High School Hack and Slash Chapter 115 Part 3
「Ahh, Tatsuya.」
「Tatsuya-san. Did something happen with Yuka-san?」
He ran into Riru and Honami, who had just happened to be returning from the stairs.
「Y, yeah. She woke up once just now. Her consciousness was properly there, I guess.」
「I see. I’m glad to hear that. They said they would prepare porridge for her if she could eat.」
Next to a relieved Honami, Riru put her hands on her hips.
「… I’ve heard about it. The matter with Shinnosuke, I mean.」
「… Yes.」
「Just so you know, I don’t really feel sympathy for that guy. Rather, I think he got his just desserts.」
Riru, touching her back hair, which had been tied into a ponytail, readily dismissed it.
As for Honami, she simply floated an ambiguous smile on her laid-back face.
「Well, that’s my take on the matter anyway. That’s all.」
「Ah, Riru-chan. Wait up~.」
Slipping past Tatsuya’s side, the two got into the room.
In a sense, perhaps they could be said to be pragmatic, but these girls were not as concerned about Shinnosuke’s fate as Tatsuya thought they were.
Wandering aimlessly with nowhere to go in particular, he went out to the rooftop of the tower.
「Oh my. Tatsuya-kun, was it?」
「Ah… Err, yes, that’s right. Senpai.」
The one who was there as the preceding visitor was one of the senior members of the Adept Orders.
The female members alone numbered more than 10, so he honestly didn’t remember their faces or names yet.
「These girls took it rather easily, but you have a pretty horrible look on you face, I suppose.」
「I think, I still can’t understand the situation, about what’s going on….」
「Hmm? Rather than can’t understand, I suppose it’s more like you don’t want to.」
Rinko – who had gone there without any particular purpose, or if dared to say, to run away from Touma, who was trying to take her into the bath – cut him off in a straightforward manner.
「Speaking of whether or not that Shinnosuke kid will be able to go back to normal, well, to be honest, I suppose the chance is about 50-50. In any case, unless we conquer this『Marvel World』, we won’t be able to save both Riru-chan and Yuka-chan either.」
「I get it, I do get it. About that.」
Tatsuya crouched on the spot, covering his ears and holding his head.
「… Even so, isn’t it fine, I suppose? For us, or rather for Touma-kun and the others, it’s not that hard to crush a raid quest of this level. Even if you don’t do anything, I bet it will be over by tomorrow.」
Even if he simply cowered, closed his eyes and covered his ears, and the story would go on.
It was he himself who had simply been directing gazes of envy and jealousy from that place.
It was the human known as Tatsuya who had been envying the adorned display inside the display window through the glass.
Even now that he had acquired the power of the『Seven Deadly Sins』, that stance of his had not changed.
However, in that case, he wouldn’t be able to save Shinnosuke.
「If I have to pick, I suppose you’re similar to me. You are not the type to take the lead and get involved in things on your own accord. You can’t be the protagonist of the story.」
「I think you’re right… But, Shinnosuke (that guy) asked me to save him.」
Being stared at by Tatsuya, who raised his face, Rinko shrugged her shoulders.
「Then, it’s no more than a consolation, but I suppose you should step up and defeat Shinnosuke-kun as a『human being』. For our kids, he’s no more than a『monster』 to defeat, after all. It doesn’t necessarily mean that he’ll be saved that way, but it’ll slightly increase the possibility of him returning to be human again, I suppose.」
Even if those words really were mere consolation, for sure, that was the role he ought to take on.
「I’ll, do it. He’s, my… friend, after all.」
「Yes, I see. Then, I’ll grant this to you, I suppose.」
Tatsuya caught the object that was carelessly thrown at him.
It was a piece of equipment made of cloth and leather sewn together.
「There is a child in our club who likes that kind of thing, you see. It’s an item that we made as a way to kill time, and is not imbued with any sorts of abilities, but I’m giving it to you.」
「This is….」
「I wonder if you know the word『persona』? If you’re not confident with the you up until now, you can just become a new you.」
Tatsuya realized that Rinko was indeed a brethren, someone of the same type as him.
Without a trigger or a reason, people like them could not even move.
Bowing his head, Tatsuya walked down from the rooftop with resolute steps.
Rinko, tired from her out-of-character advisory role, leaned against the clothes-drying platform and let out a sigh.
He might look harmless, but she was not good at facing boys.
◇ ◇ ◇
Under the sky that never grew dark, a lone boy slipped out of the gate of the Demon Lord’s castle.
He had no companions, and was only clenching the partner in his hand.
The name was『Whale-Harpoon Crawling from the Deep (Over-Envy Gear)』.
It was an Innate Armament (Origin Gear) that fall under the category of the『Seven Deadly Sins』.
「I’m sorry. But please lend me your strength.」
Normally, she was a sentient armament (Intelligent Gear) so talkative that he found it annoying, but since coming to this raid, she had stayed quiet as if she was hiding from something.
From the beginning, she was negative about this rescue mission.
And since the raid dive, she had stayed quiet like your run of the mill weapon.
「— ‘sup, Tatsuya. Going for a walk?」
「Seiichi-kun.」
Seiichi, cross-legged, was sitting on a bench in the park where the base was set up.
Still floating a frivolous expression on his face, he was holding a can of coffee that he had brought in from outside.
「It’s still time for everyone to sleep, you know? You want some coffee too?」
「… You see, I’ve got to go. I’m sure Shinnosuke (that guy) is also waiting for me, after all.」
*Hah* Snickering, Seiichi got up and tossed the empty can into the trash.
「You sure are an idiot, aren’t you? It’s still understandable if it’s for a woman, but for you to put your body on the line to save a dude. Are you a homo?」
「N, no, I like women.」
Just when he thought that he would be stopped there, he was shaken by the homosexual suspicion.
Then, poking his shoulder, Seiichi stepped toward the exit of the park.
「Err, Seiichi-kun. Why are you….」
「You’re going for a walk, right? I’ll go with you. We’re friends, after all.」
Saying no word in reply, Tatsuya chased after him and went through the gate of the park.
In the shadow of the gate, a sour faced boy was leaning his back against it, his arms crossed.
The face was devoid of any shred of affection, but he already knew that it wasn’t like he was thinking about killing someone or anything.
「… Touma-kun.」
「Don’t get me wrong. I’m just passing by. It’s not like… I’m coming along because I’m worried about my friend or anything.」
「Stop with the filthy tsundere act.」
Seiichi, who threw in a retort, sported a serious look on his face.
Tatsuya, wanting to cry despite not understanding what it meant, gritted his teeth.
He hated his weak-minded self, for ending up harboring the thought of throwing away his resolve and just following after them.
Even if he could not reach their realm (level) yet, he wanted to walk next to them as a friend.
However, human nature was not something that could be changed so easily.
Therefore, Tatsuya took out of his pocket the magical item that had just been granted to him.
That was right, the word『persona』 referred to the masks worn by actors in the ancient theater.
It was a trigger, to turn into a different character you ought to play.
To transform yourself into a new self, different from your pathetic and weak self.
「Phew… Ooh, oooooooh!」
As the mask fitted to his face upon being equipped, a voice leaked.
It was the first cry of a beast, born of a man who mourned his own weakness.
「Hm.」
「Say, Tatsuya. That one is….」
Tatsuya, wearing a mask that completely covered his head, struck a massive pose as power welled up within him.
It was a mask of simple design.
The flames framing the eye parts burned, and feather-like decorations accented the side of the head.
Turning around, the masked man gave a thumbs-up and gleamed his teeth.
「I (ore), no… Do call me (watashi) Captain Envy!」
RELEASE RATE
High School Hack and Slash
Speed up schedule by 10 hours
Current schedule: Every 70 hours
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