Enjoy your read ;)
———
Looking back, Kiriya's prediction is correct. After Ethan's, it is Kanae's turn. Then, it should be Yahiko's after this, but he's not sure anymore whether everything will be according to plan or not. Because something had changed even before Kiriya realized.
"... You– don't have a boyfriend …?"
Kiriya stares Mei straight in the eyes. He just asked her how her and her boyfriend's lives are at the organization; instead, he got a surprise.
"Is that a big deal …? We're on the brink of our lives; how can I casually have a boyfriend?" She sighed.
That's right. If the Group Chat never reaches Mei, she will never worry about her life and will be more interested in making personal relationships. She'll be Kevin's girlfriend if she never knows about the group chat.
Everything will move as originally intended. She will be with her friend right now, talking, having fun, and everything before being invited to the MOTH.
But eventually, she'll die using too much power, more than her body could handle.
"Is there someone who's trying to chase you?"
"Yes—" Now she nodded. But her expression dimmed. "And I think, because of that, he's now become a soldier in the MOTH."
Safe.
He is still there. It's just their relationship that's changing. If he is not there, he must change his plans and do everything himself. Fortunately, everything is still the same.
"Is he important?"
"He has potential. Just make sure to give him a chance on your plans."
So, Kevin is important; Mei noted to herself.
So far, Kiriya knows a lot about them and their homeworld. From Ethan's, now Kanae's, then hers. And apparently, Yahiko's. He said that he was some kind of observer once in the chat. She's not surprised if he has some connection with the group's admin.
"What are you buying?" Kiriya's voice made Mei look to the direction. It's Yahiko holding plenty of random foods.
"For my friends. I wish they could see this peaceful city with me."
Yahiko stuffed all of it into the inventory.
As a child, born just to see the war, Kiriya knows Yahiko wants to have this kind of peacefulness, where people are not worried about anything and can live on their own.
"Dream further, Yahiko."
His head turns toward Kiriya.
"I've seen a better world, more than this. I'll show it to you sometimes. My world. So you can have a direction to go in the future."
Yahiko widened his eyes. And determination burned like a fire fueled with coals. The kid nodded firmly.
"Yes, Kiriya-san!"
Compared to other members', his home world is far better at the moment. He doesn't have an enemy of humanity; he doesn't have deadly infectious viruses; he doesn't experience world war.
And he wishes some part will never change, for his family and anyone he cares about. Maybe Yahiko's dream is not completely impossible. Maybe there's something inside the shop to let the natives of one world move into another world.
A deliberate, thin, smile appears on Kiriya's lips. "Alright, time to work."
A gate of light appears before them. Through the gate, they could see Kanae standing face to face against a pale skinned man while holding her Katana firmly.
The man stood still while Kanae held her sword like it was her own life, ready to strike anytime.
"—I know someone who is quite similar to you."
"Oh, we can hear her voice—"
"Shush!" Mei interrupted, making the excited Yahiko keep his mouth shut.
"... He is actually a good person whom you can rely on. But he sacrificed himself for people he barely knew for one day. That was how he lost his ability to feel emotions. Until today, he is still trying his best to recover from it."
"...."
"And now, I met someone who lived a long life with that condition; I feel pity for you, Mr. Upper Moon."
While the other members feel complicated about Kiriya's situation, especially Ethan—forcing Kiriya to burn his emotions to save his family's life, a complete stranger to him. But Kiriya personally felt amused while watching in silence.
He knows he's the subject, but he didn't really care about that point. He has plans to recover his emotions. What he thought right at the moment was how fortunate they were to watch the "shounen anime" moment happening right before their eyes.
"I see. You're quite a sharp fellow, aren't you?" The demon's fake smile is gone and replaced by an icy gaze. He swings his fans horizontally and delivers a forward fan slash that creates razor-sharp ice shards along with several ice lotuses, while generating icy mist scattering around the area.
Kanae jumped back and deflected the inevitable shards with sword technique. A silvery light glinted in her left eye and reflected on her blade. Her 'world' filled the blade with brilliant light. Like stars that shine through the night sky.
"You people are really interesting! I've never seen something like that once from your kind."
The demon never saw this power once. A completely alien.
And while he was pondering the new light, Kanae used that opportunity to change her stance. Her legs created explosive force and flew her forward.
The demon moved aside and used his right arm to change the sword's trajectory, but it cut the arm completely and cleanly.
Without taking breath, her hands gripped the sword tightly. She spun around and used her fourth technique to cut the head. But his left hand's reaction was faster and swung his fan to push Kanae away with shards of ice.
She gets one arm that could be healed easily in seconds, but at what cost.
Every breath felt like she was inhaling cinders of flames, and it was torturing her every second the fight went on. The ice she accidentally inhaled from the earlier fight severed her lungs badly.
"Oh, it's certainly slower than before. How interesting. Not only using sun basked steels, now you can imitate the sun's might to a little extent. But it's still not enough."
"Kiriya-san, may I use this opportunity?" Behind the invisible gate, Yahiko stepped forward, unsheathing his sword. His eyes burned with spirit and his face tempered with determination.
"I'll support you."
Magic coated the blade; it glinted enchantingly under the moonlight. He stepped to the opposite side of the magic gate and caught the interest and surprise from two of the fighters.
"Yahiko?!" She expressed surprise.
"Oh, how did you come out of a mysterious light door? I only know one person who can do something like making people appear out of thin air, but it can't be possible for that person to send a random kid like this without a reason."
His eyes perked with a certain understanding.
"I see! How generous of Lord Muzan to give me a little present. But I liked the taste of women better than boys. Although I'll not reject a fine meal." The demon moved swiftly towards Yahiko, but the boy was ready and swung his blade towards the unsuspected demon.
The Upper Moon stepped back right before his neck fell from his head. It was a quick safe, but blood gushed out like a stream from the cut in the demon's neck. He closed it and froze it with Demon Blood Art. Stopping it from drowning him and affecting his speech.
"It's unlike that blinding light, but even more effective." His voice was ragged and hoarse. He grabbed his own neck and ripped the front part of it, threw it away thoughtlessly to the ground and a new throat appeared seconds later.
With a new arm, neck, and fake smirk, he looked at them. "Now, give me your best and I'll still make you look worse."
A seconds later, his brains exploded.
"You two okay?" Ethan asked while holding a smoking Wolfsbane Magnum in his hands.
"Better than expected." Kanae answered with a smile and a little chuckle. Her tense shoulder dropped relaxed as she watched Ethan followed by Mei and Kiriya walking out of the gate.
The Upper Moon's head regenerated in a few seconds after.
"You should rest while we're dealing with him." Yahiko replied and stood in the frontline as a vanguard.
"I'll support you from behind with magic." Mei said as [Omnipotent] extends out before her feet and creates a domain around the Members and their enemy. Her eyes glinted with blue light.
Ethan reloaded the used round in his gun and pointed it at the demon.
"My, my… isn't it too unfair? I'm alone while you have five people."
"Said someone with strength enough to destroy this building!" Yahiko shouted as he made the first step.
For Kanae's sake, they'll jump him again and again until he is gone for good.