READ NOVEL ONLINE Chapter 158
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“Are you Mr. Clear? Like, some sort of leader type?”
It was a strange guy who had been dutifully doing his duty for hundreds of thousands of years…
As Eight showed interest in Mr. Clear, Mr. Powerful immediately started chattering away about him. The fact that he was the leader of the four Guardians, the abilities and personality Mr. Clear had, and that he still hoped to fulfill his obligations as a Guardian.
Having just heard what that guy’s duties entailed, Eight could roughly guess why Regalia’s parents were murdered. It was said that the rulers of another city, seeing the rising conglomerate as a threat, had reached out to Mr. Clear.
Though he played a shadowy role protecting the world, it seemed it was indeed unreasonable to keep his identity under wraps in today’s age.
“So, he doesn’t want to quit, is that what you’re saying?”
“Yeah. He talked about you too, but he didn’t seem particularly interested. If anything, it seemed more like he was suspicious of you.”
“Suspicious, huh.”
Though they’d had a not-short conversation, Eight still couldn’t figure out why the two men in front of him had come looking for him, or what they mistook him for.
However, one thing was certain—these two at least didn’t seem to have any intention of becoming his enemies or the enemies of Evilus Corporation. Quite the opposite. They might end up being able to help Mr. Clear, so they really should be kept at arm’s length…
Once he finished thinking that through, Eight smiled brightly and spoke up.
“Alright then. From what I’ve heard, it sounds like you two have had quite the ordeal.”
“So, that means…!”
“Yes. As you requested, I’m going to dismiss you two. Thank you for your hard work.”
Despite Eight saying that, he had no clue what he was supposed to do.
And it seemed the two men in front of him were equally at a loss.
Seeing them tilt their heads as if wondering if there was more for them to do after hearing they were dismissed, Eight simply smiled warmly. Just… kept smiling…
* * *
“—So, we’re not Guardians anymore starting today.”
“…Good luck.”
Shortly after.
Having returned to the secret base, Mr. Powerful and Mr. Raise declared this to the other two fellows gathered there. As the black-haired man’s excitement broke out at the news of the two colleagues’ retirement, Mr. Clear, who had taken on the role of leader for the Guardians, silently watched the two of them.
“Retirement… Do you really think that’s even possible?”
“Of course! Adam permitted it. Just because you give us the title of leader doesn’t mean you can control us, right? No way. You became the leader because nobody wanted to deal with the annoying stuff.”
“…Let me ask you again. Do you really think retirement or dismissal is even possible?”
Despite Mr. Powerful’s blatant hostility, Mr. Clear continued on with what he needed to say. Seeing this, Powerful let out a hollow chuckle and nodded.
“Yeah, we retired. We’re not Guardians anymore.”
“—Is that so? That’s how it looks to you?”
“What?”
Mr. Clear got up from his seat. Powerful flinched for a moment but stood confidently in front of him. While one-on-one he might be a bit stronger, it wasn’t like he was completely outclassed.
What’s more, they were two—no, if you include Satan, who was interested in retirement, that made three, right? No matter how strong and revered the leader of the Guardians might be, taking on three at once was impossible.
“Mr. Powerful. No, War. You said I became the leader because I took on an annoying job, right? Unfortunately, that’s where you’re mistaken.”
“What nonsense…”
“At your age, you still don’t get it? This position was not a result of your surrender but was intended from the very beginning—”
In that moment,
Mr. Clear looked at the two who said they had retired.
The once vibrant spark in their eyes began to dim, soon revealing lifeless orbs like that of a robot whose power had been turned off.
“Mr. Powerful, Mr. Raise.”
“…Yes.”
“…Leader.”
“As commander of the Knights, I command you.”
As the commander of the Four Knights protecting humanity. Along with the duty bestowed upon him at birth, he had one special ability granted to him.
The Absolute Command Authority was invoked.
“—Go and eliminate that impudent guy who dares impersonate our creator.”
“Yes, Commander.”
* * *
It was a remarkably sunny day.
So bright that some people even took a half-day off to go out and enjoy themselves. It was that delightful time when life begins to awaken between winter and spring.
People were strolling down the street, laughing and chatting, while those without vacations eagerly awaited the weekend to arrive.
I was holed up in the laboratory fiddling with mechanical devices.
“Heh heh heh….”
Occasionally, the executives who came to suggest taking a break would leave, commenting on whether I had lost my mind in this corner, but I didn’t pay them any mind.
After all, I had finally wrapped up my long research on Lizbel’s body. The computer right before me was the fruit of that labor. I had created something based on the research on Lizbel’s body. Basically, it was a kind of fourth-dimensional computer.
‘Honestly, I would love to experiment directly on my body, but…’
That wasn’t an option. My body was a rare sample that existed only once in this world, right? Genetically different from people in this world. If I messed up experimenting on such a body? I’d be wasting a sample that could never be replaced…
What’s more, after taking a tiny portion of my bodily cells for testing, it turned out that my body was too weak to adapt to the fourth-dimensional realm. This was yet another difference between the humanity of this world and the earthlings. Earthlings don’t have anyone who naturally awakens superpowers. Perhaps that minor difference enabled them to adapt to the fourth dimension.
“A fourth-dimensional computer… To be honest, it’s not that special.”
Sure, a human being directly interfering with the fourth dimension had never been seen on Earth, but a fourth-dimensional computer was not that special compared to that.
Earth scientists had already discovered various methods of interacting with the fourth dimension and had created several tools with abilities similar to that of a fourth-dimensional computer. In such situations, creating a fourth-dimensional computer that mechanizes fourth-dimensional creatures was like creating Linux in a world that’s already using Windows.
‘Disappointing… Or should I be proud that I’ve reached the point of creating a fourth-dimensional computer with my level of technology?’
Well, it could be made like this, but it wasn’t overwhelmingly better nor did it offer better value than existing devices, so I doubt there would be any widespread replacement of existing devices with my fourth-dimensional computer. Thinking in that light, it was hardly an extraordinary invention.
Having focused on research for quite a long time, I felt quite disappointed that the results were less than I had hoped. To hide that disappointment, I fiddled with the fourth-dimensional computer. The layout of Evilus Building unfolded in the fourth-dimensional space.
I briefly peeked at what the people inside the building were doing, or teased Galm as he lifted weights by subtly applying pressure from above and shifted the spatial axis. From pure fourth-dimensional space to Mincowski four-dimensional space including time and space.
“…Huh?”
Shifting the time axis. Through the very brief future I could peek into—hundreds, thousands of people wandering the streets were shown, all bleeding and collapsed.
What on earth was going on? Cautiously reversing the time axis, the two men who had visited yesterday to ask for their dismissal appeared on the screen, slaughtering people. …Had they been called mass murderers who killed millions? It seemed they knew exactly how to end lives.
‘No, wait—why are those people…?’
I didn’t even have time to question that. Since it wasn’t long before the two began their massacre—I immediately summoned the executives and dispatched the Evilus Androids. As the heavily armed androids charged onto the streets, the executives rushed into the laboratory, asking what was going on.
“Scientist—What’s happening again?”
“What’s that outside? Why are you sending the Evilus Androids out like that?”
“Is there a, a fight? I hope the opponents are not too gruesome this time…”
As I was about to explain to the arriving executives, a wave that had spread from nowhere overhead passed over the building. Galm, Vira, and Arima, caught off guard by that wave, stumbled and groaned.
“Gah!”
“Ugh—!?”
“Huh—?”
Since I and Ayle were unfazed, we both looked at the other executives as if to ask what was happening. The executives cautiously opened their mouths, their bodies trembling.
“The power…”
“The abilities, they won’t work?”
“My magic is the same.”
“…What did you say?”
As the unbelievable words reached my ears—gunshots fired by the dispatched Evilus Androids echoed into the lab.
The worst scenario. The two mass murderers had finally revealed themselves in the city.
* * *
“Shall we get started?”
“…Mm.”
The two knights arrived at Evilus Corporation. Mr. Powerful and Mr. Raise unleashed their abilities. It was Raise who acted first. His power was Normalize. It reduced the strength of everything it targeted to that of an ordinary person.
In other words, it was the normalization of all enemies.
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