Editing Mushi Uta:Volume 4th Episode 16 (section)

===Part 2===

"A while ago I received an application for a new gun from Kakkou."

Central Headquarters, underground maze.

In the entrance of a vast meeting room, Yoshihara Munechika stood stock still.

The one who greeted the wrecked Munechika in the Headquarters was a narrow-eyed beauty.

She introduced herself as Miguruma Yaeko, but Munechika didn't know her exact title. The woman herself simply told her that she was in charge of the team investigating Hanashiro Mari and Ichinokuro Arisu.

Yaeko, who was tall and clad in a business suit, looked to be in her late twenties. The black hair swaying on her neck had a faint luster like a Japanese doll.

"Please report to me what has happened."

Yaeko said with a calm smile.

Yet the unmoving Munechika stared at the floor with empty eyes.

"…No matter how many times I calculate it, adding any more hardness… But with the way it broke down…"

The gun breaking down was etched into her eyes. She couldn't even properly recall how she arrived back at the Headquarters.

The Gemsteel was Munechika's masterpiece.

No matter which materials it was used with, it should have elevated all of its attributes, starting with hardness.

But even so—right in front of her eyes, it crumbled to pieces along with her pride as a tool maker.

If that wasn't enough, Munechika simply couldn't understand the cause for this.

"Do not be so discouraged. This does not have anything to do with your mission now."

Yaeko didn't seem to notice Munechika ignoring her boss's words and mumbling to herself. She simply smiled and kept talking as if to admonish her.

"But… the morpho butterfly is a Fusion Type just like Kakkou."

Munechika's eyebrows twitched.

"If you make Ichinokuro Arisu's equipment, make sure the same thing won't happen again."

When she raised her face, Yaeko's smile changed its essence.

Her narrow eyes became narrower and her lips curved like a crescent moon. A smile that looked as if anyone who stared at it would be captured, bound and frozen—a chaining smile.

''So she's saying I'll fail again—''

Yaeko received Munechika's gaze of anger with calmness.

"Ichinokuro Arisu's equipment?"

Not only Munechika and Yaeko were inside the meeting room.

Whoever it was, there was a suit-wearing boy sitting in the back. He put both feet on the table with his back turned to them.

"Is that really necessary?"

He raised his face, seeming truly puzzled. Perhaps finding the act of turning around too bothersome, he lowered the chair and his face to look at them. Strangely-shaped sunglasses fell to his brows.

"It is better than having nothing, surely. We are also planning to make an inspection soon."

"No need. Fusion Types can just use whatever they find."

"Is that so?"

Their relationship was unclear, as Yaeko was speaking politely to the boy who seemed to be younger.

Finishing their short talk, Yaeko again turned a calm smile to Munechika.

"—And so, your mission is on hold."

Munechika widened her eyes.

"What…"

"You did not fail in your mission. It's just on hold. —I have heard that you are excellent. I will keep expecting you to act to be loved by me, alright?"

She was speechless at the sudden order to cease her task.

It wasn't that she felt sentimental because this was her monumental first mission.

She didn't care about the mission at all.

But it was as if as Munechika's boss told her to—forget about what she couldn't create and go create something else.

"Gh…!"

She grinded her clenched teeth.

It was unbearable shame as a tool maker.

After having her work be derided as something below ready-made goods, she would never get another job. As long as she didn't overturn this impression she'd become unable to create even a single screw. 

"I request continuing the mission."

Yaeko grinned. She turned around wordlessly to the boy.

"Hmm… so another one's drawn to that morpho butterfly."

Munechika raised her eyebrows at the boy's words.

"It has nothing to do with people or Mushi. In both mind and body I'm just a tool maker—"

Until now nobody could create perfect weapons for Fusion Types.

If so then excluding Munechika, there was no one who could do it.

Wanting to create something that would never break—

Since she'd wished for and dreamed about it, she had to do it.

"Nothing but my iron would work for Fusion Type Mushi."

The next time she failed she'd possibly lose confidence not only in herself right now—but also in her talent and potential.

Giving up like this would mean Munechika's death as a tool maker.

"Ichinokuro Arisu… no, that scammer should just use what I've created."

She asserted cleanly.

The boy with the upturned face narrowed one his eyes.

"You're amusing."

He looked like he was laughing, but there was no emotion in his voice. Having an apparent young boy make that sort of face was unsettling.

"…Fine. You can continue. However…"

The boy returned the chair, turning his back to Munechika again. His barely visible mouth formed a smile.

"Since you're getting involved with that morpho butterfly, it won't end well for you."

''Bring it on.''

Or perhaps she should say that it was too late.

At this point Munechika's confidence and pride were already crushed, so she could only advance. She had nothing else to fear.

Yaeko wore a chaining smile.

"West Central Branch member Sakura. I order you to continue your mission."

Munechika clenched her fists.

"However, I will give you a week to complete this."

"Understood."

The Gemsteel cube emitted a low metallic sound on Munechika's head as she nodded with a sharp expression.

What are Fusion Type Mushi?

In order to create Ichinokuro Arisu's equipment, Munechika first focused on that.

Until now, there were three confirmed people who had their dreams eaten by the Original Three known as Sanbikime and became Mushitsuki—that information and background didn't help her at all.

What have they fused with, how did they use it, and what result have they produced?

She wanted pure data.

First of all, she knew that Kakkou fused with his gun. In exchange for achieving powerful bombardment he stretched his gun's endurance to its absolute limits, just like the person himself said.

Next she investigated Hanashiro Mari. She was the original host of the morpho butterfly.

Using Kakkou's investigation, she knew there was a period where Mari had hunted so much Mushitsuki that she became known as Hunter. Her goal was unknown, but she didn't care about her motive.

What equipment had Hanashiro Mari used to keep fighting?

For that, testimony from people of the combat unit who knew her was essential.

She actually searched for people who'd fought Hanashiro Mari. Yet most of the Mushitsuki who'd met with the cruel huntress had their Mushi killed, turning into the emotionless and amnesiac Fallen.

Yet she was able to contact only one person who had been able to see Hanashiro Mari as she was before her death by another method.

It was the Mushitsuki with the ability to view Mushi's memories, Kororo.

''—Hanashiro Mari's equipment when she fought? *''Grin''*, I do remember. It was like this. *''Scribble scribble''*.''

Although she was able to view memories, she couldn't record them. She used a pen to scribble the figure of Hanashiro Mari that she'd seen.

It was a crappy drawing, but it was easy enough to understand that Hanashiro Mari fused her Mushi with a cane.

Mari's cane was apparently an order-made item. It was obviously new at a glance.

In exchanging equipment, both Hanashiro Mari and Kakkou were the same.

''Miguruma Yaeko… she probably knew this—''

Whatever Munechika investigated that sly woman should already be aware of. Since she knew it wasn't straightforward, she'd practically challenged Munechika.

Anger welled inside her. Yet wickedness would dull her iron.

Calming herself down, she finally gathered data on Ichinokuro Arisu.

The current morpho butterfly's host changed weapons every time she fought.

She apparently used at times a wooden staff and at times metallic. All of those were destroyed or left in an irreparable state after just one use.

All of the Fusion Types had similar data—

Just as she came to a dead end, Munechika found out there was yet another Fusion Type.

Since the morpho butterfly was the same Mushi, the two hosts were apparently counted together. The real third Fusion Type was in an unexpected place.

''—The SEPB coat? It breaks immediately, so only I use a completely normal one.''

Thus said the girl who was, in contrast to the other powerful Fusion Types, unranked, and thus acknowledged as the weakest among Mushitsuki. Low-end members like her wouldn't get enough money to repair their equipment.

That Munechika was once again assaulted by a sense of defeat went without saying. The long coats being used as the members' standard equipment already had her Gemsteel integrated into them.

''—That coat just felt kinda cold. Something like I hated it and it hated me back? The opposite of a loving couple.''

Leaving her incomprehensible impressions behind, the girl once again melted with the crowd.

Investigating Fusion Types, she found similarities.

Even ready-made goods could withstand some usage. Yet equipment that could break anytime wasn't really equipment. At the very least Munechika thought so as a tool maker.

But what Munechika had created—couldn't even withstand one use. Having Kakkou call it a defective product was infuriating, but now she couldn't even retort.

By recalling her powerlessness, she recalled something else Kakkou said that she'd ignored.

''—Since a specially-made item would actually immediately break, this is good enough.''

Meaning, he only wanted ready-made equipment. But the important thing was that he'd once used order-made guns.

Asking around the West Central Branch, there were records of the creation of Kakkou's guns.

They didn't last a mere instant like Munechika's one, but just like the user himself had said, they all broke easier than ready-made ones.

Superior metal couldn't withstand the fusion process with Fusion Types—

It sounded illogical, but was the truth.

However, never mind gaining any clues, but the information Munechika found from the scarce data actually confused her.

"Something about good metal obstructs the fusion with Fusion Types…? Is such a stupid thing even possible…"

A few days passed since she received the mission.

While walking absentmindedly on the streets of Akamaki City, Munechika looked up the noon sky.

"…Fusion…"

The large sun burned in gold.

As she stood in place with a tired face, the shape of the sun and the tall buildings in Munechika's sight warped. Sweat entered her eyes and her vision blurred.

"What if… Fusion Mushi are just like me…"

''Clang.''

''Clang.''

She could hear the sound of striking metal from somewhere.

In the capital there was always something being built somewhere, so construction sounds echoed around.

Munechika, used as she was to metallic sounds, recalled an important teaching.

"Fusion Type Mushi… connect people and objects…"

By being too close to humans, one would mix their emotions with the purity of iron.

By being too close to iron, one would rust their wisdom as a human.

The one who connected "people" and "objects" was a blacksmith.

So she was taught.

"And so… The same being is standing in my way…"

During this era when people have surpassed the potential of iron, Munechika rejected this teaching.

It was people who should be used by metal—

Believing this, she tempered her heart and hated people who've lost love and respect for objects.

However, Mushi didn't exist without people.

As a being that connected people and objects, the tool maker and Fusion Types chose different paths.

"…So stupid."

She muttered and started walking again.

The reason why Munechika's Gemsteel didn't accept Fusion Type had to have some decisive cause.

But even so she had some stupid daydreams. It was nothing more than escapism after reaching a dead end.

"…Without the strength of the Gemsteel, it shouldn't be possible to keep using it… but with the Gemsteel it couldn't fuse with Mushi…"

She had no idea how she would even need to swing her hammer to build a prototype.

Standing in place again, she felt so dizzy she could faint. But since she was working on a clock, she couldn't waste a single second on sleep. She was unable to obtain even a single hint, so she at least wanted to keep moving ahead.

"It really is hot today…"

Fierce rays that couldn't possibly belong in this early summer scorched the city surrounded by steel and concrete.

It was too strong of a sun for a tool maker who frequently shut herself inside her workplace. Also, since she'd made no advances in three days, she hadn't really slept at all.

"The sunlight really is hot…"

She simply walked ahead, without knowing where. She moved her body only because she had to think.

She nearly fainted. Munechika's body lightly tilted.

Yet her thin shoulder was grabbed and she was held by someone.

"Hey you. Your face looks horrible… are you fine?"

Barely preserving her consciousness, she turned to the side.

A boy with slanted eyes and long, black hair looked at Munechika worryingly.

"W-wait up! You should rest in the shade."

The boy stopped Munechika when she tried to ignore him and leave. He pulled her hand and brought her to a road isolated from other people.

"…"

She didn't have enough energy to resist.

Moving from the sun to the shade, she could only feel the coldness of the wall she leaned against.

"Hot… Cold…"

The difference between the blazing sun and cool shade lowered her blood pressure.

In her head that became anemic—sprouted an idea.

"Temperature difference… Heat… Heat weakens connection…"

"Cold".

She had the feeling she'd heard this word lately.

"Hot… Cold…"

The boy reached out toward the mumbling Munechika.

"Do you have a fever?"

Munechika's head was affixed to the wall with a jerk.

The next instant, several people appeared in the narrow road.

"So it's Sakura from the West Central Branch's development unit."

The boy's voice changed. A sharp voice that made it seem like he could control his own vocal cords stabbed into Munechika.

A small azure disk clung to the wall near Munechika's ear. It looked like a leaf beetle, but had no eyes.

"Sorry for being rough with you. Please listen to me without raising your voice."

The strength holding her head lessened.

Losing its support, Munechika's head shook vertically.

It apparently looked like she was nodding. The boy's expression softened and he let go of her.

"My name's Aki. I was once part of the SEPB, but I'm now collecting allies under a certain someone."

Despite Munechika using all of her efforts just to withstand the dizziness assaulting her, the boy called Aki smiled.

A girl who seemed to be his comrade stepped out. She patted Munechika all over her sailor uniform, peeked into her pouch, and reported that "She doesn't seem to have any communication device. No goggles, either," to Aki.

"I was able to obtain information about you from friends that remained in the SEPB. You are a genius developer that entered the development unit immediately after joining the West Central Branch. Also, since you've received special training at Central Headquarters the other day, you keep polishing your skills."

Munechika stayed silent and unmoving.

Her vacant blurry sight wandered around as she searched her memories.

She had the feeling she'd heard the word "cold" more than once.

"Let me get straight to the point. Will you become our comrade?"

Aki directed an honest gaze at Munechika.

Her head gradually grew accustomed to the sun's heat. Her thinking power recovered a bit.

"I also know how you joined the SEPB. There are many cases where other people discover your Mushi and you get captured, but… it was somewhat different in your case."

''Clang.''

''Clang.''

She heard metallic sounds of construction from afar like always.

Hearing the metallic sound, a completely irrelevant memory resurfaced.

"When you'd seen the equipment of the SEPB member sent to capture you—you offered to join of your own volition."

It happened while she was engaged in various chores as the daughter of a hardware store owner.

It was a simple job of replacing a rusted, leaking lamp. Yet sympathizing with the useless lamp being thrown away, she instead fixed it using her power as a Mushitsuki.

Even before that, since she'd been using a "mysterious power" she'd already been marked.

Since her monitor had seen Munechika use her Mushi, she was captured.

She knew neither the reason for her attack or the identity of her opponent. Naturally she resisted, and by striking the attacker's equipment with her hammer, she realized it was made of material unknown to her.

Munechika asked the reason for her attack by brute force—and became determined to join the SEPB.

The West Central Branch was wonderful, and she was able to produce material she'd never touched before. Ever since joining, she learnt their making in no time.

And she created the Gemsteel.

The Gemsteel created by Munechika was acknowledged by her colleagues as the best alloy.

"Since your motive was special you're under no obligation to obey the SEPB. Don't you dislike your creations being used by such an unreasonable organization?"

Finally she was able to focus her eyes. She saw Aki's face for the first time.

The boy wore an unwavering expression. He probably thought he was acting for justice. The people around wore the same expressions.

"These aren't tools supposed to hurt fellow Mushitsuki. Please create tools to save them."

As long as there were tools made by Munechika, they'd be able to win against the SEPB—

Is what he meant.

Perhaps they could win.

But—that was only if they could really use what Munechika created.

"We can no longer… just cower in fear of Kakkou and the rest."

Munechika widened her eyes.

Hearing the boy's words, her memory became clear as if mist was blown away.

''—So cold.'' 

It was Kakkou who muttered this while he held Munechika's restructured gun.

And saying the same thing was another person.

''—That coat just felt kinda cold.''

The girl who, although unranked, was a Fusion Type just like Kakkou.

The two Fusion Types said that what Munechika created was "cold".

"My Gemsteel… is cold—"

Thinking about it just like when Kakkou told her, a gun being cold was natural.

By cutting off heat, or perhaps temporarily dispersing it, the gun was able to endure the impact of gunpowder and the fire-resistant coat was able to diffuse external heat.

It was sturdy and tough exactly because it didn't accept any heat.

Thinking about it backwards, creating better metal required large amounts of heat energy.

Destroying the cellular structure of superior metal and rebuilding it would give birth to even superior metal.

"Cool enough to be good metal…"

Her Gemsteel was cold.

The equipment fusing with Fusion Types broke down easily.

Munechika had already known both, so why was her heart beating so rapidly?

"Are you even listening to me?"

Being ignored, Aki's expression stiffened. He thrust Munechika against the wall forcefully.

Yet Munechika didn't pay him any attention.

"Hot… Cold… is that it? Does Fusion Type require such a foolish condition from me…?"

The true identity of what Munechika was looking for slowly took form inside her.

Yet this only introduced further problems.

A component of a coarse alloy that would preclude it from being good metal.

If that is truly what Fusion Type Mushi sought—

"Does it mean that Mushi seek heat… ''warmth''…?" 

The ultimate hardness, as well as heat.

Munechika, who knew the principles of iron, knew they were mutually exclusive.

It was an absurd demand.

The hint she'd grabbed was an insurmountable wall.

But even so—

"Answer us, Sakura."

She violently shook off Aki's arm as he questioned her.

"…!"

Starting with the boy, the members all changed their expressions.

"There's something I have to create. Don't disturb me with your foolishness."

"Foolishness, you say…?"

"If you want to get involved in fights between humans then go ahead."

Munechika simply glared at the angry boys and girls.

"I am neither human nor steel but a mere tool maker. Don't tell me anything other than an order, idiot."

She asserted, then tried to pass through the center of the gathering.

"Unfortunately, I've already had a previous order."

Yet Aki blocked her from leaving. He inquired her with a silent gaze.

"That order… that thing you must create, what is it?"

"The morpho butterfly's spear."

She declared without a hint of hesitation.

Although the conditions seemed impossible, she had to create it.

The one who connected "people" and "objects" was a blacksmith.

It was a teaching that Munechika abandoned long ago.

And so she would never lose against Fusion Type Mushi who connected people and inanimate objects just like that old teaching.

"The morpho butterfly's spear, you say?"

The color of Aki's face changed. The air became tense.

"You mean equipment for Ichinokuro Arisu to use!"

"Who knows? Move. Don't you humans dare stand in my way."

Just as Munechika tried to push the boy's body back, a fragment of concrete cut her cheek.

A small explosion occurred near her face.

The Mushi perched on the wall—the one similar to the species of leaf beetle called Linaeidea aenea—started raising white smoke from its disk-like body.

''That smell… so it can create some sort of explosive compound—no, gas—inside its body. Also—''

Munechika looked down at her feet.

Several leaf beetles had appeared at some point and were climbing her white legs.

''So he's the type that controls multiple Mushi—''

But his ability didn't matter. Munechika looked at the hole in the wall, frowning.

"You broke it… you idiots don't know the value of things."

"Even if you'd rejected us we intended to let you go peacefully. But we can no longer do that."

Following Aki, the other boys and girls began circling around Munechika with clear hostility.

"That morpho butterfly is dangerous. If we allow it to become any stronger it might be the second coming of Hunter."

Several Mushi climbed on her legs.

"We heard that Hunter was a demon just like Kakkou. Fusion Type Mushitsuki are dangerous. Equipment that would strengthen the morpho butterfly—"

"So you're saying you won't let me make it?"

Uncaring about her disadvantaged situation, Munechika spoke in an angry voice.

"Never tell a tool maker to 'not create'. At least the SEPB doesn't do that. Recently they almost did, but… in the end they gave me permission to continue. Yet you keep telling me not to?"

"Even if what you create is nothing but a tool made to hurt other Mushitsuki?"

"'Even if you'd rejected us we intended to let you go peacefully'—"

She quoted Aki's words from before verbatim.

"Why didn't you add this? 'Only if you swear to not create weapons for the SEPB'. You're worse than objects or plants, you liars."

"…!"

"You're no different from the SEPB. Even if I create weapons, it doesn't change the fact you'd use them to fight other Mushitsuki. You complain and push responsibility unto your tools. Idiots."

She clearly asserted.

Aki narrowed his eyes. He took deep breaths as if to calm himself, then opened his eyes again.

"So you won't join us… too bad."

Munechika reached out for her pouch. Yet her fingers passed through air. The girl who'd performed her body check earlier took it.

"One needs to be careful while fighting a tool maker."

It happened just as the leaf beetles started emitting a bright light at the scowling Munechika's feet.

"OK, enlisting's over! Can I have my turn now?"

The surrounding air was dyed in brown.

"…!"

The only ones to notice the asphalt rising were Munechika and Aki.

When they both instinctively kicked the ground, a liquefied asphalt spear nearly grazed their noses.

Yet the boys and girls surrounding Munechika couldn't evade it. Blown away by several tons of asphalt, they were pounded against the wall. Munechika also saw her pouch being swallowed by the asphalt.

"Who're you…!"

Aki gazed at the road ahead. Aside from Munechika and Aki, everyone was trapped by the asphalt that solidified again.

Inside the brown surroundings—the territory of a Special Type Mushitsuki—a tall shadow appeared, walking calmly. The asphalt rising from the ground took a short and stout form.

The tall person was a man with skin brown, clearly of an African descent. Instead of a hair band he used mechanical goggles to hold his dreadlocks together.

Meanwhile, next to the dreadlocked man a large Mushi made of asphalt took form.

It had a bizarre body in the shape of a gourd and an especially long proboscis. It looked similar to the species of weevils known as Ectatorhinus adamsii.

"The SEPB…? No—"

It was natural for Aki to mistake it.

What the dreadlocked man wore was, without a doubt, the SEPB goggles. He also wore the long coat of the same organization. Yet the latter was wrapped over his waist and the former hung from his back.

"You're Robber…!"

Aki spat his voice mixed with hatred. At the very least he wasn't their ally.

Next to his Mushi, the man called Robber bowed.

"Shall I escort you, Princess?"

Raising his face, the dreadlocked man looked at none other than Munechika.

"If you don't like 'em, you can come with me. Now wouldn't that be fun?"

Although she was suddenly invited, Munechika couldn't understand what was being discussed. She looked at Aki.

The ex-SEPB boy already assumed battle position. Moving his head and cracking his neck, he scowled.

"He's with Harukiyo. He's a pervert who attacks SEPB members and takes their equipment. He's apparently a Special Type Mushitsuki, but despite having attacked a few people his abilities are unknown."

"You were already dumped by her, so scram. Also, I'm not really Harukiyo's ally."

Speaking in somewhat strangely-pronounced Japanese, Robber showed his white teeth and laughed.

"Well, it's true I'm in the network with Harukiyo in the center."

"Network…?"

"A gathering of people who like interesting stuff. Our only similarities are having enough power to hide from the SEPB, I think."

Aki scowled. "A pervert assembly, then," he groaned.

"Weak people swarm together. Swarms clash against each other. —It's got nothing to do with us. We simply use our Mushitsuki powers to do whatever we like however much we like."

The pair continued their talk as if it was natural, but Munechika couldn't understand them.

"Haruki…yo?"

"Harukiyo."

Both Aki and Robber affirmed Munechika's mutter.

She finally recalled.

She'd heard that lately someone was challenging the SEPB. And he probably had a name like that.

"Ever since hearing about you from the West Central Branch member who'd 'given' me these clothes, I wanted to see you."

Robber said with a superficial smile.

"You're a Mushitsuki just like us. You don't care about good or bad. Come along with me and do what interests you. And create some stuff I want while you're at it."

Munechika clicked her tongue.

She was blocked yet again by someone with an offer that didn't interest her in the least. Furthermore she wanted to puke just by seeing him. There had to be some limit to how someone could wear equipment without any sort of aesthetics or self-consciousness.

"Hmm, no reply, OK. Let's speak while we're alone. —I want what's on your head. I can tell at a glance it's something good."

Robber wasn't perturbed in the least by Munechika's rejection. He glared greedily at the Gemsteel cube in her hair.

She commended him for realizing the value of the Gemsteel, but saying he wanted it pissed her off. Telling a tool maker to hand over her raw materials was breach of conduct.

"Please hand it over once I make the signal. Then come along and start creating stuff for us, my honey. We're all gonna make good use of them, y'know."

"I will not allow that. I'll turn her into a Fallen right here and now."

Aki cut between Munechika and Robber.

"Don't interrupt. Now, come here, honey."

"Bring your Mushi out, Sakura. If not, I'll destroy your arms."

Aki and Robber.

The two Mushitsuki cornered Munechika.

Standing in place, she sighed.

"…"

''Clang.''

''Clang.''

The regular construction sounds echoed in her tired mind.

She finally grasped a hint.

Yet the problem grew larger, and now she had to think about how she'd create it according to her image.

Munechika was facing a huge problem, yet a worthless trifle was blocking her path.

"As long as it's related to the morpho butterfly it won't end good, huh."

She was merely trying to create equipment for a single girl yet the foolish human problems poured on her.

She had no interest in the justice Aki spoke of, nor in Harukiyo's group that Robber belonged to. All of them could do whatever they liked, but they tried to push their ideologies and hobbies onto Munechika who was a mere tool maker.

"So stupid."

By being too close to humans, one would mix their emotions with the purity of iron.

By being too close to iron one, would rust their wisdom as a human.

The one who connected "people" and "objects" was a blacksmith.

So she was taught.

But Munechika—

"It's fine for someone with ideals or collection mania to want my objects. Once created, I'll never tell you to give them back."

She hated humans.

They knew nothing about the value of objects, broke them thoughtlessly, and pushed unto them unneeded emotions.

That was why they were human. —She'd already given up on becoming human.

"But don't cause a tool maker to have filthy emotions. You'll rust the metal."

Then Munechika alone would stay pure.

She wanted to create objects that human users would never break and continue to use.

"Wash your faces and leave, you idiots."

She wanted to create something that would never break—

What Munechika aimed for was a dream that would never yield to anything nor bend to anyone's emotions.

"C'mon, don't say that, come with me."

Ignoring the tool maker's rejection, Robber stepped ahead.

Yet the next instant, azure masses appeared around him.

They were countless leaf beetles.

Aside from its ability to cause explosions and to control multiple bodies, it apparently even had camouflage capabilities. As they melted into the surrounding background, Robber hurriedly distanced himself from the approaching leaf beetles.

"I don't have any duty to defeat the SEPB's enemies anymore… but I won't let you do that. Because if you turn her into Harukiyo's ally we'll have to fight her at some point."

Aki snapped his fingers.

The leaf beetles didn't appear only around Robber; several appeared also around Munechika.

"…!"

She tried reflexively stepping back, but suddenly strength left her legs. —On top of not having slept for a few days, she'd wandered under the blazing sun. Her stamina had already reached its limits.

The impact of an explosion stabbed through the alleyway.

"As long as you don't have a sensing ability, you'll never be able to defend against my ability."

The number of leaf beetles assaulting Munechika was less than those surrounding Robber. Yet since she had no means to defend with, she was pounded against the wall helplessly.

"Guh…!"

"I'll say this again. If you bring out your Mushi I'll just turn you into a Fallen. If you still don't accept this, I'll blow off your arm."

Aki walked calmly toward Munechika who collapsed to the ground.

"That's not good at all. I'm taking honey home with me."

Cutting through the smoke of the explosion, a white object flew forward.

It was a weevil with a pure, white body, unlike its asphalt color from before.

"Tch!"

Without turning around, Aki sent leaf beetles at it.

Explosions swallowed the weevil.

Yet the beetles' attack was unable to inflict even a single wound to the weevil's body. It charged at Aki as if nothing happened.

"What…!"

Even while surprised, he leapt to the side to avoid the attack.

Yet Munechika who was also in the path of its charge couldn't dodge the large body. She bounded and rolled from the other side of the road to inside the dark alley.

"Ugh…!"

The dreadlocked man approached next to his weevil while showing his white canines.

"Oops, sorry. As expected it's hard to hold back with this material."

While smiling he picked up a piece of asphalt rolling at his feet. The weevil raised its face and used its long proboscis to swallow the asphalt the man was holding.

Soon another brown domain was created and the weevil's body changed its color. Its large body, now asphalt-colored, sank into the ground.

"That'd be better for bringing you back, honey."

"No way…! Can you freely control your Mushi's medium…?"

Aki looked shocked, but Robber stayed calm.

"Well, who knows?"

It was natural for Aki to be surprised. Special Type Mushi could activate their abilities through a certain medium while inside their domain. Yet Munechika never heard even in rumors about a Mushi that was able to change its medium.

Barely raising her face, Munechika noticed a certain fact. The long, white coat that was standard for the Central Headquarters was gone from among Robber's equipment.

By making his Mushi eat a designated material, he could turn that into his medium—

If Munechika's assumption was correct, the white insect from just now had the same endurance as the SEPB coat. And so when it was physically attacked it had almost no effect.

"Uh…"

This wasn't the time for that—

A tool maker wasn't supposed to be fighting.

Needing to return to the workplace, Munechika tried getting up. Yet she was assaulted by pain, fatigue and dizziness. Rather than the damage she'd received, her body didn't listen to her due to the uselessness plaguing her.

Yet when she tried floundering, her body suddenly floated.

The asphalt rose up, swallowing Munechika. She couldn't move and so was thrown toward Robber.

"I told you I won't let you have her!"

Leaf beetles filled her sight.

The back alley was swallowed by a chain of explosions.

"Gabfh…!"

The asphalt covering Munechika cracked. Blown herself by the explosions, she fell on the hard ground.

"Don't stand in my way. She's mine."

[[File:Mushi_Uta_Bug_4th_p261.jpg|thumb]]

Again the wave of asphalt tried covering Munechika.

Taking advantage of the fact Munechika couldn't move, she was being treated like an object. It was an ironic position for her as someone who hated humans, but she didn't feel like laughing.

She stabbed the ground with her nails and crawled inside the back alley.

"To the workplace…"

She had to go back.

She had hints and she needed to test them.

Since there was a possibility, Munechika had to make it come true.

She had no time to go along with the trifles of humans—

"UOORAAHHHH!"

Suddenly the howling of a beast reverberated.

In defiance of the leaf beetles' explosions, the asphalt weevil broke into pieces and dark masses started falling from the air.

Such a fearful tremor shook the area that it was weird the buildings haven't collapsed.

The surroundings swallowed by the brown domain were now filled with thick mist.

"Don't fucking mess around in the Central Headquarters' territory!"

A girl wearing a white coat who swung around claws made of coagulated mist howled.

The Central Headquarters' Berserker, Kasuou.

Other white-coated members also appeared with a delay.

"Shi—"

Although he tried attacking Munechika, Aki took a step back in attempt to distance himself from Kasuou.

"Oh, look who have here, the traitor Aki. Are you doing well?"

Kasuou, having already flipped her switch to enter battle mode, narrowed her blue eyes like a predator.

"And I don't know the other guy."

"It was just getting good when you showed up."

The dreadlocked man shrugged lightly.

"I don't know why Sakura's being attacked, but—"

This was Akamaki City.

It was the home turf of the Central Headquarters that controlled all of the SEPB.

If Mushitsuki fought too conspicuously it was obvious the organization's members would come swarming. They were actually late.

"Anyway, both of you can kindly go to hell."

Kasuou grinned evilly.

Aki and Robber acted quickly.

"Sakura, as long as you're with the SEPB, you'll come to regret it one day."

"See you, honey."

They apparently didn't want to clash against Kasuou who had, despite being unranked, the best strength and destructive power. They all turned their back and dashed down alleys.

Although she wasn't the team leader, Kasuou dashed after them and the other members pursued her.

"You stay over there. We'll call the healing team."

Munechika didn't even feel like thanking Kasuou who left her behind. Despite her being this powerful, her mission completion rate was awful. She would obviously soon lose both of them.

Munechika roused her wounded body, staggering.

Her sailor uniform was torn and she was scorched from all the explosions. There was fresh blood on her head, and she felt dust and a metallic taste in her mouth.

She dragged her feet to walk.

She couldn't just wait for the healing team.

"Hot…"

The core of her head was hot as if burned.

Did she have a fever or had the leaf beetles and weevil cracked her head?

"…Cold."

She felt a chill crawl inside her chest and up her fingernails.

She felt cold, perhaps due to shedding too much blood.

"People and objects…"

''Clang.''

''Clang.''

Hearing sounds of construction, she walked through alleys with a deathly pale face. Perhaps having entered a side street due to her blurry vision, she wandered around the narrow paths as if they were a maze.

The one who connected people and objects was a blacksmith.

So she was taught by her father and grandfather.

"And Fusion Type Mushi… are also like me…"

As they fused with inanimate objects to use their abilities, they could also be said to be beings that connected people and objects.

Yet Mushi couldn't accept cold steel alone.

They chose the exact opposite path of Munechika who hated humans and removed any and all heat from metal.

"But still… Why do they seek heat even from iron…"

Trudging along like a sleepwalker, she bit down her own words.

She had no need to think of why.

If that is the answer then Munechika would give it. However—

"Can I… even do that…?"

Just before exiting the sunlit road, she collapsed.

Her feet stumbled in the narrow alley, and she folded her knees as if to lean against the wall.

She overlooked the road with empty eyes. She couldn't move even a single step further.

"Bring heat… to metal…"

One of the cubes on her head clunked as it fell to the ground.

Seeking toughness, Munechika created her Gemsteel using extreme heat.

Heat made iron weaker.

People were brittle because they possessed heat.

The Gemsteel could be called Munechika's masterpiece as someone who loved metal and rejected humans.

"How do I preserve heat…? What kind of heat should it be…?"

It was different than enclosing heat inside a closed space like a thermos.

It was preserving heat in the metal itself.

Although she obtained clues, she couldn't think of how to realize that idea at all.

Perhaps this was her limit—as a misanthropic tool maker?

"It's too late, how can I even…"

Ever since she was a child she kept watch of the family's store plenty of times.

Since she had been watching her grandfather the swordsmith remnant and her father who worked in the factory, she knew the difficulties of creating items using iron.

Even so, all customers destroyed their objects and exchanged them for new as if it was natural. Whether it had a function or was expendable, there was no difference in their treatment.

It wasn't that it served as her motive.

She simply kept pounding with a certain belief in her chest and removed all impure emotions from the metal she created.

''I want to create something that'll never break—''

She wanted to produce by her own hands something that wouldn't be defeated by humans.

She wished for it, it became a dream, and set her on a natural course to become a Mushitsuki.

"…"

He vision blurred and the figures of people walking around were gone.

She lost most of her consciousness. She didn't know how much time passed since she couldn't move from that spot.

Among the people walking around, some noticed Munechika fainting. But perhaps thinking her a vagrant, or not wanting to get involved with her, none tried approaching her.

At some point the sun sank down and she was surrounded by orange.

Unable to even lift her face, her vision fell to the ground.

The cube that fell moved in her sight—shaking as if by an earthquake.

"…hear me? Are you fine?"

It wasn't the Gemsteel shaking; Munechika herself was being shaken by someone.

Raising her face with stiff movements, she saw a familiar girl looking at her face.

"Daisuke! Call an ambulance!"

Shouting as she turned toward the main street was a petite girl with a ponytail.

She was Ichinokuro Arisu.

At the back alley entrance Kakkou and two other girls looked at her to gauge the situation. These were the same people from the other day when Munechika came to see Arisu at the station.

Kakkou took out his cellphone and called somewhere. It was probably not actually the police or hospital.

"You look horrible…"

Arisu took out a handkerchief and wiped Munechika's face.

This time Munechika hadn't been waiting for her.

Had she passed there by chance? In this densely-populated city Munechika knew only few people by sight. Just how low were the chances to meet someone in particular?

''No, that's wrong—''

She hated letting people touch her body, but she had no power to resist. While letting her face be wiped, she noticed her own mistake.

There were plenty people that had seen here. But Arisu was the only one among them to stop—

A silver shine danced atop Arisu's head as she supported the collapsed Munechika.

"You're the only one who needs to remember…"

She glared with listless eyes at the silver morpho butterfly.

She hated referring to people by their names, and didn't like to give names to objects.

Yet for the first time she declared her name in front of the morpho butterfly.

"My name is Yoshihara Munechika. I'm the tool maker who'll grant your wish…"

Apparently not hearing her well, Arisu tilted her head with an "Eh?"

Ichinokuro Arisu inherited the morpho butterfly left behind by Hanashiro Mari.

She was one of the rare Fusion Types like Kakkou.

Aki and the others called it a demon, and it was also apparently involved with Harukiyo.

Munechika was also swallowed up by the butterfly that involved everyone and anyone.

However—

"…"

She grasped yet another hint.

Inside her hand.

"Ah…"

Munechika wordlessly grabbed Arisu's hand wiping her face.

The warmth of life was reborn in her hand that became cold due to blood loss.

That was undoubtedly the proof of one's life. As Munechika mastered metal she rejected it long ago—it was the forgotten warmth of a "person".

''This temperature—''

A new image formed in her mind.

"…I'll repay you someday."

Munechika wrung out a hoarse voice.

"Huh?"

She stared at the morpho butterfly above the confused Arisu's head.

''I'll finish this—''

She hadn't the slightest of intentions to get involved with the mysteries and battles revolving around the butterfly.

She didn't introduce herself to Ichinokuro Arisu. They'd probably never meet again.

What this lone tool maker sought was someone far more unreachable.

[[File:Mushi_Uta_Bug_4th_p271.jpg|thumb]]

"Go away… I'm fine…"

She obtained the image of heat.

She had only one remaining task.

She needed to improve heat conductivity and insulation while preserving the best hardness. To change its disposition, she needed enough energy to destroy the Gemsteel.

But not only destroy it; she also needed energy to restructure it.

How would she go about this task—

"But…"

Arisu looked hesitant seeing Munechika felt so cold. She was probably going to say kind things such as that she couldn't leave a wounded person be.

Kakkou pulled Arisu's shoulders and drew her back from Munechika.

"I called the ambulance. We can just leave her."

"I can't just leave her like this."

"I told you not to get involved in funny business. I can watch over her for a bit."

While disliking the fact Kakkou left her no choice, the girl retreated.

"…Please watch her properly."

Ichinokuro Arisu reluctantly left with her two friends.

Left behind, Munechika raised her jaw.

"She seems to… trust you quite a bit… I heard that you can't come too close to your monitoring target though…"

Muttering cynically unlike herself was probably because she felt just a slight bit better.

Kakkou scowled.

"I haven't officially become a monitor. Once we're done with the morpho butterfly, I'd never want to do it again."

Surprisingly laughter leaked from her mouth.

Even the Rank 1 demon everyone was scared of had gotten his hands burned by the morpho butterfly.

That was nice. She also wanted to finish her mission and then retire.

"I confirmed the details. The healing team that's searching for you will soon come here."

She got the final hint by looking at this boy too.

If Munechika would be able to obtain the devilish power to break even the unbreakable, then perhaps—

"Are you really making Arisu's weapon?"

Perhaps thinking of something, Kakkou's tone was harsh. He was talking as if to say it was completely unnecessary.

If one had a weapon, their enemies would increase.

She was fully aware of that.

"Don't ask such difficult things of a mere tool maker…"

But Munechika was just a tool maker.

"I just create the tings I'm told to and obtain the best result…"

She wanted to try saying so.

Yet if she tried thinking like humans—

Rather than creating a hundred enemies, if the weapon ended saving its owner's life even once… then perhaps you could say it had some meaning.

For a split second she thought so.

"Kakkou… I hate being in a debt to you, but you're reliable."

The boy raised a brow at this murmur.

The Gemsteel was the best metal created by Munechika.

Yet more precisely it could be said to be the limit with her ability.

To change it even further, Munechika required more energy than she could imagine.

Gas, electricity, laser, electromagnetism—Munechika couldn't get that kind of energy from all the machinery she could think of, unfortunately.

And if so—she had no choice but to entrust her wish to someone who could use power beyond human understanding.

"I want great energy… If you have among your friends someone who can control that sort of power like you, please introduce me to them…"

Asking the demon who'd fought more Mushitsuki than anyone was the right answer.

The moment he heard Munechika's words, Kakkou frowned. This meant that he thought of someone.

"He's not a friend."

At this point even a non-human would be fine—

She thought in her heart.

"And I can't introduce you to him… but I do know who's the next strongest after me."

Munechika smiled calmly.

The next moment, Kakkou spoke the name she expected him to.

Meaning someone who looked human but was above humans, a Mushitsuki.

The moment she faced them—would become Yoshihara Munechika's biggest challenge.