Chapter 213

“Hey! Aren’t you the guys from six hundred years ago Spica told us about?!” “I won’t let you touch Ms. Komari!” Sakuna stood before me, staff in hand. I’m happy you did that. Really. But it doesn’t stop my heart from trying to break free from my chest. This guy isn’t just some dude. He’s got serious, long-standing beef with Spica. And that same centuries-old vampire was down on the ground. “Guh… Wha… Is this…sunlight…?” Spica asked. She was weak and limp. Evidently, there had been something in the man’s needle. The Tryphon burrito kept yelling. Amatsu reached for his katana while analyzing the enemy. Cornelius began packing. Hey, don’t run away! “How do you feel? Awful, I imagine,” Luxmio said as though indifferent to his victory. “I injected you with the energy of the sun, bane of the ancient vampires, condensed a thousandfold into a drug made just for you, Spica La Gemini.” “So that’s it. Of course…,” groaned Spica. ‘Of course’? What do you mean? The only thing I understood was that Spica was in danger. “Hey,” Amatsu called out to the man cautiously. “Luxmio, was it? Where did you come from? The search team should be guarding the campsite.” “Everyone else is restrained. Don’t think I came here alone. I have about five hundred borrowed soldiers from other countries with me.” “…What do you want?” “Like I said, I’m here to dispose of Spica La Gemini and Terakomari Gandesblood. These two have brought too much chaos to the world. They’ve upset the order established by the Dark Cores.” Luxmio glared daggers at Spica, who was on the ground. Then I saw something unbelievable. For just a moment, fear crossed Spica’s eyes. “We’re picking up where we left off six hundred years ago. The Netherworld isn’t yours to devastate.” “…!” It was not my imagination. Spica—THE Spica—was shaking. Just from this man’s glare. “Heh… Heh-heh… I see…! You were still alive…even after six hundred years… You’re a tough cookie…!” “I come back when the Dark Cores are in danger—that is how the first world’s Dark Cores configured things. With the Willow Sword broken, I’ve surfaced to kill the root of all evil.” “Ah-ha-ha-ha…! You’re even harder to kill than a cockroach… I get it. Just like when you ensnared Naturia… Six hundred years later, and you’re the same as ever…!” “Whoa!” Spica squealed as Luxmio pulled her up by the collar. “Silence. You are a killer and a sinner. And everyone here is guilty of the same crime.” “—” Spica went flying. Wham! Her little body slammed into the table. Bell peppers and onions flew all over. I hurried to her side. “Spica! Are you okay…?!” “Geh… Heh… Heh-heh… I can’t move…” “What happened?! Aren’t you, like, super-duper strong?!” “Actually… I was hiding my real power, just like you… The truth is that I’m a sorry excuse for a vampire with no coordination and no talent for magic…” “For real?!?!” “Nah…” “Don’t joke now!!” But that settled it. That man was our enemy. And he was powerful enough to force Spica down easily. So what now? I couldn’t think any further than this before a belt shot out from inside Luxmio’s clothes again. “You’re next, Terakomari Gandesblood.” “AAAAUGH?!” “Ms. Komari! Watch out!” Sakuna unleashed a punch at the belt, but the piece of leather wrapped around her arm the next moment. No amount of force could get it off her; the belt ensnared her entire body and hung her up by her feet. “Guh… Wh-what is…?!” she said, bewildered. “Sakuna?! I’ll help you…!” “Wait, Terakomarin! That must be a special-grade Divine Instrument!” Cornelius yelled. “It’s on the same level as the Dark Cores, I think! We can’t begin to imagine what could happen if you let it get you! So maybe that means you should, for science…” “That’s right. The Extermination Armors are the ultimate weapon, designed to uphold the stasis of the world.” Luxmio shot out another belt. I tottered on my feet, unable to reach Sakuna. “W-wait! How about we talk things out?! There’s still a lot of meat, so why don’t you join us?! We’ve got bell peppers, too!” I shouted. “I am not hungry. And there is no need to talk,” he said. “Yes, there is! I still don’t get what’s going on!” “Spica La Gemini knows. No need for me to explain.” “What happened between you two?!” “This girl brings danger to the world. And you are the same—so I’ll dispose of you.” He had no intention of listening. Squirming belts raced toward me. ““Komari!”” Sakuna and Lingzi screamed. Belts shot at everyone else, too; no one could help me. I had forgotten to get my blood bottle, and I was in no position to suck anyone’s blood. What now? What now? What now? “!” A belt drew close to my face. I closed my eyes in despair. I never thought I would fall at the hands of a killer who wouldn’t even give me the chance to introduce myself. I felt stupid for partying just moments ago. The tip of the belt touched my skin, and then… RIIIP!! It broke into pieces for some reason. I opened my eyes in shock. The so-called special-grade Divine Instrument turned into particles of light. “Wha…?! The unbeatable Extermination Armor…?!” Luxmio’s brows shot up. Huh? What just happened? I looked around with suspicion. The belts attacking my friends had broken, too. “You… What did you do?” Luxmio asked. “What…? I’m just standing here defenseless,” I replied. Luxmio froze in realization. “…I see. So that’s how it is.” “What do you mean…?” “The Extermination Armor is set not to work on those of the Insaint bloodline. Gandesblood… How could I not have realized sooner—Bweh?!” Luxmio toppled sideways. Sakuna had dealt a right hook to his cheek. The silver beauty recovered from the inertia as she said, “You’ll pay for ruining our barbecue…” “W-wait.” “Sakuna Memoir is right.” Tryphon stood up. “You humiliated Her Highness. Time to suffer.” Using Treason’s Spirit Gate, he teleported a needle into Luxmio’s thigh. His aim was true this time. “Gwaaah!” Luxmio screamed but regained his composure right away. He charged at them with a sharp knife in hand. “At the very least, I’ll take you out, Terakomari Gandesbloo—!” “Stay put.” “Guh!” Amatsu swept Luxmio off his feet with ease. Sakuna and Tryphon seized the opening and charged in, delivering blow after blow to the incapacitated Fool. They punched him and kicked him in the groin. Sakuna ground the end of her staff into him, and Tryphon stabbed him with a needle. “Gwaaaaaaaaah!! STOPPPP!!” Luxmio writhed in pain, yet the two of them would not relent. I recoiled as I watched the brutal beatdown. “What in…the world is going on?” I asked. “Komari, should I join them?” “Please, no! It’s not in your character, Lingzi!” “O-okay.” “Brother,” Karla called out to Amatsu. She had gotten rid of the meat. “Do you know anything about this man? He called himself a Fool of Observatory.” “I don’t. Goddess Karla didn’t tell me anything about him. Has the future diverged because we changed the world…? Either way, we can’t let him go free.” “Yes, we should capture him. Koharu! The enemy is down! Do it!” Karla shouted. “Wha…? No way…” Karla plopped down backward. “Why?!” “The army’s coming our way.” “Army?” Just then, the campsite shook. The rumble of countless footsteps. I turned around in surprise. Men in military uniforms shouted and ran toward us from beyond the dark. It had to be the five hundred soldiers Luxmio had borrowed. “The surprise attack was a failure, but I cannot return without results…” “What are you saying? Do you have a death wish?” Sakuna grabbed Luxmio by the collar. “Heh.” The wounded Fool sneered. “It is you who will die, destroyers of the world. Spica and Terakomari must be eliminated.” “Nonsense…” “Sakuna! We gotta make a break for it! There’re tons of dudes coming our way!” “B-but Ms. Komari, I think it would be best to put down this man here and now.” “Don’t be so bloodthirsty! Just tie him up, and let’s scram!” “Oka—Eep?!” All of a sudden, Luxmio sent out more belts; evidently, there had been more under his sleeves. The belts avoided me and went straight for my friends. But that wasn’t all. Like an avalanche, a squadron of armed troops began to surround us. The flock of murderers kicked away our barbecue equipment as they marched toward us. My friends were so preoccupied with the belts that they couldn’t even turn to get a look at the soldiers. And being as powerless as I was, I could only watch as the meat and onions hit the ground. This has to stop! “Dammit! Time to bust out my Core Implo—” “F-f-fear not, everyone! I—I’m here to save you!” A shy but loud voice echoed. A girl in black rushed toward us from the cabin. “Kilty?! Where were you this whole time?!” “Huh? Umm… I’m just too shy to join the barbecue…” “Kilty was drinking orange juice in the cabin!! All by herself!!” Koharu shouted. Kilty turned red and squealed, “Th-th-th-that doesn’t matter! Look, I have a bunch of Magic Stones! The enemy brought poison against Spica La Gemini, so they must be prepared against the Blood Curse, too!” It was only then that I noticed the shiny rocks in her hands. I could only equate Magic Stones to explosions. I cringed like a turtle, expecting something to blow up. “I-I’m gonna use them! Everyone get dow—Bwaaah?!” She tripped. The Magic Stones scattered to the ground, and they were already activated to boot. Karla, who had ducked quicker than even me, screamed in shock, “Kilty?!” There was no canceling it. The scattered Magic Stones spread their mana. Yet no explosion came. Instead, there was a blinding light. Mana enveloped the surroundings. This is…teleportation! Were these the emergency stones Spica had mentioned? “You won’t get away…!” Battered yet still in the fight, Luxmio shot a belt at me, but by then, I had already turned into light particles. “Komari?! Komari!” I heard Lingzi, Karla, and Sakuna’s voices ring in my ears. My vision went white. The last thing I saw was Kilty’s pale, regretful face. C’mon, girl!