3 bar menu

Chapter 49 Part 8 – A memory from the previous「108 times」. The conclusion. They are dying, but their feelings transcend time. And the loop begins again.

Seraphy’s super senses, heightened in the face of death, read that Alisa would reach Bradd faster than Bradd’s Heartless Autumn Leaves could be activated. If Alisa’s legs were not stopped even for a moment, Bradd would receive a direct hit while he was unable to move. Seraphy had a hunch that Alisa’s attack would be about 10 times stronger than 「Frenzy」. Then Bradd would be turned into a red splash.

In his own way, Seraphy was also desperate to avoid a future of destruction.
But no matter how he tried, he could not come up with an optimal solution.

「…… I can’t read the wind!! It’s like Alisa herself is the source of the storm!!　Every time she moves, the wind changes!! The air around her is being randomly stirred up!! Damn it!! I’ve got to do something!! At this rate, Bradd will ……!!」

Sweat was dripping from Seraphy’s forehead in impatience. The demonic energy that Alisa emitted was too intense for the current Seraphy. Even when he tried to find a way to support Bradd, his senses were tossed about and he could not grasp the opening in the wind that would allow the arrow to pass through. Bradd was in a precarious situation as Alisa ruthlessly closed the distance.

「…… Don’t be impatient, Seraphy. Don’t think of that monster as a human being. Just think of her as the storm itself. And try to think of this place as the ocean. Then it would become like the usual stormy sea. It’s an ordeal you’ve overcome many times. There is no wind that my friend cannot read, and no stormy sea that he cannot cross.」

Seraphy looked up in surprise at the words of Arnold standing in front of him.
Arnold’s opinion is more reliable than anyone else’s at a time like this.

「I will be your absolute arrow. Concentrate on reading the wind. All you have to do is give me instructions. From there, it’s my job. No matter how difficult the order is, I’ll risk my life to accomplish it.」

「…… Thank you. You are my hero after all. I feel much better now. I’ll try it ……!!」

Seraphy’s complexion went beyond pale as he began to focus his attention. His body was fatally wounded. He could die at any time from excessive blood loss and organ damage. He is not able to manipulate blood flow like Bradd. As Alisa said, the fact that he can still move right now was only manageable with the power of Scarlet’s blessing and Seraphy’s willpower. But that was reaching its limits, too. The burden of mental concentration mercilessly chipped away at his life force. The paralyzing pain came rushing to him all at once. A chilling sense of weakness tried to drag his body down.

Feeling the presence of his dying friend behind him, Arnold glared at Alisa and kept his bow at the ready. He did not turn around. Instead of tears, blood was pouring from his bitten lower lip.
He foolishly kept his promise to cry later.
Arnold was prepared that it would accelerate Seraphy’s death when he gave him the advice. He did not hesitate to make the hard choice in order to let Seraphy fulfill his way of life.

Seraphy was deeply grateful for Arnold’s friendship. Arnold was not afraid to take a wound himself to protect his friend’s pride.
After a few moments, Seraphy smiled with a hearty grin. He grasped the wind.
It felt like the scent of the sea tickled his nose.

The days of running around with everyone in the Orange Privateers came to mind.
On the deck of the Blanche, the beloved ship where he spent most of his life, everyone was laughing together, and for some reason Scarlet was smiling at the center of it all. He thought she looked very beautiful with her red hair and eyes under the blue sky and white sails. She was clad in the fine clothes of the〈Lawless Crew〉. He felt a slight warmth in his chest. The impossible and strange memory drifted away like a momentary sea breeze, but Seraphy felt as if he had been given an irreplaceable gift. Seraphy chuckled.

「…… Arnold, laugh at me. It seems that I apparently had good will toward the Queen …… and finally lost my mind in the face of death ……. I saw an illusion of her smiling face, surrounded by everyone at the Orange Privateers. …… I’m sick of my own frivolity. I’ve been so hostile toward her, so why would I have an illusion like that when it’s already too late ……」

「…… There’s no way I’d laugh. I think I kinda get it too. …… Besides, you don’t need a reason to like someone. I’m sure the Queen’s smile was cute, I wish I could have seen it too.」

Remembering the wrenching sensation in his heart earlier, Arnold replied softly.

「…… You don’t need a reason to like someone? Then you don’t need a reason to want to kill either.」

Alisa had been silently listening, but then coldly interrupted.
Her voice was quiet, but clear as it sounded full of killing intent.
He felt like a blade of ice was being slowly thrusted into his chest.

「I thought you were going to die soon, so I let you talk as you liked, but now it backfired. I see you’ve recalled some unnecessary memories. You and the Orange Privateers in the『True History』always took Scarlet from my hands and ran away. That child used to frequently hang around in the Blanche. Ahh, my stomach churns just by remembering it.」

A dangerous atmosphere swelled up.

「…… You like Scarlet? Don’t make me laugh. After all this time, how dare you have the nerve to say something like that? Even if you don’t remember, your hands are stained with the blood of that child as you repeated the loop. …… Well, I’ll let Seraphy off since his eyes are already crushed. However, Arnold, I cannot allow you to see Scarlet’s lovely face. I would go crazy from irritation if I were to be reminded of any more unpleasant memories. …… The current me cannot take it easy on you, I think I’d end up blowing off your whole head, not just your eyes. You should curse yourself for provoking me.」

Alisa turned her body toward Arnold.
The glow in her red eyes drew a glaring trail in the sky.
With the momentum of her rotation, her slender hand was as flexible as a whip and flashed as if going up at an angle.
For Alisa, killing intent is tantamount to murder. She has no hesitation in carrying it out.

「I will only compliment you for stopping me in my tracks. As a reward, you will be able to taste my power, which I have stored up, for yourself. Writhe in agony.」

There was a strange noise, as if a piece of cloth was being torn.
The air in front of Arnold’s eyes was distorted like a mirage.

「……!!」

It was just like Bradd’s 「Transmission」 that he had seen earlier.
But the tingling sensation on his skin told him that a more sinister wave of destruction was coming.

「…… Tch!!」

Instinctively sensing the crisis, Arnold shot at Alisa before he could think. He fired three arrows almost simultaneously. His reflexive movement was lightning fast. However, the arrows that flew out to intercept her were scattered and disappeared far before it reached Alisa. It was as if an invisible monster was lying in wait with its mouth open and bit its fangs together at once.

「You’re such an idiot. Didn’t you hear what Bradd said? He said that it was a combination of 「Transmission」 with 「Frenzy」 …… The current me can let the enhanced 「Frenzy」 fly far away. It’s called Demon’s Bullet. A few arrows are no better than powdered snow.」

Alisa sneered at the surprised Arnold.

「It’s specially made with demonic energy to increase the duration. It won’t disappear until it hits the opponent. Let the invisible fangs bite you and make blood spurt from all over your body. It will escort you through the dance of death.」

Arnold’s hair fluttered behind him. Before he could fix another arrow in his bowstring, the first sign of Alisa’s 「Frenzy」 flashed across his face like a hot blast of wind. Arnold gasped. It was a premonition of his death.

「…… Run!! Arnold!! Don’t get hit by it!!」

Unable to move due to the activation of the Heartless Autumn Leaves, Bradd’s cry echoed in vain.