Chapter 9: I Can Absolutely Endure It
The tentacles swarmed towards Mizuha as she roared.
In that instant.
I moved like a spring being released.
I fired multiple dark arrows simultaneously, piercing through all the tentacles.
Then, the monster tried to crush Mizuha by moving its entire body.
But I was already standing between Mizuha and the monster.
“Undead. It’s time for work. Devour each other, you monsters.”
For the past year, I had been finding bandit gangs, torturing them, and then killing them to collect Evil Spirits.
The total number I’ve gathered is over a hundred.
I materialized them all as skeletons and sent them charging towards the monster.
The monster tried to grab the skeletons with its tentacles and absorb them into its body. But the skeletons tore them apart. Even when absorbed, they continued to rampage, breaking out from the inside.
“I know I’m the one who made them do it, but this is a gruesome sight. That’s enough. Self-destruct.”
The skeletons exploded simultaneously, both inside and outside the monster.
The monster was engulfed in flames, letting out a scream that was neither insect nor beast.
The Evil Spirits that made up the skeletons returned to me properly. Each time I materialize them, it consumes my Magical Power, but they are excellent soldiers who will self-destruct as many times as needed.
“That was a close call, Mizuha. If you had used any more power, the Curse would have accumulated even more in your body, and it might have become difficult for even me to purify it.”
“Eh? You are… could you be… Akito? But you’re smaller than the design in the illustrations… or rather, it’s not supposed to be the time for us to meet yet…”
“I’m reading the book directly recommended by the original author. I know that Mizuha fights here. Why would I need to wait another three years, just like in the original story?”
I turned to look at Mizuha. She was sitting on the ground, probably because she was too surprised and her legs gave out.
“Are you really Akito-kun…? It’s really you, Akito-kun? Akito-kun, Akito-kun, Akito-kun! So Akito-kun really did reincarnate as Akito!”
Mizuha hugged me with the force of a spring being released.
“Hey, hey. The monster is still alive… It’s been a while, Mizuha. I wanted to see you too…!”
I muttered a small complaint, but hugged her back.
We both had changed in appearance.
However, this was Mizuha’s way of hugging. I could tell immediately by the way she put her strength into it.
“It’s Akito-kun… Hehehe, it’s been a while since I’ve had Akito-kun’s hug. Huggg.”
Mizuha savored my body, then took a step or two back and looked at my whole body.
“You said you’d surpass my height, but the height difference has widened even more than before. You’ve gotten smaller.”
“…And you, Mizuha, have become quite mature. Before, you were childish for your age. To design a character with the same name as yourself like that, I think your desires are overflowing.”
“T-This was designed by the illustrator…!”
“But you’re the original author, so didn’t you specify it?”
“That’s… well… it’s fine! Akito has a handsome design too! Right now, you’re just a cute boy before becoming handsome… Ah, you’re so cute! Muguuu.”
Mizuha hugged me again.
If she had clung to me this much in the old hospital room, I would have complained.
But now, I’ll let her do as she pleases.
In my sense of time, it’s only been less than two years since I last saw Mizuha. But for Mizuha, it’s been two orders of magnitude longer. She endured it. Why? Because she believed she would see me again!
That’s why I want to spoil her as much as she wants. I want to be spoiled too.
But before that, I have to do what needs to be done.
“Hey, Mizuha. Those skeletons from earlier, I made them with Dark Magic. I’ve become really good at Dark Magic. The backstory I made up in the hospital room was properly reflected in this world. So, like I said back then, I’ll blow away all the Curses. I like stories where only convenient things happen to the protagonist.”
The enormous Curse that had accumulated in her body over a hundred years of fighting.
The purification magic to dispel it was activated with the highest level of perfection I had ever achieved, one that I might never be able to do again.
I wasn’t surprised by my own skill. Because everything I’ve done has been to prepare for this moment.
“My body is getting lighter… Akito-kun is amazing as always. I believed that Akito-kun would definitely save me! Thank you, Akito-kun!”
“Thank you, Mizuha. Thank you for reaching this place after a hundred years.”
If Mizuha had given up halfway.
I would have been standing here alone.
“Because I could meet Akito-kun. If there was even a 1% chance of meeting Akito-kun, I wouldn’t give up. Akito-kun would have definitely done the same if he were in my position.”
“Yeah. That’s true.”
In reality, I don’t know.
If I had suddenly been sent a hundred years into the past, had to fight for a hundred years to meet Mizuha, and had no certainty that Mizuha was inside Mizuha. I might have given up halfway.
But seeing Mizuha’s smile now, as she said “absolutely” without hesitation, I know I can absolutely endure it.