Chapter 84: Going All Out After So Long Really Takes a Toll, Huh~
A call came in for Kazuma, who was hard at work developing a defense system at Kurashige Industries.
Wondering who on earth would call at such a busy time, he resentfully looked at the phone number and saw it was from Issei.
Annoyed, Kazuma hung up and ignored the call.
However, the phone rang again, and when he checked, it was once more from Issei.
As if to say, “You’re persistent,” Kazuma hung up again, but when the third call came, he finally realized something was amiss.
Issei understood that Kazuma was keeping his distance and wouldn’t normally make multiple calls.
He knew that doing so would only make Kazuma dislike him more.
For him to call repeatedly, then, meant something might have happened.
With an indescribable unease, Kazuma answered Issei’s call.
“Yes, hello?”
“Kazuma! You finally picked up!”
“You’re loud. Get to the point.”
“Ah, yeah. Sorry. I need you to listen calmly… Souji-senpai is in critical condition.”
“What did you say…?”
“I don’t know the details either. Just that Souji-senpai was found collapsed with serious injuries, and he’s been taken to the general hospital in the First Area. The doctors apparently told them… to prepare for the worst.”
“Where are you now?”
“Eh? Ah, I’m on my way to the hospital too. Tachibana-senpai contacted me and just told me Souji-senpai was critical.”
“I see. Understood. I’ll head over right away.”
Kazuma hung up and turned to Momoko and Sakura Hakanai, who had been listening nearby.
“I’ve confirmed it,” Sakura Hakanai said. “It seems the earlier information is true. Kenzaki Souji was brought to the First General Hospital a few hours ago and is currently in the intensive care unit. However…”
“Tell me. Please,” Kazuma urged.
“…………The report was critical condition, but I believe he may already have passed away.”
“Tch…”
Hearing that Souji, whom he considered a soul friend, a long-lost brother, might be dead, Kazuma lost control of his emotions.
“Calm down!” Momoko exclaimed. “It’s not certain he’s really dead yet!”
“…Hmph. The reason Kisaragi is heading to the hospital is to summon a healing-specialized hero using Starry Sky Memory, right?” Kazuma said.
“Yes,” Sakura Hakanai replied. “If there’s any hope, that would be it.”
Issei, though a close junior, wasn’t family, so he wouldn’t normally be called.
This time, Issei was called because of his unique Gift.
And the reason Kazuma was called was the same, a calculated reason: because he was connected to the Crimson Knight.
“Are you planning to reveal your identity?” Sakura Hakanai asked.
“I was planning to reveal it to Souji-senpai sooner or later,” Kazuma replied. “It’s just happening a little earlier than expected.”
Originally, Kazuma had planned to reveal he was the Crimson Knight as a surprise to commemorate Souji-senpai’s enlistment in the National Defense Force, but he no longer had that luxury.
“Is that so…” Sakura Hakanai murmured.
“Well, don’t worry,” Kazuma said. “I’ll only reveal my identity to Souji-senpai.”
“The one I’m worried about is Kenzaki,” Momoko interjected. “How disappointed do you think he’ll be when he finds out the person he admires is you?”
“That’s a harsh thing to say!” Kazuma exclaimed.
Kazuma’s shoulders slumped at Momoko’s words.
After a moment, he looked up and smiled at Momoko.
“Thanks, Momoko-chan. I feel a little better.”
“…I didn’t do anything in particular, though?”
“Hehe, you’re right. Same as always. Well then, I’m off to save him quick!”
“I won’t console you if you come back crying, you know. Be prepared for that.”
“Aye, aye!”
To save Souji, Kazuma used Teleportation to the First Area.
Momoko and Sakura Hakanai remained at Kurashige Industries.
“My, my, you’re quite kind, aren’t you~” Sakura Hakanai cooed.
“It’s calculation,” Momoko stated. “It would be problematic if he became useless, triggered by his friend’s death.”
“Wow~, what a nasty woman~”
“Say whatever you like. I am… a soldier, after all.”
“Is that so. Well then, I’ll leave it at that.”
It was easy to see it wasn’t calculation.
But pointing that out would be tactless.
Sakura Hakanai laughed cheerfully, looking forward to the future, thinking things would continue to be interesting.
Leaving Momoko and the others, Kazuma came to the First Area alone.
He immediately looked up the location of the First Hospital on his phone, and Kazuma, leading the Jade Knight, headed for the hospital.
When he arrived at the hospital, Aoi was standing at the entrance, waiting for Kazuma.
It seemed, after all, that there was only one reason they had called Kazuma.
They must have known that Kazuma, who had a connection to the Crimson Knight, could bring the Jade Knight who had been witnessed during the terrorist attack.
“Sa-Satsuki-kun…!” Aoi stammered.
“We’ll talk later. Where’s Souji-senpai’s room?”
“R-Right! This way! Follow me!”
There were many things to talk about, but right now, time was of the essence.
To save Souji, Kazuma followed Aoi towards the intensive care unit.
In front of the ICU, people who seemed to be Souji’s family were sitting on chairs. They stood up when they saw Kazuma and Aoi, but there was no time to talk now.
Kazuma brushed past the family’s attempts to stop him and burst into the ICU with the Jade Knight.
“Kazuma! And behind you…?” Issei asked.
“Situation report! Briefly!” Kazuma commanded.
In the ICU were Issei and two healing-specialized heroes he had summoned.
Also, several doctors who had been performing treatment and assisting nurses were desperately focused on resuscitating Souji.
“There’s a gaping hole in his chest, and he’s in cardiopulmonary arrest!” one of the medical staff reported. “We’re regenerating and restoring organs with Gifts, but the situation is critical!”
“Alright! Leave the rest to us!” Kazuma declared.
“Eh!? Kazuma, you’re going to do it!?” Issei exclaimed.
“Not me, the person behind me will! Also, I’ll be on support!”
“We’ll help too!” one of Issei’s heroes said.
“Even if we’re past our prime, as long as we’re called heroes, we’ll take responsibility to the very end!” declared the other.
“That’s a great help! Let’s do this!!!” Kazuma yelled.
The two healing-specialized heroes, Kazuma, and the Jade Knight poured all their efforts into resuscitating Souji.
Kazuma controlled the Jade Knight to cast Recovery Magic, while he himself formed a Magic Circle with a makeshift acupuncture technique and attempted divine magic.
Resurrection magic was a miracle permitted only to the Pope and Holy Maidens, known as God’s representatives.
Kazuma couldn’t use it, but he could use a pseudo-version.
(Focus magic into my eyes! Detect his soul with divine magic! It’s not severed yet! It’s faint, but it’s connected! I can still make it!)
Kazuma’s eyes shone mysteriously, seeing things that normally couldn’t be perceived.
Now able to see souls, Kazuma pulled Souji’s barely connected soul back to his body, forcibly performing resuscitation.
As support, he used the Jade Knight to cast Recovery Magic, replenished lost blood with regeneration magic, and revived the dying brain and internal organs.
And finally, after anchoring Souji’s soul, which was on the verge of being reaped by the Grim Reaper’s scythe, to his body, he plunged a needle into the heart area.
“Come back! My soul (kokoro) friend!!!”
Souji’s body jolted from the intense cardiac massage.
Those around who were watching Kazuma and the Jade Knight’s procedure stared in astonishment, their hearts pounding.
Perhaps, he had truly been brought back from the brink of death.
“Heartbeat confirmed! He’s regained consciousness!” a nurse announced.
“Yes!!!” Kazuma shouted.
“A-Amazing… It’s a miracle,” someone murmured.
“No way… Really? He should have been dead.”
“Ha, haha… Am I dreaming…?”
Souji’s life had been despaired of.
Even with Issei arriving and two healing-specialized heroes assisting, there had been no hope of saving him.
Everyone had thought that even if Kazuma brought the Jade Knight, the outcome wouldn’t change.
After all, the Jade Knight could heal any severely injured person, but couldn’t perform resurrection of the dead.
The medical world was well aware of the miracle that occurred during the terrorist attack:
That the Jade Knight was a versatile healer, but by no means a god.
However, Kenzaki Souji, who was thought to be dead, had just revived before their very eyes.
Of course, they couldn’t let their guard down yet, but with those present here, there was likely no need for anxiety.
“…I’m a bit tired,” Kazuma said. “Gonna sleep for a bit.”
“Ah, yeah. I’ll talk to Tachibana-senpai for you,” Issei replied.
“Mm, thanks…”
Having strained his nerves and gone all out for the first time in a while, Kazuma exited the treatment room, pushed past Souji’s approaching family and Aoi, and lay down on a nearby chair.
Kazuma fell asleep within seconds.