Tatakau Shisho

In the middle of a vast desert stood a lone stone theater. Inside the old-fashioned, incredibly modest building were two figures. The surroundings were so silent they could hear the buzzing of their own ears. Neither the sound of wind, the wings of birds nor the footsteps of insects could be heard inside.

It was January 12, 1927, the second ending of the world.

In the center of the Imaginary Entrails, Colio Tonies was facing Ruruta Coozancoona.

“Can you stop me?”

Colio made no reply to that question. In front of Ruruta’s freezing smile one couldn’t help but sink into silence.

Ruruta had said – there was no longer anyone in the world. None other than them.

Meaning, the fate of the world was entrusted to Colio. If there was any possibility of saving the world it could be in none other than him. He had already died; dying didn’t scare him. However, the great pressure of carrying the world’s fate on his back held back his words.

Anyone would shake in fear if they suddenly became a hero bearing the fate of the world. Moreover, Colio who had to save the world possessed no sort of power.

“How about you say something? Silence would bring nothing.”

Ruruta relaxed his mouth. His eyes sunken in sorrow, only his lips faintly moved.

“Really now, you being silent is the same as always.”

When he saw no reply came, Ruruta let his shoulders drop. Colio couldn’t help but feel terror even at this one little action.

When Colio was alive he had faced against people with overwhelming power twice. The first was Hamyuts Meseta and the second was Cigal Crukessa. However, Ruruta was orders of magnitude different from them.

Just by facing him he could feel it. Both Ruruta’s strength and the depth of his despair were incomparable. Colio’s face covered with an unpleasant sweat. His legs trembled. His heart beat rapidly and his breath was short.

“Now then, I shall ask this again. Please answer this time.

Can you stop me?”

Saying so, Ruruta smiled. Enduring the strong pressure that made him feel likely to lose consciousness, bearing up with the fear that made him want to scream, Colio answered.

“I can.”

“…Why?”

Gazing at Ruruta’s eyes as he replied back, Colio answered.

“I am here on the assumption I can stop you. If I were unable to stop you, I would have nothing more.”

As he said this, Ruruta nodded in satisfaction.

“Exactly so. Yes, as expected of you, Colio Tonies.”

Without understanding what he was satisfied about or what he found pleasing, Colio kept looking at Ruruta.

‘…No way. How surprising. Really.’

Neither Ruruta nor Colio had noticed that a single gaze was watching them. That in this world, supposedly containing only the two of them, there was another person.

Ex-Bantorra Library Acting Director Hamyuts Meseta was watching the two boys staring at each other inside the theater.

‘To think we’d end up meeting in such a place, Colio-kun…’

A few dozens of minutes ago her chest had been pierced by Ruruta and she perished. Her body already ceased any and all life activities. No matter what method one would use, it was impossible to revive her.

However, Hamyuts was right now gazing at Ruruta and Colio.

‘I have plenty to talk about with Colio though. Unfortunately, we can’t sit for a nice relaxing cup of tea.’

Hamyuts was intently observing Ruruta as he conversed with Colio. She had the eyes of a hunter aiming for their prey. Not missing a single move, she waited for the opportunity to land a killing blow.

‘Because you see, right now I have to kill Ruruta Coozancoona.”

Seeing Ruruta for the first time filled her with a strong sense of intimidation. Because it was her, someone who had fought her whole life, she could clearly feel his outrageous power.

However, Hamyuts didn’t plan on losing in the slightest. It was because she was originally created in order to defeat him.

Ruruta hadn’t noticed: a small abnormality occurred in Hamyuts’s corpse pierced by the needle. The change was so trivial one could probably not find it unless told of it. Not to mention that, since he was inside the Imaginary Entrails facing Colio right now, he wouldn’t be able to notice anyway.

Hamyuts’s hair color was changing. It became a color with neither luster nor gloss, a color that absorbed any and all light. It was a deep black much darker than ravens’ wings, much darker than obsidian, much darker than a night sky without moon or stars. Since black hair wasn’t rare at all, it would be difficult noticing the change. However, by looking closely, it would be apparent no such black could exist in the natural world.

A special hair color was the proof of being born with a special Magic Right. The color of her hair changing indicated the activation of her ability.

The inborn Magic Right of Hamyuts Meseta… it was called “Book-Feeding”.

This ability was the antithesis of the Book-Eating ability possessed by those with transparent hair.

It would activate when the owner of the Magic Right died. They could instantly change their soul into a Book. Also, they could make a Book-Eater devour their Book by force. It was a simple, completely useless Magic Right.

Several hundreds of years ago, this ability was proven to exist by researchers of Magic Theory using a pen and paper. However, even if it existed it was utterly useless. It was neither the subject of any research nor used in practice, so it became a useless piece of trivia only a few researchers knew about.

The only known Book-Feeder in current times was Hamyuts. However, there were possibly some people who lived their whole lives without knowing they possessed this ability as well.

Hamyuts entered the Imaginary Entrails with this ability. And now she was looking at Ruruta.

“I have a guess.”

Ruruta said. For some reason he spoke in an amused tone.

“It’s probably because of Shiron. Your beloved Ever-Laughing Witch, Shiron Booyacornish.

You came to know of this day through her Predictive ability. She found a way to prevent the destruction of the world and entrusted it to you. Is that how it was?

I don’t know when it happened, what kind of prediction it was and how she passed it over to you, though.”

Colio shook his head to the side.

“This isn’t something as convenient as that.”

“What?”

Ruruta raised his voice. He was truly surprised. He hadn’t a single reason to show Colio a fake expression.

Ruruta stared at Colio with eyes wide open.

“I can’t believe you. Since you’re so confident you surely have something.”

“I’m… full of confidence?”

“Yeah. Greatly so. No other person in my memories stood in front of me while keeping calm like you.

All those who’ve faced me shook with fear, thought of escaping, tried calming themselves to no avail, and bluffed. You seem somewhat scared, but you are plenty calm.”

Is that really ‘somewhat’? Thought Colio while holding down his beating heart.

“As I thought you are splendid. You and only you. Only you can stop me. Only you can save the world.”

Why are you encouraging me? Colio’s doubts vanished inside his stomach without forming words. He couldn’t understand Ruruta. He couldn’t grasp even a faint clue about what was hidden behind his smile.

“…Now then, what shall you do?”

Ruruta inquired. I have to say something, Colio desperately searched for words.

“…I have a question.”

Ruruta nodded as if telling him he could ask whatever he wanted.

“What were you trying to do by waiting for me?”

Colio let the first question that rose to his mind come out of his mouth. Ruruta made an expression that seemed to indicate he was taken by surprise. He put his hand to his mouth and thought for a while.

“What a strange question. Now then…”

He cast his eyes downward and mumbled.

“Thinking about it I don’t know. Was I trying to do something or did I not want to do anything…”

Have I asked something I shouldn’t have? Colio waited for the answer while trembling. But Ruruta clearly said he had been waiting for him. He erased all interruptions for his sake and delayed the end of the world. There was no way he had no reason.

“I wanted to meet you. Is that insufficient?”

Ruruta said, raising his face. He spoke in a friendly tone as if he suddenly invited a friend he had lost contact with for a long time. But why me? Among all the countless people in the world…

“…Why me?”

Ruruta dropped his shoulders and smiled wryly.

“You’ve been asking me only hard questions. But it’s fine. I’ll play along.”

The sitting Ruruta rose up and approached. He crossed his gaze with Colio and brought his face closer. Colio noticed that his height was almost the same as Ruruta’s, and for some reason was surprised.

“Say, Colio. Since it’s you, don’t you understand?”

“…W-what?”

Ruruta smiled.

“My feelings.”

Hamyuts was watching Ruruta and Colio carefully. She hid her breathing and erased her presence.

‘Ruruta… hasn’t noticed. Well, if I screwed up at this stage it would all be over.’

Hamyuts was looking at Ruruta, yet her form wasn’t anywhere inside the Imaginary Entrails. While she had no appearance, only her sight and hearing were there.

She was manipulating her Book-Feeding ability skillfully. She stopped its activation on the verge of her soul being devoured. Doing so, she wouldn’t appear inside the Imaginary Entrails and Ruruta wouldn’t be able to notice her. Hamyuts knew that.

The time between her soul being Eaten and being consumed – that was the time to unilaterally observe the interior of the Imaginary Entrails. She was obviously familiar with the usage of her ability.

‘…There still isn’t any opening yet. If I show myself I’ll be killed.’

Hamyuts was waiting. She was waiting for the opportunity of Ruruta showing a single opening. If it wasn’t so it wouldn’t even become a fight and Hamyuts would be killed. They had that much of a difference in their abilities.

But Hamyuts also had a way to defeat Ruruta instantly. Because she was a tool meant for that purpose.

“Your… feelings?”

Colio took a step back. Ruruta kept standing without pursuing him.

“Yes. You should be able to understand me. And no one but you will.”

Ruruta smiled coldly.

“Love is but one part of people’s life. Humans have their daily lives. They have friends, family, a job, a dream, and their own desires. People say love is above everything with their mouths. There are people who truly think that for a while. But something above everything can’t really exist.

But that’s fine. It’s normal.”

Colio was confused at Ruruta suddenly giving him this incomprehensible life counseling.

“But there are only two exceptions to this. Me and you.”

“…That is…”

“Colio. Have you never thought about this? What would you have done were you in my shoes?”

Ruruta kept showering the speechless Colio with questions.

“What would you have done if the only way to make Shiron happy was by destroying the world?”

Saying this, Ruruta averted his gaze from Colio and went back to sit on the theater’s stage. Colio was desperately looking for an answer to his question.

If I were in Ruruta’s shoes… I never thought of it. No, perhaps I’d done my best not to think about it.

When he closed his eyes he could see Shiron’s face in the back of his mind. He recalled the happiness he felt when he’d perceived Shiron’s true intentions while resolving himself to face Cigal.

What if he had to kill many more people in order to make Shiron happy? He would have probably done it.

What if, in order to make Shiron happy, he would have had to kill even Relia, Hyoue and Ia Mira? He would’ve probably done it. He would suffer and feel troubled for it, but he would do it.

And what if Shiron was in Nieniu’s shoes? What if she turned into a stone statue that wished only for destruction and only waited the day it would happen? What would he have done?

Colio couldn’t say anything. He had already found the answer but couldn’t allow himself to acknowledge it.

I would have surely destroyed the world. Just like Ruruta.

It wasn’t that he hated the world. It wasn’t that he wanted to destroy it. However, as long as it was for Shiron’s sake, he would kill anyone and everyone.

“Is it not so, Colio?”

Ruruta probably understood the sort of answer Colio had reached. He asked this because he knew he’d reach the same conclusion.

“Colio, you are probably not aware of it… but your true nature is close to evil.”

“I’m evil?”

“Not evil itself, but perhaps even more dangerous than that. Evil does not destroy the world. Neither Kachua, Cigal nor Hamyuts would ever destroy the world. The only thing that can destroy the world and triumph against all is love.”

Colio was shocked. He had never once thought about his true nature. Identified by Ruruta, Colio discovered his true self for the first time.

“You and I are the same. Only our positions were different.”

Colio was convinced by his words. He was deprived of everything and became a mere human bomb. However, even while they were opposites, their circumstances were similar to a frightening degree.

“I am you who didn’t manage to bring forth a miracle. You are me who did manage a miracle.

That’s why I’ve waited for you. I wanted to meet my other self.

I wondered why it was you. That is the answer to your question.”

“…Ruruta. I’m…”

“I always wanted someone to understand my feelings. I will destroy the world now. You should be able to understand me here. And no one but you can understand.”

Ruruta smiled gently at Colio. He started emitting cold sweat from his head, and when it entered his eyes it was somewhat painful.

Confusion, fear and several other emotions swirled inside Colio. Not knowing what to do with them, he simply kept standing.

He had to stop the destruction of the world. Even so, he could understand the feelings of Ruruta who was about to do that.

Silence once again dominated the pair.

‘…I have no idea what’s going on.’

Hamyuts listened to their conversation. Or rather than listening, it was a conversation that made her break into cold sweat. Ruruta was her archenemy and towards Colio she felt complex emotions which were a mix of respect and yearning. There was no way she wouldn’t be interested in their conversation.

However, this wasn’t the time to silently listen to them. She had to eliminate Ruruta.

Even Colio would surely have no way to convince Ruruta. Yet Ruruta was enthusiastic about their conversation. If they kept talking like that perhaps a chance would be born. If all of Ruruta’s attention was directed at Colio, he wouldn’t be cautious of his surroundings. Even a split second would be fine. That would be enough for Hamyuts to finish him.

A single moment. Hamyuts was created and lived her life just for a single moment. She held her breath waiting for it. Suddenly, memories from when she was alive rose to the back of her mind.

It was during the height of the battle against the Indulging God Cult. Hamyuts ordered the Armed Librarian trainee called Noloty to save the Book-Eating Monster Zatoh. And, just like Hamyuts intended, she managed on separating Enlike, who had taken over Zatoh’s body, from the Cult.

“So, Enlike-kun. I’d like to ask you about this in detail.”

Hamyuts was at a concentration camp far from the premises of Bantorra Library. Enlike was jailed there. At the time he was still not acknowledged as an ally of the Armed Librarians, so they had no reason to let him out.

“You’ve taken control of Zatoh’s body, right Enlike-kun? But what’s happened to the owner of that body? Did Zatoh Rondohone’s soul die? Or not?”

Hamyuts’s goal was neither to make Enlike her ally nor to fight against him.

She collected information about the Book-Eating ability. She had of course investigated it before. However, she wanted to hear about it from someone who’d experienced it with their own eyes.

“I believe he’s dead. Since I’ve socked him with everything I got and he later drew back…”

Noloty, standing by Hamyuts’s side, said.

“Sorry, but I didn’t ask for your opinion, Noloty. I want Enlike-kun to make it clear for me.”

Enlike opened his mouth.

“Zatoh Rondohone’s soul is still alive.”

“…Huh?”

Noloty said.

“It’s still inside the Imaginary Entrails. He’s subjugated by Kayas and that man known as Luimon Mahaton. He simply can’t come out.”

“Is that so… so Zatoh isn’t dead.”

While casually conducting this interrogation, Hamyuts reached the heart of the matter.

“So, Enlike-kun. What would happen if you kill Zatoh’s soul?”

Enlike thought for a while and then spoke.

“…I will also die, no question about it. Without its owner, this body should turn into a mere corpse.”

“Why?”

“Because Zatoh’s the one with the ability to preserve these Imaginary Entrails. If he were to die they would disappear as well, and since I’m inside them I’ll die too. So, for me to keep living Zatoh’s soul also has to keep living.”

“…I see now.”

Hamyuts summarized the main points.

“So it’s basically like this.

If you kill the soul of a Book-Eater inside their Imaginary Entrails all the souls inside will be annihilated as well. So in order to kill a Book-Eater, just killing their soul inside them would suffice.

Is that correct? Enlike-kun.”

Speaking this far, Enlike inside the cell and Noloty at her side seemed puzzled.

“What’s the matter, Director?”

Hamyuts emitted cold sweat as the pair crossed their gazes.

“Oh? What’s wrong you guys?”

“Why are you so interested in the Book-Eating ability?”

I was too straightforward, Hamyuts regretted. Since neither of them knew about the existence of Ruruta nor the fact Hamyuts was targeting him, it would probably not cause any secrets to leak though.

“I was just curious. I mean, Zatoh was a strong enemy and all that.”

Ignoring their confused looks, Hamyuts cut the conversation short.

Hamyuts had one worry.

There was the possibility that, after defeating Ruruta, someone would take control of his body and powers. That meant that the ruler of the world would be simply replaced, making it all pointless. However, after asking Enlike she found out that was theoretically impossible.

Was it fine to believe him?

What she needed to do was kill Ruruta inside his Imaginary Entrails. That’s all there was to it.

“I…”

Colio desperately tried speaking. I can understand you, he suppressed himself from saying using his reason. He hadn’t come there to understand Ruruta. He came to stop him. If he were to say he understood him he would be unable to stop him.

“I’m different from you. Even if Shiron wished for it I wouldn’t have destroyed the world.”

The moment he said that the atmosphere immediately changed. A sense of disappointment and a freezing murderous impulse engulfed the area. Despite Ruruta not moving a single part of his body, despite him not changing anything in his expression, the atmosphere froze. Colio understood it was because of him.

“…What?”

Until now, Ruruta truly welcomed him. However, it was now different. Now Colio had to endure fear and pressure incomparable to how they were before. And if he can’t he wouldn’t be able to save the world.

“So you’re also different from me?”

Ruruta said in a lonely tone.

“…So my hopes were mistaken. Well, it’s because I can’t be trusted to gauge people.”

Ruruta was showing him apathy. Until now Ruruta thought of them as two sides of the same coin. However, now that he saw it wasn’t so, Colio was no more than a vermin to him.

“Ruruta, think carefully.”

“About what? I’ve thought as much as I could.”

Ruruta said coldly. Colio raised his voice.

“Even if you destroy the world Nieniu will not be happy!”

Ruruta raised his face. He glared at Colio. With just that his heart stopped. His eyes were enough to make him think they invited destruction without any salvation. 𝙛r𝚎𝐞𝑤𝚎𝗯𝗻𝗼𝐯e𝚕.𝒄𝐨𝓂

“…What’s that?”

“She won’t be happy at all. Nieniu will never become happy if you destroy the world!”

No reply came. Ruruta simply kept directing a blood-chilling gaze at Colio. Even so, he kept operating his mouth that wouldn’t move like he wished it to and talked.

“Ruruta. Are you really thinking about her?

Destroying the world means that both you and she will die. You are trying to kill your beloved. Doing this, destroying the world, will make no one happy.”

“Shut up.”

A small explosion erupted at Colio’s feet. Ruruta’s anger burst unconsciously. Colio fell on his backside.

“Are you an idiot? You’ve read my memories. You should be able to understand Nieniu. Stop spewing all this nonsense.”

“But…”

Ruruta lent no ears to Colio’s attempt to stop him.

“Nieniu wishes for destruction. Only for that. Why do you think that making her one and only wish come true won’t make her happy?

Only destruction is her happiness. That is the only way to make her happy.”

“You’ve been searching for a different way all this time.”

“What’s done is done. I knew that Nieniu wouldn’t become happy like that. Both the Armed Librarians and the Indulging God Cult don’t matter at all.”

“B-but!”

He shouted yet he was at a loss for words. He had never felt as awkward as he did now that he couldn’t convey what he thought about and couldn’t speak well.

“But what?”

“Is that really happiness? By destroying anyone and everyone you will also vanish and nothing will remain. Even if that’s her wish… that’s no happiness at all.”

They were the words he desperately wrought out. Yet he realized to a painful extent that they didn’t reach Ruruta’s heart. He once again cast his gaze downward.

“…What does someone like you know? What do you even know about happiness?”

“Ruruta…”

“…What do you even know about me?”

Ruruta hanged his head and muttered weakly. At that moment, Colio experienced pain in his chest that was different from fear.

Hiding her breath, Hamyuts couldn’t even let out a single word. And so, she was cheering for Colio in her heart.

‘Yeah, just like this, Colio-kun.’

She wanted him to speak more to Ruruta. To shake his heart. If he does then a chance would definitely be born.

She judged it as inadequate and let the opportunity pass, but during the moment Ruruta hanged down his head there was a small opening.

Hamyuts glared at Ruruta. Just a bit would be good. Colio-kun, please create an opening. Unless you do it I can’t fight. Everything now depends on you.

While being watched by Hamyuts, Colio opened his mouth.

“Nieniu… is thinking that she shouldn’t have been born.”

Colio spoke to the downcast Ruruta.

“She believes that everything is worthless. Future, past and present, she despairs of everything.”

Did he not hear me, wondered Colio while talking. Ruruta made no response. Since Colio stood in front of him he couldn’t see his downcast expression.

“If you destroy the world now she will die with thoughts like that. But that’s too sad. That’s no happiness.

I’m happy to have been born, to have lived, to have met you… thinking this is happiness. Is that wrong, Ruruta?”

He was on the contrary afraid of the absence of a response. He had no idea whether he managed to convince him or not.

However, his words surely reached Ruruta. And what he spoke were his true feelings. Ruruta would definitely understand. Believing this, Colio kept talking.

“You understand it as well, right? Destruction will bring no happiness. Since you know that you made the Armed Librarians and the Indulging God Cult gather Books of happiness after all.”

No reply came from Ruruta.

“You can still go back. Wake up all the people in the world and bring everything back to how it was. Keep collecting Books of happiness and give them to Nieniu. Look for a way to make her happy.

That’s for the best, Ruruta.”

Colio stopped talking. He thought that he had said everything that needed to be said. He gulped and waited for Ruruta’s answer.

“Colio.”

Ruruta raised his face. He looked at Colio and smiled. He was momentarily relieved at that smile. However, the next instant he felt a chill run up his spine. Ruruta’s fingertip pointed at Colio’s chest.

“Are you satisfied? Is your pretentious speech over?”

Sparks scattered from his finger. He was probably going to launch a lightning attack.

“I’m mad at myself. Why did I want to meet up with someone like you?”

“…Ruruta.”

Colio took a step back. However, he knew he had no way to escape. Within his fear he realized that he failed. Now came the destruction of the world.

“Are you an idiot? A hopeless idiot? By destroying the world Nieniu will become happy. Why don’t you get something so obvious?”

He failed trying to retreat. Colio fell on his backside.

“What a pity. I’d hoped we’d be able to have mutual understanding.”

A lightning was about to be emitted from his finger.

But at that moment…

“…!”

Hamyuts Meseta suddenly appeared between the two.

Hamyuts Meseta was a tool created by Makia Dexiart. She had only one function: to kill Ruruta.

But how could one kill Ruruta? Ruruta’s powers were in the ultimate domain attainable by human beings. He couldn’t be killed with either blades, fire, cannons, bombs or time.

The only possible way to kill him would be inside his Imaginary Entrails. However, his power was absolute there. Hamyuts was a warrior with considerable power, but even her sling was but a toy in front of him.

Ruruta couldn’t be killed using force. What one needed to kill Ruruta was a world-shaking way of thinking.

A plan that no ordinary person could realize. A plan that one would realize had zero chances of succeeding when they thought it up. One needed a plan where, if they told about it to someone, it would be called a foolish plan that went even beyond insanity.

Unless it was so, Ruruta Coozancoona could not be killed.