One Week.

That was the amount of time I, Aohoshi Miroku, spent with a boy named Narou Kei.

My first impression of him? A remarkably serious person.

However, I quickly realized during the transfer exam interview that there was more lurking behind that demeanor.

『I have a mission.』

A mission.

That must be the entirety of who he is. He exists solely for that mission and would gladly lay down his life for it.

Just like the teacher I once admired.

So, next time—

If I could save him from dying, I thought perhaps I could finally forgive myself for standing still ever since that day.

This was my atonement, my hypocrisy, my self-deception.

Through the boy named Narou Kei, I was trying to save a future beyond that day—a future I could never return to.

And yet, it was a mistake.

■

“Toa-chan, can you aim at that thing?”

Chasing after Kei-kun, we had arrived at Fectom Academy’s only beginner dungeon.

No—calling it an experimental facility at the deepest part of the dungeon would be more accurate.

The place was already in ruins. The ceiling had collapsed, and sunlight now streamed into what should have been a dim, enclosed space.

Inside, students were fighting.

One of them was Narou Kei.

The other—

“Wait, you mean that enforcer!? No way! Even hitting him would be hard, let alone defeating him!”

Toa-chan pulled her face away from the scope of her massive artillery weapon and shook her head desperately.

“I thought so…”

The highest-ranking individuals within the academy city.

The very symbols of absolute victory.

‘S-Rank.’

One of the few people bearing that title was Rokuhara.

I knew of his existence.

No—any explorer who didn’t know an S-Rank would be rare indeed.

“Why is he here…? It’s probably because of Demonsgear, right?”

Peering through a hole in the ceiling, we observed the scene below.

The room they were fighting in appeared to be the same one shown in last night’s stream—the room where Demonsgear supposedly slumbered.

The difference? The tank that once housed a sleeping girl in the video was shattered, and she was nowhere to be seen.

“Miroku-chan, what should we do? Mizuhi-chan can’t intervene either. At this rate, Kei-kun—!”

Why Kei-kun was fighting, I couldn’t tell.

Was it related to Demonsgear?

Or was he trying to protect Mizuhi?

Kei-kun was focused entirely on dodging and defending.

Most likely to avoid provoking Rokuhara any further—and to keep Mizuhi as far away from danger as possible.

Even though he wasn’t counterattacking, his movements were so refined that I was stunned.

“Amazing… He’s dodging all of those attacks without even a graze, even ones I can barely follow with my eyes.”

But that wasn’t all.

Kei-kun seemed to be conversing with Rokuhara during the battle.

From here, I couldn’t make out what they were saying, but the serious look on his face suggested it was no light conversation.

“Should we retreat with Mizuhi-chan?”

Toa-chan murmured.

That was one option.

In their current state, Mizuhi wasn’t considered a combat asset.

Kei-kun’s maneuvers made that evident.

We should retreat as Toa-chan suggested.

I was just beginning to think that—

When Rokuhara suddenly ceased his attacks.

He seemed to be speaking with Kei-kun, his expression turning slightly annoyed before he threw his weapon aside.

The moment he did, the discarded weapon transformed into a girl.

“Wha—!?”

Toa-chan and I gasped in unison.

We exchanged bewildered glances.

“Toa-chan, did you see that?”

“Yeah… No way… So, part of the rumors about Demonsgear was true…?”

When word of Demonsgear spread, several rumors circulated alongside it.

One of them was that Demonsgear could take the form of a girl.

I had assumed that the girl from the experimental facility was somehow connected to Demonsgear.

But apparently, I was wrong.

She was Demonsgear.

“This… might be an even bigger mess than we thought.”

“Ugh…”

In front of us, Rokuhara gave the girl an order.

The girl, now separated from him, knelt and touched the floor, seemingly activating something.

Just as we considered stepping in to join Kei-kun—

Rokuhara deployed a new weapon.

“Toa-chan.”

“Yeah.”

Toa-chan and I understood simultaneously.

The oppressive aura surrounding Rokuhara had vanished.

If that was because he’d released Demonsgear—

Then the weapon he now wielded was merely a manifestation of a Dive Gear.

A slim window of opportunity had opened.

Mizuhi must have noticed as well—she aimed her twin handguns at Rokuhara.

“When I give the signal, fire.”

Rokuhara brandished his sword and charged.

The distance between him and Kei-kun was ten meters.

Five, four, three, two—

“Now.”

A loud whoosh filled my ears as wind roared past.

At the same moment, a high-density magic bullet was fired, cutting across my field of vision toward the space between Rokuhara and Kei-kun.

The impact created a brief moment of blank thought for both of them.

Taking that chance, I grabbed Toa-chan and jumped down into the experimental facility.

“…I see.”

Rokuhara nodded as if everything made sense.

“So, you’re prying Eina away from me while adding to your own ranks. Ha! I bet people call you nasty, don’t they?”

“I heard that plenty at my previous academy,” Kei-kun replied with a self-deprecating smirk, his expression pained.

“Normally, this would turn the tide, right? But I’m an S-Rank. You get what that means, don’t you? Killing every single one of you is no big deal.”

A suffocating bloodlust filled the air.

It wasn’t the overwhelming pressure from before—it was a sharper, more focused killing intent.

I raised my rapier, signaling to Toa-chan with my eyes.

She nodded, adjusting her cannon’s aim toward the girl who had transformed from a weapon.

Yet, Rokuhara didn’t flinch.

Instead, he smirked mockingly at us.

“Kidding. Hey, what’s your name?”

“…Narou Kei.”

“Got it. Kei, it wouldn’t be fair if you were the only one with weak points. That wouldn’t be fun… You’re still hiding something, aren’t you?”

Kei-kun remained silent.

Weak points… He must be referring to us.

Having to protect us while fighting would hinder Kei-kun from going all out.

And that infuriating fact made me feel helplessly angry.

“Kei, you’ve just played all the cards you had left. As a result, you’ve raised the chance of victory, which was zero percent, by a few percent.”

Rokuhara said this, clapping his hands in a pompous manner.

However, even during that gesture, I couldn’t help but remain on guard.

Because I understood that if we moved here, we would be defeated in an instant.

Still, I couldn’t run away, so I maintained my stance with my weapon ready.

“…I’ll let you go this time, in honor of your courage.”

Indeed, Rokuhara said this while glancing at us.

“I see.”

Kei responded simply.

It was a cold voice, chilling in a way that was unimaginable from the usually polite and gentle Kei.

If we weren’t here, Kei would have—.

It was a voice so terrifying that it made me think this.

“Then, shouldn’t you go to where you belong?”

Kei said, almost spitting out the words.

Rokuhara shrugged and called out the girl’s name.

Then, with “Alright, let’s go,” he turned and left.

Beside me, Toa let out a large breath and lowered the heavy artillery.

The tense moment had finally come to an end.

“Phew.”

Kei exhaled.

In the next moment, he had returned to his usual self.

A serious, ordinary boy.

But to us, he already seemed different.

“Kei, you…”

Mizuhi was the first to speak up.

She was always the one who faced any truth head-on.

For me, her childhood friend, this was one of her admirable virtues, something I respected.

But for now, it didn’t seem like something to praise.

“Ah.”

A small voice.

Mizuhi and Toa hadn’t noticed his abnormality, but I had.

I alone heard the small sound he made.

It was like a child whose secret had been discovered.

Or perhaps, like someone realizing the moment of their loss.

It was a pitiful sight that made me want to cry.

“U-Um, that…”

Kei was desperately searching for words.

There was no sign of the killing intent or intimidation from earlier.

Who would believe that this boy had just fought an S-rank opponent and survived without a scratch?

So, before I knew it, I had said this.

“Shall we go home?”

“…Eh?”

Kei made a dazed sound.

I silently signaled Mizuhi to not say anything more and started walking.

They would surely follow.

“Ah, I guess we’re going home.”

“Miroku-chan!? Mizuhi-chan!?”

With hurried footsteps, the loud atmosphere spread around me.

Mizuhi understood my feelings, and Toa, empathizing with me, matched her actions.

“Hey!”

A voice came from behind.

We stopped our feet and waited for the rest of the words.

“…Doesn’t the way I am right now seem a bit suspicious?”

It was a trivial remark.

“Yes, it does. But you came here to protect us, didn’t you?”

“Well… yes.”

“Then, for now, that’s enough.”

Yes. It was just that simple.

Helping a friend from the same school.

It should have ended as just that.

I turned around to look at Kei.

His eyes were blue.

Like the bottom of a deep ocean, they seemed to represent his heart.

If I didn’t reach out, he would surely sink to the ocean’s depths.

Strangely, I was certain of it.

So…

“…If you ever need help, please be sure to ask. We’ll definitely lend you our strength.”

“…Yes.”

What was Kei thinking when he replied?

I couldn’t know, since we had only known each other for about a week.

But still, there was one thing I understood.

I had made a big mistake.

The expression Kei had briefly shown, like a child on the verge of tears, abandoned and lost.

That was me.

The powerless me, abandoned by the teacher that day.

The one who couldn’t even cry.

And then I understood.

What I had truly been seeing through him.

I hadn’t been seeing the shadow of the teacher.

I had been seeing myself, trying to become her, trying to catch up to her.

“Heh.”

“…Miroku-chan?”

“It’s nothing.”

A self-deprecating smile involuntarily escaped.

I understood.

He, too, had been unable to save that person.

That strength was surely born from the regret of that tragedy.

Just like me.

He and I were like reflections in a mirror.

If that was the case, then we had no choice but to accept it.

Through Keitaro Kei, I was trying to save the path ahead of the day that would never return.

But it was different.

He, too, should be saved with me.

At this moment, I could finally recognize him as an ally.

We were helpless cowards.

We were hopeless remnants of soldiers.

But even so…

We would fight, believing that one day, we would be able to save ourselves.

I glanced at Kei.

There was an intense feeling in my chest, something that had never been there before.

“Come on, Kei. Let’s go.”

This wasn’t some foolish feeling of love.

This was something more primal, more tragic—an awkward bond between losers.