Published at 22nd of January 2021 10:51:51 PM
Chapter 116
[Collapse of White Line]
When I wake up, I’m lying on the bed in the medical room .
I raise my body and look around . Then I find that quite a few injured are lying in bed like I am .
*Throb* My head and my eyes hurt . Did I collapse due to overusing my ability?
However, even though I used my ability to the limit, I don’t feel that much pain . I feel like I can still use my ability .
That is to say… I have fainted for quite some time, huh .
“Um, excuse me,” I grab a member in charge of medical treatment wandering around the medical room .
“Shion-san, you woke up . ”
“Please tell me about the battle situation . How long has it been since I fainted? …What happened to Getsuri-san?”
Being asked suddenly, the woman in charge of medical treatment looks around restlessly, but then she takes a deep breath and speaks calmly, “As for the battle situation, we have withdrawn to the final defense line currently, and Tameiki-san, Byakurei-san, and the rest of the remaining members are mobilized there .
It’s been about one and a half hour since Shion-san fainted…
Also, Getsuri-san has…”
Seeing the woman in charge of medical treatment looked down, I realize that he had died .
A feeling of emptiness passes through my chest .
He wasn’t a bad person . In that first duel, he tried to kill me, but Getsuri-san just wanted to be recognized…
There was also that time when he saved me .
*Phew* I exhale and get up from bed . Only my jacket was taken off, I still have my shirt on .
At any rate, there’re things I still have to do now . I have no time to mourn Getsuri-san .
“Where is my jacket? I’m going to return to the front . ”
“I’ll prepare it now…!”
———
Final defense line . The entrance to the center of Derrida Village is also widened by the Self-Defense Forces like the one in the underground parking lot .
The elevator only exists on the second basement floor and below, so I must use the stairs to get up to the first basement floor .
The central doorway and passage are wide and suitable for battle .
However, the widened doorway is currently completely blocked by Byakurei-san’s five-sided expansion of ‘Room Impair’
Having grasped the situation so far by sensing the sound, I walk in the corridor quickly and head for the central doorway .
The fact that this situation is still continuing means that no ally reinforcements have come for more than two and a half hours .
Looking overhead, I notice that the number of lamps is limited .
It seems that the electricity supply from Derrida was cut off and the inside of the hideout was switched to the standby power supply .
It’s not a favorable situation .
When I arrive at the central doorway, there is a crowd of surviving members .
Pushing my way through the crowd, I come to the front .
“Shion, are you okay already?”
“Ahh . ”
There is Roll in the front .
Looking around, there is Byakurei-san who’s stretching out his hands and constantly deploys his abilities, Tameiki-san standing next to him, and even the others such as Kemuri-san and Face Punch-san, all the forces of the hideout are gathered here .
What I see beyond the doorway across the invisible wall of the Room Impair is the army of the SDF . I don’t know how many of them are from here, but it seems that there are still quite a number of them left .
The battle is in a stalemate due to Byakurei-san’s ability . Earning us some precious time .
“It seems the reinforcements haven’t arrived yet . ”
“Yeah . ”
As I thought, huh . That means that neither Boss nor Shido-san here yet .
“Um… Shion? No, it’s nothing,” Roll tries to say something, but stop .
I think for a moment, and I somehow understand what she wanted to say .
“…It’s a pity about Getsuri-san . ”
He died as a result of saving Roll . Although it doesn’t appear on her face, Roll is surely pained .
“Yes…
…Getsuri left behind some words for Shion . ”
Roll hesitates to speak . I nod and wait for her to continue her words .
“Shitty bastard, don’t let my angel die… so he said . ”
I involuntarily shut up .
‘Don’t let my angel die’, huh .
I understand the reason why Roll hesitated to speak . She must be unwilling to convey that by herself .
Perhaps that’s exactly what Getsuri-san wanted to tell to Roll .
That person… seemed to understand my true nature after all .
There was that time when Getsuri-san told me that I was the type who only received the feelings of others and survived alone . (TN: Meaning he only took other’s feeling without reciprocating them, I guess . )
I think he was right . Even now, I think anything’s fine as long as I survive at least .
And I don’t think that’s strange .
Certainly, I felt pity for Getsuri-san . However, protecting others at the expense of myself… I don’t call it hypocrisy, but I think that way of life is wrong .
Roll also said these when we first met .
That even though we just became partners, she would bet her life on my behalf . That even if her best friend and I were to be put on a scale; she would choose me .
In Anonymous, there are occasionally members who die while protecting newcomers who have just entered .
Like Hakunetsu-san and Kuroinu-san .
Of course, I respect the two who protected me and died, and when I remember it, it still brings me to tears even now .
But they seemed protected me with all their might . I don’t think I would ever understand it .
“…that so . ”
If it’s a normal man, he would probably say “I won’t let you die” even if it’s a lie .
Well, I don’t think I’ll just watch her die, and if possible, it’s better if no one died .
If possible, I want to protect people .
Just that, when in front of real possibility of dying, I’m not confident that I will prioritize others over myself .
That was why I avoided Roll’s eyes and could only reply in an evasive manner .
“I wonder what will happen,” Roll says after a while .
The anxiety of the surviving members is visible .
There’s no reinforcement even after two and a half hours . In addition, Boss and Shido-san have not returned .
It can’t be helped that they got anxious .
…By the way, I have something I want to say to Kemuri-san .
Remembering that, I walk up to Kemuri-san and call his name .
“What is it, Shion?” My eyes meet with that of Kemuri-san’s who turned to me and said so .
“Why didn’t you give a proper command a while ago? If it’s Kemuri-san, you should be able to determine the timing of withdrawal . ”
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Earlier, Kemuri-san was just standing on the sidelines of the battle, and only gave instructions for the first assault and withdrawal .
Even those weren’t appropriate instructions .
If we had withdrawn earlier, or if we were placed in the parking lot instead of the passage, we wouldn’t have had such a dangerous battle and there would be fewer casualties .
I almost died then .
I know that gazes are gathering on me . The place is a little frozen .
Anyone would hesitate to question the commander, in this case Kemuri-san, because they are afraid of lowering the morale . That’s why even I wouldn’t normally question him, but this time is different .
“That is, you see . ”
“Yes?”
“Because I think of you all as sacrificial pawns . ”
“…………” I become speechless reflexively .
Wouldn’t saying such a thing lower the moral? Thinking so, I look at the surrounding members, but very few responded in the same way as I did .
I see . This is a gathering of that kind of people .
Even though they are working to kill people, they could easily bet their lives on behalf of someone and the organization . Only I have different values … I feel like I’m out of place .
“It was for victory . ”
“……I understand,” Being told that, I can’t say anything .
I bow down and step back .
Kemuri-san’s reply was not the answer to my question, but they were effective words to silence me .
There is no merit even if I doggedly oppose him here . The enemy is before us .
“Just right . Shion, since you’ve come back, move on to the next strategy,” Having said that, he calls up four people, Utsusemi-san, Tameiki-san, Face Punch-san, and Sen . There are five people including me .
We are brought by Kemuri-san and go out behind the crowd .
“What is the next strategy…?”
“We are able to attract the enemy completely, but the arrival of reinforcements is delayed . The current difference in forces is overwhelming .
So, I think we should just pincer attack them just by ourselves . ”
I see . So that’s why he called the members with high firepower . It’s a mystery why I’m included though .
If there is Face Punch-san, we can wipe out units of 100 people .
“How do we get behind the enemies?” Face Punch-san says .
“We’ll use the evacuation exit to get out . If there is Shion, the enemies will not hear the sound of the blast . In addition to this member, I will also bring Chiyaku . ”
Is that the case? However, in that case, Utsusemi-san can also do it .
I wonder if Kemuri-san doesn’t know that Utsusemi-san has stocked up my Sound Control ability .
…Well, I don’t need to say it . If I can go to the surface, I want to go .
That’s because I’m going to secretly call Renga . Well, if we’re going to do a pincer attack, Renga wouldn’t be a hindrance even if I call him, right…?
“It’s finally my turn, huh,” Sen who is in a suit that really good on her says . She has received the (animal) training of Chiyaku-san and is a member of Anonymous completely now .
“Kemuri-san, can I call Renga?”
“Ahh, I want you to do that . ”
“So, from where are we going to get out, Kemuri?”
“Second evacuation exit . Since it’ll be hard for the enemies to notice it if we go out from inside the forest,” Kemuri-san answers Tameiki-san question .
Second exit, huh . Most of the evacuation exits have been crushed due to the withdrawal, but the one in the perfect place still remains, huh .
“I’ll leave my clone here,” The white smoke that came out of Kemuri-san’s body sways and form a human body, and a new clone appears .
“Let’s go right away . ”
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We follow Kemuri-san who starts walking after saying that .
To get to the second evacuation exit, we have to go down to the second basement floor, go all the way through a passage from there, and by activating the detonator at the end of the passage, we can break out to the surface .
“Oi, wait a sec, Kemuri . Aren’t these members overpowered? If we’re going to do a pincer attack, it’s better if some stay here,” When we get down to the second basement floor, Utsusemi-san unusually said something reasonable .
“Is that so?” It is unusual for Kemuri-san to answer a question with a question .
Utsusemi-san shrugs his shoulders .
“In addition to these members, there is Chiyaku, isn’t it obviously overpowered?”
“Rather, I think it’s not enough you know . I haven’t told the others, but the enemies’ forces on the surface is quite considerable . ”
“Hee~, looks like I’ll be able to blow off some steam,” Face Punch-san says .
“How many of them are there?”
“Well, you’ll know it when we get up,” Kemuri-san evades the question . There must be quite a lot of them .
I feel a slight sense of despair .
“Shion, are you scared?” Tameiki-san who is walking in front of me says .
If asked whether it’s scary or not, I’d say it’s a little scary .
But there no other choice but to do it .
“Not at…” When I try to put on airs, Tameiki-san put her hand on my head .
“Don’t worry . I’ll protect you,” Tameiki-san lifts up the corner of her mouth and smiles a little . That makes me very relieved .
Should be fine . There is Tameiki-san .
When I think so, some of my fear faded away naturally .
When we reach the end of the central corridor on the second basement floor, we join up with Chiyaku-san there .
Chiyaku-san will follow as a medical staff .
She has a large medic kit in her hand and probably in case she has to fight, she is carrying a backpack that is probably filled with her own blood .
“Alright, let’s go . Shion, get ready . ”
“Yes,” Being told so, I silence the sounds in the surrounding .
Seeing that I nodded, Kemuri-san operates the detonator on the wall and activate it .
*Bang* There is a blast, but the sound is silenced .
After a while, Kemuri-san turns the handle of the watertight door installed at the end of the corridor multiple times . Then the door opens heavily with a squeak .
There is a dust cloud inside, but light from the surface is piercing it .
“Tameiki, please,” Tameiki-san silently nods, proceeds to inside of the open door, and floats slowly, going up to the surface ahead .
“Go on,” Kemuri-san says, this time I, who is close to the door, goes inside .
Then my body floats and rises to the ground .
I see, Tameiki-san is manipulating the gravity .
When I come out of the hole to the ground, I’m gently lowered to the ground .
Having landed, I look around, there are vegetation spreading all over my field of view in the forest facing Derrida Village .
Looking back, the members are popping out one after another from the hole .
When everyone is gathered, Kemuri-san gives the signal to proceed .
We proceed in line in the direction of Derrida Village inside the woods .
“It sure is quiet . ”
“Whaaat . It’s going to be filled with screams soon . ”
It’s certainly quiet .
And there is something else, the way I hear the sounds is a little strange . I wonder what this discomfort is . Is the enemy using some kind of wide-range ability?
Only the chirping of birds and the rustling of trees can be heard constantly .
I proceed while thinking there is suspicious .
Let’s confirm the position of the enemies for the time being – thinking so, I expand the sound detection to search for the enemies .
However, the number of enemies that I can detect is small .
They are certainly packed in the vicinity of the center of the hideout, but their number isn’t as threating as Kemuri-san made it out to be .
Is it a detection-jamming ability…?
If that’s the case, it would be troublesome .
We eventually stop when we are about to reach the village .
Because we walked from the depths of the mountain, we are in a position where we can overlook the village .
However, we are astonished there .
“…”
“What the heck does this mean?”
I can hardly see the figures of the enemies .
The number of enemies gathered near the hideout is 200… No, there’s less than that? Anyway, there are only a few of them .
It’s different from what we heard .
While thinking about that, I remember that I have to Renga .
I immediately send out a sound and try to call Renga .
—But .
The sound can’t reach out .
If I just sending out a send instead of listening, I’m quite confident in the distance I can reach .
However, the sound I sent out was stopped within a radius of about 2 kilometers .
Why……?
I ponder about it . Strange . It’s as if the sound has lost its destination… it’s as if it’s going back and forth in place…
This is like…
“Oi, this is…” It seems that Utsusemi-san who is standing next to me also notice it, as he knit his eyebrows .
“…It’s like Shido-san’s, Infinite Corridor,” I involuntarily say it .
It’s at that moment that white smoke wraps my body .
At the same time, Utsusemi-san kicks my body .
*Goro goro* Having rolled over and hit a tree beyond, I immediately stand up .
Then, I see Kemuri-san holding a knife stands in the place where I was before .
His body is still slightly covered with white smoke .
…It’s a clone .
I move my gaze .
There, Face Punch-san is struck by Kemuri-san’s knife on the back of his neck with his eyes wide open .
I move my gaze .
Utsusemi-san is holding down Kemuri-san’s clone on the spot and staring in another direction .
I follow his line of sight .
There, is the figure of Tameiki-san who is struck by the knife of Kemuri-san in the pit of her stomach and vomiting blood while standing .