Section 9: The Obsession, Return to the Depths of the Earth

...

...Lady Nobunaga? Your mother is here to see you.

...Send her away.

Huh? B-but, my lady

Nobunaga! Are you truly going to make your little brother commit seppuku!?

...Yes, I am. What about it?

Wh-what are you saying!?

Nobukatsu is your little brother! How can you kill your own flesh and blood!?

Mother, I listened to you before and forgave Nobukatsu his past betrayal, but I cannot tolerate a second one.

Now, please leave.

H-how can you do this!?

Have you no heart!?

Dammit! What are you doing, Katsuie!?

Can you not hear how Nobunaga has lost her mind!? Seize her! Seize her already!

Lady Dota, please! I know it is hard, but please, try to contain yourself!

You too, Katsuie!?

Then were you also lying when you said you would help Nobukatsu and kill Nobunaga!?

You traitorous cretin! You will be the downfall of the entire Oda clan!

...Get her out of here, Gonroku. She's bothering me.

Yes, my lady... Please, Lady Dota, this way!

Let go of me! Let go of me, I say!

Listen well, Nobunaga!

Your unwillingness to treat the people around you like human beings will be your downfall!

Hell is too good for the likes of you!

I... I...

I wish I'd never given birth to you!

So this is their inner citadel, huh.

Show yourself, Serizawa!

Oh? You're not going to try and sneak up on me in the dark of night this time, Hijikata?

Why you

I mean, you do your best killing when your intended doesn't see it coming, don't you?

Especially when your target is a former comrade.

Shut up. This ends now.

Give it up! It's over!

Over? For me? I'm afraid you've got it backward.

Too bad. If you hadn't gotten it into your heads to fight back, you could have had a slightly more peaceful death.

That's...the Dark Blight...

No... That's the animosity of Kunakoku!

You! Himiko! What are you doing here!?

Curse you, Himiko! We haven't forgotten how you brought ruin to our kingdom, foul priestess! Curse you! Curse you! Curse you!

Shut up, you damn ghost. I'm still talking. Don't overestimate your importance here.

Sorry about that.

Damn thing's so angry all the time, you can't take your eyes off it for a minute.

...Why are you helping that thing?

Helping it? Don't make me laugh. I'm COMMANDING it.

You're kidding yourself. People's thoughts and feelings can't be controlled so easily.

Oh my. What an honor to receive advice from Queen Himiko herself.

Or is this one of those prophecies you love to share?

You know, I wonder, how many people have you fooled with your so-called divine words of wisdom?

Well, no matter. I'm certainly not so weak as to let myself be caught off guard by the likes of these things.

Anyway, I think that's enough chitchat.

Aah! Where'd those things come from!?

Get behind me, Master!

Oh yes, I almost forgot to mention. Those soldiers were originally residents of Yamataikoku. That makes them your beloved subjects, Queen Himiko.

I used the Dark Blight to turn them into the living dead you see before you against their will.

So, what do you think? It should be even easier to fight them now, right?

...You really are a sick, twisted bastard, Serizawa.

Hahahaha! Talk about the pot calling the kettle black!

Oh right, I almost forgot. We almost left someone out, didn't we?

Go on, Yamanami, finish him off. One vice commander to another.

...

Yamanami... Are you really siding with this bastard?

Shinsengumi... Draw your swords.

Don't bother taking prisoners. Kill them all where they stand.

Here they come! Kill every last one of them!

Damn fake Wolves of Mibu! Do you know who I am!? I'm Okada Izo of Tosa!

If you've got a death wish, then come at me and I'll grant it for you!

I'm sorry, everyone! If you're looking for someone to blame, you can blame me!

Hraaaaaah!!!

Diiiiiie!!!

We've defeated all the hostiles, Master!

Too bad, Serizawa. Looks like it's well and truly over for you!

Too bad, you say? Indeed, it really is.

My poor Shinsengumi soldiers. You must be positively filled with rage and regret right about now.

Your bodies violated by the Dark Blight... Forced to kill or be killed...

And now, even the queen in whom you had such faith has turned against you.

You must be full of regret. So very, very angry...

What are you saying?

Oh, please, don't get me wrong. I'm grateful you're all so cold-blooded that you think nothing of killing your own comrades.

And it is that coldness that has given me the perfect sacrifices. I should be thanking you.

A-aaaaaah! Aaaaaaaaah!!!

Wh-what are you doing!?

You're...sacrificing them!?

Muahahahaha! My body itself contains the secret art of Kunakoku!

The cursed art that transforms people's anger into power!

The power to collect and control people's thoughts and feelingsfeelings of rage, grief, and the desire for revenge!

Then...that's why you had us defeat those soldiers? So you could collect even more animosity!?

Disgusting...

Is this the sort of commander you want to fight for, Yamanami?

Is this what you wanted for the Shinsengumi!?

Answer me, Yamanami!!!

Hijikata... I...

Bahahahahaha!

Now, behold the legendary monster of Kunakoku you all helped to create...

The Inugami!

It looks so wonderfully absurd, but also quite hideous, don't you think!?

Rrr... Rrraaaaaah!

This is horrible... I can hear them all crying...

They're all in agonizing pain...

I'm sorry, everyone. I'm so sorry!

This is all my fault! If I'd only been more

Master! That Inugami creature is giving off tremendous magical energy!

The pressure from its aura alone feels like it could crush us!

？！

Well, time to say goodbye.

Do me a favor, hm? Try to die in as ridiculous and miserable a manner as you can!

Dammit!

Shit! We'll never get anywhere like this!

It's no use, Master! That black hazethe Dark Blight behind them just keeps bubbling up with no end in sight!

What an incredibly dark mass of feelings...

And not just the ones from those people we fought earlier, either. Just how many people's feelings did you collect?

Many indeed, Queen Himiko, bane of Kunakoku.

This monster is composed of the rage and sorrow of every last inhuman creature from that land. This is a beast of your own making.

But there is a benefit for you, at least. This land won't need a queen anymore.

Not now that the whole place is about to be wiped off the map!

Hahahahahaha!

...Hey, you. What do you think you're doing?

H-haha... I did it!

I've avenged Sister!

And I did it all on my own!

Commander Serizawa!

You see that, Sister!? You can rest in peace now!

Whoa, whoa, what do you think you're doing, brat?

That hurt, dammit!

Gurk!

H-how are you still alive?

I stabbed you through the heart...

Damn piece of trash... Was this your doing, Hijikata? Did you send this brat to assassinate me?

Looks like the Demon Vice Commander's lost a step in his old age!

Shut up! This has nothing to do with him! I'm gonna avenge Sister's death all on my own!

Even if it kills me!

Your sister?

Oh, you mean that idiot I sacrificed?

Don't you dare insult her! Sister was the greatest person to ever walk the earth!

Is that so? Well, if you miss her so damn much, then I invite you to join her, brat!

？！

...Oh come the hell on. What kind of sorry joke is this?

I like comedy as much as the next guy, but I don't go in for complete farces like this.

Y-you? Wh-why did you...?

Hahaha... Being a tortoise and all, I thought my shell would keep me safe. I seem to have been mistaken.

Little Brother!

He... He took the blow in Nobukatsu's place!

Why? Why would you do that for someone as worthless as me?

I'm not entirely sure myself... All I know, Lord Nobukatsu, is that you shouldn't be so quick to throw your life away.

That isn't why your sister entrusted you to carry on in her stead.

...

But... I can't do anything worthwhile on my own.

Sacrificing my life is the only way I can begin to make things up to her!

There's nothing else I can do!

Hahaha, didn't I already tell you, Lord Nobukatsu? Siblings aren't supposed to sacrifice themselves for each other.

They're supposed to help one another.

Little Brother...

My sister and I...helping each other...?

And I'm happy to lend you my help as well, Lord Nobukatsu.

We were both born with amazing older sisters...

And we both want nothing more than to help them.

So while this Spirit Origin of mine may not be worth much, Lord Nobukatsu, I'm willing to entrust it to you.

...

Sister... You are Queen Himiko, ruler of Yamataikoku.

I may have made a mistake in setting you down that path, but I'm glad I did so all the same.

I know... I know.

Thank you, my dear brother. You've always been there for me, even when it meant giving up your name...or your human form.

...Come, Lord Nobukatsu. Let us be on our way.

As fellow little brothers who wish to help our sisters...

We can pave the way for them to demonstrate their greatness for all to see!

...

Nobukatsu's form! It's...!

？！

Ugh, do you brats ever shut up!? You couldn't pay me to watch garbage like this!

...(Cough, hack)

What, that's it? You just changed your outfit?

You're not even any stronger now. You're just the same brat you were before.

Huh, you're talking like a two-bit hoodlum now. Is that what you really are deep down?

What'd you say!?

This is exactly what they mean by showing one's true colors.

You said you're gonna destroy this nation? Bullshit.

A pissant like you could never pull that off.

The only one in the world who can destroy nations and build them back better than before...

...is my sister.

Graaah!

You got a lotta nerve talking back to me like that, you little punk.

Without your sister around, you're just another snot-nosed brat.

A worthless piece of trash that can't do shit by himself!

...Yeah, that's right. I'll never be half the person my sister is.

I'm a pathetic, incompetent excuse for a brother.

But there is one thing I know now that I didn't before.

Even a worthless brother like me can do something to help my sister.

Is that...?

Those sparks flying around Nobukatsu...!

That's right. I'm the guy who can clear the path for the Demon King to travel...

Now, make way!

Make way for Oda Nobunaga, Demon King of the Sixth Heaven!

I never figured you'd bring me back from the dead.

No, wait. This isn't just your power at work. There's something else here, too...

Now I see. So this is the power you have taken into yourself...

The way is open now, my lady.

My beloved Demon King.

You're that woman... How are you back from the dead!? I saw the Dark Blight consume you myself!

Bahahahahahaha!

My little brother there genuinely worships me as the Demon King.

And as long as he wishes for me to rule, I'll come back from the dead as many times as it takes.

That right there...

...is the one power my little brother can give!

Do you idiots ever SHUT UP!?

Don't you get it!? There's nothing you can do against my Inugami here!

Rrr... Rrraaaaaah!

Raaaaaaaaah!

Oho... Inugami, huh? As in the god of Kunakoku?

You're telling me that thing's a god?

Now I see. So that thing's cloaked with the dregs of ancient inhuman deities.

That's right. And you worthless piece-of-trash Servants can't do shit against it!

Bahahahahaha! Oh, that's a good one!

There's not a human-made Mystic in the world that won't burn to ash in my presence!

Rrr... Rrrrrr!?

Master, look! The Inugami is clearly in pain!

Th-that's not possible... Wh-who the hell are you!?

Didn't my little brother already tell you...? You did, right, Nobukatsu?

I sure did. That right there is my sister, the enemy of gods, the Buddha, and all living things everywhere...

Oda Nobunaga, Demon King of the Sixth Heaven!

Demon King...Nobunaga!?

Don't give me that bullshit!

What are you doing, Inugami!? You're an ancient, inhuman beast-god, aren't you!?

So just kill these punks already!

Rrr... Rrraaah!

Senpai! This could be the chance we've been waiting for!

？！

Hey, Man-slayer. You can still move, right?

'Course I can. Hell, this was just the break I needed.

Come on, everyone!

It's time to finish this!