When Rentaro woke up, he found himself lying in a field hospital.
Injured people were everywhere, some having lost limbs, and many were so weak they couldn't even stand up, seeming just one step away from death's door.
"This... is..."
"Satomi!"
Kisara's voice rang out. When Rentaro turned around, he saw Kisara, wearing a nurse's cap, running towards him in a panic. As soon as she got close, she immediately placed a hand on his shirt, then his forehead, looking extremely worried.
"Satomi, are you okay? Are you hurting anywhere? You..."
"I'm fine."
Rentaro gently removed her hand, then held it tightly. This reassuring action made Kisara blush, her lips trembling, words stuck in her throat.
"Look at that, still healthy, aren't we? Full of energy like that."
This somewhat romantic scene was immediately punctured by Sumire's joking voice. It made the two young people shyly withdraw their hands.
Afterward, she explained the situation.
The slight look of relief on Rentaro's face completely vanished.
He had been unconscious for three days. In those three days, many events had occurred.
The most severe was that Monolith #32 had completely collapsed. The Gastrea legion under Aldebaran had flooded in massively. The slight efforts made that day were not enough to significantly impede their advance.
Currently, the front line had been completely breached. The self-defense forces had nearly all their infantry wiped out; only the air force was holding on, but it likely wouldn't be for long. Civil Security had also suffered half its casualties.
Although they had retreated to the second defense line, the human side had already been pushed back near the edge of the second line; being breached was only a matter of time.
The first line was the area adjacent to the Monolith, the battlefield Rentaro participated in before passing out. The second line was the entire outer rim area, which in the worst-case scenario would become the main battlefield against the Gastrea. And the third line, of course, was the residential area.
As for the reason Rentaro, Enju, and Tina were rescued, it was because the reinforcements from the Silver King's Territory had arrived.
Composed mainly of robots, supported by the Civil Security members who had joined the Territory. This army successfully pushed back Aldebaran's Gastrea legion. Although those Civil Security members were no longer truly Civil Security, when Tokyo faced an existential crisis, they were still willing to set their safety aside, coming out of their safe haven to fight!
Perhaps it was because of those qualities that these people were allowed to join the Territory.
If the Silver King's Territory hadn't decided to join the battle, the front lines would surely have retreated further. After all, this attack by Aldebaran was beyond imagination.
"When lips are gone, teeth are cold" is a principle everyone understands. If Tokyo were to be invaded, the Silver King's Territory would also face a terrible situation. Therefore, the current lord of the Silver King's Territory in Tokyo, Luke, decided to participate in the war. However, this also led to the Territory finally being exposed to the eyes of the world.
This led to another negative consequence.
"The shelters can only hold 30% of the population. So now, the debates are extremely fierce. Airplane tickets have been bought up by the rich, and they've already fled."
"Riots will happen sooner or later. Currently, there's no shortage of people gathering outside the Territory demanding entry into the shelter. Even after learning that the place houses many Cursed Children, there have been calls to drive out all the Cursed Children and let them in instead."
"Isn't that ridiculous, Rentaro?"
Hearing Sumire's sarcastic tone, Rentaro felt a burst of anger welling up inside that he couldn't vent. At the same time, a coldness pierced his heart.
They should know that those very Cursed Children, those very Promoters, are fighting to protect Tokyo, to protect the safety of the citizens! Yet those people are demanding to drive them out... of their own home?
What kind of nonsense is that?
Those people have already tormented the Cursed Children so much; do they not even allow the only home that accepts the children's existence to remain?
How can they make such an absurd demand? Do their consciences not feel shame or distress?
"When people are cornered like this, they'll do anything."
"Ms. Sumire, aren't you going into the shelter?"
"What for?"
Sumire frowned.
"Right now, all of Tokyo is like a nomadic tribe thirsty in the desert. And no water source is enough to satisfy everyone. So, instead of sitting there and praying, I'd rather come out here and help idiotic people like you get out of the desert."
Sumire smiled, then turned away, not forgetting to remind Rentaro of the two girls' situation.
Currently, both Tina and Enju are fighting alongside the Silver King's Territory army, so their safety is temporarily not an issue.
Rentaro wanted to return to the battlefield as soon as possible. Compared to the conflict between the Territory and Tokyo citizens being a ticking time bomb, the imminent threat of being pushed back to the third line was the matter that needed to be addressed first.
As Rentaro stood up, Kisara pulled his arm back.
"Stop Satomi, what are you trying to do? Your wounds..."
"They're all healed, Kisara. You know I can't just let things happen."
Rentaro took a deep breath, looking straight into Kisara's eyes as he spoke.
Their eyes met, allowing them to seemingly see into each other's feelings. Kisara's eyes held reluctance, along with fear. As for Rentaro's eyes, all she saw was unwavering determination.
"If so, then I'm going too."
"You..."
"I've had my dialysis! This time, I won't allow myself to just stand by and watch you bleed again."
Kisara had feelings for Rentaro; that was as clear as day. Rentaro did too, but these two young people seemed to have never broken through that fragile wall.
Rentaro before was too self-pitying and depressed. Although he didn't show anything outwardly, deep inside, Rentaro always unconsciously thought that an excellent person like Kisara shouldn't get involved with someone like him; she deserved someone better. So, he chose to ignore the signs of affection Kisara showed him.
Kisara, on the other hand, was burdened by her hatred for the Tendou Clan. That also caused her to hide her feelings, only unconsciously revealing them slightly.
Because she knew, no emotion was more twisted than love.
Because of love, Kisara's hatred swelled to the point where she swore to kill the entire Tendou Clan. Therefore, Kisara herself was afraid it would hurt a Rentaro who was already vulnerable.
But now, Rentaro had stepped out of the shadow of the past. He was stronger, much brighter now. And she was still just a six-year-old girl, trapped in the day the Gastrea killed her parents.
But on that day, when Kisara saw Rentaro covered in blood, standing amidst the surrounding swarm of Gastrea, her mind panicked. She finally remembered how much she loved that boy.
The thing that allowed her to continue living wasn't her hatred for the Tendou Clan, but precisely because he was always there.