BlazBlue:Spiral Shift - Hyokujin no Eiyu Chapter 5
Chapter 5: Foolish man / Left behind
Part 1
They left the tent where the wounded were crammed and walked through the desolate wilderness.
The night breeze was chilly, cooling down the euphoria of the battle they had been in just a few hours before.
Once they were some distance away from the encampment, Jin stopped in his tracks.
There were many clouds in the sky and the moonlight was scarce. They had come out without lights, so the only source of light allowing them to see each other's faces was from the campfires burning at a distance.
"You said you had a way to end the war. Tell me."
As soon as they faced each other, Jin immediately broached.
The area was dark. The land was empty. From the vantage point, it would have been easy to see from the camp that Jin and Grimwood were together. But at the same time, the clear view made it obvious that there was no one nearby.
Indeed, there was no one nearby.
Grimwood propped up his wounded body with the great axe that had taken the place of his staff, and grinned at him from a distance suitable for their secret talk.
“Are you ready to believe me now?"
"I don't believe it. But if it will end this war, I will cooperate."
“Even at a time like this, you're this weirdly composed."
The reason Jin doesn't say he trusts him is because there are things in his mind that take precedence over that. Ending the war. Whether that will come true with the card that Grimwood has. Grimwood understands that this is the most important thing for him right now.
In the same way, it was important to Grimwood whether or not Jin would cooperate with him, so he trusted in Jin’s cooperation, even if he said he didn’t believe him.
"I've told you before that there is “someone” behind the Ikaruga Civil War who wants to prolong it.”
"Yes. The war is being dragged out for the purpose by these 'someones', right?”
That's the reason why he and Karenjina joined this war in the first place. There is something wrong with this war, it is distorted. There was someone somewhere controlling the war. He couldn’t help but feel that way himself after hearing about that thing. That thing... The specific reason lies in the relationship between Tenjō and the Imperator, but before that, as a mercenary who has spent a long time on the battlefield, Grimwood couldn't help but feel uncomfortable.
This became more apparent the more as he got involved.
Irrational operations, opaque organizational structure and incomprehensible instructions. The development of the war was so amateurish that it was hard to believe that it was the work of a huge organization trying to win the war, the greatest authority in the world no less.
“In the end, we still don't know who's behind all this, but I was able to find out a little bit about its purpose, the purpose of the Second War of Ars Magus... Jin. Have you ever heard of a weapon that can stop the activity of seithr?"
At Grimwood's question, Jin's eyes sharpened.
“I've never heard of it. I don't even think... such a thing can exist."
Since the Dark War a hundred years ago, the world has been flooded with a large amount of seithr. It has become a matter of course to have it.
It is for this reason that the use of seithr has developed and taken root as Ars Magus. Even many transportation systems use seithr, as represented by Ars Magus Vessels. It is not only used in warfare, but is now deeply involved in the daily lives of ordinary people.
"If it existed, it would be a tremendous. It would be able to stop everything in the world, even a war.”
One huge button that could stop the whole functionality of this world. Something worth to fight wars over in some peoples eyes.
Grimwood nodded his head in agreement. If it connects to the acquisition of the weapon in question, it is a reason to continue the civil war that divides humanity.
“You think that's the reason of this 'someone'?”
“Very likely."
When Jin asked sharply, Grimwood replied firmly.
There is no proof that the weapon that stops seithr is the objective of these people. But in his own way, Grimwood seemed to be confident in his assumption. And the most important thing is not whether or not the weapon to stop seithr is a so-called third party objective. The fact that it might exist is what is important.
“If there is a weapon and it's for 'someone' elses purposes, we can't let that person get what they want, no matter what. They are still trying to get it in a civil war that is in such a horrible state. I don't think it will be used for any good purpose.”
What could be more horrible than a war? Grimwood tightened his grip on the handle of the axe that supported his body.
"Then... The one who uses it will be you? Grimwood?"
Jin asked, looking at him carefully.
If they could use a weapon that can stop the activity of seithr, they could stop the war right away. Small weapons, large weapons, Ars Magus that greatly affects these battles, they cannot be used anymore if seithr is gone. Even the vehicles used to move around the battlefield would not work. It becomes physically impossible to wage war.
But that means that the world will be under the control of one persons decision. If Grimwood uses it, then at that moment, Grimwood has taken control of the world.
Is that really stopping the war?
Jin's suspicion went straight to Grimwood.
He shook his stout head in denial.
“It's too much for me to handle. I can't use it. I don't even know how to use it."
“Though, if there was a polite explanation attached, I might think about it a little.” Grimwood smiled as he added that.
Jin couldn't help but gasp along with him. It didn't seem like Grimwood was the type of guy who would read the manual and learn how to use it.
With a single blink of an eye, Grimwood's expression changed to one of sincerity and he assured Jin in his typical unflappable voice.
“I'm going to destroy it when I find it. If someone wants to use the Ikaruga civil war to get their hands on it, then the weapon itself should be gone. Isn't that right?"
“That's a wild theory, but not that wrong.”
And in typical Grimwood fashion, Jin shrugged his shoulders at his logic.
No matter how long you prolong the war, if the objective does not exist, it is meaningless.
“And if there is a weapon that can stop seithr, even if this civil war is over, another one will start and there would be many more over that weapon. We have to avoid that.”
“...I agree."
Jin pulled his chin once toward Grimwood's serious face.
In fact, Jin was more concerned about that than about anyones "purpose."
If a device capable of influencing the activities of seithr were to fall into the hands of any individual, the order of the world would be turned upside down in no time.
Jin held out the Yukianesa he carried to Grimwood to show him.
“If you find it, I'll destroy it.”
Grimwood laughed, his eyes flashing.
“Actually, that's what I was hoping for when I approached you. It must be a huge weapon to stop seithr and I don't think it can be destroyed by a little bit of effort.”
In this regard, he trusted the Nox Nyctores, the Causality Weapon that had a run-in with the Black Beast. In fact, what else can it be destroyed with?
"So it's not me, it's the Nox Nyctores that's of use."
Jin carved a smile on the corner of his mouth even as he used the word self-mockingly.
Now it was Grimwood's turn to relax his cheek.
“That's not all. Rather... The next thing I want your help with is the main issue."
“What is it?"
When Jin tilted his head, Grimwood twisted his head to look behind him. He could see the lights from the torches and bonfires that had been lit. There were still many soldiers moving back and forth, looking busy. There were more than twice as many injured people moaning in the tents.
What Grimwood saw was a tent where the 9th squad was helping to treat the wounded.
"You remember the other day in the basement, don't you? That thing with the Necromancer."
“Yeah.”
“I want you to work with Karenjina to locate it, just as you did then."
It goes without saying what kind of place it is. This is the location of the "weapon that stops the activity of seithr".
“...Is it around this area?"
There was still no sign of anyone around, but Jin couldn't help but lower his voice even lower.
Grimwood growled crisply.
“I've done some research and I think I know where it is, but I don't know the exact location. Even with Karenjina's ability, I couldn't pinpoint it."
So, just as Jin helped Karenjina find the Necromancer that she couldn't identify that night in the basement, now it's time to find out where the weapon was.
He understood what he was saying, but at the same time he had his doubts.
Where did he get the information about the weapon and its location in the first place? Doesn't he know too much information for a simple mercenary?
At this rate, he might still have a story hidden away that Jin has never heard of.
(Does he have any special connections to the Librarium or to the executives of the Ikaruga Federation? Where is this guy chained to?)
A reliable squad leader wielding a large axe. Jin couldn’t help but feel a disturbing shadow over this man that can't be contained in such a position.
He still couldn’t trust him.
(No. I didn't trust him in the first place.)
A thought popped into Jin's mind, as if to excuse himself. He was not trying to work with Grimwood because he trusted him, but because his arguments spoke to his own interests.
But there was something that was bothering him, because he was unhappy that Grimwood hadn't revealed everything to him, so that he wouldn't have the option of not trusting him.
(Maybe it's that I want to trust...)
He didn’t even know how to do that. He was too inexperienced. Maybe he was a little taken aback by the trusting relationship between Grimwood and Karenjina and her fellow mercenaries, as if logic doesn't matter.
"...Okay. Let me help you."
“Thank you. I am relying on you.”
"But remember. If you ever try to get on the side that disrupts the order of this world, I will cut you down without mercy."
Even if that process stops the war, it must be stopped if it results in a disruption of order. This was not a sense of justice or morality, but an instinctive feeling engraved in Jin. A higher "power" obligating him to restore "order" for the world. If it disturbs the world, it will be eliminated. No exceptions.
Grimwood looked back into Jin's sharp, glaring eyes and saw a contrastingly calm color in them.
"All right, then. When it looks like that to you, don’t hesitate."
And then, with a hand that formed the shape of a hand knife, he made a gesture as if to cut his own neck. There was no alertness here.
That was a little less interesting to Jin. The more Grimwood trusted him, the more he felt a kind of innate difference between himself and him.
“...For now, you don’t seem to be 'evil'."
This was the extent of trust that Jin could show to Grimwood now.
When he focuses his attention, Jin can see. It's a black thread that leads to "evil" that disturbs the order of the world.
But it's fun around Grimwood and his squadron.
He couldn't fully trust this Grimwood fellow, so Jin decided to trust in his own abilities, which only he could understand and which were too sensual to share with others.
"Well, now that that's settled, let's get moving. When do we leave?"
Grimwood raised the body that had been supported by the ax. Looking at the white bandage wrapped around his tight chest, Jin thought for a few seconds.
“How's your wound?"
“It's no big deal."
The reply was immediate. It seemed that Jin already knew what he wanted to do.
Then there will be no need to hold back. Jin told him as he started to walk away.
“Right then."
“Roger that," came a low, gruff voice from the man walking right next to Jin.
Part 2
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