Having exceeded its limits, Meiga’s body collapsed, white smoke rising as it disintegrated without a trace.
In a back alley of Island West, amid the darkness of Itogami Island, Vattler’s white fangs were dyed pitch-black from fresh blood as he laughed heartily.
“Now the stage has been set. Let us begin the final banquet. We shall dance most beautifully, Kojou Akatsuki. Beautifully, beautifully, beautifully, beautifully, beautifully, beautifully, beautifully, beautifully, beautifully………”
Dusk had fallen.
Kojou walked along a coastal footpath with Yukina and Asagi in tow.
Their destination was Kojou’s and Yukina’s apartment building. After all, the pair was beat-up and exhausted from prolonged combat, and on top of that, Asagi attracted the eyes of others. So, unable to take the bus or the monorail, the three had to drag their tired bodies, continuing to putter along on foot.
“So why do I have to walk around hiding my face behind a mask?”
Asagi was complaining about having to wear a baseball cap and a medical mask as she walked around in the middle of sweltering, humid heat.
“Can’t be helped!” quipped Kojou, earnestly trying to pacify her. “You’re a celebrity. Well, just put up with it for now. The Gigafloat Management Corporation apologized and said it’d give you bodyguards until things settled down and all. Everyone’ll forget in no time.”
“Ugh… I ordered Mogwai to wipe out every shred of promo material that was on the net, but it’s just not enough. Geez, taking on the Priestess of Abel was a piece of cake compared to this!”
Asagi sighed deeply as she gazed at the screen of her beloved smartphone.
It was certainly a large helping of gloom, but Kojou could deeply appreciate why she wanted to complain. She’d been shut inside a submarine for the last two weeks, and furthermore, her face and name had been spread all over Itogami Island during that time. And on top of that, there was even a promotional video that she had no memory of ever shooting. Any normal person might well have fallen into a complete panic by that point.
That the citizens’ reaction to it was largely positive was a saving grace, but setting that aside, having complete strangers call out to you was quite a thing to have to deal with.
So for the near future, Asagi would have to put up with stress and anguish she hadn’t signed up for. In the end, she was definitely the number one victim of The Cleansing.
“But Aiba, is your body really fine?”
Carrying her black guitar case on her back, Yukina asked Asagi that in a timid, hesitant manner.
After all, she’d spent two weeks confining herself and being at war with the Priestess of Abel. Normally, it would be cause for immediate hospitalization followed by rigorous medical tests as a precaution.
In fact, Natsuki Minamiya and Lydianne had arranged medical services, but Asagi had said, “That’s just a nuisance.” With that one phrase, she had brushed it off—and thus had they arrived at the present.
Asagi shook her head with a distinct lack of urgency. “Yeah. Well, time was basically frozen for me while I was locked inside the sub, okay? It felt like being in cryostasis. Thanks to that, I’m pretty hungry—”
“Don’t complain. You already bought up every last onigiri at the convenience store. You scared the hell out of the dude at the register, y’know?”
Kojou muttered his retort in a voice so small that it was unclear whether Asagi ever heard him. After all, regardless of whether it was surprising to see a local idol who was all the rage at the moment suddenly entering the store, she’d bought thirty rice balls, the store’s entire stock. It wasn’t difficult to imagine why the boy working part-time had been shocked.
“Well, if we’d gone to a family restaurant, they would have kicked us out because of the uproar, so I couldn’t help it, all right?” Behind the mask, Asagi pursed her lips as she resentfully glared toward Kojou.
Then she turned on a dime, facing Yukina, who was behind her, as she said, “More importantly, this has been bugging me for a while now—Himeragi, what’s up with that ring?”
“Oh…this?”
Startled, Yukina widened her eyes. She was no doubt surprised that the ring, which did not have a design that stood out in any particular way, had attracted Asagi’s attention.
“This is a ring that Akatsuki-senpai gave me, so I really cannot take it off now—”
“H-huh?”
As Asagi listened to Yukina’s explanation, her eyes opened wide, practically bulging out.
The dramatic reaction made Yukina all the more flustered as she tried to clarify, “You are mistaken. Um, it is not like that… Akatsuki-senpai simply put it on my finger as a kind of good luck charm, so—”
Yukina’s assertion still came off as desperate. In spite of every word being true, she managed to make Asagi’s mood even sourer.
Asagi levied a bloodlust-filled gaze at Kojou. “Oh, really…? Would you mind explaining, in detail, what that ring actually means?”
“Er, a bunch of stuff happened on our end during the time you were stuck in that sub…”
“Whaddaya mean, a bunch of stuff?!”
“Ah, I mean, the full story is gonna get super-annoying so, um, well…”
With Kojou backed into a corner, Asagi opened her mouth to yell, clearly annoyed.
But then they heard another shout from a nearby footpath.
“Ah, there you are! Yukina!”
Nagisa Akatsuki, apparently on her way home from visiting her father at the hospital, pointed at Kojou and the others.
As soon as the crossing signal turned blue, Nagisa ferociously raced toward Kojou and the others. Kojou felt like seeing her that menacing just had to be an evil omen.
“N-Nagisa? What’s wrong that got you all worked up like…?”
“Don’t ask me what’s wrong, Kojou! What did you do to Yukina, you idiot?! You beast! Yukina, are you all right? I’m on your side, no matter what happens, Yukina!”
Nagisa slammed her tote bag into the side of Kojou’s face, then firmly took hold of both of Yukina’s hands, eyes tearing up as she unleashed her tongue in rapid-fire speech. Kojou and Yukina looked back at Nagisa in astonishment, neither having a clue what was going on.
“B…beast…?!”
“N-Nagisa?”
“I really am a little reluctant to call someone an in-law at your age, but if I call you Big Sis, it’s totally okay, right? I mean, I think any baby of yours is definitely gonna be cute, Yukina. More importantly, what about the name? Is it a boy? Is it a girl?”
“B-baby…?”
Asagi, overhearing Nagisa’s explosive statement, dropped her jaw, as if physically struck senseless.
Yukina looked genuinely conflicted, her gaze roaming around as she said, “I-I’m sorry, Nagisa, I have no idea what you’re talki—”
“There’s no need to hide it. It’s all right. I heard everything from Miss Kirasaka!”
“From Sayaka?”
Yukina’s expression clouded over, for apparently even she was getting uneasy at that point.
What the heck did she say? thought Kojou, unwittingly raising his face toward the heavens.
Nagisa displayed not a single shred of guilt, seemingly arriving at the memory as she touched a hand to her lips and said:
“Sayaka said something really big was happening to Yukina’s body because of Kojou, and the testing fluid had a positive result. Come to think of it, Yukina, lately you haven’t been very energetic, you haven’t had any appetite for food…”
“Ah…”
Yukina’s big eyes blinked as if something had suddenly occurred to her.
Then, a tiny “hee” spurt out of her as she bent forward, her shoulders beginning to tremble. She was desperately trying to resist breaking into laughter. Sayaka and Nagisa’s misunderstanding was apparently quite amusing to her.
However, viewed from a side angle, Yukina could also look like she was about to break into sobs.
“Wh-w
hat’s the meaning of this, Kojou?! Testing fluid, positive… Don’t tell me, that ring means you intend to take responsibility as a man…?!”
Grabbing Kojou by the collar and lifting him up, Asagi interrogated him in a very shrill voice.
Kojou, unable to breathe properly due to the pressure on his neck, desperately wrung out his voice.
“You’ve got it all wrong! Himeragi, stop laughing and save me, dammit! Listen to me! It’s all a misunderstandiiing!”
The tragic cries of the World’s Mightiest Vampire floated along the sea breeze, melting into the twilight sky.
This was a brief moment of tranquility before the new banquet was about to begin.
It wouldn’t be much longer before any of them realized it.
Afterword
Before I knew it, five months had passed since the previous volume. It’s been a while. So there you have it, Strike the Blood, Vol. 14 has hit the shelves.
This volume is the episode when the mysteries of The Cleansing are unraveled. The intrigue surrounding Itogami Island, the truth behind Meiga Itogami, and the many mysteries that have caused Kojou and his friends such anguish have now been dramatically exposed. As a result, a great turning point has arrived for a number of the dramatis personae, but I would be glad if you find these to be enjoyable changes.
Personally, the biggest impression I had from this volume was Asagi’s “idol debut.” She’s a character who really does have the potential to become a star, but she doesn’t seem very cut out for it personality-wise, so I had fun imagining what it would be like to see her try to act the part of an idol. Also, I’m sure everyone who has read the main text already realizes this, but the story this time was a rather crucial one for Kojou and Yukina’s relationship. I have a sense that what the pair does won’t deviate all that much from the norm, but a certain object might hold significant meaning for them down the road.
Beyond that, the other thing I can’t forget would have to be the other vampire scene. If you were excited to finally have a scene with a vampire other than Kojou (or if you went “What, you two?!”), I’m happy.
I believe you are already aware of this, but a new drama CD and a new OVA are scheduled to go on sale right around the publication of this novel. I was very slightly a bit of a pest at the dubbing of the drama CD, but seeing the old cast brought back together and engaging in such passionate performances made for putting together an extremely fun piece of work, on top of doing their utmost to produce the recently completed OVA, just like what they did for the TV series. I believe that all the little details will live up to your expectations as supporting fans, so please, please, please go watch, listen, and enjoy.
Also, a bit before this book goes on sale, the seventh volume of the comic version of Strike the Blood serialized in Monthly Dengeki Daioh will go on sale. In the latest publication, the combat scenes are, of course, thrilling, but La Folia is also extremely cute (and Yukina and the others, too). Definitely check it out.
Now then, with the next volume, the first major part of Strike the Blood is scheduled to come to completion. I feel like the series itself will be continuing for a little while longer, but we can finally point to a definite dividing line. Please stay and watch all the characters’ exploits until the very end.
As happens every time, Manyako was an enormous help with drawing beautiful illustrations for this work. Truly, thank you very much. And once again, I thank TATE-sensei, in charge of the comic version, for turning out such marvelous work.
Also, allow me to thank each and every person related to the creation and publication of this work from the bottom of my heart.
Of course, my most heartfelt thanks are reserved for all of you who have read this book.
I very much hope to see you again next volume.
Gakuto Mikumo
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