.
Hajime who turned at Kouki again threw words with calm but clearly resounding tone while everyone was watching.
"Start over your life from the beginning once more, you stupid, foolish idiot."
Right after, Hajime's right hand, his bare fist, captured Kouki's face. It was merely a clenched straight fist.
*GOGA-!* Such sound resonated, and like that Kouki was struck into the ground and his consciousness was easily cut off, but the whites of his eyes were barely open.
Kaori and Shizuku rushed close, and the other members too.
Hajime looked at the fainted Kouki while wondering if his "Let's Increase the Meat Shield in Preparation of the Worst Case That There is a lot of Nointo Strategy" was actually cursed. He scratched at his cheek while sighing deeply at how troublesome this was.
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