Editing Mushi Uta:Volume 4th Episode 13 (section)

=== Part 5 ===

The large hole opened in the floor of the announcement room became ruins made of piles of concrete.

The floor directly below seemed to be the staff waiting room. On the other side of the tables and chair crushed by the debris was a cord extending from the higher floors to the announcement equipment.

Standing near the microphone meant for broadcasting all over the store was a long-haired girl. The face of the girl that looked about 14 or 15 was pale, her anxiousness and fear hidden by pure hostility.

Gathering all the Mushi scattered throughout the department store, she probably attempted to turn back on her attacker. The person who came to the announcement room was buried under the mountain of fleas.

"As if I'd let you catch me after coming this far…! Even I had some battle experience as part of the Central Headquarters—"

The girl's relieved laughter was drowned out by the sounds of gunfire.

"Guh…!"

As part of the flea mountain was destroyed, the damage of losing her Mushi rebounded to the girl, dealing her a mental hit.

Every time the gunfire echoed a few hundred fleas were blown apart.

"Uh, uh… s-sto—"

The girl held her chest, kneeling on the floor.

"Your type usually aims for the host… I just need to hit where your Mushi gathers."

Appearing from within the crumbling mountain of fleas was Kusuriya Daisuke. An ordinary person would've probably been crushed by the fleas' weight, but since he was a Fusion type, his body merged with the Mushi was strengthened.

Bullets were fired from the pistol with its muzzle changed to the jaw of a checkered beetle. The impact made the fleas latching on to Daisuke scatter.

"Uh… ah…!"

Seeing Daisuke draw near her with a ruthless gaze, clear fear rose to the girl's face.

"W-who are you…? You're not part of the… Central Headquarters…?"

"I'm Kakkou."

When Daisuke named himself, the girl's expression froze. The moment after her shock, her knees started shaking.

"N-no—"

Her breath became erratic due to her excessive fear. The name of Kakkou—meaning Blaze Class Rank 1, the strongest Mushitsuki—was well-known even in the East Central Branch.

"NOOOO!"

The remaining fleas gathered in one spot, changing into a large monster. It was still a legless flea with three needles poking out of its mouthpart. These needles, resembling large pillars, were brought down on Daisuke.

The green pattern covering Daisuke's fists emitted light. He swung the hand that didn't hold a gun to the side as if swatting a fly.

The exceedingly superhuman force completely shattered the flea's large needles.

"Ugh…!"

"Did you honestly think normal people would help Mushitsuki?"

Daisuke raised his gun, aiming the muzzle at the flea in front of him.

"You escaped the SEPB and even involved a large amount of people… What are you trying to fight against?"

Tears streamed down the girl's eyes. Biting her lips in fear and pain, she directed a glare full of anger at Daisuke.

"—I had a bad feeling."

The girl wrought out a shaking voice as Daisuke knit his eyebrows.

"Ever since the Director changed, the Central Headquarters' way of doing things suddenly changed… Capturing Mushitsuki became increasingly merciless…"

Director of Central Headquarters.

''Ichiku Mikitaka, huh—''

He recalled the unknown boy that appeared during their school trip the other day.

He hadn't appeared in front of Daisuke and Arisu since then, but there was no doubt he was a Mushitsuki.

How many Branch Heads in the SEPB knew that the Director was a Mushitsuki? At the very least the Vice Director, Miguruma Yaeko, would definitely know.

"I thought that at this rate it'd become something irreversible… I mean, if we end up fighting even more than now… That would be unbearable…!"

"And so you ran?"

Daisuke asserted calmly. He could hear her grind her teeth.

"If we Mushitsuki run, we lose. Since we have to fight, we can only die if we lose."

Large tears spilled from the girl's eyes. A scream containing all emotions in it reverberated in the room.

"AHHHHHHH!!!"

Daisuke pulled the trigger.

[[File:Mushi_Uta_Bug_4th_p057.jpg|thumb]]

The bullet containing overwhelming destructive power shot through the giant flea attacking him.

When the Mushi's body was blown to smithereens, the girl bent backward as if receiving a shock. She fell to the floor and stopped moving. A Mushitsuki whose Mushi was killed would be reduced to a husk without any feelings or will—a Fallen.

"…"

Returning the gun to the holster on his back, he exited the waiting room.

He climbed the stairs to the floor above—returning to Ena collapsed in front of the corridor connected to the announcement room.

"If you show your weakness you lose…"

He muttered while looking down on Ena.

He had to become stronger than anyone to keep living as a Mushitsuki. He couldn't lose to anyone. If he showed any weakness—he would forget his dream, just like the girl he'd turned into a Mushitsuki just now.

"Nnn…"

Raising a small voice, Ena grimaced while opening her eyes.

Soon the department store would be completely sealed by the police and the Special Environmental Preservation Bureau. Many people witnessed the Mushi that didn't officially exist. They'd all hear a fabricated story about those Mushi in the form of counseling, and then warned not to speak about them.

"Kusuriya…kun…?"

The rising Ena looked around vacantly, wearing a relieved expression. She probably recalled what happened before she'd lost her consciousness. After she confirmed neither she nor Daisuke were hurt, he saw Ena's face warp.

"Kusuriya-kun!"

Probably relieved, she clung to Daisuke. Perhaps she started crying, as he could hear the sobs of the girl as she embraced him with shaking arms.

Ena embraced him without knowing that he was a Mushitsuki—and the one who exterminated other Mushitsuki for the sake of his dream, the worst Mushitsuki, who was known as a demon.

"It's all fine now. Seems like the monsters went somewhere."

However—

"So calm down, Saionji-san."

Since she didn't know, they could probably keep hanging like this for a while.

Since he was continuing Arisu's monitoring, he would have to keep going along with this girl he was weak against.

Daisuke repeated ''It's all fine''. Ena kept sobbing without giving any reply.

So all he could do was return her hug.

When he raised his face again, he saw two familiar people looking at them from the shadows.

"I'll punish you later… pervy Daisuke."

"Pfft, just hugging a girl makes him blush."

It was Arisu and Kasuou. They'd apparently tailed Daisuke.

"She'll hear you…"

Even after Daisuke swore in a low voice, the clinging Ena didn't let go for a while.

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===Notes===

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