Chapter 390: [ I l o v e y o u . ]

<Author's Notes>

While I was revising this story, I was playing the anime ending song "pray" by Hakubi. Somehow, the song (and its lyrics) gave me the impression of reflecting the feelings of each of the Takao sisters (even though the song is actually inspired by Seras). It created a strange sense of synchronicity...... a mysterious feeling during the revision process. Hakubi's "pray" changes its tone after the anime's ending part, and it's a really wonderful song, so if there's an opportunity, please listen to the full version.

The seven minutes, where death is an ever-present threat, began.

Yomibito's four katanas raged wildly.

The reach of the blades is long.

The real issue is, of course, the invisible, transparent parts of the blades.

Moreover, it seems that the length of the transparent blades varies among the four swords.

I need to keep a close watch on which arm wields which length of transparent blade.

During the attack, Yomibito attempted to shuffle his katanas once.

But Elder Sis interrupted with a wind pressure attack, aiming at the moment of the shuffle.

This seemed to work; Yomibito abandoned their shuffle attempt.

That said, even without that, the varying lengths of the transparent blades are already challenging to manage.

It would be unbearable if they shuffled during combat.

(As expected of Elder Sister...... It's just, d*mn it! Yomibito is starting to focus their attacks on Elder Sis......!)

It's clear now, Yomibito is targeting Elder Sis.

Probably, they have judged her as the key player.

"Takao Itsuki cannot function without her sister."

Did they read it that way?

This battle—if Elder Sis is taken out, they win.

However......

(Like I'd let them have their way......!)

I increased my speed and fired a compressed <Two>.

[————-Kuh.]

Even though they were aiming for Elder Sis, they didn't neglect attacking me.

The pillar attacks they used to block the passage had stopped, probably because they had used all their pillars up.

Still, with the additional katanas, dealing with them has become even more difficult.

The defense is so intense that even breathing feels like a vulnerability.

Naturally, I find myself holding my breath more often.

————-It's suffocating.

Even though the battle is unfolding at such a high speed.

It feels like I'm fighting underwater.

(I have to somehow draw Yomibito's attention towards me......!)

I need to make them recognize me as a threat.

I must———- fulfill my role.

My abdomen, shoulders, arms, and legs have numerous small cuts.

Though I haven't sustained any deep wounds, the number of blade injuries keeps increasing.

No———- I'm still in better shape.

I shouted.

[Over here, Yomibito!]

However, they didn't even look back.

The Yomibito's chaotic barrage of strikes moves in every direction.

Thanks to her innate ability to anticipate, Elder Sis manages to avoid fatal wounds.

However———-

(Elder Sis...... she's keeping a calm face but———-)

Her injuries are piling up.

Blood is continuously being drained.

Although she's defending with wind blades and other elemental attacks......

Yomibito probably thinks that Elder Sis doesn't have any fatal attacks right now———- so they are pressing their advantage.

On the other hand, I may have my <End>, but I can't use it recklessly due to my MP reserves.

Compared to my other skills, <End> consumes a lot of MP.

Moreover———-

I only have enough MP for two more shots.

(How many minutes more?)

I glance at the pocket watch clenched in my hand.

D*mn it......

(Still 5 and a half minutes left!?)

It's been only a minute and a half since my last check.

It feels like we've been fighting for 4 minutes already.

D*mn it———- time feels so long.

This condensed moment.

This space where we're dancing on the edge of death......

(I want to help Elder Sis more...... but if I recklessly jump in, it might actually make things worse. If I get wounded further and my movements are affected...... I won't be able to connect my <End> with Elder Sis's <Gungnir>.)

It's frustrating.

If only I were stronger......

I could draw Yomibito's attention more effectively.

However, all I can do is shoot <Two> as support———-

(Elder Sis is amazing...... even with so many wounds, she shows no sign of faltering......, ——Ah!)

[Elder Sis!]

Fingers are flying through the air.

Her right ring finger and little finger have been severed and are———-

(Ah——-)

Elder Sis......

She's trying to convey something with her eyes.

"It's okay, I can still go on."

[Kuh......]

Even though she had cheered me up after I lost my left eye......

Elder Sis is still trying to keep me from losing my composure, making sure I focus here———-

[...... ———-How much time......]

(4 minutes...... 30 seconds?)

Still, 4 minutes and 30 seconds?

(Elder Sis...... Ahh, d*mn it! Why...... Why do I have to be so powerless right now!?)

At that moment......

[———Ah......]

I felt a jolt.

The speed of the mutated Yomibito's attacks was faster than I had imagined.

I had unconsciously increased the output of <One> to match their speed.

Naturally, increasing the output———- also meant increased MP consumption.

[Sta——— Status...... Open...... ————!]

(Ah———-)

It's...... It's gone.

I used it up———— the MP for two <End> shots.

......However......

If I hadn't used it for evasion, I'd be wounded and unable to move.

So———— was I cornered either way?

If I had conserved MP, I would have taken deeper wounds...

And to avoid that, I increased the output of <One>, leading to MP depletion......

(No———- It's okay...... I still have my own MP left......)

What was displayed in our Status is just the Status Modifier.

I have my own MP———— a separate value that's like within our hardware.

That's what Elder Sis said.

However, when that invisible MP runs out, I lose consciousness.

Decreasing MP also muddles my awareness.

I feel like a goldfish, gasping for air.

[Ah————]

I can't speak.

I can't get the words out.

But Elder Sis......

She clearly understood what had happened———-

......and smiled.

As if to reassure me.

And without speaking a word, she said:

"Leave it to me."

Then Elder Sis raised her index finger, indicating:

"Just one time is enough."

She gave me another look and gesture:

"I'll somehow handle what was needed for that other <End> shot."

[Ah————]

I'm...... remembering it again.

When Elder Sis was on the brink of death due to Vysis's poison, back in the Demon Zone.

That feeling of rapidly losing something......

That terrible premonition of loss.

(Elder Sis——-)

She looked the same as when she faced death.

Probably.

What she'll exchange for it......

Perhaps in exchange for her own ■ (——-I don't even want to think about that).

She's intending to use that to fill in with my one lacking <End> shot?

Wait———-

Wait, Elder Sis......

But then——— That means......

(I......)

With a smile on her lips, Elder Sis conveyed her thoughts with her gaze:

"I leave what happens after this battle to you———- Itsuki."

As with the movements of Elder Sis's lips, I understood what she was trying to say:

[ I l o v e y o u . ]

△

That night, before the day we were supposed to arrive in the royal capital of Alion......

We were in the carriage, before we fell asleep, we reminisced about the past———-

[Haahhh...... when Elder Sis was affected by Vysis's poison...... I seriously thought you were going to die. I really didn't feel alive at all......]

[Talking about that again? Well...... people die eventually. And I told you back then, didn't I? Even if we were to die, we'd always be together.]

[......Hey, Elder Sis.]

[What is it?]

[We're definitely going to die someday, right? And...... when we die as a human, does that mean the end of our lives?]

[There are various philosophies in the world...... but who knows? Maybe it's because the end exists that there's a new beginning.]

[I see. If there's such a thing as reincarnation...... I'd like to, umm...... be born again as your little sister...... Hehe.]

[When we talk about such "what if" scenarios, you sure never say you want to be the older sister huh, Itsuki.]

[Even if you say that, I really don't have the confidence to be the older sister!]

[You do remember we're twins, right? Even though we're sisters, there's no older or younger between us.]

[......H- However......]

[Hmm?]

[I don't want things here to end...... I really don't want it to end. My current life——— My life together with Elder Sis.]

[.....................]

[I- I mean! We're still in our teens, right!? Our lives are just getting started! Thinking about the end isn't something we should be doing at our age! Right!?]

[Wasn't it you who brought up the topic of the end in the first place?]

[Uuu...... T- That's true......]

[But indeed...... There might still be a lot of things———- we haven't even started doing yet.]

▽

——————————-No. This won't happen here.

Like hell I'll let Elder Sister die here.

There's still so much I want to do with Elder Sis.

I won't let it end.

I can't let it end.

(Anything is fine, I need it...... I need power! Anything———-)

At that moment......

[...............?]

(A status notification......?)

[Ah———-]

I quickly glanced at the opened window.

What triggered this, and why now, "at this moment"?

......No.

That———- doesn't matter.

As long as it could become a solution......

It doesn't matter at all.

Even if it's some dangerous power.

(If...... this would lead to my end......)

If it can save Elder Sis————-

□

At the end of all things, there's always a beginning.

During this beginning, there was no need for hymns to praise the gods(Unlock).

After all———— this is not a story of gods, but of humans.

After an end comes a new beginning.

And that place———- is the realm of zero, where nothing can be counted.

This is———- the final form that the wanderer has reached.

Its name is......

[ < Count Zero > ]

(T/N:Spell name: Number Start, Raijin / Chant: Count Zero)