Editing Ultimate Antihero:Volume 1 Chapter 3 (section)

===Part 8===

“Right now, something terrifying is going to happen inside the <United World Government>.”

“Something terrifying?”

“<One Year Plan>. That’s the name of the project. The content is, in one year the ten countries that survived <Walpurgis Night> will be merged into five countries of the five great leader’s jurisdiction under the great cause of making the human race as one and oppose the demons.”

“…They are making a really bold plan again huh.”

Homura knitted his eyebrows towards the information that Kinugasa brought.

His family register had been taken away a long time ago, but even so for Homura the country called Japan was his birthplace.

That was why, if he was told that the county would be gone, his expression would become hard.

“If I remember right, those five great leaders are from the five countries of Britain, China, Russia, America, and Italy right? Which one is Japan going to be integrated into?”

“The talk has advanced towards the direction of us being absorbed into China Republic Union. Also, it’s not a [merger]. This is an [absorption].”

“What are you saying?”

“Exactly as the word said, it means a one-sided exploitation. Japan’s government will be completely dismantled, and our sovereignty will be transferred to China Republic Union. There is also the arrangement to restitute the property of the people into the country’s treasury temporarily, what will be left to us are only unfairness of heavy tax and food rationing. …Well, after all our relationship with our neighboring country is not really good.”

Saying that, Kinugasa smiled bitterly.

Surely right now he was thinking that the relationship didn’t go well since <Walpurgis Night> was because of the ineptitude of themselves the politicians.

But, Kinugasa immediately drew back his bitter smile and continued his words with a serious expression once again.

“However, such things are only a small matter. The biggest problem is the difference in ideology between China Republic Union and Japan.

China Republic Union is a country that imposes widely despotic government that doesn’t allow democracy.

Naturally, the integration between these two countries won’t go smoothly.

Further, the <Holy Path Church> is also involved in this merger. The church is also advancing the talk to make the <Holy Path Church> as the only sect of the human race.

In regards to this too, we can anticipate an extremely large opposition.

Because of Japan’s tolerant stance towards any kind of sect, there are various sects of the refugees here.

However―under the great cause of uniting the human race to face the demons, the world government plan to carry out this. But, a result produced from such a one-way just cause―will be a river of blood and a mountain of corpses due to oppression.”

Water and oil wouldn’t mix no matter how much they are stirred together.

Then what should be done?

Nothing else but to abolish one side until there was not a single drop left.

When people held in their hand a selfish great cause, they could become even more cruel than a demon.

That was an inevitability that had been proven by history. An apparent result.

For that reason, Kinugasa was,

“―I want to stop this reckless development. Not just me. The countries other than the five great leaders, and also Britain’s reformation faction force showed a strong opposition towards this <One Year Plan>.”

But, Kinugasa’s expression clouded after saying until that far.

“However, our power is insufficient with only us. In the first place when the <United World Government> was created, it was a group that was formed from the Five Great Leaders which are the five countries that possessed the most surviving force remaining. It’s inevitable that the other countries’ power are all falling behind them.”

“I see.”

After hearing that much, Homura too opened his mouth.

“In other words… the reason you called me here is in order to fight the Five Great Leaders, you want me to enter under the affiliation of the opposition force… is that what you are talking about?”

By doing that, it would compensate for their inferior strength.

That was how Homura perceived Kinugasa’s thinking.

And then Vel who sat beside Homura also had the same conclusion.

“A selfish talk. After forsaking Master already, now you are saying you want to make use of Master again?”

Vel narrowed her eyes slightly while strong hostility drifted in the air, she glared at Kinugasa.

However―

“No. What I want is something completely different.”

Kinugasa denied it straightforwardly.

“What I want to ask from Homura-san is something that is completely the opposite.”

“The opposite?”

“Yes. I don’t want to enter Homura-san under our affiliation. ―We want to enter under the affiliation of the <Evil God User> Kamishiro Homura. And then I want to destroy the organization of the Five Great Leaders, and for you to become the [King] of the new political administration. That’s the reason of me for calling you here.”

“……”

That was the true motive that Homura was told. Hearing that, as expected even Homura was dumbfounded.

He said, that he wanted him to become king?

“…You, are you sane?”

Homura reflexively voiced his doubts frankly.

But Kinugasa nodded towards those words that were lacking in manners.

“Of course.”

“No, from what you just said I really cannot think that you are sane. Just try to think about it a little. I’m someone whose power is sealed by the world government using <Aureole> here. Right now I got no power except something a little above a S-rank magician. You are sayin’ you want that kind of brat as king? That ain’t an idea of a proper adult y’know, Prime Minister Kinugasa.”

“Is your power really sealed?”

“――”

“As for me I really can’t think of that as the case. Against at best just those philistines of the Five Great Leaders, you, the <Evil God User> Kamishiro Homura are bounded? That’s really completely unimaginable. Even though you are the magician that binds even gods.”

“……now then, I wonder about that.”

Homura evaded the question.

On the other hand Kinugasa added even more of his words.

“Besides, there is also no problem in your age. This is a matter about soul.

The real problem is, on top of the existence of the demon’s threat, there is a necessity to unite the human race as one.

But the Five Great Leaders don’t have the capacity for that. Unity due to coercion or the likes, it’s nothing more than a sham that would immediately break down.

What is needed, is a king with a noble soul that can guide all the people.

An existence of an absolute leader, one that anyone can see a dream on that back, and also one that can make people think for themselves to follow that back.

―Homura-san. From among the people that I know, it’s only you who are worthy of that.”

“You really got a too high opinion of me.”

‘It came to nobility huh’, thinking that Homura floated a wry smile in astonishment.

He didn’t hate it to be praised, but it gave him the creeps to be flattered that much.

“Just what in the world is your basis for thinking like that, I really want you to tell me by all means. After all, next time I’m going to use that reasoning, not at a man, but at a woman as a pick-up line.”

When Homura returned a joking question like that, Kinugasa didn’t reply immediately.

It was as if he was hardening his resolve for a while, after Kinugasa closed his eyelids he finally began to form his words.

Why he supported Homura, the basis of that.

“Because I know. What happened behind that <Walpurgis Night>. The mortal combat that has never been written in history. And also the last days of the elites that were <Book Burning Corps> that once existed in the <Knight Order Without Borders>.”

 

―Instantly, all emotion slipped off from Homura’s face――

 

The single memory that ran through in his mind.

The fresh blood that stained the new snow.

The corpses of his comrades that fell down like decayed trees.

The coldness of the {{furigana|gold and silver ominous eyes|heterochromia}} looking down at that, and the sensation of the life of an important female(person) spilling over from the embrace of his two hands.

Everything of that day was vividly resurrected―

“Compared to the cruel ordeal that was imposed on you at that battle, something like <Walpurgis Night> didn’t even enter into that ordeal. But, you fought to the bitter end. I know about that noble way of living. That’s why―”

 

“――Stay quiet.”

 

“……!”

Homura’s spoken words instantly froze Kinugasa’s throat.

After all, the killing intent of a drawn sword was filled in that tone.

Homura covered his face with his right hand as if enduring a headache, with a sharp look he glared down Kinugasa from the gaps between his fingers.

“{{furigana|Outsider|you}} can’t talk about {{furigana|<Book Burning Corps>|us}}.”

To point at a battle that made him lose all his irreplaceable comrades as [noble], was not a joke.

After all since that day, there was no day where he didn’t curse at his own powerlessness.

“Forgive me… Without even thinking of Homura-san’s feeling, I talked as if I understand anything about it.”

Homura’s intimidating pressure was incomparable with Vel’s pressure before this.

It made Kinugasa’s whole face paled in terror, he quickly lowered his head and apologized.

That was why Kinugasa didn’t aggravate Homura more than that.

Rather than that, there was another party that should be blamed more than him right at the side.

“Kai. You were the one that blabbed your mouth huh.”

Saying that, Homura glared with angry eyes at Onjouji that was listening to the conversation of the two.

“All the members of <Book Burning Corps> died at that battle except me. That’s why the humans that know about the truth of <Walpurgis Night> is the person concerned, me, and you who was the commander-in-chief of the <Knight Order Without Borders> at that time. And then only Shiori who was in the protection of <Book Burning Corps>. Now, there is no way I talked and I don’t think Shiori would, so the information source must be you bastard.”

“Is there something wrong with that?”

“Is there something wrong with that, your ass.”

Onjouji’s behavior that didn’t even look guilty really irritated Homura.

The reason for that was the nature of the corps called <Book Burning Corps>.

The <Knight Order Without Borders> officially protected the civilians that didn’t have any means to fight from the threat of the demons. They were a virtuous mercenary group made up of magicians, but―however the threat against the civilians came not only from the demons.

The knowledge of sorcery that the <Man of Darkness> brought about saved the human race from ruin, but at the same time it also left behind a spark of fire, for that led to the new culture of the human race’s wars.

After escaping from the threat of ruin, what occurred after that was the scramble between countries for grimoires where knowledge of sorcery were written, starting from <Liber Legis>. Their war carried out violence, not to mention towards the enemy country, it was also not rare for a country to perform experiments of cruel sorcery using their own people. In an extreme case, there were even politicians that tried to secure a powerful demon’s protection by sacrificing the people of their own country.

Of course, the <Knight Order Without Borders> lamented this situation. But, as an organization that acted by traveling all over the world, they couldn’t cause a war with a country publicly.

There what was formed was an assassin group of few numbered elites of prominent powerful people of the <Knight Order Without Borders>, which specialized in erasing [country] or [people] that harmed the people―the <Book Burning Corps>.

It was terrifying because the enemy was the same humans like them, in many cases that should be called as the symbol of the human race’s evil, they buried the situation inside the darkness that nobody knew about by killing all the existences that were related to the case, they were the dark side of the knight order.

Of course because of that peculiarity, originally the name of the corps shouldn’t even be spoken aloud. Despite so―

“Just what in the hell was your intention?”

Homura pressed his question.

But, in regard to this situation even Onjouji’s side had his own reason.

“It was nothing particular. He is the person that is in charge of this country. He is in the position where he should know about the truth.”

“Ain’t it the ironclad rule for the <Knight Order Without Border> to not support any country?”

“That knight order doesn’t exist anymore. They were annihilated in the battle against <Demon King Typhon>, even the survivors had returned home to their exhausted motherland or to the refugee of their ruined country, doing their all for their home. ―I too am the same.”

Since the knight order didn’t exist anymore, they did the best of their ability for the sake of their birthplace.

If he was told that, even Homura couldn’t condemn Onjouji. He clicked his tongue and stopped.

Looking at that displeased Homura, Kinsugasa who was glared down by Homura just before raised his voice one more time.

“Homura-san. I will apologize as many times as needed if I made you feel bad. However, no matter what, your strength is necessary for this world. Please, can you think about it?”

In regards to that, Homura’s answer came really fast. The answer was decided already from the beginning.

“You are joking. Just why have I gotta do something that troublesome.”

“Because except Homura-san, there is no one else that can do it.”

“Yet even so, my bad but I’ve got no motivation or interest in that. Whether when I was in <Book Burning Corps>, and also right now that I had become the <Evil God User>, my enemy is the demons, and those shitty bastards that support the demons. I’ve got no mood to stick my neck into politic wars between fellow humans.”

The tone of Homura’s curt rejection was unapproachable.

Hearing that definite refusal, Kinugasa’s shoulders dropped a little.

“……is, that so.”

However towards that Kinugasa,

“But, it’s also a fact that the way the world government is doing things is unpleasant.”

Saying that, Homura made a single concession.

“One year. I’ll promise to stay in Japan for one year. That’s my debt of gratitude towards my birthplace. If that <One Year Plan> is put into operation, the center of the opposition force is surely gonna be Japan right? If I’m here, it should be hard for the Five Great Leaders to move. That’s why during that time you stop those guys.”

That was the task of the leader of this country, the task of a person of the world government, Kinugasa himself.

Homura brought his talk to finish with those words.

“……”

Kinugasa closed his eyes and thought for a while after hearing Homura’s concession.

For Kinugasa, he wanted Homura to walk down the path of ruling.

It was the truth. However the person himself wasn’t interested in that so it couldn’t be helped.

Right here, he should be satisfied with just obtaining the firm promise of Homura to stay for one year.

Currently a great variety of human races and sects were gathered in Tokyo life sphere.

Perhaps it was even fine to say that it was the best mixed state among each countries’ life sphere.

Just as Homura said, there was no doubt that Japan would be the place where the strictest oppression happened due to the <One Year Plan>.

Homura didn’t have any wish to get involved with political wars, but on the other hand, he was also not a human who wouldn’t drive away the spark of trouble that was going to happen.

Based on that, the matter of Homura continuing to stay in this place had a big meaning.

That was why, Kinugasa accepted this as adequate.

“That’s enough. We will somehow do it with ourselves.”

“Right. You do that. After all government is the adult’s job.”

Right when Homura made a frivolous comment like that. ―That happened.

*UUUUUUUUUUUN!* *UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUN!*

A piercing warning sound resounded with great volume.

That was―the sound that warned the people of a demon invasion.