Antique Legend - Artists and Assassins 6

[bakemonoremy]

Collab with Soup



Madara: I’m truly disappointed in you — Shu-san.

Shu: ……… 

Madara: You haven’t grown in the slightest since the time you suffered that lethal defeat two years ago. You’re overly confident, conceited, and easily provoked by challenges.

You’re still just a toy that the truly strong play around with for fun — Someone for them to bully.

Shu: ……… 

Madara: Beating you two was easier than twisting a child’s arm.

Back when everything still revolved around Yumenosaki, you “stuck to your own personal policies”, which may sound good on paper, but in reality you were just shutting yourselves away in your own world, never getting involved with the mainstream.

As a result, you’re still as inexperienced in war as ever compared to the other units that participated in the fierce battles that unfolded at Yumenosaki — and you’ve persisted like that to this day.

The fact of the matter is, your winning percentage in live showdowns is exceedingly low. During the period of conflict you immediately got wasted with a single blow, and even during the Tanabata Festival, where you expected to experience a revival, you ultimately lost.

The only reason someone as easy to defeat and with a war record as miserable as yours hadn’t been targeted by anyone until today was because they felt bad for you.

They thought it’d be too pitiful to once again trample all over people who’ve experienced tragedy like you guys have — They all went easy on you to be considerate, you know.

You’ve been protected because you’re weak. But, not realizing this, you mistook yourselves as strong and convinced yourselves you were special — when you’re actually nothing but a couple of brats with chuunibyou.

Shu: You bastard…!

Madara: See, it’s that easy to rile you up ♪ That’s exactly why I’m calling you easy opponents, Valkyrie — How about being a bit more cautious next time?

Because the next time you lose something important to you, it’ll be too late no matter how much you’ll regret it.

Shu: You say that, and yet you did nothing.  

While we were made to suffer, you didn’t do a thing. Now you’re here to preach to me like some sort of know-it-all? 

You must have it so easy, I’m jealous.

Madara: ……… 

Shu: Anyhow, I suppose I should thank you—for your valued feedback, I mean. In actuality, I feel I was stung precisely where the I’d been partially pretending not to see what was going on. 

I’d forgotten about this pain for a while now. It’s true, we were weak. That weakness exposed, and us vanquished as we were, I wasted a great deal of time recovering myself. 

I swore to myself nothing like that would ever happen again, but I’ve ended up surviving to today by pushing aside my problems, not compensating for my weakness. 

The comfort of life in Paris and Kagehira’s growth have made me very happy, you see... I’d dreamed it would stay that way until I die. 

But, because of you, I have remembered how cruel reality truly is. This world, a world which I cannot yet fully illuminate as I have yet to achieve sanctity, is brimming with darkness. 

I am always far too slow to realize these things. Yes— In both the past and the present, Valkyrie’s weak point has been me.

At first glance, one would assume it would be that unstable, frail Kagehira, but it is this Itsuki Shu that is Valkyrie’s cancer. 

Mika: What’re ya sayin’, Oshi-san? Ya lost just now cause I went an’ left, right?

It’s my fault! There’s nothin’ wrong with ya, Oshi-san!

Shu: In other words, essentially, you are needed for us to win. 

You may not have noticed, but most of the visitors who came to view our stage today were your fans. 

I’m not quite certain I could’ve won, even if the audience hadn’t been switched out. 

Mika: ……… 

Madara: Hahaha. In the first place, you’re not suited to live showdowns — DreamFes’ — and you never were.

And that’s because the DreamFes back in Yumenosaki’s era was a ceremony made to execute you guys.

It’s full of conditions and rules that put you at a disadvantage.

Shu: Fufu. How foolish of me to have attempted expressing myself in such a hideous ritual. Ahh, I now realize how painfully stupid it was of me. 

So, false hero, what is it you gain from kicking down the victims you’ve already failed to once save?

Have you resigned yourself to the fact that you will never become a real hero of justice, planning to rebel and become the villain you really are?

Madara: As a matter of unpleasant necessity, that is exactly the way things are going right now. So, y’know, I’d really like to get this dirty job over with sooner rather than later…

Not that I think I’ll be able to return back to the frontstage without any shame at this point, though.

Still, for as long as humanly possible, I want to keep singing for those commendable people who love my public face that puts on a gentle big brother act. Even if it’s just for a single second longer.

As long as there’s even just a single person who wishes for it, I want to keep being the MaM that people look up to.

After all, if you’re gonna have to live your whole life in darkness and solitude, there’s no point in having been born in the first place.

That’s why I’m wrapping this Double Face job up quickly. Besides, I feel bad for forcing poor Kohaku-san to keep me company against his will.

Kohaku: ……… 

Madara: Therefore, and also since you made a promise, I’m gonna need you to spit it out as soon as possible — Shu-san. Otherwise I’ll have to put you through even more torment, unwilling as I am to do that.

Shu: Unwilling as you are, hm? Rather than looking uncomfortable like you usually do, you seem quite happy. 

Madara: ……… 

Shu: Well, moving on. Since I have lost, I shouldn't speak; it would be unsightly of me to go on and talk like some sore loser. I’ll do as you wish and give you the information you want. 

However, I would prefer it not be in this place. People’s eyes are on us, though more importantly, I don’t want us to talk in front of Kagehira.

Madara: Hm? So you’re saying Mika-san has nothing to do with the illegal money transfers — or any of the accusations that have been raised against you two?

I’d say he’s at the very center of these suspicions, though?

Mika: I dunno what it is, but maybe the problem is how, nowadays, I’ve been doin’ lots of suspicious lookin’ activity. S’that what it is, Double Face?

Kohaku: Yeah, at least from what I’ve heard. To be more precise, we’re tryna unravel the wrongdoings our vice prez committed as a follow-up to yours.

Well, I also reckoned Shu-han doesn’t feel any goodwill towards the vice prez, so if anyone’s involved in dishonest dealings with the guy, it’d be you, Kagehira-han.

Shu: No. Kagehira could not have done anything bad; he doesn’t have the brain for that kind of sinister conspiring.

Kohaku: Hrm~? So, what’s this all about then? Neither Shu-han nor Kagehira-han’s givin’ off the rotten stench of a villain.

Hey, Madara-han, was there really any need ta beat up Valkyrie? Their resistance is somehow weirdly feeble —