#where they were in the hiiragi lab | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

pendulum-sonata · 6 years ago

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Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V Rating: Mature Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence Relationships: Akaba Ray/Zarc Characters: Zarc (Yu-Gi-Oh), Akaba Ray, Hiiragi Yuzu, Jean-Michel Roger Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Vampire, Alternate Universe - Fusion, One Shot, Character Turned Into Vampire, Master & Servant, Blood and Violence, Not that explicit though, but somewhat graphic, Implied Relationships Summary:

The duty of LDS is to get rid of every supernatural threat to the citizens, and for that task what better weapon than a monster?

(For the zarcray week 2019, Day 3 “monster”)

It was incredible what adrenaline boosts made you do.

Coincidentally that was exactly what the biology class had been about; something about adrenaline makes your body shut down certain body functions in order to help you survive, it can make you faster, stronger, it makes pain go unnoticed.

But most of all, it kept fear at bay.

How else could Yuzu explain that with what she could swear was a broken leg, Yuzu had managed to run 5 floors downstairs?

Carrying a very heavy metal bat that she somehow managed to swing at the… things, that kept trying to attack her?

Thanks to adrenaline, every time she passed through a hallway full of corpses and blood, she just hurried her step and willed herself not to look to the mangled remains of her classmates or break into tears, and instead kept running.

She also forced herself to ignore that her hands and arms were getting sticky with… stains and that with every step she gave, she could hear her shoes stepping on something soft and squishy…

The entrance, if she could just manage to get to the entrance, then maybe…

“And where do you think you’re going, little girl?”

Yuzu felt her hands gripping the bat tightly, another testament of her boost, because this was not one the stumbling, rotting corpses from before.

It was him, the monster behind all of this.

His red eyes that fixed on her face were not as terrifying as the sharp, long teeth his wide grin let show, she had seen those same teeth sink into the flash of her teacher when put herself in his way and let the other scape.

The crunching noises… it was something she wouldn’t forget in her life, she forced herself to keep steady when she saw him walk over to her. He still wore the same lab coat he used to introduce himself as the new science teacher, it was unnatural that even amongst the bloodshed it still remained pristine and white.

Even the way he walked – she doubted this creature could even be called a ‘he’ – was all sorts of wrong, his gait was too fluid and quiet for someone of that size, his limbs had somehow gotten longer and almost spidery-looking, and she could almost see the shadows clinging to his form, shaping into weird angles…

Like a bad imitation of the human body.

“Oh my, aren’t you a feisty one?” He said the moment he was a couple steps from her, his eyes trailing down her body, as if he was ‘admiring’ a work of art. “The blood really suits you… turning you into a mindless servant seems almost a waste, maybe… mmm, maybe it’s time for me to get a fledgeling.” A disgusting and too long of a tongue swept over his teeth when he said this. “Mmmm, yes, the younger, the better, finding virgins is too hard nowadays.”

“Stay back!” Yuzu knew her treats fell on deaf ears, but it didn’t stop her from trying to swing her makeshift weapon at him, but he caught it with his hand, very easily

Of course he also, very easily, bend the bat without making the slightest effort.

Yuzu’s should have yelled, said anything, but she was lift by the neck of her shirt, to hold her at an eye level.

Those eyes, the eyes were staring into her being and infecting her vision with red, and filling her head with incomprehensible whispers, the shadows that she thought where a figment of her imagination her clinging to her…

It was over, when she felt her body going slack against her own volition…

‘I’m going to die…No, I don’t want to die!’ But her lips never formed the words.

“I’ve had enough of this boring spectacle.”

…

“What are you supposed to be?” The voice of a girl tapped the glass of his container, he could barely stir up, or open his eyes to even bother to see who it was.

Had the Professor sent him a warm meal this time?

No, he would never do that, why would he? She must surely be a temptation, dangling it in front of him when he was too starved, too tired and simply too weak to even break off this pitiful form and enjoy it.

“It’s not funny!” He heard her feet stomp on the metallic floor. “You said…” Was she sniffling now? Oh, the Professor really pick her specially for him didn’t he? “…You said that someone down here would protect me!”

If this body was capable of laughing, he would. Protection?! Did the Professor finally lost his mind from dealing with monsters?! The girl would be safer entering a lion’s den than being anywhere near him.

“…Dad"

A sole eye opened the slightest fraction.

To her credit, the whining didn’t turn into full-blown crying, instead he saw how she tapped on the glass again, and then her long, lithe finger – oh, what would he give for just one nibble of that finger? – passed over the symbols written in blood, adding an extra layer to his entrapment, written in his blood, an unnecessary measure all things considering, but the Professor was just that spiteful.

“Dad, what were you even doing here?” He was struck in awe at the red flowing hair when he caught sight of her, finally, red like blood, it made his insides stir with hunger; but then when her eyes, a cold and tempered lavender where posed on him, the hunger calmed down.

“It’s stupid thinking It out loud, but… I really hoped something like knight in shining armor would be waiting for me…”

No, it didn’t, it transformed into something he had long forgotten.

“You don’t mind me being here do you?” No, he didn’t, in fact if she didn’t leave at all that would be perfect, and he simply saw her slump against his prison, tiny sobs reached his ears. “Am I going to die?… I don’t want to die.”

…

“Who the hell are you?” She was dropped to the floor, all the red from her eyes vanished and she could breath and move on her own again, for a minute she watched with some interest to the man that could very well have been her savior.

But maybe the word was too generous for him, because he looked like no cop she’d ever seen, and he was completely ignoring her, his attention completely on the monsters that was now glaring daggers at him.

Even though he wasn’t too far away, he was completely covered in shadows… or hopefully he was just wearing all black, his face was partially covered with the brim of his hat.

He and her captor were talking, but she didn’t quite catch what they were saying, then, there was a sickening laughter filling the air, and then the monsters all emerged from different corners of the building and circled the man, completely going past her.

This was her chance.

But when she attempted to stand up on her own, a sharp pain had her collapsing again; yep, her leg was definitely broken. It even hurt to breath so it was likely that a something had punctured her lungs too, maybe a broken rib. She hugged her own body, praying for the rush of energy back, but with it looked like it was useless.

The shots and growls tearing through the air made her look at where the man was again.

Now with his face completely visible, Yuzu trembled at the look on his face as he kept shooting at all the zombies that throwing themselves at him with an incredible speed; he was grinning, the same maniacal grin she had seen on the fake teacher before, the same bloodlust in his eyes.

The same sharp teeth.

Her savior was…

…

“Where are you Ray? Where has the little ray of sunshine gone to?” The nausea settled in her belly when he heard his voice.

That dirty, traitorous rat!

“Come out, come out, wherever you are…”

Ray knew it was matter of time before he found this place, but she still sunk further into the floor, she had had a very tiny hope.

His men had managed to slam the door open with little effort and in no time, they were all pushing inside smashing desks and work tables in their passing.

Tearing down her dad’s last refuge.

From behind them, he emerged, he had no right to look that composed, that content and self-assured.

“Oh, there you are, Miss Akaba, or should I say President? You missed your designation ceremony!”

“Jean-Michael Roget.” She said through gritted teeth. “It must have slipped my mind.”

Especially when he had sent his men to ransack her room, looking for the combinations of the treasury and her father’s bank accounts.

“Don’t worry, little one, I will summarize the most important matters for you.” He walked towards her, not even paying attention to his surroundings, pulling a gun from under his coat. “All summarized in 14 simple bullet points, one for each of your years.”

Ray squared her shoulders and got up, if she was going to face her death, then she would do so standing tall and proud.

“You seriously think someone like you could lead LDS?!” She shouted at him, before she evn finished saying it, Roget had pulled the trigger giving Ray only a minimum of time to try and duck.

But it still grazed against her shoulder.

Even as she felt a blinding pain spreading through her entire body, she took a little satisfaction on seeing him sneer and break his façade.

“As if I would allow the power I worked so hard to earn for the past 20 years to be taken off by some spoiled princess!” His finger was on the trigger again. “Don’t you think I will let you die quickly; I will save the last one for your pretty little head… but right now…let’s go for the ear shall we?”

Ray tried to hold in the scream of pain when the bullet pierced through the shell of her ear, but failed miserably when she felt glass shards piercing her on the back.

The bullets had shattered the tempered glass.

This was bad, she could already see her blood making tiny puddles in the floor, who knew your ear could bleed so much?

That was when she heard it; a shuffling inside container…

Her eyes widened at the sight of the single hole the bullet had made, and the strange symbols bathed in her own blood, glowing and dissolving before her eyes.

But no more shocked when she saw that the weird reptile-like creature was no longer there.… in its place, still bound and struggling to reach out for the blood splattered a little too far from its reach was a man.

Or at least it seemed like a man, as he was crouched, only a wild mane of silvery hair was visible.

The slurping sounds he made when his tongue finally reached his meal was too sickening, but she couldn’t stop watching either.

…

The stranger was now stalking towards them, every time the teacher shot at him – where did he even got a gun? – he only stopped for a second before shrugging it off.

Now that he was closer, Yuzu could see his abnormal golden eyes, shining under his hat.

“Why? Why is a vampire working for humans?!” The more desperate he grew, the more bullets he shot, no matter how useless it obviously was.

“Because if I let pieces of trash like you run around free… in that scenario, the extinction of humanity would be imminent… And that’s something I won’t allow.” The stranger had an unnaturally large shadow, she realized that just now, it stretched far longer than it should and was far darker than a full moon night should allow. “Besides, you don’t deserve to be called a vampire.”

“Vampire?!” She asked out loud, more to herself than anything, but instantly regretted it as it brought their attention back to her, the newcomer chuckled.

“Well, Isn’t she a sharp one?”

Before Yuzu could even protest, she saw how in one blink the teacher was in one place, and the next he was behind her, forcing her to stand and grabbing her by the neck.

“This little girl is the only survivor! Don’t you want her to survive?” To make his point across, Yuzu felt the cold breath on her neck, and knew his teeth were really close. “I don’t ask for much, just let me go, and I’ll make sure to keep a low profile.”

“Oh?” For all his talk, it didn’t look like he cared as he still drew out his gun – bigger than Yuzu had ever seen before. – and pointed it at them, she got chills down to the tip of her toes when those golden eyes fixed on her. “Hey, school girl, are you a virgin?”

‘Wha-what?! What type of question was that? Who even-’ The thought didn’t get too far as she felt her captor trying to cover her mouth.

“Answer me!” His weapon was still ready to shot, and Yuzu knew he was most definitely not kidding. “Goddamit! Do you want to live? Yes, or no?!”

It was weird how time seemed to slow down when her teeth sank into the hand on her mouth and began to say the word, at the same time as his hand pulled the trigger and even the deafening sound of the gun didn’t register in her ears and Yuzu could swear she could see each millisecond in which the bullet got closer and closer.

Have you ever felt a pain so blinding that your body actually can’t process it and instead starts to shut down? That’s how it felt for Yuzu when the shot pierced through her chest.

Maybe this was what death was supposed to feel like.

That was her only thought when everything turned black

…

“What the fuck is that?” Roget asked when his eyes followed what she was watching, mesmerized by the sight too, at least until it lifted itself from its meal and a pair of golden eyes set on him.

“W-what are you standing around for? Shut it dead!!” She ducked and heard the rain of bullets hitting flesh, but no blood, no thump, no cries.

Nothing, when she peaked again, he looked whole and unbothered by any wound.

With a single snap she saw the restraints finally give in. Ray could see the jagged, sharp teeth, the unnaturally smooth skin, when he shifted to stand his limbs made a crunching sound, as if broken bones were realigning on its own; even after that the way he moved was completely strange…

“Sir! Our bullets don’t do a thing!” Roget’s men kept shooting at it without any results.

“… There’s nothing about this in the files!”

There was an ugly cackle coming from him, and in a single flash, when the men tried to shoot him again; he moved too quick for her or anyone to notice, and then, one of the men stood very quiet.

With half of his head missing.

She felt her stomach revolt when she saw him hold it above him and practically gorging on his blood.

‘A vampire… LDS, has a vampire?’ What type of experiments did her father run here.

Was it even experiments or outright witchcraft?

She forced her nausea down as she kept seeing him tear apart on Roget’s men as if they were made of cardboard.

Limb after limb, sometimes using nothing but his hands, but she was also witness of him using his mouth to attack someone’s neck and chewing.

The entire room became a bloodbath in the matter of seconds.

At the end Roget was reduced to a blubbering mess on the floor, holding his gun tightly, but not making a single sound, or moving in the slightest.

The man didn’t even spare him a glance when he turned his eyes to her.

And he smiled, wide and broad; he walked towards her, Ray saw the gun of one of the men lying at her feet and pointed it to him.

There was no hope, her hands kept trembling…

“Are you injured Master?” His voice surprised her, it was nothing like that awful laughter she heard before; it was deep and if she didn’t know she was dealing with a vampire, she might call it 'soft’.

None of that surprised her more than him kneeling at her feet, his long arm touching the floor and his head brought lower than her eye level.

“Who are you?”

“I couldn’t smell your blood inside that glass, but now I realize you are my master, heir to the Lancers.” He said, sounding almost apologetic. “I am your humble servant, awaiting orders…”

Ray’s mind was in a spiral trying to process his statement.

“LDS will be mine!!!” Roget yelled somehow finding some courage and firing at her.

The bullets never touched her, instead they were embedded on his arm.

“Jean-Michael Roget… I can smell the foulness of your blood from here, your rotten flesh is worthless even to me, you will never be my master.” He side eyed to Roget and then to her, it was then when Ray realized he didn’t look that old, if anything he looked like young man, maybe even a boy.

But his eyes… there was something indecipherable old and … sad in his eyes.

“What’s your name?” She asked, forcing down the trembling voice.

“Z-ARC” he said, “That’s what your ancestors called me.”

She lifted the gun and pointed it to Roget.

…

“Remember that this was your choice.” She had heard, as she felt blackness creeping around her, it was weird…

Feeling the life of you literally leaving you.

Even in the midst of it, she was mesmerized by his golden eyes, his silvery hair…

The fangs that sank on her neck didn’t hurt, it was even weirder than before, she felt the blackness receded and instead she was assaulted by the feeling of countless of eyes observing her.

Studying her, and drinking every last bit of herself.

…

“There he comes.” She said as soon as his shadow made itself known between the fog, or maybe he had made the fog? Ray didn’t know and right didn’t particularly care, she simply gave the signal for the normal troops for cleaning up the scene.

What she cared was that Zarc was not alone, he was carrying someone.

A girl, still wearing her school uniform, and Ray cursed to herself; there weren’t supposed to be any students this late, kids meant families, and dealing with families was always difficult.

When they were finally left alone Ray noticed he had yet to let go of the girl, who was staring at her with fear in her eyes; she exhaled the smoke from her cigar before reading her question.

Zarc tended to be a bit… excited after a mission.

“Got rid of the vampire, there were no survivors left.” He said, and she didn’t miss how this time his hands tightened the slightest bit against the girl, who was still very quiet.

Her fingers snapped the still lit cigar in half before he finished the whole sentence and looked at the girl again, noticing at last that she wasn’t wrapped in a blanket but in Zarc’s black coat, her skin had gone unnaturally pale and there were faint movements in her chest that indicated breathing.

Under her scrutiny the girl smiled, and she saw them: fangs.

“Sorry… but I’m already dead.”

In her mind entered a loop in which she asked how had the mission ended, and he answering every possible alternative.

Even the worst case scenario was not as bad as this.

“You vampiric asshole! What have you done??!!”

His only answer was a long, noisy and drawn-out laughter.

…

“Your only job was to eliminate the target, that was all of it! What are we supposed to do with her?!”

They had been arguing for about an hour now, and Yuzu was at loss of what to do, she had tried to apologize repeatedly to the woman until she was out of breath.

“That sorry excuse of a vampire was thinking about to turn her in any case, I’d said I did her a favor; she was going to die in either case.”

Not literally, but right now, she tried very hard not to think about the implications of her new… state? Life?

“Are you jealous?”

“You wish; however, it looks you’re getting lonely…”

Vampire? Turning? From all the things that could have happened, that was the farthest in her mind, Yuzu didn’t even know much about vampires in the first place… she had a feeling that crosses and garlic did nothing to the creatures she has seen today.

Which she was now part of…

The door slammed open and Yuzu jumped when the cold, violet eyes of the woman fixed on her again, she looked around her mid-twenties, was wearing a dark suit, with a purple cravat, she also had long and luscious red hair that somehow reminded her of blood.

Oh god, was she going to start obsessing about blood now?

“Hi…” She felt so dumb waving at her, but what else could be said? It was hard focusing on her, because every fiber of her being was feeling a pull towards the man standing three feet behind her.

“Tell me, school girl.” Her… master – ugh, was she going to call him that even in her head? – was smirking, it didn’t look like he had just gotten out of a nagging session. “…how does it feel, being undead.”

“Drop it Zarc.” The woman said, what was her relation to Za- her master – Damn it –? “He told me how you managed to survive.” Her hands were drumming in her leg, she noticed, was she… doing small talk? “Did you know? How to fight against vampires?”

“Not really…” Yuzu could see the woman didn’t believe her completely. “I never got into the craze… and I always preferred comedies and animated movies…” she hadn’t even finished reading Dracula when she had an assignment on Literature.

Now that she thought about it, Yuzu realized she had been nothing but lucky, not realizing what she was facing had probably emboldened her more than all the grown-ups in the building.

“Yuzu Hiragi, you do realize we can let you loose, right?” Yuzu wasn’t sure she liked the word, as if she was a wild beast.

Maybe she was now.

“I do.” It was not like she had much to go back to… “I … understand.” She saw the woman was looming now, was she gonna get her own brand of nagging now?

Then she felt her gloved hand on her hair, patting. It was… nice, sort of, or it would be if she didn’t just felt his eyes boring holes in the back of her head.

“Good.” Then she turned to Zarc. “Show her around while Reiji and I deal with your mishap and prepare her facilities.” Her hand dropped too fast and Yuzu already missed the warmth.

How could she miss it, if she didn’t even feel her own coldness? She wasn’t sure.

“…That sounds like a hassle…” The pout he gave both of them made him look like a child. “I wanted to go sleep, it has been a long day.”

“You idiot! Take responsibility for your fledgeling!!”

…What had she gotten herself into?

#arc v #zarcray #zarcray week #yuzu hiragi #my fics #hellsing au #yes i did it #don't judge me #a warning as per hellsing canon #this has more violence #than what i usually write #long post #under cut #read more

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tang-wei · 8 years ago

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ONS Guren LN Vol 7 Chapter 5 final part translation~

Title: Catastrophe at 16 Part 4 of 4

Translator: @tang-wei

Proofreader: @hangrybluewhale thanks so much i know this chapter was bad

Raws: My own copy of the LN

The masterpost of all other chapters~

Warnings: Mild deceptions of gore, lots of pain. Bring tissues.

T/N: We’ve made it~ the last part is here. Please accept my apologies for being late >

|| Afterword>>

December 25th.

Christmas. 20:10 (8.10pm) The location is a huge underground laboratory that spreads to Shinjuku Central Park. It was the research institute of the 《Hyakuya Sect》. However, due to the vampire attacks, there was no one there now. The people there had been reportedly killed by vampires. However, in that laboratory where no one should be, the light was on today. In the bright but eerily quiet hallway, Guren ran. He could hear his footsteps, gun, gun, gun, gun, and the driving sound of something like a motor. Gun, gun, gun, gun There were some heavy looking doors that were locked from the inside, and he slashed them all with a sword. That door probably was not made to withstand the attacks of vampires and demons. That was why the laboratory here was destroyed.

“…………..” But he thought. The 《Hyakuya Sect》, did they not think that their research centre would be attacked by vampires? Should they not have considered that a person using 《Kiju》 would appear? If not, why did they not prepare a defence system strong enough to withstand it? Even if they could not prevent the situation from happening, could they not have prevented so much damage? Guren thought, destroying the doors and locks with a slash. Perhaps, the disappearance of the 《Hyakuya Sect》 is a diversion for something else. Or was it the plan? The plan of the ��Hiiragi』. The plan of the 《Hyakuya Sect》 The plan of the vampires. Furthermore, it is the existence of something that people seek to hide. Something that makes Mahiru’s destiny hopeless. Of course, today, he would not be able to unravel it anyway. No, he would not be able to unveil anything to himself. However, it does not matter. Because he was not born to unravel the mysteries of the world. However, however, today, with his friends, if he survived with the full intention of never giving up— “Stairs to the end of the right door. The next floor is the lowest level!” Shigure said. Guren wielded his sword. The door was slit and torn. Everyone ran towards it. Got off the stairs. The bottom floor was supposed to be a ceremonial floor. There was a long corridor, leading up to a huge ceremonial hall. As he arrived on that floor, again, it was a structure that was confirmed on a map. A long corridor. Behind it, a closed door. Mahiru was there, preparing a ritual. A ceremony that would destroy the world. “…………..” Guren stopped his movement. His friends stopped behind him. Stopping their movement, he could hear their breathing over his shoulder. “Ha, ha, ha, ha” The sounds of breathing in and out. However, all of them survived and they were able to get here. Enough miracles had happened. Nevertheless, he had to work a bit harder from here on.

Shinya, while catching his breath, came to his side and said.

“……By the way, just to confirm again, will be able to refrain from saying things that have hidden meaning?”

“What?”

“What did we come here for?”

“……………”

It was a terribly difficult question. What were they doing here? What should they do here? Will they stop Mahiru, or save her?

In the first place, Mahiru was much stronger than them, and it might be a mistake to do something.

Guren replied.

“To save the world?”

“That’s scary. Doesn’t that sound wonderfully stupid?”

Everyone laughed, and Guren smiled bitterly.

Then, silence.

Breathe in.

Either way, he only had to trust in them. He had no idea what was going on behind those doors.

“…….By ourselves, we will stop the ruin of the world.”

That said, Guren took a step forward.

He grasped the handle of his sword tightly.

And then ordered his friends.

“《Tenka Formation》.”

Or, in Guren’s 『Mikado no Tsukki』’s terms, it is 《Moon Demon Company》

Vanguard Rearguard

Rearguard

Vanguard Rearguard

It was a formation for a group with 5 people.

Arranged in such a way that the 2 strongest were the vanguard.

The rearguard covering their backs.

It was a formation meant to prevent death.

To keep even one friend alive. A defensive formation. So in this place, he decided to proceed forward while cherishing his friends.

Shinya also took a step forward.

“I’m with you, Guren. Because I have a 《Black Demon》, I am the next strongest. That’s why I want to be the vanguard. Let’s make the rearguard with 4.”

Standing in line with him, he said as thus.

“I’ll do it. It was nice knowing you Guren. It is the last fight.”

Guren answered.

“It’s not the last fight.”

“Wow, such cool words.”

“Naturally, I am not.”

“Yaa, that’s not cool.”

Roughly, he clapped SHinya’s shoulder.

“Hahaha.”

Shinya laughed.

Guren also laughed.

Since they were making such silly conversation, it means that the formation of the rearguard has been decided.

Guren Sayuri

Mito Goshi

Shinya Shigure

This would ensure survival in the final fight.

Guren moved Noya to an upper position

Then Shinya lowered Byakkomaru.

As much as possible between the two of them, they were trying to fill in each other’s gaps. The two vanguard were left to defend, while those behind were left to attack.

“Shall we move?”

Guren said, and Shinya nodded

“Yep.”

Sayuri said.

“Yes.”

Mito said.

“Let’s save the world.”

Shigure said.

“I will go.”

From behind, Goshi said.

“Ahh, what a Christmas today turned out to be. My 17th Christmas, I hope to be able to spend it with 2 cute girls.”

Unfortunately, today was his 16th.

Age 16, that Christmas.

With each voice, he could feel the position of his friends behind.

They came for him. He could feel the emotions of his friends.

With this group of friends, today, they will save the world.

“Alright, let’s go.”

Guren started running.

Down the corridor, the doors would not open.

Halfway down the corridor.

Ahead. The doors have not opened yet.

7 minutes spent down the corridor.

Ahead. The doors have not opened yet.

They reached the door. At the moment of slashing open the door, from the other side, there was a gap as if they had been attacked here–

“I will cut it.”

Guren said, but Shigure, who was diagonally behind, said.

“I will help!”

Shinya was silent. From his side vision, he could see that he was increasing the power of his curse. He would fire at the gap the moment Guren slashed the door.

Guren slashed the door. Shigure threw the door open and pushed it inside the room.

The door was now open.

A ceremonial field was visible.

It was wider than he had expected. The space that he was about to enter was the size of 2 gymnasiums.

Inside.

There was a high ceiling.

White wall.

White floor.

In the middle of the ceremonial space, 7–there were boxes shaped like coffins.

And beyond those coffins, there was someone.

Because the place was wide, he could not see who it was–

“………….”

Guren concentrated the curse at his eyes. The cursed pupils improved his vision.

Then, whoever was behind those coffins appeared.

Beyond the coffins, was a girl.

A terribly beautiful girl wearing a uniform,

Long grey hair.

Red eyes.

Fangs.

Mahiru.

Hiiragi Mahiru. Drinking from some stranger’s neck, he smelt blood.

He saw many dead bodies at her feet. Dead bodies whose arms and necks were torn.

Only around there, the white floor was dyed red.

There were about 20 corpses.

Some were wearing the battle uniform of 『Mikado no Oni』, some were wearing white research lab coats, either way, all of them had been killed.

Guren said.

“Do you see it?”

Shinya replied.

“Yep.”

“From the right side of the coffin, you will strike from behind.”

He did not believe that he would be able to get through her. Either way, Guren ran.

Mahiru dropped the man whom she was sucking his blood on the floor, and wiped her mouth with the sleeve of her white blouse.

But still, her lips were red. It was bright red. His gaze was attracted by those lips. Magical, those lust-inducing red lips. Those lips, said something softly.

He could not hear her voice. But, he understood what she said.

“Ah, guren. My Guren. You came.”

There. Guren swung his sword.

“Ah, I came, Mahiru! Tell me how to save you!”

He shouted.

Mahiru answered while standing up. By that time, the distance between them had shrunk. He heard her voice.

“You cannot save me.”

“I can!”

“You cannot. The things I did…….”

“No matter what you say I can still save you!”

And he reached Mahiru’s location. He swung his sword down. She took a step back. She dodged it. The last minute reaction saved her by a hair’s breadth.

Shinya raised his bayonet.

Mahiru also dodged it.

Mito and Sayuri were casting spells, and Mahiru could not dodge it.

“Explode!”

The two of them shouted. Although her thighs and shoulders exploded from the spells, Mahiru just laughed.

In the meantime, Shigure had set up her kunai with thin strings all over the floor. Traps were all laid out.

To make the traps invisible, Goshi casted genjutsu. For the traps and genjustsu to be fully set, they required 0.2 seconds of time. In order to earn that time, Guren swung his sword a second time.

But, Mahiru stepped on the floor with her foot. And drew her legs tightly back.

“Ah”

A voice from behind. Shigure who was setting up the traps, pulled by her string, and with tremendous power, she rolled forward and came out.

And suddenly, before Guren’s eyes, Shigure appeared. At that moment, Mahiru grabbed Shigure’s hair. Lift. Towards the location where Guren’s sword was trying to swing down, she pushed Shigure’s head there.

But already, Guren’s sword stopped–

“Ku”

“Stop!”

Shinya shouted, the tip of his bayonet hit Guren’s sword from below. So, it somehow stopped.

“Ahaha.”

Mahiru laughed. She looked over. Slowly looked over.

Guren, Shinya, were immobile.

The two vanguards had totally stopped.

It was easy to kill. If it was her, it would have been easy to slash the necks of both Guren and Shinya.

But slowly, she raised Shigure and threw her.

Shigure’s body collided with Shinya.

“Ku.”

It was a terrible shock. Several bones were broken and the internal organs were damaged.

Behind, Mito, Sayuri and Goshi were also hit by the shock, and everyone was thrown backwards.

Every was probably hurt now. They needed time to recover.

Hiugh hiugh hiugh, it was the sound of air escaping sideways from Shigure’s mouth. Blood was flowing. A rib had stabbed her in her lungs.

“Damn”

On her chest, Guren hastily put his hands. Unless he pulled out the bone and closed the wound, even the power of the 《Kiju》 will not be able to heal it.

Then, Mahiru said in a cold voice.

“Really. In front of me, does he not think it is wrong to touch another woman’s breasts?”

He had to pull out the bone. With his tug, there was a sound in Shigure’s chest. The air passages in the lungs were obstructed. It started swelling due to the healing of the 《Kiju》.

“Shigure-san!”

Mito dragged Shigure slowly over behind.

Mahiru continued.

“And, why. 《Tenka》, is it? While protecting someone, are you able to single handedly save them?”

Guren raised his face.

“Yes. I will save my friends.”

“Haha.”

“Don’t laugh. As promised, I came to help you.”

“Hahahaha.”

Mahiru alone, sounded like she was having fun, but grieving at the same time. Laughing.

She was strong. Much stronger than expected. Even compared to other vampires, her strength was in a different dimension.

She had already surpassed the vampires.

She could have this strength. And with his power, she still had to follow the 『Hiiragi』. What on earth were they?

While standing up, Shinya said.

“Damn, is this so……it’s bad.”

Guren continued.

“I called you for that. But I came here because of a message from Kureto. But, was that not a message from you to me? And you, you can do everything alone. But somehow you got Kureto to tell your whereabouts to me. To me–”

However, Mahiru said.

“Hey Guren, even if you rushed madly and didn’t earn any time, shall I wait for as long as it takes for your friends to recover?”

“…………”

“But, I wonder if it makes sense for them to recover? Connecting with your weak friends, can you catch up to a rabbit?

“…….If I had no friends, I would not have been able to reach here.”

“So, if you are already here, then you have managed to stand up on your own feet. Kill me.”

“No.”

“You cannot save me without killing me. I, your friends, it’s about time.” “No.”

“It is impossible to take us all. You cannot catch up with the rabbits. Because, even rabbits run while crying. The turtle at least should throw away something. Guren. Please. Show me.”

But, he could not do that. He decided so.

/So, Guren said.

“I cannot do it, Mahiru. There is no reason left to live if I do so.”

Then Mahiru asked, looking over with her red eyes,

“What is this? What is the meaning of life? Guren. What is the meaning of life?”

Then he heard a voice from behind. It was Goshi’s voice.

“……Guren. Everyone has recovered. I can fight again.”

To that, Guren did not answer. So, he thought about the answer to Mahiru’s question.

—What was the meaning of life?

By his side, Shinya said.

“With the 《Tenka》 formation, we can no longer win. Let’s use 《Senshin》”

That formation, leaves behind a person with great power, while the rest of the squad throws away their form to attack the enemies.

After all the members have thrown away their lives as a decoy to create a gap in the enemy, leaving everything else to the last person. Surely, it is a formation used solely to win. Without sacrifice, it would be impossible to defeat Mahiru.

Mahiru said.

“That’s a good choice. Shinya always chooses the right path. Well, shall we do that again?”

But then Shinya, while laughing easily, said to Mahiru with half lidded eyes. His former fiance, gently, he gazed at with cold eyes.

“I know that suggestion is correct, but Guren is a fool and so he would not adopt it at all.”

“…………”

“You are overwhelmed. He is clearly trying to go the wrong way. To His stupid choice, you are embarrassed, irritated but unmistakably attracted”

“…………”

“The reason why you like Guren, is it because he is not right? Which rabbit runs while whining? It is comforting to run on the right road. Because it is 『Right』.”

“…………”

“Acknowledge it, Mahiru. You are not crying. You are just running on the right path. Acknowledge it, that Guren attracts you. Even if it is not right, he is still living intentionally.”

“…………”

“You have not chosen. You did not choose, Mahiru. Do not try either way. The right road, Guren has already chosen properly.”

Then to that, Mahiru said.

“……So, you said that you had chosen well? Shinya,”

Then, Shinya answered.

“Yep. I chose Guren. Do you think it’s stupid? Laugh. You can laugh.”

“…………”

“But, am I envious of you? No.”

“……well.”

“It is not too late yet. Not yet. Christmas is not over. The right path, is to accept your weakness–”

But then, Mahiru moved.

“Shut up, Shinya.”

Whispering in a small voice. Even so, he heard it.

Before Shinya, Mahiru appeared. Her arms had had pierced Shinya’s chest.

It happened in an instant.

In just an instant.

In a blink, Mahiru was already there.

“Guah”

Large amounts of blood spurted from Shinya’s mouth.

“Shinya!”

Guren shouted.

Swinging his sword, he tried to pull Mahiru away from Shinya, but she pushed her arm further into Shinya, swinging him around.

“Stop it Mahiru!”

“Guren.”

“Please stop Mahiru!”

But, she did not. Somehow, somehow, he had to save Shinya.

In his heart, he called 《Noya》. He asked. The power to save Shinya and his friends, he wanted it.

Then Noya said.

“So, please accept all of me”

Do it. That was fine. That was fine. The power to save Shinya–

“No way. Shinya is impossible. He will die. If you hurry, the others–”

But, then, Noya’s words stopped.

Inside his heart, his voice stopped.

Shinya’s body was still dangling in the air. Mahiru had abandoned it. And Guren’s back, behind, she had moved.

Behind, there was no one who could react to her movements.

So definitely, definitely, definitely, she must not be allowed to break through the vanguard.

Guren looked back with Noya in hand, to somehow save a friend, he turned back with full power–

“…………”

But, it was all over.

Sayuri, Shigure and Mito’s heads have been hit. Mahiru was grasping at Goshi’s head.

Goshi looked over with a frightened face.

“Gure……”

After saying that, Mahiru, easily, as if his neck was that of a toy doll’s, in one moment.

Mahiru said.

“I will ask once more. Guren. What is the meaning of life?”

“…………..”

Guren stared at it all.

Staring straight.

“……….uh, uh.”

He could not think of anything. He could not think of anything. Just anger, hatred.

“Uu, aa, aa, aaaaaaaaaaaa.”

Sadness, murderous intent, only negative emotions, sprung forth from his chest.

“Ah, let’s use this. This is it”

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH.”

The curse engulfed him.

Heart.

Body.

Everything.

“You see, Guren. In the end, weakness did not produce anything. I wish you had killed your friends yourself a long time ago. That way you won’t get hurt. That’s it. You could have saved someone a little. May I? It’s not too late yet.You are strong. Very strong. Strong. Strong. Strong”

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA.”

“Become a strong demon. Now, lose your sanity effortlessly, Guren. That’s right. Become a demon.”

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA.”

Everything.

Stained with desire.

That way is easier.

If we abandon weakness, it is easy.

All right.

He understood that.

So ask. Please let him lose. Let him lose his sanity.

He sincerely wished.

He sincerely hoped, it was supposed to be–

“Hahaha, ahaha!?”

In the distance, there was a voice.

A friend’s voice.

He was still alive, the voice of that friend. With that voice. Guren kept his insanity at bay.

“…….Shinya!”

He shouted, and turned his gaze to the direction of his friend.

Shinya is alive.

Shinya is alive!

While there was a hole in his chest, he was still alive.

“I can still help you!”

Guren ran. He ran at full speed to the fallen Shinya. He hugged Shinya’s body. A hole had opened in his chest, and blood was flowing out. Holding down his hand on the hole, he was desperately doing so.

But the blood would not stop. He could not stop it at all.

“Stop. Stop.”

“……………”

“Stop. Stop. Stop. Stop it! I beg of you!”

In addition, Shinya, with a pale face, looked up, while spitting out blood from his mouth,

“……Ah, damn it.”

He said.

“……With this, is it game over?”

“Don’t talk! You need all your power to cure……”

“Guren……”

“Shut up!”

“…..Guren, please listen.”

“Shut up!!”

However, the restoration of Shinya’s chest did not start. The wounds were too big. He grabbed Guren’s arm and said.

“……I will die.”

“No.”

“……I’m dying.”

“No.”

“…..But……it was fun. You, meeting you and the rest. Games and……”

“Just shut up!”

But Shinya carried on. Frivolously, like a child, he smiled. As if from the bottom of his heart, he felt like it was fun. As if it were fun now.

“……The meaning of life, that was it. Meeting you. So, without running away, and as sweet as it is, I will die. This, can we consider it my win?”

“Live and win together. Wasn’t that what you promised?”

But, Shinya looked up here, and placed a finger on Guren’s cheek.

“……Ah…..ah. Yeah. So Guren. Don’t cry.”

“……Gutsu.” (T/N: SFX for a bubbling sound)

“Don’t get angry. Well then, this is our loss. Even if I die, as sweet as it is…..we are still weak wimps. Let’s die together. If we could do that, then we will win. I decided so. So don’t make a mistake. You have already been taken over by a demon……”

There, Shinya’s voice, stopped.

“Shinya.”

“……………”

“Shinya.”

“……………”

“Shinya!”

“……………”

“Shinya!”

“……………”

“Shinya!?”

“……………”

There was no reply.

He died. Easily.

Guren was alone, and was left behind.

His body trembled. Tears were overflowing and he could not stop. In his chest, anger, hate, sorrow, all flowed up and did not stop.

He wanted to run away from reality. Run away from the reality in front of him. He wanted to lose his sanity.

However, it is useless. Guren was still holding Shinya’s body. His dead body was without life, strongly, strongly, he embraced him,

“Unfair……it’s an awful rule, Shinya.”

He said with a moan.

The worst rule.

He had died, and although he was gone, he left such an awful rule.

He wanted to run away. He wanted to run away.

Guren–

“……………”

Trembling, he laid Shinya’s body on the floor.

He was going to continue the game. All his friends lost the game, but still, it continues.

He picked up the fallen sword and stood up.

Then he heard a voice from behind.

“Do you hate me?”

“……Yep.”

Guren obediently answered.

“Do you want to kill me?”

He answered after thinking about it a little.

“……No.”

“Why? I broke your precious things.”

He looked back.

Staring at Mahiru.

At her feet, there were 4 people, all the corpses of his friends. Important companions. Trusted friends. Staring at them, anger swirled around inside of him, but he forced himself to say this.

“……If I let my anger run wild, Shinya will get angry.”

“But he’s already dead.”

“So what? We will win.”

“What?”

“Destiny.”

“You are weak. Easy for you to die. You don’t know anything.”

“Ah, I see.”

Guren answered. Then he looked at the sword that he had in his hand. It was a weapon. A weapon to become strong. A weapon to surpass the strength of men.

A weapon that Mahiru got him.

He stared at it, and then threw it away. As the sword rolled away, the thrower silently stood up.

“No. With this weapon, I cannot defeat you.”

Mahiru said.

“No. I cannot win because I did not throw away my weakness.”

Yes, something that she had repeated many times, she had said it many times over and over.

It had been like that since they had met. She was repeating it, as if to tell him what to do.

Certainly, she had abandoned her weakness and became stronger.

And he wants it.

But he replied.

“Even if I abandon my weakness, I cannot become strong like you. Besides, after throwing away all my weakness, what remains left in me?”

“Save me, Mr. Prince.”

“………….”

“……..But, you cannot do it like me. You cannot do it like me. It is as Shinya said if you do it, I will surely lose interest in you.”

He gazed straight at her vampiric red eyes.

Looking at those eyes, Guren said.

“It’s already enough, Mahiru. Let’s stop playing. Everyone is dead. Is this your wish? There are still a few hours left of Christmas, and even if I am alone, if there’s a way to save you, tell me.”

She smiled.

“No, I have already been saved. Because, in the end, you came. I have already been saved.”

“I don’t understand. As you can see, I’m stupid, so please explain your words.”

Then she took out a cellphone from the pocket of her skirt, and looked at the display screen.

“Oh, It’s already 8.25pm. We need to rush a little.”

She muttered, throwing the mobile phone on the floor.

Guren said.

“Why are you so impatient?”

“Don’t you know the reason?”

“What?”

“The world would be destroyed.”

“Are you the one doing it?”

She just smiled and approached.

“Did the vampires destroy the 《Hyakuya Sect》? Did you know why?”

He answered the question.

“……..I heard it was because they wanted them to stop the forbidden magical experiments.”

“And the name of those magical experiments?”

“《Seraph of the End》”

That was it. It was supposed to be the name of the magical experimentation that the 《Hyakya Sect》 were doing. The information Mahiru left behind said as much.

It was a large scale weapon that exceeded the destructive power of the 《Kiju》, ending the world.

“In your documents, that was what was written.”

That said, Mahiru shrugged her shoulders.

“How do you activate it?”

“I don’t know.”

“What effect does it have?”

“I don’t know.”

In Mahiru’s data, that much was written, like the words of a prophet.

“–The first ruin is the desire ugly adults have. Specifically, all over the world, those above the age of 13 will die.

The earth will rot.

Monsters will wander.

Poison will fall from the sky.

The angle of the end will blow the trumpet, and this world will collapse.

Surely, humans will not be able to survive. A weak person cannot survive in such a world.”

It is said that it would happen today.

December 25th, Christmas, it is said that ruin will come to the world.

About that, a man named Saito said this. He could remember that conversation. Guren asked.

“Is it a large scale virus weapon?”

Saito replied.

“No, that’s not it.”

“Well, then what is it?”

“It is the punishment of god.”

“Eh?”

“A god given punishment for the arrogant. But stupid humans use it to try and make weapons. They know that there are better uses for it.”

Guren looked at Mahiru and asked.

“What is the 《Seraph of the End》?”

Then, she replied.

“The controller of god’s punishment. That is the true identity of the 《Seraph of the End》.”

“What. There is no god.”

If there was one, then why did he create this world? Why did he make such a terrible world?

But, she coontineued without a care. Like a shrine maiden. Like a prophet, she tells about the existence of god.

“It is a really amazing power. That heavenly punishment. I do not want to manipulate it any further. Even the most humble human can become greedy. It’s like the Tower of Babel. Icarus.* An arrogant man aiming for the sky, but he met with the wrath of god.”

She did not seem to be approaching him.

She went to the sword that Guren threw, and picked it up lovingly.

And,

“Aa, welcome back, Noya. You’ve killed a lot humans and demons.”

As if she were totally ignoring Guren, she said so.

He said.

“Mahiru.”

“What is it, Guren?”

“……Can I save you?”

Then she got into it, with a crying, but still beautiful face.

“Sorry. It is impossible today. You cannot save me.”

She said.

Then suddenly, she turned the sword around and stabbed it through her own chest.

The sword was stabbed where the heart was.

“Umph.”

It was pretty, the sound of air escaping her throat. Her knees buckled–

“Mahiru.”

He ran, supporting her fallen body. Being stabbed in the chest, made her lose much power.

“What is the meaning of this.”

She laughed gladly. Looking up at him,

“…………………………………Ah, Guren’s body is warm.”

Guren tried to pull out the sword stuck in her chest.

“………Don’t pull it out. If it comes out, I will die soon. I integrated Noya into my heart.”

“Wha……”

Within her chest, he could feel Noya pulsing. The curse. He felt it contaminate her body.

Ha. Ha. Ha. She sighed as if she had suffered.

She was proud of her absolute strength. He softly embraced her weakening body. The hands he used to hug her were dirty with blood. Shinya’s blood. The dead Shinya’s blood. It was peeling from his hands.

Goshi, Mito, Sayuri, Shigure, everyone was dead. Furthermore, Mahiru was about to die in his arms.

“What is it?”

“………….”

“What the hell. What. What on earth are you planning to do.”

“…….My desire?”

“Yes. Say it.”

Then she answered with a weak voice.

“…….I guess I want to be an ordinary girl.”

“………….”

“To love my favourite person……to be embraced……to give birth to a child…..Ah, am I being too greedy? Guren is already embracing me.”

The curse was spreading. Black, black, black.

Staring at the weak Mahiru, he asked.

“Are you going to die?”

“Everyone will die one day.”

“Today. You. Were you intending to die?”

The answer. It was terrible.

“Because, since I was born, it had already been decided as such.”

That was the plan.

After all, it was such a plan.

She knew it.

From an early age. From the day they met, she knew what her fate would be.

She also killed SHinya, as planned. She lived in a cage of despair.

Frankly, she continued.

“……To do experiments to control the heavenly punishment, I was born. For the 《Kiju》 experiment. Solely for that purpose, and that purpose only, I was born.”

She was born in an experiment. She already knew that. Her mother was mixed with a demon and gotten pregnant. And on countless sacrifices, Mahiru and Shinoa were born as successful bodies.

But, the experiment was also made for today.

Today, here, to die.

“Then, this is all planned.”

“………….”

“You will die, Shinya will die, and they planned all of this!?”

“………….”

“What should I do. What on earth. What am I. What is this. Why am I here if I can save neither my woman or my friends……”

“Guren.”

That woman said. Her voice was weaker than before. Noya’s curse, spread across the shoulders from the chest, and her white throat was starting to be dyed black.

Die. She will also die. Eventually, everyone will die. One person left behind, and he could save no one.

“Guren…… I touched the taboo. There is a penalty. That power, you can control……”

“No interested.”

“Guren.”

“I am not interested.”

“Guren.”

“If it is a heavenly punishment, then I already have it! We have it since the time we were born! I could not protect you! I could not protect my father! Mito, Goshi, Sayuri, Shigure, Shinya, I could not protect them! I have received enough of this damned punishment! I have no more sin! It’s god’s damned punishment! If god is there, then speak! Tell me! What do you want me to do! What do you want me to do! Why did you create this world!”

Guren screamed.

Meaninglessly, the loser barks.

However, the reply wasn’t from god.

However, under, Mahiru, who’s cheeks were wet with tears, gently wiped those tears,

“…….I’m glad that you were kind to me.”

That’s it. Kind. Because he was incapable of doing anything himself, he was angry.

But, she is happy.

“Finally, being kind……ah, listen.”

“………….”

“……Everything isn’t as planned. Because you came today, the ruin will not happen.”

Guren looked at Mahiru. The curse had risen to her cheeks.

“The world has been saved.”

“………….”

“You being here today, is outside the plan. This is my plan. A plan that was not monitored. This ceremonial field, does not appear on any screen. But I did not want you to come. I should have never dragged you into this. I did not want to involve you.”

She shed tears. From the red eyes that changed because she transformed into a vampire, tears spilt.

Was she acting?

Or was it real tears?

Now, it didn’t matter which it was.

“……What should I do?”

He asked.

Then she replied.

“Choose.”

“What?”

“It is always the same. Do you accept or abandon your weakness, and walk the right path.”

Again, the same question.

However, all the other members have died.

Mahiru will also die.

What is weakness? What is the weakness that still exists in him?

She said.

“The 《Seraph of the End》 will be activated when you resurrect humans.”

“Wha……”

Human resurrection.

He should be able to do that–

But, she kept going as if it were natural.

“But god does not allow it. He does not allow human resurrection. After resurrection, the destruction would begin. To those human who try to touch god’s work, the punishment will fall on them. With our current technology, we can control it. The world would perish. Only demons and children will survive. The population would surely be reduced to less than 10%. The appearance of the world would change drastically. In addition, the humans that have been resurrected become incomplete bodies that can live for another 10 years. But still, today, the experiment would be done.”

“For what purpose.”

“In order to approach god.”

“Don’t be silly. It’s crazy.”

“Yes, that’s right. But in such a circumstance, we were born. And so, the punishment will fall.”

Mahiru said, looking from here to the center of the ritual field that held a coffin.

7 coffins.

She said.

“…….In the coffin, there is a corpse. In the center, there is place to insert a sword. What is necessary for this experiment are the lives of many demons, the lives of many humans, and the life of a vampire progenitor. Without these 3 items, the resurrection will not start. There is already a weapon that has reaped enough blood.”

She then said, holding the handle of Noya that was stuck in her chest.

Certainly, Noya killed many humans that had 《Kiju》. It was certain that Guren would kill. It was part of the plan.

But, he had not killed a vampire progenitor. It was impossible to kill one. Even ordinary vampires, if it were normal, should have been overwhelming.

But Guren stared at Mahiru. The curse of Noya had already reached her cheeks. Her eyes, her head, were all invaded by the curse.

Even when the curse had spread, she was still beautiful, and he stared at her face and said.

“……So, are you a vampire progenitor?”

She only smiled.

“Today, you sacrificing yourself and dying, was it fixed?”

But she smiled and shook her head.

“No. Wrong. I was determined to die, being held by a prince. That is my destiny.”

“………….”

“Because I was too beautiful, the goddess became jealous, and tried to take me away to hell……but the prince who does not allow it to happen embraces me.”

“………….”

“Even if my body is take, my soul cannot be taken. The next time I am reborn, I want to be an ordinary girl.”

“………….”

“The prince hugs me tightly…..”

“Mahiru.”

“Kiss….to and ugly, dirty demon, kiss me…..”

“Mahiru. You…..”

She was crying. Her beautiful red eyes were also dyed black with the curse. Her body began trembling as if she were cramping up.

He tried to suppress it. Holding her body, he tried to suppress it.

“Mahiru.”

“………….”

She did not answer any more. He did not know what will happen to her.

“Mahiru.”

“………….”

Zuzuzuzuzuz, Noya began to make a sound. And then, it began to draw in her chest. Her body, was being dragged into the sword.

Guren grasped the handle of the sword.

“Stop it, Noya.”

Then, the voice came back.

“Impossible”

“Please stop.”

“I can not do so. It is not me who is doing this. I am being dragged in”

“What do you mean. Is she doing this?”

Noya’s answer, was also a terrible thing.

“Wrong. Someone had put a curse inside her. She will become a demon. Take me and become a demon”

Her wish was to become an ordinary girl, but it was messed up by fate.

“Stop it, Guren”

“What should I do!?”

“No, it is already like this”

“What on earth should I do–”

He recalled Mahiru’s words. He remembered her last words.

The goddess was jealous of her beauty, and was trying to take away her soul. But the prince will save that soul. Hold her, kiss her–

So, if she really could be saved,

“Don’t go, Mahiru.”

And he hugged her thin body, his hands touched her grey hair, and he aligned his lips to her that were already stained black–

“…………..”

And that was it.

The poor Cinderella has finally been touched and seen by the prince, saved by him and laughing happily, he said to live happily ever after.

“…………..”

It it were a fairy tale, it would end.

Surely, any story should end with ahd happy ending.

But this was not a fairy tale. The princess that leaves here would be unhappy. She remains unhappy from birth to death.

Her longing to become an ordinary girl–has disappeared. Sucked into Noya, or did she suck Noya up?

From Guren’s arms, she disappeared, leaving only the sword. That sword, it fell to the ground with a clang.

There was only one black sword left.

He grasped the handle of the sword and called.

“Mahiru.”

“…………..”

“Mahiru.”

“…………..”

“Noya, are you there?”

“…………..”

There was no reply.

There was no reply from anyone.

What was left were the corpses of his friends, a black sword and a princess who cannot be saved, and one tortoise with no power.

In addition,

In that situation.

“Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha.”

He, alone, grasped his own chest.

“I……”

Alone, holding his own chest, said.

“Why am I still alive……?”

But there was no answer to that question. Mahiru, Shinya, Goshi, Mito, Sayuri, Shigure, could not answer him. No one was here anymore.

Then suddenly, the alarm rang.

Piririririri, it was the alarm from the phone that Mahiru dropped on the floor.

The time is 20:30 (8.30pm)

“The time of destruction.”

It was displayed.

In other words, the experiment should have been over now. The 『Hiiragi』 decided so. The world should have already been destroyed.

“…………..”

However, no one was experimented on.

This was now Mahiru’s plan.

He recalled her words.

“You are here today. Outside of the plan. That is my plan. No one monitored this. This ceremonial field, it does not appear on the screens. But I did not want you to come. I should not have dragged you into this. I did not want to involve you.”

It wasn’t monitored. Why? Because the vampires came. If the surveillance video went out, it would be a violation of the taboo. If so, this venue would be destroyed by the vampires.

So it is not monitored.

But the time has come.

If her death does not occur on time, an investigation team will arrive.

The team that finds Guren would restrain him and continue with the experiment.

And the world would end.

Ruin will come.

“…………..”

However, if such would happen, then he thought that it would be better if such a crazy ugly world were destroyed.

Is there a reason to continue doing this?

Everyone was crying. He was crying, in pain and sad. Yet, still in this world,

“…….is there some obsession?”

And, Guren alone, said this.

Looking at the dead bodies of Goshi, Mito, Shigure, Sayuri and Shinya,

“……..Hey guys, what do you think? What do you think I should do?”

While saying this, he kept the sword in his hand in the sheath at his waist. Standing slowly, he continued to move forward.

Mahiru was right.

He was asked to choose after all.

–Do you accept weakness?

–Or will you abandon weakness and move towards the right path.

“………….”

The right path today, was to die.

Without obsessing with such a rotten world, to die together as everyone promised.

Then the world was saved.

At least, they did not have any sins left.

“…………..”

Guren looked into the coffins. There was a corpse of a stranger. He pulled it out of the coffin.

1 body. 2 bodies. 3 bodies. 4 bodies. 5 bodies. He dragged the dead bodies from the coffin.

Then, he went to his friends.

He picked up Goshi’s torn head and body and put it in a coffin.

He picked up Sayuri’s torn head and body and put it in a coffin.

He picked up Shigure’s torn head and body and put it in a coffin.

He picked up Mito’s torn head and body and put it in a coffin.

Then moving a little, he picked up Shinya. He saw Shinya’s face. He was also dead. If a miracle happens and he awakes, would he be angry?

“……please don’t be angry. I broke my promise.”

They should have died together and won.

“But, you would do the same thing, won’t you? Shinya.”

“……………”

“Or not?”

“……………”

“I don’t think so. You aren’t a fool.”

It was said that humans around the world would die if he does this.

Touching the cursed taboo, innocent people who have nothing to do with it, would also be subject to the punishment of god.

If the resurrected human is an incomplete body that can live for another 10 years, then the trade offs are too much. It is an unbalanced act.

No, it was about pride. A terrible pride. Selling out the world to meet with a group of friends, it is betrayal.

But,

“……………”

Guren, carefully placed Shinya in a coffin, carefully holding him, carefully putting him in.

Then, as Mahiru said, he moved towards the center of the coffins that were placed side by side.

Then, according to her words, there was a place where a sword could be inserted.

If he inserted the sword into it, the experiment would start.

The taboo experiment.

To reach out and pierce the sky, flying with the wings or a warrior.

An abominabal experiment that doesn’t fear god.

“………….”

Guren pulled out the black sword.

Then, a voice came from the entrance of the ceremonial hall.

A male voice.

“Wow, this is amazing. I am excited. I think it’s better if we stop thinking about this in a normal fashion.”

He turned his gaze. Then, there was a beautiful man.

It was a vampire with long silver hair. He knew that face. A few months ago, at the Ueno Zoo, he was the man who fought Mahiru. His name is Ferid Bathory. A vampire progenitor.

At his feet, there were a few corpses. Probably troops from the 『Hiiragi』 sent in pursuit.

Because the world did not collapse even when it was time, the troops dispatched were sent to continue the research on the 《Seraph of the End》.

But, Ferid seemed to have killed them. Vampires do not allow for anyone to touch the 《Seraph of the End》 taboo.

When the vampires come, the experiment would be done for. The experiment itself would be crushed.

That is, if the vampire killed him here, if he were killed without completing the experiment, then the world would be saved.

Then, that was probably his choice.

The choice that Mahiru spoke of.

Would he accept his weakness, or walk on the right path?

Guren, to the vampire progenitor, as if asking for help, said.

“I ask of you. Kill me. I want to do justice.”

Then the vampire–Ferid Bathory,

“Haha. No way. Do not despair. You decide yourself, human. Isn’t that way more interesting?”

He said with a laugh.

“………….”

And again, he heard a noise.

A noise that sounded like a click.

The sound of despair.

The sound of the footsteps to extinction.

Three seconds left to the end of the world.

To the end of the world.

To the end of the bloodline of earth.

Click, click, click.

Kaching– with that sound, Guren inserted the sword into the hole.

“I understand. I carry a great sin.”

Then in that moment.

The collapse of the world began at once.

!!CHAPTER 5 END!!

*Language notes: Tower of Babel

The story of the Tower of Babel is one that explains why we have languages today. The story is like this: Man kind all used to speak the same language long ago. After a great flood, all the people decided to move eastward, and where they settled, they decided to build a great city and a tower that was tall enough to reach god. God was displeased, and so one day, everyone started speaking different languages. No one could understand each other and many misunderstandings arose. That stopped the construction of the tower quickly and it collapsed unto itself. The people scattered all across the world, giving rise to countries.

Icarus (and the sun)

Icarus is the son of a well known craftsman that built a special labyrinth for the king of their land. However, that labyrinth failed in it’s use, so the king was very angry. The king sent men to hunt down the father. Having prepared for something like this, the father had a plan to send Icarus away. He took out two huge wings that he had fashioned, and two balls of wax. These wings would allow the son to fly away from their island home to another place far from the king. The wax was used to attach the wings to the back of the user. Before sending the son away, he warned him not to fly too close to the sun, for the heat of the sun would melt the wax, and the wings would simply fall off. The son promised not to fly too close to the sun, and his father sent him off. The journey across the sea was long and boring, and soon some seabirds caught his eye. He saw them climb up far into the sky and swoop back down like nothing had happened. He too wanted to try to fly like those birds. Alas, without realizing it, he flew too close to the sun and the wings melted off. He plunged from the sky into the sea and died.

T/N: This is not exactly the end, there is still the Afterword!!

|| Afterword >>

#hiiragi shinya #ichinose guren #hiiragi mahiru #mito jujo #sayuri hanayori #shigure yukimi #goshi norito #owari no seraph #guren ln #mushroom translates

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