Ultimate Antihero

Volume 4, Epilogue

Part 1

At the end of a lot of sacrifices and hardships, Tokyo life sphere narrowly repelled the invasion of the angels, but their suffering was still continuing even after the victory.

After all excepting several kilometers around the imperial palace and geofront, almost everything else in Tokyo life sphere was completely destroyed from aerial bombing and tsunami.

The removal of rubble. Reparation of assets. Construction of new city.

The thing they had to do was piling up like mountain.

But, that was surely still a better side.

What was really a disaster was the following up for the side of the life spheres who lost the command tower that was the <Five Great Leaders> and almost all the sorcery battle strength under their flag.

America, Britain, Soviet, and China, the four country that simultaneously lost their government and army fell into an unprecedented pandemonium, their public order was radically deteriorating. Also the demons who didn’t give a damn of the mankind’s convenience were attacking them as usual, so in order to cope with this situation there was a need to refill the personnel of government body and military from the remaining countries of the <United World Government>.

The Tokyo life sphere was also made to transfer a lot of magicians to the life spheres all over the world.

Not only the national defense magician, even the student magicians too.

Due to this the New Tokyo Sorcery Academy became closed indefinitely and the students were also became scattered to each of their assignment.

And of course that was also including the 101st training platoon who displayed brilliant participation at the <Reconquista> previously.

Especially because every single one of the girls were a magician that possessed preeminent strength, they weren’t moved as a platoon, but assigned to their post in individual placing.

First, Ichinotani Chikori.

In the occasion of <Reconquista>, she accomplished the spectacular feat of wounding angel twice, but that achievements increased not only her fame, but also the spirit status of her fist, resulting in a living <Artifact> that was called as <Angel Slayer>.

The strike by means of Chikori’s fist naturally possessed the strength to destroy the like of superficial sorcery like a brittle glasswork, with this new strength that Chikori obtained and her bright personality that made other people extremely fond of her, she was appointed to Beijing life sphere who had strong anti-Japan emotion. Together with the few remaining magicians there, even today she was fighting in order to protect the smile of the powerless people.

Next was Onjouji Shiori.

Together with Onjouji Kai, her father who governed Tokyo life sphere in place of Kinugasa who became appointed as the <United World Government Secretary> in Detroit life sphere, she remained in Tokyo life sphere, then with the free use of her preeminent detection ability, she was greatly contributing to the operations of the removal of the rubbles and the safeguarding of the personal property buried underneath it, as well as the land readjustment of the restructuring plan of the city.

Also she was inaugurated to the position of <Integrated Operator> of the whole national defense army, utilizing the original operator system <Oracle> the girl created, she efficiently handled the remarkably weakened soldiers of the Tokyo life sphere where many of their numbers were scattered to every part of the world.

And then, the <Grim Bullet> Hoshikawa Sumika.

As the legitimate successor of <Evil God User>, presently Sumika was busily rushing about around the world in order to defeat the demons that couldn’t be dealt with except by her.

At her side, <Liber Legis> who formally recognized the girl as her new owner was also accompanying her.

Vel set about in earnest in her determination to raise Sumika into a magician that could stand equal with Homura, day and night she trained Sumika with uninterrupted supervision, conducting what was basically a brutal education.

Since <Reconquista>, there was no doubt that she was the one who saw the worst hell.

And last, <Evil God User> Kamishiro Homura.

He lost his flesh in the decisive battle against Michael, he who became a wraith right now enlisted under the <Fairy Race> who as nature spirit was a relatively close existence to him and was half-gradually getting set up as the king of fairy race. It was unclear whether there was the secret maneuvering of Elfiena or not in that aspect.

Of course in the case when there was a materialization of threat that Sumika couldn’t dealt with, he would join her in haste as her contracted heroic spirit and repulsed the threat by borrowing Sumika’s body, everyday too he was serving the position as the intermediary pipe between human and fairy that couldn’t be said as completely opening up to each other, he didn’t have free time, but because of his body that became unable to even fight alone, compared to the time where he continued to fight at the very front line, it was surely fine to call it as spending a considerably leisure life of retirement.

Now then, starting with 101st platoon that was like that, all humans were now being worked to death in each of their role, the summer passed, the autumn fell, and the winter began to dissolve, ――the season now became the period where the land began to wake up.

At that season there was also the assistance of the <Fairy Race>, even the end of the world’s chaos and the rebuilding of Tokyo began to show good prospect to a certain degree, the magicians also began to adapt to the live in the new land where they were appointed at, peaceful time was starting to flow in the world.

It was at such a time.

With the exception of Homura, a letter reached the address of the members of 101st platoon.

That was, ......urgent, gather in the New Tokyo Sorcery Academy, was what the notification from Homura said.

Part 2

Boarded on the helicopter of <United World Government>, Sumika returned back to her homeland Tokyo after about a year.

“......Amazing. It has been reconstructed this much already.”

The townscape spreading below displayed human’s life force that didn’t even lose to the flowers that began to show their face from the land entering this spring, Sumika’s cheeks spontaneously burst out in smile.

And then after a while of sightseeing flight, the girl got down on the heliport of New Tokyo Sorcery Academy.

At that moment,

“Leader!”

“Kyah”

- DON!* an impact collided at her waist and Sumika stumbled back.

When she looked down, there was a lovely mini ponytail on her chest and,

“Long time no see―!”

A familiar smiling face that was like a sunflower.

“Chikori-san. You are full of energy as usual. ......Eh? Did you get a little taller?”

To this Chikori returned “Yep!” and spoke while hopping in place.

“It’s because I eat a lot! The food at Beijing is delicious!”

“Chikori-san’s life at your new place seem fun.”

“It’s really fun!”

(She has really taken to her new home......!)

Sumika made a relieved expression of the good health of her friend before she moved her gaze to one other person, a black haired girl slowly walking here from behind Chikori.

“Shiori-san too, you don’t change.”

To this Shiori nodded gracefully and returned the greeting.

“Leader yourself, thanks for your hard work. Recently the frequency of <Demon King class> is also increasing, it seems very hard for you.”

“I guess it’s the influence of the intensification of the demon world’s mayhem....... It’s really a bothersome story.”

Saying that, Sumika lamented.

Shiori took off her gaze from Sumika who was like that for the moment.

“......You too seem to have work hard.”

She talked with a little thorny tone at the girl in red dress who nestled close at Sumika’s side.

To that the girl in red dress, Vel lightly shrugged her shoulder.

“Sumika is unreliable so my turn comes out a lot no matter what. I wish she will be more reliable.”

Her words stabbed at Chikori and Sumika.

“I, I’m sorry....... B, but, as expected, instigating a moon beast when I was taking shower is a bit..., don’t you think so?”

“If it was Master then he would be able to beat it blue even while stark naked.”

“I’m a maiden! I’m still not married yet! Please don’t expect such active work from me!”

Shiori once again opened her mouth from looking at Sumika and Vel who messed around with each other.

With a tone without torn like before,

“......Honestly, this is unexpected. I thought that you won’t trust any human other than Homura.”

“Even thinking will change if time passed. It’s only something natural while you live. Or else is Shiori’s brain is hard like steel plate?”

On the lips of Vel who lightly replied like that, there was a small smile.

To this,

“No. I too am the same.”

Shiori was also putting a faint smile on her lips.

“I wonder if we can take some time when Homura’s business is over. Sometimes I even want to have a reminiscent talk between fellow who know about the past.”

“What a coincidence. ......I too also have that thought.”

――Since the insurrection of <Book Burning Squad>, Vel didn’t deem it acceptable for Homura to interact with other human.

She became Homura’s comrade in arms. She lived together with Homura.

But human who didn’t even do that and give hope to Homura only to make him sad as the result, the girl strongly hated that.

In contrast, Shiori was racking her brain of how Homura could live in the middle of people because she was sad of him who was walking the path as a lonely hero.

The two girls who were in love with Homura but with thinking that ran counter against each other could be said to have a relationship like dog and cat.

But, ――even that ill feeling that spanned long years would surely come untied someday now that Homura became an existence that was standing in the middle of human and demon.

And then,

“But but I wonder what kind of business is this―. Why are we all gathered in the academy?”

At that time when Chikori voiced that obvious question,

“Of course that’s because there is something I want you girls to help out with.”

The door to exit the heliport opened and the man who gathered the girls in this place showed his figure.

“Homura-san......”

“Master―!”

Chikori dashed as if to leap at Homura’s entrance, she hugged him with the momentum of body collision before she rubbed her cheek at his chest while her ponytail was flapping left and right, expressing her happiness.

To this Homura smiled with an expression that wasn’t as annoyed as one would believe.

“You are a big dog as always.”

“Wan wan?”

But, the intelligent Shiori and Sumika felt a strong doubt to this congenial reunion of the teacher and student.

“......Wait a second. Why does Chikori-san cling to Homura-san like that?”

Yes. Homura who was supposed to be a wraith that didn’t have flesh body was hugged by Chikori, such thing was questionable.

“Eh eh? Now that Leader say that, why?”

“Master, by any chance, is that......”

“It’s just as you think.”

Toward the group who was cocking their head in puzzlement, Homura showed a slight grin, he then made a praying posture with his hands in front of his chest but without the palms touching each other, ――between the palms, jet black radiance was created.

To this Sumika opened her eyes wide in disbelief.

Why was she surprised?

That was because right now Homura was producing magic power.

Homura who became a wraith and didn’t have <magic power vein> to produce magic power, was supposed to be an existence that only continued to consume the slight remaining magic power he had.

Despite so, right now he was certainly producing magic power.

The answer that phenomenon suggested was,

“You have, body......!?”

To that Homura nodded to show his affirmation.

“Human is an aggregration of 96% organic matter and 4% inorganic matter. If one have the knowledge of the structure and composition of that, it’s possible to create body. It’s a <cyborg> thing. I borrow the power of Elfiena to put that in practical use and created an artificial body for my own use. To keep living as wraith is inconvenient after all.”

But if this was did by Homura himself then something like <human body transmutation> was something easy, but for Elfiena it was a sorcery with a little high difficulty. There was the need to wait for her training, and in the end it was necessary to take nearly one year for her to manufacture a body in the quality that Homura’s soul could take hold at.

However it was worth it to teach her with perseverance.

“But fi―nally the other day, she was able to create an artificial body that can produce magic power even though it’s just at E-rank level, I’m thinking of having you guys help out with the test run then.”

“Test run means......”

“By any chance, is Master telling us to have mock battle?”

To this Homura shook his head vertically. And then,

“Yeah. You guys don’t mind right? ――Especially Sumika, you also made that promise of doing a fight after a year weren’t you?”

He threw a challenging gaze at Sumika.

“......! So you remember.”

“You said it right? My memory is really good just so you know.”

Yes. Certainly Sumika had promised Homura before.

After a year, they would have a mock battle and she would show him that she would win.

Homura was saying that right now was exactly the time of that promise.

“Now let’s stop the idle talk around here, get down your luggage quickly and come at me. This is an artificial body that can only make magic power at the level of E-rank, but even so I’m ten thousand times stronger than you guys anyway, you are gonna get hurt if you hold back or anything.”

These words of Homura made the three of them made strong fighting spirit lit up brightly inside their eyes,

“ “ “YES-!!!!” “ “

They returned powerful replies before putting down hand luggage on the ground and wore their <Magi’s Jacket>, putting in order their battle readiness.

The three understood.

Even in his current state that was only at the level of E-rank magician, he said out words about being ten thousand of times stronger.

That was a truth that wasn’t varnished with any exaggeration.

The <Evil God User> Kamishiro Homura was just a hero of that level.

For that reason, the hearts of the three pounded.

In this one year, there was this objective that they didn’t forget even for an instant.

Just how much closer they had come to that objective. Right now that question would be made clear.

And then, to this burning fighting spirit of the three,

“How about I give even a kiss if you put even just a single scratch on me. Or something.”

“<Meteor Strike>-!”

“<Cocytus>”

“<Grim Bullet>――-!!”

“Are you guys planning to erase Tokyo from the map huhh――-!?”

Homura poured out oil just now with his unnecessary brief comment and the battle that was too extreme to be called as a mock battle began.

Translator\'s Notes and References