Episode 376: On the Rails

"Wait! Get away from me!"

"No way! You're just trying to run away, aren't you! The ten thousand points are mine!"

"No, no, it's dangerous! I'm serious!"

I'm completely flustered, desperately scanning my surroundings as the girl clings tightly to my left arm, refusing to let go.

I couldn't predict Riru-kun's next move after losing sight of him.

Still, him targeting an innocent bystander with that Level 5 Fire Magic—now that’s quite a dangerous move.

I don’t fault his desire to save his sister, but still...

As I stood alone, frowning in the middle of the wide road, I spotted several objects—tiny, aluminum foil-wrapped spheres like ping-pong balls—rolling in from upwind.

"Ah…"

Funny thing—this actually rings a bell. I know exactly what these are.

Chemistry lab experiment... or more like a prank, I happened to come across it once... I remember now—it's a homemade firecracker made by mixing potassium nitrate and sugar, then wrapping it in aluminum foil.

For a brief moment, despite the ominous situation, I couldn't help but be impressed.

I never thought someone would actually use something like that in real life...

Almost simultaneously, I heard a series of sharp pops—pap, pap, pap, pap—as the mixture inside ignited.

White smoke began puffing out from each table tennis ball—thick, far denser than the smoke bombs made in the chemistry lab. Perhaps it was a special blend unique to Riru-san.

The smell of burning gunpowder filled the air around us, and I quickly pressed a handkerchief over the girl’s mouth, who was standing beside me.

“Don’t inhale it. It’s poisonous.”

“Huh… p-poison…?”

"Yes. So please, get away from here as quickly as possible. Be careful if anyone comes near this area."

This isn't a lie. I'd heard that breathing in the fumes too much could cause poisoning symptoms. Though it wouldn't happen unless you inhaled a significant amount of smoke.

Just imitating Riru-kun's usual dishonest tactics.

"Y-yes, I understand..."

The girl, staggering away with unsteady steps.

I let out a small sigh and wait for Riru-kun's next move.

Even with the smoke bomb's effect, it's impossible to completely block the view in the autumn wind.

At best, it might slightly obscure her silhouette.

In the smoke, I thrust both hands into my jacket,

"——《Heal Wound》"

I used the healing magic to restore my broken hand, no matter what.

I kept both hands hidden to prevent the green light emitted during healing from revealing my exact position. Full-body recovery would have to wait.

For now, I had to get myself to at least a minimum condition where I could fight.

Enduring the pain from the previous lightning strike, I drew my sword again with my newly usable hand.

No more carelessness from now on.

Crouching slightly, lowering my stance.

In an instant, I saw a humanoid presence rushing at me from upwind.

I calmly assessed its movement and swiftly retreated, sliding along the ground.

There was a loud thud as Minya's costume tumbled right where I had been standing.

Hmm. Treating a globally popular figure like this? That'd be a Twitter firestorm if anyone found out.

I burst out of the smoke-filled space, running straight in the direction from which Minya had come.

At the same moment, I stepped on a puddle with a splat.

"——gah"

At the same instant, a chilling, unpleasant premonition ran down my spine.

There was no way this blatant setup could have no purpose.

Without even needing to hear the incantation, a lightning strike slammed into me once more, as if waiting for just that moment.

"Ah-mya-myaah!"

A second scream today.

Still, thanks to instinctively leaping backward at the last moment, I was able to minimize the damage—fortunate, really.

"Whoa, damn! You actually reacted to that...!"

I turn toward Ritoru-kun's astonished voice, but there's no one there.

Instead, a wireless speaker that must have just been thrown lies rolling on the ground.

Seriously? Going to such lengths for such a subtle trick...?

At the same time, a front kick aimed at my dominant hand—my hand holding the sword—lands from behind, as if lifting it upward.

"……gah!"

It targeted my thumb with extreme precision, forcing me to grit my teeth and endure for a brief instant.

There's no way I'd let go of the blade.

In the next moment, turning around mid-motion,

"——《Soulless Blade》!"

I activate "Fatal Sword VI," and charge toward Ritoru-kun with a slash.

Amid the faint smoke, he assumed an odd stance.

Something like thrusting both fists forward, as if pushing them toward me.

Before I could grasp the meaning, I swung my blade downward.

Then, what happened?

As if watching a magician's mysterious trick, the tip of my blade smoothly altered its trajectory through the air.

"What... the... hell!?"

By the time I realized it was a thin steel wire wrapped in faint smoke—too late.

The next instant, I felt my blade being forced upward, and realized my upper body was already wrapped in the wire.

"Art of martial skill eighteen ways. —The technique of binding ropes. This is primarily used against those who rely on their weapons."

"...Ghh!"

"Surrender. I'll wait five seconds. Otherwise, I'll tear your flesh apart."

...Ever since a moment ago... something about this...

It feels like things are unfolding exactly as Riru-kun had imagined... Could it just be my imagination?

I can't hide my growing anxiety.

If I don't find a way to break free from this path somewhere along the way... I might actually lose.