Chapter: 91. The Beast Chasing the Girl (6k4) (11/46)
The time returns to earlier.
Another battlefield.
Tian Yu soared through the sky with wings made of shadow, finally reaching the coastline.
After setting down Feng Zi, Tian Yu had learned from him about the so-called “Protagonist Plan.”
According to the information held by Feng Zi, the Special Circle SEMA and the Three Major Academies hoped to create a new “protagonist,” akin to the Elemental Ruler, through various means after the latter’s death.
Although Feng Zi did not understand why they referred to it as a “protagonist,” it was not hard to grasp their desire for the world to once again have a savior.
Among these was the boy Kanade Tsukimi, who was regarded by the Special Circle SEMA as the “next protagonist.”
Thus, they secretly entrusted people like Feng Zi to guide Kanade Tsukimi based on the experiences of the previous protagonist, the “Elemental Ruler”—
“Is Tsukimi-senpai… the new savior?”
Before tonight, Tian Yu would have laughed off such a statement.
Because in her understanding, Kanade was just an incredibly ordinary boy, gentle, kind-hearted, and eager to help, even overly so.
But at this moment, as Tian Yu looked up toward the distant sky,
The extraordinary magical power enveloping the entire night sky, and the beast’s roar capable of shaking the heavens, showcased its immense power everywhere—
Even when she stood before Nagi in the past as the End, she had not felt the overwhelming pressure that she sensed now from Kanade.
It was a fear that surged from deep within her genes, an instinctual terror.
Tian Yu watched the scene of Kanade tearing apart the enormous Chimera as if it were paper; a thought suddenly flashed through her mind.
—I must… stop Tsukimi-senpai from continuing like this.
—Otherwise…
In Tian Yu’s eyes, Kanade appeared like an uncontrollable beast, indiscriminately venting his fury and power on the Chimera.
If he continued to rampage, his next target might just be the artificial academy island, or even—
Tian Yu turned her head to another direction, the sea breeze lifting her silver hair.
Reflected in her eyes were the countless lights of this coastal city.
The commotion from Kanade’s fight with the Chimera had already reached this city.
Using her vision enhanced by the shadow of the End, Tian Yu could even see many people opening their windows or standing on their balconies, gazing toward the sea.
Since the ordinary citizens had already noticed, the Special Circle SEMA must certainly be taking action as well.
If someone from SEMA were to see Kanade’s violent and uncontrollable state at this moment—
“Feng Zi-senpai, please rest here, I—” Tian Yu resolutely stood up, striding confidently towards the ocean.
But Feng Zi, squeezing out the last of his strength, grabbed her sleeve.
“Don’t go. Even if you are from the Heavenly Academy, you cannot survive in the face of that power—”
“……Even so, I must go.”
“If it’s for the Ark Academy and the people of this city… SEMA will definitely send out ACEs to stop Tsukimi and protect them. There’s no need for you to risk your life—”
“That’s exactly why I must go.”
“…. Why?”
“Because… Tsukimi-senpai must come back, there is a girl… waiting for him.” Tian Yu said without looking back, forcefully breaking free from Feng Zi’s grasp.
Surrounding shadows surged toward Tian Yu like a tide—
—To transform the Contract Beast into an Imaginary Spirit—
—If that woman can do it, then I can too…
A scene of Maria turning the Blood Crow into red armor flashed through Tian Yu’s mind.
Following her instinct at this moment, she guided the nature of the shadows to change.
—If this power I possess is indeed, as my brother said, a special form of Contract Beast,
—Then I can do it too.
The shadow crept up to Tian Yu’s skin, gradually transforming into a pitch-black armor.
Having only seen Maria perform this technique once, Tian Yu replicated the use of this Contract Beast.
Donning the black armor, Tian Yu felt an unprecedented surge of power, far surpassing any strength she’d had in the past two and a half years.
Tian Yu sensed that with her current self, she might be able to match the “greatest masterpiece,” Mana.
“This is… what they call Imaginary Spirit Transformation?” She lightly kicked off the ground, a torrent of dark magic forming a swirling vortex, lifting her weightless body off the ground—
—————–
“Has this day finally come?” In a vintage yet exquisite office, an old man stood with his back to the moonlight, lifting a glass containing a crimson liquid that occasionally glimmered with a purple-black sheen, as thick as blood.
As his words fell, the window behind him was blocked by several rising black walls, plunging the entire office into darkness.
But this did not last long, as several 3D projections emerged in the dark.
“Let’s cut to the chase. I believe everyone present felt that surge of magical power, right?” The first to speak was a tall, handsome man in a perfectly tailored suit, his muscles straining the finely crafted attire, exuding an air of strength.
The badge on his chest indicated his identity—
One of the Board Members from the Special Circle SEMA.
“Yes, we felt it. They certainly felt it as well,” a young woman interjected, also dressed in black, with short hair sharp as a blade and sharp eyes. One could faintly see the outline of another person in her projection, suggesting she was not alone.
Her badge indicated her identity—
President of Hoshizora Academy.
“That fluctuation seems to originate from your campus city. Is this part of your plan?” another middle-aged man spoke with a confrontational tone, directing everything toward the SEMA Board.
His badge indicated his identity—
President of Tsuki Academy.
“Strictly speaking, this is an accident. We had no intention of forcibly awakening a ‘substitute’ at this time,” the SEMA Board replied sternly.
However, his words appeared to have not garnered the approval of the Tsuki Academy president.
Watching their exchange, the old man straightened in his seat, the sun-shaped badge on his chest reflecting a silver light under the projections.
“Ladies and gentlemen, now is not the time for comparing, balancing, or blaming each other’s plans and progress.” The old man intervened to halt the dispute between the two men.
During this, his gaze never left the edge of the Hoshizora Academy president’s attire.
Even through the projection, he felt an incredibly familiar sensation from that small corner of fabric.
“The emergence of this power indicates that everything has reached a node in the Book of the Future.”
“Whether out of our own volition or not, the new protagonist has appeared, and we must make contact with him as soon as possible.”
The old man’s statement elicited nods of satisfaction from the SEMA Board members: “SEMA has already dispatched several ACE-level psychics to the scene. They should soon coalesce with the new protagonist and protect—”
“—Whether he is truly the protagonist remains to be seen.” The Tsuki Academy president reclined, interrupting the other party’s words.
“What now, do you still wish to deny it?”
“……. Surely, I’m not the only one who thinks this way.” The middle-aged man’s gaze shifted toward the Hoshizora Academy president, the implication clear.
“The plan has borne fruit not just for the Special Circle SEMA; we simply do not flaunt it as you do.” The Tsuki Academy president spoke as he withdrew his gaze.
Meanwhile, the short-haired woman, who had been silent until now, finally spoke again:
“Before we debate this topic, we should act swiftly to protect him before the fantasy monster finds him—”
Her words had yet to finish.
In her projection, a red alert suddenly lit up.
The others froze momentarily.
But the next second, red lights illuminated every office.
“What is happening—” The Tsuki Academy president began to speak when he was interrupted by the SEMA Board.
“—Look outside, lift your heads to the sky.”
Hastily, everyone turned around.
The black walls shutting off the window slowly descended.
An ominous purple-black light gradually illuminated the office.
“It is the Star of the End… He has descended once again.”
A purple-black star hung high in the sky, shimmering with ominous light that resembled a nightmare.
The sight caused the short-haired woman to clench her teeth involuntarily, but because her movement was minimal and everyone else was focused on the purple-black star, this detail went unnoticed.
“Why has the End descended at this time… Could it be related to the new protagonist…” The SEMA Board displayed signs of wavering for the first time tonight.
“We can only pray that these two are merely coincidental; otherwise…” The old man spoke while taking out his phone, displaying a number that had failed to connect for the past two and a half years.
With a mindset of trying, he dialed the number again.
Unexpectedly, it was answered within seconds this time.
Yet neither spoke a word, a silence engulfing them, but it felt as though the old man and the voice on the other end could perceive each other’s unsaid thoughts in this silence.
This silent exchange ultimately ceased when the other side abruptly hung up the call.
“The location of the End’s arrival has been determined… It is near the new protagonist…”
The SEMA Board was the first to report the latest development of the incident.
“….. Send everyone there.”
Finally, the old man spoke, “At this point, we cannot let a repeat of that incident occur…”
—————–
“Impossible, impossible, impossible, my perfect Chimera is actually—”
In the skies above.
Otokiri had tried countless methods to escape the enemy before him.
But no matter how he struggled, he was insignificant in the face of the opponent’s power.
Otokiri felt as if he were a mouse being toyed with by a cat, alive only to satisfy the hunt’s pleasures, or perhaps—
The fire of vengeance.
The claw engulfed in black flames tore through the Chimera’s body inch by inch; each blow made Otokiri experience a death-like pain, but he remained alive.
The agony he felt in that moment was more intense than any pain he had ever experienced.
Otokiri understood.
He was still alive because the opponent wanted him to endure this endless suffering.
The Chimera’s power had completely lost its effect against the opponent.
And practically, the only thing Otokiri had left to rely on, the Azure Thunder, should have been snatched away long ago.
Yet it still lay in his palm.
Like a firefly that encouraged him to persist and fight—
Providing him with a last glimmer of hope.
“If only I can seize the opportunity to strike him with Judgment and Condemnation…” Such thoughts occasionally flashed through Otokiri’s mind.
Like the mirage of an oasis seen by someone parched in the desert.
But it only served to drain the last remnants of energy from his body and mind…
So that he could experience pain until the very limit…
The shadow encased in black flames streaked through the sky once more, and the sharp beast claw aimed for Otokiri’s heart.
But the Chimera could survive even without a heart, so Otokiri could only release boundless azure thunder, attempting to strike this dark monster before him.
The opponent had not uttered a single word from beginning to end, maintaining a brutally beast-like grin on his face.
“Damn it!!! What do you want? What do you want me to do?!” This time, Otokiri’s retaliation fell short as both his body and spirit reached the limit.
He had tormented others countless times to utter such lines.
He just never expected that he would one day become such a role.
The man seemed to notice Otokiri’s state and halted the endless torment—
His figure suddenly flashed before Otokiri.
Realizing this might be his last chance, Otokiri instinctively wanted to unleash his Azure Judging Eye.
But before the azure light could manifest, it was engulfed by the black flames.
The opponent extended his right hand, cloaked in black flames, and tightly gripped Otokiri’s throat, now reverted to human form.
Otokiri struggled to turn his head, trying to see the expression on the opponent’s face.
Yet all he saw were golden eyes filled with fury and beast-like malice.
【To let you experience the same pain as that child.】 At that moment, those golden eyes seemed to be silently conveying this.
“….. I see now… that child…. ugh…” Otokiri struggled to voice his thoughts, but when he mentioned a certain word, the grip on his throat tightened instantly, making it hard to breathe, let alone speak.
However, Otokiri merely wished for death at this moment.
This endless torment, coupled with an insurmountable force, had completely extinguished his will to live.
Thus, in the end, he employed the Chimera’s unique ability, transforming his forehead into a large blood-red mouth:
“Do you care that much about the fact that I killed Senpai Hoshigami… that you would resort to this inhuman form just to take revenge for her?”
The grip in the opponent’s hand tightened once more, squeezing Otokiri’s throat, blood spilling from the corners of his mouth.
“How unfortunate… even after I die, that child will never return to your side… Ha ha ha!!!”
His words ignited a flash of intense murderous intent in the beast’s eyes before him.
The other hand quickly lifted, the black flames transforming into claws, pointed at Otokiri’s head—
In a critical moment.
A mass of black shadows formed into countless blades, striking Tsukimi’s left hand.
The previously unstoppable attack came to a halt under these shadowy blades.
“Enough already, Tsukimi-senpai! If you return to normal now, it will still be in time…” Tian Yu, donned in black armor, appeared above Tsukimi’s side.
Kanade simply turned his head.
Tian Yu immediately felt an unprecedented sense of pressure.
Like prey being targeted by a supreme predator.
But thinking of the consequences of backing down here, courage surged from deep within Tian Yu’s heart.
“If you truly kill… then you will never be able to be with Nagi-nee again. Even so, can you accept that?”
【But she is already gone.】 Kanade’s golden eyes seemed to silently express this.
And at the mention of that name, a fierce wave of murderous intent surged through him again, shaking the entire world.
“What?” This time, it was Tian Yu’s turn to feel confused.
“Nagi-nee… she is still alive.”
In that instant, a glimmer of light flashed in Kanade’s eyes, but it was soon replaced by hatred and beastly malice—
【To stop me, you would use her as a lie and an excuse?】
Kanade painfully opened his mouth, as if trying to say something, but only beast-like roars escaped his throat.
“That’s not—!?” Tian Yu initially intended to say something more.
But the next moment, a fierce claw strike interrupted her.
Kanade maintained his single-handed grip on Otokiri and instantly appeared before Tian Yu, his free hand swinging upward from below.
The black flames transformed into claws, striking at Tian Yu.
Fortunately, she managed to use her mirror to convert it into a blade and defend against it swiftly.
Surprisingly,
Tian Yu did not feel the overwhelming power she had expected.
Clearly, Kanade’s attacks had been supremely dominant against the Chimera and the Azure Authority.
Yet the sensations transmitted from her hand now, while formidable, were not completely insurmountable.
And Kanade showed no hesitation upon finding his attack blocked this time.
It seemed as if some primal instinct drove him to execute the perfect combat action, regardless of circumstances.
His subsequent kick sent Tian Yu flying.
Suspended in mid-air, he quickly assumed a four-limbed landing position, transforming into a black meteor wrapped in black flames that shot toward Tian Yu.
Realizing the danger, Tian Yu spread her wings in time and flew upward to evade Kanade’s follow-up strike.
But she was not the only one with the ability to soar high into the sky.
Kanade abruptly changed direction with an impossible sharp turn, rushing toward where Tian Yu had fled, trailing a dazzling black light behind him.
Even though Tian Yu was flying at full speed, Kanade still outpaced her.
Left with no choice, Tian Yu raised her blade to engage Kanade once more.
The clash between the blade and claws created a powerful shockwave that dispersed the surrounding clouds, revealing the bright full moon above.
“Please, Tsukimi-senpai, quickly return to normal… otherwise, if SEMA sees you like this…” Realizing that mentioning Nagi could provoke him, Tian Yu attempted to persuade him in another way.
However, it was evident that Kanade could not comprehend anything at this moment.
In fact, it was only when she mentioned Nagi’s name that a brief moment of rationality flickered across his face.
As Tian Yu pondered how to awaken Kanade during this standoff, Kanade’s right hand, which had been gripping Otokiri’s neck, moved.
Although Tian Yu had been vigilant for this possible blind spot in battle,
Kanade’s mode of attack was beyond her expectations.
The flames engulfing his right hand surged forward, transforming into a “third hand” that lacked real support.
This hand composed of black flames extended, sharp claws aiming directly at Tian Yu, striking her down toward the ground with overwhelming force.
The immense force propelled Tian Yu’s body to breach the sound barrier in an instant. Had it not been for the protective armor formed from the End’s shadow, that strike’s acceleration would have been enough to crush her organs.
However, what truly shocked Tian Yu was that Kanade’s follow-up attack was faster than her descent.
A black meteor streaked across the night sky.
In an instant, he arrived beneath Tian Yu, and his two freed hands quickly opened into claws.
—She would die.
Such a thought flashed through Tian Yu’s mind in that moment.
At the last second, she could only initiate contact with Imaginary Spirit Transformation to disrupt Kanade’s attack.
The armor transformed into shadowy spikes, launching toward Kanade below.
Instinct drove Kanade to sidestep the barrage of shadowy spikes, which caused the fatal strike he was about to unleash to be interrupted.
But before Tian Yu could catch her breath,
Kanade swiftly adjusted mid-air, the third hand made of black flames hitting Tian Yu’s slender body with great force, sending her flying away horizontally like a cannonball.
The sea’s surface was cut deeply by this strike.
Tian Yu had no chance to react this time, her body crashing into the coastal cliff with immense kinetic energy, sending dust flying as she sank deeply into the rocks.
Kanade, wrapped in black flames, followed closely behind—
The worst result.
Tian Yu never expected to accidentally lead Kanade to the coastal edge.
—What immense power, is this what they call a protagonist?
Struggling to open her eyes, all she could see before her was Kanade standing there.
His golden eyes were filled with unfathomable fury and beastly malice, locked onto her.
—How can I bring him back to normal…
—Why does Kanade-senpai believe that my brother is dead…
Having endured the earlier blow, Tian Yu was now immobilized, and the magic power within her seemed to be drained by the black flames around Kanade.
Logically, the evolved Kanade, now a foe of Otokiri, should not possess the ability to overpower Tian Yu.
But unfortunately, the Chimera had unintentionally absorbed the shadow spikes embedded within Otokiri during its battle with Tian Yu, thus gaining some of the End’s shadow abilities over Kanade.
Faced with the barely conscious Tian Yu.
Covered in beastly intent, Kanade coldly raised his black flame claw, sharp tips aimed at Tian Yu’s head—
—Surely, I am… still unable to help my brother?
The claw descended.
But just then.
Tick.
It was an incredibly faint sound.
The sound of a droplet of water hitting the ground.
Kanade’s body abruptly froze, the sharp claw halting just under a centimeter from Tian Yu’s forehead.
His eyes once more gleamed with a spark of humanity as he turned in disbelief toward the rear—
That was the seemingly calm artificial academy island.
And in Kanade’s eyes, the entire island was now shrouded in a field.
Before Tian Yu could comprehend what was happening,
Kanade released his hold on Otokiri’s near-lifeless body, turning to face the direction of the Ark Academy.
He heard it across the crashing waves.
He saw it through the darkness of the flames.
—She is still alive.
Kanade moved.
He took a step toward the artificial academy island, his golden eyes bursting forth with spectacular brilliance.
He wanted to see her again—
No matter the cost, he wanted to see her—
And then express the thoughts he had long hidden within himself—
The black flames surged, engulfing his body.
Magic power surged like madness.
At the hollow space of his soul, an endless supply of magic power was being drawn in, injected into the dark flames.
The black flames took the form of a formless beast, enveloping Kanade’s body.
This time, I will never lose you again—
