Published at 5th of February 2021 08:19:42 PM
Chapter 120
Collapse of Soul]
When fighting Shido-san, the most important thing to watch out for is the distance .
Even though I think we should get away from here, that is not possible .
Holding down my shoulder that was stabbed by the blood blade, I adjust my breath .
…The situation cannot be overturned anymore . If Chiyaku-san puts just a little bit of effort into it, both Roll and I will die .
I turn my head around, putting the three people behind me in my sight while trying to suppress my palpitation .
Is there a way to get out of this situation?
“Shido, don’t push yourself… Leave this to me,” Chiyaku-san supports Shido-san who is getting up staggeringly .
Shido-san seems to be quite exhausted, why …?
…Perhaps she became like that because she used Infinite Corridor to her limit .
The range was also quite wide, unlike before .
“Chiyaku… don’t intervene… I will… take care of this…”
“……Got it,” Chiyaku-san takes a step back after saying that .
On the other hand, Shido-san steps forward toward Roll .
Even though it is summer, she is wearing a coat that looked hot as usual .
Chiyaku-san doesn’t move . Instead, she moves the blood lurking in my shoulders a little and restrains me .
It means, don’t do anything .
It feels like my wound is being gouged .
I clench my teeth and endure the pain .
“Shido-san… why…” Roll faces Shido-san and squeezes out her voice .
Shido-san is silent for a while, but eventually opens her mouth .
“…Roll . I truly feel guilty to you…”
“…………”
“But this… was decided… from the very beginning . ”
Kemuri-san said the same thing .
What was decided from the beginning ……?
Does that mean that Kemuri-san, Chiyaku-san, and Shido-san were going to turn traitor from the beginning?
The common points among these three people are that they are executives and that they can be involved with Observer .
But, isn’t Chiyaku-san not included in the latter point…?
No, that’s right . The reason I thought Observer is a human being was because Chiyaku-san was doing regular maintenance to it .
If it’s as I guess, that Observer is that ‘brain-like thing’, it should have parts that only a doctor like Chiyaku-san can deal with .
Even though she didn’t use Observer directly, she did examine it .
“…It was decided that Shido-san and the others would betray the organization…?” Roll says .
I also thought a lot about it, but Shido-san’s following words should give the answer .
But deep down, something like that doesn’t concern me .
Whatever the reason, these two are enemies .
And even if the truth is told, what will happen to us after that?
Of course, we will be killed .
Surely, telling the truth is Shido-san’s way to atone to Roll .
It’s convenient for me because such a shit-like atonement is buying us time though .
“That is…”
“Shido,” Chiyaku-san called her name .
Immediately, Shido-san evades backwards .
*Bang* A small crater appear at the spot where she was .
I immediately look up at the sky . The who is there is Utsusemi-san .
He gets down and stand in front of Roll with a *tap* and puts his hand on the sword on his waist .
“Utsusemi…”
“Hey Shido, Chiyaku . It sure been a while since this me have met you . I am glad that you look well . ”
Utusemi-san . He noticed it after all, huh . Firing that Sound-Shot was correct .
I didn’t notice Utsusemi-san approaching because I was minimizing the sound’s detection .
If I could deploy the Silent World even for a moment, I can change this battle situation with Distortion Sound .
With that in mind, I was trying to restore my stamina as much as possible .
However, it seems that it is not necessary .
Utsusemi made it in time anyway, and the surviving members, led by Byakurei, is running here from the central entrance .
Shido-san’s ability does not activate .
She probably doesn’t have enough stamina left .
A total of 18 members gathers in the plaza so as to surround them .
Everyone is ready for battle . Byakurei is taking a stance with his extrlong sword, and Kaysan is aiming with a fire bow . Matching them, I also narrow the distance a little .
Chiyaku-san should be able to kill me and Roll whenever she wants to, but she doesn’t seem intending to do that .
That’s natural . If she kills me and Roll in this situation, it will be the signal to begin this battle .
This difference in numbers . This is undoubtedly not a battle they can win .
Chiyaku-san, who is a little away from Shido-san, closes their distance .
“Chiyaku… can I leave Utsusemi to you?”
“Ahh . ”
Seeing that nod, we prepare for battle .
Everyone keeps an equal sense of distance from them .
It is obvious that Shido-san is exhausted . But she is by no means an opponent we can let our guard down against .
These two could be called ‘the strongest’ in Anonymous respectively .
It seems that many people didn’t know that Chiyaku-san could fight, but that’s not the case now .
The reason is that she is restraining that Utsusemi-san with her killing intent, and she is emitting an air such that no one is able to move .
“Do you want to change the place? Chiyaku,” Utsusemi-san says .
Chiyaku-san glances at Shido-san . I can only see their backs from my position, but I know they exchange glances .
“…It’s fine, Chiyaku . Go . ”
“…See you later, Shido . ”
“Yes, let us meet again in hell . ”
Chiyaku-san throws the backpack at her feet high up in the sky .
“Come, Utsusemi . ”
What cut through her backpack is her blood blade . A large amount of blood diffuses and converges from the ruptured backpack . The mass of blood falls to the ground due to gravity for a moment, but then soars vigorously .
Chiyaku-san also takes off as if to chase after it . Using the blood floating in the air as a foothold, Chiyaku-san escapes from the siege and flies ahead .
Utsusemi-san happily follows after her .
The one left is Shido-san . And we are besieging her alone .
The silence continues .
With an air as if she is no longer waiting for the continuation of the answer, Roll is silent .
However, as a result, Byakurei-san returns the topic .
“Shido… What is your purpose . Why are you guys doing this?”
I’m already tired of hearing that word .
It’s not worth worrying about, just kill her quickly . She is quite weak now . Perhaps she doesn’t even have the power to swing a knife .
She should be barely standing .
But I couldn’t open my mouth .
Just like Roll, Byakurei-san may have various questions and feelings swirling in his head .
What I can do is to get Shido-san in my range to insure she can’t use her ability .
I take a step forward . Shido-san should be aware of my movement, but she doesn’t use her ability .
“Roll . ”
Ignoring Byakurei-san’s question, Shido-san calls Roll’s name .
“Shido-san…”
“I thought of you as my real daughter,” Shido-san puts her hand on the button of her coat .
While doing that, she takes out a lighter from her pocket with her other hand .
“…Hah, hah,” She seems to be unable to stand at last, as she kneels on the spot with a thud .
At the same time, her coat comes off .
*Thud* a heavy sound echoes after her coat fell to the ground .
When I turn my gaze to it, a large amount of explosive is set inside the coat .
Without any time for us to be surprised, Shido-san lit the lighter in her left hand with a snap .
“It’s dangerous…”
Anyone knows what will happen in this situation .
With that number of explosives, we will surely get swallowed up in the explosion in this distance .
No, no matter how far we are, with Shido-san’s ability, the explosion will reach us .
We only got about 1 second to act .
The battle sound of Chiyaku-san and Utsusemi-san is ringing in the distance .
The situation is so inevitable that I turned my attention to such an insignificant thing .
Dammit, what to do…!
At the next moment, most people turn their back and start running .
Shido-san ignites the conducting wire .
“Everything is for him…”
She mutters something, but I have no time to worry about it .
I scream at once .
“Byakurei-san!”
With Byakurei-san’s Room Impair, it should be possible to defend against the explosion .
“I know……!”
Can he make it in time…!?
Suddenly, I find Roll standing at the edge of my field of vision .
“Roll!”
Why are you spacing out…!
I stop my legs and try to go there, but given the distance, I shouldn’t be able to make it .
Roll is on the other side of Shido-san .
“Roll! Move!” I call out .
She doesn’t move . Immediately after .
Bang!
Such an explosion occurs . I close my eyes .
Due to the blast, I’m blown backwards .
Hitting a crumbling wooden house, I cough out a mouthful of blood .
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However, it’s not a big deal .
I wonder if Byakurei-san managed to use the Room Impair in time .
When the blast and its rumbling subside, I slowly open my eyes .
A gruesome scene spread out there .
Those who hit the wall and dead, scattering about in pieces of meat .
A crater has been created the center of the place where Shido-san was . However, there are three directions where the ground is not scraped .
Suddenly, the rubbles next to me is lifted up, and Byakurei-san appears from it .
“…Sorry . I could only protect two sides . ”
You’re kidding me… That means everyone else is… Roll is …
I somehow raise my severely hurt body and proceed to the epicenter where Shido-san was while dragging my legs .
I overlook the area around restlessly . The houses in the village are on fire .
I expand sound detection .
I can only hear three heartbeats save for mine and Byakurei-san’s .
When I trace one of the heartbeats and shift my gaze, I find Hikisaki-san there .
And, in the immediate vicinity is Roll who has fallen on her butt in a daze .
I see, Hikisaki-san changed the direction of the explosion with his ability .
However, because of that, his opposite direction had become disastrous . The people who were there were annihilated .
Well, he had no other choice to survive, I guess .
I hold my shoulder and drag my legs to the roll .
*Rattling* Kaysan appears from the collapsed house next to me .
“Cough, cough… Fuck, fuck!”
There is no noticeable injury on her . Are these five people the only ones who survived?
When I thought so, a naked Sen appears from a burning house this time .
“It was really scary just now…”
Right, she is immortal .
That means, the ones who survived are these six, huh . Next is up to the result of the battle between Utsusemi-san and Chiyaku-san .
Eventually, I reach Roll’s side .
Hikisaki-san, who is standing about five or six meters away, is holding half of his face with his left hand .
Probably, he regrets having killed many members to protect himself .
“What happened was inevitable . ”
I don’t know if such encouragement will give him a peace of mind, but I told Hikisaki-san what I thought .
“Roll, can you stand?” Standing in front of her, I reach out my hand to her .
Roll stares at the place where Shido-san was and mutters,
“Shido-san… why…”
Having seen that, I pull Roll’s hand and force her to stand up, and seriously hit her on the cheek .
Due to my punch, Roll falls over the ground again .
“…You wanna die?” She glares at me .
“That’s my line . You want to die?”
After I said that, Byakurei rushes over and cut in between me and Roll .
“Oi, stop it, Shion . ”
“Byakurei-san… Please move away . There is something I have to say to Roll . ”
“Even so, you shouldn’t have hit her . Why are you fighting in this sort of situation?”
“It is exactly because the situation is like this . Given the circumstances, Anonymous is over . But even so, Roll and I are still partners . ”
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It was also because she is my partner that I chose her when I was going to the surface . I trusted her .
Byakurei-san looks into my eyes for a while, but as if he has got my intention, he draws out from between me and Roll .
Roll is hanging her head and saying nothing . I take a step and say,
“We are not very good partners, are we?”
“…You’re right,” Her cheek is red and swollen . It can’t be helped, since I hit her seriously .
“But, didn’t you tell me when we first met? About what partners are supposed to be in Anonymous . ”
“…Yeah . ”
I tried my best, but I was convinced that I couldn’t meet Roll’s expectation .
Because I don’t have the confidence to risk my life to protect Roll .
But even so, I’m confident that I will choose Roll without hesitation when she is put on a scale with someone else .
Even if she had mentally prepared herself, it was unavoidable that she couldn’t act when she was faced with that kind of situation .
I also have experienced something like that .
“……Sorry . ”
I’m not asking for an apology .
I’m just playing innocent . But I have one thing I want to say .
If we were to continue to act as partners hereafter, I have one thing I want only Roll to know .
“If you die, that will be the end of it . ”
Not good . I also can’t say what I want to say . I wanted to convey it in a way that was easier to understand and better organized . At this rate, she wouldn’t know what I’m talking about .
While I’m thinking about the next words with my mouth half-opened, tears overflow from Roll’s eyes .
I abandon the words I was thinking about and reach out to Roll .
“…Can you stand?”
“……Un,” Roll grabs my outstretched hand and stand up .
Then, she begins to cry loudly .
Perhaps Roll was pushing herself to the limit .
She is a kind person after all, and she has been in this organization for all this time, so she probably became mentally weak and unable to come to terms with the situation .
I want to hug her, but this is not the time for that .
We have to escape from here .
In the distance, the battle between Utsusemi-san and Chiyaku-san continues . But he probably doesn’t need a support .
“By the way, where is Boss?”
Suddenly, Hikisaki-san says as if it just comes to his mind .
I also completely forgot about Boss’ existence because of the urgent situation .
That’s right . Boss hasn’t returned even though Shido-san’s Infinite Corridor has been unraveled .
Why .
Just as that question came to my mind .
“It’s a good time, huh . ”
It was Boss’ voice .
We look back at that voice .
At the same time as I was surprised, a new question emerged in my head .
Looking back, the one who is there is certainly Boss .
He is quietly standing as though he is there from the beginning .
However, the figure of Boss wearing a jet-black coat and the trademark strange mask, is not there .
“Why……”
What we see there is Boss dressed in white military uniform with three stars shining on his chest .