Ultimate Antihero Volume 3, 3

Volume 3, Chapter 3

Part 1

The war between Tokyo life sphere and the Five Great Leaders’ allied force finally began.

The one who took the first move was the air force of the allied forces.

Under the lead colored clouds, drops of rain began to fall.

Countless aircrafts drove through the sky and rushed to Tokyo life sphere.

{I see it. The nest of the shitheads that conspire with demons.}

{Ain’t their defense something. They are just guarding.}

{I’m gonna shove my thick dick there now and make them say ‘hii-hii’ just you see.}

Even while exchanging vulgar talk through the wireless, the pilots moved to do their work.

The role granted to them was to destroy the protective wall that was protecting Tokyo life sphere with missiles.

Each pilot controlled their console and locked-on to the wall.

After that,

{ { {FOX2!!!! (Missile fire)} } }

They pressed the button for missile fire.

From the aircrafts that numbered more than 200 even just on the side of Tokyo bay, missiles numbering more than double of those aircrafts were released.

No, not only aircraft missiles.

The warships above Tokyo bay were also shooting their missiles.

And then those fired swarm of missiles approached Tokyo life sphere with white smoke trailing behind them.

――They impacted the protective wall.

Heat and black smoke bloomed and roared that shook the sky.

......However regardless of that much concentrated firing, the veil of coiling black smoke shook due to the sea breeze, and the pilots saw inside the appearance of the wall that was just slightly sooty.

{Oi, oi, you serious! There ain’t even a crack!}

{It even got hit by the warship missiles, aircraft missiles won’t do anything to something like this.}

The pilots were amazed.

But, that was only natural.

In the first place this protective wall was something prepared for use against

demons.

Destroying it using man made ammunition was out of the question.

Even if it was hit by a nuclear missile, this wall wouldn’t be broken through physically.

Therefore, the mission entrusted to the first wave of the air force to destroy the wall using missiles was impossible to be accomplished.

In this situation, the commander of the air force immediately called to all pilots using wireless.

{Notifying all pilot. Changing the strategy to plan B. I repeat. The strategy is changed to plan B.}

{This plan B is―......}

Plan B was the tactic for the case where the missile attack failed to inflict a telling blow to the wall.

Giving up on the side that was protected by wall, they would descend from above the sky that was virtually defenseless.

The descending unit would try to steal the control of the wall and open the wall from the inside, that was the tactic.

The ones who became an obstacle this time were the interception units of the enemy that were deployed above the wall.

The protective wall was thick, it was also equipped with the likes of anti-aircraft gun and anti-aircraft interceptor missiles, turning it into a place that was well-suited as a defensive line.

The intercepting unit that was deployed here would become an obstacle for the helicopter sending in the descending unit and the magicians equipped with

Cthulhu.

{―――??―――?――――?――}

Cthulhu which appeared before Michael and Homura greatly wriggled its tentacles that were like a beard while emitting sound like electronic sound, it thrust its giant arms to the sky.

Thereupon at the sky where the arms were raised, a giant magic circle that was inscribed with shining green hieroglyphz was enfolding.

At the same time, all the water in all the seas above the earth were shining in the same color――and floated up.

The floating water rode fast to the sky as if they were possessing a will.

The water was turning into a few hundred million water currents and gathered at the blade of

that Homura held up.

And then the large amount of water that was gathered into one, before long was turned into a giant blade that pierced the sky.

(He controlled all the water on this pla into a sword......!)

Just as Michael said, it was a

that compressed all the water that existed on this pla with extraordinary pressure.

The seven seas that existed on this earth.

The slash that was established from all that weight, could smash apart even this pla for real.

It was a great feat that couldn’t possibly be used at the previous world where there were living beings.

Homura was also being serious in front of the

Michael, a formidable enemy that he had never faced before.

And then, his full power certainly made even Michael feel the pressure.

But――

(It’s just the power of evil god in the first place. Against I, the

that received the blessings of god, there is no way such thing can eliminate me!)

Michael was not an existence with a weak heart that would waver against such thing.

The work of god. In order to accomplish that salvation, Michael swung down his

which possessed all his spirit.

Against this Homura too, in order to save his comrades, he swung the

staking his magic power and his whole might.

“ “OOOoOOoOooOOOO――――――–!!!!” ”

The blades of the

and the

that were swung with all the power that both sides possessed clashed.

Instantly, the clash between the out of norm powers, a shockwave of light was created, the clouds, the trees, the rubbles, the mountains――every single thing that existed on the surface of this death world was smashed into pieces and swept away.

However, even while spreading such destructive power, the two who were exercising this power didn’t even twitch, the blades that the two sides were swinging were also fighting each other without the advantage going which way.

If it kept like this perhaps it would be this star that would meet its end first.

It was such a dangerous rivalry that made one think like that.

But―― such situation didn’t continue for long.

Little by little, but with certainty, the crossing blades were beginning to lean to one side.

The pushing one was――the

that was shining gold.

The side of the

Michael.

“OOoOOoOaAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!”

Producing a voice that was like a roar, Michael put even more strength into the blade that he swung down... pushing back Homura.

was an existence that was sitting in a position that was exceedingly close to the summit of the world called .

On the other hand, no matter how abnormal of a prodigy Homura was, he was to the very end a human.

In that fact existed a difference in potential that was carried since their birth which couldn’t be filled in any way.

And then that difference manifested itself as reality in this match that clashed one’s full might against the other’s full might, finally――

- ZAN-*

Michael’s

severed Homura’s

of water from the middle and got the better of the battle.

(This is my... victory-!)

The

which wasn’t obstructed by anything anymore fell down just like that in order to bisect Homura.

Michael showed his joy from his conviction in victory,

“――!?!?”

In an instant, that expression froze into dumbfoundness.

In his field of vision where not even a single inch ahead could be seen from the shock wave of the annihilation of everything of the earth surface passing through.

The figure of his hateful enemy reflected there was――changing.

Of all things, the one who was holding the broken

of water was... not Homura.

A little girl enveloped in a red dress.

It was the avatar of his grimoire, Vel.

(~~~~–!)

And then when Michael noticed that substitution, the battle had been already decided.

Deep at the bosom of the dumbfounded Michael,

“That’s a great idiotic expression yeah, -san.”

Homura made use of

and stepped in, and unleashed a fist filled with magic power.

Michael who swung down his sword at a mistaken place was completely defenseless.

Toward this surprise attack of Homura, he couldn’t make any response.

Correct, this was what Homura aimed for right from the start.

In order to obtain an even more definite victory.

“Shih-!”

What he unleashed for this chance of a lifetime, was an uppercut that he forced up with all his body.

And it was exactly as Homura aimed for, it grazed the tip of Michael’s jaw accurately.

“Gu, u!?”

Thereupon Michael’s body which was trying to right its stance lurched violently.

It was cerebral concussion.

No matter that he was the

himself, the construction of body that he currently used was similar to that of a human.

Consequently if the tip of his jaw was grazed by a strike, a cerebral concussion would be caused by the shaking in the brain floating inside the skull.

Michael couldn’t release himself from such truth.

Like that Homura took away the freedom of Michael’s body, while he was at it he invoked the sorcery to the fist that he thrust up.

He summoned the sword of , grasped its handle――

“HAAaa-!!!!”

In a flash he aimed at the neck of Michael who was in cerebral concussion and swung down the blade.

His opening taken, his movement stolen, and a final blow was delivered.

Homura didn’t even give the opponent the slightest chance to counterattack, this was a flowing finishing move that could only be accomplished by real battle experience of a veteran of hundreds of battles.

The instantaneous slash without any hesitation and mercy didn’t allow Michael to evade or defend,

It was just like a black thunder falling down to Michael’s neck――

Crimson flower bloomed in the desolate land.

{Eh......?}

Instantly, a slightly idiotic voice of a girl resounded in the battlefield of the two.

That voice was unmistakably, the voice of Vel which was grasped in Homura’s hand.

But that was only natural. The girl was unable to understand.

Why――

Even though her blade still hadn’t reached Michael’s neck, just how could this much blood come out?

“Gofu-“

But, that baffling question of Vel was only temporary.

The girl also noticed the voice that was like a cloudy groan.

The blood that dirtied the ground was――

Something that came out from the largely opened cavity at Homura’s chest.

{Ma, MASTERRR――――–!?!?}

Part 9

(Nn......?)

A warm something was touching her cheek unpleasantly in drops.

It awakened the consciousness of Shiori who was sinking in darkness.

(Eh, I, was......)

Within her muddy consciousness, Shiori recalled just what happened to her before she lost consciousness.

She encountered Michael inside a pocket dimension, she was restrained... just like that she was swallowed into his body entirely, that was her memory.

Like that, when she recovered the working of her brain until she could remember that, at that time

“――――-! -!”

A voice she remembered hearing before struck her ear.

Shiori knew really well the owner of that voice.

There was no mistake.

The avatar of . The voice of that monster.

The annoying avatar of evil god who was trying to pull away Homura from the human world into the world of monsters, so that she could monopolize him alone.

For Shiori who wished for Homura to obtain happiness as a human, Vel was an opponent where hatred was insufficient to describe her feelings.

But, why did she hear her voice like that?

And then, why did the voice of that girl sounded this desperate?

To obtain the answer to that question, Shiori reflexively opened her eyelids,

“Eh――”

She saw the figure of Homura, his chest gouged standing in front of her.

“Ho, mu... ra?”

Unable to swallow the sudden situation, Shiori was dumbfounded.

On the other hand, Homura looked at Shiori who opened her eyes,

“......Aah, that’s great....... So you’re still alive......”

It was a relieved smile from the bottom of his heart.

“-really. This is because, you are sleeping in a place this dangerous...... that I almost cut you down, y’know.”

“That wound of yours......! -!? ――What’s, this......!?”

Most likely Shiori was trying to rush at Homura’s side.

But, Shiori’s body didn’t move forward even for a little.

That was natural.

That was because the girl’s face was half hidden, buried inside the chest of Michael that was exposed bare.

“As expected you stopped your sword. ......So you cannot kill your beloved person for the second time.”

That amazed tone of voice, was Michael’s.

In other words, this was the trick of this situation’s reversal.

In that decisive moment, Homura’s sword should definitely have severed Michael’s life.

But in that last moment timing, Michael let out the trump card that he had prepared beforehand.

Giving a glimpse of the hostage that was Shiori, he thrust before Homura the fact that killing him meant killing Shiori.

As a result, Homura stopped his sword just barely.

And then, in that fatal opening, Homura’s chest was gouged open by a holy art.

“If you care for human life until that much, it would be better if you only advance in the path of faith praying to god. If you just did that... surely you wouldn’t need to shoulder such great sorrow with that body of man.”

There was not even a little bit of tension anymore within Michael’s voice.

He was convinced.

That Homura was already... a dead person walking.

In actuality, Homura’s internal organs together with his breastbones had already been blown away, no matter how excellent a magician Homura was, it was difficult to preserve his life like that.

After vomiting out even more large amounts of blood from his mouth, Homura fell down on the spot.

But―― before his body fell down to the ground, he grasped the arm that Michael thrust forward to release the holy art, that grip strongly held on to the degree that his nails caused blood to come out. Homura held his ground like that.

And then,

“Kukuku...... hahahahaha-......!”

Even while blood was leaking out from his mouth, Homura laughed without minding that.

Looking at that reaction of Homura, Michael asked with a dubious expression. “What is funny?” He asked.

In response Homura answered as if spitting out.

“It’s obvious just what the hell is funny, you stupid idiot―. You said out something idiotic. The god of you assholes... has he saved us even once huh? That time, when my family was killed... That time, when Shiori was at that hell... That time when Typhon burned cities, when mankind itself was ruined... You assholes, just what the hell were you doing then?”

They didn’t do anything.

When humanity was lamenting, praying, begging for salvation, there was nothing that rewarded them.

Homura knew that to a painful degree.

“Then there ain’t nothing to do, but to protect them myself......!”

But the angel didn’t try to understand that grievance of Homura.

“Those trials were also all the will of god. It’s going to far even beyond your station to try to surmise that with that body of man. ......Humans only need to believe and pray to god no matter what kind of time they are in. If they do that, then no matter how much their bodies are ruined, they will receive the blessing of having their soul guided to the paradise of god.”

It was a one-sided salvation that was too condescending in all respects.

It was a stance that didn’t try to understand even for a little bit, the sense of values of humans who only possessed a single body and a single heart.

And yet, these people were exclaiming salvation with loud voices.

It was already a story where he could do nothing but laugh.

It was also only natural for Homura to laugh out.

“This talk just ain’t going anywhere. I’m not calling for you. Shitty bastard.”

A scorn spitted out together with blood. In response to that,

“That’s my line. In your trial you didn’t pray, didn’t believe in god, you made use of the power of evil and imitated god. You violated god’s privilege of [salvation]. That’s a great sin. God will not save you anymore. In the salvation that will be carried out after this, ――is not of any concern to you anymore.”

Michael put magic power into the arm that Homura clutched.

Golden magic power light was manifested in his palm.

That was the same thing with the holy art that gouged Homura’s chest just now.

“Leave this world without leaving a single dust behind. You foolish .”

Michael once more directed that power of destruction to Homura, he was going to shoot him.

Homura whose body was already dead didn’t have any way to resist, that attack would surely thoroughly burn his life with certainty.

“Homuraa! Run! Just run... please-!”

Imagining that future, the pale Shiori yelled as if she was going to vomit blood.

There is no need to care of whatever happened to her anymore, so just run, she pleaded.

But, toward such Shiori, Homura was... of all things, he directed to her a powerful smile persistently,

“I’ll save you for sure. Just wait.”

“-............!?”

Instantly――, the light shot out mercilessly from Michael’s palm.

The fired flame of light swallowed Homura in the blink of an eye――

“――――――”

Altogether with the words that he let out in his dying moment, everything was burned to nothing, leaving not even a single dust behind.

Part 10

At that time, even in Tokyo life sphere... something unbelievable was happening.

“――――eh”

In drops, something red spilled out from the corner of Sumika’s mouth together with a frothing sound.

When she dropped her sight, a golden blade wet with blood was piercing out from her chest.

And then that blade was unmistakably,

――the .

“Finally, you showed an opening that is really an opening.”

That voice tone which seemed to be apologetic somehow, belonged to the

Sir James, who stabbed her in that instant that was not even a second where her

was slightly dulling from the continuous battle.

“Wh, y......-“

Toward the sudden attack of this man that was supposedly their ally, Sumika directed a gaze that was mixed with doubt and surprise to him that asked “Why?”

“There is nothing else to it. From the beginning I came to Japan in order to do this. ......After all I understand that without the , it’s the

that will be the biggest obstacle. In order to bring you down with certainty, I prepared this trick.”

“From, the start...... so you tricked us......-“

James nodded a little towards that blaming.

“Before I came to Japan...... I met Michael-sama. And then I was taught. The life of all of you the people of Tokyo life sphere will become the cornerstone for mankind’s heaven. I had resolved my heart since that time. ......If the world can be saved from the threat of demons for eternity just with seven million sacrifices, then all of you should become sacrifices.”

“James, san......-“

“I feel regretful. I am also aware that this is an act that is out of bound. However―― if by my falling into heresy I can save my motherland, then I will happily turn into a snake......!”

Saying that, James pulled out

from Sumika’s body.

And then, even faster than Sumika turning to him and aiming her gun muzzle――

The girl’s neck, was lopped off with a single stroke.

The parted head and body scattered fresh blood while falling into the Tokyo life sphere beneath.

That sight―― was witnessed by the leader of the allied forces, Innocentius, through the mind transmission from James.

“So the sowed seed finally sprouted.”

“Mr. James is our spy!?”

“Indeed. ......After all there is no such thing of being too careful against the .”

Innocentius returned such words towards Joseph who was shocked of this hidden ace, then Innocentius notified the whole army.

{The whole army is to turn back and attack! The enemy’s main force has died! Crush them in one breath-!}

“ “ “U O O o O o O O O o O O O O O O o O――――――!!!!” ” ”

Raising up war cry, the allied forces’ soldiers turned from their retreating battle and moved out in offense.

Originally the interception unit barely rivaled the allied force’s [number superiority] with their [individual superiority] starting with the S-rank magicians like Sumika.

With this betrayal of James, the flow of the battlefield tilted to the allied forces’ side in one go.

“The allied forces are turning to offense without stopping! We cannot push them back at all!”

“Kuh......! Of all things, for this to happen-!”

SOS signals were entering the command room of Tokyo life sphere from everywhere without pause.

If the situation kept like this, it was only a matter of time before their battle front crumbled.

Especially the side of Tokyo bay that was assisted by the traitor James was in a bad situation.

That place was already the place where the enemy was concentrated, in addition there was even a hole that was opened there.

In two, three more minutes the enemy would break through there for sure.

And then, once they allowed the enemy’s breakthrough, it would become a total rout next.

Surely the enemy would then gain total control until the geofront in one stretch.

However, even if they tried to defend, the only one who could deal with James, Onjouji Kai, was now busy with suppressing Wan Tairon.

They had no piece that could hold back a S-rank.

There was no more cards available to Kinugasa.

Already,

(Homura-san...... you still haven’t finished yet......!?)

There was nothing he could do except praying for the hero’s return.

Thereupon――

Uneventful empire meeting sunset in the innermost bottom of Severn valley o the evil divinity crawling the ground

The seething stars shine radiantly in blasphemy announcing the time of destiny to thy

Suddenly, a voice that Kinugasa knew well was spreading, enveloping the whole of Tokyo life sphere.

“This voice is......!”

That was the voice of the young man that they were exactly waiting for right now.

{Homura-san! You have come back!}

Kinugasa immediately attempted a mind transmission.

But―― there was no reply coming back.

No, far from that, the transmission didn’t even get connected.

(......?)

Just what was the meaning of this?

Putting aside Kinugasa who didn’t comprehend the situation, the ritual prayer was spinned――

The lord of corridor o the person forced to choice

The key of amalgam right here Thy castle gate is opened for the sake of my friend

Arraying a hundred rakshasa on the street of the lost continuing to the abyss blow the trumpet of welcome

The stars were resonating in concert with the spun words.

The rain clouds that hung low over the battlefield began to form a giant vortex, sending myriads of thunderbolts to the ground.

“UWAaAA!?”

“What in the world is happening......!?”

The soldiers in the battlefield screamed from this cataclysm that was like the end of the world.

But James was,

(――――- this, spell is......)

He knew that these cursed words were an exchange of spell with an evil god.

And then, it was exactly like his premonition――

The deceiving

Eihort

At the same time with the last binding words, the world distorted, an enormous evil manifested.

“Wh, what the hell is thissss!?!?”

“Flea......? No, that’s, spider?”

Just like that soldier somewhere said, [that] which came down from the center of the vortex of sea of cloud was a mysterious appearance that was a combination of flea and spider.

It was a sheathing flesh that made one thought of a soft and flabby bloated evil tumor.

From that tumor, innumerable gnarled legs that looked similar with the nerve ganglion of insects were sticking out.

And then, scarlet eyeballs in the number that might be as many as those legs.

Those eyeballs surveyed the surrounding without any oversight, their blinking was hard to describe and inspired discomfort.

This decaying flesh that was modeled after insect, giving form to an ominous shape of evil, was exactly the lord of the underground labyrinth that existed deep under the ground of Severn valley in Britain, the

Eihort.

And then... the one who could summon these

in their complete shape to this world, there was only one person in this whole world――

“Don’t tell me, was Michael-sama defeated......!?”

Looking at the figure of the evil god descending before his eyes, James went pale from imagining the worst development.

The defeat of Michael meant that all their expectations would come to nothing.

However, when he looked for it, as expected the figure of Homura couldn’t be found anywhere,

“――–!”

Putting aside that uneasiness of James, Eihort showed a movement.

The scarlet eyeballs that were restlessly surveying the surroundings suddenly stopped moving, just when it looked like the eyes were going to close all at once, all the eyes opened the widest it could,

Simultaneously, light of chalk white color surged out from the opened eyeballs, painting over the world to white.

“UWAaA-!”

“What is it this time-!”

Inside the white darkness, the soldiers of the allied forces put themselves on guard.

But, even after waiting there was nothing that was like an attack coming at them.

Wondering what the heck was going on, as the light settled down, they sent their gaze to Eihort――but,

“Wha, t............?”

When color returned to the world, the appearance of that ominous god was already gone.

――No, not only Eihort.

Of all things, the soldiers of Tokyo life sphere that they were fighting until just now.

Their figures were also vanishing.

Even until the corpses that were lying down on the ground, all of it.

In exchange what appeared in front of the allied forces’ soldiers was...... black mist.

Inside the protective wall that protected Tokyo life sphere, all was covered by a hemisphere that looked completely like a dome by muddy jet black mist.

Translator's Notes and References

1. ↑ Odaiba is an artificial island in Tokyo Bay, and Gate Bridge is a bridge that connects the two sides of the Tokyo Bay

2. ↑ Bouten Gageki in Japanese, translated as Sky Piercer. Lu Bu’s weapon

3. ↑ The name Bet, He and Dalet come from semitic abjads. Bet is the second abjad, Dalet is the fourth abjad and He is the fifth abjad