A hero who wants to help others wants to live a normal life

Chapter 21 A Girl Who Harbors Demons

“If it’s not just us… then there might be others in the same situation as well.”

Maybe we’re just a distraction, or even just a side target, and there could be another student who’s the real objective. In fact, that seems like the most reasonable assumption.

“Or it could be everyone. These guys might not have any intent to kill, but they definitely seem to have malicious intentions. They could be pretty dangerous.”

“Intent to kill…? Can you really sense something like that?”

What was sensed was probably a hint of a skill or a gaze, mainly picking up on the presence of a skill. Normally, no one could just sense something like intent to kill or malice.

“Well, yeah. You can pick up on it quite a bit with training. Want to give it a shot, Seicchi?”

“It seems useful, but the training sounds rough.”

“Oh, it’s super tough, no doubt. Ah, just remembering it is making me feel a bit sick.”

As we joked around, we kept walking down the street lined with souvenir shops, trying not to focus too much on the enemy while still keeping our awareness sharp.

“So, do we assume that the enemy is planning to make a move?”

“Probably. If they aren’t attacking now, maybe… hmm, they might be waiting to synchronize with other teams?”

If they’re really targeting others besides us, that possibility seems most likely. Instead of causing trouble in one place or in succession, it would be most efficient to strike simultaneously to hide their true target and achieve their goal.

“What do we do? If that’s the case, we’re in serious trouble, aren’t we?”

“Yeah, if they’re targeting everyone, there might be some who haven’t noticed it yet… For now, we should call the President and head to the rendezvous point.”

We’ve been instructed to call the President if any problems arise during the trip. In practice, it’s rare for any real problems to occur, and even if they do, most people can handle them on their own. After all, most of the members of this travel club come from families with considerable influence.

It’s faster, easier, and more reliable to solve things with your own strength rather than relying on others. And, more importantly, it means you don’t owe anyone any favors.

But in a situation like this, contact would certainly be necessary.

Just as I thought this and took out my phone…

“Damn—!”

Just as I was about to make the call, Toko pulled me by the arm and drew me close to her.

Caught off guard, I couldn’t react in time, and my phone slipped out of my hand and flew into the air.

But in the next moment, I saw the phone, now in mid-air, get sliced cleanly in half, scattering its components.

I widened my eyes at the sight, but I quickly realized that the enemy, who had been watching us, had finally made their move.

After all, standing before us was a person dressed like an ordinary civilian, but holding a knife. It would be strange not to understand.

“You saved me.”

“No problem. But these guys…”

Toko clicked her tongue, and I could understand why. As she had just indicated by saying “these guys,” the enemy wasn’t just one person; there were several. In front of us, to the left and right, and probably behind us too — four in total. With two professionals for each student, they must be quite serious.

…Well, of course. If they weren’t serious, they wouldn’t be doing something like this in the first place.

“They’re definitely not ordinary people.”

“If this is the kind of town where regular folks just attack you, I’d seriously rather not be here. If that’s the case, I’m never coming back.”

“Let’s hope there’s a next time.”

“Of course there will be. And if not, I’ll make sure to gift you a second time.”

Despite being surrounded by enemies, Toko maintained a confident attitude and smiled as if to say there was nothing to worry about.

A second time as a gift? That’s quite the stylish way to put it. But does that mean she’s planning to take them all out by herself?

She must have a plan to beat them. Otherwise, she wouldn’t be saying things like this, and given that she can sense intent to kill, she’s probably been through some serious training.

If that’s the case, maybe I should just leave it to Toko and stay quiet. That might resolve this situation.

But I can’t accept that. Not just because I’m a “blessed one,” but also as a guy. Letting a girl fight on her own while I just stand by would be way too uncool.

“I appreciate the thought, but just receiving a gift doesn’t sit right with me. I’ll give back at least as much as I take.”

“Really? Then we’ll just have to exchange gifts with each other.”

When I made it clear that I intended to fight too, Toko blinked in surprise for a moment, but then quickly broke into a delighted smile.

We turned our backs to each other, facing the enemies.

“Ready?”

“Always.”

“Then hold out for just a little while!”

The enemies must have realized from our conversation that we intended to fight. After observing us for a while, they started moving. Leaving one behind, three of them charged at us.

“Re-enact! Let this body be like that of a demon. Strong, unyielding, a strength that surpasses all! Unbeatable by any, unyielding to all. The power to crush every foe!”

As the enemies began their attack, Toko started chanting a spell.

But in the middle of being attacked like this, could she really manage to complete the chant?

I was worried, but it turned out those fears were unfounded.

One enemy remained in the back, while one rushed at me and two at Toko. Even while dealing with the two attackers, Toko continued to chant without missing a beat.

The enemies seemed to realize that letting her complete the spell would be dangerous. The last person joined in, and all three tried to take her down.

“—<My soul houses the demon>!”

But—it was too late.

Toko’s chant was completed, and her skill activated.

“Body enhancement… no, is that a horn?”

The change was immediately obvious. Skills that enhance the body usually don’t alter one’s appearance much, but Toko was different.

Her skin turned a dark brown, and two horns shot out from her forehead, reaching toward the sky.

Judging from her incantation, it was likely an ability that transformed her into an “oni” (a demon) or harnessed the power of a demon.

And as this “oni,” Toko simultaneously struck down the enemies who had attacked her, even hitting the enemy who had been targeting me as well.

However, these enemies weren’t pushovers either. It seemed they had anticipated this level of resistance; despite being punched several meters back by Toko, they were still able to move. Had they been using some kind of skill from the beginning?

They hadn’t managed to subdue me completely, and even three of them couldn’t take down Toko before she activated her skill. I thought they hadn’t used any skills, but if they weren’t using any, it wouldn’t make sense for them to withstand that blow.

But if they had been using skills, then considering my status as a “blessed one” with enhanced natural abilities and the fact that Toko came from a martial family and had undergone rigorous training, they seemed a bit weak.

Thinking about it that way, they were either using a defensive body enhancement or weren’t fully adept at using their skills due to a lack of training.

Well, whichever it was, or even if it was neither, it didn’t really matter. What mattered now was taking them down.

“…Opening Again—<These hands exist to hold someone else’s>.”

I muttered quietly to myself, so no one could hear, as a faint light enveloped my hand.

“Target the guy over there first!”

Right after, it seemed they decided it would be easier to take me down than to focus on Toko. One assailant moved to hold her off while the remaining three turned their attention to me.

But it was too late.

“Unfortunately, I’m not that weak.”

Having become a “blessed one,” my physical strength had already been enhanced, and using my blessing had amplified it even further.

Additionally, this strengthening was merely a secondary effect. My true ability was something else entirely.

If they had attacked before, three might have been enough to handle me, but now that I’d activated my blessing, three enemies were nothing to worry about.

One of the three rushed at me, swinging a knife downward. I caught it with a hand imbued with the power of my blessing.

To the enemy, it must have felt like pressing a knife against a solid rubber rod, but that was it. There was no pain from a cut, not even from a blunt blow.

The attacker froze, eyes wide with shock, likely stunned that his knife had been stopped barehanded.

Taking advantage of that moment, I slipped into his guard while still gripping the knife, and with my free hand, delivered a palm strike to his stomach. Simultaneously, I shot out the “hand” of blessing that had covered my hand, delivering a two-pronged attack.

Even though one of their allies had been taken down, the attackers didn’t slow their advance. Seeing this, I decided to take the initiative and stepped forward toward them.

With a firm step on the ground, I extended the “hands” that were wrapped around my fists, just as I had done before.

Startled by the sudden extension of my hands, the attackers hesitated for a brief moment but quickly dodged the “hands” and closed in on me.

However, when I said I “launched” those hands, it didn’t mean they were detached from me like bullets. Those “hands” were still an extension of my own hands, which meant I could control them freely, no matter how far they stretched.

The “hands” that the enemies had dodged changed their trajectory, twisting around to attack them from behind.

“What?!”

One of the attackers noticed the “hand” approaching from behind and whipped around, eyes wide in shock.

The attacker who spotted the incoming “hand” tried to fend it off with his knife, but the other wasn’t so lucky.

“Gah!”

The other attacker, unaware of the “hand” creeping up from behind, was caught off guard. The “hand” wrapped around his neck like a snake, coiling as if it had no joints, and began to strangle him.

Even though it was technically an extension of my arm, it was still an ability granted by my blessing. It wasn’t a real arm; it was something conjured, so I could ignore any limitations of joints and perform such feats.

Now, only one was left — the one who had noticed the “hand” and tried to fend it off…

“Does this look like the end of it?”

As I shifted my focus to him, I noticed Toko had already dealt with her opponents. She had taken down the enemy who was charging at me, leaving him sprawled on the ground.