116 – From Me a Hundred Years Ago.
Sawamura Sento had vowed long ago.
Not knowing where the final destination of the long wait would be, at least not to be swayed by his own power in the process of reaching there.
Not to be consumed by madness again.
Looking at Ichimaru Shiki attacking in a frenzy, it was the first vow she made.
He knew well the uncontrollable power since childhood.
No matter how powerful the ability, if it could veer off course, it would ultimately devour him.
If he were to move forward, if he wished to stand by his side, he had to control his inner power first.
“Shutendoji, become my familiar.”
That’s why Sento wanted to make his inner goblin – Shutendoji – his familiar.
“Huh? Don’t talk nonsense. Woman.”
He was immediately rejected. She, too, knew well that such a demanding request would not be accepted by a yokai who could hold the nation in one hand.
…But still, he had to find a way.
Just the vague fear of some misfortune approaching had been enough for the past dozen or so years.
Sento wanted to be with the one he loved.
After proposing for several days and being rejected by the Goblin King, she moved on to the next step.
Assimilation.
If she couldn’t subdue through a contract, she would subdue through ability, through the power of the soul.
Ultimately, what Shutendoji contained was his inner self.
Sawamura Sento’s soul, the true master of his inner world. It was himself.
“Sento, you are a special person.”
It might take a little time for this yokai, but he could assimilate it. He resolved to make it his own no matter what.
With that determination, Sento delved into his inner world to crush the yokai within.
“Woman.”
The first thing she imagined was lava.
She thought of lava that melts and swallows everything it touches on the surface, but realizing her opponent was a Great Yōkai, she envisioned something more destructive.
– The Sun.
Her inner world, boiling like lava, was soon engulfed in light, and everything in the air began to burn.
The only ones maintaining their forms were Sawamura Sento, the master of this world, and the Great Yōkai, Shtendoji.
The palace and throne decorated by the Goblin King, and the river of blood, were consumed by the true master’s sun.
Although it was an inner world, the two beings stared each other down amidst the existing heat.
For a whole month, they continued their antics.
“I have something to say, woman.”
Just when she thought they might both melt away, Shtendoji spoke first.
Struggling to keep her wits about her in the soul-burning heat, Sento took a deep breath.
“What is it?”
She didn’t expect much.
Having confirmed the madness and strong will of the Yōkai during the month of burning together.
The only consolation was knowing that the other side had a similar madness.
As the goblin king, whose flesh began to melt under the inner world’s sun, continued to stare at the woman, Shtendoji, he suddenly blurted out.
“Fine, I will become your servant.”
“…Really?”
“But, there are conditions.”
At the mention of conditions, Sawamura Sento raised her head with a cold expression,
What she wanted was submission, not some vague negotiation with constraints.
If she had intended to be wishy-washy, she wouldn’t have endured this suffering from the start.
Even with her seemingly indifferent attitude, the goblin, Shtendoji, did not falter and added.
“I do not submit to those weaker than myself.”
“Saying that just before completely melting in the sun?”
“I can easily endure another month. By then, you will also be halfway melted.”
“Such a cliché.”
What Sawamura Sento thought was a kind of admission of defeat.
This side would also suffer losses, but ultimately admitting to oneself that they would lose.
Sento, who had become visibly irritated, tried to ignore further conversation, but Shtendoji’s mouth remained open.
“I knew you were strong, but if you ask if I will make you the master of Shtendoji, the answer is definitely no. So, before our contract, I would like to add detailed conditions.”
It was already a transparent ploy to speak first, but since a month had passed, Sawamura Sento decided to listen to those conditions.
If the conditions caused her even a slight loss, she would simply not accept them.
Looking at Sento’s dry expression, the goblin king, Shtendoji, said.
“If an opportunity arises for me to make a contract with a human stronger than you, let me go.”
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“No way…”
“Only for someone you trust, I will add a condition that requires that person’s consent.”
Unable to understand the strange condition at all, Sawamura Sento furrowed her brow.
The goblin king, Shtendoji, only smirked with his mouth slightly upturned.
“I just want overwhelming strength to enjoy battles from myths. A mere child like you cannot handle the goblin king, Shtendoji.”
“Hmm.”
With a hesitant heart, Sento added the condition of not attacking humanity in the future, but surprisingly, Shtendos accepted even that.
And so, their contract as contractors was established.
Sawamura Sento had not only shattered the wall that was almost insurmountable, but had also reached a level that was halfway beyond human.
Even if Shtendos were to disappear, she had the ability to proclaim herself as Japan’s top sorcerer based solely on her inherent abilities.
Moreover, even if Shtendos’ contract were to be released, there would be only one such case.
She believed that there was only one person stronger than her on this Earth.
Thus, although Sento immediately realized who Shtendos was referring to, she couldn’t fathom why he would do that to her.
“Shtendos, release the possession.”
It was completely unexpected.
“…Why!”
As Sento’s face contorted in disbelief, she tried to shout, but seeing the pitiful smile on the man in front of her, she could only close her mouth.
“I understand too. Since everyone seems to want to share the burden in their hearts.”
Ichimaru Shiki said with a forced smile.
“So, I will bear your share as well.”
Crack! Horns on Sento’s head shattered, dispersing into pure energy once again.
All the energy that she had accumulated flowed back into him.
Immediately after the forced release of possession, the contract with Shtendos was executed.
“I will bear it and return.”
All of Sawamura Sento’s misfortune and power were transferred to the man in front of her, Ichimaru Shiki, who absorbed all that power without any external change.
“I will stand before you again.”
The solemnity and earnestness contained in that pledge.
To the genuine words of the man who always smiled emptily, Sawamura Sento’s lips curled up.
With eyes full of longing, she gazed endlessly at the man she held in her heart.
“…Must it be this way?”
After a long wait, the woman spoke, and Ichimaru Shiki, as usual, smiled and said, “Of course!”
As the earnest pledge she wanted to believe in dispersed into the air, the door opened.
When all conditions were met, the area of the Divine Palace stirred, spitting out a huge door onto the ground.
Crack! Suddenly breaking through the ground, the door was engulfed in a fierce magic.
Even Sento, who had crossed the wall, couldn’t muster the courage to forcibly open the door now that she had lost Shtendos.
With the appearance of such a door, a beam of light rose from the nearby spiritual mountain, as if fulfilling a promise.
Whoosh!
The familiar flames of purification spread throughout the Divine Palace, burning away even the remaining magic of the imperial family.
Even the newly blackened door was set ablaze by the grace of the Mother of Fire.
Watching the warm glow, Sento felt her heart burning.
“Goodbye, my love.”
She blurted out in a vague premonition, and Ichimaru Shiki smiled knowingly.
Unable to withstand the flickering eyes, Sento closed her eyes.
“Yes, my first love.”
My heart swelled at the first story I had ever heard, a single droplet of water trickled down my cheek.
When the woman overcame her fear and opened her eyes, there was no one standing before her anymore.
***
“Shiki?”
Kitagawa Kenichi and Kita suddenly raised their heads.
Was it because of the sensation that the world had momentarily stopped? Perhaps it was due to the white light swirling around in all directions.
In the fragments of light that felt strangely familiar, Kenichi blinked and reached out his hand.
The boy tried to tightly grasp the fragments, but the light pierced through his palm and flew far into the sky.
Before he knew it, the sky was blue.
***
Tick-tock, tick-tock.
Footsteps echoed in the silent world.
In the pitch-black sky, only a red moon floated, and there was no sign of life in the massive castle.
There was no one breathing.
Except for the owner of this castle, no one else existed in this place visited after a long time.
Recollecting memories, walking along the corridors of the castle, they finally reached a certain throne.
Golden hair, a beautiful face seen for hundreds of years, a loathsome smile.
Deus Machina on the throne tilted his head with a faint smile.
“I’ve been waiting for you, Shiki.”
I too had been waiting for this meeting for a very long time.
I came solely for this moment.
To kill the woman before me, I carried a heavy burden on my shoulders.
“I’ve come to kill you.”
From my former self a hundred years ago.
damn, how twisted