Monster no Goshujin-sama - Volume 16 - Chapter 29

Chapter 29: The Scar Left by the Demon King

Hibiya Kouji walked while kicking the dirt roughly. His expression was grim. He seemed to be flustered, which was rare for this normally unapproachable and overbearing boy. As he continued walking quickly, a graceful young man looking up at the sky came into view.

“Nakajima...”

“Ooh, Kouji. You’re here.”

Nakajima Kojirou turned to him with an affable smile. Hibiya Kouji clicked his tongue, irritated that this man was acting the same as always.

“What’s the meaning of this?” Hibiya asked.

“Hm? What’re you talking about?”

“Quit playing dumb. What’s with things going to hell even though you were around? I heard three guys died fighting just one person.”

He was referring to Nakajima Kojirou’s confidants who’d died against Kudou Riku’s Army of Darkness. It was a small mercy that none of the survivors were badly wounded, but not all damage was physical.

“The rest of the guys lost their spirit. We can’t trust them anymore if they’re like that.”

Of the confidants, excluding the two who’d been with Hibiya Kouji, there were eight survivors. By escaping the fear of death and the Demon King’s madness, they’d all been reduced to feeling nothing but relief. Their hearts were broken. If they got some rest and calmed down, they would be able to fight again while looking outwardly fine. However, if they were once more thrown into a serious predicament, they no longer had the willpower to stand their ground.

In other words, the confidants had practically been annihilated—all against one single cheater. What’s more, Nakajima Kojirou had expended several greatswords, his combat-use ability’s trump cards. He had two remaining greatswords of light and four of darkness. By unveiling the Sword of Darkness he’d been keeping hidden, he’d doubled his stock, but this was still far too large a loss.

“You better not have held back,” Hibiya said, glaring at him.

Having supported his schemes, Hibiya Kouji knew Nakajima Kojirou’s nature very well. If Nakajima Kojirou was holding back, he had a reason to be bothered by it. Hibiya Kouji’s motive was to return to his old world. However, his circumstances were different from those of Juumonji Tatsuya, who’d wished to go back out of anxiety and fear, and Jinguuji Tomoya, who’d wanted to get all his fellow students home.

Hibiya Kouji’s mother had left his home with another man when he was still a child. Ever since, his father had raised him alone. His father was an unappealing man, but even when his son had been in his rebellious phase, he’d stayed by his side like a good parent. That same father had collapsed from sickness just two weeks before the teleportation event. Hibiya Kouji had considered quitting school to get a job, but he hadn’t had the time to convince his father or get the formalities done. It had been a huge mistake. He should’ve just quit school. By doing so, he wouldn’t have gotten sent to this ridiculous world.

Now, his father was alone on his sickbed. Hibiya Kouji regretted this every day. That was why he wasn’t going to be picky about how he got back. He would even join hands with a being who was more trouble than a devil.

“You wound me,” Nakajima Kojirou said, shrugging. “You really think I held back? Kudou was just that strong.”

“Even though he nearly kicked the bucket in the Colony?”

“People grow, Kouji. I didn’t think he’d change so dramatically, though.” Nakajima Kojirou didn’t seem to be lying. “Even if someone possessed the same ability as him, I doubt they could’ve honed it to such an extent or inflicted this much damage. He had a terrific way of life and admirable resolve.”

This man, who stood at the summit of all visitors past, present, and likely future, sang Kudou Riku’s praise. The boy who had once despaired at his own weakness had continuously clawed his way forward through the mud, driven by hatred and resentment. The strength he’d gained was undeniable.

“Wouldn’t things have gone differently if you’d just reduced the area to a wasteland?” Hibiya Kouji asked, scowling in discontent.

“I won’t deny it, but don’t be unreasonable. I would’ve blown away my allies if I did. It also would’ve exhausted me more.”

“That’d be putting your priorities backwards, huh?”

“Right?” Nakajima Kojirou shrugged. “Well, to tell the truth...it would’ve been different had you been here, Kouji.”

Among Nakajima Kojirou’s shadowy confidants, the Absolute Blade was on a different level. Due to his specialization in close-quarters combat, he was at a disadvantage against the Sword of Light, who boasted of being the strongest even at long range, the Sturm und Drang, who was like a magic artillery battery of grade 5 magic, and the Almighty Vessel, who could imitate the latter. About the only other person who could take him head-on was the Skanda.

What’s more, those long-distance specialists had already been taken care of. The Sturm und Drang Yuzukisono Rui had gone missing after leaving the exploration team. The Almighty Vessel Okazaki Takuma had been slaughtered inside that labyrinth. Both had died at Hibiya Kouji’s hands. He had something he had to accomplish, so he fought to achieve it. He absolutely couldn’t afford to die, so he coldly chose the most reliable methods. In other words, he’d killed them before they’d seen him as an enemy.

It had been particularly convenient that Okazaki Takuma’s corpse had coincidentally been considered the Dragon Jinguuji Tomoya’s victim. In truth, Jinguuji Tomoya, whose goal was to get every visitor back home, would never have killed Okazaki Takuma.

About the only threat to Hibiya Kouji now was the Sword of Light Nakajima Kojirou, but he was essential to getting back to his own world, so even the thought of antagonizing him was meaningless. At this point, Hibiya Kouji’s power was prominent even among all the visitors. He stood far enough apart that it was like comparing people with and without powers.

The reason he hadn’t participated in Nakajima Kojirou’s battle against Kudou Riku was that he’d been forced to fight the Army of Darkness on his own beforehand and had suffered serious wounds. What’s more, even though he could’ve gone to check once he’d recovered, he’d taken an unexpected amount of time finishing Berta.

So, everyone had no choice but to acknowledge it. True, Kudou Riku hadn’t fulfilled his revenge when faced with the mastermind behind everything. However, he’d dealt a serious blow to Nakajima Kojirou’s camp all on his own.

“What’s the plan?” Hibiya Kouji asked, reining in his emotions.

Nakajima Kojirou smiled back at him. “Nothing at all.”

“Again with this crap...”

“There’s no need to glare like that,” Nakajima Kojirou said, his composure unyielding. “Let me ask you this instead. Is there a problem? I’m here, safe and sound. So, there’s nothing wrong.”

“You...have a point there.”

The Sword of Light was pivotal to his goal. So long as this Conduit was around, nothing else mattered. The others were practically only here to reduce Nakajima Kojirou’s fatigue. Even if a lot more damage had been done than expected, it didn’t ultimately matter.

“Besides, we’ve added to our forces too,” Nakajima Kojirou said, shifting his gaze away from the silent Hibiya Kouji.

“Leader...”

He was now looking at the Multiplex Kubota Yousuke, who’d gotten separated from them during the battle in the fabricated world and had brought the other members of the pursuit force here.

“I’m here to ask if what you said is true,” Kubota said, seemingly tormenting himself over something. This was because of what he’d been informed of earlier. “Is it true we’re being used as convenient cogs for this world?”

“Yeah, that’s right,” Nakajima Kojirou answered, nodding while maintaining the appearance of their reliable leader. “If not for us, this world’s existence can’t be maintained. It’s a pitfall of a world where wishes come true. That’s why we were abducted from our world.”

Kubota Yousuke had been informed of the truth of this world. However, a portion of that truth had been altered.

“Yousuke. We’re victims who were abducted from our familiar everyday lives,” Nakajima Kojirou continued. “The people of this world tricked us. In a sense, they’re the perpetrators. Is there any reason for us to show such people any consideration?”

“There...isn’t.”

“Naturally, the majority of humanity is unaware of this. Perhaps it’s unfair to blame them. Still, we can’t say they’re completely free of responsibility. Am I wrong?”

“You aren’t.”

“We have a right to go back to our world. Or do you not want to go back, Yousuke?”

“No. I wanna go back too. Of course I do.”

“There’s a way. By using the Dimensional Cornerstones, by changing the way of this world, we can go back. The world will be affected a little by the change, but unlike with Jinguuji, who was trying to destroy the Dimensional Cornerstones, it won’t be a fatal one. A slight effect is just reaping what they sowed. We’re just making them take responsibility.”

“Yeah... Everything is as you say.”

A lie woven into a truth had that much more persuasive power. Above all else, it was coming from someone in whom Kubota Yousuke had invested a great deal of trust. This verged on brainwashing. Nakajima Kojirou had laid the groundwork for this exact situation.

“I’m obviously gonna follow you.”

With that, Kubota Yousuke turned on his heel. He decided to see this world as his enemy. It wasn’t just him either. The exploration team members, the ones who’d stuck together all the way to the imperial capital, all idolized Nakajima Kojirou. He’d handpicked from that group to form the pursuit force. It wouldn’t take long to convince the large majority of them.

They had more than enough strength gathered. To those opposing them, this was a hopeless situation. However, Majima Takahiro was sure to persist. He would gather as many allies as possible and stand against the threat to this world. To protect what was dear to him, he would never shrink back no matter what difficulties faced him. Nakajima Kojirou believed this with absolute certainty. He believed it from the bottom of his heart. So, the man behind everything let out a feverish sigh as he thought of the decisive battle to come.

“Aaah, this is gonna be fun.”