A.N: Hey everyone, we're back after the crazy event that was Naruto vs. Ulquiorra.
But, a couple quick announcements. So, I've received a couple messages about my current posting schedule. I've given it some thought, and I realized: you're right, a month is a long wait. And I do tend to finish some of this stuff before the month is done and then I'm just sitting on it.
So, I'm going to try something new. When I finish something, I will post it as soon as I've reviewed it and I'm done with it. The goal will still be to try and post one thing for each story once every month. But, I will no longer wait until the first of the month. I might also, on a weekly basis, update the progress on the chapters on my profile.
So, I hope everyone enjoys this chapter. We're going to try something a little different.
Chapter 25: The Origin of Fraud
From the very beginning, I was a peerless genius. Shortly after I was born, even before I could walk, I crawled my way to a rubik's cube and solved it. When I was a child, I engineered my first Reiki-powered lamp. By the time I became a teenager, I was already considered one of the leading voices in academia.
I was a celebrity. A peerless prodigy praised by all. So it was only natural that the king himself would eventually recognize my talent, my brilliance. And he did. I was brought aboard as a researcher for our kingdom's Department of Research and Development.
Little did I know...that while the king recognized my talents...he did not respect them.
It was another long night for the workers inside of Menou's Ministry of Research and Development. The kingdom's R&D Ministry had a very simple mission: to use their talented staff to create innovations that can improve the state of Menou. This ministry worked closely with many of Menou's other similar ministries. Some scientists worked closely with the Ministry of Health to advance medicinal science in Menou. Some worked with the Ministry of Military Affairs to advance military science, you get the idea.
For the R&D Ministry, these kinds of late nights were simply an unofficial part of the job description. Mainly because this was entirely voluntary. In Menou, a major part of the culture was passion. Mainly, passion for what you do. Ever since the days of Kaishi, the people of Menou were heavily encouraged to pursue a career path that 'roused their hearts' as it was often said. It was a direct result of the founders experiencing the hellish existence that was being forced into a life of constant conflict. So, as a result, they encouraged the people of their new world to find their strengths, gifts and passions and use them to better themselves and their kingdom. Simply another example of the life of selflessness that many Menou citizens strived to lead as a result of spending so many generations selfishly fighting amongst themselves to become gods.
Point being, late nights were commonplace for the scientists of the R&D Ministry, because they all loved their jobs and were very, very good at it. And among these scientists, there was one young man in particular who stuck out the most with his skills.
This young man was known as Sagi, who had already made a name for himself as a true prodigy in the field of science. Indeed, from the time of his birth, Sagi was hailed as a near-unparalleled genius. He had practically received a hero's welcome when he officially joined the R&D Ministry.
And now, Sagi was hard at work, reviewing his recreation of blueprints of weapons from other worlds. Tonight, he was reviewing blueprints he had created around Etheros from the Wizard World (the precursor to Etherion). Sagi was practically in a trance as he looked over his blueprints, muttering to himself about numbers, the appropriate input and output of power, etc.
This was how Sagi typically spent his days. He would study known weapons from different worlds, and then try to replicate them in a manner Watchers could use them. To him, in the hands of Watchers, they would be far better used.
"Another late night, Sagi?" Sagi was cut from his musings by a familiar voice.
Sagi had to resist rolling his eyes at being interrupted. Thankfully, he respected rank enough that he did not. It was his superior, the Minister of Research and Development, Kunikazu. An older looking gentleman with a well-trimmed graying beard and horn-rimmed glasses. He had a kind, almost fatherly smile that was practically glued to his face. The kind of smile that told you that the owner of that smile was your best friend and that you could trust him.
Sagi frankly never liked Minister Kunikazu. It always seemed like he spent more time encouraging and praising his subordinates instead of actually applying his own genius to his work. To Sagi, it was a waste, because Minister Kunikazu was probably the only man in Menou who's brilliance came close to matching his.
"Yes, Minister," Sagi responded after a couple moments thinking up his answer.
"Mind if I ask you what you're working on?" Kunikazu requested in a friendly tone of voice.
Sagi briefly thought the matter over. He soon decided that if it got the minister off his back sooner and allowed him to continue working, there was no harm in showing him. "I'm just finishing some calculations for my latest design." Sagi admitted. "I'm this close to finalizing my plan for an Etheros that is calibrated for a Watcher's use rather than the mages of the Wizard World."
Kunikazu's permanent smile seemed to flicker like a candle for a brief moment. "I...see…" He replied. "My word, you really do like studying weapons of other worlds don't you?"
"I suppose you could call it a hobby, yes." Sagi said flatly, irritated that Kunikazu wanted to continue the conversation. "Though I'm hoping that this 'hobby' can be of use to us."
"Sagi, if I may, haven't you ever considered designing something new though?" Kunikazu inquired curiously. "I fail to see the use in recreating weapons that have already been invented. Especially considering they are...well, weapons."
Sagi frowned slightly. "Minister," he said, "are you telling me you cannot see the use of my research?"
"Sagi, I'm sure what you plan to do with these weapons could be of great benefit to Menou. I'm just saying someone of your brilliance has a lot more to offer than just making things that blow people up." Kunikazu assured him.
"Oh?"
"Hajime is trying to advance medical research. Togami is developing processes for a better crop yield. You're one of the most brilliant young minds I've ever seen, Sagi. I would just hate to see your legacy be one of death and destruction by focusing entirely on creating weapons of war."
Sagi grumbled at this. Kunikazu sighed, knowing he was not getting through to Sagi and gave the young man a gentle smile. "Forgive me, here I am berating you and I haven't even bothered asking you why you're doing this."
"You say that you don't want my legacy to be that of death and destruction." Sagi pointed out. "However, I see things differently. There's more to a weapon than the death it causes. Depending on the hands it is in, a weapon could very well be that which changes the course of history."
"Take Etheros for example. When the continent of Ishgar had been plunged into chaos by a civil war, the ones who got their hands on Etheros first were the ultimate victors." Sagi pointed out. "The course of history was changed by the one who held the power. And now look at what has become of Ishgar, many peaceful kingdoms."
"And your point is?" Kunikazu inquired curiously.
"My point is," Sagi said, "that peace is a wonderful goal to have, but if you don't have a plan, then that goal is nothing more than an idiotic pipe dream. Even our founding emperor had to fight in many brutal battles to create the peace we enjoy today. Makes me glad history did not whitewash the fact he was no pacifist."
"I...suppose there is some truth to that statement." Kunikazu sighed. "However, I think you would do well to at least consider some advice I have for you on this matter, Sagi. Take it from an old man who has been around for just a bit longer than you."
Sagi heaved a sigh, knowing that there was no way he was going to get Kunikazu to leave unless he promised to at least consider the old man's advice. "Very well, Minister, I'll bite." He said, forcing a polite smile. "What exactly is this advice I should keep in mind?"
"Regardless of who holds the weapon, a weapon is still a weapon." Kunikazu pointed out. "And a weapon is only useful not only when it is used responsibly, but also created responsibly."
"I'm...not sure I follow." Sagi admitted.
Kunikazu chuckled. He clapped Sagi across the shoulder. "You're still young, Sagi. You still have plenty to learn. I know designing weapons to bring peace to the world does seem like the fastest way to fame and glory, and maybe it is. But you've got a long career and an even longer life ahead of you. Use that long life of yours to come up with ideas that will help the people around you."
"But wouldn't designing weapons that make us stronger do just that?" Sagi asked curiously.
"Sagi, our strongest warriors alone can destroy entire planets if they wish. But they don't." Kunikazu pointed out. "Sentient beings are capable of great things and terrible things. That is why you need to exercise caution and morality in how you operate as a researcher here. While creating better weapons may make us stronger, it also may cause us to begin operating as bringers of conquest rather than bringers of peace."
"Try to keep in mind that even the Etheros Laser was designed as a result of war originally, not just on a whim." Kunikazu concluded.
Sagi sighed, taking another look at his blueprints. Kunikazu sighed as well, knowing he had not gotten through to the stubborn youth. "Just keep what I say in mind, lad." He ordered.
"Very well, Minister." Sagi was willing to say anything at this point to get out of this conversation.
Kunikazu gave Sagi a smile and left the man to his own devices. Little did Sagi know, this was not the last time Kunikazu would bring the matter to someone's attention. During his weekly reports to the king, Kunikazu could not help but bring the matter to Chitsujo during their next meeting.
"Young Sagi is troubling you?" Chitsujo seemed surprised to hear this. "I would think he'd be happy using his talents in the R&D Ministry."
"Well, I think he is, I'm just worried that Sagi's focus is on matters that do not seem beneficial to our kingdom, Your Majesty." Kunikazu replied.
Chitsujo hummed thoughtfully at this. "Explain." He commanded.
"Ever since he started working at the Ministry, all Sagi seems to care about doing is recreating weapons from other worlds that we can use. Just a few nights ago, I saw him working on Etheros, the magic laser that was designed by the Kingdom of Fiore's Magic Council. And a few of the senior researchers have come to me with concerns of their own."
"What kinds of concerns?"
"They saw blueprints of the Ancient Weapons from the Pirate World." Kunikazu explained. "Sagi...must've studied the historical records of the Ancient Weapons and redesigned them from his own memory."
Chitsujo's eyes widened. To actually recreate blueprints of weapons from sight alone was an impressive feat. Of course, Chitsujo himself could not doubt Sagi's genius. When he had been told that a 'genius baby' had been born, he was immediately interested in the possibilities. Then as the baby grew, so did the stories of the child's accomplishments, and so did his interest in recruiting the child when he was grown to use his talents for the kingdom's sake.
Still, if Sagi was obsessed with creating weapons for Menou's use...this might be a problem. "I...honestly don't know how to deal with this, Your Majesty." Kunikazu admitted. "I've never met someone in Menou who actually wanted to create weapons of war. It's one thing for our people to want to wield swords, spears, etcetera. After all, soldiers wield those weapons to protect themselves and others."
"But it's quite another for one of our own researchers to actually want to create weapons of mass destruction. Especially when our people are already weapons of mass destruction. Especially when our people are specifically taught about the horrors we caused with our own destructive tendencies."
Chitsujo considered Kunikazu's words. "Indeed," he said, "when Menou was originally formed, Father wanted to prevent the hellish world we created before from occurring once more. So, he made sure that all our schools would not only teach the history of our world, but specifically warn us against repeating history."
"So you can understand my concern, Your Majesty." Kunikazu said. "Sagi is as brilliant as it is said, but I fear he is wasting his talents."
Chitsujo shook his head. "Kunikazu," he said, "Young Sagi is not wasting his talents. At least not in his eyes he is not. You cannot expect him to improve if you are simply telling him that his current efforts are a waste. You cannot hope to nurture the youth by only berating them, nor can you hope to nurture by coddling."
"Then what do you suggest I do?" Kunikazu inquired.
"Acknowledge Sagi's efforts, and his reasoning behind this focus." Chitsujo said. "It is very possible to acknowledge someone while telling them that they are wrong. I know that better than anyone."
This made Kunikazu chuckle. "Now that, we can agree on." He acknowledged. "The stories of your wild youth are as legendary as your father, Your Majesty."
Chitsujo laughed at this. "My point is, do not stop attempting to steer Sagi towards different forms of research." He concluded. "However, at the same time, you need to do so in a way where Sagi does not feel his talents are being wasted."
"I think I understand." Kunikazu bowed. "Thank you, Your Majesty."
After that meeting, Chitsujo himself could not help but think about Kunikazu's concerns about the new resident genius of Menou's R&D Ministry. His beloved wife stood behind him, massaging his shoulders. "Honestly, darling," Takara giggled as she rubbed his shoulders, "I don't see why you always have to be so tense after meetings with the other ministers. Our home is prospering. I would think the ministers would only have good news for you."
"Oh, it's not that they have bad news, or anything like that, Takara." Chitsujo promised with a small smile. "It's just that...Kunikazu shared some information with me that I can't help but be troubled by. You know of Sagi, yes?"
"Of course I do, darling, how could I not?" Takara pointed out. "He's been a celebrity since his first little act of sheer genius."
"Yes of course," Chitsujo nodded, "it's just that...Kunikazu has informed me that Sagi has been focusing much of his time on building weapons of war."
"Kunikazu thought that was cause for concern?" Takara frowned. "We're in a time of peace, and our soldiers still roam the streets armed as peacekeepers. And technically, we're all weapons of war, thanks to Reiki."
"Well, not just weapons of war, Takara. It seems that Sagi is particularly interested in building weapons of mass destruction similar to weapons found in other worlds."
Takara could not help but gasp at this. "Really? That is a surprise. All that genius and he wants to focus his efforts on that?"
"I'm trying to understand it myself." Chitsujo admitted. "It's certainly a struggle. As king, I need to strive to understand all of my people, their hopes and their dreams. And yet I can't seem to understand why one of our own would want to focus on building things whose only purpose is to take lives on a massive scale...especially when we're more than capable of doing that on our own. After all the stories my father and Sojiro used to tell me about life before Menou, none of it makes sense to me."
Chitsujo heaved a sigh. "I'm trying to take into account that he's young and eager to prove himself. But there are people in our ministries his age who are just as hungry for recognition but have no interest in going down such a path."
Chitsujo gave his wife a small smile. "This is why I wish you'd involve yourself more in governing. You're much better at handling the youth than I am, Takara."
"Oh nonsense," Takara laughed, "Chitsujo, you are fantastic with children. Don't think I don't pay attention to all those stories Kyoko tells me."
Chitsujo turns red in embarrassment. "Er...which ones?" He asked.
"Oh, only the ones where she has to pull you away from playing games with children in the streets." Takara teased. "Honestly, darling, that modesty is eventually going to rub people the wrong way. Even if you are a man of the people, you are still king."
"I know," Chitsujo sighed, "it's something I still struggle with to this day. This is why I would've preferred ruling as...co-kings with my brother. I'd bravely lead my people into battle when necessary while he hands down wise proclamation after wise proclamation. He was always far better at governing back when we were both being schooled."
"Anyway," Chitsujo got back on track before he found himself stewing over the fact his brother had cut off all contact with him after becoming King of Rakuen, "I told Kunikazu to acknowledge Sagi's efforts but encourage him to direct those efforts elsewhere. Berating him over doing something so dangerous won't help."
Takara nodded in agreement. "That's probably the best way you and Kunikazu can hope to handle this matter." She acknowledged. "I'm sure things will work out. After all, while you went to the effort of recruiting him, Sagi ultimately chose to join the R&D Ministry. That means, he probably wants to make a difference like everyone else does."
"Yes, you're right as always, my beloved." Chitsujo gave his wife a quick peck on the lips.
Takara smirked. "Of course I am, I am your wife."
This made the loving husband and wife laugh at the humor they shared with one another. Takara was right. Everything was going to turn out alright...
A few days later, Kunikazu found himself attempting to put what Chitsujo advised him on into practice. Sagi was attempting to show him some new designs for the Etheros Replica, as he had dubbed it.
"It took me awhile to truly understand how the cannon itself was powered." Sagi admitted. "One of the downsides of being unable to visit and study the weapon itself in person. However, I think this design will allow us to power this Replica with Reiki instead of the Ethernanos that powers magic in the Wizard World."
Kunikazu nodded, forcing a smile. "I see, you must've worked very hard on this, Sagi." He said, trying to acknowledge the young man's efforts.
Sagi, however, was no fool. He knew that the smile was forced. And he knew that Kunikazu wished he was not working on this project.
"Of course I worked very hard on this," Sagi, however, was in no mood for calling the old man out for his false praise, "I always put my absolute best into everything I try to build."
Kunikazu took a deep breath, desperately trying to find the best way to handle this scenario. Because he knew that Sagi knew he was not being sincere about Sagi's focus on weapons of mass destruction. Remembering his king's words, Kunikazu gave Sagi a smile. "Sagi, can I ask you a question?" He inquired.
"You are here, sir, and I don't think you want to end this conversation just yet, so ask away." Sagi responded.
"Why do you want to recreate weapons of mass destruction?" Kunikazu bluntly came forward with his question.
Sagi could not help but raise an eyebrow in surprise at how blunt Kunikazu chose to be at that moment. He had honestly expected the old man to dance around the topic a bit. In fact, Sagi could not help but feel a bit more respect for him for just being honest this time.
"Let me answer your question with another question, Minister Kunikazu." Sagi responded. "Do you think it is better to be feared, or respected?"
Kunikazu looked at Sagi in curiosity. Sagi smiled. It was a smile filled with ambition for a brighter, better future in his eyes. "Personally, I don't think it's too much to ask to be both." He continued.
"Oh?" Kunikazu was surprised.
"Right now, Menou is in a time of peace. We have the occasional bandits in the Kingless Lands trying to threaten our borders, and of course monsters, but other than that we're at peace." Sagi pointed out.
"But that brings me to my next question." Sagi continued. "How long can we expect this peace to last?"
"Forever is the hope." Kunikazu replied. "Lord Chitsujo is a wise and just king whose only desire is to keep the peace. And while Lord Konton has cut contact with us, we cannot forget that he too was raised and taught to seek peace first and foremost. Both are wise rulers who carry the blood of Kaishi the Saintly Conqueror. And they will both rule until they have designated heirs to their will."
"Is it truly reasonable to say we will be at peace forever though?" Sagi inquired. "The last time we thought we had achieved eternal peace, the Cult of the End nearly destroyed us."
Kunikazu's face fell. "That is...certainly true."
"That should've been an eye-opener for all of us." Sagi noted. "Peace is a wonderful dream. But without a plan, that dream is nothing but a delusion."
"And yet...I see no one preparing for the inevitability that is our next grand conflict." Sagi pointed out. "I for one, do not wish to see such tragedies repeated. No matter how strong our people are in body, imagine how many casualties of war could've been avoided if we had weapons like the Etheros Cannon."
"There...is some truth to what you are saying." Kunikazu acknowledged.
"Weapons are designed to protect soldiers on the battlefield." Sagi pointed out. "And there are so many fantastic weapons from across the universe that are simply sitting there, being used by the Otherworlders."
"I...fail to see the meaning behind that."
"The reality is, such weapons of mass destruction are wasted on the Otherworlders, Minister Kunikazu." Sagi noted. "While they have changed the course of history, they are still in the hands of people far weaker than us. Sure, they now wield very destructive 'blades' so to speak, but those 'blades' can change hands quickly because of how weak the wielders are. Weapons of mass destruction only become dangerous when they're constantly changing possession."
"Now, imagine for a moment, weapons like the Etheros Cannon...the warship Pluton...and other weapons along those lines. Imagine them wielded by a force so powerful on its own, that the chances of such weapons ever changing hands is less than one percent." Sagi explained.
"Do you know what that means, Minister Kunikazu?" Sagi inquired curiously.
"I'm...not sure I do."
"It means, that in hands like ours, these weapons could be the ultimate peacekeepers, not just in our world, but across the entire universe. While it is true these weapons are extremely destructive, what truly makes them powerful is that as long as people cooperate, you never have to fire them once. And to me, that is true power."
Kunikazu's eyes widened at Sagi's rather dark statement. "The truth is, Minister Kunikazu, when I look at the Otherworlders, I see potential that is not being properly utilized. However, if we perhaps became more involved in their affairs, we could lead them into far greater prominence. The weapons are merely to ensure everyone's cooperation. Not to harm them, but to deter them."
Kunikazu regained his composure and coughed. "You've clearly thought this through." He noted.
"It's just as I said, Minister Kunikazu, I want to save lives. And in order to do that, I believe that we must be taking into account every possible contingency...including war. And not just war, but also the possibility that we could very well be the ones who lead the entire universe into an age of peace." Sagi revealed. "We have all this strength on our own, and the genius to add to our strength...to not utilize it to guide the Otherworlders to peace would be a waste of talent and potential. And I cannot stand such waste."
Kunikazu took a deep breath and gave Sagi a shaky smile. "Well, I suppose it is a good thing that you are just as dedicated to peace and to the welfare of our people as the rest of us." He acknowledged. "Really, Sagi, you're heart's in a good place, and that makes me very happy."
Sagi narrowed his eyes at Kunikazu. "I'm sensing a 'however' is coming next." He responded in an increasingly cold tone. If there was one thing that could be said about Sagi, it was that he hated having his viewpoints challenged.
Kunikazu sighed. He managed to steady his smile into something a bit more genuine. "You are correct, but please do not doubt my sincerity, Sagi." He told him. "You are extremely passionate about the peace, prosperity and safety of our people, and that is something to be admired. I do mean that with all my heart."
"However," Kunikazu continued, "I'd like to ask you a question now."
"You say that recreating these weapons from other worlds is to preserve peace and to save lives." Kunikazu reminded him. "But if your goal really is to save lives, why wouldn't you focus on making scientific advancements in fields such as medicine?"
Sagi looked at Kunikazu with a blank expression on his face. "Sagi," Kunikazu continued, "with your genius, you could create advancements in medicine that could help our healers save the lives of our people. If you'll remember, His Majesty's mother died in childbirth, even though they had the finest healers at their side."
"If someone of your genius had created something to ease the birthing process of bringing two extraordinarily powerful individuals into the world, Empress Tomoe would still be alive."
"And then there are those who are wracked with illnesses that even our healing arts cannot fix." Kunikazu continued. "The method would be crude, but someone of your genius could easily invent cures for these illnesses through research of other worlds and how they cure similar illnesses. In fact, I believe the Pirate World has some very historically famous doctors capable of performing the most miraculous of surgeries, with or without special powers."
"The point is, if saving lives is your number one concern, you should devote your talents to the field of medicine. Then you can truly save countless lives." Kunikazu concluded, trying to get his subordinate to see reason. "In the time you've spent trying to recreate weapons of mass destruction from other worlds, you could've been advancing medicine instead. Imagine what you could've already accomplished with your genius."
Sagi fell silent. He seemed to be in deep thought, as though he were actually considering Kunikazu's words. He then shook his head. "I hear exactly what you are saying, Minister Kunikazu." He replied. "And I do understand your view on the matter."
"However, I'm afraid I simply cannot see the value in devoting my talents to medicine." Sagi grimly admitted.
"Cannot see the value?" Kunikazu was stunned by this. "Sagi, how can someone of your intellect not see the value of saving lives by advancing the field of medicine?"
"Do not misunderstand, Minister, it is because of my intellect that I cannot see that value." Sagi replied. "Because frankly...there is no value."
Kunikazu looked at Sagi in disbelief. Sagi sighed. "I can cure as many diseases as I wish. I can create as many inventions to ease the suffering of a sick person or ease a birthing process as I wish as well. However, one thing will never change. No matter how many I cure through my discoveries, it doesn't change that fact that they will still die in some way. Even our species isn't permanent."
"Sagi…" Kunikazu trailed off, stunned at Sagi's blatant disregard for how much medicine could help people.
"Medicine is not a permanent solution to life and death." Sagi noted. "Anyone who believes otherwise...is simply deluding themselves with a sad, sad illusion. I want to use my talents to perfect the world with a more permanent solution."
"And you think that recreating weapons is that permanent solution?" Kunikazu demanded.
"I told you, the weapons I am hoping to recreate for our use will be the ultimate deterrent for anyone foolish enough to challenge us." Sagi explained. "And if someone is foolish enough to challenge us, all we have to do is fire the weapon once and not send our soldiers to fight and possibly die."
"So by preserving life you want to take life?"
"I am taking life from those who have forfeited their right to it through reckless and foolish actions."
"Alright, for argument's sake, let's say what you claim happens. What about the civilians who are caught up in the middle of this?" Kunikazu inquired.
Sagi fell silent, refusing to respond to that question. Kunikazu sighed. "Sagi," he said, "listen to me, it is never wrong to pursue a path to peace. And it is never wrong to want to come up with methods to better protect the soldiers who risk their lives."
"However, what you fail to realize is that no matter how strong a kingdom is, weapons that are built to preserve that kingdom's power can still end up in the wrong hands. Our hands. Our history has shown us that we are just as prone to darkness as the Otherworlders are. Giving us the power to play God like that...I don't think you realize how dangerous an attitude that actually is."
Sagi grumbled at this. Kunikazu realized he was probably taking his scolding too far and actively dialed it back. "My point is, exercise caution in what you create and how you intend to use it. And have faith in our people's ability to win battles without taking the easy way out and causing civilian casualties."
"And please, do try to consider what I say. Your talents would be far better used than just designing weapons of mass destruction that His Majesty would never want to see used for Menou's sake."
"You are my superior, Minister Kunikazu." Sagi responded in an almost robotic tone of voice, as though the response was automatic and not sincere. "I promise to consider it."
"Thank you, Sagi." Kunikazu smiled. "Now why don't I treat us to a nice lunch, eh? Consider it my way of apologizing for scolding you so. Perhaps we can talk about other ways to use science to improve the lives of our people."
"Or, if you would prefer to not talk about work while off the clock, we can talk about normal things. Oh, like family! My daughter is expecting, actually. My first grandchild, I'm so excited…"
Sagi was not listening to Kunikazu any longer. He found himself thinking about his own experiences with his fellow researchers. They were all telling him the same things that Kunikazu was telling him right now.
"Those ideas are dangerous, Sagi. We are a nation who believes in peace and coexistence, not war and conquest."
"You're so brilliant, Sagi. Shouldn't you be focusing your efforts on other kinds of research and not building weapons that will never be fired?"
"There's no way the king would ever allow you to actually move forward on building these weapons, Sagi. Come on, focus on something else."
"DAMN THOSE SIMPLETONS!" It was now nightfall, and Sagi was pounding the desk in his personal study in anger, rage and frustration.
Sagi gazed at all his notes on his various projects, snarling as all those words of dismissal rang out in his head. "'Dangerous ideas,'" he repeated in a mocking tone of voice, "'a waste of time,' 'not who we are as a people?!'"
"How the blazes has our kingdom lasted as long as it has with such fools working the Ministry of Research & Development?!" Sagi demanded of no one in particular.
"Do those fools not realize that our universe has only advanced by being willing to use ideas that the weak-hearted would deem dangerous? Science has only ever advanced through danger! Fools who cannot accept that have no right to call themselves men of science!"
Sagi almost smashed his desk in rage before taking a few deep breaths to calm himself. "Damn, I almost turned into a bloody neanderthal. Thank goodness I'm alone, or I never would've been able to live that down."
"Keep calm, Sagi," the young researcher said to himself, "you who were praised from birth as an unparalleled genius. You do not lose your cool. You stand above all others. You are brilliant. In fact, there is no one more brilliant than you."
"And they will all see it one day. They'll see it all." Sagi vowed. "One way or another, my genius will change this universe…"
A few years passed. Sagi continued to focus his efforts on his recreation of weapons from other worlds, much to the exasperation of his colleagues and superiors. Sagi, however, persisted. He would not be denied his chance at leaving a mark on the universe.
However, things were about to come to a head. On this day, Sagi was summoned to Menou's court to face a tribunal of his research and his actions.
Sagi was remaining surprisingly calm in the face of all the accusatory and disappointed glances that were being thrown his way. "Sagi, Junior Researcher of the Ministry of Research & Development," Chitsujo spoke up in an even tone of voice, bringing the tribunal to order, "do you know why you have been summoned today?"
"Yes, I do, Your Majesty." Sagi said calmly, though inwardly he wanted to scream at every single person in this room for their ignorance.
"Very well, then we shall proceed." Chitsujo nodded.
"Sagi," Chitsujo began, "first, you are here because for the past several years, you have conducted yourself in a manner unbecoming of a government official of Menou. You have disregarded orders from your superiors, and have instead chosen to focus your efforts on research projects that have not received approval from any high-ranking officials."
"Well, to be honest, Your Majesty, I was hoping I could at least receive your approval for future projects during this tribunal."
"Arrogant brat!" One of the attendees of this tribunal yelled in anger. "Don't think you have the right to demand anything from us when it is you who's actions are under review!"
"Peace," Chitsujo held his hand up to silence the angry man. He turned his attention back to Sagi. "The second reason for this tribunal, is that you have constantly been advocating for funding to be pulled from other experiments to fund your own. Normally, this is not a matter for a tribunal to be involved with, but your actions are actively hampering the unity of your ministry."
Sagi remained silent, not interested in hearing someone call him an arrogant brat once more. Chitsujo sighed. "Now, when it comes to conflicts of interests and personality issues, I can forgive many of those quite easily. I do not want puppets as my subjects, after all, I want comrades, family, those are what I desire my subjects to be."
"And because of that, I do believe that I can work with just about anyone, regardless of their personality and interests." Chitsujo admitted.
"However, that brings me to the third reason you have been called here today, Sagi." Chitsujo continued. "Upon investigating the explosion in the Takamagahara Mountains, we discovered an exact replica of the Etheros Cannon from the Wizard World. And its trajectory was aimed right at the spot the explosion occurred."
Sagi remained calm. "Sagi, you were the only one who has expressed any interest in recreating the Etheros Cannon." Chitsujo reminded him. "And you come from a wealthy family. With that in mind, I have enough evidence to formally accuse you of not only blatantly disregarding orders from superiors, which in some cases would be considered a military crime. But you would also be charged with illegal weapons development, a very serious crime. Do you understand the situation you are in, Sagi?"
Sagi nodded. "I do, Your Majesty." He promised. "And I am more than prepared to explain myself."
"That is good, I would prefer to settle this via a tribunal rather than giving you a criminal record." Chitsujo told him. "You are still young, talented, and have a bright future ahead of you, Sagi. The last thing I want is to see you waste that future."
This made a few people present scowl, because they thought Chitsujo was being far too lenient. However, a glare from Chitsujo's closest subordinate, Kyoko of the Seven Saint Warriors, made them all lose those scowls.
Kyoko was different from them all. Next to Takara, Kyoko probably understood Chitsujo better than anyone. Therefore, she believed in him more than anyone.
"So please, explain your reasoning to me, and perhaps we can come to a solution to this conflict of interests together." Chitsujo said kindly.
Sagi nodded once more. "A long time ago, I explained my reasoning to Minister Kunikazu, and my reasoning has not changed since then." He revealed. "It is my belief that the weapons from the other worlds have been wasted in the hands of those who are far too weak to use them, but also too weak to keep them out of the wrong hands."
"However, it is my belief that with such powerful weapons in our hands, the hands of the strongest race in the entire universe, we can use these weapons to consolidate our power not only in this world, but the entire universe as well. With this power on our side, combined with all the power we currently possess, no one would dare challenge us."
Everyone looked at Sagi like he had grown a second head. "We are at peace now, but we are stagnant as a nation." Sagi explained. "Meanwhile, the other primitive worlds continue to embroil themselves in constant conflict. However, with enough destructive power, on our side, we can put a stop to that conflict and end such meaningless losses of life. And not only the losses of their lives, but our own soldiers would not have to risk their own lives."
"So yes, I do acknowledge that I used my own wealth to recreate the Etheros Cannon without your consent, Your Majesty." Sagi nodded. "However, I must ask that instead of being angry, you instead see the benefits of my research instead, and make my efforts official."
That statement even had Kyoko frowning now. What an audacious brat. She thought in frustration. He disregards orders, commits illegal acts, admits to them, and then basically asks to be praised for them and allowed to do them in the future?
Chitsujo...how exactly are you going to handle this guy?
Attendees of the tribunal almost started yelling at Sagi for his audacity, only for Chitsujo to raise another hand to silence them. Chitsujo then gave Sagi a small smile. "Sagi, first I want to thank you for the passion you have for peace, along with your dedication to the lives of my beloved soldiers."
"When I had first become king, one of my first actions was to cast a permanent charm that would allow me to remember the names of every single one of my subjects, whether they are soldiers or civilians. I would simply have to ask for their name once, and I would remember forever. Through that, I believe I have some sort of bond with everyone in this kingdom."
"And because of that, I hurt whenever one of my people becomes sick, or Gods forbid, die. Especially on the battlefield. Honestly, I can't help but compare it to losing a member of my family."
This made everyone present, except for Sagi, lower their heads in respect for the lengths their king was willing to go to make himself what he believed to be the ideal king, like his father.
"However, I don't think you have actually thought through your own plan for peace." Chitsujo revealed. "And there is nothing wrong with that, you're young and you still have much to learn."
Sagi stiffened at this. Much to learn? Much to learn!
"Sagi, we are not warmongers, nor are we conquerors." Chitsujo explained. "No matter how good your intentions are, I will not condone a course of action that will turn us into conquerors, even if we do believe that our rule will make the universe a better place. After all, it is that arrogance that caused our people to nearly destroy ourselves, thousands of years ago."
"Sagi, it's not wrong to want to try and make a difference. However, there is one thing I think you've failed to realize." Chitsujo told him. "Just because you are capable of doing something, doesn't mean you should do it. Take Kyoko here for example, she has enough Reiki to destroy an entire planet, but she doesn't. Do you know why that is?"
Sagi remained silent. Inwardly, however, he desperately desired to scream she was a fool wasting her own potential. "Because Kyoko understands what restraint is. There is strength in power, that's for sure. But there is strength in restraint as well."
"But ignoring the lesson I'm trying to teach you today, I want you to understand something else." Chitsujo's tone of voice changed to stern now. "What you did in firing off that cannon was extremely reckless. There could've been people living in that area. There could've been people around the area who thought that either Menou or Rakuen was trying to conquer them. I had to go into the area myself and reassure them that nothing of the sort was going to happen. And thankfully no one lived there. I found out myself."
Sagi shook with rage upon hearing this. "Like I said, just because you can do something, doesn't mean you should do it. Every action has some sort of consequence, good or bad. And if you truly want to be a scientist in the Ministry of Research & Development, you need to learn restraint. Otherwise, you could very well cause an incident that might cost people their lives, the exact opposite of what you are intending to do."
"Why are you so blind?!" Sagi demanded.
Even Chitsujo was taken aback by this sudden outburst. No one else could speak. They were all too shocked. No one had ever spoken to their king like that before. "Why are all of you fools so blind?!" Sagi demanded, looking at everyone. "You all claim to desire peace, but none of you are willing to actually do what it takes! You think this kingdom is at peace! It's stagnant! Meanwhile primitive monkeys continue to squabble over disputes when we could be leading the world into true enlightenment!"
Chitsujo narrowed his eyes, regaining his composure. "Do you hear yourself, right now, Sagi?" He inquired, keeping calm. "Your words make you sound no better than a tyrant. Your peace is the rest of the universe's tyranny."
"And what exactly has the universe done with their free will, Your Majesty?" Sagi countered.
"Plenty of evil, yes, but also plenty of good. And if you really expect us to follow this path, I promise you, it will only lead us to committing evil we swore to rise above long ago." Chitsujo told him.
"I find your lack of faith in your own people disturbing." Sagi tried to make Chitsujo look like the bad guy now.
"It's not that I lack faith in my people, Sagi, I just understand the reality that absolute power corrupts absolutely." Chitsujo countered.
"It will work this time!" Sagi claimed. "It just hasn't been tried properly yet! But under our rule...the rule of those who have already been enlightened and humbled, we can do it right!"
"It is still tyranny and I will not approve of it!" Chitsujo passionately declared. "I will not make our people into bloody conquerors. I will not make the universe fear and despise us! That is not peace, for eventually people's fear will cause them to rebel!"
"If by some miniscule the day came that we had to unite the universe, I will do so by winning their hearts and minds and reaching out to them in friendship." Chitsujo claimed. "That is how my father did it, and that's how I shall do it as well!"
Sagi narrowed his eyes. "Glare at me as much as you wish, Sagi, but you will not sway me on this." Chitsujo firmly told him. "Those who are ignorant of history are doomed to repeat it. My father understood that better than anyone. I will not ignore his will and gamble the morality of my people on the mere possibility that there will be peace in the entire universe."
Sagi snarled. His father this, his father that. Well, it was time to deliver a real crusher and expose this fool of a king to a very simple reality. And at that moment, Sagi delivered a line that changed the course of his fate.
"Your father is dead." He said cruelly.
Silence. Dead silence. Everyone sans the king looked at Sagi in shock and horror, then at Chitsujo, trying to get a read on his current expression to determine how he was going to respond to such a shocking statement.
"He is dead, as should his will." Sagi declared. "What idiotic fool would dedicate himself to following the will of a dead man? It's no wonder this kingdom remains stagnant if you're really the man leading it! I have no interest in halting progress just to please the memory of your dead father!"
"Especially since he's clearly the fool who has caused this stagnation in the first place!"
No one could say anything. They could not. This was the first time anyone had heard such unkind words for the Founding Emperor, the man who was universally adored by his people, both past and present. Chitsujo took a deep breath and finally responded. "Get out." He said in a chilling tone of voice.
"No, we are not done yet." Sagi responded.
"I said get out." Chitsujo repeated, now glaring at Sagi. "Leave this room. Leave my sight, now."
Sagi still did not budge. "Sagi," Chitsujo was clearly exerting every ounce of willpower not to explode at the younger man, "as of now, you are suspended from your post without pay. Guards, remove him."
Sagi's eyes widened. Suspended? He suspended him? Him?!
The guards made a move to grab Sagi, only for the man to scream in rage, stopping them in their tracks. "Why?!" He screamed. "Why are you fools so blind?!"
And with that, Sagi turned and walked towards the exit. "One day, Chitsujo," he growled, dropping all formalities and respect for the man, "one day, you and this accursed kingdom will see that I was right all along!"
As Sagi left the tribunal, along with a stunned group of people and an angry king, he found himself thinking of one simple reality in his eyes. If this kingdom will not recognize my talent, my genius, my brilliance...then I will simply take them all elsewhere.
I will take them...to a kingdom that will appreciate it all.
That was the last Chitsujo and the rest of the Kingdom of Menou ever saw of Sagi…
After that, I left Menou, made my way across the Kingless Lands, until I reached Rakuen. There, I explained my situation, explained the benefits my genius would bring to the kingdom. And that was when I met His Majesty, Lord Konton. The man who truly appreciated my talents. The man who had power and knew exactly how to use it. The man who's war to plunge the universe into chaos will be my final revenge against the man who insulted me with his dedication to order.
Little did I know, fate was smiling on me. It was the exact moment I arrived at Rakuen, that Lord Konton had put his plan to form an elite team of soldiers into motion. That was the moment I became the first member of the Nine Dark Circles. The Eighth Circle, Sagi the Fraud. A rather ironic joke about my tendency to replicate weapons from other worlds, but also fitting, due to my powers of illusion.
And now here we are in the present. I've watched as the membership of the Nine Dark Circles grew to its desired number. I've unfortunately had to listen to disrespect from all the younger members...especially the one who somehow ended up being ranked higher than me in the group.
But, I will say, other than being disrespected by my idiot teammates...I've gotten everything I've ever wanted. Respect, power, all that's left now is to be at the very top of Lord Konton's new world.
And these idiotic Allied Forces...they're standing in my way. I'm going to rip them apart with a damn smile on my face for this…
Sagi, inside of his Faux Man, calmly sat atop the giant throne of Ryugu Palace. It was his way of mocking the Alliance. Sitting on a throne that did not belong to him and instead belonged to an ally of their army.
Suddenly, those doors shot open and several of his own soldiers were flung in. Most of them were either knocked out or dead. One, however, was barely conscious. He weakly looked up at Sagi, who just looked back at the soldier in disappointment.
"Umm...someone's here to see you, Sir." The soldier said before falling unconscious.
If Sagi's Faux Man had eyes, he would have rolled them. But, they did not, so he simply settled for heaving an annoyed sigh as six individuals entered the throne room. As usual, everything falls to me. He noted. Oh well, if you want something done right. You do it yourself. That saying really is quite true.
Sagi looked at all six individuals who had challenged him. Jellal Fernandes, Erza Scarlet, Temari, Don Sai, Rogue Cheney and Naruto Uzumaki. "How did you lowlives get this far? And I'm not just talking about reaching this throne room. How did you lowlives manage to survive the Wizard World?"
Six pairs of eyes glared at Sagi. Sagi groaned. "Well, no matter, if you wish to raise a complaint with me, I'm willing to listen."
"I think we've moved past the point of complaints, you monster." Erza growled.
"Now, now, just because we are enemies, doesn't mean you can call me such. I am Sagi, the Fraud of the Nine Dark Circles. I've earned your respect before you even knew me."
"What...what the hell is up with his body? The guy doesn't have a face." Sai muttered.
"Bastard must be using some sort of fake body to be present." Temari folded her arms, scowling at Sagi. "The prick doesn't even have the balls to fight us in the flesh."
"We don't care who you are!" Rogue yelled, pointing at Sagi. "We're going to take you down in the name of all those innocent Fishmen and Merfolk who were slaughtered by that despicable weapon you probably created!"
"Are you now?" Sagi said in a mocking tone.
"And if you really are a Circle, an elite soldier of Rakuen, then defeating you will go a long way to proving to ourselves that we are ready to fight Rakuen when the day comes." Jellal noted. "This is a fight we cannot afford to lose! Not just for us, but for everyone else!"
Sagi laughed. He did not rise from his seat on the throne. "Off that chair, you damn phony." The Shadow Clone of Naruto Uzumaki spoke up. "That throne belongs to the king of this island, not you."
"Kings mean little to the new universal order." Sagi pointed out. "There is only one ruler now, and that is Lord Konton."
"Anyway, you really shouldn't be so self-righteous. This is just how the world is. Those in power make the rules. And they use the weak as they see fit. And the weak have no right to object. And since they lack power, it is their role to follow the rules."
"That is the hierarchy of this world." Sagi cruelly reminded them. "Anyone who has the audacity to try and challenge it, deserves to be crushed underneath the heels who understand the hierarchy."
"The fact that you have the nerve to try and resist our power is infuriating." Sagi admitted. "Why can't you people just give up? Just accept your fate as our new subjects! The kindling for the fire of our empire!"
"Like hell we'd agree to something like that!" Rogue growled.
"And hierarchy?" Erza said incredulously. "You have to be insane if you actually think something like that exists!"
Sagi growled at Erza's statement. "Oh, the hierarchy does exist you wench." He promised. "Believe me, I know all too well that the hierarchy exists. You have no right to tell me I'm wrong."
"After all, that hierarchy was forced on me." Sagi admitted. "I went through hell because I lacked power. I went through hell until I crawled my way to the position of power I so rightfully deserved."
"And now," Sagi continued in a cold and cruel tone of voice, "now it is my turn to crush the weak under my heel. Now it is my turn to use everyone else as I see fit."
Everyone looked at Sagi in disbelief. They simply could not believe that one man could be so twisted. Then again, Naruto could, considering he met his boss once. "Even if that is true, don't you think you're getting back at the wrong people?" Temari demanded.
"This man is absolutely despicable." Erza muttered.
Sagi laughed. "You fools, there's only one man I want to get back at. Everything else is just me exercising my rights at the top of the hierarchy! Perhaps if you primitive Otherworlders weren't so weak and pathetic, you'd be able to enjoy that paradise with me. But, you will never reach that level."
"Yeah, well if going to paradise means sharing it with you, I'm afraid I'm not interested!" Sai countered.
Sagi scoffed. "All you self-righteous fools, acting like you know the universe better than a true genius like me...it's infuriating. Only the strong and the smart come out on top in this universe! People like me rise to the top and crush people like you under our heels! That is the way of the universe!"
"You are nothing more than stepping stones for me to move forward to my destiny!"
"You are utterly hopeless." Jellal simply told him.
"And you definitely get along with that fool of a king. Foolish soldiers for a foolish leader. You all deserve each other. And no matter how strong you barbarians think you are, nothing will change the fact that you will live and die as primitive fools!"
"Oh my God, just shut up already!" Sagi yelled. "I've had to listen to you go on and on!"
"I agree," Erza nodded, "how can a monster like you possibly think you're favored by the universe?"
"I'll tell you this much, you're not." Erza shook her head. "You are nothing more than a despicable monster, masquerading as an elite. Someone like you could never be favored by the universe."
Sagi growled at Erza before regaining his composure. He heaved a dramatic sigh, shaking his head at the six. "Too bad, I guess fools really will stay fools no matter what. And that means...you're all hopeless. There's just no getting through to any of you."
"Oh well," Sagi shrugged, "I suppose this will be where my gracious lecture about the universe ends."
"Now then," Sagi rose from the throne, "I hope you are all ready. You are about to experience a terror that primitive trash like yourselves cannot hope to surpass. I'm going to demonstrate my superiority to every last one of you. Consider it your final lesson. You can all take it to the grave."
Sai grinned confidently, readying his polearm. "You certainly know how to talk big, for a guy who doesn't even have the guts to face us in person! There's six of us and only one of you, you know."
Sagi just laughed. "You don't get it, you just don't get it. I mean, it's no surprise that you don't get it. But seriously, I had hoped you'd at least have enough self-awareness to realize just how much danger you're actually in."
"He certainly loves to monologue." Temari muttered. "Kind of hard to feel any sense of danger when that's all he's doing."
"We let you fight it out in the Wizard World because we wanted to give our allies the satisfaction of crushing you themselves." Sagi revealed. "But, they failed spectacularly. Zeref lost to that idiot, Straw Hat, the Wizard World was lost, and our plans for universal domination were set back...slightly.
"But, in doing so, we realized that we had been far too lenient with you, when frankly, none of you deserve such leniency. No, I realize now that you should've learned your place from the very beginning."
At that moment, Sagi's massive Reiki was let out of his Faux Man. It was colored dark violet. All six Alliance soldiers froze in terror from the sheer magnitude that was Sagi's Reiki. "What the hell?" Sai's confidence was wiped away in an instance. "What the hell?! Is this his energy?"
"That's...not possible." Rogue muttered to himself. "How in the world can one man have that much power."
"See? You fools got so arrogant after your win in the Wizard World...that you foolishly thought you could do anything, even though your place in the hierarchy doesn't allow such things. You have no right to dream. No right to hope for anything beyond your means." Sagi revealed.
The Circle then chuckled darkly. "I'll let you in on a little secret. This body I'm currently using, it actually slows me down immensely. Right now, I can only draw on 30% of my full power."
This made all six of Sagi's opponents pale. 30%? He could only use 30% of his full power. What kind of monster was this guy at a hundred?
"See? And this is what happens when you forget the hierarchy of the universe. Primitive weaklings like you are allowed to dream beyond your means, and then you run into a wall that gets you all killed." Sagi laughed.
"And consider me the wall! Consider Rakuen the wall!" He gloated. "Our kingdom is where your hopes and dreams will go to die!"
"Saving the universe? Bringing peace to everyone? Challenging and defeating your archenemies, the Kingdom of Rakuen" Sagi mocked. "Don't make me laugh, you primitive trash! You fools won't even make it to Lord Konton at your current level! You are all going to die here!"
Sagi's power level continued to rise, much to the horror of everyone present. Even Erza found herself struggling not to collapse to her knees in fear and despair just from the man's presence. I've never experienced such terrifying power before. This surpasses every single opponent I've ever faced off against...not just surpass...the ones before don't even come close!
And what's more… Erza paled. I...I feel like I can actually see the shadow of death behind him! I don't know whether that's his power...or that he's so strong and that terrifies me so much that I'm actually seeing death.
Indeed, Erza found herself hallucinating. She could already see the broken, mutilated corpses of her comrades, lying about. Did the same thing go for everyone else? She did not know. She was far too focused on her own fear to care at the moment.
How...how are we supposed to beat him? How are we supposed to beat any of these Circles? Erza wondered.
"You lack focus, Titania." Erza was cut from her reeling thoughts by the sound of Sagi's voice. The Fairy Queen gasped when she saw that Sagi had moved right in front of her in a mere instant. He was so fast.
What happened next was under half a second. Blood flew everywhere, splattering on the floor. Erza gasped and heaved. A fist stuck out from her back. Jellal gasped. He did not even see it happen...and so he was too late to stop his worst nightmare from happening.
Sagi stood before them all, his fist driven right through Erza's chest and right out the back. Erza gasped and vomited blood before falling off of Sagi's fist and onto her back, her eyes wide in shock at what just happened. Her mind simply could not comprehend how quickly she had been struck. And with such lethal precision too.
"ERZA!" Jellal could only scream in horror.
A.N: Like I said, something a little different. I'm already bracing myself for people inevitably accusing me of hating on Fairy Tail again. This is something I've planned for months. Honestly, I wanted to try something new. And this seemed like a great way to do it. I mean, I literally just Worfed Erza to demonstrate the power level of a villain. Erza! As in the lady who canonically never lost an actual fight. It actually physically hurt to write that scene because I do love her to death. But I firmly believed I've raised the stakes now.
And how about Sagi's backstory. I wanted to go for something where you can understand where the guy's coming from in a sense. But the problem is, he's so unbelievably petty and so much of a prick, it's impossible to feel bad for the guy. Dude legit thinks he's a victim. Dude needs to get over himself.
Anyway, I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter. And if you like this stuff, you should check out my original work. My first novel: Age of Heroes: The Hero and the Disciple, is available on Amazon Kindle.
