CH 139

“What… is this…”



My brain fails to process the reality in front of me.



I keep muttering, unable to accept what’s happening.



Just as I thought we had defeated Titan, five new Golems appeared.



What in the world is going on?



“““““RU~U~U~UOOOOOOOOOOON!!”””””



Their roars overlap on top of each other, destroying all the buildings around them one after another.



It’s as if we’re being told that our efforts were in vain.



“A…ah….”



Ichinose-san who is standing next to me is also stunned and incapable of accepting the truth.



I try to initiate a conversation, but words fail me.



But it’s understandable, right?



We were barely able to defeat one Golem after making all the preparations, yet now we are faced with another five of them.



They’re completely beyond the level of what we can go against.



What… are we supposed to do?



“RU~O~O~O…”



Their eyes lock onto us, and they begin to come near us slowly, one step at a time.



Their footsteps sound like they’re counting down to our despair; they become louder and louder with each passing second until everything suddenly turn silent.



A huge shadow is cast on us.



Just as an arm is about to descend and crush us, Momo lets out a bark.



“Wan!”



“Ouch…!”



I sense an acute pain coming from my legs.



When I look down, I see Momo who has bitten down my ankle.



“Wan!”



Momo barks in a hurry.



Along with the pain coming from my ankle, I finally manage to bring my mind back.



“Sorry about that, Momo!”



A fist made of rocks is approaching us.



In that instant, I jump to the sides while carrying Ichinose-san.



Zudon!



The place where we were just standing gets destroyed to smithereens.



“RU~U~U~UOOOOOOOON!”



However, they do not end their pursuit.



They continue to try and crush us as if they’re trying to crush bugs.



There’s no hint of mercy in their actions.



Over time, their repetitive onslaughts start wearing us down both physically and mentally.



“Haa…ha…”



My sides hurt and my lungs are screaming.



“Ichinose-san, I know that your body hurts, but please bear with it for now. As for Kiki, make sure you don’t fall of.”



“…”



“Kyu! Kyu!”



I tighten my grip on the hand that is hugging Ichinose-san. Kiki also clings on tightly to my neck to avoid being shaken off.



Momo’s “Shadow Migration” is a movement skill.



We can’t simply hide inside our shadows like Momo.



That being the case, I must hold on.



“RUOOOOOO!”



Not good…!



A Golem picks up some debris from the ground and throws it at us.



“Furu furu!!”



Aka, who was mimicking as my clothes, inflates its size to block against the attack, quickly reducing the velocity of the projectiles that came at us like bullets.



“RUOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!”



“Furu furu.”



The other Golems join in on the barrage of attacks.



Dust can be seen fluttering everywhere, and deafening sounds can be heard from all around us.



Without Aka, we would have become minced meat a long time ago.



Even so…



“Aka! You’ve already done enough! Stop!”



At this rate, Aka will perish.



However,



No!



Aka refuses to retreat.



“Aka!”



Damn it! Damn it! Damn it all!



I deploy as many tetrapods and heavy machinery as I can around us, creating a tall wall.



Before coming here, I had strengthened my Item Box with “Increased Storing Capacity”, “Increased Stored Item Size”, “Increased Effect Range”, “Increased Simultaneous Storage”, and “Increased Simultaneous Removal”.



The wall provides us with only a moment of safety, but I take advantage of that moment to activate a “Ninjutsu”.



“‘Earth Style Ninjutsu’!”



I sink into the ground with Ichinose-san.



Previously, I could only enter the ground by myself with “Earth Style Ninjutsu”, but its effect improved when I leveled up as a Ninja.



I can now travel underground for a longer distance even when I bring someone along with me.



(We need to first get out of here…!)



Momo’s “Shadow Migration” cannot carry over more than one person at the same time.



Unless we’re talking about small creatures like Kiki, one grown-up is the limit.



With that said, we have to go somewhere outside their detection range.



(…Hmm?)



What? I think I just felt something from the direction of the Golems.



Was it from their feet…?



Nonono, I should concentrate on leaving this place.



“Puha.”



We weave around the Golems and escape to an empty nearby building.



It isn’t much, but it will give us some time.



Outside, the Golems are wrecking havoc and destroying all the surrounding structures.



I guess the destruction of the city’s central region is inevitable.



No, things won’t stop there.



At this rate, they will transform the entire town and everything around it into a pile of rubble.



Before that happens, we have to run away from here.



In order to do that, we’ll head to where Rikka-chan is through a clone of Aka who we attached to her.



Group up with them and leave this area.



“Huu… huu… Momo, ‘Shadow Migration’.”



“Kuun…”



“What’s the problem, Momo?”



Why aren’t you activating your shadow?



“Wan…”



Momo raises a sad voice.



“…!”



From that alone, I can guess that something had happened to Rikka-chan.



I look towards the direction of the Shopping District.



There’s an “unpleasant presence” mixed in with the others.



So an abnormal situation occurred over there as well.



Mail…no, what am I even suggesting.



They won’t have time to read Mails if they’re in a perilous situation.



Everything is getting worse and worse.



“Ah, crap… crap…”



What can I do?



What should I do?



What is it that I have to do?



How can we overcome this crisis?



I slam my fist against the wall in frustration.



Please tell me.



How am I meant to survive in this scenario?



A game-like world.



In that case, I want the “answer” to this scenario!



Where’s the walkthrough manual!? Where’s the walkthrough site!?



“Kudou-san…”



Ichinose-san speaks.



Ichinose-san who has finally opened her mouth has a determined expression.



… Did she perhaps come up with a strategy to solve the predicament?



I wait for Ichinose-san’s words like I’m clutching at straws, but what she says completely shatter my expectation.



“Please leave me behind and run away.”



“……Pardon?”



For a moment, I do not comprehend what she said.



What did Ichinose-san suggest just now?



“Momo-chan can’t activate ‘Shadow Migration’ due to the lack of a coordinate, right? Then Kudou-san who has fast legs can escape first and gain some distance. Afterwards, Momo-chan can pick me up using ‘Shadow Migration’.”



A good idea, right? Ichinose-san laughs lightly.



“What… what are you even…”



To leave Ichinose-san here and run away under these circumstances?



Gain some distance?



Nonsense.



The moment I try to do so, she will be caught up in the Golems’ attacks and pass away in no time.



Ichinose-san should also be clear about this.



“I… I’m already at my limit. The recoils from the gun were so strong that I can’t even run properly.”



Ichinose-san confesses whilst hugging her body tightly.



…Of course, I knew that already.



After all, our strategy was formed under those assumptions.



I thought things would work out one way or another.



“That’s why… now that I’m like this, I’ll only drag you down. Kudou-san, you can definitely escape by yourself, so—”



“There’s no way I can do that!”



I shout.



“Ridiculous! Do you understand the meaning behind your own words!? How can you say something so ridiculous in this situation?”



I discard my usually polite tone and stand up.



I am genuinely furious at what she said.



From the beginning, abandoning Ichinose-san wasn’t an option.



It would still make more sense if I become the decoy to earn her time.



Ichinose-san has become that important of an existence to me.



“You’ll die you know! And it’s a guaranteed death! Are you not afraid?”



I glare at Ichinose-san, but she maintains her calm.



She lowers her head for a second in sadness before raising it back up.



Why are you smiling?



“Of course, I’m scared.”



Ichinose-san puts her hand on my chest.



“Of course I’m afraid of dying…”



“Then…!”



“But I’m more afraid of seeing you die, Kudou-san.”



“…!”



“Despite me being a selfish Hiki Komori who has communication issues…and despite throwing up on someone I had just met, he cherished me as a true companion. He expressed anger at my words… So I don’t want to see him die…I’d rather die than see him dead.”



“…”



“I’m surprised myself. To think there will come a day when such a line comes out of my mouth… that’s how important you are to me.”



T-the same goes for me.



I also think of Ichinose-san as—



“So please, Kudou-san. Please leave me behind. It’ll be fine. You know how lucky I am. I’ve hit so many good things with ‘Gatcha’. I’m sure that Lady Luck will stand by my side.”



“There’s no way… that that’s true…”



The items Ichinose-san won through “Gatcha” were truly amazing.



Initially, I also thought it was due to her luck.



But the reality was different.



Ichinose-san wasn’t particularly lucky with the “Gatcha”.



“That’s only because you invested all your points from the level-ups on ‘Gatcha’.”



“…”



Ichinose-san isn’t lucky or anything.



She simply rolled the “Gatcha” dozens, even hundreds of times until she got a hit.



At the expense of everything else, she acquired so many occupations and skills.



There should have been a better option.



But if she allocated her points normally and became stronger normally, she knew that she would never be able to catch up to me who has the skill “Precocious”.



For that reason, she threw the dice each time.



To be with me and Momo. To fight alongside us.



“Ichinose-san, I’m proud to have you as my companion — so I won’t let you die.”



If a bystander listens to our conversation, there’s no doubt that he’d laugh at us.



Our relationship is barely outside of the strangers-zone, and it’s not like we had many conversations together.



Even as we ate meals, we ate silently and finished eating in a few minutes.



Our relationship only amounted to a measly four days.



But so what?



No matter the shape, the times I spent with Ichinose-san were real.



No one is allowed to mock our relationship.



No one.



“And that’s why…”



Think, Kudou Kazuto.



Why did you bother hoarding so many skills?



Of course, it’s to survive, but it isn’t to survive alone.



It’s so that your companions like Ichinose-san does not have to become sacrifices.



Think, and figure out a way out of this like that time with the High Orc.



Think, and figure out a way to save your companion with everything you have like that time with the Dark Wolf.



Do not give up.



Continue searching for other possibilities.



Think about what you can do.



“Ka…huu… huu!”



I immerse myself in a sea of thoughts and turn the gears inside my head to maximum revolution per second.



My body feels so hot that it’s as if my nerves are being fried.



“Skill proficiency has reached a certain threshold.”



“‘Concentration’ has increased from LV 4 to LV5.”



“Skill proficiency has reached a certain threshold.”



“‘Concentration’ has increased from LV 5 to LV6.”



“Skill proficiency has reached a certain threshold.”



“‘Concentration’ has increased from LV 6 to LV7.”



“Certain conditions have been met.”



“You have obtained the skill ‘Calculation Acceleration’.”



“Skill proficiency has reached a certain threshold.”



“‘Calculation Acceleration’ has increased from LV 1 to LV2.”



“Skill proficiency has reached a certain threshold.”



“‘Calculation Acceleration’ has increased from LV 2 to LV3.”



“Skill proficiency has reached a certain threshold.”



“‘Prediction’ has increased from LV 3 to LV4.”



“Skill proficiency has reached a certain threshold.”



“‘Prediction’ has increased from LV 4 to LV5.”



“Skill proficiency has reached a certain threshold.”



“‘Prediction’ has increased from LV 5 to LV6.”



My heart beats rapidly and transfers blood throughout all my body.



I put in some strength on my body.



I have come up with a plan.



Frankly, it will be a gamble.



It will be another round of a poorly-grounded gamble.



My body trembles in fear.



I’ll have to involve the girl who I wish to protect more than anyone else in this life-threatening gamble.



When I arrive at this thought, my hands begin shaking again.



But…



“Ah…”



Heat is transferred to my hands.



Besides me, Ichinose-san is holding my hands.



She simply stares at my eyes without uttering a word.



I make up my mind upon seeing her clear eyes.



“Ichinose-san, I have a bold request.”



I hold her hand tightly.



“Can you entrust your life to me?”



“—-”



Ichinose-san widens her eyes before smiling like a flower.



“Happily.”



An immediate answer.



She didn’t hesitate for even a second.



Hearing her reply, I also decide to follow through with this plan.



“Kudou-san.”



“Yes?”



“Um… Kudou-san looks really cool right now… well, probably.”



“Please say that with more confidence… but thank you.”



“Wan! Wan!”



“Kyu!”



Momo and Kiki laughs in a teasing manner.



Yes.



I won’t let anyone die.



We will all live through this together.



Titan — let’s settle this, once and for all.



No matter how much you try to break our wills, we won’t give up anymore.



“I will now state our strategy. Please listen carefully.”



“Yes!”



“Wan!”



“Kyu!”



“Furu furu.”



Re-energized, we start moving again.



It is time for our final battle, a battle against the unreasonable and a battle for our future.