BlazBlue – Phase 0 Chapter 5

———Log...

What was that?

What actually was that? Why did this happen? Why?

From the Cauldron, a black object began overflowing.

I cannot determine what it was.

Relius had said that it was not Kusanagi. That Relius disappeared... swallowed by the black object.

Did he die?

Tell me, Relius. What is the best action that I should take?

Is that the object that we have created?

Wrong. That object is...

The Sheol Gate.

That object is not of this world.

Why did it happen?

That's right.

The lynchpin.

I have made it for the sake of such a moment like this.

However, the key isn't in what I have left.

The key... I have to obtain it somehow. But how?

I'm not able to do anything else.

I can only wait here until my life is exhausted...

The out of place door which Trinity had discovered was pretty plain.

According to Celica, the door had an old lock that was quite simple. Ragna easily opened it with just a few kicks.

What awaited there was a thin, dark pa.s.sage. Unlike other places, this pa.s.sage didn't have any illumination. In the first place, there didn't seem to be any lighting installed.

Relying on the light Trinity had made with magic, they advanced inside with Ragna as the lead. Then, they reached somewhere. But there was only another door that stood still inside the dark pa.s.sage.

"This one has an electronic lock."

Celica, who was walking behind Ragna, said that while looking at the small panel beside the door. They weren't sure whether if it was thanks to the electric source of the whole facility that was still active, or if it had an independent electric source, but the lock was functioning securely.

Ragna tried to knock it lightly. The security here was tighter unlike at the entrance. It didn't seem to budge no matter how many times it was kicked.

"So, what do we do? Frankly, it's too much effort to break it off by beating it."

"It's also too dangerous to just blast the door off. We might get caught in it."

Recalling the time when she was about to blow the elevator's door, Nine quickly said it while shaking her head. But there was a smile without any worry whatsoever on her expression.

"So, we'll do it like this."

While saying it, Nine's supple fingers sparkled. Thin electric currents from her fingers shocked the electronic panel. Sparks scattered around.

A moment later, the secure bulky door was separated in the middle. It sluggishly started to open its upper and lower ends.

"Seriously...?"

"Onee-chan's amazing..."

Having too quickly cleared their objective, Ragna and Celica couldn't help but mutter their admiration.

"Fufu", smiled Nine triumphantly.

"If you construct a system so advanced to a certain point, it actually becomes easier for the user to understand what the system's saying."

Different from the previous elevator that had stopped functioning smoothly, this one was still working. Perhaps instead of 'understand what the system's saying', maybe 'you could forcefully bash it as you like' was more appropriate.

Nine shook off the remaining electricity which was coiling around her fingers as if removing intertwined threads.

Although the pa.s.sage from the entrance until then was narrow, what lie in wait inside was an unexpectedly s.p.a.cious room.

Rather than a room, it might have been better to call it a square.

When they first entered, the color of the illumination took over their visions. It was like it was dominating the room. As if the dark pa.s.sage until now was a lie, the sophisticated and refres.h.i.+ng green-colored lights shone on.

The room had an elliptical landscape.

Within the interior that was surrounded by metallic plates, there were several machineries installed that seemed like measuring devices. It appeared some kind of development was being conducted. The desk where there was a computer put on had a large quant.i.ty of papers scattered around its perimeter. Several of them were stuck on the wall using tape.

However, it could be said that an unknown discomfort was drifting within the room.

"What's with this room...? It's like time is almost not moving~"

The first one to notice the source of their discomfort was Trinity. With uneasiness clouding her face, she turned about and looked around the room

Just as she had said, this room was odd.

Not having any of the Black Beast's scratch, it was spotless. It was as if just a few days ago, or maybe a few hours ago, since the last time someone had used it. The air flowing there had little to do with destruction and deterioration.

It didn't have any smell of dust or rust. It added more of the eeriness.

"I feel like we've wandered to a strange location."

While speaking bitterly, Nine cautiously proceeded to the inner part of the room.

Suddenly, the atmosphere which had wrapped around Ragna's group up until now trembled and vanished.

Trinity had dispelled her protective magic.

"We don't seem to need it for a while now."

Certainly, the air that was contaminating the First District which could roast their internal organs if they had no means of protection didn't seem to be there anymore. There was only clean air drifting about. It was fine to take a deep breath.

It wasn't only this room. The air within the cave from before where the Cauldron existed was also clear. The substance called seithr that was overflowing from the Cauldron neutralized the radiation and other harmful chemical substances. It didn't seem harmful. Instead, it even produced hygienic air.

But the only one in this room who understood its structure just by feeling it on her skin was Nine.

"A hidden room, huh."

Inhaling the strangely refres.h.i.+ng air which had been released by the seithr, Ragna walked within the room. He picked up a piece of paper that fell at his feet.

The bluish-green lightings were dim, but unexpectedly the small letters were legible. But since the writing was in j.a.panese, it was nothing more than cryptic letters he had never seen before.

Even though he didn't know the letters, Ragna understood the drawing. Ragna frowned at the numerous scribbles along with the hand drawing that was on the center of the paper.

There was something like... a large nail on it. It seemed to be a diagram for something. It was probably a blueprint or even something else entirely.

From the side, Celica peeked on what Ragna was holding.

"What's this? Something like a machine? It's like a nail... Ah!"

Inadvertently lifting her gaze just now, Celica made a loud voice. At the same time, she pointed toward the inner part of the room.

Silently blending within the green lightings, a gigantic object shaped like nail was hanging in the air alongside the wall.

If it was a nail, then it should have had crude silhouette. Yet it was so fascinating that it was like an ornament decorating the room. The green patterns stood out on the aesthetic silver surface. Metals and metals joined up together and drew straight lines. Those lines appeared to give off a calculated charm.

Ragna felt that its size, whether its height or width, could easily fit approximately three to four people. It might have been because of the lighting, but it could have possibly bene even larger.

It had a rather sacred feel drifting around as if it was a nail-shaped G.o.ddess statue. The beautiful main part was clad in several silver chains. The stakes pierced strongly to the ceiling and wall.

"Isn't this drawing actually about it?"

According to what Celica was pointing out, the drawing on the paper Ragna picked up was the blueprint for the captivating gigantic nail of an objet d'art.

If so, it seemed someone had created it as some kind of a device. That thought seemed unbelievable. Just how much of technology, knowledge, and insight was needed to create this kind of object?

The kind of dread like the Cauldron had crept up to Ragna's nape.

"It seems so. But how come this thing exists near the Cauldron?"

A hidden room even got built for it.

"This room's probably built to observe that Cauldron."

Trinity spoke while playing around with a computer a bit separated from them.

Ragna was surprised on how she handled it. Sometimes, he could see that there were small emblems s.h.i.+ning on her fingertips. Perhaps she was borrowing the power of magic. At any rate, it was a handy magic.

Pus.h.i.+ng up her big gla.s.ses, Trinity turned on the sub-display and showed it to Ragna and the others.

The view there was looking down from somewhere as it projected the front view of the Cauldron from before.

"Looking at this camera, it seems to be recording the changes in the atmosphere around the Cauldron, like temperature and humidity~. In addition, a lot of data is flowing in."

"Then... this device is also related to the Cauldron and Boundary, huh?"

Ragna took a glance at the silver and green nail from the image of the surveillance camera. Indeed, it had the imposing aura fitting to confront.

"...Oh?"

Continuing on fiddling with the computer, Trinity tilted her head in confusion.

Nine, who was picking up the scattered papers that were on top of a desk, turned around.

"What's the matter?"

"I was checking it up since it's been on my mind. As I thought, this room is odd."

The small magic circles that appeared on Trinity's fingertips were disappearing. He had to make sure again what he had seen just now.

"The data from this computer. The computer's clock. ...Not much time has pa.s.sed since the day of the Black Beast's appearance~"

"The specific time?"

"...One year."

It was like only a year had pa.s.sed in the room. Realistically, six years had pa.s.sed since the appearance of Black Beast, but the time here had only pa.s.sed a year.

"I see..."

While dropping her gaze to the doc.u.ments she picked up, Nine muttered in displeasure. It seemed only Nine understood why the flow of time in this room was unusual.

Suddenly, Celica's behaviors made Ragna felt uneasy. Before he knew it, she had s.n.a.t.c.hed the paper that had the diagram sketch from his hand. She had been staring it intensely for some time. She did it with enough enthusiasm to bore a hole in it.

When he looked at Nine, she was also staring with a grim face at the papers she had gathered up that was scattered on the floor before.

Ragna had a bad feeling.

"Celica?"

He softy called out to the tensed-up girl who was just beside him.

Celica's shoulders jumped as he did so. Then she looked at Ragna with such an anxiety that would make her tremble anytime soon.

"Ragna... This..."

"Something dangerous written here?"

Celica shook her head for so many times.

As if making sure of something unbelievable, she pointed at the writing that slanted upward badly as it went on, so bad you couldn't even pretend to say it was good. And then she gulped before starting to speak.

"This is... Father's handwriting."

In other words, Shuuichirou Ayatsuki's.

Someone whom Celica, Ragna, Mitsuyos.h.i.+, and Clavis had been seeking after.

Ragna's expression took a steep turn.

"You sure?"

"Yeah. I don't have any doubt. I remember it very well."

Celica intensely stared at the diagram she held, but then also looked at it with affection. The footprints of the father she had been looking for were surely there.

Ragna once again looked up at the gigantic instrument which seemed like overlooking them. When he took a moment to observe the existence, he felt that its magnificence was overwhelming.

"Then, your old man created this?"

"At the very least, I think the design here was made by Father."

"So in the end, what's this thing? It's too fancy for an interior."

The ceiling above the silver and green nail was built exceptionally tall. The supporting chains were connected to several pulleys. When examined, they should be used to raise the nail even further up.

Celica took a glance at the diagram.

"It seems there's nothing written here that explains what it's for, but..."

Just as Celica was about to speak, a loud noise interrupted.

Everyone looked back all at once. Nine had read the doc.u.ments that was scattered on a place separated from Ragna and Celica, also from Trinity. It was the sound of a bundle of papers thrown onto the measuring devices.

The five-centimeter thick doc.u.ments she had collected hit the metallic box. Losing its strength, it once again scattered on the cold floor.

Nine stomped on the doc.u.ments with all her strength. She put all the hatred from her heart.

"...Don't mess with me... JUST HOW ROTTEN IS YOUR MIND!!?"

Having been stomped with the sharp heel, one sheet was largely torn up. The panicked Celica tried to save the doc.u.ments from her older sister's feet.

"Onee-chan, what are you doing!? These are Father's..."

"They are! That man undoubtedly wrote those! And also the blueprint and data containing the concept of that instrument! This is outrageous and no joke. No one but that man would construct such a ridiculous thing!"

"Hold on a moment. Tell me your reason properly. I'm completely clueless as to why you suddenly snapped."

Ragna forcedly interrupted both of them. He helped Celica, who had gathered the doc.u.ments from the floor and held them to her chest, to stand.

In the meantime, Nine took a deep breath to adjust her breathing that was disturbed by her excessive anger. Even so, to vent her unsettled emotion, she struck the wall with her fist.

Worried, Trinity gently touched Nine's back. She took that chance to finally suppress her fury by biting her lips.

"...The Boundary is filled with the substance called seithr. The seithr was always overflowing continuously from that d.a.m.ned hole of a Cauldron. It's reasonable to think that the being from the Boundary called the Black Beast was also heavily influenced by the seithr."

"That information is extremely uncertain."

"It can't be helped. n.o.body wants to get close to the Black Beast. And its remains that were left all over the place are not something you can carelessly approach."

To have one of the Ten Sages of the Mage’s Guild say that, he couldn't just easily dismiss it. What's more, many organizations had their hands full on dealing with the damages caused by Black Beast. They weren't in the position to just settle down and begin an investigation.

And then by not having any decisive ability to oppose the Black Beast, they would just be in disarray when facing another one of the Black Beast's destruction. The vicious cycle happened on a global scale, with its end yet to be seen.

"Let's get back to the topic. See, the Boundary and the Black Beast are like a ma.s.s of seithr. Then, this pretentious thing is... used to halt the flow of the seithr."

With a stern expression, Nine looked at the exceptionally fascinating artifact.

Some kind of unrest drifted from her narrative tone. Naturally, Ragna and Celica's faces stiffened in nervousness.

"What will happen when the seithr's flow gets stopped?"

"It's simple. Basically..."

Nine sluggishly opened her mouth to answer Ragna's question.

But as her words were on their way out, another voice followed on instead.

"Basically... We will be able to stop the activities of the Black Beast."

For some reason, a hoa.r.s.e male's voice could be heard from the room's entrance that was left open until now.

It wasn't the voice of the people in this room. Immediately after arriving to that conclusion, Ragna turned around and drew the sword from his waist.

But immediately, there was hesitation in the tip of that sword.

Nine had made the electronic panel short-circuited using her magic and caused the bulky metallic door unable to close. On the rectangular frame, a skinny man stood with his back leaning there.

With an unhealthy appearance, his skin was engraved with deep wrinkles, as if it were coated with them. The hair was also mixed with some white hair with its color faded away. Originally, his age should have been within his forties, or what had been said as the first half of the prime time of someone's life. But the atmosphere that was enveloping him had an unusual fatigue that made him appear to be an old man that had already gone past his sixties.

The figure wore dust-stained pants and a s.h.i.+rt with a slightly dirty white robe of top of it. ...It was like he had been secretly living for about six years within the deserted underground ruins.

His flat and narrow gla.s.ses were a bit bent with a small crack running. It somehow gave an impression of nervousness.

He was Shuuichirou Ayatsuki.

Ragna could hear the noise of Celica taking a breath beside him.

"...Father!?"

No sooner after she called him, Celica leaned forward and ran off. As she ran, she intensely stared at the figure in disbelief.

"Are you really... my father?"

His appearance was considerably different from what Celica remembered.

Although he had always looked unhealthy after he shut himself within a research inst.i.tute, he never looked this morbid. Although he had a slender build, he was never so thin that he might get a fracture at any time. He might not have appeared youthful, but his eyes were never sunken so deep.

His appearance had completely changed too much for what six years could have done.

The white-robed and spectacled man took a gaze at the rus.h.i.+ng Celica's body as if he were making sure of it. And then he clumsily raised his lips.

"...It seems I'm able to meet you once more. Looks like the heavens haven't abandoned me yet."

The pitiful and hoa.r.s.e voice was of course different from what Celica remembered, but the somewhat cynical accent he pa.s.sed was of her dearest father.

Even if he was unexpectedly old, he was unmistakably her father.

"Thank goodness. You're really alive... I'm so glad we're able to meet... I was always, always searching for you. But why? If only you had contacted me during all these six years... I'd have rushed to your place anytime..."

She had finally met him. The words of that thought were mixed with tears. It overflowed as she broke down.

Shuuichirou responded with a clumsy smile. However, his feeble body couldn't even raise his arm to caress her. Instead, his body sunk to the wall. He stared at the daughter with muddy eyes.

All the communication lines with the outside were cut off. The protective suit which purpose was to withstand the severe air pollution on the outside was entirely damaged. The only means to reach the exit that was on the upper level part was only by staircase. But the exhausted Shuuichirou couldn't possibly climb it to the top.

At first, it was possible to pick up the radio signal from the outside. However, the nuclear attack erased the established signal.

For six years, n.o.body had come to rescue him, nor was he able to get out. He was always alone in the deep underground. Thinking of the loneliness, Celica's spine trembled with s.h.i.+vers.

"I'm glad... I was able to find you."

His loneliness should have ended now. Celica wiped her wet cheeks with her palms and made a bright smile to cheer up her father.

Relief. She felt the anxiety she had been holding was melting in relief. She thought that it was right for her to search for him after all.

From behind her, harsh words stormed in.

"Celica! Get away from that man!"

It was Nine. Celica turned around with a bewildered expression.

Those words were too much for someone who finally met her father. But Nine was completely serious, or rather she revealed her fierce hostility toward her father.

"Onee-chan...?"

"Come back here, right this instant. Do not approach that man."

"But why? He's really Father! He's alive!"

Celica went against the older sister's words and held her father's hand. The fingers on the completely dried up hand were stiff like a tree bark. But there was certainly warmth within the hardened muscles.

But clomping her heels, Nine walked toward them and roughly shook off their hands.

"Hey, you!"

As one would expect, thinking her action wrong, Ragna raised his voice in disapproval.

But he was silenced by a sharp glare from Nine.

"Get away from him!"

She yelled again. This time, she would not hear any argument and seized Celica's arm, separating it forcibly from the father. During that time, Nine stood between them as if protecting Celica.

Toward the stabbing, menacing att.i.tude from Nine, Shuuichirou looked up and watched her with an annoyed gaze. His lips smiled.

"Konoe, huh..."

"Don't say my name so casually."

With unwavering hostility, Nine rejected her father.

"We undoubtedly finally meet again. I went through the trouble, so answer me. Six years ago, what kind of experiment did you do here? ...No, not that. Why did you create this object?"

The object Nine talked about was filling up the majority of the room's s.p.a.ce. It was a nail that was covered in green patterns.

A while back, Shuuichirou said something about being able to stop the activities of the Black Beast.

Shuuichirou raised his blank eyes. He looked at the object that was peacefully sleeping. Then he moved his heavy, dried-up lips.

"...I've wondered if it might happen. We have failed. The object we've constructed was lost in the Cauldron... Instead, we've invited fear."

Once, the Takamagahara System had challenged G.o.d. Following it, an object was created with the purpose to supposedly directly interfere with the Boundary. However, what appeared was a monster that destroyed everything.

Shuuichirou's murmur made him as if he was thinking of something far away.

"It was certainly the Sheol Gate... According to what he said, what exists beyond it was probably h.e.l.l. ...I was always terrified. What would happen if we were to fail...? Before I noticed, my mind was filled with nothing but that thought. Because of that possible moment, I have created something to hold back the flowing seithr from Boundary, and to shut the hole leading to it."

Shuuichirou lifted his stiff arms and stretched his hands toward said instrument.

"It was... this Kus.h.i.+nada's Lynchpin."

The object called the lynchpin that had unimaginably large strength silently stood beautifully. It was as if it was in deep slumber.

The hands that had stretched to the lynchpin fell down.

The back that had been leaning to the wall was slipping. Shuuichirou's thin, weak body sat down above the cold floor. His body was no longer holding up.

"FATHER!?"

Celica rushed and slipped through Nine's side. She kneeled beside her father. She knew it would only give her a temporary peace of mind, but Celica still put her hands on her father's chest and performed healing magic.

Celica possessed an exceptionally natural talent in healing magic. But still, she currently couldn't heal wounds that weren't visible. She couldn't heal illness. Furthermore, what was eating Shuuichirou's body wasn't an ordinary illness.

"...Quit wasting your magic. My body has been too exposed to a high concentration of seithr. It is too late to do anything about it."

It was seithr poisoning. Like how alkaline neutralized acid, seithr could neutralize harmful substances. But just like alkaline could be harmful when its concentration exceeded a certain limit, being exposed to too much seithr could also be poisonous to one's life.

"Perhaps, this is the end," Shuuichirou told his teary eyed daughter. He mustered his last strength toward the hand that had fallen once and placed it on Celica's shoulder.

"Listen well... Celica. My lynchpin could close that hole. That monster is strongly affected by the Boundary. It's only temporary, but it should be able to stop all of its activities."

"Fa-Father...?"

Suddenly, heat was coming from Shuuichirou's voice. Despite that his body was about to be depleted of his existence, only the hand that had been grabbing Celica's shoulder was strangely powerful.

It was like... he wanted to entrust something really important.

"I was always waiting for you. For you to come here, I was always..."

Growing impatient, Nine tried to separate the father's hand that had been grabbing her younger sister's shoulder.

But Shuuichirou's thin arm that had been stiffening until now wouldn't budge. Rather, because it absolutely wouldn't let go, his fingertips forcefully dug into Celica's shoulder.

"This is my final research. It needs your power for it to be completed. Your..."

"Release Celica!"

Nine yelled as if she were striking him. At the same time, as if knocked by the angry voice, Shuuichirou's body was slammed to the wall that was just behind him.

Unbelievably, her biological father was blown away by a shockwave.

Celica tried to blame her by saying that she had gone too far.

But before she could speak her discontent, a low laughter disturbed the cool air.

"Huhu... haha. My lynchpin will seal the monster he had dragged out. That ought to make my skill be considered having surpa.s.sed his..."

He was talking to himself. His body, which was being held by only his willpower, already couldn't be moved. With his helpless head leaning against the wall, Shuuichirou looked up at the ceiling and laughed.

Looking at her father who sounded so triumphant, anger and contempt mixed within Nine. Preventing her from touching him again, she forcibly pushed Celica behind.

As she got startled all of a sudden, Celica twisted her feet, but Ragna immediately held her.

Everyone hadn't separated their eyes from Shuuichirou.

"You're disgusting as usual. It isn't about anything like the world, humanity, or the Black Beast. You just want to show off the result from your research to that genius person, don't you?"

"Yes, indeed. I'm a scientist. Isn't that obvious? ...I was always frustrated. I was no match compared to that genius under any circ.u.mstances. He was undoubtedly the only necessary person for our research and experiments... I was no more than an extra."

The blood-related daughter despised him from the bottom of her heart. But she could no longer get through to Shuuichirou. He might have put his pride on top of his comprehension.

Shuuichirou's muddy eyes were fixed to the lynchpin, as if clinging to it.

"He had made a mistake. And then... I corrected that mistake. Using my lynchpin."

If his body were able to move, he probably would present both of his arms to the lynchpin and hug it.

Despite the hoa.r.s.e voice being barely able to be understood, his trembling enthusiasm caused Ragna, Celica, Nine, and Trinity's nerves to convulse, as if he were holding their collars.

"Isn't it magnificent...? It is... My lynchpin is... the last option for... humanity..."

After his pale lips carved a smile, Shuuichirou ceased to move. Like an old man, his eyelids fell down before anyone knew it, s.n.a.t.c.hing away the lynchpin from Shuuichirou's pupils.

But perhaps the brilliance from the divine figure had been burned at the back of his eyelids.

"...Father?"

After a little while, Celica called him with tearful voice. There was no response.

Celica tried to walk up to him with her aimless feet shaking. When it seemed she was about to fall, Ragna held her shoulder and pulled her.

"It's dangerous. Get hold of yourself."

Ragna knew that he had said something unreasonable. Truthfully, it seemed nothing would reach Celica's ears. Her trembling knees yielded down as they had lost their strength.

He hurriedly held her body that had collapsed to the floor with his arm, and supported her with his chest.

"Celi..."

Ragna didn't continue his words as he tried to call her. To begin with, he already couldn't remember what to say to her.

Celica's lips let out a helpless voice to call her father.

It might have been some kind of switch as tears were spilling from her wide eyes. Spilling, and overflowing.

"No... no way. Why...?"

She had finally met him. She had found him at last.

Her lifeless fingers were trembling as she strongly grabbed Ragna's clothes. It was like there was nothing to cling to other than that.

Ragna embraced Celica within his chest. If by any chance his hand were to be separated from her, he felt like Celica's figure would disappear instantly.

He fully knew that such a thing would never happen, but he couldn't help it. He probably just didn't want to look at her pale, tear-stained face.

As she was firmly enclosed within his arm, Celica's back began to tremble in her sobbing after a little while. She buried her forehead on Ragna's chest. She muttered as she held back her voice. Like how a small child did, she couldn't conceal her grief and started to cry.

Why? How come? I really have lots of things to say. I didn't search for you to speak about such a thing...

Ragna never lamented over the fact that his right arm couldn't be moved presently.

But if only it could be moved, even while supporting the crying Celica, he could have patted her head with the other hand.

Before anyone knew it, the hidden room that was deep within underground had regained complete silence.

A small sound rang as Trinity closed a thick notebook in her hand. Its black leather of a cover was crowded with writings on it. They were mostly reminders of someone's researches.

But occasionally, there were no dates or signatures, with small monologues put in between. Sometimes it was a trivial announcement of a decision, sometimes it was a complaint, and sometimes it was regret.

The contents were like short journals. Its owner, Shuuichirou Ayatsuki, wasn't able to tell it to his daughters. What was written were mostly predictions, and the truth.

Standing in for the uninvolved sisters, Trinity only investigated some parts of the monologues and read aloud what caught her eyes.

"...It seems originally, your father's research was initiated when a person named Relius Clover received a request."

Breathing out slowly, Trinity said a few words. It was then that time had finally moved for the first time in a long time.

For the whole time, Nine was silent, while Celica was crying.

In the midst of it, Celica finally stopped crying and sat down on the floor. Even then, she hadn't released Ragna's clothes. For now, she still clung to it with her head buried.

He didn't see a reason to separate her. Forced to keep sitting, Ragna looked up to Trinity with his posture still holding Celica.

"Was there a guy named Yuuki Terumi in there?"

"No~, didn't find any."

"Is that so..."

He felt disappointed since he had a little hope. Ragna had quite a history with him as the enemy. That name gave out a hidden presence that marked an important incident in history. Ragna had encountered him in a period approximately a hundred years to the future. However, he should have existed in this period, too, donning some kind of appearance.

To say the least, Yuuki Terumi was one of the Six Heroes who had defeated Black Beast...

(...Hm? Does that mean if I find Terumi and beat him during this current stage, the Black Beast won't be defeated?)

Ragna suddenly noticed. If that were the case, he couldn't afford to kill Terumi. History would change.

(Well... But for now...)

The purpose he came up with that he could do in this period was only Yuuki Terumi.

For now, rather than that, the girl who was desperately wiping her tears from her eyes was more important.

And then... about the Kus.h.i.+nada's Lynchpin that was silently enshrined.

"That Relius Clover must be the person that man was talking about."

Nine spoke as she separated her back from the wall. An anger that had its reason still yet to be understood by Ragna and the others strongly oozed out from her voice.

She wandered to the front of the lynchpin and then looked up at the gigantic object with her chin raised, as if challenging it.

"If you want to overcome your inferiority complex, then do something with just your own power... And yet, this thing...!"

With her anger stirred up, thunder appeared on Nine's hand. It largely expanded in just a blink of an eye. Before long, the sound of electric discharge filled up the atmosphere within the room. The measuring devices screeched as sparks scattered all over them.

"Hey! What are you trying to do!?"

Ragna raised his voice in a hurry. With her eyes locked on the Kus.h.i.+nada's Lynchpin, Nine didn't even look over to him.

"It should be obvious. This ridiculous junk has no worth in existing!"

"You... you can't, Onee-chan! Father went through trouble taking care of it! It might be able to stop the Black Beast!"

Weeping her eyes out, Celica raised her face and also yelled.

The hidden room which was built deep underground might not know about the damage from the Black Beast, but if one were to get out to the outside of the room for a moment, they would see deep scars regardless. If they were to go to the surface, they would be exposed to the dreadful appearance of a country that had been destroyed by an unidentified monster.

If the Black Beast's ferocious movements could be stopped, then any mankind would long for that miraculous means.

But Nine's back turned a deaf ear. The lightning sphere greatly raised.

Trinity prepared a protective magic in a hurry. Ragna reflexively held Celica to protect her.

The lightning was fired.

On the brink of it, a gale swiftly flowed.

"Wh...!?"

It wasn't clear if the raised voice toward the unusual phenomenon belonged to Ragna or Nine.

A distorted noise burned the air. The course of the fired lightning cl.u.s.ter that had been aimed at the lynchpin was abruptly changed to a wrong direction. In a diagonally upward angle, it smashed the room's ceiling and burst.

A noise of metal being torn off spread. The smokes from the explosion dragged the smashed soils and rained down within the room.

"Cough... cough. W-what?"

Celica lowered her body since she was seized by a fit of coughing while still being held by Ragna's arm. She once again choked painfully.

She didn't know the details of what had happened. But judging from the noise and situation, Nine's magic had been repelled. It didn't directly hit the lynchpin.

With her sleeve covering her mouth, Nine looked up from within the whirling up dust clouds. In the front of her, another presence lingered.

As his vision gradually became clearer, Ragna instantly recognized the intruder.

"Can't let ye destroy this fella."

A short build with the height that didn't even reach Ragna's chest and two tails that swayed. A gleaming j.a.panese sword that cut through the explosion's smoke.

The one who was standing there was Mitsuyos.h.i.+, with his wounded right eye covered in bandages.

As soon as he saw Mitsuyos.h.i.+'s figure, Ragna spontaneously gasped. His memory was aching.

That person also had his right eye concealed by an eye patch. The side of his eye that was covered was the same as what Ragna's master, Jubei, had.

"Mitsuyos.h.i.+! Why the h.e.l.l are you here...!?"

"Did ye forget, Ragna? Clavis was originally tryin' to get me to investigate this place. It shouldn't be strange fer me to be here."

With only his large left eye sharply focusing on Nine, Mitsuyos.h.i.+ sneered in a friendly tone that didn't change in any way since the time when they were traveling together to j.a.pan. But he didn't give any hint of friendliness as his hostility lit up.

"I've heard the story. Kus.h.i.+nada's Lynchpin... If its strength can stop the Black Beast, might as well start it up now."

His voice was calm, but he said it while the tip of his sword pointed to Nine threateningly.

The sudden intruder made Nine dumbfounded although she rarely did that. After she came to her senses, she carefully focused on her magic.

"And just when I thought someone fairly good-looking had appeared, you just had to say a selfish thing, didn't you? If you've heard the story, then you should have understood. I can't let that junk be activated."

"Why? Even ye should've known how messy the current world's situation is, Nine of the Ten Sages."

"You're an underling of the Alucard Family, right? Looks like senility has. .h.i.t even Clavis Alucard."

Nine boldly answered back as she snorted.

Mitsuyos.h.i.+'s face showed a faint discontent at the word senility.

"Answer my question. Are ye, one of the Ten Sages, seriously goin' to conceal the means to save the world just fer yer own selfish desire, even as a joke?"

Why did Nine detest Kus.h.i.+nada's Lynchpin so intensely? It wasn't just Mitsuyos.h.i.+'s question, but everyone in this room, too.

"This isn't a means to eliminate that monster. It will only hold it back. The existence of the Black Beast will continue to remain."

"It's better than not usin' it. Humanity needs time. After escapin' from the Black Beast, the time won't be necessarily used to save victims, but to get the strength to fight against that monster."

The current humanity's technology could not oppose the Black Beast. The circ.u.mstances couldn't produce any kind of satisfaction.

But even if they got their hands on something, they didn't have the opportunity to organize it. Every country, every inst.i.tution had their hands full in dealing with the damage caused by Black Beast.

And everyone thought about how to save anyone who stood beside them. If only there was a little time, then they wouldn't have to think about protecting.

"Just as Mitsuyos.h.i.+-san has said, I feel the same. If we don't do anything at this rate, humanity might perish. Even if the time is short, a person might be saved in the meantime."

Celica appealed while getting up by borrowing Ragna's hand.

"Father said that my power is needed to complete it. I'll do anything. I think it'll be wonderful if people throughout the world can live in peace even for a while."

Her swollen red eyes pointed directly at the older sister. Her voice was powerful, as if the sobbing from before was a lie.

Nine dropped her gaze as if avoiding her sister.

"Don't say such an absurd thing..."

Her fingers whitening as she clenched her fist beside her body.

As if his back was enduring something, Ragna also asked although he was hesitating.

"You seem to not want that device to be used no matter what. But why do you refuse it so much? If you're hiding something dangerous, then tell us. If you don't, then I won't be satisfied since I'm clueless. Mitsuyos.h.i.+ and Celica also won't agree, y'know?"

"...Look here!"

Nine snapped at Ragna's question. With her long hair disheveled, Nine turned around. The glaring eyes that raised up looked like... they would burst into tears anytime soon.

"It is nothing but a decoration for now. It's meaningless to toss it to the Boundary as it is. Electricity and magic cannot reach it when it's inside the Boundary. And it needs some source of energy to keep it functioning. It also can't use instantaneous ones like explosion. That thing operates continuously in a constant pace. Something like batteries is not enough at all. Something larger, something that can be more easily controlled..."

"A source of energy with that much delicacy..."

Trinity became speechless mid-sentence. She had already guessed it.

But Ragna couldn't grasp what Nine was trying to say. He took a large step forward as he was frustrated.

"Quit talking in a circle! What is it!?"

"Don't you know?"

With hate, Nine spoke coldly. Her contempt wasn't directed at Ragna, but her father.

"...A human being."

The perceived sound felt like it made the mood grew cold rapidly.

With a voice that had its emotion killed, Nine continued on.

"A human soul is unstable, but it can have an unmatched adaptability when precisely programmed. Besides, even without something like a cable or electromagnetic wave for machine, or the user's mind for magic, it will be able to keep functioning as long as the human is still alive."

For it to work in an unknown territory called the Boundary, it had been stated that a human being was the most suitable as the instrument's energy.

For many years, Shuuichirou Ayatsuki had been researching about the technique for establis.h.i.+ng a human's soul. The Kus.h.i.+nada's Lynchpin had to be the culmination of those researches. It was the first and the last finished creation to Shuuichirou Ayatsuki.

"However, the energy for the lynchpin cannot be any kind of human. Compared to anyone else, it has to be someone who excels in manipulating one's life force... For example, someone who's especially talented in using healing-type magic."

After Nine squeezed out the words as her heart tore to pieces, her mouth got locked shut.

"Ah."

Celica astonis.h.i.+ngly let her voice out instead. The lightly gripped hand had its index finger peeked out. That gesture of pointing to herself was extremely unsuitable with the room's atmosphere.

"Could it be me?"

———It needs your power for it to be completed. Your...

In other words, that was the meaning of their father's last words.

"So basically..."

The time felt as if it stopped. In midst of it, Ragna managed to open his mouth once. His mind had yet to sort out everything.

"What was that? That Kus.h.i.+nada's Lynchpin uses people for fuel... What's more, it's worthless if it's not Celica. Like that?"

"...Rather than fuel, it's more like a key to start the engine."

From an early age, Celica had been endowed with healing power after previously taking lessons in magic theories. Shuuichirou Ayatsuki got a hold of that data and put it to use in studying the Boundary. And in the end, he utilized it as a part of the Kus.h.i.+nada's Lynchpin.

While cutting her words from time to time, Nine listlessly looked downward as she spoke. It sounded like she was hiding her emotions.

"Healing magic users are scarce. Someone as talented as Celica isn't exactly common. What it all comes down to is that man had planned make use of Celica when he made this."

"If the lynchpin is used, what'll happen to Celica?"

"When the inorganic substances are a.s.similated, her body won't be able to move. And gradually, her life will be whittled away. In the end, all will be exhausted."

Like the energy inside a battery that would eventually be depleted entirely, it would have no more use.

"And after Celica's life force is used up, as if nothing has happened, that monster will nonchalantly revive. Do you think I will allow that to happen!?"

The suddenly lashed out voice shook the atmosphere inside the room. Nine tightly gripped her fist still.

"If it's used, that's the same as saying you're presenting Celica's life. Even with that, does anyone still want to state their opinion to me?"

Her voice had a tension as it reverberated. Before long, no one replied. What broke the silence was the sound of Mitsuyos.h.i.+ moving as he readied his sword.

"...Even so."

Strongly gritting his back teeth, Mitsuyos.h.i.+ spoke as if he were squeezing the words out.

To say that the fixed tip of his sword was without hesitation was incorrect. There were troubles inside the dropped gaze that had been raised again.

"Even so, if the current situation keeps lastin', sooner or later everythin' will be finished. It's an end that has to be avoided completely. Humanity needs a chance... No matter what the sacrifice is."

Even if it was too heavy to carry that sacrifice.

Mitsuyos.h.i.+ sternly furrowed his eyebrows. He shouted to shake off his own hesitation.

"THERE'S NO OTHER WAY!!"

Kus.h.i.+nada's Lynchpin was the last chance left for humanity.

One way to break out of the vicious cycle of defensive fight, they had to recover to go into the offensive.

She understood that. Nine deliberately repeated it as she stared at Mitsuyos.h.i.+ as if challenging him.

"I'll fight even if this thing doesn't exist! Black Beast? Bring it on! I'll turn it to charcoals!"

"If that's possible, no one would be scared of the Black Beast's presence!"

Mitsuyos.h.i.+ was seriously planning to defeat the Black Beast. Even if he lost his life, it would still be okay if the world was saved. But the reality was different. The remnant only expanded for a little bit. Neither hands nor legs came out.

The Black Beast wasn't a fighting opponent that could be confronted squarely by humans and beastkins.

"...I understand that ye cherish yer sister. Still... when the world meets its downfall without recoverin', are ye just goin' to say that there ain't any other way!?"

The lynchpin wasn't only affecting Celica's life. It also held the choice of risking life throughout the world.

If the lynchpin couldn't only need Celica's life and were fine with everybody else's, Mitsuyos.h.i.+ would offer himself. Nine would also do the same.

Therefore, Mitsuyos.h.i.+ said the right thing while Nine was wrong.

"...I won't allow for Celica to be sacrificed."

Nine strongly bit her lips as she hoisted her supple hands.

"If you're absolutely doing it, then I will eliminate you even by force!"

Nine's magic ability was considered to be the best in the world. Within the white hand, a powerful magic coiled up a vortex. Presently, a pure ma.s.s of energy transformed and brought forth a light orb.

Nine pointed it toward Mitsuyos.h.i.+ without any hesitation. Just before the light approached Mitsuyos.h.i.+, it burst into countless light bullets as it rained down.

"Tch... can't be helped. I won't back down easily!"

Clearing away several of the light bullets, Mitsuyos.h.i.+ skillfully twisted his body to avoid it.

A few of the light bullets. .h.i.t the lynchpin's body. It made Nine chuckle and Mitsuyos.h.i.+ bitter-faced. However, the small lights had merely done a single scratch on the magnificent silver and green objet d'art.

"Hmph. As expected from something that's dealing with the Boundary, it's unbelievably st.u.r.dy."

The annoyed Nine spoke bitterly. This time, she created blades of void. The target was Mitsuyos.h.i.+. If he came in contact with the invisible blades, his flesh would be torn while his bones would be severed.

But Mitsuyos.h.i.+ could see the direction of the wind blades as he leaped. He easily jumped over it and then approached Nine.

"If ye don't want to get hurt, pull yer hands!"

"Don't take me lightly!"

The tip of the sharp sword seized Nine. But just before it thrust in her throat, Nine enveloped her surroundings with electricity.

"WHOA!?"

The sparks repelled the sword. As if kicking the air, Mitsuyos.h.i.+ twisted his body. Although his balance was a bit off, he landed back to where he was. He quickly fixed his posture as he muttered bitterly.

"As one would expect from one of the Ten Sages. Not only the magic strength, but the speed of its deployment's also in a different league."

"Same goes to you. If one thought that you were just a cute cat, one will be in for a world of pain."

Their respective ability was more than they had expected. But neither Mitsuyos.h.i.+ nor Nine could withdraw.

"Onee-chan! Mitsuyos.h.i.+-san!"

Since both of them went into their battle stance again, Celica tried to prevent it with a fl.u.s.tered voice. But it couldn't reach their ears. They didn't even glance toward Celica.

"I... cannot abandon the world!"

"I won't let anyone make use of Celica!"

Stating their declarations together, Mitsuyos.h.i.+'s sword and Nine's shockwave clashed.

The impact made the room lightly vibrate. Despite that, the room was deep underground.

Suddenly, Ragna remembered.

It was an event before the Dark War that wouldn't fail to be mentioned when talking about it. Destruction had been driven away from humanity as the Black Beast once suddenly ceased its activity for a period of one year.

In the meantime, humanity reorganized the crumbling order and established sufficient preparation to face the Black Beast.

And then when the Black Beast began to be active once again, having a backup from a new kind of strength built by humanity, six heroic people eliminated the apparition that had threatened the world.

(A one year gap ...)

Historically, the cause was unknown.

(Was it the Kus.h.i.+nada's Lynchpin?)

When Celica got absorbed to the lynchpin, the Boundary would be sealed. That was why for one year, the black apparition couldn't move.

...Was that the truth of the history?

Ragna couldn't believe it. With disbelief, he looked at Celica.

Near him, someone powerless frustratingly bit her lips as her heart was crushed by Mitsuyos.h.i.+ and Nine's fight.

Did this girl's life save humanity...?

In Ragna's vision, Celica's hair swung violently. She broke into a run.

Ragna caught her arm. Since it was so sudden, he was a bit rough.

"Ragna!"

With a disapproving look, Celica looked back.

In a short distance away, Mitsuyos.h.i.+ was jumping around while clearing away Nine's fired light arrows. The sound of the clas.h.i.+ng metals were reverberating brutally.

In order for Celica to stop both of them, she intended to put herself between them. Ragna forcefully pulled the arm he caught as he sighed in his amazement.

"At any rate, what do you think you can do by yourself? It's dangerous, y'know."

"But!"

She loathed such a situation. The big sister she loved very much and Mitsuyos.h.i.+ who she felt indebted to. She didn't want anyone to get wounded.

For some reason, Ragna picked it up and understood Celica's feeling that was like a prayer. It was very easy to imagine that this girl was surely thinking like that.

"I know. You want to stop them."

"Eh...?"

"Next time, tell me when such a time comes."

Soon after he spoke, Ragna set up the blade of the thick sword and pulled it backward considerably. Putting all of his might, he threw it so it was mowing down horizontally.

"URAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!"

As it made a boisterous noise, Ragna's sword rotated in high speed as it drew a large arc, splitting up the s.p.a.ce between Nine and Mitsuyos.h.i.+.

"What the!?"

"Tch...!"

Right under his nose, Mitsuyos.h.i.+ used his sword to repel it. A heavy noise rang out as the sword's trajectory was disturbed. After a few rotations, the tip of the sword got buried in the floor.

Both Mitsuyos.h.i.+ and Nine stepped aside until they were close to the wall. In the meantime, Ragna's sword was stuck as if it were some kind of a symbol.

"Okay, stop!"

Ragna quickly walked to his favorite sword's location. In the middle of it, he put in awe to his voice as he raised it.

"Y'all are much stronger than normal, so don't you go wild with full strength. In the first place, no matter who'll win the brawl, isn't the one who decides what to do Celica, not you people?"

He gripped the handle which faced the ceiling and pulled it up. The metallic floor was coming along too, but he tore it off by pinning it down with his feet.

Nine was silent. Mitsuyos.h.i.+ awkwardly lowered his sword.

"...I understand what you've all been saying. But for now, calm down a bit. That goes for Nine and Mitsuyos.h.i.+. Also Celica."

There didn't seem to be any composure in everyone's feelings. Ragna himself was also included.

Frankly, it was a bit confusing. Putting Celica to Kus.h.i.+nada's Lynchpin. Was that choice the reality of what had happened? Or did humanity find another way?

As an existence that had lived in the future, he shouldn't change the history.

However... for such a thing like offering Celica to the Boundary in this place, he couldn't even consider it.

Trinity calmly stepped forward.

"I also think it's good to do just as that~. I'll make some warm tea, so let's get a little rest. After all... so much stuff happened today~. Okay?"

Ragna felt a deep grat.i.tude for Trinity since she was here in such a time like this. The girl's meek demeanor gently wrapped the broken tension.

"...Yeah."

As if urging her older sister and Mitsuyos.h.i.+, Celica innocently smiled and jogged over to Trinity. Looking at it alone, it was hard to believe that her life had control over the fate of the world.

Slowly, the freezing mood started to melt.

Mitsuyos.h.i.+ restored his sword. Covering her sharp glints with her eyelids, Nine crossed her arms under her chest.

In reality, perhaps no one had come at a conclusion. Looking at the scene in the room, Ragna spontaneously thought so. Even if it was for the sake of the world, such a thing as offering someone he knew as a sacrifice no matter what was ridiculous.

———.

"...Ah?"

Ragna looked around while frowning his eyebrows.

Hearing a tiny voice escaping from him, Trinity tilted her head in a wonder.

"Something's wrong?"

"No, just now..."

Someone called him.

As he thought so, the voice could be heard again.

———Ragna.

It was clear this time. He realized it. It wasn't the case that it came from somewhere. Someone was speaking directly into his mind.

That was why Celica and Nine, also Trinity and Mitsuyos.h.i.+ couldn't hear it.

It seemed she only had business with Ragna.

"...I'm gonna go outside a bit."

As of now, he hesitated to one-sidedly continue the talk in this place. Ready to be doubted, Ragna went toward the door with a broken electronic lock.

"Where are you going?"

Sure enough, Nine called him with a cautious voice. With his hand placed on the door's frame, Ragna's feet stopped. Again, he looked back. He didn't know if any kind of excuse would be enough for her.

"...I'm just gonna cool off my head. Be back soon."

Dodging her question with an ordinary excuse, he left the thin, lengthy corridor and turned back to the underground cave where the Cauldron resided.