Unlimited Fafnir:Volume 3 Chapter 4

Chapter 4 - Crimson Catastrophe

Part 1

I, Mononobe Mitsuki, have a secret.

It happened two years prior during the Kraken battle.

Confronted with an increase to two Krakens, standing there blankly in shock, I... heard a voice.

—Don't worry, Mitsuki.

It was the voice of my best friend who had just turned into a monster.

Reflected in my eyes were only the two Krakens—each consisting of an ominous purple eyeball with countless writhing tentacles of silver. Shinomiya Miyako no longer existed in this world... But I heard her voice.

—Calm down, draw your bow, aim.

I felt as though in a dream. There was no sense of reality. Witnessing a scene that I did not wish to admit, half of my thinking had halted.

In that kind of state, I did as the voice instructed. While I was drawing my fictional armament of a bow, the dragon mark under my clothing felt hot as though it were burning.

I even had an illusion as though the heat from my dragon mark was flowing into the arrow I had nocked.

—Okay, shoot! Kill it... Mitsuki!

"Ah..."

The voice escaped my lips with overflowing emotions.

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!"

I screamed while shooting the arrow. I shot at the monster that had robbed me of my best friend.

Using its tentacles to cover its purple eyeball, the Kraken took on a secure defensive stance.

However, my arrow easily penetrated the silver tentacles, embedding itself into the Kraken's eyeball inside.

Then a blinding flash of light erupted between the tentacles, expanding. With a giant explosion, the Kraken's core was destroyed. Originally blotting out the sky in the area, the tentacles instantly went limp and fell onto the sea.

Watching that scene, I finally came to my senses.

"This was... my doing?"

I murmured blankly to myself in disbelief.

"Miyako...?"

What was the voice just now? I yelled at the air, but the voice did not answer. Even if I perked up my ears to listen, my ears could not hear my best friend's pleasant voice.

Finally, I looked down at the writhing monster on the sea. The remaining Kraken—the thing that used to be my best friend.

"Was it Miyako!? Did Miyako—"

Did her consciousness remain? I cried out hoarsely, crying out until my throat hurt.

The Kraken's eyeball turned in my direction while the silver tentacles extended with astounding speed.

"What are you doing!?"

Just before the attack struck, Haruka-san knocked me away, saving me.

The voice was my hallucination after all? A miracle of that sort could not possibly happen.

"—Mononobe Mitsuki! Shoot again!"

"Huh...?"

"If it's the attack you used just now, it should be capable of defeatin the remaining Kraken. Only you can do it—So hurry!"

"But... That is Miyako, right?"

I asked in a trembling voice

Even if it no longer had a consciousness, even if it no longer called to me in a gentle voice, even if it was just a monster, it used to be Miyako.

My best friend, Haruaka-san's younger sister, but I had to—

"...No time to hesitate! If you don't hurry and kill it, someone else might turn into a Kraken too!"

"But... But!"

"This is an order! By my will, not yours! I will take full responsibility!"

Tears fell from Haruka-san's eyes.

Then my memories turned blurry.

I remember drawing my bow with trembling hands, aiming with tearful eyes, screaming with unrecognizable words, shooting the arrow.

However, what I was thinking back then, what feelings were in my heart, all this seemed vague and blurry as though they were behind fog.

It was probably my mind's defensive mechanism to maintain my sanity.

Once everything ended, someone hugged me tightly.

I lost consciousness without seeing that person's face, so even now, I had no idea who it was.

For no particular reason, I thought it should be Haruka-san but I had no concrete proof.

However, the bosom covering me was extremely soft and warm, that hand caressing my head was very gentle. Those feelings lingered clearly in my memories.

After waking up in Midgard's infirmary, I was subjected to a hearing.

I explained everything in as much detail as I could possibly recall, but there was one fact that I could not bring up.

—The fact that I had heard Miyako's voice, it was something I could not bring up no matter what.

It was very likely my own hallucination. Also, as soon as something like that was revealed, it would surely turn into an inspiring story.

Everyone would probably spread the rumor like this—Miyako must have entrusted her power to her best friend, Mitsuki, to allow herself to be killed after turning into a Kraken.

I could not tolerate my actions to be beautified like that and forgiven.

I wanted to be condemned. I wanted to suffer.

However, everyone at Midgard was very kind. Smiling, they encouraged me, supported me, forgave me.

Only one person was willing to be angry at me.

The only person to denounce my crime was the girl named Lisa Highwalker.

Part 2

'—I never expected you to call me on your own, 2nd Lieutenant Mononobe. I don't suppose you wish to return to my team, right?'

The man shown on the screen in the bridge narrowed his slender eyes and spoke. He was Loki Jotunheim, my commanding officer back in NIFL, the man who tried to cultivate me into the strongest "killer."

"Impossible. I'm very contented with life in Midgard."

'Oh, then what business do you have with me? I am a very busy man.'

Major Loki hurried me to speak with his gaze.

"You promised me a reward once, right? As for when that happened, I don't quite remember."

I spoke suggestively. Major Loki's eyebrow moved slightly.

It was back when the Leviathan incident had ended, Major Loki had promised me one favor as a reward for setting things smoothly.

Of course, I was lying when I said I could not remember, but our conversation had happened unbeknownst to Midgard. Hence, with Shinomiya-sensei and others present at the bridge, I could not bring up that conversation.

'...Speaking of which, I definitely did promise you. Then what? Have you finally decided what you want?'

After I heard Major Loki's question, I nodded affirmatively.

"Yes—Please give me Mistilteinn."

Upon hearing my request, Major Loki's lips curled with delight.

'Oh... You are referring to the weapon developed by NIFL for taking down Basilisk?'

"That's right, although I don't think it's a mass produced weapon, there should be a prototype. If it's still usable, can you give it to me?"

'Mistilteinn is supposed to be ineffective against Basilisk. Why do you want something like that?'

Major Loki stared at me from the screen and asked me.

"I don't think there's anything wrong with Mistilteinn's design concept. If you hand that weapon over for us to use, I might be able to find a solution."

'You seem to have a plan. But if you're thinking of using that weapon, why not negotiate directly with those in charge of the Mistilteinn operation?'

"It would turn into a situation of Midgard requesting for NIFL's aid, which might result in undue interference, hence I am asking you this as a personal favor, Major Loki."

I met Major Loki's gaze and answered.

'Haha—How cautious. But considering precedents, it's understandable that you may have concerns of that sort. In other words, all you want is for me to act as an intermediary and arrange for NIFL to voluntarily offer Mistilteinn to your side, right?'

"Yes, is it feasible?"

'Having said that I would prepare any reward no matter what, I will try my best. However, I don't guarantee success.'

"That's good enough. Thank you very much."

I bowed and thanked him.

I did not know for sure whether Mistilteinn had a prototype to begin with, hence I did not raise my hopes too much. It was just that obtaining it would be relatively more advantageous.

'You're really working hard, 2nd Lieutenant Mononobe. Do you have things that wish to protect that much?'

"..."

I responded with silence to this sarcastic question. Because for some reason, I felt that answering this question would be extremely dangerous.

'—Whatever, if things go smoothly, NIFL should have a response today. If they don't make a move, you should give up. Goodbye.'

Major Loki smiled at the end and the call disconnected.

Listening to our conversation from the side, Shinomiya-sensei gazed suspiciously at me.

"Mononobe Yuu, what exactly are you..."

"Sorry for doing things my own way, Shinomiya-sensei, can I trouble you to gather everyone? I'll explain then."

I apologized to Shinomiya-sensei and asked her.

Although it was unknown whether Mistilteinn would be given to us, I had things to tell everyone.

Basilisk could very well have an opening to exploit.

This was the only solution I had discovered during our failed operation.

Part 6

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