My Unique Skill [Gacha] Will Save the World - Episode 153: Invasion

Episode 153: Invasion

As the massive flame fell, a fierce hot wind struck the surrounding area.

The hot wind scorched the nearby plants. It turned them to charcoal in an instant.

Even the rubble was melted down to a viscous, liquefied state due to the extreme temperature.

If a human were to be exposed to such a hot wind, they would surely suffer severe burns, or worse.

“[Ice Wall]!”

At that moment, Kyouka formed a wall of ice in an attempt to lessen the heat.

“[Ice Wall]! [Ice Wall]! [Ice Wall]!!”

Each time an ice wall was created, it melted almost immediately.

Therefore, Kyouka repeatedly formed the ice walls over and over.

Finally, when the last ice wall was halfway melted, the hot wind ceased.

“Ha, ha, ha… ha… Did… did it stop?”  

“Thanks, Kyouka-chan.”

Kyousuke spoke to Kyouka, who was panting heavily.

“…No way.”  

“…This is terrible.”

Ayane and Kageboshi voiced their shock as they took in the scene around them.

It wasn’t just the area where the massive flame had fallen that was scorched, but the entire area the hot wind had swept through had turned to ash.

Without Kyouka, they likely would have been reduced to nothing but bones. The thought sent a chill down their spines.

“…Onii-chan?”

When Kyouka realized Rindou was nowhere to be seen, she muttered. Kyousuke and the others also quickly turned their gaze around.

However, the surroundings had been completely reduced to scorched earth. So there were no obstacles, and nothing could be seen. Naturally, no human figures were in sight either.

“…No… Onii-chan!”  

“I’m not dead.”

Right after Kyouka cried out, Rindou’s voice rang out from behind them.

Everyone turned around as if they had been jolted. And there stood Rindou, walking toward them while drinking a potion.

“…O-Onii-chanchan!”  

“Whoa! …Haha, sorry, Kyouka.”

Rindou gently patted Kyouka on the head as she jumped at him, offering a warm smile.

“I’m glad you’re okay, Rindou-kun.”  

“As expected of Rindou-san!”  

“But, what was that flame from earlier?”

Kyousuke and Ayane expressed their concerns for Rindou. Meanwhile, Kageboshi was more focused on the origin of the flames.

“Considering the stampede, it’s reasonable to think that the flames came from a monster that appeared on the ground… but why target this place?”

Though the source of the flame could be guessed, why this particular area was targeted was still unclear.

If the flames had been fired indiscriminately, one could argue that it was just a coincidence that they fell here. But given the size of the flames, if they had fallen elsewhere, it would have been visible from this location.

However, it didn’t appear that the flames had fallen elsewhere.

Therefore, it was reasonable to assume that this place had been specifically targeted.

“…Was it just my imagination, or did it look like the flames were aimed at Misaki Kuga?”

Kageboshi spoke, and Rindou’s expression shifted to one of realization.

“What’s wrong, Rindou-kun?”  

“…Hey, Kyousuke. Do you know what’s in the direction where the flames first shot into the sky?”  

“That way? That’s toward the port… Wait, could it be!?”

At Rindou’s words, Kyousuke immediately grasped a possibility and voiced his surprise.

“Yeah. If that’s the case, then Misaki might be the cause of the stampede.”

“W-What do you mean, Rindou-san?”

Ayane couldn’t follow the conversation and asked.

“At the port, there was a gate for new players. But that gate had been sealed because of a certain monster, right?”

“…Oh, the monster that was stolen from the Special Monster Research Department.”

“Exactly. If that monster came out during the stampede, it makes sense that Misaki would have been targeted.”

Ayane understood Rindou’s explanation. But another unsettling thought emerged.

“………….…If a monster that shoots such flames appeared on the ground, what’s happening at the port now?”

No one could answer Kyouka’s murmur.

However, staying idle in that moment wasn’t an option for Rindou and the others.

“…We’re players. If monsters have appeared on the ground, we need to defeat them.”

“That’s right.”  

“We can’t just stand around!”  

“Let’s go!”

Rindou’s words were met with agreement from Kyousuke, Ayane, and Kageboshi.

“I’m going too!”

Kyouka, despite her trembling voice, spoke up. She had made up her mind as a player and because she wanted to help Rindou.

“…You might die.”  

“I’m a player too, you know? And… if I’m in danger, Onii-chan will protect me, right?”

This may have been a weak statement as a player. But as a sister, she was relying on her brother.

Rindou, of course, thought that was only natural.

“Of course. So, Kyouka, don’t leave my side, okay?”

“Yeah!”

With a small exhale, Rindou turned his gaze toward the port.

“…Let’s go!”

With that, Rindou and the others sprinted toward the port, which was in the heart of the stampede.