Editing Mushi Uta:Volume 7 Chapter 4 (section)

== 4.05 Youko Part 8 ==
Youko watched the storm of lasers covering the sky.

Genius's body tilted forward and Loci on Youko's shoulder raised a small shriek.

Yet that was all.

Genius soon corrected its posture and intercepted the North Central Branch members that crowded around it like flies. Its grand scythes were swung from sky to land, and the mountain exploded.

"Do your best, Genius."

Youko cheered for it while sitting on the suitcase.

She knew Genius's strength well through Loci. There was no doubt that it was the strongest among Mushi. Even now it wouldn't Mature.

When it Matured, someday, it would probably gain even more power. Its original host would probably breathe her last, but Youko felt no qualms about that.

When she'd eliminated those she fought against now, Youko would become the perfect Demon Lord. Commanding her minions, Loci and Genius, to whom none could compare, she would become the tyrant of the world.

First she would actively pursue the eyesore known as the Special Environmental Preservation Bureau. There can only be one Demon Lord in the world. She would seek out Miguruma Yaeko and snuff out her life.

After destroying the SEPB she would turn any and all hidden Mushitsuki in the country to Fallens.

Thinking about it, the resistance movement Mushibane possessed a lot of Mushitsuki. If she defeated a few members they'd probably appear. By crushing the tips the main body would appear. It was good this enemy was easy; she should be able to promptly eliminate them.

The Rank 1 Mushitsuki would probably stand in her way of Mushi extermination.

Irregular Class Rank 1, Harukiyo. —The North Central Branch member that Youko had interrogated didn't know much about him. Harukiyo was a Mushitsuki who controlled fire and would sporadically appear in lots of battles.

He apparently possessed extraordinary power, but fighting against a Special Type was actually easier. If Genius controlled its own domain, a Special Type wouldn't be able to produce their own medium, and would thus become useless. They could use their powers naturally outside their domain, but she wouldn't give them the opportunity.

Secret Class Rank 1, Fuyuhotaru. —According to the battle simulations she'd made, she would be the most annoying opponent of all. Her ability matter-destroying snow had the strongest range. She didn't feel like she'd lose even if she fought straight on, but if possible she wanted to defeat the host herself with a surprise attack. If she were to defeat Mushibane, Fuyuhotaru would definitely stand in her way.

And finally, the Blaze Class Rank 1, Kakkou. —A merciless demon that symbolized the SEPB. Yet from what she'd heard of his power of a Fusion Type, he was far below Harukiyo or Fuyuhotaru of the same rank. No matter how much strength he had, a mere gun would not even cause Genius to flinch.

Apparently there had been two other Rank 1s. One had been killed by Kakkou and the other vanished from the world of Mushitsuki like a mirage. No one had much information about the latter, not even their current status. There was a rumor that Kakkou had killed them, so probably thinking of them as dead was fine.

She was curious about the warrior she'd met previously, the one who controlled mass. The SEPB member that Youko asked knew no such person. He was apparently a wild Mushitsuki, unrelated to any organization. He was just a Special Type Mushitsuki, so she was confident that she'd definitely defeat him the next time they met.

"I wonder how long it'll take, killing all Mushi."

Youko swung her legs on top of the suitcase, thinking ahead. Since there were no signs of her losing the battle in front of her, she didn't even focus on it.

"Oh, and I also have to kill the Original Three. If I make Genius eat even just one more Mushi it'll be fully grown, so during the next time I give birth to a dream I can kill that monster while I'm at it. They're horrible, I just hate them."

Right now Genius had no enemies, but she would feel bad if it didn't grow up properly.

Genius grew up to be the strongest existence. Never mind Mushitsuki, she was sure that not even something like missiles would do anything to it. Even in the worst case scenario, it could lock itself in a coffin with Youko, burrow deep underground and wait for a while.

"After destroying all Mushi I wonder what world I'll create…"

Daydreaming about that day made her heart race.

No one could stop Youko and Genius.

The road to the Demon Lord was smooth sailing as always.

"Satou-senpai."

With someone calling to her, she looked to the side.

She completely forgot about her existence. Haemori Ako still stood nearby.

"What is it, Ako-chan?"

She raised her head, wearing a sleek smile. While looking at her, Ako lowered her camera.

She turned it off, then brought out the memory card from the lower slot. Placed between her index and middle finger, she opened the fastener with her other two fingers and put the case in her bag. In exchange she brought out a new memory card from her case, and returned it inside the camera as if in rewind. Then, she rebooted the camera.

How many times had she repeated this exact same motion? Her chain of movements was smooth and vivid like flowing water. Even Youko was entranced for a moment there.

Ako looked at the rebooted digital camera with a serious expression.

"This memory card contains my greatest masterpiece. I regret that I handed member Akatsuki a dummy card, but I couldn't let go of it as a journalist. —Only a few minutes remained in it, and I finally finished it."

Youko tilted her head. What was that? It had nothing to do with her.

Ako readied her camera again, filming Youko sitting on the suitcase.

"An interview."

The unimaginable underclassman's action caused her to slightly widen her eyes.

"Why are you trying to become the Demon Lord?"

The round, concave lenses filmed the now-beautiful Youko. Genius and the other fighting Mushitsuki were also visible behind her.

Ako's question called forth a certain emotion in Youko.

A certain memory from when she'd seen her father's notes.

The emotion that Miguruma Yaeko, the girl who created an empty miniature garden, had carved into Youko was, undoubtedly, fear.

"Right—"

Youko recalled the days of her youth, narrowing her eyes.

If she wanted to try an interview, then let her. When Youko had been plain she hadn't stuck out. Now that she was beautiful, however, leaving behind records of herself wasn't bad.

"Mushi are scary."

She grinned at the camera.

Thinking about it, living without standing out was perhaps due to the fear planted deep within her heart.

The woman with the chaining smile was scary.

The empty box she'd created was scary.

And what caused the world to become like that was—

''—A dream.''

She came to know of the monster given birth by dreams—Mushi—that the girl had spoken about.

So Youko was the most afraid of Mushi.

"Isn't it true? I mean, look at it."

She glanced to the side at Genius's battle.

"Mushi are just monsters. If we just leave them be, they'll obviously destroy the world one day. To defeat monsters, I have to gain even more power."

She had accidentally gained a method to subjugate that fear.

Using the miniature garden, she stimulated people's dreams, dragged them out, and exposed them.

The Mushi born using her own talent gave her further strength. The combination of Youko and Genius was invincible.

To defeat Mushi one needed Mushi.

"To defeat Mushi you have played with people's hearts, gave birth to new Mushi, and made them fight one another?"

"I mean, a normal person like me can't kill Mushi."

She liked playing with people's hearts.

Creating a garden box and dragging out someone's dream was really fun. Trapping the born Mushi inside a coffin and using it again as a Spirit Zone was also amusing.

She used Mushi and killed them.

The strongest was the one who could control, manipulate, and play with them—herself.

"But you're no longer scared, right?"

Youko showed a content smile. If someone would watch this interview, they'd be enraptured by her beauty and strength.

Admiration—

Yes, the moment she conquered her fear, Youko recalled.

The time when she'd seen garden box in front of Miguruma Yaeko, she'd felt not only fear; she also felt admiration for the girl playing with the world.

"I mean—I just became the Demon Lord."

Youko changed the tone of her voice.

She surpassed Yaeko who was merely playing with a miniature garden.

Because Youko's playground was not a small box.

It was endlessly vast—the world itself.

"Being stronger than Mushi, only the Demon Lord has the right to play with the world."

Ako kept filming Youko's demonic smile wordlessly for a while.

Ako bit her lips for a moment.

"…Do you enjoy this, Satou-senpai?"

She wrung out a hoarse voice.

"There are probably no Mushi in the world you're trying to create."

Throwing herself to the interview, Ako was trying to convey something to Youko. Youko tilted her head.

"Yet you will end all alone in that world. Or do you find playing alone enjoyable?"

"How weird, Ako-chan."

From her Demon Lord expression she returned to the smile of Satou Youko again.

"I'm the Demon Lord but I'm also a normal person, you know?"

Ako's words were fundamentally wrong.

Youko had certainly grasped a power beyond Mushi. However, she never threw her humanity away.

"I'm a normal girl you can find anywhere who fears Mushi."

Ako's face distorted in sadness.

Even so, as an excellent journalist, she soon suppressed her feelings and erased her expression. From Youko's friend Haemori Ako she returned being the faceless interviewer.

"This was the interview with the Demon Lord—Satou Youko."

Ako calmly stated the date and the place.

"The one conducting this interview was—"

Her mouth moved mechanically.

"Chronicler."

Youko giggled.

"Not the ex-Demon Lord, huh?"

An electronic sound echoed.

The memory was probably full. Red light lit on Ako's digital camera.

Turning her camera off, the girl lowered it.

"Won't you plug in a new memory card?"

"I already filmed everything I needed to."

Ako wore a lonely smile. Youko felt as if this was the first time in a while she'd seen Ako without her camera.

The girl once feared as a Demon lord was no longer there.

The journalism club president excited to confront Youko was not there, either.

In front of Youko was a petite, normal girl—who was a Mushitsuki.

"All that's left is waiting for ''one more job'' to be completed."

"…!"

A white light shot from her back.

Youko turned toward the town with a start.

The white particles stood in the town where Youko grew up.

This was a sign of the coming Spirit Zone activating.

There wasn't just one place wrapped in that light, or even two. The number of areas from which the white particles rose was, as far as she could remember, all of the Spirit Zones she had created.

"Finally, my work as the ex-Demon Lord is all done, too."

Hearing Ako's words, Youko knew that someone was happening.