บท 11: Codex Zero

She could not understand how that can help but run towards the exit anyway. The hunters naturally followed but they had only crossed a meter before they all collapsed one by one.

The silver threads were badly tangled together when they all focused only on Haru. It cut through them the more they struggled but the hunters didn't stop.

Azuma lifted his four knives in his fingers and sent them slashing through the silver threads. Almost all of them were severed and the hunters moved no more.

He let out a sigh.

Haru had no words to speak but there was a flicker of awe behind her exhausted gaze. She tried to smile.

"Excellent."

Azuma helped her as she staggered, "You were cool."

He felt gnawing guilt inside. Even though Haru said nothing, she had suffered much more injuries than him because he came out of the fight first. Someone had to distract the hunters and he only got the idea at the last moment.

There was no time for communication.

Still.

His gaze dimmed as they slowly made their way towards the exit. Haru had done a lot. Perhaps that was the difference between someone like him and a seeker.

But Azuma hated it.

Haru suddenly froze, startling Azuma as blood trailed down her nose once again. Her eyes were moist and Azuma saw his raw fears being reflected.

There was little they fully understood about the chamber and the scarlet silk, but the only other peculiar thing that came with that place was nose bleeds.

It has to be linked with the parasites.

"We'll be out from here in no time," he whispered, "hang on."

"I… I can't feel my legs," her voice broke, "you…you should leave…"

He firmed his grip around her shoulders, "I am here if anything goes wrong. Don't worry, I am sure I can handle one berserk seeker."

"Azuma-kun—"

"Don't tell me you became a seeker to give up so easily?" he interrupted, "Your squad must be waiting and er… Yukine? You can see him again."

Haru bit her lips and said nothing.

He was right after all. They have gone through a lot ever since descending. How can he let her lose hope when they were so close to leaving that hellish place? They have finally defeated the monsters others became.

But… how can they defeat the monsters within?

A sharp pang caused Azuma to freeze.

There was a sudden growling rumble that caused the whole chamber to tremble. Before they had the time to think about that, a cold sensation flared across Azuma's every nerve.

He took one step forward.

"Easy!" Haru gasped as she supported Azuma but her fears have only started to rise when she felt a burning pain around her legs.

She looked down in horror.

Threads of silver were rapidly coiling around, being stained in scarlet as they sank under her skin.

"A… Azuma… "

He barely heard her voice before it choked into a yelp. Haru was dragged behind by the threads.

The chamber shuddered once again but this time with such a tremor that Azuma fell on the ground when he tried to move. He couldn't reach out to Haru or even summon any strength as she was dragged back like a rag doll.

Her eyes were filled with tears and yet when she spoke, she pleaded with him not to save her but himself.

The same way Azuma had seen his mother. As her life slowly seeped out from her, she pleaded with him to run, and he did. But he was too coward and returned to help her but by then it was too late.

Again and again, he ran.

But not anymore.

Azuma clenched his jaw tight, feeling a hot burning sensation behind his eyes. His vision was red, the body still suffering from the throbbing wounds and bleeding injuries as he summoned all his remaining strength and rushed towards her.

Her body became numb on the other side, eyes closing as she no longer struggled against the thread.

But Azuma was too overwhelmed in his emotions, not noticing that the hunters were rising and one of them was standing behind him with a pickaxe.

A burning pain lashed across his back, seething again with an untamed fury. His vision blurred as he collapsed on the ground. His consciousness was slipping away at a frightening pace as a cold numbness softly embraced him.

『 Emergency Warning! Severe blood loss detected!』

He was dead.

Azuma knew it was the end. His dreams would remain unfulfilled and his promises would be broken. As he thought back to his life, he realized how meaningless it has been.

He was dead.

He realized bitterly, but there was one last thing he must do. It was the only thing that he could do right before leaving the world.

Azuma feebly called the system.

『 Congratulations! You have unlocked a hidden module: Codex Zero/Lucifer! 』

『 The system is updating. 』

» This might take several minutes. Do not turn off the system. «

Azuma's vision was slipping in and out of reality when he saw something bone shuddering.

He faced the dome of the chamber, and there, hanging upside down was an enormous spider. It eerily watched him with the hundreds of mismatched eyes, slowly suffocating him with that mere gaze.

"...fuck."