BlazBlue:Bloodedge Experience 2 Chapter 2
| Illustrations |
| Prologue:Rebirth |
| Chapter 1: Contact |
| Chapter 2: Immortal |
| Chapter 3: Mitsurugi |
| Chapter 4: Secret |
| Chapter 5: Encounter |
| Epilogue |
| Extra Chapter: Fragments |
| Afterword |
Part 1
It was a beautiful day.
The sky was a soft, pale blue, with thin, stretched-out white clouds arranged like a knitted pattern.
It was a perfectly clear, refreshing day. The clock had just passed noon, and the cool breeze had begun to blow.
Shinkawahama First High School was in the middle of its lunch break, and the students were spending their short break in various ways. Naoto and Raquel, like many other students, had slipped out of the classroom and come to the courtyard with their lunch. However, today they didn't have Haruka's homemade bento.
As a student council member, Haruka had been busy preparing for the upcoming cultural festival and had been coming to school very early every day lately. With her hectic mornings, there was simply no time to prepare three bentos, so Naoto, Raquel, and Haruka, who was probably working hard in the student council room right now, had sandwiches and bread they bought from the cafeteria.
"...Thanks for the meal."
Sitting on the edge of a flowerbed, using it as a makeshift bench, Naoto finished his somewhat lacking lunch compared to Haruka's bento and poked a straw into a pack of café au lait like a post-meal coffee.
This area was shaded, and even on a sunny day like today, it was in the shadow of the school building and the trees. The drainage was poor, and it was a little damp, so not many people would choose this place as a lunch spot on such a nice day. Thanks to this, there was no one else around, and they were able to finish their lunch in peace.
Raquel had finished eating before Naoto and was now checking the size of the ground a little distance away. To an outsider, the reason for her suspicious behavior was the same as the reason they were having lunch in such a dark place.
This was the same place where Raquel had used magic to investigate the school before. And today, she had come here for the same purpose. As usual, Naoto's job was to keep watch so that Raquel's magic would not be disturbed.
Taking his eyes off Raquel, who was looking around, her long golden ponytail swaying like a tail, Naoto slowly sipped his cafe au lait. As he swallowed the cheap sweetness, he felt a heavy, gloomy sensation.
(My stomach hurts...)
He didn't actually have any pain, and even if his stomach was upset, it would heal in no time, but he had been feeling that way for a while now. Ever since yesterday.
After Saya had left, he had eaten baumkuchen with Haruka and Raquel. He had felt a heavy weight in his stomach ever since then.
Raquel hadn’t tried to pry any information about Saya since then. However, it didn’t mean she had lost interest. Naoto often felt her presence or gaze, as if she was waiting for him to speak up. However, Naoto hadn’t told Raquel anything yet. He had deliberately avoided the topic and spent the night with his mouth shut. As a result, the atmosphere between them had been awkward and strained since last night. Even during their lunch just earlier, despite sitting side by side, they hadn’t exchanged a single word.
(This awkwardness is going to be a pain...)
They were going to be living in the same house for a while, but the current state of affairs felt suffocating and distracting. More importantly, he couldn’t afford to be consumed by thoughts about his sister right now.
“Naoto.” Startled, Naoto looked up.
“Whoa, you scared me!”
Raquel was standing far too close, her arms crossed. She looked down at him with a slight frown, clearly displeased.
"......How long are you going to keep me waiting?"
“Huh?”
"Don't 'huh' me. I'm asking you how long you're going to keep sulking like that." Although Raquel's voice wasn't raised, she was clearly annoyed. Naoto, with the straw still in his mouth, was taken aback and couldn’t help but chuckle at her sudden outburst.
(She's angry all of a sudden...)
It probably wasn't sudden for Raquel, but when he remembered her calm expression just a few minutes ago as she ate her sandwich, he felt deflated. He had always considered himself quite short-tempered, but Raquel seemed even more so.
“Ugh... I guess I have to talk, huh?” Feeling awkward, he asked while chewing on his straw, and the temperature of Raquel's gaze dropped even further.
"What a foolish question. I'm actually more surprised that you're even considering not talking about this now. Do you really think you can keep this just a problem for yourself at this point, with that poor brain of yours? If you could just be a little less stupid, it would be a relief to me. You lowly servant."
Naoto was speechless at the barrage of words and took a sip of his café au lait to cover his embarrassment. The word "servant", spat out with more anger than contempt, suggested that Raquel was less disappointed and more irritated by Naoto's lack of empathy
Raquel let out a small sigh and shrugged her narrow shoulders.
"She is a Drive user. As such, she will inevitably seek the 'Azure' sooner or later, even unconsciously."
"Azure."
Naoto's expression hardened almost reflexively at the word. It had been a few days since he'd heard it spoken, but it was always there, a fixed, shared goal that existed in both Naoto and Raquel's minds. An immovable weight they couldn't avoid being conscious of. That was the “Azure.”
He understood that. But… Naoto looked down again.
"…When I drank your blood, information about Naoto Kurogane flowed in at the same time. However, there was no information regarding Saya Terumi among it. It was because you had deliberately cut off your awareness of Saya Terumi." Raquel's voice descended from outside his lowered line of sight. It was as if she were talking to herself rather than to Naoto, and her voice, which sounded like a monologue, drew Naoto's ears and attention.
Naoto bit down on his straw.
"Why are you turning a blind eye to it? Why are you so stubbornly closing your heart?" Raquel didn't demand an answer but presented it to Naoto as a question. "What is Saya Terumi to you?" It was a genuine question, devoid of sarcasm or malice.
Raquel had probably been wanting to ask Naoto that since yesterday. However, she had held back for just one night. She had refrained from asking. It was an unusual consideration. To be considerate. Naoto grimaced bitterly, finishing the contents of his small paper cup, and raised his eyes.
Raquel's golden eyes were waiting. She stared straight at Naoto's chicken-like gaze, receiving it and catching it. As she stared, Raquel's expression clouded slightly in pain.
"You should tell me everything, Naoto. You're my... servant."
"......Why are you making that kind of face?"
"It's nothing."
"Liar. You look like..."
It seemed like she had a pained expression on her face…
Naoto stopped mid-sentence and crumpled the paper pack he was holding. He took a deep breath and exhaled from the bottom of his stomach.
"Alright," he whispered, his own voice sounding rough and blunt, prompting him to straighten his leaning body and look directly at Raquel. "I'll tell you. Actually, if I don't, I won't be able to concentrate on Spinner either." Soon, Naoto would have to fight a battle with the magician Spinner Superior. If a rift developed between him and Raquel because of Saya, no matter how trivial it was, it would be a major hindrance.
He couldn't afford to be dragged down by such sentimental things.
"But first, tell me. I want to know... What exactly is Soul Eater?"
Raquel had said it was the worst kind of drive that Saya possessed. Naoto knew his sister had a special ability, but he had no idea it was called a "Drive," and that it had such a sinister-sounding name. Raquel knew the truth. Naoto had the same desire and longing to know what he didn't know.
Raquel hesitated slightly. It seemed that, like Saya for Naoto, it wasn't a topic she could handle with a light heart. But after blinking her long-lashed eyelids once, Raquel nodded clearly, indicating she understood.
Part 2
"Soul Eater is the worst and most powerful Drive. It's a power that endlessly absorbs the lives of others, converting them into its own power, ultimately transforming the user into a 'monster' that surpasses even Father." Sitting beside Naoto on the curb, Raquel began, gazing at the open, empty space in front of her.
“Clavis Alucard?”
“Yes.” Raquel answered Naoto's questioning tone with a casualness that suggested it was obvious. Naoto gasped softly. Remembering Raquel's father, Clavis, he shuddered inwardly. He had only met him once. But he would never forget the bottomless, instinctive fear he had felt at that time. His very presence felt like an attack.
To become even more monstrous than that. It was unimaginable. And to think that his own sister might become like that.
"However," Raquel said, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear with a sigh, "that's only if the user's body can handle it."
"......What happens if it can't?"
"They can’t contain the power they’ve amassed and will self-destruct."
"Self-destruct…" Naoto couldn't imagine what that state would be like. But he could tell it wasn't a happy ending. However, Raquel’s ominous explanation continued.
"But it’s better if that happens. If the body withstands the power, and the user becomes a 'monster'… it would cause a disaster that would wipe out an entire city.”
Self-destruction followed by calamity. Naoto couldn’t find the words this time either and simply swallowed. He had only heard about such things. He had no personal experience with it. But it was clear from Raquel's calm words that this was not a mere fabrication, nor was it exaggerated.
"......If Saya continues to use that Drive, will that happen...?"
"From what I saw yesterday, it’s hard to say that the danger is imminent. The true Soul Eater absorbs life force indiscriminately from those nearby. Your sister, however, only seems to drain life force through direct contact, and at that level, she should be manageable." Raquel tilted her chin, as if confirming with herself.
Naoto didn't know what kind of face to make and hid his sullen expression with his cheek resting on his knee.
(Can I defeat her…?)
A small thorn, an unexpected word, caught in his chest. It was a word that should have come out.
He remembered the feel of his sister's hand on his neck yesterday. The hand that touched his neck had intended to drain the life out of him. Without hesitation, she had drawn her sword at Raquel, who had come to stop her, and tried to harm her.
Raquel needed Naoto to obtain the “Azure,” and Naoto needed Raquel to obtain the “Azure.” Therefore, anyone who wanted to kill either or both of them was an enemy and an obstacle that had to be eliminated. If an enemy approached, they must be defeated. That was a natural reaction.
Naoto felt a sense of daze. He realized that he had never intended to defeat Saya from the beginning.
A faint wind swept past, brushing away Naoto's lingering sentiment. Raquel’s long golden hair swayed beside him.
"That's the end of my story. Now it's your turn," her golden eyes stared fixedly at Naoto. Of course, he had no intention of breaking his promise. Naoto exhaled to clear his mind and adjusted his posture.
"Uh, let’s see…" He thought for a moment about where to start. Then, he decided to start with the big picture. "I’m going to tell you a complicated and confusing story. First… there’s a very ancient family called 'Amanohokosaka' that has been around for a long time."
"I know it. Haruka mentioned that name. If I remember correctly… it’s a family known for sealing demons in this country." Raquel replied calmly, and Naoto let out a small "Oh."
"Impressive. You have that kind of knowledge." Most people Naoto interacted with daily didn’t know that name. Even many who weren’t part of his daily life likely didn’t recognize it. It was a family that had protected the land of Japan from evil things since ancient times and sealed away harmful demons. That was the Amanohokosaka family. Though its bloodline has continued uninterrupted, its existence and fame have remained hidden, secretly fulfilling its role without public recognition.
"Then it'll be quicker to explain. That demon-sealing family, the head family, under the name 'Amanohokosaka', has four houses: 'Hajou', 'Kagetatsu', 'Hikagami', and 'Terumi'. I was born the direct eldest son of the 'Terumi' family... In other words, I'm the heir. Because I was born into such a special family, my mother taught me martial arts since I was a kid."
"I see. So you can move around a bit."
"I'm honored that you recognize that I can move around," Naoto shrugged, speaking in a teasing tone. His martial arts training felt like child’s play compared to the superhuman moves Raquel had shown him. "My name is Kurogane, but that's my mother's maiden name. My family name is Naoto Terumi. So, even though I use a different surname, Saya is my real sister. And... she’s been confined in the Amanohokosaka house for the past few years."
"......Confined?" Raquel understood the meaning behind that word. Her questioning tone sought further explanation. Naoto glanced at her face, noticing her golden eyebrows furrowed in concern, and thought that she didn’t need to make such a face for him to tell her the story.
"Saya was a sickly, quiet, ordinary child when she was younger. But five years ago, she suddenly changed. I think she awakened that mysterious power… Soul Eater." From this point, he needed to speak with conviction. Naoto continued in a clear tone, squeezing the crumpled paper pack even tighter in both hands.
"Saya used that power to consume almost everyone in the Terumi family. They all died. My father and mother died during this time… although my mother wasn’t directly killed by her. Even so, Saya couldn’t stop. It got to the point where it was dangerous, so the head of the Amanohokosaka clan came and sealed Saya away."
And so, Saya was confined, and five years passed.
But yesterday, that confinement ended, and she appeared before Naoto. It was a reunion that brought back memories of the tragic events from five years ago.
"Saya had always taken pride in the Terumi family since she was little. To me, it seemed like she was obsessively attached to it. She intends to inherit the Terumi family. For that, she apparently needs the 'Hunter's Eye,' the power of the Terumi family. Without it, she wouldn’t be recognized as the heir." Saying this, Naoto pressed his fingertip against his eyelid.
To Naoto, the Terumi family was something far removed from pride. He had no interest in the survival or prosperity of the family, and frankly, he didn't care.
Saya was the complete opposite. She intended to kill Naoto to take his eyes and inherit the Terumi family. She lived for that purpose.
(And she’s still just a kid…)
Without attending school, without making friends, knowing little of study or play. Naoto felt a sense of pity for his sister, who possessed only the skills to kill and the power to do so.
"What about the letter from yesterday? What was that?" Raquel seemed to have no complaints about Naoto's explanation so far. She smoothed out the wrinkles between her brows and threw a new question.
Naoto remembered. He'd shoved it into the pocket of the pants he'd worn yesterday. He needed to throw it away before doing the laundry.
"Saya has become uncontrollable, or so the head of the Amanohokosaka clan said."
"It’s not that she 'escaped' or 'broke the seal,' but rather that they 'can no longer contain her'?"
"Huh? What are you trying to say?"
"I’m saying that Saya Terumi's emergence from the Amanohokosaka clan wasn't an accident. Perhaps the bonds that were supposed to hold her were loosened. Since they can no longer contain her, they might have simply stopped trying to hold her back… wouldn't you agree?"
"…Well, I guess."
That made sense. There’s a difference between being forcefully broken out of a cage and letting go because holding on any longer would injure your hands.
"We won't know what happened unless we ask the head of the family."
The letter didn’t detail the circumstances on their side. Whether there was no time or no intention to explain, Naoto didn’t know.
His expression darkened. If there was something going on in the Amanohokosaka family, it was surely something unpleasant. Just like when his mother died in front of him five years ago.
Memories resurfaced, bringing with them vivid images of the past.
It was in a dimly lit room, filled with the suffocating smell of blood. There was young Saya, dressed in a kimono, and his mother lying on the floor. A cold sword was plunged into the wet floor. Naoto could only watch helplessly, feeling powerless and pathetic.
"Naoto?"
Naoto looked up, his throat constricting at Raquel's urging voice.
"Ah, it’s nothing. For now… that’s all there is to say about Saya. She wants to kill me to inherit the family. That’s it." He thought his abrupt dismissal was a bit rough, but the Saya he knew now was exactly that kind of girl.
It was a bit painful to say. It hadn't always been this way. There was a time, faintly lingering in his memories, when things were different.
"I see… well, that’s fine. I don’t know what circumstances are behind Saya Terumi, but I don’t want to complicate things any further. I have no intention of meddling." With a light clap, Raquel stood up from the curb. Naoto watched her long blonde hair and short skirt flutter as she moved.
"If anything happens, I’ll fight Saya Terumi for you." She said this casually, looking ahead as if it were nothing. Caught off guard, Naoto struggled to comprehend her words, his mouth agape. After a few seconds of silence, Raquel turned back with a puzzled look.
"What's wrong? You look silly making that foolish face."
"No…"
Naoto thought it was unnecessary for Raquel to say something so harsh, but he couldn't voice his retort; it flickered through his mind and disappeared. He was surprised. He never thought Raquel would say such a thing.
"I was a bit taken aback, to be honest... I thought you would say something like, 'You can't be so complacent.' Or maybe you'd ignore me entirely," he said. Yet, the way she had spoken earlier almost seemed considerate, as if she were aware Naoto didn’t want to fight Saya. Was Raquel Alucard someone capable of such human compassion?
(Ah, but that makes sense… I guess I’ve always been getting wrapped up in her insanity, so I didn’t realize.)
Raquel always took action when it mattered. When Clavis confronted them, she trembled but stepped in front of Naoto. When Haruka was involved, she protected her with a barrier. Even when Naoto was on the verge of being killed by Spinner Superior, she raised her voice to stop it.
It had always been this way. Raquel had used her own power to help Naoto, who had been an unfortunate bystander.
(But still, this girl…)
The realization that fell into his heart was a pleasant one. It wasn't bad.
Naoto let out a breath and smiled slightly.
"That's sweet of you."
"Isn't it?"
With a hint of pride in her voice, Raquel turned her attention back to the magic circle, making her way toward the empty space behind the school building. Seeing her, Naoto withdrew his smile. There was something he needed to ask.
"Hey, Raquel." Raquel stopped and turned her head without replying. "If you have the 'Azure'... can you heal Saya?"
The “Azure” was a power that could turn any possibility into reality. So, if there was a possibility that Saya would not have awakened Soul Eater, could the “Azure” rewrite Saya's fate?
"...Do you want to save her?" Raquel asked, looking a little puzzled. Naoto considered what he was being asked.
Did he want to save her?
Saya.
Saya, who had killed his family, his relatives, and his parents.
After thinking, he looked up and answered.
"I want to save her. She's my family."
No matter how many people she had sent to their deaths with her hands, Naoto was still her brother, and Saya was still his sister. Raquel nodded, her eyes calm and direct, in response to Naoto’s unwavering answer.
“If there’s a possibility, then nothing is impossible for the 'Azure.'”
"I see... So, it all comes down to the Azure."
To remain human, to fulfill Raquel's unknown purpose, and to take away the terrifying power that allowed Saya to take the lives of others.
Naoto turned back to the path ahead and looked up at the clear sky, then stood up to throw away his garbage.
Part 3
There was, of course, a reason why she was using magic in the courtyard, despite risking other students seeing her at lunchtime.
What Raquel was about to use was a spell to sense the Azure’s presence and investigate the number and movements of Drive users within the school. At the same time, she aimed to explore any areas within the school where the Azure’s remnants could be felt, or if there were any people or objects associated with it.
Previously, that same magic had been able to identify several Drive users in the school and locate a student with traces of the Azure. This was a re-investigation.
The subjects were all the students and teachers in the school. She chose lunchtime to bring as many subjects as possible under the spell’s influence.
“…Hah.”
In the center of a large red magic circle drawn in the courtyard, Raquel focused her awareness while slightly lifting her toes off the ground. After a small exhale, she lowered her feet back to the earth. And then, her long hair, which had been dancing lightly in the wind, fell smoothly down her back.
"How was it? Did you find anything?" Naoto, who was keeping watch a short distance away to avoid stepping on the circle, turned around when he heard Raquel land and let out a faint sigh.
He tried not to look at Raquel while she was using magic. Memories he wanted to forget flashed through his mind. The sight of her white skin, completely exposed beneath her lifted skirt, stirred his thoughts.
(...Stop, don't remember.)
Not wanting to question his own morals, Naoto firmly locked the memory away.
“There’s been no change in the Drive users’ behavior. No reactions from the Azure remnants either.” Raquel said, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear as she walked towards Naoto. The red magic circle faded from the ground where she walked, as if water was seeping into the ground.
It was a strange sight no matter how many times he saw it. What was that red ink-like substance that appeared just by tracing it with her fingers? As he wondered, Naoto put his hands on his hips.
“I see, then that’s a relief.”
"That's not good. It means there are no leads connecting us to Spinner." Raquel's golden eyes narrowed as she folded her arms. Naoto scratched his head awkwardly.
"Still, that guy seemed pretty eager to come out on his own again. If we just leave him be, won’t he eventually pop up on his own?"
"What a fool. Spinner only appears when all the conditions are right for him. Do you really want to face Spinner head-on when he's fully prepared?"
"Of course not!" Naoto replied, closing his eyes as if offering a prayer to God.
Raquel was right. There was no reason to wait for Spinner to come to them. If he could avoid waiting, he preferred to do so.
"But it's good that nobody else from the school got involved. For now, at least…"
He looked up at the shabby school building.It’s not like he was close with everyone. However, he didn’t relish the thought of someone he recognized, someone he spent most of his days with, getting caught up in something dangerous.
"A lead, huh... Oh, that reminds me, I heard that all of Spinner's apostles are men." Naoto casually threw the thought to Raquel, who stood nearby. After a pause of about two seconds, Raquel looked at him and replied.
"That’s right. The sensory organs are too different between men and women. If you want to control someone as an apostle, it’s difficult to share sensations if they’re not the same sex."
"Yeah, I heard that. And I also heard that it puts a huge burden on the sorcerer, so the maximum is probably fifteen..."
That means that besides Isa, the earth science teacher who had been an Apostle until recently, there could be as many as fourteen other apostles at worst. Perhaps Isa's position had already been filled, and they were now operating with a full team of fifteen.
"Why did they choose Isa as an apostle in the first place? I get that he’s a man, but there must be some other criteria for selection."
"Perhaps it's because he could synchronize well as an Apostle... But if there are other reasons, we won't know unless we ask Spinner."
"That's true." No matter how much they speculated, they couldn't verify their answers.
"......By the way," Raquel began abruptly, as if she had finished her magic and there was no longer any need to be in such a dark place.
Naoto turned around, and waiting for him was Raquel's slightly annoyed gaze, just enough to be noticeable.
"That story you just told. You heard it from that woman," she said, referring to Kiiro Hikagami.
The Mitsurugi Agency... to eliminate immortals like Raquel or the threats lurking in the world…
A mysterious Drive user belonging to the organization.
'......Are you still angry?'"
Feeling oddly accused, Naoto scratched his cheek. Raquel shook her head dramatically, her long hair swaying like a tail.
"I'm not angry. I'm just dumbfounded by your recklessness in going to see that woman alone, but that's a different emotion from anger, isn't it? It's just that... I haven't heard properly yet what you talked about with her alone."
"Don't put such a weird spin on it. Cut me some slack."
"But it's the truth."
"Alright, alright. I didn't say I wouldn't tell you." Though Raquel probably didn’t mean anything by it, her questioning tone made Naoto feel like he was being chastised for some immoral wrongdoing. This was no joke. He didn’t deserve to be scolded. It was about yesterday morning.
A few hours before Saya suddenly showed up, and at an early time for lunch, Naoto had received a call the day before to come to a hotel near the station. It wasn't a simple hotel where businessmen would stay, nor was it a sleazy hotel that suited the nightlife. It was a full-fledged hotel where a luxurious chandelier greeted you in the lobby, with soft carpets underfoot.
The designated place was a members-only bar lounge on the top floor. Riding an elevator that moved silently, Naoto met Kiiro Hikagami in the back of the lounge, enduring the gaze of the waiters who looked at him like a foreign object.
It was a room like an observation deck, with large glass windows all around the outer wall. Even though it was a weekday, it was daytime, so there were few customers in the bar lounge, and it was sparse, quiet, and the subdued classical jazz in the background was inducing sleepiness.
On a soft sofa that made him feel as if he were sinking in, Naoto listened to Kiiro talk about Spinner. He heard about how Isa, who had attacked Haruka the other day, survived. She mentioned that even if he managed to reintegrate into society, they would ensure he would never appear before Naoto again. She also said she would dispose of all the photos Isa had collected of Haruka.
After hearing all that, Kiiro leaned closer on the sofa, pressing down on his hand with her own. Naoto felt the air in the room heat up. He tried to pull away, but Kiiro held him with her hand and leaned in, whispering as if begging for a kiss.
“Hey… Naoto-kun. Won’t you be with me?”
Up until then, Kiiro had maintained a serious atmosphere, though it was difficult to be completely serious with her. Still, she suddenly shifted to a more overtly flirtatious demeanor, her eyes glistening with allure.
This made Naoto tense up even more.
“I don’t get what you mean.”
“I’ll do anything you want, Naoto-kun. I’ll protect you. I’ll take care of Spinner Superior for you... and I can heal your body too.” While holding Naoto’s hand down, Kiiro’s other hand began to move toward his chest. Her fingers sensually traced Naoto's body over his clothes, tracing his collarbone and stroking his right arm.
A chill ran down Naoto's spine. He interpreted it as disgust. He didn't like being touched by Kiiro. It made him feel very uneasy.
“Hey, can I ask you something?”
"Yeah, what is it?"
"Why are you so obsessed with me?" That was the biggest reason why Naoto felt uncomfortable with Kiiro's touch.
His relationship with Kiiro was shallow—at least for him. They hadn't known each other for long, and his understanding of her was minimal. Yet, Kiiro touched Naoto with an intimacy that didn't match that relationship. It was as if she was trying to drag him into a pit of moral decay, and he hesitated to take a step. Of course, who would be stupid enough to step into a swamp knowing it was a swamp?
Kiiro leaned her cheek against Naoto's shoulder and smiled with her glossy lips.
"Naoto-kun, would you call it love at first sight?"
"No."
“Then it’s fate.”
"Can you stop joking around?" Naoto looked at Kiiro with half-closed eyes, exasperated. She was always like this. It was hard to tell where her sincerity ended and her jokes began. Kiiro pouted at Naoto's reply.
“Oh, come on. I thought you’d at least notice. So annoying!”
“‘So annoying’…?” Naoto never expected to hear such a phrase directly aimed at him.
Ignoring Naoto's mental exhaustion, Kiiro pressed her index finger against her soft lips, thinking as she leaned closer with her voluptuous body.
"Hmm, that's a problem. I don't think I can explain it in words, and even if I did, I don't think Naoto-kun would understand..."
"Are you mocking me?"
"Oh, that's right!" Interrupting Naoto's words, Kiiro lifted the finger from her lips and smiled happily. In a flash of inspiration, she quickly pressed Naoto's hand against her chest.
“Hey, wait a minute...!” Naoto desperately tried to pull his hand away. The hand that had been pulled close had forcefully unbuttoned the top buttons of her blouse, exposing a large portion of her chest and slipping inside.
He could feel the richly exposed bulge of her exposed breasts directly against his palm. The damp sensation of skin, a body temperature slightly higher than his own, and its firm, weighty fullness.
This was bad. Naoto’s instincts were signaling danger.
He tried to pull his hand away, but Kiiro pressed it harder against her chest.
“No, touch me properly. Listen.”
"What are you thinking...?"
Naoto fell silent, taken aback by the absence of Kiiro's usual flirtation in her voice. In his palm, there was still the unique softness that he never encountered in his daily life. Deep within that fullness, Kiiro's heart was beating.
"Don’t you get it?"
“What?”
“Oh, you’re hopeless!”
With a faint scent of perfume, Kiiro smiled teasingly as she lifted Naoto's other hand. She placed that hand against his chest, over his left side.
"Well?" she asked again, her violet eyes smiling invitingly.
A shiver ran down Naoto's spine. He couldn't help but hold his breath. He finally understood what Kiiro was saying.
A heartbeat.
Two heartbeats, rather. His and hers, both pulsing in the palms of his hands. Their rhythms were perfectly synchronized, as if they were one.
Naoto's heart raced. And so did Kiiro's. It was as if their hearts were one and the same.
"You see, Naoto-kun, we're two halves of the same whole. Together, we can finally become 'one.' I can love every part of you. No, only I can love all of you. If it’s 'Kurogane Naoto,' then I can love it. Even if your right arm is part of that arrogant bloodsucker, I can love you. I don't care about the Mitsurugi Agency or Clavis Alucard. All I want is..."
Her voice, drenched in lust, breathed hotly against Naoto's neck. The rough, wanton breathing tickled his skin.
Their heartbeats quickened, Naoto's and Kiiro's. Blending together, the sound of blood pulsing in their heads throbbed loudly.
“All I want is Naoto Kurogane.” She murmured dreamily in a burning voice, lost in pleasure. With a distant look in her eyes, far removed from her usual calm, Kiiro let out a deep, satisfied sigh.
"It's fine, Naoto-kun... you can crush me... however you like."
For a moment, he was stunned. But then he realized what she meant and violently jerked his hand away, as if seared by hot iron. He scrambled off the sofa, pulling away from her. The fingers that had just caressed her soft breasts were now slightly reddened and damp. It was his right hand. The small amount of blood on it seemed to vanish into his skin as if it was soaked up by water.
"Fufufu... now I'm a little bit a part of you, Naoto-kun." Kiiro murmured dreamily, her cheeks flushed, her eyes glazed over with lust. She ran her tongue along her sensual lips.
Naoto felt no pleasure or arousal at the sight. Instead, he clenched his right hand, which had absorbed her blood, and forced himself to calm his ragged breathing. Grinding his heel into the soft carpet, he turned and fled the lounge.
Part 4
"Did your heartbeats synchronize with that woman's?"
Naoto told Raquel only about how his heartbeat and Kiiro's had perfectly synced. He omitted the part about her blood being absorbed and what she had said. Raquel had been waiting for him in front of the hotel after the incident, so she probably had a better understanding of his state immediately afterward than he did.
“Yeah. I don’t really understand it, but it was disturbingly in sync.” Naoto nodded, his confusion evident. Raquel frowned, clearly puzzled. "So, what does that mean? Does that make Kiiro Hikagami..."
Naoto's question was cut off by Raquel's mumbling. She seemed lost in thought, her hand covering her mouth as she pondered. Naoto sighed. It seemed Raquel didn't have an answer either. Although she seemed to have some ideas based on the fragments of her words, it was unlikely she could provide a coherent explanation until she had thought it through.
"Anyway, that's what happened with Kiiro. We should probably head back. Lunch break is almost over." Naoto said, checking the time on his phone. Their next class was Japanese language, which he wasn't bad at, but their teacher's monotone voice was sleep-inducing, and it would be difficult to stay awake on a full stomach.
“Let’s continue this after school.”
“Sounds good to me. Let’s head back.”
It was a relief that Raquel didn’t seem to have any aversion to the idea of “school”. She readily agreed to Naoto’s suggestion and they turned away from the empty schoolyard where there was no trace of the magic circle.
As Naoto and Raquel walked side by side and approached the corridor between the main building and the special classroom wing, a familiar face suddenly appeared from the latter.
“Oh, Kurogane-kun, Alucard-san.”
With a voice that was sharp and confident, she had a tall, slender figure with flowing black hair that cascaded down her back. The one who greeted them was Kana Kirishima, the student council president of Shinkawahama First High School.
Naoto instinctively came to a halt, nearly stumbling.
Kana was an imposing figure with a calm demeanor that belied her young age. Her confident manner and dignified presence had drawn many votes her way during the student council elections, including Naoto’s.
Little did anyone know that just a few days ago, she had been threatened and bullied by Isa, an Apostle of Spinner’s. Only Naoto and Raquel had witnessed the tears streaming down her usually composed face.
“Did you two have lunch together again? You’re so close. Haruka must be jealous.” Kana smiled, her tone slightly teasing as she held a stack of papers to her chest.
Raquel froze, her body rigid as if electrocuted, awkwardly averted her gaze and slipped behind Naoto. Caught between Kana and Raquel, Naoto raised an eyebrow and twisted his mouth.
“Why would Haruka care?”
“Are you serious? You’re quite the cruel person, aren’t you?”
“Cut it out. Haruka and I are just friends, okay?”
“Is that so? Well, that’s what it seems to you.” Kana’s words carried a hidden meaning that was clear to anyone listening. If it had been any other classmate, Naoto might have given a casual retort. But against Kana, he could only groan in frustration.
“Um... Kirishima-senpai, there’s something I want to ask you, if that’s alright?”
“Me? Of course. Go ahead.”
“Do you remember Isa?” Kana blinked, seemingly unsure of Naoto’s intentions.
“Isa... do you mean Mr. Isa from the Earth Science department? Of course I remember him. Until last week, he was teaching at this school. I heard he retired due to ill health. It’s such a shame.”
Kana frowned, her expression softening as if to reproach Naoto for addressing his teacher so informally. It was more a fleeting sympathy for someone she had had as a teacher than any real concern for the person who had threatened her.
“Oh... I’m sorry. I didn’t mean anything by it. It’s fine if you know him,” Naoto forced a smile, trying to cover up his blunder. Kana looked at him suspiciously and tilted her head slightly.
“Is that so? That’s a strange question.”
“No, there’s no deep meaning...”
“Ah, there you are, Kirishima-senpai!”
Before Naoto could think of an excuse, a familiar male voice cut in.
The owner of the voice came bustling up, panting slightly. “Oh, Naoto and Raquel! What a surprise. Where have you two been? Don’t miss out on any event flags, Naoto!” He flashed a bright, carefree smile at Naoto. It was Shinnosuke Fukuda, Naoto’s classmate and best friend.
“How can you say that without any shame?” Naoto retorted. What event flags? Shinnosuke’s usual playful banter naturally drew a wry smile from Naoto.
Kana’s imposing presence seemed to soften somewhat in the face of Shinnosuke’s carefree aura. While it was a bit irritating to feel relieved by his presence, Naoto was grateful to have avoided the question about Isa.
Noticing Shinnosuke was carrying a bundle of files that looked to be twice as heavy as Kana’s stack, Naoto asked, “What’s with that huge load?”
“It’s the records from last year’s cultural festival. You know I’m in the library committee, right? I’m keeping them,” Shinnosuke said, making an exaggerated effort to readjust the files in his arms. Then he turned to Kana. “Sorry, I’m in a hurry. I’ve found everything. Should I take it all to the student council room?”
“Yes, please. I’m heading there too, so let’s go together.”
“Okay!”
“See you later.” Kana gave a light bow and started walking away with Shinnosuke in tow.
“See you later!” Shinnosuke followed Kana, struggling under the weight of the heavy files as they entered the main building.
“The cultural festival...” Naoto muttered to himself.
Naoto watched Kana and Shinnosuke leave, somewhat lost in thought. However, what occupied his mind was entirely unrelated.
“She didn’t remember, did she?” Raquel said, approaching from behind with a composed expression, as if she hadn’t been hiding like a shadow, afraid of Kana’s presence.
Naoto was used to Raquel’s nonchalant attitude. As soon as Kana was gone, she puffed out her chest as usual, and Naoto simply nodded in response, a wry smile playing on his lips.
“Yeah. I wonder what they did to her memory.”
Kana didn’t remember anything about Isa, not the threats, nor what had happened between them. Rather than pondering the methods used, Naoto was simply glad she had forgotten. There was no good reason for her to remember such a thing.
What troubled him was the eerie presence of the Mitsurugi Agency, the organization responsible for manipulating Kana's memory.
“I don’t think about it often, but are they still watching us?”
Kiiro had once mentioned that the Mitsurugi Agency was monitoring both Naoto and Raquel. They claimed to have no interest in interfering with their personal lives, but the idea of being watched was unsettling.
Raquel seemed to feel the same way and snorted in annoyance.
“The Mitsurugi Agency... they must be moving behind the scenes. We can’t just sit around waiting for clues to appear.”
They didn’t know when Kiiro or that sinister organization would strike again. They had to settle things with Spinner and find a way to reach the surprise before that happened.
“So what are we going to do? Just go around creating magic circles and searching blindly?”
“That wouldn’t be a bad idea. But... there’s something more fundamental, something important.” With only five minutes left until lunch break ended, Raquel walked alongside Naoto, looking straight ahead as she spoke in a firm tone.
"Something important?" Naoto was puzzled. He pointed at himself questioningly, and Raquel nodded confidently, as if she had already taken on the role of his mentor.
“Of course. To face a powerful enemy, we need... training.”
Naoto was speechless for a moment. He scratched his head, wondering where she had gotten such an idea.
Part 5
The white moon hung in the sky. It looked like a sliver of a crescent moon, a gaping window in the night sky, as if someone was peering in.
Perhaps this thought arose because Naoto had been reminded of the Mitsurugi Agency's surveillance during the day. Or maybe it was because he was about to step into this surreal world, which seemed out of place on such a peaceful night.
Stepping out from the brightly lit apartment into the dimly lit night, Naoto retied his loose sneaker laces.
"Don't dawdle," came an impatient voice from a few steps ahead.
"I know, I know," Naoto replied, glancing up casually.
Even in October, the air turned chilly at this late hour. Raquel stood in the darkness of the night, wrapped in her own dark black cloak. If one only focused on her appearance, she looked just like she did on that night they first met. However, there was now a crucial difference. Raquel was wearing a blouse and skirt under her cloak.
Naoto joined Raquel, his sneakers tapping lightly against the ground. Suddenly, the sound of high heels approaching from ahead caught his attention.
"Oh? You two are going out at this hour?"
At first, Naoto thought it was Kiiro, but it was Yuki, Haruka’s mother and his aunt. Dressed in a neatly arranged milk tea-colored pantsuit, Yuki looked ready for work. It was past nine at night, well past dinner time. It seemed early for her to be returning home from work.
“You’re home early, Yuki-san,” Naoto replied, surprised. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Raquel flinch and step closer to him.
Seeing Raquel’s reaction, Yuki smiled brightly. "I can't keep working late every day. Sometimes I want to eat my daughter’s cooking at a decent hour."
"Well, it’s not exactly a decent hour, is it?"
"Details, details. More importantly, where are you two going? Out late at night alone with a girl... that’s suspicious." Yuki smiled knowingly and brought her fingers to her mouth. She glanced at Raquel with a look of childlike curiosity. Despite working late every day and getting up early, she seemed full of energy.
Naoto grimaced and scratched his head.
“It’s not suspicious at all. We’re just going to the bookstore by the station. It’s open until ten.”
“A bookstore? You?”
“No, not me. Her.” Naoto pointed at Raquel, who was nodding vigorously, her expression exaggerated.
It was a lie. He had told the same lie to Haruka just a few minutes ago.
“Hmm.” Yuki replied, her voice sounding thoughtful. Despite trying to appear calm, Naoto was incredibly nervous. Yuki was sharp. She had caught him in lies countless times before. It felt like she could always sense when he was being dishonest.
But…
“Well, be careful. Don’t worry Haruka too much,” Yuki accepted Naoto’s lie effortlessly and adjusted the work bag on her other shoulder. Naoto didn’t know if she had believed him or simply chosen to ignore his lie. If he asked, it would be like admitting to the lie himself.
Yuki patted Naoto lightly on the shoulder and went into the apartment building, her steps surprisingly light for someone who had been working late. Naoto watched her go until she disappeared into the orange glow of the hallway, then turned back to the night.
“Let’s go.” he said, patting Raquel on the shoulder as Yuki had done to him. Startled, Raquel seemed to snap back to reality.
“Ah!? Oh... yeah, let’s go. No dawdling.”
“I’ve heard that before.” Naoto wanted to say, “I should be the one telling you that,” but he kept it to himself. He ran his hand through his hair and started walking. Their destination was near Shinkawahama Station. But instead of the bookstore, they were headed for a darker, more secluded area.
This was the beginning of their... training.
Running through the narrow alleyways wasn’t difficult. Jumping into the shadows away from the streetlights and moving farther from the bright station wasn’t scary.
The night air was pleasantly cool, and under normal circumstances, Naoto would have enjoyed the walk. Despite the cloudy sky, the high moon continued to cast its silvery light upon the earth. But right now, he had no room to appreciate the autumn night’s ambiance.
“Damn it… how long is this going to last?!” As he ran deeper into the narrow alley, which was too small for cars, Naoto vented his frustration between heavy breaths. Close behind him, something was following, keeping an uncomfortably close distance. An occasional clicking sound from somewhere outside his vision sent a shiver of disgust and fear down his spine.
Naoto was being chased.
With an unyielding persistence, something the size of his torso was pursuing him through the darkness and sudden bursts of streetlight. It was an insect as large as Naoto’s torso.
Its dirty brown shell resembled oxidized oil, with a creepy luster reminiscent of a jewel beetle. It had four wings that buzzed unpleasantly as it flitted about. Its silhouette resembled that of a bee, but instead of a sharp stinger, it had a round mouth from which a liquid capable of burning concrete simmered, hidden behind serrated fangs. Just a moment ago, it had bitten his arm, and he still felt the searing pain of burnt flesh.
Where a bee would have a mouth, this creature had enlarged legs, and four eyes that fixed on Naoto’s back as he ran.
“How long do you plan on running? This is training. It’s pointless if you don’t fight back!” Raquel called out, her voice carried on the wind as she gracefully descended from a nearby building. She joined Naoto, her expression bright and carefree, as she effortlessly ran beside him.
Training. Tonight’s “event,” as Raquel called it, was essentially a hunting game. Using her magic, Raquel had located an Apostle of Spinner’s, and now Naoto was supposed to gain combat experience by defeating it.
They had left the house around ten o’clock and had spent some time preparing Raquel’s magic at a secluded spot near the station. After following a faint magical trace, they had finally found their target. But the moment the creature realized Naoto was there, it had detached itself from its host and attacked with ferocious intent.
Of course, Naoto had come here intending to defeat the creature. He wanted nothing more than to stop running and turn around, to punch the giant, grotesque, bee-like thing. But it was too close. If he stopped and turned, the creature would be able to attack him before he could react.
(I never want to experience that again...)
Just moments before, he had been ambushed by the severe pain from a bug that had been lurking by the tracks under the station platform after the last train had left. The wound had healed within three seconds, but the psychological shock of being attacked by such an unnatural creature was not so easily forgotten.
"Hi-i-i-i!"
As if on cue, a wet sound splattered behind Naoto, followed by the creature's acidic fluid spraying in the direction he was running. A splash landed on his face. He felt a burning sensation near his eye and his vision blurred white.
He wiped his face with the back of his hand, trying to clear his vision. The wound was already gone, but the pool of the creature's fluid where he had jumped over had melted the asphalt, leaving a sticky, cotton-candy-like substance.
"R-Raquel, what should I do?"
Naoto had never faced one of Spinner's Apostles so directly before. The confusion and fear overwhelmed him, and Naoto felt himself slipping into a mild panic.
“You're pathetic. Are you really from the Demon Sealing clan?”
“That’s the Amanohokosaka! Compared to that, we’re just an afterthought... besides, what I was doing was with humans, not fighting against monsters like this!”
Naoto wondered if the martial arts he'd learned for fighting humans would be effective against this creature.
Skating alongside Naoto as if on ice, Raquel sighed, treating him like a slow child. “You’re an idiot. That’s why I’m giving you this real combat experience.”
“You’re doing this for me? I’m so grateful, I could cry!”
“We’re going to waste the whole night at this rate.”
“If you think so, then help me out a little!”
“Honestly... you really are a handful.”
Shaking her head in exasperation, Raquel lowered her body without slowing down. Then, she kicked off the ground and jumped high. With a powerful leap, she jumped into the air, pulling Naoto up with her.
“Whoa!” Naoto exclaimed as he was lifted off the ground. He landed hard on the asphalt, wincing in pain as his backside and legs stung. But when he looked up, his breath caught in his throat.
The creature, unable to keep up with the sudden change of pace, had overshot where Naoto had been and was now further down the alleyway. It quickly sensed Naoto’s presence and turned around, its wings buzzing.
But there was now a safe distance between them – a distance perfect for a fight.
“Naoto.”
“I know!” Naoto replied roughly in response to Raquel’s urging. He clenched his fists and began to run.
His target, a creature with enormous red eyes, stared at Naoto. It lifted its thick legs, making an odd clicking sound as it raised its lower body, filled with corrosive acid. Its round mouth was pointed at Naoto like a gun.
To be honest, Naoto was terrified. He wanted to lament why he was doing this. But he pushed those thoughts to the back of his mind and focused on what was in front of him.
He took a deep step forward, feeling the hard ground beneath his feet, and pulled back his fist. As if waiting for this, the creature's bloated belly trembled, and a glob of acid was ejected from its round, toothed mouth, as if firing a cannonball.
If it hit him directly, it would be right in the face. But Naoto twisted his body at an unnatural angle, dodging the acid from close range almost the same time as the bug's counterattack.
(Huh? I dodged it?)
Naoto was surprised. He had taken a deep step forward, and his movements had been quick. He should have been completely defenseless against the attack. But as the bug's movements registered in his vision, his body moved on its own. The bug's movements were much slower than he had anticipated. He was more agile than he realized.
“Take this!” With all his might, Naoto threw his fist down onto the bug's head, adding the force of his body behind it. His fist, thrust straight up from below, caught the creature’s large eye and pierced through the tough, jelly-like substance. Body fluids splattered, and a sticky substance covered him. Despite the unpleasant sensation, Naoto's arm had pierced straight through the bug.
“Ugh... gross…”
As he realized what he had done, the thought of fighting was replaced by disgust. With a shudder, he kicked the creature's body, which was convulsing violently, and pulled his arm out. The slimy feeling was raw and real, leaving no room for excuses or dreams.
Resigned to his situation, Naoto swung his arm and kicked the creature that was trying to grab him. With a cracking sound, the creature slammed into the wall of the nearby building. Even then, it got up and tried to fly, but Naoto, who had only been able to run away until now, grabbed it and pulled it towards him.
With all his might, Naoto slammed the creature into the ground. He stomped on it repeatedly until it couldn’t move anymore.
“Ugh, haah, haah… haah, ha… it smells so bad…”
It smelled like rotten meat. Breathing heavily, Naoto grimaced and stepped away from the now motionless bug. Acid was leaking from the creature's abdomen, slowly dissolving the asphalt. Overlooking the gruesome sight, Naoto wiped its fluid off his arm and tried to calm his stomach, which felt like it was about to spit out its dinner.
“...You took that down surprisingly easily.”
“Surprisingly? I was fighting for my life here! You could at least say something a little kinder.” Naoto shot a disgruntled glance at Raquel, who had landed next to him, draped in a vibrant breeze like a dress.
The acidic liquid from the creature he had crushed had burned his leg, but perhaps because he was so excited, the wound had healed before he felt any pain. Only the holes in his jeans remained as a reminder. His T-shirt was also torn and melted in several places. It had been a good idea to leave his hoodie with Raquel, knowing he was going to get dirty.
As Raquel returned the gray hoodie he had been carrying, she widened her eyes in apparent surprise at his complaint. "I was complimenting you," she said.
Was she? Naoto didn't have the energy to argue. It seemed he had grown up with much warmer compliments.
“But...” Raquel continued, her voice unexpectedly sincere. Naoto's expression softened. "You didn't seem to be trying your hardest since I started helping you." Her golden eyes locked onto his, and Naoto felt a lump in his throat. He looked down at his dirty hands, at his right hand that had pierced the creature's head.
“...Ah.” With a sigh, Naoto nodded. He had a vague sense of what Raquel was trying to say. If he had to put it into words, it would be “unexpected.”
More than unexpected. It was unbelievable. His right hand had worked as a powerful weapon. And maybe it wasn't just his right hand. It felt like every part of him had adapted to the fight with surprising ease. Naoto could feel his heart beating faster than usual.
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