She’d been able to destroy the church, and gotten away with it without question. Naturally, Suzu and Ryutarou were shocked to discover just how deep Tio’s hatred ran, and how calculating she really was. They expected Tio to retort back against her copy, but she didn’t. Her silence was like a tacit confirmation that it was speaking the truth.
The copy’s claims were further bolstered by the fact that Tio’s breath continued growing weaker, to the point where she was at risk of being swallowed up by her copy’s. Elated, the copy continued revealing all of Tio’s dark secrets.
“The real reason you initially joined Hajime Nagumo’s party was because you believed you could use him, was it not?”
Hajime’s strength had been abnormal. Tio knew he’d eventually catch the gods’ attention. And they were the ones who’d orchestrated the whole betrayal.
“You knew that if the gods bared their fangs at Hajime Nagumo, he wouldn’t hesitate to fight back. Meaning he’d make for the perfect pawn to carry out your revenge. Isn’t that right?”
Considering how Tio normally acted around Hajime, it was impossible to believe she’d been harboring such dark thoughts. However, the copy’s words were the truth. Even if those feelings had been slight enough that Tio hadn’t been aware of them, somewhere deep in her heart, she had indeed thought such things.
Suzu and Ryutarou couldn’t believe that the masochistic woman who occasionally acted like a kind and dependable older sister had such a side to her. As they watched on in stunned silence, Tio finally turned toward them. There was no emotion in her expression. There was no cheerful smile, no kind twinkle in her eyes, no wisdom, nothing. Suzu and Ryutarou gasped.
“Humans, beastmen, demons, and gods. You hate all of them for destroying everything you held dear.”
500 years hadn’t been nearly enough time to quench the dark fires of hatred that burned in the depths of Tio’s heart. And now her copy was fanning the flames.
“But there is nothing wrong with that hatred of yours. In fact, we have every right to thirst for revenge!”
The copy’s words resonated with Tio. A part of her wanted to agree with her copy. But another part of her wanted to deny her desire for revenge. Her mother and father had always taught her to be kind to others, and to take the noble path regardless of what the rest of the world chose to do. The last thing she wanted to do was to betray their memory.
Aware of the conflict inside Tio, the copy grinned and held out a hand to Tio, its other hand still unleashing its breath.
“Take my hand. Together we can complete our revenge. There’s no need to hide the hatred smoldering within your heart. If I’m with you, your conscience will no longer dull the fangs of your malice. I can help you guide Hajime Nagumo down the path you desire. After all, that man thinks fondly of us. Manipulating him will be easy.”
The copy’s invitation was the kindling needed to transform the fire of Tio’s hatred into a raging inferno. Rather than try to break Tio’s spirit with caustic words, the copy had instead opted to try and lure her in with honeyed promises. It was the same tactic Ryutarou’s copy had used. If Tio took her copy’s hand, it was doubtful that she’d still be the same person.
At the very least, it would be impossible for Hajime and the others to maintain the same relationship with a Tio who was determined to get her comrades to join her on a deicide crusade.
The copy’s white breath grew even more powerful, and Tio’s weakened breath could barely keep it at bay. Its wavering light seemed to reflect the wavering of Tio’s heart.
“Tio-san, don’t listen to its bullshit!”
“Go back to being the Tio-san we know and love!”
Ryutarou and Suzu shouted at Tio, their voices tinged with desperation. They were doing their best to support her the way she’d supported them. The copy’s burning hot white breath was inches from Tio’s face now. At this rate, her options would be to either be blown away by the breath, or accept her copy’s proposal and become an avatar of vengeance.
If she chose the latter option, it was obvious Suzu and Ryutarou, witnesses to her dark pact, wouldn’t be allowed to leave alive.
But Suzu and Ryutarou weren’t at all worried about their own lives. They just didn’t want to see the dependable older sister of the party who’d helped push them along fall to the dark side. They much preferred the smiling, cheerful Tio who was always clinging to Hajime than the expressionless Tio they were seeing now. In fact, if Tio wasn’t going to listen to them, they were prepared to fight her copy themselves.
But just as they were preparing themselves to fight, Suzu and Ryutarou noticed something. The look in her eyes had changed. There was a hint of gentle kindness glimmering in her pupils, and her lips were slightly upturned into a smile. Even though she said nothing, Suzu and Ryutarou knew. They didn’t need to worry. They could just sit tight and watch.
Tio then turned back to her copy and said, “We have yet to learn our purpose in this world.”
Her voice was quiet. In fact, it sounded more like she was talking to herself than her copy.
“Is this body man or beast? If all things were made with a purpose, then the answer to that question must lie somewhere.”
“Those words...”
The copy’s eyes widened in surprise. Its surprise grew even greater when it realized its breath was no longer beating out Tio’s.
“For centuries we have been unable to find the answer. In which case, it is time we decided on an answer for ourselves!”
“Ngh, my power is... Impossible! What caused you to—?”
The copy glanced over at the two spectators, but then looked in front of her again and saw that her breath was the one being pushed back now. Black was encroaching on white, its dark luster filling the room. The speed of its advance accelerated, shredding through the copy’s breath. It couldn’t understand what was going on. It was certain it had been chipping away at the cracks in Tio’s heart. And indeed, until a few seconds ago, it had been the one growing stronger as Tio’s negative emotions overwhelmed her.
Yet now it was being utterly overwhelmed. As it watched in disbelief, Tio shouted over the roar of her breath, “A dragon’s eyes see the truth, piercing all lies and deceit!”
Perhaps they were the eyes of a beast, but their purpose was not to strike fear in the hearts of others. They were a symbol of wisdom, meant to see through the mists that misled people.
“A dragon’s talons tear through fortresses, striking down the evil sequestered within!”
So long as Tio had people to protect, she would strike down anything in her path. But she would only raise her talons to fight against evil.
“A dragon’s fangs shred through one’s own weakness, biting through hatred and wrath.”
It was precisely because dragonmen could transform into dragons that they needed to be strict with themselves. If ever they wavered, it was their duty to bare their fangs at their own soul. A dragonman’s pride lay in never letting hatred or anger control their actions.
“For once a dragon loses its benevolence, it is naught more than a beast.”
If the time ever came that Tio lost herself and used her power to hurt the innocent, she would admit that dragonmen were nothing more than beasts. But only then.
“So long as the blade of reason is my weapon—”
Tio narrowed her eyes. Her golden irises gave off a dazzling radiance. Her gaze pierced through her copy.
“Then we are not beasts, but dragonmen!”
Tio Klarus roared, howling her identity to the world. At the same time, an invisible wave of pressure emanated from her.
It wasn’t mana, nor was it the overwhelming bloodlust Hajime occasionally unleashed. It was the same noble, yet intimidating pressure Tio had unleashed when she’d annihilated the cathedral on the Divine Mountain. It was the majesty of a ruler, the weight of royalty.
“Impossible... You mastered yourself?”
The copy couldn’t believe what it was seeing. Without any i
mpetus to bolster her, Tio had almost effortlessly rallied her spirit. That could mean only one thing.
Tio had full control over her mental state at all times. The copy hadn’t been reading Tio’s thoughts. She had been letting it read them. And only the ones she wanted to show.
From the very start, Tio had possessed such mastery over herself that she’d deceived even the labyrinth. If Hajime and the others were overpowered when it came to fighting prowess, then Tio was overpowered when it came to mental strength.
“Spirit of this labyrinth. I thank you. Thanks to your trial, I know that I can remain in control even in the face of ancient magic. Hopefully, this means I will be able to handle even the gods.”
“So you used this entire trial as an experiment... to see if you were capable of resisting the gods’ pull. No, not just that. You wanted to see if you could deceive even the gods...”
“Of course, I also wished to hear my own deepest desires from an objective perspective. A person’s heart is as vast and deep as an ocean. It was entirely possible I may have let some cracks slip in unnoticed. This proved a very enlightening trial.”
From the very beginning, Tio’s copy had been dancing in the palm of her hand. Retreating, it shook its head in disbelief. It needed to come up with a plan fast, or Tio’s breath would overwhelm it.
“Yet, my words were not lies. You truly do harbor hatred and anger in your heart, so how is it you can control yourself so perfectly despite those feelings burning within you?”
Tio closed her eyes in response. The sleeves of her kimono and her long black hair fluttered as a torrential whirlwind of mana formed around her. In that moment, she looked indescribably beautiful.
Had Hajime been present, even he would have been captivated by her appearance, regardless of whether or not Yue was also there. When Tio finally spoke, her words rang with the solemn splendor of a great empress.
“It appears you underestimated me. Who do you think I am?”
“Never forget the dark fire born in your heart on this day, but never forget the pride you hold dear as a member of the Klarus line, either. Live strong, Tio.”
Those were the final words Tio’s father, Kharga Klarus had told Tio before going off to die. As he’d asked, she’d lived while holding her hatred, her anger, her ugly emotions as close to her heart as she held her pride and conscience. With the oath she’d taken as a member of the dragonmen race her supporting pillar.
Everything she’d been entrusted, everything she’d inherited, was still with her. And those things had fused together to create an unbreakable core that formed her will.
That was why she could hold her head high and say, “I am Tio Klarus, proud descendant of the Klarus line and a noble dragonman!”
Because she was Tio, she would never break. No matter how deep her hatred, it would never be the only thing filling her heart. That was all there was to it.
The copy fell silent. It smiled faintly in resignation as if it knew there was no point in fighting any longer.
Calmly, Tio added, “The fangs of revenge are worthless. The only truly strong fangs are those belonging to a dragon. Allow me to show you.”
Tio’s breath pulsed, then expanded to dozens of times its size. It then blasted through the copy’s puny white breath, swallowing it whole. In the moment it did so, Tio’s breath looked like the open jaws of a ferocious dragon.
As the blinding black light of Tio’s breath faded away, Suzu and Ryutarou could see that nothing remained where the copy had once stood. They gulped, awed by what they’d just witnessed. It was only when they heard the soft rustling of cloth that they returned to their senses.
Tio swept her long black hair out of her eyes, her black kimono’s sleeve fluttering back and forth. She looked calm and aloof. There was no joy in her face at clearing the trial, nor was she overcome by emotion. She’d simply done what she needed to do. Slowly, she walked over to where Suzu and Ryutarou were waiting. Even the way she walked seemed elegant and refined. Not only was she completely unshakable, but she was also a peerless beauty.
“H-Holy crap... I think I might need to start calling her onee-sama too.”
“I’m not thinking anything. Nope, not anything at all. Dammit, I can’t control my thoughts.”
Ryutarou and Suzu were panicking a little. This was a return of the Super Tio who’d appeared back in Haltina’s labyrinth to help Kaori and Shea. Not only was she so cool it was kind of creepy, but she was also so dependable it was scary.
In fact, she seemed to have leveled up since then. Suzu and Ryutarou both felt that if they let their guard down, they’d just run into her arms. This time she was so overwhelmingly cool and dependable that it was neither creepy nor scary. Tio had evolved from Super Tio to Super Tio: Empress Edition. Right now, her charisma was enough to charm anyone.
Hearing Suzu and Ryutarou’s muttered conversation, Tio smiled gently at the two of them. Their hearts started beating faster.
“My apologies, you two. Though this was all part of my plan, it seems I worried you. However, I appreciated the encouragement. You have my thanks.”
“Oh, uh, it was nothing... Uhehehehe.”
“Y-Yeah. N-No need to thank us.”
Tio cocked her head to the side, wondering why the two of them were so flustered. Unfortunately, the gesture was so cute it caused Suzu and Ryutarou’s hearts to skip a beat.
She’s normally such a pervert, so how come she can act so cute now!? Ryutarou mentally screamed.
Tio looked behind Suzu and Ryutarou, at the passage they’d come in through.
“Hmm... So the trial rooms are all connected. Are you two the only ones who have met up?”
“I-I think so. We haven’t seen anyone else.”
“I see...” Tio muttered with a somewhat disappointed nod. She seemed oddly lonely. Of course, that only served to make her look sexier. Ryutarou could feel himself blushing. Fortunately, Tio was still a pervert at heart.
“If only Master were here. Surely he would have punished me for harboring such manipulative thoughts. Likely more harshly than ever before... What a waste.”
“That’s our line!”
Suzu and Ryutarou retorted in sync. It really was such a waste that Tio was the way she was. Still, Ryutarou and Suzu were a little bit relieved to have the usual Tio back. Of course, they’d never say that.
Afterward, the three of them headed down the new path that had opened up, with Tio in the lead. Her restoration magic blanketed Suzu and Ryutarou, illuminating the corridor with a soft glow.
“Oh, my apologies. I spent so much time being serious that I accidentally let my emotions slip through a little.”
“A little?”
Once again, Suzu and Ryutarou were in sync. They glared pointedly at Tio.
When she’d been acting serious, Tio’s graceful and noble demeanor had caused their hearts to start pounding faster, so her swap back to her old masochistic self had been even more jarring than usual.
Ryutarou’s glare was especially cold. He felt as though his emotions had just been toyed with by Tio. Even as they glared, Tio’s restoration spell worked its magic and Suzu and Ryutarou were healed completely; even their exhaustion was gone. Their bodies felt lighter than ever. It had only taken a few seconds for Tio to fully heal their relatively serious wounds.
“Wow... but even though your magic’s so amazing... I feel like I can’t praise it because of your personality. Still, thanks, Tio-san.”
“Yeah it feels kinda weird to be thanking a pervert but...thanks.”
“You’re welcome. However, Ryutarou, I take no joy in being insulted by you, so don’t bother. My apologies, but only Master is capable of sending shivers down my spine with his scorn.”
You’re making it sound like I tried to confess to you and just got shot down! Ryutarou seethed internally. He wanted to yell at Tio, but he had a feeling that would just cause a repeat of what had just happened so he held his tongue.
It was both infuriating a
nd impressive how easily and quickly Tio could swap from a powerful dragon empress to a masochistic pervert. But even more impressive than that was—
“Man, Nagumo’s amazing...”
“I really don’t think you should be praising him for being able to handle Tio-san. If anything, I’m pretty sure Nagumo-kun’s just a sadist.”
Ryutarou was amazed that Hajime had the balls and the magnanimity to deal with Tio, but Suzu saw things differently. As far as she could tell, he was just the right level of callous to deal with a pervert like Tio.
After a few minutes of walking, the party spotted a dead end. It seemed they’d arrived at the next room.
“Hmm, I sense multiple people up ahead. It would seem some of the others have already met up.”
“I hope Nagumo’s one of those people. We need him to take his pet back before she drives me crazy,” Ryutarou muttered.
“Tio-san’s owner, please be beyond this wall.”
Suzu brought her hands together in prayer. That was how badly she wanted Hajime to take Tio off their hands.
Unfortunately, her prayers weren’t going to be answered every time. As the three of them neared the wall, it melted away to reveal—
“Mrrrrrrr! Yue you shneaky little bitch!”
“Shuth up! You shtupid pervert!”
“Jeez! Cut it out already, you two!”
Yue was lying on the floor with Kaori straddling her. The two of them were pulling each other’s cheeks, while Shea stood off to the side, attempting to get them to make up. Sadly, her attempts were futile.
“What’re they doing...?”
“Seriously...”
“This is hardly uncommon. The two are just good friends.”
Tio smiled, but Suzu and Ryutarou sighed in exasperation. Their childhood friend and someone they’d come to highly respect were in the middle of an unsightly catfight. Had they been seriously going at each other Suzu and Ryutarou would have stepped in to stop them, but it was obvious from the way they were pulling at each other’s cheeks and scratching at each other that they weren’t. Even though they’d just been restored to peak condition by Tio, a wave of exhaustion washed over the two of them.
Arifureta: From Commonplace to World's Strongest Vol. 10 Page 11