Translated: Sei, MTL-sensei-tachi
Edited: Sei, Grammarly no Danna
Source: Syosetu

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Chapter 234


　Usato, Keira, Suzune, and Kazuki were sucked into a mysterious vortex and disappeared from this space.
　Had I concentrated more on foresight, it could have been avoided.
　Disgusted at my own incompetence, I call out to Nea and Blurin, who are looking for traces at the spot where they were sucked into the vortex.

"Nea, Blurin, did you find out something?"
"Grua..."

　Blurin shakes his head.
　Their smell seems to have completely disappeared.

"... There are traces of sorcery here."
"Do you know where it's coming from?"

　Nea nods at Leona-san's voice, who is keeping an eye on her surroundings.

"It's still there, though barely. But it might take a long time to trace it back through this concentration of magic power."
"It's enough that there's a clue. If we follow it, we'll be able to find Usato and the others, right?"
"Yeah, Usato and the others are still here."

　After saying that, Nea placed her hand on the stone slab on the floor.

"This magic is probably a short-range type of space teleportation."
"Like when I was brought to Mialak by a guy named Falga?"
"... No, the user must have considerable power, but even so, there are noticeable rough edges in the composition of the magic."
"In other words, what does that mean?"

　When I tilted my head, as did Ferrum, Nea put her finger to her mouth in annoyance and growled.
　She seems to be at a loss as to what to say.

"It's not quite right. It's like they have the power but aren't used to using it. I have no idea who set this up, but ...... honestly, it's bizarre."
"...First, let's follow the traces and head out to find everyone who was sucked into the vortex."
"Right... The magic trail continues from the wall over there."
"Fumu..."

　Nea pointed to the passageway that was closed off by a wall when we entered here.
　Looking in the direction she pointed, Leona-san nodded her head once, and with the spear in her hand held in the opposite hand, she threw it against the walls.
　A spear pierced into a wall generates an icicle of ice from its tip, destroying the wall from the inside.

"... Alright."
"W-Wait, Leona!?"
"We don't have time to waste time. At this point, let's move forward with brute force."

　She grabbed the spear that came back by itself and walked forward.
　Following behind her, we proceed down the passage beyond the destroyed wall.

"Usato, Suzune, Kazuki...and Keira, I hope they are okay..."
"Keira has Usato with her, so there's no need to worry. Besides, Usato... He pushed me and Nea away first..."

　Right after the vortex appears, Ferrum is pushed away by Usato, and she gets out of trouble, but now she is in a bad mood.
　Nea is also grumpy, although she doesn't say it.
　She is probably annoyed that Usato protected Ferrum and the others rather than himself first and foremost.
　Usato basically puts himself in the back seat...

"Next time I see him, I'd like to complain."
"I'm going to punch him."
"It probably won't work, so try something else."

　Nea and Ferrum exchanged these words.
　While watching their backs, I talk to Blurin who is walking next to me.

"Blurin, are you worried about Usato and the others?"
"Gruaa"

　Blurin cries in a bright voice.
　His voice conveys the feeling that he trusts Usato and the others rather than worrying about them.

"...Yes, that's right. Usato and the others will be fine."
"Gru"
"Fufu, thank you."

　I pat Blurin's head as he makes one more sound as if he cares for me.
　I have a bad feeling.
　This incident is something different from the many others we have encountered in the past.
　With this vague sense of unease, we continued on our way through the ruins in search of Usato and the others.

●

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　Immediately after Koga Dingal, Commander of the 2nd Corps of the Demon King's Army, appeared before us ——— a whirlpool of white light appeared before us.
　It was as if only Kazuki-kun and I were being drawn to the vortex of light that appeared, and we were helplessly sucked into the vortex, but when we next opened our eyes———we found ourselves in an all-white world.

"Senpai, where is this...?"
"I know that we were pulled into that vortex of white light... but other than that, I have no idea."

　One thing I can say is that it wasn't Koga who trapped us.
　After all, he was also being pulled into the white vortex.
　While making sure that we have our own hero's weapon and are alert to our surroundings, a shadow-like figure appears in front of us.

"Welcome to this space."
"Who are you?"
"I'm Kannagi, and I'm the one who lured you all to this ruins this time."

　Kazuki-kun holds up his gauntlets and is about to release a magic bullet of light magic, but while I wait for him, I try to continue the conversation.
　Normally I would find animal ears too attractive, but the presence in front of me was too suspicious.
　No, wait, isn't that suspicious animal ears also good?
　Wouldn't it be rather nice if we just seized her and tried to trick her in various ways?

"..."
"Fufu, you're so wary. Your eyes are bloodshot."
"Please calm down. Senpai."

　Oops, it's not good.
　I changed my mind and asked Kannagi again.

"... What do you want from us?"
"It's for you guys."
"What does it mean?"

　Kannagi smiles at Kazuki-kun's words.

"I'm rooting for you guys."
"Rooting for us...?"
"The Demon King must have his breath taken away this time. I want to help you who are trying to make that happen."
"..."
"I know it sounds like a lie, but this is undeniably my true feelings. The Demon King is my sworn enemy as well."

　There is no sign of feigning friendliness.
　She seems to be telling the truth, but I still can't trust her.
　You can say as many good-sounding words as you want.
　The woman named Kannagi dares to leave out the crucial part and put it into words.

"Usato is undergoing an ordeal."
"Are you doing something to Usato...!"
"Don't worry. I have something I want to entrust him with. For now, ...... Ah, yeah, he's fighting very well."

　Why did you hesitate to say it?
　Kannagi's expression, which had been smiling suspiciously, became complicated for a moment.
　But what is it that she wants to entrust to him? From the way Kannagi talks, it sounds like something special, but I don't think it's a good thing.

"Of course, I would like you all to take the ordeal as well."
"... What if I say no?"
"Even so, I will have you accept it. Because you guys will never win against the Demon King as it is now."

　Kannagi continues to speak, pointing at us as we are unable to say anything in response to her confident words.

"You people are being sweet. You are ready to defeat the enemy, but you are helplessly soft. It is absolutely impossible to defeat the Demon King with that attitude, you know?"
"..."
"There was not a shred of kindness in the battles of the previous hero. There was no mercy. There was only the will to make sure that the opponent would be eliminated. Compared to that, ...... you guys are no good."

　It is true that we are different from the previous hero.
　It is only natural that the way of life of the previous hero who were called during the rough times was different from ours.
　However, Kannagi's words did not stop there.

"Kindness is important, right? But, you know, ruthless decisions will be needed at some point. You two, as heroes, must be willing to make some sacrifices for the happiness of many."
"I won't let that happen...!"
"Kazuki. That way of thinking is already sweet."

　She said that to Kazuki in a calm voice and raised her palm.
　Then, out of nowhere, an unusual concentration of magic power gathers and turns into a sphere.

"W-What are you planning to do!!"
"It's just a collection of magic power lingering in the ruins. I'm not going to use it to attack you. Instead ——— I'll just give you nightmares."

　She put her hand over her left eye and began to knead her magic in a pained voice.

"———System strengthening"

　The moment she said those words, the white space around us became greatly distorted.
　The distorted scenery gradually changes color, and even where we are standing changes.
　The next thing I knew, Kazuki-kun and I were standing in the middle of some unknown battlefield.

"Is it burning? Where is this?"

　Kannagi, who had been there a while ago, was nowhere to be seen.
　The trees growing in the surrounding area are ablaze, and the corpses of human and Demon King's Army soldiers are lying everywhere.
　As I frowned at the sight of something real and not an illusion, Kazuki-kun noticed something.

"Senpai, there’s someone over there!"

　I looked in the direction Kazuki was pointing.

"We will take back our hometooown!!"
"Oooooooo!!"

　There were soldiers screaming.
　The armor they wore, although from the Lingle Kingdom, was covered in scratches as if it had been used many times.
　Others included Samarial, Calm Helio, and an unfamiliar soldier in white and light blue armor, who were all heading in the same direction.

"... Is that the Kingdom of Lingle?"

　They were headed for a place that was familiar to us, the Kingdom of Lingle.
　The castle, which had been so beautiful, was filled with black smoke, and the castle grounds, which had been filled with the liveliness of the people, were engulfed in flames———surrounded by the soldiers of the Demon King's army, who were camped out with a look that said it was their own.

"Why is there a Demon King's army in the Lingle Kingdom...?"
"What on earth is going on..."

　We were stunned.
　When we were having a hard time understanding the situation, we spotted the back of a familiar figure ——— in the direction where the Lingle Kingdom exists.
　A black-haired boy wearing a white uniform with some red mixed in.
　He was sitting on something with his back to us, staring at the burning Lingle Kingdom.

"...!!"
"Senpai!?"

　He might know something.
　Thinking so, we run up to him and notice that his body is covered in blood.
　As when he was assimilated by Ferrum, the hem of his group uniform and his arms were stained red, and the uniform itself was full of scratches.

"Usato-kun! Are you injured?"
"...?"

　He slowly turned around and his eyes widened in surprise when he saw me and Kazuki-kun.

"Senpai...? Kazuki...?"
"Usato-ku———"

　Just as I am about to run up to him, who looks like he is injured ——— I see Usato-kun in front of me, about to thrust his hands through the air toward my throat.
　Quickly, I clad myself in lightning and moved away, but I had a small cut on my cheek caused by Usato-kun's piercing hand.

"Ah... eh... U-Sato-kun?"

　I put my hand on the wound on my cheek, and my voice trembled from the slight amount of blood on it.
　Did he, Usato-kun ——— try to kill me?
　He stood up slowly, staring at the piercing sword that missed, and his face contorted into anger when he saw us stunned.

"Ah, that woman. I should have cut off her head after all. I can't believe she's showing me such a disgusting illusion again..."

　Holding his head in his hands, Usato-kun swears.
　When I looked closer, I saw that it wasn't a log he was sitting on.
　The corpses of the demon king's army soldiers were piled up.
　Their throats were crushed, their chests were gaping holes, and they died out.

"Usato! Don't you recognize us!?"
"..."

　Looking at Kazuki-kun with cold eyes, who desperately insists that he is the real Kazuki, Usato punches himself in the forehead.
　Both Kazuki-kun and I are speechless at his sudden action.

"Still not waking up, huh? This worked for me the last time I did this..."

　Fresh blood dripped from his forehead, but he raised his head without caring.

"Senpai and Kazuki died. It was my fault. They died because I didn't make it in time."

　A voice without emotion.
　His voice was cold and icy, a far cry from the man we know.

"That's why I have to fight in their place... and protect everyone's home."

　Muttering these words to himself, he turned his bright red eyes, which were smeared with blood from his forehead, toward us and readied his fist.

"If it's an illusion, I wonder if it will disappear if I kill it."

　———Me and Kazuki-kun died?
　I don't think his words were a lie. After all, the attack on me earlier was really an attack intended to kill me.

"He's... not the Usato-kun we know..."

　His rescue squad uniform, his pride and joy, is drenched in blood and covered in frayed patches.
　The eyes with noticeable dark circles and the bright red hands were too fierce to be human ——— too painful to look at.
　When I looked at him head on, I realized something.
　I realized, I understood, and tears started to flow down my cheeks.

"...No way..."

　A world without me and Kazuki-kun.
　That time, the black knight killed us and the demon king's army won the war, a "what-if" time.
　This is not the Usato-kun we know.
　What was there was a man who had taken on everything on his shoulders alone and had become a true monster.

"Usato-kun, you..."

　Ah, it's definitely a nightmare scene...! Kannagi...!!
　We are now going to fight ——— Usato-kun, who has fallen into fighting...!!

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Author Notes:
Senpai and Kazuki's opponent will be IF Usato.
Hannah-san is traumatized by something he has done in a parallel world.
It seems that if you launch a mental attack on someone who is mentally strong, you have completed your resolve in the wrong direction.
That is all for this update.