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Panting-----

My breath echoes through the dark forest.
In this darkness, the trail of blood seems to light the way.
There's no way I'll let SHIKI go now.
The question is, can my body survive long enough?

I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say 'no'.

Breathing heavily,
I run while wobbling side to side.
I feel my knife in my left hand.
The sensation of the knife firmly gripped by my hand is the only thing keeping me from passing out.

"Is he…… going to the courtyard?"

It looks like the trail of blood leads to the courtyard.
Eight years ago.
The place where Nanaya Shiki was killed by Tohno SHIKI.
…… Come to think of it, there's no better place to finish our match.

"Gu-------ugh."
Blood accompanies my breath out of my body.
Blood spews out of my heart.
I start to pass out and----fall to the ground.
"What----?"
I don't understand.
I just feel pain and burning everywhere.

"-----What the…"
I look at my back.
There I see numerous swords stuck like wings.
They stick through me and up towards the sky.
That means…
This wound is fatal.
"Why-----?"
I don't understand.
It's not that these swords came flying at me.
They just suddenly seemed to sprout from inside me.

The sound of dripping blood.
It drips down the swords on my body.
The blood is not mine---

"----Oh, that blood back then."

…… The blood that spilled on me when I cut SHIKI.
That was still on my chest.
…… What a stupid mistake.
I knew that red swords were made from his blood---so having his blood on me is like asking him to stab me to death any time he pleases.

Once? What an optimist! We've had LOTS more meaningless death than that!

Oops.

Music: play track 3

You all know the drill by now.

Bonjour!
The hint corner for Tohno-kun, who has ended up in this Dead End with only a bit left to go,
It is time for "Teach me, Ciel-sensei!"

You hear that, guys?

I see.
Excuse me, Professor, but why does SHIKI-san in this route look different than you?
I've been wondering about this for a long time.

You're not the only one

"Yes, I think it's just a difference in tastes.
When SHIKI's mind was weak, Roa's preferences surfaced and I dressed like this.

So it's ROA that won't zip up his pants. Roa... dude... that's REALLY not polite.

But in this case, SHIKI-kun completely lost his mind for some reason, and Roa could not come out since he relies on taking control of someone's mind. That is my theory on what happened."

Music: stop

Alright, let's live this time!

I figured out the photoshop equivalent to the monochrome function and this makes me happy. It means I can bring you images like the one above instead of half-assing it with terrible captures like this one.

"……………"
It's different.
It's different from back then.
I'm different from SHIKI.
I can control my actions through my own willpower.
It's just, the smell of blood is so strong.
It makes me remember the past, and that scares me.

Nanaya: in case you've forgotten who murdered you when you were nine.

"Shi------t"
My right hand is still holding the knife.
With my bare left hand, I wipe the blood off my chest.

---With that, the smell of the blood goes away a bit.

"-----SHIKI"
In the darkness, the trail of blood seems to light the way.
I take another deep breath, then go after SHIKI.

Music: play track 6

"--------"
…… Is this just a coincidence or is it on purpose?
Eight years ago.
We fight to death once more at the place where Shiki almost killed me.

"…… Hmph, you did come after me."
SHIKI is sitting down at the very edge of the clearing.
Even that is the same as back then.
"……………"
I hold onto my knife and walk towards him.
I feel something slimy under my feet.
SHIKI's blood has not stopped; all the flowing blood is from him.
Splash, splash.
His blood makes noise as I step towards him.
…… It's amazing he's alive after losing this much blood.
It's like a giant puddle on the ground.

"Ku……………"
But, I'm also at my limit.
I'll be at a disadvantage if I wait any longer.
This is the only chance to kill him, with him wounded.
"--------!!"
I step forward.
"-----Wait! There's something I haven't told you yet. Can you wait there a bit, Shiki?"
"-----------"
"Don't look at me like that. This should benefit you too. Because it's about Akiha. There might be a way to turn her back."
"Wha-------"

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