I Came Back but the World is Still a Fantasy!?

4-30: -C: A Real Battlefield (1/5)

Suddenly, an impact came from behind, and the boy was sent to the sky.

Despite that he still turned his body and aimed his gun behind him.

The four shots Yousuke shot in that short period of time until he fell back to the ground were aimed right at the enemy, but the defensive skill deflected them all.

He tried to continue fighting, but the enemy had already vanished.

Nee-chan!

Haaa!!

In response to the younger Senba, the older Senba attacked the enemy where he appeared next.

In her hands, was a new single-edged sword that resembled an odachi.

She swung down from the high stance, but the mans gauntlets blocked her sword.

Gu, its hard!!

Our specs are too different, lowly civilian Earthling!

With the armor deflecting the blade, the impact from that attack affected her instead, and she cried out as her arms grew numb.

And then, just as one might expect from a former soldier, the enemy immediately used his other arm to counter attack.

When she saw a blade about to attack her, she immediately jumped back to dodge.

The man clicked his tongue upon missing, but immediately after, he disappeared from that place.

In the next moment, a golden great sword struck that place, giving rise to a cloud of dust.

Tch, so hes not just a former soldier for show, huh. His reactions are quick!

Theyd planned a two-stage attack, but the enemys reactions were too fast.

Ryou cursed in frustration, but he immediately rendezvoused with the siblings and huddled together.

How many minutes have passed since they were given that 10 minutes?

They were so focused in the battle that they didnt even have the leisure to check.

But because of that their breaths have started to mesh, and they could now read the pattern of the enemy.

Whenever the enemy disappears, he would always appear in someones blind spot, attack, and then disappear again.

But if he were to receive an attack in the middle of that, he cant disappear unless he shakes off the attack first.

And then when he finally disappears, hell appear somewhere far away, but he wont attack them immediately.

As for why, theyve yet to figure out, but they had no choice but to aim for that.

However

This pattern has been repeating since awhile ago. It would be fine if the enemy is getting tired too, but

Dont say it, itll just become even more annoying!

Although they could minimize their blind spots by huddling together, the tension and fear of an attack coming from some random direction was mentally exhausting.

Moreover, after attacking, they had to intentionally expose themselves afterwards.

Having to expose themselves to an enemy that attacked so mercilessly was a lot more terrifying than theyd thought. To make things worse, theyve yet to succeed.

At this rate, it seemed as though their minds would collapse first before their body.

Were finally able to read his movements a little, but Its ridiculous that the most were able to do is to barely hit him! Youko said

Those exoskeletons of yours Those are the practice units for beginners, right? Ryou said.

Theyre still much better than the simple exoskeletons.

When Ryou pointed out that truth with a bitter face, Yousuke wryly smiled.

In the end, their exoskeletons were just meant to help them get used to exoskeletons for when they finally moved up to the special class.

Not only was their output incomparable, they had to face against an enemy that was using military-grade exoskeleton too.

They also fundamentally couldnt keep up with the speed of the man disappearing and reappearing.

Just being able to hit the enemys exoskeleton was already good.

The difference in specs was simply too big for them to deliver a proper blow.

Despite all that they somehow brought the situation to a point where they could resist.

Which is why what Ryou was really concerned about was not their battlefield.

This is bad. If things go poorly, everyone else will break first, Ryou said.

The first ones to fall would most likely be the classmates of the twins.

The soldiers attacking the 2 B class were outfitted with full-armor-type simple exoskeletons, but in the face of their calculated formations and movements, and the scant experience in human group battles of class 2 B, class 2 B was gradually being pushed into a corner.

Although they managed to assume formation somehow and defend against the surprise attack, in the face of the enemys coordinated attacks, just one trip would be fatal.

The enemys formation was by no means eye-catching, but it was firm and steady. Before that, a rashly-made formation just wouldnt hold.

In fact, they had already been forced into a purely defensive fight, unable to extend so much as an arm in the face of those quick and precise attacks.

Although both groups were close in number, the difference in equipment and ability was evident.

The teacher was fighting as well, but the teacher alone couldnt overturn a group battle.

But we cant lead that guy there either.

Ryou said as he glared at the enemy in the air, wary for the next attack.

If they were to move, that enemy would surely give chase, and even if they were to survive his attacks and rendezvous with 2 B, their actions would only drive that class further into a corner.

An enemy that mysteriously disappeared and reappeared was a lot more troublesome than an enemy squad in formation.

The only thing Ryou and the twins could do was to gradually move the battlefield closer to 2 B, so that when the situation called for it, perhaps at least one of them would be able to go and provide cover.

Hmph, are you done discussing? Not that theres any merit to it, of course. The shallow thoughts of amateurs are worthless against pros such as ourselves.

Sigh Thats just cheap provocation, Yousuke said.

Youre kind of childish, huh, Youko said.

The ridiculous voice that sounded as though theyd won already annoyed the twins.

Ryou was the only who knew how right the man was, and so became even more irritated.

Damn it, if not for that stupid cheat of theirs!

In this battle between the class of 2 B + Ryou versus the Volunteer Army, the students were gradually being one-sidedly pushed.

Even that talk about reinforcements coming 10 minutes later had already vanished from the three students minds.

After all, they were in a terrible deadlock, where they couldnt even counter attack.

And their class could be defeated at any moment.

As they racked their heads of a way to deal with this mess, theyd completely forgotten about any unnecessary details.

Unfortunately, despite that they still failed to come up with a practical plan.

The sealing of skills had limited the tactics they could apply much more than theyd thought.

Which is why the only thing that could move this situation other than time

You sure are leisurely against children Though I suppose, thats the most you can expect from some rebels.

was the intervention of a third party.

As that scorn-filled voice resounded, even the enemy turned to its direction.

The person had appeared so suddenly, the sensor of the twins couldnt even sense him.

In fact, they couldnt even sense him approaching. It was as though hed suddenly appeared there.

But what really surprised the three Japanese students was what that person was wearing.

Huh? Who, I mean, whats with the getup?

A monk cosplay?

With a priests grab and a khakkhara, the persons appearance was simply too ill-suited with the place and situation.

There was nothing to hide the face of the man, so they could easily see that he was in the later half of his thirties.

The man was unshaven with chiseled features, and he laughed fearlessly.

No, way Why, is that guy in a place like this!? Ryou said.

And who are you supposed to be? Coming out here in such a ridiculous outfit, do you want to die!? The enemy in the air said.

Not only did the strange man come here without a simple exoskeleton, he came in a priests garb. Because of that the man in the air couldnt help but yell angrily.

Hmph, what a rude way to talk to your own sponsor. And you couldnt even deliver the package we gave you to the proper locations, so youre a failure there too.

But the man in priests garb was leisurely, and was as scornful as ever.

Although no one could see the face of the man in the air, It was easy to imagine that his veins mustve been bulging by now.

Despite that he controlled his emotions, likely because he had an idea of what the strange man was talking about.

So its you people! Youre that sponsor that made us carry that weird thing!

And yet you couldnt even bring them to the designated location and just threw them away somewhere. Because of that I, the core of the plans, was last to arrive.

The strange man said in displeasure, but the enemy in the air just snorted as though he couldnt care any less.

There was also a murderous aura about him that seemed like he would make a move if the strange man didnt stop talking.

So arrogant even though you couldnt even carry your own things. Oh, right. Would that mean that youre an enemy too, lower life form?

I just told you Im your sponsor, you barbarian. A reinforcement for someone useless like you whos having a hard time. Be grateful.

As both men glared at each other, they forgot all notions of giving way.

Meanwhile, the twins, whove been completely left out of the loop, were confused.

Hey, who is that? What is going on!?

They look like they know each other, but its not clear if theyre friends or enemies. Is this some kind of play? But why would the teachers prepare something like this?

Because the twins were convinced that this was a part of the exam, they couldnt even speculate properly.

Any speculations they could come up with were completely off the mark.

Unlike the other boy.

Yoshihisa Ootsu!! [1] So it was you, Ootsu. whos responsible for this whole mess!

His name called, the man, Yoshihisa Ootsu, turned to Ryous group for the first time.

With wrath and hate swirling in the boys eyes, Yoshihisa immediately remembered who he was, and a smile appeared on his face.

Hmm And here I was wondering who it was that called my name I did hear youd be here, but to think youd actually be here, the jinx that ended the Shinguuji family, the unwanted child born by that whore. So youre still living wretchedly, and here I thought, youd already realized how vain this world is.

Shut up!! It was because of those lies you people spread that my mother!!

Giving birth to an unwanted child with a man no one knew anything about, and then falling sick after she was abandoned was her reaping what she sowed.

He neither listened to the boys complaints nor held any ill will.

If anything, as though Ryou and his mother were filthy garbage, he looked at him with a gaze full of scorn and mocked his mother relentlessly.

!!!

The memory of Ryou taking care of his sickly mother all alone flashed through his mind.

And now, one of the people responsible for that was standing right before him, mocking his mother without the slightest hint of shame.

His mother had lived a life free of enmity, she did her best to raise her child all on her own, and yet here was a man living carelessly, arrogantly mocking that selfless mother.

At that moment, something snapped in Ryous head.

Dont screw

Hah?

Dont screw with me!!

As though to release everything hed been keeping inside him all this time, Ryou bellowed out in anger and raised up his great sword.

Stop it, Shinguuji! I get that youre angry, but you cant do that!

But when he was about to try and pierce the man through, Yousuke stopped him.

Let go of me, Senba! No matter what, Im going to kill that bastard!! I dont care if hes unarmored, hes dead!!

Despite having a Strength and exoskeleton both superior to Yousukes, Ryou couldnt even break free of Yousuke because hed lost his cool.

Stopping him was less about attacking an unarmored human, and more because Yousuke couldnt leave him in that state.

And you too! I dont know what your relationship is, but youre old enough to be an adult!! You should know better than to insult a kids mother! Youre the worst! Said the older Senba as she thrust her finger at Yoshihisa.

Perhaps that was the reason why the younger Senba and the older Senba stood in front of Ryou as though to protect him.

As a pair of twins, whove come this far for the sake of their hardworking mother, seeing the mother of their friend insulted could by no means be a good feeling.

[1] Takahisa to Yoshihisa

Tl Note: No chapter tomorrow.