78 – 78. Black Sword.
School buildings and playgrounds.
All structures comprising the houses, shops, villas, and other parts of the town on the outskirts of Karakura High School.
Even the sky and clouds above, the sun shining down on the ground.
Within the world painted all in white, Sawamura Sento slowly exhaled.
“…Ha.”
For a moment, he thought he was dying.
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Not because of the yokai, but because of this suddenly formed world, he thought his heart was failing.
Amidst the appearance of monsters visible to ordinary people, the surrounding environment had changed.
Naturally, he thought it was an enemy’s assault.
If it hadn’t been for the vaguely familiar aura, he would have done everything possible not to be dragged into this world.
“You can do it too.”
…This is the power of that soul.
With a speculative gaze, Sento furrowed his brows and looked beyond the white-painted village.
More precisely, Shibuya, the heart of this world, where numerous reactions were detected.
In the faint chaos of the monster’s presence, Sawamura Sento quietly muttered, “Another surprise, isn’t it, Shiki?”
Having made up her mind, she earnestly continued her steps past the headless giant’s corpse.
Towards Shibuya.
I’m coming to meet you.
***
“…What in the world have you done?”
A disciple with a bewildered expression asked me.
His neck and torso were now intertwined with thick tentacles, outwardly connected like an ordinary person.
Of course, inside was filled with all sorts of negativity typical of a demonic disciple.
Things like tentacles, curses, insects, darkness, things that demons and black sorcerers would enjoy.
Even such a false guy, his mind seemed to be captured by common sense as he opened his eyes wide and shouted.
“…You, at my altar! What in the world have you done!”
The disciple of evil, like a child of darkness, found the sudden change in the surroundings unsettling.
His restless gaze swiftly scanned the white hall.
In a space devoid of anything black, the disciple gradually contorted his face.
Indeed, it was pure white.
The large hall and the connecting corridors.
The numerous deities and rituals in this place the cultist referred to as the ‘altar.’
Even the shadows, which should naturally be dark, were bleached white like clouds.
This place was no longer hell, the underworld, shadows, or darkness.
It was the judgment hall to sever the stronghold of evil.
Outside, even the smallest imperfection was glaringly obvious.
With a displeased expression, the disciple suddenly stopped and fixed his gaze on me.
The puzzling thing was the change in his face.
“…Come to think of it, what happened to your hair? It suddenly changed.”
Finally, he seemed to have noticed something black.
I simply smiled and twirled the black hair covering my eyes with my fingers.
It was black hair, like that of an ordinary student before nightfall.
“hahahaha, it’s not of great significance. If you’re thinking of complaining about the character design, please refrain. There’s no act more foolish than picking a fight there.”
It’s not entirely meaningless, but sometimes it is.
Just as Sentou’s hair being pink didn’t mean the whole garden was full of flowers, or how Kenichi seemed foolish regardless of his hair.
Drawing the black sword from the void, I chuckled with delight.
“This is just proof of ‘me.'”
In the white world, the black eyes stood out.
The path of the sword was clearer than before, and the black hair could serve as a target.
However, a human like me was not weak enough to be ensnared by such things.
In a strong heart, joy filled more than anxious emotions.
“Now, shall we dance together?”
What begins now is a ruthless sword dance where only one will be trampled, mercilessly.
The sword is brought to the opponent’s neck.
Though there is still a distance, it marks the beginning of the sword dance, estimating how to cut the throat.
The opponent senses the killing intent, tensing up, a precursor to the battle.
It is the pronouncement of judgment falling upon the sinner who has committed numerous sins.
I take a step forward.
Harnessing my magic, I swiftly move towards them.
Unlike when time stood still, this time, it seemed like my movements were clearly visible to the disciple.
Seeing him tense up, withdrawing tentacles from his whole body, it was evident.
“…Dare you defy the will of the gods!”
“hahahaha, such amusing words!”
Moreover, as he pulled out bundles of black tentacles from his back and arms, brandishing them, he seemed more like a demon than a god.
Swoosh!
The grotesque vines swirled wildly, striking the white pupils as they danced.
With violent movements, the tentacles that left scratches on the ceiling, walls, and floor rushed straight toward me.
One of the many branches came through the floor, while another surrounded me from both sides.
In an instant, I was engulfed from all directions.
“What a dreadful sight.”
It was unpleasant in many ways.
I personally did not enjoy seeing Shimmechaku being entangled by the slimy tentacles, and from a public perspective, this was not a good sight either.
Getting caught in the slimy tentacles that were full of mucus was something I really wanted to avoid.
“─Black Severance.”
Therefore, I made up my mind to cut.
Swoosh─! Following the will of my soul, a jet-black flame consumed the sword and rose in flames.
What followed was a sword dance.
Every time the sword reached out towards countless hands, the number of enemies decreased, and the corrupt flesh writhed in agony, screaming and convulsing in the darkness.
-Kieeek!!
Originally, even if you cut them, the tentacles wouldn’t die.
Even if they fell to the ground, these tough soldiers would crawl and grasp the opponent’s ankles.
But as the flames that erased impurities began to consume them, the loud screams gradually subsided.
─…Kieeek.
Black ashes scattered around.
The fog that burned the enemies in the space, decorated like a white cloud in the sky, grew thicker.
With a regretful heart, I passed through the tentacles that were burning away one by one and stood before the apostle.
“…How.”
The apostle of evil still looked at me with a stunned expression.
It seemed like a type of leader of a cult who couldn’t hide his emotions well.
“…You, you’re not an ordinary exorcist!”
“Oh, are you just realizing that now?”
Now, he seemed like a fool on par with Baka Kenichi.
Sending a slightly disdainful look, the hesitant apostle, perhaps feeling embarrassed, asked hesitantly.
“…What is your name.”
Ha, what an unnecessary question to answer.
“Um-hu-hoo! If you ask like that! It’s only polite to answer!”
Even when facing villains who needed to be killed, it was a rule to introduce oneself properly.
Well, there wasn’t much time left to face that guy.
I aimed the jet-black blade at his throat and whispered.
“Hakuyasha, Ichimaru Shiki.”
“…Hmm.”
“I’m a person who exorcises for a hobby!”
“I see.”
The apostle of evil nodded, then raised his head and suddenly clasped his hands together.
From his dim eyes, a menacing purple light emerged.
Looking up at the ceiling marked with tentacle traces, he shouted loudly.
“───Oh God! Destroy our altar! Slaughter our compatriots! We have identified the name of the sinner who obstructs your grand design!!!”
“…….”
“───Ichimaru Shiki!!! Please punish that wicked sinner! Curse that corrupts the soul!!!”
“Oh, the soul is precious!”
Indeed, he was a guy who acted like a villain.
As soon as he found out my name, he immediately began pleading with God.
If he were an ordinary citizen with a sense of justice, he would have been cursed right away.
“……Hm?”
Even after a few seconds passed with no response, the stubborn guy once again stiffened his body with a bewildered expression.
In his mind, even if lightning struck from the sky, nothing happened.
“Such a shame.”
Although I am not someone who aligns with villains, I am quite thorough in my personality, so I have prepared means to thwart the curse of evil.
“Huhuhu, this place is not only painted white but also an isolated space.”
Black and white reversal.
The first effect is creating a world separated from reality.
It drew in all beings with supernatural powers in the Tokyo area.
Once inside, communication with the outside world is prohibited.
“If that’s all, it may take some time to kill a persistent person like you, but I have a few means prepared for opponents with exceptional regenerative abilities.”
That is the second effect of this world.
Not instant death, but it reverses something of the opponent wounded by the sword.
Not a plus, but infinitely close to zero.
“───Black and white reversal.”
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Before he knew it, I swung the sword covered in black flames towards him.
Swish! The head with the still bewildered expression flew through the air.
The severed tentacles between us were dyed dark without a hint of wriggling, coming to a halt.
“Black.”
The sword dance was over.