Time passed away, Tenjouin and his classmates managed to escape with their lives to their base after getting defeated in their battle against Kamiya Yato.
âOkay, youâre healed.â
âThanks.â
Inside one of the rooms of the deserted house, the injured members were getting treated by healing magic. Those who received the treatment went to rest outside, but the room was still full with many others who were waiting for their turns. Luckily, there werenât any heavy injuries and a few of the class members brought salve and magic potions with them from Anamz which helped a lot in healing minor wounds.
âYou will be fine now.â
âYeah, I can fight again.â
The girl treating the wounds spoke to one of her female classmates, though she suddenly got all gloomy when she heard her response.
â⊠Can we win, next time.â
âI wonder about thatâŠâ
Both of the girls lowered their voice when they recalled their recent battle. Not only them, but everyone in this place was feeling the same. They were all worn out mentally more than physically.
ââŠâŠ That Kamiya, what kind of power does he have?â
In the middle of the heavy mood, a male class member opened his mouth.
âHe must be a monster for not getting even scratched with that muchâŠ!â
âJust how are we supposed to win against him!?â
With the first one who spoke as a trigger, the rest of the class started expressing their true feelings. As the heroes of another word, they went through many disheartening situations, but they never gave up no matter how much their enemy was strong. However this time around, the enemy was in a completely different dimension. No matter how many of them attacked at once, what kind of skills and attacks they used, Yato didnât receive the slightest damage. He even purposely let them use a direct hit on him, only because he felt like doing so. Itâs not like the class never fought against an enemy of a different level, but that difference was often due to some special skill that the enemy had. In this recent battle, that wasnât the case for Yato. Rather, everyone was hoping that the difference in their level would something of reasonable as that.
Yato didnât use any special skill. He only attacked them normally as they did. This left a strong emotional shock in them as they spent all their time in Anamz going true intense training that seemed to be befitting for a hero.
âIf we donât hurry up, Lili would be in dangerâŠâ
âFlanâŠâ
âNataliaâŠâ
(TLN: these guysâŠâŠ seriously?)
Some of the class members uttered the names of their lovers from the other world to distract their frustration. Many of them had already made precious people back there. And all of them couldnât concentrate on anything they were doing from the moment they heard Metron talking about the kingdom being in danger. They couldnât completely keep their calm knowing that their lovers, their friends and those for who they are indebted for could be in danger.
In this kind of situation, theyâd usually motivate themselves and scream that they still have another chance, but not this time. Their precious people could be in danger and the enemy is an existence that is far stronger than even a last boss who doesnât receive any damage from their strongest attacks. Not everyone could still keep their optimism in this condition. Everyone went quiet and timed passed slowly until one of them made a suggestion.
â⊠Hostages; canât we take hostages?â
The moment that member uttered those words, everyone in the room turned to look at him with astounded expressions.
âW-What are you saying?! There is no way we can do that!â
âI know! I know, but, there is nothing we can do against himâŠâ
The first one to firmly deny that suggestion couldnât answer him back. The voice of the member who suggested that idea was gradually lowering down. Nobody wanted to say that. They donât want to end up doing something as degraded, however, that was the only options they had left.
â⊠But, who should we take as a hostage?â
When everyone went quiet again, a brave girl asked with a faint-hearted voice. The class member who made the suggestion wasnât expecting that question to be asked and remained quiet for some time before replying.
âMaybe one of the girls who were with him that time.â
âYou think it will turn out well?â
âI donât know. But we do have a chance at least.â
âStill though, even if we have a chanceâŠâ
âI donât think Tenjouin would allow it.â
Two other members who were silent all this time joined the conversation. Everyone agreed with the last line. Tenjouinâs sense of justice was stronger than everyone elseâs; there was no way he would accept involving innocent people. Let alone allowing them to take hostages. And besides, a hero should never resort to that sort of immoral acts. They will be contradicting with themselves if they were to take an ordinary person as a hostage in order to protect other ordinary people.
Silence overtook the room once again before a sudden voice resounded inside it.
âYa! I listened to your conversation.â
It was a high pitched voice of a child. The moment the class members heard that voice, they lifted their head upward despite not knowing from where it came.
âIs it you, Metron?â
âYeah, thatâs right. Although Iâd appreciate if you call my name with some respect.â
âWhat do you need now?!â
The class members replied to the voice with a rebellious attitude, but Metron didnât give them any mind and continued.
âWell, I was listening to your conversation and thought that it was a good idea.â
âWhat is it thatâs a good idea?â
âTaking a hostage.â
Metron replied with a casual voice tone while the class members were clearly disturbed.
âI also agree on taking a hostage. Maybe we can find out some unexpected weakness in him by doing that.â
âB-ButâŠâ
âEven if thatâs possible, weâŠâ
âWe canâtâŠâ
Metron seemed to be interested in their idea, however, the class members were still all against it and refused as they looked at each otherâs face.
âIf you kept acting like this you wonât be able to go back to your word you know. The demon tribe could be on its way to the kingdom now, yet you still want to keep that act?â
Metronâs words shook off the resolve of the class. Every time he speaks about the kingdom, their patience gradually runs out. Thatâs how humanâs mentality works, after all. They were all shaken by what he said, however, some of them still kept their position, refusing.
âEven if that were the case, they wonât be attacking immediately.â
âAnd we need Tenjouinâs permission before anything else.â
The other member who couldnât say anything agreed with two members who expressed their denial. They still have time, they can manage to do something about it before itâs too late. That was the only thought that supported their mind and made them stand against Metronâs persuasion. The next moment, Metron threw a little question at them.
âAre you really fine with thinking that way?â
Everyone in the room got shaken again by listening to his suggestive question.
âYou donât have anything that could prove to you that the kingdom is not getting assaulted at this moment. You already know this without me mentioning it to you. What are you planning to do if that were the case?â
Metronâs composed words gave birth to a new seed of unease in their heart.
âDo you remember that light pillar caused by Tenjouin-kun? What if the demon army noticed it and sent spies to the kingdom to investigate it then grasped the information about you vanishing? What do you think they will do with that information?â
Speaking in a way to agitate their spirits, Metron made the seeds of unease gradually grow inside their heart. Itâs a humanâs nature to believe in things they find reasonable. Some of the class members stiffened their expressions from fear and anxiety, but Metron didnât stop swaying their resolve.
âBesides, I donât think that you need permission from Tenjouin-kun to take a hostage.â
âEh?â
âYou can just act on your own and save the situation.â
None of them had thought about it that way as they were all revealing a stunned face.
âOnce you defeat Kamiya Yato, you will be sent back to the other world. Tenjouin-kun and the entire kingdom will be rescued.â
âSent back;â those two words were the only thing they desired for to take place. If they take a hostage and defeat Yato, they will be sent back to their world. They can go back to protect their precious people. Not only them, but the entire class will get sent back to the kingdom.
âWe can go backâŠâ
âWe can be sent backâŠâ
Some of them started reciting those words repeatedly. Their wavered heart was slowly changing directions.
âLet me give you the courage to make a move.â
Following Metronâs ominous words, a glaring light appeared in the center of the room and covered the entire place, including the heroesâ mind and body. The moment they got dazzled by that light, their eyes lost its focus as if the light inside it were turned off.
âThis light will fortify your will. It will push you in the direction of the decision you made by yourself.â
The light eventually disappeared leaving the class members hanging down their head like a robot that stopped functioning.
âWell then, do your best. Iâm expecting a favorable result from you.â
Bidding them a short farewell, Metronâs voice didnât resound in the room anymore. No body shifted a finger after Metron left. It felt as if time had stopped flowing in that room.
â⊠Hey, everyone.â
Suddenly, one of the class membered muttered and the others stood up seeming to have guessed what he wanted to say. What they were planning to do was beyond obvious.
This is not goodâŠ!?
There was one girl who watched over all that happened to them from the start from shadows. It was Kokonoe, the girl who spent some of her free time with Yato.
I need, to, tell, them, about thisâŠ
At this rate, they may end up making an irredeemable mistake. Kokonoe rushed over Tenjouinâs place to inform him of what happens and avoid the worst conclusion that flashed in her head.
Authorâs note: the story isnât going anywhere, huhâŠ
Bonus
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Turns.
âI didnât show up in this chapter again.â â Yato
âI didnât show up tooâŠâ â Tenjouin
âFor you, nothing will happen if you donât show up.â â Yato
âSame for you. You donât have to show up in every chapter. Youâre the protagonist anyway.â â Tenjouin
âWell, you might be right butâŠâ â Yato
âWhen this arc finishes, the story will go back to being a slice of life and I will disappear again. I want to show up a little more.â â Tenjouin
âCheer up, man.â â Yato
âYeah.â â Tenjouin
âTheyâre getting along quite well, arenât they, Lina-chan?â â Saya
âWant to join them in their conversation?â â Lina