Mushi Uta:Volume 7 Prologue

0.00 The Others

The 4K LCD screen showed the image of an embankment during sunset.

While in filming mode, the screen displayed the remaining memory on the device and the current time. The current pixel count was low due to it prioritizing the video length.

A light blinked to inform of the low remaining memory.

The power was turned off instantly.

The memory card nimbly replaced.

The camera was turned on and restarted.

The time needed to replace the memory card was about 30 seconds. A new personal record.

"Clear water in a beautiful river. Mighty cherry trees that symbolize the breath of spring—"

The video was being narrated.

The image switched from the river flowing by to the blooming cherry trees along the bank.

 "And an orange veil dyeing the skies."

The image turned to the sky. The brightness was automatically adjusted, allowing filming the sun setting over the distant mountains.

"The wind is serene, as if to symbolize that this country is dozens of years removed from war and famish…"

The narrating voice was that of a somewhat young-sounding girl.

"Peace. This word is so casually used by people. However, does it really exist in our country?!"

The girl's tone of narration grew stronger still.

"The answer is no. I shall emphasize this as a mere journalist—hello there. What a cute doggy."

A woman walking near the river appeared on film. The camera zoomed into the face of the Yorkshire terrier at the bashful woman's feet.

The unauthorized filming seemed to have upset the dog. It started barking, exposing its canines toward the camera. The image shook as if being intimidated.

"E-even such a small, lovely pet can feel the danger looming in the country. Why don't we lend our ears to their loyalty?"

Seeing the woman leave the place with a bitter smile, the image returned to background of the bank.

"…It's not like I hate peace."

The girl's voice softened. Her emotive voice mixed with the orange sunset and flowed over the river.

"I we pretend not to notice, we can keeping living with this transient peace."

The image suddenly rotated around. It started filming the rural town with its small shopping district in front of the station in the center, with residential districts and single-track railways.

In the suburbs further distanced from the town was a tower piercing the darkening sky.

A radio tower.

It was a simple building surrounded by four support poles in the shape of a quadrangular pyramid, with three scaffolds on the summit. All sorts of antennas, both small and large, enclosed them.

It was the symbol of the rural town fearing being left behind with the times.

This structure was built in order to receive satellite transmissions, with cooperation of the local broadcasting station and the neighborhood council. This out-of-place high-spec radio tower was always closed because the profits couldn't keep up with the costs of maintenance. Now there were cables from the neighboring town, sending everything through wire.

"There exists a certain secret organization in this country. It conceals the cracks in the fabricated peace and continues to hide the truth that could shake the entire world. —And what is the truth they are hiding?"

The wind blew.

Further beyond the radio tower, around the area of a large natural park, a sandstorm swirled.

"Mushi—"

The sandstorm gradually grew in scale.

The blowing wind was also growing in intensity.

"As well as those possessed by them, the people called Mushitsuki."

Mushi.

A supernatural existence that possessed adolescent boys and girls, preying on their hosts' dreams and hopes and thereby growing—

The rumors about Mushi among the populace started about a decade ago. Since their appearance resembled insects they were called Mushi, and there were many eyewitnesses.

Yet at present, the government persisted in their stance that "there are no such things as Mushi".

However, the rumors about Mushi and the Mushitsuki who were their hosts persisted.

Since they were possessed by the incomprehensible Mushi and able to control supernatural abilities, people at present looked at the existence of Mushitsuki with eyes full of fear and discrimination.

"The secret organization concealing the existence of Mushi is powerful. Even a master journalist such as me had almost yielded the false peace. If I'd turned a blind eye to the Mushi they were hiding, I would've been able to live quietly in this town…"

The narration continued with a detached tone.

"—However, I have noticed a being far more terrible than that secret organization. Perhaps owing to my mission as a True Journalist, I can feel that I am the only one who is able to stand up to them. I shall have to rise up again and put an end to this conspiracy."

Inside the image, the sandstorm rising from the park was blown away.

Bending trees and splashing the pond water around, a storm pierced the heavens.

"This existence arriving in our town is none other than—"

With sprays of water and dust reflecting the setting sun, the storm swinging toward the sky resembled a gigantic sword. An orange beam of light was shot off, causing a powerful gale to blow over the town.

"The Demon Lord."

The wind stopped blowing within a few seconds.

The town returned being as tranquil as it was before.

"As Chronicler, I swear I shall record the fight against the Demon Lord, as well as the real truth."

As if nothing happened, the image focused on the bank again.

The momentum of this movement caused a bag to temporarily obstruct the view. The emblem attached to the bag had the name of the town's lone private high-school as well as the owner's full name on it.

"True Journalist – Haemori Ako"—

Chronicler's name, along with the unnecessary title, will not remain in many people's memories, past or future.

She had no way of knowing the future, obviously, but she felt so.

Even if she was hated by everyone—

Even if she was thought of as nothing but a fool—

Ako felt that was fine.

"Now for some ramen."

The film captured by the mumbling girl now showed the peaceful scenery one could find anywhere.

0.01 The Others

A girl was running frantically through a dim woodland path.

"Hah…! Hah…!"

Adding to her plain appearance of wearing a shirt and jeans, her eyes with their black-rimmed glasses were hidden by her bangs. The more the tall girl ran, the more the leather suitcase she was grasping with both hands shook.

"I can't do this! Why is this even—"

Her mouth adorned by a small beauty mark warped in agony. Her teeth chattered, more out of fatigue than of fear. She seemed likely to fall down at any moment, but she still held on tight to the old-fashioned suitcase. The rack attached to it rattled annoyingly.

She stuck her shaking hand into her pocket, retrieving a cellphone.

"Loci-chan…! I-is that monster still after us?"

She groaned toward the cellphone. However, let alone not even making any call with it, the flip phone wasn't even open.

The one to answer the girl's question was a white object hanging from the phone's strap.

It had a spherical body with a lustrous surface that looked like it could be either plastic or metal. With two glass-bead-like eyes and two folded sickles, it was a toy shaped like a deformed insect.

The little toy shook.

Rising slowly, it pulled at the cellphone as if pointing behind the girl.

"Eeek…!"

The girl's face distorted in despair. She was able to perceive an ominous presence pursuing her. She hurriedly put the phone back in her pocket.

She breathed in deeply while running. The clear air of April left her nose.

She looked up to the sky dyed by sunset and yelled.

"I HATE Mushi!"

A giant shadow swooped down from behind. An impact not unlike that of a falling meteor shook the area.

Coming from the sky was a large monster.

Its short and stout body was divided into multiple joints and it had more than ten legs sporting sharp claws. On its back a pair of crest-like wings expanded. One could look at it as a cross between a butterfly and an arthropod, yet its size was incomparable to a normal insect.

A human figure stood on the back of this foul monster that was three times the girl's height. It was a boy with a beastly expression. It was obvious from a glance at his face that his mental condition was abnormal.

The monster closed in on the girl with much quicker movements than its appearance indicated was possible. Unable to fit inside the narrow road, its solid carapace collapsed the trees around as it passed.

The monster roared. Its harpoon-like legs were launched at the girl.

"Eeek!"

Holding her glasses with one hand, the girl jumped frantically.

The drill-like leg was a hairsbreadth away from piercing the girl. It crushed the ground and split the road with a deafening roar.

"I can't—I hate Mushi—they'd never gotten crazy like this—you monster…!"

With her teeth chattering, the girl mumbled to herself. She was desperately running away so even she didn't understand what she was saying.

"Where's the Spirit Zone…!"

As she rushed through the road, suddenly the field of her vision opened up.

The center of the nature park came to a small pond.

"Umm, if I recall correctly the Zone here has a wind-controlling ability… I think the activation method was by stimulating the pond—"

The monster launched its leg at the same time the girl took a pebble and threw it into the pond.

The pebble fell inside, creating ripples.

"…!"

The fallen leaves covering the area all started dancing at once.

With a gale bursting at her feet, the girl's body was thrown to the air. The monster's leg pierced the space the girl had occupied just a split second before.

It wasn't only the girl that had been thrown away by the tornado; the boy riding on the monster's back was also lightly blown away from the surface.

"You monsterrr!!!"

The girl swung her suitcase with all of her power toward the monster in front of her.

In the end she only had human strength. She obviously couldn't inflict damage to a monster. She could merely slightly divert its path while it was caught by the wind.

Using just that, the girl was able to reach a completely different conclusion.

Blown away by the tornado, the girl was pounded against a tall tree. The impact from falling down numbed her whole body, but she didn't break any bones.

"Hah…! Hah…!"

Raising her leaf-covered face, she fixed her glasses.

The girl knew all about the supernatural phenomenon that had assaulted the surroundings just now. Both how it happened and what course the wind would take.

And so the girl had sent the monster to a different direction than her.

To where the worst conclusion awaited it.

"…!"

Unable to escape the tornado, the monster was sucked into the center of the raging wind.

A flash of light pierced the skies.

A condensed lance of wind pierced the monster's body. Its death throes echoed around.

Somewhat belatedly, the monster's master—the boy—crashed into the ground. Probably having lost his consciousness, he didn't move.

When the flash of light was gone, the wind also stopped.

All that remained was the dying monster.

"Hah… I thought I was dead for sure this time…"

The girl approached the tree while hugging her suitcase. She lifted up her bangs covering the glasses and gazed up the orange sky.

"Yeah, I knew I wasn't good enough…"

Escaping her predicament, her head was once again filled with her own complex.

She was slightly taller than other girls her age, but had no other way to distinguish herself. Due to her nearsightedness she couldn't let go of her glasses, and her personality was not bright. She didn't know how to take care of her hair, and all of her clothes were plain and not eye-catching at all.

"Can I really beat the Demon Lord like this…?"

Satou Youko.

Even her name was one that could be found anywhere.

Perhaps that was too big of a burden for someone like her.

"Being the Hero isn't easy."

Youko's sigh dispersed the glowing residue of the wind.

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