Chapter 110
An existence called a system
Fuyuki took a step forward, but was instantly held firmly by Hasebe.
"My lord, wake up." He said solemnly, "That is not the person you know."
“But… he’s in pain…” Fuyuki trembled, her gaze shifting to Dazai Osamu, her voice trailing off, “And he’s been… he’s been crying…”
The boy, curled up in a ball, wept silently. His face, barely visible, was streaked with tears, and his entire being exuded a fragile aura.
He needs help.
And now, that person can only be her.
Only she could help Dazai Osamu continue living; she would become his salvation, and this former protector would surely continue to protect him…
Dongshu's eyes were glazed over, and thoughts that didn't belong to her kept popping into her mind. However, her consciousness inexplicably accepted these words, and her body moved involuntarily.
That thought said:
Dazai Osamu was a coward who was afraid of even cotton; a good child who needed to be protected like a god; a miserable person who called for a savior every time he wanted to die.
Fuyuki didn't understand, but she knew what she had to do.
Get close, then embrace.
She wanted to let this boy, who seemed on the verge of breaking down, experience human warmth again, so that his already unstable heart wouldn't be completely shattered by something so trivial.
...At least, that's how the idea came about.
“That’s not Dazai Osamu, that’s just a poorly constructed data stream.” Tsurumaru Kuninaga crouched down, looking directly into Fuyuki’s struggling eyes. “Master, take a good look at what’s in front of you.”
Something created by technological innovation can always produce utter terror, and then... make him angry.
Just like the data orb he once crushed when he returned to the little Saniwa at night, he never completely gave up hunting for this thing.
Each appearance is accompanied by falsehood and turmoil.
Whether it was the previous owner, Fuyuki's previous missions, or now... nothing called "system" brought good luck; it was all just a dramatic calculation.
The one chosen as the protagonist of the drama discovered nothing and willingly became a puppet in this tragedy.
By the time they finally realized what had happened, they were already mired in a quagmire, entangled in countless threads, with nothing left of the promises they once held.
A familiar red flashed in Tsurumaru Kuninaga's eyes, and Shikiri Hasebe keenly reached out to separate him, his eyes wary.
“Oh dear…” Tsurumaru Kuninaga closed his eyes, but when he turned his head, he found that Mikazuki Munechika had the same expression.
"It won't pose a threat to the master," he reassured with a smile. "Or rather, it was all just an illusion."
"Lord Tsurumaru, this is not a funny matter." Mikazuki Munechika approached with a smile, but his body was cold, and he also kept the white crane at bay.
He hadn't noticed any signs of corruption on this crane before, so... had it been completely concealed before? None of the swords in the citadel, including the Saniwa, had detected it...
"Hmm...how about we talk about this surprise later?" Tsurumaru Kuninaga suddenly reached out and grabbed Fuyuki, who was trying to sneak towards Dazai Osamu. "Master, you can't."
"That thing is just an artifact constructed from the memories and emotions of that boy. Of course, that's not important. But if you walk over it, things will get very interesting."
Dongshu stared blankly at her, sensing a familiar presence. She didn't struggle; her mind was completely drawn into the sudden thought that had arisen within her.
The soul fragment separated from the original body ultimately did not possess full power; the mere technological artifact had completely confused her thoughts.
Hasebe pulled Fuyuki behind him, and Tsurumaru Kuninaga did not stop him. Fuyuki was easily pulled back completely.
The loyal blade stood before her, its gaze fixed on the suspected corrupted blade that might make a sudden move.
Mikazuki Munechika glanced thoughtfully at the Saniwa and Tsurumaru Kuninaga, and finally took on the task of keeping an eye on Dazai Osamu.
Well, it seems the master... knows what's going on, even though he seems to be under control right now.
Fuyuki blinked, her view blocked by Hasebe, so she reached out and pulled it aside.
"Tsurumaru".
The voice was crisp and clear, just like when it was just the two of them in that time warp.
This time, however, the crane in his hand was not white, and the one who came to save him was not a girl new to the world.
She called out his name.
Dongshu couldn't tell whether these words had any meaning for a moment.
However, the name suddenly popped into my mind, and without any hesitation, I called it out.
It is very important.
She's in a difficult situation, but her subconscious tells her that this name can help her.
"Yes, I'm here."
Seeing that the young master still had the mind to call his name, Tsurumaru Kuninaga's melancholy dissipated considerably.
"What do you want to say?"
Dongshu looked at him, tilted her head, and opened her mouth.
Dazai Osamu, who was curled up on the ground, suddenly looked up, and the tears in his eyes turned blood red.
"Little Winter Tree... save me... save me..." He reached out his hand, and his fingertips began to crack, just like the chunks of flesh beside him, turning blood red and disgusting.
He changed direction, revealing his most vulnerable side to Fuyuki, even the blood and tears that were about to fall from the corners of his eyes seemed much more delicate.
Fuyuki paused as she walked out from behind Hasebe, and slowly began to think.
Iris-colored eyes, that's Dazai; sand-colored coat, that's Dazai; red tears... Dazai?
Is it possible for Osamu Dazai to shed blood-red tears?
Do humans produce such things? There was no tsukumogami attacking him just now.
—What are you waiting for? He's in so much pain he's bleeding tears. He's so pitiful, he's just waiting for you to save him!
You will become the light in his life, and even a slight shift in your gaze will make him uneasy, doubting whether he is doing the right thing.
He will always be watching over you, treating you as his one and only, and you... will be together forever...
The strange power fluctuations grew stronger and stronger, and Tsurumaru Kuni was in perpetual motion.
He held the pitiful boy down, his hand precisely tearing open the hole covered by bandages.
At the same time, the scattered spiritual energy gathered together, like famine victims seeing grain, and burrowed into the part that Tsurumaru Kuninaga was pressing down, while the rest rushed straight towards Dazai Osamu's entire body.
One of the slender, transparent strands flowed back into its owner's body.
As their spiritual powers merged, Fuyuki blinked, then suddenly shook his head violently and grabbed Hasebe's clothes.
"Hasebe, kill him."
"I will obey your command." Without hesitation, Hasebe drew his main body. A flash of cold light appeared, and Dazai Osamu's fragile and helpless head fell to the ground without a trace of blood.
Soon, the severed head and body, like the two Dazai Osamu before, turned into writhing chunks of flesh, eerie and horrifying, making one frown.
“It’s over.” Hasebe said coldly, but he didn’t lower the raised sword. His sword tip was pointing at the transparent 01 alternator that was bound by layers of spiritual power.
It struggled, its entire body constantly changing shape, but the sealed spiritual energy gave it no chance to escape.
"Is he out yet?" Tsurumaru Kuninaga approached, poked him curiously with his finger, then frowned in displeasure. "How come he's still a thief? You guys are getting more and more wicked."
"*#$&*#%..." The little thing rattled off a bunch of things, but no one present understood a word it said.
Looking at the expressionless tsukumogami, it paused for a moment before suddenly realizing what was happening and switching to a different language system.
"Why are you stopping me? I'm clearly helping you!" it said angrily and resentfully. "Don't you want to be the only one of Dazai Osamu, the Son of the World? Such tempting conditions, the existence that carries the most fortune, and to abandon yourself for you."
"And you must come with me," the little creature continued to writhe, gradually boiling over until it turned completely red. "Your soul's essence is so perfectly suited, yet you refuse my invitation... Have you already been snatched away by someone else?!"
"What's the meaning?"
Fuyuki, held in Mikazuki Munechika's arms, tilted his head in confusion.
Turning back, Hasebe and Mikazuki Munechika, who had successfully raided the enemy base, locked eyes, the smile in those crescent-shaped eyes...
He gritted his teeth, but seeing his master being steadily protected, he chose to remain silent.
The little thing's gaze fell on her, and for a moment, Dongshu felt a strange sense of familiarity, as if they had once shared a deep friendship.
At this moment, she became the heartless man who abandoned his partner and found someone new.
"No." The part of the little creature that looked like a nose twitched, and it shrieked, "You don't have the scent of your kind on you. If that's the case, why don't you accept the honor I'm offering? If we join forces, we can easily control this world. Then, all your wishes, even something like 'rebirth,' will be no problem at all!"
"...I don't need to be reborn." Fuyuki was baffled. "Why would you think I need something so strange? I'm so weak, I can't even beat a non-combatant like myself."
She was easily captured and fell inside the spiritual energy barrier. Apart from being slightly controlled for a while, she lost nothing.
even--
She glanced at Tsurumaru Kuninaga, who stood there smiling and obediently.
It even revealed that this guy's corruption had not been eradicated.
That night that everyone in the forging room had been waiting for... did not successfully fulfill its intended mission.
Tsurumaru Kuninaga threw himself into the forge to reforge the dark corruption he wanted to remove, but it ultimately remained deep within his very being and would be drawn out by certain things.
It flashed by so quickly that Mikazuki Munechika and Hisashi Hasebe could notice it, and naturally, she, the Saniwa bound by a contract, would also notice it.
Even when under control.
But... since the contract is in place, she should be able to monitor Tsurumaru Kuninaga's true state at all times.
Fuyuki closed his eyes and manipulated his spiritual power to squeeze the thing that was still trying to convey strange ideas.
"Master! Watch out—!" Tsurumaru Kuninaga suddenly stepped forward and grabbed her hand.
As soon as he spoke, the transparent spiritual energy suddenly became tainted with the alternating 0s and 1s of the data body, making it complex and strange.
Fuyuki didn't have time to figure out why Tsurumaru Kuninaga was so perceptive.
She frowned, abruptly severing the connection to that part of the spiritual power. The power, now deprived of its master's control, became disoriented and quickly shattered completely.
She looked at the ground with lingering fear, and the writhing chunks of flesh gradually became transparent and disappeared along with them.
It's like a virus; once it sticks on, it won't let go... It's a bit disgusting.
She shook her fingers with a chill, but her fingertips were still trembling, with a slightly numb feeling that she couldn't completely get rid of.
She frowned, and some blurry images flashed through her mind.
Dim lighting, heavy books, and a pen that just wouldn't stop writing...
This is a student's memory.
"I……"
Just as Fuyuki was about to say something, Mikazuki Munechika forcefully pressed his head into her arms.
At the same time, she heard the sound of a blade slicing through the air.
[Author's Note]
I'm supposed to write 10,000 words today, and this is 3,300... I'll post the word count in the author's note! Just in case I suddenly stop writing... [cracks]
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