Raynare continues giving information. Right now, even this information is essential to me.
"The Utsusemi, the operators that control the monsters——their bodies are only able to function as a set. And those bodies, our classmates who participated in the trip, there are 233 of them. The human bodies aren't fake, they are the real ones. So, we have to focus on the monster instead of the master. This is especially for you, Drako."
How?
Are they using the students' real bodies for the Utsusemis?
This was not something I expected. I really believed that they were using fake copies of the students to create the Utsusemi.
"And, they returned to Japan for the sake of killing the surviving students."
"This is no joke!"
Tobio's few words of reproach.
It was natural of course. It's because he was being targeted by classmates who've become monsters.
It must be shocking for him to become the target of his former colleagues' elimination. And more so, considering that his childhood friend was among them.
"There's no doubt you will continue to be targeted in the future. They have been directed to target you who survived by not participating in the trip. It's because the organization that's manipulating them from the shadows desires to obtain you by any means."
"Just a moment.... Why are they targeting us?"
Oh, that's right. I forgot to explain the situation to him.
All I told him was that he was the target of the Utsusemis, but I didn't tell him why.
"——Sacred treasures. They are called Sacred Gears. So to speak, they are unusual powers called that. However, these are natural——you were born with this power. It's also not such a rare thing. Many of those whose names have been recorded in history as well as modern-day successful athletes have unknowingly possessed such power. However, for its distinct form to be realized, it is a necessary condition that one possess a certain amount of ability."
Lavinia spoke indifferently. She seemed to be suffering from judgement from elsewhere.
"To say it in even more complete detail, the creatures you and Natsume were born with are classified as "Independent Avatar Type" Sacred Gears. And, the Utsusemi are artificial imitations of "Independent Avatar Type" Sacred Gears." I explained.
Raynare proceeded with the story without regard.
"The organization that uses the Utsusemi desired to obtain something like you by any means. Your abilities which could not be taken at the destination are absolutely necessary to them. To that end, they exerted influence over that trip to make use of the students of Ryoukuu High school. Causing their whereabouts to become unknown, they seem to have believed that such a change in circumstances would be good for them. By using your classmates, I wonder if they're thinking they could entice you into being careless. And now, those that are being manipulated, that last one tried to attack you by himself——that seems to be the case."
"What do you mean by "seems to" and "something like" that you've been saying for a while? Who taught Raynare-san these things?"
Tobio asked this to Raynare, as she removed the DVD from the player. With the DVD in one hand, she spoke.
"I was taught by the person who gave me this. It's our 'Governor-General'. When I received this video footage, I received this explanation."
For Natsume and Tobio, neither could hide their agitation.
"What kind of person is he? This 'Governor-General'?"
Huh, he is a troll.
"I think, for your mental well-being, it's better that you don't know. You'll know in the future. For now, focus on surviving. And don't forget to take good care of your new mates, they're the only ones who will never turn their backs on you."
"...There's just one thing, I'd like to ask, everyone...are our fellow classmates still alive?"
Tobio could not consent. To this non-anticipatable, unilateral theft of his classmates. They'd been converted in Utsusemi or something to command the monsters. It was——their fault.
And the answer to that question, I think only Azazel, and Raynare by extension, could know.
And Raynare was smiling broadly.
"Yeah, they're alive."
So that's why Azazel was so sure these students were going to try something. Now they're going to want to rescue their friends because that's how all Japanese teenagers are.
And my job here is to support them and by extension rescue all the other teenagers.
All I can say is...
I'm going to farm exp!
"And you're going to help us?" Natsume asks.
"Of course. After all, isn't it anxious about being alone? Against some 200 or more people? There are not even ten students who survived the trip by not participating. It's a simple calculation, that's a quota of more than 20 or 30 for each individual. Well, I can go against everyone on my own, but those weren't my orders. And… I can get out handed and end killing your little friends. "
"Besides, will you be able to fight your old partners? I mean, they're gonna come in here to kill you, you know? There might come a time when your best friend tries to kill you, and you're gonna have to defend yourself. Can you do that?"
Natsume and Tobio show some complicated faces after listening to me.
They have to accept reality, this is not a game. There are lives at stake, and they have to be aware of that.
"Of the two that were attacking me, the one in glasses was my close friend. Since the beginning of high school, I've been together with that friend forever. She aimed to kill me without any hesitation... Again, and again I cried out to stop but, that girl was just filled to the brim with murderous impulse. Now that I'm informed about the circumstances, it is clear that something is born inside me——that girl is alive. If they're alive, then I can save them! Even Ikuse-kun's thoughts must have reached the same conclusion."
Natsume declared her decision to resolve herself to occasionally fight those classmates.
"——I'll save them, all of them."
Tobio's declaration was strong. Resolution and determination were born in his mind, his objective was decided.
"Yeah!"
Natsume smiles at Tobio´s answer.
With all this, it seems the children have found their determination.