Editing BlazBlue:Calamity Trigger Part 1 Chapter 3 (section)

==BBCT Part 1 Chapter 3: Grim Reaper — The Man Called Death God==

===Part 1===

A sound of dripping, whether it was water or something more repulsive, echoed from the high ceiling. 

In the deep, foul-smelling sewer, a black mass lay on the cold, unclean floor. At first glance, it looked like a bag of slime or a corpse wrapped in black sludge. But it was neither. It was the prostrate form of a grotesque monster that inhabited the sewers, Arakune.

"Damn it... you sure know how to be a pain." Ragna muttered as he looked down at the blackened mass, sword dangling from his hand. 

He had wasted a lot of time subduing this creature whose unpredictable movements were far removed from those of humans or even beasts. He had been trying to take a shortcut, but this had been a huge detour.

'''"Gug... gug... overcharged kick..."''' Arakune, a quivering mass of black seithr, groaned with its white, mask-like face floating within it. It was as if a mud puddle were speaking. It could no longer resist. It seemed to have lost the power to spew out strange spirits as it had done before.

Taokaka, at Ragna's side, wagged her tail with a triumphant grin.

"Tao won! You won't do any more bad things, Squiddly! Or else, next time, I won't be so gentle!"

"Nah. There won’t be a next time." Ragna muttered under his breath, stepping forward.

"Meow?" Taokaka tilted her head, puzzled by his words. This strange, carefree cat-like creature likely had no concept of what he meant. Ragna, however, looked down at Arakune's writhing form and raised his sword.

"This thing's already lost all reason. It's completely consumed by the Boundary... by the seithr. If we leave it, it'll just gather more around it and recover, then start absorbing anything it comes into contact with." Ragna’s voice was matter-of-fact. 

Perhaps it needed life force. Things connected to the Boundary often had such properties. They couldn't help but devour the souls of others. It was the same as the instinct of a hungry animal, something separate from thought. Eat, eat, eat. That was all.

'''"Ugigi, not enough... not enough... crumbling... crumbling..."''' Arakune sputtered as it raised a skeletal arm from its blackened body, tracing an arc in the air. It looked pitiful, weak, and broken.

"Don't take it personally..." Ragna muttered, almost like an afterthought. "Though I guess, you won't be able to feel anything now."

With a single, swift motion, Ragna brought the sword down. There was a dull impact — the sword was light enough to crush bones and flesh, yet heavy enough to pound through the goo and slime. Something broke, something tore.

The sword struck true, and the black, shadowy form twisted and writhed on the blade. The skeletal hand reached out weakly, as if it had no strength left. With a final weak gesture and a trembling voice, it lost its shape.

The protruding bony arm fell to the floor and shattered into pieces. At the same time, the black body crumbled like dry earth, becoming as fine as sand, and then as fine as mist, turning into a mere blackened stain on the slime of the sewer.

There was no corpse left. Although traces could still be seen, who would think that this was the remains of a strange monster?

Perhaps it had already been a formless, non-existent thing. Thinking about that, Ragna frowned at the small murmur the Arakune had let out at the end.

'''"... Azure?"''' The voice was muffled and indistinct, but it had definitely said that.

Ragna knew exactly what that word symbolized. Something very close to him.

Naturally, Ragna's gaze fell on his prosthetic right arm. Hidden beneath the black clothes and red coat sleeve, the arm was covered by a black glove. No skin was visible from the outside. 

That arm was not the one he was born with. Though it had the same shape and moved like a human arm, what extended from his right shoulder down was a grimoire.

BlazBlue.

The Azure Grimoire.

He learned that name after losing his birth arm and gaining this one in its place.

Although it was called a grimoire, it wasn't used to activate spells. What it could use was... fragments of the Boundary's power.

This arm was connected to the Boundary. It was like a small "cauldron." And it could also be considered a condensed Arakune.

The blackened substance caked beneath him felt all too familiar.

"Damn it..." Ragna clenched his right fist tightly and involuntarily cursed. He could feel it. He could move it freely. But it wasn't his own flesh and blood; it was a terrifying foreign object. The sensation was disgusting.

Involuntarily, his memories stirred. The night he lost his arm flashed through his mind. It was from that night. From that night, Ragna's world changed, and everything began.

"Hey, Good Guy~!"

"Whoa!" A sudden shock, like being pushed from behind, shattered his thoughts.

It didn't take long to realize that Taokaka had jumped on him and clung to him, but it took a bit of effort and a lot of muscle to pull his body back from the big stumble he had taken because of the sudden force.

"Ouch... Hey! Don't just jump on me like that!" He had almost crashed face-first into Arakune’s remains. Ragna turned around sharply, trying to shake off Taokaka who was clinging to his back. But she stubbornly remained on his back, climbing up to his head and peering into his face.

"Meow, I called you and you were spacing out. If you didn't respond, I was going to throw you over there." 

"Ugh..." Taokaka's big hand pointed to the sewer river. Ragna didn't want to think about what the liquid flowing between the sludge and waste was composed of.

"So? What is it?" Remembering that she had called out to him, Ragna removed her arm and lifted Taokaka off his back.

This time, Taokaka obediently stepped down and stretched both hands high into the air, looking up at Ragna. The expression on her black face, hidden beneath her hood, was a joyful smile that seemed completely delighted.

"Thank you, Good Guy!"

"Huh? What for?"

"Good Guy is a benefactor. You not only fed Tao, but you also defeated the Squiggly. The villagers will be so happy!" Taokaka expressed her joy with her whole body, her voice as bright as a song.
Ragna smiled weakly. He returned his sword to his waist and scratched his head.

"Don't tell me you were going to throw your benefactor into the sewer."

"That's different, meow."

"You..." Ragna could only manage a dry laugh at Taokaka’s casual response. "Well... whatever. Let's go anyway. We wasted a lot of time thanks to that guy, and if we stay here any longer, we'll start to smell." His nose had already gotten used to the smell, and he couldn’t tell how bad he smelled.

Taokaka jumped around Ragna happily. "Okay! Then let’s go, Good Guy! Tao will lead the way, meow~!"

"Alright, alright. I hope we won't run into any more of those monsters." 

"Don't worry. There's only one Squiggly. And even if more come out, Tao and Good Guy will beat it up!" Raising her fist as if in a cheer, Taokaka's light voice echoed through the sewer ceiling. Following the lively back of Taokaka, Ragna climbed over the rubble once more.

Thanks to Taokaka’s lively mood, the journey through the sewer felt surprisingly cheerful. It was a bit noisy, but the rest of the journey was peaceful, with no real problems to speak of. After passing through a long corridor, they encountered a complex set of ladders. Climbing those, they reached another dark, long hallway. They repeated this several times, walking for hours. Finally, Ragna reached the end of the escape route.

"Climbing this ladder will take us outside, meow." Taokaka said, stopping at the foot of the ladder. Instead of continuing as a passage, the end of the ladder was a dead end. It was probably a lid. Beyond that was the upper level of Kagutsuchi.

Relying on the green moss that grew slightly at his feet and the small, regularly spaced maintenance lights, Ragna looked up to gauge the distance to the lid and turned to Taokaka. 

"Thanks. I appreciate the guide."

"It was nothing. But I want more food, meow!" Taokaka wiped her mouth, as if she hadn't eaten several servings just a while ago. 

Ragna felt a cold shiver run down his spine. If he had paid for that meal properly, he would probably be washing dishes at that restaurant right now.

"...I'll buy you one meat bun." 

"Yay!" Taokaka waved her hands in joy. Ragna couldn’t help but chuckle and grabbed the ladder. It was surprisingly sturdy, probably because it was in the upper level area.

"Well, see you later. Be careful."

"Meow!" With a salute-like pose, Taokaka ran back the way she came, as if a kitten were running away. She stopped a few steps away, turned around, and waved vigorously at Ragna. "Come visit our village next time, Good Guy!"

Her unrestrained voice echoed throughout the sewer once more. With that loud echo, Taokaka finally disappeared into the darkness of the sewer. Her light footsteps were so faint, and the echoes of her voice bouncing off every wall slowly faded away, until the sound of her running was long gone.

An unnatural silence fell, as if more than just one person had left. Somehow, the darkness around seemed to grow thicker.

Ragna began to climb the ladder. There was no light in the narrow exit leading up, and he had to proceed completely by feel from halfway up. As he moved his hands and feet heavily, he let out a sigh.

(I never thought I'd be going through a place like this with such a noisy person...)

It was a completely unexpected situation. It would have been impossible to anticipate. After all, Ragna had always avoided traveling with anyone. There were several reasons for this.

One was that he was wanted as a criminal. Given that he was a target of the organization that ruled the world, he was not optimistic enough to wander around with someone in tow.

The other was... Azure. What the sewer monster, Arakune, had uttered. Ragna's right arm. The Azure Grimoire.

Things connected to the Boundary often had such properties.

Like Arakune, this arm also craved life force.

No, it's not that it craved it out of some kind of will. It was so fundamental and instinctive that even thinking of it as something as simple as eating because it was hungry felt too intellectual, Ragna thought.

Just by existing, it automatically absorbed the life force of those nearby.

Naturally, it would be fatal to be around it for too long. That's why Ragna never sought companions and had always traveled alone, visiting various branches of the NOL. He intended to continue doing so. In other words, this shortcut, though short-lived, was a very unusual experience.

"I wonder what that thing was all about. It said something about the Kaka tribe." Tired of listening to the hard-hitting sound of the ladder, Ragna muttered to himself. Since it had also mentioned a village, there must be a settlement near Orient Town. So, are there many more creatures like that?

"...That thing was so noisy."

Then, it seemed like he would never have enough food. 

The echo of his voice was different from before. The ceiling lid was near.

Thinking about that, Ragna's consciousness shifted away from the cat girl he had just parted ways with and turned sharply toward the outside.

A little more. Once he got out of here and through the upper city, he would climb higher and higher up Kagutsuchi. Then he would see it right away. The magnificent, yet unnecessarily large figure of the Novus Orbis Librarium’s Kagutsuchi branch.

Ah. The sigh he let out was hot and smoldering, a complete contrast to the one he had just let out.

(I'll wait until there’s nobody around and enter head-on. I'll knock out any guards who get in my way. Then, I'll take the elevator in the center to the very bottom... the basement.)

What’s hidden deep beneath the branch?

Destroy the cauldron.

His purpose and the actions he took to achieve it were always the same. Destroying the cauldron. For now, that was all that mattered. If he destroyed every cauldron in the world, then…

His outstretched hand touched something blocking his way instead of the ladder. Pushing upwards with all his might, a heavy object creaked as it slowly rose. Light from outside came in. He thought it might be dawn, but fortunately, the sun hadn't risen yet. It was dark outside. And quiet. There was no sign of anyone.

(First, I'll find somewhere to rest.)

It would be nice if he could find an unused storage room or warehouse before it got light and lie down to rest. Carefully and quietly, so as not to make any unnecessary noise, he opened the lid and inhaled a breath of fresh air for the first time in several hours.

===Part 2===

'''December 31, 2199 — 13:58'''

Her arm moved at the sense of someone's presence.

With blurry eyes and a hazy mind, she recognized the clean white sheets and the long, camellia red hair scattered on them - her own hair. Then the warm blanket draped over her shoulders and her own white hand gently held within it.

It took Tsubaki a few seconds to understand that she was lying on a bed.

(…A bed?)

But why was she sleeping in a bed? A question popped up in her mind, but her head wasn't working well enough to do anything about it. She sighed. Her consciousness was unclear.

(No, I can't do this. I have to be strong...)

Without voicing it, Tsubaki told herself to steady her sluggish mind. Slowly, she sat up. 

"......Huh?" Suddenly, she realized the strangeness of her situation. 

It was a place she had never seen before. The walls were a yellowish white, the ceiling and floor were made of brown wood. The oddly latticed windows were round, and the view outside was clearly that of a lower-class district with a dimly lit, cluttered cityscape. There was a sharp smell of disinfectant in the air.

Tsubaki blinked her clear blue eyes a few times. This was not her room. Of course, it wasn't a facility of the NOL either.

"Where am I...?" Her weak voice expressed her confusion. And then…

"Meow!" Suddenly, a pair of large triangular ears popped out from the foot of the bed where Tsubaki was lying. Then, a large, round hand was placed on the edge of the bed, and a head slowly peered over, as if to observe the situation.

It was a strange-looking creature. It resembled a stuffed cat made of sewn-together cloth, but the face peeking over the edge of the bed was not adorned with buttons or embroidery thread. Instead, it had a pair of red circles floating in a pitch-black space, which seemed to be its eyes. Its mouth seemed to be a white triangle floating below the red circles.

It was strange, but rather than being creepy, it felt endearing, perhaps because of the tail, which was the only part that was white and swayed gently behind it. It was long and slender, more like a real cat than a stuffed animal.

(It... it's not a cat, is it...?)

She tilted her head awkwardly, staring at the red circles that were staring back at her. The cat-like creature with the triangular ears also tilted its head. It might even be cute, she thought. But that thought was short-lived.

"Ohh~ here it is!"

"Huh... what?"

"Boobie Lady, Boobie Lady! The sleeping person woke up!" Suddenly, the creature with the triangular ears and tail jumped up and shouted loudly, waving its hands towards the outside of the room. Startled, Tsubaki hugged the blanket on the bed, and she could hear the sound of several people running towards her.

"Oh, you're awake! Well, that's good!" The first person to rush into the room was a large man. As soon as he entered, he shouted so loudly that it seemed to vibrate the air in the room, and then he strode over to the bedside where Tsubaki was lying.

He was dressed in something like an Ikaryu ninja outfit, with a red cloth wrapped around his neck like a muffler. There was a large scar in the shape of an X on his face. 

Next came a small girl. Pushing aside the big man, she slid to the side of the bed and placed her hand on Tsubaki's forehead with a slightly sullen expression.

"You don't seem to have a fever. I'll check your temperature properly later, but how are you feeling?"

"I... I'm fine... I think." Tsubaki replied, confused.

"You ''think''? What does that even mean? Be clear about it." The girl pursed her lips in dissatisfaction. She had bright, spirited eyes and skin as smooth as the hand that had touched Tsubaki. She had her neatly combed black hair tied up at the back of her head. She was wearing clothes that were easy to move in. If she hadn't heard her voice, Tsubaki might have mistaken her for a boy.

"Linhua, you shouldn’t speak like that to someone who’s just woken up." A new voice spoke softly, with a hint of sensuality in its tone. The large man stepped aside to make way. Behind him appeared a beautiful woman carrying a pitcher and a glass on a tray. 

Tsubaki was instantly captivated by her refined features, supple limbs, and curvaceous figure. Her skin was smooth and white, and the thin lenses of her glasses and the black eyes twinkling behind them conveyed a gentle intelligence. Yet, the thinly painted red lips were oddly alluring, and whenever she smiled, it was impossible to look away.

It wasn’t just Tsukaki who was drawn to her captivating appearance. The large man with the red scarf seemed similarly entranced. When she thanked him for clearing the way, he visibly blushed and gave a wide smile.

Passing in front of him, she flicked the long hem of her red dress and placed a tray on the bedside table. The beautiful woman with glasses poured water from a pitcher into a glass and offered it to Tsubaki.

"I'm Litchi Faye-Ling. This is a hospital in Orient Town, and I'm the doctor here." 

"A doctor? Oh..." As she accepted the glass, Tsukaki wondered why she was in a doctor's office. Then she remembered.

That's right. It was raining. She had parted ways with Hazama, the intelligence officer, at Kagutsuchi's fifth port and came to Orient Town alone. And then she’d spotted a man working on something. The Red Devil from Sector Seven. She was supposed to contact the Kagutsuchi branch of the Librarium to apprehend him. Or was she? Her memory was hazy and unclear.

Just then, the Red Devil had suddenly reached out to her, and as she braced herself for the attack... or perhaps just before that moment, sparks flew in front of her eyes, and she had no memory of what happened after that.

"That's right, I... at that time..." Tsubaki gripped the glass in her hand. She realized that she had lost to the Red Devil. And it had been with just one blow, so easily that she couldn't even remember it.

It was pathetic, even though she was a soldier. While scolding herself inwardly, Tsubaki tried to put on a calm expression and looked up. ...However, she couldn't say that she was successful.

"Litchi-san... ...right? You saved me."

"Oh, no. I simply took you in, gave you some basic treatment, and lent you a bed. Someone else brought you here." Litchi lowered her eyebrows slightly, looking a bit troubled, and waved her hand in front of her. Suddenly, the alluring and enchanting atmosphere around her became warm and friendly. Next to Litchi, the girl with a boyish appearance pouted and crossed her thin arms, looking dissatisfied.

"…If it weren't for this place, you probably would’ve been dumped somewhere nearby. You should thank the doctor."
"Now, Linhua." Litchi quickly chided her with a sharp tone. Linhua didn't argue, but she snorted and turned her face away from Tsubaki and Litchi. 

Litchi pushed up the end of her glasses with her finger and gave Tsubaki a wry smile.

"I'm sorry about that. This child is my assistant, Rinfa, and she was born and raised in this town. So... she has complicated feelings about people like soldiers." Tsubaki nodded, sensing the complex emotions contained in the single word "complicated."

The NOL was a huge organization. But the world was even bigger, and even in the Hierarchical Cities, there were inevitably parts where the government's reach was effective and parts where it was not.

Kagutsuchi's Orient Town was a good example. The NOL did not have enough manpower to maintain the city's infrastructure or public safety, and support for the poor was insufficient. Therefore, it was not uncommon for people in these lower-class towns to resent the NOL.

...Tsubaki had heard rumors about this in the NOL. This was the first time she had seen this resentment firsthand. Somehow, she didn't know how to put it into words.

Seeing Tsubaki's somber expression, Litchi smiled again and, as if to cheer her up, introduced the other two people in a bright voice.

"This is Taokaka, and this is Bang. They're both my friends." She first pointed to a strange girl with a triangular hood covering her head and a swaying cat's tail.

Taokaka thrust her arm towards Tsubaki with a bouncy motion. "If you're a friend of the Boobie Lady, then you're a friend of Tao too! Nice to meet you!"

"I'm Bang Shishigami. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance!" Bang, the large man with the scarred face who was introduced next, greeted her with as much vigor as Taokaka. Their excitement was enough to blow away the tense and strained atmosphere with Linhua just a moment ago.

Tsubaki involuntarily drew back slightly on the bed. She had heard that there were all sorts of people living in the lower levels of the city, but she was truly experiencing it firsthand now. As if seeing through Tsubaki's confusion or admiration, Litchi smiled slightly and amusedly.

"If you don’t mind, may I ask your name?"

Only then did Tsukaki realize she hadn't introduced herself. Thanks to her Librarium uniform, her role as a soldier was apparent, but that alone wasn't enough to show her gratitude to the person who had helped her. Hurriedly, Tsubaki straightened her posture, clasped her hands neatly on her lap, and bowed to Litchi, Linhua, Taokaka, and Bang.

"My apologies. I am Tsukaki Yayoi, Second Lieutenant in the Fourth Thaumaturgist Squadron of the Novus Orbis Librarium. I am truly grateful for all your help."

"Oh, you don't have to be so formal. I just wanted to know your name because I thought it would be rude to keep calling you soldier forever." Litchi waved her hand hurriedly and smiled gently. Tsubaki couldn't help but relax her cheeks at her easygoing manner. Perhaps she was more cheerful than she looked.

Next to her, Bang grabbed his chin with his thick fingers and groaned thoughtfully.

"It's rare to see a soldier from headquarters in such a lower level. Even the Kagutsuchi guards don't come down here very often."

"Well..." Tsubaki hesitated and took another sip from the cup she was holding. She wanted to be honest and tell him everything since she had been helped, but the command that this was a top-secret mission came to mind.

Just as she was about to say that she was sorry but couldn't talk about the mission, Bang suddenly clapped his hands.

"Come to think of it, I saw a strange soldier yesterday. Could that blond man be your companion?"

"A blond... man?" For Bang, it was probably just a casual thought. But those words pulled Tsubaki's attention like a magnet.

There were countless blond-haired men in the NOL. Considering that there were a considerable number of them at headquarters alone, the total number, including all the branches nationwide, was unimaginable.

But for Tsubaki, only one person came to mind.

"That man! Who was he?! When and where did you see him!?" Suddenly throwing off the blanket, Tsubaki pressed herself up from the bed towards Bang. Even Bang seemed taken aback and leaned back, spreading his arms in front of his chest as if to calm her. But Tsubaki didn't see any of that.

"Please tell me, what was he like? Did you talk to him? What was his name? Was he injured...?" Before Tsubaki could finish her rapid-fire questions, a dizziness distorted her vision. Losing her balance, she pressed her head and dropped her raised bottom onto the bed mat.

Litchi touched her shoulder and forehead soothingly. "Don't push yourself, Tsubaki-san. You've been asleep all night. Even though there are no visible external injuries, you did lose consciousness once. You should rest first..." 

"I- no, I'm fine... wait, all night!" Tsubaki's voice cracked in belated realization. She accidentally slapped Litchi's hand away, causing her to gasp in surprise. Tsubaki realized that she had been rude and became flustered. "I-I’m sorry, but… the whole night...?"

"Yes, yes. You were brought here yesterday... around six thirty in the evening, I think. It's the next day now, the 31st, around two o'clock." Litchi answered, looking at the clock in the room while still a little shaken.

Seeing Tsubaki's face turn pale, Linhua frowned worriedly.

"What's wrong? Did you have a date?" 

"Are you hungry, meow?"

"Tao, be quiet for a moment." 

"Okay, meow?" At the foot of the bed, Taokaka's large hand began to knead the crumpled blanket. Normally, Tsubaki would have smiled at the sight, but she didn't have the energy.

"No, what should I do? I'm on a mission..." Oh, but that's not what's important right now. Even as the shock of reality caused another dizzy spell, Tsubaki looked up at Bang pleadingly. "Please tell me about that blond-haired man. When and where did you meet him?" 

"I saw him yesterday morning in a vagrant town below this one," Bang replied with a serious expression, instead of his usual bold smile, seeing Tsubaki's unusual state. "I didn't get his name, but he was a young man. He was rather thin, with green eyes. He had sharp eyes and was wearing the same uniform as you. He also had a sword with a blue sheath."

Tsubaki's eyes widened at the words "blue sheath." Jin's beloved sword. Tsubaki didn't know its name, but Jin had never let anyone, especially Tsubaki, touch that sword with its cold blue sheath.

It had to be him. There was no doubt about it. Thinking that, Tsubaki's heart began to pound like a drum.

"Where... where was he going? Didn't he say anything?" Her voice trembled as she asked.

Bang replied in a clear, low voice. "He didn't say where, but he said he was going up. And he said he was looking for a man with white hair and a red coat..."

The words "white hair and red coat" had become synonymous with a certain man in the current NOL.

"The 'Grim Reaper'... Ragna the Bloodedge." The words slipped from Tsukaki’s lips before she even realized it, bringing with them a deep understanding.

"Tsubaki-san?"

"Yes, because Brother Jin… he said it himself. But why… why didn’t I realize it sooner?"

No, wait… it wasn’t that she didn’t realize it. It was that she hadn’t wanted to see it.

Without paying any attention to Litchi, who was peering at her with concern, Tsubaki touched her trembling lips with her fingertips. Her fingertips were also trembling slightly.

Jin Kisaragi, who had disappeared from the NOL, had come to Kagutsuchi to pursue Ragna the Bloodedge. That meant he must also be searching for Ragna the Bloodedge in Kagutsuchi. How would he search? Would he wander around the vast Kagutsuchi aimlessly, like Tsubaki?

Jin was a calm and intelligent person. He knew how to achieve his goals. Ragna the Bloodedge was a vicious criminal who went around destroying branches all over the world. So, if he waited at a branch that was his target, the Grim Reaper would eventually come. After all, his purpose in coming to Kagutsuchi was the branch itself.

"I have to go!" Tsubaki slid off the bed as if she had been shot. But Litchi immediately stopped her.

"Wait. I told you, you still—"

"I have to go! There's someone I'm looking for. Someone important! I have to go quickly..." She didn't know what would happen if she didn't go. She didn't know why she felt such a burning sense of urgency. Tsubaki pleaded with Litchi as if she were spitting out words.

Suddenly, the look of anxiety, apprehension, and worry, typical of a doctor, disappeared from Litchi's face. Her gentle eyes were now stern, and she looked at Tsubaki intently.

"Did you come here from headquarters for that person?"

"Y... yes. I don't know if I can do anything. But I have to find him no matter what."

If she didn't, Jin would be pursued by the NOL as a traitor. It wasn’t because of the mission. It wasn’t because of an order. She couldn’t let Jin be accused of something he didn’t do.

Litchi took her hand off Tsubaki's shoulder and went to a machine at the end of the room, flipping the hem of her long dress. There, neatly folded, were Tsubaki's gloves and the removable parts of her uniform. There was also a beret-like hat and a holster with a small gun.

"If you still feel dizzy, don't run or overexert yourself. If you overdo it, it'll be counterproductive." As she spoke, Litchi handed Tsubaki the gloves and sleeves and put the hat on her head. 

Tsukaki clenched the items tightly and nodded deeply. "Yes. Thank you very much." She quickly put on the sleeve parts and gloves, then stepped into her boots. Her body swayed slightly when she stepped down, but she didn't feel any pain.

"Thank you so much for everything. Excuse me!" Bowing deeply, Tsubaki turned around and ran out hurriedly. Her steps weren’t light by any means, and the door slammed loudly behind her, echoing through the clinic. Litchi, watching the whirlwind of activity, looked back toward the door with a faintly troubled expression.

"Is that okay, Dr. Litchi?"

"She doesn’t have any injuries, and her health seems fine for now, so she should be okay for the time being. Even if something happens, she’s a soldier. Once she reaches the upper levels, there are plenty of facilities that can help her if needed." With one arm around her chest and her fingertip touching her mouth, Lychee looked back at the door, just like Linhua. Her expression was half-dazed, but that daze was not directed at Tsubaki herself.

"Besides, she seems to have very important business." She's looking for someone important. When that thought was directed at her so straightforwardly, Litchi couldn't deny it. She couldn't refuse. She was also here because she was looking for someone important.

"Kuu, Litchi-dono is so kind! I, Bang Shishigami, am deeply moved by Litchi-dono's words of love!" Bang grabbed Litchi's hands tightly with both of his, tears of emotion streaming down his face.

"Oh, Bang-san, you're so dramatic..." Litchi's gaze was directed straight at him, just as it had been with Tsubaki. But when it came from this man, she didn't know how to react. While smiling wryly, she felt something nostalgic in the warmth of his touch.

Litchi turned her head to the left, towards the bed.

"Nyuuhh... Nyaaah... Meow…"

"Come on, Tao. That's not a bed for napping, so get down. Another patient might come, and I'll have to change the sheets right away." 

"Five more minutes, meow~..." Taokaka rolled over, and a hard object she had been holding in her paw fell under the bed. At the same time, she kicked the side table with her foot, causing the cup and pitcher on the table to almost topple over.

Litchi quickly reached out, and both the glass cup and the ceramic pitcher were saved from falling. But because of that, no one heard the small sound of something falling into the gap between the bed and the wall.

What had fallen? It was the small gun that Tsukaki, in her rush, hadn’t noticed slipping out of her holster. The gun that was issued by the NOL.

===Part 3===

Having fled Litchi's clinic, Tsubaki ran desperately through the lower city, surrounded by air mixed with seithr and dimness that didn’t seem right for midday. Above her head, countless artificial lights and neon signs that had been on all day passed by.

She would leave Orient Town and go through the park and warehouse district, then climb the stairs to the next level. After crossing the main street to the opposite side, she would go through the bridge, take the ritual lift, and go even higher.

If she contacted them while running, she might be able to meet up with a Librarium cart on a middle level. If she could catch it, she could get to the branch quickly, but if she couldn't arrange it, she would have to take shuttles.

Tsubaki desperately tried to recall the structure and map of Kagutsuchi that she had memorized in the magic ship. 

How long would it take to get from here to the top-level branch? What was the shortest time, and what was the longest? She didn't have the shuttle timetable in her head. There would probably be plenty of shuttles going to the upper levels, but there probably wouldn't be many in the lower levels.

As she ran, Tsubaki bit her lip. Why? Why did it feel like this? She couldn’t shake the feeling that she had to meet Jin quickly, as if something bad would happen if she didn’t.

(Why... it's obvious, isn't it...)

The bitterness in her mouth was probably due to regret. She had known the reason for her premonition for a long time. She should have remembered it long ago.

Because Jin... the man she had always watched over, had acted strangely just before he disappeared.



The Novus Orbis Librarium branch in Akitsu, the Hierarchical City, was attacked by the "Grim Reaper." The news quickly reached the NOL headquarters, and all the recorded information related to the "Grim Reaper" was analyzed.

The approximate appearance of the heinous criminal who had attacked the NOL branches in various places was identified the day after the analysis began. Three days after the analysis began, the Intelligence Department traced the name "Grim Reaper."

The information was quickly compiled into a document and delivered to each division. Of course, a report was also submitted to the fourth division, and that day, Tsubaki visited the division commander's office with several documents, including a report on the "Grim Reaper."

"Excuse me." Waiting for the voice to respond to her knock, Tsubaki opened the door and entered the room. 

The first thing she noticed was the temperature of the room. The corridor separated by a single door was not so cold, but Jin's office had always been chilly lately. He wasn't changing the special air conditioning, and when Tsubaki asked Jin about it, he said he didn't feel any change in temperature at all.

Tsubaki was the only one who was concerned, and she thought maybe he had been a little under the weather for a while. Thinking that way again today, as she had the previous day, Tsubaki walked at a steady pace to the desk where Jin was sitting.

"Good morning, Major Kisaragi. This is the morning report. First, the location of the division commander's meeting three days from now has been changed. Then there’s a report and request regarding the renovation of the training facility. The contents are a summary of what has been submitted so far, so there are no significant changes. Please read through the request and sign it. And then this..." While briefly explaining the contents, Tsubaki placed one report after another on Jin's desk.

Jin watched her silently, leaning on his cheek with a light grip. His sharp, cold, yet beautiful green eyes seemed to be focused somewhere far away, and it was doubtful whether he was looking at the documents that had been handed to him.

Concerned by Jin's lack of response, even after she had placed several documents, Tsubaki asked with a caring softness, instead of her usual businesslike tone.

"Major? Are you alright? If you're not feeling well..." 

"There's nothing wrong. Continue." The only reply was a cold voice and words, just like his gaze.

"Y-yes, sorry." Tsubaki tightened her lips before moving on to the next document.

How many times had she had this exchange? Just as she had become concerned about the temperature of the room, Jin's attitude had also been causing Tsubaki to worry lately.

As the room grew colder, so too did Jin's attitude seem to grow colder. He had never been a hot-blooded type, and he was rather calm and collected. Many people described him as cold. But Jin's recent behavior was different from that coldness. It was as if something was gradually eroding at the very core of him, and he was shutting himself up in a cold place.

In the past, he had been expressionless in formal situations, but he had responded when she greeted him in the morning. He would give her a nod of approval when she explained documents, and when he was tired, he would sometimes confide in Tsubaki. He would occasionally complain about things he didn't like, or smile wryly at Tsubaki's nagging. And very rarely, he would even smile at her.

But now, Jin didn’t show any of that. The human warmth he once had seemed to be fading day by day, and every time she noticed it, anxiety built up in Tsubaki's heart.

But she couldn’t do anything about it, and was left feeling frustrated, having no choice but to carry out the work that had been assigned to her.

“...This is the last one. We’ve received new information about the ‘Grim Reaper,’ who has been destroying the Library’s branches.” Tsukaki took the last stack of documents still in her arms and handed them over while speaking.

Jin didn’t even lift his head. He was only facing the paper she had placed earlier, so he seemed to recognize it. However, it didn’t look like he was reading the text.

“This is completely new information, but the ‘Grim Reaper’s’ appearance and name have been confirmed. Regarding his appearance, it seems he’s a man with white hair wearing a red coat. The shape of the rumored 'Azure Grimoire' is still unknown, but it seems that he possesses a large sword.”

The document had a printout of the video recording used for analysis. Due to the seithr and the shock from the explosion in the branch's basement, the data was quite damaged, and although they had attempted restoration, the video was quite blurry. Moreover, it only showed the figure from behind.

But the white hair, red coat, and the striking features of those eyes were clearly visible. Incidentally, it seemed to be a tall man with a well-built physique.

"Then the Intelligence Department looked into the name. The 'Grim Reaper's' name is Ragna the Bloodedge. We don't know if it's his real name, but according to intelligence, it seems he calls himself that..." 

Tsukaki trailed off halfway through. Lifting her gaze from the document, she saw that Jin had suddenly stood up from his chair. He placed both hands on the desk, his eyes widening significantly from the cold indifference he had shown a moment ago.

"Uh, Major Kisaragi?" Something seemed off. Thinking that, Tsubaki called out to him hesitantly.

As if drawn by her voice, Jin slowly, eerily slowly, lifted his head. He looked at her with disbelief, as though he couldn’t believe what he was hearing.

"What did you just say?"

“Eh...? Oh, Ragna the Bloodedge?” Tsukaki answered reflexively, and she immediately regretted it.

Jin's eyes changed color. 

His eyes, which had been as cold and thin as ice, devoid of emotion, suddenly turned as dark as ink.

“Ragna the Bloodedge... Ragna...” Jin repeated the name. As if to confirm the sound and form of the name, he repeated it over and over again.

It was already an uncanny sight. His low, warm, and stifled voice trembled ominously. His pale lips trembled, and soon the trembling caused Jin's thin shoulders to vibrate rhythmically.

“Fuhaha!” The trembling turned into laughter. A chill ran down Tsubaki's spine, and Jin's laughter grew steadily louder. "Hahahahahahahaha!"

Along with the tingling, numb air in the room, Tsubaki froze solid. 

Jin was laughing. He laughed with his mouth wide open, his voice echoing loudly.

Tsubaki had never seen him like that before. Even though she had been watching him since he was a child, he had never once laughed with such a terrifying demeanor.

"Major K... Kisaragi?" Tsukaki stammered, unable to continue.

But Jin didn’t look at her. He was looking at the 'Grim Reaper' document that Tsubaki was holding.

Jin's sudden, strange laughter, which seemed like it would never end, finally receded into the depths of his being like a convulsion. Yet he still appeared delighted, his shoulders shaking in quiet, subtle spasms, before finally looking at Tsubaki.

But it was no longer the Jin that Tsubaki knew. His eyes were somehow vacant, and his smiling lips were terribly cruel. His hand, encased in a white glove, swayed gently in the air, reaching out to Tsubaki. His cold green eyes looked at her with a cruel color.

"Give me the documents."

"Ah... y-yes." 

Hesitantly handing over the stack of papers clipped together, Jin snatched the documents as if her gesture was too slow for his liking.

He stared at the first page, which displayed a still shot from the footage of the Grim Reaper. Jin twisted his lips into a cruelly beautiful smile, as if he were lost in a blissful trance.

“Ah… hahaha, I finally found you… right here… kukukukukuku…”

Why was he laughing? What kind of emotion was clouding those once clear and noble eyes? Why was the handsome face she had admired so much contorted in such ecstasy? Why was she so terrified of him?

Tsubaki stared at Jin, her face pale and lifeless, desperately trying to hold back her trembling. She didn’t even know why she was trying to hold back.

“Jin… Brother.”

Did he hear her call? Or did he perhaps remember the presence he had forgotten?

Without looking at her, Jin waved his hand as if shooing away a dog.

“Lieutenant Yayoi, you’ve worked hard. That’s enough. Get out.” A flat, emotionless voice, unlike the cold one he had used before. It was as though even addressing her was a bothersome task. Tsubaki’s nose twitched. She took a shaky step back. She pursed her lips and hugged the thick notebook, the only thing left in her chest after she had let go of all the documents. 

She was on duty, and the person in front of her was her superior. What he had said was an order.

“Understood. Call me if you need anything. ... Excuse me.” She said, and then forced her feet to take steady steps as she left Jin’s office.

Just before she closed the door, she heard Jin’s voice.

“Finally… I can finally meet you... brother.” 

As soon as the words reached Tsubaki’s ears, the door closed heavily. She couldn’t think about who the ‘brother’ was that the man she called ‘Brother Jin’ was talking about. As soon as she stepped out into the hallway, she hurried away from the spot.



As she reached the outskirts of Orient Town, gray clouds covered the sky. Without time to worry about the weather, Tsubaki crossed a small park with grass and passed in front of a lonely, rusty streetlight. It was around where she had encountered the Red Devil of Sector Seven yesterday.

But she had no time to dwell on that.

(Jin... I’m so sorry...)

At that moment, when she saw Jin acting so strangely in his office, she shouldn’t have left. She shouldn’t have left him alone. She should have stayed by his side no matter how harshly he treated her or how much he insulted her. If he had tried to abandon his position and leave the NOL, she should have physically stopped him.

If she had, Jin wouldn’t have been pursued by the intelligence department or herself, and he wouldn’t have been accused of treason. Tsubaki wouldn’t have had to search for him alone in distant Kagutsuchi. She wouldn't have been running, gasping for air under the crushing weight of uncertainty.

If this were the usual “Jin Kisaragi” she knew, she wouldn’t be tormented by such overwhelming anxiety. But the current Jin was different. Because she was close to him, she should have known something was wrong.

(I turned away from Brother Jin. I was afraid of him. I didn’t want to be scolded or disliked, and because of such trivial reasons, I turned my back on him and ignored him...)

She didn’t want to understand what she had seen. She turned away from Jin’s ecstatic reaction to the name Ragna the Bloodedge. She wanted to pretend she hadn’t seen it.

She wanted to believe that everything was as usual, and that this was just a result of a series of unexpected events. She wanted to think that there was some serious reason why Jin had left the NOL on his own accord. But that wasn’t the case.

(I’m so sorry... I’ll go right away. I may not be able to do anything, and I may be nothing more than a stranger to Brother Jin now, but... what should I do if I do nothing and things turn irreparably worse?)

What if Jin was killed by the “Grim Reaper”? What if Jin killed someone from the Librarium? What if Jin was killed as a traitor?

Ah, ah. An endless anxiety choked Tsubaki’s neck. It urged her feet to hurry, but her body couldn’t keep up.

Had she ever hated her slow feet so much? With her chest heaving with each breath, she swallowed her dry saliva and dragged her tears to the corners of her eyes, running as hard as she could.

Even though it wasn’t raining, the sky seemed ready to cry.

===Part 4===

As evening gave way to night, darkness enveloped the surroundings. The rain that had fallen continuously the day before had stopped in the early hours of the morning, but the dark clouds covering the sky remained, blocking the light from above even after half a day had passed.

At the usual time, the streetlights attached to the poles illuminated the city of Kagutsuchi more brilliantly than usual, reflecting on the remnants of the rain that still lingered on the ground. Many would call it beautiful. But to Ragna, who had been hiding in a warehouse’s corner and healing his exhaustion through sleep, it was just a damp, dreary cityscape that left him unmoved.

As he stretched his stiff body from his hard bed, Ragna walked through the back alleys of the city, which was now completely dark. He didn't know what this area, with its port managed by the NOL, was called in Kagutsuchi. However, the orderly streets and the sophisticated design of the public facilities seemed to silently proclaim that they were under the direct jurisdiction of the Control Organization, and each thing he saw made him feel increasingly irritated and disgusted.

His expression hardened naturally, and his presence faded. When he saw a figure in an NOL uniform passing by on a side street connecting the main street and the alley, he turned into a darker alley to avoid being seen and let out an exasperated sigh.

Ragna hated the Novus Orbis Librarium.

No, it wasn't hatred. It was resentment. For many years now, Ragna had lived with an unwavering resentment towards the NOL.

Although he had been claiming the plausible reason that he was destroying cauldrons all over the world because the Boundary connected to the cauldrons was dangerous, the truth was that he was driven by his resentment and various other negative emotions towards the NOL.

While he didn't feel guilty about humiliating the guards who challenged him with blind loyalty, he wouldn't lie if he said he didn't feel a slight sense of satisfaction when the branches, which flaunted their prosperity, were destroyed in a miserable way.

However, the absurd thing was that no matter how many times he repeated such acts, Ragna's feelings didn't darken... and the things that the detestable organization had taken from him weren't returned.

And that, in turn, became a great source of frustration for Ragna, driving him to wield his sword.

(Even I think I'm doing something pointless.)

And if he were asked what else he would do, there was nothing more he could do. It would be fun to raid the headquarters, but he planned to do that after he had destroyed all the other cauldrons.

Ahead, he could see the NOL branch, which stood out white against the night's cloudy sky. Once he passed this point, his destination would not be far.

(If I arrive too early, a crowd of onlookers will gather, and that’ll just be a hassle...  I could have slept for another hour.) He muttered to himself and reached up to his neck, cracking it.

Suddenly, his feet stopped. 

With his neck still cracked, Ragna's gaze, filled with a slight sense of caution, fixed on the end of the road. In the very back of the quiet, dark alley, where streetlights were sparsely placed as if no one would ever pass through, stood a strange pair, looking at him. One was short, and the other was clearly taller than Ragna. A child and a woman.

But what was strange was that the tall woman's arms were unusually long, and she was in an unnatural posture with her arms hanging limply. And the shorter one, a boy wearing a hat like a silk hat, had an aura about him that was strangely dangerous for his age.

"Sorry, but can I pass through there?" Ragna asked, his voice deliberately calm, without any sign of tension. A strange, unsettling energy mingled with the air that had been purified by the seithr air purifiers. Ragna could feel it on his skin as he spoke.

In the white light, the boy bowed politely.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Carl Clover. And this is my older sister." He said, introducing himself politely with a friendly smile. He was a boy with a well-groomed appearance that suggested a wealthy upbringing. He had soft golden hair and bright blue eyes that seemed intelligent. The large round glasses on his fair-skinned face accentuated his youthful appearance.

However, the figure that Carl introduced as his sister was hardly similar to him. It was hard to believe they were related. It was clearly not human.

A metallic, female-shaped doll. That was the closest description for what Carl called his “sister”.

"Your sister? You mean..." Ragna frowned.

"Yes, I know." As if choosing his words carefully, Carl replied without the slightest change in his smile. "It’s complicated. As you can see, she's not in a human body right now, but my sister is definitely inside."

"Inside." The way Carl said it so casually sounded incredibly creepy to Ragna. And indeed, he had a feeling he was going to get a creepy answer, so he decided not to ask for more details. Though, to be honest, he wasn't that interested in the first place.

Ignoring Ragna's reaction, which was marked by disgust, Carl continued in a mature tone. "You are... Ragna the Bloodedge, right? The bounty hunter with the highest bounty in history that the NOL is looking for, commonly known as 'The Grim Reaper'."

The words, rattled off so smoothly, were a list of information that was far too dangerous for a boy of his age to utter. But knowing that meant his identity was limited.

"You're not a bounty hunter, are you?"

Even though the wanted poster was circulating throughout the city, it wasn't natural for a young boy to be aware of such details, especially if he was smiling while knowing he was talking to the wanted criminal.

Ragna lowered his waist slightly and naturally assumed a stance ready to draw his sword. Understanding the meaning of his gesture, Carl lowered his eyebrows and smiled wryly.

"Don't misunderstand me. We are indeed bounty hunters, but we didn't approach you just because we wanted the reward."

"Then what do you want? You're not here for small talk. I'm about to get busy, so I don't want to get involved in anything extra." Ragna glared at the pursuing boy, raising one eyebrow.

He was an uncomfortable person to be around. He looked like a polite young master who lived in this upper-class neighborhood, but the blue eyes behind his round glasses were unreadable. Right behind the boy, the tall, self-supporting doll, with a simple face like a mask, stared fixedly at Ragna. The silence of the expressionless face carried a cold sense of intimidation, making Ragna even more uncomfortable.

Carl lowered his eyebrows apologetically, but without hesitation, he stated directly, contrary to his hesitant expression.

"What I want is the grimoire you have." 

"...A grimoire?" A growl of caution sounded in Ragna's throat.

Carl nodded slightly. "The Azure Grimoire. You have it, don't you?"

Ragna had heard rumors that it was the most powerful grimoire. Was this boy also looking for him because of those rumors?

Ragna clenched his right hand into a tight fist. Carl didn't seem to realize that his right arm was the grimoire itself, and he paid no attention to Ragna’s subtle movements.

If this had been a normal child's playful banter, and if the strange doll hadn't been silently following behind him, he might have reacted differently. But since that wasn't the case, Ragna bared his teeth like fangs and said in a threatening voice.

"What if I do?"

"Give it to me." The boy said.

"Huh?"

"I said, give it to me. I really need that grimoire." Carl said, extending his hand as if he were certain Ragna would give it to him.

"Hey, listen..." Ragna scratched his head in irritation. "Are you stupid? Do you think I'm just going to hand over anything to a complete stranger who suddenly asks for it? If you want something, at least ask for something more childish." His exasperation was stronger than his anger, and he let out a heavy sigh. He couldn't deal with this. He had limited time, and he wasn't going to waste it on a child's nonsense.

"Forget it. Get out of the way." If he was going to force his way through, he might as well take a detour to the main street. Ragna tried to pass by Carl. His heavy red coat flapped, and his arm reached out to push aside Carl's small shoulder. Just before his gloved fingers touched the boy's purple cloak, there was a sound of air tearing apart.

"What!?" A sense of foreboding surged through him. Ragna quickly jumped backward. His feet slipped slightly on the wet ground as he landed. He supported himself with his hands and looked up.

The long arm of the doll that had been standing behind Carl was stuck in the ground where Ragna had just been standing. Realizing that it had missed its prey, the doll awkwardly pulled its arm out. A huge claw, lined up with the others, gleamed dully.

"Oh, he dodged it, sister." The boy sighed lightly, as if disappointed. His large blue eyes, seen through his round glasses, no longer hid his true nature. There was a naive killing intent in them. It was a pure, straightforward intent to kill, without any desire or malice.

Carl turned his small body towards Ragna and spread his arms as if to brace himself. In response, his sister also assumed a stance, clearly indicating her intention to fight. Without withdrawing his killing intent, Carl smiled as he had before.

"Ragna-san. Please, one more time. Give me the Azure Grimoire. Or else... I'll kill you." Carl's arm swept through the air. Then, the doll lunged forward like a spring-loaded mechanism. Its long arm stretched out straight towards Ragna. 

The lined-up claws were thick enough to crush a person's face with a single blow. And yet, the sharp wound on the ground where it had pierced earlier clearly showed that it was sharper than a blunt instrument.

Ragna quickly turned sideways to avoid the attack. The doll's arm pierced the air where Ragna had been, its length exceeding the distance it had traveled. As if realizing it had missed, the doll turned its head around to face him.

"What the hell is that thing!" Despite the obviously unnatural and dangerous atmosphere, when the doll turned towards him, Ragna instinctively felt a chill run down his spine. A doll that could move on its own and attack was incredibly creepy.

Ragna drew his sword from his waist and swung it upward diagonally at the doll. A dull sound of metal clashing echoed through the back alley. The sword strike was blocked by the doll's arm and deflected upwards. The other arm moved to take advantage of the opening.

"Damn it!" The impact of the heavy metal echoed. He forcibly pulled back his deflected sword and blocked the doll's claw, which was trying to pierce his torso, with the vertically held blade. "It's so heavy..."

Unlike the strength of human muscles, the doll's arm did not weaken with each breath, and instead, it pressed down on the sword as if trying to pierce it completely.

[[File:BB_CT1_169.jpg|frameless|right]]

If he kept this up, he’d eventually lose to her strength and become a stain on the wall.

"Raaaah!" Ragna roared and, with all his might, let go of the hilt with his right arm. His outstretched arm grabbed the doll's neck, which was as thin as any normal woman's. He pulled the doll's body forward forcefully. Kicking away its unsteady feet, he used the momentum to slam its body onto the ground.

Ragna's arm, which he had forcefully thrown, also had a weight that seemed inhuman. The doll, thrown violently, was embedded in the sturdy floor that supported the city, creating a deep crack.

"Sister, come back!" Carl called out loudly. As if pulled by an invisible thread, the doll returned from Ragna to Carl in its distorted posture. There, the doll regained its balance.

Ragna, who had been about to swing his sword for a follow-up attack, returned his blade to its original position and lowered his stance. Watching this, Carl smiled. In the boy's dangerous eyes, still filled with killing intent, there was a glimmer as if he had found something wonderful.

"That power... Aha, I see. It's your arm." With an insightfulness that was uncharacteristic of a child, he looked at Ragna's right arm. "That's the Azure Grimoire!"

This time, both the doll and Carl rushed towards Ragna. The doll closed the distance first. As it came before Ragna, it spun around and swung its arms like a crusher.

A streetlight caught in the sweep was broken in half and flew off, scattering sparks. He deflected the incoming arm with his sword and twisted his body to avoid it. The doll's blow was heavy, but its movements were not particularly agile.

He dodged the gust of wind. A small figure jumped out from under his feet, and Ragna reflexively kicked it away.

"Ouch!" Ragna's movements slowed for a moment at the child's sudden cry. But it wasn't enough to give him an opening. He kicked off the ground and retreated behind the broken streetlight.

Carl, who had been knocked against the building by Ragna's kick, was trying to pick himself up while holding his hat, which was about to fall off.

"Tch..." Ragna clicked his tongue in annoyance. This was troublesome. "I don't have time to toy with a kid. Go home before you get seriously hurt." He spoke loudly and firmly, and thrust his sword into the ground as a warning. The tip of the sword split the ground, creating a long, thin crack.

But the warning had no effect. Carl brushed off the dust that soiled his clothes and looked at Ragna with eyes that showed no sign of losing his fighting spirit.
"If you don't want to kill a child, give me the grimoire. I'll get it even if I die."

"You're talking nonsense... Damn it!" Ragna exclaimed, roughly scratching his head. He was irritated. He wasn’t good at explaining things to others in words. That was for church sisters, not someone like him. What he could do was simple.

Ragna gripped the hilt of the sword he had thrust into the ground. Baring his teeth like fangs, he glared at Carl with a fierce intent to strike.

"If you don't understand when I tell you, I'll make you understand!" No sooner had he said it than Ragna pulled the buried tip of the sword and swung it upward. Along with the pressure of the sword, a dark, shadowy wave was released. It was a blade of darkness.

The sinister black, which appeared from Ragna's right arm, swelled in one breath, taking the shape of a beast's fang, and tore through the air towards Carl.

"Shit!" Carl's expression contorted for a moment as the darkness instantly covered his vision. Just before the darkness enveloped the small body, the doll suddenly lunged in from the side and caught the shadow with its large hands.

"Sister!!" A voice more painful than before came from Carl's throat as the darkness, making a sound like it was sucking out a soul, gushed out from between the sharp claws and spread to engulf the doll. The darkness stretched wider, its fangs biting into the doll's hard skin. The black jaw seemed ready to shatter the doll's arm and slam both it and Carl into the wall behind them... at least it should have.

"What the..." It was Ragna who widened his eyes in astonishment. 

The doll's hands, which had so carelessly met the released darkness, had crushed it like a ball of paint. The remnants of the darkness, like charred embers, were swept away as the doll sprinted forward. The doll swung its heavy fist, and Ragna barely managed to avoid it by leaping to the left. But perhaps due to the shock of seeing his previous strike so easily crushed, his reaction was a moment too slow. The doll’s claw grazed Ragna’s side, leaving a shallow wound.

"Ugh! Aaaah!" As he drew his sword and landed in a defensive stance, Ragna involuntarily let out a muffled scream at the burning pain. He pressed his hand against the bleeding cheek. "What the hell is that thing!?"

The wound was shallow—just a graze, barely enough to make blood ooze out. And yet, for a moment, it felt as though his flesh had been torn apart.

The doll continued to thrust its arms forward. It was strange. The boy, Carl, was human, and this doll was nothing more than an artifact. Yet, he felt a killing intent from this doll that even surpassed the boy's.

He deflected the first blow of the claw and dodged the second by retreating.

(No, it's more like a sense of duty...)

Or perhaps a compulsion to destroy. To tear, to shatter, to destroy. That was all it seemed to do.

He saw Carl start to move again at the edge of his vision. Ragna clicked his tongue. He had managed to react in time before, but as a bounty hunter, even a child would be able to fight to some extent. He could probably defeat him one-on-one, but it was annoying to have to deal with the doll as well.

He had a big job to do. He wanted to avoid any more wear and tear.

“Dammit, this is a pain!” With a hiss, Ragna lowered his body to avoid the doll's arm, which was aimed straight at his head. He kicked off the ground and ran straight towards Carl.

Noticing Ragna's sudden approach, Carl braced himself and swung his arm. A large, hand-like mechanism, seemingly hidden somewhere, popped out and intercepted Ragna's slash. Immediately, the doll turned around. Carl took out another device and swung it. Ragna cut down the light blow with a forceful strike. There was a high-pitched metallic clang. The sound echoed, and Carl's hand followed suit. 

Without a moment's hesitation, Ragna turned and plunged his lowered blade into the boy's side. Carl's body folded at the hard boot. Before he could get into a proper stance, Ragna reached out and grabbed Carl's neck, just as he had done with the doll, and slammed him against the wall instead of throwing him. 

"Gah!" A choked sound escaped the boy's mouth. Immediately, Ragna turned his sword towards the rear. He blocked a blow from the doll that had come running to save its master. 

"Don't mess around. I won’t kill you if you don’t do anything unnecessary." Ragna said in a low, calm voice, despite his hostile actions. Whether the doll understood the words or if Carl had manipulated it, the doll stopped with its arm raised and then let it hang limply in front of its body. 

After confirming this with the corner of his eye, Ragna turned back to the captured Carl. "Listen. I don't know who told you what, but my grimoire... it doesn't grant any miracles." 

“Ugh... n-no... that’s a lie...” With his back pressed firmly against the cold wall and his body slightly raised from the ground, Carl looked up at Ragna with a pained expression. "The Azure Grimoire is connected to 'Azure', to the Gate of Sheol... The Azure Grimoire should be able to access the other side of the gate and make anything possible!" 

"Ugh..." Just when Ragna almost felt pity for the boy's foolish expectations, Carl jumped up and kicked him. At the same time, the doll, which had moved without warning from the scene, thrust forward. Ragna, who had instinctively blocked the kick, had to lean forward to avoid having his neck cut by the doll's claw. The doll's arm, which had thrust forward, passed over Ragna's head and caught Carl, pulling him close. 

Once again, Ragna found himself facing both Carl and the doll. But Carl, who was injured, was held in the doll's arms and bit his lip in frustration. 

"...I can't beat you now if I confront you head-on. I'll take my leave for today." 

Obeying Carl's words, the doll stepped back, its cold, feminine chest cradling the boy's small frame. 

"But I won't give up. I will definitely get the Azure Grimoire!" Carl declared, his gaze unwavering, not showing any signs of weakness. It wasn't fear of pursuit; he was asserting his unwavering, resolute will. “Let’s go, sister.”

Without nodding, the doll kept its gaze fixed on Ragna, and with a sudden, mechanical movement, it departed from the scene.


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