episode_0028

A puzzle with a distorted picture that was forcibly put together. Paint is then applied over it, layer by layer.

It is painted with one color called pain.

Personality and character can be defined as differences in how one reacts to the same external stimuli. Therefore.

The pieces stick together using the same pain, the same tears, and the same reactions from being pierced by the same sword as glue.

Right now, become one.

A time gap of 10 years. I bridge that gap with a sword.

pupil.

Far away, my eyes and your eyes meet.

Your eyes reflected in my eyes and my eyes reflected in your eyes.

In your eyes reflected in mine, I see your eyes reflected in my eyes reflected in yours.

In my eyes reflected in yours, you see my eyes reflected in your eyes reflected in mine.

also,

I look at your eyes reflected in mine, your eyes reflected in my sky, and I think deeply about our tomorrow reflected in the shards of glass.

You take a step closer to a position where you can’t hide the crazy part of yourself reflected in a single teardrop in my tired eyes reflected in yours.

The sharp end of sunlight that reaches my eyes, the lengthening shadows, the other side of time, the red eyes that are reflected in mine again. I accept it all, and you give me everything.

-Won’t it hurt?

-It must hurt more, Picha.

Give.

As a balloon filled with water bursts, the boundaries of the body and mind disappear. The contents mix with the contents. They become softly one.

Our memories, thoughts, and hearts become entangled. They become entangled. I begin to recall the pure me that I had forgotten. I begin to understand the me that was crazy for blood and the demon king.

That series of events was not the kind of touching, dramatic, or dazzling thing where you face yourself and find your true self. Rather, it was closer to the desperate and mean side.

aha.

So everything was terrible.

For example, memories of becoming a demon, becoming a demon lord, devouring other demons, killing people, and dancing among piles of corpses and sloppy, sticky flesh.

As I watched the child devouring his parents’ flesh to survive, then crying and vomiting like crazy, I was overcome with sweet emotions and just started dancing.

Fuette.

It goes round and round and round and round and round and round and round.

Without stopping, I keep going around and around and around, and around and around and around and around and around and around and around.

My eyes are spinning, but it’s still spinning and spinning and spinning, and it keeps spinning and spinning and spinning and spinning and spinning and spinning and spinning and spinning.

32 rotations.

I remember the graceful movements of each outstretched hand, the strength given to each neat foot. I remember it. I remember it.

There are a lot of things like that. Also, I remember one day a man who cut off his leg on purpose and saved his life.

I remember feeling my heart race at the thought that while I was happily spending each day without any worries, that man was desperately struggling with his fear every moment, trying his best to overcome it somehow.

How high up the chest was, how hot it was. How and with what amplitude and speed the back shook. How, how good it felt.

At the same time, you realize how disgusting, disgusting and cruel it is.

And again, and again, and again.

I keep remembering things like that.

If you show me something like this, if you know something like this, I can’t stand it. I can’t stand it.

Now I want to run away. I want to deny it, so I just scream. No. That’s not me. That’s not me. All of it!

It’s not all me.

But the pain soon tells you.

Isn’t it all me?

It’s so desperately, so unbelievably bad.

It is me.

me.

Snow white hair and red eyes.

An appearance that closely resembles the Demon King in Seed’s memories.

There was only one girl standing there.

“Iru, Sia?”

“It’s me.”

One word. It was clearly the voice of the current Irusia, untainted, but at the same time dangerously sweet and haunting.

“… ‘At least it wouldn’t have ended like this, it would have been nice’, hehe.”

Previous life. The last words Irushia left behind.

Like a secret password from childhood.

Time was rewound, moments that had completely disappeared as they moved to the past ten years ago. So the words that the girl spoke were words that no one, no one, could understand except for Sid.

Seed clenched his fists and looked at her with sad eyes.

Should I kill him?

“You.”

“Oh, wait a minute. What is it? What is it? My eyes are scary. Unlike others, I didn’t chase away my original personality and sit there?”

It is clear that during the fight with the Demon King, Seed’s mind regressed to the past. This is only from Seed’s perspective in the future.

Depending on your point of view, isn’t it possible to say that he stole the body of the past seed, its personality and spirit, and exorcised it?

If not that, what about Irusia?

“It’s not just ‘me’ who fought to the death with you. It feels like a transformation and fusion of the current me. Heh.”

It’s me. From the moment I heard those words, what I had vaguely felt became clear. The Irusia of this time period has not disappeared. She has not disappeared.

But can we really consider this a blessing? If the Irusia before our eyes, or at least a part of it, is the Demon King, shouldn’t we do whatever it takes to stop this monster here and now?

So, on the contrary, it might be the worst case scenario.

Even though it was only a small part, was it really the case that he had no choice but to kill his childhood friend, who was still completely sane (so he wanted to believe), with his own hands?

“You’ve been thinking about this for a long time, and it shows in your expression. Don’t worry. Smile, a little.”

Blood-crazed demon king.

However, the countless massacres committed in the future were nothing in this universe. Everything happened only in the memories of two people. There were no victims, and from the current point of view, everything happened before it happened.

You can’t blame someone for something that didn’t happen, right? Yes, everything is like a dream. You don’t get punished in reality for killing someone in a dream. So…

“That’s why I can’t be relieved with such easy logic, so I’m reflecting on myself to the point of death.”

It cuts off easy escapism.

Even now, every moment hurts. Every time I breathe, it feels like my lungs are burning. Every nook and cranny of my body feels like someone is constantly biting, chewing, and swallowing me. It hurts.

however.

“So I’ll help you. I’d like to pay a little bit in return.”

There is no more falling into the abyss. There is no more emptying your head and falling thoughtlessly into gravity, desire, magic, and self-loathing. That is an easy escape.

You have to endure this pain without collapsing, so that you can be hurt again, more severely, and more. Because you have to be hurt more. Because the pain you have given to everyone up until now is not this much.

“I want to save at least one more person. … Will you believe me?”

Seed looked into Irusia’s eyes.

Those two eyes, even now, ten years later, they are still the same. They are still sparkling, still red, still the same. So there was nothing I could do. I could only say this.

“Believe it.”

I released the strength in my clenched hands. Perhaps my fingernail had dug into my palm, and a few drops of blood flowed out.

“You idiot. Be suspicious of this. Why do you believe so easily, huh? Hehe.”

He says that, but he can’t hide his laughter. So he pokes Seed’s cheek for no reason.

“… Well, anyway. I don’t have time for this.”

First of all, the urgent thing is the current situation. While this was happening, the shock wave from Noctilla and the teacher’s fight reached here. I realized the situation.

Mena still looked quite relaxed, but it was only a matter of time before the tide turned in Noctilla’s favor. Cid called attention again. The most important thing now was.

“First of all, that sword… ”

“You don’t like it?”

“… Huh?”

The white-haired girl tapped her finger on the sword still piercing her stomach.

“You’re telling me to pull this out, right? That thing over there is sucking my magic.”

“Yeah.”

“Take as much as you want.”

I feel a kind of longing rather than bewilderment or anger at his capricious and completely incomprehensible attitude.

But even now, Noctilla is growing exponentially stronger. As time goes by, Mena-sensei, who is barely holding on, will be driven into a corner even more.

“There’s no time for this. If you’re anxious, go and help quickly.”

“No, huh, what… . What are you trying to do? While we’re at it.”

“Yeah, yeah. I’ll be cheering you on from here.”

Cute V.

Seed grabbed her head and held it there.

“Ehehe. Like you said, I’ll try to do something. Go and hold on.”

“ha… .”

I’m going crazy.

The Demon King who I wanted to stop at all costs is here.

“… Haha, hahahahaha.”

I came back in time, so I thought I’d stop it this time. That is, I thought I’d kill the future you completely, completely.

“HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA… !”

For some reason, I feel unbearably happy right now. This whole situation is ridiculous, humorous, and purely comical.

If it’s stage, it’s dance.

In an instant, butterflies decorate the sky. Like stepping stones, they run through the air, stepping lightly one by one.

Noctilla was holding a single sword that was so black that it seemed as if all the surrounding light was being sucked in, and was condensed to the limit. Then, I saw my teacher, who was breathing heavily. The smoke was ending.

Noctilla’s single sword easily tears through the chain of light that is so advantageous against magic. Finally, without even caring about the barrier, it rushes towards Mena.

Then it’s time to change actors.

“I’m sick of this too.”

Without a sound, the dark sword bounced away with a great slash.

“… This damn black sword just bounces off a few times. Ah, just let me talk, senpai? ”

“Why, are you still calling me, senior?”

My eyes are completely gone. Ha, I’m going crazy. Seriously.

But let’s not worry here and just laugh. Brightly.

“Irucia wants to save her senior.”