04: Farewell, President

If you ask me, you've been putting up with these idiots for way too long.

That's your biggest problem, Shinsaku.

"Never has there been one possessed of complete sincerity who did not move others."

Shouin-sensei thought as much. As long as we approach them sincerely, they'll eventually come around.

Yeah, I'm sure knowing he made a sincere effort was a great consolation to him, right before those shogunate bastards cut off his head.

You can't reason with idiots.

Then, I take it you aren't coming with me?

You're the one who oughta be coming with me. Now's not the time to make a move. Wait until my Kiheitai is complete. It won't be much longer.

I can't. We need to act now. I'm going to talk to the Imperial Court and petition them to expel the foreigners.

Suit yourself. I want no part of it.

All right. I won't say another word.

But, if something should happen to me...

...I'm counting on you to take care of Choushu.

Huh?

All right, I'd best be going now... Farewell, Shinsaku.

...

Kusaka's...dead?

I'm afraid so... Word is, he fought fiercely against the shogunate forces at the palace, but to no avail...and that he took his own life once he saw there was no way out.

...Is that so?

They say it was a great end for a great man.

A great end? Ha. Since when is dying like a dog in a ditch great?

Wha...!? Kusaka fought bravely right to the en

Oh shut up. I don't need to hear any more. Just go already.

B-but Takasugi, there are many other clansmen eagerly awaiting your return!

I said go.

...All right.

...

Dammit, Kusaka... Those hard-liner idiots totally pushed you into this, didn't they?

...

You see? This is why there's no point in trying to reason with morons.

...

Gods, I'm sick of everyone around me dying left and right.

...

Yeah, you're right, Shinsaku. From here on out...

...I'll have to go it alone.

So, yeah. Negotiating a partnership with Honnoji International did...not work out.

So first you go off without a word. Now you're back and you're saying we have MORE enemies than we did before you left?

Are you sure you're cut out to run a company?

Ah, it's no big deal. So what if Oda Nobunaga went over to our competitor's side?

No, wait, that's a HUGE freaking deal, isn't it? I should know, since I used to use hisuh, her head that one time.

As if things weren't bad enough, now we've got yet another of Chaldea's Servants working against us. This old man's getting a wicked headache from all that's going on here.

That makes two of them. Perhaps Lord Nobunaga is under the influence of that daifuku?

Nah, it didn't seem like it. Looked like he was in full command of his faculties.

And on top of that, he went and said it wouldn't be any fun to team up with me.

Ouch. Talk about getting a dose of your own medicine.

Oh well, it is what it is. Nothing we can do about it now, so we might as well talk about our own affairs.

What affairs?

Ah, yes. On behalf of the board of Takasugi Industries, we request that you, Takasugi Shinsaku...

...resign as CEO.

...Huh?

Whoa, whoa, come on now. If I quit, who's gonna be president?

？！

Well, I'll be damned. I didn't have you pegged for the ruthless, ambitious type.

Sorry for not saying anything sooner. But you know, you're hardly blameless here either, Ex-Prez.

Before you leave, you're going to tell us exactly what all these undocumented expenditures are for.

Oh, so you found that ledger?

Well, I figured it was just a matter of time until you did, so this works out just fine.

What do you mean?

I could explain, but it'd be faster if I just showed you. Come on, follow me.

I expected him to be much more upset about this.

Well, if he's gonna tell us what's up, I don't see the harm in going along, Master.

I swear, you all just do whatever the hell you feel like, don't you? Fine. Come on, Zanzaburo, we're going too.

Zan!

Huh? What's this place?

It appears to be a kind of storehouse...

？！

The Kishin... You mean that giant robot!? Don't tell me you rebuilt it!?

Didn't you learn a thing from last time!?

Yeah, I'm sorry I didn't tell you guys. But it's not like you would've been okay with it if I had, right?

Kishin... Oh, that thing I saw in the briefing. What was it again? Some kind of artificial machine god?

I believe it was a metal giant that uses a reactor powered by an evil god, hard as that is to believe.

Well, that's rude. I don't need that piece of shit reactor anymore.

...Not now that this thing's my Noble Phantasm.

Huh? The Kishin's your Noble Phantasm?

No, that can't be right. Your Noble Phantasm was the Kiheitai...

...a surprisingly boring ability that could make normal soldiers decently strong.

Boring? Okay, that's just rude. I'm going to let it slide this time, though.

Yeah, that's right. As long as they have the will to fight, my Kiheitai Noble Phantasm lets me endow anyone with the power of a thousand ordinary soldiers.

Okay, then how does a giant robot become part of that?

Simple. Kiheitai's power-up lets me manifest and employ the most cutting-edge weaponry of that particular time.

In my own time, the Bakumatsu era, the best I would've been able to do is a bunch of rifles and samurai gear.

But this is a Singularity. And in THIS Singularity, the Kishin exists!

Which means it is the most cutting-edge weaponry of the age, which means I've been able to embed it into the Kiheitai for my Noble Phantasm!

Huh!? That's completely absurd.

But okay, let's say you're telling the truth. What do you hope to accomplish by bringing the Kishin back to life?

Oh, right. Before I tell you that, I have something I want to say.

Mage of Chaldea. Hektor. Kojirou. Contract worker Okuni.

You're all fired.

？！

So you're exactly the sort of person people are talking about when they mention tyrannical CEOs.

Hahaha, I suppose this means I am unemployed once again.

How are you people just fine with this!? For that matter, how come I'M the only contract worker!?

If I'm gonna be treated like a C-suite executive being let go, the least you could do is give me a golden parachute!

Hey, you're the one who asked to be paid in cash on a daily basis.

My point exactly! What was I thinking!?

Okay, so we're fired. Then what are you gonna do now, Ex-Prez?

...Do it, Arahabaki.

Master! Kojirou, take care of him!

Understood! Whatever you do, do not leave my side!

What the shit!? Th-the hell you think you're doing!?

Our partnership ends here. From here on out...

...I'll be going it alone.

Then you obviously don't know me very well.

Come on, you don't HAVE to be bad to wear black.

？！

Besides, I'm not looking to pick a fight with you guys.

My fight's always been with Shouin-sensei.

Now get lost.

Z-Zanzaburo!

Zan!

Yeah, it does look like we'd better get out of here. Missy, Kojirou, you two find us an escape route. I'll take care of Master!

Understood! ...The only problem is, even I will have difficulty deflecting all of this gunfire.

It's okay, I'll help! Now go on, Lord Fujimaru, get going!

...Looks like they're gone.

...

Okay, Shouin-sensei...

It's time you saw just how powerless I'm not.

W-we've got trouble, Chairman!

A-a giant has appeared in the city square, and it's headed right for our headquarters!

There's no need to panic. Besides, I can see it myself quite clearly. So, that is Kishin Arahabaki.

Wahahahaha! Now there's something you don't see every day. Damn, it's even more impressive in person.

I knew I was right to partner up with you. Now THIS is what I call fun!

Fun, you say...

Hm? What's up?

Forgive me, it's nothing.

All right, I suppose I'd better get going. It's time to open up this nationor rather, this Singularity.

I trust you-know-what is all ready to go?

Yeah. All the soldiers are stationed right where you said.

Hey!!! What do you think you're doing, turning traitor!?

You're lucky Katsuzou isn't here right now!

...Are you really talking to me about betrayal right now?

Good point!