Chương 69: Those Who Defy Me Won’t Escape, Even My Own Clones
There wasn't much time left for analysis.
"Kurumi-nee, I sense... a large number of Kabane approaching," Mumei said suddenly, crouched and eagerly watching Ikoma dissect the Kabane corpse. She looked up at Kurumi, her tone urgent.
"What!?" The group exchanged wary glances.
Kurusu rushed to the carriage door, peering through his spyglass into the distance. Emerging from the darkness, he saw dense clusters of red, glowing dots, a massive wave of Kabane streaming down from the mountain range, stretching as far as he could see.
Clang, clang, clang—
Alarm bells rang out. The mourning civilians who had been huddling and whispering in low voices now dissolved into a frenzy.
"Kabane! The Kabane are here!"
People shoved and scrambled over each other, forgetting any funeral rites, and rushed to board the Koutetsujou in a mad panic.
That flickering bonfire in the night had turned into a beacon, drawing the Kabane straight toward them.
Fortunately, Mumei's warning came early. The Koutetsujou's crew scrambled to prepare for departure. The samurai stood in ranks along either side of the Koutetsujou, stationing their steam rifles along the railings to hold back the front line of the Kabane flood.
Hoo-hoo-hooo—
With a long blast of its steam whistle, the Koutetsujou roared into motion, speeding away from the oncoming tide of black and crimson, leaving the Kabane wave in its wake.
"Hey... where's the boss?" Several of the family elders wearing purple headbands returned to their carriage to find the elder leader missing.
"He's probably lying around somewhere, stuck to some lady's side," sneered one of the shorter, craftier elders, clearly hoping the man had met his end in the Kabane horde.
After all, bowing to Ayame and that strange little girl only kept him from obtaining the Koutetsujou's master key.
"Monster... monster..."
The elder in the purple headband trembled where he stood, his pants darkening as he lost control.
"Wait for me... don't leave me here!" he cried, watching in despair as the Koutetsujou steamed away into the night.
Everyone had abandoned him, forgotten him completely.
A dark red shadow coiled around his legs, holding him in place, unable to take even a single step.
As he stood there, struggling, he began to recall the memory of that intense, wrathful gaze...
Those blood-red eyes, blooming like crimson roses.
The little girl by Ayame's side... it was her.
The Night Owl!
She was the monster!
The wave of Kabane closed in around him, their black and red eyes and blood-stained fangs growing larger as they swarmed, until...
Gyaaahhh!
His vision was consumed by blood.
The Koutetsujou rumbled along the mountains.
In the control room, Ikoma, the samurai, and Chief Suzuki discussed their new weapon developments.
Using Ikoma's piercing gun as a model, they discussed creating a steam rifle that could fire high-powered jet rounds capable of piercing Kabane hearts. Another concept involved reinforcing the samurai's swords with layers of the Kabane's iron-encased hearts.
While the new ammunition seemed feasible, the enhanced swords required intricate forging techniques, and could only be distributed to the samurai serving the Yomogawa family.
Meanwhile, the plump Takumi grimaced as he watched blood being drawn from him to refill Ikoma's lifeline—a blood gourd he'd grown quite attached to.
In another corner, Mumei sat cozily in Kurumi's lap, pouting as Kurumi fed her tiny pieces of golden bread.
"Kurumi-nee! I can eat by myself, you know!"
"Oh, is that so?" Kurumi rested her chin on Mumei's head, smiling as she rocked gently.
The tracks ahead split into two routes: one led through Haruhiko Station, while the other took a shortcut over the mountain ridge.
The family elders suggested taking the mountain route. With the recent upgrades, the armed samurai were feeling eager to test their new weapons.
But passing through the mountain at night was an extremely risky maneuver. The Kabane could easily drop down onto the train from the mountainside or the tunnel above.
Ayame looked uneasy, clutching the master key as she stood by Kurumi.
"Tokisaki-san..."
She glanced up at Kurumi, seeking guidance. "What should I do?"
"Why are you asking me?" Kurumi's smile was soft as she lifted her arms, as though drawing an imaginary bow.
"You've been able to make your own choices for a while now, haven't you? Why hesitate?"
Kurumi's voice was a low, soothing murmur, almost hypnotic.
In fact, she was using a type of suggestion magic she'd learned in the Holy Grail Wars—a subtle spell to guide others' minds.
Ayame had been raised under the weight of immense expectations, her self-doubt carved deeply into her identity. Kurumi saw her hesitation as simply a matter of coaxing her to "release the string on her bow," letting go of that heavy restraint.
From that night when she had ordered the Koutetsujou to plow through the Kabane... Ayame should have stopped hesitating.
"Engineer!" Ayame stood on the platform, issuing her command.
"Head for Haruhiko Station!"
She would never gamble the lives of everyone aboard simply for a shortcut.
With a long whistle, the Koutetsujou thundered down the left track, heading into the midnight distance toward Haruhiko Station.
The family elders proposed taking the shortcut through the mountain pass, and some warriors equipped with new weapons seemed eager to test them out.
But traveling through the mountains at night was incredibly dangerous. Kabane could easily attack the train from the cliffs or tunnels above.
...
That night, she had already moved beyond doubt when she gave the order to crush everything under the Koutetsujou's advance.
"Engineer!" Standing tall on the steps, Ayame issued her command. "We're going to Haruhiko Station!"
She would never gamble the lives of everyone on the train just on a whim.
...
The Koutetsujou thundered forward into the darkness, veering toward the route to the left.
Kurumi, standing alone at the open side door, leaned against the railing and gazed up at the sprawling night sky.
Though opening the side door at night was risky, her battle achievements kept even Kiryuu from objecting.
The starry night of this world was stunningly pure and unblemished by smoke or pollution, unlike the skies of Fuyuki City, Tengu City, or the even hazier memories of home she had thought would fade with time. Instead, they remained clear, sharpened by [Memory Adjustment].
"Kurumi-nee..."
Kurumi turned to see Mumei approaching the railing and looking up at her. "Were you thinking about something?"
"Oh? Little Mumei, concerned for me now?" Kurumi responded, arching an eyebrow with a teasing smile.
"Because... well, Kurumi-nee just looked strange," Mumei replied, her tone curious. "It's like... you suddenly seemed lost."
"Is that so."
Kurumi tilted her head slightly, lost in thought.
Mumei wasn't wrong. Today... it might have been the first time she'd ever taken a life with her own hands—a life that wasn't truly deserving of death.
A living, helpless life.
It was almost laughable that since taking up the name Tokisaki Kurumi in Tenguu City, she had never stained her hands with human blood.
Of course, the old worm and the Heroic Spirits could hardly count as "human" in her eyes.
It wasn't remorse she felt. Instead, what caught her off guard was the complete absence of any distinct feeling when she saw that elder being swallowed by the Kabane horde.
It was... as if she had crushed an ant.
Am I still human?
...
Of course not.
The answer was certain and comforting in its finality, though it left her feeling oddly hollow.
...
Just then, a feverish body suddenly collapsed into her embrace. Kurumi looked down to find Mumei's soft face flushed with heat, two molten-like lines creeping up her cheeks.
Her eyes gleamed, her lips parted slightly with shallow breaths, and through the white collar of her short uniform, Kurumi could see her heart burning with light.
"How... even though I have plenty of energy left..." Mumei's voice was low and hoarse as she gripped the railing, struggling to stay grounded. "I am... the strongest claw... I won't... I won't die! I won't become a Kabane!"
Kurumi quickly understood.
Karnina's delicate bread couldn't entirely replace the effect of blood.
Just in time... the little troublemaker who dared disturb her sleep deserved a small lesson.
...
"All right, slacker... come on out and get bled."
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