BlazBlue:Phase Shift 1 Chapter 6

Chapter 6: Voice of Emerald Evil

Part 1

When he left the academy's school building into courtyard, he thought that the weather outside felt nice.

The sky appeared hazier than the usual. There were signs of it turning slightly dark.

Facing the whole city, he wondered if the Ten Saints in charge of purifying seithr had produced any result. The way things were going, their hands would still be full for a while.

Kazuma went across the silent courtyard which felt weird since he got used to the usual Magic Guild. He headed toward the Cathedral which was standing still in the middle.

The meandering path was refreshing as if it was a promenade through a forest.

Lying in wait in the middle, the Cathedral was just as small as viewed from the hallway's window back then. It didn't seem likely for it to be storage for Magic Guild's classified information.

Similar to a chapel, the front side's wooden doors acted like a pair of double doors. Just as Trinity had said, there was secure lock there.

But for this island that had been raising magicians, things like physical lock only had the significance of a sign which had 'Do not enter without permission' written on it. With short incantation and small pattern drawn by fingertip, the lock allowed Kazuma to continue all too soon.

After he got inside, he closed the doors. As he proceeded, the place was silent like it was a different airspace.

The air inside the building was a little warm compared to the outdoors.

Kazuma went ahead. It seemed there was nobody inside. It was granted as a matter of course.

In the history of Magic Guild, today was the most critical situation. During such circumstances, there was no way for someone having knowledge of magic which was purposed for security to just stand here.

And rather, the guardsmen for Cathedral were in charge of giving warning.

As there was nothing but a large hall on the Cathedral's ground floor, there was no reason to get rid of intruders. What was absolutely forbidden to enter was what beyond here, the Cathedral's underground.

On the door leading to underground, there was a severely secure barrier imbued. If he were to carelessly approach it, he wouldn't get out with just a scratch.

The guardsmen were assigned to give warning to anyone who carelessly approached the barrier.

In front of the entrance which was leading to underground, Kazuma stood.

"...This looks troublesome."

What was lying in wait for Kazuma was a wooden door which was heavy from the looks of it. It appeared it was enveloped in a slightly white haze.

Judging by the heightened magical power that was visible, it was a barrier.

Kazuma wasn't poor at cancelling barrier during class, but this one was a different case. When he cautiously stretched his hand... he felt uncomfortable feeling on his fingers.

Just by drawing near a strong barrier, that person's skin would get burned in order to repel him. However, this door was nothing like that.

Kazuma's fingers were hanging close to the door while he hesitated whether to touch it or not. But immediately, he boldly placed his hand on the door.

His breath got taken away reflexively. He had prepared for the appropriate impact and damage.

But even after three whole seconds had elapsed, Kazuma was still silently grabbing the door's knob.

When he put strength into it, the door opened.

The barrier was still functioning. Kazuma's hand broke through it and opened the door.

"What's the meaning of this...?"

Even when he muttered, no one answered.

Although he was confused, Kazuma narrowly slipped through the door and stepped inside. It was baffling, but if he could get in, then he wouldn't hesitate.

Inside the door was continuation of hallway which had arched ceiling. In the inner part, there was stairway leading downward to underground.

The magical lights which were floating at fixed intervals illuminated Kazuma's walking path.

As he went underground, the structure became more and more expansive. On the upper level, there were a meeting room and a room used to observe various data; both were used by all members of Magic Guild.

Moreover as he went further downward, a meeting room that sometimes had been used for Ten Saint's ceremonies appeared.

On each level, there were erected barriers which strength matched the ability of the human who was authorized to utilize it. They weren't such things that could be lifted by the likes of students at all.

But likewise, Kazuma's body was able to continue ahead as the barriers couldn't stop him; as if he slipped through mesh of net that was separating foreign matters.

When the long downward stairway ended, he now arrived at an elevator which was controlled by magic. He also passed the barrier which had been applied for security purpose.

As if he was being guided——Kazuma arrived at the lowest level of the Cathedral.

After he got out of the elevator, the hallway's ceiling grew tall which made it unlikely that it was in underground. As expected, a wooden door awaited beyond that point.

Like stamped seal, a magic circle appeared on the door.

No one but Ten Saints was permitted to come here. Moreover, since a suitable magical power was needed, a barrier with ruthless degree of security was applied that if somebody touched it by mistake, they wouldn't get spared as it would result in death.

Shutting his mouth tightly, Kazuma touched the last guardian with a sullen look.

His fingers touched the wooden surface. After sliding them like he was tracing something, this time the palm touched it completely.

What he felt on his skin was just the firmness on an old, normal tree. It felt like if he were holding an axe, he could easily tear it down.

There was no handle on the door. As he pushed, it slowly opened as expected.

Of course, being able to get here made even Kazuma to frown in confusion.

Why couldn't the Cathedral's barriers stop Kazuma? Not even once had he used cancelling magic, but he still managed to arrive at the lowest level.

"It's like... I'm being invited in."

Not matching its old appearance, the door silently opened as Kazuma passed through it while he muttered.

Beyond the door was a breathtakingly vast circular room.

The ceiling was even taller compared to the hallway's. Although there wasn't any magical lighting device floating, the whole room seemed to be slightly luminescent as it was faintly bright.

The floor had mosaic tiles; a stretched large flower-like pattern was depicted from the center to the outside. If it wasn't a flower, it would be sun or flame pattern.

While stepping forward to the outermost petals, Kazuma looked around the surroundings.

Although the inside of the room was absurdly spacious, it was empty. It was nothing but a deserted room. Rather than the storage for classified information, it was like as if some kind of a ceremony were about to begin at the place.

The drifting air had a different kind of coolness from the outside. It might be because there was no window and he didn't know the direction that he forgot about the current time.

When he took a step forward, the small, hard noise of footsteps disappeared like it was absorbed into the floor.

And at the same time, he felt the beating inside his chest accelerated.

"Here... Azure is..."

Kazuma must be thinking that he had obtained the means to reach the Azure. Before he noticed it, Kazuma had been intending to get the Azure itself.

It wasn't reasonable anymore. It went beyond reasoning as it felt like instinct.

The inside of the room was even warmer than the surface. It was like he was within the warmth of a living being. The faint drifting heat slowly agitated Kazuma's spirits.

But for some reason, while he was walking further, Kazuma also gradually got impatient.

There was nothing here. If there was no document or data, a map indicating where the Azure was wouldn't exist.

But it was impossible that there was nothing here. Terumi definitely said it was here.

"Terumi-san!"

Inside the room where there was nobody, Kazuma raised his voice.

His voice echoed on the ceiling.

"I managed to get inside the Cathedral. Where is the Magic Guild's classified information!?"

Kazuma hadn't been guessing for it to be here; it was Terumi who said it. But if that was the case, what could this nothing but vast room hold?

He looked up at the ceiling to search for Terumi's presence that shouldn’t have been here. While he looked around the room, little by little Kazuma's steps became wider as he walked toward the inner part of the room.

It was when he arrived at the center of the hall.

"Soooo, you finally arrived~. Don't make me wait so long, Kazuma-chan."

Terumi's voice could be heard.

Taken aback, Kazuma looked around the surroundings. However, Terumi's figure was nowhere. Although there was no spot to hide, he couldn’t even find a part of his shadow.

Despite that, Terumi's voice got even more audible.

"I got worried since you're so late, y'know? I've been wondering if you don't care about Azure anymore and instead got along with those women to have a fun time enjoying tea~ ...while forgetting everything completely."

"Give me a break. Don't say such a disgusting thing."

Facing the invisible friend, Kazuma showed an unambitious smile.

While manipulating his face, Kazuma sharpened his glare to search around the room.

When Terumi started to talk, no doubt some kind of a situation had developed.

The few days of his first meeting with Terumi, each time he appeared, Kazuma's world one-by-one changed colors. The old days which were like invisible labyrinth had turned into a path.

It would be the same this time, surely. Bearing such feeling, Kazuma answered to the empty sky.

"Didn't I make a promise with you that I would definitely reach it? ...Besides, above all, I want to recover it."

In low voice, Kazuma spoke of his real motive. At that moment, frivolous smile already disappeared from his mouth.

He no longer hesitated. Inside Kazuma's chest, there was only a yearning toward Azure.

"Really? You really want to get it back? Obtaining Azure means you won't ever go back. Even if you regretted it, you wouldn't be able to let it go. You really still fine even like that?"

Terumi's question that was asked at this stage instead seemed to encourage Kazuma's thought. Naturally, Kazuma didn't intend to go against it.

"There won't be any regret. I'll obtain it. All this time, I've been wishing for it only."

The real him.

Who he should be.

Although even his shadow wasn't in sight, he knew that Terumi was grinning.

"Then... look. It's just right there, isn't it?"

"Right there?"

Questioning, Kazuma again looked around the surrounding.

The truly vast room where he stood alone was silent, as if time had stopped.

It might be his imagination, but currently, the flow of time here felt slow.

"It's there. Just right there. Look, it's really close to you..."

The voice that came from the strained throat teased Kazuma on purpose. It whispered at him awfully close.

"It's... below your feet."

Then, he was attacked by goose bumps.

Rather than a chill that ran on his spine, it was a sensation like a flaming hot snake crawling up.

Kazuma followed the urging from the snake on his spine and looked down on his feet.

Before he knew it, both of Kazuma's feet stepped firmly at the very center of the hall. The core of the large flower, sun, and swirling flame of a pattern.

The floor was polished, just like a mirror. There was a reflection of him looking right here. His eyes met the eyes of the other side's image.

Disorderedly growing long bangs, slender feet and thin shoulders, a familiar academy uniform. It was the usual him.

As if he got drawn in, Kazuma put one knee down to the spot and bent over.

Toward the circular center of the mosaic tiles, he gently placed his hand.

That instant——.

"...!"

His voice didn't come out.

As both his and the image's palms touched each other, his body trembled like it was petrified. He got frozen on the spot.

Following the hand that touched the floor, something was getting inside Kazuma.

Like a storm that caused surging waves, it was a tremendous torrent of information.

Part 2

Seven years ago... Magic Guild, Ishana, barrier... the safest island in the world.

Relius Clover... dream... Shuuichirou Ayatsuki... white haired man... 'someone' madly laughing.

...The room with a Cauldron.

Phrases, history, time... Black Beast... Past... A hundred years...

Kazuma Kuvaru.

Yuuki Terumi.

... ...... ............

The surging information hit Kazuma's body like they were thrown stones. They rushed to his brain.

Behind his eyes, sparks were scattering. With dizziness eating his soul, it almost like his flesh was melting into something.

He wasn't allowed to reject it or surrender. The enormous information was flowing forcefully on its own; just like a full glass of water which got drunk in one gulp, soaking inside Kazuma.

If he were to express that feeling with a word... then it would be ecstasy. A trembling pleasant feeling that even caught a glimpse of trance.

Similar to the feeling when someone inserted the last piece of a puzzle. Similar to the feeling when slightly off shadows overlapped into one.

Desired objects going into the desired place. It was such a coherent pleasure.

"That's why... That's why I... had to come here."

While slowly removing his palm from the floor, Kazuma's lips slightly moved as he muttered. Not even a slight doubt remained in that voice anymore.

Likewise, the thin and tall body slowly stood up.

Right after raising his face, he looked directly at the man standing in front of him.

Terumi was there.

As usual, from inside the low hood which was intended to hide his expression, eyes like those of snake's aiming at a prey were looking at Kazuma. The splitting mouth, which was about to smile, gave answer to put on airs.

"It's meaningless unless here. You can't find place like this even if you search the world after all."

"And Relius Clover... the man who created me knew it from the very beginning, didn't he?"

Kazuma remembered everything.

No, recovered everything was more appropriate.

That was because the memories he had to remember were never existed inside Kazuma.

Seven years ago, the day when he arrived at Ishana while amnesiac was truly the first day in Kazuma's life. That day, that time, Kazuma's time started.

Kazuma wasn't tied by nature unlike a born child.

He was an existence manufactured by Relius Clover by making full use of magic, alchemy, and science.

Not remembering anything and wound healing at bizarre rate were also none other than modification made by Relius.

He gained form as an existence eight years ago. A few months later, he got transported to Ishana.

His consciousness as an existence woke up seven years ago. And then for seven years period of time, he continued to live academy life as Kazuma Kuvaru.

Then why was Kazuma created?

That was because he would become the man before his eyes... Yuuki Terumi's body.

"January 1st six years ago. During Relius Clover's trial experiment, Black Beast appeared. I was around during the time, you see. That time, my body went poof. My spirit form also got injured and took five whole years to heal. Then I asked that damn Relius for another body... in short, he told me to find you. Y'know there's a ridiculous barrier set around Ishana, right? What kind of joke was that? It ain't funny."

Although his mouth was torn into crescent moon shape, Terumi cursed while speaking. Rough footsteps resounded as Terumi walked around Kazuma with unnaturally slow pace.

"More about my troubles, you didn't even recognize me. You're the first body that gives me a pain in the ass."

"That's... must be troublesome."

Kazuma spontaneously showed a smile. There was a hint of detest somewhere on how Terumi smile.

Looking at Kazuma with his covered eyes, Terumi unusually snorted as he wasn't amused.

Trying to ignore what he had heard, Kazuma dropped his gaze to his feet.

He had now truly understood what object the mosaic tiles were depicting. What the crude picture was indicating was some kind of bright red lava he saw in his dream the other day.

——The Cauldron.

"Until a short while ago, I couldn't even imagine for Cauldron to exist in Ishana. Then again, I didn't even know regarding the existence of an object called the Cauldron."

Kazuma made noises as he hit the tile on the center of the room with his tiptoe.

The Cauldron was an object similar to a volcano's crater. Once, it was excavated from deep underground because of humanity's hands. Inside, red flames were dancing as if denying living beings. There was an airspace called the Boundary stretched at the core.

And there was one purpose for the core.

Master Units. They were omnipotent existences which only purpose was to keep observing every space-time and all existences within. They were often likened to god.

So to speak, the Boundary was a domain ruled by god.

"Since the time Magic Guild was established... No, since roughly thousands of years ago, this Cauldron has existed here. It has been maintaining Magic Guild's status and presence."

It felt impressive as he thought about it. Kazuma had great admiration toward the collection of tiles below his feet.

Having a Cauldron meant one would be able to monopolize the strength of omnipotent god.

Of course, monopolizing was nothing but only a mere end. However, the power was enough for a single organization to preserve overwhelming superiority on the hidden part of history.

"The thing's a fake made by humans. It ain't the true Cauldron."

Standing at the center across from Kazuma, Terumi also looked down at his feet.

Originally, the Cauldron had a form like a crater holding sea of flames. This one imitated it; an artificial Cauldron created by mankind in order to draw the power of Boundary.

Kazuma and Terumi stood on the middle of that crater.

"Yes, I agree. The original isn't like this."

Kazuma himself had never set eyes at the actual Cauldron. But still, the stuff which had been inputted into his brain understood about it.

"But it's still important. The ability to make contact with Boundary alone is enough."

While speaking, Kazuma's vision wandered around to view the whole Cauldron.

When he looked up at the wide and tall ceilings, there were things like hook extending from the walls supporting strange engravings midair. It was just like some kind of a coffin.

Kazuma recited the characters engraved there as he read them.

"...When light emitted from heaven scorches a city, goddess of destruction and creation will be born..."

"Huh, so you can read it."

"Well, I'm a student of the Magic Guild after all."

Although Kazuma replied Terumi's teasing with a wry smile, even if he made use of the knowledge taught to him for seven years, he didn't understand the significance of these words and the coffin's true identity.

However, even if this place was an artificial imitation, it was surely connected with the Boundary. He understood that this place was the very thing of Magic Guild's secrecy itself.

"...I had to recall that I'm Terumi-san's body. Nah, maybe it's better to say that I definitely had to realize it. And you couldn't tell me since I had to be aware on my own."

Kazuma spoke while facing Terumi. He verified the flow of information transmitted from Boundary one by one.

It was like some kind of a ceremony. No, that itself was a ceremony.

Body and soul. For the purpose of overlapping both shadows into one.

Terumi extended his arm that was as thin as Kazuma's.

"It's useless if I told you who I am. You gotta recognize who I am with your own eyes."

"Hence, the Boundary's power was needed."

The Cauldron was connected with the Boundary. All kinds of wisdom existed in the Boundary. Even the knowledge about Terumi's previous body.

Because he came in contact with the Boundary, Kazuma had obtained all information regarding Terumi.

The air suddenly got dense. Before long, they were able to sense the other party's breathing.

It was really dense even when compared to the atmosphere between Kazuma and Terumi.

It was hard to tell which direction the heat came from.

Kazuma took a short breath.

"Ishana, the world's safest city. There is a Cauldron intended to connect with the Boundary here. A control system to keep foreign enemies away and barrier to thwart the Black Beast and seithr also exist. That was why Relius Clover chose this island to store me."

Terumi chuckled as he laughed.

"Thanks to that, I got in big troubles... But on the good side, since you're here everything was completed in a single whoop. That's Professor Relius for you; way to make me feel indebted."

Shadow extending from Kazuma's feet.

Similarly, shadow also extending from Terumi's feet.

Both of them thought it was trivial however abnormal that scene was.

Kazuma stared at Terumi and spoke.

"Like you have promised, I have recovered everything."

Terumi stared at Kazuma and spoke.

"And I'm also a free man at last. Good work."

There was but only single lump of shadow now. Although each other faced a different entity, there was a pretense that both had the same face and also the same individual.

Two kinds of mucus that were put in the same vessel being slowly mixed by a thin stick; such feeling was surrounding Kazuma and Terumi.

It was by no means disgusting. Rather, it was pleasant.

Because it was the appearance he desired.

Because it was the role he sought.

(That's right. I've always...)

Wished for it. About his true self. About the meaning of his existence. About the necessity to keep on living.

And there were all here. If this didn't please him, then what would?

"——Aah, it's here."

"Yes, I know."

Toward the presence that slightly grazed their skin, Terumi and Kazuma simultaneously retracted their feet and turned around.

Where their face was facing was the only entrance of this innermost room.

"The brute has appeared."

It was unclear who had sneered.

Between the pair of doors that had been left wide open, a familiar small silhouette stood.

Part 5

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