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CA : 82 Strong?
🕑 Added 2024-12-30 16:00:01 +0000 UTCAll of the people in the lord's manor were beaten up by Altair, and the six captains had long since been killed by him. As a result, the power transition in Aragane Station was exceptionally smooth, without a single voice of dissent.
The commoners inside Aragane Station were completely unaware that there had been a change of leadership above them. Of course, a formal announcement would need to be made, but not right now.
Shimon had died due to blood loss from having his right hand cut off since no doctor was available to stop the bleeding. His death didn't matter much... he was part of a terrorist group anyway, so it wasn't a big deal.
As for Mumei, Altair didn't kill her. Although he wasn't interested in her, she hadn't committed any major offense, so she was just tied up for the time being.
After convincing everyone in the lord's manor with his fists, Altair didn't waste any time and had Kenshou lead the samurai to join him in watching the show.
The attendants in the lord's manor were left behind, while the samurai all followed along.
Thus, a striking scene unfolded on the streets of Aragane Station. The lord of the city, along with his daughter and his samurais, marched with an imposing aura across the station toward the train station.
Curiously, all of the samurai, except for Ayame, were covering their right eyes... some with cloth, others with their hands. Even Kenshou was doing the same. In the middle of the group, a girl completely bound in ropes was being escorted.
This odd group passed through the center of Aragane Station under the puzzled gazes of the commoners and arrived at the train station.
The Koutetsujou had already completed all the passenger screening processes, and the armored train had been dispatched to another station. That was the other station in Aragane, from where the Koutetsujou was expected to depart the city. But whether it would succeed in doing so was still uncertain.
"Yomogawa-sama!"
the samurai at the station saw Kenshou arriving with a group of people and hurriedly greeted him.
Kenshou nodded at the greeting samurais and issued an order directly.
"Continue with your work, but also prepare dinner for us. We'll be dining on the city walls tonight."
"Huh?"
"Hmm?"
"Yes!"
The warrior was confused but clearly understood Kenshou didn't want to explain, so he quickly complied and ran off to make the arrangements.
"Sir, this way please. We can access the walls from here."
After the samurai left, Kenshou whispered to Altair.
"Alright, lead the way."
Surrounded by the samurai, Altair climbed the steps and ascended to the top of the city walls.
the samurai patrolling the walls, upon seeing Kenshou, rushed over to greet him, but Kenshou waved them off.
"Sir, according to the intelligence we've received, Fusoujou will enter through this railway line."
Pointing to the tracks outside the forest, Kenshou explained to Altair.
"Hmm."
Altair glanced up at the sun, now a fiery orange and just above the horizon, about to set.
"Fusoujou will appear after the sun sets. We don't need to hurry; we can sit and talk for a bit. Once Fusoujou arrives, everything will become clear."
"Yes!"
Kenshou responded, also glancing at the sun. By his estimation, there was about an hour left until total darkness. The existence of artificially created Kabaneri had already been verified through Mumei, and the last piece of the puzzle was Fusoujou.
In truth, Kenshou no longer doubted Altair. Someone as powerful as him left no room for questioning. If he wanted, Altair could kill everyone without saying a word.
However, there was still someone who didn't believe Altair... Mumei.
"Who are you? Why are you slandering my brother?"
Mumei, who had been brought along, was still defiant, especially about what Altair had said regarding Amatori Biba's plans. Mumei had not been deeply involved yet, so she wasn't aware of them. Having been raised by Amatori Biba, Mumei naturally didn't believe a word Altair said. To her, Altair was just spouting nonsense.
"Slander?"
Altair glanced at Mumei.
"I have no interest in slandering a weakling."
"My brother is no weakling! He's a strong man who can bring hope to this world!"
"Strong, you say? Then as one of his creations, do you think you're strong?"
"I may not be strong enough, but my brother's strength is absolute!"
"Is that so? Well, your 'strong' brother must have grown up all by himself then, right?"
Kenshou, listening to Altair, couldn't help but twitch at the corner of his mouth. He understood the hidden meaning in Altair's words.
As for Mumei... well, she was just a brainwashed kid.
Amatori Biba had a lot of orphans under his wing. These young people were either made orphans because of the Kabane or had become orphans due to Kabanes released by Amatori Biba. In any case, they were all orphans.
Amatori Biba's method of raising these orphans was brainwashing them, feeding them his theory that the strong should control the weak and that the weak had no right to complain.
And in that theory, Amatori Biba was the strongest, holding the ultimate power... the Kabane virus and the Kabaneri.
"Well then, since you have such faith in your brother's strength and his control over power, in a little while I'll show you what true strength looks like."
For someone as brainwashed as Mumei, reasoning was pointless. She would stubbornly believe in her own truth. The first step to convincing someone like that was to shatter their worldview and then rebuild it before offering any logical argument.
So, Altair wasn't interested in wasting his breath. He was here to reshape not only Mumei's worldview but everyone else's as well.
"Enough talk. Just watch closely and you'll understand soon."
Altair glanced at the sun again. A third of it had already dipped below the horizon.
"All this talking today, and I haven't even had a meal yet. I'm starving."
"Sir, I've already instructed the samurai to prepare dinner. It will be ready soon."
"No need, I've got something here."
Altair extended his right hand and, to the astonishment of those present, reached into what seemed to be a pocket in thin air. His arm vanished for a few seconds, then reappeared, holding three boxed meals... still warm, thanks to the 4D Pocket's preservation function.
"Here, Kenshou, one for you as well."
"This… is food?"
"Of course. Give it a try."
Under Altair's enthusiastic invitation, Kenshou took one of the boxed meals.
Even Ayame received one as well.
