60 – Episode 60. The Mine, Hong Sam Candy, and Cheonma Hitler (5)
“Ugh!”
Heavenly Demon Gamma Ray Burst. In the face of its overwhelming destructive power, my body turned to dust, and the world was annihilated.
That’s what I thought.
“Snap out of it!”
Until I saw the face of the man researcher I had met in the mine, that is.
Upon closer inspection, the talisman that I had been holding in my hand was once again attached to the surveillance soul thingy.
It seemed like the researcher had reattached it.
“How long has it been?”
We fought for quite a long time. It doesn’t feel real. It feels like I dreamt it.
“It has only been a few seconds. Are you okay?”
“No problem.”
Damn it, I’m the only one stopping the catastrophe, and I immediately fall into a trap. It’s frustrating.
I got up calmly as if nothing had happened.
Just in case, I fired the radar, and as expected.
“The Order Maintenance Corps is coming.”
It was spread throughout the entire mine.
I’ll have to deal with that demon who implemented Hitler into pornography or whatever slowly later on.
I wrapped up the talisman-wrapped item with a thousand bundles.
I looked around, wondering if there was anything else to take, and my eyes caught sight of a golden shining sword.
It was blunt, probably because it’s been a long time, but it was still cool.
“What is that?”
“This is the ancient warrior’s sword discovered in the underground mine. It can hold the soul of a guardian for a long time. The seal amulet was used to transfer the magic imbued in the sword.”
It should be at least a legendary-grade item. I decided to take it with me.
“This sword can only be used by a hero. You can hold it, but you cannot grasp the hilt.”
“It doesn’t matter. Just hold onto this for me.”
“Yes.”
Ignoring the researcher’s additional explanation, I commanded Bianca to take care of it.
“Follow closely behind me.”
There were about thirty children trapped in the research lab.
I had to safely protect all thirty-two people, including Bianca and this researcher, and escape through the narrow cave.
A situation where there was no colleague to help as usual.
Should I have contacted Tribou directly with this necklace?
No. The possibility of not being able to come to the mine and our house until the money situation is resolved is greater.
Let’s give it a try. Focus on protecting the children as much as possible.
“They’re over there!”
Soldiers in brown armor rushed in with spears, shields, and bows.
They had gathered only those who had some experience in fighting and approached slowly without rushing.
“What happened to Joseph Manglobe? Answer!”
The soldier at the front shouted.
Upon closer inspection, it was the injured man I had seen at Amelia’s house.
Since I had witnessed the terrible act committed by the Order Maintenance Army in conjunction with Martop, it had become essential to find out their relationship with Amelia.
Later, I had no choice but to conduct an “interview”.
“What should I do?”
Bianca, holding the bat she had obtained in the lab, asked. Her eyes were not filled with fear like when she first saw it.
Eyes prepared for death. It would be fitting to call them that.
Did meeting her younger sister again give her courage?
“Protect the children above all else.”
I raised my voice to provide the answer the man with the wounded face wanted.
“That old couple shattered my bones and killed me. They screamed while searching for Hong Sam candy and their mother until the end. You will end up like that too.”
“You crazy bastard! Kill him!”
A boring and predictable reaction. But when the time comes, they will show a shocking reaction like a trampled frog.
Snap! Snap! Snap!
As arrows were fired, the ninja swung two shurikens to deflect them and moved forward.
When iron clashes with iron, small sparks ignite.
Because there were children behind me, I couldn’t avoid or retreat.
In a narrow space, it’s actually advantageous for me.
“-Starburst Scream.”
I mercilessly swung the two swords, slaughtering the knights of order with their shields.
The name of the technique is slightly different, so it shouldn’t violate any copyrights.
“aaah!”
Suddenly, I swung the body of the man with the wounded face, who had been standing behind me, diagonally downward.
The matured tomato juice spread in all directions, staining the brown armor with a red topping.
“Oh no!”
“f*ck!”
Realizing they couldn’t win, a few threw their spears and shields aside and started running towards me.
Good. Now fear will spread rapidly and shatter their formation.
All I have to do is follow through with what I have to do: kill them all.
After killing every single one who came rushing at me, I finally turned around.
“How… How could this…”
Bianca trembled as she held a researcher lying on the ground.
An arrow was stuck in the researcher’s chest.
“I… I tried to save the children from a blind arrow, but… I couldn’t…”
Bianca tried to apply pressure to stop the bleeding, but there was too much blood and its color was dark.
“Researcher.”
I approached the one who was losing their life.
I had been contemplating how to dispose of them, but it ended up becoming a situation I couldn’t control.
The researcher’s lips trembled as they murmured.
“Even someone like… me…”
I leaned in to hear their last words.
“Even if I’m a trash-like person… as an adult, don’t I have the right to save a few children…? Isn’t that right…?”
Was that their motivation?
“What’s your name?”
“Sam… Stanfield….”
With those words, the researcher’s breath ceased. I turned my body to see the children.
“Remember this man’s name.”
“…”
“He is the benefactor who sacrificed his life to save you. Remember and live your life in gratitude.”
The children slowly nodded their heads. Do they understand the meaning?
It’s fine if they don’t understand. They will know when they become adults.
“We’re leaving.”
I stepped forward, carrying the researcher’s body, and exited the mine.
If blood stains the clothes, the smell becomes unbearable, so I covered the researcher’s wounds with torn cloth without fail.
“Thank you very much. Thank you. I will definitely repay this kindness.”
Bianca, holding her younger sister, shed tears of gratitude.
Her tears were enough to soak her younger sister’s head.
No, I had something to say, but it’s hard to say it when she’s crying like that.
“The White Dolphin Resistance, was it?”
Seeing that she showed no sign of stopping her tears, I decided to just say it.
Bianca and her younger sister. Somehow, I thought of Lamina and Diana.
What if Lamina were still alive? Would Diana be smiling all day?
“Yes, that’s correct.”
“I want to meet them. Is it possible?”
“…It is possible. I will make it happen.”
Bianca, who had been contemplating, nodded her head. Alright.
Bianca left to send the rescued children to their parents or a safe place, and I left to take a break.
I picked up the hero’s sword or whatever it was.
***
After arriving home and getting a night’s rest, I gathered the group to talk about what happened yesterday.
Now that I’ve finished explaining the situation, I’m going to bring up what I’ve been thinking about since outside the mine.
“Diana.”
“Yes?”
“Your sister is dead. She’s gone now.”
Before I could even say, “But she lives on in your heart,” she reacted immediately.
From Noble mtl dot com
“…Is it a lie?”
“Do you think I would lie to you?”
“No. I don’t think you would. But you said she was alive before….”
“That was a lie. I’m sorry. I thought it would be best not to reveal the truth at that time.”
I laid it all out as honestly and plainly as possible. If it was a secret that couldn’t be hidden forever, I thought it was best to let it out.
“Diana, I’m sorry. We didn’t know what to do. I guess we were afraid of your reaction.”
Orpheus hugged Diana. It seemed like a quick help since they had already agreed on it.
Diana, who had been crying silently for hours (though reptiles don’t shed tears), looked at me with relieved eyes.
“Why are you bringing this up?”
“…Finally, I’ll ask you just once.”
Now, let’s get to the point.
“Do you want to live as an ordinary person? Or do you want to live as a mutant ninja dinosaur?”
Probably something Diana has thought about a lot…
“An ordinary person.”
Wow, she answered within 0.1 seconds without any hesitation. This stubborn little brat.
“…I see. I understand. The reason is…”
“I’m scared of fighting. It’s terrifying to kill someone, to be able to be killed. I wanted to become human. I wanted to do things I love, to love and be loved… I feel the same way.”
She talks really fast. Does she think I won’t listen if she speaks slowly?
Honestly, I get sleepy when it gets too long.
“What do you want to do?”
“…I want to be a baker.”
“Make bread and eat it all by yourself?”
“Oh, no.”
Well, that’s how it is. We have to respect her choice.
I gave Orphe a look. It was a look that said, “You handle this conversation.”
“Starting tomorrow, we’re sending you to a boarding school. Not Neo-Solitron, but a school farther away.”
Orphe spoke. It was a long explanation, but to sum it up, she would be able to learn how to live like a human at that school, and we would provide the financial support.
A boarding school.
Well, if we were to consider it in terms of Earth, it would probably be the top-notch elite elementary school that people with a lot of money choose.
Diana, who received a definite answer, quietly entered the room, saying that she wanted some time to be sad.
“Why is that?”
Orphe’s words probably contained multiple meanings.
Why did she decide to reveal that our sister died? Why did she choose to save Diana?…
Of course, I had my own thoughts.
Lamina, who was a flesh-eating monster, chose to leave behind our sister, and the mad scientist decided to leave behind an adult.
If Diana, who hasn’t committed any evil deeds yet, couldn’t make a better choice than them?
“Just because.”
It’s embarrassing to say all these trivial thoughts. I spoke vaguely and turned my head.
“Yeah.”
Orphe smiled as if he found it amusing. It wasn’t annoying.
“What did you say about that?”
Orphe pointed at the golden sword with his finger. It was an item obtained from the mine.
“You said it was the sword of an ancient hero.”
“…Didn’t you say you picked it up from the lab?”
Did I say that? I was too lazy to explain.
“The sword of an ancient hero….”
Orphe and Tribo, who had been sitting quietly, exchanged glances.
“Can I touch it?”
“Go ahead. But if you’re not a hero….”
Orpheus gripped the hilt of the sword. The golden light flashed, and the blunt blade sharpened.
“Huh?!”
What is this?
[As expected, the blood-contracted descendants can also wield it.]
Tribor muttered nonsense and shook his head.
It seems like that researcher bastard lied to me.