10:It rings the death knell -Shuushou-

10:It rings the death knell -Shuushou-

[Narration]Shiki: That was something that happened in the small-scale internal war, a few years before the third World War broke out. Having accepted a request from the military personnel involved with the dark side of the country, I often sneaked into the battlefield. That day, I went into the enemy's territory to investigate, and when I was about to return to camp...
[Flashback]
Shiki: What's going on...
[End flashback]
Among the mountain of corpses like that of hell are unidentifiable soldiers, like wandering ghosts. One of them caught my eyes. He stepped on the heap of corpses, simply standing there with his back towards me, looking unbelievably defenseless. Then, our eyes met. I couldn't have been discovered by him, but he was looking at me. Straight at me. There was no sense of consciousness from those eyes that suck people into the empty darkness. I was unable to move, not even able to shift my eyes away. My calm thoughts went out of control and became very uneasy. Starting from my vision, my mind, my body, are all being eaten up by 'nothing'. I understood this shivering feeling. Up until now, I'm feeling this for the first time faced with the man before me. Just then, the other soldiers turned to look here and started to attack. The overwhelming movement and action was far beyond my imagination. After a tought fight, I finally got rid of them. My memory of that instance is rather vague and I almost can't remember, probably because my rationality had completely disappeared at that time. There was only one person in my eyes, that man within nothingness. Just him.
[Flashback]
Shiki: ...Kill...me...
[End flashback]
Looking up from a close distance, those were purple pupils, within which there was nothing at all. No fighting spirit, no emotions, not even self-consciousness. All that's left was pure madness, that's the only way to describe it.
[Flashback]
Shiki: Ahhh!
[End Flashback, End Narration]

Shiki: At that time, why didn't you kill me? Why did you let me live!
n: I wanted to sample the fear born in your heart.
Shiki: What did you say!
n: The fear experienced when the power you absolutely believed in collapsed, and that impulse. I saw it in your eyes at that time. I knew that you would surely come after me. What you hate is not just me, you hate and fear everything that is born from me. As long as that fear remains in your heart, you can never defeat me.
Shiki: The trivial discussion stops here.
Akira: Stop it!
Shiki: Don't obstruct me! (To n) Die!
Arbitro: Hmph, even with the power of II-re that man can't be harmed one bit, I didn't expect him to me this strong.
Kiriwar: That, probably can't hang on for much longer~
Arbitro: What do you mean?
Kiriwar: Who knows~
Gunji: Can I join in?
Arbitro: No!
[Fighting]
Shiki: You, what is your aim? What on earth are you planning to do? Answer me!
n: My answer is already very clear, to bring the foolish spirit to nothingness.
Shiki: Don't be conceited!
n: This world was formed by conceitedness, filled with foolish products. Humans are also such, having no fangs, no claws, having nothing to protect themselves with, yet wanting to climb to the top. They dream of acquiring everything they can see, trapping themselves within this kind of fantasy.
Shiki: That's the very reason why power is needed. Not one that relies on others, but absolutely power from the self.
n: That precisely is wrong. A human's rashness leads to war, still being misled by their greed at present despite having sacrificed everything, never noticing the impending darkness. The anticipation and zeal when having climbed to the peak, is an incomparable sweetness. But, that is just a momentary illusion.
Shiki: True, maybe I am within this excitement right now.
n: But, even if ugly and foolish, it will increase the radiance of the flame of the end. I want to see this process and moment of destruction. Despite knowing that they'll dye their hands black for their own desire, they uglily fight, and before they notice it it is already too late, foolish spirits that can only walk towards destruction.
Shiki: In short, you made use of me for your own desire, isn't that so? That's why I said you're conceited. Do you want to become god!
n: No matter what actions I take, it won't change anything. It's just small issues like grains of sand. All I want is to witness the beauty of self-destruction. At the last moment, I want to confirm.
Shiki: Confirm what?
n: Fufufu...hahaha...
Shiki: Stop it!
[Flashback]
n: Has it appeared in your heart?
Shiki: ......!
n: You won't understand, will you? You won't understand me.
[End Flashback]
n: You are really foolish. You can't win me, and you get defeated whenever you challenge me, but despite this you won't give up. You are really nothing but foolish.
Shiki: ......
n: It's about time you learnt. You can never win me, forever. You know why? Because I know very well the horror of living that you have never felt before. Without understanding your own weakness you'll never acquire true strength. If you can understand it by a bit, I've already felt torture thousands of times of yours. You can never imagine it, can you. That's why I am very strong, and will forever be strong.
Shiki: Shut up!
n: When you understand this pain, what would you chose? Or will you continue to be strong? The blood in my body which you detest, this blood that brings false power to people is a sign of your weakness. Do you get it? Line is a product of diluting this blood several tens of times. If a normal human took in the extremely pure original fluid, he will surely go crazy and die. Not just that, but the very action of taking in this blood is already a big test for you. Can you surpass it?
Shiki: What nonsense, who wants to take take in your blood!
n: I'm asking if you can surpass it. If what you want is true power, and to exceed me, can you admit the weakness in your heart, and surpass it? Just like how I have done before...
Shiki: ......
n: So, what would you do?
Shiki: To acquire power, I abandoned everything, even killed my kin. This time too, I'll surpass it too!
Akira: Shiki! Didn't you say you would use your own power to conquer him? To be trapped my weakness is different from surpassing weakness! Wake up!
Shiki: ...Bastard!
n: You lose.
Shiki: [Narration] The swaying purple shadow changed back to the image I've been pursuing. That emotionless eyes of emptiness. The absolute wall that's always before me. Failure? If that's what you want to call it then so be it. Why should I understand that pain of yours? Pain, weakness, it has nothing to do with these. I have only one goal, and that is to kill you!
[Flashback]
Akira: Even to the very end, I will only follow my own will.
[End flashback]
Shiki, Akira: I do not belong to anyone. I only belong to myself!
Shiki: Akira, just like you said that you'll belong yourself to the end, I will also persist in my will. Even if I will be trapped in the prison of madness named "Nicole", I will kill you!
[Ending theme]

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