Chapter 327
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They noticed that the air had changed at the same time when they got through the dazzling light.
*Hyuu hyuu* The sound of wind shook their eardrums.
「……So this place is like this.」
「How should I say it, this place, it’s really eerie.」
It was a space that was shaped like a gigantic dome. And then, there was a long and large stone bridge that connected that space from end to end.
Shuu and Sumire who were looking around on top of that spoke their impression sounding like they had their breath taken away.
The wind that felt like it was stickily caressing their skin from the bottom of the earth was blowing up from below. It made the parents to get goosebumps.
They were on top of a bridge that felt like it was floating midair without any handrails or a curb. Kaoruko and Akiko were looking around with terrified expression while staying at the center as much as possible.
Hajime opened his mouth toward the parents who were busily looking around.
「This is the place where we were teleported to by the trap――the sixty fifth floor.」
In case they were descending through the floors normally, they wouldn’t come out into this place. This was a place where they would teleported into only in the case they got caught by the trap.
Hajime explained so, but,
「I, I see, I got it, Hajime. But you see, before you explain!」
「Oi-, Hajime-kun! Behind, behind!」
Shuu and Tomoichi were desperately pointing behind Hajime while raising their voice. Hajime’s tour guide explanation entered their right ear and slipped out through their left ear. Kaoruko and Akiko, and then even Sumire were staring unblinkingly at behind Hajime right now with a pale expression. They didn’t look like they were listening to his talk.
That was only natural.
After all, if speaking in manga terms, there was a monster approaching with a pressure that felt like there would be *GOGOGOGOGO-* sound effect drawn behind it with big and bolded letters. It was emitting pressure that forced the parents to comprehend whether they wanted it or not that this was an existence that was in a completely different level from the monsters they saw until now.
――’GURUAAAAAAAAA-‘
The monster’s roar resounded and shook the atmosphere. Kaoruko and Akiko hugged each other tightly while their legs became unable to stand anymore.
Furthermore, a lot of Traum Soldiers were approaching from the other side of the stone bridge. Their eye sockets were shining piercingly with dark red flame. Even the members of Yaegashi family had tense expression.
「Aa~, this is bad. I should have put mental resistance on everyone beforehand.」
「……Nn. This is a failure. Everyone, sorry.」
――’GURYAAAAAAAA-‘
Hajime awkwardly scratched his cheek while he still hadn’t looked back. Yue too was making an apologetic look while applying fear resistance using soul magic on the parents.
‘No, that isn’t the time for that though……’
It felt like the sound of the parents’ heart could be heart like that.
――’GURYAAAAAAAAA-‘
The third roar. At the same time, the stone bridge shook fiercely.
The monster was the master of the sixty fifth floor that once cornered Hajime and co into a predicament. It began to charge above the stone bridge where there was no place to escape.
And so, for the time being,
*DOPAN-♪*
――*GYAAAAAAAAAH*
A roar that was a bit different from before resounded.
A crimson flash blew up one of the monster’s front legs. It happened right when it was stepping forward, so the monster that lost its support fell on the ground face first like in a comedy skit. It then obeyed the law of inertia and slid *SUZAA~~~*.
And then it stopped still right before Hajime with only a single step of distance remaining between them.
「Cough-. Ee~, this thing’s name is Behemoth. Fundamentally it only has two attack patterns of a normal rush or a rush while transforming scorching red like “My horn is burning reeedd”. It’s a relatively disappointing monster.」
Behemoth roared *GURYA-* and somehow it managed to stand up. It stared down Hajime with an angry eye glint while its horn transformed scorching red above its head.
Hajime-san pointed with his finger and said 「As you can see, this is its scorching red transformation」 as introduction for Behemoth-kun’s signature move.
「Although it was when we still hadn’t arrived for long in Tortus――」
Behemoth swung down its head.
Hajime’s uppercut burst up.
The artificial arm’s vibration pulverization and skill “Strong Arm”, and then the explosion from the elbow accompanied the punch.
――*GYAN-!?*
New discovery. Behemoth’s scream sounded like a dog.
「Thinking back now, getting tossed around helplessly by this kind of pseudo cow that know nothing except charging ahead is nothing but the height of stupidity. Surely there was a way that would be a bit better to deal with it.」
「It can’t be helped Hajime. At that time everyone was absolutely at their limit.」
Shizuku smiled wryly while agreeing. During that time Behemoth that got hit by a fierce punch on its nose was desperately rubbing its nose with its remaining front leg. It was a gesture that a puppy would often do when appealing 「My nose feels reeally hurts」.
「Hajime-sa~n! What should we do about the skeletons over here?」
The crowd of Traum soldier was gradually approaching Hajime and co.
Hajime pointed there with his finger while saying 「Please look over there. They are bones」. The parents’ gaze was naturally guided to there.
「They are called Traum soldier. Their strength isn’t really much. But, they have many soldiers. The choices in the trap at this floor is fundamentally to advance ahead and slip through a single powerful Behemoth, or to pass through the Traum Soldiers with their violence of numbers and then go back to floor 20 through the stairs ahead of them. 」
Hajime continued his explanation while turning to Kaori and gave an instruction 「Ya, Kaori-san, disintegrate them along with the magic circle」 sounding like an elderly nobleman from somewhere. Kaori replied lightly 「Ye~s」, while at the same time silver flash planted trauma into the Traum Soldiers.
They instantly became ash, and furthermore the magic circle that continued to produce the Traum Soldiers turned into ash along with the ground.
The parents went 「O, oo」 sounding half bewildered and half in admiration like ‘Kaori-san is seriously awesome’.
There, Behemoth recovered from its pain. It made its horn scorching red once more and assaulted Hajime with clear killing intent and hostility.
「And, through one thing and another, I held back this Behemoth, the bridge crumbled, and we harmoniously fell together.」
Along with the really abridged explanation, a Cross Velt appeared above the Behemoth that was going to charge ahead. *Pashu-* An object that was like an anchor fired into the Behemoth, and right after that it got pulled toward the end of the stone bridge.
――’GUO!? Gu, GURYAAAA-!!’
‘Wai-!? What’s this!? I, I’m pulled……no, NO WAY I’LL LOSEEEEEEE-!!’
It felt like such voice of Behemoth could be heard. It desperately stood its ground in the attempt to prevent itself from getting dragged away, but from the beginning it almost had no leeway to control its posture with the size of its physique.
When it got dragged draggingly for a meter, its resistance ended in vain and it easily got dragged toward the stone bridge’s edge.
‘AH!? My hind legs!?’
Behemoth wriggled and struggled. Its hind legs fell while its front leg’s claws were clawing on the ground desperately to crawl up but……
「Ee~, about its depth, I fainted at that time so I don’t know how deep it is, but in this rare chance we have here the Behemoth-san who possess a conspicuous burning horn, so let’s test for a bit if we can confirm how far it will fall down.」
Behemoth’s gaze snapped toward Hajime. Surely there was no way that it understood his words, but its expression really looked like it was saying this.
――’You’re lying right?’
Like that.
Hajime-san grinned and aimed his Donner.
His aim was the front leg of Behemoth that was desperately clinging on the ground, the claws there.
*DOPAN-* A shooting sound echoed. At the same time the claws of the Behemoth that should be said as its lifeline were pulverized.
Behemoth’s eyes were saying 「This is, just too cruel……」……it felt like that.
――’aAAAAAAAAAA-‘
Behemoth raised a scream that sounded slightly similar like Shuu when he was free diving from Tio’s back while falling toward the bottom of the Abyss.
Thanks to the scorching red horn, the sight of its falling could be seen clearly.
For a while everyone was peering down harmoniously without saying anything, and then Kaori opened her mouth with a really complicated expression.
「……Thinking back after looking at this, it’s really deep. It was really a miracle that Hajime-kun survived from this.」
「You’re right. If I remember right, he was blown away by the water stream that spurted out from a tunnel on the wall and the stream brought him into a different tunnel was it……」
「Papa, papa. Myuu think if Papa appeared at the nine death one life special show in the TV before this, papa would surely get the first place nano.」 (TN: Nine death one life, it’s a phrase in Japan that means a narrow escape from death)
「Myuu, I wonder about that. Goshuujin-sama hath returned alive quite a lot from extremely deathly situations, so it couldst already be said that it’s nine death nine life instead.」
「……Nn. Perhaps it will be ok if it’s a special show about a man that absolutely won’t die no matter what happen.」
「No no, Yue-san. In that case it will be better to just upfrontly make special show of shocking video or astonishing video. There is no doubt that Hajime-san will monopolize the best 100.」
The parents were letting out a dry laugh while making faraway gaze at their son and daughters who were talking carefreely with the fading Behemoth’s scream as BGM.
They slowly and quietly returned to the center of the stone bridge and let out a large sigh.
And then, Sumire spoke.
「Theeen, Yue-chan. Please replay the past image okay?」
「Why!? I had explained it carefully and thoroughly just now right!?」
Hajime spontaneously made a tsukkomi. Yes, Hajime was acting like a tour guide because he was aiming to avoid the replaying of the past image by explaining it orally.
「……Nn. Hajime, you don’t know when to give up.」
「N, no, but you know, Yue.」
Hajime who got scolded ‘bad child’ by Yue, but for him who was always decisive and resolute in everything, at this time he was being really obstructive even at this late.
「Goshujin-sama, firm thy resolve already. Hahaue-dono and Chichiue-dono, as well as everyone else, they wouldst not change their decision to watch the past of Goshujin-sama.」
「That’s right Hajime-san. Besides, if it’s the usual Hajime-san, even if everyone’s mental image of you become bad, won’t you say something like 『So what. If it become bad, then I just need to make it good again』.」
Yue and others thought that Hajime was still reluctant to show his gruesome past. They made a slightly exasperated expression while expressing such words to persuade him.
However, Hajime attempted to object with his expression still looking bitter.
「No, about that it doesn’t really matter anymore for me. I have consented and also resolved myself regarding that point.」
「……Nn? Then what are you dissatisfied about?」
Yue tilted her head. Hajime spoke in respond.
「……This is just for example, something like a drama that you are acting in it, isn’t it a relatively high hurdle to have your family watch such thing?」
「……」
The reason of Hajime’s reluctance came to light. It seemed he was simply embarrassed.
Kaori and Shizuku, and then Aiko turned their gaze to their respective family and nodded 「Indeed!」.
At that time they were under various pressing crisis. Their discomposed figure, their heated figure when making some kind of resolve, their failure, and also their hardworking figure, everything would get seen by their parents.
Thinking really carefully, certainly it might be embarrassing! Shame assaulted Kaori and co at this late.
An atmosphere that perhaps as expected it would be better to explain orally and stopped with the past playback was starting to flow.
「Tha, that’s right isn’t it. It’s a bit, you know, the me at that time, was like that in various things……」
「Ce, certainly. Unlike Kaori, I think it’s fine for me at Orcus but……I, I want to be spared from the past playback in the ic, ice and snow cavern……」
「I wasn’t here at all so there is no problem but……after this……e, especially in the city of Ur……」
Seeing their daughter who were starting to become reluctant, Kaoruko, Kirino, and Akiko looked at Yue with a smile. Their gaze spoke more eloquently than their mouth.
Yue glanced at Hajime.
「That’s why, Yue. Also you too Tio. Right now stopping it is――」
「Yue-chan, Tio-chan, Sumire-okaasan is feeling sad.」
Sumire cut off Hajime’s words and said such things with a dramatized gesture.
Yue and Tio who were about to accept Hajime’s words thinking that it couldn’t be helped were startled and looked at Sumire.
「I really hope you two will listen to Okaa-san’s request. If not, Sumire-okaasan will become really sad and have to rethink about various things, about the suitableness of my son’s wife and so on――」
「……Nn-! Please watch Okaa-sama! The image that is even more vivid than the combination of Ultra Blueray and 4K HD! Fast forward, replay, skip and slow function, everything can be done at will!」
There was no hesitation. Hajime raised his voice 「Yue!?」, but Yue intentionally put her hand on her ear saying 「Eh? What did you say?」 and pretended not to hear.
While that was going on, the figures of Hajime and co getting teleported to the center of the stone bridge were projected.
Sumire and others, the mother camp high-fived 「Waa~i」 with each other. Shuu and others the father camp were sending Hajime kind gaze of understanding and sympathy. During that time the nostalgic Hajime and others of the past were teleported to the center of the stone bridge.
‘Oo!’ Cheers were raised. Sumire and co watched over their children of the past. But, their voice immediately quieted down and their expression stiffened.
――’I definitely won’t let you kids die!’
The tense voice of Captain Meld resounded.
The reproduced Behemoth and also the Traum Soldiers were things they had seen just now. They were monsters that Hajime and Kaori casually took care of.
But, the situation where the students inside the image were becoming half panicked conveyed the urgent situation at that time clearly. It conveyed the killing intent of the monsters fiercely through the image.
Kouki got into a heated dispute with Meld who was trying to make him retreat. Shizuku recommended to obey Captain Meld, but Kouki shoved aside the words of his childhood friend and resolved to fight.
There, Hajime came running.
――’They’re all panicking because their leader isn’t with them!’
Hajime who had docile personality and thoroughly avoided quarrel raised a thundering yell.
――’Quit being so focused on what’s in front of you! Look at what’s behind you for once!’
The classmates were attacked by the Traum Soldiers and showed a chaotic situation.
The scene of other kids also screaming in fear and despair while fighting made the parents wanted to avert their gaze.
The development after that was truly like surging waves.
Behemoth’s charge. The shockwave blowing violently. Hajime and others who tumbled around like toys.
In the place of Meld and other soldiers who were wounded and couldn’t move, Kouki and co challenged the monster.
However, even the hero’s trump card “Heaven’s Might” didn’t do anything. Kouki was blown away and they ran out of method.
――’Carry Kouki out of here!’
Meld’s words were directed to Hajime. His words said to abandon them the knights, and even Shizuku and others, to save only Kouki no matter what.
In this situation where no one would survive if someone wasn’t abandoned, Sumire and others, especially the members of Yaegashi family who was shown right now the decision to cast away their daughter were gritting their teeth hard. Their daughter was lying down on the ground while groaning in agony before their eyes. It was unknown how they were feeling as parent.
Like that, the moment of destiny finally arrived.
A single young man whose fighting ability was equal to nonexistent came forward.
He only had a single weapon. With just the technique to process mineral, he remained in the battlefield by himself.
「Hajime……」
「……」
While everyone was retreating, he was frantically holding back Behemoth. Shuu called out the name toward that figure of his son, while Sumire was tightening her lips.
They understood. Their son normally had the principle to not rock the boat, but he was a child who wouldn’t hesitate to take action when it was really mattered.
At this kind of time, he was a child who absolutely wouldn’t show his back no matter how scared he was.
However, as parents they thought this as expected.
‘Why didn’t you run away.’
They felt proud of their son who took a step forward for the sake of someone else, but at the same time they also thought that they wanted him to discard such courage.
Like that, 「Ah」 a voice was raised.
It was unknown whose voice it was. Or perhaps, it might be the voice of everyone there.
The multitude of magic that rained down like falling stars were flowing above Hajime who was desperately retreating, and then, a single fire ball landed right beside Hajime.
Hajime was blown away easily like a leaf. His eyes were blank, however, he desperately tried to return.
That effort, was prevented by Behemoth’s last killing intent.
「「Hajime!」」
Shuu and Sumire spontaneously reached out their hand toward Hajime inside the image.
As though reacting toward the two of them, Hajime was reaching out his hand while falling toward the abyss.
He was immediately swallowed by deep darkness and vanished.
What resounded after that was Kaori’s yell. Only that sad yell that screamed out her pain which broke open the heart echoed in the surrounding.
And then, the image of the past vanished suddenly.
Not to mention Shuu and Sumire, even Tomoichi and others continued to watch the spot where Hajime was falling.
Seeing that, Yue seemed to think of something and nodded 「Fumu」.
「……Nn. That was a marvelous gutsy image of Hajime. I can eat three bowls of rice with only that gallant figure of Hajime just now.」
「……Yue, try to read the mood for a bit.」
Kaori-san’s tsukkomi ended up as empty air. Yue lifted her hand and said 「……By the way everyone. Please look at this image for a bit」, then she snapped her finger while looking at Tio.
Tio wordlessly asked 「Ee~ seriously? We are going to do that in this atmosphere?」 with a troubled expression, but Yue pointed sharply with her finger as the GO sign.
Tio sighed while putting into her smartphone a pseudo SD card that had recording of past image. She then projected the image in midair with hologram.
――’Nagumo-kun, are you awake? It’s me, Shirasaki. Can we talk for a bit?’
「!?」
「!?」
The two who reacted and turned their face toward Yue in a flash were Kaori……and Hajime.
「Wawawa-, Tio! Stop!」
「……I won’t let you!」
Yue-sama took the advantage of Kaori’s agitation and restrained Kaori with combination magic of gravity – space – binding light chain. Kaori screamed 「Fukya!?」 while collapsing on the ground like a bagworm.
「Hajime-kun! Please!」
「Acknowledged!」
Hajime aimed Donner at Tio. He planned to shot the smartphone. He pulled the trigger instantly without any hesitation.
But, in that instant,
「……Shia!」
With Yue’s order, the superhuman rabbit reacted spontaneously. She reached her hand in front of Tio with a speed that didn’t even leave behind afterimage, and grasped the bullet that flew with speed that far surpassed the speed of sound.
Although it wasn’t railgun shot, but this rabbit was really damn bugged……Hajime thought with twitching expression.
Shia stepped in within that opening and restrained Hajime firmly with a solid grapple.
「Ahaha……I’m sorry, Hajime-san.」
「……In most case, you are prioritzing Yue rather than me huh.」
Hajime thought 「How miserable」 somehow.
The image kept playing even during that time. Kaori dressed in negligee entered into Hajime’s room even though it was late at night.
「Kaoriii!? Yo, yo yo yo, you are in a man’s room dressed like that! Otou-san don’t remember raising Kaori into such bad child!」
「Oh my Kaori! How bold!」
The Shirasaki husband and wife were in great excitement. Although it seemed their excitement’s vector was to the opposite direction.
「Yue! Stop alrea――muguh」
Kaori removed the binding by disintegrating it along with the magic power, but she was unable to stop the recording. She was embraced by her own mother and her mouth was also blocked. There was no way she would be able to disintegrate her own mother.
Inside the recording, a conversation that caused the people involved to writhe in agony was continuing.
――’Why don’t you protect me?’
――’I’ll protect you, Nagumo-kun.’
Groans that sounded like ‘NUOOOOO~’ resounded. They came from Hajime and Kaori. It seemed the mental damage on them was critical.
Kaori separated herself from Kaoruko and covered her face with both hands and crouched down. Yue patted her shoulder kindly.
「……Don’t worry Kaori. From here on I will also properly display my embarrassing sides after all.」
「Rather by that you mean, because it’s unavoidable if Hajime-kun’s past image is displayed, before that happen you will take me down with you……it was something like that right? Right?」
「……Kaori. This is what I think. Friends are wonderful.」
「Let’s review the definition of friend okay! It isn’t anything like a relationship to go to the grave together just so you know!」
Kaori grabbed at Yue with teary eyes. Yue lightly dodged her ‘hyoi hyoi’ while rythmically humming 「Friend♪ Friend♪」.
Excluding Hajime who was still having a faraway look from the serious damage he bore due to shame, everyone returned from the painful atmosphere just now into the usual atmosphere seeing the two who was acting comical harmoniously like that.
Amidst that, Shuu was roughly stroking the head of Hajime who was busy running away from reality due to the lethal embarrassment damage.
「What are you doing, Otou-san.]
「It’s nothing? More importantly, what happen after this? From here on is exactly the time when you have it the hardest right? Show it to Tou-san properly.」
「……Haa. I get it. I’ll bring you there. Just, it’s worrying that you all have Yue acting considerate just from a past image of this level.」
「Haha……I get it.」
It seemed that everyone understood that more than the objective of taking Kaori down together with her in shame, Yue was projecting Kaori’s past image because of her consideration to the parents.
Warm gazes that were filled with gratitude were showered to Yue who got her cheeks stretched out by Kaori.
Yue who noticed such gazes while her cheeks were stretched out *munyo~n* by Kaori blushed slightly from a bit of bashfulness.
–
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–
Hajime and co arrived to the abyss instantly using gate.
When they stepped on the bank with flowing cold underground water where Hajime was washed away to, there was a magic circle there, the one that Hajime carved in the past using transmutation magic in order to warm himself.
After staring at that a bit emotionally, Hajime turned his gaze ahead of the tunnel, to the depth of the darkness.
「……So Hajime, advanced through this path.」
Hajime shrugged affirmatively at Shuu’s question.
「Now then, with us here, even the abyss won’t pose any trouble. Although, the abyss is the abyss. The level of the monster here is different. I’m thinking to take some measures before advancing.」
Saying that, Hajime looked at Myuu. Myuu tilted her head in puzzlement. Hajime spoke to her.
「Myuu. It’s the demon ranger’s turn. Have them thin out the enemy at this floor for us.」
「Got it nano! You bastards~, it’s time to work yeah! Nano!」
Myuu’s exclusive treasure warehouse shined.
The next instant, smokescreen of seven colors that didn’t have any particular meaning burst out! What showed up from inside the colorful smokescreen that dispersed with a whirl were Myuu’s exclusive multi legged living golems where each one of them were making cool pose.
Their name, Demon Rangers!!
「Everyone have at them! Nano!」
‘Aye aye-ma’am!!’ Demon rangers made a splendid salute as though to say that, equipped wheels at their feet, and then they showed beautiful skating like master of skiing while vanishing into the corridor ahead.
After a while, explosive sound *chudon-* and firing sound *dorururururu* resounded, then after that screams like 「Kyukyu!?」 or 「Gurya!?」 or 「Pigyaaaaa!?」 echoed.
‘Aa, surely the wild rabbit ears are being turned into raw meat thereee’, thinking so, Shia asked while her rabbit ears were slightly shaking.
「Hajime-san Hajime-san. Why are you using Myuu-chan’s golems? I think it’s fine to us your own Grim Reapers.」
Hajime scratched his cheeks awkwardly while replying with a really complicated expression.
「Well, that’s true, but in that case, their action fundamentally will stay within the range of my perception no matter what. Even if there are multiple of them, it doesn’t change the fact that I’m the one controlling them.」
‘However. Demon Rangers are……’, when Hajime looked at Myuu,
「Myu? Myuu isn’t controlling Bel-chan and others nano. Bel-chan and others will do their job properly if they are ordered nanon.」
‘Why are you asking something so obvious?’, Myuu tilted her head while saying so.
「That’s why. Rather than controlling multiple bodies using the perception ability of a single person, seven people……no, seven bodies? Aa~, well, setting aside the inside, having seven perception ability to deal with it is more certain right?」
「Thinking it over once more, what is “inside” them?」
Not just Shia, the other people were also asking with their slightly twitching expression. However, Hajime also didn’t happen to have the answer. They tried looking at Myuu but,
「? Bel-chan is Bel-chan nano. Sa-chan and the others are also Sa-chan and the others nano.」
‘Why are you asking something so obvious?’, Myuu tilted her head while saying so.
「We, well, no matter. In this world here there is also soul magic or necromancy, this kind of thing must happen sometimes. I’ll clarify it eventually but……for now, it’s not anything bad for Myuu so I guess I’ll put it on hold.」
Their identity would come to light due to a certain incident, while the demon king would notice that the unnatural working of their consciousness that didn’t try to seriously investigate the inside of the golems true identity seriously was the working of demon kings. But this was a story of slightly ahead in the future.
「Now then, those guys are securing the safety of this area so there is no problem……Tou-san, Kaa-san. Also Tomoichi-san and everyone too. Sorry that I’m sounding persistent, but I think it’s pointless to watch what happen from here, rather it will be disgusting. Putting aside Tou-san and Kaa-san, for Tomoichi-san and everyone else it’s not like what happen here is related to Kaori and the others. Purely unrelated to my own feeling, I strongly recommend to not see the event here.」
Hajime’s words that were laced with the air of seriousness didn’t even shake Shuu and Sumire’s determination.
Tomoichi and others looked at each other for a bit. And then, they seemed to reach mutual understanding and nodded to each other, then they turned a strong gaze toward Hajime.
「There is no way it’s unrelated to us, Hajime-kun. We here are the parents of our daughter who got caught by a harem bastard. You, the case that made it necessary for you to become the current you……as Kaori’s father there is no way I can avert my eye from it.」
It seemed everyone shared that thinking of Tomoichi.
Then, Hajime shrugged and he had nothing further to say.
And then,
「Understood. Then, Yue, I’ll leave the image projection to you. Skip and fast forward at the timely moment. After all I was here at this level for about ten days. Also, Kaori and everyone else, I’ll leave the protection of everyone’s mind to you all.」
Hajime gave his instruction while lightly lifting up Myuu in his arms for some reason. Next he also took Remia’s arm and pulled her to his side.
Myuu and Remia tilted their head. Hajime smiled brightly to the two of them while saying this.
「Let’s meet again here when you all finished. We are going to have tea time, so take your time.」
「Myu!? Papa! What about Myuu!? Myuu also want to watch nano! Or rather, papa also won’t go with them nano!?」
「I won’t.」
Hajime papa. His face was smiling, but his tone was firm.
Sumire and Shuu went ‘Ee~?’ with a dissatisfied voice.
「Hajime, just what are you saying.」
「No, Kaa-san. Why do I have to watch together with everyone else the scene of my sad self writhing around. What’s more if I have to give commentary or something……that’s too surreal, impossible.」
「No, but you see, Hajime……」
「Tou-san. If it’s about what I was thinking at that time or whatever, ask about that to Yue and the others. When we created the Crystal Key at the ice and snow cavern, my emotion was completely transmitted to them. They should know about it really well.」
‘Besides’, Hajime strongly hugged Myuu while saying.
「If it’s Tou-san and the other parents, and Yue and the others who already know about it then it’s one thing! But I absolutely cannot show to Myuu the embarassing sight of me writhing around looking like this and that because of whatever while shouting kill kill kill!」
It seemed that was the biggest reason. A papa always wanted to show only his cool side to his daughter.
「It’s not embarrassing at all nano! That’s why, papa! Myuu also――」
「If you say that you want to see it no matter what, then go after crossing my corpse.」
It was a tremendous resolve and determination.
Myuu’s expression became dejected saying 「Ee~, that’s just not done nano……」
And then, Myuu tried to wriggle and squirm to escape from Hajime’s hold, but the desperate Hajime papa showed no carelessness or opening with resolve that there ain’t no way he would show his daughter his black history. His hold was unshakeable and she couldn’t get away.
「E~rr, dear. I’m also staying behind? I too have interest to your past though……」
「Remia. Look, this struggle of Myuu. It’s obvious that after this she will be in a bad mood. I need support to fix Myuu’s mood during the time until everyone come back. The burden is too heavy for me alone.」
That’s true. He would be the culprit of her bad mood. Like that the papa~s nodded deeply. It seemed that it was the same for everyone at how they had it hard when dealing with their daughter’s bad mood when they were the cause.
Shuu too, when he against his better judgment viciously beat up Myuuhis granddaughter in a fighting game, Myuu would often tell him 「I hate someone like Shuu-ojiichan!」 and he would end up like a corpse, so recently he came to understand really well the difficulty of dealing with a daughter. ……Though that was simply him reaping what he sow.
While Remia mama was sending to Hajime papa a gaze that was saying 「My my, really you are……」 as though she was looking at a truly difficult person, Hajime urged Yue and others with his gaze that was saying 「Now, leave this placeMyuu to me and go ahead!」.
Yue and others, and then Shuu and others advanced ahead with a really complicated expression.
From behind, a loud voice of 「Papa you idiooo~t!!」, and then there was a loud voice of 「Ouch!? Oi Myuu! You mustn’t squeeze the base of the nail! Ah, oi! Don’t bite!」, and a voice without a care 「My my ufufu」 were resounding. It made their expression became even more complicated.
Like that, after they took a distance that hid the figures of Hajime and others in the darkness, Yue finally reproduced the image of the past around the area of a large intersection.
The illusion Hajime that appearedin reality was advancing step by step even while looking scared.
The frail figure that was completely different from Hajime’s current state that was overflowing with confidence that could even be said as haughty and arrogant made Shuu and Sumire looked nostalgic. Tomoichi and others looked like they couldn’t connect the illusion figure with the current Hajime no matter what, so they were showing a bewildered expression.
Then, right after that, a battle between a kicking rabbit and two tailed wolf began. Hajime’s expression was twitching at the kicking rabbit’s overwhelming power and he tried to get away from that place……
「Hajime-, don’t!」
Right after Shuu spontaneously yelled so.
A cruel past began to play in a pace that was like raging wave.
The eyes of Shuu and others couldn’t even perceive the kicking rabbit’s charge. It was a kick that possessed a destructive power that surpassed Behemoth’s charge even with that small body.
Hajime was blown away along with the blasting of the ground. He rolled over on the ground many times. His left arm was broken and dangled down powerlessly, however it didn’t end there.
「U, a……」
It was unknown whose groan it was. The appearing floor master――claw bear. Even through the image of the past, the atmosphere of killing intent and brutality that ran off the proper course could be felt.
Ahead of the gazes of the parents that were completely swallowed by the sight, Hajime lost his left arm. That arm was eaten right in front of him and he crawled deeper into the wall desperately while crying.
「Uh, guuh」
Kaoruko and Akiko fell on their knees. They put their hand on their mouth with their face losing complexion. It was literally a memory that overturned their stomach. Kaori immediately raised their mental resistance using soul magic and healed them with regeneration magic.
「……He is really something.」
In the place of Shuu and others who were losing their words, it was Shuuzou who muttered with a low voice.
Koichi and Kirino whose expression was similarly grave like Shuuzou continued after him.
「Exactly. In this situation, there aren’t that many people who can move for survival even only unconsciously……」
「Normally, they would be unable to move from fear and it’s over.」
Kirino got close to Sumire who was biting her lips.
Yue was making an expression that seemed to say ‘No matter how many times I see it, I want to kill this claw bear!’ while turning toward Shuu and others and asked.
「……It will be even more terrible from hereon. Will it be fine?」
「…………Yeah. Please do, Yue-chan.」
Yue nodded briefly and continued the replay. In the reality, there was an entrance where people could enter while standing into the place where Hajime once used it as a base. They advanced from there.
The playback from there was fastforwarded. A total of ten days. Hajime feeling nothing but agony and the process of the way of his mind getting remade could be clearly seen.
There was no help from anyone. There was darkness, hunger, phantom pain, and then solitude.
Even if there was anything unpleasant, Hajime’s principle was always to make a troubled smile and warded it away without rocking the boat. Even when he stepped forward for someone else’s sake, rather than getting into a fight he would perform a dogeza with his principle of nonviolence.
Such Hajime divided the world into two sides in order to survive.
That was, whether it was an enemy, or not.
And then, he established an absolute standard.
That was, to kill anything hostile to him. He absolutely wouldn’t yield toward everything in this world.
A completely transformed look. Eyes that were like beast.
「Dear……」
「……」
Sumire clung on Shuu. Shuu also wordlessly hugged Sumire tightly.
From there it was the height of gruesomeness.
In order to survive, he slurped the lifeblood of beast and devoured their flesh. That was truly the act of a beast.
The breakdown of his flesh arrived. The regeneration using the divine water.
He was within the violent agony where death would be a salvation, however, it was a hell where he couldn’t die by all means.
Breaking, healing, breaking, recovering.
Perhaps it was because of the agony that surpassed the permissible amount, his hair lost its color. Perhaps it was the proof of his reincarnation and growth, faint dark red line ran on his skin.
It was, truly.
The moment of the birth.
The monster of the abyss.
While such scene was playing, not just Kaori, even Tio and Aiko were busy rallying up the mental strength of the parents many times using soul magic. If they didn’t do that, the parents’ mind would already shut down from a long time ago. It wasn’t a scene that could be watched by ordinary person with their sanity intact.
For a while no one said anything.
Before long, inisde the past image, around the time Hajime was starting to do numbing trial and error in order to create Donner, Kaori opened her mouth and a small voice leaked out.
「……I wasn’t able to do anything for him. It can’t be helped that I, we all vanished from inside Hajime-kun.」
Her eyes were holding back tears. Rather than sadness, it was the proof of her frustration.
Everyone’s consciousness was finally taken off from Hajime and turned toward Kaori.
「I’m thinking it once more, I’m glad that Yue was here, at the bottom of this abyss for Hajime-kun.」
「……Kaori」
Kaori spoke her words with her eyebrows knitted apologetically because she knew about Yue’s suffering from being imprisoned for a long time here.
However, Yue didn’t look like she was feeling any displeasure at the slightest, far from that she was showing a faint smile. A gentle smile.
Seeing the two of them like that, even the parents who had their heart completely chilled after losing all complexion watching Hajime’s past that was too ghastly looked like they recovered back a little bit of warmth.
Even if only awkwardly, everyone had a small smile on their face. And then, they began to watch once more at Hajime who was standing up.
Following the past Hajime, they arrived at the scene of a decisive battle.
The battle against the claw bear that once broke Hajime’s heart.
Even though they understood the result already, the ferocious battle made everyone clenched their sweaty hand.
Like that, Hajime who won the battle at the end and finished off the claw bear was……
――’That’s right… I just want… to go home’
He would live, and went home to his birthplace, to his family. To where his father and mother were.
No matter what he had to do. Even if he had to kill someone else.
He would absolutely go home.
He looked up and ascertained his own heart.
Hajime started walking. Toward the abyss’s even deeper abyss.
However, this time he wasn’t tumbling down into it, but with his own legs, carrying a clear and absolute determination, and resolve.
Shuu and Sumire couldn’t endure it anymore. There was no way they could keep their tears from flowing.
Their cry might be infectious. Tomoichi and Kaoruko, and then Akiko too were wiping their eyes. Shuuzou and others seemed to hold some kind of large emotion within their heart which caused them to take deep breath repeatedly.
Yue, she took the hand of Shuu and Sumire and formed her words while smiling gently.
「……Otou-sama, Okaa-sama. Please feel proud. Hajime was strong. He didn’t return home because he became strong. He went home because since the beginning, his heart, was really strong. It was Otou-sama and Okaa-sama, who granted him that strength.」
「Yue-chan!」
Sumire was overcame with emotion and strongly hugged Yue. Shuu too hugged Yue along with Sumire.
Everyone was staring at that with warm gaze.
Before long, perhaps a bit embarrassed from such gazes, Yue tapped the back of Shuu and Sumire *pofu pofu* and separated her body from them.
Within the atmosphere that was solemn but somewhat warm, Yue coughed and cleared her throat.
「……Then, for now let’s return to where Hajime is. Hajime should agree now to properly accompany us from here. Or rather, I will make him come along.」
The first wife-sama declared with a serious expression. Next, in order to change the place’s atmosphere, she even uttered something unnecessary.
「……From here on, it will be the happy and embarrassing heroine time of Yue-san. Forgive me Kaori.」
「Why do you apologize I wonder!? I wonder!?」
「……At first, surely anyone had this thought, the “Kaori is the heroine theory”. Forgive me for betraying that.」
「Who are you apologizing to!?」
「……I’m sorry for stealing the person that you love.」
「Okay, you are picking a fight with me aren’t you! I accept, bring iiit!!」
‘Calm down Kaorii!’ Said Shizuku while pinioning Kaori from behind. Kaori-san struggled somewhat more than usual.
With Kaori’s noble sacrifice of her emotional state (?) as the compensation, the atmosphere recovered to some degree just as Yue aimed. To be able to use even recovery magic for the mood through the sacrifice of her emotional state, as expected from the healing master.
Like that, Yue and others returned to the bank where they first arrived at.
Shuu and Sumire were wracking their brain thinking what kind of words they were going to say to their son. Tomoichi and others were also at a loss of how they should act toward Hajime. When they arrived while feeling like that……
「Look, Myuu. What about this? It’s pretty right? It’s a ring processed from the grantz crystal I mentioned just now. There is also a necklace see!」
There was the figure of the relatively no good Hajime papa who was desperately observing his daughter’s mood by giving present of expensive accessorry.
However, Myuu herself kept hugging tightly into Remia’s chest. She looked like a koala.
She glanced across her shoulder briefly at Hajime, but she immediately huffed ‘puih’ and returned her face on Remia’s chest. Her face was completely buried into Remia’s breasts, so even her field of vision at the left and right was completely shut out.
The five year old kid who was completely sulking seemed to be a formidable enemy even for the monster of the abyss.
「Remia! Give me your wisdom!」
「My my, dear, really……first thing first, I think trying to win over a young daughter using jewel is completely out you know?」
「……Then, what about candy?」
「Myuu isn’t that kind of simplistic woman nano.」
「Guh……」
The monster of the abyss-sama finally collapsed on all four.
「……Somehow, it feels stupid to think complicatedly.」
「You’re right.」
The ghastly and grand past of just now felt unreal. No, well, he was like this right now after overcoming all of that, so it wasn’t like it was strange though……
The Nagumo husband and wife smiled wryly thinking that.
Tomoichi and others too, seeing the figure of Hajime in a whirl of busyness dealing with his daughter erased their pensive feeling.
However, their emotion and gaze were a bit different from before. Like that they walked toward Hajime, Myuu, and Remia.
‘Let’s see, as your senior in fatherhood, we will kindly give you a little lecture in how to deal with your daughter’, the father~s said.
After that, it went without saying that the father~s got hit by their respective daughter’s nitpicking of their fault and they got sunk instantly.
Like that, the “papa group” deepened their camaraderie in a strange way. The distance of their heart toward Hajime was especially shortening while the group went toward the next fateful location――
Toward the place of encounter of the monster of the abyss and the vampire princess.
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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.
The Orcus arc isn’t finished……
I plan to finish it at the next chapter, but before that forgive me,
I wish to have holiday for the Obon festival next week.
Best regards.
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PS
Nichijou’s newest chapter is in the middle of publication at Gardo.
Lily’s pitifulness gave a nice taste lol
Also, in the latest chapter of Nico Nico Manga’s Nichijou, they become able to use the space magic.
If you like please try reading it lol