246-268-Reunion




 Two shoji screens are opened and a girl in a brightly decorated hakama appears on them.

''Master! ...Oi-chan, can I kill you?
That's why I called you here.

 As the girl ran, the shoji screen tightened and disappeared somewhere else.
 "Ken ken, pa! Ken Ken, pa!" He bounced happily, maintaining a steady rhythm and gradually moving closer to Vicious.

''What. Is that........magic........

 Ignotus was puzzled by the girl who appeared.

'Master! I'm doing it! I'll take your food coloring!
'Ignotus. Why did you kill Miss Rosalia? .... where was the need for that. Lucius-san let me look at your memories. But I couldn't figure out your motives.
...to rule the country. We only need Lagparos. To begin with, it's not right that there are three countries in one territory.

 Ignotus said with a worried glance at the restrained Bishas beside him.

''Well it looks like you're not lying. Is that why you killed Rosalia-san?''
"Rosalia was a brilliant demon. I'm sure you'll be able to find out more about this in the future. This is a sign that the Emotional Sensing is a sign of the emergence of control.
You were afraid of being controlled, so you killed them. Why do you kill demons? Brethren, right?
Not my people...

 Ignotus looked up while holding his hands and then looked at Masamune's mask.

'The demon race has a long tradition of making fun of humans. They make fun of them by saying they are strangers.''
What do you mean?
We were young, the three of us, and we didn't even question it at the time. We went to school in Ursula without questioning it. But people laughed at us and scorned us, and we were beaten without knowing what we were talking about. To this day, I still remember: "Don't you inferior species come into Ursula. That's what the demons of Urszola said to the three of us.
Because there's human blood...
'Yes. Chastain is the white serpent, the founder of the great serpent race. Ursula is the White Cat Queen who founded the Beast Nation. Ragparos is just a man. It is written that they were a great power at the time. But he is a commoner of low status among humans. Well, the demon tribe doesn't have much to do with it.
''I'm sorry for Rosalia-san because of her resentment towards the demons...''
No!
....
The two kings continue to be frightened of Ursula's rule even after generations. The two kings continue to be frightened by Ursula's "rule" even after generations, and Ragpallos is looked down upon by the two nations that should be his compatriots. You, didn't you think anything of it when you came in here?
What are you talking about?
Not a single guard in sight. Not because I'm the cowardly one, okay? There haven't been many demons in here since the days of the last king. Not in my time. You've seen the view of the country.

 Masamune had seen the style of the country of Lagparos when he visited here.

 Lagparos is a country built in a large hole called a chasm, and the castle of the demon king is on the ground, right in the middle of the hole, and the rest of the demon residences and towns are all underground - in the hole.

"On top of the pillars is this castle. But this castle is not Lagoparos. It's just a castle. Ragparos stretches right beneath this castle whose long history of discrimination and contempt has led everyone underground. It would be foolish to want to spend time in a hole in front of a great natural forest. But for us, the underground was the safest place to be. I went down there many times when I was a little boy and no one would think we were stupid enough to look at us. We all lived hand in hand, in peace...
....

 Masamune had forgotten to breathe, and he had forgotten to give instructions to Fernyth.

 Masamune had a question from the moment he visited this hall.
 It was that there was no black shadow on the backs of Ignotus and the three others that would normally be visible.
 That is to say, it was proof that Ignotus and others share the same will as Masamune.
 And when the reason for this was found out, the magic they were about to exercise stopped.
 Fernies, a product of the abyss, sensed the will of the Masamune and stopped his hand.

''-- They are the enemies who killed Rosalia!

 At that moment, Lucius' voice echoed in the hall.

''Lucius-san........''

 But Masamune had good reason to hesitate.

''You guys are just like me........''
What, have you taken pity on me? Gahahahahahahahaha! He's a sweetheart. Still a hero.........
Do you have a grudge against the demons or do you just...
It's both.
....
'Shastain and Ursola are worthless to us and the people of this country. To us, it's only this country. But that's not the end of the story. I hate the human race, the root of all evil, the source of this darkness. I don't understand why these insane people are still alive and well. Dwarves and elves, beasts and demons, dragons and dwarves, there are many races, but the quality of their magic and their physical abilities are higher than those of humans. Otherworldly people may not understand this, but humans are the least capable on this continent. But the number of these people is overwhelmingly greater than other races. Can you understand this abnormality?
....
They've always been the oppressors. Humans are the cause of war. As they breed, they expand their territory and take away land from other species. The beastmen are better off, because they have their own country. But do you know why dwarves, elves, and dwarves are far less visible than the other races?
Yeah I know.
So you know what I'm talking about, don't you? I wouldn't be the only one who would question it.

 Ignotus stood up.

'Otherworlders are human or not they look human to me. But in this world, they are only similar to humans. They are not the same. What does this world look like from your point of view what I'm doing is wrong and Lucius is right? You're going to kill me for killing Toatrica's sister. That's reason enough, but you think it's good enough? You're the kind of person who says you're not involved...
Masamune! Don't listen to Ignotus! It's got Rosalia! .....

 As Lucius said this, Sonoda and Kida, Majima and Kihara looked at Hero Nito in unison.

 An opening was created and Felsen distanced himself from Lucius once and dropped back to Ignotus.

''Brother........''
Shut up. I'll let him decide.
Well, what does that mean...

 Felsen was confused as to what the word meant.

 Ignotus could sense that Masamune was upset.
 From his words and actions, he could feel the turmoil in Masamune's heart even from the mask.
 Lucius could feel it even more truly.

''Wait........now, Masamune.......''

 Sonoda stepped forward with a sluggish gait.
 Then he looked at Lucius.
 But Lucius looked away.

'Don't make me say it again. 'This is the Hydaka Masamune you guys abandoned. Isn't that right? I don't know anything about it, and I don't really know anything about it. It's just that I had an idea of how life would behave in such situations.

 Masamune remained silent.
 He didn't answer Ignotus' arguments, and he didn't look at Lucius' warnings or Sonoda's words.
 Masamune was conflicted.

''Master.......what are you going to do?''

 Vel and Masamune's consciousness is connected. Masamune's mind was palpable and understandable.

''I am........''
If I don't kill him the Toa will never return.
"...Mr. Lucius.

 Then Masamune suddenly came to himself and turned around.

''You must have come here with your resolve.
...Did Lucius-san know?
Yeah, I knew it.
Why didn't you tell me? This is the history of the Demon Kingdom.
It has nothing to do with Toa's problem.

 "Irrelevant," the words shut Masamune again.

''Master let's go with that.''
Vell....

 Then, as if reading Masamune's thoughts, Vel said that.
 That's when--
 Masamune looked up at the ceiling of the hall and brought his left hand, which had been released from his staff, closer so that he could hold it up to his face.

''Sonoda-kun........''
....

 Sonoda's eyes widened and froze at the sound of his voice.
 Masamune's mask turned into particles and then into an earring in his left ear.

''--This world is the same as the one before, after all...''

 Masamune revealed his true face.

''..............Hidaka.

 The four of them, led by Sonoda, froze with their mouths open.

''I thought you were hiding it.

 Behind him, Lucius was quietly wondering.

''Well I certainly hid it from them.

 Lucius was more and more doubtful about that word, but he was also relieved by the word "kill".

'.........I knew it was the day of my death.
My brother....
I don't want to die yet, Pollon!
Hey, girl, shut up...

 Viscious was crying by the wall.
 With a nonchalant look on his face, Fernieth watched him, licking his candy apple.

'I'll kill the three of you. That should cure Toa's personality too, right?
Yeah, if Toa knows and admits it, he'll get better.
The Erosional Wave Disappearing Aura.

 Red-black waves begin to leak from Masamune's body.

'Ignotus. I know what your words mean as well as I do...''

 When Masamune said that, the four brave men looked away.

''Well you must be.
'I didn't want to meet you this way...'

 Tears ran down Masamune's cheeks.
 When Masamune gripped his staff with his left hand, Vel smiled mischievously, as usual.

''Sonoda-kun. The meaning of me killing this demon king... you know what it means, Sonoda-kun, right?
Hidaka....
'Silent and insidious, you had the insight to sit on the sidelines with others. Peeking at what was in your line of sight ... not that you'd be involved.
Hidaka, we're going to give you...
No need to apologize. I don't hold a grudge against any of you, and the answer is exactly what Saeki said.

 Masamune looked at Ignotus and the others with a faint wet smile.

''-- 《Unreasonable Extortion (Riddick Lost).

 Masamune used his robbery magic to force Bishas, who was by the wall, to gather the three demons in one place.

''Guffaw!''

 Ignotus propped up Bishas as if he was pleading with him and let him sit up.

'Brother.....'

 By then, there was a smile of resignation on Ignotus' face as well.
 Then the red-black waves that had been stagnant on the surface of Masamune's body expanded, and a sphere appeared with Masamune at its center.

I'll carry all that resentment and regret with my erosion...

 Masamune then expanded the wave into a sphere that could reach the ceiling and stepped forward with great vigor.

 Ignotus smiled, Felsen closed his eyes, and Bishas covered his face with his arms as he cried.
 Then, in a moment, Masamune's waves converged as they passed through the three of them.
 Then, there, the three demons were no more.

''Fernies, we're done for the day.''

 Masamune was the first to say so when he stopped.

'Master, why was Fanny called in?'
....
Oi-chan, she's gone.

 Masamune didn't answer, and Fernies disappeared behind the shoji that appeared.
 Masamune returned Vel to the dungeon vortex and returned the enforcer's axe to the other space storage.
 Then he stopped with his back turned and turned around a moment later.

'Come on, let's go back to the Toa.

 Masamune gave a small chuckle as he said this.