[Good News] After My Childhood Friend Was Stolen by a Playboy, I Woke Up With a Crazy Fast Level-Up Ability and Turned My Life Around in One Year ~ Then a Famous Streamer Broadcast Me Without Permission and I Went Super Viral!~ - 87

Chapter 87: Learning to Decide for Yourself

ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー

“Keita-sama!? Don’t you think we’re a little short on time to be asking this right now?!”

“We could help them here. But this time, we didn’t come to play the hero. This was set up based on presented conditions, with both parties agreeing to move forward… We’re doing the same thing as a simple business transaction. Reaching out to them beyond the conditions we decided on would be a meddlesome act on our part. Even if we did help, there’s no telling what might be said about us afterward. They might even be able to come up with some convenient pretext to use against us. Do we have the trust right now to believe they wouldn’t do that? I’m daring not to lend a hand because of that risk. I, too, have spent my life constantly thinking through every situation and moving forward based on my own decisions. The enemy looks strong and scary? You’re distraught because a comrade died? Those are nothing more than excuses. I won’t let him depend on me… I’ll make him decide for himself. Until then, no matter what happens, I’m not moving.”

“K-Keita-sama.”

Piyoko fell silent as she looked at my serious expression directed sharply toward Ikeda.

This might have looked a bit mean, but it wasn’t an action born purely out of malice. It was a mindset derived from the experiences I’ve had up until now. I wouldn’t deny that my own vulgar desire to find the perfect timing to nullify those disadvantageous conditions was also a factor.

That said, it wasn’t as if I didn’t want to help them. I just didn’t want people to stop thinking, avoid making proper choices, and run away into actions driven by other people’s self-serving sense of kindness. Precisely because Ikeda was a leader standing before others and a professional explorer, it made me want to test him even more.

(Now, what will it be, Ikeda?)

“I… I…”

Ikeda couldn’t produce an answer immediately. He kept his head down, continuing to agonize.

Then, having finished its chewing, the multi-headed dragon began to edge closer toward the nearby Ikeda.

“C-Captain!! We need to retreat!!”

“What are you saying, Captain Shiina?! Our comrade was killed!! we have to avenge Captain Kishida here!!”

“What kind of idiocy are you spouting?! Captain Ikeda, let’s retreat immediately!!”

“Dammit!! You spineless rear-guard cowards!!”

While he was thinking, the party’s coordination unraveled, with opinions split between the rear guard and the vanguard to the point where they were bickering in front of the boss… The more Ikeda wavered, the more the party collapsed.

Meanwhile, three conflicting thoughts were swirling inside Ikeda’s head.

(Hurry up and give the order to retreat!)

(If you miss this chance, you’re a loser!)

(Cancel the conditions and leave it to Keita-kun? There’s no way I can do something so pathetic!)

He was simply arguing with these voices inside himself, unable to reach an answer.

(It’s scary… I’m tired of being wrong… I knew I should have passed on this… Being a captain didn’t suit my nature after all. I didn’t know a leader carried such heavy responsibility… I was naive. I was expected to do this, I was appointed… and yet… and yet… I… don’t have the caliber to stand before everyone…)

Ikeda’s thoughts were going in circles, and he had already lost his will to fight. Finally, behind him, the multi-headed dragon began to pool fire within its eight mouths, aimed straight at Ikeda.

“Captain, run!!!! Captainnnnnnnnnn!!!!”

Shiina tried to rush toward Ikeda, but her action was already too late. The breath of fire was unleashed from the multi-headed dragon’s mouths, and a wave of flame surged over Ikeda’s head.

“I… am…”

Just as the flames were about to engulf Ikeda, the fire that had been about to swallow him suddenly scattered to the left and right as if avoiding him.

“Eh…?”

In that instant, I had leaped between Ikeda and the multi-headed dragon and dispelled the flames.

“Ke… Keita-samaaaa!!♡ Eeeeeek!!!! Keita-samaaaa!!♡”

I could hear Piyoko’s high-pitched cheering, but I ignored it. I immediately turned around, crouched down, and punched the collapsed Ikeda in the face. Then, I grabbed Ikeda by the collar and pulled his face close.

“Hey… Cut it the hell out, okay? This is a battlefield! People dying isn’t rare at all! …And yet, you’re terrified of a target just because it’s oversized, you’re getting your comrades killed with mismanaged orders, and then you’re saying you can’t make a judgment and just want to die… You call yourself a party leader?! Listen. The people here are the type who can’t even move properly without a commander!! What are you going to do if you don’t get your act together?! At this rate, every single person in this party is going to die because of you, you hear me?”

“GUGYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!”

Behind me, the multi-headed dragon let out a massive roar. It was as if it were saying, “Don’t you dare forget about me!”

“We’re in the middle of a conversation… shut up.”

I directed a sharp glare toward the multi-headed dragon, and the creatures that had been so vigorous just a moment ago suddenly began to falter. After silencing them by activating my skills 【Oni God Dominance】 and【Dread】 —I had reflexively used them both at once—I turned my face back to Ikeda.

“…So, what’ll it be? Retreat? Fight? Or do I step in as a sub after we change the conditions? Stop being a cowardly little brat forever!! Come on!! Spit out your best plan!!”

A small light returned to Ikeda’s hollow eyes. Perhaps regaining a bit of composure from my words, he gripped the arm that was clutching his collar and finally opened his heavy mouth.

“I-I understand!! I don’t care about the conditions anymore!! I don’t care what happens to me!! P-Please, Keita-kun… if you can, save my comrades!!”

“…Try to be able to make a decision by yourself for once… Time won’t wait. Sit there and watch, you coward.”

I let go of Ikeda’s collar as if throwing him aside and turned my face toward the boss who had been behaving itself.

“Sorry to keep you waiting. As an apology, I’ll be your opponent…【Servant Summon】!! Come!!”

Along with my shout, purple magic circles rose on both sides of me, and Momiji and Ulysses appeared from the circles accompanied by blue lightning.

“Danna-sama, your orders!”

“I was finally called, dechi!! You were too slow to call me, dechi!!”

“Sorry for the delay, but you two have work. We’re taking down the guy in front of us.”

“Understood.”

“Whoa, it’s huge, dechi… but it’s a chance to show off my power, isn’t it? My fists are howling, dechi!”

Momiji drew the sword from her hip and took a stance, while Ulysses began to move her small, thin arms like she was shadowboxing. After confirming my vassals were ready, I pulled my equipment out of the 【Item Box】.

“Right, let’s begin!”

And so, taking over for the Levia Guild, I ultimately ended up handling the subjugation of the boss of the “Dragon’s Den.”

ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー