Chapter 343: The Youth Who Calls Himself a Hero

By the time the refugees' evacuation was complete, my reputation had cleanly split into two.

One.

The girl with glasses listened to me calmly and patiently.

One.

A girl who steals people away like a demon—rollercoaster-style.

Still, thanks to me taking on the role of the demon, it seems all the refugees safely reached the relay building.

Hamaida's scheming, which we'd been worried about, hadn't materialized (for now), and in the end, it felt like we'd managed to bring everything—right down to the supplies gathered on the rooftop—inside.

Handing Nanami the backpack full of cup noodles,

"Alright! Now it's just—just that armor-wearing guy and Mayi left!"

"Yep."

"Once it's over, let's take a break and celebrate with a toast!"

With Nanami smiling and waving behind me, I set out for the final round trip.

Following what could fairly be called a school route, I reach the rooftop of Tokyo Big Mall, only to find the barricades already breached in several places.

Floating effortlessly through the air, I land beside Inu Kizuku and Mayi, who are positioned at a high vantage point on the rooftop.

"Hey there! Sorry I'm late～"

"Welcome back♪"

Mayi speaks in a sing-song voice, and

Ah, I'm fine finishing last. This armor's heavy, you know.

And earnestly raising his hand while pretending to be bitten by a dog.

Meanwhile, around the two of them, zombies were reaching out eagerly, vying to grab them.

An image that would inevitably make an ordinary person verge on tears...

Every time the enemy's hands seemed within reach of his feet, Dogbite raised his sword high into the sky.

"——Saint Light!"

Something glows brightly.

It seems this has the effect of frightening off those "zombies."

I could see the monsters retreating, just like the tide receding.

Leave this to me—go ahead.

Mm.

Without making a fuss, he casually said the line he'd always wanted to say in life—perfectly natural.

Nevertheless, I can't let him do as he pleases.

I took his hand in mine,

You won't get away.

And I emphasize this once more.

I—barely realized it.

Maybe this person could have escaped on their own, if they'd really wanted to.

I don't know what skill—or item—they might have used, but I'm sure that's what they did.

"Their safety isn't guaranteed yet. The real danger is still ahead."

"Is that so...?"

"Yes. Look."

I'm pointing at the building currently serving as a relay point, swarming with zombies like insects.

"There's a limit to how long we can keep shuttling all the refugees from building to building like this. At some point, we'll have to start making progress on foot....And when that moment comes, we'll have to take up the rear and protect everyone."

That's half a lie, really.

Given the sheer number of buildings in the city, if we proceed carefully, it might not be impossible to cross from building to building all the way to Shibuya.

It might take some time, but I’m certain we can find a safe route.

What mattered most to me was uncovering every piece of information possible from this young man who calls himself a "hero."

How did he become a "hero"?

What is his purpose?

What are his abilities?

How many companions does he have?

What is his relationship with Suzuta Koun?

There are countless questions.

"Surely... I have no intention of running away... Besides, Kou and the others are over there too."

"If that's the case, then it's fine. I actually wanted to sit down and talk with you properly—maybe even over a cup of tea, if you're up for it."

"…………"

Dog Bite didn't respond.

It was as if he was silently saying "no."

"Hey, 'Nameless'—before we head back, how about we level up a bit by taking on some of these 'zombies' around here?"

"Wha—? Well, I guess that's okay."

"Zombies... aren't they usually not very efficient for experience points?"

Then, Mayumi will answer on your behalf.

"These guys who run, seem to give a lot of experience points, just like their strength suggests."

Wow. Is that really true?

Yeah. Ma. I just leveled up myself, you know.

Hmm. Quite interesting.

As I watched Dogbite gently stroking under his chin, he suddenly said,

From here on, let's switch our weapon to the "Scythe of the Dead Hunter."

and whisper to my partner.

His multi-bladed sword suddenly transformed, reshaping into a massive scythe.

Dogbite, now holding the very same scythe often depicted in tales as the death god's weapon, swung it around in wide arcs, cleaving through wave after wave of approaching zombies.

For a while, I observed it with the same detached amusement I'd feel watching a tokusatsu hero's fight scene on a Sunday morning—apparently, he was consulting with his usual "partner" while fighting.

Leveling up was just an excuse—really, they just wanted some time alone together. Clever one.

Hey, hey, "Anonymous" girl. Did you notice?

"?"

"If you haven't noticed, try using [Skill Evaluation] on him."

"Eh, yeah…?"

Now that you mention it, I completely forgot with everything going on.

And when I looked at him as instructed…

"Wha—?"

"Yeah. Isn't that strange?"

Indeed it was.

His job, level, skills—none of it could be read at all.

Looking at him now, he seemed just like an ordinary person.