I wonder about his reaction when he realizes I am controlling his mind and thoughts… I couldn't help but shudder.

"Could you help me kill that person and escape safely with everyone here?" I pointed toward the bitter-faced Alyndra. By help, I obviously meant you do all the work.

"Okay." He nodded simply before turning back to Alyndra.

"Also, for the reason I summoned you… You deserve a second chance to do things all over again and have a fresh start at life." I couldn't think of a better reason why the system would allow me to do this certain thing and summon fallen heroes.

He froze, glancing at me with terrifyingly cold eyes. "I do?"

My heart skipped a beat. "I have no idea about the details of your life, but what allowed me to summon you said you do. No pressure or opinions from my side." I shamelessly blamed the system for everything.

Before he could reply, I added further, "I am bound by death to not reveal further details."

"…I see." He nodded, buying my story, at least in this mind-controlled state.

Everyone carefully heard the conversation, and Kobi and Zhenny were even discussing my words, but Alyndra's loud chuckle returned everyone's attention to him.

He repeatedly shook his head and pushed the weakened Kael across the hallway, who immediately reignited his body and rushed to grapple Alyndra again.

Subaru watched carefully, pulling out his second long katana, which had a silver blade with an ethereal glow. He tilted it into a defensive posture.

Anyone could guess Alyndra was planning to do something, and Subaru didn't want any of us to get harmed.

My heart ached a bit as Subaru carefully guided us all behind him. My survival was completely dependent on others… From Alphas, Subaru, to the System.

All my abilities and even my relationships were inherited from past Lucien… Would I be the same weak coward who lived for others if not for them? Maybe… I still am?

That thought was scary. I tried to push it away, but it kept echoing in my mind.

Kael's flaming body almost flew from how far it leapt, reaching Alyndra to grapple him again, but before he could, Alyndra calmly joined his hands together, bringing them to his head.

"Be it cardinals, generals, or S-class from the hero's organization… They treat the classification of their enemy as the determining factor of a fight." Alyndra's calm voice echoed as his entire body began to exude a golden bright light, like he was a lamp.

My eyes widened as I felt something move near my feet. It was a… severed fucking hand! A literal human hand, which I had assumed some slave or knight had lost in the battles that went here moments before.

It wouldn't have been odd, as there were dead bodies, but… it clenched tightly into a fist.

"Of course, someone's class matchup is the most accurate prediction you can make in a fight! What are you planning?" Kael wrapped both his arms around Alyndra's untouchable body, with a three-inch difference between them.

"…Even the goddess would sweat if she were to attempt fixing your stupidity. I am already done with you. You should start begging for more power." Alyndra said scornfully before increasing the distance between them to seven inches.

Kael instantly lost his footing as he poured even more energy into his legs with a strained face, violent, massive flame walls releasing from every centimeter of his back as he tried to hold Alyndra back.

Alyndra, without giving him any time to recover, smashed his energy-covered shoulder against him.

'[Whisker Paws]'

I appeared before Kael before every bone in his body could shatter, blocking the strike with my arms crossed.

I am so done with just watching! I grinned while wincing, literally trying to bite my lower lip to hold back a scream. My arms, even with the damage spread, managed to break. They were literal sand now.

It was as painful as you imagine it to be. But almost instantly, warmth spread across my arms, regenerating enough to move again.

"Not bad. But I assume your arms can't keep up this speed of regeneration forever." Alyndra said before pulling out his long sword. It had a diamond-like body, clear like it was made of ice and glass.

"Thank you, Lucien…" Kael's lips parted as he watched Suge, Alya, and even a really old guy appear beside him too, a smile appearing on his lips.

"That was reckless, Luci." Alya said through a glare as she inserted her nail into my palm, my arms healing to perfect condition.

"Sorry, sorry." I scratched the back of my head before returning my gaze to the long sword slashing at me at a speed that was invisible to me.

SHWINGGGG!!!

A piercing, ear-bleeding screech rang out as Subaru blocked the long sword, cross-locking his long katana against it.

Alyndra's face paled as both his hands clinging to the sword trembled violently. He knew Subaru was just toying with him by locking swords instead of disarming him.

"Classification difference… I don't think that little man is wrong." Subaru said while scratching his chin. He too was looking at the severed hand that kept clenching and unclenching into a fist.

"You're shorter than me…" Kael ground his teeth, his voice lower than a whisper that, even with my enhanced hearing, I wouldn't have been able to hear if his mouth wasn't right next to my ear.

"Hehe, you're wrong. Kael himself is a C-rank hero." Alyndra shook his head repeatedly.

"C-class? He does look like one." Subaru nodded after turning to Kael once.

"That's true… But if you were to see others of the same class, you'd doubt that. He's pathetic, but others in the same class are even more pathetic." Alyndra gave Kael a look before replying, kind of respectfully.

I couldn't help but pat Kael's back, about to cry. Why was the poor guy catching so many strays?

"If a C-class hero group is going up against a B-class Oni, they will make a guaranteed judgment that C-class will lose, even if one of the C-class alone managed to defeat a group of B-class heroes once." He gave Kael a look while saying the last line.

"That's a miracle, then. Judgments aren't made on one miracle. Be more concise with your point, I suggest." Subaru replied without turning back.

Kael's smirk returned, much wider than before, giving all of us a suffocating feeling. "So a miracle is what we call it? Shall we make it happen again?"

"…"

The golden light from his body spread wide at an instantaneous speed. Instantly, Subaru slashed forward. Alyndra's long sword flew without resistance, but as he was reaching his neck, the speed of Subaru's sword became visible to me.

Alyndra raised his hand, swinging it before Subaru's blade could reach him. Subaru skillfully twisted his sword, swinging most of his energy away, but he was pushed behind me.

I tried to move to help Subaru, but my speed was much slower as well. Like… I was a normal man with some muscles.

My face darkened. "…What have you done?"

As I looked around, I realized I wasn't the anomaly. Everyone in the entire hallway had grown much more sluggish, besides Alyndra.

"If I didn't think classes were complete bullshit, I wouldn't have faced Frieda."

His expressionless eyes turned to the severed hand as the clenched fist hopped against the ground repeatedly, like it was a fish out of water.

"It's all about the mind behind it." He raised his palm toward me.

SHWISHH!!

"Ahh!!" It was hot. Really hot.

"Luci!!"

My hand moved to touch my face. When I looked at it, my palm was completely covered in blood.

I ran it across my face slowly. I knew what had happened right then. Half of my face, brain, mouth, and nose had vanished, leaving behind a bloody, fleshy mess under the wave of invisible energy Alyndra released.

And… I wasn't regenerating.

Alya's arms wrapped around me before I could fall. She desperately inserted her nail into me.

"HEAL! HEAL! HEAL!" She yelled repeatedly. Nothing was happening, like her ability was gone.

"…L-look out!" My weak, whispery yell rang out as I saw Alyndra raise his hand again, toward Alya this time.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.