At the brink of defeat, my Master lost his composure upon hearing my confession.
Romis watched it all from a safe distance, but his expression changed midway.
As the Master shouted, particles of light leaked from his body, distorting the surrounding air. The rampage that Teeda had stopped earlier was now something I could witness in full – he observed it with keen interest.
“Is this… gathering the ‘Demonic Poison’? If it’s the same phenomenon as the Lord Flame God, why can’t I see the pathway?”
Romis was focused on the Master’s escalating ‘Demonic Poison’. This was typical of someone who believed human power was paramount. In contrast, I, who believed the human heart to be most important, focused on the Master’s changing expression and words.
His eyes, once filled with sorrow, flickered as he continued to question himself, appearing utterly pained.
“—I decided I wouldn’t cry anymore… Even if everything else was taken from me, I swore I wouldn’t forget that…—”
The Master explicitly said, “even if it was taken from me.” I understood what that meant.
The darkness of a ‘Foreigner’ that I had longed to see was now fully exposed.
I understood not only the meaning but also its cause. This entire journey with Fanian had pushed the Master into a corner. Romis, ‘The one who steals the logic of darkness’, ‘The one who steals the logic of fire’—and most of all, my confession had cornered him, pushed him, pushed him until he lost all composure.
“—I made a promise… to ‘Her’, saying ‘Everyone together’. I promised in front of Father and Mother that I would become a fine Older brother to Hidaki. Ah, that was the new ‘Aikawa Uzunami’!”
I could no longer ignore the burden the Master carried.
‘Her’, ‘taken from me’, ‘promised’, ‘new Aikawa Uzunami’—this meant the Master’s memories of this ‘Her’ were stolen, and his past ‘Aikawa Uzunami’ had been altered. The reason he struggled when helping others was that he had lost his true self and was being forced to do things he didn’t want to do.
—Then, by whom were they stolen, and by whom is he being forced?
I looked again at the white ‘Threads’ extending from my fingertips. They were like puppet strings, attached to me and refusing to come off. Even with my possession of ‘Curse Technique’, I couldn’t understand their mechanism, and they evaded the eyes of Romis, the ‘Demonic Poison’ expert here, and the ‘Thieves of Principles’.
There was only one person capable of manipulating such things. And sadly, no one was better suited to manipulating the Master’s mind.
“Aaaah—-!! —Curse Technique《Flame》!!!!”
As I reached my conclusion, the Master unleashed flames from his entire body through ‘Curse Technique’ in his scream. The sheer heat, comparable to the flame serpents that had clung to his body, made Romis cry out in surprise.
“What—!?”
Just as the flames that enveloped the soldiers had been extinguished, the flames clashed and canceled each other out. It was a perfect neutralization through 《Flame》.
But where was the source of that abnormal firepower coming from? 《Flame》 was a ‘Curse Technique’ that ignited flames only as large as a bonfire, and supposedly caused memory loss. What had to be discarded to generate flames comparable to Romis’s flame serpents?
While I felt a bottomless unease, the Master stood up. With residual embers flickering and particles of distorted light dancing, his black eyes stood out. They were a pure, uniform black. The darkness itself was black, and his eyes, terrifyingly still, sank infinitely deep.
“Ah, I will definitely save Tiara. I can’t be allowed to fail to save her anymore.”
Words of sheer compulsion, along with the ominous ‘Demonic Poison’, spilled from the Master’s lips.
From his appearance, his eyes, and his words, I was convinced. The condition for being chosen as a ‘Thief of Principles’—a crack in the heart—was now widening.
It was cracking to the point where his heart could no longer serve as a Vessel. It was breaking. Shattering. Dying.
—That’s why his power as a ‘Thief of Principles’ has been increasing incessantly since a while ago.
I recalled one of the explanations given by an Apostle about a ‘Vessel capable of adapting to Demonic Poison’. It stated, “—Essentially, that person will die. They lose multiple human functions and also sacrifice the most precious thing they possess. Not only that, but every time they use power beyond their human limits, they will be demanded a corresponding ‘Price’ from the world.”
Various speculations swirled in my mind, and my anxiety finally reached its peak, threatening to let out a sob from the back of my throat. Seeing me trembling, the Master turned his quiet, black eyes towards me and spoke gently.
“It’s okay, Tiara. I’m here to help you now. I will make sure that you think it was good that we got out of the tower that day— I must—”
“—!!”
My frozen heart began to beat again, and goosebumps rose all over me.
I was captivated, mesmerized, and my thoughts were blown away. After all, the Master before me was the ‘Protagonist’ of my ‘Ideal’. A ‘Protagonist’ who, amidst dramatic adversity, was overflowing with more human darkness than I had anticipated, looking only at me, desperately trying to save me.
Naturally, my chest continued to pound with ‘Love’. However, an anxiety that was just as strong was also snowballing. Trapped between two escalating emotions—excitement and anxiety—my mind became a mess.
Is the Master, whose ‘Demonic Poison’ is uncontrollably growing, truly alright? Was it truly the ‘Correct Answer’ for me to have shouted what I did in my ‘Love’ earlier? It almost felt like it would have been better if we had lost to Romis, been captured, tortured, brainwashed, and utilized. Perhaps I was being guided towards the wrong path— I looked at the ‘Threads’ attached to my fingertips.
“—Curse Technique《Level Up》”
While my thoughts were still scattered, the Master uttered his ultimate ‘Curse Technique’. Instantly, a vast expanse of faint light spread out. Like yesterday, it was colorless and transparent, unstained by anything. And this light of 《Level Up》, much like the flames of 《Flame》, began to erode and encroach upon the light of Romis’s flames.
Romis, in turn, tried to counteract it head-on, shouting to increase the heat of his flames.
“Fire and Light, you can use them simultaneously!? But that’s all!!”
Without being captivated by the battle, I continued to focus on the Master’s own ‘Demonic Poison’. At first glance, the ‘Demonic Poison’ was colorless and transparent, but it wasn’t as clear as water. It reflected the surrounding light like a mirror, constantly emitting its own luminescence.
In that ‘Demonic Poison’, I saw my own worried reflection. Like peering into a calm lake’s surface, my inverted face appeared, with a star-filled scene twinkling behind it. The Tiara Fuziaze reflected there was fantastical and dramatic, like a heroine from a storybook— and the ‘Ideal’ world I desired was unfolding within the ‘Demonic Poison’.
“Romis! If you, as the lord of this domain, are taking everything from Fanian… I’ll shift it back, and restore it! Everything that belongs where it should be, will return to its rightful place!!”
The moment Master declared that, Master’s “Demonic Poison” warped and twisted greatly.
The still water surface I had been watching began to ripple slowly, creating currents. It started to move clockwise, gradually forming a whirlpool that stirred the accumulated water.
The once colorless and transparent lake began to take on color.
As if the impurities sunk at the bottom of the lake were swirled up by the vortex and mixed with the surface water, the lake’s color—Master’s “Demonic Poison”—was dyed a faint purple.
Witnessing this series of changes, Romis replied.
“Shift it back, you say…? That distortion of the ‘Demonic Poison’—it’s not light, nor flame, but that is your true nature!?”
No.
I knew Romis’s analysis was wrong, as I watched only Master, ignoring the battle.
The true nature is neither light nor a shift.
It’s the mirror-like water surface I had seen just moments before.
—Yes, a mirror.
If I had to guess, Master has a nature that allows them to change into anything, be it the “Savior’s” “power of light” or the “Other World’s Protagonist’s” “dimensional power,” depending on the surrounding people.
Frankly, it’s an “anything goes” nature.
It’s as if they can wield the most ideal power for the situation at hand.
“—’Behold and reflect upon yourselves,’ ‘Know the radiance of your life,’ ‘It exists in me, it exists in you’—”
Then, “Master” began an “Incantation.”
That ideal power shifted all of Romis’s fiery light—as if it had been “Reversed”—and made it disappear from this world.
It was a truly peculiar sight, as if twisting the “logic of flame” that existed in the world.
Even though all the flames in the central infirmary were currently radiating high temperatures and burning fiercely, there was no visual brightness.
The flames cast darkness, and only Master became the sole light.
At this utterly nonsensical spectacle, the surrounding people’s minds were thrown into confusion and strong distress.
“Huh? The Flame God’s light is gone…?”
“The flames are still burning, it’s hot and it’s there… Why…?”
“The light… Huh? Why… my eyes are tearing up…”
The wall of believers who had been earnestly praying showed signs of disarray.
From this appearance, I understood that what Master had shifted was not just the visual light.
It was likely that the “Curse Technique” Romis had imbued in the flames, meant to unite the hearts of the populace, was also shifted and its effect “Reversed.”
That light effect had likely been continuously affecting the patients’ hearts, giving them a false light of hope and halting their thoughts. If Master were to create words, it might be something like Curse Technique <
The effect of that light, shifted and shifted, transformed the sense of security—”We only need to believe in the lord”—into anxiety—”Can we truly believe in the lord?”
The direction of religious faith in the central infirmary began to gradually go mad.
On top of that, what the patients in Fanian were now bathed in was only Master’s light. Romis, judging the situation to be critically dangerous, shouted and moved swiftly.
“Enough!! It’s your turn, Teeda!! Stop that man!! Right now!!”
First, he called out to his collaborator Teeda, but “The one who steals the logic of darkness,” who was likely lurking somewhere in this room—did not respond.
“Tch, as expected, when it matters most, he’s useless! —But I expected this. I can only trust myself. I am prepared to end everything with my own power alone. Even without light, I have overwhelming power through flame! First—!”
Romis clicked his tongue in annoyance but accepted the sloth. As a superior, he seemed prepared to tolerate this much from Teeda.
And first, he directed his gaze towards me.
From his stern expression, I could tell that he had switched from securing me to eliminating me.
The volume and temperature of the fire giants that were on top of me sharply increased.
Romis was losing his composure, and his true intentions were revealed. His quick decision, a testament to his competence, was to eliminate all uncertainties.
Master also seemed to notice his change in mentality and dashed forward at full speed.
That “speed” was comparable to mine and the fire giants’.
“Tiara—!! Shine, Flame Sword!!”
Master engulfed the sword in their hand with flame.
It was the same thing Romis had used to strengthen the soldiers’ weapons and armor at the start of the previous battle. Master had stolen it at a glance and turned it into their own “Curse Technique.”
“—Curse Technique <
The power further increased after undergoing the “Price” of giving it a name.
Master’s sword, magnified many times by the flame, reached the fire giants still on top of me.
The movements of the <
Enemies that had been so troublesome were being felled one after another by Master’s sword.
The one on top of me was also unceremoniously cut down and blown away by Master.
My body freed, I endured the pain and quickly stood up. Master, looking overcome with emotion, rushed forward and hugged me tightly.
“Tiara!! Ah, thank goodness… I’m truly glad. I managed to protect you this time… I protected you. Ah, Tiara… Tiara, Tiara Tiara Tiara Tiara—”
Even though we were still in the middle of a battlefield, Master hugged my head intensely, repeating my name with a sickening obsession.
Held in Master’s embrace, my vision became solely focused on Master, and I almost smiled.
Of course, I was happy. But indulging in this warmth and losing the battle would be pointless. With my arms broken, I moved my head left and right, refusing the embrace.
“M-Master. Let’s do that later…! Also, my back is hot!”
I also objected that <
“Ah, ahh. Sorry.”
“Ah, yes. I’m alright now…”
Master, understanding my condition, immediately released me.
Then, our faces turned towards each other, mere inches apart.
Instantly, my heart’s rhythm accelerated. My entire body was still hot, unchanged since the confession earlier. Now, my cheeks were particularly flushed, and I felt as if my vision were enveloped in steam.
Without a doubt, I had obtained a genuine emotion, “love,” and was excited.
On top of that, I could now understand Master’s inner thoughts as if flipping through pages, and the thought “Could it be that Master and I are in love with each other?” crossed my mind.
My mind was a mess and felt like it was boiling. There was a lot of important information—Romis’s objective, Teeda’s betrayal, my own raw emotions, the truth of the white thread, Master’s memory loss—but none of it felt like it would ever come together.
“Step back, Tiara.”
As if to protect me from the chaos, Master took a step forward.
Although Master had cut down some of them, the giants of flame still remained. Romis was also still active.
“Master, we should return to Fuziaze for now. Because the flame you’re using right now is definitely something bad. Even if we fight him, it would be much, much safer and we could win if Hidaki sister was here. Honestly, there’s no reason to push ourselves here.”
Now that I had finally escaped confinement, I wanted to choose a sure escape.
More than anything, I wanted time to sort through the scattered information.
However, Master, in contrast to me, answered very simply with a refreshed look on his face.
“I know. Still, I don’t want to run away anymore. Thanks to Tiara, I finally understand. I can’t become like Hidaki. Because the person who wanted perfection like Hidaki from me is no longer— nowhere to be found.”
He confessed his inferiority complex towards his exceptionally talented sister, and Master vowed not to be defeated by it.
His voice was bright, his tone was positive, and it was powerful as if representing Master’s growth.
—However, along with those words, Master’s “Demonic Poison” continued to swell.
I only knew one condition under which “Demonic Poison” increases.
Master is smiling brightly now. However, to me, it looked as if he was completing himself as a “Thief of Principles,” by discarding and discarding and discarding something precious, to the point of becoming empty inside.
“That’s why, from now on, I’m going to do things my way!! I’ve now clearly realized that being myself connects to my power as a ‘Thief of Principles’!!”
I had a feeling that Master’s wishes were going astray.
However, I couldn’t think of any words to stop him.
“I’ll aim for the ‘Ideal Self’ who can save everyone! Even though I know such a thing only exists in fictional stories, I’ll keep striving towards it! Even though I know it’s a place I can never reach, and even though I know it’s meaningless! To keep striving towards it was my ‘Dream’! Ah, it’s always been that way! Beyond everyone’s eyes, beyond that glass, like beyond that page! Only that ‘Ideal World’ was my last solace!!”
My cheeks flushed, and I was mesmerized, unable to move.
Master right now was too much like the “Protagonist” from a book, making me want to watch him forever.
“There’s still a lot I don’t understand! But, my hesitation is gone! I will definitely protect Tiara! And, I will defeat Romis! From here on, that alone is enough—! That’s me, Al Aikawa, a ‘Thief of Principles’!!”
And, with that declaration, the battle between Master and Romis resumed.
“You think you can defeat me?! A child who relies on power that just fell into your lap, without any preparation or resolve! Don’t think you can do anything you please with that power!!”
He must have judged that the giants of flame were not enough. Romis finally began to move forward himself. In response, Master also stepped forward.
“Precisely because it’s power that fell into my lap! I won’t be defeated by you and have it stolen here! My power exists to save Tiara, my companions— and everyone in Fania!!”
Master brandished the “Flame Flamberge,” and Romis also generated a giant sword of flame.
To decide the outcome, the two of them charged at the same time and clashed their flame swords. Two kinds of flames burst forth, and a battle of flame intensity ensued.
“In Fania! As the ‘Prophet of the Lord Flame God,’ don’t you think you can rival me in flame! My flame is the crystallization of people’s accumulation! It’s only natural that I won’t lose to the cursed power of you monsters!”
As Romis was confident, his flame gradually began to push back.
“Ah! I know that! It’s only natural that I can’t beat you! Because my ‘Curse Technique’ wasn’t made to defeat you! This ‘Curse Technique’ was made with the desire to save someone!!”
While clashing their flame swords, Master shouted as he began his next “Curse Technique.”
“—’Be watchful and reflect!’ ‘Know the brilliance of your life,’ ‘What is in me, is in you!’ —Curse Technique《Level Up》!!”
“Light again! I won’t let you do that so many times, as you please—!”
Once again, the light of “Level Up” was about to spread. Romis tried to suppress it by thinly spreading his flames, but Master’s light pierced through Romis’s flames and filled the entire central infirmary.
“Even if I’m inferior to you in flame, I won’t be inferior in this! 《Level Up》, developed to heal Hidaki, is my all!!”
That light repeated exactly the same scene as yesterday, in the same place. The “Demonic Poison” accumulated in the surrounding patients was converted into life force, and they were all released from their pain without exception. As they became healthier than before falling ill, everyone spoke as if they were dreaming.
“The pain in my body is gone, and I feel light… What is this…?”
“Eh, eh? It doesn’t hurt…? My body doesn’t hurt!”
“Light…? Full of light brighter than flames…”
Master performed a “Miracle” even greater than Romis, and let out a roar fueled by the momentum of his battle.
“I want to heal!! I came to Fania with the wish to heal, to heal, to heal!! I never want to see people suffering from illness again! This wish alone will not be swallowed by your flames!!”
Unlike yesterday, Master was complete. Without distorting his face, he was able to fulfill the “Ideal” forms of me and the patients.
Al Aikawa, the “Thief of Principles,” was brilliantly playing the role of the “Savior” who came from another world to banish the world’s “Demonic Poison”—and the patients who had been watching the battle began to wonder who their true ally was.
“Is the boy fighting the lord back there right now, this light…?”
“He saved us with that light? Us?”
“That can’t be. Then, why is the lord fighting that boy—”
Romis’s source of power is that the city of Fania itself serves as the “Price.” For that to be established, the citizens must believe in the “Artofel Religion,” and the lord, who is the prophet, must be revered.
Now, a hole appears in that power.
In the center of Fania, a void opens—people who believe not in the “Artofel Religion,” but in “Al Aikawa’s Light” begin to appear. This change directly affects Romis’s flames.
“Ku, my flames are wavering…!”
“Not yet—!!”
Master’s “Level Up” does not stop. Next, it begins to apply not only to the patients but also to the giants of flame. This is an application unique to “Level Up,” a “Curse Technique” specialized in conversion. While Romis converted people into flames, Master began to reverse it. However, compared to the usual “Level Up,” its completion is low, and it is very forceful. Even if Master consumes abundant “Demonic Poison,” not everyone will be perfectly restored to their original state.
About half of the dozen or so flame giants standing in a row had turned into charred corpses, and the rest had reverted to soldiers with severe burns all over their bodies.
The soldiers who had returned seemed to retain memories of their time as flame giants, and while they rejoiced at their survival, they cried out in hatred towards their traitorous superior.
“Haa, haa, haa… Did we make it? Was it thanks to that boy’s light…?”
“I, I can’t move my body…! Damn it, even though he’s over there…!”
“That bastard, how dare you! Romis Neishaaaaa—!!”
Among the returned soldiers, the man with the fewest burns staggered forward and denounced his former superior.
“Romis!! You weren’t satisfied with just the demons; you betrayed your own soldiers who served you until today!! To what end do you want to control everything!?”
His voice echoed throughout the central infirmary. The soldier’s agitated plea was enough to accelerate the distress of the surrounding patients. If things continued this way, the fact that the recent flame giants were once humans would likely become common knowledge.
If that were to happen, at least within this central infirmary, the “Price” of faith would all fall to Master.
Romis probably thought so too. He abandoned his struggle with the flame sword, kicked Master away, and created a significant distance. Then, he began to gather the flame meant to end everything in his hand opposite the one holding “Lord Flame God’s Heart.”
All the flames in the room gathered, condensing into a spherical shape. He could feel the rising temperature on his skin. His throat burned as it inhaled the scorched air, and his lungs felt as though they were burning.
Most importantly, the color of the condensing flame was abnormal. From red to blue, from blue to white—the flames were sublimating. This sphere of flame, specialized for incineration, gave the impression that death awaited anyone who approached it.
“Brat. You think you’ve turned the tables with just this much? There are plenty of replacement institutes. By destroying this ‘The First Demon Obstruction Research Institute’ right now, I can silence the witnesses. Let me show you my true flame—”
As Romis spoke, the anger of the surrounding soldiers reached its peak, and the murmurs of the former patients grew louder. However, no one could approach the overwhelming heat. People instinctively felt the danger from the lung-searing air and could only retreat.
Amidst this, Master alone stepped forward, determined to prevent the completion of the trump card flame.
“I won’t let you…!!”
At that moment, my skill sensed an end.
—Perhaps, this is the conclusion.
That’s why I averted my gaze from the two and searched for the enemy who wasn’t here. If I were that guy, I would move at this timing.
Immediately, I sprinted towards Master’s back with all my might. Then, with both my arms broken and unusable, I charged at Teeda Runs, who emerged from Master’s blind spot.
“Teeda Runs!!”
As expected, Teeda was trying to attack from Master’s blind spot again. Thanks to his overly predictable surprise attack, I succeeded in tackling him from his blind spot.
“—!?”
By shifting Teeda’s body, a mud-covered dagger that had been reaching for Master’s back missed its target. I quickly regained my stance and stood between Teeda and Master. I glared at the enemy before me with a desperate resolve to impede Master, even if it meant sacrificing myself—but Master denied that decision.
“Tiara! It’s unnecessary! Teeda is a companion! You don’t need to stop him!!”
He shouted that Teeda was not an enemy but a companion and stopped me. At that statement, Teeda, the enemy before me, showed clear agitation despite his mask. Of course, I also opened my mouth wide and looked back, exclaiming, “Huh!?”
There stood Master, looking only at Romis and trusting the two of us.
“I still believe Teeda is a companion. So, if you have something important to tell Teeda now, I will listen. —I must listen.”
Despite being betrayed and stabbed, and then nearly stabbed again, Master never looked back. Moreover, he stopped completely.
“M-My foolish Master…!!”
“—!?”
My and Teeda’s bewilderment multiplied. Right now, Romis before us was gathering heat not just from the room but from all of Fanian to complete his trump card flame. It was a solar-level heat, incomparable to any flame before. If completed, everyone would die. In this life-or-death battle where every second counted, would he listen to a traitor instead of a companion’s opinion?
—Unbelievable. He’s gone mad.
However, that abnormality was Aikawa Uzunami, the Thief of the Principles of Dimensions. Faced with his figure, Teeda was also deeply confused and finally screamed.
“Y-You’re lying…! You’re lying!!”
The Thief of the Principles of Darkness, who doubted trust more than anyone, questioned the trust of the Thief of the Principles of Dimensions, his own kind.
“I can’t believe it! There’s no one in this world who can believe a coward like me! Your words of trust, Kanami, they can’t be genuine! I know you, Kanami! You have no substance! All those pretty words you utter are borrowed! What are you thinking beneath that shady exterior!! First, tell me that!!”
Unlike Romis, Teeda had seen through Master’s true nature. He declared that unless he revealed the depths of his heart, a “relationship of trust” would never be possible. Upon hearing this request, Master immediately responded.
“Teeda… Perhaps I’m the same as you. I’m also terrified of living.”
Although he said he would listen, time was precious. Before Romis could create a sun, Master spoke his true feelings without embellishment. This was precisely the immediate answer Teeda had initially sought.
“In this darkness, I can’t see anything… It’s so dark, so dark, so dark, and I never know where to go… That’s why I have to believe in this thing called ‘Ideal’ within myself. There’s nothing else for me to do but move towards it…”
It was an answer I didn’t quite understand. But Teeda empathized deeply. From within the hollows of his mask, he groaned “Ah, aaaaah, aaaaah…” and his whole body trembled.
“I don’t know what you want to do with Romis, but I understand that you want someone to trust you and you want to trust someone. I want to grant that wish of yours…! So, no matter what happens from now on, I will believe in you until the end!”
Thus, Master, like a mirror, answered Teeda with the words he most desired. That figure was truly “Ideal.” Teeda, just like me, knew it was wrong, yet he was captivated, mesmerized, and couldn’t stop it.
“Kanami… You can only live by other people’s ‘Ideals.’ Is that the bottom of your heart—no, the ‘crack’ in your heart, right?”
Whether Tida’s small confirmation reached their Master, he didn’t know.
However, as if to affirm it, their Master rushed out.
Following their Master’s back with his eyes, Tida compared the two men in front of him.
‘Romis’ and ‘Uzunami.’
‘Lord of Fanian’ and ‘Thief of the Principles of Dimensions.’
‘A friend known since birth’ and ‘a companion met only yesterday.’
‘A friend who only thinks of using others’ and ‘a companion who continues to trust them no matter how many times they’re betrayed.’
If I were in Tida’s position, I would have trusted my Master without hesitation.
However, he grasped his own head tightly with both hands, distorting his Noh mask and the hollow of his mouth to their limit, letting out a voiceless groan, and hesitated.
At the end of it, Tida placed his hands and knees on his own shadow.
As if sinking into a swamp, he melted into the darkness and disappeared, muttering in a small voice only I could hear next to him.
“Ah, Kanami is weak… Just like me, truly weak… That’s why I can only believe in that ‘crack’… It’s not what I wanted, but is this the answer for ‘The one who steals the logic of darkness’…”
I knew that the ‘test’ Tida had spoken of before betraying me had ended.
Judging that Tida was no longer a threat, I relaxed my stance and shifted my gaze to Master and Romis.
There, Romis, having completed all preparations, held aloft a sphere of pure white flame and roared with laughter. Master, who had been delayed by his conversation with Tida, was about to pounce.
“Kuhaha, hahahaha! A good distraction, my friend! Well done for drawing their attention! Thanks to you, my supreme flame is more than sufficiently complete! With this sun, I shall end everything!!”
“Be on time!”
I watch the final page with relief.
From my position, distanced from their battle, I could clearly see.
Where Tida had gone, melting into the darkness behind me—
“—Ah, it is over. Romis.”
Because of the sun Romis held aloft, his shadow was deep and dark.
From the darkness of that shadow, Tida emerged and thrust a dagger into his abdomen from behind.
Romis, who had been focused solely on Master in front of him, could not avoid the deadly blade.
“—! Ti, Tida?”
Romis turned only his eyes backward, looking at the man who had committed the murderous act, and called out his name.
Then, realizing he had been stabbed, Romis immediately discarded the “Lord Flame God’s Heart” he held and placed a hand on the wound, trying to stop the bleeding.
The moment Romis’s consciousness turned to self-preservation, Tida mercilessly activated his Curse Technique (Dark). The overflowing darkness enveloped the floating sun.
And, as if digesting it in its stomach, it easily absorbed all the flames and converted them into darkness.
Tida amplified the darkness and spoke to Romis, who was on his knees in pain.
“No training is needed to swing a sword. Just as you taught me, my friend… Ah, truly, you were right about everything. You’re amazing, Romis. Unlike me, you’re an amazing person… You’ve always, always been my envy.”
Tida spoke of it as something that “was,” as something that was already over.
Romis, realizing that Tida had finished betraying him and intended to abandon him, tried to unleash a new flame, shouting.
“You…! Tida! TIDAAAAAAA—!!”
However, the moment the flame began to ignite, Romis squeezed the hand placed on his abdomen tightly and doubled over.
“Guh, Gaa—!!”
Tida must have used the mud he introduced into the wound to double Romis’s pain receptors.
The agonizing pain prevented Romis from using his flames.
It was now impossible for Romis to use his “Flame Power” without Tida’s permission.
At the same time, he understood the unfairness of Tida’s “Dark Power.” Advanced techniques like “Curse Techniques” and “Miracles” require stable emotions and concentration. Yet, “Dark Power” easily undermines these prerequisites.
Master, who was in front of Romis, who had collapsed in pain, also judged that the battle was over and sheathed his sword.
“Tida, thank you for the saved me…”
“Ah… It was a close call, all because of me…”
The two “Thief of Principles” exchanged gazes and nodded in acknowledgment of their successful joint effort.
Romis, caught between them, trembled in small tremors and screamed at Tida.
“Tida!! Weren’t we friends since birth?! And yet, you trust a suspicious man like that?! Someone you met yesterday or today over me!!”
From here, the only way for Romis to turn the tables was through Tida.
He endured the pain and tried to persuade him with “Deception.”
“Think again! Have you forgotten what I just said?! You just have to listen to me! I understand you better than anyone else! That alone is the path to your happiness!!”
To each of Tida’s words, Romis nodded in agreement, moving closer to Romis.
Then, he brought his mud-covered hands close to his face.
“My friend! Do you understand!?”
Romis saw hope in Tida’s gentle movements.
However, just before his cheek, Tida stopped both hands and began to speak.
“Romis. I will repent now. Please listen.”
Romis frowned at words completely unrelated to the battle.
“Huh? R-repent…?”
While the two were talking, mud continuously overflowed from Tida’s feet. Furthermore, the air around the two became stained with darkness, becoming endlessly dark and black.
Though different in color and nature, it was the exact same scene as Master’s earlier.
The mud and darkness expanded as Tida abandoned his friend.
He, too, seemed to be completing the “Thief of Principles” with each word as a “Price” and “Now.”
Finally, the mud filled the central treatment room, creating a jet-black pond.
The people who had been driven away by Romis’s sun could only leave the room in the face of the ominousness of the muddy pond. Even the soldiers, their faces stained with anger, carried their injured companions and retreated.
It was Lord Romis’s crisis, but not a single citizen rushed to his aid.
Left alone in the center of the jet-black pond, the repentance was carried out.
“Romis, all the nightmares in this town originate from me, the ‘Thief of Principles of Dimensions.’ And you, my childhood friend, are the greatest victim, having received my ‘Curse’ more intensely than anyone else.”
Tida shook his head, saying his friend was not at fault, before anything else.
At that moment, I felt their Master’s complexion distort.
—Childhood friend, the greatest victim of the “Curse.”
I took one step back.
It was certain that the story of the two men was heading towards its conclusion. However, I deliberately included not only Romis and Tida but also Master in my sight and turned the final page.
