In other words, for the past month, these fellows had been trying desperately to save even my life. Why did they do such a thing? Right now, I understand. Since if I were in the same situation, I would surely do the same.
I look at Shiro, and say.
"I won't say any thanks. You did say there's no need for words of thanks right?"
"For you, say it."
"I don't want to."
"A brat."
I am indeed a brat. But,
"I live with the principle of not saying thanks here."
"But you do feel like saying thanks?"
"............"
"You really are cute huh."
Shiro hits my back and laughs. With a look saying 'what do you think of this fellow's annoying personality?', I look to Gunjou seeking her empathy.
But for some reason, Gunjou has a smug look on her face and puffs her chest out,
"It should downright clear now that, since I said my thanks, I am more of an adult than you."
"Can someone with the height of an elementary school student just shut up?"
"What did you say!?"
Shiro continues.
"Thus we have two choices. Let's decide this together. Do we go after Kiri and ask her about her circumstance...... or do we all Escape?"
However, I can't Escape. I have to save my little sister.
To that,
"Say, since you are not planning to advance forward, why haven't you Escaped before?"
I ask.
Shiro then answers.
"Hn? About that, it's to save you......"
"But you have other choices right? You belong to some organization. Then, you could have gotten out, made preparations, then re-enter ---"
But, Shiro cuts me off and says.
"I probably can't re-enter. Otherwise, the Valor team wouldn't have brought in large amounts of supplies right?"
"Aah, so that's your conclusion huh. That's why you didn't Escape?"
"Yeah."
"For the sake of saving me?"
"That's right."
Shiro acknowledges straightly and all too readily.
I scowl.
"What's your purpose?"
Shiro smiles.
"You'd also do the same right?"
"I won't."
"Don't lie. We objected to saving Gunjou. But yet, you were the one who wanted to save Gunjou more than anyone else."
On hearing those words,
"Ah......"
Utters Gunjou.
But I don't want to continue the conversation down that path, so I say.
"But even so, there's no benefit to you right?"
"There is. I can save you. And when that happens, you will save me the next time."
"You want me to repay this debt?"
But Shiro smiles and says.
"You will return it on your own. That's the kind of guy you are."
"Don't make assumptions."
I say and look at Shiro. Following that, I recall the words Shiro said before entering this labyrinth.
"You can enter it alone and die by yourself. Or, maybe, it'd be fine for you to put up your solitary airs and achieve your grand ambition. At any rate, it's probably an ambition you can achieve by yourself, right?"
But those words couldn't possibly come out of someone without a great ambition. In other words, Shiro has a great ambition and needs strong comrades to accomplish that.
However, why did he need to go to the extent of risking his life to assemble comrades that he can trust?
What is he planning to do?
I ask.
"Hey Shiro."
"Hn?"
"Which organization do you belong to?"
On saying that, I can feel Himi and Yousuke behind tense up. Those two should be from the same organization.
Shiro replies.
"What happens if you know?"
"I can judge whether I can trust you or not."
"That sounds pretty high and mighty. But, to what end? What we've gone through together is what matters right? We are comrades."
But I did not listen to him, and look hard at Shiro.
"Speak."
Shiro glares at me.
"...... ha, I don't really want our friendship to be weighed using that."
Then, his fingers move into a shape, poised to employ magic. His thumb touches the pad of his middle finger. Once he snaps them, his 《Headphone Fuzz》 will activate.
I look at that. But, my fingers were done preparing.
Both our murderous intent fill our surroundings.
From the side, Gunjou says.
"Shiro, wait a minute. About Shinnosuke......"
But, I cut her off and say.
"Shut up Gunjou. I'll decide whether to say it or not."
Shiro looks at both me and Gunjou, then says.
"What's this? You told Gunjou your secret, but yet can't tell it to us?"
I reply.
"I already know her whole profile. Since it was given to us during our class."
"And, you knew that she wouldn't become your enemy so you told her?"
"That's right."
"Then, if after I tell you and it turns out that we are enemies, you will stop being our comrade?"
On hearing that, I ask.
"That's what I want to ask you. You have a great ambition which you have to risk your life for right? Then, if your interest is not aligned with mine, what would you do? Or, are you going to tell me that you would give up on your ambition and remain buddy-buddy with me?"
"Yeah."
Shiro nods readily.
I laugh derisively through my nose.
"I can't believe that."
He doesn't seem like someone who would act on an ambition of such level.
But Shiro says.
"Since you were the one who suddenly started this, you actually want to believe it right? Since you don't have enough power by yourself, you want us to become your comrades. In that case, speak. For what purpose did you come here for?"
I look hard at Shiro and reply.
"...... if I say it, and find out that you are my enemy, I will kill you."
"...... hm."
"But I don't want to kill you."
"I see."
"So...... you say it first."
"If so, please. Tell me your true identity."
I glare at Shiro. But, if he can know my identity if he gave his, he should say it.
So I say,
"............ I beg you, Shiro."
But Shiro stares at me,
"No."
He says.
"It's time for you to show that you trust us. Being able to get something through just begging alone only happens while you are still a kid. If you want comrades, be a comrade first. If you don't take a risk and leave a backdoor for yourself, don't think that you can obtain anything."
Shiro says.
But even so, I still shouldn't say it. My objective is to turn my little sister --- Apocalypse Alice back to human, which is an action that goes against the benefits of every single human being.
By now, the world organizations are already fearful of Apocalypse Alice. They all want to get their hands on Apocalypse Alice.
If they make use of Apocalypse Alice, they might even be able to conquer the world.
The organization that Shiro belongs to probably also wants to get hold of Apocalypse Alice.
Then, he's an enemy.
If I say it, then to Shiro, I will become a pawn that he can make use of. This will happen anyway. It'll definitely happen. Since only such a thing exists in the world.
"............"
But yet, even so, I want Shiro. I want him as a friend. I wonder when did I become so weak? Never had such a thing happened before. If I let others know my weakness, I won't be able to grow strong --- that should be what I had decided but yet, I,
"...... it's my little sister."
I may no longer be able to advance forward by myself
.
"...... I want to save my little sister Arisu Saki."
Shiro answers without even appearing surprised.
"...... I see. I got it. I'll help you. Let's forget about Escaping."
Even though it's something that goes against the line of human benefit, but yet, he said that so readily.
On top of that, his face said that he knew. Well, that's obvious I guess. I didn't even change my family name. Even if I had changed it, an organization with someone as strong as Shiro would have been able to investigate me, so I didn't bother changing it. No, even without investigations, Shiro could have already guessed from my family name.
Thus, maybe I didn't really need to act like an ass. Since I already revealed to Shiro and the rest something which must not be revealed, that is, I possess the magic, Holy Sword switch, that can allow me to save labyrinth diseased girls.
Shiro says.
"With this, we are real comrades."
But I say.
"Not yet. I don't know your real identities yet."
Shiro then grins and says,
"Taikou Pharmaceuticals. We are here to keep an eye on you in order to get our hands on Apocalypse Alice."
"Wha."
"You are a fool. You let your mouth run loose and babble out what you shouldn't say. That's why you can't get your hands on anything."
On hearing that, I snap my fingers.
He's an enemy.
He's the worst enemy that I should not even allow close by in the first place.
Taikou Pharmaceuticals is a corporation which had conducted human experimentation on the labyrinth diseased Asahi Momoka, and forcibly made her into a labyrinth.
"Demon Sword switch."
I activate my magic. Swing my sword. The sword touches Shiro's neck, and I say.
"Why are you not dodging?"
"I should ask you too, why didn't you kill me?"
"............"
"See, even when our interests are not aligned, you couldn't kill me right? By the way, the thing about me being from Taikou Pharmaceuticals is a lie."
"...... huh?"
"But you didn't kill me. In other words, it doesn't matter to you where I belong to. You can't kill the comrades with whom you have risked your life together in the labyrinth."
"What the hell are you?"
I push my hand against Shiro's chest.
"What if I really cut you?"
"Well, I'll just die I suppose."
"Huuuuuhhh?"
"Besides, you didn't cut me. If you had intended to, you would have abandoned me to my death way before. I made a mistake in Asahi Momoka's labyrinth, and if you hadn't saved me, I would have died. We were strangers then. But yet, you saved me."
"............"
"A nice guy who saves a stranger, tries to act cool and wants to kill his comrades? Haha, don't make me laugh."
On hearing his words, I say tiredly.
"Well fine. Just as you said, I'm soft."
Shiro then says.
"Then we'll nickname you Softie."
Yousuke then quips in as well.
"Softie."
Himi too says.
"Ah, ah, erhm, I think I'd find the soft Shinnosuke-san way cooler, you know?"
Finding that cool = it's not embarrassing at all you know? = It's embarrassing but the mood is good and I'll console you telling you it's not embarrassing --- that's what it means.
"Buh-fuh."
Gunjou then laughs out behind me.
Anyhow, this is pissing me. I can't stop feeling pissed. It's the same when we were at the karaoke. These fellows did whatever they wanted with me, and even made me sing an enka in the end.
But, since there's no helping it whatever I say, I continue.
"I got it. It's fine then. It's fine so let's move on. So, who are you guys really?"
On hearing that, contrary to his previous defiant attitude, Shiro answers simply.
"I'm with America's Rorand Inc. It's a corporation connected to the military. My rank is Magician Third Major."
"Hm. So, why did you come to Japan?"
"It's because of a strange mission. It's a mission to pursue a mad scientist whose identity is unknown and who is maneuvering the world in the shadows."
But that's probably just a mission. There's no reason to risk his life and increase his comrades for the purpose of fulfilling that mission. Therefore, Shiro probably has another objective.
I ask.
"So, aside from your mission, what's your objective?"
"Hn? Ah, I'm here to completely take over a certain corporation......"
But, before he can finish, Shiro's words got cut off.
Because there is the sound of an explosion.
Followed by screams.
"I, I don't want to die!?"
"Nooooooooooooooooooooo!?"
"Wait, wait, please, Kujaku-sama, please save me!?"
We turn around in the direction of the voice.
Right now, we are inside the safe zone behind a hidden door that forms part of a gigantic tree, but we can hear the screams of agony from outside.
Bang bang bang, our room shakes from the explosive sounds.
Gunjou says.
"That was......"
Shiro says.
"The Valor team is outside."
Yousuke says.
"What sound is that? Is the Valor team under attack from the enemy? Or, is it that Mitsutomo Group already has gotten their hands on the magic of Apocalypse Alice and the girl called Kujaku is killing off eye-witnesses?"
From the voices heard, that is a possibility too. It sounds like the voices are begging Kujaku for their lives.
In order to bring magic back from an eternal labyrinth, firstly, the labyrinth diseased girl needs to be restrained. Following that, the magic has to be sucked out of her body. The ingredients that would be turned into 'Magic Converted from Labyrinth Spoils' would be extracted from the girl.
She will definitely not be killed.
Since if she is killed, then the magic can't be extracted.
Thus, once she's restrained, she will be bounded for life inside the machine for sucking out magic. She will be used like a lab rat.
And, there is a possibility that Kujaku has restrained my little sister. She has plenty of time to do that.
Reason being, since the time I was knocked out, till the time I reached here, it has already 1 month and 1 week.
And, she has started killing the eye-witnesses.
She has started killing eye-witnesses in order to hog the power for herself.
In other words.
My little sister.
Has already been captured by Mitsutomo Group.
"Damn."
I am about to dash out of the safe zone. Shiro and Gunjou grab my shoulder and arm.
"Stop Shinnosuke!"
"Please stop Shinnosuke!"
"Let me go!"
I cry out.
Himi jumps out in front of me, and snaps her fingers,
"I'll start activating my detection magic to check......"
But, an explosion reverberated again right before us. The room shakes. The safe zone wall that's in front of us is blown apart.
The wall flies towards me and Himi,
"Kya."
"Spider Legs switch!"
Yousuke yells.
He spreads his hands apart, and deploys his protection magic.
Something resembling the eight legs of a spider appears, and threads start dancing out, creating a barrier of threads to protect us from the explosion.
If not that, we might have been thrown out and receive the full blast of explosion which would probably kill us.
Shiro says to me.
"Idiot! Teamwork first! Remember why we work so hard to act buddy-buddy and become comrades!"
Following that,
"That's right Shinnosuke. I understand how you feel, but please just come down!"
Gunjou says to me, and I brush both their hands asid
e.
"I get it!"
Gunjou hollers.
"You don't get it at all!"
Shiro pats my back and says,
"All right! If you get it, it's fine! The situation is chaotic, but we have five people with a balance in both offense and defense! If so, we'll be able to deal with it! Until we get a grasp of the situation, don't go out. Step back!"
Then, he yanks me from behind, and I fall back. Each and every one of us take our positions correctly.
The defensive magic specialist, Yousuke.
The melee offensive magic specialist, me.
The mid-to-long range offensive magic specialist, Gunjou.
Wide area destructive offensive magic specialist, Shiro.
Support magic specialist, Himi.
In this order, we take our positions.
Each and every one of us is too excellent, and despite such an abnormal situation, I can feel a sense of security that I have never felt before.
Comrades.
Meaningless friendships.
But yet, it is true that with such a group composition, we might be able to deal with almost any situation, I feel. Reason being, we have proven that none of us would stab another of us in the back.
And, if we add Kiri, who is balanced in both offense and defense, to Yousuke's side, our holes would even further decrease but ---
"...... I wonder whether Kiri has already been killed."
"Who knows."
Shiro replies. I look at the star marks on my armband. There are still five star marks, but right now, we have no idea what kind of situation we are in. Despite the fact that the wall has been destroyed, we are unable to see what's outside due to the cloud of sand that formed from the explosion.
Outside, the explosions continue on unchecked.
Shrieks can be heard.
"Noooooooooo!"
"I don't want to die!"
"Escape switch! Escape switch! Escape switch! Why! Why can't I activate my magic!?"
Voices like those.
Judging from that, the chance of the Mitsutomo Group getting massacred is getting higher and higher.
The subordinates' 《Headphone Fuzz》 could have been modified such that the Escape switch can't be used.
But in that case,
"I wonder whether our enemy just comprises of those few Valor team members we fought the other time?"
Says Yousuke.
In that case, we can take them on. At the very least, we won't lose. Even though Kiri is not with us, Gunjou is. Even in a head on clash, we won't get overwhelmed, I guess.
On top of that, we will launch a surprise attack on our opponents. The other side has yet to notice us.
Mokushiroku Arisu - Volume 03 Page 11
