EIS V5 CF -- I Wouldn't Mind Destroying The World If It Meant I Could Obtain It!

Translated from the CN here: https://www.wenku8.net/novel/2/2542/139400.htm 
Checked against the JP here: https://files.catbox.moe/s1owqo.epub 

JP > CN > EN by Making Claire Scream As You Shove Your Big Right Arm Into Her

V5 C0: https://files.catbox.moe/vj6luo.txt 
V5 C1: https://files.catbox.moe/0didm4.txt 
V5 C2: https://files.catbox.moe/g0y0yc.txt
V5 C3: https://files.catbox.moe/x3yzfz.txt
V5 C4: https://files.catbox.moe/ck2ym6.txt 
V5 C5: https://files.catbox.moe/dd7z3x.txt 

"Ngh..."

Christina woke from a deep sleep.

Her body felt heavy and her mind was foggy. Her last memory was of collapsing in the dungeon.

"This is..."

Her limbs were secured to the wall.

Though she tried to free herself, she could not exert her strength. It would seem her mana had been sealed.

"Oh my, you seem to have woken up. Well done."

She turned to the source of the voice and found that the speaker was Isaac. 

"Why... I've been bound."

Christina said.

"I tied you up."

"Did you?"

"You don't seem very surprised."

"That's because I've always felt that you were a shallow person. People like that usually have something to hide."

"I'll take that into consideration for next time."

"What about the others?"

"Princess Alexia and Claire-san are with my master." 

"My master?"

"Yes, they're with my master."

He repeated his lines from before. It looked like he did not intend to reveal more.

"As for Suzuki-kun, he's sleeping over there."

Isaac pointed to a wall slightly further away.

Suzuki was there too, bound like Christina.

"Suzuki..."

Christina breathed a sigh of relief.

"Unfortunately, he probably won't be waking up again."

"What, what do you mean by that?"

"The gas that put you to sleep could be considered a strong poison to those with poor mana reserves. I wouldn't be surprised if he never woke up."

"Suzuki..."

"This really isn't like you, Christina-san. He's simply a lesser noble of a branch family. There's no need to feel sad."

"That... While that's true..."

Christina realized how shaken she was after Isaac pointed it out.

Just like he said, Suzuki was merely a lesser noble of a branch family. For a duke's daughter like Christina, he was an eminently replaceable article.

"I simply thought he could be helpful to the Hope family... that's all."

"Really now. Well, it doesn't matter whether he lives or dies."

"It doesn't matter..."

Christina glared at Isaac.

"Oh yes, it doesn't matter. I'm just finishing up my work..."

"What are you up to?"

"There is great potential in your body, Christina-san. Our organization will make good use of it."

"What organization? Is it Shadow Garden like everyone is talking about?"

"Shadow Garden? Please don't compare that group with hardly any history behind it to us. We have ruled the world from time immemorial... Never mind, it would be wasted on you. Besides, you'll end up as a mindless puppet soon enough."

As he said this, Isaac took out a syringe containing a red liquid.

"I should hurry up and finish working. The revival of the Right Arm is a memorable occasion and I'll miss it if I'm too slow. You could probably become one of the Second Children. But unfortunately, Suzuki-kun probably wouldn't even qualify as a Third Child."

Isaac placed the tip of the syringe against Christina's arm.

"Stop! Wait, where's Nina-sempai?!"

"...That woman is gone."

Isaac frowned.

"Gone?"

"I should have knocked everyone out, but she disappeared at some point. Well, it's not as though she can escape the Sanctuary alive anyway. Honestly, I'll have to write a report on this..."

Isaac applied pressure onto the plunger as he said this.

"Noooo--!"

"Time to say goodbye--"

Just then, something moved at the edge of her vision.

"Wow, you're so noisy... It's been a while since I've been able to have a good rest."

The voice came from Suzuki, who ought to have been unconscious.

"Su-Suzuki..."

"What -- you're awake?"

"That should be obvious at a glance, right? Why do you look so surprised?"

He yawned lazily after saying so.

"It, it doesn't matter anyway. Nothing is going to change even if you wake up. I'll just deal with you first."

Isaac headed over to where Suzuki was bound, syringe in hand.

"Deal with me, you say."

"Humph, I'll turn you into a mute puppet."

The syringe's needle descended toward Suzuki's neck.

"So you want to deal with me--"

As he coped Isaac's words, the corner of his mouth turned up in a smile.

"--Well, we can't be having that."

In the next moment, Isaac's body trembled and the syringe of red fluid rolled to the ground.

"What... Guh... koff off."

Suzuki's right hand was resting against Isaac's belly.

--It was a palm strike.

The powerful blow had hit Isaac in the guy.

"But how... your shackles are loose... your mana should have been sealed!"

Isaac staggered back while clutching his belly, and blood trickled down from his mouth.

"Simple. I just dislocated my joints."

As Suzuki said this, he slipped free of the shackle on his left arm. He moved his joints in ways that were frankly impossible for a human being, and after escaping his bonds, he reversed the change, as though he had regenerated.

He neutralized his leg shackles in the same way too.

"That's impossible..."

"Well then, what shall we do? Weren't you going to deal with me?"

"...Don't look down on me."

A hint of anger filled Isaac's eyes.

"You're nothing but a failing student but you still dare to mock me..."

He drew his sword and took a fighting stance.

Suzuki reached to his waist for his sword, and then he tilted his head.

"Where's my sword...?"

The only thing at Suzuki's waist was his scabbard.

"Unfortunately, I've already disposed of your weapon."

"Really now."

Suzuki produced a fountain pen from his pocket. He then removed the cap and pointed it at Isaac.

"In that case... This will do."

"You, you're using a pen... Are you kidding me!?"

Isaac's mana flooded out.

He stepped in in an instant, bringing his sword around in a sweeping cut. The arc of the blade should have cut Suzuki in half...

...If that fountain pen had not gotten in the way.

Suzuki blocked the sword with the tip of his fountain pen.

A keen sound like shattering glass filled the air, and Isaac's sword crumbled to bits.

And then, Suzuki thrust his pen.

"What -- Gaahhhh!!"

The pen stabbed into Isaac.

One step, two steps, Isaac slowly stumbled back.

His eyes seemed to have seen something unbelievable and he reached for the fountain pen stuck in his neck.

"Koff koff... but how, with only a pen..."

The sentence ended with a splash.

Red ink dripped from the pen.

"You know, I'll be in trouble if you don't give that back. I can't write my diary without it."

Suzuki grabbed the pen that was stuck in Isaac's neck.

"Wait a... stop, stooooppp!"

Huge gouts of fresh blood sprayed out as the fountain pen was extracted.

It dyed the floor red, like ink.

"Ah... Aiieee..."

Isaac collapsed to the ground, a stunned expression on his face.

Then, he opened his eyes to look at Suzuki.

He was looking at Suzuki's collar. The mana remaining gauge was displaying a frankly unbelievable figure.

"What... That mana... koff."

Isaac collapsed after vomiting more blood.

"I.. hah... in a place like this... koff... ah..."

Blood poured from his neck. His breathing grew more and more faint, until it vanished at last.

Suzuki looked at the pen that was stained with Isaac's blood with a look of boredom on his face.

"Wow, it's filthy. I don't think I want it after all."

He simply tossed it onto Isaac's corpse.

Then, he looked back towards Christina and approached her.

Christina felt herself begin to panic a little as Suzuki's somewhat nasty gaze swept over her.

"Ah... er..."

Her heart was pounding like a drum. She had no idea what to say. All she could do was look up at Suzuki without moving.

"I'm glad you're alright."

Suzuki helped free Christina.

"Th-thank you, Suzuki."

Her voice was faint, almost like it was going to disappear.

"I simply did what I ought to do. Right, let's go. I'm worried about the other students."

"A-Ah, please wait, Suzuki!"

Christina called out to Suzuki just as he was about to leave.

"Ah... It seems I misunderstood you. I used to think you were nothing but an incompetent bum... But it seems that wasn't the case."

Christina lowered her head in embarrassment.

"If you'd like, I can move you to the main family once everything is over--"

"--You didn't get anything wrong, Christina-neesan. Suzuki IS an incompetent bum."

Suzuki said as he turned around.

"Huh? But, that..."

"You're right. You didn't misunderstand anything."

There was a coldness in Suzuki's voice that Christina had never heard before.

"Ah... I, did I say something which made you unhappy..."

"No, not at all. It's just... You shouldn't get too close to me. The path I must walk down is one that drips with blood... I belong to a world which cannot exist under the light of the sun."

Suzuki's words were determined, and he did not turn around. He spoke to her with his back turned, as though he were rejecting the entire world.

"What kind of burden are you bearing..."

"I still have a mission, one which I must accomplish even if I must shoulder all the sins of the world... If you get close to me, you too will be hurt and drenched in blood."

And then, Suzuki finally turned around.

Christina's breath caught in her throat as she looked into his eyes. They were glassy and inorganic, as though they had lost all emotions.

No, there was something else different about them.

In the depths of those glassy orbs was a vortex, formed from an emotion that burned like a black flame.

Suzuki gently reached toward Christina's neck.

He lifted her delicate chin, and Suzuki brought his face close to hers.

"Suzuki..."

Her voice escaped her lips like a gentle breath.

Christina was mesmerized by his fathomless eyes and then she closed hers.

And then, a dull click reached her ears.

"Huh?"

When she opened her eyes again, her collar had vanished.

"Ah... the collar... How did you do it?"

He did not answer Christina's question. His own collar had vanished at some point.

"There's no time. I need to hurry."

Suzuki turned his back on her and walked off. His receding figure seemed incredibly forlorn.

"Wait... wait for me, Suzuki!"

Christina ran after him, in order to not be left behind.

[SCENEBREAK]

++It's about time you woke up. Things are pretty bad now.++

As she sensed the voice in her head, Claire came to.

"This is..."

They were in the white mist. She was secured to a thoroughly unpleasant-looking place that looked like a medical slab.

Alexia was similarly boudn beside her.

"Alexia, are you alright?! Wake up!"

"Ugh... Where is this place...?"

Alexia woke up as well. The two of them surveyed their surroundings and as one, they held their breath.

"This is..."

"What IS this place..."

There were four cylindrical capsules there. There was a red-colored liquid and a person inside each one.

"Could those be the missing students..."

"That's right. Those students were all on the list."

"But why would they do that..."

"They must be absorbing their mana, in order to resurrect the Demon Diablos... We'd best hurry and free ourselves, or else we'll end up like them."

Alexia tried to undo her bindings, but they would not budge. Claire tried it too, but ended up with the same result.

"It seems our mana's been sealed off."

"That bastard Isaac, I can't believe he did this."

Alexia spat unhappily.

Just then, the cylindrical capsules moved. There was a dull thud and the red liquid drained out of two of the capsules.

"What, what's going on?"

"I have no idea..."

Just then, a voice spoke from behind them.

"So you're awake now? Just in time. The capsules are ready... there's only about 10% left now."

The person who said this was a silver-haired boy.

He looked as lovely as though he had escaped from a book of fairytales, and both Alexia and Claire were briefly at a loss for words.

"You're...?"

"I am Fenrir, Fifth Seat of the Round Table."

"You... YOU'RE Fenrir!?"

The boy who called himself Fenrir seemed young enough to be Alexia's age, or possibly even younger.

"With eternal life, one's external age ceases to be of any importance."

Saying so, Fenrir walked up to the two capsules that were now empty of red liquid.

"What do you plan to do?"

"I will place you in the capsules in order to revive the Right Arm of Diablos. I was originally planning to use the collars to obtain the necessary mana, but since you came all the way to my doorstep, that simplifies things. You've both saved me quite a lot of effort."

Fenrir laughed coldly.

"The academy is in chaos now. Don't think it'll end so simply."

Alexia replied.

"So someone will pass judgement on me? Who is it? The knights? Or you, perhaps?"


"I, that..."

"We live on the dark side of the world. Those on the light side can never touch us."

"There's still Shadow Garden..."

Fenrir froze as Alexia whispered that name.

"So you say Shadow Garden will punish us, then... Kuku."

He sniggered.

"What's so funny?"

"I didn't think a proud princess would have to rely on a bunch of nobodies. How pathetic..."

"Ugh..."

Alexia's face turned bright red. She ground her teeth audibly.

"Frankly speaking, does Shadow Garden even intend to punish us? You know nothing about what this Shadow Garden organization is."

Saying so, he grabbed a lump of meat that had once been a student from inside the capsule and threw it away.

"They live on the dark side of the world, just like us. They won't pass judgement on us. Even if one of us fails, the survivors will rule the world once again. That is all."

Fenrir looks back. His eyes were red.

"Now then, the preparations are complete. The time of revival is now--"

Fenrir walked toward Claire.

"Claire Kagenou. The reports say you used a very strange power."

Fenrir stood beside her slab and lifted her chin.

"...Let go of me!"

"Your bloodline is potent, but that is not unusual. A quick investigation should reveal the truth."

Saying so, he pressed a syringe with red fluid toward Claire's neck.

Claire shook her head to fight him off, but Fenrir was very strong.

"It's useless."

The needle descended on her neck.

Just then--

++Honestly, I was wondering how long you were going to take.++

Aurora's voice filled Claire's mind. Potent mana erupted forth.

The syringe broke, and the bindings sprang open.

"What -- this mana is!?"

Fenrir backed away from her.

++I'll lend you just a bit of my strength.++

"Thank you, Aurora."

As Claire said this, she shattered Alexia's bonds with her sword.

"Nice work, Claire."

Alexia drew her sword and took a fighting stance.

"Aurora... Was that what you said, Claire Kagenou?"

Fenrir looked Claire in the eye.

"Indeed, it was. Do you know Aurora?"

"Kuku... I see. Well, let's see if you're the real deal or not. Bloodfang... Heed my call."

Fenrir drew a sword out of the void.

It was longer than he was, a crimson blade the color of dried blood.

"Bloodfang... The magic sword that was said to have been wielded by the mightiest magic swordsman in history. Could it be true..."

As Alexia muttered this, she could feel a tremendous pressure from the blade which made her spine tremble.

++Be careful, Claire.++

"I will. Aren't you going to fight too, Aurora?"

"You're almost out of mana, aren't you? If I use your body, it'll put a huge drain on you. Also, it's probably time you learned how to use your strength."

"...Indeed."

Claire gathered mana within herself. She was slowly beginning to master the secret of blending two different kinds of power.

And then, Claire closed the distance to her opponent in an instant.

However, Fenrir easily blocked her sword.

"Is that all... What?"

The red tentacle wrapped around Bloodfang. The tentacle from Claire's right arm had seized it under her direction.

"With this strength--!"

"Don't look down on me."

Fenrir swung Bloodfang. Just that motion was enough to dislodge the tentacle.

Claire proceeded to her next move.

She stepped inside his range and avoided Bloodfang, then swung at Fenrir's body.

There was a dull clang.

Fenrir had blocked Claire's sweep with Bloodfang's hilt.

"What? With the hilt?"

"All you did was win the Bushin Festival... But in the end, yours is just a child's sword."

Fenrir whirled Bloodfang around, batting Claire's sword away and using the revolution to bring the hilt up at her chin.

"Ugh."

The hit was light. Claire had suddenly jumped back to lessen the force of the blow.

However, it had still drawn blood inside her mouth, which trickled out from between her lips. Fenrir took advantage of her broken posture and pressed the attack.

But just then, Fenrir stopped.

A sword had pierced his left shoulder.

"Well done. If you had followed through, you would have struck my heart."

It was Alexia.

"I knew you were waiting for me to expose myself. But when did you..."

Fenrir fell back with Bloodfang in hand. He paid no heed at all the the blood spurting from his left shoulder.

"Hah."

With that exhalation, Fenrir swung Bloodfang again. This strike was sharp and contained incredible mana.

Alexia tried to block the attack. Her movements were not quick and there was very little mana in her sword.

She could not stop it.

Bloodfang was going to shatter Alexia's sword. Right before that happened, Alexia took half a step back, then changed the angle of her sword to deflect the strike.

"Heh."

And just like that, the tables hard turned.

She stabbed at Fenrir's vitals with a minimum of movement or mana.

Fenrir was done for.

It seemed as though all he could do was wait to be run through by Alexia's thrust while he was still halfway through swinging Bloodfang.

However, Fenrir stomped the ground hard with his leading foot.

The tremendous force of this movement split the ground open, and with movements that would be impossible for a normal human being, he regained hisi footing.

Alexia's sword cut through the air and left a nick on Fenrir's cheek.

Fenrir then pulled away from her.

"A commoner's sword... One that is scorned by others, compared to Princess Iris..."

"You ignore the commoner at your own peril."

"I do wonder how far you'll grow in a hundred years. A sword must be steeped in your accumulated essence. But that is also why the gap between us is far too great..."

Saying so, Fenrir closed his eyes.

"It's about time I got a little serious..."

The air around him changed.

Tremendous mana welled up from within Fenrir's body.

At the same time, his hair turned white. His face was covered in deep wrinkles and his limbs turned spindly and dried-out.

And then, he slowly opened his eyes.

He had gone from an innocent youth to an withered old man.

"Is this his true form..."

He looked like a frail, elderly man who might keel over at a touch.

However, Alexia and Claire didn't dare take him lightly. That was because in contrast to his appearance, the weight of his oppressive aura had jumped dramatically.

Cold sweat ran down their cheeks.

++I remember now... the Midgar Devil.++

"The Midgar Devil?"

Claire repeated Aurora's whispered words out loud.

++Long, long ago, there was a terrifying mass murderer in the Midgar region. He slaughtered people indiscriminately to increase his strength. He should be very old by now...++

"I can't believe someone actually knows that title. Is it Aurora?"

Fenrir spoke in a hoarse voice.

"The Witch of Calamity... Looks like it's the real deal. So you've decided to possess this girl, then?"

"Aurora, what's going on?"

++Focus, his forte is in distracting people like this.++

"But--"

"Claire!!"

"Huh?"

Fenrir's Bloodfang had grown.

It extended toward Claire's neck like a whip.

All Claire could do was stare dumbly at her impending death.

However, in the next moment, Claire's eyes turned purple. Over a hundred tentacles flew out and lunged at Fenrir.

"Kuku... That's it, that's the power."

Faced with red tentacles raining down on him, Fenrir bent like a reed and evaded them.

The countless tentacles grazed past him and shredded his clothes.

However, none of them inflicted the slightest bit of harm to his body. And then, suddenly, all the blood tentacles vanished.

"...Mana..."

The person panting on her knees was Claire, whose eyes were violet. She only had 36 mana remaining.

"You've gotten weaker, Aurora. Or have I gotten stronger?"

"...It's only because this body has too little mana."

And then, Bloodfang swung at Claire.

"Urgh..."

Although she barely managed to avoid a fatal wound, that was all she could do as she rolled along the ground, unable even to break her fall.

And then, Claire's eyes turned back to their usual red.

"How dare you do that to Claire!!"

Alexia launched an attack.

She made the shortest, smallest movements necessary. However, Fenrir was still far above her.

All Alexia saw was a red afterimage.

And then, her sword shattered.

"Ah, ah..."

"This sword... it contains the pinnacle of over a thousand years of refinement. It is clearly too far away for you to reach."

Saying so, Fenrir raised his sword high above his head.

"My sword..."

The fragments of her sword scattered. The shame of the past was revived in dull.

She had trained diligently to keep from feeling this regret and resentment again. But no matter how hard she tried, the pinnacle of swordsmanship was still too far away.

Tears welled up in the corners of Alexia's eyes.

"--It's over."

Bloodfang cleaved down in an overhead strike.

Just then, a shrill whistling of the wind filled the air. Fenrir ceased his attack and quickly backed away.

There was a thunk as a fountain pen sank into the ground.

"Who is it?"

"You're..."

There stood an ordinary male student with a mean look in his eyes, Suzuki.

"Are you alright?"

He slowly approached them and pulled out the fountain pen that was embedded in the ground.

"Princess Alexia, this way."

Christina was the one who said this as she guided Alexia away.

"I, I can still..."

"Don't push yourself. You're out of mana."

At some point, Alexia's mana had fallen below 100. She bit her lip and looked at Suzuki.

"Fenrir is very strong. He can't do it by himself."

"I don't think Suzuki will lose so easily."

Christina's eyes were clear as she said this. Once again, Suzuki faced off against Fenrir.

"Once again, I ask -- Who are you?"

Fenrir stared at Suzuki.

"I am Suzuki, a first year student at Midgar Academy."

Suzuki spun his fountain pen between his fingers as he said that.

"Just a student, hm..."

Suddenly, Fenrir swung Bloodfang around in a sweeping strike. The crimson blade curved like a whip to graze past Suzuki's bangs.

"You understand attack ranges quite well for an ordinary student."

"Attack range? What are you talking about?"

With a cool expression on his face, Suzuki stepped forward.

He was within Fenrir's attack range. A keen glint filled Fenrir's eyes.

Tap. The echoes of Suzuki's footsteps were exceptionally loud.

Once again, the sound of footsteps filled the air.

In the next moment, Bloodfang began its combo.

Red afterimages poured down from all directions. Each stroke was beautiful, like an eye-catching dance.

And at its heart, Suzuki took a stance with his fountain pens.

He had four in each hand, left and right, held between his fingers like claws.

Their golden nibs gleamed.

And then, the crimson sword dance collided with the golden light.

Shing, shing, shing; the sounds of countless impacts filled the air.

Crimson afterimages and golden light danced through the mist.

"Amazing..."

Alexia murmured in awe.

Fenrir's sword was unquestionably one of the strongest she had ever seen. And Suzuki, who was trading blows with it using fountain pens, had immeasurable strength as well.

Not even the Midgar Empire's Royal Guards or the Seven Swords of the Vegalta Empire could compare to them...

"He's too powerful..."

Christina muttered to herself.

It was as she said. Suzuki's strength was far beyond the realm of a student.

"Who IS he, anyway?"

It was only natural that Alexia would ask that question.

"I don't know either. But he seemed to be carrying a heavy weight. He has a mission to accomplish... or so he said."

"A mission... That's why he's so strong..."

Alexia clenched her fists.

"Claire-san, are you alright?"

Christina hurried to help up Claire, who had collapsed on the ground.

"I, I'm okay, I guess... Suzuki-kun's fighting."

There was a hint of pain in Claire's voice as she said this.

"We can't keep up with his battle, so we should at least witness it."

"Is that so..."

Claire pressed down forcefully on the magic circle inscribed on her hand.

Fenrir and Suzuki continued their battle in the mist.

The situation was slowly tilting toward one side.

The crimson afterimages were overwhelming the golden light. The flashing nibs were slowly retreating in the mist.

The main reason for this was the differences in their respective attack ranges.

Fenrir's Bloodfang was far longer than an ordinary sword, while Suzuki's fountain pens weren't even the length of an ordinary sword.

The result was that Fenrir was the only one attacking, while Suzuki had to go on the defensive.

"The battle is decided. As one who has reached the apex of martial arts as well, you should understand that there's no way to overcome the difference between us."

Fenrir spoke in between his combination attacks.

"Really now? Is that so?"

Suzuki crouched down, and then he leaped.

He readied his pens, and then threw them at him.

The eight fountain pens gleamed with golden light.

"Your resistance is futile--"

Fenrir backed off as he swung Bloodfang at the fountain pens.

Several of them managed to graze him, but that was it. Having thrown his weapons, Suzuki no longer had a way to resist him.

Or at least, that's how it should have been.

"What."

Suzuki once again held eight pens in mid-air.

"Super Move "Golden Storm"!"

And then, he threw his pens one after another.

Countless glints of light rained down on Fenrir's body.

"Petty tricks--"

However, Fenrir's technique was also extraordinary.

He moved like flowing water under the onslaught of fountain pens. When he could not evade them, he deflected them with Bloodfang.

The golden rain littered the ground before it even reached Fenrir.

And then, the rain stopped.

The surroundings were covered in countless fountain pens.

Fenrir stood in their midst. He was motionless. Or rather, he was unable to move.

"Checkmater."

Because Suzuki was standing behind him.

"Were the pens just a diversion?"

"I believe there was a saying, "the pen is mightier than the sword?"

Suzuki pressed a fountain pen to Fenrir's neck.

"I was one move behind, then. It seems I went overboard. After all, I haven't had a proper playmate in so long, so I got a little carried away. I suppose this is a bad habit of the elderly--"

"Cut the crap."

Before Fenrir could finish, Suzuki stabbed his pen into him.

The strike pierced Fenrir's neck and fresh blood spurted forth.

"Koff... youngsters are all so hasty. You should hear your elders out."

Suddenly, Fenrir's eyes turned red.

Massive amounts of mana flowed forth, sending Suzuki flying. The wound on his neck healed over, as though it had regenerated.

"Playtime's over. Now which of these mooks should I dispose of first..."

Fenrir turned to Alexia and the others. His first prey was Christina.

"Ah..."

Christina's back shuddered as the crimson gaze fell upon her. A pressure she had never felt before seemed as though it was going to crush her flat.

"Farewell, Miss."

Then, a crimson slash chopped down on Christina.

Faced with her oncoming death, all she could do was stare blankly.

Right before it was about to chop her in two, a figure suddenly interposed itself in front of her.

The figure grabbed her, taking the blow in her place.

Blood flew everywhere.

"Suzuki... You..."

The figure was Suzuki.

"I'm glad you're okay... koff."

Suzuki coughed up copious amounts of blood.

"Suzuki! Suzuki! Are you alright? Why did you save me..."

"There's something I need to apologize to you for..."

Suzuki's mouth was tinged with red as he spoke those words.

"You don't have to apologize, more importantly, you--"

"No, it has to be now. As for why that is, it's because..."

"--Huh?"

"...I'm not Suzuki."

Suzuki's voice changed.

It was dull and somber, like it was echoing out of an abyss. His eyes turned red.

"He is already dead. My real identity is--"

The countless pens stuck in the blood melted.

They turned into black slime, which engulfed Suzuki's body.

"Su-Suzuki..."

Christina and the others could not help but back off as they witnessed this strange sight.

The slime which enveloped Suzuki writhed and squirmed in a terrifying fashion before finally revealing his true form.

"I am Shadow, he who lurks in the shadows and hunts the shadows..."

The man in the jet-black hooded coat spoke thus as he drew his ebon blade.

"Shadow!?"

Alexia exclaimed in surprise.

"Shadow..."

Christina was surprised too. However, as she looked up at Shadow, she felt a rapid pounding in her chest.

"Shadow, is it. I knew you'd come..."

Fenrir did not seem moved by this. He filled his body with mana before squaring off with Shadow.

"So you disguised yourself as a student to look for an opening? You truly are a man to be careful around."

"Oh it was nothing, just a passing interest."

"Don't play dumb with me. This was too much effort for a mere passing interest. I'm not senile enough to not realize what you have in mind."

"Oho..."

"People lie to hide what they do not wish to be known by others. Which means, the truth is behind the lies."

"That makes sense."

"You were posing as a student to sniff out my weaknesses, hoping to avoid an open clash with me. That shows you are wary of me. You're trying to use this lie to hide your fear of me."

"Humph... Don't make me laugh, old man."

"In that case, it would be a terrible shame. How strong is this man called Shadow? Is he a man who can exceed the expectations of myself, one who has reached the pinnacle of swordsmanship after countless years? Pondering that question has brought me quite some amusement.

Saying so, Fenrir raised Bloodfang.

"Would you like to find out?"

Shadow raised his own black blade.

"That was my intention."

Fenrir lowered his stance. He held Bloodfang out behind him, standing side on towards him.

"Don't disappoint me, Shadow."

In the next moment, the white mist turned into a vortex and Fenrir vanished.

"Ancient Style Succession Technique -- Utsusemi"
(TL Note: 古流剣術奥義──空蟬)

Fenrir appeared behind Shadow.

Bloodfang had already swung; he had already followed through with his stroke.

"Ho... So you could defend against it."

There was some delight in Fenrir's voice.

There was a scratch on Shadow's coat. Fenrir had made it.

"I've faced many swift strikes. But this, this sword... it's very slow."

Shadow fixed the rent in his coat and then turned back to face him.

"So you noticed the delay after just one attack?"

The white mist swirled around Fenrir again.

"...Interesting."

Shadow quietly studied the flow of mana.

In the next moment, Fenrir vanished. Once again, there was a mark on Shadow's coat. It was slightly deeper than before.

"So you defended against it again?"


Behind Shadow was Fenrir, who was holding his sword in follow-through position.

"It really is very slow."

Shadow touched the cut on his coat and fixed it.

"So you can see Utsusemi?"

"Almost all of it, though not the very end."

"In that case, how could you defend against it?"

"I simply moved out of the way when I made contact with the blade. That's all."

"You use a soft style, then? I've heard of martial arts who can nullify an opponent's attack like a bending willow reed."

"I never studied those."

"Then was that pure instinct?"

"Nothing as pretentious as that."

"Then what was it?"

"Training."

"Ho... indeed, that is the truth of martial arts."

Then, Fenrir lowered his stance again, preparing Bloodfang to strike.

"Then taste the training this old man has been through."

The white mist became a vortex.

"...I see."

Shadow swung at a place where nobody was.

"--Well done."

After that, Fenrir vanished.

In the next moment, Fenrir appeared behind Shadow. His shoulder was spewing blood.

"...So you saw through me?"

Fenrir grabbed the wound on his shoulder as he said this.

"No, I simply caught up to the movement of the mana."

"I see... So the secret's revealed, then."

"Utsusemi is an afterimage of mana. It goes hand in hand with a slow blade whose presence is supremely concealed."

"Indeed. When you see the Utsusemi, I have already swung. Well done on seeing through it; your strength is the real deal."

Fenrir turned around and took a stance once again.

"Do you still wish to continue?"

"Of course. I've been waiting for this day. Nothing is more delightful than tasting the fruits of your training. You can't have a battle by yourself, after all."

And then, Bloodfang extended tremendously.

"This is my own succession technique, a refinement of Utsusemi. Take it, Shadow!"

Fenrir swung Bloodfang.

But Shadow had already evaded it.

The white mist was cut apart, leaving a slash mark on the ground. A moment later, the whiplike Bloodfang arrived.

This reversed exchange of blows was further accelerated by Fenrir's technique.

The number of Bloodfangs grew.

One, two, three... The number of Bloodfangs multiplied with each swing, until there were none of them in total.

Fenrir laughed as he held nine Bloodfangs.

"This is the pinnacle of swordsmanship -- Bloodfang Utsusemi."

The nine keen blades attacked Shadow from all directions.

"Hmm..."

Shadow exhaled.

"All the blades you can see are afterimages, then?"

And then, he closed his eyes, as though he was giving up.

In the next moment, Shadow's body was churned by the nine slashes.

Left, right, up, down -- he was brutally hacked up like a violent puppet play.

"Shadow--!!"

"Shadow-san!"

So terrible was his suffering that both Alexia and Christina cried out to him.

Fenrir looked at Shadow, who was lying powerlessly on the ground.

Twitch. One of Shadow's fingers moved.

"...Are you done?"

Shadow was the one who said this.

"Could I not even leave a wound on you?"

Fenrir replied.

This unbelievable conversation completely reversed the respective positions of victor and loser.

Fenrir swung at the downed Shadow.

Bloodfang easily cut Shadow in half and left a deep cut in the ground. However, Shadow's body did not bleed.

Not just that, even his washed-out looking body had vanished too.

"Was that an afterimage...?"

Fenrir muttered to himself, as though he had given up.

"You have shown me a very valuable lesson in swordplay."

His voice came from the mists.

Tap, tap, tap. The nine sets of footsteps were accompanied by the emergence of nine Shadows.

"After just seeing it once..."

Fenrir sucked in a cold breath.

Nine black swords pointed forward. They swayed like dragons in the mist.

"Magnificent."

There was a hint of joy in Fenrir's voice."

"Super move -- Utsusemi ATOMIC."
(TL Note: 奥義──空蟬の亜斗美吊苦/あとみっく; Yes, he uses bosozoku-style ateji)

Right after that, these nine dragons descended on Fenrir.

The first chewed his right arm to pieces, the second his left.

The third shredded his right leg and the fourth did likewise to his left.

The fifth and six ripped his body into two. The seventh punched through his chest, while the eight severed his neck.

And finally -- the ninth held its head between its jaws.

"Still alive?"

Shadow addressed the head that was seized in the jaws of the ninth sword-dragon.

"Koff... I witnessed the peak at the very end... you showed me a wonderful thing."

Fenrir's spoke in a hoarse voice.

"There is no peak or whatever."

However, Shadow denied it in a somewhat bored voice.

"What are you saying, you're..."

"Beyond the peak lies a yet higher peak. That is all..."

"To think..."

"Once you decide where you're standing is the peak, you stop moving."

"I see, so that's why I..."

A look of regret crossed Fenrir's face.

"...So I still didn't see the peak in the end."

And then, the ninth dragon's jaws closed.

Fenrir's head was chewed to pieces amidst a crushing sound. Shadow flourished his jet-black coat, planning to vanish into the depths of the mist.

"Wait... Please wait, Shadow!"

Alexia shouted to him. Shadow stopped halfway.

"Please tell me! Who are you? What do you fight for!?"

Alexia was waiting for his answer.

However, Shadow merely turned his back to her without answering.

"I want to protect this country! I don't want the people precious to me to be hurt! That's why I decided to fight! What about you!? Can we trust you!?"

"Do not get involved with me... I believe I told you that before."

"This isn't the time to say such things! Even we are fighting with all our might! Maybe these are trivial problems to one as strong as you. Perhaps we are nothing but insignificant beings to you. But... People as weak as us are still struggling to live!"

Shadow slowly turned around.

He gazed at Alexia with his eyes that were as red as fresh blood.

"We remove all obstacles in the way of our goal. That is all..."

He spoke in a low tone that sounded like it was echoing out of an abyss.

"But what is your goal... Shadow, what do you plan to do to this world!?"

In response to Alexia's question, Shadow changed his expression for the first time.

He smiled.

Then, he slashed his jet-black sword through the air. The bone-chilling machinery in the middle of the mist lay before him.

There was a metallic sound, and it was cleaved in half.

"The collars..."

Upon closer inspection, the collars on Alexia and Claire's neck had split open.

"Shadow!"

By the time they looked back to where he had been standing, Shadow was already gone. There was no trace of him to be found.

"If only... If only I were stronger..."

Alexia clenched her fists tightly.

"Claire-san... Are you alright?"

Christina was supporting Claire beside her.

"H-huh..."

Claire rubbed her tummy as she spoke. It would seem she needed medical treatment.

"Princess Alexia, we should hurry and flee. Where's the exit..."

Just then, the sound of footsteps came through the mist.

"Heeeey, I finally found you guys...!"

There appeared the petite Nina.

"Nina... Thank goodness, where did you go?"
    
Although she looked like she was in great pain, Claire managed to force a smile to her face.

"Sorry, sorry, It took a lot of doing to escape from Isaac and I got lost. But I found the exit."

Nina pointed toward it with an "ehehe" smile.

"You're reliable as ever. Come on, let's go."

As Alexia said this, she turned to leave. In that moment, Nina quickly made her move.

First. Alexia collapsed. Then, Christina and Claire collapsed almost simultaneously.

It was due to a series of karate chops, executed with frightening speed.

Nina looked down at the three of them and muttered to herself.

"Honestly, I hate having to play the bad guy."

She quietly exhaled, then changed her voice and spoke into the mist.

"Everything is ready... Zeta-sama."

Right after that, a blonde beastwoman and a strawberry blonde girl emerged.

"Thank you. So you joined Shadow Garden as well?"

Victoria addressed this to Nina.

"You could easily make it into the Numbers with your skills..."

Nina looked at Zeta, at a bit of a loss.

"You're better off not joining Shadow Garden for now. That way, we can hide her in secret and have her work independently."

Zeta replied.

"We'll be continuing as usual, then?"

"Yes. Continue being Claire-sama's friend. Until that moment arrives..."

"...Yes."

Nina fashioned a long white robe of slime and pulled its hood over her head. Then, she picked up the fainted Claire and walked over to the door in the depths of the Sanctuary.

Zeta gave some orders, then bound Claire to a pedestal inscribed with ancient runes.

She infused it with mana, and the flames on both sides of the door ignited.

"There is no turning back after this."

Nina said to Zeta.

"Yes."

"But, Alpha-sama's plan..."

"Alpha is too naive. If we did things her way, the wicked would be allowed to roam free and the world will repeat the mistakes it has made before. That's why we must control the world... In order to prevent these mistakes from ever happening again.

Zeta looked at the flames on the pedestal, looked beyond them, as though she was painting a picture of what she imagined.

"With eternal life, Shadow-sama will become a god. This world does not need the Church. We shall spread a new religion."

Victoria's eyes lit us as she said this.

"...Is that really possible?"

"This is our purpose."

As she muttered to herself, Zeta infused mana into the pedestal.

The mystic runes on the pedestal moved and connected to the door that was shut by chains.

The chains sparkled, and then they creaked as they ground against each other.

"Guh-- Gah...!"

Claire shuddered at the pedestal where she was bound.

She opened her blood-red eyes, her face twisted in agony as she screamed.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!

"Claire!"

Nina hurriedly ran over to Claire.

"Zeta-sama, Claire--!"

"It's just a rejection reaction. It will pass soon."

"But..."

"Her body is essential to the resurrection of Diablos."

And then, the chains cracked.

The ominous magic circle on Claire's right hand appeared.

"AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!:

Claire screamed.

At the same time, the chain broke and the door in the depths opened.

There was nothing there, only endless darkness.

"We succeeded."

A bewitching smile appeared on Victoria's face.

"The Left and Right Arms are gathered. Nina, stay by Claire-sama's side and observe her."

Zeta carefully inspected the magic circle on Claire's hand.

"Is this... Zeta-sama's choice..."

Nina muttered those words. She carefully wiped the sweat off the unconscious Claire.

"Alpha and I... someday we'll find out which of us is right."

After saying that, Alpha turned and strode forth.

"Until that time comes, we shall lurk in the shadows..."

And then, she vanished into the endless darkness.

[SCENEBREAK]

At that moment, I was in a pure white space.

It had been a while since I had had such a good fight and roleplaying session, so I was feeling very pleased.

That terrorist gramp's sword was very interesting. Was that the experience of age at work?

Of course, I copied it because it was cool, but thanks to that I managed to complete my greatest masterpiece.

Learning the enemy's techniques and then paying them back in kind. That was a form of romance, right?

Also, my stint as Suzuki-kun had gone very well.

Because I took his form, Shadow ought to have more depth now. Coming and going like the wind, where there is light, there must be shadow. That's what you call a Shadow Eminence.

While I was thinking about all that, I found myself in this place before I knew it.

"This is..."

I looked around.

It looked familiar. I met Kid Violet-san here before.

"Yo, we meet again."

There was a girl hugging her knees in the center of the white room.

She was covered in injuries.

"...Are you okay?"

I infused mana into her and healed her wounds.

"Ugh..."

The girl raised her head.

Her face was stained red by tears of blood.

"...Thank you."

"No problem. What happened?"

"Nothing happened. All this was perfectly ordinary."

"Was it?"

"Yeah."

She looked up and smiled at me.

"We meet at last, onii-chan."

"At last?"

"I'm very strong in the core."

"Hmm... Oh right, this."

I took out the red gem from my pocket as I said that.

"This is very precious to you, right?"

"...Is it okay?"

"Let's call it 100 million zennies. You can pay me back when you make a name for yourself."

"Thank you."

As she said this the girl took the red gemstone from me.

"I've been waiting for this all this while."

"I see. May I ask what this is?"

"This is..."

The girl giggled.

Her mouth turned up like the crescent of the moon.

"This is... my..."

The girl's face twisted like a monster, and then an ominous mana flowed out of her body.

This pure-white realm was instantly dyed black..

The girl's lips moved, and she whispered.

++Malice.++

I didn't hear her speak, but that was what the girl said.

And then, the dark feelings became a vortex.

Men, woman, old folks and children, they appeared one after another, mocking the girl. But in the next moment, a mysterious monster turned them into chunks of meat.

This scenery repeated several hundred, even several thousand times, but by the time I came to, I was standing on the roof of the Academy.

This was where I had met Kid Violet-san for the first time.

I could still see the setting sun in the distance, about to sink beneath the horizon.

This was still the same boring, peaceful academy as always.

"Hmm... Should I not have given it to her?"

I couldn't help but wonder.

[SCENEBREAK]

The silver-haired girl looked down on the schoolyard below her.

"The knights only managed to obtain the students' testimony. They couldn't find any evidence..."

The silver-haired girl muttered to herself as she leaned against the window of the empty classroom.

"So why am I here again?"

The only other person in the classroom besides the silver-haired girl was an ordinary, black-haired boy.

"Because you're involved in this."

"I told you, I was sleeping in the dorm, I had nothing to..."

"Claire's the only one who didn't wake up after that. The knights want to ask some questions about it."

"Ah, so it's about Nee-san. Still, I can't tell you anything because I don't know anything."

"That's true. You really don't know anything. Like what's happening in this world, or how deep the darkness of this world runs..."

As she said this, the silver-haired girl smiled.

"Like I said, there's no point asking me about it."

"The knights won't learn anything either. It's just for the sake of formalities."

"...Good."

The black-haired boy seemed somewhat unhappy as he said this.

The cold winds of winter blew in from outside the window, stirring the strands of the girl's lovely silver hair."

"Could you please close the window? It's very cold."

"Say, Poochie."

The silver-haired girl ignored the black-haired boy's request and continued speaking.

"Things on your side really are peaceful. I'm actually envious."

"Do you not like that?"

"No, I'm hoping we can maintain this peace. I'm praying for it."

"I don't quite understand."

The silver-haired girl smiled at the black-haired boy's question.

There were voices shouting for the black-haired boy outside.

"Well, looks like the knights want me to head over."

The black-haired boy put a hand on the door.

"Say, Poochie."

The silver-haired girl stopped him.

"...Have you ever wondered about how much you'd want eternal life?"

"I totally want it."

The boy's head whipped around with frightening speed.

"R-really?"

"I wouldn't mind destroying the world to if it meant I could obtain it."

"Asking you was my mistake."

"Please tell me if you find a way."

The black-haired boy said this with an earnest face before leaving the classroom.

Now the silver-haired girl was the only one left, and she sighed.

"Eternal life, hm... Shadow isn't as shallow as Poochie is. If Shadow is also seeking eternal life, then the world..."

The silver-haired girl looked to the sky.

The dreary grey sky stretched as far as the eye could see.