Chapter 75

That day, I chose to investigate the unsettling feeling I couldn’t shake to put a stop to my doubts once and for all. So as soon as classes broke for lunch, I went to find Dan and Zanck, then brought all four of us around the back of the school building. “H-hey, Leone, where are you taking us in such a hurry?” asked Dan as I pulled him along. “I wish you’d at least tell us where we’re going…,” added Zanck. “Don’t look at me,” said Spinne. “I don’t know any more than you two.” “Minnalis and Shuria were both absent from school today,” I explained, turning to face them. Minnalis had been acting suspicious lately, but I had been content to give her space. However, she didn’t even show up at all today. “I-is that it?” asked Spinne. “That’s not really enough to…” “I don’t like it,” I insisted. “Something’s up, I just know it. I always do.” I bit my lip in frustration. Just then, who but Shuria walked by. “Hmm? Where are you four off to in such a huff?” she asked. It was as if I was personally being invited beyond the point of no return. “Shuria…” She was smiling sweetly, just as she always did. But something was wrong. I just knew it. This was a far cry from the Shuria I was used to. There was no warmth for us. It was like she was staring at a group of complete strangers. Her tanned skin now seemed dark enough to suck in the light. “…Hmm. I have a feeling you are not in the mood to chat,” she said. “Very well, as a reward for your clever guess, I will show you the way. Follow me, if you please.” Shuria turned before we could respond and began walking, without looking back. “Er… What do we do?” asked Spinne. “Leone’s right,” said Dan. “I’ve got a bad feeling about this.” “Let’s just follow her and see where this goes,” said Zanck, and the four of us walked after her before she could disappear from view entirely. Shuria walked silently ahead of us, leading us down darker and darker streets until we arrived at a desolate café, in a district so poor and run-down it was practically a slum. “What’s up with this café? asked Zanck. “There’s a silencing ward across the entire premises…” “I’m surprised you could tell at just a glance,” said Shuria. “Well done.” “Well, it’s not exactly hidden,” explained Zanck. “Even I can—” “I wasn’t talking to you. I was speaking to Leone.” “…” I hadn’t said a word, but it seemed Shuria had noticed my unease regardless. Against my better judgment, I had activated my Radiant Eyes skill, and I could see a flood of colors spilling out of the building. Red, blue, green, yellow, purple, pink, orange, gray. All mixed together, and all robbed of their brilliance. It was a cauldron of different emotions, all warped nearly beyond recognition. However, those warped colors seemed somewhat familiar. “…” As if in a trance, I approached the door of the café and slowly pushed it open… …Entering into the domain of the demoness, wreathed in rotten, rusty laughter. The words left my lips in a daze before I could stop them. “…Minnalis? What…are you doing?” “Ah, Leone. You’re earlier than I expected. Did you skip classes to come find me? Still…you picked a good moment. I’ve just finished the first course.” Someone was lying facedown on the floor, surrounded by dozens of hollow specters. And the leader of those ghouls was none other than Minnalis. She turned her pretty face toward me, and I saw blood splattered across her cheeks. “Wh-what is going on in here? Who are all these people?!” yelled Dan. “Minnalis? What have you done?” asked Spinne. “Leone was right about you,” said Zanck. “Now, who’s this poor guy?” “Answer me!!” I screamed at her, my head pounding. “What are you doing?!” “What am I doing? Isn’t it obvious? I’m doing exactly what you’ve been trying to tell me not to! Tee-hee-hee. Tee-hee-hee-hee-hee!!” As she spoke, Minnalis spun the knife in her hand and drove it into the body lying before her. “GAAAAAAAGH!!” “Who is that? Oh, Goddess have mercy! Is that Kril?! What is he doing here?!” “You really are a scatterbrain, Leone. You didn’t stop to think that he might be living in this city when you lied to me about Quiquitto Village?” “Grgh! Ghuh… Agh…” Minnalis drove the knife into Kril again and again, laughing merrily to his screams. Her enjoyment roused the crowd of strangers into a frenzy, and they joined in with her. “Hey, cut it out, you lot!” cried Dan. “The kid’s gonna die!” “This is not looking good,” agreed Zanck. “Snap out of it, Leone!” said Spinne. “We have to stop them, even if it’s by force!” “Grh… Minnalis, I didn’t want to do this…!!” I have to put a stop to this violence before anything else! We reached for our weapons, when suddenly we all heard a voice. “Feel the weight of the earth and sink. Titan’s Tomb.” That voice, dripping with darkness, caused us all to be rooted to the spot, immobile. “I’m afraid nonparticipants have to wait their turn. You’re not supposed to be in this scene yet.” It was Kaito, clad in pitch-black robes that concealed his overflowing mana, holding a double-edged longsword. The blade was forged with a wave along both edges, colored white at the base before darkening to a deep brown at the tip. It suddenly felt like we were carrying the weight of the world on our shoulders, and we collapsed to the floor. “Grh. A naughty child like you needs punishing! Water Bolt! Drench and shock my foes!” “Indomitable Wall: Hammerstorm.” “No! How did he deflect it so easily?!” Spinne’s spell, a bolt of water wreathed in lightning, ricocheted into the ground as if struck by a giant invisible hammer. “Grh… Now’s not the time to hold back. Beast Mode, activate!!” A pair of white horns appeared on Dan’s forehead, and his skin turned crimson, while red steam rose off his body. He was using his intrinsic ability. “I’ll back you up!” cried Zanck. “Force Up! Physical Up!” Zanck’s magic mixed with the steam, causing it to glow. Even the inexperienced Dan of the present day could easily go toe-to-toe with an Iron Golem in this state. He slowly got to his feet, but Kaito had other ideas. “Feel the weight of your sins and repent. Titan’s Hammerfall.” “Grhh! Gaah!” Dan collapsed to the floor once more under the weight of this new technique. “Apologies,” said Kaito, “but let’s just say I’ve been doing some intensive training. I’m not the Kaito you knew from two weeks ago, and I’m afraid the four of you are no match for me now. It’s time for you to exit stage left. You’re going to be helping me out backstage, and let me tell you, these final three days are going to be a real doozy. Don’t worry, you’ll make it out with your lives…probably.” From out of nowhere, he produced a semitransparent sword of indigo and green, brimming with magical power. A magic circle spread across the floor beneath us, and the sword began to glow. “All right, Minnalis, Shuria and I will go ahead. Let me know when you’ve finished up here.” “Yes, Master.” “Grr, I’m sad I didn’t get to torture this man very much.” It was only now I realized Shuria had been among the people tormenting Kril, mincing the flesh of his legs with a barbed knife. When had she and Minnalis gotten so sadistic? “Be grateful you got a chance at all,” said Kaito. “I was busy dealing with these nuisances. Minnalis, be sure not to overdo it, you hear? We’ll need him alive for the next step.” “I know, Master. Tee-hee. Tee-hee-hee…” I felt the darkness closing in around me, second by second. I reached my hand out toward her, as if attempting to salvage what I could. I screamed, my eyes blurry with tears. “Minnalis, please. Stop this. Vengeance isn’t the answer!” “No,” she answered curtly. “I won’t stop. Not anymore.” I didn’t get a chance to speak further. A bright light swept everything away, including Minnalis. The last I saw of her was her face, that of a weeping child. The Transcendent Blade of Translocation gave off a light that enveloped the party of Master, Shuria, and Leone, carrying them away. “I’ve been falling. Down and down, ever since then. And now I’ve finally reached the bottom.” Ever since that cold winter day, when my mother had drawn her last breath, when my world had shattered into fragments. The moment I took vengeance’s dark hand and swore it wouldn’t be the end. “Now, where were we? I hope you’re not thinking of giving up yet, Kril.” I took my second potion and poured it into his mouth. “Wha—? Glg…glg…” Then I stomped on his face. “Gaaaaagh?!” I turned to my tools, all standing around me. “You should enjoy this while you can,” I said. Then, softly, to myself, I muttered, “…Because you’re all going to forget everything that happened once the serum wears off.” “Agh…gh… Rggh… Someone…anyone…help…” “Let me give you some friendly advice, Kril, as someone who’s been in your shoes. No one’s coming to save you.” “Grh!! I’m…sorry! Minnalis, whatever I did, I’m sorry! Argh!!” “Your apology’s more than five years late, Kril. But don’t worry. I’ll stay by your side, right up until you break. Tee-hee. Tee-hee-hee. Ah-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!!” I sat at the center of a world of pitch-black darkness. And I laughed. I laughed and laughed and laughed. I cackled with my whole heart. An inky laughter to match the depths of the depravity around me.