Levius 1

*Note: The page numbers here are as indicated at the bottom of the page in the original raw images.

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003
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It hurts, right? You should just say so.

What's so fun about hiding your feelings? Or do you think that makes you cool?

I'm fine, just continue, Bill.

*sip*

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I would have done that even if you didn't say so.

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What, you're going off already, Levius?

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I'm just saying, but it is winter now you know?
If you go running out before the pain has subsided...
It's fine.

Thanks to you, it seems like I'm in much better shape today.

I would have thought you would be even more sensitive to the pain if you really were in better shape.
Ah, don't get me wrong, it's not like I'm worried about you or anything like that.
Putting it bluntly, if you lose, my own reputation takes a hit, that's all.
Haha.

What, did you just laugh?
Nah.

*scratch*

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011
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Oh and tomorrow's match! It's not at Waltz Garden, neither is it at Emporio Theatre!
Ah, found it. It's at Empusa Gardens, reporting time is 1pm, 1pm you hear!

I'm going with Uncle.
That's true. It's not as if I'm offering to send you there anyway.

What?
Is there something else you need?

I'm going off.
*put down*

What a strange fellow.

*shut*

A bird.

*caw*

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014
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It's turned into such a winter wonderland. Levius.
Haha.

Meow

The wind has smelled different ever since they opened up the airspace here for flights.
It smells of dried grass now. Similar to how Laburnum* smells.

*It is a plant from the pea family native to Asia Minor. Also known as Kihanafuji.

The wind knows everything. That is why the wind has told me this.
The empire is being deceived by the devil disguised as civilization.

Where is Uncle?
Ah, haha, he's around.

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015
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Hey! Zach! Zach hey!

He'll be out soon enough.

This kitty has been listless ever since his leg was replaced.

He told me this, there is no place here for him to walk with a mechanised leg.

Achoo!
See, he's here.

*sniffle*

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Oh! Levius.
That was fast! Achoo!
Zachs Cromwell
(Uncle, Trainer)

Mom, this is bad, the garage! That, you know, you should use it frequently or else
I mean, or else the dust will... achoo!

Hey Levius, about that! After this, eh that, you should go there and do that...
You mean to do maintenance? I just came back from Bill's place.

Achoo!
Ah yes that that!

That was real quick!
You wait here!!
*scratch*

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017
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People say that if the genius Douglas Drake hadn't been born...

The world's civilization would be backwards by a hundred years, but
Do you think if the future had turned out right, machine and man would be fused as one?

That is what this car here is telling me, to the tune of a melancholy melody.

*slam*

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018
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I have no idea what she's yabbering on about!
I wonder if it's the age catching up or what! Her talk is getting crazier by the day!

You're referring to Granny?
Yeah yeah!
Recently she's been spouting all kinds of nonsense!

Just the other day, she said my toenails were extolling world peace!
What a joke, right?! And then...
Achoo!!

Ah damn, my nose is too sensitive.
*blow*

Ah.
That's right! I've something funny to tell you!

You know, the son from that metal parts store, Carl's his name, he went to the hospital!!

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After he ate some yam and drank some beer, he started to fart and hiccup at the same time and thought he had some weird shit disease!
And then, you know what the doctors told him?!

Hey, Levius!
Eh!

The problem is in your head, they said!

That's funny.
Gwahahaha!!

Levius!

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020
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You weren't listening at all, right.
...... I'm sorry.

Hey, Levius.

Is it getting any better?
Your mom's condition.

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It's still the same.
Her eyes remain shut and she's lying there on her back...
That's all.

Uncle.

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Sometimes I...

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... No, it's nothing.

Haha
Shhhhhhhhh

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Hey, Levius!

What's his name again?! That son from the metal parts shop, ah that's right Carl!

That kid, you know, in the town, at the police station,
He asked the policeman this! Is it ok if I stand here and pee?!

And then guess what the policeman replied?
...... No idea.

Eeeeks!! It got on my hands!!

Let's go!
Eh.

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All the best!

For the match!

Ok.

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OOOhhhhh.
That's quite the crowd we have here.
Amazing.

What was the capacity here again?! Ah but they should all be here to watch you, Levius.
Look, they are mostly girls, especially over there and there.

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What? Are you smiling away? Don't tell me you have finally realised how popular you are?
It's making me pissed.
That's enough, Bill...

Hey, Levius, here!

This is good stuff, right?!
Mm.
What? You mean that weird shit tea you always give him?!

Oh! This!
Look at Levius' wrist! The colour of the connection here!

Hey Bill! The shine of the metal is not the same as before, is that ok?!

Bill!
I can hear you, what?

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032
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That...
Ah, about your opponent today?

He's just overly modified, right?
That's quite common for fighters who are past the peak in their career.

Hmm? What are you guys talking about?
... His opponent, Malcolm Ethan.
Look, he's undergone major modifications since I last saw him.

Oh well, I guess Levius has his concerns too eh?
Malcolm Ethan was already one of the top ranked fighters of the Eastern Conference when you guys first entered this world of boxing.

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Here.

Hey, Levius! When he comes rushing at you, you give him a good kick, you hear me!

Then you back off a bit and
Finish him off with a killer punch!!

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035
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*wham*

OOhhhh

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When mechanised boxing first started

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It caused quite a ruckus in the world, drawing comments like "Ah we have degraded to a time where we can buy strength with money"

Heheheh... to me that is just pure idiocy. You know, Zach, there was this story.

There was this pair of twins in Netherlands. Both of them suffered from congenital heart disease.
Sadly, their family was poor and only had enough money for one of them to undergo a mechanised heart transplant.
Imagine the heart-wrenching decision their parents had to go through...

Well then, in the end, which of the twins do you think died first?

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The answer is "both".
Both of them died at the same time.

When the twin with the mechanised heart transplant passed away in the hospital at Barbstein at a young age of eleven,
The other twin died in a train accident at almost the same instance.

They said he was on his way to visit the other twin.

Sorry to be such a wet blanket, Mom, but this is the fourth time you're telling me this story.
Heheh, that's alright, I'm going to keep repeating this until the world gets it.

Just like how the heart can never reside in a machine, talent can also never reside in a machine.

This is true no matter which era you live in...

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God's will is absolute. The little birds in the garden told me so.

Hey Bill, how long more do you think the opponent will last?
It doesn't matter how long more, he's probably going to die anyway.
His cooling unit cannot keep up anymore.

Does he...
You think he isn't aware of that?

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He's a veteran, right?

A place to die, eh?
Hmm?

*Wham*
What did you say, Zach?
Nothing.

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Levius...
That's strange?
He's being overwhelmed.

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Is he alright? Did he take some bad hits?
I'm trying to follow their moves but I can't quite figure out.

Hey Mr. Trainer, are you listening?

Mmm...

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He's lost his mind!!!

That happens often.

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OOOhhhh

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Mechanised boxing has begun, you said.

Hmph, this town used to be so beautiful...

But ever since it got overtaken by revolution and steam and what-not
This has turned into a Devil's Town where even the blue sky can no longer be seen.

You know, Zach, that boy has the same stench on him.

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Levius will turn into the devil some day.
It's futile to try to protect him, fate cannot be changed.

This is what his past tells me.

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In the new calender year 1842, the empire

*yawn*

In this time where the era of big corporations is being ushered in,
The sport of Mechanised Boxing that involves mechanising one's body

So sleepy

Has such a low post-match survival rate

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062
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That it is called the Final Cage.