The Glass Sky Shatters
The national park had been in the middle of a festival, filled with laughter and peace just moments ago. The weather was clear and sunny. A warm breeze blew. Although it was noisy and chaotic with the massive crowds gathered to view the cherry blossoms, the clamor was full of joy. Laughing, chatting, taking photos, and eating snacks, people were fully enjoying the lingering traces of spring. But in an instant, everything overturned. Order collapsed, and pandemonium descended. The sky shattered like glass. A portal opened, and from beyond it, an unwelcome visitor arrived.
One by one, entities not of this world began to reveal themselves. Monsters from another dimension. Humanity's archenemy bared its fangs. It was the worst-case scenario, the very thing I had desperately tried to prevent. Drawing Murmur's attention hadn't just been to satisfy my own degenerate desires. Well, I'd be lying if I said that wasn't part of it, but the fundamental reason was a tearful, desperate struggle to stop the Rift in Space from forming. But I had failed spectacularly. Murmur had half-killed me and casually opened the gate to the other world. It was only natural, really. Even I hadn't truly expected to succeed. That was why my decision was instantaneous. Having already anticipated this outcome, I turned to the other two and shouted.
"Yujin! Frey! Let's move! Every second counts!"
From here on, it was a race against time. Rifts in Space had levels. The lowest was Level 1. As the scale of the opened gate grew, the level rose step by step. Since Murmur had opened this gate personally, it would be at least Level 5. A Level 5 rift was high enough for hundreds of monsters to cross over. But the real problem wasn't the quantity of the monsters, but their quality. High-tier monsters would come. And in the worst-case scenario, a 'Named' monster would appear.
Any monster stronger than a mid-tier monster was classified as high-tier. Because of this, there was a considerable gap in power even among high-tier monsters, and those that were overwhelmingly stronger than the rest were classified as 'Named.' In short, they were monsters so powerful that humanity assigned them individual names and treated them as distinct threats. Unlike regular high-tier monsters, which veteran heroes could handle by teaming up, Named monsters were impossible to face unless you were at least a Captain-level combatant. We had to move immediately. Since high-tier and Named monsters possessed massive existential scales, it took time for them to cross the gate. That meant we had to evacuate the citizens before they made it through. No, actually, to ordinary people, even a low-tier monster was an insurmountable nightmare. This was no time to worry about high-tier or Named monsters. Just move. Save the people first.
"Let's split up. Moving together will only slow us down. Yujin, you have high mobility, right? If you stay with us, you'll be held back."
"……Understood."
The explanation was brief, but it was more than enough. We were Academy students. We were trained and prepared for exactly this kind of situation. Yujin, who possessed both superior mobility and combat power, would move solo to eliminate the monsters. Frey and I would stick together, doing the same while also evacuating the citizens. While splitting all three of us up might have been more efficient, unlike Yujin—who had already grown as strong as most Academy instructors—Frey and I ran the risk of being picked off individually. Considering our safety, this was the best option.
"Be careful. Both of you."
"Yeah, we're counting on you."
Yujin's uniform was drenched in blood. His hands and sleeves were damp too, likely stained while he was busy reattaching my lower half. I nodded in silent gratitude. Yujin offered a bitter smile, then cast a final, sharp glare at Astaroth. The girl in the red fox mask was still leaning casually against her parasol. She looked completely defenseless, as if she truly had no intention of interfering. She even clenched her fists and cheered us on, telling us to do our best. I thought we were lucky she was just spectating, but Yujin clearly didn't share my sentiment, glaring at her as if looking at something utterly loathsome. She was a dangerous individual who shouldn't be left alone. But right now, other matters were far more urgent. With a Rift in Space open and monsters invading, we couldn't afford to provoke Astaroth while she was behaving herself. Poking her would only cause unnecessary trouble. Besides, we couldn't beat her anyway.
Yujin cloaked his entire body in flames. Using the crimson fire as propellant, he kicked off the ground and leaped into the air. It was nowhere near Leo's acceleration, but it was still a speed I couldn't even dream of matching.
"Frey, let's go too!"
"……You figured out I'm Frey pretty easily."
"I can tell just by looking at you."
"Hmph, I suppose so."
Without looking back at Astaroth, I started running. Frey quickly caught up and ran right beside me. True to her word, Astaroth merely watched us recede into the distance, showing no intention of interfering. I really couldn't grasp what she was planning. First Murmur, now Astaroth. I had no idea what their intentions were. In the novel, the Mains simply pushed forward on a whim, relying on their peerless strength. If not for the penalty of their 'active time,' humanity would have been wiped out long ago. Eventually, they were defeated one by one, a result of their own carelessness because they were too strong. But the Mains in reality were somehow different. Why did Murmur just leave after opening the Rift in Space? In the novel, it would have carried out a massive slaughter alongside the monsters. If its active time simply ran out, then I suppose that makes sense, but...
No, think about that later. Focus on what's in front of me right now.
I should have brought a proper weapon if I knew this would happen. I had brought a knife just in case, but with only this... well, it was better than nothing. Frey was completely empty-handed. But it didn't matter. She always carried her strongest weapon with her. In terms of pure destructive power, wasn't she the strongest in Class A? Although Yujin's rapid growth had stripped her of that title, it didn't mean Frey had become weak.
Wiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiing─────!!!!
A siren wailed. A high-decibel sound that echoed across the entire park, and further still, throughout the entire city. An air raid warning. The anxiety-inducing wail of the siren made our steps even faster. Already, the thick scent of blood hung in the air. I wished it was just the smell lingering on my own body, but this scent was drifting on the wind. ...Well, shall we begin? I might not be a particularly good girl, but I'm someone who carries out her assigned duties faithfully. As an Academy student and a future Hero, I'm going to save some people.
Yujin ran. Swallowing his impulses, he propelled himself forward with bursts of flame from his back. The crimson, blazing dagger in his hand reflected his state of mind. My ability is dangerous. Flames harm people far too easily. So do not surrender to emotion. Always remain calm, refine the fire, and shape it into a sword.
"……"
His surroundings blurred past. The cherry blossom petals drifting through the air scorched black, unable to withstand the heat. His wildly beating heart felt itchy. It was so hot and tingling that he wanted to rip his chest open and pull it out right now. With bloodshot eyes, he stared ahead. He saw the monsters. He heard the screams. People fleeing in terror. Others paralyzed, unable to even run as they suffered from Mental Pollution. Every single sight triggered the nightmares of his past.
"Haa, haa……"
Just moments ago, it had been peaceful. Everyone was happy. They were enjoying themselves, smiles gracing their faces. But what was this now?
"Hi- Hieek?! S-Spare me……!"
"Blegh, uwaaaagh!!!"
"Mommy! Mommy!"
"A Hero?! Where is the Hero?!"
The intense impulses were not easily controlled. Rising anger. Passion. Fury. Self-loathing. Guilt. Grief.
No…… way…….
What happened just moments ago flashed back. Yujin looked down at his blood-stained hands. The sensation of that moment still lingered on his palms. The feeling of holding squishy internal organs. The hollow eyes as life drained away. That spine-chilling moment refused to be forgotten.
You…… can't…… pass…… never…….
Having lost her lower half, bleeding profusely, and with her internal organs spilled out, Lucia had crawled along the ground. Even in that state, she had still tried to protect them. His heart, which felt ready to explode with hatred and anger, calmed down the moment he recalled that scene. It wasn't because his emotions had cooled. It was because an even greater emotion had swallowed his impulses whole.
A mantis-like monster was attacking a citizen with its scythe-like forelegs. Maintaining his running speed, Yujin stomped on the mantis monster's head, crushing it to pieces. At the same time, he unleashed his flames, incinerating it. In an instant, the monster was reduced to ashes.
"Run."
"Wh-What?"
He spoke briefly and ran again. His heart was heavy. He didn't have the time to evacuate people one by one. If he did that, a hundred people would die while he saved one. Though they would suffer from the Mental Pollution, they had to flee on their own. Yujin crossed the park, instantly incinerating every monster that entered his sight. For now, they were all low-tier monsters, but their numbers were substantial. The scale of the Rift in Space was considerable. At that size, was it Level 4? No, maybe even Level 5. A Level 5 rift was the worst-case tier, where multiple high-tier monsters would appear. Yujin bit his lower lip. The lip, which had already been split from when he bit it earlier to control his emotions, tore even further. There was no fear of the monsters, but there was dread. He felt no fear in fighting monsters. But he felt a deep dread that he might fail to protect everyone.
Lucia…….
Even after suffering such a horrific ordeal, she had worried about others the moment she woke up. Without showing even a hint of her pain or suffering. It must have been hard. It must have hurt. Just how much had she suffered? His heart wrenched just imagining it. He shuddered with disgust at his own helplessness. Yet, Lucia hadn't shown even a tiny fragment of her pain. Because if she had, he and Aris would surely have been devastated. Lucia was a kind person. She was a strong girl. She had always been that way. Lucia had always been like that. It was the same when she first faced Astaroth, and when she took the hit from the high-tier monster in his stead. She had sacrificed herself without a single moment of hesitation. As if others were far more important than herself. He knew. He had always known, and yet...
I became afraid.
Afraid of seeing you sacrifice yourself. Terrified that one day, you might end up in a situation from which you can never return. Just like Yui. I'm terrified that you'll disappear after saving someone else. Will I have to just stand by and watch it happen again?
"No!"
Yujin detonated flames from the soles of his feet. With a loud boom, his body shot upward like a cannonball. Soaring dozens of meters into the air in an instant, Yujin raised his dagger high. The Sun Sword. A blade imbued with extreme heat. The Sun Sword was a technique he had refined even further from this. Yujin quickly scanned the ground. Fleeing citizens. A child huddled on the ground. A fallen young man. Parents searching for their children. The park was in utter chaos. Monsters could be seen scattered here and there, and their numbers were still growing. A simple straight slash of the Sun Sword wouldn't do. That was a wide-range annihilation move. If he used it here, it would sweep away not only the monsters but the citizens as well.
"I will……"
Flames surged along the blade. They swirled and compressed, forming a crimson edge. And it wasn't just one. Swords of fire manifested around Yujin. Like wings, or like orbiting satellites. Imbued with divine majesty, they pierced the sky. Yujin channeled the surging flames into his Sun Sword and aimed at the ground.
"……protect them."
Sun Sword: Meteor Shower
Crimson swords rained down. Like meteors painting the night sky, a downpour of fire fell to incinerate the monsters on the ground. Lucia. You don't have to sacrifice yourself. You don't have to treat your own body so harshly. I will protect you, and the citizens. I will protect everyone.