Chapter 209

She had thrown many into the pits of sadness. The prime example being the villagers of Lunar. What would they think if they learned Fuyao had become a terrorist who went around spouting some nonsensical motto about not killing anyone who wasn’t ready to die? They would begrudge her. Want to kill her. Maybe it was for this moment that she had survived, Fuyao thought in self-deprecation. To know the cruel truth, to be plunged into the pits of despair by Tremolo’s words, and to wield the blade to her death with her chest full of regret. A perfect ending for a wicked murderer, wasn’t it? “Die.” Fuyao swung the Null Night Blade again and again against the tentacles. “Fuyao! I got you this sword for your birthday! Use it to get rid of anyone who gets in your way!” “The Null Night Blade? That’s a weird name.” “C’mon! It fits you perfectly!” Her Highness had gifted her this Divine Instrument. She tore one of the tentacles into miasma dust. But just the one. Tremolo’s grudge did not weaken; it only grew stronger and stronger, more and more sinister, without limit. Where were these tendrils even coming from? It was like she was fighting against the world itself. A black blade scratched her shoulder. She endured it with all her soul. Fuyao’s role was to die as Terakomari, but she would not go down without a fight. She intended to soak the Null Night Blade in as much of the monster’s blood as she could. Fuyao turned around and ran farther into Star Cave. The tunnels were full of debris and hard to traverse. She looked for an open space where she could really let loose. “Guh!” A tentacle tackled her from behind. She just barely managed to block it with her blade, but she was unable to dampen the impact of the attack and was blown away. She was sent hurtling outside the cave, landing among dry fields and abandoned houses. The spiteful evening light shone down on the ruins of Lunar Village, gouging her heart. It was her fault her village had ended up like this. And for that same reason, she had to make Star Citadel pay. They showed no regret at taking the lives of countless people, and they were continuing to spread misfortune everywhere. Even the biwa bard, already dead by her own hand, was now an actual monster that couldn’t be reasoned with. Yet Fuyao got the impression Tremolo was satisfied at having fulfilled her duty. Only Tremolo had been able to choose her ideal death. Beyond revolting. Beyond unbearable. Fuyao had to put an end to her. The tentacles scraped Star Cave’s exit as they charged. Fuyao raised her katana to counter. She repelled one of them and cut into another, but yet another stabbed her shoulder. Her vision flashed white, and the phantom of Terakomari Gandesblood manifested by the Inari-Avatar Reflection nearly vanished. She stood firm. It would all be for nothing if her Core Implosion stopped now. She had to fight as Terakomari Gandesblood and die—no, win as Terakomari Gandesblood. Tremolo’s specter let out a shrill howl. The tentacles rampaged and ravaged the houses of Lunar Village. Fuyao leaped from spot to spot, dodging them. Somehow, she had to find the monster’s weak point. Could she kill the thing if she found and broke a core somewhere in its body, like with the Varmints? She observed the tentacles’ movements with that in mind. Yet no matter how hard she squinted, she could find no light of Mandala minerals. The tendrils were made of the willpower of sadness but in a fundamentally different way from the Varmints. They had no weak point. A new tentacle appeared every time she cut one. The enemy would not relent until she was dead. Amatsu was right—Tremolo Parcostella’s absolute willpower had materialized an invincible monster. But… Even then… She hadn’t the slightest intention of letting herself be slaughtered. If this thing didn’t have a weak point, then so be it—she would just have to keep on swinging her sword until it was dead. “Your style is too heads-on for someone with a shape-shifting ability. I think you should try being slyer.” Tryphon’s words came to mind. He’d been right—she was too direct. But she knew no other way to fight. She wielded her sword simply and killed those she ought to kill. She thought it was what she had to do. She fought madly, with all her being, so she could exact revenge for Lunar Village, to create a world where people could choose when to die, and so her brother and her father and her mother to tell her she had done a good job. This was Fuyao Meteorite’s way of life. “…!” She felt dizzy as she landed on the mayor’s house. Perhaps she had shed too much blood. The moment this thought crossed her mind, a tentacle lashed out at her from afar. A shock. Another shock as she crashed into the ground. The tentacles gathered like flies to trash. Fuyao scrambled to her feet, but she lost her balance and tumbled down. She had no time to breathe. The tentacles converged overhead and drew a spinning pentagram. Cloing. Cloing. Cloing. The vilest stars to adorn the twilight sky. The moment she was about to lose consciousness, they charged to end the life of their prey. I ran. I ran frantically to where Fuyao was. Thick, black miasma filled Star Cave. My Core Implosion had neutralized some of it earlier, but now it once again looked like something out of a nightmare. Why had I blacked out? Getting stabbed in the belly was nothing. I should’ve endured it and fought by Fuyao’s side. I had been powerless at the most important time. After the Vampire Riots and the Matrimonial War, I should have learned that activating my Core Implosion didn’t necessarily solve everything. But sucking Fuyao’s blood and being wrapped in sunlight had made me feel childishly omnipotent, and I’d gotten carried away. Fuyao would probably deny it and say I had done nothing wrong. I knew blaming myself wouldn’t solve anything. It was just escapism. A little trick to try to erase my overpowering fear of the grumpy foxgirl being in danger. I tripped. Karla and Sakuna screamed from behind me. Then I noticed all the blood staining the Mandala minerals on the ground. As well as golden hair. Fur from her fluffy tail. That soft tail I was thinking of formally asking if I could touch later. Despair crossed my brain. Still, I gritted my teeth and stood up. A scrape on my knee was nothing. The only thing on my mind was Fuyao. Fuyao. We had finally become friends. It wasn’t fair for things to end like this. Please be safe. You did your best. You don’t have to suffer anymore. So please… It was a miracle she was still conscious. Or perhaps she was already crossing the river Styx. “Koff!” Blood spurted out of her mouth. She was surprised to see she held the Null Night Blade in her hand even then. Inari-Avatar Reflection was still activated, too. She just managed to keep the form of Terakomari Gandesblood. Her willpower was stronger than she expected. And yet she lacked the physical power to stand. The wicked tentacles writhed from overhead. So this is as far as I get. All energy and spirit gone, Fuyao gently closed her eyes. Thinking back on it now, she had traveled a wild path. After her hometown had been destroyed, she had resolved to get revenge and trained every day to become stronger. She met Spica La Gemini, joined the vicious terrorist group Inverse Moon, and dedicated herself to killing to change the world. For a world where everyone could choose their place to die. For a world where no one would die an unreasonable death. But Fuyao Meteorite’s convictions were a sandcastle. The people of Lunar would be speechless if they saw what she had become. A murderer who fought in vain. They must be scorning her from heaven. Brother… Mom… Dad… Her family was gentle to the end. And it was she who had put an end to them. She wanted to meet them again. To go back to those days. But that wish could not be granted. She had already set foot on the path of a killer. She didn’t have the right to show her face to her family. Cloing. A switch flipped. Now you’re showing up…? Fuyao’s other personality had gone quiet ever since they reached Neoplus. There was nothing she could change at this point, though. …? But there was something off about her. She was supposed to take over control of her body the moment their personalities switched. But she hadn’t done so this time. Confused, Fuyao opened her eyes and saw something mystical. It was the nostalgic sight of the village. Green pastures and twirling cherry blossoms. The thatch-roofed houses were in perfect condition, and smoke was billowing from some of their chimneys. The skies were clear, not a star in sight. Where… am I? Perhaps it was an illusion. Otherwise, it would be impossible for her to see Lunar Village so vividly. Had she already lost it? “Hello! It’s the first time we’re meeting like this, isn’t it?” She realized someone was standing right next to her. A beast-folk with fox ears and tail. Fuyao Meteorite. But not her “head” personality—the “tail” who was born from that tragic day. At first, there had been multiple “tails,” but with the passage of time, they had unified into a single alter. “You… What’s happening here?” “I remembered,” the “tail” said, an uncharacteristically serious look on her face. “I didn’t pop up from within you. And I’m not a side effect of Inari-Avatar Reflection, either. Ever since that day, I—we—have been by your side.” “What do you mean…?” “Having a lot of personalities in one body is too much of a burden, so we unified for a while. So I’m not you. The cloing that echoes every time I show up is a warning, a way of keeping you from forgetting the tragedy of that day…” “What are you getting at? You’re not an offshoot of me?” “I am… But I’m not Fuu.” Shock. Her voice, her mannerisms, her bearing matched someone in her memory. “Tail” Fuyao burst into cherry blossoms. A gentle breeze blew. Perplexed, Fuyao stood there a while before a gentle voice called her name. It was her dead brother. “Fuu, you did your best.” “B-Brother…?” Fuyao retreated a couple of steps out of fear. She couldn’t understand the logic behind it, but there was no doubt: Her dead brother was right in front of her. His gentle smile, his kind eyes—everything she had torn apart with her own hands. “Don’t be scared,” he whispered, using the same tone as he did back then. “I’m with you. I’m your brother.” “B-but…” “I’ve been watching right next to you. We were in the ‘tail.’ We have watched over you ever since the day Lunar Village was destroyed…” That…that couldn’t be possible. It was her brother. It was his voice, his smell, his kind willpower. “Fuu, I know you might feel guilty over what happened, but you shouldn’t blame yourself.” “Wh-what are you saying?! I killed you…!” “Terakomari agrees with us. It’s not your fault.” “But—but I…” Core Implosion was the power of the heart. Just then, it clicked. Fuyao Meteorite’s shape-shifting power of Inari-Avatar Reflection must have been born from the guilt she harbored in her heart. She hadn’t destroyed her village. She hadn’t killed her family. The guilt was in the bottom of her heart, but she could not accept it. And it manifested as a wish to become somebody else. And yet, had she really needed to look away? The villagers of Lunar forgive me? “Look,” her brother said, and she examined her surroundings. People were gathered all around, each and every one a familiar face. The departed people of Lunar, who had once treated her younger self so kindly. They had resided within her this whole time. They had supported the sole survivor of that tragedy from the shadows and waited for the moment her wish came true. Waited for the day she struck back against Tremolo Parcostella—against the villain who’d ruined their peaceful lives. The second and third personalities that manifested in Neoplus came from members of this crowd. What an incredible bunch. To leave so much of their willpower in this world even after their death. “Fuu, you don’t have to force yourself.” Her mother gave her a glance full of concern. It brought Fuyao back. Her mom had always worried about her. “I don’t care about revenge. I’m happy if you’re happy. Everyone thinks the same.” “Wh-why…? Didn’t you want me to defeat Tremolo…?” “That’s secondary.” Her father smiled. He’d always played soldier with her in the garden. “As parents, we just want you to live. You can go take revenge whenever you’re free. If it hurts for you to do that, you can run away.” “But…” “And look, you’re so hurt already. You’re almost over here. But everyone here will take on the pain when you can’t anymore. We’ve been with you all this time for that. If you stop fighting and run away, you’ll still have a chance.” Every one of them turned into specks of light—willpower that soaked into her body. Tears spilled from her eyes. She had fought alone all this time. She thought she had no one who would stand with her. But that was wrong. There were plenty of kind people in the world. She could not stand to let people like them be lost in another tragedy. And so…because of that… …she had to keep going. “I’m sorry. I have to fight. I have to pay you back for your kindness.” “Fuu…!” The villagers were taken aback. Fuyao smiled to put them at ease. “Don’t worry. I won’t die. I feel the power everyone here has given me. With this, I can take down that bard.” “Really?” Her brother sighed in resignation. “Okay. You should be fine with Terakomari by your side, too.” “Terakomari…?” “It was thanks to her that we were able to come to the surface.” Her father and mother became light and merged with her. Only her brother remained. “Her light was blinding. It clears the haze in people’s hearts. Just act like she does, and there’ll be nothing to worry about.” Bright sunlight filled the area. A soft, warm energy like Terakomari’s that purged the black miasma. And it was coming from inside Fuyao herself. Core Implosion: Inari-Avatar Reflection, Rising Sun. Light mana overflowed. It was the very same power the crimson vampire emanated. Yes. She wanted to be just like her. Inari-Avatar Reflection was a mirroring miracle. It did not originate from guilt. It was the ultimate shape-shifting technique, nurtured from her desire to kill her enemy. With this, she could take back the broken sun. She could illuminate the world like Terakomari. “Go, Fuu. Make everyone’s dreams come true.” Her brother smiled. Fuyao nodded. After that, her brother, too, became light, a smile on his face to the end. A mélange of color embellished the world. The color that was lost had returned. Fuyao thought seeking strength was like an art. And she was right. True strength was the kindness to sympathize with other people. A harmonious heart could paint a monochrome world in vibrant color. The journey to that realization had been long indeed. She was eternally grateful to the people of Lunar. Fuyao Meteorite had inherited their willpower, their dying wish. She had nothing more to worry about. Then her vision went white. Her view of Lunar Village blurred and vanished. Then Fuyao returned to hell. A mud-colored evening sky. Shining stars and a cold, melancholy breeze. The veil of night was already descending. Vicious tentacles writhed above her head. This was the specter of Tremolo Parcostella, nemesis of Lunar Village. Fuyao used her katana as a cane to prop herself up. The next moment, tremendous mana of light spilled out from deep inside her. The tentacles above were vaporized. The dirty sky was bleached. It was sunlight itself. An exact copy of Terakomari Gandesblood’s extraordinary Blood Curse. The tentacles flinched for a moment. In this purified landscape, bathed in light as strong as the noontime sun, Fuyao raised the Null Night Blade and glared at her enemy. No more lingering sorrow. She needed simply destroy the fool before her eyes. Blood spurted. Every sense in her body went numb. Even the willpower of the people of Luna had not been enough to heal her completely. Still, her heart and mind were clear. “…Have I kept you waiting?” Wicked stars belonged in the night. With this blade, she would make the night null. “Come, Tremolo Parcostella. Are you ready to die?” There was no response in words. Instead, the tentacles came at her like a tsunami. Fuyao raised her Null Night Blade and countered. Most of the tendrils had melted away in the light of the sun, but a few stubborn ones dug through the veil of light with the spite of tenacious revenge. A swing of her sword. Tentacles trounced. Another swing of her sword. Unlike the Varmints, the tendrils lacked a core of Mandala minerals. In that case, she simply had to keep mowing them down until they stopped. “Ugh!” A tentacle shot from her blind spot and whipped her back. She leaped, trying to ignore the pain by yelling, and used the ruins of a house as footing to slash the tentacles in the air. She failed to take down all of them, and they gouged her in the shoulder. Yet she felt no fear. Terakomari’s light kept her heart warm. “You should live the way you want.” Of course. This was Fuyao Meteorite’s way of life. She only had to fight to the death for the sake of that vampire. For the sake of Lunar Village. For the sake of the world. The tentacles were endless. She cleared them away with a beam of light, but they kept creeping up from every gap like cockroaches. A cut on her cheek. A full-body slam on the ground. Perhaps she couldn’t master her imitation of Terakomari’s Core Implosion. But that did not matter. She had to end this here and now. “It’s over for you.” Fuyao clenched the hilt of her katana and jumped high. Slash. Slash. Cut. Blood spurt. That attack wouldn’t work. The pain was already out of mind. Still, it hurt. But she couldn’t afford to feel it. This was all for world peace. For the kind people of Lunar. For Terakomari. For a world where the weak could also choose when to die. Slash. Slash. Slash. Slash. It was already night. All of a sudden, Fuyao heard everything break. The land was bathed in quiet moonlight. The air was still, as though everything was dead. I slashed through the silence by shouting her name. Then I finally reached Lunrar Village. The tragic settlement ravaged by a merciless star. Tremolo’s willpower was already gone. The only thing there were ruins that had been further reduced to rubble. Then I noticed the trunk of a cherry tree glowing faintly in a corner of the village. A weak light like a flame in the wind. It seemed like it was waiting for me. Fuyao Meteorite sat down, leaning against the cherry tree. I stumbled my way to her as fast as I could. She’s all right! She defeated Tremolo! My foolish hope was broken in no time. I noticed something was wrong with her. She was drenched in blood, naturally. Her shoulders and belly and thighs were gouged beyond repair. The Null Night Blade was stabbed into the ground at the base of the tree. Broken in half. My mind froze for a moment. The light enveloping Fuyao converged, revealing her surprisingly peaceful expression. That exact moment, a warped scream jumped out of the pit of my gut. “Fuyao?! Are you okay?!” I realized the stupidity of my question as it left my mouth. Not even the best doctor in the world could heal this. “Terakomari… You’re safe.” Fuyao recovered consciousness. Her hollow eyes fell on me, gaze seemingly not able to fully focus. “Fuyao! What in the world…?” “…Don’t worry. I took care of Tremolo. It was all thanks to you and the people of Lunar.” There was no trace of Tremolo, for sure. The wicked miasma covering Star Cave had faded. Fuyao looked down and spoke hoarsely. “Take it. I managed to snatch it. I think you’ll be able to make good use of it.” By the base of the tree shone a gem—one of the Netherworld’s Dark Cores. Fuyao had put a nail in the coffin of Star Citadel’s ambition. But I didn’t care about the Dark Core. “F-Fuyao, your injuries…” “Don’t mind them. I’m not recovering from this.” “Yeah, you are! Karla’s here! If we ask her—!” “I’m not recovering even if you heal my wounds. I’ve fulfilled my duty.” I had no idea what she was talking about. Infinite fear took hold of my heart. Fuyao’s oddly calm expression told me she had nothing else to do in this world. “I thought I was worthless, but maybe that wasn’t quite true. In the very end, I was able to finish her off with everyone’s help. I exacted my revenge. And…I protected your life.” “Yeah, you’re amazing, Fuyao. You were more amazing than I—” “No. You deserve to live more than I do.” “That’s not true!” I involuntarily grabbed her right hand. I was shocked. It was so cold. I was smart enough to understand what the coldness meant. “No… You also deserve to live… You got your revenge. Now you can spend your days in peace. I’ll get you inari sushi! Let’s eat some more together…” “You’re so kind.” Fuyao smiled in disbelief. “And that’s your weapon. Your kindness saved me. You can stand up to those wicked idiots talking about ending humanity.” “But…” “I want to ask you something. Do you mind?” She looked me directly in the eye. Overwhelmed, I nodded. “Y-yeah.” “I defeated Tremolo, but there are still more idiots out there. There are still villains who will hurt others and do as they please. I can’t do anything about them. But you can. I know you don’t like to fight. I’m sorry to ask this of you, but please, stop them. Give color to this gray world with your kind light.” “O-of course. I’ll do everything I can…” “Thank you.” Blood spilled from her mouth. I panicked and staunched it with my hands. Fuyao Meteorite stared at me and put on a smile of satisfaction like I had never seen from her before; it fit so well on her face. “If you’ll take up my dream, then there’s nothing more I can ask for… I’m counting on you, Terakomari.” “…!” Fuyao’s willpower vanished. I could tell. I called her name again and again and shook her battered body.