The Glorious Evolution

She heard that often enough to stop explaining herself.

Instead, she waited until the visitors left before taking out her biwa... the dead had never asked her to choose a happier song.

Even after she improved, most living listeners found her melodies haunting. Some admired what her music could do... few wanted to remain and hear it without a reason.

Now, someone living was waiting to hear how it ended and gave her his attention even when they were supposed to be enemies on a battlefield.

...

Levi knew nothing about the graves or the child who had practiced among them.

He only knew that he wanted to hear more.

There was comfort in her sorrowful tune, and when she left another pause, he answered with a gentler sequence... the biwa resumed, completing the ending with him.

’So that’s how it should sound...’

Mournful Spirit wanted to play it again right away.

Unfortunately, Akira chose that moment to force her way through several ghosts, screaming furiously at their constant bombardment.

Levi intercepted her with a sound blade, then sent another volley across the chamber... These sound blades were using sound as a base, but carried multiple energies: aether, void, darkness, sunflame, and illusory ones to make the real ones harder to spot.

Some struck their targets, while others scattered against the floor, leaving marks concealed by his illusions.

The Taxman kept his briefcase open, collecting spiritual threads as he retreated from the bombardment.

’That should be enough marks.’

Levi quickened his bow.

”Shall we give them a proper ending?”

Mournful Spirit answered with a forceful sweep of her plectrum.

The haunting ghosts stopped pursuing their opponents individually.

Instead, they reached for one another!

Pale hands clasped pale wrists as the army divided, forming rings around Akira and the Taxman. More spirits descended from above, joining the formation until both Rifters were surrounded by layers of translucent bodies.

Their mouths opened together.

Screee!!

An anguished chorus shook the chamber!

Akira burned through the first ring with a sweep of stellar energy, but the ghosts behind it immediately closed the gap. Across the battlefield, the Taxman’s briefcase dragged several spirits out of formation, only for those beside them to seize their arms and pull back.

For a moment, both opponents were occupied.

Levi needed nothing more.

His illusions dissolved.

Golden ignition marks covered the broken floor around the Taxman, while pitch-dark inscriptions encircled Akira!

Akira’s expression turned ugly as she drove her blackened hand toward the nearest marking.

Too late!

Levi drew one final, violent stroke across Requiem.

Mournful Spirit struck every string of her biwa!

The linked ghosts surged inward, their rings contracting around both Rifters as the marks activated.

Their duet reached its climax.

BOOOOOM!

Golden fire engulfed the Taxman while a void implosion swallowed Akira!

At the same instant, the army of haunting ghosts crashed into them from every direction, releasing the spiritual energy gathered throughout the performance!

For a heartbeat, countless ghostly faces appeared within the golden inferno and collapsing darkness, their joined hands still visible as the two attacks consumed them!

Then the floor ruptured.

Broken tiles hurtled across the chamber, and the combined blast drowned out even the audience!

Mournful Spirit let her final chord ring through the destruction.

Levi kept his bow away from the strings until it faded.

”That was beautiful.”

She had been watching the dust for movement.

”...The ending?”

”The whole piece.” His reply came without hesitation. ”Especially the quiet part. I didn’t want you to finish.”

Mournful Spirit was left silent.

People had praised her power before. Some had even admired her playing while keeping as much distance from her as possible.

Meanwhile, Levi sounded disappointed that the song was over.

”You helped make it beautiful,” she said, smiling.

”I’d still like to hear you play it on your own.” Levi readied his bow as his senses picked up movement inside the wreckage. ”Somewhere with fewer interruptions.”

’You want to hear it again...’

She had spent years waiting for visitors to leave before taking out her biwa.

Now, she was already wondering what to play when they met again.

”Whenever you want, Celestial.”

The affection in her voice was entirely unconcealed... she had no intention of hiding it from someone who had listened so closely.

’As many times as you want...’