Editing Ultimate Antihero:Volume 1 Chapter 3

At first the students were scared of Homura’s existence, but because Homura himself didn’t especially show any intentions of getting entangled with the students, they had considerably calmed down.

As expected they showed cautiousness when Homura’s figure was visible to them, but people who were scared of him even when his figure couldn’t be seen anymore were already few.

On the afternoon of the day where even the nervousness came apart in that situation.

Class 3-A, where Homura and the other members of the 101st platoon belonged to, was taking a class of sorcery in the courtyard where green lawn was spread all over.

“Are you guys listening? Among the demons, there are varieties that move around in the air extremely agilely.

In that kind of situation it will be hard to hit with a sword attack and a gun attack.

Just as you guys know, Photon Bullet turns your own magic power into an energy bullet to shoot. It’s the basic of basics that a magician first learns. Naturally, everyone here can all use it without exception right? But just shooting a Photon Bullet like that, won’t be able to catch an agile enemy just like I said before.”

While explaining, the instructor, that was in the prime of his life, used sorcery to summon a big black machine like a basketball in his right hand.

It let out faint wings from its sides and soared to the air until really high, before it moved around fiercely like a winged insect.

And then, the instructor fired three shots of magic power energy the size of softballs to that moving target.

But, the speed of the bullet was fast, yet it was only to the level that a human could normally watch by eye.

It was far slower compared to a gunshot.

“Even demons have intelligence. Even if you shot them just straightforwardly like this, it will only end in them reading the trajectory and evading. Then what should you do? The answer is simple.”

The instructor once again formed three light bullets of softball size around him.

And then, similar with before he shot three rapid-fire aiming at the target in the sky.

The light bullets wriggled like a snake in the air drawing complicated trajectories, approaching the target.

The target moved about in confusion as if being lost of where it should escape from the movement of the bullets, in the end after the target flew to the right evading the first bullet, it was aimed and hit by the remaining two light bullets and got scattered in the sky.

“Got it? You just need to chase if the opponent runs. Because Photon Bullet is a simple sorcery, it’s a convenient sorcery that can be controlled finely like this. No matter how much able you are in handling fourth grade or fifth grade grand magic, magicians that cannot skillfully handle this basic sorcery will die soon on the battlefield. That’s why if you treasure your life, get better in using this Photon Bullet competently as the first thing. If you can do [five shot simultaneous manipulation] this magic will become something usable enough even on the battlefield.”

“Yo, you are telling us to calculate the trajectory of five tracking bullets alone!?”

“If you become top class then this is a sorcery where you can simultaneously control ten shots. It’s not something particularly difficult. But, I’m not going to tell you guys to suddenly control five shots at the same time, so don’t worry. First you start from three shots. If it’s just three then even you guys can do it. After all, the academy put together this curriculum so you can do it.”

Thereupon the sorcery core embedded at the center of the cane shone, automatically activating the sorcery that was registered as the class’ use.

“Those targets are all set on a movement level that can be shot down if you can [properly control three Photon Bullets simultaneously]. First your assignment is to shoot down this target. Those who can do it can go home for today. Those who cannot will stay behind until they can. Understand?”

The students returned back a reply that wasn’t filled with any enthusiasm at all towards the given assignment.

There were a lot of foreigners that lost their birthplace taking refuge in Tokyo life sphere, so the races of the students were also in great variety, but the lowness of their motivation was generally shared.

But, there was one person with motivation that was even lower than them who were like that, he was sitting cross-legged at the last row.

It didn’t need to be said who it was. The <Evil God User>, Kamishiro Homura.

While the students began to start their assignment with each of the targets activated, Homura was yawning in boredom.

After all Homura who was the <Evil God User> had learned all the currently existing 666 sorcery and 333 forbidden art, and then even the non-exist 1 mystery, the master of a thousand sorceries.

On the other hand, if he was asked whether there was anything else that he needed to do, there was also nothing like that.

After all they were comrades that he might have to fight together with when there is an emergency occurring.

It was important to grasp the battle power beforehand.

Just as the instructor said, the curriculum was properly arranged by taking into consideration the low motivation of the forcefully gathered students. Homura guessed that it was an achievement of this academy.

(Well, at minimum, they won’t be a hindrance, perhaps.)

But, as expected, no matter where it was there would always be people with bad grade―

One person, there was a bespectacled female student getting too desperate at chasing the flying around target in the sky, she crashed around at the surrounding students.

She belonged to the 27th platoon.

The big eyes behind the glasses opened so wide it couldn’t possibly become any wider, the slim shoulders were trembling clatteringly in fear.

It was just the girls of the 101st that were too understanding. The emotion the majority of humans harbored towards the <Evil God User> was fear.

That power’s ominousness was no different at all with demons.

“My, my eyes, are really bad, so, that’s why… That’s why, that, return it, please-. If I don’t have that, it’s hard to see the target.”

But, Homura put the glasses he took on himself, putting it at a place where the girl couldn’t reach, without answering her demand he said it one more time.

Reluctantly, she looked up to the sky with her blurred eyesight, and faintly caught sight of the black shadow floating in the vaguely cloudy blue sky.

But, it was fine that she could get sight of it, yet she couldn’t properly see it.

(Like this, there is no way I can hit it you knowww)

She didn’t focus her eyes, widened her field of vision, for the time being she would at least settle the target in her field of vision.

“Li, lies… why…!”

“Even though Koga’s sight is bad but your kinetic vision looks quite good. But because of that you chased the target too much with your eyes. The trick to hit target with quick move using guided missile, is not to chase the target’s movement, but to have a wide field of vision and settle the target inside your sight. And then, matching the target’s movement it’s not you that move, but you create the image of the target’s movement to calculate the Photon Bullet’s trajectory. If you do that you don’t even need to move your eyes, the whole body is visible so the manipulation of the guided bullet also becomes easier.”

“Good child. ―Well, actually, it’s inefficient at the point you are using something like guided bullets.”

Homura leaked out a murmur with a small voice.

Suddenly, at that moment, a bright voice of a girl came from behind.

A short haired girl that looked lively with strongly bright eyes, and a tall and good postured girl.

Each of them could boast of steadfast popularity, Anna with the boys from her lovely appearance that was popular with men, and Rosalind with the girls from her neutral and dignified look that was like Takaratsuka actress, they were the central characters of 3-A.

And then the both of them were also in the same 27th platoon like Ayumi as members.

“Yee―s Koga-cchi. When your glasses was taken away suddenly, I thought that surely this is bullying, but it looks like it’s nothing like that.” <ref>-cchi, is something like a suffix for calling your fellow friend.</ref>

“There is no way a sexy guy like this is gonna do something mean to a woman you know.”

Against the <Evil God User> that had unceasing terrifying rumors about him, she had the spirit to prepare to draw her blade against such an opponent for her friend’s sake.

*Fuh* after taking a glance at Ayumi and saying that, Homura turned on his heel.

Thereupon, towards that back,

“<Evil God User>-san. After this we have patrol duty together at the border so today is no good, but if it’s okay with you can you go for some meal together with us next time? My interest in you is a little picked up.”

“Ah, Master! This way, this way!”

And then when she let it go into the air, she formed a Photon Bullet the size of a softball on her chest.

Until that point there was really no difference with the other students.

Nodding at that result satisfiedly, Chikori rushed to Homura’s direction with pitter-patter step, and just like that she hugged at his arm.

“It’s awesome right! Now I’ve become able to use this technique Master taught me-!”

Honestly, Chikori had nothing to be criticized anymore in the attack power department.

But it was artless to have her just swinging her arms around, so as the person that took the role as her teacher, Homura taught Chikori several techniques that combined her extraordinary physical ability and sorcery.

What Chikori had displayed to him just now was also one of the techniques Homura taught her as a long range cannon.

Coming for a reward, and then… she stared fixedly at him *jii―* begging.

Seemed like because Homura petted her head after her battle with Sumika, it had completely become a habit.

Since the case of that duel, Chikori had completely become emotionally attached to Homura.

He had a feeling like she was clinging too much to him, but Chikori herself didn’t seem to pay it any mind so Homura too didn’t particularly worry about it.

…But, there was a person who harbored dissatisfaction towards those two that were close like that.

Dissatisfaction, was it…

…In regards to this, it always turned out like this.

She couldn’t look Homura in the eyes.

Her cheeks heated up when he was looking at her and she became unable to calm down no matter what she did.

And then, she didn’t want herself to be seen like that and completely looked away.

Yet, when he didn’t look in her direction, she would then stare at him for a long time, she was seriously ill.

“Haa…”

The times when Sumika sighed like this had increased a lot, sighing deeply for who knows how many times already, she thought.

(As I thought, this feeling is… love, I wonder.)

After checking information in books and other sources about this symptom, then diagnosing it objectively, the result was positive.

However, there was also aspects that didn’t ring true.

In that short time, was it possible for her to like the opposite sex as the opposite sex she wondered?

Sumika until now had received confessions several times because of her great looks, but she had never fallen in love with someone else for herself.

Naturally, she had also never gone out with an opposite sex as a lover.

What should she do to shrink their distance even closer.

(…If talking about a topic that is common between me and Homura-san, as I thought should I talk about the evil god thing?)

Then should she try to ask if he remembered her from before?

(Looking at Chikori-san, Homura-san, does he like dogs I wonder?)

If she tried to approach him innocently like that, would she be able to get close to him unexpectedly easy?

The owner of the voice that was behind her without her noticing they were,

“’How nice, Chikori-san’, I only heard from around that part.”

“N, no, I, I don’t like him or anything… ―I, it’s something like idolizing or, eerrr”

Shiori talked to such a Sumika.

That was… in short which one was it?

Sumika was perplexed by the strange roundabout talk.

Shiori made a smile that had a hidden meaning to Sumika who was like that.

(…I wonder what that was just now?)

Shiori had never tried to interact with other people, whether in the team or class. From Sumika’s position too, she didn’t have any reason to especially get involved with Shiori as long as Shiori fulfilled her minimum work as the 101st’s <Operator> without any shortcomings.

Just now was the first time Sumika had a conversation with Shiori outside of a briefing.

(Well, it’s just that I don’t understand too much of what kind of person Shiori-san is though.)

From the conversation on the day of that mock battle, she had thought about it somewhat, but there was already no doubt.

She guessed that most likely they were old acquaintances.

She didn’t understand what kind of relationship that was … however,

(……For some reason, it feels like I’m the only one who got a late start…)

When she looked at Homura’s figure that was frolicking with Chikori from afar once more, her feelings became bleak.

If she knew that it would become like this, she would have learned more about [fun things] in the past.

If only she did that, she might of been able to invite Homura to have fun more carefree, like what Anna did just now.

But, even so, regretting things at this late hour wouldn’t result in anything.

However even if she tried to talk to him she didn’t have a topic. Thus, she should emulate the classics here, that was the conclusion Sumika reached.

If it was that then even without a common topic to talk about she would be able to come into contact with him.

As expected humans should rely on their predecessors in a troubled time.

What should she do to approach Homura? Until now she didn’t have any ideas, but for the first time something like a concrete idea flashed inside her mind and Sumika made a small guts pose from its feedback.

And then, Sumika immediately moved that concrete idea into action.

This great resolution and ability to take action of hers, was just as expected from the hard worker that became a young S-rank magician.

The action of Sumika who was facing aside and whistling while nonchalantly walking towards Homura was,

(Uwa… someone really suspicious is coming closer.)

Making Homura be on his guard fully.

In regards to this, it was not only limited to this time, but Homura had noticed that since the mock battle, all this time Sumika had been sending gazes to him at every opportunity.

Well, even without that a human that walked at you with her left hand and left foot moving forward at the same time was eerie already.

“<nowiki>~~~~~~~~~~~</nowiki>–!”

“I, I’m okay! I almost fell but, just barely, I’m fine! Ahaha-!”

“Ye, yes-! I, it’s dangerous, if I fell isn’t it! The, then sayonara!”

Her series of action, and her momentary expression. Homura guessed Sumika’s broad mental state from that information.

(…I don’t have any recollection of doing anything that would make her like me though.)

Even searching his memory, he remembered nothing except things that should make her hate him.

But, Homura felt like that perhaps there was no mistake that Sumika was holding feelings for him.

After making clear of that reason and fulfilling it, sooner or later he would be gone from here.

Even if he had faint love directed at him, he had no way to answer it.

…But if it was just something like Chikori, who idolized him innocently, then Homura was grateful for that.

{I, isn’t that a Rolls Royce! That thing still exist, huh!}

Seeing that, Homura instantly lost interest and was going to move his gaze, but.

Homura returned a doubtful expression towards the gaze sent to him.

―Then, one more person came out from the car, a man in a different suit was getting out following after Onjouji.

While his looks were still young enough to be called middle-age, he was a man with a lean figure and a lot of white hair.

All the people in the courtyard other than Homura had their breath taken away.

The silence that came from the surprise was immediately changed into stirs like {Why is that person in this kind of place?} or {Just what in the world is his business here?}.

And then inside that commotion, the man accompanied Onjouji and straightforwardly headed to the courtyard―towards where Homura was.

(I see. The one that called me―is you then. That’s the reason Kai become the intermediary.)

When looking at him from near, there were a lot of wrinkles on the man’s face.

The color of the man’s lips were also bad, he looked far more withered compared to when he was seen from afar.

That conduct and voice were filled with deep gratitude and respect from the heart towards the young man in front of his eyes.

“Yeah, it has been five years since I last met you too Temporary Representative Kinugasa. …No,”

Returning his greeting towards that dear acquaintance, Homura stopped his sentence once from him mistaking the man’s position.

That’s right… that was the true identity of this slightly withered man.

Homura and Kinugasa, as well as Onjouji moved from the courtyard in order to change the place of their conversation.

The place they chose for the conversation was the board chairman’s room.

“Homura-san. Thank you very much for answering the sudden call from such a far away place.”

“Really. I thought just what it is at the day I suddenly got told to enroll into a school. …Well, I already thought that there must be something hidden, but who would’ve guessed that it was Japan’s highest big shot himself that directly called me here.”

“But is it okay? If you come meeting me directly right in the middle of the day like this, those world government guys won’t shut their mouth right?”

He was the <Evil God User> that had the brand of [traitor] pushed on him and was exiled by the world government.

If a country ruler under the world government attempted to contact such a person, it might be taken as a rebelling act.

But towards such concern of Homura, Kinugasa just shrugged his shoulders a little.

“Whether I come at afternoon or night, Homura-san is being monitored for twenty-four hours. The time doesn’t really matter here. Besides [the scoundrel that annihilated the innocent China Union army] had entered into the Tokyo life sphere that is the jurisdiction of Japan government. As part of public order preservation, it’s only natural for me to show my face.”

The reply was returned with a jesting mood.

“The last time we met was when I was twelve right. After all that time of course I’m going to grow. Your white hair has increased huh.”

“…Doing things one is not suited with is something tiresome.”

“That’s not true. Prime Minister Kinugasa is looking down on yourself too much. That’s your bad habit.

At <Walpurgis Night>, while the old men that once controlled this country feared <Demon King Typhon> and hurried to be the first to escape, throwing away this country and its people, Kinugasa who in spite of just being a mere young bureau director at the time, stayed behind by himself at the foremost line and continued to fight as the temporary representative. Without getting even a wink of sleep during the ten days, he continued to maintain the functions of government literally struggling to death.

If he was not there, the country called Japan would not have survived the <Walpurgis Night>.

It was not an exaggeration saying that.

In the current Japan, there was no single person with better qualifications to stand at the top than this man.

“Haha… I wonder about that. In reality, with my strength I couldn’t do anything about <Walpurgis Night>. If I have to say what I could do at that time, it was only carrying out the minimum duties of the organization called the government, I just somehow carried that out. That was the best that I could do. …If there was no Homura-san’s power, then there was nothing that could be done. What the world needed exactly is Homura-san’s power. Whether it was five years ago, and then―right now in this moment too.”

Then what laid ahead was not something to be talked about while they were walking right in the middle of a corridor.

In just the right timing, the board chairman’s room came in front of their eyes.

Homura reached out his hand toward the door of the board chairman’s room thinking to ask the continuation inside, ―it was at that moment.

Suddenly, the two other than Homura raised a choked out scream, their faces paled while backing off from the door in retreat.

Homura floated a question mark on his head towards the two’s action.

Homura who was insensitive towards other people’s magic power because his own magic power was too big didn’t understand it.

What was leaking out from between the gaps of the door, a sickening presence.

A dread as if a centipede was creeping around between the skin and the flesh at the back.

The board chairman’s room’s door even looked like the jaw of a jet black dragon to both Onjouji and Kinugasa.

The reason was that the intruder didn’t even hide their figure,

“Mogumogu.” <ref>Chewing sounds.</ref>

Looking at the figure of the girl wrapped in a crimson dress stuffing her cheeks with cake, Homura sighed in amazement,

“…When I thought who was it, it’s just you, huh. Vel.”

Going back in time about one century ago. The human race for the first time faced invasion from the demons.

Compared to <Demon King Typhon> that appeared five years ago, it was just a <General class> demon that was similar with a small fry, but the human race at that time still didn't know of sorcery and didn’t have any way to oppose the threat.

Because of that, the human race was cornered in the blink of an eye and made to stand on the predicament of ruin on one occasion.

However at such a time, the human race was visited by a turning point.

That was―the encounter with the person who introduced himself as the <Man of Darkness>.

{The person who is able to perfectly decipher this book, will obtain the technique to make even god follow his will.}

The <Man of Darkness> that appeared to the human race that was going to be destroyed one-sidedly by the demons, saying that he entrusted his knowledge of sorcery that he possessed into a single book to the human race.

With <{{furigana|Liber Legis|Book of Law}}> engraved as the title with golden letters, it was the grimoire of beginning for the human race.

What was written in it, as a rule, was something that couldn’t be understood by a sane mind, it was numerous knowledge of darkness that laughed scornfully at the human race’s progress until now.

Would their be life lost, or would their heart be broken, the conclusion was those two. The end was one.

But the human race was already at a stage where they couldn’t choose their methods anymore.

The human race united in the face of the danger of ruin. By literally struggling to death, even while sacrificing the lives and minds of several tens of thousands of courageous people, the grimoire was deciphered little by little. Learning the knowledge of sorcery, finally, the human race exterminated the demons that cornered them into ruin.

However―in actuality what the human race at that time could decipher, was an amount that did not even reach ten percent of the whole <Liber Legis>. That was because the knowledge written in <Liber Legis> was just extremely too unintelligible and evil.

But, in this world there was only one person, a human that completely deciphered that man-eating devil book.

It was none other than the <Evil God User> Kamishiro Homura.

And then <Liber Legis> that had all the knowledge it possessed divulged by Homura, since then it swore absolute allegiance to the <Evil God User>, accompanying him as his weapon.

Some times it was a sword, some times it was a shield, and other times it took the form of a girl.

The crimson girl Vel in front of his eyes, was that kind of highest rank grimoire and the weapon of the <Evil God User>, the personification of <Liber Legis>.

“Just when I thought that I hadn’t seen you since morning, you werelounging around in this kind of place.”

“Because we returned back to [Tokyo life sphere], so I have to eat Coffee Mansion’s cheese cake. I also have master’s portion.” <ref>When Chikori calls Homura master, it was as her teacher or instructor. Here, Vel called Homura master as her owner.</ref>

“Then, Master doesn't need it?”

Without any reservation, Vel replied back with an unconcerned tone like a machine.

Somehow, to keep asking her like this seemed silly, Homura sighed deeply once more.

“I say. It has been five years too since I last saw you, Vel-san. …No, or should I better call you <The Crawling Chaos>?”

What Kinugasa said was the nickname of a certain evil god. That was what Homura dug up and exposed when he was in the stage of deciphering <Liber Legis>, the true identity of the <Man of Darkness> that taught sorcery to the human race that was almost ruined. …Of course, a shameful fact that humans survived due to the knowledge obtained thanks to an evil god was hidden in secret, people who knew about this truth were mostly nonexistent.

And then <Liber Legis> was the knowledge of that evil god turned into the shape of a book that was handed out to the human race.

But, Vel shook her head left and right towards Kinugasa’s words showing her denial.

“That title is correct to represent [me], but it’s incorrect as my given name. I am here as <Liber Legis> due to the order of [me]. That’s why I’m the <Liber Legis>, I’m not anything else than that.”

“Then I’ll call you Vel-san. So Vel-san also came back to Japan then.”

“Naturally. I am Master’s sword and shield. I’m always together with him. I’m different from you all that only used Master without helping in return.”

Suddenly, a thorn appeared in the emotionless and machine-like tone of Vel.

Blood drained out from Kinugasa’s expression hearing upon that voice tone.

“While we had our lives saved by you, we didn’t protect you from the malice of the <United World Government>. And then we are all nothing more than weak-minded people, except a really small part of people who had their life saved directly by you on the battlefield, most of the human race thinks of you as a [traitor], they didn’t even doubt it at all. …I really think that it is truly inexcusable.”

Kinugasa apologized from his heart towards the [hero] whose power was unreachable by them and had the brand of [traitor] pushed onto him.

However―the person himself, Homura, didn’t even want any apology or anything.

When Homura said that to turn down the apology, he glared at Vel that was blaming Kinugasa with a severe expression.

“Vel. You too, don’t say anything stupid.”

Even Vel that made Kinugasa and Onjouji tremble with just her presence, was treated like a child if it was against Homura.

“Rather than things like that, just cut it out and say what you want to say. The reason you called me out here.”

Saying that, he also entered inside the room and took a seat in front of Homura.

After that… he began to talk slowly.

The background of why he called Homura through Onjouji.

===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.

===Part 9===

{Emergency situation occurring! Emergency situation occurring!

Today, at 1600, A great number of demons appeared at Saitama!

Currently they are heading to Tokyo life sphere going south!

The appearing demons are <Soldier class> orc, goblin, gargoyle, harpy―total count two hundred!

<Knight class> bicorn, earth spider, wyvern, ―total count 50!

Reinforcement request came from the national defense army that is going ahead!

All students please assemble at the platoon room immediately!}

Continuing after the alarm sound, a broadcast inside the school was circulated.

Homura knitted his eyebrows towards the details of the situation from the broadcast.

“They gathered quite a lot it seems.”

“Right. It’s rare for an invasion of this scale to happen. Perhaps they are not just stray, but this is an attack from a demon that possesses influence in the demon world.”

“A troop… if that’s so, then there is a possibility of a <General class> appearing.”

There was also status among the demons.

<Soldier class> <Knight class> <General class> <Demon King class>―

When they were classified, it was generally into those four classes.

And then, if a <General class> also came, it was not an opponent that could be dealt with without S-rank magician.

That was why Onjouji immediately spoke directly using the speakers inside the school from the line inside the room.

{This is New Tokyo Sorcery Academy’s board chairman Onjouji Kai. I inform all the students. The platoons with evaluation lower than 70 points are unneeded to depart. Only the platoons with higher than 70 points are to equip <Air Raid> and quickly head to the location. However, the 101st will depart as a special case. That’s all.}

And then Onjouji put back the phone receiver and stared at Homura.

“That’s the situation. I’ll have the 101st to go out too, Homura.”

“…If I remember right, in the document that I got, the 101st platoon’s evaluation was recorded in as 42 points though?”

“It’s obvious that number was blown away already when you entered into the platoon don’t you think? Besides, if we take into account the possibility of <General class> appearing, there is no way we can leave the S-rank magician Sumika idle here.”

“You are quite right.”

After shrugging his shoulder looking slightly tiresome, Homura “yo-“ stood up from the sofa.

And then he gazed at Kinugasa,

“Prime Minister. There is also a case of ‘what if’. Send a request to those guys of the <United World Government> for a limited release of <Aureole>.”

“I, I understand! I’ll make a contact to the Five Great Leaders in great hurry!”

“I’ll leave it to you. ―Vel!”

“Nn. I know.”

From Homura’s call, Vel’s body that was sitting beside Homura drinking black tea crumbled down into pieces turning into [pieces of paper].

Those [pieces of paper] was swallowed by the wind, and they gathered inside Homura’s hand with that form transformed even further.

It transformed into a single sword that should be called as solid darkness that possessed no luster.

“Then, I’m going now.”

And then with an ominous sword that was like darkness solidified in hand, Homura―departed to the front line.

The enemy of humanity that he should kill. He went towards the location where the invaders from the demon world were. <ref>The kanji for demon world can also mean hell. Though the place meant here is not literally hell where people go after death, so I guess demon world fits better.</ref>