OTO Chapter 121

Sorry for the delay.

Actually, I thought I’ve posted this chapter after posting the chapter for the patrons, but I noticed that I got no notification at all the whole day, so I checked it, and voila, turns out I haven’t posted it.

Well enough with my excuse, here’s the chapter~~~

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[Collapse of the King]

As one would expect, even I want to know the answer at this time.

Why? Why is Boss wearing the military uniform of the Self-Defense Forces?

I barely manage to turn my head and see the reactions of other members.

Both Roll and Byakurai on my side. Hikisaki-san and Kaya-san, who are a little far away.

Even Sen, everyone is stunned by this situation.

“…If this is a joke, it’s a bad one, Boss,” Byakurei-san says.

It isn’t a joke; I get it from his expression and the atmosphere he is clad in.

Even Byakurei-san who said that reaches for the extra-long sword on his back.

—— Maybe they are connected to the Self-Defense Forces.

I remember Utsusemi-san’s words.

I thought it’s impossible, but now that it has come to this, I can’t deny it.

Boss is also an enemy.

That’s right. Everyone must have suspected a bit when they found out that Shido-san turned out to be an enemy.

That maybe Boss is also an enemy.

But they didn’t believe it. Because it doesn’t make sense, too.

I wait for Boss’ words while still being stunned.

There is no doubt that Boss is an enemy.

However, only at this time, I don’t think of reckless thing like trying to kill Boss to survive or such.

Because if we were to fight, we will be no match for Boss, even though we have six people. Besides, I don’t feel like fighting against him myself.

I hold my dizzy head. It seems that I have become lacking in blood due to the bleeding on my shoulder

“If asked whether I don’t feel attachment… the answer is no.”

Boss, dressed in white military uniform, opens his mouth.

“Ha? …What are you saying?” Byakurei-san takes one step ahead.

“At least… I don’t look forward to this day. Just that, there is a goal I need to achieve.”

“…Explain it properly.”

“You’re here to kill us, aren’t you?” I interrupt Byakurei-san’s words and say so.

Boss shifts his gaze to me and answers.

“Yeah.”

“…………”

As I thought.

The choices are… to run away or beg for our lives.

……Neither is a good idea.

We might be able to deal with him with Distortion Sound, but he is out of range at this distance. Boss definitely wouldn’t allow us to get close easily.

In the first place, there is no way to take countermeasures against Boss because his ability is unknown.

…Is Boss hiding his ability because he intended to do this from the beginning?

“Was everyone… moving under your command…?”

“…………” Boss doesn’t answer Roll’s question.

He takes a step towards us. In response, I take a step back.

Not good. I’m afraid.

It’s been a long time since I felt this feeling.

If it’s fear, I had experienced it many times.

However, to absolutely not be able to oppose someone. It’s been a while since I felt that way.

Until now, even though I was scared when I was face to face with death, I felt a power as though it was boiling from the bottom of my stomach.

There is no such thing this time.

Why? It has been decided. Yes, because the opponent is none other than Boss.

Being saved by Boss was the beginning of everything.

The reason I am the way I am now is because there was Boss who reached out to me by turning the unreasonableness, which was the Self-Defense Forces, into a lump of meat without hesitation before me.

If that Boss wants to kill me, I…

When I notice, I have retreated to Roll’s back. My hands are shaking.

Roll, whose eyes have become red, squeezes my hand.

“…We’re together.”

Hearing those words, I’m taken aback.

What? I’m going to die?

No… No…!

I will live. I don’t feel like dying here.

It doesn’t matter even if the opponent is Boss. Rise up.

However, it is clear that I can’t win against Boss.

Then, what to do. Buy time…? How? It’s impossible.

Should I have some people stop Boss and run away? Dammit, I can’t think straight.

When Boss takes another step, Byakurei closed the distance at once, coming close to Boss.

He stands ready, but the battle never starts. Byakurei-san just close the distance, but doesn’t begin the fight.

“…!”

No, it’s not.

I immediately change my perception.

The battle has already begun.

Suddenly, Byakurei-san collapses, leaning against Boss.

A knife is deeply stuck in his chest.

Byakurei-san was done in…?

I couldn’t see anything before that.

Nothing, even a little movement. Boss just took a step and allowed Byakurei-san to get close to him.

“…Shion,” Let’s escape – Roll directs such a gaze to me.

It’s pointless. We can’t escape.

He definitely wouldn’t let us escape. That I understood.

We have no choice to but to buy time. He’s not an opponent we can hold off, but still, we need time.

I take a deep breath and try to forcefully steady my pounding heart.

At least to pretend to be calm.

“Boss,” I call the man who was the leader of Anonymous.

Boss steps back and removes Byakurei leaning against himself.

Byakurei-san who fell on the spot is already dead. His heart was stabbed with a knife, huh…

Although he was exhausted, that Byakurei-san was killed in just one blow.

“What is it, Shion.”

I’m relieved that he accepted the conversation for the time being.

If he started killing without a word, there would be nothing I could do about it.

We can beat Boss with these members. Then, we’ve got no choice but to stall him with conversation.

“U… a… Byakurei… -san…”

I turn my gaze to Hikisaki-san who suddenly began to sob like that.

It’s bad…

“Don’t be kidding meeeee!!!”

“Hikisaki-san! Please wa-…!” I couldn’t finish my words.

The reason is that Hikisaki-san’s head, who was about to run toward Boss, falls on the spot with a thud.

What happened…

I direct a timid gaze to Boss.

Boss is still standing on the spot without moving an inch.

Just that, Byakurei-san sword is held in Boss’ right hand.

“…”

He cut him… with that…?

You’re kidding me…? In that distance? Unnoticedly…?

My thought can’t keep up with things.

“Hikisaki…! Bastaaaaaaaaard!”

At that time, what’s flaring up at the edge of my view is Kaya-san’s arm.

It’s the deployment of her ability, ‘Ante Arrow’.

“It’s useless……!”

At the same time as I shout, her arm flutters in the air with a slashing sound.

“a…!?”

“Kaya… -san…!” When I’m calling her name, her head flutter this time.

I immediately turn my eyes to Roll and say,

“Don’t move… absolutely don’t move!”

My teeth begin making clattering sounds.

Too much, this situation that shows my powerlessness. Before the absolute ruler of space, I have no way to resist.

“So, what is it, Shion?”

*Bakun* My heart skips a beat.

Just now, I was so scared that I felt chills down my spine just because Boss focused on me.

Boss has no hesitation.

However, it seems that he won’t attack as long as we don’t start moving first.

It’s okay, calm down.

*Gokuri* I swallow my saliva.

If he doesn’t feel like having a conversation, Roll and I should have been killed by this time.

Looking at his attitude trying to continue the conversation, I guess that he still has enough conscience that he will solve all of our questions before killing us.

“I get that you’re here to kill us, but… Boss, you can at least explain the situation, right…?”

Boss’ white military uniform is stained red with Byakurei-san’s blood.

The blood stained three stars are shining dull.

“Ahh, since you’ve asked, I have the duty to explain. As Anonymous’s leader.”

I turn my eyes to Sen for a moment.

The immortal Sen should not be targeted.

She is the key to this situation, but how do I make use of her…?

If she turns into the phoenix form, she would probably be a quite a good distraction, I think.

“Then… I’ll ask you straightforwardly.

Why are you doing this…? Why, are you wearing those clothes?”

Hearing that, Boss closes his eyes.

After a while, he lifts up his eyelids. For a moment, I thought of closing the distance in an instant and use Distortion Sound.

However, Boss is probably not someone who can’t react to that. I stay in place.

“…We have killed many for one person.

The number of people saved by that is overwhelmingly small compared to the number of sacrifices, but they certainly exist. Like you guys.”

I move my eyes to Roll next to me.

Neither Roll nor I could live without Anonymous.

“But for me, that fact was only a reason… no, just an excuse to stand on top of you all until this day…”

What is he saying.

“Didn’t you create this organization because you choose the minority who were ousted unreasonably over the many who were saved by the Self-Defense Forces?”

“That’s just a pretext. My true purpose is different.

Who I want to help is not the minority or such. But the many people who are looking forward to the future and are salvable.”

I open my eyes wide.

So this what being betrayed feels like.

I grit my teeth as strong as I can and clench my fists to the point they bleed.

“Then… why did you create such an organization!” I shake my clenched fists.

My shoulder hurts. Breathing raggedly, I stare at Boss’ eyes.

“This world is more rotten than you all think. It’s where everything is unreasonable and everyone you see is an enemy. Even the Self-Defense Forces that advocates justice is like a garbage dump overflowing with trashes.

Under such circumstances, what do you think the people are looking for?”

I don’t give a damn about such a thing.

“It’s a Hero,” Boss lift the corner of his mouth, smiling grinningly.

…I see.

So that’s it.

In my head, the dots are connected one after another.

“The evil organization Anonymous… is just a stage set for Boss huh…

In order to become a hero and change this world…”

“That’s right.”

Boss who crushed Anonymous as a lieutenant general will probably make a name for himself immediately.

He is sure to be promoted as well. Then, Boss will be selected as the hero who will replace Midou Ryuusui.

He will probably gain support to the world changing extent in one leap.

Thinking back upon it, was the reason he killed Midou Ryuusui, who originally reigned as the idol of the people, so that he can fill in his position…?

The general’s position is still open.

“…Everyone died for something like that…? Roll says.

“For something like that, huh.

Some of the people you guys killed probably died thinking that way as well.”

Roll is silent. For Roll who had lived as evil, those words were irrefutable.

Because she is silent, silence dominates the place for a while.

Boss takes a step towards us.

“Boss… I still have something I don’t understand,” I say in a fluster.

The interruption of the conversation means death.

I still have more things to ask. And as long as this conversation continues, we will not be killed.

Somehow… I have to find a way.

“Let’s hear it,” Boss stops and says.

“If you originally belonged to the Self-Defense Forces … Why do you pick this timing?

There are too many contradictions.

If you were in a position that can crush the base anytime… and understand all the circumstances of the Self-Defense Forces, you should have been able to proceed with your plan more smoothly.”

“That’s not the case. I’ll return to Saint Celia as the only survivor of this battlefield. My becoming a part of the Self-Defense Forces is essentially at that moment.”

“…”

I don’t understand what he’s saying.

Isn’t Boss belong to the Self-Defense Forces from the beginning…?

“What… are you saying…”

“Lieutenant General Sakai, possessor of the full authority in the Anonymous Countermeasures Department… I will take the place of that man and eventually get the Self-Defense Forces in my hands.”

Lieutenant General Sakai. I also know his face because he is also listed in the organization’s database.

Originally, he was supposed to be the person who took command on this battlefield, but come to think of it, he didn’t appear.

Boss replacing Lieutenant General Sakai – what does that mean? I don’t understand.

Is he saying that he will return to Saint Celia and says that he is the Lieutenant General Sakai? Something stupid like that wouldn’t work.

“’Time Thief… Right. That may be possible with your ability, Hyde.”

Roll and I look back at that at that suddenly appearing voice.

On a worn-out roof that is about to collapse due to the previous explosion.

She stands there.

I open my eyes wide.

“Tameiki-san!”

Has she recovered? No, that’s not the case. I’m sure she forcibly slipped out of the medical room.

*Whoosh* Noticing the killing intent from the back, I jump out of the place reflexively.

When I timidly confirm the appearance of Boss who released the killing intent, he is holding a knife in one hand and looking up at Tameiki-san on the roof.

“Haah…”

Tameiki-san’s sigh that sounds as though she understood everything echoes in the place.

“You’ve done well coming here, Tameiki.”

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