JunichirÅ Koizumi 2002 April 23rd
We woke up early for this, cups of coffee and tea had been made and were being consumed, despite the time difference we all watched, anyone who didn't, well they didn't deserve to be here.
"I never thought I would ever root for an Endbringer to win."
We raised our cups in agreement at Abe's words, drones relayed the battle to the world, to us in real time. A result of the hard work of some of Japan's best rogues, now that we had warning of the Endbringer fights we all felt compelled to watch Leviathan's fights. None of us wanted to miss out on his death. This was personal, all of us wanted that horrible monster to die. It was raining over there, we saw a great many sunflowers, a wall of them protecting the city. Ironwood walked out onto the water, wooden armor grew over his body.
Leviathan rose and the two of them stared at each other unmoving.
"KILL HIM!"
We ignored his comments, he was from Kyushu, allowances were made and deserved. We watched as the sea attacked the city and were rebuffed by the wall of sunflowers, The fight continued, explosions, fire, monsters and water attacks. We all watched in rapt attention, I'm sure most of the country was watching this despite the late hour.
Finally Leviathan charged the wall of sunflowers, and then we watched as the entire wall flowed into him. We watched him fly past and land on the ground, he was screaming in pain, fear and terror. A sunflower formed around him raising him up from the ground, the beast continued to cry as his brother slowly walked towards him.
"Hello brother."
There was a cold rage in those words, an old hate, we suddenly remembered that this was a battle of brother against brother. Of kin against kin, we were watching a deeply personal moment and none of us took our eyes away. The other Endbringer was still in his armor, his hands clenched around his sword.
"Remember what you said you would do to my children? My city? My family?"
The beast screamed in terror, we leaned in a few of us had smiles on our faces. That Leviathan would threaten to kill his brother's children? That was something we all agreed he was capable of.
"You shouldn't have done that."
He slashed the helpless beast with his sword and he screamed in terror, but none of us felt any pity. The wheel of Karma had turned and it was Leviathan's turn to live in fear, to be in pain, to die."
"We can no longer live under the same sky."
The veins of the sunflower ripped him open, the beast struggled in vain, until we saw the glowing exposed core, we were on the edge of our seats.
"Goodbye brother."
He stabbed Leviathan with his sword, he screamed and quaked until he died. Leviathan, the murderer of millions of japanese was now dead. We watched as Ironwood's armor fell to the ground. His white coat fluttered in the breeze, it looked quite heroic. Eidolon flew towards him.
"So."
"He's dead."
He put the sword back into his scabbard and took it off of his waist he handed it to the hero.
"Give this to the japanese government, along with my apologies."
We blinked at the message, Ironwood walked away into the mists going home. I turned off the television.
"Today is a national holiday."
A few aids ran off to give the message, no one disagreed with me and the opposition was not going to fight me on this. A bottle of something expensive was opened and small cups were filled. I had some time to think about it.
"Tell the americans that we humbly accept Ironwood's gift to the japanese people."
I savored the sake, enjoying it.
"Theres an old story, Susanoo was cast down from heaven for his actions, and found himself a pretty wife, he then fought a monster and presented a blade in repentance for his actions."
"You're not comparing him to..."
"No... but this will have resonance, we're watching the creation of a new legend, one that will be told generations from now."
I took another sip.
"His wife is half japanese."
People turned to look at me.
"Her father's half Irish, half chinese, but her mother well, she's actually from Japan."
I took a small sip.
"The story starts with 21 monsters, destroyers of worlds, exiled from the Heavens they fall to Earth eager to destroy, they're caged, restrained, but they escape, but with them come shards, the power of the Heavens to help humanity fight back."
I sip my drink.
"The weakest and smallest of the monsters is a healer, a doctor of their kind, he escapes with his brothers. But rather then destroying humanity, he decides to listen, to watch to learn, and in his journey he comes across the teachings of a holy man."
My drink is refilled.
"The holy man's teachings make him doubt his purpose, his course, he goes to a city with an army and holds it hostage. He demands that the holy man speak to him, the city will be spared if he is handed over. Risking certain death the holy man agrees. They talk about many things and the monster see's the error of his ways. He repents and agrees to fight his evil siblings."
I take a sip.
"He meets and falls in love with a beautiful woman, the monster gets married has children, and one day his evil brother threatens to murder them. He goes in alone, the weakest of all his siblings, but he has changed. He no longer fights for entertainment, for glory, he fights for the people he loves. He slays his evil brother and remembers all his misdeeds and evil actions, and offers the sword that slayed his brother to his victims as an act of atonement."
I swirl the cup.
"It's more complicated then that, sir."
"True, but this is how the story will be told."
We split off to rest, to sleep, when the sun rose we gave our respective expected speeches. The public holiday was announced and the country dedicated itself to celebration. The Slayer of Kyushu was dead, millions of japanese people had been avenged, and soon the sword that had slain him would belong to the japanese people.
I wondered where we would put it.