For the disclaimer and the story's note, you can find it in the first chapter.
Chapter 11
Have you experienced how scary standing in the between of a starving lion and a rampaging bear? To tell you the truth, I haven't. However, I wasn't sure if what I was currently experiencing is enough or not. Then again, my current predicament was likely more dangerous than standing in the between of two dangerous animals. After all, I was in between of cold hearted, ruthless inversed Spirit and explosive, sadist Kotori in her «Ifreet» form.
"Ah! It has become soft."
«Princess» said that. Her tone was flat, but there was disappointment underneath. I could find it because we have talked so much before. And she has ignored Kotori after giving Kotori a disinterested look. I was sure she ignored Kotori because she knew who Kotori was. In the living room, there was some photographs belonged to Kotori. I was a bit relieved by «Princess» disinterested for maiming my little sister. But since my boner has stopped, I felt awkward and embarrassed with her strange fixation towards my dick.
Kotori's sudden appearance has killed my boner. My mind has cleared any trace of lust and my cognitive ability kicked into full gear.
Staring at Kotori who was bowing her head, her bangs overshadowing her face, I knew she should explode soon.
"You...bitch!" said Kotori before I could speak first, "how dare you! Touching what's mine! Shidou's dick is my possession, you slut! Scram before I kill you!"
Spiteful, angry tone escaped Kotori's cute lips. But alas, the words were not as cute as the speaker. They were venomous and directly piercing the heart with their poisonous thorn.
I gasped because how rough «Princess» gripped my penis. Her gauntlet covered yet soft hand slowly crushed my shaft mercilessly. I want to cry because that, but my voice choked back in my throat.
"Tis' honorable one doesn't like little sister's tone." Staring at Kotori with cold eyes, Princess chided my little sister. "And besides, this human is already belonged to this honorable one. This human is this one's possession. A mere little sister like you should watch what you're saying."
Kotori's eyes opened wide, her body shaking intensely because anger. She gripped her halberd's—«Camael's»—pole tightly until her knuckles turned white. The amber around her burned ablaze into scorching inferno at instant. With how hot it was, this house will be burned down soon.
"Y-you..." a shaky tone, shook because incomprehensible anger. Kotori glared at Princess with red eyes filled with bloodlust.
Slowly, a bloodthirsty smirk appeared on my little sister's face. Her cute appearance turned into diabolical yet cute at the same time. It sent an awkward image to everyone who sees it.
Pointing her blood red halberd, the bloodthirsty Kotori challenged Princess with arrogant, mocking smirk. "A nameless girl like you dare to act cocky in front of me? Let me see how useless you're. Let's fight to death!"
"This one has showed her generosity by letting your first blunder. However, you keep acting arrogant in front of this one. It seems this one should deliver a punishment for little sister."
"Stop calling me little sister you tramp! I can't accept you as my big sister! I will deny any hussy who dares seducing Shidou! Shidou is mineeee!"
"No! This human is mine!"
'Oy, oy, I'm not somebody's possession! I'm mineeeeee!' I shouted in my heart. They have argued back and forth about who was my owner. But, like I have said: I'm nobody's possession!
One set of red eyes filled with bloodlust and madness, and the other set of crystal-like eyes filled with icy coldness. The Mexican standoff between two overpowered magical girls in bathroom was surreal.
The tension in the air was thick. I felt my hair on my male stood up. This was dangerous. They could explode at any moment.
Suddenly, an alarm rang in my mind. My life preservation instinct screamed at me to get the hell out of here, but I was not deluding myself. I was aware it was impossible to get away before they explode. If I don't stop them, I would die in the crossfire. I could feel the metaphorical container that holds Kotori's mana in me has been drained by «Ifreet's» awakening. And Kotori's phonex-like regeneration was out of my reach.
Kotori raised her blood red halberd and Princess summoned her dark, massive sword. Then, their body twitched.
"Stoooooooop! Stop fighting! If you two fighting in here, I'm gonna die for sure!"
I jumped in the between of the raging inferno and the ominous darkness. And I spread my hands out, trying to stop them. My eyes were closed, afraid to watch what will happen if I was failed.
One second passed. Two seconds. Three seconds. And I kept my eyes closed rightly.
"Shidou, are you crazy? Do you want to die?"
"Human, what are you doing? Have you gotten bored of your life?"
Hearing Kotori's and Princess's voice, I opened my eyes slowly. Immediately, my eyes opened wide in fear and cold sweat drenched my nape.
An inch apart before touching me, the sharp edge of Nehemah was close for splitting my face horizontally. And I felt something dangerous above my head, something sharp and very close to cleave my skull open. I was sure it was Camael's edge.
'This... this is too close...'
I took a deal breath, trying to calm myself. However, my heart was beating crazily because the close call with my second death.
"U-uh... girls. Could you two stop this? I can die from a stray attack if you two are fighting." I tried to reason with these two crazy girls.
At the moment like this, I do wish I have cheat-like ability when I reincarnated in this world. But alas, it was only a wishful thinking. Reality was a harsh place and it was a place for strong to prevail and the weak to be eaten alive. Such scary place, but also a beautiful place.
Pairs of red and crystal-like eyes bored and my skull, making me more nervous than a moment ago. If not because the heavy weapons close touching me, I would drop my body in the floor now. My survival instinct was the only thing that keeps me standing.
"True... this is no way I will harm Shidou..." said Kotori. I felt relieved when I heard it—
"Let's settle this outside." An absurd exclamation escaped Princess's lips.
"Heh, at least the bitch can bark like a good bitch she is." And Kotori agreed with the tyrannical woman.
—my relief was too soon.
Before I could stop them, they have pulled their weapons and blasted the concrete wall open. The loud *BOOOM* that deafened my ears sent a jolt of shock in my mind. And then, I felt something hard slammed my back head. At that moment, my world turned dark.
Change of POV
My head hurts. My body hurts. Everything seems hazy. Though my mind is filled with fog, there is something I can recall.
Blue hair. Youthful yet handsome face. Golden eyes... or it is light brown eyes? I am not sure, my mind only recalling a rampaging fire. Everywhere was bathed with scorching red.
Who is he?
The hazy memory appeared in my aching head. The memory seems new, but it also feels alien. However, I know him. I feel yearning and endless gratitude for him. And there was also an emotion I cannot describe it clearly. It gave me warmth and sense of security.
Why? Why I feel this mysterious emotion when I remember his face...
[Are you okay?]
The same blue hair, unmistakably golden eyes, and youthful face. His eyes kept flickering between golden and light brown amidst the red light of the raging fire.
So, they're the same person after all.
[My papa and mama! Where are they?]
A young female voice. I cannot put my mind in it, but my mind keeps telling me it was my voice.
[I'm sorry. I can't save them. The burning house dropped on them. I can only safe you before you are killed in the burning wreckage too.]
That regretful face. That somber tone. That sad appearance. Why he showed me that look. He had saved me...
[Hu... huuu... huaaaaaaaaa! Papaaaaa! Mamaaaaa!]
Ah! I was crying, wasn't I?
The boy in my hazy memory was silent, waiting the young me to calm down.
[Why? Huuuu... *hiks* why is this happening? *sob*]
[Because this is reality... reality is a harsh place. The place where the strong can prevail and the weak will be eaten. It is gentle place, but because its gentleness, something like this happens and misfortune spread over. We can only swallow the bitterness and move forwards. Become strong until this gentle reality won't toy with your life anymore. Become strong until you're free from the useless shackled that makes us experiencing the misfortune and sadness.]
[I don't understand... *hiks* what were you saying... *sob* huuu...]
Right... at that time, I did not understand what he meant. As I grew older and became wiser, I finally understood what he meant. The world, this reality is truly a gentle place. So gentle that it will leave the injustice and misfortune happen.
I never hated the fire incident for my parents' death. It was misfortune. I was too weak and I could not do a thing to prevent my parents' death or to stand strong by myself like that boy.
When I found out the incident happened because a rampaging life form called Spirit, I did not hate it. It was misfortune. In my eyes, Spirit is no different than natural disaster. Would you blame a natural disaster when somebody you know died in it? Of course not, only a coward, a weak people does that. I wanted to be strong and I did not want to be a coward. It was why I did not hate Spirit.
[Don't worry. You'll understand it in the future.]
Just like what he said. I understood later as I grew up. However, at that time, my childish curiosity made me ask something towards him.
[How? How can I be strong?]
The boy stared at me with a troubled face. And then, he answered:
[I don't know what about you. There are many ways to be strong. However, the most important thing is you must have reason to be strong.]
[A reason? What reason?]
[Dunno. It is different from one people to another. However, usually people's reason to be strong is for his loved ones.]
[Loved ones? Like parents... but, I don't have anybody.]
The boy was silent for a while. And then, with weird, bothered face, he said: [You can make me into your reason to be strong. You will become strong for me? How about it?]
That time, I was not sure. But, his words gave me a comfort and sense of security. As a young girl who just experienced a tragedy, I clung into that words like a lifeline.
To be strong for his sake...
Then, the boy lifted my tired body. He carried me like a princess in a fairy tale my mother had told me in my bedtime. He was like a prince in shining armor. My sadness was forgotten at the moment, only warmth of his body mattered to me. It kept me safe.
That boy was my savior. My life was his, and he was the reason for my life. However, at that time, I regretted only one thing.
I forgot asking his name...
I continued my life. Surprisingly, my late parents' safekeeping was enough for my expense until I finished my high school. Of course, I spent my money carefully. I gave my utmost effort in my study until I earned scholarship in my middle school. My life went on normally, just like the ignorant masses around me living their carefree life.
And then, that day happens. I did not know what was happening. At the moment, a group of delinquents dragged me into an empty alley. I was terrified for my life; their obscene face told me their intention. I filled with despair. I did not want to be dirtied by their filthy hands. After all, this body, this life wasn't mine to begin with. I owed that boy everything. However, what could I do? I was weak, powerless.
When the despair ate me, my consciousness faded. Then, I woke up in my apartment. I checked myself, fearing something bad would happen to me. Surprisingly, my virtue as a girl was still intact. However, I felt curious what happened in that alley.
Sometimes later, I found there was a mass murder in the alley I have been dragged into. The victims were the delinquents who tried to rape me. I was afraid, afraid because I was also there. However, police did not come over. I was free, but there was the lingering fear and a nagging feeling in my head, as if I was the one who did it.
Since that time, I diagnosed with narcolepsy. I usually blacked out and when I was awake, I was already in my apartment. From that moment, my life went downhill. I became a loner and locked myself with study and training.
To be strong...
That mantra repeated in my mind like a broken recorder, forcing me to better myself almost obsessively. I advanced in anything: my grades in class, my physical grades, everything. It created a massive trench between me and everybody in my age. My friends slowly left me alone; I became a pariah of society, a loner who locked herself out of the masses. However, I did not care. I ignored everything in endless pursuit to be strong.
Then, I joined special batch of JSDF—the Anti-Spirit Team. I excelled in everything and got quick promotion many times. I also found out about the existence of the hidden monster in this gentle world—the Spirit.
Unfortunately, my habit in blacking out made me demoted. They said I wasn't suited to be a soldier because of my narcolepsy. However, I need to join the AST—to fight the Spirit, to test how strong I have become.
But alas, this reality is very gentle. If I am not strong, I cannot get I want. This reality is gentle, too gentle until it left the atrocity spread over on its existence.
After I officially dropped out from AST, I decided to move back towards my hometown—Tenguu City. And then—
[My name is Itsuka Shidou... and the pleasure is mine.]
—I met him again. My reason to be strong. My savior. Unfortunately—
[I... lost my childhood memory. The doctor who treated me back then said I suffered amnesia because trauma and shock from the incident.]
—he did not remember anything about that time.
That memory felt new, yet old at the same time. It felt familiar, yet alien. This haziness gave me headache.
Then, I remembered myself facing a beautiful woman with luscious black hair, crystal-like eyes, majestic presence, and a massive singe-edged sword in hand. In that memory, Itsuka Shidou was here, so close yet so far.
Then, I felt headache and the mysterious woman attacked me. Before I lost my consciousness, I experienced mysterious feeling as if I traveled in a tunnel filled with myriads of colors.
My eyes opened abruptly… I remembered everything. I remembered what I have done when I blacked out. I did not have narcolepsy; it was the side effect of this alien power that mysteriously appeared in me.
I raised my thin arm, covered with mysterious black fabric. I felt power coursing in me, like a raging power without a dam to hold it back. This feeling… is this the feeling of being strong?
However, I also felt emptiness in my heart. There was never ending darkness spreading without end. I need something to fill this hole. This discomfort, this emptiness, I need to fill it with something soon before this makes me crazy!
Suddenly, I remembered blue haired young man; the image of my savior, my knight in shining armor.
"Itsuka Shidou...kun."
As I tasted his name in my lips, somehow his name and the image of him filled my emptiness with indescribable feeling. I yearned for it more. I wanted that sensation more.
My mind finally found something I must do; finding Itsuka Shidou. And I will use this power to show him how strong I have become.
Something in my head told me a direction. I don't know what it was, but I have a feeling there was where Itsuka Shidou was.
Suddenly, the name of my guardian, my protector, my weapon, appeared in my mind—«Satan». Ignoring the ominous name, I got its ability. Immediately I found an ability suited for my current need.
"«Satan»—" I called my guardian's name. And immediately I felt the power flowing in me moved towards above my head, my crown. "—«Mal'akh»!"
The twisted crown above my head glowed with dark hue. Hundreds dark wings folded, making a pillars behind my back, and then I flew towards the certain destination with great speeds.
To Be Continued
Author's Note:
JackGehrman: Hahahaha… glad you like it.
Lurker: ¡Toda la razón! A veces, siento lástima por mi MC. de todos modos, gracias por la revisión. alegro que te guste.
Animeloverq8: Thank you. I'm glad you enjoy it.
Judgment of the Arbiter: thanks and you're welcome. True, you're damn right!
FateBurn: Glad you like it.