Near the city gate, an eerie silence fell. Only the creaking of the severed chains from the drawbridge could be heard.
Those terrifying, oppressive golden-red eyes finally closed as Mumei stumbled and fell to her knees.
The world before her was stained red, but this time, there was no one left to catch her. The flowing blood seemed to evaporate, her throat dry and burning, as if a furnace blazed within her.
Even direct combat wouldn't have left her with such severe aftereffects, but Mumei had exerted control over every Kabane in the area.
I'm so sorry... Kurumi...
I wish I could embrace you once more.
As butterflies of ethereal light danced before her eyes, Mumei lost consciousness.
——
The Hunters of the Kabaneri hesitated before preparing to return toward the tower.
Among their numerous tasks, one was to "retrieve" Mumei.
The bizarre phenomenon they had just witnessed had left them shivering. Even though they could no longer see the small figure of the girl, they still felt as if their hearts were tightly gripped by an invisible hand.
Everything would probably be fine, they thought. After all, Mumei-sama was still better than the Kabane.
They tossed chains at one another, forming a large net, and slowly approached, intending to capture Mumei.
Just then, a soft yet playful voice called out from behind them.
"Ara, Ara, if I were you, I wouldn't do that."
The Hunters of the Kabaneri quickly reacted, turning in unison. One row knelt, the other stood, rifles raised and aimed at the source of the voice.
Walking toward them along the train tracks was an enchanting young woman, not particularly tall but undeniably alluring.
She wore a peculiar black and red, tight-fitting outfit, held up by only two delicate straps. Her smooth, rounded shoulders were bare, exposing an exquisite collarbone and a large expanse of fair skin.
Her dress, flared by its hoop skirt, layered in black and red frills, accentuated her perfect slender legs, making her both seductive and graceful.
However, the most striking feature was her doll-like face and her mismatched eyes—especially the crimson right eye, glowing ominously amidst the dust as if radiating an eerie light.
Her dress swayed lightly in the wind, resembling the blooming red spider lilies of the underworld.
The Hunters had no intention of holding back just because the girl was beautiful. In fact, they feared beautiful women all the more, knowing that only female Kabaneri could become a Nue—the mutated Kabane monster. The Hunters had encountered their share of "she-devils" before.
The two lines of Hunters fired alternately, crouching and rising in seamless rotation. Their well-practiced volleys created a dense, continuous barrage of fire, steam rifles puffing out clouds of gray smoke.
Although not as powerful as explosive rounds, the special ammunition used by the Hunters could still pierce the Kabane's heart membrane.
Yet, despite the intense barrage, Kurumi continued her slow, unhurried advance.
As bullets struck the air around her, black and red shadows rippled before her, absorbing the impacts like blood-stained lead.
"Monster... she's a monster!" some of the Hunters cried out in panic. No matter how strong a Kabane might be, repeated hits would normally elicit some kind of reaction.
Even the Black Smoke, a Nue formed of Kabane, would lose a few of its bodies after being struck. But they had never seen anything like this.
"How rude... to call a lady a monster." Kurumi tilted her head, softly licking her lips.
"I'm a spirit, you know."
What followed was a scene so twisted that the survivors would never forget it for the rest of their lives. Black and red shadows spread across the ground, and from those shadows emerged slender arms. These arms reached out, grabbing the Hunters with their goggles and dragging them into the depths of the shadows.
They... were eaten.
In an instant, the area around the tower was left with only the sound of motorcycles idling.
Sometimes, Kurumi felt like a monster. Despite the countless thoughts and feelings hidden deep within her, her heart was a labyrinth—complex, dark, and endless.
Within that labyrinth were countless paths, each one possibly right, possibly wrong.
Versions of herself from different timelines stood guard over those paths.
She could only feed on time, burying all the sorrow, pain, and regret within herself, quietly chewing on it all. After all, who would want to face such a seductive yet sinful spirit and venture into that maze?
Another version of Kurumi appeared beside the unconscious Mumei, smiling as she scooped the girl into her arms. Gently, she poked the little girl's cheek, her face filled with contentment.
Despite her self-perception as a twisted being, Kurumi's heart still held softness. She adored cats, and she cherished this cute little girl.
That fondness transcended all time.
——
But just then, a low, feral growl echoed from the tower.
The tall woman, Horobi, fell from the tower, crashing heavily to the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust.
She lay spread-eagle on the ground, gazing up at the figure looming over her from the tower with a gaze full of tenderness.
Unlike Mumei, who was kept in the dark, Horobi, as Biba Amatori's right-hand woman, had always understood the cruel and cold world that Biba sought to create. But that had never mattered to her.
As long as Biba was satisfied, nothing else mattered. She would give anything for him.
She couldn't even tell how many of her bones were broken, but the pain of falling was nothing to her.
The deeper, more profound pain that washed over her in waves had long drowned out any other sensation.
It radiated from her chest, from the place where the injection had been made—the Kabane heart—glowing with a sinister, blood-red light.
Horobi's body jerked as if controlled by strings, her limbs dangling limply as she was lifted into the air.
The crimson glow in her chest grew stronger, and from the surrounding Kabane corpses, tiny blood-red particles began to drift toward her, coalescing into a pair of laser-like blood-red wings behind her.
A strange blood-colored armor spread from her heart, enveloping the left half of her body, even covering her eye. Her left hand was encased in a sharp, spike-like claw.
The armor extended over her back, and Horobi grasped a strange blade in her right hand, even longer than the claw on her left.
The world before her turned into a murky haze of blood. Her right eye, exposed and dilated from the pain, contracted to a pinprick.
"Horobi, destroy the gate," Biba commanded.
The effect of this version of the drug clearly did not meet his expectations. It fell far short of the majesty Mumei had displayed, resembling a mere hybrid of the Nue.
Horobi twisted her body to face the city wall. Raising her right arm high, she brought it down with a mighty swing toward the wall.
The wings behind her pulsed, and blood-colored electricity surged around the blade in her hand. She slashed out, releasing a terrifying crimson arc.
Boom—
The gate of Iwato Station, which had stood for nearly a decade, shattered.
The wall of Iwato Station, nearly twenty meters wide, was slashed open by that fearsome crescent-shaped blade strike.
Boom—
A section of the wall crumbled completely.
Debris scattered, wood splintered, and thick dust filled the air.
Blood-colored wings of light dispersed the smoke. The tall figure, now wrapped in blood-red scales, emerged. Her crimson heart radiated an ominous glow.
Horobi's eyes, like those of a beautiful yet wary deer, reflected pain. Her entire body ached from that powerful slash, and she gasped softly, turning her body toward Kurumi.
Her vision was completely tainted by a murky red, with everything appearing as if through layers of distortion. Yet the bewitching young woman before her remained clear, alluring, and captivating.
Horobi's mind grew increasingly muddled. Only an intense craving for the girl's blood—the seductive aroma more intoxicating than any poison—remained awake within her.
Mumei felt as light as a feather, every vein burning with a painful dryness.
I'm going to die... I'll really die this time...
She longed to watch the Tanabata fireworks again with Kurumi.
In a daze, she smelled that familiar intoxicating fragrance once more. With great effort, she opened her eyes to see the familiar, stunning red eye.
"Is that... Horobi?" Nestled in Kurumi's arms, Mumei could barely believe what she was seeing as she looked at the tall figure emerging from the dust.
But soon, something even more shocking dawned on her.
"Kurumi... there are two of you?"
Aside from the Kurumi in the revealing Oiran outfit (Kurumi Tokisaki: Oiran Ver.) holding her, there was another standing proudly in front of them, dressed in a bewitching black-and-red spirit outfit, her snow-white back turned toward them.
Even without seeing clearly, Mumei could tell from the scent that both of them were Kurumi.
"Be good, Hozumi..." Hearing the commotion in her arms, Kurumi gently pinched Mumei's little nose, gazing with some pity at her pale face, and offered her wrist.
The scent of blood.
Horobi tilted her head, staring at Kurumi as she fed Mumei. The fragrance was so tempting, so irresistible.
Her body swayed, and with the sound of cracking stones, Horobi's figure vanished from her original position. The ground where she had stood was left webbed with cracks.
Dust was blown away by a gust of wind.
The blade in Horobi's hand crackled with blood-red lightning as she appeared before Kurumi in an instant, swinging the blade down with full force.
Half of her body was slender and beautiful, her skin delicate and dazzling. But the other half resembled a demon from hell, wrapped in blood-red armor.
Kurumi knew all about this pitiful creature from the information gathered on the Kokujou and Horobi's past. This world, filled with manipulation, hatred, and helpless resentment, was as loathsome as ever.
The shell-like blade nearly grazed Kurumi's bangs, revealing the heavy clock-like left eye beneath.
Blood-red lightning surged toward her, the air heavy with the scent of damp, metallic blood.
But Kurumi remained calm. She twisted her body and lashed out with her leg, her movements swift as a whip.
—Piercing Kick.
Her kick landed squarely on Horobi's abdomen, just as the blade was about to cut into Kurumi's tender skin. In the next moment, Horobi's body was sent flying backward.
The blood-red armor shattered without resistance. Horobi's spine bent at an unnatural, grotesque angle as her body was thrown back.
Kurumi had held back. But even so, as a mere clone, Kurumi still held absolute power in this world.
Horobi crashed into the pile of rubble, sending up a cloud of dust.
It was a near-fatal injury, but for a Kabaneri—or rather, a Kabane—it was not something impossible to recover from.
The sound of bones cracking and shifting echoed through the air as Horobi's body healed at a visible rate, the blood-red armor spreading further across her body.
She rose from the dust like a marionette pulled up by invisible strings.
Horobi stood back up, her right foot pivoting as she kicked a massive boulder beside her.
The heavy stone was hurled through the smoke toward Kurumi, casting a massive shadow over her.
Clang—
Kurumi's gunblade swung down, slicing through the stone with ease. The boulder split cleanly in two, each half falling to the sides.
There were no flashy lightning strikes or energy waves, just a simple, precise cut—straight through.
But that stone was merely Horobi's opening move. This woman, willing to sacrifice everything for Biba Amatori's goals, let out a low growl as blood-red lightning flickered across her body.
She dropped to her knees, plunging her blade-like arms into the ground, then opened her mouth wide.
"Raaaaaah—!"
A beam of crimson energy erupted from her mouth, cutting through everything in its path. This was far more dangerous than her earlier crescent slash, a deadly energy blast aimed directly at Kurumi.
The already shattered boulders turned to dust in an instant, and the Kurumi dressed in her spirit outfit was completely engulfed by the red beam. The blinding light swallowed up her slender figure.
A massive explosion echoed throughout Iwato Station.
"Kurumi-nee!!!"
Mumei struggled in panic, only to be gently restrained by Kurumi.
Kurumi, unbothered, held Mumei still. The cut on her smooth wrist healed before Mumei's eyes. She tugged playfully at Mumei's cheek.
"Don't move."
Her fingertip wiped away a trace of blood from Mumei's lips, and she brought it to her own mouth, licking it delicately.
Her own blood... does it really taste that good?
But Kurumi didn't seem to notice the way Mumei, staring up at her, suddenly froze.
The energy blast subsided, and Horobi knelt, gasping for air. Her body seemed on the verge of burning away from within.
But what filled her with utter despair was the sight of the unscathed girl standing before her.
That powerful blast hadn't even been enough to lift the hem of the girl's dress.
For Kurumi, there had been no need to dodge—because there was no need to.
The gap between them was simply too great, like a newbie player facing a fully equipped veteran in a game. Horobi couldn't even break through Kurumi's defenses, let alone deal a sliver of damage.
Kneeling there, Horobi was overwhelmed by the alluring scent emanating from Kurumi. It was intoxicating, overwhelming.
Under the influence of the incomplete drug, Horobi could no longer hear anything. The world around her was filled with a constant sound like pouring rain, drowning out Biba Amatori's orders.
Horobi kicked off the ground, charging toward Kurumi—the Kurumi who was gently licking her own blood and holding Mumei in her arms.
Kurumi's gunblade slashed toward Horobi, but she had already lost the will to block. Her right arm, along with the blade she wielded, was severed cleanly.
Her body twisted as she stumbled forward, stopping right before the Kurumi in the Oiran.
The blade rose again but froze in midair in front of Mumei.
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The powerless figure had passed by, and that was that.
Kurumi had been ready to pierce through Horobi's heart with one strike, but seeing what unfolded before her, she was momentarily taken aback.
"Horobi..." Mumei whispered as she gazed up at the woman who resembled a terrifying ghost.
Horobi had already lost consciousness, but for some reason, she had stopped right in front of Mumei.
The Kabaneri Corps was, in truth, an organization that created monsters.
In Soue Arata's lab, beyond the cold iron beds and restraints, there were bloodstained surgical tools and grim experimental records.
To that mad scientist, Kabanes were nothing more than specimens. Unlike Ikoma, who scavenged corpses to study them, Soue Arata, backed by the Kabaneri Corps, could recklessly experiment on the "living" Kabanes.
Even Kabaneri were merely rarer specimens to him.
Because of the unique nature of Nue, most of the young girls brought into the Kabaneri Corps for modification were like Horobi—either driven by hatred after losing their families or lured in through traps set by the hunters.
These girls all shared a deep-seated hatred for the Kabane.
And hatred was the best fuel for their transformation.
In the infectious speeches of Biba Amatori, these young girls were led to accept surgery, convinced that the weak had no right to control their own fate.
Their names were stripped away, leaving only cold, impersonal designations.
Mumei... was the sole survivor among those girls. All her former companions had either become Kabanes or perished at the hands of the Kabaneri Corps.
Horobi had watched Mumei gradually transform into the "claw" of the Kabaneri Corps.
Ten years ago, Biba Amatori had already become a vengeful ghost, consumed only by hatred for his father's betrayal. No one understood this better than Horobi, who had willingly offered everything for him.
And yet... she had always felt a trace of pity for Mumei.
Horobi was, in truth, a gentle and timid soul. She simply offered everything she had to the one she adored.
The pinkish-red blade stopped, perhaps because of her confusion and pity for Mumei, or perhaps because of her fear of Kurumi.
But Kurumi didn't appreciate having someone point a weapon at her.
She lifted her right foot and stepped down.
As if it were by some law of nature, Horobi, who had thrown herself forward, ended up beneath Kurumi's foot.
Black and red shadows spread out from Kurumi, and a steam rifle floated out from the darkness, landing in her hand.
The muzzle was aimed right at Horobi's head.
"Kurumi-nee!" Mumei cried out, clutching onto Kurumi, pleadingly. Horobi was one of the two people in the Kabaneri Corps who had treated her with kindness.
Sigh Kurumi sighed.
"Zafkiel!"
A massive clock, towering twice her height, manifested behind her. The utterly unscientific sight left Mumei utterly astonished.
Is this... a god?
"Dalet - Fourth Bullet."
Kurumi twirled the steam rifle in her hand before placing the barrel against Horobi's forehead. Black and red shadows surged into the gun as she pulled the trigger.
To Mumei's disbelief, instead of shattering Horobi's head, the severed arm nearby was pulled back, reattaching itself.
As if time itself had been reversed, the blood-red armor slowly faded away, revealing Horobi's pale, soft skin beneath.
It was nothing short of a miracle.
It was the reversal of time.
As events twisted and turned, Biba Amatori signaled to the Kokujou outside the city.
The effects of the new drug had exceeded expectations, producing even more power than Mumei had shown. Yet, he hadn't anticipated that Mumei would suddenly interfere, or that Kurumi would be this powerful.
It had completely disrupted his plans.
The Kokujou thundered forward toward Iwato Station. Inside were still hundreds of Kabanes, a grand gift he intended to send to Kongoukaku.
But it didn't matter. He would simply collect a few refugees as they fled Iwato Station, toss in a few Kabanes, and gain a few train cars full of Kabane weapons.
The Kokujou accelerated, charging toward Iwato Station.
The chains connecting the drawbridge had already been severed—there was no one to stop the Kokujou.
Biba Amatori leapt onto the platform at the front of the train, drawing his black-and-red long blade as he gave the order:
"Crush them!"
That infuriating woman stood on the tracks, and although Mumei and Horobi were also there, sacrifices had to be made for the greater cause.
But just as he gave the order, the Kokujou slowly ground to a halt right in front of Kurumi.
"What are you doing?!" Biba Amatori furiously kicked the train door.
The door opened, but the figure that emerged left him utterly horrified—it was Kurumi again.
Biba Amatori raised his blade, pointing it at Kurumi, then turned around in disbelief, only to find that the girl standing on the tracks, stepping on his loyal subordinate, was also Kurumi.
There were even two of them!
He felt as though he was losing his mind. This incomprehensible situation drove him to the edge of madness.
Looking into the train car, he was horrified to see countless more versions of Kurumi inside, all smiling at him with malicious intent. The hunters of the Kabaneri Corps lay slumped haphazardly on the floor.
"Hehehehehe..."
"Hehehehehe..."
The nightmare-like laughter filled the air, surrounding Biba Amatori, as shadowy figures circled around him.
Kurumi even used a bit of illusion magic, pushing Biba Amatori's mind to the breaking point.
In a desperate frenzy, Biba Amatori charged at Kurumi with his blade, only to be knocked down with a single hit from her rifle butt.
In the end, Kurumi didn't kill the pink-haired man. Mumei's distressed expression softened Kurumi's heart.
It's just a "brother," after all. Fine, I'll let him live.
As compensation, Mumei, nestled in Kurumi's arms like a kitten, mewled softly and adorably, calling her "Onee-sama" over a hundred times.
After all, Kurumi wasn't a demon.
The endless bodies of Kabanes and the foul blood continued to attract more Kabanes from the wilderness. But fortunately, the breach in the city wall was small enough to hold them off.
Lord Maeda thanked Kurumi profusely, issuing a gag order. Perhaps in his eyes, there wasn't much difference between Kurumi and a deity.
But rumors still spread.
It was said that a night owl had descended upon Iwato Station. This time, the description of her appearance was more detailed. She was stunningly beautiful, like the legendary princess from the clouds in ancient myths.
The Kokujou was reduced to ashes in the flames, and all the hunters were taken into custody.
As for Biba Amatori, Lord Maeda entrusted him to the care of the Iron Fortress, requesting they transport him to Kongoukaku. His humble and sincere request made it hard for Ayame to refuse.
I want to watch the Tanabata fireworks with nee-sama again.
Holding onto Kurumi's hand, Mumei finally smiled—a smile she hadn't worn in a long time.
"Kurumi-nee… did you really come just to fulfill my wish?"
On the well-maintained Koutetsujou from Iwato Station, now speeding along the tracks to Kongoukaku, Mumei softly asked.
The blue stars of the southern skies shimmered overhead, with the Heart Star sitting directly above in the darkest part of the purple night.
The wind blowing in from the July sea ruffled Mumei's jet-black hair as she sat with Kurumi at the front of the train, gazing out at the dark, undulating waves of the ocean.
Deep and tranquil.
Mumei rested against the side of the carriage, wrapped in her crimson robe, arms hugging her slender, bare legs.
Her entire head was buried between her knees, leaving only her deep crimson eyes exposed. The wind played with the hem of her robe and her hair, making her look like a figurine straight out of an anime.
"Of course, I've never lied to my little Hozumi, have I?" Kurumi's lips curled into a soft smile, her vibrant red eye full of tenderness.
"So… if my wish comes true… Kurumi-nee, will you leave?" Mumei pouted in a dispirited tone, grumbling softly.
"..."
Kurumi stayed silent for a moment, then asked, "Why do you think that, Hozumi?"
"Kurumi-nee… you've been acting strange lately," Mumei buried her head deeper into her knees. "Before, whenever I asked you for blood, you'd always make me do all sorts of weird things."
"Like imitating a cat, or acting spoiled so I could be your pillow… things like that. But lately… you've been agreeing too easily."
Kurumi couldn't help but freeze for a moment, her smile softening as she gently stroked Mumei's back. The girl trembled slightly, just like a cat being petted.
Have I really made it so obvious?
"...Yes, I suppose so."
"Kurumi-nee," Mumei's voice was tinged with a sob as she looked up at Kurumi, pleading, "I don't want to make my wish anymore, okay? Can't you… can't you stay with me?"
That pleading expression, those teary eyes, were as innocent and adorable as any child, nothing like the fearless, merciless girl who had faced the Kabane without hesitation.
"I have no one else but you."
"Hozumi..."
"Time is kinder than anything else," Kurumi murmured as she held Mumei's hand and gazed at the brilliant stars in the sky. Although Tanabata had passed, the Milky Way still shimmered brightly, splitting the heavens in two.
"Even if two people lose the chance to meet…"
"Their sorrow will eventually be healed by the flow of time."
"But time is also more cruel than anything else."
"Even if two people make vows as strong as the mountains and seas, cherishing their love as eternal, that love will one day be weathered away by the passage of time."
Kurumi's voice grew quieter and heavier, filled with a sorrow and tenderness that nearly suffocated Mumei.
Mumei didn't know what Kurumi had been through, but it must have been a long and heartbreaking story.
"Hozumi… one day, you will forget. You'll forget that there was once someone who watched the Tanabata fireworks with you."
Kurumi squeezed Mumei's hand a little tighter, their fingers intertwined.
"And after that, all you need to do is eat well and live a full life."
I won't forget… Mumei leaned against Kurumi, tears slipping from her eyes.
She didn't argue, but in her heart, she made a promise to herself, over and over again.
I'll never forget. I'll remember you forever…
Onee-sama.
After leaving Iwato Station, the journey to Kongoukaku was smooth and uneventful, with barely any Kabanes to be seen.
The title "Iwato Gate" was well-earned.
Kongoukaku, like other cities, was built within high walls. As the capital of the nation, it was prosperous and bustling. Even from the distant mountains, one could see the towering, green-tiled castle keep at its center and the railways snaking between the buildings.
Occasionally, fortress-like trains passed through the city's structures.
The Koutetsujou stopped at the gate of Kongoukaku, arriving via Line Four.
Thanks to the prior notice from Lord Maeda, the inspection process went smoothly.
The one responsible for inspecting the Koutetsujou was none other than Ayame's uncle, a high-ranking official of the shogunate.
Unlike other stations, Kongoukaku's inspection required all passengers, regardless of injuries, to be imprisoned for three days of observation—even Ayame wasn't exempt. However, due to the need to transport Biba Amatori, they were granted a special audience with the shogun.
Kurumi and Mumei had no interest in wasting time on formalities, so after leaving the station, they boldly walked away. Some samurai tried to stop them, but a single glance from Kurumi, along with a bit of magic, left them mesmerized, allowing the two to leave without trouble.
By the time the Koutetsujou arrived at Kongoukaku, it was almost dusk, and the sky was painted with hues of red.
When she was with Kurumi, Mumei acted just like any other young girl, as endearing as little Sakura, evoking tenderness from those around her.
Kurumi had rescued her from the Kabaneri Corps and made her lose hope in her so-called "brother." Yet now, Kurumi was about to leave her alone in this world.
At a roadside stall, Kurumi bought a white fox mask with red markings, gently placing it on Mumei's face.
With the mask tilted slightly to the left, Mumei looked rather playful.
Kurumi reached out and stroked Mumei's hair. The girl, nestled obediently in her embrace, had hair so soft and smooth that Kurumi couldn't help but keep touching it.
In the dim twilight, the sight of these two stunning figures leaning against each other looked like a picturesque farewell. Passersby hesitated to disturb them, and even the peddlers quieted their calls.
Mumei, as docile as a kitten having its fur stroked, allowed Kurumi to pat her head.
A cat only lets its most trusted person do that.
But unfortunately, fate wouldn't allow their peaceful farewell.
In the shogun's castle, the shogun himself was holding a trial for his only son, Biba Amatori.
Down in the court, the ministers and samurai shouted, "Amatori must not waver!"
But the shogun's eyes were like stagnant water. After years of political intrigue surrounding his throne, he had grown to distrust even his own son.
In this way, Biba Amatori and his father were very much alike. Ten years ago, fearing that his son's growing power would overshadow his own, the shogun had ordered the supply lines cut, abandoning Biba Amatori and the army to die in the Kabane-infested wasteland of Kyushu.
Bound tightly in restraints, Biba Amatori knelt on the ground, looking up at his father with a mixture of sorrow and hatred.
He could see his father preparing to execute him without hesitation, and suddenly, Biba Amatori let out a crazed laugh.
The muscles along his back tensed violently, as if something inside him had been crushed. Black and red blood began seeping through his restraints, faintly tinged with gold.
"Farewell… Father."
A deafening explosion rocked the castle, followed by a blinding sword light that slashed down, splitting the castle keep in two. Half of the structure crumbled into ruins.
Ministers and samurai scrambled to flee, tripping over one another, those who fell being mercilessly trampled.
Biba Amatori had no intention of chasing them. He sat alone on his father's throne, recalling the distant days when his father had not yet become shogun.
Back then, his father would take him horseback riding, pointing out the stars and telling him their stories.
Biba Amatori's radiant eyes gleamed like molten gold as he gazed down at the setting sun.
After severing the object of his hatred and cleaving the palace in half, all he felt was confusion.
Humans are pitiful creatures.
They reject what they fear, attack what they don't understand.
People's cowardice begets war.
I understand.
You're afraid, aren't you…
Sitting on the throne, Biba Amatori gripped the short sword his father had given him as a gift, feeling nothing but a deep sense of melancholy.
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