Chapter 24: Explosion Villain – D.E.T.O.N.A.T.E.④

"Daaon’t worry, Raiden. Flux says he’s gonna be a hero from now on."

"Inori, don’t tell me you actually believe what an escaped convict says."

"After we talked loooots, she understood me♡"

Don’t make it sound like that.
Even though it’s the truth, it sounds shady as hell.

"Let’s be rational, okay♡ I do feel bad about killing you, Inori."

"…Inori, Flux killed you?"

The usually talkative Raiden went quiet, and that silence alone gave it away.
Aw, come on, don’t spill it now. Raiden hadn’t even noticed.

"Anyway, let’s set that aside."

"I can’t set it aside, bring it back!"

"I drowned her. An assassination by drowning. I’ve taken down plenty of mutants, so a cutie like her was nothing."

Flux—! Weren’t you into Raiden!?
What kind of approach is this!? Where the hell are you using your provocation skills!?

"That’s why, to make up for it, I protected her from D.E.T.O.N.A.T.E."

…So that’s what this was about?
That’s why he tailed me all the way here.
I think I said it when we first met—he’s annoyingly dutiful.
Oh yeah, that reminds me.

"Didn’t I tell you? Don’t worry about killing me, I forgive you."

"This boy…!"

"Oh my."

When Flux came to apologize at my house, I apparently forgot to mention that I didn’t really care.
He suddenly confessed he was into Raiden, and I was too busy dealing with that part of the conversation.
He looked unfazed, so I hadn’t realized he actually felt guilty. For a villain, he’s surprisingly earnest.

"If it makes you feel better, I don’t mind if you slap me."

"Ooh, where would you like me to slap?"

"Don’t twist it like that! Not now!"

Yeah, scratch that. Not earnest at all!
Quit it, you’re ruining the mood!

"Raiden, this guy is being targeted by Delta. I don’t know why, but someone has to protect her."

"In that case—"

"You can’t. You’re everyone’s hero."

Flux cut Raiden off and continued.

"Your goal is to defeat Delta and save everyone, right? If you achieve that, you’ll also save Inori, who’s being targeted by Delta. In other words, all you need to do is keep doing what you always do. Until Raiden defeats Delta, I’ll protect Inori."

"Eh, I don’t really mind either way."

"Hey now."

Flux lightly knocked my head with his knuckles, like tapping on a door.

"Until you achieve your goal, Raiden doesn’t exactly have time for romance anyway♡"

"Ah, I get it. You mean it’s fine ‘cause Raiden’s too busy with Delta to date, right? Works for me."

"Let’s just say that’s the reason."

The matter was settled.
Raiden held his head in his hands for a while, but finally seemed to accept it.

"Tch…! Fine, but if you try anything weird, Flux, I’ll come punish you! And don’t get closer to Inori than I am!"

"Gyahaha! What is this, kid’s jealousy!?"

"Who’re you calling a kid!?"

He stomped the ground like a tantrum-throwing brat—Raiden’s definitely the kid here.

But we didn’t disperse.
Since we kept dragging things out, another hero showed up.

The Flame Hero – Inferna.

Flying in, she landed a short distance away.
She looked at each of our faces in turn and muttered quietly.

"Any man besides Yukiya-kun who gets close to Inori-san… I’ll kill them…"

Inferna’s head was wreathed in blue fire.
Normally her flames were red. Blue meant higher heat.
Like a gas burner, or a stovetop flame.
That’s almost 2000°C—wait, shit, this might be really bad.

Flux leaned toward my ear and whispered.

"Amazing, Inori. Inferna’s totally head over heels for you."

"Yeah, amazing. That’s all it is."

Or in other words, a pain in the ass.
If I admitted there was another man in my house, Japan might turn into scorched earth.

"Inferna, calm down. You’ll drag Raiden into this too."

"…?"

"…Wait, are you planning to erase Raiden too!?"

Apparently Raiden was also included in “any man besides Yukiya-kun.”
Hero or villain didn’t matter.

Shit, I forgot—Inferna once nearly turned villain.
She’d calmed down a lot since teaming up with Snow Fox, so I’d let my guard down.
But she could fall into darkness anytime.

I soothed Hina slowly, like handling a bomb.

"Hina, calm down and listen. Delta’s after my life."

"Huh? Then should I kill him?"

"If you can, go for it. Raiden’s trying to defeat Delta anyway, and he’s protecting me from getting killed. If you don’t like them being near me, then defeat Delta. That way I’ll be safe, and I won’t need anyone else around."

"Perfectly understood. Leave it to me. I can do anything for you, Inori-san."

Shit, did I push too hard? Did I hype her up too much?
Am I about to cause something terrible?
I heard Flux sigh beside me. Guess I messed up.
Might be too late, but I’ll throw in a follow-up.

"H-hey, don’t overdo it, okay? If you get hurt, I’ll be the one who’s sad, you know?"

"I will bring victory and peace as an offering to my goddess."

"Yeah, this is already way too far gone. Peak devotion mode."

At this rate, Hina might start her own religion.
And the deity at the center would probably be me. I’ve gotta stop this somehow.

Meanwhile Raiden, despite almost being erased by Inferna, was worrying about something else.

"Inori’s making a bunch of friends behind my back…"

"When are you gonna stop acting like my mom? Of course I have friends. Also, when we first met, I had just moved here, so I didn’t have any friends around. But I’ve got friends back home, you know?"

I grew up in the countryside.
I came to the city to attend Japan’s top university.
I didn’t have time to make new friends ‘cause I was obsessed with finishing the cure.
I don’t have time to waste. No room for play.
Well, except for going out for yakiniku. People die if they don’t eat.

Inferna’s flames flickered.

"So I should burn your hometown too?"

"Inferna, you’re overworked. Go home and sleep. Want me to tuck you in?"

I didn’t even say if my hometown friends were male or female… Why’s it only men that are off-limits anyway?
And why’s Yukiya the one exception?

Honestly, I’m into women, so she should be worried about them instead. Not that I’d say it.
And I’m not even sure what the hell these massive feelings Inferna has for me are. Romantic or not.

Inferna’s flames suddenly roared into a column.
It rose pretty high, and I couldn’t help but look up.
Wow, almost reaching the third floor.

"That’s impossible…! If Inori-san were there, I’d be too nervous to sleep…! Unless you came to my house… No, wait, I can’t! My place is a disaster right now… I have to clean… I’m going home…!"

Her flames gradually cooled, and she returned to her usual appearance. Still blue, though.

"You’re always pushing yourself too hard. Take care of yourself."

"Uuuh…! My savior… Messiah…!"

Yeah, she’s headed in an even scarier direction than romance.

Finally, Inferna’s flames turned back from blue to red. She bowed to Raiden and Flux, then flew off.

Watching her leave, I let out a long sigh.

"That was more nerve-wracking than when D.E.T.O.N.A.T.E. blew up right in front of me."

"D.E.T.O.N.A.T.E. blew up right in front of you!?"

Oh, Raiden didn’t know. Guess I shouldn’t have said that.