Tatakau Shisho

“…Am I being cornered?”

Nieniu groaned while overlooking the two battlefields in the outside world and inside the Imaginary Entrails.

Led by Ireia, with the Acting Directors of the past in both flanks, the Armed Librarians inside the Imaginary Entrails were pushing forward. No matter how many Beasts of the Final Chapter she poured at them, they were blown away by Ireia’s group and were unable to reach Ruruta.

While grasping the violet shining knife and borrowing Noloty’s shoulder, Ruruta advanced toward Nieniu little by little.

Mattalast, who was holding Mirepoc, made full use of his predictive ability to keep dodging attacks. Even when he thought they were surrounded, even in the countless times he thought they were finished, he was able to escape by a hairsbreadth.

The surrounding Armed Librarians poured all of their powers to create openings for Mattalast. They were protected by Yukizona’s barrier and Bonbo’s whales. They both kept protecting the Armed Librarians’ domain even while vomiting blood.

Why? Wondered Nieniu.

She was the incarnation of destruction, possessing unlimited powers. A being that possessed power that could destroy the entire world. There was no change in that. Then why was she being cornered? She should have won. There was no way she wouldn’t. Although she was convinced of it, the moment of victory never came.

“…U…uhh!”

Nieniu finally realized her flaw.

Even now she was overwhelmingly superior in fighting strength. Since she was infinite she would never tire out. No matter how many efforts Ireia, Mattalast, Yukizona and Bonbo make, they would eventually tire out. Since Nieniu could fight indefinitely she would normally never lose.

However, Nieniu’s power was the power to thoroughly destroy everything in the world. Since it was the power to kill everyone with no survivors, it wasn’t the power to finish off individuals. Although she could spread endlessly all over the world, she didn’t possess the power to break through a concentrated point.

That was a clear failure of Future Overseer Orntorra. He had never imagined this sort of harsh battle. He didn’t think that someone who was able to fight her equally would ever be born.

As a result she had once lost to Ruruta and now she was inferior to the Armed Librarians.

“…No way, I cannot, accept this…”

The single word known as ‘defeat’ floated to her mind. If she hadn’t focused on Ruruta and destroyed the world… if she ignored Hamyuts and destroyed the world… regret weighed on her chest. Yet even those who possessed the power of God couldn’t turn back time.

Why did no one understand her? Nieniu shouted in her heart. Only destruction was proper. This world must not exist. That belief would never be shaken inside her.

Nieniu was alone. In order to reject her belief Ruruta was running, the Armed Librarians were fighting, and the people of the world were praying. Although she was doing the right thing, no one was supporting Nieniu.

“…I will never allow it. I will never lose again.”

Both inside the Imaginary Entrails and above Bantorra Library, Nieniu’s hands moved and covered her face.

Mattalast ran inside the formation created by Yukizona. He didn’t let Mirepoc in his arms suffer even a single scratch.

“Look at that!”

Hearing some trainee’s voice, he raised his face. Above the needle, the statue in Ruruta’s shape covered its face and wept.

“Have we won?”

“We still haven’t won, but… we’re going to, aren’t we?”

While fighting the Beasts, the Armed Librarians mouthed their hopes.

“…Something’s happening.”

The Beasts were yet to stop. The battle was not over. Anxiety and expectation mixed inside Mattalast’s heart.

Nieniu was already visible. Floating about two meters above the collapsed theater’s stage, she covered her face. Ireia in the front nearly set foot inside the theatre.

“Ahaha, slight regret is not enough to beg this Ireia for forgiveness!”

Ireia pushed ahead while laughing loudly.

“Just a bit more, Ruruta-san!”

While borrowing Noloty’s shoulders, while being protected by the Armed Librarians, Ruruta was also growing closer to the theater. Nieniu was at a spot it would take less than ten seconds to reach.

“I pity her, though.”

Noloty muttered.

“Let’s keep going. For her sake.”

“Yes, we just have to keep trying.”

Just a bit more. Thinking so, Ruruta advanced his wounded body.

Various scenes floated inside Nieniu’s mind.

They were the memories of the 1927 years she had been continually watching ever since being defeated by Ruruta. She recalled the deeds of the early period of Armed Librarians who’ve killed people and took their Books… the many wars that kept going in the world without rest… soldiers being killed and citizens losing their loved ones.

She recalled the many atrocities carried out by the Indulging God Cult. Dragon Pneumonia… Deep Blue Curse… Human bombs…

Countless misfortune and the despair of people rose to Nieniu’s mind.

These are all my fault, she thought. The oppressed people did nothing wrong. Even the oppressors did nothing wrong. The world is at fault. A world without any leader is bad.

These people were born because I have lost to Ruruta.

“…I am sorry, everyone.”

Her first loss brought forth a hell that continued for 1927 years. What would her second loss give birth to? She knew the answer. It would create an eternal hell.

The scenes of the future floated to her mind. The development of science would make people prosper. However, the gap between the rich and the pour would grow more and more. Neither wars, poverty nor hunger would ever disappear.

Weapon development would help massacre people more efficiently and growing social systems would bind people more firmly. Without anything changing, people would still hurt each other, hate each other, rob each other and kill each other.

The rotten world must be destroyed. All for the sake of the children born in it.

They must not win. All for the sake of creating once again a world where people could smile at one another and support each other.

“…I… cannot… lose…”

Nieniu exerted power in her stone-made fingers. Along with it, the rumbling of an earth tremor echoed in the Imaginary Entrails and at Past God Bantorra Island.

Several Armed Librarians stumbled at the sudden shaking of the ground. Mattalast didn’t collapse but was surprised.

“Everyone, watch out your surroundings!”

Yukizona couldn’t speak due to his bloody vomit so Yuri was issuing orders instead. Mattalast noticed that half of the Beasts stopped moving. However, he didn’t think they won or that things became easier for them. That was his intuition as a warrior and as a predictive ability user.

“…Seems like something is coming. What do we do, Matt-san?”

Kyasariro raised an uneasy voice. The next moment, one of the trainees shouted.

“Up there!”

Mattalast directed his gaze upward while covering for Mirepoc. He found something abnormal far above Bonbo’s whales.

It was difficult to see since it was mixed in with the dark clouds, but it was an especially dark mass. It was too high to know the altitude of. Perhaps it was just below the dark clouds.

“…Is that also a Beast of the Final Chapter?”

Just how big was that black mass? Since they were able to see only that much at that height, did it not mean that even the entire premises of Bantorra Library wouldn’t compare to it?

The Beasts started rising as if being sucked into the black mass in the sky. It looked as if it was growing gradually larger.

At that moment, Nieniu muttered.

“…Calamity of the Final Chapter – Tearshed Celestial.”

Was what they heard the name of that mass? Mattalast shuddered the moment he heard the word “Tearshed”.

“No way… is she going to drop that on us?”

Luik replied while grimacing.

“That’s impossible. I mean, it just can’t be done right?”

Yet Luik’s logic didn’t hold. It wasn’t impossible or couldn’t be done. After all, the enemy they were fighting right now was impossible for humans in the first place.

Ireia entered the theater. The moment she was about to swing her mass of metal, she heard a voice from behind.

“Ireia-san! Retreat!”

It was an illusory Volken.

“The foolish should stay silent! I will finish everything with a single strike!”

“Something’s happening! It’s too dangerous!”

Nieniu was already in her field of vision. Ireia activated her ability, the Magic that controlled the time of everything she gazed at. However, Ireia was instead made to cover her eyes with her hands. She didn’t know what kind of power was used, but it seemed to repel her ability.

“Seems like you are quite capable!”

“Please retreat! It’s coming!”

The desert shook. Even the haughty and arrogant Ireia expectedly realized the power of her enemy. She pounded her lump of iron on the sand and used the recoil to fly backwards.

She was saved by a hairsbreadth. The next moment, countless black needles thrust through the sand. They were of various thicknesses, starting with ones a person could hold with one hand and up to the trunks of 5000 year old trees. They were long enough to pierce the heavens and numbered ten thousand.

Further countless needles stuck out from these needles, and other countless needles sprouted from those. The cluster of needles started looking like a forest.

The Beasts of the Final Chapter charged into the forest. Their bodies sprouted needles and merged with it. There wasn’t enough space to fit a mouse into the needle forest, much less a human.

“Curses!”

Ireia swung her club. Part of the forest cracked, but before she could hit with the second strike it regenerated back to how it was before. Even with the power she wielded it was impossible to cut through inside.

“…Calamity of the Final Chapter – Forest Fortress.”

“S-so big…”

Looking at the massive forest standing in her way, Noloty stopped her legs. Ruruta also couldn’t advance. The Armed Librarians attacked the forest.

However, neither Ireia’s club nor her power of time worked. Neither the charges of the Acting Directors nor the abilities of other Armed Librarians had any effect on the Forest. It was even able to block the violet-colored light emitted from Colio’s knife. When it was destroyed it regenerated, and the more it regenerated the thicker it became.

“…Forest Fortress, huh.”

Ruruta muttered while leaning on the frightened Noloty’s shoulders. He thought of its appearance full of thorns and needles as reflecting Nieniu’s current state of mind.

It was her refusal toward anything and desire to entrench herself from everything. She was pouring her entire being into rejection.

No, Nieniu. The real you isn’t like that. Ruruta spoke inside his heart.

The Nieniu who I had met that day and loved was one who would try to meet anyone.

“What are we going to do Yukizona!”

Bonbo shouted inside Bantorra Library’s courtyard, most of it already rubble.

“It’s impossible to stop something like that even for a second!”

There was the problem of Bonbo’s words inducing the Armed Librarians into a state of fear. However, they were going to be destroyed regardless of them being afraid or not.

“…It’s already useless! We’d better run away!”

Kyasariro screamed without caring for appearance. The surrounding Armed Librarians also started shouting. Yet everyone felt the despair all the same. Even Mattalast couldn’t think of anything to do.

“…Yukizona.”

Mattalast looked at Yukizona. He put both hands on the ground. When he breathed a bloody mist rose form his mouth. He was barely maintaining the Decay Wave while being supported by Yuri.

“Yukizona!”

Mattalast shouted. Yukizona raised his face. He probably couldn’t talk anymore. Yet he moved his lips, trying to convey something.

It’s fine. It’s too early to despair. I leave command to you.

Mattalast was confused, unable to understand his intentions. He removed his eyes from Yukizona and surveyed the surroundings. At that moment he noticed something.

“Everyone gather in the center! Tena! Raise a defensive barrier!”

“What?”

All the Armed Librarians turned to look at him.

“What’re you doing Tena! Do it quickly! All of the trainees who have defensive abilities, help her too!”

Kyasariro rushed over to Tena immediately. Luik and Marfa repelled the nearby Beasts. Tena created a small force-field barrier with a radius of about 50 meters. Several trainees also reinforced it.

“This barrier won’t hold…”

“I know! It’s not meant to protect against that Tearshed Celestial whatever!”

Mattalast replied to one of the trainees’ shout. Bonbo also made his whales disappear and flew into the barrier.

“Bonbo-san, why did you recall your whales!”

“It’s an emergency evacuation!”

The confused Tena then inquired Mattalast.

“What will we protect against with this?”

“…It’s to prevent us from being killed by being wrapped up in that.”

The moment Bonbo’s fat body entered the barrier… a huge thunder roared in the heavens. At the same time they could hear a man’s voice.

“…Nieniu or whoever…”

That man stood on the barely remaining roof of the memorial hall of the Library. He was a suit-wearing man with a medium build. None of the Armed Librarians remembered anyone with those kind of sanpaku eyes that seemed to bite into everything they looked at. However, everyone knew that insolent way of speaking from somewhere.

He leapt into Tena’s barrier.

“Seems like she’s the incarnation of the Future Overseer trying to destroy the world, huh. Yet she’s unexpectedly quite the kind girl.”

Thunder which was loud enough to crush ears assaulted the Armed Librarians. The dark Past God Island became so bright they couldn’t open their eyes. The man pointed with his index finger to the heavens.

“No way…”

Muttered Yuri.

“It feels as if this sky was custom-made for me.”

The man lowered his finger.

“Enlike Bishile!”

Yuri probably couldn’t even hear herself shouting. The heavens clamored as if announcing the end of the world. Several of the Armed Librarians covered their ears and cowered.

The man was the lightning user Enlike Bishile. His strongest attack exploded. He summoned lightning from within the dark clouds and brought it down. This strike, controlling the very forces of nature, was equivalent to Ruruta’s full power.

Gathering everyone inside Tena’s barrier was a right decision from Mattalast. The shockwave of Enlike’s lightning trying to crush the Tearshed Celestial swallowed up Bantorra Library. Putting Mattalast aside, more than half of the people there would have been annihilated.

When the thunder was over, a ray of light peeked from the gaps in the clouds.

“…I’ve crushed the Tearshed Celestial, but this isn’t over, Mattalast.”

Mattalast looked at the sky. Many scattered black masses started falling down to Bantorra Library. The Beasts of the Final Chapter also escaped the aftershock and were charging toward them.

“Bonbo! Bring out your whales! Stop the ones who are falling!”

“On it!”

Bonbo leapt to the skies and the Armed Librarians dispersed. Everyone desperately moved their aching body and faced the Beasts.

The Tearshed Celestial was trying to regenerate. Enlike also started preparing to fire a second lightning strike.

“This is the second time you’ve saved us.”

Mattalast said to Enlike pointing to the heavens while kicking apart Beasts.

“Don’t be silly. I can’t save anyone. I’m simply good at destroying things.”

Enlike said in a lonely voice. But, thought Mattalast, what’s wrong with that? You can destroy things better than anyone, right? Everyone does what they’re good at and we protect the world like this.

“…What will we do, Hamyuts?”

Volken inquired Hamyuts while looking at the Forest Fortress. But I can’t hope for an answer, he thought. Hamyuts was already exhausted. She couldn’t even focus her eyes. Fatigue and injuries brought her to the limit.

“What… you idiot. So you were there…”

It didn’t provide any answer to Volken. Perhaps she couldn’t even hear him anymore. She was muttering something.

“I wanted to call him here. Ireia-san, Vizac-san, Feekiee, Noloty… and him…”

“…Him?”

“He’s finally moving… that monster.”

At that moment Volken also recalled – there was a certain warrior who has not shown himself yet.

A lone man sat in a corner of the Imaginary Entrails. Even the Beasts of the Final Chapter didn’t pay him any attention. He was absentmindedly watching Ruruta and the Armed Librarian fighting from afar. He was distressed over something.

“…I’m in a battlefield again. Why? I ran away from Guinbex, ran from the surface world… I even escaped from the Sealed Labyrinth and from the world of the living, but I always end up reaching a battlefield…”

He was muttering to himself as if speaking to someone in his heart.

“I want to go back, mom.

Although the only place I should return to is where you are, I am never able to reach it.

Hamyuts… Why, Hamyuts? Although you were able to summon me here, couldn’t you bring me back to that home?”

Playing around with the sand with his fingers, he kept asking unanswerable questions toward Hamyuts in the distance.

He had come inside the Imaginary Entrails at the same time as Noloty, Vizac and Feekiee. However, he didn’t listen to either Mirepoc’s Soul Sharing or to Nieniu’s rage and simply sat doing nothing.

“Ah, why…”

Several Beasts of the Final Chapter crawled toward him. But the moment they were about to devour him complying with the order to kill everything they saw…

“Why was I born so strong?”

The ones eaten were the Beasts. Several tens of thousands of ants produced at the man’s feet flocked around the Beasts and devoured them along with an eerie sound.

He was a tall, slender man wrapped in a wrinkled suit. His almond eyes were gloomily downcast.

He closed his eyes and looked at the heavens. He conversed with someone in his heart.

“Ah, mom. Mom. Please don’t say that.”

Further Beasts came to pursue him. Since they knew no fear, the result was them being devoured by the ants.

“If mom says something like this then I’ll go all out.”

The Ant-User Mokkania. He was once claimed to be equal to Hamyuts. When it had to do with mass killing he was the strongest and worst man in history.

The man who raised an army capable of devouring an entire country in his body finally rose.

A black tidal wave rose at his feet. The number of flesh-eating ants created there had who knows how many zeroes.

“Nieniu-san or whoever… It seems like your power is infinite.”

Mokkania spoke gently.

“What a coincidence. My power is also infinite.”

The army of black ants and the army of black beasts clashed. The Beasts were engulfed by the carpet of ants one after another.

A black tidal wave flooded from far in the desert. Rather than joy at having reinforcements come, the Armed Librarians’ response was more akin to fear. Noloty raised a scream.

“…M-Mokkania-san…”

While raising an eerie sound, the ants slipped under Ruruta’s feet and grappled the Forest Fortress. The countless needles stabbed the ants and the countless ants bit into the needles.

The final stronghold created by Nieniu shook. It creaked and raised a shriek.

“How did you even win against this man?”

Volken muttered while looking at the breathless Hamyuts.

“So, perhaps it is time for me to use my full power as well! Gather, you mongrels!”

The one to shout this was Ireia. The Armed Librarians assembled around with her in the center. Ireia leapt and looked down at the Armed Librarians beneath her.

“This is the finale! Time Control ultimate secret technique! System interference, Sextuple Acceleration!”

Ireia’s staring eyes glowed red. The next instant, the time flow of Ruruta and the rest became six times as fast.

“Charge!”

Hearing Ireia’s order, the Armed Librarians launched a simultaneous attack. Obviously standing in the front and destroying the forest was Ireia.

“Keep going!”

The Forest Fortress, being devoured by Mokkania’s black ants and thus weakened, couldn’t stop their accelerated attack. Moving in unison, Ruruta and the Armed Librarians pushed forward faster than the forest could regenerate.

All participants gathered on the battlefield, employing every card in their possession to the fullest.

The Beasts swarmed toward Mattalast. His figure was hidden and could not be seen from the outside. He slipped through the slight gaps in the barrage of attacks. The route for surviving while protecting Mirepoc was like walking on a thin thread. If his foot missed the thread he would fall to his death.

His comrades kept fighting in order to preserve that thread. Only their attacks protected Mattalast’s and Mirepoc’s lives.

One of the trainees threw himself and was eaten by a Starving Mantis. Mattalast rushed through the small safe area created by his sacrifice.

Bonbo already had only three whales left. Those three, while spewing fresh blood, intercepted the Beasts assaulting from the skies.

Yukizona kept emitting his Decay Wave while being supported by Yuri. Yuri couldn’t fight anymore; she had no choice but to devote herself to protecting her brother’s life.

Enlike was destroying the regenerating Tearshed Celestial. While receiving the Beasts’ fangs on his body, he thrust his finger to the sky to bring down lightning.

Everyone had only little energy left. They were all making desperate efforts.

Mirepoc closed her eyes and kept sending the power of the world to Ruruta.

Ruruta ran through the holes opened by Ireia’s club, Vizac’s spear and Volken’s Dancing Blades with his body lowered. Countless needles aimed to stab him from all around. The Beasts were rushing to trample him down from behind.

While protecting himself using Colio’s knife and Noloty’s support, Ruruta ran.

“So we can’t fully stop that, huh.”

Mokkania muttered in front of the Forest Fortress. The ants kept destroying it. However, they weren’t able to stop all of its functions. The endlessly produced Beasts of the Final Chapter couldn’t be exhausted.

“…These petty tricks are futile.”

Volken ran behind the group of Armed Librarians in unison. He erased his illusions and fully concentrated on his Dancing Blades. There was no longer any need for illusions; they only needed to break through with power.

Hamyuts in his arms was already nothing but a burden. However, he still held her and ran.

“I feel the best! This is Ireia Kitty’s final spectacle! Please spread the story far and wide for posterity!”

While running at the forefront of the Armed Librarians, Ireia laughed. Even the exhaustion she had felt after using her secret technique was not trivial, and yet she didn’t drop to her knees. She kept destroying the forest in front of her eyes.

“Forward!”

Shredding the pursuing needles with Colio’s knife, Ruruta shouted.

“Forward! Even just a step forward!”

However, with every step they took, the number of the Armed Librarians decreased.

Running behind Ireia, Vizac’s charge was stopped by thousands of needles. The line of spears attacking from all directions pierced his entire body.

Feekiee, rushing ahead instead of him, danced with his short swords to create a path. The moment he absolved his Diving ability his life was taken through a very narrow opening.

The Acting Directors and other Armed Librarians all collapsed one after another. Ruruta simply kept running ahead over their corpses.

“How much longer!”

Someone shouted, and someone else replied.

“Don’t think of it! Just keep going! Look only ahead!”

They kept being reduced in numbers. They turned into sand and vanished. Yet everyone thought they didn’t mind it. They were already dead after all. They would be satisfied as long as they were able to fall and save the world.

Their feelings protected Ruruta.

“Vol…ken… behind…”

The breathless Hamyuts spoke as if whispering. Volken turned around in shock. The pursuing Beasts of the Final Chapter were able to reach to a few meters behind them. Although their entire bodies were covered by ants they kept moving.

He sent his Dancing Blades backward. Rear guard was left to Volken alone.

“G-guh…” 𝒇𝑟e𝙚𝑤𝙚𝐛𝗻𝐨ν𝚎𝘭.c𝐨m

Even Ireia ended up with needles piercing her whole body. Yet she raised loud laughter and kept advancing even like that.

“Ireia-san, that’s too dangerous!”

“This Ireia knows no danger!”

Ignoring Noloty’s shout, Ireia broke from her comrades and advanced ahead. Her deadly iron dance demolished the defenses of the Forest Fortress.

Ireia collapsed. However, her last attack was able to buy them a large distance.

In the endlessly dark destination where it seemed like there would be no exit, a light finally appeared. It proved the Forest Fortress was not impregnable.

Noloty was penetrated by needles coming from the right. While raising a scream, she broke the needle, separated from Ruruta and charged. As if following Ireia, she desperately wielded her fists and launched kicks.

Having lost his support, Ruruta ran ahead while stumbling. Stooping forward, using his left hand and right leg, he advanced awkwardly.

“Just…”

The final barrier was in front of his eyes. On its other side was Nieniu.

“A bit more!!!”

He swung Colio’s knife. The needles blocking the way were slashed off.

Ruruta fell ahead. This was the small theater he had built himself in the center of the Imaginary Entrails.

The needles of the Forest Fortress didn’t pierce that place. The forest of needles was thick with no opening in it… yet only the very center was empty.

Ruruta stood on top of a stone chair. And he looked at the center of the stage.

“Nieniu.”

He started talking.

“…Ruruta.”

The statue standing atop the stage glared at him.

At that moment everything stopped moving. Neither the Forest Fortress, the Tearshed Celestial nor the Beasts of the Final Chapter filling up the Imaginary Entrails and Bantorra Library moved. Not even Mokkania’s ants.

As if they all hesitated on disturbing the pair looking at each other. As if they were afraid of defiling the instant everything would be settled.