My Unique Skill [Gacha] Will Save the World - Episode 167: The Aftermath of the Stampede ③

Episode 167: The Aftermath of the Stampede ③ 

(Note: Special for this chapter, dialogues through speaker, faraway voice, or telephone are in ‘……’.)

(…During the stampede, could I have handled things better?)

Ayane sat alone in the training room located in the basement of the association building. She was deep in thought.

(I’ve always managed to get through situations without losing any of my teammates. I had strong confidence in that. Even this time, if you look at the results, it’s more or less the same outcome. But…)

As her thoughts paused, the face of Rindou, who had lost consciousness, appeared in Ayane’s mind.

There were no casualties. However, Rindou was still unconscious.

(Did I make the right decision leaving things to Rindou-san and the others? Shouldn’t I have stayed behind to fight the Dragon instead?)

For the past seven days since the stampede, Ayane had been thinking the same thing.

Was there something more I could have done? Should I have thought things through more? Should I have spoken up?

Ayane knew that it was pointless to think about things that had already passed.

But still, the reason she couldn’t stop thinking about it was because she was angry at herself for her inadequacies.

(Was I too careless after my skills were upgraded? Was I getting cocky? …………..What was I thinking? You’re so naive, Ayane Kazaki!)

She tightened her grip around the wooden sword, and the hilt made a cracking sound.

“Ah… ha. This isn’t good. Rindou-san will probably laugh at me when he wakes up.”

With a small sigh, Ayane tossed the broken wooden sword into the trash can.

“Yanase-san! Set the monster difficulty to the highest level!”

‘What!? Kazaki-sama, that’s way too dangerous!’

“It’s fine, trust me!”

Aoba was also in the management room. She was accompanying Ayane in her training.

The highest setting for the puppet-controlled monsters corresponded to A-rank monsters.

However, Ayane felt that even this was still not enough.

(The monsters I faced with Kyouka-chan and Kageboshi-san were A-rank. Adding to that, they were among the top-tier and acted in groups. Facing just one would be too easy…)

Having thought that far, Ayane suddenly snapped to attention and continued.

“Add two more puppets! No, make it three!”

‘What!? No, no, that’s absolutely not okay, Kazaki-sama!!’

Forgetting her formal language as a member of the Association, Aoba desperately tried to stop Ayane.

“If I can’t get through something like this on my own, I won’t be able to get any stronger. Please, Yanase-san!”

A close-up of Ayane’s serious expression appeared on the screen in the management room.

Seeing this expression, Aoba could no longer say anything more in opposition.

‘………Fine! I understand! But if I judge it’s too dangerous, I’ll immediately cancel the settings!’

“That’s fine. Thanks, Yanase-san.”

As Ayane thanked her, the floor in the center of the training room opened up. And three additional puppets rose from it.

Then, when the total of four puppets transformed into A-rank monsters, Ayane activated her skill.

“I still have a long way to go! I don’t want to lose to Rindou-san, Yada-senpai, Kageboshi-san, or even Igari-senpai!”

With those words, she charged toward the A-rank monsters herself.