kscans

Chapter 204 - Chapter Eight - Epilogue, Part 1

The attack on the Holophagus dungeon by the white dragon.

The truth of this incident was placed under a strict gag order as soon as we made it outside.

While Erina-san, who had broken fingers and a leg, and Mia-san, who had dislocated her shoulder when she was thrown into the gate, were receiving treatment, some high-ranking official from the Self-Defense Force personally told us not to speak a word of it to anyone.

Well, to be precise, it was more of a request than an order. Honestly, I was in such a state that all I could do was nod weakly.

Aira-san, who hadn't been there, was apparently given a similar gag order, but she had already contacted the professor the moment her telepathic link with us was cut. She's been told not to speak of it even to family, but it's fine to tell the usual crew, besides Aika-san and Shizuku-san.

It's a good thing to have people to talk to. ...Though it might just turn into me complaining.

According to Aira-san, the white dragon's stats were on a whole different level. The gap between it and creatures like Fafnir or the Minotaur was, in her words, far greater than a single rank.

For a monster of that caliber to attack and for there to be zero fatalities was nothing short of a miracle. Even among the SDF soldiers guarding the exit, there were injuries, but no one had died.

The only sacrifices were 'material'. That included the Golems.

Ukon, Sakon, and Byakuren.

Only three Golems were sacrificed. I had made them to be disposable pawns for situations just like this, so one could say they fulfilled their purpose.

Therefore, this feeling I'm holding onto now is nothing but unnecessary sentimentality. For the one who had always ordered them to 'be a shield' to question their final act is utterly inexcusable.

That's how it should be.

So why, as I assemble a new body from Byakuren's spare parts, are my fingers trembling?

*

Two days have passed since then. Work on building a replacement for Byakuren from the spare parts has not progressed as smoothly as I'd hoped.

For a break and to gather some information, I find myself staring blankly at my smartphone screen while watching TV in the living room.

"Look at this! The location I'm at now is just a few kilometers from the National Diet Building. The road is still stained with blood and marked by destruction, showing the intensity of the battle that took place here—"

"A tragedy that occurred right next to where protestors were holding a demonstration. The scars left behind are deep, and the public's anxiety remains—"

"It's only been a month since the Tokyo Incident. This has been called the worst year of misfortune in the postwar era, but for this to happen in such a short interval, military experts are—"

"I definitely saw it! It was Representative Yamashita of the 'Walkers'! That man was at the scene! There has to be a major conspiracy behind this!"

"At a press conference, Representative Yamashita stated that he was merely in Tokyo on guild business and happened to be caught up in the event, denying any involvement—"

"That wasn't a monster! It was a bioweapon created by the US military, the Japanese government, or Russia! I think America is the most likely candidate!"

Apparently, while we were fighting for our lives, there was some trouble in Tokyo as well.

Representative Yamashita, whom I'd met before. The story was that he'd been caught up in a fight between some mysterious lifeform and a suspicious Awakened Person near the Diet Building.

Since all the footage taken by eyewitnesses had mysteriously disappeared, conspiracy theories were being discussed with dead seriousness on TV and the internet.

There was little that could be called evidence, but the claw marks carved into the road, the guardrails sliced by a sharp blade, and the overturned vehicles made it clear that what the witnesses saw was no illusion.

It seems there was another assassination attempt on Representative Yamashita. Honestly, that wasn't particularly surprising.

But was the response to the 'white dragon' really postponed just to provide him with aid and guard the Diet Building?

...This was just on the level of an internet rumor, but.

There was a post claiming that almost the same thing that happened to us had occurred in Tokyo at that same time.

The 'Giant's Dungeon' outside the 23 wards, discovered during the 'Tokyo Incident'. The Dungeon Store surrounding that labyrinth where Fafnir appears was under construction, and someone working on the site claimed to have overheard the SDF.

'A red dragon' came out from a collapsed section that was blocking the entrance.

That's what an SDF soldier who came flying out of the gate had apparently shouted.

This post was also deleted quickly, but it's spreading even faster.

Furthermore, the Dungeon Agency's announcement of a 'one to two-week closure of all Dungeon Stores for a nationwide dungeon survey in preparation for the SDF's Otherworld Dispatch' only lent more credibility to this rumor.

'Different monsters are appearing in dungeons.'

This fact effectively rendered the rank system meaningless.

And it also meant the danger of being an adventurer had skyrocketed.

Generally, even if an adventurer and a monster are the same rank, the adventurer holds a clear advantage. As long as a boss monster doesn't appear, being able to handle a large number of enemies of that rank is a prerequisite for entering the dungeon.

But if a higher-ranked enemy suddenly attacks, like what happened to us, it would have a huge impact on survival rates.

Were beings like that white dragon or the rumored red dragon just irregularities? Or would this become a common occurrence from now on?

Depending on the answer, it could even affect the continued existence of the adventurer system.

As it stands, most Japanese people believe that 'dungeons are being culled at a manageable rate because adventurers exist'.

If the adventurer system were to disappear... what would happen to Japan?

That anxiety was slowly spreading.

On TV, reporters and various experts were passionately discussing the battle near the Diet Building.

But the topic of the dragons never came up.

*

"Cheers!!"

In the living room of the Arisugawa residence.

With me, Erina-san, Aira-san, and Mia-san gathered together, the self-proclaimed ninja raised a glass of soda high into the air.

On the table was a pot for shabu-shabu, and on either side of it were plates piled with 'Barometz meat' and vegetables. There was also a small bowl of 'Mandrake pickled in rice bran'.

With ponzu sauce, soy sauce, and grated daikon radish, the preparations were perfect.

"Hey, what's with everyone? Cheers!"

"Ch-cheers..."

As a slightly awkward atmosphere settled in, I followed Erina-san's lead and raised my glass.

Honestly, I wasn't really in the mood to celebrate.

"Geez. Everyone's so gloomy. Is it because Byak-chan and the others were destroyed? Or are your wounds still hurting?"

Erina-san pouted, and I gave a small shake of my head.

"No. I don't feel a sense of loss over losing Byakuren... I shouldn't. It's just the stress from nearly dying..."

"I don't feel anything about losing Ukon and Sakon either. It's just, like Kyouta-kun, the fear of that dragon..."

"You're totally bothered by it! Sheesh, at times like these, you should either vent it all out with a big 'Gwaaah!' or just laugh it off, you know? The longer you stay mopey, the gloomier you'll get!"

"That's Erina-kun for you... Even I would read the room a little better than that..."

Aira-san seemed a bit taken aback by her statement, but I tried to take her words at face value.

...She might have a point.

I was, without a doubt, hurt by the loss of Byakuren. It wasn't just about its monetary value or its combat strength; I had grown attached to that Golem. I couldn't deny that.

But there's no point in regretting it forever. Byakuren wouldn't want that. After all, it was a Golem with an 'imperfect Homunculus' for a core. It didn't want anything.

So for me to be moping around about it is just wrong.

I glanced over at Mia-san and our eyes met. Without either of us saying a word, we nodded.

Then, I downed the contents of my glass in one go.

Thump. I placed the empty glass on the table with a slightly louder noise than necessary.

"Mia-san, thank you for Ukon and Sakon's support. I'm sorry for not thanking you sooner."

"It's fine. I have no regrets about losing those two. And you feel the same, don't you, Kyouta-kun?"

"Yes. Byakuren fulfilled its duty. That's all."

It wasn't just me. I'd heard that Mia-san had also been going to dungeons with Ukon and Sakon since she first became an adventurer.

She and I both felt something swirl up inside us at the loss of our Golem squads.

So, we'll both get over it here and now. The tears of sentimentality were swallowed down with that one drink.

If even inanimate objects require a memorial, then this is enough. That's what I'll believe.

"Erina-san, thank you."

"Don't mention it!"

"That being said."

"Hm?"

I directed a bright smile at the smug, self-proclaimed ninja who was rubbing a finger under her nose.

"You were planning to die back there, weren't you? What was that about?"

"...Back when? Around what time did the Earth complete its rotation, I wonder!?"

The self-proclaimed ninja feigned ignorance, staring off into the distance.

Softly, I cracked my knuckles, pop, pop.

"When the white dragon's breath was closing in, you wrapped me in wire and threw me into the gate, didn't you?"

"Uh, yeah. Sorry, was that too rough? But at the time, I thought it was the only way—"

"That part is fine. Even if the rescue method was a bit rough, you can't put a price on a life. They even say to do CPR with the intention of breaking ribs."

"R-right! Also, why the formal language? I don't like it when you use polite speech with me, Kyo-chan!"

"The problem is that you had given up on your own survival."

"I have no memory of that!"

"Maybe a few knocks will jog your memory..."

"I remember now!"

She snapped a sharp salute. A self-proclaimed ninja in a kimono.

I nodded in satisfaction at her response.

"I'm glad you remember. Now that you do, I'll ask again. Why did you accept death?"

"B-because... that was the only way I could think of to save you, Kyo-chan. And senpai and the SDF guy would have been too slow to escape otherwise..."

"Please, find a way for you to escape too."

"Eh? But that was impossible in that situation. It was a miracle that Byak-chan saved us, you know? There wasn't even time to give an order. If Byak-chan hadn't pushed us at that unexpected speed, we definitely both would have died. If anything, I think you were the reckless one back then, Kyo-chan."

"Even so. Think. Fight back."

"No. Like I said, it was impossible."

"I'm begging you."

I let out a heavy sigh, even surprising myself.

I stared straight into her eyes.

"It would suck for me too if you died. Next time you make a face like 'I don't mind dying,' I'll chase you to the ends of the earth and knock your front teeth out."

"............"

For some reason, Erina-san just stared back at me with a bewildered expression.

I couldn't understand her reaction and frowned.

"Your answer?"

"Hokay! Got it, Kyo-chan!"

"Seriously. Not 'hokay'."

"Yes, sir!"

"...Does she really get it?"

I pursed my lips at the self-proclaimed ninja's overly energetic reply.

"Aaalright! Let's finally eat! I made sure to save a portion for Grandma in the fridge, so feel free to eat everything here!"

"About that, Erina-kun. Isn't this a little too much?"

"Yeah. Well, Shī-chan and Ā-chan were supposed to come too. But they turned me down, one saying something about 'a chronic illness acting up' and the other 'having plans to eat with family'."

They bailed, didn't they? Especially that lecherous dwarf girl.

Aika-san's reason might be legit, but Shizuku-san's is definitely an excuse. Dammit, after saying it'd be fine since it passed inspection, she got cold feet when it was time to actually eat it!

To be honest, I'm hesitant too! I mean, I saw it! Growing on a tree!

"Then it can't be helped! We shouldn't force them! Oh, what a shame!!"

This socially awkward, pathetic university student looks way too happy about this.

"Right, senpai! Let's invite them both again for another party sometime!"

"No, thank you."

"!?"

Whoa, Aira-san just used a deadpan expression and formal language...!

"Well then, let's dig in—"

"Oh, Kyo-chan-kun. Going first? Playing the vanguard here, too? Don't worry, I'll be sure to pick up your bones!"

"Mia-san, please feed it to her while I hold Aira-san down."

"I knew it, damn you all!"

Aira-san tried to escape, but Erina-san, who had moved behind her unnoticed, had her head firmly clamped in her hands.

I quickly moved in as well and grabbed her by both shoulders. They were so slender I felt like they might break if I applied a little force, which, to my own surprise, made my heart skip a beat.

"Now, senpai!"

"Go for it!"

"Stop! I don't want to die! I don't wanna diiieee!"

"To feed Nee-san 'ahhn'...!? If-if she uses my chopsticks, this is practically an indirect kiss...!"

"Hold on. I'm sensing a different kind of danger now!?"

Erina-san was beaming. Aira-san, whose playful reaction had turned to genuine terror. Mia-san being Mia-san.

I started to feel bad for her, so I let her go. We all ate normally, talked, and after cleaning up, we played some games.

It was the same as always. Before I knew it, I was laughing like an idiot too.

—Thank you, Byakuren.

I had swallowed my sentimentality and sorted out my feelings. I had, or so I believed.

Still, there's no harm in being grateful. So, I whispered those words in my heart.

"Man, it really did taste like crab! And the pickled Mandrake was, like, pretty normal!!"

"Hmph. I knew from the start. It was nothing remarkable. There was never any need to be afraid!"

"Nee-san, weren't you just saying 'what if Barometz start sprouting from my head' with tears in your eyes?"

"I have no memory of that!"

"But I've got it on record, senpai!"

"Aieee!? Since when!? And why!?"

"Because, you see. I'm a ninja!"

"Self-proclaimed."

"Kyo-chaaan!?"

We played, we laughed, and I ignored Erina-san's joking suggestion that I 'stay the night'. I walked through the city, now deep into the night.

I even refused to be sent home by teleportation. For some reason, I just felt like walking today.

Under a night sky where a particularly bright white star streaked and fell, a slightly chilly wind brushed against my cheek.