kscans

Chapter 248 - Interlude: Beyond the Pandemonium Parade

Interlude: Beyond the Pandemonium Parade

No POV

Somewhere in Tokyo. A convoy of trucks made its way to a location far from any human settlement.

SDF soldiers saluted, moving 'No Entry' signs and barriers to clear a path. Beneath a sky that looked ready to shatter, the vehicles came to a stop one after another in front of an unfinished Dungeon Store.

The rear doors of the large trucks opened, and from within, steel warriors disembarked one by one.

This was the [Kongō], specialized dungeon combat gear born from the collaboration between the SDF, the Alchemy Enthusiasts Club, the Walkers, and the Invisible Ninjas.

They formed ranks in front of the store, which was little more than a box, its doors barely even installed.

There were about a hundred of them. Each was armed with heavy machine guns, grenade launchers, rocket launchers, and the like; some even wielded modified mortars as handheld weapons.

They were nothing short of humanoid armored vehicles. Piloting these sci-fi creations were ordinary humans, distinguished only by their forged minds and bodies.

They possessed no special powers, no rare bloodlines. They were simply people who had striven, people who had never given up.

Now, they had earned the right to step into a different world where supernatural abilities flew.

Standing alongside them were the gifted ones.

They were the eccentrics who, despite being able to live a life of luxury in the private sector or abroad after leaving the SDF, continued to carry the flag of Japan. This was the Awakened Person unit, which had fought tirelessly for the defense of the nation.

At their head stood the four strongest not just in Japan, but in the world.

There was a man with messy hair and an unshaven face. He wore a faded indigo kimono and black hakama, his feet bare, without even tabi socks, let alone sandals.

He looked like a vagrant, but the sword at his hip was a thing of unparalleled beauty.

Everything other than sword fighting was a distant second or third priority. His appearance was a perfect reflection of his way of life.

───The Sword Saint and Sword Demon. Miyamoto Oribe.

Beside him stood a woman who looked so much like a young girl that she could be mistaken for one, dressed in a modern combat uniform different from that of the SDF.

Her bobbed hair and straight bangs gave her a classic hairstyle. Combined with her features, some might think she resembled a kokeshi doll if she were in a kimono.

Yet, her eyes held the deep light of reason—proof that her ego remained utterly unbroken, even after experiencing thousands of ways to die and tens of thousands of deaths.

───Guide of the Labyrinth. Fusegawa Miyako.

Next to her was a young man with blond hair and blue eyes who stood out among the dark-haired SDF soldiers.

His soft, fluffy hair and downturned eyes gave him a gentle face that seemed to radiate kindness. His appearance was hardly that of a warrior.

And yet, the rugged, jet-black armor he wore suited him with a strange perfection. One look at his feet was enough to tell that his gear, including the helmet tucked under his arm, was immensely heavy.

───The Unbreakable Human Fortress. Tanabe Reinhard.

And finally, standing leisurely on the far left, was a handsome man. Beneath his long bangs, a fearless smile played on his well-defined features.

With his long limbs and sharp features, he had the presence of a model. He wore black clothing from top to bottom, with a mantle adorned with gold decorations.

In his hand, he held a staff topped with a large, diamond-shaped jewel—a man who exuded an unusual aura.

───The Hammer of the Age of Gods. Saionji Yasuhiro.

These four were the heroes who had time and again averted Japan's ruin. They were warriors so formidable that had they been born in the age of myth, they would have undoubtedly left their names in legend.

The Dragon Killer Squad. The simple name was, however, fitting for this operation.

A man who was square in every sense of the word stood before the assembled Kongō Squad, Awakened Squad, and Dragon Killer Squad—124 people in total.

General Marui. Contrary to his name, which means 'round', he had a buzz cut, square glasses, and a square jaw. The broad-shouldered man was not in his usual uniform but in a bulletproof vest.

"Gentlemen. The 'Dryg Subjugation Operation' will now commence. I will not question your resolve at this late hour. Therefore, all I can say... all I can order is this."

Out of the soldiers' sight, General Marui's hands clenched into tight fists. So tight, so hard, that his nails threatened to break the skin.

"Give your lives to this country. For the people who live behind the front lines, go and slaughter every last one of those monsters!"

As he saluted, the troops returned the gesture in unison. The Kongō Squad, too, raised their steel arms in a crisp salute.

And then, the warriors began to move.

Forming squads of four, they marched toward the gate. Watching their backs, General Marui headed for the command post.

Communication between the outside and inside was impossible. Not even the technology of the Alchemy Enthusiasts Club could overcome that hurdle. The dragons' labyrinth had become that much of a demonic domain.

Thus, this command post was almost meaningless. Yet, he had his reasons for remaining here.

"So, your forces have departed as well, General Marui."

"...Yeah."

The faces of Director Akasaka and Admiral Kadokura appeared on the computer screen.

Through the video call, it was painfully obvious to each of them that all three men wore grim expressions.

"Are you guys really planning to wait there? That place is..."

"Yes. If they fail and the dragons emerge... a nuclear missile will rain down on our location."

"Though we'll likely be burned to a crisp by their breath before that happens," Marui added.

The elite soldiers sent to slay the dragons might just as well become their 'prey'.

If they were wiped out and became sustenance for the dragons, the dungeon's mana concentration would exceed its limit, and the Guivres would emerge from the gate.

Should that happen, the timer etched by human ingenuity was set to instantly hit zero and launch.

"If our seeing them off raises the troops' morale even a little, it's a blessing. I don't mind if they use the thought of punching the guy who came up with this plan in the face when they get back as motivation."

"I suspect that sentiment is more likely directed at me," Director Akasaka said with a wry smile, but Admiral Kadokura's expression remained stern.

"...Is that so. If you've made your peace with it, I won't say any more. We just sent a unit into the Minotaur's dungeon ourselves."

"Yes. So all you have to do is wait, as well?"

"That's right. While keeping an eye out for any damn meddlers."

Admiral Kadokura snorted in irritation.

"It was fortunate that Britain's scales tipped in our favor. Otherwise, an armed group of unknown nationality would almost certainly be heading there now."

"Heh. I thought that guy Yamashita was some timid kitten, but damn. He turned out to be our own personal lucky cat."

"These days, his eyes are less like a cat's and more like a tiger's or a lion's. Without the efforts of the Walkers, the Kongō Squad would never have been completed."

That same Yamashita was now cooperating with the evacuation of residents in or near the potential nuclear strike zone, just in case the worst came to pass.

Since the full details couldn't be revealed to the public, he was going around offering plausible excuses like unexploded ordnance. He and his old comrades, burdened with information most of the Walkers staff didn't even know, ran themselves ragged alongside city hall employees and SDF soldiers, looking like they were about to be sick at any moment.

"...I used to think it wasn't a good idea to let the Walkers get too powerful, but we're long past the point of such concerns."

"You said it. After all they've done for us, chickening out and not rewarding 'em wouldn't be a man's way, Akasaka."

"Let's save talk of the future for later. More importantly, Akasaka-kun. Is it true, about that other matter?"

General Marui narrowed his eyes behind his glasses.

Director Akasaka nodded in response.

"Yes. My daughter's friends are currently handling it. Given the circumstances, we can't deploy the SDF or the police."

"So we gotta dump another mess on some kids..."

"...I'm praying it can be resolved peacefully."

"Indeed."

On the other side of the screen, Director Akasaka lowered his eyes.

If the information former Ambassador Chris had obtained from his 'former superior' was accurate...

It would not be resolved peacefully.

＊　　　　　＊　　　　　　＊

"...It must have been a nice town, this place."

It could only be described as a ghost town now.

Somewhere in Saitama Prefecture. A few kilometers from where Director Akasaka and the others were stationed.

In stark contrast to the rural landscape where farm fields outnumbered houses, there was a town that could be called a concrete jungle.

Or rather, there had been.

Ravaged by Fafnir, and with a powerful dungeon having appeared nearby. Above all, the emergence of the dragons meant that reconstruction efforts had not even reached this town, now devoid of people.

Three new sets of footsteps echoed through it.

"Who knows. I've never been here, but I imagine it probably was?"

A girl replied to the words of a large figure standing amidst the ruins.

She was a girl with long black hair in twintails, carrying a greatsword. To her left and right, several meters away, stood a girl with elven ears dressed like a priestess and another with gray hair in a ponytail shouldering a large scythe.

The man turned to face the three girls.

He had short-cropped blond hair and eyes as blue as the sea. His smooth white skin and deeply chiseled features were striking.

His neatly trimmed mustache completed the look of a handsome, gentlemanly figure. Dressed in a dress shirt and suit trousers, he walked along the weed-and-mud-covered road without a care for his expensive leather shoes getting dirty.

Toward the girls.

"A pleasure to meet you. I am Fudge Valentine. You may already know, but I am the President of the United States."

President Fudge Valentine placed a hand on his chest and gave a gentlemanly bow. In response, the girl also returned an elegant curtsy.

Both parties began to walk again.

"Of course. It's an honor to meet you, Mr. President. Can I get your autograph later?"

"But of course. If mine will do."

The President offered a soft smile to the girl's beaming one.

Contrary to the peaceful atmosphere, with every step they took toward each other, the power in their fists and swords grew.

"It would be proper for us to introduce ourselves as well, but a self-introduction in a place like this lacks a certain flair, don't you think? How about it? A friend's father has prepared a nice place for us. Shall we talk again there?"

"It pains me to decline a lady's invitation, but I'm afraid I'm a very busy man."

"Oh, what a shame."

The girl smiled apologetically and gave a small shrug.

"Do you really want to kill us that badly?"

The President's steps halted at the frank question.

"...Yes. I must face my sin."

"How selfish. In the first place, this whole situation is because of your country's experiments, isn't it?"

"I will neither deny nor excuse it. That you have become what you are is my sin. America's sin."

A single tear traced a path down the President's cheek.

"We turned you into 'devils.' We infected you with a disease that transforms you into monsters from another world."

"Whoa. If you said that in front of a camera, Mr. President, you'd be in for a firestorm."

"I do not mind. I told you I would face my sin. If I make it back to America alive, I intend to disclose everything."

He looked down at his right fist with his blue eyes.

"Blinded by short-sighted greed, we turned Japan into a breeding ground for monsters. Worst of all, we connected this world to an 'evil' that could consume everything."

"If I told you that Japan is about to solve that problem, would you lower your fist?"

"The solution you speak of is merely stopping the increase of dungeons, is it not? Or perhaps you mean to say you will be able to cull them steadily from now on."

"Both, of course. From now on, the chances of a dungeon overflow will be drastically reduced. Japan's, and the world's, future will be brighter."

"That alone is not enough."

The President's voice grew harsh, cutting across the twintailed girl's words.

"Such stopgap measures are meaningless. Even while no monsters emerge, the number of Awakened Persons will continue to grow. People will cease to be people...!"

"Are you saying we're not human?"

"That is correct."

He stated it unequivocally.

"You are monsters that were once human. You are not people. You are beings who have fallen and become devils, all while retaining human form."

"...I have to say, I didn't expect you to go that far."

The girl scratched her cheek, looking more surprised than shocked.

"So, what does the President intend to do to us monsters? May I ask for the details?"

"You may. My reason for coming here is exceedingly simple."

The President began to walk again.

Straight toward the girl with the twintails.

"The operation you are conducting now. If it succeeds, I will exterminate the emerged devils while they are weakened. If it fails, I will pin down the emerged dragons until the nukes arrive. The US Forces Japan are prepared to engage at the other location at a moment's notice."

"...Ever heard of an international incident?"

"If Japan were capable of handling this crisis, we would not have gone this far. But this country has been captivated by the power of devils. ...I can only lament our inability to make you see reason."

As he approached the girl, he raised the right fist he had been staring at just moments before.

"With this fist, I am now going to 'strike you.' Please accept it. I do not wish for you to suffer."

"...I'll ask just in case, but is there any room for reconciliation?"

"None. I will not make deals with devils."

"I see. Well then, I suppose it can't be helped."

"Yes, this cannot be helped. In the next world, you may resent us to your heart's content."

The girl with the twintails and the girls to her sides each readied their weapons.

Facing them was the President alone. A non-Awakened Person, even if he was a former member of a police special forces unit.

They were on high alert, considering the possibility that he was Awakened, or that he had something hidden nearby, making no assumptions.

But both of their assumptions were wrong.

In that instant, the girl with the twintails was sent flying.

A violent gust of wind erupted, launching her small body dozens of meters away. She crashed into an abandoned building, disappearing into a cloud of rubble with a deafening roar.

Where she had been standing moments before, the President now stood, his fist having completed its swing.

At the sight, the other two acted before they could think. Without a thought for holding back, they moved to neutralize him with everything they had.

"'Shadow Wolf'!"

"Angel-sama!"

Keeping their distance from the President, they swung their scythe and staff, respectively.

From the shadow at the gray-haired girl's feet, a massive monster materialized.

It was the size of a large truck, with powerful limbs to match. Beyond its rows of black fangs, there was only nothingness. A beast of pure shadow, an entity far beyond the ordinary.

Above the elven-eared girl's head, a sun seemed to appear, and with a brilliant flash of light, feathers danced in the air.

A giant, standing at least five meters tall. A halo spread above its head, and four pure white wings sprouted from its back. The being, the very image of what one would call an angel, brandished a rugged sword and shield.

A merciless pincer attack from both sides. An assault that could fell even an A-Rank boss monster was—

───VWOOM...!

—blown away in an instant.

Amidst a vortex of intense wind and dust, the President stood like a titan.

His clenched fists were thrust diagonally upwards to his left and right. With his bare hands, he had simultaneously knocked aside two supernatural beings.

The force of the impact ripped his shirt to shreds, revealing his upper body.

A muscular, V-shaped physique. Its skin was dyed gray.

Embedded in the parts of his body that had been transformed into something inhuman were numerous magic tools. They had been forcibly fused via surgery, their compatibility further enhanced by magic.

"Fifty-one items recovered from the dungeon, all bearing the name 'Star.' I saw this as a revelation from heaven. As the last hope left in Pandora's box."

These were not monster drop items. They were imperial treasures, kept deep within an A-Rank dungeon.

Each one was a magic tool possessing immense power, considered a tactical or even strategic weapon.

"Even if I must use the technology of devils... I will protect this world with my life."

He, Fudge Valentine, was the only human to have successfully achieved a complete fusion of man and magic tool.

He had obtained this power through a procedure he knew could kill him, the culmination of experiments built upon a mountain of corpses.

His power was enough to overwhelm even mythical monsters like Shuten Douji and Cerberus.

"...Come out. Let us end this. All of it."

During the previous exchange, the two girls had taken cover within the ruins.

They had not lost their will to fight. Even now, they were watching for an opening.

But... there was none.

He simply stood there, perfectly composed, yet utterly without weakness.

Fudge Valentine. His win rate in hand-to-hand combat from his time in the police special forces was... 100%.

Clatter. A sound came from the abandoned building.

Immediately after, rubble exploded outwards as if from a blast.

"Ahhh..."

A girl with twintails emerged from the dust cloud with a weary voice.

Dressed in a modified military uniform and carrying a greatsword, she popped her dislocated left shoulder back into place on her own. Then, with both hands, she leisurely raised her greatsword into a ready stance.

"Sorry, you two."

A glint of something verging on madness shone in her eyes.

"Cover me. I'm going for the kill."

A non-human smile spread across her lovely face.

Faced with a crazed grin that could break the mind of an ordinary person, the President didn't even flinch.

The look of pity in his blue eyes only deepened.

There was not a single sane person here.

"So the devil reveals its true nature... My apologies. I failed to kill you in a single blow."

"It's fine, Mr. President. It's fun, so it's fine. This will surely be the most fun I'll ever have in my life. Thank you for the good memories at the very end."

Both combatants took their stances.

"Lord, I pray you bless this pitiful soul..."

"To God, too! My thanks! My heartfelt thanks! And!"

"And grant salvation to this girl who has become a devil."

"May you bear witness to this deathmatch between madmen!"

"With this fist, this soul, and this human tenacity,"

"With this sword, this madness! With my everything!"

"The devils that have appeared on this earth,"

"My final enemy in this lifetime!"

""I will kill you.""

The opening bell was all too faint.

It was swallowed by the sound of the collision that immediately followed.

Outside the decisive battle between monsters and mankind.

A deathmatch between madmen had begun.