Saigō Homura had always had a quiet disposition. Though he was a boy, Izayoi often teased him for being as indecisive as a girl.
But this time, his expression was markedly darker, and one could hear the unwavering killing intent in his tone.
And why not? After witnessing such a hellish scene, how could anyone cling to the same naive ideals as before?
The old Saigō Homura would have striven for peace with all his might. No matter who he was dealing with, he wanted to solve problems through negotiation and never involved himself in anything that might harm others.
Now, however, he had abandoned that naive way of thinking.
It wasn't that he had given up on striving for peace—in fact, he was still willing to do so, which was why he had spoken so painstakingly with Typhon.
What he had given up on was the path of trying to win over the highest echelons of power as allies.
The selfishness of the powerful, the greed of the powerful…
"If those in power are so far beyond saving, then we just need to eliminate them. Wouldn't that solve the biggest problem?"
Saigō Homura said.
"I never thought I'd hear you talk about killing someone…"
Izayoi looked up at his younger brother in surprise, then shook his head.
"But it's impossible. Not only will new rulers constantly emerge from the populace even if the old ones die, but as long as human experimentation yields excessive profits, they'll never stop… Even setting that aside, if you get rid of all the rulers, what kind of framework will you use to build a new society?"
Human civilization may have evolved over many years, but its model of governance by people had never changed.
In ancient times, leaders claimed the right to rule in the name of gods. In modern times, leaders claim the right to rule in the name of democracy and freedom. Whatever the form, the substance remained the same.
Human civilization was a structure that required rulers to function. An organization without a ruler would be eliminated by one that had one.
This wasn't a question of morality; it was a question of survival.
"The Young Lady!"
Saigō Homura declared.
"If it's the Young Lady, she could support the whole of society, even as a ruler!"
"Didn't you just say you were going to kill all the rulers?"
"Exceptions like the Young Lady, who would never commit evil, don't count."
"Fine. You're saying you'll support the Young Lady's rule. But that brings us back to the original problem: on what grounds will you kill the other rulers?"
Izayoi spread his hands, asking the crucial question.
"I know you're a brilliant researcher, but just as you failed to predict the birth of the Bull of Heaven, you, who don't engage in human experimentation, can't even guess what your opponents are trying to research. How can you possibly fight them?"
"Maybe if you had a few days, you could analyze the principles behind the weapons your enemies create. But just like this time, will the enemy give you that much time?"
"Even with your genius, you can't handle enemies who take shortcuts by conducting human experiments. What makes you think you can guarantee the Young Lady's victory?"
"..."
Saigō Homura fell silent.
He understood what Izayoi meant.
If he refused to commit evil, he wouldn't be able to deal with the evil rulers in time.
But if he did commit evil, what was the difference between him and those other rulers? What would be the difference between the Young Lady he served and them?
It was an unsolvable loop.
"Let's go."
Seeing Homura fall silent, having likely taken his words to heart, Izayoi spoke up.
He knew where Homura's emotions were coming from. No one could witness that hell and remain unaffected.
He also believed that, with Homura's intelligence, a few days of reflection would be enough for him to abandon this radical idea.
But as he thought this, Izayoi clearly failed to anticipate one thing.
A radical idea born from an isolated incident is like a fire lit in mid-air; it will burn out before long.
But if it comes into contact with more kindling before it's extinguished, that's a different story.
The next morning.
Inside a lush, verdant ecological park, Typhon sat in his wheelchair, waiting for the video call to begin.
He wore loose-fitting casual clothes that covered most of his bandages. The heart monitor and other devices had been temporarily removed, making him look less like a critically ill patient and more like a frail young man enjoying an outing in the park.
"See? I told you, showing off is a fundamental need for any man, even for gods. Don't you all think I have a point?"
Izayoi, who had recovered significantly, quipped as he adjusted the equipment nearby.
Even a Two-Digit Full-Authority Domain cared about their image. His previous approach had clearly been the right one!
"..."
Hearing this, Kasukabe Yō shot him a speechless look.
"Izayoi, last time aside, Typhon is doing this to show everyone else how relaxed life is at headquarters. If he did the video call from his sickroom, it would look too much like he was on an operating table in an experimental facility."
"He's making this change to help us gain their trust. It's not the same as you just wanting to show off!"
Saigō Homura retorted mercilessly.
Typhon's mouth twitched at the remark, but he said nothing.
Although he'd claimed he wouldn't help them gain the victims' trust, Typhon did, in fact, want to transfer them to his side, which was why he was assisting so wholeheartedly.
Under his watch, those children would hopefully never have to experience that hell again.
The flowers, grass, insects, and birds before him might be a common sight for ordinary people, but for the victims, they were a symbol of freedom. This background, though seemingly ordinary, was actually very important.
With everyone's cooperation, the video call was quickly established.
Typhon's image was broadcast to over a hundred bases around the world, and in turn, the images of over a hundred thousand victims from those bases were projected onto a massive screen on the grassy field.
The video feeds showed scenes from midday to night. The Holy Cross Group had set up an enormous, ultra-high-definition screen at every base, allowing everyone to see the situation at all the other hundred-plus facilities and the condition of their ten thousand-plus comrades simultaneously.
"Whoa…"
Nothing could have reassured them more than seeing a massive number of their own people in a live broadcast.
Many of the victims had been transferred between numerous bases, and thanks to the special abilities of some, they quickly confirmed that they recognized other victims in the feeds and had stayed at some of the other bases shown.
Once this was confirmed, their trust in the Holy Cross Group skyrocketed.
The group hadn't lied to them. All of their comrades had truly been rescued and were waiting to meet them.
The experimenters would never have dared to do something like this.
With this realization, many of the victims who had been hiding in corners timidly ran out into the open.
Everyone stared at the expressions of their comrades on the screen, seeing the same excitement, the same surprise, the same terror on their faces. Some were so moved they burst into tears, and the sound of their crying infected the entire crowd.
In the end, more than a hundred thousand victims were crying in unison, a sound both tragic and unified into a will of immense power.
Like a newborn's first cry upon entering the world, they finally had the right to express their own emotions.
Faced with this unexpected scene, the members of the salvation team exchanged glances, their hearts filled with a heavy sense of empathy.
Without witnessing the sight of these hundred thousand victims weeping, one could never truly feel the weight of the suffering they carried.
They did nothing, simply waiting in silence. Half an hour later, the crying gradually subsided.
Only then did Typhon come forward. He pulled back his jacket, revealing a body wrapped in bandages, and spoke in a heavy, resonant voice.
"My brethren, it's been a long time. I am a test subject, just like all of you…"
Typhon's tone was incredibly calm as he recounted his situation and his views on the Holy Cross Group.
As he spoke, the crowd gradually stopped crying, listening to the call of their comrade.
In this world, there was no one they could trust—except their own kind.
If Typhon said the Holy Cross Group was trustworthy, or at least worth engaging with despite their suspicions, then they were willing to trust his judgment.
Of course, there were still some highly skeptical victims, or those whose psychological trauma was too deep.
But in the question-and-answer session that followed his speech, their doubts were dispelled one by one by Typhon's sincere answers.
No attitude is more transparent than sincerity.
Not to mention, there was no shortage of gifted individuals among the victims, including those with the ability to distinguish truth from lies.
The speech lasted for fifteen minutes, and the Q&A session that followed went on for over an hour.
It wasn't until the medical staff issued their third warning that Typhon, sitting in his wheelchair, had to announce that the live broadcast was coming to an end.
"I'm sorry, we only have time for one last question. We can't drag this on any longer… My friend, it's your turn!"
The feed from one of the experimental bases was moved to the center and enlarged to its maximum size. In the middle of the screen, a girl who looked to be less than 1.4 meters tall was given a chance to connect, standing in the center of the crowd.
Under everyone's gaze, the girl who had gotten the final chance swallowed nervously and introduced herself in a flurry.
"Hello, comrade. My-my-my name is Lapko. My special ability is super-precise calculation. I can remember everything I've ever seen perfectly, and my calculation power is immense. I never forget."
The girl stated her ability.
"I see. Do you have something you wish to question as well?"
Typhon asked curiously.
After the long series of questions, the vast majority of people's doubts had been dispelled. The last few questions hadn't even been tests of his honesty, but simply people wanting to communicate with him.
He hadn't expected someone to still be on guard at the very end.
Hearing Typhon's question, the girl shook her head frantically.
"No, no, no, I don't doubt you! I just have something I must tell everyone!"
"My inca— I used to stay in several experimental bases. I remember the layout of every base and every fellow victim clearly. But-but-but… I've counted over and over a dozen times just now, and I don't see two of the bases I was in. I don't see several of the people I knew either."
Even if others had been transferred between a few bases, they wouldn't have had a deep understanding of the different facilities, and even if they did, it would be difficult to spot any discrepancies among more than a hundred live feeds.
But the girl was different. Her special ability not only gave her a perfect memory, but also allowed her to quickly compare the feeds and spot the problem.