Mushi Uta:Volume 5 Chapter 4

4.00 Daisuke Part 6

Daisuke's sister Chiharu was collapsed on the school rooftop in front of him.

He recalled the details of his coming there through his muddy consciousness.

Daisuke was told by his mother to search for his sister that was yet to come home and so he went to the school – eventually finding her facing against an unknown woman on the roof.

Chiharu was wounded.

There were also objects that could only be described as monsters around the woman, and these assaulted Chiharu.

He promptly went to defend her.

He received the attack instead of Chiharu—

"Isn't it a lovely Mushi, Daisuke-chan? The Cleridae cries at dawn—"

The woman narrowed her rainbow-colored eyes and jeered.

"Will you also be able to cry someday?"

Daisuke looked at Chiharu collapsed at his feet.

She was wounded and unconscious.

He immediately realized who had hurt his one and only sister despite his currently hazy thought processes.

"—It seems like your memories are in disorder due to you just having turned into a Mushitsuki."

The Cleridae insect fluttering above his head transformed explosively. It extended its tentacles and fused with Daisuke's body. On his bare arms and cheeks appeared a pattern shining in green.

"WOAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!"

A roar erupted out of Daisuke's mouth.

The next thing he knew he was holding the woman's head. The monsters around attacked him, but Daisuke didn't stop. Breaking through the railing, he fell from the height of the fourth floor to the ground.

Scattering the monsters' corpses, he pounded the woman on the ground. It greatly caved in, causing an earth tremor.

"So it's not mere disorder. —You're on a rampage."

The woman jeered regardless of the fact more than half of her head was buried in the ground.

—She's not human.

Feeling instinctive fear, Daisuke raised a beastlike war cry.

Grabbing the woman's head and arms, he kicked the ground as if jumping. While mowing down the trees around, he rushed down the hill like a heavy tank.

More monsters were created and they used their fangs or claws to carve lacerations on Daisuke's small body.

Breaking through a fence, he leapt to an old tire factory. A cramped mountain of old tires was piled up in the premises that used the foot of the hill.

As if wielding the woman, Daisuke flung her at the factory's wall. Pounded by superhuman strength, her body destroyed the concrete-made wall. Unable to withstand the impact, the building raised a roar as it crumbled down.

"…!"

As Daisuke breathed heavily purple scales started raining in his field of vision.

These scales assembled midair, forming monsters. They assaulted him immediately.

Daisuke desperately tried shaking off the monsters, but they were too numerous. In an instant he became their prey and raised cries of pain.

"As expected of Aria's child. —But I longer have any reason to stay here."

The woman appeared from within the debris.

Her head that had long, spilling hair was smashed, the arm Daisuke had used to hold her was ripped from the shoulder, and her chest was scraped off to expose her bones.

But immediately after the scales enveloped the woman they turned into countless small insects that compensated for the missing parts of her body. In mere seconds the woman retrieved her beautiful appearance.

Spat out of a monster's mouthpart, Daisuke hit the ground.

"U…gh…"

The wounded boy couldn't move his body. He was losing his consciousness due to the excessive pain.

The woman waved her coat as she turned her back to him.

"—Oh, right."

While trying to leave with her footsteps loud, the woman stopped her feet.

"The dream your sister imagined for an instant just now… seemed very delicious."

Inside his dimming consciousness…

The woman's enjoyable monologue was burned into his eardrums.

"If one day your sister… ends up recalling everything that's happened this day… she will surely come to deliver me a delicious dream—"

The woman's voice including her smile remained in Daisuke's memories.

—That was what happened five years ago.

The day when Daisuke became a Mushitsuki and lost to the Original Three for the first time.

*

Five years ago, Oogui had said.

— If one day your sister ends up recalling everything that's happened this day … she will surely come to deliver me a delicious dream.

These words were engraved in Daisuke's memories, yet he was unable to understand their meaning until recently.

Just the other day he came to know that Chiharu went missing at Nishito City's 'URBAN'.

His sister was supposed to live happily at some unknown place. He then came to know of the letter she had left behind before disappearing.

—"I remembered".

When that happened, the words of Oogui from the past connected to his sister inside him.

He didn't know what exactly she recalled, though.

Yet he was convinced.

Having Chiharu fully "remember" the happenings of that day five years ago meant without a doubt she would return to the same place. She would come back to Shiou City before long.

And the one waiting for her – was Oogui. One of the Original Three aiming to eat his sister's dream.

That was why Daisuke came there with no regards to anything.

To protect Chiharu.

To defeat Oogui before Chiharu came back.

Even if – he knew that he couldn't beat her as he was right now.

"Have you called some of your friends because you knew you couldn't win by yourself, Daisuke-chan?"

Fanned by a sudden gust, Oogui turned her rainbow-colored eyes to the wounded Daisuke. Even though the Mushitsuki revealed themselves in front of her, her smile was unchanged.

That's wrong—

Daisuke looked up at the Mushi surrounding them and grimaced.

—The Original Three made their appearance being lured by dreams.

Because of that it was impossible to designate where they would appear. No matter how much they wanted to defeat them, it was impossible since they didn't know their location.

But this time was different.

Daisuke knew about the place Oogui would appear at.

He knew since five years ago.

So he could have called them there.

But Daisuke hadn't made that decision.

Because—

"Stop—"

He shouted toward the members of the Special Environmental Preservation Bureau while vomiting blood.

"The current SEPB isn't enough…! No matter how many you are—"

They probably came there to capture Daisuke who had run away from the SEPB.

Yet they saw the swallowtail butterfly filling up the sky and rushed there – they were surely surprised to see Oogui there. Almost all of the members felt fear as they've never experienced approaching Oogui as she prepared for battle.

A dignified voice rose from the members paralyzed with shock and fear.

"East Central Branch! Now that we've confirmed the appearance of Oogui, the orders from Acting Branch Director Goroumaru Touko have changed! The capturing mission of Blaze Class Rank 1 member Kakkou will be temporarily suspended—"

The one issuing orders was Ogata Akatsuki who stood on top of the large rhinoceros beetle. Even while assuming command of the East Central Branch his voice was unhesitant.

 "The East Central Branch will use its full powers to annihilate Oogui!"

Being released from their paralysis by Akatsuki's voice, the members of the East Central Branch started moving at once. The members riding on top of the Mushi who could fly surrounded Oogui.

"Oi oi, I came here thinking Kakkou's betrayed us but isn't there a much larger catch here! Seems like I'll be able to enjoy myself no matter who my opponent is! What'll we do, C!"

Another person riding on a Mushi raised her voice.

She was a blonde girl wearing a white long coat. She put a hand on the goggles covering her face and raised a delighted laughter.

"—Hah, isn't that different from the intentions of Central Headquarters? I thought you'd say so since it's you though! Hey you lot, pass along the change in tactics from the commander!"

The girl called Kasuou – the member that had once belonged to the East Central Branch, declared loudly toward the flying Mushi.

"Kakkou comes later! Kill Oogui!!!"

The members of Central Headquarters and the East Central Branch encircled Oogui.

"Fufu—"

Purple scales were raining from the night sky. Oogui intercepted the assaulting Mushi while smiling. An unprecedented number of Mushi was created in the air.

The first to jump off a flying Mushi was Kasuou. While in midair, she flung her own goggles at Oogui.

"Here ya go! First comes the greeting from our commander!"

Along with her coarse shout, the goggles she'd thrown emitted sparks for an instant. These white-bluish sparks momentarily transformed into a butterfly with the pattern of the letter C on its wings.

Central Headquarters member Secret Class Rank 2 C possessed the ability to control electricity. It was probably her to call the SEPB members to Shiou City after failing to reach an agreement with Daisuke at the mountains.

The white-bluish butterfly flying out of the goggles soared to the sky through the rain.

"…!!!"

A white flash filled Daisuke's vision. The air shook and a large reverberation that made his stomach rumble enveloped the entire elementary school. The shockwave blew apart the railings on all directions.

The lightning strike pierced Oogui. About half of the Mushi created midair were evaporated. Full of the scent of scorched flesh, Oogui's body became covered with burns.

"It's too early for ya to kick the bucket, Oogui!!!"

Raising a joyful war cry, Kasuou charged ahead. A black mist enveloped the girl, a part of it coagulating to form sharp claws. Oogui was forced to retreat by using her Mushi as a shield.

"So you're as lively as always, aren't you, Kasuou-chan?"

Although Oogui's skin was burned, her euphoric-seeming smile was unchanged. A single Mushi clung to her body and the light emitted from the tips of its legs illuminated her. It was probably a healing ability as Oogui's body touched by the light began to mend.

"…Don't move…"

Landing next to Daisuke was a long-haired person who wore the same white coat as Kasuou. She handed him his gun that fell on the ground and magazine she pulled out of her coat.

She was the Central Headquarters member Irregular Class Rank 3 Nene. As a beautiful singing voice came out of her opened mouth, the transparent figure of a cricket appeared to envelop Daisuke.

"…I can heal your wounds, but… I can't restore the blood and stamina you've lost until getting here…"

The wounds etched on Daisuke's body were being healed by Nene's ability. —If his wounds were left alone it would've been dangerous for him in a few minutes. Daisuke was barely able to hold on to his life.

While dropping on one knee he replaced his gun's magazine.

"…Kh… Why did you…?"

"Acting Branch Director Goroumaru Touko… told me it would possibly be necessary… She's currently cooperating with this area's SEPB branch head… They're telling the citizens around to not leave their houses…"

From the large rhinoceros beetle flying in the air – the Mushi of the East Central Branch's Blaze Class Rank 6 member Kabuto, a rain of laser beams was launched at Oogui.

It was Akatsuki. The heat rays shot from the mayfly at his feet covered for Kasuou who was fighting from close range by shooting down the surrounding Mushi.

"I don't really want to help Kakkou, but… since our opponent is Oogui that's another matter entirely!"

"ORAAA!!"

Cleaning up the swarming Mushi, the laser beams shot by Akatsuki and the claws unleashed by Kasuou were pressing in on Oogui.

With the two high-ranking members Akatsuki and Kasuou serving as the vanguard, other members joined the fight one after another.

The battle between the Mushi continuously created from scales and the Special Environmental Preservation Bureau began.

Daisuke shouted while withstanding his pain.

"No… Run away…"

But his voice didn't come out like he wanted it to, possibly due to his lungs being hurt. "Kakkou…?" Nene asked him with a puzzled face while healing him.

"Fufu—"

Swaying and moving around to evade attacks, Oogui was enveloped by purple scales.

Her form suddenly disappeared as if melting into air.

The laser beams and mist claws broke the empty ground.

"Kh!"

"Tch!"

While their two tongue clicking echoed, a calm girl's voice rose from atop the rhinoceros beetle.

"Searching for the coordinates of the 'targetflame'. —Found it. Coordinates 16:8:-2, distance 18 in a straight line."

The girl holding hands with Akatsuki was Haji Senri. Since her ability was so wide-ranging she was still to be assigned a rank, but she was tentatively Irregular Class Rank 3.

Senri raised her index finger and thumb, pointing at empty space.

"Incinerating 'flame' exterior. —'ShootFire'."

A crimson pillar of flames erupted at a corner of the rooftop.

The scales turned into charcoal and were peeled off, exposing Oogui's form.

"Diorestoi's children sure are skillful—"

Akatsuki's lasers and Kasuou promptly assaulted her.

"You have nowhere to escape to, Oogui!"

"Go to hell!"

Oogui and the Mushitsuki's all-out war resumed.

The apparition-like Mushi with a dim outline crunched the Mushi of the combat personnel.

The Mushitsuki riding on top of the flying-type Mushi returned fire using special abilities.

The raining night sky was filled with Mushi's death throes and the exchange of abilities. The eyes of the massive swallowtail butterfly looked down at the Mushitsuki giving their utmost efforts to fight.

The morale of the members facing one of the Original Three was high. With high-ranking members like Akatsuki and Kasuou at the front, they kept devoting attacks without considering their own damage.

One Mushi of the Special Environmental Preservation Bureau fell down and then another.

Yet the protective wall of Mushi defending Oogui was also being cornered slow and steadily.

They might be able to defeat her—

Feeling this, the Mushitsuki increasingly accelerated their efforts. Gradually the death throes of Mushi created by Oogui and the Mushitsuki's war cries grew in numbers.

However—

Oogui's rainbow-colored eyes looked not at the soldiers in front of her eyes but at Daisuke.

"You can't defeat me – the only one to know this fact is you."

At the woman's feet a purple mayfly was created.

Daisuke widened his eyes. Although he wasn't fully healed yet, he shouted while spewing blood.

"…Get away from Oogui, Kasuou!!"

The next moment, a bundle of lasers was launched from Oogui.

The traces of light rained down at the Special Environmental Preservation Bureau's members.

"Wha… this is my—"

Akatsuki's voice was drowned by the cries of pain coming from the rhinoceros beetle.

The overwhelming quantity of heat rays pierced Akatsuki, Senri, as well as the rhinoceros beetle ridden by Kabuto.

Losing its balance, the Mushi fell onto the rooftop with an explosive roar. Akatsuki promptly held up Senri and landed on the ground.

The lasers rained down even around Daisuke and the rest. He immediately leapt to cover for Chiharu and Nene, a ray beam grazing his cheeks and scorching his skin.

The other flying Mushi were the same.

Every time the light beams flashed in the night sky, the Mushitsuki were thrown away.

Although the members of the Special Environmental Preservation Bureau were but one step away – all of them were blown away from Oogui in a second.

The one to receive the most damage was Kasuou who was fighting from close range. Shooting at the mist protecting her, the heat rays pierced the girl's body.

"Gaha…!"

She fell to her knees. When she coughed lumps of blood gushed out of her mouth.

Oogui calmly looked down at the blood-vomiting girl.

"Is this goodbye, Kasuou-chan?"

A simultaneous firing of laser beams was launched.

The gravely wounded Kasuou stared at Oogui with a demonic look.

"You… bitch… I'll kill…"

"Kasuou…!"

As Daisuke turned around a flying black shadow cut between the lasers in his vision.

It was Shirakashi Ubuki. She was a non-ranked member who ran away from Central Headquarters and a Fusion Type Mushitsuki like Daisuke. She made free use of the four black wings fused with her cloak, closing in on Kasuou while turning in sharp angles.

Just before Kasuou was caught by the lasers Ubuki's arms picked her up. Evading the killer blow only by a hairsbreadth, Kasuou was carried toward where Daisuke was and lowered down. Nene immediately started healing her.

"Why you… I'd rather be dead… than saved by you… Karasu…!"

"Wow, even when you're about to die you're not cute at all, Kasuou-tan."

Akatsuki, Senri, Kabuto, Ubuki, Kasuou, Nene – as well as the shocked Chiharu.

The high-ranking members ended up assembling around Daisuke.

Most of the other Mushitsuki also already fell to the ground. Some of them were on the rooftop but others were blown off all the way to outside the school.

And—

The laser beams shot at the night sky ceased.

"You were supposed to have known about my ability, right Daisuke-chan?"

The Mushi created by Oogui vanished into thin air.

The sounds of battle vanished and the school building was enveloped by silence.

The Mushitsuki were hurt and crawling on the ground.

Only one person, Oogui, remained standing on two legs.

"Rina-chan is no longer with us, but… there's another one, right? A cute child of mine—"

—The temperature suddenly dropped.

The silhouette-lacking Mushi were gone and the torrent of lasers was also gone.

At some point even the rain stopped.

What rained down from the heavens controlled by silence were small purple-colored fragments—

—It was just like Oogui said.

Daisuke knew.

He knew about the biggest obstacle one needed to overcome in order to defeat her.

That was the power of the strongest Mushitsuki that once stood in the way of the Special Environmental Preservation Bureau time and again.

"If you intend on settling matters with me, then is there not a child you have to bid farewell to first?"

Pouring down from the sky were fragments of snow—

Fake snow created by gathering the swallowtail butterfly's scales.

"The ability of your precious person will now serve to protect me you know?"

Oogui's voice that seemed as if it was singing symbolized the beginning of destruction. 

4.01 Daisuke The Last

The rooftop of the elementary school collapsed with a rumble.

The instant the snow falling from the sky touched it, the concrete-made surface distorted as if it was paper, broke and crumbled down.

"…Kh!"

Daisuke immediately lifted Chiharu, jumping on top of the debris. Fusing with his Cleridae insect, he used his enhanced leg strength to evade the rushing rocks and fragments of snow.

Akatsuki also stretched out his body to protect Senri. Even while slipping off the surface broken into two he kept embracing her as he shot down the masses of concrete and snow with laser beams.

Kabuto was the one to protect the gravely wounded Kasuou and Nene who was healing her. Using his large rhinoceros as a shield against the debris, it flapped its wings to push back the falling snow.

Ubuki also weaved her way flying between the snowflakes, controlling two tentacles to cover up for other people.

The death throes of Mushi who couldn't oppose flew about the collapsing closed school.

The bodies of the Mushi who tried to escape the snow creating the destruction and yet still touched by it ruptured. Other Mushi were rolled up and crushed as if by an invisible hand, scattering their bodily fluids. Every time the Mushi lessened in numbers more members of the Special Environmental Preservation Bureau collapsed.

"No way, can Oogui possibly… use the abilities of all Minion Type Mushitsuki…?"

Strenuously protecting himself, Akatsuki raised his voice.

Daisuke clenched his teeth.

Oogui's ability was being able to use the abilities of the Mushitsuki she had given birth to—

Daisuke, who had fought Oogui time and again, knew of that fact. He had confirmed that fact several years ago – during the time he fought alongside a certain lance-wielding girl. But that girl was also not at his side right now.

"You were not able to tell about it to anyone until now, right Daisuke-chan? Although you knew about my ability you haven't revealed it to anyone…"

Using the wings of a Mushi perched on her shoulders, Oogui floated in air.

Still holding Chiharu, Daisuke aimed his handgun at Oogui. The bullet shot from the muzzle emitted vicious flames and pursued her in the air.

Yet before hitting it touched the purple snow, scattering apart as if exploding. Only a small gust fluttered Oogui's coat.

"It was because you knew that if the organization desperate to defeat me just like the East Central Branch will come to know of this, it might begin a hunt against Minion Type Mushitsuki…"

All people there gazed at Daisuke with shock.

"D-Daisuke?"

Even Chiharu looked up at him from his arms.

"That's why you were unable to do anything despite seeing me countless times, right? That's why you were unable to reveal my ability to anyone, right? You thought that if it becomes known that I give birth to Minion Type Mushitsuki and that they keep me alive… it would increasingly cause more fights between Mushitsuki—"

The pouring snow only increased in vigor. The school building was already about to lose all form and turn into nothing but ruins on the hill. Akatsuki desperately shot his lasers, evaporating the snow hailing above the heads of his comrades.

And yet members' Mushi were showered by snow fragments they were unable to fully protect against and were being destroyed.

Although the combat personnel were aggressive until now, it all turned around in no-time.

The closed school became hell just by the ability of the Secret Class Rank 1 Mushitsuki Fuyuhotaru.

"It must have been vexing. You kept shouldering this all on your own and kept hesitating all on your own… But only you knew the fact it's impossible to destroy me—"

Daisuke exerted power to his hand gripping the handgun.

Each and every word of Oogui stabbed into his chest.

"No, you actually also know the only way to destroy me, right?"

While the destruction-producing snow was pouring down, she smiled cruelly.

"If you turn your precious Shiika-chan into a Fallen – or perhaps kill her, then even you alone should be able to destroy me."

The freezing, crushing blow smashed Daisuke's heart.

"Until now you have turned countless Mushitsuki into Fallens, and you have even let Rina-chan die, so does that mean only Shiika-chan is special?"

It kept snowing violently.

His comrade Mushitsuki desperately resisted the vortex of destruction.

However, in front of the unbelievable gap in destructive power, the Mushitsuki of the Special Environmental Preservation Bureau lost their Mushi and became Fallen.

Shiika—

Shiika's reserved smile rose to Daisuke's mind as he bit his lips.

Should he destroy Oogui and stop the phenomenon giving birth to endless Mushitsuki?

Or should he just keep thinking he doesn't want to lose Shiika and challenge her even knowing he couldn't win?

Daisuke has yet to decide—

"You said you have defeated Diorestoi, but… that thing was nothing but a single fragment. As long as he has a medium he can split himself into several bodies—"

"…!"

Daisuke was shocked at this unexpected truth.

But the anxiety in his chest was affirmed by a certain understanding.

The fragments of Diorestoi—

He was suspicious ever since hearing those words from the disk handed to him by Ebina Yuu.

He was able to destroy Shinpu far too easily—

"It's not enough to defeat us Original Three, right Daisuke-chan? Neither your strength – nor your resolve."

The falling snow turned into a blizzard.

The vortex of destruction rushed toward Daisuke.

"…UOOOOOO!"

Akatsuki howled. The full-powered laser beams he shot out annihilated each and every flake.

Yet the snow was too fierce.

It slipped through the torrent of laser beam and changed the terrain.

"Incinerating the ability's 'targetflame'. —'ShootFire'!"

Senri pointed to the front, raising her voice. The falling snow was evaporated midair.

"'Fire'! 'Fire'!"

She raised two fingers, then three fingers, finally intercepting the blizzard with her palm fully open. Pillars of flames appeared one after another, swallowing the shards of snow.

Even the pair's powers were not enough to bring the overwhelming destructive power of the blizzard under control.

The snow slipping through the gaps of attacks was knocked off by a mass of concrete thrown vigorously from the back.

"UORAAA!"

Even while vomiting blood, Kasuou used the claws made of solidified mist to skewer pieces of debris and throw them at Oogui one after another. "Kasuou…! You're not fully healed yet…" Nene tried to restrain her, but she didn't seem about to stop. She kept flinging the debris supplied to her by Ubuki.

"Kuh…!"

Kabuto was also desperately trying to blow off the snow using the wings of his wounded rhinoceros beetle. A large amount of bodily fluids spurt from the body of his Mushi that had been hit by the earlier lasers.

The mixed combat personnel of Central Headquarters and the East Central Branch were desperately trying to protect themselves. Even while they were hurt and one person fell after another, they all resisted the destructive power of the snow without giving up.

"Fufu… I can finally have my meal."

Oogui's rainbow-colored eyes watched a single girl through her round sunglasses.

They went through Akatsuki and the rest who were desperately facing off against her.

They went through Daisuke who stood still.

—And the rainbow-colored eyes perceived Ayukawa Chiharu.

"…!"

Chiharu's shoulders twitched in Daisuke's arms.

She raised her face slowly as if enthralled by the rainbow-colored eyes.

"Chiharu!"

Even Daisuke's voice didn't reach her ears. She stuck out both hands and separated herself from him.

"You have recalled your dream from five years ago, right? You came back to this town because of that, right, Chiharu-chan?"

The large swallowtail butterfly covering the night sky flapped its wings. The blizzard increasingly grew in intensity.

Chiharu's wet eyes looked at Daisuke.

"Daisuke…"

Behind his sister's back, inside the purple blizzard, Oogui made an ecstatic smile.

"So, Chiharu-chan. Will you tell me your dream?"

Don't do it, Chiharu—

Daisuke wanted to tell her, but no words came out.

Chiharu's sorrowful eyes made him freeze in place. Her regret at failing to protect him five years ago and her sense of guilt for causing him to suffer even now made large tears flow out of her eyes.

"I wasn't able to protect you… I did my best but I failed – and turned you into a Mushitsuki."

Grimacing while she seemed liable to start wailing at any moment, Chiharu let out a hoarse voice.

"Even though I'm your older sister… Even though I knew that once you become a Mushitsuki you'll definitely suffer… Sorry, Daisuke—"

Each and every of her words stabbed Daisuke. What had Chiharu felt when she was trying to protect him five years ago – and how much had she regretted being unable to do so?

The voice she was wringing out expressed these feelings.

"Even now you're so wounded… and you suffer like that, and all of it – is my fault."

Bump, his heart throbbed.

Even the agony he felt right now, anything and everything—

Was brought by the cruel fate he shouldered as a Mushitsuki.

"…"

Daisuke slowly raised his arm grasping the handgun.

He directed its muzzle at his one and only sister Chiharu.

A bullet was rotating rapidly inside the muzzle fused with the jaw of the Cleridae insect. The flames born from the frictional heat burned the snow around.

Having the gun pointed at her, Chiharu made a relieved smile.

"And so I thought when I turned you into a Mushitsuki—"

 The pattern of the Cleridae insect fused with Daisuke rustled.

Eating his dream whole, the Mushi's power derived from it converged inside the handgun.

—Why was he a Mushitsuki?

He thought about this not once or twice.

He was made a Mushitsuki without his knowledge and thrust into battles he didn't want to participate in.

Why did only he have to be so hurt? Why did he have to fight so much? Why did he have to lose so much?

There were times he was unable to sleep because of the hatred messing up his mind.

There were times he succumbed to his urges to destroy everything because of his murderous impulse towards the one who made him thus.

And the one behind turning Daisuke into a Mushitsuki was right before his eyes—

Chiharu appealed to Daisuke.

"I knew that after turning you into a Mushitsuki, when I meet you again… You would ki—"

"There were times when I thought I was better off dead."

Daisuke said, interrupting his sister's words.

Every time the pattern covering Daisuke's body increased its glow, something important was shaved off the depths of his chest.

"There were many times I thought about how painful battles were, how my wounded body was aching, and how tired I am of losing things… and about why I'm trying to live so desperately."

The opponents he had fought so far rose to his mind.

At times they were unknown Mushitsuki, at times they were Mushibane, and at times they were his supposed comrades of the Special Environmental Preservation Bureau.

What dropped from his wounded arms brought back memories.

He made Anmoto Shiika, a Mushitsuki who harbored the same dream, into a Fallen by his own hands.

There were also times where Daisuke was estranged from people who thought of him as their friend and let them lose their lives without saving them.

He saw Tachibana Rina lose to her Mushi and breathe her last in front of his eyes.

"There were many times I gave up thinking it's all because of me being a Mushitsuki. There were also times I thought of stopping in place thinking it's the fault of the one who turned me into a Mushitsuki."

The eyes of the Cleridae insect that was fully fused with Daisuke's readied gun were dyed blood-red. Eating Daisuke's dream, it embedded its powers to the bullet rotating inside its mouthpart.

"—But that's wrong."

Chiharu made a surprised face in front of him.

Daisuke was smiling.

"I found someone important to me, Chiharu."

What Oogui said was completely right.

Anmoto Shiika, the girl who was made a Fallen by Daisuke's hands and then revived again.

They both reunited not as Mushitsuki but as Kusuriya Daisuke and Anmoto Shiika. They met normally and spoke about their dreams. Even now he couldn't forget the warmth that came from holding her hand.

He wanted to meet up with Shiika again.

He wanted them to reunite not as Kakkou and Fuyuhotaru, but just like before, as a normal boy and girl.

Shiika was someone special to Daisuke.

And it wasn't just her—

"I haven't simply fought, gotten hurt and lost many things. I fought by my own will. To make my dream come true."

The pain engraved to Daisuke brought not only suffering.

And it didn't mean that the people who've left him were erased of his memories.

All of them left something important inside him.

"If you hadn't protected me five years ago… I would've been unable to be hurt, to fight, to lose. And my dream would've ended right there."

He loaded his handgun with all of the feelings he received since becoming a Mushitsuki.

He switched his aim from Chiharu – to behind his sister, to the jeering Oogui.

"It's not your fault, Chiharu. Thanks to you I'm now able to see the continuation of my dream."

He then spoke clearly.

"Thank you, Chiharu. Thank you for protecting me."

—The raging tempest slackened its intensity.

In Daisuke's line of sight Chiharu and Oogui changed their expression contrastively.

Oogui erased her joyful smile—

And Chiharu—

"—Yeah."

Still shedding tears, she smiled radiantly.

"Since I'm your sister it's obvious."

Turning around, Chiharu spoke proudly toward Oogui.

"See? My brother is a strong, good kid who's kinder than anyone."

Oogui slightly grimaced.

"—My dream's already fulfilled. Because Daisuke forgave me."

The silhouette of the swallowtail butterfly covering the night sky distorted. Cracks appeared in the large eyes on its wings.

The blizzard of scales lost power.

Being "rejected" by the owner of a dream…

That was the biggest weakness of the Original Three—

—The air vibrated.

The bullet gathering Daisuke's whole might and dream was ejected out of the Cleridae insect's jaw.

Tearing through ground, breaking through the curtain of falling snow, the flame-wreathed bullet hit Oogui squarely.

"…!"

Her body was covered in sprays of blood. Her right arm smashed by the bullet and the flesh starting from her shoulder to her chest was gouged out. Her rainbow-colored eyes were open wide.

The blizzard ceased.

The massive swallowtail butterfly in the sky was starting to disappear into the black clouds.

Among the Mushitsuki who raised their heads expectantly, only Daisuke alone grimaced.

"Is it… still not enough…!"

The bullet shot by Daisuke.

It was originally supposed to possess enough power to annihilate Oogui, but wasn't able to fully repel Fuyuhotaru's snow. It had lost much of its power before hitting her.

The rainbow-colored eyes glared at Daisuke gritting his teeth.

"How many times will you interrupt my meals, Daisuke-chan?"

With strings of blood dribbling from the corners of her mouth, Oogui made a twisted smile.

"—As expected you have become somewhat of an eyesore."

Daisuke's knees folded and he fell on the ground.

"Daisuke!"

Chiharu hurriedly rushed at him. Losing his grip strength, the handgun slipped from his hand.

"If you once again stand in my way the next time – then I'll not go easy on you, you know?"

Showing him an expression she had never made before, Oogui's body was enveloped by a purple mist. Starting from her legs upwards her form was vanishing into the starry sky.

Akatsuki and Kasuou prepared to stop her from escaping.

However—

"Incinerating… 'Flame's' exterior—"

 "Senri!"

While trying to point at Oogui, Senri's arm lost its strength and slumped down.

It was probably due her overusing a power she wasn't used to. Akatsuki supported Senri who was exhausted and covered in large beads of sweat.

Until the very last moment Oogui completely disappeared, the rainbow-colored eyes stared at Daisuke.

She was gone and Daisuke hanged his head.

"Daisuke…! Daisuke…!"

As he raised his face, Chiharu supported his shoulder.

He was finally able to look at the face of the sister he had been reunited with after five long years from up close for the first time.

Different from how she was during the time of elementary school, he thought that she grew taller and even her face looked more adult-like.

Yet seeing her worry for him and cause a commotion was completely unchanged from that time.

"…I'm fine… You're a worrywart as always…"

Seeing Daisuke putting a brave front, Chiharu smiled while crying.

—When he opens his eyes a new battle would begin.

He would keep fighting by his own will.

He would keep getting hurt while spending his days on nothing but fighting.

So for now—

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

Chiharu said in a carefree tone just like five years ago.

Only now—

Enveloped by a nostalgic warmth, Daisuke surrendered himself to pleasant sleep.

4.02 Chiharu The Last

*

Gently swaying…

Lightly floating…

Chiharu's tranquil and happy daily life was unchanged.

And what pushed the carefree and peaceful Chiharu into this warm world was—

"Uh…"

Kusuriya Chiharu roused her body with a groan.

She, who had lost her consciousness on the dark and desolate rooftop, was covered in wounds. She was also completely drenched due to the rain and blood. In contrast to the amount of blood covering her clothes all of her wounds were shallow.

"…"

Chiharu rose up, absentmindedly looking around her.

In the space shrouded by darkness she couldn't see any other human figures.

Her head felt muddy.

She couldn't recall why she was there and why the school was this tattered.

"—I need to go back…"

Mumbling, she started walking with a staggering gait.

If she walked around this late she would make her mother worried. She had nothing in her head but this.

Something pulled at Chiharu's shoulder as she tried to leave the roof.

Perhaps it was her other self that was supposed to be inside her.

Or the sorrowful dream she had harbored for an instant.

Or the person more important than everything, her one and only—

"…?"

When Chiharu turned around there was no one behind her.

Thinking it was her imagination, she started walking again.

And just like this—

She left various feelings and thoughts at this place.

Kusuriya Chiharu left Shiou Elementary School.

*

She wouldn't let go.

Even after Oogui – Elviolene had left, Ayukawa Chiharu didn't let go of her hugged brother.

Different from how she left this place alone five years ago.

Chiharu came back there and retrieved what she left behind at the time.

"Daisuke…"

With her tearing eyes she confirmed the existence of her brother with his eyes closed in her arms.

She could feel a strong pulse from the wounded Daisuke.

Raising her face, she could see the group of Mushitsuki riddled with wounds looking at her and Daisuke. The people wearing black and white coats watched over the reunion of brother and sister calmly.

These Mushitsuki all went through cruel battles until now, and they would keep fighting from now on.

Just like her little brother Daisuke.

Since she recalled everything, Chiharu couldn't run away from their battle.

—I found someone important to me, Chiharu.

Thus said her brother.

And she heard who it was from Elviolene.

Anmoto Shiika.

The girl in the center of the fight between Mushitsuki, Fuyuhotaru.

Was Shiika fighting also under this sky even now? Would she, who was trying to fight against fighting, also keep living to meet Daisuke again?

If these two met and ended up needing each other—

Then Chiharu would never regret the fact she had turned her brother into a Mushitsuki in order to save his life.

Hugging Daisuke's head, she closed her eyes.

Inside her arms she could clearly feel the warmth of the brother she had met by chance.

"—Aria…"

Keeping both eyes closed, Chiharu spoke.

Now that she had reunited with her brother, there was another person she had to search for.

Just like Daisuke wished to meet Shiika.

Chiharu also had someone she made a promise with.

"I can feel your scent… Even now you're still wandering somewhere."

One of the Original Three – Aria Varei.

Having fully retrieved her memories, Chiharu also recalled Aria Varei's scent. She could feel it from somewhere far away.

Konomura Chami had told her.

If she could expose the mysteries of Mushi she would be able to end the fight of Mushitsuki.

And Aria Varei would know about them—

"I'm coming for you."

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

In order to fulfill her past promise…

In order to ascertain the battle of Mushitsuki…

Chiharu would find Aria Varei.

Gently swaying...

Lightly floating…

Chiharu felt that such a peaceful and happy life—

Was surely waiting for her in the future.

4.03 The Others

In the underground of Akamaki City was the base of the Special Environmental Preservation Bureau's Central Headquarters.

Reaching to the depths of dozens of meters below ground, in the deepest part of a certain facility in the eighth layer.

A room lined up with monitors and control boards was enveloped in shrieks.

Certain objects were destroying the equipment, slicing up the people wearing white coats running about and defeating the combat personnel sent to stop them.

They were a swarm of disks covered by a shining pattern that flew in the air.

The one controlling these disks was a boy with black lines drawn under his eye.

"[Rin is confused]! [Rin is confused]!"

Every time he yelled frantically with a pale face, the disks flew around the room. The lights were destroyed by the disks slicing up the ceiling, so the room was shrouded in darkness. A shrill alarm resounded.

Soon the emergency lighting went on and the room was illuminated by white-bluish lights.

By the time the lights have returned, the eyeliner-wearing boy could see a woman standing in front of him.

This suit-wearing woman didn't even move an inch when faced with the boy's abnormal destructive actions. She calmly looked at him with narrowed eyes and wore a thin smile.

"…!"

Seeing the woman smiling under the emergency lights, the shoulders of eyeliner boy twitched. He became frozen stiff with an expression of fear as if the woman's smile was an invisible chain.

"—So you have lost your normal thinking ability, Rin. I believe you are under the effect of an enemy's attack."

Showing him her chaining smile, the woman – Miguruma Yaeko – spoke in a calm tone.

People wearing black masks gathered around her.

The boy raised a small shriek inside his mouth. He reflexively controlled his disks and tried to attack Yaeko.

"Ri… [Rin is confused]! [Rin is confused]!"

The black masks promptly defended her. Yet the eyeliner boy's attack was faster than all of them. Slipping between the materializing Mushi, it aimed for Yaeko's brows.

Just before the sharp blades of the disks tore her to shreds…

Crimson flames filled her sight.

A roaring Manticora latipennis evaporated the disks, also swallowing up the Mushi protecting Yaeko as if saying it wasn't enough.

Burning all the disks to a crisp, annihilating all Mushi, the Manticora latipennis burst and disappeared.

Not budging an inch, Yaeko could see the eyeliner boy bending backward.

His eyes that were rapidly losing their light gazed at her. He muttered as if talking in delirium.

 "Re… 'Remember'…"

Leaving that word behind, the boy collapsed on the floor with a thud.

Starting with that boy, the black masks surrounding Yaeko also fell down listlessly.

"Please make a bit of an effort to restrain your power, Harukiyo."

Yaeko's smile was unperturbed in the slightest. Despite the fact she was a single second away from losing her life, she moved not an inch from where she stood at first.

In front of her was a strangely-dressed boy.

The boy's face was fully covered by tape. Sitting on the desk he rested his chin on his knees, smiling. It was a fierce smile that would make anyone feel goosebumps were they not Yaeko.

Irregular Class Rank 1, Harukiyo.

He was one of the Mushitsuki possessing the strongest battle power just like Kakkou or Fuyuhotaru.

"'Remember' – is what he said. Aren't those words too late?"

"This is probably something like a war declaration from someone. He had apparently just finished his mission, was finished off by some small fry and returned. However—"

Wearing her chaining smile, Yaeko looked down at the collapsed boy.

"I am interested in that ability. If I ever end up meeting with it then I will make use of it."

The black masks that arrived too late stopped as they saw Yaeko and Harukiyo. They stood in place as if fearing these two smiling at each other.

Yaeko looked around the destroyed room.

"Urgently check the security of the bottommost layer, please. Raise the alertness level to the maximum."

Following her orders, the black masks immediately started moving.

"I thought that Kakkou taking independent action was far too convenient. But there is someone who gave him that opportunity. Who on earth was that?"

Yaeko turned her smile toward Harukiyo.

Kuku, laughed the boy whose face was covered by tape.

"Leaving you at my side was apparently the right call. Your comrades are probably heading down the lowest layer about now, right? Or perhaps – if things went well, you would have joined forces with Kakkou and tried to defeat the Original Three?"

"What're you talking about?"

Keeping his chin on his knees, Harukiyo raised the edges of his lips.

Yaeko and Harukiyo crossed their gazes.

"What a pity. You still do not know the precise whereabouts of 'that', and Kakkou himself cannot beat Oogui alone."

Harukiyo erased his smile. His searing eyes penetrated Yaeko. She received that gaze which seemed like it would burn her from the front with her chaining smile.

"All is well. So you intend to keep trying to outsmart me, Harukiyo."

Yaeko walked around the room illuminated by the emergency lighting.

Within the blaring alarms she passed in front of Harukiyo with an air of composure.

"Even when you stubbornly refuse to obey the Special Environmental Preservation Bureau – I will still love you."

The chaining smile stood out in the space illuminated by the emergency lights.