"If I can’t stop that now, I’m 100% dead!"
Ziiing!
Rapi immediately prepared to charge, taking a fighting stance.
"Rapi, wait!"
"Why, Commander!"
"Calm down first, and let’s hear what’s going on..."
As soon as the Commander spoke, she lowered her weapon and listened. Would it kill him to listen to me a little too?
"...I’ll hear it out first, then decide."
"Phew... thanks."
After I explained the whole situation, Rapi looked at me with an expression that said she still didn’t buy it.
"...? Then you’re saying you’re fine even if you get shot? A normal person... no, a demon..."
"It hurts a little, but... anyway, yeah, I’m fine even if I get shot."
Everyone stared at me with puzzled faces. Fair enough. In Kivotos, getting shot didn’t really hurt that much, and even if you took a direct hit from anti-aircraft fire, you wouldn’t die—you’d just rest a little and recover.
"...So... ordinary firearms wouldn’t do any damage at all...? You’re basically just a NIKKE, then?"
Thank goodness they only suspected what was reasonable. If they had started prying into my identity, things might have gotten a lot more troublesome.
Like the fact that I wasn’t really an ordinary person, but something a little closer to a demon.
"So when are you going back?"
"For now, I can’t go back either. So I’ll probably have to rest here a bit before I leave."
"..."
Rapi, Anis, and Neon all looked at me suspiciously, but I was used to that kind of gaze, so it didn’t really stir anything new in me.
"All right, then... Haruta? You can stay here tonight."
"Commander! That’s too dangerous!"
"Ah... that just means Haruta would be in danger, right? Then am I in danger too?"
The Commander pointed at himself with his thumb, acting with his whole body like he was asking whether he was dangerous too.
"Th-that’s not what I meant..."
"Teacher is dangerous sometimes, too!"
"Neon... you thought that too...?"
"Yes!"
The NIKKE who best fit the phrase “a lunatic with clear eyes” was probably Neon.
"Ah! By the way, Haruta, could you tell us what happened in your world before?"
"...?"
Anis asked brightly. I could guess what would happen if I refused, but hearing it wouldn’t really help anything, so I decided to keep it simple and move on.
"Hmm... I just lost one eye and one arm and one leg each."
"...Huh...?"
Everyone stared at me with the same expression.
"But as you can see, I regenerated. Except for the eye."
"Ah... so that’s why... one eye is..."
"Oh, Commander."
"Hm? What is it, Haruta?"
"How old were you in the Republic of Korea?"
"...Hmm... 24? No, wait... was it 23?"
"Hearing you say that makes it even stranger that I met you looking like this when you were so young. Our food preferences are even the same. It’s honestly ridiculous."
"What? The Commander’s food preferences...?"
"Ah... right, I never really said what I liked here, or what kind of food I preferred, did I?"
"Yes! If it’s Teacher’s taste in food... I feel like you’d like something with a strong flavor!"
"Oh... that’s spot on."
As soon as Neon guessed right, the topic shifted to what kinds of food we liked.
And so time passed, and before long it was 8 p.m.
"Hmm... but Commander, don’t you have anything to do today?"
"Yeah. No orders came down today, and I’ve already finished everything I needed to do."
"I see..."
As we kept talking, I could feel the mystery inside my body gradually returning. The fear had already settled into my body, and I even tried wrapping it around my arm.
"...Hmm... maybe I can go back now?"
"Oh! You’re leaving already?"
"Yeah, I think I can probably go."
"Then hurry up and go."
"What? Haruta’s leaving? That’s a shame..."
"Hmm... I’m a little disappointed I won’t get to see Haruta’s firepower!"
"Hmm... if it’s just firepower, I can show you plenty."
"Oh! Really!?"
"Hmm... I don’t know if I can use it, but... do you happen to have any sheet metal or something?"
"Huh? Why sheet metal?"
"Something thick. Like sheet metal or steel."
"Uh... Rapi brought some back before for training, I think?"
"Oh, then bring that."
Neon came back grinning brightly with a sheet of metal.
"...Hmm... I don’t know if this will work, but..."
"What, what? You’re really going to show us?"
Once everything was ready, we had gathered what was basically scrap metal the size of a thick iron door. It was a bit much to use just as training, but I supposed I should try it.
"...Huu..."
Thud!
"...? What is tha—"
Boom!
As I put strength into my legs, the floor cracked.
"...Haaah..."
Clack!
Whoosh!
Swoooosh...
The wind pressure created by the spear swept over the area, and the sheet of metal was blown apart with a huge hole ripped straight through the center, along with the wall behind it.
"...That technique... is stronger than my Seventh Dwarf Full Active... No... it can’t even be compared..."
"Ugh... my shoulder..."
"Wow! Haruta, that was amazing!"
After showing off my firepower for a bit, I remembered the side effects and my body’s condition.
"...Uh, I—"
Crack!
"Aaaah!!!! Damn it!!!!"
"...Eh?"
Once again, Haruta’s scream and everyone’s confusion filled the room.
"...Haa... it’s just a side eff—"
Crunch...
"Kyaaah!!!!"
Only after I let out a scream like a little girl did my body finally settle down.
"So... you used that technique... and one of your arms was almost blown off... is that what you’re saying?"
"Yeah... embarrassing, but... that’s reality."
"Hmm... wouldn’t it be better to get treatment? Isn’t there still enough time?"
At those words, I realized I didn’t have time to be fooling around here, and immediately reached out to open a portal.
"Hey, Haruta!"
The Commander’s voice called out to me, and he threw something my way.
"Take this!"
Tap!
"...This is..."
"A dog tag! Keep it with you, no matter what!"
"...Seriously? You’re giving me a gift like this...?"
"I’m the one giving a gift like that!"
"Heh... all right! I’ll keep it safe!"
"Yeah! See you again!"
And just like that, the journey that had felt both long and short came to an end.
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