Fourteen years, Rui fought for the only home he had. Fourteen years, he endured the whispers, the fear, the pain of a power that lets him read the memories of everything he touches—but never his own past. Then the Vermunt Society came for the ledgers, and the man who raised him sold him out without a second thought. Now Rui lies bleeding on a cold hill, the orphanage burning behind him, and the children he swore to protect scattered to the wind. But a blade doesn't choose where it's picked up—on
The Picked-Up Blade Eventually Finds Its Place - Snow Falls on the City of Ash Blades — The First Place I Couldn't Protect
Snow was falling.
White flakes were being swallowed into the black sea. The night in the Bay Side harbor district was hushed, as if the daytime clamor had been a lie. The shadows of gantry cranes floated faintly in the snowlight. The air was a blend of salt and the cold bite of snow.
Haiya Rui leaned alone against a wall in a corner of Warehouse Block Three.
(Two weeks, huh.)
Two weeks since he'd received the encrypted transmission from Kuroda. Rui hadn't met Aoi, Nagi, or anyone else. He'd chosen only solo assignments from the organization. He kept his distance from everyone more than necessary. That, he'd believed, was the only way to keep people from being dragged into his past.
(The Vermundt Society has put in a request to Noct Hound.)
(The target is the entirety of Gohnt Nest.)
(They should be coming by now.)
He glanced at his smartphone screen. A sterile lock screen. No notifications.
A crunch of snow underfoot.
Rui pushed off the wall and tensed. His gray eyes glinted coldly. He reached behind his waist and gripped the hilt of his nameless knife.
"...Who's there?"
He asked in a low voice.
From beyond the curtain of snow, a man appeared. Tall, wearing a black coat. His face was hidden by a hood. In his right hand, a slender sword. In his left, a small device.
"You're Haiya Rui of Gohnt Nest."
The man's voice was emotionless, mechanical.
"...And you are?"
"Noct Hound. I've taken the contract. I'll be relieving you of that ability of yours — Reverberation, is it?"
The man activated the device in his left hand. An electronic beep. The next instant, searing pain shot through Rui's head.
"Gh...!?"
Reverberation went berserk. Without him even touching anything, the residual thoughts of his surroundings poured in like an avalanche. The years-old shouts soaked into the warehouse walls. The memory of blood on the ground. The death throes of strangers.
(What the hell is this...!?)
"Reverberation reads the memories of surrounding objects and places. So then — what happens if I forcibly amplify those surrounding memories?"
The man's voice came from far away.
"Simple. Your brain gets flooded with information and becomes useless."
(Damn it...!)
Rui gritted his teeth and drew his knife. But his legs wouldn't move. His head throbbed as if it would split. His vision warped.
The man raised his sword.
That was when it happened.
"—Hey now. Don't go bullying my cute little apprentice."
A low, calm voice.
From within the snow, another man appeared. Tall, black hair tied back. His narrow, sanpaku eyes smiled gently. But his entire body radiated an undeniable pressure.
"Kamiya...-san."
"Yo, Rui. Long time no see. ...Though, damn, you're pale as a ghost. What happened?"
Kamiya Gen. Twenty-four years old. A combatant of Gohnt Nest, and the reliable senpai who had taught Rui how to fight. A small scar on his left cheek. The knuckles of both hands were thick and gnarled from the effects of his hardening ability.
"And what the hell are you doing here?"
"Kuroda got in touch. Said you were running off on your own. I got worried, so I came to check on you."
"Nobody asked you to..."
"Nobody asked, my ass. A senpai's job is cleaning up after his kouhai."
Gen stepped in front of Rui.
"Stay back. I'll handle this."
"I can fight too."
"In that condition? You're swaying on your feet."
Gen spoke without turning around.
"Your Reverberation is strong, no question. But the enemy brought a way to seal your ability. That makes it a compatibility issue. This is my turn."
Gen's skin began to glow silver. Iron Wall. A defense-specialized ability that hardened his skin to the strength of steel.
"Come on then. Come get me, you Noct Hound mutts."
Gen beckoned tauntingly.
The man charged at Gen without a word.
Clang!
The sword struck Gen's arm and scattered sparks. Iron Wall could deflect even bullets. A mere sword couldn't leave a scratch.
"Too naive."
Gen drove his hardened fist into the man's gut.
Thud!
The man's body folded into a V and sank into the snow.
"...Gah."
"That's it? What a letdown."
Gen approached the man.
That was when something moved at the edge of Rui's vision.
"Kamiya-san, behind you!"
Rui's shout.
Gen spun around.
From the snow, another man appeared. Same black coat as the first. Same mechanical face. Noct Hound reinforcements.
"A second one...!"
"Tch."
Gen whirled toward the second man. But in that opening, the first man rose and pointed the device at Rui.
"Reverberation. I'll be taking it."
Beep.
"Guaaah!?"
The headache struck Rui again. This time, stronger than before. Countless memories flooded through his mind like a torrent. The smiles of the orphanage children. Sakakibara Dozo's cold eyes. The backs of the adults who had abandoned him on a snowy night.
(Stop...!)
(Don't come into my head...!)
Rui clutched his head and doubled over.
"Rui!"
Gen shouted.
The second man swung his sword down at Gen's back.
Clang!
The blade sparked against Gen's back. Iron Wall had blocked it. But Gen's body lurched forward.
"Damn, there's too many of them..."
Gen righted himself and began fighting both men at once.
Sword and fist clashed. The ring of metal echoed through the snowy night. Gen's Iron Wall was certainly solid. But the two men's coordination was cunning. One drew Gen's attention while the other aimed for Rui.
"You guys just don't quit."
Gen snapped one man's sword with his hardened hand.
Crack!
"How—"
"Eat this!"
Gen's fist sank into the man's face.
Crunch.
The man collapsed.
"One left."
Gen turned to the last man.
But then.
The first man, who should have been down, activated the device again.
Beep-beep-beep-beep.
"What...!?"
This time, Gen clutched his head.
"Gh... What is this...!?"
"Kamiya Gen, the Iron Wall ability user. Your ability hardens your skin. But you can't harden your internal organs."
The man operated the device.
"This machine directly interferes with an ability user's brainwaves. Your ability will be temporarily destabilized."
The silver on Gen's skin flickered on and off. Iron Wall was losing control.
"Damn it...!"
Gen staggered.
The second man raised his sword and charged at Gen.
"Like hell I'll let you!"
Rui, clutching his aching head, flipped his knife to a reverse grip and threw himself in front of the man.
"Rui, stop!"
Gen's voice of restraint.
But Rui didn't stop.
(I have to protect him.)
(I have to protect Kamiya-san.)
The man's sword grazed Rui's shoulder.
Splurt.
Fresh blood sprayed across the snow.
"Gh...!"
"Rui!"
Gen shouted.
Rui endured the pain and lunged into the man's guard.
"You bastard...!"
Rui's knife carved deep into the man's flank.
Slash.
"Gah...!"
The man crumpled.
"Hah... hah..."
Rui pressed a hand to his shoulder, breathing raggedly. The snow stung his wound.
"You all right, Rui?"
Gen ran over.
"Are you okay? Your ability..."
"Yeah, it's settled down. Sorry for worrying you."
Gen's skin had returned to silver.
"More importantly, you're too reckless. Let me see that shoulder."
"It's a graze. It's nothing."
"It's not nothing. The bleeding hasn't stopped."
Gen tore off his coat sleeve and wrapped it around Rui's shoulder.
"Field dressing. Get it properly treated later."
"...Yeah."
"...Still, Noct Hound targeted your ability with pinpoint precision. They even brought a device to seal Reverberation."
Gen's voice turned serious.
"According to Kuroda's intel, the Vermundt Society was after all of Gohnt Nest. But this — this looks like you specifically are the target."
"...They're after my ability."
"Reverberation reads the memories of objects and places you touch. The Vermundt Society believes ability users should be controlled. Your power is a threat to them — and at the same time, something they'd kill to get their hands on."
"...Damn it."
Rui punched the snowy ground.
(Because of my ability.)
(I dragged Kamiya-san into this.)
"Hey, Rui."
Gen peered into Rui's face.
"You're shouldering everything alone again, aren't you."
"...It's nothing."
"It's not nothing. You're always like this. You fight with Aoi, push Nagi away, and try to carry everything by yourself."
"...I just don't want to drag anyone into my past."
"Is being dragged into your past really that terrifying?"
"It's not fear. I just don't want to be a burden."
"A burden, huh."
Gen let out a soft laugh.
"You're thinking with the logic of someone who gets abandoned."
"...What do you mean by that?"
"You were cast aside at the orphanage. So you think of yourself as someone who'll always be abandoned again. If you become a burden, you'll be left behind. So you never rely on anyone from the start."
Rui fell silent.
That hit home.
"But listen, Rui. You're not on the abandoned side anymore."
Gen's voice echoed quietly through the snowy night.
"You're standing on your own two feet in this city. You fight with Aoi, you're kind to Nagi, you learn how to fight from me. You're already a member of Gohnt Nest. You've gone from the one who gets picked up to the one who does the picking up."
"The one who picks up..."
"That's right. You can protect people now. You have things worth protecting. For all the children at the orphanage you couldn't save, too."
Something burned deep in Rui's chest.
(I've become the one who picks up.)
(I have things worth protecting.)
The faces of the children he couldn't save at the orphanage flashed through his mind. The backs of the adults who had abandoned him on a snowy night. And Aoi's cold eyes. Nagi's red ribbon. Gen's gentle smile.
(Is it okay for me to be here?)
(I want to protect this place.)
For the first time, he thought so.
"Kamiya-san, I..."
"I know. Don't say it. ...And one more thing."
Gen placed a hand on Rui's shoulder.
"Take care of Nagi."
"...Huh?"
"That girl has feelings for you. Even a dense guy like you has noticed by now, right?"
"What...!? She likes me...!?"
Rui's voice cracked.
"Hit the mark, huh. Well, good luck."
Gen laughed teasingly.
"G-Good luck with what...!?"
"Your clumsy kindness — I can see it clearly. So it'll reach Nagi too, I'm sure. Don't rush it. It'll work out somehow."
"...You just say embarrassing stuff like that without blinking, don't you."
Rui looked away.
"Don't be shy, don't be shy. ...Now then."
Gen looked out beyond the snow.
"More are coming."
Rui followed his gaze.
From the snow, three men appeared. No — not three. Five. Ten. One after another, men in black coats emerged.
"Noct Hound's main force."
"Looks like it. ...Rui, I'll handle things here. You go back to headquarters."
"What...!? I'll fight too!"
"Your shoulder's injured. And there might still be more of those sealing devices. If you stay here, you're a liability."
"A liability...!?"
"No, that's not what I meant. You shouldn't die here. You have things to do. ...You understand, don't you?"
Gen's eyes looked at Rui with seriousness.
"...But."
"Go. Follow my orders. This is a senpai's command."
Gen pushed Rui's back.
"...Damn it."
Rui gritted his teeth and broke into a run.
(Kamiya-san, taking on that many alone...)
(It's insane.)
(But if I stayed, I'd only hold him back.)
(I'm still weak.)
(I'm not strong enough to protect what I want to protect.)
Snow lashed against Rui's face. His shoulder wound throbbed. Blood stained his coat sleeve red.
(Kamiya-san, don't die.)
(Don't you dare die.)
Rui ran as if in prayer.
That was when it happened.
Behind him, a massive explosion.
BOOOOM!!!
"...!?"
Rui stopped and turned around.
Beyond the snow, flames were rising.
"Kamiya-san...!?"
Rui ran back the way he'd come.
(No.)
(No, no, no.)
His heart pounded like a drum. His feet caught in the snow. He nearly fell. Still, he ran.
He reached the front of the warehouse.
There, fallen men and a sea of blood.
And at the center of it, Gen was standing.
"Kamiya-san...!"
Rui ran to him.
Gen
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