Chapter 32 [Unrest and Aspiration]

第32話　不穏と希望

TL : Cnine

ED/PF : MystiKnight

Part 1

「We did it, right, Major Irogane！ 」

「Yeah, that’s right」

Ayako replied with a smiling face to the delighted operator, but that was only because she didn’t want to ruin his excitement.

Seemingly unaffected by the other operators, she slowly approached Kyoko, her best friend.

「The image from before, isolate it from the sharing database and delete it. The time for the official announcement will be decided after careful consultation with the upper echelon」

「Yes」

Using her PC, Kyoko saved the video from the smart media then erased it from the database in a way that went unnoticed by the merry staff member.

Although the boy threw his headset on the ground, it was incredibly good fortune that the battle was recorded.

Naming that form with 20 faces an 『《IcosaHedron》』 type later on, it was the only recording of the new foe that they had.

「Let’s forbid even the person himself from speaking. Though he might be not a loose-lipped person, it might cause a panic if anything leaked out to the other students」

Sorachi Souji alone alone managed to crush the army of more than 30 CE, morover in his first campaign battle.

Though he was left in Tendouji Ayato’s shadow, his battle prowess was an order of magnitude greater.

To the point that he could create the Converging Phantom Material Fist which closely resembled a certain genius girl.

The new type of CE was cornered and driven the verge of death by him.

Even if it was the 3rd and 2nd years who were used to battle―― No, while they certainly have experience in combat, they certainly wouldn’t be able to cope with the appearance of a new enemy that might cause casualties and the resulting changes in battle.

It might cause large-scale panic if any information was disclosed.

「But, we won’t be able to keep it quiet for long, you know?」

「I know that」

Ayako also nodded solemnly to Kyoko’s voice which became heavy naturally.

Because of how strong the enemy was, it’s possible that a victim might really appear if a countermeasure wasn’t made by sharing the information as fast as possible.

There was no guarantee that the CE that were marching from the Karuizawa district after this weren’t entirely made of the 20-faces type.

But if they carelessly reveal it to the world, there may be even more victims.

「Despite being small, there was the appearance of the new pillar, and even a new type of CE. A fool would panic and release their nukes right away」

「…」

Such a thing is impossible – Kyoko decided to remain quiet, knowing that some things simply had to remain unsaid.

America, China, and Russia had already fired nuclear warheads on their own countries, and had all sent proposals of absolute secrecy to the Japanese government.

For the sake of ending the sorrow of your own country, by all means, please let us present to you our nuclear weapons.

In exchange, they want to have all information on Phantom Weapons, and so they said.

In the face of fake kindness, the thing which was built by Ayako and company using blood, sweat and tears was shamelessly robbed by those completely uninvolved in it.

Part 2

「The dog of the opposition is wagging their tail at those three countries, and is starting to kick up a fuss about using the nukes. It’s currently just a national sentiment within the government but one mistake and hell will unfold」

The lower house election of the previous era didn’t have the leeway to wait and watch the situation develop after the previous cases of ＣＥ attacks.

But, the repulsion of CE is going steady right now, so they have some room to work with.

For this election, they surely will have regained their national right and won’t allow a dictatorship―― Their shrieking voices were becoming louder each day.

And when the election happens, if a change in regime occurs, the situation might turn in the direction which Ayako feared.

「Those stinking dogs, it seems they think they will can escape to a foreign country if the nuclear strike fails… Such idiots！ Did they think that they can escape in this kind of earth?」

In Japan, a gigantic pillar appeared in the center of the city in Nagano prefecture, resulting in almost 2 million people either dead or losing consciousness.

But, they’re in heaven compared to other countries.

First are the countries who fired nuclear weapons at their own selves, amongst the three, America was ruined by severe radioactive contamination.

Since there was no other way to avoid total annihilation, they made that bitter decision, without even concerning themselves with the feelings of their citizens.

The government are murderers, return our health and land and so on. Their protests were still ongoing even now, and a coup d’etat from inside is fairly likely.

But, even those three countries could be considered to be fine.

The worst situations were in areas already embroiled in war, Africa, the Middle East, and South America.

With the CE appearing, humanity won’t survive if they don’t fight as one. So what did they think in those three countries?

The answer is simple 『Let’s use this chance to invade our neighbouring countries』.

With major powers like Russia and America in ruins, their hatred and dissatisfaction with being oppressed up until now blew up.

If a country exhausted itself dealing with a pillar, then the surrounding countries devouring the remnants like ant swarming dropped candy.

For the country who were ruthless to begin with, they’ll go as far as to bomb citizens in the name of “CE subjugation”.

Due to various reasons like race, religion, wealth and other things, death was not delivered by cold and inorganic crystals, but by the hand of the same humans as them.

Of course, not every country acted so foolishly.

Some countries fought desperately against the CE by joining hands with their neighbours.

However, the downfall of these countries was due to the troublesome act of pity that was accepting refugees.

Large populations of humans were raided by CE who pointed their guns towards humanity, so those who could fled towards these peaceful countries.

But, in a situation where they didn’t even know if they could save their own countrymen, they couldn’t do such a thing as accepting refugees.

The national military and the people who frantically tried to send them away, and the refugees who formed angry mobs clashed, both sides shedding blood for their cause.

The number of humans killed by the CE, and the number of humans killed by other humans… It was hard to tell which figure was higher.

Compared to this hell, Japan was incredibly lucky to be surrounded by ocean on all sides, too difficult for refugees to come too, and had only one Pillar to fear.

「For example, even if they escaped to Hawaii, all they could do was wait for the end」

Currently, CE raids never crossed the ocean.

Because of this, there were some small islands which did not have any pillars. Places like these became paradises, as if living in another world, going completely untouched in the last six years.

The wealthy elites from all over the world escaped to those kind of islands, and led a peaceful life without any connection to the human wars or CE.

Part 3

But, that was nothing but a slow suicide.

At this rate, all continents around the world will be controlled by the CE and 99.99% of humanity will be lost.

The supplies from the continents will stop. On those small islands civilization will be lost, and they’ll spend the rest of their lives fishing like in ancient times.

But, even if they feel that it’ll be a nice life if they live that way, what happened today showed that was impossible.

The pillar whose numbers didn’t change for more than six years is suddenly multiplying, and the CE who only had one type without personality is bringing forth new forms.

The pillars will increase in number from now on, and the CE will evolve, maybe even adapting to aerial and oceanic environments.

That time for sure, the species called humanity will definitely end.

「In the end, the enemy of humanity is humans. Incompetent allies are more frightening than capable enemies… That really annoys me！」

Ayato bit down on her lips in anger.

「Just to save those guys, I’d rather let them be destroyed once and for all by the CE rather than sacrificing those children」

「…」

To the feelings that she fully understood, Kyoko didn’t say a thing, and just clasped her hand around Ayako’s as if to restraint her.

The number of people who were killed by the CE kept increasing everywhere around the world.

Some said that「The CE are the messengers of God who will carry our souls to Heaven」.

The attacks of CE could leave people in a comatose and senseless state, as if carrying away just the soul and leaving absolutely no injury on the body, so it couldn’t be helped that they’d put it that way.

Losing to their fear, too tired to escape, running away from reality, those believers offered their bodies to the CE.

It was like the apocalypse, coming 30 years late for the end of an era.

The number of those joining these suicide cults and offering themselves to the CE was increasing, albeit slowly, in Japan.

「I understand your feelings, Kyoko」

As if to tell herself too, Ayako declared her understanding with a small voice.

「Those children who tried to protect this country, I’ll protect them no matter what. Until my very last breath」

「That’s a death flag, you know？」

When Kyoko teased her, even the wrinkles that reached her forehead vanished as she laughed.

「Yosh, I’ll decide how I die after marrying a pretty boy and having 5 kids」

「Senpai, so you couldn’t give up on that rotten dream yet？」

「…There’s one promising child, in the first year」

[TL : ……………..]

「Understood, I’ll make sure to tell that to the 3rd class inspector Oogawara so that senpai is banned from approaching class D」

At that time, whether Ikaruga Itsuki is sneezed or not was unclear.

「Kyoko, though you’re trying to pry into other people’s affair, aren’t you after one of the students too？」

「…What does that mean I wonder?」

「Don’t play dumb, did you think I didn’t notice your favouritism toward that spear user？」

Part 4

Kyoko continued to smile calmly to the bitter end to hide the shaking in her heart after Ayako hit the bullseye.

「He’s so excellent that I want to keep looking at him」

「That’s a NO. But, it’s really unusual for the calm and collected reseacher Kyoko-sensei to be impatient when left alone, you know？ 」

Ayako revealed a devilish smile as she slowly cornered Kyoko.

Kyoko realised the situation was turning against her, and although she knew it was unfair, mentioned a certain person’s name.

「That’s just me acting impatient. Since he is completely similar to Setsuna」

「…That is so」

The first user of Phantom Weapons, the sword saint, the patriotic hero who saved the country, Tendouji Setsuna.

Her death continued to bind the souls of Kyoko and company even after five years.

「Working out the Convergence Phantom Material Fist by himself, crushing more than 30 CE by himself in his first campaign. He really is the second coming of Setsuna」

Sorachi Souji is truly comparable to Tendouji Setsuna, be it his ability or military gains.

Even so, he can’t become a hero.

「But, we have Tendouji Ayato. We only need one person to become the ray of hope who gathers the dreams of humanity」

For example, if they go so far as to making Souji the『Hero』, the dreams of humanity will be split between the two, causing the power to also be reduced to half.

In that case, like the destruction of Nagano Pillar, their dearest wish won’t be achieved.

「I don’t care about personal favour. But, if he’s making light of the heroism of Tendouji Ayato, I’ll deliver judgement even if he must 『drop out of school』」

「I understand, you know」

Kyoko also nodding back after recieving a severe warning to not mistake her goal.

She’s not so foolish a woman as to choose one boy over the 110 million citizens of Japan.

Moreover, she thinks.

「He can’t become a fake hero, because it seems he just wants to know how far he can get with his own power」

「Yeah」

How will Sorachi Souji tread on the path that was unable to be treaded by Tendouji Setsuna?

The authors of the future didn’t write it down, the tale of the spear user which was buried in the annal of history is starting from now on.