Mushi Uta:Volume 10 Chapter 5

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.

Notes

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