AWB Chapter 162 Beast Arc: "5. Kotori's Choice"
Chapter 162 Beast Arc: "5. Kotori's Choice"
Silence...deathly silence...
Throughout the entire Fraxinus site, witnessing the massacres inflicted by Ming across the land, no one dared to utter a single word.
"Uh...mmm..."
The first to succumb were the female crew members, including Hinako Shiizaki, followed by some of the male crew members with weaker mental fortitude who began to vomit due to physical nausea. Only Reine and Kannazuki, who were sitting to the side, remained the most composed.
This strange feeling of nausea persists even through the screen.
If they were able to tolerate Kurumi and assist Shido in conquering and saving her, it would be because Kurumi killed evil people or because she did not demonstrate the whole process in front of everyone.
But Ming was not like that. He showed everyone a kind of malice, a malice that was purer than anyone else's.
Sitting on the high platform in the commander's chair, Kotori watched this scene with trembling hands. She could only sense one emotion from Ming—an emotion born of madness.
Saving the elves is the mission of Ratatosk, but she absolutely does not agree that Ming needs to be saved right now. She knows that saving the elves does not mean being "unable to distinguish right from wrong".
"Beast! Madman!! Bastard!!!"
After a moment of silence, an extremely angry roar resounded throughout the entire Fraxinus. At this moment, Kotori trembled with anger, felt sorrow for those innocent people, and her eyes turned red due to the reversed spiritual power.
"commander……"
Kannazuki, standing beside her, looked at Kotori with concern.
“I’m fine… Reine! Quick! Use the communication device to gather the Spirits who are currently forced to stay on the island in a corner, while avoiding Shido, and then transfer them into Fraxinus.”
"I see."
Command Sound quickly got to work.
Meanwhile, apart from the Yamai sisters who were just sealed away and Origami who is not a spirit, only Tohka on the island can receive the message.
She could only manage to use somewhat obscure and difficult-to-understand language to tell Yuzuru and Kaguya, who were standing next to Shido, to let them come up.
The elves hurriedly boarded the ship, and seeing the solemn expressions of the crew members, they couldn't help but feel nervous as well.
"What is it, Kotori, Reine?"
Looking at the solemn expressions of the crowd, Tohka could barely understand the severity of the current situation.
"Wow! So this is your warship! It's quite impressive."
“Indeed. Even the binding beam they just used on us was quite interesting.”
On the contrary, those who are much smarter than Tohka are a little unable to grasp the situation.
However, they soon saw the flames of war on the screen, and the monster standing in the sea of fire at the very center of the screen.
"Ah, what is this? How ugly it is! How could it frighten me like this!"
"Indeed. I agree with that idiot Yagyuu's opinion."
"Huh? You idiot, Yuzuru! Who did you just call an idiot?!"
"Poor thing. You idiot Yagyu can't even tell yourself apart."
"Say that again!"
"Sure. I can say it as many times as I want, you idiot Yakushi, you idiot Yakushi..."
"Enough! You two, stop arguing!"
Kotori's sudden voice interrupted the two who were still facing off. They both looked at Kotori's extremely serious face, like two children who had made a mistake, somewhat at a loss.
"There's no time for you to argue now."
Kotori took a deep breath and said seriously:
"The monster on the screen now calls itself Beast. It is carrying out a crazy massacre around the world, and... all sorts of crimes it has committed. So, in order for everyone to return to a peaceful life, and for my brother's sake, we must stop it and protect Shido without him knowing."
Upon hearing this, the elves' playful expressions vanished instantly, replaced by solemnity.
"Hmph, is that so? Our opponent is so powerful that it takes the power of us, the children of hurricanes, to defeat them."
Yagyu spoke again, but this time no one chose to respond to her.
"Commander, I think I've found some new information about the Flame Beast."
"Reine, stop dawdling and get to the point! The rest of the crew are heading back to Tengu City at full speed. It's not time for us to go on vacation!"
"Yes, Commander!"
On the bridge of the Ratatosk battleship, the crew issued the order to raise the free-range area.
As soon as the command was issued, a layer of green energy spheres instantly appeared around the warship, tightly enveloping the entire vessel.
This energy sphere shimmered with a mysterious light, as if it were an indestructible shield.
At the same time, the propulsion system at the rear of the warship was also deployed at full speed, with huge engines spewing out scorching flames, propelling the warship forward like an arrow released from a bow.
The warship sliced through the sky, heading towards Tengu City in distant Tokyo, Japan.
During the flight, Reine displayed some satellite images on Kotori's screen.
"Ah! This is!!"
Kotori's brow furrowed more and more, and seeing this, the elves instinctively walked towards Kotori's command platform, while other images were also transferred to the screens of the other crew members.
"Huh? That's an illusion used to turn the Commander's Spirit Crystal into an elf. How could she be standing with the Flame Beast!"
Kawagoe Kyoji suddenly shouted in disbelief, and the other crew members had similar reactions.
"How could this be..."
Kotori bit her fingers tightly, cold sweat dripping from her forehead. If it were just Beast as an enemy, it would be manageable, but now there was an unknown phantom...
"Oh, and who is this...?"
As for the remaining elves? They have no memory of becoming elf masters at all.
“That’s right, Commander. According to this picture of the two talking, Phantom and this beast who wants to destroy the world may be in a cooperative or superior-subordinate relationship. Moreover, he was also present when you transformed into an elf five years ago…”
Five years ago?!
Kotori stared in shock. Her transformation into an elf five years ago was a painful and hazy memory, but upon reflection, she did recall a powerful, dark enemy who had fought against her, against whom she was almost no match.
"Oh... I see, this is troublesome..."
"Kotori?"
"Tohka, I'm fine. I just thought of some unpleasant memories."
Kotori's thoughts raced, and her body began to tremble with fear. She didn't know if, even with Tohka and the other three, plus herself, she could defeat the beast whose spiritual energy reaction was the highest in history.
'No... I can't back down! His target is very likely my brother, I absolutely cannot let anything happen to Shido!'
Kotori's expression gradually hardened. Anyone else could back down, but she, the sister who had sworn to protect her brother, could not. She had to defeat the current beast.
After struggling for a while, Kotori finally made up her mind. She stood up, looked at the crew members below the stage, took a deep breath, and shouted:
"Everyone, those who want to leave, get off the ship now! I won't force you to share hardships with me. Did you see the terrifying destructive power of the Beast just now? If you had come with me, your chances of survival would have been less than 30%, so..."
Before he could finish speaking, the crew members responded in unison:
"Commander, we're with you! Even if we die, we'll stand with you until the very last moment!"
The voice was firm and loud, full of determination. They had been following Kotori for some time and had been personally chosen after being selected.
During this time, everyone's feelings for the commander had long surpassed the ordinary superior-subordinate relationship. Perhaps the respect they showed towards Kotori was more like that of friends.
Kotori looked at everyone, a hint of emotion flashing in her eyes. She then looked at Yoshino and Tohka beside her, as well as the twins who, although they had only known each other for a short time, had also chosen to fight for Shido, and they nodded to each other in tacit understanding.
...And at this moment in Tengu City~
"Are you all here to stop me?"
On the burning street, black flames continued to burn but did not destroy any buildings. Ming stood on the street, staring at the less than two hundred magicians in front of him.
Most of them were elderly, and only a small portion of the 200 were wearing the manifestation device, yet the magic they exuded was unmatched by any of the previous troops.
"How should I address you?"
Ming spoke calmly, while the leading old man slowly stepped out, holding a chip of a wire device in his hand, and a giant hammer as tall as him was emitting electricity.
"I am a magician from the old generation in Northern Europe, Shutals Thor, 127 years old, who has come to eliminate the magician who touches the root."
"Oh? Grandpa, putting aside your frail and exhausted body, I'm curious what you mean?"
The old man's expression was resolute. Behind him were many other elderly people of his age, with only a small number of young magicians possessing subtle magical abilities.
"We are the strongest members of a reclusive family of magicians, living in seclusion in various places. Although our era has passed, and even the mystery that enabled us to unleash our magic has long since vanished, but... if you are to destroy the world, then our legacy will also be lost..."
"I see. So, you guys are all you've got?"
"Well, as for you and the rest of us, although we don't know how you reached the Root, we don't care. Just remember, today you will be attacked by everyone here!"
Just as Ming was still wondering, the display device in his hand began to glow. He had seen this thing in Möbius's laboratory.
It is a special device that allows one to exchange energy for immense magical power and return to the height of their former glory.
"I didn't expect you to want to drag the oil lamp or your body into this? It's really a pity... You could have just waited for death while feeling pain."
Hundreds of beams of light flashed before Ming, their life force burning rapidly. Gradually, countless elderly magicians, now back to their prime, stood before him.
"Ah! That's great! Those kids really didn't lie to me. And you too, [Thor's Hammer]! Although it's just a replica of a mythological object, it brings back so many memories. Old friend, this is our first battle since you mysteriously disappeared!"
A blond, blue-eyed boy stood before him, while the old people behind him gradually became younger, completely different from their previous state of exhaustion. They all transformed into boys and girls, and their magic became exceptionally powerful in Ming's eyes.
But what caught Ming's eye even more was that replicas of top mythical weapons from various countries' mythologies were all gathered together in front of him at this moment.
"Come on in! I will do my best to welcome you all!"
"Where did you come from! Let me see how strong you really are! Everyone, don't just sit here and wait to die!"
As soon as he finished speaking, Ming moved quickly toward them. Compared to when he faced modern magicians like Artemisia, the power Ming used was at its peak.
The magicians were not to be outdone; they too brandished their family heirloom magic artifacts and attacked Ming with all their might.
Two supreme forces unleashed their full power as pillars of light amidst the sea of fire in Tiangong City!