My youth story cannot be a knight war

Even someone as calm and composed as Kousaka couldn't help but turn pale beneath his mask when he saw the other party's incredible way of resolving the situation. Zaimokuza, standing in front of Baberu, was equally incredulous.

"Is this all you have?"

Baberu turned his head, and was less than a palm's length away from Zaimokuza's face. The hot air from his mouth sprayed onto Zaimokuza's face, but it brought a coldness that was completely opposite to the temperature.

Baberu's arms, held by Zaimokuza, suddenly trembled. A force as powerful as the bearings of a cruise ship erupted from his arms like a volcano, directly shaking Zaimokuza's hands apart. He then reached out and grasped Zaimokuza's left wrist. Before Zaimokuza could react, the hand holding his wrist instantly unleashed an even more terrifying force, pulling him forward!

[“Wow!”]

Amid Zaimokuza's distorted screams, Baberu roars and spins abruptly. Sparks of fire far hotter than before erupt from the bone horns of his shoulders and Kousaka's greatsword. The powerful force of inertia pulls the hilt from Kousaka's hand. Then, a dark shadow sweeps in from the side. Baberu actually lifts Zaimokuza with one hand, wielding him like a massive weapon!

Zaimokuza, swung up like a mallet, struck Kousaka, catching him off guard and sending him flying. Baberu then lifted his wrist, lifting Zaimokuza's body with it and bringing it down fiercely.

[Kousaka was knocked flying and crashed into a jewelry store. The heavy pillars of the store were directly broken, and the store's three-story height collapsed. He was completely buried by the falling steel and concrete.]

Zaimokuza, lifted and smashed by Baberu, landed on his back. The impact, like a landslide or tsunami, shook the surrounding ground, cracking in a dense, crisscross pattern around him. The immense recoil poured into his body from behind, and Zaimokuza's mind went blank for a moment, as if invisible hands were tampering with his internal organs. A thin, bloody mist spurted from the gap between his open mouth, and Baberu still held his wrist tightly.

Baberu lifted the fallen Zaimokuza again, this time throwing him like a baseball. Zaimokuza continued to roll across the ground for several dozen meters, his body curled up and he groaned in pain.

"Let's start with you, KUUGA!"

He reached out with both hands, grasped the two crescent-shaped magatama on his shawl, and plucked them from his grasp. Within his palms, they transformed at breakneck speed, transforming back into two identical long, heavy hammers. Baberu's gaze was fixed on Zaimokuza, who struggled to stand. Each step he took left a deep imprint on the tiles, the result of his immense weight crushing them.

"Hey, hey, hey, isn't this a bit too strong?"

Watching the situation on the screen completely reversed in an instant, from a near-victory to a crushing defeat, Sato Kazuma, lying on his bed munching on senbei, couldn't help but twitch his eyes. He subconsciously reached out to cover his kidneys. Just watching those throws and falls made him feel the pain, especially in his kidneys.

"Tsk~ I hope your kidneys can still be used later... That's not right? This guy can't even be considered human, right? Doesn't that mean kidneys won't spoil no matter how much you toss them? Damn! I'm so envious!"

Sato Kazuma swallowed the remaining senbei in his hand indignantly, and wiped the biscuit crumbs from the corner of his mouth with a pair of dead fish eyes. His expression was surprisingly calm, and he did not show any worry about the sudden change in the battle situation on the screen.

Despite being a complete NEET, Satou Kazuma is not like other otakus who are completely out of touch with society. On the contrary, he has a very high emotional intelligence, unique insights into the development of many things, and extremely keen observation skills. In this respect, he is almost comparable to Hikigaya Hachiman.

Now, from a God's perspective, he could see clearly that although the situation seemed extremely dangerous and critical, in fact, the scales of victory had silently tilted towards humanity.

"Ah~ Are you really going to risk your life to this extent? Officer Kousaka..."

Looking at the collapsed building debris in the upper left corner of the light curtain, Sato Kazuma paused for a moment while reaching for the senbei on the plate next to him. He, who had always acted out of tune, fell silent for a rare moment, with sympathy and compassion in his eyes.

At first, his impression of "Kousaka Kyosuke" was dissatisfaction and jealousy. The dissatisfaction came from the fact that the other party was a more handsome guy than himself, and the jealousy came from the fact that the other party was extremely popular with women, surrounded by beauties of all kinds, including loli girls, mature women, and rich women. Moreover, he himself was so outstanding in all aspects that he was simply a model of a winner in life.

But after watching for so long, those emotions had vanished without him noticing. Although he didn't show it, Sato Kazuma's impression of "Kousaka Kyousuke" was no longer one of jealousy, but rather of genuine admiration.

Compared to the other person's efforts, what he now gained was completely disproportionate to what he possessed, and Sato Kazuma thought to himself that if he were in his place, he would never be able to do the same thing as the other person. He had always been a person who did not cling to comparisons and had an open mind. Such people generally found comfort because few things could restrain their free and transparent souls.

"You clearly don't have much time left, yet you insist on participating in every battle against unidentified life forms... Do you really think you're Superman? Can't you just go to a nursing home and rest, finally resting as a human being?"

Sato Kazuma pounded his fist on the mattress beneath him, his heart full of confusion. A sense of inexplicable frustration slowly emerged, but in the end it all came out of his mouth with a genuine sigh.

"Damn it! Good people really don't get rewarded! This motherless world is so disgusting..."

[“Hmm…”]

The heavy footsteps echoing in his ears were like the sparks of Death's scythe dragging across the ground. Zaimokuza struggled to his feet. The familiar humming sound echoed from the spirit stone at his waist as the heavy armor spread across his body.

[Kuga·Titan Form·Elemental Awakening (Earth)]

The moment he finished transforming, two heavy hammers crashed down, and a fierce gale exploded overhead. Zaimokuza's mind moved, and a transparent ripple spread across the ground in front of him. A stone shield quickly rose, blocking the two.

The next moment, the stone shield, so strong it could withstand a rocket launch without a scratch, couldn't even hold out for a second before it shattered under the two hammers. This shield had easily blocked the full force of Number 21's concentrated fire elemental attack, and this scene proved that the power contained in a single Baberu strike completely surpassed the full force of the former ME Group's Gurongi!

The shattered fragments of the stone shield, driven by immense kinetic energy, shot out in all directions like bullets. The two massive hammers swept through the air ahead with terrifying force, but they missed their target.

Zaimokuza rolled downward without hesitation. His Titan form showed none of the courage he should have shown in the face of an enemy attack. Wrapped in heavy armor, he rolled like a ball under the two crossed giant hammers, dodging the attack and quickly standing up.

Baberu didn't pause for a moment. The two hammers, weighing at least tons, wielded them like two cheering batons. Only the shredding sound of the air, like a demonic roar, revealed the immense force of each blow. He swung the heavy hammers continuously, each movement imbued with a simple, primal beauty, like a ritual dance from a primitive era.

This continuous attack left Zaimokuza no room for hesitation. Three stone walls rose from the ground again under his command, but all of them repeated the same mistakes as before, being easily torn apart like paper. Then, the heavy hammer finally fell on Zaimokuza's body.

When the hammer struck Zaimokuza's right shoulder armor, a dazzling spark of fire lit up, and Zaimokuza was knocked to the ground. A deep indentation appeared on the shoulder armor, which was harder than diamond, and glaring cracks surrounded it. Crimson blood flowed from the small hole pierced by the spike.

The armor in his Titan form is essentially Zaimokuza's muscle, constructed by altering the atomic sequence. It's essentially a part of his body. Therefore, while its defense is strong, the pain is equally intense when it's broken.

[“Hmm…”]

Zaimokuza had just tried to stand up when another massive hammer, like a venomous snake, rose from below him and struck him squarely on the right side of his chest. He was sent flying backward amidst a shower of debris and blood. The blow felt like a battering ram pounding his heart. Not only did his breathing stop, but even his soul seemed to be shaken from his body.

Another similar dent appeared on the right side of his chest armor. If it weren't for the armor blocking most of the force, he might have suffered a heart attack! Zaimokuza stood up unsteadily, groping for the fragments of stone wall on the ground beside him. In an instant, a Titan sword emerged from his hand.

But the next second, the massive hammer struck the wrist holding his sword. It snapped with a resounding sound, and the newly acquired weapon fell to the ground in agony. Baberu showed no mercy, his hammers whistling with a terrifying force as they struck Zaimokuza in various places, sending up a shower of sparks and blood.

Zaimokuza danced like a puppet to the mighty hammer's blows. Just as the attack from below lifted him up, a blow to his back brought him to his knees, and then another blow sent him flying. His heavy armor was completely vulnerable to Baberu's hammer, easily ripping apart like cheap plastic. Fragments of armor and blood splattered everywhere, and Zaimokuza's agonized sobs echoed throughout the square.

This tragic scene made many people outside the light curtain turn their heads away, unable to bear to watch. They had all witnessed the battle experience of "Zaimokuza Yoshiteru" so far, but in all the battles, scenes like this were extremely rare, and each time was touching.

Wenyue High School, Class F, Year 2.

"Damn it! This guy is deliberately torturing Mr. Zaimokuza!"

Yoshii Akihisa clenched his fists in anger. The girls had already turned around, screaming at the bloody scene, and the boys' faces were extremely pale. Everyone saw it. After all, if No. 36 really wanted to kill "Zaimokuza Yoshiki", a single hammer blow to the back of the head would easily kill him. With its control and skill, it was impossible for it to be impossible.

So it was completely intentional, with the purpose of toying with and causing more pain to Zaimokuza Yoshiki, without any disguise.

"It's truly unbearable... but this also exposes a huge flaw in you, Number 36."

Sakamoto Yuji's expression was as cold as a mask made of ice. He folded his arms across his chest and watched the torture unfold in the light curtain. His palms were also clenched into fists, and a sharp light flashed in the depths of his eyes that could rival a sword.

"Exposing your back to the enemy is a big taboo on the battlefield!"

【"drink!"】

【"Well……"】

Baberu roared, raising both hammers and bringing them down, striking Zaimokuza's shoulder armor once again. He half-knelt on the ground, his armor completely shattered. But even though his body was covered in blood, he still looked up at Baberu standing before him with an unyielding look, and reached out with both hands to tightly grasp the long shafts of the two huge hammers stuck on his shoulders.

【"sucker Punch."】

Baberu spoke in a cold tone, and immediately tried to pull the hammer out of Zaimokuza's hand. However, the force coming from Zaimokuza was unexpectedly strong. He tried to pull the hammer back several times but failed to regain control of the weapon. The hammer stuck in the shoulder armor rubbed against the bio-armor with a harsh sound as the two struggled. Blood dripped from the wound like a curtain, but Zaimokuza didn't even utter a grunt of pain.

【"!?you--"】

Baberu only then sensed something was amiss. Why was the other party still struggling so relentlessly after being beaten so horribly? A foreboding premonition began to ring alarm bells in his mind. Furious and startled, he immediately increased his strength to break free from the blockade of the woodblock.

But at this moment, a robotic male voice suddenly rang out from behind Baberu, and an overwhelming sense of crisis exploded within him like a firecracker.

【『Exceed charge』】

【『Exceed charge』】

【『Exceed charge』】

Three prompt tones sounded in succession, like the three knocks made when the god of death knocks on the door with his fingers.

7. Sleipnir (5K)

Blue, purple, and red, three colors of light suddenly seeped out from the cracks in the ruined building that buried Kousaka Kyosuke. In a short period of time, they grew from weak to strong, and finally the three colors of light shone so brightly that they even suppressed the sunlight in the sky.

A violent shockwave erupted from beneath the ruins, lifting all the building debris and revealing the shrouded figure below. Kousaka gripped his crossbow in one hand, his green compound eyes flickering with different lights.

The three-colored light, representing different elements, rapidly converged from all directions toward the crossbow's firing port. Flames ignited from nowhere, then, fueled by the wind, grew larger and more intense. A small, earthy-yellow sphere coalesced within the fireball, a brilliant, lava-like color flickering across the sphere, releasing astonishing heat and steam. The debris of buildings surrounding Takasaka began to silently burn under the heat, and the steel and concrete transformed into fiery red molten iron, flowing across the ground.

The G1 system can transform into a corresponding form when using different crystal cards. Based on this, when the same crystal card is used again, it can recharge itself and launch a powerful attack, which is commonly known as a special move.

[This doesn't mean charging is only possible when using the corresponding crystal card. In fact, this design is to limit the G1's own power output, which also serves as a disguised safety device. The G1's original power value is already quite astonishing. If additional crystal cards are used to enhance charging, the energy output will exceed the system's original safety limit, thus placing a heavy load on the wearer.]

From this perspective, it can be said that the G1 system that Kosaka originally used was actually always in a restricted state, and it had never been truly fully unleashed. Even the golden crystal card, which was originally used for overload charging, only truly unleashed about 50% of the system's power.

Because the G1 is already so horribly corrosive even in its restricted state, unleashing full power would mean the wearer's already existing side effects would be exacerbated. This applies to every aspect of the system. Therefore, to prevent Kousaka, the wearer, from causing an untimely death through reckless behavior, Ebina has not yet informed him of this possible use of the system.

Although she didn't say it, Kousaka wasn't stupid. To some extent, he now knew the system better than Ebina, its creator. While there were many hidden dangers, ever since the Gotoba incident, Kousaka felt as if his proficiency in using the G1 system had inexplicably improved dramatically. Many previously unclear methods now appeared in his mind without any instruction.

He also roughly knew the reason. All these changes had begun in Gaiba Village, or rather, after meeting No. 0.

When Number Zero said goodbye to them, he had patted Kousaka's shoulder. A powerful energy surged through Number Zero's palm, burning a clear handprint on his windbreaker where it had touched him. Even the skin beneath it was left with the same mark, which only faded recently.

At first, Kousaka thought it was just a show of force, but as the incident unfolded, he suddenly realized there was more to the situation. But why would Zero do such a thing? This has always been a shadow lingering in Kousaka's heart... Why would he do this? What good would it bring to him if the human race's combat power increased?

【Is it just to make me stronger? 】

However, this doubt didn't last long. The continuous slaughter from the Gurongi left him no time to think about anything else. He threw himself fully into the final confrontation with these monsters. After all, no matter what evil the other party did, the increase in his own strength was ultimately a good thing for humanity as a whole.

[——Even if it costs me more than before.]

The G1 display on his waist flashed with totemic symbols representing the elements Earth, Wind, and Fire. Powerful energy shot out from the belt, flowing along Kousaka's arm toward the crossbow he held tightly in his palm. The various elements flowed into the pearls and jade inlaid in the crossbow, blending into a brilliant light like a kaleidoscope.

[“Hmm——”]

This force was so overwhelming that Kousaka felt as though various instruments of torture were being used to torture his right arm. The intense pain distorted his features beneath the mask, forcing him to reach out with his other hand to grip his right wrist, maintaining the firing port's direction.

The armor covering his right arm began to crack from the shoulder, like broken ceramic. A dazzling array of colors shot out from the cracks. The fireball burning in front of the firing port had almost shrunk to the same size as the sphere encased in the center. This did not mean that the power was beginning to disappear, but rather that it was completely compressed.

All this seemed to take a long time, but from the moment Baberu heard the voice and turned around, it was only five seconds. And within those five seconds, the sense of crisis within him shifted from a cascading waterfall to a tsunami, completely washing over him.

Baberu, sensing the immense power behind him, felt the true threat of death for the first time in his life. Even on that night in the ancient past when he was sealed away, facing that skinny but incredibly powerful monster, he had never felt such a strong aura of death—because the monster at that time had no idea what "killing" meant.

Uncontrollable fear gradually spread from the depths of Baberu's soul. This had nothing to do with the strength of Baberu's willpower; it was simply the natural fear of a living being facing impending death. This impending attack could threaten his own life!

【"Yeah!"】

It stared at Zaimokuza before it, its voice booming like the rise and fall of a hydraulic press. Feeling the end of the hammer handle, immobilized as if in a vise, Baberu finally understood why the opponent still retained such strength. This was a complete trap. The mortal enemy before him might have been at a disadvantage in previous encounters, but it definitely shouldn't be so one-sided. The opponent was deliberately acting this way to paralyze him.

I never thought I'd fall for the same clever trick twice... Baberu's upper and lower teeth rubbed against each other, sparks flying, and he roared ferociously.

"You're actually resorting to such low-level trickery! Where's your honor as a warrior?! KUUGA!!!"

Although Zaimokuza didn't understand the Gurongi language, he sensed the anger within the other party's words and realized his disguise had been exposed. He immediately tore off his disguised powerlessness without hesitation.

He had appeared to be on the verge of death, but he leaped up like a crouching tiger, dodging Baberu's furious hammer as it swung towards his head. He then positioned himself behind him, raised his hands to grab his shoulders, and with a powerful twist, switched their directions.

"Mr. Kousaka! Now!"

He looked ahead at Kousaka, who was already poised to attack, and shouted after restraining the struggling Baberu. Baberu swung his huge hammer in anger, but was completely unable to hit Zaimokuza, who was in a blind spot behind him.

"Damn it! Get out of here!!!"

The light ahead flickered even brighter, and the sense of crisis coursing through his heart had already overwhelmed him to the peak of his life. Baberu's limbs erupted with immense power, and Zaimokuza felt as if his hands were locked around a rotating steel axle. Under this explosive force, he was flung directly forward. It must be said that this was a very wrong move.

[Because this meant that the hunter had finally lost his last bit of concern. When he saw Zaimokuza being thrown out of attack range by Baberu's struggle, Kosaka, who had been waiting for the opportunity after accumulating strength, pulled the trigger of his crossbow without hesitation.]

The sonic boom, resulting from the speed-of-sound surge, erupted at the firing port. Even crouching, the force, like a collapsing building, toppled Kousaka. The jewels inlaid on the crossbow he gripped tightly in his hand cracked under the surging elements, and the firing port shattered into pieces. This condition is commonly known as a barrel explosion; the weapon reached its limit and was damaged the moment the attack was launched.

Rather than an arrow, what Takasaka fired was more like a meteor falling from the sky. Enveloped in a sound barrier cloud, the blazing white fireball traced a long, electric arc trail through the air. The torrent of sound and wind lifted everything around it. Following the path of the blazing white arrow, the ground melted by the brutal heat, forming a long, white-red vertical stripe of molten lava and molten iron.

The moment Baberu shook off Zaimokuza, Kousaka pulled the trigger. And the moment Kousaka pulled the trigger again, the meteor struck the target's chest. Everything was perfectly timed, with the mechanical beauty of interlocking gears. But Baberu, witnessing this final process, felt no beauty at all, only heart-wrenching pain.

After the arrow struck its chest, the force contained within it erupted completely, a horizontal fire tornado spreading outward from the arrow's center. Molten, glowing iron splashed in a circular pattern from the arrow's tip. The resulting heat shattered the windows of every building along the street, instantly drying the leaves of every species of tree along its path, and then burned upward from the tail. Even the police officers hidden in the surrounding buildings found their clothes ablaze, screaming and slapping each other to put out the flames.

A powerful force pushed Baberu backwards, his feet scraping against the ground, lifting the tiles along the way one by one. Finally, with a sudden burst of force from his legs, the bricks piled up behind his heels, forming a pile several dozen centimeters high.

Baberu endured the intense, searing pain from the arrow that had struck him in the chest. He spread his hands, clenching them tightly into fists. This wasn't a compromise, but a sign of resistance to the end.

He gathered all his strength into his chest, his back gradually straightening. The arrow, like a slithering venomous snake, continued to deliver powerful kinetic energy. The tip of the arrow had already pierced the surface of the armor and sunk deep into the flesh. The contact of the flames and flesh brought an extreme pain that would drive a normal person mad.

[Injuries caused by burning are already the most severe of all physical injuries on this planet. Imagine a flaming arrow with a temperature of at least a thousand degrees Celsius breaking through your own defenses inch by inch and continuously piercing your body. The horrific pain this process would cause.]

Yet Baberu, facing such pain, managed to endure it. A low, muffled rumble brewed deep in his throat, replacing the wail he should have wailed. It was a sign of gathering strength. The arrow piercing his chest continued to advance deeper into his body, but compared to the initial impact, the power it possessed had noticeably decreased, and his form had visibly shrunk.

A roar like thunder suddenly erupted, Baberu raised his fists high and swung them hard towards the arrow in his chest.

As the elemental arrow came under attack from above, the energy that formed its form finally lost control. A powerful circular shockwave swept outward from Baberu, and the shorter buildings on either side of the street collapsed as the shockwave passed through.

[“Hmm——”]

Baberu looked down at his chest. The armor had been completely melted by the blow, and red juices dripped from the edges. The flesh inside had been burned black. A faint aroma of meat accompanied the rising white mist, which was extremely terrifying to the naked eye.

A three-colored, flowing "Wind" totem appeared above its wound, and powerful energy began to spread toward Baberu's belt. It immediately took a few unsteady steps back, bending down and covering the glowing wound on its chest with its right hand.

"How could I possibly die like this!!!"

[Zi——]

Baberu roared to the heavens, relying on his strong will to mobilize the energy in his body and surge it towards his chest. Like a bonfire meeting water, the totem quickly dissolved into golden smoke and dissipated.

"You can't even kill it like this!?"

Zaimokuza, who had climbed up, saw this and gritted his teeth. He reached out and broke off a burning branch from a nearby tree, and another Titan sword was formed from the branch. Zaimokuza, holding the sword, turned his head and shouted in the direction of Kousaka's shooting.

"Mr. Kousaka, hurry up now—!???"

A blue-black figure lunged forward, grabbing Zaimokuza's body with both hands before leaping upward. The two figures leaped toward the tall building above. Zaimokuza, forced to evacuate the scene, stared at the face so close before him, his heart filled with bewilderment.

"Mr. Kosaka, why—"