Editing Mushi Uta:Volume 5 Chapter 4 (section)

==4.00 Daisuke Part 6==

<br>

<nowiki>*</nowiki>

<br>

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 checkered beetle 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 checkered beetle 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.

<br>

<nowiki>*</nowiki>

<br>

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 '{{furigana|flame|target}}'. —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. —'{{furigana|Fire|Shoot}}'."

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.