1

Touya Satoru could never forget this feeling.

His heart raced as he cannot help but beam behind the mask covering his face.

The masked man savored the sensation of his tentacle-like appendages twisting and twirling inside the body of a Nullity. With each twist, those extensions of his crushed more of the internal parts of the female Nullity, eliciting groans that felt like music to his ears.

For Satoru, it was not the mere act of dissecting this female Nullity from within that brought him joy.

Such sweet power I can't wait to consume. Make me even stronger!

It was the fact that after so long, he can finally consume another Class A Nullity.

He sneered while paying no heed to the stunned and frightened girl who was seated beyond the female Nullity. He wanted to relish this moment, and he savored every bit of his appendages drilling through whatever was inside the helpless Nullity.

Miki Amagi's wide, frightened eyes and trembling body was of no concern to Satoru. After all, that girl had already done her job. She had played her part, and all that potential that he had heard about from the doctor had finally bore fruit.

His main concern was just completely consuming the female Class A and making her a part of him.

With no one in any capacity to bother him, Satoru let out a crazed laugh as he recalled the last time he consumed a Class A Nullity.

2

Touya Satoru felt his pulse race along with his feet that pushed against the dusty and rocky floor. Flanked by ruined structures to both of his sides, he panted and looked for possible cover.

It would have been a lot easier had he not have to deal with his right arm. That part of him limped and had to be supported by his other hand. Now, it was nothing more than a lump of meat that hampered his escape attempts.

He cursed his fate.

Panting and running out of wits, the boy found it hard to believe what had just happened.

He thought that running into those thugs wearing white tiger jackets was the worst part of the night. He had run afoul of those pests before, but tonight was extra special.

Those people had been in a particularly bullying mood tonight, and they practically forced him out of the small room that he rented from one of the gang's benefactors.

He never even had a chance to say goodbye to his items before they were unceremoniously tossed out the window along with his body.

All that for bullshit reasons.

Seeking an audience with one of the gang leaders, he agreed to meet the Mohawk man to iron things out. It never seemed to be the wisest decision, but he had to take a chance. After all, he was all but powerless against the gang and their numbers.

Without enough money to keep sustaining his newfound lifestyle and addiction to vices, he had to submit to the Baihu Gang no matter what kind of crap they pull on him.

Because of his lack of strength, he had no leverage in the proceeding talks.

The boy had decided that things would change tonight and that he would assert his will on the boss.

And it cost him his right arm.

Satoru maintained his hold on his right arm, and it was as if he can still feel the final moments when that arm still gave him another window to the world. He also remembered the excruciating pain as the bones and muscles were crushed methodically.

Had he been stronger, he would have been able to eradicate the gang like one of those action heroes. He would not be at the Mohawk man and his goons' mercy. This pain could have been avoided, and he could have just killed these scums off and make off with their money.

He would have been more useful than the corrupt police force in this city could ever be in dealing with these people.

He felt that the day couldn't get any worse, but as customary for him, he was proven wrong again.

Turned out that the nightmare was just beginning.

Immediately after letting out that scream that rang throughout the broken-down bar that the gang used as their headquarters, he felt his world turning. As the world turned along with his cries, he heard some members of the gang shout in chorus.

It was pandemonium, and ever since he woke up to this world dyed by crimson, that opinion has not changed.

First came the echoes of the men in confusion. Then came the screams of pain as they were mobbed by the shadowy beings that inhabit this hell. Last came the gurgling sound of blood being spilled and guts being splattered before the men met their untimely end at the hands of one shadowy being that stood out from the rest.

The being that still pursued Satoru.

He had to escape her at all costs.

The shadowy beings that peered from all corners and emerged from the ground did not make things any easier, and Satoru himself felt amazed that he managed to avoid them and survive this long. If those roughnecks were torn apart so quickly by the denizens of this world, what more an ordinary and powerless teenager like him?

"What was that thing called again?"

He wondered in between audible breaths as he vividly recalled the sight that he had the misfortune of seeing.

"I think it was called Setsura?" he said, remembering one of the words said by that monstrous woman.

Using scattered ruined pillars as cover, Satoru made a break for the nearest structure in the distance, a tall tower with its top floors seemingly blown off. Somehow, he felt that reaching that structure would allow him more breathing room to plot his escape.

At least he would no longer need to constantly be on the run.

No salvation awaited him as he reached the tower and immediately ran straight into the woman with blades for arms. For some reason, she had the ability to meld into the shadows and appeared between him and the entrance to safety.

It was too late a realization for the boy who was gripped with fear.

With a scream of agony, Satoru fell back and crashed to the ground. His right arm dropped with a loud flopping sound, the load finally getting slashed off his body.

Unbearable pain that the boy had never experienced before gripped him as his screams won't stop. He felt himself sweating uncontrollably, and his feeble attempts at crawling away did little to create separation between the two of them.

In front of him, the woman stood with a cold and unremorseful expression.

Now that she had him in close quarters, he finally had the time to get a better look at his soon-to-be-killer.

Blades for arms that reflected light, a breathtakingly beautiful face framed by silky hair, and a completely blank expression. She looked like something straight out of fantasy. The perfect assassin and femme fatale.

How did she even come to be? What is this world?

Satoru grimaced as he accepted that he may never know the answers to those questions, not when death drew so near. One stab from those arms and it's over.

As he shut his eyes and lamented his fate, the sound of blade meeting flesh filled his ears, yet his body felt no pain.

His eyes opened, and in front of her stood the woman called Setsura. In between her breasts, a sharp bladed edge burst out.

Someone had stabbed her from behind.

The woman stuttered before the tip of a sharp object was pulled out rather forcefully, causing black particles to burst out of where Setsura was stabbed.

Hearing a passionate cry, Satoru's eyes witnessed Setsura being sliced in half as the rapier was swung horizontally. The lower half of the woman promptly disappeared into particles, while her upper half remained, barely clinging to existence.

"What is it that you desire, boy?" asked Satoru's savior, a man with long, silver hair. He calmly stepped out from behind the woman and placed his rapier over the youth's right shoulder.

Such an action drew Satoru into a defensive position, and he placed his left hand over the bleeding right shoulder.

"I-I..." struggled Satoru while keeping his left hand on the stump on his right. "I desire power. I want the strength to crush everyone who would dare step in my way."

"Should you have that power, will you help me change the world?"

"I just want strength. This cursed world... I will crush it and make it kneel beneath me!"

"Fair enough."

A smile surfaced on the silver-haired man's face as his rapier glowed.

Touya Satoru had long wanted to relieve the feeling from that day. Right now, he relished as he felt the memories and the power from this yellow-haired Nullity flow through his tentacle appendages.

As someone who consumed everything in its entireity, he felt the sorrow, the wavering, and the precarious feelings that this Class A housed before integrating them with his own.

More importantly, Satoru felt his affinity with this particular Fragment grow with each passing second.

It was all thanks to that silver-haired man years ago – all thanks to the gear that spawned the tentacle appendages embedded inside his right shoulder.

Such is his Armament's power, Usurper.

He slowly walked forward like a hunter stalking the prize of his long hunt. After being locked for so long, the yellow-haired Nullity finally turned to face him with a gaze that burned.

He could see the desperation behind the flame that burned in her eyes. Past that brave front, the Nullity was fading.

With much effort, she raised her arm.

Not that Satoru found himself concerned by that action. After all...

Without warning, Setsura emerged from his back and hacked away the incoming vine strikes.

One of the vines did reach Satoru's face and shattered part of the mask, but all that elicited was an annoyed tch.

What followed was a powerful series of slashes, and Satoru let out a laugh.

3

"Sakuyaaa!"

Eyes wide open and hands over her mouth, Amagi called out for the yellow-haired Nullity right as she was torn apart in front of her eyes.

The Nullity had tried to fight back, but she was just outmatched after going through everything. The transfer of powers and experiencing all those painful emotions have weakened her enough.

She tried to keep her emotions in check as she watched the last bits of Sakuya dissolve into the air.

Amagi clenched her fists and pulled herself back up. She still felt dazed, but it's not there's any choice. Any moment now, the creepy man would set his sights on her.

And he did.

He did so with a curious expression.

The girl put out her hand in a swift motion, yet the bow that saved her before failed to materialize.

Why? Is it because I'm so shaken inside?

Without giving her time to even realize what just happened, Satoru smacked Amagi aside with his arm tentacles.

As she fell and tumbled across the ground, she heard more laughs from the man.

Amagi tried to curl herself up. As if mocking her helplessness, the appendages approached her slowly, with them eventually creeping and sliding against her body.

Those things were toying with her, and she hated every second of it.

She dreaded experiencing the pain and discomfort that she had to go through at the hands of those things before, but her strength failed against the firm grip of the appendages.

Noise of energy explosions rang through the air, and Amagi saw the tentacles coiled around her fall down and dissipate, having been cut off from their wielder by a ranged attack.

She knew that she had just been saved again. Her protector hurriedly stood in front of her, blocking the crazed man's path.

However, it was not the childhood friend that she loved that stood before her.

"Uehara!" Amagi said in surprise.

Despite looking battered and worn-down, Sayaka Uehara kept her poise and stood with her sword at the ready.

4

"How peculiar. I am certain that Miki Amagi and whatever was that thing that I saw from the memories of the Class A hated you."

"Indeed, those words of hers stung."

Uehara then pointed her sword at Satoru.

"But I've made peace with her, and I now stand not as a mere protector, but as a friend and a rival."

"Friend..."

Uehara did not turn back despite hearing Amagi's word.

Hearing that... how nostalgic. You just wait, Amagi. Arata will also be here soon.

She did not say a word and kept her focus locked in on the enemy in front of her.

"As for you, we have unfinished business. I have yet to pay you back for hurting Arata back in the cathedral."

"That was my win if I recall correctly."

"You're mistaken if you think that I'm the same person as I was before," Uehara shut her eyes and channeled her energy into her Armament. "Crimson Lust!"

It has been a while since she entered this state. She experienced it the same way she did before.

Heightened senses, the burning marks that emerged on her body, and a vision tinted with red. In exchange, the object that she focused on, all of Touya Satoru, appeared in a messy blend of blue and green colors that beautifully contrasted the rest of what she sees.

It was her Armament's high risk, high reward ability, and she could say that it was tailor made for her tendencies.

She charged the opponent in her empowered state.

It did not matter that Satoru sent those appendages flying at her. One by one, the tendrils moved in slow motion.

None of them would have any hope of impaling her or even grabbing her.

That much she proved when she kept her pace in the midst of tentacles falling after being hacked by the sword.

She bounded forward, and the distance of several meters has now become a few feet.

Now that I've gotten past the tentacles, what's left is...

She locked onto the pale woman attached to Satoru's back. No doubt that Nullity named Setsura would meet her head-on. With those gigantic blades for arms, she would have been a daunting sight to anyone else.

Not to Uehara. Not with those blade arms that moved in slow motion.

Easily predicting the downward motion of one arm, Uehara pushed herself into the air.

A mid-air turn and a spinning slash later, one of Setsura's blade arms dropped to the floor with a thud before dissipating.

The Nullity's horrifying cries did little to rattle her opponent. Not letting up, she found her ground and made another mad dash, this time aiming to finish Setsura off like she did before and delivering the decisive slash to cut off Satoru's right arm.

Such a feat can be made possible in one stroke of her sword if she got her angle and momentum right.

Timing her charge and swing to when Setsura's midsection and the recovering appendages lined up, she threw her force behind her horizontal swing.

The sound of her sword cutting something registered in her ear as she got past Setsura's form. Mere inches away from Satoru, her sword shone as she let out a shout.

It did not matter that the tentacles were being raised in a defensive maneuver. Her sword will cut through those and give her the opening to win the battle.

*Thud*

That was not the sound effect that Uehara expected, and she let out a surprised gasp as her momentum was halted.

It happened so suddenly, but she now stared at her sword.

It had been stopped by Satoru's tentacle appendages that have arranged themselves into a shield-like formation. Smaller appendages spawned and wrapped themselves around the sword, tightening the already tough grip on the Armament, and in a snap, the red-tinted vision and the burning sensation from Crimson Lust all but vanished.

"What?"

Satoru gave an unfazed and nonchalant answer to the girl's shock. "Likewise, I'm not the same person I was before. The strong conquer and continue marching to the top."

With each moment of the sword being locked and engulfed in the man's tentacle appendages, Uehara felt her body weakening, as if the magical energy from the sword, and her own body by extension, was being drained away.

The sword would not budge despite Uehara's efforts. She did not expect him to bust out a maneuver like this, but something was off. The tentacle appendages were not supposed to be able to do that. The last time they fought, they were brittle, and according to Arata, they had poor regeneration rate.

Things were different this time. It was as if they emulated—

A grim reality set in for Uehara as she quickly connected the dots on the hardiness of the tentacles and the spawning and regenerating capabilities.

"The vine walls in this Fragment? What did you do?!" asked her in exasperation.

"I am the one who consumes power and makes it my own. It is natural that I have become the lord of this labyrinth after killing off that Class A."

"You can't –"

Uehara continued pulling at her Armament, but her efforts to grapple the sword away from her opponent seemed headed to failure. In fact, it was getting harder and harder to do it.

Should I just let it go? Resummoning it would be a chore if it were to get shattered though.

She took several baby steps back as her arms began to show signs of jitter. The sudden shift in momentum had shaken her, as much as she wanted to deny it.

Something else came up as she stopped in her hesitation as the ground beneath her trembled. With a bang, vines shot up like spikes in bunches.

She had the awareness to finally let go of her sword in order to evade those things that would have no doubt skewered her in a second. However, in that instant, she heard the sound of an object shattering and watched as her sword broke down into particles that scattered in the air.

In response, Uehara placed her hand over her waist and prepared to resummon the sword. She knew what it would entail: much greater strain on her already weakened body and an even smaller chance at victory against the unpredictability of the opponent.

That chance would never come to pass.

Before she can do so, the shield on her opponent's hand quickly split into several appendages once again.

Uehara had little time to react and was only able to muster out a soft grunt as she found herself hoisted up with those appendages wrapped around her four limbs. She spat and coughed as the tentacle appendages threatened to rip her apart, with her feeling the sensation of her limbs being pulled in all directions.

Her eyes barely focused on the enemy with a broken mask when she heard a noise that made her heart stop.

A banshee-like wail.

In the time elapsed, Setsura, who was never completely eliminated like the last time around, rose up and slowly regenerated her blade arms.

Seeing that development, she tried her best to fight out of the predicament, but none of that proved to be useful, as her efforts at fighting back were stifled by the tentacles' firm grip and constricting force.

If it was not the pressure from Satoru's appendages that would kill her, surely Setsura would make sure of it.

Sorry, everyone!

She shut her eyes as she accepted her fate, not even a word coming out from her mouth.

"Innocence Arc!"

A voice that Uehara did not think she would be hearing called out the name of an attack, and her eyes swung open. From behind her, multiple beams of light shot outward. They all moved in different trajectories, but from what she saw, they seemed to all curve and home into their targets.

She tried to process what just happened the moment she fell back first to the ground. Raising her head, she saw not a female Nullity in front of her but a humanoid figure riddled with holes, most notably on her chest and dead center of her head.

The thing, formerly Setsura, was not even able to let out a sound before vanishing like ash, just as she had in the cathedral.

The person she's attached to did not fare any better, and numerous holes littered the torso and the midsection of Satoru. The tentacle arm had also been completely eradicated, and he now looked exactly the same as he looked outside the Fragment: armless on his right.

It looked like Satoru was keeping himself standing by sheer force of will. Not that one could tell with the empty gaze of his eyes that looked upward, eyes that were finally visible after the mask got shattered.

His remaining arm hung lifelessly as did his body, now contorted backwards.

Sayaka Uehara turned back to see the source of the beams of light that had saved her.

Amagi, panting heavily, collapsed on her knees. She held onto her large bow for support and gave her classmate a nod.

"Thank goodness," Amagi said with much effort, a very tired yet relieved smile enveloping her face.

5

Innocence Arc.

Sakuya's parting gift and Miki Amagi's Armament ability.

While Amagi tried to catch her breath, she recalled the telepathic conversation she had with her Nullity.

After everything, the Nullity had made it clear as to what the nature of Amagi's Armament and what that ability was.

An Armament's ability is said to be the manifestation of an Awakener's true desire, and she knew that hers made sense.

Amagi had yet to know which inner desires Kazuki's and Uehara's Armaments derived their powers from, but as far as she was concerned, it was all clear in her mind and heart.

It was her desire to have her feelings reach others.

No matter the distance nor the obstacles in her way, that ideal remained steadfast.

And so she was blessed with a dreamlike bow with the ability to split an energy beam into seeking arrows. Even if she did not have a clear shot, her arrows will do the job and find the target for her.

She felt her numbing hands try their hardest to grab hold of the bow for support, and her vision faded in and out. In the midst of the fuzzy vision, she can see her classmate slowly walk toward her.

Sakuya was right. Her body in its current condition was never recovered enough to release Innocence Arc without serious consequences.

Consequences that assaulted her body now.

Her grip on the bow slightly loosened, and she felt herself about to collapse into a heap on the ground.

I did well, didn't I?

Before she can finally collapse a satisfied girl, Amagi felt two strong hands hold her by the arms.

She forced her eyes open and met those of her classmate.

"You're amazing, Amagi," said Uehara, who proceeded to hold the brunette up with an embrace. "I always knew you had it in you."

"Uehara..."

"Amagi, I'm so sorry that I made you feel that way, too."

"A-a-ahhh..."

Amagi, overwhelmed with emotion, could only stammer as she let go of her bow and responded to the embrace with one of her own. The fresh vision and emotion from Sakuya's trial remained in her mind as the two girls clung to each other.

"I learned about it all through the Nullity, too. It's never your fault, Uehara!" she said, tears rolling down her cheeks. "I'm so sorry I hid everything from you. If I had just learned to let it go, none of this would have happened."

Wiping off Amagi's tears, Uehara smiled at her classmate.

"Uehara, thank you for calling me a friend after all the trouble I put you through," said Amagi, sneaking in those words between sniffles.

"It makes me so happy."

She gave Uehara a smile as she allowed her unstable emotions to finally settle down.

"Uehara, let us start anew. Not only as friends, but as love rivals," finished her in a half-joking and half-serious tone.

"Of course," responded the black-haired girl with a nod. "Speaking of... just where is Arata? He should have been here by now."

Before the two girls can enjoy their reconciliation, Amagi found herself shaken to the core.

"Raaaaaaaaagggh!"

It was a mighty roar filled with rage, and she was sure that Uehara felt the same, given the change in the black-haired girl's expression.

The air suddenly turned heavy, and Amagi saw dark aura emanating from the man that had just been defeated. What looked like dark vines started sewing up the holes on his body, and he slowly advanced. With each step of his, the vine walls surrounding them shook, and the ground around him distorted like water.

He pointed at the girls, and vines burst out of the ground, separating the two girls and throwing Uehara to the side.

"How pathetic would it be for the strong to lose like that? Impossible. Unthinkable. Unimaginable!" yelled Satoru, who to Amagi looked more like an actual demon now than just a scary man.

"The lord of the labyrinth shall not yield!"

Hurriedly grabbing the fallen bow, Amagi contemplated releasing Innocence Arc once more. However, seeing the approaching Satoru made her swallow hard.

She knew that she did not have it in her anymore.

Innocence Arc already took everything she had. If she ever forced herself to activate it again, who knows what awaits that body of hers?

What am I thinking? If it would save Uehara and Arata, then I will...

Successfully brushing her hesitation aside, she felt her fingers tighten their grip on her bow, and she began to channel her energy onto it. This time, she would focus her all on one part of the man. Hopefully, the concentrated blast of the arrows will end him for good.

"Amagi, if you do that, your body..." shouted a concerned Uehara. "J-j-just don't do it. Run for it!"

Those were words that went in and out of Amagi's ears. She had made up her mind, even as Satoru's tentacle arm shot towards her.

"It's all or nothing here. I'm sorry, Uehara!"

Energy gathered at the tip of her bow, and the gigantic arrow of light began to form. She would shoot it straight at the tentacles and have it separate into multiple arrows that would pierce Satoru's heart.

One last shot. Even if it costs her life.

Her body might crumble under the pressure, but it would all be worth it.

In that instant, she felt her grip loosen, and all semblance of balance was lost as her knees met the ground.

Looks like she would not be able to even let out that desperation shot after all. The girl was left staring at the face of doom.

I'm sorry, everyone.

All of a sudden, a new sound entered her ears from the right. The vine walls crumbled with a sound of plants being cut down, and she felt a burst of energy hit her from that side.

"Keep your hands off Amagi!" shouted a determined voice.

Another sound of cutting echoed in her ears, and the tentacles hurling toward her dissipated.

Amagi felt the despair and desperation in her heart turn into hope.

"Rest easy, Amagi. The hero that you long admired is here."

With a smile, Kazuki raised his Armament and pointed its bladed tip at the enemy.