BlazBlue:Phase Shift 2 Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Black Beast, Reappears

Part 1

December 31st, 2107 AD.

A night that felt unpleasant; with a strange warm wind blowing.

Although the sky was mostly deprived of clouds, the view of the stars and moon had grown hazy as they were covered by thick seithr.

But the moon, shining dully, appeared oddly close. It shone its stagnant light upon the ground that was about to become ruined by battle, as if giving sympathy.

The surroundings were a plain wasteland; brown desert, no grass or water was present for miles.

If today would be the day of apocalypse for humanity, the scenery here surely would need no changes.

...Nine surveyed the battlefield, taking a deep breath, having confirmed the situation with all the units of the Mage's Guild.

The day and the year would end very soon. A whole year had passed since then. It was time for its revival. Just thinking about it would give anyone shivers.

Of course, the preparations had been sufficiently arranged. As everything that could be done had been dealt with, there was no anxiety or fear regarding that part.

What had been concerning Nine was Celica.

"Nine. The deployment of the foreign armies has been completed without problems."

Trinity jogged up to Nine. She was among the same units as Nine and her role was to support all of the armies.

Every functioning country was participating in this strategy.

The armies even included the countries that had previously refused to cooperate with The Mage's Guild.

Presently, several hundred thousand units had been positioned around various cauldrons that had a high rate of seithr discharge. The units also included volunteers who were ordinary people.

It was still unclear which cauldron the Black Beast would emerge from. But once its arrival had been confirmed, the attack and mobilization would commence immediately.

Among the armies that had been stationed at the cauldrons... was Celica. She had positioned herself in the centre of a group of cauldrons, so as to be as to be able to get to a number of them as quickly as possible.

"...Are you worried about Celica-san?"

Trinity asked her in a whisper as she saw a deep sorrow in Nine's expression that was masked in calmness.

Finally noticing that her mind was completely filled with Celica, Nine lightly bit her lip to reprimand herself.

"...Of course I'm worried."

She could have dodged the question, but Nine chose to speak her mind. Trinity was her companion. She could immediately see through Nine's pressure no matter how many words she used to coat it.

Plus she couldn't keep making a calm face like it was nothing when it came to that matter.

"Don't joke like that! Do you even understand what you're saying!?"

The first moment Celica said that she wanted to be a decoy, Nine had let her anger burst out, as if on reflex.

Nine's shout would make her classmates from the academy tremble. But it wasn't a big deal for Celica. Instead she retorted with an even louder voice.

"I said I do. I wouldn't say something like this as a joke."

"That makes it even worse! Celica, didn't you hear me in our preparations for this battle!?"

"Of course I remember. But this is different from our talk about Seven-san and Eight-san. I won't be dying. And if I can lure the Black Beast, won't it be good for the strategy?"

The more Nine resisted, the more that the stubborn Celica stood her ground.

No matter how many times they had this argument, Celica wouldn't back down once she had decided on something. Nine knew from experience that she was like a dog with a bone.

At that time, she could have predicted yield in the end.

"Please! I want to do it no matter what! I'll run away when it gets dangerous. I'll obey your instruction. So please…!"

The sisters continued throwing demands at each other for a further 30 minutes.

But then Celica joined her hands and kneeled in front of Nine, prostrating herself like a beggar before a king. The excessively direct request left Nine at a loss for words.

She understood about it. About what kind of a sister Celica was and how earnest her heart was.

Nine gave a big sigh and scratched her head in annoyance.

"…Aaah, okay! You have a comeback for everything I said!"

"…Then… you get it!?"

"I get it, I get it! You're such a stubborn kid. You must have thought tons of excuses to persuade me."

Actually, even if the theories she lined up against Nine might seem all over the place, they needed a little more accuracy in pin pointing The Black Beast's arrival in order to intercept it.

There weren't many alternatives that would go smoothly even when the certainty wasn't in 100% percent, or even if they had to rely on the vampire girl's prophecy. In fact, there were only a few of them.

If the Black Beast could be drawn to Celica, then it would greatly smooth the proceeding of the plan.

Nine wouldn't have any complaints if Celica didn't do it.

"…But remember, your duty is just to lure out that monster. You absolutely cannot participate in the battle. Get to a safe place after that. You hear?"

"Yes! Thanks, Onee-chan!"

With the hard-fought battle of wills finally won, Celica's expression returned to its usual bright, carefree smile. Then she gripped her sister's hands.

Nine didn't have the slightest idea how she should feel when looking at that smile.

…The day of the decisive battle approached. Although the arrangements had been finished by this point, Nine was in violent remorse. She couldn't help but think that it might be better if she had dismissed Celica's opinion using whatever means necessary.

Nine crushed the deployment scheme of the foreign armies in her hand. She immediately switched her long gaze to the direction where Celica was supposed to be.

"Truth to be told, I want to send her to Ishana immediately. Having Celica to be a bait to lure the Black Beast is ludicrous… If I could, I wanted to at least be right beside and protect her now."

"You have to take command of the Armagus unit, you know. No one but you is able to do it."

The Armagus unit was organized from the candidates around the world that had been tested for their aptitude. Today would be their first live combat.

Even with their skill, the armies had insufficient combat experience. Commanding them required someone who grasped the understanding of Armagus better than anyone. In other word, Nine.

"I know about that."

Trinity was to give support and direct the supportive magic unit from headquarters. Jubei, Terumi, and Valkenhayn were participating in the units which were located near their respective cauldrons. Even with someone else's assistance, there was no other choice for Nine.

But it was because she precisely knew about it that the absurd irritation within the helpless situation struck her nerves.

The cause of annoyance didn't just come from the Black Beast. Seven and Eight's movement was still in her mind.

Nine thrust her disarranged long hair with her hand. Trinity put her hand to Nine's shoulder and gently smiled.

"Didn't you create Nirvana and have her beside Celica-san? And that gentleman is also there."

"…Ugh. Oh, well. I guess I don't have a problem with him being her guard at the very least, considering his war potential."

Combing the tangled hair in her hand, Nine took a deep breath to shake off the ill feeling in her chest. Though the burden in her chest hadn't disappeared, she had to forcibly convince herself for now.

"Anyway, let's beat up the monster before it reach Celica."

"Fufu, that's the spirit~. ...But please don't do anything reckless."

"I know. You too, Trinity. I can't do anything without you after all."

"Oh my. You're making me embarrassed."

Trinity covered her girlish mouth with the fingertips that came out from the sleeve of her robe. Nine replied with a daring smile.

But time was ticking. No matter how many words she spoke, the pressuring anxiety had yet to disappear from Nine's chest.

Part 2

The midwinter wind blew, making her cheeks lukewarm. The smell of dust was in the air.

The night had somehow grown stagnant. The stars and moon seemed so much farther away. The air, which was filled with seithr, shimmered like a pretty, thin, silk curtain. It created a sense of unease.

It had been a while since she felt the air outside the island. Celica sat down on top of a rugged hill within the endless wasteland while inhaling the dusty air of the night deep into her lungs.

Nirvana stood just next to her. The smooth and brilliant glass spheres that were her eyes appeared as if they were gazing at the distant scenery.

Following her gaze, Celica also looked into the distance.

The scenery she was staring at seemed desolate.

Once, this region had suffered damage from The Black Beast. The demon appeared suddenly as usual, transformed the buildings and road into a wasteland, and disappeared abruptly as before.

But one small town had barely survived thanks to that whim. It was located on the other side of the rocky mountain west from here. If the Black Beast appeared in this territory tonight, the town would surely disappear and be turned into a wasteland just like here.

It was truly a dreadful thing.

Thinking about it, Celica couldn't help but think that she was a complete fool for being here.

It was like being in a dream. Sure, she was fully conscious, but some part of her mind couldn't believe the situation that was about to approach before her eyes.

Although the wind wasn't chilly, it was mysteriously cold. Sitting on top of a rock, Celica hugged her knees and placed her chin on top of them.

The dusty wind fluttered her tied hair like a sash.

Suddenly, she heard heavy footsteps behind.

Suddenly, Nirvana snapped into her combat position. Celica turned around in a panic, but seeing who was standing there softened her expression.

"Hakumen-san."

There, a tall man wearing white clothing and a white mask with long sword on his back stood silently.

There was no squadron posted near Celica. During the strategy meeting, she had emphasized the possibility that the Black Beast might not be able to find her if she was included in a unit.

Of course, Nine was opposed to it. But she was eventually outmatched by Celica's unyielding spirit once she had decided on her plan. Then she arranged for Celica to be stationed in the middle of the wasteland. Yet she would allow it only if Nirvana and Hakumen were with her.

After Celica calmly called out to her that nothing was the matter, Nirvana relaxed.

Hakumen stood beside Celica. His white mask turned toward the air as if gazing at the wasteland.

"...Are you scared?"

A low, muffled voice questioned.

Celica looked up and stared at Hakumen's face. She wasn't expecting his question. Shrugging her shoulders, she broke down her expression with a bashful smile.

"Aha... A little."

While replying, Celica was surprised by something other than Hakumen's remark. For the first time, she noticed that she was trembling a bit when she heard her own answer.

She had never expected to be so terrified. But now that she had been asked, she realised that there was a fear laying deep inside. She would compare it to the feeling a pebble would have while sinking into a vast lake

Celica drew her knees close and hugged herself tightly. She felt a bit of relief from the radiation of her own body heat.

"But I'm not so sure what could be so terrifying. Because I feel safe as much as I feel scared. For a whole year, my sister and the others have really done their best. It should be fine when the Black Beast comes."

It wasn't just Nine and Hakumen. Everyone around the world had done what they could.

There were some quarrels among fellow countries, a reorganization that had to be done to the collapsing economy, and insufficient goods. The world had to go forward while burdened by loads of problem, but plenty of people had worked hard from each of their positions. And it had finally come to today.

Celica believed that there wasn't any wasted effort through that entire year.

Still hugging her knees, Celica straightened her back and raised her face up straight. Her big eyes reflected a distant scene.

"My sister and everyone else will surely win the battle. A world where everybody lives in peace without conflict is coming. And I'm glad I can lend my hand to achieve it. That's why right now I don't have any regrets nor a single thought to give up. But you know, it's just… "

As she thought, being in the middle of an empty wasteland alone was frightening. A terribly simple reason that made her shiver.

"…A world where everybody lives in peace. Without conflict…"

Hakumen muttered in a deep voice. It was like he was thinking of a distant wish that was vanishing. Faint and weak, swept away by the rough wind.

Hearing his voice which seemed like he was pondering on fleeting thoughts, Celica looked up and made a wry smile. When she heard Hakumen repeating her words, she became embarrassed. Because it felt like her naivety and inexperience were exposed.

"A-Ahaha. It's weird, isn’t it? I got scared despite thinking about all that. It seems I'm more confused than I thought."

"…There is nothing to fear."

Hakumen looked straight forward and spoke, showing not even the slightest hesitation. Clenching the dangling hands beside his body, his feet which were previously spread shoulder-wide stepped firmly on the hard ground without a hint of retreating.

"I will slay the Dark One. Your only task is to see it with your eyes from here."

Hakumen's voice was like a single swing of sword. Unwarped, unclouded.

His standing figure reminded her of a dear feeling… Celica slowly caught her breath.

"Ragna…"

Hearing the name she had unintentionally whispered, Hakumen turned his head toward her.

When he did, Celica finally noticed that she had been muttering. She quickly waved both hands in front of her face.

"Ah, no, excuse me. You just reminded me of someone for a moment."

While speaking, Celica wondered what made her think that.

She shouldn't be recalling Ragna when she looked at Hakumen. It was understandable for it to happen once or twice, but continuing to remember somebody else's image like this was really impolite. Even if Celica was a dunse in etiquette, she could sympathize with that.

She had to be careful. While staring at Celica as she was trying to compose herself, Hakumen leisurely asked a question a moment later.

"…Do I have any resemblance to him?"

This time, Celica gasped in surprise.

She had never considered that she would be questioned about it. He usually would have averted his face without speaking a word. She thought he would stay silent, looking into the distance with his white face.

Celica nodded twice afterward.

"I'm sure I told you about this before. Last time, I was searching to find his resemblance in you… but now I can see there are clear similarities."

"Hm."

His grunt urged her to continue. She might have misunderstood it, but Celica went along with her intuition.

"He's blunt and has a bad attitude. He also tends to get into arguments with my sister. But somehow, he's good at taking care of people. And… I didn't know where he came from or anything about his history at all."

With good cheer, Celica spoke about their similarities one by one while counting on her fingers. But her hands eventually opened up and she smiled while squinting with happiness.

She pressed her hands to her chest as if a warm light had been lit inside.

"But I guess it's your air that's similar to his. When I look at you, It just makes me think about Ragna."

In no way was that a painful feeling. When she thought about Ragna it felt like being basked with sunlight filtering through the trees, back in the academy's courtyard.

"…Do you wish to meet him?"

It was a miracle for a day to come when Celica was given a question filled with such emotion from Hakumen. Still spontaneously smiling while looking for an answer, Celica lifted her eyelids and looked at Hakumen.

She didn't know where the location of his eyes and mouth were on that white, flat mask. He might not have a face in the first place. It was unclear whether Hakumen had the same 5 senses as a human.

However, Celica read the feeling in Hakumen's gaze and stared back at him.

"Yup, I want to."

Her voice rang clear and true, without any hint of hesitation or doubt.

"The reason for me acting as bait for the Black Beast is also because I thought I might be able to meet Ragna. Ah, of course I'm doing it to help my sister, too. But… when I thought about meeting him, I just couldn't help myself."

"The Dark One is still the Dark One. It appears with oblivion as its purpose. …The Ragna you spoke of who is held inside of it might not necessarily be the Ragna you are wishing for."

His low tone of voice cut through the atmosphere without reservation.

However, instead of depressing her, his words made Celica glad.

"Aha. I've been told the same thing by Ragna in the past."

She was talking about when she found her missing father. She had been told that she might regret it if she found him.

Celica's feelings now were similar to that time.

"But I still wish to meet him."

Releasing the knees she had been hugging, Celica leaped to her feet. She stretched her back, puffed out her chest, and took a deep breath.

"I want to meet him. Talk to him. It'd be great if we could do things just like when we were together before, but… it's fine even if we couldn't. I mean, there's a lot of specific things I want to do and it makes my head spin. I want to meet Ragna. And if I do, that's enough to make me really happy."

It was strange. She should have been trembling enough to make her collapse. But now, that feeling was completely fading.

It must have been Hakumen, Celica thought. When Hakumen was there, she felt that she would get her harmony back as soon as she had an unsettling thought.

She wanted to meet Ragna. That feeling had made her push herself to stand here. She forced herself to to remember it.

"…I see."

Hakumen sighed. It was no longer just a hint; his voice obviously had sensitivity in it.

Astonished, Celica stared hard at Hakumen. She couldn't help but feel that there was a gentle yet sad face of a man under the white mask.

Between his breaths, Hakumen continued to talk as if speaking to himself.

"I, too, recalled a person whenever I looked at you. Someone in the distant past who I have grown to forget."

"I look like someone you know?"

Celica asked a question to draw him in. Hakumen's past. It was like a glasswork that shouldn't be carelessly handled. It made her heart throbbed a little.

But betraying the faint feeling of expectation Celica held, Hakumen flatly shook his head.

"There is no similarity."

"Hey. Just now, I get the feeling that you're making fun of me."

"I wonder."

Even his counter of feigning ignorance was as sharp as ever.

…But Hakumen soon spoke gently.

"…It is simply because she had the same boldness as you do. A girl who would charge ahead once she saw her goal."

Hakumen was staring ahead. It was a mystery whether the white mask was looking at the dull wasteland or a dearest face of someone. Looking at his face from the side, Celica guessed the latter.

"Is that girl someone you love?"

The question was mixed with the wind.

Hakumen didn't answer. But the warm feeling that had lasted until his silence was probably not just her imagination. Pushing aside her hair which had been blown across her face by the wind, Celica smiled while scratching her ear.

"I have a feeling that you'll definitely meet her again… I just know it."

She didn't know when, where, or in what kind of situation that reunion would occur. But the encounter would surely bring happiness. Celica hoped from the bottom of her heart that such reunion would truly happen to Hakumen.

A long sigh that was clearly different than a simple one was heard coming from Hakumen.

"It is an odd conversation. You see the image of Ragna the Bloodedge in me. And I see the image of someone unforgettable in you."

Perhaps he was smiling right now. Perhaps his lack of smile was his way of smiling.

The white mask might not only have snatched his expression. When she suddenly thought about that, Celica let a small chuckle. Hakumen couldn't show it easily but every word he spoke was trying to display his smile.

Led by the sound of Celica's laugh, Hakumen took a step forward.

His long, silver hair swayed.

"Celica A. Mercury. If it is true that you see the image of that man in me, then I will bear the image itself as many times as it takes. He has protected you. Then I shall protect you at once."

"Protect me? I'm happy but… It's somehow strange hearing you say it so formally. What's wrong?"

Searching for the hidden meaning in his words, Celica tilted her head to the side. She tried to take a peek at his face, but she was hindered by the silver hair which was blown by the wind.

Though, there was no expression that could be seen even if she saw his face.

"…I am someone who is seeing an image within you, too. I wield my sword for that foolish purpose. I shall not repeat the same mistake. Hence, I must protect you for that very reason."

It was like the voice that went across her back was hardened by a firm determination. After taking a short pause, Hakumen slightly looked over his shoulder to his back.

"Cease your curiosity. This is no concern of yours."

It was not spoken in such a manner as to push her aside. But what was being grasped tightly by Hakumen's hands must be something precious to him.

Celica decided to respect the privacy of Hakumen's thoughts and stop probing.

It was enough for her since the words Hakumen spoke had made her happy, whatever his circumstances might be.

"Hakumen, you're a kind person. Just as I thought."

"Alrighty," said Celica as she hopped to Hakumen's side. She gazed at the horizon and smiled.

Hakumen kept quiet as though his talkative nature had all been an illusion. He lifted his chin and looked into the distance.

The gesture made it look like he was getting emotional, but perhaps he was just turning his face away. When she looked at him, Celica made a mischievous face.

"Hmm? Perhaps you're getting embarrassed?"

She leaned towards Hakumen, moving her face close to his but his white mask remained silent without even a slight movement.

"It's hard to imagine, but he might be getting embarrassed for real", Celica thought. The childish emotion within Celica's mind was growing. She was thinking whether she should push him a little more. But that thought only lasted for a moment.

Celica realised that Hakumen's appearance was suddenly making her uneasy. Perhaps she had subconsciously noticed a change in circumstance in his blank face.

"Hakumen, what's wrong?"

He didn't move even when addressed. Hakumen continued to face forward while holding his breath.

Just as she had thought, the situation was strange.

As if enshrouded with thick heat, the air around Hakumen changed.

Killing intent.

The dangerous sensation made Celica, who was still inexperienced in combat, freeze on the spot and stop breathing.

At the same time, Celica had a thought. What kind of opponent could make Hakumen express so much killing intent?

A strong breeze blew in from their front. Celica turned around to brush off the wind. Even that small movement felt sluggish and she found it really hard to move.

Suddenly, a thick fog sprouted out like a geyser in front of Celica's eyes. Celica screamed a little and sprang backwards. Moving to her side, Nirvana scooped Celica into her arms and quickly stepped back out of the range of immediate danger.

The gushing mist from the ground multiplied to two and then three bursts. As if aiming for a specific location, the eruptions drew a dotted line across the terrain.

It was heading in the direction that Celica and Hakumen were staring at. Toward the barren and uncovered wasteland.

After the small geysers had burst forth, completely surrounding that area, followed by a vast amount of black mist that began to overflow from the ground. A tremor violently shook the ground as if something was pushing up against it.

Cracks erupted across the dry earth as a dark form emerged, tearing the previously unbroken wasteland in two.

"MOVE!"

Hakumen shouted the order.

But Celica couldn't separate her eyes from the scene. It wasn't just the scenery that she couldn't escape from, none of her senses could run from the crawling she felt in her skin.

It was the same as that time. The atmosphere she had felt just before she parted with Ragna one year ago.

The wind, thick with seithr, advanced and surrounded Celica's whole body. The earthquake was so violent that she lost her footing and stumbled.

Nirvana supported Celica as she was staggering.

Celica raised her face upward while trying to oppose the devastating wind.

Toward something enormous which tore the cracked earth and raised the ground level.

It was as black as solidified darkness, had many red veins running along its figure, and had a head the shape of serpent's. Its immense size was beyond words.

Slowly, one by one, more heads crept from the depths of the earth. Each one matching the mammoth size of the first.

A total of eight necks dragged themselves from within the crater. Following them, a large torso, which surpassed even the size of the heads, appeared on the desolated ground.

Meanwhile with the Armagus unit near the operations base, Nine was struggling for breath. She stared at the creature which had appeared with hostility floating in her eyes.

"This is… the real deal…"

It was more than just the thick seithr that set her breathing out of control.

She mustered her willpower, in order to calm herself down.

At the main unit, Trinity fell to her knees. Her entire legs felt weak. Soon, she wasn't able to stand anymore.

Her brain couldn't accept what her eyes were seeing. It felt like the insides of her skull were firing off warnings as they couldn't comprehend anything. …She could only stare wide eyed with a blank expression on her face.

At the assault unit leading various demi-humans, pioneered by beastkins, was Jubei. His body was resisting him as he desperately tried to reject the fear that was gripping his mind. It has begun, he thought. At the same time, he felt it was strangely close to the end of things.

Once, there had been a time when he was near to it. That moment was also dreadful. He was unable to move and his feet had frozen.

But that fear was even bigger now that he saw the beast at its full potential.

Meanwhile at the largest assault unit, Valkenhayn averted his eyes from the figure that had appeared from the ground. It was like he had witnessed the world's demise itself.

Once he had the courage to bear it within his field of vision again, while whispering the name of the lord he had sworn his loyalty to, he encouraged himself to move.

However, his body was already frozen in fright.

At Ishana's magician unit, Terumi looked up at the silhouette whose frame was now blocking out the horizon. He laughed. Laughter escaped from the man's mouth, but not due to joy, it was because he couldn't think of any better response.

He softly muttered under his hood.

"This guy's nasty... He's even bigger than the last time…"

The Black Beast.

It was simply an overwhelming fear.

Who could have imagined it?

The dark red nightmare was squirming right there.

Part 3

The Black Beast roared loudly. Its paralyzing howls combined into one and would inspire terror instinctively within any animal.

The destructive voice was enough to shake the ground. It was giving off vibes of despair to the world.

The black mass went beyond normal human comprehension. The shadow monster. The Black Beast.

Its eight heads were raised and the ominous red eyes were lit up. It moved around like it was searching for something.

Red lines marking its veins were running over its entire body. It looked almost like the wiring of an electrical device. The veins were pulsing light as if they were beating. It went beyond fear as to being repulsive.

The eight heads roamed about until they made a discovery all at once. A young girl standing alone in the wasteland… Celica.

Its red eyes were glaring as if some kind of emotion was crossing his features.

However, the color was nothing but sinister. The sensation was far from any emotion a human could have.

Her eyes met the Black Beast's. Celica wasn't able to tear her gaze away from its many heads.

Her body was frozen in place from the top of her head to the soles of her feet. With her gaze frozen in place, Celica was at her wit's end as she trembled in fear.

(This is… the Black Beast…)

Her throat was stuck. Her scream strangled and unable to escape.

She was afraid. It was different from the vague fear she had a while ago as it made Celica wither in pain.

The eight crooked necks bent like whips as they moved. Befitting its large size, the black giant moved ahead in grandiose manner.

Several steps more and the eight snakes would reach Celica. She might get eaten. Or else, she might get crushed. Either way, that moment would be the end for her.

Although that thought permeated her mind, there was nothing she could do to move from that point. She could only tremble and stood there, petrified, unable to do anything, like a baby…

(…But Ragna…)

For an instant, the precious color of an cut through her other terrified thoughts.

It was clear green. A warm and gentle color of green, like a tree in summer, full with leaves. But probably because of his wound, only the left side of his eyes was fine. He was always astonished, angry, and laughing with only one half of his eyes.

A transparent wind blew through Celica's chest. Her panic disappeared like it had all been a lie.

(Ragna… faced this alone.)

Thanks to it, Celica hadn't lost her life.

Humanity obtained one year of time that to her felt both short and long.

And Ragna had not yet come back.

——mise.

The words she heard exactly one year ago were echoing in her ears.

"…na."

As if the feeling was pushing her back, Celica took a step forward.

——Yeah, I promise.

Yes, he promised.

Ragna had promised to return. To take back the red coat he had entrusted to Celica.

Celica had held onto it, awaiting for Ragna to return... She promised.

Then if Ragna was somewhere inside the black mass in front of her eyes…

(I want to meet him——!)

One foot fell in front of the other. Celica ran toward the Black Beast. While running, she shouted with all her breath.

"RAGNA——————————————————!"

The next moment.

A swift, silver light flew and tore the sky. It cut apart the head of the approaching black snake in a flash.

"…!?"

Celica stopped moving, startled.

It threw its whole body towards the black giant without any hesitation.

For an instant, that figure was overlapped by a nostalgic silhouette.

(No, that's wrong. It's not Ragna.)

It was Hakumen.

After he landed on top of the cleaved snake head, Hakumen flipped his sword and without any unnecessary movement pierced the crown of the head, drawing a vertical line.

The head took almost all of the long blade, and then it violently struggled. But before it did, Hakumen pulled out the sword and leaped away. Next, he gave another slash to the neck part.

The sharp noise from the slash was vividly audible. It sliced the part under the jaw in a straight line.

Nonetheless, there was a drastic size difference between Black Beast and Hakumen.

Even the eye-snatching white gleam of the long sword was unable to completely chop through the demon's neck. Perhaps the wounds of the squirming neck had healed since it calmly began to brush Hakumen away.

Still not paying any heed to its counterattack, Hakumen jumped high and didn’t hesitate to swing the sword.

The strokes of the sword were many and the blows cuts deep.

While keeping the monster's jaw, that had received blows to keep it in check with his brute strength, he slashed it from the bottom up.

Jumping up to follow his cut, he rose up below the jaw and stabbed the sword to the monster's throat. Then allowed gravity to assist his cut as he slip down the long neck to the ground.

The beast shrieked dreadfully in rage.

Hakumen's was knocked away and he hit the ground hard. The impact dented the earth. But before the soaring cloud of dust had a chance to settle, the white warrior was already standing up.

Highlighting the gallant figure of Hakumen against the battlefield, white lightning was cast about as if falling like rain.

It was the Armagus unit led by Nine.

There were numerous lightning bolts as the spell was cast repeatedly. Explosions of electricity were punctuated by a thunderous roar that matched the intensity of the Black Beast's howl.

Subsequently, Jubei's unit approached with great speed from behind the Black Beast. Their target was its feet. The alchemical weapons that Trinity had provided helped to trip the giant's feet and obstruct its movement.

Various offensive magics were fired off from the magician unit who had positioned themselves to surround the beast. The military forces from the assorted nations also commenced their attack simultaneously.

Celica watched on from the mountainside as the battlefield became intense in a blink of an eye.

It was a ghastly spectacle.

It couldn't be more obvious that it was a struggle in which humanity had concentrated all of the power they had at their disposal.

The Armagus squad's attacks were proving to be the most effective.

The number of armagus weilders that had been assembled spanned several times the number of Ishana's inhabitants. The average offensive ability from the Armagus couldn't be compared with that of the smaller magicians' unit.

Because Nine was giving commands to the armagus squad, the raining spears of the Armagus's light weren't fired wildly. The combined force of the lightning worked to stagger the Black Beast as it struck at its ankles.

It was effective. The faltering steps of the beast made it feel like humanity was drawing a victory for the first time.

…But when the hands that were used to attack repeatedly stopped for a moment, the Black Beast cried out with its ferocious voice and swung its eight necks.

When the long necks brushed off the sky, the thick fog roared and gouged the earth like a whip. Along with a howl, the descending mass of seithr crushed the earth and living beings like a lump of iron.

Then after stopping one moment, it resumed its advance. This time it slid on the ground, imposingly moving forward.

It was aiming for Celica.

"It’s coming to my location…?"

The distance was no longer mattered. The seithr would blow around violently whenever the Black Beast was near. The following rampage of wind toyed with her hair and mantle annoyingly.

Even while squinting her eyes to protect from from the head wind, Celica couldn't take off her eyes from the approaching black mass that was causing the quake.

It wasn't because she was terrified. She was searching for a presence inside this dreadful and grotesque figure of a giant.

Celica had a thought. The monster kept walking in Celica's direction even while withstanding the fierce attack. There might be a part within it that remembered the promise to 'return'.

A foolishly optimistic thought that be laughable to anyone else if they had heard it. But once she gave it a thought, Celica couldn't stop feeling like it was the truth.

"I must go!"

At this short distance, Celica could reach the beast with a short sprint. Steeling her resolve, Celica dashed off over the ocher soil. …However, someone suddenly caught her arm.

"Wha… Nirvana?"

When she turned to look, Nirvana, who had been standing motionlessly beside Celica, used her large, weaponized hand to grab Celica's wrist.

The beautiful artificial eyes were staring at Celica silently.

She had judged that it would be dangerous for Celica to go any further. Celica struggled, shaking her arm to loosen Nirvana's hand, but she was undaunted and continued her tough restraint.

"Let me go, Nirvana! I want to go there. I might be able to meet Ragna. So ple…"

Her desperate objection was cut midway.

Under Celica's feet, veins of light were appearing.

As if in the middle of drawing a pattern, it crawled along the ground at a great speed, the pattern becoming more complex every moment.

She didn't know its purpose, but Celica soon realized what the light was drawing.

It spread wide with Celica on its center. Furthermore, it pulled along small magic circles as if they were connected somewhere, making a strange shape.

"Trinity, what is that magic circle!?"

After she entrusted the Armagus unit to another person, Nine teleported to the headquarters. While yelling, she walked at quick pace to her friend who was wearing yellow robe.

The location of the headquarters was a little higher than other places. Trinity who had been watching over the battlefield got in a panic from Nine's voice. After she lifted her face, she shook her head with complicated face.

"I don’t know. I was just looking at the user now."

"Where?"

"Somewhere around the dispatched magicians who are on Celica-san's left and right sides. There's a chant of unusual spell… Found it! There!"

Trinity probed for the stream of magic power while manipulating her hearing. She pointed at the magician unit gathered within the shade of a few rock within the wasteland. Simultaneously, Nine amplified her vision.

With her telescopic eyes, Nine saw a pair of magicians she recognized well.

"Seven, Eight…!"

Crushing her anger, Nine groaned.

Beside her, Trinity's voice screamed.

"NINE, PLEASE LOOK AT THAT!"

At the same time of the shrieking voice, Nine turned her sight back to normal.

What had burst in to her regular sight was a drawing of huge magic circle like a geoglyph that appeared behind Celica.

A magic circle unknown to Nine. But it was easy to decipher by looking at the magic circles that had been used as foundation, the objects that were added, and its gigantic size.

But it was something that gave Nine a tremendously bad feeling.

"Summoning magic? …It can't be!"

Faster than the transformation of her surprise to anger, the expanded magic circle on the ground began to emit a sinister light.

The large magic circle that appeared all of a sudden began to shine. After realizing it, Celica was shaking in confusion while looking behind.

"Huh? W-What's this!?"

Even the magic circle below her feet began to glow after a bit of delay.

She couldn't understand what was happening. Celica tried to get away from that place.

But for some reason, she wasn't able to go outside the magic circle. It was like she got imprisoned within a cylinder glass bottle.

She hit the invisible wall with both hands. There was no sound, but the sensation blocked Celica from getting out.

(What should I do… I somehow got a very bad feeling…)

As if confirming that ominous hunch, a lukewarm chill brushed against Celica's spine.

To shake it off, Nirvana stretched her arms and hugged Celica tightly. Both of the hard, inhuman arms covered Celica to protect her from everything.

At the same time outside of Celica's sight, Nirvana's back opened. Something like a rod was pushing up and went toward the empty sky. The object that looked like an antenna and lighting rod engraved a violet crest. It wore light as if acting in agreement with something.

"Nirvana…"

Question and relief. With a voice mixed with both, Celica whispered to Nirvana.

Before her sigh ended, an unusual phenomenon happened.

The light from the magic circle suspiciously started to flicker strongly. After the noise and shock diminished like they were sinking furiously, it tried to drag Celica from everything else and knock her down.

"Wh… what's going on… Why's this happening…"

Still getting taken to the bottom of the ground by the force, Celica desperately clung to Nirvana and endured it.

But soon, the circulating chill stroke her spine and went inside her skin. The cold touch of ice snatched strength from Celica's whole body.

Body heat, sensation, emotion. Everything that dwelled within her warmth was seized, frozen, and unfolded.

(No…)

She put strength into the arm that was clinging to Nirvana. But all of that strength were turning to liquid, making it meaningless.

Celica's knees crumbled, light enough to make the illusion of noise.

Her consciousness became distant like it was absorbed.

(No… if I faint… I can't meet… Ragna…)

The hand that was supposed to grab Nirvana slipped and dangled beside her body. While she was relying on the neck that couldn't support her head, her sight went around and couldn't see anything but the night sky.

(Ragna…)

She wondered if this was what dying felt like. With her back still could only feel the stiff hands of Nirvana who was supporting her… Celica lost her consciousness as if she went sleeping.

——Celica didn't know what happened afterward.

Delivering what had been extracted from Celica, the extended magic circle connected its light to the main part of the magic circle which was lying in wait behind.

The gigantic magic square that appeared on the sloppy ruin of hill received it. It was gushing out a light that had the color of flame. The light was spreading to the jet black figure within the circle.

The figure immediately grew large and began to crawl out from the circle.

Its huge arms were stretched before placing both hands on the wasteland. Then it pulled its body like it was crawling out of a swamp.

It had a really vague depiction of a man's features. It had one head, two arms, one torso, and two feet.

Its whole body was black like it was built by molding solidified darkness. Like it was split by cracks, the skin had some kind of blood vessels that were like red veins circulating as they pleased.

Its appearance… resembled the Black Beast.

The titan that appeared from the magic circle made deep noises and waved its long arms. It moved its clutched fists forward to grasp the Black Beast, which had been confined by the Armagus attack, from the side. With unbelievable strength, it knocked off the beast's large build.

Making a violent roar that shook the earth, the Black Beast forcefully gained a distance.

Everyone was watching over that scene in blank.

It was no longer a battle of humanity. It was the clash between absurdity with absurdity, monster with monster.

When the black titan's stance changed to crawling on all fours on the ground, it widely opened it mouth with compulsory movement like a machine.

A white magic circle was unfolded within the mouth cavity that had transformed into a black cave. The magic circle rotated like the gears of watch that had gone awry. It made the red veins that covered the titan's body to swell slowly.

The next moment.

A straight, white flash was fired from the black titan toward the Black Beast.

The ear-piercing roar and shriek robbed the owners of their sense of hearing to hear all noises for several seconds. The powerfully strong light burnt every shadow, fading their sense of sight.

But everyone heard and saw it.

The sound when the beam fired by the titan penetrated the Black Beast's abdomen, and its condition.

As the spear of light vanished, the world regained its colors and sounds. Then the black titan once again submerged into the swamp of magic circle as if it had accomplished its duty.

What remained afterward was the Black Beast. But the gaping hole in its body didn't get healed.

The light which the titan had fired even burnt and wiped the seithr around the Black Beast. The Black Beast would cease to exist if there were no seithr.

The snake demon that was the embodiment of nightmare roared to the distant moon with a shriek. Then its large build trembled once.

And like a bag stuffed with sand that was released at once, its form crumbled. While still crumbling, it ran away to underground.

The rasping noise was getting absorbed by the earth.

The vast amount of black was getting swallowed.

Then without taking a long time, the Black Beast vanished from that place.

…After its gigantic body was gone, the remaining scenery could be seen clearly.

Toward the location where the Black Beast was, the ground was greatly demolished in a straight line. The beam which the titan had fired had burnt it.

The tall cliff that existed above the titan and beast lost its contour as if scooped by spoon like ice cream. A part had transformed into a gentle plain.

It was a tremendous power.

That abnormal strength had repelled an abnormal apparition.

It was the very first moment for humanity to succeed in repelling the Black Beast.

No one knew where it had originated from, but the desolated battlefield was engulfed in cheers.

It seemed like the cheers within the wasteland was done to celebrate posterity and the act of god as it went across the deep traces of the attack. The soldiers who shouted their joy were competing to assemble at the disfigured terrain.

It was like they had witnessed the act of god. At any rate, it repelled the Black Beast with a blow. Toward the monster that couldn't be stopped for an instant even if they had concentrated their own energy.

But that wasn't the case for Nine.

"CELICA!!"

Making a sorrowful voice that split her throat, Nine ran at the top of the hill that bad footing.

Nine usually didn't think of them as obstructing, but she had thrown away the high heels and Ten Sages hat somewhere. Getting covered with cloud of dust, she stumbled and came into a stop.

Nirvana was standing there. She was holding Celica on her arms.

Her tawny hair was completely disarrayed. Her head was supported by the chest of the feeble Nirvana while her limbs were stretched out like a puppet that was snapped of its thread and broke its joints.

Even the fingertip that she would took out to immediately meddle in everything, the cheeks that usually dyed in slight pink, the lips that fit her lovely smile. All was so pale it would make anyone shuddered.

Nine's hands tucked in her sister's cheeks. Then as if to support them, she pressed her own forehead to Celica's forehead. The forehead she touched was cold.

"Nine, how's Celica-sa… n…!?"

Trinity who was running late pinned her bursting chest and asked a question while still breathing roughly. Before she finished her question, Jubei who had arrived just before muttered with a sharp voice.

"She's okay, ain't she?"

Nine's shoulders slightly trembled. But there was no tear flowing. When Nine raised her face, she brushed off bits of dirt on Celica's cheeks with her fingers while replying with the kind of voice like she had crushed her emotions.

"She just fainted. It was thanks to Nirvana who was beside her. …But her magic power got sucked out, so she won't wake up for a while."

"The Black Beast's… dead yet?"

"No. It was only running away. It seems the strength of the finishing blow was lacking."

While calmly answering another question from Jubei, Nine untangled Celica's bangs with her fingers.

Hakumen walked with undisturbed pace and stopped at a separated place. His emotionless face stared at Celica and Nirvana.

Valkenhayn, who was among the largest army of the allied countries, joined them with the appearance of wolf that he wouldn't normally expose. Still in that appearance, he bared his fangs and groaned a question.

"Nine. Tell us if you know about it. What on earth was that?"

"…Artificial Causality Weapon."

Nine spoke quietly. After letting go of her hands from Celica who looked more like a doll than Nirvana, she used the hand to tightly grip the chest part of her own clothes.

Looking over Nirvana's shoulder, Nine glared at the location where the titan had appeared. Her pupils were shaking in fury. Directing her burning gaze to the wasteland that was presently empty, Nine squeezed her stomach and continued to speak.

"That was Nox Nyctores… Gigant: Takemikazuchi. …Something I created."

Exactly at that time, he stood alone at a separated location.

The excited crowd were cheering while swarming the scar from the overwhelming destruction that had carved the earth. Looking over from the position where he could see them, his long coat was fluttered by the dry wind. Putting both hands to the pockets, a glint in his eyes was shining dully under the hood he wore low over his eyes.

"Khukuku… Nice, real nice. You're really some extraordinary geniuses…"

He laughed, shaking his thin shoulders.

"Thanks to you, looks like I might get what I want faster than expected… Guess I have to give a gratitude, HYAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

The joyful voice that didn't reach anyone's voice silently thickened the color of darkness.

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