Campione: Strongest# 444: Mikiya’s Nightmare Begins

Ragged breaths tore through the dark alley, punctuated by the frantic slap of running feet.

Mikiya Kokutou gripped his bleeding right arm, tears streaming down his face as terror overwhelmed him.

Thwack—!

Running blind, he slammed into a roadside air conditioning unit and collapsed, his face and hands scraping violently against the pavement.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

The light, almost cheerful footsteps drew closer. A voice, dripping with delight and vicious sarcasm, sang out softly.

“Mikiya-kun~ We’re friends, aren’t we? Just let me see what makes you tick. Literally. It’s all I’ve ever wanted,”

Ryuunosuke Uryuu advanced with small, deliberate steps, licking the blood from the short knife in his hand. His scarlet eyes, the eyes of a Dead Apostle, were locked on the trembling figure sprawled on the ground.

“Ah! Ah—!!!”

Hearing Ryuunosuke’s voice, Mikiya screamed and scrambled desperately toward the alley’s exit.

Closer… closer…

He was only five meters away. He could see the bakery across the street, its warm lights a beacon of hope.

Why was this happening? He was just being nice, showing a newcomer around the city. How did he end up being hunted by a knife-wielding lunatic?

Wait, this lunatic… Mikiya’s mind flashed back to the morning news.

“Last night, another dismemberment case was discovered in Shinjuku. Police have confirmed this is the seventh victim of the so-called ‘Tokyo Ripper.’ The killer remains at large. We now go to our police correspondent for a statement.”

“Based on forensic evidence, the killer is a male, approximately five feet, nine inches tall, weighing around 145 pounds. The only common trait among the victims is that they were all ordinary citizens, chosen at random. This makes the case exceptionally difficult…”

Mikiya swallowed hard and risked a glance over his shoulder. He couldn’t see clearly, but the height was a match. The focus on ordinary citizens? He was as ordinary as they came. This man fit the killer’s profile perfectly.

The raw instinct for survival propelled Mikiya forward with the speed of an Olympic sprinter.

Three meters… two… one…

A wild grin of relief spread across Mikiya’s face.

“Help me!!!” he shrieked, his voice raw with desperation.

A soft breeze brushed against his cheek.

“...”

He looked out at a completely empty street. He was alone.

“That’s it! That’s the look! Absolutely cool!!!!”

A scream of pure delight erupted behind him, the high-pitched sound making his ears ring. Mikiya slowly turned his head to see Ryuunosuke standing right beside him.

“It was worth holding back for an hour to set up that people-repelling ward. That expression is phenomenal!”

Ryuunosuke’s grin was menacing. He raised his short knife, its blade glinting coldly in the last rays of the setting sun.

“Now, Mikiya-kun, let’s see what color you are on the inside!”

The knife plunged downward.

“—Shatter!” A low, solemn command echoed through the alley.

A glassy, azure barrier materialized in front of Mikiya, blocking the descending blade with a shrill, grating screech. Staring at the knife frozen just inches from his face, Mikiya finally broke. He collapsed with a thud, his body trembling uncontrollably. He didn’t understand what had happened, only that he was, for the moment, safe.

“An interruption?” Ryuunosuke turned, his expression twisting with annoyance as a figure radiating an unnerving pressure walked out of the alley’s shadows.

“Who the hell are you?” Ryuunosuke growled, furious at the disruption.

“I am Araya Souren, a magus,” the man replied, his voice tinged with a faint, ancient weariness as he scanned Ryuunosuke’s scarlet eyes. “A Dead Apostle?”

'The most vital ‘Ordinary’ component has just made contact with Shiki, only to be targeted by a Dead Apostle,' Araya mused, a hint of surprise in his voice. 'Is this the Counter Force at work? Does this confirm my path to the Root is correct?'

“Hey! Don’t just stand there muttering to yourself! That’s rude!”

Before Araya could respond, Ryuunosuke was behind him, the short knife slashing toward his carotid artery.

“Unyielding, Vajra!”

Two circular rings inscribed with Sanskrit materialized in the air. One blocked Ryuunosuke’s blade, while the other enveloped his entire body.

Like a paused video, Ryuunosuke froze mid-swing, only his head able to move. Araya Souren's Origin was 'Stillness,' and he had woven that absolute concept into his Bounded Fields, paralyzing his target.

The next second, a powerful punch slammed into Ryuunosuke’s abdomen. Araya’s fist pierced straight through his body, his forearm emerging from his back. He withdrew his fist, and blood splattered everywhere, immediately freezing in mid-air—a gruesome flower of crimson suspended by the Stillness effect. His face grim, Araya retrieved the knife from Ryuunosuke’s hand and severed his limbs.

“Who is your master?” Araya asked, watching as Ryuunosuke’s abdomen began to regenerate.

This level of immortality was characteristic of a high-ranking Dead Apostle, likely in the direct lineage of an Ancestor. He needed to assess the risk before finishing him off.

Ryuunosuke stared dazedly at the blood pouring from his own body, his face alight with blissful discovery. “What? The most beautiful color… it was inside me all along? Why didn't anyone tell me? I’ve been searching for twenty years!”

“So you’re a lost cause,” Araya frowned, his gaze analytical. “I see. The Origin of ‘Pursuit of Death.’ Witnessing his own demise has immersed him completely in that impulse. He cannot break free.”

“If I cannot question him, then…” Araya lifted his hand, and a magical circle began to form.

“Wait a moment, Master Araya Souren. I would be terribly inconvenienced if Ryuunosuke died here,” a voice laced with subtle distress whispered from the end of the street.

Araya turned. A figure, exuding the air of an ancient noble, slowly approached. His pupils constricted slightly.

“The Fourteenth Dead Apostle Ancestor. The ‘Financial Demon King,’ Valery? What brings you to this remote corner of the Far East?”

“Hmm, I heard you vanished three years ago after losing a power struggle in Europe to the Eclipse Princess of Black Blood. So, you’ve been hiding in this backwater?” Araya’s voice was grim.

“It’s truly annoying to have one’s old scars picked at.” Valery frowned at the mention of the Black Princess. He glanced at Ryuunosuke, lost in his bloody reverie, then fixed his gaze on Araya. “I heard you possess a technique for safely awakening one’s Origin, Master Araya. I’m currently short on manpower. Perhaps you’d be willing to part with it?”

“You wish to use my technique to bolster your forces? I have no desire to be dragged into your war with the Black Princess,” Araya said, his face etched with weariness.

Valery’s eyes shifted to the terrified Mikiya Kokutou, then back to Araya with a look of pointed interest. Araya’s expression grew even more distressed.

“Fine,” he sighed. “My spiral Bounded Field construction requires massive funding. I assume the Financial Demon King, with his numerous conglomerates, won’t mind sparing a small amount?”

“A pleasure doing business with you,” Valery chuckled.

Araya Souren nodded, his gaze returning to Mikiya. “Well then, the first order of business is to modify your memory.”

“Huh?” Mikiya was completely bewildered.

Before leaving, Araya quietly pulled out his phone and dialed 911. Wasting magical power to heal the boy’s injuries was out of the question. He was just a tool, not worth the effort.

————

In a park near the High School, Shiki Ryougi arrived after her classes had ended. Ignoring the startled glances of passersby, she walked toward the fountain at the park’s center.

“Coo-coo-coo—!”

Haru sat on the fountain’s edge, holding a corn cob in one hand while scattering kernels with the other, feeding the dozen pigeons circling his feet.

Startling a few of the birds, Shiki stopped in front of him. Her cold expression melted away, replaced by a bright, cheerful smile.

“Hey, Uncle, have you been waiting long?”

“I just got here. Why did you want to meet?” Haru feigned ignorance with a shrug.

“A date, of course,” she said with a playful smile.