Mushi Uta:Volume 5 Chapter 2

2.00 Chiharu Part 4

Gently swaying…

Lightly floating…

Even if Chiharu didn't do anything.

Even if she had to do something.

She thought these peaceful days would always continue.

Forever.

Even after she became an adult—

"Come on, Chiharu. Let's eat your brother's dream today. I'm hungry."

The instant the short homeroom class was over, the voice of Aria Varei rose inside Chiharu's head.

The teacher on the podium was giving messages to the class.

Chiharu was completely absentminded and inattentive.

"Your appetite is at its limits already."

Aria complained.

"Also, Chiharu, ever since you've met Elviolene all you've been doing is thinking… I can understand why even you would be afraid of that, but talk to me more…"

While Chiharu gazed outside the window, Aria Varei spoke to her from inside.

That person is… also like Aria—

Although she couldn't see her, she could feel it on her skin.

The woman wearing a crimson long coat and sunglasses, Elviolene. She also existed nearby right now.

"Not quite like me. We're both beings that are drawn by delicious dreams. We both eat humans' dreams and give birth to Mushitsuki. But what's different is the category of the Mushitsuki we produce."

The Original Three—

"Ooh, you've done well to remember that name even though I only talked about it briefly. Impressive! We're lured by first-rate dreams, so we end up bumping into each other from time to time. Just like this time. Still, it doesn't mean we're enemies because of that; we have our own rule. First come, first served."

First come, first served—

"You know, despite her always eating a lot, El is actually strangely fussy over taste. She waits for the dream's flavor to become of the highest grade before eating it. She's also called Oogui, meaning gluttonous. I'm personally picky as I value quality over quantity or flavor. So I pick dreams fitting my taste. On the other hand, Diorestoi has a strange taste and likes delicacies, so he purposely distorts dreams before eating them."

You all create Mushitsuki—

"Yeah. Actually that's our only common feature. I already have no personality, Dio has a half-baked personality remaining, and El's already formed her own. Our personalities are different but our nature is the same. Just like moths drawn to a flame. Such is our habit. We appear when lured by dream. Oh, but our abilities are also completely different."

Abilities—

"Yeah yeah, because I'm a pacifist. I barely have any abilities to fight. Because of that it's ironic that Fusion-Type Mushitsuki end up super strong. I wonder if that's because that, as long as there's not some great irregular, I fall asleep again after eating someone's dream."

So I don't have any ability to fight—

"Leaving me aside, Dio is moderately strong. But that woman, El, is absurdly strong. Not only is she strong but there's a reason she can't be destroyed. I can affirm it, no one who can destroy El currently exists in the world. —And now you'll finally want to hear about all the juicy details! Also, going with the flow, why don't you also try asking me about the reason for our birth?"

"No, I don't want to ask about that."

Chiharu let out a voice and cleanly refused.

Thanks to it coincidentally overlapping with the bells indicating the end of the school day, no one heard her voice.  

"Mushi, Mushitsuki… the Original Three and all that have nothing to do with us."

She muttered in a small voice, held her backpack and left the class. Her friends tried calling to her, but since she hurried Chiharu ignored them.

"Nothing to do with us… That's a problematic statement! What about me inside of you? How horrible, that's violation of my human rights! I'll sue you!"

Turning a deaf ear to Aria's protests, Chiharu rushed down the stairs.

She waited in front of the lower grade classroom for her brother to come out.

Daisuke immediately appeared.

"…Geh."

Seeing Chiharu's face, her brother frowned. She became shocked.

"What's that reaction! Your sister is shocked!"

"S-shut up! Don't come in front of my classroom and be so loud! Isn't it embarrassing!"

"It's not embarrassing! It's normal!"

"Don't come with me, stupid Chiharu!"

As Daisuke walked down the corridor with a fast pace, Chiharu followed him from behind.

She knew he was being bullied by his classmates. And since Daisuke was kind he wouldn't strike back.

That's why Chiharu had to protect him as his sister —

"I think you're a bit overprotective though."

"I'm not overprotective. It's normal—"

She looked at Daisuke going down the stairs.

A sweet fragrance drifted from her brother walking in front of her.

It wasn't that she was hungry or that her throat was dry. But the rich smell rising from him lured her as if it contained essential nutrition for her.

Daisuke was going down the stairs.

Chiharu was assaulted by an urge to leap down, slip through the passersby with Aria Varei's ability and swoop down from behind.

"…Dai…suke—"

Chiharu's hair rippled.

Just by imagining herself stuffing her cheeks with his incredibly delicious dream, a smile rose to her mouth—

"S-sorry!"

Someone bumped into her shoulders from behind and she came to her senses.

"Ah! What a waste! Why did you ruin everything when she only needed a little push!"

The one who bumped into Chiharu was a meek-seeming boy. He apologized to her and then started running again.

Calming down, Chiharu covered her pale face with both hands. She breathed heavily.

It was a close call.

Just a bit more and Chiharu would've lose to her urges as Aria Varei.

"I have to pull myself together… I'm Daisuke's sister after all…"

As Chiharu mumbled to herself, the boy from just now called toward Daisuke.

"Daisuke-kun! Why did you leave before me? Let's go home together!"

"Ah, oh, right. Sorry, Mitsuki."

"Please tell me how to become stronger today! I saw it on TV the other day! They said that to become strong you need a righteous heart and compassion!"

"Ahaha, was that Carnivorous Squadron? Are you watching that?"

Chiharu widened her eyes.

Without thinking she stood in place.

Daisuke let out a voice – of laughter.

When was the last time she had seen her brother smile enjoyably?

"You don't have to hold back so much, right?"

Aria's voice was gentle. Although a self-proclaimed wicked being, Aria spoke in a tone as if unwilling to see Chiharu suffer.

"Even if you weren't there your brother will be fine."

He was fine even without Chiharu.

Meaning, he would be fine even if she forgot about him.

But, Chiharu was—

"…Ehehe."

Laughing, she followed after Daisuke. Switching her shoes, she walked slightly behind Daisuke and Mitsuki.

"Today's a day to remember. Daisuke's made a friend."

Daisuke's profile as he talked with his friend seemed happy.

Although Chiharu was once again assaulted by her 'appetite', she suppressed it with utmost effort.

She stepped back as to not disturb the good mood of her brother and his friend.

Aria spoke in a shaky voice to her.

"What’s up with you—"

It was a low voice that she had never heard before. It was as if Aria couldn't bear it anymore and so shouted.

"What's up with you! Why don't you hate me? I'm the one who selfishly entered you! Why don't you hate your brother? I only planted myself inside you because you're close to him! And yet you're the only one holding yourself back! You've lost your friends for your brother's sake and he's the only one to make friends and laugh! How can you care about us! You should make everything our fault and give up!"

Aria's jeers could be heard only by Chiharu. Except for that voice the road back home was quiet.

"I won't let you turn Daisuke into a Mushitsuki. I'll never let you do such a thing."

Chiharu smiled.

"I love him. I love him so much that he hates it. —I'm his sister after all."

"…!"

Aria was apparently unable to speak due to excessive anger. Chiharu understood that anguish.

Entering the residential area downhill from the school, there were increasingly less and less people around.

Elementary school ended early. Even at the best of times there was a declining population, so now the only ones to pass walking through the main street were Daisuke, his friend and Chiharu.

"Also, I… don't want to forget Daisuke."

Chiharu said in a mutter.

"The time you've spent with me will become nothing more than an illusion to you. You were simply involved in my long-lasting sleep. When I eat his dream and nourish myself I'll return being a cocoon…"

"I'll forget even about turning Daisuke into a Mushitsuki, right? I hate just that."

She would rob her brother of his peaceful daily life and end up forgetting all about it.

She didn't want to imagine that future.

Although a sister needed to protect her brother, she would push him down to hell and only she would return to her peaceful life.

For Chiharu that was much scarier than death.

"That's too horrible. Not something a sister would do…"

"He'll turn into a Mushitsuki either way. —If you don't eat his dream… El will. First, until now I never failed in eating a dream that lured me. You won't be able to withstand your appetite forever."

"Daisuke will turn into a Mushitsuki either way?"

"Right. If you don't eat his dream El will. That's why I'm inside you, and El was also lured to him."

"…No."

Chiharu smiled.

She stopped her legs in a corner of the residential area.

A bit farther than Daisuke and his friend.

And—

From her back—

"Daisuke-chan's dream sure is getting steadily more delicious…"

A purple scale fell on the ground.

"Will you still not eat it, Aria? You seem to be having quite a lot of trouble this time."

Chiharu could realize even without turning around. Even without any reply, she knew who was behind her.

"I will never hate you, Aria."

Smiling, she turned to her back.

Standing there was a woman with rainbow-colored eyes and a crimson long coat.

One of the Original Three, Elviolene.

"N-no way… You're kidding, right Chiharu…?"

Aria's voice shook.

Chiharu's hair was instantly dyed blue.

Transforming into one of the Original Three, Aria Varei, Chiharu grinned.

"Aria's inside me so I can protect Daisuke."

"What does this mean, Aria?"

"No, umm, wait a minute! This is a misunderstanding! C-Chiharu! Chiharu-san! Did you listen to me before? Me and El are of a completely different level—"

Ignoring Aria's panic, Chiharu glared at Elviolene.

Gently swaying…

Lightly floating…

Chiharu and Daisuke's peaceful days – would definitely never change.

"I will beat this person and won't eat Daisuke's dream. If I do so… Daisuke won't turn into a Mushitsuki and I won't forget about him!"

"Kyaaa!"

While hearing Aria's shout, Chiharu leap at Elviolene.

The sunglasses woman narrowed her rainbow-colored eyes.

"Fufu—"

Purple-colored scales burst.

The scales assembled and created the legs and a horn of a large insect. The horn stabbed into the road, lifting up concrete.

The mass of concrete, weighing who knows how many tons, bent over Chiharu.

Chiharu's blue hair shone. Starting from her head, she plunged her body into the concrete.

Piercing through with her fusion abilities, she swung her right arm toward Elviolene.

"Wait a minute—"

The space Chiharu passed through warped. The blue glow made the ground explode and gouged a part of the nearby telegraph pole, assaulting Elviolene.

"How can you use that power! I didn't teach you about it!"

Elviolene moved to the side to evade.

"…!"

Changing her target, Chiharu also tried swinging her left arm.

"Stop that! That power… If you make even a single mistake you'll blow up your body!"

"—I'm not afraid of that at all."

Purple scales surrounded the smiling Elviolene. She disappeared as if the air swallowed her.

Chiharu hurriedly looked around her—

"Really, Aria?"

She heard a woman's voice from behind.

As Chiharu tried turning around she was hit by an impact on the nape of her neck.

Her consciousness was rapidly dimming.

"Disciplining this child is your job. We're not as close as me always forgiving you, right?"

"I-I know that, El…"

"Fufu. I also found the perfect aperitif. If you don't do it quickly, I might win this time, you know?"

"An aperitif…?"

While hearing the other two talking—

Chiharu lost her consciousness.

It was the next day after the infiltration to Mushibane's assembly.

Intermittent vibrations shook Chiharu's seat.

There were few passengers of the rapid-transit train during daytime in the middle of the week. Especially on the car and the very end where Chiharu and the rest sat in. There were only several other passengers on the same car.

Buildings in construction stuck out from the townscape flowing outside the window.

Chiharu wasn't well-informed in the geography outside Nishito City, but according to Chami the area was apparently designated as a special ward for the development plan of the country.

The patches of town she could see through the triangular glasses seemed to be brimming with liveliness, different from Nishito City that was on the countryside. Even the rapid-transit train Chiharu boarded on would probably have more passengers once they reach the town center.

"Don't look so comfortable and hum like that. And don't raise your face too much."

Chami, sitting next to Chiharu while crossing her arms, said in a resigned tone. As she wore Chiharu's cap low on her head she should look like a boy when seen from afar.

"Eh? Was I humming?"

Chiharu asked back, causing Chami to slightly shake her head as if saying she had enough.

"Never mind a small fry member like me, you're now a number one wanted criminal. I found out through Konoha that even Central Headquarters discovered your identity. …Really, I thought it would take them longer to find out you're Daisuke's older sister, but thanks to that we had to hasten our movements."

"Do they really think I'm that dangerous?"

Chami replied to Chiharu's innocent question by wrinkling her brows.

"You probably don't know this, but there was a precedent for someone close to a Fusion Type Mushitsuki gaining incredible strength. Even leaving that aside, they probably think you're the one who'd offed Kanata from the Central Headquarters' Annihilators."

"Eh? That's the first time I heard that! Why would they think that?"

"Kanata was a powerful Mushitsuki. Something around Blaze Class Rank 3. I obviously wouldn't be able to do it but even Mushibane doesn't have any Mushitsuki strong enough to take care of him. —Aijisupa joined Mushibane only recently so the SEPB wouldn't have any data on him. On the other hand there were also no traces of Fuyuhotaru having fought there…  And even I who served to monitor someone related to a Rank 1 member was defeated. Not to mention you disappearing so suspiciously."

"I'm not a Mushitsuki!"

"It's worse than that. It's because you were once an Original Three. —Anyhow, Central Headquarters can't stay calm. Since they regard a powerful Fusion Type Mushitsuki as great danger they'll try to kill them without any regard to their appearance."

Even this late, Chiharu shuddered at the situation she was thrust into. Even though her classmates always told her she had no sense of danger it was obvious.

Chiharu and Chami exchanged their personal items which were the glasses and the cap and wore them. Since only Chiharu's hair was long she braided it, attempting a makeover.

She felt the disguise wasn't reliable, but according to Chami "you're good at everything you do. You look like a different person" apparently.

"So we're here because we have to get you protection as soon as possible. Don't make me explain it again and again. —Aya, stay vigilant for now."

"The number of telegraph poles from Nishito City along the railway is 13,583."

Aya who sat near the window mumbled this while keeping gazing intently at the outside scenery. Only she was in her school uniform like always. "These guys… they don't listen to me at all…" Chami cursed.

"Yes, there's no doubt that the fact of you – Kakkou's older sister Kusuriya Chiharu going missing was revealed to Mushibane."

Chami raised her cap with her index finger, looking at the outside scenery. Perhaps she was affected by Aya's zealous gaze.

"Is that so?"

"Having Mushibane find out about Kakkou's disappearance so easily is the proof above all. Mushibane split into a Fuyuhotaru faction and extremist faction so we can't tell where they'd gotten the information from. Didn't your sister say so, Aya?"

"Now it's 13,652."

"Wow, you have an amazing dynamic vision, Aya."

"…There's a spy in Mushibane. Their goal is Mushibane's self-destruction, taking out a dangerous person such as Kakkou along with them if possible."

Chami asserted casually. Chiharu tilted her head.

"Spy?"

"Yeah. Most likely – the SEPB'S Central Headquarters sent some person quite close to the core. That spy also caused Mushibane's remnants to fight against Kakkou during Haji Senri's escort mission in Housawa Town. And they're trying to do the same thing again."

"I don't really get it but… if you can understand so much you sure are smart, Chami-chan."

The one to respond to Chiharu's honest impressions was Aya. She moved her gaze from the window to her.

"It's natural. There's no one who could beat Chami in evil schemes."

"…I don't think that's really a compliment, Aya-chan."

"Even if you're not me you can understand it by thinking a little. Mushibane are nothing but a gathering of idiots. Without any advisor – someone with brains, they'd left command, fighting and everything else to Lady Bird. Those idiots at Mushibane didn't even realize she wasn't the kind of person able to calmly think up battle plans. But Lady's done a good job creating such a large organization all by herself without any councilors."

Perhaps growing angrier while speaking, Chami's tone gradually became louder.

"If I had to say, the one who's killed Lady was none other than Mushibane itself. If they had any brains, they wouldn't have gotten caught in Haji Keigo's schemes. Since everyone was so captivated by Lady battling in the center of the stage they didn't try going on the stage themselves. Lady kept fighting alone without any actors in supporting roles – and fell. And before I could drag her down myself."

Just like Aya said, apparently Chami didn't like it when the 'story' progressed in places she didn't know about.

Konomura Chami was also a Mushitsuki.

This girl kept pursuing her dream – her unfulfilled aspiration.

"So is Shiika-chan the leader now instead of that Lady?"

Chiharu inquired Chami.

"Shiika-chan… won't become like Lady, right?"

"Since Fuyuhotaru has powerful assistants, Aijisupa and Namie, it probably won't go that easily. But as expected they only have fighting power. In the end the SEPB has Miguruma Yaeko and Haji Keigo – he's still unconscious, but anyway it's obvious they're gonna lead them by the nose. Aijisupa seems to have a fast mind, but he's probably not the type to carefully refine battle strategies."

Chami sneered.

"Let me declare. It appears like Fuyuhotaru is trying to borrow the powers of Mushibane's small fries, but as long as she couldn't use them well they will definitely hold her back. Just like it was with Lady. Does Fuyuhotaru even have the talent to make use of pawns, I wonder?"

"…So what if it was you, Chami-chan?"

"What?"

"I find what Shiika's trying to do very praiseworthy. If you'd assist her… wouldn't it be of great help?"

Chami seemed unexpectedly shaken at Chiharu's words. She glared back at her in wonder.

At some point even Aya looked at Chami. Both their gazes focused on her.

"D-don't be stupid. Why do I have to help Mushibane anyway? I'll never follow anyone's orders."

"It's not following orders, you're joining forces. Even now you're trying to have the East Central Branch protect me because you're very smart but lack power, right?"

Chami bit her lips in regret.

Chiharu's group was heading to Ouka City—

The city where the East Central Branch was located.

In this situation where they only had Aya as a fighter they wouldn't be able to protect Chiharu if anything happened.

That's when Chami schemed her next plan.

During the same time Chiharu got 'safeguarded' by the East Central Branch she would hear stories related to him from his Branch, allowing her to work towards fully recovering her memories.

Chami would go off separately and join up with Konoha to search for Daisuke.

Chiharu would be allowed to reunite with Daisuke after they find him on the condition she would definitely return to Chami's side—

That was what the two people exchanged as a deal – no, as a promise.

"So if you and Shiika-chan combine you'll be invincible! The strongest combo!"

Chami averted her gaze as Chiharu got excited. She laughed from her nose.

"Ha, so stupid. It's not like I want to get friendly with Fuyuhotaru. We were enemies at 'URBAN'… and obviously a Secret Class 1 Rank like her wouldn't even notice small fries like me."

"Don't be so humble! You're someone who can do anything you set your mind on! Or… do you possibly have no confidence?"

"Hah? Watch your words. We're speaking about something beyond stupid people."

"I'm not stupid, I'm normal! You're too stubborn over trivial things, Chami-chan! That's why you'll be plain no matter how much time passes!"

"Plain—why you… I'll kill you!"

Chiharu and Chami grabbed each other's clothes, yet Aya didn't try to stop them. She once again looked outside the window and started counting the telegraph poles.

"Say, Chami."

—When Aya muttered this Chiharu and Chami sat down and averted their gazes from each other. Both had their hair ruffled and wore a sullen expression. Since even the glasses were broken the disguise was a failure.

"…What?"

"For you Chiharu is a valuable source of information. You need the memories related to the Original Three to find out what Mushi are."

Chiharu and Chami turned a puzzled face to Aya who started abruptly talking.

"But it's different with me. When I die, if you'll able to control Fuyuhotaru just like what Chiharu said before you'll gain enough fighting strength."

"Just when I wondered what you're going to say… I have no intention of cooperating with Fuyuhotaru and even you alone are working enough for me. Don't prattle on about dying without my permission."

"I was just thinking. Don't mind it."

Saying this with a machine-like tone, Aya again gazed outside the window.

Chami frowned, but she didn't press her any further.

"Well then, it's about time I move to another car."

Rising from her seat, Chami looked down at Chiharu and Aya.

"Chiharu will be 'protected' at the East Central Branch and wait for contact from me. While you're sheltered I'll join up with Konoha and go look for Kakkou."

Chiharu nodded at her words.

"Aya, you stay with Chiharu no matter what happens. Don't say anything. Don't do anything. But if you conclude the East Central Branch can’t protect her then you do it and bring her to me."

Aya slightly nodded.

"The next time we'll meet – will be after I find Kakkou."

"Yes!"

"Yeah."

After the three looked at each other Chami moved forward and left the car.

Chiharu, left with Aya on the last car, stared at the scenery flowing outside the window absentmindedly.

From the slightly opened window she could smell Ouka City's wind.

It had the smell of a metropolitan city different from Nishito City.

"Daisuke lives here."

A smile naturally rose to her lips. Possibly realizing she was talking to herself, Aya stayed silent.

To Whom It May Concern, how are you doing—

By seeing the scenery flowing by, her "narrating" habit came out unconsciously.

I came to where you live at. It's quite the big city. …You might not be here right now, but I wonder if you living here means you're stylish?

The sea perhaps being close, the smell of seawater carried by the wind faintly tickled her nostrils.

"I wonder if you've been meeting many people here. Just like I did in Nishito City."

Unable to suppress her exaltation, she ended up speaking out of her mouth.

"Did you make friends? Or a girlfriend… if you do have one, you have to properly introduce her to your sister."

While smiling somewhat mischievously, the announcement informing them of arrival at Ouka Station echoed inside the car.

The rapid-transit train decelerated and stopped.

Suddenly the car became dark.

The front car arriving at Ouka Station was surrounded by a strange group.

They were people equipped with machine-like goggles covering their whole faces and wearing pitch-black long coats. On the entrance to the train station it was obvious, but footsteps also echoed outside the window and on top of the roof. They entered the car as if slipping through, restrained the other passengers and pressed them against the walls.

Even Chiharu and Aya were surrounded by black coats while sitting. They didn't even have the time to stand up.

Yet Chiharu wasn't agitated. Aya was also calm.

It was just like Chami told them. Since they used public transit, they were instantly caught by the information network of the Special Environmental Preservation Bureau. Chiharu rode on the train to Ouka City to purposely let herself by 'safeguarded' by them.

Right now Chami should be making her escape through a different car. She managed to escape through the window just before the train completely stopped.

"Kusuriya Chiharu-san, right?"

Appearing from between the black coats was a suit-wearing woman. The young woman, having bed hair and holding some documents, spoke in a nervous tone.

"Let me see, you will explain the small details of the situation later, but right now you are in an extremely dangerous position… We will have you come with us, the representatives of a government body. We will also hear about your reasons to come to Ouka City later."

She heard about the special features of the East Central Branch's Acting Branch Director from Chami. So she was probably Goroumaru Touko.

"Kusuriya Chiharu-san. We will take you into custody under the control of the Special Environmental Preservation Bureau."

Surveying the people surrounding her, Chiharu grinned.

She rose and bowed at the woman who was her brother's boss.

"Nice to meet you. Thank you for taking care of my cute brother."

Raising her face, Chiharu first inquired the most important thing of all.

"—By the way, Daisuke's a good kid who's kinder than anyone, right?"

2.01 The Others

Parting from Chiharu and Aya, Chami came to Akamaki City.

She changed trains to come there with just a low-worn cap as her disguise, but the Environmental Preservation Bureau probably didn't even care about a small member like her.

"Joining up with Fuyuhotaru? You sure like shitty ideas."

While mumbling to herself, she walked through the city aiming for her destination.

Akamaki City was the center of the Special Environmental Preservation Bureau, the city where the stronghold of the Central Headquarters was located. High-rise buildings were lined up in the town center. Coming to Akamaki City for the first time, Chami inhaled the big city's air shrouded by the smell of exhaust gas and grimaced.

"And over there is, right… the princess who started the fight to save Mushitsuki. She made a reliable knight her ally and went to battle."

She set foot inside one of the buildings lined up along the main street. It was an especially tall office building even among those in the town center.

"For now, I'm just—"

The guard in the building's entrance tried to stop Chami.

Without even looking at his face, she lightly waved her arm.

Immediately after, a scarlet shadow rising from her arm converged at the guard's back. The crimson glowing queen bee stabbed its sharp stinger into the man's medulla oblongata.

"A cowardly, dirty witch who only has enough brains to put poison in an apple—"

The queen bee that only Chami could see was absorbed inside the guard. "Uh, ah…" he groaned and stopped moving.

Konomura Chami's Mushi ability was mental pollution. It amplified the affected person's strongest emotion, robbing them of their rational thinking. Depending on the density of the pollution she could easily dull one's thinking ability to make them easier to be manipulated like she did to Sugitsu Aya, or make one not know between back and front like she did to the guard in front of her.

"Nothing more than a supporting role that aims for the main character dancing at the center of the stage out of jealousy."

Passing next to the guard who was standing in place like a puppet, Chami headed for the elevator.

Pressing the button, the door opened immediately.

She boarded the empty elevator.

In front of Chami's eyes leaning against the wall, the button indicating the highest floor was lighted up on its own. The elevator's door closed slowly.

"You haven't been tailed by anyone, right Konoha?"

Chami's voice reverberated inside.

Immediately after she thought her vision was warped, an atypically-shaped monster appeared in front of her.

It was a large Mushi with a body that looked like two overlapping leaves with large eyes attached. Next to the leaf beetle that possessed the ability to erase its form by controlling the refractive index of light, a girl was standing in front of the floor buttons.

"…"

She was Blaze Class Rank 4 member of the fighting squad of Central Headquarters, Konoha. She wore the Central Headquarters' white coat and was equipped with goggles. This silent girl who showed Chami her back was another pawn that had her ability transplanted into her and listened to her orders.

"At least answer."

"S-sorry… It's fine, nobody saw me…"

When Chami lightly kicked her back Konoha mumbled a response.

"C'mon, don't dawdle in your report. Do it already."

"I-I'll report properly… s-so don't kick me that much…"

The emotion controlling Konoha was 'anger'. Since Chami had also planted the minimal amount of her ability inside her, it was necessary to periodically stimulate her feelings like this.

"It seems like neither Central Headquarters nor the East Central Branch were able to find Kakkou yet…"

Even while the white coat girl bit her lips in humiliation she started her report just like she was told to.

"But I know something's going on in Central Headquarters. I can't extract any information as a Rank 4 member just like it was in Nishito City…"

"Meaning they're the Annihilators under the direct control of Miguruma Yaeko – Kanata's comrades."

Chami had already grasped the existence of the special team composed of the high-ranked members known as the Annihilators. They didn't officially exist but she confirmed their existence through Konoha with the happenings in Housawa Town and Nishito City's 'URBAN'.

"Just like it was in Houzawa Town. Central Headquarters wants to erase Kakkou. Since the East Central Branch lost contact with him and he has no support right now it's truly the golden opportunity to assassinate him. The Central Headquarters' information collecting abilities are impressive. They'll definitely find him."

"I've been probing into the Central Headquarters' movements for a few days… but just now I was able to confirm that several teams were dispatched. They're all members I've never seen before, but most likely – they're all very strong."

Chami clicked her tongue.

"Having a different team of Annihilators search for Kakkou at this timing – shit, so Chiharu's whereabouts were exposed. As I thought, their speed of gathering information is abnormal."

"Is Chiharu fine…?"

"I can only put my hopes on the East Central Branch and Aya."

As she asserted this bitterly, an electronic sound echoed near Chami's ear.

The elevator reached the highest floor. The two climbed out, going up the stairs in front of them.

Exiting to the rooftop, the townscape of Akamaki City spread out beneath.

A sudden gust made Chami's cap fly in the air. Aiming toward the Ferris wheel visible from afar, the hat flew in the skies of Akamaki City.

"We'll only do what we can from here, Konoha."

"Right…"

Next to Konoha who proceeded to the center of the rooftop, the atypically-shaped leaf beetle swelled its body further. In the center of its body that was three times larger than Konoha glaring eyes started observing the scenery in front of them. The leaf beetle's legs stretched, connecting with a certain terminal on Konoha's goggles.

"Being unable to mobilize you for the assassination mission of an SEPB member is really unfortunate. Well, it would probably take some time, but if it's your ability it should be within the day—"

"Condition designation, completed. Distant viewing, magnification designation, completed. —Unlimited mode, released…"

The moment Konoha's voice echoed, the leaf beetle's body swelled at once like a balloon.

"Wha-"

As Chami stared in shock the leaf beetle's eyes protruded out of its body like telescope lenses.

"Starting search…"

"Konoha… W-what on earth is this…?"

"It can view not just in a straight line from observation points… It can even trace along reflective objects such as mirrors, glasses and human pupils, reflecting even blind spots. Even if something's hidden, it's sure to be reflected by something. —I've been feeling great lately. I've greatly expanded my probing range so I can view anything other than hidden rooms…"

Chami became speechless.

Not only Aya but even Konoha apparently had her abilities grow rapidly. It was no longer at the level of simply 'feeling great' they both said.

"Konoha… don't tell Central Headquarters about this ability. You should remain a Rank 4 for the present moment."

"Why…? O-ouch, I get it, I'll do what you said, don't kick me…"

Until now she was just one person with searching abilities, but if her abilities became too powerful she wouldn't be a Blaze Class but a Secret Class – and there was the possibility of Central Headquarters treating her as a secret weapon against their enemies who were building up their strength. If that happened then it would be difficult for Chami to get in contact with her like she did until now.

While she was thinking this, Konoha raised her voice.

"—Found him. Concluded to be the actual Kakkou."

A chill ran up Chami's nape at this much too quick of a discovery announcement.

If she ends up being controlled by Central Headquarters… I'll be found out instantly—

"So slow. Stop slacking off."

"S-sorry… O-ouch…"

"C'mon, report already."

"He's barely in the range of my ability… Quite far away… also—"

While grimacing due to Chami's kicks, Konoha spoke.

"He's fighting."

Chami clicked her tongue. She could imagine who his opponents were even without asking. She was apparently one step behind.

"…I'll ask just in case, who?"

"A group of Mushitsuki with white masks…"

"Mushibane – there's no way those idiots could find Kakkou independently. So that means they're once again dancing in the palm of someone's hands."

Spitting this out, Chami turned her body.

"Let's go. We'll swipe a car or bike or something. If you use your ability to hide us we'll probably be able to escape the Central Headquarters' search network."

"What'll we do…?"

"Evil schemes are my specialty. I'll send them a poisoned apple to teach them that."

If Kakkou was heading somewhere by his own volition he apparently had a goal.

Intending to find out the truth with her own eyes, Chami left the place.

2.02 Daisuke Part 3

*

On the way back from Shiou Elementary School.

Daisuke carried his backpack, hurrying back home in a half-run.

Rushing down the hill road stretching from school, he entered the residential area.

"Even though Mitsuki was the one to say we should go back together, that guy…"

Although he made a displeased expression, on the inside he wasn't all that angry.

Ever since he made friends with his classmate known as Tsumura Mitsuki he started hating going to school less.

Now Daisuke didn't get involved with any of his classmates. His desk wasn't being hidden, and he didn't kill time until after school on the rooftop.

Most importantly, now that his older sister Chiharu knew he made a friend, she stopped meddling more than was necessary. If she went back to where she belonged to, Daisuke thought he could get along with her a little.

As Daisuke went to turn in a corner of the deserted residential area, a woman appeared in front of him. She was a tall woman wearing a crimson-colored long coat. Her round sunglasses reflected the setting sun.

"A much tastier… a much more passionate dream—"

As he passed next to her, the woman muttered.

It was a voice sleek enough to make him shudder. For an instant it looked like the woman licked her lips. As if – she was baring her uncontrollable appetite that came just after drinking a rich wine.

Turning around while feeling the chills, he couldn't see the woman anymore. He was too scared to confirm whether she disappeared to the other side of the corner.

Daisuke kicked the ground as if trying to escape.

"Ah, Mitsuki."

When he found his friend's back he was used to seeing on the road ahead he felt relieved.

"What's up with you, you were the one who said we should go home together. Don't go back on your own."

Approaching him, he smiled. The weak Mitsuki was again the target of his mean classmates. Daisuke promised to protect him.

Yet Mitsuki ignored him and kept walking ahead.

"…? Hey, Mitsuki."

Mitsuki shook off Daisuke's hand that reached to his shoulder to stop him.

Turning around, Mitsuki was smiling.

It was a smile that looked down on Daisuke – as if he was a completely different person.

"—"

Mitsuki moved his mouth.

The sound of the fiercely blowing sudden gust of wind soon erased his words.

Yet only Daisuke could hear what he had mouthed.

—Daisuke-kun, I don't need you anymore—

It took him time to understand the meaning of those words.

—Because I became strong—

When he understood them he stopped thinking.

"…y."

Turning a deaf ear to Daisuke's faint voice, Mitsuki left.

Daisuke stood in place alone.

"Why… Mitsuki…"

As Daisuke muttered this in shock, a purple shining scale passed in front of his eyes.

*

At that time five years ago he perhaps became self-conscious for the first time.

I'm—

Perhaps he came to know the true identity of the anger and anxiousness he harbored for the first time.

Not needed by anyone—

He was weak because he was small.

He was pure because he was small.

He probably only thought about it simplistically in black and white.

I want a place to belong to—

It wasn't the class where, rather than nobody even noticing him, his very being there sowed the seeds of dispute.

Nor next to his apathetic mother who didn't even notice he was injured.

Nor next to his temporary friend who used him just like a tool to compensate for his weakness.

Nor next to his sister who was far too kind and even sacrificed herself to protect him.

He wanted a place different from those.

If there was such a place in the world, he would need nothing else—

So he wished.

"…!"

—He was apparently about to lose his consciousness due to his fatigue.

The scenes of five years ago flashed in front of him.

As Daisuke was pulled back into reality, in front of him appeared a large mouthpart – the form of a Mushi who tried biting his head off.

"Tch…!"

His long coat fluttering, Daisuke caught that mouth with both hands.

Having fused with the Cleridae insect, his arm used all of his strength to rip the Mushi's jaws from top to bottom. He pounded it against the ground as if performing a shoulder throw, using his fists to hit the Mushi's stomach as its legs raged violently.

The Mushi's body burst with an explosive roar. Cracks ran through the bare rock on the ground and a large column of water rose up.

"Haah…! Haah…!"

While breathing heavily, he turned a sharp gaze to his surroundings.

The group of white masks surrounding Daisuke stopped their movements for a second after being pressed by an intimidating air. One of them fell down with a thud. He was probably the host of the Mushi Daisuke had crushed to death.

Two days passed since he cut off contact at Nishito City's 'URBAN'.

Daisuke kept running single-mindedly, not having any sleep and not using public transit to weave through the searching network of Central Headquarters and Mushibane.

He avoided public attention as much as possible but he was probably sighted somewhere. Just as he left the urban area Mushibane's members attacked him all at once.

Daisuke right now was at a mountainous region far from the highway. In order to cross it he went not through the road but followed along the creek, getting surrounded by Mushibane without noticing.

He already turned the tables on about ten people, but Mushibane didn't give up. They leapt at him one after another.

"We won't let you rest! Everyone attack!"

The boy accompanied by a Mushi resembling a longhorn beetle raised a voice of anger. He, who was called Sinica by his comrades, seemed to be the leader of the white masks.

Daisuke dodged, running down the creek. Stopping the fangs of the Mushi standing in his way, he punched its compound eyes. This Mushi covered by a solid carapace was blown away, mowing down the trees around it and shattering to pieces.

Although Daisuke had fused with his Mushi to reinforce his body, the white masks flinched from seeing him defeat Mushi with his bare hands.

Although they surpassed him in numbers, the difference in their strength was evident.

"M-monster… he's not human…!"

"Of course he's a human! Him getting weaker is the proof! Just a bit more!"

Sinica's voice issued orders, yet he also sounded impatient.

"Shit, where did Rin go to? If that guy was here—"

"Kh…"

As Daisuke tried running his consciousness dimmed for an instant again.

Both his mind and body were exhausted due to the accumulated fatigue of two days and overuse of his Mushi's power. Although he had preserved his energy by not using his pistol attacks that had a severe consumption, it was evident that the more the battle dragged on the more he was at a disadvantage.

The white masks attacked Daisuke who was still able to muster his willpower.

"What's a 'fight to not fight' supposed to mean…! That's a load of bullshit!"

How many Mushi had he killed?

Several white masks were collapsed sporadically in the mountain.

Not even looking aside as he went down the creek, Daisuke could already not even feel himself fighting. He simply defeated the Mushi blocking his way mechanically.

Crushing a Mushi's head with his fist, he kicked a tree and used the recoil to leap. He stabbed his arm through the abdomen of another Mushi that tried attacking from the sky and used the force of his fall to pound it on the rocks.

The scattered Mushi's bodily fluids rained down on Daisuke and the white masks.

"I'll never forgive only you fucker! Kakkou… only you…"

The hatred spat out by Sinica kept passing through Daisuke's ears.  

These were words filled with pure resentment.

"Lady was our hope as Mushitsuki…! And yet you killed her…!"

Aiming at Daisuke, a severed tree collapsed.

As he jumped over it, a Mushi that vibrated its wings to fly assaulted him.

"You've killed… Our Lady…!"

Gunfire reverberated all over the mountain.

The bullet shot from the instantly drawn automatic pistol pulverized the Mushi.

"Kakkou… only you I'll…"

"Uoooohhhh!!!"

Daisuke howled. The green pattern covering his body emitted a dim glow.

Every time he swung his fist, unleashed a kick, pulled the trigger, and pulverized a Mushi leaving nothing behind, one of the white masks collapsed. —An endless line of Fallens was created near the creek as Daisuke rushed downstream.

He leapt as if rolling forward, swinging down his fist aiming at the Mushi inside the creek. As he crushed it the remainder of the shockwave blew fiercely, reversing the creek's flow for a moment.

It was the last of the people wearing white masks.

As silence again descended on the mountains, Sinica stood there with his face revealed, stricken by despair.

"…"

While breathing heavily, Daisuke calmly glared at him.

Had they really thought they could win against Daisuke with just numbers? The only member of Mushibane able to fight equally against him was Lady Bird – Tachibana Rina. Mushibane should have been aware of that more than anyone else.

By them being able to find him before anyone else he felt as if he caught a glimpse of the person pulling the strings from behind.

"…Hey, Kakkou…"

Sinica mumbled as Daisuke readied his pistol wordlessly.

"In the end… what did Lady say…? Before she died… has she left anything behind for us, even a single word… has she said any final words…?"

Acknowledging his defeat, Sinica inquired Daisuke.

Looking at his figure, Daisuke also realized.

Even while in the midst of fighting him, they didn't look at him at all.

Sinica only sought Rina's traces – the form of their past leader that was etched into their hearts even after she had lost her life. While assaulted by the sneaking fear due to their being Mushitsuki, Rina was probably their only light of hope. Mushibane admired and clung to her that much.

"'I finally remembered it'—"

Daisuke calmly said.

—I had already lost long ago… to my own Mushi…

Just before she perished in his arms, Rina was smiling.

This girl, who wasted herself away for the sake of Mushitsuki and fought until the end, smiled happily.

"'My real dream… was to find a place I belong to and become happy' – she said this and smiled until just before her dream was completely eaten by her Mushi."

"…!"

Sinica raised his face. He became speechless, but as if finally understanding he hanged his head.

"Right… that's obvious. Lady was a Mushitsuki just like us. Even though she had her own dream we made her forget it… We made her shoulder way too many things…"

"…"

"Lady fought in order to protect Mushibane, and because of that her dream was consumed by her Mushi… and she died… you didn't kill her after all…"

A clear drop streamed along his cheek. The droplet of water falling to his feet merged with the creek, flowing downstream toward Daisuke.

He neither affirmed nor denied Sinica's words.

Daisuke couldn't fully describe his feelings toward the girl known as Tachibana Rina even in his heart.

"—I'll be the last."

The longhorn beetle at Sinica's feet shook its antennas.

"The Mushibane shouldered by Lady ends with me. From now on Fuyuhotaru – no, Snow Fly will make a new Mushibane. She vowed to keep fighting until she ends the fight of Mushitsuki. She's strong. Because you see, she completely ignores you and the SEPB bastards."

Fuyuhotaru.

Anmoto Shiika also possessed the same dream as Daisuke and Rina.

Were these three fated to meet up and fight each other by a mere coincidence or was it because they all shared the same dream? He had no idea.

But from now on he would end fighting against the Mushibane led by Shiika.

Daisuke naturally exerted power into his fist grasping the pistol.

"So I'll fight you without reserve. This isn't to avenge Lady – but to protect my own dream!"

The longhorn beetle leapt, aiming for Daisuke.

He gritted his teeth. Just as he was about to pull the trigger—

"[Kakkou was careless] – [Rin attacks!]"

"…!"

A disk with a sharp blade appeared from the leaping longhorn beetle.

—No, several glowing disks penetrated through the longhorn beetle from a blind spot, flying toward Daisuke.

He immediately protected using his blade-resistant long coat. Yet his body received the impact and he was blown away.

As Daisuke crashed into a tree, a mass of rocks rushed from inside the creek.

The Mushi made of countless rocks tackled him.

"Gwahhh!"

The super weight tackle shook the mountain. Sandwiched between trees and rocks, Daisuke's bones of his whole body creaked.

"[2-combo attack success] – [Critical hit]! [Kakkou received 128 damage]!"

Three black figures surrounded Daisuke from a distance as he fell to his knees.

In front of him stood a small boy. On top of a cube shirt he wore the Special Environmental Preservation Bureau's long coat. He wore a warped smile on his face that had eye black smeared under both eyes.

The light disks were lined up around the eye black boy – Rin. These lined up disks were probably his Mushi, as they sprouted countless legs and crawled all over his body, becoming a common rough woodlouse. It seemed like a Minion Type Mushi, but it being freely able to change itself meant it was a Special Type.

As he thought there was a woman wearing the SEPB coat near the creek. At the feet of the woman hiding her face with goggles and a mask some rocks rose, forming a large Mushi. He realized that she was also a Special Type Mushitsuki.

Further downstream was another man with a coat, goggles and mask. The Mushi next to him was familiar. The Mushi had an antenna-like shaking feelers and a round body – it was the Mushi who possessed the ability of wiretapping he had fought at Nishito City's 'URBAN'.

"You bastard… Rin—"

Next to the longhorn beetle that scattered its bodily fluids, Sinica dropped to his knees.

"Thank you for becoming a sacrificial pawn meant to weaken Kakkou… [Rin attacks]."

Lowering his head, Rin launched the disks. The several sharp disks assaulted the longhorn beetle writhing in pain on the ground and cruelly tore it to shreds.

"…!"

"[Sinica received 286 damage] – [Rin defeated Sinica]."

Looking at Sinica who collapsed without making a sound, Rin grinned.

Even while grimacing in pain, Daisuke stood up.

"—So you're the Annihilation Squad…!"

The group that attacked Daisuke at 'URBAN'.

And the boy in front of his eyes who incited Mushibane, including Sinica, to be used as sacrificial pawns against him.

The existence of the antenna Mushi confirmed the connection between them.

Rin shook his head sideways.

"[Rin shook his head] – No… Our official name is the Annihilators…"

The combat unit under the direct control of Central Headquarters' Vice-Director Miguruma Yaeko – the Annihilators.

The team that existed not to capture existences that were a nuisance to the Special Environmental Preservation Bureau but only to erase them finally revealed themselves in front of Daisuke.

"So you were the ones to incite Mushibane at Housawa Town… with Senri…!"

"[Rin nodded] – Mushibane's a bunch of idiots…"

In contrast to Daisuke who raised his tone, Rin whispered in a faint voice.

"Fusion Type Mushitsuki are dangerous… Now that Lady's dead and Harukiyo is with us you're too dangerous, Kakkou-kun…"

"…Ha."

Daisuke laughed off.

"That's what Miguruma decided? That woman sure knows how to treat us Fusion Type Mushitsuki the worst."

"[Rin tilted his head] – We'll stop speaking here… [Rin attacks]."

Aiming for Daisuke who stood stock still, the countless disks assaulted him.

"Tch…!"

Clicking his tongue, Daisuke leapt to the side to evade the attack. Kicking the ground, he shortened the distance between him and Rin in an instant.

Aiming for the now defenseless boy, he pulled the handgun's trigger.

The bullet, strengthened by the fusion with the Cleridae insect, hit Rin squarely. A large explosion gouged the ground, causing a dust of cloud to swallow up the boy. However—

"[Rin has defended] – [Rin received no damage]."

Rin, gathering disks as a shield, looked at Daisuke with a composed face.

Using the opening of Daisuke's agitation, the aggregation of rocks dropped on him. He reflexively swung his free arm.

Yet before his fist could hit it, the rock crumbled down with a rattling sound. As Daisuke hit the empty air, other rocks behind him piled up to become a Mushi.

"Gwaaah…!"

Since his back was defenseless, the legs of the rock Mushi sent him flying.

As Daisuke was helplessly tossed into the creek, the disks, mass of rocks as well as the antenna Mushi all aimed for him.

"You're completely exhausted already, Kakkou-kun… [Rin attacks]."

As a result of receiving a direct attack, Daisuke's limbs were temporarily paralyzed.  He couldn't evade the attacks.

Even so, the moment he tried rising up—

Just as they were on the verge of colliding with him, a single pallid butterfly appeared between them.

On the butterfly's wings that scattered crackling sparks was a pattern in the shape of the letter C.

"…!"

Immediately after Daisuke rolled away from the creek's flow—

An electric vortex filled his vision.

"WAAAAHHHH!"

Rin's shriek was erased by the thunderous roar that sounded like a lightning strike.

The flash of light connecting the creek with the sky pierced the Mushi that attempted attacking Daisuke.

Dyed in deep red by the generated heat, the Mushi made of rocks – crumbled apart.

Electric currents surged out of the surface of the antenna Mushi, breaking it to pieces as if it blew up from the inside.

"U-uhh…! [Rin was attacked] – [Rin received 160 damage]…"

Making use of most of his disks for protection, only Rin was able to escape the lightning strike.

But by the time he retreated from the creek Daisuke had already thrust his handgun through the shield of disks.

Flames spurted out of the muzzle inside which the bullet rotated at high speeds.

"I wanted to preserve as much energy as I could, but..."

"[Rin defended—eh…?"

The loud bombardment sound shook the mountain.

The attack ejected from the muzzle shot through Rin. Gouging the ground and making trees collapse, it destroyed everything upward in a straight line.

Rin, receiving Daisuke's full-powered attack, collapsed on top of the caved-in ground. Although he was definitely not dead, most of the disks protecting him had lost their shape.

"Haah… Haah…!"

Immediately after escaping danger, extreme fatigue assaulted Daisuke. He became exhausted and collapsed face-up.

"Kakkou-san."

A familiar voice came from inside the creek.

The crisp and composed voice of a girl echoed from the goggles of the collapsed woman inside the creek. The white-bluish electric current coming from downstream was connected to them.

"I judged it to be a dangerous situation based on the sounds I have heard through the goggles and so launched an attack. If you are safe then please respond."

"So it's you, C…"

There was the girl known as C who belonged to the Central Headquarters as a Secret Class Rank 2 member. She had once belonged to the East Central Branch and she was also Daisuke's acquaintance. Her Special Type Mushi possessed an ability of the same nature as electrons.

It really was a tight spot. If he hadn't been saved by C he would've definitely been hit directly by the enemies' attack.

"—Please do not think I have saved you just yet."

Although Daisuke relaxed his battle stance, the girl's voice was cold.

"Branch Director Assistant Ishimaki came to Central Headquarters by the orders of East Central Branch Acting Branch Director Goroumaru Touko. They sought my ability to aid their search of you, Kakkou-san. And in secret."

Touko-san did—

His boss Goroumaru Touko.

Since Daisuke himself cut off contact, what sort of decision has she made?

"She had apparently conjectured that the Annihilators would probably find you. Therefore I have inserted my Mushi into an Annihilator's goggle, probing their movements. For us Special Type Mushitsuki, as long as it is through our medium we can display our ability even from long range … And I have actually been able to find you."

If possible he wanted to reach his destination without anyone finding out.

But apparently this thinking was naïve.

The Annihilators used the information network of the Special Environmental Preservation Bureau and Mushibane, further allowing C to use them to find Daisuke.

Even as Daisuke moved in avoidance of human eyes it apparently did nothing but buy some time.

"I have accepted Acting Branch Director Goroumaru Touko's appeal for cooperation because I wanted to ask you."

For the first time C raised a voice that exposed some emotion.

"Why have you run away from the SEPB…! What on earth is your goal…!"

C was a powerful Mushitsuki, but she was actually only an elementary school student. She implored him.

"I have endured this far only because you are in the SEPB! Becoming a Mushitsuki, being captured by the SEPB… Even during the time of my transfer from the East Central Branch to Central Headquarters, I could tolerate it only because you were in the SEPB, Kakkou-san! Even now… they made me a Secret Class in order to make use of my abilities for those horrible experiments—"

"—I've secured Minmin at Nishito City."

"…!"

"Her reversion from a Fallen was clearly made by a different cause than what happened with Fuyuhotaru… As far as I can tell from the disk Ebina Yuu had given me, the one who did this – was you, C, right? What on earth is Central Headquarters trying to do?"

"T-that is…"

"More than that, Minmin even said that the SEPB is hiding of the Original Three. If that's true… Then I definitely can't say where I'm going now or what I'm trying to do."

He asserted it clearly. He could tell C gulped.

"I-if so, what about the East Central Branch? This transmission will not remain on the records of the SEPB. Acting Branch Director Goroumaru also wants to ascertain your true intentions and so appealed for my cooperation. While Branch Director Haji has yet to regain his consciousness, the East Central Branch could…"

East Central Branch.

It was the organization that Daisuke belonged to ever since becoming a Mushitsuki. He had acquired his fighting power there together with the man known as Haji Keigo.

He had certainly considered relying on them.

But his conclusion was to not do that.

It was impossible for the current East Central Branch.

If he were to borrow someone's powers—

"…Where's Harukiyo now?"

"Harukiyo…? You said Harukiyo? Why would you disregard the East Central Branch and think about that suspicious man of all people…!"

Clear disgust oozed out of the girl's voice.

"He is probably still in hiding. Otherwise he would have been sent directly as your assassin when the Annihilators had been dispatched. In the first place his relationship with Vice-Director Miguruma is not quite clear…"

"Just imagining it made me sick, but… If Harukiyo was here, then even now… now that Rina's gone, the only one who's left is Fuyuhotaru… me or Harukiyo…"

"Kakkou-san…? What are you talking about?"

"Never mind – I'm just talking to myself."

Exhaling, Daisuke roused his body. Strength left his arms that supported his body and his face crashed into the ground. Acknowledging his fatigue, he mustered his power to stand up.

As he thought he would have to do it all by himself—

"Kakkou-san."

C hounded Daisuke who started walking.

"Why will you not tell me anything? Why will you not rely on me? I believe that you will one day finish the battle of Mushitsuki… You were able to fight even in this unreasonable organization of the Special Environmental Preservation Bureau…!"

"—Since I was always alone, I will keep being so."

"…!"

"So stop relying on me, C."

So you could fight with your Mushi even when I'm gone—

He added this part only in his heart.

"I-I am…"

Dragging his legs, Daisuke descended along the creek.

"Because I believe in you, Kakkou-san…!"

C's voice coming through the goggles was slightly shaking.

"—I understand."

The girl's voice said coolly as if she turned into a completely different person.

"Central Headquarters member Secret Class Rank 2 C has now confirmed that Kakkou broke away. I will at once report to Vice-Director General Miguruma and officially apply for the capturing of said member from Central Headquarters. On top of reporting the same to Acting Branch Director Goroumaru we will cooperate with the East Central Branch in the capture of said member."

"Tell that to Touko-san as well."

Daisuke asserted without even turning around.

"Leave me be. Because I don't want any more needless sacrifices."

"At the time Central Headquarters officially gives its decision, all branches will operate under orders to capture Kakkou."

Ignoring Daisuke's words, C kept talking in a mechanical tone.

"The Special Environmental Preservation Bureau will eliminate Kakkou using its full power!"

Bluish-white sparks scattered from the goggles of the woman who was turned into a Fallen.

"—Please do not forget that since I know your birth data I can conjecture your destination from the angle you are heading in…!"

C probably absolved her ability. And with that he couldn't hear the girl's voice any longer.

"…"

Daisuke wordlessly went downstream.

Walking for a while, his field of vision suddenly opened up.

A small townscape spread out below him.

A nostalgic smell drifted on the moist wind.

Daisuke came to Shiou City.

To his birthplace.

2.03 Chiharu Part 5

*

Gently swaying...

Lightly floating…

This peaceful daily life would continue.

From now on forever.

So she decided.

And if it was in order to protect her precious days and the one precious to her—

"You sure love your brother, Chiharu."

On the residential district back from school, her female friend walking at her side said.

"Yup."

Chiharu, with a backpack on her back, nodded carefreely.

"There should be limits to that love though! No matter how much you want to protect your brother, trying to fight against Elviolene is… I can't believe it! Unbilibable!"

Aria Varei yelled noisily inside Chiharu.

"We were saved because El took it easy on us, but if you try fighting her again we'll definitely be killed! We have no chance!"

Probably quite angry, Aria scolded her about the happening the other day whenever possible. Luckily, she was able to regain her consciousness and run from the place before the police showed up, but the destroyed road was even now being repaired.

"To begin with, 'that power' you used is an ability meant for fusing but you purposely made it unstable! Trying to break down Elviolene by not restoring the space you fused with – if you keep using your power so forcibly even your body will crumble down! I told you my power isn't meant for battle!"

Ignoring Aria's endless preaching, Chiharu was all smiles.

"I'm Daisuke's sister after all. I pamper him so much to the extent he hates it."

"…I-is that so… Oh, talk of the devil."

Her friend pointed at the road ahead.

"…!"

A rich smell so sweet it could make one choke made Chiharu lost control of herself for a second.

Daisuke was walking alone. He appeared to have heard Chiharu's conversation. Glancing at her, he half-ran ahead.

"Chiharu? What's wrong?"

—Starting yesterday.

The presence of the dream drifting from Daisuke became exceptionally mellow.

She bit her lips so hard she tore them and tasted blood.

Chiharu mustered all of the reason she could, preserving her self-control.

"Sorry, I'm going ahead!"

"Eh… W-wait, jeez! Chiharu!"

Leaving her friend behind, Chiharu pursued Daisuke.

"It's the deadline, Chiharu. —He's already 'ripe'."

Aria said in a cold tone.

"Why…! Why did Daisuke's dream suddenly—"

Pursuing Daisuke, she tried reaching for his shoulder.

But she gave up the idea and drew back her hand. She had the feeling that if she touched him even once she would end up forcibly eating his dream.

"Wait, Daisuke. Let's go back together?"

Lining up next to him, she directed a smile at him.

"…"

"So you're not going with your friend today, huh. Tsumura Mitsuki, was it?"

As she innocently inquired, Daisuke bit his lips for a second.

"That guy…"

Her brother said with a cold face and a chilly voice – as if the smile she had seen before was a mere illusion.

"—He said that he doesn't need me anymore."

Chiharu widened her eyes.

"He said that he doesn't need me because he became stronger."

Daisuke's voice had neither anger nor any hatred at Mitsuki's betrayal.

There was just emptiness.

Concealing his emotions, his heart became empty and shouted that it wanted to be filled.

"El didn't simply wait around—"

Aria said.

"She also 'seasoned' him. To make her desired dream fit her tastes."

Chiharu's hair swayed. As she was about to lose herself, her hair emitted a blue glow.

She wants to eat Daisuke's dream… And just because of that she…?

The final reservations she held in her heart snapped off.

Chiharu came to know of an enemy that wanted to destroy her happy daily life in the truest sense.

Elviolene.

As long as Oogui was near Chiharu and Daisuke they wouldn't be able to return to their happy days.

"—It's definitely your misunderstanding, Daisuke."

She hid the anger that seemed to burn her.

She concealed a certain decision in her chest.

"There's no way your friend would say something like that. Try asking him again tomorrow."

—Chiharu smiled.

"You'll definitely be able to make up with Mitsuki-kun tomorrow! Yup, no doubt about it!"

Daisuke stayed expressionless, but ended up nodding.

"…Yeah."

"Ehehe. Daisuke's a kind, good boy."

As Chiharu smiled at him, Daisuke embarrassedly turned his face away. Yet he didn't seem about to run away like always.

"…Hey, Chiharu. You should give up and accept it. No matter what you'd do you can't beat El. So if you were the one to eat your brother's dream he would obviously be much happier—"

Why—

Chiharu howled in her heart.

…Why do I have to forget about him!

"…!"

Aria became speechless at her much too dreadful fury.

She stroked her brother's head.

As the sister and brother walked back home, the sky above them was dyed in orange by the sunset.

"And even if you don't make up, your sister will always be with you."

She said while smiling carefreely.

While crying in her heart she thought.

…This sky too…? Your face too…? Will I lose all of it…?

Daisuke grimaced.

"N-no way I want that. That's called being a stalker."

"I'm not a stalker. It's normal."

She thought.

…Then, I… who on earth will I become?

If Chiharu were to eat Daisuke's dream.

If she forgot all about her one and only brother.

She would also lose her desire to protect him.

"…It's painful only now."

Aria's voice said this silently, yet it also seemed like it was trying to endure something.

"You will forget it all – even your doubts now… your pain as well, everything."

Still smiling, Chiharu clenched her teeth.

Isn't that… too cruel!

"Ah, right. I forgot something at school."

Chiharu stood in place.

I will turn my brother Daisuke into a Mushitsuki despite being his sister… and I'll even forget all about this horrible thing…? That's the most horrible thing of all…

Daisuke turned to look back.

"I'll go get it back in a jiffy. You go home first, Daisuke."

"…"

"What's wrong? Where's your reply?"

"…It's just that you seemed about to cry just now."

You see—

She spoke toward Aria inside her.

Daisuke can understand other people's pain, he's a very kind and good kid—

"Even I can… understand that by looking at him…"

Chiharu made a wide smile.

"I just got some dirt in my eyes. It's just that, really."

"…"

"Be careful on the way back. Tell mom I'll be a bit late."

Leaving these words behind, Chiharu went back to the road to school.

She sprinted back to the elementary school visible on top of the hill with the setting sun behind it.

The children going back home passed next to her as she climbed the hill road.

"…I've told you this before."

Aria spoke to Chiharu with a calm voice.

Passing through the gate, she entered the school grounds.

"There wasn't a single time where I wasn't able to eat the dream I targeted."

Too impatient to even switch her shoes, she ran through the corridors and up the stairway.

"Because that's how we are. We appear in places that have delicious dreams. We were reborn to be that way. That's why we never let a dream get away without eating it."

Second floor, third floor, she was climbing up the now mostly empty stairway.

"Is that what you'd call fate? Until now Aria Varei always ate the dreams it could lay eyes on. No matter what happened in the end it always became like this. But you know—"

When she reached the fourth floor, a door appeared in front of her.

Chiharu's hair shone in blue.

"I actually always thought about it. What if… what if I had enough power to destroy that thing called destiny or whatever, and could just shift its gears just a little bit—"

Unleashing Aria Varei's power, Chiharu stretched her hand toward the door.

Her fingers fused with the metal-made door, slipping through to the other side.

"If the umpteenth Aria Varei would be able to live without eating anyone's dream one day … I wonder how that would be. What would happen to the Aria Varei left behind in a dream?"

Slipping through the door, Chiharu came to the rooftop.

On the rooftop bathed by the orange setting sun she saw the form of a boy.

"But, being too scared to make sure… wanting to fall into a pleasant sleep… and finding out far too delicious dreams… none of the Aria Varei wanted to do this, but – I have always thought about this from the bottom of my heart."

Aria's soliloquy passed through Chiharu, flowing with the wind.

"…Huh? I thought I'd closed the door with the key."

The boy who turned back was Tsumura Mitsuki.

Next to him was a large Mushi – a monster with the smell of Elviolene. Chiharu came there in pursuit of that scent.

As the Mushi spread its wings a large mass of light floated above its head.

"Listen, I have a favor to ask, Mitsuki-kun."

Chiharu walked approaching Mitsuki.

"A favor?"

Although Chiharu suddenly appeared in front of him, Mitsuki was calm. At the same time the Mushi also turned toward her.

"Will you not keep being friends with my brother… with Daisuke?"

She stood in front of Mitsuki and smiled wryly.

"If I tell you this Daisuke will get mad at me again though… but you're his friend, right Mitsuki-kun? So it has nothing to do with the fact you've turned into a Mushitsuki—"

"I don't need Daisuke-kun anymore."

Mitsuki grinned.

"Because I became stronger than him. —And it's not just Daisuke-kun. I also don't need this school where nothing interesting ever happens."

What was the boy trying to do there with the power of his Mushi?

From the moment Chiharu came to face him she realized.

"S-stop that… if you destroy the school now the people still inside will be killed."

"Ah, right."

Mitsuki smiled enjoyably.

Just like – the same smile as the one who turned him into a Mushitsuki, Elviolene.

"Even if I destroy the school it wouldn't serve as a proof that I became stronger than Daisuke-kun. So I'll have to finish him off tomorrow."

The string of hope Chiharu was desperately trying to grab snapped in her hands.

"He's a lost cause, Chiharu… The time period when one just became a Mushitsuki makes them very unstable. The recoil at having his dream eaten, having a Mushi planted in him and being reborn as a Mushitsuki – would make him rampage at any small opportunity."

"It's dangerous so you can look from the side, Daisuke-kun's sister."

Next to Mitsuki, the sphere of light floating above the Mushi swelled. Chiharu realized it was a mass of vast energy.

"You can't, Mitsuki-kun… stop that…"

And yet even looking at Chiharu who seemed she was about to cling to him, Mitsuki didn't stop. The Mushi seemed like it would burst the accumulated energy any moment now—

"…It's not your fault, Chiharu."

A blue-colored radiance coiled around Chiharu's right arm as she swung it downward.

Following the traces drawn by her arm, the concrete floor was gouged out.

Not only the ground, but even the sphere of light and a large part of the body of Mitsuki's Mushi suddenly vanished with space itself.

Unable to endure the recoil, Chiharu's right hand was ripped together with her clothes.

"So you don't have to cry."

The light from Mitsuki's pupils gazing at Chiharu vanished. With the Mushi's body melting into thin air, its host Mitsuki collapsed on the spot like a doll.

—As the sun set, the elementary school was enveloped by darkness in no time.

At some point clouds covered the sky, obstructing the sparkling stars.

"…Say, Aria."

Sitting on the center of the roof, she buried her face in her hugged knees.

She took Tsumura Mitsuki to the infirmary. As he had his Mushi killed and turned into a Fallen, he would probably be taken to the hospital tomorrow morning. According to Aria, from there the organization known as the Special Environmental Preservation Bureau would probably take care of him. Outwardly they were just a government agency, but were actually an existence meant to manage Mushitsuki.

"Do you hate me?"

Chiharu's right arm was dyed deep red by blood. It wasn't such a serious wound that she couldn't move it. Also, this was something she heard from Aria, but apparently since she became Aria Varei she had much faster natural healing ability than normal people. Aria told her it would heal up quickly.

"Obviously I hate you! You won't let me tell you anything about me and you always act rashly! You're the number one problem child even among the Aria Varei until now! And since we're one in mind and body I also became like that!"

The usually mischievous Aria turned serious and said.

"I loathe you! And I'll keep hating you for eternity! No matter how much time passes, I'll hate you forever!"

Chiharu raised her face.

Her tears were already gone.

"Yeah, that's right. You can stay inside me… forever."

"…"

"It's fine already, Aria."

Rising up, Chiharu's hair was enveloped by a blue glow.

"You really are an idiot."

"I'm not an idiot, I'm normal."

Chiharu's laugh and Aria's laugh overlapped.

They had the same personality and same voice.

The two Chiharus were Aria Varei.

"You're here, right Elviolene? Come out."

In reply to the summon of a fellow Original Three, purple scales started pouring down.

Appearing from the distorted darkness of the night was a beauty wearing a crimson coat.

Elviolene narrowed her rainbow-colored eyes behind her round sunglasses.

"What a lovely night, Aria Varei."

Chiharu kicked the ground, aiming at the woman sneering joyfully. Light burst at her feet.

The next moment, blue traces gouged out the right half of the woman's body.

Using the backlash of the energy created at her feet, Chiharu instantly rushed next to Elviolene. She attacked the woman's body the moment she passed next to her.

"I won't let anyone eat Daisuke's dream. Not even you, Elviolene… not even the Aria Varei inside me."

Following the movements of her arm as she swung it around was a blue glow.

"—So that's your answer, Aria."

In front of Chiharu's eyes purple-colored scaled burst out of Elviolene's body. These formed rhinoceros beetles about as big as a finger and the hundreds of them transformed into the right half of her body that had been gouged out.

"This kid known as Chiharu is really thoughtless. Or just an idiot."

As Chiharu saw the woman's body regenerating in front of her eyes, Aria inside her spoke.

"But she's not uncomfortable. Maybe she's actually… even more pleasant than going to sleep again."

"Although you keep on sleeping you have found your safe haven."

"—Although you keep on eating you will never be sated."

"So we have no choice but to fight, Aria Varei."

"—Let's fight, Elviolene."

The blue glow surrounding Chiharu tore the downpour of purple scales to pieces.

*

A beetle car driven by Goroumaru Touko scampered on the empty bypass road.

"Hashiba City is part of the bay coast of Ouka City that was reclaimed and built up. All roads connecting to the land including railways, two highways and a bridge were shut down, forbidding any transport except for related personnel. Hashiba City is a de facto solitary island, acknowledged as a unified domain under the Special Environmental Preservation Bureau, but we call it the following – 'GARDEN'."

Grasping the steering wheel, Touko explained in a detached tone.

"'GARDEN'…"

Sitting in the passenger seat next to her, Chiharu repeated Touko's words in her mouth.

Ahead of the road constructed above the sea a small town could be seen. Tall buildings and structures resembling radio towers were crowded atop the ocean.

From the other direction, Ouka City in the back mirror was growing smaller. If one was willing to go without a care and take their time it was probably possible to cross it by foot.

"So I'm going to be confined there?"

"You are actually going to be taken into custody. Well, that is how it's going to be on paper though."

Touko in the driver's seat wore a slovenly smile.

"Umm, let me just confirm this again – are you really not a Mushitsuki, Chiharu-san?"

Touko's eyes looking ahead glanced at Chiharu. She nodded.

"I'm not."

"What do you say, Senri-san?"

Touko moved her line of sight to the back mirror.

"I cannot really tell in a state where the Mushi is not out though…"

The girl known as Haji Senri sitting in the back seat raised her face. Next to her was the boy known as Ogata Akatsuki in the full attire of the SEPB. They both served as escorts to take Chiharu to Hashiba City.

Also, there was another girl in the back seat.

Sugitsu Aya. She, who was caught by the East Central Branch along with Chiharu, hadn't spoken even a single word, complying with Chami's orders. She gazed outside the window expressionlessly.

"As long as we are talking about what I've 'seen' until coming here, she feels like a normal person."

"Is that so. Good, I'm relieved."

Touko wore a reassured smile. Senri turned her face to Aya.

"This person does seem to be a Mushitsuki though…"

"…"

"Aya-san, was it? You sure are untalkative, tahaha."

Looking at Aya reflected in the back mirror, Touko showed a forced smile.

"Umm, Chiharu-san, so you said you've heard about the East Central Branch from the member who monitored you and that's why you came to Ouka City?"

"Yes."

"But that guardian died during the fight at 'URBAN'. Does that mean her corpse wasn't discovered due to being eaten by the enemy Mushi? Aya-san is a Mushibane member living in Nishito City who was coincidentally Chiharu's friend from a while back and rescued you…"

Chiharu nodded.

On top of aiming to be taken into custody by the East Central Branch, Chami handed her two strict conditions.

One was for Chiharu to never reveal that she used to be Aria Varei.

The second was to make it as if Chami had died.

"That must have been quite the gruesome sight to personally witness. You have my sympathies."

Touko who was facing forward while driving spoke with an unchanged tone. She seemed like she was simply a good-natured older lady rather than the boss of an organization, but Chiharu couldn't tell if she really wasn't thinking about anything.

"I cannot call your accidental involvement in the battle between Fuyuhotaru and the Annihilation Squad anything other than misfortunate, but having that shock cause you to recall about Daisuke you've forgotten for five years… how should I say it, could it be fate? Don't you think so, Akatsuki-san?"

"I'm not going to hate this person just because she's Kakkou's relative. But—"

The tone of Akatsuki sitting in the back seat was stiff. Although he was saying that, he knew he wasn't able to fully conceal his complicated state of mind.

This boy called Ogata Akatsuki also hated Daisuke—

"I think that her story is too convenient. Especially the part about her memories."

"Akatsuki-kun."

Senri rebuked Akatsuki.

"That's right. As a matter of fact, the situation is quite severe."

Touko scratched her cheek with a troubled face.

"Whatever the truth may be, the situation right now looks as if… Chiharu-san is the same kind of Mushitsuki like Kakkou-kun and also defeated the Annihilation Squad."

"…"

"Even Central Headquarters, which doesn't only lack any stance toward active annihilation of the Original Three but actually tacitly consent to their existence, search tenaciously for the Prototype Mushi that gives birth to Fusion Types – for Sanbikime in order to destroy it. I believe that is because they cannot handle Fusion Type Mushitsuki both because of their abilities and their personalities."

Tahaha, Touko added a strained laugh.

"On top of Chiharu seeming like an actually powerful Mushitsuki, if she ends up contacting her brother Daisuke-san… From the point of view of Central Headquarters they probably want to assassinate the siblings before that happens. This isn't at the level of mere capture."

Chiharu looked at Touko's profile with a meek expression.

"That is why I would like to hide Chiharu-san in the housing facility of 'GARDEN' for a while. If it's there then information won't leak out and we could prepare for enemies from the outside."

"Yes."

—So far everything had developed the way Chami predicted it to. Even the reason for Chiharu to be targeted and even her being guarded by the East Central Branch all went according to Chami's guesses.

Just like this she would be sheltered by the East Central Branch.

In the meanwhile Chami and Konoha would make the arrangements to search for Daisuke.

"But I am surprised; this is the first time I've heard Dai-kun has a sister. Neither him nor my brother ever said anything about that even once."

The one who said this was Haji Senri. From her way of speaking she apparently knew Daisuke well. Chiharu turned around and inquired her.

"Say, Senri-chan, can I ask you something?"

"Yes."

"Daisuke… my brother, what kind of a kid is he?"

Senri smiled at Chiharu's question.

"He's very kind. At the very least in front of me…"

She switched her gaze to Akatsuki. The boy grimaced for an instant, averting his eyes to the window.

"…I will not say anything. I have no reason to discomfort you."

The boy and girl took the exact opposite attitude.

So Chiharu still couldn't understand.

"I see… Okay, thank you."

Senri frankly felt positive toward Daisuke. On the other hand, despite Akatsuki hating Daisuke, he held himself back in worry for his sister Chiharu.

Senri and Akatsuki were both kind, and for that reason their completely opposite attitudes toward Daisuke were also probably honest.

"You both are kind and good kids."

They seemed surprised at her words. Senri's cheeks reddened and Akatsuki uttered a confused "Wha…", clearly feeling embarrassed.

"Starting here is the facility known as 'GARDEN'."

Touko said when they passed the bridge.

Having this scenery in front of her eyes, Chiharu was lost for words.

It was like a ground zero.

There were places in front of the station where the ground became bare in a wide range, and rows of buildings were destroyed in a radius of hundreds of meters. The site was probably currently under construction as there was heavy machinery here and there.

"Apparently Daisuke-san fought with Lady Bird, Mushibane's leader here. Most of the damage was done by Lady Bird alone… Her Mushi had Matured here – making its host die."

The beetle car Chiharu's group rode on passed in front of the station that turned into ruins.

Akatsuki grimaced. He denied with a rigid tone.

"I do not believe it. The only one to testify Rina had Matured is Kakkou himself…!"

"Since I was not actually a part of this battle, I can't say anything. But apart from Kakkou-san there were also other people to have seen this sight."

Chiharu widened her eyes.

Various people were walking through the streets of Hashiba City as the beetle passed.

There were many boys and girls, but all of them were expressionless. They looked ahead with lifeless eyes like glass beads, going through the part of town that stayed safe.

They were dolls without a shred of emotion that would mechanically obey any order.

"T-these people, are all of them… Fallen—"

"'GARDEN' is an isolation facility for Fallens established independently by the East Central Branch, as well as an experiment facility. Only a few experimenters and inspectors are allowed to give them minimal orders in order to collect data about how much of a normal life Fallens could live. In the past Fuyuhotaru, Anmoto Shiika-san, was also kept here."

Looking at Chiharu slightly shuddering, Touko continued.

"Just like Shiika-san, close to half of those housed in 'GARDEN' – are the people who were made Fallen by Kakkou-san."

"…!"

She reflexively held her mouth that was about to emit a scream.

The huge amount of Fallens existing before Chiharu's eyes…

If they were all created by Daisuke, then without any doubt—

"D-Daisuke… did that—"

Tears streamed down Chiharu's cheek.

"Because I—"

Ate Daisuke's dream and turned him into a Mushitsuki—

Her last words were blurred without forming a voice.

Aria… Hey, Aria—

Chiharu spoke toward her other self that was no longer inside of her.

It's just like I thought. If I turned Daisuke into a Mushitsuki – Both Daisuke as well as the people around him would be pained… They would be fighting, hurting, losing… And even though I knew this would happen—

"Why…! Why did I…!"

Why had she turned Daisuke into a Mushitsuki?

She remembered turning her brother into a Mushitsuki by her own hands. The sweet, mellow taste of his dream that bewitched her definitely remained in her memories.

Yet she still couldn't fully remember the instant she had turned him into a Mushitsuki—

"—May I inquire something, Chiharu-san?"

The one to call to Chiharu as she was losing herself was Touko. She spoke with a calm face.

"In these five years you have spent separated from Daisuke-san… were you happy?"

Chiharu looked at the older woman with tear-filled eyes.

Even before understanding the meaning of her question she could feel anger welling inside her.

Unbearable anger toward herself.

"—Yes."

She was much too happy, to the extent it actually conversely made her anxious.

Chiharu was happy.

That was the sin she could never compensate for.

Turning her brother into a Mushitsuki, forgetting everything, knowing nothing of battle, Chiharu spent happy days without a care in the world.

"Daisuke's first mission was apparently four years ago."

Touko smiled and said.

"The Special Environmental Preservation Bureau couldn't suppress the rampage of the small girl known as Fuyuhotaru. But apparently there were people who planned to take advantage of that chaos for a coup d'état. The one to solve both incidents was Daisuke-san. He turned Fuyuhotaru into a Fallen, as well as the Mushitsuki used for the coup d'état."

Daisuke robbed the dreams of many Mushitsuki. —She could tell that from the scene in front of her eyes. Chiharu couldn't tell why Touko was cornering her even further with what she was saying.

"I cannot deny the fact that Daisuke-san deprived many dreams. But if at the time he hadn't done that… Fuyuhotaru would have had her dream consumed by her own Mushi and would have probably lost her life. The coup d'état would have succeeded, perhaps involving this country in war. —I will repeat this, but Daisuke did this all on his own. He alone shouldered their pain, and as a result was able to preserve the peace of this country. He was able to protect your peaceful life—"

Chiharu looked at Touko with eyes open wide.

"Even Daisuke-san himself probably hesitated countless times. He was probably about to lose many times. But every time he faced forward and he continues to fight even now. Since you're his sister you can surely understand how hard that must be, right?"

Chiharu suppressed her tears with an effort. She couldn't allow herself to cry anymore.

"—Yes, I do."

She nodded and raised her face.

It was just like Touko said. If his one and only sister Chiharu didn't believe in him, then who would?

No matter what she saw, Chiharu would believe in Daisuke.

"Because Daisuke's my cute little brother."

She showed a grin.

"Because Daisuke, both in the past and now… is a strong kid who's kinder than anyone."

—And that was why she had to meet him.

She was the one who made him shoulder so many burdens.

Chiharu had to be punished by her brother's hands.

If she could bear but a little of the pain that burdened him—

"There are presences approaching us."

Said Senri, her voice colored by tension. Her face was directed to the exterior of the city, above the ocean.

"They are numbered over twenty – and all of them are powerful Mushitsuki…!"

"Ehh?"

In a complete reversal from how she was until now Touko raised a pathetic voice.

Looking ahead through the windshield, even Chiharu could see shadows that seemed like flying Mushi here and there.

They were aiming for the beetle that came out to the coastland road in a straight line.

"O-our pursuers already came? So it's definitely the Annihilation Squad. There's still some distance until the base…"

"I will submit a request for backup from the nearby 'GARDEN' monitoring squad."

Akatsuki operated his goggles. It probably had wireless functions. Putting a hand on his goggles flashing with red lights, he sought help by talking quickly.

"It is coming…!"

The instant Senri said this one of the shadows dancing in the skies accelerated forward like a missile.

A vividly colored bud-looking object came flying with great speed. It pierced into the ground directly in front of their vehicle.

The bud spread out as if a flower blossoming.

Inside it was a girl wearing a black mask. Changing from a bud into a flower was a Mushi with a flat body and long legs. Stretching its petal-like wings, the Mushi that let the girl ride on its back opened its large mouthpart. A white fog gushed out to a vast range.

"Awawa!"

Touko turned the steering wheel, making the beetle come to a sudden stop.

In front of the spinning vehicle, the road touched by the fog melted along with a rotten smell.

"C-Chiharu-san, Aya-san, get outside! Quickly!"

"Y-yes!"

Including Chiharu, five people hurriedly got off the car.

While they faltered the black masks landed in Hashiba City one after another. Their uniformly equipped coats and masks seemed to be made of the same materials as the ones of Akatsuki and Senri.

Touko pulled out a small handgun from her pocket.

"Get down!"

Akatsuki stepped forward to cover for the women. A Mushi covered in a golden outline appeared. It was a mayfly with countless holes on its abdomen. Its shining split rear slapped the ground.

Immediately afterward other people dressed like Akatsuki showed themselves from here and there within 'GARDEN'.

The East Central Branch monitoring squad members all spread out to protect Chiharu and the rest along with Akatsuki.

The black masks attacked them all at once with their Mushi.

"Why you…!"

Behind Akatsuki the golden mayfly waved its tail around. Dozens of lasers beams were launched from the holes in its abdomen.

"Wha—"

There were an overwhelming number of light beams, but the first to get hit was only the Mushi emitting a poisonous gas. The other black masks moved orderly, entirely evading the heat rays.

"A-as strong as expected… We don't seem to have time to disperse our attacks. Crush them one by one, Akatsuki-san…!"

Beginning with Touko's order, the battle between the black masks and the East Central Branch commenced.

Although the numbers of the East Central Branch were superior, the difference in fighting strength was evident. Other than Akatsuki, the Mushi who fought to protect Chiharu and the rest were killed one after another.

"A…ahhh…"

A shuddering welled up from deep within Chiharu's body.

One Mushitsuki and then another became Fallen in front of her eyes.

All in order to protect her—

"This is the Annihilator Squad – all of them possess power in the level of Blaze Class Ranks 5 to 3… I've resolved myself, but this might be a bit too intense."

While readying her gun Touko groaned. Senri bit her lips.

"I will also join the line of battle…!"

"You can’t, Senri! On top of you not having finished your battle training yet, the recoil of your power is too big…!"

Being too preoccupied by Senri trying to step out, Akatsuki created an opening.

The black masks ignored the other members and settled their aims on him. Several Mushi attacked all at once.

"Kh…"

The mayfly at Akatsuki's back changed its orientation, but it didn't make it in time. It fired countless lasers, but the pursuing Mushi avoided its aim.

"—They can't win by using brute force."

Together with a monotone voice, Chiharu's hand was pulled.

Aya, who until now stood in complete silence, grabbed Chiharu's arm.

"Aya-chan…!"

Chiharu kicked the ground together with Aya. They got far from Akatsuki who was protecting them, running towards Hashiba City's streets.

"You can't, Chiharu-san!"

Touko shouted.

The Mushi that tried attacking Akatsuki cleanly stopped their movements. Changing their aim, they started chasing Chiharu and Aya.

"So stupid…!"

Clicking his tongue, Akatsuki tried attacking the Mushi pursuing Chiharu. Yet he was checked back by the black masks, unable to move from the spot.

Along with several black masks, Chiharu and Aya were leaving through the coastal road. From the roadway they ran into an alley sandwiched between tall buildings.

"No matter how strong that Akatsuki is, since he needs to protect many people he'll eventually be destroyed."

"W-where are we going, Aya-chan?"

"We're shaking off our pursuers."

Saying this, Aya put her hand around Chiharu's waist and forcibly flung her away to the side.

"Kyaaa!"

Chiharu's scream and the sound of the concrete exploding overlapped.

Several Mushi stabbed their sharp claws into the space she had occupied just now.

"Keep running, Chiharu."

As Chiharu crashed into a building, Aya said this while kicking the wall to leap high. Her Mushi the ground beetle clung to her left raised hand.

Aiming for the Mushi assembled on the ground, Aya swung her arm down. White light burst and a heated stake opened a large hole in the concrete ground.

But the enemies' Mushi were agile. They retreated and evaded Aya's attack with orderly movements.

"Go."

Complying with Aya's words, Chiharu rushed through the gap in the buildings. Aya waved her left arm against the Mushi that came pursuing from behind. The ground beetle spouted flames from its mouthpart, but as expected it served as nothing more than a diversion. Letting the explosion go past them, the black masks kept chasing after Chiharu with a slight delay.

"Hah…! Hah…!"

Appearing from between the buildings, she again came into a large roadway.

Arriving in the main street where various kinds of stores were lined up she was reminded of Nishito City's station road. There were sparse pedestrians on the sidewalk; they all kept walking expressionlessly without even turning around the look at the panting Chiharu.

Having seen this much too ordinary scene, Chiharu felt for an instant as if her being chased was nothing but a dream.

The pupils of the residents of 'GARDEN' whose daily lives had been decided didn't even reflect Chiharu.

"What an eerie place…"

Hearing Aya's calm voice along explosive sounds that shook her eardrums, Chiharu came to her senses.

Looking at Aya restraining the enemies from behind, she raised a shriek.

"Aya-chan…! Those wounds—"

"It's nothing. Let's go."

The hem of Aya's uniform was torn, lacerations carved on her flank. Her skirt and socks were dyed red with fresh blood. Yet the person herself just pushed Chiharu's back without her face even changing color.

 "B-but…!"

"Don't make me say it again. My job is to protect you."

Being gazed by her black pupils, Chiharu grimaced. Unable to say anything, she crossed the road with Aya, rushing toward the opposite sidewalk.

It was a bizarre sight.

The town's residents didn't even spare a glance at Chiharu and Aya running. They even completely ignored the black masks chasing them from behind.

It was as if only around Chiharu and Aya were the events of a completely different world. She felt an enormous discomfort as if she was running through the screen of a movie theater surrounding her from all directions.

The two worlds would never touch each other, but they made contact by the sound echoing from behind. One of the black masks shouted: "You Fallens! Catch those long-haired girls!"

The next instant—

The people walking around all turned their heads.

"Hii—"

Being stared at by glass-like eyes, Chiharu unconsciously stopped in place.

Heading for the frozen Chiharu, the people who had lost their emotions lowered their bodies – and rushed to her in full speed as if being launched.

"It seems like it's too late to order them to stop."

Aya tried swinging her left arm but Chiharu hurriedly grabbed it.

"Y-you can't Aya-chan! These people—"

"I told you, my job is to protect you. —Also, it's not like I'm going to kill them."

Shaking off Chiharu's hand, Aya pounded her hand with the beetle into the ground.

A crimson explosion cracked the concrete, the resulting shockwave blowing off the Fallens.

She then aimed for a restaurant built along the road, wielding her arm. The white stake launched along with a flash of light bore a large hole into the glass wall.

"A spacious place is disadvantageous. Let's move to a place they can't enter."

Aya grabbed Chiharu's arm, setting foot inside the restaurant.

The inside was empty and no customers could be seen, not to mention employees. At least from the outside it seemed like none of the shops lined up in the road had any human figures inside them.

Immediately after, Aya turned back. Thrusting Chiharu's back away, Aya's figure vanished from her vision.

"Aya-cha—"

A dreadful thunderous roar shook the restaurant. A large Mushi assaulted Aya who was covering for Chiharu. She was thrust through the back of the building as she stopped the Mushi's mouthpart with her bare hands, scattering chairs and destroying the counter.

"Aya-chan!"

As the color of Chiharu's face changed and she attempted chasing her, a white light flashed in her vision.

The successive impacts opened a hole in the shop's wall.

"Here, Chiharu."

Stepping on the corpse of a large Mushi, Aya welcomed the rushing Chiharu. Although she was bleeding from the head and had wounds on her shoulders and arms, her expression hasn't changed in the slightest.

As if being irritated at Chiharu standing there speechless, she grabbed her arm and pulled her along forcefully.

Seeing the black masks enter the restaurant with a side-glance, they moved to the neighboring building through the hole in the wall.

In front of the running Chiharu the light and impacts continued to pierce through. Every time a wall or any obstacle appeared in front of her Aya destroyed it with her Mushi's power. They rushed while passing through restaurants, through bookstores and through boutiques.

Aya's blood scattered on Chiharu's cheeks. Looking at her covered in wounds, she shuddered.

Stop it already—

Chiharu opened her mouth trying to say that.

"I'll be troubled if you forget—"

Aya said as if stopping her from saying these words.

Having destroyed the wall in front of them and leaping through, a gentle breeze greeted them.

They arrived at the square in front of the station.

The land of the decisive battle between Daisuke and Lady Bird.

"Since you became Chami's pawn I will have you fulfill your role until the end."

Aya's hair fluttered with the wind blowing through. Looking around her, she pulled Chiharu's arm and leapt out to the square.

The two were headed to the bypass connected to Ouka City.

"Also… I told you I will start liking you, right?"

Following Chiharu and Aya, the black masks also jumped out of the building.

An earthquake assaulted 'GARDEN'.

The buildings both parties passed through crumbled one after another. Behind the running Chiharu and Aya, a building that lost its pillars crumbled along with the constructions around it.

"…!"

—If so then I'll also start liking you.

When they had infiltrated Mushibane's assembly, Aya told this to Chiharu.

Now she understood the meaning of her words.

Aya would not hesitate on anything as long as it was for the person she liked—

"Go alone from here, Chiharu."

As they entered the bypass floating on the ocean Aya stopped in place. While she pushed Chiharu's back a copious amount of blood was still flowing from her stomach.

"It's fine, I won't let them touch a single hair of yours."

Aya smiled.

"Don't do it, Aya-chan…"

Chiharu reached with her hand, yet she couldn't touch Aya.

Aya had already turned around.

She pounded her arm with the ground beetle on the head of the Mushi that was still trying to bite Chiharu. A stake glowing in pure white was shot from its mouthpart.

The bypass shook.

Along with a rumble, the Mushi and one side of the traffic lane crumbled and collapsed. Unable to support it, the breakwater wall fell into the ocean, raising a large wave.

"You can't, Aya-chan…"

While Chiharu stood still watching, Aya's battle with the black masks started.

The Annihilators moved to surround her, launching a simultaneous attack.

Aya kicked the ground. With speed comparable to a bullet she drove her left arm into a Mushi that formed one corner of the encirclement.

The stake that was launched accompanied by a white flash crushed it.

Aya faced the next Mushi in turn.

"Don't worry about me…"

Yet in the next moment she froze in place as if paralyzed.

A black liquid seeping from the ground crawled up her legs. Climbing on her back the liquid coagulated, forming a Mushi. Its countless legs tightly bound Aya's arms behind her back while its fanged mouthpart sank into her left shoulder.

"—"

Chiharu raised a shriek that didn't form a voice.

A Mushi several times larger than Aya tackled her now that her movements were sealed. Mixed with the vibration that was like two cars colliding, the sound of Aya's ribs breaking reached Chiharu's ears. As she widened her eyes a large cluster of blood was spat out of her mouth.

However—

"…Aya-chan, stop alrea—"

Aya's eyes glared at the Mushi that was trying to skewer her further.

Her ground beetle spread its wings. Flying away from Aya's arm, it landed atop the Mushi's head.

A crimson glow enveloped the Mushi. A highly pressurized heat gas burnt its body to a crisp.

The ground beetle, further spreading its wings and fluttering in air, started spouting a green liquid from its mouthpart.

It was a powerful acid. Writhing violently after being covered by the liquid, the Mushi absolved Aya's restraints. Alighting on her right arm, the ground beetle kept using the crimson stake to turn the writhing Mushi to cinders.

A dull noise shook Aya's body.

A Mushi's tail that stretched like a whip pierced through her chest and legs—

"NO—"

Another Mushi flying in the air lowered its abnormally long legs to the ocean. While it swallowed seawater like a pump with the tubes attached to its legs the Mushi's body swelled.

"—I'm fine, Chiharu."

Although Aya had a grave injury on her shoulders, her ribs were broken and her chest and legs were pierced through, she kept lacking any hesitation or fear. She glanced at Chiharu with her eyes that were rapidly losing their light.

"Until I fulfill – the role given to me – by Chami – I won't die."

Even while vomiting blood every time she spoke, Aya grabbed the tail of the Mushi stabbing her.

Exerting her power, she pulled the tail all at once.

The Mushi was blown into the air by brute force. With the Mushi drawn toward her, Aya readied her right arm.

The pure white flash blasted the long-tailed Mushi without leaving any trace.

"So— It's fine—"

Aya muttered with hollow pupils like a doll. She fell to her knees with a slump.

A highly-pressurized column of water fell from above. The Mushi spat out its stockpiled seawater.

"…AAHHH!"

Chiharu started rushing ahead without thinking. Embracing Aya who stood still, they rolled on the road.

The ground she just was on until now crumbled by a tremor. The concrete broken by water pressure fell into the sea with a loud sound.

"U… Uu…"

Brushing aside the groaning Chiharu, Aya stood up as if nothing happened.

Chiharu looked up at her from the ground.

She saw the sky over Aya's shoulder – she could see the ground beetle spreading its wings and landing on the Mushi fluttering in the air.

"So— You don't have to worry about anything— Stand up— Chiharu—"

A white flash filled her vision.

Having defeated the final Mushi, the ground beetle landed on Aya's shoulder.

"Stand up— Chiharu— You have to get away— At once—"

Aya showed her a smile.

It was the same smile she wore when she talked to her about Chami.

"Aya…chan—"

She was holding out her white arm yet Chiharu couldn't feel any power from it. She rose to her feet on her own as if being controlled by Aya's smile.

The harsh battles appeared to continue at 'GARDEN'. She could see countless laser beams shooting through the skies at the edge of her vision.

"Don't look—back—"

Aya's hand changed the orientation of Chiharu's body. She could feel a warm sensation pushing on her back as she stood there dumbfounded.

"I told you—right? You're more important than me— The role given to you by Chami—"

Unable to resist, Chiharu stepped ahead like a puppet.

"You have to—meet your brother, right? —It would definitely help Chami someday—"

"Aya-chan… Aya…chan…"

"I'm fine—so—I'm not lonely anymore—so—"

"…"

"If Chami—and you—"

Chiharu was walking.

Ahead of her was Ouka City.

Behind her was 'GARDEN'.

"—Just—think about me—for an instant—someday—"

As Chiharu walked, she could hear—

A despairing sound from behind her.

The sound of something heavy collapsing on the ground.

The final reasoning power inside Chiharu broke off.

"……!"

Her hair drew an arc in the horizon.

Without any hesitation she turned around, rushing towards the collapsed girl.

She clung to the unmoving Aya, raising a loud voice.

She didn't even know herself what she was saying.

She simply wailed with no regards to her appearance.

The girl's body with closed eyes was slowly losing its warmth.

—An electronic sound echoed.

When she embraced Aya a cellphone fell out of her pocket.

It was something Chami had handed to her for communication.

Chiharu only picked it up unconsciously. She grabbed the device with both hands as if clinging to it.

The first words Chiharu said were nothing other than shouts.

Chami could probably guess it wasn't anything trivial. Her tension-filled voice hit Chiharu's eardrums.

"…What happened! Calm down! Chiharu!"

"Aya-chan…! Aya-chan…! To protect me she—"

As Chiharu lost her reason and shouted, she could tell Chami gulped.

Silence fell on the other side of the phone.

But before long—

"…She died?"

She heard an exceedingly cold voice.

Chiharu doubted her own ears.

"So please leave Aya there. You have to quickly—"

The cellphone creaked due to it being grasped far too strongly.

Hearing Chami's cold voice on top of seeing Aya's death—

Made Chiharu feel hatred toward a person for the first time in her life.

Although Aya had yearned for Chami so much and fought for her sake—

She summarized it with a single sentence.

"—No…"

"Chiharu?"

"I won't listen to what you say, Chami-chan. Aya-chan protected me—"

"…CHIHARU!!!"

The angry voice that seemed like it would break the cellphone thoroughly smashed Chiharu's words.

Chami's jeers were thrust at the astonished Chiharu along with a ringing in her ears.

"Who the hell do you think you are! Some tragic heroine? That's why you're crying for the sake of the knight who died protecting you? We can probably turn you into a picture as you are now! That's what I imagine! Everyone in the audience to see you crying on top of the stage will surely choke on their tears! What would the BGM be? A ballad with a piano solo? Hah, that shit's simply the best!"

She could hear Chami clenching her molars through the phone.

"—But I don't give a shit about that! I'll have you follow my orders whether you like it or not! I'll lower the curtains and drag you off the stage even in the middle! I'll have you work according to my script! Don't let those who died of their own accord and even lost their audience seats grab you and drag you to the center of the stage!"

"…Chami…chan…"

I'm so stupid—

Just like her brother once told her.

She was stupid.

Even though Chami was so angry – not only has she looked back, she was even unable to stop her feelings, yet Chiharu wasn't able to notice any of that.

—Don't look back.

Even though Aya already knew.

The girl who died in order to protect her understood Chami until her very last moment.

And Chiharu looked back.

She stopped in place.

Right now she made a misunderstanding much more painful and sadder than anything—

"…I found out where Kakkou is. Go to the place known as Shiou City. He entered that town."

Chami asserted in a voice containing anger.

Shiou City.

A nostalgic name.

The town where, until five years ago, Chiharu had lived in together with her brother—

"We intercepted Kakkou's conversation… this is bad. At this rate the entire SEPB might try to erase him. If that happens I'm not sure even he could survive this."

"…!"

"Go to Shiou City quickly, Chiharu. Meet up with your brother and regain all of your memories."

Chami didn't wait for a reply from the speechless Chiharu.

"Don't ever disobey me again. I have no need for a pawn that steers off the script in the middle."

One-sidedly asserting this, the call was hanged up.

Were her final words really directed at Chiharu or at Aya? She didn't have the time to make sure.

"…Aya-chan…"

Chiharu rose up.

She bit her lips while overlooking Aya sleeping peacefully.

"I'm… going…"

She deeply lowered her head.

"Thank you for saving me."

Raising her head, she forced herself to make a smile. She couldn't see her own face, but she probably made an unshapely smile.

"I'll remember you, Aya-chan. Always and forever."

She turned her body.

As she started walking and fastened her pace, Chiharu could hear a voice overhead.

"Found ya. Hello there, are you by any chance Kakkou's sister?"

Immediately after a girl swooped down from the sky.

She was a girl who wore a turban around her head and had black wings sprouting from her back. Chiharu realized her equipment was that of the East Central Branch.

"I'm gonna help you escape by urgent orders from Touko-san. Even though it wasn't supposed to be my turn here."

The girl looked at behind Chiharu and grinned.

Turning around, she could see more black masks coming from Hashiba City where the battles continued.

"Playing tag is my specialty. You have any request on where to go?"

There was but one place Chiharu wanted to go to.

She recalled the place that Chami and Aya had told her about—

And nodded clearly.

2.04 The Others

In the mountainous region where one could only hear the murmuring of a creek, a boy's groaning could also be heard.

"Uh… I have to report back to Headquarters…"

Static electricity still crackled in the flowing river.

The ground was gouged and traces of bombardment were engraved in the forest.

In the center of a collapsed rock Rin stood up. The other two members of the Annihilators turned into Fallens. Apparently he alone was able to barely survive.

Just as he tried walking back to Akamaki City, he was taken aback by surprise.

"Don't just go back on your own. I have a minor role to give to you too."

Chami standing with the forest behind her said in a voice with stifled anger.

Konoha was also waiting behind her. On their way there they had eavesdropped on the conversation between Kakkou, the boy called Rin and C using Konoha's ability.

"R-[Rin encounters an enemy] – [Rin attacks]!"

Disks with a shining pattern appeared around Rin. However, some of them were cracked and their movements were clearly sluggish.

Chami rushed at Rin from the front.

"Chami…!"

Konoha's shout and the sounds of the disks slicing through the air overlapped.

The sharp disks cut Chami's cheeks, legs and stomach.

But all the wounds she received were shallow, none of them fatal. —Since her opponent had received great damage by Kakkou before, Chami judged that conversely closing the distance between them was advantageous to her. Nevertheless she was risking her life because she barely possessed any fighting abilities.

"[Rin's attack hit]! [The enemy received 140 damage]! [Rin's consecutive attack]—"

"As if I'd let you!"

Chami's counterattack was faster than the disks' second attack by an instant.

"This is my shitty ability! Eat this!"

She shouted while closing the distance.

A crimson brilliance glittered at Rin's back. Spreading its wings majestically, the red queen bee stabbed its sharp stinger into the nape of his neck. It lost its shape like smoke and was absorbed into Rin's body from the point he was stung.

"[Rin was hit by the enemy's attack] – [Rin received no damage] – [No damage]—"

The disks rotating midair suddenly stopped their movements. Rin's face rapidly paled, his body trembling as if suffering convulsions.

The amount she inserted into him was on a whole different level than what she did with Aya or Konoha, a full-powered stinging. As long as Chami's ability hit, the target's mind would become disorderly and they would lose their composed rationality—

"I don't feel like going around and controlling the stage from behind the scenes…"

Not even considering her wounds, Chami slowly approached Rin.

He bit his lips so strongly that blood came oozing out.

The nails of his clenched fist dug into his skin.

Chami now clearly recognized the enemy.

The Annihilators.

Special Environmental Preservation Bureau, Central Headquarters.

And – Miguruma Yaeko.

"I'm well aware that after all we can serve as no more than supporting roles. Even if I don't have Owl or Aya anymore, those who pretend to be the main roles will not notice at all. Right, my ambition to stand in the center of the stage sticks out too much… What a shitty dream. However—"

Her shaking voice was diverted by anger.

It was so Konoha at her back wouldn't see the single tear streaming down her cheek.

"Being able to show off this long continuing story would help me as well. Miguruma Yaeko who tries to keep the fight going forever… And Kakkou who will never be able to stop it! Fuyuhotaru too! You've all made the same offense!"

She tightly grabbed the face of Rin who stood in a daze with both hands and shouted.

"And so… I will steal the center of the stage from the main roles that never try getting off of it! I will make the other actors prostrate themselves and lower their heads with brute force! It will be like 'how's this best stage I'm showing you! You have no more regrets right! With that comes the final performance of the story of Mushitsuki, let's meet again another day!' Even if you don’t like it I'll play the ending with the credits roll!"

If she stopped in place even once…

If she looked back even once…

She would be liable to become disheartened about her dream.

But the unseen hands of the person after person who had left her behind wouldn't allow her that. When she was about to give up those such as the laughing white cat or the lonely girl would push her back.

"How dare you… how dare you kill Owl and Aya… If you do all that and try to force a small role on me then I'll do the same. I'll say a line befitting a small fry. —Please pass it along to your masters pretending to have the main roles."

Tightly grabbing Rin's face, she asserted with a clear voice.

"'Remember'—"

The muddied consciousness boy responded with a start.

"I will definitely drag you off… Definitely… definitely…!"

Rin separated himself from Chami as she repeated herself in a stifled voice. He went down the creek while muttering something with a dazed attitude.

Probably due to her losing too much blood, strength left Chami's legs.

"Chami!"

Konoha rushed to Chami sitting on the ground.

"…You can use your ability to see to Shiou City even from here, right Konoha?"

"Y-yes. There really seems to be no doubt that Kakkou's destination is Shiou City. He's moving through the town heading for somewhere."

"I see—"

Chami glared at the direction of Shiou City.

"Will you let me have a look? What made the main character – Kakkou come there, I wonder. Let me check with my own eyes what he's trying to accomplish there."

"Do you think Chiharu will make it in time?"

"If she doesn't I'm in trouble. Because I won't be able to unravel the mystery of Mushi unless she retrieves her full memories. If that doesn't happen I won't be able to win the battle ahead. Also… if my thinking is correct, there's still a way to use Chiharu."

While intently glaring at the sky of Shiou City, she clenched her fist. Her strongly clenched teeth creaked.

"Yes… if she dies I'll be in trouble. I'll never forgive her dying without my permission. Because I'll make anyone and everyone into my pawns."

Konoha nodded. Looking at Chami, she muttered in her usual small voice.

"It's fine… I will also always come along with you…"

"…That's obvious. I'll kick you."

A droplet of water fell atop Chami's cheek.

Night approached and rain began pouring from the gloomy, clouded sky.

"…!"

Chami could feel as if she could see a purple glow from the sky of Shiou City through the gaps of the forest.

Feeling a chill run up her spine, she shuddered.

She could see an abnormal object between the dark clouds.

It was a much too large and a much too beautiful—

"N…no… way…"

She doubted her eyes but it actually existed in the sky of Shiou City.

"Impossible… That's impossible…! After all there's no way for anyone to tell where they would show up! A coincidence…? N-no, that's wrong. It can't be that Kakkou knew of it…?"

Next to Chami, Konoha also completely paled. She looked at the sky of Shiou City in shock.

"Why… how…? How could you tell she'd show up there, Kakkou…!"

By the side of the river that was being hit by rain and enveloped by darkness, Chami's muttering kept going on and on.

2.05 Daisuke Part 4

*

Daisuke, who was watching the TV in his apartment, looked outside the window.

The sun has set and it became quite dark.

It's about time, he thought and stood up.

"Chiharu's not back yet… Daisuke, could you go and look for her?"

"Sure."

Just like Daisuke thought, his worried mother called out to him.

His sister Chiharu lacked any sense of danger, and it was dangerous for her to even walk on the road. Even though she always ended up catching a cold and get a fever easily, she would push herself to her limits and make it even worse.

Having his mother prone to worry for her was the usual.

If Chiharu simply tarried a bit then their mother would make Daisuke go get her and he even remembered at what timing she would call to him.

But when I come back late she doesn't worry at all—

Having such thoughts he normally wouldn't was probably due to him being in low spirits.

"I'm going."

Exiting the door, he went down the apartment's stairs.

He knew where he should go to.

Shiou Elementary School.

Chiharu said she had forgotten something at school and parted with him. Then she probably lost track of time while chatting with her friend or something.

"…"

Suddenly…

If Daisuke just ran away from home like this, would his mother worry?

Obviously – he was surprised at noticing he was unable to think that.

But he immediately decided to forget all about such silly thoughts.

At the very least there existed one person who actually cared about him.

Chiharu.

His sister was famed as being obsessed about her brother, so she would be extremely worried were he to disappear. She might even be so worried she would die of shock.

Thinking about that, Daisuke smiled unconsciously.

"Really, I have no choice, jeez. That meddling sister."

Running in the road, he headed to school.

He ran for some time while looking around him, but he couldn't see Chiharu anywhere.

Finally he arrived at the hill housing the school.

"Is she still at school…?"

As the area was pitch-black he obviously couldn't see any children around. The road illuminated by electric lights seemed to be enveloped in silence as if symbolizing the declining population of Shiou City.

Daisuke looked up at the school – and could see something sparkling on the rooftop.

"…?"

He rushed up the hill.

After making about two laps around the hill containing the school premises he reached in front of the school gate.

It was shut by the iron fence. Now that even the janitor wasn't there, the school was always shut down at an early time.

He couldn't see Chiharu on the other side of the fence.

Daisuke furrowed his brows, looking up the school enveloped in darkness.

"…!"

Another light was born on top of the rooftop across the playground.

Purple and blue lights clashed with one another, bursting.

The figure projected for an instant by those illuminating lights was that of Chiharu.

The one who faced her appeared to be a woman with long hair.

When the two lights clashed again he could clearly see Chiharu's face.

He could see blood trickling down her cheeks. He couldn't see it from there, but she appeared to also have wounds on her body.

The news he had watched at home just now rose to his mind – a news report about an elementary school student being attacked by a suspicious person.

"Chiharu!"

Daisuke started clambering up the railing without thinking, heading inside the school and running.

*

The smell of the rain that started raining at some point mixed in with a nostalgic smell.

The smell of his hometown.

Shiou City was probably unable to put a stop to its declining population. Daisuke felt as if the number of house lights illuminating the residential area diminished when compared to five years ago.

He came there by choosing narrow alleyways to avoid attention, but the number of people outside was so low it was unnecessary.

"Hah…! Hah…!"

Daisuke ran, his pitch-black coat fluttering.

He clearly remembered the road to school that he had used to take every day. Even the traits of the road haven't changed in these five years.

Because of his bleeding wounds and fatigue he felt dizzy.

Yet he clenched his teeth and rushed through the residential road in a straight line.

Before long the silent hill road appeared in front of him.

The road leading up the hill was blocked by a rusty barricade.

On the barricade was a poster explaining that the elementary school on top of the hill was closed a few years ago and that at present civilians were forbidden to enter it as it was a state-owned land.

Daisuke kicked the barricade aside, rushing up the hill.

The electrical lights along the road perhaps had their power supply stopped as they were off. The grass around the guardrails was allowed to grow wild.

After about two laps Daisuke reached the elementary school. His alma mater he hadn't seen in five years seemed awfully small. Even though at the time he felt the school atop the hill was awfully wide.

Jumping over the railing blocking the main gate, he aimed for the school building. He knocked off the closed front door using his fist strengthened by fusing with his Mushi.

The destroyed door clashed with the shoe racks, rolling about splendidly.

"Hah…! Hah…!"

Just by him swinging his fist his body folded over violently. Leaning against the shoe rack to preserve his balance, he soon started running through the hallway.

He climbed the stairway that appeared in front of his eyes in one go.

"Hah…! Hah…!"

And—

Daisuke finally reached the place he aimed for.

Passing through the door in the fourth floor, that place was as silent as it was five years ago.

Repeatedly hit by the rain, Daisuke stood stock still.

Purple scales blew violently in his vision.

He felt as if he could see giant eyes inside the dark clouds covering the skies. That which showed its form for an instant was a far too massive swallowtail butterfly—

"—What a lovely night…"

The incessantly pouring rain was repelled by a purple light at one spot.

"Even though you can't see the moon—"

A crimson long coat.

Round sunglasses.

And rainbow-colored eyes.

"Even though the starry sky is hidden—"

In the center of the glow repelling the rain was an inhuman, abnormal being.

"The incessant rain will wash everything clean…"

As if reciting a poem – as if intoxicated by her soliloquy, she narrowed her rainbow eyes. 

"A fruit wet by the dew will no doubt be delicious, right Daisuke-chan?"

The pattern etched on Daisuke's body glowed green.

Unsheathing his handgun, filled with a flood of emotions, Daisuke mouthed the name of that being.

"I came here to defeat you… Oogui!"

Roaring, Daisuke pulled the trigger directed at Oogui.