Sure enough, that die face had Left Eye written on it.

Alright then, I’m counting on you, Aruka!!!!

When Aruka entered the vortex surrounding me, she turned to face me directly and—

‘…You’re really sure about this?’

As if.

“Because it’s you, Aruka.”

That’s the honest truth, no question!!!!!

Honestly, being unwillingly hurt by someone with a good face is nothing but spice for me, so I’m grateful.

She placed a hand on my face, then brought her mouth to my eye—

Lerr.

A rough, gritty sensation scraped across my cornea.

_____!!

It feels insanely immoral, but more importantly, it just freaking hurts!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

To keep myself from groaning out loud, I leaned into Aruka and that still wasn’t enough to stay upright, so I clung to her as hard as I could.

Sorry, even like this, it hurts so bad I feel like I’m going to pass out.

Aruka, receiving my forceful (ridiculously weak) hug, pulled her mouth away once, then this time she wrapped her arms around me too.

Hawawawawawawawawa.

Everything’s soft in all sorts of ways, isn’t it and it still hurts!! It hurts it hurts!!

All sorts of things are pouring out of my eye and when I look at Aruka like that, she’s still wearing that regretful expression.

No! Eat it!!

‘…Sorry… itadakimasu.’

Go ahead, dig in!!!!!

Cheers with my eyeball!!!

She fixed my face in place again, lined her mouth up with my left eye and slid her tongue in again.

This time she pushed into the gaps too.

“I hh… ggh … kah”

That sound definitely isn’t in the anime.

I want to see Aruka’s face, but I can’t, because my eye is going away.

What a shame.

When it reached behind my eyelid, she used the rough taste-bud surface like a file to cut through what was still attached.

Buchin, something snapped in my head—

“___ae.”

Half my vision got painted over in black.

Is my eye tasty?

Aruka pulled away, something in her mouth.

Is it like jelly?

I don’t know, I’ve never even eaten fish eyes.

Maybe it has collagen or something?

Ah, she bit down.

She’s chewing like it’s pretty soft, so maybe I guessed right.

Also, Aruka-chan.

I didn’t miss you whispering, super quietly, “…Delicious,” after you swallowed ❤

I’ll keep feeding you more and more ♥

And blood is pouring out of this hole, what do I do—oh, it stopped.

A different-colored liquid filled that spot and my body changed.

Last time it misfired, so this time we’re doing it properly!!

Even though I feel like I can’t win!!!

Two seconds, by my own calculations of reckoning.

Old men have always been the type to rush through life, you know.

No way he’d wait, so in real time it was probably about that long.

“Hoh… What happened to that silver? Did you eat it?”

He asked that.

If Aruka-chan were here, she’d be pissed.

‘……’

Ah, he’s not exactly wrong, so she’s mad but can’t say anything.

Cute.

“No, I’m that itself. I’m nothing other than me.”

If I say something that sounds right, it’ll work out, mentally.

“…Very well. As long as you amuse me.”

Don’t just ignore that!!!?

I pulled out the scissors and aimed the blade at the old man.

In the next instant, he was right in front of me.

Too fast!!!

And I’m not even supposed to be fighting someone like you here!!!

I slashed to avoid his charge and of course he wasn’t going to just get hit.

“You read through my strike… as I thought, interesting. No wonder Rubius took a liking to you.”

He laughed like he was having fun.

No—being liked by cute girls is fine, but I hate being liked by unknown old men!!!!!

I’d really appreciate it if you’d retreat already…

Ugh, he’s taking a stance.

Wait, isn’t this the one you can’t dodge—no wait wait wait!!!

I hurriedly swung the scissors sideways to cancel it out—

“—Umiwatari!”

A blue flying slash met the old man’s blade.

For a moment there was a metallic clang—then the blade I’d fired shattered into pieces.

No way…

…Well, at least I didn’t take a hit.

“You noticed the weakness in my quickdraw. Not bad at all. Hoho.”

Stop laughing!!! I’m on the edge here!!!

He kept pressing me with his drawn sword.

I’m barely managing to block, I can’t counterattack at all.

“Blocking alone won’t do anything, you know? Attack and show me!”

I’ve heard that before.

From the side, diagonally, vertically—he came at me endlessly.

I deserve praise just for parrying, seriously.

This is why I don’t like old men!!!

Then, the old man’s movement stopped and he lowered his sword.

I quickly widened the distance and stayed on guard.

He put a hand to his ear like he was speaking to someone.

“…No, but why would that girl… Understood.”

Seems it ended.

He faced me again and spoke.

“It seems the hour is already near its end. Before we part, silver girl. Use your number-one technique on me.”

“…Huh?”

Huh?

I don’t get battle junkies.

“I’m telling you I’ll let you go if you land one hit. Hurry. If it’s half-baked, I may cut you down instead.”

Hmmm?

If he’ll let me go, fine.

Aruka, can you do it?

‘…Yeah. I can.’

Roger.

Alright then, let’s do it.

My biggest move… is it this? Which one…

I’ll just use the one with the most ridiculous name.

I poured power into the scissors, stomped in hard and leapt high.

A black vortex wrapped around the middle of the blade and I drove it into the old man’s abdomen.

“Severing Sea: Claw Wave!!!!”

That sounded like the biggest move name, okay?

It cuts the sea, it’s strong, right!!!?

By the time the wind cleared and my vision sharpened, the result made the gap between us painfully obvious.

Where I’d stabbed, willing him to fall, the blade didn’t even reach his skin.

All it did was leave a tiny fray across his robe, like a shallow diagonal snag.

‘N-no way…’

Aruka stared blankly.

I’m shocked too.

“…Hmm. Well, even damaging my clothing is commendable. As agreed, I shall withdraw.”

And then his presence vanished completely.

“…Sca…”

That was terrifying!!!

* * *

After talking big to Senpai, I never even considered losing, but—

‘Even if you keep this up, it won’t get you anywhere, Moe.’

“I know!! I know that already!!!”

I yelled even though we were in the middle of a fight.

That’s how painfully I can feel my lack of power right now.

“Hmph. You’ve made me waste my time… You must really want to die early. You aren’t even worth adding to my collection.”

Rubius looked at me with cold eyes.

If only I had more power…

He pointed the tip of his snake-segment sword at my neck, then swung down with all his strength.

My mace was broken somewhere far away, useless now.

I’m sorry, Senpai, Karua-chan—

Right before the blade touched my neck, something like a huge rod stabbed down between me and Rubius at high speed.

“Huh? What…”

“Oh? So you finally show yourself!!”

Rubius shouted in a shrill voice.

“…Wait, this is…”

The weapon Karua-chan had back then?

I looked toward where it had come from and I saw the figure I’d seen in the bedroom at night.

Black hair with a bit of white as an accent.

Amber-colored eyes.

“Karua-chan’s… monster…”

Why? Karua-chan is…

“No. Right now, I’m… Karua.”

At those words, I remembered what Senpai told me on the way here.

“Karua-chan might be gaining power by sacrificing herself.”