K SIDE:RED Chapter 5.5

Suou and Totsuka found the elevator leading down deeper and get on it. A worker they grabbed shared his pa.s.s with them. Suou was still silent, had his hands stuck in his pockets, and was so relaxed you wouldn’t know he was in the middle of enemy territory.

“I wonder if Kusanagi-san’s okay.”

“Don’t worry.”

Being told that by Suou in a calm way, like it was just a matter of course, Totsuka smiled wryly.

“You really trust him.”

Of course, Totsuka trusted him too. But, when he thought of how Kusanagi came home from visited Scepter 4’s base looking tired, somehow, it bothered him a little. The elevator reached its destination slowly. With the heavy sound of machinery stopping, its doors opened.

With a thud, the sound and blast from an explosion flowed in through the gap in the doors like a rapid river. Totsuka narrowed his eyes, but Suou didn’t tense up in the slightest, and simply canceled out the blast with red power that softly left his body. Suou’s power and the blast rammed into each other and made a noise that practically shook the whole Center while burning the walls and floor around them. Smoke began to fill that floor.

“Huh?”

In a situation where he had been blasted by a powerful energy with no warning, Suou twisted his neck and let out a noise that could even be considered a bit sleepy.

What happened just then was not caused by the power of a blue clansman. In the first place, it was hard to think that someone with this much power was still being held in reserve in Scepter 4. But Suou didn’t think too deeply about that and just stepped out into the floor. Totsuka followed silently.

When they left the box of the elevator and stepped on the ground, a sharp cutting attack sliced through the air towards them from a different direction. It was a sharp blade sticking out from the smoke still surrounding them. Suou looked at that out of the corner of his eye, then blocked it with one arm.

Using a fist holding red power, he lightly threw the blade aside, and- well, in the first place, if someone thought normally then a blade and a bare hand shouldn’t be exchanging blows, but this was done so casually and naturally that one may have begun to think it was normal- and then he knocked aside the blade that was trying to cute them. After that, he roughly reached out and tried to grab the wrist of the attacker who was holding that blade.

However, as Suou tried to grab the attacker, their movements changed. They became faster, as though they were in a video being fast-forwarded. They slipped away from Suou’s hand, even though they seemed to be completely caught. The attacker straightened up in midair, landed for just a moment to kick the ground again, and jumped up like a gra.s.shopper. They hit the wall once, then flew off and away directly afterwards, putting a wide s.p.a.ce between them and Suou. It took about 0.5 seconds. The smoke was beginning to clear.

“That was close, that was close. I was about to get crushed to death all of a sudden.”

The attacker with a sword and movements like a gra.s.shopper said that while letting out a breath.

“But anyway, they sure are making us go too far.” Said the man of small stature from the opposite side of the attacker. His hand held a powerful energy, and it was shining while letting off crackles that made it seem like it could explode at any second. It was probably this man who had attacked as soon as the elevator doors opened.

“Going too far was part of the job description, wasn’t it… there’s no way they’d /let us off/ for our crimes if it wasn’t something dangerous.” Said the attacker with the sword.

Thump, thump, with heavy footsteps, a large man came walking slowly in from the front, where the smoke hadn’t finished clearing yet.

“…are you guys gonna fight with the red king t'get out of here.” Said the large man. He was a head taller than Suou, and was wrapped in thick, armorlike muscles. However, his blue eyes alone shone strangely in a strangely childlike way.

“Of course. Why else would anyone cross such a dangerous bridge?” The attacker with the sword looked exasperated and glanced at the large man like he was seeing something creepy.

“M'different. Right now,” The big man laughed. With a body made of muscles like bronze, and letting off a sinister murderous intent, his smile was still strangely innocent.

“-My heart’s dancing.”

The large man kicked off from the floor. His great body flew straight through the air like an arrow. With the sound of cutting through the air, the next second he was in front of Suou. The man punched Suou from right in front of him.

“Heh…” Suou didn’t move an inch as he blocked the man’s fist and smirked a bit enjoyably. He raised his arm and with a light movement, he threw off the man’s arm which was trying to break Suou’s barrier. The man’s fist ended up being deflected into the wall. It made a hole. It wasn’t as though the wall was destroyed- it was a clean hole, about the size of the man’s face.

“A Strain, huh.” Said Suou as he looked around at the ones surrounding them. Looking around, the floor was a wide hall, which led off into multiple mazelike turns.

“…I guess they’re the dangerous Strains kept accomodated down here, huh.” Said Totsuka while tilting his head.

“Seems like they’ve been told they’ll be let free if they beat the red king, or something.”

Suou didn’t care about what was being said. The man who had a.s.saulted Suou from the front and left a pretty little hold int he wall stood up with a sway.

“M'different. They gave me their offer, sure, but the reason why m'here is cause the chance to fight with the red king itself is a prize to me.” As he said that, the large man’s eyes sparkled like those of a child.

“That guy’s the man called ‘Senkouki’.” Said the attacker with the sword.

“His crime’s murder. He’s also called the 'Strain-killer’. He’s a perv who can’t have fun with anything but fighting strong people.”

'Senkouki’ was wearing an innocent smile that didn’t match his looks or the introduction he was just given. Power focused on his arm, and it was clear that he was putting power into his fist again. The little man with crackling white energy in his hand glanced at 'Senkouki’.

“Don’t jump in alone. As much as I hate to say it, we don’t have a chance if we’re not in this together.”

“It’s like the 'Pyrotechnician’, says!” The attacker with the sword jumped. He leaped like he was on springs. His sword sparkled, and was swung down at Suou’s head. Suou messily waved his right arm as though to shake that off. The power surrounding Suou’s arm turned to flame and tried to swallow up the attacker.

However, he sped up again. With speed that may have made him look like he up and vanished to the eyes of a normal person, the attacker twisted around in mid air, dodged the lump of flames, bounced off the wall, and jumped towards Suou’s side. With his speed, all of that took only an instant, and Suou ended up letting the attacker get into his s.p.a.ce and try to cut. But Suou’s arm just blocked the sword.

As if it was a pair of swords. .h.i.tting each other, the attacker’s blade and Suou’s arm exchanged hits. Normally, Suou would have lost his wrist. However, his arm was holding off the blade without a single scratch. The blade went red hot as it took Suou’s power.

“Outta the way, 'Gra.s.shopper’!”

The attacker pressed his sword at the same time as that voice, and using that action he jumped again. Again, it was so quick it may as well have been instantaneous. As 'Gra.s.shopper’ jumped so quickly he practically vanished, white energy went flying towards Suou. It was power unleashed by the man called the 'Pyrotechnician’. Suou knocked away with one hand that ball of energy, which was crackling and like a bomb.

When he knocked it away, that ball of energy let off a violent flash and scattered. Suou’s eyes were burned for a moment. In that moment when his eyes were blacked out, from beyond the light, 'Senkouki’ came flying. His right hand tried to make a hole in the middle of Suou’s body. Suou stopped that with his palm. 'Senkouki’s’ fist, which always left a circle on whatever it was used against. Having taken that, Suou’s palm stung. Because of 'Senkouki’s’ charge, he slid back just a little.

Suou strongly threw away the fist he had blocked. 'Senkouki’ spun as he went flying, but he dextrously straightened his great body up in midair and landed. Suou looked down at the palm he used to block. There was a small black abrasion on the skin. He smirked. He was having a bit of fun.

“Hey.”

While looking in the direction of the Strains, Suou spoke to Totsuka behind him.

“/Can I?/”

When he was asked in a faintly cheerful voice, Totsuka shrugged his shoulders.

“…if you’ll be with me when Kusanagi-san gets on to us later?”

He said that in a tone that had exasperation mixed in, making Suou laugh voicelessly.

The next instant, power shot out from his body.

++++++++++++++++

The blue clansman Kamamoto picked up and threw far away was the last. All of the clansmen protecting the Center had been defeated by Homura, and were escaping.

Now then, what should they do from here on.

Should they follow King and company into the Center-

When Kamamoto turned to Yata to discuss it with him, he noticed people running out from inside the Center. He thought they were reinforcements and readied himself, but soon realized that that didn’t seem to be the case. On the faces of those running out was a the look of someone who had no idea what was going on, and of the anxiousness of someone who still felt they were in danger and wanted to escape. It was probably Strains from the Center. Kamamoto found a face he recognized within them.

“Ah, you!”

It was the boy they questioned when they infiltrated the Center. The boy also seemed to recognize Kamamoto and pointed at him with an 'ah!’.

“It was you guys after all, huh!” The boy ran over.

“What the heck is going on, seriously. You guys are the red clan, right? Are you attacking the Center?”

“We came to save a little girl.” Said Kamamoto while puffing up his chest as though to stick his big stomach out.

“Did you guys run out without permission?”

“Well, yeah… it looked like things were getting bad, and thinking about it, I didn’t really feel like trusting the Center and staying put…” As the boy spoke, red light shot out above the building. From amid the sparking light, the form of a sword appeared. At the same time, a great presence that was both familiar to and shook the souls of Kamamoto and company swelled beneath the blade.

-It’s Mikoto-san.

Kamamoto felt the hair all over his body stand on end. Tension rose from his stomach, and while feeling hyped up he rose a fist to the sky.

“No blood! No bone! No ash!” When he called that out, the members around his lifted their fists and did the same. The voices of Homura resounded through the Center’s courtyard. The Strain boy looked surprised at Kamamoto, who was shaking with a tension that made him feel like running off.

“Ah.” Abruptly, the boy looked off into the distance and made a weird noise. Kamamoto felt like he had had water splashed on his party a bit, so he went 'what’ while looking in the same direction in an annoyed way.

“Ah!” The voice Kamamoto raised was much louder and full of surprise.

In the corner of the path from the Center to the courtyward was the form of a woman standing around with a shocked look on her face. Perhaps she had run all the way there, she was breathing hard and there was sweat on her pale skin.

“Nee-san!” It was Honami.

“Nee-san! Why are you here!” Kamamoto ran over to Honami while speaking accusingly towards her. It looked like Honami was barely paying attention to him, as she was focused on the situation in the courtyard.

“What… is going on here…”

The armed members of Homura raising their voices in victory, and the crushed blue clansmen. The escaping Strains. And above it all, a great sword. She watched in shock.

“Nee-san, I’m sorry. We’ll explain later, so…” Kamamoto anxiously tried to move Honami to a safe place, as suddenly, a human shadow appeared over him. Honami also noticed and looked up at the shadow’s owner. She froze. Kamamoto also shuddered. At both the strangeness of that group’s appearance, and at the fact that he hadn’t noticed their presence at all until they were this close.

It was a group of tall people. They wore strange j.a.panese clothes, and wore masks above their noses. It was a creepy sort of masks. It had no expression, and had symbol-like things carved everywhere but the eyes. And most noticeably, that mask had two long ears attached to it. Those ears were almost like…

Kamamoto suddenly remembered.

“You guys, you’re 'Rabbits’, huh…”

++++++++++++++++++++++++

Anna shuddered and raised her head.

She had been trying to contact the 'Slate’, but her consciousness was pulled back by the presence of a strong power right nearby. The scientists around her were also making a clouded fuss. Anna remembered his sword of Damocles, which she saw from the top of the ferris wheel, and a beautiful red. As though she were being tempted, Anna picked up one of the red marbles by her hands. She held the small gla.s.s sphere between her thumb and forefinger and gently raised it to her left eye.

There were certainly the feeling within her that she wanted to see it once again. And also, the experience of having 'connected’ with Suou once made Anna’s consciousness easily contact with Suou through the red marbles.

Anna saw Suou through the marble.

Suou was smiling. Power that couldn’t be contained within his body was spilling out as red light and wrapping in circles while spreading out. Anna’s eyes, her will, went deeper within Suou. Towards the source of the red shine spilling out of him. What she managed to see was pure red magma. A violent sea of red. The magma boiled and twisted. She figured that anything that touched it would melt away in an instant, it was a terrifing red world.

“…pretty…”

But the one word that escaped Anna’s lips was that.

The fearful red world, the world within Suou, charmed Anna. She remembered that time they accidentally 'connected’. She was swallowed by that red sea, and thrown violently around. But what she felt then was certainly not just fear, but also a strange peace of mind. She felt that what she was bottling up inside her so it wouldn’t escape was something tiny compared to this. Being wrapped up in a great power like that was something that gave her more relief than anything else until then.

The red sea throbbed heavily, shaking the ground. It was very similar to the 'Slate’ Anna had tried to access over and over. But unlike the 'Slate’ which rejected her and threw her off, it was a beat that felt welcoming to her. As she felt the sea’s beating, she felt her own world spill out. It was different from when she learned the truth behind her parents’ deaths and let it go berserk because she couldn’t control it. It was a strangely relaxing feeling of release.

-Mikoto.

The moment after she let herself feel as though she were being gently lifted up, she was gone from inside Suou and back in reality.

At the same time, the world Anna was just looking at spilled out. A violent red light flowed rom the marble she had been peeking into. The red light, which held a great energy, shot out from the tiny red point and abruptly spread out into the room. The scientists around her were swalloed up by that light and screamed. They shuddered an fell one after another.

It was just like when Anna had first 'connected’ with Suou. Anna stood around in shock in the middle of the room that was suddenly free of observers. She was alone. There was no one to watch her or give her orders. If she wanted to run, she could. This fact shook her. Anna, left all alone in the room, couldn’t move for a little while.

“I’ll connect with the 'Slate’.” Anna told herself what Mizuchi had ordered over and over.

“I’ll become the blue king.” But, what she should do, and what she must do, steadily began to separate from her heart.

Even though she shouldn’t hold hope or expectations, Suou’s presence right nearby was shaking Anna.

She took a tiny step back. She turned around. Behind her was a heavy looking metal door. It was a door that had never opened at her will. As though invited, she stepped towards it. When her hand touched it, it sent a chill through her fingers. She grabbed the handle, and pushed.

The door opened easily.

Anna looked out of the open door dumbly. To her, it was the place beyond the cage she couldn’t leave, that she must not leave, and she stood motionlessly at the start of that long hallway.

She would connect with the 'Slate’.

She would become the blue king.

Her heart was far from the mission she must complete, but Honami’s kind smile floating up in her mind was the thing that dragged her heart back.

…She wanted to be saved.

…She didn’t want him to come.

A choked-back voice escaped Anna’s lips.

“…Mikoto.”

It was a tiny voice that even she would have trouble hearing.

The next second, the ceiling at the end of the hallway exploded into red.

Suou suddenly stopped moving and glanced downwards. He went 'hmph’. It was about when 'Senkouki’ the Strain was about to lunge at him again. Until a brief moment ago, Suou looked like he was getting ready to take another hit from the front, but as though his mood suddenly changed he just deflected it with his arm, grabbed the guy, and tossed him. A man twice the size of Suou with a metallic weight went lightly flying through the air.

'Senkouki’ made a face after he was thrown and noticed Suou looking distracted, and he spun around in the air to land.

“Stop lookin’ away, red king.”

Suou didn’t even answer 'Senkouki’, and was instead looking down.

“Totsuka.” Even though they were in the middle of a battle, he spoke casually to Totsuka.

“Yeah?”

Suou made a 'come here’ gesture with his finger, without looking back to Totsuka. Totsuka tilted his head, but went up to Suou.

“Get ready.”

“Huh?”

After he had gotten Totsuka next to him, without a single word of explanation, Suou focused his power directly below him. Red light full of energy spilled out from beneath Suou and hit the ground.

“U, wah…!” Totsuka couldn’t help but yelp.

The floor beneath them broke like a chocolate bar when it was. .h.i.t by Suou’s power. A big hole appeared around them and the floor crumbled down to the hallway below. They fell along with it. Suou landed lightly, while Totsuka managed to get down alright thanks to the small red barrior Suou put up around him.

When they looked up, they saw Anna standing around at the end of the hallway. She looked baffled by the ceiling abruptly breaking and the sudden appearance of Suou and Totsuka.

“I told ya it’d be faster if we just put a hole in the floor.”

Being told that in a slightly triumphant voice, Totsuka looked exasperated.

“That’s not the poi… you know what, never mind.”

Watching the two of them have a relaxed conversation, Anna couldn’t even speak. But her face wasn’t doll-like as before. What was on her face was a clear mix of surprise, and bafflement, and the look of someone who didn’t know what to do. She wanted to go to Suou. But she shouldn’t go to Suou. It was clear that different feelings were struggling within her. Suou and Totsuka got down off the crumbled floor and walked towards Anna. Right then, from the other end of the hallway, a heavy voice resounded.

“Get back, red king.” It was a voice filled with a strong hate.

Turning around, there was a man in a lab coat giving off a golden light from his body with anger in his voice. It was Mizuchi.

“So you’re the guy who was gonna use a brat for stupid stuff.”

In contrast, Suou didn’t have even a hint of an expression like anger on his face. In response to Suou, who looked relaxed, Mizuchi’s fists shook.

“Have you ever even thought about what you’re drawing power from?”

In response to Mizuchi’s words, Suou’s heart didn’t move. Due to his fierce anger, Mizuchi’s expression became uglier.

“You just enjoy your power without a thought… I suppose you’re fine like that. King of destruction, king of violence, king who is but a mere flame to be snuffed out by the wind.”

He spoke with the anger and insult clear in his words.

“But don’t get in my way. There’s no way you, who just swings the power you gained around, would understand, but that 'Slate’ has the power to even change humanity’s future. I am going to get near that 'Slate’ and discover that power… this experiment performed with Kushina-kun’s a.s.sistance is the first step towards that. This is something connected to humanity’s evolution!”

Mizuchi spat those words out in a low growl, while Suou looked on with a straight face. Totsuka looked up at that face out of the corner of his eye and spoke up.

“You’re not even listening, are you?”

“…my ears can’t pick up on nonsense.”

“How convenient.”

Mizuchi’s fists shook at Suou, who was being blunt, and Totsuka who was so serene. His face turned black with the color of anger.

“Kushina-kun, you understand, yes?”

Anna’s shoulders shook when she heard Mizuchi’s words.

“…return to that room. You should have your own work.”

As though to tie down Anna whose feet were about to back up, Suou’s eyes landed on her.

“Anna.”

Suou called her.

++++++++++++++++++++++++

Don’t come here.

The words she had to say stuck in her throat. The thing in front of Anna’s eyes was something she couldn’t stop with speech. It was a lump of beautiful, red power of the like she had never seen before. The effects of contacting Suou earlier were still left over. She felt the red magma within him from earlier. He soul shuddered.

She felt as though in front of Suou’s pressuring powers, any words of hers would be as pointless as shouting at a natural disaster not to come. The red person she had seen through her marble was in front of her now. In Anna’s world, which only reflected red, Suou’s powerful, fierce red was beautiful, and it had a realisticness comparable to nothing she had felt before.

“Anna.”

Suou called her. Anna looked at him as though she were fascinated.

“Come here.”

She was ordered shortly.

The next moment, before she could even think, her body had moved.

She ran.

Leaving behind all of her duties, unease, fear, and everything else, she ran to the red that filled her world. As she ran, for some reason, she felt her eyes become blurry. How strange, she couldn’t see well. What a shame, since she had such a pretty red in front of her. She ran straight into Suou with the force of her dash. Her face was buried in his leg. He caught her.

“…don’t strain yourself for no reason, brat.”

Saying that in a sulky way, Suou’s warm hands roughly petted Anna’s head once, before he immediately took her by the collar and pulled her away. As she was pulled off, Anna noticed that the place on Suou’s leg where she had buried her face was a bit damp. Like a kitten, she was held up by her scruff and shoved at Totsuka.

“Take her.”

Anna, being held protectively by Totsuka, looked up at Suou’s back, which was wrapped in red.

From the great hole Suou made, the Strains jumped down. They stood in front of Suou as though to protect Mizuchi.

“I understand, red king. You have great power, but because of its immensity, you cannot use it without limit when someone you cannot harm is in the same place.”

Mizuchi said that as though laughing at him.

“In addition, you’re horribly bad at dealing with it. The same as the previous red king… you’re a clumsy man.”

Suou smiled fearlessly.

It was a dreadful, but pleased smile.

Totsuka looked up at him with his own wry smile. Suou spoke without even looking down at him.

“Stop me.”

“Gotcha.”

Totsuka replied with a fitting casualness to that request, which was said in the tone of someone asking to be woken up in half an hour before taking a nap.

Suou took a step forward. At his feet, sparks scattered. From his body, red light flowed out like rising steam. His eyes took on redness, and white canines peeked out of his grin.

“I’ll burn you all up, down to every last drop of blood, bone, and ash.”

The building shuddered with a thud as light containing red heat spilled out of Suou’s full body and it was surrounded by a ball of fire like the sun.

The Strains readied themselves all at once and reacted in their own ways.

'Gra.s.shopper’, the Strain with a sword, jumped back. He moved like he was on springs, and moved back greatly with but a single jump. He had one hand on the floor, and one on his blade.

'Pyrotechnician’, the Strain with powerful energy held in both hands, watched Suou’s attacks carefully and held his hands as though to protect himself. The power in his hands crackled and grew, but his feet were taking him backwards.

In contrast to those two, while 'Senkouki’ was getting ready, it wasn’t for the sake of dodging or guarding. In fact, he was getting ready to lunge forward at full power at any moment. His eyes sparkled as he clenched his fist.

“Cool…”

Watching 'Senkouki’, who sounded hapy, Suou laughed through his nose and took a step forward. As though taking that as a cue, the red fireball surrounding him moved like a living creature. With a roar, it fiercely burned up the air, and that great fireball left Suou’s body to lunge forth like a beast aiming to devour 'Senkouki’s’ body.

Even then, 'Senkouki’ didn’t try to dodge.

He threw forward his fist, which put holes into everything he went against, into the fire. The power in it dug a hole in the ball of flame. However, that was only a small area around his fist. The next second, his body was swallowed up all at once by the fire.

The body of 'Senkouki’, which was still straight even while surrounded in fire, was wrapped in golden light. 'Senkouki’ had indeed been burned black by the flames. But that burned flesh was sucked in as if dyed by that golden light, and his dark brown skin returned to its previous color.

Suou frowned slightly, and continued his attack without losing even a little momentum. He hit 'Senkouki’s’ fist with something like an uppercut. It was a light movement without much movement, but 'Senkouki’s’ fist was shattered. As his fist was thrown up, 'Senkouki’s’ body didn’t change its position and went right for Suou again. Suou kicked him as though shoving him away with his foot. 'Senkouki’ flew backwards, then bounded on the ground.

However, that body crumpled on the ground like a small mountain was again wrapped in golden light, and without a break, 'Senkouki’ got right back up as though nothing had happened. His fist, which should have been shattered, was initially twisted in a weird direction, but as soon as it was sucked up by that golden light, it popped and went back into its previous shape. 'Senkouki’, showing no reaction to this on his face, opened and closed the fist Suou just shattered to check how it was. Suou looked behind 'Senkouki’.

“…you, huh.”

He looked at Mizuchi, standing behind the Strains. Mizuchi was sparkling with the same golden light that surrounded 'Senkouki’s’ body. He looked back at Suou with eyes that shined golden.

“The 'talent’ I had drawn out by the golden king is healing and regeneration.”

He announced that in a low voice, then turned his eyes onto 'Senkouki’ as though viewing a thing.

“But don’t rely on me too much. Avoid unnecessary damage to your body.”

“M'not relying on you or anything.” 'Senkouki’ spoke without even glancing at Mizuchi. He only looked at Suou, and his blue eyes sparkled.

“M'name is 'Senkouki’. It’s m'job to make straight, pretty holes.”

Mizuchi made a face like he was irritated at a machine malfunctioning, then turned to the remaining two Strains and gave them some sort of short order. Suou glanced at him coldly. Mizuchi noticed.

“Do you see me as unfair? However, they are my weapons. They’re my power, I made them myself!”

Mizuchi nearly yelled that, but the Strains didn’t react. They committed crimes, were imprisoned here, and were forced to cease being human. Most likely, they had been 'researched’ by Mizuchi, or 'altered’. Suou looked at the Strains. With 'Senkouki’ at their head, they were all powerful. But he saw a deformation in that power.

“There are certain requirements for raising power. Some needed a certain type of medicine to show effect, others were empowered by surgery. The men here are those results!”

Mizuchi spoke with bloodshot eyes.

“And… they’ve also been /worked on/ so they can receive the effects of my power to the maximum.”

Speaking in a heated way, Mizuchi turned his eyes to Anna.

“There is no end to 'possibility’. Yes, there is no limit to power. As long as there is the 'Slate’… isn’t that right, Kushina-kun.”

Suou’s hand twitched slightly. But Mizuchi didn’t notice that and continued.

“Just a little more… it would just be a little more. Kushina-kun, you should realize that as well. You’ve touched the 'Slate’. With just a little more- you would reach what was 'beyond’.”

“Wouldya leave the complicated stuff for later?” Said 'Senkouki’. He was shaking his burnt body.

“M'gonna fight with the red king. M'gonna kill the red king. There’s no problem, right?”

Suou looked at 'Senkouki’ while feeling like he was looking at a rare animal. He knew Suou was the 'red king’, and also correctly knew the extent of his powers, and yet still said that. There had never been any such idiot before. This guy was certainly an idiot, but he was neither dense nor weak enough to not understand the difference in their strength. 'Senkouki’ kicked off from the ground again. He swung down his fist, which had been broken and then restored by Mizuchi’s 'regeneration’.

It was a simple, foolish, straightforward attack. An attack that had learned nothing from the previous counter. But the power in that attack had jumped up. Waves of power rose from 'Senkouki’s’ full body, and the air around him shimmered like a mirage.

He was just a little interested.

Even after taking such a counterattack, instead of being disheartened his eyes instead sparkled with an insane gladness. Before the fist of 'Senkouki’ could reach Suou, “Pyrotechnician’s’ white light flew at him. Suou brushed that sparkling energy away with his arm. It hit the wall and exploded with a burning light. From within that light and blast, 'Senkouki’ flew out and aimed for Suou’s stomach right after Suou was. .h.i.t by 'Pyrotechnician’.

Suou caught that hit in his palm. It was true that there was more power than before. In response to the weight and heat pressed into his palm, it was as though the flames in his body were being fueled into increasing their own strength.

Perhaps because he was loosening his chains, even the slightest rise in Suou’s feelings was turned directly into power. Flames rose from his palm, and swallowed 'Senkouki’s’ arm. While normally it would have turned right to ash, it endured it because of 'Senkouki’s’ power. On top of that, because of Mizuchi’s power, it would regenerate as soon as it was burned. 'Senkouki’ opened his eyes wide, sweated, and smiled as he felt the h.e.l.lish pain of having himself be burned alive and regenerated over and over.

From behind 'Senkouki’s’ great body, 'Gra.s.shopper’ suddenly appeared. He leaped over 'Senkouki’s’ head and attacked from near the ceiling. His sword reflected the red shine of Suou’s fire. While still holding off 'Senkouki’ with one hand, he raised his left to swat 'Gra.s.shopper’ out of the air. He had already figured that the guy used a weird sort of illusion to speed up, so it was a movement that took that into account, but 'Gra.s.shopper’ sped up even more than before. Right as he was about to touch Suou’s hand, he put a hand on 'Senkouki’s’ head and flipped behind him to hide at a speed that the human eye couldn’t follow.

The moment he could be seen from behind 'Senkouki’, Suou shoved back at the large man. The fire biting into 'Senkouki’s’ arm suddenly grew and covered his whole body, and it went flying wrapped in flame. However, at that point, 'Gra.s.shopper’ had already darted away from him and was above Suou.

He thought he would have that sword swung down at him from above, but 'Gra.s.shopper’ went above and beyond him. Beyond him, where Anna and Totsuka were. Perhaps he intended to grab Anna and run, or to take a hostage. Without being moved even slightly, Suou jumped backwards lightly. 'Gra.s.shopper’ sped up, bounced off the wall, and tried to slip past Suou. After slowing down as if in a feint, he sped up again. He darted in a straight line to Anna and Totsuka.

However, Suou’s hand grabbed 'Gra.s.shopper’s’ head as though s.n.a.t.c.hing up a bug. He waved that hand around in the air and slammed 'Gra.s.shopper’ into the wall. 'Gra.s.shopper’ fell without raising his voice. Suou landed lightly, lifted that fallen body, and threw it in Mizuchi’s direction. Mizuchi barely dodged it. "Pyrotechnician’ realized with a start that he was the last one left, but continued on to throw the sparking white energy in both of his hands at Suou. Suou deflected it. It hit the wall and exploded into light and a blast. 'Pyrotechnician’s’ b.a.l.l.s of power kept flying. Suou hit them all back. They were all rather heavy and it was fun.

"Pyrotechnician’ was breathing heavily and soaked in sweat after the smoke cleared up from him shooting energy b.a.l.l.s like the climax of a fireworks show. He curled up into his already small body, and looked at Suou in despair. Beyond, 'Gra.s.shopper’ had been fixed up by Mizuchi, but it was clear that his will to fight had been broken.

Within that, 'Senkouki’ alone was unbroken. In fact, he seemed even more eager than earlier.

"You sure are strong.” He spoke in a voice that sounded almost drunk, enraptured. His blue eyes shone with a monstrous light. They were eyes that left behind all reality and looked only towards 'the end’. They were eyes drunk in the pleasure of going right up to 'the end’ and going over the edge.

Suou took the heat of those eyes and smiled faintly.

Anna’s mind had become very sensitive. The emotions of everyone there were pressing in on her, touching her skin, and informing her of how they felt. 'Gra.s.shopper’s’ fear, 'Pyrotechnician’s’ anxiety, Mizuchi’s thoughts that became more confused as he was driven into a corner and yet still focused on and desired Anna-

And 'Senkouki’s’ pleasure from heading towards destruction. Anna found this to be scary. It wasn’t a fear towards 'Senkouki’ himself. It was his enjoyment of putting himself right at the edge of destruction. It was something also found inside Suou. Anna knew that, and that truth was now raw as it entered her heart. 'Senkouki’ was glad from the very bottom of his heart to be fighting Suou. He didn’t have a single worry in his head that he couldn’t lose, or that he might die, he only drowned in the thrill of gladness he found in fighting to the death which shook his heart and body.

'Senkouki’s’ attack was deflected by Suou, dodged, and countered. As this was repeated, 'Senkouki’ would fall and be revived over and over by Mizuchi, then stand again. Then there would be even more power in his fist than the previous time. The more he was beaten, the more his life was threatened, the more power 'Senkouki’ held. Suou was also playing. He was enjoying going against 'Senkouki’. He seemed to be interested in seeing how far 'Senkouki’s’ power could go, and also looked to be sharing in 'Senkouki’s’ enjoyment.

The skin of 'Senkouki’s’ arm was torn and blood spurted out. He was over capacity. The power he wielded was beyond his body’s limits. Anna knew what kind of treatment the Strains experimented on here received. Compared to them, Anna knew her own treatment had been quite gentle. The dangerous, criminal Strains had no contact with the outside aside from the examinations done by the 'Rabbits’. Anna, knowing that there were other Strains nearby being forced into experiments, had 'seen’ them through her powers before. She may have been hoping for comfort by knowing that there was someone worse off than her. However, what she saw hurt her deeply.

It was, indeed, the manufacturing of weapons using humans as a material. The dangerous criminal Strains were forced to throw away their names as people, given codenames after their powers, and only recognized for their abilities. Then they were put through all kinds of experiments to raise their level.

That wasn’t all.

They were also used as material for helping Mizuchi reach the limits of his own power. The power for healing and regeneration. They were first given Mizuchi’s blood. Then, holding his blood as a part of his body within their own, since that was the state they were most easily affected in, /they had their bodies destroyed/. In response to the agony Anna felt through her power, she shivered and vomited a little. Those men had their bodies destroyed, then they were recovered using Mizuchi’s power. At first it was a slow, tedious process of recovery. However, as soon as they recovered, the whole thing was repeated. When that happened, the healing went a bit faster. Their bodies got used to Mizuchi’s power, and learned how to recover using it.

Anna didn’t know how many times that process was repeated until the recovery became something that would only take a moment. However, that h.e.l.lish scene that Mizuchi repeated over and over without any sort of hate or resentment planted a deep fear of him within her.

'There is a higher level of power.’

Said Mizuchi kindly when Anna failed to contact the 'Slate’.

'I’ve drawn out the power of many Strains. What’s important is finding the key to releasing their limiters.’

Said Mizuchi as he stroked the burn on Anna’s arm put there for the sake of sharpening her power. Anna’s sore skin was surrounded by golden light, and the pain vanished. It turned back to its previous pale, smooth state from being burnt red and black.

'I’ve also studied my own power for many years… they say the first king, the silver king’s element is 'immortality’. If I were to draw my own power out to the limit, could I not also reach that level? Limitless recovery. That would be no different from 'immortality’.’

Mizuchi looked down at his hands, opened his eyes wide, and whispered as though talking to himself.

'This is not my limit. 'Possibilities’ are always open. Until now, I’ve even drawn out my powers, and found ways to use it. This isn’t all. There is still more. More, more, more…!“

Mizuchi, who had been talking to his own palms, suddenly raised his head. He looked around, then turned the smile stuck to his face towards Anna.

'Everything will begin after solving the mysteries of the 'Slate’. The first and greatest key is held by you, Kushina-kun.’

"Kushina-kun!”

Anna heard the voice of Mizuchi in her memories and in reality in harmony. She looked up with a start. Mizuchi was soaked in sweat and shaking as he stared at her. Because he kept recovering 'Senkouki’ who tirelessly went against Suou despite being destroyed over and over, he was reaching his limit. The golden light he let off would sometimes flicker like a dying lightbulb. He breathed harshly, his eyes were sunken, his hair was in disarray, and he seemed to have aged a decade or two. The smile he always had on had vanished like it was never there at all, and was replaced by a scary expression, and he stared at Anna as though he still wouldn’t let go of clinging to her despite the situation.

“Don’t betray me! You will become king. I will become your first va.s.sal! I will serve you, support you, lead you, and eventually force you up into the golden king’s position as manager of the 'Slate’!”

Anna looked back at Mizuchi silently. Standing and wavering amid the waves of heat coming from Suou, he had a face like a monster.

“Weren’t you prepared to become king for Kushina Honami’s sake?!”

When Mizuchi said Honami’s name, Totsuka’s arms, which had been holding Anna protectively, tightened.

“Don’t waver, okay?”

Totsuka said that to her in a soft voice that didn’t suit the situation. Anna nodded her head a bit.

“Okay.”

Within this place that was filled with a storm of emotions, Totsuka’s feelings alone were calm. By leaning against him, Anna’s heart was also able to steady itself. Anna watched Suou and 'Senkouki’ fight as if dancing. 'Senkouki’s’ tension and pleasure reached her. His skin was ripping under his own power, his muscles were being hardened into strange shapes, and his body was near destruction, but his heart left that body behind and only desired his battle with Suou.

The other two Strains twisted their faces and watched 'Senkouki’ from behind. They no longer had any will to partic.i.p.ate in this fight. Nothing but destruction awaited 'Senkouki’. However, his power and heart, which had long been caged away, were allowed to fly freely right now. To him, this battle was not a test to obtain freedom. It WAS his 'freedom’.

And right now, in Suou, she could /feel something like desire/.

…Mikoto’s world spilled out.

Anna’s two eyes 'saw’ the world inside Suou. The sea of magma within him fiercely twisted, changed chape, and became a big, sleek beast. That beast reacted to its enemy’s insane charge by bearing its fangs.

Anna’s heart was stolen by that beautiful, red form that was only a step away from being released- she wouldn’t hesitate to call it the most beautiful creature in the world.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

He reacted to the smell of blood.

Once he had let the chains loose once, he would be melted away by the seduction of the flames rising from within him. It felt like his mind was numbed. It was the staggering pleasure of letting loose the power he had always been holding back since becoming king.

'Senkouki’ was also smiling. His insides were crushed and then recovered again and again. Every time, he let out an immense amount of blood, and he continued to smile as his eyes shone like a little boy’s as his chest and mouth were sullied. His skin was burned and recovered over and over. Even as he let out a beastly roar in response to the heat and pain, he still lunged straight forward.

What a crazy b.a.s.t.a.r.d, he thought.

But he also felt like responding to that madness.

“Gaaaaaaaaaahh!” 'Senkouki’ howled. It was no longer a voice that could be thought human, it was a howl like he was vomiting his life up from his belly. Suou swung his red fist.

Until now, there had never been someone who could fight with Suou personally. Suou was a king. As a king, if he had just held that power and /existed/, that was good enough. There was no one he should fight- no one anywhere he could use his powers against and fight. It wasn’t as though this Strain would become that person. However, he was a weirdo who knew Suou’s power, and even then continued to go at him, and the thing within him that was about to burn away felt like what Suou had always been wanting for.

Suou’s fist and 'Senkouki’s’ fist collided head on. With a heavy roar, waves of impact spread out. It was the impact of two powerful energies. The waves of impact spread out and instantly left crevices in the walls, the floor, the ceiling surrounding them. Suou didn’t notice, but those crevices spread out all the way to the top of the Center. 'Senkouki’s’ fist left a beautiful round circle in what he hit. It was not a rough form of destruction. However, when that fist of his, his weapon, collided with Suou’s, the next moment it went flying.

'Senkouki’ shrieked. However, even then, the light didn’t vanish from his eyes. Those sparkling, childlike blue eyes watched Suou. That right arm of his was wrapped in golden light and began to regenerate. 'Senkouki’ didn’t wait for it to finish and clenched his left fist. Putting power into it, he swung it upwards like a drill, using a destructive power. If he did that, he’d only lose his left arm as well. However, he didn’t seem to care. He would use up all of his power. He burned up his own thoughts until his head was pure white, he would let everything loose, and he would reach the end. 'Senkouki’s’ childlike blue eyes that didn’t suit his body were only looking at what was beyond that point.

Suou may have been pulled along by those eyes, and by how insanely intoxicated he was by the battle. Suou himself was feeling a strange momentum due to letting loose just a little of the power he had long held down. The flow inside him that had been held by a chain kept spilling out as soon as he had let his bonds loosen. It felt nice to let it go. It gently melted his brain and led him on. The red light wrapped around Suou’s body changed into a flame with physical power. The floor was becoming like a red sea and filled with Suou’s fire.

The walls began to turn to ash in response to that ridiculous heat, and the metal door began to melt. The ceiling burned and fell, and fragments rained down. 'Senkouki’ watched this as if fascinated, but the other two Strains whimpered and ran away. They jumped up and away by kicking off from the ground of the floor which was becoming a burning h.e.l.l. Mizuchi stared at Suou with a twisted expression and shouted.

“Are you going to destroy everything, red king!? You’ll destroy yourself!”

Destruction.

Suou smiled faintly.

Right then, something cool was pressed against the center of his back.

“King.”

It was Totsuka’s palm. Even within this situation, he called Suou with a serene voice.

Maybe Totsuka’s hand was cold, or perhaps Suou’s body had heated up too much, or maybe it was both. Thanks to that hand’s feeling and temperature, a calm came upon the crazed power within his body.

He was charmed by the color of his flame.

As he watched the flames filling the floor, the voices of Suou and Kusanagi rang in Totsuka’s head.

-Stop me.

-You’re the stopper.

That was probably his role, the one who had almost no combat ability within Homura. However, sometimes, there were moments when he thought it would be bliss to just stand and watch that back go forth, without tying it here.

Totsuka smiled bitterly, just a little, then looked down at Anna, who he was holding close in his arms. Her eyes were wide, and she was looking around at the fiery floor. The light of the flames danced on her white skin. Her large eyes reflected that fiery shine and sparkled. She was fascinated by the flow of power from Suou and let out a sigh.

“It’s pretty.”

“Yeah.”

“…but.”

“I know.” Totsuka smiled and let Anna go.

“Stay close.” Anna looked up at Totsuka and blinked. Then she did as she was told and followed after him.

Totsuka and Anna were protected by a barrier put up by Suou, and regardless Suou’s flames would never burn Totsuka. Totsuka had hardly any combat ability. His power was also particularly weak. However, he was able to use it 'delicately’.

In return for being weaker than anyone else, he was able to be most in tune with his comrades’ flame. Totsuka would never, ever be harmed by Suou’s fire, or the power the members of Homura had received from him.

As he watched the fierce flow of power that spilled out of Suou and raved around, Totsuka leisurely approached him from behind.

One step. Two steps.

It was so hot that if a defenseless civilian had been here, they would have died with their blood boiling within an instant, but Totsuka walked right through it. Right as the waves of heat were about to touch him, they lost their danger and became a soft warm breeze. As he approached Suou’s back, he directed his consciousness towards the small ember within himself. It was small, and it was weak. However, it was certainly a flame he had received from Suou.

The third king- the red king held the nature called the king of wild flames. The red clansmens’ powers were also a wild power… a nature that could easily come to love violence and drown in power should they take one wrong step. Those like Kusanagi had their abilities completely under their control, but being able to use it with a cool face was his specialty. Even Kusanagi knew the seduction of drowning in power.

However, Totsuka didn’t know it.

If the rest of Homura held bonfires within their bodies, then the flame held by Totsuka was but the light of a candle. Totsuka wouldn’t be able know the pleasure of holding power, or the pressure of it.

All he could do was call them from the outside.

Totsuka’s hand touched Suou’s back. It was hot. Suou’s body heat and the heat of the flame escaping that body was mixing together. Totsuka synchronized the small fire inside him and Suou’s flame that was like the Niagara falls. In the beginning, they were both the same fire.

Of course, Totsuka wouldn’t be able to control Suou’s flame. However, he was able to reach him.

“King.”

Totsuka called Suou.

At the same time, the waves of heat that flowed from Suou’s body, and the sea of fire filling the floor quieted, and they vanished. Suou easily held back the dangerous flame that seemed like it would destroy them all.

Totsuka took his hand from Suou’s back.

Suou, who had until just a moment go been creating a h.e.l.lish scene, ran his fingers through his hair and let out a sigh like he had just woken up. In front of him was 'Senkouki’, who was beaten up.

'Senkouki’s’ arm was still not recovered, his body was burnt up, and he was in a state that it was a mystery how he managed to stand. Golden light softly covered him. If one were to look into the distance, Mizuchi was shining gold and trying as hard as he could to fill 'Senkouki’ with power. Until a moment ago, he had been struggling to protect himself from the heat and hadn’t been able to work on 'Senkouki’. However, that light was weak, and it was barely having any effect. Even then, Mizuchi yelled, spraying spit.

“Fight! Battle is your reason for existing, isn’t it? You’re a murderer who killed so many Strains, I’ve let you live and empowered, killer. You’re my weapon. A weapon’s meaning is only found on the battlefield! Now, fight!”

'Senkouki’ continued to show a will to fight, though it probably wasn’t because Mizuchi told him to. He lifted up his left arm, then tried to fill it with what little was left of his power.

“…what are you gonna do.” Suou said roughly.

'Senkouki’s’ blue eyes still shone purely, childishly. He even looked happy.

“Isn’t it obvious? M'gonna go. Until the end.”

Suou understood what 'Senkouki’ meant by 'the end’. He approached 'Senkouki’. His fist was lightly pressed against 'Senkouki’s’ heart with a thump.

“No blood. No bone. No ash.” Suou said that in a whisper, in a voice that was a little hoa.r.s.e, a little sweet. It sounded like an epitaph. The next moment, 'Senkouki’s’ body slowly bent. It caused a heavy thud as it fell. The red power released from Suou’s fist had burnt 'Senkouki’s’ heart out from the inside.

A Strain fascinated by battle killed some people, was caught, was turned into a weapon, then reached 'the end’ of battle… that was all.

Burnt fragments came raining down from above. Even though Suou had stopped the flow of his power, the building had still been damaged earlier and was reaching its limit. The torn walls were making dangerous noises, and they as well as the ceiling were quietly burning. Within that, Suou looked over at Mizuchi. He trembled as if h.e.l.l itself was glaring at him.

“…You… don’t you want to know the source of that great power of yours?” He spoke as he backed away.

Suou had already sealed away his power and was simply just standing there. However, Mizuchi was sweating all over and his legs were shivering.

“Do you know that Strains are all called 'would-be kings’? I’ve studied Strains, and by coming closer to kings, I’ve tried to pursue the 'Slate’s’ secrets. This is a study of the truth!”

Suou sighed at Mizuchi’s desperation. He slowly walked towards the other guy.

“Is one child’s freedom as important as the truth!? I haven’t threatened her life, nor did I intend to! All I used up was criminal Strains who didn’t have a right to live in the first place! I…”

“You can shut up now.”

Suou replied to Mizuchi’s near shouting in a low voice. His right arm glowed red. Mizuchi squeaked and gasped… and suddenly his body floated into the air.

“Wha…”

Mizuchi thrashed around in midair. Then he was thrown to the ground in front of Suou, who was watching with a raised eyebrow. Mizuchi lost consciousness without a word. Suou turned around and looked up at the one who had flung Mizuchi.

They were around the hole in the ceiling. Their clothes were strange and appeared to be based on kariginu, and half of their faces were covered by creepy masks. Those masks had long, beastly ears. Suou snorted in a displeased way.

“…The 'Rabbits’, huh.” The golden king’s guard.

Within the golden clansmen, the 'rabbits’ were a completely special existence. The golden clan’s installation where each person’s 'talent’ was drawn out to the extreme. Amid that, there are some who received supernatural powers, and others who only had what civilians would call 'talent’ drawn out to the extreme. And also, there were those who hardly had anything drawn out at all and had their own lack of talent thrown in their faces.

The 'rabbits’ were a group of those who received top cla.s.s abilities. They were a group who wore the same outfit and the same masks, making it impossible to tell them apart, but within them there were a countless number of those who had combat power that would beat even the strongest clansmen from other clans. The only one who knew their ident.i.ty and their numbers was the golden king himself. And those 'rabbits’ were now jumping lightly down from the great hole to land on the ruins below. Actually, it couldn’t be said that they jumped. They floated through the air, and softly reached the ground. There was probably someone within them who could move things about with their power. It was likely the same power that smacked Mizuchi a moment go.

There were three 'rabbits’. All of them were tall. A great power could be sensed within them, but that presence was quiet.

“Seems like they came for the cleanup.” A familiar voice came from above.

Looking up, Kusanagi who had probably been behind the 'rabbits’ was standing at the edge of the hole and looking down.

“Yo, good work.” Kusanagi waved one hand at Suou from where he stood. He had gotten his shoulder and arm dealt with, but his shirt was still all b.l.o.o.d.y. Suou saw that and frowned.

“What’s with that look?”

“…you don’t need to point that out first thing in a situation like this. Leave me be. It’s actually pretty embarra.s.sin’.” Kusanagi looked at Mizuchi and smiled wryly.

“The chief layin’ over there is done for. You don’t need to deal with him anymore. Let the 'rabbits’ have him.”

Suou didn’t reply, but he didn’t try to stop the moving 'rabbits’. They went by him and surrounded Mizuchi. Kusanagi jumped down. Totsuka ran over to him, holding Anna’s hand.

“You okay? You hardly ever get hurt like this. What happened, seriously?”

“…like I said, don’t ask…” Kusanagi looked awkward, then suddenly glared at both Totsuka and Suou.

“More importantly, I told you guys not to go overboard, right? What’s this?”

The building was full of huge fissures and was beginning to fall apart as it burned. Even now, small fragments were falling from above, and unpleasant noises heralding destruction could be heard. Totsuka smiled as if to change the subject.

“Ahaha… looks like we’re gonna get buried alive if we don’t get out quick.”

“Jeez… the Strains above ground have already run away. Right now, Scepter 4’s leader is sending out evacuation orders to the workers and blues still inside.” Kusanagi’s expression as he said that was complicated. Suou looked at that silently, then looked up.

“…two Strains ran away a minute ago.”

“Another 'rabbit’ grabbed them. The 'rabbits’ should be taking out the other Strains down here in the bas.e.m.e.nt now.”

Let’s get on out too, Kusanagi said while looking down at Anna who was holding Totsuka’s hand.

“You’re with us, right?”

Kusanagi spoke to Anna as though treating her as an equal, not a child. She nodded. Totsuka pulled their connected hands and let her go, so she could go to Suou instead.

For a few seconds, Anna looked up at Suou in an unsure way… then she gently took his sleeve.

++++++++++++++++

“Ah! Mikoto-san!”

When he saw Suou and company come out of the cracked, burning Center, Yata’s expression sparkled and he raised his voice. Fushimi looked up when he heard Yata’s voice and looked over.

Suou, Kusanagi, and Totsuka. And behind Suou, Anna was holding on to his clothes. Her own blue clothes were dirty, but she seemed to be safe. Fushimi let out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding in.

As Suou and company left it, the Center finally began to collapse. It didn’t take long for it to finish after it began. It fell apart as if sinking, and the hallway connecting it to the hospital also broke off. The research facility turned to garbage, and it burned.

The members of Homura and the members of Scepter 4 who were treating those injured, the Center’s workers, and the escaped Strains all watched in silence. Within that, Yata alone paid no attention to the destruction and happily ran to Suou. Fushimi noticed and clicked his tongue. Totsuka said something to Yata as he approached, then looked behind Yata, and caught Fushimi’s eye. Totsuka smiled and went over.

Fushimi clicked his tongue again.

“Good work.”

“…thanks.” Fushimi replied in a sulky way to Totsuka’s smiling words.

“Anna-chan’s just fine.”

“…why are you telling me.”

Totsuka shrugged a little. Fushimi glanced at him out of the corner of his eye.

“…so, what happened?”

“The Center’s chief, Mizuchi, got taken away by the