Editing Mushi Uta:Volume 7 Chapter 3 (section)

== 3.01 Akatsuki Part 7 ==
After meeting the unexpected angel at the radio tower, Akatsuki kept investigating about the strange happenings in town.

Yet going around town both day and night, he found no suspicious figures. He had received notices from the North Central Branch about the births of new Mushi and hurried to the scene. Yet every time this ended with nothing and the investigation made no progress.

On the other hand, while the newly-dispatched low-level members did the exact same work as he did, they were all turned to Fallens one after another. As expected, the identity of Akatsuki had been leaked to the enemy. They were probably avoiding him due to him being a high-ranked member.

Since the sensor from the North Central Branch was distant, there was always a time lag that gave the enemy time to escape. But considering the possibility that the enemy could sense Mushi as well, the North Central didn't send new sensors into the town. Since the ability to sense Mushi was exceedingly rare, they didn't want to take the risk.

The SEPB completely fell behind.

It was clear that the invisible enemy was hostile to the SEPB. That was why they set traps in town for the members. The SEPB could talk as if they hadn't risen to the enemy's provocations, but naturally they felt differently.

Now that increasing amounts of low-ranked members became Fallen, Akatsuki's sense of helplessness erupted.

—Akatsuki's deadline of staying in town grew near.

"Here you go, today's lunch."

Sitting in the cafeteria in front of Akatsuki, Youko handed him a cute-looking lunch.

"Thank you. Sorry that you have to do this."

Receiving it with a smile, Akatsuki opened the lid. The contents were a commonplace combination of fried egg and meatballs, but it all looked very tasty. Apparently Youko had made this by herself, so when she saw Akatsuki came to the cafeteria every day she also made a share for him.

And so inevitably it started a daily habit where Akatsuki ate his lunch together with Youko. Since he got sick of regular meals, he somewhat looked forward to it every day.

"Aren't you tired, Akatsuki-kun? Your complexion looks bad."

Having Youko's dark misty eyes focus on him, Akatsuki felt his face flush.

"Hmm?"

For some reason, Youko gazed with upturned eyes at the suddenly silent Akatsuki who was thinking of an excuse. Averting his eyes, now his gaze focused on her soft lips and the cleavage in her outfit.

"I-is that so? I just couldn't sleep well, I guess."

"At such times you should drink warm milk. They said so on TV."

Youko grinned at him. Although this was mere normal conversation, each and every one of her movements stole Akatsuki's eyes and was highly alluring. Since he would end up staring at her without noticing, he recently avoided crossing eyes with her.

In contrast to Akatsuki who was fatigued by his investigation, Satou Youko became prettier and prettier.

Her eyes like swirling deep oceans were unchanged. However, she started paying attention to her eyes and makeup, so her dark, long hair and colored lips were glistening. Since even originally she was tall and had a nice figure it ended up giving more emphasis to her long legs and ample chest.

Her appearance had changed, so her personality also seemed like it changed. In contrast to how she had zero self-confidence she was now obviously much livelier. Even while just talking with Akatsuki, she would laugh at small things, emote and change her expressions more.

"Is Ako-chan alright?"

Seeing her carefree eyes glance at him, Akatsuki's heart throbbed. It felt similar to being with Senri. Hiding his flushed face, he tried answering cheerfully.

"She's doing much too well. To the extent I'm wondering if she forgot about the club being in danger."

"Ahaha. How like her."

Although the club was on the verge of closing, Ako was the same. Every few days she disappeared somewhere on her own to "collect materials", but she also went along with Akatsuki a few times.

Searching for the identity of the suspicious rumors always ended in nothing. Just like with the angel on the radio tower, they repeatedly discovered the source of the apparent rumor and were disappointed.

Ako looked dejected, but Akatsuki thought it was fine.

She seemed to truly enjoy the process of collecting materials. He also checked on her during lunch breaks at times, and she apparently met up more with her classmates.

Before leaving the school, he also intended on going to the student council president and asking her to wait before closing the club.

He fully realized he was being meddlesome, but he wanted to do at least that much for Ako.

He thought that would suffice as small thanks for giving him a temporary and enjoyable peaceful life.

"Ever since you came here it looks like Ako went back to her old cheerful self. I'm glad."

Saying this while eating her lunch, Youko certainly looked happy from the bottom of her heart.

Her old self—

Until now he was unable to ask anyone else, so Akatsuki decided to ask Youko.

"By that do you mean Ako before she became alone? What happened back then?"

"Oh…"

Youko seemed to be thinking, and suddenly brought her face closer to Akatsuki. Paralyzed, he felt her lips near his ears as she whispered to him. 

"I know what happened."

Laughing mischievously, she leaned back. Having felt her warm breath and the sensation of her lips slightly touching his ears, he couldn't speak.

"Say, what are you afraid the most of right now, Akatsuki-kun?"

He was confused at the sudden change of topic.

"Huh?"

"That bad complexion of yours is probably not just lack of sleep. I just thought l can act like a counselor's daughter from time to time." 

Youko smiled abashedly.

"Are you scared? Perhaps you need to leave to go to that, umm… girl that you like… very soon, and you're afraid of that?"

More precisely he was going back rather than leaving, but he didn't say anything. He didn't want to let either Ako or Youko know about his leaving the school until the last moment.

"I'm not scared of her, obviously. There's just someone I can't forgive there… when I'm near him, I become unlike myself, or rather—"

Trying to put it into words, he felt fear again. Akatsuki would lose his rationality whenever he saw Rina's killer. He was unable to erase the genuine murderous intent from his heart even now.

If it continued like this, he wouldn't be able to return to Senri. That was proof that Akatsuki was unable to change.

His feelings of revenge along with his wounds—supposedly already healed in this town—rekindled in an instant.

"I have other things I must do, but… I simply can't change. It makes her sad and I don't know what to do about it. Am I awkward for thinking of no other method other than repaying what's been done to me?"

With Youko's eyes gazing at him, Akatsuki's real feelings were dragged out.

"That can't be helped, Akatsuki-kun. You mustn't blame yourself."

Senpai's voice was kind.

"Obviously you'd be scared of scary things.  But if you're still trying to change, you have to cut the source of your fear. Unless you fight back you'll always get beaten."

"The source of…?"

"Yes. If you get rid of what bothers you, I believe you'll change easily. You'll even wonder what made you so anxious like that afterwards."

Youko grinned with a radiant smile. Akatsuki started thinking.

Cut off the source of his fear—meaning, kill Kakkou? Was there any other way in the first place?

Youko grasped his hand. He was surprised and raised his face.

"If you'd like I can help you. Let's do our best together, okay?"

Seeing Youko's serious gaze, he ended up nodding without thinking, but then…

The cellphone inside Akatsuki's pocket rang.

He recovered and rose up.

"S-sorry, I have to go. Thank you very much. It was good."

In order to hide the vibration, he turned his back to Youko. "Yup, see you tomorrow." He was glad that she didn't seem offended from her tone.

He knew that getting Youko's help against the monster known as Kakkou was unneeded. He was crazy.

Jumping out of the cafeteria, he answered the call in the corridor. The one ringing was his private-use cellphone.

"Hello?"

"So you finally answer. It's been a longy-long time, Ephemera-san."

The girl's voice was familiar. Akatsuki widened his eyes.

"No response, huh? Boo. This can't be. I finally said something amusing but you're not laughing. Stupid, stupid, you parted-hair idiot."

He hung up.

Standing there in shock, the phone soon rang again. Akatsuki looked around him, and once he's reached an area with no people he answered again.

"Lucy…?"

"Why didn't you call me back? Boo. I'll step on you the next time we meet!"

The girl's voice sounded angry and cold. There was no way he'd forget her idiosyncratic voice.

Because it belonged to someone who shouldn't call him.

That was because this girl was a Mushitsuki of Mushibane. She obviously knew that Akatsuki had betrayed Mushibane and joined the SEPB.

"Boo. You're not saying 'It was an anonymous call so I couldn't call you back' and made me look stupid! You've wasted the gag opportunity I've given you. Boooring."

"…What do you need after all this time?"

"So cooold. You frigid man. I'm gonna cry. You, Bee Hawk Moth-san and Sinica-san are all gone, leaving me as the only old leader still remaining. I could at least throw some curses at you."

Mushibane, under the leadership Ladybird, meaning Rina, was also split into four regional leaders. Lucy was the lone woman among them, and she was Special Type, something rare even in Mushibane. Akatsuki was bad at dealing with her.

"If you're just trying to annoy me I'm hanging."

"Ephemera-san, you've gone to the SEPB right? Can you pass us information covertly?"

She said it plain and simple. Akatsuki scowled.

"Sorry. I'm no longer part of Mushibane. I refuse."

"Wooow. You went and said it. You're the worst."

"Anything else?"

"Did you know that Fuyuhotaru apparently became Mushibane's leader? She's apparently called Snow Fly now. I also heard that some powerful Mushitsuki became her allies and that Mushibane's about to change. Wowsy."

"'Apparently', 'I heard'… you're speaking like it has nothing to do with you. Well, you were always like that."

"It has nothing to do with meee. I was just Ladybird's ally since she said she'd create a place where I belong. By the time that woman was gone, that promise was also broken. Booo."

"…"

"But if Snow Fly reassembles Mushibane and protects me I don't mind. Yay, it's a huge save. So fun. I'll do my best."

He already knew that Lucy had a twisted personality. When she asked him to leak information, that was also meant just to mock him.

He couldn't understand why someone like her had been made leader. —He thought so, but recalled that he wasn't in the position to think like that. Other people probably thought the same about Akatsuki.

"—Or so I thought, but isn't the atmosphere scary? A certain someone had told me that Oogui's ability is, apparently, using the abilities of all Minion Types. Surprise! That's super scary. The strongest there is."

"…!"

Why does she know—he was about to ask this, but the girl kept speaking.

"Wouldn't Snow Fly be in danger like this? Because no matter how you cut it, her ability helps Oogui the most. Right now at Mushibane I'm the only one who knows that, but if it was found out would they beat her? Looks like it. These people end up helping Oogui but they're also taking the lead in defeating the Original Three; so laughable. So weird. Boooring."

That ability became known to some people during the battle against Oogui recently. However, in order to avoid chaos there should have been a severe gag order in place. Everyone would come to know of it eventually, but even so that information flowed way too fast.

It was just like the girl he'd met in this town, Ako, had said.

The truth will eventually, and definitely, appear in front of people—

"It has nothing to do with me. I'm not interested in that fight. I'm having enough trouble taking care of myself."

He asserted, attempting to cut the call.

This was his true opinion.

Battles between Mushitsuki, the Original Three, organizations surprises… Akatsuki didn't want to involve himself in such big battles.

Because he couldn't even solve a single thing in the mission in this small town.

"Looks like Mushibane is going to end up useless as things are. Please save us, Ephemera-san. Isn't there any better place? Is the SEPB comfy?"

"You like being annoying as always. Being comfortable is obviously not good."

"So cooold. Booo. Absolute zero. So I really do have to do what that person told me… how annoying."

"…That person?"

"The one who's told me about Oogui's ability. According to her, Oogui is unbeatable because Snow Fly's there. Killing Snow Fly should end everything. Since she has Snow Fly's ability right now, defeating other Mushi wouldn't change much. So we can only solve this through Mushitsuki battles."

"…"

"But what's going to happen once Snow Fly's ability is gone? The next powerful Mushitsuki will be targeted. And consequently Minion-Type Mushitsuki would become targets of hatred. So Snow would serve to protect against this upcoming chaos. As long as Snow, the #1 strongest, is there, then defeating other Minion Types is meaningless. She's obviously hated by a lot of people, though."

How unreasonable. Fuyuhotaru had no responsibility for any of this, but she was targeted just because she was the strongest.

But it was the truth.

After Fuyuhotaru, who was designated Rank 1, the next strongest were Rank 2, like Akatsuki. In a certain sense her existence was saving him.

"I seeee. Amaaazing. I get iiit. She was mad. 'Everyone sees the wrong enemy. They can only see the fear in front of them, those shitty Mushitsuki', she said. Wow. So maanly. So cool."

Who was that person? She said 'manly' but apparently it was a woman? It didn't seem to be someone Akatsuki knew.

"I decided to follow her."

Akatsuki replied "Eh?" without thinking.

"If I do what she tells me, I can set up back Mushibane in the truest sense. There doesn't seem to be any other way to save it. So annoying. Grim prospects."

"Lucy… you suddenly have motivation to make a move by yourself? You? Even though you didn't even try anything until now?"

"Looks like you're still trying to avenge that woman, Ephemera-san. I was told that, too. That's why you went over to the SEPB."

"…!"

Who exactly was that person? Had she seen through anything and everything?

"According to her, Ladybird had apparently waited for you and me to take 'one step forward'. Taking my move means I've done just what Lady thought, and that pisses me off. She was sooo indirect. She was waaay too good at caring for people. …I'm really pissed." 

Muttering in a low voice, Lucy continued.

"I'll be going ahead."

Akatsuki's heart thumped.

"So you're going to stay there, Ephemera-san? You traitooor. Full of regrets. Stupid, stuuupid."

After speaking to her heart's content, the call was cut. She didn't forget to mock Akatsuki to the very end.

''—You're the only one still being bound by the past.''

The words his superior had told him just before he came to town rang in his mind.

In the corridor where the bell signaling the end of lunch break rang, Akatsuki stood in silence.

While walking through the narrow mountain road, Akatsuki recalled the event this afternoon.

''—If you still want to change, you have to cut the source of that fear.''

Satou Youko told him that with a smile.

From the very beginning Akatsuki intended to do so. He'd joined to East Central Branch in order to kill Kakkou, who'd claimed that he'd killed Rina. He did so in order to protect Senri.

''—I'll be going ahead.''

His once ally said so, resolving to walk on her own legs.

Even now, only Akatsuki was frozen in the past—

"Are you doing some thinking, member Akatsuki?"

Walking a bit ahead of him, Ako turned to him with camera in hand. She probably got curious since he kept walking while staying silent. Akatsuki wore a pained smile.

"A bit."

"As club president, I cannot let my club members deal with their worries alone. Allow me to give you advice."

They were walking in the small mountain area near the radio tower. The road hidden by many trees was so narrow that they couldn't walk through it side by side.

Like before, they went out on a trip to gather material.

Akatsuki thought of politely declining Ako's offer. There was no way a civilian like Ako could imagine the fights between Mushitsuki and organizations. 

But he suddenly wondered. Ako had better imagination than the average person.

"Can I speak like you usually do?"

"Yup."

He would be able to stay alongside this girl only for a little more. Saying goodbye while still hiding so much would feel lonely.

"I'm actually the member of a certain organization."

"I know that."

"I hate fighting, and so I loathe when the people around me are gone. However, this last Christmas, an important person to me got killed… and the one who did that is among my current comrades."

Akatsuki tried speaking calmly.

"Recently I realized that maybe he hadn't done it. But when I'm near him I end up losing myself… I understand it with my head, but my feelings can't follow."

"…"

"I have to protect the person most important to me, and my surroundings are rapidly changing—but I can't do anything. I've only survived this far because I only think about killing him."

Ako was silent. She climbed the mountain road in silence.

Even she couldn't keep up with Akatsuki's story, as if he were a denizen of another world? Or perhaps it was better for him if she intended to completely ignore the conversation.

"Just kidding. I made it all up."

"At times the truth is painful and cruel."

Ako started talking. Akatsuki couldn't tell whether she was speaking to him or not.

"But you mustn't escape from it. The more you escape it, the more it corners you. 'Even though I'm so close, why won't they notice me?' is how the truth feels. Although truth itself bears no sin, at time people fear it, hate it, and desperately avert their eyes from it. And people cannot look ahead like this. They avert their gazes and become lost, ending up stepping into a mistaken road of no return."

The girl didn't turn to look at Akatsuki.

"—Since I think this'll be our last trip, let me tell you this in advance."

Ako's tone returned being plain. She turned her camera to Akatsuki, smiling.

"Thank you."

He felt his heart thump at this sudden thanks.

She turned ahead again, acting surprisingly abashed.

"Thanks to you joining the journalism club, I was able to be a journalist. I was just about to fear the sheer size of the truth, avert my eyes and keep myself busy with the small stuff like the club's continued existence. …But one cannot be alone. Loneliness weakens people."

"Ako…?"

"The only one who can live alone is the Demon Lord. I was able to avoid that result. This is also thanks to you sticking up with me in the club, member Akatsuki."

A bird passed through the sky surrounded by trees. Ako's camera caught its form.

"Are you not the same? Hadn't you prioritized the one most important to you and thought you were left alone?"

Exactly so.

He'd been left behind by the one important to him, Tachibana Rina, and became alone.

Not knowing what to believe in, not knowing where to go, he became lost.

"You're the same as me. This is not too late. Just look around you a bit and notice that you're not alone."

Ako's camera saw Akatsuki again.

"If you do then you should have enough courage to stand up against the truth."

The lens reflected his face.

"Not fighting and running away are not one and the same."

Smiling a bit, Ako started walking again.

A road where he would neither run away nor fight—

Did such a thing really exist?

His doubts weren't gone, and he didn't yet know an answer, but Ako's words somewhat lightened his heart.

The next time he would be about to lose himself, he should recall Ako's words and another thing—the warmth of Rina's hand.

If he did, Akatsuki would definitely be able to recall his previous self.

So he thought.

"You're really cool, Ako."

He voiced how he really felt.

"Yup. The True Journalist is cool."

"Wow. I wonder if I can be a journalist, too?"

"I shall give you an honorary title as the eternal journalism club member. Concentrate on that for now."

"Then Ako's the honorary eternal club president."

Haemori Ako.

Ogata Akatsuki.

The two journalism club members stopped in place.

Coming out of the mountain road, a large cherry tree was revealed to them.

"That is the Dead-Reviving Cherry Blossom."

The mountain plain became a wide grassland. In the center grew a lone cherry tree, and it was obviously very old. The late cherry blossoms were in full, proud bloom.

Other than the stately cherry tree, there was a bench for resting, and nothing else around.

On the other side of the tree they could see the town's scenery. The radio tower was also visible.

"According to the information I've gathered, there were two witnesses. One was an old man coming for a hike, who took his lunch beneath the tree and his deceased wife appeared in front of him. After conversing for a while, he fell asleep, and when he woke up his wife was gone. There's also the possibility he was dreaming in the first place."

"So it literally revives the dead, huh?"

"The second was two students from our high school who came here for a picnic. They wanted to have lunch and approached the cherry tree, but another friend who wasn't present also stood there. Also, he apparently started beating up one of the two students and then vanished once that guy lost consciousness. These two were apparently fighting at the time, but according to the person himself he hadn't come there. This is supported by testimony."

"So it's not just the dead. But there being two witnesses at the same time means that…"

"As long as they didn't arrange their stories beforehand, they all saw the same thing. And that boy had actually been beaten to unconsciousness."

Approaching the tree, they could smell the sweet scent of the cherry blossoms. The petals danced in the wind above Ako and Akatsuki's heads.

Ako focused her camera on the cherry petals blizzard, touched the tree and went around it.

Akatsuki also went round the tree, confirming nothing was out of order. He looked at the surface of the tree carefully. There were countless scratch marks. They were obviously man-made.

"What I noticed was the differences between the two cases—the deceased and the friend who'd been in another place. Although both had the appearance of a person who shouldn't be there, there is a vast difference between the two. If we provisionally called what appeared there an illusion, then there are two types—the dead and the living."

Akatsuki looked once again around the tree just in case. There was no sign of anything strange happening or the presence of some enemy hiding nearby.

Ever since the Radio tower, nothing happened when the club went to gather materials. It was probably going to end like that today, too.

"There's also a difference in how long the illusion existed. The deceased wife existed for a while, but the friend immediately vanished. Their actions were also different. One was friendly, and the other was extremely aggressive."

"Say, Ako."

"Hmm?"

"Aren't these stories just made up? I mean…"

Akatsuki pointed at the marks scratched on the tree trunk and smiled wryly.

"It's full of creepy scribbles. Weren't the people coming here simply freaked out by this?"

Ako silently turned toward Akatsuki.

She turned her camera toward the cherry tree again. Trying to change the angle, she went around it once thoroughly, filming it, and raised an eyebrow.

"…What scribbles are you talking about?"

"Eh?"

Akatsuki became speechless. Thinking that perhaps Ako was trying to scare him, he peeked into her camera's display.

"There's nothing like that on my camera."

He widened his eyes. On the tree trunk reflected in the camera there were no marks.

"That's impossible…! I mean, here—"

He looked at the trunk again.

Just like before, he could see with his very own eyes the vicious scribbles on the trunk. He used his hand to touch an especially horrible sentence.

—"Your most feared enemy is behind you".

Akatsuki's eyes definitely saw those letters.

"I have a bad feeling about this… get away from the tree, member Akatsuki!"

By the time Ako issued this command, white particles erupted from her feet.

The entire grassland began glowing in white.

It was the same light he'd seen at the museum, but this was much wider, stronger light, and it kept on growing.

Akatsuki immediately covered for Ako and got away from the tree.

"Is it the same as the museum…?"

Narrowing his eyes from the blinding light, the white grains finally settled in front of him.

The glow turned into a light brilliance at the center of the grass—and the ground at the foot of the tree rose up.

While the two journalism club members gazed at it, the dust took the form of a human figure.

"…!"

All blood coursing through Akatsuki's body boiled in an instant. He was so enraged that he forgot to even try analyzing the situation.

While Akatsuki wore a beastlike expression, Ako muttered while holding her camera.

"A demon…?"

Appearing in front of them both was an abnormal person clad in all black.

The topmost monochrome clothing he wore was a black, long coat that spread like devil wings. His eyes emitted demonically red light from the large goggles covering his face. His hair stood up toward the heavens like horns, and instead of the grim reaper's scythe, he grasped in his hand an automatic pistol.

"Kakkou…!"

Akatsuki gritted his teeth.

The pitch-black devil looked at them. A Cleridae beetle coming down from the sky landed on his shoulder, transforming its body to countless tentacles and fusing with the demon.

[[File:Mushi Uta_7_p227.jpg|thumb]]

The gun-wielding demon's hand was slowly raised.

"Kakkou!"

The warmth of Senri's hand—

The healing his heart was supposed to have gone through in this town—

It was all blown away without trace the moment he saw that demon.

The demon's gun spat fire.

"…!"

Akatsuki reflexively hugged Ako, leaping aside.

A tremor shook the entire mountain.

The spot they'd been standing in just now was smashed, with a deluge of ground particles and explosive flames raining on the surroundings.

"W-what's going—"

Even while protecting the frozen Ako from pebbles, Akatsuki kept his gaze locked onto Kakkou.

Readying his smoking gun, the demon looked at Akatsuki.

"Get away, Ako."

Squeezing out his very last rational thought, he pushed Ako toward the back of the mountain.

"M-member Akatsuki?"

"…Sorry."

Catching a glimpse of Ako's camera, he could see it reflected the calm figure of the demon. 

It was different than the scribbles—physical, not an illusion.

But he didn't care about that anymore, either.

"I ended up involving you."

He turned to the girl and smiled.

Perhaps it was a trap by the enemy or something else. Stuck inside an abnormal space, Akatsuki was caught by something he couldn't understand.

Opening his bag, he equipped the jacket and visor equipment of the North Central Branch.

When he'd raised his face again, Akatsuki threw away his remaining reason.

"I can't allow you to film anymore."

He shouldn't involve a normal civilian like Ako that wasn't related to Mushitsuki.

He couldn't allow Ako to get hurt by the danger he'd invited.

Even if—she started being scared of Akatsuki, even if she hated him.

"Since this is now my battle… no, the Mushitsuki's battle."

A large mayfly materialized, clinging to Akatsuki's back. Its slowly swinging twin tails grazed Ako's nose.

To tear his eyes away from Ako, Akatsuki ran to the side. The mayfly clinging to his back launched countless globes from the hole in its abdomen. The balls drew arc in the sky, assaulting Kakkou.

The smiling demon leaned forward.

Kicking the ground so hard it caved down, Kakkou closed the distance to Akatsuki in an instant. The mayfly's globes tore the now-empty ground.

"…!"

Kakkou's right fist grazed Akatsuki's cheek as he immediately evaded. The fist leaving a green afterimage also brought along a fierce wind. It seemed powerful enough to cause Akatsuki's head to fly off, if he'd been hit directly by it.

The gun's muzzle was pressed up to Akatsuki's brow just as he evaded the fist.

A bombarding sound echoed.

"I've imagined my fight against you countless times until now—"

A strip of land a few meters away from where Akatsuki was standing was shaved off.

Immediately kicking the gun directed at him, its aim missed. He knew that Kakkou was much more proficient in short-range combat rather than sniping.

"I can't even remember the number of mental simulations anymore."

The globe shot by his mayfly hit Kakkou square in the chest. The center of the sphere released heat, blowing the demon's body to the sky.

Protected by his highly-resistant coat, Kakkou changed his position while midair. With his hair burning he readied his gun, pointing it at Akatsuki.

Long-range fighting was Akatsuki's specialty. Already the second heat spheres hit Kakkou directly.

"Die, Kakkou!"

Akatsuki's successive attacks didn't even allow Kakkou to land on ground.

One after another the red lights burst in air, causing raging heat waves.

"Die…! Die…! DIEEE!!!"

Howling, he put everything he had into launching a sphere.

All of them hit Kakkou as he guarded his face with both arms. A large explosion wrapped the demon.

With a thud, a black lump fell to the ground.

"…"

His shoulders swaying with heavy breathing, Akatsuki looked at him.

His hand was cold.

Perhaps using too much power, or due to his anger, he lost his body heat.

His clenched fist felt as if it was made of ice.

"Member Akatsuki…"

Even during such a situation, Ako stopped filming.

''You can't film this—''

Weakly turning his gaze to Ako, he entreated her.

''I don't want anyone to see me like this—''

The black lump rose up. The demon wearing a scorched coat still wore a cruel smile. The pattern covering his whole body was glowing.

"…"

Akatsuki focused his consciousness.

Cracks appeared in the body of the mayfly attached to his back. The orange carapace crumbled down, and a tail glowing in gold appeared from within.

As far as Akatsuki knew, this Semi-Maturation was an exclusive ability of his mayfly.

Devouring all of its host's dreams, a Mushi would become feral—a phenomenon called Maturation. With Semi-Maturation, he would temporarily bring the Mushi closer to Maturation, according to the host's will. By overloading the Mushi in the condition between being normal and Maturing, he was able to vastly increase its capabilities.

Since it was much stronger than normal and the consumption rate was very high, the risk was the very short time he could control it. Yet it was certain he'd been designated as a Rank 2 due to this ability.

The mayfly, now glowing in gold, raised a howl. Its twin tails that were now two times the length swung around like a whip.

''Now that I think about it, what did Ako tell me just before this?''

Inside Akatsuki's heart, a terribly cold part mumbled.

The mayfly's tail launched laser beams as if to cover the entire sky.

Shrouded by a green light, Kakkou kicked the ground. He evaded the lasers that stabbed the surroundings one after another, dashing toward Akatsuki.

Akatsuki and Kakkou.

Their attack and offense continued step after step one.

Weaving between the rain of light, Kakkou closed the distance, attacking with both bullets and fist. Akatsuki evaded those by a hairsbreadth, using the barrage of lasers to keep the demon far.

Although his coat was created by the SEPB, it couldn't protect against the attack of Akatsuki's Semi-Matured Mushi. On the other hand, if Akatsuki was hit by Kakkou's attack even once he would end up immediately neutralized.

"UOOOH!"

Even while howling with anger and hatred, the doubts in Akatsuki's mind grew larger.

''Why am I fighting against Kakkou…?''

There was the part of himself that fought with his raging emotions, and the part of himself that looked rationally at his actions.

''Does this fight have any meaning?''

The more he fought.

The more he shouted.

The blank emotions born within Akatsuki gnawed into his heart.

"…!"

The cold feelings mocking himself brought forth a single ripple into his burning hatred.

The moment Kakkou's fist finally connected with his chest was reflected in his eyes like it was in slow motion. His body reacted on its own, twisting it immediately.

Akatsuki's body danced through air.

He was pounded against the ground, smashed the bench, and bounded on the ground several times before finally crashing with his back against the cherry tree.

"Kah…"

Although he'd acted reflexively to diminish damage, Akatsuki was felled by the demon's single attack. Perhaps having broken a rib, a sharp pain ran through his chest. His entire body hit hard, he couldn't move.

He could see the demon calmly walking over to him.

''So I'm no match for Kakkou. Or maybe—''

Now resolved for death, both anger and hatred were gone from Akatsuki.

''I'm just weak—''

Noticing this truth, he started laughing.

Perhaps it was fitting for such a pathetic man to be killed by his own illusion.

At the very least not wanting to stop looking at the man killing him, he raised his face. And then—

A single cherry petal overlapped with the demon's face.

He looked up above.

The wind blowing through the mountains brought a cherry storm.

Naturally, the writings etched to the tree entered his eyes.

—"The ghost of an important person is behind you".

The white shining particles swallowed the surroundings.

Kakkou stopped his legs.

Behind Akatsuki, from the direction of the cherry tree, he could feel the presence of a person.

He knew exactly who it was even without turning back.

"—So I'll fight in order to make my dream come true as well."

The voice was unfittingly bright, yet one could feel bottomless strength from it.

Inside the rain of petals, the girl stepped ahead of Akatsuki.

"Come on now. If you don't follow I'll leave you behind, you know?"

Turning around, Akatsuki saw the most beautiful girl he'd even known, smiling. Always calmly engaging in battle, she would grant courage to whoever saw her.

After the girl a large half-dome shaped Mushi also appeared. Its scraggy, hard shell had seven red spots on it.

"…"

With a single tear streaking down Akatsuki's cheek—Tachibana Rina and Kakkou's battle began.

Rina's way of fighting wasn't fundamentally different than Akatsuki's. She would avoid attacks aimed at her and her Mushi, and swallow the enemy with shockwaves.

But unlike Akatsuki, Rina was much more used to battle. Despite never having received any training she saw through the enemy's attacks, at times guarding with her Mushi, or striking back. Even when looking from the side, Kakkou's attacks seemed like they could never hit her.

Kakkou shot his flaming gun.

Rina directly intercepted it with a shockwave.

The clash was won by Rina's power. The shockwave, having swallowed the bullet whirlpool, blew Kakkou away along with other trees around.

This fighting girl would command her giant seven-spotted ladybug and never draw back no matter her opponent.

Once, countless Mushitsuki have gathered behind this back. Even when they hesitated, were scared, felt their heart weakening, the sense of relief of being with her would bring hope to anyone's mind. Being with Rina would allow you to win against any enemy.

It was impossible for her to lose to anyone.

Akatsuki knew that.

If so then why had Rina—

"Kakkou…!"

The beauty commanding the ladybug changed her expression.

Akatsuki widened his eyes.

The girl would encourage anyone with her smile, but her profile looked fierce like she was another person.

"I'll kill you! Kakkou!"

Kakkou stood up even while injured. Rina launched at him. She shot one shockwave after another.

"How dare you kill my comrades…!"

Her face distorted with anger, she repeated the boundless assaults. And once she lost her cool, an opening was born.

Evading an especially large shockwave, Kakkou dove beneath the Mushi. His thrust gun pierced the ladybug's abdomen.

"Guh…!"

Rina scowled in agony. Yet she soon wore an expression of rage and her Mushi's sharp legs blew Kakkou far away.

Soon their positions were reversed. Rina shot out attacks with her full power while Kakkou moved around.

Once again taking an opening, Kakkou's attack stabbed the ladybug.

"Kakkouuu!!!"

Next to Rina who was shouting, the ladybug's body suddenly bloated.

Maturation.

Seeing the Mushi growing larger by the second, Akatsuki was stunned.

"Is this… Rina's final moments…?"

Rina should've been fighting to create a place for Mushitsuki. That was why she was stronger than anyone and why everyone relied on her.

Yet the form of this girl who was possessed and trapped by anger was—

"—Just like me…"

Was there any meaning to this battle?

What remained of this way of fighting?

Rina died and Akatsuki survived.

If Akatsuki died, then would there just be people like him or Rina remaining?

"Member Akatsuki."

At some point Ako stood in front of him.

Leaning against the tree like an empty husk, she was looking down at him with inorganic lenses.

"All the methods to end the phenomenon here are the same. You can either fall asleep or lose consciousness. You've fought just now, but now you should be able to use of these methods now. Or perhaps—"

Ako turned her lenses to the still-continuing fight of Kakkou and Rina.

"Do you want this to continue?"

Akatsuki's shoulders twitched.

If it was now—if he fought along with Rina, even if it was an illusion, they should be able to defeat Kakkou.

Although fake, it would be able to quench his thirst for revenge.

Withstanding his chest pain, he slowly rose. The mayfly, which had fallen to the ground far from him, began emitting light from its laser-shooting tails.

"—Move, Ako."

Ako didn't move. She simply kept holding the digital camera as if to stand in his way.

Akatsuki smiled wryly.

"It's just like you said."

Realizing that Kakkou didn't kill Rina, he couldn't accept it.

He had already thought of the reason.

"At the very, very last Rina fought in the wrong way. —I didn't want to acknowledge that, and walked down the wrong path."

It was natural to feel anger for Kakkou who had hurt her comrades.

Yet Rina let the anger control her, proceeding down the wrong path, and arriving at a place she couldn't come back from.

"I don't want to fight like that…"

He mumbled.

Ako kept silently filming him.

"Looks like I can still barely make it in time. Because unlike Rina… I'm still alive."

Yes, Akatsuki was still alive.

Because the blind girl known as Rina had saved him.

He finally recalled the warmth of her hand.

Pulling his hand when he'd gotten lost, she tried showing him the right path.

"I probably won't be able to return to myself immediately… but I'm fine now."

Smiling, Ako distanced herself.

Akatsuki turned around, causing the mayfly to launch a laser beam at the cherry tree's trunk.

If he did like Ako had told him, the illusion in front of him should disappear. But just running away from this phenomenon was meaningless.

He already had his doubts about there being Mushi abilities in a specific place at the museum.

But now he couldn't help but face reality.

Although he couldn't see it, something had to cause the abnormal phenomenon here—

Understanding this, Akatsuki had only one course of action. Trying what he couldn't at the museum, meaning to attack the place itself.

Akatsuki's laser pierced the ground.

With countless holes opening up, a storm of white particles blew around.

"…!"

Immediately after, he heard a dying scream so loud it nearly ruptured his eardrums.

The ground distorted, rose, and a large mass of clay in the shape of a box rose up. A melting Mushi was trying to escape from the coffin destroyed by Akatsuki's laser.

And it wasn't just one.

There were three of these boxes that could be called coffins. Every time the different Mushi rampaged, there were strange phenomena such as the stones around changing form or an illusion of the capital city appearing like a mirage.

"W-what is this…?"

The rampaging Mushi and the squirming coffins trying to contain them.

Their struggle ended in a tie. Perhaps exhausting their power to resist, the Mushi collapsed. At the same time the coffins also lost their power and stopped moving.

He recalled something and turned around.

The figures of Kakkou and Rina were also melting into thin air.

"Rina…!"

He ended up shouting, and Rina turned toward him. Her face distorted by anger and rage mellowed out, and she showed Akatsuki a bright smile.

Leaving an afterimage, the Rank 1 strongest vanished without a trace.

"…"

Their unfolding fight has yet to end even now—

Such thoughts floated in his mind.

"What on earth's going on in this town…?"

Looking down the Mushi corpses lying under the cherry's trunk, Akatsuki mumbled. The silhouette of the deceased Mushi was growing fainter.

"—That is the enemy's power."

The one answering was Ako. In her profile filming the vanishing Mushi there was none of the confusion she had when seeing Akatsuki's Mushi.

"They utilize Mushi to be part of their army of darkness to control this town."

Now Akatsuki was the one confused. Ako's words sounded delusional.

"Are you not afraid of me?"

"I already told you, member Akatsuki—I knew that you're a member of a secret organization."

The readied lens of Ako who was speaking calmly turned to Akatsuki.

"You said this was the battle of Mushitsuki, member Akatsuki."

Akatsuki raising his brow was reflected in the lenses.

"It is not so. I am a normal person but I've been fighting for a long time."

"You too…?"

"And now our activities have probably been exposed. The enemy shall soon make their move."

"The enemy?"

Akatsuki still had many questions. Ako wore a serious expression and spoke.

"I told you so from the start. That being plays with other people, toys with Mushitsuki, and wants to make this entire country their plaything."

Ako's camera filmed the peaceful sunset on the townscape.

"And I call them—the Demon Lord."