Chapter 92: Destruction Under the Radiance of Stars
"So you've come after all, young man."
Guided by the butler, Mahiro arrived at the secluded garden deep within the Tendo residence, where Kikunojou sat serenely behind an open sliding door, eyes closed in meditation.
Though an elderly man with silver hair, he was the very picture of vigor in old age.
His nearly six-foot frame knelt rigidly straight on the tatami, his robust physique barely concealed beneath his loose kimono, exuding the commanding presence of a man of authority.
Yet upon entering the room, it became clear—he had anticipated Mahiro's arrival.
A cup of tea sat on the tatami before him, steam still curling from its surface, freshly poured.
"Sit."
At Kikunojou's invitation, Mahiro took his seat.
However, when Kikunojou opened his eyes and looked at him, his brow furrowed slightly in displeasure.
"Not a shred of proper posture. Did no one in your family teach you manners?"
"Hah, not really. But I figure there's no need for that when facing a dead man."
"Especially not for some imported dregs of tradition. Only a fossil like you would cling to them like treasure." Mahiro smirked, unbothered.
"..."
Kikunojou remained silent.
But the sharpness in his piercing gaze never wavered.
He took a sip from his teacup before speaking.
"This must be the first time we've sat face to face, no?"
Kikunojou murmured, as if to himself. "Impressive. A talented young man—far superior to Rentaro. Her Excellency Seitenshi often speaks of you, calling you the hope of Tokyo Area."
"I suppose the changes in Her Excellency these past months are also your doing. Am I correct?"
Mahiro didn't deny it.
"It's me, indeed. But it was also Seitenshi herself who wanted change. Being held hostage by an old relic like you for so long, treated like a vase on display, must have been unbearable for her."
"Ah..."
Kikunojo sighed softly and shook his head. "This old man merely wished to guide her, to lead the people down the proper path."
That much was true—his loyalty to Seitenshi was beyond question.
However—
"Your so-called 'proper path' has no place for those children."
"Of course not."
Kikunojo suddenly raised his head, his tiger-like eyes burning with fury and hatred.
"They are nothing but monsters who could turn into Gastrea at any moment. Why should I spare a place for the creatures that killed my wife?!"
Indeed, vengeance was a Tendo family tradition.
Kisara sought revenge for her parents, severing ties with the Tendo family and becoming a vengeful spirit.
As for Kikunojou, he directed his hatred toward the children, clinging to a grudge from a decade ago like a lingering ghost.
But the real question was—
"If you truly despise those children, why not eradicate them completely? Why not drive them out of Tokyo entirely? Instead, you keep them in the Outer Districts, near the Monoliths."
"At the end of the day, your wife's death is just an excuse."
"Your real goal is to use those children as tools—keeping them in the Outer Districts so they can act as a natural barrier when the Gastrea invade."
"..."
Kikunojou remained silent, tacitly admitting the truth.
But his gaze remained fixed on Mahiro, as if trying to see through him.
"Did I hit the mark? Now you want to kill me with a look?"
"You are sharp."
Kikunojou averted his eyes, answering obliquely. "You're right. I do have such intentions. But what of it?"
"Before they are Gastrea, they are citizens of Tokyo. They have a duty to protect this nation."
What a hypocrite.
When useful, they're citizens. When not, they're monsters. The mental gymnastics were almost impressive.
So impressive that Mahiro couldn't help but laugh.
"And what about Kisara's parents? They say 'even a vicious tiger doesn't eat its own cubs,' yet you were ruthless enough to orchestrate their deaths through Kisara's siblings, weren't you?"
Faced with Mahiro's accusation, Kikunojou slowly closed his eyes.
"It was the only mistake I ever made. But it was also the only way to save the Tendo family."
His voice carried both nostalgia and regret.
At the time, Kisara's parents had held evidence of corruption that could have destroyed the entire Tendo family. And the family was on the rise—there was no room for error.
So, he arranged for them to be killed by Gastrea—his own son and daughter-in-law.
But the plan spiraled out of control. Kisara's kidneys failed. Rentaro lost half his body.
And even...
"Your wife died around that time too, didn't she?"
Mahiro picked up the teacup, twirling it idly as he spoke in a low voice, "So in the end, this is all the karma you've sown yourself. What right do you have to resent it? Everything is merely retribution."
"Oh, and by the way, poisoning the tea was a decent idea—provided you knew exactly who you were dealing with."
Mahiro slowly lifted his eyelids, a faint glimmer flashing through his pitch-black pupils.
The moment he picked up the cup, he had already analyzed its contents. The toxin within was potent enough to kill an elephant!
"Just who do you think you're facing? Did you really believe I'd fall for such a cheap trick as poison?!"
Hearing this, Kikunojo's eyes sharpened. In an instant, he drew a wakizashi from his robe.
Murderous intent erupted!
"Tendo-style Iaijutsu, First Form, Sixth Variation—"
Shing—
The blade left its sheath in a flash of white light.
"Eternal Mida Blade!"
Clang—
"What?!"
For the first time, shock flickered in Kikunojo's steady gaze.
Mahiro had somehow produced a small black dagger, holding it in a reverse grip and pointing it downward, perfectly blocking his iaijutsu strike.
A faint smirk curled at Mahiro's lips as he whispered:
"Your turn is over. Now it's mine."
"Gram Dispersion"—activate!
"Ugh...!"
As the words left his mouth, Kikunojo let out a pained groan.
Just like with Hiruko Kagetane back then, Kikunojo felt as though flames had ignited inside him. His entire body was gradually dissolving, breaking apart.
"Seitenshi... Kisara... and the fate of Tokyo Area... I leave them to you, Yotsuba Mahiro."
These were Kikunojo's final words as he faded away.
"How hypocritical, Tendo Kikunojou. Even at the end, you still play the role of a selfless saint serving the people? Disgusting. Go to hell alongside the rest of Tokyo's trash."
Mahiro's revulsion was laid bare without restraint.
Whether Kikunojou heard those words in his final moments—or what he might have felt if he did—remained unknown.
The only certainty was that the old man crumbled into ashes before him, vanishing completely.
After dealing with Kikunojou, he returned to the room where Kisara and the others had been.
But the moment he approached, a shrill scream pierced the air.
The secretary Kazumitsu had brought earlier—Shina Kazumi—was now fleeing the room in utter disarray.
She stumbled down the wooden hallway, shrieking incoherently, scrambling on all fours even when she fell, as if her mind had snapped.
Her body was drenched in blood.
As though she had crawled out of a pool of gore, she left a long trail of crimson on the wooden floor, pieces of unidentifiable flesh still clinging to her.
Mahiro stepped over the woman and reached the doorway, where an overwhelming stench of blood assaulted him.
The entire room looked as though it had been bathed anew in blood, then redecorated in hellish fashion.
The tatami beneath his feet was shattered beyond recognition, reduced to splinters scattered everywhere.
Chunks of flesh and entrails—whose, it was impossible to tell—littered the space. Thick blood dripped slowly from the ceiling.
At his feet lay half a face resting quietly.
A solitary artificial eye still spun in its socket, not yet completely deactivated.
There was no need to guess—this was a fragment of the hero once known as Satomi Rentaro.
Yet he had no interest in collecting it. Instead, he raised his head and scanned the spacious room, finding that the only figure still standing—or even resembling a human—was Tendo Kisara.
Her clothes were torn, revealing pale skin, and a fist mark remained imprinted on her exposed abdomen, slowly healing under her formidable regenerative abilities.
It was the sole mark Rentaro had left on her fragile body.
But Kisara paid it no mind. Clutching her stomach with both hands, she threw her head back and laughed uncontrollably, as if she could no longer contain herself.
"HAHAHAHAHA!"
"Hey, Mom and Dad, did you see? I've defeated your enemies. I've finally succeeded!"
Her delicate face, now stained with crimson, took on a bewitching allure.
Standing atop the shattered remains of a corpse—what was once known as Tendo Kiyotoshi—she whispered with a sickly sweetness, "Ah, my dear Kiyotoshi-nee, didn't you love calling me 'the whore's daughter' in private? Why can't you say it now?"
Every single person who had died here was Kisara's blood relative—half-siblings sharing the same father.
Yet, none of these brothers had ever seen Kisara as their sister. Because her mother was a commoner, they had always treated her as a servant.
But what they didn't know was that the woman they despised the most was the one who had changed their father.
"Ah, Mahiro-kun!!!"
The moment Kisara spotted Mahiro standing at the entrance, she immediately dropped the longsword in her hand and rushed toward him like a fledgling bird returning to its nest, throwing her arms around his neck.
And then, gently, she pressed her lips to his.
A metallic tang mixed with the sweet fragrance of a young girl spread through his mouth.
Mahiro didn't refuse. Instead, he wrapped his arms around Kisara's slender waist, pulling her close as he savored the kiss from this beautiful sword-wielding demon.
After a long moment, their lips parted.
"Nee, Mahiro-kun, did you see? I finally avenged Mom and Dad! Isn't it amazing?"
"Yeah, yeah, it was spectacular. Congratulations, President."
Mahiro didn't mind the blood staining her at all, gently patting her back.
Her unbelievably beautiful face was right before him, her sweet scent teasing his senses. A feverish blush spread across Kisara's cheeks as she smiled, radiating pure joy from the depths of her heart.
But as the madness faded, Kisara finally realized just how bold she had been.
Squirming in his arms, she tried to escape.
"No, wait, Mahiro-kun... where are you touching—"
"I won't wait."
With a slight tightening of his arms, Mahiro made sure she couldn't escape, sealing her lips once more as she flushed with embarrassment.
The shrill cries of summer cicadas echoed around them.
Kisara's initial resistance and tension gradually melted away, her arms instinctively wrapping around his neck again as she closed her eyes, as if intoxicated.
She had completely surrendered to this overwhelming emotion.
Kisara's breathing grew ragged and uneven as their steps faltered, until they finally tumbled onto the corridor floor.
Her silky black hair fanned out beneath her like spilled ink.
Their eyes met—Kisara's dark, pearl-like pupils now glistening with a misty, dreamlike haze.
"...Hey, Mahiro-kun, I've taken my revenge. So now... won't you give me a new purpose?"
"...."
"Mmm...!"
Kisara bit her lip lightly, her brows furrowing slightly in discomfort as her quiet breaths escaped through her nose.
Only after a long while did she finally relax, though her lips remained bitten—but what she had to endure was no longer pain.
"....."
"...□"
...
.....
....
The mark of the Demon King was deeply branded upon the girl's body.
At the same time, the asura-like maiden who had endured purgatory offered everything she had to him.
Dusk had fallen.
Kisara trembled slightly as she changed into fresh clothes, her slender yet perfectly proportioned legs now clad in lightweight, comfortable black pantyhose instead of the knee-high socks she had worn before. With Mahiro's support, she stood up unsteadily, her steps faltering.
It seemed their intense passion had taken a considerable toll on her.
Yet when their eyes met, Kisara couldn't help but shyly avert her gaze.
"Let's go."
"Mmm..."
Kisara nodded obediently and followed by his side as they left the Tendo residence.
However, the moment they stepped out of the main gate of the Tendo estate, Mahiro suddenly stopped in his tracks.
"It's already started... A bit earlier than expected."
"What's started earlier?"
Kisara didn't understand what he meant, but seeing him gazing into the distance, she turned her head to follow his line of sight.
The next second, a jolt of shock surged from her toes to the top of her head, sending chills down her spine.
In the distance, the whitened Monolith had already begun to collapse.
At first, a corner of the rectangular structure crumbled, triggering a chain reaction of destruction. The massive, cracked body of the Monolith let out a mournful groan, as if it could no longer endure the erosion, before finally collapsing in a domino effect, as though pushed by some unseen force.
Naturally, they couldn't hear the sound of the collapse from their position, but the screams of terror echoing through the streets and the faint tremors beneath their feet reached them clearly.
It was like an earthquake.
Then, an immense cloud of dust, vast enough to blot out the sky, began to rise.
"The Third Kanto Battle has begun."
"...Why so much earlier?"
"Who knows?" Mahiro shrugged. "Maybe the forecasters didn't account for the weather—strong winds, for example. The Monolith was already eroded to the point of fragility. A little push was all it took to make it collapse ahead of schedule."
"But... it's not our problem anymore."
"Mmm."
Kisara simply nodded, offering no further words. None were needed.
Soon after, Kisara boarded his Aston Martin, and with the roar of the engine, they sped straight toward Arcadia.
However, the moment they passed through Arcadia's gates, he noticed Kanae waiting for him with a group of children.
Tina and her sisters, Asaka, Enju, Hiuchii Akari, even little Hinako—all of them were present, fully armed.
As he stepped out of the car, Kanae approached him with an expressionless face.
"...Mahiro-nii, the Monolith collapsed half an hour ago."
"Yeah, I know."
"Then... what should we do?"
Kanae's question represented the concerns of all the children in Arcadia.
"Nothing. Just carry on as usual. Didn't Miori bring enough supplies to last Arcadia three or four years?"
"Mmm, that's correct. Given Arcadia's current population, the supplies will last three years, nine months, and twenty-three days."
As always, Kanae reported the precise figures, but she couldn't hide her worry.
"But... what about the Gastrea?"
The Monolith had collapsed. According to her calculations, the Self-Defense Forces and the Civil Security Corps stood no chance against the Gastrea army's assault. It was estimated they would be completely defeated within a matter of days.
Moreover, their numbers might surge from the initial two thousand to tens of thousands.
Even with Arcadia's high walls as a barrier, how long could they possibly hold out?
"Don't worry, I'll handle everything."
Mahiro gently patted her head, reassuring the young leader who commanded Arcadia.
And with things having reached this point, Kanae naturally had nothing more to say. She would simply follow Mahiro's orders.
But then, she spoke up again:
"There's one more thing—Seitenshi-sama has awakened."
"Oh? I didn't expect her to wake up at such a timely moment."
He had originally thought she wouldn't wake until after the Tokyo Area was completely destroyed, yet here she was, already conscious.
Inside the room.
Seitenshi, who had long since awakened, sat by the bed, allowing the fading sunlight streaming through the window to bathe her figure. Her snow-white cheeks were etched with sorrow, her eyes shimmering with grief—like a saint at dusk.
Yet this saint's heart was already filled with disappointment.
Especially when she recalled the events that had unfolded before.
Knock, knock—
"Please come in, Mahiro-kun."
Mahiro pushed open the door, looking at Seitenshi with some surprise.
"How did you know it was me? Did you awaken some supernatural ability after sleeping?"
"...Of course not. I just guessed."
As he entered, Seitenshi forced a faint smile, though it looked rather pitiful.
"How was your rest?"
"Very well. It feels... like it's been a long time since I've been able to relax like this."
Seitenshi murmured as she gazed out the window, her words tinged with melancholy.
"Say, Mahiro-kun... is Kikunojou-san... already dead?"
"Hm? How did you know? Did Kanae tell you?"
He was momentarily taken aback by her sudden question.
Only Kanae should have known about his movements—even Asaka and Tina were unaware. But Kanae wasn't the type to reveal his secrets to others.
"...No."
Seitenshi shook her head lightly, her jade-like hands clutching at her chest as she explained, "I just... had this feeling."
Because the oppressive weight of that shackle in her heart had vanished—a sensation that had always been there, no matter the time or place...
So, she had made this bold assumption.
But now, upon confirming Kikunojou's death, she found herself unable to feel any joy.
Instead, her heart grew even heavier.
So heavy that she instinctively lowered her head, shoulders trembling as soft sobs escaped her lips.
Glistening tears trailed down her cheeks, dripping onto the back of her hand before shattering like crystal.
"Don't cry."
Mahiro gently patted the girl's back, only for Seitenshi to suddenly lurch forward—burying herself in his embrace.
Her shoulders shook even more violently, her muffled cries growing louder.
Tears welling in her eyes, she clenched his coat tightly in frustration.
"...Mahiro-kun, as a head of state, am I particularly incompetent?"
"During those months without contact with you, I would place my hand on the Bible every night, searching my soul for what I should do."
"But no matter how hard I tried, even when I made changes, regardless of how viciously they slandered me—I didn't care. I truly wanted to make the Tokyo Area better, yet in the end, I was nothing more than its ornament."
Seitenshi's words were steeped in profound despair.
"Everyone says that as long as Mr. Kikunojou is here... someone like me isn't needed at all...!"
"It's truly painful. I only wanted to live by believing in the kindness of people, but everyone is swept up in the tide of hatred. Mahiro-kun... what should I do?"
By the end, Seitenshi was sobbing, tears gradually soaking his clothes.
Mahiro continued to gently pat her back, leaning close to whisper in her ear:
"If they don't need you, then why not just leave them?"
"..."
Seitenshi raised her head, her reddened eyes meeting his.
"You think you've failed, but I've never seen it that way. Others might dismiss you as just a figurehead, but to me, at the very least, you did something right and meaningful in the end."
Defying all opposition, she had forcefully pushed through the Gastrea Act to grant children their human rights.
Though it might have been too little, too late, it was still a testament to Seitenshi's determination to change everything.
"Besides, I once told you—you were simply born at the wrong time. Your methods are too gentle, Seitenshi. They aren't suited for an apocalyptic era that demands strict governance."
"Then what should I do...?"
"I've already said it—leave them. These people don't need you. I need you."
"Ah..."
A small gasp escaped Seitenshi's lips as a faint blush gradually spread across her cheeks.
"...Mahiro-kun, can I take this as a confession?"
"Of course you can." Mahiro smiled slightly. "But beyond that, it's also my genuine belief. I think you're an excellent leader. So, if you're willing... would you come to Arcadia and help me? Help me govern this place, stand alongside those children, and build a new nation."
"I..."
Seitenshi's voice caught in her throat. As she looked into Mahiro's sincere smile, warmth flooded her heart.
Even now, she never imagined someone would still be willing to believe in her.
That trust was like a ray of dawn breaking through the night, piercing straight into her soul.
Like an ordinary girl, she buried her flushed face against his chest and muttered in a muffled voice:
"...Mahiro-san, you're really despicable."
"Mhm, I admit it. So, Seitenshi-sama... will you join Arcadia? Will you help someone as despicable as me govern this land and watch over these children as they grow?"
"...Yes, I'll do it."
Mahiro wasn't the least bit surprised by her answer.
After all, when a person's heart shatters and reforms, it's at its most fragile.
And Seitenshi just so happened to be in that exact state—despised by the citizens of Tokyo Area, long manipulated by Kikunojou, and subjected to countless overt and covert threats.
All of it had long since suffocated her.
Nightfall.
The children of Arcadia had already fallen into a peaceful slumber.
Mahiro stood atop the city walls, gazing into the distance at Tokyo Area and the war-torn 40th District.
Just as he had predicted, the Ground Self-Defense Force was steadily retreating under the Gastrea's onslaught, and the backlash had even begun to consume the Promoter-Initiator auxiliary forces.
Countless wounded Promoters fled in disarray, unable to form any semblance of a cohesive defense.
Soon, the Gastrea had already begun spilling into Tokyo Area. Even from this distance, the night breeze seemed to carry the distant, anguished screams to their ears.
Atop the walls, aside from himself, Tina, Kayo, and Asaka were also present.
Even Seitenshi was there.
Originally, he didn't want Seitenshi to come, but she insisted, saying she wanted to witness the disappearance of the Tokyo Area one last time.
"Then I'll begin."
"Mm."
Seitenshi nodded heavily.
Though her delicate hands, clad in white silk, clenched tightly together and rested against her abdomen, her gaze had already turned resolute.
It was time to say goodbye.
She had completely given up on the Tokyo Area.
"Multiple Observation" — Activate.
"Spirit Eyes" — Activate.
"Material Conversion: Mercury Antimony Oxide" — Activate.
"Red Mercury Nuclear Detonation" — Commence!
At the heart of the Tokyo Area, now plunged into darkness, within the depths of the pure-white palace—the Holy Residence—
A cubic decimeter of red mercury suddenly materialized out of thin air in Seitenshi's room.
Then, it transformed into a sphere, igniting inexplicably and radiating a blinding light like the sun.
The escaping energy, growing alongside the flames, rapidly devoured everything in its path.
The nuclear fusion of the red mercury instantly unleashed temperatures of tens of millions of degrees, melting and vaporizing metal, annihilating all existence!
In mere moments, the entire Tokyo Area was engulfed in a sea of fire. Whether it was the people hiding in shelters or the Gastrea rampaging on the surface, all perished under the extreme heat.
The scorching blast spread like a plague across the land!
Just as the shockwave was about to reach the Outer Districts, the ground suddenly trembled violently.
The vast District 39 vanished from the Tokyo Area in an instant.
The Tokyo Area's extinction was only the beginning.
Next, the Sendai Area, the Osaka Area, and the Hakata Area disappeared one after another under the destructive forces.
However, during this process, he discovered something interesting—one of the Zodiacs, Libra, known as the "King of Pestilence," had appeared!
After tracing its origin, he understood.
It had been drawn here by Scorpio.
Having sensed Scorpio's demise, Libra, as its elder sister, had appeared within Japan to exact vengeance upon humanity.
Since it had come, he naturally dealt with it the same way, launching an attack on Libra.
"Cocytus" — Activate!
Strategic-Class Magic "Glacial Age Age" — Activate!
"Fourth Phase Transition" — Activate!
And so, he transformed the Zodiac Gastrea back into humans once more, subduing them one by one.
Just as he had suspected, Libra indeed had short pink hair, just like Ram.
He couldn't help but feel a bit speechless.
After Japan's destruction, it was the turn of other nations.
First, Russia was plunged into an eternal frozen wasteland, permanently sealed under the absolute zero of "Glacial Age."
Then came Asia and Europe.
Over the course of nearly a year, while annihilating human settlements, he also gathered the Cursed Children—400,000 in total—all stored within his ring.
It was almost laughable.
Despite the world's remaining population of over a hundred million, these children had been hunted down to fewer than a million.
It was truly heartbreaking.
"Enough. Let all sin be erased beneath the radiance of the stars."
Mahiro, hovering in the stratosphere, cast a cold gaze upon the earth below.
At the same time, he raised "Nightmare" toward the sky and pulled the trigger.
"Meteorite Fall" — Activate!
Under his indifferent and merciless gaze, countless meteorites were pulled from Earth's outer orbit, descending like a meteor shower, akin to a torrential downpour.
Under the violent impacts, mountains crumbled and seas boiled.
The surface was completely engulfed in a sea of flames, leaving no trace of life behind.
PS: Black Bullet arc complete!
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