kscans

Chapter 50 - The Choice

My screams faded, and in their place, I could hear Aira-san's voice from my earring. She was desperately calling out to me, but I didn't have the strength to reply.

I couldn't breathe. Through my flickering vision, I knew I had to move, and my left hand grabbed the edge of the car roof.

Somehow, I managed to land on the ground... no, I just fell in a heap.

Sprawled on the asphalt, my lungs finally started working properly again. I coughed weakly and lifted my head.

Right in front of me, my own one-and-a-half-handed sword was stuck in the ground. I didn’t know when I’d let go of it. Looking at my own weapon, standing there like a gravestone, I remembered what had happened.

That's right. My shoulder was gouged... My arm! My arm!

"Ah, ahh...!"

The searing pain in my right shoulder hadn't subsided. I pressed down hard on it. The cloth of my [Arcane Gear] was torn, but the wound itself had completely closed.

Was this pain just a phantom sensation, then? I didn't know. All that remained was the pain.

"Hah... hah...!"

My breathing became ragged again. I tried to put strength into my legs to stand and grab my sword, but they wouldn't cooperate. My back hit the car door, and my body slumped into a sitting position against my will.

As I sat there dazed, clutching my shoulder, I unconsciously turned my head.

Red blood dripped from its golden spearhead. The pure white monster was staring straight at me.

It was about thirty meters away. Snorting, it clutched its side. Could it be that the tip of my sword had caught it during the collision? A trickle of red flowed from between its fingers.

But it was far from a fatal wound. It had only stopped because the pain had surprised it; the monster was still very much alive.

"BRUO... BRUOOOOOOOH!!"

With a roar, Leucorse readied its spear again. Its target was me.

"Hih...!"

A pathetic sound escaped my throat on its own. Yet my body refused to move as I wanted. I wanted to run, but I couldn't even stand up.

Leucorse prepared to charge again, but a barrage of stone lances surrounded it, blocking its path.

"Look at me, you monster!"

Mia-san shouted as she slammed her staff into the ground. As if for good measure, several arms of earth reached out from the ground towards the monster.

But they were blown away by a single swing of its spear. Leucorse shifted its gaze from me to Mia-san and started to charge toward her.

That charge was halted by a grappling hook that came flying at it. It wrapped around its neck, the other end tied to a telephone pole. Furthermore, Erina-san was running with her ninja sword in hand, trying to get into Leucorse's blind spot.

The rope was burned through in an instant, but three golems closed in to grapple with Leucorse. Their goal was clearly to prevent it from starting its charge.

With an annoyed blast of flame, the golems were sent flying, and the heat wave kept Erina-san from getting any closer.

"Now's your chance, Kyou-chan-kun! Run, get up! Get up and run!"

"R-Run..."

Right. I have to run. I have to get away from that monster.

My body finally started to move. I used the still-blaring car for support and stood up.

They were keeping Leucorse occupied, but that wouldn't last long. I had to escape now.

Run... run...

—If I run, what will happen to them?

Am I abandoning them? Mia-san... I don't really care about her. She's just a stranger.

But what about Erina-san? She’s my comrade, my benefactor... my friend.

My own life is more precious than a friend's. That's unshakable, and I think it's only natural.

But to leave her to die through my own choice, my own will... that's wrong.

"..."

"Kyou-chan-kun! Yagawa Kyouta! You’ve done enough. You fought well. The reason Erina-kun and Mia are fighting over there... is because of their own choice...!"

That's right, they made a choice. Not to run, not to abandon, but to fight.

And here I am, thinking of running? My own mind berated me.

My chest churned with ugly feelings. I agonized until my head ached.

I saw Erina-san, still fighting.

"Oh."

My throat trembled.

"OOOOOOOHHHHHH!"

"Wha—"

I fooled myself with a war cry, repaired my [Arcane Gear] at my shoulder, grabbed the sword stuck in the ground, and broke into a run.

My destination: Leucorse. I charged full speed towards the enemy.

In the end, after all my hesitation—I ‘ran away.’ To the easier path.

Rather than abandon her here, I’m betting on the possibility of fighting and winning. I’m not thinking about the odds of victory. I just chose the path that would be easier on my conscience.

I have neither the courage to fight with true resolve, nor the intellect to abandon a friend and survive. This feeling should be called either ‘reckless courage’ or ‘desperation.’

Maybe I can win. I clung to that uncertain hope, averting my eyes from the possibility that Erina-san and I could die. This is surely an act of foolishness that I’ll look back on in calmer times and be disgusted with.

Still, I chose this myself.

It wasn't like the fight with the Champion, where I acted on instinct. I took up my sword of my own free will.

I slipped past the one-armed Byakuren and slashed at Leucorse. As soon as it caught sight of me, it leaped high into the air on its four legs, even as it took stone pebbles and shuriken to its body.

In mid-air, Leucorse created multiple lances of fire and fired them at me in rapid succession.

It’s trying to buy time to land and charge again. But!

"Haaah...!!"

If it doesn't hit me, it doesn't matter. I'll run through at top speed!

I pumped my legs with all my might, aided by a push from the wind, and ‘saw’ only the lances on a direct collision course. I twisted my body, weaving and stepping to evade.

Leaving the rain of lances behind me, I charged the Leucorse as it landed with a ground-shaking thud and swung my sword. The clash of its horizontal spear sweep and my diagonal slash sent a shockwave through the air, the difference in our builds pushing me back slightly. But I wouldn’t let it create any distance.

A sound like massive blocks of iron colliding echoed around us. While the air still vibrated, I followed up with three sharp thrusts. I dodged the first two and parried the third with my sword.

As I tried to use the momentum from the parry to circle to its side, Leucorse reared up, raising both front legs.

From that position, it brought down a stomp filled with its entire body weight. I took a step back to avoid the first blow, but the shockwave and dust cloud obscured my vision.

A smokescreen. But even with my vision blocked, I could see its mana. I predicted its next move from the silhouette I sensed.

Without a moment's pause, Leucorse raised its forelegs again, aiming for my skull.

"Ooooh!"

Before it could stomp, I charged forward myself. I slammed my shoulder into its horse-body's abdomen.

Aided by the wind, the heavy thud of flesh on flesh echoed as Leucorse's massive body was sent flying.

Still, it landed without losing its balance. I immediately pressed the attack, forcing it into a defensive position.

I wouldn't give it time to charge. If I let it gain distance now, I would die.

With that single thought driving me, I swung my sword, but the difference in skill and reach was overwhelming. Before I knew it, I was the one on the defensive, forced to constantly block its spear with my sword.

The three- or four-meter spear it wielded now seemed many times longer.

As I blocked a heavy downward swing, my arms screaming in protest, I saw Erina-san out of the corner of my eye doing something to a fire hydrant on the sidewalk.

"Ninja Art, ‘Spatial Explosion’!"

Suddenly, with a loud bang, the fire hydrant burst, and a massive amount of water gushed out.

"Senpai!"

"Yes!"

Mia-san swung her staff, and the gushing water moved in response.

The water, soaring through the air like a dragon, attacked Leucorse from the side. To avoid getting caught in it, I created distance in sync with a wide swing of its spear.

"BRUAH!"

The massive amount of water was instantly evaporated by a mere raise of its arm, but it created a cloud of steam. Using it as a screen, I closed in and leaped at the monster from its left side.

This time, I’m aiming for the left hind leg for sure!

Leucorse’s reaction was slow, and the tip of my sword slashed across its white leg. But it was shallow. The blade didn't reach the bone.

"HIIHIIIN!!"

Instantly, its hind leg shot up. Almost simultaneously, it delivered a high-speed back kick.

Following the premonition from my [Spirit Eye], I tilted my head diagonally and relaxed my knees, attempting to evade. But I couldn't dodge completely, and a hoof grazed the side of my head.

Even without a direct hit, my helmet cracked with a high-pitched sound. The cloth wrapped underneath was torn away, and I saw a spray of fresh blood in the corner of my vision.

I stumbled from the impact but managed to stay on my feet, at the same time the monster leaped away.

Leucorse sprinted at top speed, carving a deep gouge in the ground with its spear as it made a sharp turn. Flames spilled from its eyes, nose, and mouth as the white monster readied its weapon in its right hand, pulling it back as if drawing a bowstring.

It intended to end this now. In response, I also raised my sword and charged.

The situation was the same as when it had gouged my shoulder and sent me flying. Fear, as if remembering, wrapped itself around my limbs.

That feeling...

"OOOOOOOOHHHHHHHH!"

I once again disguised it with a war cry.

Having come this far, it wouldn't let me escape. My only path was to resist with all my might and win.

Not out of courage or pride. I raised my sword purely for my own sake.

And yet—my body moved!

"HIIIIIIIAAAAAH!!"

"OOOOOOOOHHH!"

We crossed in an instant. This time, I tracked the spear’s trajectory from beginning to end. The injury to its hind leg had slowed its charge ever so slightly.

As the golden spearhead approached, I lowered my stance and stepped forward diagonally to evade. Leucorse’s reaction was slow to my different movement.

An application of the Serpentine Slash.

The strike I had practiced relentlessly slammed into Leucorse's right foreleg. The relative velocity sent a painful shock through my arm.

But I followed through. With a spray of blood, the monster's front leg from the knee down went tumbling across the ground.

The recoil sent me rolling across the ground as well, but I managed to get to one knee and look up. Several meters away, Leucorse stood, using its spear planted in the ground to keep from falling.

"B-B-BBRUUU...!!"

The monster had killed its forward momentum by driving its great spear into the ground. In the cloud of dust, the shaft bent from the impact, and foam frothed at its mouth.

Even so, the monster spun around as if bouncing. Standing on three legs, it raised the spear in its right hand to throw.

"Byakuren!"

"Grapple it!"

But the three golems blocked its path.

All of them were half-destroyed but still moving. A spare grappling hook wrapped around the spear, and then a water dragon descended from above, engulfing Leucorse along with the golems.

And then, it froze. It became a giant block of ice, but the silence lasted only two seconds.

"GA, AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!"

A burst of flame obliterated all of its restraints. The golems were smashed to pieces and scattered, and the grappling hook was burned to ash. The ice cage that had completely covered it was blown away as steam.

And so, it turned its weapon on me again.

But I was no longer in its line of sight.

"Haaaah...!"

Because I had already moved behind it.

Those two seconds they created for me. I would not let them be wasted.

I leaped onto the back of its horse-body and, before Leucorse could turn, I pierced its heart from behind.

"Gi, Ah—"

I twisted the sword in a circle and swung it diagonally upwards. The blade burst from its right shoulder in a spray of blood.

It was undoubtedly a fatal wound, yet Leucorse shortened its grip on the spear. It hadn't lost its will to fight!

As the monster tried to thrust behind it, I grabbed its head with my left hand, forced it back, and switched my sword to a reverse grip.

Dodging the spearhead it thrust out forcefully, I reversed our positions. With one foot on its horse-body, I used the other to stomp on its stomach.

My eyes met Leucorse's as its upper body was twisted away from me.

"Just—"

As our gazes locked, with all my strength, with all my soul.

"Fall, already!!"

I plunged my sword into its chest once more.

I pushed until the guard hit its pectoral muscles, then immediately released my mana at maximum output. Converted into wind by the blade, it blew a massive hole in the monster's chest from the inside.

The recoil tore the sword from my hand, and I went tumbling to the ground.

My head spun from the pain and impact, but I somehow managed to get back up. My hand went to the knife at my waist as I glared at Leucorse.

There, the monster still stood on its three legs. It looked at me, dignified, without even letting go of its spear.

"Impossible, it’s still not dead!?"

"...No."

Its body, once stained red and white with blood, was now only white.

No matter how much pressure I felt from its form, no matter how much presence it had, as if it could move at any moment.

The monster looking down at me, spear in hand—Leucorse was dead on its feet.

Quietly, the monster turned to salt, crumbling away. A small white mound formed, and after watching it, my legs finally gave out completely.

"Haaahhh..."

I fell hard on my butt, but I felt no pain. A sigh escaped me naturally, and I turned my face to the sky.

The overcast sky had, at some point, cleared to reveal the stars.

At the same time, the sound of a helicopter began to approach from the distance. It seemed the Self-Defense Force had finally arrived.

Last time, and this time, too. Is it selfish of me to wish they’d come sooner...?

"I’m so tired..."

That was the only way to describe it. The pain in my body had subsided, and my stamina and mana had recovered in the span of a breath.

But my mental state was another story. How many times had I been on the verge of death during that fight?

The thought alone was terrifying, but I didn't even have the energy to think. My mind went blank, and I stared vacantly at the sky.

But then, an explosion suddenly echoed from not too far away.

"Eh, eh, what!?"

I frantically looked around and saw a car by the roadside engulfed in flames. Judging by its position and the crushed roof, it might have been the one I fell on.

With the burning car behind her, Erina-san came jogging towards me.

...Did it explode from the impact of my fall? Or did she burn it to hide the evidence like last time?

Either way, blaming it all on Leucorse seems better for my mental health. Yeah, it’s definitely the monster’s fault.

"Kyou-chan! You okay!?"

"Eh, ah, yeah. What about you, Erina-san...?"

"My left shoulder’s dislocated, but I’m okay!"

"I don’t think that counts as okay, you know?"

The self-proclaimed ninja gave me a V-sign with her right hand. It didn’t seem like a joke; her left arm was hanging limply at her side.

I have no medical knowledge, but even I could tell that wasn’t okay.

"Hey, we-we have to fix that..."

"Nah. I’ll pop it back in myself when I get home. I’ll have Grandma take a look at it later, too. More importantly, Kyou-chan!"

"Eh, yeah. Yeah?"

Is there something more important than a dislocated shoulder?

Ignoring my quizzical look, Erina-san extended a hand to me.

"Let’s get out of here, fast! A ninja can’t stand out!"

"...Well, I’m not a ninja."

I said, taking her hand. Strangely, unlike before, I was able to stand up naturally.

"But I agree with leaving."

"Oh? Are you sure? If you stay, you might get a hero’s interview, you know?"

"No thanks. I don’t want to stand out in a bad way. Besides, I don’t want to go through questioning right now..."

"Because I’m a ninja!"

"You’re not a ninja."

If we were reported as the heroes who protected the shelter... just imagine.

It was obvious how I’d be treated in the classroom. It would be fine if I was treated like a hero, but if I was treated like a monster or got a lot of jealousy, I wouldn’t be able to go to school anymore.

I went over to where the scattered golems were and picked up Byakuren’s head.

It was cracked and split in places, with some of the inner cushion poking out. But the marble eyes were still faintly glowing.

"...You did well."

After gently stroking the kettle-head, I returned to Erina-san, holding it in one hand.

She had retrieved something from Leucorse’s pile of salt and turned back to me.

"Alright, let’s go! See ya, Senpai! Adios!!"

"Um, excuse us."

I turned to Mia-san and gave a small bow.

Then, just as I was about to step into the gate Erina-san had opened...

"Wait just a minuteeeee!!"

"Gueh!?"

"Ugh."

I was stopped by a firm grip on the back of my collar. From beside me, I thought I heard a sound a pretty girl shouldn’t make.

I turned around to see Mia-san holding both of us captive with her hands.

"Are you two injured!? Yagawa-kun, you’re bleeding! So much blood!"

"Oh, it healed."

"It healed!?"

"I dislocated my shoulder but I’m fine!"

"You are not fine!? A hospital! We’re going to a hospital!"

"Have mercy, my lord!!"

"Is this any time for jokes, you numbskull!"

Wow. It’s been a while since I heard someone called a numbskull.

But she must have been tired, too. Panting, Mia-san let go.

"...Fine. Fine. I understand. You have some reason for not wanting to stand out, don’t you?"

"Yep! Oh, and Senpai, you keep quiet about us, okay!"

"...So, you’re saying you’ll give all the credit for defending this place to me?"

Mia-san’s eyes narrowed, but Erina-san just tilted her head, unfazed.

"Hmm? But the only reason we fought was because you were protecting this place, right? So isn’t it all thanks to you, Senpai?"

"Well, I suppose..."

I agreed from beside her.

Honestly, I wanted to go to the shelter and tell them to ‘Worship me! Be grateful!’, but the aftermath would be too much of a hassle.

Besides, it's just a pain. My mind is filled with the thought of ‘I want to go home and sleep.’

Mia-san’s brow furrowed deeply, and she muttered ‘Right, this is who she was’ after looking at Erina-san.

"...Understood. I’ll just tell everyone that ‘we had help from some kind-hearted collaborators.’"

"Mmm, thanks, Senpai!"

"I have a mountain of things I want to say, but I can’t keep injured people here forever, so just two things."

With that, Mia-san looked at me. My eyes met her emerald ones head-on.

I tried to lower my gaze from such a beautiful girl’s stare, but then my eyes landed on her rather magnificent chest. Not knowing where to look, my gaze wandered to the empty air.

"...Somehow, Yagawa-kun, you’re..."

"Y-Yes?"

"You’re, uhm... ordinary, but also... a ‘weird person,’ aren’t you?"

"Weird!?"

Eh, did she notice my wandering eyes and call me a pervert!?

"I-I’m sorry... I’m sorry for being alive..."

"N-No! I’m sorry. That was a poor choice of words. You seem ‘special,’ but you also get scared and feel pain like a normal person, and then you fight like you’ve thrown all caution to the wind... That’s it! A rare creature! You’re a rare creature!"

"A rare... creature..."

Is it possible to be called a rare creature by a beautiful woman whose life you just saved...?

Well, I can’t say I saved her unilaterally, since she helped me out too.

"In a good way, you’re a rare creature! Probably!"

"Probably..."

"That’s great, Kyou-chan!"

Was it great? Was this really great?

As I stood there dumbfounded with an indescribable feeling, Mia-san cleared her throat pointedly.

"And for the other thing..."

After a brief moment of hesitation.

"Thank you."

She bowed her head deeply.

"Eh, wait."

"What’s wrong, Senpai?"

"I still don’t agree with your actions. However, thanks to both of you, my life, and the lives of the people in the shelter, were saved. That is an undeniable fact."

Mia-san finally raised her face to us, who were looking confused.

"So, to the people who saved my life, I offer my sincerest gratitude."

The look on her face wasn’t the business smile I had seen so many times before.

It was so beautiful that I found myself captivated.

"N-No... well, we should help each other in times of trouble, and I was just going with the flow..."

"I’m a ninja, after all!"

"How is being a ninja related to any of this?"

"Everything!!"

"I see."

"I won’t forget this debt. If there’s anything I can do for you, please let me know."

"...Huh?"

I stared intently at Mia-san's face as she said this with a wry smile.

Next to me, Erina-san was doing the same.

"...Ah! B-But, you know, lewd things are...!"

"Mia-san."

"Senpai."

"Y-Yes!? P-P-Please calm down. Look. These things, you know, there are steps to...!"

"Please, exchange contact information with us!"

"Give me your email address! And your phone number too!!"

"...Pardon?"

Mia-san let out a drained voice as we both bowed our heads.

This is... I might be able to execute ‘that plan’ which stumbled at the first step.

If this goes well, I might be able to remove the cause of all the trouble we went through this time... maybe.

Normally I’d let it be, but after being harmed this directly, I think I have every right to demand they sort it out. If this makes things worse, I don't care anymore.

I raised my head to hear her reply, and...

"A-Are you planning to take... steps...!? The two of you!?"

Her face was beet red, and she was clutching her body.

...How can she make that kind of misunderstanding after a life-or-death battle?

Well, she is beautiful and has a great figure, so I guess that kind of caution is important. That said, I'll clear up this misunderstanding because it seems like it will be a pain later.

After that, we exchanged contact information normally, and returned home, leaving a silent, shame-faced Mia-san behind us.

And so, a long, a truly long day, came to an end.

At last, we were able to go home.