Chapter 7: The Die is Cast

Golden haired swirled, shimmered, as she spasmed from the wound that Keisuke gave her. She clung to Keisuke with a fierce grip, tightening, fighting back the pain, as blood gurgles out of her mouth. Her eyes were open, but not yet vacant. Keisuke felt the warm liquid flooding his clothes; which is a mixture of blood, pee, and tears. She dropped backwards, collapsing toward a needed rest.

"What the hell.."

Keisuke swallowed hard, finding his throat instantly dry. When her scream rang into his musings, what filled his view was a corpse. It was the corpse of the girl whom he killed before he rushed to help Erin. Freshly killed by him once more, Keisuke returned as if he came back from a save point.

"Haa... Erin?" He whispered her name. With every passing second, the unwanted sound and images and emotions associated with his recent death resurfaced in his head. The accumulating pain in his heart swelled up in his eyes. Blinking, the moisture collecting in his eyes further blurred his vision.

His head throbbed, his pulse pounded as growing confusion and residual anger vied for attention in his brain. He fought his way through the maze of bloody images and Erin's death keep flashing in his eyes. After a moment, his tears finally blinded his vision and he started sobbing to where he crouch.

"Ahhh...Erin...Haaa...."

He tightly clench his chest, as if his own feelings would rip him apart. Keisuke finally came to the realization. That he died three times now. His lost arms did not regrew, it was always there.

"Does this mean... Nothing will change if I keep dying? But why did I came back here?"

Keisuke questioned himself, he was in a different mood from any that he previously possessed. His eyes and expression are wrenched in terror.

In his desolation, he continued to harbor a small but stubborn hope that everything will finally come to an end. His heart swells, bothered by a question he knew the answer of, yet refuses to believe himself.

"Don't tell me... I have to make sure."

Keisuke lowered his gaze at the corpse's wound. He saw the knife he struck on her chest to kill her. The tool he used to murder. He stared at the knife motionless, not moving a muscle. And then, as if something took a hold of him, he reached towards the knife, pulling it out with both hands.

"Haa... Haa... Haa..."

Taking deep breaths, Keisuke held the knife backwards, with the tip of the knife leveled at his throat. Cold drop of sweat flowed down on the blade, and an eerie whisper murmured softly in his ears. It was his newfound fear of death. Keisuke underestimated that word until now.

One, two, three---

With his sanity reaching it's limit, he pushed the blade forward, ending his life. His death was not instant, and phantom pain tormented his collar. He bled to death, his body wriggling, spraying fountains of blood because of his own foolishness.

...

.....

.......

"Haa... What?"

However, after a few seconds, Keisuke was not dead. His body was still intact. Going through the same cycle, his eyelids sprang open and the same view of death unraveled in his eyes.

So that's how it works. If staying alive is all I needed to proceed, then I will do so! There is no washing away the things that I have done. I had already murdered this girl thrice and nobody else will know of my diabolical actions but me.

Death is all over the girl and in the mottled pattern of her battered torso is a knife, her eyes are hollow. Keisuke took one of the girl's hands with both of his, praying silently for her continuous suffering.

One way or another, he gained an ability that allows him to respawn and rewind time through his death. Although he's still lacking in evidence, it seemed that one of the ways for him to advance in this loop of death is to kill. And judging from his recent death, killing himself is exempt from that kill count. Again, he was lucky. Keisuke did not properly think about it too much but if suicide was included in that count, that seems like it would end with him constantly reviving to be killed by himself. What's more, he felt something missing every time he respawn. Simple yet apprehensive.

Keisuke turned away as vomit exploded from his mouth. The pain from the sudden realization was so intense, he doubled over, clutching his stomach.

Keisuke felt vulnerable and furious at himself for wasting time on such needless worries. He trudged on, angry with the elements which had turned so suddenly against him. The hedges and trees rustled menacingly in the rising wind, which whipped strands of hair pasted on his forehead.

"I do not want to see her die again!"

From his recent death, Erin would be confronting the monster by this time already. And the results of her foolish actions would result to her death if Keisuke did not intervened. That's why hopeless it might be, he forced himself forward to find her.

"It should be around here."

Scurrying footsteps nearing with every second, Keisuke waited for the horse to show up. Just exactly what happened in his previous death, the horse appeared, carrying Erin's backpack.

"There there buddy."

Quickly after calming the horse, Keisuke hurriedly made a mess of Erin's belongings. Throwing any other kind of items that did not suit his needs. Finally, he reached to the very same luxurious dagger in his memory, hidden underneath a huge pile of clothes. However, its different from last time. When Keisuke unsheathed the dagger, a man's voice spoke through his head.

[You have one hell of a memory there human. Just because of that, I'll trust you! My name is Volius, the spirit who governs fire; the right hand of the Goddess that disintegrates all darkness. Recite my name and my power shall be yours!!]

"Who?"

The real reason as to why Spirit Weapons are sought for is because of their ability, Total Recall. Just by grazing one's fingertips on it's handle, that person's memory will be engraved on the spirit's core and said memory could be stored and replayed through memory dive at will.

When Keisuke took Volius, nineteen years of his life was engraved in his(Volius) core along with his repeated cycle of death. Volius saw his master's death in his memory, and that is something that he must avoid at all cost. For that reason, he trusted Keisuke.

[Screw it, just announce my name already! My master's in danger fool!]

"It doesn't matter who it is. Even if this is the devil, I would gladly offer my soul just to protect her. Whoever you are, come forth!" As if he was summoning a demon from hell, Keisuke shouted at the top of his lungs. "Volius!!!"

A blade of light connecting to the dagger appeared, expanding it's length to a total of two meters. Not just that, Keisuke's basic parameters had taken a leap. A sudden surge of energy is swelling up inside him, a power that is squeezing him dry. What the hell just transpired, Keisuke doesn't know. All he knows is that he finally acquired the power to protect Erin.

Rushing forth and lighting the path with his fiery blade, Keisuke sought Erin. There was silence except for the loud heartbeat in his chest. With his heightened agility, it took no more than a moment to reached the place he looked for. Keisuke gazed upon her same helpless position; fighting off the monster's grip, and her lungs gasping for oxygen.

".....Kn...gh.."

Keisuke didn't utter a word, only his body move instantaneously. Swiftly piercing the unsuspecting monster from behind, he spun his body in a circular motion, drawing a half crescent moon! The monster was completely shaved in half, with the blade peeling off it's flesh like butter.

"Cough.."

Keisuke immediately helped the heaving Erin on the ground. Remembering his past carelessness, Keisuke took her hand in his, distancing her away from danger. His eyes kept a keen observation on the monster's recuperative abilities.

"Erin.. I'm glad to see you're fine."

"... Why? Why are you here? And why is Volius??"

Trying to look more composed, Erin murmured question after question. She gazed up into his eyes, secretly flooded with joy, as she listened to the words she'd given up hope of hearing. Much more, it came from someone she loathed so much she poisoned his food. But instead of melting into his arms, as every instinct urged her to, she gave him a very ungrateful-like dig on the ribs.

"Ow..." Keisuke accepted her jab that barely had any strength in it, lowering his head in pain as he pretended to get hurt.

" Hmph. Don't expect any thanks from me. "

Keisuke raised his head to gazed upon her flushed damp face. Eryn scowled, but he took the wind out of her sails with the idiotic smile he employed all the time.

For the grieving Keisuke, her face, smiling or not, was more than a bliss that he could possibly wish for. He was truly glad to see her once more. The worst horror of his death was not the pain and fear that he suffered, not the blood, not his lost limbs. The pain and fear were comparatively brief, considering what he was gone through so far. The worst horror for Keisuke was to lose her.

"Nevermind about that, can we beat it or do we have to run?"

Keisuke asked seriously, his words carried a reliable wind. Seeing his serious face, Erin smiled bitterly, but quickly replied at the same time.

"It's recuperative abilities are abnormal but.."

"Meaning?"

[Someone is out there, controlling and supplying the monster with it's mana. Unless you halt that supply, this monster will regenerate endlessly.] Volius suddenly interrupted their conversation.

"Is this telepathy?"

As soon as Keisuke frowned to inquire the talking weapon, the monster finished regenerating. He noticed it and immediately, his body took a stance, holding the blade sideways. From far away, the monster is watching him with a look of surprise and bewilderment. It's eyes is full of caution, like it couldn't understand how Keisuke's mysterious power came to be.

"Erin, from what this guy told me---"

"Mhm. I already know."

"Then I'll handle this monster while you take care of the puppeteer."

"But.. are you sure you'll be okay?"

"Yes."

Keisuke replied, stood looking at Erin, his stance so straight, so reliable. There was a focused sincerity in his words. It struck Erin that she was looking at a man who would not falter so easily, and she could leave this side to him without worry. But regardless of what she thinks, there is no other option available for them.

Keisuke didn't want to let Erin go by herself, but with their current situation, he had no choice. They need to cooperate or both of them will die again. He had to trust in her abilities. And who is he to attempt to protect someone who is clearly superior to him in terms of skill? With no time to waste, Keisuke lunged himself towards the monster. At the same time, Erin darted away in the shadows and run.

"Acting so cool," Erin said as she wheezed her way into the darkened forest. Her hair had come free from it's short twintails and it flung around in a smooth golden sheet.

Suddenly, the moon blew out from behind a cloud and illuminated the monster's grotesque face. It grinded it's teeth and glared at Keisuke, marking him as it's enemy.

"You hate me, I hate you too."

Keisuke had no experience with the sword nor did he do kendo back in high school, but his instincts alone is enough to end this monstrosity. He dashed towards the monster and performed a wide swing. Swoong!, but the monster catches his beginner swipe quite easily. Each time he swipe, the monster regarded his attacks as mere childsplay, but Keisuke already predicted this outcome.

Focus rapid light slashes! Don't give the monster a time to react!

Keisuke followed his instinct and strike where it guides him to. With both of his arms gripping the handle, he slashed his sword upward, then downward, and cleaved upward again. His relentless assault broke the monster's guard and launch it up in the air.

"Hraaaa!!"

Keisuke followed suit by jumping and swung his blade downward using all his strength; easily cutting the monster in half again. Just before it's body landed, he swiftly performed a 360 degree upward swing, dicing it's body into a total of four pieces. Keisuke showered himself with the monster's blood. Using Volius flame, he disintegrate all of the monster's body parts, obliterating it's pieces that were scattered about.

"Did that do it?"

Keisuke retreated a few steps behind. He took a deep breath, trying his damnest to ignore the blood hindering his view. His fears rang true and in a single flash once more, it's body that was just burned to crisp was completely regenerated. What's more, it feels a lot more terrifying than before.

[You have any other plans?] Volius asked.

[Of course.] Keisuke proudly replied with a grin. [Why do you think I think I picked up these wicked herbs?]

Since Keisuke's first experience encountering the monster, he's been thinking on how to defeat something unbeatable. If dicing it's body to pieces nor burning it to crisp would work, how about inflicting internal suffering? He was lucky enough to suffer the hellish pain inflicted by those herbs and because of that, he gained a weapon. Although how Keisuke plans to have the monster intake those herbs is a mystery to Volius.

"Come!"

The monster lunge towards Keisuke, it's expression contorting in anger. A line of sweat broke out on Keisuke's brow, but he was determined to keep his wits about him. He charged and confronted the monster's assault fearlessly.