When his figure couldn't be seen any longer, falling so deep, as if he had fallen into the pitch-black abyss, the silence on the bridge was absolute. There was no cheering for the surviving Behemoth.
Everything they had built, and their relief knowing that they would be okay, had just been violently shattered in a matter of seconds. Their leader, who they knew could lead them out safely, led them by using his ingenuity, trusting them instead of hogging all of the role as if he was the protagonist of the world had gone, fallen, and probably died, as they knew from this point, they would be led by an idiot.
"SUZUKI!" 2x
The voices of Kaori and Shizuku echoed as they tried to reach toward the edge of the abyss, as if trying to go after him, but naturally, the others wouldn't let them.
"Stop! Stop! Stop!"
"Help me!"
Sonobe Yuka, the most reliable girl in the group, moved fast as she grabbed Shizuku.
Naturally, Suzu, who was close, also grabbed Kaori.
"Let go of me! Let go of me!"
Nana and the other girls also helped Yuka, as Shizuku's physical ability was too strong, and Yuka alone wasn't enough to stop her.
Fortunately, Kaori wasn't so strong, so despite having a petite body, Suzu could stop Kaori, as she desperately clung to her, as she didn't want the same things to happen.
"Ericchi, help me!"
"Ah, yes!"
Eri Nakamura also helped Suzu stop Kaori.
Yet, without a doubt, those who were at the rearguard, the mages, who shone brightly during the crisis, realized how huge the role they could be given to the group. For months, they were told they were just there to build walls and cast minor debuffs while the hero did the actual fighting.
Yet, now?
Who was the burden among them?
As they were able to stop Shizuku and Kaori, who seemed to be at a loss, sat on the ground with lifeless expressions, Suzu Taniguchi, Kentarou Nomura, Shiori, Nana, and Sakura were standing near the edge, staring at their own hands in terrified awe. In less than a minute, Suzuki didn't just give them orders; he weaponized their seemingly mundane skills into a flawless environmental meat grinder.
They realized that without casting a single offensive explosion or swinging a sword, they were the ones who humiliated and executed a labyrinth boss. He treated them like important assets and reliable allies, not fragile cheerleaders.
Suzu, looking at the spot where he fell, dropped to her knees after she was able to stop Kaori; she couldn't stop her tears. She didn't just cry out of grief; there was something far deeper, something she felt, realizing how the loss of him broke her further than she could imagine.
Yet, among all of them, the one with the highest reaction would be Kouki, who stood at the front, his glowing holy sword falling to the ground as he trembled.
His entire identity was built on being the shining vanguard who protected everyone. But when the Behemoth charged, Kouki froze. Suzuki bypassed him entirely, orchestrated a perfect kill using "cowardly" tactics like ice-slips and tripwires, and then sacrificed himself to save the weakest member of the class (Nagumo).
Kouki's ego was completely short-circuited. He failed to lead, to fight, and to protect, but when he thought that he could show everyone once again, he, once again, failed, and Suzuki, who, despite being a "Merchant," was infinitely more capable and heroic than he, suffered a crushing psychological blow that Kouki will struggle to recover from.
'Yet... yet...'
Suzuki is gone now. He was no longer there. Kouki knew that the leader's position was as good as his. At that moment, a slightly distorted, sick smile spread across his face as he lowered his gaze, realizing that Suzuki's disappearance brought him joy rather than sadness.
'Don't worry... don't worry... I will take care of everyone...'
Kouki muttered sickly, as he thought that it was his fate to become a hero for everyone!
Yet, without a doubt, while Suzuki had died, there was another who had died, too, but not physically, yet, socially.
Because Suzuki loudly called out Hiyama's name before falling, there was no ambiguity. It was clear to everyone's eyes that Hiyama fired the spell at Nagumo's back.
"HIYAMA, YOU BASTARD!"
Those with the hot-blooded nature grabbed Hiyama, ready to beat the shit out of Hiyama!
No, they were already beaten by Hiyama, yet Hiyama didn't even do anything and just fell on the ground as he was beaten.
Hiyama wasn't acting smug. He collapsed onto the stone, gasping for air, clawing at his chest. He tried to summon a basic fireball to defend himself from the furious glares of his classmates, but nothing happened. Only a pathetic spark fizzled from his fingers.
"What's happening?! What's wrong with my body?! What did you do?! What did you do?!"
"HIYAMA, YOU CRAZY KILLER!"
No one could imagine that Suzuki had taken Hiyama's system status, and Hiyama's status returned to single digits. Hiyama was permanently weak. And it was impossible to change that, as Hiyama had lost everything.
Everyone, whether it was boys, girls, the knights, or everyone, looked at Hiyama with absolute, undisguised disgust. Hiyama is exposed as a cowardly murderer, and thanks to Suzuki's final severance package, he is now mathematically the most useless living creature in Tortus. He is entirely ostracized, living, yet it is much worse than dying.
Still, the one who was saved, Hajime Nagumo, was lying on the safe side of the bridge, staring at the ceiling, hyperventilating. He was supposed to die. He felt the heat of the fireball. But Suzuki threw him to safety with a flawless martial arts toss. Nagumo's worldview shifted. He didn't go insane with rage in the abyss; instead, on the surface, he gained a cold, burning resolve to become strong enough to ensure Suzuki's sacrifice wasn't a waste.
'I will definitely bring everyone home...'
Nagumo made such a determination, as he stared at the back of Kaori and Shizuki, making sure that he would protect the two with the life that he had been given.
The girls were focused on Kaori and Shizuku, as they were devastated, but Eri was standing in the back, her hands clasped over her chest to hide her erratic heartbeat. She had just watched a man completely bypass the hero, coldly orchestrate a slaughter, and then saw this.
'What was it?'
Eri could see it clearly: something had been pulled from Hiyama's body by Suzuki, and she could also see how useless Hayama had become.
At this moment, she realized Suzuki must have been hiding something. Like her job, which had a certain secret, his Merchant was definitely unique and special, and with that thought, she had a feeling that this was what he had done deliberately.
Yes, instead of being an accident, Suzuki must have deliberately left all of them, but why?
As she thought of the reason—
"EVERYONE!"
Kouki roared. "WE CAN'T STAY SAD ANY LONGER! WE HAVE TO STAY ALIVE! I KNOW THAT ALL OF YOU ARE WORRIED, BUT DON'T WORRY! I WILL LEAD YOU OUT AND DEFEAT THE DEMON KING!"
"....."
While everyone was at a loss, Eri opened her mouth in a daze, knowing their life was as good as over.
"Come on, Shizuku, Kaori! You should get up! You shouldn't be depressed! We have to save everyone! We have to move on! Or—"
Slap!
Kouki was slapped.
"K-Kaori?"
Shizuku's eyes were still teary; she looked at Kouki coldly. "Can you shut up for a moment, Amanogawa?"
"...."
Kouki's lips were wide open, and he couldn't say anything, yet he never thought he was wrong. He believed that Kaori was just scared, and he knew that he could solve everything!
Why did he have such confidence?
Because he was the hero!
Yet, Kaori and Shizuku ignored Kouki, as they knew how delusional Kouki was. Still, unlike the rest, they knew that Suzuki was still alive.
They still held the key to his penthouse, and as soon as they could have a moment of peace, they would definitely enter it and scold him to death!
At the same time, they also registered Nagumo as a dead weight, a complete burden, and as they looked at the abyss, their tears were still streaming from their cheeks. They didn't believe that Suzuki was dead. Definitely, a guy who fought with that much terrifying pragmatism didn't just fall to die.
Suzuki must have escaped from a toxic workplace because being with everyone was just too tiring!