Mushi Uta:Volume 10

Novel Illustrations

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  Cover

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  Color Page 1

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  Color Page 2

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  Page 35

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  Page 97

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  Page 143

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  Page 251

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  Page 285

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  Page 337

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  Page 389

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  Page 411

Prologue: 0.00 The Others

This happened before she was in elementary school.

It was around the beginning of June. She remembered how she turned toward the park, enticed by the smell of verdant trees.

It was a small park, built right in the middle of a neighborhood with many high-rise apartment complexes.

Inside were only a wooden bench, a slide, and a small sandbox surrounded by a wooden frame.

She found someone she knew there.

Thin, fragile-looking limbs peeking from within a camisole. The hem of a battered, worn-down hoodie dirtied by sand.

Noticing her approach, the child wore an innocent smile.

“Ah, good morning.”

At the time they were acquaintances, neighbors living in the same building.

Although they later went to the same elementary and middle school, they neglected to keep in contact.

Despite heading to different routes and going separate ways—they ended up reuniting later.

Meaning, they were childhood friends.

Nothing more or less.

“What’re you making?”

She approached her childhood friend, looking at the pile of sand and asking.

“A castle. Will you help me?”

With that complacent, toothy smile, her childhood friend looked like a small animal. That polite yet lisping way of talking actually served to further emphasize this childish innocence.

On the other hand, she, who used her finger to poke the castle, was often said to be mature. There was her face, which often caused people to mistake her for an elementary school or even middle school student, but perhaps it was her calm and adult-like behavior that led to this mistake.

“Hmm, should I? It’ll probably break down if I touch it.”

“If you help me, you’ll be appointed as my knight.”

“Knight? Have you watched some weird cartoon again? If I’m the knight, then what about you?”

“The princess.”

Saying this and rising up, her childhood friend headed to the nearby water fountain and then hurried back. A palmful of water was splashed on the castle. —Seeing half of the sandbox wet, she realized that her childhood friend repeated this process again and again.

Another round trip was apparently needed. Taking yet more water, her friend came back…

And stumbled, falling and striking the side of the castle.

“Eh!”

“Ahh! Ahh!”

Seeing the castle, she was surprised and her friend was crying.

“Uh… ukh…”

“Come on, don’t cry. Let’s build it again, alright? I’ll help you.”

It happened just as she patted the head of her crying childhood friend.

Leaping over the park’s fences, a person appeared in front of the two.

He was a man dressed in tattered clothes. The momentum caused him to roll on the ground, and he could barely stand.

“Are you okay?”

Her friend asked innocently.

“Uu…”

She would never forget his face. Whether it was due to malnutrition or an illness, he was so emaciated that the bones in his face were prominent.

She was also surprised at his exhausted behavior, but more than that—she was scared. With his eyes bulging out as if he was being chased by an assassin or a wild beast, he opened his mouth.

“—?”

He didn’t speak in Japanese. Clearly shocked, her friend turned toward her.

“Oh no… is he an alien?”

“English. Are you OK?”

While wishing he wasn’t some kind of pervert, she tried asking. Since her education-obsessed parents have sent her to English classes since she could remember herself, she could at least hold simple conversations.

“Are they… are they here?”

The man said in English. Looking closely, he was a young man. Although his voice was hoarse, it was also young.

“They?”

“They’re after me… they’re chasing after me…! Why…?! We’ve done nothing to them…! We didn’t want any of it…!”

“It?”

“It’s like we’re being hunted…! Right… they’re hunters—”

Seeing the young man cough, she pointed toward the water fountain. He took off, practically leaping there.

Meanwhile, her childhood friend grabbed her hand from behind.

“Who is he?”

“Dunno. Said that someone was chasing him.”

“So he’s playing tag?”

“I don’t think so. Probably not.”

After drinking some water, he looked more relaxed. The young man came back to the sandbox, wary of his surroundings.

“Sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you. No need to be afraid of me.”

“…”

“Have you not seen anyone around? Someone who looks like they’re rich.”

“Nope.”

As she shook her head, the young man looked relieved.

“I see…”

“Who are you, mister? Is someone chasing you?”

“I’m still a teen… but well, I guess that can’t be helped with how I look. I’m, well…”

The man hesitated and then wore a bitter smile.

“Ever since coming to this country, they only called me Alpha.”

“Alfa?”

“The one chasing me is a monster. —I’m the same, though.”

“Hmm. He says he’s being chased by a monster.”

So she explained to her childhood friend, who in turn stepped in front of the young man.

“It’s fine. Kanon and her will protect you.”

“Eh?”

She ended up raising a voice without thinking. Meaning, both she and her childhood friend, Nakayama Kanon, would do it? She tentatively interpreted it for the young man.

Just like she thought, he was surprised.

“Kanon is a princess and this is Kanon’s knight. We will beat the monsters.”

The young man burst into laughter.

“Really? Wow, you look strong.”

“We’ll erase the monsters!”

“Haha, so you’ll erase the monster to save me? That’s incredible.”

“As a princess I can use magic and I have many allies.”

Her childhood friend spoke with a puffed chest.

A princess.

Right, perhaps her friend’s lie had served as the starting point.

Her childhood friend’s cute lie.

One day, it would end up involving both her, as well as dozens, hundreds, thousands—no, even more people than that—

0.01 The Others

Did her childhood friend remember that very first lie uttered in this park?

More than ten years passed since then.

The world changed.

The biggest change of all—was the appearance of Mushi.

She grew and became proficient at wielding lies. On the other hand, her comrade in lies was probably bad at them even now.

She mumbled softly.

“Can you see this?”

She was currently standing on a gigantic stage.

The hundreds, no, thousands of people gathered around below her were all waiting for Kanon’s words. All of them were clad in bizarre coats—in ceremonial robes.

Looking down at the arrayed “believers”, she too was clad in these ceremonial robes. Crowned with a wreath of laurel leaves, she was also holding a khakkhara staff in hand.

The ghost town full of buildings being constructed was enveloped in an abnormal silence.

“The pair’s lie will now change the world…”

The childhood friend that she was whispering to was not there.

However, Kanon would surely come there. Along with those scary Mushitsuki.

And she would use them—as sacrifices.

That was why she kept on lying for so long.

“Kanon-sama…”

A voice rose from among the believers.

“Kanon-sama…!”

“Kanon-sama!”

“Kanon-samaaa!”

The voices became a chorus, cheers, and then shouts.

Answering their voices, she lifted her hands. All voices instantly stopped and silence returned.

“…”

Smiling, she turned to look at the towering building behind her.

This was a castle.

Illuminated by the setting sun, the shade of this medieval European-style white castle and its spire covered the desolate ground.

This was one thing they managed to obtain by Nakayama Kanon lying over and over again.

She had obtained this castle, a sacred place isolated from the impure world, and also hundreds of people—of Mushitsuki—to extol her.

Kanon’s lie was painting over reality.

Simply being weak allowed protection from the harsh truth.

“Kanon and all of you are weak. Very, very… weak.”

She spoke to the microphone set on stage.

“Losing, running away, and finally arriving here. All of you should be the same.”

None denied her words. They all just looked up at her face.

They all thought of dying many times before. None of the people there hesitated.

“Those who corner us are always strong people. …Being strong is nice, right?”

A roar reverberated.

The clouds floating in the east were dyed in red. That crimson, even more intense than the sun itself, created the shape of a Great Yama tiger beetle made of flames launching at the sky.

And yet her speech did not stop.

“This is because strong people are those who expose the secrets of bad guys, the heroes who vanquish them.”

This time an earthquake shook the ground. A white glow could be seen pouring down from the eastern sky.

It was snow.

In this period where summer just ended, pure-white snow was falling at the eastern sky.

“Weak people like us are only used by the strong people and get stepped on. They don’t even turn to look at the weak.”

Flames and blizzard, the two incarnations of destruction, were both approaching this place.

“Even now strong Mushitsuki are coming to kill us all. —But we’re fine.”

All the believers wore calm expression, not moving a muscle.

“We will probably not lose.”

The number of lies piled up by her and Kanon was innumerable.

At first it was mere mischief.

Next it was to gain a place where they belonged.

And while they joined hands and walked together—the number of people walking with them increased.

“Do you believe in Kanon?”

She asked.

All believers—smiled. She didn’t even need to ask for their answer.

“Kanon also believes in all of you.”

All of them were weak people who gathered here and admired and believed in Kanon.

It was her duty to protect all these important people.

Even if—she needed to draw enemies there, or deceive her childhood friend.

“Eliminate the wicked Mushitsuki approaching us!”

Raising the khakkhara above her head, she commanded.

“Our enemies are the Blaze Class Rank 1, Harukiyo! As well as Secret Class Rank 1, Fuyuhotaru!”

The believers all raised battle cries. The air shook with angry roars and fervor.

“We shall destroy them, and then embark on our final fight against the Special Environmental Preservation Bureau!”

She swung down her staff vigorously and shouted.

“Kanon and the believers now declare a Holy War!”

The lie she’d thought up with her childhood friend in the sandbox.

How did that small lie swell into such massive proportions?

She began to recall the eventful lives of the two liars that brought them to this point.

1.00 Tamaki Part 1

Kitazawa Tamaki had become a Mushitsuki around the time she enrolled in a prestigious middle school in the capital.

Mushitsuki were people possessed by the supernatural being known as Mushi. Mushi possessed adolescent boys and girl in order to eat their wishes, hopes and aspirations. —Apparently.

“Thanks, Tamaki!”

“Mhm, you’re welcome.”

Mushi were the subject of rumors for about ten years. Eyewitness reports increased, and the more realistic it seemed, those rumored to be Mushitsuki were being discriminated against. —Apparently.

“How did you manage to shake off that persistent stalker?”

“Oh, I just told him clearly. Don’t come any closer, you pervert! Like that.”

Recently she’d heard the word Mushi a lot more. Obviously, since the mass media and the government still claimed they didn’t exist, it was only at the level of rumors, though.

Perhaps the existence known as Mushi slowly became impossible to hide from the public.

—So she thought.

“What! That’s so scary!”

“Really, Tamaki, you have some guts!”

“Isn’t that dangerous? Would’ve been real bad if he attacked you.”

“It’s fine, it’s fine. It might’ve been different if it was anyone else, but once the ‘actual person’ he’d been stalking told him this, it was quite the shocker for him.”

17 years old Tamaki narrowed her eyes, smiling and waving her hand around.

The place was the very, very back of a large shopping mall’s parking lot. Including Tamaki, there were five high school girls in this inspection site for a discontinued private railway line.

The vast premises had piles of rusted containers and the asphalt was cracked everywhere. The tracks used for transferring materials were also rusted red, and the railway crossing and rails had weeds growing between them. Chain-link fence on the verge of destruction was as good as not there, so the fact that anyone could easily enter the place was a problem.

There were cicada corpses at their feet.

Soon true summer would come. Since Tamaki hated the summer, she could hardly wait for winter.

“The actual person?”

Four faces looked at Tamaki with a blank look. Being stared by four cute high schoolers wasn’t unpleasant, but her slip of her tongue caused her to cover her mouth.

“Ah, no, it’s nothing. Anyway, you’re fine now. Right?”

“Thank you so much… he would follow me even on the way home, it was so scary…”

One among the uniformed girls, a petite girl with glasses, looked up at Tamaki with tears in her eyes.

Ugh, groaned Tamaki.

Oh my… she has that “plain girl” style with glasses and braids that’s rare nowadays, not to mention that slender body and cute face… no wonder a perverted stalker got interested in her. Not to mention she looks so weak against pressure—

Her classmate friend had come seeking advice about being stalked three days ago.

And Tamaki managed to find the culprit just yesterday.

Then, just a while ago she’d called him to this very spot, barraging him with insults and abusive language to drive him off.

“Oh no! Tamaki’s looking at us with those wild eyes again!”

“Why are you breathing so heavily?”

As the friends all exaggeratedly shielded the glasses girls, Tamaki sidled closer.

“A-as thanks, please allow me to take a few pictures… C-can I, please? You can even just wear a school swimsuit…”

“Gyaaaa! She’s a pervert!”

“Even more than the stalker!”

“Please do something about that creepy dude-like side of yours.”

“D-don’t be mean, it was just a joke.”

As Tamaki pouted, the bespectacled girl averted her eyes bashfully.

“…I-If it’s one picture then it’s fine.”

“Really?! That’s quite enough! Also, please give me a s-smooch on the cheek!”

“This girl’s the real deal!”

“And she even snuck in something else!”

“I knew you had that sort of fetish!”

“No no, that’s obviously not true. Really. Probably. Definitely. Maybe a little.”

Tamaki laughed while denying it. One of her friends sighed.

“What a waste, really. You’d be able to seduce so many men.”

“Seducing is dirty.”

Putting a hand on her mouth, Tamaki feigned ignorance. Her friends were probably talking about her appearance.

She was the tallest one among them by a full head. Her long hair, with its bangs held by hairpin, reached all the way to her waist, and her bespectacled face was supposedly quite neat. Her body, clad not in the kind of uniform dictated by her public school but a casual t-shirt, was slim. Being slender was fine and everything, but ideally, she wished she had just a bit more volume in the chest area.

All of her friends instantly burst into laughter.

“What’s up with acting like you’re some rich lady—oh, actually, you’ve been to that kind of rich lady school, right?”

“Right, you told us about it. Horusu Seijou Academy in Akamaki City, right?”

“No way, that’s a super prestigious school! Then why are you in this countryside dumpster now?”

Throb.

For just an instant there was pain in her chest.

But it did not show on her expression. She was used to hiding her pain with a smile.

“Right, I am a lady. How do you do?”

“Wow, sounds so fishy! Is that true?”

The girl’s besiegement was intense. When the five of them spoke in high-pitched voices time passed quickly. On the other side of the tracks full of weeds, the red sun was sinking.

“Umm… is it really fine for me not to thank you?”

“It’s fine, really.”

As the conversation settled down, Tamaki parted with the four girls. They were apparently still going to hang out around town for a while.

Tamaki, however, headed to the station. She was going on the train that was actually used unlike this place and would ride home.

Since Tamaki lived far away, she would take the limited express train every day to go to school. If she hadn’t gone back earlier than the others, she’d only get back home in the middle of the night.

“I already got my reward, after all.”

Pulling out a man’s wallet from her skirt pocket, she took out some bills and threw them away.

“Had a decent amount on him. Was he actually rich?”

Moist wind blew through the abandoned inspection site. Walking on top of the cracked ground, Tamaki went over the collapsed chain-link fence, exiting the shopping mall parking lot. From there she went out to the shopping district, and by walking a bit she would reach the station.

“I wish I’d found some weakness and squeezed a bit more out of him…”

While putting the bills into her own wallet, she mumbled with a cold expression.

Tamaki had repelled the stalker for her troubled friend. There was no doubt about that.

However, her method of doing so differed a bit from what she’d told her friends before. They probably wouldn’t understand it even if she explained.

Using her special abilities, Tamaki had literally “transformed” to her friend, telling the stalker “You’re so annoying, stop that”. Not noticing that he was being deceived, the stalker started crying out of shock. In addition Tamaki also received some “reparation money”, but that was a digression. She also thought of a chance the stalker would lash out at her and picked a place where there would be no victims, but it ended up being a needless fear.

Noticing she was disappointed, she sighed.

As she walked along the shopping mall, a couple of foreigners holding a map called out to her.

They asked her in English which way it was to the station.

“You need to go straight down this road.”

Tamaki, who learned some English, pointed with a smile toward the direction of the setting sun.

She waved at the couple thanking her and turned on her heels.

“—To get to the sea, that is.”

Leaking a cold sigh, she kept going to the station.

A collared chihuahua came running at her. It passed in front of Tamaki while dragging its leash behind it, vanishing beyond the crossing.

“…”

After watching the chihuahua pass, as she turned back, she saw a middle-aged woman running at her. When asked with an angry expression about whether she’d seen the woman’s dog, Tamaki shook her head.

“Sorry, didn’t see anything.”

Asserting this and leaving behind the woman who looked all around her, she resumed walking to the station.

It wasn’t like she held a grudge toward the foreigner couple or the dog’s owner.

And there was no malice either.

Even so, lying to them—was only because Tamaki was that sort of person. She would most likely never speak the truth to strangers her entire life.

Tamaki had become that kind of person due to certain circumstances.

“So boring…”

Approaching the shopping district, Tamaki mumbled to herself.

She’d actually been looking forward for the incident with the stalker, but his unconditional surrender bummed her out.

The countryside was boring. Although she’d moved from the capital city for another high school due to familial circumstances, every day was peaceful and without incident.

At the time of her enrollment, she enjoyed the atmosphere that was completely different from the big city, but that also had its limits.

Looking for some thrills, she helped her friends resolve their problems. However, all of them being solved without any huge effort—was perhaps because of her being excessively talented.

A year passed since she moved to the countryside.

The Mushitsuki called Kitazawa Tamaki was bored to death.

“Maybe I should just join that SEPB whatever…”

She unconsciously mumbled.

The Special Environmental Preservation Bureau.

It was a government agency founded for the purpose of concealing the existence of Mushi, overseeing unaffiliated hidden Mushitsuki and at times capturing them.

Tamaki already knew of them from long ago. Knowing about them while not being exposed to their threat meant that Tamaki was simply powerful enough to avoid it.

Although she’d mumbled it half-jokingly, it really was a problem.

“But if I destroy them too easily it’ll be really boring… I’m strong, after all.”

Twirling her hair with her fingers, she kept walking to the station when something happened.

She heard arguing voices on the road ahead. Looking there, she noticed a small group of men and women bustling and grabbing the arm of a petite girl.

A fight? But why did they need all these people against one small opponent?

While she was watching, the girl was being pushed into the back alley. Perhaps because it seemed like there were ill-bred looking men among them, although passersby seemed to mind them, they passed without stopping.

Should she call the police? That idea passed through her mind, but her body moved on its own.

“Trying to butt into a fight with this face would be a problem…”

She took off toward the alley where the girl and the others vanished.

Tamaki’s long hair instantly billowed. Her wide-open eyes were dyed in deep blue.

“For a fighting scene it’s definitely better to have this girl.”

Black mist rose from Tamaki’s feet. As the mist vanished, her form walking toward the back alley changed completely.

Seeing Tamaki’s transformation right in front of their eyes, people who passed by were glued to the place looking at her, but Tamaki did not mind. They’d end up thinking that they were merely daydreaming or imagining it anyway.

“Now, it’s time for you fuckers to let me have some fun.”

In a complete change from before, she mumbled in soprano.

Changing from the tall, black-haired Tamaki, she became a blond, blue-eyed foreigner girl.

The name of the original owner of that body and abilities—was Mitake Anneliese.

A member of the SEPB Central Headquarters, she was a Mushitsuki known by the codename “Kasuou”.

1.01 Tamaki Part 2

Having transformed into a blond girl, Tamaki leapt into the alley between a fast-food place and a clothes shop.

Although she’d used one of her abilities to transform to another person, since she grew shorter her shoes didn’t fit her. She decided to just bear with it being a bit hard to walk.

She saw the men and women corner a small girl in the dark part of the alley.

“—hear us? We said we’re Mushitsuki—”

…Mushitsuki?

Responding to that voice, she hurriedly hid herself behind a power pole.

This was apparently a Mushitsuki-related problem. Since the countryside had a low encounter rate with Mushitsuki, she really chanced upon quite the rare scene.

For now she should be careful and just wait and see—or so she thought, but decided not to.

It really was a rare happening, after all. With curiosity and a little bit of expectation in her heart, Tamaki revealed herself from behind the power pole.

“…! Who’re you!”

The tallest man there noticed Tamaki.

“I saw you all ganging up on a girl… is there any trouble?”

Grinning, she spoke in slightly weirdly pronounced Japanese. Deceiving them with her elegant, friendly way of speaking, she watched over the situation.

Three men and a woman, huh… and the poor girl is over there. She’d even holding her head and shaking—

“This has nothing to do with you, so please leave.”

The teen girl spoke in a low voice, pushing Tamaki’s shoulder. She restrained herself from getting offended.

“Hey, you woman over there! Are you fine?”

Brushing the girl aside, she called toward the other crouching girl.

“I told you to leave!”

A short-haired boy was threatening her. At his feet, the curled-up girl raised her face.

“U-um… I-I really didn’t see anything! I saw nothing about you using some strange creature on the bank’s ATM…!”

“You little…! Why are you saying this?!”

“Eek!”

Being yelled at, the girl curled up again.

“Oh, I see now…”

Tamaki wore a bitter smile. She could more or less imagine the chain of events from that.

The strange creature seen by the girl was probably a Mushi. Meaning, this group probably used their Mushi abilities to illegally draw out money from an ATM.

This was so trifling that she felt disappointed for the second time that day.

By doing this, they would leave traces that would clearly indicate it was the doing of Mushitsuki and the SEPB would immediately find them. These wannabe-delinquents would be captured in the blink of an eye: The End.

Since it was a failed attempt, they weren’t going to be caught by the SEPB… but they probably hadn’t noticed that this girl saved them.

They truly were trash among trash. She could see that their abilities as Mushitsuki amounted to nothing.

“Did you think you could easily make some money by using your Mushitsuki abilities? The SEPB are fully aware of that. In a sense, making you think that way is part of the SEPB’s trap.”

Tamaki had ended in contact with the SEPB a few times before. However, she always successfully escaped or turned the tables on them, so she managed to live alone peacefully.

“Wha—”

Pushing through the circle of the speechless group, she grabbed the girl’s arm.

“Did you try to threaten her to shut her up? —Come on, let’s leave these guys behind.”

“H-hey! No one said you can go!”

“Uu…”

The girl curling up her body raised her face.

Seeing her face, Tamaki’s expression froze.

“—Kanon?”

“Fweh?”

With tear marks on her face, the girl—no, Tamaki’s acquaintance made a strange sound. Petite, cute, round face. The T-shirt that grew longer due to being washed many times, the dirty shoes, the thin hoodie.

She couldn’t readily believe it so she took a hard, long look at that face.

There was no mistake. Even those thick eyebrows and the way Kanon’s hair was bound on top of the left ear was unchanged from the past.

In front of her was the childhood friend who lived in the same neighborhood until middle school.

“Kanon! It’s me, it’s me! Do you remember? We were together until middle school! We used to play in the park together, and in middle school you…”

“Pfft, you’re obviously just pretending to know her to take her away, right?”

“Hey, you! Do you actually know her?”

Asked this by the boy, Tamaki’s childhood friend looked at her face with a scared expression.

After glaring at her for a while, Kanon struck her palm exaggeratedly and nodded furiously.

“Right, of course, an acquaintance of mine! Umm, umm… right, she’s my dad’s, cousin’s, second child’s, neighbor that came from France…”

“So she’s a complete stranger!”

Oh, right.

Shocked at this unexpected reunion, Tamaki had completely forgotten. She wasn’t herself right now.

“Hey, you go away now! —No, actually you wait right there.”

“…Shuddup, I’ll fucking kill you.”

Tamaki glared at the boy who put a hand on her shoulder. Being glared at, his movements froze. It was because he saw a black mist rising from Tamaki’s legs.

“I’ve got a nice idea.”

She mumbled in her mouth.

Knocking out all these Mushitsuki and rescuing her childhood friend would be easy. Child’s play.

Because of that—she decided to try a little prank. She wanted to make Kanon recall who she was, but just revealing herself was boring.

One of the boys, upon seeing Tamaki wrapped by mist, paled. He started trembling.

“B-blond hair and a black mist… no way, is she Kasuou?!”

Great, if they have someone who knows her, it’ll be even more effective—

Smirking, Tamaki put a hand on her hip.

“Right, I certainly am the Central Headquarters combatant, Blaze Class Rank 3 Kasuou, but—”

The government agency called the SEPB used rational measures in order to capture Mushitsuki. These measures being training the captured Mushitsuki, supervising them and using them as soldiers to capture more Mushitsuki.

“If you know about me, then you also know—what’s about to happen to you, right?”

Also, the organization’s Mushitsuki were classified in ranks based on their powers. The “Blaze Class Rank 3” that Tamaki mentioned meant someone with an ability specialized for combat, as well as ranking right below Ranks 1 and 2.

“It is Kasuou! Why’s a combatant from Central Headquarters all the way here…?!”

Their group looked ready to flee. Even if they tried to rush out of the alley and into the shopping district, she could block their way with the black mist. —The mist created by Kasuou’s ability had high defensive capabilities, and human limbs would not be able to penetrate it.

Having their escape path blocked, they all turned to the back alley.

However, that was—a dead end.

“S-shit…!”

“Alright, it’d be easy to finish you off right here and now, but first—”

Tamaki was obviously Tamaki, so the Mushitsuki called Kasuou was a completely different person. The reason she could use Kasuou’s ability was obviously because it was part of her own Mushi’s ability. It wasn’t a mere transformation ability and had its own quirks, but—

Tamaki averted her gaze from the boys, turning to look at the person sitting helplessly on the ground.

“First, you. Resign yourself to your fate, ankle-biter.”

“Fweh?”

“Since you’ve seen my face, I can’t let you live.”

Even though she was the one who’d revealed herself in the first place—it seemed like the nuance managed to pass through. Kanon’s expression went from fear to half-crying, half-laughing.

“It’s time for you to die.”

The name of the girl in front of Tamaki was Nakayama Kanon.

They were childhood friends who once lived at the same building. Since they were close in age and both had familial problems, they would at times meet up in the neighborhood park and play together.

Tamaki especially remembered that day.

When the foreigner calling himself Alpha appeared, Kanon had told an amusing lie.

“Are you ready?”

Did Kanon remember?

It already happened more than years ago. It would be much more natural to not remember.

Tamaki did remember.

—We’ll erase the monsters.

Thus Kanon spoke at the time.

And so, as a little greeting for their reunion, Tamaki had a little surprise.

“DIEEEEEE!!!”

Tamaki powerfully swung down her mist-clad arm.

Kanon’s reaction was—

“Gyaaaah!”

Much more extreme than expected.

“Gyaaaah! GYAAAAH!”

Tamaki never expected Kanon’s display of head holding, exposed teeth, shedding tears, shouts and cries in as loud a voice as possible.

No, you really shouldn’t be that scared—

“…”

Tamaki froze at this unexpected reaction.

And Kanon froze as well, mouth open wide.

Even the group of Mushitsuki surroundings these two were unable to understand what happened and stayed silent.

“Wha…”

Tamaki came back to her senses and glanced around. —She ended up being surprised, but now she was going back to the script.

The black mist filling the back alley completely vanished.

“What the hell! My mist was erased?!! Who the fuck are you?”

“Fweh?”

“No way, do you have… an ability that erases Mushi?! Shit, I’m done for!”

Taking a step back from the stunned Kanon, Tamaki stamped her feet in annoyance.

While acting like she was mad, she stole a glance at Kanon.

Her childhood friend looked puzzled. Tamaki clicked her tongue.

“You have the power to erase monsters?! You’re unbelievable!”

She tried repeating it again.

She heard a gasp. Kanon rose with a puffed chest.

“R-right! Kanon has an amazing ability!”

“Shit! Then this means I’m now a normal person without any powers!”

“Fwahahaha!”

“Oh, it’s useless!”

Kanon was roaring with laughter and the blond girl, Kasuou, drooped her head while pretending to cry.

Seeing that scene, the Mushitsuki boys and girl were speechless.

Having Kasuou’s mist ability vanish was obviously not because Kanon could erase Mushitsuki abilities. Tamaki simply cancelled her own ability.

“—Yup, this should be enough.”

Satisfied, Tamaki stopped pretending to cry. Rising up, she put a hand on Kanon’s shoulder.

“So, you remember?”

“Remember what?”

Kanon still looked puzzled.

…Apparently her hopes were misplaced.

Tamaki sighed, turning back to the group behind her. She shooed them off with her hand.

“Hmm, well, so, if you don’t want your Mushi to be erased you should run away—eek!”

She unconsciously let out a real yelp.

Brushing Tamaki aside, the four Mushitsuki dashed to Kanon.

“Please erase my Mushi!”

“Mine, too!”

“Mine too! You can do it, right?!”

“Save me! Please… I beg you!”

Their rough behavior caused Tamaki and Kanon’s voices to overlap.

“Eh?”

“Fweh?”

The four Mushitsuki clung to Kanon with no regard to how pathetic they looked. All of them rattled on at once, so it was impossible to understand who was saying what.

But what Tamaki could understand—was that the four of them wanted their Mushi erased.

They wished for it from the bottom of their hearts. The girl was even crying profusely.

“U-umm…”

Suddenly being asked to save them, Kanon apparently didn’t know what to do, glancing around in confusion.

Ah, I see—

Tamaki realized and glared at them with cold eyes.

All Mushitsuki wanted to be saved. Their bodies hosted the monsters called Mushi that ate their dreams, and at one point they’d become fully devoured—they couldn’t tell when their death would come. Mushitsuki had to shoulder that sort of fate.

It was quite natural, come to think of it.

Tamaki hated Mushi too.

If she really did know someone who could erase them—not this stupid lie, but an actual person like that—perhaps she would cling to them like that as well.

“Ah…”

If her lie was exposed here, they might turn on them and hurt her childhood friend. She wanted to help Kanon, but she obviously couldn’t erase their Mushi for real.

If she couldn’t erase them—she just needed to invent a reason why.

She would paint over her lie with another lie.

Tamaki looked up at the sky. The sun had already set, and a full moon was floating in the heavens.

“Thinking about it, I’ve heard about it before.”

A full moon.

That ominous, lustrous glow was just the right thing to deceive people. Throughout all of history people revered it and worshipped it alongside the sun.

Yup, I can use this—

“There’s someone who can erase Mushi on a full moon night—and only once. Nakayama Kanon. Is that you?”

Saying this, Tamaki looked at Kanon. It was a bad improvised lie, but it should just be enough to fool them here. Just the means to buy enough time to vanish.

Following Tamaki, the four Mushitsuki also looked at Kanon.

Just nod, please.

As Tamaki glared at Kanon, just like she thought, her childhood friend—

“…”

Slowly nodded.

At that time, a calm voice was heard from above.

“—Is that true?”

“…!”

Everyone there raised their faces.

A human figure stood with the night sky and the full moon behind them. Someone was standing on the roof of the fast-food restaurant.

“The SEPB…?”

Tamaki put herself on guard. When she’d looked up just now there was no one there. Even so that person appeared in an instant and she wasn’t even able to sense their presence.

Seeing the stance of the person with the full moon at their back, Tamaki realized.

Seems quite strong… also, our position is bad! I can defend against most attacks using Kasuou’s ability, but I’d better use another—no, Kasuou’s ability is definitely the most adaptable!

Running fast simulations through her mind, Tamaki was about to generate her black mist.

“If so, I’ve got a favor to ask…”

However, no attack came from their enemy.

Dancing in the air, the figure landed in front of Tamaki and the rest. They managed to land safely from quite the height, but Tamaki couldn’t tell whether they underwent such training or perhaps used some ability.

“I have a Mushi inside this… so I’d like you to erase it.”

Illuminated by the moonlight, the one who spoke this was a boy around Tamaki’s age. He wore tattered shirt and jeans and a vintage motorcycle helmet on his head. His half-open eyes had dark circles under them and he looked completely languid and lacking energy.

The boy who appeared like this extended a bag held in his arms toward Kanon.

Suddenly looking around the speechless, frozen people around him, the boy spoke.

“…So, where am I in the line?”

1.02 Tamaki Part 3

Tamaki and Kanon. A day passed since the two childhood friends had a bizarre reunion after some years.

They had their second “reunion” near the private school Tamaki was enrolled into. Entering a family restaurant at the shopping district, Kanon bent forward while seated in a four-seat table.

“So was that blond girl from yesterday really you, Tama-chan?”

Nakayama Kanon spoke in a low whisper. Looking at Kanon’s face from up close, Tamaki could see the round, cute eyes. A dirty hoodie, eyes like a raccoon, sharp canine teeth like a kitten’s—Kanon’s appearance seemed to gather all the charms of a small animal.

“Yes. That’s why I’m not a Mushitsuki, but a normal person.”

On the other hand, as she was just on the way back home, Tamaki wore her school uniform. She was actually only a year older than Kanon, but since she was often mistaken for a university student, for other people it would probably look as if the gap was about five years.

“Haah, Mushitsuki really are amazing.”

“The risks are big, though.”

Distancing their faces again, they sat down while facing each other. Since this shop was far from the main road there weren’t many customers, and other than Tamaki and the rest there weren’t even enough people to fill a table.

Kanon ordered omurice, a drink and a pepper salad with bacon. Since Tamaki was not hungry, she just wanted the free drink.

“What a shock, though. You didn’t even notice me, Kanon.”

Throwing her torso on the table and looking at Kanon’s face from the side, Tamaki played with her straw.

“Well, err…”

Kanon was busy holding a spoon loaded with omurice. Nom nom, even this manga-like sound effect while eating remained unchanged from the past. One could say it was cute, but, well, it really was just bad manners.

“Since you grew up Kanon ended up not speaking with you a lot…”

Kanon spoke while eating the omurice.

“…”

Watching that face, Tamaki smiled.

“That’s not true. Don’t you remember?”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

“…Never mind.”

Tamaki did not forget.

She had obviously forgotten nearly everything about her elementary school classmates and the like.

However, she did not forget about Kanon. It was such an important event for Tamaki, but her childhood friend apparently forgot all about it. That was so typical that it was actually moving.

“You said you ran away from home. So you couldn’t stay there anymore, huh.”

“…Yes.”

“I see. I wondered why you were so far out.”

“Thinking about it, haven’t you moved to the capital, Tama-chan?”

“Mhm, I went to a certain private school in Akamaki City, but my parents lost their jobs. So we moved to another, cheaper school immediately.”

“So we both have it tough.”

“We sure do.”

“But, Tama-chan…”

Still holding the spoon, Kanon grinned.

“You look so mature.”

“Thank you. And you turned even cuter, haven’t you?”

“O-oh?”

It was supposed to be half her opinion and half a compliment, but as she saw Kanon’s ears reddening the ratio shifted. It became about 80% her real opinion. She reached out for the rice grain stuck on her friend’s cheek.

“God, you’re so cute. Yup, super cute. Can I pet you…?”

“Kanon doesn’t mind it… but why are you panting like that, Tama-chan?”

“I’m going to pet you just for a bit… I won’t do anything else.”

Petting Kanon’s head for a while as they ate, Tamaki felt satisfied.

“By the way, what are you doing after this?”

“Hmm…”

“Got money? Where are you staying?”

“Net café and the like… Oh, but Kanon got some money from Onii-chan.”

“Huh? Onii-chan? You’re an only child, you liar.”

The dumbfounded Tamaki raised her head. She could already imagine the newspaper headline: “A runaway girl’s obscene act in search of money”. No, that would mean the headline was lying, though.

“W-wait a moment, you can’t do that sort of thing, okay? That compensated dating thing, won’t they do weird things to you? Only scoundrels do that sort of thing.”

“Eh, really?”

“Geez, you really know nothing about society! We’ll somehow manage with money, so stop with it, please! The sort of guys who’d hand money to you are obviously just perverts. No, rather than perverts, they’re trash! Got it? You’re not allowed to go near one ever again.”

“Uh… wait, so does that mean that Onii-chan’s trash?”

Still holding the spoon aloft, Kanon turned around.

“Eh?”

In a far seat there was a boy with bad complexion. Eyes with dark circles under them were staring at the drink in front of them. Whether the cause was him not having slept for a while or anything else, he looked fatigued and sick. His vintage-style helmet was left on the table.

He was the boy they’d met at the back alley yesterday. Tamaki knew that he was sitting there all along.

“…”

Receiving Tamaki’s and Kanon’s stares, the boy glanced at them. However, he did not deny their words and kept looking at his drink despondently. He passively rounded his back, hugging the small bag with both hands.

“So Onii-chan is… him?”

“Yes, he’d won in rock papers scissors and got second place. Nii for the number 2, so Onii-chan.”

“…? Second place?”

“Because the first is me.”

Leaning over the blinds installed at his table, a boy with a large build peeked his face. Following him other familiar faces also appeared.

They were the four Mushitsuki who assaulted Kanon the previous day.

“Named for 1, 3, 4 and 5—Ichi-san, San-chan, Yon-kun, and Gonsuke.”

Seeing Kanon point at each one in turn, her mouth hung open.

“So you mean that it’s…”

“Right, the order Kanon will erase their Mushi. They all decided it last night.”

Kanon said, smiling innocently.

Tamaki pouted.

Wait… they actually believed that third-rate acting? They really think there’s a power to erase Mushi? Are they sane?

“I made so many friends.”

The smiling Kanon seemed jubilant. —But looking closely, that smile was actually similar to Tamaki’s expression. Eyes full of tears silently entreated Tamaki.

What should Kanon do?

“Y-you’re also Kanon’s friend, obviously, Tama-chan. So you’ll stay with Kanon, right…?”

Kanon grabbed Tamaki’s arm. It was actually painful.

“E-eh, obviously? But my house’s far, so I have to go back already.”

Tamaki returned a smile. She tried shaking off Kanon’s hold.

“P-please don’t say that. We’ve met for the first time after so long, right?”

“I’m not a Mushitsuki… so I’m unrelated, right? I think?”

“But I think you do have some, err, responsibility. Fama-chan, wafn’t it you who’f…”

Tamaki tried pushing Kanon’s head away, but her fingers were then bitten.

While fighting, Tamaki decided to look at the others.

The four Mushitsuki group looked at the suspicious pair’s exchange. Having listened to that group’s conversation, they apparently used to belong to the community called Mushibane before. However, although they’d left as a response to the policies of the new leader or whatever, they now had money troubles.

These four were no trouble at all. If push came to shove, Tamaki could use her full powers and escape all of them easily and drive them away.

However, the issue was—

“…”

Tamaki looked at the table for two. Without speaking or doing anything else, the creepy boy—Onii-chan or whatever—simply stared at his cup listlessly without moving.

It was worrying that that Mushitsuki’s strength was unknown. Although she could feel that he was no mere ordinary person, she couldn’t tell whether he was strong or weak. If he was strong and they rubbed him the wrong way, then she couldn’t ensure her safety, let alone Kanon’s.

In the first place—what was the bag he was carrying? It apparently had a Mushi inside, but was it his own Mushi? Judging from the fact he constantly hugged it, he apparently treasured it, but…

“Hey, you. Are you this girl’s acquaintance? Then… do you know about Kanon’s power as well?”

The boy who was apparently fifth in line inquired Tamaki.

Not answering immediately, Tamaki simulated the situation in her mind.

The vintage helmet guy was a problem, but there was an even bigger problem. That being—

“Tama-chan…”

The girl looking at Tamaki with tears in eyes, Nakayama Kanon.

Tamaki’s childhood friend was, well—quite bad at lies.

On top of that, Kanon had no ability to earn any living. It wasn’t what they discussed just now, but it was obvious someone bad would someday take advantage of that.

“…”

As a matter of fact, Tamaki had a bit of a “debt”.

Apparently Kanon forgot all about it, but Tamaki never did.

Therefore, she wanted to help with whatever she could, but, even if she was a Mushitsuki, the things that a mere high school student like Tamaki could do were limited.

What could she even do?

The answer soon came.

Although Tamaki and Kanon were completely different in both appearance and personality, there was a certain common point after all.

Both were liars.

Since they were both here, they could do only one thing.

Tamaki spoke in a calm and collected manner to the Mushitsuki.

“Yes, of course. I also know that she possesses special powers.”

“Oh!”

“See? I told you!”

“She managed to erase Kasuou’s Mushi. So in time, we’ll also…!”

Seeing the four of them look relieved, Tamaki understood.

Before this they hadn’t yet fully believed in Kanon’s ability. Perhaps it was dubious to be suddenly told about erasing Mushi like that.

So that’s how it is—

They wanted to be sure. That was why they ended up believing a lie that would normally be hard to swallow.

No, it was more correct to say that they were trying to believe in it.

Tamaki and Kanon weren’t speaking of something convenient.

They were the ones who believed in something convenient.

So Tamaki decided to press for an answer.

“But other than that, Kanon’s a normal kid. No, even more unreliable than a normal kid.”

Grinning, Tamaki continued.

“Kanon must be protected. If not, she’d quickly die or hunger. Or perhaps she’d be deceived by someone and beaten up?”

“Yeah, we understand.”

Ichi smiled, grasping his fist.

“We’ll protect her.”

“She’d saved us too, after all. We’re in this together.”

“Don’t worry. Leave it to us.”

Strictly speaking she didn’t think this squad of four would prove to be useful, but the other boy behind them was another thing entirely. Although his abilities were unknown, at the very least he had some money, so while he was their ally, they could leave it to him.

“Yes… thank you.”

It was fine; their lie was not going to crumble.

The only thing that could cause it trouble was if the actual Kasuou appeared. However, that berserker was part of the SEPB’s Central Headquarters in Akamaki City. It was likely impossible she’d come out this far.

At the very least, she could keep her childhood friend safe until the next full moon—

“U-umm, Tama-chan…?”

“I’m so glad for you, Kanon. You’ve got some reliable friends now.”

Wearing a relieved expression, Tamaki gave Kanon a hug.

Then, she whispered.

“Try not to have your lie discovered, right?”

Tamaki’s childhood friend’s shoulders shook—

“Eep…”

Seemingly about to cry, Kanon nodded.

1.03 Tamaki Part 4

The moment the bell for the last lesson rang, Tamaki rose from her seat.

“Oh, hey, Tamaki. We were just wondering where to hang out today.”

As her classmate called to her, she turned around.

“Sorry. Today’s a bit…”

“What, again?”

“I just started raising a troublesome pet. Next time, alright?”

After declining her friend’s invitation with a lie, Tamaki headed to the family restaurant at the suburbs. Already a few weeks passed since she began going there.

A troublesome pet.

Rather, it was Tamaki’s childhood friend sitting at the same table like always, munching on a chocolate parfait.

Cutting through the place crowded with customers, Tamaki sat in front of Kanon.

“Welcome back, Tama-chan.”

“I’m back.”

She was used to this exchange as well. Even when Tamaki appeared Kanon’s eyes were still glued to the parfait, and Tamaki ordered a free drink and lay her torso down on the table like always.

“…Now that I think about it, isn’t it a strange thing to say?”

“Isn’t this place pretty much like our home already?”

“For you, maybe. I don’t live here.”

“Then welcome, customer!”

“That’s when you’re an employee. If you only eat sweet stuff you’re gonna lack vitamins.”

“San-chan’s also told Kanon the same.”

“Really…”

Vaguely nodding, she used the moisture from her cup to draw a manga character on the table.

On that note, the both of them would just spend their time talking about nonsense.

Tamaki and Kanon have reunited and decided to keep telling lies at the family restaurant a long time back. Ever since then, although, they were always like this.

Because she worried about what her childhood friend would end up blurting, she had to come here and check the situation.

However, nothing ever happened when she came. Whether aware of her worries or not, Kanon only ate there every day peacefully, the only change being slightly neater clothes. Their new friends took care of food, clothing and shelter.

So Tamaki, was, well.

How would she put it…

“Haa. I feel so bored…”

Still prostrated on the table, Tamaki gave a massive sigh.

Kanon looked happy and was smiling every day.

“So peaceful.”

Too peaceful. No objection to that.

Tamaki really was concerned for her friend, but because Kanon said it was so peaceful, she couldn’t really say what she thought.

However, if she was allowed to voice a bit of her true feelings…

She thought that following this nostalgic meeting, something was about to start—

She couldn’t deny that she had that fleeting hope.

It wasn’t like she wanted something dangerous to happen to Kanon, and neither did she wish for anything life-threatening to happen.

Boredom.

That was the most precise word to describe the current situation.

“You know… when we were in middle school, you saved me once.”

Tamaki suddenly mumbled this. Kanon smiled.

“Stop lying, you were always in first place no matter what you did, Tama-chan. Kanon was always last place in everything, so there’s no way Kanon saved you.”

“…”

For her it was a relatively big event, so she found that hard to believe. Well, since Kanon’s living environment was harsher than others’, perhaps it seemed no more than just a daily event.

“Ah, Kanon remembers now.”

“You’re lying.”

“Yes, sorry.”

Just like that.

Being with Kanon made her feel relaxed.

But that actually made Tamaki feel like she lost all stimulation. Like this, she felt even more bored than before.

“Ah… geez, I’m at my limits. Let’s go play somewhere.”

“Oh, we can go to a karaoke place!”

“Eh. I mean, Kanon, your singing’s a bit… you probably can’t notice it, but you know what I mean?”

“Nothing but lies again. Kanon shall sing today as well!”

“Sure, whatever, then let’s go.”

Tamaki and Kanon rose from their seats.

As they did, as expected another figure nearby rose. That also always happened.

Ichi, Nii, San, Yon, Go. The five Mushitsuki thus nicknamed according to their order. Feeling more and more of their duty to protect Kanon with each passing day, they were already pretty much acting like bodyguards.

“Really now—”

Tamaki sighed.

Because she saw another person rising from another table.

And then from another table.

And from that other table too.

The number of customers rising to their legs was endless. “Where’re we going?” “Karaoke, apparently.” “Oh, let’s bet on it.” “Karaoke? Alright!” the number of people chatting like this increased—

As a result, almost all customers in the family restaurant vacated their seats at the same time.

“Since it turned out like that, we should really keep it quiet next time.”

Mushitsuki #1 to #5 came behind Tamaki and Kanon who exited together, shoulder to shoulder.

And even further behind them—just like a line of ants, a crowd of boys and girls formed.

“We’ll have to rent so many rooms again at the karaoke place, huh.”

Rumors beget rumors and Kanon ended up gaining more and more followers.

They already numbered—several dozens.

“Kanon’s already thinking about what do sing!”

“Haa… I wish something interesting happened already…”

Tamaki and Kanon were peaceful today as well.

There was only one thing bothering her.

The next full moon was approaching—that was her only worry.

2.00 Kanon Part 1

Nakayama Kanon was a liar from birth.

Perhaps being born in a slightly unique environment was just another reason for it. So possibly it wasn’t Kanon’s fault, becoming such a liar.

Kanon was weak.

Thereby came the need for lies.

By doing that, Kanon could finally take the actions needed to turn lies to truth.

For example, breaking a game console borrowed from a friend, lying “Kanon didn’t break it!” and then looking for a replacement—

Kanon wasn’t smart enough to think of good excuses, nor courageous enough to honestly apologize.

This cowardice also led to an aversion of being hit and yelled at.

And so the only possible path was to become a liar.

So that nothing would be destroyed.

So that nothing had even been destroyed in the first place.

There was only one problem.

Among several fatal defects, there was Kanon’s biggest weakness of all.

That was—

Kanon’s lies were the worst of the worst.

“Heyyy! Apparently Kasuou went on a rampage against Mushibane at Akamaki City!”

Kanon and Tamaki both spat their drinks like the jet of an airplane.

Just like every afternoon, they were at the same family restaurant.

After greeting the uniformed Tamaki like always, Kanon got the 15th free drink of the day when it happened.

All of a sudden, a boy flying into the place was surrounded by his other comrades.

“Really…?”

“What does that mean?”

Kanon can erase Mushi—

Nearly a month passed since that astounding lie.

The Mushitsuki who met Kanon by chance didn’t just believe it, they were utterly convinced. Rumors beget rumors, and the number of Mushitsuki seeking salvation now rose to several dozens.

“But Kasuou had her Mushi erased by Kanon…”

“What’s going on?”

The restaurant, now pretty much just Kanon’s hang-out spot, was abuzz.

Kanon and Tamaki brought their heads together, whispering to each other.

“W-w-w-w-what is Kanon gonna do, Tama-chan?! They’re gonna f-f-f-f-f-find out…!”

Other than the usual hoodie, all other clothes had been bought by the followers. Also, since some of the girls played with makeup, some pink gloss lipstick stayed on Kanon’s cup.

“C-calm down, Kanon. One needs to stay calm at such moments.”

Tamaki was a beauty today as well. Her smooth, silky hair was equipped with a hairpin that parted her bangs. Since she had that sort of distinguished atmosphere here in this countryside dumpster, she often drew people’s attention.

“K-K-Kanon can’t calm down! If Kanon’s lie is discovered, what’s gonna happen?”

“W-well… if you just went up and say “Oh, it was just a lie, you know?’ and laugh, won’t they forgive you?”

“Kanon really doubts that! Also, you’re lying! You averted your eyes just now!”

“…Do your best to run away?”

“But Kanon’s surrounded and cornered! …is the future Kanon can see! Please don’t doubt Kanon’s slow! Didn’t you say you’ll do something, Tama-chan?! But you just come here and lounge around every day!”

“No, I mean, it’s a miracle for that lie to have kept for so long…”

Seeing Tamaki awkwardly put a finger to her cheek, even the stupid Kanon could understand.

—Oh, so she was just going to pick the right timing to run away alone.

“You’re not gonna abandon Kanon, right? Right? We’re childhood friends!”

“Wait! Don’t pull at my clothes, you pervert! I just recalled some urgent business! My parents are on the verge of death and my house’s on fire, so I have to hurry back—”

“Noooo!!! Don’t leave me!”

Kanon desperately clung to Tamaki’s waist. If things went wrong, it could be life-threatening.

Yet it was completely unneeded.

At some point their table was surrounded by their many allies. People of differing appearance and ages, starting from elementary school age and up to their twenties, all looked at Kanon.

No one said anything. They didn’t try to corner Kanon and Tamaki, and they were not angry either.

They were simply staring hard.

“Gyaaa…”

Imagining being ganged on by them, Kanon let a hoarse voice out.

The Mushi being erased was just an act by the transformed Tamaki.

Obviously, once they figured out the real Kasuou was fine, the lie would be discovered. And when the lie was discovered, they’d lose their reason to protect Kanon.

Kanon, who was their savior—would become a swindler who cheated them all.

The deceived wouldn’t likely let it all end peacefully.

“A-at least get it over with…”

Kanon curled up on the seat.

However—

No matter how much time passed, no murder took place.

There was no pain, no blood, not even shouts like “How dare you deceive us!” “I’ll kill you!” “You swindler!” and whatnot.

“…?”

Kanon timidly perked up.

The people around looked confused. They exchanged glances as if wanting to say something, but in the end stayed silent and only raised their eyebrows.

What did that mean?

Seeing Kanon confused by the bizarre atmosphere, Tamaki sighed.

“Say, Kanon. What’re we going to do?”

What were they going to do?

What did she mean by that?

Tamaki brought the puzzled Kanon’s face closer. She started whispering.

“Wanna continue?”

Continue what, exactly?

Ah, Kanon noticed.

Tamaki was asking—if they could continue lying.

“Y-yes! Yes! Yes! Yes!”

Kanon nodded countless times, fervently, not wishing to die yet.

“Okay.”

Tamaki made a friendly nod. Raising her face, she glanced at the people around them.

“Who saw Kasuou?”

“…Me.”

A single person stepped forward from the crowd. He was a boy in his later teens with a faux-hawk hairstyle and a masculine face. Kanon remembered being introduced to him as their 32nd ally.

“Well, not like I saw her directly.”

“Hmm, so who did?”

Tamaki puffed out her chest, looking up at the man that was about a head taller than her.

“My acquaintance from Mushibane heard about it from other members…”

“So you heard it from an acquaintance of an acquaintance. So that means that whoever saw Kasuou and defeated by her was an acquaintance of an acquaintance of an acquaintance? Or maybe there was even another acquaintance in that chain?”

“I…”

“My, that’s like a telephone game.”

Tamaki asserted boldly as the man averted his eyes.

“Do you think such information is trustworthy? I think it’s stupid to believe it.”

The atmosphere until just now was also bizarre, but now it turned even stranger.

The people who were probably saying the right thing were now shaken and perplexed.

On the other hand, Tamaki looked majestic. Despite her lying.

The truth—was pushed away by a lie.

“What’s with that face? There’s no way you’re doubting Kanon, right?”

Tamaki spoke in a bullish tone. The boy’s comrades said nothing, but they still surrounded them.

Looking at the both of them, Kanon’s heart thumped loudly.

The one to break the silence was Tamaki’s cold voice.

“…Oh, I see. Let’s go, Kanon.”

“Eh?”

Tamaki grabbed Kanon’s arm. She broke through the wall of comrades.

“These people no longer believe in you. Let’s go look for other people? We can find people to protect you anywhere.”

“B-but…”

“It’s fine.”

Tamaki brought her face closer, speaking softly.

“—We don’t even have to lie here.”

“Eh?”

There was no need to lie?

While unable to decipher the meaning of those words, a lone boy stood in the way.

“…Onii-chan?”

Kanon looked in surprise. Nii, who was treated like no more than an ornament until then, now stood to block their way.

“Can you please move?”

Tamaki asserted with a cold smile.

“If you don’t believe in Kanon’s power… we have no business anymore, right?”

Those words became the decisive blow.

“Wait!”

Ichi leapt in front of Kanon and Tamaki. Following him San, Yon and Go, the Mushitsuki they first met, spread their arms too, trying to prevent them from leaving.

“We never doubted! They never saw Kanon’s powers right in front of them so they were just a bit anxious, is all!”

“Right! We’ve seen Kanon erase Kasuou’s Mushi with our very eyes!”

“Hey, you lot! Don’t say strange things to make Kanon mad!”

Kanon did not remember being angry, and was actually pretty sure that they’d be mad…

“Her power’s real!”

Ichi yelled at the comrades behind him.

Kanon’s eyes opened wide.

—We don’t even have to lie here.

It was just like Tamaki said. Even so Kanon didn’t understand at all what was happening.

Looking to the side, she winked stealthily.

“I-I’m sorry, it’s my bad…”

The faux-hawk boy drooped his head and the other people all shuffled back to their tables as well.

Nii glared at Kanon with upturned eyes and a hunched back.

“—We’ll prove it with tomorrow’s full moon.”

This mumble, uttered the moment the boy turned around, made Kanon’s heart leap.

Right.

They were only a day away from the full moon.

Tomorrow, another person’s Mushi would have to be erased.

If that was impossible, the lie would be revealed this time—

“Everyone, you see, wants to be fed lies.”

Collapsing on the table again as if nothing happened, Tamaki smiled.

“Even after hearing about Kasuou nobody asked you anything like ‘So, did you lie?’, right?”

“R-right.”

“You were scared, huh? If they asked you, you would’ve admitted the lie for sure.”

Tamaki looked around their comrades in the restaurant.

“After all, they’ll never be saved if they acknowledge you being a liar. They only wished for one answer, being that your power was real. —They never wanted any other answer.”

“…”

“Inside their hearts they do doubt you.”

Without changing her expression, Tamaki continued.

“When they don’t want to acknowledge they’d been deceived… they start deceiving themselves. And the longer it goes, they even start lying in place of the original liar.”

Kanon was puzzled. The conversation became difficult to follow.

“Thus the lie spreads further and further… and grows even larger.”

Tamaki grinned.

“It’s fine now. The lie you’ve told is not your own anymore.”

“B-but tomorrow’s a full moon… and that Kasuou person—”

“Leave it to me. You have nothing to worry about, Kanon.”

Leaving the table, Tamaki stretched her back with a nngh.

“Yup. Maybe now it’s finally gotten interesting.”

Saying this while smiling, Kanon’s childhood friend seemed happy.

2.01 The Others

It was morning.

A boy wearing a white coat and goggles stood inside the abandoned factory on the suburbs of Akamaki City.

While minding his surroundings, he stood in front of an empty wall, opening his mouth.

“My member number is ---. I ask for permission to return.”

The boy’s mumble echoed in the empty factory. After he did so, the wall that seemed to not even have any crack in it split into two, revealing a modern elevator that was completely different from how the factory looked.

The boy tried boarding the elevator that appeared—

“Hold on, let me board too.”

He was startled at his shoulder being grabbed from behind.

As the boy turned around, he saw a blond girl smirking at him, having appeared without him feeling anything. She wore the same white coat as the boy.

“Ka… Kasuou?”

“Yeah, lemme get in too. Let’s have a friendly, fleeting date between us two HQ members.”

Kasuou was a Blaze Class Rank 3 Mushitsuki belonging to the SEPB’s Central Headquarters.

Her real name was Mitake Anneliese. She was 17 years old. She looked like a refined lady with golden hair and blue eyes, but served as a combatant known to be belligerent and brutal. Once, her lack of brutality and tactics were seen as a problem, but after temporarily joining the East Central Branch she was reeducated and received a re-evaluation within the SEPB.

She was viewed as one of the central pillars of battle power in the Central Headquarters both in name and reality.

“N-no, I can’t. The regulations say that we must give our information separately to the—”

“Ha?”

Black mist spouted from Kasuou’s feet.

Her ability was controlling amorphous mist. When coagulated it boasted high defense, and at times it could be used as a powerful weapon to break enemies.

“Don’t be such a killjoy. You really hate being with me that much?”

Intimidated by her soprano voice, the boy groaned an “Ugh…” as he flinched. Kasuou’s short temper was well-known not only within Central Headquarters but through the entire SEPB.

“N-no…”

The boy mumbled and made some space for her.

Kasuou grinned as she entered the elevator and the door closed.

“Must be nerve-wracking to ride this alone with a beauty like me but don’tcha mind it too much.”

The boy was apparently just a low-ranked combatant. At the very least his form of trying to be the furthest away from this charming-looking lady as he stood next to the wall was just like a rabbit entered into the same cage as a wild beast.

“I don’t think I know you? Where are you from? What’s your name?”

Kasuou who placed her arm around the scared boy’s shoulders as if they were friends.

The elevator that took these two Mushitsuki reached the lowest floor.

SEPB, Central Headquarters.

Several entrances to HQ existed all over Akamaki City. All of them feigned to be public facilities or places normal people wouldn’t enter, serving as entrances to the members.

“Oh, I see. —By the way, you little shit. How much do you know about me?”

“Eh?”

“I’m asking about Blaze Class Rank 3 Kasuou. How’s she like?”

Her colleague looked puzzled. He probably couldn’t understand the meaning of that question.

Kasuou glared at his eyes and then checked her appearance on the mirror-like surface of the wall.

Blond and petite. Her form did not change at all.

—Hmph, so I was wrong. That’s not enough for an “overwrite”.

When Kasuou mumbled this in her mind the elevator stopped.

“Welp, our date’s over. What a waste, huh.”

Leaving behind the clearly relieved boy, Kasuou exited to the corridor.

The area used for the underground facility of the HQ was vast. It had paths that led all over Akamaki City, so she had no idea where the center would be. That center part had cutting-edge security defense system and many high-ranked members to serve as security.

It was incredible vast, a literal immeasurable and massive maze that hid secrets.

Everyone related to the SEPB called that place “The Underground Stronghold”. —Apparently.

“…”

Passing by white-coat-wearing members, Kasuou walked through the corridors, entering countless doors. After riding an automatic moving passage and going around a corner, she finally reached the place that led to the “base” of the Stronghold.

The area that served as the axis of the Stronghold was apparently divided into multiple layers, from top floor to bottom floor. Right now she was at the topmost layer, where Mushitsuki members could enter, and other layers contained places such as experimental sites and Fallen isolation facilities—so she heard.

Right.

This was all hearsay.

After all, this was her first time ever to set foot inside this Underground Stronghold.

“Phew.”

There was area made only for moving between the layers, so the number of members coming and going increased. Kasuou found an empty corridor and breathed as she passed its corner. There were no security cameras around.

“Who should I be from here on? Mizuchi, maybe?”

The mumbling Kasuou’s entire body was engulfed by black mist.

The next moment, the mist scattered into a shape like dark-red scales. These crackled while clustering together, transforming into a snake-like being that was about two meters long.

The snake floating in air while undulating its horned head cried in a small voice.

“This ability really is useful for all sorts of things.”

Kasuou herself was no longer Kasuou either. Her white coat and goggles stayed, but she became a tall girl with black hair. Even her voice changed from soprano to alto.

“First let’s check how things around look.”

The dark red snake opened its mouth, emitting a red gas. It spread around, disseminated in air and became invisible.

After a short while the gas gathered again, becoming a three-dimensional stereoscopic image. It showed narrow corridors, the people walking there or opening doors; a reproduction of everything in a radius of about 30 meters.

“Yup, no one’s gonna come here for a while. Should I just wait until a weak-looking member comes by?”

Hiding in the corner of the corridor, the woman killed her breath.

“Haa, and tonight’s the full moon, so I want to finish this already and go back.”

The person who’d transformed into the Mushitsuki called Kasuou and then into Mizuchi as well had infiltrated the SEPB’s Central Headquarters.

She was obviously not the actual Kasuou—

“I wonder if Kanon’s behaving?”

It was Tamaki.

She left her region to fulfill a certain goal and used her original ability to get inside the Underground Stronghold. She’d already heard all about the entrance to the Stronghold and its simple structure by beating the information out of a Central Headquarters member.

For Mushitsuki like Tamaki who had no affiliation, the organizations like SEPB and Mushibane were those who might turn up as their enemies at any time. Tamaki had a period where she captured these organization’s members and got information from them. That was when she was young and reckless, but it served her a great deal.

“First I have to find out whether or not Kasuou is inside the Stronghold.”

Tamaki shrugged while looking at the stereoscopic image created by gas. The ability of the Mushitsuki Mizuchi allowed her to spread an extremely thin gas over a place, thereby exploring the surroundings like a sonar.

“It would be pretty awesome if the real one passes here by coincidence, though.”

The reason for Tamaki to undertake this risk and infiltrate the headquarters was—

Kasuou’s assassination.

Since Tamaki had used Kasuou for her own convenience, she couldn’t let the real one keep loitering around. In order to use her until the very end, she needed to have the real one retire from being a Mushitsuki.

All in order to protect her childhood friend.

All in order to turn lies into reality.

She would have the real Kasuou vanish.

Although she thought of it as assassination, she didn’t actually need to kill her. She could either kill her Mushi and turn her into a Fallen, or else injure her enough she’d never recover. This would not be straightforward at all, but Tamaki was convinced that her own ability surpassed Kasuou’s strength.

“I’m actually looking forward to find out how strong the original is.”

While looking at the stereoscopic image in front of her, Tamaki laughed. She herself knew that she was feeling cheerful.

The original Tamaki’s ability as a Mushitsuki.

If described in a single word, it would be a transformation ability.

However, it wasn’t that simple. It had several rules, or rather limits.

One of those was that she couldn’t use her ability to actually become a perfect copy of the desired person. Meaning it was an incomplete transformation.

That sounded bad, but Tamaki actually thought of it as a strength.

“After all, I’ve ‘overwritten’ Kasuou’s abilities for a long time. It’s possible I’ve already long since surpassed her power.”

Tamaki transformed into someone’s mental image of the target.

While saying the transformed person’s name and touching another person, she was able to read the image that rose to their mind, and copy it.

Even Kasuou’s ability that she used thus far wasn’t copied from the original.

—Do you know Kasuou?

Tamaki came to imitate the image of Kasuou that rose to the touched person’s mind as they were asked this question. The appearance was camouflage, the voice was mimicry and even the ability was a mere fake. As a result, to be more precise, it wasn’t even a copy. If there was for example an ability that only the target knew about, Tamaki would be unable to mimic it.

Not only that, but since people never had the exact same image in their mind, Tamaki sometimes needed to get information from several people and “overwrite” it. By doing so, Tamaki was able to transform even closer to that person.

It was an imperfect ability, but had its advantages.

Tamaki’s disguise of Kasuou was made of mental images taken from five SEPB members. If among them were those who feared her so much that they imagined a monster even more powerful than the actual Kasuou—

“Well, I don’t know how strong the real one is, but launching a surprise attack should lead to an easy win.”

In fact, Kasuou’s image she currently possessed was quite powerful. She’d encountered many SEPB members so far, but none of them gave her a good fight.

Even if she was in trouble, as long as she had Kasuou’s copy she could probably escape.

She was convinced of this, and so decided to go through this infiltration operation.

“Well, finishing this too easily would be boring, though.”

Tamaki killed her breath and waited for a chance.

To protect her childhood friend—

There was no doubt she acted while thinking this.

However, she couldn’t deny she was also being stirred by a certain feeling. No, perhaps that was the reason she was urged into doing this.

Anyway, her enemy was a secret agency of the government.

If she failed it would not end pretty for her.

However—no, because of that, Tamaki had managed to get this far. Perhaps the reason she tried getting information about the SEPB at any opportunity she was given was also due to seeking the thrill of facing against that mysterious organization.

“—Here.”

Tamaki grinned. Inside the stereoscopic image, a lone member appeared in a nearby corridor. There were no other members around.

First she’d capture them and get the location of Kasuou out of them.

Tamaki tried walking ahead when something happened.

A shrill warning sound began blaring around. She could hear a broadcast from somewhere.

“Intruder discovered in Area F-8! Assumed to be an undiscovered Mushitsuki! Abilities unknown!”

“Wha…!”

She reflexively looked at the nearby wall. The sign “F-8” was painted in large letters on it.

“Meaning they already found me? But why, I didn’t do anything!”

Looking around her, she couldn’t see any kind of security camera.

“Any members nearby are to head over to the site and capture the target.”

“Kh…!”

The stereoscopic image floating in front of Tamaki’s eyes showed members rushing toward her location.

“It wasn’t a camera that found me, so was it a Mushitsuki ability then? B-but even so, that’s way too fast…!”

This wasn’t the time to find Kasuou.

Being faced with more enemies so quickly was completely outside her expectations. Tamaki had neither gone wild nor made a mistake yet.

Then who on earth—

Gritting her teeth, Tamaki transformed into Kasuou again.

“You’re on. I’m gonna turn the tables on you—”

Even while wearing a bold smile, Tamaki had a bad feeling.

Perhaps this place that Tamaki had come into so casually was far more dangerous than she imagined—

While the alarm was still blaring, there was a roar in the Underground Fort Area F-8.

“Gh…!”

A boy wearing white coat and goggles was pounded against the wall. Sliding on it, he collapsed at the floor.

Other than the boy all the other rushing members were also flattened. They all lost consciousness, whether from their Mushi being killed or from getting hurt.

At that point new forces rushed in. Two white coats saw the cruel scene and were left speechless.

Large claw marks were engraved on the walls and floor. The cables buried within were severed, and the lights on the ceiling spread sparks.

“H-hey! Where’s the intruder!”

The rushing member roused the boy on the floor. He weakly pointed ahead.

“T-the woman collapsed there—”

“Right.”

Nodding at each other, the two white coats produced their Mushi. Staying cautious, they approached the collapsed girl.

While watching their backs, the boy raised his trembling arms. He rubbed his middle finger with his index finger.

Psssh—a sound like a canned drink being opened around.

“—Is one of your allies.”

“What?!”

By the moment they turned around it was already too late.

The whirl of steam shot from the boy’s arms swallowed the two Mushi. The extremely hot steam explosion gouged half of their bodies.

“Gwoooh…!”

The Mushi’s grievous wounds became mental damage to their hosts. Seeing the two members collapse with expressions of agony, the boy rose up. He quickly approached them and grabbed them by the collar.

“You found me despite there being no cameras. How’d you do it? Is there a Mushitsuki who can do this?”

The boy—who was actually the transformed Tamaki—pressed them.

Right now she became the Mushitsuki known as Aijisupa. She drew out his image from one of Kanon’s followers who used to belong to Mushibane. She actually wanted to transform into Snow Fly, who was supposedly the strongest, but they said that they’d never seen her ability.

“If you don’t answer truthfully, I’ll kill your Mushi.”

If she wasted too much time more reinforcements were going to come. Turning toward the writhing Mushi, the member grimaced in pain.

“Ugh… Maybe Konoha…”

“Konoha? What’s her ability?”

“…”

“Even if I kill your Mushi there will be another one, you know?”

“Kh… Konoha can apparently see things from afar… and she can erase her presence…”

A vague answer. It was hard to think that just by looking from afar she’d be able to find Tamaki. There was no doubt she had some hidden abilities.

However, the ability to vanish was currently a very enchanting prospect for Tamaki. If possible, she wanted to copy it—

“…”

She hesitated.

Copying the image of Konoha would cause an issue.

Tamaki’s ability had two rules.

She could copy only three people at the most. When she surpassed that number, the images copied would automatically vanish based on the order they were acquired.

Three at the most. However, she could always “overwrite” the copied individual.

That was Tamaki’s ability.

If she copied Konoha’s ability, the one to vanish right now—would be Aijisupa’s ability.

Aijisupa’s ability was powerful. If possible, she didn’t want to let go of it.

But she had no time to hesitate.

“Could you please tell me about that Mushitsuki called Konoha in more detail?”

Grabbing the member’s head, Tamaki narrowed her eyes.

“There’s no need to talk. You can just imagine it—”

2.02 Kanon Part 2

Just by knowing the full moon would come tonight, the usual family restaurant was enveloped in a strange atmosphere.

Although people gathered there like every morning, they were oddly quiet. They suddenly started clamoring again come noon, but then went silent as if recalling it was wrong.

“Mngh…”

Cheeks stuffed full of carbonara, Kanon frowned while seating alone at the four-person table and failing at using the fork to eat pasta.

When Kanon looked at other tables from time to time someone would always look back. Rather than being worried caretakers like always, they all seemed more like they were surveilling today.

Please come back quickly, Tama-chan…!

Kanon mumbled mentally after looking away.

Yesterday, Tamaki had said to “leave it to me”, but made no appearance yet. Of course, it was still only noon, so very likely she was still at school.

“K-Kanon wonders if this is really alright…”

Kanon did not have to courage to lie as well as Tamaki.

Tamaki said there was not even any need to lie, but was that true?

“…”

Another turn of the head.

This time the others averted their eyes. Perhaps not wishing to hurt Kanon, they pretended to not notice anything.

Seeing that behavior that could even be called servile was a bit relieving.

Right, that meant that as long as there wasn’t decisive evidence of the lie, it was probably fine. If tonight’s full moon was a success, there would be peace for another full month.

No, not just for a month, but forever—

“They’re the ones who wanted to believe this lie, so Kanon’s not the one at fault, yup.”

Kanon mumbled and nodded many times.

“Or maybe Kanon’s just lucky? Kanon never even thought about what to do after running away from home…”

Thinking about it now, this wasn’t just being lucky, but more like winning the lottery.

After running away from home, Kanon ended up penniless, hungry and surrounded by Mushitsuki. At the time it seemed like quite the misfortune, but it led to the reunion with a precious childhood friend, and now Kanon had food, clothes and shelter without any worries.

To keep living.

To protect this life.

Kanon needed to do anything possible to preserve this good luck.

“Maybe Kanon needs to look a bit more impressive and important? Maybe they’ll have a harder time finding out like that?”

“Hey, Kanon.”

“Eep!”

After massaging the face visible on the glass window’s reflection, Kanon now leapt from the seat.

“S-sorry for startling you.”

Turning around, Kanon saw around several Mushitsuki led by Ichi.

With folded arms and a frown, Kanon feigned calmness while trying to look as important as possible.

“I-it is fine. …What do you require?”

“…? More Mushitsuki who want to be saved by you appeared. I’ve introduced you.”

Seeing Kanon’s terrible acting, Ichi looked puzzled. However, since he was already used to that suspicious behavior, he collected himself and pushed a boy ahead.

“Oh ho, is that so. Please, do seat down.”

“R-right…”

The boy took a seat to the opposite of Kanon.

It was a boy with dyed hair and sharp eyes. He wore many jingling cheap rings and bracelets. He gave off the impression of a delinquent playboy, but once asked about it, he was apparently still in middle school.

“You also want to have your Mushi erased and become a normal person again?”

“…Say, Kanon. Do you really think that act is working for you?”

“Well, do leave this all to me. You can relax, man.”

Kanon got carried away with the act, ignoring Ichi’s retort and pulled a chest pounding.

The boy averted his eyes.

“I don’t really mind.”

“I see, now I’m relaxed. …Wait, what?”

“It’s not an issue of being a Mushitsuki or a normal person. I just got sick of being told to come back home earlier or study properly and all that. The moment I realized I was a Mushitsuki I was surprised… my old folks only care about appearance anyway.”

The delinquent boy spat it all out. As he did another boy hurriedly came in front of the table.

“I-I’m sorry! This is my old friend… he might be saying this, but he’s actually—”

“Shuddup! Even if I go back to normal, I don’t wanna go back to that house! If I have nowhere to go anyway, maybe I’d better stay a Mushitsuki! I mean, it’s got its uses! Hey, you lot! Why’re so afraid of this Mushi business? You’re stronger than normal people!”

Stopped by his friend, the frenzied delinquent rose up. He looked around the restaurant, sneering.

“So you’re a buncha cowards, eh?”

The atmosphere inside the restaurant became tense. Some rose from their chairs and gave in to the provocation, asking him “What was that?!”

Just when everything was on the verge of an explosion, Kanon spoke up.

It was now possible to surmise the boy’s situation more or less.

This rebellious teen boy acted against his parents, became a Mushitsuki, then saw how his parents acted differently while knowing that and became desperate—it was probably something like that.

After thinking for a while, Kanon spoke.

“…Then you should go back.”

“Ah?”

The grappling delinquent boy turned around.

“If it’s not an issue of being a Mushitsuki or a normal person, Kanon thinks you should go back home.”

“What does a blissful little bitch like you even know!”

“Hey! Stop it!”

The delinquent tried grabbing Kanon. The surroundings Mushitsuki stopped him.

“Have they not told you to come back early even after they knew you’re a Mushitsuki?”

Despite being scared, Kanon still asked him. The boy wore a twisted smile.

“They did! It was obvious they were scared and lying to me, though!”

“Then you really should go back home already.”

The boy grabbed Kanon’s collar tightly.

“Kanon never got told to ‘come back’ even once—”

Hearing those agonized groans, the delinquent boy’s movements stopped at once. While his strength wavered, Ichi pulled Kanon away from him.

Coughing, Kanon sat down again.

“Kanon’s papa’s a bit of a womanizer… well, apparently Kanon’s mother went away soon after giving birth to me. Since then he brought many women home and told Kanon jokes like ‘go away’, ‘you don’t have to return’ and the like again and again…”

Thinking back, he really was a bad father.

Saying something like that to a child so calmly.

It was just a joke.

Just a lie.

So Kanon had been trying to think. Trying to think.

Right, just like—

“…”

Kanon gasped, looking upwards.

At some point there was silence again and everyone looked at this scene.

Right.

All of them were also—just like Kanon.

“Kanon doesn’t have to come back? That’s a lie, right? When Kanon asked him this—”

They all wanted to believe lies.

Kanon, too, wanted to believe lies.

Even if they knew it was a lie, even if they knew they were being deceived—

Weak people simply had to believe it, to cling to the small hope and keep living to tomorrow.

“He just told Kanon clearly that it wasn’t a lie…”

Kanon’s vision seemed to black out the moment these words had been uttered.

Rather than being stabbed by this unwanted truth—it would’ve been better to continue being deceived.

A happy lie over a cruel truth.

That way led to salvation.

“So even if he told Kanon to not come back, if it was a lie—”

Kanon spoke to the delinquent boy.

“It would be a kind lie.”

The boy’s expression froze.

“You have a family who would give you kind lies… if you want to believe in this, Kanon thinks you should pretend to be fooled by it.”

“I-I…”

“That would make you even. If you told each other kind lies, I believe you will become a kind family.”

If you didn’t believe the other party, your relationship would be over.

Just like it happened for Kanon.

The boy clenched his fist, shook his shoulders and groaned in a stifled voice.

“B-but, I… I’m a Mushitsuki… if I go back, I’ll only cause them…”

The tears leaking from the boy’s eyes wet the floor.

That was—the boy’s answer.

Even while he used his mouth to complain, it was obvious why this boy couldn’t be honest.

Kanon spoke to the boy aiming for the one and only thread of hope.

“—I’m sorry.”

Everyone in the restaurant was shocked and turned to look.

Kanon had thought only about silly things such as lying and not getting busted.

They were cowards?

That was way off the mark, but even if it was true, that was completely natural.

They took care of Kanon not because of their good will or anything like that. But only in order to be saved.

And if so, it was better for them to—

“Umm… for acting so self-important, Kanon means…”

Pouting, Kanon apologized with a small voice.

They were all together in this just for their own gains anyway, so they might as well—continue lying to each other.

Even a day longer.

If it was convenient for both sides, Kanon could continue lying.

Even if they found out someday, Kanon was already a big liar and a villain and so resigned to accept any sort of punishment. And they would probably all relish in it.

“Wait, were you trying to act like some kinda big shot? I just thought you were being weird.”

Ichi laughed. Following him others also laughed.

“Uh…”

“You’re so bad at acting, Kanon.”

There was no reply possible.

Although bad at acting and at lying—Kanon was still a liar.

There was some desire to become better at that.

Kanon wanted to become so much better at lying as to be able to fool anyone for their entire lives.

If that happened, the harsh reality would be painted over by lies and be seen no more—

“Hey, since you’re number 52 in line, we’ll call you Gojuuni from today on.”

“Ha…? What’s up with that stupid name?”

“Kanon can’t remember names. Since I’m the first, I’m Ichi. That guy’s second so he’s Nii.”

The delinquent wiped his tears while Ichi pointed at the table at the corner.

The boy called Nii sat listlessly at the table just like always, staring at his cup. Nothing changed during this month with the bag he was always hugging, either.

While heading toward this boy, Kanon started thinking.

Some people lied to protect themselves.

If so—then what about Tamaki?

That childhood friend was good at lying, but for what purpose—and for whom did she lie?

Those were Kanon’s thoughts.

“Onii-chan, why aren’t you eating anything? Kanon’s worried about you, you look so thin.”

“…”

Even as Kanon sat opposite to him, there was no reaction from the boy.

“Kanon asked this countless times already… but what’s in that bag?”

Although it was obviously useless, Kanon still tried asking. Since the boy was hiding it for an entire month, it was natural to become more curious.

“—Go back, huh…”

Nii suddenly mumbled.

“Ah, you spoke!”

“Right… even if I go back, even if I know no-one’s there—I end up wanting to go back.”

Never mind not opening his heart, Nii barely ever opened his mouth. And yet now he started mumbling. He gazed up the ceiling as if reminiscing, narrowing his eyes.

“I’m a survivor… and this is… a memento…”

He looked at Kanon with lifeless pupils. His eyes looked even kinder than expected.

“A s-survivor? A memento, meaning…”

“We were a team… we thought we were invincible. But that was a mistake. We’d ended up annihilated by that guy. —Despite us intending to join up the next big battle.”

“Eh?”

“No, then… maybe that’s why he crushed us. He came to tell us there was no need for us in that next fight…”

“He? Who are you…”

Nii smiled at the question. This very first smile of his that Kanon saw—had the despairingly deep color of resignation permeating it.

“Harukiyo.”

Twitch.

Kanon had the feeling that something in Nii’s bag moved.

2.03 Tamaki Part 5

Central Headquarters, Underground Stronghold.

A girl in control of a grotesque monster was walking through an empty corridor.

“…”

She wore a white coat and goggles and had long bangs and a petite body. In comparison to that girl, the monster’s body was large. A creepy eye was wriggling between the gaps in its body that resembled two folded leaves.

These were Blaze Class Rank 4 member Konoha and her Mushi.

Walking while staying cautious of her surroundings, she came to an intersection split into two passages.

As she turned around the corner—four white coats greeted her.

“It’s the intruder! Capture her!”

Shouting this, the ones attacking her were doubtlessly Central Headquarters members.

“Wha—”

Widening her eyes, she retreated.

“What are you saying…! I’m Blaze Class Rank 4, Konoha—”

“Shut up, we know you’re an impostor!”

“The impostor—”

Konoha gazed behind the members chasing after her.

“Is the woman hiding over there…!”

Konoha’s Mushi began emitting condensed air from within the folds of its leaves. Her Mushi’s breath turned into pressurized bullets, opening holes in the supposedly-empty ceiling.

“…!”

All members changed their expressions and turned around. On that empty space a girl and a Mushi revealed themselves.

A girl with long bangs and a Mushi with a body made of two folded leaves.

Another Konoha and her Mushi.

“—How did you figure out I was here?”

The girl murmured this question.

Konoha answered with the same kind of murmured tone.

“Your transformation’s good, but apparently you haven’t perfectly copied my ability. You may be able to fool other members with such half-baked mimicry, but did you try to beat me with numbers…?”

“Eh—”

The four white coats looked with surprise at the Konoha behind them. Having the Konoha that brought them there being called a fake shook them.

“Do not try to deceive them. The orders are unchanged. Please annihilate the target in front of you…”

“You sure are shameless, being deceived by such a fake and leading her to me… this is a huge blunder. Prepare to be punished…”

Being scolded by the two Konohas, the white coats stood in place. They apparently couldn’t judge which was the real one.

Konoha clicked her tongue. She asserted toward the Konoha leading the others.

“If you’re the real one, then recite your member code…”

“It’s ——.”

She smiled toward the other girl who answered immediately.

“See, it’s a fake number…”

However, the white coats were flustered and unmoving. She grimaced.

“Don’t you guys know my member code…?!”

“As long as they’re not part of the intelligence department they’d obviously not know individual members codes… since you don’t know that, it’s proof you’re the impostor…”

The white coats really couldn’t take any move. This time the other girl clicked her tongue.

“If we just attack her a little, we’ll know for sure…! Come on, attack her…!”

“Don’t lie! Once I show you my back, you’re going to attack me together!”

“This is getting nowhere!”

“Right, so it seems…”

The two girls glared at each other. A heavy silence fell on the corridor.

The one to open her mouth first was the lone Konoha.

“—Fine. We’ll just fight by ourselves.”

“Wha…!”

The girl with the four members changed her expression. She grinned.

“It’s better than getting annihilated… c’mon, quickly attack me!”

Hearing her words, the other Konoha and the four white coats were shaken.

However, the white coats apparently soon resolved themselves. Splitting into two, each joined a different Konoha.

“Kh…”

Leaving a groan behind and vanishing into the air as if melting—was the Konoha who’d brought four comrades there.

“She escaped! Beat her before she’s gone!”

The white coats obeyed the remaining Konoha. They all prepared to attack the vanishing Konoha at once.

However—

“Talking about me, though.”

The members turned around, shocked.

By that time she—Tamaki—had already transformed into Kasuou. The black mist rising from her feet coagulated, becoming sharp claws.

“ORAAAAH!”

An earthquake-like vibration shook the corridor. The countless claws freely rampaging tore the ceiling and floor, and the four members caught in complete surprise were pounded against the walls.

Rolling on the floor, they stopped moving. She didn’t go as far as kill them, but they probably couldn’t move for a while. They very likely broke around two or three bones.

“Now then—”

Stepping over the wreckage and the collapsed members, Tamaki approached the place at the end of the corridor where there was a gathering of mist.

“That’s how my ability is. Battling with bluffs and lies is my specialty, you see.”

Still in Kasuou’s form, Tamaki spoke in her own tone.

“…”

Konoha showed herself in the place where the mist gathered. Since the mist stuck to her, she knew hiding would be meaningless.

Incidentally, Tamaki had been able to find the hidden Konoha before because she’d used Mizuchi’s ability and saw not four members but five of them approaching. Konoha’s camouflaging ability was useless against a sonar-like searching ability.

“Your ability’s a bother. I have to make you retire here.”

The tips of the claws made by mist pushed against Konoha’s throat.

Konoha bit her lips. She spoke with a hoarse voice.

“…Don’t you want to make a deal?”

“A deal?”

“Why’d you come to the Central Headquarters…? If you let me go, I can help you…”

“Hmm, an easy-to-understand pleading. —Will you answer a few questions?”

“Does that mean you’ll accept the deal?”

“This is before that. Depending on your answer, I might trust you… that’s more like it.”

Tamaki purposely spoke in a calm tone. Not having much choice, Konoha groaned in pain.

“First question. How was my infiltration found out? I was discovered much faster than I thought.”

“…Fearing punishment, the member who’d entered with you reported your unauthorized return to the intelligence department. But it turned out that Kasuou was already inside. I immediately found out there are two Kasuous inside the Stronghold—and saw the moment that one of them transformed to another person…”

“You’ve found out both me and the real Kasuou in so short of a time? That’s amazing. What ability is it?”

“…I can’t tell you that.”

“So you’re going to destroy the deal you yourself had suggested?”

“I do not believe that me revealing my ability has any relevance cooperating with you. Also… me revealing this ability to anyone is like telling me to die. I haven’t told even the SEPB about it.”

Konoha’s manner of speaking suddenly became stronger. Tamaki had the feeling that, the instant the girl turned somewhat angry, she saw something like the silhouette of a sparkling, red bee.

While struggling against the mist pushing at her, Konoha spoke.

“What’s your goal…? If you’ve gone as far as sneaking into the Central Headquarters, is it Sleeping Beauty or a Fragment? If so then it’s useless, finding them just by entering this place would be utterly impossible…”

“Sleeping Beauty? Fragment?”

Tamaki raised a brow. She didn’t understand what Konoha was talking about at all. Was she confused because she was cornered like this? She should have cooperated with her while she was sane.

“Okay, just calm down. I’ll accept the deal. Tell me where Kasuou currently is.”

“Kasuou…? Is just that enough?”

“Yes.”

Nodding, Tamaki absolved Konoha’s restraints. Released from the mist, she alighted down the ground with a slightly dumbfounded expression.

“…You’re really going to let me go.”

“If you’ve got any complaints, I can just kill you. —That really sounded like a B-movie line.”

Konoha’s Mushi slowly changed its form. The two leaves parted and the wriggling eyeball jutted out. Seeing that creepy form, Tamaki unconsciously mumbled an “Ugh”.

Becoming grotesque binoculars, the tentacles extended from the Mushi connected to Konoha’s goggles.

“Your Mushi’s incredible.”

“…So your ability is only partial. Purposely making me do this means you couldn’t perfectly replicate my ability.”

Konoha mumbled sarcastically, perhaps as a form of revenge.

She was right. For some reason, Tamaki’s ability couldn’t copy an ability from the actual person.

Probably because the image received from the actual person was the “real thing”—or so Tamaki herself thought. As she was a constant liar, truth and reality were her natural enemies.

“So is it a fake of a fake, I wonder…? Seems useful, but no more than that.”

“Isn’t that fine?”

Tamaki felt no anger toward the other girl’s banter. Narrowing her blue eyes, she smiled.

“The real thing, the truth and the like… are all just useless anyway.”

“…I hate liars. There are those who would even offer themselves as sacrifice to expose lies.”

“Is that so? —Well? Have you found Kasuou?”

As Tamaki shrugged, Konoha’s Mushi retrieved its previous form.

“Yes.”

“You really do a fast job.”

Tamaki grinned and got the location of Kasuou as well as the route needed to get there.

However, even as their deal ended, Tamaki still stayed there, looking at Konoha.

There was a silence between the two.

“…Once this is over, contact me. I’ll tell you a safe way out.”

“Oh, thank you for being so considerate. Why are you helping me out so much?”

“Obviously because you’re trying to kill me now…”

That was also right.

Since she now knew where Kasuou was, Konoha’s ability was just an unneeded threat.

“You liar…!”

“Thank you for the compliment.”

Mist blew wildly around Tamaki. Becoming countless claws, she ripped the Mushi of the girl who turned around and tried fleeing.

“……!”

Raising a voiceless scream, Konoha collapsed on the floor. Her wounded Mushi writhed next to her, spurting bodily fluids.

“Well, I’m going to end this without making you a Fallen. Have some healer quickly save you.”

As Tamaki smiled and turned back, she transformed from Kasuou to Mizuchi. Summoning the dark-red snake-type Mushi, she advanced while checking the position of all members in the area.

The location of the real Kasuou was not that far. If she could beat her quickly, she’d be able to come back to her home region by sunset.

Several minutes passed as she carefully used Mizuchi’s and Konoha’s abilities to advance inside the Underground Stronghold.

Tamaki finally found her target.

“There…!”

Vividly blond hair shook at the end of a very long corridor. Since Tamaki had mimicked that form countless times, she knew it even from behind at a glance.

It was Kasuou.

If she approached her in Mizuchi’s form, she could instantly transform into Kasuou and get a surprise attack in, thus finishing her quest. She had no intention of taking Kasuou’s life, but she wanted to deal enough damage as to render her inactive.

“I have to finish this and go back… I’m worried about Kanon crying of loneliness.”

Her weak childhood friend Kanon might feel abandoned, and she also worried about there being some slip of the tongue due to tension.

After all, Kanon was a hopelessly bad liar—

While thinking of that, Tamaki hastened toward Kasuou.

Completely unaware of the assassin approaching her from behind, Kasuou stood in front of a door at the end of the corridor. The door opened and she vanished beyond it.

Tamaki wanted to pass after her, but the door closed.

“Damn, what a bother.”

She stopped, clicking her tongue.

But no matter how much she waited, the door didn’t open.

Looking aside her, puzzled, she saw a panel with numbers and roman letters. She thought it was an automatic door, but apparently she needed to enter her member code. Perhaps it was an area that only a few select members could enter.

“No way…! You should’ve told me about this, stupid Konoha!”

Obviously, Tamaki knew nothing about any number. Angry, she pounded at the door.

“And after I finally found her! At this rate, I’ll lose sight of Kasuou!”

There was no other way but to wait until another member entered and forcibly go in with them.

“Someone, please come quickly…”

Tamaki transformed back into Kasuou again. Just like when she’d snuck into the Stronghold, she could easily push people around using Kasuou’s pressure.

And, just as she tried quelling her anxiety, the door opened in front of Tamaki.

“Move!”

In Kasuou’s form, Tamaki tried pushing away the person who appeared and keep the door open. If she hurried now and pursued Kasuou, she might be able to finish her business.

However, suddenly Tamaki’s feet stopped.

The person appearing from inside the room grabbed Tamaki’s coat as she passed nearby.

“The fuck are you doing? I got not time to put my member code in that shit!”

Tamaki turned and tried threatening. Even if she had to be a little forceful, she didn’t have the time to be picky about it.

“I’m Blaze Class Rank 3—”

“Kasuou, right? I know ya.”

Seeing that person assert so calmly, Tamaki raised a brow. She hadn’t met up with any white coats until she came there, but the one who grabbed her coat seemed different.

Rather than this base, he looked like someone you could pass by out in town. He was a tall man clad in secondhand clothes.

“Because I’d just seen you walk up the corridor just now. Also—”

The man smiled.

That smile had much more pressure than anything Tamaki had seen before. The simple action of being glared by those man’s eyes made Tamaki feel as if she was being crushed by powerful pressure.

“Since when did Kasuou start talkin’ to me like this?”

He caused her to feel a bone-chilling fear for the first time in her life.

That boy had bright red hair as well as a flame tattoo on his cheek.

2.04 Kanon Part 3

Kanon came to the abandoned railway far from the station.

Several dozen other people also gathered in this empty area with rows of rusted containers. The sun sinking in the west turned orange.

“…”

Sitting with hugged knees on top of a container, Kanon looked at a building visible far away.

Tall buildings could be seen at the suburbs. Comparing that region to this town, it was curious that it was dark. There were no lights and it looked strangely dirty, or rather—the surrounding air stagnated, strangely feeling like it was dead.

“That area’s the Abandoned Land.”

Ichi approached Kanon from behind.

“Abandoned Land?” the confused Kanon asked.

“There used to be a lot of love hotels and brothels here. They said that public security was bad and apparently the government bought it to reopen it. But soon after came the recession, and they sold it back to the original real estate company.”

“Oh.”

There were apparently some complex circumstances. Curious about that the lonely atmosphere, for a while Kanon just stared at the so-called Abandoned Land.

“Soon the full moon will come out.”

With a start, Ichi’s words caused Kanon’s heart to clench.

“R-r-right.”

“Is your childhood friend not coming today?”

“D-dunno…”

Kanon awkwardly looked away.

It didn’t look like Tamaki was going to come. Perhaps she finally abandoned ship.

“Hmm. Well, doesn’t really matter. I can’t wait for tonight.”

Saying this, Ichi and the rest went away. Kanon called to them.

“W-wait…!”

Ichi turned back.

They all purely sought salvation and protected Kanon. Thanks to them there was no need to worry about shelter, clothes and food, and above all else, Kanon never felt lonely even once during that entire month.

Was it possible to somehow repay them?

Obviously, it was impossible to really erase their Mushi.

Keeping the lie—would be impossible as long as Tamaki didn’t come back.

Resolve alone would not solve anything. This powerlessness caused tears to well up Kanon’s eyes.

“Umm, Kanon is…”

No, perhaps these tears were actually due of fear.

They’re gonna kill me for sure…

As the time approached, Kanon felt the need to atone. Just like how a death row convict felt.

At least in the end, Kanon could give a proper thanks and then be killed.

“T-thank you for everything…”

Fear and resignation mixing within, Kanon bowed while wearing a half-crying, half-laughing face.

“Since Kanon is unable to do anything, the only reason Kanon survived this month was thanks to all of you… p-please take care of yourselves and keep being lively…”

The boys and girls looked surprised.

But soon Ichi suddenly averted his face as though embarrassed.

“Idiot…! We’re all doing this just for ourselves so don’t mind it. Also, do you think I’d just leave once I’m not a Mushitsuki anymore?”

Apparently, they misunderstood. They thought that Kanon was regretting Ichi leaving.

“Ah, no, that’s not what Kanon…”

“Even if I’m not a Mushitsuki anymore, I’ll be staying here.”

“Eh?”

“Just straight up leaving once I’m normal… will leave a bad aftertaste. I mean, since you’re useless I really can’t leave you alone, it’s too dangerous.”

As Ichi spoke embarrassedly, the other comrades laughed at him. —Kanon couldn’t understand what was happening.

“But, it’s a bit strange.”

Ichi mumbled.

“After Lady Bird was gone, we’ve all left the new, weakened Mushibane… and ended up gathering with someone even weaker.”

“Lady… Bird?”

“The previous leader of Mushibane. She was super strong and super reliable. But she’d been killed by the SEPB. The new leader’s also supposed to be strong but doesn’t really look like it… we’ve been too anxious, so we bowed out. —But that’s wrong. Perhaps we were just trying to leave everything to other people.”

Ichi smiled. It was a somewhat happy-looking smile.

“I have to protect myself on my own. As well as what I wish to protect. —I feel like I’ve forgotten something so basic.”

When Kanon met with Ichi, the boy’s severe expression was thorny and scary. A month passed and there were no traces of that within his kind smile anymore.

And although he wasn’t scary anymore—he looked much more reliable than when they first met.

“That’s why, even if I no longer have the power of Mushitsuki… I’ll protect my friends.”

It wasn’t just Ichi.

Without noticing, even the Mushitsuki near Ichi and the other people around were all watching Kanon. They all made fun of each other and laughed.

Shaking…

Some deep emotion started shaking from within, making Kanon bow.

“T-thank you so much…”

“Haha, stop that already, idiot.”

Perhaps becoming embarrassed, Ichi and his friends got off the containers.

Left alone, Kanon sat with hugged knees and head buried between them, looking at the floor.

“Ta…Tama-chan…”

A sharp pain throbbed within Kanon’s chest for the first place.

The visible narrow space began shaking.

Ichi called Kanon a friend.

What can I do—

After finally gaining friends for the first time, Kanon was deceiving them.

“K-Kanon’s sorry…”

Kanon apologized to Tamaki among the doubts.

Being called a friend brought up some improper thoughts.

This was going to waste her actions of saving Kanon from the brink of destruction. Even so, a horrible thought rose to mind for just an instant.

That was—

“Kanon doesn’t want to lie anymore…”

To expose the truth.

Something that the liar called Kanon should never think about.

2.05 Tamaki Part 6

What the—

What the hell is going on?

She had no idea why the situation became like this.

Tamaki, transformed into Konoha, grabbed onto her leaf-shaped Mushi and rushed along the wall of the Underground Stronghold.

Using her camouflage ability, she hid herself. The white coats in the corridor did not notice her running on the wall and kept going.

“Kh…!”

Gritting her teeth, Tamaki raised her speed further. Konoha’s Mushi’s spying ability was superb and even while it ran on the wall as if stuck to it, it was nearly noiseless. Also, its optical camouflaging ability meant that it would be invisible without the usage of special abilities or devices.

“Ha!”

At the end of the corridor, she leapt off of the Mushi. The moment she landed on the floor she became Mizuchi and the snake-form Mushi exhaled its gas.

The stereoscopic image showed no one other than Tamaki.

“I g-got away…?”

Tamaki wore a relieved face for an instant. However, noticing within the image that something was filling the corridor behind her with incredible speed, she gulped.

“W-what’s that? The corridor’s being—”

Turning back, Tamaki saw the origin of the irregularity and became speechless. Her survival instincts moved her body on its own.

“…!”

The moment after she practically fell into the corridor to her right, the scenery was dyed in crimson.

A roar and a vibration. The conflagration filling the corridor with an explosion and the sounds of the floor and ceiling swelling from the heat, being crushed and melting away, all sounded just like the screams of hell.

A living human would be turned to ashes instantly if hit by that.

“Ah… ah…”

Tamaki sank down to the floor.

A crimson fireball rose where she’d been standing just moments ago. Many sparks and hot air spread around as a lone man appeared from within the fireball.

Even while wrapped in flames, the man wore a calm sneer. Actually, that red hair and eyes with a powerful glint were just like blazing flames. Standing upright even while enveloped by a violent whirl, the man’s figure was much too removed from reality, vivid and beautiful that one could almost be enchanted by it despite the occasion—as well as brought out fear from the depths of one’s heart.

He’s not human—

Her body wouldn’t move as though paralyzed.

He was like a real devil from hell.

“Just when I thought to go outside for a walk, I found a much more fun way to kill time.”

The man smiled. Even as he just stood there with his arms crossed small balls of flames produced and burst around him, spreading heat around like small bombs.

“So you’re that intruder? It’s kinda amusing how you keep changing your form, but—”

The devil of flames, Harukiyo—

He was a Rank 1, a level that signified the very strongest, of which there were only five. In comparison to the survivor, the pitch-black demon Kakkou, as well as Fuyuhotaru, who’d once brought the SEPB to the brink of destruction, this Mushitsuki was rumored to be much eviler.

Apparently in the past this man was the leader of a third force comparable to the SEPB and Mushibane that was made of a few elites, but his actions nowadays were shrouded in mystery.

While knowing that much, Tamaki hadn’t been able to copy his ability until now. That was because she hadn’t met any people who knew about his appearance or his abilities.

“You have some guts getting into the Central Headquarters, but wouldn’t strugglin’ so hard at the entrance waste all of my hopes for you?”

“Uh… Ah…”

With the flaming pupils staring at her, Tamaki’s body froze completely. Her legs were shaking.

She had to acknowledge it. It was certain she’d made a huge error.

She took the Central Headquarters—the enemy known as the SEPB—much more lightly than she should have. She simply got carried away by copying Kasuou’s ability and defeating some combatants, but this wasn’t the kind of opponent she could handle.

Whatever the circumstances may be—she never thought she’d come up against this kind of monster.

Why was the notorious Harukiyo inside Central HQ?

In the first place, the Harukiyo she’d heard about would hide his face using tape. Even so the devil in front of her showed his masculine visage without any grievances. She made so many mistakes—

“Is it over yet? C’mon, try running away.”

Looking bored, Harukiyo waved his right hand. Even just this casual gesture as though shooing away a fly made her vision distort. Enormous heat pursued her.

“…!”

Hurriedly transforming to Kasuou, she used mist to cover her entire body like a shield—

“…! Gah! Ugh! Aah!”

Harukiyo’s form instantly vanished. An impact like getting hit by a tank blew Tamaki along with her mist far away. She heard her bones creaking every time she rebounded on the floor. If there was a wall behind her perhaps she would’ve broken her entire body.

“Uugh…!”

Shedding blood from the corner of her mouth, she roused her upper body.

She saw the heat haze approaching her and shuddered.

“Wow, the real Kasuou could’ve defended against that, y’know?”

“Kh…!”

If she lost her focus, she was likely to faint. But if she fell unconscious right here, it would mean death. Tamaki changed into Konoha and leapt on her Mushi. She turned her back to the pursuing Harukiyo and ran away.

“Eeeeek!”

A shotgun of flames fired on her. Grazing the running Tamaki, like firebombs covered the floor and ceiling with flames.

She no longer thought about where in the Stronghold she was. She had no idea if she was heading even further below or approaching the ground level.

“…I-I’m sorry… Kanon…!”

With her teeth chattering, she apologized to her childhood friend who wasn’t there.

Everything about her mission to beat Kasuou and go back home vanished from her mind.

It had nothing to do with truth or lies.

Right now, she was simply desperately running away from that monster.

“I… I…”

She looked around her frantically while running.

Were there no members around?

Unless she found someone who knew a Mushitsuki that could beat this devil, she had no future.

“I might… not be able to go back…”

Running away with utmost effort while dodging Harukiyo’s playful attacks, she rushed through the corridors.

However, no matter how much she ran, for some reason—

There was no one around.

“—”

It felt like hours, but it might have been just minutes. After running and running Tamaki stood in place as she reached a certain spot.

It was a dead end.

“Why is there no one…”

As Tamaki mumbled this in shock, her hair sizzled and was singed from behind.

She knew even without turning around.

This was the end.

“I created a ‘wall’ to not have anyone disturb our game of tag… but isn’t that boring, actually?”

Tamaki slowly turned around.

The flame devil approached Tamaki casually as if he was just out on a walk.

“So your ability’s useless if there’s no one around? How far will you disappoint me?”

“…”

“After playing catch, shall we play torture next?”

As the devil approached her step by step, their bodies were finally close. Harukiyo’s right arm grazed Tamaki’s cheek, hitting the wall behind her.

She’d already passed all the way through fear and couldn’t feel anything.

The distance between them was about ten centimeters. The devil advanced so much that there were only few centimeters between their faces.

In her sight there were only flames, flames and flames—

She had no place to escape whatsoever.

Ah, I’m dead—

She was so beyond fear that she felt as if she was watching something unrelated to her. The overwhelming anxiety might have shocked her nerves.

“So, what’s your goal here?”

From the distance of several centimeters, the devil of flames sneered at her.

Perhaps these were normal flames or they could be used for different purposes, since Tamaki was enveloped in them and yet suffered no burns.

However, it was hot.

If flames that were hot but didn’t burn actually existed—was there any better way of torture?

“Stayin’ silent? I’ll subtract a point.”

She already knew she couldn’t escape.

Even if she found another member—what sort of Mushitsuki could even beat Harukiyo?

It didn’t matter how good of a liar Tamaki was.

She could never mimic what didn’t exist in the first place.

“Augh!”

Her consciousness, about to drift away due to the heat and her resignation, was pulled back by a sharp pain. She looked at her fingertips.

The nail of her index finger was broken. Her flesh was burning and the nasty smell of boiling blood reached her nose.

“If you don’t answer my question I’ll burn ‘em off one by one. And if you lie to me. Even if you tell me the truth, I’ll still burn ya unless I like the answer. Once you run out of nails, I’ll burn your ears. Next your nose.”

“Uh… uugh…!”

“Do your best to tell me true things I like—or lie carefully.”

The flame devil used his blazing eyes to stare at Tamaki, wearing a sadistic smile.

At any rate, he seemed to have no intention of letting her live. He was going to play with her to death.

“So what’s your goal?”

Sweat emitted from Tamaki’s forehead, caused by the revived sensation and pain of fear. However, it soon evaporated and vanished.

The rumors were right.

The devil of flames was too strong.

On top of that he was capricious and merciless and cruel, a monster that would drop anyone into scorching hell—

“AAAH!”

Her middle fingernail was blown off by a small explosion.

“What’s your goal?”

“Uuuh…!”

“It’s the most boring of all if you answer nothin’ at all.”

“Uaah!”

Her sight fully blanked out. She nearly fainted from the sharp pain and heat.

“Hey, say something.”

Another explosion. But she could no longer feel pain. Her eyes were blurry, and the devil’s face wearing a sadistic smile was being twisted—

—Hey, say something!

It changed to the face of a middle school girl shouting angrily at Tamaki. There were five in all.

On the rooftop of the public middle school, she remembered the rays of the summer sun being so hot they almost scorched her. The concrete floor especially was as hot as a frypan, scorching Tamaki’s forehead.

—Thought you could just make a move on someone’s boyfriend and get away with it?

An eighth grader at the time, Tamaki was receiving a lynch from five girls of the same school.

The reason for that was Tamaki’s lie.

At the time Tamaki was also a liar, and she was especially addicted to lies related to romance. Since she was blessed in looks, she would act suggestively with boys wooing her and rip them off for all sorts of money and goods.

Her lies would be things such as “my parents need money”, “if you buy me those clothes, I’ll think about dating you” and the like. Thinking back, these were really low level.

—I didn’t do anything. He just gave me some money.

She said this after receiving a kick in her stomach and received a slap in return. Even while feeling that pain, what Tamaki thought only amounted to something like, “Ah, damn, I shouldn’t have told the truth, I should have just lied again”.

It wasn’t like she really wanted money. It was simply the result of her lying while trying to see how far she could deceive someone.

Perhaps it was because of all the stress. Tamaki’s parents both hid their cheating from each other for a long while—meaning, they kept wearing their masks of husband and wife. Feigning to be in a good relationship in front of the kid Tamaki, they piled up small lie after small lie, but the intuitive Tamaki saw through them.

Tamaki was tired of this family environment, but on the other hand, she was also sometimes impressed. Her father’s and mother’s lies were truly luxurious, at times easily fooling the other, and when they felt they were being doubted, they managed to make a brilliant recovery with another lie. Although Tamaki was tired of her parents, she became curious enough to want to try it out for herself, thus becoming a liar, but—

—You’re fucking dead!

Seeing that one of the girls beating her to a pulp brought out scissors, she truly regretted it.

I should have told just a slightly better lie—

She imagined her picture appearing on the front page of tomorrow’s newspaper under the headline “a middle schooler stabbed”, but then something happened.

—S-s-s-s-so sorry!

A person came there as if rolling—no, they truly stumbled and fell there.

At first Tamaki couldn’t remember who it was. They spoke while in the same neighborhood and elementary school, but once middle school started the two became estranged.

Her childhood friend, one could say.

But definitely not her friend. That was the extent of their relationship.

That very same Nakayama Kanon then spoke desperately.

—Tama-chan didn’t mean it!

Oh, she definitely did. Fooling boys and getting money was fun; it was like killing two birds with one stone.

More importantly, being called “Tama-chan” was awfully nostalgic.

—Umm… Tama-chan didn’t mean anything wrong… r-right! She did all of this for Kanon!

Eh? everyone was shocked. Including Tamaki.

—Since Kanon’s so poor, Tama-chan tried helping! R-right, that’s it! There’s no doubt about it!

No doubt? There was nothing but doubts. Everyone would realize it was a shitty lie.

However, even such a lie—was believed by those girls.

Perhaps Kanon’s family really was poor. Perhaps they were simply happy they had someone other than Tamaki to be mad about.

Naturally, Kanon also became their lynch target as a result.

However, now that there were two attack targets, the girls’ violence lessened, and they were somehow able to end it without being killed.

—Are you an idiot? Why’d you save me?

As she asked this while holding her swollen cheek, Kanon smiled with eyes full of tears.

—Kanon found you by chance, and got scared… Kanon didn’t know what to do… so…

—So you told that lie? That was so unneeded…

—S-s-s-sorry…

—You could’ve called the teacher or something, there were many other better ways than telling that bad lie.

—Ah! Kanon could have done that!

Was Tamaki’s childhood friend really this much of an idiot? So she thought.

She would have told a much better lie, and wouldn’t have wasted her efforts like that.

However, her thoughts had been overturned after a few days.

Kanon’s lie changed Tamaki’s school life completely.

First, for some reason the two became known as best friends. And the entire school now knew that Tamaki was trying to save her friend.

Since Tamaki normally acted like a model student, people were starting to treat her with sympathy and admiration.

On the other hand, Kanon who usually floated away from the surroundings—became a villain who got a friend into trouble, and kept having a lonely life while being watched coldly by everyone.

Tamaki obviously went around to correct everyone.

But it was useless.

Rather than the truth Tamaki was telling them, her classmates wanted to believe the cheap drama.

Tamaki couldn’t understand what was going on. Believing such a shitty lie meant they were crazy. She herself could’ve made a much better one—

The moment she thought of it, she noticed.

She was the better liar? Was that actually the case?

Tamaki’s lie hurt those she deceived, enraged those involved, and in the end brought danger to her alone.

On the other hand, Kanon saved Tamaki.

The one hurt from it was a single person—just Kanon.

Noticing this truth, Tamaki was overwhelmed with a sense of loss. That vexation meant she had to say her thanks to her childhood friend. Being so friendly, perhaps Kanon really did feel like the whole thing was unnecessary just as Tamaki said. Tamaki’s childhood friend avoided her upon seeing her, perhaps feeling bitter.

In the end, she never spoke to Kanon again. With her relatively fun school life she forgot about the incident, and when compared to her friend’s slightly harsher familial situation, perhaps what happened was just a drop in the bucket.

But they have reunited.

Since they met again, she thought of repaying the favor from back then.

But even so—

“Hey, wake up.”

The low voice and pain that ran through her brought back Tamaki’s consciousness. She recalled her state, being in a much worse state than that lynch back in her middle school days.

The flame devil was right in front of her. Was there any bigger predicament in the world?

Even while her face was twisted from the pain, it formed a smile.

“I just wanted… to save you…”

As Tamaki mumbled this like a last testament, another one of her fingernails was blown away.

“Nope. Say something I can understand.”

He was probably angry at Tamaki giving him not even one proper answer. Harukiyo spat.

“Should I just kill ya?”

Twitch.

Tamaki’s body shook like it received an electric shock.

—Should I just kill ya?

How strange.

That was definitely strange.

After all, according to the rumors Tamaki heard, Harukiyo was—

“…You’ll… kill me…?”

“Yeah, I will. I’m sick of you already.”

“Harukiyo’s… strong… and merciless…”

“Ah? What’re you saying?”

“And ruthless…”

Tamaki absently raised her face. Her eyes, blurry with tears of pain, looked back at Harukiyo.

“You seem… kinda off…”

Harukiyo raised a brow.

Tamaki kept mumbling to herself, not minding him.

“Saying that you’ll kill me… almost as if… there’s also an option you wouldn’t… isn’t that strange? Harukiyo’s supposed to be a ruthless devil…”

Tamaki’s listless forehead touched Harukiyo’s.

“Say—the Harukiyo you know… what kind of guy is he?”

“…!”

Harukiyo pulled away suddenly. He distanced himself from Tamaki.

“He—hehe.”

It was too late.

The whirl of information already passed through their foreheads and flowed inside Tamaki.

Harukiyo. Harukiyo. The information about the Mushitsuki called Harukiyo overflowed.

Tamaki’s ability was to copy.

However—she couldn’t rob an ability from its owner.

“Ahahahahahaha!”

Opening her teary eyes, Tamaki laughed loudly.

She hadn’t lost her sanity due to fear.

It was simply too funny. After all—

“You are—also a fake!”

Tamaki’s hair was dyed in crimson as if going up in flames. Her face changed and her body grew taller. Countless black tapes appeared to conceal her face.

“You little…!”

Feeling the danger, Harukiyo swung down his arm at Tamaki. The mass of flames holding great heat assaulted her.

Tamaki forcibly blew away Harukiyo’s arm that came from overhead. She produced an even bigger mass of flames and the two canceled each other.

“You’re not the real Harukiyo either! You have a transformation ability, just like me!”

Transformed into the tape-covered Harukiyo in an instant, Tamaki shouted.

Great power was coursing through her body right now. It was on a whole different level from any other power she’d mimicked before.

“But even if we can both transform—”

The Harukiyo with an exposed face grimaced. Thrusting his arm toward Tamaki, he unleashed a Great Yama tiger beetle made of flames.

“The Harukiyo in your mind’s even greater than your ability!”

Wearing a devil’s smile, Tamaki too thrust out her arms. Another large Great Yama tiger beetle swallowed the pursuing flames, pushing them back.

“Gah…!”

Tamaki’s flames overcame her opponent’s. The man’s chest was burned and gouged, revealing another face buried within his body.

It was a girl who looked in her teens, clad in Lolita fashion, who was buried inside the Harukiyo that looked made of clay.

“Kh…!”

Being pushed by Tamaki’s repeated flame attack, the fake Harukiyo fused with the girl was blown backwards.

“Ahahahahahaha!”

Tamaki wrapped herself in flames. She pushed herself using compressed heat, becoming a large fireball springing through the corridor. She already spared no thought to the other Harukiyo she’d blown away.

This was her worst predicament and yet she managed to obtain her strongest power.

As long as she had this, she was unbeatable.

There was nothing to be scared of. She could even destroy Central HQ and then go home.

It happened just as she thought this.

Tamaki, who turned herself into a fireball and rushed through the Stronghold, suddenly felt herself weakening.

“Ugh—”

The power coursing through her body was rapidly growing weaker. The flames extinguishing from her entire body felt as though they were Tamaki’s lifeforce itself.

“Uaah…! Uuugh!”

Losing her balance, she crashed into the wall and rolled on the floor.

This is bad—

An instinctive sense of danger stuck Tamaki’s chest.

Tamaki’s limits as a Mushitsuki were unchanged when she transformed. Harukiyo’s unparalleled power was exhausting Tamaki’s dream in the blink of an eye.

She was about to faint, but the blaring alarms woke her up.

“Guh…!”

She couldn’t even destroy the Central HQ. Unless she got out of there immediately, even coming back alive would be difficult. She had no choice but to give up on Kasuou’s assassination.

The flames which were no more than a fake were trying to burn her own body.

“I-I have to cancel the transformation and run away… no, before that—”

Biting back her pain, Tamaki looked at the ceiling.

She couldn’t last much longer.

She must escape the Underground Stronghold as soon as possible and go back to her childhood friend waiting for her.

However, she couldn’t just go back.

She needed to take a “souvenir” back so that she could save Kanon—

2.06 Kanon Part 4

The sun sank and the long shadows cast by the containers in the inspection railway soon changed to pure darkness.

“…”

Standing on top of the weeds growing from the cracks in the asphalt, Kanon looked up the night sky.

That golden circle floating there really was beautiful.

“Yup, a full moon.”

Ichi stepped in front of Kanon.

Kanon looked from the night sky back to Ichi, smiling.

“Right.”

As Kanon and Ichi faced each other, their allies formed a protective ring around them.

“Are you ready?”

“…”

Perhaps the fact that Kanon was smiling and unmoving was seen as approval. Ichi summoned his Mushi.

Seeing that many people gather and form a circle formation around the two of them—it was like some sort of solemn ritual. Not even a single person spoke. They were all waiting with bated breath for what happened next.

This somehow brought to mind an anime Kanon watched while young.

An evil mage recited a chant and summoned forth a demon from a magic circle. Although the mage succeeded in the summoning ceremony, the demon did not take the prepared sacrifice, but instead devoured the mage—

“Well, whenever you’re ready.”

“…”

Kanon made no move.

In the end—Tamaki did not come back.

Perhaps she no longer wanted to stay with someone who could only tell such inferior lies. But obviously the same thing would soon happen with those around.

Some part of Kanon was also happy at Tamaki not appearing.

They all called Kanon their friend, not knowing they were being deceived.

Lying to friends—was definitely bad.

“Hey, what’s wrong?”

Seeing Kanon just waiting without doing anything, Ichi raised a brow. The comrades surrounding them were also puzzled and restless.

Once they knew the power to erase Mushi was a lie, they’d surely be angry.

Kanon was already resolved.

Still accepting the happiness from Kanon’s friends, they were going to enact punishment—

“…No way, are you actually…”

Seeing Ichi’s expression, Kanon’s eyes widened.

The expression on the Mushitsuki boy’s face was not the kind of expected anger. For just an instant, the thing glimpsed there was—

Sadness and despair.

Kanon’s chest suddenly constricted so hard it hurt.

“N-no! K-Kanon just… needs to, focus…? Yeah, Kanon’s gotta focus!”

“I-I see.”

There was clear relief from Ichi and his surroundings comrades.

Kanon’s heart hastened, beating hard as if in reproach.

Ichi and the rest’s reaction was unexpected. If the lie was to be revealed, they’d be angry—Kanon was resolved for this, but now realized an entirely different resolve was needed.

Sadness and disappointment. Also, despair.

Only being ready to receive anger, Kanon wasn’t prepared to accept all that.

“…”

Now Kanon got scared. Hopelessly scary.

There was no longer any fear of getting killed.

But making them—Kanon’s friends—despair, was very scary.

“S…save me…”

This mumbled was not heard by anyone. Kanon looked around.

Was Tamaki not going to come back?

She really wasn’t?

Kanon had no other hope than relying on that childhood friend.

“Kanon’s fine with it… so save everyone… Tama-chan…!”

Kanon looked around the inspection railway, hoping against hope.

And then—a figure appeared, standing on the containers.

“Ah.”

“Eh?”

Following Kanon, Ichi and the rest also looked there.

Two more shadows appeared on the container.

“…Eh?”

Yet another one appeared on another container.

The gradually rising number of figures—all wore long, white coat.

“—We’re the SEPB.”

One of the people standing on the containers announced in a cold voice.

“You’re all Mushitsuki, right? We’ll take you all with us. If you resist, we won’t show you any mercy.”

“Wha…! Why’s the Central Headquarters here?!”

The Mushitsuki all became lively.

The white coats were spread around in set intervals around the inspection rails, surrounding Kanon and the others completely.

The first to move among the agitated comrades was Ichi.

“—Shit! We’ve come this far, no way we’re getting captured!”

Coming back to their senses with that voice, the other comrades followed Ichi.

“We’ll turn the tables on you!”

“Protect Kanon!”

In the blink of an eye many people gathered around.

“Eh?”

Unable to follow the situation, Kanon looked around at the comrades.

“Kanon’s not a Mushitsuki!”

“As if we can reason with them!”

“Protect Kanon no matter what happens! If we do that, we’ll…!”

The comrades all spread to protect Kanon from the circle of the white coats that narrowed further and further.

Their faces were all familiar. Just like when Kanon was first introduced to them—they wore weak, defeated expressions. All of them were exhausted by their circumstances, and came to their very last hope.

After running away for a long, long time, they finally reached Kanon.

Even those weaklings changed by spending time together. They smiled at each other, at times voiced complaints or even got angry.

“Protect Kanon!”

The comrades shouting this like some slogan made faces Kanon had never seen before.

They possessed clear wills and strong gazes that allowed them to face fear.

“If you’re going to resist—we’ll annihilate every last one of you!”

The white coats commanding large Mushi leapt down from the containers.

The Mushi’s sharp claws swung toward the comrades protecting Kanon—

“S-STOOOOOP!”

Without thinking, Kanon leapt ahead.

Telling lies was a sin.

Even so, getting people killed for it—was unbearable.

Any more sins to bear would be too heavy.

“You idiot…!”

While listening to Ichi’s shouts, Kanon stood in front of the attacking Mushi.

“…!”

Perhaps it was true that time moved slowly before one’s death. Kanon felt as if the claws of the Mushi moved in slow motion.

No, it wasn’t slow motion at all.

It was as though time itself stopped.

No matter how much Kanon waited, the Mushi’s claws did not reach.

“…?”

While thinking it was rather odd—

The Mushi’s body broke to smithereens.

“Eh.”

Its body became small grains, heading for the night sky while sparkling—

The moment they overlapped with the full moon, they burst and vanished.

Everyone was captivated by the Mushi’s scattering that carried beauty in it. The inspection railway ruins were enveloped in a momentary silence.

“Y-you—what did you just do?!”

The white coat whose Mushi had been erased took a step back. The others also lost their calm.

“She erased your Mushi…?”

“N-no way, then Kasuou’s Mushi really was—”

“S-shit! Retreat!”

Leaving behind Kanon and the rest who stood there in shock, the white coats left the inspection railway like a receding wave.

Kanon was puzzled.

“Eh?”

—Cheers rose.

Kanon’s comrades all gathered around.

“So it’s real! Awesome!”

“They also mentioned about Kasuou!”

“I thought we were goners for sure!”

The Mushitsuki were glad at their narrow escape from death being jostled by them, but Kanon stayed shocked.

What just happened?

No way that this happened for real, right…?

Such thoughts and others rose to mind.

“Even if you can erase Mushi, don’t do such dangerous things, idiot!”

Ichi joined shoulders and started rubbing Kanon’s head.

“U-um… Kanon’s really sorry…”

Being praised was fine and all, but what just happened there?

“Don’t mind about me! I’ll wait for the next full moon!”

“Eh…”

Wait for the next moon?

If he would wait—then he still needed Kanon?

Would they really keep waiting no matter how long it took?

If they already possessed enough strength to keep waiting—

“Ah…”

There was a figure hiding in the shadows of the container. Separating from the comrades hugging each other, Kanon stealthily approached it.

Hiding within the containers was a boy in t-shirt. He looked unfamiliar.

However, for some reason it seemed obvious who he was.

“Welcome back, Tama-chan.”

“I’m back. Sorry for coming late.”

The boy smiled, opening his hand. Shining grains floated in his palm.

“It’s an illusion ability that uses mirror fragments to create virtual images and rubbing them together to create sounds. It’s a decent one, considering I’d copied it just before rushing out of Central HQ. Is it a good souvenir?”

Mumbling this, the boy’s form returned being that of Kanon’s familiar childhood friend.

“Only I’ve found out something. I’m good at lying, but I have no talent at acting. Even for a mere illusion, the white coats just now had third-rate acting.”

Bandages were wrapped around the fingers of the shrugging girl, Tamaki. Perhaps wounded, her expression also looked tired.

“Your acting was good. You completely fooled us.”

As Kanon smiled, Tamaki returned a somewhat bitter smile.

“Although we’re both liars, we’re still completely different.”

Looking at the Mushitsuki around jumping in joy, the girl mumbled this.

“I can tell all sorts of lie… but you just need to let them believe in a single lie, Kanon.”

Kanon couldn’t really understand those words, but was still happy at Tamaki coming to help, holding out a hand.

“Thanks, Tama-chan.”

“You’re welcome.”

Smiling, Tamaki grabbed Kanon’s hand.

Holding hands, the two liars returned to their comrades.

“But… if Kanon’s not a Mushitsuki, what’s the source of her power?”

“It’s probably, y’know, that. …What is it?”

“Something like… a miracle?”

After celebrating for a while, the group of friends were now noisy for another reason.

Seeing how they acted, Tamaki smiled. Kanon shuddered. For an instant, it seemed like a dark shadow passed over her smile.

“—So you understand it.”

Tamaki spoke loudly.

The comrades focused on Kanon and Tamaki.

“Kanon’s power is nothing short of a miracle. Since it can erase Mushi, it’s something much more powerful than Mushitsuki. Meaning—”

While looking around everyone standing there, Tamaki put her hand on Kanon’s shoulder.

“It’s the divine power of a God.”

Underneath the full moon, Tamaki stated this confidently.

After seeing the comrades not even laugh at those unexpected words but grow silent—

“…Eh?”

Kanon’s cheeks twitched.

3.00 Kanon Part 5

“Please, Kanon! Put out your hand!”

“—Eh?”

In a high-class boutique store at the capital, Kanon spread out both arms to the sides like a scarecrow.

There were chandelier-style lights, a window shop ornamented with gold and silver, and mannequins dressed in expensive clothes rather than flesh-and-blood humans. It was far too removed from reality. Like seeing a dream.

The other customers walking around were not as dirty as Kanon, and there were no kids. Just passing within several meters from them, their perfume would tickle one’s nose.

“Hmm, this might feel a bit unnatural… but how about this?”

Putting a hand on Kanon’s chin to raise it, Tamaki smiled.

The one putting something like a coat on the stiff Kanon was a female employee. She wore a dubious expression, a mix of her business smile and confusion.

“This is our first time to handle such tailoring, but are you satisfied?”

“Yeah, it’s not bad at all. We’ll take it.”

“And how is this staff you have ordered?”

“Try holding it, Kanon. Yup, doesn’t it feel good?”

The stick was longer than Kanon was tall. The employee called it a staff, but since it had a crest with a full moon motif attached to the top of the grip, it just looked like a weapon.

“How will you be paying?”

“Use this, please.”

Tamaki held out a black card between her index and middle finger to the employee. Unlike Kanon, who would choke breathing the same air as rich people, she acted as if she was used to it. Perhaps often frequenting stores like this, she confidently signed the paper handed to her by the employee and turned around.

“Now, shall we go to the next place?”

The smiling Tamaki next took them to—

“Please sign here.”

A place Kanon had never been to before.

An unthinkable place.

“Here, Kanon. Sign it.”

The 25th floor of the highest building near the station.

They were on the overly spacious floor, inside one of the cubicles separated by many small walls. Sitting on a warm chair, they faced an adult man the likes of which Kanon had never exchanged words with before.

The tea brought out was expensive and bitter. Completely different from the free oolong tea, and the teacup itself was also made of something that wasn’t plastic.

“Eh?”

Kanon pouted. Tamaki sitting nearby and the suited middle-aged man both looked serious.

“Sign it.”

Tamaki smirked, repeating this. Kanon looked at the man, surprised.

“W-why do you want Kanon’s signature? Are you Kanon’s fan?”

“Hahaha, how amusing.”

The man laughed. However, as a liar, Kanon knew. His eyes were not laughing at all, actually saying something like “as if, you stupid brat” in his heart.

“Uh…”

Dealing with adults was hard. Also, facing that man was paralyzing. Armed with strength, words and knowledge that Kanon didn’t possess, he always looked down at people.

“It’s fine, Kanon. I’m here with you.”

Tamaki whispered kindly as Kanon shrank down before the man.

“It’s fine. You just need to write your name here, Kanon.”

“…”

“If you do it—you’ll get something very good.”

As Kanon looked up, a woman with a different face than usual smiled back. Wrapped in an expensive suit, it was Tamaki transformed to a lady in her thirties.

“R-right.”

Kanon nodded, grabbing the pen.

“I admire you, leaving some assets for your daughter despite looking so young.”

The man said while smiling. Kanon’s hand holding the pen stopped.

“Your daughter really is blessed.”

“Because no one knows the future.”

Tamaki wore a mild smile. Her calm demeanor meant to mask her real age.

“And since this is real estate, it will not vanish no matter what happens.”

“However, why the Abandoned Land? There is nothing around there.”

“I will not deny a bit of a greed on my part. Right now the price is the lowest, right?”

“I see, so you expect the price to rise by the time your daughter becomes an adult… However, what about that? Just as I have explained, that place is—”

The man was flapping his mouth amiably, but his true opinion was as clear as day.

He was suspicious.

Kanon had no idea what Tamaki was talking about with the man. However, it was obvious from the man’s behavior this was something unnatural.

“If I may be so rude, do you have children?”

Tamaki asked softly but suddenly. The man furrowed his brows.

“Me? Yes, I do have a boy and a girl…”

“If so, don’t you understand? ‘This kid has an immense potential’… do you not understand the heart of a parent who thinks this?’

Seeing Tamaki smile while saying that, Kanon gulped without thinking.

This wasn’t just acting. Although this girl was supposedly around the same age, the affection and strength of a mother could be felt from her. Even Kanon, who knew no mother, could call it ideal.

“Kanon doesn’t actually need anything. No, actually—”

Tamaki’s lie was perfect. Much too perfect, that it caused a tinge of anxiety.

Why did Tamaki help Kanon so much just because they were childhood friends? Someone like her could abandon this at any time and succeed at whatever she tried her hands in.

“This much isn’t enough.”

For an instant the man seemed charmed by Tamaki’s elegant smile. Coming back to his senses, he shrugged, presenting the paper to Kanon again.

“…Na, ka, ya, ma.”

Kanon slowly signed the document.

“Ka, non…”

While writing, another question rose to mind.

“Yes, thank you very much.”

Delivering the signature, Tamaki wore a motherly smile.

Tamaki could become anyone, and her acting was perfect.

If so, then the way Kanon’s childhood friend normally acted—was that even the real Tamaki? Wasn’t she actually acting as someone else?

That unanswerable question rose to a corner of Kanon’s mind.

“Now the contract is complete. You’ve received quite the nice thing, young lady. No—”

Looking down at the horrible handwriting, the man spoke.

“Princess.”

Kanon was puzzled.

“Eh?”

That building stood in a dusty space.

Back when the private railway worked, it probably only barely managed to retain its functions as the town center. Old-fashioned buildings stood in rows, signboards of places to eat and drink like clubs and pubs were in tatters, and there were no footprints on the cracked asphalt.

Exposed to many years of wind and rain, that place filled with stagnated air was named the “Abandoned Land”.

Apparently this was originally the transportation relay point using the private railway. However, when the rails were discontinued, more sex establishments started popping up and public order worsened. After the local residents expressed worries about this criminal hotbed, the country bought the entire area under the pretext of a development plan.

However, that plan too was stopped in place by the recession, and it became a ghost town. Nowadays, to make even a little bit of money, they sold it wholesale at dirt cheap prices to local companies, biding their time until buyers appeared.

There was no way anyone would ever buy that land.

Everyone thought so. Even the companies who bought it from the country did so just to increase their own assets.

However, someone with strange tastes appeared.

This land, abandoned and forgotten by the people, suddenly found out someone who wanted to buy its center.

Right, and that savior was—

“…Eh?”

Looking at the building ahead, Kanon’s mouth opened wide. Seeing how it towered the other buildings complexes around, it looked like some sort of joke.

First the cylinders poking at the skies were prominent. There were three in all, pipes that looked like they were wearing three-cornered hats, one in the middle and one on each side.

Also, in the center of the wall enclosing the premises, there was a metal-made fence—no, a gate. And not just any gate, but a fancy one with double doors opening.

This was a castle.

Kanon knew no other word to describe that building.

“Well? Do you like it?”

Standing nearby, Tamaki asked in a good mood. She was no longer in her lady form but the original girl.

“No matter what we’d do, we need a place to live, right? —Come on, guys!”

Winking at Kanon, Tamaki turned around.

“Starting today, this is our home! Please choose any room you’d like!”

Loud cheers rose. Kanon’s shoulders twitched.

The comrades behind stepped inside the castle like a surging wave. Kicking the gate open, kicking off the walls, one after another they passed by and leapt inside.

“Well, originally it was a cheap love hotel, though. If we all clean it up and renovate it just a little, it’ll look much better.”

“Eh? Eh? Really…?”

Kanon’s mind was on the verge of panic. Tamaki’s words and everyone’s cheers, gradually brought back the sense of reality.

“…”

Looking up at the castle, Kanon’s face wore a smile.

It was dirty and its shape was somewhat strange, and yet it looked like a castle. It really resembled the sort of castle built from sand.

That was why—Kanon’s eyes looked like they were sparkling.

The castle created during that day in the small sandbox at the park.

It became real and bigger, and was right there.

Tamaki laughed.

“Finally… right?”

“Yes… yes.”

Kanon nodded many times, eyes full of tears.

They held hands. Just like they did that day in the sand.

“I finally made one lie become truth.”

“Our castle.”

Several hours after nodding to Tamaki’s words—

Kanon stood at the center of the floor inside the hotel.

According to Tamaki, including this hotel the entire premises was purchased as a donation to their comrades. Kanon was somewhat curious how much money it all cost, but Tamaki just laughed at it, “You’d need several rich people for this much,” and wouldn’t reveal the sum.

The inside had been abandoned for many years, so it was very dirty and ruined. However, apparently it originally was very-high class, so the first floor that included the reception desk was spacious. The atrium at the center had a large flight of stairs that led to the second floor.

On top of those stairs stood Tamaki, and Kanon after changing clothes. Looking down at the floor, there was an assembly of their comrades.

“—Is there a way to save Mushitsuki?”

That lone voice echoing inside the now-silent hotel was Tamaki speaking with a clear tone.

“Possessed by Mushi, you will one day get your dream eaten and die. That is the fate of Mushitsuki, and no one can escape that. If there was any salvation to be found at all—”

Tamaki touched the shoulder of Kanon standing next to her.

Everyone’s gazes focused there.

“…”

Kanon’s expression stiffened at receiving everyone’s gazes and warm eyes while wearing an entirely different outfit from yesterday. Those were the clothes purchased by Tamaki at the high-class boutique store.

“It’s right here. Kanon alone can save all of you.”

Tamaki presented Kanon’s new form.

Since the clothes covered everything from the shoulders to the ankles, perhaps it looked like a trench coat from afar. The collar around the neck was tall, hiding not only the chin but almost the mouth as well. The sleeves were loose-fitting and fluttering like those of a furisode. Kanon’s flat chest was sewn with a symbol modeled after a full moon.

Tamaki called that outfit a vestment—a robe.

—This is what pastors and bishops wear.

Explaining this, Tamaki had ordered Kanon to wear it and match their stories.

Other than that robe, Kanon also grasped a large cane. It was a monk’s khakkhara staff with an ornament designed after the full moon.

“In this era, when the devil called Mushi runs rampant, Kanon possesses the one and only power that can give save you. If you all believe in Kanon, you will all be saved.”

Everyone zealously listened to Tamaki’s speech.

Some bit their lips, some looked hazy and delirious, some were gazing with fierce eyes—everyone was going to rely on this miracle.

Kanon knew everyone’s circumstances.

They gathered every day at the family restaurant and wasted time talking about nonsense, including all of their worries.

“However, saving you is the only thing Kanon can do. You probably know this, though.”

Everyone in the floor nodded. It was a bit sad how they all agreed on that.

“Therefore—I want you to help Kanon until your turn comes. You must all protect Kanon.”

Tamaki’s speech continued.

“First, we need more money. And this castle alone isn’t enough. If we don’t gather more allies, the SEPB will finish us off before Kanon can save you.”

Again, everyone nodded.

No, it wasn’t everyone. One person alone leaned on the wall with an absent expression.

It was Nii. He alone was staring at Kanon’s face and not moving.

Right. Almost everyone there told their stories, but Nii alone didn’t. Kanon still had no idea why the boy took the bag with a Mushi inside it everywhere he went.

“So, Kanon. Give everyone their first order.”

“Eh? Order?”

Suddenly having this topic brought up, Kanon looked down at everyone there.

Even hearing that large word, order, no one stated their displeasure. On the contrary, they all had eagerly waiting eyes.

“An o-order… something so important…”

Kanon can’t do it—

The situation did not allow these words. The hotel was now fully silent and everyone was waiting for orders.

Looking at them, Kanon was resolved.

If everyone wished for it.

If they would be granted hope by seeking salvation.

Then, it could be done in exchange for their protection—

“F-for now…”

Kanon picked up a piece of dusty wood lying nearby, a mop, and spoke.

“Let’s have a cleaning operation!”

WOOH! This cheer rose. Everyone on the floor scattered wherever they pleased, picking up cleaning utensils and pieces of cloth. As they smiled and laughed at each other while preparing to clean, the grim determination from just before was gone from their expressions.

Seeing them having fun, Kanon also felt happy.

“Kanon’s going to work hard too!”

Shouting this and leaping toward the comrades—

“I too… must work hard on many things.”

Kanon had the feeling that Tamaki said this in a cheerful voice from behind.

3.01 Shiika Part 1

Inside the forest, there was the smell of clear water.

Inhaling the cold morning air into her lungs, she raised her chin to feel the sunlight. Mixed with the cries of birds, she heard footsteps approaching her.

“Namie’s group returned.”

Being called out, Anmoto Shiika opened her eyes. She stood up from the tree stump she was sitting on and turned around.

Having come there to get her, Shirotani Reiji stood between the tall trees.

“Several people were injured, so Chafer’s healing them.”

“Injured?”

Shiika rushed toward Reiji. She walked through the trampled animal trail in the grass next to the boy.

“It’s fine. But they’ve apparently fought with Kasuou. If Namie wasn’t there, it would have ended much worse.”

“I see… I’m glad.”

“What were you doing here, Shiika?”

Reiji asked. As he always took a natural stance, even if he walked in a place with bad footing, he never lost his balance. He stuck both hands into his pocket and his sleepy eyes peeking from under the headband he wore low on his head gazed at Shiika.

“Um… I just wanted to breathe to forest’s air for a bit.”

While stepping over a dead tree, she spoke vaguely. The cardigan she wore over her camisole slipped, revealing her thin shoulders. Since she looked so young, the wireless for emergency use attached to her waist like a gun belt or the outdoor boots she was wearing did not suit her to an embarrassing degree.

“Are you feeling bad?”

“I just woke up, so I tried shaking off my sleep, that’s all.”

As Shiika smiled back to him, Reiji looked at her with eyes that were hard to read. He was the type to not put any emotion into his expression or tone, but she knew he was worrying for her.

“Ah, w-wait a moment.”

When they saw the entrance to the forest, Shiika stopped in place. Using both hands to massage and loosen her cheeks, she swept the hair stuck to her face from moistness and tucked it behind her right ear with her fingers.

“…I don’t think there’s any need of you to put up a front like that.”

“I decided to, so I have to do this properly.”

She knew well that this new hairstyle that only consisted of putting her hair behind her right ear and the guerilla warrior-like equipment did not fit her in the least.

However, Shiika decided on carrying this through.

To that end, she needed to show at least this much resolve.

She couldn’t lose focus.

“…If you’re tired, just say it. You’re not Rina.”

“Thank you very much.”

Grinning at him, Shiika resumed walking. She exited the thick and luxurious forest.

Their campsite was there.

The mountainous land was flattened and cottages were built on it, but as if saying it wasn’t enough there were also tents. Boys and girl in casual clothes passed one another as they cut firewood or carried boxes full of daily necessities. At a distant empty area, she could see several people sparring in mock battles.

This campsite served as the main base of the Mushitsuki resistance organization, Mushibane.

“Good morning.”

Wearing the face of Mushibane’s leader Snow Fly, Shiika called to the members. Several turned to look at her, returning her greetings.

As she kept walking, she saw a crowd of people. Familiar people were gathered in the square that could even host a large barbecue party.

“Namie-san! Are you fine?”

Shiika raised her voice, rushing toward a woman sitting on a folding chair.

“Oh, Fuyuhotaru. No problem.”

Turning toward her was a tall woman who looked to be in her twenties. Namie originally belonged to the SEPB, but then joined Mushibane to protect Shiika. Her hand thrust to the front had lacerations on it, and her cut clothes were dyed in fresh blood.

“This much you can just leave be and it’ll heal right up. Man, what a bother.”

A tall boy was mumbling complaints while he grabbed Namie’s arm. This person, called Chafer inside Mushibane, had a glow the same color as the piercing on one of his ears enveloping both of his hands. He was a Mushitsuki with the rare healing ability, so as he moved his hands, Namie’s wounds began slowly closing up.

The two girls nearby shrugged.

“Who was it that went on and on about healing her until we came back?”

“Because she was injured while covering for him. So slow. So uncool. So weak.”

The girl with glossy, black hair was Halensis. And the girl with frilly fashionable clothing and makeup completely unfitting the place was the girl called Lucifera. Both were central figures in Mushibane.

“Ah, I’m not gonna apologize! I told you I don’t want to be dispatched for battle!”

“Wow, you’re so dishonest, such a tsundere, not moe at all.”

Seeing their exchange, Shiika giggled.

Several months passed since Shiika decided to become the leader of Mushibane. During that time, she slowly gathered more allies, even managing to divide their roles into those who head out to fight, those who take care of the secured Mushitsuki, those who support their livelihood, et cetera.

They would protect Mushitsuki from the SEPB without ever fighting back—

It was a lofty ideal and had yet to come true, but they could all walk this path together.

So she began to think.

“And the result?”

Aijisupa asked in his usual detached tone of voice.

Namie used her healthy hand to raise a thumb, grinning. Then she pointed it behind her.

“We were quite cornered by the SEPB, but somehow managed to secure her.”

A girl of about 12 or 13 years old wearing dirty clothes stood nearby. She was wrapped in a blanket by Mushibane members, shivering.

“I see… that’s good.”

Shiika headed to the girl. She leaned and spoke to her.

“Hello.”

The girl’s shoulders shook. Her fearful eyes reflected Shiika’s smile. She was a girl with possibly natural curly hair that suited her and a round face.

“It was scary, right? But you’re alright now.”

“…”

“Are you hurt? It’s amazing how you didn’t get caught by the SEPB until we found you.”

“…”

“I got captured many times before, you know.”

Shiika spoke while smiling. She could see her past self in the trembling girl.

When she was alone and ran away without anywhere to go, she was probably just like this girl now. She had no idea who was a friend and who was an enemy. And so, being afraid and shrinking was the only way to protect herself.

Shiika caressed the silent girl’s head. The girl shivered again, but didn’t reject her.

A few speechless minutes passed. The girl then mumbled.

“…Will you help me?”

“Yup, we will.”

“…I wanna go home.”

“Sorry, but you can’t right now.”

The girl turned with a start. With a face like she could begin crying at any moment, tears welled up in her eyes.

Smiling, Shiika hugged the girl.

She couldn’t lie to her. She couldn’t promise her lies.

When Shiika nearly gave up upon becoming Mushitsuki, the things that saved her were always real promises.

—One day, recall your dream.

—Let’s meet up at next year’s Christmas.

Because that was the truth.

Because she could believe in true promises, she was able to think of getting stronger.

“Everyone here’s the same. They all want help, and they want to go back home. But right now we can’t go back.”

“…”

“So we need to help each other. We help and we get helped in turn. Doing that, we grow stronger by the day.”

Letting go of the girl, she grabbed her arms and looked in her eyes.

“I will help you. So one day… when you become stronger than you are now, perhaps the time will come for you to help others.”

The girl was silent. She tightened her lips and held back her tears.

“Become stronger and then go back home with everyone, alright?”

Shiika smiled at her.

The girl cast down her gaze for a while as if holding back something, and then slightly nodded.

Perhaps she couldn’t understand what Shiika was telling her right now. Perhaps she just nodded because she didn’t want to be scared.

But she would definitely remember this.

When she was really pained or sad, she would recall her promise with Shiika.

And—feeling the same emotions, she should gain the courage to take just one more step ahead. Because she was like that, Shiika could believe in Mushitsuki like her.

“You’re probably tired, right? Rest for now.”

“I’ll take you. There’s an empty bed in that cottage.”

Halensis took a blanket from one of their comrades and hugged the girl’s shoulders. The curly-haired girl nodded, looking at that cottage—

“Eh? Wai…!”

The girl and Halensis’s body suddenly scattered to small particles, vanishing. The faces of the girl and the confused Halensis glanced at Shiika and then vanished as well.

After they were gone, only gas-like particles remained. These danced in air, vanishing into the cottage that Halensis pointed at.

Shiika left her mouth open.

“W-what was… eh…?”

“I guess she’s a Special Type Mushitsuki with the ability to gasify and reconstruct organic matter, huh. By the time we caught up to her—other than Kasuou, all other Mushi were in pieces and the SEPB members became Fallen.”

“I-I see.”

These last few months, after receiving habitual trainings, there were some Mushitsuki whose talents bloomed. Among these saved Mushitsuki, some powerful ones became their allies. That round-faced girl looked likely to be another one.

After that, Shiika and the rest heard the detailed battle report from Namie and performed a simple strategy meeting, then parted. The Mushitsuki gathered in the square all scattered.

“Oh, Halensis-san. Umm… is everything alright?”

“If you’re talking about the kid, she fell asleep almost instantly. …If you’re talking about me, my hands and feet are still attached.”

Halensis came back from the cottage and everyone started preparing for mealtime.

However, Shiika then found a figure loitering around the camp.

“Oh? Nanana?”

The petite girl wearing an expensive dress and spinning around a walking stick that looked like an upside-down letter J approached Shiika.

“A good day to all of you dirt-poor people of Mushibane.”

She looked drunk again. With her cheeks flushed, Akasegawa Nanana greeted everyone with her abusive language as always. —Nanana was the chairman of the large conglomerate called Akasegawa Group, as well as Mushibane’s sponsor.

Shiika tilted her head. She couldn’t see Nanana’s usual secretary anywhere.

“You came here alone?”

“Nyahahaha, is there a problem? If you’re thinking about the secretary, she finally married that teddy bear of hers, so right about now she might be on her honey moon, sightseeing in the Pisa Tower or something.”

It was hard to judge whether it was a joke or not, taking everything into account the secretary and Nanana’s bad personality.

“I feel peckish. How about lunch? I came here to eat.”

“Will you help us prepare it?”

“Why would I, stupid? I’m the one giving you money, so I’m the one being served.”

Everyone knew Nanana had a sharp tongue. With others taking their distance quickly and avoiding her, Nanana brought Shiika’s face closer.

“…By the way, has Alpha not woken up yet?”

Oh, Shiika understood.

The First Mushitsuki, Alpha.

He was a mysterious Mushitsuki they’d saved by working together with Nanana. He was supposed to hold some hints regarding the origin of Mushi, but was currently in a coma.

It seemed that Nanana’s true goal wasn’t a barbecue, but coming to check on Alpha.

“No, apparently not yet. We even thought to get Chafer to heal him, but it’s not like an injury or something like that…”

“What are you doing, you dunderhead. I even prepared a new hiding place for him and everything.”

“S-sorry.”

“By the way, you assigned a Mushitsuki as a guardian, right? What kinda person is it?”

“A very strong person. Right, they all come swarming… it’s very wow.”

“What the heck, do we even speak the same language?! Geez, why’d I have to be stuck with guard work again…”

“Eh?”

As Nanana put her hand around Shiika’s shoulder and tried caressing her face, Shiika looked back at her.

“Didn’t you tell us, Nanana? It’s an important person so we have to guard him… and you were also the one who told me to do it since I’m the leader.”

“Oh, was that really so? Yahahaha. —Hey, you there! What are you slacking off for, you peasants!”

Nanana averted her face from Shiika. Namie, Aijisupa, Halensis, Lucifera, and their logistical manager—the boy called Chouya Nihei—stuck out their heads and conversed. Nihei looked back.

“Oh, what great timing, Nanana-chan’s there. —Wait, sorry for being poor, I guess!”

“What happened?”

“There’s something strange.”

As Shiika came closer, Halensis said.

“…The number of our comrades is decreasing.”

Namie said in a low voice.

Shiika’s expression clouded over. Although the number of full Mushibane members was larger than it used to be, some people appeared to just disappear.

It wasn’t like they were lost or that the SEPB did something to them.

“Didn’t they just run away again? You really are unpopular, Snow Fly-chan!”

Making a snide remark, Nanana kept patting Shiika’s head.

One reason for their comrades to decrease was, just as she said—desertion.

There were countless people who vanished from the campsite or the shelter because they were unable to accept Shiika as their leader.

“I thought so too, but… it’s way over that level for this month.”

“Is that so? How many people are gone?”

“…Thirty-two.”

Everyone including Shiika gasped at Halensis’s words.

That was too much. Never did this many comrades run away during the space of a month.

Shiika had a bad feeling.

While she stayed silent, she looked at Lucifera who was just fiddling with her cellphone. She was Mushibane’s tactician.

“What do you think, Lucy-san?”

“That’s obviously pretty bad. One or two people is fine, but if so many run away, we can’t tell who’s going to hand over our information to anyone. And it’s not just leaking the location of our bases, but even the situation of our forces would become clear.”

“I wonder why this is happening…”

“Who knows.”

Playing with her hair, Lucifera stopped using her cellphone. Seeing her act as if this wasn’t her problem at all, Namie clenched her fist.

“I’m against violence. Got it, I’m thinking, wait a minute. …Right, I know.”

Looking at the cellphone she operated, Lucifera spoke.

“There might be some kinda—kind of agitator.”

“What’s an agitator?”

“I mean a person who was working to extract people from Mushibane. I’ll be clear enough so that even your childish mind can understand it: someone who’s going like ‘Hey, that place is much better, come here’ to instigate people to leave.”

Aijisupa glared at Lucifera.

“Meaning it’s someone inside Mushibane who drew out our members?”

“Isn’t that obvious? If everyone decided to leave by themselves, there wouldn’t be so many people at once. And since we have thirty-two people, it means they were either invited by sweet words or a powerful ability; it’s obviously something very organized.”

“No way… is it the SEPB?!”

Namie’s expression changed, but Lucifera soon denied it.

“Probably not. Judging from the damage they did to us, you can probably assume that they already have some information about Mushibane. The SEPB would’ve already struck us long ago. Since our enemy doesn’t do this, it means that they don’t feel ready to face us yet despite gathering some people, or perhaps gathering people is their goal…”

“As usual, your brain is the only thing good about you.”

Lucifera ignored Halensis’s teasing.

Shiika intertwined her fingers, fidgeting.

“Umm… I don’t really understand what you’re talking about, but…”

“Wow, so I just explained this all for nothing, how sad.”

“What should we do, then?”

Shiika looked directly at Lucifera. The girl who looked dumbfounded glanced at her and smiled.

“The culprit will probably soon be revealed.”

“Eh?”

“I don’t know who they are, but they’re not afraid of being discovered by us. It feels like they don’t care what would happen to them as long as they got out as many people as possible. I believe that we’ll be able to find some clues if we search among our allies.”

“…Namie-san?”

Shiika noticed that Namie was furrowing her brows as if she recalled something.

“A rumor… I’ve heard about something strange.”

“Eh?”

“Well… they say that there’s a god who can save Mushitsuki.”

Silence befell the square.

Namie wore a serious face, but everyone including Shiika turned worried eyes at her.

“A god…?”

“She probably just hit her head during the fight.”

“Hey, call Chafer.”

“I’m right fucking here. Unfortunately, this woman’s a lost cause…”

“Nanana-san, can you sell us psychiatric drugs real cheap?”

“Sorry, Namie-san, you must be crying inside. Come here for a headpat, good girl.”

“W-wait, everyone! I just heard about this…! Don’t pat my head!”

“What’re you doing? Oh well, there’s no way around it, I’ll help you with looking for the culprit as well.”

Looking at the upset Mushitsuki, Nanana shrugged with exaggerated movements.

“Shouldn’t we check other bases as well? Give me your lists.”

“Eh?”

Nihei, who was touching all sorts of places on Namie in the confusion while pretending to stop her rampage, turned back.

“Don’t you know them already, Nanana-chan? Most of them are places you received from Munakata-san to help us.”

“As if I can remember all that… I left those to the secretary. C’mon, Halensis probably has the list, right? I’m busy, do it already.”

“Is that fine? Snow?”

Halensis turned to look at Shiika. She tilted her head.

“Is the secretary gone?”

“I told you, she’s on her honeymoon. C’mon, oh great leader, bring out the order.”

While spinning her stick, Nanana cackled. Her behavior that looked as if she was drunk was the same as always.

However, Shiika felt something—was out of place.

What was this small ill feeling that took hold in her chest?

“What’s wrong, Fuyuhotaru?”

As Namie asked her this, she realized.

Right, Namie always called her like this. Not Snow Fly.

“Say, Nanana?”

“Yeah?”

“We’re friends, right?”

“Right, of course. What about it?”

Nanana’s calm answer made everyone other than Shiika to look at her in shock.

“Ha? What are you all looking so surprised about? Me and Snow Fly are friends, right?”

“Yes, right. —This is the first time I’ve seen you admit this, however.”

Aijisupa said. The others also exchanged glances.

“Say, Nanana. Do you know my name?”

Shiika asked, smiling.

Nanana smiled too.

“Snow Fly.”

“Yeah.”

“Fuyuhotaru.”

“Yeah.”

“…”

“Is that it?”

Shiika and Nanana looked at each other.

Anmoto Shiika. —Only few people within Mushibane knew her true name. But Nanana was supposed to know it. She always called her like this.

Shiika.

Being told that someone with Nanana’s face didn’t know Shiika’s name—was sad.

“Yahahahahahahahahaha!”

Suddenly, Nanana roared with laughter. Aijisupa and Namie and the rest took quick action, protecting Shiika.

“Oh boy, looks like I’m getting suspected! You’re the worst, suspecting your own sponsor! I’ll give you no more money! You’ll all stay here and starve to death!”

Nanana shouted in a voice loud enough to spread throughout the entire campsite. All of the members around turned to look at Shiika and the rest, wondering what happened.

“If you have no money, Mushibane will be finished! Scatter! Begone!”

Shouting loudly, Nanana began to run. She was trying to escape.

“Wha…!”

Since this was so sudden, their reaction was slow.

“Are you all fine being here?! There’s a much better place!”

A clamor rose through the camp. The expressions of those seeing Nanana claim to stop her support were permeated in anxiety.

“Don’t listen to her! She’s not Akasegawa! She’s an impostor!”

While chasing Nanana, Namie yelled.

Aijisupa readied himself.

“I’m going to attack.”

“Stop!”

Shiika suddenly grabbed Aijisupa’s arm.

“She might just be controlled by someone…!”

“I’ll make sure. Where’s Akasegawa Nanana-san right now?”

While running, Lucifera operated her cellphone.

“Yahahaha! Hey, do all of you know? There’s a divine child who saves Mushitsuki! You should all go there!”

“Eh?”

A strange voice came from Shiika’s mouth.

“We’re no longer afraid of Mushi! Because we have the power of God! If you fear Mushi, go seek that child’s help! If you believe, you will all be saved!”

While running, Nanana kept uttering the word “God”. She ran around the camp as if preaching to them.

“You’ve got mail!” a voice was heard from the side, and then Lucifera shouted.

“This is from Nanana’s cellphone! ‘What do you want, I’m in a boring meeting at Akasegawa HQ right now’! My ability can’t lie! That one over there is a fake Akasegawa Nanana!”

“Alright!”

Aijisupa and Namie prepared for combat.

As Nanana tried running into the forest, a Common Albatross butterfly wrapped in white flames and a steam explosion assaulted her.

“Ahahahaha!”

“Wha—”

Seeing the giant object coming out of the explosion, Shiika and the rest were speechless.

Leaping off the entrance to the forest was a large Mushi with a red body and seven black spots.

And, standing calmly on its head—

“Should I have used this form in the first place?”

Tachibana Rina.

This girl was once Mushibane’s leader, and was not supposed to exist in this world anymore.

“If you all seek salvation, we’ll welcome you as well. Goodbye now!”

The mysterious Mushitsuki smiled with Rina’s face. Along with the Seven-Spotted Ladybug, she rose to the sky.

Seeing Rina’s face, everyone there clearly had their attention taken. By the time they were ready for a counterattack, the Seven-Spotted Ladybug was already far in the sky.

“W-who on earth was that…?”

Mumbled the shocked Shiika.

That wasn’t Nanana or Rina. Probably a Mushitsuki with shapeshifting abilities.

That much even Shiika understood. However—

“A God…? What’s their goal?”

Even Aijisupa looked confused for a change. Seeing the face of his past friend, he probably lost his calm.

“She probably fulfilled her goal already. This might be an especially bad situation.”

At Lucifera’s words, Shiika and the rest looked back to the camp.

The Mushitsuki members were all clearly agitated. Those who heard Akasegawa Nanana say she wasn’t going to support them anymore, as well as the sweet invitation to save Mushitsuki, all looked anxiously at each other’s faces.

It was a lie—

If Shiika said this, would everyone really agree?

She didn’t know who it was, but the lie told by the Mushitsuki just now was what they feared the most—what they desired the most.

Just a lie.

However, all Mushitsuki wished for that, and so—

“A God… who saves Mushitsuki.”

Shiika mumbled.

They were neither the SEPB nor Mushibane.

It was something completely different—an organization never seen before was being born.

This bad premonition filled her chest.

3.02 The Others

About two months passed since people began calling him Nii.

During that time, he did practically nothing.

He just kept staying at the side of a certain girl.

Kanon, who possessed the power to erase Mushi.

He ran away from a certain town under certain circumstances and was found by Kanon. He stayed at her side ever since. If anything changed at all, they now gathered not at the family restaurant like in the beginning, but in a large castle.

Kanon’s group simply called that place “The Castle”.

Although originally it was just a love hotel, it was in the center of the ghost town the local people called the Abandoned Land. According to what he heard, the group legally bought the land with money contributed from their comrades. That was a few weeks ago.

And now, the present.

The Castle served as the base of Kanon’s comrades—no, believers.

All furnishing was removed from the main hall and a giant curtain was installed along the wall. It had a full moon drawn on it and in front of it there was a line of silver candlesticks. The large stairway had been cut roughly to create a landing, and an antique chair was left there.

A big chandelier was hanging from ceiling along with a large lcd monitor. Nii had no idea what it meant to broadcast.

The fact it used to have been a dirty love hotel almost seemed like a lie.

The center of the space fully transformed to this solemn, religious place obviously had Kanon in it. Sitting on the chair in front of the stairs—her throne—with the staff touching the ground, she was eating melon bread from a bag.

“Nom, ngh, mhn. …Eek!”

Loud sounds heard from outside the castle caused Kanon to tremble.

After procuring money from somewhere, they apparently kept buying land around the Castle. They were destroying aged buildings and doing repair work to build places for the believers to stay in.

“…Nom, ngh.”

Looking around her, Kanon resumed eating. Although she wore robes with the mark of the full moon and her hair was combed and brushed, there was nothing divine about her form.

“Ah, what about you, Onii-chan? This is really good.”

Turning toward Nii who was hugging his bag and sitting next to the wall, Kanon held up a curry bread.

“…”

“Catch. Oh, oops.”

He stayed silent like always as she tossed the bag at him from above. However, it didn’t reach him but fell to the ground. Kanon went down the stairs to pick the bag, put it next to Nii, then returned to the throne.

“Haa, haa… nom, ngh.”

Getting out of breath just from this simple run, Kanon kept nibbling on the bread.

“…”

While gazing at Kanon, Nii picked up the bag and brought the bread to his mouth.

Although they were together for about two months, Nii didn’t really understand the girl called Kanon.

Nii believed that she possessed the ability to erase Mushi.

Other than that, what could he say? The only thing remarkable about Kanon was that she was below the average girl in everything other than eating.

Even so, in just two months, Kanon’s circumstances fully changed. She gathered more allies, fixed the castle, and wore those robes, so her comrades became believers that revered her.

When he first saw Kanon erasing a Mushi, he clung to her.

The worn-out Nii saw Kanon as his sole salvation.

But looking at her like this now, he could think that she possessed another sort of special power other than erasing Mushi. That was the thing called conviction.

In a certain sense, it was much more special than her ability to erase Mushi.

“…”

“What is it, Onii-chan? You’ve been staring at Kanon for a while now… you’re gonna make Kanon blush.”

To obtain salvation, he was willing to wait as much as needed. Since he was at the very bottom, just waiting wasn’t painful at all.

However—

Kanon having another kind of special power was out of his calculations. No one seemed to mind it yet, but Nii knew. He alone could be able to feel the danger from that.

At this rate, this could turn out ugly.

Nii felt anxious for the first time.

“Kanon-sama.”

The entrance door to the large hall opened. With the sun at their backs, several figures appeared.

“Is now a good time?”

“Y-yes.”

It was the time for the Initiation.

Following the believers dressed in formal garb, several boys and girls walked on the carpet. They went up the stairs and kneeled in front of Kanon’s throne.

“Starting from the left they’re 118, 119, 120—Hyakujuuhachi, Hyakujuuku, hyakunijuu.”

The one who introduced these new comrades—believers—to Kanon was Ichi, clad in a robe. Ever since they came to this castle, he soon became the believers’ representative.

“U-umm, I… w-we heard rumors of Kanon-sama and got out of Mushibane—”

“There is no need for you to be this nervous. Ichi-san, didn’t I tell you not to call me Kanon-sama? Come on, friends, stand up.”

“But…”

“Oh, are you hungry? Will you eat this?”

“Kanon-sama, stop eating that sort of thing…! I told you I’ll make you a proper meal.”

“See, isn’t your stomach growling? Here, take it. It’s delicious.”

The solemn atmosphere continued but for a moment. Drawn by Kanon who smiled with her canines showing, the front of the throne ended up becoming a small picnic.

“Kanon’s just in a position to treat everyone, so it’s not particularly admirable or anything. Everyone here is like family. —Eek!”

Kanon shrank again after hearing the sounds of construction from outside. As they saw her acting like this, all tension was gone from the believers’ faces.

At some point they just started chatting and even laughing.

Just like he thought it was becoming dangerous—

It happened just as the anxiety within Nii rose again.

“Kanon, there’s a person who wants to be introduced.”

In the grand hall a new person appeared. They were the girl called Tamaki and a boy Nii didn’t know.

“I found him loitering around the Abandoned Land and brought him here. He’s apparently really knowledgeable about Mushitsuki.”

Tamaki wore no robe. She was Kanon’s childhood friend and not a Mushitsuki. This girl had a good head and she was responsible for everything around, including the Castle, to protect Kanon.

“Oh, this really isn’t the SEPB or Mushibane. Didn’t know such a thing existed.”

The boy following Tamaki carried what looked like a stick used for the sport of hockey on his back. He looked around the main hall while cackling and wearing a frivolous smile.

“Welcome back, Tama-chan. —Is he a new believer?”

“Nah, I’m a Mushitsuki, but I’m an atheist. That’s good enough for me.”

“Don’t you want your Mushi erased?”

“I still need it.”

Nii raised his head with a twitch. At a glance, the hockey stick boy looked defenseless, but he knew that he was moving his eyes to search the number of people and the structure around.

“He’s apparently going to train our comrades. As long as we pay him.”

“Well, I’m on a journey, is all. I gotta make some money when I can, you can’t tell what’s going to happen, right? Hire me for a bit. You won’t lose anything.”

The boy introduced himself as Shachito.

Tamaki climbed the stairs, putting her arm on the throne’s back.

“Kanon, I think it’s for the best to train everyone in order to protect you. Since we have the chance, what do you think?”

“If you say this, Tama-chan, then Kanon’s fine with it.”

“Okay. Hey, someone, spar with Shachito-kun for a bit. If we let him teach us how to fight, we have to make sure he’s actually strong first. Is that fine, Shachito-kun?”

“I’m fine with not knowing my opponent and going against all of you at once. Do come at me whenever you’d like.”

Perhaps confident in his skills, the boy called Shachito was completely calm.

Ichi and the others wearing robes all nodded at each other. They probably didn’t like his attitude. Four of them took out their Mushi and leapt at the boy.

It didn’t even take ten minutes to understand the true strength of the mysterious visitor Shachito.

“…Wow.”

Tamaki rounded her eyes, impressed in her place next to the throne.

The alternating assaults of the Mushi didn’t even graze Shachito. One moment he vanished before the Mushi, the next he was doing a headstand on top of it as if ridiculing it. Even when another Mushi tried to attack, he left an afterimage behind as he vanished again. From time to time an orange glow flew around the hall, but it was too fast to see any details.

“Tama-chan…! T-this person’s amazing!”

“Yes, it appears so. I’ve found quite the bargain.”

Kanon was getting excited and Tamaki was grinning.

As if to not shame themselves before their admired Kanon, Ichi and the rest did not stop their attacks. Shachito, who kept dodging these attacks, wore a warped smile.

“Hihah. Then should I counterattack a bit? Don’t worry, I won’t hurt ya—”

When he swung his hockey stick, Shachito’s warped smile froze.

For a simple reason.

That is—because he saw right in front of his eyes the appearance of Nii wielding a large object.

“Wha…”

“OOOOOooooh!”

Shouting with his mouth fully open, he swung what he held toward Shachito.

A large noise shook the Castle. The lone attack from Nii cracked the main hall’s floor and walls, opening large holes.

“Eeek!”

“Eeep!”

Kanon and Tamaki raised shrieks as the entire structure shook by the vibration caused by this impact.

“—Oi, oioi! A serious surprise attack all of a sudden?”

Nii turned to face Shachito, who’d just barely managed to teleport to the center of the main hall.

In his hand, Nii held his own Mushi, a Red Ogre snout beetle that transformed to a weapon. Its back turned to a thick blade and its surface shining with countless eyes, it was an axe about twice as large as Nii. The mouthpart on the back of the blade opened like a machine, emitting breath along with a large amount of vapor. He could feel the Mushi’s heartbeats from the grip.

“Ichi, San, protect Kanon, and don’t come any closer to this guy! Hachi and Juuni, block the entrance! Everyone else, gather near me!”

Nii strained his voice as he pulled the axe from the wall and readied it at his waist.

However, excluding him everyone was frozen with shock. Kanon widened her eyes, mumbling.

“O-Onii-chan spoke for the first time in a while…”

“Do it, quickly! This guy’s—”

The arm of Nii gripping the axe trembled. Fear was reborn within him, and his teeth chattered.

“From the SEPB!”

The one surprised at these words was none other than Shachito himself. He looked around him hurriedly, pointing at himself.

“Eh? SEPB… you mean me? Why?”

Hearing the word SEPB, the followers started hurriedly moving around. They acted according to Nii’s orders.

“Don’t play dumb. Your movements are obviously from someone trained by the SEPB!”

“My movements… oh, I see, so SEPB training was practically all thought up by Inuko? Then that means my training’s also…”

Leading the believers, Nii slowly closed his distance to Shachito.

Until now, he didn’t care at all about getting attacked by the SEPB. If push came to shove, he could just take Kanon along and run off. If he did it, then the SEPB probably wouldn’t follow them.

However, right now he couldn’t do it.

“Since you know about this place, we can’t let you get away…!”

A waterfall of sweat streamed down Nii’s forehead.

The fear reborn in the depths of his heart caused him dizziness.

“I-if we let you escape, that guy might come here…”

“That guy? No, I don’t really understand what’s going on, but I’m not from the SEPB, I’m telling you. Well, I did receive their training… geez, this is too complicated!”

“Everyone here’s different… I’ve already deserted… Kanon’s also different, and yet…!”

The arm wielding the axe felt as heavy as lead. His breath got rougher and memories from the past resurfaced.

The shouts of people who were more important than anything.

The eyes of his comrades, losing all light of vitality, helpless.

And his vision dyed in red—

“We were already finished…!”

“O-Onii-chan…?”

Kanon raised a brow at Nii’s mumbling.

“Y’know, I’m gonna fight if you don’t believe me, but… can I just say something? You’ve only shown me very little, but I can tell.”

Shachito readied his hockey stick for the first time, speaking.

“You’re actually the one from the SEPB here.”

“…!”

The believers all turned to look at Nii.

His axe was still spouting vapor. The heavy axe flew up, falling heavily toward Nii himself.

“East Central Branch Blaze Class Rank 3—Akaoni.”

“Hiha, a Rank 3? Strong.”

Shachito lowered his body, assuming a battle position. Autumn Darters glowing in orange were produced from the body of the boy wearing a warped smile, flying around.

“But I’m stronger.”

Supporting his axe with one arm, Nii used his other hand to open the bag hanging from his waist. He brought out the thing inside and wore it on his head.

It was an object like a branch bent into a ring shape.

Like a crown made of the leaves of bay laurel.

However, unlike its appearance, it was no plant. Along with a sweet fragrance, one could feel a small heartbeat from it.

It was a Mushi—

This wasn’t Nii’s Mushi.

The Mushi shaped like a laurel wreath belonged to a past comrade.

“…Hold hands.”

Nii mumbled. The followers waiting at his back went “Eh?”, raising their heads.

“Don’t worry about it, just hold hands.”

Ordered this, the confused believers started holding hands.

Nii put one of his hands on the shoulder of one of them.

The next moment, the laurel wreath on Nii’s head emitted a golden glow. The glow went through Nii’s arm and pulsated through the axe he was holding.

“…!”

Shachito widened his eyes.

The axe wielded by Nii swelled larger and larger. It also crackled, surrounded by a pale blue cold vapor. One of the followers raised a surprised voice.

“T-that’s… my ability!”

“Now I’m about Rank 2…”

Nii glared at the enemy ahead. Shachito strained his cheeks.

“So you can compound others people’s abilities? That sorta thing actually exists…?”

Nii and Shachito glared at each other.

Tension went between the pair, and something happened just as it was about to burst.

“—Please wait!”

Kicking the floor and coming between them was a petite person dressed in robes.

It was Kanon.

“What on earth happened to you, Onii-chan! Stop doing dangerous things!”

“Move…! This guy’s from the SEPB! If I don’t defeat him right now, they’ll find this place…!”

“Kanon’s telling you, you’re wrong about him!”

“If they found us now, it’ll be bad… If so many Mushitsuki gather here… that guy would definitely come…! If he comes, that’d be the end of everything…!”

“Who are you even talking about? That guy or whatever.”

Shachito’s calm gaze bore through Nii through Kanon’s shoulders.

“I’ve seen that you’re pretty strong. Is that guy even stronger?”

“Strong? Me? Hah, right! You thought I—we were strong, right! We thought our team was invincible! Because we’d never lost!”

“P-please calm down, Onii-chan…!”

Kanon tried desperately stopping Nii from approaching Shachito.

“But we weren’t strong at all! Both our confidence and the team itself vanished easily! —As well as the South Central Branch!”

“…!”

It wasn’t just Shachito. Everyone in the hall gasped.

Special Environmental Preservation Bureau, South Central Branch.

It was a branch that, when compared to the Central Branch or East Central Branch, gathered exquisite Mushitsuki. The strength of the team he led was known not only within the SEPB but even to Mushibane. In their area of jurisdiction, their rate of capturing wild Mushitsuki was astonishingly high, and they hardly ever failed in missions.

Overflowing with confidence, they were satisfied with their achievements.

And so—one could say that they gave in to temptation.

They simply got a bit too curious about outside their jurisdiction.

“Although we had no interest in outside our region… who said it? ‘In the near future, there’ll be another huge fight’… that simple sentence brought us in contact with Kakkou… that’s it… that was the only reason that guy appeared… and I lost everything…”

He was just strong.

Nii wasn’t in the level to face him.

He found himself unable to do anything other than pitifully run away.

“The survivors from our team were me, and… the Mushi of one of my comrades who even now had not regained her consciousness… because of that, the South Central Branch stopped functioning…”

Mumbling in a trembling voice, he touched the laurel wreath.

“That guy intended on burning to ashes anyone who didn’t fit the next battle… he sneered at us, looking at us like mere worms… there was no way we could have beaten that devil…”

The one to continue Nii’s words was, surprisingly, the one standing near the throne, Tamaki.

“—Harukiyo.”

Nii’s body pathetically trembled all over. He threw his axe away, hugging his own body. Just by recalling it, the sensation of the flames and the screams of his comrades was reborn.

“I’m so scared! What’s this next fight…?! Doesn’t that just mean that the next era is one where only strong Mushitsuki survive… If I don’t erase that Mushi quickly, he’ll find me again…”

He tried shaking off not only his fear.

Who was the one who offered “Let’s join the next fight”?

No.

It didn’t matter who said it—as the one who decided so was Nii himself.

His careless lapse in judgment caused him to lost his place.

He held his head, shaking the laurel wreath.

“If it can’t be me, then at least this Mushi… I’m so weak… I couldn’t protect anyone…”

As if repenting, he put his forehead against the floor, leaking sobs.

“I’m weak…”

As he cried like a child, something touched his back.

“If you really are this weak, Kanon will protect you.”

Nii widened his eyes.

“Kanon’s weak, but keeps living while being protected by you all. So if you say you’re weak, Onii-chan, this time Kanon will protect you.”

“…”

He slowly raised his head.

Kanon was smiling. This girl, who would beat anyone in being weak, wore a radiant smile.

“Kanon’s going to save you, so please don’t worry.”

Nii was anxious.

Kanon’s special ability other than erasing Mushi.

That was gathering people around her.

He thought that it was dangerous to be drawing the strong, but—

If Kanon, who was so weak, could smile so radiantly…

Perhaps someone as weak as him could be saved.

He began to think that.

“So we’re all calmed down…? Seriously, though, I was so surprised, compounding abilities is such a broken technique.”

Shachito sighed as he lowered his hockey stick.

“It’s not compounding, it’s combination… anyone wearing this gathers the ability of all Mushitsuki in touch with them, gaining the right to command those abilities.”

Nii groaned painfully as he grasped the laurel wreath.

“I only know about this from rumors, but I heard that Spear User from the past, and the giant mantis that appeared recently in the North Central Branch’s jurisdiction, were supposed to also be Mushi separated from their hosts… I want to save this one before it becomes like that too…”

Seeing him, Tamaki mumbled.

“…Looks useful.”

3.03 The Others

The lace curtain shook with the salty-smelling wind.

With the window displaying the receding white waves at her back, a girl was playing the piano. The light melody and the salty wind made the twelve-year old girl’s dress flutter.

A white-haired old man was fixated upon the form of the girl playing the piano. His barrel-like body was seated in a legless chair and he seemed unable to tear his eyes away from the girl. An unceasing stream of tears fell from his deeply wrinkled eyes.

The girl finished her performance.

“Ooh…”

A sob leaked from the old man’s throat as if he was unable to bear it any longer.

The girl rose, bowing. She pinched the hem of her dress and approached the man. Grabbing his shaking hand, she calmly snuggled to his shoulder.

“How was my piano, Grandfather?”

“Yes… yes… it’s just the same before you passed away… your piano is the best.”

Obviously. The girl’s performance replicated the image in the man’s mind, after all.

“Thanks.”

The girl smiled, reaching toward the man’s order-made suit. She pulled out of his pocket a black card. On the surface of the card the letter “V” was written.

“So, I’ll be taking this card for Kanon-sama…”

“Yes… yes…”

“Goodbye, Grandfather.”

Kissing the man’s forehead, the girl detached. She walked toward the entrance.

“Are you leaving already…?”

“I must be by Kanon-sama’s side.”

Turning back, she grinned.

“If you believe in Kanon-sama, we can meet again.”

“Understood… right, yes.”

The old man nodded many times at the girl’s words. His hunched form watching over the world had none of his dignity as one of the country’s leading billionaires.

Leaving her grandfather behind, the granddaughter left the room. She casually flung the card in air.

As the card spun midair, the moment before it fell down—

“Hmph.”

It landed in a wrinkled man’s hand. Dressed in a formal, order-made suit, he shook his barrel-like body as he walked.

“…A guest?”

An overly thin middle-aged woman waited in the end of the corridor.

The old man replied to his secretary.

“No.”

“I heard some voices…”

“Mumbling in my sleep, most likely. I’ve been dreaming. …About my cute granddaughter who died in an accident.”

The man raised the corners of his mouth. He ordered the puzzled secretary.

“Put money into that account; you know the one.”

“Again? The other day you also put in quite a lot…”

“It is my freedom to choose what I do with my money. Anything else?”

“…A visitor is waiting for you.”

His secretary’s looked further into the corridor.

Standing there were two women with a large height difference. One was a girl in a dress with red, drunken cheeks. Standing next to her was a beautiful woman in a suit holding a teddy bear.

“Aren’t you acting a bit too luxurious for your age? Yahah.”

The Akasegawa Group Chairman, Akasegawa Nanana and her secretary.

He ignored her and tried passing by. However, Nanana followed him.

“Lately you’ve been having fun making some extravagant spending. As a representative of those who are worried about you, I, the newcomer, have come to check on you.”

“I too have only a few years to live. If I leave any money, the country will take it.”

“Oh my, words I wouldn’t have expected from someone who was in the Round Table for so long. I wonder what kind of beautiful woman you have been spoiling.”

“Don’t mind me, Akasegawa.”

Hastening his steps following after him, Nanana gave up. “Yahah,” she laughed and spoke at his back.

“…Don’t forget that I supervise all money flowing through this country.”

He grinned at her, then mumbled.

“I do know it.”

That was why Akasegawa Nanana’s eyes would be doing their best to follow the flow of money.

If she did that, she wouldn’t have the leisure to look after Mushibane—

While walking through the corridor, the man chuckled to himself.

Countless lights were hanging from the ceiling and there were countless cameras on the floor.

The improvised spectator seats were open to the general public, so many viewers gathered there. There were possibly some people meant to rouse the mood among them, prepared in advance by the show’s staff.

Meanwhile, entertainers known throughout the country were gathered around the semicircular long table on stage. An industry veteran and a news announcer served as the MCs, gathering idols, actors, performers and other famous people.

The large monitor installed behind the table displayed the title of the program in big letters.

“Live Debate! Do supernatural phenomena truly exist?!”

The studio, overflowing with laughter and loud voices in the live broadcast just a few moments ago, was now frozen as if time itself stopped.

“…Eh?”

The host asked back with a stupid-sounding voice.

The teenage idol sitting at the edge of the table spoke in a light tone while playing with her hair.

“I mean, like, shouldn’t we talk about Mushi rather than aliens and such? You know about them, everyone, right? These people eat people’s dreams, and there’s even a secret organization that captures and conceals them. They’re called something like the Special Environmental Preservation Bureau. SEPB for short. I heard they’re using Mushitsuki to capture Mushitsuki.”

The studio turned quiet. Never mind those performers whose job was to speak, even the spectators of the audience were completely speechless.

“Ah! Maybe Mushi are aliens, actually! That’d be really funny! Kyahaha!”

“—Well, our conversation suddenly strayed off, so let’s go on commercial break.”

The announcer bowed his head, and the director ordered a commercial break.

“Sowwy, I’m gonna go touch up on my makeup for a bit.”

The idol girl left her seat, leaping over the table and ran away inside the studio. She shook off the confounded staff and the makeup artists trying to stop her, leaping outside the studio.

She existed to the corridor, rushed down a floor and entered the women toilet.

The furthest door was closed. As she knocked there, she heard it unlock.

“…I just have to pretend I don’t know anything, right?”

Inside the toilet was a girl with an identical face to the idol’s. She smiled.

“Yes, please.”

“So, please let me have it one more last time…”

“Sure.”

Being entreated by the identical girl, she closed the toilet door.

Without even waiting a few seconds, she soon opened the door again.

By that time, she—turned into a he. It was a young actor with a handsome face.

“Ah…!”

The idol girl leapt into his chest.

“Please, tell me you love me! You’ll always love me, right!”

“I love you. Forever and ever…”

He smiled, gently caressing the idol’s hair.

“I’m so happy!”

“You might face tough times from now on, but you’ll do your best, right?”

“Yes, I will…”

“Well then.”

The man smiled and detached from the girl. He hurriedly went out of the women toilet, wearing a hat to hide his face.

He passed many boys and girls as if they were switching places with him. All of them were carrying large enough bags to be holding long coats and goggles within. He confirmed with a glance that they all rushed into the women toilet.

“She has so many fans… you’ll take quite a while to clean up all that, dear SEPB.”

Smiling, the man removed his hat.

Within a space surrounded by thick metal walls all around, a man was smiling while receiving a full body check from the guards.

“I don’t want to take along a person who’s not even part of the Round Table, if possible.”

He had a slim, lean figure and thin hair, wearing glasses with a platinum-made rim; perhaps he could be described as a scholar. While a metal sensor was being passed over his body by the security, he presented the card with the written numeral “V” on it.

“Your master trusts me so he gave me this member certificate.”

“Although it is a mere certificate, it’s part of the Chairman’s property. Protecting that is a secretary’s job.”

A middle-aged woman undergoing the same body check said bluntly.

“Truly a model secretary.”

“Enough with idle compliments.”

Approval came from the guards. A large electronic lock with the radius of about two meters opened with an electronic tone.

Behind it was a narrow corridor with its walls full of drawers. Each one had a panel for inserting PIN numbers in it.

They were in the safe deposit box used by the country’s prominent banks.

The bespectacled man stood next to the secretary, advancing through the corridor.

“Has the Chairman truly left this card to you?”

“I have a handwritten document from him, do you want to confirm it?”

The bespectacled man shrugged, but the secretary’s dubious gaze didn’t change.

“…Who are you doubting here, me? Or your employer?”

“The Chairman has undergone some changes. He was always so strong, and yet he became weak as if it was all a lie…”

“So it really was a lie. His current form is the real him, and he was just pretending to be strong until now.”

“Even when his granddaughter died, he showed not a single tear… and now he often speaks of her…”

“Isn’t he seeing delusions? He concealed the first shock, but his imagination reopened his wounds.”

The man grinned.

The secretary grimaced at his arrogant behavior. Averting her eyes, she moved to another topic.

“What are we looking for?”

“The secret of the birth of Mushi.”

“…!”

“—Or simply a clue or a hint about it, I should say.”

As the secretary raised a brow, the bespectacled man shrugged again.

“These are the records of past Round Table members’ fees. There’s no doubt that it also contains information regarding Alpha…”

“Alpha?”

“Oh, no, never mind. Anyway, ever since I also entered the Round Table, I’ve been curious about Alpha. However, I was simply unable to gain the key here.”

“That key is…”

“Yes, it’s the member cards ranging from ‘I’ to ‘V’.”

The man showed the member certificate of the number V to the woman.

“—And then, the second one you need is one of the newcomer cards, up to XII.”

He grinned. The man showed another member certificate. A card with the letters “XI” on it overlapped with the “V” card.

“Your master’s and my certificate card. We have finally assembled the key.”

“…Isn’t it dangerous? Even someone like me knows the SEPB can’t stay silent about getting involved with Mushi.”

“Right now the SEPB’s too busy for that. There was apparently an uproar related to TV.”

“You’re very well-informed.”

“Your master told me about it. —Actually, he was the one who just told me about the key, too.”

“…I did not know you and the Chairman were that close.”

“Not too much. Haven’t you said it too? Your master has been acting strangely recently.”

The man and the secretary went through the corridor, exiting to a wide room. It was something like a VIP room that held especially important items even within this safety deposit box.

“Now, stop doubting me. Let us look for the right number.”

“…Right.”

They soon found the shelf they wanted.

The special shelf at the center of the room seemed to be it. It was much larger than others and had nothing like an electronic lock, number verification or fingertips reader, but only two thin slots.

“Alright, now we just need to put the two member cards inside at the same time.”

The bespectacled man held the member cards and was about to insert them. The secretary asked from the side.

“Why are you trying to expose this secret?”

“Because it’s the Round Table’s secret? Think about it, this allows me to grasp the weakness of all the Round Table’s members. Is there anything as attractive in the world?”

“…”

“Now, it’s time to see what it is.”

It happened the literal moment after the man inserted the card.

Golden light burst and a violent electrical discharge assaulted the entire safe. Plasma was emitted from all shelves, binding together, forming behind the bespectacled man into a human figure.

It was a beautiful, nude girl in command of butterflies—

There was no other way to express it. Appearing together with the electrical discharge was a teen girl with a silhouette made from bursting plasma. There were heart marks on the surface of her body and the wings of the shining butterflies were adorned with the letter “C”.

“Wha—”

The glasses man and the secretary tried retreating, shocked.

“What the hell is that…!”

“Confirmed individuals trying to interfere with first-class secret item. Scanning said persons—”

Floating in the air with a vacant gaze, the golden girl opened her mouth. Her digital-like voice mixed with noise echoed in the vault.

“Fingerprints, voiceprints, veins, internal electrons, none clear. Concluding this is not Mister Ichinokuro—”

The bespectacled man widened his eyes.

“Ichinokuro… THE Ichinokuro?! Meaning, he’s the only one who can access it?!”

“No other person than Ichinokuro is allowed interfering with present item. Activating trap program.”

“I-I heard nothing about this! Ichinokuro, you bastard, don’t tell me—”

Cussing, the bespectacled man hurriedly ran from the spot. He leaping outside the room and entered the corridor.

“…!”

The golden girl vanished from the secretary’s sight.

The glowing lightning instantly surged through the corridor—

“Did he pose as the Chairman and observed the Round Table—”

The man’s voice was erased by a sound like thunder. The bursting electrical surge and sparks filled the corridor and the impact was transmitted all the way to where the secretary was.

“—”

She gulped.

The golden girl gently floated back into the room. She stopped in front of the secretary as if nothing happened.

Swallowing her spit, the secretary looked at the safe deposit box.

The two member cards remained there, still inserted. The secretary slowly reached out to them—

“…!”

The golden girl’s eyes looked at the secretary. She stopped her hands a moment before touching the cards.

Having no choice, she gave up and turned back. The golden girl didn’t go after her.

Exiting the room and into the corridor, she found a black charred mass on the floor. Going over the twitching thing there, she quickly headed toward the exit.

As she exited the safe deposit box, a guard raised his voice to her.

“What about the other one?”

“He’s still looking for something. He’s planning on staying inside for a bit longer.”

Curtly asserting this, she hastened her steps to get out of the place.

The secretary exited the bank, rushed through the crowds, and finally stopped when she reached an empty back alley.

“Hah…! Hah…!”

As she went out of breath, her form changed back to that of a teenage girl.

“That was too close… I knew it was the right call to use that man as sacrifice.”

Wiping her cold sweat, Tamaki let out a huge sigh to calm herself. The fear of knowing she could have died if she made even the smallest mistake crawled all over her skin.

“I thought that if I’d figured out what Mushi were, I’d be able to find a way to erase them… was it really naïve to think I make Kanon’s lies come true like that…? No—”

Although she was still shaking in fear, Tamaki still felt it was a good result.

“I was able to approach a truth that even the Round Table wasn’t aware of… if I continue like this, I’ll definitely find it! Until then… I just need to keep lying.”

More and more believers were worshipping Kanon, and Tamaki was able to get many out of the SEPB and Mushibane.

She had confidence.

“I can… we can do something even more amazing.”

The time was night.

The next full moon was approaching.

At which full moon would Tamaki and Kanon be able to turn their lie into reality?

Thinking this, she felt so elated she couldn’t stay still.

“I need to keep going… the greatest ever seen… for that purpose…”

Mumbling to herself as if singing, Tamaki walked through the back alley.

3.04 Kanon Part 6

The two childhood friends reunited on the day of the full moon.

Thinking back, that was when Kanon’s lie started taking a life of its own.

On the second full moon, their comrades became friends.

Thinking back, that was also because they all believed Kanon’s lies.

And now—

The third full moon came.

“Kanon-sama!”

“Kanon-sama!”

On top of the ruins of the old desecrated building there was a ritual altar. Kanon, who climbed there with awkward movements, was cheered loudly by the many believers.

The darkness of night enveloped the Abandoned Land and a round moon was floating in the sky.

The Mushitsuki who was to receive salvation this night was already on top of the altar. Clad in ceremonial robes, Ichi already had his Mushi out. He held out a hand and helped Kanon climb to the altar.

As the two faced each other, the believers’ cheers reached their peak.

Kanon waved toward them in response.

“Whenever you’re ready.”

Ichi smiled. Kanon nodded.

All the cheers immediately stopped. Instead, gazes full of zeal stabbed into Kanon.

The moon was floating in the sky.

Just like before, Tamaki couldn’t be seen anywhere.

“…”

Kanon reached out to Ichi.

Ichi wore a calm smile as he stood there. He probably had no doubts whatsoever.

The believers surrounding the altar were the same. All of them had faith, were invited there by the lie, and worked together to protect Kanon.

And so—Kanon, too, wanted to believe that lie.

And in Tamaki as well.

She would definitely come to the rescue again. Without a doubt, she would work to make Kanon’s lie a reality.

This place, once called the Abandoned Land, transformed into paradise.

Everyone believed in Kanon and were thus able to live for the future.

And—

Tonight too, lie would become truth.

“—”

A soundless cheer rose around the altar.

Ichi’s Mushi was vanishing as if melting into thin air. The Mushi’s body floated in air, overlapping with the shining moon, and was gone.

“Ooh…! Oooh…!”

As the Mushi fully vanished, Ichi’s face was filled with happiness. He tried straining himself and making movements as if to summon his Mushi—

“Whooooah! There’s no Mushi! Kanon-sama erased my Mushi!”

He yelled toward the believers gathered down the altar with a jubilant expression.

There was a large cheer.

They were all so happy they couldn’t stand still. Ichi ran down the building’s debris, nearly stumbling and falling, and dove into the crowd. The believers who caught him and Ichi who was being mobbed by them all looked happy.

Someone also climbed the altar and approached Kanon.

It was Nii.

As usual, he wasn’t wearing any robe, but his expression looked softer than before.

“It’s your turn next, Onii-chan.”

“Yeah. So, until then… can I leave this to you?”

Saying this, Nii put something on Kanon’s head.

“Just in case something happens to me. It doesn’t affect anyone who’s not a Mushitsuki, so it’s fine for you to wear it.”

The laurel wreath.

It looked like leaves tied together, but it was much warmer than expected. A sweet scent and a faint heartbeat could be felt from it.

“Looks good on you.”

Pointing at Kanon with both hands, Nii smiled. Perhaps he originally used to have this bright personality.

Kanon shook a head toward the sounds of cheering that seemed like they’d never stop.

No one in this crowd was suffering. There were no lonely people, and no one shaking in fear.

During the last full moon, Kanon felt guilty for tricking them.

But it was different now.

They were saved by the lie.

The people who believed and protected Kanon were saved.

“I’ll be counting on you next.”

“…Yes!”

Kanon nodded at Nii energetically.

The day after the full moon.

With sleepy eyes, Kanon exited the bedroom at the Castle’s top floor. Fighting with the robe’s buttons while going down the stairs, Kanon climbed on top of the large hall’s throne.

“Good morning, Kanon-sama.”

“Kanon-sama, here’s breakfast.”

The robed believers held a hot cake on a platter. All of the followers greeting Kanon looked happy.

Despite it not being their turn, everyone was happy at Ichi’s salvation.

That fact made Kanon unbearably happy. Living at the same place, eating the same things, they shared all emotions.

Wasn’t that exactly the “family” Kanon admired?

Gaining comrades, becoming friends, and finally gaining a family—

“Morning, Kanon.”

While Kanon nibbled on the cake, Tamaki appeared. That older childhood friend was looking especially pretty as of late. If there was anything to complain about, she would probably look better with short hair, but upon being told that she’d obstinately shake her head, so there was nothing to be done about it.

“Good morning, Tama-chan.”

“Have you slept well?”

“Yes. How about you?”

“I’m exhausted. I’m glad you had it easy.”

Exchanging morning greetings, they smiled at each other.

“By the way, umm… what exactly have you done last night?”

“Hehe, it’s a secret.”

Bringing their faces closer together and whispering secretively, was like usual. Perhaps to the believers around it would look like they kissed.

Even if they did, it was fine.

After all, Kanon probably trusted Tamaki the most of everyone, and liked her very much.

And Tamaki probably reciprocated those feelings as well.

That was also their secret.

Just one among many.

“What about Ichi-san?”

“Oh, about that…”

Tamaki’s expression clouded over.

“Ichi left this morning.”

“Eh?”

“Actually, I made yesterday happen with Ichi’s cooperation, so we thought that if he stayed here some holes in the story might come out… he also said that no one would find it strange if he was gone, since he’s not a Mushitsuki anymore.”

“N-no way…”

Although it was Tamaki saying this, Kanon couldn’t readily believe it. Since Ichi said he’d stay at Kanon’s side even if he wasn’t a Mushitsuki, him leaving without even announcing anything—

Tamaki looked pained as well. She gently petted Kanon’s head.

“He probably thought it’d be too painful to say goodbye if he saw you, Kanon.”

“B-but…”

“He was thinking of you. As his friend, you ought to be happy for him… right?”

A friend.

Right, the first person who called himself Kanon’s friend was Ichi.

Just like Tamaki said, he vanished exactly because he was a friend.

“Right…”

Kanon nodded.

“Umm, Kanon forgot the wreath back in the room, so Kanon’s going back.”

Wearing up a forced smile, Kanon rose from the throne.

“Cheer up, Kanon.”

Tamaki tried a vain consolation.

With the door closed behind, Kanon bit back the sadness.

“…You told me you’d stay with me.”

Mumbling, this voice leaked unconsciously. Kanon had to reject those words.

Ichi’s action was made out of friendship.

And—it wasn’t a betrayal.

Ichi didn’t want Kanon to get depressed, and didn’t want his actions to be for naught.

“Ichi-san’s gone away for Kanon’s sake. So Kanon also has to…”

“—If you really think so, you really live quite the sweet life.”

Suddenly, a voice came from behind.

Twitching and looking back, Kanon saw two girls standing in front of the open window.

One had bangs hiding her eyes and wore a white coat. And the other was a petite girl with glasses. Neither one was familiar.

“W-who are you…?”

“Nice to meet you, Kanon-sama.”

Speaking with a tone dripping with cynicism, the bespectacled girl threw something at Kanon.

“Here is a token of our newfound friendship. If you put it on your head, you’ll be able to see a video.”

Kanon received large goggles. Other than the lenses there were many mechanical parts on it and it was quite heavy.

“You’ll find out where the guy you call Ichi has gone to.”

“Eh?”

Kanon looked from the faces of the sudden intruders to the goggles and back.

She apparently didn’t intend to speak any longer. She raised her chin as if to tell Kanon to wear it already, not revealing who she was.

“…”

Not having any choice, Kanon awkwardly put on the goggles. Obviously, finding out where Ichi went was immensely interesting.

After putting it on, a video began to play on the lenses’ surface.

The place was apparently the Abandoned Land at night. The buildings around were familiar.

Two people faced each other, discussing something. Who were they? Just as Kanon thought this, the video zoomed in and revealed the answer.

They were Tamaki and Ichi.

“My pawn filmed this last night. Before your salvation nonsense began.”

There was no audio. However, Kanon could see Ichi bringing out his Mushi angrily.

“—Eh.”

This voice leaked out unconsciously.

Tamaki became a different person.

And—

“—”

A sharp pain ran through Kanon’s heart.

In the footage, Tamaki transformed into an unknown Mushitsuki, and used their ability—

To kill Ichi’s Mushi.

And then, looking happily at Ichi’s collapsed form as she turned around…

“Ah, ah—”

She became Ichi.

Leaving the Fallen Ichi behind, Ichi who wasn’t Ichi walked outside the footage as if nothing happened—

“Aaaaah—”

Knees shaking and powerless, Kanon fell backwards.

The Ichi that Kanon faced on the altar last night—

Wasn’t Ichi at all.

It was Kanon’s childhood friend pretending to be Ichi—

“T-this is definitely a lie—”

“Not a lie at all.”

The video ended. The lenses became transparent again, reflecting the form of the bespectacled girl standing at the window.

“Unlike the things you’ve been doing.”

Kanon’s head shook.

No.

This lie was meant to save people.

Tamaki was trustworthy; she was the kind childhood friend who always saved Kanon.

Therefore, it couldn’t be the truth.

It had to be a lie.

That lie—was the kind of lie that should never be told.

“If this is just a game for you, you should stop it here. If this becomes any bigger, when the SEPB finds you, they’ll arrest the lot of you at once. …Such boring lies only serve to create further victims.”

Asserting this calmly, the bespectacled girl took back the goggles from Kanon. Along with the girl who was seemingly her comrade, she threw her body out of the window.

Even forgetting to see them off—

“AAAaaaAAAaahh…”

Along with a groan, Kanon’s forehead bumped against the floor.

4.00 The Others

The boy violently washed his face in his bathroom’s sink using both hands.

“…”

Raising his face, he saw his wild dog-like eyes reflected in the mirror. Rubbing the towel over his face, he next took the piercing left nearby and put it on one ear. Rubbing hair wax all over his hands, he set his hair backwards.

Exiting the bathroom, he wore the hoodie he took out of the closet. Without even turning back to the silent room, he exited.

Walking through the corridor, he could hear robed boys and girls conversing.

“We gotta finish up demolishing the northern area today.”

“I’m sure Kanon-sama’ll be happy if we finish it according to schedule.”

The boy kept walking, expressionlessly, and rode the elevator. He also heard a few boys talking inside.

“Kanon-sama listened to me yesterday. She told me that if I have any food, I’m welcome to come and share it with her.”

“Seriously? What did you talk about?”

“I told her about the time I became a Mushitsuki. Since she asked me so earnestly, I just ended up ranting, though. I wonder if she’s mad.”

“Me too. She listened to me and always greeted me the several weeks after. She remembered my story… I was so happy.”

“…”

The boys riding the elevator with him all wore casual clothes. He put on his hood at a corner of the elevator, hiding himself, and they didn’t seem to notice him at all.

The elevator reached the first floor.

The remodeled love hotel Castle’s main hall appeared in front of him. Taking away all unneeded facilities, the now empty space had a carpet laid on it. An extravagant throne was left on the top of the large stairway, waiting for its master.

“…”

Standing in the main hall, he looked up the ceiling that had an atrium.

The figures of believers were displayed on the monitors hanging from the walls and around the chandelier. They finally installed electricity, so the security cameras all around the Abandoned Land were now active.

“Kanon-sama’s going to wake up soon. How’s breakfast going?”

“Done. Since this morning it’s her favorite hot cake, she’s sure to be happy.”

“Hey, you. If you’ve got nothing to do, go wake up Kanon-sama.”

Being called by a robe-wearing boy, he turned around. He gazed at the boy with a hunched back.

“—Sorry, dude, but I’m in charge of demolition work at the northern area today. I gotta hurry.”

“What? It’s way past the start time, hurry along.”

“I know. By the way, do you know where Nii is?”

As he asked in a low voice, the robed boy tilted his head.

“Are you a newcomer? Never seen your face.”

“I know all about you, Hachijuusan.”

He smiled while casting his gaze down. The robed boy thought a bit and frowned.

“Ah, now that I think about it, I have the feeling I’ve seen you before. —Anyway, I saw Nii outside.”

“Thanks.”

Putting both hands in his hoodie’s pockets, he tried exiting the Castle.

However, he soon stopped. He spoke without turning back.

“Say, Hachijuusan.”

“Hmm?”

“Your dream is succeeding your parents as a veterinarian, right? Well, you said you gave up on it ‘cause you failed your exam and even became a Mushitsuki, though.”

“…Why do you know about it? Have I ever spoken to you before?”

Staying hunched, the boy smiled within his hoodie.

“It’s fine. You might’ve lost your confidence a bit, but the people around you know a good person. You can just take your time. You’re kind, so you’re bound to become a good veterinarian.”

“…”

“I wanna have a Yorkshire terrier someday. And if it ever gets hurt… I’ll definitely bring it to you.”

There was no answer.

Had he said nothing because he’d already gone somewhere? Or so the boy thought, but there was finally a voice behind him.

“…Oh, really?”

After his somewhat absent-minded reply, he kept going with a voice full of tears.

“Then I can’t help it… even if I thought to save my first appointment for Kanon-sama.”

The boy kept walking. He walked to the exit of the Castle. Weaving through the door that before this was just an automatic door, he exited to the outside.

A dusty wind welcomed him.

In just a short time, the scenery of the Abandoned Land viewed from the Castle changed completely.

The buildings around were all demolished and the land had been made flat. Rows of houses were destroyed and mountain of ruins and cables piled up a few dozen meters tall.

Another tall building had been rebuilt, becoming the believers’ living quarters. They now swelled to several hundreds, so the mansion gathering them that still had some space remaining in it was in the center of the Abandoned Land. The only buildings that remained scattered here and there were a karaoke and a playground, a gym and the like; all sorts of recreational facilities.

Kanon and the believers finally gained the entirety of the Abandoned Land.

With great amounts of money that came from who knew where they bought the entire of this vast land. Everything around the area belonged to the person called Kanon.

“…”

He saw an old car parked near the Castle. The believers fixed up this car that was left in the Abandoned Land and used it for shopping.

There was a boy yawning and leaning on that car.

It was Nii.

Although he’d once belonged to the SEPB, he’d lost all of his comrades while fighting against a single Mushitsuki. Although he was usually withdrawn, just the other day he gave his comrade’s Mushi to Kanon, and looked as if he took off a bit of the load off his shoulders. Recently he began helping the cleaning of the Abandoned Land along with the other believers.

“Can you drive that?”

The boy approached Nii, pointing at the car.

“…Hmm?”

“Here, get in the driver’s seat.”

Pushing Nii aside, the boy entered the passenger seat.

The boy smiled through the window as Nii raised his brow.

“Let’s go, Nii.”

“Who are you?”

“Hurry. It’s an order.”

Removing his hoodie, the boy looked up at Nii’s face. Nii gasped.

“…! You…!”

“Nii.”

He added, and, although Nii was puzzled, he got in the car. Closing the door, he started the engine.

“Hurry up. Push the gas. Let’s get out of the Abandoned Land.”

Nii obeyed the boy’s words. Stepping on the gas, the car they were riding rushed through the center of the Abandoned Land.

The scenery of the Abandoned Land seen through the passenger seat—looked, ironically, full of hope.

Despite it being early morning, the many believers were working on the Abandoned Land. All of their faces were filled with strength and many wore bright smiles.

Smiles.

Those who once gathered there with the same kind of despair, became able to smile at their one and only thread of hope.

People sharing the same pain and living with the same hope in their chests were brought together.

In this land, no one threatened them.

Once called the Abandoned Land, it was becoming a paradise for Mushitsuki.

“What does this mean? What’s the deal with your getup…?”

Nii, holding the wheel, was staring at the boy’s face.

He smiled. He spoke not with his fake low voice, but his original tone.

“I wasn’t trying to deceive you or anything like that.”

Right, he had no desire to deceive them.

Regarding this matter alone, he told no lie.

They all just misunderstood this on their own.

“—Kanon doesn’t remember ever saying Kanon was a girl.”

The boy sitting in the passenger seat—Kanon—returned Nii’s gaze.

“It’ll definitely be your turn next, Onii-chan.”

“What?”

Kanon’s clenched fist on his knees were shaking.

He couldn’t properly look at the faces of the believers smiling all over the Abandoned Land.

The hope they all believed in didn’t exist anywhere—

He knew that, and yet thought it was fine as long as they were happy.

However, that now came to an end.

“—Let us run away.”

Casting down his gaze, Kanon spoke in a shaky voice.

The false paradise streaming by the window looked very scary to his eyes.

“If we stay here, Tama-chan’s lie will get everyone killed.”

Kanon’s small, simple lie.

It no longer belonged to him.

4.01 Tamaki Part 7

There were no people around the harbor.

Stagnant air, fully rusted containers and warehouses, as well as cracked asphalt that grew wild weeds. That desolate scenery resembled how the Abandoned Land had been not long ago.

The chains blocking the entrance to the harbor shook faintly. Marks shaped like fallen leaves appeared noiselessly on the surface of sand brought by the salty wind.

The fallen leaves passed the entrance, slowly being engraved inside the harbor as if sliding ahead. Those marks—the silent footsteps—directly climbed one of the warehouse walls, stopping entirely on the roof.

“…”

The space above the roof, until now empty, was torn in two. A seagull that landed nearby was startled and flew off.

Two slender arms peeked from within the ripped space. Putting her hands on the edges, a girl with long, black hair came crawling out. She calmly clung to the roof, and a grotesque monster resembling a weevil appeared. The Mushi that had swallowed the girl and brought her there now vanished again.

“Hmm, so that thing’s the guard?”

The moment she mumbled this, the girl’s black hair changed to short hair and her face changed. Tamaki transformed into a Mushitsuki suitable for stealthy movements—Sugitsu Matsuri—and her eyes captured a single person.

A boy sat on a folding chair, fishing at the harbor. From a glance he didn’t look like a student from a nearby village who came to kill some time.

However, Tamaki was looking at the warehouse behind the boy.

It looked the same like the other dirty warehouses, but looking more closely there were something suspicious. The water tank next to the warehouse was brand new; it was obviously installed lately. There was barely any sand piled at the entrance to the warehouse, evidence that people used to frequently come in and out.

On top of another roof, Tamaki was grinning.

“So that means Alpha’s hidden there.”

The primal Mushitsuki, Alpha.

He was the first person to become host to a Mushi—the first person who became a Mushitsuki. He’d been hidden by the Round Table for more than a decade, and Mushibane managed to obtain him with Nanana’s cooperation.

Alpha went back to sleep and had yet to wake up. It was said that he was connected to life support provided by Akasegawa Nanana.

Tamaki grasped this information because she’d scouted a lot, just like today.

“Something about that guard feels weird. Might be dangerous to just attack carelessly.”

The boy lowering his fishing line on the breakwater was full of openings. However, looking at his back Tamaki felt something was amiss. In situations like this, powerful Mushitsuki often have already activated some kind of ability.

“Since he’d been positioned to guard over Alpha, he’s definitely not your average Mushitsuki. Oh, how scary.”

Despite her words, Tamaki chuckled and showed a confident grin.

The courage to leap alone into a dangerous zone and the power of insight to be able to tell her enemy’s powers at a glance. Right now Tamaki was aware not only of these abilities, but also of her having honed all her senses.

She felt thrilled risking her life.

Every time she got into a predicament and escaped it by the skin of her teeth.

She could feel her abilities blossoming within her with frightful speed.

“Maybe I should try poking him a bit. I want to show off my abilities just a little bit. Hmm…”

The ability to transform into a person taken from a touched person’s memories. In the past Tamaki had used this ability to gain the information of Mushitsuki with powerful combat strength.

But no matter how powerful of a Mushitsuki she transformed into, it didn’t matter in the face of truly powerful opponents. She learned this lesson when she’d infiltrated the SEPB’s Central Headquarters. She was simply saved because her opponent at the time was also a fake.

Gaining this valuable experience, Tamaki came to know.

Her ability wasn’t meant for pure strength.

Tamaki’s greatest strength was her being able to transform into any and all Mushitsuki. By choosing to transform not simply into powerful Mushitsuki but those with advantageous abilities, like a game or rock-paper-scissors, Tamaki could become stronger than anyone.

When she woke up to this fact, Tamaki underwent immense growth as a Mushitsuki.

There was no opponent Tamaki couldn’t win against.

There was no opponent she couldn’t deceive.

Convinced of this, Tamaki resolved to move to the next step.

“Alpha… the one and only clue to the reason for the birth of Mushi.”

Tiring of glaring at the fisherman guard, Tamaki moved her gaze to the warehouse.

She mumbled.

“If I figure out the mystery of how Mushi were born, I might find out a real way to erase Mushi—”

What were Mushi?

If she solved this mystery, she might figure out a way to cut off their very existence—

“Geez—turning Kanon’s lie into a reality sure isn’t easy.”

While staring at the warehouse hiding Alpha, Tamaki grinned.

The moment she truly gained a way to erase Mushi, her childhood friend’s lie would become reality. Not just bad acting or illusions—not even the cheap trick of stealthily turning one comrade into a Fallen and masquerading as them.

Kanon’s lie called forth many Mushitsuki.

Even the desolate place called the Abandoned Land turned into a paradise.

Being revered like a God, Kanon-sama even now gathered more followers.

On top of that—if Kanon’s lie became true, what would happen then?

Just thinking about it made her incredibly excited. The thrill of wondering what would happen and the paradigm shift of making a lie come true set her heart aflutter.

Tamaki and Kanon’s lie would change the world—

She was convinced of this.

“SEPB, Mushibane, and even the Round Table, many Mushitsuki and people fought, finally reaching the hint of Alpha…”

On top of gathering information regarding Alpha, Tamaki had naturally gathered information that allowed her to reach that far.

Until now many Mushitsuki fought, were hurt, and died. Those who survived and overcame their dreams and death throes, finally reached toward Alpha.

The one who grasped it was Anmoto Shiika.

She was the Mushitsuki who once nearly destroyed the SEPB, became a Fallen and yet came back. Called either Fuyuhotaru or Snow Fly, the girl walked a heroic path, carrying many things on her back.

However—none of that had anything to do with Tamaki.

“I don’t care at all about any Mushitsuki that live now or those who died before. This hint called Alpha… belongs to us.”

In order to allow a single lie to change the world—

Chuckling to herself in her heart, Tamaki returned looking at the fisherman.

“Oh, he’s actually caught something even in this place?”

While she herself aimed for Alpha, the fisherman also seemed to have a big catch of his own. The line was tilting heavily toward the water.

Tamaki frowned. Unlike the fact the line was moving so violently, the fisherman made no move at all.

“What’re you doing? You have to pull—”

As she tried to say it, she gasped.

The fisherman’s neck rotated 180 degrees, looking at her. The fisherman’s face that she saw for the first time had a grainy texture, and its mouth twitched as it moved with hinges.

“A puppet…!”

It wasn’t a fisherman at all.

It was a dummy meant to fish out intruders—

Tamaki moved the moment she understood this.

Her short hair transformed to long, black hair, and the moment after this—

Bam! Along with this impact sound, a figure casually landed on top of the roof. It was a girl who wore a black and white apron dress—what was commonly called a maid.

It wasn’t just a girl. Her white skin was made of inorganic material, and her golden glinting eyes were transparent like camera lenses.

“…”

The maid girl moved her seamed neck. She looked around the rooftops.

However, there was no one other than the puppet on the roof.

“I see, so it’s an ability that allows you to plant your Mushi inside a puppet to control it.”

Next to the maid puppet, Tamaki breathed. Transforming into Sugitsu Matsuri—known as Halensis within Mushibane—she hid inside the body of her weevil Mushi. Sugitsu Aya’s Mushi could swallow anything and isolate its very presence from the outside world. The weevil itself was almost nonexistent as it used camouflage to erase itself.

“I’ll just retreat for now.”

The inside of the weevil was vast, making her feel like she was floating in water. As the Mushi folded its legs and allowed Tamaki to view the outside like through a magic mirror, she saw that the puppet was pulling someone onto the roof.

“—Is this the user? Maybe I should finish him off, then.”

In front of the grinning Tamaki, a boy wearing glasses was looking around the rooftop. His lean body and wrinkles between the brows gave the impression of him being very highly strung.

He didn’t notice Tamaki despite her being close by. He took out a cellphone.

“…This is my periodical report. My girl found something moving on the roof. Might’ve been just a bird, but when it rushed there, it found nothing. I have a bad feeling about this, this might be an intruder.”

He apparently got in contact with someone from Mushibane. While his attention was on the call, Tamaki took the invisible weevil and moved it further away.

“Should I pretend to be Sugitsu Aya and land a surprise attack…?”

As if he could hear Tamaki’s mumble, the boy spoke.

“I know. I won’t let any Mushibane member inside. I’ve heard about that Mimic person who morphed into Akasegawa and Lady.”

“Ugh.”

That was a close one. Tamaki lowered her weevil from the roof, deciding to retreat.

While she distanced herself from the warehouse, Tamaki giggled. She immediately understood who the boy was talking about.

“So they’re calling me Mimic, huh. Not sure if that’s in good or bad taste.”

Letting her weevil run, she left the harbor.

There was no need to hurry.

They were wary, but Mushibane currently didn’t seem like they were going to move Alpha anywhere else. Perhaps they trusted that puppet-user or had another reason they couldn’t move.

As long as she knew the place, she could try it anytime.

She was the one who gained advantage from time passing.

Even now Kanon’s lie was expanding, calling many comrades—

“The Abandoned Land’s remodeling is also going great.”

The drive inside the weevil was pleasant. She came back home and after piercing through the center of the Abandoned Land, she reached their base, the Castle.

Coming out of the weevil at an empty spot, she lifted Sugitsu Matsuri’s form.

When she was in the Castle, she was just plain old Tamaki. She was neither a Mushitsuki nor the transforming Mimic.

“I’m back.”

Nothing changed from the time when she’d stopped by the family restaurant on her way back to school.

As Tamaki entered the Castle in a natural manner, she expected Kanon to greet her like always.

Welcome back, Tama-chan.

However—

“Tamaki!”

Instead, welcoming her were believers with faces as if they saw the end of the world.

“Oh?”

Startled, Tamaki looked back at their faces. Next she looked up the large stairs of the main hall.

The throne at the top was empty. She couldn’t see her innocent childhood friend who was supposed to always be there.

“It’s almost meal time. Where’s Kanon? Went to the toilet?”

It really was rare for the gluttonous Kanon to miss a meal.

The believers answered the question just as Tamaki asked it.

“Where’s Kanon-sama?”

“So she wasn’t with you, Tamaki?”

“We’ve been looking since morning, but we can’t find her…!”

“Eh?”

Tamaki’s head tilted.

“We can’t find Nii, either!”

“As well as the car we bought…!”

It took a few moments until she understood the meaning of the believers’ words.

“Kanon’s… gone?”

As she unconsciously mumbled this to herself, she came back to her senses. She arranged everything the believers told her in her mind.

Kanon was missing since morning.

Nii was missing, too.

A car also vanished.

These facts all seemed to point at a single possibility—

“No way… did Kanon-sama abandon us?”

These words silenced the entire main hall.

No, they weren’t just silent. The believers wordlessly exchanging gazes were all sickly pale.

Seeing the believers like that, Tamaki felt a chill.

Rather than the disappearance itself, just the fact they hadn’t seen Kanon for a few hours made them wear this face. It was scary.

“W-wait a minute. Maybe Kanon and Nii went for a drive? They’ll be back soon.”

Tamaki feigned calmness, trying to laugh it off with a light tone.

However, all that did—was make an ominous sensation grab hold of Tamaki’s heart.

A chill passed through her spine.

No one was even listening to her. Until just yesterday they all laughed together and made fun of each other, but now the believers’ empty, dead eyes stared at air.

“We’ve been… abandoned by Kanon-sama?”

“Who was it that made Kanon-sama mad?”

“Right… maybe she didn’t want to eat the hot cake this morning…”

“You…”

Unconsciously losing her calm, Tamaki shouted.

“You idiots! Do you actually think Kanon would be gone just because of something so stupid—”

“Stupid…?”

The gazes of the believers all focused on Tamaki.

She almost found herself raising a shriek. She had the confidence to be able to face any kind of Mushitsuki, but now a different sort of fear skewered her heart.

The believers all looked straight at Tamaki with eyes that concealed their anxiety.

“W-wait! Really, wait a minute! Why are you all looking at me like that! Haven’t I also saved you? Actually, rather than Kanon, I was much more—”

“More than Kanon-sama…?”

“What are you… even talking about?”

Tamaki’s words had the opposite effect. Perhaps thinking she made fun of Kanon, the believers’ eyes became severe.

“Ah, n-no… I-I was just lying, obviously… alright?”

Even as Tamaki hurriedly gave excuses, their eyes didn’t change.

Right, she’d completely forgotten. Since Tamaki had done only behind the scenes work, from the believers’ point of view, she was nothing more than Kanon’s childhood friend.

—No.

That wasn’t the issue.

“Kanon would never leave like that without telling me anything! Probably just went to play somewhere.”

It was a miscalculation—no, things have simply progressed much beyond Tamaki’s estimations.

They all gathered, laughed, and huddled together because Kanon was there. Kanon’s lie served to wipe away their fear and anxiety. However—

She never thought it was to this extent.

Who could have imagined that Kanon’s lie grew so large?

The hundreds of Mushitsuki here would only listen to Kanon.

They wouldn’t try to listen to other people’s lies—

“So Kanon-sama’s actually gone…”

“Where’s Kanon-sama?”

“I g-got it! I-I’ll go look for Kanon! I’ll be right back! Ouch! Please, stop it!”

They were just like zombies crawling out of the grave. Until just yesterday these Mushitsuki worked around the Abandoned Land, but now they grabbed Tamaki.

“Please, let me go!”

Shaking off the believers’ arms, Tamaki ran to the elevator. She pounded the button many times.

“I-I’ll bring Kanon right back…”

The followers did not come after her. They fixed their glass ball-like eyes on her until the door closed.

“U-ugh…”

Tamaki slid down to the floor as the elevator rose. She hugged her shaking body with her hands.

Kanon’s influence grew way bigger than Tamaki had anticipated. In a sense she should have been happy it went as she intended it to.

However—

“S-so easily…?”

Within a few hours of Kanon’s disappearance, they all went back to being lumps of despair.

No, they were even worse than they were before—

“Everything ends so easily…?”

It all depended on Kanon.

Without Kanon, the lie created together with Tamaki would easily vanish.

She didn’t fear getting cornered by the believers. Even if they started a rampage, she could just run away.

Tamaki was simply scared of how excessively brittle they were.

What she built with her childhood friend was crumbling due to such a small happening.

“Kanon…!”

Getting off the elevator, she ran around the Castle.

“Kanon! Kanon!”

The kitchen, believers’ rooms, emergency staircase.

She ran around every place, looking for her childhood friend.

“Kanon! Where are you!”

Kanon was gone.

Her childhood friend wasn’t anywhere.

“Kanon!”

At the very end she came to the highest floor, to Kanon’s personal room. She hadn’t come there first was because her mind was quite shocked.

Jumping into the vast room, she soon felt it.

The air was stagnant. Kanon was not here.

“Kanon… where are you…”

Why did you leave? Until now, Kanon spoke to Tamaki about everything, and yet—

Thinking this as she stepped into the room, she noticed the laurel wreath left on the table.

It was the one left by Nii’s comrade. As she approached it and touched it with a finger, she could feel a slight heat and heartbeat.

“…?”

She noticed there was a piece of paper under the wreath. She reached for it and turned it around, then gasped.

Tama-chan, you’ve lied to Kanon. Kanon will not forgive you about Ichi-san.

This was undoubtedly Kanon’s writing. She would never mistake those bad letters that looked like worms.

“Ichi…! But how did…?!”

No one should have known about Ichi. She knew that Kanon would be against it, so she made persistent efforts to make sure there were no people around.

Kanon shouldn’t have noticed that she transformed into Ichi.

So how did—

“Someone snitched on me…!”

She couldn’t think of anything else. She didn’t know how they found out the truth, but someone saw what Tamaki did and told it to Kanon.

When that happened, Nii was taken away—because Kanon realized he was the next in danger.

“Kanon… why—”

She knew it was a sin.

Even Tamaki thought that sacrificing Ichi and hiding it from Kanon was bad.

However, wasn’t it still cruel?

“Everything was going so well… but you were still going to throw everything away for that…?”

Tamaki did everything for her childhood friend.

She protected the lie, gathered more comrades, and even built up a castle.

It wasn’t a small lie like the ones she’d told before.

Tamaki’s lie and Kanon’s lie.

Just when she was ready to test how far the pair’s lie could go—

“…”

Tamaki’s hand grasped the laurel wreath. Kicking the floor, she went to the closet, pulling out the robes made for Kanon.

She flipped—and by the time she wore them, Tamaki transformed into Kanon.

“Our lie is not yet over.”

She put the laurel wreath on her head.

Leaping out of the room, she got into the elevator.

“Our lie isn’t over yet. So it’s fine.”

The elevator headed to the surface.

And the door opened.

“I’m waiting for you… so come back, Kanon.”

Seeing the smiling Tamaki—Kanon—caused a cheer almost loud enough to crack the main hall to erupt.

“Kanon-sama!”

“Where on earth have you been…!”

As the believers all bustled to her and raised their arms to the sky, Tamaki tilted her head.

“What’s wrong, you guys? Kanon was just exploring a bit inside the Castle.”

Everyone’s expressions regained their vitality. Them trying to capture Tamaki before looked nothing more than a passing nightmare.

“By the way, what about breakfast? Kanon’s really hungry.”

When Tamaki who looked like Kanon said this, the believers all looked relieved. Smiling, they said “We’ll go get it ready!” and went away.

“Don’t you want to see how far we can go and make a lie the truth?”

Tamaki mumbled quietly to herself.

The lie raised by Kanon and Tamaki would continue to grow.

One day, it would even end up swallowing the world. The pair’s lie would control the world.

At any rate, there were only two people who knew this lie.

“Have you stopped believing our lie…?”

While climbing the stairs to the throne, Tamaki noticed something.

She had the confidence to continue with the lie.

However, what about the other party?

“The only ones who know the power of this lie is me and… Kanon.”

Turning back, Tamaki sat on the throne. Below her eyes were filled with the people who worshipped Kanon’s face like a god.

The lie would keep on growing.

No one could stop it.

Or perhaps there was a single person who could.

While knowing that, the script for the best possible ending ran through Tamaki’s mind.

“You can’t run away. No matter what you’ll do, you can’t stop it.”

While looking down at the worshipping believers, Tamaki smiled.

“I will show you… just how much power a trifling lie possesses.”

4.02 Kanon Part 7

Buildings he’d never seen before and unfamiliar people.

In an unknown town, Kanon was walking alone.

It was a major city much more developed than the Abandoned Land’s town, and the road with two train lines to each side was filled with exhaust gas. Since he’d gone without food for a while his stomach growled, but he kept passing by fast food places. Right now, Kanon only had some loose change in his pockets.

Aah, I forgot—

While passing by people taller than him, Kanon recalled a certain sensation.

Being by myself is so lonely—

Recently, he always had someone at his side. So Kanon forgot how this felt.

“Ah… sorry.”

While trying to pass by some high schoolers, he accidently bumped his shoulders with one. Glared by the guy who didn’t look nice even as a compliment, he froze.

“S-sorry, sorry…”

Seeing Kanon apologize many times, the boys burst laughing. They snorted and went away.

If these bulky boys surrounded Kanon, he would end up covered in blood in mere moments. Feeling relieved that nothing ended up happening, he resumed walking.

Although he was walking, he had nowhere to walk to.

A few days passed since he’d run away from the Abandoned Land. After that he parted from Nii, and since he had no place to stay in, he kept walking. Even at night he just wandered around. Even if he wanted to lie somewhere, the darkness was too scary so that he couldn’t even sleep.

His stamina was exhausted, his empty stomach gouged into his body, and he feared violence, but he kept walking.

It was the same when Kanon ran away from home.

“So… hungry…”

Dragging along fear and anxiety, he just wandered around town.

And at the root of that was—

“Don’t… really care though…”

Complete apathy, as no one wanted him.

He hated pain. He hated suffering. And he hated being scared the most.

And so—he wanted to just vanish, be gone. Since he was stupid and weak, could do neither good nor bad, life in this world was too hard of a hurdle.

Passing by many people, he could reach out to anyone.

Even so, among them Kanon was the weakest.

“Ah…”

Kanon saw a convenience store stuck in the road. One high school girl chattering in front of the store was about to throw away a half-eaten sandwich.

Seeing her get away from the store, Kanon passed through the traffic light.

“…”

He looked around him at the trashcan many times. Whenever someone entered, he twitched.

As Kanon stared at the trashcan, he gulped.

His meagre pride managed to hold down his instincts for mere moments. When he came to, Kanon opened the trashcan covering and searched for what remained of the sandwich.

“Mm? Hey, what’re you doing.”

An employee came out of the store with cleaning utensils, finding Kanon there. He hurriedly grabbed the sandwich and ran away.

“S-sorry, sorry…”

Kanon ran away unsteadily and listlessly, but the employee didn’t come after him. He kept turning corner after corner, rushing between buildings.

“Hah, hah…”

As he fixed his breath and gazed at his hand, he saw he’d crushed the sandwich. Almost all of the bread fell away and only a bit of garnish and sauce remained.

“…”

Sitting down on the cold asphalt, he reached with his tongue to the sauce-covered hand.

As Kanon lowered his gaze and licked his hand, tears welled up in his eyes.

He was powerless, pathetic, couldn’t even fish in the trash properly… he was a loser.

This overly pathetic figure—was the original form of Kanon. It was obvious it’d turn out this way once he ran away from home.

But it hadn’t.

He was a loser, and yet people who protected him appeared.

“…Tama-chan…”

As Kanon licked his hands while sobbing, the face of his childhood friend rose to mind.

Tamaki was kind, beautiful, and could do anything. He was proud of his friend.

“Everyone…”

The faces of the Mushitsuki that adored Kanon and that he relied on appeared in his mind.

Even now he could perfectly recall their faces. He listened to all of them and came to know their circumstances—he knew all of their dreams.

“I wonder how they’re doing…”

The lifestyle he had ever since reuniting with Tamaki was heaven on earth.

He had food, clothes, and a bed.

Above all else, Kanon had people to look at him and talk at him.

He knew these were too much for him—but he still wanted to return.

However—

“…I’m sorry… I’m sorry…”

Tears fell on his hand.

He could no longer go back.

He’d run away from the Abandoned Land because he was angry with Tamaki

One of the friends who sought salvation and admired him had been turned into a Fallen—

He would never forgive her for that, and more importantly, he wouldn’t forgive Tamaki for lying to him.

“I’m sorry… Tama-chan… this is…”

However, he noticed that this was an unreasonable grudge.

The one who did this to Tamaki was Kanon.

Kanon’s lie made Tamaki do irreversible things. She had offered up Ichi as a tribute in order to protect Kanon’s lie.

Everything was for Kanon’s sake—

Everything in that paradise was for him.

That was why Kanon’s lie was a good thing for them, and he misunderstood that his lie saved them.

“All because of Kanon’s lie… Kanon’s so sorry…”

Kanon’s lie led his important person astray.

He finally noticed this.

So he couldn’t go back.

He possessed neither the courage to expose those lies nor the resolve to accept their revenge, so the cowardly Kanon just kept running away.

Kanon was truly hopeless—the worst of the worst.

“Hey? You over there, are you fine?”

Unexpectedly being called, Kanon raised his face. A suited man peeked into the road within the buildings.

“Are you hurt…?”

He was probably just an office worker on the way home. Seeing Kanon’s dirty clothes as he absently raised his face, the man was taken aback.

The man stared at Kanon’s face as he wordlessly shook his head.

“…”

Just as he was puzzled about it, the kind-looking man wore a bizarre smile.

“Did you run away from home? Got any place to stay?”

Kanon shook his head again.

“If you’d like, you… would you come to my place? You’re hungry, right? I have some delicious—”

As the man sidled up to him, Kanon gasped. Knowing the meaning of the man’s smile, he jumped away as if running.

“Kanon’s sorry, sorry!”

He ran away from the big road as far as his stamina allowed.

He reached an unfamiliar residential district. As loitered about, he found a small park.

Still out of breath, Kanon ran to the water tap and wet his parched throat.

“—Cough!”

Feeling too fatigued and drowsy, he nearly lost consciousness while drinking water. He coughed and bumped his head against the tap.

“U-ugh…”

Slowly leaning on the water tap, he looked at the small park. He felt some pain and the hand he put on his forehead had some red on it.

The small park right in the middle of the residential district brought some nostalgia.

Most people wouldn’t even look at such a small park that only had a sandbox and a single slide in it. Students heading home after school or parents going back home just passed by the park.

“—”

He recalled.

When he was young, he used to play with Tamaki in exactly such a park.

What conversations did these two children who didn’t want to get back home have? What have they played? He dug out the memories from his fuzzy brain.

“…”

Kanon rose up, reaching for the twisted faucet.

Scooping up a bit of water, he spread it on the dry sand. He came back to the water and took a handful again, wetting the sandbox again.

Next, he sat down in the sandbox and started piling up the sand.

—What’re you making?

—A castle. Will you help me?

Seeing as he didn’t go to any kindergarten at the time and had no interaction with kids his age, Kanon hadn’t differentiated well between the sexes. And so—he thought he was a girl.

Kanon’s father wanted a girl. Because of that he only gave Kanon girl clothes and treated him like a girl.

—If I’m the knight then what about you?

—The princess.

Tamaki did not deny Kanon’s words, despite definitely being aware that he wasn’t a girl.

Kanon, who wasn’t a girl, couldn’t become a princess.

So it was just a lie.

The lie he uttered that time was mysteriously reborn in his mind.

Despite being unable to become a princess.

Despite not having a castle.

Just like during his childhood, Kanon had no power but telling lies.

Tamaki knew it was a lie, and yet protected it.

The two of them, unchanged from how they were as children, simply met again by coincidence—

Why did it become like this?

Why had it ended up involving so many people and hurting them?

“…”

Strength left Kanon’s hand scooping sand. His blurry vision seemed to approach the sand castle.

And then.

He heard the sound of his face getting buried in the sand castle.

The fatigue and drowsiness reached their limits and his consciousness was rapidly fading away.

There were no pain or fear, just a sensation of vanishing—

Finally obtaining what he wished for, calmness filled Kanon’s heart.

“—!”

However, that calmness was soon obstructed.

Someone grabbed his collar and roused him forcefully.

“Eek…!”

Someone dragged Kanon and pushed his face into the streaming water tap.

“Wabh! Bha! —Stoooop!”

Recklessly swinging his arms, Kanon resisted.

Who on earth stood in his way just as he was about to vanish?

He was finally going to do it.

It was finally the time!

“Stoooop it! —Ubh! Cough!”

The powerless Kanon never stood any chance. He was thrust into the water again.

Although it was finally about to be over without him telling another lie—

After having water flow down his head, he was thrown on the bench nearby. His shoulders colliding against the backrest, Kanon grimaced.

Everything was supposed to end without any pain, suffering or fear—

“Uuugh…!”

As Kanon shut his eyes and rounded his body, someone grabbed his collar again.

“It’s me.”

A familiar voice.

Kanon reflexively opened his eyes, looking at the face of the one who grabbed him.

“—O…nii-chan…?”

The boy he supposedly parted with a few days ago brought Kanon’s face closer and glared at him.

“Auh!”

He was pounded against the bench again. Nii brought out a towel of a plastic bag and began to rub Kanon’s face violently.

“You suddenly told me to split up so I couldn’t really accept it.”

Nii spat these words at the flabbergasted Kanon.

“Did you forget? You were the one who told me this after we left the Abandoned Land. ‘Let’s split up’. I obviously then asked you, ‘What about my comrade’s Mushi?’ And then, what did you say?”

While wiping the dirt off of Kanon’s face, Nii brought out bandages this time. He pasted them on Kanon’s forehead wounds.

Letting him do as he pleased, Kanon mumbled.

“…’Kanon’s sorry’…”

Thus Kanon answered. He’d left the laurel wreath back in the Castle. Since everything was a lie for Kanon, that would not help him at all.

That was the last he’d seen of Nii. He’d been rightfully angry, and left.

Kanon betrayed Nii.

If he remained there, Nii might become the next sacrifice. Although Kanon thought so and made them escape together, he thought they’d never meet again.

“…Kanon’s sorry…”

As Kanon repeated this a sweet bread bag was thrust into his chest.

“Eh?”

“Eat up.”

Kanon looked inside the bag, stunned, and then pounced on it. He ripped the bag and started stuffing his mouth like an animal.

“I got pissed off and left, but I thought about killing you. I soon started following you.”

The second bread was thrown to him. Kanon pounced on it and tore the bag.

“As I tried tailing you… you just went around town. You didn’t eat or sleep, so what did you want to do? Were you trying to repent?”

As Kanon stuffed bread down his throat, a mineral water bottle hit his head. He hurriedly opened it.

“Every time you bumped against someone and fell, I laughed. Served you right. —After I did this for a few days, I calmed down.”

Kanon started choking vigorously. He spat water and bread crumbs onto Nii’s face.

“And so I became an idiot.”

Wiping his face off with a towel, Nii clapped Kanon’s head. He sat next to him.

“How could I have sought salvation from someone so pathetic… is what I thought.”

“Onii-chan…”

“It didn’t matter even if you really have the power to erase Mushi.”

He spoke with a face of someone who got over it.

“…”

Kanon couldn’t smile back.

He currently didn’t possess the courage to assert this. He knew that Nii’s eyes had slight dark circles under then because he protected Kanon who couldn’t sleep.

“Kanon can’t save everyone…”

Saying that and deceiving them took everything he had.

“Right. I knew it.”

“Eh?”

Nii stayed smiling. Not asking the reason, he looked directly in Kanon’s eyes.

Seeing that calm expression, Kanon was confused.

“U-um…”

“Never mind why. If you can’t save us, you’re not a god and I can’t trust you.”

Nii’s hand grabbed Kanon’s head. He ruffled his hair.

“You’re just my friend.”

A friend.

He never thought he’d hear that word again, so he couldn’t immediately understand it.

But, as comprehension dawned slowly, Kanon’s sight began warping.

“…Waaaah!”

The emotions he couldn’t hold back burst at once and he began wailing.

He couldn’t run away at such times.

“Waaaaah…”

He was so—lonely.

Only those emotions he couldn’t deceive with lies.

“Will you still keep repenting?”

Hearing Nii’s joke for the first time, Kanon shook his head so much it almost tore off.

He’d run away from home and became alone.

With a miraculous probability he’d reunited with his childhood friend, and they became two.

The pair’s lie had brought more allies.

Allies had begotten allies, and Kanon was surrounded by many people.

The many people around Kanon had erected a castle and created their own paradise. While they were doing that, the people creating paradise grew more and more.

On the way Kanon had become suddenly scared and ran away from this paradise.

Kanon had returned being alone, however—

“—My cash situation is also pretty bad, you know?”

They were two again.

“Foh yeaf?”

Kanon’s life, supposed to collapse like that loser he was, was apparently going to continue for a while more.

“Don’t talk while eating. What was that?”

“I said, oh yeah?”

“Don’t you ‘oh yeah?’ me. What’re we gonna do? Maybe I’ll look for a live-in part-time job.”

Kanon and Nii faced each other while stuffing themselves with hamburgers. The pair sat shoulder to shoulder on the guardrails with passersby going in front of them.

The two had nowhere to go to in this unfamiliar town.

No one there knew them, and no one would help them.

“In the first place, even back at the family restaurant, I was the only one paying for everything. That was absurd. The SEPB salary I worked so hard to gain turned into a bad menu into my friends’ stomachs. There’s a limit to generosity. Does sponging off weak people really not hurt your conscience?”

Nii, ex-SEPB member Akaoni, mumbled complaints to himself. In the past he looked sickly, but now he wore a hairband to pull back his bangs, so his eyes exposed along with his face were amiable. The body revealed from his punk-style clothing was firm and he was obviously fit. He finally looked like he was seventeen years old.

“Those were really tasty times.”

The grinning Kanon too had tossed away his dirty hoodie and changed to a blouse and short pants. At night they stayed at some net café, and since they also showered, he thought they looked quite neat for now. He used a hairpin to hold his hair.

Kanon and Nii.

A week passed since the two started just wandering around.

“Geez. No choice then, let’s look for a live-in job. I don’t feel like going back to the SEPB at this stage. They think I’m already long dead, so that’s convenient.”

“A job… what can you do, Onii-chan?”

“I went to a technical high school, so I do have some qualifications. But if it’s going to be a live-in job in my age, it’d probably only be manual labor. I’m fine with it, but…”

“What about Kanon? It’s probably impossible for Kanon.”

“Right. Haa, we went to karaoke, bowling, darts and billiards… we’ve played quite a lot without thinking about the consequences. You’ve left no regrets behind even if you’re gonna die, eh?”

“Ehehe.”

During the last week, Kanon and Nii played to their hearts’ contents.

It wasn’t like one of them had suggested this. It just so happened naturally when they were on their own.

The mere fact a lone person became two was a huge difference.

Thanks to that he felt like creating enough memories for a lifetime.

“Kanon can’t do anything but cheer on you! Oh, right. Kanon can make meals, laundry and cleaning.”

“Ah? So you’re like a housewife…”

Saying that, Nii wore an indescribable expression. He stared at Kanon’s face.

“What is it? Kanon’s going to blush if you stare so much.”

“You really look exactly like a girl, though… are you, y’know, well—”

“…Even if we live together, you can’t lay a hand on me, right?”

“As if I’d do that! I only want my hands on some older hottie.”

“Oh, really. Come to think of it, you looked to be having fun talking to that office lady when we played billiards. So the reason you suddenly vanished and left Kanon crying behind was…”

“I-I already apologized for that!”

Kanon opened his mouth to keep on bullying the apologizing Nii, but then gasped. A girl with a short cut passed by and he followed her with his eyes without thinking.

“…Didja think it was Tamaki?”

Nii wore a bitter smile. Kanon lowered his gaze.

“Are you dating? Is it fine not to get in contact with her?”

“It’s nothing like that. Tama-chan’s just a childhood friend.”

“No need to hide it anymore. You were doing some naughty things in secret anyway, right?”

Grinning, Nii was poking Kanon vulgarly with both hands. His true nature after recovering was quite a waste, Kanon had to say.

“Since both of you are feminine it’s even more erotic than I thought. So how was it?”

“Kanon’s going to hit you. Tama-chan’s just… no.”

He spoke while swinging his legs on the guardrail.

“She’s my important childhood friend.”

“Hmm?”

Thinking he should take revenge on his friend smiling so provocatively, Kanon pouted.

“What about you, Onii-chan? Kanon left that crown behind.”

“Right, that was also important to me.”

“…Kanon’s sorry.”

“S’fine. We both left our treasures back at the Abandoned Land.”

Saying this, Nii looked at Kanon.

“But… I feel like going back a bit later to get ‘em back.”

“Kanon does, too.”

They smiled at each other.

These days where they had fun without thinking of anything were so wonderful.

He didn’t need to think about saving or being saved.

And more importantly—Kanon could live his daily life without having to tell lies.

If possible, he wanted this to continue forever.

“I wonder what Tama-chan and the others are doing right now…”

“They’re all doing what they want wherever they want. Since you’re gone it’s meaningless for them to stay together, after all.”

“…”

Many days passed since Kanon escaped the Abandoned Land.

These were people who gathered because they wanted to be saved by Kanon. Just like Nii said, once Kanon was gone, they’d disperse and act alone.

Did everyone begrudge Kanon?

Nii said they probably regretted nothing. He didn’t want to reject Kanon who had nothing in the first place, but speaking of regrets—they were his only one.

Were the people who called Kanon a friend still doing fine?

Also.

The one who tried to protect Kanon so much by doing what she could never take back, Tamaki—

“Let’s go look for a job.”

Nii reached his hand and wrapped it around the thinking Kanon’s shoulder.

He smiled.

“Yeah!”

The pair was just about to leap off of the guardrail.

“Hyaa!”

A boy and a girl suddenly cut by, grazing Kanon. Not even minding him as he leapt back, they ran away like something happened.

“R-rushing headlong like that is dangerous… eep! Kanon’s sorry!”

As he put both hands on his mouth and advised them of temperance, the pair turned back. He held his head and stumbled.

But the two didn’t glare at Kanon. Rather, they looked not just back but to all sides, looking around for something.

Their behavior was as if—they were being chased by someone.

“W-what’s happened?”

Turning back, Kanon noticed his friend glare into the distance, silent.

“Onii-chan?”

“…So it’s Mushibane.”

Nii mumbled.

“Eh?”

“Those two were being chased by another two. Their movements were the SEPB. —Meaning, those who escaped just now, are very likely from Mushibane.”

“SEPB…? K-Kanon hasn’t noticed at all.”

“Well, nothing to do with us.”

Smiling, Nii started walking. The complete opposite direction from where the pair ran away.

“…That’s true.”

Kanon also smiled and followed Nii.

“We can browse some newspaper and look for job ads.”

“Right, let’s do it.”

“And I need to take out some money on the way. Not that there’s a lot left, though.”

“You have to use it responsibly.”

“Right. Shall we skip dinner tonight?”

“K-Kanon will never forgive that!”

Kanon who was laughing around suddenly stopped.

After walking for a few seconds, Nii turned back.

“What is it?”

“…Those people just now weren’t Kanon’s believers, right?”

Kanon smiled weakly. Nii shook his head with a serious expression.

“Nope. I don’t know ‘em either, and you don’t either, right?”

“But! Some days passed since then, so we might’ve just forgotten them!”

He’d seen the face of those running away for just a second. Kanon intended to never forget even a single face of his comrades, but could he really say this was true?

If they were his believers and they ended up being chased by the SEPB because Kanon was gone—

“Kanon.”

Nii looked at Kanon with a calm expression.

“We’ve run away. We no longer have anything to do with them.”

“…!”

It was true. However—

“Onii-chan…”

Biting his lips, Kanon looked back at the boy.

He wanted to make sure.

But Kanon alone was useless. He needed help for that.

Nii resisted wordlessly, but that didn’t keep up for long.

“—We’re just making sure.”

The moment the boy folded, Kanon already spun his body. He began running toward where the two escaped.

Kanon ran desperately and a calm Nii followed after him. After running for a while, the ex-SEPB combatant boy clicked his tongue.

“Tch, unranked underlings? Their way of chasing is trash. Here.”

In front of a certain alley, he grabbed Kanon’s arm. It was a narrow road between buildings. Kanon didn’t know this at all, but apparently the SEPB pursuers had cornered the escapers there.

They rushed through that alleyway and stood when they reached a gloomy place sandwiched between two buildings. They stealthily peeked ahead from within the shadows.

“Let’s check it from here.”

“R-right.”

It was a parking lot of an old complex building. He could see that four Mushitsuki split into two groups were facing each other. They already summoned their Mushi.

“Well? Do you know ‘em?”

“K-Kanon can’t really see yet…”

“Wait, looks like there’s another one. The Mushibane lot looked over there—”

The leaning Nii’s profile froze.

“…? Onii-chan?”

No matter how much he called him, the boy still wouldn’t move as though frozen. Having no choice, Kanon also leaned forward, following Nii’s gaze.

“Eh—”

Seeing the person there, he thought his heart would stop.

“Just like promised, we drew the SEPB to you! So you’re going to save us now, right?!”

One of the runaways said.

“No, not yet—”

Answering this was unexpectedly someone Kanon knew.

“Those who aspire to become believers must attain enough strength to protect Kanon-sama.”

On top of the parking lot sign.

Sitting there and calmly looking down on the four Mushitsuki was someone wearing a familiar robe.

“Fight! Those who remain shall gain the right to be saved by Kanon-sama.”

The girl wearing the robes announced solemnly.

Kanon knew that girl. She had once been introduced to him at the Castle, the believer who received the nickname of Hyakunijuuichi, 121.

What was going on—

Unable to understand, Kanon could do nothing but stand there in shock.

“W-wait! Kanon-sama, meaning… the person who erases Mushi? D-does she really exist?”

One of the SEPB members looked up at the believer. Apparently the rumor spread even within the SEPB.

“Right. If you beat the Mushitsuki in front of you, we will introduce you to Kanon-sama as believers, how about that?”

The believer girl grinned.

These words made the SEPB members widen their eyes—and something unbelievable happened.

“Eh…?”

A hoarse voice leaked from inside Kanon’s throat.

Of all things—the four people of SEPB and Mushibane started fighting on the spot. And they leapt at their opponents with devilish visages, raising war cries.

“S-sto—”

As Kanon was about to leap from the shadows, Nii held him back.

“Fight! If you wish to be saved by Kanon-sama, that is!”

As if responding to the believer’s reprimand, the Mushitsuki all howled. They bared their eyes like wild beasts and just started thrusting their Mushi’s fangs or claws to fell the enemies ahead of them.

The conclusion soon came.

The two SEPB members combined their Mushi’s attacks and first tore off one of the enemy’s Mushi. Once he was outnumbered, the remaining person was helpless. He tried running away along with his Mushi, but his Mushi’s hard shell was penetrated by sharp fangs from behind.

Seeing that, the believer girl spoke.

“Alright! Now you’re number 205, Nihyakugo! And you over there are number 206, Nihyakuroku!”

The Mushitsuki first defeated already became a Fallen. The other boy also had his Mushi killed and was kneeled on the ground.

“…!”

Seeing the boy collapse, Kanon shook off Nii’s arm.

“Wait, Kanon!”

Ignoring Nii, he tried running to the collapsed boy.

The two SEPB members turned.

“Who’re you!”

“Eh…? K-Kanon-sama?”

On top of the billboard, the believer girl widened her eyes. Hearing those words, the two SEPB members’ movements stopped.

“Kanon-sama? This one is?”

“G-get a hold of yourself!”

Flying to the collapsed boy, Kanon roused his body.

He saw the boy’s glass bead-like eyes as he was on the verge of becoming a Fallen.

“Kanon…sama…? Y-you are…?”

“W-why’s Kanon-sama here? She’s supposed to be at the Castle…! —Nii, you bastard, where were you!”

The believer girl leapt down from the board. Seeing Nii emerge from the shadows, she was shocked again.

“Why… that is… our…”

Kanon’s voice shook. The robe-wearing girl turning around.

“That’s Kanon’s line! Why are you doing something so cruel! Why…!”

“Eh? B-but, I was just following your orders, Kanon-sama…”

Seeing the girl so confused, Kanon’s heart thumped.

Orders?

He knew nothing about it.

“Orders…?”

“Right, you were the one who came to this resolution, Kanon-sama…”

“Kanon did? Resolution? What sorta resolution?”

He had a bad feeling.

An incredible chill and fear crawled up from his stomach.

The girl spoke.

“A Holy War.”

Thump.

Kanon’s entire body shook as if hit by something.

“You told us to gather more powerful Mushitsuki for the upcoming battle…”

“Don’t be stupid! Kanon was with me this whole time. No way that happened!”

Nii shouted.

Right. Kanon knew nothing about that.

Holy War? An upcoming battle? These were not words that came out of Kanon’s mouth.

But even if so.

If Kanon ever mouthed these scary words—it wouldn’t be Kanon.

A Kanon who wasn’t Kanon.

The one who could do something so contradictory—

“Kanon-sama…”

Kanon’s body jolted and shook to an embarrassing degree. He almost thought his heart would stop.

The boy with a face devoid of life looked up at Kanon in his arms. He looked like he had a fever and was about to cry.

Kanon knew that face.

He’d seen that sort of face countless times.

“Please… save me too…”

“…!”

Kanon gulped.

The face worn by the boy about to become a Fallen was, certainly—

A face seeking salvation.

He was seeing a human who’d been cornered, who’d lost his place and was now clinging to the one and only hope he found.

“I hate… Mushi and… Mushitsuki…”

The boy’s hand grasped Kanon’s shoulder. He had a deathly complexion, and yet somewhere within him still remained enough strength for his nails to dig into Kanon’s skin.

“I beg you… Kanon-sama…”

“…! Kanon’s… Kanon’s…”

He didn’t have the power to save this suffering boy.

Everything had been a lie.

He didn’t want to tell anymore lies.

By the time he left the Abandoned Land, the liar Kanon was gone.

“Kanon’s—”

So he thought of telling the truth.

Once the boy became Fallen, he’d lose his emotions and memories. So these were his final moments.

Kanon was not evil enough to lie to the boy in his final moments.

He thought he should protect the boy’s dignity as a human by telling the truth.

“Kanon’s… right. Kanon’s got a power to erase Mushi.”

That was also a lie.

Kanon currently didn’t have the courage to tell the truth.

“Look, I just erased your Mushi. Now you’re just another human.”

He smiled at him.

“I’m so glad…”

A mouth on the verge of a smile and a shaky voice.

Seeing that third-rate acting, the boy—

“…Ah… now I can finally…”

Wore a full smile.

Even that smile—vanished within moments.

The boy grew heavier in Kanon’s arms. His fully open, expressionless eyes now lost their luster.

“…Fhu… guuuu…!”

Kanon did something terrible.

He lied to a person in his final moments.

In the end, no matter where he was, Kanon could be nothing but a liar—

“Uwaaaaaah! Aaaah!”

Laying the boy down on the floor and rising, he shouted.

“Kanon never… wished for this sorta thing!”

Turning his back to the Mushitsuki there, he kept shouting while clenching both fists.

“Kanon doesn’t care about strong or weak or whatever! If you want to kill the weak, then just kill Kanon first…! Kanon wanted to save everyone, but Kanon never wanted to…! Kanon…! Kanon would never…!”

He hid his eyes while tears streamed down.

In the end, this too was Kanon’s fault.

Kanon didn’t deserve to shed tears—

“It has nothing to do… with who’s a Mushitsuki and who’s not…”

“—!”

The Mushitsuki all held their breaths.

Kanon turned back, passing by the believer girl.

“The Kanon at the Castle is an imposter…”

“Eh?”

“There’s no need for you to listen to them…”

Leaving this behind, Kanon started walking.

“Wait, Kanon! Where are you—”

He held out his hand to stop Nii who was about to follow him.

The Mushitsuki there all looked at Kanon.

“…Kanon’s sorry…”

Shaking his head from left to right and denying it, Kanon went walking.

He didn’t want to involve any of them any longer.

Apparently, his lie had somehow grown even larger somewhere.

After Kanon left, his lie was being used by a certain person.

“Why… Tama-chan…”

This person pretended to be Kanon and inherited his lie.

It could only be Tamaki.

No person other than his childhood friend would be proficient enough to act like Kanon—

He had to stop her.

He had to somehow stop his lie.

Should he go back to the Castle?

No, it wasn’t that easy to solve.

What if… it was an unlikely scenario, but…

What if everyone believed Tamaki more than Kanon?

“Tama-chan can definitely… become more Kanon-like than Kanon…”

Tamaki could become the Kanon the believers all wished for.

In the first place, the one who protected his lie was not Kanon, but Tamaki.

“What can Kanon do…”

As he walked in the back alley, mumbling to himself, someone came nearby.

“So we don’t have any time to look for a job, then.”

It was Nii. The boy with a headband walked next to Kanon as if it was natural.

“…”

Kanon wordlessly shook his head to the side. However—

“Your actions and expression don’t match.”

Nii smiled.

“Don’t try so hard with such a lonely expression.”

“Fgh…!”

Sobs welled up from the depths of his throat.

Kanon alone was useless.

He knew that he couldn’t do anything alone.

“You need to rely on your friends.”

He didn’t want Nii with his cheerful smile to follow. He didn’t want to involve the boy any further, and yet—Kanon’s arm acted on its own, grabbed his friend’s clothes and he shook his head to the side.

Alone, he was powerless.

But the two of them could at least keep walking ahead.

Also—

“Kanon-sama!”

The robed girl rushed toward Kanon.

“Please take me too!”

“Us too…!”

The two SEPB members followed after the girl as well.

“It might sound too convenient, at this point, but… please!”

“…But Kanon cannot save any of you…”

He spoke weakly.

However, the three Mushitsuki’s eyes staring at Kanon did not change.

“…Thank you.”

As Kanon mumbled this weakly, the three Mushitsuki’s expression sparkled.

He almost went alone again, but then they became two.

At soon after that, they became five.

He couldn’t do anything.

He was weaker than anyone.

About the only thing he could do was tell lies.

And, around Kanon, one person and yet another person came to seek salvation, gathering around him.

And this—

“Kanon must do something…”

Was the beginning of the saint’s march.

4.03 Tamaki Part 8

The abandoned nighttime harbor had cold, salty wind blowing through it.

Stepping on the weeds growing from the cracks in the asphalt, she walked toward the harbor entrance. Her white robes sewn with an emblem resembling a full moon fluttered with the wind.

Beneath the twinkling stars, the sound of her stepping on sand echoed in the harbor entrance.

Just as she was about to step inside the empty harbor, a low voice echoed.

“Who are you?”

A nervous-looking boy with glasses stood in front of the chain blocking the entrance. The silhouette of him crossing his arms was thin, but he was prominent within the darkness like a creepy shadow.

“This is private property. Unless you want me to report an unlawful intrusion, you should go back right this instant.”

“My name’s Kanon.”

Wearing the loose-fitting robe and a laurel wreath on her head, Kanon—no, Tamaki—smiled.

Keeping pace with her, other presences appeared in lines behind Tamaki. The number of elites wearing those same standardized clothes were probably about 50.

In the darkness, Tamaki’s smile shone like a crescent moon.

“Will you not become one of Kanon’s followers?”

“What?”

“If you give Alpha to Kanon, Kanon will also be able to save you.”

Kanon’s words didn’t move the bespectacled boy at all. Even while heavily outnumbered, Alpha’s guard asserted with a calm tone.

“…Seems like you’re not a mere trespasser.”

Ear-grating metallic sounds reverberated throughout the whole harbor. All shutters there opened at once and many silhouettes appeared from within.

A girl in maid clothes, a soldier with machineguns, a person in a space suit, an inhuman monster—elaborate, life-size puppets began filling the harbor. Even a plastic doll climbed from the ocean and zombie crawled up from inside the ground.

Their numbers were several times Tamaki’s forces.

The guard’s Mushitsuki ability was obvious at a glance. And yet, him being able to control so many puppets at once was evidence for him being powerful.

“I’ll warn you again. Go away.”

However, Tamaki in the form of Kanon merely smiled back at this warning.

“How unfortunate. —Kanon cannot save you.”

Tamaki spread her arms.

The believers on both sides took her hands. Then these believers took the hands of those next to them. They all ended up holding hands at the same time, forming a circle.

“What is that supposed to be…?”

The same time as the bespectacled boy mumbled this quizzically, something happened above Tamaki’s head.

The Mushi shaped like a laurel wreath started emitting a pale light. The light spread among the dark harbor and then floated in air.

“W—what is that…?”

The circle of light floating from Tamaki’s head moved slowly ahead. It was floating soundlessly a bit above the ground.

A ring of light.

Changed from a laurel wreath to a luminous body, it lit the harbor up to a godly degree.

And at the next moment—

“Uh—”

An invisible blade unleashed from the ring of light cut the bespectacled guard’s shoulder.

It wasn’t just him. All of the dolls around him were cut in halves, cruelly spreading their remains on the asphalt.

“Finish it…!”

He clearly acknowledged the ring of light as an enemy. Holding his shoulder, the guard shouted.

All of the puppets immediately leapt toward the ring.

The next moment, a roar and a tremor wrapped the harbor.

The typhoon with the ring in its center blew the puppets away, and then red hellfire turned the remaining ones to ashes.

More than a hundred puppets came to attack one after another, but they weren’t able to even touch the ring of light.

“I-is that… a Mushi?”

Seeing the puppets having the table turned on them one after another, the guard groaned.

The ring shone even brighter.

Along with the sound of something bursting, a large amount of steam became a whirlpool and assaulted the guard. The puppet that immediately leapt to block it broke down.

The guard widened his eyes.

“No way… t-this is Aijisupa’s—”

The ring glowed.

Butterflies made of flame leapt from the inside of the ring as if trying to pierce the guard.

“Is this Namie’s ability…?”

“Yes, it is.”

Tamaki grinned.

This was the Mushi originally brought by Nii, an ex-SEPB member. It was shaped like a laurel wreath and Tamaki had investigated its ability and reached full understanding of it.

Its original usage was probably allowing the Mushitsuki who wore it to also use others’ abilities.

However, Tamaki herself did not have a fixed ability. It could also be used as an amplification tool for abilities—and the number of believers was overwhelmingly large. Tamaki and the laurel wreath were the ideal combination.

A protean ability and an infinite amplification tool.

Tamaki and Kanon’s believers—have obtained the ultimate weapon.

“Gwaaaah!”

The butterflies wrapped in white flames swallowed the guard. Scorched by the hellfire, his knees shook as he collapsed on the asphalt—the plastic used for his skin melted, exposing the mechanical contents within. Apparently it was just another puppet posing as him.

“Go, believers of Kanon! To Alpha, while we can!”

After defeating the guard, Tamaki shouted.

The believers let go of each other’s hands and spilled into the harbor along with battle cries. The few remaining puppets were cruelly stepped over by the followers.

Once the circle of believers was gone, the ring of light gradually lost its shine.

“There is no longer need to be afraid! There is no need to obey powerful Mushitsuki like the SEPB or Mushibane!”

Passing by Kanon one after another, the believers raised a cheer.

“For weak humans like Kanon, they are nothing but enemies! This time we will exterminate them, and it will be your turn to be saved!”

As she swung her khakkhara staff, the laurel wreath on her head lost its light.

The more her lie spread around the world.

The more believers she gained.

Tamaki and Kanon’s followers would become invincible.

“This is a Holy War! You shall all take back what has been taken from you!”

Tamaki shouted.

And yet the voice emitted from that mouth wasn’t that of Tamaki.

“Defeat the enemies and protect Kanon!”

It was the voice of the Child of God, Kanon.

Kanon’s lie would never stop.

It could grow even larger.

The larger it grew, the faster it would reach the real Kanon, wherever he was.

He should show himself again.

At that time, Kanon’s lie would be completed.

“The SEPB and Mushibane are sacrifices made for your salvation!”

For that, she needed a much more intensive impact than she had until now. Tamaki thought up a suitable event for that.

Sacrifice—

It truly sounded like a ritual fitting for the being called Kanon to become the Child of God.

And it wasn’t just any old sacrifice.

Tamaki spoke about the SEPB and Mushibane, but that was another lie.

Even these organizations holding tremendous power were all part of the act.

For the true sacrifice—a single person would suffice.

No.

It had to be a very specific person.

“If you believe in Kanon, Kanon will save you all!”

A lie would change the world—

The girl enchanted by lies, Tamaki, had to view that moment no matter what.

4.04 Shiika Part 2

“Alpha has been stolen?!”

Namie’s angry shout echoed in the camp that served as Mushibane’s base.

It was early morning when Shiika had been called to this square wrapped in a thin fog. By then, her main allies like Aijisupa and Namie have already gathered.

In the center of the gathering was a boy with glasses. He kneeled on the ground, looking clearly exhausted.

“Everyone, please calm down.”

Stopping the clamoring members, Shiika looked down at the kneeling boy. He was in charge of watching over the warehouse hiding Alpha.

“Are you fine, Peedwood-san? Can you explain what happened?”

“I don’t know if I can even explain properly… this is the first time I’ve seen that kind of Mushi. I couldn’t even land a hit… All of my puppets were destroyed by that ring monster…”

The boy speaking in a hoarse voice was a new member who joined after Shiika became the leader. He possessed an especially powerful ability even among the Mushitsuki who agreed with Shiika’s policies.

If he didn’t even manage to land a hit, it was no doubt something incredible. The comrades who knew of Peedwood’s strength began clamoring again.

“The fact of your ability requiring money is a huge minus. On top of that, Alpha was snatched right under your nose.”

After receiving contact, Akasegawa Nanana also came running in along with her secretary. Shiika lightly glared at Nanana who blamed the groaning Peedwood.

“Nanana.”

“Yeah yeah, I get it. —You don’t need to explain anything. Well, secretary?”

“I have finally finished downloading it from the database. Here you go.”

Hugging a teddy bear, the secretary presented the small laptop in one hand.

“This is footage from the harbor’s security cameras. There are some unclear portions, but there should be no problem to generally assess the situation.”

Shiika and the rest huddled to look at the screen of Nanana’s computer.

“I’ll be playing it now.”

The first thing displayed on the lcd screen was darkness.

But soon a girl wearing strange clothes appeared and Peedwood noticed the trespassers and came to confront them.

After both sides finished talking, they charged into battle—

“What the heck’s that…”

Mumbling this with a shudder was Halensis, aka Sugitsu Matsuri.

Inside the screen, people wearing strange clothes—ceremonial clothes that could be called robes—all held hands and formed a circle.

When they did, something like a ring rose above the center girl’s head.

It became a shining halo and evaporated the puppets using all kinds of abilities.

“I-is this a Mushi…?”

“Who’s the host? Who’s controlling that?”

“No, in the first place how can it use several abilities?”

“Even Aijisupa and Namie’s powers…”

As the comrades bustled, the video continued.

“This is a Holy War!”

They could faintly hear this shout. The position of the camera was distant and they could only hear screams and shouts, but Shiika knew that someone shouted this.

“Holy War…?”

Shiika mumbled.

She knew that it wasn’t the SEPB with a glance. Apparently it was a gathering of Mushitsuki, but she never heard of any organization with this many Mushitsuki.

“Who on earth were they?”

Aijisupa’s mumble was answered by one of their comrades.

“It’s Kanon-sama…”

“Right, no doubt about it…”

“Eh?”

As Shiika turned around, the voice stopped completely. Halensis answered instead.

“Do you not remember? That rumor about erasing Mushi…”

“Oh, what that Mimic person said?”

Chouya Nihei said as if suddenly recalling.

Now Shiika recalled it too. There was the mysterious, shapeshifting Mushitsuki they called “Mimic” who’d boldly infiltrated their camp.

“I have a baaad feeling. I know a Mushitsuki like that!”

While fiddling with her cellphone, Lucifera’s expression turned severe.

“A Mushi that can use several abilities… the mantis destroyed by the SEPB’s North Central Branch was similar to that. It was a Mushi-eating Mushi controlled by a person other than the host. Nearly an entire town was destroyed.”

“Yeah? I remembered something different, though.”

Akasegawa Nanana also grimaced while exposing her disgust.

“There was this person who was much worse than any Mushi, and it wasn’t an issue of just a single town… oh no, I really didn’t want to recall that night of the meteor shower.”

“Meaning… that this ring is as least as dangerous as that?”

Everyone turned silent at Shiika’s question. That said everything about how serious this was.

Who on earth was Kanon?

When had she managed to build such an organization?

Also—what was the identity of that ring of light?

No one in this entire foggy camp could answer those questions.

“Lucy-san, do you know anything?”

Shiika asked the girl still playing with her cellphone.

“Ask that collaborator if they have anything about this Kanon-san and the ring—"

“What are you even talking about? I dunno, can’t understand you, how mysterious.”

Lucifera was apparently playing dumb. Not only that, but recently she had the feeling that girl started giving them less and less information.

“But in my personal opinion…”

Lucifera glanced at Shiika.

“Alpha’s recapture should take highest priority. For that, we need even the smallest hints. Anyway, since they spoke about a Holy War or whatever, they seem to be looking for a fight.”

“That’s… right.”

Shiika gnashed her teeth.

Mushibane’s organizational reform continued, and they were just about the taste the fruits of their labor. Just when they felt like they were really starting—Alpha had been stolen away from them.

And not by the SEPB, but a mysterious new gathering of Mushitsuki as their rival. Although Shiika didn’t want to fight, the other side challenged them so they had to protect themselves.

Even if it wasn’t the time to be doing this sort of thing—

Those feelings welled up from her chest.

She was currently acting to have Mushitsuki cooperating with each other, so she wanted to avoid any new rivalry forming.

“Snow Fly!”

One member ran toward Shiika and the other silent members.

“Someone came to our camp! Two unfamiliar people!”

“…!”

Tension ran through all comrades in the square.

“Secretary.”

“Yes, ma’am. I synchronized the camp’s security cameras, so I will bring out their broadcast.”

The secretary started typing on the laptop brought by Nanana. Operating the keyboard as if letting her fingers dance on it, she soon returned it to its owner.

“Wha—”

Everyone peeking into the lcd display became speechless.

A boy and a girl were walking through the mountainous paved road. Even looking at their rough clothes, they obviously weren’t there for hiking or a picnic.

What surprised Shiika most of all was when she saw the girl’s face.

She mumbled without thinking.

“Kanon-sama…?”

Approaching their base were the robed girl they just saw in the video—none other than Kanon. She and a boy wearing a headband were climbing the mountain.

The other Mushitsuki at the square grew clamorous.

“What’s she come here for, after stealing Alpha from us…?”

“How did she know about this place? No way, is she planning on attacking us…?”

As some lost their cool, Namie shouted “Calm down!” and gave an order.

“Wake up everyone’s who’s still sleeping! Only those who can fight stay, other members go to seek refuge!”

“Can we win…? Against that kind of monster.”

Halensis wore an anxious expression but Aijisupa answered calmly.

“I dunno, but we have to try. We have to hold out here until we evacuate all the noncombatants.”

“I’m fighting too…!”

“You can’t fight without any puppets. You evacuate too, Peedwood.”

Nanana held back Peedwood who was trying to stand up.

“—No.”

Shiika said.

“Everyone, get away from here.”

“Don’t be stupid. You can’t do this alone—”

“I’ll be fine.”

Shiika interjected with a smile.

—Several dozen minutes later.

Shiika alone was sitting on a bench at the square that was now clear of mist. She played with a butterfly that came close to her as the people she’d been waiting for arrived from within the mist.

“…Excuse me.”

They were Kanon and the headband boy. While looking around the empty camp, Kanon inquired from the seated Shiika.

“Isn’t this place the Mushibane’s…?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

Shiika answered with a grin.

“I want to meet up with the person called Snow Fly.”

“I am her.”

“Eh?”

Kanon made a surprised face. She fidgeted while looking at Shiika’s face, then spoke.

“Kanon thought that since she was a super powerful, she’d be super scary… but you were actually this cute, huh. Oh, sorry, Kanon didn’t mean anything strange.”

“Eh. U-umm… I mean… thank you.”

Shiika and Kanon.

Although their positions were different, both stood at the top of many Mushitsuki and lowered their heads at each other.

“Don’t be fooled by her appearance. Fuyuhotaru—she really is a dangerous Mushitsuki.”

“Eh, but—”

“R-right. I am probably a dangerous Mushitsuki. So—”

Shiika smiled at Kanon.

“So… if you use that ring here, I will fight.”

If it was a scary opponent, she wanted to fight them alone if possible.

This was an action based on that.

However.

“No, we’ll all fight.”

She heard a voice from behind.

“Eh?”

Aijisupa, Namie and the rest who were supposed to be hiding—and other comrades—all appeared from within the mist together.

“Sorry, but we can’t listen to your orders. If we fight then it’s all of us.”

Namie said. The other members all nodded at once.

Shiika wanted to rebuke them—but nodded back.

“…Thank you.”

Hey, Rina. If this were you, you would’ve gotten even farther and fought on your own, but—

In this situation, Shiika suddenly recalled her dead friend.

It’s impossible for me. It’s scary, so I want everyone at my side—

Shiika was weak.

Was that good or bad?

The answer would probably come out in the future.

“F-fight? We can’t! Kanon’ll be killed in an instant!”

Looking scared, Kanon hid behind the headband boy.

Shiika tilted her head.

Something was strange about this.

“Kanon came here to ask you for a favor.”

“A favor?”

“Yes. Kanon does think it’s impossible, but, well…”

Even while fidgeting and hesitating, Kanon finally managed to wring out the words.

“Kanon wants you to cooperate so that we can put a stop to ‘Kanon-sama’.”

4.05 Tamaki Part 9

The ring of light brought a storm of electricity.

A lightning bolt large enough to connect the night sky and the surface caved in the riverside area at the suburbs. The water flowing in the river instantly boiled and a large amount of dirt was blown away.

The Mushitsuki wearing green long coat and goggles were all blown away by the impact. The Mushi trying to attack the ring had their bodies crumble.

The ring’s uniliteral carnage did not stop. While going a fast rotation, an unseen power lifted the surrounding dirt and shot it with terrifying speed. Pebble bullets struck the long coats and their Mushi, causing several more dying screams.

The finisher was a surge of steam explosion and Common Albatross butterflies wrapped in white flames. The blowing, pure energy pursued the escaping Mushi and in no time scorched them to ashes.

The battle between the ring of light and the long coats did not even last ten minutes.

The ring floated several dozen centimeters above ground.

Not even a single long coat remained standing.

“Is that the extent of the SEPB’s power?”

Looking down calmly at one of the collapsed members, Tamaki smiled.

“This makes it the third branch that Kanon demolished.”

Using Kanon’s face and voice, Tamaki held hands with the lines of believers lined up on the riverbank.

“Watch this! By combining our powers, Kanon and all of you have nothing to fear from the SEPB!”

The believers raised a cheer. “Kanon-sama!” “Kanon-sama!” loud chants worshipping Kanon reverberated along the river.

“Now, people of the SEPB, will you not join Kanon as well? Rather than staying where you only follow orders, won’t you help us help you? If you believe in Kanon—”

Grinning, Tamaki whispered sweet words to the SEPB members.

“Kanon will someday erase your Mushi and save you, you know?”

Upon hearing those words, the members who rose up to try their last resistance were clearly shaken. Biting their lips, one took off their coat, then another, and yet another one.

“The full moon approaches again…”

She looked up at the sky.

A large moon floated there with the twinkling stars. In just a few more days, it would become a full sphere.

The time for her to exhibit the fourth miracle to her believers was approaching.

“During the next full moon, Kanon will save everyone.”

Agitation spread throughout all of the followers.

Tamaki looked up to the moon, smiling.

“Right… everyone who believes in Kanon…”

A moment of silence.

The next instant, a loud cheer tore the air asunder. The voices zealously extoling Kanon’s name overflowed, becoming a tremor that shook the riverside.

The first miracle happened during Kanon and Tamaki’s reunion. Although it was a joke coupled with third-rate acting, it saved Kanon and created many allies.

The second miracle gave Kanon the name of a God and a castle. The miracle able to erase Mushi turned the Mushitsuki to believers, and Kanon to a God.

After the third miracle—Kanon and Tamaki split up.

But it was not yet over.

Kanon’s lie was going to grow even larger.

The fourth miracle would probably let Kanon and Tamaki meet again.

And, at that time, by offering up a sacrifice—

Lie would become truth.

The world would be fully dyed by Kanon’s lie and the pair would obtain everything.

“If you believe in Kanon, you too will be saved during the next full moon.”

Tamaki reached out her hands toward the SEPB members collapsed around the ring.

As if to welcome them.

As if to embrace them.

As if—to save them.

“Will you believe in Kanon?”

No one could resist those sweet whispers. Even among the members who still turned eyes full of doubt at her, all of them had removed their long coats.

Tamaki wore a satisfied smile—and turned sharp eyes toward the darkness.

“—So you’re here.”

She mumbled softly.

Tamaki’s narrowed eyes saw a figure moving within the night darkness.

“Will you also come and speak to Kanon, members of the Annihilators?”

The SEPB members at the riverbank all shuddered. As they looked around to the other side, figures in the same color as the darkness appeared one after another.

There were perhaps about 20 of them. All of them wore black clothing close-fitting body suits and black masks to hide their faces.

“T-these are the Annihilators…? They actually exist?”

“What’s up with them…?”

At the appearance of the abnormal figures, the SEPB members and believers were confused.

Appearing there weren’t only the black suited people. Advancing calmly within their center was also a person with tape pasted on their mask. His height and blazing-like red hair emitted a presence far beyond any of the Annihilators around.

“You’ve got some guts, pickin’ up a fight with the SEPB, eh?”

A low voice that seemed to tremble the air of the riverbank. It even felt as if the surrounding temperature rose, so much that none would be surprised if the man exhaled fire with every breath.

Seeing him, the SEPB members disregarded their wounds and drew back.

“Ha—Harukiyo!”

“It’s Harukiyo…!”

The believers were disturbed just the same. Among them were also ex-SEPB members, and there were also those who saw him while in Mushibane.

“Waaah! It’s Harukiyo!”

“Protect Kanon-sama!”

The believers hurriedly caused a commotion, and yet Tamaki stopped them with a hand.

Everyone lost their calmness as if their reasoning capabilities were burned away, but a single person, Tamaki alone, still smiled calmly.

Tamaki too had once fell into panic just like them.

The power of the Mushitsuki called Harukiyo was overwhelming. The only ones who could face him and remained calm were probably those who were Rank 1 just like him.

“Finally! Does coming here only after three branches were destroyed mean you were sleeping?”

However, Tamaki was different from her past self.

Right now, Tamaki was—Kanon.

She had the confidence of many believers and she had gained the strongest guardian deity, the ring of light.

For Tamaki, who transformed into the Child of God, Kanon, the Mushitsuki in front of her—was nothing but another sacrifice. She had wished for his arrival.

“Huh? Aiming for these branches full of small fries won’t do nothing to invite me.”

Folding his arms, Harukiyo wore a devilish smile. Hot air started crackling around him, making even the surrounding Annihilators step back.

“Isn’t targeting small fries the best if one wishes to summon a small fry?”

“The fuck you just say?”

Tamaki’s provocation changed Harukiyo’s eyes. His hot eyes that almost seemed to be able to kill with just a gaze pierced through Tamaki and the followers.

“Ka…Kanon-sama…?”

“Please stop, Kanon-sama…!”

“It is fine, we will not fight now.”

Turning toward the scared followers, she calmed them with a kind smile.

“Right, if you’re not gonna fight that means I can just butcher all of you, right?”

“No, you should just pass a message along.”

Harukiyo’s tape-covered eyes twitched.

Tamaki grinned.

Until now she’d used her ability to infiltrate all organizations. Her aim was to cause confusion until her side gained power, inviting followers and the like, and she had the information she gained in the course of that.

“’I know your goal. Are you not burning with yearning for a certain person’s return? But if that person returns, the world might be destroyed’—”

“—”

For a moment, the wave of high temperature covering Harukiyo shook like a heat haze.

Tamaki was convinced.

It was just like she thought.

If it was the “real one”, he never would have had a humanlike response such as wavering.

Now that she realized this, it was all the more reason not to fear the man in front of her.

“’Kanon can save that person’.”

Harukiyo stood motionless, paralyzed, while Tamaki with Kanon’s face smiled.

“’Kanon can remove the reason for that person’s slumber’—is the message.”

The riverbank fell silent.

This space, until very recently ruled by the remnants of battle and the commotion caused by Harukiyo’s arrival, was now so quiet one could even hear the chirps of bugs.

“You know who you need to pass this message along to, right?”

Kanon smiled.

After staying silent for a while, Harukiyo finally raised his chin as if recalling something. He suddenly spread a heat wave around, wearing a smile loaded with killing intent.

“…So you’re the bitch from back then…!”

“Whatever might you be referring to? This is Kanon’s first time meeting you.”

Tamaki played dumb.

The ring emitting pure light and the crimson heatwave emitted by Harukiyo.

An explosive situation unfolded between these two people who possessed power beyond the domain of humans. As if responding to that, the Annihilators slowly parted to the sides, assuming a position from which they could attack at any time.

“…”

Harukiyo left a provocative smile behind and turned away. The believers and SEPB members, and even the Annihilators all looked at the devil’s back with shock.

“Make sure you pass it properly.”

Tamaki reminded Harukiyo—the fake devil.

The remnants of flames vanished into the night’s darkness.

Since Harukiyo drew away, the other Annihilators also apparently lost their desire for battle. Just like when they appeared, they vanished into the darkness noiselessly.

“We’re… saved…?”

“Harukiyo retreated…? Why…”

On one hand the believers were relieved, but they were confused, unable to understand the reason for Harukiyo’s departure.

“There is no need to be scared. Even if Kanon needed to fight, we would have won.”

Tamaki wore a carefree smile, looking at her believers.

As the dreary atmosphere vanished, perhaps finally relieved from the depths of their hearts, the believers raised the voice of victory.

“Kanon-sama!”

“Kanon-sama!”

While listening to the voices revering Kanon, Tamaki looked up the night sky.

The next full moon was but a few days away.

By stealing Alpha, she turned Mushibane into her enemy.

By raiding the SEPB, she declared war.

The preparations to make the next miracle happen were steadily moving—

“You’ll come back, right, Kanon? At the next full moon…”

With a voice small enough to not be heard by anyone, Tamaki mumbled.

“At that time, I’ll show you. A true miracle… the moment a lie becomes the truth.”

Receiving on her body the chanting praising Kanon’s name, Tamaki smiled bewitchingly.

4.06 Kanon Part 8

The Abandoned Land he’d seen for the first time in a while was just like a fortress.

The spires viewed in the distance were the Castle. Perhaps having been dyed over, the walls that used to be a faded brown were now white, looking more like an actual castle.

All extraneous buildings were demolished from the vast premises and an asphalt road was paved. Piled-up mountains of debris or scrap wood from the remaining buildings grew up here and there like bamboo stalks. The parked heavy machinery and crane vehicles looked like tanks protecting the Abandoned Land.

Although it was still early morning, they had already started demolition work.

However, not a single sound could be heard from the Abandoned Land. None of the heavy machinery moved, and no workers who operated them could be seen.

It was as if no one was present at the Abandoned Land.

However, it wasn’t so.

The people living there all held their breaths, waiting for this time.

Waiting for their salvation.

Everyone was waiting for night to fall.

“Everyone… Kanon’s back.”

On top of the barricade used at the border of the Abandoned Land, Kanon mumbled.

Following him, many shadows also stood at once on the barricade.

There was also his friend Nii nearby, and some other comrades who followed after Kanon.

“Is it really tonight?”

Snow Fly—Anmoto Shiika—asked Kanon. Perhaps wearing combatant gear, she was clad in a leather-made suit with a radio hanging down from a gun belt at her waist.

As if to protect Shiika, the Mushitsuki of Mushibane lined up together. Aijisupa, Namie, Halensis, Peedwood, Lucifera—including the other comrades who underwent battle training, about thirty elite forces arrived here.

“Yes. Tama-chan will definitely try to do something tonight.”

At first, it was just a small lie told by Kanon.

From there Tamaki added another lie.

Another lie.

And another lie.

By piling up all these lies, they became a fortress.

That was—the Castle.

When there were no longer any lies to used as building blocks, Tamaki piled another thing on top of them—a sacrifice.

Kanon was disgusted and had left.

However, Tamaki kept on piling sacrifices even now.

What was she going so far to create?

She had already obtained the castle she wished for—

“Can we really stop that person?”

Kanon mumbled at Shiika’s question.

“If we talk, Kanon is sure she will understand. …But, Kanon alone would be killed long before reaching Tamaki, so—”

“Understood. So we just need to buy you some time.”

Shiika smiled.

Kanon bit his lips.

“Why are you helping? Do you believe Kanon?”

“To get Alpha back, obviously. …But, also because you’re the same as us, Kanon-san.”

“The same?”

“We all hate fighting.”

Shiika, who wore such an embarrassed smile, was definitely as far from the word “fighting” as possible. Even after spending a few days with her Kanon couldn’t really believe she was one of the strongest Mushitsuki.

“Let’s all stop her together.”

“Right.”

Kanon nodded.

He had explained to Shiika and the rest that the Kanon currently residing in the Castle was a fake.

However, he did not confess the lie that Kanon had the power to erase Mushi. The people of Mushibane always looked at him with half-doubting eyes.

It wasn’t to preserve himself.

That lie was until now his ace in the hole.

In the case that he couldn’t convince Tamaki—he would use that ace.

“Hey, that…!”

One of the people of Mushibane pointed to the distance.

Kanon and the rest gulped.

On the exact other side of the Abandoned Land they could see a fire pillar pointing to the sky. That thing whirling high above also looked like a Great Yama tiger beetle with tusks of different lengths.

“So that bastard’s also here…”

Nii’s voice full of hatred was slightly shaking. Kanon couldn’t tell if this was anger for his fallen comrades or else cause by fear.

He raised his face to the sky.

An endless blue sky was spreading there. White clouds were flowing by.

In several hours it would become night, and the sphere causing the fourth miracle would probably float there.

“—Let us go!”

Along with Shiika’s call, Kanon and the rest started running.

Three months have passed since Kanon and Tamaki’s first lie.

Tonight was the fourth full moon.

5.00 Tamaki Part 10

Did Tamaki’s childhood friend remember that very first lie told in the park back then?

More than ten years have passed since then.

The world changed.

Most important of all was the appearance of the existence known as Mushi.

The two liars and childhood friends grew—and were reunited.

They lied again and now that this lie grew so big, she thought to herself.

Was the lie the pair told that day, really a lie? Hadn’t they believed what they discussed in the sandbox from the bottom of their hearts?

Believed that, one day, it would definitely come true.

That wish was now definitely being made true.

She softly mumbled toward her absent childhood friend.

“Can you see this?”

Tamaki stood on top of a large stage.

The hundreds, no, thousands of people gathered around below her were all waiting for Kanon’s words. All of them wore the same kind of robes.

Looking down at the arrayed believers, even Tamaki herself was clad in that robe. Crowned with a wreath of laurel leaves tied together, she also grasped a large khakkhara staff in hand.

Behind this stage was a large, white spire.

The first lie made true by the pair of childhood friends—the Castle.

“The pair’s lie will now change the world…”

The fact that Tamaki’s tone was exactly like Kanon when she was transformed was half due to her sounding cynical. The other half—was because Tamaki had spent too much time in this false form, so her own personality was becoming vague.

But she didn’t care.

The preparations to welcome her childhood friend who was definitely coming were ready.

“Kanon-sama…”

A voice rose from among the believers.

“Kanon-sama…!”

“Kanon-sama!”

“Kanon-samaaa!”

The voices became a chorus, cheers, and then shouts.

Answering their voices, Tamaki raised her khakkhara overhead. All voices instantly stopped and silence returned.

“Kanon and all of you are weak. Very, very… weak.”

Tamaki spoke to the microphone set on stage.

“Losing, running away, and finally arriving here. All of you should be the same.”

None denied Tamaki’s words. They all just looked up with admiration at Tamaki’s—no, at Kanon’s face.

“Those who corner us are always strong people. …Being strong is nice, right?”

A roar reverberated.

The clouds floating in the east were dyed in red. That crimson, even more intense than the sun itself, created the shape of a Great Yama tiger beetle made of flames launching at the sky.

And yet Tamaki’s speech did not stop.

“This is because strong people are those who expose the secrets of bad guys, the heroes who vanquish them.”

This time an earthquake shook the ground. A white glow could be seen pouring down from the eastern sky.

It was snow.

In this period where summer just ended, pure-white snow was falling at the eastern sky.

“Weak people like us are only used by the strong people and get stepped on. They don’t even turn to look at the weak.”

Flames and blizzard, the two incarnations of destruction, were both approaching this place.

“Even now strong Mushitsuki are coming to kill us all. —But we’re fine.”

All the believers wore calm expression, not moving a muscle.

“We will probably not lose.”

Why was it that Tamaki could mimic Kanon’s mannerisms, tone and even his thoughts so perfectly?

Although it was her, she thought about this before.

She soon reached an answer.

Because they were both liars—

Although these two were both similar and different, their cores were the same.

“Do you believe in Kanon?”

Tamaki asked.

The believers all smiled. She didn’t even need to ask for their answer. She knew well that they believed in Kanon from the depths of their hearts. She also knew that they wished to believe.

“Kanon also believes in all of you.”

There was no falsehood in those words. Kanon believed in those believers, in his comrades.

Kanon only stopped believing—in Tamaki.

But that was a mistake.

Kanon would probably realize this once he came back here.

“Eliminate the wicked Mushitsuki approaching us!”

Raising the khakkhara above her head, Tamaki commanded.

“Our enemies are the Blaze Class Rank 1, Harukiyo! As well as Secret Class Rank 1, Fuyuhotaru!”

The believers all raised battle cries. The air shook with angry roars and fervor.

“We shall destroy them, and then embark on our final fight against the Special Environmental Preservation Bureau!”

She swung down her staff vigorously and shouted.

“Kanon and the believers now declare a Holy War!”

The lie made in the sandbox with her childhood friend.

How far could that small lie swell?

Tamaki thought she had to see it through.

As a single liar.

5.01 Kanon Part 9

Kanon and Mushibane led by Anmoto Shiika charged into the Abandoned Land.

Debris and structures that were in the middle of getting demolished stood in their way as if it was an obstacle course. Passing over or circumventing them, Kanon and the rest aimed for the spire visible in the distance.

To the Castle.

Tamaki and Kanon’s believers were definitely there.

No, perhaps they’d foreseen Kanon’s group’s invasion and were taking some action—

“Kanon, are you fine?”

“Y-yes.”

Among the first group rushing ahead, Kanon was the first one to raise a voice. Crouching on top of the mountain of concrete rubble, Nii lent him a hand. His breath erratic, Kanon grabbed Nii’s hand.

“G-go ahead.”

Shiika passed next to Kanon. Although her breath was elevated just like Kanon, she continued while gazing straight ahead without making any noise. She passed the mountain of rubble with her comrades.

“I-I’m sorry.”

While apologizing to Shiika’s back, he felt how pathetic he was at this late of a stage.

“They really are amazing, those who stand above people…”

Anmoto Shiika—the girl known as Snow Fly was a very powerful Mushitsuki.

“Completely unlike Kanon.”

People gathered around the strong. Because they possess the power to bind people together. Those who were weak like Kanon did their best to live while being protected by the strong.

And so he knew.

The days when everyone relied on Kanon, thought salvation from him, gathered and lived together were incredibly fun—but also twisted.

He knew fully well what brought this impossible situation.

Kanon’s lie.

The fabrication that he could save Mushitsuki put the weak Kanon in the center.

The result was the present situation.

“I really don’t get her.”

Pulling Kanon’s hand, Nii pulled him up to the zenith of the mountain of rubble.

“Until now I only heard rumors about Fuyuhotaru. Now that I actually met her, she really is different from what I imagined.”

“Eh?”

“She resembles you in some way, Kanon.”

Seeing Nii grin, Kanon tilted his head.

“I-is that really so?”

“Yeah.”

Kanon and Nii rushed down the rubble after Mushibane.

Kanon and Shiika were similar? He didn’t really think so. She was a Mushitsuki that held power, was trusted by her comrades, and had the courage to confront her enemy.

Most importantly, she was kind enough to help Kanon despite him having nothing to do with her.

Kanon, too, wanted to save the believers; he thought so even now.

But at the root of that was only the selfishness to protect himself—

“Kanon’s not that strong.”

“Don’t you think that Fuyuhotaru is unexpectedly like that too?”

“No way that is true.”

“I wonder.”

While talking to each other, the two circumvented a decayed building.

A flash of light then greeted them.

“Eek!”

An impact shook their footing along with the light’s blinking. An explosion rocked Kanon’s eardrums and small concrete fragments started falling like rain.

“…!”

Fearfully widening his eyes, Kanon was blown away by a sudden gale.

This was the section with lines of buildings that were being demolished. There were all sorts of structures, from small to big, that had their walls removed, concrete broken and left nothing but bare steel frames.

As if it was the skeleton of some large monster.

Or perhaps a large jungle gym.

“They” were in the space with raging wind in it.

“You guys…!”

Kanon shouted without thinking.

The people standing on the steel frames while holding hands looked familiar. Some among them were not familiar, but he still knew who they were at a glance.

These were the believers who sought salvation and gathered under Kanon.

As well as—

“…Tama-chan!”

In the center of the followers was a petite girl—no, boy. While it had the exact same face and costume like Kanon, it was not Kanon.

It was Tamaki.

“…”

Surrounded by the believers, Tamaki calmly looked down on Kanon. He couldn’t see even a hint of surprise or any agitation regarding his arrival there.

“They’re attacking again!”

Aijisupa’s voice echoed.

Although he thought that they were surrounding Tamaki and the rest standing atop the steel frame, Shiika and the Mushibane were apparently fighting against something on the ground.

Aijisupa and Namie produced steam and flaming white Common Albatross butterflies. They assumed a formation and protected their comrades.

On the surface of steel there was a storm brewing.

“Eeeeeek!”

Kanon, who held his head, was pushed by Nii into the cover of a steel bar.

The steam and white butterflies were unable to fully protect against the attack. Along with groans, the people of Mushibane were scattered, and what Kanon saw then was—

Something like a ring made of light. It floated in the center of the aftershock, standing in front of Tamaki’s group as if to protect them from Mushibane.

“That’s… my friend’s laurel wreath? I didn’t know it could be used like that!”

Poking his head out from the shade of the frames, Nii grimaced.

The laurel wreath. Meaning, the Mushi that Kanon had left behind in the Castle.

“Please leave right now.”

Illuminated by the ring’s light, Tamaki with the face of Kanon smiled.

“This is where people who wish to be saved gather. Not the place for people like you, who hurt others, to step in.”

A piercing chill passed through Kanon’s spine.

That was wrong.

She had the same face and voice as him, so how come she was so different?

“This land, called the Abandoned Land, is our Holy Land.”

The fake Kanon—smiled. This wasn’t a strong tone just to threaten Mushibane. Her voice was like a whisper, and kind.

The ring glowed even harder.

Standing on top of the blinding light, the fake Kanon’s form with a smile full of mercy—

Was even more Kanon-like than the actual Kanon.

The God of Salvation that came to Mushitsuki’s minds, Kanon. That divine form now ascended in front of him.

“Ugh…”

Kanon gritted his teeth.

What was this feeling?

Although he was the real deal, the Kanon everyone desired was another person. Facing that reality, he was restless.

Envy.

The form of the God of Salvation Kanon that everyone wished for.

It wasn’t just the Mushitsuki—but Kanon himself who wanted to turn into it as well.

Kanon shook off the arm of Nii who covered for him and rushed toward Shiika and the rest.

“Idiot, wait, Kanon!”

“P-please stop this!”

Standing between the ring of light and Mushibane, he pulled back his hood and revealed his face.

“T-that person’s a fake! Kanon’s the real Kanon!”

Kanon thrust his finger pointing at the fake Kanon standing on top of the steel.

“Please stop doing all of this! Fighting is dangerous!”

He shouted the loudest he ever had. It even made him think his throat was about to rip.

I’m sorry, Tama-chan—

While shouting, guilt constricted Kanon’s chest.

No matter how she chose to do it, Tamaki kept protecting Kanon’s lie. Even so, Kanon was trying to expose her lie.

It went against the unspoken rule between the two.

This action went against the secret promise to not break each other’s lies.

Kanon’s once-in-a-lifetime shout echoed throughout the area of steel frames.

Kanon emitted the once-in-a-lifetime voice, echoed through the steel land. Judging how shaken the believers were, Shiika’s group were also looking up at the steel frames.

However—

“—”

There was only silence.

None of the believers were moved and they all looked down coldly at Kanon.

“Eh…? Eh…? Umm, you guys… why—”

“So you really came here, Mimic.”

The fake Kanon grinned. Kanon gulped.

“Mimi…? What’s that? You’re talking about Kanon?”

“After attacking SEPB and Mushibane you’re here to attack Kanon and the rest, right? You’re the Mushitsuki who can transform into anyone, Mimic-san.”

“W-what is that? Kanon isn’t…”

He tried speaking but then gasped.

Transform into anyone… Kanon knew a Mushitsuki like that.

Mimic was Tamaki.

When he realized this, he shuddered.

Tamaki disguised as Kanon and the Kanon looking up at her.

Their positions—were switched.

“N-no… t-that’s what Kanon should be saying!”

Kanon tried desperately explaining, but the believers’ cold eyes didn’t change. Before coming to the fight, Tamaki had probably warned them that a fake with Kanon’s appearance would appear.

“Kanon’s the real Kanon… and that one’s fake…”

Even as he strained his voice, he felt how futile this was. Kanon looked shabby and powerless, while Tamaki had transformed into a divine, glowing Child of God.

Which was the real Kanon?

Which was the Kanon that everyone wished for.

Kanon knew that answer better than anyone.

In fact, the ones shaken were Mushibane. They clamored and some of them even turned clearly suspicious eyes toward Kanon.

“Or will you people of Mushibane also come to Kanon? Kanon’s weaker than anyone and can’t do anything, but—”

The fake Kanon whispered in a kind voice.

“Kanon will save all of you. Due to Kanon’s power of erasing Mushi.”

A temptation sweet enough to melt one’s heart.

All Mushitsuki wished to be released from the shackles of their Mushi—

Tamaki knew that well.

“Amazing…”

He heard a small mumble.

Mushibane faltered.

The one to have spoken was none other than their leader—Anmoto Shiika.

“Fighting to protect each other while knowing that you’re weak is amazing…”

With an absent expression, Shiika looked up at the fake Kanon. Her profile, with eyes sparkling as she was captivated by the fake Kanon, was exactly the same as all the believers.

“Shiika…?”

“Fuyuhotaru! Have you lost your mind?”

“H-hey, Snow…!”

Starting with Aijisupa and Namie, the executives all turned to Shiika at once.

Shiika looked like she was truly impressed. She turned back to her allies with an excited face.

“I mean, isn’t it true? Not being protected by someone but helping each other to protect each other’s dream… yes, I want Mushibane to be like that, too!”

Aijisupa and the rest froze upon seeing their leader so happy.

“…That might be true.”

Lucifera agreed with Shiika. Averting her eyes from the cellphone, she mumbled with an uncharacteristically serious expression.

“Being weak and still managing to outwit all the strong people, catching both the SEPB and Mushibane off-guard… I’m sure that Chami-sama’s also…”

She uttered the latter part of her words too low for Shiika and the rest to hear. But Shiika nodded.

“These people… are the ideal Mushibane strives for.”

Kanon opened his mouth wide.

He couldn’t understand this heavily unexpected development.

Mushibane was his last ray of hope to convince Tamaki or the followers. And yet their leader so easily agreed with Tamaki.

“Uh… Ah… Uu…”

Even as he opened his mouth to try and convince Shiika, no words came out.

He was too powerless.

Kanon had no way to oppose his fake self—

“Therefore—it’s a pity you have to lie.”

His heart nearly leapt out of his chest.

Raising his face, he saw Shiika looked up at Tamaki again. However, her eyes were now so sharp she looked like another person.

She was angry.

Secret Class Rank 1 Mushitsuki, Anmoto Shiika, glared at the fake Kanon with a gaze that contained unmistakable anger.

“Mimic is definitely you.”

The air froze.

The real Kanon couldn’t say anything or move, while the shocked believers and Mushibane were all shaken by Shiika’s words.

Only one person was unperturbed.

The Child of God sitting on the steel frames, the fake Kanon.

“Why do you doubt Kanon? Kanon is Kanon. Everyone knows that, and, most importantly—wish for it.”

That was true. Being struck by that truth, Kanon squeezed his body.

“You said you were weak… but that was your first lie.”

Shiika didn’t retreat. She spoke with confidence.

“You are strong. No—you are scary.”

“Kanon’s scary? Why’s that? Kanon can’t do anything, so what’s so scary?”

“Because I’m weak.”

Kanon raised his head in surprise.

Anmoto Shiika was weak? The strongest Mushitsuki, who was rumored to have destroyed the SEPB once?

“I am able to stand here now not because I am strong. It is because I have people who help me. If not for that, my dream would have ended long ago. It is all because I met this many strong people and scary people this far…”

Shiika looked directly at fake Kanon and asserted.

“So I know this. You don’t think of yourself as weak. You are merely pretending to be weak—and that makes you scary.”

“…”

“A person lying that they’re weak and lying that they’re Kanon-san, is saying that they’ll save us.”

Shiika slowly shook her head to the side.

“But I cannot believe you.”

The Mushibane allies were no longer shaken. Standing near Shiika as if to protect her, they assumed battle position so they could attack the halo at any time.

“Until now I have ended up almost giving up many times. There were ways to run away. However, to save ourselves using our own powers, we have decided to fight to the end.”

Shiika asserted.

“Please return Alpha-san to us. We do not wish to fight among Mushitsuki.”

Why was it?

As he watched the divine fake Kanon and Anmoto Shiika who faced her straight on—he felt some inexplicable camaraderie.

Until just now, Shiika didn’t look like someone strong.

Even so—the fake Kanon looked so divine, and yet less scary now.

Kanon suddenly realized what the reason for that was.

Oh, that person’s definitely really weak—

Perhaps there was a certain kind of feeling shared between those who were weak and useless. At the same time, he also realized a decisive difference between himself and Shiika.

She wasn’t just aware of the fact she was weak, but was trying to grow stronger—

Even her Mushibane allies probably knew that. That was why they protected Shiika, who didn’t seem all that reliable, as their leader, and were all trying to grow stronger together.

Shiika said that her ideal was Kanon’s believers, but it was the other way.

They were—the originals.

Neither a lie nor a fake.

Kanon earnestly thought that he wanted to become like that.

“…”

On top of the steel frames, the fake Kanon tried opening her mouth.

But she turned away as impact sounds and a tremor came from afar.

“Those flames…!”

Nii let leak a hoarse voice.

Everyone there looked at the other side of the Abandoned Land—no, the Holy Land.

Across the Castle, on the horizon of the opposite side of where Kanon and the rest where, crimson flames howled. When the typhoon of flames heading to the sky fell to the surface—

“…!”

His legs shook from the tremor. To the extent he thought the impact erased the ground.

“That bastard… is right there…!”

As Nii was gazing at the flames, his forehead was sweating profusely. Whether due to anger or the forced fear, he grimaced.

“…Leave this place to the warriors.”

Smiling, the fake Kanon turned around on the steel frames. The ring of light floated up to the sky, drawing an arc and settling above her head.

“Wha…!”

People wearing red robes leapt down in front of the excitable Mushibane.

“Kanon’s believers, who were originally weak but trained hard to get stronger. —They would never lose to those who were strong in the first place, you know?”

Taking the followers along, the fake Kanon turned one final time toward the real one.

For a moment, the fake Kanon’s—Tamaki’s—eyes met with Kanon’s.

“Tama-chan…”

Kanon appealed to her with his eyes, but his childhood friend’s expression was cool. She said nothing with her gaze, but simply left Kanon behind.

Nii put his hand on Kanon’s shoulder.

“Kanon… sorry.”

Leaving these words with a harsh expression, Nii turned his body. While looking up at the distant flames, he ran ahead, avoiding the steel frames.

The running Nii.

The waiting red robes and Mushibane.

While looking at them starting to move at once, Kanon wondered—

Why did it become like that?

With those feelings in his heart, he could nothing but stand there.

5.02 The Others

He was confident in his stamina. Although he’d been far from battle for a long time, that didn’t change.

Nii went back along the same road he came through, running alongside the horizon of the Abandoned Land while changing direction. As he was long-limbed, he took a forward leaning stance, and his form jumping around obstacles while dashing ahead was like a tank. —So he’d been told before.

By his past comrades.

“Bastard…!”

He swung his arm at the mountain of wooden scraps that stood in his path. The wooden boards broke and showered him in fragments as he raised his speed even further. Although he took a large detour, he’d probably arrive before the believers who were moving in great numbers.

Nii glared at the distant sky, seeing the Great Yama tiger beetle’s mad dance.

“Harukiyo!”

Among the three remaining Rank 1 Mushitsuki, he was the man most wrapped in mystery.

Once he was seen as the leader of a third force comparable to SEPB or the Mushibane that had only few but powerful members. Even so, only very few people knew that he actually belonged to the SEPB’s secret unit called the Annihilators.

Nii was one of the few people who knew.

In exchange for knowing bottomless fear and despair.

“I won’t be able to finish it at this rate…”

The flame devil. Never mind being a Mushitsuki, this monster wasn’t even a human being.

One day he came and appeared in front of Nii without any advance warning.

No—there was a warning. It was much, much too small, and including Nii, no one had noticed that this would become the chance for it.

It was just a small sentence uttered by one of Nii’s comrades.

—Hey, leader. Can we really keep on going like this?

The girl with the laurel wreath on her head said this.

At the time—well, it was just several months ago, but still—Nii belonged to the SEPB. He served as the leader of a four-person group under the jurisdiction of the South Central Branch.

To put it bluntly, he thought of his team as invincible.

They never lost against wild Mushitsuki with unknown powers, even ones that were strong. They had accumulated training and real battle experience, their teamwork was perfect, and they could respond to any and all situations. It sounded cliché, but since he’d never even seen a single weakness, he could only describe them as invincible.

Among this team made of two boys and two girls, the strongest was the Rank 2 Nii. Rank was irrelevant, though. As long as he was with his team, he had the confidence he could beat even the one said to be the strongest in the SEPB, the Rank 1 Kakkou. He knew that even within the SEPB there were similar estimations.

Keep on going like this… are you unsatisfied with our team?

Today they also easily managed to capture a powerful wild Mushitsuki. While one of Nii’s comrades, a blond boy, made the captured Mushitsuki powerless with his ability, the laurel wreath girl asked him.

Nii remembered himself and another of his comrades, a tall girl with glasses, exchanging glances. He couldn’t understand the intention behind the laurel wreath girl’s sudden words.

We might be strong…

Everyone in the team agreed with this. They already accepted it together.

Yet the laurel wreath girl sat on a bucket at some empty back alley and looked at the sky. The sky boxed in by buildings was square-shaped and blue.

—But if we’re really strong, doesn’t it mean we cannot just protect ourselves but do other things as well?

She always had a tendency to take care of people. Even her ability of amplifying others’ abilities reflected her personality.

The blond boy realized this, because he knew her kind personality.

—So we should also get out of the South Central Branch. That’s what you wanted to say?

Nii’s team was invincible. However, since they never tried leaving their branch’s jurisdiction, it was true they had nothing to compare themselves to. They kept ignoring requests for help from other branches, only focusing their whole efforts on keeping the peace in their own turf.

—There was apparently a large battle at Hashiba City. They say that Kakkou defeated Mushibane’s leader, Lady Bird.

The laurel wreath girl kept talking in a singsong voice while still looking up the sky.

—Fuyuhotaru ran away, and apparently met up with Mushibane at Nishito City. A combined force of the Central Headquarters and East Central Branch apparently fought against Oogui at Shiou City. And our teacher, who was so strong, apparently fought against Shinpu at Holland City and perished. The North Central Branch apparently fought against a Mushi-eating Mushi with some help from East and won. This is only a rumor, but apparently a new Fusion Type Mushitsuki appeared and was defeated by Kakkou. …Apparently. …Apparently. It just keeps going.

Nii and the rest kept listening to the girl.

—Why were we never there? Why were Kakkou or the East Central Branch always there? How would it have ended if we were there?

After the laurel wreath girl finished her monologue, the bespectacled girl spoke.

—One of us might have died.

Nii nodded.

That was the reason why their team had never gone to the outside world.

The invincible team would keep on being invincible. Without losing anyone. By doing that they would be able to keep living even one day longer.

—We might have saved someone without losing anyone.

The laurel wreath girl refused to back down. She grabbed the hands of the blond boy and glasses girl on both sides.

—I’m having so much fun now. Everyone in the team relies on me and it’s fun being together. I feel relieved. You all feel the same, right? So I didn’t care about anything that I can’t reach with my hands. But, when I sometimes look to the outside… he’s always there.

Although normally a meek and mild girl, she now looked straight into Nii’s eyes as she spoke.

—That demon… Kakkou.

Including Nii, everyone grimaced.

—I also hate that demon, but he always… comes to save Mushitsuki. If the Matured Lady or the new Fusion Type were allowed to go rampart, the world would have in a horrible state for sure. He’s the only one who can defeat such monsters. …But is that true? Speaking frankly, I always think about it. “All of us are even more amazing!”

Excluding the laurel wreath girl, the other three said nothing. They definitely felt the same as her, in the depths of their hearts. At least Nii did.

—The four of us together have too much fun, but I have the feeling we’ve been averting our eyes from the problems of Mushitsuki. Despite us being strong… as long as we keep averting our eyes, we might actually be weak, I ended up thinking. And I find that very… painful.

The laurel wreath girl looked at Nii as she spoke.

—So let’s go outside. Since we’re strong, I believe that we definitely have… something like a mission or a duty that we have to fulfill.

Nii sighed.

—Aren’t we gonna have a majority vote? As long as one person is against it, we won’t do anything. That’s our rule, after all.

Saying this, he first looked at the baby-faced blond boy. He went silent, thinking of something, but finally smiled and looked at Nii’s face. He nodded.

Next, as he looked at the bespectacled girl, she brushed up her hair. She looked around her comrades’ faces and raised her chin. After looking at something in the distance, she made a clear nod.

Nii smiled.

It was always like this.

They would do nothing if anyone was against it. While saying that was the rule, whenever someone seriously decided anything—no one would refuse.

—For now, let’s step into the center of Mushitsuki.

Nii nodded and made the decision.

That was the biggest mistake of his life.

Nii’s group went out of the South Central Branch’s jurisdiction. They tried to investigate what Kakkou was fighting against and what the East Central Branch thought and how Mushibane would move.

As a result—they summoned a devil.

Although they made a move, it didn’t mean they grasped any clues. They didn’t even get hold of any information that could be considered a secret. However, just for starting to move—

Harukiyo appeared in front of their team.

Seeing his defeated comrades, Nii couldn’t even understand what happened. The blond guy and the bespectacled girl became Fallen, while the laurel wreath girl was hurt so bad she went in a coma. The team they cultivated so much weren’t able to do anything.

In the center of the crimson, scorching hell, the devil sneered toward Nii who was standing there covered in blood.

—Those who lack resolve can’t butt in.

The flame devil didn’t attempt to finish Nii off.

—I’ll letcha live. Get outta there and give the warning to all the weak ones. “If you don’t wanna die, don’t get involved”.

Get involved in what?

He had no idea. He just realized this with helpless despair.

He was being watched.

The people who could participate in battles pertaining to the entire Mushitsuki were limited, only the chosen ones. And the one choosing them was none other than—the flame devil, Harukiyo.

As a result, Nii survived. Carrying the laurel wreath girl on his shoulders, taking the bespectacled girl by the arm and dragging the blond boy, he returned to his branch. Fallen could walk by themselves if ordered to, but he couldn’t do that to his comrades.

When he came back to the branch, it was obvious at a glance they’d been “warned” by Harukiyo. Although the base was fully scorched, there wasn’t even a single victim. However, all members beneath the rank of branch head were trembling and groaning. —Their hearts were broken by the flame devil.

The South Central Branch had been destroyed by a single Mushitsuki.

In the end, it was unknown when the laurel wreath girl would wake up. Even so her Mushi remained. A host losing consciousness and their Mushi remaining was an extremely rare situation.

He lost his irreplaceable allies.

He lost the branch he could return to.

Nii, who became empty, held the laurel wreath that could be called his comrade’s memento—and ran away. His heart full of despair and regrets, the loser who lost his confidence and power to live wandered around aimlessly.

Then he met with Kanon—and now, he was about to see the devil of flames again.

He had a hunch.

If anyone other than Kakkou or Mushibane stood out, Harukiyo would come to “warn” them. He didn’t know the reason or the conditions, but if this was something decided by Harukiyo himself—

He would definitely come to Kanon and the believers one day.

He was convinced of it.

“Harukiyo…!”

Not noticing his heart gave out shrieks, Nii detoured through the horizon of the Abandoned Land, continuing to run.

Soon people who fought with their Mushi out appeared in front of him. They were the believers wearing red and the Annihilators wearing black masks. —The fake Kanon was not there yet.

A believer in red robe stood in the path of the rushing Nii. Although they were once comrades, perhaps they’d been ordered to catch him, since he was an escapee.

“Move!”

Nii swung his right arm. His Mushi appeared in his hand.

Shaped like a giant axe, it was an equipment-type Mushi, rare even among Mushitsuki. From his grasped axe, string-like fiber crawled up his arms and wrapped his entire body.

His arm strengthened by his Mushi’s muscle fibers, he swung the large axe horizontally.

“UWOOOO!”

The Mushi of the red-robed person in front of Nii completely vanished. The axe swung at terrifying speed instantly blew the opposing Mushi far away.

As he continued rushing, now an Annihilator’s Mushi stood in his way.

But Nii did not stop. Weaving between the attacks of Mushi coming from left and right, he used his powerful arm to crush any Mushi that he saw.

Just like his past codename, Akaoni, he became an ogre with bloodshot red eyes and cut through the battlefield.

And then, finally—he found an area enveloped in raging flames.

Nii’s hunch was on the mark.

That devil aimed for Kanon and the believers.

“Harukiyooooooooooo!!!”

A building turned into a large pillar of fire, and the machinery parked around all exploded to smithereens.

Inside this scenery from hell he saw the back of a tall person. That man was folding his arms and watching over the fights between the Annihilators and red robes inside the flames—

Nii would avenge his precious comrades being trodden over like bugs.

As the team’s leader, Nii had the duty to clear his comrades’ regrets—

“WOOOOOOOOOOH!”

Scattering the raging flames, the red ogre of revenge struck his axe into the defenseless back of the young man.

—Or so he tried.

However.

“—”

Along with a shining afterimage, the young man’s burning eyes turned to him.

His hairs, like the billowing rage of buddha, was so crimson they almost seemed to be made out of flames. His entire face was covered in tape, and his form wearing a scorched jacket emitted a superhuman presence.

He was the incarnation of flames.

An inhuman devil.

The zenith of Mushitsuki everyone acknowledged, Harukiyo, stood in front of him.

“—Who the hell are you?”

A low voice that sounded like it echoed from the depths of hell. The flames around shook, and Nii felt as though the entire temperature of the Abandoned Land rose at once.

The flame devil turned around and asked him who he was.

Nii had seen the ending of that chain of movements.

He was unable to move a single step from the spot.

He was still holding the axe aloft and his feet felt as though they were stuck to the ground.

“Uh—”

Just moments ago, Nii’s desire for revenge was ready to burst. However, his guilty conscience regarding his comrades and his anger…

All of them were burned away by the gaze of the devil.

“Name yourself.”

Apparently the flame devil didn’t even remember him as one he’d previously beaten.

Nii put strength into his arm grasping the axe. Right now, Harukiyo turned only his face toward him. The fact he was defenseless was unchanged. Right now he could instantly close the distance and cut him off.

Although he thought this in his head, his body couldn’t move.

Never mind attacking, he couldn’t even introduce himself. As for why, it was because his teeth were chattering.

“Uh… Uuugh…”

The final moments of his comrades were revived in his mind. Even as they desperately resisted, their Mushi was dully killed. As if to tell him to run away, they all turned to Nii—and lost their liveliness.

Just like that time.

Never mind saving his comrades, he wasn’t even able to take a single strike for his revenge.

Here was just a loser.

A loser would have no name.

“Uuugh…”

Why did he have to face that devil again—

He despaired at his own uselessness.

“—”

Seeing Nii completely frozen, the devil lost interest. He returned his gaze elsewhere as if Nii didn’t exist, turning his back.

The flame devil simply ignored Nii’s existence. He couldn’t even hold his interest for more than a couple of moments.

He knew well he had no chance to win. He knew that firsthand.

If so, why had he even considered revenge?

Why had he come there?

How on earth—had he been able to overcome his despair and get all the way here?

“Wh—”

The heat remaining in his throat burned. Nii spoke in a hoarse voice.

“Why… are you here…”

He didn’t even know why he was asking himself that.

As expected, even waiting for a while no answer came. The question of a loser that didn’t even introduce himself would never draw an answer from the devil.

Or so he thought—

“I’m obviously gonna come here, seeing I was invited, right?”

Nii widened his eyes, looking at the devil’s back.

Harukiyo was laughing.

Invited?

Meaning, did someone invite Harukiyo to the Abandoned Land?

Who on earth would do that—

If someone summoned this devil, it could only be for destruction.

“While we’re at it, I’m gonna make a test.”

The devil of flames looked to be in a good mood. Nii knew that because a smile was mixed in with his voice.

Test?

What did he mean, a test?

“I will test—whether this Kanon or whatever has the qualification to participate in the upcoming battles.”

Thump.

Nii’s heart leapt.

Although that guy didn’t even look at him, he said Kanon’s name. It practically sounded like a death warrant.

And more importantly—

“A test… you say…?”

A shudder rose from the depths of his body. Even he didn’t understand what emotion was causing it.

“So when you crushed the South Central Branch… was that also a test…?”

“What if it was?”

The devil turned back again, looking at Nii with blazing eyes. He wore a provocative smile.

“Your lot weren’t qualified. That was it.”

“…”

“I do hope Kanon’s got it.”

Qualification?

He couldn’t understand at all what the demon was talking of.

But there was something he did understand.

The Mushitsuki in front of him had made his friends unable to move due to that ridiculous reason.

“—”

Anger rising yet again pushed a little of the fear and despair.

Seeing Nii grasp his axe, the devil laughed.

“I’m in a good mood. I’ll let you go. —You can’t possibly defeat me.”

“…”

“Give up. We can’t be killed.”

Grinning, the devil removed his eyes from Nii. He folded his arms, sneering.

”That’s why we’re all Rank 1.”

Nii’s breathing stopped for a moment.

He didn’t understand what he was saying.

No one could match the Rank 1s—was that what he meant?

No, it was just a hunch, but he didn’t think Harukiyo would say something like that. It was something more important—far more outrageous, that the devil just blurted.

Such a bad feeling rushed through him.

“Can’t be killed… no way. Lady’s dead and Spear Form’s gone, too…”

If he accepted this, he’d never win. The names of Rank 1s who were gone came out of Nii’s mouth as he thought about this.

Rank 1s couldn’t be killed.

There was no way this was true.

“Even Fuyuhotaru… momentarily became a Fallen… so you can be killed, too.”

“Lady died? Then what’s the force driving Mushibane? That woman’s curse still alive and well. Also, don’t make a mistake.”

Harukiyo’s tone changed. Eyes filled with fury glared at Nii.

“Spear Form hasn’t kicked the bucket. She’s a Rank 1 because she’ll come back to life countless times.”

“…”

“When you hear the words ‘can’t die’, do only zombies come to mind? I’m tryin’ to explain what death means to us Mushitsuki.”

So stupid.

Nii shook his head.

What’s this guy talking about—

“That Kanon or whatever also gone way overboard with the kingly act. Then I’ll check it. Does Kanon have the same qualifications as us?”

“…! That… Kanon’s not a Mushitsuki!”

“Right. Therefore, rather than qualification, maybe I should say essence?”

Seeing Harukiyo grin, Nii’s heart quickened.

Did Harukiyo think—that Tamaki, who was currently leading the believers, was Kanon?

Thinking about it, that was natural. He heard about Tamaki from Kanon. Tamaki was a Mushitsuki with the ability to transform to other people.

As Nii stood there with his face fully frozen, a pure light illuminated his profile.

“…!”

Just as Nii turned back, flames blew up in the surroundings. A hurricane-like gale blew around the Abandoned Land and tore through the flames spreading destruction, erasing them.

A ring enveloped in light floated in front of Harukiyo.

And on the other side of that ring—

“Welcome to the Holy Land, Harukiyo.”

A group of believers were led by the disguised Tamaki. They all held hands and faced Harukiyo and the Annihilators.

“Kanon’s sorry after you’ve gone through the trouble and came here, but can you please leave right this instant?”

Still folding his arms, he glared at the face of the fake Kanon.

“…Aren’t you horrible, calling me here just to blow me off like that?”

Just from the devil’s low voice and glint he could tell that the believers had their hairs bristling. The flames were being obstructed by the ring and didn’t reach them, but the devil’s gaze was enough to scorch their hearts.

Only Tamaki acted self-important enough to face Harukiyo. Just like when she faced Mushibane, she wore a kind smile.

“Kanon doesn’t remember calling someone like you, though?”

“Oh really? By the way, you’ve got the power to erase Mushi?”

“That is true. Tonight, Kanon will use that power to save everyone.”

“Oh? Then please, me too. There’s a Mushi I’d like to erase.”

Not only Harukiyo’s comrades, the Annihilators, but even Kanon’s believers, stared at him.

The flame devil asked Kanon for a favor. That scene was strange to the extreme.

“No.”

Tamaki looked around. Seeing the robed believers collapsed, she smiled.

“Kanon hates you. So Kanon will not save you.”

“Gotcha.”

Negotiations were a bust.

Tamaki and Harukiyo glared at each other—and smiled.

“Please die.”

“Die.”

The first strike came from the ring of light. Emitting a blinding light, it shot attacks of all kind—flames, wind and electricity spread around.

A natural disaster.

Causing the ground to shake and even lightning to fall from the sky, this ring truly was a divine incarnation of power.

“Gh…!”

The impact blew Nii and the Annihilators away. Assuming a safe falling position and focusing on defense took everything he had.

While narrowing his eyes from the fierce gale, he raised his face—

And witnessed yet another incarnation of God.

“—So you’re gathering other people’s abilities and amplifying ‘em. Don’t like it one bit.”

Harukiyo stood upright and stiff even within the whirl of destruction. He was still folding his arms and despite his skin being torn by the impact, despite his blood flying, not even an eyebrow of his moved.

The next moment, the youth’s body was wrapped in conflagration. The flames whirled, became a fireball and flew up high. Drawing an arc in the high sky, the crimson fire ball fell toward the halo.

An earthquake shook the Abandoned Land. As if a meteor crashed, the ground caved in with the ring of light in the center, with cracks running all the directions from the asphalt surface.

Nii was speechless.

Within the competing impact and flames, Harukiyo—

“Are you Elvioréne?”

Grabbed the ring while smiling like a devil.

Despite the halo spreading around such an overwhelming power, Harukiyo who became a mass of flames was able to grab it and sneer.

“Haha!”

Harukiyo howled. While the two powers fought against each other, he raised the ring, pounding it forcefully against the ground.

Another earthquake.

And yet another earthquake.

Horizontal tremors assaulted the Abandoned Land as though a giant was stomping there.

He pounded the ring against the ground countless times, but seeing that it wasn’t broken, Harukiyo howled even louder.

“ORAAAA!”

He became a crimson fireball again. The halo tried resisting with its full capabilities, but he dragged it against the ground at terrifying speed. As the sphere of flames moved close to the speed of sound, it turned the ground into a burning carpet in no time.

It crushed the ground, melted the heavy machinery and destroyed the cracked buildings.

The carpet of flames stretched to the distance.

“…”

Watching this superhuman scene, Nii just felt numb.

It wasn’t just Nii. Kanon’s believers as well, obviously, but even Harukiyo’s own supposed allies, the Annihilators, stood frozen solid, unable to do anything other than stare at the carpet of flames.

Nii was shocked, and—the feeling of fear was reborn in him.

That man was inhuman.

Anyone who fought like that wasn’t even a Mushitsuki.

Just as he thought he saw flames blowing in the distance, the storm of impact moved elsewhere as if teleporting. But the Great Yama tiger beetle of flames did not let go. It soon followed after, and the two powers burst again.

“…”

He suddenly felt like laughing.

There was no way to win.

He wouldn’t be able to touch him even with a single finger.

He was too much of an idiot, trying to go against that kind of monster.

“Kh…!”

Harukiyo’s strength appeared to have been even beyond Tamaki’s estimation. She grimaced as the mass of light rose high to the sky. Trying to escape the Great Yama tiger beetle, the halo attempted to return to Tamaki and the rest.

But the devil didn’t allow it.

Soon the Great Yama tiger beetle gave chase, striking down the ring floating in midair to the ground.

“—Don’t fucking run away.”

Inside the crater created by breaking the asphalt, the devil grabbed the halo again. He swung his other hand, covered in flames, and kept smashing it into the ring again and again.

A chain of explosions like a missile attack shook the ring. Large explosions shook the Abandoned Land.

That was the power of a Rank 1—

It wasn’t an issue of a power gap. His very existence was wildly different from a mediocre Mushitsuki like Nii.

“Haha… this is impossible…”

Falling to his knees, Nii’s hoarse laughter leaked out.

“I’m sorry, you guys…”

He thought of revenge.

Even if it didn’t come true, he wanted to at least get a single strike in, for the sake of his lost friends. However, how could he do anything to an opponent like that?

He reached way beyond his league.

Nii and the rest simply prided themselves on being invincible in their own jurisdiction, going overboard. They forgot who they were and tried butting into the fight of a Rank 1, so the obvious result awaited them.

Nii and his group wasn’t even reflected in their eyes.

As if they didn’t exist.

So they would simply be destroyed as if they didn’t exist in the first place—

“I don’t give a fuck about any of you.”

The inhuman incarnation of fire had his eyes set ablaze while swinging his fist.

He didn’t have to say it, Nii already knew it. Knew it so much he hated it.

However, Nii couldn’t ignore the words Harukiyo uttered next.

“—I’m gonna go check the real Kanon-sama now.”

Thump.

Nii’s heart leapt.

Harukiyo—had seen through Tamaki being a fake.

“—”

Nii widened his eyes, slowly raising his face. The form of the devil trampling the ring with overwhelming power was burned into his eyes.

Once he’d caught Harukiyo’s eyes, it was the end.

Gritting his teeth, Nii tried rising up—

“…I really am sorry, you guys…”

And fell to his knees.

After losing his comrades, Nii’s heart completely broke.

If he tried rising again, that would be—

“I got no business with the imposter. Where’s the real—”

Sneering as he swung his fist, Harukiyo turned back, his glint drawing arcs in the air.

The unmatched Rank 1 who stood at the zenith of Mushitsuki, Harukiyo. This frightening man called the devil of flames—was a mere dozen centimeters from Nii’s face.

“You’re the one who’s got no business here, Harukiyo.”

Closing the distance in an instant, Nii buried the giant axe into the devil’s flank.

“—Why you…”

Harukiyo’s blazing eyes were about to scorch Nii’s heart.

For an instant, Nii was assaulted by an impulse to run away. Yet he bit his lips and kept his wits. Blood was running from his split lip.

“I won’t let you touch even a single finger of Kanon’s.”

Sorry, you guys—

He apologized in his heart to his past comrades.

Nii’s heart completely broke down.

Therefore, if he managed to move at all, that would be—due to feeling he wanted to protect his new friend.

Never again.

For sure.

He didn’t want to lose someone precious to him.

“OOOOooOOOOooOOOOH!!!”

Howling, he wildly swung his axe.

As Harukiyo was completely entangled with the halo, Nii’s assault was a surprise attack. It didn’t mean that the devil had lowered his guard just because Nii couldn’t even stand up a moment ago.

The completely defenseless devil was struck by the axe many times.

However—

“Didn’t I tell ya not to butt in?”

Harukiyo didn’t even need to defend himself. The moment before Nii’s axe touched him, highly pressurized heat wave blocked it, and every time he was struck, it just melted the axe’s body. All it did was push the devil a bit back.

But that was fine.

Just a little was fine.

“You’re an eyesore.”

The annoyed Harukiyo shook his arm.

With just this—half of Nii’s axe was melted and blown away.

“…!”

Raising a voiceless scream, Nii bent backwards.

“Hah.”

Harukiyo sniffed, turning again toward the ring—and widened his eyes.

In front of the devil’s eyes, the axe he’d supposedly just blown off was swung down at him. Part of the halo changed, and it became an even larger axe than before, pursuing Harukiyo’s head.

And the other side of the ring transformed to an axe—was touched by Nii’s extended arm.

He knew the ability of his past comrade better than anyone.

That laurel wreath absorbed the powers of whomever touched it and amplified them.

“Gwooooh?!”

The strengthened axe buried itself into Harukiyo’s shoulder. His legs were buried into the ground and the sound of his breaking collarbone clearly reached Nii’s ear.

The ring detached from Nii’s hand.

Following the opening where Harukiyo flinched, he flew away.

“…While you can, to the Castle!”

Tamaki immediately gave orders. The halo and the following believers all left toward the spire visible in the distance.

Falling to his knees, Nii collapsed. He’d lost a large part of his Mushi and his consciousness was fading.

Within his vanishing consciousness, he thought of the faces of his team members.

Sorry, you guys—

Nii could do nothing but apologize.

He really was spineless and good for nothing.

After losing his comrades, his heart had broken. He couldn’t do anything for them.

However—

“—”

Feeling pain in his shoulder, he rolled and faced the sky. He had apparently been kicked by the devil.

“Any last words?”

Looking down the unmoving Nii, the devil was sneering at him. Like always, he wore a provocative smile full of disregard for Nii—but any traces of mockery vanished.

“…”

There was someone who saved his broken heart.

Nii managed to come in front of the devil and make his move because of the lone heart that saved him.

He wished that—

He wanted to believe that even those feelings were courage given to him by his lost comrades.

“…I’m… Nii…”

This wasn’t his real name. And it wasn’t his SEPB codename, Akaoni, either.

Since he died once and was reborn, he had no name.

“I’ll remember that.”

Seeing the devil smile and lower his fist enveloped in flames, Nii closed his eyes.

He wasn’t a loser.

He was glad he had a name at that moment the curtain lowered on his life.

While thinking that—Nii received the final impact.

5.03 Tamaki The Last

Seeing the sun starting to set on the Holy Land, Tamaki knew that the time had finally come.

Retreating from their fight against Harukiyo, Tamaki’s group returned to the front of the Castle. Looking up the towering spire, she smiled.

“Now, you guys. Open it, please.”

She had Kanon’s face and spoke with Kanon’s voice.

The Castle’s gate opened. The robed believers hiding within the spire sluggishly came in front of Tamaki.

“This is the final Holy War.”

As Tamaki walked out, the believers followed her.

They numbered over 300.

All of them were Mushitsuki who gathered to seek salvation from Tamaki—no, from Kanon. There were also many in the SEPB or Mushibane, but there were also normal Mushitsuki who heard the rumors and came.

Explosions and sounds of impacts echoed from afar. The red robes who underwent battle training fought hard against Mushibane or Harukiyo to protect Kanon.

As the surroundings turned daker, lights turned on here and there in the Abandoned Land. The lights used for various construction or demolition work lit up automatically.

The hundreds of robed people made a large line inside the light. Blessed by explosions as fanfare, the believers walked through the rough land.

At the end of the line, was, obviously—Tamaki.

Tamaki and Kanon’s believers came back near the Castle where there was a large stage. It was a stage made of only exposed steel bars and steel boards. The lights at the edges of the stage illuminated its center.

There was an altar there.

The believers all stayed put, focusing on Tamaki and a few aides who climbed up.

Rising to the stage, Tamaki turned around.

“Everything here—”

She narrowed her eyes and mumbled.

Right now in front of Tamaki was everything that she’d obtained starting with a small lie.

A vast land, hundreds of believers praising her. As well as castle with a spire.

“Is what we’ve managed to obtain, Kanon.”

What a magnificent spectacle. The lines of believers in front of her eyes probably would gladly walk to their deaths if ordered by Tamaki.

And it all started from a single lie.

Kanon’s lie had protected him. He gained Tamaki as a partner, and then comrades.

Comrades started praising his name as believers.

“But it doesn’t really matter.”

At present, what they had was a force comparable to Mushibane’s.

Right now, they merely managed to build a single force.

It should become bigger.

As long as the God of Salvation and the ones who believed in it existed, it would keep on growing.

As long as she kept lying, her domain would grow, her believers would grow, and the castle would grow.

And when the lie became truth—

“Our lie will change the world.”

Lie would transform into truth.

Only a miracle would make that happen.

But a miracle was going to happen.

Tonight was the full moon.

Tamaki would create a miracle just like before—no, an incomparably greater one.

“For that… there is no need for two people who know the lie is a lie.”

Believers with tattered robes ran up to Tamaki as she whispered, smiling.

“Mushibane’s broken through our front lines…! Harukiyo’s forces as well…!”

At some point the sounds of battle stopped. The robed believers were probably annihilated.

Both Mushibane and Harukiyo arrived quickly. Two of the strongest Mushitsuki—Rank 1s—came to this place.

The believers clamored. They had just witnessed strength far beyond what they thought was humanely possible, especially with Harukiyo. It was obviously going to shake them.

“Please calm down, you guys.”

Kanon spread her arms and smiled.

The believers’ voices gradually settled down and soon silence returned.

“This night is the full moon. Kanon will make a miracle happen.”

Raising her index finger, she pointed at the sky.

A faint white circle rose through the darkened sky.

Now a different kind of clamor began. The voices pregnant with certain kinds of expectation and excitement were transmitted along with words revering Kanon.

Kanon smiled.

The scary Rank 1s came to the Holy Land. This could be said to be the largest disaster. No one could imagine a result other than annihilation.

Right—just like Tamaki thought, she and the rest had been cornered.

“Everyone, let’s hold hands.”

She snatched Alpha to summon Mushibane.

“Believe in Kanon.”

Provoking the SEPB, she summoned Harukiyo.

“If you believe in Kanon, you will all be saved.”

Finally, the single member of the cast more important than anyone else—she was convinced would arrive there.

It all started from his lie.

Therefore, she never doubted that he would come back to see its ending.

“However, to save everyone—Kanon requires a sacrifice.”

Tamaki too held hands with her aides. The laurel wreath on her head emitted light, slowly rising to the air.

An explosion echoed.

A large fireball fell next to Tamaki’s altar. It broke down the surrounding buildings, crashed into the mountain of rubble, and then finally stopped.

“I’m gonna tell you what I hate most. It’s what y’all doing now, praying to a god.”

Appearing from the bursting flames was a devil of flames with glinting, scorching eyes.

It was Harukiyo.

At the back of the devil folding his arms atop the debris, black-masked Mushitsuki also appeared. The secret unit of the SEPB’s Central Headquarters, the Annihilators, all lined up to face the believers.

Yet another group appeared behind them.

These were Mushibane.

Although they came with Snow Fly at their head, they were apparently shocked by the believers’ numbers. Seeing that Harukiyo also faced them, they were even more agitated.

“That person’s… Harukiyo…?”

Snow Fly gazed dumbfounded at the youth standing atop the debris. Harukiyo sneered.

“So you’re Fuyuhotaru, huh. —I see, the host herself seems brittle.”

“Eh?”

“You really are different from us Rank 1s.”

The sneering Harukiyo who opened his scorching eyes wide and Snow Fly who stood in place, unmoving.

Even the meeting of fellow Rank 1s had nothing to do with Tamaki.

Reflected in Tamaki’s eyes were just Snow Fly and the boy next to her. He looked between the faces of Mushibane, Harukiyo and the believers wedged between them.

“The sacrifice has finally come. Now, everyone—”

A shining ring formed above the smiling Tamaki’s head.

Thump, thump, the ring of light swelled while oscillating as if from a pulse. Every time an ear-grating noise like grinding metal emitted from it, the surrounding scene distorted.

“…!”

Starting with Snow Fly, some commotion grew within Mushibane. Harukiyo grimaced in annoyance and the Annihilator slowly stepped back.

The ring raised a shriek. Along with extremely loud noise and vibration, it was swelling so large it looked about to explode.

“Ngh… Ugh…”

Tamaki grimaced as well. Cold sweat erupted from her and she gritted her teeth.

Apparently the abilities of several hundred Mushitsuki went way beyond the limits of the laurel wreath. It sucked out the power of the combined powers’ medium, Tamaki, and she was about to lose control.

She didn’t care about what came later.

She just needed to control it for a bit longer.

Soon, the miracle would be complete—

“Believe in Kanon.”

The smiling Tamaki was enveloped in light.

Everyone at the Holy Land—even that flame devil—absently looked up at the night sky.

Clad in lightning and spreading explosive wind, the gigantic halo that connected the full moon and Tamaki with a pillar of light floated in the night sky.

“If Kanon does this, you will all be saved.”

The halo enveloped in divine light emitted a howl so loud it could rupture ears. Noise that did not belong to any living being of this world but rather to a god or a demon shook the entirety of the Abandoned Land.

The halo launched a small mass of light.

“Kanon will—erase all of your Mushi.”

In front of Tamaki who smiled and spread her arms, sounds of destruction and screams overlapped.

The rain of light shot by the halo was the crystallization of the acquired abilities’ compressed energy. Bullets of light hit the castle and smashed the spire, caused it to flame and boil. Surrounding buildings collapsed one after another.

The bullets of light did not attack just buildings.

It rained down even on Mushibane and the Annihilators, with many people screaming, blown away.

Also—

“Uwaaaah!”

“Kanon-sama…!”

The bullets of light rained even above Kanon’s believers’ heads. The orderly line fell apart and the believers receiving the full brunt of the rain of burst asphalt raised screams.

Even as the believers let go of their hands, the halo floating in the night sky didn’t vanish.

“You guys, don’t separate! Gather in one place and focus on defense! You can’t protect yourselves on your own!”

Mushibane moved. As they obeyed Namie and took a close formation, the especially powerful Mushitsuki gathered their abilities into one spot, protecting their comrades from the rain of light.

Harukiyo and the Annihilators all escaped the rain of light with their own powerful abilities. Harukiyo swung his arm and blew back the bullets with an explosion, while on the other side the black masks all evaded them with nimble movements. In the midst of this, however, were also people unable to fully defend themselves or blown away and unable to move.

The ones unable to fully respond to this were Kanon’s believers.

“Kanon-sama…! Please save us…!”

“Why, Kanon-sama…?!”

The believers with weak abilities and shallow battle experience ran around trying to evade the bullets of light. There were also those blown away as they tried clinging to Tamaki.

While feeling her energy sucked from her entire body to produce bullets, she wore a kind smile.

“Hadn’t Kanon told you that you were all being saved? There is no need to be afraid.”

A miracle would happen.

Seeing this scene, Tamaki was convinced of it.

The halo floating in the night sky was the crystallization of Mushitsuki’s abilities—of all the lies told this far. It packed everything Tamaki had accumulated and became a divine light.

Containing everything, the divine flames would scorch the Holy Land.

And by offering up a sacrifice—

“Tonight, each and every Mushitsuki in this place will be erased from this world.”

Lies would become truth.

Seeing Tamaki smile gently with Kanon’s face—

The believers all stood paralyzed in place. They looked like they couldn’t believe what they saw, no, like they couldn’t understand what was being said.

“Kanon has never said this before, but—Kanon loathes Mushitsuki.”

Along with a smile overflowing with saintly self-love, these cruel, piercing words were said to the believers. Above, the halo emitted divine light and rains of fragments.

The believers were all speechless.

Unable to accept this betrayal, some even now clung to Tamaki. There were those who sought salvation that now had no target, and those who yelled to the sky. Those who showered Tamaki with rage and curses. Those who were hit by the rain bullets and raised their last screams.

Kanon’s believers completely fell to a state of panic. They scrambled to escape from the battlefield, and some started fighting among themselves.

As she looked down the Holy Land that was full of agonized cries, Tamaki’s breath gradually grew rougher.

The halo emitting bullets of lights was heavily shaking. It spread a violent noise in the sky as it tried to escape Tamaki’s control.

Having acquired such great power, the laurel wreath was trying to release itself.

It was Maturing.

“Now then, seek salvation of Kanon!”

Tamaki raised a cheer. Right now, none of the believers were looking at her.

“…top it! …chan!”

It wasn’t one of the escaping believers. Nor was it one of Mushibane or the combatant unit who desperately protected themselves from the rain of light.

That boy came to the front of Tamaki’s line of sight.

“Stop this already! Tama-chan!”

The boy that had the exact same face as her right now yelled with tears in his eyes.

“…”

Tamaki smiled.

The halo floating overhead howled. It shot many times the amounts of bullets of light than before indiscriminately.

Every time light bullets came down the earth shook, the castle was gouged, and buildings were destroyed. People escaped while yelling for help, and the entirety of the Holy Land was wrapped in screams and sounds of destruction.

Tamaki waited for this.

A Holy War.

The end of the world.

Right—a miracle would only happen at the end filled with ruin and screams.

“Kanon-sama!”

“Kanon-sama!”

The believers who could still not believe the betrayal chanted Kanon’s name.

“Tama-chan…!”

The hooded boy ran toward her, weaving between them.

Tamaki smiled and called his name.

“Kanon.”

The next moment a warm impact stabbed Tamaki’s flank.

The bullet of light shot by the berserk ring of light pierced through the altar. The lump of energy compressed from all Mushitsuki pierced Tamaki.

“—”

Part of the altar blew to pieces and Tamaki swayed.

“TAMA-CHAAAAAAAAAN!”

Kanon’s scream echoed through the battlefield.

The movements of the escaping believers stopped. Forgetting about the chaos just a moment ago, they looked up at Tamaki’s swaying form on the altar.

“—…”

Tamaki wrung out her last strength to stop the ring of light above.

The bullets shot from it stopped.

Tamaki’s form—transformed from Kanon to Harukiyo. Then she became Akasegawa Nanana, next Tachibana Rina, and flickered between Sugitsu Matsuri, Aijisupa, Konoha.

The only thing unchanged was the smile on her mouth.

Tamaki—was smiling gently.

“Tama-chan! Uwaaaah! Tama-chan!”

Kanon’s scream echoed in the now-silent battlefield.

The believers turned back, seeing the shouting Kanon.

Seeing that scene, Tamaki—

The girl who, just as she planned, offered herself as sacrifice—

“Welcome back… Kanon…”

Celebrated the return of the saint with a smile.

5.04 Kanon Part 10

The believers’ clamoring voices spread in the Holy Land.

“Kanon-sama…?”

“That Kanon-sama was a fake?”

“Right, there’s no way she’d be the real Kanon-sama…”

But Kanon didn’t care about any of those. The only thing reflected in his eyes now was just the girl about to collapse on top of the altar.

Even as she collapsed, Tamaki looked at Kanon. She wasn’t the evil fake Kanon from before. This was just the face of his childhood friend—his precious friend was smiling at him.

Even so—

“—”

He couldn’t believe it.

Not a single person was looking at the wounded Tamaki. It was obviously a grave wound. Although they worshipped her moment before, now that this girl was about to die—now that Kanon’s precious childhood friend might die, the believers acted as if they completely forgot she existed.

Instead, everyone was looking at Kanon.

All the believers, Anmoto Shiika and Mushibane, and even Harukiyo were looking at Kanon.

“Tama—chan—”

He took a step forward.

His line of sight opened.

As if the ground was torn. Or perhaps by a large wave.

The believers blocking Kanon’s path instantly opened the way. Everyone lowered their heads and welcomed him.

“…”

Kanon walked unsteadily through the path created by the believers.

Toward the altar.

Stepping on the rough earth, while being illuminated by spotlight, he headed to the altar.

Everyone in the Abandoned Land were unable to emit any word, and simply stared at Kanon passing between them. The Mushitsuki of Mushibane and even the Annihilators all had their attention taken by his figure.

Wrapped by dirty, tattered clothing, the form of Kanon advancing through the scene of the end—

Was like the return of a saint.

The path of a messiah who stopped the fights between Mushitsuki and came back to those seeking salvation.

“Tama-chan…”

Kanon climbed the stairs, standing in front of his childhood friend who was kneeling and about to collapse any second now.

Tamaki smiled. Her barely supported body fell, burying her face in Kanon’s chest.

“You’re busted, Tama-chan… they saw your disguise.”

Kanon caught her, hugging her. Firmly touching her body for the first time, he found his childhood friend was much thinner than expected. And—she was warm.

He smiled, tears in his eyes.

“Let us both accept punishment. Repaying everyone for deceiving them… Kanon alone would be too scared, but if you were with me, Tama-chan… Kanon will…”

“…”

Tamaki shook her head in Kanon’s chest. She stripped off her robed with shaky hands and pushed it to Kanon.

“Tama-chan?”

“I’m fine… stand up and wear this…”

Speaking in a weak voice, Tamaki separated from Kanon as if pushing him away. She showed the confused Kanon a weak smile and nodded.

Despite being puzzled, Kanon did as she said.

He wore the robe with a loud rustle and turned around.

As he did—

“………!”

Kanon almost thought his body was blown from the impact.

A large explosive cheer rocked the entirety of the Abandoned Land. It went past being just voices and turned to screams, no, to yells.

Hit by this overwhelming volume of noise, and not as a metaphor, Kanon’s robe fluttered.

What a loud voice.

Such zeal.

Could people really yell so loud? Could people really fling their emotions to such a crazy extent against a single person?

Seeing the believers all raising a cheer while glaring at him with scary expression, Kanon started shaking.

“But—why—”

Tamaki’s cover was blown in front of everyone.

So he thought that it was obvious that the two of them were colluding.

“Kanon-sama!”

“Kanon-sama saved us from the impostor!”

“Kanon-sama’s back!”

“Kanon-samaaa!”

Hearing the praises for Kanon, he felt a shock similar to the sensation of falling.

No way.

No way.

All of this was—

Including Mushibane and Harukiyo coming here, everything—

“Tama—chan…!”

Turning back his childhood friend, he widened his eyes.

Tamaki lay on her side, sinking in a pool of blood. His smiling childhood friend could barely keep her eyes open.

“I’m a liar… but Kanon’s… not a liar…”

“Aah?! Tama-chan…!”

Rushing to her, he held Tamaki up.

Although she was so warm just before, Tamaki’s body was now ice cold. He had the feeling that if he let her go all of her remaining warmth would vanish, so he hugged her desperately.

He thought many times that shorter hair would suit her better. As he caressed Tamaki’s slightly too long hair, her cheeks loosened to a smile.

“You will now… become… the messiah of Mushitsuki…”

“—!”

He finally understood when he heard those words.

Everyone acted according to Tamaki’s plan.

She’d invited Anmoto Shiika and Harukiyo, the two extreme enemies to the Abandoned Land.

Fooling the believers, she intended on turning everything to a massacre.

And—she waited for Kanon’s return, so she could sacrifice herself.

“Look… no one doubts you anymore…”

Tamaki narrowed her eyes, looking at the zealous followers.

They were all single-mindedly praising Kanon, shouting at the top of their lungs. Their eyes were already not those of looking at a fellow human.

A God.

Or a messiah.

Eyes of mad people who worshipped a being beyond human.

“Give them a command… right now… using that ring and the believers, you could beat even Mushibane and Harukiyo…”

The halo floating in the night sky started shaking and creaking again. It was obvious that after losing its controller, Tamaki, it really was falling out of control this time—

“If you do that—the Mushitsuki in this world… will definitely worship you, Kanon…”

Kanon widened his eyes.

Not even a single person among the zealous believers held a shred of doubt about Kanon.

They were Mushitsuki.

Just like Kanon saw them doing right now—a day would come when every Mushitsuki in the world bowed in front of Kanon.

“You will become… the King of Mushitsuki… if you turn every Mushitsuki into your believer… don’t you think you could even obtain the world…?”

The world was changing.

Kanon’s lie would paint over the world, and then—

Lie would become truth.

Kanon would become a God of Salvation, leading Mushitsuki.

“Why…? Tama-chan—”

He covered Tamaki atop his knees.

As if trying to stop her bleeding even a little.

As if trying to not let any warmth escape, no matter how little.

“Even if you protect Kanon’s lies… nothing good will come out of it…!”

Tamaki tried raising the corner of her mouth, but she lost too much blood, and she apparently couldn’t even smile anymore.

“Have I ever told you about when you’ve saved me…?”

“You have…! But what does that—”

“Unlike mine, your lie was so bad… and yet it was much more powerful…”

Several figures appeared atop the altar.

They were Anmoto Shiika and her executives.

Tamaki spoke.

“I wanted to see if even a lie could change the world… if I can think up a lie that can do that… I just wanted to do that, no matter what…”

“…!”

Kanon’s words became stuck in his throat.

“After all… we can do nothing but tell lies…”

“H-heeelp!”

Unable to withstand it, he turned around and shouted.

He entreated Anmoto Shiika who probably came there to finish Tamaki off.

“H-help her! Please save… Tama-chan…! Save her, please…!”

Shiika turned to a boy with piercings and nodded. He made a severe face and walked toward Tamaki.

“S-stop…! Tama-chan can’t… do anything anymore, so…!”

Leaping to the boy, he trying pushing him back from Tamaki. But his lack of power couldn’t stop even a single step of the boy’s. In fact, Aijisupa came from the side and forcibly shoved him aside.

“Calm down, Kanon-san. We’re helping Tamaki-san.”

Hearing Shiika’s words, Kanon completely stopped from resisting Aijisupa.

“Please.”

Shiika told the pierced boy. Obeying her, he kneeled next to the collapsed girl. He reached a glowing hand toward Tamaki’s wounds and grimaced.

“D-don’t be ridiculous… my power alone isn’t…”

Seeing the boy wear a despairing face, Kanon shook off Aijisupa’s arm.

Running to the edge of the altar, he called toward the zealous believers.

“P-please save her…!”

Kanon’s believers always protected him.

They always listened to him.

If they thought him a messiah, they should obey him.

“Tama-chan’s dying…! Kanon begs you, save her! Someone who can heal Tama-chan…!”

The believers kept praising Kanon at the top of their lungs.

“She’s Kanon’s precious childhood friend! Kanon’s precious friend… is dying…!”

The voices worshipping Kanon even now continued growing in zeal.

However—none of them even tried listening to his words.

Although they were supposed to revere Kanon, they didn’t try to listen to his request.

“…No, Kanon… the believers aren’t waiting for that kind of order…”

Pulling her cheeks, Tamaki formed a smile.

“The order they’re all waiting for is—‘Defeat Fuyuhotaru and Harukiyo’…”

Mushibane’s members turned to look at Tamaki with a start.

“Come now, Kanon… order them… in order to see all Mushitsuki, whether friend or ally, obey your orders, I…”

Tamaki mumbled as if in delirium.

Namie looked around the zealous believers and groaned with a low voice.

“This is bad, Fuyuhotaru. Everyone here’s gotten crazy in all this chaos. If they all come attacking…”

“That ring also looks like it’s going to move again.”

Aijisupa said as he looked up the night sky. Just like he said, the halo was shaking wildly, about to shoot a rain of light again.

“Kanon… don’t waste everything we’ve done…”

Tamaki’s weak voice gouged Kanon’s chest.

“We’re… friends, right…?”

Kanon’s heart shouted.

It was just like Tamaki said.

This Abandoned Land, every believer here, and even the halo floating above—even including Mushibane and Harukiyo being here.

All of them started from Kanon’s lie.

That lie was protected by Kanon and Tamaki.

“Become the King of Mushitsuki… a god…”

Thump, thump , Kanon’s own heartbeat roused him.

When he was young, Kanon told a lie.

Almost ten years passed since then and Kanon ran away from home and met his childhood friend again.

They lied together and gathered many more comrades.

But in the middle Kanon became scared—and ran away. Becoming alone, Kanon was unable to do anything and couldn’t even live by fishing out trash, so he would have died in a ditch at some point.

However, the very same Kanon—

By giving a single word, a single order, could become a God.

“—”

Unsteady and swaying, Kanon stood at the center of the altar.

Perhaps feeling Kanon’s abnormal aura, the voices of the believers settled down. They were apparently under a kind of hypnosis. Even while silent, their faces yearned for Kanon’s order.

Right now they would only accept an order to strike down their enemies.

The continuation of the Holy War.

Annihilating what cornered them would be their salvation.

“Kanon-san…!”

Shiika’s voice of restraint didn’t enter the current Kanon’s ears.

It was a magnificent scene.

Mushitsuki that numbered in the hundreds looked only at Kanon.

More.

More.

The Mushitsuki who revered Kanon would probably keep on growing.

He was convinced.

Kanon’s lie had the power to change the world.

Right now, Kanon possessed far more power than any other organization, more than any Mushitsuki.

It would take just a single shout from him.

The orders to make him into a God—

He opened his teary eyes.

He wore a forced smile.

Kanon opened his already shaking lips.

“Everything was a lie.”

Spreading his arms, Kanon wore a foolish smile.

The believers widened their eyes as they looked up at him.

“There’s obviously nothing like the power to erase Mushi. It was aaaall just a lie made to protect Kanon!”

Kanon wore a forced smile.

The Abandoned Land froze.

No, it was as if time stopped in the entire world. Silence enveloped the surroundings.

All of them, every single person in Kanon’s sight, stopped moving. It looked ridiculous.

Although still Maturing, the power of the halo itself was being sucked from the believers. The ring floating in the sky expressed the feelings of the followers above as they were.

Its light lessened, even its vibrations stopped—

And it was swallowed by a large pillar of flames coming from the surface.

5.05 Kanon The Last

Piercing the glowing halo was a Great Yama tiger beetle with differing tusk lengths made of flames. After burning the ring, it kept rising to the sky while howling.

The ring floating in the night sky was engulfed in crimson hellfire. While emitting noise like a death throe, the large halo burned and fell toward the ground.

The howling Great Yama tiger beetle and the giant ring were crashing down, and behind them—

“It was aaaall just a lie created by Kanon and Tama-chan, you know?”

While wearing a tense smile, Kanon confessed.

“A God? The power of miracles? Kanon’s obviously nothing like that. Kanon’s a weak person who can’t do aaanything without being protected by people.”

The believers’ faces were so full of zeal, but now all emotion was gone from their expressions. They stood like mannequins with their arms hanging at their sides, staring at Kanon with wide eyes.

“Kanon never saved anyone until now. Kanon just pretended so and fooled you all!”

The believers wished to have Kanon declare a Holy War and wouldn’t listen to anything else.

Tamaki said this, but was that really true?

No, it was wrong.

There was another keyword they would listen to other than Holy War.

A declaration of a reset.

Only to Kanon’s confession that would put an end to this farce.

“You all fell for Kanon’s lies line, hook and sinker. You were fooled and helped protecting and assisting Kanon…”

Saying this, Kanon turned to Tamaki. His childhood friend had her lip quivering. While shedding a line of tears, she wore a weak smile.

“…Idiot… Kanon…”

Kanon shook his head.

The moment he wanted to save Tamaki and turned to the believers he realized.

He would definitely be able to guide them. If he walked, the number of believers after him would increase, and perhaps he really would be able to become the king binding Mushitsuki.

However, ahead of him—would be nothing but enemies.

That wouldn’t be fun at all.

Kanon and the believers were not laughing like before.

There was no salvation there.

The followers—Mushitsuki—needed salvation. Just like the now-dying Tamaki, moved by the fear known as death, they lost their path.

If so, then the one to lead them had to be someone who knew the right path.

“Ahaha, you guys, you protected Kanon who can’t do anything, you know? Despite Kanon unable to save even a single person, you gave Kanon food and a place to live… you became Kanon’s friends… although you were weak, you did your best to get stronger…”

His vision distorted.

The overflowing tears grazed the scenery of the Abandoned Land which was supposed to be Kanon’s groups’ Holy Land.

Back when they’d stepped inside this place, everyone was smiling. They were all in such high spirits despite it being a run-down castle, and got dirty while cleaning it together.

“Kanon’s just… a liar, so… Kanon’s better gone…”

When had he made the mistake?

Right now, the Abandoned Land Kanon was seeing—looked like hell on earth.

All buildings he could see crumbled down, Mushitsuki were collapsed, and a large ring of fire raised a pillar of flames as it burned.

The Abandoned Land had been filled with so much hope, but now he could only see despair.

“Kanon was unneeded in the first place… everyone was so kind and strong… you had the courage to wait for your turn… to be saved by Kanon, tomorrow, the day after tomorrow, you were strong enough to grow stronger… Kanon knew that, and yet… still deceived all of you.”

While shedding tears, Kanon deeply bowed at the followers.

“Thank you… Kanon’s sorry…”

With head still lowered, he spoke.

“Please… save Tama-chan…”

Kanon was already able to live plenty. He was supposed to die in a ditch already, but every time that happened someone reached to him and allowed him to keep living.

Kanon had been saved enough.

So he didn’t care anymore.

Right now—

From now on—

He wanted this world to be one where someone other than Kanon was saved.

“Snow-san.”

Kanon turned back to Anmoto Shiika, lowering his head again.

“Please, somehow… help everyone…”

So it was over.

Kanon told a lie and Tamaki protected that lie.

They piled lies on top of lies. With this tower of lies he was able to see a the tallest scenery possible, and it gave him a taste of the divine, but—

He couldn’t hold all these lies by himself.

He was alone—and he was lonely.

He’d somehow managed to hide that when it was just him and Tamaki.

The weak Kanon couldn’t withstand all these mountains of lies and the loneliness—

“—I’m sorry.”

Anmoto Shiika also lowered her head.

“I’m just like you, Kanon-san. So weak I can’t do anything, and I believe I can’t save anyone.”

Raising her head, Shiika turned to the believers.

“So you will have to save yourself by your own powers.”

Looking straight at the believers, the Rank 1 Mushitsuki who called herself weak spoke.

“And if you can do that and become stronger, I believe you can join powers. If you can become stronger together… please lend everyone your powers.”

Shiika moved her neck. The girl was looking at the piles of rubble and the flame devil standing atop them.

Harukiyo was expressionless. He was intently staring down at Shiika and the rest.

“And perhaps one day… you will make your dream come true.”

The pair of Shiika and Harukiyo briefly crossed gazes—then detached.

Shiika turned to the believers.

Wearing a devil’s smile, Harukiyo turned his back to Kanon.

Being seen by the strongest Mushitsuki—

Kanon’s lie closed its curtains.

Epilogue: A Tree

The night wind was blowing on the Abandoned Land where the Holy War was brought to a close.

The moon shone brightly in the night sky, clearly showing the form of the desolate ruins. All buildings were destroyed, the ground was parted, and the remnants of fire scorched down all grass.

“…”

Standing frozen atop the altar, Kanon looked up at the debris of the broken spire.

It had been the Castle, the symbol of the utopia Kanon had built up from lies. It was brilliantly painted, remodeled and turned into a splendid castle, but had been demolished by the fire of the gods.

Kanon was the one who wished for a castle.

Kanon was also the reason it was destroyed.

He walked this path for a mere few months. It felt like a lie.

“…!”

Hearing the sound of something being dragged, Kanon turned back.

No one should have remained there anymore. Anmoto Shiika and the rest took all of the believers. They took half of their numbers that were unconscious and Tamaki who required a proper treatment and left the Abandoned Land. Tamaki had also told them where she hid Alpha before losing consciousness.

Harukiyo and the Annihilators all vanished without fighting Mushibane. They probably came to eliminate “Kanon-sama” who managed to gather such a frightening amount of Mushitsuki in so short a time. Once they realized he was not only a normal person and not a Mushitsuki but just a liar, there was no need to kill him.

So no one should have been left at the Abandoned Land.

Not including Kanon, who rejected Shiika’s invitation because he wished to stay there.

The Abandoned Land’s name retrieved its literal meaning.

“…Onii-chan!”

The source of the sounds was Nii. Dragging his broken axe and his wounded body, this familiar boy crawled in front of Kanon.

“So you’re… safe, Kanon… I’m glad… really…”

“Onii-chan…!”

While stumbling over the debris, Kanon ran toward Nii. He took up the hand of the boy who wore a relaxed expression upon seeing Kanon was safe and put him on his lap.

How much had he crawled to get there? The boy’s handsome face was black with dirt.

“…That bastard Harukiyo… let me live again… ‘I can’t kill someone’s who’s smiling just before death’… the heck does that mean…”

On Kanon’s knees, Nii wore a weak smile.

“Oh well… it’s going to end the same either way…”

Kanon could not see any obvious wounds on Nii’s body. However, the Mushi he’d been grasping was half-melted.

Before long, Nii would become a Fallen.

Kanon couldn’t do anything.

“…So it’s over…”

With tears rising to his eyes, Kanon nodded.

“Yes, everything is over now.”

“Your power… was a lie…”

“…Yes.”

Nii had already long known this.

And Kanon too—already long knew that he’d been exposed.

So both were silent. Fanned by the night wind, undisturbed by anyone, they spent calm time together.

Although they weren’t exchanging any words, it still felt like he talked to Nii plenty.

The full moon up in the sky. It was so beautiful that he felt bad for using it for his lie. Kanon was definitely not the only person enchanted by the mystical power hidden within its glow in all of long history.

The Abandoned Land that was spacious and yet was forsaken by everyone. Although there was nothing in it, it felt very enchanting. It was fun to build Kanon’s utopia from zero.

The broken castle. The crystallization of Kanon’s lies. When he was young, Kanon thought he was a girl and admired princesses. Princesses lived in castles. So naturally Kanon sought that.

“Everything was a lie…”

Kanon couldn’t tell whether the boy on his knees heard his confession or not.

Kanon’s precious friend had already closed both eyelids.

“But… but…”

He spoke, half-sobbing.

“There were other things that weren’t lies… this is for real, alright? Will you believe Kanon?”

Holding back his overflowing tears, Kanon did not notice a purple glow spreading in the night sky.

Wind blew.

There shouldn’t be anyone other than Kanon there. Nii would soon—be gone.

Even so, a human presence was created behind him. There was the sound of cloth ruffled by the wind and a strange yet comfortable sense of dizziness caressed Kanon who remained alone.

“Everyone saved Kanon so much…”

Kanon kept talking toward the silent Nii.

“—Right.”

A woman’s voice replied from behind.

Yet Kanon did not look back. He spoke only to Nii.

“They were so kind…”

“Yes, I understand.”

“They helped Kanon so much…”

“And… what did you think of it?”

“This isn’t a lie… it’s for real… being helped by everyone, Kanon really thought that…”

It wasn’t a lie.

He really thought it from the bottom of his heart.

But since he had no power, he lied.

Despite knowing it was impossible, he never stopped wishing for it.

“—Will you tell me your dream?”

Enchanted by the whispering woman’s voice, Kanon slowly opened his mouth.

Starting with Tamaki and Nii, he recalled the faces of all the believers. He could clearly remember their faces. By speaking to each one of them in turn, he came to learn of their pains.

And so he thought.

“I wanted to erase everyone’s Mushi… and save them…”

His vision was dyed by a pure white light.

He felt as if something was being dragged out of the depths of his own heart—and that part of it was being eaten by something.

“What a nice dream.”

Leaving behind this satisfied voice, the glow was slowly vanishing.

Along with the purple glow enveloping the night sky vanishing, the presence behind him also vanished.

With that the Abandoned Land resumed its previously bereft look—or so he thought, but that was wrong.

“…”

Kanon absently looked up at that thing.

A pure white tree sprung out before him. It was about three meters tall and resembled an apple tree. The only thing that differed was its trunk and leaves being completely white. The white, glowing flakes falling from its branches were also quite the abnormal sight.

Seeing that mysterious tree, Kanon thought to himself.

It looks as though it’s facing me—

He had no basis for this, but he felt as if his own heart took shape and appeared in front of him. The trunk’s surface pulsated a bit, not unlike Nii’s laurel wreath.

The pure white apple tree reached out with a branch. It slithered on the ground, wrapped around Nii’s axe that was about to vanish—

And gulped it whole.

In exchange for the axe vanishing, a large apple grew on the tree.

That single apple was white as well.

As if they exchanged colors, the pallid Nii got back some blood in his face.

“Aha…”

As if breaking a dam, a waterfall of tears came from Kanon’s eyes.

What just happened there? Kanon had an instinctive feeling he knew.

After all, that tree was nothing else than his own—

“Ahaha… ahahaha… really? It happens now?”

That was utterly ridiculous.

A joke in very bad taste.

An ending as laughable as a lie.

“The lie became truth… ahahahaha… and i-it happens now, of all times…”

Burying his face into Nii’s chest who regained his warmth, he kept repeating these words like an idiot.

Lies became real after everything was over.

It really was—a ridiculous timing.

Having lost everything and remaining alone, who could Kanon even save?

“Now, of all times—”

Suddenly, Kanon’s words stopped in the middle. His throat trembled but no voice came out.

“—”

Holding his throat, he realized again.

This was the Mushitsuki power of “Kanon-sama” who returned being just Nakayama Kanon.

In exchange for gaining a Mushi, he lost a part of himself.

It really was just as he wished for.

In exchange for Kanon who was already saved, he gained the power to save someone else.

“…”

When his laughter stopped coming out, Kanon felt his heart being destroyed little by little.

He would really end it at this.

He could no longer tell any lies.

Without doing anything, without leaving anything behind, he would just disappear—

As Kanon wished for this, another person’s presence transmitted to his ears. Near Kanon, who just had his heart broken and his emotions lost, there were footsteps crunching the ground.

“—”

Half on reflex, Kanon raised his face. Who on earth came there after Nii and that mysterious woman?

Next to Kanon, staring intently at the apple tree—Kanon’s Mushi—was a single boy. He didn’t have a baby face like Kanon, but neither was he manly like Nii. Not that he was ugly either. His face had nothing especially remarkable, just an average boy one could see around town.

“…”

Kanon moved his mouth.

—Who are you?

So he wanted to ask.

The boy wasn’t Kanon’s believer. He also wasn’t part of Mushibane. And he didn’t have the scary atmosphere of the Annihilators, either.

The boy looked at Kanon.

He probably understood his question from his mouth’s movements.

He couldn’t do anything anymore.

He couldn’t even tell lies.

He was no longer the liar Kanon nor Kanon-sama, but just a Mushitsuki.

Facing Nakayama Kanon, the boy replied—

“—I’m Kakkou.”

Afterword

Hello, this is Iwai Kyouhei.

It really has been a long time since I continued this series.

I apologize to all the readers that I kept waiting. To those of you who started getting interested in the series due to this release, I would be happy if you could keep reading it to the approaching climax.

“Lie”.

Starting from a small lie said without thinking about it and to a big lie that could mess one’s life, probably everyone had the experience of being manipulated by some false happening.

A lie is a magic spell that allows you to deceive your opponent, be deceived by them, and at times even deceive yourself.

When you add evil and kindness or emotions like fear and enjoyment to it, the term changes.

Excuse, bluff, joke, scam, self-defense, and delusion. If you just so happen to realize “oh, I just told a lie,” you can try naming it. I believe it’s a theme everyone can relate to.

The magic called lies increases its effectiveness by being repeated again and again, painting it over. At the same time, it also tightens the noose around your neck and it’s natural for seams to open up in it, but still—it might approach reality and become reality itself at some point.

Perhaps “truth born from a lie born from a lie” might be more powerful than normal truth?

I think it also resembles dreams.

Both become reality once they come true, anyway.

From the time from my previous work to this one, the side story series “Mushi Uta Bug” has been concluded. And the creator himself was also busy with another work’s novelization, and I’ve been learning a lot from being in charge of writing a manga, but finally all the final pieces for the main series have been gathered.

I think about going on this last spurt without taking any break.

I am grateful to the editor and the editorial department who have supported me for this purpose, and to llo-sama, who drew such wonderful illustrations.

Most importantly, to you the readers with the book in your hands.

Thank you very much.

I hope we will meet in the next volume.

Iwai Kyouhei

Notes

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