My youth story cannot be a knight war

[This fierce blade was raised high, and Kousaka Kyosuke's eyes followed Ginoga's movements involuntarily, watching the blade split the sun hanging high in the sky into two halves. From this angle, this weapon and the legendary arrow that shot through the sun actually looked a bit similar at this moment. ]

[There is no doubt that once hit by this attack, Kousaka Kyosuke will die! ]

[Kousaka Kyosuke himself was aware of this, but he did not feel any fear in his heart.]

[He calmly loaded the six remaining neurotomy bullets into the magazine, closed the pistol and pointed it at Ginoga in front of him. At this moment, with a sword of Damocles hanging over his head, he felt calm in his heart.]

[Because Kousaka Kyosuke knew that he had done everything he could, and the current result was just because luck was not on his side, so his defeat was normal and he didn't feel much resentment. ]

[The knot in his heart that had been there for many years had already been untied some time ago, so now he has no burden and is not afraid of death at all. The only guilt he may have is that he doesn't want his family to fall into grief after learning of his death.]

[I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness.]

[Now, I just have to go. ]

[Kousaka Kyosuke silently recited this verse from 2 Timothy in his heart. He had inexplicably liked this passage when he first read the book, but he never thought that it would be applied to him now.]

[But it really suits him. For someone like Kousaka Kyousuke, dying on the battlefield might be a good destination.]

[However, if I have to say there is something I regret...]

[A white-haired figure appeared in his mind, and the corners of Kousaka Kyosuke's mouth silently curved up, and he spoke softly. ]

[“Don’t let yourself be restrained anymore, and… don’t be late again.”]

[In fact, from the first time they met, Kousaka Kyosuke had already seen that there was a shadow in Zaimokuza Yoshiki's smile, and it was that shadow that prevented his smile from becoming completely pure. ]

[Even though the two later became friends through continuous battles, Kousaka Kyosuke, who saw this, never mentioned it to Zaimokuza, or asked why his smile always seemed to hide something.]

[No matter how good a friend is, there are always wounds in their hearts that they don't want others to touch. Knowing this principle of interpersonal communication, Kousaka Kyousuke has always tacitly not asked about this matter, even though he knows in his heart that the rabbit will tell him the answer if he asks.]

[But he still hopes that one day, Zaimokuza will be able to tell him the reason in person, because this means that he has completely walked out of the shackles of that haze, just like he has now gotten rid of the knot in his heart. ]

[Now, as he approaches death, he no longer has any worries. ]

[“——Go to hell! GO!”]

[With Ginoga's sharp whistle, the huge tentacle blade slashed down fiercely. The front end of the blade could be seen splitting the air track due to the high speed, and the airflow made a ghostly hissing sound.]

[Kousaka Kyosuke calmly raised his gun to face the falling blade, his finger already on the trigger, ready to pull it hard.]

[The scene in front of him suddenly became blurry for a moment, and a tall figure appeared in his eyes.]

[That back figure is so familiar. Many people say that when children grow up, their fathers will no longer be tall in their eyes, but at this moment, Kousaka Kyosuke feels that this statement may be wrong. ]

[Whether it was when he was a child or now that he has grown up, this figure is still so tall and majestic in his eyes, like a mountain supporting Kousaka Kyousuke's entire world. ]

[Dad…]

[Kousaka Kyosuke silently recited his father's name, and looked at the back with a look of relief. ]

[——Am I a little closer to you now? ]

[The fingers wrapped in armor exert force and are about to pull the trigger——]

[Time seemed to freeze at this moment. Kousaka Kyosuke slowly opened his eyes and fell backwards in shock.]

[A hand pressed on his shoulder just now, pushing him back, and then a figure flashed past and appeared in front of Kousaka Kyosuke.]

【clang——————】

[The teeth-chattering sound of collision echoed along the entire road, as fierce as the sparks flying between two swords. ]

【"you--"】

[Kousaka Kyosuke, who was lying on the ground, raised his head. The black irises of his eyes reflected the white figure blocking the way ahead, and his voice was filled with unexpected emotional fluctuations.]

[“…Sorry, I’m late.”]

[The head covered with a black helmet turned and stared at him. The compound eyes that should have been scarlet were now pure purple, reflecting amber.]

[The wrist wrapped in white armor flips the Titan sword in his hand. The white pearls inlaid in the wrist armor turn purple in the flash and emit a dazzling light.]

[The retracted tip of the Titan Sword stretched out from the hollow blade, and a ray of purple light flowed on the blade at this time. The suddenly sharp blade easily cut the huge alien blade in half! ]

[“But it seems to have arrived just in time, isn’t it?”]

【"Mr. Kosaka"】

[Amid the shattering tentacles, Zaimokuza, who had transformed into his white nascent form, held the Titan Sword and turned to Kousaka Kyousuke behind him and said with a smile.]

[The pair of purple compound eyes reflected his surprised face, and a faint golden glow was hidden deep inside.]

31. New Power (Two-in-One)

Chiba Prefecture, Sakura Gakuen Junior High School, Health Room.

"We're finally here, Zaimokuza-san..."

When she saw "Zaimokuza Yoshiteru" arrive at the critical moment and rescue "Kousaka Kyosuke", Kousaka Kirino's tense heart finally calmed down, she breathed a sigh of relief, and then started complaining.

"Really? That stupid old man, I thought he should have changed, why is he still like that after becoming a policeman? He always tries to be a hero when he shouldn't be!"

"Not only did he plan to be a hero, but he even planned to have others hide it from me and mom after he died in the line of duty??? This time I will definitely complain to my dad and let him teach my current idiot brother a lesson when he returns! Let's see if he dares to act on his own without consulting his family when he becomes a policeman in the future!"

"Finally, uh--!!!"

Kyosuke Kousaka, who was far away in the infirmary of another high school, was also watching the light screen intently. When he saw that "Yoshiki Zaimokuza" lived up to everyone's expectations and arrived at the battlefield at the last minute, he just showed a relieved smile on his face, but suddenly he felt an extreme chill climbing up from his coccyx, making Kyosuke Kousaka shiver violently.

Moreover, this chill seemed familiar, just like the feeling he had when he was a kid and was naughty and glued his father's medal to his police uniform with glue, and his father stood behind him and watched him die without saying a word. It was like the devil had opened his eyes behind him.

However, this chill came and went quickly, and Kyosuke Kousaka quickly shifted his attention to other things.

"strangeness."

Kyosuke Kousaka stared at Zaimokuza holding the Titan Sword in the light curtain, with an indelible look of doubt in his eyes.

"I remember that this white Kuuga should be the most basic of all Zaimokuza's forms. Judging from his previous performance, this form's only feature is that it has stronger recovery capabilities, but it shouldn't have any special abilities."

“And if I remember correctly, the ability values ​​of Kuuga in this form are much weaker than those in other forms. How did he manage to use the Titan Sword to block the attack of No. 25? It’s obvious that he needs at least the purple form to fight head-on…”

"...Wait, Titan Sword???"

Kyosuke Kousaka finally discovered something was wrong. He hurriedly looked at the Titan Sword held in the hand of "Yoshiki Zaimokuza", staring at the big sword with an incredible look in his eyes.

“Isn’t the Titan Sword a weapon exclusive to the purple form? Even though Kuuga has the ability to transform objects of similar appearance into his own weapons, each form can only produce weapons specific to that form!”

"But why is it that Zaimokuza, who is now in the white Kuuga form, can use the Titan Sword that only the purple form has!?"

【"you……"】

[When he saw the familiar figure in front of him, Kousaka Kyosuke's tense body suddenly relaxed, and a smile appeared at the corner of his mouth. ]

[“You’re so slow.”]

【"hey-hey……"】

【Zaimokuza also reached out and touched the back of his head in embarrassment, and the two of them on the battlefield looked at each other and laughed.】

[Kousaka Kyousuke did not ask Zaimokuza how he had cured the poison and recovered, and Zaimokuza did not ask Kousaka Kyousuke why he did not seem surprised at his arrival.]

[This is a unique tacit understanding between them. After so many life-and-death battles together, some words are no longer necessary for them. The connection between the two of them is so close that they can understand each other's thoughts even if they are separated by two places.]

[However, compared to the indifference that Kousaka Kyosuke showed when Zaimokuza, who was originally seriously injured and dying, appeared here, the other intelligent creature at the scene was not so calm at all. ]

[“——How is it possible!?”]

[The severed tentacles were waving wildly due to the excitement of the main body. Ginoga, who was in the shell of this giant plant, saw Zaimokuza appear in front of him through the eyes generated outside the body surface and blocked the attack for Kousaka Kyosuke who was originally doomed to die. His voice was full of horror and disbelief.]

[“KUUGA! Shouldn’t you be dead by now!?”]

[“You’ve clearly been poisoned by me, how is it possible that you’re still here now!”]

【Ginoga said he couldn't accept the fact that Zaimokuza was still intact.】

[No one in the world knows better than it how deadly its toxin is. It is no exaggeration to say that, let alone the players of the 'ME' and 'GO' groups, Ginoga feels that even the referees of 'RA' will be completely killed after being poisoned, even if they don't die.]

[This is not an exaggeration. Even before he had the power he has now, Ginoga's toxins were so toxic that they could easily kill Gurongi of the same level. Not to mention now, he is fully confident that he can kill Gurongi of the GO Group who are one level higher than him with his enhanced toxins. This is also Ginoga's proud trump card.]

[But this confidence in its own poison was completely shattered after Zaimokuza appeared. It couldn't believe it at all. How could someone appear again just one day after being poisoned by its poison? And even seemed to be unharmed???]

[——Let alone the current KUUGA, even 'Him' may not be able to do this! ]

[When this self-confidence in his own abilities was shattered by facts, it was replaced by incomparable madness and hysteria. Ginoga would never admit that anyone was immune to his toxins. He would never admit it! ]

[“Even if you appear here now, so what! You just came to my door on your own initiative!”]

[Ginoga stared at Zaimokuza who turned around because of his roar, and saw that he still maintained his newborn form. The panic in his heart that he didn't want to admit to himself slowly subsided at this moment, and there was even a hint of smugness. ]

[Right! How could someone be intact after being poisoned by himself? Even if KUUGA could be cured, it must have cost him a great price. The fact that he still maintains his white form is proof of that!]

【Ginoga is naturally very familiar with Kuuga's abilities, as he is the old enemy who has been entangled with his clan since ancient times. He knows that in addition to the four color forms with unique abilities, he also has a white form that does not have any special abilities, but has very strong recovery and endurance. It can be said that this form is used to save lives.】

[But as a price, this form's power is overwhelmingly inferior to all other forms. Even that useless bat from the 'ZU' group can beat up Kuuga in this form. And Ginoga can easily kill more than a hundred of the Goomas! ]

[This immediately made Ginoga feel relieved, and he felt that he was able to do it again, and then he challenged Zaimokuza in a ferocious tone. ]

[“I thought you were dead. I can get special points in the game by killing GO, but it doesn’t matter if you are not dead!”]

[“GO has been beaten so badly that he can’t stand up. Even if you come, you’re just one person. I can kill both of you at once! This time, I will take both of your heads to that woman from ‘RA’ to get the reward I deserve!”]

[“Although there is something I want to say to Mr. Kosaka… but it seems that now is not the right time.”]

[Zaimokuza, holding the Titan Sword, looked up at Ginoga and said calmly, his voice changing from a smile.]

[“At least if we want to have a quiet conversation, we have to get rid of this invasive plant first.”]

[“Are you okay on your own?”]

[Kousaka Kyousuke said as he stood up with all his strength, and walked to Zaimokuza's side with a serious look, and stood shoulder to shoulder with him, and together they looked up at the strange plant in front of them that blocked the sun and cast a shadow.]

[“Although I don’t want to admit it, the strength of No. 25 is indeed far beyond the unconfirmed life forms that appeared before it. If any of us fight it alone, the result will be more losses than wins. Only by joining forces can we ensure that it will be expelled, just like the previous battle in Shinjuku District.”]

[“But now I’m——cough cough!!!”]

["Mr. Kousaka!?"]

[Just halfway through his speech, Kousaka Kyosuke suddenly felt a sweetness in his throat, and then he covered his mouth in pain and started coughing. ]

[“Ahem… As you can see, my injuries no longer allow me to engage in any high-intensity combat.”]

[Kousaka Kyosuke stopped coughing and looked at the blood on his palm. He smiled bitterly and said to Zaimokuza who turned around and looked at him.]

[“…I’m sorry. I’m afraid it will be difficult for me to provide you with support from now on.”]

【"It doesn't matter."】

[Zaimokuza shook his head, took a big step to the front of Kousaka Kyosuke, and said while blocking the severely injured Kousaka behind him.]

[“Mr. Kosaka, you’ve done well enough. Take a good rest now.”]

[“——Number 25, just let me handle it.”]

[He looked up at Ginoga, his voice gradually becoming colder, and every word he said was as if he had ice in his mouth with a stinging chill.]

[“I still have a debt to settle with it… Thanks to it, I had a good dream.”]

[“Are you sure?”]

【Zaimokuza did not respond to his question this time.】

[He just turned his back to Kousaka Kyosuke and raised his right hand, giving a thumbs up.]

【Looking at that familiar thumb, Kousaka Kyosuke smiled, and he retreated a little bit, speaking softly.】

[“Then everything from now on is up to you. Don’t lose.”]

[“Please rest assured. Although it may sound arrogant to say this, I really feel that I am now——”]

[Because of his position, Kousaka Kyosuke did not see that Zaimokuza's compound eyes changed little by little as he spoke, and soon turned from purple back to its original red.]

[But Zaimokuza still held the Titan sword tightly in his hand. He stared at the dark shadow that blocked out the sun and sky with his red eyes. His voice was clear and peaceful, and every word he said was as melodious as the sky.]

[Faintly, a different color from before gradually spread out from the center of his compound eyes, dyeing the fiery red with a hint of golden color.]

[“It seems like anything can be done.”]

[“Go to hell!!!”]

[What responded to Zaimokuza's words was a roar at the top of his lungs and dozens of tentacles shooting out at him.]

[Ginoga's originally severed tentacles were repaired at an extremely fast speed during the time the two of them were talking. It showed no mercy to Zaimokuza, and countless flexible tentacles stabbed at Zaimokuza from all directions and angles. The momentum of the tips tearing through the air was like a volley of arrows fired at two armies in ancient times! ]

[But facing such an attack that covered the entire surrounding area, Zaimokuza did not dodge at all, and allowed those tentacles to pierce his position. ]