Chapter 26 – The Resolve to Lay Down One’s Life

“…I sеe. So thаt’s hоw it is.”

(Аs ехрectеd, her mind works quiсklу.)

Thаt shаrр intеllеct сaрable оf dеduсing аnswers from smаll hints was trоublesome.

Аnу lie would be eаsilу exposed.

Вut this timе, Asuto hadn’t lied.

Hе hаd used that quiсk thinking to mаkе hеr bеlieve it was the truth.

“Sо that’s why уоu wеre waiting оn thаt hill bеfore thе Gate аppearеd. Мeaning уоu wokе up this eаrly becаuse уоu were targeting a Gаte?”

“Yеаh.”

Тheу were hеаding tоward a сertаin Gаtе.

If shе witnеssed thаt Gаtе’s aррearance, Amy would undoubtedly suspect Asuto.

The excuse of coincidence would no longer hold.

So Asuto had taken the initiative, making her misunderstand as if he had a different ability, not Return.

Amy couldn’t see Statuses.

Therefore, she couldn’t realize that Asuto was “not lying, but not telling the whole truth either.”

(This should cover all preparations.)

They arrived at a certain plaza in Ochanomizu.

In the Edo period, clean water welled up from the grounds of a temple here, and it was offered to the shogun as water for tea, hence the name.

Even in modern times, there are places where water wells up, though whether it tastes the same as back then is unknown.

Gazing at the Kanda River flowing before him, Asuto waited for that moment.

About an hour had passed since arriving at the plaza.

“…It’s here.”

Space warped, and a Gate appeared.

Its size was such that about five people could enter side by side.

“Whoa, that’s a seriously high-rank Gate. You really going in?”

“Of course I am.”

“At your Level, you’ll just die, you know?”

“Even if I die, there are things I must do.”

This time, because he carelessly stepped into Kanzaki’s life, the future that should have been had changed drastically.

If it were a change for the better, it wouldn’t have been a problem.

But all he actually accomplished was protecting Kanzaki’s purity from the wolf tattoo group.

Her dreams were shattered, and her mother remained in a coma.

At worst, his intervention might have even erased her potential to become a Ranker in the future.

(I can’t let it end like this.)

Kanzaki’s power would definitely be needed in the future.

Therefore, Asuto had to at least get her back on her original Ranker path.

And on top of that, he would seize the best possible future.

He reported the Gate’s appearance to the Hunter Association.

As soon as staff appeared and the rights were confirmed, Asuto stepped into the Gate.

Upon entering the Gate, he immediately sensed the presence of Monsters.

According to his memory, this was a B-Rank Boss-Subjugation Type Gate.

With Asuto’s current true strength, it was not a Difficulty he could Clear.

—That is, only if we’re talking about Asuto as he is now.

Memory Point overwritten.

・Point A April 5, 2030, 12:00

・Point B April 8, 2030, 03:37 NEW

Having firmly overwritten the Memory Point, he broke into a run.

What appeared from the other end of the passage was a humanoid Monster over twice Asuto’s size—an Orc.

Its body looked round and stocky, but it shouldn’t be underestimated.

That round physique was almost entirely muscle.

Without any Armor Gear, Asuto would die from a single hit.

But that had always been the same.

“Tch!!”

He thrust his Dagger out forcefully.

It pierced the Orc’s body, but shallowly.

Without panicking, he performed a Backstep.

In that instant, something passed right before his eyes.

The Orc’s club.

Had his Evasion been even slightly delayed, Asuto’s head would surely have burst like a watermelon dropped on the ground by now.

The wind pressure left by the club spoke volumes about its power.

—So what!

Asuto used his legs to disrupt the Orc.

Slash, stab, punch, kick.

Feint, Evasion, One-Hit Kill.

Asuto’s attack finally reached a vital spot.

But it still wasn’t enough to kill.

(As expected of a B-Rank Monster…)

He had used punches and kicks, but the feedback felt like attacking a giant tree.

It didn’t feel effective at all.

The sensation was completely different from the Lizardman, which was D-Rank.

And that was only natural.

With each increase in Rank, combat ability swelled nearly tenfold.

Moreover, Kanzaki wasn’t here now. Without the Great Subjugation Buff, he couldn’t fight like he did against the Lizardman.

—So what!!

Asuto had always wanted to fight.

But he could never fight.

He wasn’t even given the chance to fight.

And now?

Now, he could fight freely!

No matter how high the hurdle, he could face it freely.

If there was a thick wall before him, he had the freedom to keep punching it until it shattered!

He closed the distance again sharply, matching the momentum of his opponent’s attack.

He evaded the club by a hair’s breadth.

The wind pressure rattled his inner ear.

But,

—Stab!!

This time, Asuto’s Dagger plunged deep into the chest.

If his own strength wasn’t enough, he’d use his opponent’s force—a clean counter landed perfectly.

The massive frame crashed to the ground with a thud.

“Hah… Hah…”

His breath was hot.

Even though the fight lasted barely a minute, he was more exhausted than ever before.

Because he was moving more powerfully, with greater force.

But there seemed to be no time to catch his breath.

Around him, a new wave of Orcs had already appeared.

“Fine.”

—If you want my life, you can have it.

—But I’m the one who’ll win.

“Rooooooar!!”

Letting out a beast-like roar, he charged at the Orcs.

Condition: Confirmation of Skill User’s Death

Skill: Return Activated

Returning at Memory Point B