Arifureta Shokugyou de Sekai Saikyou

Machine World Arc Just a Single Syllable, But What a Syllable It Was!

『Nnnnnnnn!!?』

A stifled scream echoed. The past Kousuke-kun was writhing in agony.

His stomach was shot by the past demon king.

「「「「「『『EH!?』』」」」」」

The children of Jasper family & Mindy-san reflexively looked toward Hajime in a flash.

It couldn’t be helped. Even the past Mother & G10 looked mind-blown. To a degree that the voices of shock were harmonized at the present and the past.

Meanwhile, Ryuutarou and Yuuka and others had gone past feeling astonishment. Perhaps they had half expected it and they were making face that seemed to say 「He really fucking did it……」.

But, even such astonishment and cringing disgust were easily left behind by the past cruel reality.

『Higiiiiiii!?』

A shriek that vividly sounded like death throes echoed once more.

The past hero cut open his stomach.

Even though he was practically unharmed thanks to his own strength even after getting summoned to another world by a malicious entity, that Kousuke-kun was given the greatest damage by his own allies. Furthermore, it wasn’t by accident, but a completely intentional deed without any ground for excuse.

If Emily-chan and others were present here, they might shed river of tears while screaming Please stop it already-, but the reality was callous as expected.

Not yet. It’s still far from over! As though to say that, a spider type golem leaped into the wound. 『Ngyohee!?』 Such bizarre voice that was unthinkable coming out from a human body agitated the listeners’ eardrums with a lot of discomfort.

The children turned white while unconsciously holding their stomach. Some children even crouched down.

「Just stop this already! Just what have Endou ever done to you guys!」

The kindhearted Yuuka-chan pleaded tearfully with her still long sleeves as though speaking in the place of Emily and others who weren’t here, but naturally the past didn’t change.

Faced by the scene that was too stimulating in various senses, Yue considerately put mosaic over some spots to censor the sight but……

「No, doesn’t that make it even more grotesque?」

「This is completely an R18 splatter movie……」

It was a gruesome sight that made even Nana and Taeko to look the most put off ever.

『I don’t want to experience Ali○n for reaalllllllllllll!!!』

『IiIIII (Explosive recovered――――)!!!』

Blood splattered spider legs were crawling out chaotically from Kousuke-kun’s stomach.

Everyone’s imagination got whipped up instead thanks to the mosaic. The scene looked even more profane because of that. Many of the children might faint from watching the scene if Aiko hadn’t casted “Soul Repose” right away.

That was just how sanity reducing the grossness of the scene was.

In fact, the children were still turning pale, averting their eyes, or looking like they wanted to puke even after receiving the mind stabilizer.

「As expected from Oto──Ani-san. Even his way of helping is merciless. I gotta follow his example.」

「FUH, listen to this and be shocked nano. Papa once even shot Yue-oneechan mercilessly nano. He mercilessly shaved even the scalp of the woman he loved the most nano.」

「Kuh, shaving the scalp……of big bro or Mindy-oneechan? I still can’t do something like that……I’ve still got a long way to go huh.」

It felt like the two girls who were clinging close on Hajime’s legs were having a terrifying conversation.

We need to firmly talk about this later. For their education! Education! Remia mama & Mindy-san were exchanging such gaze with resolve.

Hajime papa himself was making a face that seemed to say 「Stop bringing that old story already……」. When Yue asked 「……Theen, you won’t shoot anymore?」 from beside him,

「No, I’ll shoot though?」

「……」

He answered right away like that and received some punches in indignation.

But let’s put that aside for now.

「Even though he was that cool at the previous fight……」

「His entrance was totally weird, even so the way he fought serious was heroic, and yet」

「Why is it then……he can’t stay cool to the end I wonder? Should I say that he’s fundamentally pitiful, or that his existence is like a joke……」

The past Kousuke had received violence that might normally kill the average person from shock, but after that he was energetically snapping and yelling angrily at his surrounding. Seeing such sight, the children looked like they didn’t know what to say even while still looking pale.

After observing the mortal combat (?) of the abyss lord obstinately stripping himself at any cost and Mother wanting him to wear clothes no matter what, Hajime and co once more watched the deathly battle to destroy the summoning device till the end.

The battle displayed the superhuman figure fighting without fear and without retreat. The figure that was seriously thinking of his comrade and regretting the self-destruction development 「Netemp-chaaaann」, and then that figure accomplishing the role that was entrusted to him.

Every part of that scene brightened up the eyes of the children. The sight was enough to make all of them accepted that Abyssgate was really a hero just as they thought.

Even Listy who reflexively screamed 「Perverttttttt!!!」 the first thing as soon as she rejoined the group got impressed 「This is, the existence who is recognized by Oto──Ani-san as his right hand man……as expected」 without any doubt remaining.

That was just how cool Abyssgate looked as he attempted to destroy the summoning device.

And yet, at the next observation spot──when the group came to the place where Hajime & Kouki reunited with Kousuke and watched the past there, he acted the eccentric full throttle right from the start. Then right after that he returned to his natural self and blew his top, and then he got into this state.

The hearts of the children, were joined as one in a sense.

「「「「「I don’t get it at all……」」」」」

The man who put the emotion of those watching him on a jet coaster just from watching. That was the abyss lord.

「Everyone, don’t think deeply about it! Just brush it away as him being that kind of creature!」

「That sounds persuasive coming from Shia-san.」

As expected from a relative of Hauria, Liliana said with a conflicted expression.

「I think there art something wrong with thinking of thy relatives as “that kind of creature” though?」

「That doesn’t sound convincing at all coming from Tio.」

「What doth thy mean by that!?」

Tio looked like she wanted to protest but, her own relatives were giving up on her thinking “Our princess, has already become that kind of creature. If we don’t think of her like that we……”, so certainly it was just as Kaori said.

「Still, that Kouki……it get me thinking again from watching this.」

「He has changed completely……is that what you think?」

「Yes」

Ryuutarou & Suzu were giving exactly the same smile at each other. He’s doing far better than when he just rush ahead with only his sense of justice before but, isn’t he getting influenced too much by the demon king? They couldn’t stop such thought from crossing their mind.

Shizuku also nodded with the same expression.

「If it was previously, it would be impossible for him to cut open his friend’s stomach without hesitation.」

『H-how inhuman……cold blooded……』

Mother represented the voice of everyone’s heart in a nice timing.

The worst coldblooded Ai who turned mankind into her own plaything for centuries just for the sake of her own greed was made to say something like that.

Of course those words were mainly referring to demon king Hajime but, the hero who said something like “It’s fine if the cut is clean!” to the fiercely protesting Kousuke without even looking ashamed was also sufficiently unhinged.

「Kouki-oniisan……so he was that kind of person……」

Look, a girl who might be idolizing Kouki was greatly shocked because of that.

『Mother! The many misdeeds you have done until now are completely unforgivable! You even reduced my important friend to that state. It doesn’t matter how much you’re offering me, it’ll be your great error if you think I’ll be swayed by that!』

「「「「No, it was Nagumo(-chi)(-kun) who caused Endou to end up like that……」」」」

『No, it’s you who caused me to end up like this……』

The past Kousuke and, the present Atsushi, Noboru, Nana, and Taeko’s tsukkomi overlapped. It’s exactly as they said isn’t it, the children were also nodding deeply in agreement.

But, the strangely dramatical past Hajime ignored Kousuke’s protest like a breeze and ran his mouth in perfect form.

『The most precious thing in this world is human life! Your act of barbarity that toy with those lives is something that I cannot possibly overlook! I shall fight! For the sake of the world! For the sake of the people──』

「Y-Yue-san, what do we do! Nagumo is broken! It’s like he has turned into Amanogawa completely!」

『A-Amanogawa, what do we do! Nagumo is broken! It’s like he has turned into you!』

The past Kousuke overlapped with the present again. This time it was with Yuuka-chan. Hajime’s behavior that was just too abnormal made her reflexively seeking help to the first wife-sama with tearful eyes.

「……Certainly, I don’t want to see this kind of Hajime-」

「I can’t believe it, just like how Amanogawa got influenced by Nagumo, Nagumo also got infected by Amanogawa’s──」

「You two, can you stop looking at me like I’m a seriously sick person?」

Hajime spontaneously narrowed his eyes and double pinched both Yue and Yuuka’s cheek *munii~~*.

Yue and Yuuka both mumbled 「「Hyes, yhess」」 tearfully. ……But, they both also looked a bit happy together. Wonder what it was about.

Putting that aside, even inside the past Kousuke was shuddering in fear and saying 『Then don’t tell me, you have gotten infected Amanogawa!?』.

That was just how much the heroic looking demon king was causing intense discomfort to anyone who watch him.

Just like Yue and Yuuka at the present, no, he had not even a shred of their adorableness but, the past Kousuke was also writhing in agony when Kouki poked his wound 『Ei』 with his fingertip.

It seemed that such interpretation also felt extremely deplorable for the hero.

But, even such comedic exchange only lasted until that moment.

『Enough. Then I’ll cut off your four limbs and alter your memory to become an obedient guinea pig. You can regret to ever join hand with the garbage over there.』

『I will never regret my choice! I, I will surely――』

A beat passed and what resounded was,

──Kill you

Rather, that voice sounded very quiet. It was so quiet it made one wondered what was the deal with his sonorous narration like a stage actor just now. His tone was calm, and also giving the greatest chill ever to all of his listeners.

The children raised their voices 「Hih」 as though their neck was strangled.

Even Ryuutarou and others who knew of Hajime when he got serious unconsciously made Hyuh sound with their throat and straightened their back. Even the past hero and abyss lord became stiff from the tone. The proclamation was like a curse that was filled to the brim with dreadfulness and killing intent that pushed down the target into the abyss of despair.

Yue and others blushed while muttering 「Aa, this is really Hajime when in front of an enemy……」.

The past Mother displayed her unrest. The parting threat that she left behind sounded like something that she was just barely able to do.

「HAA HAA, what a relief……I thought that Oto──Ani-san had gone mad……」

「Is it that bad it makes you hyperventilate nano? Certainly, Myuu think that doesn’t suit papa at all at the slightest no matter wha~~at though.」

It seemed that the performance also received extremely bad review from the little girls. The hero Hajime was.

I-it was that bad huh……Hajime papa became somewhat dejected.

「I intentionally emphasized my intent to defeat her to distract her from my true objective of securing electricity generator. It’s true you know? I’m not lying. Much less me getting infected or something by Amanogawa. Well yeah I used him as reference but, it was just for reference till the end──」

He firmly (desperately) defended himself. He had to prevent his frogization in his daughter’s eyes no matter what! (TN: Frogization is a phenomenon where a person’s romantic feelings for someone cool off as soon as the latter shows signs that they are interested too, and the original pursuer starts having an “ick” feeling for the other. A hot new slang for Japan’s Gen Z)

Though of course, it was impossible for Myuu to get disillusioned by her papa.

「Fufu, Myuu know nano.」

In fact, Myuu chuckled seeing her papa looking somewhat desperate like that. She wasn’t giving him her usual innocent smile, but an understanding one. Yes, it was a ladylike smile just like one that Yue would show Hajime when he got too absorbed into his hobby……

His seven years old daughter smiled warmly at him in understanding……it hit his heart hard instead……

It was even more so because Yue and others were watching the father-daughter interaction with warm smiles as though they were saying 「Oh my」.

「Listy, remember this one nano.」

「What?」

「”Talking not a lie but also not the truth” is also papa’s signature move to provoke or distract the opponent!」

「! In short……use your head too huh! That’s if I wanna be like Oto──Ani-san!」

「Just now too, it was partly for pressuring the enemy so she didn’t notice the electricity stealing but, at the same time it was also a serious threat nano. Papa had decided to absolutely kill Mother the moment she managed to summon Endou here. After all papa will never allow an existence that can possibly summon Myuu and everyone away!」

「So that impact was exactly because the proclamation itself was a serious one huh. No wonder even Mother didn’t notice that it was a bluff. It’s useful information-. As expected from Ani-san!」

「O-ou. That’s, yep, good then……」

His beloved daughter’s perfect understanding. And then, Listy who was learning how to use provocation and mixing lies with truth. It made Hajime looked like he didn’t know what to say in respond.

Myuu was looking smug while sending glances at him. The shade of Yue that he felt from her before wasn’t there anymore. Hajime felt a bit relieved while gently caressing the head of Myuu who looked like she wanted to be praised.

Listy who saw that also,

「Oto──Ani-san, I’ll, work hard! I’ll work hard so I can use lie and threat skillfully too! I’ll definitely perfect how to do surprise attack and sneak attack too!」

「……I’m sorry」

Extremely dangerous proclamation that at the very least he really didn’t want to hear coming from a ten year old girl was proclaimed to him along with sparkling eyes.

Next, as though to say that it was unfair that it was only Myuu, she rubbed her head at him like a spoiled kitten.

Hajime patted her head just like with Myuu while reflexively speaking words of apology.

Because, Mindy-san was looking his way with a terrible gaze……

Setting aside that concern from Mindy of the children’s education in aesthetic sensibility,

「T-this one also has a terrific intensity to it……」

「My my……as expected, it’s different from just watching the video……」

Liliana and Remia’s trembling voices could be heard.

A great volume of liquid metal──the upperworld soldiers became a single giant wave.

It was a combined upperworld soldiers──an aggregation of upperworld soldiers. Their form was truly that of a living tsunami.

「But, it’s really a stirring sight!」

「The demon king(King), hero(Ace), then the abyss lord(Joker), along with G10 and Netemp-san and Etemp-san. It’s totally the strongest Royal Straight lineup!」

Nice wording I said there ain’t it? Atsushi said with a smug face, but unfortunately there wasn’t anyone who reacted. He became a bit down.

Because it was just as Noboru said, the development happening right now was really soul stirring. Everyone was looking excited. Their sight was fixed to the past replay like they were movie viewers watching the grand climax of an action movie.

「A joint fight of those three……I’m feeling emotional for some reason……」

「Looking at the whole picture there were a lot of times they worked together. But you know, when counting just the times they faced the same enemy at the same place……」

「This is the first time, isn’t it?」

『Fuhahah, what a great fortune to be able to dance in the stage where the hero and the demon king are forming a united front! Seething-, my blood is seethingggg, truly excitinggg!!』

It must be Shizuku who was worried the most about the way Kouki acted, and the feeling he directed toward Hajime during their time at Tortus. That was exactly why she undoubtedly felt happy seeing them fought side by side no matter how many times she had seen it.

And, exactly because they knew how Shizuku felt that Kaori and Liliana’s expressions softened.

A fierce battle was unfolding before their eyes. For the three whose power was heavily restricted, it was an extremely dangerous battlefield where just a single mistake would invite instant death.

But for Shizku, the sight might be something that brought warmth to her heart instead.

「Awesome. That’s like Nagumo’s transmutation huh.」

「This place is really SF huh. There’s robot army and beam cannons flying everywhere.」

『Fuh, in front of my abyss the like of light is meaningless! And the reason is because what is called abyss is the absolute darkness that swallow all light into oblivion!!』

A part of the unified upperworld soldiers formed the shape of cannon turret and fired an extra thick beam. The target was Hajime. The beam was fired in sweeping trajectory, however, Kouki was the one who stopped it.

It was like he was covering for Hajime. He easily cut down the cannon turret like tofu with his “sword draw using his extending blade”.

While the beam lost directionality and couldn’t snipe him, Hajime swiftly executed precision shooting at the cores around the cannon turret. Just as aimed, the gathered energy exploded. A part of the unified upperworld soldiers was erased wholly.

「Teamwork……doesn’t feel like it. As expected.」

「But it also doesn’t feel like coincidence.」

「Exactly right. The two of them ended up looking like they hath worked together as the result of carrying out the optimum solution in the battlefield.」

Ryuutarou and Suzu’s impression was replied by Tio with admiration coloring her tone.

For some reason Myuu scoffed. Was she being affected by the lord’s atmosphere? It made papa wanted to warn her to「Stop with the scoff」.

「Tio-oneechan, in short, nano! This is what you called──”In our business, there’s no such thing as a convenient excuse like [team play]. If there is any, it’s only [teamwork] that arises from [stand play]” nano!」

「O-ou? Is that another line from some kind of comic? Where didst thou bring out such somber voice……however, umu. Those art excellent words. It’s exactly as thy say.」

『──Kuku, in other words it’s more than enough-!!』

Netemp and Etemp also didn’t lose. The video recording was from the arachnes’ point of view so their movement was hard to comprehend but, looking at the scene objectively like this it showed that the two’s contribution also wasn’t small.

They were curbstomping the rushing machine soldiers while supporting the lord. We’re fellow machines but our level is different! It was as though they were showing off like that.

It wasn’t showed in the video recording but, during the fight they often waved their leg toward the monitoring camera near the ceiling or the machine soldier’s monoeye as though to say tsk tsk tsk, or shaking their butt toward them, or making strange pose……

They were clearly making gestures to anger Mother here and there.

Meanwhile, the demon king & the hero were also enduring the enemy’s fierce assault while having some idle talk that result-wise also served as provocation.

『Earth is unexpectedly fantastical you see, what you see there is the result of Endou getting cornered.』

Kouki saw Kousuke’s worsening abyss symptom and launched false accusation (?) You’re the cause aren’t you! at Hajime. Hajime was upset by the accusation and explained the truth (?).

『You’re lying.』

『After all right now that guy has three more fiancés other than Rana. A genius blonde haired beautiful girl professor, a skilled beautiful otaku agent and a clumsy strong exorcist.』

『You’re lying right!?』

「「「「「No way…….」」」」」

『While you were gone, there were things like people turning into monsters, or demon from hell trying to rule over the world.』

『Tell me that you’re lying!』

By the way, the 「No way…….」 at the middle there came from the children of Jasper family. They were all feeling astounded.

So earth actually isn’t a paradise……it’s a plainly terrifying place huh……naturally such shock was also included but, the shock of the revelation about the wives surpassed that.

「No, certainly he was super cool when destroying the device though……」

「But, he stripped you know? He stripped in front of the enemy and with a resolute will at that you know?」

『Count on me! This abyss lord won’t mind to strip one for the team!!』

「Wait, thinking carefully the description of girlfriends was also strange!」

「I see, the mystery is solved! They’re all cut from the same cloth!」

「So it’s like that! Surely they’re all a rare type of people even in the whole world.」

「Then it won’t be strange for them to get attracted to each other!」

『As expected it looks like we’re all tied by the red string of dessttiNYYY!! This feeling, it’s truly loveeeee!!』

It looked like the truth that the abyss lord had multiple lovers was the most shocking above all else. The children felt like their feeling would be murky the whole time and they wouldn’t be able to sleep at night if they somehow didn’t manage to convince themselves with an explanation that they could accept. Especially the boys.

If Emily heard them she would furiously protest with a demonic look at the way they rationalized the situation.

Misunderstanding that was spreading among the other world children.

Myuu muttered 「Hina-chan is safe nano!」 inside her heart with a thumb up while opening her mouth to resolve the misunderstanding about Emily-oneechan and others.

But, naturally this child was also among the shaken up children.

「T-that perve──Anusgate has lover……that, many?」

「Listy! You got a syllable wrong nano! Of all things, that’s the one thing that you cannot mistake nano! Also, using that combination make you mention gate twice nano! Though that isn’t an important part!」

Latin language was a holy language for chuuni lover. Myuu who was receiving gifted education from Nagumo family of course knew about it! No, there was no need to know about such language though!

After all she had finished reading the thick Latin language dictionary in papa’s room!

「No, Myuu. Setting aside the name, you don’t need to get into that part──」

「……Hajime like to get into Tio’s there though. Just kidding, fufufu」

「Yue, why art thou making a face as though thou hath said something clever? It’s the truth but can’t you think about the time and place?」

『Experience it with your own body! The abyss is ever present! Time and place doesn’t matterr!!』

Look, the earthling girls are blushing and looking at the faraway because of you……Tio-oneesan pointed while fidgeting.

The meaning didn’t get through to the children of Jasper family so it was painful.

「Rather than that, Listy-chan. Just now, didn’t you almost call Endou a pervert?」

『I am abysss! The transformation of the deep darkness, into the existence with actual presence! Know that thy attacks shall not affect meeeee!!』

The problem wasn’t actually the slip of the tongue itself. Ryuutarou spoke with a troubled face.

「I’m begging you never say that in front of the person himself okay? That guy gonna break down crying again if he heard that.」

「Mu? Got it. I won’t say it any…………I’ll take it into consideration positively.」

「Why did you correct yourself!? Ah, you’re already trying to practice the way of speaking “not a lie but also not the truth” aren’t you!?」

「Don’t lose even your purity Listy!」

『This is darkness in its purest form! Carve it in your heart how none can ever hope to escape from it!!』

Ryuutarou was followed next by the desperate Mindy-oneechan. She sent a gaze that seemed to say I’m begging you please don’t lead Listy to the wrong path! Toward the bad adult(Hajime).

But, well, putting that aside.

『FUHAHAHAHAH!! Useless uselesss uselesss uselesss useless USELESSSSS!! The darkness and the light, and then the abyss. The battlefield where the three of us stand shall know no defeat! If you want to know why that’s because we are none other than──』

「「「「「Annoyingggggg!!」」」」」

Yuuka, Nana, Taeko, and also several of the children eloquently represented the voices of the hearts of everyone here.

Everyone there harbored the thought but, similar with Hajime and others inside the recording, they had gotten into an unspoken understanding of 「It’s your lose if you got bothered by it, so let’s ignore it!」, and yet some finally broke.

Or rather, they noticed at this late hour, the secret of Etemp and Netemp’s video recording.

Those two, they edited Aby’s nonsense remarks and cut off around seventy percent of them!

Perhaps, even those two thought that he was annoying. The high tension lord who kept climbing into even higher tension from participating in the rare battle where the three worked together.

「The way his words kept subtly meshing into our conversation here is irrita──cough. It’s troubling isn’t it! It’s just distracting!」

「M-my my……for Aiko-san to call somehow who was her student before irritating……」

Well, but I can understand her feeling, everyone thought.

Even though he got nonexistent presence, he slimily slipped into everyone’s consciousness only at this kind of time even when they tried to ignore him. That irritatingness, it was really hard to find the word to describe itttt.

But, even that fortunately (?) would stop here.

The unified upperworld soldiers finally got serious.

It couldn’t capture Hajime and others at all and ran out of patience, entering an overdrive state. Its movement changed drastically. It paralyzed the three using powerful electrical discharge before immediately switching into mass attack.

Its movement was truly that of a living torrent.

Also, the target was G10 who was in a suspended state from assigning her whole capability to analyzing the weak point of the unified upperworld soldiers.

The state of the battle shifted into protecting G10 to the end.

「Ah, Oto ──Ani-san!!」

Listy reflexively raised her voice.

Hajime got slammed to the ceiling. Most likely it was his first time receiving proper damage ever since the legendary final battle.

Even Yue and others who had known beforehand from the video recording gasped and held their breath from watching the scene once more.

「So it’s actually this troublesome from having your magic, no, magic power dispersed huh.」

「Yeah. We gotta be careful too. After all we gonna unconsciously rely on it even knowing that.」

「Eh? Sakagami, from the start you’ll just brute force it with your fist right? Rather, you’re gonna rely completely on your fist right? You feel like a first-class muscle brain who’ll do just that.」

「We never saw you use magic properly though? Charging like a boar with a single fist! That’s your style ain’t it?」

「T-Tamaii, Aikawaa. Even I can use magic a little! Well yeah, I’m a bit bad with it but……even recently I’m increasing my moves in it with Suzu’s teaching just so you know! I’m thinking of the future too!」

「Hahahah, impossible impossible! You absolutely gonna go “Troublesome! It’ll be faster punching!” and throw the towel!」

「That! You’ll just leave doing magic to Taniguchi in the end!」

「Tamai-san! Aikawa-san! The knight commander cannot fulfill his role by relying on just a single skill! He’s taking the effort to widen his horizon with other skill too, so please don’t put a damper on it like that!」

Ryuutarou’s eyes were twitching with anger. At the same time, his lips were also trembling from fear.

His two friends saying 「Don’t force yourself!」 with good intention behind it was irritating him instead, but the princess’s expression was also terrifying. How should he describe it, it was like, yes, that.

What she had just said had gone past saying something like If you’re thinking about the future then please consider this path too okay!, or I absolutely won’t let you get away you know! She had an expression that seemed to say 「Eh? Sakagami-san taking the knight commander post is just natural, what about it?」.

「This is, the informal offer might become a done deal after this trip is over at this rate. Official notice might get send out to the whole kingdom, no, to the whole Tortus about it.」

「Don’t say scary thing like that, Suzu. Even though I haven’t even decided how much I gonna be an adventurer……」

「Eh? Did you say something?」

The princess suddenly became hard of hearing even though the two were conversing right nearby.

Ryuutarou was whispering 「Suzu, teach me more magic after we go home」 with a desperate look. Perhaps, that magic would be for running away. After all adventurer always sought freedom!

Heiligh Kingdom’s knight commander Ryuutarou Sakagami! Do your best!, Hajime and others sent him their shout of support inside their heart. Meanwhile the past replay was reaching the climax.

Everyone was covering for each other, however, they prioritized G10 the most without caring about their own wellbeing. They would slip through the raging stream of liquid metal to protect G10, and if it looked like they would fail then they would swiftly pass her to the next person through the eye of a needle.

Any ordinary person would surely get swallowed in not even a second. In such battlefield, Hajime and others were captivating the audiences with bewitching teamplay.

They were buying time at the risk of their life. In return G10 too operated her capability over the limit to repay their effort.

『Analysis complete. I’m projecting the location of the integrated core!』

Exactly three hundred seconds. The enemy’s weak point was exposed in half the time that originally would be needed.

In order to harden its defense, the unified upperworld soldiers converged into a gigantic globe and hardened itself.

That solid body, was pruned down by Kouki like cutting butter with a hot knife.

Red horizontal and vertical lines were drawn over the unified upperworld soldiers.

At the center of it,

『Mother, you’re listening aren’t you? ――We’re going there right now.』

A crimson flash pierced through.

The past Hajime stayed unmoving with his gun held in two hands. Before him the unified upperworld soldiers was crumbling like a pile of mud.

「Yoooossshh!! They did it!! Oto──Ani-san is so cool!」

「That was a super thrilling battle nano!!」

Myuu and Listy reflexively cheered and raised their hands doing banzai beside Hajime’s legs. They looked at each other, and a beat passed. Both girls grinned brightly and exchanged high five 「「Yaaayyyy!!」」 with each other.

After watching a great scene in a sport match, even fans who were like cats and dogs with each other could smile and share happiness. Perhaps this was that kind of phenomenon?

In any case, the two girls were holding each other’s hands while hopping around *pyon pyon* and discussing their thoughts. Even Hajime and the others were smiling seeing the two of them like that.

Perhaps that had an effect. The other children who were looking somewhat overwhelmed also cheered a second later, then they started talking about their thoughts with each other in excitement.

「The result was clear from the start but, as expected watching the past replay is different. My heart can’t stop pounding.」

「True. This, wouldn’t it be really dangerous if even a single one of them wasn’t here?」

「That’s true. In that case, Hajime-kun would surely make a different plan but……Shia-san, what would you do if it was you?」

Kaori, Shizuku, and Aiko’s cheeks were flushed. Aiko recalled what Hajime and others said that their victory would be assured if it was Shia who got summoned, so she brought it up with Shia.

Shia hummed Uu~nn and put her hand on her chin.

「Honestly, wasn’t it good that it was Abyssgate who got here? If it’s a fight with the humanoid Mother then that might be true, but it feels like I’ll have bad affinity with the unified upperworld soldiers. After all I specialize in physical attack. Fighting against liquid is a bit……」

「What is this rabbit who can produce shockwave just from swinging her fist is saying……」

A precise tsukkomi from Yuuka-chan. Yue and others all nodded.

Rather, perhaps Shia was the natural enemy exactly because the opponent was liquid. Fist pressure flying wildly everywhere like gatling gun, and if she could just take out Drucken, its impact power would be at the level of air-to-ground missile.

They could imagine the upperworld soldiers blown away to all directions without even any hope of closing the distance.

What kind of face Mother would make if Shia actually went It’s pointless to punch a river? Then you can just pulverize the whole terrain!

Hajime smiled wryly even though he felt a bit curious about it.

「Rather, I want you here exactly for that battle versus Mother. ……We got beaten up black and blue after all. To be honest, I don’t want to show you guys the uncool scene after this.」

Everyone had gotten told the story from video recording so it was too late for that. And so, Hajime had no objection with everyone watching the past replay but apparently he didn’t feel completely enthused about it.

「……That’s not true. Rather, it has been too long since the last time I saw Hajime that fired up so I can’t wait. I’m we──excited.」

「You aren’t hiding much with that though?」

「The night after we returned to earth was intense wasn’t it!」

「You don’t need to say unnecessary thing like that though!?」

Yue-san licked her lips slowly. Shia gave a thumb up with a nice smle. Everyone else was blushing, however, Kaori and co looked like they were strongly in agreement.

The children had fallen silent like graveyard before anyone knew it. They were looking at each other and pretending to discuss their thoughts together but they were completely pricking up their ears and listening attentively.

There’re children here! A severe gaze from Mindy-san hit them. But, she herself also had bright red face. There seemed to be interest gushing out from inside her eyes.

「Myuu, what do they mean by “intense night”? Also, Yue-oneesan said “we-” before cutting it off, what was she going to say there?」

「Don’t ask Myuu that, it’s embarrassing nano.」

「It’s something embarrassing!? Just what in the world is it!? It’s unfair that you look knowing on your own!! Tell me alreadyyy!」

The interrogating voice from the pure Listy-chan echoed excessively clearly. There wasn’t even any need to ask why Myuu was able to understand. Of course she understood as someone living together with them.

Fuh, Listy is still a kid nano. When Myuu made that kind of face while brushing up her hair *FUASAH*, Listy grabbed her shoulders 「Oii! Just what is this embarrassing thing huh! Just tell mee!」 and shaking her back and forth.

An atmosphere of not knowing what to say filled the air.

Listy who ran out of patience sharply turned her face toward Yue. Yue felt regret. Of her own behavior.

Do I have to explain my own words to a small child in this kind of place!? She thought.

However, Listy’s gaze immediately turned toward Hajime, Shia, and then Mindy too.

She was giving them a close scrutiny. From the way Yue looked Listy-chan’s sharp sense had told her that it was something that Yue found hard to talk about. She ran that instinct harder to ponder who she could ask without the person dodging the question and giving her the answer!

The gazes of Hajime and co were exchanged in high speed. Foisting the role of explanation provider to each other was being carried out under the subconscious level. The imagination battle was already developing to something that resembled the battle against the unified upperworld soldiers.

「……Mindy-one──」

「!!?」

Me of all people!? Mindy-san thought with great unrest.

At that timing when she was in a pinch in various senses.

『Hics……hics…….』

A sad crying voice that sounded wounded from the bottom of the heart came.

Hajime and co spontaneously turned their gazes toward the source. There, a young man was sitting on the floor hugging his knees looking like he was trying to be buried beneath the wreckage of the machine soldiers. Trembling voice 『My heart hurtssss……』 could be heard faintly. The aura of misery drifting from his hunched back was immense.

Inside the past replay, Hajime and Kouki both let out a long sigh.

「W-what’s with that person? For some reason there’s this immense……umm……」

「Misery, you mean?」

「His heroic aura……is gone?」

「Just what’s with that person’s emotion……this is, scary for some reason……」

『Be kinder to me!』

As they thought, the past lord, no, Kousuke’s speech was strangely meshing in with the conversation going on at the present reality.

The demon king and hero grabbed the arms of the ruin (?) of what once was the abyss lord and mercilessly dragged him along. His feet was dragging along the floor. The dispirited Kousuke was being lugged around like a dangled tuna.

The high tension before this that was like the embodiment of noise had vanished like a dream.

Listy mumbled.

「Really, what’s the deal with that person?」

「Nobody understand that nano. He’s truly the abyss nano.」

In any case, it looked like Listy was distracted.

And so, while everyone was agreeing with Listy’s confused words,

「Thank you, Abyssgate-san……」

Mindy alone was looking at the dragged Kousuke like he was looking at a hero.

.

.

AN: Thank you very much for reading this every time.

Thank you very much too for the thoughts, opinions, and reports about misspelling and omitted words.

Monday next week, starting from the 14^th, the anime third season will finally start. Even at X continuing from the first and second season, there’ll be picture drama uploaded for each episode.

I’ll be happy if everyone can enjoy them! Best regards!

※Broadcast schedule’s detail https://arifureta.com/onair

By the way, similar Overlap production like [Talker] and [Loner Life] also have anime this season! It seems there is join campaign going on for them so please check there too by all means! The detail for the three works’ joint campaign at X https://blog.over-lap.co.jp/saikyo2410-xcp/

※Material introduction

– Teamwork that arises from stand play

From Chief Aramaki of [Ghost in the Shell].

– As expected it looks like we’re all tied by the red string of destiny~This feeling, it’s truly love~

From Graham-san of [Gundam OO]

– Useless useless useless useless useless

From Dio of [Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure].

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