Chapter 43
Chapter 43
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 43
Chapter Title: 11. Mecha God Chronicle - True Ending (4)
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In this world, there exists a theory known as the zero-sum game.
To explain it in detail would take forever, so simply put, it's the concept that gaining something means losing something else at the same time.
Kind of like the law of equivalent exchange from that one alchemist manga.
And.
"Your Majesty, are you out of your mind?! Even if you didn't like the ending of Mecha God Chronicle, threatening the director?!"
"...I'm sorry."
Such laws of the world were something even the emperor of the empire couldn't possibly escape.
Because at this very moment, the emperor was receiving a terrifying scolding from Kaya, who had just learned what had happened to Raguna belatedly.
"I never imagined Your Majesty could be so short-sighted. And besides, this was something that didn't even require Your Majesty to step in personally."
Kaya opened her mouth with an expression that looked like she had a splitting headache.
"The director never intended to end Mecha God Chronicle like that from the start. He planned to wrap up the entire story with the true ending through the director's cut right from the beginning!"
That's right.
Raguna had never planned to conclude Mecha God Chronicle with the destruction of humanity in the first place.
No matter how much he aimed to become a total NEET, before that, he was an animator who wanted to create a great work.
He still vividly remembered the sense of emptiness he felt upon seeing the orange juice ending of 'that work' before his reincarnation.
That's why Raguna ended the TV version with humanity's destruction but secretly prepared a true ending where everyone gets a happy conclusion in the director's cut.
Of course, the reason Raguna prepared the true ending version in advance was heavily for 'insurance' against unforeseen events.
Kaya simply believed it was because of his pride as an artist that he hadn't revealed it beforehand.
"I thought Your Majesty loved artists and respected their creative freedom. So why act so unreasonably?"
In the past, an ending to a detective novel the emperor greatly enjoyed had ended rather absurdly.
The author suddenly killed off the protagonist because they wanted to switch genres.
But even then, the emperor felt baffled but didn't go confront the author or take any measures.
He merely muttered impure soliloquies now and then, like 'Maybe I should've locked that guy in the basement and fed him only dumplings...'
So why act this way toward Raguna now?
"...I know that too. I know I did something I shouldn't have. But, but...!"
The emperor wailed like a tragic protagonist.
"Humanity was destroyed! All of humanity perished! The subjects I must protect until the end all died! I'll give treasures, positions—anything! Just save them!"
"....."
The emperor, utterly immersed in Mecha God Chronicle, had reached the point of slightly confusing reality with the anime.
But that was merely the emperor's personal circumstance.
Kaya spoke in a somewhat cold tone.
"What if the director says he won't make any more anime?"
"...What?"
"It seems Your Majesty is under some misconception, but we're not the ones in control here. We're thoroughly in the subordinate position. Have you already forgotten who created the anime genre in this world and whose hands brought forth works like Mecha God Chronicle?"
"....."
"So from now on, never interfere with whatever anime the director makes or whatever stories he envisions. Promise me."
"...Very well, I promise."
The emperor replied in a somewhat cowed voice, but Kaya wasn't satisfied there.
"And the director said that, from now on, we won't send advance screenings of anime to Your Majesty anymore."
"Wh-what?!"
At that moment, the emperor's face twisted in shock.
Meaning he wouldn't get to see episodes airing two weeks from now in advance?
For the emperor, who enjoyed gathering nobles and spoiling them while gloating, this was no different from a death sentence.
"Th-that can't happen. I've greatly erred. I'm utterly despicable—please have mercy...!"
The emperor cast aside all pride and begged, but Kaya shook her head with a firm expression.
"Absolutely not. Give it up."
"Arrrgh...!"
In the end, the emperor collapsed to the floor, losing the will to live.
The law of equivalent exchange.
The alchemist brothers lost their limbs and bodies attempting human transmutation to revive their mother.
And the emperor, in persecuting Raguna to change Mecha God Chronicle's ending, ended up receiving a harsh lesson.
That was the way of the world.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ A few days later, at the plaza in front of the imperial palace.
The usually quiet space was now a chaotic throng where not even a foot could find purchase.
Because people had lined up early to buy the Mecha God Chronicle director's cut, filling the entire plaza.
And the Grinebalt Duke had gone to the plaza at dawn, joined the end of the line, and secured a copy of the Mecha God Chronicle director's cut before anyone else.
A duke of his stature could have sent a subordinate to buy it, but he insisted on lining up and purchasing it himself.
Because the Mecha God Chronicle director's cut this time was a limited edition, only one per person.
And the duke wanted to fully savor the joy of holding that limited edition in his own hands.
On the case of the director's cut in his hand was the word [RE-MAKE].
"...Remake? Does that mean it's newly made?"
Moreover, upon checking, the length of the bonus footage included with the director's cut was a mere one hour.
Seeing that, the duke felt a mix of anticipation and immense anxiety.
Because to him, episode 50's ending seemed utterly irredeemable.
All humanity had been reduced to a puddle of blood by the Ascension Plan—how could one hour possibly fix that?
"As far as I can see, there's no clean way to wrap up the story. But...."
Raguna, that kid, might show something beyond my expectations—
Thinking that, the duke hurried back to his mansion and activated the artifact.
Crackle—
The screen that played showed only a blood-soaked Earth and the two sole survivors, Kai and Eirin.
"...Feels gross."
With all humanity extinct, Eirin—perhaps from disgust at being the only survivor—closed her eyes and muttered that.
A bad end devoid of dreams or hope, literally.
Gazing at Eirin, Kai closed his own eyes with a guilt-ridden expression.
And—
"...Huh?"
When he opened them, it was an unfamiliar ceiling.
Staring at it, Kai's face filled with bewilderment.
He had definitely closed his eyes in a place where all humanity had become a puddle of blood.
So why had he opened them here?
But right then.
"Oh, you're awake already?"
Someone spoke to him from the side.
Turning reflexively, Kai's face registered shock.
Because.
"R-Rachel?"
She, who had died due to the Human Ascension Plan, was not only alive before him but speaking to him.
What in the world was this?
Was he hallucinating?
Meanwhile, Rachel smirked at Kai's reaction.
"Heh, even for you, getting swallowed by an Outer God must've been quite the shock, huh?"
"...Pardon?"
"Don't you remember? You got sucked into the 11th-dimensional imaginary space the Outer God deployed and barely escaped. Without Eirin and Saya's help, you'd have died there for sure."
"...."
He remembered. Something like that had happened during the battle with the Outer God.
But that was.
A story from months before all humanity perished due to the Human Ascension Plan, wasn't it?
So why was Rachel speaking as if it had happened just recently?
No, wait—why was Rachel even alive and breathing right now?
"...Don't tell me."
Kai finally realized what had happened to him.
Likewise, the duke—who had been holding his breath, glued to the screen—realized what had befallen Kai.
"...I see. This is completely insane."
To the duke, Mecha God Chronicle's ending had seemed impossible to salvage normally.
But if it couldn't be salvaged, why not just rewind time and pretend it never happened?
"Regression...! Regression was the answer...!"
That's right.
For some unknown reason, the current Kai had rewound time to before the tragedy began.
While knowing everything that would happen in the future, including the Human Ascension Plan!
"I see. So that means... I've returned after witnessing this world's end."
Muttering that, Kai clenched his fist.
"No more being swayed by others. From now on... I'll live for myself."
Life round two: Regressor Kai.
I monopolize alone, and level up solo.
Let's go.