He had lived his entire life in the light. His every move affected the Marines; he was their public face, and in his later years, he had become the very embodiment of their faith.
So he was not a hero behind the light.
But he knew that he was far from the only Marine who deserved to be called a hero.
He might have been the strongest among them, but when it came to protecting the world and its ordinary people, he certainly could not have done more than those Marine soldiers fighting on the front lines.
They, too, deserved the title of hero.
Elegia.
When the song ended, silence lingered over the crowd.
Marines, civilians, and pirates alike had all lost themselves in the song.
The young man's voice certainly lacked Uta's charm, but the meaning behind this song seemed to have reached straight into everyone's heart.
"'The Lonely Brave,' dedicated to everyone trapped in darkness."
Kuta had spent a long time wondering what to sing.
As he looked at the people present, he saw no nobles, no Marines, and no pirates—only countless ordinary people whose hearts yearned for the light.
They needed courage, light, and hope.
And just then, Kuta had suddenly remembered this song, which had been wildly popular when he left his previous world.
Taking the microphone, Kuta stepped forward to the edge of the stage, looked out over the sea of people, and spoke loudly.
"For many people, this world isn't beautiful. It's even filled with ugliness. But the brilliance of humanity and our longing for life keep us from accepting it—from accepting that we should simply leave this world."
"If you're so unwilling to give up, why not become your own hero? Every heart is an isolated island. Breaking through the darkness is