My youth story cannot be a knight war

"Look! Mr. Policeman! I knew there was something fishy about this guy. He was dressed suspiciously and kept staring at these kids. He must have some bad intentions towards them!"

A group of women suddenly appeared from somewhere. They quickly carried away the little girl who was in a daze in front of the mysterious man, and protected her together with several other children who were unaware of the truth. They looked at the handcuffed mysterious man through the police and spoke in the same angry and unfriendly tone.

"Luckily we saw it, otherwise who knows what would have happened to these children! Mr. Policeman, you saw it too, right? He was trying to do something to the child just now!"

"Well, I've already recorded this scene with the patrol camera. Don't worry, this man will definitely receive a fair trial!"

The police nodded solemnly, then handcuffed the mysterious man's other hand. The second sound of the cross-cuffs brought the mysterious man back to his senses.

“—Wait a minute!?”

Suddenly realizing that something was wrong, the mysterious man felt cold sweat instantly soaking his back and forehead. When he was pulled up by the police, he began to explain in a hurried tone.

"Wait a minute! I'm not a suspicious person! I don't intend to do anything bad to these children! I was just talking to this child! I have no ill intentions!"

As if feeling that this excuse was not strong enough, the mysterious man continued to speak.

"And I know Mr. Kosaka from your police department! I know him! He can vouch for me! I'm really not some suspected criminal!"

Gripping the mysterious man's handcuffed right wrist tightly, the policeman spoke slowly.

"First of all, whether the second half of your first sentence is true or not will not be determined by your explanation, nor by my judgment. It will be determined by the police based on your testimony after we return to the police station. So you still have to come with me."

"Please rest assured that the Chiba Prefecture Police Department will never wrongly accuse a good person, but we will also never let go of a criminal suspect."

"And the second point..."

Having said that, the policeman's eyes suddenly became sharp. He stared at the mysterious man who was sweating profusely, and his tone was as cold as ice.

"—Who in the world doesn't know Mr. Kosaka? If you're going to make up an excuse for running away, at least make it sound convincing. Are you insulting the intelligence of all of us police officers with such a moronic excuse?! How could Mr. Kosaka possibly know a criminal suspect like you?"

"Then why don't you just be more straightforward and say you are Zaimokuza Yoshiki, Mr. Zaimokuza!"

"me--"

Looking at the people who were gradually gathering in the park because of what was happening here, and listening to the mocking words of the police, the mysterious man was sweating profusely, but he could not stammer out complete sentences.

"And the first half of your first sentence is a paradox! You're dressed like a typical suspicious person, but you say you're not a suspicious person. Who would believe that?!"

The police regarded the mysterious man's behavior as a sign of guilt, and scanned him up and down again. This time, the police officer's eyes were as sharp as a laser scalpel, and he wanted to see clearly how the mysterious man cut his flesh and bones.

"This act of completely covering your face, afraid of being seen...are you a fugitive?"

As soon as this guess came out, the police was shocked, and the onlookers behind him who heard this sentence immediately moved away from the two of them by more than three meters, and at the same time stared at the mysterious man in airtight clothes with uncertainty.

——Indeed, the more I look at him, the less he seems like a good person! He should be arrested!

In just a few words, his identity was officially upgraded from a suspected child molester to a fugitive criminal. This triple jump in charges left the mysterious man stunned and completely speechless.

When he saw the policeman stretching his other hand towards his face, the mysterious man suddenly shuddered all over, hurriedly leaned his upper body back to avoid the hand, and spoke without thinking.

"Wait! I'm really not a criminal! I have to do this for a reason! Please! Don't pull the mask and sunglasses off my face!"

"Still quibbling!"

After hearing the mysterious man's explanation, the police felt that his guess was correct. He immediately frowned, ignored his resistance, grabbed the sunglasses and mask on the mysterious man's face with his hands, and pulled them down hard.

"Just let me see! What kind of heinous crime is hidden under that face of yours—"

The policeman's hands were holding sunglasses and masks, flying in the air. Looking at the face that appeared in front of him, his originally solemn expression turned into a daze in an instant.

pat.

The black velvet hat fell off his head due to the entanglement between the two. After losing the restraint of the hat, his pure white hair stretched freely in the air.

And it wasn't just him. Everyone around him, without exception, had their expressions frozen in an instant when they saw the face of the mysterious man after his costume was taken off.

Everyone present fell into a strange stillness, and this silent atmosphere continued to spread outward. When all the people who came nearby saw the face of the mysterious man, they all fell into the same state one after another.

It was as if a silent magic was cast throughout the park, and the material medium that activated this magic was the face of the mysterious man revealed after he was forced to undress.

The little girl who was originally talking to him looked at the true face of the strange yet kind big brother through a group of adults, her eyes and expression were extremely dull.

Looking at the other person's face, which was almost identical to the one she regarded as her hero and idol, only a little younger, the little girl's murmur echoed in the silent crowd.

"Zamokuza...sir???"

"Gudong~!"

His throat was moving up and down violently. When he saw that everyone had stopped denouncing him and had fallen silent, Zaimokuza Yoshiki not only did not feel relieved, but instead felt a sticky sensation like snake scales spreading up his spine.

This scene, which was full of déjà vu, awakened him from the nightmares of the past few months. Anticipating how the situation would develop next, Zaimokuza no longer cared about anything else and took the opportunity to break free from the police's dazed and powerless grip, and bent down to pick up a gift box in a plastic bag beside the bench.

Then Zaimokuza looked at the little girl who was staring at him blankly in the crowd, forced a stiff smile on his face, and said.

"Performance...you must keep up the good work!"

After saying this, he bent down and slipped out from the gap between the crowd while still wearing handcuffs. People who had not yet reacted subconsciously focused their eyes on his back. This silent but identical movement was permeated with an indescribable sense of terror.

Everyone in the park watched as Zaimokuza ran towards the park exit at a very fast pace. His back was as agile as a large hare, and even an eagle might not be able to catch him.

When Zaimokuza's back disappeared around the corner of the park, people still didn't react and just stared blankly at the corner where he disappeared.

One second, two seconds, three seconds... ten seconds.

Then, a shout that shook the entire park area rang out, attracting the attention of countless people.

"Y-It's Zaimokuza-san! It's really him!"

"He's here! He's here! Alive! Alive!"

"Wait! Don't go! Mr. Zaimokuza! Please teach me how to become a hero like you!!!"

Everyone realized who they had just seen and immediately became agitated, running towards the dust in the park.

Those children were completely forgotten at this time. In the dust, they all stared blankly at the crowd rushing towards the park exit. Even the brother and sister who were grabbing each other's cheeks had the same dazed expression, completely unaware that their faces had been pinched and swollen.

"Mr. Zaimokuza...hehe~"

Dust filled the air before his eyes, but the little girl who was talking to Zaimokuza didn't show any sign of abnormality. Instead, she clasped her hands in front of her chest with a hazy expression and let out bursts of silly laughter.

"Just now, I saw Zaimokuza-san alive and talked to him... Hehehe~"

……

"Help, help!!!"

Zaimokuza, holding a gift box, ran hard down the street, and a long line of people had formed behind him, all chasing after him with fanatical expressions.

This scene is not so much about people chasing after an idol they worship, but more like a group of hunters chasing after a single prey, and wanting to eat it alive after catching it.

This is Zaimokuza's daily life now. When he was almost chased by the crowd and almost jumped into the river several times, he decisively learned to disguise his entire body.

It's not just him. For all the characters who have appeared in the "story", how to disguise themselves has now become a compulsory course in life. There are even special people to teach them, and the country provides master-level disguise technology courses free of charge.

But plans can never keep up with changes. When Zaimokuza looked out of the corner of his eye at the crowd of at least hundreds of people behind him that was still increasing, he almost suffered a cardiac arrest. He held the birthday present he bought for Kousaka Kyosuke in his arms more tightly.

Heart-wrenching wails echoed in the sky above Chiba Prefecture, accompanied by tearful cries for help.

"——Help! Mr. Kousaka! Hachiman!!!"

Zaimokuza ran past a street, and the enthusiastic crowd rushed towards him like a tsunami. This scene made someone in the alley who had immediately hidden after hearing his shouts break out in a sweat, and he couldn't help but hide his body even more tightly.

"Zaimokuza, that guy, I told you not to dress so ostentatiously, or else something bad will happen sooner or later..."

Taking off the mask on his face slightly to breathe, Hikigaya Hachiman's eyes twitched slightly as he complained that he could only express his silent condolences and helplessness towards Zaimokuza now.

If he went up, he would just be one more person being chased, which would be the worst nightmare for a person with semi-social anxiety.

"'A friend's death is better than my own'... So for my safety, I'll trouble you to make the sacrifice."

After finishing his dressing, Hikigaya stuck his head out of the alley and bowed deeply to the trail of people disappearing from his sight. This inexplicable action attracted the attention of several people nearby.

——Four months after the end of "The Story of Savior", as the future hero who saves the world, Zaimokuza Yoshiki is still living an amazing life being hunted by fans.

——Recorded by: Hikigaya Hachiman.

"Wait, with those eyes, could it be that you are... Mr. Zaimokuza's deceased friend, Hikigaya Hachiman!?"

"..."

--correct.

——Four months after the end of "The Story of Savior", Hikigaya Hachiman and Zaimokuza Yoshiki, former best friends of the future hero who would save the world, supported each other through the difficult times. After running from noon to nearly dark, they finally managed to escape from the pursuit of the fanatical crowd.

2. Trainee Hero's Mission (7K)

Beautiful pictures.jpg

Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo.

The rolling tide crashes against the towering reefs, breaking into balls of white foam on the rocks, and then recedes again with the incoming waves, repeating this process over and over again.

The hem of the classic Chelsea-style black windbreaker worn by police inspectors swayed in the oncoming strong wind, blowing up the messy black short bangs and revealing the resolute face and black eyes.

“…I knew that a long time ago.”

Standing on the rocky cliff by the beach, gazing at the distant horizon where the sky and the sea meet, Kousaka Kyosuke exhaled from his open mouth. The breath turned into hot white mist in the extremely low temperature, and the mist brushed across his slightly blurred eyes.

“Perhaps justice, from the very beginning, has only been a beautiful fairy tale woven by adults for children, while darkness is not the fault of the world, but an illusion given to us when our eyes are covered.”

His pupils reflected the clear blue yet bottomless sea water under the cliff. Kousaka's eyes were haggard and difficult to conceal, but within the gloomy negative emotions there was a faint glow like a campfire.

"Adults teach children that there is no darkness in the world, but I have witnessed with my own eyes the darkness that exists in the world."

He looked up, watching the clouds gradually being covered by dark clouds. The azure blue, which was brighter than the sea, was gradually being obscured by shadows. Only at the end of the high sky still existed a scorching sun.

Even though it was shrouded in darkness, the sun still broke through the darkness and cast a tiny ray of light onto the world below. All of this light was concentrated on Takasaka, who was standing on the corner of the sea cliff. The gathered light dispelled the darkness that was gradually descending on the world as it darkened.

And when the sun was completely obscured by the overlapping black clouds, the light lingering around Kousaka did not dissipate, but flowed around him like a swarm of attracted fireflies.

But the original relationship of priority has been completely reversed at this moment. It is no longer the case that the light is concentrated on Kousaka, but because of Kousaka's existence, the light can bloom in the dim world. He has become the only light in this darkness.

"But even so, I have never regretted my original choice, because beyond the darkness of this world, I have also seen the existence of light... even if that light is so insignificant compared to the darkness."

“But it was that fleeting ray of light that confirmed to me that my perseverance had meaning.”

Holding a revolver in his right hand with the bright silver and gold inscription "Made in police station" on the barrel, Kousaka stared at his young face reflected in the barrel. At this moment, his eyes did not have the slightest youthful vigor, but were burning with a firmness and determination as blazing as fire.

"I have made up my mind. Whether it is the despair of the future where the Gurongi will eventually awaken, or the terrifying darkness that surges into the human world, I will fulfill my duty as a police officer and use this gun and my body as a shield to protect the people."

"Even if I have lost the power of the G1 system, I will not be afraid. I always believe that human courage is the strongest power that surpasses everything."

The palm holding the gun handle slightly increased its strength, and Kousaka's eyes were firm but slightly dim, and he spoke softly.

"Because... this is the agreement between that guy and me. I will definitely protect people's smiles in his place."

"Even if I'm alone, I won't back down, but..."

Putting down the raised revolver, Kousaka lowered his head, his eyes lonely and he murmured softly.

"Even so, I prayed in my heart that after that guy left, I would have another... close friend who could fight alongside me."

He suddenly turned his head to the side, staring at this place, with a new light in his eyes, and spoke in a solemn and hopeful tone.

"And that person—will it be you?"

Click.

The black card with "Episode 54" written on it suddenly closed in front of the camera, blocking Kousaka's affectionate gaze in the camera, and also announcing the loneliness of this photo shoot.

"Click~ Work is over!"

The man in the vest and sunglasses wearing a director's hat clapped his hands and spoke loudly with a satisfied expression.

As his voice fell, the dark-clouded sky and the vast ocean disappeared along with the shutting off of the second-floor special effects lights, revealing two long wrinkled green cloths above and below. The remaining several newest special effects cameras aimed at Takasaka were also shut down one by one, and those firefly-like views were extinguished one by one.

After all the special effects were removed, the cliff facing the sea and the sky where Kousaka had originally stood disappeared, and turned into a platform stacked with green screens, and he had been reciting the long string of lines on this platform for his performance.

"Perfect~! Kousaka-kun, this is amazing! The finished product is definitely the best one we've ever filmed!"

The director wearing sunglasses rubbed his hands as he walked into the semicircular space surrounded by a green screen. He looked at Kosaka who was still in the same posture on the podium and said happily.

"Thank you for your hard work! All filming ends here. Thank you, Kosaka-kun, for your help over the past month."

"It's nothing. Although it's a bit hard, it's what I should do."

Kosaka nodded and walked down the platform before handing the director the inscribed revolver that had been custom-made for him by the Metropolitan Police Department, his face still maintaining that deep expression.

"Hmm? Kousaka-kun, the filming is over, huh? You don't have to make that filming expression anymore."

The director took the revolver and looked at the expression on Kousaka's face, tilted his head, and said with some confusion.

"Well..."