"These things are tougher than they look!"
"There are too many bombs, I can't get near them! Gyaaah!?"
Zenon watched from the shadows, hidden away. It’s started, he thought, listening to the desperate cries of the Hero Candidates as they struggled against the Gigantrose.
The scenario was unfolding exactly as scripted, following the path the Hero Candidates desired. Raiha being sealed in an Orb by Koumaru, Ryuga being crippled by a sneak attack—it was all going according to their plan. From here, the story branched into three distinct paths. The one they were gunning for was the "Ryuga Death Route."
The conditions for entering this route were simple: do not save Ryuga. Normally, a player would fight Zaraki to protect him, dealing enough damage to force a retreat. But Cyan and the others had no intention of doing that. Honestly, they were so overwhelmed by the Gigantrose—which were far stronger than the game suggested—that they didn't have the spare capacity to help even if they wanted to.
If Ryuga died, Koumaru would lower his guard, allowing the Security Force to snipe him and recover the Orb. Zaraki would retreat on his own, sparing everyone a fight with a boss-level threat. Sure, they would lose Ryuga, an S-rank ally, but they would gain the Warrior Shrine Maidens without lifting a finger. Plus, they would prevent Ryuga from romancing Raiha, leaving her free for their own harems.
Most importantly, for these reincarnators who had been humiliated by Ryuga and Yugo repeatedly, seeing Ryuga die a pathetic death right before his nemesis was the ultimate zamaa development. They wanted that catharsis. They wanted to feel refreshed by his demise. Even if they had been strong enough to win easily, they wouldn't have lifted a finger to help.
Zenon watched the battle, disgusted by his own powerlessness.
It’s not like I actually want to save him, but...
If he hadn't hit a Game Over, if he were still in their shoes, he knew he would do the same. He wanted Raiha too. Ryuga was just an obstacle to his flags. But Zenon wasn't a Protagonist anymore. He was just a Mob Character. He couldn't even stand on the same level as the other Hero Candidates. Even if he had a sudden change of heart, he would be slaughtered by Zaraki in seconds.
He had come to this world planning to live the dream, but now he was nothing—a background character. It was no different from the life he’d left behind. He felt a bitter, gnawing frustration at his inability to change anything. Despite the Goddess granting him a Cheat Ability, he wondered how he’d ended up like this. I was supposed to be reborn, he thought, looking up.
None of them can win. Even we can't do it. There's no one here who can touch Zaraki.
Zenon had already given up, bracing himself to watch the inevitable unfold. He expected to stand there, helpless, as Ryuga died and the "protagonists" got exactly what they wanted. But he was about to learn that changing the future didn't require stats or logic.
"Uooooooooooooh!! Transform!!"
A roar shattered the atmosphere. It was a shout that resonated across the entire battlefield. Zaraki stopped his assault on the broken Ryuga, and Zenon turned his gaze toward the source of the voice.
Backlit by the blazing sun, a figure appeared. A streak of jet-black armor glowing with a Crimson Radiance descended from the sky, plummeting straight toward Zaraki with a thunderous howl.
"Blasteeeeer Kiiiiiick!!"
"Whoa...!"
Zaraki reflexively let go of Ryuga and leaped back just in time to avoid the impact. The intruder—the Hero—caught his falling partner and shouted with everything he had.
"Hang in there, Ryuga! I've come to save you!!"