49. A: a Solitary Monochrome World

Meaningless, Broken, and Twisted... such words truly suit it... this scenery spread around me... though in a way, does it resemble a white and black picture with its frame broken? Or is it simply an old cracked monitor, losing all its colors but the different shades of gray? Hmmm...

“... Well, there isn’t that much of a difference anyway...”

Saying that and stopping the thoughts, I once again glance at the Broken Monochrome World around me, and what I saw was... a Colorless and Lifeless Cityscape, Broken and Fragmented Asphalt, Empty and Serene Sky, but weirdly enough I also saw...

“Silhouettes, Shadows, or maybe Specters...”

“Shrouded in black mist? No, guess they themselves are the black mist, ha?”

Saying such and glancing at the vestiges and remnant aimlessly walking the street around me, I click my tongue in annoyance at how difficult cleaning will be later. But then remembering that it’s mostly my fault, I just sigh and walk toward the closest Silhouette. Before then...

ZzZzsZt.

Before then, calmly moving my hand toward its neck and raising it in air, as I choke it. Nevertheless...

“As expected, it’s not even resisting anymore...”

Saying such and looking at the flailing black silhouette, I ignore the sparks at the point of contact and also the question of how my hand didn’t pass through its neck, and instead, I just observe its movement, as it flail its limbs around, attempting to get back its lost balance or something. But even then, the silhouette is not even bothering to touch or attack me. And seeing that, I...

“... Well, guess at least you know who the owner here, hmm.”

I smile, praising its good manners. Before then putting more pressure in my hand and...

ZzZzzZ.

And crushing its neck, as the whole being suddenly...

Pooov.

Suddenly, crumble in black light and get absorbed into my hand. Then when opening my palm and looking, what I saw there was...

“A Dark Blue Fragment?...”

“... Well, guess this is better than the chaotic nucleus...”

Saying such and checking the hmmm... Oh, ‘Pure Spiritual Fragment’ is apparently its name. But anyway, that’s not important. Not when looking at the number of vestiges I still need to take care of.

“But seriously... this will take a while...”

Saying such and glancing at the street filled with black silhouettes, I...

“Haaaa...”

I sigh and begin my movement forward. Or that’s what I was planning when suddenly, a near display window with cracks slowly spreading on it took my attention... well, to be specific, my reflection on its is what did.

And feeling curious about it, I slowly walked toward it but...

“it’s hard to see with all the cracks...”

Saying that and judging it a good chance, I curiously glance at the dark blue crystal-like fragment in my hand, and then I casually throw it into the glass. When suddenly at the moment of contact...

Fssshh.

Water sound.

That fragment just melted into the glass, and as if ripples on a water surface, the display window was instantly fixed. Still, not giving any attention to that, I instead silently and curiously observe it, my reflection shrouded in black... Still, not rushing or hurrying, I ignore the problem of my limited time and instead just wait there staring for a moment. When finally, as the Black Whirlwind subsided a little, I got to see glimpses of her... The ‘me’ reflected there... But what I saw then was...

Nothing special... just a tall and beautiful girl, maybe in her 20s? anyway, she was wearing black leather clothes, with gloves and shoes of that same color. She had dark silver hair, and her skin was...

“Pale... even to my standards...”

“Also, my expression...”

... Guess it still needs work. Pulling my cheeks and thinking such, I look at my reflection there. But as I thought. My eyes...

“Their crimson color feels different...”

Though if asked, how different exactly? Then, I really can’t tell. I mean beyond the feeling that my eyes glow a little and the feeling that their color feels alive, I...

“... I can’t pinpoint any other difference...”

Ah, but in a way, the fact that I can still see that color is in itself a difference.

Thinking such and looking at the world of monochrome around me, I then glance at my reflection completely blending with the surrounding, before once more checking my eyes, but...

“... the color is still there?...”

“Well, who cares...”

Saying such and ending the topic, I then turn around leaving the matter behind, but just as I did so...

C-crack.

Suddenly, in the asphalt below me, a small fissure just broke... and then stopping in place and glancing at it, I frown a little before then taking a few steps backward, but...

Crack. cRacK. C-craCk.

“Hee?... it’s starting?”

Drawing back a little more and saying that, I then stop in place and glance to my side at a black silhouette who’s stupidly staring back at me, before then...

“Well, excuse me, and thank you.”

Before then, pulling it in front of me and hurriedly using it as a human?? shield. Nevertheless, just as I did so...

Crack. Splash.

Suddenly the spreading fissure below burst open, and from inside of it, what flowed was...

“... The stream of colors...”

Saying that and looking at the colored water exploding from the fissure, I calmly raise the black silhouette in my grasp, and then...

Sssshhh.

Water droplets sound.

I hide behind it, hoping for the splashing paint not to touch me...

“No, seriously. It will be a pain if it touches me here...”

As in pain to clean my clothes but anyway...

“Let’s just move on...”

Saying that and waiting, I watch as the stream weakens, before then coalescing into a giant puddle. Just to then...

“Alright, here you go.”

“....???!”

Just to then push and throw the silhouette directly at that puddle, and then...

“... Hup.”

And then jumping on it back and using it as a footstep to jump and pass through that colorful puddle.

“And Tada. I did it...”

Moving past the puddle and jokingly saying that I don’t forget to give the silhouette a thumbs up as a sign of my gratitude, before then moving on in my paths. But...

Rumble.

“...... Sigh. So it’s this bad, huh?”

But it seems I spoke early. Releasing that and feeling tired, I slowly look up and what I saw was then...

Boom. Crack. Splash.

What I saw then was not only cracks and fissures bursting everywhere in a familiar fashion... But also an accursed Stream of Foreign Colors flowing everywhere, as it...

...... forcefully painted this Monochrome World.