The Raven Dark Hero 113

Chapter 113 : Different Thoughts

TL:SummerPeanut

After landing at Sendai Airport, the Hanagakitai members were picked up by the NDF Tohoku Branch and headed for the mountains in the vicinity.

Two armored cars were prepared, one with Fuuka and Yoshida, and the other with Azusa, Haruka, Watanabe, Okubo, and Kondo.

In the car, Yoshida spoke to Fuuka, who was as sorrowful as ever.

“I know we're on a mission but I'm gonna stretch out a limb here and say it. Fuuka, will you please get over yourself? I don't know how painful your hallucination was but Vendetta herself, who showed you the hallucination, said that it was just a lie.”

Now that they were no longer adversaries due to the new legislation, Vendetta came to see Fuuka. She told her not to worry about it because it was just a hallucination.

Of course, the psychological damage caused by the Nightmare Lure had not completely healed. But the fact that Bright had been purged by Kiryu…… The death of Kouki, combined with the hallucination of Kouki, had still not allowed Fuuka to recover.

“……I understand. I understand, but……”

“Besides, you'd better clear up Azusa and the others' misunderstanding. It's not possible that you were two-timing Kouki-sama and Bright.”

Neither Yoshida nor any other member of the team knew that Kouki and Bright were the same person.

Azusa has a personality that requires her to say outright what she thinks. She kept quiet for a while because Fuuka was in shock from the hallucinations but when the phenom attack in Japan had settled down, she asked Fuuka about it.

“Fuuka, you didn't cheat on Kouki and go out with Bright or anything, did you?”

Fuuka did not say anything in response. She was too upset to confirm or deny. The fact that Kouki was Bright was kept confidential by the general, Zaizen.

After that, Azusa became visibly rebellious towards Fuuka. It was the same for the other members who had a fondness for Kouki, though not as strong as Azusa's, and now Yoshida was the only conduit between Fuuka and the other members.

“There is no way that you would fall in love with a man other than Kouki-sama. I know that it is impossible for you, not you who was wasted away, to have been two-timing.”

Yoshida encouraged Fuuka when she was depressed when it was announced that Kouki was dead. Although this was partly due to her regret for having only one-sided feelings for him.

“Of course I’m not…….. I’m in love with Kouki-kun, not Bright……”

Despite her words, Fuuka looked unsure of herself, which made Yoshida feel a little uneasy. Still, Yoshida wanted to believe in Fuuka. She believed that the tears Fuuka had shown when she was so haggard that time was not a lie.

“……I know you're hiding something. Something about Kouki-sama and Bright… But I also know that it's not a love affair. So go ahead and talk about it. We're friends, you know.”

At Yoshida's words, Fuuka felt the urge to tell them the secret. But if she told them, it might cause damage not only to herself but also to her friends.

If they found out that Bright was Kouki, how would her friends who had affection for Kouki feel? However, what worried her more was Zaizen.

Zaizen had been formally promoted to the position of head of the NDF, a marshal, when public opinion was leaning in favor of the bill.

However, after his promotion to marshal, Zaizen’s cold personality became more prominent and he began to exercise strong authority over his troops, not allowing them to be idle at all.

After Bright's death, Fuuka was reminded only once by Zaizen. He told her never to divulge anything about Kouki and Bright.

Considering the current Zaizen, she could not know what punishment she would receive if she leaked the secret, and the same would be true for those who found out the secret. As their captain……. Or rather, as their friend. she would never expose them to such danger and so she had decided that it should never be leaked.

“One day…… When the day comes when I can say it, I will. But I can't say it now.”

“……I see. I understand. But the more time that goes by, no, if we don't do something about it, the sooner Hanagekitai will fall apart, do you understand?”

The dissolution of the unit. It would be a big branding for Fuuka as a soldier. Fuuka had already failed in the Byakkotai once, so a second failure would be fatal.

Still, it was better than putting her friends in danger. In fact, she even wanted to throw everything away and be free.

In the meantime, the car arrived at its destination.

The foot of the mountain. From here, they would have to investigate on foot along the roadless path.

“Let's go. We don't know what's going to happen, so for now, let's all work together.”

Fuuka, the captain of the team, made a suggestion, but Azusa refuted it.

“That's not very efficient, is it? Shouldn't we at least split up into two groups?”

The expression on her face and the tone of her voice clearly showed her dissatisfaction with Fuuka.

“Azusa, this is an order from the general.”

Yoshida took it in stride but Azusa's frustrated expression remained unchanged.

“I don't want to be betrayed by anyone. If that's the case, it's better for us to go our separate ways so that we can carry out our mission in peace.”

The other four nodded their heads in agreement with Azusa.

“You all, would you just……”

“It’s fine. Then, let’s split up.”

Fuuka interrupted Yoshida who was about to yell at Azusa. She didn't want to get into any more barren conflicts.

“Captain…… but then it will definitely……”

“I said it's fine. Well then, let's split up as per the dispatch when we came in. Is that alright with you?”

Azusa was even more annoyed with Fuuka, who listened to her request without arguing back, but decided to accept it without saying a word.

“Then, let’s go, everyone.”

Haruka, Watanabe, Okubo, and Kondo followed behind Azusa and disappeared into the forest.

Fuuka watched them with a feeling of helplessness.

“……Sigh.. I said that just now, but this could likely be Hanagekitai’s final mission.”

Yoshida shrugged her shoulders in exasperation. Still, Fuuka couldn't say anything…….

One hour after the scouting started.

Azusa's mind was not calm.

She was annoyed with herself for behaving that way towards Fuuka and also with Fuuka for not responding to her.

“Azusa, you don't have to force yourself to look bad, okay?”

Haruka called out to Azusa.

“Because, you know, why didn't Fuuka deny it properly? No matter how I look at her, if her expression is like that, it clearly says that she and Bright…… whatever, I won’t think about it anymore. But it's obvious that Fuuka is hiding something.”

Azusa, as well as the other four, no longer believed that Fuuka was having a two-way relationship with Kouki and Bright. Still, they were angry at Fuuka for not responding clearly to their suspicions.

“I’m sure she has her reasons. When the time comes, she will properly confide in us.”

“I can't go on feeling like this! Kouki died right in front of our eyes, you know? If Fuuka doesn't deny it properly, I'll feel sorry for Kouki!”

In Azusa and Haruka's minds, the scene of Kouki's death in front of their eyes remained strong.

If only they had been a little more clever, would Kouki be alive? If they had been able to believe in Kouki all along without being deceived by Hiro, wouldn't the future have been different? Such regret was engraved in their heart.

That's why Azusa wanted Fuuka, who was the last person to have a heart-to-heart with Kouki, to at least cherish the memory of him.

But Fuuka didn’t even respond to her suspicion. She believes her but she can't help but doubt. That's how she felt.

“We of Hanagekitai are all classmates, and our connections are like a precious treasure to me, you know? But if this keeps up, I……”

That's when it happened. Suddenly, a large black hole appeared in front of the six of them.

“Wha-......!?”

A black hole that may be as large as 20 meters in diameter. At this size, it would not be surprising if a giant phenom of level 9 class appeared.

“Everyone keep your distance!”

At Azusa's shout, everyone instantly took a distance of about 50 meters from the black hole.

Then, a huge dragon appeared from the black hole…….

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