Token of Defective

「Chamber of Mind」

The chamber of mind, a place created from「The Fool's」subconscious which has the appearance similar of a broken room filled with colorful static.

In that ruined and directionless room, there are many hidden doors that also hold many secrets, memories, knowledge, monsters, and many other things that he have gained through many intangible places, and crossed over the barrier of perpetual seasons.

"Well yeah... Moriarty could use that bracelet on her hand or maybe her leg since its similar to a cat's bell. Why'd you ask that Sengoku?" 「Loli-man」

"Nothing much." 「Sengoku」

Behind one of the doors in the static room, there stands an open minimalist kitchen that has the romantic feel come of a three-star restaurant while being used by a skilled chef, and accompanied by its loyal customers who're waiting for their dishes to arrive.

But strangely enough, although the restaurant looked capable of serving expensive food, there's only one circular table that wasn't even big enough for its customers to play a ping-pong, and five plastic chairs that matched the number of people in the restaurant.

"Who ordered XL Rice Bowl with tempura, black pepper shrimp and iced tea? Come and get it before I ate them." 「Nanekluh ref Rednialsig」

"... That's mine. Let me put that beside Sengoku's spaghetti." 「Necro-phi/Vandango」

"Uhh... Excuse me Mr. Waiter. Where's my Sundae?" 「Loli-man」

"Just wait a bit longer, Dust is still making it plus with my Noodles and his Omurice. Oh, along with your Tiramisu-mix Sengoku." 「Nanekluh ref Rednialsig」

Not long after, someone who looked like a waiter from Murim came out of the kitchen area and headed towards the customer's table while carrying a rather large bowl with black paste on the top of it.

The waiter placed the dishes on the table while dragging the chairs out so that the other person could use it when he arrived. After that he then sat down on one of the chair, and crossed his arms while showing an expression to continue the conversation.

"That so. Then I'll wait."「Sengoku」

"Great! Since Dust value the progress more than the outcome, it'll took some time. Even then he'll brought them soon and the taste would be pretty much the same."「Nanekluh ref Rednialsig」

After hearing the words of the waiter who has now sitting with them, the three customers then continued their conversation with freshly and deliciously made foods from the kitchen.

A bowl of white cooked rice that still looks warm and steamy. Accompanied by two giant tempura that make a very crunchy sound when someone take a bite and chews them. Coupled with black pepper paste which is also mixed with prawns.

The sense of umami in that bowl of oriental dish, looks really thick to people who like it.

"... Want some?"「Necro-phi/Vandango」

"Eat your own." 「Sengoku」

And because it looked so delicious, one of the customers couldn't take his eyes off from someone who was eating the dish. Although he tried to deny it while eating his spaghetti.

"Well then fellas... While we wait our complete temporary five chancellor, let's start it then. The topic about what we shall do from here on out." 「Loli-man」

"Yeah. Not only there're so many ship girls who aimed him, but he also gained enough courage to finally propose to Moriarty. I'm really proud of him."「Nanekluh ref Rednialsig」

The waiter, who seemed to be showing his acknowledgment to Sakura Zeimachi, then nodded his head while spouting a line one would hear from an old friend in a faraway land.

"What you bastard talking about?"「Sengoku」

After their conversation started to enter the most important and main part, it seemed that one of the customers didn't really understand what they're really going to talking about. Realizing if one customer doesn't follow the flow of the conversation, the other three customers sighed because it seemed that this conversation had to start from the beginning.

"Let me enlighten you then, my brother."「El Dust」

Soon after, they heaved another sigh in relief after seeing the chef coming out of the kitchen while carrying lots of dishes on a rope that's floating in the midair. The chef looked like someone who could cut off someone's limbs indiscriminately, and yet somehow he thanked the「rope」floating in the air for helping him.

"What we're going to talk is what we should do when Zei decided to sleep with a woman. Even though we are him, our dearest brother is no longer each of us... Now you should get where we're going right?"「El Dust」

The chef then skillfully arranged the dishes that were on his rope, and also sat in one of the seats that were not occupied while keeping the floating「rope」in his pocket.

"Yup!"「Loli-man」

"It's not very complicated problem, but more like a delicate one."「Nanekluh ref Rednialsig」

"... In the past he didn't gave us much of these freedom to roam in this chamber. But now, if we don't want to be a third wheel then we should plan well what we're going to do."「Necro-phi/Vandango」

"..." 「Sengoku」

While explaining their opinions and what they were going to talk about, the waiter who was still wearing a chef's outfit from Murim handed the dish to the person who ordered it.

"Hmm? Brother?"「El Dust」

This also includes the order of the customer who is now in the middle of shutting down his own thought, and doesn't know whether he should leave those people he considers as idiots, or to stay still and sip the drink on his face while listening to things he really doesn't want to know.

----------------

『PoV of Hylia』

When I opened my eyes, I realized that I was in front of an old building that was almost destroyed because it had been swallowed up in the scroll of time.

'It's a strange feeling, I feel like if I remember this building but I also don't know where I am right now.'

I don't really know whether this building is real or not, I also don't know if by touching the building I'll be able to return and got to met again with them.

"... I'm home."

Even so, I still stepped inside, into the building where I could find and understand the true meaning of a "home".

...

....

.....

Walking through the slightly obscured entrance blocked by a large fallen pillar, I was greeted by a dark room filled with dust and lots of cobwebs stuck to the ceiling.

I gave them a light swipe of my hand, and blew off the accumulated dust away with my mouth. Then miraculously, the flying dust flew to the chair which I could easily recognize.

My feelings suddenly became very happy as I then happily approached the chair and rubbed it just like what I did to those dusty wall.

"It's been a long time Mr. Chair, let me clean you up again okay?"

When I first arrived in here, I still didn't know anything. Whether it was the meaning of courage, or the importance of returning home when it was night.

"Alright! You're good as new again ehe..."

At that time all I could think about was to find a reason and an answer as to why ◼️◼️◼️◼️ sent me here. Without knowing when and where to go, I can only walk aimlessly with Fuwa who continued to stay by my side and always cheers me up when I feel cold and lonely when rain come.

"How are they doing I wonder... Do they still miss me?"

But, it's also thanks to that I got to met and experienced many new things. Like how scary it is when I hear someone screaming at me, and also how fun it was to run around the town while chasing a stray cat.

Doing small jobs to see someone smile, and get compliments from others.

"..."

Carrying water from the well, and sometimes spilling it in the middle of the road.

"... I can't cry."

To meet someone who looks like a rabbit with red eyes.

To meet someone who has big chest despite her small body.

To meet an older sister figure who often teaches me about things I need to know to be able to live on the street.

To meet someone who always forges iron in order to create blade to protect his friends.

To meet someone who even though she looks like a scary samurai big sister at first, it turns out she is a very cute and chummy big sis.

To meet another warm big sis with many fluffy tails that always hugged me.

"...No... I don't want to cry..."

When I remember those things on this chair, I felt like I want to cry. But I kept holding back those tears from flowing out of my eyes, because I knew... I have to save these tears for when the days so faraway.

For the sake of the people I've met, and for the sake of "him" who's always looking at me, I mustn't show this attitude.

"I have promised, if I will bring dreams and hopes into this story. If I cry here, "he" will definitely be disappointed in me."

While wiping a few tears that I couldn't contain with my sleeves, I stroked the chair that had been the one and only bed while I was in the old familia headquarters.

I certainly miss it because the chair has been thrown away considering how old the chair is, but I still put out my best smile while reminiscing my time in this collapsed church and even though I don't really understand exactly what's going on... But I feel very comfortable here.

{{{*!&h(OP}}}

Very comfortable...

{{{*(K@^%?"}}}

And it's so comfortable, that it makes me feel if it's okay to close my eyes for a moment, and to allow this enormous black shadow in front of me to put me into its mouth.

"..."

And right before I closes my eyes, I saw a present that Zei had previously given for me. When I remembered about the present… For some reason I reflexively moved my hand towards my ear. What am I looking for?

"...A... Lastor..."

When I looked around, I definitely didn't see Alastor embedded in the wall. Be it Alastor who suddenly appeared stuck in the wall, or the earrings that didn't stick to my ears. I tried to think of the reason behind the strangeness.

However, before I found the answer to that question my entire vision turned black.

"[...ow...]"

And from there I heard a little sound coming from the sword as if it was shouting at me about something. A voice that sounded like thunder, but within the sound there's something like a blazing fire that could scorch the entire world.

'... Ah... Yeah, how could I forget about it. Cera.'

----------

Gurathnaka who had secretly slipped into the subconscious of Hylia, used a part of its body to bring the feasty haired girl to a hole that could be considered as its mouth. The feasty haired girl didn't seem to show any resistance and allowed herself to be lifted and to be served as a dish for the creature.

The creature's body which was disguised as a church which was also the old headquarters of Hestia familia, began to show its true form and moved quickly to immediately swallow Hylia for the sake of… Who know what the creature wanted.

{{{Ra... Bell... Ti... A...}}}

In a moment, Hylia will enter the "mouth" of the creature and forever lose the subconscious that she now has. There was no sign of someone coming to help the girl, nor was there any miracle she would get.

There is only...

Despair.

{{{~~~~~}}}

Just like that, the feasty haired girl was swallowed and entered into the creature's mouth. There were no screams or tears of joy that she could let out for the day so far away. There's only the roar of the creature that had devoured Hylia, along with the incredible power possessed by the feasty haired girl.

There was no sound of bones breaking, no sound of skin melting, there was only...

"... Thank you, with this I've now found another thing to fight for."

A curtly thanks from the feasty haired girl.

{{{!!!!!!!!}}}

Instantly, Gurathnaka, who felt something churning and burning from within its "stomach", was writhing and thrashing around with its whole body. If an ordinary human were within reach of the creature's "body" they would perish, if they saw the creature's form struggling in pain, then they would go mad from fear.

That was how frightening these incomprehensible creatures are.

{{{?!?!?!?!?!}}}

The creature that couldn't hold back the hot turmoil from within its "body" tried to spit out Hylia from its inside so it could get rid of the uncomfortable feeling the creature was feeling.

But all was in vain, Hylia who was in Gurathnaka's "stomach" refused to come out and continued what she was doing which made the creature tried to do something that was unexpected.

Gurathnaka then tried to concentrate all its strength into its core, and instead tried to absorb Hylia along with all of her strength so that the creature would able to gain two things, its life and also the feasty haired girl's powers.

"You can't. This kid didn't like you after all."

{{{!?!?!?!?!?!?!!!!!!!!!!!!}}}

But that way of course didn't work.

"Thank you, Alastor. If that's what you want... Then I'll bring forth your power!"

Ignoring Gurathnaka who was trying to get rid of her, Hylia who had now opened her eyes thanks to the help of Alastor who had come from the deepest part of her mind to help her, then shout out her voice at the same time as Alastor who has now ready to show his true power.

From within the creature's "body" which was shrouded in darkness, a mass of red light accumulated that quickly dyed the creature's entire "belly".

{{{&!(8j!I!mpkOPK!K!!!}}}

Not long after the light filled its "body", a rending flash of crimson lightning tore through the creature from within and created an opening that sent out a burst of lightning which once again, made the creature thrash even more.

"[...]"

Following the crimson lightning from behind, there come Hylia the feasty... No, the crimson haired girl who gallantly revealed her new form while looking down on the devourer of dream with a slight contempt from her azure eyes.

{{{yOu wHO ArE!?!?!?}}}

Gurathnaka who finally managed to get rid of the troublemaker from inside its "stomach", then shook the whole world which was based on the dream that Hylia had.

One by one, the buildings that once stood tall and already there, be it the House of Freya nor the tall tower of Babylon, were utterly collapsed and destroyed.

The whole world which was not assimilated with the「Feather」, began to melt due to the heat of the fire and lightning that was released by Hylia and also by the darkness of the shadow that was owned by Gurathnaka. Similar to when the Ace and the Blackbeard fought.

"[... My name is Hylia, and this kid is Alastor.]"

A pair of overwhelming wings flapped out as Hylia and Alastor let out their voices and protected her from the eerie shadows. Floated in the air with a dark silver sword covered in flashes of crimson lightning, Hylia who had gained a tremendous strength from Alastor looked down on the Devourer of Dream.

Even though her voice had slightly changed, there's still the tone that belonged to that child.

"[Hey...]"

Along with a flash of crimson lightning enveloping the sword in her grip, Hylia then pointed the blade at the Devourer of the Dream. The flames and lightning created by Alastor also grew larger and more thunderous as the wielder waved the newly grown flickering tail from her body.

"[Do you want to feel death for once?]"

-----------

『PoV of Hylia』

At the moment when I was almost swallowed up by this creature, I clearly felt something very strange. It was as if all my views were covered by black which brought me into comfort. No need to think, no need to try, no need to stop myself from crying, no need to fight, no need to open my eyes... And many others.

It all felt so fulfilling for me, and as if it was the answer I was looking for.

My intention at first was to allow myself to be swallowed up by the creature, and that way I could find all the answers I was looking for... Without having to struggle through the long days that will soon come.

It was obvious that a shortcut was in front of me, but why did I reject it?

'[I can't found the answer. That being seemed to talk in a very sheepish way.]'

"[...]"

Yeah, I don't know why I keep going forward when there's a much closer route for me to take. That route which not only didn't gave me much painful memories but also showed me a very clear directions.

But somehow...

"[I didn't regret it.]"

At least I know if I don't feel that the choice I'm making now is the wrong one. Maybe I should ask this to Zei later when I meet him.

'[That's good. Neve give in in those filthy creature, my new holder.]'

Even though I'm used to hovering in the air, it's a different story if it means flying with a wing. Plus now that Alastor who is in my hand can actually spoke his voice through my mind, I'm confused about what to tell Zei later. The sword could speak? or maybe I grew some tail?

"[Thanks to you Alastor, for helping me from that... Now that I see it, where did I came from?]"

Alastor and I should have torn open the creature's body which leaving a gap for us to escape, but now all I see is a creature that was composed of white gold and black rags.

This creature also became increasingly ferocious and rampaged around by shouting a language that I still couldn't fully understand. Even so I managed to dodge its attacks by flying around and thanks to Alastor's protection who slashed through the black creature's body with his red lightning.

'[Holder, it looks like these being could infinitely regained its former form no matter what we throw at him. It'll be a battle of attrition if we put up any longer.]'

"[How much time we have now Alastor?]"

'[Looking at the degradation of our scenery, it won't be long than three minutes. Banish him out while I'll protecting your mind from this filthy being corrosive nature in your mind.]'

"[Eh? So we're in my mind? You should tell me first about that. Whoops!]"

Slash by slash, I continued to cut into this creature's body which was also continuously regenerating without stopping. When an attack came and it felt like I couldn't avoid it, I used Alastor sword to block it and counterattacked with his red fire and lightning.

Previously Alastor had explained about how he could suddenly be in my grasp while inside this creature, but because the timing wasn't right it seems I couldn't hear the full explanation.

'[You know it the best holder, this is what you called as your dream. Usually, you reign over your own dream, but this creature could violate that authority and even devour you along with it.]'

"[Khuh! Then will banishing him away from here enough?]"

"Something unexpected will make things worse", is what an adventurer always said to me when I entered dungeon along with Rabbel. And it seems, this black creature getting even stronger the more we spent our time in this... Dream? A dream?

When I remember that word, "dream". I finally realized something. Something I should have realized from the start.

'[Watch out on your back!]'

When I was lost in thought and couldn't notice if the creature's entire body that's consisted of white gold has now come to pounce on me from behind, Alastor blocked the attack and made the wings on my back emit even more flames and huge glorious lightning.

'[That was a bad time to slowing down.]'

Alastor did manage to block the attack, but the impact from blocking the creature's direct attack was a crack that appeared on his blade, which not only damaged him, but also made the flames and lightning around Alastor sword become dimmer.

"Alastor! I'm sorry, did it hurt somewhere?"

The transformation that Alastor previously gave me also automatically disappeared, and made my wings and along with tail disappeared, but thanks to him I managed to survive without injury.

'[This filthy creature turned out to be stronger than I thought.]'

"Ehehe... You seems like a scoundrel who got owned just now."

'[... What?]'

Looking at the words that Alastor said, I remembered when Cera who always beat people who could only talk and bark. And along with it there's also a very important thing for me to realize.

If this whole battle is nothing but just a dream.

"Thanks Alastor, please rest for now. Since I'll take care of the rest."

'[...]'

Because he had guarded my back from the creature's attacks, I then thanked him with a little kiss on the cross guard of his sword form. Since the me now have a thin link with Alastor, I could only feel if there's a sense of embarrassment rising up inside of him.

"Alright! Now here we go..."

'[What are you going to do, holder? Even if you called the other swords I highly doubt it'll be enough to banish that creature in time.]'

"Oh don't worry Alastoru, there's someone I already had in mind."

While hugging Alastor in front of my body, now I can see the form of the black creature up close which of course is rushing towards me in rampage while destroying everything in this world. The time given by Alastor seems to be running out, and if I let this creature win then I don't know what will happen.

"Yosh! Let's go..."

Besides, from the start all these things were strange, whether it's at the old familia headquarters, or when we and Cera go through our new adventures where we got to met many new creatures in that place she called as the dead zone.

Where are you my friend who is always beside me even if it's in a dream or the real world? Didn't you always say to stay by my side? My fluffy friend...

"Fuwa!!! Tag team, LET'S GO!"

*Crack*

I then raised one of my hands up and shouted the name of Fuwa who has always been a friend that can never be replaced for me. Meanwhile, the black creature seemed to ignore my words and continued to lunge at me, that's where it made a mistake.

'[Holder!]'

{{{jlIkeni jurtgu ioaki- !!!!????}}}

Because right at that moment, Fuwa arrived and punched the black creature all over and over until it got knocked back very faaaaaar away to the what Cera always called an oblivion.

"FFFFUUUWAAAAA!!!!!"

An aura as white as snow could be seen emitting from Fuwa's tall and large muscular body as Fuwa stands tall while showing her back on me.

"Ahaha~ Thanks Fuwa!"

"Fuwa!"