Editing CubexCursedxCurious:Volume15 Chapter4 (section)

===Part 7===

Fear's heart was pounding madly.

Why? Why did things turn out like this? Why?

With a trembling hand, she gripped the Rubik's cube. Her emulated form, with her last power remaining.

"All-out? Do I need to go all-out~?"

"Yes, I'm counting on you, Riko."

"Heh... Hehn. Jeez, since you asked me for a favor, there's no helping it! Okay, I'll hug you tight! Let's go, Maximilian!"

While clinging on his back, Riko wrapped her arms around his neck, embracing him tightly&mdash;

In the next second, her body vanished suddenly without a trace. Taking her place was&mdash;

"«Corpse Armor Rikongarowa»... That's this girl's true name."

''Pendragon was clad in a set of milky-white armor''. The armor was neither western nor Japanese in style. Although it was indeed full body armor covering the entire body except for the head, it gave off an impression of trendiness and elegance. Every piece seemed quite beautiful in design. Structurally, it imitated the scales of living organisms instead of prioritizing straight lines&mdash;Purely based on impressions, the armor was almost akin to scales.

However, there were very few identical components. Even their sizes were very varied. Many scale-like masses of white solid armor were combined together to form components, covering the entire the body. The most striking fact was that every piece of armor was moving.

As though searching for the best shape to serve as armor, as though making its own judgment calls on what parts needed overlapping layers for protection and where armor should be reduced for ease of movement, the armor was writhing irregularly like a living creature yet retaining an overall shape as armor.

"Cursed armor...!?"

"Precisely! Muramasa-sama, defense power goes without saying, but she can also enhance physical power. Please be careful!"

Kotetsu entered a combat stance while speaking. Weighed down by nervousness and wariness, his expression was very stiff. This was probably he knew the enemy's ability level better than anyone. Namely, that of the Commander of the Draconians.

"Should I enter the stage as well? Master?"

"It's not very fair for Riko to be the only one working, right? This is an order... Move out."

"How nostalgic, being subjected to tyrannical orders unilaterally like getting stabbed in the throat. How it truly stirs up revulsion/excitement from the bottom of my heart."

Eyes closed, standing by on the side, Granaury took a leap. Instantly, her appearance&mdash;

Changed into some kind of ''double-edged blade'', appearing in Pendragon's right hand. Fear could only describe as some kind of double-edged blade. It was a thick blade with a sharp front tip. A knife? No&mdash;

"The spear upholding righteousness and loyalty, the «Granaury Spear», also known as the «Contradictory Spear Granaury»... I really don't want to see you in that form again."

Another person, the superintendent who was also familiar with the Draconians, spoke quietly.

"It looks quite different from what you know from before, all thanks to Riko."

"Hmph! I accommodate it as usual because I've no choice!"

The right arm portion of Pendragon's armor shifted noisily. After taking in the blade transformed from Granaury, it stabilized and remained fixed. Or rather, it should be described as merged. In terms of results, it looked like a blade extending forward from the back of the hand.

"Very well&mdash;Let's go. Do put in everything you've got. Unless you want to die!"

Hence, Pendragon sprang into action without engaging in more useless talk.

Finally, it was time for action.

Fear watched Konoha turn into a Japanese sword, held in Haruaki's hand. She saw Kotetsu charge forward as though casting hesitation aside. She saw Kuroe extend her hair. She saw Zenon retreating while protecting the superintendent. She saw Kirika extend her right arm where the «Tragic Black River» was missing before clicking her tongue.

(H-Hold on...)

Fear reflexively turned the Rubik's cube into the «Human-Perforator». Her only remaining... power.

Only this type of power was left.

"Ooh, ah, ahhhhhhhhhh!"

Fear intentionally made her mind blank then charged fiercely.

Then&mdash;



By the time she came back to her senses, Fear was collapsed on the floor.

All sense of time was lost. Pain coursed through her entire body. It felt as though an overwhelming storm had trampled her indescriminantly. It felt a bit like exhaustion. Her body complained of fatigue while her vision flickered. Her shoulder was buried into the deck. Kotetsu, collapsed on the floor, entered her view. Kirika had died. Back against the ship's edge, Zenon was limp and unmoving. Was the superintendent okay? He was not in sight. What about Kuroe? What about Haruaki?

Feeling something solid in her palm, all she could do was grip it tightly.

(Why&mdash;at this time of all times&mdash;)

She had always believed all she needed was this drill in her hand. Having this alone was enough to fight.

But only against this guy, only against Pendragon...

Simply being able to fight was totally not enough.

She understood the most fundamental fact.

(Why&mdash;)

Why did she seal up her power? Why did she believe this would be fine?

Right now, in front of Pendragon, only the injured Haruaki was standing&mdash;

Inside her blurry view, that despairing scene was easily shrouded by an even more despairing feeling.

"Ooh, ahhhh!?"

The Japanese sword was grabbed by Pendragon's armored hand.

Together with Haruaki holding it, the sword was raised into the air.

"Haru!"

"Don't... come over, Kuroe! ...You stay back...!"

Behind Haruaki was Kuroe whom he had apparently been protecting all this time. Kuroe wanted to extend her hair to fight back like a caged beast, but looked really weak. It seemed like no matter what she did, she would be powerless to stop what Pendragon was about to do to Haruaki&mdash;

(Stop... it...!)

Fear's breathing stopped. Her heart stopped.

Instinctively, she launched the «Human-Perforator» from her hand. However, Pendragon simply raised his left arm and swung, deflecting the drill before throwing a bored glance at her. Using the chain of cubes to pull the drill back, Fear fished out a second Rubik's cube, guided by her trembling spine. Another «Human-Perforator». But what could she do while holding these?

Feeling lost, she halted her movements.

Pendragon scoffed then turned his face forward. Instantly&mdash;

"Kah&mdash;ahhhhhhhhhhhhh!"

Konoha seized this opportunity to draw out her blade, thus leaving Pendragon to hold just the black scabbard. She hastily controlled Haruaki's now freed body, raising the blade for a slice&mdash;very likely, for just that one instant, for the sake of Haruaki's personal safety, she cast aside all taboo.

Even so&mdash;

"Hah."

"!"

Pendragon swiftly tossed the scabbard away and blocked Konoha's blade using the back of his hand before grabbing the body of her blade again, suspending Haruaki in midair. This time&mdash;There was no escape.

"Although I bear you no grudge, this is for my goal. Don't hate me."

Then Pendragon pulled his left arm back like drawing a bow.

A crack tore open in the depths of Fear's heart.

(No good.)

Haruaki, Haruaki.

She must save him. She must find a way.

She needed power. Right now, only power was everything. She needed the power to save Haruaki.

Simply using this one drill&mdash;No, that was wrong. Even if left with just one drill was fine. If things could not be changed, there was no helping it.

Oh right&mdash;Even so, all she needed was the power to defeat that guy.

''Even if that cursed''...

''She thought: I don't care''.

"Ahhh&mdash;Ahhhhhhh&mdash;Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!"

Awaken, myself. You're there, right?

That self of hers, filled with cursed power no less than anyone else's.

Knowing cruelty, abuse, sadism, masochism, pain, joy, excitement, climax, depravity, screaming, blood, flesh, bones, tears, death, life, bodily fluids, despair, sorrow, wailing, taboo, how to hurt people, how to kill people, how to destroy people, how to torment people, how to drive people insane, better than anyone, better than anything, that self of hers.

Right now, there was no choice but to rely on her.

This was the one and only way in order to not lose him.

Hence, hence, hence&mdash;

Please.

You must...

You must&mdash;


"Ah&mdash;ah, ah... Ha, ha, ha, ahahahaha, hahah..."


Thus, Fear allowed that familiar darkness to occupy her heart.

Faced with that sense of coldness, she felt her emotions calm down unbelievably&mdash;

At the same time, she lost consciousness completely.