A few days after entering the demon king’s territory.

　We proceeded while repelling the attacking monsters, taking turns and resting as we steadily advanced through the demon king’s territory.

　On the way, Suzune was in high spirits, saying, “Let’s go on a journey to exterminate the Demon King!” but after entering the demon king’s territory, we fought more battles with monsters than with the demon race.

　Many of the monsters that attacked us were of a type that we had never seen before, and yet they were strong, but with the three heroes, Usato, and Bluerin, it was not a problem.

 

『Yaa, Amako』

 

　Taking turns with Usato and Suzune, I closed my eyes, and the next time I opened my eyes, I could see the scenery of the foresight that I could see in my dreams, and in that scenery, a blonde-haired beastwoman was sitting in what looked like a translucent chair.

 

“…Why are you still here?”

『That’s quite a greeting.』

 

　Who is this person who calls me by name so familiarly and sits in my dreams?

　No, I understand that she is someone who has the same foresight magic as I do.

　I understand it, but that shouldn’t make me let my guard down.

 

『I told you, didn’t I? We’re connected.』

“… What do you want?”

『I just wanted to talk to you a little bit.』

“But first, tell me your name.”

 

　When you don’t give your name, it’s a problem before trust.

　When I pointed it out, she raised her index finger without changing her expression.

 

『Well, can you guess?』

“…”

 

　Honestly, I have a candidate in mind.

　Because I have seen her appearance several times in the land of the beastmen.

　But it is not a living person, but a stone statue.

 

“… Kannagi. You’re Kannagi, aren’t you?”

『If you call me Kannagi, then I guess so.』

 

　Neither affirming nor denying.

　But it is not a wrong kind of response.

 

“… What’s the talk?”

『Your foresight magic is different from others. You are aware of that, aren’t you?』

“…”

 

　I know that my foresight magic is apparently stronger than that of other foresight magicians.

　And the foresights are slightly different.

 

『You can show others two futures』

“… So what?”

『By allowing Usato to choose his future, you have succeeded in avoiding the worst possible future for you and, by extension, for the Kingdom of Lingle.』

 

　A sloppy way of speaking and a voice that is pleasant to the ear.

　For some reason, with a kind of disgust at that, I return the woman’s words in silence.

 

『Don’t you curious? Beyond the future of the original』

“What are you going to do!?”

『Hey, I’m just showing you a little bit of the future that wasn’t chosen.』

 

　Before I can speak, Kannagi flips her palm and projects the view into space.

　There———the corpses of many people and soldiers of the demon race.

 

『Originally, the two heroes had been dead. They were killed by a black knight, who was also killed by Rose, resulting in the defeat of the Kingdom of Lingle and the loss of many lives and dignity.』

“…! What about, Usato?”

『He? He survived, of course?』

 

　Once again, she waves her palm and changes the scenery.

　Then, a different view from before ——— a boy surrounded by demon soldiers in the ravaged city of the Lingle Kingdom comes into view.

　The figure was none other than Usato, but it was far from what I knew.

 

『In conclusion, he is still fighting for “someone”. For now, right … Is he in the middle of trying to retake the Kingdom of Lingle? It’s been more than two months since the battle.』

 

　The team uniform that he always wore was in tatters and had burnt marks.

　The sleeves of his arms were stained with blood-red stains, and his own eyes ——— different than ever, full of anger.

 

“Usa, to?”

『He lost his best friend. He lost the country he swore to protect, he lost so many people in front of him, so he left his naivety behind.』

 

　Demon soldiers attack Usato.

　However, the next moment, Usato grabbed the soldier’s helmeted head in his grip and lifted it up with only his arm strength as it was.

 

[…]

[Hi, gaah…]

 

　The power of healing magic is gathered in the hand that grips the head.

　The collected magical power condensed like a system strengthening ——— and finally exploded, engulfing the soldier’s face.

　Blood burst out from between Usato’s hand and the soldier’s helmet.

 

“…”

 

　Releasing his hand that gripped the helmet, which had burst from the inside and left a large crack, Usato attacked the other soldiers, paying no attention to his wounded hand and the motionless soldier.

 

“He killed him. Usato did?”

『This version of him has no “bindings”. In anger, and burdened with regret, he has carried everything on his back, and he has no hesitation in killing the demon race.』

 

　With blinding speed, hands swung precisely at the soldiers’ throats, piercing them, and fists thrust with force through their armor-protected bodies, spattering blood all around.

　A kick slammed into the neck, breaking the neck, and after being grabbed by the arm and swung around, slamming into the ground, the sound of something being crushed echoes through the air.

　I don’t want to see it.

　This kind of Usato, which did not save people, I could not look directly at him.

 

『The fists that were meant to keep no one dead turned into weapons to pierce the demons’ guts and gouge their throats. A future in which you, Nea, and Leona would never have met him———He has become a real monster, feared by the demons.』

 

　That gentle person is nowhere to be seen.

　All that is left is a terrifying monster that harbors regrets for not protecting Kazuki and Suzune, and anger toward the demon race.

 

『It seems that the stimulation was a little too strong.』

“…”

 

　As I was unable to say anything, Kannagi crossed her arms with a thin smile on her face.

 

『But is this future Usato wrong?』

“…What does that mean?”

『Demons are enemies, right? Why should he show them mercy? The same can be said for the two heroes, but they are too soft.』

“…”

『Demons are a race that must be destroyed, am I right?』

 

　I have indescribable feelings for Kannagi, who asks for my consent.

　I guess what she is saying is correct.

　In fact, the Lingle Kingdom, where we live, was threatened by the demon race.

　But even so, the way this person spoke seemed to me to hate the demon race themselves.

　Without being able to say any more words, the silence continues for a while.

　At that time, I sense the signs of when the foresight will come.

 

『Finally. I’ve been waiting』

 

　Kannagi in front of me sensed it, too, and turned her eyes to the empty space.

　Shortly after, a foresight view is projected.

　First, two figures appeared.

 

[E-Etto, nice to meet you. My name is Usato Ken.]

[Hello, I am Nea, who is accompanying him on his journey.]

 

　The figure of Usato wearing a mixed black and white squad uniform.

　However, his skin is black like that of a demon race, and he has black horns.

　And for some reason, Nea is also in the guise of a demon race.

　Eh, wait a minute, why are you both like demons——,

 

[I am his wife♪]

“Ha?”

 

　The words uttered by Nea, in her demon form, brought out a cold voice that I have never let out from myself before.

　”What does that mean?” As I am driven by an urge that could overflow to Nea, who is in the present time, the scene projected in front of me shifts to something else.

 

[Nea, do that technique!!]

[E-Eh!? What!? What technique!!]

[Healing Explosive Wave, no!! This evolved technique is——]

 

　With his left hand attached to the glowing green magic bullet that floated on his gauntlet, Usato stance on his hips, and Nea panicked at the sight of it.

　Ah, this is the usual thing, I am convinced, and then it moves on to the next.

　It is the image of Koga and Usato fighting against something huge in a cityscape that, different from the previous scene, resembles Samaria.

　I can’t see that something, but the unusual sight of that Koga and Usato side by side makes my eyes widen.

 

[I don’t like it, but cooperate with me for now, Koga! You and me, we’ll take it down!]

[Well, I don’t mind. Why are you holding my leg? Hey, man?]

[I need a big weapon. So I need you to transform your armor into a weapon!]

[Gueh!? Y-Yo-You! What you’re saying is ridiculous, and that’s not cooperation!! Ah, w-wai, st-stoopp———]

 

　Usato grabbed Koga’s ankles and swung him around as he headed towards something.

　I am stunned by the sight of the foresight that I no longer understand, but Kannagi is holding her hand over her mouth and her shoulders are shaking.

 

『…』

“?”

 

　What, are you laughing?

　Indeed, it was a funny foresight of Usato’s three consecutive predictions, but was it something to laugh at so much that you had to suppress your voice?

　The foresight ends, and a sense of being pulled back to reality hits me.

　With that, Kannagi’s figure also faded away, and I closed my eyes with an irresistible sensation.

 

 

 

　The next moment I opened my eyes, the sky was still dark.

　I was actually supposed to sleep until morning, but I think I woke up halfway through the night because I saw the foresight.

　Around me, Leona, Ferrum, Nea, Kazuki and Bluerin are sleeping.

　When I woke up while remembering the contents of the dream earlier, I heard a cracking sound nearby.

　When I looked over there, I saw Usato and Suzune facing each other with a campfire between them, alternately throwing something like a ball at each other at an extraordinary speed.

　Suzune has a small electric shock on her right arm, and Usato is wearing a gauntlet.

　I was stunned by the sight of something like a ball just flying back and forth between the two of them without any sound, and then Suzune, who was opposite Usato, noticed me.

 

“Ah, Usato-kun, Amako is.”

“Eh, ah, did we wake you up?”

 

　Usato grabbed the green ball Suzune threw and turned around.

 

“… Usato, Suzune… what are you doing?”

“We were playing catch ball while keeping watch.”

“It’s late at night, so we’re just trying to cover up the drowsiness.”

 

　To keep you awake, huh?

　I understand that, but ———,

 

“What’s a kyatchibowl?”

“Ah, catch ball is. Etto, a game where two people, let’s see, take turns throwing and catching the ball.”

“Well, in my case and Usato-kun’s, we were testing how fast we could do it, so maybe “Extreme Catch-Ball” is a better name.”

“… That ball is a … magic bullet?”

 

　The green ball in Usato’s hand emits a faint glow.

　Before, you were trying to give elasticity to magic, could that be it?

 

“Yeah, a magic bullet with elasticity that references a technique used by Kazuki. If I were to name it … I would call it elastic healing bullet”

 

　Saying that, Usato holds out a magic bullet.

　When I fearfully touched it, I could feel its elasticity and the light of healing magic that healing people.

　Just by touching it, your mind is relaxed and tiredness will be removed.

　Areh, what is this? I feel healed.

 

“Usato, give me this. Seriously.”

“Senpai said the same thing…”

“I understand. I understand, Amako. That’s great, isn’t it. We can commercialize it. Let’s name it Chiyutball.”

“Senpai, please don’t expand commercially without permission…”

 

　I don’t know what Suzune is talking about, but it is a healing thing to have, both in a spiritual and physical sense.

　With regret, I return the magic bullet to Usato, and he squeezes it and makes it disappear.

　… I should tell Usato about the foresight I just saw.

 

“Usato, Suzune … I saw another foresight.”

“… Again. What kind of foresight is it this time?”

“You have a hard time, too, don’t you? Are you okay? Is there anything wrong with your body?”

“…Yeah, I’m fine. Thank you, Suzune.”

 

　Nodding at Suzune’s sincere concern for me, I recall the content of my earlier foresight and answer as simply as I can.

 

“Usato and Nea became demons, Usato was trying to pull off another weird technique, and Usato was grabbing both of Koga’s legs and swinging him around.”

“Yes … Yes!?”

 

　Well, that’s the kind of reaction you would have.

　But it can’t be helped because this is the foresight I saw.

　… But should I tell him about the “what if future” that Kannagi showed me before I saw the foresight?

　If Suzune and Kazuki had been killed at that time, I think that Usato would have ended up like that, and perhaps this is something I should keep to myself.

　The Usato that is here and now will never become like the one in that future.

　That is something I can say with confidence.