Omniscient POV
Having slipped out of the underground hall, Tobio dashed to the elevator with Jin. His classmates, turned into Utsusemi, waited there, stationed as if anticipating anyone fleeing the hall.
Two men in business suits, each holding tokens, stood behind them—Agency members.
"MOVE IT——!"
Tobio charged while screaming. Jin swiftly bisected the Utsusemi monsters his classmates controlled with Night Haken.
An enormous plant Utsusemi resembling a rose and an insectoid Utsusemi resembling a stag beetle was quickly cleared by thorny blades emerging from the shadows at Jin's feet.
Suddenly, Tobio noticed Haken had pierced a wall. A Utsusemi mimicking a chameleon had clung to the wall to conceal itself, but its abdomen was pierced by Haken.
It was already dead, falling to the floor. Jin had sensed something Tobio hadn't and attacked. Jin's heightened senses, which Tobio lacked, were evident.
Jin's ambiance had changed since arriving. Shadows were spreading from his small body, darkening the corridor. As Jin moved, countless blades sprouted from the shadows, consuming the floor, walls, and ceiling.
The agency members froze, trembling in fear, dropping their magical talismans.
"KU!"
One agency member shakily produced talismans again, but a Haken sword appeared from the shadows, piercing the talisman in his hand.
The talismans were useless now. The agency member switched to a hand token, but a Haken emerged from his feet and almost reached his throat.
At this point, Tobio realized that Jin understood the use of the tokens and talismans.
Jin had intentionally destroyed them, minimizing harm. He had inferred his master's distaste for killing.
The agency members, having lowered their hostility, dropped their weapons.
They whispered, "It seems its power grew through instinctual resonance... Seeing that battle between ice and flame…"
"Within the thirteen longinuses, several are here. One alone can distort events but with this many…"
The members could only have a look of despair at the thought. Tobio ignored their murmuring and stepped forward.
"That elevator requires authorization. Would you kindly escort me up?" Tobio 'gently' asked one of the members.
Weakened by fear, the agency members couldn't refuse.
Upon reaching the upper floor, Tobio and Jin were met by more of Tobio's classmates. Utsusemi monsters rushed at them as soon as they entered.
"SLAAASH!"
Following his master's command, Jin turned into a black bullet, plowing through the group of Utsusemi.
Distorted blades sprouted in the passageway, striking the cores of the monsters, and causing them to collapse.
Jin overwhelmed the monsters, cutting through them effortlessly.
"JIN!"
But Tobio, trying to escape his classmates' grasp, was shoved away from Jin. Unable to keep up, he called out to him.
The passage was blocked by his classmates, leading to a scuffle. However, as Jin struck down the Utsusemi, they fell unconscious, preventing serious harm.
Tobio didn't need to worry about fatal injuries—his classmates were simply knocked out.
He limited his retaliation during the brawl, even though he was bruised and gasping for breath. His uniform was torn, but he focused on following Jin, who was sniffing out Sae's scent.
Ahead, the lights suddenly went out. Tobio feared it was an enemy trap, but the emergency lights came on, followed by an alert.
[Emergency alert announcement. Hostile organization approaching from outside. They appear to be agents from the Five Principal Clans. All members, evacuate your post and follow the emergency manual——]
It seems the Five Principal Clowns were close by. Red lights flashed throughout the hallway.
'The Five Principal Clans were approaching? This location must have been leaked. The Clans, seeking to keep the 'Four Fiends Project' secret, would likely attack the base if they discovered it. It was, after all, done by their ex-clan members.'
Tobio thought as his anxiety grew.
What were the Five Principal Clowns planning for his classmates and their families? Would they be safely sent home? Tobio feared they wouldn't be.
He had heard that the Clans corrected deficiencies within their families, meaning his classmates and their relatives were in danger.
Suddenly Tobio looked back. Behind him, his fellow students who had come rushing at him were collapsed throughout the passageway.
Having lost their Utsusemi monsters, they had lost consciousness and immediately collapsed.
There was no transference using a magic circle occurring. That may be natural. Since they had been previously transported here, there was no need to move them this time.
Seeing his fellow students collapse on the floor, Tobio wore a bitter expression.
'...As far as rescuing those who are here, will I not have a second chance to save them? Perhaps, regarding those guys from the agency, if they were to be defeated by this raid against them, it seems they would abandon this base in order to escape in one piece. In that case they....'
There wasn't enough time for Tobio alone to carry all these people out. It was also necessary to disconnect all of them from the monsters. There were also some of their relatives taken hostage. He would also have to save them.
'In that case, what about Lavinia? If it was her magic——.'
No good. She was taking part in a life-or-death struggle with a powerful witch down below. Even if for argument's sake he had succeeded in rescuing them right now there was no way for Tobio, who was lacking in comprehension of supernatural powers, to move them all.
Well then, as the only one who could save them, who could he save...? Could he only save Sae and her relatives...?
Having thought of this Tobio banged his head against the wall.
——That's the worst idea.
'...Regarding myself, I had already made up my mind. Not just Sae, I would save everyone. Sasaki, Minagawa Natsume's friend, Samejima Kouki's friend, everyone——.'
'...I won't give up...!! That I could just yield to such absurdity and leave them like this, of course, I can't do that...!! I'll save everyone! I will save everyone! ...Well then, how do I...?'
Not coming to an answer was torturous for Tobio. Certainly while debating this, Sae was steadily getting further away.
There wasn't time to think about this. He couldn't spare the time to come up with an answer.
Wearing an expression of anguish, Tobio suddenly heard a raised voice.
"——These 'human beings' are beyond comprehension. To think they can use a human being in an experiment as though they were the same as trash, and that it would appear to be an act of divine mercy to try and save them all. Undeniably, they are beings beyond salvation."
Together with such a lamentation, a man with long wavy black hair appeared. He was a foreigner wearing something similar to a robe. After glancing at Tobio and——Jin, the man spoke.
"...I'm someone from the 'Governor General's' Organization. Thanks to you guys causing a disturbance inside, invading was unexpectedly easy."
'...The 'Governor General's' Organization. If that's the case, he's a Grigori official?'
Unsure if what he said was accurate, Jin was increasingly vigilant given the apparent pressure that the man was giving off.
The man spoke while flipping his robe. As he spoke, Tobio could finally see his tongue. It was a snake's tongue, slithering in its place as he spoke.
'Is that normal with supernatural beings' Tobio thought but soon the man pointed down the passageway with his index finger.
"'Dog, go up ahead. The man who is seeking his own death is waiting for you. Go. You can entrust the matter of transporting all the people here to me. Since that is the task I have been entrusted with. Originally, it was just to confirm the presence of the aforementioned witch but..."
The man dropped his gaze. It was as though he was aware of the battle involving his magician comrade that was happening down in the basement. The man let out a sigh and spoke again.
"Look, it's as I said. Go quickly now."
The man turned his finger towards the collapsed fellow students. Thereupon, a magic circle expanded underneath them, and following the glow their figures vanished. It appeared they had been transported.
Tobio timidly enquired. "...What's your name?"
The man replied while seemingly uninterested.
"...Cadre of the Grigori, Kokabiel."
Confirming that, Tobio bowed saying, "I'm relying on you," and left immediately.
Already, he apparently could do nothing under the present circumstances other than rely upon this suspicious man.
As he ran Tobio heard, "...I should have said already that I have no interest in Sacred Gears, Azazel."
The man——Kokabiel's voice could be heard letting out such words. But he was still stuck here because of the previous incident.
Kokabiel kept looking at the way Lavinia was fighting, probably contemplating something. But after a while, he just left the place with a displeased look.
'Tch...!'
[A/N: For those who do not remember, Kouske had ripped out and destroyed Kokabiel's tongue previously. So, it was replaced with this. Kokabiel is still not a rogue. And yeah, he was contemplating, whether to attack Lavinia, someone from Akatsuki or not...]
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Again advancing through the passageway the place Tobio and Jin arrived at——was an upstairs room with a wide view. Most of the walls were made of glass, providing an unhindered look at the outside. Looking around, a green landscape could be seen below——.
All kinds of trees could be seen filling the entire area. It was clear that this place was somewhere in the mountains.
"Isn't the scenery great? It's the only place in this base I find to be pleasing."
A sudden voice. Looking over in that direction, there was the figure of Himejima Hanezu. Next to him, Sae was stationed there accompanied by an enormous black lion.
Himejima Hanezu spoke while gazing outside.
"We spent many years establishing this hidden base within this remote mountain. Not that this is the only place. This outlook room was made using one part of the mountain. Since it's surrounded by a barrier, it's not visible from the outside. Therefore, without being seen by anyone, you can have an unbroken view of the landscape. Isn't it beautiful?"
Himejima Hanezu wore a smile on his lips as he uttered this.
As expected, this place——their base had been built inside of a mountain. It was clear from just a sweep over the exterior that, in regards to the mountain's vicinity, it could be reliably determined that it was a long distance between them and the nearest town.
He let out a single sigh, and after shaking his head, continued the conversation.
"——Utsusemi, the reason we refer to your classmates as such, you understand it, correct?"
Even without Tobio's answer, Himejima Hanezu immediately continued talking as he stepped forward.
"Clearly it can be understood to be related to the name of our organization.... Utsusemi (cast-off cicada shell), it's the same name.——It means 'hollowed humans'.
Thus, the cast-off skin of a cicada. Something which is hollow. ...Though born into a family with a righteous lineage of supernatural powers, yet not possessing the power passed on by that family, those were the people that we have recruited to our objective.
As far as the people from the Clans are concerned, those people who didn't possess the power the family desired, they weren't fully humans. They were merely 'incompetent and inferior' humans. They were cast off as garbage!"
His eyes——were gloomy with self-mockery, without any radiance within them.
"We who were rejected by that value system were hollow existences——Utsusemi."
"...Then, the reason to call everyone, my fellow classmates, as such...?"
At Tobio's inquiry, Himejima Hanezu shrugged his shoulders.
"——Even when provided with power, they were still only human. ...Remember this well, Ikuse Tobio. On our side, the definition of what is called 'human' is as varied as the number of people. Sooner or later, this is something you'll likely have to confront."
...The definition of 'human'. Regarding that Tobio did not presently have a clear answer, something which Himejima Hanezu was sufficiently aware of.
He then, from his breast pocket——produced a tokko.
[A/N: A religious use tool.]
It was a ritual implement with sharp pestle-type implements at both ends. Upon Himejima Hanezu's recitation of a whispered spell, the tokko automatically began floating in the air. It then revolves around him.
Thereupon, before anyone noticed, there were two tokko. He supposed he could have misjudged, but the number of tokko continued to increase by three, four, five...the number had exceeded ten, all flying around the surroundings.
Himejima Hanezu spoke under these circumstances.
"...I, from the time I was a child, have excelled at handling ritual implements such as this. Purely in regards to this, even among the Himejima, I was number one in prominence."
Once again he produced the shakujou within his hands. Step by step he began to approach Tobio. Even while doing that though he continued speaking.
"My own house of Himejima, it's a Shinto clan. Including the ancient Hino Kagutsuchi (a fire deity), we have faith in the gods of that religious system. Naturally many were born possessing the supernatural ability to manipulate flames.
...As for myself, I was not blessed with such power. Despite believing in the Hi no Kagutsuchi, as well as all the gods of that system I was unable to receive any of that divine protection. As a result, here I am now.
——For those who were unable to conform to the circumstances of the clans, even though we originated from the clans, we have been relegated to this. This is the justice they have strictly observed since ancient times."
'That is to say, for him who didn't possess the power of the Himejima——the power of fire, there was no place for him outside of the Utsusemi Agency?'
What Tobio had heard was worrisome.
"...Let me ask you one thing. Are the 'Four Fiends' and my ability also things originating from the gods of Japanese mythology?"
Himejima Hanezu shook his head.
"...No, the sacred treasures——those supernatural powers which are called Sacred Gears, they were not created by a system of gods belonging to Japan. Regarding that, it's a creation of Christianity——the God of the Bible.
Consequently, they were originally an existence that is incompatible with us. It is heathenism, the very thing itself being a heresy."
'...There was no relation between Jin and the Hi no Kagutsuchi? It was something involving the God of Christianity...'
Tobio was perplexed at this unforeseen truth, the reality he had been convinced of was again floating before his eyes.
The black angel he had encountered when he was a child——. The organization that was protecting Tobio and the other survivors——the Grigori.
From the conversation with Himejima Hanezu, Tobio was beginning to understand little by little. It was seemingly absurd talk, and yet the summary of all that was said fits together consistently.
Himejima Hanezu had fully captured Tobio and Jin with the help of his magical tokko.
"It seems the subordinates of the Five Principal Clans will be here soon. From the moment I met you and that girl, I knew it was my loss," he said with a laugh.
He continued, "Azazel ensured this from the start. Most of the witches will likely flee, but the 'Four Fiends Project' will continue. It's meant to fulfill their desires and, perhaps, exact revenge on the Clans. But I won't achieve that."
Standing before Tobio, Hanezu spoke again. "Himejima Tobio, grant my desire. Remake the ominous black blade of the Himejima and kill me with it. I won't die at the hands of others... only yours."
Tobio was enraged. "Don't screw with me! You want me to kill you!? I'm not a Himejima, I'm Ikuse Tobio!"
Hanezu smirked. "You are a Himejima. The darkness you wield proves it. You stand out among your companions, don't you?"
Tobio yelled in frustration, but Jin lunged at Hanezu. The flying tokko attacked Jin, and though he managed to knock one down, the others pierced his abdomen, knocking him to the ground. Jin trembled but stood up, coughing blood. His body was badly injured, but he refused to give up.
Meanwhile, several tokko turned towards Tobio, striking him in the shoulder, back, arm, waist, and leg. The pain caused him to collapse, his left arm and right leg useless. He could no longer move.
Jin, despite his injuries, summoned more power. A black lion, joining the fight, roared lowly. Jin attacked with a Haken, but the lion dodged, spitting flames at him.
Jin barely avoided the flames but was soon surrounded by the lion's shadow. The shadow split into smaller ones, capturing him and allowing the lion to strike with its forefoot, sending Jin crashing down.
"KYAN!" Jin screamed, collapsing on the floor, unable to stand.
"JIN—!" Tobio, dragging himself painfully, cried out as he reached Jin's side.
Neither Himejima Hanezu nor the black lion pursued Tobio. The battle was already lost.
"Thank you… sorry, so sorry… I… because I'm so weak… I got you involved in this… I'm so sorry."
Tobio held Jin in his arms, expressing his deepest thanks and apologies.
Himejima Hanezu shook his head.
"You said I was crazy. That was deserved. Since taking my place, a normal mind has been lost to me. But, Ikuse Tobio, even in this state, you haven't changed. Since the moment you inherited the Himejima blood, living as a normal human was never possible for you."
Tobio, sobbing, replied.
"I... just wanted normalcy. To live with Sae, with everyone at that high school... Why did you people ruin that? For what? Myself, Sae, and even Jin..."
Tobio's desire was simple: to reclaim the ordinary life he once had.
As he cried, someone brushed his cheek. Both he and Himejima were stunned by what they saw.
"You came here... to take me back?"
Himejima blinked in disbelief. Sae, her cheeks wet with tears, stood before Tobio, gently stroking Jin's head. A blade still sprouted from his head.
With a soft smile, Sae whispered,
"I'm truly... sorry. Was it... harsh?"
Then, as she embraced Jin, the blade pierced her chest, leaving a fatal wound. Sae collapsed into Tobio's arms, still smiling as she gently brushed his cheek.
"Don't cry... Tobio..."
Tobio tried to speak but no words came out.
"I... was happy... to meet you again..."
Her hand slipped from his, and Tobio was left speechless, shaking his head in disbelief.
Sae was the only person who mattered to him after losing his family. The one he most wished to save.
As he held her lifeless body, Tobio overcame his muteness.
"Aa... A, UAaaaaa...aaaaa...!!!"
The life he wished for was now out of reach. The quiet, ordinary days with Sae were forever severed.
"AaaaAAAAAAAAAaaaaa...aaAAAAAA!!!"
Despair engulfed him as he wailed in agony.
As Himejima watched, a strange light emitted from his breast pocket. He retrieved a small wooden box—one Tobio's grandmother, Ageha had left him. Opening it, Himejima revealed a tiny, glowing crystal.
Suddenly, a voice emanated from it.
[This seal being broken is unfortunate, but it's clear someone is misusing Tobio's power.]
Tobio recognized the voice as his grandmother's, Ageha.
"Is that… a recording of my grandmother?" Tobio whispered.
Himejima Hanezu's expression changed drastically as the voice from the crystal continued to echo.
[To those who approach Tobio with evil intent, I who have great compassion for him, have raised him as a gentle child. But from the moment of his birth, he possessed the forbidden technique of the 'mere' imitation of god.]
Himejima's eyes widened in disbelief. "Forbidden technique... The Balance... Breaker? That's impossible...!"
Now, the voice from the crystal was more terrifying than anything he had ever heard.
[For those who have maligned him, you will soon taste the god-slaying blade. Even your souls will be hewn apart.]
The voice shifted to a more personal tone, addressing Tobio.
[Tobio, I'm sorry. This is hard and frightening. Please forgive me for not telling you the truth sooner.]
Her familiar voice, full of kindness, filled his mind, and he felt a comforting illusion of her hand brushing his head. It was as if she were there beside him, guiding him.
[But it's all right now, Tobio. You no longer need to fear. You no longer need to cry. Sing... you must sing the forbidden song of the god-slaying dog. By now, you should remember it.]
A long-forgotten memory stirred in Tobio's mind, one that had been sealed deep within him. He recalled a day when his grandmother had taken him to a shrine, guiding him to the inner sanctuary and teaching him something.
"Are you okay, Tobio?"
His grandmother had traced a symbol on his forehead.
"When you are truly lost, I will teach you an incantation that will save you. But keep it in reserve, only use it when you must."
Next to him had been a large black dog, its red eyes fixed on him.
"This incantation will take everything from you. Can you handle it?"
The dog's gaze had made his heart race, and his grandmother had embraced him, whispering the incantation in his ear.
"You are not yet finished becoming a man."
At that moment, the black dog's figure had vanished.
Now, in the present, those memories came flooding back. Tobio remembered the incantation, and as he held Sae and Jin, he suddenly began to laugh softly.
"It's okay, Baa-chan," he whispered. "I've become a man now."
He stood, his voice steady as he recited the forbidden chant:
<<——Behowlest the slaying of one thousand mortals>>
A black haze enveloped him and Jin, filling the room.
<<——Besingest the slaying of ten thousand goblins>>
Black haze swirled around his broken limbs, and the pain evaporated instantly.
<<——Mine name, which tis immersed in the deepest darkness, tis the Imitation God traversing the Polar Night>>
Tobio stood tall, his form now shifting as the darkness overtook him. His body transformed, no longer human, but something else entirely. His body grew forelegs, hindlegs, and a tail. His mouth expanded, becoming massive as the darkness surged outward.
<<——O ye, perishest by mine own black blade>>
The transformation was complete. Tobio had become something far beyond human—he had embraced the power his grandmother had prepared for him.
The transformation reached its peak, and alongside Tobio, an immense creature materialized—no longer simply a dog, but a Hound.
Its jet-black fur rippled with an aura of malevolence, its form towering and powerful. It stood at the ready, emanating an oppressive darkness that seemed to swallow the very air around it.
<<——Fools ye art, deformed Creator Gods>>
As Tobio recited the final lines of the chant, the Hound howled—a sound so deep and resonant that it shook the ground beneath them, piercing the space around them with its ferocity.
"OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOoooooooooooOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOON..."
The sound of the howl reverberated, echoing across the room and through the very core of the battlefield.
Before the eyes of Himejima Hanezu and the black lion, who stood frozen in shock, the brutal humanoid beast clad in darkness was joined by this gargantuan Hound. The Hound's presence was terrifying, its breath an inky mist of darkness that spiraled into the air.
Himejima Hanezu's eyes widened in a dazed state. He was entranced, unable to tear his gaze away from the two jet-black beasts standing before him. The brutality and majesty of the scene left him speechless.
"...Magnificent."
But as soon as the words left his mouth, the two beasts—Tobio, now transformed into something monstrous, and the Hound—shifted, their crimson eyes locking onto him with a predatory intensity.
Ikuse Tobio, still cloaked in the shadows of his transformation, growled. The sound was guttural, primal, and full of barely contained violence. He stood tall and unwavering, the dark energy flowing from his body like an unshakable tide.
The Hound beside him bared its sharp fangs, mirroring Tobio's newfound savagery.
For a brief moment, the world seemed to hold its breath.
And in that moment, Tobio spoke again—his words now tinged with a chilling certainty.
"For the sake of slaying this guy, it's okay for me to be a 'monster' too."
Tobio had embraced his transformation, no longer shying away from the darkness that had overtaken him. In his quest for vengeance and justice, he would shed his humanity if it meant ending the threat before him.
No longer bound by his past self, Tobio had become something otherworldly, an unstoppable force. The balance of power had shifted.