Apologies for my tardiness in completing this chapter, but various troublesome technical difficulties have plagued my drafts for this story, resulting in, but not excluding other events, of mass deletion, loss of [virtual] property, complete relocation of storage plans regarding my drafts for several of my incomplete stories, etc.
Though I won't go and blame this as completely out of my control. In fact, I may have indirectly instigated these troublesome problems in my everyday affairs.
Nonetheless, I will go and try to make it up by posting what is the final chapter of "Arc 3," aka . . . . there is no official name given, is there?
Later at the Akanemaru (deck)
The Scythe of Testament smashed into the plank floor, splintering the aged timber as the crazed wielder sliced in erratic strokes.
Kono snarled at Haqua in a gruff yet shrill yell while she ducks a swing aimed at her head from the demon.
'I said stay the hell away!'
Tsuya holds back Keima and Chihiro, her eyes tracking the large blade while the ceremonial weapon making an audible hum as it cut through the air while Kono attempted to disarm it, which Haqua responds to by marching steadily forward and viciously striking at the android, leaving behind gaping holes in the Akanemaru's surface. Akari floats above, trying to find a open spot in Haqua's strategy of attacking blindly.
The burning red ocean cast a unnatural glow on the scene, and only made the danger feel ever more present.
Keima could only look in frozen stupor as the devil he once relied on, bantered half-seriously with, and considered one of his trusted allies as well as Elsi's best friend, disappear.
And the only thing that could end her rampage was his head dislocating from his neck. Preferably in a bloody fashion, it seemed.
Earlier at the Akanemaru (starboard deck)
Nikaido greeted the guests with a low bow, before indicating to the cabin door.
'We can discuss the current situation inside.'
If Nikaido hadn't raised a hand and direct where to go, the three demons would have continued casting long hard looks at Chihiro, who was attached to Keima by his shoulder, her eyes radiantly gleaming her now characteristic ruby eyes.
Strangely, Keima noticed Haqua wearing a pair of what he assumed to be sunglasses, something he honestly never saw her even near.
In fact, he didn't even remember the last time he even wore something like that. His regular glasses had occupied his face for as long as he could remember.
Dokorou looked at Akari, who gave a formal nod while also glancing at Haqua as well in concern. She seemed to agree with Dokorou.
'Haqua, you stay here with Akari. I alone will enter. This is now beyond a security hazard, and I have no intentions of anything but the solution and I know for a fact that there are more pressing matters than my safety. You two can stay here along with the rest of them.'
Haqua looked apprehensive about this question, as she clenched her Scythe of Testament to the point where her knuckles turned white, but the rough tone of Dokorou's voice ensured that there was absolutely no room for argument.
Nikaido complies and follows her superior's example.
'Same goes for you guys, then.'
Chihiro didn't seem to even care nor hear Nikaido, and Keima nods just a bit, only after Tsuya automatically saluted towards Nikaido, causing Haqua's eyebrows to shift above her sunglasses in open suspicion as to what exactly Tsuya was based on her behavior and general lack of social grace. Akari merely walks over beside Tsuya and Keima by the view of the ocean.
'Let's go then.'
The two then left, leaving Keima in a painfully awkward situation as Haqua's gaze slips off the two receding figures and glowers upon landing on his face. Evidently since he had last seen her, he had again done something unforgivable to her by some way or the other, again.
But before the uncomfortable atmosphere could go any further, it was, surprisingly enough, Tsuya who broke the silence, something she usually caused. Of course, then again, Keima would suppose it wasn't her fault, rather that of her core programmer, whoever that person may be.
'Inquiry: What are your opinions regarding the apocalypse?'
Keima had to give a weary sigh. It seemed like this was really the only way she ever started a conversation. The very real danger of being assimilated gave the topic a commanding, but morose aura, and Keima feared it would cause even more tension than there was already.
Luckily for him, before Haqua even had a chance to say anything, Akari butted in.
'It's rather interesting, since it displays something that would inevitably happen to humans; the takeover of technology over regular everyday life. Katsuragi here is a prime example, constantly living his life according to his principles and firm belief that the 2D virtual world of galges and too-good-to-be-true female targets of affection were superior in every way when placed next to the rough and unyielding reality of the 3D world we live in, which in his eyes pales in comparison.'
Tsuya stiffens straight up, and Keima cringes. He wasn't sure now if Akari realized that Tsuya was one of those "too-good-to-be-true females" that she mentioned. Even if she knew, Keima was positive that wouldn't deter the usual straightforwardness of Akari.
This time, however, Tsuya isn't able to elicit a response, and the inevitable silence eventually reigns supreme in the mixed group of demons, androids from a gal game, a deranged stalker formerly just a everyday girl, and a guy who played games for a living but was caught up with all of this.
Being the person she was, Kono yawns in boredom. Keima was honestly glad she hadn't tried to cause even more trouble.
Keima resists the urge to play on his PFP, knowing, but not accepting, that it was out of battery, something Akari had noted earlier. He didn't want to be made of a fool yet by proving a valid point.
Haqua's sunglasses were the next subject he was interested in, and he decides to try some small talk with her. After all, he certainly couldn't simply resolve anything by standing around. Well, standing around with Chihiro attached to his shoulder, that is.
And something could go terribly wrong, Keima thought, eying Haqua's accompanying scythe.
'Haqua, could you give us an update about what's happening in the world? All I really know is what happened to Elsi, and that. . . '
His mentioning of Elsi brought her wide-eyed gaze to him, and she was decidedly interested in the conversation despite still having some reservations about coming near him and the androids.
'First of all, what happened to Elsi? Tell me right now, Katsuragi, your well-being depends on it.'
He scratches his head with his unoccupied hand, her threat flying right past his head.
He had other worries.
Should he tell her the whole thing?
Keima internally shakes his head. That would cause far too many problems, most he knew he wouldn't be able to resolve.
'Well, she's been. . . relocated to someplace where as of now we're unsure of. . .But I'm assured by Nikaido that she will rescued in good time.'
He hoped, Keima added, but didn't say out loud.
Haqua didn't seem satisfied with this, and seemed even more intensively irritated at Keima, probably for letting Elsi out of his sight.
Keima was quite sure right now Haqua's loyalties were with Elsi, and she had no sympathy for him, whatever the reason may be. She was being very careful around him, as earlier when he asked for an explanation of the circumstances she didn't respond at all.
Perhaps he was overthinking this, and Haqua was just desperate.
'Assured? Assured! Is that the best you really have? I want to know exactly where she is so that I can get there and take her back! Right now there's no telling what's happening, and I want to make sure she's not caught up in the middle of that, do you understand what I mean, Katsura-'
'That's quite enough, Haqua.'
Akari's quiet voice cuts short Haqua's passionate dispute, and the other demon slumps down, catching her breath.
Keima was momentarily stunned by Haqua's frenzy about Elsi. He had expected her to be mad, but she was beyond that point in her fervor to find Elsi.
But Akari's new authority around Haqua brought him back to his senses. Last he saw the two together, they weren't quite cooperating. Now it seemed Haqua had a grasp of who was her superior now.
'Katsuragi, to answer your question. . . '
Keima raised a cursory eyebrow. She seemed more formal than last time he had met with her, when she had been her usual, wiser-than-thou self, but now she almost like a different person, almost as if she had never met Keima before.
Again, he suspected his mind to be playing tricks on him.
'As of now, since we've last been able to get an accurate report, more than half of New Hell's residents were converted into data overnight. We have no idea about the situation here, but it's very likely to be much of the same.'
She pinches the bridge of her nose, a mature gesture that seemed very out of place when compared with her small stature.
Haqua bursts in, unable to control her anger any longer.
'Do you know what that mean, Katsuragi? Right now, while you're leisurely sitting down and all fine and dandy with a ignorant girl beside, we might as well have no one out there who is even technically alive anymore? Did you know that Katsuragi?! I'm sure you didn't, right? RIGHT?!'
Akari again attempted her earlier strategy of using her authoritative tone, this time glaring at Haqua.
'Haqua, what did I say last tim-'
A flash of silver flies at the demon, and Akari dodges, barely avoiding a swipe at her head.
'Shut up, Akari! All you've been saying is "it'll be fine." Well, it's NOT! And you know why?'
Haqua swept her threatening gaze over to Keima, who flinches.
'It's because this miserable thing here is still alive, actively causing everything that's going wrong right now in the world. I say we kill the-'
Before anyone else could react, Kono rushed over to demon, slapping her hard on the cheek.
'When you don't know what's going on, a good idea would to shut up, idiot.'
The sunglasses that were previously on Haqua's face clattered off into the distance, and Keima received the second shock of that day as he saw what happened next.
Haqua raises herself up, and her eyes burned not just with her fury, but a ferocious, all-consuming red glow that was exactly like that of Chihiro's, except about ten -no, a hundred times more threatening. Keima felt a cold sweat upon seeing it. So that's why she had sunglasses on.
It was a temporary disguise, a hastily put on show so her true colors wouldn't be quite so obvious. The demons must have been under an impression of "don't ask, don't tell." Obviously, they didn't need to be told of Haqua's insanity. Obviously.
Tsuya's eyes flashed in surprise as well, and she barrels over to Keima and Chihiro, grabbing them both.
'Assessment: This is not good.'
Haqua screams out in fury, and her scythe disappears in a blur as the demon, in a fit of rage, tries in vain to slice the android into pieces.
Kono manages to keep her cool under the constant danger of being lethally cut, and backs away quickly while occasionally ducking or dodging.
Kono leaps over beside the railing of the ship, cornered.
'Okay, I stand corre-'
Kono steps aside just in time to let Haqua ram her blade into the metal fencing, carving a clear path through it as though it was made of butter.
The gynoid clears her throat.
'I stand corrected. You're involved in what's going on right now, and you don't know anything. Hm. Fun.'
Kono gave a scornful laugh as Haqua pulls the scythe away from the side of the ship, her eyes trained soley on her.
'Hey Akari, are you just going to stand there?'
Akari wasn't exactly "standing" in the normal sense of the word as she hovered above the battle, but she was indeed seemingly doing nothing while she was at it.
'I thought I'd wait until you'd get your head loped off before trying anything.'
Kono shrugs without concern.
'Suit yourse- Woah!'
While she had been speaking to Akari, Haqua had strided over and raised her sycthe, and she was about to end the converstation in a completey different way from the norm. Luckily, by some miracle, Kono again rolls away before springing up, her eyes sharp and with a glint of annoyance.
'Look, can't you let me have a friendly talk with-'
Another attempt on Kono's life was Haqua's retort. Again, Kono dives away at the last second.
Meanwhile, Keima tries to process several things.
For starters, Nikaido was data. Already over it.
Elsi was. . . . somewhere. Gotcha.
Chihiro was data and crazy about him. Yeah. . He's noticed.
Haqua was officially now crazy too. What?
He blinks momentarily forgetting about the fight in front of him.
Why?
The simple question had one answer, and Keima knew it.
She had liked him.
Okay, acceptable, but why hadn't Chihiro attacked him yet? Chihiro should harbor far more potent-
'Suggestion: Try not to die.'
Tsuya's voice broke his concentration, and he is pulled away by her just as Haqua's scythe catches the sunlight's gleam, and the brightly lit blade smashed where he had been standing previously, along with Chihiro.
Gasping at the thought that he had almost died, he looks over to Chihiro, before resting his eyes on Tsuya, who was still holding tightly to his collar, slightly choking him.
'Sarcasm: You're welcome.'
Ignoring her surprising use of sarcasm, Keima gapes at the scene that he had been disregarding for the past. . . few seconds.
The historical relic that was once the Akanemaru had become a virtual wreck, holes that looked to be created from archaic cannonballs littered the deck, and the ship itself seemed to shake precariously, as if Haqua had gone even so far as to cause water damage, and subsequently, sink the ship.
The three that were engaged in battle were actually more focused on Kono, who was, and had been, dodging and skirting just out of Haqua's reach for the entirety of the fight, and Haqua, who caused all of the collateral damage to their surroundings. Akari seemed to only act as a observer, but she too held her Scythe of Testament at ready, apparently still trying to find an opportunity to attack Haqua without the risk of being caught.
'Hey, we've been doing this for a little while now, would you-'
Haqua's scythe slashes empty air as Kono somersaults backwards, and the blade instead connects with solid wood, and the floorboard is smashed into timber chunks.
Haqua growls at the android, her first words since she was slapped by Kono earlier.
'I've seen so many demons and their humans utterly destroyed by that other robot, and you're here, what?! Playing with Katsuragi? I have a better plan of action; just go back to the cartridge where you came from, you side character.'
Kono doesn't speak, but she seems to appear very frustrated at Haqua's words.
Keima looks up to Akari in the sky momentarily, catching her eyes.
He obviously wants to know how Haqua became like . . . this.
Akari absentmindedly looks over at the battle, her eyes mainly trained on Haqua.
'Well,' she commented, 'it's not much of a story. We found she had red eyes, and told her, but she didn't respond to that, so the executives decided to hide them so that there wouldn't be panic.'
The demon glances at the ship, or what remained of it.
'Obviously not the best choice.'
Suddenly, the constant sound of wood being destroyed stopped, and all eyes (except for Chihiro's) turned on the motionless psychotic that was "Haqua," or once something like it.
She raises her scythe, before slowly turning her burning eyes on Keima.
This time he doesn't back away, but remains where he stands, feeling his hair prickle with fear.
'Katsuragi. . . because you caused all of this, I decided to kill you first instead.'
Haqua's nonsensical accusation rings in his ears.
His fault? What had he done to provoke this?
Kono grapples with the demon instantly, realizing the threat.
'Hey, no, stay the hell-'
Kono is easily shoved off due to her lesser size.
A feinted jab at her chest pushed Kono away. The androids eyes harden.
'I said stay the hell away!'
She obviously meant Keima.
Yet the gamer was still lost in shock. He caused Haqua to be like this. He was supposed to die.
But before his thoughts could even begin to clear up, Haqua dashed in a impossibly fast pace, and before he knew it, Keima could clearly see his reflection on the blade of the scythe as it flew right next to him.
He couldn't speak a word as he closed his eyes reflexively.
Klink.
Haqua looks at where her scythe was, shocked, and Keima opens his eyes a fraction.
Tsuya's pale fingers grasp the blade carefully, not even shaking as she pushed back like Haqua's two hands were.
Her cold dead eyes glare at Haqua.
'Request: Please avoid any violent acts directed at Goshuujin-sama.'
Her voice emitted- yes, emitted, as no one alive could have said those words in such a aloof manner- the command, and Haqua freezes in place.
The idea that Tsuya was, above everything, a machine became firmly cemented in everyone's mind.
Haqua relaxed her grip somewhat, surrendering.
And everyone's ears rang as splinters of wood flew everywhere.
Of course, the cabin had exploded into a inferno.
Akanemaru (Inside Cabin)
Dokorou coughs as the explosive that Shima had fired at them burned up the lower floors.
'Nikaido, take the disc. Tell him to break it inside. Make sure you don't mess up.'
The teacher throws the board that was holding her down away.
'Gotcha.'
Nikaido grabs the mysterious disk, before saluting.
'It was an honor.'
Dokorou weakly chuckles at her professional gesture.
'You should know I'm not your superior, because I'm not even the real Dokorou Skull.'
Nikaido shakes her head.
'Whatever.'
Another shell rocks the boat, and Nikaido gets up.
'Tell Shima I said hi.'
She leaves through the remains of the door.
The Chief wheezes, trying to get up even as the smoke covers her eyes.
A mysterious voice intrudes in on the room.
'Am I intruding?'
Dokorou shakes her head, knowing full well what was to happen next. She whispers her final words.
'You're too late.'
A sickly sweet voice responds.
'Really?'
The barrel of a gun is the first, and last thing Dokorou is able to see, as well as the silhouette of a girl.
Her bullet wasn't too late in its task of deleting Dokorou.
Akanemaru (deck)
Nikaido bursts through the door, and sees all of the others clutching their ears, momentarily shocked and deaf.
She throws the small saucer at Keima, who caught it with his head.
'Katsuragi, break that when we get there.'
He holds up the object, confused.
And then he saw the man.
The man in the sky, just floating. Along with a girl.
And he held up a sign.
Break the disk. It can save everyone.
The cryptic message is the same as Nikaido's.
The eruption of a final fireball launches him up into the sky, before dumping him into the cold waves.
Then Keima is keenly aware of himself dying.
As he watched the sun disappear from underwater, even as the sea water stung his eyes and filled his lungs, he wondered.
When will I find Elsi, and play some galges?
The gamer then finds himself removed from the world.
4-Koma(s)
This chapter is too serious for such things as jokes.
Woah!
What a arc end.
But yes, what about Elsi? Didn't she wake up on the Akanemaru, with Haqua and Chihiro perfectly fine?
What's up with that?
I'm talking about Chapter 26 here.
So what? What happened? How?
Yes, those answers will be in the air for sometime.
It's time for a break [that I don't deserve] from writing.
But what an explosive ending to the arc!
I'm drowning in excitement.
. . . . Alright, this was too long, wasn't it?
