260. VS Vanguard – Total War (Part 1)

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Previous Synopsis:

Goshogawara-san is in trouble.

The war situation is looking extremely unfavorable.

While fierce battles raged within each barrier, I kept my eyes fixed on Randall.

Randall remained motionless inside his barrier.

In fact, he was simply sitting cross-legged in a leisurely manner, even letting out a yawn.

“……Waiting for each other is quite tedious, Kudo Kazuto.”

“……”

I didn’t respond.

Randall laughed as if finding it amusing.

“You look rather tense. Or are you shaken because the presence of one of your comrades has vanished?”

“……Shut up.”

“The presence disappeared from the direction where Beld is. Who died? Did your heart waver because one of the ‘comrades’ you believed in perished? Or are you just acting? Either way, you don’t look like someone who could boldly claim to believe in the strength of his friends.”

“Shut up!”

I’ve noticed that long ago.

How could I not have noticed?

The presence that vanished was Goshogawara-san’s. His presence is gone.

It’s obvious something happened.

——If only I still had the Healing Orb…

I couldn’t help but think that.

If I had the Healing Orb, which can cure any wound, I could have saved Goshogawara-san.

But I used it during my fight with Shuri.

The healing skills possessed by Nijo or the other comrades aren’t enough to save him.

……Goshogawara-san is beyond help.

Blood seeped from my clenched fists.

Randall watched me tremble with a look of pure enjoyment.

“The death of a comrade is a painful thing, Kudo Kazuto. I too have already lost two of my own. At your hands, no less.”

“Don’t give me that! The death of that guy Glen was your doing!”

“Ah, that’s right. But that was a necessary sacrifice. After all, it was a golden opportunity to take down Sea King Shuram and the current Wolf King. If we can eliminate those two—who are the only ones with a chance of defeating us—at the cost of Glen’s life alone, it’s a bargain.”

“‘Us’……? You mean ‘You,’ don’t you?”

It’s crystal clear now.

This guy thinks of everyone but himself as a pawn.

Just as Libera-san said, he’s a piece of trash.

“You could say that. But how the soldiers are used is for me, their King, to decide. And the job of a soldier is to risk their life and serve for the sake of the King. It is precisely because my command was correct that you are backed into a corner like this. No matter how many sacrifices are made, as long as we win in the end, that is all that matters.”

“Ts……!”

I don’t even want to talk anymore.

We’ll never see eye-to-eye.

No matter what happens, a future where I understand this guy is impossible.

Absolutely.

And, as much as I hate to admit it, Randall’s logic is correct—at least regarding the fact that we are at a disadvantage.

At this rate, we won’t be able to defeat the other Vanguard members before the barriers are released.

If I moved, it might be a different story, but that would mean taking my eyes off Randall.

Leaving Randall, who holds the Master Key to system intervention, unchecked is far too dangerous.

I’m the only one who can exercise the equivalent “Administrator Privilege”—even if only once—and if I don’t keep a watchful eye, there’s no telling what he’ll do.

But if we stay like this, the power gap won’t be bridged.

What should I do…… what can I……

≪——You have received an email.≫

“Hm?”

An announcement suddenly echoed in my head.

For a second, I thought it was Ichinose-san, but I was wrong.

The sender was Nishino-kun.

In the first place, Ichinose-san’s notifications are so noisy that I usually keep her on silent mode, so no announcement sounds. Even without the sound, nearly a hundred unread emails have piled up from her. It seems even Ichinose-san is showing some self-restraint in the middle of the decisive battle. Usually, there’d be a hundred times more.

Without taking my eyes off Randall, I operated the status screen with my fingers and checked the content.

(This is……)

It displayed Nishino-kun and the others’ current situation and a plan to break through it.

I gasped as I read the strategy.

(Could something like this…… really be possible?)

If it is possible, this desperate situation might turn around.

We might even be able to save Goshogawara-san.

But if it fails, we’ll undoubtedly be defeated.

Win it all, or lose everything.

It was a massive gamble of a plan.

(He’s really come up with an outrageous strategy……)

Nishino-kun, I’m truly glad you’re an ally.

You’re far more brilliant than I am.

“……Of course I’m going in on this.”

There are about forty-five minutes left.

If we don’t bet everything on this window of time, there’s no way we’ll beat these guys.

I sent a reply to Nishino-kun.

A moment later, a massive amount of “certain announcements” echoed in my brain.

It seems they were prepared to move immediately on their end.

I quickly operated my status screen.

“……Phew……”

I’ve made my resolve.

Let’s end this fight.

By betting everything.

So that we can all survive.

I’ll give everything I’ve got.

“——‘Heroic Hymn’“

In the next instant, a dazzling light enveloped me.

Thank you for reading.

The side story is also being updated, so please check it out.

Also, an announcement:

Volume 6 of the light novel version of this work will be released around March 15th.

It contains almost entirely new written content.

I really want you to read it, so please check it out!

The cover looks like this. ……Libera-san is huge.

End of 260