My Measurement: The Villain Desires a Satisfying Payback

The violent flames were a result of Avon Laura's two helpers combining their abilities―something along the lines of a Measurement that functioned as a heat-generating engine uniting with a Measurement that could add fuel to said engine.

Individually, they would be useless abilities, but together, they thrive like so. It was an unexpected mingling of Measurements only the Wardens were able to produce.

I now understood why they were sent here as reinforcements.

However, it wouldn't be enough; not even alongside the Concept of Destiny Avon Laura.

Crack-!

Not if they were planning to defeat my Sophie Asanami, at least.

Crack-ck-ckuu-~!

Gradually, space fractured and split apart like glass.

Shatter-!

I watched as the image of Sophie, the space encompassing her body having splintered into countless fragments, reflected in my eyes.

It was the most vivid and authentic illusion of smoke and mirrors I had ever seen; perhaps because it utilised neither smoke nor mirrors.

The fragments were torn pieces of space's fabric dancing in the air like glitter, refracting and obscuring light in a multitude of ways; thus, the image we perceived to be was, in fact, false.

Sophie had disappeared into what I could only describe as the fifth dimension.

It was a very similar technique to what Saburou commonly used, but because she could only affect the space within one metre of her presence, the fundamentals were naturally distinct.

The fire duo seemed not to know what action to take and so stood dumbfoundedly at the scene. Avon Laura was different, however. Closing her eyes to concentrate, it was obvious she was attempting to use her Measurement to see where Sophie would next appear from.

"...W-will... Will she be okay...?"

Selina, still clinging to my side and subtly trembling in fright, looked up at me and asked. I replied without hesitation.

"Naturally."

In the next instant, Avon Laura suddenly twisted her body and swung her arm.

Clangg~!

The blade of her sword had impacted something, but it wasn't flesh.

"This...!? It's only a sub-power derived from Saburou's, and yet...!"

"...Hah. Oi, you're one helluva uptight bitch, eh?"

She stood there, composed with arms crossed, and seemed to bear the face of a pissed-off delinquent towards the opponent as their sword was stuck as if welded to the air around it and quivering.

"Your goons were this close to roastin' me alive for a second there. Ya also tried to cut me in half, but that's all ya got to say? Ya might be older than me, but show some damn respect!"

Slam-!

"Guh...!"

Just like she had practised with the training dummies dozens of times before, she shot a lightning-fast jab at Avon Laura's stomach, blowing her backwards even through her old-fashioned knight's armour.

I turned to Selina.

"See?"

"...Yes..." She slowly nodded her head in affirmation, eyes affixed to the scene ahead.

Performing her job well as my chosen fighter, I thought I should also give her some words of encouragement.

"Good job. Keep it up. I'll buy you some more clothes and accessories when we get back; whatever you want."

"...Like I need it; you've already bought me more than I could wear in two damn lifetimes."

"Well, I don't know. I don't pay attention to how much money I spend. Then, whether it's cosmetics or something else, just tell me whatever you want and I'll get it for you. Also, don't push yourself too hard."

"Tsk. Shut up, asshole. Whose fault is it that I'm here in the first place? If I want something I'll fuckin' tell you, so piss off."

"..."

I wondered if it was because of the fight that she was acting so belligerent all of a sudden. Either way, she wasn't wrong, so I obliged and ceased to speak up.

Deciding to scan the rest of the battlefield to see how things were going elsewhere, my gaze landed on the staring contest between Tarou and his brother.

Being the only "normal" person here, he was the only one I was not confident in winning a fight.

His new prosthetic arm would possess greater strength than the average human's, but that was all; compared to people like the twins or Sophie who had incredible Supernatural Abilities, or even Avon Laura who trained for two decades to attain phenomenal physical growth, he didn't amount to much by himself.

Hell, even I would be able to beat him in a fight with no weapons if I wanted to.

"...Tarou. Why are you here?"

The reason I recruited him in the first place was because his existence alone had the potential to function as a hammer to strike Saburou's "Achilles' heel".

"You know exactly why I'm here; I want answers."

More specifically, I knew that if Saburou had one vulnerability, it would be his family. That's exactly why taking Atsuko hostage is so effective against him; he won't be able to kill me until he secures her safety.

"If what you wanted was answers, then don't have someone right there you could ask? Surely you've become aware of what that bastard's specialty is by now, no?"

Likewise, even though they never connected like an ordinary family, the two of them are twin brothers at the end of the day.

"I would rather ask the person who is directly involved in the matter than an outsider."

"What's the difference? There is no need for you to be here. Leave."

Saburou is not someone so cold-hearted as to unhesitatingly kill someone like that, even if they are practically strangers.

"Listen... I was pissed off before, but now I'm calm. I know; If I leave here today, I'll always regret it. I want to hear the truth from the source. Tell me."

"Tsk... Atsuko was right. You really are a stubborn and foolish little brother."

"Hah. Little brother? We're all the same age, bastard. Besides, when did you ever think of me in that way? Atsuko, too. Neither of you have any right to call me your brother."

"This is exactly what I mean by foolish... You don't understand, do you?"

"What more is there to understand? The reality is, what kind of person severs his own brother's arm with a power that could only belong to a monster?"

Saburou paused for a moment.

"...You'll regret saying that."

"Oh...? Or what, are you gonna decapitate me with it instead this time? Go right ahead; it only proves my point."

He then bit his lip as if frustrated by something. Just by looking at him, I could tell.

"I would never do something like that..."

That guy regretted what he did to Tarou's arm. The remorse and shame were apparent on his face, but it wasn't like he could just give back what has been lost to the endless expanse obfuscated behind the stage drapes of space.

I didn't think it was a big deal since he already received an arm better in quality than what he had before, but then again I also couldn't relate to the situation whatsoever.

"Whatever. If you won't tell me everything that happened willingly, I'll beat it out of you. It's only fair after all you've done, right?"

Moving his legs, Tarou slowly began to approach his brother.

My curiosity peaked; I grew to wonder about the conflict to occur.

How would Saburou respond? I didn't think he would use his Measurement, and if I asked Truth whether he was planning to then the answer returned would be negative, but he could always surprise me.

Rustle, crunch.

The green grass crunching satisfactorily beneath his feet with every step, Tarou eventually halted one pace before Saburou.

"..."

"..."

Now right in front of each other's faces, they stood for a few seconds, the reverberating noises of everyone else's battles shaking the world around them.

Tarou took a few deep breaths as if to mentally prepare himself for what he was about to do.

And then―

Bam-!

―He swung.

Naturally, Saburou, who stood there like an idiot as if wanting to get hit, barely braced himself and took the full brunt of the attack on his lower torso.

"Ngh...!"

Thud-!

Landing a short distance away on the soft grass certainly couldn't have been a painful experience, but the punch, although amateur, utilised the enhanced strength of Tarou's prosthetic limb.

Nodding my head at the wonderful start to the fight, I was convinced what was waiting was not a one-sided beat down. Watching Saburou rise to his feet with clenched fists, I soon confirmed myself to be correct.

Using just his body, he charged at Tarou and tackled him to the ground.

The two proceeded to tussle on the field like any common schoolyard fight between boys and my interest quickly faded.

Turning my head back around to the others, glancing naturally at Selina and Araceli in the process, there ended up being nothing I could do except spectate the three fights individually.

The situation wasn't exactly ideal, but Araceli being here and protecting me was much better than I could've originally imagined would happen.

It isn't like I could complain about not having to physically exert myself, after all; rather, I'm thankful.

The only caveat to this immunity is that I am not allowed to harm anyone in the meantime, so truly all I can do is wait for it to be over.

Thus, I complied.

Taking a metaphorical step back from it all, I would not make any moves until victory is achieved.

...For now, at least.