Chapter 101 – She"s Like a Bright Red Flame That Burns Quietly (1)I didn"t recognize him.
Kusaka Makio, who wanted to be strong, looked up to such a such an evil and violent looking man.
I have to admit it.
He might still be weak.
But his pa.s.sion was real.
So, let"s recognize that guy first.
“That"s right… move! Move!”
The small but powerful voice was definitely a voice of determination.
I was in a critical situation, so it was regrettable that I was not able to imprint that magnificent image on my retina.
But it"s okay.
If it"s Kusaka, no Makio, he can do it.
Because I knew that he had said that he wanted to be strong, and there was an immeasurable power dwelling in his eyes.
I was pressured by his eyes that gave off a dazzling glow.
Therefore, when it reached the critical point, I didn"t have any feeling of doubt about his determination.
“Let"s go Doggy-san! Everyone, don"t leave our side! Hold hands, and if you"re scared, you can close your eyes! Just never stop moving! “
A brave voice that was different from before.
Officer Doggy saw that and stroked her chest and exhaled with relief.
“Yeah… yeah! Did everyone hear that?”
Hinchan"s delightful voice echoed.
“I-I got it!”
“I"m not scared!”
“I won"t let go!”
The children"s voices had no signs of fear.
While listening to that exchange, my limbs filled with power.
“Guuuuuuuuuu! Daammmmn ittttt!
I wanted to regain my vitality and willpower, so I exhaled from the bottom of my stomach.
Ruten flapped his wings above me and puts his entire weight on the shield"s barrier.
Is it going to be crushed?
At least until those children, Hinchan, Officer Doggy, and Makio leave here safely!
It"s a contest of endurance between you and me!
“Aniki! I"ll call for help right away!”
“Nggggg! I"ll leave it to you! Makio!”
“Yes!”
I couldn"t afford to, but I had to say it while looking at his eyes.
I twisted my neck.
The face I finally saw was an androgynous, handsome and childish face.
He could even be called a girl because of his height. The face of the mascot character of our grade.
But now it"s different.
His gaze was dignified and the determination was enough.
“It"s not Aniki! Call me Kunpei! Buddy!”
Makio froze for a moment.
However, he immediately raised his eyebrows, looked straight at my eyes and nodded.
“Un! Kunpei-kun!”
That voice was enough.
I turned back to face Ruten that was above me and mustered up my strength.
“Blonde Chibi! Makio, was it? I"ll definitely hold this back! I"m counting on you for reinforcements!”
“Yes! Doggy-san, I"ll lend you my shoulder!”
“Sorry, please.”
“Everyone, we"re going!”
“Un!”
He gave a short reply to Gasaraio, and you could hear the sound of their running footsteps.
Thank goodness.
At least the children can now go to a safe place.
From here to the community center, it should not be too far away even for the children.
If what Gasaraio and Mik.u.ma said is true, there should be some treasure hunters over there protecting those who have evacuated.
“Kunpei-kun! You don"t have to reply, just listen! The call to the fire department finally connected! A nearby hunter is heading there! So just hang in there!”
You"re so awesome that if you were in front of me I would hug you Mik.u.ma!
With this, hope and possibility increased!
My family is waiting! I can"t lose!
“Kuoooooooooooooo!!”
Maybe it was surprised that I was gradually regaining my strength, Ruten spreads its wings and flew up, leaving me.
My spirit won. To be honest, it would have been dangerous if that continued.
“Fuaahhhhh! Haaaaa!”
My lungs were seeking the missing oxygen.
My body was heavy with sweat it was covered in.
I lowered the shield and followed Ruten with just my eyes.
It flew figure eight"s in the sky, with its red eyes never leaving me.
“s.h.i.t, just give up…”
I managed to conceal it, but my body was already full of wounds.
If I think about it, it"s natural.
Even though it was mitigated with a magical tool, I was holding back a monster that had a volume and weight that was several times, no tens of times, greater than my own.
I couldn"t even feel my arms or feel where my joints were.
All the bones and muscles in my body was groaning.
It wouldn"t even be strange if one or two bones were broken.
But I can"t lose.
I turned my body and looked at the children running away.
Makio wasn"t the only one who was frightened.
Even Hinchan, who was running behind, should be scared. Children should be more scared.
There were few adults helping, and they should really want to bawl, but none of them even raised a complaint.
What excellent children.
The older children took care of the younger child, and those younger children took care of the even younger children.
They held each other"s hands tightly and didn"t let go.
In this spectacle that even grownups fears, they were running by clenching their molars, shutting their eyes and believing only in the warmth of their hands.
“Kuaaaaa! Gyaaaaaaa!”
“That b.a.s.t.a.r.d!”
I put all my strength into my languid body and started running.
That was because Ruten"s line of sight moved from me to Makio and them.
I don"t know how monsters think, but it seems that it made the most despicable choice possible!
“Don"t aim for the women and children!”
I desperately tried to control my entangled legs.
Honestly, the weight of the magic tool that is my lifeline is troublesome.
I don"t know if it was an auditory hallucination or reality, but I could hear something snapping in my ear.
It may even be the muscle fibers.
Or it may be the sound of my joints as I overexerted them.
But it doesn"t matter.
I pa.s.sed by Gasaraio who was tying the Rock Wolf up.
We made eye contact for a moment and had an exchange.
Just a bit more Gasaraio, hang in there.
I know Kazamachi. Don"t worry.
That conversation ended in the brain at the speed of light, and after that cleared my head and continued running.
Ruten spread its wings in the sky and stopped.
Gasaraio had said.
There were only two attack that you had to watch out for.
Then that"s probably…
The airborne Ruten pa.s.sed by and chased after Makio and them.
Ruten, the ominous bird, exhales towards their back.
Wind breath.
I predicted its path and set up the shield to intercept it.
I knew somehow, so I was able to make it time.
Upon arrival at the predicted spot, a swirling stream of air blew straight out of its mouth.
I pulled the two triggers to deploy the pink barrier.
I gritted my teeth and prepared for the incoming impact.
“Guh!”
An impact beyond what I expected struck me.
It hurt to tilt my body diagonally to support my body that was being pushed back by wind pressure.
The tornado-like wind contained stones of various sizes, and my body shook from the vibrations as it bounced off the barrier.
The stones that missed me, bounced off the ground occasionally and hit my back at a speed that I could not ignore.
I"m sure my back is in a terrible state now.
I have to ignore it.
Now is the time to endure it.
If I endure and endure and reach the limit, what can I do about that b.a.s.t.a.r.d?
Because it"s aiming at injured people and small children, all I feel is anger.
I"ll do it.
I will deny its existence.
The wind breath continued incessantly.
Ruten continued to exhale for a time that was unimaginable compared to humans.
What a foul b.a.s.t.a.r.d.
I underestimated it.
When I dived into Tusk Crag, the dragon fang sword was too invincible, and my father"s accurate support also made me underestimate it.
I need to reflect on it.
When the time comes, let"s. .h.i.t this bird b.a.s.t.a.r.d who"s getting carried away with several times the pain I"m currently in.
The hate that seethed out naturally surface a smile.
Even if I say so myself, I think I have a villainous expression right now.
At this time, I would have already arrived back home and would be poking at Jaja and Nana"s soft cheeks!
“Oryyaaaa!”
Gasaraio roared and the sound of something being shattered one beat later echoed.
I can"t confirm where the sound is coming from because I can"t afford to.
“I kept you waiting Kazamchi! Wait for it, I"ll help you now!”
I see, did you bury that s.h.i.tty wolf?
Well done. I"ll brush you later.
If you like I can also rub my face on your cheeks.
It"s a big help. Thank you.
Even if you make fun of me, I already can"t speak anymore.
My consciousness is already hazy.
I looked at my arm holding the shield and it was trembling unreliably.
It"s no good.
I can"t hold on anymore.
“Kuaaaaa!”
I desperately grasped onto my consciousness, and could just barely prevent myself from pa.s.sing out.
The barrier projected from the magic tool was gradually lowering.
Ruten"s annoying voice echoed in my head.
From the corner of my vision, Gasaraio was running with a ghastly pale face and shoulder the magic cannon.
I lost strength in the hands that were holding the shield"s trigger.
Everything was in slow motion.
s.h.i.t. I can"t die in a place like this.
I want to laugh more with Jaja.
I still never saw enough of Nana"s smile.
I haven"t seen Shouhei"s growth.
I haven"t given my father anything back.
I haven"t done anything for Mik.u.ma.
I haven"t faced Aoi"s feelings yet.
I haven"t fulfilled my promise with my mother yet.
The faces of my family members and close friends were spinning around my head like a revolving lantern.
How half-a.s.sed I am.
“I made it in time.”
“Eh?”
Somebody"s hand supported my body that was falling forward.
“Are you the father of Aoinoun"s children?”
A quiet voice.
The voice calmly spoke as if it were a calm place.
No, before I realized it, I couldn"t even hear the sound of the breeze of Ruten"s wind breath anymore.
The magic tool that I should have been holding had already fallen onto the ground.
“It matches? The characteristics are the same as what that uncute rat said.”
To see whose voice it was, I mustered my strength and looked up.
“So am I right?”
There was a beautiful woman who was shaking her long bright red hair and also had similarly bright red horns.
“Ah, are you Aoi"s acquaintance?”
I struggled to barely squeeze out my voice.
The bright red girl blinked and slowly opened her mouth.
“I am Rougerichte Dranglow. I came to protect your family.”
She responded with an incomprehensible expression.