Editing Ultimate Antihero:Volume 4 Chapter 1 (section)

===Part 1===

The verge of death.

Due to the Eihort summoning and large scale teleportation Homura performed by mustering the last of his strength, the national defense magicians who received the betrayal of the <White Knight> and the Five Great Leaders allied force’s fierce attack escaped from annihilation with difficulty.

However, even so the amount of damage they received from the {{furigana|Reconquista|The Eastern Great Subjugation}} just now wasn’t something light.

“This is really a severe situation isn’t it……”

Inside the control room of ministry of defense, seeing the scenery of the Tokyo life sphere projected in the monitor, the prime minister Kinugasa Yoshinori let out a long sigh.

No matter which image he saw, there were only injured national defense magicians and academy magicians trickling their blood projected.

The medical treatment unit was running about in full force treating the injured, but people who were already running out of breath were not few.

Saying that currently Tokyo life sphere was in hell was an understatement.

And then what weighed them down the most, was that this scenery was nothing more than the entrance of hell.

The situation Tokyo life sphere was currently placed in was extremely bad.

Kinugaza was keenly feeling it.

“Minister. All the surviving division commander as well as the management class staff of each department are gathered in the reception room.”

Suddenly the door at the back of the control room opened, a voice called out at Kinugasa’s nape.

“Understood. I will immediately head out.”

Kinugasa replied so to the staff calling him and exited the room to head to the reception room.

Inside the reception room that was vertically as long as eighty tatami had already filled by around fifty people.

Half of that number was bearing terrible injuries that was wrapped many times with blood soaked bandages.

Other than the people in terrible condition, there were also people with wounds all over their body.

And then their expressions were universally dark.

Inside their eyes that were clouded with despair, not even the littlest bit of fighting spirit could be sensed.

Everyone was looking down with cornered face without even making any murmur.

Standing in front of those people, Kinugasa first deeply bowed his head.

“Everyone. For the present, thank you for your hard work. Thanks to everyone strenuous effort, there is almost no harm that happened to the citizen. Thank you very much.”

But there was no one that was happy with that fact.

They hadn’t escaped from the dangerous situation at all, right now this moment was only a temporary respite, everyone here understood those facts unconsciously.

“Prime Minister Kinugasa. Explain to us. Just what in the world is happening here.”

One of the surviving division commander, Hasad of the seventh division threw his question.

To that Kinugasa replied with the name of the evil god that originally should be hidden.

“This place is the labyrinth of the Great Old One Eihort who is called <The God of Labyrinth>, we are in the pocket dimension at its deepest part. We are here because the <Evil God User> teleported us altogether with Tokyo life sphere. So that we won’t be annihilated.”

“In other words……the <Evil God User> is”

“He was defeated and died in the battle with the angel that introduced himself as Michael, I have received the report from <Liber Legis> who was teleported along with us.”

“My goodness……”

“Incidentally, I also have bad news.”

A high-pitched voice of a child resounded inside the reception room.

That was a girl possessing cat ear that was waiting together with the magicians in the reception room for Kinugasa.

She was the <God of Evil Cat> Bastet who was summoned by Homura and hadn’t disappeared until now.

“Bad news, you say?”

“A report came from my underling that I released inside the labyrinth as my eyes. The allied force had all their bodies stolen by the angels, they are now advancing to this deepest part of Eihort’s labyrinth with the momentum of a surging wave.”

“The angels were……”

“In other words you mean that Innocentius and others were betrayed by the angels?”

“They were really used nicely and their bodies got stolen in the end. Serve them right.”

“If you did bad then just wash away everything, that’s because those angel bunches are really rough in regard of life. There is no way we can build cooperative relationship with them using human’s sense of values. Demons that are moving by their greed and their own preference is still easier to have a talk with.”

“That’s so. Exactly as you say.”

Frankly, Kinugasa too was similar with Kai, he had already vaguely noticed that it might become like this.

It was impossible for proper negotiation and cooperative relationship to be built between angels and humans.

Because the sense of values between both sides were too different.

That was why honestly it didn’t matter that the Five Great Leaders were betrayed or whatever.

The problem was this army carrying the souls of extremely high spirit ranking that was the angel.

“Do you know the scale of the enemy?”

“Leaving behind Michael who appeared to be the general, they are splitting into two troops of around seventy thousand in their invasion here. There are 140,000 in total. The underlings of the Great Old One are fighting back but they won’t last that long. One of them might arrive here in one day.”

“Is that so……”

It was a fact they didn’t want to know if possible.

Conventional firearms was mostly ineffective even against human magicians.

There was no way it would be effective against angels.

To defeat them it would be hopeless unless they used an attack that was filled with magic power.

But, the number of Tokyo life sphere’s magicians was greatly reduced from the battle just now.

Their remaining number was approximately thirty thousand people.

That number would swell up into forty thousand if the student and the reservist whose battle strength were below standard were included but, ――they were bound to fail in front of an army with the strength of 140,000 angels.

“What are we going to do now, Prime Minister Kinugasa.”

“That god over there, ……can’t you help us fight?”

Bastet answered those imploring words from a middle-aged magician with a shake of her head.

“……I like humans. I have been living with humans together with my underlings all this time until now. But, this time I don’t really receive that much magic power from Homura. After all I was only summoned for helping out with the festival. ……Things like battle is completely impossible.”

The expression of Bastet that informed them so was as if she was chewing a bitter bug.

Bastet was one of The Elder God that protected the people from illness and evil spirits since the ancient times, granting the blessing of good harvest and easy pregnancy.

She was ashamed of herself who couldn’t wield her strength satisfactorily in this predicament of mankind.

“I’m afraid to say, the best the current me can do is only to observe the enemy’s movement. Sorry.”

“No. Even just that really helps us much. Thank you very much.”

Kinugasa said his thanks to Bastet’s dedication, on the other hand his heart inside was distressed.

The despair was approaching with certainty.

But he hadn’t the slightest idea of just how they could face it.

――It was at that time.

Enormous explosive sound barged in from the large window of the reception room.

“Wha, what’s going on!?”

It was not just once. The second and third, the thundering roar was continuing to reverberate.

When the gathered people looked outside the window, black smokes were rising from everywhere inside Tokyo life sphere.

“Do, don’t tell me, enemy attack already!?”

Everyone thought so, their countenances paled.

However the situation was turning for the worse.

That was made clear by the government staff who rushed into the reception room.

[[Image:Ultimate Antihero V4 027.jpg|thumb]]

“Prime minister! It’s a disaster! The people evacuating in geofront is causing panic in revolt……!”

“What do you say……-!”

“Revolt, in this kind of time……, no, is it because it’s exactly this kind of time, huh.”

“This is a lie right……”

“<Evil God User> lost, <Grim Bullet> and <Crimson Leo> also KIA……. <White Knight> betrayed us, Onjouji Kai is also seriously injured from the battle with Wan Tairon and is unconscious. On top of that the people is turning to riot. ……There isn’t just any way we can oppose the angel army or anything in this kind of situation!”

The frequent disasters finally made the tough national defense magicians to spout complain.

It was also something that couldn’t be helped.

Even though the enemy had obtained even greater strength compared to the previous battle due to the angelification and was steadily approaching their location, the soldiers of their side were exhausted, their main battle strength had died in action all over the board, and in the end the people they ought to protect were baring their fang at them. ――This was exactly a situation where there was nothing that could be done.

But,




“Even so, we are still alive.”




“ “ “tsu…………!?!?” “ “

Suddenly a girl’s voice resounded dignifiedly, tearing apart the choking atmosphere.

That voice they had heard before made them lifted their face with a ‘hah’ and they moved their eyes to the door where the voice came from.

Over there,

“<Grim Bullet>!?”

The S-rank Magician who annihilated the <Special Missionary> essentially alone in the previous fight.

Hoshikawa Sumika was standing there.

Her appearance made everyone bared open their eyes in shock.

That was only natural.

“Sumika-san! I, if I’m not mistaken, wasn’t you supposed to have your neck decapitated by Sir James!?”

Correct. A lot of them witnessed that moment of despair.

But Sumika shook her head to this and replied with words.

“I had Homura-san perform a resurrection spell on me beforehand, so I was barely able to survive.”

That was a lie.

The truth was she received a life stock from <The Crawling Chaos>.

It was thanks to the <Voodoo Doll>.

But giving out the name of <The Crawling Chaos> who they didn’t understand whose ally he was would only invite chaos.

She lied due to that.

Even while under this dangerous situation, Sumika’s brain was clear and calm.

Like that Sumika briefly explained the reason of her survival.

“Certainly the situation, the position we are being put in is extremely bad. Nevertheless, what are you going to do by giving up. We are still alive. More than alive, there should be something that we can do.”

Saying that, the soldiers inside the reception room with eyes clouded in despair were inspired.

But toward those words.

“There ain’t anything at all!”

A young division commander who lost his arm in the previous battle shouted in irritation.

“Even though we survived, but every last one of them are half-dead already. Even I’m in this state! Just what can we do in this kind of ragged state huh! What can we do against an angel army of 140,000!”

That shout represented the mind of everyone in this place.

That was why everyone’s gaze was directed to Sumika along with those words.

Those gaze seemed to be asking, ‘is there really anything we can do’.

Toward the attention she got, ――Sumika answered without hesitation.

“Even though you lost your arm, there is still weapon you can use right?”

“Eh.”

“Even with your leg gone you can still fight if you use <Air Raid>. I too died once, but I can still fight.”

“-……!”

“――I’m not telling you to do something you cannot do. Only, let’s do everything that we can possibly do with this body and life. Even if everything ends pointlessly as the result, something like that is just mere result. If it’s a result that comes out from doing everything that we can, then we can swallow even bitter result. But, it’s foolish to just receive despair without resisting. Such a thing is a betrayal toward the deceased in this battle, no, a betrayal toward all the deceased from far before this battle until now who had continuously spun the history of mankind.”

Because themselves of today existed from the sacrifice of many people, including Homura.

Besides――

“Besides, this is a chance.”

Sumika declared with a strong tone.

“Cha, chance you say?”

“Yes. Based on the situation we see, there is no doubt that Homura-san was defeated by Michael, however it’s unthinkable that he quietly let himself defeated. Michael himself should be considerably injured. For the enemy to leave behind Michael and advance toward here, isn’t that because he is already cannot move sufficiently?”

“A……-“

“They are an army of angel, having said that their power that is using forcibly stolen flesh as intermediary won’t amount to much. Moreover because they are invading the labyrinth of Eihort, the enemy right now is splitting into two units. This dispersion of their battle strength is a chance for us.”

Then,

“Let’s fight. In order to survive. In order to protect. Let’s stand against despair until the very end.

Sweep aside despair, in order to obtain the future.

That is, ……the duty of the living.”

“ “ “――――――” “ “

The eyes of Sumika who replied to their question weren’t clouded for even a little bit.

She didn’t merely lose her arm or leg. Although she was revived using resurrection magic, she was exposed to death for once already, even so this girl wasn’t despaired.

Not averting her eyes from despair, however she didn’t submit to it by any means, in addition she was believing in the future where they overcame this.

Compared to that, was there anything more pathetic when they, the mature adults were sitting and moping around like this.

“――――haha-“

[[Image:Ultimate Antihero V4 033.jpg|thumb]]

Thinking of how worthless his self that was looking down in despair, Hasad leaked out a dry laugh.

“How pitiful for us to be encouraged by a girl the same age of my daughter.”

It was truly pathetic.

Even though it was exactly in this kind of predicament, that they the adult had to show the path.

Again, they were going to be saved by a child.

Again, they were going to depend on a child.

Such thing, such uncool appearance, ――he was already tired of that.

“-……!”

Instantly Hasad strongly slapped his cheeks with his hands.

And then with that pain he powerfully opened his tightly closed eyelids.

Those eyes, ――weren’t clouded anymore.

“Exactly as <Grim Bullet> missy said! There ain’t any way that <Evil God User> would let himself got done in quietly! The other side should be considerably beaten up! Then this is a chance that won’t come anymore! Let’s do this! We! With our hand! Is going to beat up those mannerless bunches rudely stepping their dirty foot into this world of us great human!”

Toward these words of Hasad,

“……Certainly, it’s still too fast to get despaired.”

“Yeah. Ain’t no way I’m going to swallow this bitter pill happily!”

“You say it. Mankind is not only <Evil God User>, let’s teach them that……!”

The other national defense magicians also stood up one after another.

Everyone of them was by no means accepting Sumika’s words that this was a chance straight as it was.

That the situation was extremely bad didn’t change.

Even so, the appearance of that girl who didn’t give up inside such situation and continued to look for the slight chance of victory, ‘I can’t lose’, its inspired themselves like so.

And then that was……also the same for the young division commander who spouted out his whine to Sumika just now.

“What are you gonna do? Even after getting told off by a girl like that, as I thought you still cannot fight huh?”

“Do, don’t say anything stupid old man! There ain’t anyone here saying I’m not gonna fight! Even with just one arm I’m gonna fight as long as I can move! Even if I’m gonna die, I’m gonna spit one last time to those guys’ mug!”

The man returned a yell at Hasad’s provoking words before he glared at Sumika, as if to say ‘bring it on’.

His eyes were burning with glaring fighting spirit.

It expressed strong will which said there wouldn’t be anymore whining.

“That’s the spirit.”

But, in the end what triggered their competitive spirit against Sumika, was because they were people with strong belligerence in the first place.

When all was said and done they were the national defense magicians whose occupation was battle.

Toward they who raised their morale with bravado,

“Sti, still, with the angel as our enemy, it means that there is almost no doubt that they cannot be defeated unless we attack using magic power. Yet despite so the damage to the national defense magician is enormous. Including the student we don’t even have forty thousand magicians that can fight. On the other hand the other side has seventy thousands even after splitting into two groups. In total there are 140,000. No matter what the difference in number is just too much……!”

The government officials who were non-combatant interjected like that.

The fact that they couldn’t do anything with spirit alone was stretching out in front of their eyes.

However,




“Regarding that, we will cooperate.”




This whining of the government official was reined in by a calm voice of a girl.

But that voice wasn’t Sumika’s.

Then just who in the world said that then.

In front of the government officials that were confused so, Sumika quietly moved her body to the door’s side.

And then, ――she conceded a path to the girl following her from behind.

The prime minister Kinugasa Yoshinori knew that girl.

With hair of refreshing color like fresh verdure, the girl possessed four translucent wings. She was――

“Yo, you are……, <Fairy Queen>!”

It was the head of fairy race who previously migrated from demon world, Elfiena.