342 339. Ragnes third milestone.txt (2/2)

''Haha. ...... Still (・・・・), do you believe (...)?

Ragne heard the words that exposed everything about me and ruminated out loud.

He's willing to listen to me. He's willing to stay with my 'discussion' as long as he can.

That's why Ragne frowns and bites her lip hard once.

Then he lets his gaze wander. The sky and the ground, his own feet and mine - as if he's somehow looking for a place to land in his mind that he can convince himself of - such is the movement of his eyes.

'-- Family (...). I believe (...) --

Finally, I turned my face away slightly and looked at my father behind me and muttered softly.

A moment later, Ragne's magic swelled and my bangs swayed forward.

Her magic power, which had been quiet all along, emitted an earth-shaking sound and changed its color.

It turns the same black color as this morning and is accompanied by a strong gravitational force.

It's as if there's another hole in the rooftop, and it begins to suck in all the blood that spreads across the floor.

In the midst of that black magic, her twin eyes glowed and a thin voice sounded.

''-- Still, I can't believe that you would believe that ....... If I could believe, my brother and I wouldn't be ...... in this situation. Even if I wanted to ...... believe it, I didn't have the material to do so. Instead, the truth is all the opposite. Everything is just the opposite of what we wanted ....... So, we have to pretend to keep believing it, and we can no longer ......--

Even now, the Nosfi Flag is shining behind me.

It's bright enough to dispel the darkness of night and turn the entire rooftop into day.

However, all of that light is played by Ragne's black magic power.

She herself laments the darkness, refusing to let the light shine and covering her body. Naturally, it becomes impossible to read any of her expressions.

As if to say it's useless now, the need for 'discussion' disappears.

And then cold words escape from Ragne's mouth. At last--

Mr. Nosfi, I hate you.

Like Fafner downstairs, his voice was somewhat laced with madness.

It was thick with a rejection that made the person facing him realize the end.

Unlike Fafner, the rift in the breakdown was deep because Lagune had made an effort to step up just before the accident.

Undoubtedly, Lagune was doing his best.

Thanks to that ”blood puppet” intervening, the ”discussion” began very calmly, they were able to ”honestly” confront each other, and both sides walked the path of reconciliation. However, it was still impossible.

Lagune's attack stung to prove it.

Before I knew it, the tip of the blade sprouted from the pigeon tail of my torso.

''--!

I make it visible with a moan.

Seeing the transparent blade that is visible due to being smeared with blood, I recall the Ragne's ability that Ryner had told me about. No matter what kind of magic it is, it's a substitute that Ryner had assured me that there is no way to recognize - let alone see - that transparent sword.

It's not just a matter of time before you'll be able to get your hands on it. ''The One Who Steals the Reason of Light'' steals the light of Nosfi Fuzzyaz, continues to shine in 'Eternity', and continues to challenge this world.

As I staggered toward me, Lagune clerically identified himself and made a declaration of hostility.

Not a single emotion is riding on it. His voice is inorganic and low, as if the actor is playing the role of 'the one who steals the reason for the stars' - and he's not.

In the end, there is no point in 'talking'. There is only one person who can survive. They kill each other, they compare each other, the weight of their lives shakes the scales, and they decide one or the other. That's how the world is made. One side loses everything and the other side just has to take it all on. What you carry on your back, you just move on to the next. It never stops moving forward to the next and the next and the next. That is what it means to be a 'person'.

From the tone of his voice, I can tell that Ragne has abandoned my request for cooperation and has switched to obtaining the 'magic stone' by killing.

I can tell from the dark sphere in front of me that the lukewarm means of nostalgia is over.

''So, are you good ......?　You yourself don't think it's good, do you?

Lagne Kaikwola decided to be 'the best'. When I was very young, I made a promise to my mom that day, in that place, when I was very young. I love my mom and she loves me - so I can't break that promise. Yes, I came here because I love and love and love my mom. I've killed a lot of people just because I thought I could be the first to see my mom. It doesn't matter anymore whether it's good or bad, right or wrong. Neither does it matter what it means or why it exists. Even the value of it doesn't matter anymore. Even if I have no meaning for being born, no reason for living, and no value for dying, my dream of becoming the best - my 'dream' - is what I am (・・・・・・).

You are not willing to have a conversation with me overtly.

I don't even want to maintain a decent logic.

I am Lagne Kaikwola. So, I'm going to be the 'best'.

That's all. That's the only thing that has been established as her reason.

'Lagne ......!!!!'

”So die for the 'dream' that is me. ”The one who steals the truth of light.

The 'dream' called Lagne.

The 'discussion' is over - but now that it's over, I finally see the essence of Lagne Kaikwola, the one who steals the logic of the stars, the essence of Lagne Kaikwola.

However, that essence has turned into magic and is now turning on me.

Lagne's black magic spreads across the roof of the castle, carefully enveloping my Nosfi Flag of Light and making the last light source on the roof disappear. Moreover, it even covers the sky, making even the shape of the flowing clouds impossible to catch.

Ragne created a darkness that rejected the light and made her greatest weapon, the blade of magic power, float there.

There were about ten of them.

In a world where nothing was supposed to be visible, only the outline of the blades floated clearly.

Soon, they began to turn.

The blade swims in a sea of darkness around a mass of gravitational force called Ragne.

It's the same one I saw this morning when Ragne killed your father. In other words, he identified me as a grudge enemy as much as your father and activated his trump card.

''d*mn--!

When I manage to check Ragne's expression in front of me, I take advantage of the gap and come at him from the blade right beside me.

My body reflexively moves to avoid the attack. The blade is hard to see, but with my kinetic vision, it's not something I can't avoid.

I turn my head away and avoid it even while being slashed by a single skin.

''--!

But as soon as I dodged it, my vision shifted.

A strong impact rushed to my side and my body was leaning heavily.

Recognizing the pain and heat that followed, I realize that I couldn't avoid the blade.

I visualize the bloody blade piercing across my abdomen. The one I thought I had dodged was a decoy, and it seems that this one was the real deal. There are probably more blades circling the rooftop right now than I can detect.

It's a very difficult task to avoid all of them, even if you are in perfect physical condition.

It is impossible for the current me to do so.

Having decided that, I--without taking evasion or defense, I choose to move forward.

”Ragne, please ......--

I call out my name and just move forward.

Naturally, my forward progress, which is too unprotected, comes at a great cost.

First of all, the lower half of my body, which has turned into a snake, was pierced by two blades, one sensible and the other not, both of which were stabbed.

''Kuu--!

Still, I move forward.

Then, next, additional swords stab into my abdomen.

There are more than ten of them.

'----!

I won't let my voice trail off anymore.

Still, I don't stop.

Even though the spinal cord in my neck is severed, I only focus on maintaining my position.

I use my hands not for defense, but only to pull out the stabbing blade.

Magic power is not used to attack, but only to recover itself.

It never fights, it only moves forward.

Just straight ahead.

Forward. Believe that you will reach it someday--

'I won't die. ......!　No, why don't you fight me ......!　You're here to get it back, aren't you?

In the middle of it all, Ragne's attacker stopped and questioned me about my non-resistance.

I hastily try to reply, not wanting to miss just a chance to 'discuss'.

''That's it--that's it--that's it, ghohoho!

But blood spills from my mouth and I can't speak well. I have no choice but to stop and prioritize repair to my lungs and throat, making my newly healed vocal cords tremble.

'There's no point in fighting ...... lagne. Even before we fought, I have admitted that I lost. You have beaten your father, and I have no intention of beating you. Let the Stealer of the Principle of Light admit it. Without a doubt, he who steals the logic of the stars is stronger than anyone else. You are the 'best' in the world.

Acknowledging defeat and celebrating the enemy, I congratulate Ragne's 'dream' - her very own.

'My victory ......?　No. I haven't even killed you yet. I haven't taken anything of value away from you: ......!　It's not over at this level: ......!

But Ragne refused to do so.

His vision wasn't functioning anymore, but he could see her shaking her head hard in the distance.

It's still dark in Ragne's world, and there's probably nowhere near enough light to be worthy of the 'best'. So he still insists on being different.

In the face of that stubborn assumption, I make up my mind.

'No.' Since a while ago, Ragne has killed me many times. Please take a good look at this hole in me.

'Such sophistry!　You haven't killed me yet!　He who steals the truth of light is not dead!　So, I'm still--!

'Lagne, the sophistry is on you. Why don't you say ”yet” and admit that you are the 'best'?　You say you want to be the 'best' so badly, but it's your heart that's keeping you from it.

Now that I was beginning to see the true nature of Ragne, I clearly rejected her claims.

I've always thought that Lagune's word 'best' has no substance.

If you are going to use an abstract word like 'first', you must first decide what (...) the 'first' is. If Lagune had decided on the number one of knights or the number one of hooziers, the battle would have ended long ago. Even if she had decided that her goal was to be the 'best' of the world, she would have reached even that.

-- so there is no point in this fight.

Lagne could end it all at any time, just by setting one standard. If Ragne admits that all of the 'best' that she aimed for were places that weren't bright or anything in particular, then that's all she needs to do -- and that's all she needs to do.

Now you call yourself 'the dream itself. Then when that dream comes true, you will be...

”--Hey!　Die!　Die, die, die, die, die, die, die!　[Hoshi no ri] Iiiiiiiiiii!

An act that is already confirmed but does not end the confirmation.

When she tried to point out the discrepancy, she rejected it with a scream and a swelling of magical power.

The poison of magical power was applied to the circling blade, so much so that it was visible even in the darkness where nothing could be seen.

Even in the darkness, he felt the distortion of the world strongly.

From that forbidden wave, I was convinced that it was the 'stolen truth' of the example 'The One Who Stole the Star's Truth', using the same kind of power.

I've heard about the effects beforehand from the friends who received that example power.

Maria said that her magic power was drowned out and her consciousness was blown away.

Snow said that her magic power was cancelled out and that she was cured of dragonization.

Ryner, who fought Ragne for a long time, said that it was 'the power to turn the nature of things inside out'.

And now the timing of the use of it.

Ragne was congratulated by me, conceded victory, and when he was almost cornered by 'the best', he resorted to the power.

I know this because it's the same 'one who steals the truth'.

Ragne's [Star's Reason] is the power to 'reverse' what she doesn't want to admit.

When I sincerely wished from the bottom of my heart that I wanted to 'replace' her, my [Reason of Light] blossomed completely. In the same way, there must have been a moment when she also wished from the bottom of her heart to turn it upside down.

I understand how the 【Riology of the Stars】 works. So, in order to protect Ragne (・・・・・・・・・), I try to avoid all of its blades.

But I can't avoid them. I receive the applied blade of 【Riology of the Stars】 on my body.

As a result, everything inside me will be 'reversed'

”Ugh, ugh!　Geez, aaaaahhhh!

In the distance, Ragne's moaning sounded.

It was followed by the sound of water splashing - the sound of Ragne must have vomited.

I stopped in my tracks and realized what it meant.

Now, the battle between me and Ragne had begun.