Lost Paradise

tl: deepl & diced

-- In the quest for strength, memories of friends and associates will only get in the way.

That said, Gadio was not ready to abandon his past.

He himself understood that this was his weakness.

But at the same time, it was the driving force that made him strong.

After that, they put on their clothes and lay shoulder to shoulder on the bed for a while.

But still, she didn't seem to be interested in this place.

She kept looking at the church, or rather at the institute, and finally got out of bed, walking aimlessly.

She didn't say anything to Gadio.

"Hey, Thea!"

He called out to her, but she didn't answer him anymore.

He remembered what had happened six years ago.

The scene of the tragedy, where not even a corpse remained.

After it ended, Gadio returned to the scene and repeatedly called out to Thea.

『Hey Thea. What should I do now? Hey Tia. Say something -----.』

Of course, there was no reply, just like today.

The living cannot speak with the dead.

This was an absolute truth of this world.

If it were 「Origin」, it would be able to go beyond that too, Gadio hoped, but--'

"Fu, I wouldn't be that naive."

The world is not that kind.

"The only way to meet you is to go to the same place, but that's impossible. I thought I knew that much."

It was just a monologue now.

The only living person in the house was Gadio.

"I'm sorry, Thea. I'm not good enough to look you in the face yet. I'm not going to miss you for a long time, though. Maybe I'll be more relaxed about it than I think, but ...... I'm going to miss you."

He slipped out of bed and picked up Souma's sword, which was propped up against the wall.

"I'll do my part. No, it's not worthy to be called a part. This is just my personal revenge."

Then he approached Thea, who was leaving the house.

"I'm going to destroy 「Chimera」. As soon as I've done that, I'll be on my way to you."

With trembling hands, he held up the sword that had belonged to his best friend.

"So just wait a little longer, ...... Thea."

He thrust it into the back of his beloved wife.

The precise and incomparable blow pierced only around her heart area without fail.

The core was pushed out of her body and fell to the ground.

Gadio looked down at his beloved, who was still beautiful even in death, and felt nothing but emptiness.

He then lifted Thea's body and laid her on the bed, touching her cheek.

He gently lowered her open eyelids with the palm of his hand, kissed her forehead, and then put on his coat and walked out.

"Gadio, you're late."

Eterna stared at him with a glare.

"Uuuu, it stinks! My nose is going crazy ......"

Ink, held by her arms, was there holding her own shoulders and complaining.

Certainly, for someone unaccustomed to it, the smell of these corpses would be unbearable.

"I told you, you should have waited inside the house."

"What's this all about?"

"What is it? I don't know, I just came out of the house myself. But I heard screams all over the village, and all the dead were heading for the lab."

"So I ...... disposed of them all by myself."

The main street of Sheol Village used to be so beautiful and serene.

But now, it had become a hellscape with a large number of dead bodies lying around.

"Not all of them, there are still many."

From the direction Etana pointed with her chin, countless expressionless people were approaching.

There was still work to be done, and Gadio shrugged his shoulders in relief.

"Eterna, when did you realize?"

"You mean the dead don't come back to life?"

"Yeah."

"I was convinced when Ink came in. But when it came time to kill them, I couldn't take the plunge. I was not ready yet."

Even so, Eterna had put her own hands on her parents before the mutation occurred.

Although she seemed unfazed, she still felt the bitterness in her chest.

It was a sensation that would not go away for a while.

"That's just the way it is, Gadio and Eterna are human beings, you know."

Ink's words made them both smile slightly.

"By the way, I think Flamm is in the institute. I'm really worried."

"I owe her an apology."

'Yeah, so I have to go pick her up. But first -- there are too many of these things, probably more than the amount inside.

"Yeah, let's kick the crap out of them first and then go."

Gadio and Eterna headed toward the approaching horde of the dead.

With these two heroes, the horde was helplessly and unilaterally defeated.

◇◇◇

Susie dodged Flamm's blade of prana by leaping back.

She then put Rukou on the floor and picked up a metal tube that had fallen.

It had been used as a window's bars.

As she tightened her fist on the tube, it twisted and extended with the force of a spiral, transforming itself into a long, slender, sharp spear.

That woman was her prey.

Susie tapped the floor twice with the tip, as if to confirm something.

Kon, Kon.

For a mere stick, the sound was unusually loud.

Was it the nature of the material or her skill?

In the meantime, Flamm once again fired a prana shaker (spirit sword slash), this time to her side.

Hyuoh!

But it was easily blocked by Susie's spear.

"I knew she was different from all the others I've seen so far"

Flamm said, disgusted.

Then he scanned and checked the status.

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

Suzy Sharmath

Attribute: Light gin

Strength: 1768

Compensating Strength: 891 e

Stamina: meeting

Agility: 3861

Calling: 1749

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

Flamm clicked her tongue when she saw the projected text.

The numbers were not displayed properly because the will of the origin was in the way.

However, thanks to the "control" mentioned by Dafiz, the degree of erosion was low, and it was not completely unreadable.

As can be seen, Flamm seemed to have more magical power, but her agility was far superior.

Depending on her physical strength figures, she could be considered to be as good as an S-rank.

In addition to that, Rukou approached eerily while crawling with that spear arm that easily erased knightly swordsmanship.

This was going to be a tough one to win if she didn't hit her from the start without giving her away.

Kon, Kon.

Susie held up her spear and shook the ground with the tip of it.

Was she trying to provoke her?

Flamm's left eyelid twitched at the sound, and she lunged forward in frustration.

She was not induced by the sound; she was calm.

And so, when she reached maximum speed, she smashed the ground with her large blade.

Whoosh - a storm of prana blew through the air, sending debris rolling up.

It blasted the distorted Rukou and slammed her into a wall.

"Gyah!"

Splat.

Crushed, a mass of lifeless flesh that bloomed into a flower of blood.

But in the midst of such a wind powerful enough to destroy human flesh, Susie dared to rush forward.

Like an arrow, without any slowing down at all, she thrust her spear straight at Flamm's head.

Flamm caught it with the edge of her blade.

Giiinnn!

The sound of metal clashing against metal rang out.

Susie then unleashed an unstoppable barrage of blows that were as swift as rain - quite literally, blindingly fast.

She blocked it with his soul-eating sword.

However, the attacks, which were skillfully delivered while weaving in and out of the space between them, surely left wounds on Flamm's body.

"..........Guh!"

Flamm then boldly released her defense.

Zash!

The twisted spear thrust deeply into her stomach.

Susie tried to pull it out immediately, but Flamm held on to the twisted handle to keep it from escaping.

She was stronger than her, so she couldn't pull it out.

Flamm then kicked her in the stomach with the sole of her foot.

The spear left her hand, and Susie backed up, clutching her stomach in pain.

Flamm immediately slashed at her with an iron rod to the gut.

"I got it!"

She was sorry for Dafiz, but she had to defeat her and annihilate all the dead to get out of the way.

Besides - as long as Susie was alive, it would be difficult to make him give up.

Just as she was about to swing down with all her might, with the intention of killing her.

"Daa!"

A baby's voice came from Flamm's feet.

She looked down and saw the twisted, deformed form of Rukou trying to cling to her leg.

"Why?"

-- She thought she had slammed her against the wall a moment ago.

Flamm hurried to move away, but it was too late.

The outstretched hand of the elliptical Rukou touched Flamm's left leg.

Then her leg was twisted with a gurgle and a dull sound.

"Guh, Ah......!"

Flamm held on with her right leg so that she would not fall.

Then Susie, who had picked up the iron pipe again and created a new spear, approached.

Flamm, swinging her left leg as hard as she could sent Rukou flying in an arc and was slammed to the floor.

Her body leaning forward, Susie's thrust approached her.

Flamm, who could not avoid it completely, dared not to fight against gravity and toppled her body further, trying to avoid a fatal wound at least.

Then, the tip of the ear touched her shoulder--bam! and with a gush of blood, it stabbed her in the neck.

"Ha--?"

Flamm was stunned.

Susie immediately pulled the spear and moved away.

Why in the neck?

Flamm's eyes had seen it hit her in the shoulder, but it didn't look like it was going to hit her in the neck.

It didn't look as if it bent just before.

If that is the case, then why am Flamm now bleeding profusely, with a hole in her neck?

"Ga.......Bue, Kahyu.......Goho.......Go...bo......"

Flamm spits out the iron-smelling bodily fluids that have come up from her mouth.

A red puddle was created on the floor.

The fishy, iron-like taste in her mouth was disgusting.

It further triggered her vomiting sensation, which slowly faded as the wounds on her neck filled in.

Before she could finish healing, Susie attacked further.

Swinging her sword a little wildly, Flamm intercepted it.

She doesn't expect to hit Susie, it was just a threat, and if she could buy some time, that would be enough.

Koon.

But just before that, the spear struck the floor and made a sound.

Then, the vision bent, and the trajectory of the sword flash was diverted.

Susie easily avoided the attack, which was launched in the direction of the day after tomorrow, and thrust the spear toward her heart.

What happened?

Flamm stomped on the ground so hard that her feet were torn off, and twisted her body forcibly.

Thud!

The spear pierced her right chest, puncturing her lung.

The iron rod is pulled out from her body with a sneak attack.

Undeterred by the pain, Flamm, with both feet on the ground, slammed the black blade into Susie's side.

Giiiiinnn!

She caught it with her vertical spear.

The metal bar twisted by the impact vibrated, and a high-pitched sound echoed around her.

The moment she heard it, the strength left her body again, and Flamm's body swayed unsteadily.

"This, what the ...... damn it, aaaaaaaahhh!"

Bwooo!

Susie now aimed straight between Flamm's eyes.

It was impossible to avoid, she decided, and she dared to let go of her soul eater.

She then tried to grab it with her right hand, just before it pierced her brain.

She could have grabbed it with her right hand.

Surely, she witnessed the moment when its pointed tip settled inside the black basket.

But when she clenched his fist, all that was inside it was air.

And the stab, which should have been aimed at her head, pierced her shoulder.

"Zuuuuuuu...... again!"

Flamm's head was in turmoil.

What kinda trick is this?

Flamm was frightened, but Susie continued to knock the spear to the side and cut off her left hand, which was thrust forward to protect her face, with the whole basket.

Flamm's gaze naturally followed the part of her hand that had been so easily lost.

As she watched it fall to the floor, she recognized Rukou, who was once again on all fours, closing in on her.

Why - the first Rukou should have remained slammed against the wall.

The second Rukou was still tossed far away ...... not moving an inch .......

In other words, it is the third Rukou that is now reaching for Flamm's leg.

Where the hell are these guys appearing from and why are there more of them - unfortunately, she didn't have time to think about it.

She had to get away from Susie first, or else she would be killed.

"Reversal!"

Flamm casted a reversal spell on herself and retreated.

Susie calculated the trajectory of her flight and launched a follow-up attack, but the attack went nowhere.

This was because Flamm's body did not fall to the ground according to the laws of physics.

She landed her foot on the roof and immediately kicked it, landing further away from Susie.

This "gravity reversal" was so useful so she used it over and over again.

However, it seemed to consume a lot of magic power, and Flamm felt that a large amount of resources were being consumed from her body.

It could not be used for a long period of time, and it was necessary for her to find the right place to use it.

But at any rate - this gave her some room for thought, even if it was only for a moment.

She needed to catch her breath and think of a way to deal with it while she could.

Susie had three mysteries.

First, where was Rukou coming from?

Rukou was not in Flamm's field of vision.

Yet, in the midst of the battle, she suddenly appeared at Flamm's feet.

Why and how?

It was not so certain that she could call it a guess, but she could somehow imagine something.

But it was the worst possible imagery, one she would not like to think about if she could.

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But it was bad enough now that she had to keep it in mind as a strong possibility.

It was a theory that Susie may be spawning that thing while fighting.

That thing was not a human being.

It was a lump of flesh in the shape of a human being, created by 「Origin」 using the dead bodies to replicate the human reproduction.

In other words, if it wanted to, it should be able to give birth without the need for an act with the opposite sex.

There was no other conceivable way to suddenly spawn Rukou at her feet in the middle of a battle.

Second, that symptom of a sudden loss of equilibrium in the presence of Susie.

Even putting the detailed principle aside, there was something suspicious about Susie's behavior.

It was that "sound".

The spear she is holding was created on the spot by the power of the spiral.

In other words, the technique of making a special sound - that may be the secret of Susie's spear technique.

By making the opponent listen to the sound, it caused an imbalance in the ears.

It was a troublesome "technique".

Lastly, that phenomenon where the wound appeared in a different place from where the spear pierced.

This was the biggest mystery.

What could she have done to interfere with Flamm's vision?

Did 「Origin」 have such a technique?

Spiraling, spinning, twisting, connecting, multiplying - which of these powers did it have?

It was unpredictable, of course, and there's no way Flamm could come up with a way to deal with it.

How could she win when she was outclassed even by simple status?

Flamm grumbled.

Fatigue enveloped her entire body.

She was also tired from the battle so far, and a prolonged battle would only put her at a disadvantage.

Flamm lifts her heavy sword, readied it, and glared at Susie.

Then she tried to rush in to start the second round early.

But the sight was so horrifying that she temporarily lost her will to fight and stopped.

"Ueee......."

A piece of the first Rukou's flesh that had slammed into the wall clung to Susie's body and had entered her mouth.

When the absorption of the first piece was complete, the second, which had been crushed on the ground, next crawled up her body in a huge mass.

Rukou twisted on the spot and became an elongated figure, then entered Susie's wide-open mouth.

"I know you were going to reuse her, but you could have done a little more with her. ......?"

Flamm's complaint did nothing to improve 「Origin」's bad taste.

Susie, who had completed absorbing the energy, immediately ran toward Flamm.

Kon.

She hit the floor with his ear, then leapt - turning once sideways and slashing quickly.

The sound echoed deep into her ears, and her vision shook with a wobble.

Flamm stomped on both feet and caught the attack with her sword.

At the same time as contact was made, the cursed power in her boots was transmitted to the blade of the sword.

The power used was "freezing".

The frozen spear changed its weight and frequency.

Susie backed away and was about to strike Flamm again when the sound of the spear rang out --

Kan.

What echoed was a dry sound.

Even though it was heard, Flamm did not feel dizzy like she did a moment ago.

"Ha, your prideful spear technique has been broken, hasn't it".

Flamm smiled fearlessly and twisted her body to avoid the thrust.

Susie immediately pulled her spear and ran out of range again.

"I won't let you get away ......!"

Flamm tried to move forward, but - slyly - Rukou was ejected from between Susie's legs.

Ah, as Flamm thought, every time she is destroyed, she spawns Rukou.

Flamm felt the utmost contempt for the "humans" from 「Origin」.

Flamm calmly this time, thumping her foot.

"Flatten her."

A cold, indifferent voice.

The floor in front of her flipped over, and Rukou was caught up in it and crushed.

She stepped on the inverted floor from above, further crushing the mass of flesh as she moved forward.

Susie, who was not yet in a good position, was slashed at.

But - S-rank class agility is not just for show.

She kicked the ground from her unstable position and dodged the slash while rolling backwards.

"Haaaaah!"

At the same time, Flamm had also factored that in.

As if to make the best of it, she put in the reversal magic, flicked the soul eater to the side, and unleashed a prana slash.

This was her own personal knightly swordsmanship-- Cavalier Expansion (anti spirit sword).

As expected, Susie did her best to mitigate the damage by holding her spear up to block it.

Zashu!

Her left arm was blown off and a deep tear was carved on her chest.

Even so, she did not change her expression, as if to insist that there was no such thing as pain in her body.

However, the "reversal" still remained.

It began to take effect a little later.

The flesh around the amputation on her left arm began to warp and tear as if it were peeling away from the bone.

Similarly, in her abdomen, the wound opened and the contents emerged.

Flamm was convinced that she had won, but Susie exhaled, "Koh ......," and put all her strength into her body.

Then the reversal stopped there.

If it hit, the victory would be decided at that moment, and there was no way that such a convenient attack could exist.

Unlike Dain when they fought in the church, Susie still had some energy left in her.

The reversal magic that had been slammed into her body could do less damage if she consciously suppressed it from above with even greater force.

Flamm had learned one thing, and it was frustration.

If she could not beat her with this, she could expect further struggles.

Susie's veins rose to the surface on the back of her hand, and she grasped the spiral spear tightly in her remaining right hand.

"...... blanking."

Then he muttered in a whisper.

Susie's attribute - light magic - was activated, and she disappeared.

"I can't believe she still had a trick left up her sleeve!"

Only Flamm's eyeballs moved busily in search of the suddenly vanished enemy.

She thought about the possibility that she had transferred like Nect, but there was a presence and she could faintly hear footsteps.

In other words, she was only made invisible by magic.

"Ah I see, so she was manipulating the refraction of light through magic. ......!"

Flamm finally arrived at the answer.

That was why the actual trajectory of the spear was deviated compared to what he had seen.

But if she could master magic so well that she could completely disappear, she should have done so from the beginning.

Why did she waste it - perhaps because it consumed a large amount of magic power to maintain the magic.

It was the same as Flamm's gravity reversal.

Magic is a limited resource, and it could not be used endlessly.

In short, if she continued to run away from her, her magical power would soon run out and Flamm would win.

But, would Susie really let her escape so easily?

"Bwooo!"

Flamm felt the "presence" of a thrust coming from the front and immediately turned her head.

A few hairs flew up and blood flowed from his ears.

Again, a thrust was made between her eyes.

She dodged it just in time, bending her body backward.

Next, the left shoulder - this one was unavoidable, it pierced through and was immediately pulled out, causing a jarring pain.

Flamm tried to block the next attack with the broad blade of her large sword, but Susie was able to hit precisely where she couldn't block. She hit her in the leg, cheek, side, and thigh.

Legs, cheeks, side of the stomach, thighs - being one-sidedly penetrated, Flamm saw a gap to use the soul eater.

But Susie, who had disappeared, flew high and this time moved behind Flamm.

She aimed for Flamm's heart and quickly stabbed it.

Flamm's body shook with intuition and narrowly escaped instant death.

She turned around and reared up, but Susie was no longer there.

Before she could sense her presence, a spear swung down from the side and sliced off Flamm's right arm, which held the soul eater.

She immediately switched to her left hand and tried to step toward the invisible Susie, but something was clinging to her leg.

"No way, this one is invisible too!"

Bagi, Miki!

The sound of the leg twisting and the contents shattering reverberated through Flamm's body, conducting through her bones.

The pain and the sickening, nauseating sensation made her immediately swing her leg and blow Rukou away.

During this sequence of actions, Susie again came up behind her and stabbed Flamm's body with a devastating blow.

Even so, she was able to avoid fatal blows to the heart and brain, perhaps because of her persistence in wanting to live.

Flamm, who had withstood the onslaught of the attack, took a guess at Susie's position and, with no luck, fired a large swing of his sword.

It was no use -- "REVERSAL! and she immediately flew straight up on the spot and put her feet on the ceiling.

She then ran through, disengaging near the stairs and landing.

If she fired a broad attack from the edge of the passageway, she should be able to inflict some damage.

With this in mind, she raised her sword1.

"TEEeERYAAaaaAAA!"

She shouted, slammed down, and created a storm of prana.

Sand and gravel flew up, staining the air in the area a dim white.

Thanks to that - aside from the damage done - the stream of dust could be used to locate Susie.

Flamm again poured prana into her sword and intercepted Susie as she approached.

"There!"

Fuon!

It was supposed to be a powerful blow.

However, Flamm's full force strike came up empty.

Susie was not there.

Manipulating the refraction of light from the dust stream that was being moved by the object, she played with Flamm's vision.

Then, not from the front, but from diagonally in front of the object, she fired a thrust aimed at its brain.

"Ah!"

The presence of death approached.

Bachu!

The sharp tip of the sword pierced Flamm's eyeball, and just before it reached her brain--it was gripped by Flamm's gauntlet and stopped.

She followed the jolt and let go of the sword, narrowly escaping death.

However, she was still in dire condition.

The spear was forcefully pushed toward her brain.

Flamm desperately pushed it back.

Both arms tremble.

At that moment, Rukou, newly spawned, touched Flamm's feet.

"Gi........A Aaaaaaaa!"

Her legs twisted, but she couldn't shake them off in the moment.

The force of the spiral was slowly moving up her body, reaching her thighs and hips.

The lower half of her body lost sensation, and the strength drained from her arms as well.

The competition was about to be broken, and Flamm compensated for it with prana.

But as long as Rukou was there, it was only a matter of time before she was defeated.

A way to overcome the situation - anything was possible, as long as she didn't die, as long as she could pull Susie off, even if only a little bit.

Yes, as long as she didn't die.

A desperate thought, a lackluster way to be served up.

Flamm's breathing trembled with fear.

The act of "hurting oneself" was such a terrible thing.

Still, it was better than death.

She put strength into the hand that gripped the spear and called up the power of the curse that resides in the gauntlet.

"....... Buuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuurn!"

In response to her call, the spear was engulfed in flames.

Of course, Flamm's face was also burned - but Susie's hand was also momentarily drained of power.

-- Flamm waited for that moment.

Pulling the spear from her face, she retreated and immediately regained her grip on the sword, thrusting it into the now invisible Rukou clinging to her leg.

With all the strength she could muster.

Then she rolled over and left on all fours - fortunately, there was no follow-up attack from Susie.

Seemingly, it was time to replenish its energy.

Nothing was visible but the sound of crawling.

The poor piece of flesh that was destroyed by Flamm must be wriggling and going into Susie's mouth.

"......If you were a honest adventurer, I bet you'd be hard to beat."

It wasn't possible to get through to her with just words.

But Flamm still continued to speak.

She smiled and looked triumphant.

"But you're not a human now."

Rukou's absorption ended.

Susie's body was filled with power.

"So ...... I still have a chance to win."

At the same time - all the power that Flamm had poured into Rukou was also taken in.

The magic was released and Susie appeared, probably sensing something was wrong.

"Oh ...... Ogooooooooh ......!"

She let out a pained cry as she arched her body.

She also wiped foam from her mouth and convulsed all over her body.

Endure, endure.

The prana and magic that she had poured into Rukou should have already exploded inside her body.

Even so, her strong body, which had been trained before she was born, shook and trembled in an effort to refuse death.

"I wonder why she would strain her own body so much when she is already dead."

Flamm quietly stepped toward Susie.

She reached forward with her hand holding the soul eater and placed the tip on Susie's chest.

"But its thanks to you that I will be able to return the body to Dafiz-san in a clean state."

She am grateful, but of course she didn't thank her.

She buries the blade in the body, and when it hit something solid, she pours her magic power into it.

"Inverse it."

With a snap - the core that had replaced the heart cracks open, and Susie's body lost its power.

As the corpse fell to its knees and onto the floor, the blade slipped out on its own, sliding slyly.

When she was sure the body was completely immobile, she stowed away the soul eater and the basket.

"Hah ......."

Flamm looked up and exhaled heavily.

"This ...... must be the last of it, I guess."

As she says this, she looked up at the top of the stairs.

There was not any more dead coming down, no indication, no footsteps.

The number of dead in the village must have been much higher, but perhaps someone was out there fighting them.

"For now, I'll just say it's a break. ......"

She had to pick up Milkit, but she couldn't stop until then.

The question is, would Dafiz listen to her now?

"Good work, Onee-san."

She heard a nasty voice.

Flamm turned around fearfully and saw a blue-haired boy walking toward her, stomping on the oddly shaped dead man.

"Nect...... why are you here!"

"Why are you here you ask? It's only natural that I'd come to see how you are doing, right?

It made sense, but the timing was too on point for that.

He may have been watching her for a long time, not just to see how she was doing.

She could have read that much into it.

"Don't be so alarmed. I'm just -- just here to put the finishing touches on this."

Nect said, and smiled with a charming, loathsome smile.

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