Those of you expecting the protagonist to have a good reason for saving them, like
@nunally, you're wrong. Those of you thinking it's just an act and that he's just raising their hopes to let them down later, you're wrong. Those of you who think his goal is to make sure they properly face the judgement of the law, you're wrong. The protagonist is just the standard Japanese MC who must save everyone. You want proof? Below are excerpts of chapters 62 and 63:
From chapter 62:
He could still help them.
So, hurry!
Move faster!
But the wave of monsters was thick.
And his attacks weren’t fast enough.
He wanted to help Shikama and the others, but it was all he could do to keep the monsters at bay. He couldn’t break through the wall.
It was like a nightmare
He felt horrible.
From chapter 63:
Even though he was still fighting, Haruki was stunned.
If he wasn’t careful, his legs would give in under him.
—He couldn’t help them.
They had tricked Oiso and attacked Karen.
He wasn’t going to forgive them for that.
However, he had still wanted to save their lives.
He wanted to save any life that he could.
He didn’t want to see someone die in front of him ever again…
It wasn’t because of some lip service about ‘all life being equal.’
It wasn’t even about justice.
It was just his own ego.
But it was also Haruki’s sense of responsibility.
What he thought an Adventurer should be.
Without it, they would be just like the beasts.
It was the last bit of pride as a human that he clung to.
That was why Haruki had fought alongside them.
Well, he had tried to…
But what was gone could not be returned.
The scene before him.
The emotion, every detail, he would carve it into his heart.
So that he would not make the same mistake again.
He closed his eyes for a fraction of a second.
And then he switched gears
So, yeah, they do end up dying, as most of you expected, but the protagonist is a joke. This kind of ham-fisted storytelling makes me sick.
Verdict: Dropped.
