Kissshot Acerolaorion Heartunderblade.
The iron-blooded, hot-blooded, cold-blooded vampire.
The legendary vampire.
The Kaii Killer, the King of Kaiis.
She is a vampire.
She has a dazzling golden hair and a chic dress, a beautiful vampire, so beautiful your blood freezes -- no further exposition is needed.
It suffices to say -- she, of whom I am a subordinate, is my final opponent.
"Kissshot......"
I brushed aside the barricade with all my might, and I opened the iron door of the PE storehouse -- outside the sun had already sunk, and she was there in the center of the sports field.
The ground at her feet was cracked.
It must have been the impact of the landing.
In fact, she sank ankle deep in the sports field.
On Kissshot's back, those bat-like wings were missing -- being her subordinate I grasp it by instinct, she undoubtedly arrived here from above the roof of the cram school ruin with a single running long jump with no approach run.
She waited for the sunset.
And she -- jumped to my location.
However, that was still incredible. Even if it was the same running long jump with no approach run, I patted myself on the back just because I jumped a maximum of 20 meters -- and yet Kissshot jumped very easily some kilometres.
Of course, at that time I was not aiming at a record, I firmly intended on landing in the sand pit, so it must not be used for a comparison -- but if I were asked if I could jump from here to the cram school ruin, there is no need to say I would not be so sure about it.
I closed the PE storehouse's iron door with a hand behind my back.
Leaving Hanekawa inside.
In front of Kissshot that door was no obstacle whatsoever -- but nevertheless, it could give me some peace of mind.
Don't say a thing, I whispered towards the door.
After that, I made one step forward.
Toward Kissshot.
"......Yo"
While greeting her in that way -- I get closer to her.
"I didn't think you would do me the favor of coming here"
I thought that was the best barrier.
The setup of time and place.
Unlike the times when I fought with Dramaturgie, Episode and Guillotinecutter -- there is no Oshino and his mediation.
I had no choice but to do the negotiations myself.
However, we were fellow vampires.
Master and servant -- her subordinate.
The fact she showed up almost simultaneously with the sunset could mean that since Kissshot obtained her complete form my movements might be completely visible to her.
Where I am.
What I am thinking.
I can't hide anything from her.
Kissshot is looking at me with eyes colder than usual -- as first thing, she pulled out her legs from the sports field, right leg first, then the left leg.
After that.
"Just one time"
She said.
"Servant. While the sun was out, I understood thy feelings -- I understood the reason why thou were so angry. I resisted sleepiness and I reflected upon it. I think I have been insensitive -- I think I lacked way too much consideration toward thou who were a former human. Thus just this one time I will bow my head to thee"
"............"
"Return beneath me"
Kissshot says.
Hers was a beautiful voice.
With a captivating voice -- she allured me.
"Live together with me. Thou saved my life -- Thou are a weird guy, but it is for this reason I think I can live together with you. Do not turn back into a human -- do thou not wish to live eternally with me?"
"......I'll pass"
I said.
I looked back at Kissshot's cold eyes.
I strengthened my resolve -- and I said it.
"You ate a human. That was enough for me"
"If thou knew that -- would thou have not saved me? Would thou have let me die?"
"Kissshot -- I knew nothing. No......"
I shook my head.
"That's not it, I realized it from the beginning -- I just averted my eyes. I wanted to die for your sake, I thought -- in other words, I gave you permission to eat someone. However, I never imagined that as a result people would have died. My action was beautiful, but not right"
I am fine with dying --
But I feel bad when people die.
If I think about it, it's a selfish opinion.
It is impossible to subscribe to that sort of opinion.
"......I thought thou would say so"
Kissshot said while all smiles.
"I wanted to hear thee say that"
"Kissshot......"
"With this my hesitation disappeared -- Servant. Even I somehow realized it from the beginning. I thought thou were such kind of guy"
"What kind of guy?"
"Thy gentleness to me -- would have lasted only for as long as I was in trouble, I knew it"
I thought that thou would not have interest in me once I became complete.
Those words of Kissshot were even bitter.
"Thou did not save me because it was me -- thou would have saved anyone who was in trouble"
"............"
I don't do it for everybody, though.
I am doing it because it is you, you know?
Hanekawa said.
However, I.
Even if it wasn't Kissshot -- at that moment I.
"Hence -- I sensed this would happen. By the way -- I saved thee because it was thee, thou know? Thou threw away thy life for me, I would have regretted to kill someone as gallant as thee"
"......Regretted"
"For the hard work thou did for me, once again, I thank thee. Hey, come closer, servant. From thine expression I guess thou already know, right? Exactly. If thou kill me -- thou can turn back into a human as you loved to"
"............"
I gulp down my saliva.
I recognize once again that my plan has been seen through -- and I recognize how much difference of ability there is between me and her.
Trying to face her like this -- it is different.
It is different from the patterns of when I fought those three -- I seemed to be oppressed by a formidable sense of intimidation, and by a feeling of tension.
That's right.
The biggest difference -- is that the battle that will unfold now will clearly be a 'deathmatch'.
A deathmatch is not forbidden.
In addition -- the opponent was the Kaii killer.
"Do not let this dishearten thee too much, servant"
Kissshot says.
She looked even slightly happy.
"I am currently in my best condition in all these 500 years -- when I fought those three at the same time, not only my conditions were bad but I was also careless. I did not think my heart had been stolen, but...... at my level, there are not that many"
"......Many what?"
"Chances to get serious"
Saying so -- Kissshot beckons at me.
"Speaking frankly, even I do not know how it will turn out -- but since thou are undoubtedly the strongest among those who have fought me thus far, there is no need to pull punches. It is a great pleasure for me"
"I may not live up to your expectations"
I summon my courage and step by step I walk up to her.
My normal self would have run away -- however, now it is different. Behind my back, inside the PE storehouse, there is an important friend. My back has someone to protect -- I can't run away.
I have to face her.
Hanekawa, look at me.
Because I can't look pathetic in front of you.
"After all, I am a former human -- 'a former food'"
"......Relax. I am going to kill thee with ill will and hostile spirit, but even so I will give thee a handicap -- What did that brat say...... oh yea, a fifty-fifty match. I will abide by that rule"
It is a game.
So saying, Kissshot jumped lightly.
The next instant after she jumped, she appeared right in front of me -- in a position with our legs crossed alternated.
In her complete form she was taller than me.
With that point of view, she was looking down on me.
"I will not fly in the air. I will not hide in shadows. I will not turn into fog. I will not turn into darkness. I will not disappear. I will not shape-shift. I will not use my eye power. I will not even materialize matter. Needless to say, I will not even use the demon sword 'Kokorowatari'...... the Kaii Killer blade. In other words, I will not use the active abilities of a vampire -- I promise. Of course, thou can use them -- though what thou are able to do is at best to shape-shift the tip of the arms"
"............"
And even that was something I was able to do because Hanekawa was taken hostage -- now that I am feeling closer to the human side than that time, certainly it will be hard for me even just to shape-shift my fingertips.
It would be different if I had Dramaturgie's spiritual power, or maybe if I had experience -- but I am new at this and I don't have neither.
"Properly speaking, as thy master, I can to a certain degree control thine actions, but -- I will not do that. I promise I will not resort to such an ungraceful act. This will be a fight purely based on immortality -- so combat experience will not be needed. A death match while standing at this distance -- with this, it should be an even match between thee and me, right?"
"......What a bore you are"
I say.
Close to her, I glare at Kissshot's face.
"So you do this when you want to get serious. Or maybe it means you are careless, aren't you?"
"Carelessness? Unfortunately for thee not even I am so foolish to be careless when facing my subordinate -- But if I do not give thee a chance of winning there is no game right? I want to get serious. It would be dull to have the battle abandoned midway"
And then she formed handchops.
With both hands in the shape of a sword -- at this super close distance, she gets ready to fight.
I imitate her.
In this case a handchop is better than forming a fist.
With the arm power of a vampire, both fists’ and handchops’ power could be said to be within the margin of error. In that case then it is easier to use a handchop that is more flexible--
"............"
I examined the surroundings.
Although I said the sun already sank, it is still not such a late hour. There may be no people at school, but no matter how far away is this school from the other houses, there could still be eye-witnesses around.
If we don't settle this early.
However, when I thought that,
"Thou are very brave to look away when I am in front of you, servant"
Kissshot said.
"Relax. Those three are not here anymore -- an ordinary person will not even be able to get near me when I am at full power. Even if someone saw me, at most I would become a rumor--"
"--A rumor"
Street gossips. Urban legends. Second hand information.
Calling a rumor a rumor -- and speak of the devil and he shall appear.
"Although -- thy portable food in the hut behind is different, right?"
"......Kissshot. I have one last thing I want to ask you"
"Ooh. Fine, a souvenir for the other world -- I will answer to everything. Just ask me"
"What are humans for you?"
"Food"
"I see"
It was a flash answer.
I was able to drive the last wedge.
"I wanted to hear you saying so -- I wanted to hear it from your mouth!"
And then I move -- Kissshot moved too.
"I will take your life, my master!"
"Time to die, my servant!"
Even that may have been in order to create an even match -- making it seem like we moved at the same time, Kissshot let me have the initiative.
My handchop struck Kissshot's face in a horizontal swing -- the upper half of her head was severed, and it was blown behind together with her golden hair.
Like she was waiting for it, Kissshot's handchop blew up my head. Although it was the same handchop, the power was different -- compared to Dramaturgie’s fist the impact point was smaller, but the power was more focused.
Both our heads flew away.
In normal circumstances this should have been the end.
However -- I and Kissshot are not humans.
We are monsters.
Even if our head blew off, even if the brain was destroyed, unconcerned with the five minutes time limit, for just an instant our consciousness and field of vision were disrupted -- and immediately they returned as before.
Neither of us had any damage left.
"Hyaha!"
Kissshot -- laughs.
"Ha! "Haha! "Ahaha! "Hahaha! "Ahahahaha!"
In a vibrato like she was harmonizing by herself -- she laughs with joy.
"So good -- this is the greatest deathmatch between fellow vampires ever! Encore, encore, encore -- servant!"
"Shut up!"
The handchops interweave.
Not restricted to the head, they hit even the body and the limbs.
My handchops gouge Kissshot--
Kissshot's handchops gouge me.
We continue to brutally gouge each other.
"............!"
Of course, it's not like my sense of pain was numbed.
The pain was still there.
If the brain is destroyed the thought stops, if the lungs are destroyed the breath stops, if the heart is destroyed the blood flow stops.
Even if I became a vampire--
It's not like my body physically changed.
Recovery power, healing power, immortality.
This is just what stands out.
However -- it sufficed.
"Wooooooooooooooooh!"
"Haha! Scream more! -- I love manly roars!"
With her breast, as I expected, shaking violently -- although the attacks she was unleashing were even more violent -- Kissshot bursts out in a loud laughter.
Even Kissshot surely feels the pain.
There is no way her sense of pain wore out.
However nothing of that transpires from her, she doesn't even grit her teeth or scream like I am doing.
No matter where she is destroyed--
No matter if her brain, lungs or heart are destroyed, she keeps laughing out loud like she doesn't care.
With cold eyes, but an amused expression.
A ghostly laugh.
"G...... Goddamn!"
"Hey hey, it is too early for that word, servant -- like thou were feeling bitter for something while under these equal conditions!"
So she grew accustomed to pain -- huh.
The pain of having her body torn for her can only be a sensation she got used to a long time ago.
If that's the case.
In these 500 years.
What kind of bloodshed did she survived.
What kind of line between life and death did she cross.
A difference of experience -- a difference of battle experience!
"OOOOOOOOOH!"
However!
I am covering that difference in experience with willpower -- in this scene!
"Come on come on, keep screaming -- let me hear a war cry!"
"Don't get cocky on me, Kissshot!"
"If I think thou will be the last to call me so, I am reluctant to part!"
It was a pointless battle.
No matter how much blood was splattered or how much meat was scattered, it evaporates before reaching the ground, and when it evaporates it regenerates.
In the end there was no damage.
I could die from the shock caused by the pain -- maybe I already died from that shock and the vampire immortality resurrected me.
However...... it was strange.
We are equally immortal.
But Kissshot has greater offensive power.
This in itself is not strange.
However, I wonder about it -- honestly, I didn't think my blows held such destructive power they would be able to hurt Kissshot's body so much. In that regard, I just thought I would be overwhelmingly inferior to Kissshot -- but in fact, my blows destroy her body without much impact shock.
It felt like I was destroying tofu.
"Hahahahaha! "Haha! "Ahahahaha!"
With the cheeks destroyed, with a smiling face like kuchisake-onna -- Kissshot answered to my question. {kuchisake-onna is a legendary woman with a slit mouth}
Master and servant.
She can see what I am thinking--
"As a matter of fact, servant -- vampire defensive power is not that high! Of course, it should not even be compared to the humans vampires eat, but -- as if inversely proportional to the outstanding attack power, the defensive power is low! If the attack power is 100, the defensive power's maximum value would go from 10 to 20, approximately! Servant, do you understand why it is like that!?"
"............!"
Kissshot restores even the dress -- because that dress is created by her will. However I can't do the same -- my clothes are just clothes.
Above the waist I was already next to naked.
"Because the immortality is equal to a defensive power!"
"Precisely!"
Kissshot says.
"Thus in this battle thou do not need to defend from mine attacks -- just concentrate all thy mind on thine attacks, and destroy my body!"
"Are you a masochist!?"
"I will not deny it!"
Sometimes the handchops even collided with each other.
When that happened, it was my hand that was destroyed.
In this battle there was no chance to play cheap tricks -- but on the other hand, there was no chance even for elaborate tricks.
Until the immortality runs out.
Or until the mind of one of us collapses.
Such was the battle -- no.
No, the truth is different.
This pointless battle has always been nothing but a preliminary skirmish -- for Kissshot it was something like a game, for me it was not a game, but still something like a preliminary step.
I know it.
I found it out.
And -- I sensed it.
The way to kill Kissshot Acerolaorion Heartunderblade.
The technique to exorcise her.
Now that I am actually face to face with her.
I grasp it by instinct.
I don't know whether it is the instinct of a human or of a vampire, however I felt it.
If I think about it, I heard it from Kissshot herself -- then that should certainly be a valid idea.
What I had to do was clear.
However -- I had no chance to do it.
Because the technique to exorcise Kissshot was at the same time the technique with which Kissshot would exorcise me.
For this reason it is a pastime for her.
A game.
Surely -- Kisshot can kill me any time. Of course that's not being careless -- she wanted to enjoy her own full power a little while longer.
Therefore -- if Kissshot shows an opening.
Waiting for that opening -- I must continue this standing exchange of strikes.
I must continue this pointless mach of death and rebirth.
"Haha, I like it, servant -- thou have quite the willpower! Although thou have the power of a subordinate of mine, normally a new vampire would not risk his life so much!"
"It's because of this setup! It's great that you like it!"
"Just for that it is a shame! Thou could have become a legend like I did!"
"A legend? Like hell I'd want to became that -- just the thought of a stranger knowing my name makes me shiver!"
"I totally feel the same way!"
The conversation during the deathmatch.
The conversation while we gouge each other.
Yesterday -- the conversation we had above the roof of the cram school ruin was completely different -- this was a rude, random, purely spur-of-the-moment conversation.
I didn't have the self-control to laugh.
Kissshot was laughing, but it was completely different from the smiling face of last night, I couldn't feel any friendliness.
Even while we are blown off behind --
Both legs remain still.
This is the Hell of regeneration.
Even if the body is crushed into little pieces, with a gust of wind it is mended and it returns as before, gets further crushed, mended again, and again and again the body is crushed into little pieces, and it continues to be crushed for eternity -- that kind of hell.
One of the Eight Greater Hells. {also called Eight Hot Hells, from the Buddhist scriptures}
Then undoubtedly this, right here and now -- was hell.
"By the way, I will tell thee one thing -- servant! Although there is no point in thee knowing it since we part here--"
"Yeah!?"
"Dramaturgie, Episode, Guillotinecutter for sure, all the vampire exorcism specialists that until now have tried to kill me -- even that brat with the flashy shirt did not know it, but I am actually a former human!"
Kissshot -- said while laughing.
She said it while her neck was regenerating a cut.
"A former human -- in other words I am the same as Dramaturgie and thee!"
"A--Ah? Weren't you an original!?"
I was convinced of that.
But come to think of it -- Kissshot herself never said such thing even once.
"I almost forgot about the time I was a human -- I think I was born from a good family! Were we aristocrats? This dress seems a vestige of that time -- ha! Well, for vampires over 300 years old, there are no originals or subordinates anymore!"
"Hey -- What's your point?"
"No, I just forgot it for a long time -- I remembered it last night talking with thee! Even I at first felt hesitation about eating people!"
"Then!"
"Thou too!"
Kissshot for a moment stopped her attacks.
And said.
"If thou ate even one person -- thou would not feel it a sin anymore!"
"............"
I stopped my attacks, matching her.
Our injuries regenerate in the blink of an eye.
"Even Dramaturgie, despite being a former human......, moreover a vampire exorcist -- was eating people, thou know? Although it seems he is eating only capital offenders supplied by Guillotinecutter's church--"
"It is not right to eat them just because they are criminals...... all the more if they were judged criminals by Guillotinecutter's church"
"Aye. However the criterion of what is right or not to eat is not limited to humans. One must not eat cows, one must not eat pigs, one must not eat whales, one must not eat dogs -- this is not about Guillotinecutter alone, even between fellow humans there are difference in culture. Not to mention I am the Kaii Killer vampire. In a month it suffices me to eat 1 human -- In a year they are at most 12 people. Even accounting for 500 years, they would be a mere 6000 people. Looking at history, how big a number is it? How many humans did humans kill until now?"
"......This is a sophism"
"I am certainly not a threat for the world. My influence over the world is insignificant. And yet thou still say to me to die because I eat humans?"
Kissshot says.
"It is the human appetite that is the biggest greed"
If I do not eat I die.
It's not just vampires, even humans are like that.
It's not just humans, even animals are like that.
Even the plants in which I wished to turn into -- are like that.
As long as they are not inorganic substances.
As long as they are not stones or irons.
They must sacrifice other lives.
"That's not the problem, Kissshot"
I said.
"And it's like you say. What I say to you is -- die because you eat humans"
"............"
Kissshot received it with an ooh.
And -- she slowly thinned her cold eyes.
"Kissshot. I am a human"
"I see. I am a vampire"
And the battle restarted -- should have.
A pointless match of death and rebirth should have pointlessly unfolded -- at that moment.
On my back.
From behind,
"Please wait!"
A voice echoed.
It echoed on Naoetsu high school's sports field.
That was clearly the voice of Hanekawa -- now that I mention it, just before there may have been the sound of the iron door of the PE storehouse being opened.
"A-Araragi-kun, there is something strange!"
Hearing that from Hanekawa behind me, I thought you are the one who is strange.
Why did you get out of the PE storehouse in this situation -- have you no fear? Even I who have an immortal body understand the reason, just by standing in front of Kissshot like this it wouldn't be strange if your heart broke -- didn't I tell you that Kissshot with her eye power has even the ability to destroy a concrete block just by gazing at it?
Then why -- did you show yourself?
"Hanekawa! Go hide yourself!"
Knowing the risk, I looked behind.
"No -- Run! Just run! Don't stay here! Put as much distance as you can from here!"
"I-It is not like you think, Araragi-kun--"
Hanekawa -- was upset.
Even when I deeply hurt her, even when Episode made a mess of her flank, even when Guillotinecutter took her hostage, the Hanekawa who remained calm all the time -- was plainly shaken.
"There was something really weird from before--, Araragi-kun, p-perhaps we were still failing to notice something very important--"
Failing to notice?
There was still -- something we were failing to notice?
No, there should be no such thing.
There is nothing left undone--
"Thou are noisy!"
Kissshot -- yelled.
Even Kissshot was upset.
That was quite an unexpected reaction.
Although I had seen only once the scene of Kissshot being upset -- when I was still a human, and for a moment I was abandoning her.
When I made the right decision.
She -- was upset.
She was crying, begging, apologizing--
"Do not say any superfluous words -- portable food!"
She glared.
Just by doing that--
The PE storehouse's iron door behind Hanekawa was blown off.
Eye power.
Unlike the time when I kicked it open, now it's impossible to fix it -- the PE storehouse's iron door shrank like when you crash aluminum foil, and was blasted inside the PE storehouse.
Even the ground around Hanekawa was cracked.
What was around and behind Hanekawa -- was erased.
Just by being looked at.
She just looked at it.
The iron-blooded, hot-blooded, cold-blooded vampire -- the Kaii Killer!
".........Ah"
Obviously even Hanekawa for a moment gulped down her own words.
But I saw it.
I -- already saw it.
I know it.
I know her dangerousness.
Hanekawa Tsubasa.
I know that she won't stop for just that much.
She firmly strongly glared back at Kissshot Acerolaorion Heartunderblade.
"Heartunderblade-san -- could it be that you--"
"Human flavor -- Do not meddle!"
Once more Kissshot looks at Hanekawa.
Looks.
Eye power -- vampire's eye power, however!
--An opening!
Being just a pointless deathmatch, at first it didn't produce Kissshot's opening -- at this point it produced it!
Of course, unlike me, even while facing me Kissshot should have had margin to literally look aside -- but now it is different.
Now it is different.
She is upset -- and looking at Hanekawa.
She is full of openings.
"......Kissshot!"
While I shouted her name--
I thrust myself between Hanekawa and her.
I received head-on her eye power.
While all the body was blown back--
I bite the base of her neck.
I bite -- with extended double teeth -- with fangs.
"............!"
The technique to exorcise Kissshot.
The technique to exorcise a vampire
The technique with which a vampire exorcises a vampire--
If you think about it that's extremely simple and clear.
Instinct taught it to me.
It is not clear whether it was my instinct as a human or as a vampire -- however.
She said it from the start.
Before fighting Dramaturgie I received from Kissshot a tip that couldn't even be called a tip--
--At least--
--Pay attention about not letting that guy suck your blood--
--If a vampire has its blood sucked by another vampire, its existence will disappear--
At that time I didn't have a bloodsucking impulse -- but now it is different.
Now I am -- hungry.
Squelch.
I suck her blood.
I drive my fangs into her soft white skin.
The way to suck blood -- I grasped it without anybody teaching me.
Undoubtedly it is the same as people taking a meal.
"Guh--"
Kissshot groans.
Even if the blood spilled out regenerates -- the blood sucked out won't come back.
Because this is energy drain.
Only for kaii against kaii.
Because they are not even a meal.
Though they are nothing more than a meal, they are not even a meal.
This is just -- kaii killing.
I made a shield with my body against eye power -- it shouldn't reach Hanekawa. If I keep sucking Kissshot like this -- if I fully wring her blood out, like Kissshot did to me that day--
"Ha"
Kissshot.
While collapsing backwards -- she leans on me from above -- however.
She was still laughing.
"Haha "Hahaha "Hahahaha "Ahhahaha "Hahahahahahaha "Haha "Hahahaha "Ha "Hahahahaha "Haha "Ahahaha "Ahahahahahahahahaha--!"
She dies laughing, huh.
Even that may be fine.
Her blood.
Kissshot Acerolaorion Heartunderblade's blood -- was delicious beyond compare.
No matter the quantity -- I could keep drinking it forever.
I wanted to keep drinking it forever.
That's how delicious it was.
Kissshot.
In this way, without obtaining a sense of fulfillment, or sense of achievement whatsoever, I will just exorcise you right away on the spot--
I will kill you.
The life I saved -- I will kill it.
This is my responsibility -- even if I turned back into a human because of your death, I wouldn't ever obtain any sense of fulfillment or achievement -- it would be nothing more than a consequence!
"......Eh?"
2011-05-22, 13:25
but it might be useful for those who will translate the next books 
Artist
