Last Embryo Volume 1 Chapter 7

Sakamaki Izayoi, Mikado Tokuteru and Prithvi Mata - as the three of them left "Don Bruno"...

"So, what are you going to do from now on, Tokuteru. Are you even going to use Buddha's "Touiriten"?"

"No, this time, we don't need to go that far. Get on both of you."

Mikado Tokuteru urged them to get on as he turned on the ignition. Confirming that both of them got on board, Tokuteru faced the Kan-Etsu Expressway heading towards Katsus.h.i.+ka district of Tokyo. Becoming suspicious, Izayoi asked Tokuteru while picturing the almost forgotten map of Tokyo Metropolis in his mind.

"Kan-Etsu? Oi, where are you going."

"My domain is small in j.a.pan. I'm going towards the place where I can open the "Boundary Gate"."

Hitting the gas, Mikado Tokuteru went straight towards Katsus.h.i.+ka.

Holding his chin in his hand, Izayoi pondered over what he said.

“For You(Taishakuten) to be heading towards Katsus.h.i.+ka would mean......You have some business in the s.h.i.+bamata Taishakuten temple, right?"

"Indeed. s.h.i.+bamata Taishakuten temple is my and Uesugi's domain. Our company is also located there. Out of all the j.a.panese temples, it is the easiest way to connect to Little Garden. It's only about four hundred years old, however it fulfils the paradigm s.h.i.+ft necessary for opening the "Boundary Gate".

s.h.i.+bamata Taishakuten───One of the temples that wors.h.i.+p Taishakuten and Bishamonten, Established in Kan'ei Era 6th Year of early Edo Period. Among the temples that wors.h.i.+p Taishakuten, it would be the prominent domain in j.a.pan.

Taking in mind that the place he governed was ancient India, compared to it this domain was quite too young. There was probably no other suitable place.

If the people coming to visit it knew about this, they would surely be shocked.

No one would have ever imagined that that the main deity wors.h.i.+ped by the shrine would actually take residence so close to it.

Izayoi laughed in an amazed tone.

"That's probably a G.o.d's grace as well. Did the s.h.i.+tamachi around Katsus.h.i.+ka stay the same in this five years? like Shopping districts or back alleys."

“There's no way it would change in mere five years. The unchanging part of that neighborhood is what attracts the customers. But well, it does suit me. The fact that the neighborhood of the temple that borrows my name has become a district like that gives me a nice feeling."

Mikado Tokuteru's expression softened just by a bit.

───Speaking of Taishakuten, he was one of the oldest among the divine spirits, however, his legend was full of human emotions put into it. Being known as a drunkard and a womanizer, the king of G.o.ds who gained most popularity among people was not just for show. This l.u.s.tful fellow who loves his liquor isn't called the king of the G.o.ds that won over the heart of the ma.s.ses for nothing.

Izayoi also nodded as if agreeing to him, but then shrugged and shook his head as if he remembered something.

“I do feel like wanting to visit it sometime. But as expected, we don't have time for being so carefree. I'm going to return immediately after everything settles down."

"There's no need to be in such a rush. It could be that after this there will be another period of time when the Little Garden's time will be in sync with the outside world's time ,you know? Even if you spend some time with Suzuka and Homura, you can still coordinate it later.

"Don't say such stupid stuff. I went there after deciding to cast away everything without ever planning to go return to them. And yet, after three......no, five years have pa.s.sed, something like me showing up all of a sudden, isn't it quite rude towards those who I have abandoned."

His expression gradually changed from smiling to serious. Prith and Tokuteru understood the reason behind his faithfulness.

Canaria who was the manager of the orphanage.

Izayoi who was the oldest from the orphanage.

Five years ago when those two had disappeared───Saigou Homura and Ayazato Suzuka were still just ten year old kids. For them who had their dear ones lost one after another, those times were undoubtedly harsh.

Those two as well, who always clung to Izayoi's back without separating, were now fifteen years old. It was the big crossroad of life, and also the first step of a human accepting its first trial.

He couldn't expect them to act as if nothing had happened after disappearing for selfish reasons at such crucial times of their lives. Although he wanted to finish things without ever meeting them, for various reasons, the situation fell into this kind of emergency.

However, Tokuteru found it hard to agree with him and lightened the cigar held in his mouth while such atmosphere drifted about.

"I see......No, I do understand what you are trying to say. But, that's if the situation went smoothly and you didn't meet them, isn't that right? After rolling them up in it, that excuse doesn't work anymore."

"......Thats."

Feeling the reason in Tokuteru's words, Izayoi turned silent for a bit.

At that point, Prith who kept quiet until now asked in wonder.

"Izayoi. If you care for those children so much, then why did you cast aside the "Canaria Family Home"?"

"Well, that's because, there were people aside from me who they could be entrusted to. Don Bruno and Madam were very caring, and there was also the old man Us.h.i.+matsu. When the daddy-long-legs were all present, my absence alone shouldn't have been a problem."

Izayoi spoke nostalgically.

Old man Us.h.i.+matsu who he mentioned, was the president of the j.a.pan's leading enterprise - Us.h.i.+matsu Corporation, and also the patron who invested a large sum into the establishment of the orphanage───or so it was publically. But in truth, he was one of the Izayoi and Canaria's gambling friends.

The reason they used gambling as the means of approach to Mr. Us.h.i.+matsu who had built a fortune in his life, established a company, and was known as a celebrity around his place, wasn't only because they wanted to get a large investment.

Izayoi's and Canaria's true intention was to involve Mr. Us.h.i.+matsu, who had viewed them as great people, into the founding of the orphanage which they wanted to build.

The result was two wins, one loss, and two draws. This mysterious person who was even called "Strongest swindler of Heisei" by Izayoi, was very pleased with the two, and readily gave consent with investing into "Canaria Family Home".

"There was that monstrous old man. He would take care of those simple problems. Homura and Suzuka in particular......were the most favoured kids of old man Us.h.i.+matsu. But still, I didn't consider that they would be made to enroll in Houei Private's a.s.sociation. It's a prestigious school, but the expenses are supposedly high."

Yayaya - Izayoi laughed as if he was having fun. The reason why there were so many elders like Don Bruno or old man Us.h.i.+matsu among his acquaintances, was probably because of his special origins and the Gift that he carried.

Being a hedonist by nature, he was not holding back to have his way with the things he was unable to stomach. His behavior looked childish at a glance, but he was resolved to take responsibility for all his actions and dealt with everything. Therefore, there was simply no need to remove his self-possessed att.i.tude from the everyday life.

But there weren’t many people from his generation who could understand Izayoi's such views of life. Because ordinary boys didn't have the ability to take responsibility or resolution in them, no matter how much they pushed themselves.

Therefore, most people who acknowledged Izayoi as "Good", were naturally elders. And Izayoi as well enjoyed the company of adults who, from years of experience have acquired complete view of life.

Among them, old man Us.h.i.+matsu was certainly one of the specials.

Mikado and Prith who understood that fact had mutually casted their eyes down with complex expressions. The two of them who were silent for a while, began to talk carefully, looking as if they were trying to find the right words.

"......That old man, has pa.s.sed away."

"Huh?"

"Izayoi. Calm down and listen. .........It's something that happened on the Golden Week two years ago. Apparently, Mr. Us.h.i.+matsu was going on a trip with his family, however he had a heart failure on the way."

Izayoi swallowed his breath with wide eyes from the notice about his death.

"......That old man, died you say?"

"Yes. After that, the Us.h.i.+matsu Corporation stopped financing the "Canaria Family Home". And around that time, all patrons of the orphanage pulled back all at once. To the point that there was not a single patron for some time."

"The two things which saved the "Canaria Family Home" that was on the brink of breaking up, was the research that Homura's father left behind, and Everything Company, or so I heard."

This time, Izayoi showed astonishment as he listened to Prith's words.

───Two years ago when patrons retreated one after another.

Mr. Us.h.i.+matsu was the only person who continued  providing the funds to the "Canaria Family Home". However, if it was like a normal year, it was expected that he would take the youths along and invite them for a short domestic travel.

Before that however, came the unexpected news about Mr. Us.h.i.+matsu's death.

Although Homura and Suzuka were at a loss about it all, they didn't quit there and requested for them to somehow keep financing them. However, they were turned away by Mr. Us.h.i.+matsu's second son.

As there was no sight of other patrons and the two resolved for the breakup, the one who came with the offer to them, was Kudou Ayato, the only daughter of the president of Everything Company.

"Everything Company......And also, Kudou you say?"

"Yes. Yeah, haven't you heard? Everything Company is one of the world's five giant trading companies that took root after the Second World War. The story goes that a j.a.panese girl who crossed over from the other side is connected to their rise.

"......... No, this is my first time hearing that. So for what reason did the Everything Company start to invest?"

"For continuing the research about the Nanomachines left by Homura's father.........or rather, their reproduction. You should also be aware of the nature of Homura's Gift, right?"

To Tokuteru's words, Izayoi gave a nod as if having understood it.

"I see.........! Homura has the Gift of "Recreating what he disa.s.sembled"! So they are using that in some way, you mean!?"

"Yeah. In the first place, it became a bit stronger Gift from the one you remember. It's something like that."

Tokuteru informed while blowing the smoke. For a fifteen-years-old youngster like Homura to partic.i.p.ate in the research of the latest Nanomachines, it was the utilization of his Gift to it's full potential.

"I acted as the middleman with Everything Company. Then, with the conditions to dedicate most of his life to the research of Nanomachines, he has saved the "Canaria Family Home". ───How is it? It's quite a tough decision for a kid to make, don't you think?"

"......Tokuteru. Did you just silently watch as he made that decision?"

"Of course. How could an outsider like me interject when Homura himself made up his mind and decided on it?"

While speaking about it as if it was something obvious, he turned the wheel to the right.

As he entered the capital from Kan-Etsu with high speed, Tokuteru lit up the second cigarette.

".........That said, it was a decision of recklessly living kids who knew nothing of the world. When they fall down, it's the adult's job to pull their a.s.ses up. But you only have to do that if something happens dynamically and they cannot stand up by themselves. If that time came, I.........or you, would just take responsibility."

"─────"

Without denying or affirming it, Izayoi s.h.i.+fted his line of sight to the outside of the car.

It wasn't as if he was overly optimistic about it, but it seemed that the situation around "Canaria Family Home" has changed quite a lot.

Regarding the matter of Homura, Izayoi also thought that what Tokuteru said was correct. If you force kids to make a decision, then to help them when they fail is the duty of the guardian. Even for the kids of the "No Names" community of Little Garden where Izayoi belonged to, he planned to do just the same when the time came for them to make a decision.

But that was only possible because they were within the range where Izayoi could keep an eye on them. The current Izayoi had many friends in Little Garden, he absolutely couldn't return back.

In other words, lending them a hand whenever he came to outside world just like now, was the only thing he could do.

Seeing that it was such a situation, he wasn't able to agree so simply.

To say nothing of the fact that throwing everything at Tokuteru without hesitation was also out of question. If it came down to throwing it to Tokuteru, it would be better to go and bow down to Don Bruno with all his strength.

"Well, no one thinks that you're obligated to do it. Mr. Us.h.i.+matsu's death was unexpected and, because of that, it was Homura that decided to take responsibility for the orphans. That's why, next time you talk with Homura, just be sure to keep that in mind. ───Now then, we'll arrive at s.h.i.+bamata Taishakuten in a bit."

They dropped the speed at the capital. After the three came to s.h.i.+tamachi, they parked the car, and stepped foot in his domain───The grounds of s.h.i.+bamata Taishakuten.

＊

───"Underwood" Industrial Area - The Second Ironworks.

The moment when the blow similar to lighting aimed at the three of them...

Saigou Homura and Kudou Ayato were transferred to the grounds of industrial area.

"Wah!,"

"Kya!"

It was a sound raised after falling with a thud. As if following that, the waterway was smashed up together with a thunderous roar. The waterway hit by the giant battleaxe and lightning, formed a giant crater at the bottom and produced a giant whirlpool.

Had they been late even by a moment, their lives would've been in danger. Without a doubt, the three of them would either scatter their organs everywhere or be hit by a lightning and get burned to death.

"Tsk, where's Suzuka......?"

Homura and Ayato raised their heads in shock. Suzuka was also next to them, but her state was unusual. As Ayato approached her in panic, there was a big laceration visible on her abdomen.

Then, at that point, she recalled. About that fact that her Gift being different from normal teleportation, transferring herself and transferring the target had to be done separately.

While their faces were still pale, they looked at the waterway moving in whirls.

"N......No way.........!!!"

───It was such a close call that if they were late even by an instant, their lives would've ended.

Should she transfer herself, or transfer Homura and Ayato.

In a situation where she had to choose one side......Suzuka chose to save the two of them.

"T-The wound is deeper than mine from back then.........! A-At this rate,"

"This requires immediate medical attention! We will do an emergency treatment in "Underwood"! Suzuka, can you use it just two more times!?"

"Ku.........!!! But then, Aya-chan will.........!"

"Don't worry about me! Even if it's just the two of you, please leave first!!!"

While coughing blood, Suzuka disappeared, followed by Homura.

When Ayato was the only one left back at that place, the Minotaur was already charging from behind.

Minotaur rushed forth like a heavy tank.

However, the residents of "Underwood" weren't so weak as to let it keep on doing as he pleased to the victim.

"Everyone, get in position!!!"

Hearing that command, the Minotaur halted its feet and looked behind.

On the opposite sh.o.r.e of the waterway, Sharol and Porol of "Six Scars" have gathered their comrades that were in industrial area, and instructed them to prepare the fixed type large ballista.

Holding a baton with a Gryphon mane attached on its tip, Porol swung it down without hesitation.

"That's the infamous Celestial Beast! No need to hold back! Large Ballista "Failnaught Ballista"───Launch everything at it!"

The Gryphon baton produced a whirlwind.

Along with the wind, the projectiles of fixed type large ballista were also released. The arrowheads released from the giant ballista that was bigger than the the human body, rained down on Minotaur while forming a curve with the tracking Gift.

The fifty two arrowheads bigger than the upper arm, fell down all at once with a supersonic speed.

For the Minotaur who had parted with its battleaxe and had its power lowered, to withstanding all of this was impossible. Despite knocking down half of them by using both of its hands, the remaining twenty six arrowheads pierced through Minotaur's whole body.

Piercing its right arm, skewering its both feet, twelve arrowheads proceeding to pierce through its chest muscles.

『ＧＥＥＥＹＡＡＡＡａａａａ────!!!』

It released a scream of agony, big enough that it made the tremors in atmosphere visible.

This overwhelming and one-sided sight was plenty enough to make one wonder whether there was a need to go this far against one beast.

However, Porol's gaze did not falter even for a bit.

As someone who was born in Little Garden, he understood all too well that something like a Celestial Beast wasn't an opponent that would die just from this much.

".........Everyone, load the next round and stay sharp. If you see even the slightest movement, open fire immediately."

On Porol's command, the Beastmen of "Six Scars" immediately took action.

During that time, Kuro Usagi rushed beside Ayato and supported her shoulder.

"I'm sorry Ayato-san! For such thing to happen while Kuro Usagi was with you,"

".........No, It couldn't be helped. You are the "Aristocrat of Little Garden", and also the holder of "Judge master". Just because you weren't able to partic.i.p.ate in battle, you have nothing to be ashamed of. If there's someone who should feel ashamed here───"

Declaring it strongly, Ayato stood up alone. However, the situation was unusual.

Being a bit overpowered by her, Kuro Usagi took a step back.

".........Ayato-san?"

Raising her Usamimi, she looked at her back.

That back of hers did not bore any resemblance to the one from some time ago.

Kuro Usagi evaluated Ayato as a girl who was both courteous and docile, and carried a somewhat dignified glamour. From the fighting spirit released by her, Kuro Usagi could only hold her breath without realizing.

Her golden hair rustled as if responding to that fighting spirit, stood straight as if a sword was running through it, and was filled robust strength.

Even if a normal person saw that standing figure, they would feel a spirit similar to the fierce G.o.ds.

"Pathetic.........!!! In the fourteen years after descending to the outer world.........For my skills to drop to this this level already.........No, just growing dull would've been better!!! But to be unable protect the school I was supposed protect, and to fall behind that level of opponent.........!!!"

From such hostility, Kuro Usagi reflexively put herself on guard. The situation was clearly strange.

And then, the moment she picked up the two spears that were dropped on the floor of Ironworks in the industrial area, her nature changed to the core.

Dual sword wielding wasn't all that uncommon, but there were few who used dual spears. Since there were no martial schools that taught it, that stance of hers was most likely self-taught.

Kuro Usagi had memories of the double spear stance that Ayato took.

(So she really is.........the Queen's Knight's.........!!!)

Three years ago───Kuro Usagi and others fought alongside a certain female knight, and witnessed her death.

She heard that after her death, she was sent to the outer world as the subordinate of the Golden Queen "Queen Halloween" and had her memories wiped.

Kudou Ayato───Her name was clearly similar, so she had a guess to her true ident.i.ty. However, since her outer appearance didn't match the one from Kuro Usagi's memories, she thought she was a different person. But there's no place for doubt now.

Ayato, br.i.m.m.i.n.g with strong fighting spirit, looked exactly the same as the Queen's Knight from Kuro Usagi's memories.

And then, responding to her fighting spirit, the Minotaur woke up.

No matter how low its intelligence was, it wasn't so dumb as to not notice this fighting spirit. While removing the arrowheads stuck all over its body, it raised a fierce roar.

『ＧＥＥＥＹＡＡＡＡａａａａ────!!!』

Turning its back to the unit of "Six Scars", the Minotaur broke into a run.

Ayato prepared to meet the enemy.

But at that moment───the thunderclouds that caused thunders to roar far above the skies, formed a giant whirlpool even visible to the eye, and started to release a rainy wind which even scattered the leaves and branches of the great tree.

Kuro Usagi got surprised from such strange typhoon outbreak and looked up at the sky.

"This.........is bad! Porol-sama, please advice the Aquatic City to take refuge immediately!!!"

"Already on it! I also started setting up the breakwater in order to avoid the flood,"

"Doing that is pointless! Please convey to the group that's constructing the breakwater to get away from the riverside at once! If they don't act immediately.........They won't make it.........!"

Porol was overwhelmed from Kuro Usagi's pressure.

Ayato and Minotaur who seemed like they were about to clash also glared at the thundercloud which started squirming as if it was alive. Minotaur stopped charging at Ayato, jumped away from her and disappeared into the outskirts.

"Kh........."The Bull of Heaven".........It's coming.........!!!"

In the sky far above, the roar of the bull monster reverberated.

That roar, which was reverberating throughout the entire "Underwood" made everyone who heard it tremble in fear. The thundercloud grew the horns of lightning, and started to turn into a giant fighter bull.

The moment that giant bull moved, the Aquatic City was a.s.saulted by twenty four strikes of lightning.

Four of them rained down at Ayato and Kuro Usagi as if they decided to aim at them, and smashed the building apart.

Repelling the flying debris with spears, Ayato glared at the wriggling bull monster in the sky.

"My fighting isn't suitable with "The Bull of Heaven".........Kuro Usagi-san! Is there any powerful person nearby!?"

"W-Well, everyone went to the other region where the Second Sun Authority War is being held in order to observe it........."Draco Greif", "Great Sage Who Devastate Seas" as well as "No Names" all have their main force sent on a business.......!!!"

Kuro Usagi shouted while pinning down the Usamimi which were being shaken by the rainy wind.

Ayato who realized that it would be bad at this rate, pointed at the great tree and suggested taking a refugee.

"There's no choice.........Let's escape inside the great tree! If it's under the protection of the Queen, then within it would be absolutely safe! I will leave the evacuation process to Porol-san and s.h.i.+rayuki-hime-sama,"

"No, Ayato-san please escape by yourself! Kuro Usagi will help with evacuation! Right now, you have to be beside Suzuka!"

Being struck by Kuro Usagi's words, Ayato widened her eyes. Letting go of the spears, her expression reverted back to the one from when they met, and she bowed apologetically.

".........Understood. I will leave this place to you. Be careful!"

Turning her back at Kuro Usagi, Ayato escaped towards the great tree of "Underwood".

Even during that time, the rainy winds increased their strength and continued to threaten the surroundings of the great tree with lighting strikes.

However, the thunderstorm wasn't the only thing that was a threat. Rather, the true danger was the rising and rapid water current traveling along the waterway of the Aquatic City.

Within the roars of thunder, the screams raised from the aquatic city were in no way inferior to it.

People were drowning in the flooded river.

People were hit and burned by the lightning.

People were crushed by the collapsed buildings.

Kuro Usagi glared at the sky while biting on her lips, however the current Kuro Usagi wasn't able to fight with that bull monster. She who was the holder of "Judge Master" couldn't challenge the Sun Authority War. Moreover, what was worse was that all her comrades were away, fighting so that the Sun Authorities wouldn't fall in hands of the bad people.

Among the war potential who may still rush here, from the people who could partic.i.p.ate in the subjugation of Taurus. Within Kuro Usagi's mind, a name of one comrade appeared.

(Izayoi-san......If only Izayoi-san was here.........!!!)

He of course knew nothing about "Underwood" falling in danger.

If he did, he wouldn't have allowed something so cruel. If there was some way to convey him of these circ.u.mstances, he would definitely come rus.h.i.+ng even if he was worlds apart.

Kuro Usagi searched for such ways, but there was nothing else she could do.

Right now, she had no choice but to run away from the Aquatic City that was being trampled down.