CHAPTER 3: THE DISCIPLE OF THE DEMON
PART 1
-- I was born to meet this man.
Like many of those who gather beneath Kings, Zenjoh also thought as such when he once met the Blue King.
Habari Jin.
The leader of the superpowered-response organization Scepter 4 who protects the citizens’ peace - the Blue King. His actions were without hesitation or error and were always quick and precise. His character was n.o.ble-minded yet open-hearted. He was a man like a stroke of the sword, who could easily reach the heavens. And because of that, Zenjoh also thought that he too should be by his side as a stroke of the sword.
“I’m lucky,” he once said to Habari. “Knowing exactly what you have to do in this world is hard, but… I am just here to protect you. It’s so easy.” But,
“No, Zenjoh,” Habari had said. “What you are to protect is not me.”
“Hm? Then, what is it?” When Zenjoh asked back, Habari looked up to the summer clouds and responded.
“Our justice.”
“Hm…?” Zenjoh thought for a moment, and spoke. “It’s the same to me. My justice is, basically, you.”
“No, you’re wrong.”
“I don’t get it.”
“Don’t try to understand with your head.”
“What, are you trying to call me stupid?”
“Of course, I don’t think you’re clever.” Zenjoh was not very eloquent, and Habari was not one to use decorative words. The other troops often laughed and called their conversations, “naked Q&A.” “It’s not your head or your words. What I mean is that I believe in your strength.” Habari turned back to Zenjoh. “There’s only one thing you can do, what you should do.”
“...Basically, this.” Zenjoh tapped the scabbard of his sword attached to his waist. Habari nodded,
“One who does not fail when the time to do so comes. That’s who the man Zenjoh Goki is.”
“...I see.” Zenjoh looked at the sword on his waist, Habari’s face, and then up to the clouds in the sky. He felt as though his fate was connected to something bigger through his sword. “Well, then that’s probably right.”
Zenjoh was satisfied. Everything was simple, clear, and everything shone. And--
“--That’s right. That’s good enough.” Habari’s bright, smiling expression as he said so still remains in his memory.
With a single smile burned into Zenjoh’s heart, Habari Jin, the Blue King, disappeared from this world.
199X, July.
The Red King, Kagutsu Genji’s Sword of Damocles went out of control, and failed. Along with it an area centered around southern Kanto with a diameter of roughly a hundred kilometers was completely annihilated. Along with seven hundred thousand civilians, the Blue King and his subordinate Scepter 4 were caught in a torrent of destructive energy. The largest Damocles Down in recorded history - the Kagutsu Incident.[1]
From that day on, a scar that looked like the earth had been scooped out remained on maps of this country.
That also might be the gaping hole in Zenjoh’s chest. He lived on, having lost an arm and carrying a hollow heart.
Afterwards, in a world where both the Blue and Red Kings were lost at the same time, incidents of rampaging uniquely powered people increased. The superpowered-response organization Scepter 4 continued to exist without a center. But--
Zenjoh left Scepter 4 and retired from the world in seclusion
-- “What you must protect is our justice.”.
He had no doubts about Habari Jin’s last wish. But he didn’t think finding and rounding up active superpowereds one after another was that “justice.” The justice he was looking for wasn’t in Scepter 4, and there wasn’t someone he was willing to follow either.
No longer drawn, his blade continued to rot in rust. He thought of it as himself.
And then, over ten years pa.s.sed, and his doorbell rang.
He opened the door to his one-man apartment and unconsciously held his breath.
In front of him stood the late Habari, just as he remembered him.
No - it wasn’t. That man wasn’t Habari. At a closer look, it wasn’t even possible to say that they looked similar. However, they certainly had underlying similarities. The man carried a sword at the hip of his blue uniform. He did not seem a day past twenty, but there wasn’t a single hint of fear in his gaze looking up to veteran Zenjoh. It was a strange self-confidence that was more than simple fearlessness. It was though he had some sort of conviction in his destiny.
“Zenjoh Goki-san, correct?”
Zenjoh stood in a daze, and the man introduced himself.
“h.e.l.lo, my name is Munakata Reisi.”
“Please… come in.”
In his ten years of isolation his dislike of people only grew worse, but that man, Munakata had a presence he couldn’t ignore. Zenjoh prepared some tea, and they sat facing each other on the tatami floor.
“My apologies for intruding so suddenly.”
“Nah…” Zenjoh raised his right hand to stop Munakata as he bowed. He had no phone or communication lines installed, and owned no sort of mobile terminals. All communication was only monitored by government liaisons. But even if a meeting was requested through a liaison, he would most likely refuse. Munakata had virtually no choice but to visit him directly in order to meet him.
“Your… What is that uniform?” Zenjoh asked.
“I’m not quite used to it yet, but,” Munakata smiled lightly, touching the collar of his blue uniform. “It’s Scepter 4’s. I’ve changed the design a bit.” Zenjoh’s expression stirred, and Munakata nodded. “I have succeeded the organization Scepter 4 - the positions and authority. First, I’ve come in greeting.”
“...Which means?”
“I am the present Blue King.”
-- I knew it.
The unusual “Kings,” who held unparalleled power and commanded those with supernatural abilities. They are not chosen by elections within their organizations, nor are ordered by someone of a higher standing. It’s said that they are one day suddenly “called” by an existence that is the Slate. Much like Habari Jin had once been, Munakata Reisi was also suddenly awakened, became the Blue King, and came into control over Scepter 4.
“What about the troops?”
Scepter 4 had continued activities as a King-less Clan for these ten years, but an incident in the previous year caused activities to cease and was now disbanded.
Munakata answered Zenjoh’s question calmly, “I have chosen all the members of the new Scepter 4.”
“Ah… I see.”
It would have been a lie if he said he hadn’t thought that treatment meant his old companions were now useless. But at the same time, he thought,That might be for the better.
The duty of an unusual King is not to try to guess the feelings of his subordinates. He must himself lead and accomplish great tasks that no other could accomplish. The new Blue King will create a new organization and work as he wishes. He had no right to speak as someone who’d been removed from the scene. All he had to do now was answer Munakata, who had come to go through the proper motions with him as a person of the former organization, with the utmost courtesy.
“...I see,” Zenjoh said again, and bowed deeply. “I will be praying for the growth of the new Scepter 4.”
When he spoke, it felt as though something within him was ending. He even thought, however stupid of an image it may be, that the departed Habari Jin had taken the form of the young man in front of him to tell him, “Now rest.” But,
“Ah, I don’t need such respects. I’ve come to get you,” Munakata said, and smiled.
“...!” When Zenjoh saw that smile, his whole body tensed. He felt a shock run through his bones.
-- No.
The man in front of him most certainly had something in common with Habari Jin. That was most likely the right of a King. That was no mistake. However--
--However, this man was clearly different from Habari Jin.
“Heheh, what a frightening spirit… It just makes me want to make it my own even more. The Blue King Habari Jin’s right hand man, called the strongest swordsman… Zenjoh the Demon.” Munakata looked closer at the menacing Zenjoh, but did not flinch, and instead his smile grew wider. It was a bottomless, deep smile that could see straight into the depths of another’s heart all while hiding its own true intentions.
Zenjoh’s right hand subconsciously looked for the sheath of his sword. His entire body wanted the blade that had not been worn at his side for a long time.
-- ”What you must protect is our justice.”
For these ten years, those words were his belief - no, his entire existence. There was no hesitation in his feelings.
-- But, this man--
Was this man named Munakata Reisi a King who would make justice in his own way? Or was he something else, someone even more mysterious?
He couldn’t tell anymore.
For the protection of Habari Jin’s, and his, justice.
†
“--Zenjoh-san, Zenjoh-san.”
“Mm… Ahh.”
His shoulders shook, and his eyes opened. It seemed as though he’d dozed off at his desk.
It was a bit dark around him, and the western sun filtered through the hallway-side window beyond the file lockers. He looked up to the clock on the wall, and it was over 50 minutes past his end time.
“I’m sorry for waking you. You seemed to be having a nightmare, so…”
“Ah.” He answered Kusuhara with a vague noise and rubbed the inner corner of his eye. “...I was dreaming of something from long ago.” Maybe he’d been slacking recently, but he had started napping more.
Kusuhara, without criticizing him, held out an open laptop. “Um… Can you check the daily report?”
The laptop was something they’d managed to get in negotiating with General Affairs. According to Enomoto, who was present for that, it’s “a machine that’s two or three years old, but it’s much more efficient than this one here.” And with that, the other old computer hadn’t been touched since.
Kusuhara’s daily reports were much more detailed than the ones Zenjoh had intended to write, and all cleaning and filing done during the day was recorded along with the procedure and remarks for each. It wasn’t that Zenjoh had told him to do it; not only did he find his own work to do, he also suggested some things such as, “Let’s create digital copies of all the old important doc.u.ments and put them on the server.” The last line read “Zenjoh, review,” and Zenjoh would add two letters so that it would say, “Zenjoh, reviewed.” At first, he wrote “I have reviewed it. Zenjoh.” in place of a stamp, but writing just that much was rather time-consuming for him, so Kusuhara had the sense to use the method of typing just two letters.
In the beginning, Zenjoh thought Kusuhara was a childish, somewhat dumb young man, but working with him he felt, in all respects, the quick-wittedness and frankness of the youngsters nowadays. He thought he was much more thoughtful than himself.
“Good work. I don’t mind if you head on home now…” Zenjoh said formally as he handed the laptop back to Kusuhara.
But Kusuhara answered with a charming smile, “No, we’re just getting started.”
It had been over a week since the personnel rea.s.signment. On the night of the appointment ceremony, Munakata had personally instructed Kusuhara to “accompany Zenjoh regularly, and watch his every single move.” He was to burn it all into his memory and make it his own, not only the work during the day, but everything from training at nighttime to how he acted during the day. To Zenjoh, it was “surveillance” that would be like something forced on him by the government in the era of isolation - no, it was much more uninhibited than that, but Kusuhara’s carefree smile slipped into his mind and made him unable to find his will to refuse.
Kusuhara was staring with respect and interest at Zenjoh, who was still a bit sluggish, unable to shake the lingering feeling of sleep. He was almost like a dog waiting by his master’s side, waiting for orders.
He was nothing like a master. Zenjoh looked away, embarra.s.sed.
“...Shall we start dinner?”
“Yeah.”
As they tried out working in the kitchen, Zenjoh started to naturally work around Kusuhara. Opening bags of ingredients and wringing out cloth was hard to do with one hand. Zenjoh had gotten used to life with one arm in these past ten years, but watching Kusuhara had him realize how handicapped he was. On the other hand, it also seemed that Kusuhara was interested in the way he pushed and pulled the knife, and how he handled other cookware.
“It’s like, you know… You season the egg with snaps, and you move it like, like...”
“Like?”
“I’m sorry, I don’t really know how to say it… But it’s useful.”
As they chatted, a loud voice carried in from the window facing the field.
“Yooo!”
“We’re here for the soba!”
Hidaka, Enomoto, Fuse and Gotoh. These four former members of the fourth squad, and current members of the special corps, visited the old file room from time to time. They’d also have training rotations and times they’d have emergency dispatches, but this was their third visit since last week. Hidaka brought out a table for meetings and folding chairs from storage, and everyone brought their own utensils to eat with, so the front of the old file room was starting to look like a cafeteria.
“Kusuharaaa! Boil that baby up! I brought my own share,” he pulled out dried noodles he’d bought at the convenience store.
“Uhh, actually you kinda look pretty shameless,” Fuse laughed.
“Heheh, I brought fried fish and veggies I got at the cafeteria,” Gotoh pulled a plastic pack from a plastic bag.
“Ooh, good one, Gottie!”
“Well, if you’re gonna go that far… Why didn’t you just eat soba in the cafeteria?”
“Hey, you’re so strict, Eno!”
“I’m so sorry we’re always so noisy…” Enomoto, who kept control of the group, bowed his head to Zenjoh.
“Nah… Glad you’re lively,” Zenjoh answered.
Hidaka bringing his friends along was most likely to make sure they wouldn’t feel disconnected. Everyone was truly worried about where Kusuhara was headed.
And so Hidaka talked to Kusuhara about what was going on.
It’s said that there’s an emergency dispatch about twice a week, and they need time to rest--
“Basically, we’re short on help! You gotta hurry up and join us!” Hidaka said, splashing soba sauce everywhere.
“Well, I would really like to do that.” Kusuhara scratched his head. And then,
“Heheh, you’re being so modest… I get it, Kusuhara-kun, what’s gonna happen is the Pro’s gonna train you, then your level’s gonna shoot up, yeah?”
“A crash course!”
Gotoh and Fuse both spoke up.
“Oh man, that means he’s expecting a lot outta you!” Hidaka exclaimed excitedly.
“But…” Enomoto said, thinking, “I wonder what the conditions for success… Or I mean, more specifically, what does he have to do in order to level up?”
“Y’know…” Hidaka spoke. “Like, normally, you get full proficiency. That right, Zenjoh-san?”
“Mm…” Zenjoh let slip an indiscernible sound.
“Well, that’s…” Instead, Kusuhara answered. “Director Munakata told me that I’d pa.s.s if I beat Lieutenant Awashima in a match.”
“Wha...?”
The noisy four suddenly grew silent.
“Um, that’s a bit…”
“...Hard, don’t you think?”
Enomoto and Gotoh both said.
“Y’sure the Director isn’t bullying you?” Fuse commented.
“Um… I dunno,” Kusuhara replied ambiguously.
The table was like a light that went out, and the only sound was of Zenjoh slurping his soba.
†
It was true that the “Awashima wall” was thick.
Even during that week’s joint practice--
“Lieutenant! One match please!”
“Alright, come!”
When Kusuhara called out to Awashima and she answered, all the troops turned to face them. All the troops already knew about the “a.s.signment” that Director Munakata gave to Kusuhara. In addition to the rumors that Hidaka and the others spread, Awashima had most likely been told directly by Munakata.
In the middle of the circle the troops made,
“Here I go! Yaa--!”
Whaam!
Much like the other day, Awashima’s head strike was a clear hit to Kusuhara’s forehead as he stepped forward. Though he didn’t get a concussion, he stayed at the edge of practice and rested that day.
And even during the next week’s joint practice--
“Here I go! Ya--!”
Wham!
“Owww…” Kusuhara gingerly touched his head.
“Man.”
“He’s no good.”
As the surrounding troops laughed scornfully, Awashima’s head suddenly tilted, and she looked at her bamboo sword.
“...What’s wrong, Lieutenant?” Enomoto asked.
“Well… My strike was off the mark.” She swung lightly once, twice, then tilted her head again.
And then, the week after that--
“Lieutenant!” As Kusuhara called out to her, the sound of snickers immediately surrounded him.
“Hey, don’t laugh!” Hidaka yelled, and they fell silent.
“Alright, come.” Awashima, at the ready, was neither smiling nor scowling. Much like her straight posture, her expression was unshaken and calm.
“Here I go! Ya--!”
“Hm!”
As Kusuhara stepped forward, Awashima changed her head-strike stance in a simple moment, turning over her bamboo sword, and hit him on the side.
“Gouh…!” Kusuhara, suddenly struck on the side of his stomach, crouched right then and there. Awashima looked down at him, her expression doubtful, and then turned back to Zenjoh. Silently, he gave a slight nod.
“Lieutenant, what about Kusuhara?”
When Fuse called out to her, she came back to herself. “Carry him to the corner.”
“Ma’am!”
Hidaka rushed over, leaning Kusuhara on his shoulder, and said, “Man, you’re hopeless!”
†
Translator notes -
[1]: I really want to emphasize the magnitude of Kagutsu Crater. We only get a glimpse of the crater in the anime. Bad quality, but you can see a perfectly smooth semicircle above the peninsula near the bottom. Now, a recreation in google maps shows us that that circle is nowhere near the 100km diameter that this pa.s.sage describes. So I adjusted it. That"shalf of Tokyo, half of Mt. Fuji, the entirety of Kanagawa prefecture, and parts of Shizuoka, Yamanashi, and Saitama. That"s insane. Can you imagine if Munakata let