'What?　Ichijo?　Why is Ichijo here?!

Kida was genuinely just surprised.

'Saeki-sama?　Do you know him?

Joanna asked, wary of Ichijo.

'Yeah, he's a brave guy like us. But in his case, though, he's a "real hero".

'A real brave man?　What is........

But Joanna soon realized what it meant.
Joanna had thought that no one could have a brave man as a profession, but she realized the meaning from Saeki's appearance and the nuances of his words.

'Ichijo?　Where have you been all this time?　I was worried about you, okay?

Just then, Saeki stops Kida as he tries to walk up to him.

No one knows about what happened between Ichijo and Saeki.
Saeki hadn't told anyone.

'Kida!　Don't be so f*cking familiar!　He's not one of us anymore!　This guy is now ... 'Heart of the Dragon'!

What?

Those words startled not only Kida, but also Joanna and David.

'The dragon's ... heart?　Don't tell me it's the heart of a dragon? .....

Joanna was at a loss for words.

But of course.
This is the way it should be reacted to.
That's what the heart of a dragon is like.

Its presence, which can destroy nations, actually terrifies even the blameless.

''Saeki, stop chasing the shadow of Aries. There is no point in doing so. You have only been tricked by her.

"You think you know what you're talking about then why don't I just kill you right here?

I'm not the same person I was. You can't.

But it's not Saeki who doesn't understand that.

''【Freeginence Tact】!

But Saeki still couldn't hold back.

He deployed a magic circle at his own feet and released a spiral of undulating flames into the sky, dropping them mercilessly toward Ichijo.
But it wasn't all in name only.
Immediately after setting fire to the skies above, two more spiraling flames appeared from the magic circle.
It was the first flame that struck Ichijo and followed up with a convolutional chase as blasts and smoke curled around it.

With the three undulating flames, Ichijou was no longer visible there.
All there is is a sweltering smoke.

As soon as he saw that, Saeki laughed.
But the smile quickly falters.

The smoke that surrounded him was absorbed as he watched.
And when the smoke disappeared to some extent, there was Ichijo, wrapped in a sphere of water spinning wildly.

Ichijo used this water to block Saeki's flames.

Then Ichijou released his magic.

'Intermediate magic, you seem to have mastered it, right?　But not to me.

'Ugh! .....

Saeki knows such things.
Ichijou's growth was far more remarkable than Saeki had expected.

''Killing the dragon's heart?　Saeki I can pretty much guess what you're thinking, but don't do it. No matter how many months you get now, you can't win against us. I'm still the weakest in the dragon's heart, even with this. What does that mean you're not you who has no idea what that means?

They stared at each other for a while.
Saeki glared at him, and Ichijo felt sorry for his gaze.
But Ichijou wanted to save Saeki somehow.

'Aries was lying to you. It's not just to you. That's what he's been doing, he's been manipulating and controlling everyone around him. That was his greatest magic.　Saeki?　So are you. I was just confused.

"I told you to mind your own business!　What do you know about me?　Now that you're a little stronger, you think you know it all. You're too arrogant, you know. You ain't grown up at all!　Same as before!　You've always looked down on others like that. Unconsciously?　You didn't even notice it yourself, but people noticed, didn't they?　That's why Hidaka didn't just take your hand, either. He knew you were the one who couldn't understand others better than anyone else!

....

Ichijo waited until Saeki had finished saying everything.

'Maybe so?　But there's no point in lamenting. Regret is not enough to make one grow!　We can't go on!

"Heh.....you think you're a hero?　You have no idea what you're talking about, you don't even know what you're talking about!

'There's no point in mentioning Hidaka-kun's name. It won't sway me. Saeki. You still haven't made any apologies to Hidaka-kun, have you?　I see that now, okay?

'Heh... that's disgusting, huh?　So what's the problem?　Blah, blah, blah, blah.

"I believe he's alive. I want to find him I want to help him, and I want to help him. This ... is what it's all about.

"Chasing dead people is your business. You are so disgusted with yourself that you don't even have a word for it. You can't even say a word about it. Your power means nothing to me.

Saeki?　That's the difference between you and me. That's the main reason why you're supposed to be a wise man and your growth has stopped. You don't seem to have noticed, so I'm telling you.

Oh?

You're smarter than you think. So you already know. That's why you already know that you've been lied to by Aries.

At those words, Saeki directed more hatred at Ichijo.
It was such hatred that the corners of his mouth distorted and he could not help but laugh.

''Shut up........''

'Don't you want to notice?　Saeki......

I'm telling you to shut up...

Saeki-sama?

Joanna asked with concern at the unusual behavior.

'Kida, if you're a friend too, why don't you tell him?　You were the closest one to him, right?　Then you must not have noticed. Why didn't you say anything?　Saeki is going down the wrong path, you know?

Shut up!

But Saeki shouted before Kida could say anything back.

'Saeki?　That anger is the answer you are a clever man. So I know. The dragon's heart is nothing to you but an enemy.

But Saeki didn't think so.

''Ichijo we'll be alone for the rest of our lives. We can't get out of this loneliness!　We can't go back to where we came from. You know how they are now?　We're all from the same world, gathering together in a clique, with no one around us.　Ichijo?　You know why, don't you?

....

That was something Ichijo could understand.

'We all want to go back. But that's not possible. I've been looking for you so many times!　But not even the teachers, not even the principal!　No one knew about this!　On the contrary!　Not a single person who knows anything about that heroic summoning!　They say they only know my name. It happened in our own world!　Right, Ichijo?　What the hell did we ... get into ...?

Loneliness. Saeki was lonely.
His face was filled with grief.
But there was no way he could be honest now.

'If you say you're lonely, Hidaka-kun is even more lonely. Even now, alone, somewhere........''

'Tsk!　That again.....

Saeki was disgusted every time Hidaka's name was mentioned.

'If you understand the thoughts of the others, why can't you see that you're guilty of what you did to Hidaka-kun?

What?

"You killed Hidaka!　I left you to die, okay?

But next, the words that came out of Saeki's mouth were something Ichijo couldn't understand.

'Don't be spoiled, eh?　Weak people died, right?　What's the problem with that?

You.....

At that moment, Ichijo dismissed the possibility for Saeki.

Saeki was different.
He was someone that Ichijo's ethics and morals did not apply to.
Why do you think he is like that?　I don't understand that.
Even then, Ichijo tries to understand that there must be some cause for it.
But Saeki's thoughts were not something that an ordinary person could understand.

'Well, they said the same thing, didn't they?　Even Koizumi chastised me, saying, "Don't you feel sorry for Hidaka? That made me laugh........ Ichijo, if you want to learn morality, look elsewhere, you're just like them. I'll admit that you're strong.　But I'm still the same guy on the inside. I'm still weak. Guilt is just a weak man's ego.

Spitting that out, Saeki turns his back on Ichijo.

'Don't show that face anymore, okay?　You can't win now, but you will. I'm going to be stronger than you, one of these days. When you do, I'll kill you, okay?

With that, Saeki walked away from the scene.
Joanna and David, unaware of the reason, went after Saeki anyway.

And the last person left was Kida.

''Kida you have to stop Saeki.

"...you're being too goody-two-shoes, aren't you?　Besides, how could I, a senior knight, stop him?　That's the kind of world we're in now.

And Kida left too.

There was no hope in Kida's eyes, either.
Ichijo could see that in an instant.

He had killed several nobles and bandits since then.
Ichijo was just behind Zeke and the others, watching them. His role was mainly support.
But even so, no........that's why he could see a lot of scenery.
Ichijou, who had seen the reality of the world objectively from a distance, like a half-removed bystander rather than the parties involved, began to understand what kind of world this world was than before.

'It's not going to work.........'

If Ichijo could be saved, he wanted to save Saeki too.
But now I realize that's not possible.
This is the last time to save her.
But if we can't save him now, there's nothing more we can do.
From now on, Saeki will change even more.
This world will change something pure.
Now Ichijou understood that very well.

'Hidaka-kun?　I ... how do I ... what do I do?


After a few moments, Ichijou put on his hood and then walked away.





o





　The next day, under sunny skies, the match between Masamune and Saeki was about to take place.

Each of the investors had a look of relief on their faces as they thought that this day had finally arrived.
And they were waiting for it to happen now.

And a waiting room for the players only.
There, sitting in a chair alone, was Masamune's figure.





　A mixture of magic power, and I can't recognize Ichijou's magic power.
But he's probably in the audience.
Sabrina and Oswald haven't said anything since then either.
They probably want me to go to the game.
Otherwise, I would have already been expelled.

Or I wouldn't be able to save face for my investors. Was it?　

'Hahahahahaha! These guys.


Yesterday, after that, Toa asked me, with concern for me.

-- 'What about those two?' And.

Even then, Toa hadn't said anything, but when I saw the look on his face when he asked that, I knew what he was thinking.
I think he knew that I was going to kill him.
And maybe he knew why I wasn't going to kill him right away.

Now, with so many people gathered here that they can't even keep track of it, I can't kill those two.
You can't do that just in case.
Sabrina aside, that Oswald's magic power is a powerful one.
Even if you try to sense the magical power of those in the hall, no one can match it.

If I kill him now, I'll be the first one to be suspected.
The more trouble I kill, the more trouble I'll have to deal with.


Just then, there is a knock on the door of the room and the woman in charge appears.

Excuse me. I'm ready, please go to the hall.

I understand.

A match with Saeki....
It's a farce.

I have no idea what it's all about anymore.
They probably have a lot of enthusiasm for it.
But for me, it's not much of a waste of time.
In fact, the fact that I can't kill him makes me feel bad.
I should remember what happened in the past and try not to kill him.

But in any case, let's break that guy's pride.
I'll play the hero here, calmly.
All I have to do is show him how serious I am, and he'll have the nerve to show it.

Saeki. I'll tell you how inexperienced you are and how you've been wasting your time in the months since you arrived in this world.


We walked through the dimly lit and cool passageway towards the light.
Then he gradually heard a cheer.
Gradually, it turned into a big thing.

And I was greeted by loud cheers.


-- 'Now!　It's getting the most attention!　The flower of this tournament!　Nito is in!


The cheers that enveloped the audience and me.
And the blue sky and the piercing sunlight.
It seemed to shine on me, honoring me.

The emcee makes an exaggerated introduction and invites me onto the field, where I am immediately invited to look for the three of them.

I look for the three of them right away.
And I'm soon to find them.

Toa, Nem and Sufiria.
When the three of them noticed me watching them, they waved at me.

Huh ... a match. Not bad.

Is this what being a student is all about?
Going to a game and having someone cheer for me, I... I've never known that feeling before.
In the past, I wasn't a member of any club, and I had never participated in a match.

What.........this is not a bad thing.


--And this time, I came through in the third place slot!　I'm taking on the S-ranked adventurer Nito!　Ladies and gentlemen, you know!　Summoned by that Greberg's summoning of a hero!　One brave man who has been blessed!


Oh, come on, you can't tell me that much....
Perhaps this is also an appeal to the investors.
Use what you can.............utterly crazy principals.


--'Saeki's entrance!


Saeki appeared, stepped onto the field and faced me.

That's when my emotions changed drastically.

Suddenly, something black spread through me, like it was invading something.
I kept my cool and just snapped this guy's pride.
That's all that matters now. Everything else is an afterthought.
That's all we need to focus on.

"I'm going to challenge you like I'm on a big boat. And I'm going to win.

Saeki said that as he stood in front of me, radiating disgust.

''Please.... Good, let's make it a match.

It's stupid.
Where do you get these ideas from?

''Have you been able to sense the magic?　Saeki-san.

'Tsk! .....

Saeki blatantly clicked his tongue.


-- 'So, from this!　Let the third game begin!'


The bell sounded to signal the start of the match, and loud cheers erupted again.


At that moment, Saeki began chanting.