Capítulo 31: Chapter 3: The Master Has Shut Off the World Like a God. Part 1
Stiyl Magnus journeyed for the top floor of the North block. Perhaps Kamijou, whom Stiyl had used as bait, was attracting many more enemies than he had predicted as Stiyl faced essentially no resistance. He hid himself completely, checked every secret entrance, and formed a grasp of the building's situation.
It seemed Deep Blood Himegami Aisa was not imprisoned inside. Having checked the dust and mana traces left behind at the entrance, it seemed that whether it the front or back of the coin, no one had entered.
There was no one, no subordinates, no soldiers or not even Aureolus himself, an environment that would not monitor an escaping prisoner. If such an event occurred, it would have become much more complicated, meaning that Himegami Aisa was not in fact imprisoned but willingly assisting Aureolus Izzard. If it were so, it seemed Stiyl had to face the terrifying and unknown power called Deep Blood.
...Damn it. Why are espers so hard to handle. Having such thoughts, Stiyl's mind wandered to the boy that was used as bait. If the boy died, it would have meant little to Stiyl. From the beginning, Stiyl had told him that they were not allies and clearly stated the boy was a shield. However, when the boy was pushed down, he had seemed so betrayed.
It was the expression of someone backstabbed.
"..."
He had attacked him with a flame sword on their first meeting and had even dragged him to that deadly battlefield. Why did the boy see him as a comrade?
Stiyl was uneasy. Though just a small irritant, it caused Stiyl some uneasiness. ...Damn it. Why are espers so hard to handle!
Stiyl began to dash down the narrow emergency staircase. Considering he had used him as bait, such an action was futile. However, Stiyl could not appease his conscience unless he did something with some impact. The remains of Stiyl's humanity argued back.
"I don't understand. Why are you so anxious?" inquired an icy voice behind Stiyl.
"..." Stiyl slowed turned his head. He knew what would have happened if he let an enemy sneak behind him.
Behind Stiyl Magnus stood...
"Hm. So it's over here?" As orange sunset melded with purple night, Index arrived before Misawa Cram School, whose normalness made it seem strange. Index had tracked the owner of the runes stuck to the student dormitory. However, it seemed the mana trail disappeared once it entered the building.
To be blunt, it was an obviously abnormal building that feigned normality. Its intentions were clear.
Like how individuals had mana, the world had "power."
Christians called the existence God's Blessings. The creation of the Golden Dawn organization mapped the blueprint of Western magic called Telesma. In terms of contemporary language, the most similar were the geography and astronomy of Feng Shui. As the name would suggest, a pulse formed from the forces and flows of the entire world that formed blood vessels extending everywhere.
It was similar to how mana formed from human life force, similar to gasoline refined from crude oil. Similarly, the energy spread out over the planet was not too powerful (at least relatively. The lifespan of planetary objects could not be compared to that of a human's and thus the "power" was much larger than human mana.). Through a temple or shrine, it was possible to convert this power into a "planetary energy", generating huge sums of energy.
The power filled the world like air and ordinary people (magicians included as well) could not feel it. Only specially trained magicians or Feng Shui masters could see the force. However, there was no such energy in the four buildings before Index.
Though the power of the world was normally undetectable like basic air, if a vacuum formed, breathing became impossible. Similarly, Index felt an incomparable strangeness.
It was like some tower of death was sliced into cubes, becoming the largest tombstone in the world. It was much too extreme, even if for the sake of trapping mana inside.
Though Kamijou's right hand was capable of destroying the world's power, it was not a large problem. If the power returned to the soil like falling leaves, it rejoined the cycle of life in the form of destruction, perfectly natural. Before Index realized the Walking Church's destruction, she had not realized how harmonious the hand was with nature.
However, the magic tower differed. It was like a city of stone and steel formed after cutting down a forest through forced methods. It was an ugly representation of urbanization.
Had the rune magician not realized? It was perhaps because the rune magician was a walking refinery of vast amounts of mana. Similar to how people react to eating foods with strong tastes, slight changes in flavor went undetected. In contrast, Index, who could not refine mana, clearly felt the slight change.
"This isn't a boundary preventing enemies from invading but a boundary to prevent escape. Hm... It's like an Egyptian pyramid..." muttered the white nun and walked through the automatic doors.
Index had no reason to head back. In face of such an abnormal existence, she had ever more reason to bring the boy home.
The moment she stepped inside, she felt the difference in the atmosphere. It felt like she had walked from under the scorching sun into a shop with a hyperactive air conditioner. The lively and peaceful street had become a cold-blooded battlefield with the ominous presence of permeating death. It was not a false impression for, deep inside the expansive room, at a wall near the lifts was a dead knight donned with Roman Catholic tools.
Index cautiously approached the knight and observed him. The knight's tool, the enchanted suit Surgical Armor was imbued with magic that absorbed physical strikes. As the emphasis was focused on physical defense, the equipment was frailer against magic attacks. However, the enchanted armor was forcefully destroyed by a powerful physical attack. Someone had ignored the defensive attribute.
...Either someone doesn't know anything about magic or he's just really crazy.
Of course, examining the building that was similar to a pharaoh's tomb, the former was impossible. In which case, the situation was troublesome. Those capable of destroying the enchanted Roman Catholic armor with pure physical force were either those capable of summoning archangels or metal golem specialists.
Then, she heard the sound of something clashing. Index looked back and found, beside the elevator, the entrance to an emergency staircase. There seemed to have been the sound of dragging and heavy breathing.
"Who's..." Before she could finish her question, the thing climbed out of the emergency staircase.
It could not have been called human or object. It was no longer human. Its lower half was ripped, its left arm blown to smithereens, and its face's right side blown off. Even its remaining left side was charred. Such a thing could not have been called human.
The half of its remaining face was still moving. Unbelievably, it seemed the head tilted with thought. As Index began to think of something unimportant, it used a hand to support itself in preparation to leap.
"...!"
Without a word, it leaped. Index could only frantically backtrack and trip and tumble over the remains of the knight. The thing seemingly lost its target and seemed to be positioned to land on Index.
"Be crushed!" A stern man's voice was heard in the icy expanse.
The wall near the elevator ripped apart like paper and a man's hand emerged from within. The large hand grasped like it was catching a ball and found the charred head of the thing.
Then, before Index lying on the floor, the thing's body shattered as the man had declared. Like gathered ash being crushed, with a "pak!" three cracks appeared on the thing's body, beginning to break into pieces. It then exploded into something like snow-flakes that disappeared before touching Index's face.
"Open!" The voice was heard once more and the immobile elevator doors ripped open from the inside. The twisted elevator that should not have opened, did. It was an ultimate magic that forced the user's surroundings to morph according to his words.
"Don't tell me..."
Facing the puzzled, mumbling Index, a tall, lean man exited the lift, appearing careless. His green hair was combed back and he wore a white Italian suit and high class leather shoes.
"Hm. It's been a while, but I don't think you remember me. Inevitably, you can't remember the name Aureolus Izzard. But, to me, this might be somewhat lucky." Said the man who had numerous mosquito-bite like marks on his head.
It was acupuncture, an Asian healing technique that seemed out of place with Westerners. In truth, this was false pretense. For example the founder of Golden Dawn, a Western magic organization, loved Buddhist concepts.
"But, even if you don't remember, I shall say what I need to. It's been a while Index. It seems you've forgotten me but I'm quite happy to see you haven't changed." He said as he reached his hand out, blocking Index's eyes. It was the hand of a human or perhaps a monster that crushed the charred creature.
Index could not move as she responded. "Do-Don't tell me... the Golden Ars Magna?"
The man responded with a soft smile.
"Let's go home." Kamijou said. Unable to get past the flowing gold, Kamijou could only make a detour through the four buildings and return to Himegami. "I beat that guy called Aureolus. I didn't kill him but he's done. He can't fight, he's wounded and his heart's broken."
So, go home.
There was nothing left to protect. The students that took part in the Gregorian Chant could not be saved and he ended up dueling the alchemist. There lacked any reason for Kamijou to remain there. He himself desired to escape that battlefield filled with death and return home.
He wanted to go home and he wanted to have dinner with Index. It would be alright so long as he escaped Misawa Cram School.
If I could just see her, I could return to the normal world. Before I'm stuck here, before I get used to a world of murder and death... If I can't go back it's over. He realized blankly and ever so clearly.
A devil appeared in Kamijou's fragile heart.
First, according to Stiyl, Index had to have her memory wiped every year.
Second, according to Stiyl, Index found a new partner every year.
Finally, according to Stiyl, Index was completely ignorant.
Easily imaginable, the Index who smiled years past was not the Index that Kamijou knew. There were too many around Index that needed her.
He had not explicitly said it, but Stiyl did imply it when he had said "this does not mean we have given up and are leaving her to you."
"..." A sudden feeling of grogginess forced Kamijou to support himself with his hand. He felt that if he treated that child just like any other person, he would be unable to return to his ordinary life.
...Such an ugly and possessive thought.
In such critical circumstances, thoughts of self defeat could easily become self-sacrifice or other suicidal actions. Kamijou took a deep breath and calmed himself, forcing himself not to think in such a way. He had realized that if such thoughts continued, his mind would have crumbled.
Anyways... I'd better get Himegami out of here. Kamijou sighed with a thought.
"That Aureolus Izzard was a fake." Himegami Aisa said matter-of-factly.
"What?"
"He was just a clone. I've seen the real one before so I can tell. The real one wouldn't kill so indiscriminately."
Each word she spoke etched into Kamijou's thoughts. It was true. Analyzing carefully, something was wrong. The alchemist had certainly used Misawa Cram School as a fortress but had for some reason self destructed the students with the Gregorian Chant? If it were the case, would he not have broken his disguise?
Even with such analysis, Kamijou was unwilling to believe reality. He could not calmly think because what remained of his sanity was the fact that he would finally go home. He could not simply accept that he had to step back into the battlefield.
"Hold on! Hold it right there...! What do you mean? I just beat Aureolus Izzard!"
"Like I said, he was a fake." She responded quickly. "The real body has many needles to stab with. The ones without needles are definitely fake, not to mention the real one isn't that weak."
Kamijou could not admit to it and neither did he want to. His thoughts were focused on going home and he was wholly unwilling to accept another enemy's existence.
"The real one is only interested in what he wants. I don't think he'd stop you if you went home." Himegami's calming tone finally soothed Kamijou's rampaging mood. However, something she said seemed strange.
"Hold on. You're coming with me aren't you? Since he wants you, why would he let us go?"
"Why?"
"Why, what?"
"The question isn't 'why can't he let us go'. It's 'why should I go with you?'"
"What?" Kamijou, confused, could say little more. Even if they defeated all enemies, Himegami did not intend to escape from Misawa Cram.
"Don't be mistaken. I'm here of my own accord. I don't plan to escape from here. On the contrary, my goal can only be achieved here. Without that alchemist, it's possible it might never be fulfilled." Rather than sound lost, Himegami may have even sounded like Aureolus' friend.
What's going on? There are psychological cases where imprisoned or monitored hostages have felt mysterious sympathy for criminals. Is Himegami like that?
"No matter what your aims, the guy doesn't consider you an ally, right? And if you are one, why are you imprisoned here?"
"I was imprisoned before he took command of Misawa Cram." She said with resolve. "Do you really want to know how I was treated here? Do you want to know why there are so many secret rooms? I don't think you could handle the truth."
"..."
"Ever since the alchemist came, the secret rooms were never used again. I'm just staying here. I don't feel the need to go outside. If I did randomly go out, I'd attract 'them.'"
Kamijou remembered what Stiyl had told him prior to their invasion. Though it seemed like an ordinary building, it possessed a perfectly disguised barrier.
Deep Blood: a legend of even the magic world. A girl was said to possess the ability to instantly kill vampires. Perhaps...
"What do you mean? Don't tell me you hide here to avoid conflicts with them?"
"...My blood has the power to attract them with a sweet scent and also kill them. Lure them, kill them. I'm like a carnivorous plant: colorful and deadly. Such is my nature."
Kamijou's eyes widened. Even when Stiyl simply mentioned vampires, he was filled with fear and disgust and now, he knew Himegami Aisa truly had the powerful ability to kill vampires. However, Himegami's words sounded lonely. It was as if she were standing in the cold rain.
"Do you know what vampires are like?" Kamijou could not possibly answer. All he could think of were evil vampires in fiction who attacked humans. In fact, the term vampire itself seemed unrealistic.
"I don't."
"They're no different from us. They cry, smile, get angry, get happy, laugh for others, and act for others. All of these people—without exception—are killed." Himegami replied with words that only those who had seen Hell could say. She sounded like her heart bled. Her happy memories had been shattered.
"Academy City researches powers. I thought I could come here to analyze the secrets of my powers. If I knew its source I could get rid of it. However, I couldn't find a way to be rid of it." Himegami said. "I don't want to kill anyone. I'd decided that I'd rather kill myself than kill other people."
Such was the reason that the girl titled Deep Blood agonized alone.
"But that..."
"Please don't try to convince me otherwise. It's not so bad. Aureolus said that he could create a simply boundary that takes the appearance of clothes, called the Walking Church. If I put it on, I can go outside without the fear of luring 'them.'"
"..."
"I have my goals and Aureolus has his. We need each other to fulfill them. So, it's okay. Aureolus will fulfill his end of the bargain and keep me safe. I'll explain it to Aureolus for you if you want to leave this battlefield." Kamijou could not consent. He did not understand the burden she bore. He did not know how to save her. He did not know what to do.
"Tell me something." He asked because he did not know. "If you don't want to attract vampires, why were you eating outside when we first met?"
"Simple. Aureolus needs me because he wants a vampire. If I stay inside this boundary, I can't attract one."
"Isn't that the opposite of what you want? Don't you want to stop hurting vampires? If you do, why would you accept that ord—"
"Yes. But, Aureolus promised me he wouldn't hurt it after he captured one. He just wants their help."
"...What? I thought you had worked hard just to escape Misawa Cram."
"Even if I had intended to escape, why are you here?"
"I'm here to save you of course. Do I need any other reason?"
Himegami's eyes widened at his argument. It was like she had gotten a birthday present even she had forgotten what day it was. "Unbelievable. But don't worry, I wasn't imprisoned. You can relax and go home, no problem." She smiled. "Aureolus said he wants to save someone and can't do it by himself. That's why he needs a vampire and also why I agreed to help. This's the first time I agreed to use this power to save, not kill."
"..."
Were her words true? Even if Himegami were not lying, it was unknown whether Aureolus was noble. After all, Aureolus was a murderer and mastermind who had created that battlefield of carnage. Her words contradicted the situation.
And, even if Aureolus Izzard was as she said...
"...This won't do."
"?"
"If in fact Aureolus Izzard is as you say, that he isn't a monster, that he's still barely human, you can't let him keep doing these terrible things. Though I think people can be saved when they fall, if Aureolus continues like this, he'll reach a point of no return."
She remained silent. In truth, she had already realized. Aureolus' desires had begun to diverge from reality. Simply looking at the battlefield itself showed that the truth differed substantially from "not hurting anyone."
"On exactly what basis do you refute my ideas?" said a male voice that interrupted Kamijou.
A mysterious ringing permeated their conversation, forcing both silent. It was like a whisper to the ear, though the owner of the voice had transferred the vibrations not through air but through something metaphysical.
The footsteps clacked behind Himegami in a corridor 30 meters away.
No one should have been there. No one should have been there. But, in the blink of an eye, Kamijou witnessed a man appear before him. Surely there were no places to hide. Not to mention, the man had never hid.
"You..." Kamijou began to distrust his very own eyes.
The man that suddenly appeared was the Aureolus Izzard that Kamijou had beaten down. His limbs were intact and he had not a single scratch.
Did he use some special power to heal? Kamijou considered it but deemed it illogical. Regardless of physical healing, one's personality would remain constant. Like a twin brother with a completely different persona, the person before him was identical but possessed a wholly different atmosphere.
Not to mention the pressure... He was thirty meters away but Kamijou felt an overwhelming sensation as if the enemy had already stabbed his ribs.
Despair. The only suitable description of that man was power.
Dangerous! His instinct warned him. This person is dangerous! He's someone that definitely can't be beaten while in this building.
Because of the warning, Kamijou took a step forward to protect Himegami. From the beginning, sacrificing someone to save himself was never an option.
"Calm down. Don't interfere. I will go there now."
Before Kamijou could take even a step forward, Aureolus Izzard had covered the entire 30 meter distance between them.
"What...?"
With Aureolus' sudden appearance, Kamijou's mind froze with incomprehension. Rather than fast, he had appeared out of nowhere like a scene change in movies.
"Naturally, you're wondering what happened. However, I have no obligation to answer." The alchemist said with calm.
"Himegami's blood is very important so I can't hand her over. I'm here to reclaim her."
The word "reclaim" swirled in Kamijou's confused mind. "You bastard!"
How could he run away? He had to close the two meter distance between them and rescue the imprisoned Himegami from the mastermind Aureolus. He rushed forward.
"In any case... You," The alchemist calmly began. "shall not touch me."
The change was drastic.
Initially, nothing changed, which was the source of the strangeness. Kamijou had rushed at Aureolus with maximum force. However, the distance did not lessen, as if he were chasing the setting sun on the horizon. Run and run and run but the two meters did not disappear.
Like a corridor expanding into infinity, Aureolus and Himegami seemed to retreat from him. With a sense of anxiousness, Kamijou remembered the existence of Imagine Breaker in his right hand. Any supernatural power would be negated, even one of God's miracles.
But how exactly am I supposed to use this effectively!?
"Tell me exactly," said Aureolus emotionlessly. "Why I can't turn back?"
Kamijou, chilled, stopped. He dared not approach the alchemist, his body warning him of the danger of approaching. Aureolus stared at Kamijou without feeling like a toy insect staring with pins.
Without warning, Aureolus procured from his white suit a thin needle as thin as hair that smelled faintly of antiseptic. Aureolus stabbed the needle into his neck as if to hypnotize himself.
Kamijou backed away from this declaration of Kamijou's death. However, Aureolus removed then needle and tossed it aside. "Unfortunately, you're an uninteresting boy."
Then, Kamijou shockingly realized that, regardless of his efforts, he could not retreat from Aureolus. In a mysterious predicament, Kamijou could move neither forward nor backward. His heart nearly burst with his inability to act as Aureolus silently reached his hand to grab something far away from Kamijou's heart, as if to dig it out. "Diss—" began the stern alchemist.
"Hold on a minute!" Himegami had suddenly appeared between them and interrupted the alchemist. Kamijou was amazed that Himegami had dared to actually stand between them to protect him from the true alchemist with overwhelming power.
Idiot...! Don't!
Kamijou hurriedly reached a hand out to push her away but could not move approach even a single centimeter. Like a child confronting an assailer with a machinegun, Kamijou trembled from the fear danger.
Then, Kamijou remembered her title: Deep Blood.
Her legendary, mysterious power killed the vampires that even Stiyl so feared. With her power, as the strongest ace, they could perhaps turn around the situation.
Don't tell me... Please tell me she has a chance. If she doesn't... she shouldn't be doing this...
Aureolus glanced at the thinking Kamijou with disinterest. He seemed to lack a regard for his trump, Deep Blood. "Obviously, at this point, you might harbor a sense of hope, which is expected. However, Deep Blood is no match for me." Aureolus said coldly. "Naturally, you might wonder how the name Deep Blood came to be. Hm. Yes. She certainly has the power to kill vampires... but have you ever wondered, considering it's so powerful, why it's limited to vampires? Why don't they call her Overkill Annihilator?"
...Don't tell me... With his final hope snatched, Kamijou's thought processes simplified.
"Essentially, Deep Blood is an ability exclusively effective on vampires. The truth is none so extravagant. It's simply a unique type of blood. Her sweet-smelling blood lures vampires to her and when they consume but a drop of her blood, they disintegrate. The terrifying thing is the fact that it lures each and every vampire. They drink her blood knowing they will die. It's only effective against Cain's descendants, vampires; not humans." Aureolus elaborated as he obtained another needle, stabbing this one as well into his neck. What was its effect? The rather emotionless alchemist seemed somewhat excited. "Hm? Are you going to retort by attacking me? How are you any different from me? In the end, you're just like me. You need Deep Blood."
His words carved their way into Kamijou's heart. Kamijou knew the despair but he also wanted to struggle until the willpower in his heart disappeared.
"That's not true. This person didn't know the definition of Deep Blood or even what vampires are like. He came here to save a stranger he met this morning. We haven't even been formally introduced but he wouldn't leave me behind." The person who said this to Aureolus was Himegami, not Kamijou. She widely spread her arms, becoming a shield and warding away the verbal attacks. "Aureolus Izzard, what is it that you want?"
Himegami's words caused Aureolus' eyebrows to twitch. "Are you going to get ordinary people, neither magicians nor alchemists, involved and kill them so regularly? Is this going to satisfy you? Is this your goal?"
"..."
"If it's such a meaningless objective, then I shall quit. I know I can't defeat you, but I have the right to decide whether to bite my own tongue and end my life." Her eyes never broke the honest expression of patience. It was almost difficult to discern who the king of the fortress was.
Once again, he pulled out a needle and stabbed his neck. "Essentially, we don't have time to waste on such things." He said with casualness. "There're too many things to deal with. Dealing with Index is much more troublesome than the intruder. It's simple to defeat others but it's not something I handle well."
Aureolus' nonchalant words had nearly caused Kamijou to stop breathing. Hold on. Hold on. Index? Don't tell me... she came here?!
The infinite distance between them prevented Kamijou from grabbing Aureolus and changing the dire situation. The hand that the alchemist had lowered was raised again and Himegami, with a defiant look, stepped toward Aureolus.
"Don't worry, I won't kill him." He said easily as he removed the needle. "Young man: as for what happened here..."
Damn it! What kind of sick joke is this!? I can't back away now!
The alchemist, apparently seeing through Kamijou's heart, smiled. "...Forget everything."
The sun had set.
"...?" Kamijou rose from the seat and looked around himself. Seat? He found that he was inside a student bus that apparently did not go in the direction of Kamijou's dormitory. The final stop on the bus wrote "17th District: Before Misawa Cram School." Typically speaking, the final busses stopped running at 6:30. It was possibly a cram school bus considering it was rare for buses to travel at midnight.
"Misawa Cram?" Kamijou's head tilted. Was that the name of the cram school? Kamijou pondered it but found no answer. He himself could not have been a cram school student; Kamijou Touma could not write his holiday assignments let alone prepare for exams.
The term memory loss sent chills down Kamijou's spine. He had thought that it was simply memory loss of previous experiences, but, as things stood, it may have been much worse than he had expected.
"...Better check it out at the hospital." While muttering to himself, Kamijou decided to first get off the bus for he knew not where it was headed. After exiting at the nearest stop, Kamijou found that he was unfamiliar with the surrounding scenery.
He physically felt relatively balanced and was wide awake. At first glance, he seemed very healthy but it seemed safer to do a check-up at a hospital considering he had lost several hours of memories.
If I go to the hospital I'll need my health insurance card. Better go home first. Are hospitals still open right now? Do I need to call for emergency services? Wait, how am I going to explain this to Index? Wouldn't she be suspicious if I wanted to go to the hospital all of a sudden? Would she be angry that she hasn't eaten dinner this whole time...? His mind swirling about, Kamijou walked to his dormitory since there were no buses at that time going in that direction.
Such misfortune.
He felt like something was calling out to him.
...?
Kamijou bent his head with puzzlement. It was strange. Why did he feel like he had forgotten something important? It was like forgetting to turn off the stove before going on holiday, that sort of irresolvable danger.
What's going on? Kamijou thought about the Misawa Cram School that he had never been to and muttered.
"Nevermind. If I can't remember, it's probably not important."
With that conclusion, he continued forward. As of that moment, the most important thing was to calm down Index, who would likely be angry and starving. It seemed his only option was the 700 yen black honey pudding.
I really shouldn't've bought that 3600 yen reference book. Kamijou sighed and scratched his head with his right hand...
...His right hand that could negate any supernatural power, even a Godly miracle...
PAKIN! With the sound of his skull shattering, the entire day's memories rushed into his mind.
"...!" Kamijou erratically looked around and only found a scene cloaked in the night's darkness. Considering the station's distance, he could no longer see Misawa Cram School from where he was. How long had it been? He could not find Stiyl, Himegami or Aureolus and—of course— Index.
Aureolus had said "forget everything" and Kamijou had truly forgotten everything. He forgot the Misawa Cram School that became a battlefield, Himegami being taken away by Aureolus and also what the alchemist said about Index.
"DAMN IT!"
The last few hours were completely lost. Even alone, Stiyl's probably okay in there, right? With him coming to mind, Kamijou began to run towards Misawa Cram School.
During his run, Kamijou, whose mind was in disarray, had noticed that he had not met anyone else along the way; in fact no one else was on the road aside from him. Even if it were afterhours, it was downtown Academy City. It was unnatural to not have met a single person.
...What's going on?
By the time Kamijou had noticed the abnormality, he was already within visible sight of Misawa Cram School. An absence of people was something Kamijou had experienced before due to the Opila runes that Stiyl had utilized the previous evening.
However, this time, rather than an absence of people, Kamijou was surprised to find people surrounding Misawa Cram School. Kamijou stopped and did a double take. Somewhat far away, he saw a few people, whose genders were indiscernible, donned in skin-tight silver armor. The lack of people made it seem all the more suspicious. From Kamijou's angle he saw three individuals. If they were surrounding the four buildings, there must have been more of their comrades.
...What? Who are these weird guys...? People from the Church? Mindful of these people, Kamijou decided to approach one of them. Perhaps the situation had changed while Kamijou had lost his memory like an idiot.
"Oi. What are you people doing? Are you members of the Church?" Kamijou remembered the knight who had died near the elevator. The people wore armor similar to that of the fallen knight.
One of them responded, shocked to hear the term "Church." "I'm a member of the 13 Knights of the Roman Catholics, 'Lancelot' Vittorio Cassera." He said rather impatiently. "Oh, so you're a survivor of that battlefield? We saw you walk from over here. You're really lucky. If you don't want to die, get back."
Kamijou wondered what nonsense he was spouting as he examined the entire suit of armor.
"We don't wish to cause unnecessary damage. We'll have the Gregorian Sacred Song Corp use the Gregorian Chant to carry out a Holy Incantation Bombardment. This is a means we decided after much deliberation in order to keep collateral damage to a minimum."
The knight's words were surprising. The Gregorian Chant was the spell that the Misawa Cram School students had used. According to Stiyl, the spell was of Roman Catholic origin. It was intended to be the ultimate weapon of the Roman Catholics. By utilizing 3333 monks gathered outside of a cathedral and having them chant the long spell, it intensified the power of the spell like sunlight into a magnifying glass.
Stiyl's words once again floated in his mind. The replica already had such power, how much did the real one have?
"Bombard?! ARE YOU KIDDING ME!? HOW POWERFUL IS THIS THING!? HOW MANY PEOPLE INSIDE WILL GET INVOLVED!? ARE YOU GOING TO BLOW UP THE ENTIRE BUILDING!?"
"Certainly. This holy spell gathers 3333 at the greatest holy location in the world. The Vatican Church can accurately turn anything in this world to dust. Not to mention, if we leave that heretic's tower intact, it'd be an insult to our pride."
"WHAT NONSENSE ARE YOU SAYING!? THERE ARE STILL COUNTLESS INNOCENT STUDENTS INSIDE! AND STIYL AND HIMEGAMI ARE STILL INSIDE! EVEN AUREOLUS—!"
Aureolus, the man that wanted to simply wanted to summon a vampire to save someone's life.
"EXACTLY HOW BIG WILL THE BLAST RADIUS BE WHEN THAT HUGE BUILDING BLOWS UP?!? RUBBLE WILL FLY LIKE CANNONBALLS FOR 600 METERS!!"
"The end justifies the means! The bloodshed of today will be the foundation of tomorrow!"
Kamijou could not remain calm as his anger boiled at those words. His last comment had contradicted what he had said before. For the sake of relieving unnecessary suffering, Kamijou was told to run away. Yet somehow, the knight nonsensically felt no remorse for the lives of the people within Misawa Cram.
"ARE YOU KIDDING ME!? YOUR COMRADE'S IN THERE TOO!" said Kamijou, invoking the knight that died beside the elevator.
"Percival has been martyred in enemy territory. His life will be avenged for the better tomorrow."
The dying, armored knight was unintelligible and filled with fury, seemingly having lost his ability to think calmly.
"Damn it! Wait a minute! One hour, no, 30 minutes will be enough!"
"We have no reason to listen your opinion! Begin the attack now!" The armored man calling himself Lancelot raised his large sword into the sky. Giving off a red glow, Kamijou thought it looked like an antenna.
Before Kamijou could stop him, the antenna was swung down.
"Revelation 8:7," So began the coordinated ritual. "The first angel sounded his trumpet, and there came hail and fire mixed with blood, and it was hurled down onto the earth!"
Perhaps due to the result of magic, a horn was heard from the glowing sword, a howling, echoing noise was heard through the night.
All voices vanished.
The clouds floating in the night sky promptly scattered and from far away were lightning. An enormous pillar of light descended from the heavens. However, the pillar was red. Like thousands of flaming arrows moving in close proximity, the pillar was spear striking one of the four Misawa Cram buildings.
The red lotus pierced roof to basement, crushing the tower to half of its original height like a squashed aluminum can. The glass shattered and interior decorations flew about in chaos.
However, there was more. The tower that was hit directly dragged the two neighboring towers by the overhead corridors, leaving the last unaffected tower like a tombstone.
The act of madness left Kamijou in bewilderment.
The buildings were twisted, cracks formed along the walls and people fell through the gaps like dust being patted from pants. Numerous pieces of falling debris utterly devastated the surroundings like a meteor shower. The only possible upside was the lack of people that the Opila rune had caused.
Kamijou grit his teeth at the thought that many students and teachers, Stiyl, Himegami, Aureolus and perhaps even Index were still inside.
"YOU BASTARDS!!"
Kamijou exploded like a cannon, but not at the armored person. There was no time to bother with him; Kamijou's destination was the site of bombardment. A storm of dust prevented Kamijou from making any progress. He could not open his eyes let alone see. Even so, he continued forward. In the back of his mind, he hoped it was all a joke. Then, something changed.
"?" Initially, Kamijou was under the impression that the dust began to scatter. The immense dust flew forward as if carried by a strong wind... to the wreckage called Misawa Cram School. "!?"
Dust was just part of it. The previously falling rubble began to float in midair and the crumbling walls flipped erect. The debris moved together like the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle and completely reformed the smooth towers that looked freshly renovated.
It was like watching a show in rewind. The collapsed towers were upright and the falling people were reabsorbed through the cracks. Most of the damage was repaired and soon, all four Misawa Cram towers were reformed as if nothing had happened. Even the neighboring buildings crushed by rubble reverted to what they were prior. One would have wonder if Kamijou's memories were being manipulated.
Wait. Reverting things back to normal... Don't tell me...! Kamijou looked up at the sky. The red lotus Divine spear that was fired from the sky had reappeared. Any onlooker could have realized where the spear was aimed: eye for an eye.
"Ah... ahh..." Kamijou turned to look at the moaning armored man. His knees had given way and he collapsed onto the ground. It seemed he truly knew how powerful the real Gregorian Chant was.
What's going on? Kamijou returned his gaze to the night sky. Even the seven Level 5s of Academy City could not possibly create such a miracle.
Is that the enemy's... That's that guy's real power...!!
Aureolus Izzard. In face of such a terrifying enemy, how would Kamijou fight him? Kamijou stood idly by with a numbed mind.
"DAMN IT!" Kamijou abandoned his fears and dashed off to Misawa Cram School.
Once he had arrived in front of the automatic doors, he hesitated to go in. With fear and trepidation, Kamijou entered the doors and returned to the battlefield.
The cram school's interior was unchanged and, because of it, Kamijou felt goose bumps. Not to mention, the students were unharmed as they continued to listen to the teachers' lectures. The students were fine despite the Gregorian Chant and the transmuting Limen Magna.
Passing through a certain classroom on a corridor, Kamijou saw something surprising and stopped.
That girl...!
Sitting a seat in the very back of the wide classroom was a girl that Kamijou recognized. She had braided hair and glasses... she was the girl who was turn to gold by Aureolus' Limen Magna when she protected Himegami.
She was there. It was like nothing had happened. She lived in that ordinary world.
"...!" The peaceful scene struck fear in Kamijou. Under the guidance of the alchemist's magic, life and death, fortune and misfortune, normal and abnormal were all reshuffled.
Kamijou did not know where to go. Arriving at a straight corridor, he finally found a familiar face.
"What? Why are you so panicky?" There stood the person who had betrayed him, used him as bait and could still shamelessly smile. There stood Stiyl Magnus, a person Kamijou truly loathed but was perplexedly relieved to see.
"Hm. If you're still here, I guess we're still in Japan, right? No wonder I've been seeing so many Asians this whole time. Speaking of which, what is this mysterious boundary? Kekkai? I seem to be somewhat familiar with it." Stiyl ignored Kamijou as he continued to mutter. Apparently, his memories were wiped like Kamijou's. It seemed he had even forgotten the objective they had for Misawa Cram School, implying his memories were erased even more extensively that Kamijou's.
He could return Stiyl's memories if he touched Stiyl's head with his right hand, but Kamijou was worried whether doing so would erase Stiyl's revival post-bombardment. His right hand was ineffective against Aureolus' order that he "shall not touch," but, if it involved Stiyl's life, the effect may have been undesirable.
"Oi! What block were you in?"
"What?"
"Just tell me!"
"Should be North Block. Why?"
Kamijou heaved a sigh of relief. Only the North block was untouched after the Gregorian bombardment, meaning Stiyl had no need to be revived.
Once confirmed, Kamijou knew what to do. "Oi! Stiyl! Let me teach you a charm that erases your doubts."
"...Oriental Charms are Kanzaki's specialty."
"Just do as I say. It's simple. Close your eyes and stick your tongue out!"
With a look of suspicion, he followed Kamijou's instructions.
"HERE'S A SOUVENIR FOR ACTUALLY USING ME AS BAIT AND ESCAPING BY YOURSELF, YOU BASTARD!" declared Kamijou.
"...Eh?"
Kamijou slammed an uppercut against Stiyl's chin using his right hand.
Memories returned and a tongue was bitten, proceeded by rolling on the floor.
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