How to Defeat the Emperor (3)
“Ladies and gentlemen, the night burns bright on this dazzling stage! Tonight we present our undefeated champion, riding a staggering sixty-six-win streak… and a fresh challenger, the fiery knight from the south!”
A brilliant flash lit the arena as Nonedon rose to his feet. The lights blazed to life. Glancing around, he saw that the slaves he had beaten senseless were already gone—his subordinates must have cleared them away while he was lost in his own mind. Every spectator had been waiting for him to stand, and now they roared his name in unison.
“Waaaah—!”
Nonedon gave a hollow laugh at the sight. This arena was built only so I could die. When did it grow so large?
Yet whatever illusions he clung to, once he stepped onto this stage he had to become a beast and a warrior ready to embrace death. That was the only truth he knew. If he lost even that reason to fight, his existence would hold no value at all.
“…I’m here!”
Nonedon forced his wavering mind into focus and raised an arm in response to the crowd’s thunderous cheers. He no longer understood anything. Not the fact that he had to return the seashell he had kept all these years to his nephew whose name he could barely recall. Not the duty to protect that nephew to the very end. Trapped by Vancite in the Mage Tower, unable to meet “that child,” Nonedon could only reign as champion of this place, dancing his fist-dance in oblivion. Even if fragments of the past he longed for and wished to forget appeared before him now, there was no longer any way to turn back.
“Introducing the King of the Arena! The undefeated Fist King, the greatest of this Bruised City and the empire’s finest fist… Nonedon Naigerse!”
“Waaaah—!!”
Amid the chaotic opening cheers, a low rumble echoed from the ship’s port side. Thud! A new chamber rose into view. The southern knight should have emerged from the stern—this was not part of the plan.
“Hey, what the hell is that?”
“What? Nonedon’s introduction isn’t even finished yet.”
“Is that the new challenger?”
Clack— The iron bars of the chamber swung open, revealing a black-armored swordsman whose face was hidden behind a mask-like helm.
“Kill the lights,” the swordsman murmured.
Thump—
“Wh-what?!”
The arena lights died. An unforeseen twist had arrived.
***
Cryan only needed to remain seated in the VIP section. All he had to do was watch. That meant the one acting as my limbs right now was Jurchen. I had brought the rogue knight along only because I had no other choice at the time, yet… He’s proving surprisingly useful.
Besides raising my chamber, I had given Jurchen one additional task: race to the control room at the very bottom of the deck and extinguish every light in the arena. After all, the duel Nonedon and I were about to fight was not something many people should witness. I had already worn a mask to avoid showing my face to Vancite; I had no desire to become famous for no reason.
Think you can manage it?
Won’t be easy… but nothing’s impossible, Captain.
The path would be treacherous, crowded with slaves, yet Jurchen had already scouted it once before. Perhaps the slaves had all been removed, for he succeeded far beyond expectation and cut the arena’s power completely. I gave him a mental thumbs-up. I had told him before—he might lack tact, but his competence was undeniable.
“……Tch, I can’t see a damn thing—.”
I stepped boldly in front of the disoriented Nonedon.
“What the hell are you doing…!”
“Damn it, we can’t see anything! Is the arena management a total mess, Nonedon?”
“Kaaah, my money… Hey, Nonedon! Tell the slaves to restore power right now!”
Boos and jeers erupted from the stands, aimed at the unplanned chaos. The crowd sounded ready to riot at any moment. Nonedon, who took the matches seriously, was clearly furious that today’s schedule had been ruined. Veins bulging on his forehead, he snarled at me.
“Oi, this wasn’t in the plan. Who the hell are you?”
“A new challenger.”
“Challenger…?”
At those words he ripped off his shirt and hurled it aside. His vicious, earthen-toned muscles rippled in the darkness. Whoosh— His massive fist shot straight toward me.
…Damn it!
I had sensed it all along, but now it was certain. Even one clean hit would leave me in pieces. If I tried to dodge, the next blow would follow instantly.
So this is a mid-to-late-game boss, huh.
I slammed my foot down on a loose wooden plank beneath me. Crack—! The board shot upward, blocking Nonedon’s line of sight. It wouldn’t stop his punch, though. I snatched the rising plank and poured every ounce of power into it.
Drakaris.
“Freeze solid—!”
A fierce chill erupted from my hand. The plank began to freeze at an incredible speed. The ice, unable to cling to the wood any longer, spread outward like a solid wall of frost. It was the only shield I could create with nothing but the frost energy of my sword aura.
Crash───!
Nonedon’s fist shattered the ice wall, yet it stopped just short of reaching me. The dragon’s glacial flames had bought me that much. If I had been even a moment slower, I would be dead.
“It’s a shame you came to ruin the match I prepared, but it doesn’t matter. Any challenger will do.”
Nonedon spoke while trying to pull his fist free from the shattered ice.
“You really are a man obsessed with fists.”
“So, can you kill me today?”
Whoosh—!
He prepared to attack again, but I had already achieved my goal.
…Good. That was enough.
Those few seconds while he freed his fist had bought me the activation time I needed. I spoke to him in a cold voice.
“Who knows. I didn’t come here today with that intention.”
In the darkness I drew my sword in an instant and leveled it at him.
Rorschach.
“Perfect…!”
“…?!”
Images flickered across his vision in the pitch-black arena. They were CGs from my memories—yet they were undeniably real past events, every one of them painful to him. Before his eyes appeared the figure of a pregnant woman who resembled him.
His fist lost its path in midair.
Mow, your belly…?
Ehehe… I can’t hide it anymore.
Which bastard is it? I’ll go rip that insect’s head off right now!
No, brother.
The woman’s illusion gently stroked her own belly.
You’ve been going up to the upper town a lot lately. I kept meeting a gentleman by the river… and it turns out he was His Majesty the Emperor in disguise.
Don’t tell me you’re carrying the Emperor’s child?!
Yes. I’m going to give birth. Because I love him.
Nonedon felt an indescribable rage at those words, yet that fury softened before the gentle aura of Mow, who loved the Emperor and cherished the child she carried just as deeply.
“What… is this…”
Nonedon clutched his head and growled at the memory.
“Was the drug wearing off? Whose memory is this?”
Muttering to himself, he reached for the stabilizer in his pocket, but I couldn’t allow that.
Clang—!!
I immediately launched a sword aura. He was forced to block it, scattering the stabilizer across the ground. An opening.
“No, the stabilizer is plenty. It’s time to face the past, Nonedon.”
I projected the next memory before his eyes. On the docks of the Bruised City, Mow sat in a chair while Nonedon stood beside her. Her belly was now full-term—slightly later than the previous vision.
I’ve decided on a name for the nephew who’ll be born, Mow.
Huh? Won’t His Majesty the Emperor name him—?
No. When the time comes, you said you had a name in mind. Use the one I chose. That much you can do.
Of course, if it’s a name my brother gave!
It’s definitely a boy. So 「 」 would be good.
Yet there was only silence. The name could not be heard. At least in Nonedon’s mind, that name could no longer be replayed. After killing his sister, his mind had fractured; even if he vaguely sensed his nephew’s existence, he could never remember him perfectly.
“I can’t remember. I have to remember, but I can’t.”
I couldn’t break him with fists alone. If I drew my sword to its fullest, perhaps—but winning a direct hand-to-hand fight against him might well be impossible. Still, other methods were plentiful. Look. Simply by forcibly injecting these memories he could never recall on his own, his massive frame that no fist could topple was now kneeling on the ground.
Thud—.
He pressed his forehead to the floor and sobbed.
“You really can’t remember?”
Whoosh—.
Soon a child’s voice calling out to him reached his ears. The next memory. An illusion born from his own mind.
Daddy—! Daddy—!
Ack, Mow, this kid’s calling me Dad? That won’t do. I’m your uncle!
Uhuhu, it’s because he hasn’t met his real father yet. Don’t worry. Soon we’ll leave the Bruised City and go up to the imperial capital.
…Is that so. If you two leave, it’ll be lonely.
No. They said you have to come too, brother! They’re recognizing the vigilante group you formed in the Bruised City. They say you’ll be valued as a royal guard in the palace, so we can all live happily!
Th-that’s true?! That’s wonderful. Truly wonderful!
At that memory Nonedon simply pressed his head to the ground and murmured to himself.
“Even if he called me Dad, it didn’t feel bad. No… it felt beautiful and wonderful.”
Cough—
Yet in contrast to those words, I could already taste the thick metallic scent of blood inside my mask. I was coughing up blood.
Damn it…
This was the first time I had used Rorschach so extensively and in such detail. The burden on my body was far greater than expected.
One or two more times at most…
[“Distorting someone else’s perception isn’t easy. How about it—can you hold on a little longer, Master of Steel?”]
But I couldn’t retreat now. So I gave the order.
Show him everything.
[“As you command. Khahaha! You’re a fine master. I’ve found myself a good master!”]
And into Nonedon’s mind unfolded the memory of that night—the night of the bloody purge.
Brother, you’ve come to kill me…
………
At the time, he had said nothing. He could only stare blankly at Mow, who accepted her fate more humbly than he did, unable to hold back his tears.
I knew Vancite would turn out this way. That child followed me like a mother… but the existence of 「 」 was always going to be an obstacle to the reign he would build.
…At least I’ll make it painless. Forgive me, Mow. Forgive this powerless brother of yours.
It’s all right. That child promised that instead of killing me, he would send 「 」 to the Mage Tower and keep him alive no matter what. That’s enough for me.
At those words Nonedon howled.
If he breaks that promise, this Nonedon’s wrath will rip Vancite’s head from his shoulders. There will be no end to my rage toward the one who took my sister from me!
Brother, promise me just one thing.
Anything. I’ll do anything…!
Take care of 「 」. When that child grows up, give him this necklace. It’s precious…
Mow…!
I love you, brother.
And so he embraced his beloved, frail sister, weeping uncontrollably as he snapped her neck—before she could even feel the pain. The wail that echoed that day had been louder and more intense than any sound in the world. Who could have known that the roar he let out now would rival it?
When he howled in the darkened arena, everyone fell silent. It was the primal instinct of beasts recognizing their king in an instant. At that moment the dome’s lights returned—probably the work of his subordinates who had gone to check why the power had gone out. But the show was already over. Every preparation had been made.
Nonedon was on his knees. I was the one standing. The spectators, unable to believe what they were seeing, let out staggered cheers.
“He… he broke him?!”
“Damn it, we couldn’t see anything!”
“I missed the whole thing. Give me my money back, you bastards!”
With those voices as his backdrop, Nonedon murmured.
“I don’t know your name. But you…”
“……”
“You came to show me these memories.”
Success? Was this success…?
“My mind is already ruined by schizophrenia and stabilizers. If my memories tear apart again, I won’t even be able to say this. So answer me…”
Good. His memories had returned. So I simply pointed a finger toward the VIP section without saying a word. The VIP seats were right beside the dome—close enough to see every pore if one concentrated. Nonedon slowly turned his head at the gesture and found the fragment of memory he had been searching for all this time.
Cryan.
And then Nonedon spoke as if realizing something.
“Cryan.”
At last, he had remembered the “blank” he had never been able to recall. In that instant, the stands erupted into commotion.
“Give me my money back!”
“What kind of accident is this, you bastards?”
“This is the last straw. It’s fine if you’re the strongest, but stop with the mental breakdowns already!”
A riot had broken out among the arena hooligans.