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As he’s thought, this place is full of monsters—!
Sigma is torn between wanting to close his eyes so he can’t see his horrible fate, or having his eyes wide open so that he doesn’t miss what’s happening.
Boom!
…Actually, on second thought, it might be better if he just faints outright. That way, he can avoid witnessing craters form in the walls and on the floors.
Sigma’s pretty sure that becoming a vampire isn’t supposed to grant someone this much strength! This person isn’t even using an ability! He’s just kicking things, occasionally punching when he’s within the right distance! And yet—!
“Fufufu, you’re really such a wild beast, Chuuya!”
There’s even a devil behind him who has the audacity to go laughing at a time like this! Is this really the plan?! Isn’t he just a meat shield for the guy behind him?!
The moment that Nakahara Chuuya starts attacking them, Dazai has simply grabbed him by the shoulders, and started executing dance moves right then and there. Dancing if one is trying to dangle one’s dance partner like a cape in front of a charging bull, that is.
The super scary human called Chuuya hisses, and continues to chase after them all over the room. At some point, this place would be like Swiss cheese, riddled full of holes from the other’s attacks. Perhaps fitting to be a place that the Rats would like, but Sigma is very worried that he’d be included in the scenery that would have holes in them!
One punch nearly hits his nose. It doesn’t land, but the sheer air pressure is enough to make him go numb. “I, I, I, Is this really a good plan!”
The hands on his shoulders shift a bit, going a bit lower to squeeze him by the biceps. He’s swayed here and there, just in time to avoid Chuuya’s attacks without causing injury. No, that’s not true! His mental state is very injured right now! Each attack gives him a feeling of facing death head-on!
Someone infected with this vampire ability shouldn’t have any lucidity, but Chuuya pauses for a moment and looks at Dazai’s hand placements. It shouldn’t be possible, but Chuuya’s attacks become even fiercer after that momentary pause, his eyebrows furrowed deeply, as if he’s very offended that Dazai is using such a frail outsider as a shield.
“Chuuya, you shouldn’t bully Sigma-kun too much,” Dazai calls out from behind him, still laughing like they’re just doing a playful chase, life and death and the thirty-minute timeframe all rendered irrelevant. “He’s just like you, you know? Fate affected by someone else’s machinations, without a proper memory and also grappling with what it means to be actually human.”
That makes Chuuya pause again, giving Dazai—and by virtue of being the glorified shield, Sigma—chance to spin away a bit.
Perhaps that’s what’s even scarier about this guy. He shouldn’t have any lucidity, for the vampire ability directly affects one’s blood and brain. If he can have these moments of resisting control, then doesn’t that mean that even his insides are superhuman?! Just what kind of trump card did Dostoevsky manage to get his hands on?! More importantly, if Dostoevsky could even get someone like this, then how strong is he—?!
Chuuya stiffens, eyes narrowing deeper as if he’s really going to break free from the control over him. He looks contemplative, as he gazes at Sigma.
It’s only now that Sigma can think about Dazai’s words a bit. This person in front of him is someone like him…? He shouldn’t be exactly like him, right? Not related to the Book, but he’s also not fully human…? How could that be?
Before his curiosity can be answered, and before Chuuya can work out on how to break free from the ability—Dazai lets out a mischievous snort then makes additional trouble. “Ah, what am I saying. Obviously, you’re not the same?” Another snort. “After all, Sigma-kun here is so much taller than you, hatrack.”
…Ah, he’s going to die.
That’s the last coherent thought that Sigma can string together, as Chuuya starts attacking them with a flurry of punches and kicks, snarling hard at his height being insulted.
“You’re already this old and you still get so mad about hearing the pitiful truth about your height,” Dazai continues to tease from behind, without any fear whatsoever. “You even become so disobedient that you’re attacking your master, Chuuya.”
Huh? What is he saying? Master? Huh??
It seems that Chuuya is equally baffled by this statement, because he pauses again, expression incredibly confused. Because this happens as he’s too-near them, Dazai lets out a sigh and moves his hand from Sigma’s arm, and with long fingers… pokes Chuuya’s nose.
…
…
…
…
…
He probably should have just fainted from the beginning. Um, this is a fighting machine, you know? A very scary human, you know? Why are you doing things like this to provoke him?
“Wake up already, Chuuya.” The provocation has ebbed a bit, but the softer tone is also asking for a beating. “You’ve always scolded me for sleeping during missions, but aren’t you doing the same now? What a naughty dog you are.”
The bloodshot quality of the other’s eyes has receded, leaving behind clear blue eyes.
The nullification ability! The childish notion of poking one’s nose aside, the guy behind him can nullify abilities by touching them! That means that he—
…Ah, he’s going to die.
Before Sigma can celebrate a bit and nurture the buds of hope that have bloomed in his heart, Chuuya’s next attack towards his neck is even fiercer than ever. Different from the almost-feral blows from earlier, this one is terrifying in how calm and decisive it is.
It’s like his senses have narrowed in on Dazai’s face and neck behind, and he has issued a blow in that direction, not caring for obstacles on the way.
Dazai swings them hard to another direction, so they can avoid this attack. There’s a loud crashing sound, just from the sheer air pressure of the punch. Sigma doesn’t want to look behind, because he probably is going to lose his mind from how closely he’s brushed with death just now.
Worse, Dazai also starts exuding severe low pressure behind him, practically freezing the surroundings. “Oh? You’re attacking me even when I’ve nullified it, Chuuya?”
He should be thankful, because Dazai moves him to the side, not using him as an outright shield anymore. It really is hard to be thankful for anything, because now he sees another demon. Dazai’s expression looks even worse than the worst he’s seen on Dostoevsky.
“Or are you such a slug that you’re so slow in regaining your senses?”
How can that guy be considered slow! He moves so fast that even the air rushes to get away from him! Stop provoking him!
But as someone who’s still numbed with the fear of being the weakest one in a room full of crazy monsters, Sigma can only yell these thoughts inside his heart.
Dostoevsky finally makes a sound after spending the past few minutes simply watching the show. A low, pleased chuckle, as if it’s all according to his plan to lose the control he has over such a powerful trump card.
Perhaps because it just means that he’ll pull out an even stronger ace:
“Isn’t your fondest wish to be the one to tear Dazai-kun into pieces? I’ve already prepared the stage for you. Now is your chance to make your dreams come true.” Voice low, temptations high. “You can even report it as an unfortunate work accident.”
“It really is an ability befitting a demon,” so says the one with an expression darker than a demon’s. “Being able to read one’s wishes, but the moment the target accepts the demon’s help, they’ll be met with divine punishment.”
Dostoevsky shrugs, unconcerned. “Nakahara Chuuya, of all the existence in this world, is the one entity who should have no reservations about a divine punishment.”
Dazai lets out a faint tsk.
Dostoevsky continues, “Someone who can be considered as a heretical existence like you, Dazai-kun, on the other hand… I believe that it’s only right that someone like you is sacrificed to a god’s altar.”
A heretical existence…? Sigma vaguely remembers from Gogol’s many mutterings, that the nullification ability is considered to be heretical, for it goes against all of the world’s abilities. But more than that, given how Dostoevsky has been using his words, does that mean that this Chuuya in front of him has links to divinity…? Can they even win against him, especially if he apparently has bad blood with Dazai…?
“So the reason why you haven’t attacked me seriously until now, even though you’ve had plenty of chances,” Dazai says, a sarcastic twinge in his voice, “is because you’ve wanted to save me up as an offering for this chibi right here?”
Dostoevsky smiles, an attempt at an angelic aura. It only serves to creep him out.
Chuuya stretches his arm in front of him, palm turned up. A spinning ball of black starts to form, a red-and-black glow emanating from him. He sounds very bored, like he can’t even be bothered to feel anger towards the two, because they’re so beneath him. “Then? You two assholes finished comparing on who’s more deserving of a beating?”
“Being kicked to death by a hat-wearing slug isn’t in my dreams,” Dazai says.
Chuuya sighs, then jumps towards him, the spinning black hole ready to be shoved to his face.
Still, Dazai looks unperturbed by facing death in such close quarters. He even gently says, “Chuuya, I’m 8948.”
That immediately freezes Chuuya in his tracks. The red glow from his ability moves to concentrate itself in his cheeks, and he suddenly loses the imposing, dangerous aura he’s been radiating since the beginning.
From the distance, Dostoevsky frowns, trying to make sense of Dazai’s words.
Sigma thinks that it’s probably a code? A secret? 8-9-4-8? Ha-ku-ba? A white horse? No, he’s lacking a syllable… Suddenly, all of his Japanese knowledge flees him, as if it also couldn’t bear trying to understand how these scary people’s minds worked.
Chuuya seems to have no problem deciphering this though. With a face full of embarrassment and rage, he yells, “You mackerel bastard—!!!” but instead of attacking the person that’s made him explode like a cat sprayed with water, he turns his hand towards Dostoevsky and fires the black hole there.
There’s a large explosion, and Sigma has to squint his eyes so he doesn’t end up getting blinded. Before he does, he thinks he sees a swish of a cape right around where Dostoevsky is located.
While his eyes are still closed, he hears Dazai laugh again, “You’re really such a child. That kind of statement can make you blush so easily.”
“Shut the hell up! I really ought to kill you right now! You’re the one shameless enough to—!”
The other’s brash yelling is suddenly silenced by a faintly wet sound that makes Sigma shudder. In the interest of not blinding himself, he keeps his eyes squeezed shut.
It takes an entire era before the weird sounds stop. At least, it feels that way to him. He’s already covered his ears too, because listening in on two people who’ve seemingly forgotten that they’re still in such a dangerous situation… just… go ahead and… uh, bond… no, his Japanese has run away from him again.
A pat to his shoulder.
“You’ve worked hard dealing with this fish,” Nakahara Chuuya tells him. Sigma wants to die at hearing his breathless voice, because he knows exactly the reason for it. “Now, you two just sit tight here and don’t get in my way. I’m going to hunt those clowns down and make them pay for disturbing me.”
“Make sure you finish in five minutes, or else I’ll get bored and run around and get my head blown off, maybe?”
“Shut the fuck up, I’m the only one who gets to kill you, damn it!” To Sigma, he says, a lot nicer, “Oi, make sure this fish doesn’t swim away while I’m off.”
“What a possessive chibi prince you are.” Dazai sighs out his complaints as he makes shooing motions. “Go already and stop glaring at Sigma-kun. He’s very rich and his casino has a nice selection of wines, so you should be nice to him.”
Sigma takes a peek, and then regrets everything.
Kiss-swollen mouths aside, why are they looking at each other like they’re in front of an altar? As he’s thought, this place is really full of inconceivable monsters, all out to make him suffer!
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