Ultimate Antihero:Volume 1 Chapter 1
Chapter 1
Part 1
<Demon King Tuphon>.
Five years ago, it was the name of the demon that crossed over the dimensional boundary and came attacking earth.
The length of its body was five kilometer. It was a giant multi headed dragon with size that rivaled a small island.
During the history since human began fighting demon approximately a century ago, this first observed <Demon King class> demon had burned to ash the earth surface from one beyond until the other beyond in only ten days.
The calamity that was called as <Walpurgis Night> was that event.
That calamity dropped the human populace all over the world until there only 10 percent remaining, the countries too were destroyed until there were only ten countries remaining.
But even while that much damage got inflicted, the human race wasn’t ruined.
The surviving people joined together, forming the <United World Government>.
<United World Government> took the lead, they concentrated on reviving urban areas of all over the world and maintained the [life sphere]. By restoring the infrastructures, only in five year since the <Walpurgis Night> human race had recovered civilization that wasn’t different from before although the scale had became small.
The [Tokyo life sphere] that was called Tokyo city before was also one of those.
Right now in this place around 70 million humans from great variety of races gathered from all over the world lived their life close at each other.
However, that restoration was only something that stood on a thin ice.
After the extermination of <Demon King Tuphon>, the number of demons that came invading from demon world didn’t decrease.
No rather, with the passing of demon that possessed vast power like Tuphon through the boundary caused the dimensional wall to crumble, it could even be said that the number of demon that came invading from demon world to human world was increasing.
Inside the [life sphere] was protected due to barrier so the demon couldn’t directly appear inside, but it was not strange for demon that appeared outside the [life sphere] sometime to approach for an invasion. That was the current world’s situation.
Again today too, there was invader that passed through dimension even this instant coming into this world.
But, there was the existence of fighting strength that didn’t hesitate in taking on those demons possessing terrifying power as opponent.
Equipping the magic wand <Arms(Sorcery Armament> and magic shield <Magi’s Jacket(Magic Costume)> that were created from the combination of science and sorcery, they were the magicians that even while being human could manipulate sorcery similar with demon.
Part 2
“Stop making useless resistance. If you do that then I will kill you painlessly.”
The Tokyo life sphere’s bay coast area, the abandoned harbor warehouse.
At the wharf where no sound could be heard except the splashing sounds of waves when it turned into night, there was the commanding voice of a girl ringing out.
The owner of the voice stood on the wharf, a student magician in <Gunner> style whose body was wrapped in Magi’s jacket based on cowgirl’s outfit.
While her blond hair that released faint light like gold dust was fluttering from the sea breeze, the girl was taking a stance with her <Gunner> style’s <Arms> that was a silver revolver.
The <leader(commanding officer)> of New Tokyo Sorcery Academy 101th trainee platoon, Hoshikawa Sumika.
The girl right now was facing a single grotesque thing.
That grotesque thing was something that was around three times bigger than Sumika, a giant with human body that had a head of a pig.
<Soldier class> demon, orc.
This orc was the vanguard of the invaders from another dimension that human race had continued to fight from one hundred years ago.
As a demon it was not categorized as strong.
It couldn’t even use any particular sorcery, what it could do only amounted to swinging around the giant club that it held in its right hand.
―At best, its threat level was something like [an African elephant that held ill will toward human].
Even for someone who was still a student, for a magician that had piled up training to defeat demon this orc was an opponent that could be dealt with easily. That was exactly why, the girl―Sumika didn’t fear that monster for even a bit.
“I’ll say it one more time. Stop making useless resistance.” (TN: This girl Sumika is always taking in polite language. Even against this demon.)
She announced her last warning.
She put strength on the finger that was holding the trigger of the revolver-style <Arms> that had its aim directed on the forehead of the orc.
If the girl put just a little more strength into her finger, a mythril(fake silver) bullet coated in magic power would pierce the demon’s forehead from the gun muzzle.
If it was only something like <Soldier class> than just a single attack would certainly result in death.
Furthermore, using necromancy a magician bind a contract with the soul of a hero and through that they borrowed the hero’s power.
Sumika’s contracted hero was the <Gun Saint> Billy the Kid.
The bullet of <Gun Saint> couldn’t miss. It would end if she shot. The orc would be killed if she pulled the trigger. But―
{Gufufufu-…! Bluff, useless. You, can’t shoot.}
The orc laughed with an unpleasant voice that was similar with the sound of burbling mud.
“-…!”
Sumika’s expression distorted from those words. After all what the orc said was right on the mark.
Sumika couldn’t shoot. The reason was located in the orc’s left hand.
There was a girl with mini-ponytail clutched in the orc’s left arm with her face turning pale.
The girl was the same with Sumika, the 101th’s <close range combatantStriker>. Her name was Ichinotani Chikori.
That’s right, in other word this was a hostage situation.
As a demon orc was a weak race, but in place of that it was using its intelligence.
In reality the one that was cornered was Sumika.
{Weapon, throw away. If not, this girl, crushed.}
Pressed with choices, Sumika gritted her teeth.
(Just against orc, to be treated as it pleased like this…!)
For Sumika this situation was a humiliation.
If asked why, it was because while Sumika was still a student, she was a genius magician that obtained the title of S-rank magician where there were only ten people in this world. Originally just an orc or even ten orc, she was an existence that could easily defeat them. ―The fact was, a few minute before this Sumika had instantly killed two orc that was invading into the life sphere from different place.
But, a trouble appeared when the third orc came invading.
The predicted place where the third orc would appear was in the side of the residential area, so beforehand Sumika made two of the 101th platoon member that were her subordinate to standby there, but―of all thing to happen, the moment the orc appeared one of the member got terrified of real battle and deserted the battle before enemy’s presence. No, if it was only that then it was still fine but―
{If it’s just around three minutes before leader come, then even me alone can hold back this enemy!}
Like that, Chikori who couldn’t be expected as a battle strength just by her lonesome didn’t even hear her command to stop and rushed to the enemy by her own judgment.
And the result,
{Leader. Chikori-san was captured by the orc.}
Only three seconds after that, that kind of transmission came from the <Operator(Battle Controller)> that was in charge of battle situation and <Idea Link(Sorcery Transmission)> from the place slightly separated from the actual scene.
(She cannot do it at all aren’t she―!)
As expected she wanted to cry.
And then right now, under that situation she got cornered and that was why it was unbearable.
{Quick, weapon! Throw away!!}
“Leader! Don’t mind me! I’m wrong for ignoring the order-!”
She wanted to shout angrily that it’s exactly your fault, but right now it was no use even if she blamed the girl.
As a leader, as a magician, to do something like abandoning human who was going to be killed by a demon right now was not something Sumika could do.
Right now she needed to continue this deadlocked situation for even a little longer, bought time, and waited until reinforcement arrived.
―But, that sneaky consideration was read by the orc.
{Do it quick!}
In order to hurry Sumika who was trying to buy time, the vein of the orc’s arm protruded out, its herculean strength constricted Chikori’s thin body like a vise.
“UAAAAA…-!”
“St, stop it-!”
Sumika reflexively raised her voice hearing the creaking sound that was like the crack of a decayed tree.
Chikori who was grasped in the orc’s left hand turned limp and became unmoving.
It would be really bad if more than that happened. She couldn’t buy time unskillfully. There was nothing she could do except obeying obediently.
“Understood. I surrender…”
Sumika threw away the revolver in her hand and also one more revolver that was holstered on her hips,
“-―――!”
That instant, a shock ran through Sumika’s brain that informed her of danger to herself.
That was the intuition that came from the girl’s contracted heroic spirit, <Gun Saint> Billy the Kid’s Hero Skill.
What is called Hero Skill was the obtained special move or something like enchantment that came from being possessed by the soul of hero.
From this magician became able to wield power that was equal with heroes of previous life.
And then the danger signal that ran through Sumika’s brain at this time was <Gun Saint>’s Hero Skill <Back Sniper(Instinct Evasion)>.
With this Hero Skill that was associated with Billy the Kid’s legend that said he shot to death enemy behind him without even turning back, its effect was [perfect invalidation of blind spot]. The contractor of <Gun Saint> became able to detect all danger of attack that came from blind spot with 100% accuracy using instinct. And then, this instinct was by no means inaccurate―
“Protection(Barrier Expand)!”
Sumika immediately expanded no element first grade magic barrier using sorcery.
Thereupon in a flash that barrier was hit by the orc’s club.
That one hit possessed the brute strength of several tons’ weight, but the expanded magic barrier that was for use pertaining to physical impact didn’t even twitch.
It was exactly like her instinct told her.
Sumika safely evaded the surprise attack completely.
For her it was something really easy. But―
{Don’t defend! Next, if defend, this girl, crush!}
“Kuh-“
When there was a hostage even that couldn’t be kept up.
{You, kill comrade! Not forgive. Pulverize. Pulverize until became mince meat!}
The orc once again swung its club.
If she evaded this next attack the orc would unhesitatingly crushed Chikori.
She couldn’t evade.
If it became like this then she could only became sandbag while reducing the damage as much as she could using magic power.
For Sumika that was a bitter choice.
(Even though I cannot die in this kind of place…!)
Sumika had a dream. An important, strong wish that could even be called craving.
Five years ago, the giant seven headed dragon that burned to ash everything in the world. <Demon King Tuphon>.
That day, where everyone could do nothing except looking up at the closed sky sinking into despair in front of the overwhelming power.
―There was someone, who killed that dragon.
That Tuphon who bore not even a single injury even with all the military of all the world’s countries challenging that monster, …there was a magician who killed that monster just by his lonesome.
That day, Sumika watched up from the burning ground the full story of what happened.
And then, she thought. That she wanted to become like that.
Like that, she wanted to become an existence that could save people from no matter what kind of despair.
―That dream, was still not fulfilled.
She was still half-way.
(That’s why, even though I cannot die in this kind of place, why does this kind of thing happen!)
While gritting her teeth in frustration, Sumika wrapped her body in magic power.
For the sake of softening the blow for even a little.
She was waiting for reinforcement while receiving the orc’s blow.
Having no option other than that, she could only brace herself by all possible means.
The club that was swung down cutting wind.
Against the approaching strong blow, Sumika resolved herself and closed her eyelids.
“Sheesh. Is the apprentice these days cannot deal with just a single orc.”
She heard that voice.
“Eh…”
Instantly, a blast resounded in the wharf.
It was the sound of a severe shock wave hitting and breaking the concrete surface.
But that was not the sound of destruction of a blow that was produced by a club.
The one who broke apart the concrete was, a lone young man.
Jumping down from a passenger plane that was flying in the far above sky at the height of ten thousand meter, the young man that split apart into two the orc’s body from its head until its crotch using obsidian sword, was the one making the sound of the broken concrete and landing.
The orc’s body was torn vertically, split into left and right.
Of course, it died instantly.
The hostage spilled out from the arm, that orc’s body changed into shining ashes in rustle and scattered apart from the sea breeze.
Inside that prism, the young man said.
“But, I’ll give you a passing mark for not abandoning the hostage.”
A loose and disheveled uncontrollable black hair.
The end of a long stole flapped like a wing, the young man looked down on Sumika with a listless eye. A look that didn’t seem far from Sumika in age.
Looking at that face, Sumika gulped her breath.
“Yo, you, are……!”
It was only natural. For magicians that lived in this age, there was no human that didn’t know that young man’s face.
The grand magician that mastered all the sorcery that existed in this world, the human that employed the existences that was far more powerful and even far more evil than even [Demon King], the <Evil God> like one would use a familiar, the <Evil God User>.
And then in the <Walpurgis Night> five years ago, possessing the overwhelming power that subdued even god, the hero of salvation that just alone subjugated <Demon King Tuphon> who burned 90% of the earth surface―
“Kamishiro, Homura……!”
“Yeah, that Homura-san. As for today I got assigned to 101th platoon. Well, take care of me okay.”
Why did the hero that saved the world got assigned to a mere trainee student platoon―
Even such an obvious question didn’t cross the head of the current Sumika.
Homura who stood still inside the shining wind with his long stole flapping.
That standing figure was powerful, beautiful, in that one moment Sumika even forgot all words and became entranced.
It was as if the time itself had came to a complete stop.
And then, during the instant where everything stood still, Sumika obtained a single conviction somewhere inside her heart.
This time, this moment, ―a tale was beginning, that was what she believed.
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