What happened?
Clawer… he fired!
« What in the world is going on? »
Gunfire boomed like thunder, and for a moment, everyone's consciousness fell blank. Clawer's eyes were like an abyss. He himself was unharmed, but he never imagined that the guns the Demon King Army held were just for show.
Clawer questioned the Demon King Army confronting him, his body trembling. The Demon King Army's guns had no bullets; they were merely a trick for deterrence. However, when facing his own muzzle, he lost his reason and fired instinctively.
And himself? What he held in his hands was the real deal…
An eerie silence fell over the scene. The gunshot was like a giant stone dropped into a river, the splashes it created never ceasing. The sudden change left both sides in a state of calm, but after this calm would come even greater upheaval.
« Hey! What exactly are you doing? »
Before the conflict between the two sides could erupt, 04 acted first, suppressing Clawer's arm while he was lost in self-doubt, and taking the firearm from his hand.
Although no casualties occurred, it was still a real weapon, and bullets don't have eyes. He almost caused a major incident. Given Clawer's precarious mental state, they dared not imagine what he might do next.
That's right, no one was harmed. The Demon King Army confronting Clawer was unharmed, merely stunned by the gunshot. Perhaps it was their conscience, or perhaps they were too scared to face it, but at the moment Clawer pulled the trigger, he turned his gun and fired into the sky.
And it was this single gunshot that brought the negotiations between the two sides to a standstill.
Clawer was questioned by the transmigrator, and the Demon King Army member, due to his own lingering fear, received concern from his companion.
Both of them seemed to have recovered from a serious illness, suddenly awakening from that trance-like state.
And when their consciousness cleared, their response to the questions was a feeling that was hard to describe.
Although one person's gun was just a prop, and the firepower of the other Demon King Army members was yet unknown, they should have still provided some deterrence. However, due to their comrade's previous experience, the deterrence they could provide was greatly diminished.
It's not that they didn't have any, but for most people, it was no longer significant. Two members of the Demon King Army pointed their non-threatening guns at Youtou and the others, only to be met with their cold indifference. Even if the muzzles were pointed at their heads, they paid no mind. They dared them to fire into the sky; otherwise, any gun was just a prop.
Another member went to check on the startled companion. Although no injuries were found on him, his spirit was concerning. His eyes were vacant, and he showed no reaction. Only after repeated calls did he finally break free from that state.
« Hey! Arlonde! Arlonde! Give me a reaction, old brother! »
After shaking him a few times with no effect, the Demon King Army member had no choice but to act. He grabbed Arlonde by the face and slapped him twice. « Slap! Slap! » The bright red handprints were clearly visible. Arlonde's consciousness finally began to awaken for a moment under the stimulus of the pain.
« Don't... don't hit me anymore... I'm not dead! »
...
In comparison, the other side was not so heartwarming.
Although Clawer did not receive any form of punishment, the more peaceful things were, the more worried he became. The transmigrator's questions echoed in his mind repeatedly. Facing multiple pairs of eyes that seemed to question him, Clawer's inner heart felt like a desolate silence.
« It's not like that, it's not like that! »
Clawer's heart was roaring, but he could only stammer out any sound. He longed for a shout and salvation, but under the gaze of those eyes, these thoughts gradually dissipated like bubbles.
Clawer roared, his breathing becoming more rapid, his roars filled with timidity. He understood it was his fault, and he was ashamed to face the protection they offered him. Now, under every gaze, Clawer only wanted to escape.
« Don't escape, don't escape, don't escape, don't escape, don't escape... »
His inner reason urged him to bear his responsibility, but he could only keep convincing himself with words. Clawer only wanted to shut himself away in a small, dark space where no one would bother him, where no one would communicate with him, blame him, comfort him, or disturb him.
Clawer only wanted to exist there alone until his soul perished. For some reason, this suddenly reminded him of a legend that existed only in legends.
Unknown enemies attacked, but humans did not simply suffer defeat. They counterattacked with weapons produced with the highest technological prowess of the current era, and the mission of operating these weapons was entrusted to children.
As the protagonist of the story, he was an abandoned youngster. He didn't want to be a hero to the world, nor did he ever feel happy operating a weapon. He only wanted to gain approval and to fulfill the mission his father had assigned him by boarding the weapon, but at the same time, he was enduring immense pain. He numbly operated the weapon, even wanting to escape several times. However, to protect his companions and the responsibility entrusted to him, he eventually piloted the weapon to confront the enemy.
As a hero who saved the world, he was not suitable. But fate chose him this way, and he succeeded. Although the process was bumpy, the great responsibility of saving the world should not have fallen on a child like him.
The brave youngster created a miracle. After hearing this story for the first time, Clawer felt that the youngster shouldn't have been so timid. But when he faced the same situation as the youngster, he couldn't complete his mission as bravely as that youngster.
He kept talking about escaping, but the youngster truly did it. For the first time, Clawer felt the youngster was amazing. Saving the world was truly that amazing. Why did he previously think the youngster was just a child escaping reality? Had he ever truly empathized with that youngster…
« What's wrong with me? Why am I thinking like this? Obviously, obviously I was also in danger! If the Demon King Army's guns had bullets, wouldn't I have died like that! »
Clawer did not reply for a long time. Youtou and the others were greatly surprised. Had they been too harsh? After all, Clawer's mental state had been clearly abnormal before. Being confrontational might have been too stimulating. Physical damage could at least be resolved, but mental issues were truly impossible to suppress.
Someone else expressed concern for Clawer. Clawer scoffed. In his opinion, this was just a case of one playing good cop and the other playing bad cop. Did they really care about him? It was merely to give their superiors an explanation after the discovery of the newtypes.
« Is that so? Then why are you still listening to their complaints? Your true inner thoughts are also that you unexpectedly received their care! »
A strange voice. This feeling was somewhat familiar. Clawer had just experienced it. Why did he have such a feeling? What exactly happened when he confronted the Demon King Army? He didn't know the opponent's ammunition situation at all, so why did he have the confidence to face danger? Who spoke to him at that time? Who told him and advised him to turn his gun? That strange feeling is still deeply imprinted even now…
« It's an enemy! » Clawer and Arlonde said in unison.