It felt like getting thrown into the night sky.
I was floating. Countless stars twinkled all around me. They felt entirely within reach, but I froze once I noticed videos playing on the other end of each of their lights. There I saw Sakuna, back when she was little. She was sitting at the table with her family, happy as could be. It was then that I realized I was viewing her memories.
Mind Refrain. This spell was used quite frequently in novels for flashback scenes. You could use it to show someone else your memories… And it seemed I had been dragged into Sakuna's consciousness.
As I stared in amazement at her magic talent once again, I felt someone approach.
"This is my night sky, my constellation of memories. Welcome, Ms. Terakomari."
It was Sakuna. But not regular Sakuna. Naked Sakuna.
"…Why aren't you wearing any clothes?"
"You can't bring foreign substances into the mental world."
"Oh… Wait, so I'm naked, too?!"
I tried hiding my bits in a panic, but there was nowhere to hide.
Oh well, it was only Sakuna here anyway. I gave in. Not like the sicko maid was around. Acting ashamed would only make things more embarrassing. I just needed to be confident and there would be nothing weird about it!
"All of these stars are recollections of mine. It's a planetarium of my memories."
"W-wow. It's really pretty."
"No, it's not. Look… There's my first memory."
Sakuna pointed at one where she was talking with her sister. I couldn't hear them, but from their dazzling smiles, I guessed it was a fun and happy moment.
"My sister, Komari Memoir, was a really kind person. She always cared for me and helped out with my clumsiness; she would give me half of her eclairs and read me all sorts of books… And she would also comfort me when I cried about being left out at school."
The Komari in her memories had silver hair, just like Sakuna's. The most distinct thing that separated her from her little sister was that will of steel in her eyes. You could see in her face how much she cared about Sakuna. They must have been very close.
"Those days were peaceful… I had a loving family. As I told you in my letter, we always went stargazing on the hills outside the capital. We'd put up tents and spend the whole night staring up at the sky. My father was a priest, so he was well versed in star mythology. In the summer, he'd teach me all about the constellations to the accompaniment of hooting owls and insect calls. That's why I love stars so much."
She talked about everything in past tense, which gave me a very bad feeling. I couldn't say anything back. Then she sighed as a sour smile came to her face.
"But… Thinking back on it now, perhaps this was all but a dream. Ms. Terakomari… Do you know of the Wicked God Slayers?"
"What's that?" I'd never heard the words.
"God here refers to the Dark Core, since that is how it's treated in the modern world. The God Slayers would be Inverse Moon."
That I knew. That was the terrorist organization Millicent belonged to.
"They will do anything to destroy the Dark Core. That includes using Divine Instruments to slaughter peaceful families in order to achieve their goals."
Sakuna grabbed one of the stars. It was far darker than any other—a sign of the tragic memory contained within.
"My family was killed without notice. I came back home from school and found everyone mutilated in our dining room."
I fearfully peered into the memory.
Then, I gasped.
I immediately wanted to cover my eyes. The whole room was dyed red. I could almost sense the smell just looking at it. Sakuna's family was torn apart, mangled, maimed, disfigured, thrown all over like they were garbage. I looked away. I couldn't bear seeing that anymore.
"B-but this… The Dark Core can heal them, right?"
"No. They used a Divine Instrument to kill them. Weapons that can nullify the effects of the Dark Core."
The Sakuna inside the memory stared dumbfounded at the remains of her family. I, too, could do nothing but stare in shock.
"Wh-why would they do that? Those monsters…"
"This is Inverse Moon we're talking about. They did that to get me into their organization and use me as a pawn. They deemed me worthy of employing."
"Why…?"
"Because of my Core Implosion, the Wheels of Asterism. It allows me to manipulate the memories of those I kill."
My mouth was agape.
Sakuna kept on stating shocking revelations with total calm.
"Somehow, Inverse Moon found out about my parents and plotted this to get me in. And now, I'm another cog in their machine. When I stood there, in shock, before my dead family, a man appeared out of nowhere and said…"
"What a tragedy. But if you join Inverse Moon and work hard for us, I could tell you a way to bring your family back."
"I was too young. I couldn't refuse. So, I made a contract with Inverse Moon… This is proof of it. It has no magical meaning, but this pattern has me bound to them."
She pointed at her belly with both hands.
On it were two emblems. One was the Mulnite coat of arms—the magical mark that showed she was a Crimson Lord. The other was a symbol of an incomplete moon. It looked like one of those magical contracts that frequently appeared in novels and such, where secret organizations brand their members to strengthen camaraderie.
"That's how I was forced to become a terrorist. My task is simple: Kill our enemies and scour their memories for intel. Nothing more."
Floating stars started gathering around me. They were all cloudy, dark.
Inside the memories, Sakuna was fighting with full concentration. Sometimes she'd slay her targets from the shadows; sometimes she'd face them head on.
Then I saw a particularly shocking memory. Sakuna was piercing my dad's torso with her bare hand.
So she was behind the serial murders of the government officials…
"The job may be simple, but it's not easy. I was never the brightest vampire, so I had a lot of trouble carrying out assassinations at first. Oftentimes, I would end up dead instead of my target."
Memories of Sakuna getting killed drew near to my face, and I shuddered.
I couldn't bear seeing any of this.
"Every time I failed, I would get a beating. Inverse Moon has no mercy, even for its allies. They struck me again and again and again…"
"S-stop! You don't have to talk about that anymore!"
"No, I want you to know. That's why I'm telling you." Sakuna frowned in pain. "I thought about running away on more than a few occasions. I've even tried it before. But… That only got my family killed."
A dark memory drew near me. I didn't want to see it, so I closed my eyes.
"I can't put into words the sadness I felt that time. And then, I understood… I can't oppose Inverse Moon… Still, despite the fact they're aware I swore from the bottom of my heart that I would never go against them, they still insist on chaining me like this. They're saying if I fail this mission, they'll murder my family… My precious family. Again, and again… That every time I falter, they'll kill them. Again and again."
What she was saying made no sense. Wasn't her family already dead?
Nervously, I opened my eyes. Sakuna was clenching her hair and shaking. Her life story went beyond my wildest imagination, and anything I could say in an attempt to comfort her would probably end up falling flat. I also didn't have the guts to explode in anger against Inverse Moon here.
So I tried asking something nobody cared about.
"What does this mission entail?"
"Investigating the Dark Core." Her answer was surprisingly clear. "Only high-ranking government officials could know what it is, so I had to kill them to find out. I am the only one capable of such a feat."
"N-no way…"
"I'm sorry for lying to you. This is the truth. I'm the terrorist."
"But you were also one of the terrorist's victims."
"That was part of my camouflage. They told me to pierce my own stomach to throw suspicion off me… But there wasn't much point in it," she said, chuckling in self-derision. "Anyhow, my task is to slay the Crimson Lords. Highest priorities are Petrose Calamaria, Flöte Mascarail, and Terakomari Gandesblood, in that order. I already did Ms. Flöte in, and she knew nothing."
"You don't…have to…"
"No, it's time to end you, Ms. Terakomari."
She was serious. I screamed in a panic.
"I know nothing about the Dark Core! There's no point in killing me!"
"I didn't want to fight you. You're so…strong, and pretty, and kind; it's like you're the exact opposite of me. That's why I like you so much. And that's why… I didn't want to hide anything from you. Why I mustered up all my courage to face you like this."
Sakuna still seemed to be misunderstanding something. I should have been grateful for that, since it meant I could keep on concealing the truth about me, but that didn't matter right now.
"Now, let us duel to the death."
Sakuna swung her arm. The next moment, a tremendous amount of mana erupted out of her body. The lights of the stars died out, and that floating sensation disappeared in an instant. She'd deactivated Mind Refrain.
When I came to, we were facing each other again. Shards of the Ruby at my feet. Flöte's crushed corpse. The warm summer wind.
We'd returned from her memories.
Tears still falling from her eyes, Sakuna smiled.
"I really don't want to do this. I could never hold a candle to you… But I have to. Or they'll murder my family…"
"H-hold on. I don't get the thing about them killing your family. Aren't they already dead?"
"No, they're right here." Sakuna pointed at me. "You will be my new sister."
"Me…?"
"I've been making new families like this. I find people with pretty constellations and alter their memories. I erase all their old ones… And replace them with those of my dad, or my mom, or my sister. This is the method Inverse Moon taught me for bringing them back. I've remade my family time and time again, but they've killed them on every occasion."
Chills ran down my spine.
She's been doing all that?
I went stiff with fear. Nevertheless, I had to buy time. I knew that would only delay my doom, but still.
"…But I look totally different, right? Your sister was all… White all over."
"What's important is how you look inside. For example, my dad…Helldeus Heaven looks nothing like my original father, but his constellation is a pretty Aquila. So that makes him my father."
"O-oh, I get it! That's why you were in his orphanage."
"Helldeus has nothing to do with it. He just took me in when I was alone, without a place to go. He's in no way related to Inverse Moon. Since Helldeus had a pretty simple mental makeup, I turned him into my dad. So he is my dad now, plain and simple."
"I—I see…"
"Oh, allow me to correct myself. Helldeus's case is actually a bit complicated. His base is too strong. For some reason, he resists my Core Implosion, so he only acts like my dad when we're alone. What do you think I should do about this, Ms. Terakomari?"
"…"
"You have no idea, of course. But I won't make the same mistake. I will alter all of your memories. Once I kill you and get the intel on the Dark Core out of you, they won't say anything about what I choose to do. Inverse Moon won't care. So… I will scrub every last thing from your mind. Your birthplace, your family, your friends, your parents, your brothers or sisters, all your life up to this point, everything that doesn't align with my real sister, Komari—I'll erase all that and turn you into her. The only thing in your mind will be me, and nothing else."
"...…"
She was insane.
But she hadn't been born that way. Sakuna hadn't even developed the idea of murdering people to turn them into their family—that was all Inverse Moon's fault.
Normally, hostages lost all value once you killed them, but Sakuna just kept on creating more people that Inverse Moon could use against her. It was all for their benefit.
I couldn't look the other way. I couldn't let Inverse Moon keep getting away with it.
"Just hold on. I won't let it hurt."
She reached her pale fingers toward me.
I felt her mana. She was ready to blow my life away in the blink of an eye.
I had no way to resist, not with my strength.
And yet…
I held her.
"Huh—?"
I grabbed her index finger.
I had to.
"I'll be…"
Sakuna looked confused.
It dawned on me that my voice was trembling.
"I'll be your sister."
"…Truly?"
"However! You won't kill me! You don't have to do any of that memory manipulation crap! I'll just act like your sister as I am! Bear with it!"
Disappointment appeared in her eyes.
"…I can't. My only family is the one I kill to recreate. You can't be my sister while staying as you are."
"Well, duh! Of course I can't be your real sister. She's already dead. No magic will bring her back. The same goes for Helldeus…and anyone else you killed. None of them are your real family!"
"Wha…?" There was a look of betrayal on her face. "Th-that's not true! The Wheels of Asterism perfectly replicate their personality!"
"It's the truth!"
"It's not!"
"It is! And I am the strongest Crimson Lord! You can't slay me!"
"Y-you… You won't know that until I try!"
"Please, just think about it! You're gravely misunderstanding it! Listen, you had ONE sister, only one in the whole wide world. And she's…dead now. You can't use other people to try and replace her! That's disrespectful toward your real sister!"
"…!"
Even I thought I was being super preachy. But I had to say it. Sakuna's actions were wrong, and I was convinced of it. Refusing to hold back, I kept on talking.
"You don't have to use Core Implosion. I'll be your sister. But not your older one, I guess? Since I'm actually younger? But that's trivial! Let's go to the zoo together, okay? I have extra tickets."
"…"
Sakuna froze up. When I released my grip on her finger, her arms went limp, and she cast her gaze down. She didn't seem convinced. She stayed silent for a while… Until she started crying.
"I know… I know I'm weird."
"Yup, very weird."
"But… Still, it was all so hard on me. Which is how I ended up like this…"
The root cause of her suffering was as plain as day—Inverse Moon. It was all their fault that her life had taken this bizarre direction. And they couldn't get away with it any longer… But what could I do?
For starters, I tried rubbing her back. I'd never tried soothing a crying child before, so I was pretty sure my motions were all awkward, but even then, Sakuna quivered in relief. Then, finally, she smiled.
"…Thank you. My real sister also used to do this to calm me down."
"What a good sister you had."
"You're good, too."
"I'm not. I'm just weak."
Sakuna looked confused. I guessed it was about time I fessed up about being the weakest vampire ever. She didn't seem like she'd understand, though.
"You really are too kind." She smiled and stared right at me. "Ms. Terakomari… May I call you Sis?"
"Huh? Oh, sure, do as you like."
"Hee-hee… Thanks, Sis."
Then she hugged me. I felt her soft warmth.
Sis, huh? Didn't think I'd get a new one out of nowhere…
Wait a second, this can't be real. A little sister being so kind to her older sibling? I can't even imagine my real one doing this, let alone calling me Sis so affectionately. If she ever did, that would either mean hell froze over, or she was after my wallet.
"Sis… What should I do now?"
"About what?"
"I've changed the memories of so many people…"
"Well…" I thought about it for a bit. "…I don't have the answer, really. But I think you should apologize. It's the least and most you can do, I think."
"Yes… I have to apologize…," she whispered, sadness in her voice.
Sakuna had been twisting other people's lives just to make a family for herself; that wasn't something so easy to forgive. Which was why she'd have to show wholehearted remorse.
I wasn't that worried about it, to be honest. I thought she would be fine now.
She wasn't evil. She had a pure heart.
And even if she ended up not okay, I'd help her out. That's what sisters do.
But then…
"What are you doing, Sakuna Memoir?"
…I heard a loud, thick voice.
Sakuna shivered like a rabbit and broke away from me.
A large man was standing near a broken pillar. His uniform was purple, and on it was the full moon crest. From his waist hung a large sword. It was one of the Seven Crimson Lords—Supreme Commander Odilon Metal.
Of course, it should've been no surprise that a Crimson Lord would come attack us… But even as I stood there in shock, he showed no interest in me.Instead, he kept on trudging forward, his eyes set on Sakuna.
"Did you forget your instructions? Why have you not killed Gandesblood?"
Hmm? Wait, what?
"I—I understand…"
"You understand? Do you, really?" He stared her down like a predator.
"She looks unharmed to me. I saw you two smiling. Why are you not following your orders? You don't seem to have taken Cornelius's Elixir, either."
"No, it's just, I, we…"
"Quiet! You should be ashamed of yourself, you useless wench!"
Odilon delivered an explosive kick to her abdomen, and her small body flew away like a leaf. She puked blood on the ground.
I didn't comprehend what was happening. Why was Odilon here? Why was he attacking Sakuna so violently? This didn't look like part of the Crimson Match.
"What are you thinking?! Why didn't you cut her down straight away?! Don't tell me she stole your heart! Have you gone to her side?!"
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry…"
"Shut your trap! Enough of your apologies!"
Odilon grabbed Sakuna by the hair, lifted her up, and proceeded to spit abuse right in her face.
"You're good for nothing save your Core Implosion, but you refuse to use it! What point is there for you to exist, then?!"
"I'm sorry… But I killed Ms. Flöte. She didn't know where the Dark Core is…"
"So you accomplished nothing!"
He punched the side of her face as if trying to demolish a rock.
And it didn't end there. Odilon inflicted all sorts of insults, jeers, humiliation, and pain on Sakuna as she groveled on the ground. That's when it clicked. Odilon Metal was a spy from Inverse Moon; he was the one who had thrown Sakuna into that living hell.
Anger boiled in the pit of my stomach.
That was the asshole who'd ruined Sakuna's life.
"Are you listening, Sakuna Memoir?! Stand! Get up and kill that girl already!"
"Stop it!" I shouted automatically.
My brain was screaming at me to stop, telling me that this would only get me killed. But I couldn't stand it. I couldn't stay silent while he treated Sakuna like a dirty rag. So I mustered all my courage and scowled at the bulky, bearded man.
Odilon turned around. His mere stare almost made me wince, but I held it in, then yelled:
"Stay away from her! She's no longer a member of Inverse Moon!"
"Hah!" He snorted. "Bwa-ha-ha-ha-ha! You are funny, Lady Gandesblood. Sakuna Memoir is out of Inverse Moon? No! She belongs to us until the day she dies! Behold the emblem on her stomach!"
He drew his sword and swung it so fast I couldn't see the blade. Then Sakuna's uniform—underwear and all—went to tatters, revealing the Inverse Moon mark on her pale skin.
Odilon grabbed her by the arm, lifting her up to show me her body, and cackled.
"This is proof of her allegiance to us!"
"I already saw that! There was no need to strip her naked, you pig!"
"Cram it, Terakomari Gandesblood!!" Odilon threw Sakuna away and yelled at me. "You sure bark a lot for a weak little girl! I'm not sure what you used to set off that explosion, maybe a Magic Stone or a bomb, but I do know it was a cheap trick! Or was it something expensive? You damn nobles are always finding new ways to waste your money! Oh, how I loathe people like you. How I wish I could strangle you all with my bare hands… But now is not the time. Sakuna Memoir has to be the one to kill you. Are you listening?! Stop lying on the ground and go take her life already!"
"I'm telling you to STOP!!"
Once he lifted Sakuna by the hair again, I snapped. I couldn't think straight anymore. I just rushed at Odilon without a plan.
I couldn't let him be. The world only got worse the more idiots there were thinking they could use other people as tools. He wasn't going to keep getting away with it.
Raising my fist, I aimed for his ugly mug… Before I immediately realized I couldn't reach it and switched my trajectory to his ugly gut instead. Yet he stopped my blow with ease.
Odilon stared me down, a grin on his face.
"How sad. Is there anything more pathetic in this world than seeing someone struggle so powerlessly?"
"Stop… It… Let go… Let me go!"
His grip was tightening by the second. It hurt, it hurt, it hurt, it hurt so much. I desperately fought to break away. A moment later, the sound of bones cracking echoed in my brain.
He'd broken my arm. Pulverized it.
After a second's delay, intense pain rocked me to the core. My vision went red from the shock. I couldn't even scream. Tears came flooding out my eyes.
"Gw-AAAH!"
"You're so frail, Terakomari Gandesblood!!"
Odilon released my arm, and I fell helplessly to the ground.
The pain was out of this world. My mind was filled with nothing but agony.
"I don't even need Sakuna Memoir's power! Time for a good ol' torture session! I'll make you spit out the location of the Dark Core!"
"Gwuh!"
He grabbed me by the collar, hauled me into a standing position, and got his demonic mug right in my face.
"Where is it?! I'll put an end to your suffering as soon as you tell me!"
"I don't…know… I don't know anything…"
"More pain, it is!"
I was seeing stars. Odilon struck my cheek with his left fist; it felt like my brain was being stirred. I tasted blood in my mouth.
"Spit it out! Where is the Dark Core?! What does it look like?!"
Never in my life had I felt this level of agony. But I had too much self-respect to give in to this guy, this disgrace to all vampires… This demon who had put Sakuna through an even greater hell. I couldn't let myself lose.
I forced my trembling lips to move.
"I have no idea! And even if I did, I would never tell you, you stupid asshole! Piss off!"
The next instant, he slammed me into the ground.
Air shot out of my lungs as my whole body weight crushed my pulverized arm. Though I almost passed out from the sheer pain, I had to stay awake. I couldn't black out. Odilon was right there.
"…What did you just say to me, you punk? You called me stupid?! Asshole?!"
I shot him a glare with whatever little power I had, and then flooded him with all the insults I could come up with.
"Yeah, you jackass! You can't even do anything on your own, you poor excuse for a vampire! You're letting Sakuna do all the work! You're worthless without her! And you treat her like that?! You're nothing more than a dirty coward! I'm sure you take it out on her because they don't like you even in Inverse Moon! You pathetic little man!"
"LITTLE MAN?!?!"
Air came out of my mouth as he stomped on my belly. The blow was delivered with mana, to boot.
Now it was over. I couldn't even feel the pain anymore. My mind was fading away. My thoughts, vanishing.
Out of the corner of my clouding vision, I barely noticed Odilon brandishing his sword.
"It seems you really know nothing… Whatever, there's no point in letting you live any longer, you insolent bitch. I'll grant you an agonizing death with my Divine Instrument, Dapeng Blade."
He held his sword aloft.
I stared up at it absentmindedly, as though it wasn't real.
***
Ms. Terakomari truly is weak, thought Sakuna Memoir.
Flöte was right. The girl had no power. All of her accomplishments in wars up to that point had been exaggerated. Even that immense blast from before must have been, as Flöte and Odilon had said, the product of a bomb
or a Magic Stone.
There was no doubt in her mind, now that she was seeing Odilon wipe the floor with her. The "strongest" Crimson Lord she had looked up to so much was ultimately nothing but a fraud.
And yet. Sakuna didn't feel disappointment. Quite the opposite—she was moved.
Komari wasn't running away, despite fully comprehending how much more powerful he was. She couldn't let him get away with what he'd done, so she'd stood up against him. Even after getting beaten to a pulp, Komari was showing no sign of her spirit breaking.
Sakuna was nothing at all like Terakomari Gandesblood. She could never rebel against Inverse Moon.
"The weak thing about you is your spirit."
She finally understood what Millicent meant.
Could all of this have been avoided if I had a strong spirit? Regret tugged at her heart.
"It seems you really know nothing… Whatever, there's no point in letting you live any longer, you insolent bitch. I'll grant you an agonizing death with my Divine Instrument, Dapeng Blade."
"…!"
Odilon raised his Divine Instrument.
The girl who had given so much to defend Sakuna would soon be murdered in cold blood.
The fire in Sakuna's heart lit up once again.
No… It's not yet too late.
She still had a choice. It wasn't like she'd ever have an opportunity to meet a decent death anyway. Deciding her own fate was the least she could do to demonstrate her will to rebel.
She staggered up.
Slowly, gasping for breath, almost crawling, barely managing to keep her balance.
"…It."
The enemy didn't hear her. She put all her power into her next scream.
"Stop it!! Get away from her!!"
His blade halted.
He stared back at her with a face twisted in anger.
"Put away that sword! Stop hurting her!!"
"What are you saying, Sakuna Memoir?"
Odilon slowly approached her.
A shriek escaped her throat. But she couldn't give in now. She took out the bottle from her pocket and opened it.
"I won't…follow your orders anymore! I'm out…of Inverse Moon!"
"Ridiculous! You have nowhere to run! Drop the foolishness and accept that you will be my tool for all your life!"
"Now that is ridiculous! I'm not doing as you say anymore!"
"Hold on, are you—?"
Sakuna rushed at him in what was essentially a suicide attack. But she didn't mind dying, if it was to save Komari.
She didn't hesitate. She gulped down the entire bottle of poison.
As soon as the sticky substance went down her throat, she felt a flaming heat bubble up from deep within. It was pure magical energy. Silver mana emanated from her body, making her glow, with her life as the fuel.
A tremendous surge of mana boomed.
The ground cracked beneath her feet, the screaming earth unable to resist the swelling magic. What little remained of the castle's pillars cracked.
Maybe I can win now.
"Don't look at me like that. Don't you dare defy me!"
"Too late! I've already said good-bye to my old self."
Sakuna kicked off the ground, and her silver form moved as fast as the wind. Her physical abilities had already been heightened.
Shock took over Odilon's expression.
"Wha…?"
Sakuna swung her staff with full power.
Odilon immediately blocked it with his sword. The impact echoed throughout the area. Sakuna's staff broke. She already knew her ordinary tool wouldn't stack up against the hardness of the Dapeng Blade, but what was important here was that she was now strong enough to destroy her own weapon.
Odilon delivered a kick, fully intent on killing her. She guarded with a Barrier Wall.
Her opponent clicked his tongue as he distanced himself. Sakuna took this opportunity to forge mana and unleash the advanced-level freezing spell, Dust Tail Comet. Icy stars shooting with unpredictable trajectories let out a dazzling mana glow as they assaulted her opponent.
"Useless tricks…"
Odilon knocked down one of the stars with the Dapeng Blade. But he couldn't do the same against the second comet. It pierced Odilon's purple uniform, and he faltered. With his guard broken, comet after comet landed on him in a massive explosion.
A sandstorm whipped up.
Odilon cut through the dust curtain to counter.
"You're just a tool! Know your place! And since I no longer have any use for you, it's into the trash you go!"
Odilon's sword towered over his head, then came down in a flash to murder Sakuna.
She jumped out of the way, thanks to her enhanced strength.
Odilon stepped forward and swept the blade sideways.
She desperately raised a Barrier Wall, but the next moment, she felt a blow to the side of her head. The obstruction hadn't been able to block the attack. Now she was stumbling, throwing up blood. But she didn't fall. She couldn't. Not until he fell first.
"You are so, so pathetic, Sakuna Memoir. You could've lived so much longer, had you only listened to me."
"Grr!"
The blood rushed to her head. Who was it who'd sent her time after time to her death? Who was it who'd forced her to drink that poison?
"But now that I think about it, you were always defective. Your accomplishments were not worth the amount of effort I've had to put in. Your family might've been a bunch of no-names, but do you have any idea how much work it took to conceal their deaths? And what do I get in exchange for it? A defective tool!"
"You… You…"
"What are you crying for? Do you still hold a grudge for your family's murder? Hah! You're mad at the wrong person. They lacked the power to survive against me. That's the law of nature! The weak get wrecked!"
"STOP TALKING!!"
She couldn't take it any longer.
Sakuna made her mana explode as she charged at him.
Odilon gripped his sword tight. She unleashed Dust Tail Comet once more.
One. Two. Three. Odilon knocked down meteor after meteor. But Sakuna had an infinite stock of mana thanks to the elixir. The spell didn't let up. Finally, one of the stars struck his neck and blood splattered out.
"You harlot!"
The Dapeng Blade traced a curve toward her. Sakuna gathered all her power to call a Barrier Wall.
A shrill clang. Her shield was still standing strong.
The Dapeng Blade slipped from Odilon's hands, and the summer wind blew it away.
"Impossible!"
Sakuna took a dagger from her pocket and aimed for his neck.
One hit. I'll end this in one hit!
But…
"—What?"
…she froze.
Mana started leaving her body. Immense fatigue assailed her. Then her head started throbbing, and she was overcome with nausea. Everything hurt.
"Guh!" Blood poured from her mouth. She heard a noise; it was as though something had broken inside her.
Sakuna fell to her knees as her opponent stared in delight.
"The side effects finally came! How do you like that, BITCH?!"
He delivered a steel fist right in her face. Sakuna flew away like a doll and proceeded to tumble over the rubble, leaving behind a trail of blood.
She didn't feel any pain. Her senses were all off-kilter.
Her breathing was ragged, her vision cloudy.
The elixir was killing her.
"…I…won't…give up…!"
"Accept your defeat! You were always fated to meet this end!"
She tried standing back up, but all strength had left her muscles, leaving her helpless on the ground.
Sakuna let out a sob. Terakomari had finally given her the courage to try and change herself… She'd finally fought back to prove she was more than a tool… And yet…
She cursed the heavens in her mind. Couldn't they let her live at least a little longer?
"Hah! Your date of expiry has come," Odilon said in disgust.
Expiry… I was a tool to the very end…
Sakuna let the tears flow as she shivered on the cold ground.
By chance, she looked to the side. There she saw her beloved Komari, lying on her back.
"Ms… Terakomari…"
Poor girl. She had gone through so much pain, all because Sakuna had gotten involved with her. Though the girl was still breathing, she was likely unconscious—she showed no sign of getting up.
Komari was strong. She had a strong spirit.
She wasn't like Sakuna, only able to rouse herself after taking some drug. Despite the fact Terakomari knew she was weak, she didn't run away. One could perhaps call that reckless, stupid, even, but that was why people followed her.
But it was all over now.
Odilon would show no mercy—he would murder Sakuna and Komari.
"If worse comes to worst, get Terakomari to drink your blood."
Just then, those words played back in her mind.
She didn't know what they meant. She'd only heard rumors about Komari's distaste for blood.
But whatever. She had no other options and was grasping at straws at this point.
Sakuna used her last bit of power to reach out to Komari.
She stared at the girl with empty eyes, and then all power truly left her body. Her hand fell on the girl's face—her bloody fingers touched her lips. I'm sorry, Ms. Terakomari. As endless guilt tormented Sakuna… She rose.
"…Huh?"
In shock, Sakuna beheld Komari's face. Her expression was blank. She didn't look conscious. What could possibly be happening to her?
Komari then crawled up to her. Light as a feather, she gently pushed Sakuna down. She was straddling her.
"Ms… Tera…komari…?"
Komari drew her face closer to Sakuna's.
Her eyes were devoid of life, and yet they were so alluring. Sakuna locked her gaze onto Komari's moist lips. Still on the brink of death, she felt flustered.
Is she…? Are we gonna…?
"Not enough blood," Komari said.
The next instant, Sakuna felt a slight pain. Minuscule, compared to the agony Odilon had inflicted on her, but not only that—it was totally different from any other sensation she'd experienced. Enough to turn Sakuna's values on their head.
Komari had bitten into her neck.
Sakuna felt the blood escape from her body into the girl's mouth.
"Eek! N-no…"
Sucking the blood of another vampire was the greatest proof of love. Immeasurable pleasure jolted throughout her entire body with every lick at her wound. The sensation of pain had all but left her mind entirely. She had never expected having your loved one suck your blood to feel so…so…good…
Suddenly, the ecstasy came to a halt. The act ended while she'd briefly gazed up at the clouds for a moment, looking for distraction to contain what was gushing forth from within.
Komari moved away from Sakuna, blood dripping from the corner of her mouth. Just looking at her made Sakuna feel as if she'd been saved. There was someone out there willing to drink her—this filthy vampire's—blood.
That alone left her fulfilled. She had no regrets in life.
Sakuna slowly let go of her consciousness as countless emotions flooded her mind, and…
"…Ah."
…then, she remembered.
There was still something left.
She couldn't let Inverse Moon off. She had to take revenge against Odilon.
Komari had already given herself up for her. It would be disrespectful to bow out now.
"Core Implosion: Wheels of Asterism."
Her right eye shone scarlet as she burned her life to activate her power one last time.
***
Then the view of the old castle in the fortress city of Faure flickered back up on the screens. The farsight spell that had been blocked via the aftershock of the explosion was now restored. Unwilling to let the broadcast of the Crimson Match go to waste, the Imperial PR Department had spared no effort to get it back online.
The audience was shocked at what they saw.
Terakomari Gandesblood's spell had left the castle in ruins. But that wasn't the surprising part—it was that four Crimson Lords had congregated amidst the rubble.
Flöte Mascarail—she was dead; her head gruesomely crushed.
Sakuna Memoir—her clothes were torn up, and she was lying on the ground in a puddle of blood.
Odilon Metal—he was standing unwounded with a greatsword in his hands.
And Terakomari Gandesblood.
She was sitting on the wreckage, gaze cast down, wounds all over her body. It appeared as though the popular, youngest Crimson Lord was about to lose her life to one of the veterans.
Everyone in the plaza sighed in disappointment. The people who'd bet on Komari clutched their heads and screamed.
"That's unexpected. Odilon's the winner?" "So Terakomari wasn't a big deal after all." "No, but she used that spell, right? That was incredible." "But she's losing!" "I heard she used a Magic Stone for that." "Welp, hope she
does better next time." "Damn it, that guy's gonna cost me a fortune!"
There were people of all species in the square, which is why the general opinion toward Terakomari was harsher than it was within the Mulnite Empire.
However…right as everyone was beginning to get ready to go home, their interest lost…
"Wait, look!" someone remarked.
People around turned back to the screen.
Terakomari was slowly rising. Her expression was empty. Her eyes glowed a bewitching scarlet. The aura about her was reminiscent of a monster of myth.
The entire crowd gulped as her hair turned white.
"She looks like a Sapphire," someone noted.
Next, an explosive amount of mana surged from the outskirts of the battlefield. Everyone turned to look in terror, screaming. The sky had been dyed white.
"T-Terakomari's…!"
Odilon stared at her dazzling scarlet eyes, inexpressive.
Her thin lips began to move.
"I won't let you go. Until you apologize."
The screens turned white.
Her torrential volume of mana once again blocked the farsight spell, blurring the image on the screens. The PR guys screamed, "Pour more mana into it! Come on!" as they strengthened the incantation.
The moment the picture cleared up…
""""WHOOOOOAAAAAAAA???!!!""""
…the audience went wild. Absolutely bonkers.
Terakomari Gandesblood had finally gotten serious. This was no cheap trick. It was her pure, distilled power. An overwhelming bulk of magical energy, worthy of a Crimson Lord.
The crowds shouted her name in exhilaration.
Species didn't matter—every single one of them was head over heels, screaming, "Komarin! Komarin! Komarin!" as had become custom in Mulnite.
But the insane spectators were far from her mind. She glared at her dreadful foe, Odilon Metal. Nothing more.
***
"I knew it. There is a higher stage to the Blood Curse."
"Wh-what is that?! Komari's all…white!"
The Empress's new crystal ball showed Komari unleashing her Core Implosion on the battlefield.
But there was something decidedly different from before: She was white. Overwhelmingly pale. Komari's shining golden locks had turned arctic, the color of fresh snow. On top of that, the mana emanating from her body wasn't scarlet, as it had seemed to be when she fought Millicent. Instead, it was shockingly white.
Just looking at her made you feel chilly.
"I've never heard of that. I didn't know Komari's Core Implosion had this power."
"I wasn't sure this would happen… But I did expect it. Her mother was the same, after all."
"I don't think that bears any relation."
"Core Implosion isn't hereditary, correct. But when two people have similar mental traits, the characteristic of their Core Implosions naturally end up resembling each other."
"Mental traits…"
Yulinne Gandesblood had been the strongest Crimson Lord. She'd fought for a peaceful world and had eventually met her end because of it.
"Then you mean the Blood Curse…?"
"Resembles Yulinne's. The nature of her power changes depending on the blood of the species she imbibes. Which means… Her Core Implosion truly has the power to raise all six nations."
Armand felt bitter to the core.
That Empress claimed to love Komari at every turn, but in reality, she was concocting all sorts of schemes. Was she trying to make Komari carry out the domination Yulinne hadn't been able to accomplish? Did she wish for her to meet the same fate as her mother? In that case, she was evil beyond redemption.
"Setting that aside, we now know who the mastermind is."
"Ah, that's right! Commander Metal! Why?!"
"I assume he was on Inverse Moon's side from the very beginning. Ungrateful prick. After all the meals he took me out on when we were
Crimson Lords… But anyhow, I also half-expected that."
"What do you mean? Were you aware of his true colors?"
"I expected it, nothing more. He's acted suspiciously since the very beginning. This Crimson Match was meant to confirm that… Though I suppose it was already confirmed from the moment Odilon himself suggested
it."
"I'm not following."
"They wanted Sakuna to kill the Crimson Lords, so I gave them the perfect stage for it. The mastermind wouldn't have let a chance like that go to waste, and Odilon went for it hook, line, and sinker. And…as soon as he showed up, that was it—Komari would finish the job."
"…"
Armand kept his mouth shut.
Caught up in the moment, the Empress whispered, "Show it to me again, Komari. I know you can turn this whole world on its head."
***
Odilon Metal was confused.
Terakomari Gandesblood, who'd been on the brink of death moments ago, had just stood up. One top of that, she was enveloped in a dreadful mana strong enough to freeze anyone who opposed her. She seemed like a totally different person.
Odilon held his Divine Instrument, the Dapeng Blade, tight.
That was the work of Core Implosion. Her eyes were glowing scarlet, so there was no doubt. Though he hadn't expected Terakomari Gandesblood to have this power, he wasn't fazed. She was weak to begin with—it couldn't be that big a deal.
"So… You had a secret weapon."
Terakomari didn't answer. She was just looking down at Sakuna Memoir, who was lying by her side.
The vampire princess's snow-white hair fluttered in the wind, her once-broken arm reaching out for Sakuna. Behind her back floated a magic circle, its capabilities unknown to Odilon.
The next instant, he heard something rip. Odilon could not believe his eyes. The mark on Sakuna's midriff, the shackle that tied her to Inverse Moon, had disappeared without a trace.
"She broke our contract?! How?!"
The magical contract in itself wasn't a big deal. It was, however, something the Lunae had applied themselves; it shouldn't have broken so easily. Yet that little girl had removed it without any incantation whatsoever, as though ripping off a sticker.
It seemed impossible. But something even more astounding happened next.
Sakuna Memoir's wounds started healing.
Odilon widened his eyes. Her bruises and scrapes healing was nothing to be amazed at, but her face was regaining its color, too. Komari was purging Sakuna of the side effects from Cornelius's Elixir, which had been created with a Divine Instrument. How?
"It can't be… Your mana doesn't rely on the Dark Core?"
It was nigh incomprehensible. He didn't think such a thing could exist.
After healing the white-haired girl, Terakomari turned placidly to face him.
"Apologize to Sakuna," she demanded, in a voice almost too soft to hear.
"…What?"
"Apologize. To Sakuna."
An unspeakable outrage shot up from Odilon's gut the instant he understood what she meant. He pointed his sword at Terakomari's expressionless face and snapped.
"Why would I have to apologize to a tool?! Do you bow to your pencil every time you erase something?! Preposterous! That wench vowed to serve Inverse Moon!! And as her master, I decide what to do with he—"
Terakomari took a step forward.
That was enough to close the distance. She sent her feeble fist at his face. Though his rational mind saw it as weak, his instincts were screaming danger, so he blocked it with the Dapeng Blade.
The moment Komari's fist landed, Odilon blew back like a piece of paper.
"Gah! GWOH?!"
He slammed through two pillars as he flew before finally lodging into a wall, but he didn't get to sigh in relief at still being alive, for he realized Terakomari was no longer in eyeshot.
"Where did you go?! Terakomari Gandesblood!!"
"I'm here," he heard a voice come from right beside him.
Chills went down his spine. She'd grabbed onto his arm, which was too bulky for her hand to properly enclose it; you could say she was merely touching him. And yet, an excruciating pain ran through his arm as she
clamped down on it.
Odilon let out a throaty scream. Then he felt glacial cold, as though he was being chilled to the core. Ice was extending out from her thin fingers to freeze his entire arm.
He tried to force her off, but it was no use. He could no longer move his frozen limb.
Then, his arm broke. Not like a fracture. It snapped right off. The blood that spurted out instantly froze into a red icicle.
"Gw-AAAAAH! You GODDAMN bitch!"
Odilon erupted into fury as he held his Dapeng Blade aloft. She showed no intention to move, and so he, certain of his victory, lowered the sword right on her hea—
Suddenly, he felt a metallic shock.
"What…in…the…?"
The Dapeng Blade had struck her head. No question about that. But it didn't slice through. It couldn't cut a single strand of hair. It was as though her head was made of steel.
Komari lay her fingers on the Dapeng Blade, then applied force to it.
And just like that, Odilon's beloved Divine Instrument froze over and crumbled like a cookie.
That was when he realized she'd had the upper hand all along.
He sighed, white breath coming out his mouth. Their surroundings were already subzero.
This can't be. It's impossible! Outrageous! I am the next in line to become a Luna! I can't fall to this, this gremlin!
Then Odilon sensed mana. He fought desperately to run like his life depended on it—because it did.
The next instant, ice bullets erupted from all around Terakomari.
It was the low-level freezing spell, Icicle Spears. But their quality, speed, and destructive capabilities were a far cry from "low-level." The bullets gouged the wreckage at their feet, stabbed Odilon's sides, and flew into a frenzy to destroy every last thing.
It was all he could manage to dodge the hellish hail. But then, Terakomari's mana started converging. It gathered in the giant magic circle behind her. She was getting ready for the coup de grâce.
"YOU PIECE OF SHIT!"
Odilon fought back with his flame magic, but the fire snuffed out like a candle before it could reach her. His spells were of no use against the cold.
"Freeze over."
Terakomari's magic circle was now complete.
A frigid bundle of light shot at him. He tried as he could to evade it…but the environment worked against him. His right foot had already frozen tight to the floor. There was no escape.
"Agh! I see. This is as far as I get now…!"
Odilon understood it was his loss. No… This wasn't defeat. So long as he didn't die, he still had a chance. He took a Magic Stone out of the pocket of his uniform. It contained the Teleportation spell. He carried it on his person
just in case.
"One day I'll kill you, Terakomari Gandesblood! But I'll take my leave for today!"
He activated the Stone without hesitation, and the bearded vampire disappeared without a trace.
Its target lost, Komari's spell broke through the castle wall and flew out to the horizon in the silver sky.
***
The southern edge of the world. A forest in the Gerra-Aruka Republic.
Odilon Metal, having just barely escaped with his life, entered a round building deep within the trees.
It was one of Inverse Moon's hideouts, its Gerra-Aruka branch.
He headed down the dark hallway, applying pressure to the gash where his limb had been. His subordinates took notice of their chief's return and gathered around him in a hurry.
"L-Lord Metal! What happened to your arm?!" "Someone heal him, quick!" "Shouldn't he go back to Mulnite and get the Dark Core to…"
"You imbecile! What sort of Inverse Moon member relies on the Dark Core?!"
Odilon punched the subordinate stupid enough to suggest that, then sat down on the nearest chair and yelled once more:
"Bring me a Crystal! Now!"
"Y-yes, sir!" His men ran. They came back a moment later, each one handing him a Correspondence Crystal.
"Take them, sir!"
"Just one is enough, you idiots!"
He bashed them all with his left arm. His subordinates cowered on the floor in fear and trembled as they stared at their boss.
Odilon felt like clicking his tongue.
Discounting Sakuna Memoir, he had fifty-three underlings here. All of them were mere tools to carry out his bidding; yet almost none of them were useful. Why was everyone around him so incompetent? Why? Why?!
As his annoyance grew inside him, he picked up one of the Correspondence Crystals from the floor and poured in what little mana he had left to make a call. However, the person on the other side didn't pick up.
"Lord Odilon, what should we do about Terakomari Gandesblood?" One of his underlings asked in fear.
It was his subchief. The man was one of the sharper tools at Odilon's disposal, yet here he was asking for instructions. In the end, he, too, was defective.
"What should we do?! Kill her, of course, you dunce!" Odilon shouted.
He kicked his useless tool, and it let out a muffled scream as it collapsed to the floor.
Odilon tapped his foot as he waited for a response from the Correspondence Crystal.
"Damn it… That stupid chick…!"
Terakomari Gandesblood had ruined everything for him. If he'd been able to uncover the Dark Core and destroy it, he'd already be a Luna by now. That girl needed to pay. She will pay! She'll taste a despair deeper than she ever thought possible!
Suddenly, a chill ran down his spine.
Is it just my imagination? The moment he thought that, he finally got a response from the Crystal. He wasted no time and started yelling.
"Amatsu! The plan was ruined! All because of that Terakomari Gandesblood!"
"I know. Your fight was being broadcast around the world."
"Good, then you know what happened! We need a new plan to kill he—"
"You've done well until now, Odilon Metal."
The Crimson Lord was speaking to an old colleague who'd been promoted to Luna before him—the Peace Spirit, Kakumei Amatsu. His voice was full of disappointment.
"But now you've gone absolutely insane. Why did you bring up Inverse Moon? Was that supposed to be a publicity stunt?"
"Who cares about that! We have to plan our next move—"
"No. There's no 'we' here. You failed. Sakuna Memoir's Core Implosion is of great use to Inverse Moon, but you couldn't get her to stay. You tied her down physically yet failed to win over her mentally. You should've been kinder to her."
Odilon didn't know how to respond. Amatsu didn't relent.
"And worst of all, you made ample use of the Wheels of Asterism and have not a single lead to Mulnite's Dark Core to show for it. Yeowch. Ha-ha-ha. You know Her Highness is furious, right?"
"Wha…?! B-but I will destroy it, next time! It's no problem, c'mon!"
He could hear Amatsu chuckle on the other end of the line.
"Hah. I'm actually amazed you even think there'll be a next time. I tip my hat to your guts. But let's say you got on; what would you do now? You can't resort to the same method once again. Your true identity has already been revealed to the entire world."
"I'll come up with something, let's see…"
Odilon thought hard, grinding his teeth.
There was no doubt the Empress knew about the Dark Core, but killing her wouldn't be easy. What if he took a hostage, like he'd done with Sakuna Memoir? The Thunderbolt Empress seemed to be madly fond of Terakomari Gandesblood, so he could just kidnap her…Wait, but how? After witnessing her wild Core Implosion power…
"Lord Odilon," someone said to him.
But he had no time to answer. He immersed himself in thought once again.
Right. Her Core Implosion had to have some sort of condition for activation. So long as he found these out, he could kidnap her while rendering her unable to use it…
"Lord Odilon," they repeated.
He couldn't ignore it this time.
"What the hell do you want?! Go back to wor—"
A burning sensation ravaged his abdomen the moment he turned his head. Odilon glanced down with a frown.
A knife was lodged in his side.
"Wha…?"
Holding on to it was his subchief, the man he'd just beaten.
Odilon was utterly confused. The pain intensified as his subchief continued to gouge his flesh. Odilon screamed, scowling at his tool.
"Y-you BASTARD! What are you attempting here?!"
"I am not your tool."
The man was expressionless. He only stared right at Odilon as he twisted the knife in apathy to stir his organs.
Odilon couldn't take anymore and swung his arm in reflex. His hard fist connected with the subchief's face, bowling the man away with ease and sending him crashing into the wall.
"You piece of…!"
Odilon pulled out the knife and groaned. Blood dripped to the floor.
The subchief betrayed me? That useless tool? Ridiculous!
"What's going on, Odilon? Sounds like a lot of noise over there."
"N-nothing!"
Odilon put the Correspondence Crystal into his pocket and stood up.
What's up with this jackass? After all I've done for him! How dare he bite the hand that feeds him! I won't let him apologize. To the trash it goes.
"Ha-ha-ha. Take care. He's not the only one."
He felt a hostile aura.
Before he knew it, all his underlings had gathered around him. Every last one of them was staring expressionlessly at him, their eyes empty.
The sight sent chills down the Crimson Lord's spine.
"You bums! Have something to say? Then go ahead and spit it out!"
"I am not your tool."
One of them ran at him, dagger in hand, and that triggered an avalanche—they all charged at the same time. Some of them started chanting to strike with magic.
On a normal day, he could have sent them packing with a single swipe of his arm, but he wasn't exactly in the best shape at the moment.
Realizing he was at a disadvantage, Odilon immediately turned around to leave the room, but there were more underlings down the hallway waiting for him.
"I am not your tool." "I am not your tool." "I am not your tool."
"You fools! You dare betray me?!"
He dodged a flame spell by a hair, then countered someone charging at him with a rapier with his bare fist.
However, he couldn't defend against the knife coming from behind. Searing pain through his back, and he fell to the floor.
"What…is the meaning…of this…?!"
"I am not your tool."
"Shut up already! You are!"
Odilon forged mana to activate the advanced-level flame spell, Blaze Burst.
Hot wind radiated from his body. It blew fiercely throughout the entire hideout, brushing away all the subordinates in his path like the tools they were.
They neither screamed nor shrieked. Enveloped in flames, they fell to the floor without even rolling around.
Something was off.
"Haaah, haaah… Damn it, I'm out of mana…"
"I am…not your…too—"
"Silence, worm!"
He stomped on his stubborn, noisy underling's head.
He didn't get it. Had they really betrayed him? That couldn't be right. If that were the case, his underlings would have shown some sort of emotion, but they were all eerily expressionless, as though they were under the
someone else's contr—
It hit him. One of the corpses was clutching a piece of paper.
Wincing in pain, he crouched to open its hand and grab it.
There was sloppy handwriting on the paper.
Serves you right
His mind went blank for a second.
There was only one person capable of this. Her. It was all her!
Then, he heard a thunderous, deafening cackle.
Odilon leaped in surprise and turned around to the source. There, he found a woman. One of his subordinates. She was letting out a strange howl, like the cry of a beast, and blood was dripping from her fingers as she wrote something on the wall. A ghastly message penned in blood.
Odilon shivered in anger as he looked around.
That was a message from her.
"You killed my family"
"You won't get away with it"
"No one trusts you"
"I won't do as you say anymore"
"Inverse Moon will fall"
"The world is better off without you"
"All you cruel bastards will perish!!"
"SAKUNA MEMOIIIIIIRRR!!"
More of his subordinates emerged in response to his scream.
There were fifty-three traitors in this hideout.
He dodged and parried the robotic attacks coming from all directions, sometimes unsuccessfully, sometimes managing to counter, all as he burned with unbearable humiliation.
That harlot… That harlot!
She'd pretended to be obedient and docile while planning this behind his back!
"You make me laugh, Odilon."
"Amatsu! Did you know about this, you asshole?!" Odilon shouted as he punched an underling in the face.
"Of course, I knew. No way I wouldn't notice… Sakuna Memoir was periodically coming to your hideout to brainwash your subordinates, one by one. Only the Warblades would revive inside the Gerra-Aruka branch, so everyone else she knocked out and took all the way to the Dark Core Zone to reformat."
"If you were aware all along… Why didn't you tell me?!"
"There's no way you'd become a Luna if you couldn't even realize your subordinates were rebelling against you."
Odilon gritted his teeth.
He kicked away a blood-soaked man attempting to punch him from the side.
Amatsu continued speaking, his voice thick with amusement.
"You thought Sakuna Memoir was nothing but a timid girl. That was a fatal blunder. She holds the power of Core Implosion because she's capable of all this."
"What are you getting at?! What is the meaning of this cheap rebellion?! If I wasn't wounded, a mere fifty people wouldn't even scratch me!"
"She was halfway to giving up, after all. But… Even though she knew it would be no use, she kept on working toward this. And now, you're all but dead."
"Gah…! It's all Terakomari Gandesblood's fault…"
"That's an excuse. Sakuna Memoir was always against Inverse Moon. But you couldn't even change the mind of a little girl. That was your failure."
He didn't want to listen to him anymore.
Odilon swept away his old subordinates with fierce momentum.
The wounded Crimson Lord's movements were lacking vitality. Blood spurting from him with each attack the enemy landed on him. Yet he kept on fighting, fueled only by his hatred. Strong, burning hatred. He wanted to break Komari apart, tear her limb from limb.
A while later, Odilon was the only one left standing.
Corpses were piled up around him. That should've been all fifty-three of them.
"Damn it… Damn, damn, damn it all!" He spouted curses as he gasped for air.
Everything he had built up was now crumbling before his eyes.
No second chances would come to such a failure of a vampire.
Inverse Moon would surely send an assassin to take him out like a cockroach.
"Odilon! From today on, you are mine! Lend me your aid in killing God and bringing peace to the Six Nations!"
Odilon had reached out to the Wicked God Slayers back then.
He was born in a low-class district of the Imperial Capital and had lost his family to the whims of the foolish nobility. That was how he'd ended up on the brink of death in a wasteland within the Dark Core Zone. Only for that girl to save him.
He'd wanted to make her dream come true, no matter what it took.
But that was over now.
Her Highness was both as warm as the sun and as frigid as the moon.
Odilon thought hard, his body trembling.
Why had it come to this?
The answer was simple.
Sakuna Memoir and Terakomari Gandesblood.
It was all because of those two.
If it weren't for them…
Then, a pinch.
Someone stabbed his back.
Odilon turned around on pure reflex. The moment he did, he nearly screamed.
Standing before him was a white-haired girl, enveloped in silver mana.
Terakomari Gandesblood.
Just then, a freezing gale blew through the entire hideout, freezing over even Odilon's hot wind.
His mouth stayed shut in shock. Why? How?Before he could ask anything, she clamped her slender fingers around his throat.
"Gweh?! Y-you little… What are you…"
"Apologize."
Terakomari squeezed hard enough to break his neck.
Odilon looked around. All of his underlings' corpses had frozen over.
"Apologize to Sakuna. Now."
"Gh—!"
Apologize? You've gotta be kidding. You should be dead right now, you cocky little bitch. I'm gonna beat you to… Damn, I can't get my arms to move. Then with a spell… Shit, I don't have any mana. This has to be a joke.
A sick joke. This is ridiculous!
"Y…ou…" His blood was boiling. He snapped, then yelled, "Apologize?! Me?! That harlot should be grateful to get worn to death—AGH!"
She applied more force, finally putting an end to his breathing.
His eyes looked like they would bulge out of their sockets as he blacked out.
And so, the man's ambitions came to an underwhelming end.
***
Without any strength left to hold him up, his bulky body collapsed to the floor.
The blood flowing from his arm formed a red puddle that immediately froze over.
His bleeding stopped naturally.
"…"
Terakomari, having dispatched her foe with ease, stared emotionlessly at the man's body. Then, a voice came from the Correspondence Crystal on the floor. It still had Odilon's mana left in it.
"Hey, Miss Gandesblood. Are you there?"
Komari didn't answer, but he continued.
"You sure did a number on our Millicent a while back. After all the work it took to train her…"
"…"
"By the by, how does your Core Implosion work, hmm? From the outside, it looks like you lose your sense of reason… But that's not quite the case. Her Highness is very curious about it."
Crack! She stomped the Crystal.
Silence fell, but only for a moment. She could hear members of Inverse Moon running toward her in a frenzy. Members from other branches had teleported to the Gerra-Aruka branch after learning of the commotion. Not
that she cared one bit.
"There she is!" "Kill her!" "Let's see how your Core Implosion holds up!"
Komari floated up in the air as she noticed the enemy's presence.
Dense mana rotated behind her to form a gigantic magic circle.
The men shivered once they recognized their death was imminent, then stiffened in place.
Komari showed no mercy.
"Die."
A world-rending flash erupted, and the Inverse Moon hideout was annihilated.