CHAPTER 6 – THE WAY WE POWERLESS BEINGS FIGHTPART 02
It turned out to be a terrifying ride…
I felt like I’d just alighted from a nausea-inducing, human-sized roller coaster. However, we’d reached Ziz Village in a third of the time it took us to make the initial trip.
Iris and I rested up at the temple while we waited for Tetra to gather all the villagers. I would need their help to accomplish my plan.
Slowly, groups of villagers started to stream into the temple behind Tetra.
“That’s everybody.”
“Thanks, Tetra.”
There were about 50 men and women gathered here in this large plaza, decorated solely with the coffin and goddess statue. There were some old people, and some young ones too… but everyone seemed to wear the same bored expression on their faces.
It felt like they were only gathered here because they were asked to do so. In fact, they resembled a bunch of school students during morning assembly, too busy staving off sleep. Just like me, who never bothered listening to anything the principal said during those times.
However, I needed these people to listen now.
“Erm, sorry to make everyone gather here so suddenly like this.”
“……”
Nobody responded to my awkward announcement.
Undeterred, I continued.
“I think everybody already knows that the ‘Monster of Haishin’ is raging right behind the sealed door now. Lea… or one of my comrades, needs to eat something soon if she wants to continue fighting.”
“……”
Nobody said anything in response. Some had turned to their neighbors, and were chatting with them.
“If the ‘Monster’ escapes from the sealed space, then he will surely destroy this world. So please, lend me your strength. I need your help.”
I gave a deep bow to emphasize my words.
Still no answer came.
Was I not sincere enough? Or did I botch up my explanation? In any case, things looked really bad.
Tetra had said that anything that was placed into the coffin would increase infinitely, but the rate at which that happened would depend on the number of people praying. Furthermore, only the villagers were able to make this work. If I couldn’t get their help, I’d never be able to gather enough of the item I needed to defeat Bahamut.
Just as I opened my mouth to plead again, Tetra stepped before me.
“Tetra?”
“Leave this to Tetra, Rekka-san.”
With that, Tetra steeled her expression and turned to the villagers.
“Everyone, please listen. From today, all of us are dismissed from our duties as guardians. That means that everyone is no longer allowed to utilize the gifts given to us by the gods.”
A commotion gradually spread through the silent crowd.
Gifts from the gods. She must have meant the artificial glow lighting up the village, and the coffin which could give them limitless items… If they were no longer allowed to use these items, it could very well spell doom for the villagers.
“How do you know we’re dismissed from our duties!?”
A sharp voice rang out from the crowd.
“That’s the conclusion Tetra arrived at after piecing together clues from all the scattered legends.”
“That’s a lie!”
“It’s not a lie.”
The villagers were getting agitated, but Tetra rebuffed all accusations in a calm voice.
“Is there anyone here who has examined the written works and legends about the village more than Tetra?”
Nobody dared to answer that question.
“Tetra is speaking the truth. Today, Rekka-san will defeat the ‘Monster of Haishin’, and our job as guardians will be over… Thus, we need to look for a new path towards the future… A path that allows all of us to survive.”
Silence fell over the plaza. It was clear that no one knew what to say.
These people, who had lived all their lives dependent on the gifts from the gods, were now being told to survive without any of those benefits… If I were one of them, I would probably be speechless too.
“…Then maybe we shouldn’t defeat the ‘Monster’?”
Someone suggested in a whisper.
Maybe that was what everyone in the crowd was thinking.
But,
“…That is nonsense!”
Tetra whirled and shouted towards the source of the voice.
“If the ‘Monster’ escapes, this village and the world above will all be destroyed!! Have you not been listening? If that’s what you really feel, then all of you are the worst!!”
Her shouts echoed through the plaza.
“Is everyone really happy like this? Living in this place with no suffering, but also no happiness. Doesn’t everyone feel a little sorrowful? Our lives had always been planned out by the gods, but today, we’ll finally have the chance to make a choice!”
Tetra’s voice was firm as she continued to reach out.
“…If we all stand together, we can overcome any new challenges, and this laziness which has beseiged us for millions of years. So please… stand up and fight! Fight against the ‘Monster’! Fight against ourselves!”
Tetra must have wanted to speak these words to the villagers for the longest time…
“…Tell us what to do, Tetra-sama.”
…And it seemed like her words had finally moved the villagers.
“Thank you, everyone.”
Bowing to the crowd, Tetra returned to my side.
“Rekka-san.”
“Yeah.”
I nodded and reached into my pocket, retrieving the plastic bag which contained Tsumiki’s cooking — the Dark Matter.
“First, let’s make more of these with everyone’s help. And then…”
After explaining the basics of our battle plan to the villagers, I whispered a “Thank you” to Tetra.
With her help, we were ready for battle.
Now, it was just a matter of giving it our best shot.