"The justice minister is commonly known for his unwavering justice, and strength that allows him to confidently butt heads with other executives." Mr. Strindberg (former association Public liaison)

Chapter 5: the fallen hero

The board executives of Amazon plus were currently in a fuss. While usually they never had to work only sometimes, hopping onto a video chat to approve the promotion of a upper management, or to collect their bonuses, it was relatively relaxed as most of them had long lost the drive they had once had, with the ceo calling most of the shots, and so long as everyone was paid on time, he could be a metaphorical god of the company, and with the three arcology under Amazon's control, he certainly could be.

The problem now was that suddenly some of the people under their management had started to develop superhuman powers. While some might say that such an event could be highly economical, there is one thing they forget, when the capability of a populous rises, the power of oppressors tends to take a hit. For example the CEO of Amazon plus, one of the largest companies, that held percentages of the world's transport, in its hands. One of the major powers in the world. Had died not thirty hours ago. After a eco terrorist that he had for in home 'rehabilitation' had suddenly gained the power to transform into a one thousand pound grizzly. And as the old fashioned CEO had not worn any of his enhancement gear, as he felt it 'was more primal using just one's own strength' was easily mauled before anyone could help him.

So not only did the board suddenly have to find a replacement for the CEO, something usually managed over the course of a decade, they also had an issue overshadowing the death of a CEO or an uprising. The fact that a spy was in the company. While they knew the spy had the information they did not know their employer, and had been monitoring the spy to find out, in hopes of exploiting cash out of the company.

The board of executives were however quick to come to the conclusion, to bite the bullet and give up the advantage of knowing about super humans first, and make an announcement to their major clients. Still in theory it should not be able to cause them too much trouble. The superhumans seem to have strength equal to a level 6 guard at best, while most could be matched by the interior riot guards. The only pain would be to move this pampered force to actually go into the slums.

Fuji Sato, was currently on the beat, and while he was low level he was still a cop, and had high pay. And while he had at one point been a junior detective, after investigating a case that should have been put in the trash, he uncovered a dirty secret. To save his family, a fall guy was made, and Sato found that the lab was suddenly very slow, resulting in a low closure rate, and a performance review got him demoted. But in truth Sato thinks he would have preferred if he had never been a detective in the first place. Sure it had been his dream, but all it had done was disillusioned him, putting him into a depression that caused him to abandon most of his life, even Yggdrasil. He just knew he would never be able to look that goat face bastard in the eyes.

Anyhow, Sato now did as every low levelled officer was doing, walking around telling everyone to stay in their houses. It was a boring job, mostly consisting of telling staving fathers that they weren't allowed to go get food for their children, of course aid packets were given out in the arcology, but not here in the slums. This was how lockdowns usually went. In fact Sato even saw a couple men on the pavement , all he had to do was walk over the corpses, not knowing if they were desperate for food, died before the lock down, or even just worked over thirty minutes from home, and didn't have time to make it back.

This however did not matter to the lowly officer Sato. His old self might have caused a fuss about it, maybe even have complained to the officer in charge of the area. But after a life of distance from those above him, Sato knew it was likely that some of the bodies were caused by the very same superior in a fit of boredom.

Still Sato, walked the beat, if only to feed his child… and his addiction. Sato, very much knew the saying "you can either die the hero, or live long enough to see yourself as the villain." So after he failed as a hero, he tried to drown himself in liquors.

That of course meant he quickly became distant from his wife and daughter. It was about two years after the incident, and a year and a half since the drinking started. Not that Sato ever hit his wife, he just became reckless. Nowadays she got a nice cut of his paycheck, and could see his daughter on video, or once a month.

In truth, Sato fully intended to put his gun in his mouth the day after his daughter's wedding. After all what he had to live for, his spirit had been broken, and all he did was work and drink.

That was beside the point, Sato walked, finally an alarm went off on his watch, it was his allowed time to eat at a nutria bar. While it did not taste good, it far outstripped the paste. Leaning on a building corner, when suddenly from the alley something leaped out.

It seemed to be one of the many homeless, who somehow escaped the cruelty of the officers who swept the streets prior. Probably by faking death. But its hunger had finally broken the survivor at the sight of the nutria bar, which to some one in such a position, would probably be considered a godly meal.

It was as the two grappled with each other that terror stuck Sato. He had many times had to remove one of these homeless from a corner, however this one seemed stronger than its taunt frame suggested.

They struggled in the filth of the street. The homeless man seemed to magically overpower the much larger Sato.

That was of course at first until Sato was finally able to use his training to manoeuvre his body to place the other man in a headlock. And when squeezing to ensure his opponent couldn't break free, something unexpected happened. Like a crock something flew forward, and the struggle ceased.

Somehow by using the strength within his arms Sato had decapitated a man. Falling back he forced his arm through the stone wall. Seeing this, Sato screamed.

Momonga was currently sitting in the private dining hall, with Hiro. The skeleton was watching a meal that neither of the two could even imagine being served to the one who had retained their humanity. and while the servers waited for Momonga's order he dismissed them, as he fully accepted anything out before him was a waste.

Still he was able to feel joy, at the sight of his comrade's blissful face. As Hiro dug into the heavenly meal, like a starved dog. That was until momonga sighed and the human was brought out with a stumbor. Wiping his face Hiro looked at the familiar skeleton. Interacting with his old friend was certainly strange. While the skeletal overlord had not changed in looks, however the fear factor was a lot smaller in game. This was juxtaposed to The lack of change in behaviour somehow made one forget that they were in the presence of an overwhelmingly strong undead.

With the attention of his friend brought back to him, momonga spoke of their situation so far.

"So far, as you see nazarick is intact, and the npcs for the most part seemed to be loyal. However, it does seem that my body seems to have some consequences as…."

Suddenly the door burst open, as albedo, shalltear, and the Pleiades . Burst in.

"Lord momonga, if you require someone to dine with, there is no need to fetch trash from the world. This one would more than gladly serve such a purpose." The succubus quickly screeched. Followed by mudders of agreement from some of the Pleiades

Seeing her rival get the first word shalltear quickly tried to present herself as a potential dinner date, with the others of the pleiades. Momonga looked displeased at the intruders (though his lack of facial expressions made it so they could not sense his displeasure). However the two factions continued to clash, until Momonga had to explicitly order the removal of all parties.

This resulted in all of the intruders to quickly retreat or risk the further displeasure of their lord, save for one of the unwelcome guests.

When Solution had heard from one of the maids that a human had arrived, she was surprised. She also grew angry when she learned that the foul creature dared to dine in a supreme being's presence. So she, like her sisters and even the first floor guardian accompanied Albedo to investigate the claim, and sure enough momonga was seated with a human who had literally just wiped his meal onto his shirt.

Now most denizens of Nazarick would be appalled at the sight of such a lowly life form showing such disgusting behaviours especially in front of the final supreme being, but unlike her counterparts solution was more interested in human before her than his actions. Not his actual body, mind you that was far from note, but more of a familiarity that the man had. Like one might have with someone they knew long ago, but couldn't place where from. However there was a nagging feeling from within her very core that spoke to her.

It was as she considered this man, that all the others had been forced out, then the solution finally took notice of her lord's stare. She quickly knelt down, as embarrassing herself before a human was nothing compared to displeasing her lord. It was as she begged for forgiveness, momonga spoke.

"Tell me a solution, what do you know about our guest?"

The slime assassin carefully examined the human, and despite being certain that she had never seen this human, could not shake the familiarity her soul seemed to scream at out of some connection.

Seeing her expression momonga decided to rephrase his question

"Allow me to ask something different, do they remind you of anyone?"

This made me think, and only one name came to mind, regardless that such 'person' was far above human, and even a comparison would be an insult to that one's majesty. However such thoughts still persisted.

She seemed to part her lip but didn't dare to give such an answer, and risked the ire of the last supreme being. However her reluctance is not unnoticed by her master.

"Please, speak your honesty is what I desire" the flare in his eyes seemed to flair with the insistence.

"We'll be your lord, if I had to say, and I apologise, but the person I think of when seeing this human is herohero-sama" the assassin shyly answered.

The skeleton brought his hand to his chin and the human stared at the solution with a confused gaze.

It was after a moment of silence that the skeleton spoke once again. "Solution, if you don't mind, could you bring back one of your sisters."

It then that solution quickly left the room to see all of the former intruders with their ear plastered to the door. Upon seeing solution albedo, was quick to reprimand the maid for remaining in the room when even the future wife of their lord had been chased out, the succubus was cut off when the slime told her sisters that lord momonga had requested the return of one of the other maids, only for entoma to jump at the opportunity to see their lord. Leaving the rest of the intruders to hold their head down, as the solution guided the entomancer back into the presence of their lord.

Momonga had planned to discuss the implications of solutions answers with Hiro, but once he heard albedo's yelling he motioned for silence from his friend as this place was evidently not private as it was thought to be. So Hiro began to pick at his food, not with the gluttonous fervour from earlier but more out of awkward boredom. That was of course until two maids came into the room, and an inquiry could go further.

"Ah, entoma, now I will ask you the same question, who does this human remind you of, now feel…."

Before the skeleton could emphasise honesty the bug maid answered "kyouhukou"

Surprised by her honesty and unexpected answer momonga pushed for clarification "oh, and why is that"

Then the seemingly cute and energetic maid gave an answer that paled the face of the silent human "snacks of course my lord" as those words had left her mouth, she extracted a cockroach from her sleeve and started to munch on it.

Momonga fought through his shock, and dismissed the maid, with the instructions to ensure the privacy of the room, which resulted in the maid to chase off the others by bringing out more of her 'snacks'.