Chapter 116: Rain

The ground surrounding the figure was sunken in and had begun cracking .

This showed how huge the impact must have been when this person crashed down from the sky .

Seiji slowly approached the person .

'This person . . . is probably a girl . '

Her clothing . . . resembled that of a knight from an anime, but it was gray rather than white in color . It didn't expose her cleavage, and there were pieces which appeared to serve as armor strapped on the girl's waist and shoulders .

 Her armor was engraved with mysterious runes, which Seiji assumed was some sort of magical spell . When he looked closely at her armor, Seiji could make out the outline of a pentagram and a Yin Yang diagram .

Her skirt reached her knees, and there were slits on both the left and right side . Her shins were also covered in runic plating, and she was wearing white socks and shoes .

Her clothes were tattered; it seemed as if something sharp had sliced them . Seiji noticed dark red fluid seeping out of a few of the tears . . .

A cosplayer?? No, these clothes didn't seem this simple at all! Besides, she really did fall down from the sky, and she even caused such a large hole to appear in the ground from her impact!!

This was . . . real .

Seiji took a closer look at her face . It was covered by a white mask, so he couldn't identify her, but . . . her hairstyle and overall appearance . . .

" . . . Shika Kagura?"

Seiji felt a cold chill run down his spine .

He hurriedly approached her and kneeled on one knee, placing his umbrella in order to shield her from the majority of the raindrops . He adjusted her body into a more comfortable position, before slowly supporting her upper body as he carefully removed the mask .

Shika's face was indeed the one underneath the mask .

Her originally beautiful face was now as white as paper . Streams of blood ran down her eyes and mouth . Her eyes were barely open, and her mouth kept opening and closing slightly . It was obvious to see how weak she was .

Seiji widened his eyes in surprise .

It really was her!? How did she become like this!? Was she a Spirit-branded Retainer!? But didn't Natsuya Yoruhana already investigate her, and eliminate the possibility!?

A series of questions flashed through his mind .

"Urk . . . " The girl in his arms struggled to move .

Seiji instantly came back to his senses .

"Shika Kagura! What's the matter? Hold on! I'll call an ambulance immediately!"

He placed the mask down on the ground as he scrambled for his cell phone .

"Seigo Harano . . . no need . . . " a soft voice rang out .

She slowly opened her eyes .

Seiji's hands couldn't help but tremble when he saw her eyes' appearance .

Blood red . . .

It was already impossible to see Shika's eye pupils . Her eyes had turned completely blood red, and the moment she opened them, a fresh trickle of blood poured out of the corners of her eyes .

"To hell with that! You need to go to a hospital immediately!!" Seiji dialed the emergency number on his cell phone using only one hand .

"It's useless . . . I'm . . . about to die . . . " Shika informed him in a calm voice .

"Don't be stupid! As long as you receive treatment in time, you won't die!!"

However, his phone was unable to connect .

"What's going on!? Connect, you bastard!!" Seiji roared at his phone .

Until he noticed that his phone was showing that there was absolutely no cell phone signal whatsoever here .

No signal!?

This was the middle of a city, not some mountain wilderness or unsettled plains!

"What the hell!? What is this . . . ?" Seiji suddenly thought of a possibility which stifled his tongue . "Could it be . . . are you interfering with the cell phone signal?" He looked at Shika .

Her face was pitiful to look at, but her expression was calm .

Just like usual for her .

"It's a . . . spell . . . "

"It's a . . . spell . . . "

"I don't care what it is! Hurry up and cancel it! Otherwise . . . "

"It's too late . . . My . . . soul . . . "

Shika suddenly revealed a painful expression as she closed her eyes, which were still dripping fresh blood .

"There's enough time! Hurry up and cancel that . . . spell or whatever!" Seiji furrowed his brows .

Soul? What happened to her soul?

If Shika's injuries weren't something that a normal hospital could take care of, then even sending her to emergency care would be useless . . .

'Idiot! I can only know if it's useless after I try it!'

"Seigo Harano . . . " she called out his name in a soft voice while closing her eyes . "You're . . . a good person . . . "

"That's my third time hearing that from you! You . . . you can call me that as many times as you want, as long as you get better . That's why . . . "

"I don't want to . . . harm good people . . . " Shika continued talking with many pauses . "But . . . I always . . . harm . . . "

Seiji couldn't find anything to say at this .

"Seeing . . . those . . . that care . . . about me . . . in pain . . . pains me . . . So that's why . . . I don't need . . . anyone . . . to care about me . . . It's fine . . . if . . . I'm alone . . . "

Seiji chest throbbed with pain .

What was this . . . ? He was naïve enough to believe being isolated could still bring her happiness . . .

What was all this about isolation not equaling misfortune, and thinking that having a hobby which you enjoyed was all that was needed!?

Such thoughts were ridiculous!

'I . . . I'm such an idiot!!'

"Being by yourself . . . isn't good at all!" he said forcefully . "When you're sad, nobody will console you; when you're happy, you can't share it with anyone; when you're angry, nobody will coax you; when you're scared, there's nobody to rely on . . . "

"Humans . . . need family and friends . . . So . . . don't say that it's fine to be by yourself . Don't . . . leave this world all by your lonesome . . . " Seiji paused mid-speech . "Live! Live!! Find friends!!!"

He was basically roaring at this point .

Shika widened her eyes ever so slightly .

Shika widened her eyes ever so slightly .

"Friends . . . Impossible . . . "

"There will be! Right now . . . right in front of you, there's one right now!"

Seiji put down his cell phone as he grabbed her tiny hands .

They were icy cold and startlingly soft . . .

"I'll be your friend! I am your friend!! That's why you must live! We . . . still need to do so many things together!!"

"We can chat together, read books together, browse manga together, go shopping together, watch movies together, play games together . . . There are so many fun things we can do together!!"

His shouting seemed to echo in the cold rain .

The girl whose body was turning ice cold felt a sliver of warmth .

Shika slowly began to smile .

"Friends . . . are so nice . . . " she rasped . "Can I . . . really . . . have one?"

"Of course! I'm right here, aren't I!?" Seiji looked directly at her wan yet still beautiful and moving smile . "So don't be in a rush to die; tell me how to save you! I'll absolutely do it!!"

" . . . Sorry . . . It's impossible . . . "

Shika's voice became almost imperceptible .

"My older brother's . . . coming for me . . . "

Older brother?

"I'm . . . going to leave together with him . . . "

Seiji felt a chill over his entire body .

The girl in his arms was rapidly losing all warmth from her body .

"Don't go! You can do it!! You can live!!!"

" . . . Thank you . . . "

Shika's smile seemed to become even softer and more brilliant .

It was almost as if she were showing off her pure untainted soul in her final moments .

Shika's smile seemed to become even softer and more brilliant .

It was almost as if she were showing off her pure untainted soul in her final moments .

"Farewell . . . My only . . . "

" . . . Friend . . . "

Her body turned into nothing but pure iciness .

Seiji's expression froze over .

The rain pounded down with increased intensity .

However, he could barely hear the sound of raindrops right now .

He closed his eyes and lifted his face up towards the sky .

"DAMN IT ALL!!!"

He couldn't do anything but vent the indescribable emotions bursting from his chest .

He didn't know what just happened, or what he should do .

He could load, but how was he supposed to save this girl in front of him?

'Someone . . . tell me!!'

*Boom!!!*

Almost as if in answer to his shouting, another loud sound resounded from a place nearly adjacent to Seiji .

He turned around to look at the new arrival .

He saw a red-haired girl who was wearing clothing similar to Shika Kagura's .

But her appearance . . . something seemed unsettling about it .

Seiji recognized her .

She was Hitaka Shuho, Natsuya Yoruhana's Spirit-branded Retainer .