Editing Mushi Uta:Volume 4th Episode 14 (section)

===Part 4===

The mist filling the corridor coagulated into countless claws.

"As if I'd be moving around stealthily when it's such a pain!"

The overwhelming destructive power of the claws blew the large men away along with the ceiling and walls.

"You can't kill them, Kasuou!"

Kasuou snorted at Arisu's shout.

"I'd obviously not fight seriously when they're not even Mushitsuki. —Hmm?"

A dry rupturing sound echoed.

It was gunfire.

They probably came there after hearing all the destruction. New bodyguards appeared from the direction Arisu and Kasuou had come from. They pointed their guns at them and pulled the trigger in succession.

Arisu reflexively curled her body, but such evasive action was meaningless.

The mist bursting from Kasuou's body caught any and all incoming bullets. The blonde girl shrouded in mist started walking toward the men.

But that caused them to withdraw, frightened.

Kasuou clicked her tongue and stopped.

"…Tch. I'm not afraid of any guns, but my range is limited. Or more like I can't exactly chase them down right now."

Kasuou pulled a single chair left in the corridor for weary guests, putting it down in the center of the corridor. She sat down, crossing her legs elegantly.

"Hey, Spear-Type. I'll stop the guys coming from here. We've also cleared up those guys from the other side, so go finish your job already."

"My name's Arisu."

While protesting, Arisu was puzzled.

"Is that fine? It's rare for you to help me."

"I'm just so full that if I make sudden movements I'll get heartburn. Let me rest for a bit…"

"…I see, take care."

Kasuou grinned while leaning her elbows on the armrest and then her chin on her hands.

"We're far more suited for wilds things like this rather than saving people anyway. Also, I think I know what Harukiyo's after."

"What do you mean?"

"I have no obligation to you. Go on already, there might be other ways to reach that cabin."

Kasuou's expression seemed like she was waiting for something. Arisu had no idea what she was thinking about, but there was no doubt she was helping her save the twins.

"Thank you!"

Saying her thanks, she rushed down the corridor. She heard a surprised ''Huuh?'' coming from behind.

As the gunfire grew distant, the corridor became dark.

Suddenly a flash ran through the corridor.

Just as she wondered why, the cause was readily apparent. The sea reflected from the window was raging. The flash was caused by lightning.

She felt her feet sway.

It was a storm large enough for even the large ''Amenotori'' to lose balance. And the wind and rain only seemed to grow fiercer.

"There."

She saw a dead end on the other side of the corridor. It was the cabin where one of the twins had been confined in.

The guards who had run over to them before due to the ruckus were collapsed there and Arisu had already snagged the cabin's key. She ran toward the cabin.

"I wonder if Daisuke managed to save the other one."

That boy she had forced to go save one of the twins had probably reached the warehouse. As long as he followed what she said, that is.

Daisuke was strong.

He probably had to be ruthless in order to survive many times in the past. Perhaps throwing away all sorts of things was what allowed him to become this strong.

But there was something Arisu realized by spending time with him.

Some kindness still remained in Daisuke. He just didn't let it show on the surface in order to protect his strength. —Even though he feigned calmness, Daisuke was always hesitating.

"What's wrong with some sympathy…?"

She muttered.

Daisuke should be able to change.

He should be able to become kind while staying strong.

He was a Fusion Type Mushitsuki just like Mari, and unlike her he had time remaining.

"…"

She pulled out the key to open the cabin's door.

Her chest constricted when she noticed herself comparing Mari and Daisuke.

''—Mari's replacement.''

She thought so for a second.

Had she been able to cure her friend Mari's loneliness even just a bit?

Had she been at least somewhat helpful for Mari's life?

Arisu wanted to get to know Mushitsuki because she didn't know. She wanted to save Mushitsuki.

She wished to know about Mushitsuki since she hadn't known Mari was one.

But was that really it?

"Ngh…!"

Since she was deep in thought she didn't handle the key well.

Even if she looked for an answer she couldn't find it now.

So she thought.

Now she had to do what she should do. Both Daisuke and Kasuou were fighting for her selfishness.

The morpho butterfly on Arisu's shoulder suddenly took off in flight. It emitted a silver glow from its entire body, fluttering violently.

The morpho butterfly seemed to have the ability to sense Mushi. There was no mistake that there was one of the twins in the cabin—when she thought so, she felt dubious.

"Then what about them being unable to bring out their Mushi unless they're together…?"

Thinking it strange, she opened the door.

The girl inside the gloomy room turned around.

"Run!"

Arisu's vision was colored in white. A cold wind blew.

Head, stomach, shoulder, legs—the impact pierced through Arisu's entire body. She was blown from the door, her back crashing against the corridor wall.

"Kha!"

She nearly blacked out.

Yet she was somehow able to remain conscious by the impact of falling to the floor. Grabbing the metallic pole again, she raised her face.

"Oh my, I thought the mafia was attacking, but it was some vigorous young lady."

The entire cabin was covered in white frost. Below the large hole opened in the ceiling, probably from the floor above, a dress-wearing girl and a suit-wearing boy were standing.

There was no mistake the girl was one of the twins Arisu had seen on video.

The white-haired person was the boy called Jit. He grabbed the girl's arm to restrain her, wearing a mask-like cold smile.

"Also I thought I'd definitely killed her just now… but it seems like you're one of us."

The morpho butterfly was glowing above Arisu's head. She noticed the silver scales enveloping her. —She had no idea what kind of attack she'd received, but apparently the morpho butterfly had immediately protected her.

The morpho butterfly fluttered down to the pole Arisu was holding. Extending its tentacles, it transformed the weapon. The pole Arisu was holding instantly turned into a silver lance.

"Let go… of that girl…!"

Although hazy, Arisu gathered power in her shaking legs and stood up.

Jit's smile was unchanged. He spoke with a disgustingly polite tone.

"Seems like you came to take Urara. What's your goal? They'll probably net a good price, so are you trying to snatch them?"

"You're also a Mushitsuki, right? Don't you feel anything when you see these girls being sold right in front of you?"

Jit had looked at the morpho butterfly and said she was one of them. With the unseen attack just now, there were no doubts he was a Mushitsuki.

"Don't tell me you came here to save her?"

Jit sounded surprised. Yet he soon made an exasperated laugh.

"Yeah, we're both Mushitsuki. Yet they're auction items and I am the winner who benefits from that auction. —Even for Mushitsuki there are decisive differences."

Cold wind enveloped Arisu.

"…!"

Receiving a blow to her temples, Arisu rolled on the floor. She couldn't even see what the boy had done. She could only see shining, white flakes falling above her head.

"The difference is being strong or weak. Please don't put me together with weak Mushitsuki."

He assaulted Arisu with successive attacks. Even if she tried countering, she couldn't even tell the attack she was being subjected to. Every time she was helplessly struck, white fragments of something fell down.

Caught by Jit, Urara grimaced painfully. She tried shaking him off, but didn't have enough strength. Seeing she didn't summon her Mushi even at this stage, the twins' power being unusable unless they were together seemed to be true.

"By the way—"

Another blow pounded Arisu against the wall. Unable to even raise any voice, she fell on the floor with a thud.

"Mushitsuki with your kind of naïve thinking make me want to puke."

Looking down on the helpless, collapsed Arisu, Jit laughed at her.

"Oops, you can't hear me. You were so surprisingly obstinate I had to use too much—"

"…Run…"

Arisu moved only her face, glaring at Jit.

"Ugh—"

Jit received her gaze and felt a chill. His expression changed.

Arisu stretched and roused her upper body. She threw her lance at Jit without any hesitation.

Silver light flashed.

Letting go of Urara, Jit evaded the lance.

A storm of scales started blowing around.

"Wha…!"

Seeing the scene after the scale storm was gone, the white-haired boy became speechless.

A large hole was gouged in the wall. Nothing remained aside from the metallic spear rolling on the floor. It struck through so many layers of the wall that he could see the stormy sea through it.

"Run… quickly…!"

Arisu shouted at the barely standing Urara. Since her ribbon had been loosened up, half of her vision was covered by her hair.

"If you go to the main deck… you'll meet your sister…"

She was definitely there.

Daisuke should have rescued the other sister. She believed so and shouted.

"Please go…!"

Urara seemed confused while looking at Arisu. Yet she strongly bit her lips, and after a small ''Thanks'' she ran through the corridor.

Jit came back to her senses. Just as he stepped forward to pursue Urara, Arisu stood before him, wringing out her remaining energy.

"…Even though you finally threw your weapon you're going to stand in my way?"

Jit mocked her, his tone growing bitter.

"I'm relieved…"

With her dress all tattered, Arisu wore a listless smile.

"You're saying the same things as Daisuke…"

Jit furrowed his brows.

"But Daisuke was angry… Also, unlike you he did go to save the twins…"

Happiness welled inside her.

Although Daisuke spoke just like Jit, he was always still hesitating.

If he hesitated, it meant he could change.

"As I thought, Daisuke… wouldn't actually think like that…"

As she smiled, Arisu's knees folded.

The morpho butterfly landed on her shoulders while she was rapidly losing her consciousness.

"Right…? Mari…"

Looking at the morpho butterfly glowing in silver, her consciousness cut off. Her knees touched the floor and her head hanged.

The shocked Jit gulped.

"Hah. So she was just sleep-talking. —I'll just finish her off and go after Urara."

Cold air enveloped Arisu.

At the same time, the morpho butterfly emitted light.

On top of the fainted Arisu's shoulder its body expanded, changing to countless tentacles. They travelled through Arisu's body to her left leg.

"—Sorry, Arisu."

The mouth on Arisu's hanging head moved.

"So you were still conscious…!"

Jit grimaced. He immediately activated his ability, attacking Arisu.

The sound of something hard rubbing against the floor echoed.

The next moment several white thorns were created in the corridor. These thorns, born midair from empty space, stabbed the place Arisu occupied from all direction.

Yet by that time, Arisu had already moved behind the boy's back.

"Looks like us Fusion Mushitsuki are never honest…"

Behind her flowing hair, Arisu's—no, Hanashiro Mari's eyes laughed.

Mari's hair fluttered as she moved speedily to the boy's blind spot. He left leg exposed by the hem of her dress was covered in a silver, glowing pattern.

"Tch…!"

Jit activated his ability while still with his back to her. The white thorns born from air assaulted Mari.

Yet Mari's movements were a step quicker. Kicking the floor, kicking the wall, she kept moving to blind spots with superhuman agility.

"A Mushitsuki of Diorestoi… so your medium is carbon dioxide. You coagulate carbon dioxide into dry ice to attack the enemy—"

Jit looked flustered. Unable to even see Mari, he couldn't take aim.

"I'm tired of fighting this silly ability."

Mari's shining left leg stabbed into Jit's back.

"GAHHH!"

Jit was blown toward the cabin, destroying the door. Mari picked up the metallic rod thrown away by the impact.

"…"

The rod immediately turned into a silver lance. Mari rotated it wordlessly, stabbing the edge to the floor. 

Shining scales blew around.

The surroundings controlled by frost were instantly melted.

"I've taken control of this area. You can't use Diorestoi's power in this domain anymore."

Mari turned a calm gaze towards Jit who was standing up and staggering.

"—Hmph."

Turning around, Jit put a hand to the wall. Now that his mask-like expression was broken, it was unclear whether he was angry or smiling.

"I'm also a pro here. I have no intention to fight unnecessarily. I don't care about you as long as I can secure the twins."

The boy certainly judged the situation quickly. Without any hesitation he kicked up at the protruding wall and flung himself toward the hole in the ceiling.

He probably concluded that he had no chances of victory and so abandoned the fight. Footsteps could be heard from above.

"…"

Mari also had no regrets stopping the battle. She turned around with a cold face.

Walking ahead while dragging her spear, a lone boy blocked her way.

[[File:Mushi_Uta_Bug_4th_p119.jpg|thumb]]

"—We finally meet, Hanashiro Mari."

Since when had he been standing there?

How had he come this far?

The boy wreathed in flames, Harukiyo, calmly blocked the passage.

"Whenever Ichinokuro Arisu is in danger against Mushitsuki, you appear. —That seems to confirm this."

"…"

"But it's still incomplete. You've fused only with her left leg, huh. What will make you take over her completely? The enemy's strength? Or are there any other conditions?"

Mari looked up the boy's face vacantly. Yet she soon lost interest and passed next to his body shrouded in flames.

"I heard from Sensei."

Mari's feet stopped.

"He said you wanted the angel's medicine. Was that the answer you've reached in your final moments?"

The angel's medicine.

It came from the story of the picture book she had possessed at the hospital.

"I don't mind helping you. —But you'd have to help me with my goal, too."

"…"

Still expressionless, Mari started walking again. The morpho butterfly detached from her left foot, landing on her shoulder.

"Hey, don't ignore me, Hanashiro Mari."

The boy grabbed Mari's shoulder. His gaze toward her looked so hot it could almost scorch.

"…Where's Kusuriya Daisuke-san?"

She muttered, turning around.

Harukiyo widened his eyes. He was so surprised that his hand grabbing her shoulder slipped.

"I have to meet him."

She averted her face from the boy and kept walking.

A heat wave instantly attacked her from behind.

"Don't fuck with me, Hanashiro Mari!"

She kept walking without minding him.

"What's that brat to you? Who d'you think brought you out! I'm much stronger than that kid! If you're seeking help it should be me!"

"You're saying that you're stronger than him?"

Mari laughed at him without turning around.

"The Mushitsuki of Elvioréne are so earnest despite being pathetic that it's funny, but I hate you Diorestoi Mushitsuki. Although you pretend to be strong, you're all weaklings who can't even take one step forward on your own."

"What… was that…?!"

He was so angry that he became speechless. Harukiyo's angry shouts coming from behind turned into a heat wave and melted the surroundings.

"You bitch—"

While hearing this blood-lusted wailing, Mari held her head and cowered.

The deadline arrived.

Mari's consciousness was drifting away.

Dizziness combining fear and relief assaulted her. Inside the fear of her vanishing there was also a sense of relief at being released from her pain.

"…See you, Arisu."

''See you tomorrow—''

The promise she had made with her friend Arisu.

While smiling, Mari yielded herself to dark relief.

"—Nngh…"

Ichinokuro Arisu awoke with a groan.

Shaking her head, she looked around.

She was in a destroyed corridor. Turning around, she had no idea how long he'd been there, but she could see Harukiyo. If so then he was probably the one who'd saved her.

"Hey!"

Harukiyo grabbed Arisu's chin, bringing her face closer.

Although still hazy, Arisu shook off his arm and stood up.

"I have to go… to the main deck."

Yet she couldn't properly use her left leg. She crumpled to the floor so Harukiyo supported her.

"—Shit…! So you're Ichinokuro Arisu."

"Take me to the deck, Harukiyo."

Arisu finally regained her rational thinking. She had to go to the deck.

"Huh? Don't screw with me. Why do I have to be pushed by you after coming all the way here?"

"You're the one who said you'd 'do anything necessary'."

Grabbing the boy's suit, she asserted to him as if he didn't have a choice.

"You're the one who invited me here. Take responsibility until the very end."

Harukiyo became speechless.

Lightning flashed outside.