Editing BlazBlue:Phase Shift 1 Chapter 5 (section)

===Part 1===

And then, night came.

A night that was creepy for some reason. The moon which was waning in the dark sky took control, while there was scarce wind.

A terribly chaotic night in which the deep black of night sky and sea were mixed together in the distant horizon.

Kazuma stood alone on rocky area lit only by the moon's faint light.

About two hours ago, it was the place he barely managed to arrive at after chasing after Terumi and also the place where he encountered Nine and Trinity to make the matter worse.

Without the moon's light the rocky area would be like a shadowy lump; on the opposite side, the faint sound of waves breaking splashed through the darkness. If there was a place referred as another world, then this location seemed to be the boundary line with the known world.

He was musing on whether his world was already coming to an end or not. The night and silence had yet come to an end.

Just about everything seemed to have already ended...

On the opposite side of the bushes, small lights flickered.

Kazuma hid himself out of view in the shade of a nearby rock, wary of danger.

(It's still too early for the end. Rather... this is the start.)

If he were to be asked what it meant, he'd reply that it means everything.

Yes, getting back everything. Like Terumi had said in the beginning.

The image of a wavering silhouette, one that appeared by shoving and separating bushes to make their way through the forest was the person Kazuma waited for.

It was like they had no grasp of caution. He doubted she was ever cautious with anybody.

Kazuma smoothly stepped forward intounder the moonlight, greeting her with gentle smile.

"Did you come without telling anyone? ...Celica A. Mercury-san."

Black and white uniform of the academy; long ponytail that bounced with every step. Her large, shining, brown eyes, illuminated by the burning magic flame at her fingertips, were easily visible in this dark place.

Celica turned the light on him. Once she realized the other party was Kazuma, her relieved face quickly became cheerful.

"It's okay. Since Onee-chan called a meeting all of a sudden, there's no one at home."

With light steps, Celica rushed over just close to Kazuma.

That moment, Kazuma tasted the massive weight of a sensation from the surrounding atmosphere. 

Powerfully clenching his molars, he desperately held his breath for several seconds. He grew pale in an instant. His head felt fuzzy; dizziness and nausea made him feel weaker at the knees.

Why did he get this sick when he was together with Celica? He didn't know the reason, but he couldn't pass out or run back home out here.

"That's good. After all, I have something I must tell just to Celica-san alone."

While gathering courage in his mind, Kazuma gave a smile as if he was relieved.

Not suspecting anything, Celica stared at Kazuma with serious look.

"But what do you want to tell me? ...You said that it's about Father."

After he parted with Nine and Trinity, Kazuma hastily returned to the island, quickly reaching the main street and searching for Celica's home. Immediately after their confrontation, Nine should be heading to Mage’s Guild in order to report to the Ten Sages. It was a race for him to find it before Nine returned.

When he bumped into Celica who was on her way home after shopping in the vicinity of the café from earlier, it was the first time he had ever thanked God for his good fortune. Since he didn't happen to have fragments of faith, he had to be pleased with only a vague image of God.

I have something to tell you about Professor Shuuichirou Ayatsuki.

Saying only that and telling her he would could only explain here, Kazuma immediately left... awaiting her arrival here. He didn't bring Celica along with him in case they were seen by Nine on her way to the Guild.

With the dark rocky area and sea as his background, Kazuma slightly nodded with a very serious appearance.

"Celica A. Mercury-san. As I know you and Nine-san are Shuuichirou Ayatsuki's daughters, I have checked up a little regarding your father. Since six years ago on that day... he's missing, isn't he?"

Six years ago on that day, a world threatening demon, the Black Beast, appeared in Japan. A day when nuclear strikes razed the island nation to the ground.

Just before the nuclear attack, all the people who had been living in the strikes' target, Japan, were evacuated. But those departures weren't flawless; several people couldn't escape and were left inside the country.

Shuuichirou Ayatsuki was one of them. While the islands were being turned into scorched earth, he was in Japan.

Hearing her father's name, Celica's pupils wavered in loneliness.

"...You were told he's missing, weren't you."

The spilled muttering was like she felt relief and had abandoned hope; a delicate sound.

"And yet Onee-chan and people around me said my father had died. There was a small funeral, you know?"

"...How do you feel about it?"

"Eh?"

Celica shifted her attention to Kazuma's gentle words, as if bewildered.

Although her complexion was disturbed, her eyes remained focused. Her unclouded gaze once more gave Kazuma a mysterious chill.

Enduring it, Kazuma stared back at her.

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"A few days ago, you know there was news of a survivor found in Japan. You were watching the news so intently. ...Were you thinking about him? About Shuuichirou Ayatsuki, your father, who died in the nuclear attack six years ago...?"

"That's..."

Uncharacteristically, Celica hesitated and was at loss for words.

Her belief of her father being alive, the feeling which she always used to say that she couldn't put into words, had no basis. That was why it was only a wish, a wish that he was still alive.

Even Celica understood how much of a miracle it was to find a survivor in Japan. She knew a similar miracle couldn't happen many times.

There might only be one fortune card in the deck that the survivor had drawn from.

As if giving it a thought, Kazuma folded his arms in slow movement and turned his head toward the sea. On the horizon, the dark night and sea merged; their border couldn't easily be distinguished.

He focused his gaze beyond the deep darkness. He wasn't even sure in which direction from here Japan existed, but felt like he was gazing right at it.

"To tell you the truth, since then, I also had personal interest in the news and investigated it."

"You did?"

"Yes. The man rescued the other day seems to work as a researcher in a research institute, similar to Professor Ayatsuki. But six years ago, he got engrossed in his study and completely forgot about the fixed date for the evacuation. Luckily, since a few days before the nuclear attack, he stayed at a research facility that was deep underground. It might be thanks to that, that he was spared."

Cutting off his words, still facing the sea, Kazuma returned his gaze to Celica in order to look at her reaction.

Celica's large eyes opened even wider. Apparently motionless, she stood stock still while attentively listening to Kazuma's words.

Kazuma's story was information yet to be released to public. Celica also probably just heard it for the first time.

It was the work of the Mages' Guild. If they were motivated, they would investigate in the outside world. Under the cover of the dark night, Kazuma secretly chuckled.

"Professor Ayatsuki is a world-famous researcher. If he was conducting research, it would have been done in an appropriately large facility. I didn't investigate as to where the professor worked, but there must have been an underground facility there."

Undoubtedly, the research institute where the male survivor was employed couldn't have been called large in scale. Yet still the underground facility of that research institute had the strength to withstand a nuclear attack.

It was unthinkable for the workplace of the world-famous researcher Shuuichirou Ayatsuki to have inferior security.

"Besides..." whispered Kazuma with low voice while slowly turning to Celica.

"The man is simply a survivor. ...However, it seems he's given an unusual statement."

"What's unusual about it?"

Drawn in, Celica lowered her voice.

The wind made the silhouettes of the tree tops flicker.

It wasn't clear which the roar of waves and which the noise of forest was. Waiting for the noise to die down, Kazuma calmly continued the story.

"He said, 'It's unbelievable for six years to have passed since then. One year... or at most, two years I believe has passed.'"

"Six years... to one year? No matter what, that's..."

"Certainly it seems hard to believe. But that's where it gets more unusual. ...The man didn't leave the research institute. He passed time eating the stored emergency food. However, even if it was consumed by only one person, the amount was no where near enough to last six years. Moreover, his body weight is currently average, he's not even especially skinny.

"Eh, eh? Wait, what do you mean?"

The light on her fingertip wandered about as the confused Celica put her hand on her head.

Calmly, like he was talking to a child, Kazuma tried to rephrase it in slow tone.

"You see, the man had been living under the ruins for six years. Yet the evidence of his having lived there are estimated to be from just two years at most.

It wasn't only that. Six years was a long time. It would degrade and weaken his body. If his hair was cut, the shorn hair would remain. His clothes would deteriorate. His footwear would wear down. On top of all that, the man had been verified that he had lived in the underground for two years at most.

"Two years..."

Celica muttered in a soft voice. She wore an expression of disbelief.

As if giving it a thought, Kazuma stroked his chin with a meek expression.

"It's a truly unimaginable phenomenon. But as for the traces of living for two rather than six years, It doesn't seem likely for experts to mistake it even if they're only giving it a glance. Besides... there's already one unimaginable monster existing in our world."

"...The Black Beast."

Sluggishly speaking that name, Celica's expression got even stiffer.

On the other side of the barrier that wrapped around the island, the world was constantly frightened of Black Beast's fangs. It was like a nightmare. But it was certainly an unmistakable reality that burdened the world.

Kazuma let slip a single cynical sigh.

"Japan is closely related to that monster. For a place where unexplainable phenomena have occurred several times, it's not unexpected."

The span of six years becoming two; was it also possible for it to be reduced to an even shorter length? It wasn't a miracle either way. Japan was just that kind of a place.

"...Perhaps so."

To suppress the anxiety, welling up in her chest, Celica embraced her chest with both hands. In that ridiculous, irrational land, her father was left behind alone.

To cheer up her up, Kazuma put his hand on Celica's shoulder.

The moment they touched, discomfort and rejection rushed through him as if an extremely repulsive thing was crushing him with with all its strength. Beneath his calm expression, Kazuma desperately tried to relax his unnaturally stiffening hand.

"Celica-san. Please think about it. Surviving for six years versus surviving for two years underneath the harsh environment; don't you think there's a huge difference in the survival rate?"

Kazuma's pale lips expressed a smile to encourage her.

"If, in the same way the survivor from the other day did, Professor Ayatsuki was in a sturdy underground facility. If, in the same way, he was blessed with preserved food. If, in the same way, he was living within the miraculously slowed flow of time. Then..."

Gasping slightly, Celica looked up intensely at Kazuma. Even though her large pupils seemed to be slightly wet, she looked at him.

"Maybe... Father is also..."

While surrounded by weakened thought, Celica spoke in a trembling voice.

"Father is also... possibly, alive...?"

It might be a shortsighted wish. It might be a foolish delusion.

But the pieces of information Kazuma displayed side by side in front of Celica supported her prayer-like thought toward her father.

When Kazuma pulled his lips making a wide smile, Celica's face bloomed like a large flower.

But before that smiling face stopped blooming, Kazuma unexpectedly retracted his smile. The hand that had been placed on the girl's shoulder was weakly released as if it had fallen.

"But... Too bad, isn't it."

As he slightly sighed, hinting at his disappointment, Kazuma turned his gaze away from Celica, toward his feet.

Celica followed his gaze.

"What's wrong?"

"...I hate to say it... but I heard that it seems the army the UN have currently dispatched to Japan is aiming to establish an on-site investigation. Just because a single survivor was found, there's no particular plan to search for other survivors..."

"W-Why!? There might be other people who are alive!"

Celica's smiling face was frozen midway in shock.

Celica balled her hands into fists. As if to calm her, but also in a voice that didn't conceal discouragement, Kazuma answered.

"It's unknown how many people were missing in the first place. Even at the best of times, they can't separate the few personnel they have. Everyone has been thinking that this time was just a fortunate chance, so they think it's still hopeless for the survival of the other people left in Japan six years ago."

Because of the large scale nuclear attack, the ground's surface was ruined. Furthermore, six years had passed. It was meaningless to delay the original purpose of the investigation just because, by miraculous chance, a survivor had been found. It was because the likelihood of discovering a new survivor was close to zero.

Dropping his shoulders, Kazuma shook his head to grieve.

"Assuming Professor Ayatsuki's alive... Whether he'll be located by the army or not, it'd be better to send someone unrelated to the army there to search for the professor."

"Yeah... But people who aren't soldiers aren't allowed to land in Japan."

Kazuma could sense her dejection. Making his own facade appear cheery, as if he had the solution, he could truly think of nothing other than how he would rather not be so close to her.

"Oh, you didn't know? Just the other day, approval for civilian passage to Japan was granted. From the port city nearest to Japan, a number of ferries should be leaving on the first day of the month."

"Is that... true!? People can go to Japan without being a soldier!? E-Even me!?"

Raising her voice in surprise, Celica took Kazuma's hands within both of hers.

"Hii...!"

Not prepared for this, a noise like a scream escaped from Kazuma's mouth due to his shock.

However, not perturbed by this, Celica drew even closer to Kazuma.

"Anyone's fine? Without any formalities or inspections?"

"Y-Yes... I heard that there's only a voyage fee and a brief inspection required to get across."

"Then, then... Even I can go to Japan, right!?"

"Yes, of course. But won't it be difficult for you? Walking from place to place across Japan, looking for your lost father?"

While enduring the sickening feeling, as he still couldn't shake off Celica's hands which gripped his, Kazuma desperately spoke.

Strength filled with enthusiasm was added to Celica's hands.

Kazuma's hands were cold. Celica's hands were warm; the girl's throbbing heartbeat seemed audible.

"I... want to save Father. No, I'll go!"

Where did the hesitation from when she was asked if she thought her father was alive go to? As if blowing away all the doubt she had until now, Celica looked up straight at Kazuma.

Even though the night was dark, Celica's deep brown eyes could be seen clearly.

While getting a chill that almost made him faint, from the pure and innocent color, Kazuma squeezed Celica's hands back, with a frown on his face.

"You'll go... to Japan? You mustn't. It's too dangerous."

"But, isn't there a possibly that no other people will try to save Father? Everyone believes Father is dead. People who need help won't get rescued!"

It looked like there was already no trace of doubt in her.

Kazuma let out a troubled groan. But as if yielding to the strong determination in Celica's gaze, Kazuma finally smiled wryly.

"Looks like it's useless to try to stop you."

"Aha. Onee-chan told me exactly the same."

Vigorously, the long ponytail on Celica's back jumped.

"That's right. Onee-chan doesn't know anything about this. After I tell her, we'll board a ship as soon as possible..."

"Aah, about telling Nine-san... I think it's better to pass on it."

Toward the cheerfully smiling Celica whose expression was bright enough to illuminate even the dark night, Kazuma spoke while slipping a bit of gloom into his voice.

Still holding Kazuma's hands, Celica bent her head slightly as if puzzled.

"Why?"

"Nine-san will surely object to your decision. She's one of the Ten Sages. She can pull strings to prevent you being issued the permission to leave the island."

"Onee-chan doing that sort of thing..."

Is unthinkable, a statement which, however optimistic the good-natured Celica was, even she couldn't say. As her lips distorted into a pout, her eyebrows lowered as if troubled.

"But... there's no way I can go while keeping it quiet. Besides, if I apply to leave the island, it'll get circulated to Onee-chan anyway. In the end, wherever I go, I think I won't be able to proceed without her knowing."

There was a formal procedure to leave Ishana. If Celica tried to leave, confirming it with Nine, her guardian, was to be expected.

Celica sighed, realising that her chance to find her father was flying out the window. Kazuma smiled to cheer her up and softly whispered in her ear.

"Celica-san. If I said there's a way to get out of the island without your sister finding out... what would you do?"

Instantly, the night fell silent as if it was holding its breath. Gentle wind blew past as if trying to move something to reveal a secret.

Celica's long hair swayed.

"...You can get me out?"

It was Celica's true feeling which leaked out unintentionally.

Kazuma nodded to persuade her.

"Do you want to know the details?"

As for Celica's reply, it was clear from the beginning.







——There's a secret exit. From there, you can leave Ishana's barrier.

However, it'll close if you don't hurry. It's no good if you don't pass through it as soon as possible tonight.

Once you're outside of the barrier, please go along the island's outer wall to the harbor.

You're good at levitation, right?

The procedure to go out is only necessary when you're exiting the barrier.

A ship will arrive once morning comes.

What you do after that... is up to you.