123: Military Rule

Eichi: ......

Tori: Whoa, Prez?

Are you doing okay? You’re, like, crazy pale. What’s going on, Yuzuru?! Is he gonna die?!

Yuzuru: Please calm down, sir.

We are on stage; it would be unfortunate the audience saw you collapse. Allow me to support you, then. At the very least, please maintain a sense of dignity until the voting is over, President-sama.

Eichi: Sorry. I knew it would happen, but I keep blinking in and out of consciousness.

Rei: Kukuku ♪ Then you would appeal to your weakness and make a show of staggering about with tears in your eyes so that you may garner a sympathy vote, hm?

Is that not a bit underhanded, even for Your Majesty the Emperor?

Eichi: ...I resent that. Actually, I was impressed.

Sakuma Rei of the Three Oddballs, I have never once underestimated you.

Nevertheless, this is the first time in my life that I have felt so cornered. I believe that’s what is called cunning, is it not?

Rei: Well, perhaps it is a bit of revenge. Suffer and languish—your tormented cries and your loathing are but delicacies to UNDEAD... ♪

That said, we have reached our limit. It was not yet enough to topple you.

Of course, since the first round went into overtime, you have far surpassed your own limits, have you not?

Thus is our repayment for the humiliation we faced during the B1—no, for giving in to our oppression until now. It is retribution; have you learned your lesson yet?

Eichi: No. I am not wrong. I believe this even still. To transform a chaotic Yumenosaki Academy, its ruler needed such an iron fist.

It needed an Emperor who could unify all and reign over them.

And it is the duty of that Emperor to remain undefeated.

I have continued to fulfill that duty. I will never regret it, even if in the end I must face the scaffold. ^[1]

If I fall, it will be proudly and with a smile. But I have no intention yet to step down from the throne.

Sorry, Yuzuru, but you don’t need to support me. I can stand on my own, with my head high.

It was my dream while I was in the hospital to stand on stage with you all once again. Won’t you at least let me enjoy it?

Yuzuru: If that is what you wish, I have no other choice than to obey.

Tori: But don’t push yourself, okay? We’re facing off against those Trickstar guys in the final round, right? We can take them all on our own!

I bet we’ll be playing hacky sack with them in no time ☆

Eichi: Thank you, my adorable Tori. But don’t worry about me; I will not be so wretched as to fall to my knees.

I am the Emperor, and I will continue to reign with dignity.

(And I am not the only one whose strength has been drained. To support me in my exhaustion, the other members of fine are pushing themselves harder.)

(We can’t drag this out any longer than we already have.)

(To my comrades, and to everyone who has followed and given support to me in my tyranny...)

(At the very least, I will not weigh you down with any more burdens. I will not show you how pathetic I am.)

For my first trick, I will execute UNDEAD. I intend to eviscerate you, such that even immortals like yourselves can never rise again.

Then it will be Trickstar’s turn, allowing us to take control of the DDD.

This will not be a case of the retainers supplanting their lord. I will make quick work of this insurrection—this riot. After all, it was I who started it in the first place.

Wataru: Fufufufu ♪ What grim determination, proud and untainted to the bitter end! It is this very reason why I can only say you interest me! Simply Amazing!

You are not evil. You are righteous—and yet you play the tyrant, greedily devouring others’ tears, their dreams, everything they have!

Love and hate; hope and despair; dreams and nightmares. You are able to walk both contradicting paths at once!

This is a story you alone can weave. And I will stay by your side, watching as it unfurls. What magnificent tragicomedy will you paint, I wonder... ☆

Eichi: You are like Mephistopheles; sometimes it scares me. Well, no matter. I still need you if I hope to win.^[2]

I will make use of you yet, Hibiki Wataru of the Three Oddballs.

...I’m led to believe you did something quite unnecessary with Hokuto. I’ll have to reprimand you for that once the DDD is behind us.

Wataru: Oh my, you really do hear everything. Have I swatted at a hornet’s nest? Risky, risky ♪

I thought it was quite admirable the way Ryuseitai’s Chiaki-kun put himself in the line of fire for his kouhais.

As the president of the drama club, I too wanted to try showing off a bit for my club members... ☆

Besides, is this not the development you were hoping for?

Eichi: ......

Rei: You’re quite calm. But the results of the voting are not yet in, are they?

As things stand, they may even call for another round for overtime. We are all in good spirits; how are you and yours?

I don’t mind mutual destruction. Let us fall together to the very pits of hell... ♪

Eichi: I will respectfully decline. You all are mere stepping stones along my path to glory.

My foot may have gotten needlessly caught, but I will not waste any more of my time on you. I’m going to kick you to the side and continue walking.

No one, not even myself, can stop the path I’m on. Not anymore.