Strike the Blood - Volume 13 - Chapter Ep

OUTRO 

Everything was over by the time Natsuki arrived. 

The Island Guard’s surveillance, finally recovered from the chaos, detected an anomaly inside Keystone Gate. Natsuki had been dispatched to apprehend the intruder. 

Then, when she arrived on the scene, Natsuki saw the blood-ridden, fallen form of Takehito Senga. 

“Hey there, Natsuki… So you can already move again… I’m glad.” 

Senga looked up at Natsuki, speaking as he continued his labored breaths. 

Natsuki’s expression did not shift as she surveyed his wounds. There were countless lacerations and puncture wounds over his entire body. Many of them had reached the inner organs. The amount of blood loss had long exceeded dangerous levels. It was practically a mystery how he was even still conscious. They were most certainly fatal wounds. 

“Who did this?” 

Natsuki did not ask Why are you here? The simple fact that he’d visited the lowermost level of Keystone Gate made plain what Senga had attempted to do. The problem was because someone had awaited his arrival and defeated him. 

“As you are now, even if I tell you, what can you do about it?” Senga smirked. 

From his words, Natsuki realized it. The one who had hurt Senga was someone Natsuki couldn’t lay a hand upon—in other words, a human being from the Demon Sanctuary’s government. Senga was concealing the name of his foe so Natsuki would not suffer. 

“Hold on, I’ll get you to a hospital immediately.” 

“Don’t bother. There’s no need.” 

Senga rejected Natsuki’s offer. Even the medical technology of the Demon Sanctuary could no longer save him. That was something Senga himself understood. 

“We’ve apprehended all other members of Tartarus Lapse besides the Tenth. All are heavily wounded but in stable condition.” 

“Is that so?” 

The news as stated by Natsuki brought an expression of relief over Senga. 

“Then, I am sorry, but please, take care of them. I’m sure you understand, but I was simply using them as tools for my own ends. They bear no guilt themselves.” 

“I will convey your testimony to that fact,” Natsuki said in a businesslike tone. 

“That’s fine.” Senga nodded. 

Senga was thinking of his comrades. When the surviving members of Tartarus Lapse were tried, Senga’s testimony would no doubt be to their benefit. Whether it was true was another matter. 

“Fifteen years ago—I was disappointed when you completed your revenge alone and vanished from our midst. But now that I think back on it…you were the one who did the right thing.” 

Senga appeared wistful. 

When he coughed, clots of blood spilled out from his lips. The stink of death began to hover in the passageway. 

“When I taught those kids how to kill, I became dependent on them. I suppose it was codependency. And you realized that, Natsuki.” 

Senga took a tiny chip out from behind the collar of his jacket. It was a microchip for storing data. With his bloody, shaking fingers, he offered it to her. 

“Your pupils chose to protect the Demon Sanctuary of their own will… Their decision is foolish, but even I was impressed, if only a little. You are blessed with fine students.” 

“…This is?” 

“To the victor goes the spoils, correct? How you use the contents…is up to you.” 

When he saw that Natsuki had taken the chip, Senga quietly closed his eyes. A faint smile came over his lips. 

“Even though I lost, this isn’t a bad feeling… I’m glad that you…stopped me…” 

Strength drained from Senga’s body. Natsuki gazed upon him with an unreadable expression. 

“Farewell, Teacher.” 

Space itself seemed to sway like a ripple. Natsuki vanished. 

All that remained in the dimly lit, desolate corridor were traces of a pool of blood. 

The azure sky stretched overhead. It was the familiar blue sky of the Demon Sanctuary. 

The crimson magic circle that ought to have buried the sky had disintegrated, and all sight of the Four Holy Beasts that had emerged from it had vanished. And so, Koyomi Shizuka, one of the Three Saints of the Lion King Agency, gazed dumbfounded up at that sky. 

Tartarus Lapse’s attack, which ought to have destroyed Itogami Island, had at some point ended just as suddenly as it had begun. She no doubt had the exploits of Kojou Akatsuki and his friends to thank for that. 

She had been unable to do anything. 

Everything had ended in a place beyond Koyomi’s reach. 

“We’re…saved…?” 

Koyomi’s frail murmur was mixed with inconcealable pain. Several of her ribs had been broken, and her internal organs had likely been damaged as well. Even slightly moving her body sent intense pain running up her left leg and right arm. Her uniform was in tatters; the white fabric was dyed red from bleeding. 

Even so, just barely, Koyomi had lived. 

The remains of scorched steel girders had tumbled all around her. The air was filled with the detestable stench of burnt resin. They were the remnants of an anti-ground laser attack fired from the Earth’s orbit. 

And the place Koyomi was lying in was Island North’s second stratum— 

Under the artificial ground’s surface. 

“By attacking yourself, the laser did not directly strike you? I should have expected as much, Paper Noise.” 

As she lay, unable to move, Koyomi heard a man’s theatrical tone. 

The silhouette that floated up amid the sunlight was that of a tall, slender aristocrat. He was looking down at Koyomi from overhead, his mouth popping open at the traces of the destruction the laser cannon attack had wrought. 

The instant she realized she could not evade the laser satellite attack, Koyomi had activated the ability dubbed Paper Noise—the absolute right to attack first. 

Her target had been the ground at her own feet—and her own flesh. 

It had been sheer coincidence that she’d encountered Meiga Itogami in Island North, but Koyomi’s salvation had been the result. After all, North, a laboratory district, was the only district with multilayered construction—and extensive space underground. Paper Noise did not allow the ability to move while time was stopped. Even if Koyomi was attacking someone during time never meant to exist, she could not move her own body while doing so. That was why Kojou Akatsuki and Meiga Itogami had chosen tactics aimed at mutually assured destruction. 

However, that rule had an exception. That was when Koyomi directed an attack at her very own body. 

When the laser-cannon attack was pouring down, Koyomi was already out of the satellite’s target area. Through her guaranteed first attack, Koyomi had bored a hole in the ground and hurled her own flesh to the bottom of it. 

The wounds carved into Koyomi’s entire body were from her attack upon herself and the impact of the resulting fall. 

Thus, at no small cost, Koyomi had survived. 

“Dimitrie…Vattler…” 

Exposed to his gaze, wounded and defenseless, Koyomi called out the young aristocrat’s name. 

In her current state, Koyomi had no power to fight him. After all, she was on the verge of death without him having to lift a finger. 

Even so, Koyomi was not afraid. That was because a single suspicion dominated her thoughts. 

“Why…did you—?” 

—watch while doing nothing, Koyomi wanted to ask him. Tartarus Lapse, the demon sanctuary wrecking crew; the Four Holy Beasts they had summoned; and the tenth Kaleid Blood— 

Surely, from the point of view of a battle maniac like Vattler, they were foes well worth fighting. And yet, Vattler had stayed his hand until the very end. 

Koyomi found that suspicious. 

“I’m waiting. Waiting until the time is right.” 

The young aristocrat’s reply was very simple. 

It was all Koyomi needed to hear in order to understand everything. 

It wasn’t that he hadn’t fought. He was simply waiting—waiting for the preparations to be complete. Waiting for the powerful enemy he needed to engage in battle to obtain power suitable for the part. 

“This makes ten… Shall we finally begin, Paper Noise?” 

Dimitrie Vattler—aristocrat of the Warlord’s Empire—smiled handsomely as he looked up at the sky. 

Upon hearing his words, Koyomi felt a faint tremble of despair. 

Begin. Yes, it would begin. Here, in this Demon Sanctuary. 

The Feast would recommence— 

An Island Guard patrol boat was what picked Kojou and the others up from the abandoned district. Sayaka and the others had arranged it through the Lion King Agency. 

At first, Glenda had been in high spirits, but that moment, she was asleep on Yuiri’s lap. 

She’d literally flown all the way to Itogami Island. It was small wonder she was that tired. 

The Four Holy Beasts had disintegrated about three hours prior, but the city seemed to have largely regained its usual calm. 

The damage to buildings was severe, but the number of casualties was surprisingly small. It was less that the city excelled at public order than the citizens took shelter with an abnormal degree of speed and precision. Everyone was used to emergency situations of that degree. After all, they were residents of Itogami Island—the populace of a Demon Sanctuary. 

“Good grief… We’re finally back…” 

Kojou listlessly murmured as he looked up at the landscape of Itogami Island from the water’s surface. The patrol boat was arriving at the harbor. 

The first to be carried away was Raan, lying on a stretcher with shackles attached. Even then, she continued to sleep, possibly in a coma. There was nothing abnormal with her body itself, so she seemed to remain in a dreaming state. It was no doubt coming into contact with vast amounts of “information” through the network—at least, that’s what Yukina and the others had diagnosed through their Spirit Sight. 

“So what’s gonna happen to them?” 

Kojou let out a long sigh as he watched Raan go, eyes still shut. 

She and the other members of Tartarus Lapse had attempted to destroy Itogami Island of their own free will. It was fundamentally different from Astarte and Yuuma, who’d simply been used by people they could not defy. On top of that, Tartarus Lapse was subject to an international arrest warrant for very serious crimes, and on top of that, they were unregistered demons; worst case, it was entirely possible they’d be sent to the Prison Barrier—an eternal prison where they would be isolated in perpetuity. 

“Of course, their crimes cannot simply be wiped away, but I believe there is room to take their environment into account as extenuating circumstances.” Yukina addressed Kojou’s worry with her usual all-too-serious tone. “Besides, all of Itogami Island’s residents are witnesses. It is not like the time of the Iroise Demon Sanctuary, so—” 

“They can’t just cover up the incident and quietly get rid of ’em, you mean?” 

“Yes.” 

Kojou’s murmur brought a nod from Yukina. Certainly, it wasn’t bad information to have. Even the Gigafloat Management Corporation couldn’t punish Raan and the others any way it wished, never mind having them assassinated in prison or the like. 

“We also sent a request through the Lion King Agency to get their sentences reduced. Officially, Shio’s and Kirasaka’s efforts suppressed the Four Holy Beasts, so maybe we can expect something from it?” Yuiri offered as consolation. 

Kojou showed her a modest smile. “That’s a big help. I did promise December and all.” 

December had left the fate of Raan and the others to Kojou. Besides, Kojou had reasons of his own to be mindful of them. 

Takehito Senga and December had said Itogami Island’s existence would bring about a great many casualties. 

They would be the only ones that might know why. Kojou had to find out the reason December tried to destroy Itogami Island, risking her own continued existence in the process. 

Asking them was his only way. 

“Well then, how ’bout we head off, too? Hey, Glenda, wake up; we’re here.” 

Kojou tried to wake up the sleeping Glenda so they could get off the boat. Glenda, still looking quite asleep, lazily lifted up her head and turned it side to side. Then, Yuiri tried to get up, but she lost her balance and stumbled forward. 

“Wah,” she exclaimed, almost falling over when Kojou, right next to them, caught her. 

“Are you all right, Yuiri?” 

“K-Kojou?! Sorry, my legs fell asleep.” 

“Your legs? Ah…” 

So that was it, Kojou realized. Thanks to Glenda using her lap as a pillow for so long, her legs had fallen asleep. 

“Got it. Just stay like that for a second, ’kay?” 

“Eh? Kojou…?” 

Yuiri blinked as Kojou picked her up in a so-called bridal carry pose. 

Seeing this from close by, Yukina uttered “Senpai?!” as her eyes bulged wide. 

“Kojou?! Wh-what are you…?!” 

“Getting you on land, for starters. This boat’s rockin’ a fair bit, so wobbly legs are dangerous. I’ll, ah, stop if you want though…” 

“I—I don’t mind… I think. I was just a little, ah, surprised, but it’s kinda nice?” 

Yuiri put her arms around Kojou’s neck as she glanced at Yukina behind him. Yukina clearly had a sour expression as she glared sullenly at Kojou. However, Kojou didn’t pick up on that. 

“I’m totally in your debt this time around, Yuiri. Sorry for making you do somethin’ like that…” 

“Y-yeah. It was an emergency, so it couldn’t be helped, huh?” 

Yuiri’s cheeks reddened as she shook her head. The bite marks Kojou had embedded into her neck had largely vanished. All that remained was a faint redness that looked like a spot where she’d been kissed. 

“But next time, I’d like you to be a little gentler. This was my first time, so I was a bit scared…,” Yuiri whispered, almost absentmindedly, like she hadn’t even realized that she’d said it out loud. 

“Next time…?” Kojou unwittingly echoed back. 

“Next time…?” Yukina repeated, her brows shaking a little. 

Then, as Kojou tilted his head, a silver glint filled with killing intent raced past with a whoosh. 

“—Er, nuoo?!” 

Kojou let out a brief yelp as he stopped moving, practically frozen in place. A metallic spell arrow impaled into the ship’s hull with a dull thud. 

It was a short-haired girl wielding a silver recurve bow who had unleashed the arrow. Shio Hikawa, standing on the wharf with a fearsome visage, glared at Kojou as he held Yuiri in his arms. 

“Fourth Primogenitor! Damn you, what have you done to Yuiri, you beast?!” 

“Sh-Shio?!!” 

A figure deftly landed immediately behind the shocked Shio. Sayaka Kirasaka’s long ponytailed hair danced in the wind as she turned the tip of her long sword toward Kojou. 

“Kojou Akatsukiiii… Don’t tell me, you made us fight, snuck off, and performed indecent acts behind our backs…!” 

“Miss Kirasaka…?! Wait, you’re wrong; that was—” 

“Out of my way, Yuiri Haba! I’m cutting down this pervert!” 

“Wait, Kirasaka. I’m finishing him off!” 

“Shio, quit it already. I didn’t hate it, and it didn’t hurt that much—” 

Thoroughly flustered, Yuiri’s excuses further fanned the flames of Shio’s and Sayaka’s anger. Glenda, not particularly understanding the circumstances, excitedly shouted, “Dah, dahh!” 

“Himeragi, could you explain the circumstances to them? Please?” 

Backed into a corner, Kojou sought Yukina’s aid. It was a fact that he’d engaged in vampiric acts with Yuiri, but that was an inescapable choice for the sake of resisting December’s mind control. Furthermore, it was Yukina who had proposed the method to Kojou. 

However, Yukina gazed coldly with half-lidded eyes at Kojou—still carrying Yuiri in his arms—and exhaled. 

“I would not know.” 

“Hey!” 

“—After all, I am merely your watcher. So go on ahead and keep pampering all the other people, stupid senpai!” 

“The hell?!” 

What did I do? thought Kojou, despondent as he gazed at Yukina, who was clearly in a sour mood. 

Shio’s and Sayaka’s angry voices echoed as Yuiri desperately tried to talk them down. Then, Glenda’s voice echoed, too—she just found it all funny. Listening to everyone, Kojou blithely stared at the sky. 

“Gimme a break…” 

Kojou’s frail murmur was carried away by a coastal breeze and vanished. 

He felt like he faintly heard laughter—from a girl who had called herself December. 

Keystone Gate, Floor Zero— 

Asagi Aiba was standing still in the back of the room dubbed C. 

“No way… This is…” 

It was a chilly, dimly lit room. The breaths Asagi let out turned white as they froze over… 

She was staring at a vast, spiraling room spread before her gaze. 

The stone slabs that walled C were filled to the brim, inscribed with unfamiliar writing—writing that had never existed within all of human history. 

A record left by someone beyond humankind. Notation. Memory. Information— 

“This is C… Cain’s…coffin…,” Asagi murmured, voice trembling. 

In a world of sorcery, where reality was overwritten according to the caster’s will, information was power itself. 

Shikigami, familiars, and homunculi—born from alchemical knowledge—were no exceptions to this rule. 

Information birthed money. Information birthed creation and destruction. Information birthed life, and even…gods. 

Then what would the information sealed up in that room, information that ought not exist, create? 

If she had to name one thing capable of memorizing and processing such vast information, it would have to be— 

“Mogwai…you’re…!” shouted Asagi Aiba, the girl called the Priestess of Cain. 

As if responding to her lingering echo, the writing engraved upon the stone slabs faintly began to glow. 

There was a voice amid the darkness, synthetic yet strangely humanlike. It laughed, seemingly to mock her. 

“Keh-keh…”