Episode 72 — Frost-burn
～ Part 2 ～
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If she was to join force with Utsurogi Kyousuke just like that, would they be able to defeat those guys? Perhaps, it’s impossible. Yukinoshita Suzuka laughed at herself. Surely, her arms would shiver, her feet would freeze. She now, couldn’t fight.
The moment she was self-conscious of the filter being cut was exactly at that time when she saw the looming ghouls and imps. Despite they were never opponents she couldn’t fight against, fear and dread took the lead. Once her heart broke, it was already no good. She would just make Kyousuke fight to protect two people: Hakuba and herself.
Knowing it would be in vain, she prosed to escape.
Then if she was to tell him that her filter had been cut, would Kyousuke obediently escape together? That’s also a NO. Surely, he would stay in place and try to fight while protecting two people.
Anyway, Kyousuke alone couldn’t win against that army. He would either die or be captured. Hopeless prediction dominated Yukinoshita’s heart. In that case, you should have stayed together. Someone whispered in her heart.
She felt that her cold, ruthless self that was pessimistic about the future was getting stronger. The reason she could keep performing the hot-blooded act after coming to this world might in fact, have been thanks to that filter.
At some point, Yukinoshita had already stopped running on the beach and was slowly walking.
Could she walk back like this and joined her other classmates? Even if she tried to go back, would she be accepted? Could they approve of this true character of her? Could they forgive her for abandoning Utsurogi Kyousuke?
NO, NO, NO. All that went around inside her head was a simple «NO». Not a single optimistic prediction could be made. Only bad possibilities surfaced in her mind. Miracle would never happen in this world, but if it’s unfortunate incidents, then any number of them were happening everywhere. Her head were filled with malicious possibilities.
Love and courage are only illusion.
Dreams and ideals will someday fade away.
Miracle will never happen.
What the heck should she do when confronting this nightmarish reality? What should she do in the future? Even if all kind of questions lined up, there was no answer. Only, a bad natured someone that was nesting in her head whispered this:
«It’s over. Give up.»
That someone held down the part of herself that tried to go against it, and keep thrusting only the cruel «reality» before her.
If she was to accept that, it would surely be more comfortable. Because she was tired of waiting for miracles that weren’t going to happen. Because she was scared of continuing to cling onto hope that might be fulfilled only to be betrayed at the end. It had always been like that until, hadn’t it? Perhaps, surely, everyone can return together, that wish had been easily betrayed by Washio’s death as well as the teleport incident this time.
Then, not having any hope would be….
“KIIII–!”
As Yukinoshita trudged along, suddenly a high pitched scream echoed in her ears. Surprised, she looked up.
With overall length of about dozens centimeters and bat wings growing, a monster was rushing at her head-on while holding a small-type spear. Yes, Imp.
“Eek…”
Not that it caught up to her. It was new troops. Yukinoshita screamed and squatted down. The enemy’s number wasn’t 1. ∗Kii kii∗, while raising its unpleasant cry, the imp was rapidly calling for more of its comrades. Their number was slowly increasing.
It still wasn’t a big deal compared to the number sometime ago. But Yukinoshita’s feet froze. She had a decisive fear of battle. Along with her roughened breathing, the atmosphere of the area were rapidly cooling. Cold sweats froze, trying to resist somehow, she extended her shivering hand and put in power.
“(Molecular movement … imaginary number area …. errr, freeze beam…)”
Light surged from her finger tip, drawing a thin, unreliable track and impacted on the rock behind the imps.
“Kuh…. Ha, a…!”
∗Kishishii∗, the imps laughed at her.
Despair gently brushed her cheek. It’s already over. Give up. Don’t stupidly cling onto hope. If you push yourself and reach out to your ideals, that for sure is only suffering. When Yukinoshita’s pessimism reached this far, it even became obsession.
Several imps held their spear and simultaneously attacked Yukinoshita. Lacking the time to turn around and escape, one spear pierced through her chest. ∗Kehoh∗, she coughed up not blood but snow.
A snow woman was, after all, a lump of ice, just being pierced in the chest wasn’t enough to be fatal. But sharp pain she had never felt before directly hit her brain stem. While her movement was paralyzed by pains, another 2nd, 3rd spear stabbed her hands and feet.
Ahh, this apparently is really the end. Yukinoshita laughed. Perhaps, she might have always, always been waiting for this moment. This moment when she let go of all tepid hopes and entrusted her body to only reality that she could actually feel.
Yukinoshita closed her eyes. After this, would she be killed? Or perhaps be brought to the blood clan’s base and have more cruel things done to her? She didn’t know, but that didn’t matter anymore. It felt comfortable to end without harboring any hopes.
But the cruel reality didn’t allow her to despair so easily.
“Yukinoshitaaa!!”
She heard voices and opened her eyes in surprise. She saw a unicorn kicking up sand, straddling on it was a skeleton holding a sword, and the two of them were charging over here.
“Kiii!?”
The imps showed agitation. The skeleton —— Kyousuke swung his sword, cutting down the closest imp.
Next, Hakuba smashed up the agitated imps with his hooves. And then, the several remaining ones screamed and scattered. Kyousuke didn’t chase after them, he turned around to Yukinoshita and pulled out the spears stabbed in her body.
“Hakuba, can you use healing magic?”
“Ahh, leave it to me.”
Hakuba’s horn released a faint light, wrapping up Yukinoshita. Perhaps it was because he got used to it, even when he omitted the invocation procedure, «Healing Light» still properly invoked.
The cracks in her hands, the hole opened in her chest was closing in a blink of an eye. While heavily breathing, Yukinoshita glared at Kyousuke.
Perhaps it was logical to say thanks. But those words weren’t going to come out of Yukinoshita’s mouth at all.
Before she could say anything, Kyousuke spoke up first.
“Miracle may not happen, but we were in time to save you. Yukinoshita.”
“……!”
“I’m not going to give up. Even if reality can’t be overturn, as I thought, please do excuse me from something like giving up.”
When Kyousuke clearly said so, in the back, Hakuba was proudly nodding «Snow does fall in the desert, I tell you».
How can you be so positive? Why am I this irritated?, two emotions conflicted inside her heart. Do I want to hold on to hope, or do I not? No, I already understand. I want to quickly let go of hope and take it easy.
Maintaining his grip on the sword, Kyousuke vigilantly watched the surroundings. He got off Hakuba’s saddles, and this time, half forcibly placed Yukinoshita on the said saddle. Hakuba’s face seemed awfully happy.
“…what about that army?”
“Shook them off and escaped. Therefore, they’re going to catch up if we’re keep dawdling here. Let’s hurry.”
As expected, he seemed to judge it impossible to make Hakuba who collapsed on the beach until just now to carry two people. In exchange, Kyousuke closely attached his left arm on Hakuba’s neck. This was to always invoke the effects of «Characteristics Amplification».
They tried to leave the place immediately, but suddenly, sound of an earth tremor could be heard. ∗Twitch∗, Hakuba’s neck jumped.
“This is bad, Utsurogi. It’s that guy.”
“Which guy?”
“Wight King guy. They’re among the guys who attacked us.”
“What…”
What Wight King are you talking about? Yukinoshita didn’t understand for a moment. But she immediately recalled. About the giant undead monster that hindered their advance underground in the dungeon after the 1st transference incident. It was also the first obstacle to ever stand in front of the class.
At that time, Yukinoshita was also a member of the exploration group, but she didn’t dive that far underground and there wasn’t really a chance to encounter the Wight King.
In the meantime, the earth tremors were rapidly getting closer. ∗Kuh∗, after a small groan, Kyousuke jumped on Hakuba’s saddles, right behind Yukinoshita.
“UOo!?”
“Kyaaa!”
“Sorry, Hakuba, Yukinoshita. They’ll catch up if we walk. Run!”
“Your horse handling is too rough, damn it!!”
After shouting, Hakuba neighed, and at once started running on the beach.
“Yukinoshita, did your filter got cut?”
Still grasping the rein with one hand, Kyousuke muttered.
“…And?”
“No, I’m not saying you should’ve told me or anything.”
YOU. If you want to say it, just say it, don’t take undue consideration again.
As Yukinoshita tried to spit out curses, she gulped it back down.
“I dunno well, but Yukinoshita,”
While the two’s conversation didn’t last long, Hakuba cut in.
“Did you have an image change or amnesia?”
“I’ve been acting until now. How about it? Hakuba-kun. Are you disillusioned?
“A difficult question. Either way is fine!”
An honest man, he was.
From the wasteland with many rocks, a giant slowly showed itself. Height that reached up to 10 meters, two skeleton-like faces protruded out. Yukinoshita gulped a bit. That was the Wight King. There was no eyeball in the dented eye socket, she was taken by a sense like even her own soul had been frozen.
Around the Wight King were the imps from just now, floating while laughing derisively. Perhaps, those lots brought this guy. As this rate, they would catch up. Hakuba had also started breathing heavier.
“Ne~, let me down.”
Yukinoshita proposed.
“Don’t be ridiculous!”
Naturally, she was rebuked by Kyousuke.
“It’s not ridiculous. I’m heavier than Utsurogi-kun. Rather than not a single one can be saved, it’s better to save 2, isn’t it?”
“This is not a matter of more is better or less is worse!”
“Then what is!”
“I don’t want you to die!”
She was speechless. Even though she understood he didn’t mean it that way, she still couldn’t talk back at that moment.
Yukinoshita slightly casted down her eyes, muttered:
“…Himemizu-san will get angry.”
“Rin’ll be more angry if I abandon Yukinoshita.”
“You guys, stop getting along so well on people’s back.”
While out of breath, Hakuba cursed.
“Sorry, Hakuba. You’re also included in the people I don’t want to die.”
“Thank you!”
Even if I’m caught, it doesn’t mean I’ll really die. As expected, Kyousuke wouldn’t listen even if she was to say that. While they were doing this and that, ∗thud∗, ∗thud∗, the Wight King was closing the distance. It was clear that Kyousuke was gritting his teeth. It wouldn’t take long before they entered the range of those six barbaric blades the Wight King was holding.
Kyousuke held his sword and jumped off from Hakuba’s saddle.
“What are you doing!?”
“Hold it back! It’s not like I’m planning to die!”
“That won’t make a difference. Are you an idiot!?”
“In that case———,”
The cloud of sand that Hakuba just kicked up, danced in the air. Turning his back to them, Kyousuke continued his words.
“Please help so that I won’t die. That’s the only way left.”
“Naa…!”
“You’re a pessimist, your filter is cut, I’m very sorry that I’m still asking you despite all that … But please push yourself a little and fight! If you don’t want to let me die! Even if reality can’t be change, at least, change your own heart please!”
What this selfish guy. Yukinoshita Suzuka was dumbfounded on top of Hakuba who had stopped.
Undue consideration? What the hell am I even thinking. Despite not knowing how much I’m suffering, how can he say something like that so calmly? Moreover, Kyousuke didn’t have any doubt about her support at all and was bravely charging at the Wight King.
No, it wasn’t because he believed that there would be support. Surely this was the only thing left that he could do. Utsurogi Kyousuke, by himself, was a feeble skeleton, he could only hold that thing back at best.
“What now? Yukinoshita.”
Hakuba asked.
“There’s no way…. There’s no way I can fight, is there…! At this rate, everyone will lose…!”
While she spoke, Yukinoshita’s teeth were clattering. Everyone will lose, and be captured. I don’t want that.
I hate that.
Yukinoshita was fully aware of it. How ever she denied ideals and hope, clung to despair, recited a pessimistic future and submitted to it, she actually hated it. She didn’t want to die, she didn’t want to suffer, if possible, she didn’t want anyone else to go through that either.
Efforts and willpower won’t bear fruit.
Love and courage are only illusion.
Dreams and ideals will eventually fade away.
Miracles will never happen.
No matter how much she despair the future, the reality couldn’t be denied, in that case…
Yukinoshita slowly got off Hakuba’s saddle. Before her eyes, Utsurogi Kyousuke was desperately fleeing from the Wight King’s barbaric blades. Just a little mistake and his head would be split open and die. Yukinoshita could clearly imagine that future.
Yukinoshita rejected that reality. She had to crushed this resignation. She had to knock away the peace in despair. She had to push back the cold hearted nature that had been shouting to give up in her heart.
That would take a lot of efforts.
A mask was necessary in battle. Yukinoshita inhaled a big breath.
“UWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA–!!”
Dreams and ideals would not be fulfilled. Even so, she continued to wish, to shout, so that at least the heat inside her heart be like the real deal.
I pray, O life, start burning. O fighting will, be enliven. Let the ice of heart melt.
Let the sunflower bloom in the snowy mountain, let snow fall in the desert!
Once. Just once is enough. Even if it’s for this one battle only. To burn to ashes this weak self who’s pessimistic about all things, despise all hope and cling to despair. If reality couldn’t be over turned, at least, I will beautifully flip over something, all things within myself.
Too hot it freeze! Too cold it burn!
“Molecular motion, breaking into imaginary domain…! Minus, 1 trillion–, 20 millions degree–!”
Breaking away from absolute zero, the cold air Yukinoshita brought forth rejected all laws of physics.
Now is the time to over turn everything. Now is the true miracle!
“Imaginary number inversion–! OVER HEATTTT————–!!”
To be continued…
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