Accelerator looked at the ground, and saw a walking stick nearby. Probably something that flew near him from the spectators that were affected by their fight. Now, accompanying the uproar they had caused, several hundred people had crowded around.
But Accelerator showed no intention of hiding. Other small fries would take care of covering up the incident, there was no point in worrying about this himself.
"…"
Looking back,
In the center of the crossroad that was in upheaval, Kakine Teitoku was lying there on the ground. The white wings that had their control of the vectors taken from them, had stabbed through Kakine. A puddle of blood was slowly spreading, as if an unknown magic circle was slowly taking shape.
However, Dark Matter was still alive.
And Accelerator was a villain, not one of the good guys.
At this time, one of those puke-inducing good guys would probably leave it at this, and turn to walk away. Or maybe they would even be merciful, staying to take care of the wounds the bad guy had suffered, and point him a new direction in life to make everything better. But now, Accelerator only wordlessly pulled out a gun from its holster on his side. From the instant Kakine Teitoku decided to involve civilians and Last Order in his fight against Accelerator, he never had the thought of forgiving him.
(This is probably the difference between a good guy and a bad guy), Accelerator thought to himself.
"Farewell, scumbag."
Accelerator cocked the gun with his thumb, and said in a quiet voice to the still unconscious Kakine.
"Well, this is probably better than being taken down by one of those heroes."
His index finger was on the trigger. It was all over. Not relying on the kindness of others, nor miracles from the heavens; this was the future on the path of evil that was carved by Accelerator's own actions. Accelerator carried out his actions in his own style, and pointed the gun at the enemy's head, and slowly put strength into his right hand.
There was only one step left to the end of everything, and the peace that was built on death.
"Stop, Accelerator!"
A loud voice sounded out from outside his view. From the crowd gathered a familiar face jumped out. Wearing a green jersey that was ridiculously unfashionable, and without any make-up on her face. She was a school teacher and also one of the Anti-Skill peace-keepers.
Yomikawa Aiho.
She ran straight towards him.
"I don't know where you went, or what this current situation means. But, all I have to say is this: Give me the gun. That's not something you need!"
Yomikawa didn't have a gun on her. She didn't even have special batons, tasers, or anything for self-protection. Everyone watching might have thought she was an idiot. Facing a rampaging esper that had done this much damage, going in unarmed was almost like suicide.
Yomikawa probably knew just how dangerous the situation was for her.
Or putting it another way, as a member of Anti-Skill standing on the frontlines, she understood far better than bystanders just how dangerous her actions were.
"I'm a villain."
"Then I'll stop you."
"Are you serious?"
"Apart from that I have no other choice."
Not defeating him, just stopping him. That was her way of doing things. Just like how Accelerator chose the life of a villain, Yomikawa would never agree with methods that pointed a weapon at the children that they needed to protect. Accelerator stared into Yomikawa's eyes. Those eyes shone out with determination. In Accelerator's view this was a way of life that was beyond foolish, but to her this was something that was worth giving up her life for.
"It doesn't matter whether you are a villain or hero, Accelerator, nor what kind of world you are involved in. For me, what's most important is bringing you back. No matter how dark or cold your world is, I'll never give you up, and drag you back!"
In this instant, the two of them shared the same position. This had nothing to do with being the strongest Level 5 in Academy City or an adult with no power of her own; Yomikawa Aiho was blocking Accelerator's way.
"That's why I have to stop you. For the children I must protect, and for the dearly-loved peace. Where you and Last Order can both happily live together. For such a future, the gun in your hand is unnecessary."
"…"
Accelerator wordlessly finished listening to her words.
He came to a conclusion.
The gun that was pointed at Kakine turned and pointed towards Yomikawa.
(So,)
Yomikawa was an enemy. Even if she was one of the good guys, even if her reason was for Accelerator's own good, her actions were impeding the way of Accelerator's path of evil.
So she must be eliminated; but she didn't have to be killed. If he wanted to go easy on her his gun skills were more than enough to do so.
(Here and now.)
Accelerator also had people he wanted to protect. People like Last Order, the Sisters, Yoshikawa Kikyou, and Yomikawa Aiho. So, he must be cruel to the very end. Even if he had to fight against the whole world, and even against those he must protect, he had to save those people from the darkness.
(Fire.)
"You can't do it."
By the time he realized, Yomikawa had walked up to him, and covered both the gun and Accelerator's hand softly with her own hands.
"You haven't rotted that much."
Victory was decided just like that. The fingers that were holding onto the gun were slowly plied open one by one by Yomikawa. Then she took out the clip, pulled the slide back, and ejected the bullet already in the chamber. Faced with this kind of end, Accelerator could only stare blankly.
At this time…
Splat.
An attack made of Dark Matter came suddenly, and cut off Accelerator's thought.
The target wasn't him.
Yomikawa opened her eyes wide in shock. She slowly looked down. The white wing made of unknown materials had stabbed through the side of her stomach like a knife. Her green jersey had been dyed red. And with each passing moment the redness was spreading into a frighteningly large patch.
Yomikawa wanted to say something, but after stumbling a few steps she collapsed.
Accelerator could only look on. Behind the collapsed Yomikawa stood a human figure. It was the unconscious Kakine Teitoku.
And behind him were the six wings.
There was no need to explain what had just happened.
Swish. The sharp wings that stabbed through Yomikawa's side were lightly pulled out.
"…She actually said no matter how dark or cold the world you are in, she'll definitely bring you back?"
Kakine said with a face stained by blood.
The reason he attacked Yomikawa wasn't because she was in his way. From the beginning, Kakine's eyes only had Accelerator. That slight hesitation, the slight hesitation in front of Yomikawa that he would step off the path of evil, was the reason he attacked Yomikawa.
To him, that hesitation, was the obstacle.
If Accelerator had given up evil, then just what had he himself lost to?
Because of that, Kakine Teitoku raged.
"That's impossible! How could it be that easy?! This is our world. This is the end of darkness and despair!! You babble on with fancy words, but at the end of the end, you rely on something like this. This is what you called aesthetics?!"
A shattering speech. Lead by rage and ill will, the words that were illogical smashed against Accelerator's body like blast waves.
"In the end you are the same as me, unable to protect anybody. After this many more will die, killed by a mongrel like me. Isn't that right, Accelerator!! Didn't you also slaughter your way to where you are now!!"
Kakine shakily stood upright with his body stained by blood and grime.
But this wasn't for fighting against Accelerator. For him who had a good understanding of ill will, Kakine's ill will was directed elsewhere.
And that was towards Yomikawa lying on the ground.
"S-stop."
"I can't hear you."
Cracking sounds were made, but no-one was sure what was happening. Kakine wasn't touching Yomikawa, but Yomikawa's body was being stepped on by something unseen. Her body was trembling and the red-black patch, upon the pressure, had started to spread once more.
"Stop!!"
"I can't fucking hear you!!"
Accelerator's voice was being drowned out by Kakine's roar.
"Don't count on me to stop, you idiot!! What do you expect talking to solve, you villain? You have got to be joking—that's not how we do things!"
Kakine used his ability and increased the pressure on Yomikawa.
This time it was not just her side, even Yomikawa's mouth started to have sticky crimson liquid leaking out.
"If you want to stop someone, then kill him. If you don't like something, then destroy it. That's the evil! Being saved is unnecessary!! Being smiled upon and forgiven is unnecessary!! A piece of shit bastard like you doesn't deserve to be forgiven! Come on! Let me see the 'evil' that you, who have only spouted fancy words, have!!"
—you fool.
Though you've said before you won't involve normal people this is the result. Even though you've given up on the light, even though you've decided to stand at the pinnacle of the darkness, in the end you got tempted by soft words into reaching for the thread of light that reached for you. His own sight only slightly left the world of darkness, his own hands only slightly touched the world of light. The priority of eliminating Kakine Teitoku was pushed aside and this tragedy was the result.
So…
Accelerator this time changed completely into evil. He swore no matter what he would lose, he would completely shatter Kakine Teitoku!!
A searing headache. It felt like something sharp had stabbed into his brain, and devoured everything in Accelerator. His ears could hear something like fruit being smashed into pulp. His eyes had started to flow with a liquid that was not tears. A liquid that smelled of rust, was redder than tears, thicker than tears, and felt uncomfortable. Even this liquid that came out of his eyes only left a taste of disgust.
And what came afterward was…
Rampage.
"Oh."
That pillar that had supported him had completely shattered. His whole body had been infected by a murky emotion. Accelerator, who clenched his teeth and had crimson eyes, let out a roar that echoed to the ends of the earth!
"Aaaaaaaargh!!"
From behind him spread murky black wings, as if they shot out from his back. This pair of wings that contained something which could blow away the mind, and anger that shattered his own sense of self, spread instantly over tens of meters, and shaved off parts of the buildings and roads around him.
"Ha."
This pair of black wings, Kakine had seen it before, and knew what it was.
The elementary particles that didn't exist in this world, Dark Matter.
"… So strong. Such powerful evil. So you can do it if you put your mind to it, villain. If that's the case then indeed Dark Matter is only suitable for being the spare plan. However, this doesn't mean it's all decided!!"
Kakine's six wings, as if responding to his roar, spread explosively. The wings that spanned several tens of meters emitted a mysterious glow, and at the same time had an inorganic feel like a machine. Almost like a giant weapon gods and angels normally use.
Flap. The air around the six wings let out a howl.
Accelerator and Dark Matter controlled the organic and inorganic powers respectively.
Different from this world, this was 'organic' and 'inorganic' in terms of a different world. The One Who Wields the Power of God and The One Who Has Touched the Territory of God. Now the odds of victory were even, only that unlike Accelerator, Kakine hadn't lost himself.
An unprecedented power was expanding within him.
And, he had perfectly mastered this power.
Now the position of the #1 and #2 of Academy City was about to be reversed. This was neither a bluff nor an exaggeration. He now believed even if he fought against all the armies in the world, and even every esper in Academy City, he could emerge victorious and unharmed.
"Hahaha!! Uwahahahaha!!"
Kakine laughed and waved his completely awakened six wings down at Accelerator.
He no longer saw Accelerator as a threat, but only a thing to test his new powers on.
Splat.
Kakine Teitoku's body was pressed into the asphalt by a great power.
"Wha…?!"
He completely didn't understand what just happened.
Accelerator's wings didn't move at all. He only stared at Kakine and slightly moved his hands. With just that, he defeated Kakine who had absolute power and ground him deep into the ground.
His right hand that had the Tweezers on it was torn off from the elbow downwards.
(Ah! …Uwah! Wh-Wha?! Just what is—)
Accelerator must have changed vectors and energies of some sort, and redirected those towards Kakine as an attack. Even though he understood, even if Accelerator had gathered all the energies in this world, this phenomenon shouldn't have happened. The Kakine Teitoku now couldn't lose to this world.
Unreasonable.
Inexplicable.
With an overwhelming presence Accelerator walked step by step towards Kakine Teitoku. His steps were like the countdown until the end of Kakine's life, when it reached zero it would be all over. And, Accelerator had reached that last step.
"Ha, ha."
"—yjrpEVILqw"
"Bastard…! Damn it, so this is how it is!! Your mission is…?!"
No reply, just a fist filled with killing intent.
An overwhelming slaughter had begun.