Angel Rush!!
Well, given how long the delay in contrast to how short the chapter before, I decided to rush this chapter. It’s just it was unexpectedly longer than usual, and the words and sentences were slightly more complicated so do expect many mistakes here and there.
Something like that.
See you later^_^
ShinigamiAfter transforming into my original form, with excitement fills up my body, I stance my fists.
The feeling of facing powerful opponent, this is the most pleasant feeling ever.
Still sheathing his sword, the Shinigami opens his mouth, and words resound from the gap between his pale lips.
"Nevertheless, to think that the sinner himself to come to me. Did you finally realize your sins, human?"
"You"re human as well, aren"t you? Just what are you getting at? I don"t understand it at all, you know?"
The Shinigami shakes his head as if disappointed with my answer.
"Very well, let me teach you what your sins are."
"Sorry but I"m not interested in such a thing."
I step my leg forward and dash toward the Shinigami.
However, without moving even an inch, seems like the Shinigami has grasped my movement. Most of people would get hit without even noticing it, though.
Seems like it"d be dangerous if I attack him as it is, right?
Nah, let"s just attack him as it is!
Without reducing my speed, I try attacking the Shinigami"s bosom.
I"m within his sword reach.
The Shinigami unsheathes his sword, and uses that momentum to attack me.
–Iai.
For me who only have ever fought against monsters, I"ve never tasted such an attack, the fastest iai.
Blood is dripping from my slashed body.
I hit him without minding such injury, but he swiftly dodges it.
Looking at his iai, seems like he"s faster than me.
I take a distance from him.
As for the Shinigami, he looks at his own sword and express a dubious expression.
"That body of yours… it"s awfully st.u.r.dy, isn"t it?"
"Well, I trained it, after all. I"m also surprised here, you know? To think that there"s a swordsman who can cut my body."
"What is there to be surprised about? Any body will be cut when get cut by a sword, that"s a matter of course, isn"t it?"
Normally may be so, but my body is considerably st.u.r.dier than any random metal.
Sword ability which is able to cut my skin, that honestly warrant my praise.
"It"s indeed regrettable to cut someone as talented as you. However, you"re a sinner. Let me kindly cut your sins."
The Shinigami points the sword on his hand at me, and plainly says so.
"Sins, huh."
He does possess out of ordinary prowess. And such people mostly tend to possess out of ordinary train of thought as well.
Unfortunately I"m just a normal person, so I don"t have such strange kind of thought.
"That"s right, sins. You and everyone else are all corrupted since you all have committed sins. Moreover you"ve been abandoning your duty."
His hoa.r.s.e voice becomes slightly more pitched.
Has he also become one level stronger with that?
I can"t tell.
I keep suppressing the urge to float a smile.
"Duty, huh. What kind of duty, is it?"
"The duty to die."
The duty to die… I see, I don"t get it at all.
"Is that also the reason you killed those civilians?"
"That"s right. I helped them fulfilling their duties. By being killed by me, those people would realize the sins they"d committed."
I don"t understand what he"s talking about at all.
Please don"t say something that this intelligent me can"t understand.
"I see. Then, let"s continue."
Finding that thinking about such a thing is too troublesome, I prepare to launch another attack.
I reach the area within his sword reach.
The Shinigami suddenly unsheathes his sword and swings it to cut my left shoulder. I take a back step and dodge it.
Noticing that, the Shinigami take one step forward and swings the sword again upward.
I can"t dodge this one, judging as such, I decide to put strength into my arms.
–the sword clashes with my arms, and then it bounces off.
I and the Shinigami similarly take some distances, but surprise apparently appears in his eyes.
"Wha!? You, what kind of body is that?"
"Just a normal body, it"s just I"ve trained it, though."
However, it"s sure kind of hard to connect even a single hit, huh.
Facing such swift sword ability, it"s kind of hard to draw near.
It"s just, I"m kind of happy to know that my body can actually withstand even his sword.
"…I can"t afford to die here. Until you all in this whole world fulfill your duties, no matter what."
I ignore his ramble, and take another stance.
I can"t understand his train of thought at all. Thus there"s no need for me to listen to him.
I face the Shinigami and launch a punch with my right arm toward him.
It shoots a shockwave with speed faster than wind, but the Shinigami easily slices it with his sword.
"What a peculiar attack. Do you have projectile weapon or something?"
"It"s pistol punch."
"…what did you say?"
"That attack just now, it"s called pistol punch."
"…I see. Well, no matter what kind of name you pick, that"s up to your own discretion…."
What is it? To suddenly looks at me with such pitiful eyes. I really don"t understand him at all.
The Shinigami lets out a sigh, and slightly loosens his pressure.
However, with this distance, he doesn"t show any opening at all. I"m sure he"s fully aware of that as well.
The Shinigami suddenly begins slowly talking.
"…with such prowess, I"m sure you understand it as well, don"t you? There"s no immortal human. Human will surely die. Die is the duty of every living being. There are people who say "right to live" or something, but if to live is your rights, then what"s your duty? … That"s right, your duty is to die. Here I"m just telling you sinners who aren"t aware of that truth. You can even refer me as the messiah who shows people that truth."
"If to live is our rights, then that doesn"t necessarily mean you have to kill us right away, right?"
"It"s impossible to postpone the duty. You"re destined to die so you should just live freely as you pleased, right?"
I have a kind of uneasy feeling that perhaps we actually aren"t talking on the same pages.
Did my words even cross to him, I wonder? There"s a limit of how illogical you can be, you know?
…wait, come to think of it, I feel like I was reborn upon meeting Firia.
Before I met her, I was satisfied with just living in my narrow world… perhaps it won"t be exaggeration to say that I was dead back then.
"Oi, Shinigami. Actually I once died long ago, so what do you say about such case?"
His face distorts upon hearing my words.
"…are you insane? As if something like that would ever happen. I"ll have you fulfill your duty now."
…here it comes!
I sense the pressure exuded by the Shinigami getting more intense.
Finishes with words, the Shinigami suddenly dashes toward me.
I repel the sword with my arm, and make a stance of launching a punch with my other arm.
He slightly takes a step back but I won"t let him to get away.
I grab his right arm, but since I"m in no position to make a kick, I punch him with all my strength with my other arm.
Spouting "gaha", he"s sent flying midair.
His sword ability is indeed splendid, by his body utterly lacks training. In that exchange, his right arm is torn off.
I immediately chase after him. I"m not kind enough to let such great chance to pa.s.s by.
I approach him midair, noticing that, he spits out at my eyes.
Even though he should be unaware of even where left and right, does he perceive my location simply by sensing my presence, I wonder? As I thought this guy is powerful.
–however, I"m not that weak to falter simply by having my eyes blocked like this.
Relying on sensing his presence, I launch a punch within the darkness.
*crack* such bone crushing sensation resounds on my punch.
Wiping the blood on my clothes, I search for the Shinigami"s whereabouts. He"s lying on the ground.
At the place where his right ram used to be attached at, blood is heavily flowing out, and his upper and lower body look like are almost torn apart.
Seems like that punch landed on his abdomen, huh.
I slowly approach him.
"Gaha… to think I"d lose like this. Well, fine. That means the time for me to fulfill my duty… has already come, that"s all."
Blood is spilling from his mouth when he says so.
"I was also having fun here, it"s been a while since the last time I go wild, after all."
The longer the fight commence, the higher the tension I have, the stronger I become.
I feel blessed to have such const.i.tution since I can enjoy fighting seriously for a long time period, but rarely my opponent could come out alive when my tension got higher.
This fight where I could feel excitement flowing through my whole body, in such sense, as far as I"m concerned, I"m satisfied with it.
"For the last time… I have a favor to ask. It isn"t anything unreasonable… but, if you may, this life of mine… can you take it using my sword?"
Shortly answering him with "okay", I take his sword from his torn off right arm.
I"m aware that he"s a criminal who killed civilians, but I do respect those who are powerful. I approach the Shinigami again and ask him a question.
"Any last word?"
"No, none. I haven"t finished my mission, but somehow… I feel so peaceful."
Saying that, he violently coughs.
"You better follow me soon as well. I"m sure you"ll understand this feeling."
And then, he says so with a very peaceful expression. Even though he"s lost a considerable amount of blood, he doesn"t show any pained expression at all.
"…I won"t."
I stab deeply at his chest.
He lets out his last breath, and then die.
Confirming his death, I leave that building.
The outside is already dim. I notice that the sun is already set.
Upon noticing me, Firia lets out sigh and then rushes over to me.
"Did you defeat him?"
I give her a nod.
"He was very powerful. It was very fun, you know?"
"I see…."
She doesn"t look that happy. Did something happen, I wonder?
"Don"t you think you look kind of gloomy?"
"Not at all. It"s just… I was really worried, that"s all."
Firia averts her eyes, and quietly says so while hanging her head.
To think that Firia would have such a side on her.
"What is it, unexpectedly you have such a cute side on you, huh"
"That"s right, I"m cute. If you were to die, can you imagine how much this cute me would suffer because of it? Yuri-san, you"re supposed to be my guard after all, so please, for my sake, don"t you ever die on me, okay?"
After unnaturally sobbing and shedding crocodile tears, she puts her hands together as if praying and looks at me with upturned eyes.
…this girl, doesn"t she care only about herself!
"…I take it all back."
Ignoring her upturned eyes, I head to look for knight orders to report about the case regarding the Shinigami.