Chapter 35: The Choice You Make

“So, what’s the plan, best friend? Our guy is hunting for us.”

The moment that magic was unleashed, the three people closest to the front lines—excluding me, who had resistance, and Shiki, who had been positioned further back—were turned to stone. Thanks to Shiki’s buffs, we’d managed to scramble away and hide within the crags of Atlas... but against an opponent like him, being found was only a matter of time.

“What do you think he is?” Shiki asked.

“Ten to one... he’s Perseus.”

“Wasn't he a hero?”

“Yeah. The one who received more divine blessings than any other god-slayer. A total cheat-tier monster.”

Perseus. Like I’d just said, he was a hero positioned at the very top of Greek mythology, the man who slew Medusa. I didn't know why he looked like such a freak now, but he was the real deal. He possessed the original [Hidden Helmet]—the same one I’d used in the other world—the immortal-slaying [Harpe], the [Talaria] bestowed by Hermes, and the [Shield of Reflection] gifted by the goddess Athena. He was a walking collection of rule-breaking artifacts.

“...So, what now? He said he’s heading for the surface once he’s done with us.”

“We have no choice but to win,” I said, my voice sounding flatter than I felt. “We have to save the others.”

“That’s just like you... Hey, you really are Reima Kariya, aren't you?”

“I am. Why the sudden question?”

Thump. My heart skipped a beat.

What did Shiki just say? He’d heard I had amnesia? If that was the case, then my entire act—pretending I still had my memories—had been a disaster from the start.

“I’ve been observing you since that day,” Shiki continued. “I thought maybe someone had hijacked Reima’s body. I watched every move you made, looking for even the slightest hint that something was off.”

“Shiki, I—”

“But you were still Reima. You were the hero that Ayane and I looked up to, always trying to save everyone. Your actions, your personality, your thoughts... they were all him. I couldn't bring myself to think of you as a fake.”

My best friend trailed off. Perhaps he was reflecting on everything we’d been through since my return. He gave a small, sad smile.

“So, who are you? You aren't the guy I knew, yet you're him to the core. You keep saving us... but you won't call me ‘best friend.’ Who the hell are you?”

I couldn't give him an answer. If I admitted here that I wasn't the Reima he grew up with, I had no idea how he’d react. To say that to the friend I’d finally reunited with—one of the people I thought I’d never see again after being sent to that other world—was more than I could manage.

“You’re Reima too, aren't you? A Reima Kariya who knows a version of me that I don't.”

“What are you—”

“Look, I’ll ask just to be sure, but the [Black Robe] is you, isn't it? You tried to hide it, but your vocabulary and your flair were just too Reima.”

That’s how he figured it out? I was stunned, but seeing the teasing look in Shiki’s eyes, I decided to just listen.

“I don't know why you’re inside the Reima of this world. If you want to keep it a secret, fine. You probably have your reasons. But...”

Shiki paused, his expression hardening as if he’d reached a final resolution.

“If you say that you are Reima Kariya... then fight with everything you’ve got. I know it’s wrong to dump this on a ‘different’ version of you, but please. Save my friends.”

That was Shiki’s wish. He wasn't blaming me. He was looking at me, truly seeing me as Reima. And in that moment, he was exactly the same person I’d admired in my original world—the kind of guy who would swallow his pride and bow his head for the sake of his comrades.

“I’m sorry,” he added. “I don't know what you’ve been through, and I hate to make the same Reima shoulder another burden... but they’re precious to me. So... please.”

He’d given me a choice. Fight him as a [Summoner], or keep my head down and hide my power like Shiki had suggested earlier. Two choices, both weighing on me like lead. I didn't know if the stream was still live. People might be watching. The idea of showing my real face and fighting in front of others terrified me.

I’ll be feared again. I’ll be betrayed again.

But my soul—my instincts—wouldn't let me pick anything else.

“Hey, best friend... I have a favor to ask, too. Don't be afraid of me, okay? It’d really bum me out if you started acting weird.”

For the first time since returning to this world, I called him my best friend. I forced a smile as I said it.