d Shīna, who was holding back her fear while continuing to shoot arrows.

Swinging his katana, Nozom dashed past the Undead Dragon's side as if to dispel the nightmares, fear, and anxiety in his head, and then he immediately turned around. He turned around, scraped the ground roughly, touched the invisible chains that bound him, and tried to tear them apart with all his might.

"W-why ..."

However, for some reason, the invisible chain didn't break. Nozomu tried to break the chain repeatedly, but no matter how hard he exerted his strength, the invisible chain didn't budge.

“...............”

Nozomu was taken aback. At that moment, the approaching Dragon swung its tail and hit Nozomu and Shīna with it.

"Uaaaa!"

"Kyaa!"

Nozomu and Shīna were thrown and slammed to the ground. Nozomu couldn't take a defensive stance because he was attacked when he was completely taken aback, and his consciousness turned pure white due to the impact.

In his vanishing consciousness, Nozomu's hazy field of vision shifted from the Dragon's fangs approaching in front of him to a man wearing silver armor and carrying a black gigantic sword that appeared like a gale from the depths of the bushes.

====================================

"Hmm...."

The darkness slowly faded. The first thing reflected in Nozomu's blurry vision was the ceiling of the tent.

"Where is this...."

"Looks like you're awake."

Looking at the person who spoke those words, Norn-sensei came from the back of the tent. Apparently, this was the first-aid station at the administrative headquarters.

Norn came to Nozomu'side, grabbed his hand, measured his pulse, and looked into the back of his eyes to check his physical condition.

Norn diagnosed Nozomu and told him what happened after he lost consciousness.

According to the story, when Nozomu and the others were in trouble, Jihad, who received the report from Mimuru, took off immediately and started fighting the Undead Dragon. Eventually, the Dragon was slashed by a blow of Jihad's gigantic sword, and its neck was severed. It seemed that the Dragon was defeated by being slashed by a single blow.

"Yup. It's alright now. Despite being undead, I was worried when I heard that you encountered a dragon, but I'm glad you're safe."

After finishing the diagnosis, Norn started to put away the equipment she used earlier. Nozomu was worried about everyone else's condition and opened his mouth to ask Norn.

"Umm... what about the others?"

"Irisdina and the others have already been treated and are outside now. Certainly, everyone's injuries aren't minor, but none are life-threatening. Except for Shīna..."

"I'm here."

Shīna's voice could be heard from the other side. When Nozomu turned around, there was Shīna who just lifted her upper body on her bed. A bandage was wrapped around her head, and a bloodstained bandage could be seen from under her uniform coat.

"....~"

Red spots on her white skin that shouldn't have stains. Nozomu's face was distorted by the painful sight.

"...I'll call Irisdina and the others. You two just get some rest."

After Norn-sensei came out, the inside of the tent was filled with silence. Shīna looked at Nozomu, but Nozomu couldn't look back at her.

(Because I couldn't release my power at that time ...)

Regret swirled in his heart. If he could release his Ability Suppression, they might not be hurt.

"Hey ...."

Of course, that's a possibility. But, that was meaningless now that the battle with the Undead Dragon was over.

However, the fact that he couldn't do what he needed when it mattered the most, deeply pierced Nozomu's heart.

"Hey!"

"....Eh~"

Nozomu suddenly turned around because of Shīna's call.

"Please listen. I've been calling you since a while ago..."

"S-sorry..."

Maybe she thought she was being ignored, Shīna showed her dissatisfied expression to Nozomu. Nozomu hurriedly apologized to her, but his mind still drifted elsewhere.

"Yup~, everyone's safe, you know."

Shīna sighed at Nozom's behavior, but maybe she was trying to cheer him up, so she spoke to Nozomu in a bright voice as much as she could, in the same way that Mimuru would usually say.

“........”

But Nozomu's expression showed no improvement, he gritted his teeth and clenched his fists to endure something.

Then they both fell silent. As silence enveloped the tent, Shīna opened her mouth again to ask Nozomu something.

"Hey, what was ..."

"Nozomu, are you awake!?"

But when she tried to say the words, Irisdina rushed into the tent to block her next words. Maybe she came in a hurry, she was breathing wildly and her chest was inflating and deflating violently.

It seemed that Irisdina wasn't the only one worried about them, Tima and Feo could be seen behind her.

"Y-yeah. Looks like you two are alright."

"Um. I'm glad ... I was worried."

Irisdina was relieved when she saw Nozomu's safety. Her pure feelings could be seen from her expression and her moist jet-black eyes. If others looked closely, she had bandages all over her body, just like Shīna.

"Yeah. Sorry, I made you guys worry..."

“........”

Nozomu's expression who saw Irisdina's wound became even more cloudy. Irisdina fell silent because of Nozomu's behavior.

"Yo, Nozomu, the most important thing is that we're fine. And also..."

"Oi..."

Feo who was behind Irisdina tried to talk to Nozomu, but just then, Mars appeared from behind them.

"Mars...."

Maru appeared blocking Feo's next words. He walked up to Nozomu's bed, ignoring everyone else.

The next moment, Mars' fist was reflected in Nozomu's field of vision, and shock hit Nozomu's cheek.

A striking sound echoed through the tent. Nozomu's body was thrown off the bed and knocked down a table beside him. A medical examination instrument was thrown to the ground.

Mars' face was dyed fiery red with anger, and he was still glaring at Nozomu.

"Why ..."

Mars' voice was suffocating. His clenched fist quivered, and he gritted his teeth to the point of crushing.

"Why didn't you take it seriously !!"

Mars rushed to the fallen Nozomu and grabbed his chest.

"If you were serious, you could have easily defeated such a lizard !!"

“........”

Nozomu couldn't say anything to Mars' words. He just looked down and gritted his teeth to endure.

Nozomu took his words as punishment. However, Mars became even more frustrated with Nozomu's behavior, who said nothing.

"This ... just say something!"

Mars swung his fist again.

Irisdina and the others were flabbergasted by the sudden occurrence, but they immediately tried to stop Mars from trying to hit Nozomu again.

"Mars-kun! Don't!"

"Stop it! Mars!"

"Wha~, calm down!"

Tima and Irisdina clung to Mars' arm, and Feo jumped onto his waist.

Mars refused to lower his raised arm, despite three people trying to stop him. He let himself sank into anger and shook off Tima who was clinging to him.

"Kyaa!"

"Tima!"

Tima, who wasn't strong, was easily shaken off. Perhaps Tima twisted her leg, she was holding her ankle while her face was distorted in pain.

However, since the anger has already reached his head, Mars didn't even look at Tima, and he hit Nozomu again with his freed arm.

Nozomu collapsed again on the medical examination instrument. Norn screamed from the tent entrance as Mars tried to plunge further into Nozomu.

"What are you doing! This is no place for you to make such a fuss!"

"~!!"

Everyone became calm as if they were hit by water. Their eyes swam in the air and their behavior seemed awkward to one another.

“........”

Mars was still staring at Nozomu. His eyes were angry but somehow he looked sad and sullen. However, the color of his eyes changed to disappointment due to Nozomu's behavior of refusing to say anything.

"...I thought you were different..."

"Ma-Mars-kun!"

Mars spoke so, turned around, and left the tent. Tima called out Mars' name, but he left without even looking back.

“........”

"...Nozomu, are you okay?"

Nozomu, who had fallen, stood up, but his legs were weak and staggered.

Irisdina offered her hand to support Nozomu's body, but Nozomu didn't take the outstretched hand. He ignored her and headed for the tent exit.

Irisdina tried to reach Nozomu's back as he left, but her hands couldn't reach him and just float in the air.

After the two came out, only heavy silence floated in the tent.