After cutting down an enemy who got in my way I finally got to Kengo side. I hold my hand out to him, waiting for him to grab it. He stared at it for a second before smiling and getting off the ground. I kept my hand on his shoulder, once I saw him about to lose his balance.
“Phew! Thanks for the help. But why did you even come? I made a big show of leaving…. and you ruined it. You even brought No. 8 with you. As for that old swindler who tagged along… I won’t waste my breath.” Kengo looked away with a frown on his face once he saw Andvari. Andvari stumbles over his foot and looks at Kengo with an insulted expression.
“Hey! That’s pretty rude! You should thank me with some coins for coming to help you, No. 6! And I’m not old! I’m a young buck in dwarven years!” Andvari knocked down an enemy who went to attack him as he was speaking to Kengo. I was rather surprised he was good at fighting, thinking he was only good with money.
“You’re not so bad in a fight, either, Andvari. You should throw your hat in the ring as a gladiator. Not only are you physically strong, but you have some interesting things like curses up your sleeve, don’t you?” Bathym landed a hard kick on an enemy who tried to sneak up on him, sending his flying hard into a wall, leaving behind an imprint in said wall.
“Are you kidding? Who’d manage the books if I started fighting?” Andvari takes out the last of the enemy, resting his axe on his shoulder. All around us, there were a bunch of knocked out enemies. Oniwaka was glaring at us hard and holding his spear tightly.
“Oniwaka, take a good look at the situation you’ve got yourself into. You might as well surrender. You might not like hearing this from me after I switched sides, but that’s the way the dice rolls. You have no chance of winning.” Bathym motioned to all of the knocked out allies of Oniwaka, showing him that he was by himself in this.
“It’s not my place to talk, either, but… Your allies have all scattered or fled. Now that I think about it, that kid with the knife left you high and dry, too. But, hey! Chin up! You’re the No. 3 here! I’m sure you’ll make up for it in coins soon enough!” Andvari backs up what Bathym just said, causing Oniwaka's expression to get unreadable and I was surprised he didn’t just attack right away.
“Must be a hard pill to swallow. I mean, I sure didn’t think it’d turn out this way. All I have is my strength. I regret that it wasn’t enough to settle this, but…” Kengo stared down Oniwaka, slowly drifting off from what he was saying. It was quiet as both of them stared at each other before Oniwaka's shoulders started to shake as he laughed. “What the hell’s so funny?” Kengo glares at the still laughing Oniwaka.
“Hahahahaha! What isn’t funny about this? What, do I look that pitiful to you? You think I want your sympathy? Friends? No. 3? They don’t mean a damned thing. Never did! I bullied those guys into following me. That was the extent of our relationship. I never expected loyalty. The fact that you even think like that is what makes you so naive. That’s the kind of crap only Haves spew. For someone like you to talk as if you’re a Have Not… That naivety is so hilarious. You have no idea what it’s really like to have nothing. You don’t know the dread that comes from falling through pitch darkness with nothing to cling to. Strength is all you’ve got…? Ha! No one in this world has the right to say that but me! Hear my words! Don’t you dare try to take that from me! This is why you piss me off, Takabushi Kengo!” Oniwaka angrily said that to Kengo and I couldn’t help but feel sad for him. ‘Is this what I would have been like if I came to this world alone without no one there for me?’
From The Shadow Nearby….
Kirito observing the proceedings from afar narrows his eyes at Oniwaka’s statement. “Oniwaka... You are a thuggish, hopeless fool of a man, but… I admit I’m sympathetic for what you've been through. And that’s about it…” Kirito whispers go unnoticed and he takes his leave without anyone being the wiser.
Back To Masato And Company….
“I don’t understand what you’re saying, but it’s obvious you hate me. That’s why you and your goonies went after me, isn’t it?” Kengo was glaring back at Oniwaka and I felt like I shouldn’t get in between them, seeing as this is something they should probably solve themselves.
“Yeah, that’s right. I couldn’t wait to make you suffer. I’ve hated your guts since the first time I saw you. I knew exactly what I wanted to put you through. That was all that mattered. I’d deprive you of everything, and once you had nothing left… I’d watch you fall.” Oniwaka smirks at Kengo, causing him to increase the intensity of his glaring.
“You wanted to make me more miserable than you are so you could feel better about yourself? That’s pathetic.” At what Kengo said Oniwaka shook his head lightly, causing Kengo to raise his eyebrow confused. “Other way around, bucko.” I felt my eyebrow raised as well at what Oniwaka just said, not understanding what he was trying to hint at.
“The other way…?” Kengo was as confused as me as he looked at the smirking Oniwaka. Oniwaka let out a chuckle, shaking his head at how confused Kengo was.
“No matter how deep you fall into the abyss, you’ll never fall further than I have. I’m at rock bottom. I lurk in the deepest depths of this world. There’s no way anyone could reach the depths I’ve sunk to. Every time this becomes clear to me…. I’m reminded of the anger I have for this pathetic world! I could live forever without ever forgetting it! Not one of you knows what it’s like! How could you know the rage I felt when I realized everything I thought I had was a lie?!” Oniwaka's words caused Kengo to stop glaring at him, getting caught off guard.
“Everything I believed in… lies. My life itself was a complete lie. I had nothing. The world stole everything from me long before I started stealing from others! So why shouldn’t I? I’ll take everything I want with my own hands… with my own strength! That’s the rule I live by… the rule I’ll impose on this world.” Even with how serious Oniwaka was with his words Kengo just put a finger in his ear, completely disinterested in what he was currently saying.
“Sorry… I’m a little slow. I have no idea what you’re going on about. Actually, I did get one thing… I figured out I’m actually pretty lucky. But Oniwaka, you and I… You know what? Never mind.” Kengo just waves off what he was going to say causing Oniwaka to glare at him, annoyed with how he was acting.
“I’m not the type to settle disputes with words. I only know one way to do that. This is my way of setting things right. Put ‘em up, Oniwaka! I don’t like you, so I’ll punch you in the face! Simple, ain’t it?! When it comes down to it, we’re the same kind of guy. That’s what pisses me off the most!” Kengo gets into a fighting stance, gesturing for Oniwaka to come at him. I was just off to the side with Andvari and Bathym watching this unfold, wondering if this is the right way to handle this.
“Shut up! Stop flapping your mouth! I’ll steal that puny power of yours! My Sacred Artifact will steal all! It will take everything until there’s nothing left!” Oniwaka Spear started to glow as he got ready to use his Sacred Artifact against Kengo.
“So these things are called Sacred Artifacts? Well, let me show you a little something called an endless wellspring of power!” I could feel a bad feeling appearing in my gut as I thought about what Kengo Sacred Artifact was like. ‘Isn’t it basically the opposite of Oniwaka? This may not end well….’
“Role of the Stalwart! Rule of Appropriation!” The air was getting heavy as Oniwaka started to say his incantation and it felt like things were getting sucked in his direction.
“Role of the Barbarian! Rule of Infinitude!” The air around Kengo started to crackle around him as electricity was appearing around his fist.
“I, Hozoin Oniwaka, engrave mine name unto thee! Usurp all… Ravenous Hunter!”
“I, Takabushi Kengo, engrave mine name unto thee! Encircle all… Geant Basher!”
As soon as both of their attacks connected a bright light, that was similar to what happened with me and Shiro appeared. I could feel myself losing balance as a blast of air from their attacks came my way.
“Huh? What is this light?! I’ve never seen Sacred Artifacts clash like this!” Oniwaka's shocked voice came from the bright light and I could also hear Kengo's confused voice from within the bright light. “What the?! What’s up with this light? I’ve never felt anything like this before!” Kengo's voice was the last thing I heard before everything grew dark and my body went flying through the air.
???....
“By the time I realized who I was, I’d already lost everything. I had nothing… Nothing but my own strength. It’s always slept deep within me, and I’ve always hated it. I had no choice but to climb the ranks with my own hands, using this power. I used my strength to subdue, usurp, exploit, and control anything and anyone that could be useful to me. I set the figure on my own value. I made everyone acknowledge me. That’s all I’ve ever cared about.” Oniwaka could feel all the memories from his past coming back to him fast, not stopping once and he felt deep pain and rage fill him up. He wanted to steal more. He needed to steal more. He had to…
Back To Behind the Guild…
“Ugh… Masato? Maaan, that hurt like a… What was that, anyway? What the hell just happened? I went up against that jerk Oniwaka, then some white light was everywhere, and..” As Kengo tried to remember what happened another voice appeared, sounding confused.
“Aaaaaaah! What hit me?! Brings to mind that stupid dragon’s flapping wings! And that light…?! Oh, it’s you, No. 6. This is your fault! I’m gonna sue you for damages, chump!” Andvari points towards Kengo, who just clicks his tongue and look around for the others.
“You… of all people… Where did No. 8 and Masato go?” Kengo slowly got off the ground, wincing when he felt a sharp pain goes through his body.
“How the hell should I know? I was too busy holding my coin bag down! I wouldn’t worry about it, though. I’m sure Bathym is with him.” Andvari got up from the ground, holding said coin bag in his hands and looked at it making sure there was no damage to it.
“Don’t worry?! My friend is probably alone with a demon, and you tell me not to worry?!” Kengo looked at Andvari with a shocked expression, imagining what could happen to Masato alone with a demon.
“Yeah, but… there’s nothing a wholesome, powerless, honest account manager like me can do about….” Kengo let out a sigh as he gave a piece of paper to Andvari who took it with bright eyes, causing him to stop halfway through what he was saying.
“I’ll pay you out of my fight money, so help me find him, you little miser!” At Kengo's words, Andvari gave a salute to Kengo and turned around to go find Masato, Kengo following behind him. “Leave it to me! I’ll leave no stone unturned!” Andvari walked with a little hop in his steps, causing Kengo to let out an annoyed sigh.
“This guy’s pretty easy to deal with, in his own way…” Kengo mumbled that to himself as he continued to follow behind the happy Andvari.
With Masato…
I let out a groan as I sat up from the ground, my head pounding. My vision was blurry as I tried to adjust to everything. As I was going to get off the ground I could hear footsteps approaching me. Looking in the direction of the footsteps I saw Kengo and Anvari coming towards me.
“Oh, there you are. You alive, Masato?” Kengo went to my side quickly and put a hand under my arm then pulled me up from the ground. He kept a hand on me, waiting until I was no longer unsteady on my feet.
“Somehow, yeah. What happened?” I remember seeing a bright light, hearing Oniwaka and Kengo but after that, I don’t remember anything else. I feel like I was thinking something else as well but my head is so fucked up right now.
“As I thought, Bathym’s here too. Uh… why are you staring at the ceiling?” Andvari questioned the wide-eyed Bathym who was just looking at the ceiling and I followed his line of sight. It took me a while for my head to process what I was currently seeing.
“What the…? It looks like there’s a… crack in the sky…?” Kengo points in the direction of the rift that has split the sky above. Although it was much smaller in size, it’s the same kind of dimensional rift I encountered in Shinjuku. I could feel my thoughts moving fast as I realized what was going to happen soon. ‘Ah fuck me. This is happening again…’
“This is getting nuts! Nnnnggg! How exciting! Look! Look! See that there? There’s lightning flashing inside the rift!” Bathym was practically jumping in place as he pointed excitedly at the rift in the sky.
“Is that…?!” I could barely hear Andvari's shocked voice as deep within the rift, I could make out some sort of being…. enveloped in lightning. It can only be described as an aberration in human form.
“Am I the only one who thinks that looks like Kengo?” I realized that in some weird that the being looked like Kengo. The hairstyle wasn’t that similar but other than that it did look like him.
“M-Me?! Well, now that you mention it…. Hm… I-I have no idea who that is, but… what is this strange feeling? It feels like I know him…? No, that’s not the right word for it…” As Kengo was trying to figure out how to put words to the feelings he was currently feeling the being finally reacted.
It has no voice and makes no sound, but the roar the being unleashes strikes fear in my heart. It thrashes violently, like a beast attempting to free itself from its trappings. Or perhaps it resembles an exiled god, struggling with the unrequited eternal yearning to claim a new world.
‘Why did I think of that? Masato you get weird during really serious and dangerous situations.’ I felt confused at myself for thinking that way, not understanding how the thought process got into that. I just continue to look at the being who was still thrashing in place. I took my phone from my pocket and took a picture of it then sent it to Shiro.
Back With Shiro, Shuichi, And Duo…..
Shiro stares in shocked disbelief at the image of the aberration sent to his phone. In the message, there was “A dimensional rift. An aberrant being.”
“This is clearly another Exception… A being so unfathomable the App can’t fully process it. It’s just like the one we saw in Shinjuku that day… Isn’t it, Masato?” Shiro looked away from his phone and closed his eyes for a second before looking sternly at Shuichi who didn’t have his usual smile on his face.
“Did you know about this, Shuichi? Did you just let things play out, knowing all along that this would happen? Or did you actually intend for it to happen? Do you actually have any idea just how dangerous that thing is?! It’s happening again. Ikebukuro is going to end up in ruins, just like Shinjuku…” Shiro was glaring at Shuichi who didn’t say anything for a while. Shuichi didn’t react for a while before a reappeared on his face.
“First and foremost, we need to assess the situation. I know you will know what’s different this time around.” At Shuichi's words, Shiro looks at his phone again and opens a video stream in the App to fully understand the situation.
“Unlike last time, there doesn’t seem to be any collateral damage. None of the news sources I’ve checked have reported any earthquakes, rifts in the earth, or anything like that… Why would that be? Is this incident smaller in scale than last time? I need details. You don’t need to get any closer, just tell me what you see, Masato.” Shiro asked Masato this, who then told him what was currently happening at the moment. Shiro nods his head in understanding of the new information he got.
“Smaller than last time, you say? About human size… I see. What else can you tell me? Struggling…? But it can’t break out? That’s...odd. We’re talking about the same sort of entity that reduced Shinjuku to rubble in the blink of an eye. Even if it’s on a different scale, it must have overwhelming power…. Is it really possible to contain something like that? What’s different this time? The durability of the buildings? No, that’s not likely. The guild…? Maybe it’s related to the fact that there’s a guild there? Hmm… No, there’ll be time to think about that later. Right now, you two have to deal with that thing. You’re currently in the heart of the Ikebukuro Guild, right? Can you get out of there? If possible, try to escape without being spotted by--” Shuichi raised a hand, giving Shiro a serious look, stopping Shiro from continuing what he was going to say.
“I would advise against that. If they did manage to escape, it would also mean that the Exception would be set loose. If so, Ikebukuro…. No, all of Tokyo would be ruined. Is that what you want, after narrowly escaping that fate once before?” Shiro glared at the calm Shuichi, not liking what he just said.
“How could you of all people say that? You’ve been turning a blind eye to this whole incident!” Shiro slammed a hand on the table, feeling pissed off at how Shuichi was currently acting with the whole situation.
“I could say the same thing about you, Shiro. My brother, even I… may have already died once as a result of what you and your little friend did. Yet you have the audacity to say that to us?” A thinly veiled threat gleams behind the cold stare Shuichi directs at Shiro. Shiro involuntarily emits a quiet gasp.
“I-I didn’t…” Shiro stumbles with his words, looking down at the table feeling guilty about what he just said.
“So. Why don’t we call it even and put this behind us. What do you say, Shiro? I forgive you, so I’d like to ask that you forgive me, too. You’re not the one I should be angry with, anyway. After all… This is just one of the many crises occurring throughout all of Tokyo.” Shuichi waves off Shiro guilt and grows serious as he mentions the other crises that were occurring throughout Tokyo.
“One… of many?” Shiro's expression grew surprised at what Shuichi just told him, not fully understanding what he was saying.
“Oh, are you surprised? Did you really think you were the only ones to encounter these entities? There have been more of these incidents than you could count with one hand in our records alone. Most people just haven’t noticed, or simply don’t remember. The world could be destroyed at any given moment. In fact, it’s possible that this has already happened many times. But I would hazard a guess that there are still very few people who have noticed. Even with a Rule that lets you peek into the memories of others, you’d be hard-pressed to find someone among the millions of citizens of Tokyo with such memories. I can’t help but wonder who could have created such a system… Whoever it was, I wonder if they see this world as nothing more than a toy to play around with.” Although his voice is calm, there is a mixture of distinct hatred and a hint of sorrow in Shuichi's tone.
“It’s unforgivable… Not that forgiving them was ever an option. The unknown must be conquered by human intellect and converted into knowledge. Knowledge must stand above all else. Whatever these entities are, they will pay for looking down on us. I will exterminate them all. I’ll make them wallow in regret in the deepest pits of hell… Oh, excuse me. I got a little sidetracked. In short, this is an observational study, of sorts. Worst case scenario, we fail. It just happens that the price of failure would be the end of the world. That is all. Just like before. Just like what happened… in Shinjuku.” Shiro was tensing up, feeling nervous, at what Shuichi just said.
“Take it easy, Shiro. I’ll pray for your guild’s first battle to end in victory.” Shuichi sips calmly at the tepid coffee that may be the last thing he will ever consume. Meanwhile, Shiro takes one deep breath, then another, and then contacts Masato through the App.
“Can you help me gather some information, Masato? I need you to break from the target in front of you for a moment. Assess the situation in the vicinity and describe it to me. It’s particularly important that we learn the whereabouts of the other instigator, Hozoin Oniwaka. If we’re to resolve this the way we did before, we’ll need help from both Kengo and Oniwaka--” Shuichi put down his tepid coffee, getting Shiro's attention again and stopping him from finishing his sentence.
“I don’t think that’s going to happen. Oh, sorry to butt in on your conversation.” Shuichi gave a half-ass apology to Shiro and Shiro only raised his eyebrow in confusion at what he was saying. “What do you mean by that, Shuichi?”
“I mean that Oniwaka is most likely not in any state to even talk right now.” Shuichi gave a mysterious smile to Shiro, making him get even more confused at what he was talking about.
Back With Masato…
I was looking at my phone with a frown, wondering why Shiro stopped talking to me again. I could only sigh and put my phone away in my uniform jacket. I was still near where the aberration was, Kengo by my side looking up at it.
“A crisis, eh…?” Kengo stares at the aberration with blatant skepticism. “You mean, the world is going to end if we don’t stop that thing? And you guys claim you already faced something like this? You stopped it and everything went back to normal? Hahaha! Are you kidding me? As if I’d believe a story like that.” I glare at the laughing Kengo, who holds his hands up in front of him to calm me down.
“Sorry, sorry. I’m not trying to make fun of you. One look and I can tell you’re serious… and I know we need to do something about it. Oh yeah, I got distracted by that thing and forgot to ask, but… Where the hell did that bastard Oniwaka run off to?” As soon as he said that I heard a loud crash coming from somewhere and a roar from someone or something.
Somewhere else in the guild….
Oniwaka swung his Spear wildly at Ikutoshi with rage-filled eyes. His appearance was no longer that of a human but of a red-skinned Transient, a horn coming out of his forehead and his eyes completely yellow. Ikutoshi quickly dodged the attacks from the Spear, looking at Oniwaka with shocked eyes. “Whoa, watch it! The hell are you doing? That’s not how you make a first impression!”
Oniwaka didn’t even attempt to respond to Ikutoshi, his eyes looking unfocused as he just continued to attack Ikutoshi. Ikutoshi jumped away to make distance between him and Oniwaka and got ready to get serious with Oniwaka.
“So you’re just going to attack me without even trying to communicate? I guess there’s no point in wasting my breath. If that’s the case… Dwarven Changeling!” Ikutoshi activates his Sacred Artifact and attempted to land a hit on Oniwaka but his attack was quickly taken care of and Ikutoshi was thrown against the wall roughly.
“Oww… How can you be this powerful without even using a Sacred Artifact? It’s almost inhuman! And your appearance… Dude, you look like a Transie-” Before he could say Transient Oniwaka got ready to attack him again, catching Ikutoshi off guard. “Oh, crap!”
“Hmm… You’re the No. 3, aren’t you? That roar was pretty impressive. So you’re the surprise Claude was sitting on? His ultimate warrior?” Macan appeared in front of Ikutoshi and Ikutoshi called out his name, shocked that he was here suddenly.
“The last time we fought, I thought you were a trumped-up bastard putting on airs, but… Well, well. Looks like you’re not so bad after all.” Macan eyes look at the raging Oniwaka with excited eyes, giving him a beast-like smirk.
“Give...me…!” Oniwaka tried to speak, even though he was in a rage-filled state but Macan only laughed, understanding what Oniwaka wanted.
“Bahahaha! You want to devour me, do you?! Bring it on! Let’s eat and be eaten! Let the mad battle begin! In any case, there’s only one of me in any world! You’ll become my flesh and blood, and I yours! I’m going to leave my mark on this world! I’ll make sure they know I was here! I, Gadungan Macan, engrave mine name unto thee! Devour your prey, Mad Tiger!” Macan activated his Sacred Artifact and went into his beast-like form then went to attack Oniwaka, who let out a rage-filled roar before going to meet Macan in battle.
Back With Shiro, Shuichi, And Duo….
“He’s a Transient?” Shiro looked at Shuichi with shocked eyes, not believing what he was hearing.
“Precisely. According to my research, Oniwaka is most certainly a Transient. He drifted into this world through a Gate somewhere as soon as he was born. His human name and origin are completely fake. Well, that part is just a theory. I don’t actually know where he came from. He has no memory or anything to base his identity on. He’s truly alone in this world, in every sense of the world. He has nothing and no one to turn to. The void in his heart is immeasurable, like a black hole that swallows everything around it.” At Shuichi 's words, Shiro thought about Masato, who had a similar background to Oniwaka. He felt worried that if things went differently for Masato he could have been just like Oniwaka.
“His Rule of Appropriation, as the name suggests, allows him to steal all of his opponents have…. until they run dry. Exceptions are basically Rules that have overflowed from the Sacred Artifacts that once contained them. They are byproducts spawned when a Gate loses control. An endless stream of Rules floods a vessel until it can hold them no longer. If a Sacred Artifacts originally belonged to someone else, as with yours, the Rule will manifest in the form of that former owner. But in Hozoin’s case… He’s the original owner of the power he wields. This means his Rule will continue to flood the vessel that is his physical body, with no end in sight. The flood stems from the dimensional rift that was ripped open by the Exception.” Even though he was saying something serious, Shuichi just smiled casually at Shiro.
Back at the guild….
“The hell…? What in the world is going on?! What is that idiot boss of mine thinking?! I’ll bet he’s idly watching from some safe place…” Nomad was mumbling to himself, feeling pissed at the current situation that was happening at the moment.
“So this is the seat with the best view? We wouldn’t settle for anything less than the ringside spectacle!” Claude appears behind Nomad, causing him to turn around with a shocked expression. “What-? Boss?! Why are you out in such a dangerous place?!”
“Why would we not attend? We went through such tedious lengths precisely to observe this event. How will our Berserkers stand against the supposed crisis? Can the chosen gladiators survive this seemingly dire situation? We shall observe this highly anticipated grand finale from the best seat in the venue!” Claude had child-like wonder as he grew excited about what he was going to see soon.
“You’re out of your mind, boss… You know you could die too, don’t you?” Nomad could only let out a tired sigh, knowing he couldn’t change Claude's mind once he got like this.
“Let us just say that is highly unlikely. You see, Nomad, that creature is completely incapable of harming us.” Claude had a mysterious smile on his face, causing Nomad to look at him with tired confusion, used to Claude keeping things from him.
Back With Shiro, Shuichi, And Duo….
“Enough lecturing. The real issue right now is figuring out how to stop that thing. Two Exceptions inside an enclosed space. How will you deal with this problem? What plan will you devise? What measures will you take?” Shuichi was looking at Shiro expectantly, waiting for him to say something interesting.
“Shuichi, before I answer that, would you mind listening to a hypothesis I came up with?” Shiro asked Shuichi this, who nodded his head at Shiro, telling him to continue. “It has been churning in the back of my mind. When I asked myself why you chose the Ikebukuro Guild for this experiment… I knew you must have had a specific reason. And that is… It’s a place that is convenient for your goal. For some reason, the summoned Exceptions aren’t able to leave the boundaries of the guild. To figure out why, I went over the events that transpired in Shinjuku in my head. In that case, the Exception was able to pass through the App’s Battle Zone. Of course, its ability to do so makes sense, as it was generated by me and Masato. We were later able to eliminate that being by establishing the hierarchy between our Rules.” Remembering how they solve the problem, Shiro blush briefly before getting a serious expression again.
“The key is to clarify the ranking of the Rules. In other words, which Rule holds dominance over the other. Consistency is achieved by establishing that hierarchy, which cancels out the Exception. And there’s something else that’s been bothering me. The Ikebukuro Guild adheres to a very similar system. In other words, the ranking system, which Kengo and Oniwaka both belong to. And they’re who caused the Exception this time. You could say this system puts App users in hierarchical order. The structures are identical. At first, I thought it was just a political endeavor or a whimsical quirk, but… When one considers the ranking of Rules as the true purpose of guilds, everything fits into place. The walls of the underground Colosseum represent the Ikebukuro Guild’s boundaries, which lie just outside the App’s Battle Zone. This Exception can’t pass through those walls, which indicates that it’s affected by the Guild’s ranking system. Therefore… one might arrange to safely summon an Exception if two guild members with contradicting Rules were to clash. That’s what you’ve done, isn’t it? Trapped an Exception inside the Ikebukuro Colosseum. As for the reason why the Exception occurred despite there being a difference in ranking between No. 3 and No. 6… Looking at it another way, you could say that the Exception is smaller in scale because of the ranking system in place. You engineered to limit it to a localized scale. Of course, these are all just deductions based on prior deductions, but… If I’m right, we should be able to eradicate the Exception by touching it and declaring the ranking order again.” Shuichi clapped his hands together, looking pleased with the hypothesis Shiro came up with.
“Fantastic, Shiro! You’re incredibly close to the conclusion we reached ourselves. You see, guilds are none other than a reconstructive process to consolidate numerous mythologies into one. According to one of our most probable theories, that is the purpose of the App itself… To unify all 24 mythologies into one and bring an entirely new world into existence. That may be what the App is designed for.” Shuichi added to the hypothesis that Shiro came up with.
“In that case, the answer is simple. We just need to consolidate the two perpetrators within our guild. Then, all we would need to do is have the Guild Master confirm the hierarchy of their Rules. Oniwaka may be an Exception himself right now… But at the same time, he’s also a Transient. If so, then, just like when Masato exorcized the oni in Shinjuku Central Park…. It should be possible to force Oniwaka under the jurisdiction of a pact with him. Even if we’re not able to reason with Oniwaka, we can resolve the situation that way.” Shiro felt that this plan of his could work without a doubt, he trusted that Masato could solve the problem.
“Wonderful! A truly elegant plan. Above all, its simplicity is what makes it so great. The best plans are always the simple ones…. But whether or not it will be so easy to pull off is a different matter. Can you and your friends defeat Oniwaka now that he has become an Exception? Keep in mind that Kengo can’t fight against Oniwaka. That would only exacerbate the Exception. Can you really pull this off with Masato’s power alone?” Even with Shuichi doubtful words, Shiro didn’t back down and only stare hard at Shuichi.
“Shuichi, do you remember what you said about Oniwaka? You said that he’s truly alone in this world, in every sense of the word. He has nothing and no one can turn to. I know a person in the same situation. That person also doesn’t remember his past but is stronger and kinder than anyone else I know. My chains of solitude were severed because I was freed by his kindness. If anyone can save Oniwaka now… It’s Masato.” Shiro had a gentle look in his eyes as he thought about Masato and looked at his phone to make sure the call with Masato was still connected.
“Masato… Can you hear me? You need to help Oniwaka. Cut him free from the obsessive sorrow that torments him!” Shiro could hear the faint voice of Masato who simply reply yes back to him but he knew that Masato was going to help Oniwaka.
Back at the guild…..
“Devour your prey, Mad Tiger! Grroooooooaaaarrrrrr!” Macan went to attack the raging Oniwaka again but was quickly sliced with his Spear, causing him to let out a pained grunt as he slammed against the wall. Macan came out of his beast-like state, looking completely tired.
“That was… everything I had… I’m finished… But…” Macan looked at the raging Oniwaka who was walking towards him, a pained expression on his face as he gripped his Spear tightly.
“Aah…. Aaaah… It hurts….!” Oniwaka raised a hand to his head, trying to shake away the sudden wave of pain he was feeling but it wouldn’t go away. It kept getting more painful and he could only let out a roar of pain.
“You can talk, huh? Pain snapped you out of it…? Ha… Looks like you’re hurting pretty bad. Feels like you’re being split open from the inside, doesn’t it? You’re really strong… I can tell. It’s like an infinite supply of power is flooding into you. But your body has its limits. Eat too much, and you’ll pop like a balloon. You even filled your greedy stomach with all those I’ve eaten up until now… That’s no good… It’s never a good idea to overeat. You’re so full it hurts, aren’t you, No. 3?” Macan was looking up weakly from the ground, looking at Oniwaka who was still in pain. “Arrrrgh….! My body!” Oniwaka was struggling to stay on his feet, still heading closer to Macan.
“Looks like we’re gonna die here. You and me both…” Macan mumbled that to himself, his expression looking solemn. Oniwaka still has a hand to his head, shaking it furiously. “Ah… aaaggh… No…. No!”
Back With Masato….
“Shiro said to look for Oniwaka, but that’s a real tall order! All he told us is that he’s somewhere in the underground Colosseum. Does he realize how big this place is?!” Kengo messes up his hair, getting annoyed with having to look for Oniwaka.
“Now, now. They say it’s good to go through hardships once in a while. This is starting to get exciting!” Bathym claps his hand on Kengo back, who just glares at how cheerful he was during this serious moment.
“As for Andvari, he just suddenly took off on his own. Classic Andvari. Some leader he is!” Kengo scoffed at the fact Andvari just up and left to do something else. What it was didn’t seem that important to Kengo.
“Huh? Is that some kind of self-deprecating joke? You’re the one to talk!” Bathym gave Kengo a teasing look causing Kengo to glare at him and was going to say something but stop once he heard someone coming towards them. “Hm….? Hey, someone’s coming.”
“A kid? I ‘ve seen him somewhere before… Hey, wait! You’re hurt!” Kengo got in front of Ikutoshi, who was badly injured at the moment. Ikutoshi glare at Kengo with an irritated expression. I was off to his side looking at him with concerned eyes, wondering what I should do to help him out.
“Ah, shuddup. I just screwed up a bit, is all… No. 1 and No. 3 are fighting up ahead. I stood no chance against them. I hate to admit it… but all I could do was run away.” Ikutoshi looked at the ground with a frustrated expression and Bathym went to his side, holding a drink in his hand. And I was wondering where he got that from. Actually, it's better if I don’t question it.
“Yeah, yeah. Stop talking. Here, can you drink this? I mean, I’ll make you drink it either way, but hey.” Bathym tried to give Ikutoshi the drink that looked like an ominous purple color, causing Ikutoshi to grow slightly pale at the appearance. “What’s this purple thing? There’s some kind of leaf floating in it… I’ll pass. It looks hella bitter.”
“It’s a type of medical herb. It’ll help with the pain. Sure, it’s bitter, but suck it up. It’ll make you feel better. I’m gonna get this kid outta here. Can I count on you guys to handle the rest? I’m expecting one hell of a flashy show from you, Masato!” Bathym blew a kiss my way, causing my face to heat up, then took Ikutoshi somewhere safe. Ikutoshit gave me a tiny wave but stopped once he saw me smiling brightly at him.
Me and Kengo headed in the direction that Ikutoshi told us Macan and Oniwaka were currently fighting. The closer we got I could hear the pained voice of Oniwaka and the weak voice of Macan.
With Macan And Oniwaka….
“I don’t…. need…. anymore! I… don’t… want this!” Oniwaka was struggling to stop himself from getting closer to Macan and stealing more of his abilities. There was sweat appearing on his forehead as he tried to hold himself back.
“This is the first time we’ve actually had a real conversation… We’re alike, you and I. Eating was all I knew. That was the only way for me to connect with this world. We were born with nothing to connect to, without any past or future. The difference…. What...was the difference between us? That’s right… I just kept eating whatever I wanted to. You kept eating only the things you didn’t want to. That’s about it… But I guess it all ends here.” Oniwaka groans in pain and raises his weapon towards Macan, who remains lying on the ground. Macan just looks at the unfocused eyes of Oniwaka and let out a sigh.
“I’m gonna die here by your hands, and you’ll burst open and die shortly after. I guess no one’s gonna be able to eat me after all… I wanted to become Masato’s flesh and blood… It looks like I’m going to disappear… without ever… connecting to something bigger… I’m sorry… to all those I’ve eaten… Ah, damn it… I’m so… lonely… I couldn’t...find my way to--” Before Macan could accept his death a pair of quickly approaching footsteps cut his words short.
Back With Masato…..
“Stop right there!” I quickly shouted toward the red-skinned Oniwaka, who looked at me with his unfocused yellow eyes. Kengo had a shocked look as he looked at Oniwaka, not believing it was him.
“Masato! Who is that… Is that Oniwaka? Dude, your skin turned red… What the hell happened?” Kengo was trying to understand what was happening with Oniwaka while I was looking at the injured Macan who was on the ground.
“Masato…? You came…” Macan's eyes brightened when they met mine and I couldn’t help but give him a big smirk, giving him a quick wink. “Don’t get eaten by anyone but me, Macan.”
“Ah, what a grand entrance. It almost… makes me want to eat you. Or… would you prefer I say… I want to be eaten by you?” Macan's face grew slightly shy as he looked away from me, causing me to gush how cute he was inside my head.
“Who are you? Why do you stand before me?! Ah, forget it. I don’t care anymore… I’m going to die anyway. If I’m going to die anyway… I’ll take all of you with me! As many of you as I possibly can! I’ll leave a scar on this world that betrayed me, and… I’ll take everything! Then I’ll go out with a bang! And you’re all comin’ with me!!” Oniwaka was rambling madly as he stared down at me and Kengo.
I know right now at the moment I couldn’t talk to him so I summoned my Sword, getting into a comfortable position with my Sword before going toward Oniwaka. Oniwaka let out a roar before getting his Spear ready to meet my Sword.
