Kouta and I are now running away together with Priscilla who came rushing to the throne room because of the explosion.
We are immediately made to flee by the knight captains and soldiers that gathered there. They prioritized our life over theirs, although, I would have run without them telling me.
“Priscilla! Do you have any plans?!”
“I do. And fighting back is none of those.”
“We’re not stupid!”
“Just saying…”
“So, what is the plan?”
“Those people who are left behind back there won’t even last a minute. Listen carefully, if you guys don’t want to waste their sacrifice, do as I say.”
“…”
“First, they shouldn’t be able to get here undetected. But the case says otherwise. They must have entered this place using a warp. That must be spawning those devils across the city too.”
“Wait…!”
“I want you guys to avoid contact with those people as much as possible while trying to cut off that warp they used.”
“Only the two of us? What about you?!”
“I will evacuate the civilians. In times of calamity, the masses are the main priority. I will group with the others to give orders too. You two go on ahead and do your given task. If things get dangerous, go to the dining hall and open the hidden path towards the safety shelter and make sure no enemy followed you.”
“I see. Kouta, you heard the plan, right?”
As I turn to look at Kouta, his face is dimmed as he grimaces upon the event happening outside. Houses burning, people are screaming and devils are roaring.
“I understand. Let’s put a stop to this!”
“And also…”
“Priscilla?”
“Be careful of anyone…”
“…”
“Those warps stone… might have been planted by someone beforehand.”
“Got it. We shall go now.”
Kouta and I run separately from Priscilla as we got to the large hall in the first floor heading outside to do our task. As expected of Priscilla, she already thought up of a plan and decisively gave out orders to us.
As we arrive at the fortress gate, there are soldiers barricading the way to prevent any devils to surge in. When we approach, they took notice of us.
“Heroes, we are terribly sorry. We cannot open up the path now. The devils are invading the fortress!”
“How about the people outside the fortress?!”
“We are ordered to prioritize your safety. It was the emperor’s order!”
“They enemy are also inside!”
“What?!”
I informed every soldier about what we saw inside the throne room including the death of the Dragon Emperor Oubo and the possibility of someone being a traitor as Priscilla speculated.
“The emperor…no way…”
“What are you guys going to do?”
“…”
“Hey..!”
“We will carry out your orders for the meantime. Please, lead us, Great Heroes…”
“Ah..!”
“Since it has come to this, we cannot trust anyone but only you heroes. Please, tell us what to do.”
“Okay… Every soldier should prioritize the safety of the civilians no matter what! If you saw Hero Mito and Hero Rose, tell them to evacuate the people who are unable to fight to the next city and treat them. “
“Yes!”
“And form ranks to suppress the upcoming devils. That’s all! I am sorry as I am not really that sufficient to be a leader…”
“No matter. We just need someone to lay our life for. It is such the way of us Dragon Kin.”
“Thank you.”
After ordering the soldiers to remove the barricades to let us through, they immediately form a rank and calls for more people. They headed out to the city to save civilians and to fight of the devils.
What I told all the soldiers are not easy.
No…
I basically told them to go on a suicide. It’s just a matter of time before the devils engulf the whole city in complete chaos. But before that, we are going to make sure to minimize the damage that they do, even if I send some people to their deaths.
“Bacarra…”
“…Kouta?”
“Don’t be reckless too.”
“..Eh?”
“I am telling you to not be reckless…”
“…”
“I don’t want to lose someone anymore…”
“Kouta…”
“The pain…is unbearable. We lost Ichirou and I won’t be losing anyone anymore!”
“So..!”
“So that’s why I have to stand up myself and carry out what Ichirou told me! I have to protect everyone!”
“I see… it seems you are already bouncing back.”
“Yeah! Look… an enemy…!”
As Kouta’s eye lit up again and regains his determination, we plunge ourselves in a battle against the devils teeming the whole city, saving people looking for any clues that would help us to stop them flooding the Capital.
Kouta, donning his soul weapon, a knuckle, punches every devil with vigor and I will watch out for his back as he takes front line and I take the artillery.
And as we got to the downtown where the market is located, which is now burning to the ground, the numbers of the devils has drastically increased in this particular area.
“Kouta! This must be one of those places!”
“You mean where the warp was planted?!”
“Yes!”
“So that’s why devils are all over the place!”
“Captain Obvious.”
“Oh?! You are starting it again?!”
“Hmph! Let’s see who’s going take down more!”
“You are a magic user! How can I even compete?!”
“Deal with it!”
“Then I will! Uwooooohhhh!”
I increase the output of my magic and Kouta buffs his own self with enhancements to prepare for the battle against the horde of the devils in front of us.
“[Gust!] [Icicle Blast!] [Shadow Stuck!]”
“[Flash Blow!]
“Ora ora ora!”
“Is that your limit?!”
“Not yet!”
“Ahahaha! Come on!”
“Uwoooooh!”
As I blast them with my magic consecutively, completely wrecking a temperament havoc in the place and avoiding hitting Kouta as much as possible. Kouta on the other hand, keeps the devils occupied with his tanking and offensive barrages so they won’t be able to reach me.
He moves in a flash and then punches the devils in the guts, blowing them away and knocking up the foes behind them. As the chance came, he rushes at them again with consecutive blows, pulverizing them to death.
With our teamwork, we cleared them in no time and proceeds further ahead of where more of them came from.
I cast my spell now with prudence to save up magical energy and Kouta always looks back at me to see where I target my magic so he would prevent getting hit rather than rushing at them thoughtlessly.
And as expected, just like what Priscilla told us, there was a dark purple warp gate the seems so sinister. Under it is a stone emitting magical energy.
“Bacarra, it seems that it’s dangerous to approach it… will you?”
“I shall.”
“[Zap.]”
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Generating a little tinge of straight lightning from my finger, it hit the stone immediately and it got cracked opens and lose its power. The warp gate that was floating in the air diminishes slowly and fades out.
“Yeah! We did it!”
“Are you an idiot?”
“What did you say?!”
“Don’t think that’s the only one… summing up the scale of the damage and the rate of devils spawning from the warp, there are probably two more of those.”
“Then we just have to do it!”
“Fufufu. Try not to hold me back, okay?”
“I’ve been protecting your sassy butt, you tits demon!”
“Oh!? You’ve said now, you moronic jerk who knows nothing but looking at every women chest!”
ROAR!!
“It seems we won’t be able to bicker with each other now like we usually do.”
“I’m all set! Let’s go!”
As we head back from where we came from, we already saw the soldiers fighting devils and assisting the civilians we saved earlier. It takes three or four normal soldiers with little experience to defeat a devil so most of them are teaming up against a single devil.
Since the district we came from is already cleared, we already began hunting for the second warp stone planted around the capital.
………
Wait….
If those dangerous people appeared in the throne room….then there must be a warp stone in the throne room!
There are only a few people who can meet the king personally inside the throne room.
Most of them would be his aides and people who ask to see the king. But during those times, the whole throne room is heavily guarded that no one can make a single unseen movement.
Come to think of it, only we, the heroes are allowed inside the throne room to move freely and visit the room as we please…
Lies…
Then it must really one of us…
No. I hope not.
There wouldn’t be any motive in the first place.
……..
Kouta and I began eliminating devils at the lowland districts. As we move towards the inner walls where another city district is located, the numbers of the devils are increasing too. It should mean that we are on the right track.
………
Is it just me or…the devils numbers are thinning up…almost like they stopped appearing midway.
“Kouta, something is… weird here…”
“You said it… even though, devils stopped appearing as we entered this district. It gives me this chill…”
As we entered inside the wall of the lowland district, there’s only one thing to describe this once lively and happy place…
Hell…
The fire burns everyone houses and dead bodies…are everywhere…
Mangled…
Burnt to crisps…
Mutilated
…
“…”
“Bacarra?!”
“A…Ah…”
“Don’t look at it!”
“ah…”
I feel so dizzy and my knees got weak as I saw the dead bodies… My breathing becomes ragged and my eyes started to spin…
I feel like I am about to puke what I have eaten earlier. The stench of the dead permeated my nostrils and started to invade my sanity.
“Bacarra!”
“Huh?!”
“I said don’t look!”
Kouta snapped me out and grab me by the shoulders and turn me around to his direction.
“Look into me! Look at who is alive! Look is talking to you right now!”
“W-hat the hell…how can you stay calm at times like this?!”
“Because... I have seen many similar events…”
“What…”
“I told everyone, right? I am a soldier in service… this kind of sight… is something I have seen before…”
“That’s…”
“But what’s worse is that sometimes, lives are lost in our hands. Like a life of a comrade… a friend…”
“Kouta…sorry…”
“Why are you apologizing?”
“Because… i…”
“…You are actually are a really good girl, Bacarra.”
“Eh..?”
“Let’s go. We need something to do, right?”
“Ah…Ok!”
Kouta walks deeper towards the district. I walk behind him avoiding all the ugly things around us. I walk closer to his back and only stare at it. It made me feel a bit secure.
Even in this hell of a place, I found comfort from his presence alone. I feel like I can be my real self when I talk to him, leaving all the ugliness that I have.
……….
…?!
“Bacarra…it seems we have found the cause…”
“What kind of…devils is that?!”
A blob of darkness with humanoid shape stands before us. It’s holding a sword and a shield. The thing before us is also wearing full plate that is the same as its color.
Black…
Even its eyes are dull dark. On top of that, it’s emitting a presence similar to an Arcana Magician. Or is it possible that its own self is an arcana magician?
“UWAAARRGGHHH!”
“Dodge!”
Both of us jump sideways opposite from each other as the thing before us rushes at us with a swing of its sword. As its sword landed at the ground, it created a mist of darkness.
“Kouta! It’s using something, I don’t know what it is, but be careful!”
“We just have to find out what it is! Bacarra! Throw some magic!”
“Fine!”
“[Fire Blast!]”
As I cast a magic called Fire Blast, a ball of fire forms in front of me and began spinning towards the enemy. If this magic hits the foe, it will instantly explode.
The fire shoots towards the devil but it didn’t do anything, in fact, it raises its sword towards the ball of flame.
Before the flame could make contact to the devil, the devil slashes it and the seemingly fast approaching fast fireball was caught in the mist the devil is producing.
“Bacarra!”
“It has eaten the fire blast?!”
“UWOOOOH!”
Because of the spectacle happened, I was so surprised that I wasn’t able to perceive the upcoming attack of the enemy catching me off guard!
It rushes at me and swings it sword upwards aiming for my flank.
As the sword cuts through the air, a seemingly steel knuckle rebound the sword. Kouta was able to dashes beside the devil and attacks it. But as Kouta was about to pull his left hand and go straight with another punch, the devil immediately put up its shield and…
CLANG!
Kouta’s attack was stopped.
Before the devil could make another swing, Kouta pulled me and carry me at his arm and retreated back with a leap backward.
“What happened, Bacarra?!”
“I don’t have any idea! My attack was nullified by that black mist! What the hell?! Was there such thing?!”
“This is another world, nothing is impossible. We should think of that as one of the possibilities.”
“How do you think we should handle that?!”
“That’s we should find out now. Here it comes!”
As Kouta shouted, the devil came rushing at us again charging with the shield in front.
“HYAAH!”
Kouta intercepts with a straight punch, creating a gust of wind as they clashes. They engage in a trade of blows where Kouta will consecutively throw jabs and straights while evading the slashes and the bash of shield the devil do.
“Kouta!”
“?!”
“Pull back!”
“Aye!”
“[Frost Plunge!]”
As I shouted the aria, the place around the devil immediately got covered with ice and it crept from the tip of his toes towards his legs. My plan is to immobilize it first and then throw some large scale magic while Kouta continues his assault.
It’s not a concrete plan but I think we could pull it off!
But that was too naïve of me think.
The devil produces another cloud of mist around him covering the ice. As the mist resided, the ice is already gone.
It charges again towards me.
“[Zap!]”
As I immediately cast a spell towards it to halt its advance, the mist caught the lighting I threw and proceeded in charging.
This is bad!
Kouta is far away!
As I turn my heel into the opposite direction to flee, I stumble my feet and fall down at the place.
“Kuh..!”
“MWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!”
BAM!
“Ack!”
I used my arms to block the shield that was rammed against me. I felt like some of my bones got fractured a little and because of my fall earlier, I twisted my ankle. My consciousness is blinking and I my body hurt all over as I slam into a wall.
“Bacarra!”
As Kouta rushes over to help me, the devil turns around to him and…
It produces another one of those mists. In the mist, something came out.
A ball of fire that spins…
No…
“Kouta! Run!”
“Eh?!”
BOOM!
“Arrrggh!”
“Kouta!”
As the ball of fire landed on Kouta, he was immediately engulfed in the flame and exploded. I tried to stand up but I can barely even manage to take a step.
“No…!”
This devil steals magic attack and stores it in that mist! It’s like rebounding a skill but instead of returning it right away, it fires it back whenever it wants it to.
The devil turns it back from Kouta and faces me…
“[Water De--!]”
ZAP
“Hngh!”
Before I could even cast another spell, it produces another mist and fired off the zap that I threw at it earlier.
The electric current runs all over my body and I fall down again.
“Is this… the end…?”
The devil walks toward me as it raises its sword.
I can’t move my body and my mind is giving out. The heat of the burning houses has taken its toll on me and I cannot think clearly anymore.
And then, the devil steps on my head and buries my face on the ground to expose my neck to its blade.
………
I can’t do anything.
I just close my eyes and pray for a better life if ever I get to be reborn.
How I wish I was able to confess to him.
………
……
…
“Don’t touch her!!!”
Eh?!
Power suddenly bursts nearby.
“Get your feet off her!”
BAM!
The feet that trapped me in the dirt got suddenly blown away and strong outburst of power overflows the place.
As I look up…
“K-Kouta?! Y-you..?! I…”
“Are you okay?”
“No! I… I should be the one asking that! You got hit with Fire Blast earlier, right?!”
“I did… but… as I think that you…will get hurt more… my heart couldn’t take it and then… this happened!”
As Kouta pointed…
A beautiful glowing insignia like halo floats atop of his head. His body is brimming with so much power right now…
I remember once, when Violetta told me that a blessing, whatever it is, will have its time when it matures. It's either through mental or physical growth, but when it does, it gives tremendous power.
Is that the case right now?!
“You… look like a protagonist or something…”
“I do? Then you would be my heroine, right?”
“T-that’s… ugh…”
“R-retaliate a little…I got embarrassed from what I said!”
“Uuuh…”
“Let's talk about this later! Bacarra, please leave everything to me!”
“W-wait!”
Whoosh
As he gently lay me down, Kouta rushes again the devil he blew away earlier.
With such brilliance, he turns out to look like a real hero right now.
BAM!
His punches are solid and stronger than before that the devil stands no chance against him as he gives it a straight punch in the shield. The shield got knocked away and the devil’s feet got lifted up a bit in the air.
If this man wants me as his heroine, I would not give it a doubt anymore. All I envision is a great and happy future with him.
“OoooOOoora!”
Kouta then rushes at the enemy with punches that so fast I don’t know how many have he has thrown already.
I don’t want to lie to myself anymore. I don’t want to live a life where I long for everyone’s attention. I just want to live my life longing for his attention.
“THIS IS THE END!”
BOOM!
As Kouta put a large amount of power in his right fist, he executed an uppercut towards the enemy blowing it away into smithereens and slowly dissolves into thin air.
The strong antagonistic presence of the devil is gone and only the presence of Kouta can be felt in the place.
I look at him and he looks back with a smile.
Without knowing it, my face also broke out in a smile as the man in front of me seizes the victory. He even did a victory pose.
Pfft!
What a moron!
But… I like this moron.
There would be no one else.
“Bacarra! Did you see that?!
“Yes..! You looked…great!”
“Ahahah! T-that’s actually the first time you complimented me…”
“Fufufu. Idiot.”
“Well now, let’s destroy the second warp stone. But with your state, I think I need to carry you.”
“Do as you please!~”
“I don’t think so…”
?!
A familiar voice came between our conversations.
I know well whose voice is that.
As I stare at Kouta…
a sword sticks out from his chest…
Eh…?!
“Ack…!”
“This is as far as you two can get.”
The sword that is sticking out of Kouta’s body was retracted and blood gushes out and falls down in front me.
And from behind him… the man that I trusted the most, the man who is looking out for my back, the man who helps me at my magic research and compounding…
“S-Shun…?”
My voice is trembling as I called out to him who is holding the bloodied sword.
“This is not…true, right?”
“…”
“Why…Shun… why did you….”
My eyes shakily direct its vision to the man in front of me who is bleeding,
“Kouta..!”
“B-bacarra…ack…”
“Kouta! Kouta! KOUTA!”
I immediately pull him close to me.
“Kouta!”
I look at Shun who is looking at us with empty emotion on his face.
“Shun…why?!”
“I am betraying you guys, what else there is to it?”
“Betraying…? Why… what do you mean… why did you have to do this…?!”
“…”
His face grimaces as I ask the questions to him. I hold Kouta tightly into my arms.
“I don’t like the two of you getting along. You never noticed how I feel for you. You always had your eyes for that man… It’s either I get you or none will.”
“That’s…all…? For that…reason…you…”
“You are belittling my love for you, Bacarra. Because you ignored my feeling for you, I got tired. I am going to join the Order of the Sins now as a new replacement for the seat of Arcana of Envy.”
“Then… this city…”
“I planted the warp stones… I followed the instruction of one of the Sins who I met back into the forest in the human continent. The Emperor’s death, this chaos and, that man life running out, it’s all because of me. Do you understand now?”
“Lies…no, no, no! It can’t be…”
“Wallow in your own sadness… I’m off now before this city burns to the ground.”
“Wait!!!”
Shun didn’t look at me as he turns around to leave. Without any words, he left us…
What…
Kouta… Kouta!!
“Kouta!!”
“Ahaha…ack…your breasts…are really soft…”
“Idiot! Even at times like this!?”
“Ahaha…I just want to say it…ack…now that I felt it…”
“You.. I will let you fondle them or suck or them or whatever you want!”
“How nice…”
“Don’t die on me!”
Tears started to flow endlessly from my eyes. The man that I wanted to live my whole life with is slowly dying in my cradle.
“Don’t be like that… don’t…cry…”
“You won’t die! You won’t die! Kouta! Kouta!”
“I am dying a virgin… but…”
“Kouta! No…! Please fight! I will immediately take you to…”
“It’s fine… ack… don’t push…yourself…”
“No…! Please…”
“I at least…want a kiss…”
“Kiss… if i… you’ll try to live, right?!”
“I might.”
I brought my face close to him.
I didn’t hesitate and lands my lips to his.
It’s both our first time.
It should be a happy moment when we do this. It should be in a romantic place. It should be when I say I love him.
……..
I try to feel his lips. I try to feel his warmth. I try to feel his heartbeat through my chest…but…
……..
His lips are cold. His body isn’t moving as it lifelessly lay in my arms. His heart stops beating.
My first kiss…tasted blood.
I don’t have anything anymore to do…
I don’t have anyone to look forward to…
I don’t have any motivation to live…
I don’t care about anything anymore…
………
Emptiness…
Sadness…
Despair…
The feeling of loneliness…
My tear just flows while I motionlessly hug the cold body of Kouta.
I just want to die…
……....
Unknowingly, devils began to gather around me…
I don’t care anymore…
Kill me…
…......
……
…
.
.
.
“YAAAAAH!”
WHOOSH!
………
“Hey!”
“…”
“Hey, I said!”
“…”
“Don’t ignore me!”
“…”
“It’s dangerous here!”
“…”
Who…?
As I look up…
A girl…
A girl with heterochromia with red right eyes and green left eyes with blond hair neatly combed is staring at me with swollen eyes which probably was crying herself out earlier.
“Hey… I don’t know what happened to that man there… But please, don’t lose hope!”