Editing Mushi Uta:Volume 8th Episode 31 (section)

=== Part 1 ===

The rain of light streaming in the night sky was the Perseid meteor shower.

Standing in lines on the greatly curved beach were the many Mushitsuki.

Clad in a long coat with his face hidden by large goggles, was the member of the SEPB called a pitch-black demon, Kakkou—Kusuriya Daisuke.

Swallowed by crimson flames, with his bright red hair standing on end, was the flame devil, Harukiyo.

Other than these two Mushitsuki who were named among the strongest there were Kasuou, Yomori Neiko, Kurisaka Ayuyu, Isa Himeko, and—Aki and the dozens of his comrades.

Even among the Mushitsuki in this country, a really powerful group of warriors was gathered here. He could puff his chest and say that. There shouldn’t be an enemy that they can’t beat.

Even so—

“—Hehe.”

Destroying the large door in the night sky, a woman figure floated in air.

With her long hair blown by the wind and her rainbow-colored pupils glittering under her round sunglasses, this beauty looked like some heavenly woman wearing an angel’s raiment. However, her beautiful features wore a sadistic smile as she controlled vile Eyes emitting pale blue heat rays that seemed as though they could tear both heaven and earth asunder. She calmly looked down at the Mushitsuki on the surface.

While wearing a human form, she was inhuman.

One of the Original Three, the Prototype Mushi who could give birth to Mushitsuki—

Oogui moved her bright red lips.

“Yet another rare visitor has arrived… my, this is quite the party.”

“If this is a party, the performance has already ended.”

The swarm of black tardigrades filling the sea surface swelled up, producing the upper half of a person.

SEPB Director, Ichiku Kimitaka, put back his sunglasses that had lenses of different colors and emitted a white breath with a ''Kuha''. His speaking sounded mismatched, as he had a boyish voice yet an adult tone. 

“It’s already time to eat the main dish—so let’s call it a night.”

“Oh, are you going to assist me?”

Oogui floating in air and the Undying Mushitsuki floating on the water. —These grotesque monsters’ eyes looked behind the Mushitsuki standing in the surface.

“—”

The two girls holding hands near the breakwater froze.

Saionji Ena and Kujou Takako. They were both Horusu Seijou Academy middle schoolers and Arisu’s classmates. Ena’s dream had invited Oogui there.

Their goal was to protect Ena.

As well as—to defeat Oogui.

Daisuke, Harukiyo and the many Mushitsuki all gathered there for that.

And the one who called them there was none other than—

“Arisu!”

Daisuke shouted.

“You’re Arisu, right! Get a hold of yourself!”

In the gathering point of all the comrades’ gazes, she—Ichinokuro Arisu—kneeled on the sand.

“…”

She widened her eyes, stunned, looking at the collapsed silver spear next to her.

The Mushi left by her friend, the silver Morpho butterfly that transformed into spear—was now a mere shadow of its former self. The tip had been eaten by the tardigrades and lost its brilliance. Even its grip that always seemed so powerful lost its power, so it became a mere inorganic rod.

“Arisu!”

Even Daisuke’s call didn’t enter Arisu’s ears. As she touched the spear with her fingertips, the glow became shards that scattered into thin air, melting.

Arisu grabbed the spear with shaky hands.

Although until now a violent power would try to rob Arisu’s body whenever she touched the spear, it showed no reaction. The broken tip merely scattered the remaining glow.

The Morpho butterfly—was dying.

She knew that well.

“Mari—”

She grimaced and looked back at Daisuke’s face.

The eyes of Daisuke, the other Mushitsuki as well as Oogui and Ichiku Kimitaka all focused on Arisu.

“Mari’s—gone—”

The existence of Hanashiro Mari couldn’t be felt anywhere.

Even though she was always at her side.

She always felt Mari watching over her with the Morpho butterfly nearby.

However, now she—could no longer feel it.

“There’s just no way—”

The comrades on the beach all gasped.

Ichiku Kimitaka loosened his mouth into a smile with a ''Kuha''.

“So even when Hanashiro Mari’s personality vanished, the dregs of her power still remain. —Disgusting Mushi, how much do you want to keep existing in this world?”

“Sunnova—don’t fuck with me.”

The one to mumble in a low voice was Harukiyo. His blazing eyes glared at Arisu.

“Hanashiro Mari found her answer! Out of her own free will and with a smile, she decided to kick the bucket! Then why the fuck are you surprised!”

“No!”

Arisu raised her face and shouted without thinking.

“There’s no way that’s right! Mari would never leave me like that!”

“Arisu… no way, are you—”

Seeing Arisu confused, Daisuke was shocked. He wrung out a hoarse voice.

''”Did you actually want… Mari to take over your body?”

Not only the other Mushitsuki became paralyzed at his words.

Arisu herself became speechless. She felt as if something tightened over her heart, not allowing her to breath.

Being told this by Daisuke, she noticed.

She hadn’t clearly wished for it.

However, perhaps Arisu had unconsciously wished for a single answer of Mari’s “answer comparison”.

“After all, if she did that—”

Arisu’s mouth moved on its own. A harsh voice that didn’t sound like her own leaked out.

“From now on… we can’t be together—”

Right.

Arisu wished for it in the bottom of her heart.

''—See you tomorrow.

Although she’d promised this, Mari left this world.

However, Mari did not forget her promise with her.

Her best friend—changed into the Morpho butterfly and came back to this world.

Therefore, starting from now, they’d live together.

If Mari replaced Arisu, she thought that the Morpho butterfly’s power would also be perfectly revived. If so, then Daisuke and Harukiyo, with the powerful Mushitsuki called Mari as their ally, could perhaps defeat Oogui.

Saving Ena and beating Oogui—

As well as laughing and living together with Mari. Such a day would come.

A future where everyone was happy.

Even if it was a twisted fate where the dead came back to life.

Even if Arisu’s personality was erased by Mari, and only her body remained in this world.

They would all be there in that future.

Arisu and Arisu’s important friend.

There would not be a painful parting there.

“It was supposed to end without anyone saying goodbye—”

Mari was gone.

Her friend that was supposed to become a Morpho butterfly and come back was nowhere to be found.

The unbearable anxiety and sadness shook her body. She couldn’t accept that unforeseen reality.

She didn’t want that answer.

Where did she go wrong? Perhaps the very act of trying to compare their answers had been mistaken in the first place?

She invited so many Mushitsuki. She was supposed to keep advancing with her.

Even so, why now.

She wouldn’t even mind if she was wrong.

The fate that was supposed to be twisted was trying to return to normalcy at this stage—

“—Kuha.”

Kimitaka’s sneer echoed on the beach wrapped in silence.

“Haahahahahahahahahahaha!”

Roaring laughter that sounded as though it came from the depths of hell ridiculed the Mushitsuki standing on the coast.

“Arisu—”

“Y-you bastard—”

Not only Daisuke and Harukiyo, but even Kasuou and the rest were also speechless.

Those gathered in this place were all Mushitsuki who originally clashed and were nothing but enemies. Seeing the ringleader that invited them being beaten down, everyone all lost their opportunity to move.

“Mari…”

Arisu’s voice calling the spear that lost its power echoed in vain.

“Mari…!”

“It’s too amusing, I can’t stop laughing! This really is how you should look, Ichinokuro girl! Haahahahaha!”

Mari did not answer. Ichiku Kimitaka’s sneer just grew louder.

A wrecked, ruined door appeared on the beach that housed the gathering of Mushitsuki. It slowly opened, revealing a girl sitting in an antique chair.

Harukiyo gritted his teeth.

“The Librarian…!”

“—”

''Nihi.

Although the girl wore a smile fitting to be accompanied by her signature creepy laughter, her body tilted forward. She fell from the chair.

In fact—the Librarian didn’t move at all. After saving her allies from the brink of annihilation, fresh blood spread around her.

Seeing the horrible state of the Librarian, Arisu fell straight on her rear. Neiko hurriedly rushed over to her and activated her regeneration ability, but she did not stand up again.

“In this state, if I use Rina-chan’s Mushi I’ll destroy even that delicious dream, right?”

Purple scales blew around Oogui. These gathered and formed into Mushi of all sizes and shapes, filling the night sky. Although they recovered to a certain degree while the Librarian bought them time, Oogui probably saw that Daisuke and the rest were exhausted.

“So it’s time to close the curtain. Before I laugh too much that my jaw hurts.”

Saying this while stroking his wide-open, ripped mouth, Ichiku Kimitaka made countless tardigrades gush out of his body. The large swarm of black Mushi multiplying again and again started pushing toward the beach.

“Arisu!”

Readying his gun again, Daisuke shouted.

Arisu couldn’t stand up.

“You’re pissing me off—”

A pillar of hellfire surged toward the night sky like gushing magma. Controlling his Great Yama tiger beetle made of flames, Harukiyo glared at Arisu with eyes full of murder.

“That what you wanted to show me? This ain’t the time to get disappointed from Hanashiro Mari… this was the number one disappointment of my entire life!”

Ichiku Kimitaka sneered.

“Hmph, didn’t I tell you? All of them are half-baked! Were you really expecting something, you idiot?!”

“I also told you—I hate you to death! Don’t think that if you so brazenly appear before me again, I won’t burn ya to a crisp, you Undying fucker!”

Daisuke faced Oogui floating in the night sky, while Harukiyo faced Ichiku Kimitaka.

While these battles restarted, Arisu—

“…Mari…”

Couldn’t move even a single step.