Editing Mushi Uta:Volume 4 Chapter 4 (section)

==4.04 Chami Part 5==

‘URBAN’ was burning.

Chami was the one who did it. No, she had just executed the strategy thought up by her partner, and it had ended up as such.

“…”

“…”

On the ninth floor, the shockwave and heat were not that intense. Only the quaking was strong, and Chami and Chiharu both could not maintain their balance.

Unable to stand, the two of them stared into each other’s face while on their fours.

Chami opened her mouth gobsmacked, while Chiharu being Chiharu, opened her mouth widely.

“Th-—”

“Wh-—”

The two of them spoke at the same time while in close proximity.

“T-there really was an explosion, Chami-chan! H-hey, what’s happening? Is this a prank?”

“W-why are you in a place like this! Didn’t I told you to stay away!”

“It’s dangerous here! We need to escape fast! T-this building wouldn’t collapse, right?”

“I can’t believe it! Why the heck is someone like you who’s absolutely, not the slightest bit related at here at this time…! Is narrowly escaping from death a single time not enough for you?”

They grabbed each other’s shoulders, bringing their faces close together.

As Chami was fatigued from laying the groundworks for her plans, the possibility of this happening never even came into her mind.

Chiharu gasped.

“Narrowly escaped death… You mean me…?”

“Why is it! Why are you here! For five years! Five years! She had always protected you! And because of that, she died! Even then, she was smiling! Don’t mess around with me, damn it! Was taking her life not enough, now you even want to ruin her setup! Damn it! God damn it!”

Chami was enraged at this situation where Ayukawa Chiharu was right here. So much so that she wanted to roll on the floor and throw a tantrum and wreck everything around her.

She had resigned to the fact that Chiharu, an outlier had interjected into her plans.

However, she was mortified.

Mortified at Chiharu who had made her way here. She wanted to curse at the fate and coincidence and everything else that had brought Chiharu here.

Chami’s partner (indeed, this fact she acknowledged now), the white cat had traded her life to serve her duty to Chami. Chami must answer to her dying wish no matter what. She still did not know even now why did Owlet protected Chiharu till the extent of giving up her life. But, that cat did not want Chiharu to be exposed to the battlefield. Just this, she knew clearly.

She had hoped for the girl known as Ayukawa Chiharu to lead a youth of happiness, without knowing of anything.

“Damn it! Give me back—”

Give me back her life!

She wanted to shout that out, but she stopped. Grasping onto her lapels like that, her arms trembled.

She thought that if she had said that, that would have really meant that her partner had really lost her life in vain. Owlet had died with a smile. In other words, that meant that Owlet had been satisfied with her life. More so than anyone else, Chami herself must never deny that.

That’s wrong—.

Chami bit her lip so hard that it tore, causing blood to flow.

The one who had let down was me… I didn’t even notice Ayukawa Chiharu tailing me!

The intense chagrin caused tears to well up in her eyes.

Chiharu murmured dazedly.

“Always protected me…? Died…? H-hey, what are you talking about? I don’t understand it at all…”

“…''Tch''.”

Clicking her tongue, Chami released her hands from Chiharu.

“It’s nothing, I was just venting some anger. Forget what I just said.”

Speaking over her shoulders, Chami took the spanner and stood up. Looking out of the window, the darkening skies were a burning red.

The dome was wholly burning as a result of the explosion. Looking at the current state of the dome, it was probably futile to try to stop the fire; the only thing they could do was probably to wait for the fire to die out.

The tower in which they were in was probably the same, the sea of fire had probably spread from the first floor to the second. The fire would gradually creep up to the higher floors, where it would eventually reach the floor of the ‘second explosion’ in accordance to Chami’s plan.

“You said five years, didn’t you? Yes, you definitely said that! Does Chami-chan know how I was like five years ago?”

Chiharu grabbed Chami’s shoulder and forcefully turned her around to face her, causing Chami to scowl. Chiharu had a desperate look on her face.

“Huh? How could I possibly know that kind of thing, you were probably just a little brat?”

“…”

Hearing her reply, Chiharu was dejected. Her shoulders sagged as she faced Chami.

“I see… that’s probably the case.”

“What’s with you. Asking other people about yourself… you suffering from memory loss or something?”

“…”

“Seriously?”

“Somehow, I only have vague memories from more than five years ago…”

Chiharu said with a weak smile. Chami furrowed her eyebrows.

…What was that? She really doesn’t remember? If that’s the case, could the reason for her surveillance by SEPB be within her forgotten memories…? —No, that kind of thing doesn’t even matter anymore at this point of time…!

She was supposed to have turned her back on the mission to monitor Ayukawa Chiharu after yesterday. Not to mention, she did not have any spare thoughts to consider about that currently. Chami changed her line of thoughts.

“Well, that’s not important right now. The only thing I know is that this is not a place for an ordinary person like you to be. There’s something that I must do no matter what, but if you promise me something, I don’t mind helping you out along the way.”

“Promise?”

Chiharu questioned back while coughing. —The fire might not have reached here yet, but smoke was streaming up from the escalator. The heat was rising up as well, causing the place to feel like the inside of a steam bath. Their bodies were covered in sweat shortly after, causing them to feel uncomfortable.

“I want you to completely forget about what you saw here, including what I did. And then, you will return to your normal life tomorrow, return to that happy and enjoyable everyday life. —If you can promise me that, then keep by my side. There’s only one escape route left now.”

“B-but, just now you said that… someone had died because of me…”

An ironic smile formed on Chami’s face. Chiharu was probably a kind person. Despite never having even seen the face of that ‘someone’, she looked like she was about to cry. It seemed like she unquestionably believed in what Chami had just said.

“Forget that as well. You don’t need to know anything about that. …In the first place, it’s not strange for that to occur to us anytime at all.”

“…”

“Dying without anybody even knowing, that’s just the fate of our shitty life. Fighting as we please, winner takes all and the losers have nothing left. It’s just like that.”

Chiharu only stared back speechlessly at the grinning Chami.

“Don’t leave my side no matter what, okay.”

Chami walked towards the escalator in the middle of the dimly lit environment muddled by smoke. The smoke merely accumulated around the ceiling, and did not impeded their breathing. The sound of the spanner being dragged on the floor resounded in the atrium.

“…”

Chiharu followed behind Chami silently.

Chami stopped right before the escalator and carefully scrutinised the state of affairs of the lower floors.

…Could they possibly have used the staircase? No, Fuyuhotaru should have been the only one using it. Those two shouldn’t have the leeway to do so while they’re fighting. They’ll probably pass through here once the fire gets unbearable. Or possibly, could they have already settled the fight before they even reach here…? Oh well, as long as that’s after Fuyuhotaru. The problem is, will the ones who pass by here be those two, or perhaps…

At the lobby that functioned as an atrium, Chami directed a sharp gaze at the escalator. She silenced her breath, with Chiharu following her lead and muting her breath.

“H-hey, Chami-chan. Is this really your doing? What did you do?”

Chiharu asked gingerly.

“Nothing much.”

Chami replied while maintaining vigilance over the escalator.

“On the roof, there’s a pump for the water pipe in which some shitty gasoline was mixed in. That’s why, all I did was break the water pipes that were in the underground parking lot, releasing it underground. Actually, the density of the gasoline is lesser than that of water which prevents it from sinking down, but once I broke the underground water pipes, the water pressure naturally forces the gasoline down. In doing so, that means that it is in the water pipes on each floor as well. By the way, there was a boiler room underground which means that there were gas pipes too. After trashing those, I was able to make everything go up in a bang just by lowering a lighter down the elevator.”

Of course, the one who had mixed the fuel into the pump installed onto the ground of the rooftop was not Chami. That had been done by Owlet who was chased into a corner by Kanata.

If Chami hadn’t seen that, she probably wouldn’t have thought of such a foolhardy plan like this. However, that cat had done precisely that, as if she knew that if it was Chami, she would have definitely understood her intention. She trusted in Chami without a single shred of doubt.

“The explosion should have only engulfed the first floor at most. But, that would have totally sealed off the escape route. Those people left here would have no choice but to climb up in order to evade the flames. Also, the fire wouldn’t stop any time soon. Why is that? That’s because the water pipes of each floor are filled to the brim with the fuel.”

The sound of sirens approached in the midst of the fire crackling. As they were in the city centre, the fire brigade had arrived swiftly. However, the intensity of the fire was growing one-sidedly just as Chami had expected. It was already too late to extinguish the fire.

“W-what are you doing this for? Those people…?”

“For what you ask? Hah, that’s what truly none of your business. This is a battle that has not the least bit to do with you.”

Chami laughed undauntedly.

“That’s right. I have manoeuvred around without anyone’s knowledge these five years all for the sake of now. From collecting information, to mastering my ability and undergoing combat training all these time…! All for the sake of grasping everything in my hands! I haven’t let these five years that she bought me gone to waste!”

After Kanata and the headbanded youth have ended in mutual destruction, Chami would then get ahold of both Fuyuhotaru and Horisaki Azusa. Whether be it the Central Headquarters, or Mushibane or any other powers, Chami, whom nobody even bothered to look at till now, would arrive at their desired ‘heart’ of the Mushitsuki before them.

Chiharu swallowed a gulp, listening to Chami wordlessly. She probably did not get a single bit about what Chami was talking about.

“Without anyone’s knowledge… that’s what you said earlier too, Chami-chan.”

Chiharu spoke out softly all of a sudden. Chami turned around.

“Ah? I did say that. Is there anything wrong about that? To you… to the you who would be the main character no matter where you are, those words have nothing to do you.”

“It may seem weird for me to say these words now when we are in this kind of situation, but… I really want to be your friend, Chami-chan. Yes, there’s no doubts about it.”

“Huh?”

Chami made a mystified face at Chiharu who was nodding continuously while grunting affirmatively.

“I was speaking the truth there. Why are you saying this kind of idiotic things at this time. Don’t even bother. If you trust in someone like me so easily, you’re gonna get used and thrown away by others disposably.”

“Is that so? But, it’s not like that.”

Chiharu smiled with a grin. —Being in this situation where they were surrounded by smoke, the skies outside of the windows were stained red with fire and the sound of destruction impending from below. Even as they were in this kind of situation seemingly disconnected from reality, Chiharu’s smile flashed brilliantly. That bright smile showed without any doubts that she was indeed the story’s lead.

“…''Haah''.”

Chami laughed contemptuously and averted her eyes from Chiharu. Faced with Chiharu’s smile, she could feel the smallness of her existence compared to hers.

…Owlet. Your these five years were not a waste. Ayukawa Chiharu is still living and smiling even now. So long as she lives, you can sing praise about the shitty life that you’ve had.

“It’s impossible. You and me, we live in completely different worlds.”

“Ah, are you feeling shy? I guess that can’t be helped, seeing as Chami-chan probably doesn’t have many friends.”

“Go mind your own business. How can you still smile in this situation? Have you gone mad from fear? Or is it that your generation can’t tell the difference between a game and real life anymore?”

“You are smiling as well, Chami-chan. Same to you too.”

In this life-or-death situation, yet the two girls were still smiling. On one hand, Chami was smiling fearlessly in hopes of surpassing those who lie at the ‘heart’. On the other hand, Chiharu had been somewhat influenced by Chami, but her smile was a cheerful one which befitted her.

“…!”

The escalator below was destroyed by something like an explosion.

At the same time, the figures of two man appeared.

One of them was a lanky man directing a huge two-headed centipede. Only his short hair could be seen, as his other features were hidden by his goggles and a mask. However, he was releasing a strange growl like a beast, thoroughly destroying the installations of the floor below together with the centipede.

The other person was a youth wearing a headband. He seemed to be at a disadvantage, where he was evading all the attacks of the centipede using wasteless motions with his battered body. On both of his arms, a white haze—resembling a long-bodied Stag beetle crawled around. Whenever he swung his arms, there was a ''pushii'' sound like that of gas leaking. Then, a shockwave cut through from the front of the staircase to the end in a straight line.

Chami and Chiharu peeked their heads over the edge of the escalator, witnessing the scene. Under the overwhelming destructive powers of the two, the objects and materials lying around the floor were torn through easily as though they were paper and vanished.

“…”

Next to the speechless Chami, Chiharu looked absentminded. Rather than surprised, she looked more like her consciousness had been sucked into another dimension.

“…''Mushi''…”

Chiharu muttered with her eyes wide opened. —Her tone was not that of doubt like, ‘Mushi?’. She muttered as if she had seen it before somewhere.

“That’s right. Those guys are shitty Mushitsuki. Just as I am. But—”

However, Chami was too preoccupied to explain to Chiharu how she was different from them.

I’m the same as them? That’s outrageous…!

Looking at the battle between the two, she could feel a chill running down her back. The scene could not simply be passed off as fiercer than she had expected. Especially Kanata, his strength was atypical.

T-those guys… are that strong? Could they possibly be even stronger than Kakkou…!

“Mushi… tsuki…?”

Chami grabbed the muttering Chiharu’s arm and strongly pulled her along. She took the opportunity while the two below haven’t noticed them to sprint up the escalator.

“''Tch…!'' There’s no turning back by now! I’ve just got to do it!”

Pulling along Chiharu’s arm while heading for the upper floors, Chami shouted out. She tightened her grip around the spanner as well.

“Mushi… Aria… Varei…”

Chiharu’s mumbling voice was drowned out by the sound of destruction echoing from below.