145: Flickering Black Flame
The shimmer that enveloped the body faded rapidly and the black flames were driven deeper and deeper into the soaked body. The secret art of Hinosmera, which takes control of another’s will and body, unraveled like a fraying thread.
『No, No…… If this continue……! At least take off the wet clothes……』
Hinosmera tries to touch the buttons of her rain-soaked pajamas. But her fingertips, like statues, did not even twitch.
This meant that control of the body had already been transferred from Hinosmera to Samecchi. Two spirits in one body, the other half had awakened.
「Uyuyun…… Sneeze!」
With a small, cute sneeze, her large, half-moon-shaped eyes slowly opened.
「Habururururu, I-I-I-It’s cold, ssuuuuu…… Uun?」
When Samecchi looked around, she saw that she was apparently on a subway platform. However, the lights were off, probably due to the huge fire on the ground, and only the emergency lights illuminated the inorganic tiled floor. Of course, the air conditioning was not working, and the temperature inside was actually lower than that of the outside air.
「It’s cold, ssu…… Samecchi should be, sleeping in aniki’s room, ssu? ……Awah!」
Tilting her head, Samecchi looked at her clothes and was surprised twice. What she was wearing was a pair of shabby pajamas that were complete out of place in a subway platform.
「Wawa! Samecchi has finally become a wandering old man, ssuka!?」
『Yer’ wandering around yes, but I don’t think yer’ an old man.』
A clear female voice rang in the ears of the upset Samecchi. Hinosmera’s voice, no longer the familiar one, sounded a little tired.
Of course, Hinosmera had no intention of breaking the “possession” in the first place. At least until she destroys Hero Headquarters and exacts her revenge on the Ark Dominion. She won’t stop until it burns down Tokyo, Japan, and every single person who despises mysterious beings.
No, she can’t stop. That’s because they no longer has any place to return to.
（If I don’t get this girl t’ go along with me, I’ll be back in that dark basement again…… No, far from bein’ sealed, I might actually be erased this time…..）
The mysterious beings of the Ark Dominion will never forgive Hinosmera. The heroes will surely take the opportunity to “dispose” of the Hinosmera now that she had lost her power. In addition, even Samecchi will harbor a grudge against Hinosmera when she finds out that she attacked her beloved aniki.
For Hinosmera, who is already under siege, it is absolutely essential to avoid making enemies with the Samecchi.
（I can’t keep kicking myself and stumblin’ in a place like this. By using this girl, I will accomplish the true purpose of a mysterious being…）
Hinosmera chose her words carefully, as if walking through a minefield.
『……Be patient, Samecchi, somethin’ terrible is going on ‘cause of me.』
「Hino-chan? Did Hino-chan bring Samecchi here, ssuka?」
『That’s right, and we’re bein’ chased by heroes.』
「Eeeeh, ssu!?」
『Shh! Be quiet!』
As Samecchi hurriedly covered her mouth, she heard some cheerful song coming from the depths of the underground passage.
「「「Everybody! Put your hands up!」」」
A cheerful song, not unlike the situation, reverberated through the uninhabited underground space. Apparently, several heroes had been sent not only above ground but also underground.
「Why is this happening, ssu!?」
『Well, that…… What, I happened t’ come across ‘em when strollin’ outside. Hino-chan was doin’ her best t’ run away.』
「Samecchi understand, ssu! Hino-chan protected Samecchi, ssune! Thank you, Hino-chan is a lifesaver.」
『…………that’s right.』
Unable to convey the truth, Hinosmera blurted out her words. However, unaware that she was alone and helpless, Samecchi uttered words of gratitude towards Hinosmera without any doubts. Samecchi was so easily deceived that Hinosmera was taken aback.
（She’s so carefree…… even though she’s bein’ used as a stepping stone, is she really a mysterious being……？）
Even Hinosmera feels a little guilty as Samecchi accepts everything too easily.
Because of the circumstances leading up to their awakening and their socially persecuted position, mysterious beings have a certain amount of darkness in their hearts. Strong resentment, deep hatred, intense anger, despair, and wounds are what make a mysterious being a mysterious being.
However, this girl named Samecchi was far from the image of a mysterious being that Hinosmera had in mind. She is honest, pure, innocent, and trusts Hinosmera from the bottom of her heart.
「Even if a lot of heroes come, it feels safe as long as Hino-chan is here. Let’s get out of this place right away and go back to our secret base.」
『……Y- Yeah, That’s right……』
Of course, she cannot let them return to Ark Dominion’s underground secret base. Hinosmera, the Purgatory Mysterious being, who had captured a top executive, is already being hunted by Ark Dominion.
This girl who trusts herself without knowing anything will eventually learn of Hinosmera’s betrayal. If only she had remained “possessed” she would never have known about it.
（At any rate, I’ll hav’ to take over Samecchi’s body again before then…… I don’t want her t’ know about it if at all possible…….）
Hinosmera tried to persuade Samecchi to stay and regain her power.
『Hey, Samecchi, why don’t ya dry your clothes first? Wouldn’t they be surprised if ya came home dressed like that?』
「Now that Hino-chan say it, that’s right, ssu! Samecchi, it’s a bit too sexy, ssune.」
『Come on, ya might catch a cold, ain’t it better to take yer clothes off?』
「Doki! No- Nobody is looking, ssuyone……?」
At Hinosmera’s urging, Samecchi put her freezing fingertips to the buttons of her pajamas. Hinosmera’s heart ached a little again at the innocent girl who obeyed her words without any doubt at all. The black flame in her chest flickered coldly at her pureness, which is so unlike a mysterious being.
（What an honest person…… Kuh…… That’s fine, take off yer clothes! Once ya take it off, yer’ gonna be all mine……!）
But the next moment, that voice reached their ears.
「Everybody, put your hands up……」
Stopping her hand on the button of her pajamas, Samecchi hastily readied herself.
On a subway platform with the lights dimmed, a V-sign of victory shone dimly in the darkness. Wearing a red suit and flame armor, the man walked straight up to Samecchi.
「I finally found you! …Huh? Have you shrinked somehow…?」
「Awah! Victor Red, ssu!?」
It was Kurenai Retto, a.k.a. Victor Red, who was obsessively searching for her. He found that the shutters to the underground passage had been destroyed, and he followed the few drops of water that dotted the passage from there.
「Asaka-san, I did it. I found Saya-chan! She’s a bit shrunken, though!」
『It seems that Hinosmera is still vulnerable to water. Now is the time to take advantage of her weakness. Kurenai-san, please protect the subject.』
「I understand! Come on, let’s go back to your sister with me, Saya-chan!」
「No, ssu! Samecchi hates Victor Red because he beats her up so many times, ssu!」
Samecchi immediately rejected Retto’s proposal and put her hands on her hips.
In their previous matches, Samecchi had been defeated twice by Victor Red. Now, she was looking for revenge, and her eyes were blazing.
「Today’s Samecchi is different from previous Samecchi, ssuyo!」
「What…!? As expected, It’s the power of Hinosmera…!?」
「Fuuukaaahiiiireeeehaaaaaaaaa!!!」
「Uwoooooh!?」
……Pusun……
Samecchi thrusted her hands forward, but there no jet-black flame ray, let alone a match-sized spark, that could start the fire.
「Huh!? That’s weird, ssu! Fukahireha! Fukahirehaaa!」
「There is nothing happening! I see, I get it, Saya-chan wants to play with onii-chan is it!? G- Guwaaah! You got meee!」
「Fuka- Fukahirehaaaa, ssuuuuu!!」
Completely ignoring Retto, who was engaged in a farce, Samecchi repeatedly took a stance to shoot fukahireha.
However, no matter how many times she tried, the result was the same.
Hinosmera’s frantic voice rang in the Samecchi’s ears.
『Ya can’t get any strength because yer’ wet! Samecchi, we can’t fight! Run away!』
「Hauu! Hino-chan just getting wet is no good, ssuka!?」
Samecchi’s small body was suddenly lifted as she turned on her heel and tried to escape.
「Awah, ssu! Let go, ssu!」
「Ha ha ha! Alright, I got you!」
In an instant, Retto closed the distance and restrained Samecchi by putting his arms under her arms as if he were nursing a child. Samecchi’s arm strength was no different from that of an eleven-year-old girl, who was soaking wet and unable to display her full potential as a mysterious being. No matter how hard she tried to resist, there was no way she would be able to compete with the fiery man in the hero suit.
「Look, So high so high!」
「Fugyaaah, ssu! Hino-chan, help, ssu!」
『Samecchii! Let go of Samecchi, ya idiot! Why? Why is it that at the most critical moment, I……』
「Help, ssuuuuu!」
The girl’s cry echoed across the subway platform. As if in response to that voice, from the darkness, opposite the direction from which Retto came from–.
――Byuoon!!
「A ha ha, Is it fun, Saya-ch- Guhaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!」
With a roar that cut through the wind, Samecchi’s body was thrown away.
A “sword like a lump of iron” flew out of the darkness and struck Retto at the side of the head. The red body spun around like a doll that kept rolling on its side and flew to the edge of the platform.
「Ha, the Hero Headquarters is starting to look a lot more like it…」
From the darkness where the sword flew, a voice colder and more stagnant than the air of the underground passage seeped through.
Illuminated by the light of an emergency lamp, it was a snarling curve colored green and black. Fluttering a cloak emblazoned with the emblem of the Grim Reaper, the green shadow appeared before Samecchi and Hinosmera.
「We’ve been looking for you, Samecchi……」
「A- aniki……?」
『……’tis bad…… Somethin’ more troublesome than a hero has come…』
He is different from the usual gentle aniki. He wears an aura of evil that sends chills down the spine of even his most junior subordinate, Samecchi.
「Now it’s time to pay your tribute, get ready… Purgatory Mysterious being Hinosmera」
The heinous mysterious Death Green stood before Samecchi, fully armed.
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