“Ah, here it is.”
Juno moved to grab it, but then realized that something was amiss. The ink stone was closer than she had thought.
“Huh?” Junko tilted her head.
The ink stone was clearly in a different place than when she had just looked. It had gotten noticeably closer to where her hand was.
“Huh?” Junko looked around her, but obviously there wasn’t anyone there. “Wha... What?”
Trying to ignore the strange occurrence, Junko returned to writing her farewell letter.
○
Fujiko had also seen the events inside the old barracks on a monitor. It was a small hidden insect-type camera. Of course, this had been made by Fujiko herself, illegally. All of the details about what had transpired, from Akuto’s violent outburst to the disappearance of her medicine was displayed on a crystal ball within her secret room. Up until Akuto tried to use the medicine, everything had been going exactly as planned, but...
“It’s strange,” Fujiko spoke to her brother in the glass jar.
“It is?”
“Yes, it is. He lost the medicine... That puts a kink in my plans.”
Fujiko rested her hand on her chin, deep in thought.
“But... the way he was so calm while committing such violence... as well as the fact he hasn’t realized his own faults and his self-righteousness... Don’t you think that makes him a perfect fit to be a Demon King?” Fujiko whispered to herself in a trance. “It would be so much better if he could just become my servant without using the medicine after all...”
5 - The Menacing Optimist
For Akuto, the next morning was particularly gloomy.
The entire school had been abuzz since before dawn. During the previous night, the news of Akuto’s subjugation had spread, and become common knowledge thanks to telepathic communications, flyers, and many other distribution channels.
• Any number of students notified may participate.
• The time will be limited to the one hour lunch period.
• Should the target escape from the school, his crimes will be overlooked.
• Should the target die, participants will not be held accountable.
• Providing assistance to the target is allowed, however those who support him shall receive the same treatment as the accused.
“So I just need to successfully run away from all the students in the school during the lunch period.”
Akuto had made up his mind overnight. As he headed to the cafeteria for breakfast, the crowd in front of him parted in two with an efficiency that would put Moses to shame.
—I’ve never been more hated — or feared — than I am now.
Akuto couldn’t help but feel shocked by everyone’s reactions. But when he arrived at his own seat, a voice filled with shrill excitement and affection almost bordering on worship, called out to him.
“Boss! I’ve got your back! Even if it kills me!” Hiroshi, despite his wounds, bowed his head down.
Akuto turned around and smiled, but immediately rejected Hiroshi’s proposal.
“No, that’s not good, not good at all. You should give that up. I won’t die. It’ll be fine.”
“But I know that you actually tried to save me before...” Hiroshi looked remorseful from the bottom of his heart as tears welled up in his eyes.
“That’s precisely why I’m saying I won’t die. That, and it should be simple enough to escape. I can do that much, so I’m taking it easy,” Akuto said, trying to sound as comfortable and carefree as possible.
Hearing this, all Hiroshi could do was back down from supporting him.
However...
—I’m sure everyone around me will only take that as a challenge...
Akuto faced the cold glares around him.
Even after he left for school and classes began, everyone remained restless, Akuto included. As the class went on, he could feel himself growing more and more nervous.
—I have to get away from Hiroshi as fast as possible, don’t I...
Akuto ran a simulation on what to do in his head.
—I could jump out of the window... After all, I don’t want to injure the other people in the class... Oh, now that I think about it, Keena isn’t in class today either. That’s pretty cold...
As he thought this, Akuto looked around him.
Five minutes until the end of class.
His classmates looked completely tense. A majority of the students agreed that they didn’t want to get hurt, and had no intentions of joining in on Akuto’s subjugation. But there were others who were Junko’s admirers, some of the boys clearly looked set on taking Akuto’s life.
To make matters worse, even Miss Mitsuko was excited, and had apathetically conducted class by just reading straight out of a textbook.
One minute until the end of class.
Students from other classed had started to gather outside the classroom. Their pre-lunch classes had either ended early or been canceled. The upperclassmen who looked raring to go were most likely friends of Takeshi that hadn’t been underground yesterday, or those rank four and below.
—They’re a little TOO excited, aren’t they...?
A wry grin appeared on Akuto’s face, but the countdown had already begun.
“Boss...” Hiroshi said to Akuto, looking worried.
“It’s okay. I’ll run away immediately.” But just as Akuto said this, Miss Mitsuko made a distressing announcement.
“Wait for the bell, okay? You can’t move an inch before it goes off. Five, four...” Miss Mitsuko counted down as she looked at the clock.
The bell rang.
“Now then, class is over for to—”
Before Miss Mitsuko could even finish her sentence, a barrage of throwing knives, blowguns, darts, and magic missiles came flying at Akuto. As Akuto put up a mana barrier around him, he kicked his own desk aside and jumped towards the window.
The mana barrier was able to stop quite a number of attacks, but the missiles that had been formed purely from magic managed to break the barrier and hit Akuto’s leg. He lost his balance and plunged into the glass window. Along with the shards of glass, he started to fall towards the school courtyard.
—Even though I was able to easily stop the attacks before... I can’t seem to focus my mind. Do I have to be angry like I was yesterday?
Akuto was confused, but he didn’t have time to contemplate this now as his back impacted the courtyard below. He had more than enough magical power, but he hadn’t learned how to use it at all, and now he became keenly aware of his own inexperience. The students all took aim from Akuto from the window and used flight magic to fly down to the courtyard.
—That isn’t fair, I can’t fly!
Akuto ran off towards the mountain behind the school. He was sure it would be easier to escape if he went in that direction. But that was a big mistake — Akuto didn’t think about the advantage the other students had by being able to fly. Instantly, the students above figured out his position and projectiles rained down on him from every possible angle.
—Crap, I get it, just hiding behind trees won’t be enough.
Akuto tried to head back through the school building, but he had a number of pursuers on his heels, and ended up directly charging into them as he went for the school.
—Damn it, most of these people are just here to see the fight!
“Move! I don’t want to hurt you!”
Akuto shouted out, and shot his mana out in front of him, causing a violent explosion. A number of them flew off into the air, but Akuto didn’t have time to determine if they had actually been blown away, or were just trying to fly off and escape the blast.
Akuto dashed through the middle of the explosion and dove into the school building, where in addition to the spectators from before, there were even more students running around trying to escape. However, since his pursuers could only follow behind him within the confides of the hallway itself, it was easier for Akuto to narrow down who
he should attack.
“Out of the way!”
As he focused his attention on blowing away his opponents, Akuto ran around the still-unfamiliar school building. It had barely been ten minutes, but Akuto was already out of breath. He searched for a place to hide himself, but no matter where he went, there was always someone watching him. Most of them were just spectators, but that didn’t make them his allies.
Finding it impossible to keep running, Akuto began moving at a brisk jog, but then his pursuers began to close in on him. He had ended up stuck inside the school building like a hamster in a cage.
—Have they been plotting to gang up on me?
Akuto entertained these suspicions as he walked about aimlessly. A number of his pursuers were pretty strong, and knew how to aim their attacks at Akuto, but their pursuit never lasted long. It seemed he was being led somewhere.
Before long, Akuto ended up on the roof. There was a spacious, turf grass athletic field, but it was still just a roof. He’d always end up running out of space.
—So I’ve been cornered, is that the plan?
Akuto needed to get ready for a fight. Reaching the edge of the roof, he turned around, finding himself surrounded by a crowd of people. His opponent would have to be an excellent strategist, who’d used the fact Akuto couldn’t fly to corner him at this very location. That strategist was...
Junko stepped out from the crowd. Rather than wild bloodlust, her eyes were filled with a grim determination to fight to the death. Now she was brandishing a real sword rather than a wooden practice one.
“I’d like to say I’ll fight you one on one, but after having seen your display of power, I’m not too embarrassed to call in for help. Know that even if you dodge my blade, there will be another right behind it.”
Junko raised her sword up, ready for battle.
“I’d really like to put a stop to all of this... But I realize saying so won’t make you change your mind, will it?” Akuto laughed weakly.
Junko nodded.
“Yes, it’s futile.”
Then, Junko began to recite an incantation. Her body seemed to blur, and just like before, she created a copy of herself. However, this time she didn’t just split herself in two, but into an extra two copies.
Now, four versions of Junko faced Akuto and started advancing towards him.
—I can’t dodge four people at once... And it doesn’t seem like I’ll be able to send them flying either...
Akuto thought that if he had been trembling with rage, or if his mana was going haywire like before, he would have been able to defend against her attacks. But in his current emotional state, he wouldn’t be able to defend himself from the attacks of a real sword.
“Hiyaaaaaaaaah!” The four Junkos all jumped at the same time. Akuto was being assailed by four simultaneous attacks.
—Shit!
Akuto evaded one of the Junkos, and with his remaining mana managed to divert another one’s sword away from him.
But Akuto wasn’t able to completely evade the attacks. Scraps of his uniform and blood scattered into the air. One of the Junkos’ swords had slid down the surface of Akuto’s body.
“Ugh!”
Akuto stumbled and leaned back against the rooftop fence. The tips of the four swords were thrust closely up against Akuto’s throat.
“This is the end,” the four different Junkos said coldly and in unison.
“I still don’t think I’ve done anything bad enough to warrant this...” Akuto said as he groaned in pain. Junko’s face clouded over.
“You should change your outlook. No, you’re already too far off the deep end to reassess your life. I’ve seen you try to rule over others with violence. Do you understand how serious of a crime that is?”
“Ah... So that’s it,” Akuto understood.
The fact that he didn’t question his own actions meant that he probably did have the perfect personality to become the Demon King. If he had simply lost his temper and lashed out, no one would call him the Demon King, no matter how powerful he was. For the Demon King was a cold, calculating master of evil.
“But fundamentally, that’s just how I am.”
“It’s unfortunate, but if that’s the case then you have to die,” Junko said. In disbelief at Junko’s words, all Akuto could do was prepare himself for the possibility that he might actually die.
However—
“Someone’s personality can’t be changed, but their way of thinking can.”
Suddenly, a carefree voice could be heard from above their heads. Akuto and the four Junkos jumped in surprise and looked up.
Above them was Keena, floating in midair. Realizing Akuto was looking up at her, she pushed her skirt down in a panic and floated down onto the roof. Then she held both her hands together behind her back and gave a smile that wasn’t at all suitable for the atmosphere around her.
“Keena?”
“W-What are you doing here, you idiot?!”
Ignoring Akuto and Junko’s confusion, Keena spread out both her arms. Then, she spoke in a voice so entrancing it seemed like she was reciting poetry.
“The two of you are truly best friends. There’s no reason for you to hurt each other.”
“What nonsense are you going on about?”
“That’s right, we’re truly—”
“No. C’mon, don’t you two really like one another?” Keena spoke with far too loud of a voice, as both Junko and Akuto were taken aback.
“Huh...?”
“H-Hold on a second—”
“No! I’m sure of this! Ackie, I know in my heart that you are an honest person, and you’re really serious when you try to do something good for someone else. It’s just... sometimes you want to show off how cool you are while doing that, which can backfire. That’s all.”
“Hey...” Akuto was startled.
“And Junko... you actually want to get along with him, but you’re an earnest person, and are worried about your reputation. On top of that, whenever Akuto tries to do the right thing and immediately puts his ideas into action, you feel super jealous about how powerful he is. I know all of that!”
“W-Wait a minute!” The four Junkos’ faces turned bright red.
“So that’s why you two would make great friends! You’re both just clumsy. That being the case, there’s no reason for the two of you to fight anymore!” Keena spoke with a voice that reverberated across the rooftop.
Both Akuto and Junko were completely dumbfounded. Particularly Junko, whose face was bright red and looking down at the ground.
“Jeez... She blew the wind right out of my sails. I’m putting away my sword.” Junko’s clones disappeared. She averted her face from Akuto’s.
“Don’t listen to Keena. She just says whatever comes into her head,” Akuto said with a wry smile as he held his wound.
“I won’t... I mean, I never intended to. Anyway... it doesn’t solve the situation at hand.”
Akuto looked around at the students that surrounded him. There were several who were giving him fierce, murderous looks.
“That’s right, their rage isn’t going to subside just because I’ve withdrawn from this fight,” Junko said. She didn’t seem to realize that the ones who wanted to kill Akuto were mostly her admirers.
—Either way, it seems like I’m going to end up being killed. Damn it...
Akuto groaned internally. There was no way Keena’s speech had fixed everything.
“Should I... help you out?” Junko said, tilting her head back at Akuto slightly.
Akuto shook his head.
“You’re joking. Weren’t you the one who sparked this fight?”
“I know, I’m telling you that I think I went too far, okay?!” Junko snapped at Akuto as she turned around. “So just get over yourself and accept my help!”
“Isn’t it getting your priorities backwards to get yourself killed like this?”
“I’m saying I wouldn’t let that happen!”
“C’mon,
I mean you’re weaker than me...”
“Shut your mouth, you’re pissing me off!”
Junko and Akuto were quarreling with each other, but their back and forth only seemed to make those around them even angrier. Gradually the enraged crowd began closing in on them.
When—
“It’s alright!” Keena yelled.
“Huh?” Akuto and Junko both looked at Keena in disbelief. There was no way she had a way out of this, but Keena was full of confidence. With her hands on her hips, she spoke out.
“If everyone eats rice together, this whole matter will be resolved!”
Akuto and Junko couldn’t help but hold their heads in their hands in response.
“Just forget about that, okay...”
“You have to do something about that idiot...”
Despite this, Keena remained undeterred.
“No! Rice is the greatest thing in this whole world! Now, Korone!” Keena suddenly raised her hand and called out. Then she looked down. Korone was standing in the courtyard, aiming her bazooka-shaped medicine dispersion tool.
“Huh?” Akuto was surprised. Then, Korone suddenly fired something like a cannonball from the bazooka-shaped device. The shot rose up, followed by a trail of smoke, and exploded with a bang near the roof.
—That’s what she said was used to disperse medicinal supplies over an area...
Akuto remembered Korone’s words from her previous idle chit-chat with Keena.
“Are you saying that thing is filled with rice?” he said.
Keena nodded.
“Now everyone in the school can have rice together! Now everyone can get along!” Keena declared.
Both Akuto and Junko’s faces grew dark.
“This... is useless, isn’t it?”
“Yeah, we’re doomed.”
They were both ready to fight, facing a mob of students who were about to boil over in anger... or at least that’s what they had expected.
“Huh...?”
Demon King Daimaou: Volume 1 Page 14
