Editing Mushi Uta:Volume 14 Chapter 1 (section)

== 1.04 Rina Part 2 ==

Weaving through the path opened by Rina, the Mushitsuki ran away one after another.

However, not all were able to escape safely. Those too hurt to move were wrapped by Kasuou’s mist and carried. The problem was with those not hurt seriously enough to secure and those who could move freely, meaning the lightly wounded.

They clearly moved slowly and were thus delayed from reaching the frontline where those like Haji and Terasu were.

“Do your best! If you remain here, you’ll just became prey to C!”

Rina appealed to them while Shiohara Shachito rushed next to her.

“Lady-san… was it? That’s enough. Terasu-chan said to retreat. —Oh, and since the ceiling held on there’s no need for any thanks or punishment, right?”

“…I’ll follow soon after the last person evacuates.”

Shachito watched Rina assert this with a confused expression.

“You’re a Rank 1, right? You came back to life, so I think it’s a bad plan to use your precious fighting power on just the ‘last person’.”

“You’re not even part of SEPB or Mushibane, and yet you speak like the SEPB.”

“Because my teacher was SEPB. I do believe Terasu-chan’s right, though.”

“I won’t say she’s wrong.”

After saying that, Rina gasped.

Above the heads of Mushitsuki running away from the dome there were countless spheres of lightnings being created.

“This is bad…!”

Rina moved her seven-spotted ladybug, covering up for those Mushitsuki late in running away.

The next moment, a rain of lightning came down on the surface.

“—!”

The impact caused debris to swell up, opening up countless holes in the dome.

The seven-spotted Ladybug was hit by several of the lightning bolts. The Mushi’s wings were singed, causing a sharp pain to run through Rina’s heart as though a bomb exploded inside it.

“L-Lady…!”

Beneath the seven-spotted ladybug, a boy that seemed to be a Mushibane member raised his head.

“—Run! Before another attack comes…!”

Using her fox mask to hide her expression of anguish, Rina shouted. She just barely managed to save one person, but by passing her eyes around she could see that many Mushitsuki were hit and collapsed.

“Impossible—”

Still next to her, Shachito mumbled in a low voice.

“For you to sacrifice yourself for Mushitsuki who couldn’t even fight… you’re an important part of our forces to beat C. Rather than staying here, you should go with Terasu—”

“If you think you can drag me away by force, I dare you to try.”

As Rina glared at her, Shachito looked serious. He might actually be thinking of dragging her away by force. She knew from Mimic’s memories that he was strong.

“—L-Lady…”

Hearing the voice from behind, Rina turned back.

There was a girl wearing a fashionable outfit and holding a cellphone full of straps who stood there.

“…Lucifera? W-what are you doing there! Run away already!”

She was Rina’s old acquaintance, one of Mushibane’s admins. Her name was Lucifera.

“A-are you really Lady? I, I…”

“This isn’t the time for that. This place’s dangerous, your body is weak—”

“It might be too late. Everything’s gone pear-shaped.”

At Shachito’s warning, Rina raised her face.

A golden glow was born midair.

Would another of C’s body doubles appear, or would she strike with lightning? —She considered these two options, but just like Shachito said, a new change appeared there.

Blinding light passed through gold and changed to pure white. This divinity robbed one’s eyesight.

While her vision was dyed in white, she could hear an echoing sound from afar.

It was the sound of bells.

A shrill bell sound that was sublime and full of blessings.

That sound gradually grew louder and louder—

“—!”

When she came back to her senses, Rina found herself standing on a marble floor.

The floor was scrubbed completely white and there was also an absurdly high ceiling. Supporting those were countless pillars engraved with vivid patterns.

''What on earth is this place—

She supposedly emitted a voice, but her mouth remained unmoving.

She could feel her mind grow flaccid due to the fresh air and sublime bell sounds.

“…”

When she came to, a rectangular box was placed in front of her eyes.

It was—Rina’s coffin.

She wasn’t told this by anyone, but felt it instinctively.

“You must be tired of dreaming…”

It was a young girl’s voice.

Although her ears were full of ringing bells, she heard that voice especially clearly.

“You have fought well… You are worthy to get invited to heaven…”

Rina’s body moved on its own. She kneeled and touched the beautiful casket in front of her.

“You will be allowed to rest in heaven without suffering… without sorrow…”

She would no longer need to fight.

She could forget everything—even her dream and attain relief.

Rina wished to be inside the coffin full of that tranquility.

However—

“—How conceited of you.”

Rina’s mouth moved and mumbled. Her fingers on the coffin stopped.

Her vague mind cleared up quickly.

“To think anyone would allow me to rest at this point… when I’m the one most unforgiving regarding myself.”

Biting her lips hard, she forcibly regained her sense of self.

Behind Rina, a huge shadow—the large seven-spotted ladybug appeared.

And not just her Mushi.

In this world wrapped by clean air, countless black arms were created. They clung to Rina as if seeking salvation, tearing her away from the coffin in front of her eyes.

“Also, they’re not going to let me rest, either—until I fulfill my promise to create a place for them.”

Behind the rising Rina, the seven-spotted ladybug spread its wings.

A shockwave broke through the world that had nothing but cleanliness in it.

The floor crumbled, the ceiling broke down, and the pillars were blown to smithereens.

The coffin was blown away, its stained glass ruined—

“—!”

Wind with dust and the scent of blood blew Rina’s hair.

Her sense of fatigue, as well as the pain in her chest that was the side effect of wasting her dream, nearly caused her to collapse. Coming back from the world that had no pain or uncertainty in it, this world was—like hell itself.

However, it was the world of reality Rina came back to.

This cruel world, that didn’t allow her to stop dreaming—that forced her to live.

“Oh, so you snapped out of it yourself. As expected of a Rank 1.”

Shachito next to her spoke casually. He was just about to swing his hockey, probably intending to save Rina using some method.

“It’s C’s mental attack.”

“…!”

Looking around her, Rina was speechless.

Butterflies glowing in gold filled her sight. Swarms of C-butterflies.

Standing on the surface filled with light were people standing there dazed.

These Mushitsuki who stood with dull faces—as well as camo-wearing soldiers who were gathered to attack them. Within this bizarre scene, only Rina and Shachito were able to move freely.

“Looks like they’re completely controlled by C’s domain. They don’t stand a chance without going through training to resist mental attacks. Have you done that as well, Lady-chan?”

“You constantly get attacked like that while fighting with the SEPB. —Lucifera!”

Although she called to the fashionable girl, she kept hugging her cellphone without any response.

“I see, so you grinded for a lot of EXP. —No use calling to that girl. The others are all completely infected. But why even people who aren’t Mushitsuki…?”

“Lucifera!”

Rina kept shaking the girl’s shoulders.

The girl called Lucifera was a Mushitsuki whom Rina once saved. She was relatively strong herself, but she was also weak to mental attacks. Although on one side she was aggressive enough to hurt others, she also tried withdrawing into her own shell. Rina too, even up to her “death”, had been unable to save the girl from herself.

However, Lucifera now got out into the world and threw herself into battle.

Rina was happy at that fact—and became convinced she was right to trust the girl’s strength.

“Lucifera, wake up!”

“I told you, it’s useless. Rather than that, what should we do? I don’t have enough power to save everyone here… no, even just us two should get outta here ASAP, I think. Or rather, we have no other choice—”

“Luciferaaa!”

She called especially loudly.

As she did—

“—!”

Lucifera’s body twitched hard. Light returned to her eyes that were glaring at empty air and she returned Rina’s glance with a shocked face.

“La…dy…?”

“—Ha?”

The boy carrying a hockey stick on his shoulder had his expression frozen.

“Lady’s… voice…”

“Sorry for forcing you to wake up.”

Rina smiled, hugging the girl’s head.

“I had the feeling that if I didn’t stop you, you would’ve gone to the other side… just a little more—there’s just a little more, so please try fight to the end…”

“U-uuuh… yes… yesss…”

Stroking the sobbing girl, Rina spoke.

“Sorry for cutting to the chase… but can you bring everyone here back?”

“…Yup!”

Lucifera separated from Rina and operated her cellphone with both hands.

Moments later, the silent space now had electronic tones echoing throughout.

The goggles worn by the SEPB Mushitsuki started ringing alarm sounds all at once. Furthermore, the cellphones of Mushibane members started ringing, and sounds also echoed from the camo suits’ wireless communication devices.

“I’ll send as much harassment as I can. I won’t give them a moment to rest…!”

While being swallowed by the deluge of electronic tones, people shook their bodies and came back to consciousness.

This was Lucifera’s ability. Using communication devices as a medium, she could interfere with people’s spirits.

“Still, why would C even attack normal people who are—”

While Rina was looking at one of the soldiers, a change came over him. It didn’t seem like he woke up yet—but the air around him twisted.

“Eh—”

Shachito also seemed to notice this. He turned to the man getting wrapped in heat haze.

“This forcefield… no way—”

He tried to say something when it happened.

A sublime sound of bells rang around.

They were without doubt in reality. Even so, what appeared above their heads—

“What is she trying to do…?”

Was a large structure supported by countless pillars.

It was a massive shrine.