Chapter 112 Chihiro Yuki ⑱
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
”Vengeance… is that what you said?”
I chewed over Sieben’s words. I’d only met him for the first time during the Defense of Variti. It was impossible for me to have done something to hurt him. Unless…
”Is this about Kelly?” I asked.
The only person who came to mind was Kelly Burton, the man who’d called me a coward and assaulted Nakim. If Sieben was a friend of Kelly’s, this would make sense. But Sieben’s reaction was different.
”Kelly? Who the hell is that?” Sieben tilted his head, looking genuinely confused.
”It’s… not him? Then what…?”
”You still don’t get it, do you?” Anger flared in Sieben’s voice. “I guess that’s all I am to you, after all.” He turned to his group. “Enough. Lil, Leki, Honoka—take care of the others.”
”Yes, darling,” Lil replied.
”On it!” Leki chirped.
”Understood, Master!” Honoka added.
Sieben’s companions fanned out, weapons ready.
”Here I go! Grand Basher!”
The young wolf girl, Leki, slammed her greataxe into the ground from overhead. The impact was monstrous, carving a crater into the earth and sending shards of rock flying like shrapnel.
”Gah!”
”Watch out!”
”Hey! What do you think you’re doing, you brat?!”
A hail of stones pelted us. This was their plan, I realized. To scatter us. I’d managed to guard instinctively, so the damage wasn’t severe, but I’d been separated from Kodama-san and the rest of my team. Before I knew it, I was facing Sieben alone while Kodama-san’s group was squared off against Narumi and her sisters.
”Lil, Leki, Honoka! Don’t kill them,” Sieben barked. “But beat them within an inch of their lives!”
The wolf-eared mother and daughter lunged at Kodama-san’s group. Their speed and power were on a different level; my friends were forced into a desperate defense in seconds. I tried to move to help them, but Sieben blocked my path.
”Don’t look away. Shouldn’t you be worried about yourself?” Sieben’s mouth curled into a mocking sneer. “By the way… did you have a nice nightmare this morning?”
Panic surged through me. My mind flashed back to the dream I’d had at dawn. Taking advantage of my hesitation, Sieben swung his blade in a diagonal slash. I was a split second late, catching the blow on my shield. The impact rattled my arm. For a man who didn’t look that muscular, his strength was incredible.
Without pausing, he followed up with a horizontal sweep from his left-hand greatsword. It was fast, sharp, and heavy. I parried it just in time. He was strong—undoubtedly the strongest person I’d ever fought. But…
His movements were monotonous. Easy to read. No matter how fast or heavy the blow, it didn’t matter if it didn’t land. More than that, I couldn’t tell if he was underestimating us or if something else was wrong, but he wasn’t fighting with everything he had. I felt his hatred—it was enough to make my skin crawl—but there was no real killing intent.
”Dammit! Why won’t I hit you?!” Sieben’s slashes grew wilder. I tracked every arc and parried them with ease. He was getting desperate. “Crap!”
His attacks became even more telegraphed. Seeing an opening, I fired an ‘Aqua Shot’ at his right shoulder. The high-pressure water droplet pierced through his flesh like a bullet.
”Gugh! Complete silent casting…?” Sieben gritted his teeth, but he didn’t drop his sword. I had to give him credit for that.
”Sieben, it’s useless,” I said. “I’ve seen through your movements. Besides—”
I glanced toward the others. They had been on the ropes, but the tide had turned. Kijima Rei was completely suppressing Lil. When Leki tried to assist her mother, Kijima Mei kept her at bay with a barrage of arrows. Leki was taking steady damage.
”Ow! Dammit… ugh!” Leki cried out as an arrow lodged in her shoulder. She ripped it out through sheer force of will.
”Leki! Heal!” Narumi shouted, her hands glowing as she struggled to keep up with the injuries.
The Kijima sisters had a unique skill called ‘Full Synchrony.’ As the name suggested, it allowed them to act as a single unit with perfect coordination. It had one fatal flaw, but for now, it made them unstoppable. And it had left Kodama-san completely free. She was chanting an incantation—I didn’t recognize the words, but I knew it was the finishing blow.
”You see? It’s over,” I said, pointing my sword at Sieben. He tried to rush to his companions’ aid, but I cut him off.
”Damn you… It’s always like this,” Sieben hissed, biting his lip so hard it bled. “Does it make you happy? Looking down on everyone like that?”
”What are you talking about? I’ve never looked down on you. If anything, you’re the one looking down on us.”
I thought the victory was ours. But then—
”Rei!” Kodama-san screamed.
Kijima Rei swept Lil aside with her spear and leapt backward.
”Honoka! I’m going to set you free!” Kodama-san cried. “Die, you demons! Hear the hammer of God! Keraunos!”
A colossal pillar of lightning descended from the heavens, aimed directly at the wolf-eared pair. It wasn’t a spell meant for people; it was a localized disaster. Instant death was a certainty.
”Stop!” I yelled.
Sieben, who I thought I had pinned, vanished in an instant. Then came the CRACK-BOOM of the strike. The flash was blinding, the vibration shaking the very marrow of my bones. Dust and smoke filled the air.
When the haze cleared, the two targets were standing some distance away, completely unharmed. In their place stood a single man.
”N-No… Natsumi?!”
”Daddy!”
What? Natsumi?
The mask fell from the man’s face. It was unmistakably my childhood friend, Natsumi Sasaki.
He was alive. He was really alive!
Tears stung my eyes, but the relief was cut short. He had just taken Kodama-san’s ‘Keraunos’ full-on to save those two. I didn’t know how or when he’d gotten here, but that didn’t matter. Natsumi collapsed to his knees, using his greatsword like a crutch as he struggled to stand.
”Natsumi!” I ran to his side. “Natsumi, are you okay? I can’t believe you’re—”
Natsumi glared up at me. His eyes were cold, filled with the same raw hatred I’d seen in my nightmare.
”M-Master! Let me heal you!” Narumi rushed forward.
”Later,” Natsumi growled.
”But—”
”I said later!” He barked the words so sharply that Narumi flinched and drew back.
Ignoring her, Natsumi turned toward Kodama-san. He began to limp toward her like a vengeful wraith. Terrified, Kodama-san stumbled backward.
”Hey, Kodama…” Natsumi’s voice was a low, dangerous rumble. “What did you just call Lil and Leki? What were you trying to do to them?”
”I-I… so what?”
”What were you trying to do!”
Kodama-san jumped, her shoulders shaking. “What’s the big deal? Those two are demons, right? That makes them enemies of humanity!”
”Lil and Leki… are demons?”
”Yes! They’re the enemy! They aren’t human, so who cares if I— Eek!”
Natsumi didn’t let her finish. He caught her across the face with a brutal backhand. The force of the blow sent Kodama-san flying, her body slamming into the side of a ruined house. I couldn’t tell if she was lucky or unlucky to still be conscious.
Natsumi turned his gaze to the Kijima sisters. They looked at him as if they were staring at a monster. Driven by pure terror, Mei leveled her bow.
”S-Stay back!” She loosed an arrow.
Natsumi caught the flying shaft between two fingers. With a flick of his wrist, he spun the arrowhead around and threw it back. The arrow grazed Mei’s cheek and embedded itself deep into the wood of the ruins behind her. Mei’s face turned pale as blood trickled down her cheek. Her legs gave out, and she slumped to the ground. She’d wet herself from the sheer pressure. Simultaneously, a cut appeared on Rei’s cheek. Though she remained standing, she suffered the same humiliating loss of bladder control.
That was the flaw of ‘Full Synchrony.’ Because they were perfectly synced, they shared every sensation—and every emotion. If the link lasted too long, even their hearts would begin to bleed together.
Natsumi turned toward me.
”Natsumi… I…”
He just stared at me, silent and cold. I did the only thing I could. I dropped to my knees and pressed my forehead into the dirt. I gave him a full dogeza.
”I’m sorry, Natsumi! I’m so sorry. I’m sorry I left you behind and ran away. Please, forgive me.”
Kodama-san and the sisters looked on in stunned silence. The only sound was the wind until Natsumi finally spoke.
”Can I ask you one thing?”
”Anything.”
”Why did you do it?”
”I… I was scared…”
”No. Not that. Back in our world. Why did you invite me to that group date?”
For a second, I didn’t understand. Then, the realization hit me. That group date—the night our friendship had finally shattered.
”It was…” I hesitated. I didn’t want to say it. If I did, he would despise me. But everything was already broken anyway. I might as well tell the truth. “It was because I love you. Natsumi, I’ve always loved you!”
There. I’d said it. The truth I’d kept buried deep inside.
”Huh? What are you talking about?”
”Natsumi, do you know what Gender Identity Disorder is?”
”I’ve heard of it. It’s when your mind and body don’t match, right? What does that have to do with this?”
”That’s… that’s what I have.”
Silence fell again. A heavy, suffocating silence.
”You remember when you helped me back in kindergarten? I’ve loved you since then. At first, I didn’t understand it. But when I got to elementary school, I started feeling wrong in my own clothes. I tried on my mom’s skirt once, and… it just felt right. That’s when I realized. I didn’t love you as a friend. I loved you as a man.
But I was terrified. I thought if you found out, you’d hate me. So I hid it. I invited you to that date because I thought… maybe you’d find someone you liked. I wanted to be with you, but look at me. I’m stuck in this body. I only ended up hurting you… I’m so sorry… hic… I’m so sorry…”
I broke down, my sobs filling the quiet space. I’d put it all out there. Now, he would truly turn his back on me. But Natsumi didn’t look disgusted. He didn’t look revolted.
”Chihiro… you idiot. Are you kidding me? Why didn’t you just tell me? Did you really trust me that little?!”
He was angry. Genuinely, furiously angry. Natsumi grabbed my collar and hauled me to my feet.
”Natsumi…”
”Did you really think I’d hate you for something like that?! Yeah, maybe I couldn’t be your boyfriend. But so what? If I couldn’t handle something like that, I wouldn’t be much of a best friend, would I? Don’t underestimate me!”
Oh. So that was it. I’d been wrong from the start. If I’d just been honest…
”I’m sorry… I’m so sorry, Natsumi… Natsumi!”
I wailed like a child, burying my face in his chest and crying my eyes out.
Notes:
• Sieben – Young man with black hair and a mask covering his eyes. He purchased Honoka and Ria.
• Kelly – An aggressive student and bully who uses a claymore and fire magic. Has short blonde spiky hair.
• Nakim – A thirteen-year-old boy with soft, androgynous features; the creator of the Dispel spell.
• Honoka – A member of the relief team with healing magic. Despite her cute, short, ‘transistor glamour’ appearance, she is cold-hearted and mocks Sasaki, now a bound slave to him.
• Leki – Lil’s daughter. Height: 140 cm, B-W-H: 70, 54, 69. She looks more like a Siberian Husky puppy than a wolf. Honestly, she just looks like a stuffed toy, recently transformed into a human form. Now use great axe as weapon.
• Lil – One of the heroines. Height 166 cm, B-W-H: 90-56-90. She is a top-tier beauty with long indigo hair down to her waist, a large scar on her abdomen and sharp golden eyes. She has wolf ears and a tail.
• Kodama – Kodama Satomi. A self-proclaimed fan of Chihiro. A bronzed girl with bleached hair. She uses Lightning Bolt sorcery. Her stats are noted to be higher than a Gargoyle’s, though she is not built for melee.
• Narumi – Narumi Honoka. A member of the relief team with healing magic. Despite her cute, short, ‘transistor glamour’ appearance, she is cold-hearted and mocks Sasaki. Black hair, black eyes.
• Mei – One of the Kijima twin sisters. She uses a longbow that creates arrows of light. She is part of Chihiro’s party in the Envyos Labyrinth.
• Rei – One of the Kijima twin sisters. The eldest one. She uses a spear and acts as the frontline defense for her sister. She demonstrates ‘perfect sync’ with Mei.
• Natsumi – The protagonist. Height 168 to 171 cm, weight 57 to 59 kg. He has a baby face, but he hides his eyes with his bangs. He was bullied by the Sugita gang just because his name sounded like a girl’s name.
• Sasaki – The protagonist. Height 168 to 171 cm, weight 57 to 59 kg. He has a baby face, but he hides his eyes with his bangs. He was bullied by the Sugita gang just because his name sounded like a girl’s name.
• Chihiro – Height 178 cm, weight 70 kg (Male). Natsumi’s childhood friend. A handsome, athletic top student in the soccer club.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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