"Hey... you've got to be kidding..."
Atop a tall building, the Shogun stood on the balcony and looked up, his aged face masked in terror.
Hundreds of meteors fell from the high heavens, streaking directly toward the defensive installations on the walls and various railway hubs. The sound of whistling air arrived as the entirety of Kongoukaku below was illuminated by a pink glow.
Residents emerged from their rooms, looking up blankly at the sky at a scene resembling divine punishment, their minds going completely numb.
In the next instant, the dense cluster of meteorites fell in succession!
Rumble—!!!
Gaps were blasted into the city walls. Various siege cannons were smashed to pieces, and the airwaves from detonating shells sent the lucky surviving soldiers flying. Huge meteorite craters were gouged into every railway leading outward, completely cutting off any possibility for those in Kongoukaku to flee.
As one meteorite after another slammed down, the earth trembled violently. People scrambling in panic could hardly keep their footing, falling flat on their backs.
"It's... all over... Surrender."
The Shogun slumped to the ground, his eyes filled with despair. After deciding to surrender, he seemed to age ten years in an instant, utterly crushed. The officials behind him moved immediately upon hearing his words.
They didn't want to die yet!
Soon, a white flag rose swiftly over the gates of Kongoukaku.
★ ★ ★
Five kilometers outside Kongoukaku.
The Koutetsujou and the Kokujou sped along the tracks. Inside every carriage, people crowded against the windows to watch the rain of meteorites falling from the sky, speechless. The bold ones even climbed onto the roof, eyes wide and fixed on Kongoukaku ahead, as if trying to engrave this historic moment into their memories forever.
This meteor shower symbolized the end of the old order; a new order was about to take root.
On the roof, Mika put down her binoculars after seeing white flags rising like bamboo shoots after a rain within Kongoukaku. The meteorites in the sky that hadn't yet fallen promptly vanished.
"Amatori Biba, don't let me down now."
Mika turned around and reminded Biba, who stood behind her.
"I will never violate the contract between us. Thank you once again for your mercy, allowing me to stand here and witness such a beautiful sight."
Biba snapped back to reality and responded with a humble attitude. He knew very well that whether Mika aimed for the position of Shogun or not, she would never allow an unstable element like him to continue existing and threatening ordinary people.
If Mika hadn't proactively reached a deal with him, he might have stayed in Iwato Station forever. Now that the purpose sustaining him until this moment was about to be achieved, there was no need for him to keep living.
Villains must go to hell in the end. He would pull that man along on the journey!
"..."
Mika gave him a deep look and walked straight toward the Koutetsujou at the rear. Some things needed to be done by a villain, such as helping her purge the remnants of the Shogun's faction.
Biba knew better than she did who should stay and who should go. In return, she wouldn't completely annihilate the Hunters, allowing Biba to let a portion of them live.
However, those who fanatically believed in the law of the jungle had to die. Such people long ago lost their empathy and would only use their status and strength to act willfully against unarmed commoners. They were the ones who truly inherited Biba's will, intending to liberate the whole world.
Biba gazed at Mika's departing back and ordered Horobi beside him: "Horobi, take the people on the list to the Koutetsujou immediately. While I am away, follow Misono Mika's orders. A new order is about to begin, and our Hunters must have a share."
Horobi broke her usual pattern and didn't accept the order immediately. She stared into Biba's eyes and whispered, "...You lied to me, Young Master."
After working by his side for so many years, she understood Biba's personality somewhat. The people on that list were all moderates within the Hunters. This was very wrong.
Biba remained silent for a moment, his voice growing cold. "Horobi, this is an order!"
"...Yes."
Shortly after Horobi was forced to lead the team away from the Kokujou and into the Koutetsujou, the two armored trains disconnected. At the gates of Kongoukaku ahead, the drawbridge Mika had specifically spared was slowly lowered.
The gates swung open.
Biba stepped into the command room from the roof and found the Hunter executives waiting for him. He scanned them calmly, then took a list from his coat and placed it on the table.
"Everyone, travel light. Find everyone on this list and kill them on the spot!"
He then drew a scimitar from his waist, held it high, and shouted, "Everyone, the time for the reckoning has arrived!"
"Understood!" n
The remaining men in the command room drew their blades and held them high with excited expressions.
Once the Kokujou entered Kongoukaku, Biba mounted a horse and led the Hunters within the train toward the Shogun's residence at the very center. The soldiers inside Kongoukaku didn't dare make a move upon seeing this, allowing them to pass.
"It's the Hunters... Isn't the leader the Shogun's son?"
"Who cares who it is! All we have to do now is mind our own business and show no hostility, or a meteorite might come crashing down!"
"True. We just need to stay quiet."
★ ★ ★
Inside the Shogun's residence.
The Shogun, waiting quietly for Mika's arrival, met the one person he least wanted to see.
"Biba! You bastard, what is wrong with you!"
The Shogun glared at Biba with eyes filled with fury. It wasn't the joy of seeing his son, but a hatred that made him want to rush forward and kill him like an enemy.
"It's you! It must be you!! You must have been the one to summon that witch! Damn it! I should never have let you live back then!!!"
The Shogun drew his tachi and charged at Biba in a rage. He could lose to anyone, but he absolutely could not lose to Biba!
"How ugly, Father..."
Biba stepped aside to dodge the swinging blade and drew the scimitar from his waist, delivering a casual strike.
Squelch!
One of the Shogun's arms fell to the ground, bright red blood spurting from the wound. A shrill scream echoed, but Biba had no intention of letting him go: "Don't worry, I won't let you die easily. Play with me a little longer at the end..."
★ ★ ★
Mika didn't know what happened in the Shogun's residence, nor did she have any interest in knowing. She looked at the staggering number of prisoners before her, a headache forming over the lack of manpower.
Having no one to use was currently the most awkward issue. It would take time before these prisoners truly gave their hearts to her.
'I feel like there are going to be plenty of headaches in the future. I hope that's just my imagination.'