Chapter 103

What You Wish to Protect (守りたいもの, Mamoritai Mono) is the 103rd chapter of the To Your Eternity manga.

Summary
It's been four days since the battle begun. The Immortal Army has died countless times, many times killing themselves just to be transported somewhere else.

Their bodies would be disposed of promptly to prevent Nokkers from possessing their bodies and to prevent Fushi's sense from being dulled by additional senses. To deal with all the waste in the city, the Uralis army would transport bodies and waste to an incineration pit.

Princess Alma looks out over the war-torn city. She worries if the citizens, who were put on lock down inside their homes, are doing alright since they don't know when the battle will be over. A solider assures her they're okay since the "wise man" is supplying the citizens with food created within their homes for every meal. A maid rushes to the Princess' side and asks her if she can speak to her for a moment with a look of concern on her face.

Meanwhile, Fushi senses three knocks (the army's signal for when they want to speak to Fushi) and instantly teleports to the source of the knocks. There he finds, Kahaku tied up to a chair along with Kai, Cam, and Cam's injured comrades surrounding him. Fushi is shocked and asks what happened as Kahaku sweats nervously. Cam exasperated explains that Kahaku was acting suspicious so they tied him up. Ben elaborates by saying they were evacuating to West Tower 8 from Tower 9, but then Kahaku told them not to since his Nokker-arm warned him they would get ambushed by other Nokkers there. They decide to stay in Tower 9, along with the evacuated West Tower 8 troops, where they all got ambushed there instead.

Kahaku protests saying he apologized for it already and Cam angrily yells at him saying an apology won't fix what he's done. Yuiss, who's lying on the ground with a missing arm, tells Cam that it's alright and that she only lost her arm because she's weak. Fushi asks what happened to her and Cam tells Fushi that Kahaku chopped her arm off. Kahaku defends himself by saying his Nokker-arm did it and that it did it because a Nokker had already infected her hand. Cam grabs Kahaku's shirt and yells at him that it doesn't mean he can just chop off her arm without saying anything. Kahaku retorts back that he can complain all he wants but he's the one who didn't protect her.

Fushi tells them to stop fighting and blames himself for leaving everything to them. Kahaku tells Fushi not to apologize since it's his problem. Cam then exclaims that Kahaku admits that he's on the Nokker's side. Kahaku denies the accusation and says that Kai and him are on the same side. Kai agrees and Kahaku demands him to untie him then since they're wasting time. Kai assures Kahaku that he thinks the situation will improve but says it might help if Kahaku stays tied up for a little while longer.

Kahaku then accuses Bonchien of putting Kai up to this. He says that Bonchien is deceiving him and that he just wants to use Fushi to raise his own status back in Uralis. Kai responds back that he doesn't think that's a bad thing. And Kahaku laughs and accuses Kai of not knowing what he's signed up for. Kahaku tells Kai that God created them perfectly and that Fushi is cursed by a demon. Thus, the three new immortals have sword fealty to a demon.

Meanwhile, Hairo and Messar are outside fighting against Nokkers. They spot a new type of possessed Nokker that took over a bird attacking civilians. Princess Alma arrives and tells Messar that she has urgent business for him. Messar asks her what she's doing and that she should stay inside. And she tells him that the King is asking for him. At the same time, Hairo spots a man shoving objects into a bag and a soldier tells him to ignore since it just looks like a looter.

Kahaku asks Fushi why he and his allies must protect the citizens. He quickly answers his own question by saying it's because the demon (the Beholder) told him to and that's where all his suffering comes from. Fushi replies that he doesn't know. Kahaku begs Fushi not to push himself too far and that if it's too painful he can stop. He tells Fushi that he's the only one in the world who can't escape the pain of living. He says it's unfair that Fushi alone is burdened by the demon's curse. He tells Fushi to pretend not to hear their cries, to avert his eyes from terrible sights, and to stop saying what people want to hear. Fushi asks if Kahaku is telling him not to feel anything, then turns and teleports away saying he can't do that. Just as Messar ignores the Princess and runs to save the civilians under attack and Hairo stops the man from looting.

With Fushi gone, Kahaku hangs his head and Kai tells him he personally doesn't disagree with anything he just said. Kahaku asks him what it is they're trying to protect. Kai replies back that what else if not people's lives. Kahaku raises his head and says what he wishes to protect is Fushi's humanity.

Fushi teleports himself outside and finds March's handprint on a wall.