NOVEL NEXT Chapter 23 - But There Is Someone I Want to Punch, and There Is a Conviction I Want to Uphold
“A! But…”
“Hm?”
“Right now, what I want most is to punch someone!”
“Punch someone!? That’s not very peaceful…”
That an honor student like Kenya would have such feelings… Tanaka’s face shows continued surprise.
“Haha, yes. It’s not peaceful… but still.”
Am I supposed to just cry myself to sleep? There’s no way that’s happening.
Sato will probably keep succeeding, stepping on many corpses, forgetting even the ones he’s trampled. Before you know it, he’ll get married, have kids, take over his parents’ company, and build a happy home.
He’ll enjoy that ordinary happiness. Even though he’s spread malicious intent on a whim and destroyed the happiness around him. He’ll forget how many people he’s made unhappy. So…
“Justice has to win!”
My own personal justice. Upholding that justice everyone has within themselves.
Through violence. Is violence bad? I don’t care. Violence is the ultimate solution.
That’s a joke, of course. I know the impotence of justice without strength. So, is it meaningless? Is it meaningless without power? No, that’s not it. Being able to say no even when powerless is true strength and courage, my justice.
But I know the difficulty of upholding that conviction. The many who falter when powerless, the majority who cry themselves to sleep. So, I will punch him. Otherwise, my justice will break.
“Haha, justice! You surely know what that means. How green… and what a wonderful reason. Uphold it! I support you, as a comrade of the Sprout Alliance!”
“Yes!”
Tanaka smiles and gives a thumbs-up. I smile and give a thumbs-up back. Then, I leave the scene.
“…However, it’s a bit precarious.”
Tanaka thought, looking at my back. He liked my reckless nature but found it precarious, knowing his ally still had rough edges.
(I’ll look into it a bit, Kenya. Because I’ve taken a real liking to you.)
Straightforward and reckless, yet kind and warm. Hopelessly naïve, just an ordinary student aiming for the highest, trying to achieve everything and enforce justice.
Tanaka grew fond of Kenya, seeing so much of himself in him.
(If it’s you, maybe you can reach the top of that tower one day…)
…
“Alright! I’ll dive into the dungeon starting tomorrow!”
The deliveries start next month. So, I have one month of free time. In this month, I’ll surpass Sato.
And…
“I’ll make you apologize, Sato.”
With your favorite thing… ‘violence.’
…
Half a month later.
“I finally got it. And I leveled up my skills. With this…”
Evolve♪ Evolve♪ Evolve♪ Evolve♪
In the 13th level of the dungeon. A boy collects knight series equipment and performs alchemy. His goal is to gather the king series equipment. Then, to upgrade to even higher gear. Alone, using the alchemy only he is allowed in this world.
The boy with the king’s power seeks even greater strength. But only he knows this.
…
The day after Kenya evolved his equipment in the dungeon. On the way to school. Rough-looking high school students occupy most of a train car, making it even more crowded. No one could say anything.
“Sato! Lately, that guy hasn’t reacted at all!”
Sato’s crony A talks about the unresponsive bullying target.
“Ah, we’ll have to try something different. I don’t like his eyes. Let’s make him cry again!”
(I can’t stand it… he looks straight at me even though he’s weaker.)
Sato sits cross-legged, smoking, and is admonished by a righteous office worker. Everyone silently cheers for the office worker.
But the result is…
“Ugh!”
Followed, taken to an alley, punched in the stomach, and kicked until he vomits blood. This delinquent uses his violence on ordinary people too.
Onlookers hurry away, fearing Sato’s fury. Powerless justice can’t do anything against powerful evil. Ignoring it is the correct answer.
But there’s a boy who questions that correct answer, and Sato doesn’t know him yet.
(Ah, I’m so irritated… I should really beat that useless guy up. There must be a way to really mess him up.)
Then, Sato has an idea.
The perfect way to relieve stress.
＊
I don’t care about myself, but I can’t forgive anything about my sister.
＊
(He got really mad about his sister. That’s it!)
“Heh!”
With a weird laugh, the corrupt holy knight has a nasty idea. Publicly, openly, legally, beating that useless guy to near death.
(I’m a genius.)
And one poor girl gets caught in his cruel plan.
Kenya’s precious, precious girl faces malicious evil. He doesn’t know yet.
In the dungeon, desperately gathering and alchemizing equipment, Kenya doesn’t know yet. That his most precious thing is about to be hurt…
~
“Nana?”
Kenya goes to where Sato called him. There, a girl in a torn uniform sits on the cold ground, hugging her trembling body.
Seeing her brother, she tries to smile to not worry him, even though her eyes are red from crying.