Mushi Uta:Volume 8

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Novel Illustrations[edit]

  • Cover

  • Color Page 1

  • Color Page 2

  • Color Page 3

  • Page 35

  • Page 65

  • Page 119

  • Page 165

  • Page 193

  • Page 233

  • Page 269

  • Page 321

  • Page 359

  • Page 383


0.00 Kakkou VS The Annihilators' Hakamori[edit]

"Himiko-san, Kabuto-san, Sakura-san, Yakugami-san, Yotsuba-san—"

A tense woman's voice echoed. Perhaps due to coming through a speaker, it was mixed in with noise.

He was wrapped in complete darkness.

The feeling of his teeth creaking as he gritted them and the agony piercing his body—even those remaining sensations were drowned out by the feeling of emptiness permeating his mind.

Filled with a sense of loss not unlike sleepiness, Kusuriya Daisuke tried slowly closing his eyes.

Yet suddenly, a ray of light irritated his retinas.

"After confirming the target, please initiate suppression."

A rectangular opening was produced inside the space enclosed by darkness.

In front of that blinding light stood five figures.

"Do not let your guards down no matter what. Your opponent is—"

A bestial roar reverberated from within the darkness.

Two eyes glowing in crimson floated in the dark, and a green glow was unleashed.

The beast clad in phosphorescence kicked the ground, charging toward the five people.

"Assume positions!"

A jumpsuit-wearing girl stepped to the front.

Her face hidden by large goggles, this girl held a hand hammer with an insect—a scarab beetle emitting a metallic luster—perched on it. Removing one of the cubes attached to her hair, the girl flung it ahead.

Swinging the hammer, she hit the cube while it was in air.

The next moment, the cube changed form to a large net. It attempted to cover the beast.

The beast howled. Evading it with a step to the side at a sharp angle, it tried ramming into the five people.

"If we're unable to hit him with the first attack, our chances of victory are slim."

Advancing forward with a calm voice was a boy clad in a pitch-black long coat. A giant rhinoceros beetle appeared at his back and flapped its wings, stopping the beast's movements with a roaring gale.

Catching a ride on the wind, two figures leapt to the air, landing in front of the beast.

"That's some nice wind there."

"Poisonous Kick!"

A boy wearing battered, rusted goggles held his arm toward the beast. From it gushed out a grey shadow transforming into a sharp shape, attempting to stab the beast.

Coordinating her attacks with the gray boy, the girl with a red cross on her back rotated her body. She launched a nimble reverse roundhouse kick.

Yet both attacks cut through empty air.

The beast jumped backwards after bending its body, dodging the blows.

"Now, Himiko-san!"

The long-haired girl waiting at the back raised her face. She raised her index finger and thumb in the shape of a pistol toward the airborne beast.

However, she simply bit her lips and stopped moving.

This momentary hesitation allowed the beast to make its counterattack. Immediately after the roar caused by the beast kicking the ceiling, the green glow swooped down like a meteor toward the rhinoceros beetle in a straight line.

"Gwoooah…!"

The boy's cry of pain reverberated.

The beetle's body, several times larger than the beast's, was hurled back with a single blow. Its thick carapace pulverized from the impact, the beetle was sent flying into its host, even hitting the gray boy and the red-cross girl and launching them back a few dozen meters back.

As the beetle crashed against the wall, it rebounded hard. This reaction caused the ground to rumble.

"Kabuto-san, Yakugami-san, Yostuba-san!"

The red-cross girl moved beneath the rhinoceros beetle.

"Re-Revival Punch…! First-Aid Punch…! Healing Punch!"

The beast came to assault the beetle now wrapped in a white light.

Yet as the light disappeared, the three combatants stood up vigorously. Along with the healed rhinoceros beetle they all spread out, jumping aside.

While raising a howl, the beast glanced around the people surrounding it.

"Himiko… You idiot! Now we all have to—"

The jumpsuit girl—Sakura—lowered a folding-type kick scooter that she carried on her back to the ground. Readying her hand hammer with one hand, she rode on the scooter.

"Use our full powers!"

"We can't beat that sort of opponent while going easy on him, anyway."

Behind the calmly speaking Kabuto, the rhinoceros beetle's body swelled up.

"Looks like it needs a touch."

Gray scythes emerged around Yakugami who was standing in a natural posture. The countless scythes started flying freely about, swinging their keen tips.

"Enemies, allies, wounds and illnesses—I'll blow them all apart! Let's positively go!"

The red-cross girl held both fists in front of her chest. She readied her fists in a unique posture—probably some sort of martial arts—and they were enveloped in a white and black haze.

Yet among those who stood in the battlefield, only the long-haired Himiko just bit her lips without moving.

"Do you find it hard standing there? Are you afraid of the enemy in front of you? Or are you sad?"

Sakura, riding on the scooter, asserted in a low voice.

"What should you do at such time? You were supposed to have been taught that."

"…Right."

Nodding painfully, Himiko raised both arms. Her pistol fingers glowed in crimson and sparks began rising from her feet.

"—I'll fight."

Inside the darkness, the beast howled.

The five combatants rushed toward the beast as one.

Impact and tremors, roars and screams.

The beast moved around with a speed that made it hard to follow with one's eyes, swinging its arm covered in a green, glowing pattern.

Each time someone was blown away and another person entered the fray. The wounded ones were treated by Yotsuba, but the beast's movements and destructive power far surpassed theirs.

—…

Kusuriya Daisuke spectated their battle as though from a different dimension.

Although his body felt hot, his mind was terribly cold.

No—he just couldn't feel anything anymore.

Without even watching over the beast fighting against the five people, he tried to slowly close off his eyes.

"…Aaah!"

His consciousness barely managed to hold on due to the voice coming from the speaker.

Along with a howl, the beast raised its right arm transformed into a giant, grotesque jaw. Inside the jaw with red, glowing eyes, a wildly rotating bullet spouted raging fire.

"If he's able to shoot that, he'll blow up this whole shelter! Everyone, please evacuate… Oh, wait, but no matter where you run to…"

"Now's our chance."

Wiping the blood running from her mouth using her jumpsuit's sleeve, Sakura renewed her grip on the hammer.

"I'll fend him off. You all aim for the moment before he fires."

"Ehh? T-that's too reckless! Sakura-san, even you're not…!"

"You called us, the disciples of Asagi, for such moments, right? Let's pretend we're here to do some repairs to the facility. We're the only ones who can match this monster."

"B-but…!"

The woman's voice was drowned out by explosive sounds.

At the same time, Sakura flicked off a metallic cube with her fingertip. Swinging the hammer with the scarab on top, it struck the cube the instant before it hit the bullet.

"WOOOHHH!!!"

In front of the jumpsuit-wearing girl, the cube unleashed a blinding light.

The mass of flames launched by the beast and the hand hammer clashed.

Air burst and massive amounts of light tore through the darkness.

The explosive sounds beyond human audible range shook the entire shelter.

The energy embedded in the blazing bullet was dispersed to the surroundings through the cube. The shockwave blasting in all directions caused ripples on the floor, smashing it to pieces instantaneously.

In the deluge of the sounds of impact and destruction that almost seemed to create a silence, people started moving quickly.

"—"

The beast's arm, transformed into the maw of a monster, was pierced by the rhinoceros beetle's thick horn.

Daisuke grimaced with a twitch of his face.

The grey boy took advantage of the momentary opening caused by the beast flinching. In defiance of the downpour of debris he quickly drew near, using his scythe-clad arm to touch the beast.

Daisuke grimaced yet again.

"GAAAHH!"

The beast leaked out an agonized voice for the first time.

The spot touched by the grey boy was stabbed by his ethereal scythes in succession. —Or so it seemed, but a bending string like a whip freely extended around.

No, it wasn't string. These were dozens, or even hundreds, of scythes.

The beast strangled by sickles and chains was approached by the red-cross girl from behind as well.

Yet the beast immediately reacted. Forcefully ripping apart the chains, his arm struck the girl in the chest.

Along with a groan, the girl's body bent.

"…"

Daisuke distinctly grimaced.

Although he was supposed to have been merely watching the battle, he could clearly feel the girl's ribs crack.

However—

"Deadly Poison… Punch—"

Even while vomiting large amounts of blood, the Red Cross girl raised her arm. Whack, her blackened arm lightly struck the beast.

"…!"

The poisonous haze covering the girl's fist infected the beast. The green pattern over its entire body was being poisoned by black specks.

Himiko—Haji Senri—finally didn't abandon her part. She raised her finger toward the best, straining her voice.

"…!"

A column of explosive flames engulfed the beast.

His vision dyed in bright red, Daisuke's senses were dragged back to reality.

While feeling the heat scorching his body, he looked down to his right hand that was in the process of returning to its original form.

Oh, right—

Vacantly raising his face, he saw the five combatants looking at him.

That monster was me. Or maybe—

Along with his relief at reverting back from beast to human, Daisuke collapsed on the floor.

Maybe I've already turned into a monster long ago—

Even after the flames were gone, while Daisuke was lying face-down, he was unable to move even a single finger.

An insect covered in burns entered Daisuke's sideway vision.

It was a green checkered beetle.

Now that he had recovered his sense of self, Daisuke knew that this was no mere bug.

Mushi—

Having appeared in this country approximately a decade ago, those beings were named that due to outwardly resembling insects. Even at present, their origin and ecology were wrapped in mystery.

These Mushi possessed adolescent boys and girls, feeding upon their dreams and aspirations of doing something or becoming something. Those who became able to use paranormal powers through their parasite Mushi in exchange for their dreams were called Mushitsuki.

However, the government treated Mushi as nonexistent. Despite the fact that there were many eyewitnesses and reports, one cause for the situation behind Mushi staying unrevealed was also strict information control being carried out on the media and on civilians.

The ones in charge of this were the government agency known as the Special Environmental Preservation Bureau.

The organization that existed in order to monitor, capture and isolate Mushi as well as Mushitsuki—called the SEPB in short—thought of a method to deal with Mushitsuki, since even the army were at a loss against them.

By training and regulating the captured Mushitsuki, they would use them to capture new ones.

"…So we're still alive—me and you."

Daisuke mumbled with half-open eyes. The checkered beetle—the Mushi possessing him— shook its body as if displeased.

From the beetle's point of view, perhaps this was a chance for it to gulp down the remainder of his dreams all at once.

When a Mushi fully devoured their Mushitsuki's dream, the owner would die.

A host's death would also cause the Mushi's death, but very rarely there was the phenomenon known as Maturation.

The Mushi, released from its restraints, would gain exceptional power and become ferocious.

"Take the wounded to the medical wound while he's down! Oh, make sure not to touch Yakugami-san directly—"

The underground shelter, the isolation facility of the SEPB's East Central Branch, was in disorder.

The one directing them was the owner of the voice coming from the speakers, Goroumaru Touko. Although she held the position of the Acting Branch Director, due to her messy hair she exuded no sense of authority just like always.

The members brought in by Touko rushed toward the wounded five.

Haji Senri, having exhausted her powers and lying on the floor, was still fine.

Yotsuba had lost consciousness after breaking her ribs and was being put on life support. Yakugami had suffered heavy wounds from the wreckage, and Kabuto, who'd shielded his comrades along with the rhinoceros beetle, was fainted.

Among this gruesome scene, the one looking down at Daisuke with eyes full of pity was the jumpsuit-wearing Sakura.

"How miserable… so this is how the strongest Mushitsuki ends."

 Startled, Touko ran over to her.

"S-Sakura-san, head to the first-aid room as well! Your precious arms are…!"

The recoil following her defending against Daisuke's bullet left Sakura's arms so torn it was a hard sight to behold. Yet she only said, "If it comes down to it I'll use my hammer with my mouth," without any change in expression.

"He's currently like this and with signs of Maturation. …Shouldn't we just kill his Mushi and turn him to a Fallen before he starts Maturing, for his own sake?"

Touko's expression twitched with alarm.

"B-but that's…"

Fixing her slipping glasses, she wore her usual amicable smile.

"—We can't do that."

Contrary to her vague smile, she spoke clearly.

"He is someone that we still need."

"You're a bad person."

Spitting this, Sakura turned her body.

"U-umm, later is fine too, but could you please fix the shel—"

Sakura didn't even look at Touko while she spoke to her.

"Looks like she hates me, tahaha…"

Touko sat down, touching Daisuke's unmoving body with her fingertips.

"You're covered in wounds, Daisuke-san. Does it hurt? Obviously it does, tahaha. What am I even saying… sorry, I'd like to get you out of here as soon as possible, but—"

When she was left alone with Daisuke, her voice suddenly grew weaker.

He knew painfully well what she was going to say.

Daisuke had been in this state for a long time.

Ever since he'd fought with Oogui in his hometown of Shiou City.

Although he'd fulfilled his goal of saving his older sister, there was a hefty price. He had continually expended his energy until he reached Shiou City, and in order to repel one of the Original Three, those who gave birth to Mushi—the one called Oogui, he'd used his powers beyond his limits.

As a result—when he'd come back to the East Central Branch, he'd started losing control of his Mushi.

Under the pretext of punishing him for his rules violation, he'd been taken to this underground isolation facility. He had no idea how many months passed since then.

"…You were actually at your limit long ago, huh?"

Touko's voice shook. She desperately held down the wails about to burst from her.

"…"

Daisuke weakly moved the edges of his lips.

His limits—he went over them long ago.

Thinking back, there was the last Christmas.

In the fight against the leader of the Mushitsuki resistance group Mushibane, Ladybird—Tachibana Rina—the signs of Maturation had already appeared. The fact that he had been able to defeat Rina's Matured Mushi was only due to his Mushi being on the cusp of Maturation as well.

Ever since, he'd restrained his own power, being careful not to bring out his full power.

However, Oogui was not an opponent he could beat by holding back. Mustering his strength and just barely driving her back took everything he had.

Perhaps the fact that the secret had been revealed—Oogui's ability, concealed until now because it would only lead to further battle between Mushitsuki—also had an effect on this. Right now Touko had given a gag order to those members such as Kasuou and C, but before long everyone would know the truth.

He'd also heard about his former comrade-in-arms dying. The warrior Shishidou Inuko was the final person to have undergone her training the same time as him.

With all of this overlapping—

He couldn't get up on his legs despite trying to.

"But even so… haven't you said that you'll become stronger than anyone?"

Touko finally let a sob slip through. A tear dropped near his collapsed form.

"We can't win without you, Daisuke-san…"

His shoulders twitched.

"Daisuke-san…!"

Noticing Daisuke's movements, Touko's expression sparkled.

However—

"…Sick of this…"

His boss's face froze.

Since he'd been imprisoned in this shelter, he'd felt nothing but agony and emptiness.

How many days have passed since his Mushi started going wild? A month? Two months?

This went past the limits of a sixteen year-old boy. No, any human should be unable to bear that much.

His mind and body had both already broken.

Since he couldn't tell when he would lose his sense of self, he wasn't allowed to take even a step away from the shelter.

He could only see darkness around him, and his five senses told him nothing. He'd spent these days alone in fear and agony of being eaten by his own Mushi.

"What are you going to keep doing to me…?"

He wore an empty smile and groaned.

What Touko needed was the Kakkou who used his Mushi's power to fight.

Yet no one needed the current Daisuke, who could only writhe in agony—

"…Just end this…"

He felt Touko gulping.

"Kill either me or my Mushi…"

"Tha—"

Goroumaru Touko raised a strained voice.

"That's a joke… right? Daisuke-san, you'd never say such—"

"…Where's… Akatsuki… He's got a grudge against me, so he'll kill me…"

Touko went silent. Or more precisely she became speechless.

"Isn't this enough…?"

The more time he spent inside the darkness, the more he started hallucinating.

Starting with Tachibana Rina, all of the Mushitsuki he'd trampled underfoot until now clung to him, dragging him further inside the darkness.

Fighting, getting hurt, and using other people's dreams as sacrifices, he lived.

He lived for too long.

"You can’t—"

Daisuke widened his eyes.

Moving only his eyes to look upward, he could see that Touko was half frozen as she looked down at him.

"You can't just stop in place."

A shudder of fear passed through Daisuke's spine.

Touko crouched down, touching his body. There was a rattling as she did something to him.

What are you doing—when he noticed this, he felt another chill.

She returned his gun to his holster.

Even though he was at such a state, Goroumaru Touko was trying to force him to fight—

"As you are right now… you will definitely just tire and weaken."

Touko rose up and turned her body. She seemed to have also been slightly staggering, but while he stayed on the cold floor she didn't even turn back toward him, and was gone.

When his boss exited, the shelter's door closed once again.

While gazing at the darkness, Daisuke was now sure of something.

If he stayed here like this, he'd definitely be killed.

No—

Being killed wasn't as easy as it sounded.

He was going to suffer to the very end, getting beaten and hurting until he couldn't move every time he showed the signs of losing control, and finally—his supposed ally Goroumaru Touko would force him to fight to the death.

"Hah… Hah…"

Perhaps due to fear, he felt like he was suffocating.

As long as he was there, he wasn't even allowed to die—

"…!"

Suddenly there was the voice of something crumbling.

Although his body was paralyzed, he turned toward the source of the sound.

He could just barely see part of the floor destroyed on the other side of the darkness. Although this was a sturdily created shelter, it probably couldn't withstand the earlier battle.

"Uh—"

The slightest of openings, created in this perfectly enclosed space—

For Daisuke, this was nothing short of a miracle.

The security system monitoring the shelter had probably been momentarily paralyzed due to the battle just now. It appeared that they didn't know of the damage to the shelter right now, but eventually—no, in several moments, the repair system would activate and it might get fixed.

"Uh… Ugh…!"

Dragging his fatigued body, he advanced toward the hole in the floor.

His hand reached out and touched something hard.

It was his goggles.

For him to be able to keep preserving his mind—that was the reason it had been thrown into the shelter along with his gun. Having accumulated damage in his countless battles, he knew it had already stopped working.

He knew it was useless to him at the moment, but he had no time to remove what his hand grabbed.

He crawled on the floor while grasping the goggles, and entered the edge of the hole created on the floor.

It was apparently a passage made for cables. He could see a narrow path with electrical lines of various thicknesses spread all over.

"Nn…gh, ah!"

Flinging his body, he entered the narrow pathway.

I'll run—

That was all he thought about.

The days spent in torture-like pain denied Daisuke of the strength supporting him.

If I don't escape, I'll—

They would keep using him until he died.

He'd be brought back to the hellish days where he wasn't even allowed to die.

Just because he'd been branded the strongest Mushitsuki.

"…!"

A shrill alarm started blaring overhead.

Grimacing at the volume that nearly caused his eardrums to rupture, he kept crawling through the passage.

"Hah…! Hah…!"

Finishing the passage, he reached a vertical open space. There were countless cables along the square wall and thick wires hanging from above and below.

He caught his breath, noticing a box gradually rising beneath him.

It was an elevator.

His body moved faster than he could think.

"Ugh!"

Calculating the timing, he leapt down to the box. The sound of their clash reverberated, but the elevator didn't stop. Fortunately, no people were riding it.

It was obvious, but the empty elevator stopped in order to receive passengers.

When it did, he forced his body to move.

Expectedly, he jumped down into the narrow cable passage. He forcibly pushed his body inside one of the many ones that had been installed along every floor.

"Hah! Hah!"

He was a member of the East Central Branch. He was well familiar with the structure of the facility.

For that reason—he also knew that he had nowhere to run to.

All corridors people could pass through had security cameras. He also knew that there were harsh security measures on the exit that led to the outside of the facility.

Yet he couldn't help but run away.

Dragging his body using both arms, he ended up in front of a junction.

He kicked open the cover attached to the thin cables.

As he narrowed his eyes from the blinding light, he could hear the sound of flowing water.

It was a water pipe.

The drainage drained from below ground probably pumped out water to the surface. The cables coming here probably belonged to the lighting system of the corridor.

Perhaps from there he could—

There were probably hundreds of passages leading from the shelter to this place, including those for other cables. And there were also portions without any cameras. It should take them some time to determine Daisuke's escape route. Now that he had no strength in order to shake off pursuers, he could only cling to the small time he had been given.

From there, the reckless flight continued.

The foul-smelling sewage pipes were not only narrow but divergent, so he couldn't find the exit.  From time to time he fainted due to exhaustion, but woke up from the filthy water hitting him.

He kept going through the labyrinthine sewage system for a whole day; perhaps several. He was doubtful if he was still in Ouka City anymore.

Due to that, when the first sunlight in a long while hit his face, his mind blanked out.

At some point he stood at the exit of the pipe.

The scenery viewed from the pipe opening to a branched flow in a river was dyed in orange.

"Ha…haha…"

Even he couldn't tell if he was laughing or crying. Seeing this, what rose to his mind was the sunset painted by the girl who'd been his fake classmate last year.

"I wonder if… the scenery that Rina saw, was also like this…"

His body tilted as he mumbled. He fell down from the sewage to the riverbank.

When he reached out his arm to try and crawl out, he noticed what he was grasping.

Apparently he was still holding the goggles issued by the SEPB. He didn't know why. Perhaps he'd just lost the timing to let them go.

He tottered along the riverbank that was thick with weeds. His clothes were wet and dirty with sewage, so he couldn't even tell their previous colors. Obviously he had no money.

"…"

He fell onto the grass with a thud.

He ran away unable to withstand the pain and fear, but he had nowhere to go, nor any strength left.

He also couldn't think of anyone he could go to for help.

The ones who rose to mind were those people who'd saved him during his hard times.

The young man named Haji Keigo was unconscious and should have not yet recovered. His comrade-in-arms, Shishidou Inuko, had died, and the one who'd hit him and laughed countless times when he was worried, the spear-user girl, was—but even if she was there, she wouldn't even want to see him like this.

But when he thought of Haji Keigo, he also recalled some words he'd jokingly said once.

—I've met an amusing girl. If you're ever in trouble, perhaps you should try asking her for help.

And what had Daisuke said when Keigo said this with his usual faint smile?

—'It's none of your business', eh?

Having Keigo predict his words before he said them, he became sulky and ignored him.

That man could always read two moves ahead. Since Daisuke wasn't very smart, the young man's foresight aided by his intelligence seemed almost like a prophecy.

Had Haji Keigo predicted even Daisuke's current situation?

Although he was a liar and vague and would sometimes contradict himself, he was still trustworthy. If that man had said so, then there really was a person who could help him.

"…"

Rising slowly, he started walking.

If he just stayed there without moving, the East Central Branch pursuers would find him before long.

However, the Central Headquarters and other forces should still think he's at the East Central Branch. If he managed to escape his branch's search network, he might be able to run away successfully.

Recalling the place Haji had told him about, he raised his head.

If he remembered correctly, that place should be a town down the river from Ouka City.

Due to his fatigue his body didn't move like he wanted to. He felt as if many people were clinging to his legs. If that was true, than they were undoubtedly the people he'd hurt before.

Even so Daisuke managed to reach the grass around the main stream, and glanced at himself in the river's surface.

His filthy, exhausted and thin face was reflected there.

"There's no way I'd escape the SEPB with any sort of normal plan…"

If he just ran away, or even flew away, he would be discovered. And if so—

The sound of Daisuke falling into the river was drowned by the train on the railway.

The slow stream washed the lone boy along.

If seen by an observer, it would probably look like some tattered clothes were drifting by.

The sun sank and the sky became covered in stars.

The sounds of the insects buzzing around the river remained in his ears.

Before long the eastern sky became lighter, and the bright sun climbed up.

The old rag got caught on a rock jutting out from the water surface around when the setting sun started dyeing the sky in red.

By slightly changing orientation it would end up carried by the stream again—but an arm suddenly grabbed the rock.

"…Bfha."

He pulled his face out of the water. Coughing violently, he clung to the rock.

The water was quite shallow. After he rose up, he started laughing.

"I'm still alive…"

He had apparently lost consciousness for an entire day.

He exited the river while making splashing noises, looking up the highway visible in the distance. Seeing a signpost, he found out that he was close to his destination.

"Was it… the 2nd district…?"

The goggles hanging from his downcast neck were dripping wet. He walked on the gravel.

Yet hearing someone else stepping on the gravel, he raised his face.

"…"

Seeing that person with the sunset at their back, Daisuke furrowed his eyebrows.

The legs clad in jeans stamped full of logos in English were long; the person was probably half a head taller than Daisuke. His body, similarly dressed in an English-adorned T-shirt, was thin. There was also a black ribbon wrapped around his elbows and wrists, restraining him as if by handcuffs.

But what caught Daisuke's eyes the most was the mask worn by that person.

Frankenstein—he was pretty sure that was the monster's name. It was a party mask, probably used to surprise people, in the shape of that patched flesh face.

"—Gh, uh… is that Kakkou…?"

Pained-sounding groans rose from within the mask. Daisuke couldn't see anyone around, but he didn't think the other person was speaking to him.

"That's why… you've brought me, here—"

It was the voice of a boy. With his shoulders shaking, he covered the mask with his hands as if trying to scratch it off.

"…Who're you…?"

A green checkered beetle landed on the grimacing Daisuke's shoulder.

"Name… I no longer have a—no, I'm one of the Annihilators… Hakamori[1]—"

Mushi Uta 8 p035.jpg

His appearance by itself was plenty bizarre, but the masked person's speech and conduct were even creepier. With his body trembling, he mumbled as though in fear of something.

The Annihilators—that term made Daisuke recall them.

The ones chasing after him weren't just the East Central Branch.

The Annihilators were the Central Headquarters' secret unit that viewed Fusion Types as dangerous and schemed to assassinate them in secret. He'd clashed with this unit's Mushitsuki many times in the past.

"…Fuhahah."

A muffled laughter was heard from inside the mask. It was a masochistic, cynical laughter—yet it was also mixed with the joy of finally finding something one looked for.

"I just have to defeat him, right…? That's our contract…"

A black something began to fill the surroundings of the man who held his own body while trembling.

Daisuke widened his eyes. He could remember the black mist-like thing the man was emitting.

It was of the same kind emitted by the Prototype Type he'd supposedly defeated by his own hands—Shinpu.

"Stop…"

While Daisuke shook his head in shock, the checkered beetle on his shoulder transformed explosively.

Instantly, the surrounding space distorted, swallowed by the black miasma.

Along with a tremor, several stone pillars rose from the ground at his feet. All of them engraved with numbers on their surface, these pillars looked like a line of countless tombstones. Furthermore, a shadow pushed the miasma aside as it appeared at the masked boy's back.

Reality was being cut out—being transformed into a space of a different essence.

Responding to the enemy, the checkered beetle's feelers stabbed Daisuke's skin, becoming a green pattern.

The masked man, Hakamori of the Annihilators, screamed as if unable to bear it any longer.

"—Lend me power, Diorestooooooi!!!"

The masked boy was clad in polluted miasma.

"I'll kill this guy and become the King!"

At the riverside transformed to another dimension, the two beasts faced each other.

0.01 The Others[edit]

Holding his broken goggles in one hand, he walked among the now silent buildings.

The sun had already set, and the surroundings were dark. His clothes were torn and tattered, and only the footsteps made by his lacerated legs sounded among the alley full of vacant houses.

"Kaha…!"

Having used all his strength, he kneeled on the hard concrete. Vomited bloody spittle dyed the dry ground.

"What… the hell… was that guy…"

His leaking breath had the scent of iron.

"Was he really a Mushitsuki…? No, that was definitely… something else…"

A beast.

Or perhaps—a monster.

As clichéd as it sounded, he couldn't think of any other expression.

Leaning against a wall, he wore a cynical smile while looking up at the stars. Both his mind and body have reached their limits.

"So that means I was still… more or less human…"

The battle against his opponent at the riverside was settled instantly.

Wielding power that even he himself couldn't control, the battle was like against a child. Even landing that miraculous blow took everything he had.

Taking advantage of the split-second opening created by his opponent, he made his counterattack—and shifted the outcome.

"…Thinking that I'd be in so much trouble just running away…"

What he actually shifted was the orientation of his body.

He simply took advantage of this chance and ran away from that place at full speed.

"Tch…"

His listlessly clenched fist was wrapped by something black other than the night darkness.

This black material—or rather miasma, that creepy mist, was bad news. If he lowered his guard he would be taken over, corrupted, and have his consciousness possessed.

"…No need to feel vexed, is there…"

Wearing a weak smile, he swung his hand. The black miasma dispersed and vanished into thin air.

He'd escaped from the SEPB, the organization that had detained him.

He escaped from the mission thrust onto him.

And he also tried to escape from his loss of control.

"…"

He should've grown stronger.

He had to grow stronger.

There was something he was supposed to do, once he became stronger than anyone—

But he started forgetting what that was—

"—Am I…"

He was just an empty beast.

Just a simple Mushitsuki coward who ran away from everything.

"—Going to die here?"

Vague fear started spreading in his heart.

I don't want to.

It's cold here. There's no-one here.

I don't want to die here.

At least give me some more time—

Just enough time to recall my dream—

It happened when he clenched his weak fist.

"—So, this is important. When you're doing a background check, you need to approach the target like this, not allowing them to notice you're tailing them, and then end everything just like that?"

He heard a voice.

His consciousness, on the verge of drifting away, barely returned to reality. By habit, he searched for the owner of the voice.

"So you're lacking in emotion, Kirarin. Of course, making a preliminary investigation is important too. In conclusion you need some taste, yeah!"

The voice belonged to a girl seemingly around his age, meaning a teenager. The conversation being carried out with a special way of talking while putting emphasis on the "yeah"—perhaps this was because he was tired, but it was incomprehensible.

At first he thought she was speaking with someone on a cellphone.

"Are you there, Kirarin? Oh no. I've been swaying around too much while walking, yeah."

Yet his ears also picked up on small footsteps other than those belonging to the voice's owner.

Apparently two people were talking together.

"…Ah?"

He heard a girl's surprised voice. Running footsteps approached him.

He vacantly looked up the owner of the footsteps that stopped nearby.

Illuminated by the electrical light, the girl who was wearing some distinctive uniform was looking down at him.

First he noticed the pink jersey adorning her torso. From the belt of her miniskirt hung a small case like that of a gunman from a western. On her head was a strangely-designed school cap.

"Hmm? Hmmmm?"

The girl stooped down, glaring at the boy's face. The pigmentation of her short hair was light, allowing him to see her neck. Her youngish face was lovely, but he couldn't understand the meaning of the letters "momo" painted on her check.

As if thinking of something, she pulled out an object from the case at her waist.

It was a marker.

Commonly known as a thin pen used to draw letters on white paper and such.

"It'll still be very beautiful even like this. Like some fantasy created by carving out a part of reality."

Muttering to herself, the girl suddenly pointed the marker at him.

He felt the cold sensation of the marker on his brow. With a serious gaze like she'd been possessed, the girl was running her marker all over his forehead.

He knew the pattern she was drawing from how it felt on his forehead.

"…"

It was a simple symbol consisting of an arrow mark intersected with two straight lines.

But he had no idea what that symbolized.

"Coatl Coatl Para Emile."

Finishing her work, the girl recited with a satisfied smile.

A somewhat warm yet mysterious sensation was born inside his chest.

Yet that was all.

The night's silence swallowed the deserted residential district.

There was the girl, who was smiling extremely joyfully.

And him, who was dumfounded by this and looked up at her.

That was his meeting with Tanaka Momo.

There was no nervousness, exaltation or anything else but a sour silence.

If any of them had any sort of predictive abilities, perhaps they would have described this moment in the most clichéd way possible.

Fate—

An awfully hackneyed expression, one that would get laughed at.

In reality, the two merely smiled at each other.

"…Naturally, even the Coatl Head charm doesn't help in this situation."

The girl's smile was strained.

He couldn't understand the meaning of her actions at all.

"Kirarin, Kirarin. We have an injured person here, so let's apply first aid."

After taking these weird actions, the girl finally reached a sensible decision.

The moment after he heard the voice seeking help, the silent footsteps moved quickly. The figure swaying from afar rushed to him as if sliding on the ground.

It was yet another young girl. Her slim body was dressed in the uniform shirt of some school. On the slanted bangs of her hair—cut downwards from left to right—she had a star-shaped pin.

The movements of the girl called Kirarin seemed skillful. Standing unperturbed near his filthy and wounded self, she checked his pulse, illuminating his wounds with a penlight she brought out.

Yet suddenly she raised her face in surprise. She looked around her.

The girl holding the marker flapped her hand.

"Nah, you don't have any nurse uniform. This isn't the time to be cosplaying, yeah."

The person called Kirarin looked a bit sad but returned to treating him.

"Police? Ambulance? Or should we splurge and call both?"

Seeing that the jersey-wearing girl pulled out a cellphone, he tried rousing his body.

Don't—

Letting the officials know of him would be bad. Yet he couldn't let out a voice from his throat.

"Don't move."

Kirarin spoke for the first time. She had a voice that could calm and relieve anyone who heard it.

"If you move too much you'll be in a state of shock—"

While speaking, she then saw the goggles he was grasping and widened her eyes.

"You're…"

Gazing at his face again, she said something unimaginable.

"Are you perhaps—Kusuriya Daisuke?"

This time it was his turn to widen his eyes.

Who was that girl? The names of possible organization rose to his mind in succession.

"If I said I was… what would you do?"

He barely managed to squeeze out a hoarse voice.

"Kirarin, d'you know him?"

"He's an acquaintance of an acquaintance—no, not really."

The girl called Kirarin grinned.

"It's the continuation of a past request… maybe."

The other girl put a hand on her chest. Perhaps intending to welcome the injured boy, she gave him a slight bow.

"Welcome to Handyman Kirari☆."

When she'd lowered her head, there was a small metallic sound from the girl's pocket.

"Striving to be reliable and quick, I shall help you."

Reflecting the electric lights, there was something shining in the girl's pocket.

A necklace with a vividly glowing golden ring hanging from it.

If his meeting with Tanaka Momo was a miracle, then perhaps this mysterious handyman being here was predestined.

Ikarino Kirari.

That girl, connecting Mushitsuki with those who weren't Mushitsuki, was the most suitable person to watch over the end of the Fusion Type Mushitsuki who feared his own power.


1.00 Kirari and Momo[edit]

"Thank you very much."

She didn't hate the period of time that could be called dusk.

People went back the same road they'd taken this morning, albeit carrying the many things they have accumulated during the day.

There were many such things.

For a student it would be a day's worth of study, sports and the like, or perhaps experiencing love and friendship. When they passed by her, their form was perhaps a bit larger than it'd been that morning.

An adult would carry in their hearts that day's works and achivements, fatigue and stress, and the sense of accomplishment at having completed the day as they returned home. Or perhaps they would be going to town and have some fun.

"Thank you very much."

Ikarino Kirari was jealous of the people passing by her.

Both going back home from school while dreaming of the future and using her talents for one type of work were impossible for her.

The only future that awaited her was an enclosed one, where she would spend the entirety of her life admiring these people.

"Thank you very much."

On the sidewalk in the main street near the station, Kirari was handing out tissue papers to passersby.

Bangs that were cut diagonally from left to right and a star-shaped hairpin. A shirt with rolled sleeves and a long skirt over bondage pants. This appearance allowed her to melt in town. Young people who confused her to be a cosmetics store's employee sometimes received the tissue from her.

"Ah—"

She was pushed aside by an elderly salaryman, bumping into a group of middle aged women. Seeing Kirari's tissues, the women went "Oh my," after seeing them and snatched them.

Kirari quickly grabbed it back. The women's expressions changed.

"S-sorry. This, umm, has a misprint… please take this one."

She handed out a different tissue.

—Handyman Kirari☆: disposal of unneeded items, renovation, investigation, etcetera, all of your needs will be immediately solved!

The advertisement paper inserted into the tissues held by the housewives-seeming women had the above written on it.

However, the one Kirari took back had different text on it.

—We also accept special troubles related to "insects".

Kirari bowed.

"Thank you very much."

The housewives receiving the tissue mumbled "What's a handyman?" "Who knows…" as they exchanged glances.

"A handyman is, umm, a vendor that does anything, like helping and supporting all kinds of chores, that kind of company. We also offer detective work and other similar jobs…"

When she said the word "detective", the housewives all raised their brows. They glared at her suspiciously. "Young girls such as yourself mustn't do such things," they said while leaving.

Looking at them, Kirari sighed. That kind of assembled housewife alliance obviously hated people of Kirari's vocation. However, that was only outwardly, as in reality most of the troubles brought to her were almost always household-related requests from housewives.

"Thank you ve—"

It happened just before she returned to delivering tissue papers.

The cardboard box she used for the stocks of tissues was kicked.

The tissues put into a plastic bag scattered, falling into the ditch behind.

"—"

Two brawny black-wearing men moved to both sides of Kirari. One of them had kicked the box. The emblem on their suits indicated them belonging to a certain corporation.

There was no one in the business world who didn't know the name of Akasegawa Group.

The founder, who raised the organization during his lifetime, suffered from a mysterious death a few years ago. Currently the founder's granddaughter, a young girl, served as the chairman, and was continually gaining more influence.

"…"

Kirari made no protest against the sudden violence. She simply leaned down wordlessly and started picking up the tissues from the ditch with the gaze of passersby focusing on her.

Raising the box smeared in mud, she left the place.

The men saw her go with a smirk on their face, but made no attempts to pursue her.

"Hey, you…"

She heard a gloomy voice just as someone grabbed her shoulder.

With the darkening sky at her back, a tall woman looked at Kirari. She was a beauty with silver highlights in her hair and slim limbs like those of a model. Her skin was tanned, so she probably wasn't fully Japanese.

The woman was wearing a suit made of some strange material. Glistening with the light of the sinking sun, its surface was like leather—or rather more like plastic. She apparently had quite the novel taste in fashion.

"I do not know your circumstances, but if you're receiving undeserved harassment, perhaps you should contact the police…"

The woman spoke in a melancholic tone, glancing at the suited men.

Kirari could unconsciously imagine the woman's vocation. Appearance-wise she seemed like some magician or performer, but her atmosphere was far too dark for that. From her way of speaking she seemed like a lawyer or a prosecutor—or perhaps she worked in the sacred profession of a teacher.

"Am I meddling too much?"

The woman looked at Kirari with eyes that had faint dark circles around them. Her especially sluggish movements looked somewhat creepy, but she was also alluring. She didn't look anything like her amicable words would indicate.

"No, thank you very much."

Smiling, Kirari bowed. Although the woman went to the trouble of warning her, Kirari left at a brisk pace without heeding to her advice.

She was a good person. Even in front of the scary-looking men she still offered a helping hand to a complete stranger; this kind of person was rare.

Kirari just didn't want to get that woman involved in her own personal problems.

She glanced behind her. While the men were staring at her, the woman started walking away with feigned ignorance. Her way of walking—dragging her feet behind her—resembled a zombie from some horror movie.

While feeling relieved, Kirari headed back home.

"Will I be able to make it this month?"

The money spent on acquiring tissues and creating the leaflets was nothing to be sneezed at. She was always in the red, but she still had to pay her part-timer and there were even the unplanned living expenses for the freeloader.

She managed to cut it close until now, but perhaps she needed to resolve herself to reality.

"Coatl Coatl—"

As she passed near middle-school girls who chatted among themselves, she heard them recite these incantation-like words.

Turning around, she saw a girl holding a pen drew something on her friend's hand.

It was the symbol of a diagonal, long arrow mark with two straight lines crossing it.

The charm of God that can make anything come true.

"…"

The girls' expression was bright, and they didn't seem to be holding any deep worries.

Seeing the mark being drawn with a smile, the crestfallen Kirari felt her heart warming up.

She smiled, starting to walk back home again.

"H-Hey!"

She really was being stopped by a lot of people today.

"Zwoah!"

Kirari turned around, then looked below.

Perhaps in too much of a rush, the person who called out to her fell flat on the ground. "Peh, peh, so bitter! Sand's bitter! That's my discovery of the day!" he started fussing, his face covered by scratches.

"I picked up this tissue! You're the one who handed it out, right?"

The boy stood up without borrowing Kirari's hand. When he did, she could see he was wearing a blazer with many fasteners on it. With the glasses that held back his bangs she could see that his face was neat, but it all went to waste due to the sand. He carried a large bag made of something resembling leather.

"Can I ask you about this? What does this mean? I mean this right here!"

The boy, seeming about 16 or 17 years old, put the tissue right in front of Kirari's nose.

—We also accept special troubles related to "insects".

These words were written on the mud-smeared tissue.

"What do you mean by, what does this mean?"

Tilting her neck, Kirari watched the boy carefully. Being asked a question in return, the boy's shoulders twitched and he became even less calm. Averting his gaze, he nervously hit his tip of his shoes against the ground.

"Well, I mean, there are all kinds of insect! Like a white ant or a bee nest… basically pests? No, but we also need them to live! But there are also other kinds of… insects. …There's that thing, right? You know it? It's just a rumor, but aren't there some strange 'Mushi' of some sort? Ahaha, I don't believe it though!"

Even while he was in the midst of speaking, the boy's tapping on the ground with the tip of his shoe only grew in speed.

"…Mushitsuki."

When Kirari muttered this, the boy stopped moving. A large amount of sweat poured from his forehead.

"U-umm, yeah, I think it was like that? Aha, ahaha, it's such a weird rumor. Mushi eating dreams… really? B-but, I—no, my acquaintance, apparently got involved in something like that! But, there're no Mushi, right? I told them not to make fun of my innocence! Even if we're friends! C'mon!"

"…"

"But, well, no matter how rotten they are, friends are still friends. I can't leave my friend alone, or he'll get too antsy. Get it? Ant-sy? Ahaha!"

"…"

"No, wait! I'm actually talking about a friend of a friend! Yeah, I'm not related to this at all—oh, I'm sorry! Never mind that! Please forget it!"

Watching the silent Kirari, the boy seemed to be resigned to something. He turned his body around.

He was somewhat strange, but at the very least the boy didn't seem to be someone dangerous. She smiled and called to him.

"Perhaps I will be able to give you advice. If you just give me some more details—"

"Oh, you want to know? Then I've got no choice!"

Rotating his body again, the boy returned to Kirari.

"But it's just a friend of a friend! That guy apparently trades with anything he can get as a hobby! And he apparently got something troublesome!"

"Face too close… your face is…"

"He got this video that shows off Mushitsuki! Like some kinda footage that got transmitted through an amateur satellite or something… well, it's all special effects anyway, but it's definitely something rare! Or so I casually thought when I saw it, but… it's like, jackpot! The moment I got it, it's untraceable! Then this SEPB or whatever came to me—I mean, to the guy who got it and started pressuring him, so he had to run away!"

"You're too loud. My ears hurt…"

"He's about to be killed by a strange coat-wearing Mushitsuki and the account he worked so hard on accumulating money in got frozen… What's he supposed to do? This is some really tear-inducing story, right? I honestly can’t…"

His voice suddenly dropping, the boy covered his face with his hands. There were tears in the eyes peeking through between his fingers.

She understood what the boy was saying.

He got involved in Mushi-related trouble by chance and was scared out of his wits.

"What was that data you spoke of?"

"It's my trade secret, but whatever, I guess I can't avoid talking about it. Anyway, that video had many Mushitsuki in it… and also a normal Mushitsuki… and in the end there was a really large Mushi. Oh, there was also an interview of some Demon Lord or—"

"Demon Lord? And Mushitsuki?"

"She was a normal person. No, was she normal? Anyway, well, there was a scary Mushitsuki, a nice Mushitsuki and… and some normal, scary person. There were many interviews—"

The boy's frantic explanation was incoherent so she couldn't really picture it.

"Could you tell where it was filmed? Was it really not special effects but the real thing?"

"In my expert opinion, it's real. You can't create that sorta footage. —I don't know where it was filmed. But the person who shot it also spoke in the video, and she called herself Chronicler."

"Chronicler?"

Kirari knew a person of that name.

The self-proclaimed genius journalist, Haemori Ako—

It might be simple coincidence, but perhaps she'd need to contact her later.

"Can you not simply throw away that data?"

"Sure, but it's rare. It's a waste."

"…"

"It's too rare… since it's the only one, it's too much of a trouble."

The boy raised his leather bag and smiled.

"Also, now I don't understand which are scarier, Mushitsuki or normal people… I have to sell this to someone who'd know the answer!"

"I think your life's more important though…"

"That's right! I just barely got it and things got scary! I really wanna throw that away! But I don't wanna! What should I do?! My legs are shaking! Even though this is not about me!"

Kirari sighed, but still smiled.

Although the boy was scared, he seemed to be weirdly obsessed about it. Such people were very stubborn and would stick to their beliefs even when facing death.

"If you have no—"

"No no. It's not me. That's important. Please underline that part."

"If that person has no place to go to, and wants to escape the SEPB…"

Writing a phone number in her memo pad, she tore the page and handed it to the boy.

"A telephone number?"

"Please contact this number. I believe that the people called Mushibane would help you."

"Even a complete stranger like me—I mean, someone they don't know?"

"Just tell them you were referred to them by the handyman. It's a group of Mushitsuki and normal people."

"Are they perhaps dangerous people… or something?"

"Some of them fight, but they also help those who don't want to fight. Perhaps you will also be able to go back to your normal life on the surface."

Saying this as the boy glared at the piece of paper, she bowed.

"Thank you for using our services."

"W-wait a minute! I need to thank you… or maybe pay you for that introduction?"

All requests that could be said to be Mushi-related were done by Kirari as a mere side job. Unlike he normal requests, she had no goal of making money.

"As for my payment—"

With a smile, she raised her index finger toward the boy.

She drew on air a single arrow and two lines intersecting with it.

The charm of God that can make anything come true.

"Coatl Coatl Para Emile."

As she recited this chant, the boy raised an eyebrow.

"Is that…? I think that—"

"Please spread this spell. …To as many people as you can."

"Is it really fine, being just that?"

She nodded at the boy's question.

It was probably a completely incomprehensible wish to him. For Kirari, however, spreading the charm would be an almost irreplaceable reward.

"T-thank you."

Thanking her with a confused expression, the boy took his bag on his back again.

"—I'll do what you told me to, but I really don't get it. I'll pay you properly some time."

It was unmistakable that the boy was in an unfortunate situation.

Getting involved with Mushitsuki and all sorts of troubles, even for him these events were incomprehensible.

But there was still salvation.

Kirari thought of the Mushitsuki born in this town.

"Please spread the charm… to many people."

She mumbled again toward the back of the leaving boy.

The Mushitsuki born in this town—

This Mushitsuki, bearing their unfortunate fate, no longer existed in this world.

There was no other way to help them than erasing their existence.

After being born so absurdly, there was no choice but to put them to sleep underneath a gravestone. Recalling what she'd seen at that moment, Kirari felt her heart throbbing in pain.

"…"

Shaking off the painful reminiscence, Kirari turned on her heels.

Only a handful of people knew about the Mushitsuki that had disappeared that day.

The usual peace flowed in town.

Just like it was until now, the days of tranquility continued.

In order for Kirari to pass these calm days, she simply did the best she could.

"…"

Her office was at the end of the main road where there weren't many people or neon lights.

This building complex with many vacant apartments had cracks on the walls and the elevator was inoperative. All of the lights in the stairway were flickering, and there was the smell of mold everywhere.

When she opened the mailbox at the entrance she found a large envelope inside. The sender was the building's owner, meaning the landlord that lent the office to Kirari.

Opening the letter and checking its contents, she was notified that she was behind on payments. There was also information about getting evicted.

"…"

She wordlessly hid the letter inside the cardboard box.

Her legs climbing the stairs felt heavier than usual. She told herself that she was simply tired.

The rusty office door had a plate saying "Handyman Kirari☆ OPEN" on it.

She thought she turned it to CLOSE when she'd left. When she tried the knob, she found that the door was open.

Slipping past the door, there was a space for putting shoes next to it. Immediately ahead was a door made of smoky glass, and the stand beside it had a classical-style buzzer installed on it.

Kirari opened the glass door, going through the corridor.

"…?"

Entering the living room, she saw a strange sight.

The fact that there were shelves loaded with documents on the visitor-use sofa and table was normal. Her clients' first impression was important, so she splurged and got high-quality furnishings for this room alone.

There were two people in the living room.

One was the familiar part-timer girl. Her vivid, grass-colored jersey fit her, but she raised both arms as if saluting to something, completely frozen.

The other was the wounded man. He was the boy covered in bandages from head to foot.

"Ah, umm… welcome back."

Surprised, the boy sitting on the sofa turned to Kirari. Despite being so heavily wounded his tone was clear. He apparently had a sturdy body.

"Are you alright, Daisuke-san?"

When Kirari asked him this, Kusuriya Daisuke wore a bitter smile.

"I can't calm down when I'm just sitting without doing anything."

"I see."

Although she had coincidentally—no, probably inevitably saved him from near death, she still hadn't asked him for the particulars of his circumstances. She thought it'd be fine to inquire that sort of thing once his wounds stabilized.

The two of them went silent. Naturally the two lines of sight turned toward the frozen girl.

"'A run-over frog'?"

After thinking for a while, Kirari pointed at her and said.

The girl made no move.

"A mongoose going scuba-diving!"

Kirari tried guessing the theme with a serious expression.

"N-no. Then… a scared American Curl!"

"A wallaby imitating a pro-wrestler!"

"Woof no! …wait, no! Stop saying all these small animals!"

The girl suddenly moved. She hit the bandage in her hand against the floor with a slap.

Apparently she had been nursing Daisuke before freezing.

"I can't believe it, yeah!"

Did she have a row with Daisuke?

She shouted indignantly and then grabbed the newspaper left on the table. She took out a roll of plastic tape from the pouch at her waist and pasted the newspaper to the wall.

"W-what is it…?"

"Don't mind it. She does this from time to time."

Hiding the box she was carrying at a corner of the room, Kirari entered the bedroom.

Inside the narrow room were only a bed, a personal computer, and a standing mirror. Since the outside of the window had a gap of a mere dozen centimeters from the next building she couldn't see the starry sky.

Opening her closet, she found many articles of clothing hanging within. Kirari pulled out a white outfit and changed to it, exiting to the living room again.

The jersey-wearing girl wore an uncharacteristic serious expression while fighting the newspaper. She ran the cello tape haphazardly all over it, covering the entire wall with it.

"Mm."

Getting down on her knees in front of the sofa, Kirari started changing the boy's bandages.

Daisuke looked confused.

"Say—"

"Hmm?"

"Well, I also want to ask about that girl since I have no idea what she's doing, but why are you… umm…"

Daisuke was glancing at Kirari's clothes, finding it hard to speak. Did his face turn red due to him being an adolescent boy?

"Wearing such a costume…?"

Being told this, Kirari looked down at her clothes—a nurse outfit.

"Do you prefer other clothes? I just thought it fits best since I'm going to nurse you… If you think my regular school uniform is better I also have it—"

"That's not what I meant… no, that's fine. Stay like that."

The relieved Kirari started wrapping the bandage around the boy's arm.

"What's this place anyway…?"

The boy mumbled.

Kirari, who applied bandages while wearing a nurse outfit, and the girl who was zealously covering the walls with newspaper.

Being put between them, Kusuriya Daisuke felt somewhat uncomfortable.

"Handyman Kirari☆. A company dealing with miscellaneous jobs that accepts any request. I'm the owner… and this girl became a part-timer after I got to know her on a previous request."

Until yesterday, Kusuriya Daisuke couldn't even move from the bed. Whenever he opened his eyes he would soon fall asleep, so this was the first explanation he received about his situation.

"Handyman…"

Even without seeing his face, it was obvious Daisuke was furrowing his brows.

In this day and age there weren't a lot of general shops and troubleshooters. The fact that a 17 years-old girl managed this place was also probably rare. Actually, there were times when customers would leave upon discovering that fact.

"Well, we're a small company with many failures though."

"So, miss Handyman—"

The boy's voice suddenly turned low. Stopping her hands, she gazed at Daisuke's face.

"Why do you know me?"

His piercing, sharp eyes bore into Kirari. Even his way of speaking changed.

Kirari grinned.

"I have heard about you…"

"From who?"

"Haji Keigo-san. You know him, right?"

Hearing that name, Daisuke momentarily furrowed his eyebrows, confused.

She was sure they were acquaintances, but Daisuke's reply was too faint for what she expected. Or was he surprised that Kirari and Haji knew each other?

"He told me he was your friend. Well, and your boss."

"Oh, Haji. I see, it was him…"

Daisuke mumbled, finally appearing to understand.

Mushi Uta 8 p065.jpg

"He'd helped me in the past when I got into trouble. He told me that it wasn't in return for that, but that if you ever needed me, I should help you."

"Help me…?"

"More precisely he said 'on the unlikely chance that you meet him, please do as much as you can to make his wish come true', I think."

—Well, because he's not going to be honest about it.

She could still clearly remember Haji's thin smile as he said this.

—Even if you do meet him, I don't know if he'd have any wish. If he doesn't say anything you don't have to help him. Meaning this is a mere "insurance".

That young man, who would habitually fix the position of his glasses, became her benefactor when she'd lost her path, helping her finding her place as a handyman. Haji Keigo had also been the one to find this current office for her.

"My wish…"

He sank into his thoughts.

"Will you let me—stay here for a while, at least until my wounds heal?"

Although she'd heard he wasn't honest, he unexpectedly and readily mouthed his wish.

Perhaps humans were always honest when they were weak. Since she was going to take care of him in the first place there was no problem.

She had more than enough time.

The menace that had once suddenly appeared in town—the danger relating to the Mushitsuki who should have never been born—had already passed.

She believed that this once-again uninterrupted daily life would be good for the healing of his wounds.

"I don't mind, of course… but are satisfied with just this?"

"I can sleep either on the floor or on the sofa. I'm also sorry for occupying the bed."

Seeing Daisuke suddenly wearing an apologetic face, Kirari's face slackened.

"It's just like Haji-san told me. Except when you hide your face with black goggles, you're just a normal boy. I was worried you have a split personality or something."

"I-it's not like I have a split personality…"

Turning away, Daisuke wore a complex expression.

"I just ended up not knowing anymore who my real self was…"

The lone person called Kusuriya Daisuke.

He probably had other titles in addition to that. Kirari didn't know whether he himself wished for them or if they'd been thrust upon him.

There'd probably come a time when he'd have to choose which of them was his real self—

She thought of such things.

"HEY, YOU!"

This loud voice suddenly speaking in English caused Kirari and Daisuke to raise their face.

"PLEASE LISTEN TO ME! NO, NO, umm, look, I mean SEE? WATCH? WATCH ME? Huh? H-hey, don't look at me with those pitying eyes! I know my English sucks, yeah!"

The girl with a splash of poster paint on her face had a curious symbol behind her.

She drew a large mark on the papers pasted on the wall. This symbol made of black paint could be called an art piece.

This strange mark consisted of a diagonal arrow pointing downward and two lines crisscrossing it.

It also resembled an asterisk, but was slightly different.

"IT'S, 'COATL HEAD'!"

Pounding at the mark that was larger than she was tall, the girl puffed her chest. Her palms were dripping with red paint, perhaps as a result of directly painting it with her hands.

Her name was Tanaka Momo.

She'd just enrolled into an art school at her home district, and she was a friend of Kirari's.

Speaking of bipolarity, Momo was exactly like that. When she focused on something, she turned into another person as if in a trance.

The stunned Daisuke opened his mouth hesitatingly.

"Coatl… Head?"

"OH, NO!"

Momo spoke back as if it was the end of the world. That pose—the "dachshund who had its food taken right before its eyes" that they'd seen before—was apparently shock at Daisuke not knowing the meaning of Coatl Head.

"Do you really not know it? Coatl Head! The mark beckoning happiness! It's the symbol of God, yeah!"

Half-crying for some reason, she hit the wall violently. More red spots were created on the newspapers.

Daisuke looked at Kirari as if seeking help.

"Umm—"

"Wait, Kirarin! If you explain it to him directly it'd be like a divine revelation!"

Momo said, raising her hands dyed in pure red toward the ceiling.

"Coatl Head refers to the fad of drawing a certain symbol which is all the rage nowadays! It trends especially among teens with many troubles and worries, such as love and the like, since it can solve any and all troubles!"

Even while receiving this deluge of an explanation, Daisuke was still confused. "Momo-chan's also addicted now," Kirari added.

"The method of the charm is simple! Neither the place nor the medium matter! You just need to draw this symbol, put your feelings in it and chant!"

Momo turned to the wall painting, folded her hands in front of her chest, and spoke.

"Coatl Coatl Para Emile!"

After reciting this with prayer-like gestures, Momo's expression suddenly softened.

"If I do that, then… my chest suddenly feels warm. Isn't that a happy feeling?"

The girl turning toward them did seem to be satisfied.

"No, no really… or rather, you just look like a weirdo."

The profile of Daisuke providing his honest impression now had red paint smeared on it.

Having lowered the bottle full of art supplies, Momo grinned.

"This is divine punishment, yeah."

Wiping off the paint from half his face and looking at it, Daisuke also grinned.

"…What're you doing, you idiot!"

"I'm not an idiot, I'm Momo-chan! Or it would be even better if you add 'sama'! Kirarin, as punishment let's throw him out of the window! I thought he was kinda good-looking when we found him, but that was my mistake, yeah!"

Leaving the pair to start their fight while flinging paint-filled bottles at each other, Kirari went to look for a dust cloth in the washing room.

1.01 The Others[edit]

For a moment, a swallow traversed right by the window.

Cutting through the early summer air, the figure of it swallowed by the sky was burned into her eyelids.

"Hmm…"

Pondering this, Yamamato Rau turned back to the canvas. From the look of the nearly-perfected painting, she had apparently let her inspiration take over.

Gathering the paint on the paper palette, she let her brush express the image in her mind.

When had she started drawing oil paintings?

Lately, as an example to her students, she used poster colors to draw basic designs or tinkered with the materials prepared for sculpting lessons; only these kinds of things.

She was just a tiny step before completing her work this time.

Along with the sound of the sliding door, a bright voice pushed at her.

Just by being in this high school that had a special arts course—rare even in this country—the students appearing one after another all had unique appearances. Although all of them were wearing white work clothes, they all had eccentric hairstyles or accessories forbidden by the regulations, so they were stupidly conspicuous.

Especially the students of Visual Design Year 1—VD1 for short—that enrolled this spring were a gathering of problem children that even the teachers were sick of.

"Ooh, Yamamoto-sensei, what're you drawingwing?"

After appearing in the classroom, the representative problem child poked her head between Rau and the canvas.

Having her work stopped, Rau furrowed her eyebrows.

"Wingwing?"

"Like wingdings? Non, what're you drawing?"

Seat no. 28 in DV1, Tanaka Momo. At times her speech and conduct were incomprehensible. Unfortunately, all of VD1's students were incomprehensible, so she didn't mind that anymore.

"Whoa, this feels really genuine. I can feel its soul, yeah."

Although Momo was asking her, she apparently hadn't intended on quietly hearing her answer. Using a peculiar speaking style where she put accent on the "yeah", Momo clung to the canvas.

She could see the nape of this young, 15-year old through the gap in her pink-colored jersey's collar. Her lively cheek was plastered with paint spelling "momo".

"Is this a woman? No, a man maybe? Well, looking from afar… an animal? Actually, looking from even further, it kinda looks like wings…"

Giving up on finishing it, Rau put her brush into the oil jar. With a sigh, she started clearing up the art tools.

"This is rubbish… just some boring trick art."

"Eh, that's not true. It's quite creepy."

"So in your mind, trick art equals creepy… Not necessarily wrong."

What a suspicious way of talking, she thought in spite of herself. Even just mechanically shaking her vocal cords would be better, but speaking like this felt as if she sucked the energy of anyone who listened to her.

"Go and wear your work clothes before the bell rings… if you don't, I won't give you marks for this lesson."

"Boo, it's fine like this though. My theme is the fusion between a modern class, freedom and fashion, yeah."

Rau grabbed Momo's head, forcing her away from the canvas.

"Don't let me repeat myself…"

Being lenient on this kind of student even once, they would keep pushing their luck. Individuality should be respected in this kind of school, but teaching regulations and cooperativeness were also part of a teacher's job.

Tanaka Momo in particular had a precedent. On the very day of her enrollment ceremony she incited the other students to gather carnations in celebration of their enrollment and spread them all over the floor in the corridor in front of the staff room. She had insisted it was flower art, but if they let influential students do whatever they pleased they wouldn't be able to restraint themselves.

"You don't sound very convincing when you say that, yeah."

Yet Momo didn't back off. Standing shoulder to shoulder with the plaster figures on the wall, she changed her tone.

"It's just like you said, Momo. Every day her beautiful form is so blinding that you can't bear to look at her."

That was the wrong meaning of "can't bear to look at".

Pointing this was also stupid, but she was curious after being told that. Pretending to check the oil in her bottle, she glanced at her figure reflected on the glass surface.

Her skin being somewhat dark was due to hailing from Southeast Asia, so she couldn't change it. The highlights in her hair created a black and silver striped pattern. Underneath her work clothes she wore a respectable suit, although its chest part was open. It was made of plastic though.

"The image of the legendary 'female teacher'! …is how it feels, I guess? This is poison to the eyes of a teenager, yeah."

Saying this exaggeratedly, Momo covered the eyes not of herself but of the statue.

Responding to her would be too troublesome. While Rau ignored her and gathered oil painting supplies, the displeased-looking Momo left the class to get her work clothes.

Soon the bell sounded and the lesson started.

"Today's lesson will be about methods of expression within modern techniques… Such techniques include dripping, stamping, and marking, but—"

Yamamoto Rau, 23 years old, was a new substitute teacher, so she wasn't the homeroom teacher of any class.

However, she was still in charge of many lessons such as self-expression, design theory, structure theory and art therapy. Also, because she was surrounded by problem children, she was very busy as a teacher.

"—And these styles all have their own idiosyncrasies. But what's important here is that this is merely technique… there's no need to fit the mold, meaning what to express or how to depict it."

She didn't simply give her students knowledge; she also taught them how to advance the lesson with their own thinking.

"And although breaking the mold sounds easy, it is very difficult. As long as you're human you always end up comparing things using your own prejudices. And that's why—"

Looking at one of the sitting students, Rau narrowed her eyes.

"Perhaps you should forget about being human…"

All students had their eyes sparkling in excitement as they were about to put it into practice, but Tanaka Momo alone wasn't even looking at the teacher's podium. Burying her fingers in paint meant for stamping use, she was happily drawing something on her own work clothes.

A strange mark with a single arrow and two intersecting lines.

Rau remembered seeing that symbol before.

If she recalled correctly, it was a good luck charm currently popular in town.

As Momo drew this mark, Rau's feelings grew gloomy. It was a mere symbol, but due to a certain incident, Rau felt that she was being made fun of whenever she would see it.

"Staying within the line means killing your potential. If you try destroying that frame even once, you might be able to see things that you'd never seen before—"

However, if she didn't cut the lecture short, everyone might get infected by Momo's behavior.

Seeing the rest of the students also started playing with their materials, Rau sighed.

Yamamoto Rau began her new job at the school only a month ago.

Due to her gloomy personality and gaudy appearance, her impressions among the teachers were especially bad. Since being in the staff room meant that they would temporarily focus on her demeanor and clothes, she preferred holing herself inside her assigned classroom.

During the lessons she coldly read text. She made a few arrangements to it, but if she started adding things outside the textbooks she knew those too-energetic students would make trouble for her.

She thought of the children coming to school as simply annoying. They all took nothing but illogical and unproductive actions. They did pointless things. By being in the same space as them, Rau felt exhausted both physically and mentally.

She seriously started considering creating a law that a teacher could, as special privilege, kill a student they didn't like. Even only once a day. It could be even be just this school's local rule.

That's how Rau was—or at least she thought of herself like this, but she seemed to be popular with her students.

Perhaps this was because she was closer to her students in age than the other teachers. Or perhaps it was because other teachers told them to focus on this or that while she gave them a free reign, thereby causing these contrarians to approach her.

Thinking about dealing with the children outside of lessons made her want to puke. Having said that, since she was teaching, she had to listen and give them advice when they came to the classroom.

And that advice wasn't limited to questions about the lesson or the course. At times they would even tell her of love problems or interpersonal problems, or even serious things they couldn't talk with their parents about.

Since Rau needed to tidy up the class, she would mechanically offer them the most realistic solutions. At present, most of those problems had been solved by that. Since the immature kids confronted their problems and lost their common sense, they simply worried without even thinking of those kinds of simple solutions. Or perhaps they just didn't have the courage to take the first step toward them.

Although begrudgingly, she listened to their problems and solved them. —Repeating this process, without any adult to confer with, the students naturally gathered around her.

"A classmate is… harassing you?"

That day too, after school, she was visited by a student.

She apparently had troubles with her friend in class. It was a common problem she had encountered.

"Is it not bullying?"

Then do something about it yourself, she cursed in her mind, but there was something a little bit different this time.

"I believe it is different."

The female student of VD1 responded with a clear tone.

Both her hat that was in the shape of a horn and her hair being colored in sepia were against regulations. Rau knew that this petite girl—who could be said to be representative of VD1's average appearance—was nicknamed "Sepia" by her classmates. The marker case in the pouch hanging from her waist was also one of her characteristics.

That girl was known among the teachers as well.

She possessed extraordinary talent rare among students—a prodigy.

"So are you being stalked?"

"No, nothing like that either… also, I'm talking about a girl."

The world was vast. There were also women chasing women, but she said nothing.

"This might seem obvious, but you just need to clearly tell her off… or is she too scary for you to do that?"

"I told her to stop. But she seems angry at me, and she's stubborn too…"

Oh dear, sounds like trouble. Rau sighed once then spoke.

"Got it. I'll try to indirectly talk to her about it soon…"

Rau's impression was that the other girl was jealous of Sepia's talent, but Sepia wasn't weak enough to be bullied over that.

And Rau also knew about the girl making trouble for her. Her impression of her wasn't the sort of malicious person to do this.

Although she felt something was strange, that was it. It'd probably get solved if she asked the other party about it.

"Thank you very much."

Rau herself was also like that, but she felt that Sepia's speech and conduct were very emotionless. She lowered her head without any trace of a smile, turning to leave the classroom. The moment she moved, the marker case on her waist clattered.

Something silly interested Rau, so she called out to the girl.

"What a strange case…"

"Huh?"

"The marker case on your waist… is that foreign-made?"

Turning around, Sepia looked down at the case hanging on her waist.

"When I went to take the test for another school in Akamaki City, I found it at a large art supplies store… it was an impulse purchase."

"I see…"

There was still something strange. As far as Rau knew, there was one other person who had the same marker case—

She didn't need poke her head too much into the students' stupid problems.

Telling this to herself, she saw off the girl with an annoyed face.

"Watch out…"

"What?"

"Because recently even this town in dangerous. I meant for you to be careful when you go back home."

"Oh, dangerous… is it?"

"They haven't yet found the cause for the explosion at the electric substation ruins… there's a rumor that it was man-made incident."

"Oh, you mean Coatl Hot… but that happened quite a while ago."

Sepia muttered this emotionlessly, so Rau felt confused.

"Coatl…?"

"But maybe you're right. There was also apparently some explosion near the river as well."

"River? Oh, that—no, but the Coatl… was it?"

Like a gunman, Sepia drew out the marker from her pouch. She drew a certain symbol on the blackboard in white.

Who do you think is going to clean that? Use chalk or I'll kill you. —Turning toward Rau whose expression darkened even further, Sepia recited some sort of incantation.

"Coatl Coatl Para Emile."

The drawing on the blackboard was the same charm that caused Rau to become disheartened.

"…?"

"They keyword is—Coatl Head."

Coatl Head.

Was that the symbol's name? It was a term she wasn't sure if she'd heard before.

"I think you should look more into trends and new fads, sensei."

Rau sighed at the girl doing things in her own pace.

"I'm saying this because I believe you can solve anything with a single warning, but… next time, please use chalk."

"I'm sorry."

Never mind reflecting on her actions, it only looked like the apologizing Sepia was making fun of her. As if saying her business was done she turned on her heels, with her Sepia-colored hair shaking, and left the classroom.

I wish some terrorist would come to plant bombs in the VD1 classroom, Rau thought nonsensically.

Until she recovered enough energy to move, she simply sat at the desk and absentmindedly gazed at the courtyard outside of the window.

The time was already dusk. She could see the figures of students striving for their club activities.

Because she had a VD1 lesson today, she was especially tired. Teaching them to break the mold went without saying, but she let the students have much more freedom than was needed. Stopping Tanaka Momo from plastering the entire classroom with papers was especially time-consuming.

In the first place Rau loathed children. On top of being ignorant and not thinking at all, they didn't even realize they were causing problems to others. Even so they were always shining with hopes and dreams that lacked any basis.

Helping them achieve the dreams that they couldn't by themselves was apparently one of the duties of a teacher.

Rau suddenly recalled her student that broke their paintbrush. They sounded too sensitive when they said they felt wrong using another brush, but their works actually declined in quality because of that.

"She's not even good enough to be so fussy about what tools to use…"

Perhaps an old art supplies store would have the brushes made by the minor company that the student used. It would a detour on the way back home, but she decided to try dropping by. It was troublesome, but it was also annoying to think for how long that student could blame her bad achievements on the paintbrush.

How was she, when she was her age?

Her adolescent self rose to the back of her mind like a flashback.

Sparkling with hopes and dreams—she felt as if she stopped being like that ever since the moment she'd come to this country.

Since then there were only anger, pain, despair, and blood.

Perhaps her present form had been decided back when her aspiration painted over her dream.

A teacher helping with their students' dream—

Good grief, how hopelessly ridiculous.

"Bzzt."

As the door of the classroom opened a uniformed girl appeared.

She was of the same school year as Sepia, but her tie color was different. The bangs of her long hair were decorated by a jagged, yellow accessory—in the pattern of lightning—and even the bangs themselves were zigzagged.

"Bzzbzzt. Bzzbzzt."

Apparently something good happened. The girl hummed to herself with an incomprehensible rhythm while starting to skip around clumsily. Ignoring Rau's presence, she started circling around the classroom.

"Bzzbzzt. Bzzbzzt."

"…Keep your voice down. Someone'll hear you."

"Bzzbzzt."

"Don't jump on top of the desk. My teaching materials—I'll forgive you about the hairspray you just broke, so stop moving, Biribiri[2]. No, don't hang from the lighting…"

She was focused at the girl reflected on the window when another person entered the class.

Now it was a uniformed boy. He had sharp eyes and a body that was long and slender; he looked like he could become a basketball player, had he belonged to such a club.

"Close the door, Ashimaki."

As Rau turned around to face him, the boy opened his mouth to reply—

"Hurgh."

Along with a groan, he spat countless insect-like feelers from his mouth. —No matter how unrealistic this scene sounded, long and narrow objects really came spilling out of the boy's mouth, clattering and bouncing as they hit the floor.

Looking closely, a strange creature could be seen sticking on top of the boy's tongue. The surface of its spherical body had flickering light colored blue and red. The ejected feelers were this creature's legs.

"Don't bring out your Mushi so carelessly…"

As Rau glared at the girl and the boy, her suit bloated like a balloon. It changed its form, instantly transforming into a pitch-black coat that covered her from head to toes.

"I will only warn you once. Although you weren't seen by anyone, if you lower your guard again and lose control of your Mushi… I'll execute you."

Receiving Rau's gloomy gaze, Biribiri and Ashimaki's faces twitched with fear.

The zigzag girl straightened her back and Ashimaki instantly put the thin insect legs inside his mouth.

"Good…"

Rau sighed, her coat returning once again to the form of a suit.

Yamamoto Rau's real identity—was Shera the Head of the Annihilators, under the command of Vice-Deputy Miguruma Yaeko of the SEPB's Central Headquarters. It had been a long time since she showed her true nature like that.

The last time she had fulfilled her duty as an assassin was right before she'd infiltrated this town as a teacher; at a rural, relatively unknown town, she had erased a girl who proclaimed herself to be a journalist.

She'd also been given a mission in this town.

However, every day was peaceful.

Her provisional job as an arts teacher was filled with much more suffering.

Information regarding Mushitsuki spread easily among teens. Because of that she'd infiltrated this high school as a teacher in order to collect information, but—apparently both this town and this school were a huge failure.

"Was there any change?"

"Bzz."

"No."

The two subordinates standing next to each other shook their heads.

They were Annihilators members sent along with Rau. They were only wearing the school's uniform; they weren't actually students.

Rau sighed deeply again.

The bad premonition growing inside her was likely true.

Do I have any reason to stay here anymore…?

Wasn't everything over already? That was the only conclusion to this situation.

Starting when Rau came to town and until now, she'd been unable to grasp any clues related to her goal.

"The Mushitsuki of the Substation Ruins, huh…"

She pulled out a memory device shaped like a cellphone from her suit.

She manipulated the terminal with her fingers, uploading a digital photo to the LCD screen.

A rusty transmission tower, electrical lines that were ripped here and there, cracked asphalt and ground, a large hole that seemed to have been created by an explosion, as well as—the mark called Coatl Head drawn with paint.

This was the event that made them send Rau to this town.

One day in the suburbs of town, at the abandoned electrical substation—

There was a large explosion.

To the public, the cause was unknown. They gave it flimsy reasons such as an unexploded bomb detonating or perhaps a discharge from the abandoned electrical machinery, but people have already forgotten about it.

In the first place the substation's functions had already been transferred to a new underground facility in a different location. Because there were no human casualties, even in the news it wasn't such a big incident.

A single Mushitsuki had been in town.

Newly born Mushitsuki were mentally unstable and prone to rampage.

As feared, the Mushitsuki born at the substation had rampaged. Immediately discovered by the local SEPB branch, several members were dispatched on a capture mission.

—Or so it was thought.

"So there are no eyewitnesses' reports of any Mushitsuki like that…"

"Bzz."

"None."

So it was thought. Meaning, it was conjecture.

The reason they couldn't decide was due to all of the SEPB members having had the tables turned on them. Since they'd all become Fallen, thereby having lost their memories and feelings, no information could be gotten from them.

The Mushitsuki born at the substation was probably powerful. Although it was rare for members dispatched for capture to be defeated, the remaining traces—the thing Rau was looking at, the evidence photo collected from the police, spoke of that fact.

The facility was wrecked and destroyed all over, and a large cavity opened in the ground. From the scale of that damage, one could expect the opponent was quite powerful.

Something trifling was left on the photograph.

Near the hole was a large drawing of what was apparently a symbol popular among young people.

Coatl Head.

From what Sepia had told her that was apparently its name. Meaning, the substation was a gathering spot for youngsters, so one of them had probably drawn it there.

"Ashimaki. You haven't felt any Mushitsuki, right?"

"Bzz."

"I didn't ask you."

"Right. Ever since that incident a few days ago…"

Rau continued manipulating the terminal, switching from photos to video.

It was the remaining footage left in the goggles of a combatant dispatched for the capturing mission of the "Mushitsuki of the Substation Ruins". The other members suffered terrible injuries, so this footage was the only one they'd been able to recover.

No, it would be wrong to call this footage.

The only thing recorded there was sound, mixed in with noise.

Whether it was the Mushitsuki or someone else, someone was probably trying to erase evidence. They thought that someone knew about the goggles' recording function since they were damaged unnaturally.

Even the remaining sound had only recorded the scream of the goggles' owner.

Due to all the noise in the background, it couldn't be listened to properly.

However, reproducing the sounds with SEPB technology, they finally understood what was being screamed there.

"…"

A short scream.

Consisting of a single term.

That term moved the Central Headquarters.

In order to not let information about the incident leak to the outside they'd actively sealed the local branch, and Rau, as the Head of the Annihilators, had been sent to town.

They knew that the "Mushitsuki of the Substation Ruins" was powerful.

Yet without that scream, they wouldn't have directly dispatched Rau.

If the Fallen's death throes were true—

Then the enemy was Mushitsuki whose existence couldn't be forgiven.

After discovery, they had to be erased from the world.

However—

"The Mushitsuki of the Substation Ruins… does it actually exist?"

She mumbled so quietly that her subordinates couldn't hear her.

Following the incident, the Mushitsuki thought to have been at the substation was gone.

Once the SEPB discovered a Mushitsuki, it was near impossible to hide them. Even if they tried escaping, they would get caught by the information network encompassing the entire country, and even if they hid, some ripple in society would definitely be caused by their becoming a Mushitsuki.

Was it possible to perfectly conceal their presence for such a long time?

Or had they simply blown themselves up along with the capturing combatants?

Or perhaps they managed to escape to some unknown place but exhausted themselves and breathed their last?

After consulting with all possibilities, Rau reached a conclusion.

"The Mushitsuki of the Substation Ruins is no longer here. —At the very least, not in this town."

She continued mumbling to herself.

A few days.

If she couldn't grasp the presence of the aforementioned Mushitsuki, she was going to announce that to Vice-Director Miguruma Yaeko.

However, when she'd come here, another problem appeared.

"Despite that… Why have you come to this town? Kakkou—"

Hearing Rau's subdued voice, Biribiri and Ashimaki trembled.

East Central Branch member, Blaze Class Rank 1 Kakkou.

Most Mushitsuki would get scared hearing the name of that strongest demon, her subordinates included.

"The reaction you'd felt at the riverside a few days ago… it was definitely Hakamori, right?"

"There were two powerful reactions at about the same time—according to the information from HQ, it corresponds to the same place where Hakamori had been sent to in order to annihilate Kakkou, so it's probably true."

The Annihilators' member Hakamori.

As Head of the Annihilators, Rau obviously knew about this Mushitsuki.

Although he was the lone survivor of a certain experiment, he'd lost all of his rational thinking. He was a mere failed product, awaiting some chance to measure the battle prowess he'd gained as a result of the experiment.

Meaning that chance—was the annihilation of Kakkou.

The overly powerful Kakkou was designated dangerous by the Headquarters long ago. If the failed product Hakamori was able to defeat Kakkou it would be well, and even if they killed each other, they'd be able to gain valuable data about his battle prowess.

"The Fragment of Diorestoi implanted in Hakamori allowed him to know the location of the King or whatever… on top of that, that guy had been ordered to aim for the moment when Kakkou left the East Central Branch. Because Hakamori was there, there's no doubt that Kakkou was there as well…"

Rau mumbled things that no outsider would understand.

"Their reactions vanished at almost the exact same time."

"Since the Fragment at HQ wasn't able to achieve resonance to discover the other Fragment's location, we must assume that Hakamori had been erased. —Or had he been able to fully suppress his Fragment…? No, he was a failed product because he couldn't do that…"

The incomplete Fragments of Diorestoi could establish resonance with one another. —The origin of this phenomenon that caused the parts of the Prototype Mushi to be drawn to each other had yet to be ascertained.

"It is believed that Kakkou merely hid his Mushi."

"Or maybe they took each other out. Well, it's better for us to assume that demon survived…"

Rau scratched her silver-streaked hair, raising her face.

"Kakkou appearing there means that… has the East Central Branch noticed the existence of the Mushitsuki of the Substation Ruins?"

It wasn't impossible. Yet she thought it was unlikely.

Their information blockage was perfect. Perhaps Kakkou had just coincidentally passed in town while on a mission.

"Hmm… if we end up not finding the Mushitsuki of the Substation, maybe we should just eliminate Kakkou and go back."

They would probably end up fighting Kakkou at some point.

If that man had truly rebelled against the SEPB and they received the order to eliminate him, she'd be the only one able to accomplish it. —Although Harukiyo also outwardly belonged to the Annihilators just like her, Rau saw that he wouldn't fight seriously against Kakkou.

Although he was a Rank 1 Mushitsuki, Rau would be able to defeat him. She had a certain ability that allowed her to decide this.

"We will continue the search for the Mushitsuki of the Substation. …And for Kakkou as well."

Seeing off her subordinates who left after nodding, Rau once again looked out of the window.

In front of her was a peaceful scene.

Time just kept flowing slowly and calmly just as it had been yesterday as well.

"How ridiculous… this is like looking for a ghost."

Was the Mushitsuki actually hiding in town or already gone? She couldn't even tell that much.

She only knew what she had to do.

"The Mushitsuki of the Substation Ruins".

Or Kakkou.

If they were really there, then following their discovery, Rau herself would lop their heads off.

She would mercilessly eliminate anyone that might endanger this country.

That was the only way for her to make her dream come true—

Her job as a teacher that helped dreams and her title as Head of the Annihilators were simply parts of what she used to make that a reality.

"The art supplies store… is probably closed already."

Looking up the darkening sky, Yamamato Rau sighed with a tired expression.


1.02 The Beast and Momo Part 1[edit]

He somehow ended up in a strange place.

While seated on the sofa at the office of "Handyman Kirari☆", he was absentmindedly watching TV. Although 80% of his bandages were taken off, he was still forced to rest.

The owner of the office had left early morning. Apparently she had work.

He knew that the girl called Ikarino Kirari took on varied jobs. The very fact that she was handling an office at the mere age of 17 was abnormal. The same went for accepting someone as suspicious as him, never mind doing a favor for her acquaintance. She also knew that he was a Mushitsuki.

Who are you, Ikarino Kirari?

Unable to grasp why she was like this, his confusing days continued.

"Do you know of the phenomenon now popular among middle and high school students? They keyword is 'Coatl Head'! Let's ask the townspeople about it!"

When had he started watching midweek talk shows?

Inside the LCD screen the woman reporter was conducting street interviews. Regardless of age or gender, all of them were asked "Do you know about Coatl Head?"

After several replied "I don't", some girls with dyed brown hair finally knew the answer.

"We know all about it! We're also doing that."

Excited, the girls showed the mark on their arms, clothes, or accessories.

"Huh, it really is popular…"

He muttered.

As the camera zoomed in, he could see that the symbol was identical to the one Tanaka Momo had drawn a few days prior.

"Coatl Coatl Para Emile."

As if doing a display, the girls recited this incantation.

"As you can see, Coatl Head is when you draw this mark along with the incantation, and all your problems will be solved. For example, perhaps your love will come into fruition… this is an all-purpose charm! This current fad continues to grow even now!"

Recalling Tanaka Momo's face, the boy grimaced. Because he wasn't able to move, Momo did as she pleased. Now that his wounds have healed, he had been released from her awful bandaging.

"I wonder if that idiot'll come here again."

He didn't know whether that girl was an assistant, a part-timer or what, but she was bad at it. He didn't know what she thinking about and couldn't foresee her actions.

"I just have to bear with it… I have no other choice right now."

The fact that he was sighing like this probably meant that he was calm.

Perhaps thinking so meant he lowered his guard.

"Uh."

His vision suddenly blurred.

"—Guh…! Uah… Aaah!!!"

Falling from the couch, he writhed violently on the floor.

Acute pain shot through his entire body. It wasn't pain from his wounds. In his depths of his body—another living being was rampaging there as if trying to eat him from the inside out.

This creepy feeling, as though countless caterpillars were crawling under his skin, went beyond his body and began gnawing into his mind. His vision blacked, and he was assaulted by violent noise.

His fingers grasping the carpet paled.

"Gah…AHHH!"

His struggle against the horrible pain tearing his mind and body ended before long.

"Hah! Hah! Hah…!"

His body, curled up in a fetal position, shook with small shivers.

Somehow going through the pain, he kept breathing heavily.

"Hu… Hahah…"

After his palpitations calmed down, he started laughing.

"…I can't hold it back any longer… so it's only a question of time…"

Right about now, perhaps the pursuers from the SEPB were searching the area. The only reason that he hadn't been found yet was because Ikarino Kirari had sheltered and concealed him.

However, he couldn't escape the signs of his power going wild and trying to take control of him.

Also, he probably couldn't escape from that monster—the Mushitsuki he'd fought against at the riverside—as well. He'd been able to get away once, but he had the feeling he would see that monster again.

Was that Mushitsuki also part of the place prepared for him to die?

He was on the verge of death countless times, yet still lived. At the very end he could be killed like trash by a monster he'd just met—

Perhaps this was the perfect ending for a coward like him that succumbed to his fear and tried running away at the very end.

"Coatl Head? Oh, that thing. Wait, is this for TV? The national network? Live broadcast? Yay, I look great on camera right? I welcome any and all scouts!"

As the boy lay on the carpet, unmoving, a stupid-sounding voice reached his ears.

They apparently chose the wrong person to interview. The reporter looked confused at the boy talking in his own pace.

"Well, my grampa's will said not to appear on TV, but never mind that. I'll just choke back my tears and head out for my Hollywood debut—"

Since he was carrying a worn hockey stick, he was probably a hockey player. The boy didn't know any other sort of people who would use hockey sticks. Although he spoke frivolously, the guy on TV had a well-trained body, so he was probably an excellent player.

"…Hihah."

The boy suddenly looked at another direction and wore a bizarre smile. It wasn't quite distorted. Rather, it was on the verge of breaking—an unnatural smile that could be expressed like that.

"Uh…?"

For just an instant, the boy watching could feel something sway inside him.

Rather than paralysis, perhaps it resembled fear. As if the thing inside him gazed at its archnemesis—a vague impression that he couldn't understand.

Seeing the interviewed boy suddenly run off, the reporter hurriedly smoothed it over.

"B-but on the other hand, there are also some voices of protest from residents about this marking fad. That is because due to its popularity, the amounts of graffiti on shutters and doors of the merchant districts have been on the rise—"

The voices from the television overlapped with a light ringing tone.

At first he ignored it. Yet as it continued multiple times, he finally roused his body.

Just by moving a little his entire body ached. With movements like those of a rusted tin toy, he finally opened the glass door.

"Yes?"

Seeing him in his pajamas, the visitor looked like she was taken completely by surprise.

"Eek."

She was a girl with long bangs and glasses that hid her face. She looked to be around his age. Her slim body was clad in a plain dress.

"I-I'm sorry. Umm, it said it was 'CLOSED', but I just have something to take care of…"

"N-no, I'm also sorry. Is it some request?"

"Umm, y-yes. Ah, no, I already made the request, but—"

The girl nodded her head and lifted a large suitcase she'd left outside. However, bumping into the door's threshold, the suitcase opened and its contents spread on the floor.

"Eh—"

She let out a strange voice without thinking.

Expelled from the classic leather suitcase were small toys in the shape of trees, buildings and people.

Not only that. Mixed with the dolls spread on the floor was also—a large amount of rolls of banknotes.

"I-I'm sorry!"

The girl started hurriedly picking up her stuff. Someone as plain-looking as her didn't seem like someone who'd walk around holding that much money.

He also helped her pick up the dolls and the bills. When he raised his face while crawling on the floor, his eyes met with the girl's.

"How kind of you."

A sudden chill assaulted him.

Her bangs and glasses concealed her eyes that were black like the deepest abyss. This gaze, that seemed to swallow him whole, stop his breathing and toy with him—was one that he felt as if he'd seen somewhere before.

"A-also… you might be a-about… as handsome as Akatsuki-kun…"

Mumbling this while hanging her head the girl returned to collecting.

"T-thank you. S-sorry, for making you help me…"

After they finished picking up the suitcase's contents, the girl's tone quickly became overly-familiar.

Wh…what's up with her—

Even after being released from the spell of her incomprehensible eyes, the alarms inside him kept ringing.

He shouldn't get involved with the girl in front of him. Such a premonition rose inside him.

"Is the boss here? I've asked for a job…"

"Sorry, the boss is not present right now… I believe she'd come back by night."

"I see… since she hadn't contacted me, I guess she didn't find that person yet."

The girl raised her face, looking at the corridor behind him.

Turning around and following her gaze, he saw that he'd left the TV on.

"How far will this Coatl Head marking fad spread, and when will it end? We will continue to follow the fad at the forefront—"

The bespectacled girl smiled. Raising her arm, she poked her index finger in the boy's chest.

"Coatl Coatl Para Emile."

While glaring at his eyes, the girl started talking.

"It is an abstract symbol. The people of old worshipped a large symbol that they couldn't carry by hand, so they believed they could seal that power or perhaps borrow part of it. Even psychologically, the act of marking it meant they could control, conceal and manifest new power…"

Pierced by the girl's abyss-like eyes, the boy couldn't move a muscle.

"The Coatl Head symbolizes the morning star in Mexican mythology… the god of revival. How happy would they have been if the power hidden beneath that symbol hadn't been exposed?"

Giggling, the girl distanced herself from him.

"Tell Kirari-san I said hi."

Putting half her body outside, the girl whispered.

"My Burial Method should've worked perfectly… so I pray that you will do your job perfectly as well… tell her that."

Leaving those words behind, the girl weaved out through the office door and was gone.

Now that he couldn't see the mystery girl anymore, he finally slumped in exhaustion. Just by handling a somewhat creepy visitor, his recovered vitality and spirits were taken away.

"What was this just now…"

Grumbling to himself and attempting to go back to the living room, there was another doorbell sound.

Does nobody see the sign?

Although he was angry, he was left with no choice and so returned to the corridor.

Opening the glass door, a girl holding a plastic bag with bread inside puffed her chest.

"The kind lady Momo has purchased the famous fruits custard, yeah! Telling the story of how I managed to sneak away from school during the lunch break is sure to bring tears to your eyes—"

"…"

"Ah! Don't close the door, hey! You're a freeloader! Hey now! Doctor, it's an emergency case! Manager!"

Perhaps he was going to be killed by stress before his wounds fully healed.

While collapsing on the couch, he had a sense of an impending crisis.

The intersection near the station was crowded. Every time the traffic lights overlooking the large billboard changed color, people and vehicles moved ahead like an avalanche.

A large symbol appeared on the billboard's electronic screen.

Coatl Head—

That fad had apparently spread throughout the whole country. Displayed on the billboards were advertisements with pop songs taking advantage of this fad. The lyrics of the song themselves were a commonplace love song, but judging from television it sold well.

And it wasn't just on the billboard.

"Coatl Coatl—"

A girl who looked to be about middle school age passing on the way muttered something to her ring that had the symbol on it. She recited the charm with a serious face; what sorts of emotions was she putting into it?

In bookstores there were magazines with special features about the fad. There was also graffiti of it on power poles, covered by letters that appeared to contain wishes.

"Daiske."

When Tanaka Momo called his name it felt to him slightly different from how it was normally pronounced.

Standing near the crossroad absently, he raised his face.

"Didja see that? On the billboard? That 'Love Charm: Coatl Head' advertisement! That song's great, so listen to it now. It's already my thirteenth time this day, yeah."

While doing meaningless actions like skipping around, Momo pointed at the billboard.

Was that the title…?

He instantly guessed that it wouldn't fit him.

"The only problem's that they're underestimating Coatl Head, I guess. Never mind love, that symbol can solve any problem, yeah!"

This time Tanaka Momo wasn't wearing her usual pajamas. Since it was her day off, she wore a casual shirt and skirt. —However, the design and material of the shirt differed from left to right, and the skirt had seemingly nonfunctional belts hanging from it, so her individuality shone through.

"Hmm…"

He had no interest in the topic, so he simply ignored it.

Although his wounds have healed, he was far from being at full health. He wanted to stay put in the office, but in the end he'd been forcibly dragged out by Momo.

The sleeves of the t-shirt and cargo pants he'd borrowed from Kirari were a bit short, but he was able to wear them with no issue. The gauzes and bandages around his arms and face would probably not stand out that much.

"They're even doing movies, yeah. A pair of star-crossed lovers, reunited by Coatl Head… I've seen it three times already, but if you're really interested—"

"No, not really…"

"If we go this way we'll reach my school. Well, they're still having lessons, but will you come with me? I don't like the design of the totem pole in the staff room. If we want to color it the way I'd like it we have to do it now, while the teachers are not there, yeah."

"If an outsider like me goes there it'll probably cause problems, so nah…"

"Then how about something to eat? I know this really good ramen p—"

"I'm not hungry… and I don't have any money."

"Then where would you like to go?!"

Momo swatted the paper she was holding on the ground. It was a movie ticket.

"I just thought that if you holed up in the office all day you'll grow mold and I even skipped school to take you out! At least make a happy face, yeah!"

"As if I'd grow mold! I was going to house-sit today too! But you've dragged me out here! Stop making people do what you want!"

The pair glared at each other in the middle of the road with people walking around them.

"Do you really wanna house-sit that much? Do you have a house fetish? Why don't you marry that house?"

"Yeah, I'll marry it! I love houses! You've got a complaint about me and the house?"

"You cannot marry houses. Also, I know that Kirarin gave you some money. You thought you'd pretend you don't have any and pull the wool over my eyes but that's not gonna work, yeah."

"You've just started caring for me, so I have to at least watch the house."

He averted his eyes, scratching his head.

"And as for money… I know the office can't spare it. Can't just use it recklessly."

In addition, he'd also seen Kirari paying Momo for her part-time work. That payment, coming in the form of wrinkled bills and small coins, was all the money that the office could muster to pay.

"…"

Momo became silent, picking up the ticket and returned it to her pocket. "I'll pay for it, yeah." Momo had rejected the payment back then.

"Well, we can just talk while walking. Let's go."

"…Sure."

Momo urged him and he nodded. Side by side, they started walking through the crowded street.

Ikarino Kirari had also gone on "errands" and left the office early morning. Day after day, she would only come back late at night.

Noticing a gaze, the boy raised his face.

"…?"

Momo was glaring at his face.

Unlike how she normally was, her eyes were completely locked onto him. He'd seen her like this many times until now, but it caused him a chill this time.

The world Tanaka Momo was seeing was probably completely different than his.

"Say, Daiske."

When she uttered this, her face regained its usual brightness.

"Was one of your parents a foreigner?"

"No—"

He averted his eyes from her.

"They weren't."

"But your eye color is a bit pale. Your body also looks a bit leaner than a pure Japanese. You're as uniquely handsome as Mars, man."

"Mars?"

"A popular figure used as a model for statues. You were probably popular with girls, right?"

"N-not really…"

"You don't have to hide it. Or wait, maybe… are you a runaway, Daisuke? So you don't like going out because if someone recognized you things could turn ugly? Sounds likely, yeah."

"No, that's not—"

There were only very few people who knew his real face. As long as he didn't use his powers as a Mushitsuki, going out just a few times wouldn't get him found, probably.

"Anyway, nobody knows how I look in this town…"

Raising his face, he looked around the town with only his eyes.

Not only there.

No matter where he went, there would probably be no people who knew his "real face".

"—Your profile also looks pretty nice, yeah."

Simultaneous with Momo's voice, something touched his cheeks.

"But sorry to say this, Daiske… Kirarin and I know you!"

The girl wrote something on his cheeks. She did it so quickly he was too surprised to dodge her.

"Wha…?"

"I wrote 'Daisuke' in English. Now you're like me."

"Ah, wait, this is oil-based! I-I can't get it off!"

"Your name is Kusuriya Daisuke. Now everyone will know you, yeah."

Momo held up the marker, raising her index finger.

Giving up on erasing it, he sighed. It was a common name anyhow. Also, there shouldn't be any people in town who know his real name instead of his SEPB codename.

"Now we look like a weird couple…"

"A cou…? T-that's not what I meant to do… yeah…"

Hearing his nonchalant whisper, Momo's cheeks reddened and she lowered her glance.

The pair walked through the crowd aimlessly.

How many hours passed? While looking at the clothes hanging outside second-hand shops, Momo opened her mouth.

"Kirarin is… y'know. She's too kind."

He stayed silent.

"At times even those who came for requests are angry at her. Well, that's understandable. Once she'd been asked to search for a lost cat, but she saw that it made a family with a stray cat, so she let it go. When she investigated a cheating husband and found where it happened, she spoke to the husband in secret to solve the matter. Now that there was no cheating and they became a happily married couple, there was no longer any need to pay her."

There were probably countless such examples. Momo started counting on her fingers.

"She was asked to remove illegally dumped trash, and after wasting time on something that should be done by volunteers, she went over the allotted time, so the money was forfeit. During the construction of an event hall, she fell for the sponsor's sob story and her reward money had been halved. Et cetera, et cetera…"

"That's a serious illness…"

"Also, from time to time, she would hide somewhere and then return very tired or hurt. I think she's taking very special requests. And probably without any compensation."

"Special requests?"

Seeing him questioning this, Momo grinned. She put her finger on her lip, whispering to him in a low voice.

"We accept special requests related to 'insects'—"

"…"

"That's Handyman Kirari☆'s special advertisement. You're also like that… right Daiske?"

As they glared at each other, he couldn't answer.

"You don't seem surprised, yeah. I've met a Mushitsuki once."

Since she didn't fear him, it meant that the Mushitsuki she'd met wasn't a bad one. However, if he'd been the one she met, Momo wouldn't be able to forgive Mushitsuki like this.

"I'm—"

When asked if he was a Mushitsuki, he couldn't answer. Rather than being cautious, he couldn't even reply with yes or no.

"I was a Mushitsuki… would probably be better to say."

"Was?"

"I can't use my power anymore… if I do, I'll never be able to regain control."

The spams that signaled the rampage became fiercer by the day. Kirari had watched him writhing countless times.

Completely losing control of the power inside him was only a matter of time.

"Where I came from, if you had no power you were useless… I don't want to return there, so I ran away… I have no other place to be in."

Strangely, the words came out of his mouth easily.

The fate entrusted upon him, and his dream—he ran away from it all, and exposed his shame. He wouldn't care if anyone saw his pathetic form now.

Momo gazed at his profile. He couldn't possibly tell what she was thinking about and how was the world she was seeing.

The girl extended her hand, touching his chest with her fingertips.

He couldn't see the mark she was drawing with his eyes, but its shape was clear.

Coatl Head.

God's charm that made all wishes come true.

"She'll not throw you away, yeah."

Momo said with a powerful yet clear voice.

Looking at him slightly widening his eyes, she smiled.

"Since Kirarin is endlessly kind, she will not abandon you, Daiske."

"…"

"I might abandon you, though."

With a satisfied smile, Momo said something cold.

"Because I'm not kind. Even my part-time job right now is just making sure Kirari wouldn't be deceived by clients and that she actually gets money. To protect Kirarin I'll be as merciless as I need, yeah."

He smiled wryly.

"Looking at it from Kirari's perspective, aren't you even kinder?"

"I'm not kind at all. I'm a wretched villain."

"Wow, you're blushing."

"I-I'm not! Well, it's fine. For the sake of the argument let's say I'm kind, yeah."

"What do you mean…?"

"If you want me to be kind as well, you'll need me to like you very much. If I like you, then perhaps just a little bit—I'll be colder to other people, and kinder to you, yeah."

Ikarino Kirari was kind to anyone.

Tanaka Momo, meanwhile, would make 100 enemies for the sake of a single person.

Possessing two types of kindness, perhaps these two made a nice combo.

"Still, sounds really tough for her to work as a handyman with that personality."

He spoke as he started walking again.

It was his honest impression. It wasn't a job one could do while simply being kind. Even age-wise it was tough handling an office. Even just working in some fast food restaurant would allow her to make much more money.

Momo's profile suddenly became sullen.

"That's the fault of Akasegawa Group, yeah."

"…Akasegawa Group?"

He recalled there was a company with that name. He heard that the late founder had so much influence that he practically held the business world by their ears.

"They're harassing Kirarin. Her being unable to go to school and working properly are both because they're standing in her way, yeah."

"Why would they…"

"She won't tell me any more than that even if I ask. Apparently something happened in the past between her and the current Chairman, but… Kirarin doesn't resist them no matter what they do and that's just weird, yeah."

Momo jabbed her right and then left fist at the air aiming at the backs of the people walking ahead.

"…"

People had both their past and present.

Kirari also had her story that reached this far. He couldn't meddle in it, and he didn't think he'd be any help, either.

"Ah—"

Momo suddenly changed her expression.

"Sorry, but can you wait a bit?"

She ran ahead, perhaps finding someone she knew in the crowd.

Momo was heading toward the CD shop on the edge of the road. The boy saw her slipping through the automatic door and call out toward a girl inside the shop.

She was a petite girl with an outfit peculiar enough to rival Momo's—wearing a horned hat. She had a marker case like Momo's hanging from her side.

He wasn't able to see clearly from afar, but when Momo called out to the horned girl, she seemed uncomfortable. As if following that, Momo also looked mad. Before long the horned girl shook Momo off and ran out of the store. She rushed toward him, her sepia-colored hair swaying.

Their eyes met.

For an instant, he had an extremely nasty sensation. There was no doubt that he'd never seen her, so why did he feel disgusted as if he just met his lifelong nemesis?

Even the girl herself bared her hatred as she saw him. Perhaps not liking his glare, she grimaced.

Him and the horned girl.

They felt an incomprehensible hostility as they passed one another—

"Momo…?"

Averting his face from the horned girl, he rushed toward Momo who was standing outside the shop.

"What's wrong?"

As he called her, he unconsciously gulped.

"It's—it's nothing—"

There were large tears forming in the sides of her eyes cast down.

"Did that girl… do something to you?"

Black hatred welled up inside him. Just seeing such a cheerful girl start crying made the hatred he felt for the other girl even stronger.

"Don't make that face."

Raising her face, Momo looked at him. Seeing his face reflected in her misty eyes, he gasped.

"It's fine… I just had a bit of a fight with my friend…"

Unable to do anything but stand, he watched Momo biting her lips.

1.03 The Others[edit]

Inside the café near the station, Kirari checked the contents of the manila envelope she'd received.

Confirming the number of bills, she handed over receipts in return, bowing.

"Thank you for using our services."

The man sitting on the other side of the table said "No no, you're the one who's helped me" while laughing. His worn-out suit and head full of white hair seemed fitting for someone like him that worked in middle management as a public servant.

"I don't know which big shot is giving that lecture, but they asked us to change the place so suddenly. Just handling construction and obtaining equipment and manpower was trouble enough. If you hadn't been helping us we would've never made it in time for the opening. Seriously, the higher-ups can't just order us to—"

The middle-aged man complained while drinking coffee. "Excuse me," Kirari said as she lowered her head and took the cup in front of her, filling it with iced water.

"It really is a thankless job. Damned if you do, damned if you don't…"

She had received many requests from the man in front of her, who served as the general affairs subsection head. Although her jobs from government offices were few, the payment was assured so it helped her a lot.

However, she knew that it would definitely not continue for long.

"By the way. It's hard to say… we've asked for your help in the shopping district event, but can we cancel that?"

Consequently, when the man suddenly broached the topic she wasn't surprised in the least.

"…Understood. If you ever need me again, call for me."

Without even asking the reason, she meekly lowered her head. The man bent forward, whispering to her.

"Miss Handyman. Have you done something to the Akasegawa Group?"

"…"

"Just between you and me, I've been receiving some pressure. Having those sharks suddenly come to us made even my bosses shake. Do you have any idea?"

"No… sorry for causing you trouble."

Kirari bowed again.

She did have an idea. However, in addition to what happened in the past, she didn't want to complain and cause problems for him.

"Well, once the heat is off I'll ask you again in secret."

Saying this and smiling amicably, the man indeed didn't look like he would make it far in his career.

She felt guilty for taking advantage of his goodwill, but Kirari flung a question at him.

"May I ask you a question?"

"Hmm?"

"There was the explosion incident at the electrical substation… right now, how is the public treating the matter?"

"Oh, that incident… why are you asking?"

"It's a personal matter, but it relates to something different… of course, if it troubles you I will ask no further."

"Hmm. About that, those disaster prevention guys complained about it. Although there weren't any casualties, the police and some fishy people forcibly dug out the materials and took them away—"

The light-mouthed public servant was able to present some information even while keeping it vague.

Hearing his tale, Kirari said her thanks and rose from the seat.

"Oh, and another thing. I don't know if it's some sort of charm or whatever, but they're finding the increasing graffiti troubling. I wanted to ask you to take care of that as well but…"

The man said to her back just as she was leaving. While he was looking out of the windows, his eyes focused on some girls leaving a strange mark on a nearby power pole.

A diagonally-slanted arrow and two lines crossing it.

That symbol was God's charm and could make any wish come true.

"It's Coatl Head."

Kirari said, smiling.

"If you have children, they definitely know about it."

"I'll try asking… I wonder if that could serve as a topic for one of our rare parent-child talks."

As he grabbed his walking stick, the man's expression became a slightly happy smile.

This night, if the man spoke with his children—then those children would talk about it tomorrow with their friends.

And so it would spread.

The marking fad would spread anywhere and everywhere—

"Coatl Coatl Para Emile."

Leaving the café, Kirari passed by the girls reciting the chant near the power pole. Holding the manila envelope, she headed toward a supermarket near the road.

Yet her thinking ground to a halt and she stopped in place.

Paying her bills would probably mean that she could kiss goodbye even the money she'd just received. However, she was late on her payment anyway and she thought of a different way to spend it. —Also, since she'd already received another investigation request on a different matter, she could use the money from that to pay the bills.

Today she could splurge a little bit, buy some nutritious food and go back home. There was also the wounded Kusuriya Daisuke, and since she just finished her work and had an empty stomach she wanted to reward herself.

As she was walking the curtain of night fell and the neon signs around town started lighting up. Her cellphone suddenly rang.

"Hello, Handyman Kirari☆ speaking."

The screen displayed an anonymous number, but she knew the person on the other side.

"Oh, Munakata-san… it has been a long time."

Munakata Kaiji. He was acting as a patron for the Mushitsuki resistance group known as Mushibane. As an entrepreneur, he was well-known only to the people in the know.

"Yes, yes. This isn't a mistake… the boy with that large bag, right. I have introduced him. Yes… is that so. Please tell him to do his best. —Have you found out anything about Haemori Ak—is that so… no, thank you very much. Huh? Snow Fly-san wants to…? No, being greeted by her… I'm not such an important—"

Mushi and Mushitsuki.

Kirari had become involved with these special beings a long time ago.

Well, it was only a handful of years ago.

Yet in those few years Kirari met countless Mushitsuki. Even now, because she was involved with Mushitsuki that much, she had been able to make contacts in many places.

All of it started in middle school, when she'd met a certain Mushitsuki.

"Sorry, I know that Mushibane's also going through a huge change right now. Yes, yes… Munakata-san, how is your health…? Oh, I see."

Noticing some engine noises, she looked ahead, the cellphone still held to her ears.

An abnormally long white limousine parked near Kirari. A black-suited man coming out of it grabbed her arm.

"Please do take care of yourself. Yes, well then—"

Without moving, Kirari said her goodbyes to the other side, and then ended the call.

"Get inside, please."

Not letting her even reply, Kirari was flung into the car.

The door was closed with a thud and at the same time, the limousine started moving.

The interior of the car she'd been taken captive on was almost too spacious to think it was actually the inside of a car. There were long seats on both sides and a table in the center. Visible throughout the soundproof glass in the front were the figures of the driver and the man who forced her inside the limousine.

Kirari scowled at the smell of alcohol filling the car.

"Yaha. Long time, Kirari."

Not including those beyond the soundproof glass, the only ones inside the car were Kirari and another girl her age.

Since she was wearing a party dress, perhaps she was getting back home from some event. The large ornaments decorating her long hair were the same color as her flushed cheeks. She had drowsy eyes as she leaned back on the seat, and near her legs was a walking stick in the shape of an upside-down J.

There was a bottle on the table, and the liquid both inside it and within the glass the girl was holding in her hand was expensive-looking red wine. —Minor drinking was against the law, but no cops would probably be able to arrest her.

Mushi Uta 8 p119.jpg

While kicking the wine opener that fell on the floor, the girl cackled.

"Aren't you as dirt-poor as always?"

Akasegawa Nanana.

The girl that served as the Chairman of the large company that held many businesses under its umbrella—the Akasegawa Group.

"…"

In contrast to Nanana who sat on the driver's side, Kirari sat in the opposite rear seat.

Inside the wide limousine, the two people sat in opposite sides. —That distance exemplified the changed relationship of the two past friends.

"You look to be well, Nanana."

Kirari, who wore cheap clothes, smiled toward the expensively-dressed Nanana.

"Everything's going swimmingly well; the economy is so good it's a bother."

"I see."

"It looks like your economy is worse than ever, though. Was your job cancelled?"

"…"

"Yahaha. What's up with that weird face? Are you laughing? Are you crying?"

Seeing Kirari make a complex expression, Nanana clapped her hands and laughed.

"Well, I got in your way, of course."

"…"

"Even so I followed the rules in my own way. I didn't hurt you directly and I won't get involved in matters of life or death. Because I find you important, you know? We're friends, after all."

Right, friends.

Kirari not receiving her middle school graduation report, being unable to enroll in high school, being unable to work anywhere so that she had to run an unlicensed handyman business—all of that was because she was standing in Nanana's way.

Being robbed of her future was also because of Nanana.

"That's right."

Kirari smiled.

Even now, she thought of Nanana as her friend. —Even if she knew Nanana calling her a "friend" was a farce.

"Yahahaha."

After flailing her limbs and laughing for a while, Nanana looked at Kirari with teary eyes.

"Aren't you an idiot?"

"…"

"If you'd just told me where the Kind Magician was, we could have stayed friends."

Once, when Kirari had been a middle schooler—

There was a Mushitsuki.

She was a Mushitsuki older than Kirari who had the ability to swap her five senses or her mind with other people.

That Mushitsuki kept using her ability to help strangers. Because she'd always receive pain from other people, every time Kirari met her, her body was covered in wounds. She obviously worked without reward, and even those people whose pain she took didn't know about her.

The girl herself said that this was the only possible thing she could do.

She could do nothing else.

She said that the one who made her notice that was the girl called Akasegawa Nanana.

That was why that Mushitsuki would protect Nanana from the shadows, and Nanana also called her the Kind Magician in admiration.

"…"

It wasn't just Nanana who admired her.

Kirari also admired the Kind Magician.

Or perhaps it would be more precise to say that she sympathized with her. She resembled that Mushitsuki in everything—starting from her not being good at talking and being unable to make a decent living.

That Mushitsuki had taught Kirari many things.

Among those were hand-to-hand fighting, underground knowledge—even lock picking and hacking became useful once she started working as a jack-of-all-trades.

It wasn't just that. Fighting against Mushitsuki, resisting mental attacks and the like, have all saved Kirari from predicaments countless times.

"Won't you give up already? Isn't your complexion bad? Don't you want to have a proper meal?"

Just like her name entailed, the Kind Magician was very kind, and a powerful Mushitsuki.

She had offered up her body for complete strangers and her benefactor Nanana.

Yet just once—she had made a mistake.

Kirari knew the result of this sad news.

Perhaps the Kind Magician herself also knew her fate. That was why she'd taught everything to Kirari.

One day, the Kind Magician suddenly vanished—

Kirari, who knew that reason for it, still hadn't told anything to Nanana.

And Nanana was angry.

Following this betrayal, her friendship turned to hatred.

And Kirari—lost both her friend and her future simultaneously.

"You're helping Mushitsuki secretly… did you think I don't know about that?"

Nanana changed her expression. Since Kirari kept her mouth shut, she apparently changed her method of attack.

"…"

Kirari, who didn't know her parents, had lived in a certain facility, but it had been closed down after the donor organization helping it had shut down.

Immediately after losing everything, Kirari had been saved by the Kind Magician and got taught many illegal methods. Making her livelihood through theft, she met Mushitsuki by coincidence, and ended up helping them.

However, after being found by the Special Environmental Preservation Bureau—she met the person called Haji Keigo.

When the youth with the cynical smile saw Kirari, he looked like he was scheming something. They didn't speak much, but he gave Kirari living expenses. For some reason not even Nanana could stand in his way. She still remembered how vexed Nanana had been back then.

Ever since, Kirari spent her days as a handyman, and also helped Mushitsuki in need. Now, in addition to her vast connection network, some Mushitsuki even heard rumors and came to her by themselves.

Perhaps if she hadn't met the Kind Magician, she'd been able to live as a normal girl.

One could also say that Mushitsuki were the root of evil that stole her future.

Even so she kept helping Mushitsuki—

Perhaps because of a single, worthless reason.

"You keep worrying about Mushitsuki even now, right?"

Her past friend spoke, wearing a malicious smile.

"Aren't you also worried about the incident at the electric substation? Maybe it's related to Mushitsuki as well-"

Kirari's heart skipped a bit.

She carelessly let it show on her face. Nanana grinned.

"Yaha. I knew it. If you tell me where the Kind Magician is, I'll help you."

The Mushitsuki born in this town rose to the back of Kirari's mind.

That Mushitsuki had a problem that was incomparable to any of those she'd met before.

And it was also—a Mushitsuki that must never be allowed to exist.

She hated her fate for having met someone like that just this once.

It was a hopeless event that she couldn't deal with. However—

"…"

"Is something weird?"

Seeing Kirari's smile, Nanana grimaced.

It had all ended already.

That Mushitsuki that shouldn't have been born was already gone.

No one, no matter who they were, could reveal their gravestone.

By disappearing from the world, that Mushitsuki could be said to have been saved—

"So stupid. Helping strangers and even Mushitsuki… one day they're going to kill you."

Nanana spoke hatefully.

It was true.

By saving Mushitsuki, she would gain nothing. And so she affirmed it.

"Yes, it is stupid."

"Yes, it's stupid. Stupid, stuuupid. Yahaha. Stupid Kirari!"

With her drunkenness, Nanana flailed her limbs and raised laughter.

"I'm too stupid, so I can't even pretend to be stupid. …Unlike you, Nanana."

The movements of the clamoring Nanana stopped in place. —For the young Nanana to survive in the business world controlled by ambition, she knew how to deal with things in unorthodox methods.

Even though she knew there was nothing she could do.

Even if she knew she was being stupid.

Kirari probably kept saving Mushitsuki—for the same reason like that friend in front of her.

And for her it was a hopeless reason.

Nothing more than a simple, single emotion.

"Say, Nanana."

Along with her smile, Kirari inquired.

"Do you hate Mushitsuki?"

Nanana—the girl who, despite always scheming these obstructions, never stood in her way when it had to with Mushitsuki—turned around. Perhaps due to her excessive laughter, there were tears in her eyes.

The girl who came to like Mushitsuki just like Kirari spoke in a hoarse voice.

"—I loathe Mushitsuki."

The limousine stopped in a road near Kirari's office.

When she got off, the limousine left immediately.

"…"

Seeing off the white car, Kirari felt a certain anxiety.

Although she'd been able to act strong in front of Nanana, her bad premonition wasn't gone.

According to what she heard from the general affairs subsection head, it was obvious that there were people investigating the explosion incident at the electrical substation.

"People are trying to find the Mushitsuki of the Substation Ruins…"

Mumbling, she gazed at the townscape visible from the road.

Mixed with neon lights, she could see the symbol drawn in fluorescent colors here and there.

The charm that could make anything come true, Coatl Head—

Kirari hadn't started being cautious only recently. Ever since the incident at the substation, she never let her guard down.

Because of this, she was convinced.

"There are multiple groups… at the very least, more than two forces are hiding in this town—"

Kirari could definitely feel the presence of the invisible searchers.

And all of them were probably dreadfully cautious and shrewd.

"What are they trying to do, searching for a Mushitsuki that's no longer here…?"

The Mushitsuki born in this town was gone.

Even so, if there was someone who was trying to expose their tomb—Kirari would continue hiding it.

Forever.

She wouldn't let anyone touch that gravestone—

"…?"

Having returned to the office, she tilted her head.

Underneath the starry sky, there was a single shadow that stood there as if waiting for her.

Waiting for Kirari under the building of the office.

She knew the meaning of that action.

"Do you have a request?"

Grinning, Ikarino Kirari received her client.


2.00 The Beast and Momo Part 2[edit]

This off-limits area was wrapped in unbearable silence.

The only comfort was the round moon floating in the night sky. If not for the moonlight serving as the single source of illumination, he would have probably crashed into a hard iron pole.

A forest of steel—

That metaphor rose to mind.

The vast premises made of asphalt had orderly lined of rusted metal-made pillars.

Cables extending from tower to tower resembled a spider's nest. Because he was underneath that net, perhaps he was like a caught fly.

"Haa… Haa…"

In the electric substation ruins outside town, even the air seemed stagnant.

Being there, hiding under the iron poles and breathing heavily, perhaps he had been the first visitor there in a while. It didn't seem like any people have come to this place that reeked of the smell of iron.

"Don't overexert yourself, Daiske. Your wounds aren't healed yet…"

Kirari's voice echoed from his pajama's pocket. He brought out the walkie-talkie and spoke to it.

"Momo got inside even before me… Momo? Reply."

If he spoke loudly there was the concern his target would notice him. So he repeated in a low voice.

"Momo!"

"We can only pray for her safety… Daiske-san, just move and think only about yourself."

He grimaced. Being so weak that a civilian would be worried about him felt vexing.

"Can't believe I'm having trouble with such small fry…"

He was currently in the outdoors part of the substation. The electric lines extending from the other side of the fence were divided to the countless transmission towers, and probably went even further, toward town.

The old building visible from afar was a satellite facility. Extended by the moonlight, the shadow of the grass growing underneath the shut door reached the ground.

At present the substation was not in use. According to Kirari and Momo, the underground facility near the station had been completed a few years ago, so all functions had been moved there.

"I don't sense anything… where's it hidden?"

Stifling his footsteps, he moved to the next tower. And he kept walking from one tower to another.

"Where is it…?"

The premises were vast, but it wasn't just the area of the tower forest.

If there was any moving figure at all he couldn't possibly miss it—and just as he thought of this, he raised his face with a start.

If he noticed it even a moment later, he might not have been able to dodge the attack.

A shadow rushed at full speed down the tower, leaping toward him.

"…!"

Dodging the instant before it hit, he turned toward the figure that landed on the ground.

The two eyes glowing in the darkness glared at him for an instant. Soon it left him behind, running away quickly.

"You're not getting away!"

He had no insurance he could dodge the next surprise attack. He struck pursuit with full speed to not lose his opponent.

However, the field surrounded by cables and towers was obviously to the opponent's advantage. The boy was still not fully healed and the enemy's footwork was much too light. The distance between them grew larger.

"Guh!"

Bumping his shoulder against a transmission tower, he rolled on the ground. Yet he immediately rose up and kept chasing.

"Shit…!"

I can't catch up—

He was about to give up when he approached the exit of the area surrounded by towers.

"—Lock on!"

A figure was passing by the last tower.

"Attack!"

Someone leapt at his target from the side.

It was Tanaka Momo.

She had apparently waited outside the area. The shadows of Momo and the target overlapped and then rolled vigorously on the ground.

"Momo!"

His face pale, he leapt out of the forest of towers.

Immediately after, he widened his eyes.

"Wha…"

There was—no ground below.

A large hole opened in the middle of the plain, exposing the drainage and switchboards beneath the ground.

"Ahh…AHHH!!!"

Although there was no ground, it wasn't exactly a sheer precipice. Unable to stop immediately, he rolled down the bowl-shaped basin.

"Yelp!"

An impact and a groan like that of a dog.

"Ugh…"

While holding his dizzy head, he opened his eyes.

"Nihi."

The girl with "momo" drawn on her cheeks, Tanaka Momo, was grinning.

"Request successfully completed, yeah!"

The eyes glaring at Momo and him belonged to the powerful opponent they had been chasing all this while—

A chestnut-colored ferret.

"Ouch."

Although small, this fully-fledged predator scratched the boy's nose. Despite Momo being the one to capture it and not him, the ferret exposed its fangs toward him.

"He's scared of you, Daiske. Probably thinks you're mortal enemies, yeah."

While Momo was laughing, she shook the ferret's body. With its rear legs swaying, the nocturnal beast's glowing eyes drew arcs of light in the darkness.

—Please capture the ferret causing problems to the neighborhood.

This was the request handed to Handyman Kirari☆ the other day.

It was raised as a pet but presumably abandoned by its owner. The now-wild animal snuck into a certain building, ate a bird in its cage and devastated the kitchen.

"Shut up… it's just that I've always been bad with animals."

"…"

"Ouch! Don't turn this thing over here!"

"If you don't move first then I can't move… yeah."

Momo used the ferret to hide her expression, looking upwards at him.

He finally noticed that he had been pushing Momo down inside the hole in the ground.

Since his eyes were spinning, his sense of up and down was reversed. He hurriedly moved to the side.

"S-sorry."

"I don't know which one of you was the animal here, yeah."

For some reason the other beast, the ferret, wasn't afraid of Momo. The cold gaze of a girl and an animal pierced through him.

He rose up while scratching his head, grimacing at the dull pain.

"Ugh."

When he rolled down the hole, he apparently sprained his leg.

"And you're also slow… yeah."

His body had deteriorated more than he thought. His face flushed with embarrassment and shame.

"You wouldn't normally think there'd be a place like this. What's up with this…?"

"You came from outside town, right? So you wouldn't know. It became major news, though."

"News?"

"There was an explosion incident here. It was mystery with no known cause, yeah."

Furrowing his brows, he overlooked the hole.

The width of the gouged ground was about the size of a soccer stadium.

Contrary to expectations, the sloping surface was not made of ground or gravel. It was covered by asphalt as if it had melted down from extraordinary heat.

If there really was an explosion, it should've been a large one. Would a mere short circuit cause this much damage?

"It happened a while ago. Since this place wasn't used anymore they kinda just left it like that."

"Hmm… but how did you know how to catch the ferret here?"

Momo grinned. Rising up while still holding the ferret, she climbed up the slope.

"Thou need to go. The answer thou seeketh shalt now appear!"

"What the heck…"

Dragging his sprained leg, he reached the edge of the hole.

"—"

What he saw in front of him made him go speechless.

The surroundings of the basin were a vast plain. The weed-covered asphalt was wrecked here and there as if a meteorite had landed there.

What drew his eyes, however, was that directly facing the basin was a single patch of flat ground that remained completely clean.

There was a large mark engraved there.

"Coatl Coatl Para Emile."

Momo's chant was carried by the night's silence.

He'd already heard the name of the symbol drawn in white paint countless times.

Coatl Head—

God's symbol that could grant any wish.

"I just thought you'd definitely come to this symbol too, yeah."

Next to him standing completely stunned, Momo wore the brightest of smiles.

The white symbol reflected the moonlight, sparkling.

"The explosion incident happened just as Coatl Head started gaining popularity… perhaps this even started the fad."

"…"

"Because of that, the local people started calling it a name other than Coatl Head. They thought of it as the first mark born from an explosive impact—"

Momo narrowed her eyes. Her profile carried the expression of looking at something truly important—but also a somewhat lonely expression.

"Coatl Hot."

The white symbol appearing in the station.

It had quite literally fanned the flames of the marking fad sweeping the country.

Although it was nothing more than lines drawn with paint, the symbol in front of his eyes—displayed its presence magnificently.

Momo turned around to look at him standing there.

"You shouldn't move anymore, yeah. Kirarin'll probably come to give you first-aid treatment soon…"

He nodded, simply letting his exhausted body fall down.

Seeing him sprawled on the ground, Momo smiled. She came next to him, the ferret still in her hands.

"I feel like maybe I can believe it a bit… Coatl Head."

"A bit's not good, yeah. You should be zealous!"

The beginning of the marking fad.

Lying on top of Coatl Hot, they gazed up the starry sky.

Perhaps thinking they were still chasing the ferret, Kirari didn't come immediately.

It wasn't that he forgot about the walkie-talkie; he simply didn't feel like using it.

"…"

He felt time slowly passing.

Even now while he was doing this, he couldn't tell when the power inside him would begin to grow restive.

Even just imagining this agony that might come upon him at any time was terrifying.

But now, when he could forget both pain and suffering and leave them behind—if he offered his body to his Mushi, he thought that perhaps he could simply vanish.

Right, if he just succumbed to this pleasant sleep, everything would become easier—

"You can't, yeah."

Still gazing at the stars, Momo mumbled.

"Don't fall asleep. I'll give you first aid… so go back on your own feet."

Go back on his own feet.

The mumbled words of the girl sounded extremely difficult to him right now.

His chest felt constricted, and he bit his lips.

"I'm tired…"

He didn't even try to hide his true feelings.

"You can't be so pampered, yeah."

Whether or not she knew how he felt, Momo spoke casually.

"It's fine already…"

"You can still keep going."

"I can't…"

"I'm telling you not to say that."

"I'm just telling that to myself… Just pretend being strong and keep living…"

"I know. I've seen you."

Momo's extended hand—wiped off the warm thing he felt on his cheeks.

"Then what are you telling me to do now…"

"As I said, let's go back."

"I no longer have the time and strength to…"

"So I have no choice, huh. You really are a trouble, yeah."

Momo leaned her face, looking at him.

"Then I'll take you home."

"…"

"In exchange… I'll tell you my secret."

"…Secret?"

"I know the origin of this explosion incident."

Momo once again looked up the starry sky. She patted the ferret who was scratching its nose with its front leg.

"There was a Mushitsuki here… but she's gone now. A Mushitsuki with a beautiful pattern on her body."

"…"

"She was a coward and a weakling… just a normal kid unsuited to be a Mushitsuki. But now she's gone… she was defeated by a girl carrying a suitcase. Apparently she was a Mushitsuki that should have never been born."

"…"

"This hole and this mark… Coatl Head is that Mushitsuki's grave."

Momo's voice was calm and collected.

"I haven't told this even to Kirarin so it's a secret, yeah."

He sank into silence for a while.

Now that he was exhausted and unable to use his powers as a Mushitsuki—he was ironically qualified.

He would take Momo's secret with him to the grave.

"Got it."

Since he could do nothing, he also couldn't leak any secrets.

"I won't tell anyone. I will protect… this grave."

"It's a promise then, yeah."

The white symbol was glowing by the moonlight.

The pair lying on top of Coatl Hot wrapped their pinkies.

2.01 Momo and Rau[edit]

The Visual Design class had a different flavor than regular class.

For some reason the blackboard was decorated by flowers and on the far back wall there was an exhibition of pages torn from sketchbooks and things made during the lessons. Objects of unknown purposes peeked out from every locker, and the broom closet had easels instead of cleaning supplies in it.

"Even just speaking of color, we can divide its expression to many attributes and characteristics… with one such method of expression being the usage of tone and hues. The tones are vivid, strong, bright, dark and so on…"

On top of the podium, teacher Yamamoto Rau advanced the lesson. Her good looks went to waste because of her usual gloomy way of speaking and the dark circles around her eyes.

The lesson was about "color".

Tanaka Momo, sitting near the window, opened not her textbook but her sketchbook. Leaning her head on her palm, she drew something with her marker.

"There's a color naming system making use of this… when you name things like vivid blue, light purple, dull yellow and so on, there are also indigo blue, peach, skin color, and there are also colors that carry certain images, such as grayish blue and royal purple—these two kinds. Next, each color has its own effect… we have discussed before about how warm colors seem to expand and cold colors seem to retreat and shrink, but this is also—"

Expansion and reduction.

Momo's heart was right now in the process of doing exactly that.

When looked at the figure in her sketchbook—a portrait of a boy collapsed in a commonplace residential district—she felt anguished as if her chest was constricted.

"Color can also have a deep relationship to people's psychology. Seeing certain colors, one can feel love or hate, happiness or sadness and feelings of this sort… this is called the emotion effect. Underline that part."

There were the squeaks of highlighter pens in the class.

Momo alone was using a marker not on the textbook but in her sketchbook.

Coatl Head.

The drawn symbol told nothing about the change happening to her.

"…"

Raising her face, she looked to the other side of the class.

She had gone to the girl sitting there for advice no matter what happened ever since she was little.

Although they were in the middle of a lesson, she wasn't wearing her trademark horned hat. If Momo were to define her sepia-colored using what they learned in class just now, it would be a dark greyish yellow, or perhaps the color of bamboo tea.

That classmate, often called just Sepia, was Momo's childhood friend. Although they were friends enough to enroll into the same school, lately Sepia had been avoiding her.

She could surmise the reason for it, but Momo didn't find the chance to speak with her about it.

"…Haa."

She had plenty of other friends, but she didn't feel like going to anyone other than Sepia for advice.

She wanted to talk about the mysterious freeloader that appeared where she worked part-time.

She had cooperated with him yesterday to complete a job.

Also—the fact that right now she could only think about him and was strangely anxious about it.

She had so many things she wanted to talk about, but Sepia didn't even glance at her today.

"I'll guess I'll leave it at that for today…"

The bell rang just as Rau finished the class.

"Tanaka Momo."

The gloomy gaze of the teacher bore at her.

"You have not listened at all to the lesson and only scribbled in your sketchbook… come to this classroom after school."

Shuddup, I don't feel like doing that right now—

She couldn't allow herself to actually say that, so Momo just frowned.

She spent the rest of the day sulkily until school was over.

"Hey—"

She called toward Sepia, who was leaving the class.

Yet Sepia only glanced at her and left with a trot.

No matter how many times she called out to her, it was the same. Normally Momo would get angry, but even if she could hope again tomorrow, today she was terribly hurt.

Although she had something to talk about, her friend wouldn't even listen to her.

She shed tears in class because she couldn't endure it any longer. Crying, she grabbed her bag and left the class quickly.

She passed by her teacher Yamamoto Rau. She hanged her head so that her puffy eyes wouldn't be seen.

"Goodbye, sensei."

"Don't skip out on our meeting like that."

With Momo's shoulder grabbed, she stopped in place. She only then recalled that Rau had told her to meet in the classroom.

"…Well, I'll at least get you some tea."

What face was she making right now?

Hearing Rau's kinder-than-usual voice, she thought of this.

"—I'm so sorry… I'll focus on class properly next time…"

The tea poured into a cup used for washing brushes was awfully bitter.

"I'll reflect on this…"

Sitting in a chair in the classroom, Momo shook her body. She wanted to go to her part-time job ASAP.

Sitting at the table instead of the podium, Rau took her mug and sighed deeply.

"You… just how much do you belittle school?"

"I dooon't. I really respect you, senseiii."

"Are you only capable of either disturbing the course of the lesson or not listening to it at all? I have some confidence in my classes, so it's due time I scolded you for real."

"…I'm sorry."

Rau's classes definitely weren't boring. Furthermore, she understood the hearts of her students more than any other teacher. Momo apologized honestly and bowed.

"The other teachers also found it weird… that Tanaka Momo was being so quiet."

"Just by being quiet…? What kind of tyrant do they think I am?"

"Is something worrying you?"

Rau asked her directly with a disinterested tone. Momo mumbled in response.

"I'm not really sure, yeah… maybe there is."

"That's way too ambiguous… did something happen?"

"Sensei, do you also give counseling to students?"

"Stop saying nonsense… it's just because of how you were in class today. You're always 'bright'-colored, but suddenly you came 'pale', so obviously people would be nervous."

"Hmm."

"What did you draw in your sketchbook?"

"…Nothing, yeah."

Grabbing the cup with both hands, Momo lied. She felt her cheek directed at the window turning hotter.

"—Oh, I see."

Seeing Momo like this, Rau spoke with a disappointed voice.

"So you fell in love."

Momo's hand attempting to carry the green tea to her mouth stopped midway. She looked at Rau with mechanical movements.

"…Pardon?"

"Like I said, you probably like someone, right?"

"No, I mean, that's definitely not… eh?"

"What are you being so flustered about?"

Rau looked confused. Holding the now-empty mug, she rose up.

"I don't know who that boy is… but give it your best shot. There's a limit to how much you can daydream in class."

Perhaps satisfied at having figured out the cause, Rau gave her some half-hearted words of encouragement. As if saying she hadn't any interest in her students' love life, she drowsily combed up her silver-streaked hair.

Momo wordlessly grabbed Rau's suit. She could feel the plastic's unique sensation.

"What is it?"

"…"

"Don't make such a surprised faced… or was my guess wrong?"

As Rau tilted her neck, Momo was flapping her lips with no words coming out.

Were her teacher's instructions correct or not—she was unable to grasp that.

"Calm down. …No, it's not strange to be unnerved like that. It's normal."

"N-normal…?"

"It's something obvious for someone of your age. Everyone experiences love."

"Lo-lo-lo…"

"Love is just a name for it. It's just an illusion, a need of possessiveness… sometimes, it's sympathy or adoration."

"…"

"Fluctuating between them, questioning yourself, attaining euphoria and getting hurt; everyone's like that."

Momo, still grabbing her teacher's suit, glanced at Rau's black eyes returning the gaze.

"Don't worry. You're normal…"

Normal.

At least she should have called her average.

But now that she could even think like that—it meant the anxiousness swirling inside Momo melted away.

"There's no need to rush to an answer… being flustered won't lead to anything decent."

"Sensei…"

"You're all still young. You can just keep thinking for however long you'd like until you reach the answer…"

There was no need to hurry to reach an answer.

She could start slowly nurturing this feeling that she had for the first time in her life—

Momo wore her usual, bright smile toward the teacher called Yamamoto Rau.

"You're a good teacher, yeah."

This time Rau twitched. Seeing her agitated was rare.

"N-no, I'm just—"

"Hmm?"

"I just thought that there was something going wrong between you and a classmate… since it's also a teacher's duty to listen to her students' troubles… oh well—"

Rau showed an even rarer expression.

Slightly raising the edges of her lips, she looked troubled—as if she smiling wryly.

"It's just my job."

Momo judged her to be hiding her embarrassment.

"Yeah… I'm having a fight with my friend right now."

"I see."

"I'm just waiting for my friend to forgive me, yeah. I don't know what I did, but I hope she'll talk to me again sometime."

"I think that perhaps… you should take your distance for a while. That might be good."

Looking at Rau saying this, Momo had a certain hunch.

Perhaps someone worried about Momo and Sepia's relationship had given Rau advice behind the scenes. Perhaps she'd called Momo out in the first place to discuss this.

"Say, sensei. Where are you from?"

As Momo asked this with a smile, Rau raised an eyebrow.

"Why are you asking so suddenly…?"

"You're a foreigner, right? How do you say 'thank you' where you're from?"

For a moment the teacher with silver streaks in her hair stopped moving. As if letting her thoughts run—or perhaps recalling something nostalgic, she stared at empty air.

"Who knows… I've already forgotten."

"Booo. Then I'll say it in proper Japanese. Thanks, sensei."

"You should speak more properly. It's 'thank you very much'…"

Momo said her thanks and handed Rau the cup. About to exit the classroom, she turned around.

"If you're ever troubled by love, I'll come get your advice. Since you're so beautiful I'll bet you have plenty of experience, yeah."

Rau merely shrugged. Holding the cup, she sluggishly walked to the sink and seeing off the back of her teacher, Momo left the room.

Her feet carrying her out of the school and into the city felt much lighter than when she'd entered the classroom.

Turning around the corner of the station, she headed directly to the office.

The old building smelled of dust as always.

Climbing up the stairway with the cracked wall in one fell swoop, she stood in front of the rusted door.

"Handyman Kirari☆ OPEN"—

Opening the door and passing near the calling bell, she opened the glass door. Going through the corridor, she entered the needlessly-fancy living room.

"Eek."

A ferret came leaping at Momo.

Last night there was a request of "pest extermination". Yet the kind Kirari didn't get rid of it under the pretext of taking care of it, and was allowed to keep it by the requester.

As a result, her reward had been halved yet again.

Although she could have lied that she was taking it somewhere, that was what happened when she told the truth. That was the girl called Ikarino Kirari.

"Sepia. Were you a good girl? …You weren't."

Tanaka Momo had been the one to name it. Holding up the ferret she called Sepia, she looked around the ruined living room.

There were torn documents and scratch marks on the walls.

Perhaps they shouldn't have left it in the same room as its natural enemy. The beast they'd picked up before the ferret was breathing in his sleep.

"You have to get along, yeah."

Momo folded her knees, looking at Kusuriya Daisuke's sleeping face. The number of wounds on the boy's face increased; probably traces of his fight with Sepia.

Daisuke's wounds seemed to have been getting better.

However—the fact that with every day his complexion became worse was worrying. He insisted he was fine, but she couldn't watch him without growing anxious.

If left like this, he might wither away—

As this chilling delusion crossed her mind, she bit her lips.

"I hope you'll get better soon, Daiske."

Mumbling, Momo reached for the marker case on her waist. While holding the ferret in one hand, she put a green-colored marker to Daisuke's forehead.

She learned it in class today.

Green was a color used to express stability and liveliness.

And she obviously drew that symbol.

"Coatl Coatl Para Emile."

Momo recited this with a smile.

With the Coatl Head being drawn on his forehead, Daisuke's expression seemed somewhat peaceful now.

2.02 The Annihilators' Shera VS The Annihilators' Biribiri[edit]

After Tanaka Momo left, Yamamoto Rau finished locking the classroom and left to the corridor.

She shuffled her legs walking through the corridor lit by the setting sun.

She couldn't even remember when her habit of dragging her feet started. Perhaps the more she killed people, the more her legs sank into hell.

Even if not, her body was probably approaching its limits.

—Where are you from?"

Just now, her useless student hurled this question at her, and it stayed on her mind.

Rau's motherland.

The scenes she'd nearly forgotten for a long time were revived in her mind.

The roof of the house made of overlapping bricks and the thin children wearing mere rags. The smoke from the chimney and the wild animals crossing the brown river. Also, the established area that could barely be called a city—

How long had it been since Rau, born in such a poor environment, came to this country under the pretext of being a transfer student?

Immediately after setting foot in the country, Rau became a Mushitsuki.

Was it already more than seven years since that? She should be one of the oldest Mushitsuki.

Actually, many things have happened. Getting captured by the SEPB, and being trained as a member—she was left half-dead during the Fuyuhotaru annihilation mission almost four years ago.

Yet Rau survived, and slowly but surely, refined her skills.

All of it was for the dream she'd embraced when coming to this country—

She degraded herself to assassinate those deemed as disturbing elements by the SEPB, and yet only her dream remained unforgotten. Even catching Miguruma Yaeko's attention and becoming Head of the Annihilators was because she fully polished her abilities. —Despite her being unable to compete with Fuyuhotaru in the past, now she had the confidence that her chances of victory were about fifty-fifty—no, that she could defeat her.

Even so, Rau was still far off from making her dream come true.

Until she accomplished her duty, Rau was living as Head of the Annihilators, Shera.

She kept killing anyone who threatened the country.

It was still too early.

She couldn't let a few people shake up the country—

"Bye bye, sensei!"

Probably students that finished their club activities. Passing by her, jersey-wearing girls lowered their heads.

"…"

Rau lightly raised her chin with a gloomy face.

"Goodbye, sensei."

"See you, sensei!"

While Rau was walking like a zombie she was being greeted by the smiles of students going home.

"Bye, sensei."

But they weren't bowing to the teacher called Yamamoto Rau.

She was the assassin Shera who'd infiltrated the school to gather intelligence. For her duty in the Annihilators, for her own personal ambition, she would handle as many students and other targets around their age as needed.

—You're a good teacher, yeah.

Tanaka Momo's words once again rose to her mind.

"…"

The information regarding Mushitsuki spread easily among middle and high-school students. The best mask for Rau to wear, when thinking of her age, was that of a teacher—but choosing this profession had been a mistake.

She wasn't suited to be a teacher.

Being with all those bothersome children every day exhausted her spirits. She seriously thought about killing them many times.

Once again seeing some boys run from the corridor ahead, she felt the murderous impulse rising.

They wore bizarre masks made of folded metals such as aluminum foil, quicksilver and so on. —The only ones who would be running around school wearing that sort of thing had to be the Visual Design students.

"Oh, sensei! How's this? This is our latest creation!"

Instantly she was surrounded by masked students. Perhaps overly excited since they just completed it, the group started a strange dance around Rau.

Are you mocking your teacher? I'll fucking tear your heads off and use them to play bowling.

Even as she cursed in her heart, she recalled.

The Mushitsuki who vanished in this town, and Hakamori—

Although only temporarily so, he was a member of the Annihilators, and a man who always hid his face. The experiment didn't leave him with many memories, but were there some circumstances that led to him hiding his face like that?

Even Rau, as the Head, had only seen his true face a handful of times.

Yet even that mysterious underling might be in town. They were unable to find both him and Kakkou.

"I'll give it a grade right here and now… It's a C."

Pushing aside the masked students, she dragged her legs and weaved between them.

"Ehh? No way! It took us painstaking efforts!"

"You're trying too hard to fit the mold… try remaking it before the deadline."

From behind, she heard the students' unpleased voices.

Rau's knowledge in art was something she happened to have from before. Perhaps it could be said to be her only hobby as someone who polished her abilities as a Mushitsuki and became an assassin.

When she was younger, paintings served Rau as a prison for her emotions.

Or their tombstone, perhaps.

There were fun and happiness, feelings unneeded for her as an assassin, as well as the sadness and suffering accumulated by killing people—she put them all into her brush, sealing them inside the canvas.

Yet at some point, she no longer needed that.

The feelings Rau wanted to put into pictures were already withered inside her—

"Goodbye, sensei."

Meeting Rau as she exited campus was the girl with the horned hat.

Sepia. She was a holding a large board covered in cloth. —Thinking about it, the prize-winning work that got into an exhibition in the city had just been returned to her. While she walked the marker case on her waist hit the board, rattling.

"…"

She thought of trying to speak with Sepia about their talk a while before.

Thinking about this, she suddenly recalled something.

—The keyword is Coatl Head.

Sepia said this when Rau had questioned her about the incident of the electric substation ruins.

Raising her gloomy face, Rau looked beyond the school. Since the school was built right near downtown, by going down the hill one could reach the large national road and shopping district.

Since it was already dusk time, all the people heading toward the station congested on the hill road.

The accessories of passersby.

Power poles.

Stickers on rented apartments.

When she focused and looked for it, she could see that symbol anywhere and everywhere.

"Coatl… Head."

She mumbled to herself.

The charm that had explosive popularity at present.

That symbol had also been left in the substation ruins. Rau hadn't even focused on it, thinking that it was mere graffiti drawn by the city's youngsters.

Yet the more she gazed at Sepia from behind, the more she had a bad feeling.

The Mushitsuki of the Substation Ruins—if Miguruma Yaeko's or even Rau's own sense of danger was correct, that Mushitsuki mustn't be allowed to get away.

But no matter how much time passed, she wasn't able to grasp even their shadow.

The Mushitsuki of the Substation no longer existed in this world—

She was a step before accepting this as fact.

If the unexpected presence of the rebel Kakkou who she couldn't ignore hadn't been there, then perhaps she would have already been recalled to the Central Headquarters.

But what if—

What if she was making a mistaken judgment?

No, in the search until now, hadn't she been fitting too much in the mold?

"Sepia."

When she came to, she called out to the petite girl.

As she turned around, the horned girl was as expressionless as always.

"Even you are using my nickname, sensei?"

"…Do you remember us talking about the substation explosion incident?"

Holding the board in her hands and turning, Sepia drew near.

She girl shook her head.

"'I think you should look more into trends and new fads, sensei'—"

"Oh… what about that?"

"When we talked you mentioned that Coatl Head and another one… some similar term. Please repeat that for me."

"…"

"Actually, since then I've been so interested I haven't slept."

She uttered a silly lie in a dignified matter, but Sepia only calmly replied "Oh, how many days has it been?" Since she saw the girl's expression slightly crumble, she apparently accepted it for the time being.

"It was Coatl Hot."

"Coatl… Hot…"

"In our school, everyone in the know knows about it. —It was the first Coatl Head, engraved along with the explosion."

"The first…?"

"Apparently that symbol was found there after the explosion. Since it was starting then that Coatl Head started gaining popularity… they started calling it like that for fun."

Being told this, Rau recalled.

At first she did notice it. That strange symbol.

But since Coatl Head started trending before long… she simply thought "oh, it's a simple graffiti of some charm" and erased it from her mind. —And that was why she felt as even that stupid mark was laughing at her worrying about it.

"Was it… the other way, then?"

As Rau muttered this without noticing, Sepia tilted her head.

Only now did she notice that the order was reversed.

The Coatl Hot found by Rau wasn't created due to the marking fad in town; it was actually created before it.

"Is something the matter?"

"It's nothing… no, you've really helped me. Thanks."

Rau composed herself again. "Be careful on your way back home," she said to send Sepia off.

Although she'd noticed her mistake, in the end it was just a fad.

Of course, she didn't think it had any relation to Mushitsuki, and it was quite unlikely that Rau would get a hint toward the person she was searching for, the Mushitsuki of the Substation Ruins.

Because of that—she was bothered by it.

Since the very existence of the Mushitsuki of the Substation vanished so perfectly, she doubted even the possibility that someone was hiding them.

But perhaps that was exactly what they wanted her to think.

This was truly a work of art.

She would have to give a grade of A to whoever managed to make that Mushitsuki disappear.

"Maybe I need to change my thinking…"

Climbing the hill road, she headed to the opposite direction of the station.

Straying from the road curving on the hill, she entered a narrow path leading into a bamboo grove.

Even the majestic form of the bamboos was ruined by the electric wires entering her sight. —Only Rau thought this, so perhaps it was the generational gap with her students.

A tall boy was standing ahead. Rau approached and he stopped in place.

"Ashimaki. Your routine report."

"Bleh…"

The mouth of Rau's subordinate—Ashimaki of the Annihilators—opened to spill the legs of a Mushi. Yet soon withdrawing them, he started speaking mechanically.

"No presence found that could be the Mushitsuki of the Substation Ruins. No Hakamori either. Also no response like Kakkou. No response of any Mushi appearing nearby. Over."

"So no progress… what about Biribiri?"

"I wasn't able to get in contact with her since noon."

"Say what…?"

It happened immediately after Rau narrowed her eyes.

Speak of the devil or whatever. She heard a cheerful voice from the other side of the field.

"Bzzbzzt. Bzzbzzt."

Turning around, she immediately saw the familiar jagged hairpin. With the jagged tips of her hair swaying, Biribiri approached while skipping horridly.

"Bzzbzzt."

"You… I heard you cut off contact—"

Rau sighed with a gloomy face, closing the distance—and then it happened.

"Bzz?"

Tilting her head adorably, the zigzag girl thrust her hands forward.

"…!"

Rau's vision was filled with golden static electricity.

Ah, how pretty—

While being blown back with great speed into the bamboo field, the momentary fireworks she saw were burned into her eyelids.

Rau's body broke countless bamboos, rebounding on the ground.

Rotating in midair, the moment she reached a mass of rocks jutting from the ground—the suit covering her body transformed into a pitch-black trench coat.

"Biribiri, you—"

The eyes inside the hood gazed at the distant narrow path.

Her eyesight was good. Rau was able to see the groaning Ashimaki on the field on the opposite side. Unlike Rau, he had no countermeasures against the surprise attack.

She was apparently going to first finish off Rau, who neutralized the attack using the suit she wore all day long. She saw Biribiri kicking the ground and starting a mad dash toward her.

"You're being controlled—"

Biribiri couldn't be called normal from the get go, but her eyes looked especially clouded over.

"Bzz."

A surge of golden electricity raced through the girl's jagged hair. The sparks born in air took shape, producing a small, ethereal insect—a lightning leaf beetle.

"Bzbzzt."

It happened immediately after the girl raised her arms.

The ground swelled up.

With a tremor, the sound of bamboo being ripped and a spewing geyser of water, a thick pipe came flying from underground. It stopped midair as if being held up by an invisible arm.

As Biribiri clutched empty air, the water pipe floating in air transformed to a large spear.

"Bzzzzzt!"

The next moment, the spear that condensed a few dozen tons was wrapped in golden surge of light.

"Bzzt!"

Biribiri flung down both arms as though throwing a soccer ball to the field to restart the game.

The spear, clad in high-voltage electricity, stabbed toward Rau's feet like a bullet.

The mass of rocks cracked, and the impact opened a large hole in the ground. The storm of high voltage generated by this caused all bamboo in a radius of ten meters to evaporate.

Biribiri was an electromagnetism user.

C had a similar ability to control electricity and Asagi could control magnetism, and Biribiri was unable to match either of them in output, though she was still a combatant possessing both qualities.

"No, this is… different from being controlled."

Rau, leaping back to dodge the attack, watched Biribiri carefully.

"Maybe she's being made to go on a rampage unwillingly… was calling out to her the trigger?"

Calmly analyzing the situation, she stuck out one hand toward Biribiri.

The sleeve of her coat expanded explosively. It became countless needles that assaulted the girl.

"Bzzzt…"

With the girl wearing an unstable smile in the center, golden light devastated the area.

It melted the needles with the heat it produced and enveloped even the distant fences surrounding them.

"Bzzbzzt!"

"…"

Rau's expression turned severe.

Affected by the girl's ability, the fence and the steel-made power poles were brought to her by the electricity flowing through the wires. Once again bursting from below ground and forming a spear, a lump of steel and electricity as big as a house floated in air.

Apparently she wasn't simply going on a rampage.

Biribiri's ability, already strong in the first place, was further amplified.

"Biribiri had already been under the effect of Diorestoi's Fragment… and now it looks like she'd been given another one—"

She unconsciously leaked one of the secrets of the Central Headquarters.

The electromagnetic user appeared to be still strengthening the mass above her head. The surging electricity and shock looked as if another sun appeared overhead.

If she was hit by this, nothing would be left of Rau.

"Bzzbzzt!"

The girl powerfully swung down her arms from the heavens.

The meteor-like mass fell toward Rau.

"I have judged that returning you to normal will be too difficult."

Yet at the same time, the coat wrapped around Rau's body transformed again.

Mushi Uta 8 p165.jpg

For a moment it seemed as though the coat swelled like a balloon, but it suddenly shrank again. The black, lustrous plastic clung to her limbs, wrapping her up from her neck to her face, finally covering even her cranium. 

Not even a second passed before Rau was wrapped in a dark full body suit.

All her fingers and even her face were completely concealed, accentuating Rau's slender silhouette.

"I no longer need you."

Calmly asserting this, she casually flung an arm toward the incoming meteorite.

With just this movement there was a soundless explosive wind swallowing the bamboo field.

A destructive storm about several times or tens of times stronger than the vibration Biribiri had caused before blew away the rows of bamboo.

Rau smashed the meteorite to smithereens and moved at the same time.

"Bzz—"

A large amount of blood overflowed out of Biribiri's mouth as she stood stock still.

Closing the gap between them in an instant, Rau's fist was lodged into the girl's chest.

"…—"

Something crimson gushed out from the limp girl's body.

It coagulated in air to form the shape of a shining queen bee—and then dispersed into a mist.

Rau violently swung her arm, flinging the now unmoving girl unto the ground.

Immediately afterward, she kicked the ground.

Dashing through the thicket with amazing speed, she blew away the bamboos in her way and leapt beyond the narrow road.

She grabbed Ashimaki, paralyzed and collapsed within the bamboo, and forcibly pulled him upright.

"Sense them, Ashimaki."

She ordered him with a mumbling voice that sounded like that perhaps due to the body suit covering even her face. It also looked like her vision was concealed, but it was made like a magic mirror so she could see outside properly.

"Guh… Ugh…?"

"Since someone was using Biribiri for a surprise attack against us, they must be watching."

Mushi legs flew from Ashimaki's mouth as if being dragged out. The surface of the insect clutching the boy's tongue flickered vividly.

"Can't feel anything… There's no even a single Mushi arou—"

"Expand your range. To the very limits."

Obeying Rau, Ashimaki sank into silence with his face contorting with agony.

Yet the boy soon widened his eyes.

"I-I can sense them…! About 20 kilometers away, there's a weak response—"

"Coordinates?"

The boy mumbled the designation of coordinates used by the Annihilators.

The moment he finished talking, Rau leapt.

Jumping to the air higher than even the bamboo around, she let gravity take her to land on a roof.

The impact of falling on four limbs caused the roof to cave in, yet Rau didn't mind it.

Raising her bodysuit-covered face, she leaned her body while still crawling.

"—"

She leapt.

She rapidly passed from one roof of a house in the residential district facing the bamboo field to another. She didn't use either her hands or legs; she employed all limbs like an insect, charging through the darkening city.

Passing through the residential district and getting into town, her speed kept increasing. At times clinging to the walls of buildings and at times kicking the roofs of speeding cars, the black phantom cut through town.

The high pressure born from her travelling at such speeds probably created a grating sound, but this didn't even cross her mind. There were probably no people in town who could properly see her form anyway.

Landing on the road, she overtook running cars, leaping.

Clinging to a large statue outside of town with her limbs, she raised her face.

Ashimaki's coordinates pointed her to a large building.

Using recoil, Rau leapt directly to her destination. —Arriving there from the bamboo field took no more than a few minutes.

"—"

Sticking to the wall with her arms and legs, she snuck inside through the open window. Her muscle movements being so awkward and superhuman were unavoidable with the use of her ability.

Apparently it was a hospital. Yet the interior was empty, so she realized it had been vacant for quite a while.

With her limbs still on the ground, Rau ran around the building quickly.

"…So they've escaped."

Searching around once, Rau finally went back to her two legs.

Although the scent of humans remained around, she couldn't find them anywhere. If they knew Rau was coming after them and ran away—then perhaps they had someone with the ability to sense events from afar.

If push came to shove she planned on blowing the entire building, but that would end up just drawing needless attention. It was apparently an opponent that knew when to quit, so they probably weren't simply hiding.

"Was it the Mushitsuki of the Substation…? No, probably not."

Inside an empty, dark room, Rau questioned and answered herself.

"This was a surprise attack, but it didn't look like they were really trying to defeat us. On top of that they knew we could sense them and launched an offensive… were they trying to measure us?"

It was also probably not Kakkou who was hiding somewhere in town. Ashimaki said that the power he felt was weak. That demon's power was not weak in the least, and he wasn't the sort of opponent to use these kinds of tricks.

Having said that, it was also hard to think they were the person hiding the Mushitsuki of the Substation. Since they were hidden, they had no reason to risk showing themselves.

"So does that mean that there are people trying to approach the Mushitsuki of the Substation Ruins… other than us?"

It was the most likely explanation.

At the same time, Rau became convinced of something.

"Undoubtedly, something is happening in this town… so that means that perhaps the Mushitsuki of the Substation is still somewhere in town."

As she mumbled, Rau's bodysuit inflated and instantly transformed into her dark coat.

Pulling out her cellphone, she called Ashimaki.

"Let's hurry with the investigation about the Mushitsuki of the Substation."

She recalled the sense of discomfort she felt at school.

Perhaps they'd been investigating this from the wrong direction thus far.

She decided that, moving forward—they would try looking at it from another angle.

"Coatl Head—we have to determine who spread this marking fad."

Perhaps she was completely off the mark.

No, using common sense, she knew she was off the mark even without investigating.

Yet after making a frontal attack in vein, she needed to break the mold.

"Even if they're sleeping beneath a grave… we just need to dig in and drag them out."

The assassin sighed gloomily as her coat inflated like a balloon—

And her figure melted into the darkness.

2.03 The Beast and Momo Part 3[edit]

The marking fad just kept on growing.

When he went to the familiar crossroads in front of the station, he could see that symbol no matter where he looked.

The pop song remained popular, streaming from the stereos of passing cars. People took advantage of the fad to produce all sorts of accessories and foodstuff, and he heard that the demand for markers had grown so much that stationery shop owners were crying in joy.

"Hey, Daiske. Look, it's a Coatl Head tattoo. A temporary one, though."

Tanaka Momo pointed at a shelf in the bookstore, wearing a full smile.

The electronic billboard behind the cheerful girl displayed the large symbol today as well.

"Incredible… Why's this thing so popular?"

Every time he left the office and came to town, he felt that there was more of the symbol around.

It was actually spreading.

And not just in this town either. The media often made special features about the continually growing marking fad.

It was like the entire country was being controlled by the Coatl Head symbol.

"Cha!"

"Ada!"

While he was gazing vacantly at the bulletin, Momo's hand blade struck his forehead.

"Don't call it 'this thing'! You need to call it Coatl Head properly!"

Momo was angry and took a strange pose. It was probably from some show she'd seen on television.

"Why do I have to…"

He groaned, rubbing his forehead. —His body, clad in the shirt and bondage pants Ikarino Kirari lent him, had already healed. Now he only had a few compresses in several places and a single bandage on his cheek.

"It's simple, but it's super effective! All you need is a single marker! All your problems and worries will be blown away instantly! Every house needs one while you're at it! Safe and secure, it has an astonishing effect!"

"What's up with that commercial…"

"Everyone has some worries. So you need to draw your wishes into this symbol, yeah!"

"And if they wouldn't come true?"

"Then draw another one. And chant."

Momo turned toward the electronic board, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Coatl Coatl Para Emile."

None of the passersby turned to look at Momo who was reciting a strange spell in the middle of the road.

The marking fad had permeated everyday life to the extent that this was normal.

He sighed and then mumbled to himself.

"What a strange country…"

He thought of the very country he lived in as strange.

Even exposed to the danger of Mushi that weren't in any other country, this daily life was much too peaceful.

The unexpected fad took control of various places, making everyone participate in it like idiots.

"…"

If he hadn't become a Mushitsuki, would he be able to live a life as peaceful as that of the people around?

Would he be a normal high schooler getting excited about the marking fad and having fun with his friends, just like Momo?

Although he knew this hypothesizing was meaningless, he allowed himself to daydream.

If he hadn't become a Mushitsuki.

If he hadn't been hurt in silly fights.

It was as if—his life was flashing before his eyes.

And what passed through his mind was his life as someone who wasn't a Mushitsuki, a life that couldn't be.

"It's falling, Daiske."

Momo's voice caused him to snap back to reality.

He had dropped the bag of food items that he was holding to the ground.

Today, along with Momo, they went to buy consumable goods and food for the office. Since there was a limit of the things they could buy for cheap alone, they were able to buy more things together.

"Oops."

Trying to pick up the bag he dropped—his right hand was unable to support the weight of the bag and he failed.

"Daiske…?"

Momo raised an eyebrow.

His right hand, supposedly healed, was deathly pale. He couldn't use it properly.

"—Next, the food for Sepia. Would dog food be good enough?"

He smiled, sticking his right hand in his pocket. He casually picked up the bag using his left hand.

"…"

"Hmm? What's with that face."

"No… it's nothing, yeah."

Momo finally smiled too.

Walking side by side, they passed through the crowded road.

The conversations they had were all the same as they were yesterday.

"If we don't go to the department store next, we might miss the limited time sale, yeah."

"I see. …What the hell? We sound like some married people."

"It's fun so it's fine. Did Kirarin go somewhere today as well?"

"Yeah. Lately she's been going out a lot. Even when I ask her, she just says she has some business… but since she doesn't seem to be hurt, we shouldn't prod into it too much."

"Hmm? No way… is she dating somebody in secret?!"

"I don't think so. Oh, but she does take her nurse uniform with her."

"Ding dong! The possibility of a date rose by three points!"

"The nurse costume raised it…?"

"Boys apparently find it really hot! You're the same, Daiske! Two teens, a handsome boy and a hot girl, living under the same roof… that's way too shameless, yeah!"

"Why did you only just think about that… anyway, never mind Kirari, but I'm not handsome at all."

"Oh come on. If you tell me your face is plain, the really plain people will be mad at you."

They went around town while having a normal conversation that had nothing special about it.

But for a person like him it was still special.

Was he smiling because Momo was funny or because he was laughing at himself for melting so much into the normal atmosphere? Probably the former. He currently didn't need to think back to his original position.

As they were walking and carrying more little by little, nobody turned to look at them.

Obviously.

Right now, the boy and Tanaka Momo were just a part of everyday scenery—

"Now that is a hard question coming from you. The theme needs to be some breakthrough I can reach with flexible thinking, so we can solve it with its antithesis, yeah."

"Since I am afraid that my current form would be misunderstood, if subjected to an epochal concept, we have to objectively—"

Speaking with a serious tone, he and Momo exited the department store.

The passersby on the road were startled as they saw them.

"Wow. So avant-garde. Super-duper cool. Chami-sama, these two must be mole people. They definitely came out of the department store cellar to photosynthesize!"

"Don't get involved with them. Let's go already."

The two unfamiliar girls distanced themselves while looking at them.

After being showered with gazes, he looked at Momo next to him.

"It was a huge success, yeah!"

Raising her index finger, the girl's "eyes" that were as large as a fist sparkled, with the leaves of daikon growing from her hair.

"Didn't look like it to me…"

As he sighed, the cabbage in his hair fell to the ground.

Curious gazes focused on the pair making a strange pose at the entrance to the department store.

—Buying food in the underground floor and receiving all these plastic bags apparently tickled Momo's creative urges. Unheeding the boy's objections, she carved some space for eyes and ears, drew a pattern with her marker and used tape to stick the food they just brought together.

In the blink of an eye she completed two masks.

"Wait, you can't take it off, yeah. We're gonna surprise Kirarin once we go back to the office. Or maybe I'll go to school and have sensei grade it?"

"No matter where we go we're definitely gonna get arrested."

Removing the plastic bag from their heads, they walked ahead.

"It's fiiine. Mole people aren't bound by the laws of the surface."

"Haha."

Once they finishing their shopping, the surroundings turned completely dark.

It took even more time than planned, and Momo wanted to take a shortcut—so perhaps it was his fault for not stopping her.

They were resolved to be scolded by Kirarin for their tardiness.

However—

"…"

His eyebrows twitched.

His eyesight momentarily clouded over due to his heart beating loudly.

"Daiske?"

Momo turned toward him when he suddenly stopped.

"Sorry, Momo. Go back to the office ahead of me."

"What is it?"

"…Gotta use the toilet."

The wry smile he wore was a work of art. He was used to acting.

"Eh? Wasn't there a minimarket or something here? Wait a bit, yeah."

"I told you to go, I'll catch up to you soon. The department store from earlier is closer."

Momo simply mumbled a "Hmm…" as he turned on his heels, returning to the road.

After he went several dozen meters, he turned around.

Confirming that Momo's form was slowly walking after him, he leapt into the gap between buildings. Running at full speed, he reached a far spot where the lights of the main road couldn't reach.

"Ugh…!"

Suddenly strength left his legs and he tumbled down. The contents of the bags he was holding spread on the ground.

"Gh…uh…!"

Still collapsed, he held his chest with a look of agony.

"AAaahhh!"

Inside the lonely darkness, he rounded his body and writhed.

He had goosebumps all over. The thing rampaging inside him caused his skin to swell as it rushed around.

"GAAHHH!!!"

As he screamed endlessly toward the sky, a pattern different from his skin appeared on his cheek. It began staining and changing the color of his skin.

Mingling with the Mushi trying to take control of his exhausted self—

That seizure-like thing became stronger by the second.

Yet until now he'd only been assaulted by this agony when he was alone and relaxed. It was the first time it happened while he was with Momo—and in the center of town to boot.

The intervals between the rampage of his Mushi shortened and the pain was growing.

He understood fully well what this meant.

"Ngh…!"

His nails scratching the asphalt became sharper. Trying to not let his arms get taken over, he flailed them.

He hit the wall of a building, causing it to cave in with a roar.

He knew that normal Mushitsuki wouldn't have to suffer this.

He'd seen the signs of Maturation for Minion and Special types before. For both of them it was like falling into deep sleep while their Mushi took their dream.

But he wasn't allowed that sort of easy death.

The thing nesting inside him wasn't that nice.

As long as he was alive, his own power ate into his body.

No, there was no doubt that he was going to meet an even scarier fate than that—

"…aaaHHHHHH!!!"

His pupils changed to those of another person.

—Fight, something was shouting inside his body.

—Use your powers, it urged him.

He had that sort of contract.

Using his powers allowed him to make it this far.

Now that he had nothing left, he couldn't even go back to his normal life.

"Hah! Hah! Ngah!"

It's not here.

Nor here.

Keeping that way, he lived until today.

He was simply trying to reach the place he was searching for.

He became a Mushitsuki, fought, lost, ended up becoming stronger—and yet he was unable to find that place.

Was he simply going to die like this without grasping anything?

Would he be eaten by another power without even being allowed to die?

He didn't want that—

"…!"

He widened his eyes that turned sharper, like a beast's.

Someone was standing in the alley.

"—"

Forgetting both pain and fear, he was frozen.

There was no way he'd forget that face.

It was the monster he'd fought against the day he escaped from the SEPB.

There was no way he could fight that person right now.

Then I'm going to be killed here—

It happened just before he was resolved for his death.

"Wha…"

Without saying anything, the monster turned around. Leaving its footsteps behind, it departed.

"Wait…!"

The moment before it left, the monster's expression was full of sympathy.

He wasn't even worthy enough to be killed. There was no need to even see off his agony—was that it?

"…"

Being abandoned even by his enemy, something broke inside him.

He collapsed on the spot.

Already having lost both physical and mental energy to resist, he was still getting hurt by the power dwelling inside him. His exhausted body was being shaken by something crawling inside his skin.

Since it wasn't only his body but his dream being eaten as well, his mind was also rapidly weakening.

"—"

He would also end up as a terrible monster.

Pathetic and miserable, an ending befitting him.

Now that he wasn't resisting, his body was slowly losing its functions as a human.

"—"

His body was being shaken.

It probably began moving on its own, being controlled by his power.

"…ske!"

—No, that wasn't it.

"Daiske!"

The voice he heard in his ears was familiar.

Opening both eyes, he saw Momo's tear-stained face.

"Daiske! Hold on… hold on, please!"

"Mo—"

The moment he understood the situation, he returned to full consciousness.

His body moved faster than he could think.

He pushed Momo away.

"Eek!"

"Go… go away…!"

As he recovered, pain even greater than before assaulted his body. The power that nearly took control of his body now rampaged violently.

"Gwah…!"

"Daiske—"

Although Momo had gone back to the office, she probably ended up waiting for him. Becoming worried as he got delayed, he knew that she came to look for him.

Yet he extended his arm toward Momo who was running closer.

If he lost control of himself, his first target would become Momo. He would turn into a monster and rip her asunder in an instant.

No matter what happened, that was the only thing that he—

"Don't… come here! Get… far away…"

Imagining the sensation of ripping her body, he shuddered. Although it was a mere delusion, it was far more intense than the agony and fear assaulting him.

Momo's face looking at him was distorted with fear.

Obviously. He was too scary of a sight for a normal civilian.

"Run… Momo…!"

Seeing her expression, another pain ran through his chest.

When compared to the agony rushing through his entire body it was a small pain.

Even so—it was more unbearable than anything else.

"Daiske—"

Momo took a step back.

Yes, run away—

He felt a warm sensation on the arm he was staring at.

"Daiske…"

Momo's fingers touched his hand.

As if desperately trying to prevent herself from running away—

As if closing the distance despite wanting to get away—

Although her body was trying to run away, only the girl's hand drew him closer.

"…"

And then Momo's hand grabbed his arm.

She pulled his arm, approaching him.

Momo covered his paralyzed body.

She ended up straddling him, hugging his face with both hands as he roused his upper body.

"Get off…"

He didn't want to her to.

With his head buried in the soft feeling and warmth, it took everything he had to murmur that.

"Yes, I will…"

Momo didn't get off.

"Get off already…"

"Yes…"

"You can't do this… if you don't get off…"

Momo's arms hugged him hard, unmoving.

Her slim body trembled.

Even so, she wasn't about to let him go.

"I'll let go… soon, so…"

Momo's shaking was gone.

Also—she hugged him even harder.

"…"

He closed his eyes.

He put strength into the nails against her back.

Although the agony kept ravaging his body, his heart was strangely calm.

I'll give you my body just like you wanted—

He called out voicelessly toward the thing nesting inside him.

But… not right now—

The agony lessened for an instant.

Next time. Next time I'll use my power… I'll definitely give you everything then—

"Daiske…"

He returned the hug to the back of the girl covering him.

His arm slowly regained its previous colors.

So just for now—

As he this wished inside his heart, the pain receded like a low tide.

"Why…"

Now that he returned being human again, he gave Momo a strong hug.

"Why didn't you let go…"

"Sorry—"

Passing her fingers in his hair, Momo peeked into his face.

"I just didn't want to… yeah."

The two half-crying, half-smiling faces looked at each other.

"Haha."

Momo drew something on his cheeks while he laughed.

He had nothing left to do anymore—

He had fought, gotten wounded, hurt people, hated people, been hated by people, and trampled many dreams under his feet.

That was why—he thought he wanted to die the midst of a normal life.

Living through today that was the same as yesterday, he would die in a tomorrow that would be the same as today.

"Coatl Coatl Para Emile."

In his current bliss, he believed he could do this.

2.04 The Others[edit]

On the second floor of the multi-tenant building, a small visitor stood in front of the door with the plate stating "Handyman Kirari☆ CLOSED" on it.

She was a cute girl with matching red glasses. She was probably around middle school age and her twin-braided hair turned behind her. She looked like the image of a class president.

Seeing another person appear, the girl opened her mouth as if to say something.

"Are you… someone related to this office?"

However, the suit-wearing Yamamoto Rau beat her to the punch. Glaring at the girl with a gloomy expression, she approached her while dragging her legs.

The girl shook her head, looking dejected. Apparently she herself was waiting for someone like that.

"N-no, I'm not."

"So it's closed? I had business with the owner, but… you as well?"

"Y-yes."

While the girl nodded hesitatingly, Rau glanced at the closed door with feigned apathy.

Rau had obviously not come to visit the office because she had a request for the Handyman.

Shera of the Annihilators continued her search for the Mushitsuki of the Substation Ruins without incident.

As usual, she was unable to find any traces.

The opponent that used her Annihilators subordinate Biribiri for an attack against her was also still unknown.

Furthermore, she didn't know his goal, but apparently Rank 1 Blaze Class Kakkou was also hiding somewhere in town. —The assassin intercepting him, Hakamori from the Annihilators, was also missing, but he was probably dead already.

What was hiding in town now?

Also, did they exist in the first place?

Everything was vague, so these very unpleasant days continued.

"Hmm…"

Obviously Rau had a reason she came to the "Handyman Kirari☆" office.

And it was also a foolish one.

In her search for the doubtful existence of the Mushitsuki of the Substation she did everything she could. Since she couldn't find them despite that, she decided to change her methods.

The mark remaining at the substation, Coatl Hot—

It was apparently the very first one in the charm fad now sweeping the country. Rau's investigation told her just what she heard from Sepia. It was different from the normal "Coatl Head" according to the local middle and high schoolers.

Feeling unease, Rau began investigating the source of this fad.

And—a certain piece of information arrived to her ears.

"How many times have you been here?"

"Huh? O-oh… this is my first time."

Rau casually asked her and the girl replied humbly.

"I see…"

Rau had used all possible means to investigate the jack-of-all-trades known as "Handyman Kirari☆".

The manager was apparently a 17-years old girl.

Her name was Ikarino Kirari.

She didn't manage to enter high school. Apparently she also wasn't present for her middle school graduation ceremony. After the facility she lived in had been closed, she went around several places, and at present was running an unlicensed office.

She also found out the cause for this quite unhappy profile.

Apparently, one of her classmates in middle school was the granddaughter of the chairman of the large corporation called Akasegawa Group. Since she was his one and only blood relative, she succeeded his position as a chairman.

She didn't know what happened between that chairman and Kirari.

However, apparently Kirari had offended her for some reason. Starting then she had been receiving persistent harassment, being cornered such that she couldn't graduate or find employment.

The chairman of a large enterprise, and Kirari.

She had no interest in their relationship. She had no intention to dig deep into their pasts.

Rau had gone to Handyman Kirari☆ for a completely different reason.

"It's also my first time coming here. But looks like I'll have to give up for today, huh… I think you should come another day, too. I plan on coming tomorrow again."

"Maybe I'll come here next week…"

"So weekdays are a no-no? Have you come here from afar, perhaps?"

"Yes. From Akamaki City."

Rau raised an eyebrow. Since she couldn't tell where clues about the Mushitsuki of Substation would hide in, she had just intended to ask her about that.

"Why have you come from such a place to here? Sorry for saying this, but I'm not impressed by a kid coming to this sort of place alone…"

Being stared by gloomy eyes, the girl spoke respectfully.

"I-I'm looking for something in this city… and I found this."

The girl showed her a pocket tissue she was holding. It was muddied and dirtied, but Rau knew it had an advertisement of the handyman shop here.

"Since it's something related to this town, I thought about getting the help of a local."

The girl didn't seem to be lying.

It doesn't seem to be related to my goal—

Rau judged that the girl she had met by coincidence was a mere civilian.

"You should go back home for now… If you go back to Akamaki City now you'll reach it by night. Your parents are going to be worried."

Why were children this age prone to such reckless acts? They were so ignorant and stupid but they never thought about the ones protecting them. This isn't a game, if you need to look for something do it by yourself, she wanted to scold her.

"Also—it's meaningless even if you come here."

"Eh?"

"This office is about to get evicted. Apparently the deadline is close…"

This wasn't a lie. This was something she found out while investigating.

Apparently the office wasn't earning well. After continuously falling behind in payment for rent, the landlord apparently had enough of it.

"Is that… so?"

The girl looked dejected.

However, she still stood on the spot, not looking like she was going to move.

Go home already, Rau cursed angrily in her mind.

Rau scratched her silver-lined hair. She slightly grimaced.

"This might not be my business, but—"

She spoke along with a gloomy sigh.

After judging that she didn't need to be cautious, her persona as a teacher appeared uninvited.

"You're looking for something, then…? Can't you go to the police?"

Luckily Rau didn't have many classes today. Also, since there wasn't any lesson with the Visual Design course, her fatigue was 1% lower when compared to the normal day.

Simply listening to the story of a foolish child was permissible. Also, even if this girl was foolish, she undoubtedly possessed 100 times more nerve than the VD1 students.

"It's a necklace my friend lost."

"…"

She was just as stupid as the VD1 kids.

What a childish reason. Coming all the way from Akamaki City for a mere necklace, and she was going to a handyman of all things? Even stupidity had to have limits.

Mushi Uta 8 p193.jpg

It's also my fault for judging whether children today are idiots based on their appearance, shit—

She was so angry no words came out. It took everything she had to groan in her heart.

Yet hearing what the girl mumbled next, Rau had a change of heart.

"But I still don't know if it's in this city or not… There's a large possibility that anyone who passed that road during that winter was someone who went to take the test for the nearby high school… If so, maybe it's that strange design course… There weren't many test-takers, and when I asked the person from pawn shop for the uniform's appearance there wasn't any middle school like that on the list of those who passed… either she didn't pass the test, or she did but went to another high school… I finally investigated the middle schools of all test-takers and found a uniform that looked like it in town… maybe if there was a design course in some high school nearby…"

As the girl mumbled while counting on her fingers, she didn't even notice Rau widening her eyes.

What the hell—

Was she smart or even stupider than the VD1 kids?

How far was she willing to go for a mere necklace?

This was the type of person that definitely shouldn't become a Mushitsuki.

Along with the power to accomplish unthinkable things, she had flexible and pertinent ideas. This was the hardest kind of enemy for an assassin.

"Now I'm unsure if you're the handyman here… or a detective, even."

"Eh… n-no way. That sort of unstable work… I'm not suited for it."

And—she had good luck.

Anyone who ever went through a fight for life or death knew how fearsome that was.

Most of those who went through the battlefield countless times possessed unbelievable fortune. And they would keep living through the next battle.

"How lucky… I, Yamamoto Rau, am the teacher of a Design course in the local school."

"…No way…"

"I'm used to people not viewing me as a teacher. …What kind of necklace was it? I'll try and check if one of my students is wearing that. Since I'm also looking for something, I might as well do it on the way."

"U-umm, it has this golden ring attached to it—"

The girl introduced herself as Ebina Yuu. Rau also named herself.

After having the excited Yuu hand her mail address, Rau once again told her to go home.

"I actually wondered if you were a teacher as soon as I saw you."

The girl in front of her was full of surprises.

"Because your way of worrying about people was very teacher-like. Also, I saw at a glance that you were a good person."

"I see… That is very, how do I put it—"

With a melancholic expression, Rau sighed again.

She was slightly agitated, and along with it was a feeling she didn't know well.

When she tried speaking, she finally managed to choose a valid word.

"—Complicated."

Yuu said she'd noticed from the start.

However, Rau had come there as an assassin.

If she actually seemed like a teacher, then—did it mean that she'd already gotten used to her mask as a teacher?

She mustn't get too used to it.

Recently, rather than her job as an assassin, she'd been racking her brains over her profession as a teacher.

Yet she would probably be able to throw away even that annoying mask instantly.

"Thank you so much!"

As Yuu bowed cheerfully and was about to leave, Rau called out to her.

"Hey, you… can I ask you something?"

"Yes?"

"Do you know that thing called Coatl Head?"

Yuu was surprised for a second. Yet she soon smiled and ran her finger through air.

"Coatl Coatl Para Emile—that one? Of course I know it."

"I see."

"Isn't it really popular right now? What about it?"

"No, I was just told by one of my students to pay attention to fads… never mind, go home."

Yuu nodded cheerfully with a "yes ma'am!" and was gone for good this time.

"…It really is an astounding fad."

Now that no people could see her, Rau returned to her expression as an assassin.

"Yet at the time of the incident it wasn't popular. —Supposedly."

As a result of investigating Coatl Head again, she was able to collect proper evidence.

The rumors spread among middle and high school students just like Sepia. Until the mark named "Coatl Hot" appeared at the substation, there was no trace of that marking fad anywhere in this country.

"Coatl Hot, that appeared before the start of the fad… who on earth drew it there?"

Finally finding it suspicious, she started actively investigating the marking fad.

What started this fad?

Who'd spread it?

It was hard to pinpoint the origin of this fad.

However, even so Rau focused on one of the results of her investigation.

—I want you to spread this Coatl Head, the charm that can make all wishes come true.

She had discovered that there was a person clearly wishing for this in town.

The ones who had been asked this were just normal high school girls. However, one of them was apparently a rich lady from some good house, and having money to spare, she investigated whether her boyfriend was cheating on her.

The one she went for this request was Handyman Kirari☆. The request had been completed flawlessly, so the girl paid some money.

At that time, Ikarino Kirari had asked her to spread the fad.

Ever since then, the girl got addicted to the symbol, and apparently was still spreading it to her friends. Luckily, that was how she got caught in Rau's network.

"Ikarino Kirari… why did you know about the fad that wasn't there yet?"

She had asked high school girls to spread this fad right after the substation explosion incident.

Furthermore—it wasn't just those students.

Tracing the origins of this fad that spread like the roots of a tree, there were also a number of other cases, with all of them leading back to Handyman Kirari☆.

"…"

Rau pulled out a terminal from her pocket.

She replayed the sound records left by the members fighting the Mushitsuki discovered in the substation.

There wasn't just noise like she heard before in the classroom.

Actively analyzing it, she retrieved the broken data inside.

"N-no way… it's a Fu-Fu—"

They were in the midst of fighting, or perhaps they just got attacked.

Mixed with the sound of impact and sounds that were perhaps screams from the other members, there was a single shout.

"A Fusion Type…!"

This single sentence.

This simple death cry sent the Head of Annihilators, Shera, to this town.

"The Mushitsuki of the Substation Ruins"—

If it really existed, it announced the birth of a new Fusion Type.

Fusion Type Mushitsuki were far too dangerous.

Once discovered, all Fusion Types, including Kakkou, were outside of common sense. Even the SEPB were having trouble controlling them.

No one who could have erased all Fusion Types in the past ever existed. —Even Karasu, deemed the weakest of them, had been able to weave through the SEPB's information network and survived.

If a new Fusion Type had truly been born, and turned that power against the SEPB, it could be a threat to the very stability of the country. —As long as they haven't ascertained their abilities, it could be said to be even more dangerous than Kakkou.

"The Mushitsuki of the Substation…"

Anything deemed dangerous must be erased—

That was the unshakable resolve of the Central Headquarters, of Miguruma Yaeko.

And it also lined up with Rau's personal goal.

She would protect this country.

As long as the Central Headquarters' intentions lined up with her own, Rau would keep wearing the mask of the Annihilators' assassin. For that cause she was able to grow stronger and undergo grueling training.

She couldn't allow this bountiful and plentiful country to fall just yet—

Rau enlisted to the Annihilators not just because they discovered her ability.

She was in the Central Headquarters out of her own will.

The mysteries surrounding Mushi.

They were definitely located in the innermost part of the SEPB—even deeper inside the core of the Central Headquarters.

And the place closest to the innermost depths of the Central HQ could be said to be the Annihilators.

Even with just the secrets Rau had been able to grasp these last few years, she was able to gain hints regarding the existence of Mushi.

Rau pursued her true goal, solving the mystery of Mushi, to the extent she could almost reach her hand and grab it—

"Until I grab this country's weak point, the crucial weakness known as Mushi, I will not allow anyone to threaten it…"

For the sake of her own ambition.

For the sake of her own dream.

She would eliminate anyone that threatened the country except for her.

"Those lying in hiding in town—looks like I'll need to drag them all out…"

The Mushitsuki of the Substation.

Kakkou, who might be hiding somewhere in town.

The mystery enemy that manipulated Biribiri and set an attack.

She would eliminated all those hidden behind the veil by her own hands—

"At least come and attack me…"

The gloomy, mumbling assassin left the office while dragging her legs.

2.05 The Beast and Kirari[edit]

A solid crashing sound echoed through the office.

Turning around, the boy could see the tableware Kirari was putting away spread on the floor.

He was already used to Ikarino Kirari's fetish—meaning, her liking to wear cosplay such as the monotone maid uniform she would wear even while preparing meals. She tried picking up a bowl, but it slipped from her hands again and she helplessly grabbed empty air.

"What's up? You look like you're nervous recently."

"Sorry, Daiske-san… I'm just thinking."

"Thinking?"

"It's not something terribly important…"

He picked up the rice bowl, but it fell to the floor.

Unable to hold even the light rice bowl, it fell from his hand before he could pass it to Kirari.

"Haha. I'm the same."

"…"

While she was gazing at him wordlessly he managed to pass her the bowl this time.

He felt like he'd been living with Kirari like this for a long time. Perhaps it had actually been very short, but their time together felt like it was moving slowly.

The life of two people with the recent addition of a ferret.

The one preparing food was Kirari. She came up with something to do with the scarce ingredient they had and made food every day.

And the boy did the cleaning and chores.

For the job, along with Momo the three of them took on requests.

The same today as yesterday continued.

And tomorrow would probably be the same as today.

"—Let's go eat something tasty next time."

Kirari's kind smile was unchanged from when he'd first met her.

He had changed. He became able to return her smile.

"You can't splurge on food. It's fine how it was till now."

"I see."

"We have to get many more requests. The office'll be breaking down at this rate."

Even his joke was accepted by Kirari with the same smile.

"Hmm… that's right."

They both carried the tableware to the kitchen, washing dishes shoulder to shoulder.

"Do you have your normal business today?"

"Maybe… it's fine, I guess."

"It's related to Mushitsuki?"

"…Yeah."

That was the only conversation they had while doing the dishes.

He'd heard from Momo that Kirari was helping some Mushitsuki somewhere.

Momo obviously wouldn't be any help since she was a civilian, and he knew the same went for him right now. Kirari also knew that.

Even while just wiping the dishes he'd dropped the bowl on top of the counter more than three times.

"I'm going to go change clothes."

Seeing Kirari go back to the bedroom, he sat down in the living room's sofa.

"…"

He raised both arms toward the ceiling.

No matter what he tried to grab, his arms lacked power.

He narrowed his eyes. —He praised himself for persevering this far.

Kirari, back to normal clothes, exited the bedroom. He put his arms behind his head.

Without saying anything, Kirari sat next to his legs. She sat on the floor, leaning on the sofa. Sepia leapt on her lap as if it had been prepared for it.

He stared silently at the ceiling and Kirari was smiling while petting the ferret.

Both were waiting for requests to come in.

Even if there were no requests today, they would keep waiting like this tomorrow as well.

A calm and boring time.

The time he spent sitting in the living room and hearing only the sounds of the clock's hands felt real to him.

I'm living right now—

He'd managed to live due to an accumulation of miracles and was here now.

He was in a place he belonged in, that made him believe he could keep living tomorrow too.

"Thank you."

He said. He was probably smiling right then.

"Hmm?"

Kirari raised a questioning voice.

"I've forgotten to say my thanks until now."

"Oh, it's not a big deal."

"You've done a lot for me. From the moment we've met until now. Truly a lot…"

Starting by saving his life, Kirari did nothing but help him.

Never mind the fact she gave him food and shelter, but even when he had seizures she would stay at his side until they subsided. Unable to withstand the pain, he spat many complaints. Kirari listened to his self-deprecating words that made even him want to cover his ears without saying anything.

He believed that Kirari was the person who managed to expose most of his weak points during his entire life.

He pretended to be strong and wasn't honest, but he revealed his weaknesses to Kirari. He didn't find that embarrassing because Kirari accepted it all with a kind smile.

"Thanks to you I'm also fully healed."

"It doesn't look that way though…"

"Well, that's how it is."

"…"

"There's something I've always wanted to ask, but may I?"

Kirari raised her face, looking at him. She nodded lightly.

"Why do you like cosplay that much?"

"…"

"School uniform, nurse uniform, business suit, female officer, maid clothes… and was that an astronaut suit inside your closet? It's really too much…"

"All of them were things I wanted to be when I was little."

Looking down again, Kirari stroked the ferret's head.

"Or things that I can't become anymore, I guess."

"…Because you're being harassed by that conglomerate chairman?"

In complete opposition to himself saying this in anger, Kirari just grinned.

Thinking that she probably didn't want to talk about it, he stayed silent as well.

Yet soon Kirari started mumbling.

"When I was in middle school, my best friend was involved in an inheritance and people aimed for her life…"

He was silent.

"There was a Mushitsuki who saved her. My friend called her the Kind Magician, and they were very close… and that girl also taught me many things."

The tone of the girl discussing her past was much too calm.

"But you see, even the fact that she was targeted for her inheritance… was actually because the chairman had been killed by that Mushitsuki."

"…"

"It was all to save the many people who suffered and had their money taken. But she was also very troubled because it put my friend in danger because of that. Finally, she settled everything by letting herself die instead of my friend…"

Kirari still grinned. Yet to him she looked as if she was on the verge of tears.

"When we last met, the Kind Magician asked me for a favor. —She wanted me to stay silent… both about her killing the chairman at the time and about her dying for my friend's sake. She would obviously be blamed for killing people, but if my friend knew that the Kind Magician died for her, perhaps my friend would blame herself…"

Her crying face was apparently his own delusion. —As the girl turned to him, he saw that she wore a completely carefree smile.

"That was Handyman Kirari☆'s first request."

He widened his eyes.

"My friend had since then succeeded the Chairman—but she started hating me. Because I'd never told her the reason why her beloved Kind Magician was gone."

"What the hell's… that…!"

Without thinking he grabbed Kirari's shoulder. He couldn't put his strength into his hands so he wasn't able to grip her, though.

He couldn't stand that sort of silly circumstances.

To protect the request of a single, stupid Mushitsuki, Kirari sacrificed her own life?

"Protecting that Mushitsuki's promise is meaningless! She's already dead, so why d'you have to become a sacrifice because of that?! Isn't that strange?!"

"Hmm…"

"Why're you smiling—"

This time his hand managed to grab her shoulder. He turned her toward him forcefully.

"It's the same with me! I don't know if Haji really asked you for this, but didn't you think accepting that suspicious guy's request is dangerous? You have no money but you let me live here with no complaints… Are you an idiot? A dead man's request means nothing! A request for someone who's not here means nothing!"

"It does mean something."

Kirari grinned. Although his fingers were digging into her shoulders, her face was unchanged.

"Because there's something that I have to take over."

"…"

"So that's why… even if I know that, I love those people called Mushitsuki."

He gritted his teeth.

"But your life's messed up because of a Mushitsuki—"

"No, it's the other way around."

The girl shook her head to the side, narrowing her eyes.

"I became what I wanted to be the most."

That is—

The life of a Handyman—

Was that what Kirari wished for?

Requests only came rarely.

Even if she accomplished a job, she never received enough money for it.

If no request came today, she would be simply waiting for a request tomorrow too.

If that truly was what Kirari wished for—

"…"

He felt envious from the bottom of his heart.

This short span of time he spent with Kirari and Momo was filled with happiness.

He wished for tomorrow to be the same as today.

He even thought that perhaps—this was the place he had been searching for.

"Is there—"

A place that someone like him, who wasn't as kind as Kirari, couldn't reach.

The place of his dreams.

"Nothing I can do…? To help you, Kirari, I mean…"

He at least wanted to assist her.

Although he was hopelessly weak, he wanted to be helpful in some way.

To leave an unmistakable, small proof that he had been there.

"I'll be happy if you remain here for a little bit longer."

Kirari said, moving her finger in the air.

"And… could you please spread this charm?"

Coatl Head—

The charm of dreams that could make any wish come true.

After saying this overly modest request of hers, Kirari smiled.

He furrowed his eyebrows.

He could understand her wishing for him to remain there.

Kirari probably knew about his and Momo's feelings since long ago.

Yet he couldn't understand why she wanted to spread Coatl Head.

"Coatl Head? Why'd you want me to—"

It happened just as he tried asking.

There was the sound of the office door opening and footsteps coming in the corridor.

The door was opened with a vigorous thud, and a girl showed herself in the living room.

It was Tanaka Momo.

"Momo?"

He immediately noticed her behavior was different from usual.

She was usually in a good mood, but now looked like she was about to cry. Her shoulders were shaking and large droplets appeared in the corners of her eyes.

"Momo-chan—"

"Turn on the TV…"

Momo mumbled.

When they still stayed silent, Momo grabbed the remote control. She turned on the living room's television.

"There were apparently other victims. We checked it today, but the number of incidents has—"

It was a news program.

It was probably drawn at some merchant district somewhere. The mark of Coatl Head drawn on the shutter of a shop was cruelly destroyed.

"—It's Mark Hunting!"

The female newscaster's shouting voice echoed in the office.


3.00 The Beast and Momo Part 4[edit]

The atmosphere of the city was changing.

On the surface it looked as peaceful as always, but it looked like there was an unstable disturbance beneath the surface.

He knew the reason for this.

"Mark Hunting… so it happened here as well."

Brought by Momo to the crossroads in front of the station, he stood in a daze.

The most conspicuous of all was the billboard. It used to have the advertisement for the huge hit, the pop song based on Coatl Head. However, someone somehow ripped it apart, leaving cracks in the shape of large claw marks on it. They put up scaffolds in order to repair the board.

Even among passerby who turned to look at that damaged billboard no one wore that symbol anywhere on them.

The stores on the side of the road ran out of all relevant products.

The marks on power poles and wall were painted over or perhaps scraped off.

"In just a couple of days… it changed this much?"

He felt a chill at the country's sudden transformation.

Only a couple of days passed since the first report of the heinous crimes targeting and attacking Coatl Head, commonly called the "Mark Hunting".

Apparently, many people who either drew the symbol or possessed it ended up suffering serious injuries. The perpetrators haven't stopped with humans, but even destroyed the medium of the symbol itself.

These crimes were not done by a single perpetrator. It spread all over the country as if on cue.

Also, until now there wasn't even a single "Mark Hunter" caught, shockingly. The only ones caught by the police were criminals influenced by the Mark Hunting to make copycat crimes or else people taking advantage of the opportunity to run wild for fun.

The fact the criminals were not caught also turned into a topic.

The mysterious phenomenon of Mark Hunting—

It started spreading through the entire country with the same vigor as the original marking fad had.

"…Momo?"

He turned toward the girl that was supposed to be next to him.

Tanaka Momo stood in the middle of the road, looking around her. With a horribly anxious face, she ran her eyes around as though looking for something.

"Why…?"

Just as she mumbled this, Momo suddenly ran away.

"Momo!"

It was useless calling to her. He followed her.

Momo stooped in front of a book shop. She dug through the books on its shelf.

"—It's not there…"

Biting her lips, she kicked the ground again.

Next she stopped in front of a large building. The wall, colored uniformly in dark blue, looked like it was recently painted.

"…Not here."

"Momo…!"

He desperately followed Momo who once again ran and rushed into a back alley. Yet his body grew weak and his knees were about to give up.

"Kh…"

Putting strength into the legs that were losing their sensations, he ran.

Momo went past the alley and started heading down a small hill. Seeing the fences of the small vacant house, she stood there calmly.

Rushing to her, he looked at the fence while standing next to her.

"…"

The entire fence was dyed by a black spray.

Also seeing red lines, he knew that Coatl Head was hidden underneath it. Someone apparently assaulted the mark with color.

"Daiske…"

Looking slowly to his direction, he could see large tears welling up Momo's eyes.

"It's gone…"

"Momo?"

"There's no more Coatl Head anywhere… They're all disappearing…"

A stream of tear ran down Momo's cheek.

Seeing her depressed face, he was startled. He put his hand to her forehead.

"You have a fever—"

Before he finished speaking, Momo leapt into his chest. Burying her head in his chest to hide her tears, she wrapped both arms around his back.

"There were so many…! Plenty of Coatl Heads no matter where you looked…! Now there's not even one…!"

"What's wrong, Momo?"

Hugging back the girl's head, he asked.

He knew that Momo was really into the marking fad.

Even so she was overreacting to it. Was she losing her cool due to the fever as well?

"It's just a fad, right? I know losing something you like is sad… but you don't have to cry this much."

At his words Momo just shook her head vigorously. Leaking a sob, she wouldn't speak. Having no choice he stroked her head and didn't say anything until she calmed down.

While he was hugging the girl with his listless arms, he felt a sudden déjà vu.

Casually glancing around, he finally noticed something.

"Ah?"

Power left the legs that supported the weight of two people. They both collapsed on top of one another in front of the fence.

Yet not even heeding the pain of the fall, he widened his eyes.

"Is this—the place where Kirari… and Momo picked me up?"

It was the day he ran away from the SEPB, fought a monster by the riverside and bled to death.

That time, he was collapsed on that fence.

When he was resolved to die, Tanaka Momo appeared in front of him. Just as she noticed she was gazing at his heavily wounded body, she chanted while drawing a strange symbol on his forehead.

—Coatl Coatl Para Emile.

At that time he knew nothing about Coatl Head, so he just remembered feeling confused.

"I see… it was night so I didn't notice it at all."

Perhaps that was why Momo's charm at the time had the best possible effect.

His life was saved—and his heart as well.

Although his life was about to end at the same, he received a continuation in the form of normal, daily life.

"That mark behind the fence… did you draw it, Momo?"

He thought she'd drawn it as commemoration for their meeting, but he was apparently wrong. Momo shook her head in his embrace.

So it was probably just a simple graffiti drawn by someone.

Yet even that Coatl Head at his back surely contained irreplaceable feelings.

"I see… so that mark had been watching us from the beginning…"

What a mysterious fad.

No—it was a fad, but now it was vanishing.

It was a simple charm where you drew a weird symbol and made a wish.

Coatl Head.

Perhaps the ever-close dusk of this marking fad was right before his eyes.

This large trend vanishing like that might resemble the sun sinking in the west sky in front of him—

"Daiske…"

Inside his arms Momo raised her face.

Her teary eyes and cheeks being red was perhaps due to her fever. Warm breaths leaked out of her lips slightly illuminated by the sinking sun.

"Ever since we first met… I liked you."

He wasn't surprised.

However, for some reason he wore a wry smile.

"I'm—"

He ran away from everything, so he knew he wasn't worthy.

He knew that he had too little time left, and that it was too much happiness for him.

Yet now that he was weakened to the very limits, he didn't even have the power to suppress these feelings.

"I'm not sure when I started feeling like this…"

He weakly brought Momo's face closer. He intended on using all of his remaining power to express the deluge of his emotions.

Their lips gently separated in front of the Coatl Head that had been painted over.

How long had they been hugging wordlessly?

Momo started mumbling by the time when the surroundings started to darken.

"Don't go anywhere, Daiske…"

He smiled.

"I decided now. I'll stay here forever."

Momo smiled, relieved.

"Say…"

"Yeah?"

"Do you remember the secret we've talked about before?"

"The Mushitsuki that disappeared at the substation…"

"Yup. But there's actually something more."

"More?"

"Yeah. If Coatl Head is gone, that Mushitsuki will appear again."

Momo continued.

"If that happens, I'm going to be killed…"

"Why?"

"I dunno…"

"…"

"She said that this Mushitsuki should have never been born. A girl with a suitcase told me that."

Momo's words were vague and abstract. Perhaps her thinking was dulled due to her fever, as her face also looked somewhat vacant.

"She said many people were scared of that Mushitsuki. I think I'm one of those people, too… I'm really scared."

He held her closer.

"If you're in danger, I'll—"

Save you—he wanted to say this, but Momo's lips blocked his mouth.

Separating her face, Momo returned her usual, bright smile.

"You won't even be a match, yeah. Mushitsuki are super strong."

"Really… I see."

He smiled wryly. He didn't know if he'd even still have the power to support Momo by tomorrow.

"So the most important thing is to run away, yeah."

"Where?"

"How about the place you came from, Daiske?"

"It's possible that no one remembers me anymore…"

"You have me. I'll write your name on your forehead again, yeah."

"Stop with the oil-based paint…"

Smiling at each other, Momo once again hugged him tightly.

"You don't have to protect me."

"…"

"In exchange… if that Mushitsuki comes out again, let's run away together, yeah."

"Sure… let's run away together."

At some point they decided on running away.

Making this small promise, the first stars twinkled above their heads.

3.01 Momo and Sepia[edit]

Until just recently her way back home was riddled with Coatl Head marks, but now due to the influence of the Mark Hunting they were all gone.

When one mark was gone after another, she was assaulted by an inexplicable fear.

Coatl Head mustn't vanish.

It had to keep on increasing.

Even so—they were vanishing without a trace due to someone's interference.

"Coatl Coatl…"

Momo walked through town with an uncertain gait. Her head hurt like she'd been hit by something because of her fever, but there was something she had to make sure.

Kusuriya Daisuke had told her that he would take her home.

However, Momo had declined his offer politely and despite feeling otherwise in her heart of hearts.

She actually didn't want to go back home.

She wanted to stay with Daisuke forever.

She was very happy that he'd accepted her. Daisuke managed to help her overcome the anxiousness over the Coatl Head gradually vanishing.

"Para Emile…"

Coatl Head.

A charm to bring out courage.

That mark undoubtedly gave her courage.

By letting her meet Daisuke, she received courage from him.

And that was why Momo had to ascertain something.

"Haa…"

Fighting against her worsening fever, Momo arrived at the town's center illuminated by streetlights.

She was headed for the suburbs.

Walking all the way there took time but she didn't think of turning back. Her body was heavy and her heart was full of vague uneasiness, but she didn't think of stopping.

I don't have to go back home today—

She ran out of breath.

Even so, a smile naturally rose to her face.

She'd go back to the office and have Daiske and Kirarin nurse her—

It would trouble them, but they'd allow it on account of her being sick. She would monopolize the single bed, Daiske would sit next to her and Kirari would make her porridge.

She was unkind, so she didn't care about being a nuisance.

She'd have the pair spoil her as if she owned the place.

She was confident she could cause them to want to throw her out.

"Haa… Haa…"

Her destination was enclosed by a rusty fence.

A familiar scooter was parked nearby. Momo was unsure if the person she'd called there would come, but she had apparently already come.

Although she found it bothersome, she hated leaving things unfinished. Since she'd been at Momo's side for many years already, she knew her personality the most.

She entered through a tear in the fence to set foot inside the premises.

The ruins of the abandoned substation.

It was such a dark place that one might bump into something if they weren't alert.

Unlike when she'd gone there with Daiske to catch the ferret, no moon was visible now. The thick clouds that covered the skies at some point concealed even the stars.

"Haa… Haa…"

There were lines of countless transmission towers.

They were wrapped up in a network of cables resembling a spider's web.

Exiting the forest of metal—she reached a large crater.

And next to the crater was a white mark on the ground.

The special symbol that had started the fad.

Coatl Hot.

A lone girl stood on top of the symbol that had appeared along with the scorching impact.

Immediately after parting with Daisuke, Momo had called the other girl there by text message. As usual there was no reply, but she believed she would definitely come.

"I knew you'd come here… yeah."

Momo smiled.

Standing on top of the white mark was Momo's friend, Sepia. The horned hat turned toward her.

Coatl Hot looked even bigger when compared to the petite Sepia.

The two girls with the same marker case dangling from their waists faced each other.

"Sepia… The Coatl Heads are disappearing…"

"…"

"I'm so scared… I mean, that suitcase person said…"

"…"

"Why aren't you saying anything? Sepia!"

Momo started shouting at her friend that stared at Momo completely silently without talking at all.

"After all, back then when this Coatl Hot was painted… you were the one who created this crater!"

Sepia stayed silent. Momo kept shouting.

"Don't you remember what the suitcase person said?! As long as this mark is here, everything would be fine… but if it's gone… everything'll go to hell!"

"…"

"She said lots of people were going to die! That many people would be coming to kill that Mushitsuki!"

"…"

"Wasn't she speaking about you!?"

Her eyes went teary, and her vision distorted.

The world Momo was watching changed its shape.

Sepia's silhouette distorted due to the tears in her eyes.

"You're the Mushitsuki that should never be born!"

She'd kept it a secret this far.

Sepia was her childhood friend and best friend. When they'd graduated middle school, Sepia had actually gotten accepted to a good school in the capital Akamaki City. Even so she said she'd go to the same school as Momo and remained in town.

That was why she stayed quiet.

That was why she kept the secret that her best friend was a Mushitsuki.

"Sepia… you yourself always spoke to me… about how scared you were…"

Even sturdy Sepia had clung to her and cried.

Momo still clearly remembered the warmth of the tears shed by her friend.

"Run…"

Momo said to Sepia.

"Sepia… you should run away before anything bad happens…"

She'd make a request for Kirari.

Since it was her, she would definitely bring Sepia to a safe place.

"Sepia, say—"

"I only came here to make something clear."

Sepia's voice reverberated in the dark substation.

Momo felt as if it was the first time in a while she heard her friend's voice. Ever since the time Coatl Hot had been drawn, Sepia had kept avoiding her.

The petite girl slowly approached Momo.

She raised her arm toward Momo.

"You're—being annoying, so stop already."

The girl's gaze, clearly filled with hostility, stabbed through the dazed Momo.

And then Sepia clearly—

"—"

Whispered the words of farewell in Momo's ears.

3.02 The Others[edit]

On the suburbs exactly opposite from the substation ruins was an industrial zone.

Even this place, bustling with workers during the afternoon, was creepily quiet at night. Also, since the parking lot was far from the factory, there weren't any guards coming.

All of the workers employed in the factory used only that parking lot, so it was spacious.

A large mark was drawn in the center of that dark parking lot.

A Coatl Head.

The youngsters of the city, gathering there from time to time, drew it. Perhaps unwilling to go to the trouble of painting it over, the mark had been just left there.

"…"

Ikarino Kirari was carefully watching the parking lot from within the shadows of the factory.

She could hear nothing but static from the earphones attached to her ears. The wireless listening device set up near the mark transmitted the silence around.

There were only few Coatl Head marks remaining in town. Among them, the one in the parking lot was especially large.

The phenomenon of Mark Hunting, now at the forefront of public attention—Kirari had been sneaking there to ascertain its identity for a few days now.

"They'll definitely show up…"

She mumbled.

There were countless of these marks around the country.

However, Kirari was convinced that the Mark Hunter would appear there.

That was because there were an abnormally low amount of victims from all over the country when compared to those in town.

Perhaps the very act of inciting this Mark Hunting everywhere was the goal. Due to that, there were plenty of marks left unattended.

Those in this town, however, were being actively destroyed. No matter small or big. They were being meticulously erased without a trace.

"I don't think it's just someone trying to get rid of the fad…"

A nasty premonition grew inside Kirari.

Another formless searcher moving behind the scenes—

Kirari could hear footsteps.

"Perhaps they noticed the meaning of Coatl Head…?"

Muttering to herself, Kirari narrowed her eyes.

Two shadows appeared in the parking lot with the mark.

The moon was covered by clouds, so she could only see their silhouettes. However, Kirari was convinced due to the fact she hadn't felt their presence until they arrived and that their posture had no openings.

—They're here.

As Kirari watched, one shadow swung their hand.

That simple action caused the ground to rumble. The ground was gouged and the mark was cruelly torn off.

She listened carefully to the noise-filled earphones.

"With this, we should have erased most marks in this town…"

A woman's voice. She felt as if she'd heard that gloomy, husky voice somewhere before.

"Now, what's going to happen…?"

Since it was a low voice, she couldn't hear it well. Pulling out her small binoculars, she focused on the silhouettes.

"—a guest?"

The woman's voice suddenly grew sharper. Thinking that something happened, she readied her binocular.

"…!"

Startled, she lowered it.

There was only one remaining silhouette. There should have been two just now, though.

By the time she felt danger and tried getting away it was too late.

"I knew you weren't unrelated to this…"

As she turned around, although there shouldn't have been anyone behind her, there was now a person clad in a long coat.

"Tell me everything, Handyman."

She was caught between the two black figures, one behind her and one in front of her.

She had—nowhere to run for.

"I can sense something! A Mushitsuki is approa—i-it's fast…!"

She heard a nervous voice from the headphones.

The coat-wearing woman raised her face, and then she also turned to the parking lot.

A black object approached with the speed of a bullet from afar.

"Hurgh!"

An ear-grating voice echoed. The black person in the parking lot brought out a Mushi on their tongue, shooting sharp claws from it toward the black shadow.

Although it was assaulted by these countless claws, the shadow dancing through the air managed to instantly weave through them. Due to its excessive speed it wasn't even possible to see the route it was taking. —If felt as though the flow of time was faster only in the area around that black object.

Leaving an afterimage, the black object rose to the sky. Drawing an arc, it approached Kirari.

A dark-colored needle passed above Kirari's head.

The woman standing behind her transformed part of her coat into needles and shot them at the sky.

The flying shade weaved through the needles, went into a tailspin and landed on the ground.

Blowing wind made Kirari's hair flutter.

Landing next to her was a girl wearing a turban on her head. A black pattern grew on her head and arms, and the wings fused with her coat grew from her back.

It was a Mushitsuki Kirari didn't know. She couldn't even tell if she was an ally or an enemy.

"—This might be a bit rough, but will ya hang on?"

Immediately after saying this in a sweet voice, the turban girl hugged Kirari.

However, Kirari's body stopped moving.

"…!"

The needles shot from the coat transformed like living beings, tying around Kirari's legs.

"I won't let you."

The coat of the woman muttering in a low voice instantly morphed. It became a tight bodysuit that covered everything from head to toe. The bodyline of the tall and long-limbed woman was prominent.

"Were you the one controlling Biribiri, Karasu? …Die."

The pitch-black phantom raised an arm.

Kirari and the turban girl froze their expressions it happened.

"I sense something!"

The voice echoing through the listening device, stopped the woman from moving.

"From the direction of the substation… this reaction is… t-too strong—"

The voice heard through the earphone was probably heard by the bodysuit woman as well.

Unlike the agitation in her ally's voice, her response was calm. With creepy movements like a doll's, she turned just her upper body toward the station.

"So you finally appear… Mushitsuki of the Substation Ruins."

Kirari also turned to the same direction.

In the far distance, she could see a light illuminating the black sky.

A rainbow-colored light piercing the heavens.

It was the same as that time, when Kirari gazed up full of despair.

I wasn't able to stop it—

Seeing the far sky, Kirari gritted her teeth.

She knew this would happen if Coatl Head was gone.

No, maybe I can still make it in time—

Not giving up, Kirari pulled out a knife from her pocket as the next thing happened.

"I s-sense—"

Once again she heard the shaking voice.

Mushi Uta 8 p233.jpg

"A new reaction just as strong as the Mushitsuki that appeared at the substation…!"

Kirari widened her eyes.

"W-what's going on in this town—"

"No, this is just as planned."

The bodysuit woman was calm.

"I won't let you interfere… Kakkou!"

The gloomy-sounding phantom's voice turned sharper.

"I don't know why there are other people than us who know about the Mushitsuki of the Substation… but it's convenient for us to have all the dangerous Fusion Types in one place."

Raising just the top of her head, the suit-clad woman looked down at Kirari.

"I will completely erase all Fusion Type Mushitsuki from this town tonight."

"…!"

When Kirari tried cutting the wire catching her leg with the knife, the woman swung her arm at the same time.

Her vision blacked out.

Explosions.

Wind.

Dizziness and a sense of floating.

Finally—an impact.

"Ugh…!"

She had apparently momentarily blacked out.

Kirari, coming back awake due to pain, rolled on the ground.

"You moron! Don't doze off!"

Becoming covered in dirt and feeling her momentum stopping, finally she noticed she was in the middle of a field.

The turban-wearing girl also came falling from the sky with Kirari. She was collapsed, with half of her body buried in the ground.

Raising her face, she could see the factory was far away. A large column smoke was rising from it.

The turban girl had apparently taken Kirari and ran from the enemy at the nick of time.

"I already told you that the longer you're under my ability's effect, the larger the burden becomes!"

Approaching Kirari and the other girl were several girls.

Among them a petite girl wearing glasses seemed to be dragging something.

A red smoke rose from the turban girl stuck unmoving in the field. The smoke became a glittering queen bee in midair, and was then reabsorbed by the bespectacled girl.

A girl wearing a casket hat called "Ubuki-chan!" and rushed toward the turban girl.

"R-Red Bee-User…?"

The bespectacled girl's expression changed.

"You… know me?"

"…"

"There shouldn't be anyone who knows about me anymore… well, never mind that for now. More importantly, I gotta ask you something. I didn't save you from the kindness of my heart, y'know."

There was another girl behind the bespectacled one. Wearing her hair in the shape of two buns, she wore a jacket with pin badges on it. Her face was as pretty as a singer's, but she stared into her cellphone with extremely cold eyes.

"Do it, Lucy!"

"Roger. Okay. Got it."

The buns girl ran her fingers on the cellphone.

"I will have you tell me… the secret hidden behind this marking fad."

Kirari startled preparing her body but was too late.

She was assaulted by a sensation as if her chest was being grabbed from inside. And something was being pulled out of her, slithering—

A "you've got mail!" echoed from the cellphone. It was apparently a ringtone.

"Despite being a civilian she'd been trained against mental assault… there's a lot of corrupted text, but I managed to receive it one way or another. Now, let's see here—"

Looking at the screen of her cellphone, Lucy's expression froze.

"Chami-sama… this is…"

The bespectacled girl called Chami also peeked into the screen, and then widened her eyes.

"What the hell—"

Chami, Lucy, Ubuki and the casket-wearing girl.

Kirari didn't know who they were.

However, they were apparently searching for the Mushitsuki born at the substation just like the mysterious person clad in black.

Why had they found out about existence of the Mushitsuki of the Substation Ruins?

How have they come to know of the truth hidden behind the marking fad?

Kirari didn't know the answer.

"Yikes… This is really bad… What're we supposed to do about this…"

Chami mumbled, raising her face.

Kirari understood even without being told.

The Mushitsuki of the Substation, once gone from this world—

If that grave had been ruffled, it would become something irrevocable.

"A Mushitsuki like that… should obviously not be allowed to exist!"

A Mushitsuki that should have never been born.

Right, and that was why—they decided they make it so they weren't born.

"…"

Kirari started trying to walk to the direction of the substation—

And collapsed to the ground, powerless.

3.03 Momo and Marker-User[edit]

In the substation ruins enveloped in darkness, Tanaka Momo stood alone.

The small point of light growing distant was probably the lights of a motor scooter.

Gazing at the shrinking light, Momo's eyes stared at empty air without moving.

Sepia had…

Momo's best friend had…

"You're—being annoying, so stop already."

Just now she'd spoken thus to Momo.

"You're always saying things I don't understand and cling to me even though you're a complete stranger to me…"

She also asserted the following with obviously hostility.

"I'm a Mushitsuki? There's no such thing as Mushitsuki… unless—"

—Aren't you the Mushitsuki?

These were her words of farewell.

Sepia left Momo and was no longer in the substation.

Hearing her friend's words, the happenings of the past were reborn inside Momo's mind like flowing water.

Sepia who apologized while crying.

The assaulting Mushitsuki that presented themselves as the SEPB.

And the "ritual" conducted by the girl with a suitcase—

She now recalled that all those were directed at—none other than Momo herself.

"I remember… Sepia had forgotten about me…"

She said it was destiny.

She said that, after having become Aria Varei, it was unavoidable.

Momo didn't understand a thing, but they said that this was Sepia's fate as one who'd become part of the Original Three.

"She apologized for forgetting about me… and she cried…"

And Sepia had indeed forgotten about her.

"But—I also forgot…"

Moving her face slowly, she looked to the side.

On the parched ground there was a symbol made of a single arrow and two lines crisscrossing it.

Coatl Hot.

This mark had been created to make Momo forget everything until now.

The suitcase-carrying girl made it so.

"So I—"

The tears rising to her eyes streamed down her cheeks.

A small insect crawled on her shoulders.

On its head it had two feelers and a single compound eye, and its body was long when compared to its small abdomen. Its structure was like that of a rhinoceros beetle, but its body was emitting many colors.

The jewel beetle crawling on Momo's head emitted a radiance that tore through the darkness.

The dark substation ruins were filled by a blinding light.

"So I was… a Mushitsuki."

A rainbow jewel beetle shining in all seven colors.

That was the new Fusion Type Mushi that was created by her best friend—

The rebirth of Marker-User, Tanaka Momo.

3.05 The Others[edit]

After parting from Tanaka Momo, he made his way back toward the office.

Yet when he reached an alley about several dozen meters from where he'd first met Momo, the place with the painted-over Coatl Head, he stood in place.

The night sky was covered by black clouds.

Nobody was passing in this alley surrounded by the many buildings with empty roofs.

He couldn't hear anything.

That place was too cold—

So he thought when he came there back when he was on the verge of death.

"I survived…"

Standing like a puppet, he hanged his head.

Yet on his face was a smile.

Back then, this place was unbearably cold, but now it felt very warm.

Because Momo had hugged him.

Because Momo had given him life.

Of course, he couldn't forget Ikarino Kirari as well. He'd been able to only thank her with his mouth. He actually wanted to help her with work and make things easier for her a lot more.

Both girls filled his empty self.

"Well, I should have died a long time ago already…"

Slowly raising his right hand, he held it toward the blinking streetlight.

This hand, that no longer had the strength to hold anything, had cracks running through it. His skin turned paler.

He stood in place because he no longer had the energy to walk.

"No… maybe I was like this from the very beginning…"

He smiled self-derisively, but his heart felt full.

—Daiske.

Momo's smile was burned in his eyelids.

—Daiske-san.

The girl that saved him was just like Momo said. She would never abandon him.

If he just kept living, how would tomorrow be?

He knew the answer fully well.

He didn't think anything was special.

He had nothing left to do with his remaining time.

He was able to live in a today that was the same as yesterday.

So another tomorrow the same as today would come.

While dreaming of this—he accepted this ending.

"It's too much of a happy ending for someone like me…"

He would be controlled by his own power.

No.

In his case, there was a much crueler ending.

Even when faced with a horrible death, he didn't feel any fear.

"…"

He absentmindedly raised his head.

At some point he'd been surrounded by black shapes.

He couldn't feel their presence, but only their awesome killer intent, so he knew their identity.

The unit directly under Central Headquarters Vice-Director Miguruma Yaeko, the Annihilators.

Just by looking around he understood.

Harukiyo wasn't there. He and his comrades were only mobilized when things had to do with the Rank 1 Mushitsuki—so obviously they wouldn't be here.

The ones surrounding him were probably an assault team without any abilities. They would lack in their rational thinking and control of their abilities, but be very powerful. Rather than Mushitsuki they could be called wild beasts or tanks. There were plenty, but they were treated as disposable.

"East Central Branch member, Blaze Class Rank 1 Kakkou—"

One of the black shadows spoke.

It didn't matter who of them spoke. After all they received orders from Vice-Director Miguruma and assassinated mechanically.

"We will annihilate you."

He laughed.

How ironic. The enemy he was supposed to be waiting for wasn't here—

"…"

He had no intention to resist. Letting his shoulders sag, he closed both eyes.

However—the thing nesting inside of him wouldn't allow that.

"…!"

Thump, his heart jumped.

Throwing his eyes open, he looked up to the far sky.

The far, far night sky over the suburbs of town was dyed in rainbow colors.

His pulse quickened, there was a violent beating inside his chest.

Seeing the column of light, from the angle and distance, it was definitely a place he knew.

The electrical substation where he'd once captured the ferret.

"Gh—"

As he grimaced, something like black smoke came gushing out of him.

"GWOOOHHH!"

As if resonating with the rainbow glow.

As if scared from the impulse of that great power.

The thing inside him went wild.

"OOhhh…"

Widening his eyes, he hugged his own body.

—There was a Mushitsuki here… but she's gone now.

Momo's shaky voice was reborn in the back of his mind.

—This hole and this mark… Coatl Head is that Mushitsuki's grave.

What was happening at the substation right now?

He had no idea.

Yet he had a bad feeling.

The black impulse planted within him felt the birth of unfathomable power. What could the thing inside him be so scared of?

—If Coatl Head is gone, that Mushitsuki will appear again.

Momo said this with a scared expression.

—If that happens, I'm going to be killed…

A strange uneasiness urged him.

He had to go to the substation right now.

It was obvious something was going on. He had to make sure what—

"…"

He stopped resisting the impulses of destruction coming out of him.

Cautious against his abnormal behavior, the Annihilators kept their distance from him, unmoving. —Although they were stupid, at least their senses were sharp.

Scattering about darkness from his entire body, he slowly raised his head.

"You said you're going to annihilate Kakkou…"

While absently gazing up the sky, he mumbled.

He intended on dying there, but now he couldn't do so anymore. To head toward the substation as fast as he could, he would squeeze out the very last drops of his dream—and sell all of them to the demon sleeping inside him.

"Fuhaha."

While wearing a self-derisive smile, his surroundings were rapidly dyed in the color of darkness.

The alley strewn with vacant houses was being replaced with a completely different space.

"Sorry to disappoint you, though. I'm just—a Kusuriya Daisuke."

The codename "Kakkou" had nothing to do with him.

Kusuriya Daisuke.

Momo had called him thus.

Kirari called him that as well.

He had no other name.

He had no name, and the two girls called him like that.

"Lend me power, Diorestoi…"

As if responding to his mumble, a large amount of tombstones came bursting from the ground.


4.00 Marker-user VS The Annihilators' Ashimaki Part 1[edit]

The rainbow jewel beetle emitted great light, transforming.

It inflated, then became countless tentacles.

"No—"

The glowing rainbow feelers enveloped Momo's body.

"Nooo!"

Momo tried desperately running away, but the rainbow jewel beetle didn't allow its host to escape. The feelers pierced Momo's entire body.

Stabbing her skin, the feelers permeated her body, becoming a pattern on her skin.

Her body felt like it was burning. As if molten magma was coursing through her veins.

"WAAHHH!"

She covered her pattern-covered face with her hands.

It was as if she was turning into a Formula One car. Forcibly stuffing her into the engine that contained great power, she felt like she could immediately run at several hundred kilometers per hour.

Yet Momo was a normal high school girl.

She had no brakes to control this bursting power.

She had no steering wheel with which to control this belligerence and her fear.

She was simply thrust into the cockpit of this machine possessing an unmanageable output.

"WAHHHH!!!"

Her right arm, turning by mere impulse, bumped into something.

An earthquake-like impact shook the substation ruins.

Momo's wildly swinging arm caused a transmission tower to be torn from its base and get blown away.

The cables connected to the other tower ripped apart, scratching against the ground and spreading sparks.

"Aaahhh…"

With tear marks on her cheeks, Momo folded her knees on the ground.

Momo didn't have enough fuel to move her body that was in control of this power.

It was the thing consumed in order to borrow the power of a Mushi.

The mental energy known as a dream.

Instead of overflowing with superhuman power, Momo was losing something important from within.

"Ahh…"

While hugging her own burning body, Momo recalled something.

Sepia, her childhood friend, began taking her distance from her one day.

It was around the time she'd gone to the high school in the capital. She said she'd bought a necklace with a ring and showed it to Momo.

Yet before long, Sepia had started avoiding her. When Momo asked her about it she had replied the following.

—I became Aria Varei, so I might do something horrible to you, Momo.

So she said. Obviously Momo couldn't understand her words and tilted her head.

And… was it around when they entered high school?

Momo came to know the meaning of Sepia's words firsthand.

Sepia had turned her into a Mushitsuki.

Momo didn't know how she'd done so. Even so she felt that Sepia, with her starved face, had "eaten" something from inside her.

And so Sepia was released from the burden of Aria Varei—and forgot about Momo.

She didn't know why.

It was probably something like this.

The mysterious being called Aria Varei was gone from within Sepia.

On the other hand, Momo who became a Mushitsuki was attacked by other Mushitsuki. The people wearing strange goggles introduced themselves as the SEPB.

"Nn…gah!"

Her heart was beating violently. As if a bomb exploded inside her chest. Her uncontrollable body moved on its own, pounding both hands against the ground.

Along with a tremor, a crack large enough to split the entire substation in two was created in the ground.

"Gh…Ah…"

Right—the same situation as now.

Momo had given in to her impulses, turning the tables on the Mushitsuki coming for her. The gap in their powers was clear, so it was just like swatting a simple fly.

What had been created back then was the trace of the explosion on the ground—the large crater.

She had despaired that she was turning into a monster.

She had known she couldn't go back to her normal life.

Yet the girl who had appeared in front of the beaten Momo denied that.

That girl was carrying a suitcase around. She wore glasses and her face was hidden by her bangs. She had a plain appearance, and the only thing eye-catching about her was her being tall.

Even when she looked at the monstrous Momo, that girl that appeared suddenly remained calm to an abnormal degree.

—U-umm, I'm… Satou Youko.

Although she hadn't even been asked, the girl had introduced herself.

—Umm, I will save you. I promised to do so.

While Satou Youko was speaking as if she was making small talk, Momo had seen her eyes for an instant. These dark eyes that had no glimmer in them made Momo feel that she was being paralyzed and dragged into the abyss.

—This is… an experiment I've devised.

Giggling to herself as she added this, Satou Youko had stood on top of the mark she drew on the ground.

That was Momo's meeting with Coatl Head.

This simple, single mark drawn on the ground was burned into Momo's eyes.

"Uugh—"

Groaning, Momo suddenly raised her face.

It wasn't Momo herself that noticed. The Mushi fused with her just moved her out of survival instinct.

The writhing Momo's sight was filled with countless sharp claws. The thin claws coming from afar fell around her like rain.

"Ee—"

Raising a mumbled shriek, Momo took a light jump back to evade the claws.

Or so she intended.

However, Momo's body covered by the rainbow pattern managed to instantly clear the crater with a single jump. Leaving the rain of claws behind in the blink of an eye, Momo was unable to stop her momentum and plunged into the forest of steel.

"AAAH!"

The large steel tower was crushed and the network of cables overhead rippled.

Being hit hard, the bones of her entire body creaked. Momo raised her tear-stained face.

"Kii—"

She could see in the darkness the red, glowing eyes of a giant Mushi. It was an insect only in shape, as both its size and its wickedness were far removed from normal. It was just a monster.

The large Mushi opened its maw, trying to crunch Momo with its sharp fangs.

"Eek!!!"

Succumbing to her fear, she thrust the Mushi away with both hands.

The Mushi assaulting her was blown away as if she was throwing a steel ball that weighed several dozen tons. It knocked over transmission towers one after another, breaking them into pieces thrown to the sky.

"Haa, Hah! …Wah?"

She couldn't understand what was happening at all.

Her own physical powers were heightened to an absurd degree.

Conversely her mind was being eroded swiftly and her mind felt misty.

"Uuh…Aaah!"

She fell into a state of panic. She simply understood she was being attacked by something and she wanted to run away with her legs.

Her superhuman leg strength working for nothing, she hit her shoulders against the ground. Even so her momentum didn't stop and she bounded a few times on the hard asphalt, her body flung away from the forest of steel.

"Ugh… Uuh…"

She could only utter meaningless sounds for a while now. As if she'd lost her rational thinking and became a beast.

Raising her sand-dirtied face, Momo stood on top of Coatl Hot.

"Aah…"

The black people surrounded her. Their faces were hidden by goggles and masks.

A Mushitsuki that should never be born—

Who was it that called Momo like that?

She knew that the people surrounding her were trying to kill her.

"No—"

Trying to escape, she kicked the ground.

One of the men in black opened his mouth wide. A small Mushi clinging to his tongue extended thick, gum-like claws. It launched the pointed end of these claws endlessly, raining them down on Momo.

"Aagh!"

The claws hit her leg and Momo rolled over again. Ahead of her lay waiting yet another black-wearing person.

Being attacked by a Mushi with a fiendish expression, Momo hurriedly turned on her heels. Thanks to her kick, powerful enough to make the ground fissure, she managed to barely avoid the Mushi's attack.

She lost her balance and slipped on top of Coatl Hot.

She couldn't escape the encirclement.

Not only that, but it took everything Momo had just to resist the hot impulse coursing inside her.

"UUUhhh…UUUUhhhuuu!"

From outside she was being surrounded by many people with killing intents, and from the inside she was tortured by a searing agony.

Grimacing at the two inescapable fears, she hugged her own body tightly.

The boy with a Mushi perched on his tongue approached.

"Fusion Type Musitsuki are dangerous. They sould be annihilated while they're still in zeir confused wild state…"

Since she was a Mushitsuki who should have never been born, she'd be killed—

The suitcase girl Satou Youko had said this, but was this what she meant?

Momo herself hadn't done anything wrong.

She'd simply been made a Mushitsuki by her friend—were they going to rob her of her life just for that reason?

Why was it so unreasonable?

"Uuu…"

Raising an animalistic groan, Momo glared at the black-wearing people.

I have to run away—

The choice of running away came to her mind.

She didn't want to die here.

However, on her own, she couldn't muster the courage to run away.

"Dai…ske—"

The moment she chose to run, she recalled that boy's face.

—In exchange… if that Mushitsuki comes out again, let's run away together, yeah.

And he had accepted her after saying that.

—Sure… let's run away together.

He had promised her with a smile.

If she was with that boy, with Kusuriya Daisuke, she could run anywhere.

Right now Momo should be able to run faster than anyone. She only lacked the courage.

If she was with Daisuke, she wouldn't fear anything—

"Daiske…!"

She felt as if she hadn't spoken human words in a very long time.

Kicking the ground, Momo tried breaking through the encirclement.

However, she was again assaulted by claws. She desperately dodged them, but the other Mushitsuki came in front of her.

She didn't know how to dodge or land safely. She simply ran recklessly to try and escape from the Mushi surrounding her like a child playing tag.

"I won't letch you go back to him—"

The black-wearing man said while extending claws from his mouth. Since he was speaking while controlling the Mushi perched on his tongue, his voice came out as a mumble and the pronunciation was difficult to hear properly.

"What's going to happen if you both combine your powers… mabbe you'll become a threat that could destroy de the entire country."

Being pounded on top of the Coatl Hot drawn on the ground, Momo was stunned.

Destroying the country?

A threat?

She didn't care about that sort of thing.

The most shocking of all was the fact that the people in front of her wanted to block even her reunion with Daisuke.

She wasn't even trying to destroy anything.

She wasn't even trying to kill anyone.

She simply wanted to go to Daisuke, so they could run away together—

"…Uuu—"

Momo's expression changed. A flammable anger rose to her pupils as she glared at the black-wearing people.

At this rate she wouldn't be able to run away.

At this rate she'd be killed.

Momo's haphazardous movements weren't able to run away from these guys.

She needed a different power—a stronger one.

"Waaah…! Nn…! Nngh…!"

She recklessly swung her arm.

The ground rumbled as the stepped on it, and the gale created by her arm kept the black-wearing men away.

"Aaugh! Iyaah!"

She tried every possible movement like a baby having a tantrum.

Unable to even come close, the black-wearing men seemed agitated. Yet seeing Momo was just moving her arms and legs, they mocked her.

"Iz she crazy…?"

While dancing her strange dance, Momo scowled.

"Uuwah!"

No, it wouldn't do it.

Not with these idiotic moves.

She felt like she could do something much more incredible.

She had the premonition that she could use to energy running through her body to do something unthinkable.

"Agh!"

Hit by the rain of claws, Momo was thrown to the ground again.

As she raised her head, her eyes reflected the figures of the Mushi coming to finish her off.

These guys—

All expression vanished from Momo's face.

I'll kill them—

She'd erase all of them until nothing remained.

All those who stopped her from seeing Daisuke should die.

She was unkind—so unless it was someone she could be kind to, she would show no mercy.

"Uuu—"

Leaking a bestial roar, Momo's hand touched something hard.

It was the marker case hanging from her waist.

As she widened her eyes, the swarm of Mushi pressed on her.

"…!"

The vibration of the large Mushi clashing rocked the substation.

"Wha—"

The black-wearing man with a Mushi in his mouth was astonished.

Momo avoided the Mushi's attacks with movements like a different person's. She nimbly kicked their bodies, jumping atop an especially large Mushi.

This wasn't made with Momo's will.

The Mushi inside her was controlling her body.

"Uu—"

But starting there she acted out of her own volition.

When she roused her body, she drew out a single marker. A tentacle extending from her arm fused with it, and the tip was glowing in blue.

Her actions were already complete.

It ended in an instant.

She drew the exact same mark she'd already drawn many times, dozens of times—hundreds of times before.

She ran her marker on the Mushi at her feet to draw a symbol made of an arrow intersected with two straight lines.

That mark was drawn in vivid greyish blue—the color called baby blue.

A blue light with the meaning of "purification" came bursting from the symbol drawn by her.

"W-what's zat…? Run—"

Having a bad feeling about this, the black-wearing men all turned away to run.

But it was too late.

Since she was unkind, she was merciless.

Aiming for the night sky, the newly-born Fusion Type Mushitsuki—Marker-user Tanaka Momo—howled.

"Coatl Heaaaad!"

As the glowing mark burst, the Mushi's surface started bubbling as if undergoing some chemical reaction.

The blue glow that could purify anything pierced the substation ruins.

4.01 The Others[edit]

It happened during the time spring was over and the scent of summer grew close.

The "Handyman Kirari☆" managed by Ikarino Kirari was as impoverished as ever. All she did was waiting for requests at the office day after day.

One such day, a girl came to visit the office. Apparently, she came there after seeing the advertisement Kirari had posted in a freely-distributed listing magazine for a small fee. —She simply added the line "We also accept special troubles related to 'insects'" on the page's smallest corner.

This girl, wearing a horned hat, named herself Sepia. Rarely, there were clients who didn't want to reveal their real names, but it was Kirari's first time to hear such an obvious pseudonym.

She had received quite a lot of Mushi and Mushitsuki-related requests back then.

Sepia's problem was also related to Mushi—but the particulars were on a whole different dimension than anything she'd ever accepted before.

"I want you to save my friend who's about to become a Mushitsuki."

Saying this, Sepia grasped the necklace hanging from her neck. It was an expensive-looking accessory with a golden ring attached to it.

Kirari had received requests to save Mushitsuki countless times before.

Yet being told to save someone who was about to become a Mushitsuki was a new one.

"I'll definitely be unable to withstand the 'hunger'…"

The story told calmly by the expressionless Sepia was quite hard to believe.

Sepia said that one of the Original Three resided inside her.

Kirari, who'd dealt with multitudes of Mushi, obviously knew about those designated as the Prototype Mushi who gave birth to Mushitsuki, called the Original Three.

The Original Three residing in Sepia was Sanbikime, the one producing Fusion Type Mushitsuki—she said their true name was Aria Varei. Unlike the other two they didn't possess a body; she explained that they possessed the person closest to the one with dreams of their taste.

And the one who drew Aria Varei to fused with Sepia—was the girl called Tanaka Momo, her childhood friend.

"Will you believe me?"

No matter how kind Kirari was, she couldn't immediately answer with a yes.

Even so she accepted the request—yes, because Kirari was kind.

She didn't care even if she was being tricked.

Even if Sepia was simply having a delusion, the girl looked truly troubled.

Even if it was some mischief, and Kirari was being made fun of, she would just end it with a smile. If it meant that nobody became a Mushitsuki and peace continued, that would be the best option.

Having her request accepted, Sepia smiled for the first time.

"Thank you."

The reward would be the necklace with the golden ring in it—

Making this promise, Kirari began work.

Thus she came to know Tanaka Momo. Since there were limits to monitoring her from afar, she pretended doing a survey to approach Momo. Using the pretext of the survey to conduct a psychological test, a few days later she came to her again to thank her—

Since Momo had a sociable personality, it didn't take long for Kirari to deepen their relationship. Using the opportunity to take care of another request, she hired Momo to help her out as a part-timer.

Being with Momo was very enjoyable for Kirari.

The time they spent together brought her the sense of youth she'd nearly forgotten.

Of course behind the scenes she was in contact with Sepia, but her request merely became a pretext to meet up with Momo.

If Sepia's request was fake—

If nothing had happened—

Although at first it was a calculated relationship, perhaps Kirari could come to call Momo her best friend—

She was about to think so.

"Anyway, my friend Sepia is a genius. She was accepted to a design high school in Akamaki City, but instead she decided to come to the same local school as me… what a waste, yeah."

Tanaka Momo always smiled brightly.

"But I won't lose, yeah. I plan on creating something even more amazing than Sepia and shocking the world. —No, I have to be more decisive. My passionate feelings will not be stopped by anyone, yeah!"

Even while laughing, her eyes were serious.

However, how many failures had she tasted, being near her friend hailed as a genius? She was probably suffering on the boundary between jealousy and friendship.

Yet the girl accepted it all and was intent on surpassing her rival.

"One day I'll fill the entire world with my art… I'll take over the world, yeah!"

Shudder—Kirari had a bad feeling about this.

The girl called Tanaka Momo was so bright that Kirari was jealous of her.

She shone with her dream to a frightening degree.

On the other hand, with Sepia—her mind became more and more eroded by the "hunger" with each passing day.

"That's an amazing dream."

Even while she was outwardly smiling, Kirari felt tense on the inside.

What if the things Sepia had told her were true?

What if Momo was shouldering the fate of becoming a Mushitsuki?

She, meanwhile, had no way of saving Momo, not a single one—

"—U-umm… there's a Mushitsuki I'm looking for."

During that time Kirari carried yet another worry.

Around the same time when she accepted Sepia's request, another person came to visit her through the "Handyman Kirari☆" advertisement.

"I want you to look for the person using a 'red queen bee'… there's something I have to return to her, so I want to meet her…"

It was a girl with a tall, glamorous body that would make anyone jealous, yet unfortunately she hid it within plain clothing. Her long bangs and simple glasses hid her expression, and since she was whispering, Kirari thought she was trying to hide her own presence.

If you're fine with it taking time then sure, she readily accepted it, but it was a mistake.

"U-umm, have you still not found it? …I-is that so? Because I just requested it? Sorry, then please take your time."

The girl's second visit was a mere few days later. Like the last time she came in a plain outfit, carrying a classic-style suitcase.

"I was just a bit interested about how the investigation's going. It's fine, I don't have any expectations. …I see. Not yet, huh. Yeah, I get it, it's fine…"

Her third visit was a single day after the previous one.

She came for a fourth visit, then a fifth, and the girl kept indirectly pressuring her.

"Haa… oh, not really? This sigh just now was, you see, just to wipe off my glasses. See? Haa, squeak, squeak. I hate that red queen bee-user, I can't do anything fun because of her—"

…She felt as if some wicked spirit was haunting her.

That somewhat creepy girl, called Satou Youko, came to the office at any opportunity, complained in the reception room then left. This continued for a while.

Kirari was already so mentally fatigued that she was about to reject the request by making an excuse she failed the job.

Satou Youko appeared again, complaining like the usual.

"Aah, will this never go away? But I also feel like it made me feel better as well, somehow. The little experiment I tried a while ago also seemed to have an effect… Oh, but obviously I can't make them not get born. Sealing them, though, should be theoretically possible."

Sorry, I failed your request. Please leave already.

Kirari wanted to say so, but swallowed her words.

Sealing—

Satou Youko would complain out of her own volition, not caring if anyone was even listening to her. Although Kirari barely understood anything she just said, that single word was exceedingly close to what she was looking for.

"Can't I find some good guinea pig somewhere? If possible someone with abnormal thinking who was just born, fresh from the oven… If only I still had Loci-chan it would be so easy to create one…"

"Will you tell me about this in more detail…?"

The bespectacled girl, Satou Youko was someone dangerous—

She didn't seem to be a Mushitsuki, but Kirari had this premonition. That was why simply facing her eroded her mind, and she wanted to decline her request and severe their ties.

But what if?

Perhaps the girl in front of her possessed what Kirari wished for?

As Kirari leaned closer, Satou Youko wore an enchanting grin. She licked her lips bewitchingly as if she smelled her prey.

"No, it is I… who wants to hear more."

And thus.

Kirari took the gamble of her life.

"—WAAAAHHH!"

Sepia, already unable to bear her hunger, went to the electrical substation, the location designated by Kirari herself. She chose a place where there would at least be no victims.

Yet something unimaginable happened.

She was probably quite hungry. Sepia had called Momo quite a lot earlier than planned, eating her dream.

By the time Kirari and Youko finished preparing and headed there, Momo had already become a Mushitsuki.

If that wasn't enough, the column of light was noticed by the members lying in town. The battle between the SEPB assassins and the rampaging Momo unfolded.

Kirari couldn't believe her eyes while watching that.

"WAAAAAAH!"

Momo fought recklessly while screaming. While she was mowing down her enemies, none of whom could be called powerful Mushitsuki, Kirari could see Sepia knocked out on the ground. —If what she'd said before was true, Sepia was no longer Aria Varei and had lost her memories of Momo.

"AAAAAH!"

Tanaka Momo's body, glowing with a rainbow pattern, was covered in wounds.

And flowing from these wounds was—

"Once they figure out she's a Fusion Type Mushitsuki, the SEPB will be gathering their forces to kill her."

While drawing a large mark on the ground with paint, Satou Youko spoke casually. She seemed somewhat cheerful.

"I don't know much about them… but after letting a few Mushitsuki like the Spear-user or Fuyuhotaru, as well as Kakkou, go free—they've had enough of trying to manipulate Fusion Type Mushitsuki."

"…"

Kirari understood everything.

She understood.

"Yet she's apparently already… way beyond that level."

Having finished drawing the symbol, Satou Youko smiled happily like never before.

On the other hand large tears started plopping down from Kirari's eyes.

Something like this was definitely bad.

A Mushitsuki like this should have never been born.

The destiny carried by Tanaka Momo was much too heavy—

"I hope this goes well. I'm also interested in what happens if it fails, though. —Kirari-san. When we're done you'll do what I say? You need to recover Sepia-san and Momo-san… oh, and don't forget to destroy the SEPB's goggles, too. Since they have recording devices there'll be evidence, you know?"

"…"

"You don't have to be that worried, it'll be fine. The important thing is getting them to forget what happened here… during normal life, the brain arranges the small details of memories in the way most convenient for the person involved. Such is the way people's minds work."

Leaving a smile to Kirari who was still standing there and crying, Satou Youko approached Momo.

Even after defeating the SEPB members, Momo was still unable to stop her rampage.

Mushi Uta 8 p269.jpg

Aiming for her next prey, she stared at Satou Youko who appeared in front of her.

However—seeing Youko's black eyes peeking from within her bangs, she became paralyzed.

Her eyes, as deep as the abyss, restrained Momo by invisible arms.

"U-umm, my name… is Satou Youko."

This was the first time for Youko and Momo to meet. She politely introduced herself.

"Umm, I will save you. I promised to do so."

Momo didn't move.

"—This is… an experiment I've devised."

Smiling, Satou Youko removed her glasses. Sweeping up the bangs that hid her face, she revealed her bottomless ocean-like eyes. Removing a button at her neck, she showed a peek of her ample chest.

The beauty, having transformed to a completely different person, smiled bewitchingly at Tanaka Momo.

"Everything that happened here… is a mere dream created by a dream."

Momo becoming a Mushitsuki.

The large hole opened in the ground.

The SEPB members turned Fallen.

The unconscious Sepia.

Kirari who stood there dazed.

The large mark drawn on the ground that was watching over this nightmarish scenario—

"All of them will be erased here. Underneath this tombstone of Coatl Head—"

Just as this solemn announcement claimed, the nightmare was erased.

Making sure this nightmare would never be revived again was Kirari's job.

And so Kirari fulfilled her own mission.

"Mushitsuki of the Substation Ruins"—

That Mushitsuki, bearing the fate of not being allowed to be born, fell asleep without being disturbed by anyone.


—It was supposed to be asleep.

Anyone and everyone were supposed to forget about the Mushitsuki born back then.

The one who'd made Momo into a Mushitsuki as well.

And the one who became a Mushitsuki herself too.

They were supposed to forget this incident as a mere explosion of an unknown cause, with eventually even the SEPB calling the search off.

Even so—

On top of the exposed ground, Ikarino Kirari bit her lips.

There was a column of light visible in the distant sky viewed from the empty field.

She wasn't able to hide it perfectly—

Everything was supposed to have proceeded according to plan, so what went wrong?

"Why… why is this non-existent Mushitsuki waking up again?"

Barely raising her body, she glared at the girls with eyes full of tears.

"If only she'd been left asleep, everything would have ended peacefully…!"

If everything would be done and forgotten, then another peaceful today that was the same as yesterday would come.

They were supposed to be able to reach a tomorrow that was the same as today.

Not just Momo.

Kirari and including other people, everyone would live peacefully.

"Chiharu—"

The bespectacled girl called Chami was probably the leader. She clicked her tongue with an agonized face, turning toward the casket-wearing girl carrying the unconscious Ubuki.

"Yeah. The reason I was suddenly unable to sense Aria's smell… just like I thought, it was because they gave birth to a new Mushitsuki. I think they're gone back to sleep."

Hearing Chiharu's words, Chami cussed with a Shit.

"Our goal is simply Aria Varei. —Well, I did think about getting to the new Fusion Type before the Annihilators and make them our ally if there really was one."

Chami glared back at Kirari on the ground.

"Also… you said that 'it would have ended peacefully'?"

"…"

"Does that mean for everything to keep peaceful like this for all eternity?"

Kirari's expression tensed. She unconsciously grasped the ground.

"I now understand that Mushitsuki mustn't be born."

Kirari's agitation was probably apparent. Chami clicked her tongue again.

"But there's somethin' I still don't know. How have you hidden the Mushitsuki of the Substation Ruins so perfectly until now?"

Chami asked her.

"You couldn't've done it by yourself. Who put that idea in your head?"

Kirari hesitated whether or not she should talk about that.

The secret she'd kept close in her chest so far.

That could be said to be a kind of ritual.

That suitcase girl had erected a tombstone to seal a Mushitsuki.

On the other hand, Kirari's mission was—protecting that tombstone.

Without being found by anyone.

Without being revealed to anyone.

To hide a single grave, she hid it amongst countless identical ones.

"That person called Satou Youko-san…"

Yet everything ended in vain.

There was no point hiding it anymore.

"…That woman!"

Chami exploded.

"I warned her, but she's still involving herself with Mushitsuki? She's dashing through that road that leads to nothing but destruction without a moment's hesitation…!"

She apparently knew Youko already. Kirari already half-guessed it.

"The Mushitsuki using the red queen bee… she was probably looking for you. At first she apparently wanted you to lift the ability placed on her, but she probably started getting interested in your ability on the way…"

"This isn't fucking funny! I have my hands full taking care of ex-SEPB and ex-Mushibane members, not to mention an ex-Aria Varei… I don't want no ex-Demon Lord too!"

They were probably the girls' circumstances that Kirari didn't know about. Chami grabbed her shoulders violently.

"What have you done to her?! How have you hidden something as overwhelming as this?"

"Using suggestion… Satou Youko-san called it a 'burial ceremony', though."

It was a theory that an ordinary person like Kirari didn't think about.

Although dreams were exceptionally vague, they seemed to have deep ties to a person's deep psyche. It sounded fake, but Satou Youko had claimed to utilize this in order to give birth to Mushitsuki.

If so, then how could she seal a Mushi that was already there?

She said there were various methods.

Youko spoke about one proposal among them with enjoyment.

Since she was knowledgeable about the human mind, Youko proposed the method of suggestion, created by hypnotic effects.

"Suggestion? You mean like hypnotism…? Could such a thing even—"

"A very, very strong suggestion. To allow it to exhibit its effects continuously, you need to have a keyword close to the target at all times to maintain the hypnotism…"

Everyone there became speechless.

Never mind Chami, even Lucy who was in the middle of speaking on the telephone was frozen like a statue.

They probably all reached the same conclusion.

They probably all thought of the same symbol.

"That suggestion caused Momo-chan to… forget she was a Mushitsuki."

"—Y-you're insane… Both Satou Youko and you…"

Chami barely squeezed out a hoarse voice.

The other girls couldn't even get out a single word.

"Are you saying that this entire marking fad was created just to hide a single Mushitsuki?"

The hypnotizing and planting of a suggestion was a success.

Tanaka Momo had completely forgotten about her becoming a Mushitsuki.

And Kirari had fervently sought to spread this marking fad.

The suggestion was powerful, and the fad involved the entire country, continuing its effects.

The propagating Coatl Heads also had the meaning of hiding the true tombstone that was Coatl Hot—

"I'd understand it this was a temporary thing… but there really wasn't any other method?"

Just like Chami said.

The suggestion wouldn't hold forever.

The flow would be just temporary.

The fad would someday be gone.

So until then she would look for ways to save Momo.

Yet she didn't make it in time.

The fad was disturbed, and Momo reawakened.

She was unable to fulfill Sepia's request.

"Indeed… I can't think of any other method."

Chami groaned in anguish.

"What were you supposed to do other than seal that sorta Mushitsuki…!"

Yes, she could only "seal" it. Just looking for a place to hide it would mean nothing.

"Chami-sama. Just now, the Mushibane forces I called for support have arrived in town."

Lucy, handling her mobile phone, turned to her.

Chami interjected through this news.

"Have them all withdraw."

"So horrible. I wanna divorce. What a waste. —Actually, even if you didn't use me, the counselor, you could've just joined Mushibane directly. Or are you worried since you let Harensis' sister die? They're treating her as missing; they don't know yet, so it's fine.

Chami groaned "Shut your mouth already," while glaring at the distant sky.

"Since it's gotten like this, we lost. Nobody can win against the people related to that Mushitsuki…"

Exactly so.

Now that the situation was like this, no one would be able to stop Momo.

No one would be able to save her.

"Even so, if there's anyone who can do something in this situation—it's him."

Chami squeezed out a low voice. Kirari widened her eyes.

"The Annihilators said this earlier… he's in town, right?"

Raising her face was not only Kirari. Chiharu also looked worried, biting her lips.

The sky of the substation was dyed in a vivid blue color.

Kirari recalled that there was another Mushitsuki like Momo in town.

If it was him, then maybe—

No, he would be the only one who could save Momo.

"The only one who could handle a Fusion Type… would probably be a fellow Fusion Type."

Other than Ubuki who opened her eyes while groaning, all people there turned to look at the same direction.

"If you're really here, it's 'bout time you got out… Kakkou!"

4.02 Marker-user VS The Annihilators' Ashimaki Part 2[edit]

The substation was enveloped in a blue glow.

The light bursting from the mark drawn by Momo swallowed the Mushi one after another.

The Mushi's body touched by the purifying baby blue began to crumble, disperse and vanish.

"Kh—"

Only one of them, the leader of the black-wearing people, managed to dodge the torrent of light. The claws extending from the Mushi perched on the man's mouth turned to dust as they touched the light.

When the glow vanished, all of them were collapsed apart from the man keeping a Mushi in his mouth. Although none of them were physically hurt, all life was lost from their barely-open eyes. Seeing this scene, Momo came to know that any Mushitsuki who lost their Mushi became a living corpse.

"D-dis is Asimaki…! Dis girl's using some kind of strange ability—"

The man facing Momo shouted as he put his hand to the goggles. He was apparently talking to someone.

Having unleashed her power through the marking, Momo shouted.

"WAAAAHHHH!"

She felt as if the hot impulse coursing through her body slightly lessened.

Yet it wasn't enough.

If she didn't let out much more energy from her body, everything around her would explode.

"Daiske…"

Her bloodshot eyes turned to the direction of town.

She had to go back to the boy. He had promised to run away with her.

She hadn't a moment to spare; she needed to get as far away as she could.

"Daiske…!"

Her body was swaying. With that unbalanced gait she started walking to town.

However—

"Hurgh!"

The black-clad man called Ashimaki shot his Mushi's claws through his mouth.

Blown away by the claws that extended like rubber, she crashed into the forest of transmission towers. Her body covered by the glowing pattern bent the steel columns and tore through cables.

"—"

When she came to, she had already taken a landing posture and stepped with both legs on the side of the tower. She preserved her horizontal position with momentum, raising her tear-stained face.

"I can't let you meet up with Kakkou… I'll kill you before your ability fully awakens!"

She no longer understood words.

What she did understand was that the black-wearing man in front of her wanted to kill her very much. He wasn't allowing her to go back to Daisuke.

"AAaahhAAhh!"

Using the recoil, Momo kicked the pole. She launched herself at Ashimaki like a flying arrow.

Yet that was advantageous for him.

"Hergh!"

"…!"

Ashimaki retreated while still shooting the claws, and these kept knocking Momo off without ceasing.

The ground was cracked as if by an explosion.

Momo's body sank into the asphalt.

"…Nnngah!"

Yet Momo soon rose up again, leaping from the within the rubble. Furiously rushing toward Ashimaki, her momentum caused cracks to appear on the ground.

Closing the gap in the blink of an eye, Momo's marker attempted to touch Ashimaki.

However, since he could easily see her, the black-wearing man evaded.

"Hurghhh!"

Hit by the claws from extremely short range, Momo was blown backwards. Also, since these claws were as flexible as whips, they kept landing blows on Momo's head as she rolled on the ground.

"Ugh…!"

Even while ducking onto the hard ground, Momo moved her hand.

"Coatl Heaaad!"

The blue mark drawn on the broken piece of rubble glowed.

"It's useless… I've seen that ability before!"

The moment before the glow touched him, he withdrew the claws hitting Momo. The thick, rubbery claws were drawn back inside his mouth.

"UUUuuugh!"

Momo right now couldn't even understand the word "useless".

Withstanding the pain in her entire body and standing up, as if repeating her foolish mistakes she charged toward the enemy again.

Naturally, she was intercepted by Ashimaki's countless claws. These rained on her from all directions and angles.

"Wah—"

There was no way for her to even know how to dodge. Momo, charging ahead recklessly, was hit by the claws.

"—AAaah!!"

However, her legs wouldn't stop.

Wildly swinging her arms, she kept running as if swimming inside the rain of attacks.

"So this is a Fusion Type… is she really human?"

Approaching the shuddering Ashimaki, Momo threw her body to the ground as though trying to roll ahead.

She didn't want it to hurt anymore.

Still keeping the momentum of her roll, she stabbed in the marker glowing in blue into the ground.

This guy's Mushi… I'll blow it away, too!

She engraved a glowing mark on the ground in the blink of an eye.

"Coatl Head!"

The purifying baby blue blew the surroundings away.

"Tss…!"

Along with a muffled clicking of tongue, Ashimaki retreated.

Several claws evaporated after being engulfed by the light. Yet that was all.

"…!"

When the baby blue light was gone, the counterattack began.

Hit and blown away by the claws, Momo rolled on the ground. She heard something creaking. Perhaps one of her bones had broken.

"It's a pain of an ability, bud… there's a time lag from touching the light until the Mushi vanishes."

Raising her face, she saw the destroyed claws regenerating from their base. The claws extended from Ashimaki's mouth entwined, forming the shape of a spear.

"If I can hit you with a single attack from long range—it will be the end."

Momo grimaced with pain and frustration.

"Uuh…"

The enemy in front of her had seen through the power of baby blue.

At this rate—she would be killed before meeting with Daisuke.

When Momo thought this, an indescribable fear pushed on her.

I need another power—

She couldn't fight him right now.

She needed a stronger power.

"Dai…ske…"

On the tip of the marker grasped by Momo—

The blue light was slowly changing to another color.

4.03 The Annihilators' Hakamori VS The Annihilators' Shera[edit]

He felt as if he could hear Momo's voice calling for him.

"Momo—"

He walked through the now-silent alley.

Until now many glowing lights engulfed the distant sky above the substation.

A melody rang in his chest pocket. It was a prepaid cellphone that he had been made to carry during the day in case he needed to get in contact.

"Please save Momo-chan…"

Pressing the call button, he soon heard a shaky voice. It was Kirari.

"She has remembered that she was a Mushitsuki, so please…"

He closed his eyes, biting his lips.

—There was a Mushitsuki here… but she's gone now.

On top of that mark in the substation.

On top of the original, the one and only Coatl Hot.

Lying next to each other, while gazing up at the starry sky, Momo had said this.

—She was a coward and a weakling… just a normal kid unsuited to be a Mushitsuki.

So it was Momo.

She was the Mushitsuki born and gone at the substation.

The Mushitsuki that mustn't be born was none other than Momo herself.

"Please… Daiske-san."

Kirari called his name as if clinging to him.

And so, having his name called, he nodded silently.

"I know…"

He cut off the call with a smile. The already unneeded cellphone that he knew he wouldn't ever use again fell to the ground. He already didn't have enough power to hold it despite it weighing only a mere few hundreds of grams.

Opening his eyes, he looked up at the distant light. He began walking again.

He had to meet up with Momo as soon as possible. She was waiting for him.

—If that Mushitsuki comes out again, let's run away together, yeah.

—Sure… let's run away together.

She was definitely waiting for him.

To fulfill their promise to run away together.

He had defeated all of the Annihilators that surrounded him. The black-wearing Fallen were collapsed here and there in the gloomy alley.

In his hand, with its cracked skin, he grasped a scarp of black cloth ripped during his battle with the Annihilators. Unconsciously holding it in hand, he dragged his legs to get out of the alley.

There was the sound of someone stepping on gravel from behind.

"I won't let you… You are going to die right here—Kakkou."

A gloomy woman's voice called him.

He ignored it. There were marks of him dragging his legs on the asphalt.

"…Momo…"

When he had been about to die there, Momo had found him.

After that, although he was living on borrowed time, Momo hugged him tightly and didn't let go.

That was why, this time, it was his turn to save Momo.

She had acquired a supernatural power and went on a rampage, so he had to go and hug her with his own hands.

"I'll first kill you, then also kill that other Fusion Type."

Kill Momo—

Those words made him turn around.

His bestial eyes glared at the trench coat-wearing woman standing in the alley. All of the liveliness in his face was already gone, and his skin began turning black.

"—"

The woman's expression inside the hood froze.

He knew that woman's name.

Head of the Annihilators, Shera. She was an excellent assassin, and unlike the other Annihilators, even her original power was enough to make her ability be near the strongest.

"Y-you—"

Shera was supposedly always calm, but she widened her eyes more than ever before.

As he slowly turned toward the woman again, he looked directly at his foe.

"You… who the hell are you?"

Kakkou—

The woman in front of him called him that.

Yet that very person was surprised when she saw his face.

Was it that his appearance was unlike what she was expecting?

Or did she have the wrong person?

"…"

He unconsciously wore a smile.

Shera was supposed to know him, but her reaction was laughable.

Although he'd always hidden his face using a mask, Shera was supposed to have been one of the few who knew his real face. She was different from the small fries who just stood in the way while thinking that he was Kakkou.

Even so, was the fact she hadn't immediately recognized him perhaps due to his appearance changing that much? Or perhaps she simply thought that he'd already died like a wild beast somewhere.

He took the black cloth in his hand and wrapped it haphazardly on his face. —Hiding his face was a habit he had before coming to this country. He'd also been educated to hide his true identity as much as possible.

He wrapped the remaining cloth around his elbow and wrist, using his mouth to tie it together.

Now that he regained the fighting posture his body was used to, his felt the exhalation before a battle. As if exposing these dark feelings, a corrupted miasma started gushing out of his body.

Seeing his stance, Shera finally recalled.

"Y-you are—"

"Fuhaha!"

As he laughed self-derisively, white objects appeared at his back. They scattered in air and started swelling.

It was a white-colored scarab beetle. A grotesque Mushi divided to six legs, head, torso and abdomen—fitting for him, it was an empty carcass with nothing inside of it.

The hollow scarab head covered his head like armor. In exchange for his arms, now robbed of their movement, claws were floating around.

"You're Hakamori!"

Shera shouted.

Call me whatever you'd like—he muttered coldly in his art.

His name had no meaning anyway.

"—Lend me power, Diorestoi."

As he erased his smile, black miasma burst from his body.

It was as if the scenery around was being painted over into a completely different space.

The expanding darkness of the night that didn't let any light sneak in was the same as it was before. Yet jutting out from the exposed ground came countless grey slabs—tombstones.

The ability to expand a domain and create a different space.

It was equivalent to the Church, the unreal space created by Shinpu.

Shera's groaning voice reverberated throughout this space that was transformed into a desolate cemetery.

"I thought you were killed by Kakkou… have you managed to recover your self-will?"

Black miasma coiled about the scarab's hollowed carapace.

"Also, that ability… does that mean you're in full control of Diorestoi's Fragment? So that's why you managed to disappear without resonating with the Fragment at the HQ…!"

"Hakamori… is that the name of the Mushitsuki who'd been purposely captured by the SEPB a few years ago?"

Shera's expression froze.

"Or perhaps—the name of the person who, despite infiltrating the Annihilators, became a guinea pig for Central Headquarters, a failed product that merged with Diorestoi's Fragment…?"

"What… did you say?"

"Or are you referring to the disposable pawn made in order to kill Kakkou that recovered his self-will and ran away from the SEPB?"

"You—"

"Or maybe… you refer to me, the one called Kusuriya Daisuke in this town?"

The one who made him a Mushitsuki, Oogui, perhaps did it only on a whim.

If she ate only sweet things, she wanted to try other flavors once in a while—perhaps she had that much of a human sensibility.

Sent to this country for a certain mission, he immediately caught Oogui's eyes.

—Will you tell me your dream?

His answer to Oogui's question wasn't even a dream in the first place.

It's cold here… I wish for someplace warmer—

Unlike his motherland, this country was cold no matter where he went.

That time, he was already exhausted.

And so he wished.

…Give me a place I can die in—

A slipshod, idiotic dream.

He didn't need a place to live in, anymore.

He simply wished for a place that would warm his heart, where he would feel no fear or anxiousness, and where he could die blissfully.

—Such a bitter dream's not bad, either.

Oogui had turned him into a Mushitsuki.

And, just like his original goal, he became a Mushitsuki, infiltrating into the SEPB.

However, something had been planted inside of him by the secret experiments of the Central Headquarters.

Diorestoi's Fragment—for some reason, the Central Headquarters were in possession of those being which were a single part of Shinpu who was able to split himself. The experiments using these Fragments were diverse. Many effects and side-effects were confirmed, but still not fully understood.

He'd become a guinea pig because it had been estimated that the effect on him would be the largest even among the numerous experiments.

They made the Fragment itself react to his Mushi, fusing them—

Amplifying his power like that was unlike the other Annihilators. He was also different from the escapees Minmin or Centipede, who'd been controlled by the Fragment itself and vanished while unable to adapt to it. —To say nothing of Shinpu's body doubles that were wandering around.

The other guinea pigs expired following rejection of the Fragments, but he survived. Even though his mental faculties were on the verge of destruction, eroding both mind and body as he was unable to fully suppress the large power, he still lived.

However, in exchange for that he carried the fate of turning into a living corpse.

"You—who the hell are you…!"

Shera repeated the same question.

It was a foolish exchange.

She herself called him Kakkou and yet asked him who he was, called him Hakamori and then repeated the same question.

"Originally, we should've been the same…"

"…"

"I somehow realized it by your smell. You're a person who came from outside… you feel no loyalty for this country. You were probably sent here by some higher-ups to secretly look for Mushi, right?"

Shera's movements stopped as if her body froze.

"Now the world's watching this country… both you and I are just part of that."

"…"

"But that doesn't matter at all. Right now, I'm—"

The reason he managed to survive the experiments was definitely not due to him being strong.

It was because he made a contract with Diorestoi's Fragment he fused with.

—Becoming the King of Mushitsuki.

He didn't understand the meaning of that term. He couldn't even tell if it meant a literal king.

Yet as one of the conditions, he needed to defeat the current King candidates.

And one of those—was Kakkou.

His ability to sense the location of those people like Kakkou and Fuyuhotaru who had the so-called qualifications of a King by Diorestoi's Fragment was viewed as important data even by the Central Headquarters. They also realized they could resonate the still-unstable Fragment inside him with another neutral Fragment. This meant that no matter where he was, the SEPB would be able to sense him.

However, as they were unable to get any more data, they ended up doing one final test.

A simple measuring of annihilating power.

"I have no name right now…"

He would aim for the moment when one of the King candidates would make an independent move—

The one who first fulfilled this condition was Kakkou.

He'd immediately been dispatched to annihilate Kakkou who left the East Central Branch.

And then he fled.

Unable to suppress the power of his Fragment's power, he went on a rampage, and Kakkou went on a rampage as well. He could do nothing in front of that monstrous strength, but a lucky hit made Kakkou flinch. Perhaps being exhausted as well, Kakkou tried desperately controlling his own Mushi. He stole Kakkou's goggles perhaps because he was trying to unconsciously substitute for his destroyed mask.

Consequently, as he ran away from the frontlines after this apparent tie, he managed to recover his rational thinking. Influenced by his battle with Kakkou, the control of Diorestoi's Fragment weakened.

Suppressing the Fragment's power, he escaped the SEPB.

And, he'd been picked up by Ikarino Kirari and Tanaka Momo.

"No—"

When he'd been asked by Ikarino Kirari if he was Kusuriya Daisuke, he answered unconsciously.

—If I said I was… what would you do?

He himself didn't really know why he was becoming Kakkou.

However, he also felt vaguely resigned.

Although he'd supposedly escaped from the clutches of the monster known as Kakkou, he wandered into the clutches of another monster. He thought that perhaps he couldn't run away from destiny.

He thought that might be his place to die.

When he gave up, another emotion welled inside him.

The happiness he felt at having a name.

Even in this faraway land, the desire that someone would know his name.

If I'm going to be killed anyway, then at least until then—

I'll take your name—

He stole that monster's name with such mean, ugly envy.

"I'm… Kusuriya Daisuke."

The Fragment he'd suppressed didn't tell him Kakkou's location anymore. However, since he was with someone who knew Kakkou, he would find him before long.

When that moment came, it would his last.

Yet until then—he was Kusuriya Daisuke.

The girl who called to him by that name was in this town.

More than any other time he was called by any other name, when she called him by that name he felt he was the most like himself.

"It wasn't that I was given this by someone… I called myself that."

Expelled from his motherland, he had been sent to this country to investigate what was going on. Yet his allies had been erased by the SEPB one after another, leaving him as the sole survivor.

He'd already lost his reason to live by the point he'd been exiled from his motherland.

He searched for a place wherein he could at least die happily, but every place he found was full of suffering. When he was young he was often laughed at for being weak against the cold, so the cold wind kept chasing him about. The fact that this coldness wasn't gone even when it approached summer… was probably due to his body and mind reaching their limits.

Yet in this town—

Only in this town—

There was warmth.

"No, at the very least, you're not Kakkou."

Shera recovered quickly from her agitation. The coat wrapping her body shrank, transforming to a body suit clinging to her slim body. The smooth, black material even covered the face of the woman with dark bags under her eyes.

"However, you're dangerous. —And I will eliminate any and all danger."

The arm covered by the suit that stretched toward him changed. Countless needles were fired as if from a gun.

"No matter who you are… I will not allow anyone to snatch this country."

"Diorestoi…"

He made no move. The scarab emitted miasma that swallowed the needles.

Touched by the foul miasma, the needles decayed and fell apart.

Yet the needles were just Shera's feint. He saw her kicking the dust and the next instant she evaded the miasma to directly approach.

Her fist covered in lustrous black was blocked by the scarab's hollow leg.

Shera's strength was beyond the average human. The strong impact blew his body away along with his Mushi. Crashing against a tombstone, the shell of the scarab covering him shattered.

"Die."

He heard her gloomy voice behind him as he fell to his knees with an expression of pain.

The pitch-black phantom swung her arm with artificial doll-like movements. It was as if he himself jumped backwards faster than he'd been blown away.

"…!"

As she tried attacking his defenseless body, Shera turned around with a start.

She managed to stop the white object swinging toward her at the last second.

An impact rivaling Shera's blow from before made her bodysuit sink into the ground. Earth flew around as though by an explosion, creating a large crater.

"Mmgh…!"

Shera had stopped the scarab's leg that was supposed to have been broken.

There was nothing inside his Mushi. Even if she broke its carapace, the fragments could gather and restore again. As long as this scarab wasn't completely exhausted, since it was an empty husk in the first place, it couldn't be defeated.

"—Vanish."

Even while being crushed by the hollow leg, Shera turned her palm up. A rectangular object flew from within the suit.

"Diorestoi…"

Using his scarab as shield, he launched the miasma toward Shera.

The foul miasma and whatever Shera launched clashed directly.

They caused a large explosion.

The explosive wind knocked over the tombstones stabbing the ground.

"Kh—"

Even while blown away, he somehow managed to climb on top of the ground. The scarab's smashed body parts assembled in air and began regaining their form.

The smell drifting in the desolate graveyard was that of gunpowder.

"Was that amount not enough?"

Despite calmly mumbling this, Shera was not unhurt. One part of her body suit that had been touched by the miasma rotted, exposing her skin.

"Plastic… no, vinyl?"

Seeing the suit's cross-section, he mumbled.

It was his first time seeing the ability of Head of the Annihilators, Shera. The way her suit that covered her entire body from head to toe crumbled was more like it was solid rather than made of threads.

"It's resin. My ability as a Special Type takes the medium of artificial resin. The plastic or vinyl I control can block and support weight several hundred times its own."

The strongest assassin among the Annihilators didn't even try to hide her abilities. Other parts of the suit expanded, instantly filling up the exposed part.

Her ability was already strong, but by supplementing her own body she achieved a fighting style like that of a Fusion Type. Although she mainly used it for hand to hand combat, the usage of her ability could be said to be logical and without any blind spots.

Her movements becoming superhuman after donning the body suit probably originated from not using her own muscles to move her body. What made Shera move was her very suit itself.

"Even if you try controlling the powers of a Minion and a Special Types at the same time… you will never defeat me."

Kicking off dirt, Shera pursued him.

The repeated punches and kicks pulverized the defending scarab's body. She didn't give the broken parts time to regenerate.

Now that he couldn't defend himself, the phantom's charge assaulted him.

"No, it's enough for me to know that you're a Special Type."

Black miasma blew.

"—Tch."

Clicking her tongue, Shera leapt back. The part of her suit touched by the miasma started rotting away.

"This graveyard is my domain… once drawn into it, a Special Type can't create its medium. Once I destroy all that currently exists of your medium, you'll be no different from a flesh and blood human."

"You don't look like you want a drawn-out battle, though."

Shera's suit began quickly repairing itself. —Outwardly it looked like it was regenerating, but he knew that she just made the material covering her body slightly thinner.

The calm assassin's conclusion was correct.

"—Ugh…"

The more he used his powers, the more his skin turned black. Even controlling Diorestoi's Fragment reached his limits. Having his ego destroyed was only a matter of time.

His goal was to run away with Momo.

He needed to defeat the assassin as soon as possible and head toward the substation.

"Diorestoi… grant me more power!"

"Ooh!"

The scarab's claws clashed with Shera's fists.

The impact created by the clash of these overwhelming powers caused the ground to swell and explode.

With broken fragments of tombstones pouring about them, his battle against Shera continued.

They were about equal in attack power. He was inferior in defense, but his sole advantage was that when push came to shove he could nullify Shera's attack using Diorestoi's ability.

Even so, there was a decisive and unbridgeable gap between them.

"Guh…!"

With the scarab's leg pulverized, the boy fell to his knees. He was exhausting physical and mental energy so suddenly that it was becoming difficult for him to even support his own body weight.

By him flinching, a momentary opening was created.

When he raised his tired face, he saw that Shera's form was suddenly gone.

"Wha…?"

As long as he didn't absolve his domain, it was impossible to escape the tombstone space.

Even so, looking around he could only see the ruined lines of tombstones.

"Die."

The voice came from behind.

When he turned back, he saw Shera who wasn't wearing anything.

Wrapped around the nude woman was an inflated, transparent mass of artificial resin—a large lac scale insect.

She had apparently concealed an ability that allowed her to change the color of the resin to blend in with the surrounding scenery. The lac scale insect instantly shrunk, transforming again into a body-hugging suit.

When he readied himself, the small lump thrown by the assassin was in front of him.

"Gwah!"

He immediately defended using the scarab's shell, but was unable to fully block the impact.

The resulting large explosion blew him away along with the tombstones around. Like a pebble skipping over the surface of the water, his body landed on the ground and kept rebounding and rolling.

"If you mix artificial resin with gunpowder inside small pipes, you can create a synthetic plastic bomb. —If you'd been hit from point-blank range, even you wouldn't end unhurt…"

His and Shera's fighting styles resembled one another. Their Mushi would protect the host, which was originally their weakness, and would be used to attack as well.

Yet Shera had other things as well.

Not only her body suit granting her superhuman strength. At times she controlled sharp plastic needles, or used camouflage to vanish. At time she would mix her hidden gunpowder with resin, creating the normal weapon known as a bomb.

These weren't the kinds of abilities she could gain in one or two years of training.

He'd never seen such a mold-breaking Mushitsuki whose ability was so protean and malleable.

"Gh… Ugh…!"

Although he barely managed to stand up, he didn't have power left to control his Mushi. The scarab, shattered to smithereens, scattered on the ground without regenerating.

"So you can barely stand… Retaining your ego from being controlled by Diorestoi was hard, I see."

He blankly gazed at Shera who was walking toward him.

Momo…

While he stood there frozen, Tanaka Momo's face rose to his mind.

When the Mushi ate his dreams, his memories were rapidly dimming.

It was the sign of his dream nearly being fully eaten.

"Fuhaha—"

An unfitting laugh rose from him.

The moment before Mushitsuki had their dreams fully eaten, it was said they would see memories regarding their dream.

Like the so-called life flashing before one's death.

However, the scenes that rose to and vanished from his mind were not past happenings.

There was Momo.

Kirari as well.

The three of them lived in a today that was the same as yesterday.

After forgetting the duty he'd been sent to this country for, running away from his duties as an Annihilator, losing even his own name and becoming an empty husk—these were days of happiness.

No battles. No fear of killing one another.

His figure when he lived through the same today as tomorrow—

He was smiling happily at living toward an impossible future.

"Fuhaha, haha…"

He had no regrets.

The proof he had been living remained in Momo and Kirari's memories.

Not the illusory tombstones surrounding him.

Momo and Kirari would hold the days they've spent together in their hearts and keep living.

For that purpose, he didn't fear to stop there.

"Shera…"

Standing in place like a puppet, he mumbled.

"Do you know what Diorestoi—the fragment of Shinpu who's still wandering around, needs to possess in order to give birth to Mushitsuki?"

The black phantom stopped her legs.

"…It's dead bodies."

Although he couldn't see Shera's expression, with it being covered by her suit, he knew she was agitated.

The contract he'd exchanged with the Diorestoi's Fragment wasn't simply beating Kakkou to become the King.

The Fragment had given him a time limit.

In exchange for letting him use these abilities, his body would approach death while he was alive.

"The more my body approaches death, the more the Fragment retrieves its true form…"

When he was finally overtaken by the Fragment, when he became a living dead—

He would completely become one of Diorestoi's body doubles.

—The owners of dreams that cannot come true no matter how much they struggle and writhe are fit to become my vessel.

Once, when he was being controlled, the Fragment whispered this to him.

"You told me to die. But it's not like that."

He had no regrets.

He'd lived a dreamy life up to the very, very end.

He gained a peaceful daily life that held enough value for him to put his life on the line.

"But the one's going to die—will be the both of us."

This place was where he searched for.

Despite being empty and nameless—

I have—

Managed to find a place he could die happy.

"I'll give you my dream… Diorestoooooooi!!!"

As he was shouting, he was swallowed by the foul miasma.

The desolate graveyard changed again.

The perfectly-sealed darkness started swallowing the tombs.

"…!"

Shera looked up the starless sky.

The sound of a bell echoed.

That cracked sound was incredibly ear-grating, and every time it rang the air seemed to decay. In this dark space, depriving her even her sense of direction, something sticky wrapped her body.

The unseen clouds cleared.

A light rose in the moonless sky.

Slightly revealing itself overhead was—

"This is… Shinpu's Church…!"

The bodysuit assassin groaned in shock.

The image of a decaying church floated in the sky.

The corrupted bell sounds permeated everything in this controlled space.

"—"

The boy felt his body slowly dying, starting from his very fingertips. All of his cells were dying and he began losing his pulse and all sensations.

That was fine.

Once he completely turned to Diorestoi, he should be able to defeat Shera.

He had no other way to save Momo.

He wanted to lose his consciousness while he still felt satisfied.

However—

"I waited for this."

Shera spoke in a gloomy voice. She lowered her body to the ground like a bug.

"I knew that even if I killed you the Fragment will just go out of control. —To erase the Fragment, I needed it to take a physical form first."

Shera stretched and leapt high.

By the time she rotated in air, the black phantom passed over the church.

"And if it's just right after materializing… Even Shinpu's ability would be unable to defend against a preemptive attack."

The assassin produced two bombs in her hands, pounding them against the church.

Explosion on a completely different scale than before swallowed the desolate church.

Simultaneously—cracks formed in the dark space they both resided in.

The space created by Diorestoi's ability crumbled down loudly.

"…"

His knees fell on top of the dirty pavement with a thud.

The blinking city's lights lit his profile as he became frozen there.

In the world of reality they came back to, it was raining.

The scene in the empty alley was distorting.

"—"

Looking up the sky like a statue, his expression was gone.

He no longer felt anguish.

He no longer thought of anything.

Being pelted by the merciless rain, Shera landed next to him.

"So you're a Fallen…"

The bodysuit covering the phantom transformed to a long coat.

For some reason—there was a while of silence.

Shera gazed down at him, apparently thinking of something.

Yet she soon stopped.

"Just who the hell were you…"

Leaving this melancholic mutter behind, the cold assassin's footsteps grew distant.

4.04 Marker-user VS The Annihilators' Shera Part 1[edit]

"Coatl Head!"

The substation was enveloped in a blinding light.

The light's color was a vivid reddish-yellow.

—A marigold of healing.

"Uugh…!"

Enveloped by the light, Momo rose up. Orange light gushed out from her tear-stained face—from the Coatl Head mark drawn on her forehead.

Once again she felt a large amount of something within her chest being consumed. In exchange the wounds all over her body closed and she felt her fatigue being restored.

"Wha—"

Watching this unexpected sight, Ashimaki was frozen.

"You have a healing ability…?"

Biting her lips, Momo looked up the enemy ahead.

This wasn't enough.

The hot impulse surging through her body wouldn't settle down like that. Just healing her wounds wouldn't allow her to match the black-wearing man.

At this rate she'd be killed.

At this rate she wouldn't be able to get with Kusuriya Daisuke—

"Blergh!"

Ashimaki was apparently also feeling the pressure. Weaving together countless claws to form a spear, he launched it at Momo.

Momo nimbly bent down, drawing a new mark on the ground.

With the power of baby blue, Momo would be pierced by the spear before it would be fully erased.

She needed a new color that possessed another effect.

Ashimaki's spear pursued her—

"…Coatl Heaaad!"

Momo's vision was dyed in white.

The mark at her feet glowed, and the substation was covered in so bright of a light it seemed like it was the middle of the day.

"How—"

Ashimaki was frozen with shock.

The minute before piercing Momo's brow, the spear broke apart.

"How many powers does she—"

Momo grabbed the negated claws in air.

"Uaaah!"

She pulled the claws forcefully toward her.

Ashimaki had no way to resist her superhuman pulling strength. Along with the Mushi grabbed on his tongue, the black-wearing man was instantly pulled to Momo.

Momo stuck out her hand toward the man who looked like he was flying to her.

From Ashimaki's wide-open mouth—she plucked the Mushi stuck to his tongue.

"…!"

She could feel the Mushi being crushed in her hand.

The man widened his eyes, and his body twitched backward. And—when Momo let go, he collapsed on the ground and didn't move anymore.

The bright light around vanished, and the substation sank to silence.

"Haah… Haah…"

For a while Momo just stood there, but soon began walking.

She started walking toward town.

She had defeated her enemy.

Now she was finally able to head to Daisuke—

"Daiske…"

Something like a faint shadow rose from Momo's body as she walked with an unsteady gait. The pattern covering her entire body simmered, producing white smoke.

She felt power coursing through her body and the hot impulse inside her.

However, contrary to that her heart was rapidly weakening and her mind grew blurry. Her thinking was paralyzed, and she was unable to think rationally.

"It's hot…"

She had to get to Daisuke as soon as possible, but she might explode from inside before that.

"Daiskeee…"

A drop hit Momo's cheeks.

It was raining.

The sky covered in dark clouds started a fierce rain at once.

Rain wild enough to cover her entire sight—

"…!"

There was an explosion.

Unable to do anything, Momo rolled vigorously on the ground.

"You are sturdy… well, that's expected from a Fusion Type."

Along with this gloomy voice, appearing in the rain was once again a person completely clad in black. With the pitch-dark body suit covering her from head to toes, she was like an enemy of some Tokusatsu show.

"Uh—"

Momo stood up, swaying.

"UUUUuuuUUuUUhhh!!!"

Raising her face, her shining eyes gazed at the newly appeared enemy. A bestial groan leaked from between her clenched teeth.

She hated it.

Why did she have to go through all this?

Why was everyone trying to kill Momo?

"Why?!"

She shouted while shedding tears.

"I didn't do anything! I never hurt anyone, and never got involved with any Mushi or Mushitsuki! I was just living normally! So why's everyone and their mother trying to kill me?!"

Momo's howl reverberated around the substation.

"Why am I not even allowed to run away!"

For a second—the bodysuit person looked as if she was standing frozen.

Now mixed with the killer intent radiating at her was the presence of some agitation.

"Ta—Tanaka… Momo…?"

Momo felt as if the suited woman's surprised voice was familiar.

Yet she lacked the presence of mind to recall that voice's origin right now.

"If you're still going to stand in my way…!"

The pattern appearing on Momo's distorted expression was shining in multicolor. The marker she gripped so tightly it nearly broke was continually changing its colors.

She wasn't kind.

Only to people whom she found precious.

Against those she determined to be her enemies, she was ruthless.

"I'm going to kill everyone who's not me or Daiske… yeah!"

Marker-User, Tanaka Momo.

Her shout was the howl to keep living.

"That is… my line."

The phantom who was until now paralyzed asserted in a low voice.

"Fusion-Type Mushitsuki are dangerous. No matter who they are… I'll kill them."

Tanaka Momo, ruled by fear and murder—didn't notice any of the hesitation coloring that voice.


5.00 The Beast and the Beast[edit]

Walking through the alley assaulted by the strong downpour, he felt as if he'd entered inside a painting.

In the space full of vacant houses, there was no other sound than that of rain. Bizarre people wearing black were collapsed around, covered in the water flowing to the gutter. He didn't see anyone who seemed to be mortally wounded, but none of the people seemed about to get up.

The alley itself contained no traces of battle. All of the collapsed people looked as if they had been expelled from a different space.

Even so the slightly remaining dreary atmosphere was being cleaned by the severe rain.

A dirty alley and a cleansing rain.

And one other thing.

There was a statue kneeling on the ground and facing the rainy sky as if praying to god.

Perhaps it had been a human a while before—supporting this impression was one part of the blackened skin that still retained a normal skin tone. Also, the small lights that could be seen from the gaps in the cloth covering the face were perhaps his eyes.

The hoodie-wearing boy approached the statue. Putting both hands inside his pocket and keeping the hood on, he looked down the statue.

He heard a cracking sound coming from the statue's mouth.

The statue facing toward the heavens wore the smile of a beast. It was the smile of someone living alone, finding their place and fighting until the very end to protect it.

"—Yo, Kusuriya Daisuke."

It was unexpected he could still speak. Unsuited to his appearance, his voice was casual as if he was merely chatting.

He was sure the other boy had already died or at least become a Fallen.

Yet he wasn't surprised. He opened his mouth without any smile.

"Yo, Kusuriya Daisuke."

There was a bandage on the boy's cheeks hidden by the hood. Other than that he had no distinguishing features—unlike the statue with his handsome face barely visible, his was just plain normal.

"You're late. Why have you come here?"

"I am late. What should I do?"

"I wore those clothes the day before yesterday."

"I wore those clothes three days ago."

"So Kirari was also taking care of you. She really is too kind."

"Because she didn't know who of us was Kusuriya Daisuke… or so she said."

Silence befell. —The statue tried laughing, but no sound came out.

The hooded boy gazed down the unmoving statue.

Which of them was a statue? Even the question of which of them had the expression of someone heading toward their death was vague. The boy thought that the statue in front of him looked much more "alive" than he was.

"I've heard about you from Kirari. You have also—"

There wasn't even the faintest trace of any motivation in the hoodie boy's voice.

"Been tortured by your Mushi's rampage, shamefully begged for your life to those trampling on you, ran away pathetically from your delusions, and feared a monster—meaning me, right?"

"You're the one who's been tortured by his Mushi, shamefully tried to repent and escaped from an illusion, on top of being scared of a monster—which was me, right?"

"Well, we don't even know which of us is Kusuriya Daisuke now."

"Obviously? Because both of us are Kusuriya Daisuke."

The hooded boy looked with clouded eyes toward the lively statue.

"You—who were you?"

"How many times do I have to say? I'm Kusuriya Daisuke."

The statue's voice sounded cheerful.

"But, a while before… I might have been in the crazy place called the Annihilators."

"…"

"Do you know about the experiments conducted by the Central HQ?"

"I don't care. No need to ask. After all it's—"

"Well, just listen. Think you're looking into a mirror. …There's this thing called the Fragment of Diorestoi. It's the Fragment of this sort of community or network known as Shinpu. I don't know why the SEPB's in possession of that thing, but—"

The statue spoke quickly as if giving a lecture. His tone had a cynical smile mixed in with it, but he didn't stammer. He didn't stop. Words came flying out of his mouth as if he was a machine spitting out its records.

"—And, well, if you also use C's ability, you can abuse it quite a bit. The Annihilators also kept lengthening the experiments. By stimulating the Fragment, you can amplify its ability. There were still many side effects, though… I was an exception even among them; they attempted to fix the Fragment itself onto my Mushi. Most of the Annihilators including me were strong, but none of them lived long. Maybe those who could are only monsters like Shera or Harukiyo…"

"…"

"What I know is only the result they acquired at the current time. The amplification of an ability and pseudo-revival from Fallen state—since the reviver Fuyuhotaru appeared, perhaps they used the Fragment for that kind of experiment as well… but anyway, in the end I hadn't been able to investigate what the experiment's goals were."

"What do you mean by investigate? Where have you come from before joining the—"

"Who knows…? I've already forgotten."

"Why are you talking to me about this?"

"Isn't it obvious? Do I look like I can go and tell anyone else about it?"

"I'm already… I can't use my Mushi's power anymore. If I use it, I won't be able to go back. Nobody needs a Mushitsuki like that."

"Wasn't it someone else who decided that?"

The statue looked at the same things the hooded boy had seen so far.

The eyes of those who pushed his back in exchange for stopping.

Those who couldn't help but stop walking there.

There was much hatred and anger, envy and jealousy.

However, there were slight hope and expectation, as well as—his dream embedded inside his chest.

All of them were saying the same thing.

Move just one step forward.

A bit further.

Go on.

Run.

"I'm tired…"

The hoodie boy hung his head.

The statue laughed.

"Don't be spoiled."

"Haven't I done enough already?"

"You can still go further."

"It's impossible…"

"Don't say that."

"I'm not strong at all…"

"I know. I'm Kusuriya Daisuke after all."

The statue remained with both knees on the dirty ground, his face pelted with clear rain.

There was another sound of cracking and the statue's smile deepened.

"So… Kusuriya Daisuke will die here once."

The hooded boy widened his eyes.

"I don't have a choice, right? You're a troublesome guy."

With his pupils that seemed about to lose their light any moment, the statue asserted this as if he had reached enlightenment.

No, he probably knew it.

What they held was similar, as well as their pains.

The only difference was—

One had stood in place, and the other was still standing on the ground. Just that.

"Isn't that so? I can die once. So in exchange—"

The statue said.

"I'll give you my secret."

"Secret…"

"Even someone like me fell in love."

"…"

"Right now that girl's probably a Mushitsuki with a beautiful pattern on her body—"

The smile vanished from the statue.

"She's a coward and a weakling… just a normal kid unsuited to be a Mushitsuki."

For an instant, the statue's cheek hit by the rain was colored by a more transparent liquid.

Was this his last remaining liveliness? The final drop?

The statue's eyelids were slowly closing.

"So, Kusuriya Daisuke… If I go and die here, you should be able to keep walking for a while…"

The hooded boy bit his lips.

The sound of a shuffle announced the boy turning on his heels. With his lifeless eyes directed at the ground, he walked inside the raining alley.

"I'll… die in your place… so…"

Mushi Uta 8 p321.jpg

"—Wait."

Just for a little bit.

The vanishing flames would burn somewhere else.

As if returning something entrusted to him—

"Please be Kusuriya Daisuke for just a little while longer."

A little light returned to the eyes of the boy walking in an unsteady gait.

He didn't fully understand it.

Each of the two had about half of the name Kusuriya Daisuke.

"Fuhaha—"

His voice was hoarse and mumbled, but it was undoubtedly a laugh.

"This is the best… place to die… my dream is finally…"

"…"

"The world's looking. It's watching what's going on in your country…"

Still expressionless, the hooded boy didn't look back.

"But, for just a little bit more—I'll let you off the hook."

Although of a different face and shape, they were both beasts.

One looked for a place he belonged to so he could live in it, while the other sought a place where he could die.

The two Kusuriya Daisukes thus parted.

5.01 Marker-user VS The Annihilators' Shera Part 2[edit]

Central Headquarters considered Fusion-Type Mushitsuki dangerous.

They possessed terrifying powers and would never yield to anyone.

The one who stopped the coup d'état incident a few years ago, stopped the rampage of the powerful Mushitsuki Fuyuhotaru and even defeated Lady Bird's Maturation was Kakkou.

As long as this power that could stop even the incidents that made the entire country almost give up was under control, everything was fine.

However, if that power went out of control, it was obvious an unprecedented catastrophe would occur.

Overly strong power was merely dangerous.

And now a new power was born.

What on earth would that Mushitsuki—do against the country?

"Waaah… hick, uuh…"

In the substation hit by the strong rain, Yamamoto Rau faced that Mushitsuki.

The newly born Fusion-Type Mushitsuki—Tanaka Momo—was crying.

On the body of the girl leaking her sobs there was a pattern glowing in rainbow colors. Her clothes were torn and her hair was wet. Having fallen to the ground countless times, her cheeks were covered in dirt.

The tip of the marker she held in one hand was emitting a bright, white light. The glowing pattern passed through her fingers and permeated even that marker.

From the report of Ashimaki, who came in contact with this new Fusion-Type first, she should've had no special abilities. However, seeing that Ashimaki and the rest have been defeated after this report, Momo probably did develop some kind of power.

"A marker, huh… even your ability is Tanaka Momo-like."

Rau muttered in a gloomy voice. Since the black body suit covered her entire body including her face, her voice was low, so Momo didn't notice her.

Tanaka Momo was the student of Rau who infiltrated the school under the guise of a teacher.

"Waaaahhh!"

Swinging up her fist, the girl charged toward Rau with the speed of a bullet.

The student called Tanaka Momo was a problem child.

Yet she had an artistic sense. She was blessed with sensitivity, and she was continuously extending her antenna to create something new—this was the normal high schooler she was.

"No…"

Rau clenched her fist. She closed her eyes and calmed herself.

It didn't matter who her opponent was.

Rau had already killed many boys and girls of Momo's age. This would just increase the number of people she killed by one.

"You—you're simply the dangerous Marker-User."

With her eyes still closed, she moved to the side to dodge Momo's fist.

Although it had speed and overwhelming power, it was still the attack of a normal girl. It would never hit someone like Rau who underwent grueling training and who had experienced being on the verge of death for many years.

"I will erase all dangerous elements. Die."

The moment when she opened both eyes, Rau blew Momo aside with her right fist.

This impact, much like a direct hit from a steel ball, blew the girl's torso away along with a spray of rainwater.

Rotating in air, the girl's body crashed to the ground. Causing it to cave in, she kept rolling backward, crashing into the forest of poles. The steel-made column broke, with ripped power lines dancing in the air.

"…"

While feeling a tremor, Rau let leak a gloomy sigh.

Rau completed her duty.

She would simply confirm Tanaka Momo's corpse and leave town.

She would also finally be released from the annoying days of being manipulated by the kids of the Visual Design course.

However, something happened when she dragged her legs like the usual in order to get to Momo's body.

"…Tch."

A sharp pain ran through her.

Since Momo was much too defenseless, Rau had apparently hurt her fist with using her whole might.

Feeling shame at this silly injury, she looked down her fist.

"…"

Rau furrowed her brows.

She had forgotten which fist she used to hit Momo.

Right? Left? No, was it even a fist?

She felt no pain in either hand. It didn't seem like she hurt herself.

Even so—the pain that nearly caused her to fall wasn't gone.

—You're a good teacher, yeah.

Throb.

For some reason, when Momo's smile rose to her mind, another pain ran through her.

What hurt was something in the inner depths of her chest.

"…"

Inside the suit, her gloomy face grimaced.

It was just an illusion.

Or perhaps she'd been hurt around her chest in the battle against Hakamori a little while ago without noticing. Either way it should heal soon.

Her fist that could pulverize even an armored vehicle slayed dangerous Mushitsuki.

Now that she accomplished her mission, Rau tried dragging her legs again.

"Coatlll…!"

There was a voice from beneath the metal wreckage.

Rau's face strained.

"—Heaaad!"

A large spear was blown toward her brow.

"Nwoh!"

She felt like she was trying to stop a tank's shot. She barely managed to grasp this object that was apparently part of the steel pole. Just her body suit wasn't enough to stop the projectile's momentum, so Rau's legs sank into the ground. A second later, an explosive wind brought by the pillar blew through the substation.

Yet the unthinkable recoil didn't stop at that.

Part of the stopped pillar had a blue glowing mark on it.

"Coatl Head"—Rau knew the name of that symbol.

The mark's light burst.

"…!"

Rau had her intuition because she'd gone through many battlefields. She immediately threw the blue, glowing pillar away.

However, she wasn't able to fully avoid the effect. The part of the suit covering her right arm that was touched by the light dissolved.

That ability was the same as Hakamori's—Mushi-killing power…!

Even if the effect was the same, Shinpu's decaying power felt different.

If she had to classify it, this was "cleansing".

A baby blue glow that inflicted no wounds on humans and merely erased Mushi.

"So that's what defeated Ashimaki and the rest…!"

"UuuUUhhh!"

Her groan mixed with a sob, Tanaka Momo leapt out of the forest of steel.

There were bruises on her temples where she received Rau's blow and one of her eyes was heavily bloodshot. Yet this damage wasn't fatal.

"Y-you—"

Rau again confirmed that the enemy in front of her was a Fusion Type Mushitsuki.

She was different at the root from the other Mushitsuki she'd fought against until now—

"I'll definitely… kill you."

Rau's expression changed.

Momo was probably trying to draw directly on her body suit. She easily evaded Momo's thrust marker, hitting her in the abdomen with a heavy counter.

"Bpeh!"

"Now you'll die."

Producing a quasi-plastic bomb in her open fist, she made it detonate.

The explosive flames swallowed Momo.

She killed countless targets using that bomb.

She killed this and this person using it—these sorts of memories resurfaced.

"…"

Rau grimaced, erasing the people that rose to her mind.

Although Momo hadn't been reduced to smithereens, she fell onto the crushed ground.

There were no enemies who wouldn't collapse after a direct hit from that bomb. Even Shinpu's Church was destroyed.

She felt a small pain in her chest—and just a slight bit of relief.

This should definitely defeat her—

"Co—"

Rau widened her eyes.

Momo's arm moved. Her trembling marker drew something on her forehead.

"Coatl… Head…"

The body of the collapsed girl was enveloped in a glow of vivid orange.

Since Rau was an arts teacher, she knew that color's official name.

Vivid reddish blue—a marigold of healing.

"T-that ability… no way—"

Seeing the girl instantly raise her body, Rau groaned in shock.

She was aware to a painful degree how agitated she was. Even finding out that Hakamori was alive wasn't this much of a shock.

"You were actually listening to my lessons…?"

She realized it in a glance.

Tanaka Momo's ability was obviously influenced by Rau's classes.

When Momo fought against Rau's Annihilators subordinates she hadn't used the marker. Even so, was able to use this to gain further power.

She was evolving—

The new Fusion Type, Tanaka Momo, was rapidly evolving in the midst of battle.

With her flexible thinking.

With her impressionable imagination.

She was blooming with unlimited possibilities.

And the one who made it all possible was her teacher, Yamamoto Rau.

"You liar…"

She had created this dangerous Mushitsuki by her own hands.

She had been putting the cart before the horse; this was an unsalvageable failure.

But even so—

"You were properly listening to my lectures—"

Rau felt happiness unsuitable for this situation.

Rau met with the moment when her student's talent bloomed.

This kind of happiness was probably felt only by very few teachers. Confirming the potential of the next generation from up close with her own eyes was bliss.

She had simply donned the mask of a teacher for her job as an assassin.

Worried by her troublesome students, she only thought of them as annoying.

However, now that she was trying to kill her by those hands, during this very moment—

Her problem student's brush ripped away her mask as an assassin, forcibly making her wear the mask of a teacher—

"Uuuh!"

As she kicked the ground, Momo's wounds were healed. The damage she received from the first attack also healed, but instead her body was swaying with fatigue.

Rau stuck out her arm, transforming her suit to countless needles and aiming them at Momo.

She also killed many people using this ability.

—I won.

That girl, who had been smiling even while being skewered, was called Haemori Ako.

Although only a little, the footage left by Ako had been definitely broadcasted into the world. However, since Rau killed her, it was supposed to be her win.

Or perhaps—whatever Ako had left was still living somewhere?

Had she been unable to win anything?

Seeing the potential of Tanaka Momo, Rau ended up thinking of such things.

All those children possessed a power that not even Mushi could compare to—

"…So stupid."

Momo evaded the launched needles by clumsily rolling on the ground.

If she possessed a power even stronger than Mushi, there was nothing more dangerous than that.

So Rau had no choice but nipping it in the bud.

Watching her growth was absurd.

"Die…!"

As it took Momo everything she had just to rise up again, she couldn't possibly dodge Rau's repeated needle attack. Since her opponent was a civilian it was obvious.

"Coatl Head—"

At the same time as Momo's mumble the area was filled with a pure, white light.

In the center of the light was the ground Momo rolled upon. A mark was being drawn in white ink.

"…!"

Had she drawn it the moment she rolled?

Rau accepted her own miscalculation.

Although her movements were those of a civilian, Tanaka Momo was still a VD1 student. This girl was always drawing something; this was the nature of problem child Tanaka Momo.

It was a neutralizing white—a pure white that painted over anything.

The moment they touched the light, the needles launched by Rau lost their power. They bent down the instant before piercing Momo's head, falling to the ground.

Rau's ability lost its effect and Momo stepped on the needles that now were mere resin.

"So it's ability nullification…!"

"Waaah!"

Leaping forward, Momo thrust out her marker toward Rau.

Yet Rau easily sidestepped the girl's arm, launching a high kick. The girl's thin body sank into the ground along with a roar.

Rau produced a bomb in hands and tried finishing her off. Yet seeing a glow on the ground at her feet, she reflexively leapt backward.

"…!"

The moment after she collapsed, Momo drew a blue mark on the ground.

Although Rau managed to escape the range of baby blue, she dropped the bomb.

There was a large explosion.

Without waiting for the explosive roar to settle, Momo plunged through the wall of smoke to pursue Rau.

"Waah!"

The girl reached out, trying to grab Rau's arm.

Yet Rau slapped the girl's hand aside, repeating the kick.

"Ghi!"

Momo grimaced. Grinding her teeth, she reached again.

"Agh! Ii! Gwah! Uugh!"

Even while directly hit by Rau's attacks, Momo didn't give up. She tried grabbing Rau's body using her left hand but swiped through empty air, extending the marker in her right hand to receive a counter.

"Aaah!"

"…!"

When the girl's fingers finally grazed her shoulders, Rau felt a shiver.

If Momo managed to grab her—would she be able to shake off her superhuman strength?

There was no method to evade Momo's reckless movements. Her ability was powerful, but if an extremely close-range type didn't land her blows it had no meaning. She had the confidence she could keep evading hundreds of attacks.

However, would she be able to keep doing that in the thousands?

Imagining this, she felt a chill.

She knew that starting from the first attack using the steel column, Momo no longer hesitated.

When she'd manage to grab Rau the thousandth time, she would unerringly kill her—

"Coatl—"

"No you're not!"

After collapsing to the ground, she kicked Momo who was trying to draw.

"Ugh!"

She repeated a blade hand toward the chin of the girl facing upward.

However—

"…!"

Rau's attack cut through air.

Momo lowered her head, evading the hand blade.

The tip of the marker glowing in blue touched Rau's arm. The cold sensation of the marker pressing on her ran on her ample chest.

"WOOOOH!"

The mask of a cold assassin vanished from Rau's expression. With the expression not of a kind teacher, either, but of a simple Mushitsuki scared of loss, she detonated the bomb in her hand.

The occurring explosion separated Rau from Momo.

"Guh…!"

Rau also received damage from her bomb, grimacing.

"Coatl Head…!"

While breathing heavily, Momo used the marigold mark on her forehead to heal.

She was strong—

Rau transformed her suit, growing long needles from her whole body.

"But you're not going to win against me—"

This Mushitsuki exceeded all of Rau's expectations. She had never met such a strong enemy.

But she knew the effects of blue, white and yellow now.

While she was in the midst of evolving, Rau's advantage shouldn't waver.

"UUUuuuUUh!"

However, seeing the marker of the groaning Momo, she went speechless.

Blue, white, yellow—weren't the only colors.

The color of light on the glowing marker was changing. It was as if—

"She's still searching for more…?"

An unconscious groan leaked from Rau's mouth.

The marker's glow was wrapped in pitch black.

The black that was on the opposite side of pure white—a perfect black that swallowed everything whole. She couldn't even imagine what would happen to her, were she swallowed by this dark domain.

Just when she thought this, it transformed to a vivid reddish purple. —In front of the alluring magenta glow, the resin needles created by Rau grew restive. She wasn't able to control it well and it hurt her body.

Momo had apparently chosen the next color.

She marked her own forehead and shouted.

"Coatl Headdd!!!"

It was a light like the marigold of healing, but different.

Vivid yellow—an invigorating dandelion. The pattern covering Momo's entire body glowed even brighter.

"—"

Rau became speechless and froze.

She possessed physical strength.

Her ample imagination, unbound by any mold, could create various powers.

She was ruthless and merciless.

Furthermore, all of those abilities were born in order to fight.

Was she actually this sort of scary being all along?

The girl that seemed as if she was born to become a Mushitsuki—Tanaka Momo.

Now, right in front of Rau's eyes, was the undisputable strongest Mushitsuki.

"…"

In order to intercept Momo's next attack thrusting at her, she readied her body.

However, the pressure she felt from Momo was unlike before. If she were to further enhance her power, it would already be far beyond anything Rau could do.

The sense of despair started crawling up her legs.

I'm going to be killed right here and now—

She had no way to stand against Momo who'd grown this much.

Is my dream going to end here…?

She gritted her teeth before this overwhelming enemy.

"—"

The world suddenly froze.

Her limbs stopped in place and even her breathing stopped. She couldn't move even a single finger.

But Tanaka Momo was stopped just the same.

Even the downpour of rain stopped in air.

While even her thinking was grinding to halt, Rau's eyes reflected a shadow wrapped around her arm.

A black miasma that colored her in darkness.

Diorestoi's Fragment—so something remained after I beat Hakamori…?!

The astonished Rau was moaning in her heart.

The polluted sound of a bell reverberated from somewhere.

When she came to, she was at an unknown place.

No.

Right now, Rau knew the place she was standing in.

A desolate floor and a broken chair. Broken stained glass and rusted lamps. The place where there should have been a statue was empty, and there was no one other than Rau.

Rau was standing alone inside the church filled with polluted miasma.

She could hear the broken bell sounds from somewhere. Every time she heard them the air grew staler, muddier, and clung around her entire body.

Her body suit was crumbling, and her silver-streaked hair was revealed.

"Why… am I here—"

Being violated by the polluted miasma, her thinking was paralyzed. As Rau started absently gazing around the church, a white caterpillar crawled on her arm.

"Once, thou have embraced thy dream here… A dream that was close to me…"

She heard a hoarse voice from somewhere.

A bell rang again.

"…"

The broken, ear-grating sound dragged out the memories buried inside Rau's inner depths.

Yamamoto Rau had been born in a small, poor country.

Going to a big city there were concrete buildings and cars, but only very few people could live there. Most of the citizens earned their keep as fishermen or farmers, and they'd never be able to live in the big city with such jobs.

Rau was born to that country's royal family.

Although the country had constitutional monarchy, there was nothing such as a queen. The one destined to become the king was the prince, so she was only fated to someday marry someone with influence.

Even her receiving high education was just because she was the royal daughter. She was called a heavenly maiden because she was blessed with intelligence, but because of that she couldn't understand the situation in her own country during her young days.

It was said that they kept their independence only because it was convenient for the neighboring powerful country. In exchange for that, however, they made only disadvantageous treaties with other countries, and the national finances were being sucked dry. As long as they wouldn't be able to break through the status quo in Rau's country, they would never diminish the numbers of families that lived by picking up trash and the children that staved off starvation by eating the worms that latched to trees.

When she'd come to this country as an exchange student, her thoughts changed to conviction.

For Rau, the height of this country's culture and its abundance were abnormal. Even excluding the fact it was one of the top three major nations in the world, it was more than enough for her to despair.

In order to compare to this world power, she had to acquire power like this country.

Rau couldn't even imagine a way of making this dream come true. And since she was convinced it couldn't be done, hatred rose inside her.

Her country was poor, but such big, plentiful countries also existed. This meant that one of them stole from another.

I'll steal it all back one day—

The hatred kept swelling inside young Rau.

I'll find some way to take control of this country—

Wishing for this, Rau became a Mushitsuki.

"A dream much too large for the royalty of such a miniscule country like thee…"

Becoming a Mushitsuki, Rau thought to herself.

—This is my chance.

No other country had the power called Mushi.

If she was able to decipher this power, she would be able to strengthen her own country.

"And yet thy feelings are strong… Thou, too, shalt try to attain the qualifications of the King…"

The runway student Rau was already treated as missing by her country.

And Rau had been caught by the SEPB. She said she was an illegal alien and kept living as a Mushitsuki. As a combatant of the SEPB, she kept waiting for someone to reveal the power of Mushi.

Until then, she needed this country to keep being big.

If some kind of danger weakened this country, it would create an opening for other countries. And if that happened, other countries might obtain the power of Mushi before her.

One day, Rau would steal the power of Mushi from this country, as long as it continued being a large power.

She'd take over this country.

That was what royal-born Rau thought of as her job.

"If thou swear to become the King and release me from my fetters, I shall grant thee power…"

The hoarse voice whispered to Rau standing in place.

"Right… To save my country I thought of taking control of this land…"

She remembered.

She recalled the hatred she'd felt about this country that was plentiful unlike her own.

The rage she felt toward this environment that was ridiculously different than hers.

"This is why… I protected this country, so that it would not be invaded by any country other than my own…"

And she had taken the life of many people.

She spent her days in infiltration and fighting behind the scenes as an assassin.

"I shalt give my power to thee, royal of a humble country…"

She was born as royalty, and became a Mushitsuki.

Ever since then, she kept living as an assassin.

And at some point she even obtained the mask of a teacher.

"Gaining power, will I… become a living corpse? Just like Hakamori."

The moment her memory was reborn, Rau recalled the power she'd gained through training. Strengthening her resistance to mental attacks, she distanced herself from Shinpu's miasma attempting to permeate her.

Rau had told Hakamori the following.

—You… who were you?

And he gave her an answer.

In this town that man was Kusuriya Daisuke—and he was also another Rau at the same time.

He was probably a soldier sent from somewhere abroad, planning to take control of this bountiful country.

Rau clenched her teeth.

Even if Rau and Hakamori were similar, he didn't reach the same path as her.

Only her own power would grant her dream.

She lived through countless battles for that.

And—she didn't make a mistake like Hakamori's.

She hadn't prioritized her feelings and stood in place.

She was decidedly emotionless.

She ignored anything other than her job, trying to take hold of her dream.

"A royalty of some remote region dares stand against me? I shalt—"

"Begone, trash."

Resolutely asserting this, Rau grabbed the caterpillar clinging to her arm.

"Although you'd made me a Mushitsuki, I will not succumb to you."

She had no reason to plead for help from Shinpu.

Rau would keep pressing ahead on her own blood-stained path.

All of it was the path she'd chosen.

No matter what ending waited for her, begging for her life was the only thing she couldn't do.

"You can gnash your teeth however much you'd like. —One day, I'll get everything from you."

She crushed the caterpillar.

The bell sounds stopped.

Inside the crumbling church, Rau faced forward.

On the other side of the collapsing space.

The one there—was none other than her strongest enemy.


Having denied Shinpu's whispers, Rau's consciousness was brought back to the real world.

As time resumed in the world, the grim reaper in front of her pressed forward.

"WAAAaaaAA!"

Tanaka Momo, the pattern on her body glowing, threw an unsophisticated punch at Rau.

"—"

Rau opened her mouth wide and shouted.

Had she ever let out such a loud voice in her entire life?

The scream flowing out of her throat was in her mother tongue that she hadn't used in many years. If she translated the words to Japanese—she couldn't think of any good words to represent it.

"WOOOH!"

Rau received Momo's attack with all of her might.

However, having been reinforced by the ability of dandelion, that blow was too heavy. Rau's arm was blown away and the girl's fist pierced her stomach.

"…!"

Even the body suit was unable to absorb the impact. Hearing her elbows break, Rau didn't lower her face. She knew the real attack would come next.

Just like she thought.

Next Momo stuck out the marker in her right arm.

Having anticipated the attack, Rau barely grabbed the hand of the girl grasping the marker.

Yet the gap in their strength was large. The glowing tip was slowly approaching Rau.

"Woooh!"

Rau howled again.

Still grasping the girl's arm, she created a quasi-plastic bomb in her arms and detonated it.

"AaaAAh!"

"GuuUUUh!"

It was probably the difference in their endurance. There was a huge difference in the damage they received.

Momo bore heavy burns on her arm holding the marker—while Rau had one hand blown off without a trace.

Yet this was according to Rau's plan.

Succeeding in sealing Momo's marker, Rau hit her remaining arm.

"Uuugh!"

Even her reflexes seemed to have been invigorated. Momo used her unhurt left arm to block Rau.

Yet the next moment Momo's eyes flew open.

"Gbfh…"

A mass of blood spurt from the girl's mouth.

Rau's supposedly lost arm regenerated from shoulder, burying itself in Momo's stomach.

Using her ability to control resin, she sealed the wound using plastic. Immediately after she created a prosthetic using resin and attacked Momo with it.

"I was the one who taught you to break the mold, Tanaka Momo…!"

She couldn't lose to her student in her way of using her ability.

"…"

Momo glared at Rau.

With an incredibly cold gaze.

These were the eyes of a demon, viewing Rau as nothing but a mere worm.

The girl spat her blood on Rau.

"…?"

Was this a symbol of her defiance?

Thinking this, Rau saw Momo's blood sticking to her chest.

A moment later, a glow was born on her chest.

"…!"

The blood spat by Momo moved slowly.

Moving like a living being, it slowly drew a small, red mark.

The glowing color was a vivid red—a burning signal red carmine.

"What… the—"

Surging warmth burst out of Rau's frozen chest.

Resin was weak to fire. Her defensive capabilities against the scorching mark were basically nonexistent.

The body suit enveloping Rau started melting from her chest.

Momo smiled.

Seeing her happy at burning her enemy—a mad smile.

"Co."

Momo's lips moved slowly.

"Ah."

As if tormenting Rau, the scorching heat slightly singed her body.

"Te."

While her body suit was melting, Rau waited for the right time.

She was going to die.

There was no doubt.

However—this wasn't the end.

"El."

She glared at Momo who was reciting this enjoyably.

Rau would use her final ability.

The moment of her death, instead of her burnt body she would supplement all of her bodily functions with resin.

She would recreate her entire body using resin.

Obviously, she had never used this ability. But she'd been able to produce a new arm for herself. Theoretically it was possible.

Meaning Rau could die once—

And after dying, she would cause the body made of plastic to attack the enemy.

Even if her opponent was a Rank 1 Mushitsuki, they would lower their guards after killing their enemy. There she would be able to land a killing blow.

"He."

Now then, kill me, Tanaka Momo—

Rau was an assassin, targeting this country as part of her ambition.

A cold assassin that had killed more people than she could count.

She had no need to hold back.

The waiting Rau's eyes reflected Momo wearing an astonished expression.

"…!"

For some reason.

Momo reached out toward the burning Rau.

With her hand covered in burns.

"Uh…AAAH!"

Her arm becoming wrapped in flames, Momo screamed.

"Wha—"

Rau could only stand frozen.

Momo desperately moved her wounded hand, using the marker to paint over the scorching signal red carmine.

"What are you doing, Tanaka Momooo!"

"WAAAAH!"

"If you do that—you'll never be able to hold a brush again!"

Shouting, she pushed Momo away.

"Augh!"

Thrown on the asphalt, Momo raised a tear-stained face.

"Yamamoto-sensei…"

Rau raised her face with a start.

Her body suit melted and revealed her face.

Also, the flames on her chest were cancelled—and instead a pure blue mark was glowing.

The vivid baby blue light enveloped Rau.

"Senseiii…"

Momo looked at Rau's face, having apparently changed the color of the mark. The skin of the hand grasping the marker was festering and covered in horrible burns.

Rau absently gazed at the blue mark on her chest.

"Kh—"

What welled out of her was a pathetic laugh.

"'You'll never be able to hold a brush again', huh… Not something you say to your enemy…"

At some point it became her habit. She leaked a gloomy sigh.

She actually understood it.

Even if she used her ability at the very end, it was only theoretical.

Also, even if she used it, she wouldn't have used it to take Momo's life.

She was supposed to have thrown away her mask as a teacher.

She was supposed to have even thrown her mask as an assassin.

She was supposed to have exposed her true face to challenge Marker-User.

Even so—the mask that stuck to her face even more stubbornly than any other was confusing and annoying.

The teacher, Yamamoto Rau.

That mask was too heavy… at some point it had apparently fused with her face.

Even if she could kill anyone else—

She was unable to kill only her own "students"—

"Sorry, Tanaka Momo…"

While her body suit was being erased, Rau smiled.

While smiling, she shed tears.

"I wasn't able to save you… even though I'm your teacher."

The moment she saw the signal red carmine mark, she understood everything.

Momo's symbol produced all possible effects.

The energy source for that wasn't anything like ink.

It was said that Fusion Type Mushitsuki fused with their own Mushi to remake their bodies. In Momo's case, it transformed the thing flowing in her body.

So the source of the amazing energy wielded by Momo—

It was the blood coursing through her veins.

She didn't think even Momo herself could control energy capable of this many effects.

"UUUuuUUh!"

Momo groaned. The pattern glowing on her body raised white smoke.

The plain Momo had no power to control her Mushitsuki ability.

—Rau thought it was strange.

When she first became Mushitsuki, Momo shouldn't have known to use the abilities of the marker. Even so, a large crater was created in the substation.

That wasn't her marking ability.

Most likely—just by shedding blood, Momo had enough power to destroy the earth.

The one who knew this cast the suggestion on her.

The marking ability was nothing more than a medium for the awesome power she held—

"Are you sad, Tanaka Momo…?"

Rau kept shedding tears.

Momo was too weak to control the power of a Fusion Type.

Because of that, just hiding Momo as a Mushitsuki was wrong.

Momo herself needed to forget that she was a Mushitsuki.

Coatl Head.

A charm that could make anything come true.

Its identity was the suggestion made to seal the Mushi inside Momo.

A mark that existed to let a Mushitsuki that was sure to rampage go to sleep.

"Obviously this is not good at all…"

Within her thinning consciousness, Rau's powerlessness made her sad.

Never mind not saving her country.

The power she had tempered by fighting and killing was unable to save even a single, weak student of hers.

"There's no way that a Mushitsuki with a fate of self-destruction should be born…"

Literal self-destruction.

Or perhaps it would be "suicide bombing".

In this state where she had too much energy, if she exploded—how many victims would she claim? She didn't even know if it wouldn't go beyond this one town.

It wasn't at a level of being merely "dangerous".

She felt as if she finally understood why Central Headquarters were so afraid of Fusion Types.

In all senses.

Including anything and everything.

Momo was a Mushitsuki who should've never been born—

"WAAAAaaaaAAAAAH!"

Rau could only watch the howling Momo while crying.

Perhaps if she got the girl to bring out her full power and exhaust it then she could be saved. She thought so, but Rau already had no power.

She couldn't stop Momo anymore.

No-one could stop her.

There no longer remained anyone who could stop her.

"No—you were supposedly here in town…"

The moment before she closed her eyelids, Rau saw a single boy.

Perhaps it was a new source of despair.

However, Rau—

"Kakkou… Please save Tanaka Momo…"

Please save my student—

Leaving her final hope to him, she collapsed.

5.02 Marker-user VS Kakkou[edit]

A Mushitsuki sure to destroy herself.

Muttering this, the woman collapsed.

Daisuke, having come to the substation, hands still inside his hoodie pockets, gazed absently at that Mushitsuki.

"Coatl Head."

The new Fusion Type Mushitsuki, Tanaka Momo, howled. Using her marker she drew a symbol on her head and it shone with the color of healing marigold.

While seeing Momo's wounds being healed, Daisuke started walking to another direction.

"…"

Removing the goggles from the Annihilators member collapsed nearby, he equipped them on himself.

"Coatl Head!"

Once again Momo drew on her head. It was an invigorating dandelion. The pattern on her body glowed brighter.

"…"

Daisuke slowly took the pitch-black coat of another Annihilator and wore it.

Then, the pair faced each other.

The Fusion Type Mushitsuki, Kakkou. —Kusuriya Daisuke.

The Fusion Type Mushitsuki, Marker-User. —Tanaka Momo.

Their expressions as they gazed each other were the exact same.

They were Mushitsuki who were beaten, tired, and sick of fighting.

Although both wished to run away from the battlefield, they had nowhere to go to.

There was no other way than fighting, and they could only keep running ahead.

"So that's what you meant… Haji…"

Daisuke mumbled.

He now realized.

"Kirari was… the same as Touko-san or Wanko and the rest…"

East Central Branch Acting Director, Goroumaru Touko.

Asagi—Shishidou Inuko—and her disciples.

Handyman, Ikarino Kirari.

Perhaps that was why he sent Kasuou, Nene or C back to the Central Headquarters.

All of them—all were people Haji Keigo had prepared for Daisuke's sake.

That man, always wearing a thin smile, had been able to foresee that Daisuke would one day become a runaway. On top of that he managed to put all these people at places so that they could support him—or possibly stop his escape.

How far ahead had Haji Keigo seen?

He was a sly and cruel schemer, about as much as Miguruma Yaeko from the Central Headquarters. Had the man gotten so many plans underway because he'd foreseen that Daisuke would fight until the end? Was he convinced that he would live until the very end?

Daisuke put his hand around the back of his waist, pulling out his concealed handgun.

"…"

Immediately after running away from the East Central Branch interior, he left not only with goggles but a gun as well. Keeping it all this time—was perhaps because he knew that he would fight against someone again.

Even if he tried running, he couldn't run.

Even if he didn't want to fight, he had to fight.

He realized that all long ago.

"Who… are you?"

Momo looked at Daisuke calmly.

The girl's stance seemed calm, but he knew she was already losing her rationality. Her clouded eyes were those of the moment before her Mushi fully devoured her dreams, and the brightly shining pattern on her body was out of her control.

Underneath the unceasing rain, the two Fusion Types quietly gazed at each other.

"Kakkou."

Almost everyone who used his name was his enemy.

At times allies, too.

And only one of them—was the girl he loved.

In order to meet that girl, there was no other way but keep fighting and survive.

"I don't know you."

"I don't know you, either."

"I don't want any more pain…"

"Me neither."

"And I don't want to fight."

"…Me neither."

"But I have to go…"

"Me too."

"There's someone I have to meet up with."

"Me too."

"Move aside."

"No."

Mushi Uta 8 p359.jpg

If the rampaging Momo stepped into town, he couldn't even imagine how many victims it would cause.

There would probably be many civilian casualties. Even if the SEPB attempted to act, one or two branches would likely be destroyed before everything was over. If they dispatched the normal army it would cause a great disturbance in the country, but even then he didn't think they'd be able to stop Momo as she currently was.

"I see. If so, then—"

Momo's eyes changed. She glared at Daisuke with the merciless eyes of a demon.

A green checkered beetle landed on Daisuke's shoulder.

Daisuke was also just a step before losing control. If he used his Mushi's power, there would definitely be the signs of Maturation.

It was the same when he'd come to town.

When he'd fought at the riverside against the masked assassin—the boy that was now nothing but a statue in town, Daisuke had lost control. Even so the battle had ended in a tie and he was heavy wounded, so he'd managed to dodge his Maturation.

The time Daisuke would do to Momo what the masked boy had done to him.

Meaning—he would stop her rampage by force.

On top of that Daisuke would have to withstand his own rampage.

If Daisuke lost control, it would be the same; this country would be plunged into chaos.

Furthermore, if two Fusion Type Mushitsuki fought, it was unknown what would happen.

"I won't show you any mercy… yeah."

"Me neither."

The checkered beetle transformed, its tentacles piercing Daisuke's body. As if dyeing his body by permeating it, the tentacles became a green pattern showing on his body.

A battle full of unknown things, where you couldn't tell what would happen.

They didn't even know why they were fighting.

Even so, the two Mushitsuki—knew no other way to live other than clashing like that.

"—"

Immediately after assuming his stance, Daisuke's cheek was struck by Momo's punch.

The overwhelming power pounded him against the ground, and without even being able to land safely, he was then kicked by Momo.

Knocking over a transmission tower, he crashed into a concrete building head-first. The wall was destroyed and almost all the control panels were blown away before his momentum was finally stopped.

Yet Marker-User didn't even give him enough time to stand up.

"UUUuuuUUUh!"

Momo, enveloped in the glow of dandelion, reached above Daisuke in the blink of an eye. Straddling him, she sealed his movements and rained down her fists.

It was a reckless attack but since it was too fast he couldn't dodge. Head, chest, stomach; she pounded Daisuke all over his body.

It was like being hit by a wrecking ball weighing several tons. Unable to even counter, Daisuke's consciousness was rapidly thinning.

"WAAAaaHHH!"

Noticing that Daisuke went silent and taking advantage of that chance, Momo brandished her marker. The tip emitting a blue glow touched his forehead.

Yet Daisuke half-consciously grasped Momo's head.

"Nguh!"

Holding her head tightly, he pounded it directly against the ground. This time he straddled the girl, striking his fist against her brow.

The vibrations caused the electric control room to crumble down.

"Kaha…"

The dandelion mark on Tanaka Momo's forehead was wiped off by Daisuke's fist.

Now that the invigorating ability was gone, she was pounded by Daisuke's fist. Confirming that her pupils were losing their lights, he thrust the gun fused with the checkered beetle at her chest.

Momo's mouth moved.

"Coatl Head…!"

"…!"

Even while being hit, Momo marked the ground. The light of pure white attempted to envelop Daisuke.

Suddenly detaching from Momo, Daisuke flew outside the building.

Momo's counterattack didn't stop.

"Coatl Heeead!"

Pebbles emitting a vivid glow flew one after another from inside the building. She'd probably drawn the symbol on these concrete fragments; the spheres glowing in blue, white and purple assaulted Daisuke.

Daisuke raised his gun.

The bullet spewing hellish fire reduced the distant incoming pebbles to dust.

"Coatl Head!"

The glow of dandelion gushed out inside the building. —The moment after he noticed this, Momo transported herself using amazing speed and flew directly beside Daisuke.

"OOOOH!"

He dodged the unleashed fist that created a fierce gale, pounding his own forehead into Momo's.

"Ngh!"

She grimaced as the dandelion glow was gone from her. The blood spilling from Daisuke's cracked brow painted over her forehead.

"Co…Coatl—"

While turning hazy, Momo's hand dropped the pebble she was holding. The fragment of concrete with a symbol drawn on it fell to the ground.

Daisuke crushed it underfoot with all of his power. The impact and vibration cracked the ground, crushing the pebble to dust.

"Gh—"

Since his attention was grabbed by the fragment there was an opening. Momo's knee kick stabbed into Daisuke's chest.

"Nn! Uugh! Agh!"

"Ugh! Gwah! Uh!"

The pair exchanged fists and kicks from a short distance. Since they were focused on dodging bullets and marker swings, they were unable to stop each other's fists. Every time they pounded each other the patterns glowing on their bodies burst, with the afterimage of the glow released to the air.

A bombardment sound echoed.

The bullet grazed Momo's body as she threw her body down, and opened a large hole in the ground.

The marker glowing in seven colors reached out.

As Daisuke barely avoided it, his nose surged with the light filled with energy.

And as the pair lost their balance, their kicks and punches hit each other.

"Guh!"

"Uuuh!"

This scuffle—not a battle but mere awkward violence—continued.

If he were to take his distance, Momo would have the time needed to draw her invigorating mark. He had to avoid this dandelion that gave birth to an overwhelming gap in their abilities no matter what.

On the other hand, Momo was also scared of getting away and hit by bullets. She needed to win this physical fight and aim to apply the mark directly onto Daisuke.

After continuing the beating for a while, the balance finally crumbled.

"Uh—"

The one hit directly and folding their body—was Tanaka Momo.

Daisuke was merciless.

"Agh—"

After being hit in the temple and sent flying, Momo crashed into the ground. Along with vibrations that seemed to raise the entire electrical substation ruins, she rebounded on the ground many times.

"—"

Receiving another kick to her stomach, Momo widened her eyes.

Daisuke caught the girl's head, swinging her. Thrown away like a doll, Momo's body was rotating as she crashed into a transmission tower.

The poles were knocked down as if by a tsunami wave. Gouging the ground and mowing the lines of cables, Momo rolled on the ground.

"Hah…! Hah…!"

Breathing heavily, Daisuke looked at the steel forest.

And he widened his eyes.

He saw a figure instantly rising as if nothing happened.

How can I even… defeat someone like that?

Daisuke now knew the fear of fighting against a Fusion Type.

No—Momo's endurance was above Daisuke's. If he was hit by another attack of the same caliber, he didn't have the confidence he'd be able to stand back up again.

While being hit by the rain, Momo leaked a sob. Directing a gaze full of hatred at Daisuke, her entire body was wrapped by the glow of dandelion.

"Uuh… Coatl Headdd…"

Shit—

The moment he thought this, Daisuke's body floated in air.

As she closed the distance between them in the blink of an eye, he couldn't evade. The overwhelming destructive power that didn't even let him feel pain blew Daisuke away.

"UUuuUUUuuUh!"

Howling Momo's kick cut off Daisuke's consciousness.

"AAaaAAh!"

Yet he was soon blown away and forcibly reawakened.

He couldn't even perceive the repeating attacks. He couldn't even tell what hit it, where it hit him and how much damage he received.

"WAAAAH!"

His barely open eyes could only see Momo crying while recklessly continuing the assault.

How many successive attacks had hit him?

When he came to, Daisuke was collapsed in the center of the desolate substation.

The crying Momo straddled him.

And then—

"Coatl Head…"

She drew the mark in the color of vivid baby blue on top of the collapsed Daisuke's chest.

The light of cleansing erased the pattern on Daisuke's body.

Ooh—

Daisuke understood the situation.

It was his first time feeling this, so he was slow to notice.

I've… lost—

When he understood this, he felt something similar to relief.

His five senses were dulled, and his consciousness was slipping away.

And then—

"GWOOOOOOOOOH!"

The beast howled.

Tanaka Momo wore a frightened expression. She hurriedly stepped back.

Daisuke was watching this scene from afar. As if staring at a movie theater screen, he vaguely stared from somewhere silent.

So it ended up like that—

His memory was blurring and his ego was blurring as well. Enveloped in a pleasant sense of floating, his thoughts grew hazy.

Turned into a beast, Daisuke's right arm became the maw of a monster. He ripped the Coatl head mark glowing on his chest along with the coat, biting through the baby blue glow.

"U…Uah…"

A red spray of blood rose from Momo's shouldered as she grimaced in fear.

The beast's right arm launched a cannonball along with fire. The shell, after blasting Momo away, landed in a faraway river. Causing a tremor, it created a water spout as tall as a building.

As Momo thought of rising up and escaping, the monster beat the back of her head.

He hit the girl so hard she was pounded into the asphalt.

And hit.

And hit.

"UH—WAH—"

Even Momo, covered in the glow of dandelion, couldn't compare to the beast's power.

The movements of the girl distorted by fear grew softer.

The Mushi had already swallowed not just the beast's right hand but up to its torso. The pattern permeated its entire skin and several parts of its body were swelling unnaturally.

"GAAaaaHHHaaaAAAA!"

Clenching its now blood-covered fist, the beast roared in victory.

"AH—AH—"

Momo crawled, trying to escape the beast even a little. Rising to her legs unsteadily, she started running shakily.

The dandelion glow was already gone from the girl and she became covered in wounds all over. The strongest Marker-User had been overturned, crawling pathetically on the ground and running.

"Uh—Uh—"

The beast noticed the running girl. It raised the monster jaw of its right hand with a gesture as if flicking off a fly in front of it.

Momo, about to run into the desolate forest of steel, turned back.

"Auuu—Uh—"

Marker-User was shedding tears of fear.

This'll end it all—

Daisuke muttered inside his heart as if it had nothing to do with him. He didn't even understand what was going to end, but he still felt as if everything was ending.

He didn't even feel like resisting. The beast had already swallowed his mind and body like never before, making him much stronger. Even if the all the strongest people from the SEPB banded together, they wouldn't be able to land a single hit on this beast.

The next attack would end it all.

He would blow Momo away, destroy the city behind him, and—decimate anything he laid his eyes on.

"WAAaaaaAAAH!"

Momo rose up. Picking up a destroyed transmission tower, she used all her power to throw it at the cannon.

Daisuke unconsciously smiled.

Even her final resistance was a too frail of an attack. Did she really think a mere steel pole would defend against the beast's assault?

The monster jaw launched a large bullet.

This was—the end.

This was the answer to everything Daisuke went through until this far.

Thinking this, Daisuke started closing his eyes.

Yet Momo's scream prevented his sleep.

"Coatl Heaaaaad!"

The moment before it clashed with the cannon, the steel pole was enveloped in crimson light.

The color of the mark that appeared on its surface for a moment—was signal red carmine.

A scorching Coatl Head.

The bright red explosive flames filled his sight. The entire substation was engulfed by explosive wind.

And—

"Coatl Head…!"

Appearing after the wind was gone was Momo with the dandelion mark on her forehead.

Daisuke widened his eyes.

Marker-User's attack killed the beast's bombardment.

Next Momo spat some unexpected words.

"—Come at me, you monster."

Even while trembling, the girl gazed at the beast. Raising a large pole several times her height, she held it on her shoulder.

"…!"

The pole smashed the beast's shoulder. The impact caused its legs to sink underground.

The beast hadn't received any noticeable damage. However—

"Coatl Head!"

Scorching signal red carmine.

The flames of destruction surging through the steel pole glowing in red blew the beast back.

"Coatl Head! Coatl Head! Coatl Heaaad!"

Picking up the poles from several meters around her, she flung them at the beast one after another. With blood flowing out of her body and forgetting to even use the marigold of healing, she single-mindedly kept throwing the poles marked with signal red carmine like a spear-thrower athlete.

Just a little bit.

Why—

Daisuke's self-will returned ever so slightly.

She'd been living a normal life until yesterday… and she has such bad wounds, so how can she move—

Rather than restoring his memories, or restoring his reason, he felt this doubt.

She's a mere civilian, not even a combatant—

How come she was able to face against the monster that not even the SEPB could stand up to? On top of bearing grievous wounds, she was supposed to have been assaulted by mind-numbing fear.

Even so, Tanaka Momo did not run away. —It was already obvious that even her act of running into the forest of steel was only meant to prepare for a counterattack.

"GWAAaaaAAAaaAHHH!"

The confident smile vanished from the beast. Blowing away the poles, it readied its right arm.

Causing the air to tremble, a large sound of bombardment echoed around.

"Coatl Heaaad!"

She wasn't simply breaking the mold; Momo's actions were unbelievable.

She raised the large steel pole glowing in the color of signal red carmine with both arms—and used it to strike the cannonball like a baseball player.

The two attacks canceled each other, creating a large explosion.

Even while being blown backward, Momo grabbed a pole midair and stood up.

Even while she was getting covered in wounds.

Even when she couldn't control her Mushi's power and went wild.

Momo shouted on top of the steel pole about her one and only hope.

"I'm… going to Daisuke, yeaaaah!"

Daisuke widened his eyes.

She was going to the person she loved.

For that reason alone.

Aiming for such a meager hope, Tanaka Momo was fighting—

"Going to…"

Along with Momo's shout, a wind blew through the substation.

No—it wasn't wind.

A faint glow was flowing through it.

The thing glowing was the ground the beast was standing on.

Mixed with the flow of rain, it was something crimson.

It was—blood.

Momo's blood became the stream, moved on its own, and spread to the whole premises.

"I'm goinggg!"

Instantly.

The substation was wrapped in crimson light.

Noticing what was evident on the entire vast premises, Daisuke was speechless.

Coatl Head.

A mark of an absolutely colossal size was drawn on the entire substation.

The color of the glow was—the crimson of scorching, signal red carmine.

"Cooo!"

The surge of light flowing at her feet pushed back the rain from the sky.

"Aahhh!"

While Momo was shouting, the beast moved.

"GWAHHHHaaaAAaaAAHHH!"

Howling, it raised its right arm. Aiming for Marker-User who was standing on top of the pole, it readied the monster jaw and gathered energy.

"Teee!"

A single mark produced enough power to equal the beast's cannon.

He couldn't even imagine the explosion produced by this signal red carmine mark a hundred, no, thousand times larger than a normal one. He doubted that boundless energy would include only the substation. There was no doubt it would blow the neighboring down.

"Luuu!"

Self-destruction—

That term rose to Daisuke's mind.

At the end of her rampage, Tanaka Momo would destroy herself using her power.

"GWAAAaaAAAaaAH!"

On the other hand, the beast's attack would definitely kill Momo.

But he wouldn't be able to defend until Momo's ability activated.

The battle caused by the two Fusion Type Mushitsuki was obviously about to end in a tie.

And there would be many victims.

Thinking of that result, Daisuke screamed.

"GWOAAA—WAaaAAAaaaaAAAAH!"

Widening his eyes, he called back his ego.

He grasped the sleeping memory.

The distance between him and the beast was closed—grabbing it with his spread arm, he pulled it forcibly toward him.

"WOooAAAaaAAaaaAHH!"

What Daisuke grabbed was his own right arm.

The arm fused with the beetle's jaw. His left arm grabbed the other one extended toward Momo.

"He—"

Momo shouted.

"WOOAAAAAaaaaaHHH!"

Daisuke shouted as well.

They were the same Fusion Type. Marker-User taught him.

He didn't care if he was used by anyone.

No matter how wounded he was, he wouldn't stop.

He couldn't run away from the dreams, grudge and hope he'd been given by other people.

He stopped complaining in his mind.

Daisuke would fight from now on—for a single, exceedingly simple reason.

"Dooooo!"

"WOOOOAAAAAHHH!"

The two Fusion Type Mushitsuki screamed with the same emotions.

The cannon sound breaking through the rainclouds and the signal red carmine glow enveloped the substation at the same time.

—Shiika…

An impact and a wave of scorching.

Thrown into a space enough to blow away all five senses, Daisuke closed his eyes.

5.03 The Beast and Momo The Last[edit]

The crimson light of life—signal red carmine—was vanishing.

Momo's body swayed. She fell straight down from the steel pole.

The fact she stayed fine even after falling from that height was probably due to the pattern still glowing on her body. Around her nothing was left except ground.

"…"

Slowly rising up, Momo looked around her.

The place that was supposed to be the substation became a desolate field. —In a movie she'd seen once, there was a scene where they landed on a planet without any water or trees on it. It resembled where Momo stood now.

All that remained was Momo and the pole she was standing on, as well as the black-wearing people collapsed on the earth. There was also the half-naked Yamamoto Rau.

Among the collapsed people, there was also the beast she'd been fighting just now.

His name was, if she recalled correctly, Kakkou.

Originally, she would have been completely decimated by his bombardment.

"…"

Momo looked down at the large hole carved at her feet.

The substation transformed into a wasteland was ripped to two.

Thanks to that—Momo had been saved. The instant before she activated her ability, Kakkou lowered his gun. Instead of hitting Momo, the cannonball tore the ground asunder, dispersing the signal red carmine mark.

Because of that, her ability lost its effect an instant before activating. Kakkou, Yamamoto Rau and the rest were still alive, and the destruction spread through the substation only. Also, Momo hadn't yet exhausted herself, so she was able to "extend" her time.

"—I hafta go…"

While hit by the violent rain, Momo recalled this and raised her head.

Dragging her legs, she walked through town. The rainbow-colored pattern on her body flickered on and off, looking ready to burst.

She felt something rising up from behind.

Looking back, she saw Kakkou rousing his torso on the ground. His goggles were broken, and his normal face was exposed. Even his monstrous body returned to normal.

"…"

The two Mushitsuki exchanged glances.

Now that her rampaging state was gone, Momo knew that Kakkou had been trying to save her.

Kakkou smiled.

Momo smiled as well.

"Go."

"You too, yeah."

They had just this one, short exchange.

The two Fusion Type Mushitsuki parted like this.

Kakkou said the same as Momo. He told her there was a person he wanted to see.

Since he said this, he would probably keep going. And as long as he continued forward, she knew that he would also probably never see Momo again.

Momo slowly but surely made her way to a certain area in town.

The wounds on her entire body hurt.

She was exhausted and her legs felt extremely heavy.

Her mind, still being devoured by the rainbow jewel beetle, was rapidly blurring.

Even so, a smile rose to Momo's face.

"Haa… Haa…"

She'd left the area of the electric substation ruins, but how much time passed? She walked through the silent road, but how much fatigue she could bear? As she entered town looking all beaten up, there were probably a few bystanders that turned to look at her.

Yet she didn't care about such things at all.

She had butterflies in her chest.

Her heart beat loudly.

"Haa… Haa…"

Almost all energy froze inside Momo. The very last remnants of the hot impulse were burning, but even those were forgotten.

When she was an elementary schooler, on the day before a trip, she was so excited she couldn't fall asleep.

When she was a middle schooler, after being greatly moved at an overseas museum she'd visited with her family, she started on the path of artistic design.

Immediately after becoming a high schooler, she attempted to create a masterpiece. She thought herself a genius.

All of the emotions she once had were beautiful.

Yet these all couldn't even reach the legs of the happiness now filling Momo.

"—"

Entering the darkened alley, Momo found that figure.

He was facing the sky in the center of the alley.

Just like the first time she'd met him—no, it looked even more beautiful than how she felt with her first love. So much that she wanted to depict it. She should create a statue.

Yet Momo chose none of those.

Following her instincts, she leapt at him for a hug.

And their lips pressed together—

Smiling at each other.

"Daisuke, your complexion is weird, yeah."

Momo spoke in a jesting tone with tears falling from her eyes.

"…You're the weird one."

"Kusuriya Daisuke" also moved his hardened mouth, shedding tears.

"Ehehe."

"Haha."

While crying, they smiled.

They had no idea what made them happy.

They had no idea what made them blissful.

It was obvious there weren't any words to express what they felt now.

Because nobody had ever felt as fulfilled as this pair before.

Momo's fingertips drew a mark on the boy's forehead.

Coatl Head—the very same mark of happiness she'd drawn at their first meeting.

"Coatl Coatl Para Emile."

The pair chanted.

The wish the pair shared at that time definitely came true.

Momo saved him, and he was also saved by Momo.

"Do you remember our promise? If you forgot I'll never forgive you, yeah."

While being hugged by the boy, Momo's pattern started sizzling and raising smoke. The glow of signal red carmine leaked out of her wounds.

"I do remember."

Hugging her back, Daisuke's eyelids lost their life. The movements of his mouth became sluggish.

"Let's run away together."

"Where to?"

"To where you came from…"

"It has to be further than that."

"Okay, so let's run away to the ends of the earth, yeah."

"Right, to the ends of the earth."

"To the ends of the earth, yeah…"

"To the ends of the earth …"

They hugged each other so strongly there wasn't even a millimeter between them.

The rain was stopping and the eastern sky turned white.

The alley starting to get lit by the peeking rays of the sun was wrapped in a crimson glow.

Mushi Uta 8 p383.jpg

5.04 The Others[edit]

Wails echoed in the alley lit by the morning sunlight.

When Daisuke dragged his feet there, he saw Ikarino Kirari sitting down and crying.

Standing next to Kirari, he looked inside the alley.

The glow of the burning signal red carmine still remained.

As if to remind them that the boy who was Kusuriya Daisuke and the girl called Tanaka Momo have existed, a black scrap of cloth and a marker were consumed together by the flames.

"Sorry… I wasn't able to save them."

After Daisuke muttered this, Kirari raised her face toward him. It took everything she had to endure the sobbing rising from her. She couldn't speak, so she just strongly shook her head.

Daisuke looked at the burning traces they left, biting his lips.

Have they been happy?

Have they fulfilled their dream?

That answer could only come out of those two who weren't there anymore.

"I'll go back to Ouka City…"

Daisuke said.

The Kusuriya Daisuke that had run to this town vanished along with the person he loved.

So the surviving Kusuriya Daisuke had to keep moving forward.

Keep living, keep going, and see the one important to him.

He still didn't know if what waited ahead was the same destiny as the Kusuriya Daisuke that vanished in this town—or whether he'd be able to gain an ending of a different kind.

"I can probably fight at my full power only once more… but that's the only place I can go to."

Kirari nodded.

"Thanks for everything, Kirari."

Leaving this behind, he turned on his heels—

"—I'm sure that other Kusuriya Daisuke said the same, though."

He added.

The boy called Kusuriya Daisuke in this town thanked Kirari as well.

There was no need for the kind handyman to cry.

Everyone had been saved by her.

Because of that, the one left should face forward again.

"Say, Daisuke-san—"

Ikarino Kirari spoke.

"In the end… which of you was the real Kusuriya Daisuke?"

The fact that she uttered this question not with a frown but with a slight smile was the sole salvation.

Daisuke smiled too.

—I'll die in your place.

The boy who said that while smiling, was without a doubt himself.

"The one who'd been saved in this town."


Epilogue: Restart[edit]

She put the last of the costumes hanging in the closet inside the cardboard box.

Since she only left the bare minimum of living supplies, it was easy gathering them all. Even if she gathered the things from the bedroom or other places, they only amounted to a handful of boxes.

"…"

Ikarino Kirari looked around the office that had all windows and doors open. The ferret Sepia rubbed its head against her legs.

She had also assembled all documents and finished cleaning. She'd let the workers get rid of the sofa and television set.

This empty office spoke of everything.

The end of Kirari's actions and life spent as a handyman were this scene.

She didn't save anyone.

Even the boy who called himself Kusuriya Daisuke and her friend Tanaka Momo were gone.

And Kirari remained alone.

"…"

The handyman office closed down today.

She walked in the corridor to take care of one final thing—removing the metal plate on the entrance door.

There were still actually a few days remaining until her eviction, but there was no more meaning in staying here. She had nowhere else to go, but staying here brought out only bitter memories.

Opening the glass door, a tall person was standing in the doorway.

"Hello."

The first customer of the day, Satou Youko, grinned.

"—Thanks for everything."

Kirari said her thanks while bringing out tea from the cardboard box as Satou Youko sat down on the sofa. Shocked at the ferret being scared of her, Youko hung her head.

"N-no, this is… you don't need to thank me, I learned a lot as well."

She shook her head to the sides, causing her long bangs to sway.

If Youko hadn't used the suggestion of Coatl Head, then the new Mushitsuki Tanaka Momo would have kept rampaging and would have self-destructed. No matter how it ended, Youko definitely managed to extend her friend's life.

"Also—you've managed to fulfill my request."

"…"

"You've found the red bee Mushitsuki, right?"

The dark pupils behind Youko's glasses glistened. She stroked the suitcase at her feet.

Kirari had indeed gotten in contact with such a Mushitsuki.

Yet she felt hesitant to mention it to Youko. She had the intuition that this woman was someone dangerous from the very moment she'd met her.

"—Looks like another customer."

Satou Youko was the one who responded to the bell's sound.

"Excuse me," Kirari said as she rose up. As she went to the corridor and opened the glass door, a petite girl was standing there.

Lowering her head at the entrance was today's second visitor.

"U-umm, is this the handyman that helps with… special Mushi problems?"

The girl called herself Ebina Yuu. She'd apparently seen Kirari's fliers.

"I am very sorry. Starting today, the office is—"

She wanted to apologize and deny her request but was stopped by a voice from the living room.

"Won't you just listen to what she has to say? Oh, don't mind me. I can wait."

"…Please come inside."

She hesitated a bit, but definitely felt reluctant to turn away a client that came all the way there.

Guided by Kirari, Ebina Yuu sat in the living room.

Next to the scared ferret and the amused-looking Youko, Ebina Yuu began her explanation.

"So, a certain person actually told me that I'd better go elsewhere, but I just thought that—"

Yuu explained that she was looking for a necklace her friend had left behind. Nothing in the details or her way of getting here mentioned Mushi, but they were probably somehow related. The girl dodged the subject well, but Kirari felt so.

"So it's a necklace with a golden ring on it…"

"Yeah! I was unable to get in contact with a person who told me she was a teacher in the local design school… so I came here—"

Kirari rose up wordlessly. Leaving Yuu with a puzzled expression, she went to her room and opened the closet. She retrieved the thing hidden between her costumes and came back to the living room.

Seeing what Kirari held, Yuu widened her eyes.

A necklace with a golden ring hanging from it.

"Aaah! T-that's the one!"

Leaning forward, Yuu exclaimed.

"T-t-that's the one! No way? Eh?"

She had received this necklace from Sepia when she'd been Aria Varei.

The reward for saving Tanaka Momo.

According to Sepia, it was very special. She'd said that it would serve as a "mistletoe" after she'd forget everything.

However, Kirari had been unable to fulfill her request. She wanted to entrust it to the other Kusuriya Daisuke, but in the end couldn't return it.

"U-umm, will you give me that? Of course, I'll pay for it—"

Kirari smiled.

She put the necklace on the excited Yuu's neck.

"Take it."

"…Huh?"

"I have succeeded in fulfilling your request. Thank you for using our services."

While Kirari lowered her head, Yuu was frozen with shock and at a loss for words.

Then, the bell announced the last visitor of the day.

"You sure are popular, Handyman-san."

Youko said in a mocking tone. Though the effect was diminished by her having been counterattacked by the ferret and driven to the corner of the room, huddled there.

Kirari had been doing nothing but going from the corridor to the living room and back for a while now. Putting her hand on the glass door, she heard a familiar voice.

"Is it really here, Chiharu?"

"Umm, I think so? Since the smell's weak maybe it's still a cocoon and that's why it took some time to find it…"

"Chiharu-tan, this is an emotional reunion. Press that bell harder, go go go!"

The bell sound echoed an annoying amount of times.

A bang came from the living room.

Looking back, Kirari saw that Yuu attempted to rise from the sofa and stumbled. Her mouth flapping open, she peeked at the corridor.

"T-that voice… no way… I don't get it anymore…"

"Seems like the person I looked for is there, too."

She apparently understood it just by hearing them. Youko opened the suitcase at her feet. From within spilled a large amount of bills.

"Thank you for completing my request. I'll pay you."

As Kirari widened her eyes, Youko tilted her head quizzically.

"Why are you surprised? The suggestion case just aligned with my interest… oh, and why are you packing your stuff?"

Kirari stood frozen, but Yuu rushed over to the door, unable to wait any longer.

She opened the glass door.

"Ubuki-san!"

"Waoh. …Umm, have we met somewhere?"

"Eehh?"

"I don't know such a small scardey-cat so I'll just hug you."

"It's this! This necklace! Aria? Wake up, Aria! Good morning! Oh?"

"I-it hurts… who're you?"

While everyone grew excited, only the girl supposedly called Chami saw Youko smiling while waving toward her and scowled in disgust.

"You're not quitting your handyman job, right?"

While waving toward Chami, Youko spoke.

"From now on, plenty of people will make requests of you."

Kirari clenched her fist.

From now on, surely—

Was it fine to believe those words?

Would people who'd show her their smiles ever appear in front of her?

"…"

Kirari smiled, turning toward her new clients.

There was only one thing she could in order to find out the answer—

Welcome her clients with her usual smile.

"Welcome to Handyman Kirari☆."

To Ikarino Kirari, it didn't matter if one was a Mushitsuki or not.

All of them were people who sought her help.

"Striving to be reliable and quick, I shall help you."

Back to Chapter 5 Return to Main Page Forward to Afterword

Hello, this is Iwai Kyouhei.


There was a bit of a gap from the last volume, but Mushi Uta finally reached its 8th volume.

Even though there was also the 4th volume of the side story serialized in the "The Sneaker" magazine—Mushi Uta Bug—in the middle, this was the first time it took so long to publish a volume of the main story. I'm sorry for making you wait.

But even while I was lying low, there were many changes pertaining to this work.

The most extreme of these was the fact that the anime project started moving.

Mushi Uta's becoming an anime.

I've been told so directly on one of the rare times I went to a meeting with the editorial department. At first it didn't feel right, and even now I'm anxious and wonder if it's just a prank.

Apparently the studio and the airing time are still undecided. But in reality my opportunities to socialize with many people increased, so I felt some fulfillment. I feel like I should apologize for involving so many people in this.

This should also be announced in "The Sneaker" coming out concurrently with this volume, but even I don't know how much they'll announce about the anime there.

What's going to happen with Mushi Uta?

If you could watch over it warmly along with the author it would make me very happy.


About "Mushi Uta 08. The Seal of Dream's Prosperity".

I tried loading it with several surprising developments, but have you enjoyed it?

The Mushitsuki appearing, a trendy fad, and the heart pounding born by meetings.

Born suddenly, silently permeating, and swelling without anyone noticing their existence—

I wanted to depict these two similar excitements.


About trends.

The thing known as a fad has a very ambiguous feel from its definition.

It ranges from what's called a personal fad and all the way to a pattern that can be called a social phenomenon. Recently there's a comedian fad. I myself like comedians, so maybe I feel it more. There are cases like Mushiking where the work itself is trendy.

The way a trend starts, its scope, its meaning, and its ending, are all ambiguous.

Even so, it definitely exists.

It keeps existing.

Even once a fad disappears, it will remain in people's memories as a "oh, there was this thing back then". It causes a strange sense of connection among the people who know it.

Thinking this way, the fad engraved in people's memories can't vanish in the real sense.

Like Coatl Head in this volume, people in society would think of it from time to time, recall the excitement they felt momentarily, and then vanish again.


Like always, many people helped me in the writing of this volume.

The editorial department and my editor Onnai-san who gave me the opportunity to write, you have come to my aid more and more as time passed. Thank you very much.

Llo-san, in charge of the illustrations. Never mind not hating me for still adding characters, you have kept producing lovely illustrations. I'll be in your care this year as well.


And to you the readers reading this, I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Starting with the anime this year, Mushi Uta's exposure will grow. …I want it to. If it's not a prank.

Even so, the only thing I can do is write.

I'm a slow writer, but I'll work hard so that the next volume will come out a bit earlier.

The encouraging voices I've received in the form of many letters, illustrations and postcards of those who read what I've already published all allow me to keep writing new things.

Please wait for my next work.


Iwai Kyouhei



Notes[edit]

  1. ↑ Simply means "grave keeper".
  2. ↑ Japanese onomatopoeia for electric zaps, etc. Translated in dialogue, but she speaks the same word as her codename.
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