Volume 8, 6 - Path to Follow

Volume 8, Chapter 6 - Path to Follow

Mari, who injured both of her hands didn't move.

She could only look at the battle between Ouka and Kagerou.

Even if she used just her own flesh, Ouka assessed Kagerou's movements and tried to avoid.

Kagerou's movements were very sluggish, but Ouka's attacks didn't connect at all.

"Ufufuufufufu! You shouldn't raise your hand against your momm! Mischievous children have to be punished rightttt!"

Ouka sporadically fired at her from a distance, but the bullets were deflected and their trajectory changed as they hit the wall of sound.

In a wobbly gait, Kagerou approached Ouka who was unable to match her and released a sound blast from Antoinette. The impact hit Ouka. There was no physical damage, but the sound has caused a tremendous strain on her soul.

"Antoinette was originally a Relic Eater specializing in logistical support and wasn't useful in combat… you see, sound can damage the brain and bodies, it has various effects on people's minds… it's a wonderful thing… hey, are you scared? It's scary right? This tonee!"

"Haa…uu!"

The wave of sound which seemed like it came from the bottom of hell gave Ouka goose bumps.

It was the aberrant "Sound of Fear".

Ouka's soul shivered, trembled in fear.

The sound's impact affected her soul directly causing it to tremble.

The intrinsic magic of Magical Heritages was more like a supernatural ability than magic, despite using magical power. Since a part of operative procedures and laws were disorganized, there was no way around it but twist them forcefully.

As she felt fear defying logic, Ouka's legs naturally shook.

However——

"So… whaaaaatttttt!"

Ouka removed the load on her soul with her fighting spirit.

No, to be precise, she only pretended not to notice it.

The terrible experiences she has suffered through until now kept her alive now. Honestly speaking, something like fear wouldn't hinder her movements. She had gruesome memories of the past, and as an Inquisitor, she experienced various bizarre incidents. Numerous heinous crimes.

Mephisto, and Laugh Maker's mental domination.

She was used to it.

Ouka stopped shooting at Kagerou and closed the distance between them all at once.

Kagerou took a step back surprised.

Instead of shooting, Ouka brought the fight to close combat.

Her specialty, a high roundhouse kick angrily flew at the opponent like a sickle.

Although it was blocked by a wall of the sound on the verge of hitting the side of Kagerou's head, Ouka decided to ride on the momentum of the roundhouse kick and moved behind her.

The sound cutting through the wind sounded dreadfully in the snow.

"…hiii…!"

Kagerou faltered despite not even being hit.

Of course, even if she were to suffer a direct hit, there would hardly be any damage as she was in witch hunter form. Since she was using a Relic Eater, there should be nothing to be afraid of.

However, desperate opponents are truly ghastly. Even more so for Kagerou who has never fought in close combat, continuous attacks from Ouka who looked like a demon must have been terrifying.

"Thinking the enemy will go down just because they're scared is shallow! Ootori Kagerou!"

"…ss-s-s-such a thing, i-it's not a sound that can be dealt with just fighting spirit…!"

"Even if you grant me fear——I just have to burn through with the will to fight!!"

There were many reactions humans showed in response to extraordinary fear.

They freeze on spot, wail or try to escape.

However, among them there are those whose fighting spirit is roused instead.

Although it's said that people go berserk because of anger, but fear causes the adrenaline to be secreted excessively, if one stands up against the enemy maintaining their composure it completes the best mental condition.

Ouka was indeed that type.

She changed fear into courage. Although it sounds easy, there weren't many who could pull it off.

The experience from numerous carnages, a rare insight.

And a certain kind of a talent was necessary.

"Haa!!"

Ouka's furious attack has begun.

A barrage of kicks was delivered at a speed hard to follow, cornering Kagerou.

The thing called sound waves aren't something suitable for defending against natural physical attacks. Even if they were able to deviate the trajectory of bullets, they couldn't nullify the impact.

Although, obviously, Ouka's attacks didn't go through just because of that.

However, her attacks scared Kagerou, dulling her actions.

Although the defensive waves of Antoinette had a long duration, they weren't automatic and the trigger had to be pulled.

Knowing there will definitely be an opportunity then, Ouka noticed several constraints Kagerou had.

She continued to distract her with continuous kicks, and the moment Kagerou's finger was about to pull the trigger——Ouka hit her face with the gun she held in her hand.

——*shhp*, the muzzle sank into Kagerou's cheek.

"You should have trained your body and spirit!"

A bullet was fired from the muzzle pressing on the cheek at point blank.

Adamantium bullets. Even with witch hunter form on, at point blank she wouldn't get out of that unscathed.

At the same time as the bullet was fired, Kagerou's head was blown to the side.

Ouka's favorite handgun emphasized on compact size and ease of handling. Its power was low. However, since it was subjected to Ikaruga's demonic remodeling, it was unbelievable, but it boasted of power comparable to that of a 0.50 caliber's.

By delivering a single attack, Ouka found a slight chance for victory.

Blown away Kagerou held her cheek as she rolled on top of the snow.

"Hi-highhuuu!"

Turning pathetic, Kagerou raised a bitter cry.

Ouka chased after her, trying to approach in a hurry, but movement of the cornered Kagerou's was eerily fast.

*shrshrshrshrshrshrshrshrshrshrshr*, crawling on the ground on all fours like an insect, she took distance from Ouka and stuck closely to a big tree's trunk.

Because that movement was too disgusting, Ouka couldn't move for a moment. Frankly speaking, these movements made her flinch more than 『Sound of Fear』 did.

Still sticking to the big tree, Kagerou turned her head by ninety degrees towards Ouka.

"H-h-how dare you hurt a maiden's face! E-even if you're my daughter I w-won't show you mercy any moreeee?!"

"…it doesn't seem like you were showing any before though…"

Taken aback, Ouka narrowed her eyes.

For some reason, facing Kagerou who wasn't accustomed to fighting she didn't feel the tension.

"L-let me tell you this s-straight, okay? I-it's not my hobby but… i-if I'm too slow I won't be able to make Sougetsu-sama's dinner… r-right, right?"

Ouka tried to take Kagerou down before she could display a new move.

From Antoinette's trumpet roared a sound of a different nature.

——BUOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONNN…!!"

A loud, violent sound. The bullets Ouka shoot were deflected and her body was blown away along with the snow.

"——nh——aa——!"

Because of the loud sound, Mari lost her hearing.

Blown away Ouka too, was bleeding from her eyes, nose and ears.

Hit by the impact of the sound her eardrums were torn and parts of her body seemed about to burst. She barely managed to withstand it thanks to the snow, that's because snow was naturally sound-absorbent. However, the strength of it was too high for snow alone to absorb it all.

"…I-I can't hear anything!"

Mari couldn't hear her own voice.

Ouka was the same as Mari, although she managed to stand up somehow, her movement was clearly strange. On top of losing the hearing, her sense of balance seemed to be gone.

It seemed like Kagerou was laughing since her shoulders were moving up and down.

"T-that's rightt. As for the ingredients for today's dinner, let's use Ouka-san! Your breasts are really big and look soft… they look tastyy! That meager girl over there doesn't have much meat, so I think I'll make a broth out of herrr! H-h-how about it! Aha-hihi, s-s-surely Sougetsu-sama will be d-delighted won't heee?!"

Although Mari didn't know what was she saying, judging from the way Kagerou moved her mouth she felt it was something very rude.

Not good… at this rate Ootori Ouka will…!

Ouka set up her guns and took aim with her trembling hands.

It didn't seem like she'll be able to withstand another sound attack like that.

She left Mari behind and fought against Kagerou alone.

Mari offered to help her fight, but was told she's useless if she can't use magic and could only follow Ouka's instructions. She regretted that now.

Damn it… a development where she dies to save me is no good at all!

She clenched her fist.

To Mari, Ouka was an enemy. But even though she calls her enemy, she's one as a rival in love.

At first she was authoritative and annoying, she just an enemy to Mari. They didn't match physiologically or maybe their souls rejected each other, it was something like that.

Their relationship had changed because of Takeru.

Since Mari was saved by Takeru, she spent her days thinking only of him. She couldn't remember the moment she fell for him. Anyway, since he saved her she started to feel of him passionately. His face, his voice, his breath and every move of his made her feel at peace, making her heart throb.

It wasn't logical. She honestly loved him so much it was unbearable.

For such love of Mari's, the number one obstacle was Ouka.

She knew that Usagi and Ikaruga love Takeru as well, but there was something different about that woman. Rather than her character, it was the atmosphere between Takeru and Ouka that was different. Somehow, Ouka had a strong feeling around her making her seem like an opponent Mari can't win against.

But even so, Mari didn't pull back. She was fine plundering away her love. If Ouka walks beside Takeru, she'll rouse her fighting spirit and get between the two of them.

She is my enemy. The moment Mari decided that, she had involved herself with Ouka, since then, she has gotten to understand Ouka well.

Before she realized, she stopped hating her. If anything, after getting to know her better she found many parts in Ouka she had favorable impressions of.

She's an enemy. A formidable enemy. I absolutely can't lose to this woman.

But even so——Mari's personality wasn't wretched enough as to acknowledge her enemy dying before they settle it. 'If Ouka dies Takeru will be mine', there was no way she could agree with such reasoning.

Nikaido Mari's pride wouldn't allow it.

I'll be the one to defeat that woman!

Mari stood up clenching her shredded fists.

And looking up at the sky covered in thunderclouds, she took a deep breath.

Sound is just an shockwave! If I'm being twisted by an shockwave, I just have to respond with a bigger shockwave! And that can be only done with magical power!

There's no need to assemble magic.

It's fine to just release it.

As much magical power as possible!

"OOORRYAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!"

Along with a roar which seemed like it would break her lungs, Mari discharged magical power from her body.

"W-W-W-Wwhaat whaat is t-thisss?!"

The gaze of Kagerou who was about to deliver the finishing blow to Ouka got stuck on Mari.

From inside of Mari, rainbow-colored particles have swept down with a fierce momentum.

The only magical power that has a destructive force by itself is just the Dragon ancient property. Even Aurora ancient property couldn't cause destruction unless magic was spun with it.

If she released it just like that, it would result with nothing more than a breeze.

That is if she had been a normal witch.

But Mari was different. The Witch of the Aurora definitely wasn't normal. The quality of her magical power, the amount, the ability to release it.

Each of them was special.

Mari released the magic from inside of her.

All of it. Without holding back she continued until she was empty.

The shockwave that release has produced has easily pushed back the sound waves.

"Giiyahhhhhhh!!"

Like a scarecrow blown off by strong wind, Kagerou was blown away.

"AAAaaaaaaaa??????…………afun."

After releasing everything, Mari fell flat forward.

Ouka was also splendidly blown away, but after landing on top of the snow she immediately ran over to where Kagerou was blown off.

Kagerou tried to pick up Antoinette that was blown away, but was stopped by Ouka who sat on top of her.

Because she let go of the gun, witch hunter form has dissolved.

"W-ww-waitt——"

"——Sorry, but I can't hear anythingg!"

Ouka pulled out a knife from her waist and stabbed through Kagerou's hands.

Even as she raised vulgar screams, Ouka couldn't hear them.

Next, Ouka rotated the gun in her palms and hit Kagerou's chin with the bottom of the magazine.

"Ahiii!"

*crack*, the sound of Kagerou's jaw breaking has resounded.

Already weak after being shot earlier, she fainted with a dislocated jaw.

Ouka released the pressure on Kagerou's shoulders, and was about to fall on top of her.

But, recalling Mari's existence she rushed over to her immediately.

"Nikaido! Are you okay?!"

After being slapped, Mari made a displeased expression.

"E-empty… nothing will come out."

"Mm?! What?! Can't hear anything, gesture it!"

"I-I definitely won't lose… to…you…"

——*fwump*

Although Ouka was deaf, for some reason she felt like she heard a classical sound.

After leaving those words Mari exhausted herself. It wasn't a metaphor, she really exhausted herself. If a witch's phantom instrument suddenly empties they can fall seriously ill.

"H-hey! Did you die?! Ahhhh she's not breathing! Heart… hey, it stopped beating!"

"…………"

"Oh come on! Are you trying to make me do that a second time dammit——!!"

While shaking Mari whose heart stopped beating, Ouka cried.

In the end, Ouka once again performed mouth-to-mouth and a heart massage on Mari.

The two-handed sword's blade and the storm arm collided.

Kanaria scattered flames from L?vateinn and glared, looking like a demon.

"GHHHHHHHHHHHHHHUUUUUUuuu!"

"…………"

Contrary to Kanaria who went berserk, Gou coldly stared at her.

For some reason, L?vateinn's flame of destruction didn't work on Gou. He slipped through Mari's barrier before, so Kanaria guessed that this man's Relic Eater's intrinsic performance must be being "Unaffected by Magic and Magic Power".

But for some reason she was happy about it now.

For Kanaria who fought with a sword, magic was just extra aid.

Cut with the sword. She didn't know any other way to fight than that.

The two's attacks turned into a contest of strength. There was no meaning in contending with power when strength was near equal, she would only exhaust herself this way, that's what Kanaria learned from Orochi.

She clenched her fist and hit him with fully activated Soumatou.

Kanaria was overwhelmingly faster. Even with the incomplete L?vateinn, with a blazing blade and her physical strength she should be able to fight equally against enemy in witch hunt form.

"True Light style——Hornet's Blade!"

She mercilessly slashed Gou with continuous attacks using her brute force. In circumstances where she couldn't use terrain or accumulate strength, for Kanaria who hasn't mastered Double-Edged style well enough, using anti-personnel True Light style was easier. Paired with Soumatou, it could be used even against a monstrous opponent.

The thrust had broken the armor and Gou's body was exposed.

There was absolutely no hesitation in Kanaria's blade.

Inside of her, there was only anger and murderous intent.

She didn't understand why was she so angry. There was hatred against Ikaruga in her, but there should be no affection. Ikaruga should be just a target of her hatred for abandoning Kanaria's mother, Isuka.

And yet, the moment she saw her bleed, everything in front of her turned red.

There was not a single reason for Ikaruga's appearance overlap with Isuka's image.

The reason behind this impulse was an emotion Kanaria couldn't comprehend.

"——Wolf's Blade!"

The moment there was a chance she attacked, she lowered her upper body to add weight into the upwards attack.

Gou tried to guard himself with his upper arm, but there was no way he could block Kanaria's attack.

The armor on his upper body was blown off and his huge body shook greatly.

His defense was broken. If she hits him with another attack, she will damage his flesh and blood directly.

Seeing a chance she swung her sword sideways.

She aimed at the part with shattered armor on the side of his head.

He definitely can't block it. She'll finish him now——

——*screeechh*

Unexpectedly, the sound that rang out roared wasn't that of a head breaking, but a metallic one.

Dumbfounded, Kanaria forgot about her anger.

It was blocked. In that situation, with that timing.

Moreover, Gou didn't block it with his arm.

He blocked it with mouth.

​

Gou who peeked out from inside the shattered helmet caught L?vateinn with his large mouth and fangs.

No matter how one looked at it, that appearance wasn't that of a human. Skin covered with fur, pointed ears, cat-like yellow pupils. Appearance of a variant that could be seen only in books.

"…a werewolf…?!"

Werewolf. One of the tribe that was destroyed by vampires in the past was in front of her.

"GRRrrRrrrrrrr…!"

While still gnawing on L?vateinn, Gou swung his fist at Kanaria's abdomen.

I screwed up! It was too late when she thought so.

Her body was bent into く shape. Her breathing stopped and she spat out blood.

And it didn't end with that.

Gou's clenched fist had metal parts attached forming something like a cestus.

It was that part which sank in Kanaria's abdomen before exploding.

The impact she was hit with made her feel like her limbs will be blown off, Kanaria soared into the sky before falling and slamming into the snow.

"Ii…ugh…hhh…hh!"

Kanaria fell on her back, her abdomen was burnt by the explosion. Normally her body would have been blasted to bits, but thanks to a wood elf's sturdiness and L?vateinn's strengthening she didn't die.

But, that was all.

The bones in her body were in a horrible state. Her internal organs too, were almost crushed by the explosion's pressure.

Gou walked firmly through the snow, his heavy footsteps could be heard.

On the metal part of the fist there was a string of characters saying 《The Malleus Maleficarum VII “Ivan”》.

The Relic Eater "Ivan" was a grenade launcher's prototype, similarly to Ouka's Vlad it has a close combat-specialized form, a blasting cestus. As Kanaria guessed earlier, its intrinsic performance is that the user is "Unaffected by Magic and Magical Power". But on the other hand, the physical defense of the armor was low.

What compensated for the low defense was a high vitality of a werewolf.

A werewolf's fur was tougher than muscle.

Gou stood beside Kanaria, grabbed her hair and raised her up without saying a word.

The pain caused her expression to distort and she opened her eyes thinly.

Her eyes met the wolves' eyes as he pulled his fist backwards.

His pupils were different, but the shine she saw in them made her feel that he was very similar to her.

Eyes of someone who lost everything and desperately clung to something.

That's what her intuition told her. As an extinct demi-human species, he was probably produced by Alchemist's experiments. Unlike Kanaria, he was handed over to Inquisition rather than to Valhalla.

As they were same extinct fantastical organisms, she thought it was ironic.

This beast that took shape of a human looked only pathetic to her.

In his eyes there was just sadness and loss.

He longed for people, loved people, and then lost them. It didn't work out like in a picture book's story. Even if a beast found something important, it couldn't fully grasp it with its distorted fingertips since it spilled like water.

"So Kana… is the same huh…"

She lost Isuka and was losing Ikaruga.

After all, she was just a half-wood elf failure until the very end.

She couldn't free herself like the canary in the picture book.

Gou squinted and clenched his fist hard.

Kanaria quietly accepted death.

What crossed her mind, was her childhood and her mother's gently smiling face.

For some reason, there were two mothers.

"…no…Kana…doesn't want…that…"

She tried to deny the illusion. She tried to reject such possible happiness.

But this illusion was incredibly warm. Very awkward and clumsy, even though it was distorted, that illusion was surely the same as the canary in the picture book she has been given, in other words——

——A family, is what it might have been.

Embracing the illusion, Kanaria closed her eyes.

She didn't feel like resisting this comfort any longer.

"——Kana-san! Please do not move!"

The moment she heard a voice was simultaneous with her closing her eyes.

When she opened her eyes again, grazing Kanaria's body something passed by at high speed.

A roar.

Gou's body who was holding her hair bent backwards strongly.

Next, there was another roar. Gou staggered and fell backwards. Kanaria's hair slipped out from his fingertips.

Kanaria noticed the support fire, regained sanity and looked at the person shooting.

Beside fallen Ikaruga, on her knees and holding the rifle was Usagi.

Usagi fired all the bullets she had and after placing the gun on top of the snow she took out something like a flask from her bosom pocket.

"What are you doing! Hurry up and attack! There's an opportunity now!"

"…………b-but…"

"Suginami is alive! She won't kick the bucket with just this! I know best how well prepared this woman is!"

Alive… on what basis does she…? Kanaria thought so, but saw Usagi sprinkle to contents of the water bottle over Ikaruga's body and was stunned.

The water that came out of the flask was glowing in pale aqua color.

It was the water from the hostel's hot spring that had a recovery effect.

Looking closely, she saw the same flask in Ikaruga's bosom pocket. It has broken the moment she was hit by Gou and the content has spilled out. Kanaria was late to notice, but the blood that spilled after Ikaruga was hit didn't spread any further.

No way, she thought.

Right from the very beginning, Ikaruga has concealed a flask with hot spring water in her bosom?

Did that close the wound which opened with Gou's blow?

Without a doubt it was a coincidence, but assuming that Ikaruga was…

…alive?

"…ha…what's…with that…?"

Involuntarily, she let out a strange laughter.

Some happiness, relief and a little bit of anger swirled inside of Kanaria.

What was the strongest, was that little bit of anger.

The rage she felt towards Gou, embracing the anger, inquiring the reasons for embracing that anger, feeling empathy towards Gou for no reason, and recalling all these flashbacks earlier. What was that all?

The anger she felt was close to disappointment.

Kanaria grasped L?vateinn and stood up with a shadow on her face.

Gou stood up in the back and moved towards her growling, intending to blast her away with the cestus.

But Kanaria didn't turn around until just before it hit. Usagi was safe, Ikaruga was safe, and she too was alive.

There was no need to hurry. It wasn't late to accumulate her anger plenty.

This helplessness, this embarrassment, these feelings she didn't want to admit to have yet admitted and Ikaruga's feelings she didn't want to notice yet noticed.

Gathering it all together, Kanaria turned around and swung L?vateinn at the same time.

"THERE SHOULD BE A DAMN LIMIT TO BEING ALARMISTTTTTTTTTTTTTT!"

Laying waste with the flames, L?vateinn 's blade clashed with Gou's fist.

"——!"

Gou caused an explosion with Ivan immediately, but against Kanaria, who has overcome a bunch of things that was nothing.

The technique Kanaria knew best.

First technique of Kusanagi Double-Edged style intended for use with heavy swords.

To stop this technique used when with a two-handed sword, it would require someone on level of Takeru or Orochi.

Rotating attack using centrifugal force and body weight easily blew Gou's body into the empty sky.

Magnolia's screams mixed with Kiseki's voice calling for her brother could no longer be heard.

The surroundings were being eroded by a red mass of meat, Hyakki Yakou devoured everything and continued to grow.

It looked like something blindly searching and progressing forward looking for the loved one.

The erosion rate was slow as compared to the incident a few months ago and possibly influenced by the dream she was being shown in the laboratory, the movement was also silly.

But it was without a doubt part of Kusanagi Kiseki.

The surroundings of Nagaru and Takeru were a already a mass of Hyakki Yakou. The reason they weren't swallowed up must have been thanks to Mistilteinn… thanks to Lapis.

The god-slaying sword was something even Hyakki Yakou was afraid of.

Magnolia's body was buried in the center of the mass of meat singing 『"Onii-chan."』.

Barely maintaining consciousness, Magnolia laughed powerlessly.

"…ha…haha, so that's my end huh… swallowed by your little sister going berserk… ahahaha, perfect death for garbage like me isn't it."

Takeru didn't respond. With his head hung down, he bit on his lower lip.

"Well, still, after becoming part of Hyakki Yakou I might fulfill my ambition of destroying the world. The moment those cells were implanted in me this fate was decided for me, right…?"

"…………"

"Hey, Kusanagi… lemme tell ya… what Chairman wishes for… that person intends to destroy the world…"

Fusing with Hyakki Yakou and in a state where she no longer knew which one was her own body, Magnolia spoke.

"See, this world is broken… it seems like originally, magical power and magic didn't exist in this world… I don't really get what he was talking about, but if he desires destruction… then our interests are aligned…"

"…………"

"This sheetty world… I think it's best if it's damn destroyed… I wouldn't have to hate anyone… I'm fine with this world ending… no one will have to suffer any more…"

"…………"

"Ya too have seen a distorted existence like your little sister… so ya understand, right?"

Wriggling Hyakki Yakou swallowed Magnolia.

As if she had already said her last words, she tried to close her eyes.

"——No, not at all."

Kneeling on the snow, Takeru spoke with a downcast gaze.

"I can't care less about the world. Whether it looks like sheet, is filled with just despair, I don't care as long as I can protect what's important to me."

"………………"

"But, if this world disappears, I'll lose what's important to me. That's why, in order to protect what's important to me I will save the world and anything else…! All of it, I'll save all of it!"

Takeru slowly raised his face and looked towards Magnolia with determination in his eyes.

"That's——the choice I made when I didn't kill Kiseki!"

At the same time as he said so, Takeru took the sword lying in the snow in his mouth.

He bit strongly on the handle and closed his eyes.

He has decided on what to do. There was only one way to overcome this situation.

《"Lapis."》

《"…………"》

《"I won't let go of you this time. I definitely won't go wrong. Please, I don't want Kiseki to kill anyone else!"》

《"…………"》

《"That's why——lend me the god-slaying power once again!"》

Lapis did not answer.

Takeru did not mind and sent his wish to her.

I want to save Kiseki. I want to live with my comrades. I want a world where people important to me can live in at peace.

I want to make those wishes come true together with you.

Takeru believed it was fine as long as their feelings alone were connected.

Inside of himself, he heard Lapis take a deep breath in.

《"……………………………10 seconds. Any more than that and you really will…"》

Her voice implied she endured her emotions, but Takeru bowed to her in his mind, responding to it.

A part of the sword's handle deformed and a switch appeared.

At the same time as he exhaled, he clenched his teeth on the trigger.

——Twilight flames have swept down from the sword he held in his mouth.

The flames have spread as far as he could see and evaporated Hyakki Yakou which started to erode the world.

The armor has wrapped around Takeru body and also covered his head.

And the blade he was holding in his mouth has assimilated into the helmet in a fixed state.

《"The arm's regeneration will take time… are we going to do it like this?"》

《"Of course. Even without arms Double-Edged style's fangs won't be broken!"》

Takeru lowered his body and kicked off the ground with a strong momentum.

He ran forward through the snow.

The Hyakki Yakou that centered on Magnolia has build up a huge tower.

When Takeru approached in god hunting form, Hyakki Yakou's tentacles escaped terrified.

"Fuohh!"

Takeru leaped and swung the sword by rotating in the air.

Even without arms, he still had fangs.

As if to embody those words, Takeru cut the tentacles with the sword he held in his mouth.

Kusanagi Double-Edged style——Inugami.

It was conceived for battle where loss of both arms is assumed, a fighting technique for extreme conditions. Rather than with head movement, it was about slashing by using flexibility and body weight.

As if dancing, Takeru fluttered, fighting.

At the moment, he was a single fang. A fang of a raging beast.

Turning into a fang incarnate, Takeru slaughtered Hyakki Yakou until it was extinguished.

Running on top of dissipating cells of Hyakki Yakou, Takeru aimed for the top of the tower.

Towards the nucleus cell of Hyakki Yakou lodged in Magnolia's chest.

The blade which had 《Ragnar?kkr Enchant》 applied to it shone with twilight light.

Even if he destroys the nucleus cell, what was eroded so far won't disappear. He has to erase it all completely, waiting for Kiseki's rampage to settle down, there was no choice but to destroy the part that spread with Ragnar?kkr Enchant.

Five seconds remained. Only a part of the erosion has been slaughtered and he had to destroy the nucleus in the end.

《"…Host…"》

Lapis' anxious voice shook his brain.

We won't make it. That's what she wanted to say.

But he didn't stop. He couldn't afford to stop. At the very least until the fang is broken!

Slaughter, massacre, butcher it all!

"UUOOOOOOOOOoOoOOOoooo!"

《"Host… any more and…!"》

More than 10 seconds have already passed.

His vision was flickering. The location of his own consciousness has turned ambigious.

But the fang didn't break.

Putting more force into the blade in his mouth, Takeru delivered the final blow.

As if impaling it on its fangs, the god-slaying blade cut the Hyakki Yakou's nucleus cell.

He crashed onto the ground landing and got on his knees.

Behind him, the towering Hyakki Yakou was been engulfed in flames and has stopped moving.

Before long, it crumbled like ash, the tower of variant collapsed in flames.

Like snow flying on the wind, the demon tower disappeared completely. What remained was Magnolia's body, she lost consciousness.

Takeru visually confirmed that Magnolia was safe and breathing, and then tried to release his trigger from his mouth to cancel god hunting form.

——He couldn't let go——

No matter how much he tried, he couldn't let go of it.

Lapis' voice in his head was distant… no, she was too close to him and he could no longer tell if it was her or his own voice.

《"…nh, Host…!"》

Even though he was called, he didn't know whether it was his or Lapis' voice.

In the middle of scorching flames, Takeru reached out to the moon which peeked from behind the clouds.

It can't end in a place like this. It can't end yet.

And yet, his hand fell to the ground against his will.

He couldn't resist it.

Overcome by ruthless reality. Crushed by fate.

But, in fact——it was completely different those that.

It wasn't anything as half-assed as that.

"IT…'s NOt…over…YEt…"

In the end, Takeru looked up to the sky. In the middle of falling snow and twilight flames, his soul melted. He quietly closed his eyes.

As if leaving the ending to his own body.