“Haah… Like, back when Vicius poisoned you, I really thought you were gonna die, Aneki… I felt like I was gonna drop dead…”
“Oh my, that again? Everyone dies eventually. In any case, didn’t I tell you? We’ll be together forever, even if we may someday be separated by death.”
“Hey, Aneki… Is death, like, the end for humans?”
“A great many people have ventured opinions on that particular topic. I wonder… Perhaps an end is a beginning of sorts, no?”
“If we do get reincarnated, then, like, I sure hope I get born again as your little sister… Y’know? Heh heh.”
“Whenever we speak of this, you never seem to want to be the big sister next time around, do you?”
“I’m always tellin’ you, I don’t think I could ever be a big sister!”
“We’re are twins, so I don’t think that’s entirely true.”
“B-but like…”
“Hm?”
“Well, I just don’t want it to end. Like, yeah, I don’t want this to be over. This life I have now…being with you, Aneki.”
“…”
“I mean, c-c’mon! We’re only teenagers! We’ve only just gotten started, yeah? We ain’t meant to be thinkin’ about the end at our age! Right?!”
“Oh my? I was under the impression that you were the one who broached the subject.”
“Ah… Y-you’re right…”
“But well, yes… In many ways, I suppose we are only just getting started.”
✦ ✦ ✦
No. Not here. I can’t let Aneki die. There’s so much I still want to do with her. I won’t let it happen. I can’t… I don’t care what comes next, I just want power! Strength…! I’d give anything!
“…?”
A notification?
“Ah!”
Itsuki quickly scanned the window that popped up in front of her.
How was this triggered? Why now? Who cares?! I’ll take any solution… I don’t care if this is some dangerous power or if this is the end for me… If I can just save Aneki…!
✦ ✦ ✦
There is always a beginning after the end has come.
But in this beginning, we need no prayers to celebrate some deity. No Unlock.
This is not the story of the gods, after all—but one of people.
Of people who come after the end and begin again.
It is a realm of the infinite—a realm of the null.
It is the final form upon which those shifters land.
Its name…
“Count Zero.”
Yomibito
ITSUKI TAKAO is no threat.
That was how Yomibito saw Itsuki, and how he had analyzed the battle…at least until her transformation. He was confident that Hijiri Takao was the key to their battle. Sure of it.
Once the older one—the one who is planning their tactics—is dealt with, I should be able to easily kill the younger.
Yomibito also had another feeling, however.
Bravo, Hijiri Takao. Your expression remains almost unchanged, despite your many injuries. You are just as Vicius described you. You were also greatly injured in your fight against her, but she mentioned that almost none of it showed on your face.
“It looked as if she felt nothing at all,” Vicius had said. “I suppose she must have been using some trick or aspect of her skill to dull the pain.”
Vicius’s analysis—incorrect.
Experience—Vicius’s information lacks credibility.
It is not that Hijiri does not feel the pain.
Yomibito had good eyes—not just in terms of his eyesight but also his insight. Whenever his katana cut Hijiri, he saw an ever-so-slight twitch to her brow. Humans could never completely ignore the sensation of pain.
Pain is an instinct—a message to the body to warn that a being’s life is in danger.
Yomibito, on the other hand, had not experienced pain since the day he became one of Vicius’s disciples—and he had developed his sense for danger in order to compensate. He looked closely at Hijiri, whose ear had just been sliced by one of his unseen blades. She had reacted when the tip made contact. She could not help it.
Hijiri is no exception. It is just that her responses to pain are so incredibly muted. Vicius can hardly be blamed for failing to notice them. What this means is that she has an extraordinarily strong force of will. She has incredible resilience and endurance and is very good at restraining her responses.
But with the pain, her movements are dulled, even if only for a moment. She might intend to disregard her own safety as she lunges for me, but her instinctual drive to avoid life-threatening danger is ordering her to retreat. She is trying to fight against those instincts, and that is how I am able to read her attacks. Hijiri believes that she is suppressing her reactions to the pain—but I see them. I detect those slight twinges and plan my moves accordingly. And yet…you fight well, Hijiri Takao. Despite the situation you are in, you have not yet given up. I see that. I have taken two of your fingers, but your silent will to fight has not dimmed. You are even caring for your sister during this battle, all the while trying to find your next move. It is your unrivalled resilience that makes it possible. I will see you through until your last moments, then. Out of respect for your rare resilience, I will not hold back. I am prepared to die here, too.
Ah, how bright… Ah… How marvelous… The blazing light of life…
Hijiri continued to collect cuts, but she just barely managed to avoid any fatal injuries. She also cauterized her wounds during the fight to reduce blood loss. When she burned her own skin, her composed expression never changed, betraying no signs of anguish. She did not scream or falter…a true warrior.
Suddenly, Yomibito heard the words—the three that Hijiri spoke to her sister.
“I love you.”
There was a determination to them… A power to the statement that ran through Yomibito.
She has not given up, but has decided to die. Here. Now. Very well. I accept your determination, and will strike you down w—
“—Count Zero—”
At that moment, all of the warning bells in Yomibito’s body reacted to the other sister. The other Takao had transformed, his instincts told him, and now she was a threat. Yomibito couldn’t understand what had happened. Itsuki was closing in on him, her arms and legs wrapped in electricity. She was crying.
“Aneki! My skill evolved! I can do this… I can still d-do this! Sob…! I’ll do it! I’ll do this! I’ll do it, s-so…!”
Yomibito felt more pressure from the electricity that surrounded her than he had from any of her previous attacks.
“…”
Itsuki’s stat window was still open. As a disciple of Vicius, Yomibito could see the heroes’ stats, and while remaining careful of Hijiri’s attacks, had checked on Itsuki’s spirit power a few moments earlier.
Her spirit power—MP—it isn’t decreasing. Is she not consuming it anymore?
What is this feeling…? Confusion?
How bright she looks… My instincts tell me that I should prioritize Itsuki. She is the threat.
Yomibito discarded his confusion and focused all his will on the fight once more. Slashing away his doubts, he turned to face down the threat, a true warrior in his own right. He did not neglect to cover Hijiri, however.
She has not given up yet. She might try something.
Keeping Hijiri constantly in the corner of his eye, he focused most of his danger-sensing instincts on to Itsuki, but her assault was relentless…
“I’m gonna beat you! Me! I still have a ton of stuff I want to do with Aneki! She’s always helping me! So I…I want to be the one to help her this time! We’re going home—together! I don’t wanna go back on my own!”
“Itsuki…”
Meaningless words—talk—devoting some her limited resources to speech.
She has become emotional. This will make it harder for her to detect danger. Yet…she is getting faster, not slower… Her electricity is increasing in power as she charges. All the openings she presented before have vanished. I cannot understand this.
Itsuki launched a leaping slash at him.
Counterattack—no. Too dangerous.
Yomibito tried to put some distance between the two of them, but…
Boom!
The concentrated electricity crushed Yomibito’s gauntlet—completely peeling away the armor. Three of Yomibito’s four arms had turned to focus on fighting Itsuki.
But it would be too dangerous to let my guard slip against Hijiri. I must leave one of my arms to combat her.
It was then that Yomibito decided to harden himself. It was his first attempt at using the technique—one that had been Wormgandr’s originally. Yomibito thought the ability was convenient but had never managed to pull it off.
But if I do not do it here…I might be defeated by this strike. I have no choice.
Yomibito focused all of his strength on hardening one part of his body and received Itsuki’s electric strike there.
I did it. I blocked the attack.
—Bzzzt—
“…?! …”