"What's going on?" Takuto Yasuwaki tried to turn and ask, only to realize his body wouldn't move at all. He couldn't even speak.
"Tatsuki-dono... what's happening to them?" The members of the City Guard blinked wildly, their faces full of panic, yet not a single one of them could move. Tatsuki casually took the seat that the Saint had just vacated. With a wave of his hand, Kayo flew over and landed on his lap. Resting his head on her shoulder, he said coolly, "I've taken control of their bodies. They can't move." (T/N: I'll use Saint instead of Seitenshi from now on).
"Now then, let me show you their true selves." His golden eyes swept across the guards. "Tell me, what do you think of the Cursed Children?"
"They're monsters."
"They're not human."
"They're disgusting freaks."
One by one, they responded, falling over themselves to speak. The scene was chilling.
"This..." The Saint was momentarily overwhelmed. Not just by the strange phenomenon—but by the cold, ruthless way they referred to the Cursed Children as monsters. Despicable monsters.
Kayo's expression turned sorrowful. Tatsuki gently patted her head to comfort her. "Don't worry, Kayo. You're not a monster in my eyes. You're a beautiful girl."
"...Thank you, Tatsuki-nii." Warmth flooded Kayo's heart. She even nuzzled against his cheek. Tatsuki sensed her growing attachment and smiled in satisfaction.
Casually, he looked back at the guards. "How many Cursed Children have you personally tortured or killed?"
"One."
"Three."
"Seven."
"Five."
Again, they answered, each giving different numbers. The Saint's expression collapsed. Shock morphed into anger and confusion. Every one of her guards had blood on their hands—innocent blood. This wasn't incidental. It was deliberate. Some had even gone out of their way to torment and murder.
Finally, it was Takuto Yasuwaki's turn. What he said made her blood run cold.
"I don't even know how many I've killed. Maybe a hundred or more."
Tatsuki raised a brow. "Oh? Go on."
Adjusting his glasses, Yasuwaki revealed a twisted, horrifying smile. "I enjoy slaughtering those monsters. Hearing their screams when bullets rip through their bodies... it fills me with joy!"
At first, he just sounded disturbed. Then it escalated.
"Ah! That sensation—it's just like ravaging the Saint's body over and over and over again! It's that good!"
Seething rage spread across the Saint's face. Her complexion turned ashen. Even Kayo clenched her fists, her eyes sharp enough to kill.
Tatsuki tapped his finger on the table and heir awareness returned. One by one, they collapsed to the ground, terrified, groveling.
"Please forgive us, Lady Saint!"
Only Yasuwaki remained twisted in expression, pointing a trembling finger at Tatsuki. "It was him! He made me say those things! It's all fake! Lady Saint, please believe me!"
"Enough! No more excuses!"
Even someone as gentle as the Saint couldn't bear it any longer. Her furious roar echoed—louder than anything she'd ever uttered before.
Yasuwaki wasn't ready to give up. He tried to run to her.
"Tch. Disgusting," Tatsuki scoffed, tapping the table once more.
Boom! Boom boom boom!
A series of explosions. Takuto Yasuwaki—and his entire body—detonated into bloody chunks.
Gore sprayed outward, but as it neared the others, it froze in midair and then fell harmlessly to the ground, never touching them.
Tatsuki observed the Saint's shifting expressions with interest. "Well? Do you see now how twisted and dark humanity can be?"
After a long pause, the Saint finally snapped out of it. Her delicate face bore a bitter smile. "Tatsuki-sama... perhaps I was too naive..."
She had never imagined her loyal guards were... murderers.
But Tatsuki wasn't done. He smirked.
Kayo saw that grin and knew immediately—Tatsuki-nii is about to stir the pot again.
"Your naivety runs deeper than that."
"Huh?" The Saint's tearful gaze was now filled with confusion.
"Do you remember Kikunojouu Tendo?"
"He's my chief advisor," she nodded.
"I've been listening in on your meetings. Kikunojou Tendo seemed to support your new law."
"Yes. He was the only one who did. Everyone else opposed me."
Tatsuki found her hopeful expression laughably innocent—so innocent he wanted to corrupt her entirely. That purity of hers—it made him want to defile her.
He sneered. "But after peering into his thoughts and memories, I found out he's actually the one most against you."
"That's impossible!" The Saint protested without hesitation.
"Don't believe me? Want to call him in and ask yourself?" Tatsuki arched a brow.
The Saint hesitated, bit her lip, then nodded. "Alright."
...
Knock knock.
"Come in," the Saint said.
Kikunojou Tendo opened the door.
He was greeted by a scene of gore—bloody chunks everywhere. A man sat in the Saint's chair, holding a girl in his arms.
The Saint stood obediently to the side. Kikunojou's pupils shrank.
He tried to speak, but his body betrayed him. His hand closed the door. His feet began walking. Step by step, he crossed the blood-soaked floor until he stood before the ruling table.
Then, his gaze met Tatsuki's golden starry eyes.
To Kikunojou, it was like staring at a god. He couldn't even form the thought of resistance.
Tatsuki addressed the Saint. "Ask your question. He'll answer truthfully."
"..."
The Saint bit her lip. Then she asked the one question she most wanted answered.
"Do you support my new Gastrea policy?"
"I oppose it completely."
The blunt reply shattered her last shred of hope.
She collapsed. Just before she hit the ground, Tatsuki caught her—by the chubby part of her body.
He could've used his powers but he preferred doing things the old-fashioned way.
The Saint didn't care. She was heartbroken, grief-stricken, in despair. Even her most trusted aide had betrayed her.
She was starting to believe what Tatsuki said. This world... was beyond saving. It was rotten to the core.
"You didn't ask the real question. Let me do it."
Though holding her was pleasant, Tatsuki took over.
"Do you want to kill all the Cursed Children?"
"Yes."
Tatsuki didn't pause.
"How badly?"
"I wish every single one of them and every Gastrea would die."
"You were the one who ordered Kagetane Hiruko to steal the Seven Stars' Legacy, weren't you?"
"I was."
"Why?"
"To summon the Stage V Zodiac Gastrea, Scorpius, destroy the Tokyo Area, and exterminate every Cursed Child in it."
"Alright, I'm done asking. You can wake up now."
He clapped his hands lightly.
Kikunojou's eyes flickered. He looked at Tatsuki calmly. He was fully aware of what had just happened—but was remarkably composed.
"Kikunojou Tendo... everything you said... was it true?"
"Yes."
At this point, there was no need to lie. Against someone who could control him so easily, resistance was meaningless.
The Saint was completely numb.
He had stolen the Seven Stars' Legacy, summoned Scorpius, and planned to destroy the Tokyo Area—just to kill all the Cursed Children?
A chill surged from the soles of her feet to her crown.
Only her backside still felt some lingering warmth.
"This man... he's scary..."
Even Kayo was trembling.
Just how deep did his hatred for the Cursed Children run?
The Saint's body had gone completely stiff. Holding her like this was becoming troublesome, so Tatsuki simply pulled her into his lap and wrapped his arm around her waist.
She didn't react at all.
Kikunojou only glanced up—silent as ever.
"You old bastard, let me tell you. I like the Cursed Children. I wouldn't mind being their big brother."
"I believe the majority of Cursed Children are purer than over 90% of humanity."
"You get what I'm saying, right?"
"You want to kill me?" Kikunojou asked calmly. "Too late. The plan's already begun. Scorpius will descend. The Tokyo Area will be destroyed."
"Haha, with me here, Scorpius is just trash." Tatsuki chuckled. "And you? You think I'll be the one to kill you? Wrong. The one who'll kill you… is Kisara."
"Kisara..."
Kikunojou's gaze flickered. He had arranged for her parents' deaths for the sake of power.
He smiled faintly. "Fine. If it's her revenge, so be it."
He never once believed Tatsuki could defeat Scorpius—a being that had nearly driven the world to extinction.
In his mind, Tatsuki was probably some genetically engineered human—a terrifyingly powerful one, sure, but still just a man-made weapon.
And no weapon could defeat a Zodiac-class, Stage V Gastrea like Scorpius.
The regenerative capabilities of Gastrea were ranked:
Level 1: Could be killed by standard Varanium weapons. Most Gastrea and Initiators fall here.
Level 2: Could resist normal weapons. Only decapitation or fire could finish them.
Level 3: Severed limbs could regenerate. Cells responded to one another.
Level 4: Could regenerate even without most internal organs. Total destruction required.
Level 5: Could survive extreme cold, Varanium, or magma. Regeneration occurred at the molecular level.
Science had no means to kill such beings. Only hyper-Varanium weapons had a chance.
Stages were classifications for Gastrea:
Stage I: Possessed one animal gene.
Stage II: Possessed two.
.
.
.
Stage V: The peak of Gastrea evolution.
The Zodiac-class referred to Stage V Gastrea named after the zodiac signs. Eleven had been identified. Only Cancer was missing.
Each one had nearly brought humanity to extinction. They possessed enormous bodies, armor impenetrable to regular weapons, molecular regeneration, and immunity to Monolith magnetic fields.
Even missiles and torpedoes barely scratched them. Their wounds healed instantly.
No cyborg could kill such a monster.
Only with the Ladder of Heaven could they be slain.
...
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