Editing Ultimate Antihero:Volume 1 Epilogue (section)

===Part 2===

“How rare. For you to be the one that comes to get involved with me.”

While saying that Homura received the guest at the front door.

“Yes. Because I have something that I want to talk with Homura-san no matter what. Do you have time?”

The expression of the asking Sumika was as expected, it looked like the expression of someone who had prepared herself for the worst.

“……”

Looking at that expression, Homura somehow guessed what she was going to say.

That was because Homura had noticed, what the feeling was that Sumika directed at him at that time when they had a class in the courtyard.

(Should I send her away with some suitable reason?)

Homura thought that for a moment, but he gave up from doing that thinking that it seemed too much.

For Homura, he didn’t really want to accept a relationship in this place where he someday would leave behind.

But for Sumika it was a circumstance unrelated with her.

(…It’s also too much to not even listen at all to her story huh.)

“Yeah, that’s fine. What do you want to talk?”

Honestly, he couldn’t return Sumika’s feeling, but it was also bad to just leave her hanging.

That was why Homura thought that he was going to clearly say here that he didn’t have any intention to get a girlfriend, he urged Sumika to start talking.

Thereupon Sumika’s cheeks were faintly colored red, she took a deep breath once in order to calm herself.

After that,

“Homura-san. …I…-“

Turning her heart into words, she expressed it at Homura.

“I, hate Homura-san!”

“Is that so? My bad, but I’m―wait what!? That’s what you said!?”

As expected, Homura never expected this kind of development in his wildest dreams, so he was slightly confused.

“Just wait a second. Eh? You are coming this early in morning to declare breaking off relations?”

“Tha, that’s not it! Please listen to my story until the end!”

On the other hand, Sumika continued her words in panicked condition because she was still in the middle of talking.

“I… have idolized Homura-san all this time. I want to become like Homura-san, I had worked hard all this time thinking like that all along. But yesterday, looking at Homura-san that I idolized from nearby, hearing the way you thought, I became really sad. Thinking of not a single one as your equal, you accept being feared as only natural, hearing the way of life of Homura-san that is like that”

Listening to those words, Homura thought ‘This again’.

He just heard the same thing being pointed out to him from his own sword just now.

“…In short you too came here to preach at me to not fight alone, is that it?”

But―

“No. That’s not it.”

That expectation was also a miss.

Sumika didn’t come here to preach about something like that.

The girl said.

“The current us have no power at all. Honestly, Homura-san fighting by yourself is far easier correct? That’s why I don’t have the qualification to say something that selfish. …Even if I say that Homura-san won’t stop anyway. I don’t think that the way of life that was decided by someone at Homura-san’s level, can be changed by someone at my level. That’s why―this is what I thought of.”

If that was how it is,

“It’s fine if I just reach Homura-san’s side.”

“-!?”

She didn’t tell Homura to get down until the same level like them, she was going to climb up until the place where Homura was.

That was Sumika’s answer regarding her own feeling that [hated him because she loved him].

Because if she did that, Homura wouldn’t be alone anymore. Is what she thought.

Hearing those words of Sumika, Homura lost his words from too much shock.

It was only natural. It was the norm for him to be feared. Occasionally there were also some people that didn’t fear him like Onjouji, but―a human that said things like they were going to ascend until the same level as him, there was not a single one until now.

Everyone who had witnessed their difference in power with Homura where it felt so ridiculous to even feel jealous about it, gave up aiming to close that difference.

But―

“One year. In this one year I will show that I will become stronger than Homura-san without fail. In one year I will challenge you to a duel, and I’ll win! That’s why―at that time I won’t be a lower existence that you have to protect, please recognize me as your equal comrade that stands at the same ground! I came here today for that request.”

Sumika said that absurd determination of hers.

“Will you accept my challenge?”

Sumka stared straightforwardly at Homura’s eyes―with a strong challenging gaze.

(……haha-)

Against that strongly determined expression, Homura recalled a nostalgic memory.

That was―the memory of Homura’s first meeting with this girl.

“Really, your energy hasn’t change at all with five years ago huh.”

“Yo, you, remembered that?”

“My memory is pretty good after all. Can’t really forget about someone that I have met once.”

That time too, this girl tried to challenge something really recklessly too.

And now too, she was the same.

She didn’t choose to give no matter what kind of hardship she faced, always choosing to [advance] continuously.

He guessed that perhaps that was the true nature of this girl called Hoshikawa Sumika.

(Well… even so it’s useless I think.)

“That’s fine. If you think you can do it then just try it.”

He didn’t really have any reason to refuse.

That was why Homura answered so, he accepted the girl’s challenge with a bold smile.

Thereupon Sumika also,

“Please don’t look down at me. I’m already different with that time who was just all talk. I will for sure, break that nasty nose of yours in the future-“

As if competing with him, Sumika undauntedly smiled fearlessly.

Looking at that expression, Homura thought.

(…As I thought, she is a good woman.)

Since that day he first met her, Homura had never forgot Sumika for even once.

The true battle that happened behind <Walpurgis Night> Kinugasa had mentioned before.

The verge of death of the <Book Burning Corps> that was literally burned from the annuls of history where they bet their life.

For Homura who had lost everything, whether it was his beloved person, or the comrades that he wanted to protect, it was a salvation for him to meet this straightforward girl with a strong heart.

He could protect the world where this kind of girl existed.

That joy and pride were everything that supported Homura at that time.

For that reason, he was really happy that this girl even now was still unchangingly possessing a proud heart, unintentionally Homura was staring fixedly at Sumika―

“If your business is finished already, please return my Master.”

He didn’t notice the footstep of Vel that approached him from behind.

Vel circled her hand on Homura’s waist and hugged Homura strongly.

“Wha, yo, you-! Why did you come out!? And you are still not wearing clothes!?”

“…For some reason.”

“What reason!?”

(――No, rather than that, this situation is)

‘How bad is it?’ Thinking that, timidly, Homura took a peek at Sumika’s expression.

There, sure enough, there was the obvious reaction,

Sumika’s eyes were wide open from the extreme shock, her cheeks were bright red and she was trembling all over.

And then the next moment, *KI-!* she glared sharply at Homura.

“Ho, Ho-ho-ho, Homura, san! Thi, thi-thi, thi-thi-thi-this is, just what in the world is the meaning of this!? Just why did a naked girl come out from Homura-san’s room-! Please give an acceptable explanation!”

She drew near with an extremely threatening look.

“Ca, calm down Hoshikawa. This girl is just my grimoire that transformed like this, it’s not like I brought in a woman into my place. Right, Vel!?”

“Yes. There is no mistake that I’m the personification of <Liber Legis>.”

“See? That’s why I didn’t really do anything guilty.”

“Yes. I just used my body to console my lonely Master, that’s all.”

“Right right. That’s why it’s not―hey, wait right there!?”

‘Just now the choice of the word was lethally dangerous there’, just when Homura thought so it was already too late.

“Th, th-th-th-that’s filthyyyy!!!!”

Sumika screamed and took her distance from Homura in great hurry.

“U, u-unbelievable! To use sorcery for such an impure matter! Furthermore with this kind of small girl…! I misjudged youuu!!!!”

“Wait wait! Listen to what I’ve got to say!”
[[File:Ultimate Antihero V1 e01.png|thumb]]
“I don’t care! This is all for today! Sayonara-!!”

And then without even giving him time for an excuse, Sumika ran away like a startled hare.

He wanted to chase her, but as expected he didn’t have the courage to run around in the dormitory while being embraced by a naked girl.

Rather―

“…Vel, you bastard, you did that intentionally right?”

He couldn’t think of her word choice as any other than intentional, so he questioned Vel.

But, the girl confirmed it without any guilt.

“That’s because before this, Master said that you want to be hated.”

“Yeah I said that! But just spare me from being hated in this kind of direction-!”

“Besides Master has me, so you don’t need any other woman.”

“Unexpectedly it’s because of deep jealousy huh, this damn porn book…”

Really what a morning. Homura who released an amazed sigh like that closed the entrance door.

In the middle of closing the door, he suddenly stared at the direction where Sumika escaped―he thought.

A future that until now he had never imagined even once.

A day where he was together with an existence that could stand side-by-side with him.

―Such future, seemed really fun,

(Aah, not bad)

A smile formed spontaneously.

Then let’s wait for it without expecting too much.

Whether that girl can really climb until his side or not.

With himself staying as a person that girl said that she hated, just like until now―

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