Chapter 83: Irreconcilable Enemies

The poisonous field I’d created spread across the battleground—the entire school building now shrouded in a venomous haze that writhed like a living thing. Through the smoke came Beatrice’s hand, wreathed in fire, her massive frame lunging forward to grab me.

"……"

I leapt into the air, using her outstretched arm as a foothold to evade the attack and search for a chance to counter.

Good—seems the Justina Council of Saints isn’t affected much. Ambrosius, though… he’s feeling it, even if just a little.

"Gh…!"

If Beatrice had prepared something—a gas mask, or maybe a barrier to ward off toxins—I’d planned to destroy that first. But she clearly hadn’t expected I’d flood the entire area with a poison gas weapon that even affected me.

"What’s wrong? Cheer up, Beatrice! It’s pesticide, you know. Kills off the pests so the crops can grow nice and strong."

"…You do love to run that mouth. At least your tongue works better than your brain."

"Oh, my brain’s working just fine—unlike yours."

I hadn’t even meant the jab that deeply. If it threw her off her calm, great—but Beatrice wasn’t the kind to lose focus over a taunt like that. Still—

"For someone trying to act composed, your face sure is red. Or wait—was it always that color?"

"……"

Come on, a little payback’s fair, isn’t it?

"There!"

The moment Beatrice showed an opening, I fired a shotgun blast straight for her eyes. Her wings snapped up just in time, shielding her—but her vision was blocked. I hurled a bomb at her flaming hand, used the explosion as a foothold to propel myself forward, and grabbed her by the neck.

"Kh—gah!"

"Ha ha ha! What’s wrong, huh!? Even plants can’t breathe, and it hurts like hell, doesn’t it!?"

My half-healed left arm barely worked, but it was enough. I extended a rope of hair, wrapped it around one of the pillars, and pulled hard—tightening it around Beatrice’s neck.

"Ghh… but you know!! Everyone’s suffering was a lot worse than this!!"

"Tch—!"

Before her feet could even lift off the ground, the pillar gave out. Debris scattered from the collapse, flying toward me. I released my grip and redirected the rubble, trying to send it crashing into Beatrice instead.

"If it weren’t for you—! If only you didn’t exist—! None of this would’ve happened!!"

The rubble burned away in her flames, but that gave me an opening. I landed, then immediately jumped again, overcharging my shotgun with mystic energy.

"Grh—!"

"You turned this school into a living hell!!"

She blocked with her decayed, branchlike wings. It didn’t matter. I pulled the trigger again and again—each shot glowing with an eerie green shimmer that blurred at the edges.

Once. Twice. Again. Again. Again. Again.

"Enough already—!"

The moment Beatrice resisted, I detonated a bomb beneath me, launching myself upward. I hurled ceiling bombs on the way up, reloaded midair, and kicked off the ceiling just as they exploded—using the blast and my own momentum to dive straight down.

"Wh—"

"Those ugly, half-broken wings—you don’t need them anyway!!"

I ignored the flames. Her oncoming fist was blasted aside by a shotgun shot at point-blank range. I charged directly at the wound I’d opened earlier—her right wing.

"Break—damn it!!!"

I slammed into her with all my strength, overcharged the bomb with mystic energy, and let it explode. The blast hurled me backward, and I retreated from Beatrice’s massive frame.

"Ha… haah…"

I might’ve gone overboard there… couldn’t control my emotions. Idiot. But—

"Hah! You gonna regenerate that, huh!?"

"……"

As the smoke cleared, her figure came into view. Beatrice didn’t look much different—except for her right wing, now crushed, snapped, mangled beyond repair.

Her body was hard—remarkably so, though not unheard of among the students. Those with tougher bodies tended to regenerate slower; their complex structure made recovery difficult. Same reason a crushed eye won’t regrow, or a severed limb stays gone.

How fitting for someone like her—self-serving, willing to hurt and exploit others for her own ends. That wing wasn’t coming back. Not in this fight.

"Well? What’s wrong, huh!? Come on! Show us that mighty adult strength of yours! Everyone’s waiting to see it! Come on! Come on! Come on!!"

"…You seem to be… misunderstanding something."

Her voice—no longer the shrill, grating screech from before—had turned calm. Low. Slow.

"The state of Arius Branch is not my doing alone."

"…What?"

What the hell is she saying now, talking like that?

"This school—banished from Trinity, forced to take in orphans just to survive—was doomed long before I came along."

"……"

Stay calm. Don’t let her get to you. That’s what she wants. Lose it now, and she’ll see through me—see my real identity.

"There were already people here who wished to take revenge on Trinity."

Think, damn it. She’s talking. While she’s focused on her speech—plan the next move. Don’t lose focus.

"You said I turned this school into hell? Hah… You’re mistaken. I merely found the soil already suited for what I needed."

Right. I can’t take her head-on. If I want to end this, I can’t fight her directly.

"A flimsy school like this… no, I can hardly call it a school anymore. A facility that raises killers instead of students. You think I went out of my way to turn it into hell?"

"Gh—!!"

Fine. Enough.

"You… you bastard!!!"

You’ve got to be kidding me.

"Don’t screw with me! Don’t you dare screw with me!!!"

I blasted forward with bombs, scattering timed charges midair, accelerating all at once, and drove my fist into Beatrice with everything I had.

"For a reason that stupid!? For something that meaningless!? You picked this place!? You killed people!? You chained everyone down!? You took everything from them!?"

"Yes. That’s right."

No damage. Maybe some—but every strike met her counter. Heat surged through her palms; just touching her was enough to nullify my hits.

Doesn’t matter.

───Even so… this was the school where we grew up. Our youth. You think I’ll just let some wrinkled hag and her war-crazed lunatics turn it into a slaughterhouse?

"For your own damn purpose—!"

"Oh? So you know. I suppose the Squad must’ve told you something…"

The bombs hanging midair detonated in sequence, hurling me forward again. And again. And again.

"You stole their smiles! Their happiness! Their futures!!!"

───…Man. I just wanted to live normally, you know? How did it all turn out like this… for us?

The bombs burned against my legs, pain flaring with every kick. It hurt. It hurt like hell.

Didn’t matter.

"Everything... for yourself!!!"

I knew it. I always knew it. From the very beginning, that’s exactly the kind of person she was. That’s why I wanted to kill her. That’s why I wanted her to suffer. I should have known better.

"…And what of it?"

"—!!"

None of it matters. Nothing does. So you’re saying Cyan and Anna had to die over something that shallow? That petty obsession, that half-baked conviction? Everyone had to suffer because of that?

"Die!!!"

"Go ahead. Perfect timing—the preparations are complete."

...Preparations?

"!! What—!"

I looked up. A massive fireball, far greater than anything before, loomed above me—burning so fiercely I could feel my skin searing from its heat.

She didn’t use her flames before this? She fought only with residual heat—to conserve power? Just to wear me down?

"No way—!"

The flames condensed, growing denser. A sure sign she was about to fire. But at that power level, even Beatrice would be caught in the blast. Knowing her nature, she wouldn’t—

"This is the end."

"Wh—what—!"

She tilted her finger ever so slightly—and that was all it took. The blazing mass descended with tremendous force.

"Gah—!!"

The heat tore through me, scorching everything it touched. This wasn’t like my usual explosives—it was far beyond that. Pain crawled through my flesh, like barbed wire threading under peeled skin.

"Kh—ha…!"

I bit down hard on my tongue, forcing myself to stay conscious, clinging to what little strength I had left to keep from being blown away completely.

"Ha… haah…!"

"Heh… You’ve taken quite the… hit, haven’t you…?"

Beatrice was just as battered. I hadn’t expected her to go this far—a suicidal move, dragging herself into the blast as well.

"You too, huh…? Blowing yourself up like that… that’s a damn fool move! So what now—what’s the situation…!"

"That’s not quite true."

A laugh—mocking, derisive. The kind that twisted something deep inside me. A cracked, rasping chuckle from her wrecked throat, yet filled with scorn.

"—The Justina Council of Saints…!"

She’s recovering faster than expected… no, she must’ve been conserving power all along, unable to fully summon them in this space. But that goes for me too—!

"Wh—what…?"

It’s not summoning properly…? No, it worked—but I felt it. A lag, a delay. Why…?

"The control over your Council of Saints depends on your stamina. You weren’t aware of that?"

"—! So that’s what you were aiming for…!"

Yeah. That would be the most effective way for Beatrice to take me down. But to actually go through with it—even at the cost of herself… No. Wait.

"…That’s a pretty desperate tactic, don’t you think?"

"…"

"You’re panicking, aren’t you?"

The members of Arius had escaped. Royal Blood and Atsuko were gone. Her imitation of the Council was flawed, and even Barbara wasn’t complete. And she was facing me—alone. For ten years, I’d planned and waited for this day. But I wasn’t the only one.

"Ten years of planning, about to go up in flames, huh?"

"…Heh."

Yeah. She must feel the same. Somehow, that thought made me feel a little better.

"Gah—!!"

The next instant, something massive crushed me.

"Ambro…sius…!"

"Am I panicking, you ask…?"

"Guh—!"

I tried to push back, but Beatrice smashed her fist into my face before I could move. Blue flames erupted from the ground, crawling up my body, burning me alive.

"My plan… going up in flames, you say…"

"Gah—ghk—!"

She struck again, over and over—each blow heavy with rage. Blood splattered, bones groaned, pain seared every nerve.

"For everything you’ve done…! You’ll pay dearly…! I won’t let you die easily!"

"Ha… hah… What’s wrong? Face all red like that… you mad or somethin’…?"

The escape preparation was ready. I recalled the Council, carefully—slowly. I’d make it look like I’d lost control, like my summons had collapsed.

"…The fight’s over. You can’t use your Council anymore."

"…For someone who says that, you don’t look all that happy…"

"Shut that mouth of yours."

"Kh—!"

She shoved something into my mouth—like a bomb. I had no time to spit it out before she pulled the pin. It exploded. My tongue burned, my teeth ached, and a vile metallic taste flooded my nose.

"But this much is nothing. A wasted effort, really."

"…"

"Oh, right. You seemed to despise me quite a bit, didn’t you?"

Not getting a reaction, she crouched down, voice dripping with irony.

"You stole everything—for something that trivial? Yes. That’s exactly right."

"—!"

"…And what of it?"

Her nonexistent lips twisted unnaturally as she spoke.

"This world is overflowing with such things. It’s commonplace. You simply didn’t know."

Her voice rolled on, light and amused. Words dripping like filth from a corrupted tongue.

"Adults control children. The strong exploit the weak. That’s the natural law of this world."

She said it as though it were obvious—as though I were the one who didn’t understand, who was wrong.

"I merely took advantage of the hatred everyone carries. Of their fear. Of their desire to live. I didn’t force them to act—it’s not something worthy of condemnation. Everyone does the same."

"…!"

"Yet you people deny it, pretending to be righteous. It’s incomprehensible. That blindness—that’s what makes you foolish."

That’s a damn lie.

"Shut… your mouth…"

"Oh?"

That’s not how it works. You—someone like you—don’t get to call yourself great. You don’t get to walk away unpunished.

"You just got lucky…! You just happened to be that way, that’s all…!!"

Being strong? Anyone can do that. Being smart? Anyone can do that. Growing old? Anyone can do that. Hurting someone weaker than you? Exploiting them? Anyone can do that.

"For something that shallow…! You have no right to speak for everyone else…!!"

How could that ever be greatness? How could that ever be something noble? How could you talk about it like it’s some kind of universal truth? Over that—that pathetic little thing?

"Everyone’s not like you…!!"

Saori. Misaki. Atsuko. Hiyori. Azusa. Mika. Nagisa. Seia. Hifumi. Hanako. Koharu. Asiri.
Tsurugi. Hasumi. Sakurako. Mari. Mine. Serina. Hanae. Hina. Ako. Iori. Sau. Fili. Tou. Rei. Yako. Yose. Shio. Cyan. Anna.
All of them—every last one of them. Even if they’re weak. Even if they’re children. They give everything they can, doing the work adults should have done—doing it themselves. Doing their best to move forward, step by step. Never giving up.

"You and me… both…!!"

Compare yourself to that. You just happened to end up in Kivotos. Just happened to be smart. Just happened to remember.

"You’re not great…!! There’s nothing amazing about you—not one damn thing…!!"

You’re not special. Neither am I. Doing something just because you can—there’s nothing admirable about that.

How could anyone believe that’s nobler than fighting to protect others, even when you’re weak? How could anyone think that’s more beautiful than standing to defend those around you, even when it hurts? Natural law? Truth? Don’t make me laugh.

That’s why we have to protect them. That’s why we fight. That’s why—why—

"That’s why… I have to kill you here…!!"

"…I fail to understand what you’re saying."

Of course you don’t. You never will. Not the beauty, not the worth, not the wonder, not the greatness of it all. I don’t even want you to understand.

"Then we’re done talking, aren’t we!?"

The bomb in my hand—charged with mystic energy throughout our conversation—glowed brilliantly. Its power immense. Without hesitation, I detonated it, blowing away Ambrosius and breaking free from the restraint.

"Kh—! Restrain her!"

The Council of Saints advanced—but that level of threat I could handle.

"Out of my way!! Move!!"

My hand cannon—also charged with mystic energy—targeted her limbs. I fired every round, then swapped to a shotgun and shot again, blasting Beatrice backward.

"Wha—!?"

"She’ll regenerate, won’t she!? No need to finish her off!!"

Even so, the sheer number of enemies—and Ambrosius himself—couldn’t be defeated easily. But that was fine. All I needed was to buy time—to corner Beatrice.

"Come on!!!"

"Wh—No way!?"

I charged at Beatrice—and right then, summoned the Council of Saints again. Beatrice’s eyes widened as she realized I’d only pretended to dismiss them earlier.

"Use this!!"

I shouted, tossing one of my bombs toward the Council for all to see.

"Th-that design…!!"

That’s right—the bomb that destroys Halos.

"Guh—! Kha—!?"

Or at least, one that looked just like it.

A fake. Just an ordinary bomb.

"Wh—Why can’t I—deflect it—"

Now. This is it. The only moment I’ll get. Time slowed to a crawl.

I locked both Beatrice and the Council within my range. There was no way she’d expect me to use a Halo-destroying bomb at this distance. After all, it’d take me down too. But that was fine. That was part of the gamble.

"…"

I pulled my black mask back over my face.

"Die!!!"

"—!!"

And I activated the “Halo-Destroying Bomb,” engulfing Beatrice, the Council of Saints, and myself in the explosion.