Ch.123Last of Us (5)

The True Form (眞體) refers to the original form of a constellation or outer god.

The descent of a True Form into the human dimension is called manifestation.

Manifestations are further divided into two types.

Semi-complete manifestation, which manifests incompletely through a possessed body.

And complete manifestation, which emerges directly from the celestial body without any medium.

The semi-complete manifestation of an outer god is similar to the process of a larva metamorphosing into an adult.

The caterpillar dies.

And the butterfly is born.

Elegantly, showing off its true form to this world.

I repeatedly warned that the leader of the outer gods possessing Ireh Hazlen would soon undergo a semi-complete manifestation, but my warnings fell on deaf ears.

“Nothing happened after all, even until we got here.”

“I suppose so.”

Rakdalman glanced at me with a look that seemed to say “I told you so.”

It was silent pressure for me to leave now.

“You don’t need to worry about Ms. Hazlen. Our Outer God Management Bureau will take responsibility and provide her with all necessary accommodations.”

“We still don’t know what might happen.”

“Are you still concerned about the outer god?”

“Of course.”

I sighed and said.

“There are fifteen entities inside one person’s head, fifteen. For a storm to occur, at least one of them has to die, and don’t you think the outer gods would need to coordinate about that?”

“…”

“There’s probably a reason why nothing has happened on our way here.”

“Huff, if you’re that concerned, wait here until the examination is over.”

“I appreciate your consideration.”

“Fine. Shall we make a bet?”

And so Rakdalman stayed by my side, offering to keep me company. In reality, he was more of a guard than a companion.

In the current situation, it’s all the same. Thanks to him, at least I wasn’t bored.

After a few hours, I was able to meet Ireh coming out of the blood collection room.

Ireh frowned as soon as she saw my face.

Her eyelids had turned bluish, as if swollen. Reading her psychological state, I could tell she was feeling deeply betrayed by me.

I prostrated myself with my head to the ground.

“What are you doing?”

“I’m performing dogeza.”

“Do… what?”

“It’s a thing. Trust me.”

“Are you perhaps a believer of the Holy Spirit Church?”

“I’m an atheist.”

Ireh passed by our E building and headed toward C building. C building houses the psychiatry department and psychology center, so she’s probably going for a mental examination.

After confirming she had completely disappeared around the corner, I got up and asked a question.

“Excuse me, if outer gods parasitize the brain, why are they drawing blood?”

“If I knew that, I’d be a doctor.”

What a cute response. Spending too much time with such cute people gives me hives on my forearms.

“Where are you going?”

“To read some papers.”

“But this… this is the way to the restroom.”

“The restroom is where papers are read.”

I locked the door and sat right on the toilet. I could hear a dejected laugh from outside.

“Student, is your dream to become a professor?”

“No.”

“Then why do you need to read papers now?”

“I do.”

I checked my tablet with a nonchalant response.

[Young master, I’ve started the engine.]

The escape route is secured. All that remains is to take Ireh Hazlen to Iruiel Academy when the timing is right.

“When are you coming out?”

“I’ll be out soon!”

“Let’s go get something to eat. My treat.”

Just as I was about to leave the restroom.

BOOM!

The entire ground began to shake violently.

Rakdalman lost his balance and made a surprised sound, “Uh-oh,” then barely managed to steady himself by grabbing my shoulder.

“Wh-what is this sound?”

“Seems like an outer god is going berserk.”

“You still believe in that hypothesis? This planetary system has a high aether density, though not as much as the Holy Spirit Lake. It’s probably just an earthquake.”

“If it were an earthquake, wouldn’t the building shake too, not just the ground? And the storm phenomenon can occur even at the Holy Spirit Lake. What matters isn’t the location but an environment where outer gods can run rampant.”

It was quite frustrating. Still, I could give this person some exemption. After all, I hadn’t told anyone that I was the only target the outer gods were after.

The shaking grew more intense. The ground was vibrating back and forth, but the ceiling remained in place. It meant the upper and lower planes were moving separately.

It was as if the ground was flowing.

Rakdalman’s face turned pale as he too sensed that something was wrong.

Honestly, he couldn’t help but feel it.

[— A chilling killing intent can be felt.]

The presence of an outer god.

The survival instinct inherent in humans sounds the alarm.

[This is a real situation. Storm phenomenon occurring in A Building, Room 5. Non-combatants in the vicinity are advised to quickly take shelter in Buildings B or C.]

As the broadcast confirmed the ominous feeling, doubt became certainty.

[We repeat. This is a real situation. A storm has occurred due to an outer god-infected subject being examined in A Building, Room 5——]

Rakdalman frantically checked the location of the emergency exit.

The wall where the exit was marked suddenly undulated and turned black.

The floor became slimy.

Floor. Ceiling. Walls.

Every surface began to soften as if becoming viscous.

“It seems the outer god is coming this way.”

“That’s impossible. There should be two Great Omegas attached to it!”

“…I have a bad feeling about this.”

Perhaps the Leo and Capricorn constellations are already no longer of this world. Or perhaps the star clusters they lead have already been devoured.

I can’t know for certain.

What I do know is simple and clear.

An outer god has arrived and is trying to break free from Ireh Hazlen’s body.

I grinned.

“Mr. Rakdalman, I won the bet.”

“Wh-what bet?”

“You promised me earlier. If an outer god appears before I leave today, you’d give me a one-year subscription to <Universe>.”

“…Are you insane, student?”

Rakdalman raised his voice in displeasure. Frowning, he was sweating profusely from his brow.

“Is a bet important right now?”

“Of course it is. This problem could have been solved if you had listened to the scientist from the beginning.”

“What scientist? You don’t even have a doctorate!”

I took out my calipers and struck Rakdalman in the groin.

***

[“Ha, things are getting interesting.”]

After propping the fallen man against a part that hadn’t been infected yet, I readjusted my grip on the calipers.

Just then, a woman with tired eyes appeared, smashing through the opposite wall.

“Ow ow ow ow… Who are you?”

“You must be Captain Capricorn. Your name is…”

“Eshu Malkram. I don’t know if you’ve heard the alarm, but you’d better flee from here right now. Monsters are spreading all over the laboratory.”

True to her words, several tar-like undulating creatures were following her. Malkram drew her sword and swung it in one motion.

SLASH! Black chunks flew everywhere. Impressive skill.

“Where’s the other person?”

“If you mean the Leo guy, he’s in charge of evacuating Building A.”

Malkram approached and then startled.

“Hmm, what about that person?”

“I don’t know. He suddenly collapsed.”

“Must be the effect of the storm. When someone with an insignificant constellation is exposed, they end up like that. Ugh, now’s not the time to explain such things. Can you carry him and run?”

“Yes. Somehow.”

THUD THUD THUD!

Monsters were rushing down the corridor.

Some had iron balls attached to their heads, while others had limbs made of wire.

Some had parts of their bodies that were reapers, and others had round, shiny appearances like mirror balls.

The type doesn’t matter.

Malkram is a Great Omega class inspector.

When she swung her sword, the concentrated aether released a purple blade that drew a crescent moon-shaped Milky Way.

The world lit up brightly.

More and more monsters gathered.

She continued her attacks.

Despite being surrounded, she didn’t lose her resolve.

I dragged the now-foaming Rakdalman while receiving her special escort.

Her chosen method was simple.

“Move. Back.”

Breakthrough at a single point.

Strike at the weakest spot and break through.

Monsters melted wherever she stabbed. Like a laser targeting cancer cells, she applied just the right amount of force exactly where needed.

The Capricorn constellation specializes in poison. A deadly poison that works especially well on incarnation bodies. Naturally, mere monsters can’t withstand it.

And.

The opponent must know this too.

The madness squeezing my heart draws closer and closer.

“…Oh no, too late.”

3 seconds, 2 seconds, 1 second.

Ireh Hazlen appeared from around the corner.

She was wearing a white patient gown, her lips were curled upward, and her eyes were rolled back showing only the whites.

“Was that child in Building A?”

“That’s what I was told.”

As I thought, going to Building C was just a smokescreen.

Building A houses the neuroscience research complex, famous for human experimentation. It seems that Saphaul succeeded in compromising just as they were about to open her skull cap and caused the storm.

How many are there?

[“Six.”]

That’s what it says.

[“It devoured all of the Darwin system. Indeed, perhaps that’s why.”]

Crack.

Ireh twisted her head toward me and began to cackle like a madwoman.

Hee hee hee.

“Found you.”

Thud.

The girl’s body collapsed.

From where Ireh had fallen, a monster with a monitor for a face rose up smoothly. As if it had been there all along, naturally.

[— ‘Steel That Flows Like Earth’ manifests.]

Facing that sight, Captain Malkram.

“Ugh.”

Clutched her chest and vomited bile.

“Are you alright?”

“Th-this much is nothing.”

Despite her expressionless face that showed not even a speck of emotion, her shoulders were trembling slightly.

“But… why are you fine?”

“I wonder.”

“You’re a strange one. Anyway, that’s a real outer god…”

Step, step.

Squelch, squelch.

Steel flows like earth, and mercury solidifies like the sea.

Toward Saphaul, who was approaching like a monster navigating the vast ocean, Captain Malkram raised her sword with her eyes closed.

“Are you going to fight?”

“I must.”

“No. It’s too reckless.”

“I am a soldier.”

She calmly gathered all her aether to construct a sword energy.

She manifested body energy in the multi-layered sword energy used to capture incarnation bodies, and added special techniques unique to the 12 Zodiac Houses to complete the secret technique.

Swift and decisive.

Malkram’s three sword strikes shot out fiercely.

And.

Saphaul caught them with a single tentacle, as if they were nothing.

“Do not interfere.”

Like light, something beyond human perception passed by. The wall was torn. I heard the sound of rupture. With a time delay, the concrete on the left collapsed as if caving in.

At the same time, a piece of flesh fell to the floor.

A shrill scream scratched at my eardrums.

“Well, the interference is gone.”

“This is insane…”

Step, step.

Saphaul slowly approached, raising razor-sharp tentacles in the air.

“Eidel von Rheinland, you’ve managed to run away quite well. I acknowledge you. Despite being a mere mortal vessel, you’ve managed to commit acts threatening enough to our kind.”

“…”

“I sacrificed six more comrades to kill you and plan for the future with the remaining eight. It was a lengthy process.”

“…”

“That’s all I have to say.”

The situation is not good.

My future vision is activating, but it simply indicates my death in every scenario. The next attacks are all area-of-effect techniques, and I won’t be able to dodge them at this rate.

I need to counter.

But with whose help?

Rustila wasn’t here, and Capricorn, one of the top-ranked among the 12 Houses, had her arm severed without landing a single blow. For reference, she’s unconscious now.

Only I remain.

If it were Ireh Hazlen, she might be able to hold out a bit in this situation, but the problem is that this disaster happened while trying to save her.

I do have a countermeasure, but it requires verbal negotiation. Right now, Saphaul is in a very impatient state, having backstabbed fellow outer gods to manifest his true form.

“Meet your end here, mortal.”

I check what I have.

The calipers are useless.

Only one thing remains.

[— Cartesia’s Hair: Hair from Cartesia’s true form. It’s contained in an envelope.]

I received it as compensation for the Celestine incident.

I’ve always carried it with me because it felt important.

Saving things for later just turns them to waste.

I tore open the envelope.

***

[— The ‘God of Wisdom and Curiosity’ manifests.]