Karin Reigetsu had been ready to become the leader of the next generation. And she'd always done as she was told. As a member of a family of warriors, she had to be strong. She put her entire soul into that principle.
Karin had no standout talent. She was only slightly better than average when it came to combat, which was why she needed to put in the effort. She put her body and mind to the test in training every single day, and never did she give in. Karin was a Reigetsu. She had to become the Goddess. She had to persevere.
What pushed her the most were these words from her grandfather and mentor:
"Do not lose to Karla Amatsu. Show her the power of the Reigetsu bloodline."
The Reigetsu clan was equally as esteemed as the Amatsu in the Heavenly Paradise, and so their only daughter became Karin's rival. Though in reality, their relationship wasn't quite along those lines. Karla had always seemed to have her head in the clouds. Despite the expectations put on her, she never took interest in her warrior duties. Not once had Karla wielded a blade of her own initiative.
Karin found this unthinkable for a warrior of the Heavenly Paradise, so when she'd encountered Karla at a banquet this one time, she knowingly stepped across the line and posed a stern question to the girl.
"Karla, do you have the resolve to carry this country on your back? Whenever I see what you do…I feel no passion."
"I have passion," Karla said with a smile. "It's just that the proper time for me to wield my power has yet to arrive. I could easily destroy the entire universe if I ever unleashed my full power. You'll see—I'll make the Heavenly Paradise the strongest nation in the world!"
This was five years back, when both of them had still been very young. Still, Karla's frivolous talk had wounded Karin's pride.
She wasn't taking things seriously. Karin was working hard day in and day out, giving her whole life to training. Listening to her rival only gave rise to negative emotions. Karla was hugely popular; people were always gathering all around her, starting with her ninja underlings. In the end, she'd gotten appointed Imperial Saber first and was now included among the Six Valkyries.
Karin couldn't stand this. Still, she never neglected her training.
The nation would surely fall if that nincompoop ever became Goddess. The thought of that drove Karin to train more, until she finally earned the title of Imperial Saber, too.
She felt like she had finally caught up to Karla. Now it was the time to fulfill her duty as warrior.
But then, tragedy struck.
It happened before the Six Nations War, back in July. Her strict mentor and grandfather had passed away. It was a natural death. Not even the Dark Core could stop the passage of time. Not even the greatest of heroes, like former Goddess Hell's Windmill, could escape death forever.
In his final moments, he'd called for Karin and left her with his last words.
"You cannot let Amatsu become Goddess."
It was the same thing she had heard since she was little. He was always cursing the Amatsus, even to his last breath… But then Karin's tears paused as he went in a different direction from the usual.
"I have proof. This arrived at the Reigetsu main residence the other day. You know this face, don't you?"
He handed her a picture of a man. She knew him, indeed. That was…
"…That Amatsu punk. Kakumei. He left the Heavenly Paradise long ago and was considered missing, but it seems he's been working as a terrorist all along."
"Why do you say that?"
"This place in the picture. It's the Inverse Moon base that Mulnite girl destroyed recently."
Karin was at a loss for words. Kakumei Amatsu was a fine warrior who had worked as Imperial Saber a generation past. He'd disappeared eight years earlier. Why would a person like him be doing this? Her grandfather had then given her a warning.
"Do you see how dangerous the Amatsus are for our country?"
That steeled her resolve.
She couldn't let a family with ties to terrorists do as they pleased. She had to drive out the dark side of the Heavenly Paradise, no matter what it took. Then her grandfather smiled.
"I know you can do it, Karin."
"Yes…I will become the Goddess."
Her grandfather had drawn his last breath after hearing her answer.
He looked at peace, an expression unthinkable compared to the scowl he'd always worn in life.
Karin's mind was set by the time the funeral had drawn to a close. Her resolve to win the Heavenly Ball and become the Goddess was stronger than ever. This is what she had trained her whole life for.
And yet, she didn't feel capable of defeating Karla yet. That girl may have lacked determination, but she had unparalleled popularity within the Eastern Capital. Karin needed a plan to tank her reputation.
"You seem troubled, Lady Karin Reigetsu!"
She had appeared, an innocent smile on her face, at just the right moment. That girl with fox ears and tail. Fuyao Meteorite.
★
The final battle of the Heavenly Ball took place in the Dark Core Zone.
I was sleeping peacefully when I was pulled out of bed and made to gulp down breakfast and get changed before I was teleported to the battlefield. The usual, in other words. Not that being used to it made it any better!
"Why won't you at least let me brace myself mentally first?!"
"You should have done that yesterday. And it shouldn't be you getting mad here, but me scolding you for not getting up early."
"You may be right! But still!!"
I didn't complain any further. I couldn't afford to grumble too much—I had an image to keep as the strongest Crimson Lord. There were people watching.
We were in a grassy field at the eastern end of the Dark Core Zone—the place closest to the Heavenly Paradise territory. This is where the final battle was to take place. Somewhere without any cover.
Karin's troops were assuming formation in front of us. Not even a thousand feet away. Their numbers were close to ours, but their formation seemed a bit lacking after they'd lost their foreign commander support.
In contrast, our troops were in high spirits. On top of the five hundred soldiers from Karla's fifth unit, there was me, Vill, Caostel, Bellius, Mellaconcey, Yohann (not dead this time!!), last-minute entrant Sakuna, and even Prohellya & Leona, who had deserted Team Karin.
The cream of the crop. Which meant I probably wouldn't have to do anything.
No matter how strong Karin was, she couldn't bring four out of six Valkyries down easily. These were the strongest commanders in the world we were talking about. (Though Karla and I were basically deadweight!)
"Commander Karla Amatsu! The mortal combat portion of the Heavenly Ball has finally begun! According to our interview yesterday, you said you were taking back what you said during the debate! Which means you'll win and become Goddess! And run the Fuuzen sweets shop at the same time! Life is sure to be hectic wearing those two hats! Could you please tell us how you feel right now?!"
Melka came out of nowhere, mic in hand, to get an interview out of Karla. Behind her was a catgirl of similar looks to Leona holding a camera, recording it all.
I'd heard of that. It was a Divine Instrument, the electrovideo box. It broadcast what it filmed in real time to the whole world. A truly dangerous machine. I had to be careful not to let my guard down, lest I be broadcast yelling, "I don't wanna die, I don't wanna die!" across the globe.
Vill came up next to me all of a sudden.
"We'll win this. There's a huge gap in power between both camps; Team Amatsu can't lose."
"Don't get too cocky. One can never be too cautious. As they say, knock even on stone bridges before crossing one," I replied.
"We're going in with enough power to break the bridge ourselves. We must personally make Fuyao Meteorite pay. It's fox stew for dinner tonight."
"She's super strong, though. And we still don't know just how powerful Karin is… Will we really be all right?"
"Yes. Public opinion has Lady Amatsu pegged for an eighty-percent chance of winning. The Komari Unit and Lady Memoir will fight with their all. And above all else, we have the strongest commander in the universe on our side."
"Uh, about that…" I hesitated whether to tell Vill about it.
"Komari!" Karla approached us just then.
She'd fled from her interview. Koharu was holding down the phony journalist. I should do that, too. Man, if only I had the strength.
Karla frowned in regret and bowed her head.
"I'm sorry for dragging you into all this…"
"It's fine. I wanna do it this time, for once. And also…you'll make my dream come true if you win, right?"
Karla looked surprised, but then she smiled right away.
"Right. It's the least I could do in return. Let's get that novel published."
"Yup. It's a deal. Let's do this!"
"Yes."
We needed no further words. We only had to fight for it now. Not that I could do that…but my subordinates could. I'll give it my all as commander.
I looked over the plain. It was mind-bogglingly broad, but the battlefield was clearly defined. The rules said we couldn't go beyond the limits. The audience was sitting outside this zone. People from across the world gathered to cheer, "Lady Karlaaa!" "Lady Kariiin!"
The purpose of the battle was to showcase each candidate's talent as the prospective Goddess.
So many people were watching live, and those Six Nations News journos had sneaked inside the battlefield to broadcast it all on top of that. Surely Karin couldn't get up to any dirty tricks now. Was I underestimating her?
Right then, a gunshot went off to signal the start of the battle.
The audience cheered with fervor. Karla's Peace Spirit troops let out a battle cry in unison. It was finally time. I had to make sure not to die somehow. First things first: I'll keep behind Vill's back.
"…Lady Komari, may I make a report?" the maid asked.
"Hmm? What's up?"
"The truth is, I was thinking about planting some land mines."
"What?! You really love them, huh?!"
Karla's subordinates marched forward, while Karin's army stayed put. I had a bad feeling about this. Vill grimaced.
"However, I wasn't able to, since they only announced where the battle would take place this morning. But now that I think about it…it would obviously be the Heavenly Ball Management Committee making that decision. The same committee Karin Reigetsu has at her fingertips. There may be some such trickery already in place."
"You saying there's land mines in here? That can't be…" My words were cut short.
It could be.
An explosion shook the earth out of nowhere. It felt more like an earthquake, in fact. My eardrums seemed on the verge of bursting.
"Everyone down!"
I was already on the ground with Vill on top of me by the time Prohellya yelled that. The tremendous windblast cut out all other noise.
It felt like the earth was turning inside out. The air around us shook violently.
I opened my eyes a moment later, still on the ground with Vill.
"Whu…?"
My hearing came back gradually.
Amid the sound of the wind, I could make out groans. I sat up in disbelief. The view was beyond shocking.
The bodies of Karla's troops were all over the grassland, torn asunder. Not even half of them had survived, and those who did were heavily wounded. I was astounded. Karin really…
"She used land mines."
"Vill?! Are you okay?!"
"Yes, I'm fine. I just grazed my knees a little."
I sighed in relief…but the situation was far from deserving of it.
I looked back in panic at the guys on standby in the rear. Prohellya was clicking her tongue and holding up her gun. Melka and the catgirl journo were on their butts behind her. Leona was rubbing the back of her head. Sakuna was running up to us asking if we were fine. Caostel, Bellius, and Mellaconcey didn't seem harmed. There was a branch piercing Yohann's torso. He was dead. As for Karla… She looked like she had seen a ghost.
The tables had been turned in the blink of an eye. Absolutely outrageous.
Karin Reigetsu's troops let out a war cry and charged against us. They trampled the survivors on their way here. The audience was booing them.
"Lady Karla, we're in trouble."
"I-I can see that! What could we do…?"
***
"The surprise attack was a success! Our victory is assured!" Fuyao cackled as she shook her tail.
Karin was dumbfounded. After a moment's paralysis, anger boiled inside her.
"Fuyao! What are you doing?! Defeating our enemies with foul play won't get us support from the people! I could have defeated them all myse—"
"Could you, actually? We lost our supporting commanders already."
Karin could say nothing to that.
Perhaps she could defeat Karla Amatsu, but she couldn't take down everyone else. Fuyao kept on cackling.
"Your maliciousness really is a problem. Lady Karla has much more charm than you, after all."
"Sh-shut your mouth!"
"I'm only stating the truth. You may have the skill a Goddess needs, but you lack the charisma. That much is obvious from looking at who the audience cheers for. So many are criticizing you."
"That's because you used this dirty trick!"
"Easy, easy. The battle has already begun—look."
Karin turned around. Her troops had already started marching on their own against the enemy. It must have been under Fuyao's orders again. How undisciplined for them to follow the subcommander instead of her.
Karin wanted to pull her hair out.
Think about it. Should you have left Fuyao in charge? Yes, she managed to score a hit on Karla, but the house of cards could easily fall if your dishonesty was exposed.
Come to think of it, I don't even know anything about Fuyao Meteorite. What was she doing before I met her? Why did she want to help me? Was letting her in just because I wanted a skilled comrade a mistake?
"…Don't do anything I didn't ask you to do, Fuyao. I won't give you any authority even if I do end up Goddess."
"Oh, that's not good. I'll work myself to the bone for you, Lady Karin. Worry not. The Heavenly Paradise will be yours. I will make it so."
"Yes, I have to be the Goddess. I must rise to power and take back the Dark Core. And I need you to do your job right to achieve that. Especially now that Butchersky and Flatt are our ene—"
"What did you just say?"
All expression vanished from Fuyao's face for a second, but her innocent smile returned in an instant. Perhaps Karin was just seeing things.
"Excuse me. Did you say you have to take back the Dark Core? What do you mean by that?"
"I said too much. Forget it."
Fuyao's expression turned serious. Definitely not Karin's imagination this time.
"Is the Dark Core in the Eastern Capital?"
"I don't know. Only my Goddess knows."
"Yes, that's usually the case. But your grandfather was the God two generations ago, wasn't he? I hear he did great…but he was criticized at the time for nepotism. Supposedly, Hell's Windmill took his place due to this lack of professionalism and the leak of top-secret information."
"So what? I barely spoke to the man."
"That's a lie."
Shivers went down Karin's spine.
Click. A switch flipped.
Fuyao stared closely at her.
"According to Kakumei Amatsu, the Celestial Shrine cherry tree tells the winner of the Heavenly Ball about the Dark Core. You believe in this as 'a voice from heaven.' Which is why I couldn't take over as the Goddess just by transforming into her without going through the Ball."
"What are you talking about, Fuyao?"
"Do you know where the Dark Core is?"
Karin was startled. She couldn't believe the creature before her was the same foxgirl as before. That's when it dawned on her. This was no ordinary beast-folk. She was a monster hiding a wicked secret.
"You looked away. You're short of breath. Your heart rate is going up. You know what I want. You do. I guess it was only natural. It's not unthinkable to assume the former God would tell his granddaughter about it. So I guess it was all for naught. I did all that to try to get you to win for nothing. Hilarious."
"You can't be…"
"Advanced-level molding spell: Mud Wall."
Mana was scattered. A rock wall crept up from the ground to surround them both. It all happened so fast, Karin couldn't get away. It was already too late by the time she noticed this wasn't to capture her, but to keep away prying eyes.
"Fuyao! What is the meaning of thi—" Blood came out her mouth.
Fuyao's sword was inside her belly. It didn't seem real.
Karin fell to her knees, and the people outside the walls were none the wiser. The audience probably thought they were holding a strategy meeting.
I can't let her get away with this, Karin thought.
"You… You're a terrorist…? You're one of that group attacking our country…?"
The blade left her body, leaving her in a sea of pain. Her arms and legs wouldn't do as she said.
Fuyao grinned and looked down at her.
"Let's talk, Lady Karin! I'll get right to the chase—I don't want to lose time. Tell me everything and I won't kill you."
And then Karin understood it all. The fox had been using her all along.
***
It was blood for blood.
Karin's troops had mowed down Karla's survivors and weren't showing any signs of slowing down as they charged against us. An atrocious brawl had broken out.
"Look, people of the world! Karin Reigetsu's cowardly troops launched a surprise attack with land mines! The Amatsu unit has been driven into a corner! Only Commander Amatsu herself and her foreign supports remain! They're greatly outnumbered! Could the great Commander Amatsu be defeated?! Hopefully not! Hopefully she prevails! This is Melka Tiano from Six Nations News speaking directly to you!"
"We have to cut the broadcast! Stray bullets are coming our way! We'll die! Let's go hooome!" the catgirl with her cried out.
I get it. I totally get you, sister. I'll go with you. Let's run away.
"I WANNA GO HOME!! I thought this would be an easy win!! Now we're what?! Eight against five hundred?!" I exclaimed.
"They really got us with those mines! Excuse me."
"Gweh!"
Vill grabbed me by the collar and hugged me tight.
Just then, a flaming bullet exploded right where we'd been standing. The smell of burnt grass and blood hit my nose, and I shed tears in an instant. I was so scared. But I'd chosen to fight this battle for once. I couldn't run. But I was so scared. Vill beat away a man who attacked us with her kunai, then said:
"Lady Komari, everyone on our side is far stronger than these common soldiers, but there are just too many."
"I know that! You're telling me to fight, aren't you?! All right, I'm gonna warm up now, so give me some time!"
"Watch out, Ms. Komari!"
I looked up at the sound of Sakuna's voice.
A javelin was right in front of my face. Yup, I'm dead, I thought, but then a bullet came flying from the side at an incredible speed and hit it. The weapon spun around until it stabbed the top of an enemy's head, sending blood splattering everywhere. I'm not dead! I turned around. Prohellya was glaring at me, gun in hand.
"What are you doing, Terakomari?! Get serious already!"
"Th-thanks! But why are you so far away?!"
"I'm a sniper, I work better from a distance! I'll back you up!"
"Hey, Vill, can I be a sniper, too?"
"No."
Yeah, I'm gonna look up how to use guns later. I can't use magic, but surely I could use firearms, right? As I was escaping reality by looking to change my path in life, I saw a cat running berserk as she meowed her lungs out.
It was Leona. She was knocking down enemies left and right with her bare fists.
Okay, now I'm feeling bad. I'm sorry I'm so useless, everyone.
"Commander! We have too many enemies on our hands. We need to do something."
"Y-yeah. Looks like I'm gonna have to get serious for once. So…what now, Vill?! All of us are gonna die at this rate! I don't wanna die!"
"I heard the battle ends if you defeat the enemy commander. We just have to knock out Karin Reigetsu, and it's over."
"But she's holed up all the way over there! Look at that wall! She's got her defenses up! She's copying my style!"
"That she is. Lieutenant Conto, may I ask a question?"
"Yes, what's the matter?!" Caostel exclaimed as he killed enemies with his invisible blade.
"Would it be possible to send someone over there with Karin Reigetsu using Transfer, the Void spell?"
"It's possible so long as it's within sight, but it would take time. And only three people can be Transferred at a time."
"Got it. I'll back you up, so please prepare the incantation."
"Wait, what're you planning?" I asked.
"We've got no choice but to charge in. No need to worry, though. I'm sure Lady Amatsu's great power is enough to easily break that wall. Right, Lady Amatsu?"
"Bwuh?!"
Vill pulled her arm. Karla was bathed in blood. I'd seen her quivering in fear as Koharu protected her just a while ago…which meant she really didn't have the power to destroy the universe after all.
"D-do you need me for something, Ms. Villhaze?!"
"We're charging into Karin Reigetsu's camp. Will you join us? I want you to use your universe-shattering power to demolish everything if Lady Komari finds herself in a bind."
"No, wait! Karla's…"
"We're in!" Koharu yelled while wielding her trusty kunai. "Lady Karla, go with her. Take care of her, Terakomari."
"Hold on! Komari is…"
The misunderstandings had reached despairing levels.
Enemy soldiers hollered as they rushed at us, and Vill and Koharu dodged them with fluid movements. At the same time, Vill grabbed Karla and me by the arms and shouted:
"Lieutenant Conto! Is the Transfer ready?!"
"Yes. So I'll send you three to the Reigetsu camp?"
"Please."
"Hold on!" I yelled.
"Got it. You'll be defenseless while the spell activates. I'll take care of your surroundings."
Caostel killed enemies with his right hand while he activated the spell with his left.
"STOP! NO!" Karla and I screamed in unison, but we were ignored.
Mana clouded my vision as the spell booted…but then an enemy spear pierced Caostel's arm.
"Guh! This is nothing!!"
Blood gushed all over. I screamed and tried to run up to him, but the Transfer light Caostel had shot changed trajectory ever so slightly toward me.
"Lady Komari! Wai—!"
"Huh?"
Vill's voice faded away.
Immediately, an intense floating sensation took hold of my body.
***
Thinking back on it now, she'd always been suspicious.
Everything Fuyao Meteorite said lacked kindness. She never hesitated to use any method to achieve her aims, no matter how inhumane. The ruthlessness of her heart reflected itself in every aspect of her demeanor. How could someone so oblivious to that ever become Goddess?
"I hate how roundabout this whole Heavenly Ball thing is. It would've been way easier to threaten the person who knew about it from the start. Foolish Lunae."
"What…are you talking about?"
Click. A switch flipped.
"Oh, nothing! I'm just talking to myself. Anyways, Lady Karin, it seems you know the Dark Core's true form. Won't you reveal it to me, please?"
"So you're a terrorist. You tricked me!"
Legs quivering, Karin just barely staggered to her feet. A tremendous amount of blood was gushing out of her midsection, but she couldn't let herself lose to the pain. She had to stop Fuyao. She unsheathed her sword and took a stance. Fuyao sneered.
"How foolish. You can barely stand with that wound of yours. You couldn't even touch me to begin with."
"Silence!"
Karin didn't have the energy to imbue her blade with mana. She rushed headlong at Fuyao, but her field of vision turned on its head before her sword could reach her shoulder.
"Bwugh!" she squawked as she slammed into the ground. By the time she noticed her opponent had swept at her feet, it was already too late.
Fuyao's keen blade fell down on Karin's shoulder.
"Gwah!"
Sharp pain rippled throughout her body. She lost the strength to grip her sword. As she writhed, screaming, the foxgirl stomped her abdomen to make her stop. She grinned from above.
"Tell me. Where is the Dark Core?"
"Why would I ever…let you know that?"
"Why? For your country? Aren't you doing this for the Heavenly Paradise? It's too late! You've been used by a terrorist all along. Do you have the right to say that?"
Karin's brain froze. Fuyao's words dug into her heart.
"You made the Heavenly Ball into a mess by trying to use me! Only Karla Amatsu was ever supposed to be the Goddess to begin with!"
The pain wouldn't stop. Her wounds showed no sign of healing. Fuyao's katana had to be a Divine Instrument.
"You've got it all oh so wrong. No matter how hard you trained, you could never hope to be an equal to Karla Amatsu. No common person could ever reach her level. And that's what you are. A commoner."
"No! I…I am…"
"Too bad! You have no talent! That much is obvious from the outside. You're pathetic, getting so envious of someone you could never hope to reach. That's why barely anyone supports you. And everybody who did only took your side because you bribed them or fed them fake news. The people of the Heavenly Paradise want no one but Karla Amatsu on the throne."
"That's…not…"
"No amount of effort could have changed that! And please, think of how I felt through all this. Oh, how vexing it is to serve an incompetent master! I didn't even have time to sleep!!"
"…!"
Karin tuned out Fuyao's cackles.
Tears were streaming down her cheeks.
What had she been doing this whole time? She'd joined hands with Fuyao to concoct all sorts of plans to try and defeat Karla. But would a true warrior have stooped to that? The question had crossed her mind on many occasions, and every time she'd convinced herself that a ruler had to make tough calls like those.
It was all to defeat Karla.
All to show the world that she was worthy of being the Goddess.
Who could have guessed it would end up like this?
In the end, Karin Reigetsu had no talent. She had no charisma, no speaking skills to get the people on her side during the debate, no combat skills to defeat this foxgirl, nothing.
Click. A switch flipped.
Fuyao spoke in that militant tone she sometimes used.
"This is why you're worthless. Your spirit's broken just because you found out I manipulated you. What about all that effort? You must have had some sort of talent, right? But what breaks it is your weak spirit. Your lack of resolve. You talked big about doing this for the Heavenly Paradise, but you really only wanted recognition. That's why you ended up like this. And now it's time."
Karin didn't quite get it, but it felt like getting stabbed in the heart.
Click. Fuyao kept on speaking ill of her, a smile on her face, as she kicked Karin again and again. Karin didn't even feel the pain anymore. Her heart was on the verge of death in the abyss of despair.
Everyone had their own place.
It just so happened the throne wasn't hers. She had it wrong all along.
No… Wait. Then she remembered. Remember what grandfather said. Karla Amatsu might have ties to terrorists. Wasn't that why you wanted to defeat her? For the Heavenly Paradise? You can't give up, no matter what.
"It is over, Karin."
She looked up in shock. That voice filled her with nostalgia. Was she hearing things? No, that wasn't it. He was standing right there. Her late grandfather.
"I cannot bear to see you harmed like this. It is time to give up."
"N-no! I can't do that! I've worked hard to become the Goddess…"
"Do not worry about Karla Amatsu. I will take care of her."
"Huh…?" All strength left her body. What was he saying?
"I worry more about you. The foxgirl is saying she will spare you if you tell her about the Dark Core, isn't she? Make the smart choice. Live. I know you are not ready to die, are you?"
"B-but if I do that…"
"Rest assured. I will take care of everything." He showed her a kind, understanding smile.
Karin was moved. Had her grandfather ever smiled at her like that? Had he ever worried about her that much?
Then she thought no more. If that's what Grandfather said, then there was no problem.
***
I was far away from the battle by the time I came to. At the opposite side of the Amatsu camp—at the Reigetsu base. An empty base, however, since all enemy troops had left already.
The fierce battle over there was still raging. Prohellya's gunshots echoed intermittently. Explosions went off from time to time. Mellaconcey's magic?
They all were strong, but just seven to eight people defeating five hundred seemed impossible.
Which is why we had to turn the tables, but…
"Where's Vill?!"
We'd been warped from the middle of the battle to the distant Karin Reigetsu camp, but only Karla and I were there. Vill was supposed to be with us, but she was nowhere to be found. It didn't seem like she was hiding somewhere, either. Never before had I felt so anxious about that sicko maid not being by my side.
"This is bad," Karla said, grimacing. "There must've been an error in the spell. They did hit Mr. Caostel Conto's arm right before it launched…"
"Y-you're right! I hope Caostel's okay. And still alive…"
"I agree, but we have bigger things to worry about."
It was then that I realized. We both knew about each other. We were both aware that we were the weakest ever, in the middle of the enemy base. If only Vill were here with us.
"Oh my. I can't stop shivering."
"Don't worry. I'm shaking in my boots, too."
"Hee-hee…shaky pals." Karla smiled weakly, pale in the face.
Definitely not the kind of pals I wished we were.
Going back was impossible now. We'd only be a burden. There was nothing we could do but stare at the mysterious wall before us.
It was like a stone hut. Karin and Fuyao must've been holding a strategy meeting inside. It was weird they didn't come out even though we were right there, though.
"…What should we do? Run for it?" Karla said.
"No, everyone's looking."
We had the audience's eyes on us. C'mon, there's a crazy battle full of action over there. Look at that instead.
We had to do something.
Maybe try talking with Karin. Like telling her using land mines was cheating and we should restart the battle all over, or something.
"U-um, want me to go?"
"No… You hide behind me, Karla."
She couldn't even move. Poor girl. But who could blame her? Anyone would be scared stiff in this situation. I had to cheer her up somehow. I mustered all my courage and took a step toward the wall.
"Karin! Can you hear me?! I wanna talk!"
Just then, the wall started collapsing. I gulped at the sight of the magic getting deactivated and waited for Karin to appear.
And a silhouette appeared indeed.
"Huh?" I muttered.
It wasn't Karin. It was the foxgirl. Fuyao Meteorite.
"Hey! If it isn't Lady Terakomari and Lady Karla!"
She was dragging something on the ground. I couldn't believe my eyes. It was an arm. An arm connected to a bloody corpse—Karin Reigetsu's.
"I'm surprised you managed to get away from that army! Still, the Heavenly Ball is as good as finished. Lady Karin Reigetsu has been defeated!"
She let the arm go. Karin remained motionless. What was going on? Then the wall finished vanishing. The audience went silent at the sight.
Karla turned pale and gasped.
"Wh-what's…going on in here?"
"Explaining everything would be such a pain. But hey, I'll do it out of respect for my opponent. To put it bluntly: I'm looking for strength."
"Wh-what does that mean?! Did you do that?!"
"Of course."
Click. A switch flipped.
I was hit with a sharp sense of déjà vu. I'd felt this before. It was back at that party, when I'd first met Fuyao. Also when she'd beaten us up at the Osui Palace.
Before I knew it, the foxgirl was right in front of my face.
I was paralyzed as her huge eyes filled with bloodlust peered into mine.
"The pursuit of strength is like an art. Absolute power can sometimes shake a person to their core, don't you think?"
"What are you…?"
"I'm Fuyao Meteorite, member of Inverse Moon. I will obtain the Dark Core and surpass the Blood Curse. Are you ready to die, Terakomari Gandesblood?"
My jaw hit the ground. Inverse Moon. No one would say that as a joke.
Fuyao took a step toward me.
"I'm asking you a question."
"O-of course I'm…"
Then I remembered the eyes on us. Crap. I didn't understand what Fuyao was getting at, but since we were in public—in an official match no less—I just had to do the same as always and bluff. I shouted.
"Of course I am! Always have been! I am the strongest Crimson Lord! I carry both the Mulnite Empire and Karla's dreams on my shoulders! But if you think you can slay me, then think again!"
Fuyao's katana came down on me sluggishly.
Karla screamed my name. I couldn't move. I was paralyzed by the sheer amount of hostility emanating from my opponent.
The blade gently caressed my body.
I stared at the blood fountain gushing out as if removed from my body.
Huh? What? How did this…?
All energy left me. I was racked with unimaginable agony a couple seconds later.
I fell to the grass and screamed my lungs out as I writhed and convulsed. My mind was muddy. My vision dark. It hurt, it hurt, it hurt. It was only then I realized her blade had slashed my chest open.
I saw my organs fall out of my torso.
"Wh…wh-wha…"
"Komari!!"
***
"Komari!!"
Karla ran up to the fallen vampire.
She had been slashed shoulder to chest and was scrunching her face in pain, shaking. The blood wouldn't stop. And that wasn't the only thing coming out of her. Karla could only stare dumbfounded at her friend, wails of agony destroying her mind.
"…Hmm? Why's she not using Core Implosion? I know this isn't the extent of your power."
Fuyao was looking down at them, katana in hand.
Karla glared at the terrorist, driven by fear and anger.
"You!! What have you done?! Why did you do this?!"
"To kill her, duh. This is a Divine Instrument, by the way. The Null Night Blade. I thought it would be impossible to kill Terakomari without it but…what's the meaning of this?"
"D-Divine Instrument…?"
Karla felt as though she'd been pushed into the trenches of despair.
That meant Terakomari's wound wouldn't heal. Just like her grandmother's. But Komari's injury was on another level.
She looked down at her, pale-faced.
How? How was she supposed to heal from that without the Dark Core's power?
"She showed no sign of dodging. She was defenseless, in fact. As if she had never fought before. Is this really Terakomari Gandesblood? Are you trying to trick me?"
"I-I don't get it… What do you want…?"
"I told you. I'm from Inverse Moon. I only played my part as Karin Reigetsu's ally to make her into the Goddess and get intel on the Dark Core out of her."
"…!!"
Fuyao rolled down her kimono and showed her skin. On her chest was that emblem. The one that marked a member of the terrorist group wreaking havoc all over the world.
Then Karla understood everything.
The foxgirl had been after the Heavenly Paradise's Dark Core all along. She'd gotten in contact with Karin to uncover its location. Perhaps she planned on ruling over the country with her as a puppet? No, that couldn't be it, seeing as she had killed Karin and ruined the Heavenly Ball. She also said she would hold the Dark Core and surpass the Blood Curse. What was that? Was she trying to get something out of Komari? But what?
"I yearn for might. Terakomari Gandesblood's Core Implosion is one of, if not the, most powerful Core Implosion in all the Six Nations. If I defeated it, I would be recognized as the strongest in the world."
"A-and you tried to kill her because of that?!"
"I was only warming up. Defeating the Blood Curse in my usual state would be difficult. Which is why I needed the Dark Core. It gives its holder unlimited power. My boss wants it for some research, but I hate that roundabout way ofdoing things. I'll make better use of it."
Komari looked up at Karla with empty eyes. The latter was nearly losing her mind from sheer despair. Everything was her fault. It was all because she'd invited Komari to the Heavenly Ball.
"Hah. Core Implosion won't activate without conviction. I suppose you still don't have a goal to strive for. Let's fulfill our initial objective, then."
Fuyao looked around.
Yes. I should ask for help. Karla glanced behind her. The battle over on her side was still raging. Why was nobody coming after them with the same Void spell? Had Caostel Conto died? Someone! Please! Help!
"Oh my." Fuyao noticed the journalists looking on from afar.
Sapphire Melka Tiano and that catgirl. They had run away from the battle, now closer to them than there.
Click. A switch flipped again.
"Oh my, oh my! If it isn't the hardest-working journalists who reported on the Six Nations War! Is that the famous electrovideo box?"
"U-uh… Yes! I'm Melka Tiano, from Six Nations News! You are Ms. Fuyao Meteorite, correct? What is, um…?"
"You, catgirl! Point the electrovideo box at me, will you?!"
"Ayeee!" The catgirl fell on her butt.
"Sheesh." Fuyao shrugged and pulled up the camera. "Can you hear me?! People of the Heavenly Paradise!! People of the world!!"
Her devilish statement was transmitted across the entire globe.
***
Her voice echoed throughout every city in the Six Nations.
The sizzling excitement over the Heavenly Ball had cooled over in a second, particularly in the Eastern Capital, where every face paled as they set eyes upon what was happening on screen.
"Hello, everyone! It's me, Fuyao Meteorite! Member of Inverse Moon!"
They all watched that innocent smile, astounded. This included Lonne Cornelius, who was having lunch at a soba place. How couldn't she be, after hearing Fuyao's self-introduction? To top it all off, she had killed Terakomari Gandesblood. Questions naturally popped into her head.
"Amatsu! What's going on?! You didn't tell me about this!"
"Nobody informed me about this, either."
Cornelius gulped. Amatsu seemed agitated himself. He's not behind this?
"Then did Her Highness send her?"
"No, she wouldn't do that. This is Tryphon's doing."
Tryphon. A Luna just like Amatsu and Cornelius.
The main street was cacophonous. Unrest was spreading like wildfire. "Inverse Moon?" "Isn't she that Reigetsu retainer?" "Why is Lady Karin soaked in blood?" "And what about Commander Komarin?" "What's going on?"
Fuyao then dropped another bomb:
"I am going to steal the Heavenly Paradise's Dark Core!!"
Everyone gasped. Fuyao cackled.
"Oh, I hear you. You think I don't know where it is, don't you? Worry not, though! Lady Karin Reigetsu just told me all about it! It's in the Eastern Capital!"
The Peace Spirits blanched. Anyone would have after hearing that and seeing that girl's master, Karin Reigetsu, lying on the ground in a terrible state in a corner of the frame.
"So I'm going for it right now! Oh, and don't ask your Goddess for help! I already killed her at the party days ago! It's been me acting as her this whole time! Sad, right?"
The unrest turned to fear.
"I offer each and every one of you my condolences. No one will get to come back to life after the Dark Core is gone…but hey, that's how it's supposed to be! So don't worry!! As we say, life is meant to be in the shadow of death! So!"
Click. A switch flipped.
"Your time is over, Peace Spirits."
The broadcast cut off. Something must have happened to the electrovideo box. But that didn't matter.
The Eastern Capital was in unprecedented turmoil.
Some shivered in fear. Some insisted it was all a lie. Some rose up to defend the Dark Core. Some ran straight for the Osui Palace. Everyone was going their own way in reaction to the sudden tragedy.
Fuyao Meteorite. Who was this mysterious terrorist who had killed Karin Reigetsu and Terakomari Gandesblood?
"Wait, Amatsu. I've never heard of a Fuyao Meteorite. Is she really with us? She new or something?"
"She's been with us for a while, but…this is unexpected."
"What the…? What should we do now, then?"
Deeply troubled, Cornelius turned to look at Amatsu, but he was already gone. Only his half-eaten soba remained.
Guess he's doing something about it.
That gave her a bit of relief. He could take care of things. He should be fine… Yet Cornelius couldn't help but feel uneasy.
This was just her gut feeling, but that foxgirl had the same strange vibes as the Wicked God Slayer. She'd only seen her for a few seconds, though, so maybe it was just her imagination.
***
Fuyao Meteorite teleported out of the battlefield, but the danger was far from gone.
Komari was down. The blood wouldn't stop. It didn't seem like Karla could ever hope to heal her, since she felt no sign of the Dark Core's effect on the Divine Instrument–inflicted wound.
"Komari… Komari…" Karla could do nothing but call her name.
Her body was turning colder by the second. Death was right around the corner. Why must time flow so fast and unforgiving? If only I could stop it…
Then she felt the audience's eyes.
"Lady Karla!" "Lady Karla!" they called to her. "Lady Karla! Please save the Heavenly Paradise!" "Only you can do it!" "Defeat that terrorist!" Desperate pleas that spread wider and wider until they echoed throughout the whole battlefield. "Lady Karla!" "Lady Karla!" "Lady Karla!" "Lady Karla!"
"Stop… Stop it…"
They felt like curses to her. So heavy and oppressive. She plugged her ears.
I have no power. I should have never become a commander. If I was going to go through this, I was better off running away like my brother…
"Komari…what should I…?"
My whole life has been full of tragedy. Forced to be commander, getting close to dying so many times, having my dreams shattered, made to participate in the Heavenly Ball… After meeting Komari, I finally found the courage to do what I wanted. I was even able to make peace with my grandmother, and I made a friend who could finally understand me… And now she's dying. It's not fair…
"…Karla." Komari's lips moved, her voice hoarse, weak. "Karla. Don't force yourself."
"Same for you… You don't have to speak…"
"I'll do something about it. You don't have to do anything you don't want to."
"…!!" She felt defeated.
The tears wouldn't stop.
Komari was worrying about her even in her final moments. She'd do something about it. What can you do? Look at you. You're barely alive… The thing was, Komari didn't care about herself. She just wanted to support Karla and her dreams to her last breath. Had anyone ever been that earnest with her before?
That gave her a little bit of courage.
What's even my basis for saying I'm weak?
I want to meet Komari's feelings in kind. Fuyao can't get away with this. Not after doing this to her. Not after saying she would destroy the Heavenly Paradise. Not after what she did to my grandmother.
The Amatsus are a clan of warriors.
I've got to fight. It doesn't matter if I don't have the talent.
I can't keep on lying to myself.
And the bell chimed.
The bell she always wore around her right wrist, the Rewind Bell her cousin had gifted her, was now on the ground. The string tied to her wrist had snapped.
She thought back to what her dear brother had told her.
"You have true power. This bell will fall off once you grasp what your mission is. It also comes off if you just pull it normally, though."
But Karla hadn't pulled it off. Which signified she understood what her mission was now.
She still didn't get what he'd meant. But she grasped what it entailed. This world wasn't right. This rotten world where people dear to her heart were mercilessly put down, one after the other, could no longer exist. She needed to purify it. That was her mission.
"My bell…"
I have to pick it up. I have to. Pick it up. Without it, I…
In that moment, something changed within her.
Karla's eyes hurt. They were burning. She had felt something like this before. That bizarre ache that assaulted her whenever she lost her bell. Her consciousness started fading away. It was unbearable.
But she couldn't fall now, not when Komari was in even greater pain. She held on.
A scorching sensation boiled within her chest. The feeling of power slumbering inside her heart. A power that had been sealed deep within her spirit since birth. Raging like a storm and vast like the ocean. A power she couldn't control.
And then she understood. That bell had contained her Core Implosion. Her brother Kakumei had been well aware of everything when he gave her that Divine Instrument.
Core Implosion—the manifestation of your spirit. A power one cannot control without enough passion for something, or so her grandmother had told her.
With this… With this I can…
"Lady Komari!!"
Someone was running toward them.
Her allies, no longer fighting afar. Karin's troops had been annihilated. Koharu, Villhaze, and Sakuna Memoir were badly injured. Prohellya and Leona didn't seem particularly wounded. The Komari Unit men weren't with them. Had they succumbed in the battle?
"Komari! Hang in there!"
Sakuna activated her healing magic in a panic, but it was to no avail. Komari remained motionless, and her wounds remained open.
"Wh-why…?"
"…They hit her with a Divine Instrument."
Everyone opened their eyes wide.
"No…" Villhaze muttered in despair. "Lady Komari… Lady Komari…" she whispered next to her ear, tears running down her cheeks.
Komari showed no reaction. The wound would be fatal. She was unconscious.
Villhaze's face turned pale.
"I… I should've run after her. Then this wouldn't have happened… I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I'm a failure of a maid… I thought you would be fine, so I didn't…"
"Don't worry, Villhaze." Karla placed a hand on her shoulder.
Komari was in critical condition. It was only a matter of time until her life faded away. But Karla possessed a special power. One that could change the world.
Her eyes were burning. She imagined they were shining bright red.
Everyone looked on as she held her right hand out to Komari, then activated her ability.
"Core Implosion: Waving Moment."
Translucent mana softly enveloped her body.
She heard the people around her gasp. Komari's wounds, thought to be unhealable a second before, started to close. As though time were being wound back.
That was the power of Waving Moment.
A skill meant for altruism—to share one's time with her target.
An earth-shattering miracle born from Karla's longing to do anything for her grandmother, her country, her friend.
And then…Komari opened her eyes.
"Lady Komari!!"
Villhaze and Sakuna Memoir were overcome with emotion and jumped into Komari's arms. The latter didn't seem to understand what was happening. How could she? She had just come back from the brink of death.
"H-huh? Am I…alive?"
"Yes. You're fine now."
Karla grabbed her arm and helped her get up.
Her wound was gone, as if it had never been there. Even her uniform was patched back up. Her memories hadn't been rewound, however. She still remembered how Fuyao had nearly killed her.
"Thank goodness, Lady Komari! Thank goodness you're okay! I'm never going to let you go ever again." Villhaze wept into Komari's chest.
Karla closed and opened her hand repeatedly, still trying to wrap her head around her own power.
Perhaps she could use it against that terrorist.
"Hey, how about you help that other girl over there?" Prohellya asked in a grumpy tone.
Karla followed the direction of her gaze to find her opponent, lying broken on the ground. Karin Reigetsu.
She slowly walked up to her. Karin was still alive. Conscious, even.
"Karla… I…"
She couldn't bear to look at her.
Karin spoke through tears. "I…I couldn't do anything. I was so envious of you…that I didn't even care to look at Fuyao…and now this all happened…"
"Don't move. I will heal you."
Karla activated Waving Moment, and Karin's wound gradually vanished.
"Thank you… I'm sorry…," she cried, repeating that last line again and again.
Once fully healed, she stared Karla straight in the eye.
"…You are strong. Maybe not combat strong, but your spirit sure is. Unlike mine."
"You're strong, too. Much more than I am."
"Heh." Karin chuckled at herself. "…I finally get it. You and Lady Gandesblood have strong spirits. Fuyao, too, though her ambitions point in a wicked direction. No matter how much talent one may have, how much effort one might put in, you can't change the world without the will to accomplish something. I wonder…why my mind and spirit couldn't have been as strong as yours."
"You did your best, Karin. You worked hard for the sake of the Heavenly Paradise."
"I did it for myself. I was desperate to protect my own standing."
"I don't get what's so different between you and me."
"I do. I'm unworthy of being Goddess. It's your rightful place."
"Karin…"
"I cannot stop Fuyao. So please—save the Heavenly Paradise."
Something streamed down her eyes.
To think Karin could make such a genuine expression.
Then the audience burst into cheers. Everyone shouted in support of Karla. They asked her to defeat the terrorist, to protect the Dark Core, to save the Heavenly Paradise. They all wished for a hero. It was as though the battlefield had turned into her stage.
Karla didn't want to be an Imperial Saber. She didn't want to be the Goddess. Everything she had said up to now had been her honest thoughts. But deep down, she knew…there was no one else but she who could do it. It was her destiny to rule and lead the nation.
And it was because of this mysterious power. Her grandmother had seen through her. It was why she'd so insisted that Karla become the Goddess.
She'd never had the confidence for it, until now. Aware of her dream, and with the support of so many people, she finally had the courage to stand up now. She hated the thought of getting hurt, of fighting. But she wanted to try. At least for today. For the good of everyone.
"Komari…" Karla called her name, determined.
Komari glanced at her from beneath Vill and Sakuna Memoir. She smiled, then walked up to her.
"You're amazing, Karla. I heard you healed me, too."
"It's all thanks to you. I was able to realize because of you."
"Realize?? Anyways, I'm shocked you have that power. Looks like you did have more talent than I do, huh… Sorry, I suppose you don't want me comparing myself to you."
"Don't say that. You do have a talent. In fact, your strong spirit is your talent."
"Huh…?"
Komari wasn't aware of her true power. She was the strongest, yet thought she was the weakest. And yet still she acted like she was the strongest… Funny how that worked. That was part of Terakomari Gandesblood's charm, but Karla thought it was time for her to know the truth.
"Komari, will you fight by my side?"
"Of course. But I don't have the power…"
"Drink my blood. You did the same with Nelia, remember?"
Karla held up her arm to her. Question marks popped up above Prohellya's and Leona's heads as they watched from afar. Villhaze seemed to understand, however.
"Wait. We must be careful about having Lady Komari activate her Core Implosion. And if we're doing it anyways, then she'll be sucking my blood, so shoo, Lady Amatsu."
"Stop! Rather than having her take a pure vampire's blood, she should drink mine. My Sapphire blood makes the Blood Curse look more majestic, so please, Ms. Komari," Sakuna said.
"What are you all talking about?"
"About your powers. Haven't you found it strange this whole time? Why people hold you in such high regard? Why everyone calls Terakomari Gandesblood the slaughter champion? Where there's smoke, there's fire. You have an amazingly powerful spirit. Honestly, you really are just like me."
Karla slowly approached her.
Villhaze and Sakuna Memoir started screaming, but Prohellya and Leona were considerate enough to know to hold them back. Melka the journalist finally came to her senses and started yelling, "Stop pissing your pants already, Thio!! Turn on that camera!" Komari was still confused.
"I'm not strong enough by myself. I want you to help me out."
"What's me drinking your blood gonna change? I mean…I did feel strange when I drank Nelia's, but…"
"Trust me. Your heart is clearer than anyone else in the world's. And that purity of spirit has the power to pierce the earth and move stars."
"I really don't get what you're getting at…"
"Okay, how about this? I'll get your novel published if you drink my blood."
"?!" Komari's eyes lit up. She nodded aggressively right away.
The audience gulped as they watched the situation develop. Everyone watching the international electrovideo box broadcast was champing at the bit for Terakomari Gandesblood to show her full power.
"…Okay, I'll do it." Komari looked her straight in the eye.
They stared at each other for a while.
What beautiful eyes, Karla thought.
Komari then closed her eyes, realizing something.
"I'm not doing it for the novel. I'm doing it because I trust you." She smiled.
"Thank you."
"I mean, it's just drinking your blood. I don't like the taste, to be honest, but oh well. Should I do it now?"
"Yes, please… Bwuh?"
Komari approached her…and hugged her out of the blue.
Why? She felt her warmth. She heard the beating of her heart. "Bwu-wu-wu-wuh, Komari, what?!" Karla was taken aback, red in the face. Villhaze and Sakuna Memoir were screeching. Yet Komari paid none of them any mind as she slowly opened her mouth and stood on the tips of her toes.
She bit into Karla's neck.
Her brain froze. She felt a prickling pain, then Komari's tongue sliding across her skin to lap up her blood. It tickled. Did vampires always do this? Honestly, it was quite…
"U-um… Komari…," she exclaimed, unable to hold it any longer.
The change came out of nowhere.
Bundles of mana covered her entire field of vision… Then time accelerated.
***
The Eastern Capital was in disarray.
A terrorist had appeared out of nowhere and was trying to turn the country on its head.
No one knew where the Dark Core was, save for the terrorist Fuyao Meteorite, who had made Karin Reigetsu spill the beans.
The people of the Heavenly Paradise searched desperately for the Dark Core. Yet it was useless trying to protect an object they didn't know about.
Meanwhile, the person who should have known about the Dark Core, the Goddess, had vanished from the Osui Palace.
To top it all off, former Goddess Kaya Amatsu was unconscious thanks to the very same terrorist. Her predecessor had passed away in July. Government officials asked other Amatsu and Reigetsu people about it, but none of them knew.
No one had a clue what the Dark Core was.
"There's not much we can do but deploy our troops to cover as much space as possible and wait for the terrorist to act."
The remaining Imperial Sabers took that decision to protect the city, but they weren't aware of what sort of power the enemy held. Their efforts were virtually useless. The enemy knew their every weakness, yet they didn't know any of hers.
The people despaired at the thought of the Peace Spirits dying out.
But then, the screens turned back on. Six Nations News's camera was back online. And there, the people saw Terakomari Gandesblood sucking Karla Amatsu's blood.
Why?
Is now really the time for this? some people thought, indignant.
The change that followed was dramatic.
"Look, everyone! It's just like what happened during the Six Nations War! Commander Terakomari Gandesblood has finally decided to fight back!"
The journalist's voice echoed throughout the Eastern Capital.
Just then, a green mana explosion rocked the Dark Core Zone.
A powerful wind blew through the battlefield.
An out-of-season flurry of cherry blossoms danced in the air. The plant life grew at vertiginous speeds, flowers blooming all around. The weapons lying on the ground rusted over, then crumbled away.
No one could believe their eyes.
A girl stood in the middle of the jade-green mana storm. Terakomari Gandesblood.
Her expression was empty as ever, but her eyes were shining a bright scarlet.
"Komari? What is…?"
Karla stood before her friend, mouth agape.
The air was radiating from her sheer bloodlust.
Komari had gained no visible Peace Spirit qualities, but people said the residents of the Heavenly Paradise had an acute sense of time. They were a people who saw grace in going along with the whims of natures, rather than trying to control them. Perhaps this was how those characteristics manifested in her.
The vampire shook her hand ever so slightly, and a tremendous blast of mana raged. Time accelerated. The grassland morphed into a field of flowers as the people got down on their knees and shouted.
It didn't seem real.
They all stared in admiration at the beautiful garden that surrounded them.
"W-wow…! This is amazing, Commander Gandesblood!"
The journalist jumped up in joy as she always did.
The ultimate Core Implosion that was said to appear once in a millennium—the Blood Curse. When its wielder embedded Peace Spirit blood, it manifested the miraculous power to accelerate the time of all creation.
Petals whirled around Komari as she slowly approached Karla, softly grabbing the flustered Peace Spirit's hand. The Cherry Jade Vampire Princess beamed as sweet as a blooming flower.
"Karla…let's take back your dream."
***
The pursuit of strength was like an art.
Yulinne Gandesblood's overwhelming strength had taken everything from Fuyao Meteorite. She had burned her homeland to the ground.
This wasn't unusual. The strong overrunning the weak was a universal truth.
Which meant Fuyao had to pursue strength.
She needed to be respected. Feared. Cursed to be isolated. It was the only way she could earn peace of mind.
"Here it is."
Fuyao headed straight for the Amatsu residence after sneaking back into the Eastern Capital.
She had heard that the Goddess or God traditionally guarded the Dark Core in their own home, which meant it had to be either in the Amatsu or Reigetsu residences. And it was an Amatsu who was the current Goddess. The Dark Core had to be somewhere in there.
Fuyao audaciously opened the sliding door and entered the building. She knew the place, having attacked Karla Amatsu's grandmother before. The people were making a fuss outside, getting ready for the terrorist attacks, the poor ignoramuses. She walked down the hallway with a sneer on her face.
She ran into someone as she rounded a corner. A woman in a traditional apron. Likely an Amatsu retainer.
The woman apologized and bowed her head reflexively before she instantly recognized Fuyao's face and promptly fell to the floor screaming.
"Ayeee! The terrorist!"
"That's me. Fuyao Meteorite."
The woman couldn't move anything but her lips as she gasped in fear. Fuyao softly unsheathed her katana, intent on getting rid of any witnesses.
"Curse your bad luck. Ready to meet your maker?"
"P-please let me go. I-I-I don't want to die."
"…"
The woman's plea came from the heart. Honest words. She showed no sign of striking back at her assailant—she really just wanted to live.
"You don't want to die?"
"I'm sorry. I'm sorry…" She became an apologizing machine.
That's that, I guess.
Fuyao sheathed her sword in silence. The floor squeaked as she walked past the woman. She felt her confused stare on her back.
Show some joy. I let you live.
Too many people did not understand the weight of a life.
Killing someone who was not ready to die would be an affront to her own life. It would have brought Fuyao to the same level as those savages who'd attacked her homeland. That was why she always posed the same question to her victims. That was why she hadn't killed Yohann Helders, or finished off Karla Amatsu's grandmother. It was a matter of self-respect.
"It's here."
Fuyao passed by many rooms until she reached the one she was searching for. She surveyed its interior. According to her boss, Dark Cores displayed no mana reaction whatsoever despite being a mana source themselves. They were camouflaged to prevent people like Inverse Moon from finding it. She couldn't overlook anything, not even the most useless-seeming object.
And then she found it. It lay in a corner of this reception room.
One of Hoshigakiemon's legendary pieces—a vase valued at ten billion yen. But even that price was preposterously low for its true value. It looked like there was a crack on it, but that must have been some sort of decoration.
"Nourish me, Heavenly Paradise Dark Core."
With this in her possession, becoming the strongest in the world would be child's play. Fuyao reached out to the vase with slight anticipation in her chest, when…
"What are you doing?"
"Huh?!" She immediately turned around as she sensed a sinister presence.
A man in Eastern clothing was standing by the door. She knew him. Her boss had told her to watch out for him. He was a Luna, one of Inverse Moon's top brass.
"Did your parents never teach you that breaking and entering is illegal?"
Click. A switch flipped.
"Oh me, oh my! If it isn't Lord Kakumei Amatsu! The Dark Core is right here. You know it's our job as Inverse Moon to get our hands on these!"
"Yes. Inverse Moon has to obtain the Dark Cores. So…is it that vase that you found?"
"Indeed. We should report this to the Wicked God Slayer, eh?"
Fuyao forged mana quietly. The man had clearly been lying in wait. He must've been at the ready since that Six Nations News broadcast. But that was fine. The bigger the obstacle, the greater the excitement when you overcame it. That was why she'd told everyone she was going to the Eastern Capital.
"Heh. Rest at ease," he said.
"Excuse me? I'm just being friendly."
"Of course. We are coworkers, after all. We should be friendly to each other…but everyone always has different opinions. And sometimes, these opinions can never mix."
Kakumei Amatsu observed her closely, but something was off. He showed no sign of attacking. Could it be he had already activated some sort of spell? Fuyao put a hand on the hilt of her katana, and then Kakumei Amatsu looked up, asthough just noticing something. He was staring at the ceiling.
"It seems I have nothing to do here."
"…You weren't here to stop me?"
"No, no. I just came to get a front-row seat."
"For what…?"
"I was also curious about Tryphon's pet. I suppose I was ready to stop you if the need arose, but it seems that's not happening. You're no match for those two Core Implosions."
He turned around.
"Wait, please!" Fuyao shouted, irritated. "What do you mean? Why are you even here?"
"To see where this timeline leads."
"What's that supposed to mean?! Are you right in the head?!"
"Perhaps not." He chuckled.
Just before he attempted to leave, he remembered something and stopped.
"By the way, I see Karin showed some mettle in her final moments."
"…What are you trying to say?"
"That you should be more diligent when you torture people. Karin tricked you… There's no way that tacky vase is the Heavenly Paradise's Dark Core."
"?!"
A shock rocked Fuyao's brain. Then intense mana.
Scarlet petals softly descended. The beauty of the spectacle robbed her of her concentration for a moment. She unconsciously reached out for that charming color and, the next instant, an ear-piercing rumble sounded as the ceiling collapsed on her.
Fuyao opened her eyes wide in shock and tried to dodge. She was too late. The gravity pulled the entire building down on her, as though struck by a comet. But it wasn't that—it was a giant tree.
***
Two girls floated above the Amatsu residence.
One was enveloped in jade-green mana—Vampire Princess Terakomari Gandesblood. The other was clinging to her with eyes wide open—Kimono Commander Karla Amatsu.
"M-my HOUSE?!?!"
"Don't worry. You can build another."
"I can what?!" Karla replied to her as she surveyed the scene below.
Komari had thrown a giant tree onto the Amatsu residence. Roof and columns, destroyed in an instant. She'd claimed the enemy was in there, but did she really have to go this far?
Jade mana and a flurry of cherry blossoms whirled through the air, like a scene from another world.
The people of the Eastern Capital chanted in excitement, "Komarin!" "Komarin!"
"Look at this! Commander Gandesblood smashed that terrorist with a tree! How powerful! How creative! Will she save the Heavenly Paradise?! Don't take your eyes off the battle to come!!"
Melka continued her enthusiastic coverage of the event from the ground. The people cried out in excitement. It was an extension of the festival. One that outstripped their enthusiasm for the Heavenly Ball, actually.
Komari is right, though… Karla thought. I could just rebuild it later. What matters right now is defeating this terrorist and protecting the Heavenly Paradise.
She looked down at the mountain of rubble that was once her house. No normal human could survive such a hit.
But then, out from under a fallen tree, a foxgirl appeared. And she flew up like a shooting star.
***
It was Fuyao's philosophy that two powers existed in this world.
On was pure physical strength. This you could obtain through talent or effort. It was this pretense of power that the majority of people in the world strived for.
The other was force of spirit. The power that was born through the impregnable will to achieve something. It manifested through Core Implosion. People with that power had minds of steel—they never gave up, no matter the adversity they faced.
The latter was more important than the former.
The strength of your spirit was reflected in the strength of your Core Implosion, and your Core Implosion could only be as strong as your spirit.
The Blood Curse was touted as the most powerful Core Implosion in the world. It reflected kindness, the mental fortitude required to care about others even when you were on the brink of death.
Komari was the mightiest vampire of all. A match for the Wicked God Slayer.
Which meant that Fuyao would become the strongest in the world once she defeated Terakomari Gandesblood.
"Die, Terakomari."
The people screamed. Fear spread throughout the land at the sight of Fuyao standing up from the rubble. But she had no time to spare on that weak bunch.
She activated levitation magic to fly at Terakomari with incredible speed.
The scenery had taken on an otherworldly quality.
Inverse Moon's Implosion Exegesis had no details on the Blood Curse. The only thing they knew was that its powers changed depending on the race of the blood Terakomari ingested.
A vampire's gave her explosive mana.
A Sapphire's gave her a body hard as ice.
A Warblade's gave her the power to manipulate swords.
She had sucked Karla Amatsu's blood this time. But what did the petals dancing in the air mean? There was only one way to find out.
"En garde!"
Fuyao put the entirety of her stamina and mana into her katana. Terakomari was floating right in front of her, an unconcerned expression on her face. Fuyao swept her blade horizontally, pushing away the cherry blossoms adorning the sky.
"?!"
But then, her sword stopped.
A vine of some sort had stretched out from behind Terakomari and bound Fuyao's katana. Had she gained the power to manipulate plants? While Fuyao was lost in thought analyzing the situation, Terakomari buried her fist deep into her chest. Fuyao plummeted down faster than gravity.
"Gw-AAAGH?!"
What was happening? The area where she'd been hit burned with colossal pain. The impact was beyond her imagination. Or was it? No, she already expected the Blood Curse to be on this level.
She crashed into a mask stall.
The bystanders shrieked as they ran away, save for the few who'd died on impact.
But none of that mattered. Fuyao glared at the crimson petals falling down as she cautiously rose to her feet. She hadn't been planning on getting into this fight before obtaining the Dark Core, but that was no reason for her to lose.
Terakomari floated serenely in the air.
Fuyao curved up her lips. This was her first real battle in a long time.
She was too strong. No one measured up to Fuyao Meteorite. When was the last time she'd felt pain of this kind?
"HA! Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha! Well done, Terakomari!"
"I'm gonna kill you."
The vampire radiated dreadful bloodlust.
Fuyao immediately tried to close the distance but tripped. A stalk had shot up from between the cobblestones to wrap around her leg.
Chills.
Fuyao swung her blade and cut the plant, but it kept growing back faster than she could manage. She tried blasting it with fire magic, which did the trick. However, she only managed to take a few steps before she saw a barrage of sharp branches coming her way.
"What in the world?!"
She wielded her katana as fast as she could to cut down every last one of them, thinking all the while. Terakomari's Core Implosion reflected the characteristics of the species whose blood she imbibed. She'd manifested the Peace Spirits' blood this time…but they didn't have qualities like this, did they? Peace Spirits… Peace… Nature… Time…
"Guh?!"
A branch grazed her side, drawing blood.
It hurt. But this pain only fueled her bloodlust.
Terakomari and Karla Amatsu were standing up ahead, completely calm.
The vampire threw a rock. It flew at the speed of sound and pierced Fuyao's shoulder.
Intense pain. She was blown backward before she could process what had happened.
There was a giant tree in that direction, too tall to see to the top. The ginkgo tree withered in the blink of an eye and started creaking as it collapsed under its own weight.
That was when Fuyao realized. It was time. Terakomari was accelerating time.
Her astonishing power could manipulate time locally. That was also why that girl's small fist had sent her flying—she'd accelerated the punch. The same went for the rock she'd thrown at her.
How was Fuyao even supposed to deal with that?
Terakomari gave her no time to think. The giant ginkgo tree collapsed on Fuyao with acceleration surpassing that of gravity. She couldn't fully evade it. It was too big. The enormous tree destroyed multiple buildings as it fell on the main street.
"Guh… AAAGHHH!! You…!!"
It crushed her tail. Violent pain struck her behind. She couldn't move. She had no avenue of escape. The bystanders screamed in disarray and fled…but her tail was trapped beneath the tree. Escape? What am I thinking? I'm supposed to surpass the Blood Curse. I can't let something as tiny as this break my…
"Fuyao… Apologize to Karla." Death spoke.
Terakomari was standing in the middle of a flurry of crimson petals. Jade mana and an aura of thick bloodlust enveloped the surroundings. Her presence alone was enough to dash Fuyao's spirit.
The entirety of the Eastern Capital had turned into a green field in the blink of an eye. Grass and flowers sprouted up in abundance. Trees were growing from between the rubble of the destroyed buildings. A white butterfly flew past Fuyao's nose.
"What you did was wrong."
"Me? Wrong?"
Thorny vegetation grew all around Fuyao, their tips trained on her. She was cornered…and yet she did not back down.
"Don't make me laugh. What did I do?"
"You mocked Karla's dream."
What was she talking about?
There was no way everyone in the world could achieve their dreams.
Behind every fortune was misfortune. Even a kid could understand that someone achieving their dreams meant someone else had to abandon them.
Fuyao grit her teeth and yelled.
"Do you resent me for framing you?! For burning the Fuuzen?! For trying to kill the former Goddess?! So what?!!" She gripped her katana, keeping her mind cool but her words fiery. "I don't care about your dream or anyone else's! I only care about accomplishing my goals! And I will! I'll be stronger than anyone else! I'll show you! I'll change this rotten world! I will…I will exact my revenge on Yulinne Gandesblood for destroying my homeland!"
Then Terakomari stopped.
Fuyao seized the opportunity.
She grabbed her katana in a reverse grip and stabbed her own tail. Blood gushed out as fierce agony racked her brain. She clenched her teeth to get over the amputation and pursued her target.
Terakomari was completely taken aback. The concept of speed bore no meaning to her, but she could not accelerate her own mind. She was wide open.
Fuyao activated an elementary-level light spell: Magic Bullet.
It was just to keep her in check, but Terakomari dodged too late. The mana bullet grazed her cheek, drawing blood.
Fuyao sneered internally. She could smell her foe's distress.
She followed up with an advanced-level acceleration spell: Lightning Bolt. She turned all her mana into speed, betting her whole life on her next strike. She sprinted through the field of green, the wind buffeting her body. Terakomari's dopey mug was right in front of her.
This slash will be your last. She raised her katana and…
The entire scene turned on its head.
"…Huh…?"
All of a sudden, Fuyao was trapped under the ginkgo tree.
Her mind drew a blank. What just happened? Her tail was back in place. As though time had gone back a few seconds.
"I turned back time."
Fuyao looked up in shock at the source of that voice.
Karla Amatsu was standing there, both her eyes shining scarlet. Core Implosion.
Right. She also had the spirit of a hero.
Fuyao immediately swung her katana at Karla Amatsu, but a tree branch came flying from the side and smashed into it. She lost her grip.
"You…!"
She desperately reached out for the blade, only to be assailed by violent pain.
Terakomari had stomped on her hand.
She looked down at Fuyao, pity in her scarlet eyes.
Fuyao felt something break within her.
"Why…why are you so powerful? I've put in so much effort…trained so hard to become the strongest in the world… And you—you trample my dreams like it's nothing? You crush them like an ant?"
"Right back at you."
"…"
Crimson petals fluttered in the air. Fuyao watched the scene for a moment, captivated.
Then Karla crouched down to match her gaze. She, too, gazed at her with pity. It was maddening.
"I'm sure you have your reasons, but I cannot forgive what you've done to the Heavenly Paradise."
"…"
"I hope you're ready for your punishment."
"I'll take care of that," Terakomari said, gently shoving Karla away.
Her dreadful bloodlust snapped Fuyao's mind back to reality. She couldn't die here. She had to survive, no matter what. She still had a way to go on the path to becoming the strongest. And in fact, she had something up her sleeve.
Fuyao activated Core Implosion.
It was never an ability meant for combat, but it worked wonderfully under the right circumstances.
A puff of smoke appeared, and suddenly, she transformed into a blue-haired maid. That vampire Terakomari held dear—Villhaze.
Fuyao tried to capture Villhaze's mannerisms in hopes that Terakomari would hesitate to raise a hand against her, speaking in the most ingratiating voice she could muster.
"Lady Komari, please reconsider. You can't kill me…"
"You're not Vill."
Obviously.
Her plan was foiled.
The jade mana spread all over and time accelerated.
Giant cherry trees covered the Eastern Capital in the blink of an eye. Their buds bloomed, then withered away.
The little bundles of death rained down softly from the heavens.
Fuyao was paralyzed. She could only watch as the cherry blossom storm bore down on her.
★
Six Nations News, October 22nd Morning Edition
Chaos at the Eastern Capital! Karla Amatsu Wins the Heavenly Ball
Eastern Capital—By Melka Tiano and Thio Flatt
The election to decide the next Goddess of the Heavenly Paradise, the Heavenly Ball, drew to a de facto close on the 21st. Imperial Saber Karin Reigetsu announced her withdrawal, ceding victory to Imperial Saber Karla Amatsu.
…
The Heavenly Ball came to a shocking conclusion as Commander Reigetsu's right hand, Fuyao Meteorite, revealed herself as a member of terrorist organization Inverse Moon. After extracting information on the Dark Core from Commander Reigetsu, the terrorist launched an attack on the Eastern Capital. But Commander Amatsu and Crimson Lord Terakomari Gandesblood took decisive action to defeat Fuyao Meteorite, turning part of the Eastern Capital into a sea of trees in the process.
…
As an added note, the nasty rumors about Commander Amatsu are nothing more than a bunch of lies. Their only source, the Eastern Capital Times, is a group of shameless phonies who published false information on behalf of a terrorist. Dear readers, please don't let yourselves be fooled by scoundrels dirtying journalism's good name.