Mushi to Medama Vol 1 Chapter 5

Final Night : Don’t Look

The curtain opened. Before the continuation of the story, let us cast our eyes toward the apartment where Usagawa Rinne lived, a place that no real estate agency was interested in whatsoever. The scene here was as quiet, as if it was a nurturing place for a dimension of phantoms. We shall move past the corridor with the faded walls, a corridor that was not burnt by fire but was showing a smoky black sheen.

The door with a plate indicating ‘1A’ had an unnecessary door bell. Coming through the wooden door that required some skills to open, we move our sight to the two girls who were deeply asleep in the middle of the narrow small room. One was the owner of this room, Usagawa Rinne. She had a head of neat short hair and skin white as snow. As for the one who tightly clutched Usagawa Rinne and battled intensely with nightmares… she was Guriko. The girl named Gankyū Eguriko was moaning softly, drenched in cold sweat.

Nightmares were troubling her less since she started living with Rinne. Could it be possible that Guriko’s heart, sick from a millennium of wandering, was healing little by little after being touched by Usagawa Rinne’s gentleness? Her wolf-like messy hair, which wouldn’t stay down no matter how much she brushed it, was scattered over the bedcovers.

This seemed very interesting, and they looked as if they were the very materialization of happiness. However, the two girls who slept next to each other were yet to know that the existence given to destroy this happiness was placed right next to their pillows.

“Pzzt, pzzt pzzt.”

The Dream World Beast’s egg quietly cracked.

It was an egg as large as a human skull, with bright and colorful geometrical patterns scattered all over the sh.e.l.l. It was different from the egg of any creature on earth. This egg was of a creature similar to Legion Bandanna, whom Guriko defeated at the school two nights ago. It was a forbidden creature that should not exist in the peaceful human world. It obtained nutrients from eating Usagawa Rinne and Guriko’s ‘dreams’, and slowly build up its strength to hatch out of the sh.e.l.l.

Although Guriko had told Rinne: “things that the Mus.h.i.+ gave you can be dangerous. Throw it away or break it!”, Rinne was too kind to ever do such a thing. At the end, Guriko also agreed optimistically that this shouldn’t be the egg of any particularly dangerous creature.

But Guriko, you were too naive. A Dream World Beast was indeed not a dangerous creature, but you’re the one providing the Dream World Beast with the nutrients – you yourself should count as a dangerous creature!

It was almost time. It was too late even for regrets. All were progressing towards the worst outcome possible for them. However, they did not know this, and only peacefully hungered after happy dreams.

– Dream while you can, dream happy dreams.

Once they wake from the dream, the end will be before them.

Can you hear it, the sound of the sh.e.l.l cracking, the sound of the Dream World Beast wanting to come out?

“Knock knock, knock knock.”

She always remembered that the sky was especially clear on that day. The unpredictable dark clouds that had gathered in the past few days were all blown away. The sun hung high in a windless sky. It was the ideal weather for going out. As the temperature wasn’t very low, there was no need for gloves. As she walked, she soon took off her coat too. The weather was warm, and the plants also grew sparkling and green as if they were happy as well. People’s expressions were spirited and full of happiness.

Usagawa Rinne hung her coat, which she took off, on her arm, and repet.i.tively enquired Guriko if her clothing was appropriate. This was the outfit that she contemplated on for two hours before buying. Rinne was confident that it was fine, but that didn’t mean it was not her own stubbornness speaking. However, even if she were to ask Guriko, who knew nothing about clothing or fas.h.i.+on, all she would get would be some utterly useless advice such as “any clothing’s appropriate as long as it covers your body!" To note, Guriko said this with wide and incredulous eyes.

By the way, since she only had one set of outdoor clothes, Guriko was still wearing the school’s sailor uniform. Guriko usually wore Rinne’s casual clothes inside the house, but that would become quite problematic if she went outdoors like that. Guriko had previously run into town with just her black pajamas on. That really scared Rinne. It looked like Guriko may lack common sense regarding some specific issues, which was truly terrible!

“No matter what you wear –”

Incredulous, Guriko told Rinne, who was being very attentive to her outfit: “Sakaki wouldn’t mind!”

“That’s true, but…”

Watching Rinne, who was at a loss of what to do, Guriko sighed with exhaustion.

“Is this the heart of a maiden? I can’t understand it… anyways, no matter how worried you are, you don’t have time to change anymore. Therefore, it’s a waste of time to worry at all.”

“Uuuu –”

Guriko’s cold words made Rinne’s expression a little troubled. Guriko was speaking in her ordinary tone. She wasn’t angry, but Rinne still felt it could’ve been said in a slightly different way. Guriko was certainly someone clumsy and with a rude att.i.tude.

The end-of-term exams have finished. Under Sakaki’s pa.s.sionate teaching, the students in cla.s.s 1-B had all achieved high marks (except for one certain student). They were all showing off their good grades to their parents while preparing to enjoy the winter break. Rinne, who could not boast her good grades to her parents, and that certain student (Guriko), who had no parents to reprimand her for her bad grades, also have two weeks of winter break starting today. Although Rinne was still rather restless, she couldn’t help but feel settled for now.

Today was the day the three of them were going out together. Rinne had planned a happy day tour in order for Guriko and Sakaki to get along better and deepen their friends.h.i.+p. Rinne planned for the three of them to have fun till sunset to get rid of the guard Sakaki still had towards and Guriko, and also to change Guriko’s stubborn and deep-grained perceptions of Sakaki.

Rinne’s philosophy was that everyone should get along well together, that everyone should be happy.

But let’s leave that aside for now.

“Sensei –”

Rinne greeted Sakaki, who had the attention of all the customers. She walked into the cafe in front of the station and sat down opposite Sakaki together with a stiff-faced Guriko. The heater was on in the cafe, and it felt very hot. Sakaki had also dressed up for today, and his glamour was worthy of a movie star. It was evident that he put a lot of thoughts in it. However, the more stylish Sakaki appeared, the more it emphasized Rinne’s poverty. This had made Rinne more troubled.

But no matter what, Sakaki dressed up for her – this made Rinne feel rather awkward, and at the same time very happy. Trust and promises; Rinne stopped wondering if she was fit for Sakaki. Since Sakaki definitely loved her, then she shouldn’t be holding back as well, and would need to repay him with all of her love.

Rinne thought thus.

“Hmm, milady is very punctual!”

“Have you been waiting long?”

“No, I just got here.”

But then the amount of people swarming around the cafe had swelled up far too quickly!

In such times, an ordinary person would surely had shrank back, giving too much thought to the fact that everyone else was staring. However, Rinne and Sakaki were already used to it, and faced it with a nonchalant composure. Sakaki has a very noteworthy appearance. It would be too stressful to pay much attention to such things.

Rinne’s efforts in picking her clothes paid off. Sakaki said: “Milady, your outfit today is even cuter than normal! I thought you were a pixie.”

That compliment was over the top.

Rinne blushed red with embarra.s.sment.

“Sensei is very handsome too!”

“Thank you… you, on the other hand, are exactly the same as always.”

Sakaki moved his eyes towards Guriko. Guriko jumped.

“Rubbis.h.!.+ Why should I dress up for you!”

“Gu, Guriko-chan, don’t be so harsh as soon as you start to speak… Sensei, you too. Today’s a happy day, isn’t it? Don’t say things that are too provocative…”

Poor Usagawa Rinne. The other two had sparks flying between them, while she only looked on with an helpless expression.

Being unable to sway her the other way, they could only compromise reluctantly for her sake.

“…This is Rinne’s bequest. I want to get on well with you the best possible, but my personality is just how it is, and you’re not too malleable either. so for now –”

Guriko continued with an pure voice: “– let’s maintain the current situation for now. I’ll do my best to control my temper.”

“Then I’ll do the same. I’ll do my best to try trusting you.”

Listening to their incredible conversation, Rinne couldn’t help but feel funny and laughed out loud.

“You two are so similar! I really think that you’d become good friends…”

It’d be great if they can become good friends. Rinne thought this calmly and quietly in her heart.

Rinne’s wish immediately came true. They got together unexpectedly cordially once they removed their pride and guard. Even though it was awkward at first, they gradually understood each other. Guriko could understand Sakaki’s gentleness hidden behind his arrogance, and Sakaki also discovered Guriko’s goodness that was distorted with her clumsiness. It went without saying that it was Rinne who had painstakingly resolved the misunderstandings and misgivings between them.

Sakaki appeared to really sympathize with Guriko’s past that she spoke of. He could also understand that Guriko’s incomprehensible odd behaviors were due to compelling reasons, just as Rinne had said. Sakaki apologized for his previous rudeness, and Guriko also forgave him. The wall looming between the two suddenly collapsed as if their earlier arguments were fake.

This miracle continued for five hours.

‘Bam bam’, brisk and light intermittent sounds could be heard. The location was a more boisterous town a bit further from Kannonsakazaki. This was the gaming zone next to the cinema, and Sakaki and Guriko were challenging a two-player shooting game. They each controlled a toy gun connected to the machine, and fired nonstop while aiming at the violent dragon going berserk in the screen.

This kind of shooting games, in which one can experience an authentic gun battle, wasn’t very rare in the current age. Sakaki and Guriko – who held a gun each – and Rinne, who was sitting in the middle screaming, all sat in the seats modeled after car seats in the s.p.a.ce separated from the outside through a curtain, and were engrossed in the sound and light of the game.

An incredible unity had already arisen between the three, and they were treating each other in an honest and unreserved att.i.tude. Although the conversation between Guriko and Sakaki were still sharp and Rinne couldn’t tell whether they were joking or fighting, that seemed to be their way of communication and even Rinne no longer prevented their arguments now.

The way people deal with each other differs. Compared to sweet words that don’t always seem to be true, she felt that the straightforward and brutally honest way they talked to each other was actually a correct relations.h.i.+p. People can become good friends even without deliberately trying to flatter each other.

Usagawa Rinne became a little less worried when she thought of such things.

Even if there was absolutely no hope in the future, we probably won’t lose.

We won’t lose to fate, or to Mus.h.i.+.

“Guriko! Your bullets haven’t been hitting the enemy at all! Aim properly then shoot! That’s me! Don’t hit your fellow comrade, you traitor! Why are you only accurate when shooting at me? Just more or less aim properly!”

“Shut up! I’ve never played such a furious game. All those eyeb.a.l.l.s flying towards me is a mess on the screen; I’m gonna throw up soon.”

“Guriko-chan’s only played console games in TV…”

Rinne stopped their scolding in a roundabout way, and smiled gently.

By the way, this game they were playing had some strange settings. Moments after dinosaurs appeared, UFOs started attacking from outer s.p.a.ce. While they annihilated aliens, they got involved in a bank robbery too. There was no sense of continuation in the plot. Because there was no way to know what would happen next, just watching it was very fun. The scene suddenly entered in the microbial world, and the two were now fighting white blood cells.

Sakaki was very good with a gun (which was totally expected, since he normally practiced shooting with real bullets). As long as he didn’t get shot by Guriko, he wouldn’t die easily. Guriko, on the other hand, kept wasting coins and dying pathetically. Sakaki prepared a mountain of 100 yen coins, and there wasn’t much left. Still, thanks to that, the two seemed to have reached the end battle. The final boss controlling the robots began some senseless explanations. What a stupid game. Or should she say it was a game that would make the players stupid? The game maker probably wanted to make a stupid game to start with. The plot of the game was very far removed from ‘a masterpiece that is both sensible and moving”.

The robot controlled by the final boss let out scallops from rocket launchers. Sakaki accurately shot through the scallops, while Guriko took the chance and attacked the main body of the robot. However, for some reason, Guriko’s bullets disappeared without even grazing the giant robot.

“Guriko, did you aim before you shoot?”

“The more I aim the more it goes off… is this machine working properly?”

“Don’t blame the machine. Wow, you got me again! Why don’t you aim at the giant robot? You’re aiming at me, who’s as small as a speck of rice – and how come you can actually get me?”

“How would I know. Ask my finger…”

Rinne looked at the two who were conversing well together with a face full of satisfaction, and thought that it was great Guriko and Sakaki can get on well with each other. ‘‘I hate to have two people I like fighting with each other. At least such a situation won’t happen now – although there were still a mountain of questions and there was no sign of a bright future, just being like this can give me a sense of being saved.

At this time, Usagawa Rinne had yet to despair about the future.

No matter how painful and how condemned the future that awaited her may prove to be, Rinne should still be able to get through the difficulties using her optimistic personality and live on happily ever after! It was because she had the strength to keep on living, and Guriko had also said that she will protect her.

And she will stay with Sakaki Guryū forever, till his life ends.

Maybe Usagawa Rinne can stay beside him all the way till the end, and smile with him.

However –

“Crack, splish, crack crack crack.”

“Splat… uuuuu.”

Suddenly -

- The robot that continuously released scallops disappeared. No, it was more like the screen suddenly darkened, and all the pictures disappeared. Even the stereo that was going loud as a storm became silent. The lighting disappeared in the shop. When they drew aside the curtain and looked out, the entire shop was in a blackout.

“What’s wrong?”

Guriko was incredulous, and still held the toy gun in her hands.

“A blackout?”

“How rare. Is the power plant down?”

Rinne’s words were very practical. That should be the reason based on mundane and ordinary logic. Otherwise, perhaps a wire snapped, or that someone took off the shop’s fuse as a prank.

“Buzz… zzzz…”

A sound like the spluttering of flames or the chirping of insects.

“Sakaki… Rinne, hey.”

Guriko called out them with a panicking tone. The two of them, who were looking towards the outside, turned to Guriko.

“What’s up?”

“Something’s going on with the screen.”

Guriko said in an even voice. Following Guriko’s words, Sakaki and Rinne looked at the completely black screen.

There.

“Buzz… zzzzz… zzz…”

An alien scene was getting bigger and bigger on the screen that had lost its power and shouldn’t be able to display any images. “Shhhhha”, the entire screen showed grey things that were writhing as if they were crawling. Worms?

No.

This was –

“Eyeb.a.l.l.s.”

Guriko said succinctly.

Yes, they were countless eyeb.a.l.l.s, and they were very lifelike. White eyeb.a.l.l.s that didn’t seem to belong to anyone were dripping with slick eye liquid. The veins undulated on them, and they twirled like crawling worms.

“Urk…”

Rinne moved her eyes away out of disgust, and Sakaki’s face was also pale as a sheet. Guriko stared straight toward the odd picture. Soon after, the eyeb.a.l.l.s focused into one image.

“Buzz… zzzz… zzz…”

It was a girl.

No, it was something that resembled a girl.

Her body was made of insect parts. She had giant red composite eyes, antennae unique to insects, and a sharp mandible and claws came out of the her s.h.i.+ny black carapace. It was an insect, an insect.

The insect was dressed in a cute, flowing dress, and wore peach colored shoes. The antennae even had a large bow tied to them upon closer inspection. That was a very strange and completely incongruous outfit.

That existence which resembled both a girl and an insect was hugging a bear toy in front of its chest – a teddy bear. The bear had a simple appearance, and the round black eyes were sawed-on b.u.t.tons.

“This –”

With a low voice, Rinne couldn’t help but speak out.

“This teddy bear –”

An incredulous expression surfaced on Rinne’s face.

It’s the teddy bear that I used to want a lot.

Guriko quickly turned to Rinne.

“You’re saying that’s – the one you told me before, the one that your dad won’t buy for you no matter how much you begged?”

“Yes. Ahhh, why, what’s going on, what’s going on –”

Rinne was confused. Guriko couldn’t understand this situation either.

Countless eyeb.a.l.l.s were squashed in next to the insect, and they were so real it was like they truly existed there. Be it color or shape, they were unlike images that would have been shown as part of a gaming scene. The girl-like and insect-like existence, surrounded by eyeb.a.l.l.s, said in a low voice as it moved its antennae:

“… Mus.h.i.+, eyeb.a.l.l.s, a teddy bear…”

It was as if the surrounding air was suddenly frozen over in the blink of an eye.

Everyone was speechless. They couldn’t even move their fingertips, and were completely drawn in by the alien scene before them.

The disgusting monster continued with a cute and girly voice: “… that’s right, they are the things that you fear and desire. Things that exist in the core of your lives. I was born from ‘there’, born from consuming ‘that’.”

This downright chilling, uncomfortably spooky thing kept talking: “… Glad to meet you, mother, I’m the Dream World Beast. Thank you for providing me with nutrition and giving birth to me in this world. You let me obtain such a strong power.”

“Dream World… Beast.”

Sakaki said softly: “You’re that egg’s…”

The Dream World Beast ignored Sakaki’s presence, and kept staring at Rinne and Guriko.

“… A Dream World Beast grows by consuming the ‘dreams’ of humans. The living essence of humans are mixed in ‘dreams’, so it’s very nutritious. For monsters like us, who can’t be counted as living creatures, eating the ‘dreams’ of you, who have Apples, provide us with a very great power.”

“She” continued talking with that chilling voice: “… I’m your ‘desire’, I’m your ‘fear’, and I’m the most primeval thing in your lives. You are the ones who made me into this shape. Mus.h.i.+, eyeb.a.l.l.s, a teddy bear –”

This thing’s appearance was actually something like that.

“…This is your essence. Although this shape is a combination of the ‘dreams’ of both of you, I am very happy. I have obtained such a strong body!”

“You’re saying that this is the essence of – Rinne and I?”

This terrifying monster.

“… Yes. My shape is your ‘desire’, and also your ‘fear’.”

The Dream World Beast stretched her hand, and pointed towards Guriko.

“… You’re scared of Mus.h.i.+, scared of that absolutely incompatible enemy. No matter how much you fight them, how many you manage to kill, Mus.h.i.+ would never die out and would always sp.a.w.n out more. That existence that killed your family –”

“Chirp”, the Dream World Beast made a sound like the cry of birds.

“… At the same time you desire Mus.h.i.+. Killing Mus.h.i.+ is the meaning of your existence. If all the Mus.h.i.+ were to disappear, then you’d lose the meaning in your life. Therefore you’re afraid, and at the same time long for, those Mus.h.i.+.”

Guriko didn’t answer. She only pursed her lips tightly and stared at the Dream World Beast.

The Dream World Beast then looked at Rinne.

”… You’re the same.”

Rinne was startled.

“… You’re also afraid of the decisive teddy bear that changed your life. A teddy bear is just an allusion here. It represents 'something that you wish for’. You lived for 15 years without getting what you wanted. You always longed for the existence of the subject of your desire, but at the same time you’re afraid that such an existence won’t appear.”

The Dream World Beast looked at Sakaki.

“… Then, even if that existence had already appeared, you still often feel afraid, afraid that the subject that can give you your desire – be it love or a place in society – would one day disappear. You fear from the bottom of your heart to be separated from Sakaki Guryū. The contradiction that was created from your heartfelt longing for Sakaki Guryū is this teddy bear…”

Rinne fall onto a chair and s.h.i.+vered continuously. Rinne would of course have such a reaction when her essence was suddenly pointed out. The Dream World Beast continued without a pause.

The Dream World Beast looked straight toward Gankyū Eguriko.

“… You like and hate eyeb.a.l.l.s at the same time.”

Guriko didn’t make a sound.

“Your own eyeb.a.l.l.s, which live in endless time, have long become murky and lost their s.h.i.+ne. Therefore you want to gouge out the pretty eyeb.a.l.l.s. You long for beautiful eyes, want to possess them, and are afraid to be looked at by those beautiful eyes. A fearful contradiction created from jealousy – you became less and less like a human due to this hobby. Gankyū Eguriko, Eyeball Gouger, what an allusion to choose as your name –”

“You’ve been –”

Guriko’s barrel-like eyes stared straight toward the s.p.a.ce before her, and said to the Dream World Beast with a pure voice.

“– chatting away annoyingly for quite some time. Thanks for this tiresome mental test. So, what do you want to use that thing – the monster we gave birth to, for? Mus.h.i.+!”

“… My my…”

The voice –

“You discovered it. What a sharp sixth sense!”

– changed.

Like the falsetto of a man, or the contralto of a female, a chilly and enthralling sound.

Guriko glared at the screen.

“A newborn baby can’t possibly know this much about us. No matter humans, animals, or monsters, a baby is still a baby. Even if it grew by eating our ‘dreams’, can a newborn baby explain ‘dreams’? Those emotions – are only known by you, who’ve been observing us!”

“… How perceptive!”

The sound said delightfully: “This Dream World Beast is indeed still a baby that can’t tell right from wrong, and only has an immature intelligence that I can easily manipulate. However! I need to correct one thing. It’s not ‘us’ who want to use this monster for evil deeds…”

“Puft,” a noise appeared in the image.

“… But me as an individual. Do you know what that means?”

“Crack”.

“Crack, smack, craaaaack, crunch crack.”

The sound of something crumbling was emitted. It was a noise as if the earth was cracking apart, an ear-splitting sound.

It could be heard in the entire gaming zone complex.

“Boom –”

As if this entire building was almost crushed by some weight –

“You b.a.s.t.a.r.d!”

Guriko gave a short yell then sprinted through the crowd after grabbing Sakaki and Rinne’s wrists. Guriko rushed out of the crowd and ran with an unbelievable speed while dragging the other two. At the same moment that they escaped the gaming zone – the entire building crumbled down in the blink of an eye as if it was perfectly timed.

Guriko deflected the debris with her two hands, and saw the giant monster with its back to the sun.

A giant body that can smash buildings with only one foot, dark crimson complex eyes, a sharp jaw. It was just like what they saw on the screen in the gaming console. It wasn’t wearing a flowing dress though, nor were there eyeb.a.l.l.s wriggling beside it, but that was definitely the Dream World Beast that had appeared in the picture.

Watching that enormous giant monster, Guriko couldn’t help but swear out loud: “You monster!”

That was the true form of the Dream World Beast that was hatched due to having eaten the two’s dreams.

I was really too careless. Gankyū Eguriko thought as she lifted up her head to look at the Dream World Beast that was destroying the town. How could she not have sensed such a – gigantic and powerful monster? Could it be that she was too engrossed in the video game? No, that was not it – she couldn’t feel the dangerous aura that would trigger her vigilance even as she was looking at the Dream World Beast with her two eyes. How can she have no feelings of alarm toward a monster with such a terrifying fighting ability and could flatten shops with ease and dig up a building with just one hand?!

But she understood it later. That guy said this monster was born from eating the ‘dreams’ Rinne and I had, then the Dream World Beast should only have the scents of Rinne and myself! For Guriko, Rinne and herself were obviously not targets to be alarmed with, therefore she couldn’t feel its scent.

But these kind of things weren’t important at all.

“Sakaki.”

As Guriko ran further away from the Dream World Beast together with Sakai and Rinne, she said.

Sakaki, who was walking at the front, turned his head to answer Guriko.

“What?”

“You take care of Rinne for me.”

Guriko had made the decision in her heart a long time ago. She had desired to have a place to die since a thousand years ago. However, since there was nothing important to her anywhere, it didn’t matter whether she lived or died. However, she had already taken back her humanity, and could make the decision of for whom – for whom she would fight for.

Rinne noticed Guriko’s thoughts, and her face paled.

“Guriko…chan, could it be that you…”

Guriko smiled gently.

“Rinne, you must live on. You’re worth it.”

“Guriko-chan…”

Rinne looked as if she was about to cry.

“Don’t worry, I won’t die! That’s how I’m constructed!”

Guriko turned around in the blink of an eye, moved her sight away from the two of them, pulled out three spoons that she hid in the pockets of her uniform and threw them. The spoons sparkled beautifully with a silvery sheen under the sunlight. Guriko swiftly dodged from the people fleeing the scene and ran up to the rooftop of a shop and stood like an invincible warrior. She cast one look at the other two, who were walking away, just as Rinne was looking at her. Guriko murmured in a small voice: “Sorry…”

Looking up at the Dream World Beast, Guriko realized her body was shaking.

“… even with an immortal body, it would have to take a few years for me to resuscitate once the body is completely destroyed – I won’t be able to see you for a while. How lonely.”

Guriko suddenly clamped her mouth shut with her hand.

“Would I feel… lonely?”

The Dream World Beast found Guriko, and emitted insect-like cries. “Chirp – chirp –” ‘It’ stared straight at Guriko without blinking. ‘‘The Dream World Beast was probably instructed by Mus.h.i.+ to attack the three of us. If I don’t stop it, those his next target will be those two.

“How human am I! Thank you… Rinne, Sakaki.”

Her words ended here. The following did not need words.

Guriko approached the giant Dream World Beast without fear, and looked at it while facing it. ‘‘Dream World Beasts should be harmless creatures with no power of destruction, right? Could it be that Rinne and I changed it? The two of us, who have twisted cause and effect, triggered miracles, and ate the Apple of Eden, actually managed to change the anatomical makeup of the Dream World Beast so much. I have to take responsibility, and finish this in that gentle one’s stead.

“Mom… mom.”

The Dream World Beast’s answering cries sounded like it was calling for its mother. Although it may be a delusion… no, it shouldn’t be! Controlled by Mus.h.i.+ and having to fight its mother, this pitiful baby only had its voice left to express its true nature. Therefore, its mouth kept crying: “Mom… mom. Mom… mom.”

“Sorry.”

Guriko clutched her fists and said: “Mom – has to kill you.”

Then the slaughter began. As the crowd had quickly left, there were no humans left around them. The scattered brick and dust fell like rain. Guriko stood there majestically, and faced the giant Dream World Beast that blocked the sun. Guriko must have been the only one who could keep the Dream World Beast here.

“Wham”, the Dream World Beast unhesitatingly put down its enormous front feet. If she were stepped on directly, even Guriko would be flattened. Guriko jumped to the shop rooftops and dodged this attack impressively. Moreover, she jumped directly on the Dream World Beast’s dangling arm, and ran up to its shoulder in one dash. As if frightened, the Dream World Beast eagerly wanted to use its other front limb to swat her off. However, Guriko dodged that strike as well, and landed on the face of the Dream World Beast, which is about as big as a small shop. She dangled beneath the antennae, and wondered where she should strike. Panicking, the Dream World Beasts emitted chirping cries and twitched anxiously.

– Take this!

Guriko mercilessly threw the spoons in her hand, but those spoons bounced off the Dream World Beast’s tough carapace and fell on the ground. Guriko clicked her tongue in amazement, and swung towards the Dream World Beast’s complex eyes while still clutching to the spoons in her hand. Those was her only weapons. Therefore, if her next attack still had no effect, she would have no advantage whatsoever. As she accelerated, Guriko forcibly stabbed the spoon into the complex eye.

A violent stab. The stab didn’t feel to be as deep as she’d imagined. The eyes of insects are made of tougher material and are different from those of mammals. Although Guriko had a lot of raw force, she only managed to pierce it after a lot of effort.

The Dream World Beast was immediately enraged when its body was wounded by the stab.

“Roooooooaaaaaar –”

The Dream World Beast ignored its own injuries and swung at Guriko violently. Although Guriko s.h.i.+fted away in the blink of an eye, she was still too close and received a direct hit. Her body flew out as she felt the impact. Guriko coughed up blood as soon as she hit the ground.

“Urgh…”

Her entire body felt like it was destroyed. This destructive power was simply incomparable. However, Guriko still managed to wipe off the blood on her body, and feebly stood up while leaning against the wall. Even when covered in blood, Guriko still did not give up on this battle.

“Don’t you dare that think that such things… are enough to kill me!”

An unyielding spirit burned in Guriko’s eyes as she yelled towards the Dream World Beast: “Come on! I’m still alive!”

But – Guriko did not know.

She did not know that the worst possible development was going on whether she managed to defeat the Dream World Beast or not. Guriko did not realize that, and that lack of realization was her mistake and her misfortune.

The final countdown had begun. Everything was simply a preparation for this progress toward a helpless end. Rinne meeting Guriko, Guriko kissing Sakaki, the rampage of Legion Bandanna, the hatching of the Dream World Beast - it was all a script prepared by the very worst existence for some unknown purpose. Only the one who created the script can obtain happiness in that script. Only that ugly creature who controlled the Mus.h.i.+, controlled the Dream World Beast, and wanted to obtain the Apples.

“Do you – believe in G.o.d?”

That young man appeared casually and abruptly. For some reason, the crowds which were huddled in fear around them have all disappeared, and an unbelievable silence surrounded them. The young man’s terrifying voice, like a male falsetto and a female contralto, seemed extraordinarily loud. Dressed in a purple robe, holding a large crystal orb in his hand, the young man who has removed his cape had eyes which were sparkling with a faint reddish light.

Sakaki Guryū and Usagawa Rinne suddenly froze. Sakaki had long determined this young man to be an enemy, and his vigilance was understandable as Rinne had once been strangled by this youth and his companions and she was almost killed. However, the young man knew very well that Sakaki’s vigilance was useless, and therefore continued to speak calmly: “Whether you believe it or not, it doesn’t really matter in the current situation. There was indeed an existence called G.o.d! Although I don’t know about the current times, the absolute existence called G.o.d did indeed exist in the past. But even if it is G.o.d, a creature is still a creature. It can be wounded, can become sick, and of course has a lifespan. The inability to evade death is the destiny of all things alive, even for G.o.d. G.o.d was terrified of the death that would one day arrive, and attempted to escape death.”

The Mus.h.i.+ walked towards the two quietly. Sakaki got Rinne to hide behind his back.

“Therefore, G.o.d created the forbidden fruit with all of His knowledge and omnipotence. G.o.d made the Apple Tree grow in the Garden of Eden, using almost half of His own soul. The Tree soon budded and grew, and formed those red fruits. The soul of G.o.d, which swelled due to having absorbed Earth’s nutrition, was contained in that fruit. It multiplied from one piece to a hundred and from the hundreds to the tens of thousands. G.o.d wanted to increase the size His soul this way. Suppose that G.o.d’s life span is a thousand years, then the soul used to create the Apple Tree would has five hundred years of life. But the Apples multiply. After a hundred years, the Apples would probably multiply a thousand times to its original amount. Therefore, if He ate the fruit harvested from there, then G.o.d’s life span would multiply by the thousands too. If this went on, then G.o.d would undoubtedly obtain endless life.”

“However – ” The fortune teller stopped in his tracks, and laughed at Sakaki.

“That was the situation when the Apple Tree first started to bear fruit. Something happened later. The two humans sent to protect the Apple Tree – Adam and Eve – ate the first Apple, and with it five hundred years of G.o.d’s life. Of course, I was only giving an example when I said G.o.d’s lifespan is a thousand years. No one knows what it truly was. It may be ten thousand or a hundred thousand years. Although no one knows how many years it was, Adam and Eve nonetheless ate half of it. In rage, G.o.d wanted to chop them to pieces. However, thanks to some other existence, the two actually managed to escape from G.o.d.”

“Pfft”, he questioned with a laugh: “What do you think that existence was?”

This – wasn’t a Mus.h.i.+. Mus.h.i.+ don’t have such an expression. Mus.h.i.+ don’t have such a cunning, such a hideous smile. Sakaki stared right at him and screamed.

“You b.a.s.t.a.r.d –”

“That existence is called ‘Snake’.”

A smile emerged on the young fortune teller’s face like a snake devouring its prey as he quietly p.r.o.nounced its name.

“Snake longed for immortality. No, no, all creatures possess the wish to be immortal! But Snake’s desire exceeded that of all others. It didn’t want to die,it wanted to live on. It didn’t wanted to age, it wanted to be immortal. For Snake, who longed thus, the Apples of Eden was something it wanted very much. Therefore, Snake manipulated the two who guarded the Apples of Eden and told them: ‘go steal the Apple!’ in a serious tone.”

The fortune-teller laughed.

“Adam and Eve were completely fooled and decided to steal the Apple. Of course, that was to be handed to Snake. Snake couldn’t bear to have any other immortals apart from itself, and thus burnt the Apple Tree. Snake thought that the Apple should have about 500 or 5000 years of life in it. Then, after eating this Apple, it should be able to do what G.o.d did – plant new Apples, and make itself immortal!”

“However –“

"Something outside of Snake’s plan happened. While Snake was burning the Apple Tree, Adam and Eve ate half an Apple each. With nothing else that it could do, Snake decided to let Adam and Eve escape from the Garden of Eden for now and decided to think of a way to rob their Apple away later. It also left the Garden of Eden afterwards. However, Snake didn’t give up on immortality! Nonetheless, Snake’s life was very short compared to the two humans who almost lived to forever. After leaving the last words of ‘What a regret!’ to its children, it died. Of course, its children inherited his last will… even now, the descendants of Snake are still seeking the Apples of Eden.”

As if he was talking about himself, the fortune-teller went on placidly.

Could it be – Sakaki thought.

Could this guy be –

“Let’s leave the business of Snake alone for a while. Adam and Eve, who ate the Apple, wanted to leave the Apple to their descendants too. Therefore, the two of them recreated the Garden of Eden in the crossroad between life and death, a realm where only humans can arrive at. They buried the Apple there, nursed an Apple Tree, and even till today that place still contains an Apple Tree. Usagawa Rinne –”

The fortune-teller stared at Rinne and Rinne jumped.

“– It was that Apple Tree which you saw when you came near death.”

“Ahhhh –”

Rinne wailed and instantly broke down. She couldn’t imagine it was a tree with such a profound background. It was too scary, and this incredible and ancient burden almost snapped Rinne in half. The forbidden fruit that was pursued with a crazed fervor by G.o.d, Snake, and Adam and Eve – was eaten by Rinne.

So that was why. It was truly too great a crime.

“The possibility of discovering the Apple Tree is very low, and it seems that humans who are able to eat that Apple are even fewer. The Apples of Eden grow very slowly and don’t bear fruit very often. Also, Apples tend to hang at rather high places. Not many people are willing to climb up the tree to pluck the Apple.”

“It’s because I was thirsty.”

Staring into empty s.p.a.ce, Rinne murmured to herself in a rather hoa.r.s.e voice: “So I wanted that apple very much.”

“In other words, you ‘wanted very much to keep living’. A life in which nothing happy ever happened depressed you, and so you wished to live more happily. That wish was then expressed in the form of ‘thirst’! Since the Garden of Eden is located in the world of the soul… the workings of the mind will change into the workings of the body and be expressed physically. That’s how it is. This always makes me excited.”

But the fortune-teller continued as if he was impatient: “Even though we know so much, we can’t even approach the Garden of Eden. Only humans can enter the spiritual realm of humans, and that applies even to G.o.d. The one remaining half of G.o.d’s soul that was carefully multiplied and preserved survived, and vowed to take back the Apples taken by men.”

“And the things that were created for this purpose are Mus.h.i.+.” – The fortune-teller said with a smile. “Back then, crowds of Mus.h.i.+ appeared to humanity in all sorts of forms. Some were called angels, and some demons. Demons helped men to fulfill wishes with the condition of taking the human’s soul – that was a common idea, wasn’t it? The demon that appeared in such stories were Mus.h.i.+. Since the Apple takes root in the soul, you must take the soul if you’re going to take the Apple. And as long as the holder of the soul does not surrender it, then the soul cannot be separated from the flesh. However, if there was even a little bit of thought along the lines of ‘I don’t want this thing’, then the soul could depart from the human. That was the reason that demons helped men to fulfill wishes. The soul cannot disobey the conditions set out in the contract, therefore demons – Mus.h.i.+ – helped certain men to fulfill wishes with the soul as the price. And within that would be the Apple.”

The fortune-teller s.h.i.+fted on his feet and put down the crystal orb, and continued with a smile: “That was the original job of the Mus.h.i.+ – the job for which they were created, I’ll have you know. They have only one purpose, and that is to take back the Apples of Eden and offer it up to the mighty Creature for Him to enjoy. What a laudable virtue! And how pitiful! They actually let go of the Apples – the Apples that can grant immortality.”

A distinct expression of contempt emerged on the fortune-teller’s face.

“How stupid, how foolis.h.!.+ I would never do such a thing. If I was to offer the wondrous Apple to a G.o.d whom no one knows He exists or not and may even have already died – I would rather eat the Apple myself.”

“You b.a.s.t.a.r.d, you've –”

...already eaten an Apple.

“You b.a.s.t.a.r.d –”

Sakaki called the same words out again.

“Of course, I am Snake!”

As he spoke, Snake moved his hand out from beneath his long robes, revealing the pistol that he took from Sakaki the night before yesterday while at the school. ‘‘d.a.m.n’’, Sakaki thought. If the opponent was a monster, then he could just run, but it wouldn’t be the same now he has a gun. That was the reason Snake took Sakaki’s gun.

“Milady, run –”

"Bam" "bam" "bam"

Three bullets slammed into Sakaki as blood splashed everywhere. Sakaki’s body was crumpled up with Rinne’s and the two of them fell backwards together. Sakaki’s blood spurted onto Rinne’s face, and she screamed.

Blood, blood, bright red blood. He kept bleeding. It wouldn’t stop. It simply kept flowing, flowing away with his life.

Blood.

“Don’t worry. He won’t die, but it’ll be very painful!”

Snake said softly. Rinne called meaninglessly out to Sakaki, who had lost consciousness.

Far away, Guriko continued fighting vigorously with the Dream World Beast. There was no salvation. There was no hope.

Rinne sobbed and cried on and on.

But Sakaki did not respond to her cries.

“… I pretended to be a Mus.h.i.+ because it’s very easy. I accidentally discovered a human with an Apple about 50 years ago, and I robbed away his Apple. Apples have the power to twist cause and effect and create miracles. Most Mus.h.i.+ don’t have abilities to think; just using a little of the Apple’s power can easily trick them. For example –”

The red in Snake’s eyes disappeared, and golden eyes with reptilian slits showed up.

“Changing the color of my eyes, changing my voice; just these things made those guys sincerely believe I am their comrade. Once they began to trust me, the rest was easy. I could tell those guys some nonsense to manipulate them, and I could obtain information concerning Apple holders at the same time. After all, my aim is to eat as many Apples as possible and live forever. Posing as Mus.h.i.+, it was very convenient in terms of trying to achieve this. I’m just a little bit not used to their way of speech.”

Snake smiled. It was a very evil smile. He looked at Rinne, who was glaring at him while hugging the blood-covered Sakaki. Rinne knelt on the tarmac road with overwhelming sadness and anger and stared silently at Snake. Snake became very irritated.

“What are you glaring at? Are you sad because that man was shot? Ahaha, wake up, it was obviously your fault that this man is shot.”

“My fault –”

Rinne said with a shaking voice. Tears welled out continuously from her eyes.

“Yes, your fault. If you hadn't fallen in love with Sakaki Guryū – then he would never have been shot here by me today, and would definitely be living a happy life.”

“Me – it’s me?”

Rinne’s heart wavered. Snake didn’t let this opportunity pa.s.s and went on: “Yes, you’re the one who brought misfortune to Sakaki Guryū. He died because of you. If he hadn’t met you, hadn't saved someone like you, hadn't fall in love with someone like you, then Sakaki Guryū would not have died. You’re the one who brought misfortune upon Sakaki Guryū.”

Snake repeated the same words and slowly approached Rinne, who was shaking all over. Rinne was confused due to the shooting of her lover, and she should be feeling that everything was really her fault.

Aha, it’s time. Snake smiled cunningly.

“Would you consider giving me your soul?”

Silence –

Rinne couldn’t understand his words – and stayed mute, unable to speak at all. Seeing this, Snake moved up to her face and smiled. It was an angelic and at the same time devilish smile.

“That’s the only way to save Sakaki Guryū!”

Rinne’s eyes widened. She loved Sakaki a lot, and felt that Sakaki was more important than her life or her soul. If so, all Snake needed to do would have been to threaten her with her most important person as a hostage. Why must he kill him?

Snake said gently: “To put it simply, your soul contains the miraculous Apple, and eating it would resurrect a man who’s near death. You should know this, since you’ve experienced it yourself –”

A year ago –

Rinne almost died, but regained her life due to eating the Apple.

“Everything will be alright if you just give your soul to me. How do you do that? Easy. You just need to say: ‘I’ll give my soul to you’, and acknowledge that fact from the bottom of your heart. Then, the right of possession of the soul would transfer from your body to me. I swear I’ll save Sakaki Guryū with that soul.”

“Milady…”

Having perhaps regained consciousness, Sakaki slightly opened his eyes and uttered some words painfully.

“Sensei! Sensei!”

Rinne screamed and cried. Sakaki continued, doing his best to voice out words: “… No, don’t listen to him. This b.a.s.t.a.r.d once said Guriko is the devil. I think he is the devil. This b.a.s.t.a.r.d only wants to get milady’s soul... don’t be fooled! Leave someone like me alone. Milady, you should be able to escape by yourself, run away – and live on, then… I’d be –”

"Bam" "Bam" "Bam"

Blood splattered everywhere.

“No!”

Rinne screamed. The impact of the bullets made Sakaki’s body jerk once again. The bullets avoided vital organs, instead striking places where they would bring infinite pain. Sakaki moaned in agony as bright red blood soaked onto Rinne’s clothes. She hit the Snake, hit him forcefully.

“Stop it! Stop it! Why are you – b.a.s.t.a.r.d!”

Snake grabbed Rinne’s wrist, and slapped Rinne with his other hand.

Rinne landed hard upon the tarmac road, her temple smas.h.i.+ng against the ground. Blood seeped out. It hurt. Oh, how it hurt...but Sakaki hurt more. And his pain –

...is all caused by me.

“… Manipulating Mus.h.i.+ to place poison in the bento and commanding Legion Bandanna to attack him were all to force him into a near-death situation!”

Snake said happily: “I picked Sakaki Guryū as my target and not you. The amount of poison wasn’t enough to kill him. On the off chance that Legion Bandanna really managed to almost kill Sakaki, I also planned to help him. However, both attempts were foiled by Gankyū Eguriko and didn’t succeed… but I would only have counted it lucky if they actually did manage to work. By the way, I only wanted confirmation when I attacked you at the clearing. If your Apple hadn't grown and you could still die – then I’d just kill you. Then it wouldn’t be as problematic as today; I could have ended everything with just killing you and taking away your soul. Although that plan failed at the end as well – it doesn’t matter since I’m about to achieve my goal today anyways.”

Lowering his head to look at Sakaki, covered the blood, an evil smile emerged on Snake’s face.

“Alright, if you don’t want Sakaki to die, then give your soul to me. Of course, if you don’t trust me, you can also choose not to give it to me. The worst that can happen is that Sakaki will die. After all, he’s merely a stranger, not your family, no one close. So if you consider him as a stranger – ”

Stranger?

He was no stranger.

Rinne stared at Sakaki. Sakaki’s face had grown pallid from blood loss. Rinne felt the urge to scream. She felt dizzy, and her head was heavy. No...no, I don’t want this.

I don’t want Sakaki to die. It shouldn’t be like this.

Rinne loved Sakaki.

“Sensei… Sensei.”

Snake wanted to use Rinne’s innocent love to take away her soul. That was the plan he came up with, and it was the most effective plan to take Usagawa Rinne’s soul.

Rinne only hesitated a little.

How could this gentle girl choose otherwise when faced with Sakaki, who was approaching death?

Rinne quietly said: “… I, give you my soul.”

“Hehe.” Snake laughed.

“Hehe, hehehe.” He laughed.

It was a very evil laugh. The most devious and heinous laugh in the world.

A few tears fell from Rinne’s face. She gazed at Sakaki, and said her final words: “… Sensei, I’ve always wanted to repay you, repay the debt that I own you. It was the life that you gave me and your love. Did I – repay it? Sensei… Guryū –”

Rinne touched Sakaki’s lips with her own.

“– I love you. Thank you.”

And she fell down immediately – Usagawa Rinne no longer moved.

– Obviously, Snake would never pity Usagawa Rinne, and those words he spoke to her were evidently lies. Snake never intended to save Sakaki. How could he possibly use such a hard-earned Apple on such a fool? Usagawa Rinne was a hopelessly kind human, and at the same time a hopeless idiot. She really did offer up her soul for Sakaki’s sake! Snake roared with maniacal laughter. It was ridiculous, absolutely ridiculous, unbearably ridiculous. What a tragedy! What a beautiful love! Wasn’t it outstanding?! Wasn’t it touching?!

And he had obtained a second Apple only because of that.

Now he was one step closer to eternity.

The Snake ate the soul – Apple – that he robbed from Rinne after laughing for a while. He then walked towards Sakaki Guryū, pointing the gun at him without hesitation. How can I possibly fulfill my promise? Usagawa Rinne had surely died a meaningless death. Honestly – did she really think that there would even be a remote chance for the Snake to save Sakaki?

“Unfortunately, I – am not that romantic.”

The gun barrel was indeed aiming at Sakaki’s forehead, aiming at a man who had already stopped breathing. The Snake laughed as if he felt genuine joy from the bottom of his heart.

“Bam!”

With a bam, the gun in the Snake’s hands was shot away and was dismembered.

“– Urk!”

Snake, who had yet to forget the sensation of pain, allowed a shade of agony to invade his expression. That flying missile did more than simply destroying the gun. It even sank into the back of his hand, piercing deeply into itwith an agonizing jolt of pain.

“Uaaaa…”

The Snake hurriedly looked toward the direction of the attack. In fact, he knew who it was without even lifting his head. The weapon that had pierced the back of his hand and drawn blood was a spoon. There was only one person whom Snake knew used such a thing as her weapon.

“Gankyū… Eguriko.”

“… I heard most of it, because I’ve got pretty fine hearing!”

Gankyū Eguriko said with a sharp voice. She walked toward the battle from the other side of the road. Her face was covered with blood, and even her sailor uniform was dyed crimson. Those eyes, like gun barrels, were full of anger, and she still sported that unique wolf-like hair cut.

Guriko said with a raging voice: “You piece of s.h.i.+t… you’re not even worthy to have me gouge out your eyeb.a.l.l.s.”

“Where’s the… the Dream World Beast?”

Rather than the pain of his wound, Snake tottered more out of surprise. He did not expect Guriko to appear so quickly. Guriko guessed that – Snake originally planned to first take away Rinne’s Apple then attack Guriko, who would be fighting a bitter war with the Dream World Beast. He would attack her till she could not keep up with her regeneration, and would then slowly contemplate a method to take away her soul – that should cover it!

What a boring plan!

Snake looked towards the sky. The Dream World Beast, which was destroying the city uncontrollably just moments ago, was already gone. Snake’s eyes widened, and screamed as if wondering ‘how can this be’: “Could it be… could it have been destroyed?”

Guriko sighed quietly.

“You didn’t discover that? So you were so immersed in your bad taste of an obsessed game and went slack on your surveillance of the surroundings! The Dream World Beat was already destroyed, burnt into ashes by bombs!”

“Bomb, bombs…”

“Sakaki probably called them! It was probably the US Army stationed in j.a.pan or the j.a.panese Self-Defence Force. The Air Force appeared and dropped a few bombs, so the Dream World Beast died. Maybe they reduced its power, so there weren’t much of a sound and it didn’t explode – it could even be something called petrol bombs. Although I don’t know much about current military developments – when this country erupted into war some years ago, similar bombs were also thrown on it.”

To be correct, they weren't called petrol bombs, but then Guriko didn’t know much about such things. All she knew was that the Dream World Beast was finished in just a few blows. The Dream World Beast had died calling for its mother. When Guriko thought of this, she couldn’t help but feel pity for that monster.

“How much more misfortune do you want to create?! You’re Snake, right? Are you the one hiding behind all those things? I was just thinking that there were too many Mus.h.i.+ – so it was you who gathered them all here. All the puzzles are now solved – although it’s too late.”

Guriko narrowed her eyes with sorrow, and looked at Sakaki and Rinne who were lying on the ground.

“… Sorry, I couldn’t protect you.”

Guriko completely ignored whatever Snake was roaring about. She walked slowly toward them and knelt down quietly. Guriko was covered with blood. Her left wrist was twisted in an odd angle, and fresh blood kept coming out. The blood mixed together with the tears that welled out of Guriko’s eyes, and flew past her cheeks like sanguineous tears.

After having cried for a while, Guriko smiled bitterly. This wasn’t like her at all. She gave one wave of her hand.

“Boom”. It was a wondrous sound. At least, that was what it sounded like for Guriko. Rinne, who had lost her soul and no longer moved, quickly opened her eyes. Sakaki’s bullet-riddled wounds also slowly disappeared. With faces full of confusion, they looked at Guriko who was next to them.

“Guriko… chan.”

Using her slight metallic voice that sounded like the swaying of bells, Rinne said: “Huh – why, didn't, I die…?”

Sakaki was also full of puzzlement.

“My wounds – healed. How? This is –”

“Ahahahahahahahah!”

Someone was laughing.

“Ahahaha, ahahahahahahahah! Hahahahahaha! Ahahahaha!”

Snake was laughing.

“Gahahaha! Aha – ahaaaa! Hahahaha! Haha! Hahahaha!”

It was a sound of ridicule.

“How stupid, foolish, ridiculous! You idiot! Such a thing – Ahahaha, I didn’t think that you’d do such a thing! I didn’t think you’d be so idiotic – becoming so stupid!”

“Since even you are calling me stupid, then it must be the truth!”

Guriko said quietly: “But you don’t have the right to mock me."

“Of course I’d laugh. I’d laugh regardless! This is really too funny! You did something ridiculous! It’s like you rushed into a fire but accidentally poured oil instead of water inside. A foolish business that’s stupid beyond everything else! How can I not laugh?!”

“Ahahahahahaha.” Snake laughed even louder.

Guriko ignored Snake.

She looked at the two with a genuine expression that hid her resolve within.

“I have now given you Apples. They are Apples of my friends’ that I have always protected. Because the heart lives within the physical body, Rinne maintained Rinne’s looks and so had Sakaki –”

“Gak.” Guriko spat out a large puddle of blood. Her regenerative abilities had decreased due to the decrease in her Apple’s power.

Rinne and Sakaki cried out in surprise. Guriko continued with a smile: “An Apple would only use its original power when its host suffered a serious wound – a fatal wound. It would heal the host’s wounds and reduce pain. That is the power of G.o.d. You have eaten half of G.o.d’s soul. The miracles and distortion of cause-and-effect should also be the power of G.o.d! That is, if what Snake said was true.”

Though Guriko was fighting the Dream World Beast, she had definitely heard the conversations here. That was an effect of body function enhancement, achieved with the power of the Apple.

“… As long as you have G.o.d’s power, Sakaki, you won’t be able to die. The bullets won’t disappear, so you’d have to dig them out yourself. Although it’d hurt, you’ll have to bear it. Rinne lost her appet.i.te because her regenerative abilities w