The Duty of a Shield
Time was of the essence, so our exchange of opinions was brief. We would split up to evacuate the citizens. It was the logical choice; we could save far more people by dispersing than by sticking together. Of course, we didn't commit the folly of wandering off entirely alone. We were still just students. We weren't active-duty heroes; for mere students to act individually would be nothing short of a death wish. And so, we discussed how to divide our forces. As I mentioned, we had no time to waste, so we formed teams based on who we had already been moving with.
Strictly speaking, even sticking together as a single group wouldn't have been enough. The Rift in Space had only just opened, meaning only weak monsters were crossing over for now, but it was only a matter of time before powerful beasts began to pour through. Under such circumstances, dividing our strength was a highly risky move. But looking at it another way, it also meant there were only weak monsters to deal with for the moment. By the time the stronger ones showed up, Cheonmyeongdae would surely have arrived. With that reasoning, we split into teams without further hesitation. After all, those monsters might be "weak" to supernatural ability users, but they were still lethal to ordinary citizens.
It didn't take long for us to realize just how naive that assumption was.
"The Rift in Space is...?!" Frey trailed off, her voice laced with panic.
I was just as taken aback. A web of fractures was rapidly eating away at the sky. Monsters were already pouring through the shattered gaps.
"What the hell? This is too fast! Isn't it supposed to take time for it to expand to that size?"
Frey was right. Normally, it would have. A Rift in Space of that scale should have required a significant amount of time to open. But for it to progress this rapidly...
Astaroth. It had to be her. A Main of her caliber would easily be able to interfere with the Rift in Space. Seriously, didn't she say she wouldn't do anything? I hadn't believed her, of course, but I'd still held out a sliver of hope.
"..."
I had been feeling somewhat encouraged by the gathering of the "Golden Generation"—the central figures of the story Dawn Swordsman. Even though the situation was objectively desperate, I'd thought that with all of them gathered, we might somehow pull through. Crisis, after all, is just another word for opportunity. From the very beginning, the Golden Generation had always grown through life-or-death crises. Look at Yujin, for instance. Every time he faced a disaster, his growth accelerated exponentially. I had secretly hoped that this catastrophe would serve as nourishment, helping these green fledglings sprout their wings and grow.
But reality is a far cry from fiction. The sky shattered like glass, and the very earth trembled beneath our feet. The echoing roar dragged my complacent thoughts straight to the edge of a precipice. A sickening sensation pierced my chest. The cracks devouring the blue sky continued to spread. Only then did I realize how foolishly optimistic I had been.
The "original story" I once knew had long since vanished. From the moment the Mains made their premature descent, my knowledge ceased to be an infallible prophecy I could blindly rely on. There was absolutely no guarantee that a character who survived in the original novel would remain safe in this reality. There was no guarantee that a crisis would turn into an opportunity, nor was it set in stone that we would overcome the danger before us.
"...This is bad. Things are spinning out of control. Lucia, let's regroup with the others. We only just split up, so we can catch up to them quickly. This is no time to worry about other people's lives. If we're not careful, we're going to get dragged down too."
Frey spoke with absolute resolve. To her, Aris was the only thing that mattered; the lives of strangers were entirely inconsequential. She probably saw no reason to take unnecessary risks. Yet, I couldn't bring myself to nod in agreement.
I partially agreed with her. Now that things had escalated to this point, acting recklessly was suicide. If we didn't regroup with the other three—well, even if we did, the danger would remain the same. This was no longer a situation where we could run around trying to play savior. It was hard enough just to keep ourselves alive, let alone rescue others. If a high-ranking monster appeared, we would be completely powerless to stop it. It was a time for caution, not foolish bravado... and yet.
"The fire... has stopped..."
"What?" Frey asked, blinking in confusion at my murmur. But she, too, must have realized something, as her head suddenly whipped around. The meteor shower of flames that had been swirling and incinerating the monsters just moments ago was gone. The crimson glow that had relentlessly scorched the sky had vanished without a trace.
"...I have a bad feeling about this."
If it was the protagonist, if it was Yujin—a guy practically made of plot armor, absurd luck, and the world's blatant favoritism—he would surely be fine. He was bound to overcome any crisis. That was what made him the protagonist. That was why he was the hero. But... what if he didn't? What if this "reality," which had deviated so heavily from the "novel," swallowed Yujin whole? What if he fell before he could ever become a hero?
"I think something happened. I have to go check on him."
"...You going there won't help at all; you'll just get in the way. You're weak, you know."
"Maybe."
I desperately hoped my anxiety was misplaced. Getting beaten to a pulp was practically a daily routine for Yujin. He would get tossed around, battered, and bruised, but he would always stubbornly hold on until he somehow managed to drag down opponents far stronger than himself. So, part of me wanted to just trust him and leave it at that.
"If even Yujin is in danger, I might not be of much help, but..."
But the gnawing anxiety in my chest refused to fade. It had been the same last time, hadn't it? If I hadn't anticipated the resurrection of the high-ranking monster and rushed to his side, Yujin would have suffered a fatal wound. He might have actually died.
"Yujin is all alone right now. I think someone needs to be there to support him."
My combat power might be useless, but if worst came to worst, I could always act as a meat shield. Hehe, Lucia was actually a tank all along! I'll block every single attack with this body! A shield that automatically repairs itself even when broken... Lucia might actually be incredibly high-spec, you know? I think I've found my true calling!
"Lucia, I get how you feel, but it's too dangerous."
"Yes, I know."
"Do you think this is some joke? Use your head! Just because you didn't die when your head was cut off or your body was sliced in half doesn't mean you're actually immortal! Don't delude yourself. You're just hard to kill and quick to heal—you are not invincible."
Frey shouted, her cute face scrunched up in a deep scowl. Hehe, she's still adorable, though. She'd probably get mad if I pinched her cheeks, right?
"Don't you get the situation? Look up! This is way beyond our league now. We shouldn't be evacuating others; we need to evacuate ourselves!"
"And what about Yujin?"
"He's in a much better position than you! At least he has the strength to protect himself. Didn't he fight a high-ranking monster? With that kind of power, he can take care of his own skin."
As if she was done arguing, Frey grabbed my hand. It seemed she intended to drag me away from the scene, or perhaps regroup with the other three. Since neither option aligned with what I wanted, I gently pushed her hand away.
"I'm sorry. And thank you... for worrying about me."
"Did you even hear a word I said? Or are you just itching to die?!"
"Even if it's dangerous, I have to go. Even if something happens to me. It's much better for me to get hurt than for Yujin to get hurt."
If something happened to the protagonist, the entire world would go to ruin. It was infinitely better for me to take the hit. Besides, even if I get hurt, I'll just regenerate in no time.
"You... why are you going that far...? Is that man really that precious to you...?"
I tilted my head at Frey's question. Where did that suddenly come from? It's so out of left field that I'm actually speechless. Is there any logical reason for that question to pop up in our conversation? Precious? Yujin? Well, I suppose you could call him that. He's the one holding my entire future in his hands, after all. If Yujin doesn't lead this story to a happy ending like in the original novel, my dreams of a peaceful, happy life are completely forfeit. But why ask this now...?
Ah. I get it.
A sudden realization struck me, and a silly grin spread across my face. My hand twitched with the urge to pat Frey's head, but I barely managed to hold myself back. Right, of course. Frey, you were anxious, weren't you? Because Aris has taken a liking to Yujin. It's been obvious lately if you look at Aris. I've caught her staring intensely at Yujin whenever she has a free moment. She was also incredibly thrilled and immediately agreed when I suggested we all go hang out with him.
Frey must despise Yujin for stealing Aris's attention. But to Frey, Aris is her entire world. She wants to grant Aris whatever she desires. If Aris likes Yujin, Frey would want to make that wish come true. In a situation like this, seeing me act so self-sacrificing for Yujin's sake must have made her anxious. She's probably worried that Lucia, Aris's best friend, might also have feelings for Yujin.
Hehe, if that's the case, she's worrying over nothing. I don't have that kind of interest in Yujin at all. I have interest in him in other ways, sure, but not romantically. I'd better draw a clear line here so Frey doesn't get any wrong ideas.
"Yes, he is precious. Because he's my 'friend.'"
"..."
Yujin is a friend. Strictly a friend. Since I emphasized the word "friend," there shouldn't be any more misunderstandings, right? Hmm, just in case that wasn't enough, let me add a little more.
"Yujin is my most precious friend, second only to Aris. That's why I want to help him."
Aris is the most important person to me! Frey, did my sincerity reach you? Tell Aris she can rest easy because I have absolutely no intention of stealing Yujin away.
"...I see. So that's how it is."
Fortunately, it seemed my feelings had gotten through to her. Whew, what a relief. If she had made some ridiculous assumption that I was in love with Yujin, things would have turned pitch black. Knowing Aris's personality, it wouldn't be surprising if she tried to make some tragic sacrifice and give up on her love for the sake of our friendship.
Frey grabbed my hand once more. Then, looking up at me, she said,
"I'm too anxious to let you go alone. I'm coming with you."