CH 265

Chapter 265 – Riwa’s Fierce Struggle

“Where are you trying to run off to?! It’s useless, Riwa! Keikaaa!” (Oshikura)

Ryoji’s voice echoed out from behind us along with the sounds of gunshots.

“…! Riwa, what’s wrong?” (Shakuhara)

As she was carrying me, I noticed that she had a grimace on her face.

“I-It’s nothing!” (Saniwa)

Or so she said, but I had known her for a long time. I knew right away that she was just saying that because my words carried a hint of concern for her.

She was probably hurt somewhere.

“Hurry and put me down, Riwa!” (Shakuhara)

But she didn’t listen to me and kept on running.

“Riwa! Listen to me! I can run by myself!” (Shakuhara)

“……..Fine.” (Saniwa)

Finally, Riwa let me down and I took a good look at her. There was fresh blood running down her right thigh.

“When we were running away, I had to use speed enhancement, and I had no way of using my defensive enhancement…” (Saniwa)

“The bullet… seems to have penetrated through. For now, we should try to stop the bleeding.” (Shakuhara)

I took off the ribbon that was tying up my hair and used it to bind Riwa’s leg.

“Mm… T-Thank you.” (Saniwa)

“Can you stand?” (Shakuhara)

“Yeah, I’m fine…” (Saniwa)

She didn’t seem fine at all. But she wasn’t one to whine.

“Kei…chan…?” (Saniwa)

I put Riwa’s arm over my shoulder and propped her up.

“We have to get out of here alive, Riwa.” (Shakuhara)

“…Yeah!” (Saniwa)

We were slower now, but if we continued along this waterway until we reached the exit…

Soon, our destination was already in sight. We reached it just fine, but it was blocked by a thick metal grate.

“Damn… It’s locked!” (Shakuhara)

“…There you are.” (Oshikura)

Behind me, I heard the one voice I didn’t want to hear.

“I told you, didn’t I? There’s no point in running. It’s obvious that I would’ve blocked the way out.” (Oshikura)

We were cornered.

Was Founder-sama safe…? Well, right now, we needed to think for ourselves.

Our escape route was blocked, and the men with guns were approaching us from ahead.

What should we do…?

I wanted at least Riwa to be able to make it out. The only other way was to defeat those guys. But was it possible?

“…Stay there for a moment, Kei-chan.” (Saniwa)

“…..Eh? R-Riwa?” (Shakuhara)

Riwa suddenly stepped away from the support of my shoulder and raised her fists into a stance. The expert form had a certain sense of beauty to it. It was natural, since her family ran a karate dojo, and she’d studied karate since she was a child.

But Riwa hadn’t really been interested in it. She was more interested in cooking, sewing, and things that girls usually liked… Well, at least according to her father, Riwa had a greater talent for karate than anyone. And she had a 3rd dan black belt to prove it.

“Haaaaap!” (Saniwa)

With her knees bent and stance lowered, she thrust out her fist with all her might.

—BANG!

It was a single strike. The girl’s fist sent the sturdy-looking gate flying.

“A-Amazing…!” (Shakuhara)

I had often gone to see her compete in karate competitions, but she really was just as amazing as before. Now that she had a skill like <Enhance>, it was like giving a tiger wings. In a straight up melee, no one would be able to win against her.

Ryoji, who also knew about her skill in karate, froze at the sight.

After all, he thought that no matter what happened, the door wouldn’t be able to be broken down like this. He had already been in the mood to watch us struggle in vain until we met our end.

“Kei-chan, let’s go, hurry!” (Saniwa)

Riwa took my hand and we ran.

“….! O-Oiii! Don’t let them get away, at all costs! Go after them, go!” (Oshikura)

Ryoji and his men began to chase us down the waterway with frantic expressions. There was no more water on the wide passageway which was open to the sky and continued straight ahead.

I wished that a way that led up to the city would appear, but…

“Gahh…Mnnnn…!” (Riwa)

Each time her leg moved, Riwa’s face would distort with pain. Her injuries must be hurting like crazy. She had been shot, so it was only natural. Her destroying the door just now must have opened up the wound once more.

I tried to return fire as we ran, but their numbers were overwhelmingly greater.

“—Aaagh!” (Shakuhara)

“K-Kei-chan?!” (Saniwa)

A bullet grazed my left shoulder, causing me to drop my gun, which was in my left hand.

“Kei-chan, come here!” (Saniwa)

Feeling that things would turn bad at this rate, Saniwa once again picked me up in a princess carry.

“….Gaaaaaaahhhh!!” (Saniwa)

Much to my surprise, she gathered all of her strength and leapt up. We soared into the air all the way over the canal walls and landed on the ground above.

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—Bssssh!

But the moment we landed, blood spurted out of Riwa’s wounds. I also pitched forward and fell to the ground.