Are You Afraid?

"Haah..."

Witnessing firsthand just how gratifying his gains were, Fang Li's somewhat weary face couldn't help but reveal a faint smile.

Moreover, the Iron Fortress had now started up smoothly, and Yomogawa Ayame, along with the people of Aragane Station, were all aboard. As long as they kept advancing along the railway and passed through the escape gate, they would be able to flee Aragane Station.

By then, Fang Li's main quest would be fully completed, and this trip to the Instance World would draw to a perfect close.

Frankly speaking, this was already far better than the situation Fang Li had initially envisioned.

Immersed in his own joy, Fang Li didn't notice.

Across from him, Ikoma was also leaning against the wall, watching Fang Li, who was quietly sitting beside the sleeping Mumei. His expression shifted a few times before he suddenly spoke up: "Aren't you afraid?"

This unexpected question caught Fang Li off guard for a moment.

Once he recovered, Fang Li turned his gaze to Ikoma and asked, "Should I be afraid?"

"...Most people probably would be, right?" Ikoma met Fang Li's eyes, his look unusually serious. "After all, everyone here, except for you, isn't human."

Kabaneri.

Ikoma hadn't fully come to trust such beings yet, let alone anyone else.

This young man, determined to defeat the Kabane, understood better than anyone just how much fear beings like himself could stir in humans.

"Not just ordinary people—even the warriors are terrified of us. There's no way they'd allow us to travel together." Ikoma said in a low voice. "What about you? Aren't you afraid at all?"

Fang Li fell silent.

After a moment, he sighed and said, "And here I thought you were going to say something important."

His words made Ikoma blink in surprise.

"Well, it's not that I don't get what you're trying to say." Fang Li shrugged, wearing an expression that was either sardonic or composed, and said, "It's just that, no matter what kind of beings you are, if all you can bring me is death, then sorry, I really can't bring myself to be afraid."

"Can't bring yourself to be afraid?" Ikoma asked, both surprised and puzzled. "What does that mean?"

"It means exactly what I said. Don't overthink it." Fang Li shook his head, brushing the topic aside. "Speaking of which, I haven't thanked you yet for saving me."

"...There's nothing to thank me for." Ikoma lowered his head and said, "Saving people is only natural. Our common enemy is the Kabane, not other humans."

Hearing this, Fang Li said nothing aloud, but inwardly he felt a twinge of emotion.

Only someone like Ikoma would think that way.

This guy really was a good-hearted fool.

"Still, I have to thank you." Fang Li looked straight at Ikoma, his expression turning serious. "Thank you for saving me."

Though Fang Li felt nothing toward death and had no fear of his own demise, since someone had saved him, offering thanks was only right.

He didn't hold the arrogant notion that because it didn't matter to him, there was no reason to thank someone for saving him.

Of course, Fang Li had no idea how rare such a mindset was in this era where everyone feared for their own lives.

A smile crept onto Ikoma's face. "You really are a strange person."

"Is that so?" Fang Li gave a wry smile and said to Ikoma, "I'd rather not hear that from you."

"I suppose so." Ikoma touched the glowing heart in his chest, his tone growing complicated. "Compared to you, I'm the stranger one."

With that, the carriage fell silent once more.

Seeing the complex look in Ikoma's eyes and expression, Fang Li hesitated for a moment before saying this:

"Do you want to become human again?"

"What?" Ikoma was stunned again.

"I said, do you want to become human again?" Fang Li asked with considerable seriousness. "If you want to turn back into a human, maybe I can—"

Before he could finish the sentence, both Fang Li and Ikoma's ears twitched.

Because a clatter of chaotic footsteps reached their ears.

"This is..." Ikoma's expression shifted to surprise.

"Here they come, huh?" Fang Li, as if expecting this to happen, turned his gaze directly toward the door leading to the front carriage.

The footsteps grew closer, and before long, they arrived just outside the door.

"Bam!!"

With a loud crash, the door to the front carriage was thrown open violently.

Immediately after, a group of warriors wielding Steam Guns poured into the carriage, raising their weapons with a series of clicks and aiming them at Fang Li and the others.

Among these warriors were Kurusu Kunoichi and Kibito Aragane.

"You...?!" Ikoma shot to his feet.

Fang Li also slowly stood up, lifting his eyes to look at the warriors ahead.

In their eyes, Fang Li could clearly detect obvious hostility.

Yet within that hostility was mixed a trace of fear that was hard for others to notice.

Only Kurusu Kunoichi and Kibito Aragane's eyes were different from the rest of the warriors.

Kibito Aragane's eyes held a trace of hesitation.

Kurusu Kunoichi's eyes held nothing but coldness.

He glanced at Mumei, who had fallen asleep, then at Ikoma, whose expression was stern. Finally, Kurusu Kunoichi turned his gaze to Fang Li.

Then, Kurusu Kunoichi asked this.

"Are you with them?"

The atmosphere in the carriage turned extremely hostile in an instant.

Everyone focused their eyes on Fang Li.

Including Ikoma.

Under these circumstances, Fang Li did not answer. Instead, he smiled faintly and replied with a question.

"Are you afraid?"

Kurusu Kunoichi's gaze turned dark.

As for the other samurai, it was as if a sore spot had been struck, one after another, they grew enraged.

"Just a Wanderer, and he thinks he's some kind of savior?"

"Kunoichi, don't bother with him, just shoot him down too!"

"Right!"

"If he's willing to stay with those two monsters, then this guy definitely isn't human either!"

"Exactly!"

Amid the clamor of the samurai, the atmosphere grew more and more dangerous.

Fang Li, however, paid no heed to these samurai. He only looked at Kurusu Kunoichi.

Under Fang Li's gaze, Kurusu Kunoichi closed his eyes. When he opened them again, clarity had returned.

Then, Kurusu Kunoichi drew his longsword from his waist.