Chapter 18: Alone

Shido's mind was in a state of shock as he stood there, completely frozen in disbelief at the gruesome sight before him. Blood was splattered everywhere, human organs strewn about, leaving no doubt in his mind that it was the blood of humans. As he glanced around at the others present, his heart sank even further. Kurumi wore a big, smug grin on her face, reveling in the horror she had inflicted upon her latest victims, while Hikaru showed no expression at all. The instant his brain acknowledged the situation, the strange smell in the area assaulted his nostrils, and he felt an irresistible urge to vomit. He clamped his hands over his mouth to somehow fight the sensation of the many lunches he had eaten rising from his stomach. "...! Unh...!" "—do! Shido! Run! Now!" Shido realized that Kotori had been shouting at him through his earpiece this whole time. He pulled himself to his feet somehow, braced his shaking legs, and ran. "NO RUNNING!" A shadowy arm shot out and latched onto Shido, preventing him from moving any further. Kurumi began to walk slowly toward him. But she stopped as she cast a glance at Hikaru. "You're not planning to do anything, right?" she asked, a sly grin playing at the corners of her mouth. "I'm sure you're not going to hurt him, so no. Besides, he needs to learn that his work is not a simple dating simulation. It's an experience that will help him to grow up," Hikaru replied calmly. Kurumi turned her attention back to Shido, and shido eyes widened in fear as she drew closer, "—Aah, oh dear, I've failed. I've failed terribly. I should have taken care of this more quickly. I did so wish to enjoy my date with you a little longer." She ran her hands over his cheeks. "...! ..." He tried to run. He tried to scream. But he couldn't. His legs spasmed, and only hoarse breath left his throat. She drew closer to his face—not coming in for a kiss; it was almost like she was going to sink her teeth into his neck. "...! Huh...?" Finally, a voice came out of his throat. Just when her mouth was on the verge of touching him, suddenly something unknown launched her through the air, slamming her into a nearby tree. Shido was left dazed and confused, struggling to comprehend what had just happened. Hikaru raised an eyebrow, her expression unreadable as she turned to the newcomer. "Are you all right, Brother?" shido heard someone say as his mind raced to try and comprehend the situation. "Uh...?" He managed an idiotic grunt and lifted his face. Mana was standing with her back to him as if to protect him, clad in a wiring suit. She had something like a shield or wings on her shoulders. This was the equipment he had seen in the video the day before. "Ma...na...?" he managed, voice hoarse, and she turned her eyes toward him. "Yes. That was very close. Are you badly injured?" "Uhhh," he replied, stunned. He didn't know how Mana interpreted this, but she looked down at her outfit and scrunched up her hair. "Ohhh. I suppose this would be a surprise. It's just, well, there was a situation." Mana then turned to Hikaru. "I thought you were one of my brother's friends?" "I thought you were just a normal sister to him," Hikaru replied, a smile on her face. Mana frowned Kurumi slowly stood up. "ARA~... Interrupting me and Shido on our little rendezvous is a serious violation of manners, yes?" "Shut your mouth," Mana barked. "What are you thinking, targeting a person's older brother?" Kurumi's eyes widened in surprise. "Are you and Shido siblings, Mana?" "Hmph. It's none of your business," Mana spat and turned her head. With this movement, the equipment on her shoulders tilted forward and began to transform, the tips splitting into five prongs almost like a hand. Then a pale light appeared in those combined ten tips. "Please go ahead and drop dead now, Nightmare." Mana snapped her fingers and ten beams of light jetted from her shoulders, stretching out toward Kurumi. It happened in the blink of an eye. Kurumi, however, twisted her body and neatly sidestepped the beams. "Hee-hee-hee. That's quite dangerous." "Tch." Mana clicked her tongue in annoyance and moved her fingers the tiniest bit. The beams of light abruptly changed course and came at Kurumi once more. "Guh..." This time, she couldn't get entirely away. Light pierced her legs and her stomach, and Kurumi let out a curious cry as her legs crumpled beneath her. Blood spilled out onto the ground. "...!" Shido grimaced at the overly gory scene. "You just have to make me work, don't you? Disgraceful monster." Without so much as lifting an eyebrow, Mana raised her right hand. The equipment that had opened up like a pair of hands returned to its shield form, and an enormous sword of light appeared at one end. "...!" Shido gasped. He had seen this before. The sword from the video she'd used to deliver the killing blow. "STOP! DON'T KILL HER! HIKARU! PLEASE SAVE HER!" shido shouted as he realized what Mana was about to do. Hikaru just glanced at him and didn't move an inch. Kurumi wheezed, her voice threatening to fade out at any second. "Hee. Hee... You... are so kind... Shido." Mana's sword came down on her. Thwack! There was an unpleasant sound, and then Kurumi stopped saying anything at all. Mana raised her sword again, but this time, she pointed it at Hikaru. "Are you a friend or foe?" she asked, ready for another battle. Hikaru smirked at her. "I do not believe it is the time to ask such questions when your brother is in this condition." "HOW?!.... HOW CAN YOU BE SO CALM ABOUT THIS?! YOU JUST KILLED A PERSON!" shido shouted Mana turned around to face her brother. Mana turned around to face her brother. "Because I'm used to it," she answered. "...!" He gasped. "Of all the Spirits, Nightmare—Kurumi Tokisaki—is special." "Special...?" "Yes." She nodded. "She doesn't die. No matter how many times you kill her, no matter how you do it. That girl inevitably appears again somewhere else as if nothing happened and kills more people." "...?! Wh-what does that...?" Even as he protested, he felt this explanation click into place. The video he'd seen the day before suddenly made sense. "You heard me. I don't know what else I could tell you at this point." Mana let out a sigh and lifted her chin. The look on her face was sheer exhaustion as if she had aged in an instant. "—And so I continue to kill her. That girl. Nightmare. Kurumi Tokisaki. I chase her relentlessly. Over and over and over." Shido scowled. "You're wrong...!" "What?" "You're not used to it or whatever. You're just worn down... Your heart is worn thin!" She trembled slightly. "What...are you trying to tell me, Brother?" "Stop it already, Mana. You said you're my sister, right? So then...just listen to me, just this one time!" He pushed the words out of his throat like a prayer. This wasn't some trick of his imagination. He knew that your heart got worn down when too great of a burden was placed on it. And if that burden was never lifted, at some point, your heart would be so broken that it could never go back to the way it was. Just like Shido's heart almost was when he was abandoned by his mother. Just like Tohka's heart almost was when she faced constant enemies and hostility. Just like Hikaru's heart almost was when she felt the whole world abandoned her "...That's impossible," Mana said, with a hint of self-deprecation. "For so long as Nightmare comes back to life, and for so long as she continues to kill people, I must grab that girl by the neck. Otherwise, she will kill more people. It's something only I can do." "...!" No. That wasn't the only way. Before Shido could give voice to this, Mana turned her face upward, searching. "—Mm. That will have to be all for today." Mana said. "Wha—? But I still—" "Reinforcements are approaching. There will be some problems if you're here." She half forced him to turn around and gave him a push. "Mana! You—" Mana cast a fleeting glance at Hikaru, whose expression was one of contemplation. A tinge of sadness and compassion was visible on Hikaru's face as if she understood the pain that Mana was going through. "Those expressions would be enough for me to consider you as a friend. Please take care of my brother," Mana finished her sentence and then raised her arm. Suddenly, a barrier appeared and expanded rapidly, launching Shido away. Hikaru was quick to jump away and avoid the barrier. Shido quickly got up and tried to return, but was blocked by the barrier that Mana had created. "MANA!" he shouted, but there was no answer. He glanced at Hikaru and said, "You can destroy this barrier, right? Please help me!" "And then what?" Hikaru asked. "HUH?" Hikaru let out a sigh. "Boy, it's obvious she has already chosen her path. Do you think a few words would be enough to--" "DON'T GIVE ME THAT BULLSHIT!" Shido interrupted, cutting Hikaru off. Hikaru was surprised by Shido's sudden outburst. 'This is the first time I've heard him curse like that,' she thought. "SHE'S MY SISTER! I CAN'T JUST SIT HERE AND SEE HER GO THROUGH THAT HELL!" Shido fixed his gaze on Hikaru's. "You saw her expression, right? She's broken from the inside. She needs somebody to be with her there and stop her," he said, trying to catch his breath. Hikaru just kept her gaze fixed on the boy in front of her and sighed. "There's no need," she said. "What?! What do you mean? She needs help, you already saw--" "That's not what I mean, boy. The barrier has already disappeared, and your sister has already left the place," Hikaru said. "Huh?" Shido was confused by what Hikaru said. He extended his arm to the barrier, only to find that Hikaru was right. There was no barrier, and Mana had already left. Shido sank to his knees and hit the ground with his fist until he nearly drew blood. "DAMMIT!" he shouted in frustration. ... Shido staggered over to a bench in the park and dropped down lifelessly. Hikaru was sitting beside him, unsure of how to console him. "It's just like back then hahaha" she giggled awkwardly, "We just switch roles. Shido didn't respond. His head hung low, his shoulders drooping in defeat. "I guess I should expect you to be angry with me," Hikaru said, her voice laced with remorse. Shido let out a tired breath. "I can't be mad at you. After all, I know you're not that kind of person" he said wearily. " I know you had your reasons. Can you please tell me what happened there?" he asked, his gaze fixated on her. "Long story short, they just drink from the cup they served," she said "and what does that mean?" "they were torturing a little cat for their fun, and Kurumi spotted them. She became angry and decided to do the same with them, just for her to end up killing them." "that's wrong!" he said in a shaking voice. "That's not how you treat someone who's done wrong. Killing is not the solution." He bowed his head slightly. "Well, at least you know she's not just a killing machine," she said, trying to cheer him up. Shido found that he'd clenched his hands into fists, " you were there, why you didn't do anything" Hikaru was quiet for a moment, avoiding his gaze. "Because I would do the same if I was in her place," she finally said. "No, I already did my part before." "..." He didn't know what to say to that. Hikaru opened her mouth to say something but stopped abruptly as she heard a familiar voice. "Shido!" Lifted his face with a gasp to see Tohka racing toward him, 'She'd probably come looking for me when i hadn't come back" he thought. He could also see Origami behind her. He assumed they'd run into each other at some point. "Shido! Where did you go?!" "What exactly is going on?" Tohka and Origami both sounded grumpy as they came to stand in front of him. At the moment, he didn't have it left in him to make excuses. "Sorry." He could only squeeze out a brief word of apology before falling silent once more. "...Shido?" "What's wrong?" Tohka and Origami peered at his face, worried. "Shido, you're not hurt, are you?!" Tohka grabbed his hand. "yes, why are you sitting alone here with that expression" Origami added Upon hearing He turned to where Hikaru had been sitting, only to find that she had disappeared. Turning back to face the two girls. "Yeah.... alone....". he muttered, his voice barely above a whisper.