Ch.302If Side Story. Tokyo Slayers: Final Chapter (40)

I met Fukuda briefly before leaving the house.

Whether he couldn’t accept the current situation, or had tried to accept it but given up…

Fukuda was leaning against the wall, staring blankly ahead.

“…Are you going to kill Kurosawa?”

That’s what Fukuda said to Souta.

“No.”

Souta said.

“I’m… going because I want to help Kurosawa.”

“I see…”

Fukuda muttered quietly.

Then he fell into thought for a moment.

“…I wanted to talk with her again.”

“I understand.”

“Well, I don’t have anyone else left around me except her now.”

Then he looked up at Souta.

“Well, be careful. Don’t die. Though it feels like we’ll all die if we don’t do anything in this situation.”

Fukuda was a boy without much ability in this area, but it seemed he was instinctively sensing the atmosphere.

“…I’ll do my best.”

Fukuda nodded and stood up.

Then he extended his hand toward Souta. Souta took it and shook it lightly.

“Make sure you come back.”

“I will.”

Souta smiled slightly at Fukuda’s words, then left the house with Yuka.

*

It was eerily quiet.

It was too quiet even for the middle of the night. In modern society where excessive light sources occasionally confuse birds about whether it’s day or night, there are always people wandering around city centers even at midnight. Whether they’re people out having fun or those who’ve just stepped out to buy something from a convenience store.

But now, there was almost none of that feeling. As if everyone living in this area had simply stopped.

It couldn’t be that time had stopped, since the car driven by Yuka’s grandfather was working perfectly fine.

Perhaps because this was Yuka’s first time seeing such a situation directly, she said nothing as she looked out the window.

Could the opponent be called a yokai? Was it possible for a mere monster to do something like this?

Various thoughts came to mind, but Souta couldn’t reach any conclusion. After all, Souta didn’t really know the details either.

After traveling like that, they arrived near the Kurosawa residence.

And nearby—

“…Miss Yuuki.”

There stood a man Souta had never seen before.

He was a stern-looking man, so thin his cheeks were almost hollow. Even the glasses on his face did nothing to soften his impression.

Not just his face, but his entire body was extremely skinny, and there were many other people around him as well.

People in black combat uniforms holding guns were standing by, as if controlling the area.

But none of them looked confident despite holding guns.

“And Mr. Yuuki.”

When Yuka’s grandfather approached, the man bowed his head slightly.

“Mr. Miura.”

Yuka’s grandfather also bowed his head slightly in response and immediately got to the point.

“What’s the situation inside?”

“…Many have been killed.”

Looking again, there was some blood on Mr. Miura’s clothes. There were also reddish dried stains on his hands.

Miura. Come to think of it, the name of the dead girl was Mako Miura.

This person must be the one Yuka had asked about Kurosawa’s house.

“Since you’ve been watching this area since that incident, you were able to move as quickly as possible. Do you think you could have stopped the plan?”

“I’m not sure what plan you’re referring to.”

“Any plan. …To be honest, I don’t know what kind of plan it is either.”

“I see. Then we’re in the same boat. And… no, no matter how many we kill, they keep coming back. Even if there was a way to stop it, we failed. The best we could do was prevent them from getting outside. …Though I’m not sure what meaning that has.”

In response to the final lament, Yuka’s grandfather asked:

“You seem to know what has happened over the past few hours.”

“…People have disappeared. I don’t know what’s going on. Everyone except those directly involved in this matter.”

“Hmm.”

“Do you have any idea?”

“It might not be that people disappeared, but that we disappeared. Whatever they’re plotting, they can’t turn all of humanity into enemies at once.”

“Then the reason people remain here…”

“…That too, I cannot know. Not until we hear directly from the other side.”

But Souta felt like he might understand a little.

There probably wasn’t any grand reason. It wasn’t because they were the most important beings for executing the plan, or part of some stage… there was nothing like that. It was probably just because the entity residing in Kurosawa’s body thought “it would be more fun that way.”

Various thoughts came to mind, but Souta couldn’t reach a conclusion. After all, Souta didn’t really know the details.

“…Will you go in?”

“Yes, we must. Whatever happens, we need to stop it in the end.”

Yuka’s grandfather answered.

Mr. Miura nodded and stepped aside. As if he knew what kind of being Souta was. Souta bowed his head lightly as he passed by. Mr. Miura also bowed his head slightly to Souta in return.

“Let’s go.”

Yuka hadn’t said anything until then.

She was just deep in thought.

“I will definitely protect you. If you can’t go in, nothing will work.”

“…Yeah.”

Souta nodded at Yuka’s words.

*

The words “many have been killed” were literal.

There were bloodstains everywhere. However, there were no bodies. As if beings made entirely of blood had died and melted, splatters of blood were scattered everywhere.

The question was quickly answered.

In the distance, “red” yokai were slowly crawling out.

And people confronting them.

“…Senior Hagiwara.”

Among people dressed in nun or priest outfits, there was someone wielding a sword while wearing a nun’s habit.

Thwack.

After stabbing the neck of one of the red yokai and blowing it away, Hagiwara caught her breath.

And as she wiped the sweat from her forehead, her eyes met Souta’s.

“Souta?”

And those eyes widened further when they saw Souta’s condition.

As if seeing a ghost, she quickly ran toward Souta. Then, touching Souta’s body here and there with her hands, she spoke in a trembling voice.

“What on earth happened to you?”

Then her gaze shifted to Yuka, and she was at a loss for words again.

“…Souta, don’t tell me you’re trying to go in there?”

Souta nodded.

Senior Hagiwara’s face turned pale. She already looked extremely tired and about to collapse, but after hearing Souta’s answer, it got worse.

“But…”

“I have to go, senior. To stop this madness.”

“…And you’re saying you can stop it?”

“Yes. I’ve… confirmed the possibility.”

It was just a possibility, though.

Senior Hagiwara is religious. Souta, who has never seriously believed in any religion, doesn’t understand the mindset of religious people well, but he does know one thing: there are people who sometimes think they need to risk their lives for their beliefs.

And Senior Hagiwara was one of those people.

“I see.”

As Souta thought, Senior Hagiwara nodded.

“Then… well, I can’t do anything but help.”

“…Even that is…”

“I’m helping because the situation is urgent. After you go and come back, I’d like you to tell me how things unfolded.”

“Yes, I understand, senior.”

Souta turned to look at Yuka.

Yuka nodded.

“Ah, senior. Just a moment.”

Souta said that and took Senior Hagiwara’s hand.

“Oh.”

Before Senior Hagiwara could respond, he lifted her hand and lightly touched his finger to the tip of her blade.

Along that blade, Souta’s blood flows. As if creating another layer of red.

“I hope this can be of great help.”

“…Thank you.”

When Souta spoke with a smile, Senior Hagiwara responded with an expression that was difficult to describe.

Yuka’s expression was just dark.

*

The sound of a blade cutting flesh and crushing bone is never pleasant.

Honestly, Souta didn’t like Yuka continuing to do this either.

It wasn’t that he thought “a girl shouldn’t wield a sword.” At this age, being a teenager and living like this would be a problem, wouldn’t it?

Though Souta himself was also such a teenager.

But even so.

Yuka was the only one who could move like this here right now.

“Ugh…!”

The closer they got to the center, the more monsters emerged. Senior Hagiwara and the others following her tried their best to clear a path, but there was a limit.

A long cut appeared on Senior Hagiwara’s arm. Though they managed to defeat the yokai, Senior Hagiwara, with many other wounds as well, was not in a condition to move easily.

“Go!”

Senior Hagiwara shouted.

“We’ll hold them off!”

Gunshots could be heard in the distance.

Yuka took Souta’s hand.

“Let’s go.”

“Yeah.”

The two ran.

There wasn’t even time to thank those who had protected them this far. The situation was unfolding so rapidly that Souta was a bit confused about what to think.

But—

Hair flutters in front.

Yuka was running. Just as she had always stood in front of Souta since they met, she was doing so now.

To protect Souta.

The place where a boy and girl covered in wounds barely managed to arrive was—a shrine.

Built in Japanese style, not inferior to the Yuuki family shrine in any way—no, it even looked more splendid.

They had expected someone to be guarding the front, but there was no one.

Yuka and Souta stood side by side and pushed open the large door to enter.

They forced their trembling legs to move up the stairs, and barely passed through the torii gate.

And.

“You’ve kept me waiting for a long time.”

In the distance, Kurosawa was standing.

“…Kurosawa.”

Yuka and Souta slowly advanced forward, cautiously.

“You’ve made it here well.”

The person standing behind Kurosawa, who resembled Kurosawa’s mother, spoke.

“I am Kosuzu Kurosawa. It seems this person wanted to wait for you, so I prepared this place.”

It was a face with a relaxed smile, but at the same time, a strange bewilderment could be felt. That gaze was alternating between Kurosawa, Souta, and Yuka.

“Ah, and even if you try to cut this person with your sword, it won’t mean anything.”

As Kosuzu Kurosawa said that, some kind of liquid flowed out as if water had been spilled, surrounding Souta and Yuka.

No, it wasn’t liquid. It was something that looked like liquid.

The sound of human breathing could be heard. A formless creature with large noses, mouths, hands, eyes, and feet attached randomly all over.

A being that one might hesitate to call a yokai.

“The moment you try to attack, you too will become one of them.”

Yuka did not lower her sword.

“Souta.”

Yuka spoke, putting her voice into her breath. If it weren’t so quiet around, it might not have been audible.

“When I move, you move too. It’s okay. He will watch over you until the end.”

“…Yeah.”

Souta believed Yuka’s words.

He decided to believe.

“Please.”

Kosuzu Kurosawa extended her hand, moving as if guiding Kurosawa.

Kurosawa, holding a red sword in one hand and tapping the floor with it, approached Souta and Yuka with an expression that suggested she might start humming.

“So you came after all. I was worried you wouldn’t.”

“…Why? What are you thinking, doing this? What is the purpose of the other side?”

Yuka asked.

“Purpose.”

Kurosawa looked at Yuka quietly and answered.

“Purpose. It’s nothing special. Just trying to break down the boundary between this world and the afterlife. In fact, it wouldn’t be strange to think it’s already happened to some extent. I think you saw it on your way here.”

The streets with no one, not even cars, completely empty.

“Even if the physical body crosses to the afterlife, as long as one doesn’t die, one can return at the right time and live, so there’s no need to worry too much. Besides, time flows differently on that side compared to this side, so if you resolve this quickly…”

Seeing Kurosawa chuckling, Kosuzu Kurosawa’s expression crumbled.

“Lord Nirlas?”

“Hmm?”

Kurosawa turned to look at Kosuzu Kurosawa.

“I believe I made it clear. The reason for my existence here is just for a moment’s pleasure. If that’s the case, wouldn’t it be right to think there are conditions for that pleasure to be realized?”

“…”

But not seeming to understand those words, Kosuzu Kurosawa turned to look at Souta and Yuka.

“Then, Lord Nirlas. I will prepare to make that entertainment more enjoyable.”

Saying that, Kosuzu Kurosawa flipped over something like a mirror that she had been holding quietly in her hand.

And from the reflecting surface—

“Hmm.”

Kurosawa looked at it and spoke as if finding it absurd.

“You are quite impatient. Well, it doesn’t matter. Conditions are conditions.”

The flesh lumps nearby began to boil.

“Souta!”

Yuka shouted.

Souta, without time to respond, ran toward Yuka.

Yuka lunged toward Kurosawa. Sword clashed with sword—

Souta’s blood splattered.

*

If Souta had come alone, he would have become finely chopped meat before he could say anything.

And perhaps Yuka would have been in a similar situation. Souta’s body could block the sword wielded by Kurosawa—or rather, Nirlas inside her.

And strangely enough, the “meat lumps” around them moved similarly.

Just like—as if there was a part of Kurosawa’s soul inside Nirlas.

The hand that cut Souta’s arm retreats. As if reluctant to get blood on the body.

Yuka was already struggling just to block Nirlas’s sword, and on top of that, that mirror was somehow allowing yokai-like beings to crawl out endlessly.

At this rate, there was no chance of winning.

Having lost too much blood, Souta thought with slightly blurred vision.

Once again, a transformed flesh lump flew in to cut Yuka and Souta. Yuka quickly responded and cut it down, but because of that, she didn’t see the blade coming from the front.

Souta’s arm blocks it. His wrist was cut sideways, removing enough flesh to be dangerous.

Yuka’s eyes widened. How much of the blood on Yuka’s body was Souta’s blood? Yuka’s face, which entered Souta’s vision, was already covered in tears.

Into that wound on Souta, the flesh lump burrowed.

Terrible pain surged in, and for a moment his consciousness broke. When he came to, Yuka was desperately calling Souta’s name.

By the time he heard Yuka calling his name, his body was already bound by that flesh lump.

He heard a voice mixed with crying.

A voice desperately calling Souta’s name.

The sound of someone cutting around Souta with a sword. The sound of someone laughing. The sound of Yuka screaming.

Before he could feel the distress there, Souta’s consciousness was already sinking down.

*

The place where he opened his eyes was a place with nothing.

It was a place that could be named “void.”

Souta instinctively judged that this space was the place he had only felt but not directly seen when he contacted Kurosawa last time.

Far away, there was a child crouching and crying.

“Kurosawa.”

Souta called the name of that wounded child.

The Kotone Kurosawa that Souta knew was a child who didn’t know how to cry. Perhaps that’s why seeing her crying so sorrowfully was too pitiful.

Once again, Shii’s childhood came to mind.

Am I dead?

That thought brought a sense of fear. It was strange. Souta had quite often jumped into situations saying he would help others.

To feel such fear only after death. Of course, it wasn’t certain that he was dead…

Thinking how absurd he was being, Souta walked forward.

With each step, something could be felt. It might be a bit strange to say this in a place like this, but his “heart was beating.”

It was as if the blood flowing through his body was playing some role.

Perhaps it was keeping the existence of Souta Sasaki intact in this place of nothingness.

After all, that flesh lump had looked like it would dissolve and make anything it touched part of itself.

Thinking various thoughts while walking, Souta knelt in front of Kotone Kurosawa and met her gaze.

“Kurosawa… no.”

Souta thought for a moment before opening his mouth.

“…Kotone.”

At those words, Kotone raised her face.

A youthful face.

“It’s Kotone, right?”

“…”

Kotone’s eyes stared at Souta.

“You were crying here.”

Now Nirlas’s words made sense.

Didn’t he say something about moving her elsewhere?

I see.

Kurosawa’s mother called that flesh lump her “daughter” too.

I don’t know what terrible thing happened, but it means Kurosawa’s mother gave birth to both Kotone and that flesh lump.

What happened to that person, I still don’t know.

“Kotone.”

Souta extended his hand.

And took Kotone’s hand.

“Let’s go.”

Saying that, he stood up.

“…Where to?”

Kotone asked.

“I brought another friend outside. Someone who can help save you.”

“…Yuka Yuuki.”

As if searching through memories, Kotone said.

“Yes, that’s right.”

“…Why?”

Kotone asked.

Her eyes looking up at Souta were trembling.

“Why?”

Once again, she asks like that.

Why did he come all this way?

Is she asking why he risked his life to save her?

Hmm.

To save the world… that sounds too grand. Yuka’s grandfather and Yuka were saying that. That everyone might die if they didn’t do this.

But the reason Souta came this far wasn’t actually that grand.

It was just that, as always, there was someone he wanted to protect.

Although it was a child he hadn’t known for long, he didn’t want to give up. Souta doesn’t want to give up on children within his reach.

It was the same with Shii, and the same with Yuka.

If the world is going to be destroyed and everyone will die anyway, isn’t it natural to at least reach out a hand?

“Let’s go.”

“…Where to?”

As Kotone asked again, light appeared.

Far away, light like someone had made a hole in the sky.

As if it was splitting, the hole gradually grew larger, and the light became brighter.

“Shall we go there?”

Souta said that and walked, taking Kotone with him.

Souta somehow thought that hole would be a path created by Yuka.

*

“Get away from Souta!”

Even in a situation where blood seemed to be flowing from her entire body, Yuka swung her sword. She didn’t care even if her back was cut.

The part where Souta could be seen inside that flesh lump was now barely the tip of his hair.

In fact, he might not be intact even with that much. Inside, his body might already be dissolving—

Yuka shook off such thoughts and forcibly swung her sword to try to open that flesh lump.

The flesh lump wrapped around her leg. If she’s not careful, Yuka might end up just like Souta—

But she couldn’t give up.

“I still have so much I want to tell you! In a place like this, like this…!”

Somehow, the sword attacks that had been coming had stopped.

Was he enjoying watching Yuka despair?

I shouldn’t have brought Souta here after all.

If he was going to die, he should have died alone.

What nonsense about saving the world.

What’s the point of saving the world if the person you love disappears?

After striking with her sword many times, she saw Souta’s face beyond that flesh lump.

Yuka dropped her sword and put her hand inside.

With that hand covered in a mixture of Souta’s and Yuka’s blood, she made Souta’s face visible from outside—

Souta opened his eyes.

“Souta?”

“…Yuka.”

Souta, meeting Yuka’s eyes, smiled slightly.

In a situation like this…!

But the anger she felt disappeared instantly.

Souta was still alive.

So—

“I’ll get you out…!”

“Yuka.”

“No, don’t say that yet. You’re not dead. It’s not over yet. So—”

“Yuka. It’s okay.”

“How can it be okay…!”

But before Yuka could finish speaking, that flesh lump moved.

Slowly, as if retreating from Souta’s body.

“Huh…?”

As Yuka stepped back slightly, the flesh lump gradually took shape.

That shape was like a giant sword.

No, that was too simple a description. Although it had blades sticking out here and there, it was too complex to simply call it a “sword.”

Such a thing was attached to Souta’s left arm.

“…I’ll explain after everything is over.”

Souta said.

His face was covered in blood. One eye was too swollen to open easily.

But unlike before, Souta stood firmly in place.

“It’s okay.”

Souta said once more.

“We can save the world.”

And then Souta moved.

*

“Interesting.”

Nirlas kept giggling and said.

“Inside me, and inside that too! It’s amusing that a soul can exist elsewhere without being split.”

“Is it amusing?”

Souta swung his arm.

Crack.

The red blade broke. But Nirlas created a new blade again.

The fallen blade turned into blood and seeped into the ground, then became a yokai and came out again. Of course, it couldn’t maintain that form for long.

“After tormenting Kotone like that, you find it amusing?”

“I think it can only be amusing. Otherwise, why would there have been so many humans who tormented that child?”

Blood splattered everywhere.

It was blood spurting from Souta’s body, but most of it was blood flowing from the flesh lump on Souta’s arm.

Though not without Souta’s blood.

Yuka had also grabbed her sword and was helping Souta.

“Hmm.”

But even in such a situation, Nirlas was just watching this situation with interest.

“I see. I wonder if you thought you could win with that.”

Souta gritted his teeth.

Despite fighting like this, strangely, there was no sense that Nirlas was being pushed back. Even though cuts were increasing all over and blood continued to flow.

“Lord Nirlas!”

Seeing the situation, Kosuzu shouted.

“You are…!”

“Hmm.”

Nirlas turned his head at Kosuzu’s words.

Slash.

In that moment, Nirlas’s body was cut again, but he didn’t care. Souta couldn’t bring himself to cut Nirlas’s neck.

Even at that moment, he was still anxious. Because that body belonged to Kotone.

“Yes. I’m sorry. It seems I’ve dragged out my leisure time too much.”

Nirlas walked toward Kosuzu Kurosawa.

Kosuzu Kurosawa, as if she had been waiting, knelt on the floor.

Nirlas approached her.

Yuka rushed toward the two, but—

“Ugh!?”

Yuka’s feet stopped at the sound Souta made.

“Souta?”

Souta knelt on one knee.

That’s dangerous.

As Nirlas approached the mirror, pain surged in Souta’s arm.

As if Kotone was in pain.

“This body was originally supposed to be mine.”

Nirlas said.

“But as time passed, consciousness developed in the body. I found it interesting, so I watched for a while.”

Kik kik, Nirlas laughed like a child who had successfully played a prank.

Yuka tried to rush toward the two, but Souta’s arm moved on its own and struck Yuka. Yuka screamed and fell sideways, sliding across the floor.

She was still conscious, but ended up in a situation where she couldn’t get up.

“Yuka!”

Souta shouted and tried to get up, but—

Nirlas had already approached Kosuzu Kurosawa.

“Even play eventually comes to an end. When toys break, one can no longer play with them.”

“Are you saying Kotone was just a toy?!”

Souta shouted.

“If I played with it like a toy, isn’t it a toy?”

Nirlas laughed.

“It was fun. So, I will fulfill my promise.”

“Ah, Lord Nirlas…”

“However.”

Nirlas thrust his smiling face toward Kosuzu and said.

“You tried to deceive me, didn’t you?”

“…What?”

Kosuzu, receiving such a question at the last moment, asked blankly.

“How could I not know that once I fully possessed the body, you intended to take that body and send me back?”

“Lord Nirlas?”

Nirlas extended his hand to Kosuzu.

“The sword, the mirror, and the jewel.”

Nirlas said to Kosuzu.

“The bell is just one of the tools needed for the ritual. It’s not necessary for the ceremony.”

The smile disappeared from Kosuzu’s face.

“You—”

But before she could leave any words of curse, Kosuzu’s head went “pop” with a small sound and burst.

“Good.”

Nirlas smiled and took the mirror from the corpse’s hand, then turned to Yuka and Souta.

“Now, let’s enjoy. The final moment.”

Then he turned the mirror and looked at his own face in it.