The Beings of Everlasting Demise

"[I want you to imagine what would it be like to be haunted by a being that shouldn't exist in this world anymore and yet, clings so stubbornly to what little life remains to it. Wishing for nothing but to remind you, who has caused its torturous end, that no one can ever come to cause someone's demise, and not pay for it with their own life.]"

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

I thought that so long as I will follow Himari-nee-sama's lead and work together with William and the other Gardeners, we will be an unstoppable force that no one can ever come to hinder nor defeat.

"Haah…!"

"…"

That's why right now… as I stand within this chamber whose walls are made of pure white marble, whose floor is made of pure and burnished gold, and has a ceiling as vast and wondrous as the expanse of outer space… I lost all power and courage to fight back.

"You… just who are you, really…?"

"I am the enemy of the Tainted Spirit that you are serving."

"-!"

"I am Law. The Spirit and Representative Being of all laws."

Just what on earth have we humans got ourselves into… for things to be like this now….?

"I am he who stands to protect what little remains in the sanctity of humanity against all who desire to drag it across the filth of the perpetual evil and chaos."

Himari-nee… Help me…

"Help me…!"

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

"Ah-!"

"Himari-sama… is something wrong?"

What was that feeling…? Why did I hear Aishi's voice all of a sudden?

"The completion of the master's revival will soon be set. With this, he can finally wield all of this power in order to easily outmatch that Cult monster's strength and break free from their fight."

"Yes, yes… I understand."

Deep within a hidden bunker in the academy campus, I am overseeing the development of events in our partially foiled attempt to set up a foothold in Old Tokyo, a side task from our main objective of finally reviving Father and making him return to his rightful place amongst the Psychics of the world.

"The S.S.S seems to have contacted and took control of the local police to lock down the entire district… At this point, we can't gather enough people to be affected by the Astra energy pool to force them into the planned rampage. What should we do, Himari-sama?"

"…Forget about that. It doesn't matter now to the advancement of our agenda, since Father is already revived. Even if we don't get to hold this area, it has already fulfilled its purpose."

"As you wish, Himari-sama. We will withdraw our forces then."

"Right. Have them focus on limiting the entry of the S.S.S and Sumeragi men. If needed, give them the right to break a standoff and fight according to their own judgements."

Though our victory is already clear, I still want for us to gain as much advantages as possible and bleed out the enemies, so they won't be able to resist us later as much as they have done for the past few years.

With Keiji still being held by the S.S.S in an unknown stronghold, both Gardener Satoshi and Taka dead and those who will replace them still being contested by the participants of Gardener Aokigahara's "real-life video game", I wanted to hand back our Psychic group's force and influence to Father in as good of a shape as he left it to my predecessor clone decades ago.

"Wait… what is that?"

"Hm? What's wrong?"

One of my subordinates looked intently into his monitor with a concerned expression which I also looked into to know why he seemed to be worried. On it, I saw hundreds of people having the same faces and physical features entering an area on the campus grounds that looks like a distorted space, a Mental Subspace, to be accurate.

"Are those… Taka's clones?"

"It seems to be the case, Himari-sama. It seems like they are gathering towards the Subspace to join in the fight."

"Wait, how did hundreds of them suddenly appear here? I don't remember seeing these many of his remaining clones being brought this far from our Headquarters."

With my question, my assistant spoke out the answer to clarify the situation.

"Ahem. Actually, the Replicant that is actively taking on Gardener Hirayama's place has sent the request directly to Gardener Aokigahara. It seems like the Replicant had unfinished business with the Sumeragi man who entered the Subspace shortly after the female S.S.S agent and he wanted all of them to help him extract his revenge."

"I see… their hot-headedness won the day yet again… I am beginning to wonder if we should've provided more mental stabilizing serums in their regular maintenance treatment."

"That would be unwise, Himari-sama. They are nothing but by-products of Gardener Aokigahara's experiments on Replicants that used Gardener Hirayama as a base… If anything, the Replicants who would fall here would be a good riddance for our upkeep on the Gardeners."

"That still leaves a horrible taste in my mouth. Even if they are hurting our finances, those Replicants still stands in as a proof that we aren't weakened by the actions of the Sumeragi group, nor the limitations being set by the government. If the Sumeragi learns that we are in a pinch like this, Father will not be pleased."

"Understood, Himari-sama. I will try to find an alternative solution then in order to----"

My assistant's voice suddenly became soft and distant as if I was tethering between being conscious and unconscious. It was after I noticed this that I heard a voice.

{"Thank you, 25… I'll leave the rest to you."}

What on earth…? Is that Taka's voice? Who is 25?

{"AAAAAHHHH!!! IT HURTS! MY INSIDES!!!"}

Wait… William? Why is he shouting in pain?

{----Nee.}

This voice…

{"Nee-sama…"}

Aishi? Why is she calling me like this?

{"SAVE ME, HIMARI-NEE!!!"}

"-!!!"

"W-Wait-! Lady Himari!"

"Khh!"

That voice… that kind of voice that can only mean one thing!

"L-Lady Himari! Why are you-"

"Open the doors! This is an order from me!"

"Y-Yes!"

Aishi… what kind of enemy are you facing for you to call me like that as if you are in the depths of despair?!!

"Ick-!"

As soon as I opened the nearest hidden hatch door leading to the campus grounds over the bunker that we were hiding at, I immediately sensed a kind of Astra energy that I have never faced before.

"What kind of Astra energy is this…? It's so dense and terrifying…"

I can barely stay conscious as I made my way to the place where Aishi's subspace was located. I had to give it my all just to not be swept away or be robbed of my consciousness and fall into a comatose.

"Our emitters can't possibly release this much… I don't sense this to be coming from any of the Gardeners… Then who can possibly release this much Astra energy?"

I cannot identify its Astra energy signature… It feels like an incredibly distinct energy emanating not from a regular human Psychic but one who melded several Astra energies into their body through artificial means.

"This is… what on earth-!?"

"Lady Himari! What are you doing?! Why did you head out here in the battlefield all of a sudden?!"

"How did we not see this thing from our cameras?! What is that?!"

"What-!?"

My assistant who followed me and started to reprimand me for escaping from the bunker, was also dumbfounded once she looked up and saw a massive black tree that sprouted inside the campus that we never saw from our cameras.

"It is… It's emitting something akin to Astra energy…."

"Right. But this… this isn't the same thing as Astra energy."

"Did the Sumeragi group put this…? Or perhaps the cultists?"

"…<Starlight Strike>"

"-!!! Everybody, get down!"

"W-Waah!"

As we were pondering about what this black tree is, I sensed someone's gaze falling on us from behind and I immediately activated my Psychic form to put up a defense from them.

I made the right call, for just as soon as I set up a barrier, a beam of searing light clashed against our defense and was reflected upward and away from my comrades.

"Muu… I didn't get to shoot early enough…"

"Don't be so down, Mirai-chan. They just noticed us a bit earlier than we thought."

"…A kid and a guy?"

From atop a high pile of rubble, I saw a female child holding a smoking shotgun and a young man who lifted her into his arms before levitating down to the ground.

"You curs! Identify yourself!"

"You will pay for pointing your weapons against Himari-sama!"

"<Cryokinesis!>"

"<Aerokinesis!>"

"-!? Wait! Don't-!"

My bodyguards sent their psychic attacks towards our enemies as response to their failed attempt to incinerate us. However, I sensed that something was amiss with their lack of response that I shouted an order for them to stop… but I was too late.

"Heh! Look at these people who can't gauge the difference in our strengths."

"What…? Ack!"

"Urgh! When did?!"

The air became still moments before the ice spikes and sharp gusts of wind that they sent towards the two disappeared and reappeared inches behind them, making their own attacks hit them in the end.

"Is that Spatial manipulation? Or is it a teleportation sub-ability…?"

"No…"

My eyes narrowed to the young man carrying the girl who is presently reloading her gun. He had a smug smile on his face as if he is unfazed with the situation that they are currently in.

"Heal up, boys! If he can send back our attacks, we will just guard each other's backs and overwhelm him with our spells!"

"Yeah!"

"You better get ready to pay for this!"

Even with the threats of my men, he still remained composed… that was the moment when I finally understood who he is and why he appeared now of all times.

"You there. The one carrying the girl."

"…What is it, mein fraulein?"

"Are you with the guy who came here earlier and started this fight?"

"…"

"Answer me before I crush you along with that brat!"

"My, my… Have some tact on your elders, you aberration of a human. How dare someone like you who has only lived for a mere few years speak to me and Mirai as if we are in equal grounds. For that, you must be punished…"

"Hah-!"

"Himari-sama!!!"

*BYUK-!*

In an instant, I saw earth and sky intermingle before I realized that I was hoisted upwards in a single moment before being shot back to the ground by an invisible force in the next instant.

"YOU-!!!"

"We won't let you two get out of here alive!"

"Hmm… Let's go along with Ms. Judy's plan, Mirai… I'll handle the girl and you handle the dregs before we go and destroy the Qlipoth tree together."

"Gotcha. Don't get too carried away. We can't do anything major while the others are not here yet."

As I jumped out from the crater that formed with my fall, I came face to face with the person that I suspected to have the kind of power that I least wanted to be confronted with.

"Did your cult send you against me because they know about my power already?"

"…"

"Why aren't you answering me?! You think your silence will stop me from ending your pathetic life!?"

"Nope. I just thought that I have no reason to talk with you. After all, I don't suppose that you will cede even a small portion of your transferrable Replicant memory to remember the people whose lives you took or destroyed to further your goals and protect your creator's precious company, right?"

"What the hell are you talking about…?"

"See? You're as clueless as a child about what might be my reason to confront you here personally."

What is this guy's deal…?

What did he mean with the people that I killed or destroyed their lives?

"In any case, my orders from the others have already been agreed upon. Besides my personal hatred against you Miyazonos, I suppose I also have my obligation to uphold as one of the seven seers."

"Seven seers… Wait! You are-!?"

"<Ars Necrosa><The Fool's Arcana>"

I'm sorry, Aishi… I can't come to wherever you might be right now…

I think even I might be in a helpless situation… one that I now just remembered to be the consequence of my past actions.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Deep in the Shibuya bunker of the S.S.S, reports about the breaking of the Subspaces where Fujikawa and Renjiro fought and won against a Gardener, and the following confirmation from the Sumeragi group that Kanbu Imamura has at least incapacitated another Gardener, sent waves of cheers and a meteoric rise in morale amongst the Agents and Operators alike.

"Send Agent Fujikawa straight into the medical room! Have our best doctors and Astra energy technicians patch her up!"

"Yes, Vice Director!"

Vice Director Hideki Hinata led the aftermath management of the battles. He properly sent orders and directions to his subordinates before heading towards the woman sitting at the center of the Operations room.

"Yurippe, should we send in the rest of our men to perform the mop-up operation?"

"Not yet. It's too early for that."

"Are you sure? I think we've made good enough progress now and not doing anything would waste our opportunity to corner them."

"Even if our Psychics have already neutralized their opponents, it's still not safe. Except for the fact that we still haven't found out where Miyazono Ryuichi is, there is also the presence of that "black tree" that both Ephraim and Mana told us about."

"I see… I can compromise with at least bringing them closer to the battle zone. We need them to act and encircle anyone who tries to escape, after all."

"Alright, I'll allow that. Go and reinforce the entrance and exit points with them, then."

"Roger that!"

With an official salute, Hinata left to send orders to their Operatives on the ground.

"He's become quite enthusiastic with the leadership thing, huh?"

"Yeah… A far cry from the wuss that he was back then. We might've been friends for a long time, but that guy surely grows a tad too slowly for me to hand over the reins to him."

After he left though, he was replaced by another subordinate of Yuri, one whose name is Ayato and who chimed in with the tired-looking agency director.

"Oya-oya? Don't tell me that the years are catching up to you? Are you perhaps thinking of retiring early already?"

"Shut up, Naoi… What kind of monster wouldn't get tired and stressed with this kind of job? Certainly not me…"

"Heh… I was just joking around."

"I know that… and you're terrible at it."

With their exchange of passive-aggressive jeering over, the female agency director spoke in a serious tone to her subordinate who straightened up and left his more casual expression from earlier.

"I have a task for you and your men. One that I want to be finished before all of this gets wrapped up."

"…And what is this task, Yuri-san?"

As the woman's eyes fell on the giant monitor at the front of the room that shows the place they are watching over as it was where their only Psychic Agent left on the field was last seen, her eyes narrowed down in a way that even her subordinate knew meant one thing.

"I'm done with playing innocent to that kid's true identity… I want to know who Ephraim-kun was before he got here. May it be things that are openly recorded… or things that he wishes to hide as much as possible."

"Leave it to me. I'll have it on your table as soon as humanly possible."

With her subordinate leaving, Yuri took her mug and looked at the steaming hot coffee that was placed there on her request.

"Hmm… Fuuu~"

It was dark and cold in the Operations room, silent even as the Operators and other Auxiliary staff did their jobs as silently as possible after the hustle and bustle of the previously unstable situation earlier is finally over. In that kind of room where her directions are currently not being needed, Yuri's mind brooded over something that she wanted to know from the very beginning.

"That kid is doing too good at this job. I don't want to believe the worst… but for the sake of my friends and this organization that we built…"

Yuri carefully sipped the hot coffee and let her eyes turn to the monitor in front of her.

"Just what are you hiding from us, Rai-kun?"

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

I don't want to die…

Not this way… Not like this…!

"<True Hemokinesis>"

"<A-Aerokinesis!>"

How… Just how on earth did it turn out like this?!

"It is futile to resist any further, mortal."

"SCREW YOU! I won't let myself die on your hands!"

"…"

I'm tired!

I'm running out of Astra energy!

I can barely defend myself from this guy!

"Call upon your Spirit and have her save you if you want to have a chance to live."

"Kh! Don't you dare dictate what I have to do to survive!"

No… This isn't even the same guy that I fought earlier and easily beat up with William!

This… whatever being it is that is controlling his body now… this isn't human!

But how… just who am I facing against this time?"

"...He may not be able to hold me back any longer. If you will insist to remain in your mortal form, you may die before you can choose otherwise."

"Tch!"

He's right… I can surely fight back or even break this Subspace if I want to by using my Spiritual connection.

But that's the problem…

"Huh… I see…"

"What…?"

"You can't do it, don't you?"

"-?!!"

"You… no, just your body. You can't connect your body and spirit together to bring out your Spiritual form. I guess that is the disadvantage of being a mere copy of the natural human body."

Once I heard those words at the end of his statement, my blood shot and boiled up to my head. A feeling of infuriation and pure hatred filled my mind as I gathered my strength to finally remove any sliver of fear against this guy.

"What did you just say…?!"

"I said that unlike a normal and natural human being, a clone like you has a defect. If you really can't conjure a Spiritual armor or weapon, I guess you aren't worth any worry from me after all."

"YOU BETTER TAKE THOSE WORDS BACK!!!"

I growled and raised a stance to charge against him, but he just stood there and looked unfazed.

"You're just my way to force that living blasphemy to come here after all. I guess you have overestimated your own value and thought that I would actually care about bringing you down… Apologies, but I have promised a particular being whose moral code is almost the same as mine that I won't be crushing anyone who isn't a threat to my plans."

"HYAAAA!!!"

Those words he spoke at the end broke my last remaining vestige of control over myself… because even before he can finish his words, I charged in with the intention to take his life there and then to prove him wrong.

"<Aerokinesis!><Barometric Implosion!>"

With one kick that pushed enormous amounts of air towards him, causing a difference in air pressure that later imploded in his midst, I was sure that no matter how tough he is, he couldn't have gone out of that situation without a raptured internal organ or a dismembered body part.

"Heh… You should know who you are fighting against! Tell me, how does it feel to finally be on the ropes just as how you did against me earlier?!"

"I don't know. Mind enlightening me about it?"

"Wha-?!"

To my utter shock, instead of seeing a heavily injured him at where he was hit by my attack, I heard his voice from behind me and would've turned around to follow up another attack if only he didn't act quickly enough to strangle me.

"…Seems like you have made your choice about what you really think of me as. I guess it is the right time for me to show you the real power that I have barred even this boy to use."

"What is…?!"

"Tell me, mortal girl… What are you afraid of the most?"

I sensed something creeping up to my mind as I was stuck in his stranglehold and vulnerable to any kind of attack. I did all that I can to break free from him, but then, I saw and heard things that I wanted to no longer remember anymore.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

These were memories of our first incarnations… back at the time when the body we are living in are the bodies given to us by our father who created us decades ago.

"Father will one day awaken again to lead our people… Though we call ourselves a business group, I believe that all of the people who went under us and is working for us also believes in the vision of father and his promise to completely free humanity from all of its constraints one day."

"Himari-nee… what does it mean to be completely free?"

"It means that anything that would harm you or break your enjoyment of existing will no longer exist. We will live for all of eternity, be able to do what we wish to do, have no one be able to interfere with what we wish to do or to be as…. We will be as-"

"Wouldn't… that be bad?"

"What did you say, Aishi? Mind repeating that to me?"

"I just… I just think that doing that kind of thing wouldn't be realistic… or should I say, letting all of humanity have that kind of life is… sad."

"…"

"I mean, look at us, Himari-nee. We are children of the richest person in the world. We can do what we want to do, and no one can stop us… but I… I can't actually call myself happy."

"Aishi… You should really take after how Keiji is living his life. Look at him, he's doing whatever he wants, and he doesn't let anything bother him. You should just forget about irrelevant things like this and enjoy your life to the fullest."

"But that's the thing, Himari-nee… I can't… I can't feel comfortable with this kind of life. I am happy that I can do what I want whenever I want to do them… but this kind of life where I have to jump from one form of happiness to another constantly just to not feel any other emotion… it…"

"It is what?"

"It is sickening to me."

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

"HAAH-! Ack! W-what is…?"

After remembering the very moment when I said those words, I returned to consciousness and found myself no longer being held by my opponent. Instead, I was sitting on the ground limply, seemingly drained of any kind of strength.

"I see… To think that you have become a vessel against your own true free will… I guess I can say now that there are people like you from that side that does exist."

"You are…"

"I already got what I want from you… I needed information about what your side is really fighting for and if all of you solemnly believe the promises of that Tainted Spirit… The truth that your memory showed me proved my doubts…"

"You're wrong! I am loyal to Himari-nee-sama and Spirit Freedom's promise and vision! What you saw in my memories is nothing but a childish mistake that I had when I lacked the ability to understand the nobleness of their ways!"

"Then why did I easily dug that up if it was supposed to be overshadowed by your pure-hearted devotion to your sister and Spirit's dreams?"

"That is-"

"The answer is clear to anyone who wishes to see it… You know that it isn't good for humanity to be under the world controlled by your Spirit… a world that your sister and her cohorts are ceaselessly reaching towards."

"Kh-! Why, you-!!!"

"But as your memories showed to me… you remember that moment very clearly because even if your sister and the entirety of your company always tells those who still have doubts, that this is the righteous and proper path for humanity to take, you have experienced what it feels like to live a worriless and unrestricted life… and you know that after a while, such a life is no longer worth living."

My mind wanted to shout all kinds of insults and denials towards what he just said. It was evident for me to do as such since I am someone who has clung to my life alongside my two siblings in order to bring our father's dream into reality…

But at the same time, my heart's voice… a voice that I have never listened to for a long time as I knew that it would say the same thing that it has been saying since that day… It is telling me that what he just said about me is the unquestionable truth.

"…I wanted to get rid of you since you seemed like a die-hard devotee to your goal of spreading that Tainted Spirit's plan to free humanity. I knew that in a battle of tenacity towards what they are fighting for, my Vessel will have no chance to defeat you as his only desire is to protect those that are dear to him while you are leading a change in the world that requires the strongest of wills and the most resilient dedication towards your cause... but now that I can see clearly that you have a sliver of doubt in your mind and a heart that stays true to your realization that such a goal isn't really good, I have no need to dispose of you anymore."

"You are… what are you doing?!"

"I'm breaking the Subspace. It is not rightful for me to continue fighting you with the intent of taking your life. If anything, you have done what I wanted you to do, and this would be my way to return such a favor."

"Hold it right there! I won't let you get away-"

At that moment, I saw the false reality made by the Subspace break apart like shattered glass and before I can stand up and reach out towards him, the Mental Link between us was severed and I returned to the real world.

"Kh-! That darned-"

"Get away from there, Aishi!!!"

"Himari-nee-!?"

*BYAG! DAG! BAG!*

I was still regaining my bearings after being forcefully expunged from the Subspace I was in when I heard the voice of Himari-nee and was grabbed from where I was standing shortly before it was struck by massive blocks of concrete rubble.

"Are you alright?! Did you manage to break the Subspace you were in or defeat your opponent?"

"Himari-nee! I am-"

"Forget it! Can you still fight?! I need your help right now!"

*TISKH-!*

I didn't have even a moment to analyze what she was asking from me, nor the time to respond, for at the next moment when I was about to answer, the window of the building we were near shattered and sent thousands of sharp glass shard flying towards us.

"<Aerokinesis!>"

"I see… I know you're beat with the previous fights you had, so I'll take the lead. Support me as we bring down this guy."

"G-got it! Let's-"

"My, my… Hello there, Lady Miyazono Aishi."

"You-! It can't be-!!!"

"I'm glad to see you again after such a long, long time… That look on your face… It seems like you still remember me unlike your sister."

It can't be… You died! Gardener Aokigahara made sure to let you die and even used your body as an experiment subject!

"Aishi! Snap out of it! Who cares if he is that guy? We just have to bring him back to his grave!"

"R-Right! Let's do this, Himari-nee!"

She's right… It doesn't matter if the guy in front of us is this guy or just other random enemy. As long as Himari-nee and I are fighting together, we will be unstoppable.

"You better prepare your last words! We will make you regret ever stepping back out of your grave!"

"You'll regret returning back to life!"

Unlike before when I was fighting that guy, I now have my strong and dependable elder sister beside me now. I have no fear in my heart… I know that I can do this!

"Haha! You two really are amusing…"

"What…?"

"You two seriously told me that I will be regretting the fact that I didn't remain dead and that I came here to confront you two… that's amusing to me! Hehehe! It's like a really refreshing joke!"

As if he wasn't even intimidated with our presence, this guy chuckled to himself before looking and pointing towards us.

"Who decided those things to be a fact?"

"…What?"

"The horrible life that I suffered through, the injustices that I saw and wanted to stop, the treachery of people who had no choice but to forsake my kindness and throw me to my death… and you who all knew about it and chose to silence me, and yet, you lot speak as if you are the saviors of humanity."

His hand that was pointing its finger towards us was flicked up by him and on it emerged a mask that seemed vaguely familiar to me.

"I will show you how cruel this world has become to us who never wanted to go under you and your disgusting world of vices and falsehoods!"

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

I was but a burned and dying body when I was allowed to not only avenge myself and the two loving and wonderful women who gave my life even a sliver of comfort and worth… but also those that will one day possibly fall for the same cruelty of the world.

Falling in love with a person that I couldn't possibly be with… and later on, learning how much she and another person that I genuinely wanted to trust and value, just saw I and my stepmother as a means to their own ends… I was heart-broken beyond human limits…

And when I learned that my friends who has always praised and encouraged me about my musical talent has died because of an accident caused by the Miyazono Corporation, there was only one thing left in my heart and mind.

I wanted to die.

And yet, there is a fire in my heart… there is a desire in my mind to not end this with my own end. I wanted to be freed from the fact that they caused this heartbreak and yet, I will be the only one to be hurt because of it.

"You are too brash… You trusted the pathetically weak power gifted to you as if it is able to go against me and my perfected form of Psychic power."

"…"

"Stay right there and wallow in your defeat. Maybe this time, you will be able to accept that your fate is to suffer in your life and stay silent in your death… instead of fighting against it and facing a more painful end."

What he said is essentially right… I should've just stayed down and remained in that place until I joined those two in hell. That was my fate… that was what is written to be my life and its end by my destiny.

And yet, there is one thing that I always end up uttering whenever I remember that…

"Screw destiny… Who the hell has the right to decide my life other than me?"

"You… How can you still manage to move?"

Though he has broken this body that my undead soul inhabits, though my arms has been torn apart, my torso filled with holes that leaks the black fluid that acts as its blood and my face is alike a vase filled with points of shattering, I still moved and emanated my aura as if I have never lost any of my burning desire to bring him down.

"I want you to listen to me carefully… Because if you don't, you may end up not being able to appreciate what you would hear before I end you here."

"…"

Damn you, Shisui… I was content with just making music the way I have always made it. But you really had to make me listen to this terrible rubbish that is an insult to my heartfelt craft…

"As a musician, I take pride with the music I play and the music I make. Thus, having you hear me make my Symphonia play this music shows that I am prepared to lay down my pride and fully embrace what music has to offer."

I raised my right arm that I have just reattached like a ball-joint doll's appendage to its torso. On its hand was my golden baton that instructed the faceless musicians around us to change their instruments as I conducted.

"What the…? You said, this is your Symphonia. So, why are they-?"

"Don't you dare insult music!"

"…"

"Whatever form it takes… so long as it has the heart of those that made and played it, and it carries their emotions to those who will hear it, music is-!"

["Confutatis!"]

["Maledictis!"]

After the choir's Latin lyrics echoed inside the Subspace, the thundering chorus of electric guitars and drums followed suit and brought a different kind of strength to the musical piece that I have been playing against him for the past hour.

"-the one and only justice in this world that no one can ever take or stain!!!"

And thus, the battle between those that are blessed by fate, and those that aim to curse it to death, commenced.