Lana, the heavy attacker moved toward the target. As flawless and brave as ever, she swings her fishing rod toward the monster. But for the monster, that was faster and sharper than a blade felt like a kids' toy as it simply grabbed the edge and canceled the attack. That was the same attack that Lana previously used but for the monster, it was just a play. Even Lana was getting tired and her attacks losing their sharpness.

Mallow was already out of the picture with her last healing and Kiawe's shield had crumbled apart and there is more than half an hour before the crystallite regenerates. Forget about using it, it would be a win if we could stay alive till then. Neither Faba nor Looker looked good. Same with the rest. Even then they are all standing against the monster who got more powerful than before.

Isn't it okay to stay down?

We already lost.

There is no way we could win.

So, everyone should take a rest.

Something inside me shattered. I don't want my friends to get hurt again... Maybe that's the only excuse I could make. I maybe... no, I am just finding excuses to hide my own weakness. With no hope, I can't believe humans are just fragile creatures. That fragile may only describe me here. Just what was I thinking when I came here? Thought I could be of some use... Or maybe a play hero... What a joke...

Then a tender arm warped around me. I looked toward Anabel who gently hugged me while patting my head with another hand. "It's gonna be okay, we are going to fight back till our last breath." Anabel smiled beautifully toward me, a broken doll, "It's not your fault. So, don't go blaming yourselves." She kept caressing my head with her kind warm hand as she softly whispered those words within my ear.

I wonder what kind of face I am making for her to say those words?

And... why do I want to hear more of it?

...

As though, those words were something I have been waiting for someone to say...

For years...

Someone to comfort me...

I could feel the graze flowing through my cheeks...

Tears...

Ah... I get it...

It was so simple... In fact, it was me who didn't understand at all...

It wasn't death I was so afraid of. It was a failure, my own weakness. I was so afraid of failing that the fear of failing completely overlapped my fear of death. Even though I was so hellbent on saving everyone, I couldn't protect those people of paradise. Using death, just how stupid I could get? Even though I made a plan to protect them, I wasn't able to. It was frustrating. It was the same as from that time when my own failure broke apart my family. Damnit! Damnit!

But still... I grabbed the soft hand rubbing my hair and brought it closer to my heart. I can't help but smile when hearing such words. I don't know why it felt so relaxing, so comfortable... maybe it could very be fake comfort but for now, it's okay... I just want someone to say those words to me. I always thought that why heroines in harem animes usually fell for such words, how to best describe it, it kinda has such a magical sense to it.

As I slowly squeezed her hand, I smiled toward Anabel, "Thank you!" Hearing me, Anabel smiled toward me too. "But honestly, you gotta stop being so smooth. Otherwise, I could seriously fall for you, y'know."

"Nyaaa~!?" Anabel let out a surprising voice, clearly startled. "Well, I take such a cute reaction as a reward for making me shed my precious tear but leaving that aside, can you believe we could win?" I asked watching from inside the barrier that Anabel was forming while protecting us. Even with a pure defensive status, that was putting Anabel in a prickle.

"I would like to say yes but-" Yup, those words be nothing more than a lie. And I could see why, in just a short amount, even when Mallow was pushing herself outside the limit, the monster was doing more damage than she can heal. She can't go any more than this, but honestly, she was hanging out there. Kiawe was going for a melee attack with spikes coming through his broken shield while protecting everyone with particles that scattered every time the monster attacked.

Mamane was putting his distance while giving the coordination. And though, Lana was clearly in good shape with attacking and neatly dodging acting according to Mamane's view, but without a doubt, fatigue has started to catch up to her, seeing how a bead of sweets was forming in her thin neck. Faba, busy doing his ritual dance, and Looker, attacking with his usual gun. The good thing about his gun was because of the projectile bullets that the monster can't return as he did with those members of paradise.

And Z... Huh?! I couldn't see her anywhere. But she was right here just a few seconds ago. Did the monster get her? In a hurry, I looked at the fallen body in the ground and my eyes wandered around. While I caught a glimpse of bodies of members of paradise that was beyond recognition, I couldn't see Z. I breath in relief that at least Z was okay but then why can't I see her anywhere? So I asked Anabel about her wheres about.

"Eh! that's odd." Anabel appeared as confused as I am. "I was sure I was also protecting her inside the barrier. But now she is gone. And I didn't even feel her when she get outside my barrier." Does that mean she even managed to get outside the natural radar of the monster? Hah! I give, I give... I can't make head or tail of the event. Just who is she to just vanish like that? Don't tell me she was a ghost from the very beginning...

But I can't even focus on her disappearing right now. Just have to let things go by confronting with 'there is nothing I can do.' I mean do I have any other choice than to side the thoughts of Z in some corner of my mind? I don't know where she went or what was her cause and obviously, I can't go after her. For now, my main focus is the monster whose main prey is: Me. I am barely alive because of Anabel's psychic barrier.

Looking at the monster who was busily hurricane the amount of attack toward us was sure to give me enough chills. I am glad that Anabel's barrier was actually holding on. "By the way, if we count in the value, what would your defense amount to?"

"Hmm~ I don't know how to answer that but the more concentrated barrier would be more powerful. If used in a wide range, think of it as a rubber sheet, the more you stretched it, the thinner it gets."

And with her way to make it change shapes, hmm~hmm, it would be perfect. "Then, Anabel, I want you to do something for me." Kusu, kusu, kusu... Alright, that was the sound effect of whispering, don't mind it. As I told her my plan, her eyes widened in bewilderment.

"But that-" She shook her head, "It's suicide. I can't accept it."

"Don't worry." I raised my thumb, "Even I practiced a few arts like Tae Kwon Do. Su, su... su." And threw punched hitting the air. "I know it's nothing but a futile resistance but please let me do something too."

Anabel slapped her forehead, "Even after I told you it's not your fault."

I shook my head to disagree with her statement, "Whether 'tis my fault or not, it didn't change the fact that I came here to fight, right? So, please help me with my job."

"Fine, fine. You win." Anabel sigh as she gave to my stubbornness. "I guess we could use extra hands, but once we proceed to your plan, you do realize that I can't use my defense to protect you, right?"

I nodded my head. "I know very well." It was my determination. I won't deny that it was Anabel who kept me alive till now. If I keep on quiet, I am sure I can keep on living while Anabel protects me. But I don't want that. I don't want any of my friends to die. I don't want to lose anyone like how I lost my father, my family, and my teacher. If my life could buy a single second, then so be it. I would no longer hide.

I want to fight side by side with my friends.