Chapter 23: 23

Wildfire Lullaby

Zuzuun……

«I won……»

The Berg Bear and I both fall at the same time.

He was on his back and I was on my knees.

I couldn’t get any strength into my body. I tried to raise my upper body with my elbows, but I slumped.

«────Analysis complete.

Subject is no longer alive.

Status:Overheat.

Planned cooling in progress.»

I still don’t know what you’re talking about…….

I’m not sure what you mean by «planned»…….

Juuuuuuu……

The gears around my body had stopped turning and white smoke was blowing out of them. When you throw vegetables into a hot frying pan, you get this sound.

«Hey, An!»

Dada dada dada, Uta and Anna come out of the grass where they were hiding……. You guys should have hide farther away. I heard your voice earlier.

«You guys…… are you hurt?»

«It’s you who’s hurt!»

When they picked me up from both sides, I felt pain in several places.

There was blood in my left shoulder and right thigh. It looks like I’m bruised.

Haha, you know, when you jump and jump so much.

I’m glad it’s just this bad.

Bachibachi…… zazazaza……

I could hear the sound of burning trees falling again.

It was already noon on the hill.

Oh, I’ve just knocked over a Berg Bear.

So this is how it’s gonna end…….

«You guys go ahead and run.»

«! What are you talking about!»

«There’s people coming from the city. I just saw a torch.»

«Come on, An! Let’s go together!»

«I can’t move my legs.»

I can’t move my legs, it’s like I’m having a seizure.

The gears have stopped moving. I think I used too much power at once.

I’m sleepy. I shouldn’t be.

Anna is starting to cry.

Uta is clenching his teeth.

«……Here, I’ll give you this. Go.»

I handed the wooden sword back to Uta. I kept it with me when I defeated the Berg Bear.

«……I don’t want this sword!»

«Huh?»

«I’ve set fire to the mountain! I’m a fake hero!»

Don’t be squeamish at a time like this.

When the cliff collapsed from the blow of the Berg Bear, some of the burned trees fell with it. This place will be burning soon, too.

«……It’s obvious. You are a child! You are not a hero!»

«……!»

«You’re a child! You have to accept that! That’s it! You’re going to eat well, sleep well, play well, and then you’re going to decide what you want to be!»

«But I’m……»

«I don’t want you to stop because of what happened today! «I should have done this then», «I should have not done that». Don’t grow up thinking like that!»

«……»

«I want you to apologize for what you did today. Apologize, and get yourself together. Don’t regret it. To step into tomorrow…….. so go ahead and run. The people of the city will come to you…….»

I want you to get away from here, quickly.

«It’s a …… lie.»

 

«……Uta.»

«I know I’m just a kid! This place is about to collapse! If I run now, I won’t be able to save An! Isn’t that right!»

……You’re aware of that?

«I don’t want to leave An behind!»

«I too!»

The two clung tightly to my clothes. It hurts a little.

«I’ll stay with you until the town people come!»

«Anna too!»

Stupid.

What are you trying to be cool about?

You’re ten years too young…….

Oh, but what should I do?

If I die here, their lives are going to be in the dark, aren’t they?

It’s not going to be a good life at all. ……

I really, really don’t want to that to happen.

It’s no good.

If you die, you die.

I’ll ask my buddy, who’s in my head spinning.

Right arm pointing skyward.

«────Crown. My powers are shutting down now, aren’t they?»

«────Positive. Gear system is undergoing planned cooling.»

That’s right.

But you know what?

You are reading story Gear Drive at novel35.com

I just can’t die right now.

────Please, I can’t die right now. I want to protect their future and their home. I want to pretend that this fire never happened. …… I know it’s hard. But, Crown.»

I was laughing and crying as I said it.

It’s impossible.

I know I don’t have the skills to put out a forest fire

But I wanted to struggle.

I wanted to say it.

To my crazy partner.

So──────……

«Is there anything we can do to put out this «Cardiff fire»?»

…………

……………….

………………………

«────Ready.

With the leveling up of the gear method, the skill has also been enhanced.

The core skills are always available.

──── The item storage function will be released to its maximum limit.»

«…… Huh?»

Guo an! Pa~a ~ann!

The gear on my wrist grew in size and shot up into the sky, and before I knew it, it had broken up into five separate pieces.

The five large gears expand like petals, overlapping little by little and shifting little by little.

Ki ~yururururururu……!

Ki ~yurururururururururu……!

Ki ~yurururururururururururururu……!

It starts to turn. A large gate in the shape of a flower.

The change starts with a gale.

«Kah, the wind!»

A gust of wind blew against the gate. It’s not just blowing, it’s sucking it in!

Wait, wait! Uwaaaa!

««Waaaaaaaaah!»»

«Anna! Uta!»

I grabbed them both by their clothes!

It was like I was being sucked into a flying saucer!

I’m not wrong.

It’s not some publishing guild urban legend!

Oh, I’m floating a little too!

I tangled my hands and feet in the branches of a tree to hold myself and the two kids in place.

Hiiii! I can’t do it!!

I managed to look back towards the gear gate and saw an unbelievable sight.

────Goooooooooa!

The fire is sucking in……!

The flames are being pulled out of the mountain in a number of whirlpools.

That tornado of flames is headed for a five-story wheel.

It’s like a gate to the afterlife.

That’s my skill. I can’t believe it!

««Waaaaaaaa!»»

«Hold on tight!»

I warned the two of them as they panicked at the sudden, end-of-the-world sight. I looked at the sky again. It’s like a big flaming windmill…….

Oh, and it looks like a headless bear just got sucked in too…….

Maybe I look wrong……

The end came suddenly.

Bo~tsu

And then, with a final dumb sound, the area was enveloped in darkness, as it should be. The moon was shining quietly.

«────Item name «Cardiff Fire» has been stored.»

……..What kind of item is a forest fire?

The wind died down, and we settled down on a large branch in a tree, leaning against it. It’s not too far from the ground.

I’m glad I didn’t get sucked in…….

　……─────!!

I can hear a voice. This is……

«Oi──────!!»

It’s a search party from the city.

──── It’s finally over.

«An…..»

«Hmm?»

Just as I was about to close my eyes, Uta asked me.

«Are you a hero?»

«────────……»

I stretched out my index finger.

I put my finger to my mouth.

«Fufu, that’s right.»

«It’s a secret from the people in town.»

«────Overheat line updated.

Skills temporarily frozen.

Entering forced supercooling.»

I lost consciousness.

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