“Isshin-san! I’ll somehow force a breakthrough!”
Kenyya, aboard his KOG, relayed to Isshin.
Nearly 30 KOGs were waiting before Kenyya and the others, who were attempting a single-point breakthrough. This was Point E on the road map. Thirty KOGs was a large force capable of overturning the tide of battle, a force that could even take down a city.
…
“Should I go out as well?”
“No, you stay put. You must be exhausted from the previous battle.”
Zeke and Reina watched the battlefield through the screen. Reina suggested to the Lord that she could sortie, but Zeke denied it. Even from the side, it was clear she was barely standing due to fatigue. It was proof of the fierce battle they had just endured.
“Indeed, in terms of combat power, it’s more than enough. The only concern is that pilot who defeated Jillian and almost defeated you…”
The Lord sat on his throne in the command room. That one point was the only uncertainty in his mind. However, no matter how strong one was, they couldn’t possibly win against nearly 100 KOGs.
It was beyond the power of an individual.
And yet.
(Why can’t I be sure of victory? What am I overlooking? Why do I feel so uneasy about just one Ace-class?)
The Lord felt something inexplicable. Until now, he had always been certain of victory on the battlefield. This time too, the resistance was in the predicted location, and they attempted a single-point breakthrough as predicted.
And now, they were aiming for the predicted location, and the difference in power should have them in despair.
Yet, for some reason, he felt uneasy.
Why so much?
(It’s unsettling, what’s going to happen…)
…
“I’ll force a breakthrough with all my might. Please abandon me and escape.”
Kenyya proposed. But what it meant was a desperate charge. He was declaring that he would charge alone into a large force of nearly 30 KOGs, prepared to die.
“No! Kenyya! You can’t do that!”
Kaguya cried out from the ground. To Kenyya, who was making a declaration tantamount to suicide.
“Kaguya, I’m sorry. But I can’t think of any other way to ensure your survival…”
“But… I don’t want that…”
Tears welled up in Kaguya’s eyes at Kenyya’s reply. She knew that there was no other way. If it was him, with his breakthrough power, he could break through the encirclement.
But that meant Kenyya’s death. If he didn’t stop the enemy as the rearguard, they wouldn’t be able to escape.
But Kaguya didn’t know any other way. She didn’t know what to do, how to get out of this predicament. She didn’t know, and all she could do was cry.
(Why am I so powerless…? If I were as strong as Kenyya… maybe everyone could have escaped.)
She regretted not practicing more. She should have done more, even if it meant dying. There were still KOGs here. If she were stronger, as strong as Kenyya. The two of them might have been able to get out of this predicament.
“Understood. Kenyya-kun. I won’t let your resolve be in vain. I will definitely save Kaguya.”
Isshin accepted Kenyya’s proposal. Every second was precious now, they needed to make a decision. A decision of life and death.
Who to kill, and who to let survive.
“Father! No! I’ll fight too!”
Then Isshin slapped Kaguya.
“Fool! Don’t say things that trample on a man’s resolve!”
Immediately after, he put his arm around her shoulder and met her gaze.
“I know it’s hard. But you must live. You are the one he said he wants to protect with his life, so live. That is your mission.”
Kaguya, who knew deep down that there was no other way, sobbed at his earnest persuasion.
“Ugh… I’m sorry. I’m sorry, Kenyya. I’m sorry.”
She remembered the end of her brother, who had once saved her.
She had decided to become stronger since then and had trained every day.
Yet, because she was weak again, someone important was going to die. Someone important was going to die again to protect her. Kaguya could only sob at that fact.
The 16-year-old girl could only blame her powerless self and cry.
Then Kenyya came down from his KOG. He was going to take a little bit of time for the last time.
“Kaguya… I’m sorry.”
“Why are you apologizing…? I’m always the one being protected… I decided to become stronger… but I can’t do anything again… ugh…”
Kenyya hugged Kaguya. A small girl sobbing in his arms. He could tell when he hugged her, her body was thin. She was a strong-willed but truly kind girl, just a girl.
Just an ordinary, cute girl who was only pretending to be strong.
“I wanted to protect you more coolly…”
“You are cool, Kenyya is cool.”
“Then, a reward for risking my life…?”
Kenyya intended to say it as a joke to cheer her up even a little. But suddenly, his mouth was sealed, forcefully covered by the girl who had stretched up.
By Kaguya’s kiss.
When their lips parted, the girl with tear-swollen eyes opened her mouth.
“I love you, Kenyya… I love you.”
“Kaguya!?”
“Was that a reward?”
Kaguya, looking embarrassed and shy, smiled with teary eyes, her face flushed red. She thought that if this was the end, she would regret it if she didn’t say it.
She could be honest now. No, she had to be honest, or she would regret it for the rest of her life.
She wanted to tell him, this person. At first, she thought he was weird. Why was he so strong, so kind, and… why did he say he loved her, for some reason?
Kaguya had fallen for Kenyya. She had fallen for the boy who was so straightforward, so earnest, and so devoted to her.
They hadn’t even spent a month together, but Kenyya’s presence had grown so large in Kaguya’s heart that she thought about him every day.
He had become such an existence.
“I see. Thank you, Kaguya. I love you too.”
Kenyya hugged Kaguya once more.
This might be the last time, so he hugged her as tightly as he could.
Tears also welled up in Kenyya’s eyes. It wasn’t that he wasn’t afraid of dying. In fact, he was so scared that his legs were trembling, unable to believe that he was about to die.
A boy who had lived comfortably in modern Japan was fighting on the battlefield. Would it hurt when he died? What would it feel like to die?
He was about to be crushed by such anxieties.
But those feelings were gone now. With Kaguya’s confession, that fear flew away somewhere.
He had to protect this girl, a burning feeling welled up from the depths of his heart. He slowly released Kaguya, bringing the last moments to an end.
“…Thank you, I feel courageous. It’s almost time… so, goodbye, Kaguya.”
“Yeah, see you again… no, goodbye. Kenyya. I love you.”
Kaguya also made up her mind. She knew that any more would only dull Kenyya’s resolve.
She desperately endured, holding back her tears, and saw him off with a smile.
Kenyya nodded at that smile and turned his back. Isshin approached him there.
“Kenyya-kun. This… you know how to use it… and when to use it.”
A pistol was handed to Kenyya by Isshin. Kenyya, knowing what it meant, slowly nodded.
Then he boarded the KOG.
Behind him was Kaguya and the rest of the resistance, huddled together to escape. Several KOGs were also on standby for escort.
Kenyya glanced at them and confirmed that they were ready. Then he activated the KOG.
“A battle to protect… huh, dying to protect a girl I like. The me from the previous world couldn’t have imagined this.”
He never thought that he would be doing something that he thought only happened in games.
But after coming to this game world, seeing the people who were living earnestly in this world, and living together with them.
He felt like he had grown as a person. It wasn’t just his KOG skills that had grown since coming to this world. His spirit was perhaps the part that had grown the most.
He had learned what it meant to live with his life on the line. He had grown by seeing the Japanese people who were living earnestly in this world, where just living was difficult. For Kenyya, who had been living his days vaguely, every day was intense, he felt alive, and his life was valuable to someone.
He was truly happy that he had become a man of value to Kaguya.
Then Kenyya flew towards the center of the enemy. He declared in a loud voice, as if telling himself.
His eyes, which were fixed on the large force in front of him, showed no fear.
“Well then, literally,”
He grinned and burned with passion.
“I’ll protect at all costs!”