A hero who wants to help others wants to live a normal life - Chapter 55

Chapter 55   To Hold’s Someone’s Hand

“What the hell is with him? A minor person trying to stand out unnecessarily!”

“There’s no point in fighting like this, right? If there’s even a small chance, we might as well bet on it. Or do you have a way to fix this situation?”

“…Tch! Hey, you! If nothing changes, I’ll kill you myself!”

The students, who had been spread out fighting, began to gather in the center, following my words. Both Oda and Toudou stopped running around and fighting as well.

This is good. Now everything is ready. I can give it my all without getting anyone else involved.

“So, what’s the plan? You said there’s a way, right? Then hurry up and do it, already!”

“But seriously, what’s your plan? If you’re going to make Sakura do something reckless, I’m going to get mad.”

Oda and Toudou were defeating monsters while staying in one place, but between taking them down, they shot me glares.

Ignoring the words of those two and the stares from the other students, I took a deep breath once…

“Fuu—Opening Again.”

I said those words.

“Huh?”

“What?”

They probably couldn’t immediately understand what I had said. Everyone there looked at me with either suspicion or bewilderment.

“I hate it when someone is sad. I hate it when someone is crying. Please don’t cry. I want you to smile. I’ll save you from that darkness. So, let’s laugh together again. — This hand is meant to grasp someone else’s hand.”

Right after voicing that “wish,” the halo floating above my head transformed from a simple ring of light into one with intricate patterns and emitted an intense light.

At the same time as the halo changed, numerous semi-transparent arms wrapped in light burst forth from my body as if a dam had broken.

This is my wish. The “blessing (curse)” bestowed upon me.

I want to save. I want them to be saved. I reach out my hand. I want to reach further. I want to take hold. It’s still not enough. Just a little more. I want to take my sister’s hand. So — reach.

In order to save my sister, who was trapped under the rubble that day, I desperately extended my hand beyond the debris without regard for my own safety. That was when I was burdened with the grace of a god.

The power born from that wish allows me to extend these semi-transparent arms to grasp things. That’s it. As an ability, that’s all it does. I can’t shoot radiant arrows like Kujou, nor can I see the whole world like my senior.

It’s just a boring power that only lets me reach out and grab things.

Because of this boring power, my life changed drastically, even though my wish was never granted. I ended up living a life far removed from normal, with only two family members left.

“This… is…”

“A… hand?”

Even with such a boring, worthless ability, there are things I can do.

The countless “hands” that were released stretched out toward the monsters, grabbing their bodies, squeezing, and twisting them to death.

“Killing someone else just to save someone… It’s such a cruel blessing-curse.”

I wish I didn’t have such a blessing (curse). Being a Blessed is nothing to be proud of. I shouldn’t have become this kind of monster.

As I muttered to myself in self-mockery, I noticed Kujou sitting down, staring intently at me.

Oh, right. There’s Kujou. She’s injured, and it wouldn’t be good to leave her wounds untreated for too long.

With that thought, I extended one of my “hands” toward her wound, carefully so she wouldn’t notice.

“So… you’re one of the Blessed?”

“It would’ve been better if I wasn’t,” I replied, as I continued to deal with the surrounding monsters.

After a while, a loud noise came from the back of the horde of monsters.

I wondered if it was new enemies, but… it wasn’t.

“Brother—! What is this…?”

“Ah, I knew you’d come. I told you not to worry, that I’d probably get hurt, didn’t I?”

As a cost for my blessing, my injuries are linked with Inori. If I feel pain, Inori naturally feels that pain too. And if she knows I’m in a situation where I could get hurt, there’s no way Inori, who cares deeply about “family,” wouldn’t come.

I had already told her she didn’t need to come and not to worry… but, well, I guess it couldn’t be helped.

“…That pain should’ve meant you were badly injured, so I thought something serious might’ve happened. Also, there was a massive lightning strike.”

“Ah, that was a skill used by one of my team members.”

Was it the skill Riinrin used earlier to wipe out the enemies, or the one from before that when the monsters were eradicated? Either way, I don’t know where Inori was, but with lightning that powerful, it’s no wonder she noticed it.

Still, for her to have come here because of my injury, she arrived later than I expected.

Inori’s team has three other B-class members, so she might’ve been careful not to push them too hard. Or maybe she was trying to disguise her concern for me by pretending to come by coincidence, considering what I told her.

Whatever the case, even though I told her not to come, I’m grateful she’s here in this situation. I can take care of the monsters gathered here, but there are still many injured people and those who can’t move. Whether we wait here for the teachers or try to notify them, having more manpower is better.

“What… what are you guys?”

“Oh, Kiriya’s here too, huh?”

I thought I heard a voice coming from a different direction than Inori’s, and when I turned, Kiriya appeared with his team members. He wasn’t here earlier, but it looks like he was drawn in by all the commotion as well.

“…We came here aiming for the lightning too. More importantly, you’re one of the Blessed, aren’t you?”

“Ah, well, yeah. As you can see, I’m the pitiful jester cursed by a merciful god.”

Even though I didn’t technically lie, I can’t say I don’t feel a little bad for deceiving them. But, if I had told them earlier, things would’ve gotten complicated.

Now that my secret’s out, things will probably get complicated anyway, but that’s hindsight. Even if I had the chance to do it over again, I would’ve hidden the fact that I’m a Blessed, and I don’t regret that decision.

Besides…

“I told you, didn’t I? Being Blessed is nothing good.”

That truth hasn’t changed since the first time I said it.