Chapter 43

(Note) This is my second post of the day.

25

"‘Aerial Night’...? So this is Kannon's innate ability as a cheater?"

"That's right."

Kannon nodded and shrugged.

"Unfortunately, it's a pretty weak ability. It doesn't work well with items I'm not used to handling, and it only works with items I can handle. It's a really inconvenient ability."

From the way he was making a short sword float in the air, it seemed to be some kind of psychokinesis, but the conditions were quite strict. Perhaps, its essence lies more in creating another self in the void. This was Kannon's cheater ability as a transfer to another world.

...It was something Kannon had been hiding.

"Sorry for keeping it a secret."

Kannon, still turned away, smiled with his eyebrows slightly lowered.

"Kannon..."

The transfer students in this Cheria fortress, except for the three exploration team members, were all survivors from the previous group. They were trying to awaken their abilities through combat training, but I had not noticed that there was an exception.

—It was me. I had been hiding my ability from the distrust I felt towards those around me.

If that was the case, it wouldn't be strange for someone else to be doing the same. Especially if they were in a similar situation to me.

And the fact that someone like me revealed their secret in this situation had a significant meaning. Only I could understand that.

"I can't say, 'Trust me,' but I'll get us through this somehow."

As Kannon himself said, unfortunately, 'Aerial Night' wasn't a very powerful ability. Kannon knew what would happen to him if he tried to buy us enough time to escape. Still, he was telling us to leave it to him, drawing his sword and manifesting his precious ability.

He couldn't let us die. It was a declaration of resolve and a proof of friendship.

...Ah. So it seems I was a bit late in showing my friendship.

The decision was probably made almost simultaneously. However, the difference in whether the other person was present or not slightly changed the time it took to act.

But that's enough. I can't afford to be late anymore.

"Of course, I don't intend to die here. I'll buy some time and catch up soon. So, Takahiro..."

"Sorry, Kannon. I have to decline that offer."

Kannon showed his friendship. I should respond to it. I reached for the white cloth wrapped around my left hand like a bandage. I think this is the only way to respond to my friend's sentiment, so I have no hesitation.

The white cloth flutters. Kannon's eyes, under his glasses, widen.

"We don't need time. Let's all live and get out of here."

With the parasitic vine Asarina extending from my left hand, I declared.

***

"Gosh, Ji, sama! Sama!"

While listening to Asarina's joyful voice, I asked Rose to remove the outer shell of the 'pseudo Damascus steel sword' I had asked her to make and rolled it onto the floor. There was no need to hide it anymore.

"Lily, take the Tetra Sickle. It will be troublesome in a melee. And Ayame, come over here."

"Understood, Master!"

When I gave the order, Lily responded with a lively voice. Ayame, who had poked her head out from the collar of Lily's clothes, jumped onto my left shoulder and made a happy snort.

"Kyaa! M, Monster!?"

Ayame's appearance made Kei scream and step back. Seeing the innocent face with a clear look of fear, I felt a bit sad, though it was understandable.

"T, Takahiro-san, it's dangerous! There's a monster on your shoulder! Ah, wait, but it's growing out of Takahiro-san...?"

"It's not dangerous. They are an exception."

I tried to speak as gently as possible.

"The power given to me is to control monsters."

"Control... monsters?"

"I see. So that's it. Takahiro also..."

Kannon, on the other hand, understood quickly. He had a smile on his lips, but he also looked a bit embarrassed.

"Eh? Eh? Wait a minute. What does that mean...?"

"Sorry, but we don't have time to explain."

I told Kei, who was looking confused, and gave Lily a nod.

"Let's focus on getting out of this situation."

Lily nodded and started running. She had apparently noticed that the sounds of the fight around the corner had stopped a few seconds ago. As expected, the sound of flapping wings came from behind. The Tetra Sickle, which had wiped out the soldiers, was coming around the corner.

If we were attacked by both the Tetra Sickle and the Fire Fang at the same time, we wouldn't be able to defend ourselves. Lily had no choice but to intercept one of them. She wouldn't fall behind even against an unknown enemy. So, dealing with the injured Fire Fang was our job.

"I'll take the front. Kannon, I need your support."

"That... okay. Understood."

Kannon, who was about to object, quickly nodded and stepped back. This was a simple division of roles. If I were to take the front, it was better for me to be the shield, and Kei needed protection. I shook my head at Kannon, who looked a bit uncomfortable, and ran forward.

"Take care of Kei!"

Lily's absence reduced the threat, and the Fire Fang, sensing this with its wild instincts, dropped the knight's corpse it had been holding and started running.

If it got too close, it might involve Kei and the others in the fight. First, I had to stop it. While running, I extended my left arm, which held the shield.

"Do it, Ayame!"

"Kyao!"

Ayame, clinging to my left shoulder, inflated her body like a balloon and spat out a fireball. The flames ran along the brick corridor. The Fire Fang dodged the approaching fireball by turning its body. This was as expected. Asarina, which had been extending from my left hand, attacked the wolf, which had lost its balance, at the same time as the fireball.

"Gruaaah!"

The Fire Fang barely avoided this by jumping. Not only that, but as soon as it landed, it attacked the long, vulnerable vine and bit it with its sharp fangs.

"Goshji—"

A tearing sound was heard, and Asarina's head was severed.

"—Sama!"

Immediately, a new head grew from the cut. Asarina's head is just a part of the plant body. As long as the magic power I absorb from my body and store in it doesn't run out, it can extend indefinitely, and it won't die unless it's completely destroyed.

Asarina wrapped the wolf's front legs with the vine and bit its shoulder with the regenerated head. As a result, I and the Fire Fang were connected through Asarina. I immediately gave Asarina instructions through the link and made her body contract.

"…!"

Suddenly, my left arm was pulled with great force. Without resisting, I kicked the ground.

I circulated magic power through my body and boosted my physical strength to the maximum. Not only that, but the roots of Asarina, which extended from the back of my left hand to the middle of my forearm, further reinforced my arm, so I wouldn't hurt my joints as I did before. This was the result of the special training I continued on the journey north from the Arachne's nest to here.

I also had the physical ability to control my posture. The distance closed quickly. The Fire Fang, which was getting larger in my field of vision, spread its limbs on the ground. Its mouth opened. Red flames overflowed from the back of its throat.

"Gruaaah!"

With a roar, flames spread in front of me. —It didn't matter. I raised my left shield in front of me and charged straight into the flames.

"Ugh!"

As expected of a monster from the depths of the forest. The round shield made by Rose blocked most of the flames, but in an instant, the clothes I had been given since arriving at the fortress burned up.

But that was it.

Underneath was a special item reinforced by Rose, made from the clothes woven by the high monster Gerbera, a white spider that appears even in the tales of heroes. A little flame wouldn't do anything to it.

"Take this!"

With the shield in front of me, I cut through the flames and charged at the Fire Fang. It was a literal human bullet. I slammed the shield into the Fire Fang's snout, and it let out a scream and rolled over.

However, I also lost my balance from the impact. I quickly adjusted my posture. At the same time, a chill. I jumped sideways. There was a clattering sound, and the jaws that had been aiming for where I was just a moment ago snapped shut.

...The collision should have been to my advantage, but the Fire Fang recovered almost simultaneously. It seems that even I couldn't match the physical abilities of a monster.

But I was responding well enough. Compared to the demonic speed of Gerbera, who had been my training partner, this was nothing.

When I dodged, the wolf's side was exposed.

"Ooo!"

A perfect opportunity. I swung my sword with a yell.

But it was shallow. Did I panic? The blade slipped on the fur.

"Gruaaah!"

The counterattack claws were deflected, and I blocked them with my shield.

...It was heavy. I lost my balance.

Before I could recover, the fangs approached. I quickly jammed the shield into its mouth to stop it from closing.

"Ugh, ugh..."

I avoided being bitten, but the long fangs sank into my upper arm, and my face contorted in pain. The breath that blew on me was foul. Magic power flowed, and the sense of danger and the smell of flames made my skin prickle. I couldn't escape.

That meant the opponent couldn't escape either—

"Stop it, Ayame!"

"Kyao!"

—Ayame, using my head as a stepping stone, jumped high and spat a fireball that exploded on the Fire Fang's unprotected back.

"Ooo!"

I swung my sword at the Fire Fang, which had been slammed onto the brick floor. Blood spattered. The swing, intended to decapitate, had cut off one of the front legs of the Fire Fang, which immediately stood up. The follow-up strike was dodged as it moved backward. I clicked my tongue. Just a step away, my immature sword skills couldn't deliver a fatal blow.

The Fire Fang, jumping back, stood on three legs. The short time it took to adjust to the loss of a leg made its posture slightly unbalanced—into which a dagger flew.

"Takahiro!"

The dagger was controlled by Kannon's 'Aerial Night.'

At that moment, I definitely felt the presence of my friend in the void.

The right diagonal cut following the left horizontal cut. The two swords bit into the wolf's belly. Though far from a fatal wound, Kannon's sword, which had been honed through training, inflicted a sure injury on the Fire Fang. The sudden intruder distracted the Fire Fang. It couldn't counterattack because it couldn't see the enemy.

"Gosh, Ji, sama!"

I couldn't miss this opportunity. I wrapped the Fire Fang's neck with Asarina.

This was a perfect chance. I wouldn't let it slip away this time.

I don't have Kannon's sword skills. I probably don't have the talent for it either. So, I don't rely on such things.

I made a resolve and kicked the ground with all my might. I pulled myself with Asarina and charged with my sword ready.

The Fire Fang bared its sharp fangs to intercept me. I thrust Rose's masterpiece, the 'pseudo Damascus sword,' into its open mouth.

"Aaaah!"

Asarina did her job, and Rose's masterpiece displayed its terrifying sharpness. The damage from Ayame's fireball had slowed the Fire Fang's movements.

However, if I had hesitated even a little, the Fire Fang's fangs would have torn into my body and inflicted a serious wound. The combat sense I had developed through training, with Gerbera as my sparring partner and Lily's assistance, was what allowed me to make this move.

The sword pierced the soft palate and destroyed the skull.

The Fire Fang's body convulsed violently one last time and lost its strength.

***

"...Did we do it?"

Looking down at the fallen Fire Fang, I muttered in a daze.

In the end, I only had a minor burn. I was quite tired, but it might have been partly due to the tension of fighting for the first time. This might be something to reflect on.

I put my hand on my chest and tried to steady my ragged breathing. The sound of my heart beating. The aftereffects of the battle could be felt in my palm.

It's strange, I thought, tilting my head.

I had thought I had a good chance of winning. I thought I could fight on equal terms. ...But the fact that I had actually been able to defeat a monster seemed like a vague, dreamlike event.

"Kyuuu!"

"Whoa!?"

Suddenly, Ayame jumped at me, and I hurriedly caught her small body.

Ayame, wagging her fluffy tail, stretched out her tongue as far as she could and licked my chin. Vines wrapped around me, and Asarina let out a loud cry. It was a victory song.

"...So, I really fought."

Finally, the realization slowly dawned on me.

I couldn't help but smile and clenched my fist tightly.

I'm not the type to enjoy conflict, nor do I take pleasure in hurting others.

But the fact that I smiled at this moment was probably because I am a man.

First, I had to survive in this different world. Without the ability to fight, I could only try not to be a burden. I hadn't realized it, but deep down, I might have felt uncomfortable being protected by the people I truly cared about.

I was making progress, even if it was just a little. It was purely a happy feeling to realize this.

"Takahiro-san!"

"Hm?"

When I heard my name called, I turned to see a small girl running towards me.

As I wondered, the distance closed quickly.

"Are you hurt?"

"Whoa!?"

The first thing Kei said was to grab the hem of my clothes. She was so close that I could feel her ragged breath from running, and her strong gaze looked up at me.

"To jump into that fire! I thought my heart would stop!"

"A, ah. Sorry. I'm fine. I don't have any serious injuries, but..."

My voice betrayed my confusion.

"...Aren't you scared?"

Between Kei and me, Ayame looked uncomfortable, and Asarina, who surrounded me, tilted her head a few centimeters away. To the residents of this different world, I must have been a terrifying presence.

However, Kei shook her golden hair and said no.

"Takahiro-san has saved me twice."

"..."

Kei's answer was simple and childlike, but it hit me so hard that I couldn't respond.

"Besides, if you're hurt, even if it's a small injury, show me. I can use simple healing magic... Ah!"

Kei, patting my body, let out a scream. It was quite a busy scene. Children are usually this restless, I suppose.

"Mihoshi! Mihoshi!"

"I'm fine. We're done here."

Lily, who had walked over with Kannon, called out to Kei.

She was quick. Even for a monster from the depths of the forest, the current Lily, who had swallowed many monsters, was not an opponent.

"Also, it's not Mihoshi, but Lily. I'd be happy if you could call me that from now on."

"L, Lily...-san?"

Lily smiled at the confused Kei and then looked at me.

"Good job. I was going to rush over as soon as it was over, but I was a bit surprised that you handled it alone."

"It wasn't just me. Thanks to Ay