Chapter 89: The Weak Should Know Their Place
In the following days, Arcadia began working overtime to reinforce and heighten the city walls.
The originally ten-meter-high super-varanium alloy walls were visibly being raised at a rapid pace.
Meanwhile, Seitenshi naturally hadn't put all her eggs in one basket. While making the bet with him, she also initiated Plan B—
Which essentially involved mobilizing the Civil Security Officers across Tokyo Area.
This naturally included Tendo Civil Security Company. Although Kisara had contacted him, he maintained his refusal.
Thus, only Rentaro would be participating from their side.
They called it forming some kind of Civil Security Support Unit.
But neither Enju nor Tina accompanied him—he couldn't send them out to die together.
"Tendo Style Iaijutsu, First Form, First Variation—"
In the cool morning air of the tatami-floored dojo, a clear voice rang out.
Standing at the center of the dojo was a girl in a black sailor uniform—Tendo Kisara.
She closed her eyes, gradually relaxing her muscles as her hand rested on the sword hilt, slowly lowering her center of gravity.
The "Nirvana Mind Stance" of Tendo Style Iaijutsu. This was the all-purpose form of Tendo Style, representing adaptability amidst ever-changing circumstances.
What a beautiful stance.
Even Mahiro, who was merely observing, couldn't help but admire it. While its practical combat value might be slightly lacking, its aesthetic appeal was undeniable.
Yet an odd aura emanated from her, as if forming a domain centered around her. No matter the angle of approach, one would seemingly be cut down by that still-sheathed blade.
Like right now—
"Freezing Droplets."
A soft murmur fell.
Clang—
The blade left its sheath, a flash of white light slicing through the air in an instant.
The sound of the slash was faint—just a whoosh.
Yet the target before Kisara—a dummy wrapped in cloth and stuffed with wood shavings—was instantly reduced to pieces.
Pat pat pat—they fell to the ground.
Though she had only swung once, multiple flashes of the blade appeared, as if multiple slashes had been delivered.
The most astonishing part was that Kisara had been over six meters away from the target.
No magic had been used to assist—just pure iaijutsu, as simple as a slash could be.
Truly terrifying.
"Haa—"
Kisara slowly exhaled a deep breath.
Then she straightened up, sheathing the ominous cursed blade at her waist—the Killing Blade: Snow Shadow.
It was said this blade was a cursed sword passed down through the Tendo family, a demonic weapon that would drag those with weak wills down the path of destruction. Yet no trace of wavering will could be seen in Kisara.
Clearly, this cursed blade couldn't shake her. Or perhaps her madness and obsession had already fallen into demonhood, enough to make even the cursed blade submit.
"Here."
Mahiro stood up and casually tossed something to Kisara.
Having just performed that strike requiring intense focus, Kisara wearily said "Thanks" and wiped her face with the towel.
"Honestly, that iaijutsu just now was beautiful, President."
"Don't call me President outside work hours. Just Kisara is fine."
Kisara lifted her chin, her expression stern as she stared at him. "But no matter how beautiful the iaijutsu, once seen by your eyes, Mahiro-kun, it would all be perfectly replicated, wouldn't it?"
"How convenient..."
At the end, she couldn't help but mutter under her breath.
But Mahiro shook his head and said, "You can't compare yourself to me, Kisara-san. I'm just a poor imitator, while you've genuinely honed your martial skills through hard work and sweat. When it comes to comprehension and understanding, I could never match you."
"Of course."
Kisara giggled with visible delight, gathering the hair that had fallen onto her neck.
"After all, no matter how you look at it, I'm the 'Menkyo Kaiden' of the Tendo-ryu Battōjutsu."
Perhaps due to the difference in worlds, the classifications of swordsmanship levels also differed. In the Irregular at Magic High School universe, it was divided into "Menkyo" and "Kaiden," while in this world, they were combined.
"So, Miss 'Menkyo Kaiden,' have you thought about what we discussed earlier?"
At his question, Kisara's delicate body trembled slightly, freezing in place.
After hastily wiping the sweat from her neck, she let go of her tied-up hair and turned to him with a serious expression.
"...Are you about to take action?"
"Pretty much."
Mahiro shrugged and answered honestly, "There's not much time left."
The energy in the ring was nearly full, which meant his journey in this world was coming to an end.
"I see..."
She nodded silently, whispering as if deep in thought, before finally looking up and speaking in the most earnest tone she had ever used.
"Mahiro-kun... no, Yotsuba Mahiro-sama, do you truly intend to overthrow and destroy the Tendo family?"
"Of course." For once, Mahiro wasn't joking. He even dropped his usual smile, replying with equal seriousness, "Fundamentally, I have no personal grudge against the Tendo family. But for the sake of those children—those who have already died—I must kill Tendo Kikunojou."
"And that's just my first step."
"Next, I will destroy the world."
"!!!"
This was no joke!
Kisara could clearly sense the intensity of his will—a pitch-black, terrifying resolve as unshakable as her own desire for vengeance against the Tendo family.
It was precisely because of this that her eyes widened in disbelief.
For the past year, this might have been the first time she truly saw the man's real nature. Beneath that kind and handsome exterior lay an endless darkness capable of devouring anyone.
Stronger than hers. More terrifying. As if it could incinerate everything, burning it all to ashes!
If she was merely an avenger, then this man was a demon king—an incarnation of vengeance itself.
"Then... after destroying the world, what will you... do?"
Despite having no reason to ask, the words slipped out of her mouth.
"Simple. I'll take those children and leave this world."
Mahiro was completely candid, holding nothing back.
"As you can see, I'm not from this world. So if you accept my terms, the end result will be this: you'll become mine, and I'll take you with me."
"You might think I'm a madman, a lunatic, but that's the truth."
"Whether you believe it or not is entirely up to you."
"...I believe you."
Just as Mahiro had said, Kisara's rationality—or rather, her perception—was telling her that this man was completely spouting nonsense, that he was mentally unwell.
What did he mean by not being from this world? Could he possibly be from another dimension?
Yet the reality before her had already created far too many impossibilities, forcing her to believe.
Like those eyes capable of mimicking any technique, or that time with Scorpio, when he had wielded that strangely designed pistol. With just a pull of the trigger, he had effortlessly annihilated Hiruko Kagetane and the Five Wings Syndicate's mechanical soldiers, reducing them to ashes.
And in the end, he had even made the sea sink, displaying power enough to freeze everything before ultimately destroying Scorpio.
No matter how you looked at it, these events were far too surreal, completely beyond the comprehension and moral framework of ordinary people.
So, she had no choice but to believe.
"Then, Kisara-san, what is your answer?"
"What if I refuse?"
"Nothing much. You'd simply become an enemy—and I don't give my enemies a second chance."
"..."
Kisara pressed her lips together slightly.
She didn't find Mahiro's words the least bit unreasonable—if anything, they were refreshingly straightforward.
If you weren't an ally, you were an enemy.
His conviction was far firmer than hers.
However...
"Before I answer, may I ask one question?"
"Go ahead."
"If Satomi-kun stands in front of the Tendo family and obstructs your path... what will happen to him?"
She didn't care about the world.
The only one who mattered to her was Rentaro.
After all, no matter what, he had stayed by her side for years, helped her leave the Tendo family, and even founded a private security company with her... Not to mention, he had once saved her life.
"He'll die. There's no doubt about that."
As soon as the words left his mouth, a morning breeze drifted into the dojo, passing between them.
Despite it being summer, an icy chill ran down her spine.
Kisara couldn't help but smile bitterly.
"I see..."
Kisara wasn't stupid.
She had already guessed this answer the moment she asked the question.
Because she knew—even without Mahiro's existence—if she ever raised her blade in vengeance against the Tendo family, ready to take their heads, Rentaro would undoubtedly step in to stop her.
Though Rentaro had been adopted by Tendo Kikunojou, he had always been groomed as Kikunojou's successor.
Perhaps because of this, Rentaro felt an inexplicable sense of gratitude toward Kikunojou...
And she could sense it too.
If she clung to her thirst for revenge and refused to turn back, one day, Rentaro would stand before the Tendo family and eliminate her himself.
It was both lamentable and heartbreaking.
"Now, what is your answer?"
As his voice faded, the dojo once again sank into boundless silence.
Kisara's answer was, of course, affirmative.
In the end, she accepted Mahiro's invitation—but with one condition.
If Rentaro truly stood in their way, she would be the one to deal with him.
Mahiro had no reason to refuse. If possible, he even wanted to witness the tragic spectacle of lovers turned enemies.
Not to mention, the one who would die was that cowardly, hypocritical saint.
As for why Rentaro was the one destined to die?
Because he had injected Kisara with the AVG serum developed by Muroto Sumire.
Amidst the agony of tearing flesh and burning nerves, Tendo Kisara was reborn—granted greater strength, speed, and regenerative power.
Now, she was fully qualified to wield her blade of vengeance against the Tendo family.
But revenge would have to wait a little longer.
His wager with Seitenshi was about to reach its conclusion.
Knock knock.
"Come in."
With a creak, a young girl walked in.
The first thing that caught the eye was a pair of legs that were less slender and more excessively thin.
Raising the gaze, her limbs appeared so delicate they seemed as though they could snap with ease.
She wore denim shorts paired with a pink tank top, layered with an American Apparel jacket, her unsmiling face framed by a bob cut.
But what was most unforgettable was her icy demeanor.
"Oh, Hibari? What brings you here so suddenly?" Mahiro was assisting Kanae with paperwork while enjoying tea served by Asaka, looking every bit like a local tyrant at first glance.
But as the door opened, their attention shifted to the girl.
Her full name was Benitsuru Hibari, possessing the rare factor of an oriental planarian—a Cursed Child he had found while collecting them in District 18.
When they first met, Hibari was extracting a bullet from herself, having been shot from an unknown source.
By chance, he brought her back to Arcadia.
It had to be said, the Gastrea virus was truly remarkable—capable of integrating even the genes of tiny, ancient creatures like planarians...
Though he wondered if there were any American cockroaches or perhaps a certain round-headed, elderly man fond of cryptic breathing and riddles.
Probably not.
After all, this wasn't Terra.
"Mr. Mahiro, Lady Seitenshi will arrive at Arcadia in five minutes," Hibari reported matter-of-factly just as his thoughts began to wander.
"Oh, got it. I'll be right there."
Leaving Kanae in the office, Mahiro departed with Asaka following closely behind him, like an attendant, as they exited with Hibari.
Calculating the time, Seitenshi was indeed due to arrive.
With less than two days left before the Monolith's collapse, the massive white erosion had become impossible to conceal.
Though he hadn't visited the Tokyo Area's urban districts recently, he imagined chaos must have already erupted.
After all, even Miori had officially relocated to Arcadia.
As he stepped out of the office building, the familiar luxury limousine had already passed through Arcadia's gates.
Under the watchful eyes of the children, a young woman of striking beauty, dressed in a white gown resembling a wedding dress, pushed open the car door.
Holding a parasol in one hand, her flawless features remained composed beneath its shade, though deep exhaustion lurked in the depths of her pupils.
Spotting him coming to greet her, she began walking toward him step by step.
"...Mr. Mahiro, I've come to fulfill our promise."
"I've been waiting. But you look exhausted—haven't been resting much lately? Would you like to take a nap here first?"
Mahiro spoke casually, as if discussing everyday matters with Seitenshi.
But she shook her head.
"Thank you, but no... The Tokyo Area is on the brink of disaster. I don't have time to rest... Mr. Mahiro, have I won this wager?"
In recent days, she had ordered constant surveillance of the Tokyo Area's population movements.
Though the truth about the Monolith's impending collapse had been revealed, and the "lottery" system for underground shelter spots had sparked massive riots, fortunately, the unrest seemed confined to the city proper.
Many people began looting and smashing shops.
However, among these rioters, none came to District 39 seeking revenge against Arcadia.
Even though they kept shouting about abolishing the Gastrea Act and expelling the Cursed Children from Tokyo Area.
"Are you certain?"
Mahiro's eyes seemed to peer straight into Seitenshi's heart.
Seitenshi nodded solemnly in response, "I am certain."
"Very well. Before announcing the results, I'd like you to see something first."
With that, he snapped his fingers and signaled to Asaka. Asaka immediately understood, "Understood, Lord Mahiro."
After saying this, she departed.
A short while later, the previously quiet and busy streets suddenly grew noisy.
Following the sound, Seitenshi's pale purple eyes widened slightly, filled with disbelief.
At the other end of the street, a large group of people being escorted by children was marching toward them.
Every single one of them looked emaciated and disheveled, resembling the Cursed Children who once wandered the streets of Tokyo Area.
And their numbers reached nearly a thousand!
Looking over, the crowd was densely packed with dark heads.
Their bodies, hands, and feet were tightly bound with ropes, linked together as they stumbled forward—it was exactly like the black slaves being transported and sold during the Age of Sail!
"Mr. Mahiro, who are these people...?"
"You'll know soon enough." Mahiro smiled faintly.
When the large group of captives caught sight of Seitenshi, their eyes lit up as if they had seen a savior!
"It's Lady Seitenshi!"
"Thank goodness, it's Lady Seitenshi! We're saved!"
"Lady Seitenshi, please order the Self-Defense Forces to raze Arcadia to the ground! This place is a den hiding those Gastrea!"
"Yes, exactly! Those damned Gastrea dare to hide here—unforgivable!!!"
...
Their clamoring shattered the peaceful atmosphere of Arcadia.
The children—whether working in shops, on duty, or simply passing by—all stopped what they were doing.
Some leaned on windowsills, others stood to the side.
They silently watched these people perform.
In their gazes, aside from fear, there was anger—so intense that it ignited the factors within their bodies, turning their pupils a deep crimson.
Unforgivable...
They had already hidden here just to survive, yet these people now sought to take away their last refuge!
Hearing their shouts, Seitenshi's mind buzzed, and she swayed unsteadily, nearly collapsing. Fortunately, Mahiro caught her in time.
At the same time, he signaled to the children escorting the captives.
Whoosh—
A black shadow flashed through the crowd, and with a single slash, the head of the loudest protester tumbled to the ground.
"Tch, know your place, weaklings! You're prisoners now—don't you even understand something so simple?!"
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