ch321-ch340 · 333-ch333

Chapter 333: The Masked Man, Matsumoto 【Umemoto Atsushi】 Part 3

SIDE: Umemoto Atsushi (【Berserker】)

Ever since that day, whenever Yukiya goes to fight at the shrine, I tag along and get let into the matches too.

I still can't beat Hiramatsu-san, but I've started occasionally taking a point off Yukiya and Miko-san.

Maybe I'm getting my old instincts back.

......Not that getting them back does me any good.

"Now your feet are backwards! Then it's just the opposite, isn't it! You'll never be the Hiramatsu-ryu successor like that!"

Haruki-kun keeps at it as ever, but his memory still hasn't come back.

Though apparently he was recently cleared to enter the dungeon, and he was telling us how he and Soushi-kun took down goblins together.

He's started using skills too—he said he couldn't get the hang of 【Presence Detection】, so I gave him some advice.

Though when I told him it was best to keep it running the whole time he was in the dungeon, I was told that's forbidden for him.

Given the state of his body, he probably can't practice as freely as before right now.

Come to think of it, I did get a look at his license—his rank was Double-Rank.

I'd thought he was stronger than that......

Well, that rank at his age would be unbelievable anyway.

He was strong enough, clearly.

That thing really must have been my imagination.

"Atsushi, any luck finding work?"

"Same as ever, I'm afraid."

The job hunt isn't going well.

"You've got no business hanging around a place like this."

"Big brother, that's rude! I'm sorry, Atsushi-san. Nearly everyone I know works dungeon-related jobs, so I wish I could introduce you to something......"

Miko-san is as kind to me as ever.

But what Hiramatsu-san says is fair.

Still, I can't stop coming here, because......

"Yukiya. Found you."

The happy days came to an end when 'Japan's Number One Adventurer' showed up at the shrine.

Kinoshita Ao......

His first job was also 【Scout】.

The shining success of us overlooked scout-types—the man who climbed from 【Scout】 all the way to number one in Japan.

Thanks to him, the way people looked at downtrodden scout-types had changed.

And the more I think about it, the more I wonder—didn't I go and wreck that good image of scout-types with what I did?

I might be causing trouble for every other scout out there......

"Ao...... How did you find this place?"

Yukiya's question to Kinoshita Ao carried nothing welcoming.

He left the party—of course it isn't.

But Kinoshita said he'd searched for him.

Could it be......

"Akai-san told me."

Yukiya had stopped going to the branch parking lot because of all the spectators, and a worried Akai had come looking for him there once.

So 'Red Shadow' and 'Blue Shadow' are connected behind the scenes...... As expected of a 【Ninja】—nothing about it is clean.

But maybe Akai was worried about Yukiya too, and told Kinoshita where to find him.

I just hope it turns into something good......

"What do you want? Oh, is this about clearing out my room at headquarters? It can't be emptied until it's cleared, or the next person can't move in."

Yukiya says something he doesn't mean at all.

Wasn't all his effort about returning to 'Blue Ocean'?

And yet......

"Yukiya, I know I said too much. But it was out of concern for you. So I won't apologize. If you've decided never to come back, then so be it. But let me say just one last thing. We are going to Floor 50. If you've made your peace with dying, come back to us."

Ohh, there it is.

He CAN come back!

But making your peace with dying......

"Weren't you dropping me for the 【Spear King】? I hear you're recruiting other members too. Do you actually need me now?"

Why can't he just be honest at a moment like this?

I want to shove my way between these two idiots, but everyone here is holding themselves back.

We're all afraid of ruining a precious chance by butting in.

"Asuka won't go to Floor 50. And if she won't, Kaito probably won't either. We intend to ask Watanabe-san to fill the gap. We're still searching for one more...... but in the end, it has to be you. Yukiya, come to Floor 50 with us."

Kinoshita pushed one step further.

Be honest THIS time!

"Obviously! What other idiot would go to Floor 50?! It has to be ME! You knew that already! Ugh, fine—since you begged, I GUESS I could come back!"

What is it with this display......

No—this is the sight I wanted to see.

After the betrayal by Hasegawa and the others......

Even now, with Jun and the others gone......

This was the scene some part of me had been aching for.

It came not for me, but for Yukiya......

"A-A-Atsushi-san!?"

"Huh? What, Atsushi? You crying? Am I coming back that makes you happy? Heh. Seems I put you through a lot of worry, huh."

The tears spill over.

"You damn idiot—just the thought of you leaving made me so relieved the tears came. Uu."

What are these tears even for?

Whether I'm crying for Yukiya's sake, even I don't know......

"Is that right. Sorry for the trouble. Well then, I'm off."

"Ah......"

He's leaving already......

"Yukiya!"

Hiramatsu-san calls out to Yukiya as he turns to leave with Kinoshita.

"What now, Hiramatsu? Well, given all that, I'll leave our match on hold for a while. You got a stay of execution!"

And suddenly he's full of energy again—what a piece of work.

"Come back anytime!"

"......Once we've cleared Floor 50, I'm taking a spear job. I've had a spear in my hands these past few days, and I finally get what's good about them. So teach me spear work again sometime."

That's a flag!

Is this idiot okay......

He's honestly likely to die on Floor 50!

"You don't need to come anymore, Atsushi. Go find a job!"

"Big brother!"

What's with the difference in treatment?!

"And Haruki. Don't you dare give up on being an adventurer. Let anyone who wants to say you've got no talent, or a weak body, say it. Never give up—keep practicing. You can do it!"

"Yesh, Kouya said something good. Haruki can do it!"

Mimiko-chan gives it her full stamp of approval.

So Yukiya was watching out for the people around him too, not just himself......

"Atsushi, that goes for you too. If you love it, don't give it up. You want to go back to being an adventurer, right? I'll talk to the Chairman about your license. If I make it to Floor 50, something might be worked out. So wait and hope!"

That's a flag too!

And so, planting death flags on all sides, Yukiya went back to 'Blue Ocean.'

Hearing him say it, I finally realized.

I wanted to be an adventurer again......