Free Record of the Blood Battle by Hideyuki Kikuchi

earth and the beast’s twitching died down as the young man in black stood on the steely corpse in the moonlight. That young man, who stood in one place so long, as if contemplating life and death. D. Walking along the neck of the great beast, he leapt down to the ground from the end of it. At his feet, a pale figure cried out softly and sadly, “Help!”
    Whether or not he heard the cry was unclear. D walked on. With his fifth step, he looked back. The massive form was turning transparent and being swallowed by the darkness, like a fade-out in the movies. The device hadn’t been built to self-destruct.
    At that point, D heard a voice issue from the heavens. We meet again. It’s been quite a while.
    D’s left hand reached into his coat, but the hoarse voice stopped him, saying, “Don’t bother. It’s no use.”
    Was there nothing you could do, D?
    When the baron managed to drag himself over a short while later, covered with cuts and scrapes and feeling like he had one foot in the grave, the young man was standing stock still with his sword already sheathed, looking terribly isolated with his faint shadow.

THE MANSE OF THE CULTURED LADY
    chapter 4

    I
    —
    I t was daybreak by the time they reached the town of Nieto.
    Apparently quite elated to be back in a human town after five millennia, the baron’s eyes gleamed as he said, “Hmm, things don’t seem to have changed much while I slumbered. Well, the human race reached completion at a fairly low level. Perhaps they don’t really want to change. Oh, that woman over there is simply stunning, isn’t she? My, just look at the size of her breasts! That hourglass shape! Mmmmm, and a derrière that sticks out like nobody’s business! That’s what I call progress. I retract my earlier statement.”
    This Nobleman didn’t seem like he had anything to do with either the Sacred Ancestor or “progress.”
    D first headed for the stables. His cyborg horse would need maintenance.
    “Stick with me,” he ordered the baron.
    “As if a Noble would enter some shack that reeks of horses! I’ll wait here,” Macula replied, steering clear of the entrance to the maintenance area.
    And yet, when D came back, the hoarse voice said in disbelief, “He’s not here!”
    —
    Soon after the baron had exited the stables, the mocking laughter of children flowed in from the right. In the narrow alley, he was surrounded by at least half a dozen boys.
    “This guy’s delusional!”
    “Noble, my ass! Who ever heard of a Noble out in broad daylight? And look at that funny armor he’s got on. Hey, let’s throw rocks at it!”
    “What are you talking about? This is the armor of a Noble. Can’t you see the grace and dignity in my features?”
    The baron stood with his chest puffed out, but the boys only looked down at him with scorn. They all stood at least a head taller than him.
    “You bald-headed liar! You’ve got a face like an octopus’s ass. Like hell you’re a Noble. Hey, unless you want the crap beaten out of you, you’d better give us some money.”
    “What do you mean, you wretched human children? You should be thankful for the opportunity to meet a genuine member of the Greater Nobility. Try any foolishness, and you shall be severely reprimanded.”
    “Just try it, you bald midget!”
    The largest boy stepped in front of the baron.
    “Ohhhh,” the baron said as he inched backward. “Stupid brats—are you familiar with the expression twenty-three skidoo ?”
    “No. What’s it mean?”
    “This!”
    For a moment, they were left stunned by the way the baron had suddenly turned around and sprinted away.
    “After him!” the largest boy ordered, the whole group tearing off after the Nobleman and surrounding him again in short order. His legs weren’t nearly as long as theirs. That was followed shortly by a cry of “Let ’im have it!” The diminutive figure was immediately swallowed up by the mob of attacking boys.
    “Stop that this instant,” a soft voice