𝐁𝐞𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐛𝐥𝐮𝐞 𝐬𝐤𝐲
“Gah…”
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Kid coughed up blood, looking at his torn. . . . . .no, nearly bisected shoulder.
His right arm was no longer functional. The bleeding wouldn’t stop, and he felt overwhelmingly sleepy.
He could see Ridelle and Garnet approaching.
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“Idiot, idiot, idiot!! Why is this happening?!”
“Shut up. . . . . .Hey, old lady. . . . . .don’t let that guy get away!!”
“I know!! But your bleeding. . . . . .”
“Don’t let her escape!!”
“Damn. . . . . .this brat!!”
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Garnet glared hatefully at Kid and moved to restrain Florentia.
However, Kid noticed something. Behind that anger, there was a hint of sadness.
The moment he realized that, his strength faded.
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“Tch. . . . . .”
“Kid!!”
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Ridelle supported Kid.
He felt her soft chest and smelled her sweet scent. It wasn’t bad to be held by a woman in the end.
Kid, feeling his body growing cold, mustered his last strength.
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“Hey, I’ll leave the rest. . . . . .to you.”
“No way!! You said you’d finish it yourself!! That guy isn’t dead yet!! If you don’t finish him off, who will. . . . . .”
“I said I’m leaving it to you. . . . . .ah damn, I’m so sleepy. . . . . .well, it is what it is.”
“What are you saying. . . . . .”
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An overwhelming drowsiness hit Kid, and then. . . . . .
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“Guh. . . . . .gahh?!”
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Garnet was thrown back as if repelled by something.
She crashed violently into a wall, spitting up blood.
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“Te. . . . . .Teacher?!”
“Looks like. . . . . .we’ve been done in. . . . . .Ridelle, be prepared. . . . . .”
“Eh. . . . . .?!”
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In the direction where Florentia was blown away, there was something.
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『Oh~
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. . . . . .did you call me~~~?!』
“Wha. . . . . .”
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It was something like a 『giant serpent』.
Its long tail wrapped around the clock tower.
It had the lower body of a serpent and the upper body of an ominous mountain hag. Furthermore, the mountain witch had eight articulated arms, each over five meters long.
All eight hands held the large scythe that Florentia had.
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“What. . . . . .is this?”
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The demon of 『Lust』 Florentia. This was her form as a summoned beast.
Florentia, with a face like an old hag, glared at Ridelle.
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『I didn’t plan to become like this. . . . . .but I won’t forgive you! I’ll tear you apart and eat you!!』
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Florentia was raging mad.
Ridelle gently let go of Kid. He collapsed, unable to stand.
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“Kid. . . . . .I’ll be right back.”
“. . . . . .”
“I’ll defeat that thing!!”
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Steam gushed from both of Ridelle’s legs.
Taking her stance and gathering her spirit, Ridelle shouted.
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“『Total Assimilation』!!”
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The armor that only covered her legs now enveloped her entire body.
Ridelle, transformed into a female mechanical doll, opened all her armor plates and expelled steam. From both hands, she deployed huge spikes and enveloped them with pink lightning.
Florentia distorted her hag-like face in response.
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『You look tough, girl?. . . . . .I’ll tear you apart and pick your insides out!!』
“Try if you can!! I, I won’t lose!!”
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With fire blasting from the booster unit on her back, Ridelle charged at Florentia.
◇◇◇◇◇◇
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Kid managed to cling to his fading consciousness.
Garnet lay fallen nearby.
She must have let her guard down. Several of her bones were broken, and she was covered in blood.
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“Ba. . . . . .Bah. . . . . .”
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Moving his lips was a struggle.
Only now did Kid notice the pool of blood forming around him as he crouched down.
And perhaps hearing the call, Garnet groaned as she tried to get up. . . . . .only to spit out blood.
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“Gah?!. . . . . .Ugh. . . . . .My organs. . . . . .I think I’m done for.”
“. . . . . .”
“Are you alive?”
“. . . . . .”
“Hmph. Pathetic. . . . . .A kid had to protect me, and here I am lying down like this.”
“. . . . . .Hmph.”
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Kid laughed.
Nearby, Ridelle and Florentia were fighting.
It felt as if time was flowing slowly around where Kid and Garnet were.
With trembling hands, Garnet lit a cigarette.
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“Ah. . . . . .This might be my last smoke. . . . . .But smoking beside you isn’t so bad.”
“. . . . . .Is that so?”
“Yeah. . . . . .Silly kid.”
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The next moment━━Garnet shielded Kid.
“Ah. . . . . .?”
“Gah. . . . . .”
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A scythe from Florentia was embedded in Garnet’s back.
Ridelle was shouting something, and Florentia was laughing.
Yes, Florentia had thrown the scythe at Kid, aiming to torment Ridelle.
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『Ah~, a mistake. I wanted to kill your beloved man.』
“Youuuuuuuuuuuu!!”
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But Kid couldn’t hear anymore.
Garnet was in front of him.
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“W. . .Why. . . . . .?”
“It’s simple. You’re. . . . . .my student.”
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Garnet smiled gently.
Blood was pouring out, mixing with the pool from Kid.
A tear rolled down Kid’s eye.
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“Kid. . . . . .Don’t die.”
“Huh. . . . . .?”
“I won’t tell you to give up revenge. But. . . . . .when it’s all over, live with your head held high. Your family, and I. . . . . .we wish for that.”
“B, Bah. . . . . .”
“Heh, you’re annoying till the end. One more thing. . . . . .”
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Garnet took out a small package from her chest.
She opened it and pressed it into Kid’s hands.
It was a simply designed pipe and tobacco.
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“I told you to quit smoking. . . . . .but it’s addictive. If you smoke, do it in. . . . . .moderation. . . . . .ok. . . . . .ay. . . . . .”
“Ah. . . . . .”
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Garnet’s life faded away.
Leaving behind just a bit of advice and tobacco.
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“. . . . . .How pointless.”
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And then, all strength left Kid.
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◇◇◇◇◇◇
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『───Onii-chan』
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◇◇◇◇◇◇
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“. . . . . .Huh?”
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When he woke up, he was. . . . . .in his house.
It was his own room. He was wearing clothes from his past.
“. . . . . .How pointless.”
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This was a dream.
He knew it. He could differentiate between dreams and reality.
Still, Kid had returned to his lost hometown.
And then━━
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“Onii-chan.”
“Ah. . . . . .”
“Welcome back.”
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His younger sister, Sara, came to wake him up.
Kid’s lips trembled. Tears flowed and wouldn’t stop.
The smiling Sara somehow looked━━translucent.
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“Onii-chan.”
“Sara. . . . . .”
“We need to go now.”
“. . . . . .I’m sorry. I’m so sorry, Sara!! Big brother couldn’t protect you. . . . . .”
“It’s okay. I’m fine now.”
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Then, the scenery changes.
It was the ranch. Kid’s home ranch.
Not only Sara was there.
“Grandpa, Grandma. . . . . .”
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Kid’s grandparents were smiling warmly.
Behind them, the villagers were also smiling.
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“Mom. . . . . .”
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His mother was smiling next to Sara.
Seeing his mother’s familiar smile, Kid’s heart felt tight.
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“Dad. . . . . .”
“Kid. Can you do it?”
“. . . . . .Of course. I’m your son, aren’t I?”
“Heh, you sure are cheeky. . . . . .You look just like me.”
“Hehe. . . . . .”
“And, the hat. It suits you.”
“. . . . . .”
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Kid gently touched the ten-gallon hat, a memento from his father.
And then, there was one more person.
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“. . . . . .Old lady.”
“Hmph. Get going, you little brat.”
“Yeah. . . . . .Thanks, Garnet.”
“Hmm. Grow up to be a good man.”
“. . . . . .I will.”
“Look, he’s here.”
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Then, from the clear blue sky, a hawk soared in.
Without hesitation, Kid raised his left arm and the hawk landed smoothly.
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“Billy. . . . . .”
『Sorry I’m late.』
“It’s fine. Partner.”
『Let’s become one, Kid.』
“Are you sure?”
『Yes. Even if my soul becomes one with Kid, I won’t feel lonely.』
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Billy looked at Kid’s family.
This scenery in Kid’s heart will never fade.
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『Kid’s heart. It was pitch black until now. . . . . .but the darkness has cleared, revealing a vast, clear blue sky. It’s okay now. . . . . .I’m not scared anymore.』
“Yeah, thanks. . . . . .It’s all because of everyone.”
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Kid looked at his family and then at Sara.
Sara approached Kid with a bright smile.
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“Hehe. Onii-chan, show me your cool side. My beloved Onii-chan is stronger and cooler than anyone else.”
“Hehe, thanks. Watch. . . . . .the strength of Billy and me, 『Billy・The Kid』!”
“Yeah!!”
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Sara’s radiant smile.
And then, the space started to be enveloped in light.
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“Let’s do this, Billy.”
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Kid raised his left hand.
Billy’s body turned translucent and merged with an emerald green light.
Kid tilted his ten-gallon hat slightly and whispered.
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“『Total Assimilation』.”
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◇◇◇◇◇◇
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“Gah, wha?!”
『Oohh!! It’s fun, so fun!!』
“Damn. . . . . .”
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Ridelle was being chipped away little by little by Florentia’s scythe.
Florentia’s large scythe was sharp, but it wasn’t enough to completely cut through Ridelle’s armor. Little by little, it was being chipped away. Meanwhile, Ridelle’s weaponry was too powerful for urban combat. She was fighting only with electrified punches and kicks.
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『Hohoho! I’ll chip away until your insides are exposed. . . . . .huh?』
“What. . . . . .?”
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Florentia and Ridelle’s movements stopped.
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“. . . . . .”
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Kid stood silently.
His left hand pointed at Florentia.
And then. . . . . .Kid began to transform.
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“Eh, is this. . . . . .could it be?”
『Wow♪』
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Kid’s body was undergoing a change.
His emerald green left arm transformed to cover both arms.
A lightweight armor, reminiscent of jade, enveloped his body. His legs changed, with the lower half resembling a bird of prey.
His face now looked like a blend of a human and condor, raven, and eagle. It appeared as if a bird with an open mouth had a face inside.
The most significant change was on his back. Large wings, resembling a collection of jade, sprouted from Kid’s back.
A humanoid form of condor, raven, eagle, and an eagle combined. That was Kid now.
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“To, 『Total Assimilation』. . . . . .Kid.”
『Fufu♪ Looking good. . . . . .but no matter who tries, they can’t touch me. You’ll never touch me again.』
“. . . . . .Hmph.”
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Kid pointed with his left, then his right hand.
The index fingers of both his arms transformed into gun barrels. Yes, Kid originally had a dual-gun style.
Bullets fired from both hands flew towards Florentia.
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『It’s futil━━』
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The bullets pierced through Florentia’s arm.
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『What?! Aaaahhhhhhhhhhh?!』
“Eh, it worked?! Why. . . . . .”
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Kid spread his wings wide and began to float gently.
With both arms poised, Kid spoke.
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“Let me tell you something good. Billy. . . . . .he’s my partner and 『lover』.”
『Wha. . . . . .?』
“W, What, lover?”
『. . . . . .Could it be?!』
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Kid flashed a defiant smile.
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“That’s right, Billy is female. Now that I’ve completely merged with Billy, I’m like a blend of male and female. Your ability can reject males, but not the female part of Billy. In other words, my ambiguous attacks can reach you.”
『T, That’s ridiculous. . . . . .how』
“This is reality. Now. . . . . .brace yourself. I’ll settle things with you here!”
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Kid’s revenge. . . . . .no, the battle began.