NABC Chapter 116
Chapter 116
Chapter 116
Symbol of Peace (13)
Their eyes were dry and lifeless, like rotten tree branches. They were the eyes of a corrupted life, devoid of hope no matter how hard one looked. Such cold and chilling gazes pierced through Orange Altair. They watched her warily, like beasts seeing fire for the first time.
“...”
“What’s wrong?”
Amidst this, there was also the pure gaze of a child looking up at her. In the suffocating silence, Orange Altair couldn’t resist that innocent, expectant look.
“Um, well...”
Orange Altair opened her lips to break the silence.
“W-Wow!”
At that moment, cheers spread through the village like wildfire.
“It’s, it’s a magical girl!”
“A magical girl has come!”
“What? A magical girl? Really?!”
“I’m telling you, it’s true!”
“I know her! Orange Altair! They say she’s a rare long-range sniper among magical girls!”
“So, is that amazing?”
“Of course! It’s incredible!”
“I see. We’re saved. We’re saved, right?”
“Can, can we go home now?”
Hope spreads just as pessimism does. For those captured by the villain, her appearance must have been like seeing a rescue ship in the vast ocean.
Orange Altair found this reaction more bewildering than the cold stares.
She had always been far removed from rescue scenes and had never heard cheers this close. The fact that she was someone’s hope was too distant for her.
In contrast, criticism and sighs were closer. They were clearly visible if she just looked at the machine screen. There weren’t many of those to begin with.
After all, a sniper without achievements tended to go unnoticed.
But most people chase hope. They love goodness and praise heroes. These people were the same.
They loved the starlight that came before their eyes. Even if it was a tiny, faint starlight that had been hidden by clouds, once it became visible, it was sublime.
“Thank you... Thank you...!”
“See, I told you. If you believe and wait, it gets resolved.”
No one was disappointed by her arrival. They rejoiced and praised her appearance. Not a single person doubted that she would fail.
So many people were relying on her alone as their hope.
This came as an enormous burden, but at the same time, as an exhilarating thrill.
For her, who had always protected people yet remained the most distant from them, this attention was as sweet as honey to a hungry child.
“Y-Yes!”
For her, who had been starved for attention and prone to showing off, this kind of attention was an unbreakable lifeline. Even if this praise was nothing more than a momentary illusion, it was something she couldn’t help but enjoy right now.
“Don’t worry now! I’m here!”
She had no certainty that she could save these people. Her body was tired, and her mind was tainted with doubt. She couldn’t deny the possibility that everyone here might actually be villains deceiving her.
After suspecting that even the person she trusted the most might actually be a villain, what in this world could she believe?
But she had to shout.
It felt like she would regret it for the rest of her life if she didn’t shout at this moment.
“The arrow that pierces through the sky’s end! Orange Altair! I, I will save you all!”
How long had it been since she last shouted her entrance line? Her tongue even slipped at the end. Orange Altair’s ears turned red with embarrassment.
But no one paid any attention to that, and only countless cheers spread.
“...What should I do.”
Orange Altair immediately regretted it. Even her swelling heart cooled down coldly as time passed. Cold sweat poured down like a shower, soaking her clothes.
“Is this... The right place?”
She raised her head and looked at the place she was about to raid. A massive building that didn’t match the island’s scenery. Its height was so great that from this angle and distance, the top couldn’t be seen.
“Phew... I-It’ll be okay. It’ll be fine... Probably....”
From what people had told her, this was none other than the villain’s stronghold. The villains here had kidnapped them and forced them to live on the island.
“Sis Altair!”
Soon, his face was trampled by someone’s foot. A dainty leather shoe. It belonged to Red Vega.
“Ve-Vega! Why did you...”
“No time to explain! And no need to care about things like that!”
Red Vega showed not a hint of guilt despite trampling on a person. The cold gaze she cast on that person, as if looking at an insect, was the extent of her interest.
The momentary joy of having a comrade was short-lived as Orange Altair’s right hand was grabbed by Red Vega.
She quickly ran into the building. The magical power emanating from her was minimal. She looked visibly tired, as if she had just been through an intense battle.
“Hurry, let’s run away!”
“Run away? From what? No, why are you guys here...”
“What else? From that villain that attacked us!”
Orange Altair recalled the terrifying image of the villain at Vega’s words. That ferocious villain who could control winds powerful enough to treat a typhoon like a gentle breeze.
Well, if he’s also a member of the Argo Family, it’s natural for him to return.
“But, why are those people...”
“Those aren’t even people!”
“What?”
“Ah, let me correct that. They’re very bad criminals!”
“...What are you saying?”
“Vega, over here!”
“Yes!”
White Davi beckoned from beyond the alley, and Red Vega quickly hid her body in the alley he had gestured to. Orange Altair was with her.
And in the place they had just passed, a wind sharp as a blade blew. The wind sliced through concrete as easily as tofu.
White Davi quickly created a barrier of corpses to block that wind. Then they started moving again.
“Whew~ We survived for now!”
“Why, why are you running away like this? With your skill level, a villain shouldn’t...”
Orange Altair couldn’t understand. Why would someone of her strength run from a villain?
“Hmm~ I’ll explain quickly, so listen carefully! First, about the person you took down earlier. Those people are voluntarily following the Argo Family. They’re essentially enemies.”
Voluntarily? This is different from the people she saw on the island earlier. They considered being kidnapped by villains as suffering, so why are these people following villains?
“Why, why?”
“Wakarimasen (I don’t know)! The only thing I know is that it’s not brainwashing! But that’s not important right now!”
Red Vega continued calmly.
“And secondly, we can’t beat that villain.”
This was essentially a death sentence for Orange Altair.
“You, you should be able to...”
“No. Because that villain.”
She thought they would be different. Unlike her, these brilliant and talented individuals...
But that wasn’t the case.
“Is immortal. It doesn’t die. Not knowing this, I wasted too much magical power recklessly attacking. With our current firepower, I’m not sure if we can even get close...”
Red Vega muttered resentfully, then gave a bitter smile.
“Moreover, it’s fucking strong! Ah, I’m sorry. Ahem, that strong wind separated us from the others. We need to regroup to discuss our options, but in our current state...”
“...Then.”
“Yes! It’s exactly as you’re thinking!”
White Davi nodded.
The enemy isn’t just the villain, but also humans working with the villain. And an immortal villain at that.
They’re all opponents that can’t be killed.
“We’re screwed! Hahaha! Forget about solving anything, we should just think about running away in our underwear!”
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