Chapter 9
Elena's eyes slowly fluttered open… her emerald-green gaze swept across the surroundings… she looked up at the dark, towering ceiling of the castle, and then at the chandelier hanging like a constellation of ice, glittering as if it could pierce through the heads of anyone below, indifferent to the laws of any world. She glanced down at the plush carpet beneath her feet… it was made of sheep's wool, soft to the touch, blending seamlessly with the deep, noble reds of the room. The atmosphere was lavish, almost regal, complemented by the statues of armored knights, their swords poised in perpetual combat.
She slowly rose to her feet, her vision blurred as she searched for Sora and Lucas. Unconsciously, tears slipped down her cheeks, and she spoke, her voice trembling.
Elena
> Everyone… the Soviet Union back then… it was beautiful, wasn't it?
After she spoke, Lucas squinted, lost in memories that felt like decades past, a haze of nostalgia and lingering impressions etched into his mind. But suddenly, a voice erupted behind them, wild and deranged, carrying a lunacy that made the very air tremble, as if it could fracture from sheer madness.
Ayumi
> H… ha… H… haa… uh… hs…
Abruptly, a rigid hand gripped Qu's M4 rifle, bloodied and limp in her unconscious body, as gunfire cracked violently, aimed straight at Elena. In a blur, blood splattered everywhere. Elena's hand instinctively grasped at something in front of her… her fingers closing around a substance that felt liquid, flowing through the crevices of her hand. Her eyes widened in shock.
Before her… it was Lucas… his face contorted in pain as his body, incapable of recovering due to the special world's anti-power field—which nullified the abilities of all abnormal beings—collapsed. Elena's eyes went wide, a mix of fear and fury overtaking her.
Elena
> Y-you idiot… why… why are you… don't… don't you dare… wake up… please… wake up…
Lucas slumped to the floor, blood pooling across the ornate carpet. Though his heart still beat, it thumped weakly, on the verge of fading. Elena looked on, terrified, at Ayumi's deranged gaze, a demon observing her handiwork with twisted delight. The creature's hands twitched violently, bloodlust surging through every beat of its heart, yet it could not maintain its mockery for long.
Sora, enraged, seized Mei's M-84 and fired, swiftly cutting through Ayumi's legs. Blood gushed like streams, bones protruding in grotesque patterns. Ayumi collapsed, eyes wide in shock, as Sora's gaze, no longer mocking, burned with raw, grinding fury. If Light had not intervened, Sora would have ended the deranged girl outright.
Sora
> Why… why… why did you…
Tears fell from Sora's eyes as she glanced back at Lucas. This time, they were real tears, unmasked. She slowly approached him, hand trembling as she pressed it to his chest, feeling the faint but irregular beat of his heart. Her voice quivered with fear.
Sora
> You damn femboy… stop sacrificing yourself for others…
Light remained outwardly expressionless, veins bulging as he silently approached Ayumi. With a single powerful kick, he knocked her unconscious. The impact caused a horrific retching, blood and vomit splattering across the floor and even on Light's shoes. Though his face remained calm, inside he was conflicted. Elena, still in shock, silently observed everything.
Unnoticed by them, Ayu's body was slowly absorbed into her throne, turning it a crimson hue reminiscent of blood, bubbling as if ready to burst. The golden glow faded, replaced by a suffocating, demonic red—ominous and foreboding.
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Elsewhere… The Real World…
Shibuya… sunlight began filtering down as smoldering fires were extinguished. Firefighters and emergency vehicles filled the streets, lights blaring, sirens screaming. Among them, the black, imposing vehicles of Kuroi Sakura moved with strict authority, ensuring no civilians interfered with the scene. Cranes and heavy machinery worked to clear debris, retrieving the bodies of abnormal entities—creatures composed of thousands of fused human bodies, their many eyes blinking in eerie unison. These were creations of Ayu.
Inside temporary medical stations, thousands of injured civilians were crammed like wartime casualties, blood and smoke filling the air as medics desperately treated burns, amputations, and disfigurements. Some had lost entire limbs or eyes; others were reduced to unrecognizable states, organs exposed. From nearby collapsed buildings, screams of despair pierced the air, cries for someone, anyone, to save them. Despite Kuroi Sakura's efforts, the sheer number of victims rendered the city into a living hell. Tokyo's morning rush compounded the chaos, the streets packed with overworked, exhausted office workers, tightly pressed together in a city suffocating under its own population. Even the trains were packed beyond capacity, passengers clinging to anything available. Yet, among them, something extraordinary moved silently.
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Music…
What? Alice?
Her hair was the pale white of ashes, soft and creamy, like the remnants of a dying fire. Her eyes burned crimson, a sharp contrast to the crowded commuters around her. Dressed as a detective but diminutive in stature—barely 1.51 meters tall—she wore a black raincoat with a hood concealing much of her face, making her appear like a child.
The tiny figure maneuvered through the packed train, weaving past office workers as if they were obstacles in a puzzle. She was pressed against the glass doors as the train closed, plunging into a dark tunnel. Lights flickered in the gloom, until a sudden red illumination caught Alice's eye. As sedation overtook the passengers, bodies slumped in the seats like toppled dominoes. The train halted temporarily at Station 15, under the authority of Site 13. The oppressive white interior, with rows of benches and trash bins aligned along columns, remained unchanged as another train, part of the organization's private line, approached.
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Elsewhere… EASRS Foundation
In the top-secret council chamber of Site 13, shadowed figures concealed their faces, but a map of all organizational facilities dominated the rear wall. The conference table doubled as a large holo-projection display, and the council's representatives spoke, revealing as little emotion as possible.
13_1
> According to current reports, the subject Uta JP-725 has transported several of our key agents into the Counter World…
13_1
> What should we do, Council Members?
13_11, sipping tea:
> Infiltrating the Counter World… we have entered countless other worlds already. Entering one more is acceptable.
13_5, sighing:
> Councilor 11, remember… each time we infiltrate another world, thousands will die…
13_11
> Considering the benefits, the sacrifice is worth it…
13_9
> Science has reported that technology is ready. Only 6 of the 13 council members' approval is required.
13_4
> I support the Counter World infiltration… simply because Sora is too valuable to waste…
Meanwhile, journalists and operatives, guided by AI, prepared thousands of devices—from robotic arms to reactor units—for the mission. Scientists in white coats ensured stability across experiments as portal gates began to activate…
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[To be continued]
Secret revealed by the author: Sora is a lesbian i