Chapter 41: The Silver Mask and The Myth going into Motion Part 1
Having her upper-body cut in half the magical living being the Armored Golem loses her balance and a dull crashing sound resounded as her whole body crumbled into the floor.
「Cruz……..!」
Flamia’s voice which was filled with hostility as she spoke towards the person behind the Silver Mask who had just finished doing a brutal act of violence.
Both Kirika and I gasped at the mention of that name. Did she just say……….Kurusu? (TL: note that Cruz sounds like Kurusu in Japanese)
「No way, how could it be…..?」
「Don’t tell me……..?! Are you Kurusu Araya……..!?」
「…….Hey, Odamori-kun」
Someone from my side whispered to me in a reserved manner, because of this I was pulled back into reality. Right now I was at the school poolside, I was sitting on the floor grasping on to my own knees, I was in the middle of observing the swimming class………… I was just like this fellow sitting next to me, we both had weak physical constitutions and were skipping gym class.
「What’s wrong? you’ve been out of it since a while ago」
Indeed since a little while ago, I have been fantasizing about Himeno Kirika who had just plunged into the pool with such beautiful form….. My imaginations were going wild as I thought about “training” her body in various ways. Oh crap, I’m getting a little hard.
「Ahh, no……… I was just thinking, out of all the school activities possible, this one is the biggest waste of time, wouldn’t you agree?」
「Ahaha, that may well be true. Well I’ve already become accustomed to it though」
Amongst all the men and women in class, Kurusu had the weakest body constitution and was a ‘regular customer’ at being an observing party during physical education classes. Kurusu was even more petite in build than me, and if you only looked at the face, then you might even think that Kurusu was a girl.
「Moreover, I don’t think that it’s all that bad. I mean if you look at it, because of this, I’ve been given the opportunity to talk to Odamori-kun like this」
「…….Huh?」
I don’t really consider this guy as a friend or anything…….To begin with, there was not a single person who I could call a friend. However, considering that I had a tendency to skip physical education classes, the two of us would consequentially get together like this, and our relationship was to the extent of sharing these types of simple conversations.
「Aren’t you saying some pretty weird stuff there. Or more like that current remark is a little gross you know?」
「You think so…….?」
I’ve seen Kurusu bullied by classmates several times before.
Not only does he have a weak personality that is timid and easy to abuse, he also has some sort of distant familial relationship with Suzu-chan Sensei, who is a really popular teacher amongst the boys.
Well, for me, though these things did not matter at all. Only fools would try to get acquainted with the weak…….Though I bet that if it was Himeno Kirika who found out such bullying had occurred within the school, she would probably get riled up and try to meddle in the affairs.
「Well whatever. Oh by the way, Kurusu, do you play any games at all?」
「Yeah, these days, I’m always using my smart phone. Well I don’t really want to say that I got hooked to playing any particular game though…….」
「Ahh~, I kinda get what you mean, I really do. Well, I’m also pretty much the same though——」
Just like this we would continue these kind of meaningless conversations whilst sitting by the hot poolside. Even so, if I thought about it carefully, that was probably the only time in my school life……….that I could equate to having a friend to converse to.
……..The fact that he got run over by a truck and died was actually two months before the school excursion I went to.
After his death, the bullying that went on in school was revealed, but considering that he didn’t write any suicide notes it didn’t get any further than that. Moreover, after Kurusu’s death, school life didn’t really have any drastic differences and it was just continuing as per normal (Suzu-chan Sensei received quite the big shock and she actually stopped coming to school for about one week)
Because he died two months prior to us who had all died in the school excursion accident……I had assumed that he would not be transmigrated into this world. However, it seems that I was wrong.
「I’ll formally introduce myself again, it’s truly been a long time hasn’t it? Odamori Tooru-kun? And also Himeno Kirika-san?」
Kurusu was talking in a carefree manner whilst mumbling through that silver mask in order to call out our names.
A circular shaped magical force field started to come out of his extended hands, and the arm that was cut from Nana started to float in the air wrapped with this force field.
「A-are you really Kurusu-kun….!?」
「Be careful! Although I don’t get why he’s in this world, but at the very least I don’t think he has any good intentions. The fact that Celesta was able to obtain firearms, or the fact that Flamia’s failures have been reported to Iblis, everything was set in motion by him…..!」
If I think about it, the fact that Celesta was creating havoc with those weapons was because he wanted a diversion to occur. In that gap, this fellow infiltrated the underground village, which gave him the chance to cause Flamia’s magic to go out of control, not only that, he had waited all this time……for when we let our guards down, for when we showed a moment of weakness.
Shit, being led by the nose with these kinds of situations one after another, I wasn’t able to figure out why I was feeling that sense of uncomfortableness within the back of my mind.
「I truly did not expect that you would be able to perfectly stop that “Younger Sister’s” rampage. My initial plan was to let the underground village be totally consumed and destroyed and then I could just easily come back in order to retrieve the Divine Corpse」
「Your objective is the Divine Corpse, moreover Flamia knows who you are……In other words, I surmise that you are working under Iblis as her subordinate right now」
「The word ‘subordinate’ is a very upsetting term, but I suppose I don’t really care how you perceive it. As expected of you, you are a really sharp person aren’t you?」
At this point in time, I was exchanging a knowing look with Sierra at the present condition, she was one of my fighting potential that could still take action efficiently.
The huge bow formed a red arrow of light this time around, it was aimed straight towards Cruz and released towards him with lightning speed.
A thin slender arm is extended from the white robes, and a dull sound of the arrow penetrating the arm resounded, however, the person behind the silver mask…….. did not seem to mind at all nor did he raise a single groan.
「Wh……What’s with him jya!? doesn’t he feel any pain……!?」
「!! Oniisan, Cruz is trying to escape from us!」
The force field which had surrounded Nana’s arm was now beginning to envelop Cruz’s body and his figure started to shimmer and dissipate like hot air.
Don’t tell me it’s a type of instant transmission spell…..? This is bad, if this continues, the Divine Corpse will be stolen from us!
「As if I’d let you escape! It’s all-or-nothing chase after him Kirika!」
「!? That is……!」
As soon as I shouted out, I pulled out a dark grey assault rifle from within my cloak and nimbly held it within my hands, it was an SG550.
This was the firearm that Celesta used and threw away, I managed to retrieve it even though it only had a single bullet remaining, I hid it within my cloak and brought it with me slung to my back. I never thought that I’d ever aim a gun at a human being, but if this is the case, I don’t really have a choice.
Using my inter-acceleration bracelet, I sped my bodily sensation of time, with this I took my best aim and fired the shot.
The bullet doesn’t fly that accurately, as I have no experience in shooting guns and I was not able to take into account the recoil it would produce. the bullet slid past and barely grazed Cruz’s arm…. In any case I managed disturb his movements as a result!
「Haaaaaaaaaaaaa!」
Promptly Kirika was using the last vestiges of magical energy within her body to create her movement skill Aerial Circle in order to close the gap.
Kirika’s blade was aiming straight for Cruz’s mask during the opening I made——!
「…..What!?」
Surprisingly Cruz actually made use of Nana’s gigantic arm which had integrated itself with the Divine Corpse and used it as a shield.
About half of the arm from the elbow had actually been cut by the Alkanshel and it flied out of the force field shooting through the air. Cruz’s left hand reaches out and actually tries to grip it——!
「As if I’d let you! Amelia, use your Chained Blade!」
I understand —-! Amelia immediately reacted to my words and used her whip like weapon in order to splendidly retrieve the arm before Cruz was able to reach it.
「Not bad, Tooru-kun…..In light of your efforts along with your magical slaves, I don’t mind lending you that fragment for the time being」
A muffled voice that was both filled with vexation and praise resounded. This time around, Cruz’s body was rapidly disappearing……..Along with the upper part of the Nana’s arm.
「Magical Slaves…..That is the materialization of your desires, and also your strength. However, I also have my own objectives and I don’t plan to give up here. For that end I need the Divine Corpse…….It won’t be long before we will meet again」
「Wait, Cruz! I still have things that I want to ask you——!」
The person wearing the silver mask was vanishing. Most likely, under the silver mask, he was directing his gaze towards…..Princess Sistina.
「Oh yeah, be sure to help Tooru-kun “Princess of Prophecy”. Soon enough, he will need your powers of prophecy」
「Eh…….?」
Along with a statement that caused the Princess to become agitated……..Cruz who was obviously a person from our previous world left a faint luminescence as he vanished.
Without being able to catch my breath, Nina who had ran up in order to provide healing magic to Nana had screamed out to me.
「M-Master! Nana’s magical reaction is decreasing more and more!」
「What did you say!? Oi, Nana! Answer me, Nana!」
Everyone had been shocked awake and we were starting to gather towards Nana.
Just like a broken light bulb, her mono-eye was flickering faintly as if she was barely able to keep her consciousness together.
「Goshujin…..」(Nana Speaking) (TL: Goshujin = Master)
「I’m glad, ahh, you don’t need to force yourself to talk. Just wait a little, you’ll be healed in no time」
「No…….Please hear me out, Goshujin…..! Nana is………Nana’s body…..is. Unable to provide pleasure…….nor do ecchi things that will make Goshujin happy」
「Oi, Oi, Nana!? What are you saying at this point in time!?」
I shake her brown gigantic body, but Nana doesn’t move. She was not even able to twitch her unharmed left arm.
「I was, a little jealous of everyone else…….but, because I couldn’t do it…….at the very least I wanted to be useful, being able to protect Nina and the other’s made me really happy……..Being able to save Flamia also made me…. glad」
「S-save, me…..?」
Oi wait a minute here.
Saying all this….. It’s almost as if she’s saying her last will.
「Don’t say such foolish things! Alright I understand! the moment you are cured, I’ll have sex with you! What, all we have to do is forcefully make a hole somewhere, right? If that is truly what you want then I will do it, for all the hard work you’ve done, I’m willing to do anything!」
「Real….ly……? Goshujin, is so kind…….isn’t he……but, it’s weird….I’m getting so…..sleep….y……」
「Oi, oi Nana!! Don’t joke around with me, hey!! Aren’t you going to listen to my orders? Don’t you dare sleep!!」
「Goshujin………everyone………Thank you for giving me such fun……..memo……r.i.e.s……, ………….」
Falling to the ground, her mono-eyes stopped glowing like a firework that faded away.
That was the last thing the magical being known as Armor V7…… said before all of her functions ceased.
「Na……..Nana-chaaaaaaaann!!」