Branch D-02, part 18 (after battle)
Yuri's head stood motionless, facing Gregor. Her face was upright.
However, the Yuri we knew, the Yuri who accompanied us, was always hunched over.
Slouched and laden as though it were the obligation of the sole survivor to carry the weight of her dead colleagues.
So, I had no reason to hesitate to warn him.
<That's not Yuri, Gregor.>
... No. I don't think it is, either.
Gregor accepts it calmly.
He then outstretches his arm, sending it flying toward "Yuri."
Yet, it soon pauses mid-air.
I didn't want to die.
......
<Cut her down, Gregor.>
I don't know if this is the right thing to do as the manager,
None of us wanted to die.
but I had to shout at Gregor now to stop him from breaking.
<Cut it now!>
Gah, aaaaargh!!!
I-I don't wanna die!
This... This is...
The verminous arm stopped inches away from piercing the civilian's throat.
I pulled against it with all my might, but it wouldn't budge.
P-please, please don't kill me... Just take my money, whatever you want - !
Let the woman go! Otherwise, I will stop you by force!
My arm... Cut off the arm! Now!
This is your final warning. Release her now, or...
Cut it off!
As the dismembered arm falls to the ground, she slides down the wall, gasping.
However, peace doesn't last long - the arm starts regenerating from its twitching stump.
Are you alright, sir?
No, stay away from me! Don't come any closer!
The regrown arm rushes forward as if it remembered the pain it suffered mere moments ago.
......
You have my utmost respect, Manager Gregor, sir!
Don't... don't do that... I never even wanted to be a part of this war...
......
What was I supposed to do? Is it so wrong that I survived?
Please, live... just live on... None of us asked for this to happen, none of us asked to be in this mess...
......
To be so close, here, on the very periphery of the end... only to be stopped moments before your labor bears fruit. How regrettable.
Well, we'll take it. Opportunities left unclaimed will only become null and void.
Yuri's head tumbled to the ground.
It wasn't Gregor's doing.
Nhh... Aah...
Yuri's mouth opens and lets something out.
It was a tree branch radiating a bright golden glow.
Seeking the Bough, were you?
You...
A bit small, isn't it?
I'm Hermann. We'll be seeing each other often. The reason being...
We... need those Boughs, and you... can find them.
You... won't die, but we... will kill you.
Hermann nudges Yuri's head with her foot.
......
All in due time, of course.
We'll take good care of the Golden Bough you found.
Gubo... My dear compatriot. Is this the path you have chosen?
Indeed it is. Only few remain now.
... It's been a while, Brother.
Do you know how filthy your clothing smells? If only your family were here to see the sorry state you're in.
Some reunion this has turned into.
How are you treating that gift of mine, son?
I didn't invest in you just to see you in such a mess.
I never asked for this... Not once...
You should at least finish unwrapping the present.
That little arm isn't all there is to it.
Alright now. That's enough greetings.
The man called Jia Huan clapped twice.
Then, everything went dark.
Like...
Waking from a long nightmare to the break of dawn.
After some time passed...
And I thought this would be an easy enough mission for you.
It really is something, your gall to come crawling back here after losing the Golden Bough right before your eyes.
Have I overestimated you?
<......>
Why don't you give me an excuse, Miss Faust.
As it turns out, immortality wasn't the solution to everything.
... Hm.
Anything to say for yourself, Dante?
<There was another group going after the Golden Bough.>
<You had to have known this, so why didn't you warn me?>
They're asking about the other faction that sought the Golden Bough.
Faust placidly relayed my words to Vergilius.
... Don't tell me you're blaming me for this?
Tell me then, Dante. Why would we bother sending 12 whole combatants to a place with no threats?
After hiring Fixers to guide them, too.
<That's...>
Enough of that, Manager Bud.
It's my fault. If you want someone to blame, I'm right here...
How fascinating.
Built a sense of camaraderie between you already.
Well, I do suppose it's not too bad to cover up for each other since you're all in the same bus...
Just know that sticking up for one another doesn't make up for your incompetence.
... We got a call. After Team's Spec Ops Section 4 has just gone underground for their job.
That sounds about right. Someone has to salvage the E.G.O and Abnormalities left there.
... A real shame that the essence was lost, though.
This is getting excessive.
Failure is a common thing on the battlefield. If an objective isn't met, you devise another plan and redeploy.
Are you sure it wasn't your expectations that were too high for our first mission? I will have you know that the Executive Manager's performance was nothing short of outstanding.
......
I suppose we'll leave it at that. You're not entirely wrong.
Certainly.
There seemed to be an uncanny tension between Vergilius and Faust...
But right now, I had neither the energy nor the willpower left in me to get inquisitive.
The bus reeked with the metallic stench of blood and gore that clung to our outfits, but no one thought to open the windows.
And no one had the urge to have a change of clothes.
All of us just sat in place, dwelling on silence.
Gregor, who had the most defeated look of them all, stared despondently out the window...
Then, he suddenly went to hang something from his pocket near the windshield of the bus.
Bug Guy. What did you put on Mephi's head?
... A memento.
A memento for two.
I had a sister, just about Yuri's age.
That's... all there is.
I considered giving him a pep talk, but the idea quickly dissipated.
Ishmael wore a grieving look, Sinclair was quietly weeping, and Rodya let out a distressed sigh; if they couldn't offer him any encouragement, what good would I do?
Charon, won't this get in your way?
No, Charon'll be fine.
... Alright, let's hit the road.
Vroom-vroom.
The bus slowly grumbled forward.
The gas mask hanging by the windshield gently swayed like an ornament.