Chapter 110

Even with its high walls providing cover, Arcadia probably won't hold out for long.

"Don't worry, I'll take care of everything."

Mahiro patted her head to reassure her, the young commander of Arcadia.

Moreover, since things had already come to this point, Kayo naturally wouldn't say anything more and would simply follow Mahiro's orders.

But then she spoke again:

"There's one more thing: His Majesty the Seitenshi Emperor has awakened."

"Oh? I didn't expect her to wake up at such a good time."

I originally thought I wouldn't wake up until the Tokyo Area was completely destroyed, but I didn't expect to wake up now.

Inside the room.

The Seitenshi, who had already awoke, sat by the bedside, letting the setting sun streaming through the window fall upon her. Her snow-white face was filled with sorrow, and her eyes shone with grief, just like a saintess at dusk.

However, the saintess's heart was already filled with disappointment.

Especially when recalling the events that had happened before.

Thump, thump--

"Please come in, Mr. Mahiro."

Yotsuba Mahiro open the door and looked at the Seitenshi with considerable surprise.

"How did you know it was me? Did you awaken some special ability after taking a nap?"

"... How could that be? I was just guessing."

Upon seeing him enter, the Seitenshi forced a smile, though it looked rather forlorn.

"How did you sleep?"

"Very good, it seems... it's been a long time since I've had such a relaxing rest."

The Seitenshi gazed out the window and murmured to himself, his words tinged with a sense of melancholy.

"Hey, Mr. Mahiro, Mr. Kikunojo... is he... already dead?"

"Huh? How did you know? Did Kayo tell you?"

He was taken aback by the Seitenshi's sudden question.

His itinerary should only be known to Kayo, not even to Xiao Asaka and Xiao Tina, but Kayo isn't the kind of child who would reveal his secrets to others.

"... No."

The Seitenshi gently shook his head, his jade-like hand lightly clenched in front of his chest, and explained, "It's just that I have this feeling."

Because the heavy, oppressive feeling of being bound by shackles in my heart has disappeared—a feeling that always exists, no matter when or where...

Therefore, she made this bold guess.

But now that she has received news of Mr. Kikunojo's death, she cannot feel happy at all.

Instead, it became even heavier.

So heavy-hearted that she involuntarily lowered her head, her shoulders trembling, and began to sob softly.

Crystalline tears slowly slid down from the corners of her eyes, dripping onto the back of her hand, shattering like crystal.

Don't cry.

Mahiro gently patted the girl's back, but the Seitenshi suddenly pounced on her and threw herself into his arms.

Her shoulders trembled more violently, and her sobs became more pronounced.

With tears welling up in her eyes, she clutched Mahiro's coat tightly, unwilling to give up.

"... Mr Mahiro, am I a particularly unsuccessful head of state?"

"During the months when I had no contact with you, I would put my hand on the Bible day and night and ask myself what I should do."

But no matter how hard I try, even after making changes, no matter how much they slander me, I don't care. I clearly want Tokyo Area to become a better place, but in the end, I'm just an ornament for Tokyo Area.

The Seitenshi's words were filled with intense despair.

"Everyone says that as long as Kikunojo is here, that's enough... Someone like me doesn't need him at all...!"

"It's so painful. I just want to live by believing in the goodness of humanity, but everyone is being manipulated by the tide of hatred. Mr. Mahiro... what should I do?"

By the end, the Seitenshi was in tears, his clothes gradually becoming soaked.

Mahiro continued to pat her back gently, and whispered in her ear:

"Since they don't need you, why don't you just leave them?"

"..."

The Seitenshi raised his head and met his gaze with his tear-reddened eyes.

"You feel like a failure, but I've never felt that way. Others might think you're just a pretty face, but in my opinion, at least you did something right and meaningful in your final moments."

Despite strong opposition, they forcefully introduced the Gastrea Act to grant children human rights.

Although it's practically useless now, at least it shows the Seitenshi's determination to change everything.

"Moreover, as I said before, you were simply born at the wrong time. Your methods, Seitenshi, are too gentle and not suitable for an apocalyptic world that requires severe punishments to govern."

"Then what should I do...?"

"I've already said it, leave them. They don't need you, but I need you."

"Ah..."

The Seitenshi let out a small gasp, his face gradually flushing crimson.

"... Mr Mahiro, may I take this as a confession?"

"Of course, no problem." Mahiro smiled slightly. "Besides confessing my feelings, this is also my idea. I think you are an excellent leader, so if you are willing, would you like to come to Arcadia and help me? Help me manage this place and, together with those children, establish a new kingdom."

"I..."

The Seitenshi choked up a little, but looking at Yotsuba Mahiro's sincere smile made her feel very warm.

I never imagined that even now, there would still be people willing to believe in me.

That trust was like a ray of dawn breaking through the darkness and shining into her heart.

This made her blush slightly, like an ordinary young girl, and she buried her head in his chest, saying in a muffled voice:

"... Mr. Mahiro, you are truly despicable."

"Yes, I admit it. So, Seitenshi Majesty, would you be willing to join Arcadia and help such a despicable person like me to govern this land and watch these children grow up?"

"Okay, I promise you..."

Upon hearing this answer...

Yotsuba Mahiro wasn't surprised at all.

After all, a person's heart is most vulnerable when it is being rebuilt after it has been broken.

The Seitenshi happened to be in this situation, hated by the people of Tokyo Area, held hostage by Kikunojo for a long time, and subjected to various threats, both overt and covert.

All of this had already overwhelmed her, making it hard for her to breathe.

Nighttime.

The children in Arcadia are fast asleep.

Yotsuba Mahiro is standing on the city wall, gazing at the distant Tokyo Area and the war-torn District 40.

As predicted, the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force suffered a series of defeats under the Gastrea army's offensive and successfully turned the tide against the police auxiliary forces.

Numerous wounded police officers began to flee, posing no real threat whatsoever.

Soon, the Gastrea had spread into the Tokyo Area, and even from this distance, the evening breeze seemed to carry their mournful howls here.

At this moment, besides himself, Tina, Senju Kayo, and Mibu Asaka were all on the city wall.

Even the Seitenshi was there.

He originally didn't want the Seitenshi to come, but she insisted, saying she wanted to see the Tokyo Area disappear one last time.

"Then I'll begin."

"Um."

The Seitenshi nodded heavily.

Although her hands, clad in white silk, clenched tightly together and rested on her lower abdomen, her gaze had hardened.

It's time to say goodbye.

She was completely disillusioned with the Tokyo Area.

"Multiple Observation" -- Launch

"Eidos Eye" - Activate

"Matter Conversion: Mercury and Antimony Oxide" -- Activated

"Red Mercury Nuclear Explosion" - Begins!

In the heart of Tokyo Area, now shrouded in darkness, lay the pure white palace— the Holy Residence.

Suddenly, nearly one cubic decimeter of Red Mercury appeared out of thin air in the Seitenshi's room.

Then, it transformed into a sphere and inexplicably burst into flames, radiating a dazzling light like the sun.

The dissipated energy, growing stronger with the flames, is rapidly devouring everything.

The nuclear fusion of Red Mercury instantly generates temperatures of tens of millions of degrees Celsius, melting and vaporizing the metal and annihilating everything!

In a short time, the entire Tokyo Area was turned into an inferno. Whether it was people hiding in shelters or Gastrea ravaging the surface, everyone perished in the extreme heat.

The scorching blast spread rapidly across the earth's surface like a plague!

Just as the blast was about to reach the outer area, a strong tremor suddenly came from the ground!

The entire District 39 suddenly vanished from the Tokyo Area.

The mass extinction in the Tokyo Area was just the beginning.

Then came Sendai Area, Osaka Area, Hakata Area, all disappearing in turn under the "Material Burst".

However, during this process, he discovered something interesting: Libra, one of the Zodiac and known as the "King of Plagues," had actually appeared!

He only understood after tracing back to the source.

It turns out they were attracted by Scorpio.

Seemingly sensing the impending demise of Scorpio, Libra, as the elder sister, appeared in Japan, preparing to launch a revenge attack on humanity.

Now that he was here, he naturally followed the same tactic and launched an attack on Libra.

"Lamenting Styx" - Activate!

Strategic-level magic "Ice Age"—activated!

The Fourth Phase Shift has begun!

In this way, he transformed the Gastrea of Zodiac back into humans and subdued them one by one.

And just as he guessed, Libra did indeed have short pink hair, just like Ram.

I'm speechless.

After Japan's defeat, it was the turn of other countries.

First, Russia was plunged into permafrost, frozen permanently below absolute zero during the "Ice Age".

Then Asia, Europe.

It took him nearly a year to destroy human settlements while simultaneously subduing the Cursed Children, totaling 400,000, all of whom he stored in his ring.

It's laughable, really.

With over 100 million people remaining in the world, these children were so brutally murdered that there are fewer than a million left.