Editing BlazBlue:Spiral Shift - Hyokujin no Eiyu (section)

===Part 4===

Jin was running at full speed down the corridor of the tower he had stepped into, freezing every obstacle that stood in his way.

He was in a hurry. There was no time. He couldn’t afford to be lenient anymore.

He saw it just before he entered this place. He could see it clearly from the high tower.

The barrier that Jin had broke through in order to get here was still intact and the soldiers of the Librarium who had rushed inside were engaging the Ikaruga soldiers.

It was a place where the enemy should not have dared to enter. In addition, Jin had already passed through the area. With so few troops and so little time to react, the Ikaruga soldiers were unable to push back the Librarium soldiers and were being killed one by one.

(Why haven’t they repaired the Barrier yet...!)

They knew it was open. They knew that if they left it alone, the enemy would come in. Tenjō, the one who put up the barrier, knew that.

And yet it was not restored.

(Won't or can't?)

Does this mean that something happened to Tenjō, or was she already gone? All sorts of speculations swirled in his mind, but he couldn't be bothered with them.

(I will know when I get to the top. I won’t fall until then.)

He climbed over the railing, went out the window to the roof, and jumped across the building diagonally into a corridor that resembles a bridge.

That's when it happened. A number of fireballs flew across the corridor where Jin had landed. They were from Armagus, probably stray bullets from the brawl going on below.

Jin stopped in his tracks to avoid a direct hit, but the fire Ars Magus broke through the wall and landed in the back room, instantly turning the room into a sea of fire.

The fire flew across the corridor and started to burn from the end.

The freezing cold air that Jin had brought with him turned into hot, heat haze as the flames fanned it.

As if the heat called to him, a figure appears in his path. He was tall and had the type of physique in his silhouette, that makes one know he was armed with muscles.

Jin was familiar with the dark green costume worn in front of him. It must have been the costume of a Ninja, the spies who have lived in the land of Ikaruga since ancient times.

So the person who appeared in front of him, a man with his habitual hair pulled up high, was a Ninja from Ikaruga.

“Get out of the way. You are a nuisance.”

Looking at him coldly, Jin put his hand on the hilt of his sword and told him. Whoever the opponent, anything that blocked his way was an obstacle.

The Ninja standing on the other side of the corridor stared back at Jin with a powerful gaze as he brushed aside the hot air from the room that was burning nearby and prepared himself.

"No. I can't let you go any further!"

His grunch, thick voice twisted around the roar of the flames.

Jin clicked his tongue. It would be pointless to waste time here, even though he had walked across the roof to shorten the route.

But the other Ninja seemed to have no intention of giving way. His strong-willed eyes were blazing with hostility.

"My name is Bang Shishigami! I am a Ninja of Ikaruga, and I am the one who will defeat you!!"

He howled like a battering ram.

At the same time, the Ninja who called himself Bang came right at Jin in an instant, twisted in midair and unleashed a quick knee kick.

"...?!"

It happened so fast, like the blink of an eye.

Jin barely caught Bang's blow as he dove at him, right in front of his nose, just out of reach of his breath. As he caught the kick, Yukianesa's scabbard seemed to creak. The impact numbed his arm for a moment.

On recoil, Bang jumped and shot countless nails from high above.

Jin immediately pulled out Yukianesa and flicked the nails back, then ran down the hallway.

(He's fast!)

It was nothing compared to the average Ikaruga soldiers he had dealt with in the past. Jin's face twisted into a bitter expression as he dove into the back room, turning around and swinging his Yukianesa.

Sure enough, Bang was right on his heels. He jumped in and thrust his fist into Jin.

Jin half-accidentally caught it and parried it away.

Using his momentum to leap backward, Jin thrusts Yukianesa into the floor.

White ice ran. In an instant, it froze the floor in the area, but Bang's reaction speed was faster. In a single leap, he climbed to the ceiling and used the pillars as footholds to attack Jin again.

"Damn it...!"

He was in a hurry. As he clicked his tongue for what seemed like the hundredth time, Jin released the ice blade.

Countless shimmering ice blades shot through Bang's body one after another, knocking him down to the cold, icy floor.

He thought that was it... But it wasn't Bang that fell down, it was shabby wood from who knows where.

At the same time that Jin recognized, a hint of heat was generated behind him.

He turned around. At that moment, Jin received a strong impact on his chest and was blown backward.

He was slammed into the wooden floor and engulfed in several sliding doors supported by a thin framework. The blow to his head from the fall gave him a slight dizziness. He held his head and pulled himself up.

Bang bursts into his view.

"Don't think you can get away with the same move over and over again."

With these words, Jin cut. Yukianesa's slash, perfectly timed with the release of Bang's nails as shurikens, flicked off all three thrown with a single swipe.

The nails flew off in the wrong direction and made a rhythmic sound, piercing the floor at the back of the room, away from Jin and Bang.

Their gazes naturally turned to each other for a moment. Then they found something unexpected and swayed in dismay.

Right next to the nail stuck in the floor, there was a human figure.

Both Jin and Bang gasped in unison. The person who was looking at them quietly, without moving even though a nail flew at their feet, was a person with long purple hair flowing down their back. They were wearing a garment with wide cuffs and a white mask with a red pattern covering their face.

“My Lord... Why are you still here?”

At this sight, Bang shouted in clear agitation.

With that one word, Jin finally knew. He knew that the person there was Tenjō, the head of the Ikaruga Federation.

“Are you Tenjō?”

Muttering, Jin turned to the figure on the surface.

He was wondering what they looked like, but this only raised more questions. He couldn't even tell if they were a man or a woman. He felt a strange presence from Tenjō, as if they were neither.

"Don't look away!!"

Jin was about to head for the back when Bang's angry voice jumped at him.

Unhappy with his lords appearance, Jin kicked the floor and swung his fist at Bang, who flipped it back with a swiftly drawn sword. He instantly twisted around and slammed the tip of his scabbard into Bang's abdomen.

Unable to bear it, Bang bent over and moved backward to avoid Jin's continuous kicks.

“Huff, huff, huff.”

But still, with a ragged breath, Bang braced himself for more.

The unwavering hostility in his gaze caused Jin's heart to tremble.

— Kill, Kill, Kill.

(Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah.....!!!)

It was unbearable. Jin thrust the blade into his heart to resist the urge to kill.

While tearing out his heart and soul and giving them to Yukianesa, he struggled to keep his unstoppable desire to kill from flowing outward.

(I don't kill...)

— Kill.

(I won’t kill!)

— Kill!.

(No more.........)



His mind couldn’t take it. If it was swallowed up, it will be the end.

The blade, driven mad by Yukianesa's murderous intent, would probably go on a rampage, wanting to kill everyone in the castle. That would be meaningless. If the sword would take over and kill everyone... What was even the point of coming here?

Jin inhaled deeply. His own breath was so cold that it froze him to the bottom of his lungs. The temperature dropped so fast that icicles formed around Jin.

Without a second thought, Bang came running in. Jin looked at him and cleaved the air with his Yukianesa.

“Arctic Dungeon.”

With a powerful ars, the breath that weaved words and the slashing stroke froze the whole area. The floor, the ceiling, the walls, the windows, the pillars and even Bang who tried to escape by jumping into the air.

“What!?”

Bang's body stiffened as his body could not withstand the temperature that had dropped too low.

“Trash...”

He did not realize that his short-sighted loyalty would lead to unnecessary sacrifices.

Jin slashed down on Bang's frozen body without hesitation.

"Aaaargh!!"

With a heavy wet sound, fresh blood splatters on the ice floor. After taking a slash to the forehead and then to the torso, Bang collapsed onto the floor on his back.

Jin brushed off the blood, sheathed Yukianesa, and strode to the back of the room without a glance at the fallen bang.

"And you...."

Tenjō was still standing at the back of the room. They could have escaped in this short time, but the white-masked lord did not.

It was as if they had stayed there to watch the situation unfold.

Bang crawled across the floor, staring up at Jin's back as he stepped toward Tenjō. He desperately reached out and shouted with all his might.

“My Lord! Please, run away! My Lord..!”

But he could no longer raise himself. His vision rapidly darkened and he choked back a scream, losing his consciousness at last.

A cold silence soaked the area.

In the frozen room, Jin faced Tenjō.

Tenjō, who until then had been as motionless as a doll, jerked slightly and changed the angle of their neck, shaking their long purple hair.

“Nox Nyctores Mucro Algesco: Yukianesa.”

The calm voice leaked through the mask with a hint of murkiness.

"...You're Tenjō, aren't you?"

Standing directly in front of them, Jin asked expressionlessly. Tenjō raised their face.

“Indeed and you, what are you called?”

[[File:SS1-6.png|thumb]]

“Jin Kisaragi."

Answered Jin as he put his hand on the silver hilt. He could pull it out at any time. If he pulled it out, he could kill her.

"No hard feelings, but... I will kill you and end this war."

With frozen determination, Jin looked coldly at Tenjō.

Slowly, the face with the white mask moved. Tenjō nodded deeply. It seemed to show understanding and deep acceptance.

With his eyes fixed on them, Jin opened his mouth without changing his stance.

"I have one last question. Is it true that you are the Imperator?"

"...Hm?"

Tenjō sounded impressed by the question.

"Knowing that I am the Imperator, why do you turn on me? Jin Kisaragi.”

The reply was affirmative. Jin swallowed the meaning slowly, as if gulping down a melting block of ice.

“Because you are the enemy."

The one to be defeated. That is the enemy.

“My enemy.”

Jin replied, and Tenjō chuckled slightly.

There's no time.

There is no time for unnecessary words.

"Tenjō. What was 'that thing'?"

At the question, Tenjō paused for a beat and dropped her thin shoulders.

"Oh, so, did you see that 'thing'?"

“Answer me.”

Jin's words were cold and sharp, as if he was thrusting the edge of a blade.

After a few moments of thoughtful silence, Tenjō turned their masked face upward. It was as if they were seeing a vision of that strange coffin that Meifang had told him existed for the Imperator.

"The price of freedom and peace: 'Death'... It is this war itself that death eats away at."

"The war itself?"

"And I am but a puppet that creates death."

Tenjō’s abstract words were not the answer Jin wanted.

However, the hints of despondency, resignation and emptiness in their voice made him feel that further questions were pointless.

The questions to ask and the one who has the answers that Jin seeks, was probably someone else.

"...Jin Kisaragi. End it."

Tenjō's whispered words sounded too gentle to be appropriate for this occasion.

"And resist against 'death' that will be born."

After saying that, Tenjō spread their hands. In their white ceramic-like hands that peeked out from their wide sleeves, there were a few talismans.

Somewhat mischievously, the 'woman' underneath the mask laughed.

"It must be a little painful to slay an unresisting opponent. However, there is no time for hesitation."

Just as Jin didn't have time, Tenjō seemed to not have it as well.

Jin raised his eyebrows in a quizzical manner. He didn't know why Tenjō didn't have time, but he also didn’t have a reason to find out.

Why?

Because this is where Tenjō ends.

Taking a deep breath, Tenjō spoke softly.

"Come now, I will accept it. With this, even if you were to die, it's the end."

"Nonsense."

Jin spat coldly, while gripping the silver hilt.

“I will survive.”

Underneath the mask, Jin thought he saw Tenjō smile faintly.

Jin closed his eyes, concentrating on his consciousness.

He saw the talisman released from Tenjō’s hand.

(What did she mean by “accepting it”...)

He muttered inwardly as if he were poisoning himself and Jin felt a moment of pity for Tenjō. Tenjō had been waiting. Letting death be the one who comes to kill her. 

The blow of this talisman was only a bait to entice its cutting edge.

Then he must respond.

“Judgment...”

With a low chant, a pale blue magic circle spread out at Jin's feet. As soon as Tenjō’s talisman touches the circle, Jin releases it.

—Snowstorm.

The trajectory of the blade that he pulled out and swung caused the white ice to run.

The flash that he released froze Tenjō’s body instantly.

After a moment of complete silence, the ice shattered. At the same time, bright red blood spurted from the wound that had been slashed diagonally.

First, their knees hit the floor, then their slender body collapsed.

Walking to the side, Jin looked down at Tenjō, who was sinking in fresh blood.

They were still breathing. As he approached them, he noticed that the body, which was unexpectedly small, was trembling slightly as if it was responding to life.

Suddenly, a dry sound was heard. It was the sound of Tenjō’s mask falling off.

Her hidden face naturally appeared in Jin's vision. White skin, pale lips and eyelashes as purple as her hair. Beneath her eyelids, which looked as if they were about to fall, were bright red eyes.

Jin's eyes blinked.

Tenjō was a woman. She was youn, and had what most people would describe as a beautiful one.

Tenjō managed to lift her eyelids, which were losing strength, and looked up at Jin. Her red eyes were sad, but the expression on her face was in peace.

"Magnificent, such is the Power of Order..."

"The Power of Order?” 

With an to him unknown name, Tenjō calls out to Jin and then draws her last breath.

Jin just stared dumbfounded at her dying face.

What surprised Jin was not that Tenjō was a woman.

It was because of the resemblance.

To a young girl.

“Saya...”

To his sister, with whom he had lived for a time as a child.

It made Jin understand all of Tenjō’s words that he hadn't been able to fully comprehend earlier.

“You don’t mean the 'purpose'... That things purpose... That coffin-!!”


"Oh, so, did you see that 'thing'? It is this war itself" Tenjō said, "that death eats away at."


So you could say this "war" is "that thing" itself. No.

(This 'war' IS for 'that thing'!)

That is assumption frightens Jin. For the past several years, both the Librarium and the Ikaruga Federation have been fighting. Countless people have died in a endless cycle without a clear end in sight for both sides. Seemingly, no one was benefiting from it other than scientists trying out new third party weapons. So, for what reason? For what use? For what purpose was this war for?

After seeing that cauldron of dead people being melted in masses, the way the 9th squad got rid of and the words of Tenjō herself, it became painfully obvious.

It was death.

'Death' was the purpose.

This war is about letting people die...

"Ohh, so here you were. I finally found you... Lieutenant Kisaragi."

Suddenly, he heard a voice and looked up with a gasp. His deep chain of thoughts were cut off as if a thread had been snapped.

Pulling himself up, Jin looked back toward the voice.

There was 'someone' there.