Chapter 11: Gratitude Arc finale

(Author's note: *** = chanting, <<XXX>> = spell's name in Brittanian Language.)

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Flashback to a few minutes earlier, just before Takeru and Kallen appears on the shrine, Theresa's POV:

"Please stop this already, Higokumaru! You're not a bad person, you were just misguided due to your hatred!" Yae Sakura who was recently convinced by me to stop hating on humans shouted those words towards the fox known as Higokumaru, or better known as the 12th Herrscher while trying to evade her attacks.

After being trapped together during this past 500 years, Sakura can somewhat knew what kind of person Higokumaru really was, a normal kid who was abused due to unavoidable fate. (A/N: So this is the part where I start to bullshit according to my taste, deal with it lol.)

"Stop your sophistry and just obediently surrender to me, Sakura!" She denied Sakura's plea by swiping her using her hands, making Sakura fall into the ground painfully.

"Sakura!"

I, Theresa, immediately run towards Sakura in order to check for her injuries. She was somehow fine, just having a couple of bruises resulted from her rough falling.

"I-I'm fine, Theresa. Please don't worry about me, we need to focus more on Higokumaru." Sakura assured my worries and told me to focus on Higokumaru instead.

"Grrr~ Sakura, I've kept up both alive all this while...and I even created this dream world just for you…All I ask is to simply stay with me! You thankless lowlife! You're just like those humans you profess to hate! You repaid my trust with BETRAYAL! You spit on my love for this silver-haired gaijin-whore! You tried to kill me TWICE!" Higokumaru spouted some venom-laced words towards Sakura due to her betrayal. (A/N: Yep, Ctrl C Ctrl V ftw.)

"K-Kuh!" Higokumaru's words somehow strikes Sakura to her heart's core.

"Now, I shall grant you your deathwish! I won't have you betray me again!" Higokumaru gave us a death sentence by sending a fireball attack towards us.

Since I didn't have my powers, the only thing that I can do right now is just hugging Sakura in order to at least cover her from the blast…Ah, I wonder if this is how my life shall ends? I closed my eyes as the fireball approaching me while I'm having a revolving-lantern scenario, all my past memories kept on flashing back in my mind.

However my dread didn't become fruitful since suddenly there's a voice coming from the front of me, shouting,

"<<AEGIS>>!"

*BOOM!*

As apparently I'm still alive and due to being surprised from the loud noises, I tried to open my eyes to see who my savior was. There, I was shown faint silhouettes of two people, one of them wearing a nun-like clothing while the other one who is in front of her currently protecting us all from the attack wears an armor just like a prince from a fairytale stories that I've read when I was still at a young age.

Seeing the gallant figure in front of me, my heart suddenly pounded loudly…Eh? What's this? Am I falling in love just because I was saved in similar situation like a damsel in distress in those cliché stories? No no no Theresa, there's no way I can easily fall in love like that! Stop your daydreaming Theresa! You're already an adult, act like one will you?!...B-but what should I do? My heart keeps on beating faster than ever!...Right, tidy up your clothes Theresa! You need to be prim and proper in front of a gentleman, NOT!

My current jumbled mess of thoughts was stopped as the light produced by the attack clears up, showing me a familiar face as my savior.

"…T-Takeru-kun?!"

"Yo Theresa-chan, sorry for the long wait. Don't worry, everything's fine since I'm here after all." Takeru replied to me candidly.

"Y-you! What are doing, wearing a gaudy armor like that?!...No, that's not it, please help us on defeating the 12th Herrscher! If we lose, she will take over my body and then she'll destroy the world!"

I tried to hide my blushing by insulting on Takeru's cool armor before pleading him to help us defeating Higokumaru, the 12th Herrscher. He didn't have to kill her, just defeating her would be enough. Then we can try to persuade her again.

"Kallen!"

"Sakura!"

The familiar girl who always appears in my dream which I finally know her name as Kallen, and Sakura however are not focusing on the current situation. They're hugging with each other, experiencing a tearful reunion…So that's your lover huh, Sakura? I'm happy for you.

"...So my armor is that gaudy huh? I really thought that it has a cool design, you make me sad Theresa-chan…Heeh~ so that's the 12th Herrscher huh? Looks kinda weak to me. You sure 'bout that, Theresa-chan?...Well whatever, I'll finish her in a jiffy. So be a good girl and stay over here will ya? <<Fangs, Defense Mode>>."

Aaaahhh~ I didn't mean to insult you, Takeru-kun! I'm sorry, so please don't show me that kind of face, it hurts my heart you know?...Wait, what? You're going to kill Higokumaru?! That's not the plan!

A pair of wing suddenly appeared from behind Takeru's armor and then the fang-like feathers shoots out from it, forming an impromptu barrier around us. He then shows a satisfied face before heading towards Higokumaru, leaving us behind.

"W-wait! There's something else I need to tell you!" I tried to tell him about our plan but he's already not listening since he was focused more on fighting Higokumaru.

Flash forward a few minutes later:

"…Hoe~"

That was the only sound coming out from my mouth as I watched the current battle between Takeru-kun and Higokumaru…that's if you can call a one-sided trampling as a battle of course. Higokumaru was floating in the air as Takeru-kun kept on pummeling her from all sides, moving around like a shounen anime protagonist.

So, this is what Takeru can do when he's serious huh? He's strong, I wonder grandpa Otto would agree if I take him as my husband? Kyaa~!...N-no, stop your delusions Theresa! This is not the time for doing it! The situation however ends when Takeru drop-kicked Higokumaru to the ground before constructing another barrier around the crater formed by Higokumaru's fall.

After that, Takeru and Higokumaru appear to be having a short conversation with each other. Ending the conversation, Takeru then summons a beautiful sword and begin to fill it with a mysterious energy, preparing for a final attack on Higokumaru…No! Stop getting distracted Theresa! I need to stop him now!

"But I can't do a thing since I don't have any power right now…" I muttered sadly as I watch the ongoing event silently.

"Do you want my help?" Kallen who was already stopping her tearful reunion with Sakura offers her help.

"Really?!" I asked her in disbelieve.

"Yes, I can give you my power, but only if you promise me to protect this beautiful world." She gave me her conditions. That's easy since I'm already doing it now.

"Leave it to me, Kallen!" I assured her confidently.

"Here, take this."

Kallen gave me her cross necklace. As I grab the necklace, a bright light suddenly cover's my body, showing a new outfit as the light fades while filling me with abundant of energy. Even my trusty Judah had suddenly appear in front of me…Okay, with these I can do it!

"Thanks, Kallen! I'll stop Takeru now!" I thanked her as I break through Takeru's barrier while running towards him.

"Yes, godspeed, Theresa." Kallen's faint voice enters my ears.

Reaching towards Takeru, I immediately bind him with the Judah's chain in order to stop his attack before saying,

"Please, Takeru-kun! Don't kill her! She's just an innocent girl!"

"Oi, did you just smoke some weed? Ain't she's the one hell-bent on killing you first?" Takeru ask me worriedly by using his insult-way of speaking.

"That's not it!...Actually…" I then began to tell him my story.

Flashback ends.

"…And that's the whole story. So please, let me persuade her!" Theresa ended her explanation before begin to beg me to let her do as she pleased.

"Hmmm~ Is that so? Then feel free to do it." I agreed to her request.

We then walk closer towards the barrier holding the fox, or the 12th Herrscher, or Higokumaru…Damn, why do you have so many names? It's confusing ya know?...before Theresa says,

"Please, Higokumaru, will you reconcile with us humans? Not all people are bad you know? There are still a lot of good people in this world."

"Hah! Shut it little girl! I'm not interested in your sales talk, do it elsewhere." Higokumaru however rejects her plea, thus making Theresa showing a sad face.

"Oi you dirty fox, you dare making Theresa-chan sad?! You wanna make me spread your blood all over this place huuhhh?! I'll fuckin' do it!" I threatened the fox in Yakuza-like tone. No one messes with Theresa-chan, only I can do that.

"S-stop it Takeru-kun! I-I'm happy that you cared about me but please don't be mad to Higokumaru!" Theresa grabs my hands in order to stop me from going ballistic, her cheeks dyed in red…M-Masaka?! Does she really like me?! B-But why?! I didn't remember raising her flag!

"Right, sorry 'bout that Theresa-chan, I was just in a bad mood. So what are you wanna do now, Theresa-chan?" I told her some random reason for me acting like that before asking her the next step.

"…Say, Takeru-kun, since you're that strong can you do something to erase Higokumaru' hatred on humanity?...Haha~ that is impossible, right?" Theresa was going to rely on me before she dissuades her own plea.

"Hmmm~ I do have a technique that can get rid of her hatred due to the Honkai energy corruption though? But it's kinda hard for me to do it right now."

I affirmed her. I mean I can just use Balmung's secret technique to erase anything that I deemed evil but it's gonna use tons of life force to do it. Feels kinda bad since I've only discovered the function a long time after the demon war ended. I could've save my Kallen if I discovered it earlier. Plus since I'm kinda injured right now I'm not gonna bet my chances on coming out of it in one piece.

"R-Really?! T-Then please do it Takeru-kun, I'll do anything I can to help you!" She grabbed my hand, pleading me to help her. Kuh, if you show me that kind of face I can't reject you can I? (A/N: Some readers might said Takeru is a beta male. Well, whatever~ XD)

"Okay fine! I'll do it!...Theresa-chan, could you move further away from me?" I asked her to distance herself from me just in case she gets caught in the blast radius.

"Un!" She agreed happily and moves away from me.

Haah~ yare yare daze, looks like I have no other choice but to do it. Call me stupid all you want but I just can't bear to break her smile.

"<<Roar,Balmung>>!"

Instead of flaring blue light when filled with mana, Balmung flared in red light instead as I fill it with my life force. I hope I can come out this alive. Right, forgot to remind Vee on the emergency procedure.

"Vee, please ask the girls to administer the fountain of youth's elixir if I immediately fainted after I've return." I ask Vee telepathically.

[Affirmative, master]

As the sword is fully loaded with life force and my mind fully concentrated on what are I'm going to erase, I shouted,

"<<Banishing Shift>>!" (A/N: Oi!)

A red beam went towards the 12th Herrscher, enveloping her body thus producing a blinding light across the area. As it fades, I was shown the view of the fox-like being changes into a pink-haired little girl, confirming that my technique worked. Since started to stir up from her unconsciousness I went towards her before saying,

"Oi little girl, you okay there?"

"…H-huh?...Where am I? What did I do, onii-chan?" The little girl answered me by questioning me instead.

"What, you didn't remember? Becoming a giant fox raging everywhere, spouting some hatred words towards humanity, ring a bell?"

"…Right, I did that didn't I?...Say, onii-chan, can you please kill me? I've done so many bad things, I don't deserve to live." Oi oi, why are you're suddenly become suicidal? Ain't your personality change way to much?

"Are you going to erase humanity again?" I asked her the question that will decide my next step.

"No, I won't. I'm already tired of doing that for more than 50,000 years. Plus I've already lost all my powers." She denied me. So the Previous Era stretched for more than 50,000 years huh? And here I thought that I'm the oldest one here.

"Then I won't kill you. Just live here peacefully with Kallen and Sakura instead. Plus I've put some barriers to prevent this dataspace from collapsing, just in case." I'm not going to kill a helpless child for a sport, I'm not that cruel.

"C-can I?" She asked me worriedly.

"Sure, just ask the beautiful Onee-san's over there." I pointed towards Kallen and Sakura who had just arrived at our location.

""We don't mind. Welcome, Higokumaru."" They agreed with me.

"Higokumaru-chan!" Theresa immediately hugged Higokumaru while sobbing loudly.

"T-Theresa-chan!" She appeared to be surprised from the sudden hug.

"Mou~ I was really worried about you know?" Theresa said while sobbing.

"I'm sorry, Theresa-chan. I won't do it again, I promise." Higokumaru apologizes to her.

And thus the battle ends, giving us a happy end. *Hands clapping*

Several minutes later:

"You sure you guys don't wanna go outside? I mean, I can just upload you guys into my automatas when I'd finished making a new one. There are tons of new stuffs you guys can enjoy in the modern world you know?" I tried to ask them again to change their mind.

"No, it's okay Takeru-san. I'm satisfied with staying here with Sakura and Higokumaru, enjoying a peaceful lifestyle instead. I think we need some vacation after all those years of fighting." Kallen denied my offer.

"I'll go wherever Kallen go." Sakura agrees with Kallen and proceeds to hug her arm.

"I'm staying with Kallen-nee and Sakura-nee!" Higokumaru also decided to stay here with them.

"Right, your choice then…Say, Kallen, can you fulfill my selfish request?" I asked Kallen since I'm about to do something stupid.

"Yes?…?!" She only managed to said that as I suddenly hugged her and said,

"Thank you Kallen, for appearing in front of me again. I'm sorry for not being able to save you all those years ago." I said to her in sorrow voice. Sorry to hug your girlfriend Sakura, but I need to do at least this to clear up my guilt. So stop showing me that Hannya's face will ya?

"…Ah, it's fine Takeru-san. Please don't be sad, I'm sure your Kallen also wouldn't want to see you like this. Live a happy life, Takeru-san." She soothes me with her words.

"*Cough* Takeru-kun, we need to go now. Let go of Kallen will you?" Theresa coughs before saying that while pinching my waist.

"Ouch! The hell you're doing Theresa-chan?! That's hurt you know?!" I released my hug as I felt the pain from Theresa-chan's pinch.

"Hmph!" She didn't tell me the reason of her doing that by showing me a pouting face instead. Hmmm~ I wonder what she'll do if I poke her cheeks? Well, I'll better not do that, she'll bonk me with her Judah, I'm sure about it.

"Well whatever. Sorry guys, Theresa-chan and I need to go. We'll try to visit you guys again later, okay?"

"Yes, our doors will always open for both of you." Sakura offer us her hospitality.

Theresa and I then moved towards the portal that is going to allow us to go outside, but not forgetting to turn towards the girls behind us and said,

""Goodbye~ See you later~""

They waved their hands in acknowledgement, cherry blossom's petals fluttering around their silhouettes, showing us a scenic view. As we enter the portal, I pray that they will live happily ever after.

Back to the real world, St. Freya's Academy's infirmary:

As my consciousness returns back to my real body, I'm shown the view of the trio looking at me worriedly. Huh, why is Theresa-chan inside a cage? Did something bad happen while I'm inside the dataspace?

"Takeru-san! Are you okay?! You suddenly spit out some blood halfway after you went inside the dataspace." Mei asked me while showing an anxious face.

"I'm fine, I'll be okay in a moment. Say, what happened to Ther-?! GUHAAH!" I assured her while trying to ask about Theresa-chan's condition, however I'm suddenly assailed by pain from inside my body and spits out more blood from my mouth.

"""TAKERU!"""

That was all I'd managed to hear as my eyes dimmed down, fainting due to the pain. Crap, I messed up. I hope Vee remembers my order and do something about this.