Mushi Uta:Volume 7 Chapter 4

4.00 Akatsuki Part 8

After the "dead-reviving cherry blossom", a few days passed.

Receiving Akatsuki's report, the North Central Branch couldn't change their stance of staying silent and watching. That was because the information he'd obtained was but a fragment of the enemy's capabilities. They appeared to not plan any move until they fully grasped the enemy's identity. After Akatsuki's wounds have been treated and he was returned to town, they didn't even dispatch a new member.

They'll just wait for me to return… and then abandon the town as if nothing happened?

It went without saying that Akatsuki was furious.

Until he came to town, there was only one Fallen that could be called a victim of the incident. But with Orion's defeat, the dispatched members were targeted one after another.

The day after Akatsuki and Ako had seen three Mushi die at the dead-reviving cherry blossom, three students were taken to the hospital. They were judged to be Fallen and they were taken by the SEPB. Since they weren't even members, they were thought to be the victims created by Akatsuki's investigation.

As long as they didn't spur the enemy there'd be no victims—

Perhaps the North Central Branch was thinking like this.

"It's certain that something's going on in this town. They understand this but still abandon this town…"

Going up the school stairs, Akatsuki spat angrily.

The time Akatsuki had to leave pressed ever closer.

Once he left the town, perhaps it would become peaceful again. But that was merely on the surface, and behind the scene surface someone's plan was moving along. Nobody in town had noticed this, and the North Central Branch pretended not to notice. —Wasn't this going according to the enemy's plan?

"I have to drag out the enemy somehow."

They needed to drag out the enemy who had been planting traps in town and capturing Mushitsuki.

There was a high possibility that the enemy had Mushi sensing abilities. When Akatsuki brought out his own Mushi, the enemy apparently avoided him.

Rational and bold.

They even seemed to be toying with the SEPB.

"So that means my only chance to fight the enemy would be when a new Mushi is born… but there's no way I could do that."

It was impossible to foretell when a Mushitsuki was born.

"How does the enemy know where Mushitsuki are being born in the first place? Are they a type never seen before? —No, before going that far, the very fact that so many Mushitsuki are being born here is strange… wait, I also thought the same when I'd just come here."

He sighed, opening the door to the roof.

The one who called him there held a digital camera as always. Her profile filming the peaceful scenery was dignified, fitting the journalism club president.

Haemori Ako opened her mouth without even looking at him.

"So you're here, club member Akatsuki."

"Yeah. I also have some business with you."

After the Dead-Reviving Cherry Tree, Akatsuki had been apprehended by the North Central Branch. He obviously hadn't revealed the fact that Ako was with him there.

"You may speak first."

He was already used to Ako's strange way of speaking. He came close to the fence and sat on the ground.

"I'm leaving the town soon. I have to go back to where I was before."

The words came out more naturally than he'd thought.

"I see."

Ako's response didn't look surprised. Perhaps she'd anticipated this from the start.

"…I'll be lonely."

Yet she mumbled in such a tone as indicated by her words.

Akatsuki also looked at the town's scenery and smiled.

"You're fine now. I saw you walking with friends this morning."

"Yup. Thanks to you. You sure like meddling."

Apparently his club president had seen through her club member. So they probably revealed that Akatsuki had spoken to them.

"Say, Ako. The dead-reviving cherry footage… give it to me."

"I cannot do that."

"It's dangerous. You already know my organization hides that sort of thing."

"Didn't I tell you from the start? I'm betting my life on being a journalist."

"It's not all fun and games. This isn't something to make light of…"

He got up and asserted. If Ako still refused, he'd just forcibly grab her bag and erase the records.

Ako lowered her camera. She looked at Akatsuki with sad eyes.

"Have you asked anyone about my past nickname?"

He was confused at her suddenly changing the subject. He wordlessly shook his head.

"—Haemori Ako, the Demon Lord."

"…!"

"I got carried away. I didn't use any mysterious power like Mushitsuki… but I mistook my path as a journalist and hurt many people. Every time people would come to hate me and fear me… so they called me that."

The time where Ako showed her true face was short. She soon restarted the camera and started filming the town again.

Even hearing that she'd been called the Demon lord, it didn't feel real to Akatsuki.

She always talked about her delusions. She was quick to get depressed and recovered even faster, and repeatedly sought for material in a frenzy. Contrary to her loose sense of reality, she gave advice to Akatsuki and brought him kindness.

That was the kind of girl she was.

Akatsuki couldn't think of her as a Demon Lord.

"I won't make that mistake again. Since I'm a journalist, I need to keep filming. And there are things I left undone."

"But—"

"Member Akatsuki, have you not left things undone, too?"

With the camera pointed at him, he fell silent.

"How does the organization you belong to accept the changes in this town?"

"…It's definite that the enemy is hiding. But as long as we don't provoke them we won't have many victims. If I leave town, as long as nothing major happens, I believe there will be no further investigation."

He hesitated, but told her the truth. He didn't want to threaten her, but he thought he had to let her realize how dangerous holding the footage was.

Also—if Ako spoke of the secret organization's existence, no one would believe her.

Ako was an irreplaceable friend, but looking objectively he could only reach that conclusion.

"I see. I have no time."

"Huh?"

"These last few days, the Demon Lord started moving. I haven't grasped a clear method yet, but it looks like they're entering the final stage to inflict fear upon the world."

The conversation flew to another topic yet again. Akatsuki burst without thinking.

"So this isn't something that a normal civilian can do! And we basically know that the enemy is a Mushitsuki using a never-seen-before ability—"

"Those who are in the journalism club don't mistake the truth."

Ako suddenly spoke harshly.

"Are you saying normal people are different from Mushitsuki like you? Isn't that the same as normal people looking at Mushitsuki like monsters?"

"It's not the same! Since we have special powers, obviously there will be people afraid of it. So we have to use our powers, right?"

"Thinking that normal people and Mushitsuki are different is part of the Demon Lord's plan to distort the truth and inflict fear on the world—"

"This isn't what we're talking about now!"

This wasn't the time to talk about Demon Lords or conspiracies or whatever. Akatsuki simply didn't want to involve Ako in any danger.

"Club member Akatsuki."

Yet Ako wasn't moved in the slightest.

"I do not think of you as special."

Through the camera, the girl's eyes looked at Akatsuki directly.

"You're simply you. Right?"

"…!"

"Saying that you're different than me is very sad…"

Ako walked with a dignified posture next to the frozen Akatsuki.

"Come with me, member Akatsuki. There's something I'd like to show you in the club room."

"Huh…? Wasn't the room taken?"

"I got it back while prez was sick. We cannot avoid getting disbanded, but I couldn't let you go without even once setting foot into your own club room."

"Oh… you didn't really have to."

"I'll ask this again. Do you not have things left undone here before you leave?"

Ako stood in front of the entrance. The lens of the turned camera gazed at Akatsuki.

"—There's only one way to draw the Demon Lord out."

Akatsuki widened his eyes.

"A method that both of us need to be resolved to. That's why only we can do it, and we can't go back. Only those with the courage to accept the truth can stand against the Demon Lord."

Courage to accept the truth—

It was what Akatsuki lacked before coming to town.

Rina had mistaken her way, without acknowledging that her way of fighting was false. She lost herself in revenge to Kakkou and couldn't even look ahead.

He noticed that he was standing in the same path Rina had trodden in before.

Akatsuki had to choose another way. He couldn't keep chasing after Rina's ghost and pursue the road that killed her. He had someone important waiting his return.

"I'll do it."

Akatsuki nodded.

The enemy in front of him now wasn't Kakkou.

It was an invisible enemy that produced many Fallens.

To defeat them, he would cling to any possible small wish.

"You're a member of the distinguished journalism club, after all."

The girl smiled, satisfied.

"Even the Demon Lord cannot stop our club activities."

The ex-Demon Lord Haemori Ako's loud proclamation of victory was carried by the wind blowing on the rooftop.

4.01 Youko Part 6

On the noon of her day off school, Youko was on the fifth floor of the department store.

White particles filled the floor.

The pure, white glow enchanted all the people on the floor. Just by touching the grains, the clerks, customers and other people on the escalators stood in place vacantly.

The suitcase placed on a rack was lined up with dolls and materials.

Separated by the miniature garden were Youko and a boy the same age as her. He was another person with the name of Satou, the one who played as the captain of the basketball team.

The coffin appearing from the floor swallowed the boy's Mushi. His body twitched.

"So you hadn't agreed to Diorestoi's offer, Miss Hero?"

Oogui, having eaten the boy's dream, looked at Youko with her rainbow pupils. It was the first time she heard the name Diorestoi, but it probably referred to Shinpu.

Youko ignored her, cleaning up the miniature garden. Loci riding her shoulder lowered its head.

"You look in a good mood, Loci-chan. I wonder if Genius is almost ready?"

The effective range and time of Loci's pheromone ability increased. Right now she could create Zones without carrying about any people around.

Oogui snickered.

"So once Genius is grown up you won't make any more dreams for me? A pity."

"She really pisses me off."

After finishing packing the suitcase, she slapped her dazed classmate. There was a large echo and blood spurt from the boy's lips.

"Oh my, poor guy."

"What was that about 'you're really cute lately, Satou-san'? Calling me here to confess to me means you'd settle for any good-looking girl, right? So creepy. Take some of that."

She used her suitcase to hit the dazed boy a couple of time. With some metallic part hitting him, one tooth flew out of his mouth. Now that his good looks went to waste, she finally laughed.

Ogata Akatsuki was nice to her even when she'd been plain. A man like him suited her.

"Hehe…"

"—What's so amusing?"

Looking up Oogui wearing an enchanting smile, she grinned at her.

If you're done here, just scram. Lately Oogui was acting like she was familiar with her and she didn't like that at all.

I can eat you whenever I please—

She cursed in her mind.

"Weren't you laughing as well?"

"Will you please not compare me to a monster like you?"

"Then who exactly are you, using a monster like that?"

"I'm the Hero."

She sat on the suitcase left on the ground and folded her legs.

Oogui narrowed her rainbow-colored eyes enjoyably while Youko's eyes were calm and deep like the ocean.

Now that Youko completed herself as a Hero, she had no enemies.

She came to know of the Demon Lord from her father's records.

Using the miniature garden method, she dragged out the dreams inside humans.

An incident had caused her to turn her classmate into a Mushitsuki.

The resulting Loci and Genius took her as a host, granting her power.

Only due to these conditions overlapping was she there now.

This probability, that could be called a miracle, gave birth to the Hero known as Satou Youko.

"As the Hero, I'll save the world."

She clearly declared her intents.

The long coat worn by Oogui rose as if flapping by the wind. Smiling enjoyably, her body was wrapped in purple-colored scales from head to toe. 

"You really like the world as it is now, don't you? You are willing to go so far to protect it, after all."

Youko furrowed her brows.

"But you can achieve something completely different, though."

Completely different?

Saving the world was Youko's dream.

She had nothing else she wanted to do.

"Do you think the Hero would listen to her enemy?"

"Hehe—"

In the midst of laughing, Oogui suddenly raised her face with a twitch.

"What is it…?"

This time, Youko was the one being ignored. Turning her face away from Youko, Oogui's rainbow pupils looked at another direction entirely. She licked her beguiling lips.

"Oh great Hero. The dreams you have brought me were delicious, but they nonetheless had the tastes of artificial products."

"Hmph. You're going to be particular about taste even though you're a monster?"

"What I really like is a dream left to boil, stuffed with sweetness…"

Glancing at her, Oogui vanished.

"Was that a request to do so by next time? Who are you even—"

Scowling, she noticed Loci kept shaking on her shoulder. Oogui was supposed to have left, but it turned its head the same way.

"What? So she wasn't gone?"

She rose from her trunk, confirming Loci's response. Loci's small doll-like red eyes turned to the distance.

"Oogui is moving…?"

The white grains were fading away from the floor as Youko bit her lips. Grabbing the suitcase's handle, she rushed to the escalator.

"Is she possibly giving birth to a Mushitsuki nearby?"

Jumping two steps at a time, she rushed down the stairs. She bumped into customers, but she didn't mind them and headed out of the department store at full speed.

"I won't allow that—"

She wouldn't mind any Mushitsuki being called in by the SEPB. That would be the same as them being called there by Youko. The warrior called Shiohara Shachito was a problematic opponent, but she let him go since she knew he would be gone soon.

This town was Youko's garden. It was both her safe haven as well as her fortress against the Demon Lord.

She couldn't allow a natural Mushitsuki to be born in town.

"You're not allowed to create any Mushitsuki without the Hero's permission…!"

Flying out of the department store, she got into a cab parked in the street. "Where to?" the driver asked her, and she merely ordered "to the north" curtly.

"I won't forgive you. I won't even turn you into a Spirit Zone. I'll just make you a Fallen. I hate Mushi. You're going against the Hero? That pisses me off—"

Youko mumbled in the back seat. She noticed the driver looking at her creepily through the mirror.

"Loci-chan."

White grains filled the car.

"If you don't want to be stuffed into a coffin then step on it. Idiot."

Kicking the driver seat, the taxi became twice as faster. Ignoring speed laws, he drove recklessly as Youko ordered him.

The taxi parked directly in the middle of the fields. The road Loci pointed to was in the car parking near there. There was a sign that said that no entry was allowed.

Getting off the car, Youko entered the thin road near the parking lot. She obviously didn't pay.

"Hah… Hah…"

Kicking dust with her long legs, she hurried up the road.

The setting sun lit the hero running with a suitcase in hands.

She could also see the mountain where she'd created a Zone beneath a cherry tree. The area was surrounded in mountains of the same height.

Even without Loci's ability, she could see a certain landmark.

The radio tower.

Even while abandoned, it looked magnificent.

"Hah…! Hah…!"

Oogui's reaction was not yet gone.

Youko was going to make it in time.

The more she approached the radio tower, she could see a purple glow.

While running, Youko grinned.

I made it—

In front of the fence surrounding the area, she could see Oogui was eating the dream of a petite figure. There was also another person there—their friend or whatever—but she didn't pay them any attention.

"Loci-chan…! Are you ready?"

Raising her speed, she passed near the fence.

Just about to unleash Loci's ability, Youko widened her eyes.

Seeing the two people next to Oogui, she stood there in shock.

"Ako…chan? Akatsuki-kun…?"

Akatsuki was shocked just the same. The boy, clad in his SEPB uniform, became speechless upon seeing Youko suddenly emerge there.

Oogui smiled enjoyably.

And Ako—

"You have finally showed yourself."

Was holding a digital camera as always.

A small insect was perched on top of the camera reflecting the sun. It was probably Ako's Mushi.

"Satou Youko. You are the one who schemes to distort the truth and destroy the world—"

The shining lens captured Youko's figure.

"The Demon Lord."

4.02 Youko Part 7

Why was Ogata Akatsuki there?

Why was Haemori Ako there and why was she a Mushitsuki?

Why was Oogui smiling so enjoyably—

She didn't even care about these questions anymore.

Demon Lord…?

I'm the… Demon Lord?

Ako's camera was pointed at none other than herself, Satou Youko.

She reflexively began to laugh. Being called a Demon Lord due to some sort of misunderstanding was terribly rude.

The Demon Lord was the woman with the chaining smile, Miguruma Yaeko.

Yaeko controlled the army of darkness of Mushi and was trying to destroy the world.

The only person to know the truth was Youko.

And so Youko resolved to stand against the Demon Lord.

Youko was the Hero.

You could only fight Mushi using Mushi. Thinking this, she used a Mushi-eating Mushi and fought against the armies of darkness.

Hadn't Ako also spoken of this daily?

Hadn't she announced loud and clear about the existence of the Demon Lord and armies of darkness?

Wasn't she talking about Yaeko and the Special Environmental Preservation Bureau?

Youko thought that Ako was one of the very few people who understood her.

But even so—

"Youko-senpai's the Demon Lord…?"

Don't look at me like that, Akatsuki-kun—

She entreated in her heart.

Ako was just misunderstanding. She'd just explain everything to her.

Once Youko denied she was the Demon Lord, they'd achieve a mutual understanding.

Intending to clear everything, Youko wore a gentle smile toward Akatsuki.

"I'm…"

A Hero—

But just as she was about to reveal her true identity, something suddenly flashed in her mind.

—Reveal thy true dream in front of me…

Shinpu said something like that when he'd appeared to come and eat her dream.

—You don't really feel like a Hero either… actually, it's the complete opposite…

Even the warrior passing by denied Youko being a Hero.

And there was also Oogui right in front of her.

—You really like the world as it is now, don't you? You are willing to go so far to protect it, after all.

Despite Youko naming herself a Hero, Oogui spoke to her like that as if it was natural.

—But you can achieve something completely different, though.

Why did anyone and everyone deny Youko?

There was nothing Youko couldn't currently do.

There was no one she couldn't defeat.

The very world itself was like Youko's plaything.

"…"

She held that same power that Miguruma Yaeko—the Demon Lord playing with the miniature garden.

Noticing this fact, she suddenly recalled.

The form of the Demon Lord in her memories once brought fear to young Youko.

But in the end, was that really fear?

Wanting to play with the world as she pleased.

Hadn't she actually felt—admiration for that?

And now the time has come.

She could use Mushi to remake the world.

She had caught up to the awe-inspiring Demon Lord.

Youko obtained her very own miniature garden.

The large miniature garden known as the world.

Playing with that miniature garden was not the fake Demon Lord known as Miguruma Yaeko, but—

"Right—"

Sitting on her suitcase, she spread her long legs. Putting one hand on the suitcase to support her body, she left the other hand calmly on her thighs. Her long bangs held by a pin turned toward her temples, sticking out like horns.

Her deep ocean-like eyes looked at Ako and the rest, and her bewitchingly wet lips moved.

Satou Youko.

This girl, who was once the Hero, now was—

"I'm the Demon Lord."

The true Demon Lord found out her real dream.

4.03 Ako Part 3

She respected her peace-loving grandfather.

Even now her feelings haven't changed.

What was the "truth" he was aiming for? —To find an answer, she kept advancing on the path of a journalist.

Now, Ako finally felt as if she could grasp its true meaning.

"A-all of these—are Mushi…?"

After confirming Akatsuki's resolve on the roof, they returned to the news club room.

The scenery photos and citizen records affixed to the walls, none of the past pictures of the journalism club have remained. At the time the room was evacuated by the student council, they were peeled off. Even the cabinet full of files was completely empty.

The curtains of the film development room in the back were removed, so it was useless. Only the lighting equipment and reflective panels remained in the corner.

Instead there was a mountain of cardboard boxes filling the room. Ako brought everything back from the warehouse here.

Ako spread their contents on the table, with all of them seemingly her own personal material. Many of the pictures hidden inside the file case were unclear due to them being taken by amateurs. Ako herself digitally converted everything she filmed, packing her memory cards inside there as well.

—Among these was the voice recording Ako had set during the abnormal happening at the museum. It had recorded Akatsuki fighting against something, but other than that there was only Ako's voice. Since it would be incomprehensible to anyone uninvolved, it had been sealed away.

What made Akatsuki speechless was seeing the photos. Unlike memory cards, tape, and disk digital data, it was obvious at a glance what pictures were taken.

"This is all the material pertaining to Mushi I've collected until now. Since it became hard to hide them at my house, I used this place once I became alone."

Still holding the camera in front of the closed door, Ako spoke indifferently.

The picture Akatsuki took in hand depicted the blurred form of a Mushi. Ako was able to obtain what a civilian had taken by chance.

She had hundreds of the same kinds of pictures. She obviously also had disks and tapes with videos, but even testimonies from people who've seen Mushi were included in the memory.

"Mushi, the journalist's taboo, was my lifework."

Ever since her grandfather vanished on the battlefield, Ako kept filming anything and everything.

She wanted to figure out the identity of the "truth" her grandpa staked his life on.

What Ako found was the rumored existence of an abnormal being that wasn't disclosed to the public. Although there were many eyewitnesses, it wasn't revealed only barely. There were obviously people concealing this.

Mushi—

Ako fervently pursued these monsters.

She knew it was dangerous. Yet this thrill only stoked her flames, allowing her talent to bloom.

"I was able to obtain this much information not just because I'm a genius journalist. A pro journalist would be more careful, knowing that their social position could be hurt. But since I was an amateur, I was able to elude the organization hiding all of this."

"This is bad… This is really bad, Ako."

"Still, there probably aren't any other people who've managed to gather this much proof. I fully believed that the only person able to reveal the truth—the concealed existence of Mushi to the world would be me, the True Journalist. It wasn't supposed to take long for the name of the genius called Haemori Ako to spread throughout the land."

At times using her own feet, at times using the information network from her grandfather's connections, Ako's kept her assault. Professional journalists were too aware of the dangers so they couldn't expose the truth. Their pent up anger lead to them bringing information to Ako, a mere student.

The ones who concealed Mushi were apparently the organization known as the Special Environmental Preservation Bureau.

An honest-to-goodness government agency.

Her enemy was powerful.

However—Ako was still conceited in her own talent.

"I won't let you do it. Give all of this to me."

Akatsuki glared at Ako. He said this not as an SEPB member, but probably out of concern as her friend. She knew he liked to meddle.

"Do what you want. All of this is gathered in this memory card. It is my masterpiece."

Ako handed the memory card in her bag. Akatsuki changed his expression and approached.

"Listen, member Akatsuki."

"Give it, Ako. It's fine, I'm not going to let the SEPB have it."

"I have gotten carried away."

Akatsuki made a clear response. The moment before he took the memory, his hand stopped.

She already knew from experience how dangerous it was.

Because there was one time in past where she was warned.

She still remembered well the coat-wearing woman who named herself "Shera". The next time she appeared she'd definitely not leave with just a warning.

"The topic of Mushi is a taboo none could touch so far. Yet I kept gathering information. There is no truth I haven't investigated. Thinking that my truth would someday move the world, I thought it was like having the world under my control. I was ecstatic to be the Hero standing against an evil organization hiding the truth. —And so I made a mistake."

Her tone naturally lowered. Just by recalling what happened back then, regret and shame hammer pounded her heart.

"Unsatisfied with just Mushi, I revealed any and all truths. This is such a small rural town. Injustice, corruption, individual crimes… all of them were consumed in an instant. And this school's the same. I dragged out everything that the students hid, revealed it, and flung it in front of everyone. The student council president hates me because I revealed the truth about her boyfriend and cornered him."

Akatsuki seemed surprised.

He'd probably thought of her as merely delusional.

"And so I became alone."

The closed room was filmed through the lenses.

"At some point everyone around called me the Demon Lord. The truth I had dragged out brought chaos to town. It had disturbed the peace of the school. When I finally became alone, I noticed that I had taken the wrong path. —The truth I'd found was just a weapon that shook the peace."

This was her punishment.

Her just desserts for taking the wrong path were becoming isolated.

"And so I didn't feel like doing anything. I also stopped investigating Mushi. I thought that any truth I'd find would only bring chaos, anyhow."

"…I actually have no idea why the SEPB are so desperate to cover for Mushi. But obviously, I don't think we should be revealed. If the existence of Mushi becomes known there'll be chaos."

Akatsuki's voice was kind. He was probably sympathizing with the stricken Ako.

The boy's hand closed in on Ako's memory card again.

Yet Ako drew back her hand and evaded. Akatsuki looked sad.

"Ako…"

"At that time, I noticed the real Demon Lord in this town."

He didn't want to see his friend's lonely face.

Yet Ako had to speak.

She couldn't complete this mission all by herself.

"Noticing that there were more ill people in town, I thought at first there was some kind of health hazard. I didn't mean to erase my crimes or anything, but I took the camera into my hands again. As a result, I found several places where mysterious events have occurred. Places like the museum or the cherry tree."

"…!"

"The places I investigated alone, I investigated as much as I could. The places I went with you were those I just couldn't expose alone. There were also many duds like the radio tower."

Thinking backwards, the museum was probably a place where nothing would happen if one went alone. The cherry tree also had nothing that would be seen through the camera.

"It was obvious someone had created these special areas for some reason. I also noticed an upperclassman that was there to keep watch on me, but even she grew tenser and that interested me. If she moved as a member of the SEPB, then it was obviously something related to Mushi."

"So Orion was monitoring you…"

Akatsuki was surprised. Orion was the codename of the girl who'd probably monitored Ako.

"The time I noticed a Demon Lord other than myself, I knew what actions I really needed to take as journalist. —To let the world know about Mushi."

"Wha…"

Akatsuki naturally became speechless. He couldn't understand how she reached that conclusion.

"You already know, right? There were many great battles involving Mushi in the past."

The fact he changed his expression showed that he knew this.

"During the times when large amounts of Mushi-related info would leak, there were incomprehensible events at places. Four years ago in Ouka City and Akamaki City; the small island known as Aoharima Island; then last Christmas again in Ouka City and in Hashiba City… it was during those times that people would talk markedly more about Mushi."

"…"

"They kept hiding Mushi, but starting this year there was an explosion in eyewitness testimonies. The Shinkansen from Housawa Town to Ouka City, or Higano City that connected Akamaki City and Ouka City, and even in Nishito City and Horando City there were Mushi eyewitnesses. And so I had a journalist intuition."

She had a hunch.

The hidden truth about Mushi was reaching its breaking point.

"Isn't the next great battle between Mushitsuki approaching?"

Akatsuki widened his eyes.

"Looking back, even I, who mistook my way, was able to gather this much proof about Mushi. Even without me doing anything, soon the world will know of Mushi. The truth known as Mushi is starting to rampage such that it becomes impossible to hide."

"Then you don't have to expose yourself to danger…!"

"I can't. A mistaken truth will bring the world into chaos. What I'm trying to reveal now isn't the real truth."

"What do you mean, a mistaken truth! And the real truth, I don't understand what—"

"'Mushitsuki are fearsome monsters'. —That is the mistaken truth."

Ako used her camera to film all the material about Mushi on the table.

The records came in different shapes and forms, but they had one thing in common.

All of them were mixed with fear for Mushitsuki. Some shook with fear, some recorded themselves hating Mushi. They only spoke of them as monsters defying human understanding.

"Even the Demon Lord appearing in town was trying to propagate this truth. By using Mushi the world will know of them. —Undoubtedly, they are attempting to bring 'fear' in order to let people know that Mushitsuki are scary."

Just like Ako during the time she had been called by that name, the Demon Lord spread fear among the people.

"I was able to help with that. My goal of wanting to let the world know of Mushi is unchanged from the past. —Yet I didn't do it.  Because I am a True Journalist. I must first ascertain the real state of everything."

I will never mistake my path again.

With that resolve in her heart, the days of confronting the Demon Lord continued.

"'Mushitsuki are fearsome monsters'. Is that really the truth? I only believe things I see with my own eyes."

She was called the Demon Lord in school and became secluded.

Since Ako started loudly speaking of conspiracy theories, people around her thought she was broken. She'd been called the Demon Lord many times and became even lonelier.

"Member Akatsuki. Since you have come to town at that timing, I was able to surmise you were a Mushitsuki belonging to the SEPB. Your reason for transferring and your profile were all unnatural. —And so I came to you and thought of ascertaining the truth. Orion, who seemed to be resigned, was no good."

If he was a Mushitsuki, she thought of getting material from him.

After thinking how to approach him, she ended up inviting him to the journalism club. She thought he'd reject anyway, but if he thought she was a mere oddball from the first meeting, then he'd lower his guard and that would be fine as well. But even so—

"You became my friend."

Ako smiled.

She was happy.

The Demon Lord was cunning, strong, and never showed themselves. She'd nearly given up on pursuing them.

Yet the reality she wasn't alone gave Ako courage again.

"And so I was able to find the real truth."

She showed him the memory card. Akatsuki gulped.

"And the Mushitsuki who became my friend comforted me at times. He spoke of love while embarrassed, hesitated, and held anger and hatred toward someone, yet even so he smiled. This one Mushitsuki, walking side by side with a normal person, exemplified the real truth."

And that Mushitsuki's figure was caught in the camera even now.

"—'Mushitsuki are no different than normal people'."

Ako had been able to obtain the truth, but she had a duty.

To stop the Demon Lord's scheme.

"Ever since the Demon Lord turned the Mushi into her minions and played with them, she'd planted the mistaken truth that 'Mushitsuki are fearsome monsters' in people. Once this happened it couldn't be taken back. The fear would only grow, and erasing it is impossible."

"Ako…"

"I can't allow to Demon Lord to act as they please any longer. We must stop them."

Akatsuki sank into silence.

Thinking for a while, he probably reached a conclusion. The boy held out his hand to her.

"Give me the memory card."

"Member Akatsuki…"

"I promise you. By the time that Mushi are impossible to hide… I'll help you. Then please entrust this to me until then."

Akatsuki spoke, looking directly into Ako's eyes.

"I want you to promise something else."

Ako returned his gaze.

"The method I'd chosen to draw in the Demon Lord—I want you to watch over me without doing anything."

Akatsuki for a moment bit his lips hesitatingly. Yet he soon nodded wordlessly.

The memory card was passed from Ako to Akatsuki.

The method Ako had thought of calling the Demon Lord.

In order to accomplish that, Ako and Akatsuki went in front of the radio tower.

As they stood in front of the fence, their background was the sinking sun and the towering spire.

Just like when they'd come there before, the wind was strong today too. Turning around, they could also see the "angel"—the white plastic sheet that came and went from sky to ground.

"I surmised that the Demon Lord has the ability to sense the location of Mushi. If not, it would be hard for them to run away from the SEPB."

While filming the grand form of the radio tower, Ako muttered. Her bangs, blown by the wind for an instant, appeared on the screen.

Meanwhile, Akatsuki wore his SEPB equipment. Grey jacket and pants, thick gloves and hard-looking boots were his full getup. With his visor riding on his forehead, he didn't yet cover his face.

"Yeah, I thought the same. But I couldn't understand how there were so many Mushitsuki in this town. Even the SEPB can't ascertain that."

"Investigating those who were sick, I went to gather materials. The common point to all of them was having a few hours of vacant memories. There were some who didn't notice that, but they were probably turned to Mushitsuki during that time."

"But why are so many Mushitsuki being born just here?"

"I also have a guess regarding that."

She asserted cleanly.

"The Demon Lord creates Mushi—and enlists them to their army. The white space we've seen in the museum or the cherry tree is proof of that."

Akatsuki was speechless. Perhaps unable to speak probably, he barely squeezed out his voice.

"T-The Demon Lord creates…? That's impossible! I mean, doesn't it mean… they're just like the Original Three?!"

"I don't know the method itself. But it is a fact that a large amount of Mushitsuki are being born here. We can assume that even the host is unaware of them having a Mushi that becomes part of the army of darkness."

This was the conclusion of Ako's involved investigation ever since she noticed the existence of the Demon Lord.

"Playing with people, toying with Mushi, mocking the SEPB, the Demon Lord thus remade this town."

Ako turned her camera away from the radio tower, filming the countryside.

"To grab the cunning Demon Lord's tail, we have to smash this so-called miniature garden. Someone needs to appear to disturb their game board."

"But how can we…"

"Another person will give birth to a Mushi right here."

Akatsuki was speechless.

"This is a gamble. A method that can only be used once and is irreversible."

Turning only her face to the boy, she smiled.

Wind blew around.

Had Ako's resolve been noticed so quickly?

The being that appeared in front of Ako before as well looked like a starved ghost. Since she'd asked for her name, she already knew it.

"You may come, Oogui. I shall give you what you wish for."

"…!"

Akatsuki's expression morphed to surprise. He readied his body anxiously.

There was tension so sharp it felt like it would tear his skin.

Ako's digital camera perfectly captured that.

The trees standing in town.

The seedlings on the field.

The grass growing on the road.

All of them turned to Ako with frightening vigor.

It wasn't wind.

The purple glow pressing forward at incredible speeds finally pushed its way to Ako.

"Fufu—"

The downpour of purple-colored scales took the shape of a human above Ako's head.

The camera first caught the rainbow-colored pupils. Next the round sunglasses were formed, then her face's outline, long hair and wing-like crimson long coat.

"Why is Oogui…?!"

Akatsuki reflexively stiffened, ready to call out his Mushi.

"Because Ako-chan called me. Right?"

Oogui looked down at Akatsuki, smiling enjoyably.

"Indeed."

"A-Ako…?"

Ako smiled at the confused boy.

"Oogui has appeared to me several times till now."

The first time she appeared was just after Ako's grandfather disappeared at war. Ever since then, the crimson coat-clad beauty came to the girl resolve chasing after the truth.

Oogui appeared again when Ako found out about the Demon Lord's existence and decided to confront it.

Both times, Ako had denied Oogui due to her strong conviction.

So she would not lose her proper form as a journalist.

"You have always refused me by telling me that you stand as the 'journalist' on the line between normal people and Mushitsuki… right, Ako-chan?"

Oogui snickered.

Ako had to be a nameless journalist.

Standing between Mushitsuki and the people who feared them, she had to chronicle both sides.

So she thought—

"Will you tell me your dream this time?"

Her cold hands embraced Ako from behind. The purple scales surrounded Ako, trying to white out her head.

"Ako!"

"No, member Akatsuki. The Demon Lord isn't here yet…"

Akatsuki's voice brought Ako's consciousness to reality for an instant. Her held camera filmed an empty road. There was still no human figure there.

As if realizing Ako's aim, Akatsuki stood there in shock.

"You made a promise. That no matter what happened, you'd watch over me…!"

"B-but this… I can't do it! No way I can!"

On top of the boy's shoulders, the mayfly was slowly growing larger.

"Do you even understand what you're doing? Do you understand how tough being a Mushitsuki is? I won't let you become a Mushitsuki!"

"This isn't anything special."

Oogui, who was embracing Ako, leaked sweet breath unto her neck. The sweet fragrance and purple glow, as well as her rainbow-colored pupils, quickly eroded Ako's ego.

Along with the pleasant drowsiness, she was assaulted by helpless fear.

"I'll become just like you… this is nothing different from a normal person; simply a Mushitsuki."

"…!"

Even while saying this with her mouth, she was scared of becoming a Mushitsuki.

She couldn't go back to how she was yesterday.

But she had no regrets.

"If you're going to watch over me, then I have nothing to be scared of—"

An expression of despair rose to the boy's face.

If it'd been before she'd met Akatsuki, then there'd be no choice.

But now she knew that Mushitsuki were no different from regular humans.

Even if she became a Mushitsuki, Ako would stay as she was—

She would yield in to the truth she herself grasped.

"You will not stand in my way, right, Akatsuki-chan? You wouldn't want to get this girl wrapped up in fighting—and you know you cannot beat me, right?"

"…!"

Akatsuki's face distorted.

"Even so—"

The Mushi clinging to Akatsuki's back shook its twin tails.

"I can't just stand there watching you turn my friend into a Mushitsuki!"

On the back of the shouting boy, the mayfly's tail glowed.

However—

"…"

She felt hazy and couldn't move her mouth. Even so Ako advanced toward Akatsuki, and stood in front of him.

There was no other way.

By making Ako a Mushitsuki, she would become able to call out the Demon Lord.

Ako knew that as a journalist she had to settle the score with the Demon Lord.

From now on normal people and Mushitsuki would clash against each other and understand one another.

Yet the Demon Lord would cause needless strife between them, caused by the distorted truth.

And so none other than Ako would remove the fears clouding the eyes of both sides.

It could be called the fight between the Demon Lord and the previous Demon Lord.

"Move, Ako!" Akatsuki shouted. "MOVE!"

The boy's voice, not much more than a scream, was the final sound she heard before losing her sense of self.

She lost all sensation in her body.

Although she was standing, she felt strange comfort as if she was inside water.

"Now, Ako-chan."

She heard an enjoyable voice. There was great hunger in it, like one facing a high quality meal.

"Will you tell me your dream?"

That voice even caused her pleasant vibrations, shaking her head.

It stabbed through her head to her chest.

Stripping her of the armor known as body and emotions, Oogui's sickly-sweet voice reverberated inside the depths of her heart.

A ripple was born on the water Ako was floating in.

She recalled the figure of her smiling grandfather holding a camera—and her young self pictured with that grandfather.

Her grandfather was gone and Ako began running.

She investigated anything and everything, gathered materials, at times met danger but never stopped running.

Yet she became alone and stood in place.

When she turned around there was no one there. Neither her friends, comrades, nor the back of her grandfather she was chasing; she couldn't see them anywhere.

When she became lost and wandered the road, the Demon Lord stood in her way. At first Ako tried to face them, but finally her lonely self ran away.

Pulling her hand was a single Mushitsuki.

Ogata Akatsuki.

He stood alongside Ako, walking together with her.

And they both reached the road they needed to.

Ako was able to recall her dream—

"I wanted to know what the real 'truth' was…"

The surface of water swelled.

She felt as if the thing slumbering inside the depths of the water took a breath and leapt out.

The thing that Ako saw in the strange space—was a strangely-shaped insect with feelers.

4.04 Akatsuki Part 9

Oogui smiled bewitchingly.

"What a nice dream."

The beauty's open mouth sucked in the glow coming out of Ako.

Akatsuki could simply watch over her in that moment.

Ako herself had wished for it.

There was no other way to find the Demon Lord.

"Oh… Oooohh…"

Clenching his fists, Akatsuki's nailed dug into his skin, drawing blood.

Why would you do that for this kind of reason—

No matter what anyone said, Akatsuki would never accept it. He would never forgive Ako's reason for becoming a Mushitsuki.

If Ako hadn't stood in his way, he would have attacked Oogui without thinking.

Yet at the same time he understood.

He couldn't defeat Oogui by himself.

Oogui could use the abilities of all Minion Type Mushitsuki. This meant she also had Akatsuki's ability, as well as the worst ability, that of Fuyuhotaru.

Akatsuki couldn't stop Oogui no matter what.

"Uuugh…!"

A line of blood dripped down his bitten lips.

A friend was becoming a Mushitsuki in front of his very eyes and he couldn't help her.

Although the hated Oogui was right in front of him he couldn't do anything.

"Kakkou—"

His eyes clouded with anguish. Blood rushed to his head and he felt dizzy.

"Have you always… felt like this…?"

The Mushitsuki known as Kakkou had known about Oogui's ability from far back.

That was why, despite meeting her countless times, he couldn't act. If they'd fought, her ability would be exposed and it would cause a war between Mushitsuki.

Was he really fine with that?

Hadn't he felt anguished?

Akatsuki knew the answer to that.

There were no Mushitsuki who didn't hate the Original Three.

A Mushitsuki who was only barely able to restrain himself from attacking, and Kakkou who withstood that countless times—what was the difference between the two?

—I just have to become stronger than anyone.

So Kakkou said.

Something decisive was different between him and Kakkou, Akatsuki felt.

"Ako…"

In front of him, a blur like a heat haze rose from the girl.

The thing born as if splitting from Ako's body was a fist-sized Mushi. It fluttered its small wings, landing on top of her camera.

Its body divided to head, chest and abdomen was round, looking like it was made of glass. Its surface always swaying like rippling surface of water, there wasn't anything like eyes on it. Instead two feelers growing from its head had several half-plates from the bottom to top. There were two black specks on its wings, making it resemble a two-spotted cricket.

When the glow vanished, the light returned to Ako's eyes.

"Don't make such a pitiful face, member Akatsuki."

Smiling, Ako turned the digital camera toward him. On top of it the two-spotted cricket shining in marine-blue scratched its head with its short legs.

"As a member of the honored journalism club, we must put an end to the Demon Lord's scheme."

Never mind about that—

He forcibly swallowed the words that almost came out of his mouth.

Rejecting Ako's words would be rejecting her resolve. It would mean her courage would have all been for nothing.

"…!"

Akatsuki hung his head once and screamed inside his heart. He simply wrung out a meaningless, wordless scream, throwing away the violent feelings filling him.

"…Yup."

He raised his head, wearing a smile.

"You're cool, Ako."

She nodded with a serious expression.

"I'm the True Journalist, so obviously."

The cricket on top of the camera raised its head with a twitch. Its antenna-like feelers turned to the side, and then its body turned around as if pulled by them.

Akatsuki and Ako also turned to that direction.

"We have won the gamble."

From the direction of the town, a human figure came running the road.

Gradually it became clearer, and Akatsuki widened his eyes.

The appearing figure stopped in shock.

"Ako…chan? Akatsuki-kun…?"

It was someone Akatsuki knew well.

The first time he'd met her, she was a plain and featureless girl. She was one year his senior and tall for a girl. She wore her uniform according to school regulations, had black hair and glasses, and hid her face with her bangs. She had such a thin presence you wouldn't notice her even if she stood next to you.

"You have finally shown yourself."

Finally seeing the enemy she'd glanced, Ako asserted in a low voice.

No way—

In front of Akatsuki's eyes was a pretty girl unimaginable from their first meeting.

She said she'd switched her glasses for contact lenses. Her long hair was parted, revealing her abyss-like black pupils. She generously revealed her bountiful chest and long legs, and her expression covered in makeup exuded beauty.

The only thing Akatsuki didn't know was the large suitcase she was holding.

"Satou Youko."

As if to scold Akatsuki who still found it unbelievable, Ako announced the girl's name.

"You are the one who distorts the truth and schemes to destroy the world—"

Satou Youko.

The girl who was once known as the Third Satou-san.

"The Demon Lord."

Satou-senpai is…?

He wasn't able to immediately accept Ako's words.

He let his final hope rest with Youko herself.

"You're the Demon Lord, Youko-senpai…?"

Looking at her confused face, he felt relieved. She didn't seem to understand Ako's words.

"I am…"

She would probably relieve him now. Youko grinned.

Yet the next instant, her smile changed its essence.

"Right—"

Sitting on top of the suitcase, she spread her long legs. One hand was on the suitcase supporting her body, and the other was calmly placed on her thigh.

"I'm the Demon Lord."

Her swaying pupils narrowed with a smile, Satou Youko clearly asserted this.

Her gaze viewed the very depths of people's hearts and dragged out whatever was inside.

Akatsuki finally noticed the true form of those pupils that made his heartbeat hasten many times.

The feeling he'd felt for her was definitely not love or admiration.

It was awe—

Grasping people's hearts, dragging them out, and playing with them—those were the eyes of the Demon Lord.

Akatsuki instinctually feared her eyes.

"Hehe, what a scary town."

The one who broke the strained silence was a beauty clad in a purple glow.

Oogui's rainbow pupils looked from Ako to Youko.

"There were two people who tried to use me—"

Akatsuki's heart thumped.

He noticed that Ako and Youko glared at each other, not even looking at Oogui.

"So that's why I haven't noticed the Demon Lord… Satou-senpai."

Haemori Ako's camera filmed the girl in front of her eyes.

Satou Youko snickered.

"So it really was you, Ako-chan. You always were snooping around me."

"Unfortunately. I thought you were one of my few friends."

"That's a lie. 'Monthly AKO' was interesting, but… it was really just meant to shake me, right? Yet I thought the Demon Lord was a different person and that their armies of darkness were Mushi."

"Let's stop this. What you're doing will plunge the world into chaos."

"Hah, to think that the previous Demon Lord would be saying this. You weren't able to fully adopt this role, but I will. I only just noticed I'm the true Demon Lord."

Neither Ako nor Youko were willing to take back one step.

As if recalling Akatsuki's presence there, Youko looked at him. He stood in shock, looked into Youko's black pupils and gulped.

"Hey, Akatsuki-kun. You know, I possess great power."

Seemingly proud of it, she puffed her chest. With her face shining like that of a child exhibiting his favorite toy, she patted the suitcase she was sitting on.

"If I use it I can read anyone's heart. I find what's inside people's hearts, grab it, pull it out and show it to them. —All of them view their dreams."

"…!"

Impossible—

But he knew he couldn't really say that.

Why had so many Mushitsuki been born in this one town?

If what Youko said was the truth, that would explain it.

"When I do this, Oogui comes. I make Loci-chan here eat the Mushi right away. Those who saw their dreams don't even remember becoming Mushitsuki. —And until the Mushi are fully consumed, they become Spirit Zones, areas into which only the Mushi's ability is leaking."

Akatsuki glanced at Oogui with awkward movements.

The beauty wearing an enchanting smile was surrounded by purple scales.

"I cannot stand against the great Demon Lord. If I don't run away I might get eaten, too."

Snickering as though from a joke, Oogui vanished.

"Oh, but don't misunderstand something, okay? Loci-chan isn't my Mushi. So even if you kill me it won't be gone."

Youko hurriedly spread her arms, and wore an unfittingly radiant smile.

"I was the one who raised it, though. I gave sustenance to its true body, making it grow."

"So is it one of the Mushi you've given birth to, Satou-senpai?"

"You sure are smart, Ako-chan. I'll convince you soon enough."

In front of the two girls staring at one another, Akatsuki was speechless.

This wasn't at the level of being "smart" or whatever.

Hadn't Youko herself understood how scary was what she could do?

Playing with people's hearts—

Utilizing the Original Three—

Toying with Mushi—

Not even looking at the SEPB—

Being able to do something like that was beyond the scope of a human being.

"…Demon Lord…"

Akatsuki unconsciously used that word.

She far surpassed the domain humans should touch.

Truly a Demon Lord.

Was there any other name for such a being?

"Indeed. This battle against the Demon Lord called Satou-senpai would rival those fights between Mushitsuki in the past—no, perhaps it would bring even larger chaos."

Even Ako didn't look at Akatsuki while speaking.

He finally noticed.

From the very beginning this was the fight between Ako and Youko.

Long before Akatsuki came to this town, the two Demon Lords fought beneath the surface.

The SEPB, Oogui and Akatsuki were mere bystanders.

Akatsuki had said that this battle wasn't relevant to Ako as she wasn't a Mushitsuki.

Yet that thought was sorely mistaken.

She had played not only with the SEPB but even with Oogui, a clash created from a chain of events that were all orchestrated by two girls who weren't even Mushitsuki—

"Akatsuki-kun."

Youko rose.

Akatsuki's shoulders twitched, and the blushing Youko spoke.

"I love you."

He couldn't understand the meaning of her words for a second.

"…Eh…?"

"I love how kind you are."

The Demon Lord playing with people's dreams smiled at Akatsuki.

She was so beautiful and overflowing with confidence she couldn't possibly be the same person.

Obviously. She could already control people's hearts and didn't even fear the Original Three. There had never been someone like Satou Youko.

Without Ako's courage, there would be many more Spirit Zones, and before long the very world itself would be made the same, perhaps.

"I'm—"

Becoming very sad, Akatsuki grimaced.

When had she started this?

Satou-senpai that was plain and had a thin presence, the kind girl who worried for Ako… when had she started treading down the path of a Demon Lord?

"Right now, I don't know which of the Satou-senpai I know you are."

Even hearing his words, Youko seemed unmoved. The expression of a girl in love gazed at his face intently.

"I know there's a person you like."

"…"

"But she's a Mushitsuki, right? Mushi are scary. I'll save you from Mushi as well, Akatsuki-kun. I'll kill your Mushi right away."

Youko grinned wide.

"And then I'll ask you again. To go out with me."

How scary was the Demon Lord?

The feelings that the Mushitsuki Akatsuki had for the civilian Satou Youko were nothing but fear and sadness.

"You're saying that while knowing that Fallen have to listen to orders, Satou-senpai…"

Akatsuki couldn't tell if he was crying or laughing. There was no doubt that he made an expression somewhere in the middle.

"Yup!" the Demon Lord nodded happily.

A human who had gone the path there was no going back from, just like Ako.

The person who skipped ahead on that road stood in front of Akatsuki.

He closed his eyes for a while.

When he opened them again, Akatsuki's expression changed. He was no longer agitated.

"—Satou Youko. I will apprehend you."

He had to stop her.

The actions of Youko who became the Demon Lord would involve other people.

Ako threw her body and turned around.

Then stopping her was the duty of Akatsuki and nobody else.

"How horrible, I don't think so. You're just being controlled by that woman, right?"

"That woman…?"

"The one who's supposed to be the Vice Director. I'm stronger than her."

"You know Vice-Director Miguruma?"

Youko wore a Demon Lord smile again.

"Like I said I'll save you, okay?"

A white object crawled up to the shoulder of the girl with the narrowed black eyes.

The rounded body raising its sickles looked like a small Mushi. It emitted a white glow from its body. Raising its head with sluggish movements, it opened its mouthpart toward the sky being dyed in orange.

The white Mushi—the one called Loki, according to Youko, raised a shrill roar.

White particles came gushing out from around them.

"…!"

Cautious, Akatsuki and Ako leapt back.

The glow absorbed inside the small Mushi became a large light spear and was shot toward the heavens.

A moment of silence.

The next instant, with the place pierced by the light as the center, a red glow started spreading in the sky.

"Wha—"

Blowing clouds away, the town's sky was dyed in the same red as the Mushi's eyes.

Immediately after, the ground started to rumble.

"It was really close to being completely grown-up, actually… but I have no choice. Even now it has enough power to remake the world."

The rumbling grew gradually stronger. Ako was unable to preserve her balance and fell on her rear. As expected she managed to still hold on to the camera.

This is bad…!

The earthquake assaulting the town was so strong no normal person could stand it.

Something large was gradually rising from the depths of the earth with great vigor—is what he felt.

"Kagerou…!"

A mayfly shining in gold materialized on Akatsuki's back.

He had no leeway to hesitate.

He felt the fearsomeness of the Demon Lord on his very skin more than enough. If she was still trying to do something, letting her do as she pleased was much too dangerous.

The laser shot by the mayfly blew through Loci.

The small Mushi howling on Youko's back was evaporated, not even a speck of dust remaining.

"Loci-chan…!"

The Demon Lord shouted. However—

"—Just kidding."

Sitting back on her suitcase, Youko raised her hands to the sky. The white particles assembled on top of her palm, producing a Mushi exactly like Loci.

"This is just a puppet transmitting the host's thoughts, meow."

She was probably imitating Orion. Youko smiled, tilting her head cutely.

"Let me introduce the real body."

The earthquake became much fiercer.

It would soon reach there—

The earthquake from below turned into a vibration caused by a large impact.

"—"

Akatsuki was able to see the instant it happened.

Underneath the red sky.

Between the mountains, an even larger mountain was born.

Much like an elevator that rose beyond the top floor at full speed, it happened in an instant. Within the blink of an eye the town was covered by a large shadow.

That Kaiju movie-like scene didn't appear slowly.

It was much too sudden, and appeared much too naturally, so he couldn't even feel fear.

—A gigantic egg.

So it looked to Akatsuki's eyes.

The coffins he'd seen at the cherry tree gathered and took the form of a giant egg. He could see its clay-made, artificial-like surface pulse little by little.

White cracks appeared on the egg's surface.

From these creaks emerged sharp edges from the inside. They broke the shell, spilling shining white particles, and that shining thing soon revealed itself.

"My servant, the Mushi-Eating Mushi—"

Behind the whirlpool of light, Youko calmly folded her legs on her trunk. With a clear voice as if she was another person entirely, she asserted imposingly.

"Genius."

The Mushi who was born after breaking out of its shell raised a howl.

The trees growing on the mountain collapsed, and a vibration passed through the sky dyed in crimson. The shockwave even reached Akatsuki and Ako who were far from it. Their hair was blown backwards as if being pulled from behind.

It didn't even feel true to call it Mushi.

An orchid mantis with two folded, sickle-shaped forelimbs—the being that could be described like this was of too large of a scale for Akatsuki.

Its head, in the shape of an upside down triangle, had three red shining compound eyes, and its howling mouthpart was lined with sharp fangs. The body shining in pink was long and narrow, and countless wings sprouted from its back. Akatsuki couldn't imagine how far into the ground stabbed its sickle-shaped legs and four other legs that supported its gigantic body.

Akatsuki had never seen a Mushi so colossal and beautiful.

After raising its first birth cry, Genius raised its head. Just by this action the white particles drew an afterimage and a vortex of light engulfed the mountain around it. Bending forward, the Mushi tried leaving its egg.

Yet Genius's wish didn't come true.

One of the sharp scythes was still merged with the right side of the egg and it couldn't pull it apart. The other leg and part of its abdomen were similarly stuck, so it squirmed in anger.

From the groaning Genius's body, white particles gushed out again. The intensely sweet pheromone scent reached Akatsuki. —He was nearly enchanted by it.

"Oh dear, so it's not fully grown yet."

Youko's bright voice was shook by the tremor.

Genius seemed to have given up escaping from its egg. Dragging it along behind it, it moved slowly between the mountains toward the town.

"You want to create more Spirit Zones? What a glutton you are, Genius."

"The town—"

Finally rising up, Ako pointed her camera at Genius's form in shock.

Akatsuki lowered the visor from his head and equipped it on his face.

"Kaguya has ascertained the target. —There is no doubt that this is the enemy."

Opening the shared communication channel, the reply soon arrived.

""Roger that.""

The voices of multiple boys and girls all answered at once.

The movements of Genius approaching the town suddenly stopped.

"The pheromones are too densely packed and I can't get close. Do something about that."

"Roger, I'll create a path. …Domain Isolation!"

The strained voice of a girl could be heard from the communication device attached to Akatsuki's ears.

An extremely loud noise enveloped Genius and caused something to happen to the white particles around it.

Part of the shining territory vanished as if being cut out. The normal domain extended to the sky, and the setting sun's color peeked through the crimson part.

Youko narrowed her eyes enjoyably.

"So that woman's underlings are finally here."

"I won't let you do as you please, Youko-senpai."

Cutting his visor's transmission, Akatsuki gazed at the beautiful Demon Lord.

He could hear the voices of members coming to face Genius one after another.

Receiving Akatsuki's report, the North Central Branch finally got off their backside. They had agreed to start the assault only if he actually managed to bring out the enemy.

Being sent there were a large amount of high-ranking members.

Why would they bring such a fighting force only now—his anger welled with frustration, but this was not the time to dwell on his personal feelings.

"It's just like Ako said. If you keep controlling that Mushi, you will reach the point of no return. I will never let you do that."

"Do you really think you can defeat Genius with that?"

Youko's smile was not moved in the slightest.

"Looks like it's going to get busy. I have to do my best to remake the world."

Looking at Genius, she spoke like an excited child. She no longer even saw Akatsuki in her eyes.

Akatsuki bit his lips, checking Genius's condition.

"I won't be able to maintain the domain for long. As expected, the gap in power is too great."

"Is there any sign of our attacks being effective?"

"Nope, none at all."

"Since it's so big I thought it'd just attack physically, but it's also using a strange power."

"If we step in any further we'll incur losses as well…"

"We need to think of this as a temporary retreat. We hafta borrow someone from the Central Headquarters, someone at least on Kasuou's level."

"It's our first mission failure in a while, but welp. We've never fought a giant like this either."

"Wha…!"

Akatsuki shouted.

Although it's only been a short while since they started fighting, the North Central Branch members were already losing their motivation.

"Temporary retreat…? Don't be stupid! What's up with this branch!"

As Akatsuki shouted without thinking, Ako pressed on his shoulder.

"You go as well, member Akatsuki."

"But…!"

"I'll be fine. More importantly…"

Ako's digital camera filmed the slightly shaking peaceful town.

"Please save my town."

Akatsuki looked at Youko.

The Demon Lord calmly sitting turned her black pupils to Akatsuki as well. Perhaps enjoying his reaction, she made no move other than grinning.

Was it true that Genius wasn't her Mushi? Even if they killed her, they wouldn't stop that large Mushi.

Akatsuki nodded.

"Got it. Be careful, Ako."

Seeing that Ako returned his nod, he kicked the ground.

The two journalism club members separated.

Akatsuki put the radio tower behind him, walking in the footpath between the empty fields.

Standing in front of him was the Demon Lord's minion, the powerful Mushi called Genius. Youko had said that it had eaten all Mushi other than itself to gain sustenance.

If those Mushi's sustenance came from their hosts' dreams, then he knew someone with the same ability.

The girl most important to Akatsuki, Haji Senri, had also devoured the vitality of other people to live. If Senri went on a rampage, would her Mushi also become something as fearful as Genius?

That was impossible—

Senri wasn't lonely like the Demon Lord. Even on the one-in-a-million chance she'd mistake her way, Akatsuki would be there to pull her back by the hand.

Perhaps Genius's true host also had no ill will just like Senri.

Yet he couldn't sympathize.

He had to defeat Genius, who went past the road of no return, no matter what it took.

"Gwoh…!"

"Is everything fine? This is just plain impossible. Bein' the rear guard, we need to prepare for everyone's retreat—"

Akatsuki gritted his teeth.

Running toward Genius, countless lasers were fired from Akatsuki's back.

The distance between them was still large. —Even so, the Mushi was in Akatsuki's range.

The mayfly fired laser beams one after another.

Fire.

Fire.

The several hundreds of light beams pierced the red sky.

The rain of lasers burst through the wall of white particles. All of them hit Genius without fail. The orchid mantis, still dragging the egg, tilted greatly.

"Who…ah…"

"No way…"

He felt dizzy for a second due to the consumption of power.

"Do you feel like fighting seriously now? North Central Branch."

Yet Akatsuki gritted his teeth and preserved himself.

There was tension in the communication channel.

"That guy pisses me off. There aren't any decent guys at East Central, huh."

"Yeah yeah, don't put your personal feelings into the mission."

"You still plan to fight? Fighting with all of your power will simply shorten your lifespan—"

"I have a trump card. Will you just fight along with me without complaining?"

He spat at them.

Perhaps pushed by Akatsuki's anger, the channel sank into silence.

They had to win no matter what. If Akatsuki lost here, it would put Ako's resolve and determination to waste.

Akatsuki clenched his fist, stepping into the space overflowing with white grains.

4.05 Youko Part 8

Youko watched the storm of lasers covering the sky.

Genius's body tilted forward and Loci on Youko's shoulder raised a small shriek.

Yet that was all.

Genius soon corrected its posture and intercepted the North Central Branch members that crowded around it like flies. Its grand scythes were swung from sky to land, and the mountain exploded.

"Do your best, Genius."

Youko cheered for it while sitting on the suitcase.

She knew Genius's strength well through Loci. There was no doubt that it was the strongest among Mushi. Even now it wouldn't Mature.

When it Matured, someday, it would probably gain even more power. Its original host would probably breathe her last, but Youko felt no qualms about that.

When she'd eliminated those she fought against now, Youko would become the perfect Demon Lord. Commanding her minions, Loci and Genius, to whom none could compare, she would become the tyrant of the world.

First she would actively pursue the eyesore known as the Special Environmental Preservation Bureau. There can only be one Demon Lord in the world. She would seek out Miguruma Yaeko and snuff out her life.

After destroying the SEPB she would turn any and all hidden Mushitsuki in the country to Fallens.

Thinking about it, the resistance movement Mushibane possessed a lot of Mushitsuki. If she defeated a few members they'd probably appear. By crushing the tips the main body would appear. It was good this enemy was easy; she should be able to promptly eliminate them.

The Rank 1 Mushitsuki would probably stand in her way of Mushi extermination.

Irregular Class Rank 1, Harukiyo. —The North Central Branch member that Youko had interrogated didn't know much about him. Harukiyo was a Mushitsuki who controlled fire and would sporadically appear in lots of battles.

He apparently possessed extraordinary power, but fighting against a Special Type was actually easier. If Genius controlled its own domain, a Special Type wouldn't be able to produce their own medium, and would thus become useless. They could use their powers naturally outside their domain, but she wouldn't give them the opportunity.

Secret Class Rank 1, Fuyuhotaru. —According to the battle simulations she'd made, she would be the most annoying opponent of all. Her ability matter-destroying snow had the strongest range. She didn't feel like she'd lose even if she fought straight on, but if possible she wanted to defeat the host herself with a surprise attack. If she were to defeat Mushibane, Fuyuhotaru would definitely stand in her way.

And finally, the Blaze Class Rank 1, Kakkou. —A merciless demon that symbolized the SEPB. Yet from what she'd heard of his power of a Fusion Type, he was far below Harukiyo or Fuyuhotaru of the same rank. No matter how much strength he had, a mere gun would not even cause Genius to flinch.

Apparently there had been two other Rank 1s. One had been killed by Kakkou and the other vanished from the world of Mushitsuki like a mirage. No one had much information about the latter, not even their current status. There was a rumor that Kakkou had killed them, so probably thinking of them as dead was fine.

She was curious about the warrior she'd met previously, the one who controlled mass. The SEPB member that Youko asked knew no such person. He was apparently a wild Mushitsuki, unrelated to any organization. He was just a Special Type Mushitsuki, so she was confident that she'd definitely defeat him the next time they met.

"I wonder how long it'll take, killing all Mushi."

Youko swung her legs on top of the suitcase, thinking ahead. Since there were no signs of her losing the battle in front of her, she didn't even focus on it.

"Oh, and I also have to kill the Original Three. If I make Genius eat even just one more Mushi it'll be fully grown, so during the next time I give birth to a dream I can kill that monster while I'm at it. They're horrible, I just hate them."

Right now Genius had no enemies, but she would feel bad if it didn't grow up properly.

Genius grew up to be the strongest existence. Never mind Mushitsuki, she was sure that not even something like missiles would do anything to it. Even in the worst case scenario, it could lock itself in a coffin with Youko, burrow deep underground and wait for a while.

"After destroying all Mushi I wonder what world I'll create…"

Daydreaming about that day made her heart race.

No one could stop Youko and Genius.

The road to the Demon Lord was smooth sailing as always.

"Satou-senpai."

With someone calling to her, she looked to the side.

She completely forgot about her existence. Haemori Ako still stood nearby.

"What is it, Ako-chan?"

She raised her head, wearing a sleek smile. While looking at her, Ako lowered her camera.

She turned it off, then brought out the memory card from the lower slot. Placed between her index and middle finger, she opened the fastener with her other two fingers and put the case in her bag. In exchange she brought out a new memory card from her case, and returned it inside the camera as if in rewind. Then, she rebooted the camera.

How many times had she repeated this exact same motion? Her chain of movements was smooth and vivid like flowing water. Even Youko was entranced for a moment there.

Ako looked at the rebooted digital camera with a serious expression.

"This memory card contains my greatest masterpiece. I regret that I handed member Akatsuki a dummy card, but I couldn't let go of it as a journalist. —Only a few minutes remained in it, and I finally finished it."

Youko tilted her head. What was that? It had nothing to do with her.

Ako readied her camera again, filming Youko sitting on the suitcase.

"An interview."

The unimaginable underclassman's action caused her to slightly widen her eyes.

"Why are you trying to become the Demon Lord?"

The round, concave lenses filmed the now-beautiful Youko. Genius and the other fighting Mushitsuki were also visible behind her.

Ako's question called forth a certain emotion in Youko.

A certain memory from when she'd seen her father's notes.

The emotion that Miguruma Yaeko, the girl who created an empty miniature garden, had carved into Youko was, undoubtedly, fear.

"Right—"

Youko recalled the days of her youth, narrowing her eyes.

If she wanted to try an interview, then let her. When Youko had been plain she hadn't stuck out. Now that she was beautiful, however, leaving behind records of herself wasn't bad.

"Mushi are scary."

She grinned at the camera.

Thinking about it, living without standing out was perhaps due to the fear planted deep within her heart.

The woman with the chaining smile was scary.

The empty box she'd created was scary.

And what caused the world to become like that was—

—A dream.

She came to know of the monster given birth by dreams—Mushi—that the girl had spoken about.

So Youko was the most afraid of Mushi.

"Isn't it true? I mean, look at it."

She glanced to the side at Genius's battle.

"Mushi are just monsters. If we just leave them be, they'll obviously destroy the world one day. To defeat monsters, I have to gain even more power."

She had accidentally gained a method to subjugate that fear.

Using the miniature garden, she stimulated people's dreams, dragged them out, and exposed them.

The Mushi born using her own talent gave her further strength. The combination of Youko and Genius was invincible.

To defeat Mushi one needed Mushi.

"To defeat Mushi you have played with people's hearts, gave birth to new Mushi, and made them fight one another?"

"I mean, a normal person like me can't kill Mushi."

She liked playing with people's hearts.

Creating a garden box and dragging out someone's dream was really fun. Trapping the born Mushi inside a coffin and using it again as a Spirit Zone was also amusing.

She used Mushi and killed them.

The strongest was the one who could control, manipulate, and play with them—herself.

"But you're no longer scared, right?"

Youko showed a content smile. If someone would watch this interview, they'd be enraptured by her beauty and strength.

Admiration—

Yes, the moment she conquered her fear, Youko recalled.

The time when she'd seen garden box in front of Miguruma Yaeko, she'd felt not only fear; she also felt admiration for the girl playing with the world.

"I mean—I just became the Demon Lord."

Youko changed the tone of her voice.

She surpassed Yaeko who was merely playing with a miniature garden.

Because Youko's playground was not a small box.

It was endlessly vast—the world itself.

"Being stronger than Mushi, only the Demon Lord has the right to play with the world."

Ako kept filming Youko's demonic smile wordlessly for a while.

Ako bit her lips for a moment.

"…Do you enjoy this, Satou-senpai?"

She wrung out a hoarse voice.

"There are probably no Mushi in the world you're trying to create."

Throwing herself to the interview, Ako was trying to convey something to Youko. Youko tilted her head.

"Yet you will end all alone in that world. Or do you find playing alone enjoyable?"

"How weird, Ako-chan."

From her Demon Lord expression she returned to the smile of Satou Youko again.

"I'm the Demon Lord but I'm also a normal person, you know?"

Ako's words were fundamentally wrong.

Youko had certainly grasped a power beyond Mushi. However, she never threw her humanity away.

"I'm a normal girl you can find anywhere who fears Mushi."

Ako's face distorted in sadness.

Even so, as an excellent journalist, she soon suppressed her feelings and erased her expression. From Youko's friend Haemori Ako she returned being the faceless interviewer.

"This was the interview with the Demon Lord—Satou Youko."

Ako calmly stated the date and the place.

"The one conducting this interview was—"

Her mouth moved mechanically.

"Chronicler."

Youko giggled.

"Not the ex-Demon Lord, huh?"

An electronic sound echoed.

The memory was probably full. Red light lit on Ako's digital camera.

Turning her camera off, the girl lowered it.

"Won't you plug in a new memory card?"

"I already filmed everything I needed to."

Ako wore a lonely smile. Youko felt as if this was the first time in a while she'd seen Ako without her camera.

The girl once feared as a Demon lord was no longer there.

The journalism club president excited to confront Youko was not there, either.

In front of Youko was a petite, normal girl—who was a Mushitsuki.

"All that's left is waiting for one more job to be completed."

"…!"

A white light shot from her back.

Youko turned toward the town with a start.

The white particles stood in the town where Youko grew up.

This was a sign of the coming Spirit Zone activating.

There wasn't just one place wrapped in that light, or even two. The number of areas from which the white particles rose was, as far as she could remember, all of the Spirit Zones she had created.

"Finally, my work as the ex-Demon Lord is all done, too."

Hearing Ako's words, Youko knew that someone was happening.

4.06 Akatsuki Part 10

Standing nearby it, Genius's largeness defied imagination.

The fields between the mountains were left with the marks of Genius heading to town while dragging its egg for miles upon miles. Knocking down power lines, destroying a pump house and causing it to cave in, it created a small ravine.

The area with Genius in its center was another dimension controlled by white particles. They were able to barely preserve a normal space only around Akatsuki, who was comparatively close, and the other members. Among the members was someone with the ability to nullify domains.

"UOOOHHH!"

The laser beams shot by Akatsuki pierced the white space. They slipped between legs, dodged the scythes and stabbed through the head. Genius's cry shook the surrounding air.

Other than Akatsuki and the others on the ground there were also some people engaging in aerial combat. Dodging the scythes, Minion-Type Mushitsuki ripped Genius's wings growing from its back with sharp claws. Other Mushi flew around while spitting spheres of flames, scorching the orchid mantis's skin.

Genius howled.

The white particles dancing midair temporarily changed to the form of a large coffin. It opened its mouth wide to eat the Mushi flying at it. Another ball of fire was swallowed inside the coffin, and by closing the lid the flames exploded in the closed space.

Long range attacks did not pierce its tough outer shell, and if they approached it they would be swallowed by the clay coffins. Furthermore, the white pheromones filling the air would erode the Mushi's hosts' mind and cause them to be unable to fight.

"Take shelter!"

After shooting a succession of laser beams, Akatsuki heard a sharp noise and raised his head in surprise.

Genius swung its scythe toward where Akatsuki was. The mantis looming above looked like a white building collapsing.

"…!"

Including Akatsuki, the jacket-wearing members spread to all directions.

Yet there was one member who couldn't escape on time. Perhaps intimidated by Genius's pressure, he looked in a daze at the sickle aiming for him.

"Run!"

Akatsuki shouted yet the member didn't move. He clicked his tongue, making the mayfly's double tail glow.

"Tch…!"

A full-powered swarm of lasers hit the scythe threatening to hit the delayed member.

A large tremor shook the field plain.

Akatsuki floated a few meters in air. He soon recovered his position and raised his face.

Even the multitude of lasers merely changed the scythe's trajectory a bit. The scythe nearly grazing the member created a large valley in the ground.

"What a waste. Throwing away so much power for that… That guy was a low-ranked member so you could've just abandoned him."

"Don't fuck with me…!"

He immediately cursed. Genius's scythe was even thicker than the rest of its body. Akatsuki's attack did nothing but leave scorching marks on the light pink blade.

"I also said this before, but leave your cellphone open. If you won't, I can't use my ability and you'll get affected by the domain."

Akatsuki noticed the white pheromones distancing him. Looking around, he also saw that the white particles avoided the other members strewn around just like him.

"Shit…!"

Akatsuki grimaced, looking up at Genius leisurely heading to town. As always, the attacks made by the North Central Branch were simple and passive hit and run tactics.

Ever since Akatsuki came in front of Genius, he was the only one to attack with his full power. Yet due to the distance, by the time the lasers hit the white particles they were weakened. At least it lost its balance, but even causing small wounds took everything Akatsuki had.

"Fight more seriously! Haven't only the low-ranked members been attacking for a while now?!"

There were a few obvious high-ranking members around. Some of them sat on distant power poles, some flew above Genius. Some of them just used their domains to protect themselves from the pheromones, and some of them never showed up, just like those who protected the domains of other members.

Holding Genius back by himself was too much for Akatsuki. He also used up his power to protect lower-ranked members just like before.

At this rate he would simply exhaust himself.

"Hey, isn't this guy an idiot?"

"You can't just blindly attack, y'know. I mean, even your attacks aren't doin' much, Kaguya-san."

"I don't want to waste myself against such a monster… there's no way of winning."

In front of the flying unit, countless coffins materialized. A few Mushi didn't manage to turn in time and flew into the large opening coffins.

"…!"

His body moved faster than he could think. His mayfly shot some lasers, and he shot down all of the coffins attempting to devour the Mushi, leaving none behind.

He was glad to see that the escaping Mushi took their distance. Yet not long after, he felt a tremor at his feet. His body was then hurled aside.

"Kh!"

The coffin flying out of the ground covered the spot Akatsuki occupied just now. He took a safe landing and stood up, looking up at the orchid mantis.

It probably noticed who the most troublesome enemy Mushitsuki was. Genius's three compound eyes all focused down on Akatsuki.

"Ugh…!"

The pheromones around him increased in richness. The shrinking white grain storm engulfed Akatsuki.

"Yeah yeah, Domain Isolation. Geez, don't make me use my power too much."

Just before collapsing, the particles receded. Immediately after he leapt to the side, a suddenly appearing coffin swallowed the spot he just stood in.

As Akatsuki ran away at full speed, the coffins growing from the ground assaulted him one after another.

"Oh my, he's taken a liking for you. How dangerous."

He couldn't even spare a look above. He instinctively changed course, leaping directly to the side.

A scythe as large as a wall passed in front of him. It slashed through a power line and severed water pipes, causing a large water spout.

"What about your so-called trump card? You seem to be reaching your limits."

"Actually, would even Central Headquarters be able to beat this stupid thing?"

"They'd manage somehow, right? The Vice-Director has some sorta unit directly under her. They're probably strong."

"Huh? Then we don't have to break a sweat then."

Wet with water and caked with mud, Akatsuki couldn't bear it any longer and shouted.

"What're you going to do about the town then?! Can you even imagine how many victims this will cause at this rate?!"

"Sure, we wanna help. But what's impossible's impossible. So we should run away and limit the number of victims."

"If you really want to defeat that mantis, how about you stop protecting the low-ranks and focus your attacks on it? It's a wonder you're still alive when you're soft enough and try to protect them all."

The lasers shot by Akatsuki hit Genius's abdomen. But perhaps weakened by the energy expenditure of the succession of attacks, it didn't even cause the Mushi to flinch.

"What's so wrong about wanting to protect people…!"

He was sick of seeing people collapse in front of him. Akatsuki himself turned many Mushitsuki to Fallens. But he had enough of that.

Even just fighting like this right now was unbearable.

He felt keenly that only days of peace, such as those he had spent with Ako, were what agreed with him the most.

"Being greedy ain't good. Do what you can and avoid what's impossible. That's the secret for a long life."

"Those who try to accomplish what they can't will just die."

"I already know I want too much here…!"

Although he was fighting, he didn't want to fight anymore.

Although he was losing, he didn't want to lose anything anymore.

That was the person called Ogata Akatsuki.

What was so wrong about a selfish Mushitsuki?

"Even so, I'm much better than those of you who run away without even trying!"

"What was that?"

"Wait, Kaguya-san. We're risking our lives here, too; isn't this too much?"

"Man, you're pissin' me off."

Ako, who he'd met in this town, had said that civilians and Mushi were no different.

But not wanting to save someone in front of his eyes would mean that Mushitsuki were mere monsters. Something even scarier than Genius in front of him. If he became like that as well, he would be unable to go back to his daily life.

"If I need to give up on my humanity and become a monster, I'd rather die!"

Akatsuki had not given up.

He would return to peaceful life like before, when he could hold Senri's hand.

That was way he had to cross the line—

"Are you saying that we're monsters?"

"I don't wanna hear that from a member of Kakkou's branch; now that's a real monster."

"Stop talking about that demon at times like this…"

"If you wanna defeat that thing why don'tcha bring Kakkou here? He might be able to, right?"

Agreeing voices flew all over the communication channel.

He could imagine it, but that guy was hated even in the North Central Branch. Perhaps he had caused some sort of incident in the past.

The moment Kakkou's name came out, Akatsuki felt the blood rising to his head.

However—

"Haha…"

Along with a dry laugh, Akatsuki gazed up at Genius.

Exhausted as he was, his attacks couldn't even delay the movements of the orchid mantis. The lower-ranked involved in battle were hurt.

"Aren't you thinking the same as me…"

Ako said.

—Not fighting and running away are not one and the same.

Indeed.

Simply because Akatsuki didn't want to fight, he ran from the battle in front of him.

The hatred directed at the person who took the one most important to him was just a pretext to protect the person important to him.

Yet he noticed that he was always running away from battle.

"I don't want to fight"—

Akatsuki had misjudged his dream.

To make that dream come true he didn't need to run away from battle.

He needed to survive.

In order to stop any kind of fighting, he could do nothing but survive to the end.

And Akatsuki knew only one person who could do that.

"Kakkou might be able to defeat this—I thought."

A silence befell the channel.

He could feel the anger of the North Central Branch.

Yet he also knew that not a single one would speak against him.

"I loathe him, but I know that Kakkou is strong…"

The Mushitsuki called Kusuriya Daisuke was trying to finish the war.

Akatsuki finally felt as he could also see the same goal.

It was rather late, but would he be able to catch up to Daisuke from now on?

Catch up to him, who was only looking ahead, and then overtake him—

Would he be able to directly face him again by doing so?

"The mantis is…!"

A voice of agitation rose from the visor.

Akatsuki could also clearly see it.

Genius was trying to spread its gigantic wings. The white particles became an updraft, and the violent wind tore off everything planted in the field from the root.

"It's flying…? If it becomes even more mobile we'd have no way to defeat it!"

Akatsuki covered his face using his jacket sleeve, gazing up Genius's colossal body.

It was just like the North Central Branch members said. Since it was slow and on the ground, they could hit with their attacks. If it got further they couldn't hit it.

Yet the worst case scenario went unfulfilled.

Genius moved its wings in an attempt to take flight, but soon landed back without even rising. Apparently the part of its body fused with the egg was too heavy. Akatsuki sighed in relief.

"T-that was freakin' close… If that stupid thing could even fly we wouldn't be able to even run away…"

"We're saved because its right scythe is stuck to the egg. If not, perhaps we'd have all been wiped out already."

"Well, let's just run for it while we can. Retreat, retreat!"

"Wait!"

While looking up at Genius, Akatsuki pleaded.

"Please. Wait for just a little bit more…!"

"How long d'you want us to wait?"

Genius lowered its head looking frustrated, and kept dragging the egg giving up. It advanced toward the town.

"Until I'm dead."

Glaring at the large Mushi, he asserted cleanly.

"…!"

"If I die, then just scram off. But as long as I'm alive, if a chance comes then I want you to attack with your full power."

With Akatsuki's words the channel returned to complete silence.

"If even this isn't enough to get you to try fighting, I'll laugh and go back to the East Central Branch."

He asserted it on purpose to sound like sneering.

"I'll tell Kakkou that all North Central Branch are a bunch of cowards."

"Fuck you."

"Die already."

"We're not gonna pick up your body."

"I can at least offer some backup without getting emotionally involved in the mission… but if you're about to die and my fingers get all mixed up, I'm sorry."

"Go to hell…"

The responses came immediately.

By getting their ready consent, Akatsuki ran toward Genius. To stop the mantis he first had to enter its field of vision. It would be dangerous, but there was no other way.

Standing in the way of Genius, he showered it with a rain of lasers.

The damage was almost nonexistent, but it managed to stop its advance. The richness of white particles around Akatsuki grew. The coffins created one after another from the ground leapt to try and eat Akatsuki.

Genius swung down its scythe.

Although he had immediately evaded and defended from the direct attack, Akatsuki was blown away by the eruption of dust. A rain of pebbles hit his body. He nearly lost consciousness from the violent pain, but he couldn't even stop for a second, evading the next appearing coffin.

It was just like someone said just now. If it could use both scythes he wouldn't be able to evade. It ended without any fatal wounds because it only had one shot at a time.

Just like the North Central Branch high-ranking members said, they simply escorted him. Thrown alone in the space filled with white particles, he would probably become unable to fight in a few seconds.

"UOOOO!"

He gave up aiming his attacks at the distant head. He was aiming at the legs moving toward the town. Every time a focused barrage hit through one of its legs, Genius raised an agonized howl.

This time Genius swung its scythe horizontally.

Even by rounding his body reflexively and evading, he was blown away by the delayed gale. Waiting for Akatsuki in the air was a pulsating coffin. Crashing into the open inside, his whole body was slammed.

"Guh…!"

The coffin enclosed Akatsuki. The completely dark space was filled with orange light.

The laser shot from inside burnt the coffin to cinders. Even while dragging his legs, Akatsuki managed to escape.

Genius gave him no time to rest. A mad dance housing strength off the charts assaulted him.

"Umm… I guess that letting a Rank 2 die like that would be pretty bad, nah?"

"…"

The North Central Branch members sank into silence for a while.

Yet a certain girl spoke as if unable to bear it any longer.

"All hands, prepare for a simultaneous attack."

"…! But, with things as they are, hitting with our attacks is—"

"Then are you just going to stand there watching? That's much more stupid than running away…!"

"I mean, we can't win this…"

"But we'll be just cowards, then. Kakkou's gonna laugh at us again…"

"Don't screw me with me. We're not retreating because we're scared or anything! I don't care what that demon thinks about me!"

Seeing Akatsuki wounded with no way out, the opinions among the members were split.

"You can just back me up!"

Yet he still stopped the members from attacking.

"Preserve your strength…!"

Asserting this, he attacked Genius's leg with a laser.

He was single-mindedly trying to stop Genius from walking, and asked the North Central Branch members to preserve their powers for the time to come.

Before that, Akatsuki had told them to wait until he died.

Yet he had no intention of dying.

There were many things he had left to do. He couldn't die there.

He intended to make them wait as long as he could until the chance came.

In exchange, when that time came they would have to work properly—

"Ugh…!"

The umpteenth attack by the scythe blew Akatsuki away. He crashed into the ground from the height of several meters, and his breathing stopped for a moment.

"Are you ready? Once I give the sign we'll all go in."

"No! It's too early…!"

Spitting out blood, Akatsuki rose. He tried dodging the successive coffins, but his legs got entangled. Pounded by the hard coffin, he fell to the ground.

"Give us a break! You don't have a trump card, do you? Just admit you're trying to make us all fight a hopeless battle!"

The girl shouted. She wrung out such a loud voice she could almost kill with it.

"Do you think we'd let our allies die for nothing? This isn't a fucking joke! I know that there are times when, if you want to have two people survive, you have to sacrifice one person! When we wanted to retreat there was a guy who'd volunteered to be the rear guard, but have you noticed? The others risked their lives to let him escape! We're all ready to die to let one of us escape if it comes down to it!"

The voice abandoning all rationality was the shout of the Mushitsuki surviving battles.

"But this is different! If you die here no one will be saved! You'll just perish like a dog! The kind of death I hate the most!"

"Are you saying that if you continue letting one person die to save two, you'll just get used to do sacrifices?"

Wiping the mud stuck to his face, Akatsuki replied with anger.

"…!"

"Also—don't just decide what's going to happen. I won't die. I won't allow myself to die here."

He wasn't stubborn.

He wasn't desperate.

Akatsuki fought because he could see a hope of winning this battle in front of him.

"To let everyone survive, I believe in you. So you need to believe in me too."

The possibility was slim, but if there was a way to fight without any victims, he would never collapse no matter how hurt he was. He was going to survive, clinging to the thin ray of hope.

It happened just after the girl's voice went silent.

He heard the noise of the channel changing, and then an unfamiliar voice.

"Team 2, transmission complete. We will attack the listed points."

All people who've been soliciting the communication until now grew lively.

"Huh? Why're Team 2…!"

"What list are you talking about? Team 1 didn't hear anything about it!"

"Commencing attack."

The abnormality happened behind Akatsuki at the town.

From various places in town, visible from the field, white particle columns erupted.

"The heck's that?"

Ignoring the people from Team 1, Akatsuki was relieved.

He had received a certain list from Ako.

A list that showed the Spirit Zone created in town.

How much time would it take?

How much effort would it take?

The journalism club president and ex-Demon Lord, Haemori Ako, hadn't just pursued Youko, but also found out which places were made into Spirit Zones. Places like the museum and radio tower that Akatsuki found or the cherry tree were only a mere few.

And Akatsuki had sent that list to the North Central Branch.

Since he didn't get a reply from them, he was worried that they'd ignored it because it was too dangerous. Yet they finally reached a decision.

"The coffin appeared. Confirming the trapped Mushi as well. Commencing elimination."

"…Wait!"

Although he was just relieved, Akatsuki raised his voice reflexively.

"You can just break the Spirit Zones! The Mushi inside are irrelevant!"

"We cannot. The rampaging Mushi already caused victims. —Commencing elimination."

Akatsuki clenched his fists.

The Mushi-eating Mushi, Genius.

If the source of its power was the Mushi inside the Spirit Zones—

"…Now Genius should be weakened."

He wrung out a raspy voice. The Mushi created by Youko bore no sin. He wished to save them as well, was it only his selfishness?

Genius howled.

The white particles filling the area grew thinner. The color of the body glowing in faint pink soon faded.

"As promised. Commence attack."

Barely supporting his tattered body, he looked up at Genius.

A large coffin rose up from Genius's legs. Inferring the danger, it was probably intending to escape back underground.

Conversely the North Central Branch members felt the chances for victory.

Different from when they'd ridiculed Akatsuki, a sharp voice rang through the communication channel.

"We won't let you run! —Sense Isolation!"

A loud noise shook Genius. The movements of the coffin enclosing it stopped, freezing in place.

"Hah… Hah… I-it worked! We can do this!"

"Trying to control its domain…"

The sky colored in red was encroached by raining rust.

After a damp wind blew, a crimson rain poured down on Genius. The white particles were polluted and erased one by one.

"It won't last even a minute…"

"Not a problem."

"Let's do it."

A Mushi jutting from the ground pierced Genius's abdomen.

Jutting from the ground the Mushi, pierced Genius's abdomen. Penetrating through its chest, the Mushi entwined its body around Genius and tightened.

Another Mushi danced down from the sky, landing on Genius's shoulder. It blurred for a moment, and then Genius's scythe fell apart. Along with a giant tremor, it fell to the surface.

"Keep sealing its movements like that."

Weaving through the rain of rust, a wavy paper-like Mushi approached Genius. The instant it touched Genius's chest, the air vibrated. A large cavity was opened up in the mantis's chest.

Genius cried toward the heavens.

Genius's howl, leaving its echoes behind, sounded like the death throes of all Mushi Youko had created.

Akatsuki had no idea who its host was.

Yet he knew that there was something that he had to do.

"…I'm sorry."

The golden mayfly shot its lasers.

4.07 Youko The Last

All of the Zones Youko had created thus far were vanishing one after another.

With its nutrition dwindling, Genius's once-unlimited energy couldn't be contained any longer.

The domain controlled by Genius weakened, and the luster around its body thinned.

"N-no way…"

Youko rose from her suitcase, grimacing in nervousness.

Such a thing happening was way outside her calculations.

The Spirit Zones were being erased—

How had they surmised that they'd be able to stop Genius like that?

She had no intention of underestimating the ex-Demon Lord and Chronicler, Haemori Ako.

Youko had noticed Ako chasing after her. That was why Youko acted prudently, moving in a way that she wouldn't be found.

Yet before she started investigating Youko's identity, Ako had probably noticed the strange happenings in town and investigated the Spirit Zones. That was the only explanation.

Even Youko who created them knew the activation conditions and effect of only a few Zones.

And despite this Ako managed to find out nearly all of them by herself?

"Uuuhhh…!"

She bit her lips in frustration.

Even so, somewhere in her heart, she noticed herself despising Ako.

Youko got carried away, thinking that a Demon Lord of the past wouldn't be her opponent.

She was a normal girl, the solitary member of the journalism club, a girl who preached every day about the Demon Lord conspiracy. But without anyone knowing, she'd fought against Youko all alone.

"Run away, Genius…! Dig into the ground and we'll wait until you're fully grown up!"

She ordered Genius through Loci on her shoulder.

A coffin rose from the feet of the large mantis. Once Genius returned underground, nobody would be able to lay a hand on it. It would take some time, but a second chance would certainly come.

However—

"Ah…"

The coffin's movements stopped.

It was probably an enemy's ability. Taking advantage of Genius's weakness, they sealed its movements.

Successive attacks assaulted Genius.

All of them would have not left even a scratch on Genius before. Even so before Youko's very eyes, the large mantis's body was being shaved.

"Aaahhh…"

Youko, who was just a normal person, could do nothing but watch.

The future she'd dreamt of was crumbling apart.

"If only it was fully grown we would've won already…"

She clenched her fist.

"If Ako-chan wasn't there, I would've become the Demon Lord…"

She was a mere step away.

Youko without a doubt reached to the seat of the Demon lord.

She heard her own teeth grinding.

"—I haven't lost yet!"

She turned around vigorously.

"If it eats even one more Mushi, Genius should fully evolve—"

Her prey was nearby.

Haemori Ako had become a Mushitsuki. If she ate her Mushi, perhaps Genius would retrieve its previous power.

However—

"Ah…"

During the time Youko stood in place, Ako had already moved to the fence.

From the other side of the steel pipes wrapped in ribbons, Ako's eyes calmly gazed at Youko.

"Ako-chan—"

The hand she extended to the girl clashed against the fence.

That distance was outside Loci's pheromones' range. Even if she got on the fence now she wouldn't make it in time.

Ako kept staring at her direction, not saying anything. Her sad face pursued Youko even now.

"…Then!"

White particles burst from her feet.

Youko took out her rack, and put the suitcase on it. The shelves flew open vigorously as she opened it.

"I'll make MYSELF a Mushitsuki!"

This wasn't the time to act willy-nilly.

She would turn herself into food for Genius—

In the space covered by Loci's pheromones, Youko's hands moved quickly.

If Ako was a professional camerawoman, then Ako was a miniature garden-building specialist. Youko had created many worlds with her hands and played with people's hearts.

A doll symbolizing herself stood in the center.

With the smile of a Demon Lord she grabbed the pieces, and instantly created a world—

"…"

Or so she should have.

Youko's smile froze.

"Why…?"

After putting a lone person doll, her arms couldn't move anymore.

Nothing came to mind.

There were no materials in the miniature garden.

She simply created an empty space.

Youko's eyes could simply see herself left behind in this blank world.

"This is—"

Her Demon Lord smile distorted in despair.

She realized the meaning of the miniature garden she'd created.

"This empty world… is the world… I've dreamed of…?"

A lone tear streamed down her cheek.

The tear streamed down her chin, becoming a droplet that fell to the ground.

As she stood there frozen stiff, a golden light came into her sight.

The bundle of lasers shot from the ground blew away Genius's head.

The mantis's body tilted.

Its head blown off, Genius slowly collapsed—

"Loci-chan…"

Still in the position of preparing her materials, Youko couldn't take any move.

She knew Loci on her shoulder was vanishing.

"Only a bit more…"

Still shedding tears, she wore a weak smile.

If only Genius had fully grown—

If only Ako wasn't there—

Would Youko really become a Demon Lord?

"But—"

Was it really so, though?

Manipulating people.

Playing with dreams.

Eating Mushi.

She dreamt of the Demon Lord.

Even Youko herself thought that this happened through a miracle beyond her wildest dreams.

Perhaps Youko was someone who wasn't supposed to—shouldn't exist.

However, even so—

"It was fun, right…?"

Satou Youko.

The girl who feared Mushi and dreamt of becoming the Demon Lord.

While she wore a childish smile, the Loci on her shoulder vanished while raising a small shriek.

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