Princess Tsubakiri

There was no person who knew when that existence appeared.

They knew that it came about before the war, the inhabitants from the old times called a cave underground for [the small shrine of the God] had become heaven, and the former army wanted to use it as a storehouse for raw materials, which lead to the [existence] becoming known.

From the result of devout influential people at the time having exorcists examining it, it was guessed to be a sort of God safeguarding the place.

The influential people thought that this city in the east would become the central part of this country, and formed an association in the cave underground to worship. The God of the place grew stronger as the city developed, and began to even protect the country, eventually starting to reveal its power as a [God].

First, it started being able to move animal carcasses.

Astonished, the influential people began research with the cooperation of the political and business world, and at last, it was proved that even “people” could be revived.

The influential people were pleasantly surprised. If they could use this power at will, they would gain a medical and military advantage… However, the revived humans were different from normal. Their hearts were moving. They breathed too. But they didn’t talk. And they didn’t even eat.

even though medical scientists and exorcists examined them, they could only find out that they were simply alive. When the Great War ended and the country began to really prosper, the revived humans began to be able to follow simple orders, and gradually [evolved].

The God, the influential people began to call it “that person”, who had still not woken up.

If the God truly woke up, it would be able to revive people freely, and eternal life would no longer be a dream for them.

Old political and business leaders dreamed of the God’s awakening. One day, it would wake up and bestow them perpetual youth and longevity.

Then, the God, sensing that “existence”, woke up.

＊＊＊

“She’s coming… that is coming.”

“Shrine Maiden..”

The caretaker women had only been able to hug the Shrine Maiden who had been scared since the morning.

The Shrine Maiden who communicated with that “person” through her mind was afraid and crying because of something approaching them. At a time like this, Murasame would always come to soothe her, but instead of doing so, he went to the altar underground after returning from the secret pathway.

What had happened? Was something waking up?

The caretaker women hugged the Shrine Maiden and prayed to “that person” to save the Shrine Maiden.

＊＊＊

“So, will enemies really come? Bob.”

“The client is saying so.”

They had tidied up the tables and chairs in a meeting hall in the pathway to the altar underground and made a simple barricade of sandbags. It had been changed to look just like a military indoor training ground.

The assumed “opponent” wasn’t something definite. However, although they had been told that it was an “individual” unit instead of a group, they felt like it was going overboard for a single person.

“Still, isn’t it a little over-exaggerated? Even if it was a certain country’s special forces, they wouldn’t come here, right?”

“Lee, don’t let down your guard. It isn’t like the client is a complete beginner, right? Right, Kenny?”

All of them had assault rifles as their main weapons. And submachine guns and auto pistols for operation indoors. In addition, several knives had been supplied. They had already finished warming up to the equipment. And although explosives hadn’t been brought in because they were indoors they didn’t have to worry about the bullets when discharging their guns, since the interior had been plastered.

It was the only passage leading to the back so they could lie in wait for an ambush. The problem would be if the opponent fired explosives indiscriminately, but with bombproof vests and a finely divided barricade, they should be able to fill the opponent full with holes before they could fire the next one.

Furthermore, there were several sensor-sensitive turrets positioned, making it an excessive battle formation.

Taking their equipment and ability into account, a usual opponent wouldn’t be a problem, but they couldn’t let down their guards. And precisely because they were professional mercenaries, they were a little discouraged.

While the others were talking frivolously among the group of comrades, the veteran of the group, Kenny, was silently grasping his gun.

“What happened, Kenny. It can’t be that you’re nervous?”

Will, the youngest of them all who looked up to the veteran, Kenny, opened his mouth to poke fun at him. Kenny kept quiet with a grim expression at him, and seeing this, the leader, Bob, started talking calmly.

“Do you have anything you're curious about? Kenny.”

“...No. I just remembered an old matter.”

“If you’re able to talk, then talk. When you make that expression, Will will be distracted.”

“No, I…”

Kenny sighed at Will who got distracted.

“...That’s true.”

Those who were here all knew that Kenny used to be in the US armed forces and that his unit had been annihilated, but he hadn’t said anything more about it, and his comrades wouldn’t inquire about it unless he himself started talking about it.

“There’s this bad feeling… No, it feels like a sign. Like ‘that time’ thirty years ago…”

He had said anything to anyone until now. However, maybe, all this time, he had wanted to talk to someone about it.

Introducing the unpleasant story, Kenny started telling it bit by bit.

“That was thirty years ago… It’s a story of when I was a greenhorn who had just finished training.”

Arizona, USA. In a wasteland surrounded by rocky mountains no one drew near, battalions of about 1000 men were secretly gathered under the guise of live-ammunition exercise.

At the time, it wasn’t uncommon for new models and special weapons as well as special experiments to be tested, but this time, the experiments were conducted in a facility that couldn’t be made public, and the main duty of the soldiers was to guard it.

They weren’t informed of what the experiment included. Some foolish soldiers said it was dissecting aliens, but due to the strict security, the young Kenny and his comrades gossiped that it must be an extremely important experiment.

He was probably too excited for his first mission. Kenny had actually fractured his leg during practice and, together with the others who were told to rest after being injured in the medical tent, he grumbled about being able to resume practice after getting better.

It all started on a dark night with clouds slightly concealing the half-moon.

That night was the only time he hadn’t heard the faraway barking of coyotes. He had gotten an inexplicable unpleasant feeling.

In the middle of the night, the air-raid siren suddenly blasted. And then, the sounds of shooting and explosions followed.

Were they under attack?  Thinking that they had to do something as well, the comrades in the medical office exchanged glances with each other. Feeling the intimidating air approaching them, Kenny and the others sunk in silence because of fear.

In dead of night, thousands of soldiers fully equipped were lying in wait. There were tanks and helicopters as well. He didn’t know who the attacker was, but supposing something had happened, they should be able to suppress them.

…However, the gunshots never stopped, instead, together with human screams, they were gradually approaching. The veterans told Kenny and the three others to remain there before going out. They never returned.

What kind of “attacker” was it to make the soldiers scream?

When the sleepless heat changed to a freezing winter, the young Kenny sensed a repulsive presence, and could only tremble in bed.

At the break of dawn, supporting each other, Kenny and them left the medical camp to check the deathly still outside, and an unbelievable sight spread out in front of them.

Mountains of corpses as far as the eye could see. It wasn’t only combatants, but with no discrimination from civilians working as cooks, maintainers, or medical staff, they had all been decapitated, and they understood from one glance that no one had survived.

The decapitation hadn’t been after they had died. Possibly because they died after they had been cut off, the freshly cut-off heads all expressed a deep fear. Upon seeing this, Kenny and the others screamed and vomited at the mad scene, and a few days later - they were protected by their own army and a man who called himself Squall.

“Only three people survived. One committed suicide and the other refuses to leave the hospital room even to this day. I… was allowed to leave the army, but without being able to forget that scene, I feel like I’m stuck in the place where my life is being threatened…It’s here.”

“...”

“...”

“...”

Not knowing what to say to the unbelievable story, the other nine mercenaries exchanged glances with each other. Kenny’s story was too lifelike to be a joke they should laugh at.

What could the existence that killed a thousand fully armed soldiers with only a blade be?

Unable to stand the heavy mood, Boss, the leader, parted his dry lips.

“Did you figure out what kind of opponent it was…?”

“...”

He didn’t know its true appearance. However, Squall, who remained the same even now, had referred to a certain “title”.

The revengeful demon from the legendary fairytale. A true berserker. If it existed for real, the number it could kill with its own hand would at least go beyond eight people.

“That person is…”

Beep.

They all quivered at the sudden electronic sound.

“...There was a reaction somewhere.”

When Jim checked the footage of the surveillance camera, the figure of the assailant was taken, but all of the people in this mansion had been killed in the video.

“...”

“...”

“...”

Although they had been a strange group who had been like zombies who never talked, remembering Kenny’s story about it not showing any mercy, even to women and children who clearly weren’t combatants, someone among them gulped.

“...Hah, if it’s such a monster, then I’ll kill it.”

Lee, the female member, to shake off the ominous mood, readied the gun. There were times she easily got too excited like when kidnapping that girl, but her words and action full of contempt came in handy in situations like this.

“That’s right. What we have to do hasn’t changed. Everyone, get in formation.”

Pulling themselves together from Bob’s words, the mercenaries took formation and were ready with their rifles leveled. The veteran, Kenny, patted Will’s shoulder who had a nervous expression.

“Sorry for telling a horrible story.”

“...N-no, I was happy to hear your story. Leave it to me.”

“...Sure.”

They stood in formation, aiming the muzzles at the entrance, and awaited the opponent.

The entrance seemed to be made of wood, but the inside was of pure steel and could withstand a direct hit of a bomb, so it could only be opened by hand.

“There was a reaction 100 meters from here. Now 50… 30… It’s here.”

Jim who was watching the surveillance system spoke.

Quiver.

“!”

“!”

“!”

At that moment, they were hit by a terrifying chill and an extreme “bloodthirst” from the other side of the door, and their hearts tightened as if they had been frozen.

Creak creak creak creak.

The large steel door crumbled down like a tree being cut by a chainsaw, and all of them got goosebumps from the “something” in the darkness on the other side.

Rat-a-tat-tat.

“Fire!!!”

At the sound of the turret shooting, the others started firing at Bob’s squeaking voice, and the dark shadow instantly ran from the wall to the ceiling,

“Wha-”

Slashed Lee’s and John’s necks in the front row along with the barricade, their two faces distorted in fear danced in the air.

“Shit, Will… Will!”

“...Ah…Ah.”

Will, who had the least combat experience, fell into a state of being dumfounded from the shock of being bathed in a too intense bloodthirst and trembled with a pale face.

“Tsk.”

Kenny held Will’s head down and pointed his rifle at the dark shadow.

His hands trembled. What had humans done to release this immense bloodthirst? Like the hopeless sensation of being surrounded by a horde of carnivores, all of the mercernaries fired blindly while screaming in fear.

A passage from an “old fairytale” came to Kenny’s mind.

With the sound of grinding

And a melody like “Shalala”

“Aaaaaaaaaaaah!!!”

Bob, who had already calmed down, stood up angrily and fired his gun, they were all being chopped up and scattered, and his right arm that held the gun danced in the air and ripped Jim standing behind him like an old cloth.

To search for that person, for Nanohana

Only what is reflected in my silver eyes… Let’s cut down as much as possible of what’s in front of me

“Aaaah!?”

The mercenaries who had had a long experience with battles screamed out of fear while having their heads cut off.

Some of the bullets did hit it. However, the dark shadow cut the barricade and equipment set up by the mercenaries like they were scraps of paper without stopping.

This person…

This was the monster that had massacred a thousand people 30 years ago in one night and ruined his life.

Kenny didn’t realize that he was screaming, shedding tears, or running out of bullets, and swung his gun around like a child.

A bloodstained girl with iron-colored eyes swooped down in front of his eyes,

“...”

Feeling the iron saw cutting into the bone of his neck, Kenny’s neck was cut off with a “Shalala” sound and went flying.

“…”

Next to that, only Will was left cowering at his wit’s end. With his teeth clattering from the trembling, he covered his head with a nearby sheet.

There was a suffocating gunpowder smoke and the smell of blood. The blood spurting from Kenny’s headless corpse next to him made a sprinkling sound as it hit the sheet.

He couldn’t think of anything. He didn’t understand how this could have happened.

Until a few minutes ago, all of his comrades had been alive. They had been chatting normally, and after today’s mission, they were all supposed to go out to drink sake and talk about trivial things.

Still, in the middle of the fear that was driving him crazy, Will could at least comprehend that no one was alive anymore.

Tap tap.

“...”

He heard the sound of footsteps. It was aware of his position. It would come for him to kill next.

Bad children should immediately run away as far as they can

Good children should hide in bed

Bang… The sound of something falling to the floor. Without knowing that it was the bullet being pushed out from the body that was repairing a wound, Will was startled by the sound and trembled. The sound of steps stopped barely next to him.

“...”

Holding his breath, Will, who hadn’t been breathing properly because of fear, paled to a deathly white color.

Seeing a slender ankle wrapped in high-knee socks a meter outside the sheet, Will’s mentality reached the limit.

A few seconds or dozens of seconds… In reality, the time the legs had stopped running was less than a second, but without killing him, the slaughterer continued to head to the door in the back.

Tonight, Princess Tsubakiri will…

come to your place.

＊

“...Hana.”

I followed a passage to the back, slicing down doors and obstacles blocking the way with the saw.

I could sense Hana’s presence. It wasn’t that far away anymore.

Hana’s smiling face came to my mind. That smile overlapped with another person’s smile.

A female voice called my name. [Tsubaki] - [Camellia]

“Hana.”

“I really like you,” was what you said. “I am sorry,” you cried.

Hana… Nanohana… Elder sister…

Slicing off the last door, I shouted the name of the girl lying in a cloth cutting-like place.

“Sister Yua!!!!”

A/N:

Next is the last part: Nanohana’s awakening.