This one was a bit of a long chapter but hey since it’s a holiday weekend I figured I would give you guys an extra Chapter so y’all can get your fix lol.
“A bit… Character collapse (;´д｀)”
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“After the day that would become the trigger for the fate of millions of people, Kazuya had some free time as the restoration work of Parabellum was mostly complete. He visited the Governor’s Office located in the capital of the former Canary Kingdom, Barlans, where he fulfilled the first promise made with Karen.
After fulfilling the promise of personally going to pick her up, Kazuya returned to Parabellum with Karen and they had lunch together in his private room at the headquarters.
“Nevertheless, they recovered quickly despite suffering such extensive damage. One could truly say it’s a transient country,” Karen murmured, in a cheerful mood as they looked at the recovering streets of Parabellum.
“Oh? Is that so? Well, the reconstruction plan is slightly behind schedule… but compared to the standards of this world, it’s undoubtedly much faster,” Kazuya replied.
“…It’s truly unfathomable how slow it is in your country,” Karen remarked.
“Well, yeah,” Kazuya said, his face filled with pride.
“By the way, Kazuya? About the outing we promised the other day—”
“Excuse me, my lord. I apologize for interrupting your meal, but there’s an emergency,” a voice interrupted.
As Kazuya was about to bring up the second promise—the outing—they had made, Karen had mustered the courage to initiate the conversation. However, they were interrupted by fully armed guards, maids, and Chitose, who was accompanied by Chiyoda.
…”
Due to the untimely appearance of these intruders, Karen was unable to fulfill her anticipated excitement, and she stood silently, seething with anger. Kazuya, who had keenly noticed Karen’s state, decided to prioritize Chitose’s serious expression and listen to her.
“An emergency? What happened?”
“In our homeland, enemy forces have invaded and initiated destructive activities in various locations. Additionally, abnormal readings from biological agent alarms have been detected in several harbor areas, indicating a potential use of biological weapons.”
“What…!? An enemy attack!? How did they infiltrate? No, more importantly, biological weapons!?”
The situation turned out to be much more serious than Kazuya had anticipated, and he became frantic with anxiety.
“I am deeply sorry for this disgrace. Although the entry point is still unknown, it is believed that they took advantage of the gaps in our surveillance network caused by the battle with Jiz and infiltrated. Due to similar reasons, it took us some time to realize the enemy’s intrusion… It is entirely my responsibility, and I am prepared to accept any punishment, Master.”
Chiyoda, who oversees and is responsible for Parabellum’s surveillance and defense systems, bowed her head to Kazuya.
“You don’t have to apologize right now. What are the measures being taken against the invading enemy forces and the biological weapons?”
“We have already issued a Level 1 combat readiness order and deployed immediate response forces and CBIRF (Chemical Biological Incident Response Force, commonly known as Seaburn) to various locations. They are engaged in combat with enemy forces, directing the evacuation of non-combatants, and conducting decontamination activities in contaminated areas.”
“What is the current extent of the damage and the scale of the invading enemy?”
“The casualties from the battle with the enemy thus far amount to 169, and we have not confirmed the status of approximately 800 soldiers, civilians, and residents who were in the areas where the biological weapons were dispersed. As for the scale of the enemy forces, we estimate it to be roughly the size of a battalion. It appears they employed a small but elite force to achieve a successful surprise attack. However, thanks to that, we should be able to eliminate them relatively quickly. Nevertheless, for the sake of caution, I would like to ask you, Master, to move to the underground command center here.”
To ensure Kazuya’s safety, which should take precedence above all else, Chitose suggested moving to the underground command center designed to withstand even a nuclear attack.
“Understood. But before that, make sure Asuka and Kreis at home are in a safe place—”
“No need to worry. We have already sent guards for them. By now, they should all be in the underground shelter in your residence. We have also sent troops to evacuate all VIPs up to class A-C to nearby shelters without exception.”
“I see… Then let’s hurry to the underground command center. Karen, let’s go.”
“Yes, understood.”
Upon learning that the safety of their children and wives had been secured, Kazuya took Karen’s hand, following Chitose’s urging, and left the private room.
“From now on, Master will be heading to the underground command center. Everyone, maintain vigilance and ensure the safety of the transportation routes.”
“Third-floor east corridor, understood.”
“Central staircase, understood.”
“Entrance hall, understood.”
“Second communication corridor, understood.”
“Front corridor of the underground command center, understood.”
As they left the private room and made their way to the underground shelter, Chitose sent radio messages to various personnel, ensuring the safe escort of Kazuya, the most important person. However, while Kazuya and the others were moving down the hallway with heightened vigilance, Chiyoda suddenly stopped.
“Hold on, Master.”
“What’s wrong, Chiyoda?”
“Thirty enemy infantry have infiltrated the headquarters’ premises… This is… their movement speed is unusually fast. Could it be that the infiltrators are not human? Calculating the enemy’s projected route… No, if it continues like this, all transportation routes leading to the underground shelter will be cut off within three minutes… No! Master, please return to the private room!”
“Taking into account the footage data obtained from the linked surveillance cameras and other information, Chiyoda deduced the projected route of the enemy and immediately raised a warning. At the same time, gunshots and screams echoed throughout various locations in the command headquarters.
“…Damn it… Understood.”
Realizing that evacuation to the underground shelter was no longer possible, Kazuya and the others turned on their heels and returned to the previous room.
“Master, please go inside the room first!! – Captain, I’ll leave half of them here. Secure the area in front of the room, and don’t let anyone in.”
“Understood.”
Just before Kazuya entered his private room, Chitose left half of the escort squad, 10 members, in the hallway and prepared for an enemy attack.
“Chiyoda, request reinforcements.”
“I have already requested them, Your Highness. A squad each of GIGN, Spetsnaz (formerly GRU), will arrive within 10 minutes, and a squad each of SAS, NAVY SEALs, and Green Berets will arrive in 15 minutes.”
“I see… Then it will be a decisive battle until reinforcements arrive.”
Returning to their original room, Kazuya and the others fortified their defense inside the room and patiently waited for the reinforcements to arrive.
“Hey, all of you. Flip that desk and create a barricade. And also, use that bookshelf and sofa over there.”
“Ar-Are you sure, Your Excellency?”
“It’s an emergency. Don’t hesitate, just do it… um, like this.”
Seeing the hesitation of the squad members, Kazuya chuckled wryly, handed them a pass, and gave them instructions to construct a makeshift barricade using the furniture in the room. Then he pressed a switch hidden in the wall.
Immediately, the entire wall next to the switch began to move with a rumbling sound, revealing a large number of firearms. Subsequently, a part of the ceiling moved, and a full set of equipment, including bulletproof vests, descended.
“……”
Everyone except Kazuya was dumbfounded by the sudden appearance of a large number of firearms and equipment from the walls and ceiling, as if in an action movie.
“Karen, please hold on to this, just in case.”
“Uh, um… alright.”
Among the neatly lined-up firearms, Kazuya picked up a compact model Glock 30 and handed it to the bewildered Karen.
“…Master? When did you have something like this?”
“Hm? It was there from the beginning… Didn’t I mention it?”
“I didn’t hear about it.”
“Oh? Was that so? Well, never mind. It’s like an extension of my hobby, so don’t worry about it.”
“…Okay, I understand.”
With a smile, Kazuya responded to Chitose’s inquisitive and troubled expression. However, as the conversation continued, Chitose suddenly spoke up with a tense voice.
“I’m sorry to interrupt, Master, but the enemy is approaching. The soldiers in the corridor will engage in combat in 90 seconds!”
Just as the small secret of Kazuya had been exposed and a strangely calm atmosphere seemed to settle, the tension returned as Chitose’s words rang out.
“Everyone, take your positions.”
Following Chitose’s command, the maids Reina, Laina, El, and the 10 members of the escort squad took positions behind the barricade built with furniture in the center of the room. Behind Reina and the others, Chitose and Chiyoda flanked Kazuya, ready with their weapons.
By the way, Karen had already been evacuated and was taking refuge in a corner of the room under the protection of the maids Luminous and Wilhelm.
“The battle begins. The enemy is approaching from two directions, left and right. They are taking cover in the shadows of the corner and trying to find an opening in our barrage. They’re… charging in!! They’re closing in on our soldiers! Damn it, the stray bullets hit the surveillance camera, and we can’t see what’s happening outside.”
Chiyoda, who could observe the situation outside through the surveillance cameras installed in the corridor, was providing a live report of the battle. However, as the surveillance camera was destroyed by a stray bullet, they could no longer see what was happening outside, and they could only imagine the situation based on the ominous voices and sounds coming from the corridor.
“…Has it gone quiet?”
After the desperate screams, silence fell, and the corridor became eerily quiet.
“You and you, check outside.”
Amidst the unsettling silence and tension, Chitose ordered two members of the escort squad to check the situation in the corridor.
“Understood.”
Upon receiving the order, the two members of the escort squad cautiously approached the doorknob, moving away from the barricade made of furniture.
Just as they were about to touch the doorknob, a loud bang echoed through the room, and the walls on both sides of the room exploded, leaving large holes. In walked six enemies clad in hooded black coats, brandishing their weapons, intending to take Kazuya’s life.
“Your Highness!!”
“Master!!”
Caught off guard, the escort squad and the maids were unable to respond to the surprise attack, realizing that there were only two guards by Kazuya’s side.
“You… scum.”
With synchronized words of disdain, the two swung their blades.
Chitose’s katana and Chiyoda’s naginata swiftly cleaved through the six enemies’ necks simultaneously, resulting in the room being stained with fresh blood.
“Phew, we managed somehow.”
Relieved that he didn’t have to use the M1911 Colt Government or the Five-seveN he had drawn from his holster, thanks to the efforts of Chitose and Chiyoda, Kazuya let out a sigh of relief.
However, in reality, nothing had ended yet.
No, it was just the beginning.
“We can’t let our guard down yet, Master. These might not be the last enemies, and above all, the enemies have been targeting you from the beginning… Master!”
As Chitose was cautiously extracting the hearts of the slain enemies with her katana, she turned her face towards Kazuya and froze, her face turning pale.
“Master!! Behind you!”
“Kazuya! Behind you!”
“Huh? Wha-!?”
With Chiyoda and Karen’s words, Kazuya finally noticed the presence behind him.
When did they…!? I didn’t sense anything!
“Hahaha, you mustn’t let your guard down until the very end, boy.”
The person wearing the same coat as the enemies Chitose and Chiyoda had just annihilated had a hand around Kazuya’s neck and was smirking confidently.
“Take your filthy hands off Master!”
“Get away from Master!”
“Don’t move!”
“Wha-!?”
“Exactly, good girls. Don’t move a muscle. If any of you make even a slight move, your precious man’s head will be flying off, just like my subordinates… understand?”
Regretting their carelessness in moving away from Kazuya, Chitose and Chiyoda attempted to attack the enemy holding Kazuya, but they were immobilized by the enemy’s words.
Furthermore, the maids and the escort squad, who were even further away from Kazuya, were unable to make any move.
“Ughh!”
Now held hostage with no room to move, Chitose and Chiyoda could do nothing but bear their weapons and accept the enemy’s demands, their fangs bared in a fierce, demonic expression.
“Hehehe, such lovely expressions you have there.”
Having obtained Kazuya, the ultimate trump card, the enemy, with only their mouth visible under the hood, twisted their face into a sly and amused grin.
“…Who are you, you bastard?”
“Hmm? Is a young boy like you interested in me?”
“…I’m not that young of a boy.”
When Kazuya, who was taken hostage, tried to provoke the enemy and buy more time by asking a question, Amira burst into the room, gripping the head of the lifeless enemy with rough footsteps.
Following her, Fiine, Leine, and Iris entered the room.
Furthermore, reinforcements in the form of GIGN and Spetsnaz soldiers whom Kazuya had called arrived.
“…”
Why is everyone showing up?
Kazuya had known that they were at the command headquarters because they had planned to meet for lunch with Karen. However, he inwardly sighed at the fact that they hadn’t evacuated and instead gathered in a dangerous situation.
“Oh my, I was planning to finish before the reinforcements arrived… But it seems my plans have gone awry.”
“Huh? Who are you? Release Kazuya… Wait, that voice… Could it be… You?!”
Amira, releasing her grip on the crushed head, prepared her fists again as she recognized the familiar voice.
“Oh dear, it seems I’ve been found out. In that case, this coat is useless and in the way. I’ll take it off.”
In response to the menacing gazes filled with killing intent from Chitose and Chiyoda, the person, now revealed after discarding the coat, was a young girl dressed in an audacious outfit that combined black and red, resembling a fusion of armor and bondage, making one doubt its defensive capabilities.
With deep crimson eyes that seemed to see through everything and vibrant pink long hair, despite her youthful appearance, she emitted an incredible sense of intimidation, an otherworldly presence.
“Now then, it’s been a while, hasn’t it, Amira?”
“Yeah, it’s been quite a while… Well, I never wanted to see your face again, but here we are.”
“Oh, what a shame. You’re so cold.”
“…Amira, who is this person?”
Interrupting their conversation, Kazuya, still held hostage, wore a face of frustration and asked Amira, who had the look of someone who had bitten into a bitter bug.
“This person’s name is Marie Maiden. A true monster who has lived for an unimaginable amount of time. We had a battle a while ago, and she disappeared from the surface world after that. I never expected to meet again in a place like this…”
“Marie Maiden?… Data search… Data found. Classified as a demon. Species: Soul Eater, a higher-tier vampire known as a Soul Eater, True Ancestor Vampire, Dismantling Princess, Pleasure Seeker of Fresh Blood, among many other titles. Currently affiliated with the Assassins Guild, leading a recently emerging assassination group called Bloody Fang. Caution: … She is immortal.”
Chiyoda, who conducted a search based on the name spoken by Amira using the vast information collected by Parabellum, revealed detailed information about the enemy.
“Oh my, you know so much about me, even my current situation. It’s embarrassing in a way.”
Slightly surprised by the information provided by Chiyoda, Marie chuckled and lightly pressed her reddened cheek with her free left hand.
Her appearance was like that of an innocent girl, making her first love’s heart dance with joy. However, due to her ability to crush Kazuya’s neck at any moment, it only gave a sense of unease to those who witnessed it.
“An assassin… So what is your purpose? If you didn’t kill me immediately, there must be some objective, right?”
“Well, yes, there is. But before achieving my goal… everyone, please discard your weapons. I don’t want any interference on the way to accomplishing my objective.”
“Ugh!?”
Marie tightened her grip around Kazuya’s neck, exerting more force, and deliberately let a drop of blood flow by digging her sharp claws into Kazuya’s throat. Then she demanded that Chitose and the others disarm.
“Damn it! Don’t underestimate me or us. You bastard!! Who do you think will follow your every whim?!! Starting now, all authority possessed by Nagato Kazuya will be transferred to Chitose! Chitose will assume full command of Parabellum and prioritize the elimination of enemies!”
However, Kazuya had no intention of letting that pass.
Despite having his neck strangled with the strength of a vise, he desperately spoke his words, entrusting everything to Chitose and the others.
“…What do you intend to do with that?”
“Guuh!? Kuh… Th-the words I spoke… They are true. With this, I have no value as a hostage!! If you’re going to kill me, then do it already!! I’ve prepared myself to be killed when I first took someone’s life!! Take that!! You idiot!! Cough!?”
“…Hehe. How brave of you. But you should understand a bit more about your own popularity and value. Look.”
She slightly turned her face and stared at Marie behind her, and advised Kazuya, who had defiantly declared that he would rather die than become a pawn of the enemy.
“Cough, w-what… Why…?”
Although there was a predetermined manual on how to handle such a situation in the event of the current circumstances, Kazuya did not follow it.
“I apologize, Master… Please, please forgive me for defying your orders…”
“I won’t follow the manual, Master.”
Chitose and the others did not adhere to the predetermined manual either—they did not inherit the full command from Kazuya and prioritize his rescue when he was taken hostage. Instead, they abandoned their weapons as demanded by Marie.
“You are quite loved, aren’t you, Kazuya? It makes me jealous.”
“…Chitose…”
Ignoring even the orders that he had always followed with absolute obedience, Chitose prioritized Kazuya’s life over her own, exposing herself to danger by discarding her weapon.
Kazuya looked at her with a complex gaze that seemed to express both happiness and sadness.
“Now, what should we do next?”
Hmm, I’m at a loss. My objective, or rather the instructions from the client, are to make Nagato Kazuya taste the ultimate humiliation and then kill him while he suffers.
If I kill him here… I might be in a lot of danger myself.
Although Marie had gained a significantly advantageous position by having her demands met, she was also aware of the abilities of Chitose and the others. She had a feeling that if she made a wrong move, she might end up in the worst situation herself. This uncertainty made her contemplate whether she should kill Kazuya right here and now.
What should I do? Taking him out of this place seems difficult… Oh, but this man, he smells so delicious… Oh, wait?
“Aha, ahahahaha!! Ehehehehehehehe!! Ahuhuhuhuhu!! Ahyahyahyahya!!”
As Marie pondered how to fulfill the client’s intentions, she suddenly realized something and burst into maniacal laughter.
“…Has she gone mad?”
“I always thought she was creepy… but to be this strange…”
Everyone present was taken aback by Marie’s bizarre behavior, and Kazuya and Amira spat out venomous words.
“――Finally, I found it. Hahaha, finally… finally. Hehe, how long I have been waiting for this moment――”
However, Marie, who had stopped laughing, muttered to herself as if she didn’t care about the people around her, immersed in her own joy.
“――My beloved.”
“What?――Guu!?”
Before Kazuya could understand the meaning of the whispered words by Marie in his ear, her sharp fangs deeply pierced his neck.
“Master!!”
“Ma… Master!!”
“Aggh, guh, ooh!?”
While Kazuya convulsed like a fish washed ashore, feeling the gruesome sensation of being drained of his very being, unlike the gentle sensation he experienced during the occasional vampire feeding by the vampire sisters, Reina and Raina, the maid squad could only watch as he was being sucked of his blood.
“Kazuya!!”
“Brother!!”
“I’ll kill you!! I’ll kill you, you bastard!!”
“Kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill, kill!!”
On the other hand, Amira and Karen, who couldn’t afford to intervene for fear of putting Kazuya’s life in even greater danger, could only cry out in anguish and pray for his safety.
Meanwhile, Chitose and Chiyoda, who could be said to exist for Kazuya’s sake, were on the verge of madness. In order to maintain their sanity, they gritted their teeth and raised their voices in resentment, staring at Kazuya’s contaminated form with bloodshot eyes, their fists creaking with anger and hatred.
“Gurgle… Ah… It’s sweet. Very, very sweet. Hehe, you truly are my beloved, after all.”
Marie, who had been gulping Kazuya’s blood, detached her mouth from his neck and licked the last drop on her lips with her crimson tongue, melting her expression with pleasure as she spoke.
“Ah, ah, agh, ahh…”
“Kazuya!! Are you alright!?”
“Pull yourself together!! Kazuya!!”
Having suddenly lost a large amount of blood, Kazuya, who was in a dazed state, couldn’t respond to Amira and Karen’s calls, only weakly groaning.
“You, how dare you do something like this to Kazuya!! I won’t forgive you!!”
“You’re a noisy little girl… Let me give you a taste of the lingering pleasure of drinking the blood of my beloved.”
In the face of Kazuya’s condition, Fiine, who revealed her anger, and Marie, who said something unbelievable, exchanged words.
“What?――Gaaahhh!!”
Suddenly, Kazuya let out an unheard-of scream.
“Kazuya!? Marie!! What are you doing!?”
“Be quiet!! I’m concentrating right now. If you interfere, Kazuya will die!!”
Amira, surprised by Kazuya’s scream, asked Marie, who was likely the root of all evil, but Marie, who was concentrating seriously on something, did not respond.
A little more… just a little more…
From the perspective of Amira and the others, Kazuya became a barrier, and they couldn’t see what Marie was doing. But if there was someone watching the scene from the side, they would clearly see Marie’s left arm deeply inserted into Kazuya’s “body,” invading it.
“Gaah, ggh, gih…”
“Got you…”
Marie, who had obtained her target while Kazuya had turned into a pale-faced, foaming-from-the-mouth figure resembling a dead person, laughed excitedly with a gleeful expression.
“This… This is exactly what I’ve been seeking!!”
In Marie’s hand was grasped Kazuya’s soul, pale and shining.
“Marvelous… It’s absolutely marvelous, Kazuya!!”
“……..”
No one could speak, as they were engulfed by the abnormal aura emanating from Marie, who was playing with the extracted soul of Kazuya like a grim reaper.
However, in this situation, there were two fierce individuals who would not hesitate to shoot even at gods if the conditions were met.
“Restore the master’s soul… I will disassemble you.”
“We will give you a hellish suffering before killing you.”
Uttering these words in a state of anger that seemed to push them to the brink of madness, the two individuals spoke.
“Hehe. The howling of defeated dogs doesn’t scare me in the least.”
The words of Chitose and Chiyoda were filled with a menacing aura that would cause anyone with a weak heart to experience cardiac arrest and collapse. However, Marie showed no signs of being affected.
“You two just stay quiet over there and watch as Kazuya becomes mine.”
Instead, Marie further provoked Chitose and Chiyoda.
“Now then, ahn~♪”
“—!?!”
Everyone was taken aback as Marie raised her face and opened her mouth wide, but instead of swallowing Kazuya’s soul immediately, she licked it like a candy with her tongue.
“Hehehe… It’s delicious… So delicious… I feel like devouring it just like this, but that would be boring.”
After thoroughly licking Kazuya’s soul, Marie spoke with the soul in her mouth.
“H-Hey, wait a minute!! Those markings, are they slave magic seals!?”
“You have sharp eyes, Amira. That’s right. I engraved them into Kazuya’s soul along with my saliva in my mouth. With this, Kazuya is mine.”
“What are you doing!? If you do something like that to a human soul, there’s a possibility that it won’t withstand the effects of magic and his mind will collapse!”
“Hahaha, don’t worry. After all, Kazuya possesses a soul that is to my liking. He will definitely endure. Besides, even if Kazuya’s mind were to break, I don’t mind. Because I always get what I want. Yes, no matter how it may be broken. Now, Kazuya. Kill the pests before you as proof that you belong to me. In return, I will grant you the honor of shattering the purity I have protected for 900 years!”
As Marie returned Kazuya’s soul to his body after toying with it in her mouth, she unabashedly declared her virginity and commanded Kazuya.
Then, in response to Marie’s words, Kazuya, who was freed from Marie’s right hand that had been holding his neck, moved in a jerky, puppet-like manner.
“…”
“Master?”
“Master?”
Finally released from Marie’s grip on his neck, Kazuya looked at Chitose and the others with empty eyes. Without saying a word, he slowly pointed the barrels of the M1911 Colt Government and the Five-seveN handguns in his hands directly at Chitose and the others.
“…What’s wrong, Kazuya? Kill the pests quickly,” Marie urged.
However, Kazuya didn’t pull the trigger no matter how much time passed.
Marie, suspecting that the magic wasn’t working, began to approach Kazuya when it happened.
Bang! A single gunshot rang out, and blood splattered.
“What!?!”
“Guuuu!! Chitose!! Chiyoda!!”
Shooting through his own right shoulder in defiance of the slave magic’s binding, Kazuya regained his consciousness and shouted his loyal subjects’ names with overwhelming emotion.
“Yes, my Lord!”
“We apologize, Master! It’s our fault for being inadequate!”
Chitose and Chiyoda, who had torn Marie’s body into four pieces rather than eight, ran towards Kazuya.
“Haa… haa… Don’t let your guard down… You two… They’re still coming,” gasped Kazuya, his face pale like that of a seriously ill person. As he spoke, both of them turned around and witnessed Marie’s fragmented body beginning to regenerate.
“Fuhhihihi… How delightful… Absolutely splendid… Kazuya, you have surpassed my ideals. Not only have you become my servant, but you resist even the enslavement magic—especially the enslavement magic directly engraved on your soul… Your strength, your nobility, everything about you is perfect. Eeheeheehee, I desire it all… Your soul, of course, from the tips of your toes to the ends of your hair… Ah, Kazuya, Kazuya, my beloved one… my long-awaited fated partner,” Marie exclaimed, her face filled with ecstatic and delusional delight.
“Haa… haa… Shut up… Who would ever become your possession?!” Kazuya retorted, panting.
“Hm!? Eheh, ehehehe… It’s even better to hear such words from you in your current state. Uhihihi… Yes, yes, I’ll thoroughly train you in this private setting,” Marie responded, her words filled with a twisted amusement.
Enraged by Marie’s delirious ramblings and expressions of pleasure, Chitose and Chiyoda couldn’t take it anymore.
“Let’s tear her apart!!”
“To our master!!”
“We won’t let you lay a finger on him!!”
“Stay out of our way! My Kazuya, Kazuya, Kazuyaaaa!!”
Ignoring Kazuya and leaving him to the maid corps, Chitose and Chiyoda once again attacked Marie with their weapons.
“To our master!!”
“To our master!!”
“We won’t let you touch him any further!!”
“Get out of my way! My Kazuya, Kazuya, Kazuyaaaa!!”
Marie, with her dreamlike steps resembling a sleepwalker, attempted to approach Kazuya without defending herself or retaliating. But in an instant, Chitose’s blade severed the left side of Marie’s face, while Chiyoda’s halberd cleaved her body in half, leaving her in a horrifying state.
However, even in such a grotesque form, Marie’s body began to regenerate within seconds, returning to its original state, and she once again tried to approach Kazuya.
But every time she did, the gleaming weapons of the two girls would swiftly slice through Marie’s flesh and bones, scattering blood and gore in an instant.
“There’s no end to this!”
“You annoying immortal!”
The relentless assault by Chitose and Chiyoda continued, causing Marie to assume unsightly forms that would normally be considered inappropriate for viewing. However, within a few seconds, she would revert to her innocent and delicate appearance, rendering the attacks of Chitose and her companions futile.
“This has gone on long enough!”
Fed up with Marie’s inability to die, Chitose, driven by frustration, decapitated Marie and kicked her body away.
“Phew… Oh my, my clothes are all torn,” Marie remarked, as she regenerated her body once again. However, there was a clear change in her expression compared to before.
“There are too many nuisances here… And I’ve made preparations as well… For now, I’ll retreat,” Marie declared.
“Do you think we’ll let you escape?”
“Do you think you can run away?”
In response to Marie’s words, Chitose and Chiyoda confronted her.
“I don’t need your permission to retreat,” Marie retorted.
“Don’t spout nonsense!”
With those words as a signal, both sides leaped towards each other like bullets.
“Hmph!!”
“Sei!!”
Chitose and Chiyoda swung their weapons at Marie, who was unarmed. However, their strikes cut through nothing but air.
“Where…?!”
“For now, farewell, Kazuya. Mwah, I’ll steal your lips in a more romantic setting,” Marie said.
“What…?”
Just as Chitose and Chiyoda had lost sight of Marie, bewildered and scanning the surroundings, they found her behind them.
But to their surprise, Marie was being supported by the maid corps and was kissing Kazuya’s cheek as they tended to him.
“What the hell?!”
“When did she…?”
Reina and Rainer, who were supporting Kazuya, couldn’t even sense Marie’s presence until she kissed Kazuya, and they exclaimed in surprise.
“Dieeee!”
“Well then, see you later, Kazuya.”
Dodging El’s kick, which could easily snap steel beams, Marie smiled at Kazuya one last time, turned on her heel, and rushed towards the door.
“They’re coming! We have to take her down, no matter what!”
“Understood!”
“We won’t let her escape!”
However, in front of the door stood a large number of special forces members and Amira, ready and waiting.
“Too bad, the door isn’t the target.”
However, Marie heading towards the door was just a feint to divert Amira and the others’ attention.
Suddenly, Marie changed course right in front of Amira, heading towards Iris, who was relatively cornered in the room.
“Huh?”
“I-Iris!!”
Seeing Marie approaching Iris, Kazuya caught sight of her and shouted Iris’s name, prompted by the alarm bells ringing in his head.
But it was too late.
“I’ll sacrifice a couple of soldiers just to escape, alright, miss?”
In an instant, Marie, with an unexpected superhuman strength, twisted off the heads of two soldiers who had shielded Iris, and with an eerie smile, extended her index finger towards Iris.
And the moment Marie’s index finger touched Iris’s trembling forehead, Kazuya’s private room was engulfed in a sinister deep purple flash.
=======================================================================
“Groaning and groaning, Kazuya regained consciousness, stimulated by the heavy sound as if dragging something and the sharp pain stabbing his back.
“…Huh? What… what happened? What the hell!?”
“Did you wake up, Master?”
The first thing that came into Kazuya’s sight when he regained consciousness was the horrific state of his devastated private room, with walls and ceilings blown away without a trace and debris scattered everywhere, as if it had been bombed.
Then, guided by Chiyoda’s voice, which felt somewhat unsettling, Kazuya turned around and saw Chiyoda, covered in wounds and with only his two remaining arms, dragging Kazuya’s body. His body was in a horrific state.
Blood and white oil leaked from the severed sections of the legs, which were made of flesh and machinery, wetting the ground. Additionally, the skin on the abdomen, which had suffered burns, had completely burned off, exposing the hidden metal parts and adding to the gruesome sight.
“Are you… alright, Chiyoda?”
“The ‘core’ is unharmed, so there’s no issue. However, the biological terminal has lost about 70% of its functions. It would be appropriate to dispose of it rather than repair it.”
“I see… But what the hell happened? What about the enemies… What happened to them? No, more importantly, is everyone safe?”
“…First, all enemy reactions that invaded the mainland were lost. We don’t know the means, but the enemy retreated in an instant. As for the casualties among those who were in Master’s private room, only two soldiers were killed by Marie Maiden. Myself and Master are severely injured. Lady Ayaka, Karen, Amira, Fiine, Reine, the maid group consisting of Reina, Rainer, El, Luminous, Wilhelm, and other soldiers are all unconscious but have only minor injuries and are not in critical condition. Iris is also ‘currently’ alive. And… regarding your first question… Iris’s magical power went out of control due to Maiden. This devastation is the result of that.”
Kazuya frowned at Chiyoda’s cryptic wording, but he quickly understood what Chiyoda was trying to say.
“Wh-Where is Iris!?”
“In front of Master, beyond the rubble.”
“Damn it! It hurts! Shit…”
Enduring the intense pain that surged through his body when he stood up, especially the pain in his right shoulder where he shot himself, Kazuya stumbled forward.
“This… damn it…”
“Master, please don’t get any closer to Iris. It’s a matter of life and death.”
Leaning against the debris in front of him, Kazuya peered ahead and fell silent, cursing under his breath.
“… “
In Kazuya’s line of sight, there stood Iris, enveloped in a eerie thin purple membrane, gazing at the sky quietly.
“Chiyoda, what’s Iris’ condition?”
“It seems she has been subjected to mind-control magic by Maiden. Moreover, she is on the verge of entering the final stage of magical rampage, so it’s no longer possible to save her. The best course of action now would be to refrain from intervening and wait for Iris to self-destruct.”
“Do you think I can just stand by and let that happen? I will save Iris at all costs!”
“Master! It’s not possible! The emotions at the core of Iris’ magical rampage are hatred and rejection! And that thin film is a kind of curse that materializes Iris’ emotions. It’s a horrifying thing that corrodes everything it touches without exception!”
“Then am I supposed to just watch Iris die like this—”
“Big brother…?”
A chilling voice entwines around Kazuya, sending shivers down his spine.
“…Iris.”
“Big brother… You’re different from others, right? You… will accept me, won’t you?”
Due to the memory and mental manipulation she underwent from Marie, Iris had been repeatedly experiencing the psychological pain she had endured before, causing her to lose control over her emotions and magical power and triggering a magical rampage.
But when she saw Kazuya, who was hidden in the shadow of the rubble with his extinguished gaze, Iris clung to him as her last emotional anchor.
“Master! It’s dangerous! Step back!”
“What?! Iris!”
Chiyoda forcefully grabs Kazuya’s waist and pulls him back, obstructing Iris’ path.
However, that action, born out of Chiyoda’s concern for Kazuya’s safety, leads to the worst possible outcome.
“Ugh… Big brother, are you also rejecting me? Are you… abandoning me? Ahaha, ahahihihihihyahiya!!”
Seeing it as if he rejected her and retreated, Iris, already on the brink of losing her balance between her heart and mind due to the pain inflicted by Marie, loses her last support and breaks down.
“Iris!! Wait! That’s not it!”
“Enough… It’s fine. After all, I’m alone…”
And with those fragile words, Iris completely hides herself within the film-like substance.
“Damn it! What should I do?!”
“Master! It’s too late! Although she’s currently in a stable condition, if we stay here, we’ll be caught up in Iris’ final magical rampage when her self-destruction begins! We need to evacuate immediately!”
“Shut up! There must be something else I can do—”
As Kazuya becomes emotionally overwhelmed, he is suddenly interrupted by the appearance of “something” right before his eyes.
“…”
“Master?”
Kazuya falls silent, and Chiyoda anxiously calls out to him, but Kazuya has lost the composure to respond.
“You bastard… You think I’ll lose again?! Hahaha, laughable.”
The meaning of the window that suddenly appeared before him sparks anger within Kazuya.
However, that anger ignites a fierce fire in Kazuya’s rebellious heart.
“…That again? Haha, it’s laughable.”
“Do you want me to watch as the person I’ve exchanged my body and soul with gradually grows cold and dies, while I bite my finger again?”
“Do you curse your own powerlessness and let the woman you love die?”
Hahaha, ahahaha, the answer is… go to hell!!
“…Even I have pride, you know! If my body corrodes and the enemy’s forces strengthen, so what!! I’ll fight against anything rather than taste that damn despair again! I won’t let you take away anyone important to me anymore! I won’t lose them!”
“Master!! Please stop!”
“Iris!! You’re included in that too!! Get out of there!”
With determination, Kazuya approaches Iris, ignoring Chiyoda’s attempts to stop him. He gathers as much magic power as possible in his left hand and defies Chiyoda’s warning, thrusting his left hand into the membrane enveloping Iris.
At that moment, his left hand begins to decay, making a disgusting squelching sound. His fingertips disappear, followed by the rotting of the flesh as if it were being burnt. Blood gushes out, but even the blood evaporates, releasing an unpleasant odor. Finally, the pure white bones are exposed, gradually being shortened as if being whittled away by a pencil sharpener.
“Ugigigigigigi!!”
Enduring the excruciating pain of his body decaying at a tremendous speed, Kazuya forcefully pushes his decaying left hand into the membrane with all his strength.
“I’ve got… you!!”
In less than ten seconds, his hand decays up to his wrist, and the hand no longer retains its original form. Kazuya, unable to catch Iris with his decayed left hand, unconsciously creates a pseudo hand using the magic power surrounding his hand. He manages to catch Iris and begins to pull her out of the membrane with the hand made of magic power.
“Listen, Iris!! You will be… mine foreverrr!!”
As Kazuya declares something he would never say if he were sober, a dazzling flash runs through, causing the membrane enveloping Iris to disappear.
“Onii-san… Are those words… true?”
Iris, forcefully pulled out of the membrane, clings to Kazuya’s body and murmurs softly while trembling like an abandoned kitten.
“A man never goes back on his word.”
“I will… be selfish and demand things, you know?”
“If it’s within my power, I’ll listen.”
“Even if you say you hate me, I won’t leave.”
“No need to say that.”
“I… am jealous, you know?”
“What’s new. I’ve known that for a long time.”
“So, so… I can stay by your side, right? You’ll always be with me, right? You won’t abandon me or reject me, right!?”
“I’m already married to you. That’s obvious.”
“Ugh…”
“Ugh?”
“Uwaaaahhh!!”
Finally reassured by Kazuya’s words, Iris bursts into loud tears.
Honestly… dealing with a yandere princess is a matter of life and death.
Watching Iris sobbing loudly, Kazuya gazes at her with gentle eyes and finally lets out a sigh of relief.
“Master… Are you safe…? What happened to your left arm!?”
“Ahh, my whole body hurts…”
“Ugh… My head is pounding…”
“This is the worst feeling, seriously…”
“My legs hurt so much, I can’t stand up…”
After Iris, who had clung to him for a while, fell into a deep sleep as if she had fainted, everyone began to raise their voices to let Kazuya know they were safe.
Among them, Chitose, who ran to Kazuya first, gasped at his unusual appearance.
“Haha, I’m not exactly unscathed. As you can see, my left arm—”
As Kazuya’s figure came into view and his voice was heard, Chitose was taken aback. Kazuya, who was relieved to see and hear everyone’s safety, opened his mouth to respond to Chitose’s surprised expression at his lost left hand. But in that moment, he felt something unpleasant from his left arm.
“Chitose! Cut it off!”
Although Kazuya had lost his left arm up to the elbow when he saved Iris, he confirmed that the decay of his left hand was still ongoing since it had not touched the membrane. He immediately decided to sever it.
However, unable to use his right hand, he extended his left arm sideways, leaving everything to Chitose, who was closest to him.
“Ahhhhhhhh!”
Chitose, who had just regained consciousness, instantly understood the situation and its meaning. But her body rejected the action of cutting off Kazuya’s arm, even though it was to save his life.
However, with a steel spirit that overcame the body’s resistance, Chitose unleashed a flash that could be called the fastest and most precise among all her previous attacks.
“Guuuu!”
The part of Kazuya’s shoulder that hadn’t decayed yet was swiftly cleaved by Chitose’s swung Japanese sword.
The flesh and bone were cut and perfectly bisected, and Kazuya’s severed left arm twirled in the air before falling to the ground.
At the same time, the severed left arm rotted away, turning into a black stain.
“Master!”
“Excellent! Or should I say…!?”
“Please don’t speak, Master! It hurts my wounds!”
While Chitose, as well as Luminous, one of the maids who had also woken up, and the medic rushed to Kazuya in a panic, applying healing magic and first aid, Chitose shouted with a sorrowful expression, tears welling up in her eyes.
“I understand! But let me say this much.”
“What… could it be?”
“We’re in a war, it’s natural to kill and be killed, and I have no intention of saying anything about that. But… that, that shouldn’t exist!”
“……..!”
Chitose didn’t initially understand Kazuya’s words, but she looked in the direction of his gaze, and everything became clear as she saw what was there.
“What the…!”
Kazuya lamented, and Chitose became indignant at the sight.
It was the sight of former soldiers and citizens turned into monstrous beings, wreaking havoc in a distorted form due to the bioweapons scattered by the enemy that had infiltrated the mainland.
“No matter how much it’s a war, there should be a line that should never be crossed!! They easily crossed that line and turned our comrades into those monsters!! Moreover, they hurt all of you!”
Kazuya’s anger reached its peak as his precious ones, those who should be protected, were trampled upon and defiled by despicable acts.
“Now that it has come to this, there’s no need to hold back… or rather, we can’t afford to hold back.”
“…What does that mean?”
“Take a look at this…”
[Trial of the Gods – Third Phase]
Overcome the death of your beloved!
Failure to complete the trial due to saving Iris Verhelm!
Due to the failure of the trial, the enemy’s forces will be reinforced.
239 hours and 50 minutes remaining until reinforcement begins.
“…”
Seeing the window screen that Kazuya summoned, Chitose realized that the god had once again cornered Kazuya, and she clenched her teeth in silence.
Inside, her anger and murderous intent towards the god raged, but at the same time, she felt hatred towards herself for not being able to protect Kazuya—especially this time, when she was right by his side and couldn’t do anything.
“We will put an end to this war… Chitose!”
“Hah!”
“Burn… the ‘enemies.’ Burn the enemies who hurt the ones we must protect! Show no mercy… annihilate them!”
“Understood… I will carry out your orders.”
While regretting having made Chitose, who was kind-hearted but also weak, make such a merciless decision, Chitose bowed deeply.
“Well then… I’m sorry, but I’ll leave the rest to you.”
With those words, Kazuya fell into a state of unconsciousness and was immediately transported to the hospital by the arriving troops.
“The enemies… we’ll kill them all.”
And after all the wounded, except Chitose, were transported to the hospital, what echoed in the ears of the remaining soldiers was the sound of the concrete wall collapsing and a muttered declaration filled with a definite intent to kill.
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