Chapter 13(208): Facing the Flames
Just as Hikigaya believed, he currently possessed no usable weapons. If anything, all he had was Return by Death, gathering information through repeated deaths to break the enemy's strategy.
"Have you decided?"
Beatrice's sudden appearance left Hikigaya momentarily speechless.
"I thought you didn't want to see me."
"What an arrogant fool. Betty has no reason not to want to see you. No, anyway, Betty sees you when she wants and doesn't when she doesn't."
Hikigaya smiled wryly: "Compared to me, you're the more arrogant one."
Beatrice crossed her arms. Though immeasurably powerful, she acted like a child, leaving Hikigaya unsure how to deal with her.
"Beatrice… thank you."
"Betty didn't help you."
"No matter what, I still wanted to say it."
Yes, both last time and this time, Beatrice had helped him unconditionally. He remembered clearly how helpless she had been crying in the Forbidden Library.
If he died, perhaps that memory would disappear. But even so, this gratitude was the only thing he could offer now.
Beatrice seemed embarrassed by the atmosphere and turned her head away.
"Fine, fine. I won't tell Emilia. When you come back, explain it yourself."
"Then I'll leave Emilia to you."
With Beatrice and Puck present, even a feint against the mansion would have sufficient firepower.
"No matter what, come back alive. Otherwise, I'll lose someone I can bully!"
"If you could just be honest for once… I'm going now."
Beatrice grabbed the corner of Hikigaya's clothes, as if she had suddenly remembered something, and said: "Remember this, if a person is afflicted with more than three curses at the same time, even I won't be able to do anything."
"Then… what should we do?"
"There are only two methods. Either avoid being attacked three times, or kill the mabeast that serves as the source of the curse."
Hearing this, Hikigaya felt his heart sink.
Killing that mabeast would be extremely difficult. From the very beginning, he had never intended to fight mabeasts at all.
But now, it seemed the situation was far worse than he had anticipated.
Having regained his ability to move on his own, Hikigaya planned to jump straight out the window and head for the village. If he didn't hide it from Emilia, she would have absolutely no reason to let him leave the mansion.
"Oh, right, there's one more thing!"
"…"
"Why are you looking at me like that? Betty isn't trying to harm you."
As she spoke, a fruit suddenly appeared out of thin air in Beatrice's hand.
"This is a Bokko Fruit. It can restore the magic lost from your Gate at the fastest possible rate."
"H-hey, you had something this good and didn't give it to me earlier?" Hikigaya said as he curiously accepted it.
"And this is a Demon Fruit. It can maximize and violently amplify all the magic within your body, but…"
As she said this, Beatrice's expression became extremely serious.
"If this isn't a special circumstance, I do not recommend eating it. Leaving aside the fact that you already can't properly control your Gate, even releasing magic casually exhausts you or knocks you unconscious. If you eat this fruit, the moment your magic explodes you may get good results, but… the consequences are unimaginable."
After saying that, Beatrice hesitated for a moment before still handing the Demon Fruit to Hikigaya.
Looking at the Demon Fruit, Hikigaya could almost picture himself lying flat on a bed afterward.
Compared to the Bokko Fruit, the Demon Fruit was undeniably stronger, but it was a last resort.
"Anyway… let's go."
"You must come back."
"I will come back."
"Pinky promise!"
"Pinky promise."
…
After eating the Bokko Fruit, Hikigaya clearly felt that most of his stamina had returned. Compared to before, he could practically be called light on his feet.
Especially at the moment he jumped out of the window, he did not felt the slightest fear. Instead… excitement surged within him.
Perhaps because he used to ride a bicycle so often, now Hikigaya could ran with maximum efficiency, crossing hills and forests until he finally reached the village.
Since it was already late at night, the village should have been quiet, but at this moment, all the villagers were holding torches, clearly on guard against something.
"Who's there?!"
"It's me…"
Hikigaya's appearance immediately made the villagers breathe a sigh of relief.
"What happened? Have you seen Rem and Ram, the twin sisters?"
One villager grabbed Hikigaya's clothes in agitation, choking back tears as he spoke: "The children… all the children are gone. And the adults who went to look for them haven't come back either."
"And we keep hearing cries in the middle of the night… Where is Lord Roswaal? Where is Lord Roswaal?!"
Faced with the fear of death, despair and terror spread through the villagers' hearts.
Hikigaya understood that feeling all too well. Yet at this moment, because of his own powerlessness, he couldn't give them the sense of safety they desperately needed.
He could only gently place a hand on the villager's shoulder and say softly: "They'll all be safe. I promise."
"Right now, I need to know where Rem and Ram went."
A villager led him near the boundary line and said: "They went in that direction, but… Hikigaya-sama, you're just an ordinary person. Are you really going to risk going in there? According to Lady Rem, the barrier has already failed. If you rush in recklessly… and the mabeasts swarm you…"
'So it's finally come. Someone destroyed the barrier. This isn't the time to think about it, but… if it was destroyed, doesn't that mean there's still a traitor among the villagers?'
'A curse caster, huh? We'll clash again someday. The good news is that they don't dare reveal themselves easily right now. No matter what, I have to confirm the children's safety, and Rem and Ram's situation first.'
Hikigaya said aloud: "Don't worry. I may be an ordinary person, but I'm really good at running away. And besides… I can't accept those children dying right in front of me."
Without further words, Hikigaya crossed the boundary line and charged straight into the forest.
His vision blurred, and darkness swallowed everything around him.
But having already overcome his fear of death, Hikigaya's heart was unbelievably calm. Every blade of grass and tree around him appeared clearer than ever, this was the power of perception.
Even if the enemy was hidden while he stood exposed, Hikigaya was not at a disadvantage.
"Grrrr!"
"Here it comes!"
He bit down hard on the Bokko Fruit. Magical particles immediately began swirling around him, gathering under the guidance of his will and concentrating at his feet.
The moment the mabeast lunged out, Hikigaya kicked off with all his strength. Feeling an incredibly powerful rebound, he leapt straight onto a tree, causing the mabeast to crash headfirst into the ground.
"That felt amazing! Is this what Kōenji feels? I don't like being a monkey, but this level of physical development… terrifying."
[Kōenji: "I feel strangely insulted."]
Mabeasts began appearing in groups. Fortunately, they were all chasing along the ground, while Hikigaya continuously leapt between trees.
Of course, this was only the first step of the plan.
In the forest, any movement was extremely noticeable. The fluttering of birds and the shaking of trees acted like signal flares, sending information to Rem and Ram in the distance.
"Sister… look over there?"
"Rem… we have no other choice now. Let's gamble everything."
Ram didn't hesitate at all. She unleashed a terrifying wind spell into the sky, throwing the airflow into complete chaos.
At this very moment, behind them were the missing children. If one looked closely, Ram and Rem's bodies were already covered in curses, yet the children themselves were completely unharmed.
Petra: "Sister Rem… we'll be okay, right?"
Rem: "Of course. Someone will come save us very soon!"
…
On the other side, Hikigaya noticed the chaotic airflow and finally obtained the information he wanted.
But judging from this, they were clearly trapped in a brutal fight…
Then let's make this an unbelievable ambush.
[Crusch: "Sometimes, you really can't help but admire his growth. After overcoming his fear of death, he now possesses energy that normal people simply cannot."]
[Wilhelm: "Look at his eyes. This is a beast that has awakened…"]
[Felix: "If he ever stood against us, how exactly would we restrain someone like him?"]
[Crusch shook her head helplessly, half amused: "There's no real option at all. Even you, Wilhelm, couldn't imagine someone possessing the power of looping."]
[Wilhelm nodded.]
["So if we were forced into opposition and knew he had that power, the only choice would be to imprison him. It's not humane, but it's the only way."]
[Crusch: "Let's just hope it never comes to that. No matter what, right now he isn't our enemy, just a rival."]
Running through the forest, even as his magic was constantly being consumed, Hikigaya felt a new strength slowly rising within his body.
An ambusher shouldn't arrive empty-handed.
Rem sniffed the air: "Such a strong stench of the Witch."
Ram: "Little sister, this isn't the time for that… If things truly get bad, we'll have to go all out."
To be honest, Ram didn't want her sister to enter her oni form, the consequences afterward were impossible to predict. But as she looked at Meili lying unconscious in her arms, Ram had no other choice.
If they kept dragging this out, once the curse activated, they would truly have no escape.
In the distance, crimson flames suddenly erupted into the sky.
Both Ram and Rem, and the mabeasts as well, were instantly drawn to it.
Ram: "What… happened?"
The flames continued to burn, until roaring fire surrounded both the mabeasts and the sisters, forcing everyone into a dead end.
If the fire was allowed to keep spreading, the end result would be mutual destruction.
Mabeasts should have no intelligence, but upon seeing the child in Ram's arms, they desperately forced open a path, trying to extinguish the raging flames.
Thanks to this sudden turn of events, Rem and Ram finally found some breathing room. The mabeasts were too busy to attack them, giving the sisters a moment of relief.
"Hikigaya-kun?"
"Hachiman."
"Seeing that you're both safe… that's enough."
Rem let out a helpless bitter smile and subtly pulled her arm back, but the deliberate motion didn't escape Hikigaya's eyes.
Without hesitation, he grabbed Rem's hand and pulled it forward. As expected, it was already covered in dozens of curses, inflicted by mabeast bites.
Ram: "Rem protected Meili…"
Hikigaya: "Looks like none of us have a way out anymore. Don't worry… we'll win."
Ram didn't quite understand, but she still forcefully pinched the back of Hikigaya's neck.
"So this fire was your doing, Hachiman? Are you trying to drag us all down with you, or are you forcing us to bet everything?"
Hikigaya: "There's a way. Of course there is."
Rem: "Sister, believe in him."
As the flames burned out, the number of mabeasts visibly decreased. The remaining ones, realizing they couldn't escape, stopped trying to carve a path with their flesh and instead charged suicidally, only to be smashed apart by Rem's flail.
"Incredible…"
As the mabeasts were gradually eliminated, the curses on Rem's body also began to fade.
Petra: "Hikigaya-sama… what do we do now?"
Hikigaya: "Since we're already here, then we fight with everything we have."
As the flames and mabeasts drew closer, Hikigaya realized this was the absolute best he could do.
Without the slightest hesitation, he swallowed both the Bokko Fruit and the Demon Fruit in one go. His body was instantly flooded with searing heat.
Countless spirit particles gathered around him. Perhaps never before had he felt so overwhelmingly powerful.
Without a word, he gently held Ram and Rem's hands.
"Hachiman!"
"Hikigaya-kun!"
As his body reached its limit, pain twisted across his face. It was as if all external sound had been cut off, leaving only a single phrase echoing deep within his heart:
"I love you…"
"I love you…"
"I love you…"
"Shamak!"
The swollen particles exploded outward. With Hikigaya at the center, the range of 'Shamak' instantly covered half the forest. Birds in the air and mabeasts alike lost all their senses at that moment.
If not for the blazing flames, Hikigaya might have completely lost himself in that pitch-black world.
But now was not the time for fear.
"Wind Blade!"
A violent current of air burst from his body, forcibly changing the direction of the flames. The chaotic airflow carved out an absolute boundary between the mabeasts and Hikigaya's group.
Within 'Shamak' no one could be seen, but the tightly clasped hands told him he was not alone.
Let's go.
This is the road that belongs to us.
Facing the flames, a magnificent escape began.
[Al: "Using torches to leave sparks along the road, then riding the flow of wind magic to ignite them in sequence… finally splitting the battlefield and creating a single path of escape… This guy is seriously a damn genius."]
[Priscilla: "Tch… it's nothing more than a bit of clever trickery. Al, what are you getting so excited about?"]
[After being scolded by Priscilla like that, Al quickly shut his mouth and behaved.]
[And although Priscilla wore an irritated expression, at that moment she hadn't yet realized that this man really could rely on power that was practically nonexistent to lead the two of them out of danger, and even counteract the curse in the process…]
[For the first time, her heart was shaken. Because she realized that so-called combat wasn't limited to real blades and bloodshed alone.]
[Puck: "Lia, it kind of feels like we were kept completely in the dark and underestimated, doesn't it?"]
[Emilia let out a breath of relief: "As long as he comes back safely, I'll forgive him."]
[Sakura: "Just like you said, at a time like this I can't think about anything else. As long as he can survive safely, I'd choose to forgive as well."]
[Kushida: "It's really unpleasant, but who wouldn't feel the same way?"]
[Kamuro: "This guy… he really gives people a headache."]
[Hirata: "Hikigaya-kun is usually reliable, but at times like this, it's really hard not to worry."]
[Matsushita Chiaki: "In a world like this, facing one monster after another, even if a god came, they'd die twice over. Worrying is only natural."]
[Kamuro: "No matter what, as long as they managed to run away, that's good…"]
[Hikigaya: "I feel like you're raising some kind of terrifying flag."]
---
It was a strange sensation. Despite having no perception at all, his senses, sounds, and even his consciousness completely sealed off, unable to receive any feedback from the outside world, Hikigaya felt not the slightest fear at this moment.
The two sisters he was holding onto must be thinking the same thing right now. Whether it was Ram or Rem, both had entrusted themselves to him completely, and naturally, he wouldn't let them down.
Following the faint starlight marking the path they had come from, there was only this one road. It had to be the right one.
As his mana was consumed, every step Hikigaya took came with feedback from a body pushed to exhaustion. This was a physical weakness, not something that could be overcome through sheer willpower.
Even so, he still didn't fall.
Just like when Ram had chased him through the mansion, normally, the moment a person's Gate was damaged, they would collapse and lose consciousness instantly. Yet Hikigaya didn't.
His heart was still pounding wildly. Though he didn't know why, he felt as if a pair of hands were gently supporting his body, supporting his heart, whispering softly by his ear: 'I love you…'
'I love you…'
'I love you, you know…'
'There it is again… But at this moment, if I'm not mistaken, whether it's Return by Death or even now, this power is something she gave me, right? Just who is it? If what Betty said about the Witch's scent is true, then it can only be a Witch…'
'Although this isn't the time to talk about it… if you can hear my words, then… thank you.'
Though it was the same day, they experienced a life-and-death race twice. After sprinting nonstop, they finally escaped the range of the "Shamak."
Behind him, his right hand tightly gripped Ram, who was holding a child named Meili in her arms.
With his left hand, he held Rem just as tightly, and behind her followed a group of children, all unharmed.
When he saw that the mabeasts hadn't chased after them, Hikigaya collapsed onto the ground. Perhaps he had already been completely exhausted, and only now had he lost the strength to keep going.
"Hikigaya-kun!" Rem suddenly threw herself around him, her eyes brimming with tears of distress.
"You just exhausted your Gate not long ago, how could you do this again!? Didn't Beatrice-sama tell you to rest properly!?"
"Hachiman… you arrived just in time, but you…"
Hikigaya gave a helpless, bitter smile: "This really was my own reckless decision. Looks like I'm a pretty self-righteous guy after all… Are the children okay?"
Petra: "Hikigaya-sama, we're all fine, but… Meili… Meili seems to have fainted."
Hikigaya cast a sharp glance at Meili in Ram's arms: "Leave her to Betty…"
Ram: "Looks like that's all we can do. Let's head back first!"
…
[Karuizawa: "So you're out of danger? There won't suddenly be more mabeasts jumping out, right?"]
[Hikigaya: "Why is everyone starting to raise flags now?"]
[Kazuma: "I've got a really bad feeling about this…"]
[Horikita Manabu: "So far, everything has gone smoothly. But… it's precisely because it's gone 'too' smoothly…"]
[Hikigaya: "So what you're saying is?"]
[As if he noticed something, Hikigaya shifted his gaze back to the screen.]
At the same time, a 'rustling' sound suddenly echoed through the forest.
When they found themselves completely surrounded, Petra began trembling in fear."How could this be…"
Ram: "These guys are really persistent."
Rem: "Sister… it looks like things can only develop 'that' way now…"
Ram: "But…"
Rem: "I absolutely, absolutely don't want to see Hikigaya-kun get hurt this badly for our sake ever again."
"Graaah!"
Hikigaya let out a quiet sigh, his gaze still fixed on Meili: "So this is how it turns out…"
"I really didn't expect to lose to a child… You can stop pretending to be asleep now, Meili. Or rather… should I call you a curse user?"
(End of this chapter)