Editing BlazBlue:Phase 0 Chapter 6 (section)

===Part 3===

By the time the conversation came to an end, it was already late. The surface was completely confined in the dead of night.

As Japan was a land without people inhabiting it, naturally, there wouldn't be a place to rent or lights to illuminate the street at night. Taking that into consideration, they were going to pass the time until dawn in the underground research facility as it felt rather accommodating.

Though, there wasn't anything that could substitute a futon. Because of it, if they spread their mantles and jackets on the usual hidden room's floor, they should have been able to sleep.

Inside the room, Trinity again brewed new tea. After Ragna refused it, he went out of the room to stroll a bit.

Even if he said he wanted to stroll around, the place where he was going was a hall with the Cauldron's surroundings stretched. Close to the mortar-shaped cave, there was a thin, dull staircase that went on for a distance.

Ragna stood near the Cauldron again, inevitably with no light above him. This time he wasn't searching for Rachel, but to take a peek of its contents.

"Boundary, eh...?"

He muttered for some reason. He couldn't even guess what on earth the Boundary was or where it connected to. It was unthinkable to drown anyone inside it.

If... assuming that nothing would happen when Ragna approached the Black Beast, would Celica make use of that lynchpin?

He didn't want to consider it. But even if by any chance he wasn't successful, he would rather have to choose an even more different alternative than having the lynchpin as the last resort.

"Eh, I'll just do something and it should be over in no sweat..."

Then, she was there.

"Do you have a moment?"

With a distinct voice, Nine spoke to him.

In contrast with her tone that felt really strong-willed, her constantly sharp, intimidating gaze was wandering around as if searching for something.

"I believe I have something I've yet to say."

"About what?"

"...About Celica. Thank you for stopping her wish."

She muttered while standing alone.

Ragna spontaneously grinned. It felt creepy.

"That's so unlike you."

"Oh, shut up. Even I want to express my gratitude properly for once. Especially... since this time I thought it was already hopeless."

While she rapidly told her reply, Nine brushed up her hair in her annoyance.

"Back then, that child never listened whenever she was reminded. She went out alone even when I had warned her so many times. Although I wanted her to do what I told her, in the end, it became just like that in spite of everything."

Looking at today's case of searching her father, he understood enough of it. "She's an astonishing girl," said Nine as she also gazed at the Cauldron from beside Ragna.

"I wonder why she listens if it's coming from you. It makes me sick."

"Hell if I know."

Ragna shrugged his shoulders. Nine boringly looked at that gesture with a sidelong glance and dropped her shoulders with a sigh.

"...It's going to be okay, right?"

"Ah?"

"The 'alternate plan' you said. Can it really able to constrain the Black Beast?"

"Maybe."

Unsatisfied with Ragna's answer, Nine expression grew bitter.

"You're not confident?"

"Not that, or else I wouldn't say it. But..."

Suddenly, Ragna intensely frowned while glaring at the Boundary. He was reminded of the history of the Dark War that was commonly known when he was a child.

"If it turns out well, I've got a favor to ask you."

"Me?"

Ragna knew something that no one else knew. Nine and Mitsuyoshi, who probably changed his name to Jubei for some reason, would defeat Black Beast. Furthermore, the Six Heroes named Nine had one more accomplishment.

"The Black Beast will be stopped of its activities for maybe a year."

This time, it was Nine who frowned after Ragna distinctly told his statement.

"How do you know about that?"

"Many reasons. I've got my own circumstances too, y'know?"

As one would expect, saying he came from the future would made it too suspicious. Hence he decided to pass on it. He didn't have anything to say to make up for it, so Ragna turned around his whole body to face Nine.

As if she was lured in, Nine also changed the direction of her body.

"One year. During that time, get the strength needed for humanity to battle the Black Beast. A further delay probably isn't gonna happen."

The green eye that was only on his left side was reflecting the color of the Boundary's lava. Receiving the heavy, straightforward gaze that had agony in it, Nine slowly nodded as if she gulped.

"One year, eh. Okay."

"And one more thing. ...Watch out for the guy named Yuuki Terumi."

"Yuuki Terumi? Who's he?"

Puzzled, Nine's eyebrows drew closer. Ragna lightly shook his head.

"I also don't know in details, but..."

"...You have a reason, huh? Fine, I give my promise to both."

As if burning, the strong light of Nine's determination was brimming in her pupils. Since it looked surprisingly trustworthy, Ragna sighed in relief, together with a smile.

Instead, Nine quickly continued on.

"You, too. Do your best in trying not to make what you've said just now as your last wish. If you make Celica cry, I won't forgive you."

"O-okay."

The threatening tone of voice she had used was as if to say that she would kill him the moment he made her cry.

Somewhat backing out, Ragna greatly pulled his chin. He believed that about half of it came from his reflexes.

"...Hm?"

Suddenly, Nine grimaced. Not at Ragna, but something else. She kept an eye on the vicinity.

The atmosphere surrounding her went sharp.

"Nine?"

"Be quiet. I'm detecting... something."

As Ragna's wariness switch also turned on, he examined the surroundings. He didn't grasp what Nine was talking about.

Thanks to magic, Nine's current perception was upped to about the double of a normal person's. That's right. Just about as high as a beastkin's.

Mitsuyoshi rushed out in a hurry from the passage leading to the hidden room.

"Ragna! Nine!"

No sooner than when he discovered them, he raised his voice that had also been exposed to wariness.

It was an unusual situation. Urged by Nine's gaze, Ragna hurriedly rushed over together with her to where Mitsuyoshi was.

"What's wrong? Something happened?"

"Yeah. I dunno exactly what... A terrible an' awful presence's gettin' closer. Also, it's doin' it with an unusual speed."

"Terrible and awful...?"

As it was too vague, Ragna's thoughts merged to do his best to imagine something horrible.

For example, a black mist———.

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"Everyone! Come here!"

This time, Celica hurriedly called them from the room's entrance.

Ragna and the others went back as if striving to be the first.

Within the elliptical-shaped room with a part of its ceiling hollowed, Trinity was overcome with surprise while she was in front of a magic circle that emerged on the floor. From the magic circle, a thin veil-like light was shining in the shape of upside-down cone. The spectacle above the ground was projected on it.

"Everyone, look..."

Although the floating image in the magic circle was pale, Trinity was adjusting it. Everybody lined up beside her.

The scene they were seeing was dark. It was natural since it was night.

No, that was wrong.

"This is...!"

Ragna gasped. It wasn't dark because it was night. The screen was gradually dyed in black. From the ground, an object of black mist fiercely gushed out and enshrouded the vicinity.

This kind of scene had had been witnessed. It wasn't only for Ragna, but also Celica and Mitsuyoshi. It was during the appearance of the lump of mist they had encountered in a research facility they had visited first when searching for Shuuichirou.

However, the scale didn't match to the one at that time.

"It can't be...!?"

Bewildered, Mitsuyoshi groaned in a hoarse voice. His two tails were seemingly appeared thickly swollen.

The mist in the image which Trinity projected became denser and denser as it gathered. Before long, it became an enormous lump and overcrowded the image.

As the discharged magic became disturbed, the image then vanished.

But there was no need to do it again to get a confirmation.

"———It's the Black Beast."

It was not a remnant.

A sinister sound was heard far away at the surface.

All of them unconsciously directed their gaze to the ceiling.

Accompanied by an enormous quantity of seithr mass, the Black Beast was... facing this way.