“Alan...”
In front of the light of the projection screen, Yoshida watched his comrades fight his childhood friend. He knew how powerful Aria’s Miasma of Rejection was, so the fact that the other heroes could fight her on somewhat equal footing filled him with newfound admiration for them. Nevertheless, the situation was far from favorable for them; the future looked bleak, indeed.
She’s sprouting wings at a brisk pace, faster than they’ll be able to seal her.
If they couldn’t seal her, defeating her would be the only option left, but there was no doubt she’d emerge victorious in a direct confrontation. The Miasma of Rejection she leaked was both an immovable object and an unstoppable force. It made her existence itself similar to a natural phenomenon—a natural disaster. In her realm, strength itself lost all meaning.
And she’s the worst possible matchup for Alan.
Alan, famed leader of the Seven Heroes, most accomplished individual on the Titanomachy’s front lines, and the one who’d defeated Demon Lord Beelzebub in this war too. Against Aria, he was essentially powerless. His fighting style demonstrated flawless swordsmanship achieved through extensive training of the fundamental techniques, but no number of feints or agile strikes had any effect against the miasma’s defense, which blocked every conceivable attack against Aria. As the cherry on top, her attacks covered a wide area of effect, something Alan struggled against.
Another factor against Alan was Aria’s humanity. The Miasma of Rejection she emitted shifted into mana of the same nature as a demon’s over time, but she herself was still human. As a result, he couldn’t activate his mana of light. It was necessary to block her miasma with magical firepower, so his inability to use elemental mana was a fatal weakness.
“But...it’ll be fine. Alan always pulls through,” Yoshida mumbled like a mantra to himself. Unlike him, Alan was an incredible person. He overcame any situation, no matter how adverse, with courage and determination. That was how it’d always been, and this time would be no exception.
Even without me there, he’ll figure something out! He always does, Yoshida thought. As for himself, he could only stand and watch his fellow heroes struggle.
Yoshida then heard a familiar voice from one of the beds the injured were resting on.
“Let me go, dammit! I’m joining the fight!”
Griffith was the one making a fuss atop his bed. The rest of the Great Six were also there, alive but unconscious. They’d gotten lucky like Yoshida and survived, but unlike him, they’d been gravely injured.
“Stop being reckless! For some reason, recovery magic doesn’t work on your injuries! Just lie down, please!” the nurse said.
“Shut up! They’re injured too! I’m going to fight with— Ugh!” Griffith shook the nurse off and forced himself to stand, but he collapsed to the floor. That was when his eyes met Yoshida’s.
“Mister Yoshida? Wait, why aren’t you at the fight?” Griffith asked. He seemed genuinely surprised to see Yoshida there. “The rest of the Seven Heroes are fighting as we speak. Is this part of some strategy?”
“A strategy? No, not really,” Yoshida replied.
“Then, why are you here?” Griffith asked again with earnest eyes. His gaze hurt Yoshida so much that he had to avert his own.
“There’s no point in me going. I’ll drag them down if I join such a difficult battle.”
“But you have your support magic. Its power might be below average, but it should still be useful, right?”
“Perhaps it will, but...I’m scared. I’m just a coward,” Yoshida admitted, though his true feelings were something he’d never wanted to put into words. “I don’t have the same courage as the Seven Heroes or your team. I’m just a weakling who couldn’t change, even when I really tried.”
Courage was the most indispensable quality for a fighter. It was something everyone who fought on the front lines possessed, like the Great Six and the Seven Heroes, and Alan especially. It was something that Yoshida sorely lacked, and the reason he couldn’t be a true hero.
“You’re wrong!” Griffith shouted. He simply couldn’t stomach Yoshida’s meekness. “You made it all the way to the final battle at the demon lord’s castle last time, didn’t you?”
“Well...”
“We’ve fought together once, so I can tell. You might have only offered logistical support, but you’re still a man who has survived the dangers of battle! I could tell, and it made me respect you, so I don’t want to hear any more of that wimpy crap out of you!”
The young warrior’s passionate words resounded across the entire base.
“One more step! Your courage is only one step away from you! So step forward, sir! Show your successors how amazing you can be— Urk!”
After shouting his heart out, Griffith ran out of his last bit of strength and passed out.
“Griffith?!” The medical staff panicked and quickly returned Griffith to his bed to resume treatment.
“I...” Yoshida stood frozen on the spot as he focused on the floor. His legs wouldn’t move. Even he was dumbfounded at himself for doing nothing after hearing such a passionate speech.
“She kinda looks like she’s suffering,” someone watching the battle muttered.
Who would sympathize with the disaster responsible for putting humanity at risk of extinction? Even the one who’d said as such was probably voicing a mere passing thought.
However, that single sentence shook Yoshida out of his stupor. He looked up at the fight and saw the face of a girl he could never forget projected there. Her expression was devoid of any visible emotion, as empty as a deep chasm—but to Yoshida, who had long cared for her, she did seem to be in pain.
Before he realized it, his legs started moving.