Chapter 487. Viewing Concluded, Worlds Merged
Even though Ayanokouji Kiyotaka styled himself as the cruel and heartless Earth Emperor who demanded fear and awe, after his ascension, the lives of everyone in Keyaru's world flourished.
Aside from those revolting old nobles who were executed, the living conditions of farmers, merchants, and artisans alike improved visibly and drastically.
The same applied to rulers and officials possessing benevolence and a sense of justice; much like the City Lord of Buranikka, they were finally able to display their talents in this new world where the murky waters had been cleared.
They could practice justice with peace of mind, without fearing marginalization or assassination.
Since the entire world was in the Earth Emperor's palm, he would never like or tolerate parasites—those "stupid pigs" who stole from him. Consequently, he made absolute use of men like the City Lord of Buranikka.
And since everyone lived better under Ayanokouji Kiyotaka's rule than they did before, why would they support the Kingdom instead of him?
Naturally, everyone desired Ayanokouji Kiyotaka to rule them... These collective desires converged, allowing Kawata Osamu to merge the worlds with ease.
"If they can be merged, it's better to do it sooner. As for the 'Battle of the Century' between Hikigaya and Ayanokouji that follows—just turn that into memories and instill it into the two of them."
Above the world, Kawata Osamu rendered the verdict.
Because Hikigaya Hachiman was a person who looked at the big picture, possessed a kind heart, and remained calm and rational, it was acceptable for him to know how the duel with Ayanokouji played out.
However, it absolutely could not be broadcast. If the vast majority of people saw the various insidious, no-holds-barred methods Ayanokouji Kiyotaka used in his confrontation with Hikigaya Hachiman, they would surely be filled with righteous indignation.
Forget Emilia and the others—even Shirogane Miyuki and Kousaka Kyousuke would likely clamor for Ayanokouji's execution after watching it.
One must never assume that because Ayanokouji Kiyotaka improved the lives of the people in Keyaru's world, he had "turned over a new leaf" and become a good person.
A man like him has no concept of good or evil; he simply does whatever yields the maximum benefit to achieve his goals, and having emotions does not change this fact.
In fact, one could say that because he has emotions and goals, Ayanokouji's methods have become even more terrifying.
The future memories Kawata Osamu instilled in Ayanokouji were not mere recollections; they were not weakened or blurred in the slightest. Instead, every detail of the entire process of his duel with Hikigaya Hachiman was etched into his soul.
The future duel between the two caused immense damage—but that was the future.
Now that they had already "faced off," Ayanokouji's obsession had been alleviated; he was satisfied.
He had already enjoyed a relentless duel of wits and strength aimed at the other's life, and therefore, the current him would not do such things.
Instead, he would coexist peacefully with Hikigaya Hachiman.
He would seek new types of competition with Hikigaya—contests he hadn't experienced yet, such as chess or competitive gaming.
...And this was exactly the situation Kawata Osamu wanted to see.
A rare, super-talented individual like Ayanokouji Kiyotaka was certainly a prime candidate for fighting the Abyss, so Kawata Osamu did not want to eliminate him.
Since he didn't want to kill him, he had to satisfy him, making him less morbid so they could cooperate... This was precisely one of the reasons Kawata Osamu chose the "Healer Hero" world.
For the version of Ayanokouji who was previously prone to such "madness," the Healer world was the perfect choice.
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"Dammit! All that build-up, and the most exciting, heart-pounding, and highly anticipated Hikigaya vs. Ayanokouji war wasn't even shown? This is trash!"
The world was in an uproar.
Countless people cursed the fact that the future broadcast ended there.
The reactions of Ebina and Ayanokouji's father were particularly intense.
Of course, a few clever individuals guessed the reason there was no sequel and felt it was better this way.
Ayanokouji's father was a smart man, but he cursed anyway; he wanted the whole world to see his "Greatest Masterpiece" pummeling, slaughtering, and crushing Hikigaya Hachiman.
He wanted everyone to see how incredible his creation was!
"Heh... hehehehe—Good! Wonderful! The best! Supreme enjoyment! Better than any woman's body, better than the taste of food, better than deep sleep after exhaustion—by far—!"
Sitting on the ground, Ayanokouji initially appeared pained as the massive amount of memory entered his mind, but it was quickly replaced by surprise and ecstasy.
He was so joyful he couldn't help himself, laughing loudly in the middle of the street.
He let out gasps of "ah, ah, ah," incredibly excited, as if he were savoring a delicious delicacy.
"No... no, it's not 'by far.' Don't even compare them. Don't touch that peak, heh. I knew it—you really didn't disappoint me, Hikigaya Hachiman~"
"Hee... heehee, heeheeheeheeheehee~"
"..."
Having also received the memories, Hikigaya Hachiman, who had experience with this before, was able to endure the pain.
In that future, after Ayanokouji moved the entire world across, a portion of the Philosopher's Stone's energy remained. He used the lives of the residents to threaten Hikigaya while making a pact with him.
The pact: Their duel would be wits first, then martial force. During this time, "over-the-limit" combatants like Reinhard, the First Sword Saint, or the awakened Puck could not intervene. Furthermore, Hikigaya's "Return by Death" would be sealed for the duration.
The Philosopher's Stone was a powerful tool; it was able to enforce this pact and the seal.
...And then, both sides clashed with full power.
Because he knew exactly what kind of unprincipled "fake" Ayanokouji was, and knew that if he didn't focus, this fake would surely target Anastasia, Rem, and the others, Hikigaya Hachiman also relaxed his own principles.
In the end, both the process and the result between the two were a perfect fifty-fifty split.
Right up until the conclusion.
That was the Battle of the Century... the process was complex, but that is the summary.
Receiving these memories, Hikigaya Hachiman slowly opened his eyes. At this moment, he was surrounded by his "Genuine" companions, all worrying for him.
"Don't worry, I'm fine... yeah."
Without any hatred toward Ayanokouji, Hikigaya, whose perspective and heart had broadened, said: "Get ready. We have to welcome the arrival of Keyaru's world... when the
time comes, kill those who need killing. After the killing is done, we'll have to manage it. It's going to be busy again."
RUMBLE!
After the addition of Emilia's world, the Earth had already become twice its original size. At this moment, it suddenly began to expand again, becoming three times its initial size.
Keyaru's world had arrived!
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