Tatakau Shisho

Volume 8, Chapter 1: The Lone Struggle of the Defeated Remnants – Part?2

From then on, the two started refining their plans.

“You have some connection to the Armed Librarians. Can you go back to Bantorra and find information?”

Enlike shook his head.

“I can’t. If you were caught or if they found your Book Hamyuts would target me.”

“…Do you think you can win even so?”

“Impossible. I can’t win from the front.”

This was Enlike’s rational conclusion.

He couldn’t possibly defeat Hamyuts. Even if he fought against Mattalast he would barely be able to reach a draw. There were still also Yukizona and Bonbo.

Even something like the lightning from the skies that he used to defeat Kachua wouldn’t work against opponents of that class. It took about thirty seconds to activate and couldn’t be used unless the sky had rain clouds.

“I might be able to bring down several people with me. But that’s meaningless… we have to be able to reach the secret after that.

Also, if they notice us it’s all over.”

“Meaning we need to conceal your very existence. Both the fact that you’ve met me and that you intend on fighting against Heaven.”

“Yes, but is it possible?”

“Let’s think of a way that makes it possible.”

The two conversed for several hours. Enlike was no good at deceit; most of the plan came from Olivia.

“So you’re going to deceive Mattalast and erase your memories to conceal me, huh.”

That strategy was like treading on thin ice. Even Olivia who proposed this had no confidence it would work. Yet she couldn’t think of anything else.

“Don’t be disappointed even if I lose.”

“Fine.”

Enlike nodded. Even if she loses, it would at least buy them some time. That would be good enough.

“I would only be able to buy you some time. Afterward I will leave everything to you. If you can’t do it as well, pass it along to someone else. The will and method to defeat Heaven… as long as they’re not interrupted, we will win some day.”

“…Got it. And if I’m killed and you’re still alive, you pass it along to someone.”

“Seems like a fat chance, but I’ll try.”

Their conversation ended there. They had no other topics of discussion except fighting.

A long silence flowed between the two. There was probably something that a man and a woman could do while on a bed, but neither were in the mood for that.

Olivia suddenly opened her mouth.

“Umm, so that girl Noloty died, huh?”

“…Yeah.”

“It’s a pity. She was a good kid.”

“Yeah. Truly.”

That conversation did not continue. It was far too heavy for Enlike. Olivia also seemed to guess his mental state.

“Umm, the man called Volken also died, right.”

“Yeah. He was a good guy. A really good guy. Has it already been half a year since he died?”

Olivia said as if yearning for the old days.

“Many other Armed Librarians also died. Even that Ireia.”

“And yet people like Hamyuts and Mattalast all survived. This world is crazy.”

“Right. I have no idea why, but I’m also alive.”

It was quite the hopeless conversation. They both didn’t like it and so stopped.

Olivia opened her mouth again several minutes later.

“Say, did you know that we’ve met as children?”

Enlike was somewhat surprised. His memories as a child have already returned, but he couldn’t remember Olivia at all.

“You don’t remember? You’re a war orphan from the Kuler Region, right? I remembered you from those bad eyes of yours.”

“I see, so you were there too.”

Enlike searched his memory. Thinking of it, there was some girl who would indiscriminately attack anyone, child or otherwise, like a rabid dog. But he didn’t know her name was Olivia.

“This is all much better compared to that time. At least I don’t have to worry for my next meal.”

“Who knows. I don’t see a large difference.”

The two smiled. Enlike suddenly tried mouthing a name that rose to his mind.

“Do you know of Colio Tonies?”

Olivia tilted her head.

“You were a lone wolf, so I understand if you don’t. He was part of my group. We lived together, helping each other.”

Enlike recalled Colio when he was a child. He was terribly non-talkative and unreliable, a child that couldn’t live by himself. He gave up on trying imagining him grown up.

“So what happened to that Colio?”

“He defeated the one of the True Men, Cigal Crukessa.”

Olivia widened her eyes in surprise.

“…No, wait. That shorty did?”

“Do you know him?”

“It wasn’t in Kuler, but I once met him on the ship. Is that for real? Did that brat really defeat Cigal?”

“It’s the unbelievable truth. Hamyuts had been interested in him for quite a while.”

Olivia’s face sparkled.

“That’s incredible. It’s a big deal… good job Colio. Where is he now?”

“Unfortunately it was a mutual kill. Still, I believe that was a fine death.”

Enlike shook his head. Olivia also hung her head. However, both of them didn’t feel bad at all.

“Do you know Kayas?”

This time Olivia brought it up. Enlike was surprised at this unexpected name. Kayas was one of his comrades who had been eaten by Zatoh. He possessed the ability of super regeneration.

“Oh, I see. You remember him too?”

“I went fishing for food alongside him and we’ve tried killing each other countless of times. Eventually we would start fighting the minute our eyes met.”

Olivia spoke enjoyably.

“Quite the nice relationship you had there. Unfortunately, he also died.”

“I see… him as well.”

Olivia’s shoulders sagged.

“What about Malflare? He was also supposedly caught by the Indulging God Cult.”

Enlike said. He was another one of the war orphans that had lived with him. They were captured together but he never saw him.

“Malflare…”

After thinking for a while, Olivia recalled.

“I remember. He was on the ship. He fought together with me… but I don’t know what happened to him.”

“Your ship’s sank.”

“Yeah.”

He was probably not alive then. Enlike sighed.

“What about Kunali?”

Olivia asked. He was also one of the war orphans from Kuler. He was sort of a leader who brought the orphans together.

“He supposedly joined the Cult not as a Meat but as a False Man.”

“So that’s how it was, that bastard… I wonder if he died.”

Olivia frowned unpleasantly.

“Probably. The Armed Librarians killed all False Men. But I have no idea who killed him.”

“I should’ve killed him when we were children.”

“Yeah. But oh well. The Armed Librarians already killed all of them.”

Olivia once again recalled another name.

“Then what about Pasla?”

“Pasla? I don’t know that name.”

Enlike shook his head.

“I see… he was on the ship with me.”

This time Enlike was the one to ask.

“Then Olivia, do you know Sasari?”

“I knew him when he was a child, but not when he joined the Cult. Is he possibly alive?”

“No, he died too.”

They had fun raising memories for a while. They exchanged the names of children from the Kuler Region who fought desperately to stay alive. However, these nostalgic faces all became those of dead people.

Olivia suddenly spoke with a slightly gentle expression.

“Do you know Relia?”

That name was so nostalgic that Enlike wanted to hug her and so sad that he wanted to cry. He was his lifelong friend, the one who had shown him a smile for the first time. The man who accompanied Colio to Toatt Mining Town and died exploding.

“…Do you also know Relia?”

“A long time ago I got sick. When I thought I was going to die Relia nursed me. I thought about going with him, but we ended up fighting and separating. Even though he was a good guy.”

“…Yeah, he was. A really good guy.”

So she knew Relia as well. Thinking so, Enlike smiled faintly.

An hour or so passed. When the names in their memories ran out, Enlike spoke.

“Everyone died.”

“Yeah, they all died. I wonder why… they were all good guys.”

“Why have we survived, I wonder?”

“Don’t ask me. Even I have no idea.”

By some kind of twist of fate, the two remnants gathered there. There was a strange sense of solidarity between them.

“If it weren’t for Heaven, all of them would’ve been alive.”

“Yeah. They wouldn’t have died.”

Their friends from Kuler have been used by the Indulging God Cult and died.

For the sake of Heaven, both Armed Librarians and the Cult fought each other again and again and died.

Thinking back, this long, endless fight could be thought of as one big defeat. No one ever won; everyone involved was killed by Heaven.

“Win, Enlike. For their sake.”

Olivia extended her hand.

“You too, Olivia.”

Enlike responded to it. The two tightly clasped their hands on top of the shabby bed.

Moving ahead, it was January 12.

Enlike passed next to Olivia and headed toward Bantorra Library. He could see the normal librarians on duty evacuating from the Library’s front gate. This meant the crisis was happening inside of the Library and not outside of it.

“Hey you, what’s going on inside?”

He spoke to one of the librarians.

“It is confidential. Please wait for the official announcement later. It is dangerous, so please wait at home.”

Enlike clicked his tongue and left the librarian. He won’t be able to gather any information by continuing to pretend to be a normal person, but it was still too early for him to reveal his identity. He loitered around the Library while pondering what to do.

Should I try entering inside? Just as he thought this, he could feel a presence from behind.

It was an unfamiliar person. However, he was familiar with their unique presence, as well at the stone dagger in their hands.

“Lascall Othello? What business do you have with me?”

I’ve been able to see quite a lot nostalgic people in so short a time, Enlike thought.

“It has been a long time. Where are you headed to?”

“To Bantorra Library, obviously.”

“Is that so?”

Lascall spoke coldly. Enlike didn’t have any special business with this strange being, but his feet stopped. There was something that he simply had to ask.

“What’s your goal?”

“What do you mean by goal?”

“You were cooperating with the Armed Librarians as well as with the Indulging God Cult. And yet you conveyed the Violet Wish to Olivia, taking rebellious actions against both sides. What is your goal?”

“I have said this countless of times, but my only goal is to bestow a continuation and watch the conclusion of a story. There is nothing but that.”

An incomprehensible person as always, thought Enlike.

“Does that mean you don’t mind even if I’m going to destroy the Armed Librarians?”

“But of course. If that is your conclusion.”

“And you don’t mind me losing either?”

“Indeed.”

Perhaps it was meaningless to think too deeply about this being, Enlike decided.

“Incidentally, Enlike-sama. About the Violet Wish you had inherited from Olivia-sama. How far have you developed it?”

“There’s only a short time until my victory.”

Enlike asserted.

“Oh, that is quite surprising to hear. How close are you to victory?”

“I’ve arrived at the identity of Heaven and the secrets of the Armed Librarians. All that remains is destroying Heaven.”

“…Ho.”

Lascall leaked a voice that seemed to be somewhat admiring and yet also somewhat condescending.

After parting with Olivia, Enlike disguised himself as a traveler. He infiltrated Past God Bantorra’s Island and surveyed Olivia’s surroundings. He didn’t know how exactly she got to that position, but he could see she was living in peace.

No Armed Librarian came in contact with Enlike while he lived on Bantorra. And even if he showed himself in front of Olivia, she wouldn’t know his appearance.

When he became convinced that Olivia’s plan worked, Enlike temporarily left the Past God Island.

“Save the man known as Ruruta Coozancoona from despair”.

According to Olivia – and Lascall – this was the only way to destroy Heaven. However, Enlike had no idea who this Ruruta was. He was probably an important person related to Heaven, though.

What he had to do was discover the truth about Heaven and find the man called Ruruta. Both of them should be known by the Acting Directors throughout history.

There were three ways of doing so.

The first was to hear the information directly from those who knew it. Meaning either Hamyuts, Mattalast or Yukizona. Probably only the three of them knew the precise truth.

That would be quiet difficult, however. With Enlike’s power it would be questionable if he could win against them even one against one. And even if he defeated them, he doubted they would leak the truth.

There was also the person known as the previous Acting Director, Photona Bardgamon. However, five years ago when he’d transferred his seat to Hamyuts he also retired at the same time and severed all contact with the Library. His current whereabouts were unknown.

It would be hard for Enlike to find him with his investigative capabilities. Or perhaps he wasn’t actually alive. Either way, finding him was unrealistic.

He gave up on trying hearing about it from those people still alive.

The second way was to kill a person who knew the truth and read it from their Book.

That would also be difficult. Even with pure fighting power the fact that he was inferior hadn’t changed. Moreover it would be hard to obtain their Book after killing them anyway. The ones managing all Books were the Armed Librarians. Seeking cooperation from Lascall Othello would also be impossible.

The final way was the simplest one.

It was entering the Second Sealed Labyrinth and reading the Books of past Acting Directors. By going to the place where the secret was housed he could learn it. Such simplicity agreed with Enlike.

He took a bit of time to prepare for that.

It took him half a year.

December 28. On the day of the Armed Librarians’ party, Enlike infiltrated Bantorra Library. It was the only day the Armed Librarians disappeared from the Labyrinth. He couldn’t think of any other day in which to carry out his plan. He somehow made it in time for the only day it could work.

Slipping through the surveillance of the trainees, he stole the key and got into the Archive. Enlike stood at the entrance of the desolate Sealed Labyrinth.

“My bet starts from here on.”

He muttered while gulping. Once he steps in he could no longer take it back. If his infiltration was discovered it would be the end of the line.

He could only do it now. Steeling his resolve, Enlike put his hand to the Sealed Labyrinth’s door.

Obviously, the Sealed Labyrinth was locked during this day. Only official Armed Librarians had the authority to open the door. Enlike obviously did not have it.

Furthermore, the Library itself was heavily guarded by the trainees. Never mind entering the Labyrinth, even standing in front of the entrance was originally hard beyond measure.

But Enlike found a special loophole that allowed him to solve several obstacles at once. Those were the preparations he had been working on for the last half a year.

Putting his hands on the door, Enlike spoke.

“I appeal to the Overseer of the Library using the authority of Luimon Mahaton. Please release the Labyrinth’s seal.”

He could hear a heavy metallic sound coming from inside the door. It opened gently as he pushed. He quickly went inside and locked the door behind him.

Luimon Mahaton – he was the young Armed Librarian who had lost his life during the Dragon Pneumonia Incident at Toatt Mining Town. Later, his Book was Eaten by the Book-Eater monster Zatoh. Meaning, both his knowledge and his Magic Right were inside Enlike’s current body.

Enlike conducted the Magic Deliberation and made contact with Luimon’s soul. He got his authority to open the door as well as learned about the defense arrangements and the Labyrinth’s internal structure.

“So nothing’s changed. As I thought, you are weak against betrayal from the inside.”

Enlike faintly smiled and started running towards the Labyrinth’s deepest ends.

The Guardian Beasts weren’t much of an obstacle. With Enlike’s abilities he could break through the Second Sealed Archive by himself.

The problem was remaining unnoticed by the Armed Librarians. Enlike proceeded cautiously as to not leave any traces.

Yet another problem was the existence of Hamyuts.

If Hamyuts were to extend her Sensory Threads to the Labyrinth on a whim, she would come to know of Enlike’s presence. He wasn’t able to think up of any countermeasures until the very end only against her Sensory Threads.

He had to leave that up to destiny. Fortunately, there was some friction between the Armed Librarians. Since Hamyuts was distracted by Yanku and Olivia, she shouldn’t be turning her attention all the way to the Labyrinth.

Enlike won that bet. Nothing came from behind him or in front of him, and he reached the Second Sealed Labyrinth within half a day.

“…I found it, Armed Librarians. The secret you’ve all been guarding.”

Enlike muttered while putting his hand on the door.

The Armed Librarians were unworthy of fear. Victory was already within his grasp. He felt quite the hubris for his good performance. And he opened the door.

“…!”

His hubris disappeared much faster than melting snow. After opening the door, he peeked through the slight opening.

The moment he opened the door, Enlike leapt back ten meters. There was something inside. Was it Hamyuts, Mattalast, or some other unknown Armed Librarian?

It was an overwhelming pressure that he experienced for the first time in his life. He momentarily felt himself about to die.

“Who is it?”

Nothing came out of the half-open door. His premonition of death was gone, but the overwhelming pressure remained.

He couldn’t move. His feet were paralyzed. Enlike, who was currently one of the top five strongest warriors in the world, was scared like a small animal. No human could exert this kind of pressure.

“…Are you… God?”

It was a bit late, but he now recalled that this was the residence of the Past Overseer Bantorra. Was Heaven Bantorra itself? If so, Enlike had no means to oppose him as a human being.

“…No, that’s wrong.”

Lascall Othello had certainly said this – if he were to make the Violet Wish come true Heaven would be destroyed. If there was a way of destroying it, this meant it was no God.

Enlike stepped into the Second Sealed Labyrinth.

A single tree stood in the dark Archive. Enlike was able to understand it was Heaven without basing it on anything. He also realized it was the origin of that pressure.

He didn’t think of attacking it. He had an instinctive fear of it. He also operated under the rational judgment that attacking something without realizing what it was is a bad plan.

That choice was correct. The tree protected itself with a causality-erasing ability. The moment it was attacked it would crush its attacker’s body automatically. This wasn’t an imperfect ability such as that of the Ever-Laughing Magic Blade Shlamuffen. Even Enlike’s super regeneration, Mattalast’s predictive ability and Yukizona’s Decay Wave would all be powerless against a perfect ability of this kind.

Enlike would be dead at the moment he attacks. Even though it was him, by ripping his brain and heart to pieces he would undoubtedly die.

“…I’ll worry about this later.”

Enlike ignored the large tree and turned his eyes toward the Books stored in his surroundings. The Books of Acting Directors were piled on top of plain, stone-made shelves.

What was stored here belonged to the representatives of the Past Overseer. They were supposed to be humans at the very top of the world. It’s quite the dreary sight here, thought Enlike.

The biting cold was probably unavoidable, but the structure of the Archive was quite boorish, or rather rough. Not to mention the dark and heavy atmosphere. It seemed less like a cemetery meant to house the Books of great people and more like a prison confining criminals. Were they people who couldn’t atone for their sins even after death? Enlike had this sort of impression.

It didn’t matter which Book he read as long as it was that of an Acting Director. For now he picked up the newest Book. It seemed to be the Book of the Acting Director five generations ago. He wasn’t able to find any Director after that.

“…!”

The moment he extended his fingers to the Book, Enlike reflexively turned around. He could feel some gaze coming from the large tree.

The tree was looking at him. He didn’t know anything about it, but that tree was undoubtedly a being with its own will.

It was looking at Enlike. It possessed neither hostility nor good will; it was merely staring.

“…Don’t be afraid!”

He encouraged himself and grabbed the Book with his bare hand. Enlike came to instantaneously know the life of the Acting Directors and everything about the secret they have been protecting.

He released the Book he had been holding. It made a small sound and fell to the floor.

“…!”

Fortunately it didn’t break. With trembling hands, Enlike grabbed it again and returned it to the shelf.

“…This is… the truth…”

Enlike heard a voice from behind. His underclothes have frozen in the area of his back. Although it was a cold place and he had read the Book for merely an instant, Enlike emitted large amounts of cold sweat.

He realized Heaven’s identity.

He also understood the duty of the Armed Librarians.

He found out who Ruruta was as well. Enlike thought that as long as he knew that, it would be easy to destroy Heaven. Yet he now realized it was an empty assumption.

“…”

Step by step, Enlike slowly headed to the door. He felt as if a deadly attack would come flying at him from the tree behind, but it didn’t feel alive at all.

He exited the Second Sealed Archive and entered the Labyrinth. The Second Sealed Labyrinth, full of the strongest Guardian Beasts, now felt like a safe haven to him.

Enlike put his back to the door and sank down on the floor.

“That is… Heaven, Ruruta Coozancoona…”

He recalled the words he heard from Olivia.

“Save Ruruta Coozancoona from the depths of despair. That will destroy Heaven.”

“How can I do such a thing? How in the world?”

For a while Enlike merely mumbled to himself repeatedly. Don’t be afraid, throw away your doubts. Destroy Heaven even at the price of your life. Even while he spoke this inside his mind, the repeated words never stopped.

“…How can I do it?”

When Enlike left the Archive and slipped through the Labyrinth, it was just in time to encounter the Armed Librarians at the end of the party. They didn’t seem to notice Enlike’s presence or his infiltration of the Labyrinth. Olivia also seemed to be safe.

When he confirmed they were all peaceful, Enlike once again disappeared downtown.

Two weeks passed since then.

He already threw away his fears from that day. No matter how strong Heaven was, did it matter? He was intending to sacrifice himself in the first place.

“Ho, a short time you say?”

Lascall Othello said. It was a rare mocking tone.

“I already arrived at Heaven’s identity. All that’s left is granting the Violet Wish.”

Enlike said. But he was probably only acting tough. Just how difficult fulfilling the Violet Wish was? Now that he knew the truth he realized this.

“Fu, fufufufu.”

Lascall started laughing.

“Is that so? All that is left is to grant the Violet Wish. That is certainly quite close to victory.”

Don’t make it sound so bad, Enlike thought. Lascall was able to see through his bluff.

“Have you come to encourage me? Or just to ridicule me?”

“Of course, I am ridiculing you, Enlike-sama.”

Lascall said frankly. Enlike was surprised.

“Had Olivia-sama made a mistake in her choice? She was finally able to pass along the Violet Wish and a year has passed, but this is the current situation?”

These were wholly unexpected words. Enlike intended on approaching victory.

“No, there is no need for you to be bothered. It is too much for you anyway. Because destroying Heaven is impossible in the first place.”

“…It’s only the beginning. The real deal starts now.”

Enlike said. This wasn’t a bluff. He would continue to fight as long as he was alive.

“No, that will not work, Enlike-sama.”

“What do you mean?”

“Unfortunately, you have not made it in time. To put it simply, it is past the deadline. Unfortunately, your battle will end today.”

He couldn’t understand him. Why has everything ended? Even if Hamyuts or Mattalast were to know of him, his battle wouldn’t be over yet.

Perhaps someone had destroyed Heaven before him? But he couldn’t feel any good news from Lascall’s tone of speech.

“…What are you saying?”

“I mean that quite literally. Olivia’s efforts, as well as your fight, were both useless hardships.”

“…Explain clearly. What do you mean?”

“Your long labor is over, good work.”

“Hey, explain!”

Ignoring Enlike, Lascall vanished.

He somehow felt that the situation had changed. It wasn’t something like an attack on the Library or a rebellion as Enlike expected.

He had the feeling that something much more serious and unthinkable was happening.

He stopped hesitating. Enlike jumped over the fence and entered the premises of the Library.

“…Is no one here?”

The place he landed at was a corner of the park. There was no way it would be empty. The moment he thought so, he could see a figure coming from afar.

Was that a child or a petite woman? She was sitting alone. He approached her thinking that perhaps she was a customer who sprained her leg. When he saw her face, Enlike was surprised.

It was the Armed Librarian Kyasariro Totona. What was she doing at such a place during this emergency?

“Hey, what’s wrong?!”

Her body jumped.

“W-who are you?”

He heard that she was quite powerful among the Armed Librarians. So what was with her behavior? She was surprised to the extent of jumping up in fear just at having Enlike speak to her.

“What are you doing here? More importantly, what’s going on inside?”

“…W-who are you?”

“That doesn’t matter. Anyway, what’s happening inside?”

While looking at Enlike, Kyasariro’s lips shivered.

“I… inside there…”

“What’s going on there?”

“Inside there…”

Kyasariro held her head. There was something inside the Library that made even a warrior of her caliber shake in fear. Enlike was convinced that whatever was going on inside the Library was unimaginable.

Although she was now his enemy, she was an Armed Librarian he had fought along with. Enlike was worried about her.

“What is it, what happened?”

“No, nothing happened… it will all begin now…”

“What are you saying?”

Kyasariro kept trembling all over while holding her head. Her mental condition was abnormal.

“Calm down, what’s going on? What are the Armed Librarians doing?!”

“Shut up!”

She brushed Enlike’s hand aside when he tried helping her get up.

“I dunno, I dunno! Who’re you?! What’s going on?!”

“Calm down, Kyasariro!”

“Shut up, just shut up!”

Shouting at Enlike, Kyasariro started running away. He grabbed her arm and tried to get her to calm down.

“Let go, it’s all over, we’re finished!”

“So as I’m asking, what in the world…?!”

Kyasariro shook off Enlike’s hand and ran. It would be faster just entering the Library rather than chasing her. Enlike headed to the main building.

The last words left by Kyasariro echoed inside Enlike’s head.

‘We’re finished!’

“…It can’t be.”

He noticed himself sweating suddenly.

The worst case scenario rose to his mind. It was the most frightening situation he dared not to think of. The Library ending. Enlike’s fight ending.

It meant that…

“…It can’t be… that Ruruta Coozancoona has…”

The rest was far too scary to even voice. He stuffed it into the back of his throat and back to his stomach.

From the distant roof of the beer hall, Lascall replied.

“That is indeed the case, Enlike-sama.”

It was still early. The long, long day has only begun.