Chapter 73

Extra Case File 73 Receive It Quickly,

The roar of that flame!

Ash grabbed the wrist thrust by his Darkness-shrouded hand with a reverse grip, slammed him to the ground with a shoulder throw, then followed up with a punch that shattered the man’s nasal bone.

Although I can’t store special powers within me due to the Echoes of Darkness… but do you think I haven’t seen how many guys like you become overly conceited when they obtain power, thinking they’re nearly divine?

“Talk! Otherwise, I’ll crush every bone in your body!”

Despite the heart-wrenching pain and streaming blood from his nose, Kulain wasn’t willing to submit to this monster who had stolen and harmed the flower.

“What’s there to say to you?!”

Ash stayed silent for a moment, then suddenly revealed a disturbing smile.

Is that so?

That’s perfect.

Kulain briefly lost consciousness and woke up as he was dragged by the friction coming from behind. When he opened his eyes again, all he could see was a muddy car tire.

What…are you doing…?

The man slowly lifted his head and met Ash’s eyes, looking at him as if he were a dead man.

“You—No!”

You can’t—Damn it, you can’t!

At the man’s outcry, Ash pushed aside the unconscious policeman who had been stripped, and coldly pressed a button on the V-Commander on his wrist. The small V-REX standing on the police car’s gas pedal pressed down harder on the pedal.

The roar of the car’s engine grew louder. The full weight of the vehicle nearly pinned the gradually terrified man’s neck. The foot pressing against his chest prevented him from moving. The wheel against his neck turned, barely stopping before completely breaking it.

It was impossible to describe Kulain’s feelings: fear, pain, suffocation.

Ash was interrogating… no, torturing him, and he was enjoying this sense of enjoyment.

“How do we deal with this Rage Energy?!” With thick shoes crushing the man’s neck to stop it from being crushed by the tire constantly rubbing and emitting a burnt stench. “How do we neutralize its effects, how do we awaken her Tomorrow Power?”

“You can’t—!” Kulain desperately reached out, slapping Ash’s thigh, his voice almost tearing apart from exertion. “You can’t do it, nor can I. In numerous worlds, there will always be an unresolvable powerful enemy for the flower. It is the malice that humans have accumulated over time!”

Compared to the malevolence of all humanity, a single girl’s flickering soul is just too insignificant!

Ash did not speak, only biting his lower lip and pressing the button again forcefully on the Commander.

V-rex faithfully executed the task, lowering the gas pedal even more.

The sudden increase in pressure and pain made Kulain scream. If Rage Energy hadn’t still lingered within him, he would have surely died.

A madman—a reckless madman!

A madman, how could he save the flower; it’s impossible, he definitely cannot—

Ash thought the same way.

I don’t care about hearing a delusional fool lamenting here. I just need you to tell me what you know.

Ash intentionally allowed half a minute for him to recover a bit.

“Do you know anything else?”

His voice was devoid of anger, now sounding like a demon.

“Tomorrow Power! Only Tomorrow Power can cleanse Rage Energy!” the man gasped, seemingly having lost all resistance. “But once the flower chose the Melody Sacred Sword, she lost her ability to purify it… the more enemies she defeats, the more Rage Energy she accumulates until this world molds her like this!”

“I don’t know whether others can achieve it, but only the flower herself can awaken Tomorrow Power. Only her own hope for the future can save her!” His disheveled hair made his face look worse than when he was crying. “But now she’s completely desperate. She can no longer change anything, it’s all because of you, it’s all your fault!”

Initially, he wanted to save Nonoha himself, but he only witnessed everything happen from the sidelines, so he was unable to do it.

Later, he hoped someone could save the flower, even if not him. But he never saw it come to fruition, even after feeling disappointed.

Now, he thought Ash could save the flower, yet at the present moment, despite hoping for it, he hated Ash more than ever.

This flower is suffering in this world, becoming despicable, is that not all your fault?!!

Ash kept watching in silence as the man showed his disgraceful state, cold indifference masking even the most vulgar insults.

In the end, he released his grip, and the tire that threatened to break Kulain’s neck moved away.

You say… others might not awaken Tomorrow Power? Ash recalled the incident when blue-haired woman returned to normal after witnessing the true form of Nonoha, knowing the answer.

This can be done. I just need to wake up the flower.

“Thank you.”

“Cough—?” Hearing the thankfulness and being pulled up puzzled Kulain who was filled with resentment.

“If you lie, I’ll twist your other arm.”

“Other arm… ah!”

With ruthless calm, Ash twisted his wrist in the opposite direction, breaking his arm with a cry from the man.

Adjusting his beret on his head, Ash walked alone into the continuously expanding Dark World.

“Hold on—”

Clutching his broken arm, the blood-streaked Kulain kept screaming at Ash’s back.

“Think you’re the guardian of this world? Do you think you can save Nonoha anymore? Isn’t that hilarious?” Disheveled hair gave him a madlike appearance. “It’s impossible. All the worldwide Rage Energy is attracted to her. You’d have to kill her to save the world!”

And I also clearly saw that you are just as deeply submerged in darkness! The darkness that withers flowers, making them barren!

Ash stopped.

“You can’t do this either. When you approach her, she will only show how powerful she is! You will only see her angry side!”

“Are you going to say next that you’ve abandoned this world out of compassion?”

“What?!”

Turning back, Ash gave him a mocking smile.

Now, Ash found this person rather laughable, not hateful.

“I will save Nonoha and this world.”

“You say you can’t, you won’t. This just proves you’re too cowardly.”

Without waiting for the jester behind to utter another ridiculous statement, Ash resolutely stepped into the darkness.

He aimed to save a woman.

The woman he loves.

When his thoughts aligned with his actions, the world’s sounds became crystal clear!

The Commander on his arm that was almost damaged now looked brand new in the darkness.

“So I must fight fate and win it for you to see!”

Finger poised on the crimson beret atop his head, facing the approaching dark and writhing creature in the darkness, Ash yelled at the top of his lungs.

“TimeFire!”

The soaring red beret in the sky ignited like a wildfire star.