Chapter 241 This Is Tough
Seeing Maya-chan dead like this, I can't help but feel something's off. In a way, I must be broken too.
Even when Rosalier-san died right in front of me, I was fine. Is it that I lack a sense of reality? Either way, coming to this world has definitely messed me up somehow. That's the only way I can think about it.
'Kuu?'
Centrena must know that Maya-chan is dead too. Yet, she doesn't seem worried at all. I guess it's because she knows I can bring Maya-chan back to life. Still, she's worried about us.
"Yeah. I'm here, so it's okay, but still. 'Resurrect', 'Full Recover', 'Mana Recover'."
Maya-chan sits up suddenly. She looks at me with an apologetic expression.
"I messed up again. I'm really sorry, big brother."
"It's okay. ――'Full Recover'."
An arrow was stuck in my shoulder. It hurts, and Maya-chan must have felt pain too...
'Kuu'
"What's wrong, Centrena-tan? ...Oh, big brother, this is bad."
"What's wrong? ...Whoa, what's that?"
There are easily a hundred Celestial Race people floating in the sky. They're shooting arrows at us. Unlike before, these arrows are coming down fast and hard, not in a parabolic arc.
"This is bad, they're still coming. How many are there?"
There used to be a hundred of them, the Celestial Race flying in the sky. But in an instant, they ended up like that. They all had bows, aiming at us and shooting arrows. Yeah, it was really tough.
"Anyway, we have to keep distracting them until the rescue team reaches Jag-san and the others."
"Right! 'Air Cannon'!"
A loud bang echoed. The outer wall, about 50 meters (≈ 164 feet) away, crumbled again.
"...Brother, I'm at my limit."
"Are you running out of mana?"
"No, that's not it. I don't have to hold back anymore, right?"
Maya-chan really hadn't been killing the Celestial Race up to this point. She was literally holding back.
"Ah, I see. They're getting used to it, and they're getting cocky, making their attacks denser. It's tough. Well, it can't be helped... Okay, Maya-chan."
"Thanks! It was hard to hold back! 'Air Cannon', 'Air Cannon'――ugh, it splattered... that's really gross."
I could see the bits flying apart and falling in the air too.
"What's with that? Didn't you splatter enemies with Wareels before?"
"Yeah, but back then, I was with Mother (Privia), so my motivation was different."
"I see."
It seemed to be getting even more chaotic. I could hear screams. Maya-chan probably burst a Celestial Race with one hit.
"Hey, uh――."
For a moment, my consciousness faded, and a few seconds later, I realized. Ah, my life force is down to one-tenth.
"Welcome back, big brother. It's pretty brutal that a arrow is stuck in your face, and when it gets pulled out, your face comes back to life along with your consciousness..."
"Don't say that... Maya-chan is pretty much the same. 'Full Recover.'."
"That's true, but I've already died twice, so I don't really care anymore. But at this rate, I'll be right up there with Rosalier-san, right?"
"Yeah. You never know where a stray bullet might hit. But I think it's a good thing to stand out like this."
"'Air Cannon,' 'Air Cannon,' 'Air Cannon,' ...yeah. But it's really tough, ah――."
"Maya-chan, ugh――."
As I reached out to revive Maya-chan, my consciousness slipped away again. A few seconds later, I woke up and then lost consciousness again.
A few seconds after that, I realized that Centrena was protecting me and Maya-chan, looming over us.
"Ugh..."
"Oh, Centrena, I'm really sorry. Ah, 'Resurrect.' ...Sorry, Maya-chan. This might be a bit too much."
"...Yeah. It's okay. As long as you're here, the real zombie attack Maya's can't lose. There's no way we'll all be wiped out. 'Air Cannon,' 'Air Cannon,' 'Air Cannon,' ...they probably don't even think that Maya's are dead."
"Well, that's true. That might be our only hope."
Arrows continued to rain down on Centrena's body from the outside.
Maya-chan and I were dying one after the other, or sometimes at the same time. When I got revived, I would revive Maya-chan.
Cumulative damage doesn't matter; when you die, it's instant death, so there's not much pain, which is a relief, right? Still, it hurts, and it really does.
How many times have we died? Maya-chan and I counted up to about ten, but after that, we stopped. We just don't have the energy for that.
As time passes, it's getting brighter outside. But that means the bullet hell is getting tougher.
"Brother."
"Hm?"
Maya-chan is talking to me while hiding behind Centrena, shooting down the flying Celestial Race enemies. Unlike when she was careful and shot at the base of their wings, now she's probably making big holes in their stomachs, so they must be dead for sure.
"I know this might sound inappropriate, but..."
"Yeah?"
"It's fun. It's been such a long time. The pain makes it feel more real."
"That's definitely inappropriate――ah."
'Kuu?'
Maya-chan leans against me and dies instantly.
"Yeah, she's dead."
'Kuu...'
"'Resurrect,' 'Full Recover.'."
Maya pats my back lightly.
"Sorry, Grandpa, for always bothering you."
"Grandma, we promised not to say that."
"Ahahaha. Thanks, brother."
What an old joke she knows! Maya-chan even kisses my cheek.
She seems relaxed enough to joke around, but Maya-chan has a bit of a teary expression. It's tough; it really is. It hurts, it's hard, and we can't see what's ahead.
"...Really, it's only because it's Maya and the others that we can do this. Centrena-tan, doesn't it hurt?"
Please bookmark this series and rate ☆☆☆☆☆ on here!
Donate me
Support Me with USDC
(ERC20)
Support Me with XLM
(Stellar Lumens)