Ultimate Antihero:Volume 1 Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Part 1

Ten days had passed since Homura enrolled into New Tokyo Sorcery Academy.

At first the students were scared at Homura’s existence, but because Homura himself didn’t especially show any intention 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 was already few.

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

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

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

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

What will be useful in that situation is no element first grade sorcery・Magic Light BulletPhoton Bullet.

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

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

It was called target, a magic instrument that performed a role just like its name said.

When the instructor poured his magic power into it, the target was activated.

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

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

• kyun* Raising sharp wind voice, the three rapid shot headed straight to the target to pierce it.

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

It was far slower compared to gunshot.

The target naturally avoided it nimbly, the light bullet was absorbed into air.

Ascertaining that, the instructor continued.

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

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

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

The light bullet from before flew straight forward. But, this time it was different.

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

They moved around left and right while holding back the target.

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

“Got it? You just need to chase if the opponent run. 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 of fifth grade grand magic, magician that cannot skillfully handle this basic sorcery will die soon in 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 in battlefield.”

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

“If you become top class then this is a sorcery where you can simultaneously control ten shot. It’s not something particularly difficult. But, I’m not going to tell you guys to suddenly control five shot at the same time, so don’t worry. First you start from three shot. 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.”

Saying that, the instructor lifted up the cane-type <Arms> he held in his hand to the sky.

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

In front of every single students that received this class, similar targets like before were summoned.

“Those targets are all set in 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?”

“ “ “Yee~ss……” “ “

The students returned back reply that wasn’t filled with any enthusiast at all toward the given assignment.

No, there were also people who properly replied, though the majority was languid so their reply was completely drowned.

There was a lot of foreigner that lost their birthplace taking refuge in Tokyo life sphere, so the race of the students was 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 was like that, he was sitting cross-legged at the last row.

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

Part 2

“Fua…”

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

Well, it was only reasonable.

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

Receiving this kind of class at this late hour had no meaning at all.

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

That was why Homura didn’t particularly do anything, he was just blankly observing the class situation of the students.

After all they were comrades that he might fought together with when there was emergency occurring.

It was important grasp the battle power beforehand.

And then, after a while what he felt was,

(Their quality is comparatively good huh.)

In reverse with the non-existence motivation of the students, most of the students immediately cleared their assignment.

The standard of their quality was considerably higher than he imagined.

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

Like this if they formed a platoon then he guessed they could deal with something like <Soldier class> with some leeway left.

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

The students who cleared their assignment left the courtyard one after another while making lighthearted talk with each other.

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

“Waa-, wait wait~-“

“Uoo-! Oi what are you doing!”

“I, I’m sorry~-“

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

Homura knew her face.

Koga Ayumi. His classmate in 3-A.

She belonged to 27th platoon.

She was not particularly a standing out student, but her motivation was fairly high that he had memory of her.

If he remembered right before this, she took a memo of the instructor’s talk while listening seriously.

But how sad. Seriousness and the real ability wouldn’t be necessarily in proportion of each other―

“Aaa, auu”

Ayumi was manipulated by the target.

Since some time ago she was already shooting several dozen shots of Photon Bullet, but she was toyed by the target’s movement that moved around to the left and right and couldn’t even graze it.

On the contrary, when she was chasing with her gaze the target that was swiveling round and round as if ridiculing her,

“My eyes, my eyes is turninggg~”

Dizzily, her eyes ended rolling around.

Her unsteady gait was staggering, she looked like she was going to fall even now.

(…What a sight, I guess this is what people called a sight that one cannot bear to see.)

Homura sighed while standing up. And then he approached Ayumi,

“Looks like you are having fun by yourself huh. Koga.”

Just like that he supported from behind the slim shoulder of the girl who almost fell behind on her butt.

“Eh, tha, thank you very…―hii-!”

The moment she was going to say thanks for the support and turned her neck behind, Ayumi’s expression froze.

That was because the one who supported her, was the man that was a pawn of evil gods―or so the rumor said.

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

(Well, this is the normal reaction.)

It was just the girls of 101st that were too understanding, the emotion the majority of human harbored toward <Evil God User> was fear.

It could be said to be reasonable. No matter how he had saved the world, the power of <Evil God> that he used at that time was something that was excessively ominous after all.

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

It was only natural to fear. It was inevitable to cower. Even Homura wouldn’t blame anyone for that after all this time.

However, he didn’t plan to turn back without doing anything after already thinking that he couldn’t bear to look and calling out like this.

“Next, try to do it after taking off your glasses.”

“Eh? Err…”

“It’s fine already so just try it.”

Saying that, Homura took away the glasses from the scared Ayumi who didn’t understand why she was catching the eye of the <Evil God User>.

“Aaa-“

“Uoo, this glasses’ minus is severe eh.”

“My, my eyes, is 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.”

Ayumi raised a protesting voice with all her might using her cramped throat.

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 one more time.

“It’s just right if you cannot see well. Think that you got tricked and just try aiming without glasses.”

“……uu, ye, yes.”

Against Homura who didn’t hand over the glasses until the end, even though Ayumi was making a slightly reproachful expression, but she realized that there was no way she could talk him down.

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

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

What she could see was just a blurred black, she didn’t understand the detail of the movement.

Because she didn’t understand the movement, where it was going to, she also couldn’t chase it with her eyes.

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

However, Homura didn’t seem like he would return the glasses until she tried once.

That was why Ayumi gave up chasing with her eyes, for the time being she would just make sure she didn’t lose sight of the shadow.

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

After all that was the limit of what she could do with this blurred field of vision.

But, mysteriously―

“E, eh?”

Ayumi noticed.

Doing it this way, she could see the target’s movement well.

And then that realization was correct.

If asked why, that was because the Photon Bullet that Ayumi fired next easily shot down the target as if her hard fight before was just a lie.

“Li, lies…why…!”

Unable to believe what she had just done, Ayumi was dumbfounded.

Towards that girl, Homura returned the glasses he stole while saying.

“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 eye, the whole body is visible so the manipulation of the guided bullet also become easier.”

You got that?

When Homura asked that, Ayumu nodded even while showing her confusion.

“Eh, ah, yes-“

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

“Eh?”

Homura leaked out a murmur with small voice.

Ayumi didn’t understand his meaning and tilted her head,

“Hee. Somehow I’m surprised. For that infamous traitor, <Evil God User> to be this kind.”

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

When Homura turned back, there two female students were in the middle of walking here.

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

Homura compared the two’s faces with his memory of the class register.

The short haired one was Anna Dronin. The tall one was Rosalind Wagner.

Each of them could boast of steadfast popularity, Anna with the boys from her lovely appearance that was popular with man, 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 both of them were also in the same 27th platoon like Ayumi as member.

“Ah, Anna-chan! Rosalind-chan!”

“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.”

“Ri, right.”

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

When Homura exaggeratedly shrugged his shoulder, Anna laughed pleasantly.

“Ahaha. Is that something you should say yourself~?”

“Well, that’s how it is, it’s a misunderstanding that I’m bullying her. If you get it then can you pull back your killing intent?”

With a glance Homura directed his sight at Rosalind who was standing beside Anna without saying anything.

Thereupon, Rosalind’s eyes turned round in surprise.

“…You noticed?”

“You really think I’m not gonna notice?”

Homura made a cynical smile while replying so.

Just as he said, since a while ago Rosalind―, saying it accurately since the moment Homura approached Ayumi, she had already prepared to assault Homura immediately if he tried to do something.

It seemed the person herself intended to completely cover her killing intent, but Homura properly noticed it. It was just that she was an opponent that he could handle even if she assaulted him without even moving a fingertip of his body, so he didn’t get cautious at all.

“…Sorry to misunderstand.”

Rosalind whose killing intent was exposed apologized to Homura with a slightly awkward expression for her groundless suspicion.

But Homura shook his head left and right towards that apology.

“It’s not like you need to apologize.”

Rather Homura was in admiration.

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

She was still immature, but she was quite a gutsy girl.

“Seems like Koga has good comrades.”

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

Since the girl had cleared her assignment, he had no more reason to care about Ayumu.

Thereupon, toward that back,

“Ah-! Err! Thank you very much-!”

That voice was not the small voice like a mosquito’s noise until now, with a clear loud voice, Ayumu gave her word of gratitude to Homura.

As for Homura, he answered shortly “Ou” to show he received that gratitude.

“<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 to you is a little picked up.”

“Well, if I feel like it at that time.”

After vaguely setting aside Anna’s invitation next, Homura left that place.

Part 3

When Homura returned until the spot where he was at before,

“Ah, Master! This way this way!”

Chikori was hopping in place *pyon pyon* like a dog that had no calmness while waiting for him.

“What is it Chikori?”

“It’s fine, just look at this!”

Saying that, Chikori picked up Homura’s target that he had left alone on the lawn, there she put her magic power into it and activated the target.

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

Until that point there was really no difference with other student.

But after that Chikori did something different.

The girl pulled out the Photon Bullet’s floating power and it fell down naturally from her chest.

And then when the ball fell until her knee,

“Shoot!”

She swung her well-trained leg, and kicked the light bullet with all her strength.

She did that with her leg strength raised due to her Hero Skill <Peerless Herculean Strength>.

The kick with overwhelming impact power became the driving force of the light bullet just like that.

That speed, that was like supersonic speed surpassing even the speed of a rifle bullet, pierced the target with speed that even its evasion movement couldn’t match, bursting and scattering the target apart.

“Nfuu―”

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

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

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

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

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

And then, regarding sorcery that was mixed with [body technique] like this, Chikori possessed an extremely good memory for it.

It was not only because of her physical ability due to <Peerless Herculean Strength>. Surely from the beginning Chikori had a good physical reflex.

And then, each time she showed that she had learned one thing, Chikori came to Homura looking for that as her reward.

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

Pet me. Pet me. Like that.

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

Well, today was a practice for homing bullet, so no matter how one thought about it she failed in her assignment but―

“Aah, that’s amazing. As expected from my disciple.”

Violently throwing away his guiding role as a teacher, Homura petted Chikori’s head roughly.

“Kuu~n♪”

She might be feeling good or happy, Chikori pleasantly cooed from her nose.

Each time he petted her, her small ponytail moved actively like a dog’s tail.

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

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

After all being adored this much didn’t feel bad for Homura too.

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

It was―Sumika.

Part 4

The girl stared at the two’s frolicking from a distance while making a small sigh.

Dissatisfaction, was it……

“How nice, Chikori-san.”

It was envious. How Chikori could come in contact with Homura that close.

She too wanted to come into contact with Homura in a distance that close. However,

“Nn? What’s wrong Hoshikawa? You keep staring this way since before, you got any business?”

“Ah, n, no! I’m not looking or anything-! It’s just your feeling!”

In a huff Sumika immediately averted her gaze from Homura.

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

She couldn’t look at Homura in the eyes.

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

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

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

“Haa……”

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

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

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

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

She idolized Homura, but the time she was together with him hadn’t been that long.

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

Sumika until now had received confession several times because of great look, but she had never fall in love at someone else from herself.

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

That was why, this feeling that scorched her chest, was it adoration, or was it really love―

No matter what she couldn’t come to a conclusion about that.

But―there was a feeling in her that could apply whether it was adoration or love. It was,

(I want, to become closer to him.)

Her feeling that wanted to be close to Homura.

Sumika thought.

What should she do to shrink their distance more closer.

At this kind of time it was better to start a conversation with some common topic, but

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

{Homura-san. How about we have a discussion about why the people of Hyperborea perished!}

(……I’ll get rejected.)

This way was a dead-end.

It was too lacking in sex-appeal.

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

―However, if he didn’t remember even for a bit, it would be quite sad.

Looking from how Homura usually was, that possibility seemed to be high, that it made Sumika nervous.

(Looking from Chikori-san, Homura-san, does he like dog I wonder?)

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

“Wa, wan-“

“If it’s Sumika-san I think it will be cuter to mimic a cat instead.”

“Kyaa―!!!!”

Suddenly having that whispered into her ear, Sumika jumped on the spot.

The owner of the voice that was behind her without she noticing it was,

“Shiori-san…! Yo, you heard that!?”

“I don’t really hear anything.”

“I, I’m glad.”

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

“Doesn’t that mean that you have already heard almost everything then―!”

“You, do you like someone like that?”

“Fukyuu―”

Sumika’s breathing stopped from suddenly getting a pin-point hit like that.

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

She herself didn’t understand well about it, so Sumika’s words were ambiguous.

Shiori talked to such Sumika.

“I love him you know?”

“Eh-“

“Though I hate him almost as much.”

“……Yes?”

That was, …in short which one it was?

Sumika was perplexed from the strange roundabout talk.

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

“Well, before long you too will understand. If you are beside that man, you will come to understand even if you dislike it.”

Leaving behind the confused Sumika, Shiori left the courtyard alone.

(…I wonder what was that just now?)

Shiori was her teammate, but she had almost never talked with her.

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 101st’s <Operator> without any shortcomings.

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

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

―But, there was one thing she knew.

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

Shiori and Homura had a relationship that she didn’t know about.

She guessed that most likely they were old acquaintance.

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

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

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

If she knew that it would become like this, she should learn more about [fun thing] in the past.

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

But, even regretting such thing at this late hour wouldn’t result in anything.

(Get a hold of yourself, Hoshikawa Sumika-! The person that you have aspired for all this time is now this close beside you! When else are you going to do your best if not now!)

Sumika *pan* lightly slapped her cheeks and encouraged herself.

She couldn’t be the only one to get a late start.

This was the place where she had to do her best.

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

It was that, the collision at the street corner when you were going to school.

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

Walking closer to Homura nonchalantly, she would purposefully slip and leap into Homura’s chest.

(Right! Surely I can do it with this!)

As expected human should rely on their predecessor in a troubled time.

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

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

One had to immediately act decisively when getting a concrete idea that could resolve the problem.

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

However how sad―

“…~♪”

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

(Uwa, …someone really suspicious is coming closer.)

making Homura be on his guard fully.

In regard of this, it was not only limited to this time, but Homura had noticed that since the mock battle, allll this time Sumika had been sending gaze to him at every opportunity.

That was why, Sumika’s action that was approaching him while openly pretending to be nonchalant looked especially eerie.

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

(…What is this Sumika girl planning?)

By any chance was she still holding a grudge from him calling her [useless]?

Homura raised his wariness a little from Sumika’s action that he couldn’t comprehend at all.

But, when Sumika had walked until around one meter from Homura,

“Ah-“

Sumika’s body tilted to the front.

She was walking while looking to the side, so she stumbled on the stone under her feet―that was how it seemed.

Although Homura didn’t know anything about that, so he immediately opened his arms and prepared to catch her in his embrace,

“.............–!”

(Ju, just as I thought this is impossible-!)

However at the critical time when she almost fell into the embrace.

The extreme embarrassment made Sumika thrust her leg with all her strength forward and she planted her foot on the ground firmly.

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

And then she declared that with her face reddening.

“O, oh. That’s good. Next time look forward when your walk okay?”

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

Saying that Sumika ran away like a startled rabbit.

Her expression was half-crying from embarrassment and patheticness.

Sumika herself didn’t think that she would be this gutless.

In the end, the girl’s action ended in vain.

―But, it didn’t mean that it was completely meaningless.

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

Namely, the feeling of like that Sumika had for him.

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

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

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

In regards to that, Homura sighed a little heavily.

(I don’t really want her closing this distance though…)

He was an existence that couldn’t stay in human society anyway.

The real reason why he was called here.

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

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

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

(What should I do eh.)

Thereupon, at that time.

{Oooo!}

Suddenly the students that were still in the courtyard made a stir.

Part 5

The source of the commotion was a car that was entering the parking lot that was visible from the courtyard.

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

Lured by the voices, Homura also took a look at the high class car that was stopping at the parking lot.

Thereupon the door of the high class car opened, and from inside someone he knew came out.

Tall body with gloomy long hair. The board chairman Onjouji Kai.

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

(Hm?)

Suddenly, Homura noticed that Onjouji was looking straight at him.

(Does he have some kind of business with me?)

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

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

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

The instant that man showed his appearance,

{ { {Eh-} } }

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

Why? That was because the man that came out following Onjouji was a character that one really ought to be surprised that much about.

The silent 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 his business here?}.

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

Homura obtained a single conviction from that sight.

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

Before long the man with a lot of white hair arrived in front of Homura.

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

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

The discrepancy between this man’s appearance in Homura’s memory and the reality now was really tragic.

But even so, that man made a truly happy smile on his tired face in front of Homura.

“Long time no see. Homura-san.”

The man gave a respectful bow in greeting.

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

On the other hand Homura too,

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

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

Temporary Representative―the man was called so in the past. As for right now,

“―Right now you are the prime minister aren’t you.”

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

The 99th Cabinet Prime Minister・Kinugasa Yoshinori.

Part 6

Homura and Kinugasa, and also 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 room.

Along the way, Kinugasa first expressed his gratitude to Homura.

“Homura-san. Thank you very much for answering the sudden call from 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 guess that it was Japan’s highest big shot himself that directly called me here.”

Now Homura understood why Onjouji’s mouth was sealed shut.

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

That question was a natural concern.

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

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

But toward such concern of Homura, Kinugasa just shrugged his shoulder 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 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 jesting mood.

Homura burst into a small chuckle from the way that man said that.

“I see, certainly that’s just obvious. …Your roundabout talking has become argumentative huh.”

“Haha. It’s an occupational disease. That Homura-san has also become really tall.”

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

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

Saying that, Kinugasa showed a tired smile.

But Onjouji gave his honest opinion about those words from the side.

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

That was a fact.

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 in 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 function of government literally struggling to death.

If he was no there, the country called Japan wouldn’t survive the <Walpurgis Night>.

It was not a exaggeration saying that.

Even Homura recognized this man’s backbone.

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

All the people that lived in Tokyo life sphere also thought like that.

However, the person himself didn’t think so.

“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.”

“――”

Instantly, the atmosphere that was flowing between the two changed.

Homura sensed that minute change.

From now on it would be the reason Kinugasa came here today. And also the true intention of calling Homura from London.

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

In just the right timing, the board chairman room came in front of their eye.

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

“-……!”

“Uh, this is……-“

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

“What is it?”

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

In contrast, Onjouji who had cold sweat on his forehead gave a reply in bitter feeling.

“…How envious. To be unable to sense this ominous aura.”

“Now that you mentioned it, Homura-san is not good at sensing other people’s magic power isn’t it.”

“My bad to be so insensitive. …But you two saying that means that there is someone inside?”

“…Ye, yes. Perhaps.”

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

However the other two were different. Because they were different, they sensed it completely.

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

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

Ahead of this single door, something possessing an outrageously evil magic power was waiting.

That was why their body, their soul, refused to open this door.

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

“An ambush huh?”

Someone seemed to be there.

Foreign country’s spy? Or perhaps something else.

Even when Homura wracked his brain, the candidate was just too numerous that he couldn’t make an estimate.

He couldn’t guess―however,

“Well, we also can’t just keep standing here forever.”

Saying that, Homura pushed open the door and entered inside brazenly.

He could deal with any kind of surprise attack prepared by anyone.

It was an act that came from such confidence.

But, there was no surprise attack that he feared.

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

“Mogumogu.”

The intruder was sitting on the guest sofa while eating cake.

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

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

He called the girl’s name.

Part 7

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

It was―Liber Al vel Legis.

With <{{{2}}}Book of Law> engraved as the tile with golden letters, it was the grimoire of beginning for human race.

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

Those reading it wouldn’t end normally.

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

But human race was already in a stage where they couldn’t choose their method anymore.

Human race united in the face of danger of ruin. By literally struggling to death, even while sacrificing the life and minds of several tens of thousands people that had courage, the grimoire was deciphered little by little. Learning the knowledge of sorcery, finally human race exterminated the demon that cornered them to ruin.

However―in actuality what the human race at that time could decipher, was an amount that not even reached ten percent of the whole <Liber = Legis>. That was because the knowledge written in <Liber = Regis> 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 was only one.

It was none other than <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 time it was sword, some time it was shield, and another time it took the form of girl.

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

“Just when I thought that I didn’t see your figure since morning, you are lounging around in this kind of place.”

“Because we return back to [Tokyo life sphere], so I have to eat Coffee Mansion’s cheese cake. I also have master’s portion.”

“I ain’t asking you that here.”

“Then, Master don’t need it?”

“No, I’m not saying I don’t need it. Later I’m gonna eat too so leave some for me. What I want to ask is about why are you purposefully eating here?”

“Because this place has good black tea prepared.”

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

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

From behind of Homura that was like that, Kinugasa who guessed the situation showed his appearance and greeted Vel.

“I say. It has been five years too since I last saw you, Vel-san. …No, or should I better called 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 human race that was almost ruined. …Of course, a shameful fact that human survived due to knowledge obtained thanks to evil god was hidden in secret, people who knew about this truth were mostly inexistent.

But, just saying that it was not known, meant it was a fact that couldn’t be falsified.

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

Therefore there was no mistake about the fact that Vel herself was also [one] of <The Crawling Chaos>.

But, Vel shook her head left and right toward 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 come back to Japan then.”

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

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

While it was calm, it was a voice tone that conceived extremely strong rage.

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

And then Kinugasa understood at the same time.

The dread he felt just now. It was the hostility this girl directed across the door.

“Vel. Stop intimidating recklessly like that.”

“No, Homura-san. It was exactly as she said.”

Homura warned Vel of her blunt threat, but it was none other than Kinugasa himself that interrupted Homura.

Why? It was because Kinugasa himself also regretted from his heart the ingratitude that Vel frankly said to him.

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

Kinugasa apologized from his heart toward 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.

“I don’t really care about that. The one who said that [It’s fine like this] is also me.”

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

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

“…I’m sorry.”

Vel, sensing that her master was getting seriously angry, apologized while being a little dejected.

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

“Well, it’s fine if you understand.”

After that Vel shifted her body to the corner of the sofa in order to create a space for Homura to sit.

It seemed that she didn’t have any intention to get out from the room.

But, just like she expressed before, she was Homura’s sword and shield.

If Homura getting called to Japan was because of a situation that couldn’t be dealt with except by Homura, and Homura was going to give his cooperation, then she was also not unrelated to this.

That was why Homura didn’t chase out Vel outside the room and took a seat beside her.

And then, he asked Kinugasa who stood at the entrance.

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

Against Homura’s question, Kinugasa took a deep breath once,

“I understand.”

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

After that, …he began to talk slowly.

The background of why he called to Homura through Onjouji.

Translator's Notes and References

Back to Chapter 2

Return to Main Page

Forward to Chapter 4