CH 80.1

“––Why did you jump out at that time?” (Noa)

On the night we were invited to the Xolotl tribe’s fortress. Noa suddenly asked me why I had jumped out, as I had promised, or rather, she asked me to explain why I had saved Makko.

“Oh, no, I’m not blaming you. Though, I should blame you for putting all of us in danger by acting on your own.” (Noa)

“My bad. My bad.” (Shuu)

Kure was taking a bath, the twins were looking for something to eat, and Giran and the Xolotls had something else to talk about. Tamiko was snoring on top of my thigh.

“At that time, Makko said ‘Run’, didn’t she? You should have known the strength of the Jaguar Golem, so why did you help her?” (Noa)

“Well, erm…” (Shuu)

How should I answer that question? I searched my mind for the right words.

“I was going to stay out of it at first, and not I let my companions die. …But right before the jaguar hit her, I looked at Makko and she almost said, ‘Help’, but she swallowed it and said, ‘Run’. I didn’t check with her, but that’s what it sounded like to me.” (Shuu)

“I didn’t notice.” (Noa)

“For some reason, when I was almost about to die, I often said those words. I would have been desperate to ask for help. What’s with her magnanimity? Compassion (apparently she’s female) I could feel all that.” (Shuu)

“I-in that instant?” (Noa)

“Oh, no… Technically, I had already jumped out when I thought that.” (Shuu)

“So, even if Makko just said ‘Help’, you would have helped her, right?” (Noa)

“Well… maybe…” (Shuu)

Noa chuckled.

“No, but come on… I think it’s kind of strange for me. I think it was hypocritical. An actual hero would have come to their rescue much earlier… But then again, I would have involved my friends. It’s like I’m halfway there.” (Shuu)

Noa shook her head lightly.

“But that’s also very like Mr. Shuu, isn’t it?” (Noa)

Her slender fingers poked Tamiko’s stomach She laughed again when she saw Tamiko’s twitching.

I didn’t tell her.

I had felt an overlap with Makko, who had mumbled, “Run”. I later realized that this was the same as Noa, when she had she first met us in Outsuka Metro.

As expected, I don’t think she knew that. But she put her hand on top of mine and gave a small nod.

“No matter what anyone says… Mr. Shuu has been my hero ever since we first met.” (Noa)

“Ooooooooo!” (Shuu)

That hero is now clinging to the six-armed beautiful demon with so much tension is having a runny nose.

The hero continues to deliver slashes from the left and right, flanked by Giran. The four rays of light drawn by [Light Blade] are blocked by the three black fogs, and each time a particle of light is shaved off. It is the same with the red blade wielded by Giran.

“Ha-ha-ha! That is amazing, wonderful! Both of your breathing are perfectly in sync!” (Arato)

Simultaneous pincer attack of two level 70. Even as she completely blocked all our blows, she still had room to laugh.

(Damn it!) (Shuu)

(I can’t make a hit!) (Shuu)

(What’s going on!?) (Shuu)

The speed of her hands moving is unbelievable, but the brain that can handle it is also unbelievable. I wonder how many of the latest CPUs are capable of such processing.

Moreover, her left and right eyes are moving independently the like a chameleon. What is this? Is she some kind of martial arts master?

Light flashes and scatters. The sound of a hard collision that never ceases.

The weight of reality transmitted to my hands. The pain that gradually constricts my lungs.

“Kuu… aaaaah!” (Shuu)

The heat builds up in my brain to the point where the fog seems to turn to steam.

But still, it does not reach.

Her bones are just a few centimeters away, even her skin just a few millimeters away, seems hopelessly far away.

—No, the margin is only a facade. Just to survive such an onslaught must be more exhausting than it appears. Perhaps. I hope so.

“Then this time, it’s my turn!” (Arato)

“Of course (I might die).” (Shuu & Giran)

After knocking the two of us at once, Arato puts both hands on the ground.

“Dodge!” (Giran)

Giran shouts, and at the same time, I leaped backward. At the spot where Giran and I were standing, several white stakes broke through the ground. If I had been one step slower, I would have been covered in holes.

“Well, how about this?” (Arato)

The six arms that had let go of their [Katana] folded their fingers inward. It is a familiar form.

The first thing I do is throw [Fireball] and [Thunderball] at the same time. But before they reach the target, they are shot down by a white line and exploded in mid-air. Those are Arato’s [White Bullet].

Then, the six-armed machine gun, which surpasses my four-armed machine gun, showered us with bullets.

“Ohhhhhhh!” (Shuu)

I can no longer stay on my feet. But then, I almost stumble forward and rush to take shelter behind [Great Shield].

“Hyaha! I’ll turn it into a honeycomb!” (Arato)

Aimed and shot by a beautiful woman in a good mood. Gah! The impact echoes through the [Great Shield] as if my entire body is being punched. It is clad in [Light Blade], but at this rate it will surely be shot through.

—At that moment, the [Sensory Spores] catches an unexpected behavior.

(… Are you still alive!?) (Shuu)

I didn’t look in that direction, but a small smile appeared on the corner of my lips.

I threw myself off the shield and jump and threw a hypha ball like a great pitcher.

The ball is released not in a straight line but in an arc, but it is shot down before it reaches Arato.

A large amount of smoke is then dispersed. It’s a [Smoke Ball].

“Match!” (Shuu)

Shouting, I dived, using [Leaping] into the smoke. I switched to the [Katana] + [Light Blade] four-sword style again, and cut into Arato in the depths of the gray fog.

“Oops! I can’t see very well!” (Arato)

She moved her eyes separately to recognize the two pincer attack. Unlike me, who accurately catches enemy form even in smoke, she does not seem to have anything similar to [Sensory Spores].

“Ooh!” (Shuu)

I finally gained one advantage—that was a time when I thought so too.

Even with this poor visibility, Arato still manages to survive the barrage of blows I throw whole-heartedly. Her defensive power was so strong that I could feel her dogged determination to not let even a single shot graze her.

But even so—My spirit slightly surpasses him. Even as the black blades grazed his face and body, he roared like a beast and lunged forward.

Arato’s back pops out of the gray cloud. I had already noticed who was waiting for her.