[Kuromaru (thinking)]: Tota-kun… It’s no good, he’s held by the cross seal carved into him. He was turned by one of the strongest vampires ever, but it’s precisely because he’s a vampire that he can’t break free!
[Kaito]: This is just insurance to keep you stuck here, little lady*. Everything will be over when you wake up. And maybe some ice as well. Can’t be too careful when facing immortals.
[Kuromaru (thinking)]: There’s nothing I can do when I’m stuck like this. Ruki-kun?! Why?
[Ruki]: Th-this is… our town. I’ll stop you! Come at me!
------------------------- <Text: Magia Erebea>
[Xingzi]: In 1942, in a poor little town in southern Europe, there was a little girl who became the target of a witch hunt. But there was something strange: no matter what the villagers did, they couldn’t hurt the little girl. Not even a single drop of blood was spilled. Fearing the fanaticism of the mob, the lord ordered her burned at the stake, but she was still unharmed. As rumors began to spread far and wide of the Steel Saint… an unknown girl appeared from nowhere and led her away, vanishing without a trace. That was you, wasn’t it? UQ Holder No.4, Karin. Or should I say, the Steel Saint, Isht Karin Orte! I knew it! I’m stabbing you, but there aren’t any traces! No signs of a wound or of repair! This is so much better than instant regeneration! It’s like nothing in this world. It rewrites events! It’s as if it were God’s own work! What a sadist He is to leave you feeling the pain when abused like this! How I longed to meet you, ever since hearing your story. I wondered where in the world you might be. And when what do I find when I finally reached you?! You’re out on this backend eastern island country saving some worthless kids! What the hell kind of hypocrisy is that?! Are you an idiot?! After such abuse, you’re still trying to play the nice little girl? Impossible! We were abandoned long ago, you and I! Oh, I understand, Karin. I know everything about you. Eternity is scary, isn’t it?
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[Kaito]: You’ve got spunk, kid! That was a nice step in. It’s a shame I’ll have to kill you.
[Kuromaru]: Ruki-kun!
[Ruki]: Damn it, damn it! What the hell’s the matter with you?! Why are you doing this?!
[Kaito]: It’s called a job, kid.
[Shion]: You ask why? It’s because this land doesn’t belong to you, boy. Our clients live atop that tower. Almost all of them will return to Mars, but they hold authority over this land. You all took this land illegally and are causing increasing social unrest.
[Ruki]: So we should just shut up and take it? We should let ourselves get burned out of our homes and die? How long are we going to be treated like trash?!
[Kaito]: And that’s why they contract the dirty work like this out to mercenaries like us. Because we don’t care if you hate us. Well, brat… looks like it was the wrong choice to come back.
[Kuromaru]: Ruki-kun!
[Ruki]: T-To… Tota!
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[Xingzi]: It doesn’t matter that your body doesn’t break, I’d be happy with your spirit. Eternity doesn’t seem as frightening with a broken spirit. That’s why I’m going to slowly and carefully break you. Oh, how I love you, Karin. I’ve always loved you. Don’t worry, God may have tossed you aside, but I never will. I’ll love you forever. What… how… did you break free? Th-that light is… holy light! That’s… that’s impossible! You were cursed by God…
[Karin]: I was never cursed, I was loved. That is the cause of my despair. That is why I didn’t want to use this power. I understand my hypocrisy and will act in any manner I choose! Holy Fist! You are the biggest pervert I’ve ever had the misfortune to come across. So just stay there and die. You disgust me.
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[Kuromaru]: Tota-kun, how did you…?
[Shion]: You’re able to move after absorbing the cross seal? You’re no ordinary vampire, are you? What is that on your arm?
[Touta]: What the hell is this?! Gross!
[Shion]: Such strength, and that ominous miasma… What are you really?
[Touta]: How should I know? More importantly, you’ve really beat up my friends while I was out. I can’t let you get away with that! Boo-yah!
[Ruki]: That’s so cool!
[Kuromaru]: Tota-kun, what’s with your arm?!
[Touta]: I have no idea, but I can feel it brimming with power!
[Shion]: That is certainly impressive strength. However, the source of that kid’s immortality is… Something’s not right.
[Kaito]: Things have gotten interesting. It’s these moments where I meet people like you that make me continue doing this shitty job.
[Touta]: Kuromaru, how long until you’ve fully healed?
[Kuromaru]: It took a while to heal the wounds on my chest, all that’s left is the bottom half.
[Touta]: The bottom half? So your dick?!
[Kuromaru]: Don’t say “dick”! Tota-kun!
[Touta]: Give us a moment!
[Shion]: This kid’s battle instincts are…
[Kaito]: Nice! You’re the real thing!
[Touta]: Kuromaru, get Ruki out of here. I’ll deal with these two.
[Kuromaru]: You can’t take these two at the same time! That’s crazy!
[Karin]: Don’t worry, Kuromaru. I will keep the stronger one preoccupied.
[Kuromaru]: Karin-senpai!
[Touta]: Hey!
[Shion]: Damn that Chao…
[Karin]: My apologies, Tota Konoe. I did not expect this mission to turn out this way.
[Touta]: This isn’t like you at all, Senpai.
[Karin]: Your arm…
[Touta]: Do you know what is it?!
[Karin]: No, it’s disgusting.
[Touta]: Hey!
[Kaito]: Let’s do this then.
[Touta]: Sure, I’ll fight you, you muscular furball… No, you’re Kaito, aren’t you?
[Kaito]: You noticed? Tota, right? How’d you know?
[Touta]: I figured there can’t be that many people wandering around here who can move like you can. Your flash step is amazing. I couldn’t mistake it. Even I can tell you can’t get to that level if you only give it a half-assed effort. So, why the hell are you here doing crap like this?! Doing the dirtiest of jobs like beating up kids!
[Kaito]: I chose this life so I could fight monsters like you! I live to fight. It doesn’t matter what kind of job it is, I’ll do it! Days like this are the days I get my bonus! Let’s do it then. I’ll show you true despair.
[Touta]: Sorry, Master… but it looks like I need to beat the crap out of you!
[Kaito]: Very well. Try and stop me with everything you have!
[Touta]: Catch the ground…
[Kaito]: Catch the world…
[Kaito (thinking)]: This kid was just an amateur before, but now he can hold his own against my flash step… But can he stop this-?! Impossible!
[Touta]: What are you laughing at?!
[Kaito]: Tota Konoe! You really are something! I like you! Why don’t you become my real apprentice… no, my ally?
[Touta]: Huh? Who the hell would do that?!
[Kaito]: Huh, why not?
[Touta]: What are you thinking, old man?! Of course I won’t!
[Kaito]: Oh well then. Guess this is goodbye. Hey, Tota Konoe… do you know what you see when you flash step is faster than the speed of sound?
[Touta]: Huh?
[Kaito]: You can see heaven. A world of pure white! Self-Styled Flash Step Technique: Bright Piercing Judgement! My trump card. Even someone like you can’t react to what you can’t see. It’s over, Tota Konoe.
[Kuromaru]: Tota-kun…
[Kaito]: It doesn’t matter what kind of immortal you are, crushing your heart will stop you. Now to seal you with my strongest technique.
[Shion]: Wait, Kaito! He’s not done yet!
[Kaito]: What is this stuff?!
[Kaito (thinking)]: Oh crap…
[Kaito]: This kid… Did he manage to gather the pieces of his heart back together and get it started again?!
[Karin]: That’s…
[Shion]: That familiar ominous aura… I’d recognize it anywhere: Magia Erebea.
[Karin]: Magia Erebea?! It cannot be!
[Shion]: So you know of it. It is a dark magic which holds the ultimate secret of immortality. The wielder gains extraordinary power, but there’s the risk their soul will be consumed. Our knowledge has revealed that there have only ever been two wielders of this secret magic. The first wielder was incomplete. She was a witch known as the Dark Evangel. The second was complete. The witch’s disciple, a man known as the greatest mage in the world. I have met both of those wielders… 25 years ago, in 2065… When I was on Mars… The power they wielded… was immense. They were the strongest, and worst, of the immortals. There should not be a third wielder of Magia Erebea. What on Earth is he? Damn! It’s absorbing the negative emotions and growing even stronger! We won’t be able to defeat-
[Karin]: Wait right there! This must surely be a turning point for Tota Konoe. If he becomes a threat, then we UQ Holders will be responsible for him. You will not lay a hand on him!
[Kaito]: I see. So there really are monsters in the world. Monsters like this. Good. I like it. I’m ready. I’ve always wanted to die fighting. Hey! What are you doing? You idiot! You can’t back out now!
[Touta]: Shut it! This isn’t me!
[Kaito]: Cut it out, kid! I finally get to end it on a high note!
[Touta]: What do you mean, “end it on a high note”? Smiling all satisfied like that the moment you die… It’s creepy! You’re supposed to beat me up ‘til I drop, you battle-loving idiot!
[Kaito]: You drew it back inside you. That darkness is probably the source of your immortality. What happens when you fight it? You’re all beat up. Can’t you heal? I’m completely healed already. A werewolf’s recovery powers sure are something to behold.
[Touta]: Liar. You’re full of it… You’re as beat up as I am. C-come at me, you furball.
[Kaito]: Yeah, you’re right. That darkness if yours completely wiped me out. I lost completely. You win.
[Touta]: Wh-what are you talking about? I already told you that wasn’t me!
[Kaito]: That darkness is part of your powers, like it or not. Maybe you need more convincing?
[Touta]: I do!
[Kaito]: Alright then. Okay! Let’s finish this with a flash step battle, then!
[Touta]: That’s just arm-wrestling!
[Kaito]: I’m saying let’s settle this once and for all. Stop spluttering and get over here! Jeez, and I thought I’d found a good place to die.
[Touta]: Are you still going on about that? Give it a rest.
[Shion]: That kid managed to hold Magia Erebea back all by himself…
[Karin]: It appears I won the bet. If he really did hold it back by himself, then I appear to have underestimated him.
[Kaito]: I told you I’d teach you the second trick to the flash step, didn’t I? The second trick is: “I’m the only one standing in the world”. You have to truly believe that. The moment you take that step you leave everything else behind you. You achieve maximum speed when you reach the realization that you stand alone. As a man, so long as you have your body… you can go anywhere!
[Kaito (thinking)]: He…
[Touta]: And this is the end? Your feet are superhuman and can take you anywhere, yet this is where you end up? Do you really want to die surrounded by such ugliness?!
[Kaito]: That’s right. This is a world in which those with money light fires under the poor without care. It’s nauseating. That’s why-
[Touta]: That’s why you think it’s pointless to care about others?
[Kaito]: Exactly.
[Touta]: That’s why you say you should leave it all behind?
[Kaito (thinking)]: He’s…
[Touta]: Isn’t your heart really telling you to grasp the world?!
[Kaito (thinking)]: This power isn’t Magia Erebea… it’s his own!
[Shion]: That kid can beat my ace even without Magia Erebea…
[Kaito]: Come on, kill me. I’ll be satisfied if you do it now.
[Touta]: I already said I’m not gonna kill ya! You fricking idiot!
[Shion]: Very well, I’ll take him with me. We’re retreating. The fire is big enough that it cannot be stopped now. We’ve earned our fee.
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[Mikan]: Our town is…
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[Yukihime]: Lic LAc La, Lac Lilac! Queen of Ice, abide by the contract to which you are bound! Come swiftly with your peaceful kingdom, a millennium of ice! The white rose of demise in full bloom! Anthos Pagetou Khilion Eton!
[Kaito]: Amazing…
[Shion]: Th-this is the Master Mage…
[Yukihime]: Precisely. It is I.
[Karin]: Yukihime-sama!
[Touta]: Woah! That’s amazing!
[Evangeline]: It’s been a while. Have you been well, young immortal hunter?
[Shion]: So it was you, Dark Evangel. Evangeline A.K. McDowell!
[Touta]: What?! You know this guy?!
[Evangeline]: I’ll tell you about it later. Be quiet for now, you beat-up rag.
[Touta]: That’s cold!
[Kuromaru]: I was just wondering when you would turn up.
[Evangeline]: It was a splendid idea to contact us with fireworks when the communications went down.
[Shion]: Well, well, I never imagined these children would drag you into this. Very well then…
[Karin]: Careful! He still has some power remaining! Farewell then.
[Touta]: They ran for it!
[Evangeline]: Oh youn hunter, it seems this time you understand the value of retreat.
------------------------
[Mikan]: Sweet sake and food over here! Warm yourselves up!
[Touta]: Hey, Yukihime… Now that I think about it that, um, Magia Erebea? What was that? Why do I have it?
[Evangeline]: You’re a vampire created from my blood and a part of my family. It’s not unheard of for you to have inherited a secret technique from me.
[Touta]: Oh, I see! I get it now.
[Ruki]: Hey! If you’re doing better, come eat with us!