Seeing Shuu change so much in how mature he became after several months of them not seeing each other, Isagi didn’t even have any intention of greeting him like, You’ve become prettier after I not seeing you for so long, huh.
The reason that he grew his hair until such lengths was probably to hide the mark of the Sealing Technique that was on his cheeks.
Though, now he looked more beautiful compared to the normal girl in the town.
Isagi took a slight distance from Shuu.
He put his vigilance level to the highest the moment they met.
Shuu, who wore the adventurer guild"s staff uniform, waved his hand at Isagi.
"Hey, Iskun.How have you been doing, are you healthy?"
"Why, are you here... "
Isagi remembered the past, then he shook his head.
"No, I guess it is obvious. Standing on the side of the adventurer, returning to our world, Dynacity is an important place for both of them. It"ll be even weird if you weren"t here, actually..... But, why did you know that I am here?"
As Isagi asked him so, Shuu take out a letter from his pocket.
"... That"s"
"Yep, this is something that you brought to the main branch yesterday, right? Now, I"m working as a guild staff member, you know, that"s why I realized"
The name of the sender was, Isa.
To think that the one who would inspect the content of the letter would be Shuu.
"I already read your letter. As I thought, you"re not a person from this age, right?"
Isagi felt a sharp pain on his chest. In the first place, he know that the letter would be opened.
But he already wrote the letter in a way that if other person than Bardz tried to read the letter, they wouldn’t be able to identify the sender.
Probably, even before reading that letter, Shuu already realized about Isagi"s true ident.i.ty.
There were three people who were able to see through his true ident.i.ty, the first one was Dyutyu, the second probably one of the five demon general--- Madressa, and the third person would be Shuu.
On the main road where Caliburnus just pa.s.sed, people started to gather.
The corpse already got taken care of before anyone realized.
In the middle of the hustle and bustle of the street, Shuu said.
"The brave Isagi, 20 years ago pa.s.sed away after defeating the demon emperor Anrimanyu. Officially, he died because of the curse that was cast on him by Anrimanyu. But the truth is different. He actually got summoned into this age instead"
" ... "
"What an ironic story. If they know you’re alive, the world probably become a warmer place than this"
“I understand that fact, I do. You don"t need to tell me about that, Shuu"
Shuu peered into Isagi"s eyes.
He felt like a lab rat that was observed by a biologist.
"... Well, anyway, it seems that there’s no problem with you"
Isagi wondered what in the world Shuu just said.
Shuu laughed as he pointed toward the back alley.
"There’s a shop that I usually visit. It"s quiet calming place, you know"
"There"s nothing I need to discuss with you"
"But, you want to know, right? ‘his’ true ident.i.ty?”
Perhaps now that Shuu was showing his true nature, the way how haughty he act around Isagi felt more appropriate for his character.
It"s something that pa.s.s the level of self-confidence.
"I didn"t come here to ask for your forgiveness. But, you need my information and guidance. And, I need your power, too. This is a transactions"
"A transactions wouldn’t be able to be established unless two side have faith in each other, you know"
"I don"t think so. Human only work for the sake of profit, no?"
" ... "
He understood.
If he accept Shuu"s invitation, things would get complicated.
However...
"... I understand, I"ll go"
"Ahaha, thanks, Iskun"
"I don"t remember doing something worth your thanks. After all, I still don"t believe in you"
"Haha, I too, didn"t said thanks with that kind of intention, you know. The staff on the guild said their thanks to the adventurer after finished using them, right?"
"... You"
Isagi about to said something, but he stopped.
Nothing ventured, nothing gained, there was that, but another thing…
Compared to the overwhelming aura that Caliburnas emit, Shuu was just like a little kid.
They were on a bar that located in a place no sunshine could pa.s.sed through.
The customers, were those people who were reeks of criminals. And Shuu, who wore the white suit of the guild staff really stood out in that place.
"It"s unexpected. So you like place like this, huh"
"Is that weird? This place is calming, you know?"
“I think open cafe fit better with your image, thought?”
"Oh, that"s nice, it"s really nostalgic. Really"
Shuu smiled happily.
Isagi wondered how could Shuu act all friendly with him even though they were separated as enemy.
... This really broke Isagi"s pace.
"What are you doing all this time"
"Well, it"s not really something complicated, you know. I mingled with the adventurers, crossed the continent, then using carriage to go to Dynacity. It had been two month since I arrived at this city, I guess. After that, I was hired by the Adventurer Guild"
" ... Then, now you are helping them to destroy the demon race?"
"Not really. I still haven"t done anything significant. It’s just been giving advice to the adventurer who are accepting quest. Also curry the authorities, making up some plan. It really helped me that the head of the main branch is girl"
Cups were carried to their table.
Isagi wondered when did they ordered this, a sweet fragrance tickle his nostrils.
It was tea.
Shuu, who seems the regular of this place, waved his hand at the waitress.
Isagi could see that girl quickly left with reddish face.
"Feel free"
" ..."
Being offered, Isagi tasted the drink. It"s delicious.
It seems they had use a fine quality tea leaves for this drink.
"It"s good, right?"
" ... Well, I suppose"
Isagi placed the cup on the table roughly.
Also, even if there was poison poured into this cup, it wouldn"t be effective against Isagi.
"I didn’t come here to having a tea with you. Let"s start our transaction"
"Don"t need to rush like that. You will be unpopular with girl, you know"
Isagi didn"t really want accompany Shuu in his leisure talk.
"It"s him. Caliburnas"
"Yeah"
"What in the world is that person. Is he really.. a human?"
"I can say he is, but at the same time, he is not"
Shuu elegantly bring the cup to his mouth.
He intentionally put halt in their talk.
He gazed at Isagi.
That look, it was the same eyes when he left them, it was sharp.
" Iskun. What do you think G.o.d is?"
" ... hah?"
"The general concept of G.o.d. The human-like G.o.d, that come out in the legend. Or perhaps, the G.o.d who govern over all creations. In our world, there are many tipe of G.o.d exist"
"Oi, Shuu"
"In Arbarisus, G.o.d, also exist.That"s right, they"re the ‘Divine Race’, the race that left this world in the Gold Age"
Shuu didn"t sound like he was joking when he said that.
"It’s been a mystery on why they abandon our world. But, probably it"s just our misconception in the first place. What if, they"re not really leaving this word, and still exist in this world, but just in the different form, what do you think about that?"
"Oi, answer my question, Shuu"
Hearing Isagi"s voice, Shuu just smiled slightly.
"Indeed, I never intend to distract you from our topic, but, if I put this matter in order and explain everything to you just like that, it"ll take quite long time. Also, it"ll be quite hard to explain it in the way that so you could understand”
"... Somehow, you"ve really changed since you left the demon lord castle"
"Is that so?"
"Yeah. You became quite annoying"
"Haha"
Shuu laughed..
That smile, he looked happy somehow.
"I’ve piled up quite bit of stress, you know. The life of salaryman at the adventurer guild is hard"
"If you invite me to this bar just for complaining, I"ll go home"
"Then, the continuation of previous talk"
Shuu suddenly changed the way he talk.
For sure, the serious talk started.
"Do you still remember the story that was told by Shirbenichan? This world is made by four world; Physical world, Magic world, Soul world, and G.o.d world"
"Yeah. The time when she talked about the basic of the magic technique, right?"
"Then, What did she said about the G.o.d world?"
"Shirbenia didn’t really talked about it, huh. If my memory didn"t fail me... I remember that my friend had said it to me before... "
It should be either Plea or Shelder the one who explain it to him.
"It should be, the place where the vanished soul went, the world of rebirth and death. Anyway, as long as that world couldn"t be observed, it shouldn"t have any relation with our world, I guess"
" ... hmm"
Shuu shifted his gaze, then mutter.
"Is that so, so they only know that much... As I thought, the people in this world have a too little knowledge about the divine race"
Shuu put his hand on his lips as he shakes his head.
Isagi frowned.
"... What are you talking about"
" The G.o.d world, just like it"s name, it is the place where the divine race reside"
"Hah?"
"Simply saying, it is different from the G.o.d that have personality in polytheism, or the only being like creation G.o.d. The divine race in this world, is nothing more than just a mere energy. It"s nothing so complicated. You should remember right? The sealing technique that placed on our body said to make us able to have the divine power reside in our body. That is wrong. The divine race is the power itself. Furthermore, the G.o.d world is the place where physical, magic and soul world constructed by the ‘Divine energy’, it"s become the base of magic and physical theory ... Well, the talk after this will be quite hard topic, maybe it"s a bit too hard for you"
Isagi urge Shuu as he pressed his temple.
"... Then?"
" Ok then, I’ll think that you already understood everything I said up to this point, so let’s continue. In the age where we live, there was one epidemic. That disease called as "G.o.d Territory disease".It"s a disease that destroy one"s individuality as they were smeared by the divine energy. To be able to reveal the true form of this disease, it take me whole three years, you know. However, revealing the mechanism of the apotheosis---"
"Wait a moment, Shuu"
Isagi cut his talk.
Just when Shuu started to talk about some bizzare theory, he told it in a messed up chronological order.
"Three years, you said ... what in the world are you talking about!?"
Shuu slightly avert his gaze then nodded.
"... That"s right, Iskun. I already though to tell you about this sooner"
Shuu brush his hair, then spoke.
"Just a moment ago, I"ve said this to you; you and him are an irregular. But, to say it more precisely, they’re you, me and him. Compared the three of us, Renzou and Yoshin.o.bu are just person who posses forbidden technique. I was summoned to this world, 400 years faster than you,and that time, I was called as the Hero, Mashu"
Isagi opened his eyes wide in surprise.
"Seriously..."
(2)
Hero, Mashu.
That was the name of the hero in a book that Isagi read in the demon lord castle.
It said that he was a hero who were traveling to a lot of place for the sake of saving this world.
To think that all of that wasn"t just a legend. And now, he leaped through time, and arrived 400 years in the future?
It’s something that was hard to believe.
But, Isagi was the person who understood the best that such thing could happened.
Isagi stare at Shuu’s eyes, and after a while, the only word that he barely able to mutter was…
“... Hiyama Shuu, is Mashu, huh. You’re in for a lot of problem,eh”
“I can only agree with that”
Shuu made a wry smile.
Shuu said that he was a modern day j.a.panese that was summoned to this world 400 years ago, went to a journey for three years, traveling all around Arbarisus and after all of the deeds had been done he immediately summoned into this time.
Everything that had happened to him, just like what was happened to Isagi.
"It"s alright if you don"t believe me. What important is the topic that I want to discuss with you, not about my true ident.i.ty”
" ... I suppose"
Just as he said.
The point of their conversation right now wasn’t about how Shuu was a summoned person who came from 400 years ago.
Even with all of that, it wouldn’t change the fact that Shuu betrayed the demon race and attacked Renzou and Shirbenia.
“Since the human from 400 years ago didn’t possess a strong soul unlike the people from this age, they’re p.r.o.ne to the G.o.d Territory disease. Normally, soul is not something that can be tempered. Our body can retain its current shape because there are our soul reside inside it. Body, soul, and magic power. That three thing said to be the pillar of human existence; if any one of that dissapeared from our body, human wouldn’t be able to stay alive. If one body destroyed then they’ll die. If one had their magic power exhausted, they will withered to die. And if the soul were destroyed, they wouldn’t be able to stay as human. That is the absolute of this world. However, the human from this age able to tamper and use with their soul so easily…”
"... In other word?"
“Magical power that couldn’t be contaminated into human soul will got transferred into their body, and then turned into magic stone. This system, is a system that human body possess to defend the soul from the power of ‘G.o.d’. But, if that system couldn’t work properly, in other word, when there were huge amount of magic power that not even their body could contain poured into the thinned out soul, that power would destroy the human soul in return. If that were to happen, then said human would lost all their reasoning, and their power would raised tremendously. That was the symptoms for G.o.d Territory disease”
Isagi felt like he already saw such thing somewhere.
But he couldn"t remembered it properly.
Shuu stroked the tattoo on his cheeks.
“The appearance of the human who caught this disease is no different from normal human, however, their soul--- heart, it"s already gone. Have you ever heard this kind of word before, Iskun? ‘Philosophical Zombie”
Isagi nodded.
"Human who act like a puppet; they wouldn"t react anything to any of the stimulus from outside. Their appearance is same as us, their act is flawless, too. They also laugh and cry, but deep inside, they wouldn"t felt anything. Theoretical sample that usually used in thought experiment" "Oh, I"m surprised, so Iskun is actually quite educated, heh"
Isagi glared at him, then shook his head.
"Yes, that"s right. The human who caught in this disease will become Philosophical Zombie. They have no feeling. No heart. But at a glance, they looked just like normal human . They will move just by the desire that already carved into their body; they wouldn"t learn. Couldn’t grow.
However---They"re, terrifyingly, strong lump of energy"
Indeed.
Isagi even mistaken Caliburnas as a maximum magic stone.
That was how strong Caliburnas is.
"Then that mean, Caliburnas… umm, turned that strong because he caught that disease?”
"Correct"
Shuu nodded as he spread his arms.
"He, Caliburnas; the one who become the adventurer king, the cause of this world"s corruption.If we let Caliburnas go just like that, it will lead to the destruction of Albarisus. He, who magical power become stronger as time goes, would continue to destroy every race that take him as enemy, and finally, he will bring demise into human race, too.That"s why, before all of that happened, we have to deal with him"
Isagi knit his eyebrows.
He believed in all of the word that Shuu had said.
However, he couldn"t stop on asked for more information.
"We... wait, Who do you mean by, we, oi"
"I want to say, all of the hero from each race will join their hand together, but it is impossible.
That"s why if I, you, Renzou-kun and Yoshin.o.bu-kun become stronger... Probably, the four of us could win against him"
For a moment, Isagi fell into silence.
He folded his hand then closed his eyes.
“... In other word, the prejudice against the other race wouldn’t end unless we defeat him, the leader of the adventurer. That would also the case for the war between the adventurer and Demon Race. Is that what you wanna say, huh?”
"That"s right"
"But, why Bardz didn’t stop Caliburnas?"
"There"s nothing he could do to go against Caliburnas at this point. Calburnas is simply too strong. All of the chief va.s.sal and adventurers who tried to warn him, were killed one by one.
Now the Royal Castle were occupied with the people who have the intention to using Caliburnus for their own gain. I don’t really know about Bardz, thought, but Caliburnus who already infected with the G.o.d Power is no more than a killing machine. Though the Elf race is still saved at this point, but they would also got wiped in no time”
"... So, we have no other choice to a.s.sa.s.sinate him?"
"Simply saying, that"s right. There"s no way to save the one who caught the G.o.d territory disease. We have no other choice to kill him"
"Why"
"Eh?"
Isagi gazed at Shuu.
"Why, for whose sake do you kill Calburnas for? I"m sure it"s not for the sake of demon race. You shouldn’t have any business with this matter”
" ... I"
This was the first time they met after long time not seeing each other.
A dark shadow fell on Shuu"s face.
" 400 years ago, I killed lot of people who caught this disease. I kill those human shaped monster with sorcery. In the past, it was I who saved Albarisus from the brink of destruction. And now, I just want to destroy those disease that once again appeared in front of me, is that a weird thing to do?”
"And you even stab Renzou and Shirbenia, and went to the adventurer side? Why do you seems to be pressured with this matter so much?”
"... I will not said it"
" Hah?"
"It"s not like I can"t say it, I just don"t want to. All of the matter beyond this, didn’t have any relation with our transaction. I didn"t have any thought to say it"
"You... "
To think that Shuu would shut his mouth in the last moment like this.
Isagi couldn’t comment any further.
“Using the Revival Stone, Adventurer got their soul chipped in turn. Those who didn’t have any soul remained in their body would caught the G.o.d Territory disease. That is the cause of our predicament now. As I tried to destroy every Revival Stone I could get my hand to, that monster appeared. It got me surprised that there’s adventurer who already reached such level. That’s why, I joined the Adventurer guild to search for an ally to fight alongside myself after found out that I wouldn’t be able to defeat him alone. At such time, you came. I thought, that if it was the brave who had save this world 20 years ago, then he would be able to help me. That is the reason I invite you to this”
"..."
"If you wish for it, I can even create a chance so you can have a talk with Bardz. Right now, I have a little bit of connection inside the royal castle, you know. How about it, will you cooperate with me to eradicate the G.o.d Territory disease with me?"
Just like before, Shuu act so full of himself. However, when Isagi looked at his eyes, he could felt a hatred deep inside it.
Indeed, defeating Caliburnus also had something to do with Isagi’s objection. And if G.o.d Territory Disease were real, he couldn’t leave it alone.
More than that, Shuu’s offer was tempting now that Amalia was useless. In the end, the main objective that Isagi had was to meet with Bardz, that’s why he went all the way toward this place.
However---
"I can’t just believed that all of the thing that you just said is the truth”
Isagi said so.
It was matter of course.
Shuu shrugged his shoulder.
"I guess, so. I suppose my word is not enough to grasp your heart"
"... Everything would turn out fine if you just said all of this at that time, you know. That day, in the Demon Lord Castle”
“Please stop with the jest, Iskun. I will not believe in anyone. You too, of course. I brought out this matter to you today just because I find you useful for me, that’s all. Please don’t misunderstand”
"... I don"t know whether you"re just skilled, or awkward"
" Even I don"t know myself. For now, I will think a way so you will nod your head to my invitation.
I already run a lot of simulation, but can’t really think of something good"
"To think that you, the incarnation of communication power, can"t do it, heh"
Shuu stand up from his seat; a chain made from light come out from his right hand.
It was magic .
"That"s why, I will show you my determination"
As he said that Shuu raised his left hand.
"... You"
"At the time like this, I should"ve offer my life instead, right?But I still have something that I have to do, even Iskun would have it easier by having some connection inside the adventurer guild in the time of emergency"
"Oi, what are you---"
Isagi raised from his seat.
Shuu stare at Isagi as he brandished his magic.
"This left hand, I offer it to you"
He swung it down. Probably Shuu thinking to sever his left hand with the chain as a blood oath to Isagi.
Shuu closed his eyes tightly; gritted his teeth.
Blood dances in the air.
However, the pain never came. Shuu opened his eyes.
Isagi grasped that chain with his bare hand.
The smell of Isagi"s burned hand waft around the area.
In panic, Shuu dispel his sorcery, then he asked in daze.
" ... Iskun, why"
"Grit your teeth"
"Eh?"
"Quickly!"
The moment Shuu did as what he was told to, Isagi"s first came flying toward him.
Punched on the cheeks, Shuu got blown from the stop where he stood.
He flew until his back knocked the shop"s wall.
A clamour raised inside the store for a moment before it returned to how it was before. Probaly, it"s already a daily spectacle from the people inside the bar.
A trace of tears could be seens oozing out from Shuu’s eyes due to the pain. He even felt that probably severing his hand would be better than this.
Shuu looked up.
Isagi stretch his hand toward him.
"The way you do it is too old, you know. Probably because you’re a person from 400 years ago, heh? If we’re a friend, a punch would be enough”
Shuu stared in amazement.
Even though in the past, he had attacked Isagi with determination to kill him.
Unconsciously, Shuu burst into laughter.
"Hah, Hahaha... "
He took Isagi"s hand.
As he stood back up, Isagi made a slight smile, too.
"However, there are still one punch from Shirbenia and another one from Renzou, remember that. Before that, I will not forgive all of the thing that you had done"
"Is that so... The one from Renzou-kun, seems it will hurt so much... "
While stroked his cheek, Shuu mutter so. He also sure that Isagi wasn’t fully believed in him, yet.
"Ouch... Seriously, you love to do something violent, heh"
"Come on, say that again! who was the person who tried to cut his own hand, huh?
Are you trying to use Revival Stone?"
"Don"t look down on me please. There"s no way I will use that thing. I just a.s.ses that the price of joining force with you is the same as my left hand"
"That’s amazing, thought..."
Isagi sighed.
Shuu returned to his seat, raised his cup.
" I will create a chance for you to meet with Bardz. Tell me your inn later"
"... Yeah"
Shuu thought that as long as he able to made Isagi join force with him, it was enough.Even if Isagi didn’t fully believed in him.
There was nothing more he could wish than this.
Shuu scratched his cheeks, he smiled faintly.
" Thank you, Iskun.Let"s kill Caliburnas together, shall we.
May the glory descend upon our battle"