Chapter of the week: 1/4
Translator: Reizenchuu
Editor: Kenny Stryker
Time passed away, Tenjouin and his classmates managed to escape with their lives to their base after getting defeated in their battle against Kamiya Yato.
“Okay, you’re healed.”
“Thanks.”
Inside one of the rooms of the deserted house, the injured members were getting treated by healing magic. Those who received the treatment went to rest outside, but the room was still full with many others who were waiting for their turns. Luckily, there weren’t any heavy injuries and a few of the class members brought salve and magic potions with them from Anamz which helped a lot in healing minor wounds.
“You will be fine now.”
“Yeah, I can fight again.”
The girl treating the wounds spoke to one of her female classmates, though she suddenly got all gloomy when she heard her response.
“… Can we win, next time.”
“I wonder about that…”
Both of the girls lowered their voice when they recalled their recent battle. Not only them, but everyone in this place was feeling the same. They were all worn out mentally more than physically.
“…… That Kamiya, what kind of power does he have?”
In the middle of the heavy mood, a male class member opened his mouth.
“He must be a monster for not getting even scratched with that much…!”
“Just how are we supposed to win against him!?”
With the first one who spoke as a trigger, the rest of the class started expressing their true feelings. As the heroes of another word, they went through many disheartening situations, but they never gave up no matter how much their enemy was strong. However this time around, the enemy was in a completely different dimension. No matter how many of them attacked at once, what kind of skills and attacks they used, Yato didn’t receive the slightest damage. He even purposely let them use a direct hit on him, only because he felt like doing so. It’s not like the class never fought against an enemy of a different level, but that difference was often due to some special skill that the enemy had. In this recent battle, that wasn’t the case for Yato. Rather, everyone was hoping that the difference in their level would something of reasonable as that.
Yato didn’t use any special skill. He only attacked them normally as they did. This left a strong emotional shock in them as they spent all their time in Anamz going true intense training that seemed to be befitting for a hero.
“If we don’t hurry up, Lili would be in danger…”
“Flan…”
“Natalia…”
(TLN: these guys…… seriously?)
Some of the class members uttered the names of their lovers from the other world to distract their frustration. Many of them had already made precious people back there. And all of them couldn’t concentrate on anything they were doing from the moment they heard Metron talking about the kingdom being in danger. They couldn’t completely keep their calm knowing that their lovers, their friends and those for who they are indebted for could be in danger.
In this kind of situation, they’d usually motivate themselves and scream that they still have another chance, but not this time. Their precious people could be in danger and the enemy is an existence that is far stronger than even a last boss who doesn’t receive any damage from their strongest attacks. Not everyone could still keep their optimism in this condition. Everyone went quiet and timed passed slowly until one of them made a suggestion.
“… Hostages; can’t we take hostages?”
The moment that member uttered those words, everyone in the room turned to look at him with astounded expressions.
“W-What are you saying?! There is no way we can do that!”
“I know! I know, but, there is nothing we can do against him…”
The first one to firmly deny that suggestion couldn’t answer him back. The voice of the member who suggested that idea was gradually lowering down. Nobody wanted to say that. They don’t want to end up doing something as degraded, however, that was the only options they had left.
“… But, who should we take as a hostage?”
When everyone went quiet again, a brave girl asked with a faint-hearted voice. The class member who made the suggestion wasn’t expecting that question to be asked and remained quiet for some time before replying.
“Maybe one of the girls who were with him that time.”
“You think it will turn out well?”
“I don’t know. But we do have a chance at least.”
“Still though, even if we have a chance…”
“I don’t think Tenjouin would allow it.”
Two other members who were silent all this time joined the conversation. Everyone agreed with the last line. Tenjouin’s sense of justice was stronger than everyone else’s; there was no way he would accept involving innocent people. Let alone allowing them to take hostages. And besides, a hero should never resort to that sort of immoral acts. They will be contradicting with themselves if they were to take an ordinary person as a hostage in order to protect other ordinary people.
Silence overtook the room once again before a sudden voice resounded inside it.
“Ya! I listened to your conversation.”
It was a high pitched voice of a child. The moment the class members heard that voice, they lifted their head upward despite not knowing from where it came.
“Is it you, Metron?”
“Yeah, that’s right. Although I’d appreciate if you call my name with some respect.”
“What do you need now?!”
The class members replied to the voice with a rebellious attitude, but Metron didn’t give them any mind and continued.
“Well, I was listening to your conversation and thought that it was a good idea.”
“What is it that’s a good idea?”
“Taking a hostage.”
Metron replied with a casual voice tone while the class members were clearly disturbed.
“I also agree on taking a hostage. Maybe we can find out some unexpected weakness in him by doing that.”
“B-But…”
“Even if that’s possible, we…”
“We can’t…”
Metron seemed to be interested in their idea, however, the class members were still all against it and refused as they looked at each other’s face.
“If you kept acting like this you won’t be able to go back to your word you know. The demon tribe could be on its way to the kingdom now, yet you still want to keep that act?”
Metron’s words shook off the resolve of the class. Every time he speaks about the kingdom, their patience gradually runs out. That’s how human’s mentality works, after all. They were all shaken by what he said, however, some of them still kept their position, refusing.
“Even if that were the case, they won’t be attacking immediately.”
“And we need Tenjouin’s permission before anything else.”
The other member who couldn’t say anything agreed with two members who expressed their denial. They still have time, they can manage to do something about it before it’s too late. That was the only thought that supported their mind and made them stand against Metron’s persuasion. The next moment, Metron threw a little question at them.
“Are you really fine with thinking that way?”
Everyone in the room got shaken again by listening to his suggestive question.
“You don’t have anything that could prove to you that the kingdom is not getting assaulted at this moment. You already know this without me mentioning it to you. What are you planning to do if that were the case?”
Metron’s composed words gave birth to a new seed of unease in their heart.
“Do you remember that light pillar caused by Tenjouin-kun? What if the demon army noticed it and sent spies to the kingdom to investigate it then grasped the information about you vanishing? What do you think they will do with that information?”
Speaking in a way to agitate their spirits, Metron made the seeds of unease gradually grow inside their heart. It’s a human’s nature to believe in things they find reasonable. Some of the class members stiffened their expressions from fear and anxiety, but Metron didn’t stop swaying their resolve.
“Besides, I don’t think that you need permission from Tenjouin-kun to take a hostage.”
“Eh?”
“You can just act on your own and save the situation.”
None of them had thought about it that way as they were all revealing a stunned face.
“Once you defeat Kamiya Yato, you will be sent back to the other world. Tenjouin-kun and the entire kingdom will be rescued.”
‘Sent back;’ those two words were the only thing they desired for to take place. If they take a hostage and defeat Yato, they will be sent back to their world. They can go back to protect their precious people. Not only them, but the entire class will get sent back to the kingdom.
“We can go back…”
“We can be sent back…”
Some of them started reciting those words repeatedly. Their wavered heart was slowly changing directions.
“Let me give you the courage to make a move.”
Following Metron’s ominous words, a glaring light appeared in the center of the room and covered the entire place, including the heroes’ mind and body. The moment they got dazzled by that light, their eyes lost its focus as if the light inside it were turned off.
“This light will fortify your will. It will push you in the direction of the decision you made by yourself.”
The light eventually disappeared leaving the class members hanging down their head like a robot that stopped functioning.
“Well then, do your best. I’m expecting a favorable result from you.”
Bidding them a short farewell, Metron’s voice didn’t resound in the room anymore. No body shifted a finger after Metron left. It felt as if time had stopped flowing in that room.
“… Hey, everyone.”
Suddenly, one of the class membered muttered and the others stood up seeming to have guessed what he wanted to say. What they were planning to do was beyond obvious.
This is not good…!?
There was one girl who watched over all that happened to them from the start from shadows. It was Kokonoe, the girl who spent some of her free time with Yato.
I need, to, tell, them, about this…
At this rate, they may end up making an irredeemable mistake. Kokonoe rushed over Tenjouin’s place to inform him of what happens and avoid the worst conclusion that flashed in her head.
——————————————————–
Author’s note: the story isn’t going anywhere, huh…
Bonus
Turns.
“I didn’t show up in this chapter again.” ← Yato
“I didn’t show up too…” ← Tenjouin
“For you, nothing will happen if you don’t show up.” ← Yato
“Same for you. You don’t have to show up in every chapter. You’re the protagonist anyway.” ← Tenjouin
“Well, you might be right but…” ← Yato
“When this arc finishes, the story will go back to being a slice of life and I will disappear again. I want to show up a little more.” ← Tenjouin
“Cheer up, man.” ← Yato
“Yeah.” ← Tenjouin
“They’re getting along quite well, aren’t they, Lina-chan?” ← Saya
“Want to join them in their conversation?” ← Lina
“That’s impossible.” ← Saya
“I knew it.” ← Lina
Next Update: Tuesday, July 17, 2018
