Chapter 179: Decoy (3)

Thanks to that of course me, even junior Knuckle was saved, gratitude aside there is no way to hold anger. ...As a man quite pathetic, I think.

"If you are together she can also fight. Truly, sending a child the same age as my daughter to the battlefield while understanding the mind is unstable. A beast’s deed, unsavable dust, I want to hang my neck immediately."

"...Do you have a daughter?"

"Aa, there was. About five years ago. Already does not exist in this world."

At the figure laughing lonely I regretted asking back lightly.

Hearing about already dead family is a flow often in manga or such, but if doing in reality unbearable beyond. How to return, I do not understand at all.

"...Someday someone who judges me evil and judges will appear. Until then I cannot do self-death, and I do not intend to be killed by a villain. Until legitimate judgment visits I will continue walking."

Therefore.

Tomioka deeply lowered his head.

"If a thing I can do I will do anything. Please take care of them."

"Leave it to me. If I could brag big that would have been good."

I end up thinking not a human who can be relied on that way.

But having come here there is no way I can say impossible. Joking ’now you said anything?’ is out of the question.

Because the other party’s seriousness is conveyed, because it is painfully conveyed he is entrusting feelings to the likes of me. I put power in the abdomen gu. Sweat mixed with mucus drips, but I do not care, keep up more properly me...!

"I will try working hard in my own way. Sorry, with this kind of pathetic reply."

The answer I put spirit and squeezed out is this. Pathetic even to myself.

But that was my true feeling without lie or falsehood.

"No. This side too, sorry for leaving to a child like you."

Only saying do not mind I run out.

At the end of my gaze the figures of the two waiting in front of the elevator.

Arrow sharpens large pupils and glares at me.

"Late, Atel."

"Sorry, I was called to stop a bit."

The elevator starts.

While ascending up up I stared at Arrow’s side face.

That is a face as a Sacred young yet dignified. A mask she put on to be fitting for everyone.

I do not know what I can do.

Combat of course, even about her inside.

But at the point the curtain rose there is no time to say this and that.

I only do what I can in my own way.

"...? What, Atel."

Probably noticing my gaze Arrow turns a suspicious face this way.

After receiving that gaze straight I largely lowered my head.

"Please, Sacred Arrow."

I do not know how to win against the original protagonist with me.

What movement is the optimal solution, conversely at what timing if I move I become a hindrance, nothing, nothing, nothing. Truly a pathetic talk.

"To help Saber and them. Help me."

Status weakest, yet strongest in the work, that is her.

The Sacred the player, in other words Alter Native, struggles most.

Status is the lowest, but the Sacred who fights best.

Please lend that power to me.

Alone I cannot. Power and technique and wisdom and courage, desperately insufficient.

"...That, I will only try, try."

A voice pouring on me who lowered my face.

Not a voice acting cute like a streamer, not talk like a confident mesugaki, a small voice seeming lacking confidence from the heart.

That maybe was a raw voice that leaked on the spur.

A mind broken long ago, yet putting on a mask that she cannot stand still alone while everyone is moving, the fragile fleeting raw heart of a girl who was laughing nothing. That I felt I saw through.

"Now. Follow, junior! Vigilante! I will properly use you well!"

"Aa, please."

But by the time I raise my head she had already put the mask back on, and the voice just now seemed like a dream or something.

Whether Knuckle only heard the voice she stares this way strangely, and tightens her expression now is not that time.

Alter Native.

The original protagonist of the Sacred series.

Today, settle in this instant. While deciding that resolve I suddenly held a question.

"...Why did that guy appear head-on...?"

Alter is strong.

Compared to other Magician Diabolics status is somewhat low, but even so by no means weak.

But not strength that can win against Sacred. That kind of thing that guy understands most.

Leveled up with some means? No way. If able to win with strengthening of that degree the original last boss Gain would have overrun Saber and Knight.

Alter appeared head-on with conviction. Now he can win against Sacred.

◇

Seeing off the three leaving Tomioka quietly closed his eyes.

Vigilante.

An existence calling himself Atel Octo.

Honestly saying he had not expected him.

There was surprise at the existence named Atel Octo who appeared to protect Saber and Knuckle, but for better or worse only that.

The fact of a Tentacle Monster Villain proves low combat ability and ordinary mental.

Therefore die early. He had been thinking so.

Once, the reason he did not blame Knight’s action was also that. Rather than dying involving Sacred during joint combat, better to have Sacred themselves eliminate, he judged.

It is not hard to imagine Saber and Knuckle’s mental being largely shaved, but easier to follow than dying miserably during combat with Monster Villains or Magician Diabolics. He had been thinking that kind of thing.

But what is the result?

He survived, and even now is fighting together with Sacred.

Even though he himself should understand more than anyone that real ability is insufficient, is he not desperately struggling to save them.

"...Wonderful. You will deny, but that is correctly light."

He with failing physical ability and wisdom is walking the righteous path as if knowing that kind of thing does not matter. Not fate, not inevitability, only with his own will.

Wonderful, what beautiful light.

That kind of shine is what the man named Tomioka wants to protect.

Ah. Compared to that how dirty is himself.

While respecting light he dislikes himself who early gave up on a boy trying to live correctly. What a blind spot, there cannot be value in living.

But here he cannot throw everything away. Because he swore to continue walking until the time everything ends.

"...This? ...Aa."

Suddenly one of the operators leaked a voice of confusion, and immediately let out a breath of relief.

"What, what happened."

"Yes, a report from the Calmate-side operator. Many beasts attacked from Remora, temporarily opened a hole in the royal capital’s barrier but finished annihilating."

As expected light is tremendous, the operator smiles.

In Calmate there are knights.

Compared to Sacred weak is fact, but even they are warriors possessing magical power of light.

If fighting coordinating they can fight advantageously against darkness, and more than anything Calmate is their home ground.

The barrier was not nullified either, only a hole was opened. If the intrusion path is one, surrounding annihilation while individual defeat is not impossible.

Therefore being able to repel itself is by no means strange.

But that beast is an existence Alter commands.

Naturally it should have moved by his order. The result ended with being repelled?

Diversion? No, for that it is strange information is not conveyed to Sacred. Just conveying ’while you are on Earth the base is being attacked’ should be able to disperse fighting power.

In the first place if diversion there is no need to open a hole in the barrier and intrude, only making beasts rampage around the royal capital is fine. Knights have no choice but to be wary, and they do not consume the beasts who are pieces either.

"In the first place why at this timing. No, I see."

What passed the mind was the girl who was here until just now. Sacred Arrow.

She who from over-sanctifying other comrades did not come to the front line is now on Earth.

"...Diversion. Not to corner Sacred, but for himself to infiltrate...!"

Opening a hole in the barrier is to infiltrate himself, making beasts rampage inside the barrier is to place an easy-to-understand threat while disguising his own magical power of darkness.

Thus Alter leisurely infiltrated the castle. Because he judged now that Sacred Arrow does not exist he can execute.

Yes, Sacred Arrow though combat ability low, control ability and detection ability stand out one head even among Sacred.

If she had remained in the castle she would have immediately noticed Alter’s intention, coordinated with knights and eliminated.

Precisely because understanding that Alter had not infiltrated Calmate.

But she is now on Earth to save Atel Octo.

Precisely because of that Alter launched at this timing. To obtain the power he desires.

[A/N: Thanks for reading everyone, hope you guys are enjoying the story till now :]