Screams arose from the audience.
“Just as I thought… I don’t want this! Rowen, don’t go! Don’t leave me alone!”
Upon being “recognized” by the people, Reaper lost its physical form.
At the same time, the black scythe also lost its form, and a large hole appeared in Rowen’s heart.
Reaper cried out, trying to stop Rowen.
“I’m scared! If Rowen is gone, I’ll be the only one who knows about a thousand years ago! I’ll be the only one!!”
She had a tantrum like a child—no, like a baby.
There was no trace of the dignity of the venerable witch from yesterday.
She looked no different from a baby mourning separation from their parents.
“Guh… As expected, it’s come to this…”
Rowen vomited blood and staggered from the pain.
However, his steps were firm. Strength surged into his body, which seemed on the verge of disappearing, and his outline became clearer. Despite having a hole in his heart, he was more vibrant than before.
“Oh, good…! Rowen, with this…! You’re going to become that ‘half-corpse’ they talked about, right!?”
“It’s more than a ‘half-corpse’…! It’s instant death, you idiot. Damn it, ugh…”
The blood gushing from his heart turned into crystal the moment it touched the air.
The paused “Monsterization” recurred, and Rowen’s body began to transform with strange sounds.
It felt like the world’s malice was preventing Rowen from dying as a human.
“It’s not too late! We just have to make this final match void! If you become a monster and escape, you’ll lose all your ‘glory’ and everything else, leaving Rowen’s ‘lingering desire’ behind!”
“—No. That doesn’t matter, Reaper. I just wanted someone to remember me… No, a more trivial wish—like wanting to look cool in front of the children. It was such a small light. …But, it’s already been fulfilled. It’s been fulfilled!”
“B-but! Rowen’s strength returned! Because I interfered, you’re not disappearing!”
Indeed, being stabbed in the heart by Reaper had restored Rowen’s strength, preventing him from vanishing.
However, the reason was different from what Reaper assumed.
“Of course. Seeing you do something so foolish, I couldn’t possibly disappear. I hate to admit it, but I still have one ‘lingering desire’… Just one left…!”
“Eh… You still have one ‘lingering desire’…?”
I had known it from the beginning.
If I had more than one “lingering desire,” Rowen would have disappeared after teaching me and the children swordsmanship. Yet, he didn’t disappear, even on the brink, because of that last “lingering desire.”
Rowen probably knew it from the start.
He knew, but he just didn’t admit it.
But Rowen wouldn’t make a mistake now.
He wouldn’t lose his way.
“—My last ‘lingering desire’ is you, Reaper.”
Rowen turned to face Reaper and gently tried to caress her cheek—but his hand stopped.
Rowen grimaced in pain and clenched his fist.
“Wh-what…?”
Reaper froze.
“More than you want to protect me, I want to protect you. My best ‘friend’, Reaper.”
“B-‘friend’…?”
“But I can’t. I can’t… Just by existing, you suffer from the ‘curse’ of ‘homicidal impulse’. And I myself… I’m a dangerous being who might lose control at any moment and hurt everyone.”
Rowen knew about Reaper’s “homicidal impulse.”
That’s why he had been trying to disappear from Reaper’s sight, hiding various emotions.
However, he realized that hiding his emotions was counterproductive and was finally trying to convey his true feelings to Reaper.
This was the first time.
Rowen was never honest with Reaper, always snapping at her.
He only showed his feelings for Reaper when we were alone.
“Now of all times… Don’t call me ‘friend’, Rowen…! You never said that before…!”
“That’s why I decided to disappear. The dead should disappear like the dead, without bothering anyone…!”
“Why? I don’t understand… Why do you have to disappear, Rowen…? Why do I have to remain alone…? Hey, why?!”
“I am dead, but you are alive… That’s the difference, Reaper. You have a magical body, but you are truly alive! And by my disappearing, you will finally be freed from that ‘curse’! Finally, in the truest sense, the ‘Grim Reaper’ can live…!”
Deep in Rowen’s heart.
It was overflowing with affection for Reaper.
I understood those feelings well. The emotions Rowen felt were very similar to how I felt about my sister.
“So… Please, smile and send me off. It’s a request from your friend…”
And then, calling Reaper his friend, he asked gently.
Hearing this request, Reaper trembled.
“Friend…! You’re being unfair…! The way you say it is unfair…, Rowen too, big brother, everyone…!!”
Faced with an unacceptable request, Reaper shed tears.
They weren’t tears of just sorrow.
They were tears of emotion, as she accepted Rowen’s true feelings.
Reaper had always longed for a friend.
And finally, she was called ‘friend’ by the person most important to her.
However, the request from that ‘friend’ was painful and difficult for the young Reaper.
She wanted to respond as a ‘friend,’ but if she did, her ‘friend’ would disappear.
Caught between this dilemma, Reaper became unable to move.
She had even been prepared to die and stabbed Rowen’s heart, yet she lamented that fate hadn’t changed.
Rowen embraced such a Reaper. He stopped his arm just before becoming translucent, making it seem like he was holding her, and comforted her.
Then, as his body crystallized, he turned towards me.
“I’m sorry, Kanami. As you heard, even though I’ve been helped this far, I’m afraid I’ll still be a bother…”
“…It’s alright. I was expecting this. I have plenty of energy to spare.”
I replied to Rowen that I had no worries.
This final match wasn’t just a battle between me and Rowen.
By the time I failed to persuade Reaper last night, I had prepared myself for this situation.
The young Reaper would have her way until the very end.
And both Rowen and I would have to listen to her as “Reaper’s friend.”
I had a premonition of this.
That’s why I had been conserving my magic power in battles centered around my ‘inventory.’
Although it was slightly off schedule due to Rowen’s “Phantom Flash,” I could still fight.
“Once I become a monster, I will lose my reason and destroy everything until my body perishes… I’m truly sorry for this idiot’s actions…”
“No, I think this was unavoidable… Perhaps, from the moment Rowen and Reaper met, everything was decided… I have a feeling…”
No matter what path he took, Rowen Aleis would die once at the hands of Grim Reaper.
Such deep feelings had accumulated between them since they appeared on the 30th floor.
“Ah, you might be right…”
Rowen gently stroked Reaper’s head, even though he couldn’t touch her.
Then, regaining his composure, he released his gentle, embracing hands.
He slowly pulled away from Reaper.
While increasing the distance, he pleaded with me.
“Please, Kanami. Protect Reaper from me, who will soon lose myself—no, from all the malice in this world… If you do, I should be able to completely fulfill my ‘lingering desire’ and disappear…!”
Reaper, stumbling, reached out her trembling hand to Rowen.
But Rowen shook his head and increased the distance.
I walked slowly, stood beside Reaper, and nodded.
“Good… I’m so worried about Reaper. She’s my first friend. More than a friend, I even think of her as a daughter or a sister… However, due to her origins, she is undoubtedly destined for much misfortune and trials. Yet, she is so immature, foolish, and easily deceived. If I disappear, there will be no one to protect Reaper. That’s what makes me anxious…”
“You don’t have to worry, Rowen. I will protect Reaper. I won’t let anyone have her.”
“Heh… Really? Even if it means going against the country? Do you have that strength, Kanami?”
I had heard this question before.
But I was already used to it.
I answered immediately.
“Yeah, I’m fine. —Or rather, let’s stop with the roundabout way of speaking, Rowen. Reaper will take it seriously.”
In the now silent arena, our words echoed clearly.
Rowen was still concerned about appearances at this critical juncture.
Now, Rowen was on top of this giant theatrical ship, playing the role of the ‘enemy.’
Seeing through this, Rowen laughed.
“You’re a cold friend. Can’t you play around a little for our last moment? This is practically my will.”
“If you run out of time while talking, don’t blame me. It’ll be a very uncool will then.”
Rowen and I exchanged words playfully, as if laughing.
It was the same as during the rule-setting before the match.
We both wished to say goodbye with a smile.
“Very well. In that case, I’ll be direct.”
Rowen further increased the distance and spoke as if addressing the sky.
Meanwhile, blood continued to flow from his heart, dyeing the white ground crimson. However, this crimson blood quickly solidified, changed color, and turned into pillars of crystal.
Crystal pillars were also sprouting from all over his body.
Time was running out.
Seeing his form, the audience buzzed.
“I will test whether I can entrust Reaper to you, Kanami. That is my ‘Thirtieth Ordeal.’ I’m sorry for taking the title of ‘Sword Saint’… But now—”
He declared the ordeal, just like Arti.
Crystals entwined around Rowen’s “Magic Iron Sword.” The crystal pillars growing from his body transformed into arms, and he drew the “Reworked Aris Family’s Treasure Sword” from his waist.
Then, pointing two crystal swords at me, Rowen said:
“—Exceed the ‘Sword Saint.’ Exceed the ‘Strongest.’ Exceed the ‘Hero.’ Exceed ‘Sensation.’ Exceed ‘I’!!”
He boldly requested that I surpass everything.
“Aren’t the requests a little too numerous…?”
“Yeah, and protect everyone in the venue, not just Reaper. Well, I think Kanami can do it. I believe in you.”
“Everyone. Your trust in me is so great, I’m surprised.”
“Ah, I trust you. That’s why I can say this with a smile. —Kanami, show me that power. Show it off. If you do, I can entrust Reaper to you with peace of mind. My wish will be perfectly fulfilled this time, without a trace. I can also fulfill my role as a guardian. Everything will end without worry—!!”
Looking directly at me, Rowen shouted his trust in me.
Faced with such unwavering confidence, I had no choice but to respond.
“…Understood. I will accept the ‘Thirtieth Ordeal.’”
“Th-thank you…, Kanami…”
Rowen continued to speak, even as blood spilled from his mouth.
The Monsterization progressed, and Rowen’s magic power increased.
Not the magic power of human Rowen, but the magic power of the monster “The One Who Steals Earthly Principles.”
The undulations of this magic power affected not only Rowen’s body but also the arena.
Innumerable crystal buds sprouted from beneath the snow-white ground, and flowers of various ores bloomed.
“—Now, since it’s my will, let’s try to look a little cooler!!”
All the crystal pillars growing from Rowen’s body transformed into arms, becoming eight arms.
His hair changed from red to white, and his eyes became transparent like crystals.
Along with this transformation, the interior of the arena also changed.
The ground was filled with seven-colored crystal flowers, creating a fantastic field of flowers.
“My apologies, everyone! The ‘prelude’ is over!! From now on, it’s a battle between me and Kanami—the guardian of the 30th floor and the challenger who has reached the 30th floor. We cannot guarantee your safety from here on out, so please be careful! And for those who wish to watch with their lives on the line, do not blink! Finally, now! The final match of the ‘Ichinotsuki General Knights’ Dance Tournament’ will begin in the truest sense!!”
Rowen shouted so everyone in the audience could hear him.
The world within the barrier approached the 30th floor I had seen before.
Rowen’s crystal world overlapped with my winter world.
The barrier creaked.
The giant theater ship “Valfala” trembled from the sheer force of Rowen’s magic.
The public address system began to shake, and the audience’s screams intensified.
A murmur arose from Rowen’s declaration, the unusual changes were felt, and the venue began to become chaotic.
This had long surpassed the scope of a “Dance Battle Tournament.”
However, Rowen called the battle about to begin the final match.
He probably wanted to be defeated by his best friend’s hand during the match.
“This is it! This grand theater ship ‘Valfala’ is the thirtieth floor! The domain of Rowen, ‘The One Who Steals Earthly Principles’! I apologize for the unauthorized use and hasty setup, but from now on, please consider this ship the thirtieth floor of the labyrinth! Now, let’s begin the ‘Thirtieth Ordeal’! The final match is far from over!!”
Rowen, losing his human form and his human words.
He had a strangely muffled, low voice, giving an impression reminiscent of a spider.
Rowen had completely transformed into “The One Who Steals Earthly Principles.”
And with that declaration, Rowen began to walk.
I also started walking, with Reaper behind my back.
Before the distance closed and while Rowen’s human will remained, I shouted.
“I’m coming now, my friend!!”
“AAAH, I AM HERE! FRIEND!!”
Rowen’s entire face was covered in ore, becoming a mask like Teeda’s past self. He moved his crystal mouth with a grinding sound of stone, and Rowen answered me.
Rowen’s eight crystal arms attacked.
I met them with all my might.
Thus, I truly reached the 30th floor—
And now, the ‘Thirtieth Ordeal’ begins.
