ALL NOVEL Chapter 145: Saeki
“Huh? Ichijo? Why is Ichijo here?”
Kida stared in surprise.
“Saeki, do you know him?”
Joanna was wary of Ichijo.
“Yeah, he’s a hero just like us. Only he’s really a hero.”
“Really a hero? What do you?….”
But Joanna quickly realized what Saeki meant. Ichijo had the hero job.
“Ichijo, where have you been? We were worried.”
Saeki stopped Kida who was trying to approach Saeki.
“Kida! Don’t get close to him! He’s not our companion anymore, he’s part of Dragon’s heart!”
“Huh?”
Not just Kida but Joanna and David were surprised by what Saeki said as well.
“Dragon’s….Heart? You dont mean……That, Dragon’s heart?”
Joanna was at a loss for words. But it was natural, this is how one should react to this information. Even the innocent are scared of the faction that destroys countries.
“Saeki, stop chasing Aries’s shadow. There’s no point, you were just deceived by her.”
“Stop talking as if you know…. Why shouldn’t I just kill you here and now!?”
“I’m not like I was before. It’s not possible for you.”
Saeki didn’t seem to understand.
“《Flame dance》”
Saeki couldn’t control himself. A magic circle appeared at his feet and he fired a spiral flame into the sky. Two more shot up as the first fell on Ichijo, after being hit by three large spiral flames he could no longer be seen. Smoke completely blocked the view of where Ichijo had stood.
Saeki looked on and laughed, however his smile faltered as the smoke began to clear and he saw a sphere of rotating water at the center of it. Ichijo had protected himself from Saeki’s flames with the water.
“Intermediate magic huh? You did good mastering it, however you’re not as good as me.”
“Kuh!”
Saeki was now keenly aware of that, Ichijo had grown at a speed far exceeding his expectations.
“You said you were going to kill dragon’s heart? I can imagine what you must be thinking but you should stop. No matter how long you have you will never beat us, I’m the weakest one, do you know what that means?”
The two of them just stared at each other for a while. Saeki glared while Ichijo looked at him with pity, yet he wanted to save Saeki somehow.”
“Aries was lying to you and not just you, that was the way she ruled. The same is true for you, you’re just confused.”
“What do you know! You know nothing about me! Just because you got a little stronger you’re acting like you know everything! You’re just arrogant! Just the same as you were before, always looking down on others! That’s why Hidaka didn’t accept your help! You more than anyone else aren’t capable of understanding others!”
“…….”
Ichijo waited until Saeki had finished.
“Maybe you’re right? However there’s no point mourning over that. If you just go around regretting the past then you can’t grow any further.”
“What are you trying to act like a hero now? Why don’t you try saying something a little more believable? I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“It’s no use trying to use Hidaka, it’s not going to upset me. You never felt sorry for what you did to Hidaka did you? I know that now.”
“Heh… What am I supposed to be surprised hearing you say that? What about it?”
“I believe he is alive. I want to find and help him, Thats the reason I have this power.”
“If you want to chase after the dead thats your prerogative. I don’t have anything to say to you anymore. Your power means nothing!”
“Saeki that’s the difference between you and I. As well as the biggest reason behind why you’ve stopped growing even though you’re a sage. You don’t seem to have noticed why so I’ll tell you now.”
“What?”
“You’re smarter than you think. That’s why you already knew that you were being deceived by Aries.”
Saeki grew angry at those words.
“Shut up!”
“Did you just not want to notice? Saeki….”
“I said shut up!”
“Saeki?”
Joanna called his name a little worried.
“Kida, You’re his friend right? There is no way you haven’t noticed right? Why haven’t you said anything, is Saeki not on the wrong path?”
“Shut uuuuuuuup!!!!!”
Saeki shouted before Kida could reply.
“Saeki? Your anger is the answer, you’re smart. You know that Dragon’s heart is not your enemy.”
But Saeki didn’t think so.
“Ichijo, We’re going to be lonely for the rest of our lives. There’s no way to escape it, we can’t go back to our world. Do you know what’s going on now? They formed a group, all of the people from the same world are clinging onto each other, Do you know why that is?”
“……..”
This was something that Ichijo could understand.
“Everyone wants to go back but thats impossible. We’ve searched everywhere. Even the teachers don’t know. There is no one who knows anything about the summoning of heroes! It happened in our world! What in the world were we involved in!?”
Saeki’s expression was full of sorrow.
“If you’re trying to say that you’re lonely, why don’t you try and imagine how Hidaka feels? He’s still alone somewhere out there.”
“Wai! You’re still on about that!?”
Saeki was tired of this.
“Do you not understand the feelings of others? Why don’t you feel guilty about what you did to him?”
“What?”
“You just let him die didn’t you?”
The next thing that Saeki said was something that Ichijo couldn’t comprehend.
“The weak die. What’s wrong with that?”
“You….”
In that moment Ichijo abandoned Saeki. Saeki was different, he didn’t have any ethics or morals. Ichijo did his best to understand but the way that Saeki thought wasn’t something that a normal person would be able to understand.
“Koizumi said that same thing to me, she tried to blame me. ‘Don’t you feel sorry for Hidaka?’ That just made me laugh. If you’re here trying to give me some moral lesson then you’re the same as they are. I’ll admit that you’re strong but guilt is for the weak.”
Saeki turned his back on Ichijo.
“I don’t want to see your face anymore. I may not be able to defeat you know but since you’re one of them once I am stronger I will kill you.”
Saeki left, David and Joanna followed after him in confusion. Only Kida was left standing there.
“Kida…. Stop Saeki.”
“Aren’t you a little too familiar with me? Besides, how can I a Senior Knight stop Saeki? This is the kind of world we live in now.”
Then, Kida left as well, there was no hope left in his eyes. Ichijo however had already killed some aristocrats and thieves, he was mostly behind Sieg and the others as support but he was able to see much more of the world. That’s why he was able to understand what the world was truly like.
“That didn’t work.”
Ichijo had wanted to save Saeki but he realized now that it was impossible. This world changes people and he knew that it would continue to change Saeki.
“Hidaka, What should I do?”
After a while he put up his hood and left.
▽
The next day was the match between Masamune and Saeki. All the Investors had waited excitedly for this day to arrive. In the waiting room Masamune sat alone in a chair.
I couldn’t feel Ichijo’s magical power in the audience because it was mixed in with so many others. However I assumed that he was there. Sabrina and Oswald wanted me to participate in the match otherwise I might have dropped out.
After what happened yesterday Toa had asked.
‘What are you going to do about those two?’
Well, she hadn’t really said anything but I could tell from her expression what she was thinking. She seemed to know that I was going to kill them even if it wasn’t right away. I can’t kill them in this situation with so many people here after all. Sabrina and Oswald both had surprisingly powerful magic, nobody else here was able to match them. If I was to kill them both I would be the first suspect and that would just cause me trouble.
The sound of knocking came from the door and a woman appeared.
“Pardon me, if you’re ready then please enter the arena.”
“Okay.”
This match with Saeki was just a farce. I have no idea what I’m doing this for, Saeki might be excited but not me. This doesn’t even serve to kill time, I just feel sick that I have to feel how I did in the past but not be able to kill him. But at the very least I can crush his pride, I’ll do this calmly and let him know who immature he is. How he’s been wasting his time since coming to this world.
I walked through the dim passageway towards the sound of cheers, and as I entered I was greeted by the cheers erupting into a roar.
‘And now! What you’ve all been waiting for! Nito had entered the arena!’
The cheers grew louder as the announcer introduced me. I immediately looked for my three companions and saw Toa, Nem, and Sufilia waving at me. Was this what a match was? I’d never been cheered on by someone, I never participated in club activities or anything before. It wasn’t a bad feeling.
‘ And here to challenge the S rank adventurer Nito, Everyone knows him as one of the heroes summoned in Greyberg!’
Aren’t you telling the crowd a little too much about him there? Maybe this was to appeal to the investors.
‘Saeki!’
Saeki appeared facing me and my emotions completely changed. Something dark was spreading inside me. I have to keep calm and shatter his pride, I have to concentrate on that right now.
“I challenge you, and the winner is going to be me.”
Saeki sounded disgusted as he said this.
“…..Let’s have a good match.”
This guy is an idiot? Where did he get these ideas from?
“Can you feel my magic power Saeki?”
“Wha!…”
Saeki looked shocked.
‘Let the match begin!’
As the sound of a gong rang out Saeki immediately started chanting magic.