Chapter 79: What I Wanted to Show
Jin and the others are gathered at the west entrance in anticipation of the finals. Every face is tense with tension. The final match was against Ren's team, a team they had never expected. Each of them had mixed feelings about the result.
If it had been Yuya's team, they would have sworn to win and been elated, but the atmosphere was not like that. There was a feeling of uneasiness that was hard to explain. Jin and his team had repeated meetings many times in an attempt to drown out such feelings.
"In any case, don't be deceived by illusions."
"Yeah"
"Beware of surprise attacks hidden in illusions."
"Yeah"
"Don't carelessly enter the illusion"
"Yeah... I already know. Keep your distance from the illusion. If they get close to the pole, Jin will go in to eliminate them. In that case, I will also protect the pole."
With a displeased look on his face, Akira uttered the words that Jin had told him over and over again. He is fed up, but thanks to that, he seems to have loosened up a little.
"That's good."
"That's enough to prevent it? That Kisaragi was stopped, you know?"
"That's……"
He was thinking about countering Ren's fighting style using illusions, but it was trickier than he had thought. The enemy can hide behind illusions and act behind them. That is more of a problem than anything else.
To put it in an extreme way, if the illusion surrounds you, you will not know where the attack will come from and it is unlikely that you will be able to defend against it.
Then, even if you think about keeping a distance, if you carelessly enter the illusion, you will end up repeating Yuya's mistake.
"It's the kind of tactic I'd expect from that guy."
Riko mutters hatefully.
"Yeah, that's right."
"Eh?"
It wasn't the members' voices that agreed with Riko's words.
"He's really cowardly."
"...Kisaragi-kun, why are you here?"
"As an apology for not being able to fight"
"Heh"
Yuya also has this disciplined side. Riko is a little impressed to learn this.
"Jin, I'm sorry. I fell for such a silly plan."
"……Yeah"
"Watch out for pitfalls"
"Pitfall?"
"I fell into it. I couldn't see my feet because of the shadow, and then suddenly there was a hole."
"When did he do that?"
"I don't know. The referee will investigate what kind of cowardly trick he used. Depending on that, we'll have to redo the final match with Jin."
"……I see"
Jin knows there will be no rematch. But he also knows that saying it now would get him into trouble.
"If you don't let your guard down, Jin will win easily."
"I'm not going to let my guard down"
"He moves a little too fast, so watch out for that."
"A little, you mean he can follow your moves?
"...That's not my full power"
"I see"
Jin wasn't stupid enough to accept Yuya's bravado. Jin's expression stiffened as he thought how threatening it would be for Ren to be able to keep up with Yuya's speed, which had overwhelmed him in the previous battle.
"Anyway, do your best. My rival is Jin, you're the only one."
"……Yeah"
Whether he should be happy with Yuya's words, Jin's feelings are complicated.
"Jin! You will be called!"
They hear an entrance call calling them. Taking a deep breath to calm down, Jin took a big step forward.
Church Academy swordsmanship tournament, the final of the team competition begins.
◇◇◇
The East Army's Ren and the others have already finished their entrance.
A group of black people lined up in front of the enemy's pole. Seeing that, Jin and the others get even more nervous. Even though it was a competition, the vague fear of turning Ren into an enemy created tension.
"Let the finals begin! Both armies, prepare!"
Jin and Akira step forward to the referee's voice.
And a man and a woman came forward from Ren's team. They are Kai and Mai.
"What?"
"What does this mean?"
Ren stood right in front of the pole. There is no sign of him moving. He's going to fight in a different way than he used to.
Jin and the others are wary of what they are going to do. Their opponent gave the answer.
"Too slow! Come out quickly!"
Mai, who had already advanced to the center, complained.
"......What the hell do you think you're doing!"
"What!? Can't you see it!? There are two over there, and there are two over here too!"
"...No way"
"We'll deal with you one on one, so get your ass out here!"
"What..."
Jin is stunned by the unexpected words. On the contrary, the adventurers in the audience are overjoyed.
"That's good! Mai!"
"Beat the crap out of the heroes!"
"Hero! Don't be scared and come out!"
"Leave it to me! I'll beat him to a pulp!"
Mai responds to the adventurers' cheers by swinging her sword. The audience seats are getting more and more excited with the action.
"Don't joke around! Ren! If you want to win, come out!"
"What! I'm not good enough for you!?"
"Of course not! I can't take on a woman!"
"What! I'm so pissed! I was going to hand you to Kai, but I'll take care of you!"
Mai puts one hand on her hip and uses the other to provocatively make him come, but Jin doesn't get on it.
"Just get Ren out! I only fight Ren!"
"Ren-nii! That idiot is saying this though!?"
Mai looked back and shouted at Ren. Ren replied with a wry smile on his face.
"Well then, tell him this! Without even fighting, can you even tell how strong your opponent is?"
"But!"
"…It is a child!"
"You're no different! You're only a few years older!"
"That's in this world!"
Coming to this world, the hero candidates are six or seven years younger. Jin complained about it.
"Is there another world in which you live other than this world!? Do you live in this world just to enjoy?"
"That's……"
"Why don't you get over your arrogance! Do you think you are special in every way, having been summoned from another world!?"
"What?"
"The blessings are a privilege given to the summoned heroes! Is that what you think!?"
"What are you saying?"
Ren's point is completely off the mark. Jin himself thinks so. Jin couldn't understand why Ren was shouting such a thing, and he was just bewildered.
This is exactly the reaction Ren wants. Ren doesn't need Jin's counterargument.
"Even people born and raised in this world have talent! It is not something that can be defeated by a summoned one!"
"…………"
"It is not a talent given by the summoner at the mercy of this world! It's a talent that the heavens wanted and bestowed!"
"…………"
Jin has no words to return. Only Ren's words echoed in the arena.
"Even the people born in this world have the power to change this world! I'll show you that!"
"…………"
"I'll show you the true talent given by the heavens! Don't yell at me, just step forward!!"
At that moment―― the whole arena shook.
Very few could feel it. Because many of the spectators are gushing with excitement, throwing their arms in the air, stomping the ground, and shouting at the top of their lungs. It is they themselves who are shaking the arena. The whole arena was enveloped in an unusual excitement that could be called a frenzy.
"Your Eminence..."
"Ah, excuse me."
Pope Mikhail realized for the first time that he was on his feet when Elected King Selim called out to him.
"...Who is that?"
It was Ren who brought the crowd in the arena into a melting pot of excitement, and it was also Ren who made Pope Mikhail stand up. Ren's words shook the hearts of many.
Elected King Selim doesn't know why.
"That's……"
"I don't know. Why did the crowd get so excited with that person's words? Not only the crowd. I can see that the surrounding knights are also excited."
Just as Elected King Selim said, the knights standing around to protect them didn't make a fuss, but they were filled with excitement. Moreover, it spread not only to the church knights but also to the knights of each country.
"...This world belongs to the people of this world. That's what he said."
"Isn't that obvious?"
"This is the church capital. There are many who believe that the heroes will change the world."
"That's the opposite of what he said."
No matter how you listen to it, Ren's words are in direct contradiction to the teachings of the Church. Why are the people of the church country excited about it? Even after hearing Pope Mikhail's explanation, Elected King Selim could not understand the reactions of those around him.
"Even if they believe, they are not necessarily satisfied with it. There are many who feel emptiness in having no choice but to wait for the hero. Some have gone too far and rebelled against the heroes."
"......You think those feelings reacted to his words?"
"It's just my wild imagination."
"But His Eminence reacted too."
"...Maybe so."
Pope Mikhail obediently acknowledged Elected King Selim’s remarks. The fact that he stood up after hearing Ren's words cannot be denied.
"Does he have a special skill like [Inspire]?"
"I don't know about that."
"If he did, I would know. But if it is not a special skill, then...... who is he?"
Elected King Selim, who asked the question, had one possibility in mind. He just doesn't want to put it into words.
"A lot of people ask him that question, but no one in the world has the answer."
And even Pope Mikhail cannot put it into words. For if he did, he would change the future of the church.
"One of his purposes is now over, isn't it?"
Denial of the hero. Even Elected King Selim understood that this was Ren's purpose that Pope Mikhail was talking about.
"No, there are finishing touches left. He won't lie. But he doesn't think he can win just yet."
"He doesn't?"
"Start"
A man and a woman faced each other on the battlefield. Mai and Akira.
"It's hard to do."
Akira can't hide his confusion because he's in the presence of a younger girl.
"Then, I'll take it easy until you get serious."
"What?"
"Here I go."
"O-ooh"
Mai took the lead. The sword that was raised from the bottom right of him grazed the tip of Akira's nose. With that momentum, she rotates her body, and this time she swings her sword down from above. Akira prevented that by matching his swords.
Her movements don't stop. Just when he thought she was backing away and taking a distance, she immediately closed the distance again and swung her sword. Akira prevents it. He is taking it seriously now.
Mai's movements accelerate little by little. When he thinks her sword is stopped, she spins around, switches to her other hand, and swings from the opposite side. Then she swings her sword up and down, left and right, and diagonally, with no time to catch his breath.
It looked exactly like Ren's attack on Shizuru's [Wings of Compassion].
"Are you serious now!?"
"Eh? Ah, yes."
"Really!?"
"No, that's"
"Then this is over!"
Akira couldn't even react to the final blow. When he came to his senses, Mai's sword was on his neck.
"Mai! Well done!"
"You've done well, Mai!"
"That's good! Overwhelming victory!"
The adventurers cheered. Waving her hands in response, Mai left. Akira just stared blankly at her back.
"…Jin, did I get stronger than last year?"
"Yeah"
"So that's how it is......."
He thought he had acquired the ability to win against Class B hero candidates. However, the result is he is no match for a younger girl born in this world.
Too pathetic to cry, Akira is so frustrated.
"I'll take the enemy. And I will surely draw Ren out."
"Don't let your guard down"
"I won't let my guard down."
Jin steps forward. Kai was already standing there.
"I'm sorry, but I'm going to give it my all right from the start."
"Of course."
"……Let's go!"
In an instant, Jin jumped into the sword fight. However, he was soon far out of that spacing. The sword swung up at the same time as he got into the gap. He barely managed to block it with his sword, but the momentum of the sword was too strong for him and he was thrown off his posture.
A sword swung down there immediately. Jin dodged by jumping backward.
"You're at full power?"
"……Yeah"
He repositioned his sword and carefully closed the distance this time.
Kai's sword moved first the moment he entered the sword's range. He raises his sword and intercepts it. This time, Jin didn't lose his balance. He took the momentum of Kai's sword exactly and pushed it in the opposite direction with all his strength.
The moment he suddenly felt no resistance, the sword swung at him from the opposite direction. He swung his sword at once and repelled it, then took another large distance.
"You're strong."
"Really?"
"But... still naive."
"What!?"
Jin closed the gap while swinging the sword from above. That was all it took for Kai to take a backward step. He raised his sword to defend against a sword swung down from above. At that time, Jin was behind him. From there, he closes the distance as if he is going to strike the body with his sword held in the middle position at once.
Kai tried to counterattack by flipping his raised sword, but it was too late, and Jin's sword slammed into his shoulder, causing Kai to fall backward.
"Yeah, you lost."
Before he knew it, Mai, who had come to his side, called out to him while peering down from above.
"Shut up"
"It's just as Ren-nii says. Kai needs to work harder."
"I know. I know what's missing."
"Well, good for you. Come on, get up. We're leaving."
"Yeah"
Kai stood up and tried to head for the exit with Mai.
"Hey! Wait a minute!"
"What's wrong?"
"The battle is not over yet"
"It's over. Look, you win."
There was a fallen pole at the point where Mai pointed. Ren and the others, who should have been there, were already walking toward the exit.
"Don't joke around! Ren! What's the meaning of this!?"
Ren didn't respond to Jin's call. Instead, Mai, who was nearby, answered.
"What do you mean, this is Kai's training. If Kai loses, it's over."
"What?"
"Don't get angry. This kind of competition isn't our goal. We're not graduating."
"…………"
"Next time, fight me. Then we'll kill each other."
"You……"
Mai's words reminded Jin of several things. That graduation was not the goal, and that she was thinking about training for the future, even if it meant taking a detour. The fact that the children in front of him resented him as Kazuki's enemy.
Winning the team competition. Such a thing did not bring Jin any joy. More than that, the forgotten matter depressed Jin's mind severely.
◇◇◇
Shizuru, tied behind her back with her naked body, is lying on the bed with her buttocks raised high. A gasp was continually escaping from her mouth.
"Ah... no... a-again... a-auu"
Once, Shizuru's body shook violently, and Shizuru lost strength and collapsed.
"You. Why are you reacting normally? This is punishment."
Ren's scolding flew at Shizuru.
"But..."
"I'm going to do a tied-up woman. You're a pervert, and I'm going along with you like a pervert, you know?
"Don't call me a pervert"
"But that doesn't mean I'm going to leave the punishment to the kids. Where do these guys get this kind of knowledge?"
Ren doesn't realize that the children's knowledge is his own. Luna is passing on information to the children that she has plucked from the depths of Ren's memory. The purpose is simply to be mean to Shizuru. In short, she is jealous of Shizuru for doing something she can't do.
"...If you don't like it, why don't you just untie me?"
"Ah, that's right."
"Then untie me."
After having Ren untie the rope that bound her hands, Shizuru turned to her back and stared at Ren.
"What is it?"
"What? I prefer facing each other."
It's just that she doesn't like being restrained, and the act itself with Ren is something that even Shizuru wants.
"Are you still going?"
"Because you say it's a punishment, but I really want to receive a reward."
Shizuru says this with her mouth agape in dissatisfaction.
"Why?"
But Ren had no reason to complain.
"I did my best"
"...Ah, that? It certainly surprised me."
The magic used by Shizuru in the swordsmanship tournament. Ren also knew that Shizuru wanted to be praised for that.
"Right!?"
Shizuru's face suddenly brightened. She was happy to be praised by Ren as she expected.
"But how? Where did you know about that chanting?"
"That's not a chant. It's a prayer."
Shizuru spoke happily. She couldn't help but be happy that Ren was interested in something other than her body.
"Prayer?"
"I wanted to have power on the battlefield. I thought of Kazuki-san's power."
"...And?"
Ren still felt some resistance to hearing Kazuki's name from Shizuru's mouth, but this time he continued the conversation without saying anything about it. Ren is also quite curious as to why Shizuru was able to use the same magic as Kazuki.
"I somehow managed to do it with the training that Ren taught me. It feels like making a sword by controlling mana."
"Heh. Did you go that far?"
It's not a matter of materializing mana, but it's a training that takes shape outside the body. Even the magic control training that Ren learned from his master can be said to be the final stage.
"But it's still different. If I was controlling it myself, I wouldn't be able to prevent an attack."
"I knew it, is that thing moving automatically?"
If Shizuru was moving it with her own will, there was no way she would be able to react to his sword. One of Ren's doubts was resolved.
"That’s right. I didn't know how to do it, so in the end, I had to rely on God, or rather on Kazuki-san."
"...With a prayer?"
Ren's feelings are shaken because Kazuki's name is mentioned. Even though he doesn't understand why.
"I was asking the sky for a favor, and I was able to do it."
"Yes?"
"[Kazuki-san, please] doesn’t sound like magic, so I arranged it a bit. That's what it looked like, right?"
Shizuru happily continued talking without noticing Ren's exasperated face.
"...Stop that triumphant face"
"I'm not doing a triumphant face. I just boasted a little."
"That's a triumphant face. And you're proud to say that you were able to do it if you asked... eh?"
Suddenly, Ren noticed something. Ren goes silent as he tries to remember his previous memories.
"What's wrong?"
"...I know this sounds strange, but were you aiming to be a designer or something?"
"How do you know!?"
"Really……?"
Apparently, Ren was right. It is something that brings up some mixed feelings in Ren's mind.
"Yes. Rather than being a designer, I started out as a model, and once I became popular, I aimed to produce an original brand."
"...Something pisses me off."
"Eh? Why?"
"It pisses me off to think that you can become a popular model. But I see...... it's not a completely irrelevant talent. It's been replaced because of Kazuki."
"Replace?"
"Maybe you have talent in that area, why don't you learn it if you feel like it?"
Ren didn't feel like answering Shizuru's question. Kazuki was actually the saint, and Shizuru was a production occupation skill with no combat ability. If that were the case...... he would not want to talk about it even if it was not with Shizuru.
"Yes, if I have the chance. Hey, Ren."
"What?"
"Is that it?"
"Is that it? Ah, continue."
"That too. But, isn't my power amazing?"
"Yes. I think that magic is a big deal."
"......It's Ren after all."
A wide smile appeared on Shizuru's face. She had acquired this power because she wanted Ren's recognition, but rather than being praised for it, Shizuru was happy to see that Ren did not change his attitude even after learning of her power.
"What are you smiling at?"
"Don't you want to take my power, Ren?"
"What do you mean?"
"I'll follow you wherever you want, Ren."
"Don't say that so lightly."
"It's true. Ren, I like you. I want to be with you forever."
"……You're kidding, right?"
This is her second confession. Shizuru expected Ren to react like this. She could not be discouraged by this. Shizuru had decided that the only thing she could do for Ren, who was beyond insensitive to romantic feelings, was to tell him how she felt.
"It's true. I like Ren."
"I have Rin"
"I know that. I know Ren doesn't like me. But I still like you."
"But, I forced myself to you."
Ren is aware of the terrible things he has done to Shizuru. It is only natural since he intended to express his feelings of hatred toward Shizuru.
"I still like you"
"...Ah, that. Because only I know. I misunderstood while continuing the relationship many times."
The mind has been paralyzed by the fact that they have been in a physical relationship for so long. This may not be entirely irrelevant.
"Why don't you believe me?"
However, whatever the reason, Shizuru's feelings for Ren will not change.
"…Even if your feelings are true, you should think calmly."
"Can't you trust me?"
"That's not the problem. You don't understand what I'm trying to do."
"I know."
"What do you think I'm doing?"
"Killing all the hero candidates. A war against a large country. I don't think these two are wrong."
"...I see. You had the brains to think about it."
The answer is correct. The fact that she could come up with this answer and still say she would go along with it was proof that Shizuru had already overcome the mental interference.
"That's terrible."
"No. I'll tell you one thing. The status board is not just for checking titles and skills."
"What else is there?"
"It has the power to interfere with the mind of the person who was registered on it."
"Eh!?"
"It's not brainwashing, but the function of the mind is considerably dull. It's about becoming obedient."
"...Why did they do such a terrible thing?"
One of the first truths he learned about being a hero. And Shizuru was quite upset. If Ren's story is true, it seems that this world thinks of heroes as slaves or livestock.
"There are various reasons, but I think one is because they are afraid of heroes."
"Afraid?"
"This time, thirty-six people were summoned. What do you think will happen if they all work together to conquer the world?"
"...With that many people"
Only thirty-six people. Shizuru, who thinks this way, does not properly understand the value of a hero. That there is a value in a hero that makes them want to bind him or her even if they have to do inhumane things.
"There will always be someone who tries to take advantage of that power. If they reach a certain number, they might be able to take a country or two."
"Are they afraid of that?"
"It's just one of the reasons I think about it. Do you understand? That's the kind of opponent I'm trying to turn into an enemy. Do you think you have a chance against all the heroes at once? And to top it off, there are great powers behind them."
In short, he was going to fight with the whole world as his enemy. In the normal course of events, there was no way he could win.
"But Ren is going to do it, right?"
"Yeah. I've already decided."
It is not a matter of whether he can win or not. Ren has decided to fight. If that means an early death, then he would appreciate it.
"Then me too."
"Then what about this? Can you kill Yuya Kisaragi, Mei Katsuragi, and Jin Takamiya?"
"…………"
As expected, Shizuru didn't have that resolution. Other than the three, the reaction should be the same. What Shizuru wanted was not the power to kill people, but the power to protect them.
"See. You are just saying that you will follow me on the spur of the moment. Think about it."
"But……"
"The next time we see each other is at the hero selection. You'll have time to think about it."
"No way!? Why can't we see each other before that!?"
"You will surely be quarantined in the Luine Kingdom. You know the reason without me saying it, right?"
"……Yes"
The power she showed in the competition to get Ren's approval. The country is more likely to react to that than Ren. The Luine Kingdom will definitely try to avoid her being contacted by other countries. Shizuru understands that.
"It's troublesome for me too, so I plan to hide until that day. That's why I can't see you."
"I see... hey, Ren."
Since she still doesn't have the resolve that Ren asks for, she can't keep saying that she will follow him any longer. Instead, Shizuru asks.
"What?"
"Continue."
"Huh?"
"The continuation of the reward. Mana is good."
An intense experience that makes her think she can never forget about Ren. It's an experience that makes her feel like she can't find joy in living without Ren.
"I don't want to do that because it makes you weird."
"I want to be weird. Ren, make me so crazy that I can't think about anything else."
"...Don't complain after."
As their bodies overlap, Ren's mana permeates Shizuru. The unusual pleasure she has learned while training her mana. What happens when he does it in the act?
Shizuru was tossed and turned by the waves of pleasure that came again and again until she fainted.
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