kscans

Chapter 833 - Because I Think of You, I Am. Because I Wish It, the World Continues - Part 7

────Alright. On one side, the [Sword Saint]. On the other, [Peerless] & [Wolf Pack]. Several seconds after the front line had been temporarily stabilized by this lineup that could only be described as the height of extravagance...

"────Haru!"

As unchanging as ever... or rather, having resigned myself to the fact that a reboot was unlikely for the rest of the day, I had thrown my immobile avatar to the ground. It was then that an angelic voice drifted over to me.

Sadly, no one had bothered to help me up or tidy my appearance. My body, which had been left beached after being hooked and reeled in by Irori-senpai, was now being offered an angel's arm.

"A-Are you okay...?"

But even that delicate arm belonged to a level 100 player, whose basic specs were superhuman.

Lifting up a small girl (a guy like me) was no trouble at all. As I was hoisted up with a whoosh and my vision swam... what came into view was the divine face of my partner, a true angel.

There was only one thing for me to say.

"Peachy."

"Says the guy who can't move."

It's a shame I couldn't add a thumbs-up, but this was Part 2 of my manly bravado, following the one I'd aimed at my master. A kitten's retort came flying from right beside me without a moment's delay, but my dear partner is no ordinary angel...

"────...You used it again, didn't you?"

It seems my wishful, delusional fantasy that she'd brush off my wisecracks and continue to shower me with concern and care was just that—a fantasy. She was, after all, more accustomed to my banter than anyone.

What happened was this: the instant I threw out that joke to show her there was nothing to worry about, her amber eyes narrowed and shot a piercing, accusatory glare right into my own.

And as for what she was even talking about────

"Well, you know, it was an emergency measure..."

She was talking about the power of the "red," my trump card, which I had played without hesitation moments before.

It's a unique ability, beyond the scope of a skill. While I rely on it when necessary, there's a reason I don't use it regularly and only when I'm truly cornered.

Beyond personal reasons like 'It's super exhausting' or 'Multiple thought processes? No thanks, that's terrifying,' it's none other than because Sora-san doesn't like it.

Or rather, is scared of it would be more accurate. It's connected to my personal reasons, but she seems unable to shake her worry about my mind going haywire as my thoughts multiply...

"..................I-I know. I'm sorry...!"

This is usually what happens after I use Rega-Lielta.

At first, I was infinitely anxious myself, wondering, 'Is this really okay?' and asked an expert (?)—Kazuharu-san—for a doctor's checkup. But the answer I got was something like, 'Absolutely nothing to worry about (lol),' so I haven't harbored any exaggerated fears since.

They say my thoughts multiply, but it's not a 'split' so much as an 'addition'.

My own consciousness isn't being divided; it's more like an NPC (me) spawns inside my brain. It's not something that threatens my self-awareness or individuality.

The only problem is that the thought feedback from each 'me' gets mercilessly slammed into my head, Arcadia-style brain-installation, which is just incredibly exhausting.

But that aside, it's natural for anxiety to accompany a mysterious technology with unexplained principles.

Even if it's my 'Outer Brain' that processes the load and not my actual one, it's perfectly normal for some people to be unable to shake that instinctual fear.

So, well.

"Sowwy, nuffing to wowwy abou'. My body won't move, bue I'm fie."

I have a promise to basically refrain from using it in front of Sora, so there's no reason to hesitate in offering a full-blown apology. She's only concerned for my well-being, after all, so I have no intention of brushing aside my cute partner's scolding and complaints────

...or so I thought.

"Sowwy 'bou dis. I'd 'ppreciate it if you cu' all 'is ou'."

"...I don't know what you're saying, but it's quite nice to see you two getting along so well."

Making selfish requests and self-destructing has become a habit of mine lately.

As Sora, who was pouting more at herself than at me, pinched both my cheeks, my plea unfortunately failed to reach anyone.

Great, there are probably going to be a ton of 'HaruSora' clip videos about this... The thought crosses my mind, but I was never dexterous enough to act with recordings in mind to begin with. The same goes for Sora-san, so that's something I gave up on long ago.

Putting such trivial matters aside, it's time to get my head back in the game.

"Kagura-san. What's the progress?"

With the thunderous sounds of battle raging from two directions, my own question sounds terribly carefree, but it can't be helped. I'm a sitting duck, completely incapacitated.

If there's anything I can do, it's talk with my allies and wrack my brain.

If I prepare myself to quickly share information with the raid members who'll be arriving later, then even in this state where I can't move a single step, I can still be of some use.

"..................It's not what I'd call fast, but it's steady. The mana pool accumulation from boss defeats is a little over forty percent. The total work progress is... well, if I'm being generous, about fifty percent, I'd say."

Besides, I've already been given permission to chat. With no reason to hesitate, I called out, and a calm voice replied from our dedicated Magitech Engineer.

"Any problems?"

"Not really. ────...If I had to name one, it's that the fact that there are no problems is kinda scary."

"I know what you mean."

She must have easily read my intentions. As expected, the two of them working together—while simultaneously performing a task likely beyond the imagination of a rookie Magitech Engineer—had the spare capacity to think and talk, and they joined the conversation.

...And then, one of them, Enra-dono, continued, voicing what I was thinking.

"This is the climax, no doubt about it, right? ────Hate to say it, but don't you think the excitement and tension are a little... missing in action?"

"""""────..............................""""""

It was an unease born from a sense of wrongness that everyone present had probably been feeling up to this point. Of course, the battle lines still held, and the situation was still developing.

But still, and yet...

"Assuming nothing else happens, our work as artisans will be done in under ten minutes. And I think that'll undoubtedly be the end of the 'Green Connect' raid."

"On top of that, that 'nuisance' of ours decided to go and materialize itself and leave the premises. Honestly, from our perspective, this is a dream-come-true easy mode."

"Well, I suppose that's all thanks to you ridiculously awesome heroes, but... y'know?"

"Yeah, I guess...?"

That's exactly it.

In truth, there were several critical moments where the raid was on the verge of failure. One could see our arrival at this point as a victory at the end of a long chain of fortuitous events.

However... truly, however────

"...Ah."

Sora, who was holding my head in her lap, let out a small voice. But she wasn't the only one who sensed a presence in that instant.

What appeared was the blue light of a teleportation gate.

And then, not just one, but as far as the eye could see... countless portals opened up all at once, and stepping out from them were the very allies whose arrival we had desperately awaited just a short while ago.

A murmur filled the air. And then, one person stood out more than anyone else.

"────...What is the situation?"

With that voice, uttered by the arriving 'Princess,'...

...the fact that every last shred of tension had finally vanished from the battlefield was creating a sense of foreboding I couldn't put into words.

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

Surely, I wasn't the only one who felt it.

---

If you think about it calmly, isn't the difficulty up to this point already pretty insane?