The sky was shrouded in a faint violet glow, while black mist corroded the entire city. At its center, Tokyo Tower had become grotesquely deformed, crystalline traces spreading across its surface. Veiled by the hazy black mist, it looked as hideous as a demon standing in hell.
"You're certainly being reckless, Director Keido."
Inside Tokyo Tower, Segai followed behind Keido and glanced at the devastation outside the window, unable to resist teasing his superior.
"This is a necessary step toward achieving our objective."
Keido did not stop walking. He continued toward the stone ahead.
"Even if it requires paying a tremendous price?"
Segai asked with a wicked smile.
"Without sacrifice, there can be no success. Besides, they should have prepared themselves for this long ago."
The man remained utterly unmoved, treating human lives as though they were nothing more than weeds.
"Prepared themselves, huh?"
Segai murmured, then shrugged indifferently.
"Just in case, I have to ask. The Voids, and everything in the city, are all...?"
"That's right. Roppongi Fort is merely an illusion created from the heart of a single girl, including the area beneath our feet."
Keido answered him.
"...Mana Ouma, right?"
"..."
However, Keido did not answer again. He turned and tossed a small crystalline storage device to the man behind him.
"—!"
Segai caught it.
"This is what we agreed upon. The data on the Voids. Now we're even."
Hum...
The next instant, Keido stepped into a boundless, dreamlike space. His legs merged into the water-like ground and disappeared.
"Heh... How coldhearted."
Segai sighed emotionally, then looked at the data in his hand and smiled triumphantly.
Now all that remained was to see the result... It was no longer clear who would ultimately achieve their objective.
Compared to Keido's side, he was far more eager to see what surprises that woman would bring him. Perhaps she fascinated him even more than the so-called Voids.
The woman he had mentioned had already reached the wedding venue formed from the illusion of the "girl."
Hum...
As a spatial rift opened, the Shogun leaped out and landed on the ground with a click of her heels. She instinctively raised her gaze and surveyed her surroundings. Although she had never been inside Tokyo Tower, she was certain its interior was not supposed to look like this.
Violet mist filled the space, while mysterious patterns covered the floor beneath her feet. Before her lay an enormous circular pool of blood. Floating stairs without any visible support stretched across it. At the other end stood Inori, dressed in a pure white wedding gown. The unconscious girl was restrained by crystalline totems, resembling Sleeping Beauty.
Tap, tap...
A figure appeared on the other side. It was Shuichiro Keido. He stood beside the girl, admiring her as though she were a precious jewel.
Just as she was about to step forward, she felt something tug at her right foot.
"...?"
She lowered her head coldly and saw crystals clinging to her ankle. Her expression did not change in the slightest. She simply lifted her foot and shattered them.
"I never expected an outsider to intrude upon the wedding."
Keido walked to the stairs and looked down at the violet-haired woman below, speaking in a deep voice.
"Give her back to me, or I'll take your head."
She raised her gaze to meet his and spoke coldly, stating her purpose with perfect simplicity.
"This girl was originally an instantiated body we created to communicate with Mana. In other words, she is a vessel for storing Mana's soul. She belonged to us from the very beginning, so saying that I should 'give her to you' seems inappropriate, doesn't it?"
Keido answered.
Mana?
That name again... Gai mentioned it earlier as well.
Who is she?
Why is Inori a vessel for her soul?
"Mana was the first person to come into contact with the Origin Stone, becoming the first person infected by the Apocalypse Virus. In other words—Eve."
Perhaps noticing her confusion, Keido explained further.
"We placed her disembodied soul into a new body, allowing her to descend into this world once more."
During this time, Inori slowly regained consciousness. Her eyes wandered blankly across her surroundings before finally landing on the Shogun.
Mio...
Joy instinctively welled up in her heart, but it was soon followed by fear.
"Mana's resurrection will be both a reenactment of the Lost Christmas and an opportunity for the Apocalypse Virus to sweep across the world once again. I must witness it happen."
Tap, tap...
The man looked toward Mana's embryo on the other side, his eyes gleaming with yearning.
I see...
Now I understand...
To put it simply—this man is insane.
Seriously... The thoughts of madmen are always so bizarre... They find every possible excuse to court death.
"Da'ath has been watching you from the shadows for some time. He said you were special, unlike ordinary people, and that he had high expectations for you."
Keido smiled.
"Is that so...? Then I'm truly honored."
She shrugged indifferently.
"Mio!!"
The next instant, Inori finally called out, shouting her name.
"...! You're awake?"
Keido froze.
"Run!! Forget about me! This is the fate I was born for. Don't sacrifice yourself for—"
"Inori Yuzuriha! Don't forget why I joined Funeral Parlor in the first place. You still have a family, don't you? Gai, or everyone in Funeral Parlor? Are you truly willing to abandon them like this?"
The Shogun did not let her finish. She interrupted with a stern question.
"—!"
Inori's eyes reddened at her words, and she fell silent.
Besides, if this man truly intended to sacrifice Inori Yuzuriha to resurrect this so-called "Mana," countless other innocent people would suffer as well. His plan could not be allowed to succeed under any circumstances. Whether for personal reasons or for the sake of those innocent people, she absolutely had to rescue Inori Yuzuriha today!
"Well said!!"
Boom!!!
They heard the voice before they saw its owner. Following Ayase's shout of agreement, a distant wall exploded. Ayase's mecha appeared through the opening, carrying Gai in its hand. How the two of them had gotten inside was anyone's guess.
"What?! How did you—?! And Gai Tsutsugami?!"
Keido was stunned.
"Heh. I've been waiting for this moment—the moment I could confront both you and Mana!"
They had Segai's little trick to thank for that... He had provided Haruka Ouma with the clue needed to open the barrier around the illusion, allowing them to enter.
[Since I've been expelled from the arena, I thought I'd cause a little trouble.]
That was what he had told them earlier.
Through this incident, Gai had realized that the man was simply someone who lived for amusement.
"Gai?!"
When Inori saw Ayase and Gai appear, the hope inspired within her by the Shogun swelled even further.
With all of you here... I...
How could I possibly give up like this?
She began struggling against the thorns restraining her entire body, even though the slightest touch caused her pain.
"Shuichiro, we're running out of time. Begin the wedding."
Da'ath materialized from space and, sensing that the situation was turning against them, urged him to proceed.
"Right..."
After speaking, Keido took the Origin Stone and walked toward Inori.
"You two rescue Inori. I'll cut this man down."
The Shogun issued an order to Ayase and Gai, then drew Musou Isshin and charged toward Da'ath.
"As you command—?"
Ayase answered, only to realize something was wrong a moment later.
Huh? Why did I instinctively say, "As you command"? Maybe her commanding presence was simply too overwhelming just now.
"Ayase, the crystals are corrosive. Don't let them touch you."
Gai warned her.
"Okay~"
With that, she carried Gai down from the sky and glided toward the stairs where Inori was being held.
"Hmph... Insolent rats who don't know their place."
Keido mocked them and ignored their attack, continuing with the steps of the so-called "wedding." However, the ceremony required an officiant. Da'ath had originally been assigned that role, but he was currently occupied by the Shogun and therefore unable to proceed. Keido had no choice but to stand there awkwardly and wait.
"Damn it..."
He could not help cursing.
"That's it! Their progress has slowed!"
Gai saw a glimmer of hope.
"Uh... But... these things are difficult to deal with!"
Ayase looked at the crystalline tentacles constantly attacking them. Each tentacle had an eyeball at its tip, making them utterly disgusting.
'Truht?'
At that moment, Mana's voice filled Gai's mind.
"Tch... You're using this trick?!"
Gai knew it was her temptation. He shook his head and forced himself to concentrate again.
Bang! ×N
Ayase nimbly maneuvered the machine, dodging every crystalline tentacle capable of piercing straight through the ground. She had no attention to spare for anything else. Even shooting them was extremely difficult. The things simply would not break, and her shots kept missing. They had nearly reached their target, but now they were forced all the way back to where they had started.
"Damn it... We can't get close!"
Ayase cursed.
On the other side...
"I've always wanted to meet you. Your existence fascinates me."
Da'ath restored the arm she had severed earlier, reforming it from crystal. He then raised his hand and pulled remotely at Inori's chest.
"Aaaaaah!!!"
Inori screamed in agony. Her Void sword was forcibly ripped from her body from afar and flew into Da'ath's hand.
"..."
The Shogun glanced at Inori, her eyes turning even colder.
"Are you certain you want to cross blades with me?"
She asked mockingly.
"Well, time is of the essence, so forgive my discourtesy, my lady."
Whoosh!
Da'ath swung Inori's Void sword with one hand, slashing toward her face.
She evaded it with ease. He attacked several more times, but she calmly dodged every strike.
Indeed, she did not use Musou Isshin to block. She knew how powerful her blade was. If she failed to restrain her strength and destroyed the incoming Void sword, Inori would be placed in danger.
"Haa..."
Forget it. I'll end this quickly.
"Why aren't you blocking?"
Da'ath smiled arrogantly. He clearly knew the reason and was deliberately taunting her.
"Are you worried? At this rate—"
Hum!
Before he could finish speaking, a streak of violet light passed through his body. Da'ath's expression froze.
"Pathetic."
Now standing several meters behind him, the Shogun returned his mockery and flicked the blood from her blade. Who said she needed to block his sword? There was no need to block at all.
Slash!
The next instant, Da'ath was severed at the waist.
A vast pool of blood splashed across the ground and flowed over the edge into the blood pool below. She caught the Void sword as it slipped from Da'ath's hand and held it in one hand.