Facing It Is the Beginning (15)

"You're not going to kill Militariel?"

"I'm not gonna kill them. In the end, they turned out this way because of how this world works, right? Then they're not the one I really need to defeat. Though I did have to teach them a lesson."

After saying that, Kagami gave a faint smile. The king drew his sword once more and took up a stance.

Seeing this, Kagami's expression hardened again, and he glared at the king.

"I don't particularly want to defeat you. Free Kururu."

"Heh... So now that you've gained the upper hand, you're negotiating again? I refuse."

"Then I'll just defeat you and go save Kururu."

As he said this, Kagami clenched his fist. But for some reason, the king suddenly burst into laughter when he saw him do so.

"Did you think defeating me would make the barrier disappear and end the brainwashing? Even if you defeat me, nothing will be resolved. Sorry if I gave you the mistaken impression that you'd gained the upper hand, but nothing has changed."

Almost as soon as he heard those words, Kagami rushed up to the king and tried to grab him. But his hand cut through empty air. The king vanished from in front of him, then reappeared a short distance away.

"...So you can do the same thing as Estella?"

"That's right. It is indeed impossible for you to defeat me... but you can't defeat me, either. Give up. You... can't change the world."

Kagami gave a small, resigned sigh, then turned toward the separate tower where Kururu was supposed to be. He walked over to the barrier between the pillars along its side.

"...What are you planning to do?"

The king frowned at Kagami's inexplicable actions and couldn't help asking.

"If you won't free her, I'll break through this barrier myself and rescue Kururu."

Hearing Kagami's reply, the king sighed in exasperation.

"It's pointless. As I said, that barrier reflects any force used against it straight back at you. Your body will break before you can destroy it."

"You won't know unless you try, right? It's the same with the ceasefire agreement. There are all sorts of ways to create powerful beings without fighting the demonkin. Don't give up before you even try."

"How foolish... This system cannot be stopped. Until a true hero appears, until salvation truly comes to everyone... I will fulfill my duty. That's all."

"Then... I'll put an end to it."

"...What did you say?"

"The strong people you've sent out so far couldn't bring that salvation, which is why you need the next one, right? Then... I'll be the last."

"What are you trying to say?"

"I'm saying... I'll save you all. I swear I will."

There was no joking bravado in his words. The sharpness in Kagami's gaze, along with the almost violently persuasive force of his words, made the king break into a cold sweat.

"And what guarantee do you have of that? Don't make me laugh...! The salvation I seek means far more than you can imagine! Don't get ahead of yourself... you little brat who thinks he understands the world! The world can't be saved so easily!"

"That's why I said not to give up before trying. Besides, you're mistaken about one thing. When I ask you to get along with the demonkin, it's not a plea. It's just... a deal."

"A deal? A deal can only be made by offering something of value. What could the likes of you possibly offer?"

"Until now... I've never set a clear goal besides raising my level and thrown myself into it with everything I had. I just scraped together money as I pleased and dealt with whatever trouble was right in front of me."

"What are you trying to say?"

"Don't you get it? I'm telling you I'll give everything I've got to the goal of saving all of you. I never planned to use myself for anything but knocking God flat, but now I'll be on your side with everything I've got. I'll use every last bit of the power I've built up to save you."

"Do you... truly have that much value?"

Kagami didn't answer. But the king understood. Kagami was so confident that he didn't even need to answer.

"I don't understand... Why resist the way this world works so desperately?"

"Because I learned about it, obviously."

"Because you learned about it?"

"I... gave up at first, too. I gave up and lived a dull life, doing nothing but collecting money. I just hoped that someday, somewhere, I'd get the chance to knock God flat, without ever setting a clear goal. But then I met them. All of them."

"What do you mean?"

"These people who, despite being demonkin, try to stay by humans' sides—and my friends, who treat them just like anyone else even after learning they're demonkin. They're precious to me. I love them! But... the way this world works is standing in the way of protecting them!"

Then Kagami shouted those words with all his might and slammed his fist into the barrier with all his strength.

The instant he did, the barrier's recoil severely damaged his arm, and blood sprayed from several places. The sight was so painful to watch that Menou and the king both grimaced.

"Then I'll see whether you can carry that resolve through to the end. Once Kururu's brainwashing is complete, your resolve will be weakened. It will be complete soon. After that, no words will reach her. Unless you kill Kururu... your ideals will never come to pass."

"Then I'll save Kururu before that happens."

As he said this, Kagami struck the barrier again with his injured arm. He paid no heed to his own pain, his expression never losing its seriousness as he slammed into the barrier again and again with thunderous booms. He kept going until the damage spread beyond his arm to his entire body.

"I don't understand... I just don't! Why go so far?"

At last, the king began to feel bewildered by the utterly abnormal man standing before him.

The man before him had nearly died moments ago, yet he still struck the barrier with such determination that he seemed to have no fear of death, blood spraying from his body with every blow. It was abnormal. Insane.

At the very least, the king had never seen anyone like him.

Then Kagami saw the look on the king's face and grinned as if he'd been waiting to see that expression.