Akumajou Dracula: Kabuchi no Tsuisoukyoku (part3)

“For some reason or another, everything came from your wit, Olrox.”
Matching his question, Death shot his red scythe in the air.
Olrox thought that he avoided this single shot but-----the point of the scythe grazed his cheek.
However, the vampire did not move even a single eyebrow and in a calm tone opposed his words.
“I just merely gave an advice. I lost hope of eternity together with the master and I cannot stand mourning people.”
Olrox sensed that the dolls that were imitating the monsters inside the castle were acting weird. He silently continued on speaking.
“Those who killed themselves believed that afterwards, as part of the newborn world, they would become a pillar of divinity. They are not just asking for eternal life since they are asking for a seat as a god of that new world. Human desires are terrible.”
The fact was that the believers seriously believed in [our convenient eternity] as truth.
This is a world where religion falls as civilizations grow. And that was why Graham’s miracles were not a trick and when his eyes were hit with the true monstrosity that was Olrox, the shock he received was immeasurable.
Strangely, the believer’s hearts are split in two, with that, he guided them to the same goal of building a castle.
“Those believers who worshipped Graham as a god, directed their blades towards themselves seeking a new paradise…… Those believers who knew that guy’s nature, had brought guns in their hands asking for eternal life by swearing loyalty to me. That’s that.”
Those countless scythes that were overhanging in the perimeter disposed a group of bats. Olrox made an effort to entertain by continuing the story.
“The peace after death and an immortal body, while equally asking for eternity, the difference was their disposal. Humans are really interesting things.”
While the ghosts are rising in the perimeter, the vampire bearing the attitude of a long time friend, asked Death.
“What about you? Lurking in the body of a human and assimilating his soul. Did you understand anything from humans? What did you see inside that human?”
Death with emotionless words, answered.
“We were born out of the chaos in humans. There is no use in understanding each and every individual human being.”
“I have not thought of hearing those words coming from someone who has continued to taste pain from that [individual] named Belmont.”
Olrox prayed, and instantly a large miasmatic vortex welled up from the ground and an image of a giant skull appeared in the air.
Death avoided a close call while Olrox started happily talking from somewhere.
“I am different from Dracula. I like humans, the emotions of forgotten humans. They are interesting and there is one more desire I wish to understand.”
“……”
“If I could control the even heart that is the root of humans……Would the chaos that is born from them no longer exist? I have no interest in tranquility but it could be fun to challenge that.”
“That jest……!”
The magic on Death’s hand seemed to swell and took aim at Olrox who created the giant skull.
Like the momentum of a cannon ball flying through the giant skull, the vampire did not even avoid it. The vampire concentrated magic in one hand, and the magic struck without hesitation.
The colliding magic briefly made the space between them warp and the entire castle howled with distorted vibrations.
Then after the warp faded, Olrox did not change his countenance even if his right arm was torn.
“What’s the matter? Was that your full power?”
Those words certainly did not seem like a bluff, however, Death was silently planning his next attack, then-----
Suddenly, he felt something behind him and he looked back.
There was----- Michelle standing at the bottom of the staircase.
Death concealed his eyes from Olrox and spoke with emotion towards the sudden intruder.
“There is nothing to gain……I must have told you that.”
“Ho, you are the human with Death?”
Before responding, Michelle grasped her bowgun and slowly opened her mouth.
“……Where are……the children?”
“They are in a room at the illusionary shrine and it seems that your companion had contacted them earlier.”
Michelle’s eyes widened with those words. The word companion would probably mean Julius and Yoko.
However, was it alright to trust those words?
It seems that the children had been rescued and Olrox was not fazed.
Olrox must have felt Michelle’s suspicion. He kept a watchful eye on Death and spoke.
“I took those savages as a failsafe and only waited in case of an emergency; it would have been troublesome if the castle is hit with tactical weapons before it is filled with magic.”
“! …… You were saying that missiles or bombs can be used on Dracula’s castle?”
“You need not know that.”
Michelle’s whole body tensed up while hearing his answer----- She turned to the consciousness of the spectacled youth.
That form is truly Curtis’ and Michelle’s heart intensely shook.
But she dared to shake off her throbbing heart and prepared to ask one question.
“Is Curtis……dead?”
“……Have you not notice it from the start? From the time you saw him in a pool of blood at the garden.”
“……Even so, I would not admit it.”
“His soul’s wish was no less than your peace. Go back.”
From the manner of Death dragging those words, Michelle silently shook his head.
“On top of abandoning Curtis on his own, leaving and escaping alone, there is no peace that you have mentioned.”

Fixing his eyes filled with power on the woman, Olrox spoke words of admiration.
“I see, you are then prepared to die.”
Then-----
“Well, you were rude to my tolerance.”
Olrox wielded his magical blade on his right hand towards Michelle with momentum.
“……tch!”
With the blade threatening to hit her, Michelle prepared to take a little damage, but----- the blade did not reach her.
Turning faster than a split second, the youth that held Death’s soul used his own body to take the attack.

“Curtis!”
Even if she knew he is different inside, Michelle unconsciously shouted that name then, Death who is in that body said in a low voice.
“Stand back……that man, is my enemy.”
With blood flowing from his arm, Death one more produced countless scythes in the air and Olrox gave an expression of surprise.
“That is surprising, you are protecting humans. Had I heard of a human controlling 2 souls earlier……like an Alura Une?”
Even hearing those words filled with scorn, Death did not show negligence in his eyes. Rather, with those words, he felt some sort of pity on his enemy.
“I am just part of the magic of this [castle]. For chaos to spin my body with it, my spirit exists to obey the lord of this castle.”
“All the more so, why are you now holding the shoulders of humans?”
A just question. For Michelle behind him, it had a mysterious point.
“I am not holding the shoulders of humans. I only made this body’s duty be a shield against you.”
“Duty, huh? You are saying strange things as ever. You who should have been most distant from human, sometimes you have this dreadful similarity to them. Why, what drives you to be that way?”
However, Death expressed not a single fragment of regret towards his actions, and he spoke in a natural way.
“……Now the [castle] does not have a master. Inside this false castle, there is nothing that can bind my soul.”
The number of scythes that flew in the air, all too soon exceeded a hundred, a thousand, and a deep green magic tinted the castle lord’s room.
“This [castle] existed far back in the past. The master of the castle had changed but……neither the body nor the heart.”
Then----- death flowed in.
“My soul will only fulfill its duty as a loyal servant of the master.”

Drawn swords are dancing
   Drawn swords are dancing.

Those sharp blades slashed even the air and that twinkling created another world inside the castle.
“That master refers to Dracula? Or the swirling chaos underneath thin ice?”
“The same……Dracula’s name has no [individual].”
Those blades swept of death in order to give death.
“A person that can shoulder the call of chaos is appropriate to continue Dracula’s name----- The one that inherits his name and power as the lord of this entire castle, will forever be my master.”
Those scythes constructed by magic did not turn towards Olrox or Michelle, every scythe then gathered near the youth’s body.
Then, those numerous blades made from magic overlapped with each other and with a powerful atrocious magic constructed a Death scythe in Death’s arm.
“This false castle……You shall fall into chaos as a thing that denies the existence of the [lord]……[death] shall pass judgment on your sins!”
Sensing the overwhelming existence of [death], Olrox again realized that the youth in front of him is [Death]------laughed out loud.
“interesting…… So, death really exists! Thus I’ll use all my power…… to shatter that thing called [death].”

At the next moment-----something unusual happened to the entire castle.
The castle’s interiors which were ought to maintain their current magnificent form, gradually showed their true form.
Starting with the gorgeous paintings and furniture, the marble and stone patterns disappeared.
A hard layer of numerous corpses formed from the bottom created a building that is a symbol of chaos and madness.
The [castle’s] true form was hidden by Olrox’s magic-----
Those summoned monster corpses deprived of magic, together with the human corpses of Graham Jones’ followers, created that structure-----
The castle became one very large Legion.

“This is …… the castle’s true form…… !?”
Noticing herself standing on top of millions of corpses, Michelle unconsciously knitted her brows.
All of the magic that Olrox used returned to him and that incomparable magic entered his body.
A thick vortex of magic surrounded his body. A portion of the corpses detached from the floor and one after the other integrated in front of Olrox.
Those corpses became a monstrous lump, the scent of death mixed with magic enveloped the entire castle lord’s room.
The numerous bodies of monsters which were deprived of magic swelled. Then in front of Michelle there was a giant corpse doll mixed with human souls. And her heart was on the verge of entering madness and despair.
“This is…… the vampire’s magic……?”
Olrox floated above the head of the corpse king and with a joyful expression looked down on Michelle and Death.
“No more conversations? Fine.”
“! …… Foolish”
The next moment ----- Death made his way through by reaping the magic that controlled those [dolls] giving them liberty-----
The 2 types of magic collided and if an ordinary human was standing there, his life would be taken by the atrocious magical vortex that was created.
“Ho…… to take part in this……!”
Earlier, the sparsely emotional Olrox seemed to enjoy the situation where his life was on the line. He gave life to the corpse’s head, laughing, laughing, laughing.
“Gwaha……Gwahahahahaha! I’m pleased, Death! It has been a long time since I realized that I existed in this world! I have experienced pleasure once more since the time I crossed blades with Alucard!”
“Said by you who forgot about death, have you remembered any type of respect for our master……”
The perimeter where Death drew his giant scythe projected a giant shadow made by thick magic.
That giant monster was made from numerous bones.
Using every characteristic of each living thing that lived on earth, it did not resemble any living thing----- the monster’s body is wrapped in shadow, and Death paid his respect towards the creature’s pure power.
Olrox also did the same thing giving admiration to the pure power that swelled up from the center of the creature.
Respect and hostility. With those 2 conflicting feelings inside them, these two diabolic beings understood the situation at the same time.
If their guard is dropped even for a split second, everything will be over.
Death remembered the wave like movement of an eternal soul sleeping in a land distant from human beings-----
At once, he poured words in his mouth and paid respect towards his master.

“For my master…… I will eat his soul!”

Then----- the curtain was opened on the supreme battle of evil and infinite death.
The 2 types of darkness moved intricately, as if trying test each other’s chaos.

XX