Part 226: Flames Burning Bright

"One..."

『——?』

"Just one question. Kotojou Ryouba. Can you be... healed?"

'Healed...?'

"Yes. I don't fully understand, but you seem to be controlled by someone else, don't you? If...

if your actions aren't truly your own...

then I'd like to help you recover...

I began to say, but was utterly ignored.

Ryoma lunged at me, his sharpened claws reaching out as if trying to grab my heart,

"――Gah!"

I jumped back nimbly and dodged.

"――《Fireball》! "

I slammed a level-two fire spell straight into Ryoma's face.

"……Oof!"

Like a boxer hit with a critical strike to the jaw, Ryoma dropped to one knee.

His movements seem to be slowing down more and more.

Well, given how many attacks he’s taken, it’s not surprising he’s weakening.

Or perhaps he’s nearing what we’d call a “magic exhaustion.”

“Kotou, Ryouma,” you said earlier.

Seizing the moment as he knelt, I kept up the conversation.

“I just—finally remembered. Your name. The ‘King’ mentioned it.”

About a week ago, I think. He just left that woman pregnant and vanished somewhere. We’re scattering his photos around, trying to find him…

"Wait—you have a child, don’t you?"

『…………………』

"Use the power of love to remember. Think back to when you were still yourself."

I’m honestly aware how hollow that sounds.

If the power of love could truly work miracles, the world wouldn’t be filled with zombies.

『Child…—is it?』

Yet surprisingly, those words seemed to have had some effect.

Ryoma smiled sadly,

"Those words are like a rabbit whose skin has been peeled off."

Alright, please stop with the cryptic metaphors.

"Have you ever eaten a monkey's hand?"

"...No."

"Then you probably couldn't understand my feelings at all."

"Uh... I mean, you really don't seem like someone who can be saved?"

"There is salvation."

"?"

Drink my blood. Then you'll understand.

...

That means...

"You mean if I sacrifice myself, you'll finally reveal your true identity?"

Ryoma nodded silently.

I hold up both hands in the 'NO THANK YOU' pose.

"Oh, sorry. We don't do that kind of thing here."

I'm not that kind of person who would go to such lengths to sacrifice myself.

Then, both Uma-san,

I see. That's a pity.

Responds as if it's not quite as regrettable as it might seem.

"Then, we have no choice but to die together."

Seriously?

This person... there's a decent chance they were fairly important to me before I lost my memory. If there's any hope of saving them, I'd rather save them if I can.

My wish is for peaceful days.

Even if I could save the world, I won't accept a conclusion where I'm left suffering from PTSD.

Even if I'm seen as persistent, I tried once more to persuade him.

"But... continuing like this anymore... You must realize that by now."

Since just a moment ago—no, perhaps even from the instant he dashed out onto this wide avenue—I've been feeling eyes on me.

Not just one or two.

Ten... maybe even twenty.

In the darkness, eyes glowing pale blue.

The light of the Skill Assessment.

Our battle seemed to be drawing the attention of the "players" living in Akihabara.

"Submit. I don't know about the past, but right now, I'm fairly pacifist."

Then Ryouma chuckled, his tone dripping with sarcasm.

"Ah, that's too bad. It's like giving a piece of candy you've already tasted to an ant."

"What kind of metaphor is that?"

I managed to relax just a little and shot back with a sarcastic remark.

"You've been dropping these cryptic, poetic lines nonstop since a moment ago, but aren't most of them basically meaningless? Isn't that the trend from after Evangelion—those 'sekaikai' anime that make viewers overanalyze, but in reality, the creators didn't actually think about anything at all?"

He barely paid attention to her sarcastic jab, instead replying:

‘But—let me say one thing, in honor of our past friendship and compassion.’

“?”

"Cut my neck... just like that little female warrior screamed a moment ago."

It lasted only for an instant.

For the first time, a glimmer of reason appeared in the lifeless eyes of Konjo Ryoma.

"...You really can come back to your senses if you just keep trying, can't you?"

My question,

"——Tch!"

Suddenly, both Horsemen leapt high into the air almost simultaneously.

And beneath their feet, a pattern resembling a magic circle appeared.

The shape was familiar. It was the very same spell I had just used moments ago—

《Fire Magic V》.

I didn’t cast the spell.

Likely, it was one of the "players" observing us—perhaps—

At the same instant, a pillar of fire erupted, blazing brightly and illuminating the night streets of the electric district.

What truly startled me was the next moment.

Right in front of the large screen where the beautiful girl character was dancing wildly, countless magical circles appeared across the stretch of road where I stood.

It seemed the first wave was just a feint.

The second wave, which would activate upon landing, was the real attack... that's how it appeared.

"Damn..."

I couldn't help but grunt.

It looked like the "real attack" magical circle had appeared right beneath my feet.

I understand you're determined to eliminate Ryoma for sure—but I never expected you to drag me into this as well...

I leapt backward with all my strength, barely escaping the attack's range.

『Fuh, AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!』

I heard Ryoma's laughter echoing from midair, bursting with glee.

In the very next instant...

A towering pillar of fire, so powerful it reached the walls surrounding Akiba, heated the night city to its core.

On the large screen illuminating the main street, the title of 'Lucky Star' was just displayed in bold letters.