Chapter 200: Black Swordsman Kairos

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The scorching hellish world was quiet. The dead did not seem to approach us, hiding in the distance.

[Kairos-san.]

[We’re companions, right? No need to use honorifics. By the way…]

Kairos pointed his black sword toward me.

[Didn’t I tell you to never let him go?]

[I…]

He seemed a little angry about Greed. It’s a matter of course. Kairos had personally entrusted Greed to me after all…

And I couldn’t protect Greed.

[Good grief, you are all so troublesome.]

After making a troubled face, Kairos raised his sword once more.

[This is the second time. I can’t give him back to you so easily. If you want him, then take him back from me.]

[You mean fight you?]

His face was smiling, but his eyes that were looking straight at me spoke otherwise.

[That is how things work in this world. You certainly know that already.]

[Pardon me…?]

[We don’t need two people with Gluttony skills in this world, so we have to decide which one is the real one, you or me.]

While talking, Keiros jumped towards me. The black sword he swung down left a blue afterglow.

[This is also Greed’s wish.]

A high-pitched metallic sound echoes. It spread like ripples into a bright red world.

Somehow… I took it with a black bayonet, but I was more concerned with Kairos’ words.

[Greed too?]

[Yes. Just like with the Gluttony skill, there is no need for two black swordsmen to exist in this world.]

[That’s very specific.]

[Nothing good will come from doing things half-assed.]

A black sword and a black bayonet that collide with each other. While scattering sparks, trying to overpower each other, the black sword gradually increased in power.

This… as Kairos said, Greed was in this as well…

The black bayonet was pushed back. Kairos shouted at me.

[Both I and Greed take this seriously. Come on, go beyond your limit!]

The smile in his face disappeared. Now Kairos looked grim and severe.

Perhaps it’s his way to tell me that it’s a fatal battle we’re having now. To die in the spiritual world… meant losing your existence. Even with that knowledge, Kairos still brandished his sword at me.

I looked back at him, resolving myself.

[That’s the way. Good, Fate!]

His body moved in an unnatural manner. Though I was still able to defend against his attack.

Fighting experience that has been ingrained in my body so far is also usable in this spiritual world. Besides, I’ve been trained by Greed and Luna to fight in this world.

[Good eyes. Bright red eyes that are common to the mortal sins skill holder. Shine redder.]

[Kairos!]

I could swear that the black bayonet in my hand felt a lot lighter when I swung it now. What a strange feeling. It’s as if the terrifying world around me didn’t matter. All I wanted was to fight.

And gradually, it felt as if I’d assimilated with the world around me… Allowing me to look ahead of what would happen in this world――including Kairos’ attack.

I easily parried all of his attacks, despite the fact that my eyes could no longer physically follow his movements.

[You actually got used to it. Really, you are different.]

[What do you even mean?]

Colliding against each other, once again we were locked in a power struggle.

[You don’t know too much about your own real self… about who you really are.]

[My real self?]

[Falling here, yet still maintaining your ego.]

[Maybe that’s because it’s you.]

As both of us kept avoiding each other’s attack, the battle continued on. The myriad of slashes and shots coming out from Envy seemed unable to touch Kairos at all.

And he’s fighting while using only the black sword form. Does he even need to change form in the first place?

[You don’t seem to get it. The reason why I and Rafal were able to maintain our ego in this place, was none other… thanks to you, Fate.]

[What are you talking about.]

[Greed must’ve told you. I was engulfed by my own Gluttony skill. You should know what that leads to.]

[I…]

[Rafal was similar. He should’ve lost his ego the moment he experienced the collapse phenomenon. However, he actually returned to his original self after being devoured by the gluttony skill. There was no way to do such a thing on his own. Then, who helped him?]

Both were similarly devoured by the Gluttony skill.

It couldn’t possibly be me. Then why did Kairos say that it’s because of me?

[Is it because of the Gluttony skill that created this world? That’s not it either. Another force is also at work here.]

Kairos continued to make me hold my breath.

[It’s you, Fate. Because you wished so, we were able to maintain our ego as independent beings.]

Is that so? Rafal appeared to us in his human form despite experiencing the collapse phenomenon. When I defeated him… I did hope that he would watch me as I keep his sister safe.

Then what about Kairos?

Did I accidently invoke Kairos, who was sleeping inside the gluttony skill when I went to rescue Myne as she was trapped in the world of her past?

If only Kairos said all that, I would’ve probably understood sooner.

[But there are limits to what you can do. You and I. I’ll try to get it back in the beginning…]

[What are you gonna do?]

[Use myself to let you learn who you are. The real you.]

Kairos grinned and pushed me back.

[Now then…]

There was something wrong with his appearance. Similar to the collapse phenomenon――when a human being turned into a monster――a pair of sharp horns grew from his head. The two wrapped around like sheep’s horns with the tips threateningly facing forward.

[Fate, this is what you were afraid of. To be engulfed by the Gluttony skill… losing your ego… becoming the existence that will bring ruin to consume… e..very…thing…]

[Kairos!]

Envy stopped me before I tried to come closer.

『Stop. Once that happens, there is no stopping him unless you kill him. Or, do you have the power to return Kairos to his original form, just like he said?』

[That’s…]

I don’t. Kairos overestimated me.

Being able to do that is equivalent to being able to control the gluttony skills. I wouldn’t have fallen to this place if I had reached that state.

I have been swayed by this skill for a long time. Even now.

At least I thought so… Kairos said that I’m different. And he’s using himself to let me learn about my true self. But what does he mean by【True self】?

I am Dean Graphite’s son, supposedly a result of the union between a sacred beastkin and a human. Among the many known skills, I ended up with the Gluttony skill.

Is it something related to gluttony skill that I’m not aware of? What else do I have by chance?

『Fate, eyes forward. He is coming.』

[Tsk.]

There’s no time to think this slowly. Having finished his transformation, Kairos immediately approached and swung his sword at me. His current appearance, perhaps one can describe it as demon-like. It’s as if a huge amount of magic power had been compressed into a humanoid shape.

By that point, I don’t know if he could still be considered a living being.

[Thinking back. When I fought Tenryu… I’m glad that I didn’t collapse.]

『Of course』

[Don’t act as if you’re not involved! You were the cause back then.]

『Ahaha』

Don’t give me that! Once we return to the real world, I’ll let Eris have a talk with you.

Though I have to admit that Envy was quite reliable as a weapon.

Before I knew it, demon Kairos vanished from my sight!

His sword was already aiming for my neck.

But, the black bayonet already moved before I even knew it.

The two weapons clashed, producing sparks in the collision.

『I have accustomed myself to this world now. And I borrowed your hand a little just now』

[Envy… you.]

『I am good at taking control of my wielder’s body. You should know that already. Also, I am good at taking over the soul』

[That was useless info, but thanks for helping just now. But please stop taking control of my spirit body while we’re here. If something goes wrong, maybe…]

『You will die』

[You little… now of all time?]

『Just kidding. You are not that easy to take over. I hate it, but I have to fight alongside you now. Be grateful.』

An unseen attack came once more. And Envy controlled my body to block it once again.

Even so, I wasn’t able to launch a counter attack because I was forced to defend all the time. Kairos’ attacks were very precise. It’s hard to believe that he could do this repeatedly.

Each one was a deathblow. Makes me wonder if it’s because he had lost his ego.

Perhaps realizing that close combat won’t get him anywhere, demon Kairos changed the form of his weapon.

[He can do that too!?]

『That is……not good』

The black bow form. And he’s releasing the secret art as well.

[Let’s do this then.]

I immediately pointed the black bayonet at the demon Keiros and pulled the trigger.

At the same time, a black lightning bolt was released from the black bow that grew into a terrifying figure.

Catastrophe Rain and Bloody Ptarmigan collided with each other.

A number of red bullets hit the branching black lightning bolt, canceling each other. Every time, I felt something unfamiliar… something was flowing into me.

Is it okay to continue fighting demon Kairos? We know that there is always only one thing beyond that.

The loser will be devoured.

We cannot escape this basic rule, since we’re both the Gluttony skill holders.

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