Chapter 81

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The day Eugene first cut down a living being with a sword was a turning point in his life.

His resolve, once shattered, had been reforged and tempered anew.

It was the moment when he transcended his limits and achieved unprecedented growth, a transformation sparked by that decisive experience. The cherry blossom-like hue in his eyes reflected the emotions tethering him to the past.

In many ways, it was a pivotal moment in Eugene’s life.

Yet, he couldn’t stop pondering the root cause behind everything—the one responsible for setting those events into motion.

Astaroth.

Who exactly was that girl?

Where did she grow up? How did she train to attain such strength at such a young age?

What did the mask symbolize? And why did she attack the research facility?

The questions were endless.

There was only one thing Eugene could say with certainty.

That girl was a calamity not to be left unchecked.

Because of this, Eugene decided to turn the current situation to his advantage.

It was risky, perhaps even reckless.

No, it was outright dangerous.

But it was better than staying powerless and being led around by the nose.

“Is Astaroth your real name?”

“Hm? What about it?”

“It just sounds like an alias to me.”

One thing about Eugene was clear—he was terrible at being subtle.

Negotiation, the kind where you cunningly fish for information while subtly unsettling your opponent, was nearly impossible for someone as straightforward as Eugene.

“Heh.”

Naturally, the sly Astaroth picked up on Eugene’s intentions immediately, smirking at him as if amused.

Eugene shielded Alice behind him, glaring at Astaroth. The sight reminded her of a brother fiercely protecting his little sister. Amused, Astaroth’s playful voice carried a hint of laughter.

“Well, it’s not hard to tell you, but that wouldn’t be fair, would it? If I give you something, I should get something in return. Don’t you think it’s only fair? You wouldn’t want me sharing things for free, right?”

“Fine. I ask a question, and you get to ask me one in return. That should be fair enough, right?”

It wasn’t fair at all.

Eugene’s knowledge, at best, was unremarkable.

Even with his talents, he was still just a student, holding little information of value.

Meanwhile, everything about Astaroth was shrouded in mystery.

Even a single word she spoke could be a vital clue.

It was like trading a common stone for gold.

“Deal! But no lying, okay?”

To Eugene’s surprise, Astaroth agreed without hesitation.

The girl in the red fox mask nodded excitedly, her voice brimming with amusement.

“Alright, let me answer your first question. The answer is yes—‘Astaroth’ is my real name. I do have other names, though… the name I use nowadays is Astaroth.”

“Other names? Like what?”

“Ah, ah, ah. One question at a time, remember? But I’ll make an exception this time. It’s a special service! I’ve been called Ishtar, Inanna, Astarte… and Y—well, that’s enough.”

Was she telling the truth? Or just fabricating stories?

Eugene couldn’t tell.

If Astaroth was lying, there was no way for him to discern it.

So, he decided to take her words with a grain of salt.

Blindly trusting an enemy’s words would be foolish, after all.

“Alright, my turn now.”

“Go ahead. Ask anything.”

“Are you two dating?”

“What?!”

Eugene stared at Astaroth, dumbfounded by the absurd question.

Completely unbothered, Astaroth continued smiling brightly.

“A romantic stroll under the cherry blossoms… how adorable.”

“N-no, not at all!”

Alice was the one to answer, furiously waving her hands.

Dating Eugene? The mere thought made her cringe.

Sure, Alice had some interest in Eugene—but not the romantic kind.

It was more suspicion than affection.

To her, Eugene was someone to keep an eye on.

“Really? That’s unexpected. You two seemed to fit so well together. Like a forbidden love story between an older brother and his little sister—it’s quite thrilling!”

“Enough. It’s my turn now.”

“Go on, then. Ask away.”

“Why are you here?”

Eugene was certain that Astaroth, under heavy pursuit from the Celestial Corps after her past actions, should have been laying low. Instead, she boldly showed up here.

No matter how strong she was, she couldn’t possibly hold off an entire army alone.

It made no sense unless she had a trump card.

“Oh, nothing much. Just here to enjoy the cherry blossoms and maybe meet up with a friend. You know, two birds with one stone.”

“A… friend?”

“What? Do I look like a loner to you? That’s kind of hurtful. I’ll have you know I pride myself on being quite sociable.”

So, she was part of some organization.

But which one? The Family? Another group of supernaturals?

“Then, you must—”

“Ah, ah, ah. One question at a time, remember? I’ve already given you a freebie.”

In the distance, faint sounds of commotion could be heard from the park’s outskirts, but none of them paid it any mind.

Astaroth didn’t care, and Eugene and Alice were too focused on the figure in front of them to notice anything else.

Though the conversation seemed peaceful, Eugene knew Astaroth was like a ticking time bomb, unpredictable and dangerous.

Not for a moment could he let his guard down.

“Hmm, what should I ask next?” Astaroth mused playfully.

Astaroth twirled her parasol playfully, as though she couldn’t easily decide what to ask due to the sheer number of questions on her mind.

After a moment of deliberation, she spoke, her tone laced with mischief.

“You’re not dating, yet you’re out viewing cherry blossoms together… and it doesn’t feel like you’re in that sweet, budding phase either. Hmm, did you come with other people then? Who else is here with you?”

“That’s…”

Should he tell her?

Should he reveal that Lucia was here?

It was far too dangerous.

If Astaroth turned her attention to Lucia, she too could end up in the devil’s grasp.

However, Eugene’s hesitation was meaningless.

Astaroth chuckled softly, as if she had gleaned everything from his expression.

“Lucia.”

“…!”

“Wow, it’s true, isn’t it? I was just guessing, but your faces are awful at hiding things. If you want to keep a secret, you should start by fixing your expressions.”

Eugene and Alice were both visibly alarmed, but Astaroth seemed satisfied, nodding to herself as though she’d stumbled upon a treasure trove of information.

‘So Lucia is here too’, she mused.

Was it Lucia who brought Eugene to this place? On this very day? To this very spot?

What an incredible coincidence.

For “the Chosen One” to appear on the same day Murmur, acting on Agares’ orders, descended to tear through the dimensional fabric?

It was far too neat to be a coincidence.

As Astaroth contemplated, stroking her chin thoughtfully, Eugene sensed the growing tension. He hastily spoke to divert her attention.

“It’s my turn to ask a question, right?”

“You didn’t technically answer my last question, but I guess I got what I wanted. So, yes.”

“If you came to meet your companions, that means they’re here, doesn’t it? What are your companions doing? Don’t tell me they’re here for flower viewing too.”

“I’m here to do what I did at the lab.”

“…What?”

What she did at the lab?

Wait—could she mean that?!

“Although that’s more of a secondary goal. My real purpose is something else. But either way, lots and lots of people are going to die, so I’m not technically lying.”

“…!”

Eugene instinctively gripped the dagger concealed in his uniform pocket.

If Alice hadn’t grabbed his sleeve, he might have drawn it then and there.

Though she managed to stop Eugene, Alice’s crimson eyes burned with intensity.

“D-don’t… g-get angry… C-calm down….”

“…”

She was right.

They weren’t the only ones here.

The park was crowded with ordinary people who had no means of defending themselves.

Unless he could ensure their safety while fighting, confronting Astaroth now would be a grave mistake.

Moreover, Astaroth was undeniably stronger than Eugene.

This wasn’t the time to give in to emotions.

For his own sake, for Alice, and for everyone else present.

“Ahaha, so passionate! You really want to protect people, huh?”

“Shut up.”

“That’s a question, isn’t it? It’s your turn to answer.”

“…”

Astaroth was right—it was the deal.

Suppressing his anger, Eugene glared at her, preparing for his next question.

He clenched his fists tightly, the faint flicker of flames dancing across his knuckles.

“…I swore.”

From the moment Yui died.

From the day he first gained the power of fire.

“To protect people—from monsters and from supernaturals who abuse their powers, like you.”

“Even if it costs your life?”

“Even if I die.”

“Hmm… impressive. You’re almost making me fall for you.”

“Are you mocking me?”

“Not at all. I’m serious.”

Yeah, right.

The same person who massacred the lab staff.

The same person who had decapitated Lucia.

If not for her super regeneration ability, Lucia wouldn’t have survived. Had she possessed any other ability, the result would have been… Eugene didn’t want to imagine it.

At least Lucia wasn’t here now.

He was grateful for that much.

Facing Astaroth would surely unearth traumatic memories for her.

Wherever she was, it had to be safer than here.

Having answered her question, it was Eugene’s turn again.

Astaroth was shrouded in mystery, and there was so much he wanted to uncover.

An opportunity like this—a chance to interrogate her directly—was rare.

It might even be the first and last time.

Before her capriciousness ended the conversation, Eugene parted his lips, parched with tension.

“Why on earth do you guys kill people—”

“…”

Before he could finish his question, Astaroth tilted her head sharply, as though catching a sound only she could hear.

She lowered her parasol slightly, her voice dropping.

“A rat, huh?”

A rat?

Who did she mean?

Eugene followed her gaze but saw nothing unusual.

Just the other park-goers, enjoying the cherry blossoms.

No one who seemed like they’d draw Astaroth’s ire.

“Well, whatever. Let them make their calls or do whatever else they want. Murmur will handle it.”

Relaxing her tone, Astaroth spoke with a hint of amusement.

“And what perfect timing. Looks like things are finally starting. Took her long enough.”

“What are you—”

A chilling sensation shot down Eugene’s spine.

He shuddered involuntarily, unable to suppress the electric fear running through him.

It was an instinctive warning. Not a rational thought but a primal fear resonating within him.

What is this? The cold dread is almost suffocating. Has Astaroth’s interest come to an end? Is she finally going to kill us?

Yet there wasn’t a trace of hostility from the girl wearing the red fox mask before him.

Then what is this overwhelming sense of danger…?

“Ah.”

Alice, who had been slower to sense the unease than Eugene, was the first to witness its source.

She let out a short gasp, her gaze drawn upward as if spellbound.

Eugene followed her lead and looked to the sky.

A brilliant blue sky. Clear and cloudless, the warm sunlight bathing them from above.

At the center of it all, the sun shone brightly.

“…Oh no.”

But something catastrophic had occurred to the sky that should have remained unchanging.

Like a shattered mirror, the sky was distorting.

The space itself seemed to warp, compressing or twisting unnaturally.

The formless void was visibly breaking apart.

Both Eugene and Alice understood what they were seeing.

As students of the academy.

And as people living in this world.

“A Rift!”

A portal linking this world to another.

A harbinger of an invasion by high rank monsters.

“Why here of all places…?!”

As if dealing with Astaroth wasn’t a disaster enough, now a rift had appeared as well.

This day must have been cursed.

Though no monsters had emerged yet, the rift was already forming. It was only a matter of time.

Five minutes. No, maybe three at most before the invasion began.

Could they evacuate the people in time?

…Even under the best circumstances, it was impossible.

The Celestial Corps would surely dispatch a hero after detecting the rift’s formation, but whether they could arrive before casualties mounted was uncertain.

And then there was Astaroth, not to mention the wildcard of her supposed ally.

“S-someone tell me what’s going on! This is insane—AAAHHH!”

“Kyaaaahhh!”

The sudden outcry and chaos disrupted Eugene’s thoughts.

He froze mid-motion, his hand halfway to retrieving his phone from his pocket, startled by the piercing screams.

Were people reacting to the sight of the rift?

If so, their reaction would be understandable, but that wasn’t it.

A rift in its initial stages couldn’t be perceived by the average person.

Only when the rift reached a near-complete state, moments before monsters emerged, could ordinary people sense its presence.

This delay in perception was one of the reasons why civilian casualties were so high and evacuations were often too late.

The rift in the sky wasn’t fully formed yet.

Logically, the people around them shouldn’t be aware of the looming threat.

Then what was causing the screams?

“What are you doing here?”

Eugene quickly found the answer.

A child was walking toward them.

A figure clad in an ill-fitting white cloud mask. Judging by their height and build, they seemed to be around ten years old.

Bundled up in an oversized puffer coat that didn’t suit the season, the child held something tightly in their hands, dragging it behind them as they approached.

“Astaroth. Are you here to help, or to get in the way?”

“I’m just here to watch. But what’s that you’re holding?”

“Oh, this?”

The child left a trail of red smears in their wake.

Trotting up to stand beside Astaroth, the child casually tossed whatever they had been dragging as if discarding garbage.

Splat.

A wet, sickening sound accompanied the object as it hit the ground, rolling and spilling red liquid with every motion.

Eugene gasped sharply, struggling to comprehend what he was seeing.

It took him a moment to recognize the thing the child had thrown.

Was that… a person?

No, it couldn’t be. It looked more like a blood-filled sack of flesh crudely shaped into a human form.

Something you’d expect to see as a cheap Halloween prop or a haunted house decoration.

But it was a living human.

Astonishingly, it was still alive.

That fact defied all reason.

Humans don’t survive being bisected.

When their upper and lower halves are severed, they die, whether from shock or excessive blood loss.

Golden hair matted with blood.

A shirt turned into tatters, drenched in red, its original color indistinguishable.

Pink eyes, vacant and devoid of focus.

It was all so familiar.

Yet not familiar enough for Eugene to find the words to speak.

“Ah… a-ah…”

Alice collapsed to her knees as though the strength had left her body.

Trembling uncontrollably, she covered her mouth with both hands.

Eugene couldn’t reach out to her.

He had no mental capacity left for anything else.

His pale blue eyes reflected the image of the girl he knew.

Her severed waist, the blood and entrails spilling out, and the intermittent spasms of her body.

“She kept interfering, so I only left her half-dead.”

“Ahahaha!”

The child in the white cloud mask spoke matter-of-factly.

The girl in the red fox mask chuckled softly.

“Lu…Lucia… ah…”

Alice’s tearful voice cracked with despair.

Snap.

Something broke inside Eugene.

The flames erupted.

 

Author Note

A/N (Author’s note):
She’s torn in half, so she’s half-dead, technically? 

I’m thinking about it.

Translator Note

T/N (Translator’s note):
Not sure about being half-dead but she sure looks half-off to me, heh.