Editing Ultimate Antihero:Volume 3 Chapter 2 (section)

===Part 9===

“Homura-san-!”

“――!”

That voice was directed to Homura who was confronting Michael.

Homura immediately turned to that voice’s direction and felt relieved from seeing the person who was rising to the sky.

It was because the owner of the voice was one of the people who until now didn’t reply even when called through mind transmission, a member of the platoon whose whereabouts were unknown.

“Sumika! You’re safe!”

“Ye, yes!”

Sumika showed an expression that was a little surprised from Homura’s menacing look.

From that reaction, Homura guessed that most likely she was not aware herself that until now she was in a place where no transmission could reach.

――Just where in the world was she at until now?

He was concerned, but since she had returned it was a question of low priority.

Rather than that――Homura asked Sumika about one more member whose whereabouts were also unknown.

“What about Shiori!? She ain’t with you!?”

“N, no……-. Has something happened with Shiori-san!?”

“If it’s about her location, then I know about it.”

The one who answered in place of the confused Sumika was the <Archangel> Michael who was hovering slightly away from the two of them.

His expression was not the gentle one that he had shown when he was talking to the people before this, he sent a condemning gaze at Homura and answered his question.

“It would be a little troublesome if my power that is residing in that girl’s blood forestalled me, so I sealed her movements beforehand.”

“Asshole……!”

“I’m not taking away her life or anything. She is conducting a great sin of falling in love with the vulgar <traitor>, but unlike you, there is still room for her to repent. The girl’s soul is also something to be used for the sake of salvation. Unlike you, the <traitor> Kamishiro Homura. ――What is permitted for you is only a meaningless death.”

Declaring that as if spitting out something unpleasant, Michael lightly waved his right arm to the side.

Thereupon the space behind him tore apart like a gaping mouth.

That was the gate to the pocket dimension where Shiori was invited to before this.

“If you are calling out her name with that vulgar mouth then come along with me. In the end, this battle is a match between you and me. Which side loses and which side wins will decide the whole situation. Then there is no need to fight in the same place with other people. If you can defeat me, then I will return the girl back to you.”

“So you took her as hostage. What a dirty method eh. How about you value your image as an angel a little bit more.”

“The one who decides good and evil is god himself. That’s not something the human hand can interfere in. Know your place.”

Homura heaved an amazed sigh form the bottom of his heart and responded to Michael’s proposal,

“Don’t screw with me.”

He returned a refusal.

“After bringing scary friends fully armed like that in front of my friend’s house, there ain’t no way I’m gonna go along with your shit.”

That was natural. Something like this was obviously a trap to separate Homura and Tokyo life sphere.

It was not a proposal that he could accept at all.

But in regards to this refusal of Homura, Michael was,

“Don’t think that a leeway to choose will be granted to you.”

Saying that, ――Michael spread widely both his wings once right now.

Instantly, magic power light that flickered and hot like flames surged out from Michael’s body.

The light gushing out from Michael as the center illuminated Tokyo life sphere until every nook and cranny, leaving nothing spared, it was a powerful light that might even reach the moon from here.

It was as if that light and that presence was just like a falling sun.

(Cheh. ……Ain’t he fully manifested already like this. This is quite troublesome.)

Not to mention Sumika, even Homura had his expression tensed from this.

It was an overwhelming magic power that even Homura who was insensitive to other people’s magic power could sense.

Compared to the <Demon King class> that he had fought until now like Typhon and Hecatoncheires, they didn’t even compare against this.

Possibly… the <Archangel> Michael possessed magic power that surpassed even Homura.

After displaying his own battle strength like that, Michael once again announced.

“So you understand. If we fight here in full power, naturally the surroundings will not end safely. The life of the children of man that should be used for the world salvation will be swallowed, scattered away meaninglessly. That’s not something that I wish for. Therefore, if you say that you are not going to follow, then I’m going to have to be heartless to that girl’s life don’t you think.”

“You shitty bastard……!”

“I’m going ahead to wait for you there. If you dressed yourself as a messiah even temporarily, I hope that you won’t take any foolish decisions.”

Ignoring the curse that Homura spouted out, Michael passed through the gate first and his figure vanished from that place.

If he didn’t chase him now, surely that angel would take Shiori’s life with certainty.

The existence called angel wouldn’t [lie] no matter what the situation was.

After all, they were existences that couldn’t [lie].

Homura knew that.

However――

(If I follow him now, this time it will be this place that becomes completely defenseless.)

What should he do?

While Homura was biting his lips pondering in distress like that――

“Homura-san! Please go to save Shiori-san!”

Sumika behind him yelled that to Homura.

Hearing that Homura exposed his irritation and talked back.

“Sumika… Do you understand what you are saying? This is a trap to divide our side. If I leave this place, the idiots in the surroundings are gonna rush in here at full force y’know.”

That was something she understood already.

But, Sumika didn’t withdraw from Homura’s objection.

“I know that it’s a trap! But… just as that man said, if you two fight here, that’s exactly the situation where there is nothing we can do. It’s vexing, but we are still… unable to catch up to the dimension where Homura-san is fighting. …But if it is against fellow humans as our opponents,  we can do something like protecting Tokyo life sphere to the end then, until Homura-san returns here!”

And then a person appeared that backed this claim of Sumika.

“Exactly as Sumika said! Don’t try to show off by yourself!”

Just like Sumika, it was Dorothy Scarlet and Sir James that were ascending to the sky with their personal <Air Raids>.

Dorothy’s body was wrapped in a standard <Grappler> type of <Magi’s Jacket> that prioritized mobility rather than thick armor. James was also clad in silver armor that was decorated with a dark lapis lazuli mantel. His hand was holding the highest rank <Artifact – the King Sword Excalibur> that was entrusted to him directly from the queen’s hand.

“Lead away that monster from us. This is also a big chance for us!”

“Exactly as the ladies said. Fortunately, right now there are three S-rank magicians gathering here. It’s just an insignificant power compared to you, but… we will show you that we can handle the likes of the <Special> possessed by <Powers> somehow by making good use of <Grim Bullet> and <Excalibur>.”

{I also requested this from you, Homura-san.}

That voice came from the corner of Homura’s field of vision.

Inside the window that was projected by mind transmission was the projection of Kinugasa.

{It has been five years since <Walpurgis Night>. By no means that we have been doing nothing since then. Our simulation training of holing ourselves inside the life sphere in defensive battle under siege is flawless, I have the confidence that our manual for the citizen’s evacuation guidance has the best completion among all the life spheres. Against the large army under the banner of the <Five Great Leaders> as our opponents, we possess the preparation that is enough for a defensive battle against fellow humans. ……Despite so, the only one who can oppose an opponent that can control such terrifying sorcery, is only Homura-san.}

“Cheh……!”

The suggestion that continuously came from the four people was to daringly accept the enemy’s invitation.

Homura clicked his tongue with a bitter expression to that.

But, he didn’t object.

Because he also understood that it was the valid countermeasure.

In the first place there was also the large factor that if he didn’t do that then Shiori wouldn’t be saved.

However, …although that countermeasure was a valid one but it was also an incredibly risky move.

That was why Homura――

“Unrestricted limit. From {{furigana|Malchut|tenth}} until {{furigana|Kether|first}}――forced purge!”

The <{{furigana|Aureole|Great Seal}}> that had continuously bound him.

He forcibly tore apart all of it.

Instantly, ――an impact shook the star.

Because <Aureole> was a magic formula that suppressed Homura with the very power of this planet itself, forcibly releasing it made a backlash appear as a cataclysm on the star.

Earthquake that shook the ground. Lightning strikes that rained down from the sky. Tornadoes――

It was a spectacle as if it was the end of the world.

But, the people that were in Tokyo life sphere, …didn’t even notice such a spectacle.

It was――darkness.

From Homura who had torn apart <Aureole>, deep jet black magic power light surged out from Homura as if it would paint over the whole world.

That darkness covered the whole Tokyo life sphere, wrapping the area in an even deeper darkness than the dead of night.

“…………–!”

Sumika and the others were dumbfounded from witnessing for the first time the power and presence of Homura who was in his full power.

Looking at Sumika and the others who were like that, Homura said.

“Right now I have dispelled <Aureole>. Because that guy is an opponent I can’t go easy against and won’t be able to beat unless I do this. ……Shiori also ain’t here, so once I start fighting, I won’t be able to back you up like that time with Elfiena. Even so, can you bastards intercept that murderous bunch just by yourselves?”

At the fighting against all the <Demon Kings> until now, Homura still had the composure to secretly make preparations for assistance even though he was dragged down by his surroundings.

But this time he wasn’t like that.

By some kind of way, an <Archangel> had manifested in possession of a complete flesh body.

Even for Homura, against the <Archangel> Michael who possessed strength and popularity that could even be said as a symbol of the world of heaven as an opponent, he had to challenge such an enemy with his full strength.

In other words, no matter how cornered Sumika and the others were against the <United World Government> without Homura, he wouldn’t be able to back them up cleverly like until now.

Homura exposed his own lack of leeway and questioned the determination of Sumika and the others.

In response, although Sumika was taken aback for a moment from Homura’s full power, she immediately straightened her expression,

“Protecting the citizens from the fires of war is the duty of the national defense magicians. We have received training for the sake of that. It’s nonsense to question our determination for that. Besides――”

Sumika asked back with a dignified voice and eyes that were filled with a strong resolve.

“For Homura-san, Shiori-san is someone that is more important than a mere old acquaintance right? …Then please go. We still don’t have the power to fight together with Homura-san, but exactly because of that, dragging down Homura-san is the only thing that we don’t want to do.”

The expression of Sumika who answered so, and also the expression of the people standing at her side, were expressions that Homura knew well.

It was the same like his comrades of the <Book Burning Corps> who once fought together with him and fell in battle.

That was why he understood exactly.

The people with this kind of eyes wouldn’t step back no matter what kind of despair they faced.

Despite being a brittle and weak existence that would break completely just from a little damage, they staked their lives for the sake of someone other than themselves.

From the point of view of the strong Homura, it was something unbearable and terrifying… he couldn’t help but think that it would be far better if they just let themselves be protected, but――

(……Really, what a really good woman, to the degree that I even get fed up.)

At the same time, ……he was really grateful and reassured, to the degree that he felt vexed.

Just as Sumika said, for Homura, Shiori was……




{I’ll take [responsibility] for your future. ――That’s why, live.}




An important person that he didn’t want to lose.

Then, there was only one action that he should take――

Homura took out the grimoire <Liber Legis>, and chanted while making the pages flutter from the wind.




“Lower down the stair of time. ――<The Treader of the Dust> Quachil Uttaus!”




Thereupon, a streak of light from the sky shined into the world of darkness that was enveloped in Homura’s magic power.

And then that person laxly descended that path of light and appeared from the sky.

Its appearance was a humanoid mummy with size almost as big as a human.

There was not a single hair all over its body, its skin was dry and rotten with web-patterned wrinkles carved on it.

At the part that seemed to be its head, there were no eyes, nose, or mouth, there was only a hole that seemed to go on forever until the depths of the abyss, each of its body parts were pierced, its two hands were stiffened in a thrusting forward position as if searching for a mother.

Its appearance was as if it was the ghost of a fetus that had dried up completely, unable to even get born into the world.

This ugly and repulsive existence was exactly the divinity that was recorded in the <Testament of Karnamagos>, <The Treader of the Dust> Quachil Uttaus.

And then the moment that divinity descended.

Not to mention Sumika and the others, all the people inside the Tokyo life sphere had a divine protection of sorcery affixed to them.

“This is……!”

“……Thinking about the fight with an <Archangel> after this, I can’t really waste magic power. This is just a simple summoning with the chanting discarded, but even so, with this it should be easier for you to intercept those guys.”

[[Image:Ultimate Antihero V3 p141.jpg|thumb]]

This was the declaration of Homura’s intention.

Homura was determined.

That he would entrust this place to Sumika and the others with this divine protection as a parting gift.

“Listen. Absolutely don’t kick the bucket until I return back!”

“……-, YES-!”

Sumika replied her consent with a loud voice towards Homura’s encouragement.

After Homura listened to Sumika’s vigorous reply for the last, he chased after the <Archangel> Michael,

(――I’ll murder him right away……!)

He leaped into the gate himself.

Right after that, the gate closed after swallowing Homura――

{Notification for all national defense magicians! The <Five Great Leaders’ Allied Army> deployed around Tokyo life sphere is beginning to march all at once!}

When the enemy began to move, the message was sent to Kinugasa from the observer of the observation radar that had been restored.

{So they wasted no time to quickly attack when Homura-san is gone.}

Kinugasa who took the command of this place closed his eyes to resolve himself against the enemy’s movement――

{Announce the third issue of the emergency manual! Abandon the first and the second defensive line! Please operate the bulkheads of the third defensive line!}

He opened the channel of mind transmission to all the magicians of Tokyo life sphere and gave out his order.

Hearing that command, the actual scene immediately reacted with well-trained movements.

On the circling line surrounding the imperial palace with a radius of five kilometers, armored walls with thickness of ten meters and height of seventy meters raised up from the underground while making the ground rumble, becoming a rampart that enclosed the space inside the Tokyo urban areas.

So that the tragedy of <Walpurgis Night> wouldn’t be repeated, through these five years this trump card of this city defense had been constructed.

After confirming the deployment of that trump card, next Kinugasa also connected the transmission channel to the city broadcast and spoke to all the humans within the life sphere.

{From now on we will concentrate all our battle strength in the third defensive line and deploy in a siege battle.

All national defense magicians, as well as the student magicians, please take the <Air Raid> in the nearest national defense army facility and arrange your battle preparations.

The non-combatant personnel are to follow the third issue of the emergency manual and guide the evacuation of the citizens.

All citizens, please evacuate to the geo-front.

All citizens located in the first and second defensive line are to use the underground linear train and head directly to the geo-front.

As soon as all citizens are recovered, explode the linear line. Quarantine the area physically.

All citizens, please complete your evacuation in a hurry.

……Surely everyone has questions about Innocentius’ words and the cooperation with the <Evil God User>, but right now the enemy is advancing here with certain intent to kill. Please, for the sake of repelling back the approaching threat, just like the time of <Walpurgis Night>, I want all of you to lend me your power……!}

Hearing those words of Kinugasa, the citizens all closed their mouths and nodded, they then took action following the instructions.

The citizens of this life sphere knew, just who it was that was worthy of their trust.

That trust didn’t waver from just Innocentius’ words.