One Last Lost
"…Well, this is amusing."
"I knew it. I sensed another person in here while I'm approaching this place."
Sora and Maya ran to each other at the inlet to the cavern which united their paths. It took a moment for Maya to realize that there was something that changed in Sora's appearance.
"Hold on, what happened to you, Sora-san?"
"Huh? Oh… I can't explain it exactly, but I've had a lingering feeling that something like this would happen."
"What are you talking about?"
"Back in our past world, I was supposed to stop the Miyazonos before they even got to where they ended up. In a way, things overlapped and instead of me, it was Ephraim who took on what was fated as my burden and ended it."
"Fate, huh? The world sure was weird in that respect."
"In the first place, things like that shouldn't be tampered with. Because of that, we ended up with people who shouldn't have had deaths as cruel as they got and powerful positions that they never deserved. As for me, just like how Ephraim ended up fulfilling my fated task back there, I got a sliver of his power now to finish what he started."
"W-Whoa!"
Sora lighted up a ball of fire on his palm and a moment later, turned the frolicking flames into a ball of water that levitated within a self-contained bound.
"The two of us have our reasons to be here that came from our past world… but if you ask me, the other guy who is also here is the one who has the real reason to be here."
"Who?"
As they were walking, another fork on the cavern system revealed the aforementioned young man.
"Hiro-kun?!"
"M-Maya! Sora too!"
The three, finally reunited, convened about their plan while approaching the interior cave tunnels that seemed more and more ominous as they went deeper.
"We two have our powers to use. I know that you have the most at stake in here, but I insist that you remain behind and support us."
"I understand."
"Wow… Knowing you, I thought you'd insist to be on the front."
"I know my limits, Maya. The last time I ran off and went to a fight that I knew I can't win, I lost someone that I loved and ended up dead as well."
"…"
"…Sorry, I wasn't blaming you or anything. I just-"
"No, no… I get it. You learned your lesson and I'm glad for you on that."
Innumerable factors and tampered destinies led their old world to a disastrous end. Although it has already been confirmed that everyone who exist in this new world of theirs are people of the old world that was reincarnated here as a second chance for a normal world to exist, to these three and the few hundred Otherworlders who knew of the old world and its many errors, this is a place where they can finally be freed from the ills of their past.
"Say, Maya. What do you plan to do after all of this?"
"After we defeat Keiji? You seem confident that we can actually do it."
"It's not confidence. It's faith."
"Faith? Faith on what? It seems ironic that a guy like you who can make evil and bloody decisions would spout something about faith now of all times."
"While I don't deny that you're right about the irony of me speaking about faith when I am known to dole out verdicts and underhanded purges like I did in the past world and even in here, that isn't that faith that I am talking about."
"Then what is it, Sora-san?"
When Hiroshi asked for him what it was specifically, Sora sighed out.
"I have faith that what we set out for here is something that will be successful. You two already know it as people who came from in the old world, fate is something that pushed us forward and made us end up here because we still have unresolved business that can be fulfilled here. I can't deny that I have made actions and decisions that brought many people despair and death, but unlike our enemy, I am not willing to run away or downplay it… but I do will justify it as something that I did for the sake of everyone else's safety."
"And what about those people who don't belong to your so-called "everyone"?"
"…Then may I be judged by the world and the heavens of all that I did when the time comes."
Maya and Hiroshi looked at each other after he gave out that answer. It wasn't due to exasperation but instead, the way that he delivered those words.
It had a tone of resignation. One that seemed unopposed to any kind of rightful judgement once it does come for him.
"I said it before and I'll say it again, we're all going to be judged in one way or another. If that is so, then even if it is a cruel decision or action, I am ready to do whatever it is that I need to do for the sake of the people that I am responsible for… right now, and even to the far future."
"Some people will revile you as a dictator… a cruel man who subjected his people, who didn't follow his wishes, to a painful death."
Maya, although fully on his side, still spoke according to her personal beliefs that clashed with Sora's. Still, he didn't back down from what he believes in.
"Well, they have the freedom to do that… but as they used to say back in my time, a goldfish on a tank where it is at peace and is well provided can never deserve to speak in lieu of their fellows who fight everyday to survive in the dangerous open seas."
"…"
"It is the unavoidable outcome that those who know nothing or knows only a part of the treacherous present that we are living in today wouldn't understand why we did the things that we are doing today… perhaps, there may be people in the future who will say that our war against Keiji is something that shouldn't have happened and we should have just coexisted with him and those who believe in him… now, how does that sound to you?"
"That…"
"I get your point, Sora-san… So, your plan all along was that?"
"…Yes."
All this time, Hiroshi remained quiet and digested the words of the two that are equally valid and yet, contrasting in some parts. It was only now that Sora proposed a situation that he understood what the Shogun is planning to do.
"Once this ends, we will destroy or tamper with every evidence of Keiji's existence. I have already made preparations to erase his involvement… in the end, this would seem nothing more than hopefully, the last time that this country would be engulfed in a civil war of this scale."
"You'd cover it up? You do know that doing this would probably backfire or worse, just aggravate the situation, right?"
"I do… but if I chose the alternative of his ideas carrying on and ruining all that we did here in our time, would you take responsibility for it?"
"…"
"All the pain, death, and trauma… our people, soldiers and civilians alike all sacrificed in one way or another for what we believe to be the right thing. I don't mean to say that you are naïve of the burden that I carry as a leader, I know that you've brought many such sacrifices as well just for all of this to become a reality."
"You're saying all of this as if you don't trust your people."
"You're correct. I don't."
"…"
"But between letting them walk through a minefield where they can probably lose it all and clearing that minefield for them and never telling that it existed in the first place, I would choose the latter anytime I am asked to decide about it."
"You two… that's enough."
Finally, Hiroshi broke his silence and gave the two of them a glance that showed that he didn't want to hear any of their sides anymore.
"Both of you have valid points and I cannot deny that one day, what you are talking about would fall on my lap eventually as someone looked up to by almost everyone in this country… but today is not that day."
"Hiro-kun…"
"While I understand Maya's point of view as well as its strengths and weaknesses, I cannot deny that Sora-san's point of view may be better in the long run. Unlike us who saw first-hand how the Miyazonos abused mankind's trust on them just to reach their selfish goals, the people of this world cannot… and because of that, it might be better to have this void in history rather than a deep hole that would just bring people innocent of our strife who would repeat everything as if nothing happened."
With a resolute expression, Hiroshi spoke his decision about what he wishes to do after all of this has ended.
"I want to honor the sacrifices of not only our people here but also the ones in the past world…. Rai-kun and his comrades, they all gave us a second chance to make it right…"
"A second chance…"
Hearing those words drew some memories in Maya's mind. Some of it good, some of it bad, but all of it reminding her that indeed, the sacrifices that many have shed in the past world would be for nothing if this doesn't end properly.
"Regardless of what we will do later, what's important is the present… as they say, before you think about cleaning the dishes, eat first."
"…"
After a while of walking down the cave tunnels, the bristling hum of a Geiger counter inside Hiroshi's rucksack sounded and they knew that the place where their enemy awaits them is within sight.
"The two of us are going to be fine since we'll be using our powers… but you're the outlier, Hiroshi-kun."
"I brought a suit lined with lead. I'll be fine."
"Lead-lined hazmat suits would wear you down. Although the radiation may not kill you, being hit by his attacks would."
"Still, I have to fight."
"…"
"I didn't come all the way here to just leave it up to you guys. You two are fighting for the things that you left behind in the past world… but me? I'm fighting for this new world of ours."
Hearing that from him, Sora and Maya looked at each other and with a silent nod and nothing more, gave their conditions.
"Stay back… and stay up top."
"Stay up top?"
"Although it was blown up by the nukes, this place used to be his bunker and some of those tunnels are still usable and exposed to the dome where he's stuck right now."
That explanation alone was enough for Hiroshi to understand what it was that they are trying to imply.
"The concrete and stones would protect you and up there, you can provide us your support. Leave the close up fight to us, you'll be our overlooking eye."
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
As they entered the cavern dome, what welcomed them was the mutated body of Miyazono Keiji that grew out into every crevice of the place. On every stalactite, wall and even the high ceiling of the dome, a piece or moving appendage of his bloated and mutated body covered the place.
It was like looking at a body riddled with a viciously malignant cancer that has long killed its host but is still feeding and growing out at a horrifyingly fast pace.
"…Just like how we agreed. Let's end this quickly."
"Gotcha."
As they approached, the self-aware appendages connected to Keiji's mutated blob of a body turned to them and spoke out with an arrogant tone.
"Well, well… look at the folly of these pests."
"Fools! You really know nothing about your insignificance in the presence of-"
*FYAING-! Krik-!*
"W-WHAT ON-!?"
Calling their bluff, Sora let loose a wave of ice that instantly froze and killed several of the independently moving and aware appendages of Babel.
"We're not here to hear your oration, Babel."
"This is the end. We know you'll resist to the very end, so let's just get this started."
"YOU TWO!!! HOW DARE YOU, MAGGOTS!!!"
In an instant, the countless appendages broke off and regenerated their frozen kindred and all sent their wiggling limbs to attack Sora and Maya.
"Hup!"
"
"
The combination attack of Maya's enormous saltwater attack that was instantly frozen by Sora's ice attack immobilized the storm of limbs.
"YOU TWO-!!!"
*BRRRRR!!!*
"W-WHA-!?"
Before Babel can melt off the ice that covers its frozen arms, a hail of bullets rained on the immobilized appendages and one by one, killed it off.
"Keep it going, Hiroshi!"
"Roger!"
From a hole at the semi-collapsed bunker tunnel that overlooks the cavern dome, Hiroshi stood up from where he was shooting and brought his light machine gun with him.
"Another one, Maya-kun!"
"Same with you!"
Once again, the two who wield supernatural powers battled him on the ground and prepared their attacks.
"
"ICK-! MY EYES!"
"Worry more about something else!
"W-What the-!? Drat!"
"The ground-?!"
As soon as most of the appendages had the irritating sea water enter their eyes, Sora used another kind of psychic power and opened up the stone floor of the cave.
"RRREEE-! HWAAA!!!"
"HYA-HAHAHA!!!"
"Did you think we'd lose our footing?! You're sorely mistaken!"
However, before they can slip into the holes, the appendages grew out small fingers out of their bodies that grip into the rim of the holes.
"Fire in the hole!"
"-!!!"
*BII-YAA!!!*
But those fingers were blown off when all of a sudden, several grenades fell near the slipping appendages which caused one side of Babel's misshapen body to fall down.
"A chance!"
"Let's do this!"
"GRRRR!!! Not a chance!!!"
*BRRRRRRR!!!*
As Sora and Maya charged forward, Hiroshi fired on the countless arms that are chasing the two, effectively defending their charge. This caught the attention of Babel who finally spotted his new firing position and sent out an enormous arm to crush him.
"AGAIN-?! YOU MEDDLESOME MORTAL! I WILL TEACH YOU HOW TO-!"
*Fwoof-!* *Ka-BYAK!*
"AAAAHHH!!!"
However, Hiroshi quickly drew out a rocket launcher from his back and fired it on the incoming arm. As soon as the rocket grenade hit, it shot out an armor-piercing jet of metal through the arm where it tore through flesh, crushed bones and gave a devastating amount of damage and pain to their enemy.
"The giant arm! Let's focus on that! On my mark, Maya!"
"Here it is!
"
The water blade sent out by Maya cut off the arm into chunks and pieces and a moment later, countless lightning bolts struck every single one of them, turning the appendage into ash and cauterizing the amputation wound.
"Tch! NOT YET! I AM NOT YET DONE, YOU MORTALS!"
"Good! I'm just starting to enjoy beating you up after everything you did!"
"-!!!"
"Can you see it now, Babel?!"
"YOU… YOU DAMN INVALID…!"
"No matter what you do, you will never win!"
"BASTAAAAARD!!!"
In Babel's eyes, he saw the reason why these three was so confident that they will win. Just like how he tried to do it in the past world but failed so miserably, he understood more than anyone else how much of an indomitable enemy destiny is.
"Your fate calls on you! This is the end!"
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
At the foot of the mountain, a few women suddenly appeared and before they left, gave their appreciations to a huge talking toad.
"This is the closest that I can bring you lassies near that mountain-ribbit. Whatever you humans dropped here has messed up the Ki lines-ribbit."
"No need to apologize. Your help was already plentiful enough."
"I see-ribbit. Good luck on whatever you're going to do here then-"
"W-Whoa!"
"Gama-san!"
However, before he can end his words, the toad suddenly froze up and fell down to the ground.
"What happened to you, Mr. Toad?!"
"You girlies… make sure to look after each other's backs and be wary of everything! This aura… I didn't sense it while we're travelling through the Spirit realm but this… There's someone here who shouldn't be here!"
"Chiyo-san…"
"…Yeah. We're in the right place."
"I will… have to leave now lest this negative Ki destroy my sense of self. Heed my words, lassies!"
"Mm! Take care too, Mr. Toad."
After the toad youkai left in a puff of smoke, Chiyo, Kotori, Kyoko and Mitsuhide entered the same cavern that Maya entered through earlier.
"The negative aura or something that the youkai told us about… is that it, Chiyo?"
"Yeah. It's what Reiha-san warned me about back in Kiko. She said that we should at least know what we will be going against."
"Heh! I don't know what possessed me to join into this, but since I'm here already, let's get through this somehow!"
What Kyoko spoke about isn't entirely false. While they do know the supernatural nature of the enemy that they would be going against, they are neither equipped with the power and knowledge to join in the fight.
Still, the three of them can sense that Chiyo didn't bring them here for nothing. There is a reason why against the wish Hiroshi and the fear of death, she of all people are here.
"Kyoko-sama! Over there!"
"What the-?!"
Up ahead the tunnel, the sharp eyed Mitsuhide saw something amidst the collapsed wall of the bunker complex.
"It's beating…"
"That… looks oddly organic."
Out of the floor, a fleshy appendage grew out and pulsated like a twisted pillar made of bloated muscle and fat.
"Is this a part of him? Our enemy that they came here to fight against?"
"Possible. There's no way that this thing is something that is on our side."
"Then there's no other question to be made… Hyah!"
In one swift motion, Kyoko drew out her sword and in slash, cut down the appendage that sprayed blood as soon as it fell down to the ground.
"It's disappearing!"
"Then I guess that's that. We should look for more of these and destroy them."
"I'll do that too."
"Wait. Before we act, what do you think of this, Chiyo-san?"
"…"
After Kyoko set that they should find more and get rid of them, Mitsuhide nodded along. For Kotori though, she consulted Chiyo who is still thinking this through.
"Well, Chi-chan? Come on, we don't have all day."
"…Let's do it then. But instead of spreading out, let's stick together."
"We'll slow down if we do that."
"Right. But remember the words of Gama-san from earlier. This place has enough negative Ki for him to almost lose his sense of self…"
As Chiyo turned off her headlight, the cave became a bit darker and helped her illustrate her point.
"Who know what we'll see and what will happen to us if we spread out individually."
"…Alright, I get it. If we're going to stick together, we should at least make haste so we can head down as quickly as possible to where Hiroshi is."
"Mm. Let's do that then."
Although they already deduced that this would help out Hiroshi, little did they know that this decision of theirs rid their enemy a way to escape to the surface world.
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
In the cavern dome, the savage battle between Babel and the three Otherworlders raged on with the former inching closer and closer into its backfoot.
"RAAAHHH!!! HYAAAA!!!"
"Sora-san!"
"Do it!"
"
"
Sandwiched between the enormous wave of seawater and superheated magma that appeared out of nowhere, Babel's body became covered in stone.
"Now! Hiroshi-kun!"
"Roger!"
*Fwoof-! Fwoof-! Fwoof-!*
After the two immobilized the monster, Hiroshi appeared with three rocket launchers slung over his shoulder and in a matter of a few seconds, sent out three rockets in quick succession.
"URYAAAAA!!!"
"Direct hits!"
"No time to celebrate yet, Maya-chan! Let's use this moment!"
"Right!"
Even after almost half an hour of non-stop fighting, Babel is yet to show any sign of breaking. Although it is clearly wounded, exhausted and desperately clinging to life, there was no indication that it is mortally wounded or ready to accept its death.
"Darn it… Where is that guy?!"
Using his binoculars, Hiroshi was trying to find the body of Keiji that they believe to be the core where Babel is extracting its power. However, his body or even a portion of it is nowhere to be found.
Leaving behind the spent one-time use rocket launcher tubes, Hiroshi moved to the next spot where he left his guns and other supplies.
"Kh-! It's definitely lower here, but radiation is still radiation…"
All throughout the battle, Hiroshi has been experiencing some moments where he'd be dizzy all of a sudden. Although much of his body is covered with his lead-lined hazmat suit, it certainly doesn't protect him completely enough.
"No… I already said what I said. I didn't come this far just to die!"
With his resolve steeled, he reached his next spot and there, found an interesting limb that is sticking out of the bloated and irradiated body of Babel.
Down on the ground, Sora and Maya flawlessly dodged a barrage of attacks from their enemy and in one sweep, let out a counterattack that disabled it from dishing out more for a moment.
"You still good, Maya?"
"Getting a bit tired already, but I won't be dragging my foot. How about you, old man?"
"Better than ever… Dodge!"
Only a second after the attacking limbs that they cut off regenerated, it was flung to their direction which they cleanly dodged.
"Still, this is becoming a bit too tedious. Although he really can't scratch us and we keep on hammering him down, it doesn't seem like we've cut through his shell yet and give him a proper beating."
"Yeah… and I have another concern too. This place, it seems like he somehow managed to draw power from the residual nuclear fallout and radioactive particles in this place."
"Wouldn't that kill him, though?"
"It will, but not him necessarily!"
"Then what are you planning?"
"Don't ask me something that should be clear to you! You're the one who took Engineering under the ACES program."
"-!"
Being reminded of what specialized education she received in their past world, Maya had a gist about what Sora was planning to do.
"You're a madman! A lot of things can go wrong if we do that! Radioactive poisoning, spreading the fallout! We can even set off another explosion if it absorbed enough material to-"
"Right. Which is why we will relegate it as, unironically, the nuclear option."
Wielding all kinds of Psychic powers that was used in the past world, Sora knew that there should be one that can control the mechanics of nuclear elements and if so, they can set off another explosion inside the mountain that would hopefully end their enemy.
"For now, let's put our trust on Hiroshi that he can-"
"Sora-san, Maya-chan! Blow off the entire left side of the main body!"
Just as he was about to say that they should await Hiroshi to spot the enemy weak point, he didn't disappoint. He shouted out those words and the two, instantly recognizing only one reason for him to speak those words, prepared their attacks.
"
"
The left side of Babel's main body suddenly became covered with a thin sea mist. Following this, a sensation of crushing weight began to form that grew heavier and heavier.
"NO!!! YOU BASTARDS WON'T-"
"Too late, Babel."
*KI-BYAAA-!*
The monster attempted to dispel those attacks by sweeping its appendages towards the two, but it was blown into pieces when Hiroshi threw a grenade towards it.
"GWAAA-!!!"
"You two! Do it now!"
"Take the shot, Maya!!!"
In that instant, Maya shot forth with such speed and force that it tore the air in half, causing a deafening sonic boom. Add to that the artificial gravitational pull that Sora placed, her speed and force multiplied several times over.
""
With spear on hand, a giant wave materialized behind her into the shape of a water dragon and before the moment of contact, coursed towards the spear point. She struck the left torso of the main body and left on it a gigantic gaping hole that went through and through the body.
"N-NOT YET! I CAN STILL-"
However, their enemy is clinging so much to life that it attempted to regenerate it back by focusing all of its power onto it.
"No, you will not!
"THAT-?!!!"
Hearing the name of that power alone sent Babel shuddering to his very core. He knew of only one person who was given such a power… and the fact that it wasn't the usual kind but instead, a "True" psychic power made him realize that once again, he was completely outsmarted.
"DAMN YOU, CELESTIAL SPIRITS!!! I WILL…! I WILL NEVER LET YOU DO THIS AGAIN!!!"
"
Through that power, the entirety of Babel's body became immobile, and the wound was cut off from the control of the rest of the body, rendering the regeneration effort effectively halted. With that, it exposed the face of Keiji that was buried beneath piles of bloated fat and flesh.
"GRAAAAHHH!!! NO! NOT NOW! NEVER AGAIN!!!"
"Maya! I am holding it back, but you have to strike him again!"
"I-I can't…!"
"-!"
At where she landed, the mist of seawater was finally gone and exposed an extremely wounded young woman who no longer wears her patron spirit's garb and the dragon fang spear.
"I spent it… Kak! I thought I had one more left and but that was it!"
"Tsk!"
"YAHAHAHA!!! STUPID PUNY HUMANS! YOUR LIMITS HAVE FAILED YOU ONCE-"
"You're forgetting that I am here, you beast!"
"WHAT THE-!?"
"HIRO-KUN!!!"
"HIROSHI!"
From an overhead partially destroyed tunnel, Hiroshi jumped down to the surprise on not only their enemy but his two comrades as well.
"This is for everyone that died because of you."
"D-Don't-"
As soon as Babel saw what was wrapped around Hiroshi's fist, it realized that the flow of destiny that it so blatantly denigrated in the past world has truly brought these three people that it wronged greatly in order to put it down.
"DIE!!! MONSTER!!!"
The core of its body, Miyazono Keiji, was hit by that punch covered with the replica of Ephraim's pendant owned by Sora. Although such a pitiful attack shouldn't even be painful for such a strong monster, the strike hit the most fatal place in the Babel's body.
Even in this world, as fate has dictated it, who was defeated and who defeated it was unchanged… but now, it is not to end a nightmare, but to build a new reality.
"KAH! AHHH!!!"
Slowly, radiating from the twisted human body in its core, Babel's body began to spasm and show cracks and open wounds.
"Hiroshi-kun! Hold on!"
Sora, knowing that Hiroshi cannot remain close to the dying monster, shot forward towards him and grabbed him away. Before he caught onto Sora though, Hiroshi threw a satchel bag at where he was standing.
"Yeah! Hyap!"
"W-What's with tossing the bag?"
"This!"
*Pip!*
*KYIII-!!!*
Several kilograms of explosives in that bag exploded after he pressed the remote detonator. It sped up the destruction of Babel's body that is continuously turning into stone then to dust.
"DAMN YOU, MORTALS!!! I WILL BE BACK! CHAOS AND DISORDER EXISTS IN EVERY HUMAN HEART! AS LONG AS THAT IS TRUE, I WILL ALWAYS BE-"
"N-No… Not anymore!"
"""?!!"""
A familiar voice echoed in the cave that was loud enough to even drown out the dying throes of Babel.
"You and I… Don't belong to this world…!"
"K-Keiji?"
"He was still alive…?"
Although misshapen and clearly no longer human, Keiji climbed out of the monster's torso that was becoming petrified and stared straight towards the groaning maw and bloodshot eyes of Babel.
"This time… there will be no more who will fall victim to you!"
"D-DON'T YOU DARE-"
"AAAAAHHHH!!!"
With his own hands, Keiji cracked open his chest and drew out a crystal so dark that it looked like a nothingness materialized.
"That brat… why now of all times?"
"That's the wrong question, old man."
"…"
As Sora muttered those words, he was promptly answered by Keiji.
"Back then, I truly believed that I am doing all of those things for the good of humanity… all three of us did, my sisters and I."
"And yet, you followed the corrupted words of that man you called as your father."
"Right… we have done a lot of evil, and we even went as far as justify it in the name of the "greater good". But this time… I will change that."
"KEIJI, YOU USELESS BASTARD! DON'T YOU DARE! DON'T YOU DAMN DARE TO DO THAT!!!"
Even as his many appendages continued to be petrified and dispersed into dust, Babel tried to reach out towards Keiji but to no avail.
"Just like how "he" did it when he thanked my sister's sacrifice in order to give mankind another chance… and he left this world with a hope for a better tomorrow even if he cannot see it himself… So shall I do too."
*Krik! KRAK-!!!*
"Now… I will disappear too."
Keiji cracked the dark crystal in his hands and at that moment, a powerful force shot out that ended the reign of terror of Babel. Even as a cosmic being unkillable unless the idea of his existence is rendered null, the last fragment of its consciousness is a death sentence that at that very moment, rid it of its existence… along with the one who destroyed it.
"I don't… feel so good…"
"What is happening-"
"M-Maya-chan! Sora-san! Why are you…Ugh... what is... happening...?"
It signaled the end of last disaster that the past world brought over… but not the ones that this new world inherently has… such as the existence of those that was brought here by supernatural powers.