Arifureta Shokugyou de Sekai Saikyou (WN) Chapter 445 Tortus Travel Journal ? Unexpected Talent?

Chapter 445 Tortus Travel Journal ? Unexpected Talent?

A deadly battle was unfolded between a black angel and a silver angel. It was a battle that was truly worthy to be called a “proper” battle.

The feeling of powerlessness from being unable to keep a promise that was exchanged in the past.

The sense of inferiority that was brought about by one’s own weakness.

Jealousy, anger, regret.

One’s own ugliness was thoroughly beaten into oneself, which strengthened the fake rapidly. The dancing blade and magic were materializing her heart’s weakness into a physical embodiment.

But at the same time that battle was also beautiful.

The way the past Kaori desperately resisted, hanged on, and continued to fight, coupled with her swordsmanship that was gradually getting refined to look like a dance definitely possessed a certain something that pressed on the heart of the people watching it.

It was definitely touching, but……

『Actually even after conquering the underground dungeon you――』

「Attagirl, HIT HER KAORIIIIIIII! BEAT HER UPPPPPPP-」

『IYou am a saint? Fufu, what a joke isn’t it? At the bottom of my heart I――』

「What’s so funny!? She’s a saint no matter where you looookkkk!? There isn’t any room for argument!」

『YourMy heart is this ugly――』

「What did you just say you b.a.s.t.a.r.d-! How dare you grin like that with Kaori’s face since some time ago! I can’t take it anymore. Kaoriii! Otou-san’ll help you nowwww!!」

Tomoichi-san was being terribly annoying.

Ever since this part of the past replay started, his tension had gone through the roof and he acted annoyingly just like Hajime when watching the fake Yue. But he had completely snapped not long after the fake started throwing verbal abuse to the past Kaori. Even now he kept shouting angrily nonstop. It made the others couldn’t really catch what the fake was saying.

Kaori was covering her face with both her hands. Apparently her father’s heated reaction stimulated her embarra.s.sment far more than her past self’s action. It was only natural.

Tomoichi finally rolled his sleeves while readying himself to charge toward the past fake, but Kaoruko hugged him from behind with a wry smile to stop him.

「Well, it’s not like I can’t understand his feeling.」

「That’s true. This trial isn’t a pleasant thing to watch even from the outside like this.」

Shuu and Sumire were also smiling wryly. Koichi also nodded strongly in understanding as a father who also had a daughter.

「Not to mention Kaori-chan is going through this trial in the right way in a sense.」

Yes, it was a deadly battle because Kaori was facing her “negative emotions” head-on.

Even while she was fighting back against her gradually strengthened fake self, little by little she solidified her feelings, comprehended them, overcame them, and then she advanced forward.

The “preciousness of human’s growth” could be felt even more from her appearance compared to Yue, Shia, and Tio who conquered their trial using a slightly unique method.

To prove it,

『The strengthening, stopped?』

The fake’s expression finally changed. The tilting scale of strength was starting to regain its equilibrium once more.

The two clashed fiercely inside the past replay. Their swords locked with each other. But, Kaori didn’t pull back. She didn’t get pushed back. She stared straight toward the manifestation of her own negative feelings from point-blank range despite wanting to avert her eyes from it so much.

And then she laid her feeling bare.

『I myself want to change. I want to be kind like Yue. I want to be strong like Shia. I want to be wise like Tio. I want to be cute like Shizuku-cha――』

「KAORIIIIIIIII, how honest and adorable! Bravooo! Angel! It’s alright! Otou-san knows! There isn’t anyone as strong and kind as you in this――」

「Otou-san, STAYYYYY!!」

「GYAA!?」

Hearing Kaori’s honest feeling made Yue, Shia, Tio, and also Shizuku to blush slightly. Even so they were sending warm gazes that enveloped Kaori.

That too was a precious sight that enveloped everyone’s heart in gentle feeling――or it should be, but everyone’s expression turned stiff from Tomoichi-san’s idiot father act. Papa who doted on his daughter didn’t have the words reading the mood in his dictionary!

And so the beloved daughter finally couldn’t endure it anymore and the flat of her great sword smacked the father’s head. He was down for the count. He was rendered unconscious with his eyes rolled up.

「Oi Kaori. You overdid it.」

「I don’t care for this kind of Otou-san!」

Kaoruko who caught her husband’s body couldn’t continue holding him up forever as expected. She sat down on the ground while looking at her unconscious husband like he was a hopeless person. Then he made him faced up and gave him a lap pillow. As for Kaori, she looked aside sullenly even after being reproached.

「So he has to miss the climax in the end……」

「This isn’t the first time this happen. Fufu, he’s really adorable no matter how much time has pa.s.sed.」

「I never understand ever since a long time ago why your expression always turned loving at this kind of time.」

Akiko-san looked exasperated while Kaoruko-san’s affectionate expression deepened for some reason while she caressed Tomoichi’s head. Kirino who had known her for a long time was looking like she was enduring a headache from watching that.

But putting aside the Shirasaki husband and wife who were being like that,

「……Hmm? Hoo? So Kaori think of me as kind?」

「Hee, hohoo? So Kaori-san wanted to become storng like me?」

「I seeee, thy often looked at me as though I’m a pitiful thing and yet, fufu, thy art actually looking up to me as a wise person.」

「Y-you said you wanted to be cute like me……geez, even though you’re cuter than me no matter how you looked at it……geez!」

「Nnn. W-well, I think you can say that perhaps I might feel something like that or perhaps not once or twice I guess? I guess!」

Kaori turned bright red and her speech became really rapid when the four girls looked at her with four different kind of grinning.

The scale of strength inside the past replay had gotten overturned. Kaori’s swordsmanship and magic were starting to graze the fake bit by bit.

「Kaori……is really amazing just as I thought.」

Liliana muttered with an emotional tone.

「It reminded me how after Hajime-san fell into the abyss, you were the only one who believed in his survival and frantically did everything you can.」

「Lily……」

「It was also the same during the final battle. You were the only one who lifted your hands toward the sky while everyone else was despairing in front of the apostles’ all out bombardment. You stopped it till the end.」

Liliana looked at Kaori. She looked proud to be Kaori’s friend.

「There were also times when you were hurt and fell on your knee, but you always stood up and carried through till the end……I really respect you for that.」

「uu……Lily, it’s embarra.s.sing if you told me straight like that.」

Kaori mumbled her words shyly. Liliana chuckled.

Aiko also smiled seeing the two of them like that while opening her mouth. She looked proud in some way. It was the look of a teacher who saw off a student leaving their nest splendidly.

「That’s true. When Hajime-kun fell, I too felt like my heart was going to break because there was no more hope of all of the students going back safely to j.a.pan. It was pathetic of me. I couldn’t immediately console the students because I myself was in shock……」

「Ai-chan-sensei……」

「Right after you woke up, you declared that you’re going to search Hajime-kun, that you won’t give up until you see it with your own eyes. That strength of your encouraged me too. At that time I felt that a student like you are too good for someone like me, but that’s exactly why I can’t just keep feeling down. It was because of you that I managed to get back on my feet you know?」

「I-is that so……ehehe」

Kaori smiled happily and also bashfully while fidgeting shyly from hearing Aiko’s honest feeling, but Kaoruko looked even happier than her as her mother. ……Of course, Tomoichi was still unconscious. Even though her daughter was getting praised. It was too bad. In various senses.

The past replay was reaching the climax. Hajime spoke teasingly, but there was also respect and praise in his voice tone just like Liliana and Aiko.

「You’re dense, like to charge ahead without thinking, and even when you get beaten up you make it into the source of your growth and get stronger……thinking back now, Kaori was filled up with a lot of main character attributes wasn’t she?」

「Even though she kept charging at Hajime every chance she got before we got summoned, she wasn’t even aware that she loved him until he fell into the abyss.」

「H-Hajime-kun! Even Shizuku-chan!」

「The dying scene of a loved one is a common trope for the hero’s awakening event. Hajime, you were actually Kaori-chan’s heroine……」

「Okaa-sanMother-in-law!?」

「Wait a second. In that case, Hajime encountering Yue-chan and getting together with her was really an NT――」

「Please don’t say anymore than that, Otou-sanFather-in-law! It feels like my brain is going to explode even now if that thought entered my mind!!」

「……Kaori-kuuun, you alriiight? I’m going to do awee~some thing with your beloved Hajime-chan noow~?」

「I take it back! Yue isn’t kind at all-」

Hajime and others were s.c.r.e.w.i.n.g around excitedly like that while the past Kaori was clearing her trial splendidly. Meanwhile Myuu was making a troubled expression outside the commotion. She took Remia mama’s hand and looked up to her with a frown.

「Kaori-oneechan is amazing nano.」

「Yes, she is.」

「Even though she’s so amazing……she’s so amazing right now……but then this scene will become like that right after this!」

「T-that’s true.」

Myuu covered her face in sorrow. It was as though she was watching a tragic fate that couldn’t be changed.

No, it wasn’t as though, there was really a tragedy right in front of them. It was even more tragic because the trial was going on swimmingly in an emotional way.

A part of the ice wall inside the past replay exploded. Yue stumbled out from there.

「「「「「Ah……」」」」」

n.o.body had forgotten, but the past Kaori had been really doing her best in proper and respectable way that everyone unconsciously avoided thinking about it. Everyone’s voice trembled seeing how the past unfolded from there.

「Thank you for watching.」

Kaori quietly closed the past replay. The expression she had at that moment was the clear expression that only someone who had accepted the past could have.

「Uu, Kaori-san. Please let me say it once more! I’m really really sorry desuuu!」

「Yes, it’s alright now. I don’t mind anymore that Shia punched my fake to use her as cannonball or used her as shield against a lightning dragon.」

「That’s completely the line of someone who completely mind it desuu」

Kaori’s affectionate smile whipped up terror and guilt inside Shia instead. Shia hurriedly elbowed Yue beside her. She urged her 「Come on, Yue-san too! You have to apologize too for that time!」 with a small voice. Kaori’s gaze slowly turned toward Yue with a radiant smile still sported on her face.

「……K-Kaori. Umm, err, I……」

「Uh huh, whaaat?」

Kaori smiled cheerfully while urging Yue 「Come on, it’s okay for you to apologize you know? Be honest to yourself」. Yue kept sending upward glances at Kaori while her face kept reddening more as time pa.s.sed.

Uh, guuh, Yue was groaning while looking terribly conflicted.

「Yue-oneechan, it’s better to apologize properly……」

「Fuguuh」

「Is it just my imagination that there is this sound of teeth grinding?」

「Thy hands art turning white from clenching too hard there.」

「Y-you really hate it to that degree……」

Even Myuu was rebuking her while looking conflicted. Yue-san’s conflicted feeling reached the peak.

And then, a beat later.

Yue sighed 「Fuuuh」 as though she had let go of some kind of a big burden. She faced Kaori. She called 「Kaori」 with a look of determination.

And then, 「Whaat?」 Kaori asked her with a saintly smile. Yue’s expression tensed and she strongly declared.

「Even if I’m 100% at fault! I don’t want to lower my head and neither will I do so-!!」

「「「「「You’re the worsttt」」」」」

「That’s what I thought you’ll say!!」

「「「「「Your understanding of her is staggering-」」」」」

Everyone looked exasperated or looked they had gotten a headache, but Hajime alone said 「What a witty remark. ……I also want to use that line someday」 while looking deeply impressed.

「Yue-oneechan……」

「……Myuu, remember this. Each person has something that they can’t give up to anyone. Such thing has to be protected even at the cost of your life!」

「Not bowing to Kaori-oneechan is something that worth your life?」

「Of course-」

「……The feelings of “No, I think that’s no good as a human” and “I see. So there’s also something like that” are clashing inside Myuu nano.」

「Myuu, choose the first feeling without hesitation. Promise that to mama.」

「Myu……」

It seemed that the bad influence to Myuu didn’t come solely from Hajime papa.

「Haa, that’s enough already. It’s a past matter. And if I’m in Yue’s position then I too absolutely won’t apologize! Even if it killed me!」

No, so you’re the same!? Such retort could be filled from the gazes of the parents toward Kaori.

「But, Myuu-chan, you don’t need to remember this example. You have to properly apologize when you do something wrong you know?」

「Y-yes nano……」

Myuu was radiating an atmosphere that was clearly showing how she thought Kaori’s words had no persuasiveness at all no matter how she looked at it.

Kaori too must be feeling it. There were also the gazes from the parents piercing into her, so she cleared her throat.

「Next is Hajime-kun’s trial isn’t it? I can’t wait!」

「Is Tomoichi-san alright?」

Hajime smiled wryly at the blatant change of subject while his gaze moved toward the still unconscious Tomoichi. Kaoruko answered him.

「It’s fine Hajime-kun. Rather he would just become noisy saying things like “One more time!” or “I need to record this!” if he wake up now, so if it’s not a trouble to carry him in this state then I want to keep him like this.」

「Err……well, we can carry him the same way like we carried Lily just now so it’s not a trouble……」

The madam made an unexpectedly severe decision. Hajime looked toward Tomoichi with some agreement in his expression.

He summoned the aforementioned wooden coffin once more. Kaoruko lifted up Tomoichi in her arms and put him inside the coffin. She was wearing an affectionate smile the whole time.

It was strange. She didn’t look like she was having difficulty at all even though she was lifting up an adult male. The way she put him inside the coffin looked excessively polished.

You should keep your treasure in a safe place~~ It felt like they could hear someone saying that.

「……These mother and daughter are really similar.」

「Yue? What do you mean by that hmm?」

It went without saying what she meant by that. Everyone understood it. That fact was clear from a glance of everyone’s face other than the Shirasaki mother and daughter.

Hajime shivered slightly while opening the “gate”. Meanwhile Akiko whispered to her daughter with a twitching expression.

「……Hey, Aiko. Thinking back, aren’t there too many people who fainted during this trip?」

「Eh? That’s not……」

Adol who watched the beginning of Tio’s fall from grace, Yue who got punched on her stomach by Shizuku at the empire, the n.o.bles who felt terror toward Hauria, Altena at the sea of trees, and not to mention Liliana.

「Eh? Aren’t there too many people who fainted in our trip?」

「A trip where people lost consciousness everywhere the group goes……put in words like that, it’s like this trip is cursed.」

The Hatayama mother and daughter looked at each other’s face and laughed drily together. And then they pa.s.sed through the “gate” behind Hajime and the others as though nothing had happened.

In this world there were things that would only be a waste of time or even harmful to be concerned about. The returnees knew that fact very well.

.

.

.

Hajime’s trial was replayed. After a while,

「「「「「O-oo……」」」」」

Voices that were hard to differentiate whether they sounded impressed or shocked arose from here and there. Everyone, even Yue and the girls were watching with rapt attention.

They looked like movie-goers who were leaning forward on the edge of their seat while watching a well-made action movie.

The trials that they had watched until now were also intense just like action movie. But, they were all heavy with fantasy element. Those were fights of other world fantasy.

That was why Hajime’s trial was sensational in a sense.

Especially for those who were born on earth. This fight felt far more realistic than the trials of Yue and the others. And yet the battle ought to be called as the very picture of an action movie.

「When it comes to battle between two gunners……the fantasy element get drastically thinned down.」

Shuuzou muttered that while rubbing his chin. n.o.body replied back, but they strongly agreed inside their heart.

Repeated gunshot sounds. Bursts of gun fires and black and red flashes flying every which way.

The fake’s white Donner was thrust out. In respond Hajime’s Schlag swept it away to diver its firing line.

Donner fired at the same time, but the fake half spun to dodge and fired back with his white Schlag.

Hajime also spun to dodge. Both sides aimed at each other with their respective Donner. The instant each gun muzzle fixed their aim, two bullets collided on midair right on the center without the slightest deviation. They were squashed flat from the impact and fell on the ground.

Aim, sweep, fire back, dodge, aim again, shift firing line, fire back.

Originally it should be punches and kicks that were exchange in such close quarter. But there both sides escaped from the firing trajectory by a hair’s breadth while trying to make their own bullet landed on the enemy.

Close quarter combat was being performed through an exchange of crimson flashes and black flashes as though they were using bullets in the place of fist. The sight of bicolor flashes flying every which way with the two at the center could only be described as stunning.

Yes, that was the combat which was brought about by the interweaving Gun Kata of two gun users.

「Papa is so cool nano! Amazing nanooo!!」

「Oh, is that so?」

Everyone had understood from the course of their trip until here that Hajime’s gunmanship was at the realm of extremity. That was even truer for Myuu who had actually travelled with him during their adventure.

But, as expected it was just as Shuuzou said. A battle between two equally extraordinary gun users was so fresh that it made them temporarily forgot that they were in a fantasy world. The sight sent their heart to dance in excitement. That was clear from a glance of the expressions of the parents and the girls.

「Oi oi, you shot down bullet using bullet even when you aren’t sticking close to the enemy! Were you aiming for that Hajime-kun!!?」

「Y-yes, well」

Koichi’s excitement was through the roof. It was a far different look from the composed personality――excluding the times Yaegashi family went wild as the whole――that he carried himself with until now. The way his eyes shined like a kid made Hajime felt slightly taken aback.

「My father love Hollywood’s action movie. Especially those with stylish gun action.」

「Is that so? He has great taste.」

「Hajime-kun! Is that feat possible for you only because you’re facing your fake whose movement you can predict-? Or you actually can do that feat against anyone-? Which one is it!!」

「Isn’t his character crumbling down? His intonation is similar with a certain muscular actor.」

「Which one-, is iitttt-」

.

「I-it’s the latter.」

「EXCELLENTTT-」

「Otou-san, calm down!」

Putting aside the breakdown of Koichi-san’s character, the confrontation between the fake and the past Hajime was truly flashy. There was no denying that it was a show worth seeing.

Midair gun spin reload, six consecutive shots on the same spot, using the dent on the ground for a ricochet shot, even s.p.a.ce jumping sniping using chakram.

「It’s really an impressive show. Hajime-kun’s technique really shines in a gunfight.」

「You’ll never be able to watch this kind of gunfight in real life.」

The fake and the past Hajime separated for a moment inside the replay. Kirino and Kaoruko let out a long exhale because there was finally a break in the fight.

……Actually, a certain top cla.s.s secret agent of j.a.pan or Britain could also perform movie worthy gun action in real life, though of course it would still be far away from Hajime’s level but……

They would only learn about that fact some time in the future.

「There’s n.o.body who can be Hajime-kun’s match when it comes to guns, so this is also fresh for us.」

「That’s true. ……Though it feels like I can get used to the railgun’s speed if I strained my eyes really hard, then I might be able to have this kind of fight too using Drucken’s bombardment mode desu……」

「Shia……just now, art thou aware that thy just said something absurd about reacting to speed that equaled lighting――」

「I’m not going to do it though because it’ll be faster to close the distance and punch rather than wasting time firing bullets!」

In the future she would be able to evade not only railgun but even using her sight to dodge the attack from the avatar of lightning that turned into lightning itself, but this too was still far in the future.

Aiko sent a terribly doubting sidelong glance at Shia and said.

「If it’s Shia-san then she might say something like “I can just let something like railgun hit me and keep rushing ahead desuu!” rather than dodging it. I have the feeling that even if a bullet hit her body it will only make loud clanging sound.」

「Ai-chan-sensei……you’re describing Termina**r there.」

「……Hajime in white coat is also really cool? I’ll make him wear one next time. And then we’ll have a date.」

「Y-Yue-san is the only one looking at something else……this is my first time seeing someone with heart mark on their eyes for real……」

「M-my my……is it magic?」

Liliana and Remia watched Yue with their eyes widening in astonishment. Yue was clasping her hands in front of her chest while putting on the expression of a maiden in love. Her eyes certainly had pink heart mark on them. It might be the work of metamorphosis magic or illusion.

In any case, the exciting screening stopped there.

『――Do you really think that you still have a place to belong back home?』

The fake finally started attacking verbally. He also started firing bullet of words.

He stated how there was no way a human killing monster could have a place to belong among humans. Surely his parents would feel shocked seeing what their son had changed into.

Hajime’s core was none other than his desire to go home. That was why he feared being rejected by everything that was related to that, the fake said.

Yue and the others understood this aspect of Hajime, but Liliana and the parents other than Sumire and Shuu were surprised, because they thought of Hajime as someone who always laughed fearlessly no matter what stood on his way as he overcame them all.

Sumire and Shuu laughed in amus.e.m.e.nt while glancing at their son.

「Really, our son is so cute. Fufu, I remember how nervous he was when he showed up in front of our home.」

「His body completely relaxed with relieve the moment we hugged him tightly.」

「Stop that, it’s embarra.s.sing.」

Hajime’s cheeks reddened when his parents revealed what happened right after he went home.

Myuu too found this side of her papa surprising. She softly held Hajime’s hand. Her eyes looked up at Hajime. Of course there was no disappointment in there. Rather there was joy there for being able to know about her papa’s weak part.

The other parents must also feel the same.

「Hmph, I can finally see a childish side of yours. It made me feel relieved.」

「Tomoichi-san, you’re awake?」

「Of course I’ll wake up when there are this many gun shots. My head is throbbing though.」

Tomoichi crawled out from the coffin while Kaori’s healing magic flashed on his head. Tomoichi had a quiet expression, which made a very surreal image. The way mysterious light like in anime shined on his head made him looked like an uncle with barren field on the top of his head.

「You were forced to go through this kind of experience and had to mature mentally, even so you returned home. Then you better remember that you’re still allowed to be a kid.」

「…………Yes, I’ll remember that. Thank you Tomoichi-san.」

「Hmph. You’re still a kid, so you need to keep your relationship with Kaori in moderation too!」

Tomoichi spoke his usual abusive language at the end to hide his embarra.s.sment, but surely his words before that were his true feeling.

There were a lot of things that Hajime had to do. He could do a lot of things, and there were also a lot of things that only he could do, but there was no need for him to forget how to depend on the adults near him. That was what Tomoichi said to him.

Shuu looked at his son and Tomoichi back and forth while feeling just a little bit fretful 「Eh? Isn’t he acting more fatherly than me?」. Meanwhile the fake’s verbal attack entered the climax.

『That’s why you couldn’t ignore Hatayama Aiko’s words――』

「Fuhee!? Me!?」

Aiko raised her voice hysterically when her name suddenly came out from the fake’s mouth.

「Aa, I also mentioned it when we were at Ur right? I told you I was thankful for your admonishment about my way of living.」

「I-I see.」

He certainly told her that. Although she never imagined that Hajime took it so seriously that it even got brought up in this trial. The fake was also saying “You looked up to her as your teacher~” which made Aiko’s cheeks reddened in bashfulness. While Aiko was like that, Akiko took her place to puff up her chest as a mother who was proud of her daughter.

『――It’s just dependence.』

The fake even denied Hajime’s love toward Yue. He stated how his feeling toward Yue was nothing more than an insurance in case he found out that there was no place for him at his birthplace.

The parents looked surprised once more to hear that. They unconsciously glanced at Yue but,

「……Nn. It would be even better if Hajime is completely dependent that he is useless without me.」

「Don’t talk like Kaori.」

「I never said anything like that right!? Right!?」

「Kaori-san……it’s something that is radiating out from your whole being.」

「You’re lying right!?」

The parents sighed in relieve seeing them having such noisy exchange like usual, because that meant that this was something that they had already shared with each other beforehand.

「But papa, you’re starting to get wounded nano. How did you win from here nano?」

「Nn~, well, I just acted defiantly and forced my way through. It even made me feel embarra.s.sed when I compared my way with how Kaori did her best. You’ll see it after this.」

Myuu was feeling in suspense even though this was a past that had already happened, but it was just as Hajime said. The conclusion was immediately put into display.

One of Hajime’s attack finally caught the fake. According to the fake, it seemed that the scale of strength still hadn’t tilted to either side. Hajime wasn’t averting his eyes from his own weakness, but he also hadn’t overcome it, the fake said. But since that one attack that hit, Hajime was gradually surpa.s.sing the fake.

The fake was confused. Then Hajime told him this.

『I did nothing different than usual. Not being able to move until your worry is resolved, do you think that kind of childishness can be allowed?』

Everyone automatically recalled the struggle for survival that they saw Hajime experienced in the bottom of the abyss.

Certainly it was just as he said. A “luxury” like worry wasn’t something that was allowed for Hajime. Even then he continued to move forward. Because he would die if he didn’t advance. Because without doing that, he wouldn’t be able to make even a meager wish of going home come true.

In other words for Hajime, this trial wasn’t anything different than that time and all the battles that he had gone through until now.

『I’m grateful you know? Thanks to you I can take a careful look at my own movement.』

Hajime hadn’t even faced the fake from the start. Because even though he had been aware of it, he had been moving forward while holding close to his chest “his own negative emotions” the whole time until now without any single one of them getting resolved.

What Hajime was watching for was only “the enemy’s movement” like usual.

He observed, a.n.a.lyzed, and then did everything he could to surpa.s.s the enemy, even just for a little bit. From watching the fake he found out his own quirks and pointless movements, then he took a step forward from there. To reach to the present, to this moment.

That was how he managed to survive until this point. By keep moving forward.

「I see. Certainly this is what you Hajime-kun did in that abyss.」

Shuuzou nodded in understanding. The match was decided right after that.

Although the past Hajime didn’t deny that a part of his feeling toward Yue was as a guarantee for his mental wellbeing, he declared that 99,9% of it was love.

Yue writhed. 「Geez! Hajime you dummy!」 She said while acting angry. Kaori and others looked at them coldly. Are you two won’t feel satisfied unless you boast about your love even at this kind of time, their eyes asked. See, even the fake is looking exasperated! Their eyes said.

「W-well, my trial is something like this.」

Hajime averted his gaze a bit awkwardly.

The past Hajime looked toward the ice tree that stood tall at the center of the room with just a small ripple of emotion in his eyes. But he then immediately moved toward the new path that just appeared. After seeing off the past Hajime’s back, Yue cleared her throat too while turning off the past replay.

Hajime’s back at the end there really resembled the time when he just killed the claw bear in the abyss and advanced into the darkness with a renewed resolve.

「What’s this? You kept saying how you brute forced this trial like it was your dark history, so I was really looking forward to just how pathetic you are in here……but you actually did your best.」

「Certainly you might not have faced your own feeling properly in here but……to persist in what you have decided to do no matter what happened is also a splendid act you know? You did great Hajime.」

「……Nnh. This is why it’s embarra.s.sing.」

「……I managed to see a lot of Hajime’s embarra.s.sed face since coming to this room. I’m super satisfied.」

「Yue-san, please read the mood. It’s parents-son time right now!」

Sumire and Shuu placed their hand on Hajime’s shoulders while gazing at him gently――at the side was Yue-sama capturing the moment of Hajime’s embarra.s.sed face into flashing camera that made shuttering sounds repeatedly. This stupid couple, like boyfriend like girlfriend, Shia and others thought with an exasperated look.

They didn’t know whether they should feel warm from the atmosphere of the Nagumo parents and son or whether they should put on an exasperated look at Yue who kept clicking on her camera. The emotion of Tomoichi and others was in chaos.

「Next is Shizuku. That will be the last one.」

Hajime was about to open a “gate” to the last destination, partly to cover up his embarra.s.sment too.

But there, Myuu tugged on Hajime’s sleeve insistently.

「What’s wrong Myuu?」

「Papa, Myuu want to shoot at target again nano! Myuu also want a gun to shoot with nano!」

It seemed the desire to shoot gun welled up inside Myuu after she watched Hajime papa’s gunfight.

「Papa said that you will give exclusive Donneer and Schlaag for Myuu one day nano. When will it be nano?」

「Hajime-kun! You’re really-! You’re going to give gun to a small child like this……no, wait a second? “Want to shoot at target again”? Don’t tell me you already allowed her to shoot gun before!?」

The guardian of moral and common sense, Tomoichi-san raised the corner of his eyes.

「No, well, Myuu once said that she wanted to try shooting during our journey, so I trans.m.u.ted a small gun for kid and let her tried shooting that time……」

「You aren’t seriously going to give her gun as a present right!? Remia-san, you should say something too here as a mother!」

Tomoichi claimed that this would be bad for Myuu’s education. Certainly from the perspective of j.a.pan’s common sense, something like this was impossible to think about but……

Remia-san looked troubled for some reason. She said 「Certainly it might be just as you said but」. She sounded evasive.

「Otou-san, see, Hajime-kun too didn’t let Myuu shoot a gun thoughtlessly you know? He kept the safety for everyone at mind, and at first he didn’t plan to give Myuu her own gun.」

「Kaori? What do you mean?」

「……I’m saying that Myuu-chan, she has talent in shooting.」

「Talent in shooting?」

During their journey, everyone once played around and tried their hands on shooting, as a bit of a side entertainment.

Yue, Shia, Kaori, and Tio. The result of the four of them shooting gun was terrible, as befitting their beginner status. Their shooting couldn’t even graze a target the size of a dartboard that was placed ten meter in front of them.

Then Hajime created a mini sized Donner for Myuu and let her shoot a target that was placed in the same distance like the others.

Naturally Myuu too couldn’t even graze the target.

However it was only for the first several shots.

She corrected her shooting trajectory bit by bit. And when everyone noticed, the target had become filled with holes. When Hajime prepared another target for her and she fired another ten shots, they saw the sight of all her shots. .h.i.tting dead center. It went without saying that everyone’s eyes there turned into saucer.

「After that I also tried making her shoot at moving target. After firing several times, she corrected her mistakes on her own and started hitting the target. My daughter is seriously a prodigy.」

It seemed that this one wasn’t simply a stupid parent’s statement.

Seeing is believing. So Hajime quickly trans.m.u.ted a small revolver the size of a derringer. He also prepared bullets with reduced gunpowder and handed them to Myuu.

「Myuu, let’s try shooting for a bit. Go to the corner of the room okay?」

「Is it okay nano!? Myuu will do it nanoooooo!!」

Myuu hugged the revolver tightly like it was a treasure before she ran away to the designated position with her small footsteps *sutetetetee*. The parents and Liliana and Aiko looked like they were still half in doubt. Hajime led them to follow Myuu while scattering some fist sized gravity stones along the way.

Myuu followed what Hajime had taught her before to load the bullets with a practiced motion, then she took the weaver stance beautifully.

「I-is she going to be alright? The recoil from handgun is powerful right? I heard that it can hurt your arm and shoulder.」

「I reduced the gun’s strength so she’ll be fine. Besides……that Myuu, she can bleed off the impact like its nothing.」

「Ee?」

The parents were watching over Myuu with worried gaze. Meanwhile,

「Papa! Myuu just need to shot those rocks nano?」

「Ou」

「Muufuu! It has been a long time nano!」

She was fully motivated and her eyes were sparkling. The gunner’s beloved daughter seemed to love shooting very much perhaps because she had seen how her papa fought using them until now.

Although she was a little girl. Everyone there doubted that she would be able to hit the targets that were bobbing up and down in the air dozens of meters away from her――

「Suu-tsu」

「「「「「!?」」」」」

Myuu took a deep breath once. She inhaled deeply, then exhaled deeply before her breathing stopped completely. Myuu’s eyes slowly narrowed in that moment.

It was as though the innocent and cheerful bright girl who was standing there until now was just an illusion. That was just how striking the change that happened to her gaze was.

Those eyes were truly――the eyes of a hawk!!

The gun’s trigger was pulled so naturally like a flowing water.

*Baang* The gunshot resounded. The bullet grazed one of the gravity stones before it pa.s.sed through.

Myuu wordlessly pulled the bolt and reloaded. Correcting target. Trigger, pulled.

「I-it hit……」

Those words slipped out of Tomoichi’s mouth in disbelief.

During that time the percussion hammer was getting c.o.c.ked, targeting, and then shooting. The next gravity stone burst open. Sharp gaze that couldn’t be imagined coming from the usual Myuu had caught the target and wouldn’t let go!

「By the way, I had also tried making her using rifle to snipe at drone that flew randomly from more than 100 meters……Myuu hit it before saying this.」

――Muu, Myuu can’t do it like papa. It was off by 5 mili nano

「……I see. No wonder you want to give her a personal gun.」

「I’m also thinking about creating a shooting range under our house using s.p.a.ce expansion. Though I still don’t have the time to make the present because I was busy with taking care of commotions related to the returnees.」

The parents went 「Oh my」 with dumbfounded look from witnessing Myuu’s unexpected talent. But it seemed they understood Hajime’s feeling now. A moment later they came back to their senses and started praising Myuu effusively.

Her sharply narrowed eyes that were losing their highlight were regaining their softness and brightness, back to their usual adorableness. It was as though her predatory gaze just now was just a dream.

Liliana asked Myuu with a tone that sounded impressed from the bottom of her heart.

「Myuu-chan, that was amazing. I too once tried shooting a gun as a test during the final battle, but it was really, really impossible for me to shoot accurately like you just now. I thought that a ton of practice is required for a precise shooting……is there some kind of secret to it?」

「Nn~~~~~?」

Myuu cutely pressed her index finger on her cheek while thinking, but nothing came to mind even if she was asked what her secret was.

With a puzzled face she said,

「It’s not like it’s that difficult just to hit the target nano. You just need to imitate papa!」

「A, aa~, it’s like that……」

It stood to reason.

But, in Myuu’s case the level of her “imitate” must be in different level. Atmosphere, subtle movement, gaze, the way to look at the target. It was only by imitating them all in high level that she managed to produce such result.

In other words, not only she had inherently high shooting sense, it was also boosted by her “high power of observation toward papa”.

Putting it another way,

「Fufu. Myuu-chan really love Hajime-kun isn’t she?」

It must be something like that. Myuu had been looking very, very carefully at her papa that she was able to imitate him to such high level just from watching.

「Myu? Yes nano! Myuu love, love, love papa so much nano!」

「M-Myuu……kuh, your adorableness is brutal-」

Myuu honestly expressed her affection with banzai pose*radiant smile. Hajime felt violently embarra.s.sed and he was downed from it. He hurriedly covered his face with his hands while his body trembled emotionally.

On the other hand, Yue and others who heard the basis of Myuu’s shooting sense was also,

「……T-that means, I who can’t even graze the target no matter how many times I tried firing is……」

「Inferior to Myuu……in mine comprehension of Goshujin-sama……?」

「D-don’t say that Yue, Tio! It makes me feel a horrible sense of defeat now!」

「Shizuku-san, Aiko-san, and also Liliana-san too. How about trying your hand in shooting here? Come on, let’s do it. Do it.」

「Shia!?」

「I don’t want to give it a try after this kind of development!」

「I just said that I couldn’t do it didn’t I!?」

Covering their face with their hands from the vague feeling of deafeat.

「By the way……what about Remia-san?」

Akiko quietly whispered that question to Remia’s ear. She had been erasing her presence and didn’t say anything all this time.

「……Let’s see. After the final battle I tried my hand on shooting a gun once when we were staying in the sea of trees.」

Everyone was busy at that time while Yue and others were also coincidentally absent. Remia accompanied Hajime and Myuu who were shooting at targets for fun and she also gave it a try then.

「Hee, is that so. And, what was the result?」

「Ufufu, it’s a secret?」

「Ah, I see.」

Try shooting too, we are comrades right? And then miss the target completelyyy~, Yue and others who had s.n.a.t.c.hed Hajime’s Donner & Schlag chased Shizuku and the others around while saying such thing.

Although Remia didn’t say anything definite, Akiko had guessed everything from the way she was smiling softly with composure. Akiko whispered 「As expected from mother and daughter」 while keeping her mouth shut from saying anything unnecessary after watching Yue and the others running around to chase Shizuku and the others.

.